飘零影音

Chapter 60 - Arc 6: Pinglan County Wang Family | Chapter 60: Night Watch

Translator: Lynn

Alright, this is the last one for today, I’ll do the rest tomorrow!

Sponsored chapter (7/10)

A gunshot pierced through the heart of the giant ape, causing blood to spew from its mouth and flow down.

Wang Yingwu retracted his hand, and the spear emerged from the ape’s body, transforming back into Ruyi and returning to his grasp.

As blood splattered, the massive body collapsed to the ground with a resounding thud, stirring up a cloud of dust and ash.

The iron skin giant ape’s eyes remained wide open, lifeless.

Wearing a broad smile, Wang Yingwu exclaimed, “Impressive! It was quite challenging to kill!”

Wang Xing and the other monks from the Wang family shared in his joy. “Young master, your skills are remarkable!”

Modestly, Wang Yingwu replied, “If Senior Xu hadn’t used the vine net to bind it, I wouldn’t have been able to kill it.”

“Young Master Wang, don’t underestimate yourself. Your ability to surpass your cultivation level and slay monsters at the third level of Qi Refining is extraordinary. I merely intervened at the right moment, facing some hindrance,” Xu Ziqing said with a gentle smile. “Besides, thanks to fellow Taoist Nian’s reminder, the formation was set up to prevent the giant ape’s escape.” Wang Yingwu hurriedly expressed his gratitude to Nian Hongzhi and Wang Juner, saying, “Thanks to the thoughtfulness of the two seniors.”

Nian Hongzhi and the others deflected the praise, saying, “Xu Daoyou made the greater contribution.”

They divided the spoils. After inquiring with Nian Hongzhi and Xu Ziqing, the latter declined to take credit, while the former had some calculations in mind, so they both refused. Therefore, the entire corpse became Wang Yingwu’s possession.

Now, it was time to handle the corpse.

The most valuable items on the iron-skinned giant ape were its tough hide and the demon pill within its belly. The hide could be used for weapon refinement, while the demon pill had numerous applications and could always find a buyer.

As for the flesh and bones beneath the ape’s skin, the former was edible, with fairly tender meat, while the latter could be utilized for brewing wine, refining weapons, and alchemy. They shouldn’t let anything go to waste.

Wang Yingwu, as a dignified young master, lacked experience in dealing with such a large corpse. Three monks from the Wang family guided him through the process, providing him with valuable experience.

The task was completed swiftly, and the dissected ape corpse was placed in Wang Yingwu’s storage bag, marking a successful endeavor.

Meanwhile, Xu Ziqing’s massive net transformed into vines and fell to the ground. Nian Hongzhi retrieved the formation flag and stood by.

After tidying up, Wang Yingwu’s spirits were high. Having achieved success on his first attempt, he felt quite satisfied and his confidence soared. He discarded any lingering fear from the battle and proposed, “Seniors, shall we continue?”

Everyone agreed with smiles. Wang Yingwu’s journey was going smoothly, and they anticipated earning more rewards.

As soon as the iron-skinned giant ape perished, the scent of blood wafted in the wind.

The monsters and beasts in the mountains were aware of the proximity, but they had become accustomed to the presence of monks who frequently visited Shangyan Ridge. Only those who were hungry or cannibalistic hesitated, observing from a distance to satisfy their hunger…

Most of the group consisted of individuals experienced in battling monsters and beasts, and they understood the creatures’ habits well. After disposing of the giant ape’s corpse, they swiftly moved on. If other monsters caught wind of the scent, another major battle would ensue.

Thus, the group proceeded forward and encountered a few hunting monsters along the way, drawn by the smell of blood. However, these creatures were only at the first level of cultivation and posed no significant threat.

Although these first-order monsters were considered spiritually intelligent, they were actually quite foolish. Otherwise, how could they fail to sense the danger and provoke monks with higher cultivation?

Having recently defeated a second-order iron-skinned giant ape, Wang Yingwu felt a notable difference when facing a first-order monster. He felt no fear but rather approached it head-on. The strength of these first-order monsters was on par with Wang Yingwu’s own, and after the intense battle, his fighting skills improved.

And so, the journey continued until nightfall.

Wang Xing found a clearing with fewer trees on the mountainside and set the surrounding weeds ablaze, creating a shelter amidst the encompassing trees.

Shangyan Ridge was infested with powerful monsters and beasts, and the aura of danger grew even stronger at night. Many creatures were accustomed to lurking in the darkness, patiently waiting for an opportunity to hunt under the cover of the night sky.

All the monks were aware that they would have to stay on the ridge for two days, and they were not experiencing too much hardship. They sat relaxed on the ground, gathered around a fire that illuminated the surroundings to some extent.

After a half-day’s worth of effort, Wang Yingwu had slain six first-tier monsters and one second-tier monster, gaining a significant harvest. However, he was visibly tired. His cultivation was limited, and even with the assistance of Eight Stars, he had consumed a considerable amount of spiritual energy.

Wang Xing had been prepared and took out a bottle from his storage bag, offering it to Wang Yingwu. “Young master, you have expended a great deal of energy today, and it may affect your foundation. It’s better to take an elixir.” Wang Yingwu accepted it quickly, opened the bottle, and swallowed one of the pills.

He then crossed his legs and entered a state of meditation, surrounded by auras, evidently replenishing his depleted spiritual energy.

Wang Xing retrieved another bottle but glanced at the other monks. “Everyone has worked hard today. I wonder if anyone else needs it…”

Wang Jun felt secretly displeased upon hearing this. He thought, “These old folks are truly troublesome!”

In the past, he had never encountered such generosity from previous employers. The monks were always responsible for their own medicine. In fact, if Xu Ziqing hadn’t taken on this task, Wang Jun would have commended the Wang family for their generosity. However, they had exhausted most of Xu Ziqing’s spiritual power, assuming he wouldn’t be able to replenish it overnight. But things had taken an unexpected turn, leaving him feeling unlucky.

Nian Hongzhi remained composed this time and whispered, “You reminded me earlier. Why can’t we hold our breath now?”

Wang Jun sighed, “I thought the opportunity wouldn’t be hard to find… Who would have expected this? The Wang family really knows how to put on a show.”

Nian Hongzhi replied, “It’s just a low-grade elixir. Even if we take it, how effective would it be for us? Second brother, think about it.”

Wang Jun’s eyes brightened, and he immediately caught on.

Although the Spirit Replenishing Pill could quickly restore a monk’s spiritual energy, it had its limitations. Monks below the fifth level of Qi Refining could only take low-grade tonic pills. Accidentally consuming a medium or high-grade pill could result in an explosive situation.

Considering that Wang Xing had prepared the elixir for Wang Yingwu, its grade could only be low-grade. Furthermore, Xu Ziqing was at the eighth level of Qi Refining, so the level difference was too great. Even if he took the elixir, it wouldn’t be of much use to him.

However, they couldn’t take it lightly. Wang Jun, now fully aware, spoke in a hushed voice, “We only have one more day left. Brother, even if it’s risky, we can’t afford any more delays.” Nian Hongzhi also had similar thoughts and said, “Don’t worry, I have a plan.”

The two of them discussed their strategy, paying no heed to the others. Instead, they smiled and said, “Fellow Daoists, we would like to express our gratitude to Patriarch Wang for his generosity.”

Wang Xing was pleased to see their appreciation. He handed them the bottle and looked at Xu Ziqing, saying, “And what about you, Fellow Daoist?”

Xu Ziqing accepted the bottle with a smile but did not consume the elixir. Instead, he poured out three pills like the other two and stored them away, saying, “Thank you, Fellow Daoist Wang.”

Everyone assumed that he intended to take them later in the night, not suspecting that as someone with a single spiritual root, consuming an impure tonic pill would be harmful rather than beneficial.

After half a day of exertion, Wang Yingwu restored his spiritual energy with the nourishing elixir. He took out the meat of the iron giant ape and joined the other monks in roasting it for food. The ape meat proved to be delicious, and the entire group managed to satisfy their hunger with two ape legs.

Following the meal, the night watch began. Apart from Wang Yingwu, six other monks took turns, with two people per shift. They were divided into three rounds, changing every hour. Those on duty were not permitted to meditate or practice; their sole focus was to remain vigilant and prevent monsters from launching nighttime attacks, leaving them caught off guard.

Xu Ziqing and the other three eighth-level Qi Refiners were paired with a seventh-level Qi Refiner, placing them in the second shift. As they maintained their watch, the rest of the group found a clean spot, set up defensive barriers, and concentrated on recovering their spiritual energy.

In the depths of the night, Xu Ziqing naturally awoke from his meditation.

Having depleted 70% of his spiritual power during the day, he had only managed to recover 20% in the past hour of practice.

Opening his eyes, Xu Ziqing noticed Nian Hongzhi and a monk from the Wang family nodding at him. After returning the gesture, the two of them also crossed their legs in meditation, while Wang Xing was already tending to the fire.

Xu Ziqing approached and sat opposite him.

Wang Xing greeted him with a smile. “Fellow Daoist Xu, how is your spiritual strength recovery going?”

Xu Ziqing replied with a smile, “I’ve regained half of my spiritual strength for now. By tomorrow, it should be around 70% to 80%. Thank you, Patriarch Wang, for the generous gift. Without it, my recovery wouldn’t have been so rapid.”

Wang Xing pondered, “Fellow Daoist, can you consume all three pills at once?”

Xu Ziqing nodded, saying, “That’s correct.”

Wang Xing shared the same thought. Low-grade tonic pills usually require a higher quantity to be effective for higher-level monks. The greater the spiritual power in the body, the faster the recovery.

Since they were not familiar with each other, they exchanged only a few words before focusing on their tasks.

Xu Ziqing scattered the ashes of plants and trees, just as he did during the daytime, allowing the wind to carry them away.

This technique utilized the wood’s affinity to connect with the seemingly absent monster energy in the wind, providing feedback on the location and grouping of monsters to prevent surprises.

This technique was a combination of the “Ten Thousand Woods Great Heart Planting Technique,” which formed the foundation, and the techniques from the “Wood Containing Breath Technique.”

While it had limited applications, it allowed the ashes to blend with the wind, evading detection by monsters. It also enabled Xu Ziqing to sense the evil energy emitted by the creatures.

Wang Xing was also attentive. He took out several talismans from his pocket, ignited them with fire, and tossed them out.

Xu Ziqing observed as the talismans transformed into black shadows that darted out, swiftly disappearing into the shadows of the swirling trees under the moonlight.

With their preparations complete, they exchanged smiles, recognizing each other’s skill.

Thereafter, they ceased their conversation and focused on their defense.

As expected, their caution proved warranted. It didn’t take long before Xu Ziqing was alerted by the scattered ashes.

A group of faintly evil spirits had arrived, advancing rapidly under the cover of moonlit clouds. They were approaching as a sizable swarm.

Reacting swiftly, Xu Ziqing saw several black shadows heading towards him, while Wang Xing received their attention with a series of chirping and buzzing.

Wang Xing’s expression remained composed as he glanced at the young man in the green shirt. “Fellow Daoist Xu, a swarm of monster bees has arrived. Although they aren’t formidable individually, their numbers pose a considerable challenge. Since you still need to recover your spiritual power, why don’t you leave it to this old man?”

Xu Ziqing smiled and nodded. “Friend Wang, please go ahead.”

Wang Xing turned away, and coincidentally, a swarm of black clouds approached swiftly with a buzzing sound. He raised his hand, and his fiery red flying sword unleashed a net of flames, hurtling forward!

A rustling noise ensued, and countless bee carcasses fell to the ground, resolving the crisis.

Afterward, nothing eventful occurred. Xu Ziqing handed over the watch duty to Wang Xing an hour later, and before long, it was already the morning of the second day.

Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.

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