Vampire Cultivation Notes

Chapter 145 Wading Through Water, Plowing Ox Demon Core

"Junior brother, wait a moment!"

The fish farm manager called out to a young Taoist priest ahead.

He had been watching the young man for a long time, and today he finally got his chance.

Right there in the outer city area, the fish farm manager caught up with two blue-green fish, walking side by side with the young Taoist priest with a smile.

"Junior brother, you come from the East China Sea. Are you adapting well to this wild and untamed land?"

The young Taoist priest was dressed in a dark Taoist robe, carried a simple long sword on his back, and held his hair in place with a wooden hairpin. He was dressed simply and looked like an ascetic.

He came from the Ruyi Sect last year, traveling a long way to Xiaoxin Island in Dusuo Canghai to become a disciple of Qi Zhen. He wanted to find a convenient way to participate in the assessment as an outer disciple before formally becoming an inner disciple of the Ruyi Sect.

Having only been on Xiaoxin Island for a year, the young Taoist still spoke cautiously and flatteringly to his senior fellow disciples, maintaining the proper decorum.

The two walked for a while and soon came to the new disciples' residence.

The fish farm manager then forced a blue-water fish over to him, laughing, "If I'm not mistaken, Junior Brother, you just reached the seventh level of Qi Refining not long ago?"

"Exactly."

The young Taoist said, "Although my cultivation level is low, I am fortunate to have been taken in by my master's kindness. In the future, I will..."

"Hahaha!" the fish farm manager interrupted, "We brothers and I have private conversations, so there's no need for formalities. Just doing our best for those above us is enough to repay the kindness of being taught, imparting knowledge, and resolving doubts."

"What you say is true, senior brother."

The young Taoist priest stopped at the door, holding two jade fish, unsure whether to accept them or refuse them.

The fish farm manager coughed twice before slowly explaining his purpose.

"I've heard... that you, Junior Brother, possess a second-tier demon core from a water-wading ox?"

The young Taoist priest immediately became wary and said, "This was bestowed upon me by my master, Master Baocheng. He instructed me to use it to cultivate my magic and accumulate some foundation so that I could pass the inner sect examination when I achieve mastery."

"Exactly!"

The fish farm manager laughed and said, "In my opinion, Junior Brother is putting the cart before the horse by thinking about things that far ahead."

"You're greedy for cultivating magical arts again, and you also want to improve your magical power. After refining your true energy a hundred times, junior brother, once you're ready, you'll be at least forty or fifty years old. Do you really think they'd still be willing to accept you for the inner sect's assessment?"

"Therefore, you should focus on cultivation. Magic power is the foundation of a cultivator. If you can achieve perfect Qi cultivation at the age of thirty, why worry about failing the inner sect examination?"

"Senior brother, is that what you say?" The young Taoist sighed. "Ever since I reached the late stage of Qi Refining, I haven't dared to relax for even a day. Unfortunately, true qi is difficult to refine, and I still can't understand the shadow of the eighth level of Qi Refining. It would be better to learn by analogy and practice the methods bestowed by my master. Perhaps I can still make some progress."

"Isn't this just a coincidence?!"

The fish farm manager was overjoyed. He grabbed the young Taoist's arm and laughed, "Come inside and tell me the details! I recently obtained some three-hundred-year-old Vermilion Fruits, enough even for my master and senior uncles. This stuff is best for enhancing magical power and relieving your predicament. To be honest, I've just reached the ninth level of Qi Refining, and I really want to exchange it for your demon core..."

The young Taoist priest was intrigued, but instead of answering immediately, he led the fish farm manager inside to speak.

The portal is closed.

Meanwhile, above the young Taoist's residence...

Cheng Yi, the eldest disciple of the Seven Immortal Cities, led a group of inspecting cultivators over, each holding an array plate. After adjusting them, the array plates projected images of the interior of the residence below.

"It seems that Master Baocheng's disciple is still quite naive," Cheng Yi said with a smile, holding the array plate that displayed the real image.

The cultivators on either side chuckled knowingly.

In fact, they had received the Seven True Mandates' decree to specifically investigate whether their disciples had engaged in any acts of favoritism or disobedience. Even if the owner of the house below had tampered with the footage, they could still force him to release it.

Now that no orders need to be given, everything below is clear, which makes things even more convenient.

"Senior Brother, I know the person living here. He came here with a token from Uncle Baocheng, so their relationship is quite close."

Such a person is not easy to offend, and others whispered advice in his ear.

Cheng Yi nodded and smiled, "Then I'll inform him and let him know I'll cooperate."

Adjust the array plate now and take control of the protective array below.

Cheng Yi's voice quietly entered the room and reached the ears of the young Taoist priest who was considering whether to make the exchange.

"Junior brother, do not move. I am Cheng Yi, and I have sent this message to inform you."

"We, the Seven True Fates, have been investigating our disciples for over a year and have found many suspicious and disobedient individuals. The one in front of you is the one I have been personally monitoring. Some people suspect that he has been sent to watch fish for too long and does not enjoy the same treatment as others in front of the Seven True Fates, so he harbors ulterior motives."

"Since he's after some treasure of yours, why don't you agree to it first and see what he does next?"

"If we can really catch the traitor, then in front of Qi Zhen, I will also give you credit for this, Junior Brother."

The young Taoist priest, realizing they weren't there to arrest him, relaxed his tense expression.

He also knew about the inspection team. Even Master Baocheng said that if he achieved success in his cultivation and gained the ability to fight, he would also be asked to take a position in the inspection team to help spread information and do other things.

"Junior brother, what's your decision?"

The fish farm manager, observing the changes in the young Taoist's expression, simply smiled and asked.

"It's nothing... After careful consideration, I'm willing to exchange this item with my senior brother!"

The young Taoist priest was already tempted by the deal. A three-hundred-year-old Vermilion Fruit—when it was in the East China Sea, how could he possibly have enjoyed it?

It's truly a blessing to have this uncivilized, wild land.

Besides, there's also the idea of ​​that senior disciple from Xiaoxin Island. It's not a complete loss, and if this person in front of us is truly a traitor, we might even be able to get the demon core back.

"Alright, alright, I sincerely want to exchange with you, Junior Brother." The fish farm manager smiled and took out the items: "Besides two boxes of Vermilion Fruit, this bottle contains top-grade Qi-Nourishing Pills. If I hadn't successfully completed my Qi cultivation, I really wouldn't have been willing to part with these."

The young manager examined it carefully, then accepted it with great delight.

The deal is done.

……

The fish farm manager left the city and went straight to the Bibo Fish Farm outside the city, without lingering in the city.

Cheng Yi and the others outside called on the young Taoist who had just exchanged the treasure, and they followed behind him out of the Seven True Immortal City, heading towards the Azure Wave Fishing Ground.

"He didn't go to anyone; could it really be for his own use?"

One of the inspectors, sensing something amiss, stepped aside and asked, "Junior brother, what did he exchange with you again?"

The young Taoist priest gave an embarrassed smile.

Cheng Yi spoke first, saying, "Nonsense! What are you speculating about? We've already got our eyes on this place, how can we just leave like that?"

When the eldest brother spoke, the surroundings quieted down.

This surveillance lasted for several days.

There was no magic array covering the area outside the city, so it was impossible to tell what the fish farm manager was doing.

Even if it were true, someone with the qualifications of a fish farm manager would secretly tamper with the array nodes of their residence.

After observing for a few more days, everyone grew tired. Some people wanted to go over together and question them, but they were afraid of looking for the wrong person and ruining the relationship, which would mean they wouldn't get any spirit fish to eat.