Chapter 10 Scholar and the Female Demon

While pondering, a young boy burst in from outside, "Mr. Murong, the Baili family's child is about to be born, and the elder asked you to go quickly to prepare for the delivery."

Upon hearing this, Murong Lang quickly slotted the metal book he was holding back onto the bookshelf, "Let's go, we're heading over."

Murong Lang spread his hand, and a green Wind Spirit Butterfly unfurled its wings. A gentle breeze blew by, propelling his steps as if riding the wind, covering ten zhang in a single bound.

In just a few leaps, he dashed across the ridge filled with black glazed tiles, rushing towards the village at the foot of the mountain.

Amidst the villages scattered with black glazed caves, there stood a wooden hut. When Murong Lang arrived, the anxious villagers waiting outside finally saw their savior.

"Mr. Murong is here!"

"The gentleman arrived just in time."

Murong Lang approached the wooden hut, "Has it started?"

An old woman replied, "It's about to begin."

Following the midwife into the wooden hut, Murong Lang leaped onto the rooftop, focusing intently as he awaited the descent of lightning to divert it elsewhere.

After an hour passed, he finally heard the cry of a newborn coming from within the wooden hut.

Murong Lang raised his hand and tossed a Thunder Gu to the child's father, "Quickly, have the child contract with the Thunder Gu!"

The child's father repeatedly responded, "Yes, I'll do it right away."

In the sky, the dark clouds shifted, and a bolt of lightning as thick as a child's arm struck down towards the wooden hut with a loud crash!

The Thunder Butterfly on Murong Lang's chest flapped its wings, channeling the bolt of lightning before directing it to the distant black glazed ground.

Ten breaths later, another bolt of lightning struck down, once again diverted by the Thunder Butterfly elsewhere.

With each strike of lightning, the baby's cries from within the hut grew louder and more howling like a ghost.

After channeling over a dozen bolts of lightning, the baby's cries gradually weakened from the intense wailing, prompting Murong Lang to harbor a bad premonition.

Channeling three more strikes, no more lightning fell.

Murong Lang could no longer hear the baby's cries and looked towards the child's father who slowly walked out of the wooden hut, holding a shriveled piece of charcoal.

Murong Lang felt little emotion, only a hint of helplessness.

Such events were all too common for him.

Murong Lang softly said, "I'm sorry."

The child's father seemed to have grown accustomed to it all, "Mr. Murong, you don't need to apologize."

"It's the child's fate to be too frail, unable to bear the Nine Tribulations True Monarch's blessing."

Murong Lang sighed, "It's time to apply for Water Spirit Essence."

...

In the morning, Chen Qing steamed two buns, ate them with pickles, and then prepared to go to the Spirit Plant Elder to get work.

There were many people there, allowing him to gather some information.

Indeed, when he arrived at the Spirit Plant Garden's gate, several senior brothers and sisters were discussing last night's events.

The three senior brothers from Wuyou Mountain chasing an Evil Cultivator in the market was not something that could be kept secret.

"Have you heard? An Evil Cultivator came to the village market last night!"

"Another Evil Cultivator? Just one, really not afraid of death."

"What do you know? This Evil Cultivator was from the Jiguang Sect!"

"Ah, the Jiguang Sect, did they catch him?"

"I heard he got away."

"What was the Evil Cultivator's cultivation level, to have escaped?"

"Escaped while being surrounded by three senior brothers at Qi Refinement level seven, what do you think?"

Chen Qing thought, must be at Qi Refinement level nine?

Foundation Establishment would be impossible. If it were Foundation Establishment, it would be the Evil Cultivator chasing the three Wuyou Mountain disciples.

It's better he got away; that Evil Cultivator likely wouldn't dare come to the Wuyou Mountain area again in the short term.

As for him coming back, he probably wouldn't make it to this side of the mountain, as the senior brothers and sisters specializing in combat outside would be enough to handle him.

Even if that Evil Cultivator came back and got captured alive, Chen Qing wouldn't care.

Can you trust what an Evil Cultivator says?

Moreover, with so many Wuyou Mountain disciples in the market last night, how could they be sure it's him?

They didn't know the Evil Cultivator gave him the bronze ghost mask, either.

It seemed there should be no problems, so Chen Qing got his work and went on duty.

He wasn't sure whether Red Lotus and the scholar had tried what he mentioned.

No rush, he'd know in half a month.

To ensure safety, Chen Qing hadn't taken on any work from the foot of the mountain these days, just staying safely within the Spirit Plant Garden.

After working for seven days with no news, Chen Qing guessed the Evil Cultivator probably left, so he began taking on tasks around the base of the mountain.

But he still didn't go too far, sticking within a ten-mile radius to pick up work.

Saving more materials, he'd be able to have Grass Treasure undergo Butterfly Transformation soon; it would be his first time and he wasn't sure about the precautions.

If anything went wrong, it would be a major event.

Now, Grass Treasure was his lifeblood!

So after duty that day, Chen Qing wandered to the marketplace at the foot of the mountain, intending to buy books related to Gu Butterfly Transformation.

The books sold at stalls were usually unreliable; they were all copies.

Copying was prone to errors, sometimes a single word difference could mean worlds apart.

Investing so much into Grass Treasure, he naturally wouldn't skimp at such a crucial moment.

Therefore, he went specifically to a shop set up by Wuyou Mountain at the base of the mountain.

As soon as he walked into the shop, a friendly senior sister from Wuyou Mountain greeted him enthusiastically, "Handsome junior brother, what can I get you?"

Chen Qing never flinched at the enthusiasm of female cultivators like her, knowing full well their interest was in his Spirit Stones, not him personally.

"Senior sister, I'm looking for books related to Gu cultivation."

The enthusiastic senior sister asked, "What type?"

Chen Qing replied, "Related to Butterfly Transformation."

Upon hearing this, the senior sister from Wuyou Mountain looked at him somewhat surprised, "Junior brother preparing Gu Butterfly Transformation at such a young age?"

Chen Qing said, "Just looking to understand."

The senior sister nodded without further questioning, leading him to the bookshelves, "Here they are, take your time to choose."

Chen Qing glanced over the titles:

"Sword Gu Cultivation Experience"

"Gu Butterfly Transformation Hundred Solutions"

"Essence of Capturing Wild Gu"

"Specialized Butterfly Transformation"

"Essentials of Sword Gu"

"Cultivation and Daily Care of Gu"

...

Hmm, "Specialized Butterfly Transformation" and "Gu Butterfly Transformation Hundred Solutions," which one was better to buy?

Picking them up to read the introductions, the content seemed different.

Seeing the author's name, damn, it was the same person!

So, writing two books on the same knowledge to earn twice, huh?

Yu Daoxiong, I've remembered you!

Wait a minute, sounds like the name of the Spirit Plant Elder!

Who would've thought!

Chen Qing silently cursed the Spirit Plant Elder and begrudgingly took both books to the counter.

Ten lower-grade Spirit Stones each, for both it cost him a whopping twenty lower-grade Spirit Stones!

Forget it, for Grass Treasure, it was a necessary expense.

Back in his cave, Chen Qing lit a lamp and began meticulously reading the two books.

After an hour, Chen Qing finally got the gist, "Wasn't a waste of money, the writing is very detailed."

"This way, Grass Treasure's chances for Butterfly Transformation are much better."