Chapter 247

Near the docks on the outskirts of Haojing

Zhang Yi sat cross-legged, calming his mind as he followed Zhang Jian's guidance, drawing in the vast water-vein spiritual essence from the depths of the canal.

The canal's spiritual essence was abundant, but the canal had a spirit, and it was not so easy to draw in and expel spiritual essence.

But with Zhang Jian's protection, Zhang Yi was not among those forbidden.

Only to see strands of spiritual essence flowing into his body, instinctively circulating toward the depths of his lower dantian, as if seeking to condense into a special core there, but pulled by the scripture of the Nine Qi Nurturing Yuan True Classic, it shattered momentarily, transforming into a special strand of spiritual essence that merged into the minor circulation.

Zhang Yi was, after all, a half-demon.

Unlike other cultivators, upon first entering the cultivation world, they must find ways to adapt to the discomfort of spiritual essence flooding in, gradually forming a habit.

But as a half-demon, inhaling and exhaling spiritual essence was an innate ability from the womb.

In Zhang Jian's gaze, one could see Zhang Yi's condensed spiritual essence gradually forming a complete text of the Qi Refining chapter of the Nine Qi Nurturing Yuan True Classic.

But once this text took shape, his cultivation in the Qi-sensing stage was complete; next came Qi refinement, gradually condensing spiritual essence, before he could employ minor techniques.

Zhang Yi was indeed well-suited to cultivate the Nine Qi Nurturing Yuan True Classic.

Zhang Jian stood at a corner of the dock, his vast yin spirit divine awareness shrouding the corner, while in the distance he saw a carriage slowly approaching from outside the city.

Upon the carriage, a young maiden in white robes stepped down.

Her gaze swept the surroundings, her eyes carrying a feeling as if separated by ages, with a hint of anticipation in their depths.

She was Song Fei, recently recovered from a grave illness.

Her boudoir name was Song Lian'er.

Beside the carriage, a maiden in pink robes, seeing the situation, said: "Miss, the wind outside is cold; why don't we wait in the carriage instead?"

Song Lian'er, however, was unwilling.

Seeing her insistence, the maid dared not urge further; she was merely a common servant girl recently bought from a slave trader, come to serve this young lady.

Soon after, she saw Song Xiaoniang before her, her delicate frame trembling slightly, her water-like eyes suddenly turning forward.

But in the distance, a tall, stern-faced figure appeared at the city gate.

At the city gate, An Ruiming gazed upon the beautiful maiden in white robes, his handsome face also betraying a hint of emotion.

He slightly parted his lips, and after a moment finally uttered two words.

"Lian'er!"

"An Lang!"

At this moment, Song Lian'er could not restrain herself, stepping forward, though still weak from her recent illness, her steps unsteady, she nearly fell after a few steps, but in an instant fell into a warm embrace.

An Ruiming gazed upon Song Lian'er with unbounded joy, the gloom in his eyes now completely dispersed.

He held Song Lian'er close, longing to meld her into his very body, and felt an inexplicable delight.

But in an instant he glanced around, swiftly placing Song Lian'er into the carriage, his eyes scanning the surroundings, seeing no trace of that nightmare-like dreadful figure, his heart still slightly eased.

He then led the carriage toward a market district in the outskirts; for Song Lian'er he had other arrangements, now was not the time to expose her to public view, and moreover he needed to resolve her identity.

……

At this moment, after one hour of cultivation, Zhang Yi gradually withdrew his external spiritual essence, his body enveloped in a thick mist of water vapor, deep in his pupils flickering with hidden golden light.

"Spirit Pupils!"

Zhang Jian noticed the change in him.

He knew it was the dragon eyes formed by the revival of the flood dragon bloodline, a kind of spirit pupil, innately possessing some mysterious powers.

At this moment Zhang Yi suddenly opened his mouth.

"Father, can I go down to swim?"

A look of longing flashed in his eyes.

Seeing this, Zhang Jian did not stop him, giving a slight nod.

Zhang Yi's eyes brightened.

At this moment he only felt uncomfortable all over, his skin filled with a thirst for water, without hesitation his form instantly leapt into the shallow water area.

Upon entering the shallows, he was at first not quite used to it, but shortly afterward he moved like a swimming fish, instantly adapting.

Seeing this, Zhang Jian's eyes flickered with a hint of a smile.

Just then his expression shifted, and he saw the riverside suddenly become lively, with a group of people beating and blowing suona horns, approaching from afar.

Leading them were two middle-aged men in rich, splendid attire, draped in red silk, their faces full of joy.

Zhang Jian glanced at them; this scene was not unfamiliar to him—this was a wealthy family having summoned a geomancer to prepare to inspect a site.

But at this moment he heard the leading geomancer chuckle, using a sound-transmission technique to speak to a portly middle-aged man beside him.

"Congratulations, Song Three Elder, the Marquis's manor has found such a treasure site; descendants shall gain its protection and surely command the three armies! Become the foremost of the illustrious nobles!"

"It's nothing, Qiu Dao brother; if relocating the tomb brings benefit, I, the distant Marquis's manor, will surely not slight you, Dao brother!"

The other man, called Song Three Elder, a portly middle-aged man, showed no change in expression; though he appeared portly, his interior held vast qi and blood, and between his brows lay killing intent—clearly a accomplished body-refining martial artist.

A lineage of generals, the Distant Marquis's Manor.

This Distant Marquis's Manor had deep ties with Zhang Jian; his thoughts turned, and suddenly an idea arose in his heart.

……

In the canal, after Zhang Yi had played in the water for a while, Zhang Jian called him up.

Zhang Yi was still unwilling.

Carrying dragon bloodline, in the water he was as a fish in water—not only playing, but cultivation was also hastened by three parts.

At the same time, he offered up like a treasure, gazing at Zhang Jian and saying: "Father, after I entered the water just now, I feel as if I have awakened a divine ability you spoke of!"

Zhang Jian smiled; he had already sensed something: "Oh, what divine ability?"

"Related to water—it seems when I move I can sense the speed of surrounding water flow, the spiritual essence in the water veins, and even sense in advance the changes of hidden currents within!"

"This is good news!"

Zhang Jian patted his head, knowing that some half-demons with special and excellent bloodlines could also awaken one to several divine abilities, just like those strange beasts.

However, each race is different, and what specific divine ability can be awakened, what it does, he does not know, and still needs to ask Bai Liying, or perhaps her father Bai Nu.

Zhang Yi harbors the flood dragon bloodline talent within him, possibly triggering the bloodline awakening through cultivation of the《Nine Qi Nurturing Yuan True Scripture》.

However, according to Zhang Jian's knowledge, the strongest talent of the flood dragon clan should be summoning wind and rain.

Summoning wind and rain is not an ordinary divine ability that can merely call forth wind and rain; among the dragon clan, it is a great divine ability, and when cultivated to its utmost profundity, it not only purifies the bloodline, but also achieves several powerful dragon bodies related to wind and rain, and even controls the innate powers of wind and water.

With these thoughts turning in his mind, Zhang Jian prepared to ask Bai Liying later.

He brought Zhang Yi, yet his body shifted, and in a moment arrived at a desolate mountain!

This place is barren, yet beneath his feet are not a few traces left by people.

Moreover, another feng shui node is currently under construction.

Zhang Jian merely glanced at it, and his expression immediately became slightly astonished.

"Feng shui node of the Spreading Wings of Flying Birds?"