Chapter 117 Rejection of Accepting a Disciple
Wang Xuan walked up to Xiahou Jianke and said with a light laugh, "You must be Xiahou Jianke, right? I think you must be looking for Yan Chixia. I know Yan Chixia's whereabouts!"
Upon hearing the name "Yan Chixia," Xiahou Jianke's fighting spirit surged, and he said in a deep voice, "You know where Yan Chixia is? That's wonderful! Take me there immediately!"
"Why should I take you there?" Wang Xuan sneered repeatedly. This Xiahou swordsman was too arrogant, as if everything was a matter of course.
Wang Xuan is neither Xiahou Jianke's friend nor his servant, so why should he lead the way for free?
Xiahou the swordsman's eyes flashed with a fierce light as he reached out and grabbed Wang Xuan's shoulder: "Now you should take me there, my patience is running out!"
If an ordinary person were pinched like that, they would probably be clutching their shoulder and howling in pain. But Wang Xuan was a master at the Dao Realm, and with the Heavenly Silkworm Armor protecting him, Xiahou Jianke's force couldn't hurt him in the slightest. Instead, a faint white light emanated from his shoulder, directly repelling Xiahou Jianke's palm.
"What? This is protective qi?" Xiahou the swordsman exclaimed in surprise, his eyes burning with fervor. "I didn't expect you to be such a master. I'll take care of you before I challenge Yan Chixia; it'll be a good warm-up!"
"Why can't you just talk properly? I really don't want to hit you!" Wang Xuan shook his head, no longer bothering to say anything more. Some people won't learn their lesson until they're faced with a fatal blow; there's no way to reason with them without giving them a good beating.
"Bang!" Wang Xuan raised his foot and delivered a side kick, striking Xiahou Jianke squarely in the chest, sending him flying backward and crashing into a nearby pavilion pillar.
Although he didn't use his full strength in that kick, he still used three or four tenths of his power, enough to render a master of innate abilities incapable of fighting for a short time!
Xiahou the swordsman spat out a mouthful of blood, his face deathly pale as he looked at Wang Xuan and said with a bitter laugh, "I have roamed the martial world for decades, and I thought that no one in the world except Yan Chixia was my match. I never thought that I was just a frog in a well."
"It's not too late for you to understand this now. If you go back and cultivate in seclusion for another ten years, you still have a chance to achieve enlightenment through martial arts." Wang Xuan was worried that he might discourage Xiahou Jianke too much and cause him to commit suicide, so he still offered a word of comfort.
Xiahou the swordsman asked with some surprise, "You're not going to kill me?"
Why would I kill you?
Now it was Xiahou Jianke's turn to be speechless. The two of them had no past grudges or recent grievances; they only started fighting because of a disagreement, and they really didn't intend to kill each other.
After Wang Xuan gave Xiahou the swordsman a severe beating, the man became completely obedient and answered every question.
After making some inquiries, Wang Xuan learned about the general situation of this world.
This world is now under the rule of the Great Qian Dynasty. Three hundred years ago, the world was in chaos. The Great Qian Emperor single-handedly quelled the chaos and brought about the three hundred years of national prosperity.
The lifespan of a mere mortal nation is only about 300 years. The Great Qian Dynasty is now in its final stages, with rampant corruption and a thoroughly decaying bureaucracy that is difficult to reverse.
In the countryside, bandits and outlaws were rampant, and there were also frequent rumors of demons and monsters harming people. The people were living in dire straits, and all that was needed was a spark to completely ignite the situation!
As for the distribution of power among demons, monsters, and Taoist and Buddhist sects, Xiahou Jianke naturally wouldn't know these things, otherwise he wouldn't have been so persistent in pursuing Yan Chixia, wanting to compete with Yan Chixia for the title of the world's number one swordsman.
"A chaotic world is good! If I plan properly, I can make the chaos in the world of Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio last even longer. When most of the masters in this world are dead, that will be the time for me to open the Shiji Tongdao and guide the Xuan Tian Will to invade!"
After listening to Xiahou Jianke's detailed explanation, Wang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.
When he realized that he was in the world of Liaozhai, although he did not show it on his face, he actually felt immense pressure.
Because the world of Liaozhai is far, far more powerful than the world of Xuantian!
To allow the Xuan Tian world to devour the Liaozhai world, it is necessary to first instigate internal strife within the Liaozhai world.
Thinking of this, Wang Xuan glanced subtly at Ning Caichen. As the chosen one of the world in the Liaozhai universe, Ning Caichen was the most likely candidate to give birth to the next unified dynasty.
If Wang Xuan secretly sabotages Ning Caichen and weakens his luck, he can completely delay the time of dynastic change in the world of Liaozhai.
"Ning Caichen, you've seen my martial arts skills, haven't you? Would you like to learn a few moves from me for self-defense?" Wang Xuan said to Ning Caichen with a smile.
Ning Caichen had been watching this scene closely, witnessing everything that had just happened. Although he didn't know exactly how strong Wang Xuan's martial arts were, the fact that Wang Xuan could kick away a ruthless "bandit" was enough to fill Ning Caichen with awe.
When Ning Caichen heard that Wang Xuan wanted to teach him martial arts, he was indeed tempted for a moment, but after thinking about it, he still refused: "Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Wang, but I am focused on participating in the imperial examinations so that I can obtain an official position to bring honor to my family. I really have no intention of being distracted by martial arts."
Wang Xuan's smile lingered on his face for a while, but Ning Caichen didn't fall for it!
He said with some heartache, "Ning Caichen, the world is about to descend into chaos. Even if you are determined to take the imperial examination, it would be good to learn a few martial arts moves for self-defense. At least you won't be killed by ordinary mountain bandits!"
The swordsman Xiahou beside him also advised, "Young Master Wang's martial arts are superb. You could easily roam the martial world by learning just a couple of moves from him. You actually refused such a good opportunity; you're truly a blockhead!"
"This is absolutely a divine assist!" Wang Xuan gave Xiahou Jianke an admiring look.
But Xiahou the swordsman misunderstood and said excitedly, "Young Master Wang, that scholar is unwilling to learn martial arts from you, but I am!"
"Although I'm a bit older, I do have a foundation in martial arts, so I definitely won't let you down!"
Wang Xuan glared at Xiahou Jianke and then ignored him, staring intently at Ning Caichen.
Ning Caichen hesitated for a moment, but it seemed as if a voice in the darkness was telling him that he should concentrate on his studies and not be distracted by other things.
"Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Wang. If I ever decide to learn martial arts in the future, I will definitely come to you for guidance." In the end, Ning Caichen politely declined.
"I originally wanted Ning Caichen to lead me astray, but it wasn't that simple after all!" Wang Xuan shook his head in disappointment, knowing he would have to wait until next time.
Chapter 118 Layout
Wang Xuan's desire to teach Ning Caichen martial arts was clearly ill-intentioned.
Although Ning Caichen currently has no cultivation, once the world descends into chaos and he begins to rebel, his latent destiny will be fully unleashed.
As long as he receives the great fortune of the Hidden Dragon, it will be easy for him to go from having no cultivation to having one. When Ning Caichen establishes his rule over the world, he will definitely become the strongest person in the world of Liaozhai!
Wang Xuan's instruction of martial arts to Ning Caichen at this time may seem to benefit Ning Caichen on the surface, but the martial arts he teaches are absolutely incompatible with the world of Liaozhai. If it damages Ning Caichen's cultivation foundation, it will take several times the effort to make up for it later.
"If you refuse to learn martial arts from me now, you'll naturally come begging to me after the Tree Demon Granny gives you a good beating." Wang Xuan sneered inwardly and didn't press the matter any further.
Not long after, the rain outside finally stopped. Ning Caichen was both afraid of Xiahou Jianke and also somewhat afraid of Wang Xuan. He dared not stay here for long, so he quickly said goodbye to Wang Xuan and the others, picked up his luggage and walked out of the pavilion.
Wang Xuan glanced at Ning Caichen's retreating figure and then said to Xiahou Jianke indifferently, "Didn't you want to find Yan Chixia? Yan Chixia is currently at Lanruo Temple outside the city. I'm going there later too."
"Go to the city with Ning Caichen, buy some roast chickens and a few bottles of good wine, and then come back to find us."
Wang Xuan came out this time to find out the basic situation of the Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio. Now that he has found out from Xiahou Jianke, he naturally has no interest in making another trip to buy wine and food for Yan Chixia.
Xiahou Jianke readily agreed. He was eager to learn a few martial arts moves from Wang Xuan, and besides, Yan Chixia was still at Lanruo Temple, so he had no reason to refuse.
After Wang Xuan dismissed Xiahou the swordsman, he turned and walked towards Lanruo Temple.
Compared to when he left, he returned much faster, and soon he was back at Lanruo Temple.
Yan Chixia was not in Lanruo Temple at this time; it was unknown where he had gone.
Wang Xuan shook his head and didn't stay in Lanruo Temple any longer. Instead, he headed towards the woods behind the mountain where the Tree Demon Granny was.
The trees here are lush and green, but they don't seem vibrant; instead, there's an overwhelming sense of gloom.
Wang Xuan used his divine sense to search the area and quickly found a locust tree about the size of a bowl, with its roots intertwined.
What Wang Xuan cared about even more was that there were more than a dozen urns buried at the roots of the old locust tree!
"This should be the urn containing the ashes of those female ghosts. Nie Xiaoqian's ossuary is probably here too." Wang Xuan released his divine sense to keep an eye on the surrounding movements while simultaneously summoning the Azure Nether Sword and stabbing it into the ground.
With a single stroke of his sword, he dug up a large chunk of soil from the ground, from which several dark blue urns containing ashes rolled out.
With a wave of his sleeve, he was about to take all the urns containing ashes.
But at that moment, a huge mouth suddenly split open on the trunk of the old locust tree, and it opened its mouth to suck Wang Xuan, about to eat him up in one bite!
"I've been waiting for you!" Wang Xuan sneered, and with a backhand strike, unleashed a Divine Firmament Five Thunder Orthodox Technique. The deep purple lightning struck the old locust tree directly, causing it to emit a shrill scream.
"You filthy scholar, now that Yan Chixia is no longer by your side, I, your grandmother, will never let you off the hook!"
The old locust tree actually pulled its roots out from under the ground, and they lashed out at Wang Xuan like whips.
"Sword, come!" Wang Xuan shouted, sending out his Azure Nether Sword in a flying slash that immediately severed several tree roots.
"Your tree spirit is weaker than the ones I've seen before. This is probably not your true form, is it?" Wang Xuan was slightly disappointed.
The thousand-year-old tree demon sneered, "To deal with a stinking scholar like you, why would I need my true form to take action? This clone of mine is more than enough to devour you!"
"Oh ho, you're quite confident!" Wang Xuan sheathed the Azure Nether Sword and unleashed a sword technique, slashing forward: "Azure Sky Collapse!"
With his cultivation at the mid-stage of the Dao Realm, he unleashed this sword strike, making it far more powerful than before. The sword light and sword intent transformed into a cyan domain several feet in diameter, as if a piece of the sky had fallen and crashed down on the incarnation of the Tree Demon Granny.
"Bang!" The tree demon clone took the brunt of the sword strike, losing many branches and leaves, but it seized the opportunity to wrap its roots around Wang Xuan, turning him into a dumpling: "Now you finally know how powerful Grandma is..."
The Tree Demon Granny was preparing to mock Wang Xuan, plunging him into extreme fear before devouring him. Little did she know, an incredibly fierce aura enveloped her, rendering her completely stiff and unable to move.
Then a powerful suction force pulled her into the boundless darkness.
"A mere clone, at most equivalent to a half-step Transcendent Realm cultivator, not even possessing the combat power of an early Transcendent Realm cultivator, yet dares to boast in front of me?" Wang Xuan sneered, a three-inch bronze coffin appearing in his hand at some unknown time.
Although Wang Xuan shrunk the size of the Burial Coffin, it was still a spiritual treasure, so its power wouldn't be greatly affected. With his cultivation at the mid-to-late stage of the Transcendent Realm, using the Burial Coffin to kill a tree demon clone at the half-step Transcendent Realm was effortless.
"It's time to leave. If I don't leave now, the true form of the Thousand-Year Tree Demon will most likely come to kill me." Wang Xuan was naturally not afraid of the Thousand-Year Tree Demon, but if he killed the Thousand-Year Tree Demon now, how could he make Ning Caichen suffer enough?
With a wave of his sleeve, Wang Xuan caused all the dozen or so urns on the ground to disappear, disappearing into his spatial ring.
After doing all this, Wang Xuan didn't linger any longer and directly rode the Azure Nether Sword back to Lanruo Temple.
He took out the urns and examined them one by one. Most of the urns contained a faint white light, which was connected to the luck of the female ghosts.
"These are all urns containing the ashes of ordinary female ghosts. They're useless to keep. We'll give them to Yan Chixia to perform the rituals for them when he returns." Wang Xuan pushed all the urns aside, leaving only one urn in place.
This urn looked no different from any other urn, but under Wang Xuan's gaze with his Golden Eyes of Fortune, a deep blue aura of fortune was hidden inside.
"I never expected that Nie Xiaoqian would also have a cyan destiny. With such powerful luck, she still drifted for half her life and ended up as a ghost, driven by a thousand-year-old tree demon. It's truly a cruel twist of fate."
Wang Xuan was speechless. The deep blue innate luck could definitely rank in the top twenty in the world of Liaozhai. But considering Nie Xiaoqian's tragic fate, what else could it be but the cruel twist of fate?
Heaven believed that Nie Xiaoqian's destiny was not yet ripe for its full potential, so her innate luck remained hidden, and even after becoming a ghost, she did not display the protagonist's aura.
Chapter 119 Subduing Xiaoqian
"This urn is connected to Nie Xiaoqian's fate. The thousand-year-old tree demon used this urn to control Nie Xiaoqian. Now that this urn has fallen into my hands, it would be a great pity to do nothing."
Wang Xuan recalled carefully that his time at the Jixia Academy was not wasted; he had learned quite a few unorthodox spells.
He formed hand seals, continuously casting spells. These spells transformed into rays of light, all of which merged into the urn containing the ashes.
"Bang!" The urn suddenly shattered into dozens of pieces, scattering white powder everywhere.
"Condense!" With Wang Xuan's cold shout, the ashes suddenly condensed towards the center, transforming into a palm-sized female doll.
This doll looks incredibly lifelike, as if a living person had been shrunk down. You can vaguely see her stunningly beautiful face and aura, which would definitely fascinate any man.
"Is this Xiaoqian? She's even more beautiful than I imagined, but unfortunately, she's not my type," Wang Xuan exclaimed, though he secretly felt a little regretful.