Chapter 249- The Black-Bellied Demon Cultivator’s Senior Brother VS The Righteous Young Junior Brother (14)
But perhaps because of their past acquaintance, Ning Yizhou always felt more relaxed in Mu Jin’s presence, as if he preferred showing his most unguarded side to him. So, he allowed himself to be a bit more indulgent, acting freely, and fortunately, the little one by his side didn’t disappoint him.
In fact, when Mao Kun tried to get Mu Jin to cover for him earlier, Mu Jin didn’t take Mao Kun’s side, which left Ning Yizhou feeling quite satisfied. After giving Mu Jin a few kind reminders to rest early, the two of them temporarily parted ways.
The next morning, as soon as Mu Jin stepped out of his room, he was greeted by his master, Luo Kangde. Luo Kangde stood before Mu Jin, looking spirited, holding a jade slip and a Qiankun pouch1, which he handed directly to Mu Jin.
Nodding at him, Luo Kangde said, “In a while, let Yizhou teach you how to cultivate and practice the techniques. This jade slip contains excellent cultivation methods for wood spiritual roots. I’m sure it will be of great help to you. Work hard on your cultivation, and if you need anything, you can come directly to me.”
After finishing his words, Luo Kangde patted Mu Jin on the shoulder, nodded at Ning Yizhou standing nearby, and confidently entrusted Mu Jin to his senior disciple before turning and leaving.
Compared to the other peak masters, Luo Kangde had a unique approach to teaching his disciples. He believed that cultivators should rely on their own insights to progress in their practice. After imparting the basics, he encouraged his disciples to explore and find the path that best suited their own cultivation.
In fact, he even considered it a special favor to have gone out of his way to find this jade slip for Mu Jin. As for his senior disciple, Ning Yizhou, Luo Kangde had simply tossed him two random jade slips without bothering to seek anything special from the sect leader.
As for the Qiankun pouch, it contained the pills Mu Jin would need, along with some low-grade magical artifacts for emergency use. There was even a small, shriveled seed inside that Mu Jin couldn’t identify. For a disciple who had just entered the Qingliu Sect, this was quite a considerable asset.
Mu Jin didn’t disdain Luo Kangde’s hands-off approach; instead, he was very pleased that Luo Kangde had entrusted him to Ning Yizhou. Moreover, after scanning the contents of the Qiankun pouch with his spiritual sense, Mu Jin realized that his master had been quite generous with him.
After breakfast, Mu Jin followed Ning Yizhou to his room. Many of the disciples on Chuanyun Peak had been initially guided by Ning Yizhou, who would teach them the basic cultivation techniques if they had no prior experience.
Of course, such cases were rare in the Qingliu Sect, where most who were accepted as disciples had good aptitude. Most had already been tested and cultivated by their families before coming to the sect for further training. Someone like Mu Jin, who had no foundational knowledge, was an exception.
However, Ning Yizhou showed no impatience. He patiently explained the cultivation methods to Mu Jin, guiding the flow of spiritual energy through his body, and teaching him how to cultivate and harness his spiritual power.
Ning Yizhou’s explanations were thorough, and even though Mu Jin already knew what to do, he enjoyed watching his lover focus so intently on teaching him. It reminded him of his school days in a small world, and the teacher, Mr. Qi, who had always tutored him.
A flash of nostalgia crossed his eyes, causing Ning Yizhou to pause in confusion.
Who was the little one missing? Who was he thinking of?
Though a slight feeling of displeasure arose in his heart, Ning Yizhou maintained a calm expression as he asked Mu Jin, “Junior Brother Mu, were you just thinking of someone?”
Mu Jin, surprised by Ning Yizhou’s sharp perception, feigned a slightly sorrowful expression and replied, “Senior Brother, your teaching is excellent. It reminded me of how my father used to teach me when I was a child. He was just as patient.”
At that, Mu Jin fell silent, but the sadness on his face caused a pang of bitterness in Ning Yizhou’s heart, making him feel even more tender towards the young man before him.
When Ning Yizhou had first found Mu Jin, although he had saved him, he hadn’t delved into Mu Jin’s background. Now, however, a desire to learn more about him began to grow.
Despite Mu Jin’s straightforward demeanor, Ning Yizhou noticed that he was sincere and honest. If one were to engage in casual conversation with him, they could sense a certain depth and wisdom in his words.
He didn’t believe that Mu Jin was a simple-minded brute without any knowledge. So, what kind of family had he come from, and why was he in such dire straits when Ning Yizhou first encountered him?
Even though Ning Yizhou was filled with curiosity about Mu Jin, he didn’t want to reopen any old wounds. After all, the town where they first met wasn’t far from Qingyun Mountain, and if he wanted to find out more, there were countless ways to do so.
So, he simply smiled warmly at Mu Jin and patiently continued his teachings.
After some time, Ning Yizhou noticed that Mu Jin was perceptive and quick to learn. No matter what Ning Yizhou explained, Mu Jin grasped it almost immediately.
A student like this is undoubtedly beloved, and it was clear that Ning Yizhou was quite pleased with Mu Jin, especially considering that Mu Jin possessed a single wood-type spiritual root.
After Mu Jin had practiced for a while and became familiar with controlling his spiritual energy, Ning Yizhou took him outside. There, he watched as Mu Jin channeled his spiritual energy to plant the seed their master had previously placed in Mu Jin’s Qiankun pouch.
What started as an experiment surprised Ning Yizhou when Mu Jin actually managed to make the seed sprout into a plant. He marveled at the speed of Mu Jin’s progress.
Mu Jin, however, didn’t seem to realize how fast he was advancing. He was merely intrigued by the fact that such an unassuming seed could grow into a vibrant green vine.
From a distance, Mao Kun, noticing the vine, curiously approached it to prod it. However, before he could get close, the short vine suddenly lashed out and struck him.
Mao Kun quickly clutched his finger, looking at the vine in shock. The vine seemed to have developed some intelligence, and he turned to Ning Yizhou, asking, “Senior Brother, what exactly is this vine? I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
While Mu Jin didn’t recognize the vine, Ning Yizhou did. Being a demon cultivator, he was more attuned to nature than ordinary human cultivators and had a broader knowledge of such things. Ning Yizhou soon identified the small, seemingly insignificant vine as a rare and valuable blood vine.
Though the blood vine was still immature, once it fully developed, it would turn a deep red and become highly aggressive. At critical moments, it could obey its master’s commands, binding enemies and even absorbing their blood, leaving them weakened and unable to resist.
For those with wood-type spiritual roots, their attack power is typically not very strong. Therefore, they often carry plants or similar items that can be used for defense or offense. However, a plant like the blood vine is exceptionally rare and valuable.
It was unclear where Luo Kangde had acquired such a treasure, but if Mu Jin could properly utilize it, the blood vine would become an excellent means of self-protection.
Mu Jin, who had always felt a close connection with plants, was delighted when the short blood vine seemed to display a sense of intelligence, nudging towards him as if trying to curl around his finger. His laughter filled the air, amused by the vine’s playful behavior.
Mu Jin tapped the blood vine with his finger, causing it to crawl up to his wrist. He was clearly delighted.
Especially after hearing Ning Yizhou explain what the vine was, Mu Jin marveled at him with sparkling eyes and said, “You even recognize such a rare vine, Senior Brother. You’re amazing!”
Ning Yizhou clearly enjoyed the praise from Mu Jin and suggested that he could consider the blood vine as a spiritual pet. He then taught Mu Jin how to increase his bond with the pet.
As they chatted warmly, Mao Kun, standing by, couldn’t help but feel as though he had been overstuffed with spiritual fruits, feeling a bit overwhelmed.
After chatting with Ning Yizhou for a while, Mu Jin grew even more fond of the young blood vine on his wrist. After all, who wouldn’t appreciate a versatile plant that could protect them?
Following Ning Yizhou’s advice, Mu Jin infused a bit of his spiritual energy into the vine. As expected, the blood vine became even more affectionate towards him.
In the following days, Mu Jin diligently practiced under Ning Yizhou’s guidance. He didn’t rush to make advances on his beloved, respecting the original character’s admiration and gratitude towards Ning Yizhou.
Moreover, the original character’s persona was one of determination. Even if he did develop feelings for Ning Yizhou, he would strive to improve himself and match Ning Yizhou’s pace, only confessing his feelings when he felt worthy.
To others, Mu Jin seemed to grow at an astonishing rate. In just a year, he reached the ninth level of Qi Condensation and was even on the brink of Foundation Establishment, ready to enter seclusion for a breakthrough.
Of course, the seclusion was just a facade. Achieving Foundation Establishment in a year was incredibly impressive, and with Ning Yizhou’s support, Mu Jin drew even more attention.
After Mu Jin’s somewhat pretentious seclusion, he learned through 003 that Ning Yizhou had quietly left the Chuanyun Peak and returned to the town where the original character had lived. Ning Yizhou had even uncovered the original character’s past.
Upon learning about Mu Jin’s experiences, Ning Yizhou was deeply shaken. He severely punished those who had wronged Mu Jin and made them repay all the assets that had been unjustly seized.
Note :
- Qiankun pouch is a magical or mystical item that has the ability to store items of virtually any size within it, regardless of its own external dimensions. ↩︎