Who Let Him Cultivate?!

In the southern part of Ji State, a heavy rain was pouring relentlessly. The green grass fields had long been transformed into a muddy swamp by the rain. Emerald leaves stood upright in the rain, flushed by the water until they appeared lifeless.

The sky was a dull grey, seeming to press down oppressively, as though darkness could envelop everything at any moment.

A scholar, hurried in his appearance, donned a straw cloak and hat, hugging a bundle of books wrapped in cloth, sprinting through the pouring rain.

Upon spotting the abandoned temple not far away, his eyes brightened. He held his books tighter and quickened his pace, running toward it.

Huff, huff——

The scholar, panting heavily, quickly shut the temple doors and windows. Despite the temple being decrepit, it was fortunate that it sheltered him from the wind and rain.

He unwrapped his bundle to check if the books had been soaked through. Perhaps due to his diligent protection, they remained dry.

The scholar lit an oil lamp and began reading softly in the dim light.

A charming silhouette suddenly appeared behind the scholar. The figure wore an enchanting smile and playfully tapped the scholar’s back.

Upon seeing the figure, the scholar’s demeanor changed as though he was entranced, and he began to laugh involuntarily.

After the heavy rain, the exhausted scholar left the abandoned temple.

…

Three figures dressed as scholars were trudging along in the muddy ground, their steps awkward and cumbersome.

“Why is this path so difficult to traverse?” One scholar complained.

Another figure rolled his eyes, “Just bear with it. Don’t be ungrateful. Isn’t this better than when we were in the dense forest?”

“Fair point.”

The third figure explained, “I heard that there was a once-in-a-decade heavy rain yesterday that drenched Guhuai Town completely. The rivers have overflown their banks, and I heard it’s going to rain again tonight.”

“Geez, this doesn’t seem like a good omen.”

Lu Yang pointed at the temple and laughed, “Well then, it’s fortuitous. There’s a temple up ahead. Although it’s a bit rundown, the Buddha statue should still be there. You can pay your respects there tonight.”

“Let’s review the plan. According to our current intelligence, the enemy is very vigilant and won’t readily show themselves. Besides, the enemy is a ghost with highly skilled concealment abilities and won’t be easily caught.”

“The female ghost’s power level appears to be at the Foundation Establishment Stage, but her exact realm is unknown.”

“If the female ghost shows up, we must ensure that she won’t escape before we apprehend her!”

“Our current identities are scholars seeking glory and fame in the Imperial City. We’re staying here for one night to lure the female ghost out.”

“So far, there’s been no report of any murders by the female ghost. When capturing her, do not use deadly force.”

“I didn’t realize the importance of using a fake name when out and about until I saw my master being thrown into jail. It protects the reputation of the Seek Dao Sect, even in the face of disgrace. Let’s double-check each other’s names one more time. I’m Lu Yiyang.”

“I’m Long Jingzhou.”

“I’m Li Hao.”

Having discussed and agreed on the plan, the three scholars reigned in their energy to the point where they seemed to be ordinary people and entered the temple.

“This temple is very clean.” Meng Jingzhou was surprised. He had expected it to be covered in dust with spider webs in every corner.

The conditions inside the temple were beyond his expectations. It was clean, like someone had cleaned it.

The only disappointment was the broken Buddha statue in the center of the hall, missing its upper body, rendering it impossible to pay respects to.

Li Haoran found dry firewood behind the Buddha statue, likely left behind by the last person who sought shelter here.

He piled the firewood together, found some dry grass, took out a firestone from his bag, and lit the wood pile using the grass as tinder.

Warming his hands by the fire, Li Haoran revealed an utterly comfortable expression, “Huff —— finally, I feel alive.”

Lu Yang pulled several steamed buns out of his bag, threaded them onto a wooden skewer, and started to roast them over the fire.

Once the buns turned slightly golden, Lu Yang tore one apart. The aroma mixed with the rising heat hit them in the face.

After circling around the inner temple, Meng Jingzhou returned to the main hall, “In addition to this main hall, there are two other rooms. Perfect for sleeping later, one for each of us.”

“Alright.”

The three of them gathered by the fire, eating their roasted buns and pickled vegetables, while lamenting the hardship of their journey ahead.

Lu Yang’s heart was filled with worries, to the point where he no longer enjoyed the bun in his hand. “I wonder, as we head to the Imperial City, if things will go smoothly. I have heard that the Imperial City is filled with cultivators. It will be incredibly difficult for us ordinary people to make a name for ourselves there.”

Meng Jingzhou waved his hand, “The number of cultivators in the Imperial City isn’t as exaggerated as you think. It’s already impressive if one out of twenty people is a cultivator. It’s incredibly tough to become a cultivator. Something like a Spirit Root alone could eliminate ninety-nine percent of people.”

Considering that one out of twenty people is a cultivators is already an astronomical proportion, no other major city in the Central Continent could reach this ratio.

“Although we don’t possess Spirit Roots, we’re knowledgeable and literate. Our understanding of current affairs surpasses that of ordinary people. After we leave Shoutian County and head to the capital to take the examination, it’s still possible for us to pass the imperial examination, earn the Emperor’s favor, and secure a government post.”

Not all high-ranking officials in the Great Xia dynasty were cultivators; a good number were ordinary people.

Pointing at Li Haoran with his bun, Meng Jingzhou said, “Take Brother Li for example. At five, he recited the Thousand Character Classic; at seven, he wrote poetry; at eight, he wrote lyrics; at ten, he wrote articles. His literary talents are amazing, his articles exquisite, so much so that they seem heaven-sent. The teacher raves about him, saying he’s the best student he’s ever taught.”

Li Haoran gave a humble smile, “Brother Long, you exaggerate. The teacher is just trying to motivate me. Unlike you, you’ve abandoned the family business to seek your future in the Imperial City. Those kinds of confidence and the foundation on which your confidence is based are things Brother Lu and I cannot match.”

The three of them complimented each other before taking out their classics. As they read, they were captivated by the beauty of the texts. They wished to one day write an article of this caliber.

Meng Jingzhou yawned, ruthlessly shattering Lu Yang’s dream, “Alright, enough daydreaming. Let’s sleep. We have to get up early tomorrow.”

According to their agreement, each of them went to their respective rooms.

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou went to the rooms on either side to rest while Li Haoran stayed in the main hall, sleeping in front of the half Buddha statue.

In the darkness, three specter-like figures gazed at Lu Yang and the others, their eyes emitting a chilling green light.

“Three more people have arrived, and they’re teeming with Yang Qi. I really wonder what they taste like…” whispered one figure, dressed in green, giggling.

“Indeed, indeed. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen scholars with such strong Yang Qi. Although scholars acquire an abundance of righteous energy from reading saints’ books, the energy trio’s energy is rare,” commented a figure in red, licking her lips seductively.

The figure in white, who looked younger, quickly cautioned, “Sisters, you must be careful. Don’t drain all their Yang Qi at once. We should take a sustainable approach to this.”

“If they have a pleasant experience once, they will come back again. Over time, we can absorb more Yang Qi than by draining it all in one go.”

“We know, we know. Xiao Qi, you might be the youngest, but you’re certainly the most tiresome. We know our limits. If we go too far and attract the attention of the Righteous Path, we’ll be the ones in trouble. We understand this.”

“We’ll split up. We’ll go to the rooms on either side, and Xiao Qi, you’ll stay here to take care of the one named Li.”