The following day passed uneventfully for Liu Ming.
Now that he had five avatars acting simultaneously, even so, with his cultivation at the second layer of Qi Refining, such strain caused no noticeable mental burden.
Liu Meng remained in the cave residence, presiding over the whole. Her dual cultivation with the maidservants never ceased, streams of spiritual energy flowing back through the Mother-Child Technique. Yet, given her current realm, this return was but a drop in the ocean—she had still not broken through the fifth layer of Qi Refining.
Qin Yi, meanwhile, had infiltrated the Xia Prince's manor in Azure Stone City. Hidden among the crowd of so-called "fated ones," he quietly awaited the opening of the Bloodfeast Valley entrance trial.
As for Liu Si, he lingered within Qin Shuang's Soul Banner. Empowered by the spirit-gathering array inside, his soul cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, already reaching the third layer of Qi Refining. Yet the banner world was ultimately not the same as the outside. His condition differed from that of a living man. Without a proper method to break through, he had no idea how to advance beyond early-stage Qi Refining.
After delivering the purchased beast souls into Liu Meng's Soul Banner, Liu Ba once again set off without pause, racing toward Luo Feng City. By midnight, he intended to enter once more.
As for the newly summoned Liu Jiu, he had sunk himself completely into the art of talismans.
Through study, he discovered that talismans, too, were divided into nine grades within each major cultivation realm—the ninth being the lowest, the first the highest.
Talismans at the Qi Refining stage, constrained by both their structure and the strength of spiritual energy, could at best reach the fifth grade.
Liu Meng, back then, had already struggled just to succeed at all. She could not even distinguish the quality of talismans, so those she produced were invariably ninth-grade.
But now Liu Jiu, after scarcely a single day of practice, could steadily produce seventh-grade talismans.
Such progress was astonishing!
If he kept practicing, once he reached the fifth grade, he could attempt to craft rare talismans of real value—the kind that even the Three Talents Pavilion could not mass-produce.
That, too, was a way to earn spirit stones.
The thought filled Liu Jiu with motivation.
Unfortunately, until midnight he still failed to produce even a single sixth-grade talisman. At last, he had to stop, letting this avatar rest and recover his exhausted mind.
Meanwhile—
At the gates of Luo Feng City, Liu Ba lit a Guiding Talisman and stepped inside once more.
This time, he had come fully prepared not to return. He brought nothing of value, entering empty-handed.
More importantly, he still did not know how to obtain the cultivation techniques of Luo Feng City. Thus, he could only choose the simplest method—ask someone directly.
Of course, asking carried risks.
At best, one might deceive him; at worst, feed him half-truths, trick him into trusting them, then strip him bare.
But he was only an expendable avatar. Unlike others, he had countless chances to trial and err. Even if he offended some taboo and died instantly, that alone would provide valuable experience for later avatars.
Thinking thus, Liu Ba hesitated no longer. Following his memory, he headed straight for the "suburbs," where he had once seen a middle-aged cultivator conjure a manor with a Soul Banner. Liu Wu had spoken briefly with that man, and Liu Ba now intended to seek him out again and ask some questions.
With the strength of the third Qi Refining layer, Liu Ba arrived swiftly. But the sight before him left him incredulous.
The place had once been barren ground, with only a lone manor. Now, manors stretched in rows, forming a whole residential district.
The streets bustled with figures, spectral shapes drifting to and fro. There was no trace of the desolation he remembered.
Even the original square-shaped manor had expanded manyfold—flying eaves, layered courtyards, becoming a vast and imposing estate.
After carefully confirming, Liu Ba was certain this was the same place.
Yet as he stood before the broad gates, he hesitated.
After all, it had been Liu Wu who met the man before, not him. To appear without preparation, without a ready explanation, would not do.
Just then, a gentle voice spoke from behind:
"Fellow Daoist, standing at my doorstep—do you seek me for something?"
Turning, Liu Ba saw the same middle-aged cultivator as before. Only now, his attire had changed from plain cloth robes to luxurious brocade, making him appear far wealthier.
Liu Ba chose not to conceal anything. Directly, he said, "This is my first time entering Luo Feng City. If I wish to join, what should I do?"
At these words, the man's face lit up with enthusiasm. Stepping forward warmly, he patted Liu Ba's shoulder.
"You want to join? It's simple! Go to the city center, find the City Lord's Manor, and receive a cultivation method from the lord. Then you'll naturally become one of us."
"A cultivation method?" Liu Ba asked. "Which one?"
The man laughed as though it were obvious. "Why, the Luo Feng Art, of course! It is the very foundation of our city. Without it, your soul cannot adapt to the city's yin energy, nor can you survive here long."
Liu Ba frowned. "But I've already cultivated the Bloodfeast Art. Can I still learn the Luo Feng Art? Isn't there a sect rule forbidding disciples from practicing two core techniques?"
The cultivator blinked, clearly surprised. "You didn't know? And still dared to enter Luo Feng City? How did you even get in?"
"I was given a Guiding Talisman by someone who came a few days ago. You should have seen him," Liu Ba replied "honestly."
The man thought for a moment, then chuckled. "Ah, him! I remember wanting to bring him in that day, but he walked off without a word. How is he now?"
"Dead," Liu Ba said flatly.
"My condolences," the man said politely, though his tone carried little sorrow. "That is the way of the outside—alive today, gone tomorrow. Fellow Daoist, take my advice. Join us here in Luo Feng City. Life inside is far safer than out there."
Still frowning, Liu Ba said, "But I've already cultivated the Bloodfeast Art…"
The man chuckled lightly. "Ah, but here you misunderstand. That rule is real, yes—but it does not apply to the Luo Feng Art."
"Why not?"
"Because once you cultivate the Luo Feng Art, you will never be able to practice any other technique again."
"After all, the very premise of this art is to abandon the body and cultivate solely the soul. Without a body, naturally you cannot train in the Bloodfeast Art, the Xuan Yin Art, or even the Three Talents Art. So tell me—where is the violation of sect law in that?"
"That is why the Luo Feng Art is different from the other three. No matter what you've practiced before, as long as you wish to learn it, this technique will be given to you at once."