Chapter 86: Shortest Path (1)
86 – Shortest Path (1)
Dual cultivation?
No, nothing of the sort.
Lin Xun flatly denied it: “Master, I haven’t.”
“You still dare to quibble!” Old Man Huo slammed his palm on the table, his eyes widening like bronze bells. “Your cultivation progress is so rapid, you must have taken the path of demonic arts!”
With that, he looked at Lin Xun with a gaze full of disappointment. “Youngsters who don’t know their limits, straying onto the wrong path—such a Golden Core foundation is unstable, the Qi is weak and floating, and it will soon collapse, causing you to go berserk. You…!”
“Master, please calm your anger,” Lin Xun said. “Your disciple has not engaged in dual cultivation. This was achieved through my own cultivation.”
“Utter nonsense!” Old Man Huo retorted. “Then let me ask you, where have you been fooling around these past two days without returning home?”
“Master, I was studying papers with seniors from the computer science field. I became too engrossed and forgot to return home.”
Old Man Huo nearly choked on his breath. “Quibbling, all quibbling! You’ll only understand the severity when your Golden Core collapses.”
The commotion drew the attention of everyone around. Butterfly Madam stopped her phone call and looked over, while Bihai Xianzi let out a soft “Ah!” and exclaimed, “You!”
Old Man Huo turned to Bihai Xianzi. “I don’t understand medicine. Fairy, come quickly and examine this little wretch’s Golden Core.”
Bihai Xianzi rose from her chair, lifting her gauzy skirt as she hurried over. As she walked, she chided Lin Xun, “How could you do such a thing at such a young age? Who is that seductress? The method of dual cultivation through absorption is a major taboo among immortals…”
As she spoke, she placed her right hand on Lin Xun’s wrist, and a cool stream of Spiritual Power flowed into his body.
Bihai Xianzi said, “Indeed, you’ve already reached the Golden Core stage. Sigh, you only just achieved Foundation Establishment this month. From Foundation Establishment to Golden Core, even a year or two is considered short, let alone ten or eight years. How could you be so impatient for quick success?”
Old Man Huo huffed angrily and turned away.
The immortal cultivators craned their necks, seemingly watching the spectacle.
Butterfly Madam, however, watched Lin Xun with keen interest, while Chang Ji beside her remained expressionless.
The cool Spiritual Power circulated through Lin Xun’s body, finally converging in his Dantian.
Bihai Xianzi murmured softly, “…Huh?”
“What is it?” Old Man Huo asked. “Can this little wretch still survive?”
“No, that’s not it… Let me examine more carefully,” Bihai Xianzi said.
Old Man Huo frowned.
Lin Xun coughed lightly. He was a man with life experience.
When going to the hospital for a checkup, if the doctor gives a diagnosis right away, then everyone treats the illness or takes the medicine—nothing to worry about. But if the doctor says they need to examine more carefully—then it’s bad. The patient and their loved ones will surely feel anxious, fearing a serious illness has been detected.
Bihai Xianzi closed her eyes, and Lin Xun felt her channel more Spiritual Power into his body.
About three minutes later, Bihai Xianzi opened her eyes.
Old Man Huo, Xiaoyaozi, Gushan Jun, and the other senior immortal cultivators all asked, “What’s the situation?”
“This…” Bihai Xianzi looked at Lin Xun, her gaze filled with confusion. “I have examined thoroughly but found nothing amiss.”
Xiaoyaozi frowned deeply. “How could that be?”
Bihai Xianzi said, “Xun’er’s Golden Core is perfectly round and stable, his spirit and Qi are complete and abundant. There are no traces of demonic arts or improper methods. It clearly resulted from step-by-step cultivation on his own. Azure Peak True Lord, having such a disciple is truly something to celebrate.”
Old Man Huo had initially been furious, then greatly startled upon hearing Bihai Xianzi’s words. After she finished speaking, he seemed to come to his senses and became overjoyed.
“Good, good, good!” he exclaimed three times in a row, taking Lin Xun’s hand. “This master wronged you. I never expected my beloved disciple to be such a rare talent. The Limitless Sect has found its successor! My property finally has someone worthy to entrust it to!”
The seniors were stunned for a moment, then stepped forward one by one to probe Lin Xun’s cultivation level. Soon, they began to echo congratulations, saying things like, “Congratulations, Azure Peak True Lord!” and “The younger generation is formidable! Truly formidable!” Several female immortals and ladies showed him particular care, and before long, Lin Xun had received over a dozen jars of pills and spiritual spring water to stabilize his cultivation.
Only Xiaoyaozi muttered quietly, “My Yuanxiao still hasn’t reached Foundation Establishment. Hmph, he just finished his college entrance exams and is still playing around. I can’t rush him just yet…”
Old Man Huo pretended not to hear him, stroking his beard as if talking to himself. “This old man’s discerning eyes, sharp as fire and gold, are a hundred times better than some people’s.”
Lin Xun returned the seniors’ courtesies, politely responding with humble remarks like, “This junior merely stumbled upon it by chance,” “I owe much to Brother Chang Ji’s guidance,” and “Thunder Taming True Lord’s works are truly pearls… pearls of wisdom…”
Once he handled this situation and later advanced to Nascent Soul or even higher realms, the elders would no longer be so astonished. Just as his teacher, after growing accustomed to his perfect exam scores, gradually became indifferent to the various competition gold medals he won.
After chatting for a long while, the cultivators gradually gathered, and they set off for their destination.
The place was nearby—a small filming base. Though called a filming base, it was actually just a few low-rise buildings surrounded by green tree fences near a subway station, with beautiful scenery often featured in modern dramas.
Their destination, however, was not inside the buildings but underground.
Butterfly Madam had already coordinated the venue, but the entire area was empty and deserted, with only a fountain splashing away in lonely solitude.
Xiaoyaozi unfurled the large scroll he had been holding.
As the painting slowly opened, a faint three-dimensional topographic map of the capital rose from it, displayed on the canvas. Golden threads crisscrossed like latitude and longitude lines, with black Qi swirling among them, indicating the presence of demonic energy. Lin Xun recognized this—it was called the “Myriad Stars Grand Array,” capable of monitoring demonic energy and providing great convenience for demon-slaying.
Xiaoyaozi chanted an incantation, and the topographic map gradually enlarged, with landscapes and buildings becoming clearer. Finally, a miniature version of the spiritual and demonic energy patterns of these small buildings appeared before them.
Xiaoyaozi waved his horsetail whisk. “Today, I must take action to subdue the demons and cannot oversee the arrangements based on the Myriad Stars Grand Array. I need someone to monitor this map.”
His gaze swept over the crowd before finally settling on Lin Xun. “Young friend Lin Suan, you’ve just reached the Golden Core stage and likely haven’t yet mastered martial arts. Take charge of the grand array. If you see demonic energy approaching on the map, inform us promptly. Bihai Xianzi’s pills will also be stored with you. If anyone is injured, they’ll come to you for supplies.”
Lin Xun replied, “Alright.”
This likely meant he was responsible for logistical support and wouldn’t have to fight demons on the front lines.
Xiaoyaozi saw that he had agreed and proceeded to assign duties to each of the others one by one. Finally, the group headed toward the small building at the center. Once inside, he turned and locked the main door to prevent ordinary people from entering.
This was no ordinary small building.
—It was a small building currently being used to film a horror movie.
Upon entering the lobby, an inexplicable draft of cold wind swept through, lifting a few sheets of white paper from the corner of the hall with a rustling sound.
Lin Xun looked up and saw a splatter of bloodstains on the pale ceiling. The chandelier swayed precariously, and a section of the front desk counter seemed to have been hacked off with an axe.
At the same time, clattering sounds came from inside, as if someone was there.
Butterfly Madam had already coordinated the location and cleared the area—how could there still be noise?
Xiaoyaozi frowned and led the group toward the source of the sound, stopping about a meter away. “What manner of demon are you?” he demanded.
“…Huh?” A head popped up from behind the counter—a rather handsome young man.
The young man glanced around at them and said, “Did you come to the wrong place? This is a horror movie set. There aren’t any ancient-style Pengzi here.”
“A human?” Butterfly Madam removed her sunglasses and walked toward him. “What are you doing here? Didn’t you receive the notice about clearing the area?”
“Madam… Madam Butterfly?” The young man seemed flustered upon seeing her. “I… I’m a prop master, here to set up effects.”
Then, he pulled out his phone, tapped it a few times, and looked embarrassed. “It’s dead. I didn’t get the notice.”
Butterfly Madam frowned slightly. “Then stay close to us and don’t wander off.”
The young man scratched his head, confused, but agreed anyway. “…Okay.”
Lin Xun understood why they had to keep him. First, the main door was already locked, so even if they let him go, he couldn’t leave. If they sent him outside, he might get hurt by the demons that would soon appear. It was safer to keep him nearby. At worst, they could erase his memory with an illusion spell afterward.
But this young man seemed talkative—and apparently a fan of Butterfly Madam.
He asked her, “Madam Butterfly, are you here to film a scene?”
Butterfly Madam didn’t answer his question. Instead, she asked, “Did you set up all these scenes?”
The young man seemed proud. “Yes, I did all of it. It doesn’t look scary now, but it will at night.”
Lin Xun looked up at the stark white walls, the dusty floor, the bloodstains on the ground, and the pile of dismembered dummy limbs in the corner, thinking that this prop master was indeed professional.
After boasting about his work, the young man continued chattering. “Our movie is called ‘Midnight Hostel.’ It’s about three guests who come to this hostel and hear other guests playing a murder game at midnight. They join in for fun, but the next day, they discover that people are dying in the same order as the game… They try to escape the building but can’t find the exit. Finally, they try to hide in the basement, only to find that the bodies of the other guests have been stored in the basement freezer. Once night falls, they start wandering around down there…”
Bihai Xianzi frowned as she listened and interrupted him. “Stop talking.”
The young man obediently shut his mouth, but his eyes still drifted toward the ethereally beautiful Bihai Xianzi. Glancing her way, he said, “Is this a new artist trained by Sister Die’s company? I’ve never seen her before. How about giving me an autograph first, sis…”
“Enough,” Butterfly Madam said. “Take us to the basement.”
“Huh…?”
Butterfly Madam repeated, “The basement.”
“Oh.” The prop master mechanically followed the instruction, turning to lead them in a direction. “This way.”
They entered an inconspicuous hidden door. The narrow passage had no lights, damp and gloomy, with footsteps echoing, making the atmosphere suddenly eerie.
The prop master walked at the front, descending the stairs while explaining, “It’s a bit narrow here for effect. The underground space is actually quite large—it was converted from an underground parking garage. We have a scene where the ice cellar opens at midnight, and corpses are having a party here. Severed hands, legs, and eyeballs float in mid-air. The hotel chef is cooking, which involves killing and dismembering live people. The protagonist pretends to be a corpse and joins the party. The chef asks him to lend a hand, and he realizes the person the chef is killing is his missing companion. The companion isn’t completely dead yet and is glaring at him. The next moment, the companion might cry out and expose him as a living person too…”
He chattered incessantly as they descended to the deepest part, pulling open a sheet metal door and stepping inside. He fumbled along the wall, saying, “We’re here once we enter. Let me see if the lights can be turned on—they seemed to have broken once before… Ah—!!”
A sudden, pig-slaughter-like scream echoed through the basement corridor, shaking dust from the ceiling. The scream took a while to subside. In the dim light, Lin Xun saw him pull a pale, blood-dripping model of a human hand from his head. Trembling, he stammered, “S-sorry, I got scared. This… this scene is too professional…”
No one spoke.
The prop master looked around.
Lin Xun also surveyed his surroundings.
Chang Ji, who had somehow appeared beside him, held a golden Zen staff, its tip emitting a soft glow.
Senior Xiaoyaozi wore a blue Daoist robe and held a Bagua compass, which was spinning wildly.
Gushan Jun gripped a Seven-Star Longsword, already unsheathed.
Shenji Zhenren was surrounded by six floating yellow paper talismans, their cinnabar inscriptions clearly visible, continuously rotating around him.
Bihai Xianzi cradled a clear blue mermaid pearl, her flowing ribbons drifting as if stirred by an unseen breeze.
The prop master scratched his head. “You all…”
“You all…” He forced a dry laugh. “You’re pretty professional too, huh.”