Chapter Seventy-One: The Body-Tempering Claw Technique

Although the matter of the deranged female fiend had once stirred up considerable commotion, it had been a month or two since any cultivators had reportedly fallen victim. Most people now speculated that she had long since left the area. In such circumstances, if Chu Xin’er set her mind to searching, it was still not difficult for her to spot a few low-level cultivators at the fifth level. However, most of these individuals traveled in groups, some in pairs and others in squads of three or more, often accompanied by cultivators of the seventh or eighth level. In such cases, Chu Xin’er found it inconvenient to act rashly.

At last, after more than half a day, she discovered two young cultivators traveling alone. One of them was precisely at the peak of the fifth level, just as Xiao Wen required; the other was at the middle stage of the sixth level.

“You—are you that notorious fiendess who preys on us rogue cultivators?”

The very moment Chu Xin’er, masked, swept forth to block their path, the two young men turned pale. The one beneath the sixth level pointed a trembling finger at her, while the other, at the sixth-level mid-stage, turned to flee at once.

Chu Xin’er touched her nose in mild amusement—when had she become so infamous? It seemed that if she wished to find cultivators for Xiao Wen to feed upon in the future, she would have to venture much farther afield.

Suppressing her inward complaints, she ignored the escaping sixth-level youth. She deliberately let out a chilling laugh, disguising her voice: “So, you recognize your mistress, yet you still don’t surrender? How bold!”

As she spoke, she flicked her finger, and her longsword flashed with spiritual light, slashing straight toward the remaining youth.

“Demoness! I’ll fight you to the death!”

Knowing he could not escape, the youth gritted his teeth in despair and summoned his magical weapon.

But how could a mere fifth-level fledgling hope to contend with Chu Xin’er at the eleventh level?

With a crash, his sword was knocked flying. In his panic, a surge of spiritual energy shot from Chu Xin’er’s fingertip, piercing the youth’s dantian and vanishing.

The dantian was the wellspring of a cultivator’s power; once it was sealed, not only was combat impossible, even fleeing for his life was out of the question. As he watched the maiden approach, despair washed over his face.

Truth be told, this stranger had no enmity with Chu Xin’er; but for Xiao Wen’s sake, she was willing to bear this infamy.

Reaching the youth, Chu Xin’er pointed her finger, sending a stream of spiritual energy into his brow. The young man slumped sideways into the snow.

Half an hour later, deep within a dense forest, the young man slowly regained consciousness, only to find his body covered with swelling, itchy, and painful welts. Weak and dazed, he let out a heartrending scream.

Having obtained over a thousand fifth-level system coins, Xiao Wenzi was now inside the spirit beast pouch at the maiden’s waist, meditating upon the newly exchanged cultivation technique.

The sixth layer of the Blood Spirit Grand Method was a direct continuation of the fifth, presenting him with little difficulty. Within it was also a new secret art: the Tempering Claw Technique.

This technique, a body-refinement method, when mastered, would not only strengthen the body to an extraordinary degree, but more importantly, allow a demon beast’s claws to be honed into magical artifacts or even more powerful treasures.

Previously, the Blood Spirit Grand Method focused solely on the cultivation of demonic sense and power, leaving Xiao Wenzi’s physical body a significant weakness. Otherwise, he would not have needed to dodge so cautiously in every battle, nor to exhaust his demonic power to maintain protective demonic light.

The Tempering Claw Technique thus perfectly compensated for this shortcoming, and Xiao Wenzi resolved to practice it diligently whenever time allowed.

Upon returning, a lengthy period of seclusion awaited. From past experience, Chu Xin’er knew that the blood of a single minor cultivator would hardly suffice to raise Xiao Wen’s realm. Therefore, she continued searching along the way for isolated low-level cultivators.

But perhaps luck was not on her side. Over the next two days, even though Chu Xin’er contemplated targeting squads of three or more, she failed to encounter a suitable fifth-level cultivator.

She had never asked Xiao Wen why he insisted on feeding exclusively upon fifth-level cultivators. From collecting the emaciated old man’s blood last time, she had deduced some possible reasons, but as it touched on Xiao Wen’s secret, and he did not wish to divulge it, Chu Xin’er did not press the matter.

Ahead lay the Skycloud Valley market. Beyond the valley, a few hundred miles on, was Greenleaf Sect.

Determined to catch one or two more minor cultivators for Xiao Wen to feed upon, Chu Xin’er decided to try her luck at Skycloud Valley.

“Welcome, Fairy, to Skycloud Valley once again. Please, come in.”

Just as before, Chu Xin’er tossed her wooden token outside the formation. The two cultivators guarding the entrance opened the barrier to admit her. This time, however, they noticed that she had already advanced in cultivation since her last visit, and their respect deepened.

Chu Xin’er nodded with a smile and stepped into the valley market, fragrant with flowers.

Indeed, the air was thick with floral fragrance. Compared to the snowy world outside, it was as if she had entered an entirely different realm. Within the protective formation, Skycloud Valley was as warm as spring, and myriad flowers and grasses flourished in abundance.

“Cultivation techniques for sale—only ten spirit stones per scroll!”

“Talismans, personally drawn by myself—finest quality for their class...”

The central plaza of the market was abuzz with the cries of vendors. Not wishing to be associated with the rumored female fiend, Chu Xin’er had left her magical mask behind and changed her black robe for a flowing cyan dress before entering the valley.

Her striking beauty drew many a lingering gaze from passing male cultivators. One young vendor beside her stall even greeted her with a broad smile:

“Fairy, please take a look. Is there anything you need? My talismans may be of modest grade, but in a critical moment, they can turn the tide...”

“You can craft talismans yourself? Are you, perchance, associated with Talisman Mountain?”

The young man, at the mid-stage of the eleventh level of Qi Refining, was selling basic low-grade talismans of modest power. Yet the ability to draw talismans by hand suggested a prestigious background.

Across the tens of thousands of miles of Tiannan Commandery, the sect with the greatest expertise in talisman-crafting was Talisman Mountain. That was why Chu Xin’er inquired.

“Indeed, Fairy, you are quite correct. My name is Liu Chu; my ancestor was once an elder of Talisman Mountain, so from an early age I learned some of the arts of talisman crafting...”

Perhaps harboring an innocent fondness for the beautiful, youthful-faced maiden before him, the Dao-robed youth responded without any suspicion, introducing himself as readily as pouring beans from a bamboo tube.

Finally, convinced of his own charm, the young man clasped his hands and smiled, “May I ask the fairy’s illustrious name and which celestial mountain you cultivate upon?”

“I am Chu Yue’er, a humble rogue cultivator.”

Chu Xin’er had only asked out of politeness, since this Liu fellow had greeted her first. But as he continued, attempting to press his advantage, her goodwill faded. She offered a perfunctory answer and turned away.

She had not revealed her true name, nor mentioned any sect, so she need not fear further entanglement.

The self-styled Liu Chu watched her depart with his smile unchanged, though inwardly he felt a pang of disappointment.

He had been peddling his talismans for some time, but his low-grade wares had found few buyers. Now even the beauty he admired had drifted away, leaving him with a vague sense of defeat.