I Outworked the Entire Cultivation World-Chapter 38 - 29: Robbery on the Road (Revised)

The next morning, mist and rain were hazy.

The paper crane flew mid-air, creaking and swaying like a drunken sailor.

"What’s wrong? Saying you want to go back so early in the morning and yet looking so gloomy?"

Tao Fengnian stared at the dispirited Jiang Yuebai, asking with concern.

Jiang Yuebai sighed deeply, recalling last night when Wanniang smashed the phoenix crown, smiled, and passed away, and Hong Tao, a seven-foot man, pounded the ground and wept bitterly.

Wanniang’s words, "In the next life we won’t meet", and Hong Tao’s heart-wrenching wails still echoed in her ears.

"Grandfather, do you think the Great Dao should be emotional or emotionless? Why does Wuwei Mountain Man say the Great Dao is emotionless, yet Brother Hong..."

Tao Fengnian, thinking about how he saw Hong Tao from afar at the workshop this morning buying a coffin, roughly guessed what had happened.

After thinking for a moment, Tao Fengnian said, "Cultivators training, Qi Cultivation is just entry-level, Foundation Establishment is truly entering the Dao. To achieve Foundation Establishment, one must sever worldly attachments. Only when these are gone can the heart be free to move forward unimpeded. Although I don’t know what Brother Hong encountered, in my view, placing too much importance on worldly attachments may easily give birth to a heart demon. In my time, it was due to an undefeatable heart demon that I failed at Foundation Establishment."

Tao Fengnian recalled that during his two attempts at Foundation Establishment, at the last moment, he saw his wife talking about wedding vows, asking him to join her in the Underworld for reincarnation to renew their bond in the next life.

He knew it was all because he couldn’t let go and because he hadn’t found a reason compelling enough to persevere at all costs.

But now it was different. Tao Fengnian looked at Jiang Yuebai, the corners of his lips slightly raised, determined that this third attempt at Foundation Establishment would be successful.

Jiang Yuebai frowned, "So you’re saying the Great Dao is emotionless? But I think that’s not right. I feel that, although Brother Hong is heartbroken, he is more determined than before and will definitely succeed in Foundation Establishment."

"You’re still young; some matters will naturally become clearer as you grow and experience more."

Jiang Yuebai remained silent, deep in thought, while Tao Fengnian didn’t disturb her, quietly retrieving the Flying Core Boat she had given him to start refining it.

Seventh-grade magical artifacts are mostly used by Foundation Establishment cultivators. Although he was at Qi Cultivation Perfection, refining it would still take a few days of effort. However, it was only a temporary possession, and he would return it to Jiang Yuebai once she reached late-stage Qi Cultivation.

Jiang Yuebai thought for a long time, and when she still couldn’t figure it out, she stopped pondering, retrieved the Glazed Bottle, and continued refining the Ice Armor Beetle King. After this session, it would be completed.

However, with her current amount of Divine Sense, controlling a Ninth-Grade Strange Insect was barely manageable, allowing her to activate Ice Armor or freezing only once.

The paper crane flew at varying heights, skimming along the treetops for half a day.

As the world grew dim, fog thickened, and wild wolves howled within the forest.

Upon finishing the refinement of the Ice Armor Beetle King, a chill surged up Jiang Yuebai’s spine, causing her to shudder involuntarily.

"Something’s not right!"

Tao Fengnian’s expression turned stern, and he flipped his hand to toss a Golden Bell Talisman into the air.

Before the talisman’s light could rise, several thorny green vines shot up from the forest below.

Bam!

The paper crane shattered among the vines, and Tao Fengnian shielded Jiang Yuebai as they plummeted, crashing heavily onto the moss-covered ground.

The forest was dim, and Jiang Yuebai was in intense pain. Before she could ascertain the situation, she witnessed Tao Fengnian pulling out a smoke rod, taking a deep drag, and then exhaling a huge cloud of white smoke, enveloping them both.

"Grandfather?"

"Don’t speak!"

A wooden box was shoved into Jiang Yuebai’s hand as she was shielded behind Tao Fengnian. He firstly threw a small flag from his storage bag, which transformed into golden light and vanished into the white smoke.

He then took out a scythe with a lock chain from his storage bag, holding it with full vigilance.

Jiang Yuebai gulped, clutching the wooden box, tightly gripping the Glazed Bottle hidden in her sleeve. White smoke billowed all around, obscuring her vision completely.

Suddenly, a deep and mournful melody began to play, and the air swirled, undulating with ripples as the melody dispersed the white smoke.

Her mind buzzed, and within the melody, Jiang Yuebai found it hard to concentrate, feeling the world spin and the trees multiply.

"This is the means of Sound Cultivation. Resist it with your internal energy, don’t slack off."

A touch to the forehead by Tao Fengnian instantly cleared Jiang Yuebai’s mind, prompting her to rapidly circulate her spiritual energy.

Looking around, she saw a cold, stern female cultivator dressed in black standing on a large tree ten zhang away. Thorny vines coiled around her like snakes, and she held a xun, playing hauntingly.

Below the tree stood a scarred-faced male cultivator clad in leather armor, resting a large saber on his shoulder by the gray-haired Demon Wolf, eyeing them menacingly.

The female cultivator in black was at Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer, the scarred-faced man at Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer, and the Demon Wolf had at least the power of Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer.

Before the adversaries could speak, Tao Fengnian said first, "If you’re robbing for wealth, I can give you everything I have, there’s no need for any bloodshed."

As soon as he finished speaking, the scarred-faced man glanced at the female cultivator in black.

The black-clad woman raised an eyebrow, "In all my times of robbing, it’s the first I’ve seen someone so cooperative. Hand over everything you have, and perhaps we might let you go."

Jiang Yuebai watched Tao Fengnian wide-eyed as he deftly threw his storage bag, smoke rod, and the lock scythe at his feet, surrounded by a faint glow of golden light, as if a dome flipped over, safeguarding them and their possessions.

"Everything I own is here. Once we’ve gone far enough, this array will automatically dissipate."

The black-clad woman lowered her eyes, scanning the possessions, her gaze falling on Jiang Yuebai, "Hers too, hand it over."

Tao Fengnian turned to look at Jiang Yuebai, who gritted her teeth, struggling for a moment before reluctantly pulling out the storage bag from within her clothes and tossing it on the ground, holding tightly to the wooden box.

She knew there was a flower inside the wooden box. Though unaware of its kind, grandfather sleeping with it indicated its significance.

"Put down the wooden box as well."

At these words, Tao Fengnian’s body tensed all over.

"The wooden box only has a worthless plant."

Tao Fengnian lifted the lid of the wooden box to show its contents to the black-clad woman.

"I am a Spiritual Cultivation Master of the Heavenly Interence Sect. This item is meant for a Nascent Soul True Monarch in our sect who loves flora and fauna. It only looks peculiar, nothing special. I’ve given you all my belongings, there’s no need to make more trouble."

The black-clad woman couldn’t discern anything special about the plant. Hearing Tao Fengnian reveal his identity, she hesitated.

Then, the scarred-faced man’s saber pointed threateningly, "Enough talk, hand it over quickly or I’ll chop you up to feed the wolves."

Tao Fengnian’s reluctance was apparent, arousing the black-clad woman’s suspicion immediately.

"Old man, are you trying to trick us by giving junk while the real treasure is that plant?"

Tao Fengnian sighed, "Since you insist, I’ll give it to you."

Facing Jiang Yuebai, Tao Fengnian placed his hands on the wooden box, quickly whispering, "Stay still inside the array."

As soon as his words fell silent, Tao Fengnian turned and flung two fiery red beads.

Bang! Bang!

As the flames ignited, Tao Fengnian hastily reeled in the lock scythe from the ground.

Clang!

The sound of metal clashing rang out, and Jiang Yuebai saw the lock scythe in Tao Fengnian’s hands tighten, pulling him forward and almost causing him to stumble.

Looking ahead as the flames subsided, charred vines before the black-clad woman crumbled to ash. The scarred-faced man’s saber stood in defense, the scythe hooked onto it, while nearby the Demon Wolf, with blood-red eyes, bared its fangs, drooling.

"You old geezer, you court death!!"

The scarred-faced man yanked with force, and Tao Fengnian was completely airborne. The howling Demon Wolf lunged, aiming straight for his face.

"Grandfather!"

Jiang Yuebai dropped what she held, quickly forming a seal with her hands, invoking the Metal Sharpness with electric speed.

Slash!

Blood splattered, and the Demon Wolf whimpered and crashed to the ground, its entire eye shredded raggedly by the sharpness.