Could it be that I am the cruel villain?-Chapter 859 - 489: I Just Want to Retreat Safely

"Heavenly One Returning Essence Technique."

"Taoist Natural Law, following the changes of the four seasons, cultivate liver energy at Huang hour each day, nurture heart spirit at noon."

"Qi sinking into Dantian, maintaining focus within, breathing is subtle as if existing yet not. Miscellaneous thoughts are like dust, brushed away lightly, a spark of spiritual light at the mysterious pass."

"The supervisory vessel rising, the conception vessel descending like a revolving ring, the synergy of water in Kan and fire in Li. Break open the three passes, penetrate the nine orifices, a trace of true yang piercing the clouds..."

"Life Gate, Jiaji, Yu Zhen, Bai Hui, Yintang, Shanzhong, Dantian."

Spiritual energy lightly stirred within.

The movement of the cultivation technique by the man inevitably caught the attention of those around him, and they were about to open their mouth to stop him, but unexpectedly Jiang Feng had already opened his eyes.

"Not bad."

"Though I don't know its grade, or its efficacy, this cultivation technique does indeed nurture the body and mind, with wonderful effects on soul nourishment and mind concentration. However, the circulation isn't smooth, likely due to it being a fragment."

"Yet compared to the Heavenly Clarity and Serenity True Technique, it is still somewhat inferior, but it is just suitable for the Immortal Lady's cultivation..."

Altogether, in just two or three hours, he had deciphered most of the jade scroll he just dug up from the ruins.

Qingluan looked at Jiang Feng with an expression as though she was looking at a monster, originally intending to remind him not to circulate spiritual energy according to the martial arts fragment; otherwise, the incomplete fragment might lead to chaotic spiritual energy and cause deviation. But now, her concern seemed unnecessary.

"Truly a prodigy, such talent for those in the clan would not only prevent him from venturing alone into such perilous places but wouldn't even let him leave the family gates."

"Ordinary people practicing cultivation techniques wouldn't understand it even after looking for three to five days, not to mention attempting to circulate it. I've heard he's been cultivating for only over three years, quite enviable."

"Although along the way Lord Ao Qing often banters with Jiang Feng, indicating that their relationship is quite good, after all, they are fellow disciples, hmm, now how should I broach this topic..."

"Now that the time, place, and people are favorable, if such an opportunity is missed, it can only be fate's design against me."

"If the Golden Cicada Shell transformation truly succeeds, with Lord Ao Qing here, I needn't hide east and west nervously any longer. Ah, Xiao Yu is always sentimental, reaching such a dire situation now, how can I still be thinking about how the East Sea Clan will continue in the future."

"How absurd..."

Propping her chin in her hand, she shook her head in distress.

Looking around the broken walls and ruins, Qingluan felt very despondent, still holding a compressed version of Ao Qing in her arms, stroking its bulging belly with her nails.

"Snore~ Snore~"

Despite Ao Qing usually appearing aloof and disdainful of others, in reality, it's still in its youth, equivalent to a teenage child in the Human Clan, with a mind in a Schrödinger stage, mature yet easily coaxed to show a child's side.

Although Qingluan seems like a quintessential femme fatale—literally snake and scorpion—her awakened bloodline manifestation is a multi-colored giant python, her heart remains soft and delicate.

Despite having a mutually dependent relationship with the family, despite rarely seeing her father, despite possibly sacrificing herself, being used, she still considers the family's future path.

The four people were engaged in their tasks, Jiang Feng continuously pieced together the broken jade scroll on the ground, which was filled with cultivation techniques or powerful Daoist skills, fragmented due to war.

Beside Cen Yueyue were various jars that emitted odor and pungent smells. She fanned gently with her small hands, even stretching her finger into them, letting the black substance inside crawl onto her finger.

They were poison insects.

For Miss Cen, this so-called ghost place and paradise had little difference, as the environment was undisturbed by humans, Southern Border Disciples had attacked here, leaving many Gu worms. Moreover, countless cultivators perished here, feeding the local poison insects into plump shape with their flesh.

Furthermore, many of these poison insects had bred and mutated, holding each one carefully for research, sometimes using her inner Xu Huoyao to swallow a few, observing changes in the mother worm's body. For those adept at Gu and poisons of the Southern Border, it was a huge research base.

As for Xiao Yu, it was simpler, clearing martial arts fragments useful to the family, and some collected magic treasures or weapons, with a few of notable grade, enough to cause fights among Core Formation Stage cultivators.

Then.

It was casually tossed to her by Jiang Feng.

No choice, as neither Jiang Feng nor Cen Yueyue lacked treasures, both being easygoing personalities, never bickering over material possessions unless useful, inquiring if Qingluan needed them.

If useless, they're given to Xiao Yu, pledging asset division after departure, though neither really cared about such matters.

A faint firelight flickered in the damaged black wooden house, a building of considerable scale. According to Qingluan's description, it was once a family headquarters, among the forefront within the Old Dongyue, only four people and one beast remained inside.

The scene was peaceful, excessively so.

This place wasn't too far from where they fought the Demon Clan, advancing just several more miles brought them into the interior of Old Dongyue. Originally they anticipated this segment might be unusually arduous, considering their fierce battles in the outskirts.