Chapter 72

The large carriage skimmed just above the ground, moving swiftly and steadily.

Less than the time it took to finish a cup of tea, they arrived at their destination.

Su Jian carried Su Jin off the carriage; around them stood ancient trees hundreds of years old, stretching endlessly in dense, lush greenery.

“This is an old timber yard nestled among the mountains, said to have been established four or five hundred years ago. Besides the ancient trees, it’s home to many interesting and delicious plants and animals. Come on, the yard’s gate is over there. Let’s go register and get our tokens first.”

“After we get the tokens, Big Brother will take you to eat something delicious.”

“Huh? What delicious thing?” Su Jin asked, surprised.

“You’ll find out when we get there,” Su Jian chuckled.

“That’s right—it’s definitely delicious,” Su Hanlin added with a smile.

The group walked about four or five hundred meters and spotted a simple wooden gate.

The gate was slightly ajar.

As they entered, they saw two young cultivators in deep blue magic robes sitting behind a long table, reading storybooks.

“Two senior brothers, we’re here to extract wood essence energy,” Su Yu warmly approached and struck up a conversation.

"Alright, register your names and pick up your wooden tokens," one of the blue-robed cultivators put down his book, his demeanor quite amiable. "How many of you?"

“Four. I’m Su Yu; these are my clan brothers, Su Hanlin and Su Jian. This is Su Jian’s little sister, Su Jin.”

“Are you trying to exploit child labor? Is this kid even five years old?” The blue-robed cultivator stared at Su Jin, dumbfounded.

“I’m six. I’ve already learned the spell to extract wood essence energy. I’m here to practice with my big brother.” Su Jin replied.

“Six, huh? Did you attend the Dao Academy or your clan school?” the blue-robed cultivator asked.

“I went to clan school,” Su Jin puffed out her small chest.

“So you came here specifically to practice your spell?” The cultivator immediately understood.

“Exactly.”

“Fine, you can go in with your brother. But don’t wander off—stick close to your big brother. You’re too small; any large mountain cat could just snatch you up.”

Su Jin was speechless.

Being small wasn’t her fault—it was just because she was young. But a cat could carry her off?

“The senior brother’s right,” Su Jian added. “Wait till you see what a mountain cat looks like. The ones in this timber yard are bigger than the dogs in our neighborhood. Snatching you up would be like playing.”

Su Jin nodded.

The four registered their names and home addresses, then received four small wooden tokens.

All were made of wood, each carved with strange, slightly eerie patterns.

Su Jin turned hers over and over, studying it.

“Haha, you’re interested in these little tokens? Know what these patterns are?” Su Yu and the others walked along a well-trodden path into the timber yard. “I know—they’re witch script. Ward off all evil.”

“Cough, cough, cough!” Su Yu was stunned. “You actually know that?”

“My mother is from the Wood Witch tribe. I started learning witch script when I was two.”

She learned witch script half a year before she learned to read.

Her mother always said learning witch script was vital—you never knew what you’d encounter out there.

If you stumbled upon some forbidden place, just understanding the witch script would let you turn and run immediately—and survive!

“So you come from a family with deep knowledge,” Su Yu said enviously. “My second maternal grandmother was also from the witch tribe, but she’s too distant from me. Otherwise, I’d have begged her to teach me witch script.”

“You can wait until my mother returns and learn from her. She doesn’t care about a student’s background. But she charges one spirit stone per character. If you think it’s worth it, go find her.” Su Jin said.

When her mother was home, she took in several students each year to learn witch script.

She made a fortune in spirit stones.

Su Jian chuckled too: “If you want to learn witch script, you should’ve said so earlier. My little aunt teaches it. I heard from my little uncle that she takes three or four students every year—she’s so good, even the Dao Academy sends people to learn from her.”

“Your little aunt is that skilled?” Su Yu exclaimed.

“Yes, my little aunt is exceptionally good at teaching witch script. But it’s a bit pricey—she doesn’t charge by day or hour, but by character. She guarantees you’ll learn it.” Su Jian said proudly.

Su Yu was deeply tempted. “If I want to learn three hundred characters, does that mean three hundred spirit stones?”

“Exactly,” Su Jian said.

“Then I’ll save up and try to learn a thousand characters all at once,” Su Yu said.

“You really think this is arithmetic? A thousand spirit stones isn’t pocket change,” Black Fatty Su Hanlin frowned. “If you had a thousand spirit stones, buy more elixirs and push yourself to Qi Refining late stage instead.”

“My cultivation has been stuck at Qi Refining sixth layer for years. No matter how many elixirs I take, nothing works. I thought maybe learning witch script and trying a witch tribe cultivation method might help.” Su Yu said.

“Most witch tribe cultivation methods are useless now. There’s no witch elemental energy left in the air,” Su Hanlin replied irritably.

“I mean spirit refinement techniques. The witch tribe still has many unique spirit refinement methods. I think I’m stuck at Qi Refining sixth layer because my spiritual soul is too weak.” Su Yu sighed.

“Then why don’t you learn a spirit refinement technique at clan school? It’s simpler, easier, and safest,” Su Jin asked, puzzled.

“Cough, cough—can clan school even let someone like me in, who’s never even attended clan school?” Su Yu was stunned, then suspiciously asked.

“You’re going to buy a technique, not enroll as a student. Besides, I heard the clan school’s library is open to all clan members.” Su Jin explained. “There’s even a door that opens directly onto the street.”

“Really? I never knew that!” Su Yu’s face lit up.

If entry required enrollment in clan school, he’d almost certainly be barred—no elite guardian would give him special treatment just because he bore the Su surname.

But if there was another entrance, he still had a chance.

“I just found out too,” Su Jian mused. “Oh, by the way, Xiao Jin—aren’t the techniques in clan school expensive?”

“I don’t know. I just took them,” Su Jin said. Her techniques and spells were all given to her by clan school.

Just reading books? You could read anything freely.