Swallowing and exhaling, each breath sent streams of warmth into my body.
Directing my internal energy, I discovered my true qi had become more potent.
The six paths of true qi circulated and settled in my dantian.
Despite sleeping for less than six hours,
after a period of breathing and circulating energy, I felt no fatigue, only vigor.
This was the most significant change in my body after cultivation.
Through breathing exercises, I could quickly bring my body into a good state.
This was something unimaginable before.
Now that my cultivation had advanced further,
it solidified my belief that practical combat could rapidly improve my cultivation.
I believed I would soon reach the Soul Palace realm.
Then, I could freely gaze upon Qingdai's beautiful face.
This is what I thought to myself,
setting a small goal.
Having recovered my energy, I washed up and put on my shoes to head to the shop.
Upon arriving at the shop, I found Master had just opened the door.
He emerged from inside, yawning.
"Good morning, Master!"
I cheerfully greeted him.
Master's eyes were bloodshot; it seemed he had stayed up late again.
Seeing me arrive for work, Master nodded slightly:
"Mm, you're here so early today.
Looks like that factory didn't have anything sinister!"
Master spoke languidly, still drowsy.
I, however, managed a wry smile:
"Master, you guessed wrong.
That Kangkang factory not only had something sinister, but it was a vengeful spirit.
A Yellow-Clothed Vengeful Spirit..."
Upon hearing me mention a Yellow-Clothed Vengeful Spirit, Master's pupils visibly widened.
He looked at me with surprise:
"What? A Yellow-Clothed Vengeful Spirit?"
"Indeed! Mo Ting, Chen Ge, and I almost didn't make it back."
I said earnestly.
Master gasped:
"That kid Chen Qiang went with you too?"
"Yes! Brother Chen even inhaled ghost miasma and was almost bitten to death by that vengeful spirit..."
Master's eyes widened as he looked at me.
From my tone, it was clear a fierce battle had taken place last night.
He quickly said:
"Come, let's go inside.
Tell me everything that happened last night..."
I nodded and followed Master into the shop.
After entering, Master lit his pipe.
He didn't ask me to move anything.
Instead, he asked me to recount the events of last night.
He then listened quietly, smoking his pipe, as I explained the cause and effect of the incident.
I began by telling him about how Lao Mo and I, after finishing work, went to ask Chen Ge for information.
It continued until the end, when we set up an altar for Lu Xiangxiang to guide her dreams,
allowing her to convey a message to her parents.
After listening, Master was clearly shaken, nodding repeatedly.
He was very satisfied with our handling of the situation and other arrangements.
At the same time, he hadn't expected
that we would encounter a Yellow-Clothed Vengeful Spirit last night.
After all, its cultivation was far above ours, exceeding us by two stages,
reaching the late stage of Qi Absorption.
Logically, the three of us should not have been a match for it.
But who knew it would agree.
Although the Yellow-Clothed Vengeful Spirit was utterly destroyed,
its life story was rather tragic.
Master sighed and said:
A life passes like a fleeting moment, like grass growing and withering in a single autumn.
How lamentable, how lamentable...
Master didn't dwell on commenting on the Yellow-Clothed Vengeful Spirit.
Although she had killed many people,
what drove her to become a vengeful spirit was the wickedness of others.
The truly damnable ones were those villains.
In the end, Master was quite pleased with the outcome of our actions.
Though the Yellow-Clothed Vengeful Spirit was annihilated, before its demise, it found release and peace, its resentment dispelled.
And the malevolent spirits plaguing Kangkang factory were thoroughly resolved.
He was also particularly amazed that Mo Ting could perform the "Summoning Spirit Technique" at such a young age.
Master exhaled a puff of smoke and then said:
"That old scoundrel has taken a good disciple!
The Summoning Spirit Technique is another major Daoist art passed down in our sect.
Learning this art requires immense talent.
In my time, I also came into contact with it; it was extremely difficult to cultivate.
Moreover, this art is selective.
Only those with a special bone structure can practice it.
I never expected that young fellow surnamed Mo would have the same bone structure as that old scoundrel.
And he learned it within months of joining.
His talent is extraordinary; truly a promising seedling for cultivation..."
Master was full of praise for Lao Mo at this moment.
He even said Mo Ting's talent was no less than mine.
Being able to use the "Summoning Spirit Technique" at such a young age,
if he cultivates further, surpassing his master, Daoist Tang, would be a certainty.
Because Master mentioned that it took Daoist Tang a full three years to cultivate the "Summoning Spirit Technique" back then.
But Mo Ting, from his joining until now, has only been about half a year, which shows the strength of his cultivation talent.
He also told me not to slack off and to work harder.
He urged me not to fall behind Mo Ting in cultivation and to avoid embarrassing him.
Seeing that Master was discussing Daoist Tang today and had spoken so much for the first time,
I decided to press him further:
"Master, since you and Daoist Tang are fellow disciples,
why are you so hostile towards each other?
What exactly happened between you two?
Is the animosity so great that it cannot be resolved?"
Upon hearing my question, Master's body visibly trembled.
The pipe he was about to put in his mouth paused.
Finally, he placed the pipe back on the table.
His gaze, filled with a hint of sadness and melancholy, stared blankly at the doorway:
"My affairs with him can never be resolved..."