Who Let Him Cultivate?! (WX)-Chapter 652: Encounter

Lu Yang had initially planned to sell the Dao-Seeking Sect’s entrance exam questions. However, since the other party already knew they were from the Dao-Seeking Sect, selling fake questions would be troublesome if they came knocking on their doorstep later.

After the four left, black-robed figures continuously sought out the two to purchase the yang-boosting blood—probably because they felt embarrassed to buy it openly in the side hall.

Meng Jingzhou experienced the joy of earning money for the first time.

Just as Meng Jingzhou thought no one else was coming and they could pack up, another black-robed figure flew over, his steps steady and measured. He placed one hand before his chest and asked politely, “Benefactors, do you still have yang-boosting blood?”

Meng Jingzhou, “...”

Monk, at least disguise your identity.

If you break the lust precept, and Buddha comes looking for trouble, will the blame fall on you or me?

The polite monk continued, “Also, this poor monk has no spirit stones. May I perform a ritual in lieu of payment? Monks do not speak of falsehood. I am skilled in rituals, be it celebrating births, prolonging lifespans, exorcising evil, or delivering souls.”

Hearing this, Meng Jingzhou contemplated seriously. Celebrating a birth first requires me to have a son, prolonging my lifespan first requires my lifespan to be depleted, exorcising evil first requires evil entities daring to approach me, and delivering souls first requires me to be dead. None seems applicable.

Lu Yang suddenly asked, “May I ask for your dharma name?”

The polite monk answered readily, “This poor monk is Shi Chan.”

“Fellow Daoist Shi Chan?” Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou exclaimed in unison, not expecting to meet a fellow Daoist from the Hanging Monastery here.

Shi Chan was surprised that the two sounded like they knew him. Among the people I know, no one sells yang-boosting blood.

The three simultaneously removed their black robes, revealing their true faces.

Shi Chan had handsome features and wore his kasaya neatly. His expression was aloof, with the corners of his mouth tugged into a faint smile that transcended the mundane world. He was the very image of an accomplished monk.

Although they hadn’t met formally, they had seen portraits of each other.

“You two are Fellow Daoist Lu Yang and Fellow Daoist Meng Jingzhou?” Shi Chan was delighted to see them, his voice rising two pitches and his cold expression melting slightly.

Half a year ago, when he visited the Dao-Seeking Sect, his main goal had been to find these two and learn the Lu-Style Arhat Fist and the Single’s Curse Fist, but he had been unlucky and missed them.

“I didn’t expect to meet you two senior brothers here. It truly is fate.”

Lu Yang was also surprised. During the Qing Province Grand Ceremony, Shi Chan was the only outstanding disciple from the Five Great Immortal Sects who hadn’t attended. Shi Chan had gone to the slaughterhouse, and Master Jiesha was practicing the Mouth-Shut Chan Meditation and couldn’t notify Shi Chan during the Golden Core finals.

“If I remember correctly, Senior Brother Shi Chan, shouldn’t you be at the slaughterhouse?”

Shi Chan shook his head gently. “I was originally there. However, three months ago, a barbeque shop called ‘One More Time’ acquired our slaughterhouse. The people from the barbeque shop heard about this poor monk’s identity and fired me.”

Lu Yang remarked inwardly, That’s probably because they were afraid Shi Chan would discover that the Nine-Netherworlds Creed is behind the barbeque shop.

After all, we diabolic creeds and you immortal sects have irreconcilable stances.

“But it doesn't matter. This poor monk was planning to leave anyway. Coincidentally, I comprehended the meaning of ‘laying down the butcher’s knife and becoming a Buddha on the spot’ at the time. I successfully shattered my golden core to form a nascent soul, advancing to the Nascent Soul Stage.”

The three walked toward the city center as they talked.

Great Xia had no curfew. Even at night, the city was lively and bustling. The three put away their black robes and revealed their usual attire, which didn’t stand out in the crowd.

Lu Yang casually asked, “Then why did you go to the black market? Didn’t you say you have no spirit stones?” Can one even beg for alms in a black market?

Shi Chan smiled. “I just have to report it, and I’ll get some spirit stones.”

The two were speechless.

Shi Chan’s tone was laced with regret. “Originally, this poor monk thought it was a black market of the diabolic path trading souls. Unfortunately, after looking around, I realized it was just a small black market for tax evasion.

“When my shifu could still speak, he told me these small black markets are tacitly approved by the authorities and shouldn’t be reported. Although I couldn’t report the black market, meeting you two senior brothers there was already an extraordinary gain.

“This poor monk is stupid for failing to connect the yang-boosting blood to Senior Brother Meng. The senior brothers of the Dao-Seeking Sect had long told me that Senior Brother Meng is a rare cultivation genius whose Dao heart is as tough as iron, avoiding women to become stronger. Since Senior Brother Meng has cultivated to the Nascent Soul Stage, his blood having yang-boosting effects is reasonable.”

“And what do you need Old Meng’s blood for? Do you have a sweetheart?”

“You jest, Senior Brother Lu. This poor monk has left secular life. How could one in monastic life have a sweetheart? I wish to refine the pure yang blood to temper my mental state and achieve the realm of ‘remaining unflustered even with a beauty in one’s embrace.’”

Shi Chan stopped in his tracks. He extended his right hand and pointed to a busy brothel nearby, smiling faintly. “This is where I temper my mental state. Even with a beauty in one’s embrace, the heart shall remain as calm as in meditation, viewing her as a rouge-powdered skeleton. Only then can one’s mental state achieve major success.

“Senior Brother Lu, I’ve heard that your shifu, the Taciturn Daoist Priest, is a secular cultivator. I presume you’re familiar with secular cultivation methods and can understand my approach.”

Actually, Lu Yang wanted to say his shifu’s secular cultivation often took place in prison cells, not in such expensive places, but saying that would disgrace the sect, so he figured no further explanation was necessary.

Since they were all fellow immortal sect disciples and a few drops of blood weren’t worth much, Meng Jingzhou generously gave Shi Chan twenty drops.

For an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator, one drop was already effective. For a genius Nascent Soul cultivator like Shi Chan, one or two drops wouldn’t suffice; he needed twenty drops in one go.

Sensing the yang energy in the blood, Shi Chan pressed his palms together and bowed slightly. “Thank you in advance, senior brothers.”

He didn’t stand on ceremony and swallowed all twenty drops. “Indeed, it’s effective.”

Shi Chan’s eyes lit up. Senior Brother Meng’s blood is far more potent than I expected. My body is already reacting, and this is a sensation I’ve never experienced before.

Seeing that he couldn’t suppress the blood’s effect, he walked directly toward the brothel, his expression apathetic and his demeanor unworldly.

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou didn’t know how long Shi Chan would be in the brothel, so they waited in a nearby tavern.

It was a good chance to tally the night’s earnings.

“150,000 spirit stones, 500,000 spirit stones, 100,000 spirit stones... A total of 2.3 million spirit stones!” Meng Jingzhou beamed with joy. It’s my first time doing business, and I’m already earning this much—looks like I’m very talented in commerce.

However, this business couldn’t be done continuously. The blood sold tonight wasn’t casually dripped from his body but was compressed and refined to achieve a quality akin to essence blood. He needed to rest for a few days before refining the next batch.

“But proving I can earn money is enough. Why must I keep selling blood?”

2.3 million spirit stones—even a Nascent Soul cultivator can’t produce that much at once.

“Here, I’ll give half to you.” Meng Jingzhou gleefully pushed half of the storage rings to Lu Yang. Although this dog Lu Yang’s choice of words in his sales pitch wasn’t pleasant, it had been very helpful and aided in subsequent sales. Sharing the spirit stones is only fair.

Lu Yang didn’t decline, accepting the spirit stones.

The two chatted while drinking free water, ignoring the tavern boss’s angry glare.

“Shouldn’t Shi Chan be coming out by now?”

As they spoke, Shi Chan emerged from the brothel calmly, his expression the same as when he entered—devoid of joy or sorrow.

Lu Yang waved, signaling Shi Chan to come over. “How did tempering your mental state go?”

Shi Chan smiled faintly. “The tempering failed.”