Chapter 133: The Method of Cloud Riding and the Two Arts of Magnetic Levitation

A small tripod of Green Bamboo Spirit Rice.

Ten Golden Thread Shad.

A few seasonal vegetables, melons, fruits, and side dishes.

Plus a jar of Peiyuan Yangshen Wine with double the efficacy, guaranteed to make this cheap Shixiong howl with delight.

If sold outside, this table of food would fetch four Spirit Pearls, but except for the Golden Thread Shad, Chen Ci prepared everything else himself, so the cost was less than two Spirit Pearls, yet it was still presentable.

Chen Ci had come right at mealtime; chatting over the dinner table could, to some extent, deepen their bond.

"Shixiong, please."

Chen Ci poured a cup of wine for Lin Qinhu and raised his cup in invitation; Lin Qinhu did not stand on ceremony, and a rolling black smoke appeared out of thin air on the tabletop, curling toward the Golden Thread Shad. In the span of a single circle, the tender meat of this spirit fish delicacy, unique to the Liuyun River estuary, was completely stripped away and vanished, leaving only the fish bones without a trace of meat residue, and even the small thorns within the shad meat were left behind, one by one.

Chen Ci: "." I haven't even picked up my chopsticks yet!

No, wait, the Five Ghosts Transportation Method can be used like this?

"This Golden Thread Shad is indeed delicious; although it is of no benefit to cultivation, you have a thoughtful heart."

Lin Qinhu picked up the wine cup and drained it in one gulp, a look of contentment appearing on his face as he smiled: "Refill the wine. It seems your Five Ghosts Possession Method has yet to enter the threshold?"

Chen Ci felt a sense of relief; it seemed this cheap Shixiong was in a good mood today, and at the very least, this meant he was willing to offer a little guidance on the cultivation of the Five Ghosts Possession Method.

However, he only finished the Golden Thread Shad and left the remaining spirit rice and side dishes untouched; he feared that once this jar of Peiyuan Yangshen Wine was finished, he would be sent away.

"Reporting to Shixiong, this junior feels that my progress in the Five Ghosts Transportation Method is still somewhat shallow, and I have not yet begun to cultivate the Five Ghosts Possession Method."

Chen Ci had originally wanted to ask about Jiao Zhenren, and if this cheap Shixiong didn't mind, he also wanted to chat about Force Path techniques, but having just seen Lin Laohu descend from the sky, riding clouds and flying, he was truly envious.

As fellow cultivators of He Mountain, one living in Changsheng Fang and the other in Qingyun Workshop was one thing; after all, there were differences in Dharma Power and cultivation, and Chen Ci accepted that—at worst, one should not bully the poor in their middle age.

But they both cultivated the Five Ghosts Transportation Method, and he had also reached the stage of Great Success, yet others could fly through the sky and escape the earth, while he, Master Chen, could only run a bit faster—wasn't this bullying an honest man?

If there hadn't been outsiders present, Chen Ci would have loved to drag the five little ones out and give them a beating; it was just like his own disappointing past when he failed every single subject.

"May I ask Shixiong, was that Cloud Riding technique you just used the Five Ghosts Transportation Method?"

Chen Ci stood up, filled Lin Qinhu's cup, and smiled with a hint of eagerness: "I wonder what level one must reach in the Five Ghosts Transportation Method to be able to ascend into the air, or does it require Dao Foundation Dharma Power? Could Shixiong teach me a thing or two?"

This was true flight!

Cultivators seek Longevity, but they also seek freedom; if one can't even fly, what kind of freedom is that?

"The technique of ascending into the air?"

Lin Qinhu gave a dry laugh, thought for a moment, set down his wine cup, and said: "Even if the Five Ghosts Transportation Method is practiced to the point of innovation, it cannot ascend into the air. The saying goes, 'a doctor cannot heal himself, force cannot generate itself'; since it is a 'transportation' method, the force originates from the cultivator. However, if practiced well, it can serve as an auxiliary skill for flight techniques."

Picking up his wine cup and draining it, Lin Qinhu continued: "Although it is not impossible for Qi Refining cultivators to learn flight techniques, their True Qi is weak and profound methods are hard to come by; putting one's heart into it is not worth the loss. Generally, one only begins to cultivate it after attaining the Dao Foundation."

Chen Ci filled the wine while listening, stunned.

If a cultivator wishes to fly off the ground, there are only two fundamental methods.

The first is the 'Cloud Riding and Mist Driving' technique, which relies on 'floating'. A cultivator can refine a Dharma Artifact called a 'Cloud Pouch' to support them. If a senior bestows such an artifact, it is even easier. However, while Cloud Riding and Mist Driving is fine for traveling, it lacks agility in the air; it is direct and straightforward, making it difficult to be as free and nimble as a cultivator moving on the ground.

The second is the 'Earth Magnetic Force Transformation' technique, which relies on 'repulsion'. This method is quite difficult to cultivate, not to mention the need to supplement it with Metal Origin Magnetic Qi, and the higher one is from the ground, the worse the effect. But it is extremely agile when flying, far superior to the Cloud Riding technique in combat, though it consumes more of one's own energy.

Regardless of how the tools or methods change—whether it be a Cloud Pouch or a Flying Boat—the essence of cultivator flight is based on these two techniques; all variations stem from the same source.

As for the profound art of 'Walking in the Void', it is precisely because it can break free from the constraints and limitations of these two methods and ascend above the nine heavens into the void that it can become the non-transferable secret method of the great Profound Sects.

"The Five Ghosts Method can assist a cultivator in stabilizing their posture, shifting direction, and protecting themselves, but it is insufficient for flight. Stop thinking about it."

Lin Qinhu drank cup after cup and said calmly: "Cloud riding is easy, but flying is difficult. If you really want to try, just go to the Sea Market and buy a low-grade Cloud Pouch."

Chen Ci felt some regret; it seemed it wasn't a problem with the Five Ghosts. Forget about 'wandering the North Sea in the morning and the dark void in the evening', even flying as freely as a bird seemed unlikely in the short term, and he had no spare money to spend on this right now.

"Refill the wine."

Lin Qinhu tapped his wine cup lightly, interrupting Chen Ci's thoughts.

Looking again, the jar of Peiyuan Yangshen Wine was less than a third full; he feared it would be finished in a few more cups.

He hadn't asked about his main business yet.

Chen Ci hurriedly filled a cup and asked respectfully: "Lin Shixiong, the end of the year is approaching; I wonder if this junior has a chance to accompany Shixiong to pay respects to Jiao Zhenren."

Pausing, and seeing a strange look flash across Lin Qinhu's face, Chen Ci added: "Is there anything I need to prepare? If I go empty-handed, I fear I might seem ignorant of etiquette and cause Shixiong to lose face."

He hesitated. Good for you, Lin Laohu, you actually hesitated!

With the friendship between us, it turns out you weren't planning to take me along. Fortunately, I came to ask today; otherwise, the thigh I was about to latch onto would have just flown away.

Chen Ci felt a chill in his heart; I have drifted for half a lifetime, Shixiong, you must take me with you.

"Since you cultivate the Five Yin Demon Method, although your cultivation is poor and your future uncertain, you still have two points of qualification to enter the eyes of Teacher Jiao."

Lin Qinhu scanned Chen Ci a few times: "However, Teacher Jiao's situation is a bit complicated. Since you want to go, you can make some preparations. Teacher Jiao loves swords, pills, talismans, chess, wine, and tea. Given your status, preparing a portion of Purple Bamboo Flowing Mist Small Batch will suffice."

Chen Ci memorized the name, and just as he was about to pour more wine, he discovered the jar was empty and nothing would come out.

If he had known, he would have brought a wine vat on his back.

Chen Ci felt some remorse; his skin was still too thin.

Lin Qinhu held his cup and raised it slightly toward Chen Ci. Chen Ci understood his meaning, drained the wine in his own cup, and then bowed to take his leave: "Many thanks for your guidance, Shixiong. This junior will take his leave now."

"Mm."

Lin Qinhu closed his eyes slightly: "The twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, at the hour of the rabbit, wait for me at the foot of the mountain."

"Yes."

Chen Ci retreated and was escorted to the door by the maidservant enchantress. Just as he exited the bamboo forest outside Yunfei Lou, the Daoist boy who had led him up the mountain greeted him and bowed respectfully: "This master, please go down the mountain this way."

Chen Ci nodded in acknowledgment. Looking back on his way down the mountain, he realized this was merely one immortal cave dwelling within the Sea Market, and it was hard to imagine what kind of atmosphere those great Profound Sects must have.

"Another day of gaining knowledge."

Chen Ci cheered himself on, inexplicably feeling a surge of hot-blooded impulse: "Immortal mansions, enchantresses, profound arts—if he, Lin Laohu, can have them, I, Master Chen, can naturally have them too. Ah Ci, you must strive to improve!"

However, besides that Purple Bamboo Flowing Mist Small Batch, in other aspects, he, Chen, was not incapable; he could spend some more effort tinkering with things.

Progress is nothing to be ashamed of.

(End of chapter)