Free Web NovelChapter 289: Chapter 18: Qingjiang
After replying with the two words "Keep monitoring," Wang Ping released the Puppet Bird. His influence currently extended only as far as Nanlin Road, and a significant part of that relied on Zi Luan.
The activity of ’First Day’ in Mozhou Road was likely related to the plan Xiu Yu had mentioned before, kindling a flicker of anticipation in Wang Ping.
At the same time, however, he remained on guard, wary that Xiu Yu might use this matter to achieve some hidden objective.
He then wrote another secret letter to Zi Luan, followed by a letter to Wu Quan and Ganxing. In his message to the latter two, Wang Ping focused more on instructing them to monitor ’First Day’ rather than revealing any intelligence.
After taking care of these matters, Wang Ping exchanged a word with Yu Lian, then descended to the Mountain Peak Dojo to begin his daily regimen.
He had just completed his regimen, his human side still quiescent, when two replies arrived from Zi Luan. The first was in response to his previous letter regarding Wu Ma Daoist.
In the letter, Zi Luan expressed his full support for Wang Ping’s idea and had already ordered Hongyuan to dispatch his disciples to monitor both Wu Ma Daoist and the ’First Day’ fanatics in Mozhou Road.
’The affairs of this world truly are a tangled mess. So many different people, so many different matters, all intertwined.’
Wang Ping let out a breath. As he reviewed everything in his mind, a bit of his human side returned. He couldn’t help but remark, ’No wonder Fellow Daoist Zi Luan enjoys such twisted humor!’
He then calculated the hour, glanced up at Yu Lian, who stood guard in the sky, and walked into his woodworking shed to look at the half-finished puppet on his workbench.
For some reason, a bout of laziness struck Wang Ping at that moment, and all he wanted to do was lie down in the courtyard and bask in the sun.
Just then, an attendant boy from outside came in to report, "Grandmaster, there is a Cultivator at the mountain gate named Qingjiang who has presented a calling card. She claims to be a Direct Disciple of Daoist Xiu Yu."
Surprised, Wang Ping held out his hand, and the attendant immediately stepped forward to place the calling card in it.
The etiquette of the Taoist Sect had been simplified to some extent. It was no longer necessary to send a calling card three days in advance, and this custom had already spread to the secular world, replacing the rites of the Human Dao.
"Show her in."
Wang Ping didn’t even write a formal reply, simply telling the attendant to show the visitor in. Given his current status, such an action was beyond reproach.
Half an Hour later, thirty minutes before the assembly at the Daoist Scripture Hall was to reconvene, the attendant brought Qingjiang to the entrance of Wang Ping’s small courtyard.
Qingjiang wore a pale yellow Daoist Robe made of silk. Her hair was gathered in a matching pale yellow jade coronet, and a jade belt was cinched tightly at her waist. The robe’s cuffs were narrow, resembling the practical garb of a Jianghu Traveler. Her petite stature and youthful features made her look almost like an attendant.
"Greetings, Daoist Changqing!" she said, performing the salute of a junior.
"There’s no need for such formalities."
Wang Ping waved his hand casually and smiled. "Come in and speak."
"Yes!"
Qingjiang entered the courtyard using the Eight-direction Step and stopped about twenty feet from Wang Ping. She then gave a slight bow, her gaze lowered to show her respect.
"For a Fellow Daoist to grace my humble place, there must be an important matter. Why not speak plainly?" Wang Ping didn’t beat around the bush.
"Yes. This junior has come on my master’s orders to attend to two matters. First, to retrieve the remains of my senior brother, Wulang." Qingjiang was not one for pleasantries either. As she spoke, she took a jade slip from her storage bag.
"My master learned that Senior has been studying the Puppet Technique, so he entrusted me with this Method of Separating Primordial Spirit to pass on to you. It is a Secret Technique my master developed himself while studying the *Taiyan Talisman*, and it is quite effective for the Puppet Technique."
As she spoke, she held out the jade slip in her hand.
Wang Ping’s gaze fell involuntarily on the jade slip, a perfectly measured smile appearing on his face. He flicked out a strand of Wood Spirit Qi to confirm there were no issues, then used the Qi to wrap around the slip and bring it to his hand. However, instead of reading it, he placed it on the nearby Stone Table and took out the wooden box containing Wulang’s head.
"This is what your master wants!"
"Thank you for your magnanimity, Senior!"
Qingjiang stepped forward respectfully, lifted the wooden box with both hands, and retreated to her original position. Without confirming the contents of the box, she stored it in her storage bag.
"And what is the other matter?" Wang Ping prompted.
"The matter my master promised you, Senior, is already underway. It will, however, make certain areas in Nanlin Road a bit... lively... for a short while. My master hopes you might be able to accommodate us..."
Qingjiang paused here, then said very slowly, "If it is convenient for you, Senior, we will need ten travel permits."
Hearing this, Wang Ping suddenly felt caught in an awkward position.
He and Zi Luan had agreed to turn a blind eye to Xiu Yu’s plan. That way, if something went wrong, they could both wash their hands of the matter completely.
But Xiu Yu was no fool. And now, here he was, trying to drag Wang Ping into it. freeωebnovēl.c૦m
What’s more, he had sent his disciple to do the talking, and she had addressed herself as a junior from the moment she walked in, making it impossible for Wang Ping to lose his temper.
"Aren’t travel permits issued by the Daoist Scripture Hall?" Wang Ping asked, feigning a look of great surprise.
"These are travel permits for certain special individuals. Ordinary Cultivators only need their identification tokens from the Daoist Scripture Hall to serve as a permit." As Qingjiang finished speaking, there was a very slight clenching of her jaw.
"In that case, I can just have a word with a few of the Patrol Envoys at the Daoist Scripture Hall." Wang Ping wasn’t foolish enough to handle this matter personally.
Qingjiang was silent for two breaths, then bowed deeply. "Many thanks, Senior."
...
The exchange with Qingjiang was over in less than a quarter of an hour.
After Qingjiang left, Wang Ping eagerly opened the jade slip recording the Method of Separating Primordial Spirit. This Secret Technique had no name, nor did its contents contain any lofty jargon; the introduction was written in plain language...
In just a moment, Wang Ping finished reading the contents of the jade slip. As expected, the light-screen panel popped up:
[Unnamed Secret Technique: Use the powerful consciousness of the Primordial Spirit to seize the instincts of a Spiritual Creature within the Inspiration Realm. After taming it, use the method of generating a Divine Soul Guide to reshape its consciousness and instinct.]
[Note 1: It is best to capture a Spiritual Creature with the Wood Spirit attribute.]
[Note 2: It is best to model the new consciousness on the instincts of a creature from the material world; otherwise, you will receive a distorted memory.]
[Note 3: The Spiritual Creature’s original consciousness from the Inspiration Realm must be completely purged.]
[Note 4: One must have achieved the Primordial Spirit realm to use this method; otherwise, one’s own consciousness will be contaminated in return.]
[Note 5: Success is dependent on luck.]
After reading the Secret Technique, Wang Ping fell into a brief period of thought. Although this was not a method for separating the Primordial Spirit at all, it had given him many new ideas.
As a newcomer to the Third Realm, his application of the Primordial Spirit was still not thorough enough—or perhaps, his imagination was not yet vivid enough. freewёbnoνel.com
’I should give it a try.’
Wang Ping awoke his Primordial Spirit Consciousness. In no time at all, he spotted a Spiritual Creature with the Wood Spirit attribute in the Inspiration Realm.
The subjugation process was effortless. With but a single thought from Wang Ping, a low-level Wood Spirit Spirit Body was suppressed by his Primordial Spirit. However, just as Wang Ping was about to reshape its consciousness and instinct, the Spiritual Creature dissolved into a plume of useless energy.
