Chapter 979: A Flower Falling in the Palm

"Is Mister still pondering those Red Beans?"

Ning Bufan really wanted to know—didn't Mister Chen ever get tired?

Just looking at the Red Beans made him dizzy.

Chen Changsheng picked up the Red Beans. "Cultivation has never been about ascending to heaven in a single step. It requires the tempering of time."

He tucked the Red Beans into his sleeve and turned to Ning Bufan. "However, we have stayed here long enough. It is time for us to leave."

"We're leaving already?"

Ning Bufan paused, blinking. "We've only been here for three days."

"Three days is a long time," Chen Changsheng replied.

To Chen Changsheng, a single hour or day was a vast stretch of time.

He cherished every passing moment.

Ning Bufan smacked his lips. "Where are we going next?"

Chen Changsheng didn't know either. He thought for a long while before saying, "Point in a direction. Wherever This Chen feels like going, we will go. How about that?"

Ning Bufan stared blankly. "How can you be so casual about it?"

Still, he gave it some thought and blindly pointed a finger.

Chen Changsheng looked the way he was pointing. "That direction..."

"I just pointed at random," Ning Bufan said. "Where is that?"

"The Southern Domain Immortal Realm. Though in the specific direction you are pointing... well, it seems the only place This Chen has visited there is a certain mountain."

"Which mountain?"

"Yunfu Mountain."

Ning Bufan curled his lip, realizing there had been no point in asking. He had never been to the outside world; how would he know anything about these lands and mountains?

But his horizons were certainly being broadened.

"Is it fun? How is the scenery?" Ning Bufan asked.

Chen Changsheng stared blankly for a moment before replying, "The scenery is peerless, and it is very fun indeed."

Ning Bufan felt Chen Changsheng was acting strangely, as if there were a hidden meaning in his words.

The two of them descended the mountain that very day.

Before the mountain gates, they brought out the bamboo raft once more. Truth be told, the raft was deteriorating by the day; its bindings looked rather loose, and it likely wouldn't last much longer.

Ning Bufan stared at the raft and muttered, "By the way, how did we even get here?"

He had fallen asleep on the way, so he naturally didn't remember.

Chen Changsheng smiled. "Didn't you bring This Chen all the way here?"

"Me?" Ning Bufan pointed at himself.

Chen Changsheng asked softly, "Has Young Friend Ning forgotten that line..."

"After getting drunk, one does not know that the sky is in the water; a boatful of clear dreams weighs upon the Milky Way..."

Ning Bufan fell into a daze upon hearing this, then suddenly yawned.

In the blink of an eye, a wave of drowsiness washed over him.

"Why am I... so sleepy..."

Before he could finish his sentence, he collapsed into a deep slumber.

Chen Changsheng helped him onto the bamboo raft, and it soon set off again, soaring into the clouds.

From Tianji Mountain to Yunfu Mountain.

It was a vast distance.

Back when Chen Changsheng had traveled it on a flying sword, it had taken him a very long time and cost him a great deal of magical power. Now, with Young Friend Ning here, it saved him quite a bit of effort.

However, Ning Bufan would probably wake up halfway there. His meager bit of magical power was far from enough to reach Yunfu Mountain.

Chen Changsheng was going there to ask for some things back.

Amidst the clouds, the bamboo raft shuddered. Beneath their feet lay the endless Desolate Sea, and ahead of them was a boundless expanse of mist.

On the raft, Ning Bufan was lost in a grand dream, unconsciously propelling it forward, while Mister Qingshan sat cross-legged, playing with a few Red Beans in his hand.

Mister Qingshan would occasionally take a piece of mortal candied fruit from his sleeve and pop it into his mouth. He would savor it for a long time, never growing tired of the taste.

"Clatter."

When the Red Beans were tossed from his hand, they transformed into the shapes of wild beasts and mountain spirits in the blink of an eye. Without exception, their expressions were blank—ultimately, they were merely puppets, not living creatures.

"So that's how it is..."

"Therefore, if one wishes to achieve major completion in this Art of Scattering Beans to Form Soldiers, one must have a thorough understanding of these things. Without understanding the meridians, the physical frame, and the internal organs, it is impossible to manifest a true physical body."

Chen Changsheng smiled. He finally had some clues to work with.

He could feel he wasn't far from turning these beans into physical bodies suitable for Cultivation.

For the remainder of the time, he stopped pondering the Red Beans and instead looked inward at his own meridians and organs, making his selections. If he manifested everything in its entirety, the magical power consumed would be enormous. That would make the Art of Scattering Beans to Form Soldiers more trouble than it was worth. Ultimately, he had to take it slowly and reduce the expenditure—keeping only what was necessary and discarding the superfluous.

Just as Chen Changsheng was deep in thought, he suddenly felt a jolt.

Opening his eyes, he saw Ning Bufan's eyelids fluttering amidst his grand dream, looking as though he were about to wake up.

Chen Changsheng raised two fingers and smoothly took control of the bamboo raft.

Ning Bufan woke up in a daze. He rubbed his head and muttered, "My head hurts so much..."

It felt as if he had been drinking.

A wave of exhaustion washed over him, as if he had severely overexerted himself.

A gust of cold wind blew past, rousing him fully awake.

"Hiss..."

Ning Bufan looked around and asked, "We're in the sky?"

Seeing that Mister Chen was channeling a spell, he didn't disturb him. He leaned over the edge of the bamboo raft and peered down through the clouds, catching sight of the pitch-black Desolate Sea.

Ning Bufan couldn't help but shudder. If he fell down there, he would be smashed to pieces.

He quickly averted his gaze. Then, he heard Chen Changsheng say, "We are currently nearing the Qingyuan region. It's a good time to head down and rest for a bit."

"Where is Qingyuan exactly..."

Ning Bufan muttered. He truly knew absolutely nothing about the place.

It seemed he would have to find someone to ask later.

"Hold on tight."

Hearing this, Ning Bufan hastily grabbed hold of the bamboo raft.

A moment later, the bamboo raft began to descend.

He shut his eyes tight, not daring to look.

It wasn't until a long while later, when the raft stabilized, that Ning Bufan opened his eyes. Seeing the green waters and lush mountains before him, he finally let out a sigh of relief.

"We finally had a smooth landing for once," Ning Bufan said.

The two of them disembarked from the bamboo raft and walked into Qingyuan.

Ning Bufan was curious about everything around him. Compared to Tianji Mountain and the Demon Domain, this place finally gave him a sense of the everyday lives of ordinary cultivators.

Much like the Mortal World, there were markets and towns, bustling with extraordinary liveliness.

"Mister Chen seems very familiar with the Cultivation World. Are you originally from the Cultivation World, Mister?"

Chen Changsheng shook his head and said, "This Chen was born in the Mortal World."

Ning Bufan was deeply shocked to hear this. "Mister truly is extraordinary."

For a mortal cultivator to reach such heights—it was truly breathtaking.

"Let's go. Since we are here, we might as well pay a visit to an old friend."

The journey to Yun Manor wasn't long; they arrived in just a few quarters of an hour.

When Ning Bufan saw the opulent gates of Yun Manor, he couldn't help but sigh in admiration. "Mister really does have great connections."

If he wasn't associating with Demon Lords and Immortal Gates, it was with grand, aristocratic estates like this. It truly inspired reverence.

When the servant at the door got a clear look at the visitor, he jolted in surprise.

"Ah!"

The servant sprinted back inside the manor, throwing all rules of etiquette to the wind.

"Steward! Steward..."

"Mister Chen is here! Mister Chen is here!"

Before long, the entire Yun Manor was in an uproar.

Family Head Yun hurried from the disciples' quarters in the back mountain to the outer manor. He immediately ordered the servants to prepare a banquet, and in the time it took to drink just a few cups of tea, he was already leading Mister Chen and Young Friend Ning to the table.

Mister Chen and Family Head Yun chatted and laughed about all sorts of trivial matters. But even amidst the lighthearted banter, it was obvious that the Family Head treated Mister Chen with the utmost reverence.

Ning Bufan watched all of this in a daze.

It all felt so surreal.

Like it was just an illusion.

But he had to admit that Mister Chen's influence went far beyond simply being well-liked.

Perhaps Mister Chen's Dao Cultivation was far more profound than he had ever imagined.

Ning Bufan basked in the reflected glory of his companion. He wasn't much of a talker, so he devoted all his energy to the food and drink. Traveling with Mister Chen was never a bad deal; at the very least, he would never go hungry.

Whenever he had a free moment, he chatted with the servants of the Yun Manor.

Mostly, he just asked around to find out exactly what kind of noble family they were.

When he found out, Ning Bufan was stunned. The Yun family was actually a renowned cultivation clan, highly respected by numerous immortal mountain sects.

"So this is the Cultivation World..."

Ning Bufan marveled. This journey had truly broadened his horizons.

Family Head Yun had a bit too much to drink that day and was escorted back to his quarters by the servants in a drunken stupor. The manor's steward, meanwhile, had already prepared guest rooms for them to rest.

Sprawling out on the large bed, Ning Bufan let out a long breath. He stared up at the ceiling, feeling a bit dazed.

He glanced out the window, only to see Mister Chen still studying those Red Beans. The man was holding a half-eaten candied fruit, nibbling on it as he pondered.

It was as if nothing had happened at all—as if he hadn't just eaten a feast or downed any wine.

Ning Bufan felt that Mister Chen was sometimes just a little too calm.

He got up from the bed and walked out into the courtyard. "Do you like eating candied fruit, Mister Chen?" he asked.

Chen Changsheng paused and glanced at the candied fruit in his hand. "It will go bad if I don't eat it," he said.

"Really?" Ning Bufan asked in confusion. "So you don't like it?"

Chen Changsheng shook his head.

"So you do like it?"

Chen Changsheng didn't answer. He just stared at the candied fruit as if remembering something from long ago.

Ning Bufan opened his mouth to speak but stopped himself. He really thought Mister Chen was a strange man.

Deciding not to press the issue of the candied fruit, he walked over and sat down. "Just how profound is your Dao Cultivation, Mister Chen? How do you have so many people looking up to you?"

Chen Changsheng looked at him. "I'm afraid this doesn't have much to do with This Chen's Dao Cultivation. Well, perhaps a little."

"What do you mean?"

"For example, when This Chen first met the Fox Sovereign, This Chen was no match for him. The same goes for Elder Chen of Tianji Mountain; if we really fought, This Chen couldn't beat him either. As for the Yun Manor, we simply got to know each other after trading blows."

Ning Bufan stroked his chin in thought.

What kind of logic was that?

Chen Changsheng then changed his tune. "But you aren't entirely wrong either. It does have a lot to do with Dao Cultivation. Despite what This Chen just said, there are many underlying intricacies that can't be explained clearly in just a few words."

"So, was I right or wrong?" Ning Bufan asked.

"You were right," Chen Changsheng said. "It's just that This Chen sometimes finds himself a bit dazed by it all."

Su Junhan was a connection from a past life, and Tianji Mountain was tied to a divination cast many years ago. As for the Yun Manor, he had entirely relied on someone else's prestige; otherwise, the Yun family wouldn't have respected him either.

In this world, the strong were always revered.

That was just how things worked.

Chen Changsheng had made peace with a lot of things and no longer dwelled on them. Ever since Zhang Xiaoliu had knelt down to beg him, he had come to understand these unpleasant truths.

Ning Bufan sat there, lost in thought.

Chen Changsheng, meanwhile, focused entirely on studying Daoist arts.

As he was thinking, a few white flowers drifted in from outside the Yun Manor.

One of them happened to drift right past Ning Bufan's ear.

"Where did these flowers come from?"

Ning Bufan muttered to himself, reaching out to catch one.

But the moment the flower landed in his palm, it suddenly transformed into a piece of paper.

Ning Bufan stared blankly, then looked over at Mister Chen.

Chen Changsheng looked up. Seeing the piece of paper, he frowned.

He took it from the boy and gave it a glance.

"It's a demonic cultivator's technique..." Chen Changsheng remarked.

Ning Bufan jumped in shock. "Ah?!"

Chen Changsheng looked up, watching as another petal drifted into the courtyard.

He reached out and caught it. The moment it touched his hand, it turned into another piece of paper.

He watched another petal slowly flutter down. As it landed on the ground, it immediately withered, vanishing completely just moments later.

"Look!" Ning Bufan pointed at the spot where the petal had withered on the ground.

Chen Changsheng nodded. "This Chen saw it."

Holding the two demonic cultivation techniques, Chen Changsheng frowned slightly. No wonder they couldn't find the demonic cultivator hiding in the shadows. With a method like this, who could possibly track him down?

Soon after, the warning bells of the Yun Manor's Inner Mountain rang out.

The appearance of these demonic techniques had alarmed the Yun Manor's Hall of Law Enforcement. Dozens of cultivators immediately launched an investigation, and within moments, scores of people rushed out of the manor to track down the source of the petals.

At the same time, the manor's disciples began confiscating and destroying the papers. No one was allowed to keep them, but as for whether anyone secretly stashed them away, no one could say for sure.

When Family Head Yun caught wind of the situation, he was still a bit drunk. But the news sobered him up instantly, and he used his magical power to purge the remaining alcohol from his system.

Before long, he came looking for Mister Chen.

"Mister Chen, have you heard what just happened?" Family Head Yun asked.

Chen Changsheng nodded.

Family Head Yun sighed. "According to the servants' reports, these petals have appeared all over Qingyuan. If they land in someone's hand, they turn into a demonic cultivation technique. If they land on the ground, they turn to dust and vanish. Such a method... it's completely unheard of."

"Alas..."

Family Head Yun let out a heavy sigh. "No matter how much we guard against him, we still couldn't stop it."

On Chen Changsheng's table lay the two pages of techniques he had just caught. "If he is using Divine Abilities like this to spread demonic techniques, the culprit might not even be in Qingyuan anymore. There is no point in searching for him now."

Family Head Yun shook his head. "At this rate, I'm afraid Qingyuan is going to descend into utter chaos."

"Has anything like this happened in Qingyuan before?" Chen Changsheng asked.

"Not with petals like this. At first, it was just spreading through the streets, and we could trace its origins. I even managed to track it down to a specific demonic cultivator. But despite knowing who it is, we've never been able to catch him. I never expected him to use a method like this—it's impossible to defend against."

Family Head Yun slammed his fist on the table, his heart burning with frustration.

Chen Changsheng murmured, "I'm afraid this isn't just happening in Qingyuan."