Master of Ten Thousand Foxes-Chapter 34: The Behavior Logic of Ancient Immortals
"After joint research by experts from the Immortal Technique Committee of Shangjing City, along with some experts in logic, ancient history, and behavioral studies, certain patterns of the Ancient Immortals’ actions were discovered.
"Most of the time, the Ancient Immortals behave normally, only imparting some Immortal Techniques in dreams.
"But sometimes, they do very crazy things! Such as the Fuqing Hotel incident, or... the recent planting event.
"So, why do they suddenly go crazy?
"After a series of studies, we concluded that they... do so to help disciples overcome hurdles on their path to advancement!
"As long as disciples continue to cultivate and grow stronger, advancing normally, they do nothing.
"However, if a disciple’s path to cultivation is blocked, unable to proceed, they will take all sorts of frenzied actions."
At this, Bai Mo suddenly realized.
It makes quite a bit of sense!
Previously, Zhang Shan and Lu Yang, on the Immortal Martial Path, needed to kill to advance. The Ancient Immortals, having no one for them to kill, orchestrated the Fuqing Hotel affair.
On the other hand, Wang Fangyue needed the Blood Downy Flower as a shortcut for advancement. With no Blood Downy Flower in hand, the Ancient Immortals helped with the planting.
In this way, these Ancient Immortal Masters were not purely insane. They are just ruthless in wanting to help their disciples grow stronger!
On the television screen, Chairman Chen Shu continued to elaborate on this proposition.
In the hospital room, the atmosphere was once again tense and peculiar.
Yu Tingting’s father looked at his daughter.
Zhang Shan and Lu Yang exchanged glances.
The three of them were still stuck at the threshold of Sequence Nine.
If Chairman Chen Shu’s logic held true, it indicated... Round Stone Ancient Immortal’s sinister plan would not stop with just one instance?
Creak...
The hospital room door opened and in came Lu Yang’s father, Immortal Technique Committee member Lu Zhou, carrying a laptop.
He looked at the silent people in the room, then at the peculiar atmosphere.
With a smile, he said,
"Old Yu, you’re here too?
"Why the long faces?
"Under too much pressure?
"Don’t worry, we at the Immortal Technique Committee will protect everyone.
"When soldiers come, use a general to block; when water comes, use earth to cover."
He joked around for a bit, lightening the mood in the room a little.
He sat at the bedside.
"It’s great that all three of you are here.
"Let’s do an investigation; think back if the Round Stone Ancient Immortal had any unusual actions recently.
"You just need to speak; Expert Bai Mo has high enough clearance to listen in.
"And can also help us strategize."
The three began to frown in thought, recounting bits and pieces, mostly useless details. But Lu Zhou took notes very seriously.
"...There is one more thing. The Round Stone Ancient Immortal keeps muttering about how it’s a pity he didn’t help us successfully advance before and apologizes for our grievance.
"Recently, he’s even punishing himself.
"He’s been smashing his fingers with stones."
Zhang Shan and Lu Yang exchanged a glance and nodded.
"Yes, yes, I saw that too.
"The Ancient Immortal was smashing his fingers with stones, saying it was to punish himself.
"His fingers looked plump and wide, but actually quite sturdy. He smashed lots of stones into pieces, and his fingers only got a bit of skin broken."
It sounded insane and absurd.
But Lu Zhou still recorded it word for word.
Suddenly, Bai Mo asked,
"Did it bleed when he did it?"
Zhang Shan thought for a moment.
"I didn’t see any blood."
Lu Yang also shook his head.
On the hospital bed, Yu Tingting suddenly spoke up.
"I saw it! Last night, he drew a bit of blood and put it into a small bottle."
Once this was said, the room fell silent once more.
Blood!
Blood Qi!
The Round Stone Ancient Immortal was indeed unwilling to give up, attempting another round?
Lu Zhou was silent for a moment.
"It’s alright, don’t worry, we’ve already developed Blood Transformation Powder, which can suppress Extracorporeal Blood Qi."
After speaking, he made a special note of this in his records before continuing his note-taking.
But the people remained silent.
After all, he’s an Ancient Immortal; he knows about the Blood Transformation Powder. Would he really be defeated by it a second time?
...
The skies over Fox Mountain remained overcast, thick with dark clouds, as usual.
Bai Mo sat in the great hall, behind a bronze table, writing and sketching, studying a Pill Formula. As usual.
Suddenly, another fox disciple entered the hall, carrying a peculiar bronze artifact, for the master’s perusal.
"What is this thing?"
Bai Mo leaned in closer.
It was a square bronze vessel, resembling either a chessboard or a kitchen cutting board at first glance.
On closer inspection, it had Sequence Seven’s script engraved on it. After deciphering, Bai Mo nodded.
"It really is similar to a chopping board.
"But not a board for cutting vegetables or meat.
"It’s a chopping board for cutting medicinal ingredients!"
The fox disciples all nodded, thinking the ancient alchemists were quite particular, even having a chopping board specifically for medicinal herbs!
Bai Mo picked it up, inspecting the top and then turning it over to look at the bottom. There, he found more letters! Also in Sequence Seven, with a large amount of text in tiny script covered in thick copper rust.
He placed the chopping board on the bronze table, using potion and sandpaper to gently polish it, revealing the text.
A few fox disciples also gathered around, their heads close together, waiting to see the results.
Thus, Bai Mo quietly polished and read, his mind racing as he tried to understand the passage.
After a long time, he smiled.
"This is another of the ten medicinal prescriptions to advance from Sequence Seven to Sequence Six!
"Miracle Cream!
"Applied to the hands, it can enhance the flexibility of the hands."
The nearby fox disciples also smiled, happily exclaiming "Yay! Yay!" Finding this thing meant the master could become stronger again! After the master strengthened, he could enhance them as well with dishwater augmentations!
Bai Mo continued to study the prescription. Before long, he understood it all, yet frowned.
"The main ingredient in this prescription is eight thousand catties of Buddha Hand Melon.
"What on Earth is a Buddha Hand Melon?
"In our medicinal field... we probably don’t have it, right?"
The fox disciples exchanged confused looks. They only knew what was planted in their fields. Remembering all the herbs in ten thousand plots was beyond them. The master could remember them all, though. But since the master said they didn’t have it, then they probably really didn’t...
What should they do?
...
At the foot of Fox Mountain lay the vast medicinal fields.
Beyond the fields stretched a boundless prairie.
At present, Bai Mo sat on a sled, with ten thousand disciples, grandly making their way to the prairie!
"Once again, the task this time is Buddha Hand Melon.
"Everyone, do your best to search. If you find something green and shaped like a human hand among the melons, pick it and bring it to me!
"Remember, it’s the shape of a human hand, like mine, not your little fox paws!"
The fox disciples howled in response.
This Buddha Hand Melon was of critical importance, and they must secure it!
