Lady Cultivator

Chapter 85: A Trap

Translator: Cenniwdyl Editor: Caron_

Mo Tiange was leaning on the desk while brewing some tea, lost in her own thoughts.

The meaning of the words Second Uncle told her on the day she returned was very obvious. These past few days, she had been distraught. Her mind kept thinking about this matter, over and over.

That day, Second Uncle said she still had 100 years she could squander… Second Uncle, who had always forced her to cultivate, had unexpectedly said this to her! It was very clear how bad his condition was. Second Uncle basically considered himself dead already.

Nowadays, she no longer questioned what she would do when Second Uncle died. After she saw Second Uncle’s tranquil expression, she already made up her mind. She would let Second Uncle, who had been worrying about her for ten years, go without any worries.

It was just that… she would still feel sad when she thought about him gone.

As the tea leaves inside the teapot unfolded, the color of the water gradually turned light green. After composing herself, Mo Tiange poured a cup of tea and gave it to her Second Uncle. “Second Uncle, drink the tea first.” In this tea, she added some mind-strengthening and heart-calming spiritual plants. She hoped that by drinking this tea, Second Uncle’s spirit would improve.

Ye Jiang had visibly aged now. In fact, even if cultivators approached the end of their lifespans, they normally could still maintain their youthful appearances; they wouldn’t become shriveled like mortals would. The reason why Ye Jiang looked this old was due to the injuries he sustained on his body.

His spirit did seem to improve a bit after drinking the tea. “Xiaotian, last time, did you say there’s a change in the spiritual aura inside your body?”

Mo Tiange nodded. “Yes, it’s very strange. A very dark spiritual aura gradually appeared in my dantian. The other kinds of spiritual aura were engulfed and transformed into the dark type. I’m not sure why that happened, so I didn’t dare to keep cultivating.”

Ye Jiang contemplated the matter for a while. He then said slowly, “There’s no harm. You can keep cultivating. Second Uncle once heard that female cultivators, who cultivate with particular cultivation techniques, would experience some change in their spiritual aura. Presumably, it happens because their cultivation techniques lean more towards Yin attribute.”

“Your situation should be due to the particular character of the cultivation technique you’re using. But since your cultivation level wasn’t high enough before, your spiritual aura couldn’t be transformed into Pure Yin spiritual aura. Now that you’re already at the peak stage of the Aura Refining realm and your cultivation level will also rise gradually, a change will occur in the spiritual aura inside your body.”

“This change must’ve been induced by your dantian as preparation to confront the foundation-building process. So you should continue to cultivate. When all of your spiritual aura has changed, you can start building your foundation.”

Mo Tiange was happy to receive this answer. She said, “Doesn’t it mean my odds of success in building my foundation would increase?”

Ye Jiang nodded and said, “It should.” After thinking for a moment, he spoke once again, “Why don’t you make a trip back to the sect? Of course, you shouldn’t ask anyone. Just go to the place where the sect keeps its books and records. Try to find out the answer there.”

“En, I know.”

“You’d better go now. After all, Second Uncle’s health seems good today.”

“This…”

“Go. If you don’t leave now, it might be a long time before you get another chance to leave.”

Mo Tiange understood the meaning of this. Second Uncle was worried his injuries would flare up again and when that happened, she wouldn’t get the chance to leave. Thus, she didn’t dare to refuse and said, “Alright. Second Uncle, you have to take care of yourself.”

An hour later, Mo Tiange arrived back at Yunwu Sect.

She first went to the steward’s hall to inform the sect she had returned then she went back to her residence.

Everything was still the same as it was when she left. Jiang Shanghang was still shut in his room, cultivating. Regarding Qin Xi and Liu Yidao, one was still in Closed Door Meditation, while the other had also, reportedly, entered one of the Immortal’s Caves used specifically for Closed Door Mediation. Oh, and Senior Martial Brother Zhou had successfully built his foundation and thus became Martial Uncle Zhou!

Hearing this news, Mo Tiange felt very happy for him. Although Martial Uncle Zhou was indifferent in the beginning, he was, in fact, a good person. If the fellow disciples who lived in this courtyard had any questions, he always answered them sincerely.

Besides, she was so happy when she lived here all thanks to his care. During the two years she was in Closed Door Meditation, she also didn’t need to perform any errands because Martial Uncle Zhou personally explained the situation to the steward’s hall.

Because of this, Mo Tiange was pondering whether she should go to congratulate him or not. Eventually, she decided it’d be better to let someone deliver her message to him and personally go after she finished her business. After all, Martial Uncle Zhou now lived in the North Peak; it was rather inconvenient for her to go there.

Just as she was about to go to Ten Thousand Laws Pavilion, someone’s voice came from outside her room. “Junior Martial Brother Ye, is Junior Martial Brother Ye Xiaotian here?”

Mo Tiange opened her room’s door and saw a familiar looking male disciple was standing in the sitting room. “Senior Martial Brother, is there any problem?”

Once that person saw her, he smiled and said, “Are you Junior Martial Brother Ye?”

Mo Tiange nodded. “I am.”

He scrutinized her up and down. His gaze was making her uncomfortable.

Soon afterward, he said, “Martial Uncle Zhou sent me here. He heard you’re back and wants to meet you.”

“Oh?” Mo Tiange said, “I just asked a senior martial brother from the North Peak to send him my message. He got the message already?”

That person was a bit startled. “This… I don’t know, but… Martial Uncle Zhou just instructed me to deliver his message.”

“I see… thank you, Senior Martial Brother. I’ll go now.”

That person answered, “I’d better take you there. I presume you have no idea where Martial Uncle Zhou is.”

Since that person actually had good intentions, Mo Tiange said, “Then I’ll have to thank Senior Martial Brother again.”

“No need to be polite. Let’s go.”

As they left the courtyard, Mo Tiange asked, “May I ask Senior Martial Brother’s surname?”

That person was walking in a hurry. Upon hearing her question, he didn’t even look back when he answered, “My surname is Wu.”

“Oh, it’s Senior Martial Brother Wu. Senior Martial Brother, are you also an elite disciple from the North Peak?”

Her question made Senior Martial Brother Wu feel a bit smug and his footsteps also slowed a bit. He said, “I am. My master’s name is Qingyu; you ought to recognize him.”

“Ah? Turns out you’re a disciple of Martial Uncle Qingyu! I’ve long looked forward to meeting you,” Mo Tiange politely praised him. Senior Martial Brother Wu immediately raised his chin in an extremely smug manner, causing Mo Tiange to hold back her laughter.

In fact, Mo Tiange said “I’ve long looked forward to meeting you” because as a disciple of a Foundation Building martial uncle, Senior Martial Brother Wu ought to be an elite disciple with a profound cultivation level, but despite his obvious age of about thirty years old, his cultivation level was still in the seventh layer of the Aura Refining realm…

However, this wasn’t strange at all. After all, seeing as this Senior Martial Brother Wu addressed her as “Junior Martial Brother” despite having a cultivation level only in the seventh layer of the Aura Refining realm, he was obviously someone with a backing.

She naturally wouldn’t speak her thoughts out loud. Seeing how Senior Martial Brother Wu reacted, she knew he was someone who loved his reputation. If she said anything negative about him and it reached his ears, they would certainly have a falling-out.

Having walked for a while, Mo Tiange asked doubtfully, “Senior Martial Brother Wu, which path are we taking now? Does this lead to the North Peak?”

Senior Martial Brother Wu walked with great speed. He answered without turning his head, “Martial Uncle Zhou came to the South Peak to handle some matter. Let’s go quickly!”

Mo Tiange frowned and followed him on another path. When she saw that it was becoming more desolate and this was obviously a path rarely taken, she stopped at once and called out, “Senior Martial Brother Wu!”

Senior Martial Brother Wu didn’t even respond. It was only after he walked several steps and realized she wasn’t following him that he turned around and asked in annoyance, “What are you doing?”

Mo Tiange examined her surroundings before vigilantly staring at him. She said, “Senior Martial Brother Wu, where are you taking me?”

Once he heard her question, something suddenly flickered in his eyes. He said with a stutter, “No- nowhere…”

Seeing his reaction, Mo Tiange was even more convinced that something wasn’t right. At the moment, she no longer cared whether he was an elite disciple or not. She took out her spirit tool as a precaution and coldly said, “Senior Martial Brother Wu, do you really take me as a fool? If we continue on this road, we’ll eventually arrive at a cliff. Would Martial Uncle Zhou meet me on a cliff?”

Seeing that his intention had been discovered, he glanced sideways, clenched his teeth, and said loudly, “Junior Martial Brother wants to leave now? Too late!”

Mo Tiange smiled contemptuously, “Senior Martial Brother Wu, just rely on yourself. You want to stop me?”

This person obviously hadn’t expected that upon fighting, she wouldn’t think of him as her opponent at all. He once again stammered, “Junior Martial Brother Ye, calm down… no need to fight…”

Mo Tiange was astonished when she saw his reaction. No matter what, this person was an elite disciple – how could he be such a coward?

She obviously knew something wasn’t right, so why should she keep following him? Besides, this person was an elite disciple after all – attacking him would bring her trouble. Thus, she turned around and left without saying anything more.

“Junior Martial Brother Ye!”

Mo Tiange didn’t answer.

Soon afterward, a spiritual aura fluctuation came from behind her. Reacting very quickly, she dodged out of the way. At that moment, a cold sweat emerged from her body.

What came towards her was actually a high-grade talisman called “the Ice of Azure Ocean”! Had that struck her, she probably would’ve been frozen in an instant and could only watch herself being trampled on.

In the end, what did this Senior Martial Brother Wu want to do!?

Seeing that she was watching him with a ferocious stare, fear emerged on that Senior Martial Brother Wu’s face but it soon changed into anger. Finally, he took out another talisman.

High-grade talismans weren’t cheap, and they were also very strong. Ordinary talismans in high quantities also weren’t easy to handle. In her previous fights of magical powers, Mo Tiange always avoided clashing directly against her opponents’ talismans. She usually resolved the fight before her opponents had the chance to take out their talismans. Presently, however, due to her reluctance to fight, that opportunity had been snatched by Senior Martial Brother Wu.

“Senior Martial Brother Wu,” Mo Tiange said coldly, “Why are you doing this? I believe I haven’t offended you, have I?”

At this moment, another voice that sounded very domineering answered, “You haven’t offended him; the one you’ve offended is me!”

Once Mo Tiange turned around and saw that person, she was thoroughly shocked.

Not too far from her, on the small path that led to the valley, a man was walking towards her.

Jiang Chengxian!

The expression on her face changed. The thoughts in her mind moved as fast as lightning. Her first thought was that the pill recipe for Constitution-Enhancing Pill which Jiang Chengxian missed because of his own carelessness had been discovered. However, she was puzzled about how he found out she had it. Next, she thought about how Jiang Chengxian had hidden in this spot, but she hadn’t sensed him at all until he was close to her. He must’ve used Breath-Concealing Technique. In that case, he must’ve long been prepared to deal with her.

If she killed this Jiang Chengxian, would she still have a footing in Mount Yunwu? That Branch Master Jiang of Mount Yunwu would perhaps cook or eat her alive… Wrong, for the Jiang Clan’s Core Formation cultivator, would he need to go to such measures to handle her? She was only a small Aura Refining cultivator. For Core Formation cultivators, she was nothing but a small ant that would die with one pinch.

Nevertheless, the present situation didn’t allow her to think too much. She put her hand into her Qiankun Bag, and in the next second, several formation discs and formation flags flew out.

Jiang Chengxian contemptuously “hmphed” and turned towards Senior Martial Brother Wu. He said angrily, “Really useless! You can’t even do a small thing properly! Go and keep watch!”

In front of Jiang Chengxian, Senior Martial Brother Wu immediately cowered and humbled himself. “Got it, Senior Martial Brother Jiang.”

Mo Tiange couldn’t help but let out a cold snort. So Senior Martial Brother Wu was Jiang Chengxian’s little lackey; no wonder he was such a coward!

Once Senior Martial Brother Wu walked far away, Jiang Chengxian finally turned around to examine Mo Tiange’s hastily laid Five Elements Life and Death Formation. Ridicule appeared on his face as he said, “Want to use formations to fight against me? Hmph!”

Mo Tiange suddenly recalled that Jiang Chengxian had the Heaven-Breaking Mirror in his hands; it was a magic weapon that could break formations!

At that moment, Jiang Chengxian really did take the mirror out. A beam of greenish light was ejected from the mirror and fell on her formation disc.

‘BOOM!’ Her formation disc exploded!

This formation was both hastily modified and laid, so it was inevitably a bit weaker than normal.

Although Mo Tiange’s expression changed, she quickly regained her composure and sneered. “So what if I can’t use formations? What is there to be afraid of?”

“You!!!” Jiang Chengxian shouted angrily. He naturally knew she was ridiculing him because his Law of Dao wasn’t good.

Mo Tiange fixed her gaze on him and asked heavily, “May I know how I’ve offended Senior Martial Brother Jiang that Senior Martial Brother Jiang set up such a trap to deal with me?”

Jiang Chengxian burst out laughing once he heard her question. He laughed for a while before he said mockingly, “Even if I wasn’t convinced that the person who took the Constitution-Enhancing Pill recipe behind my back was you, seeing this reaction of yours convinced me! Are you still deluded that I don’t know about it?”

Mo Tiange originally didn’t believe in coincidence. On the off chance Jiang Chengxian hadn’t come for the recipe, she was going to voluntarily confess, so she just wanted to ask him first. Because of that, now that she knew he indeed came for the recipe, she also didn’t feel disappointed.

She was well aware that right now her survival chance was rather slim, but she was unexpectedly calm. She didn’t think of anything and just asked him, “Is that so? In that case, how did Senior Martial Brother Jiang know about it?”