Chapter 152: Chapter 112: The Strange Bird of Five Extremes Mountain

In other words, for Liou Yuan to master the "Blood Absorption Chapter," he must transform his blood qi to take the shape of gloves.

Currently, he can only compress his blood qi to maintain the shape of half an arm, still far from the spell’s described distance.

"On that day, I laughed at Liou Tao for barely getting into that C-level skill."

"Looking at it now, I’m not doing much better. Indeed, it’s worthy of a C-level skill, it has its difficulty."

Liou Yuan murmured, yet he was not discouraged.

After all, he has just reached the state where blood qi is manifesting externally, and his control over blood qi is still in the exploratory phase.

To start with such a difficult C-level skill, it’s understandable to be a bit slow.

After some more time, perhaps new insights will come.

"The Green Tide Pure Water Sword took a month to master. If necessary, I’ll take two months to master this ’Blood Imperial Spell.’ If two months aren’t enough, I’ll take three or four months..."

Liou Yuan mumbled as he slowly got up from the stone bed, smoothing his sleeves, preparing to go out.

"The Cyan Jade Iron Ore Vein has been mined for several months, yet no word on the merit point rewards."

"My elder brother is in seclusion. Is the Artifact Refining Pavilion waiting for him to exit before issuing them?"

"I need to ask about it."

The Cyan Jade Iron Ore Vein was the greatest monetary opportunity Liou Yuan obtained through the Fixed Star Compass, and it was always on his mind.

As the brother of Liou Zhen, it shouldn’t be excessive to ask, should it?

Just as Liou Zhen was about to step out.

A youthful voice suddenly rang out from outside the cave entrance.

The person, fearing Liou Yuan wouldn’t hear him, infused his voice with spiritual power, causing it to resonate through the cave.

"Mr. Liou, Xie Miaobo pays his respects."

The day Liou Yuan moved into his cave abode, he specially invited some friends, like Qiu Ming from Xiaopei Mountain, to visit.

Even Zhao Feiyue and Yin Huai’an dropped by.

So, Liou Yuan wasn’t surprised to see Xie Miaobo at his doorstep. In fact, his face lit up with joy: "Hey, surely Xie Miaobo has some results on the news he was tasked to gather."

"This kid indeed works efficiently."

Liou Yuan took hold of the jade scroll controlling the cave’s array, infused it with spiritual power.

Clang! The stone door opened.

Revealing Xie Miaobo’s figure outside the door.

"Come in, Mr. Xie," Liou Yuan beckoned to Xie Miaobo.

The Fifth Peak is different from Xiaopei Mountain, with many outer sect disciples, so one must be cautious of eavesdroppers.

While not a major issue, Liou Yuan wasn’t in the habit of having everyone listen in on everything.

"Tsk tsk, Mr. Liou, the star spiritual qi in your cave lasts so densely, I’m really envious,"

Xie Miaobo walked into the cave with ease, his mouth chattering nonstop as he looked around the cave.

"I wonder when I’ll be able to live in such a cave."

"You brat, with your Four-Star Star Acupoint, you’re already stronger than most outer sect disciples. Work a bit harder, and that day isn’t too far off."

Liou Yuan gestured for Xie Miaobo to sit, while playfully scolding him. He took out some spirit tea he had purchased from the Fifth Peak and brewed a pot.

"Have you found any news about Sheng Zeming?"

Liou Yuan handed a steaming cup of tea to Xie Miaobo before asking.

"Yes," Xie Miaobo took a sip of the hot tea and relayed the information he gathered about Sheng Zeming over the past few days.

"That guy’s from the Third Peak, at Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer, proficient in the Alchemy Dao, and registered at the Alchemy Pavilion."

"Not terribly famous in the outer sect, but still, being in the late-stage Qi Cultivation, he holds adequate strength."

"With a little utilization of connections, I found the location of his cave abode."

Xie Miaobo recounted, shaking his head humorously while listing some rumors, whether true or false.

"That guy’s been an entry for nearly ten years, has Four-Star Star Acupoint aptitude, yet most of his peers with the same point have reached Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer, while he’s stuck at the Seventh."

"They say it’s because Miss Wei used some means back then, enticing away his Primordial Yang, significantly slowing his cultivation speed."

At this point, Liou Yuan noticed a glint of sarcasm in Xie Miaobo’s eyes, his words carrying deep implications: "He still pines for Miss Wei, occasionally bringing her elixirs to enhance cultivation at the Fifth Peak."

"He probably hopes to win Miss Wei’s favor once more."

"But people from our Fifth Peak all know Miss Wei’s ways; she always leaves after stealing the Primordial Yang and never graces anyone a second time."

When Xie Miaobo spoke of this, he remarkably used the term ’favor.’

"Ahem!" Liou Yuan quickly coughed twice after hearing this.

Who would’ve expected, asking Xie Miaobo to find someone would uncover all these old, trivial stories?

He even dragged in Wei Miaomeng from Shoushan Tower.

The tea still in his mouth hadn’t been swallowed before he choked on it.

He coughed a few times to cover his embarrassment, yet within Liou Yuan’s heart, he already had an understanding of Sheng Zeming’s character.

"Cheating Bai Ling for spirit medicine is being greedy."

"Getting seduced by that vixen Wei Miaomeng and losing his purity shows an unstable heart and a lustful nature."

"Lustful, greedy, he’s got it all covered. No wonder all the other Four-Star Star Acupoint disciples from his cohort have already reached Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer, while he’s still stuck at Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer."

But thinking about Wei Miaomeng’s skills, Liou Yuan wasn’t really surprised and then asked, "Can you find his cave abode?"

"Yes!" Xie Miaobo nodded confidently.

Regarding Sheng Zeming, Liou Yuan didn’t want to inquire further. As long as Xie Miaobo could find his cave abode, it was enough.

"Great!" Liou Yuan replied, standing up and said to Xie Miaobo, "Then, I’ll ask Mr. Xie to lead the way."

Xie Miaobo stood up along with Liou Yuan, hesitated, and asked, "Is Mr. Liou going to ask him for alchemy?"

In his view, for Sheng Zeming to be noticed by Liou Yuan, it could only be due to his alchemy skills.

Who knew Liou Yuan would grin at him and softly say, "Debt collection!"

"Debt collection?" Xie Miaobo furrowed his brows.

Knowing Liou Yuan, this Mr. Liou might not exchange even a few words before getting into a fight with someone.

So hearing that Liou Yuan was going to collect a debt from Sheng Zeming, he was already convinced that this trip wouldn’t be peaceful, and thus strongly insisted on involving Qiu Ming as well.

He was still a bit away from Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer, and when it came to a fight, he surely wouldn’t be of much help to Liou Yuan.

Besides, since the Third Peak was someone else’s territory, it wouldn’t be safe with just the two of them, considering Sheng Zeming might have friends.

So calling on Qiu Ming seemed the safest plan.

"Alright!" Liou Yuan agreed after thinking it over and went with Xie Miaobo to Qiu Ming’s cave abode.

Qiu Ming had also reached Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer and received the reward of one hundred and sixty merit points, easily able to set up his own cave abode.

So Qiu Ming had rented a small D-class cave abode, located not far from Liou Yuan’s.

However, as the two approached Qiu Ming’s cave abode, even before they got close, Liou Yuan’s ears picked up some sounds.

...

Liou Yuan had exceptionally sharp hearing, able to hear clearly even through the walls of a cave abode.

What kind of person was Liou Yuan? Although he had never personally encountered this in his past life, he had plenty of ’experience’ from observing a myriad of things.

He immediately understood what was happening inside Qiu Ming’s cave, stopped with a strange expression on his face, and said with a tone of exasperation, "I knew this guy Qiu Ming would slip up sooner or later."

Liou Yuan rubbed his temples, feeling a headache because of his friend’s lack of restraint.

"And this guy doesn’t even activate his cave abode’s array when he’s at it, is he showing off or something?"

Xie Miaobo watched Liou Yuan stop in his tracks and, not understanding the reason, tilted his head and queried, "Qiu Ming’s cave is right there, why aren’t you going over, Mr. Liou?"

"Why not wait a bit," Liou Yuan said, hands clasped behind his back, looking at the stone door of the cave ahead with a wistful tone, "No one wants to be interrupted during such things."

"What do you mean?" Xie Miaobo didn’t understand what Liou Yuan was getting at, but out of curiosity, he walked towards Qiu Ming’s cave.

Although his hearing wasn’t as good as Liou Yuan’s, he could still hear everything inside clearly from close to the door without any array blocking the sound. He turned with a strange look on his face to exchange a glance with Liou Yuan, standing far away from the door.

Liou Yuan nodded with a half-smile,

Xie Miaobo muttered something weirdly under his breath and obediently returned to where Liou Yuan stood, unable to resist commenting, "That kid Qiu Ming, truly something. Daring to think and do boldly!"

The last word, Xie Miaobo emphasized heavily.

Liou Yuan couldn’t tell if Xie Miaobo’s remark was out of envy or appreciation as he echoed, "I knew without watching him, that kid would run into trouble, it was just a matter of time."

"He lost his Primordial Yang, let’s see how he handles things in the future."

With Sheng Zeming’s previous lesson still fresh in their minds, Qiu Ming was walking the same path.

But Liou Yuan wasn’t Qiu Ming’s father, he couldn’t control him, let alone control Qiu Ming’s lower half.

Shaking his head, he decided not to say more and stood side by side with Xie Miaobo, patiently waiting.

Xie Miaobo, blushing deeply, was finding it hard to breathe steadily. He had never experienced such a scene before,

The mere sound was enough to stir his heart and monkey mind.

Even Liou Yuan, with all his experience, was having a hard time holding it together,

He hastily began reciting the Daoist Calming Heart Spell.

Truth be told, that skill was quite effective; after one round, Liou Yuan’s heart was serene as still water, like a monk in deep meditation.

But Xie Miaobo was suffering, red-faced and gritting his teeth, "I don’t believe he can be that strong!"

Liou Yuan had the most to say on this subject, he had once seen Qiu Ming bathing when practicing swordsmanship by the small river.

From afar, he had seen Qiu Ming’s ’equipment’ and was amazed, marveling at the wonders of this world and how some people are indeed extraordinarily gifted.

Thinking of this, Liou Yuan coughed twice, meaningfully saying to Xie Miaobo, "Do you know, besides calling Qiu Ming a fool, that I have another nickname that’s not widely known?"

"What nickname?" Xie Miaobo’s attention was slightly unfocused, seemingly conversing with Liou Yuan while his ears were perked up, fixated on the enticing sounds from inside the cave that he couldn’t resist eavesdropping on.

"The Strange Bird of Five Extremes Mountain!" Liou Yuan said in a low, haunting voice.

Xie Miaobo: "..."