https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-20-Inducing-Technique-I-Know-It-/12549096/
Chapter 19: Qinghefang
Chapter 19: Qinghefang
Along with a familiar voice, a figure pushed open the door and walked in.
Chu Ning's heart stirred, and in the next moment, he executed a hand seal, unleashing the Thorn Binding technique!
The two Iron Vine tendrils near the courtyard gate instantly shot out and wrapped around the intruder, immobilizing him.
However, Chu Ning did not continue channeling his technique, so the Iron Vines did not constrict further nor did they sprout thorns.
Nonetheless, it startled the visitor.
"Hey, it's me, Qiu Shunyi!"
The visitor was indeed Qiu Shunyi, and at that moment, his slightly tanned face was filled with astonishment.
"Oh, it's you, Shunyi," Chu Ning laughed. With a wave of his hand, the Iron Vines retracted.
Qiu Shunyi patted his chest in relief, then turned to look at Chu Ning, his eyes wide as he asked, "Didn't you recognize my voice just now?"
Chu Ning laughed it off. "I wasn't really paying attention."
In truth, he was thinking about how effective the Thorn Binding technique was for restraining people.
If he had continued channeling his technique just now, Qiu Shunyi would have been in for a world of pain.
At this moment, Qiu Shunyi said enviously, "So this is the Thorn Binding technique. I didn't expect you to master it so quickly."
Chu Ning nodded slightly.
"This is one of the innate spells of the Green Wood Eternal Spring Art. Once we reach the second layer of Qi Refinement and obtain the complete manual, we can cultivate it. How about you? Have you reached the second layer yet?"
"Hehe, I broke through to the second layer yesterday."
Qiu Shunyi smiled proudly. Although it had taken him nearly five months, he was still pleased to have advanced from the first layer to the second.
After offering his congratulations, Chu Ning asked about the purpose of Qiu Shunyi's visit.
"I came to invite you to the market square," Qiu Shunyi said. "Are you going?"
"To the market square?" Chu Ning was a little surprised by the suggestion.
Speaking of the market square, it was worth mentioning the geographical location of the Qingxi Sect in the Qingxia Mountain Range.
The Qingxia Mountain Range stretched for thousands of miles from east to west and over a thousand miles from north to south. Seven sects had been established within these mountains.
Qingxi Sect was one of the sects closest to the eastern end, and about a thousand miles west of it was another sect called Wind Canyon.
Within this thousand-mile stretch of mountains, there were numerous small and large cultivator families, some affiliated with Qingxi Sect and others with Wind Canyon.
As these cultivator families needed to trade with each other, a market square gradually formed.
Initially, it was a small-scale affair, with occasional transactions between the families.
Moreover, as it was often inconvenient for outer disciples to enter the inner sect, some of them also began to engage in trading.
As more people participated in the transactions, the market square grew in size and significance.
Eventually, even major sects like Qingxi Sect and Wind Canyon opened shops there.
There were three relatively large market squares along the thousand-mile journey from Qingxi Sect to Wind Canyon, and the closest one to Qingxi Sect was Qinghefang, just a hundred miles away.
Chu Ning had learned about these places previously but had never visited them, so he was a little surprised to hear Qiu Shunyi's invitation.
Qiu Shunyi quickly continued, "Yes, let's go to Qinghefang! It's so lively and fun there.
Senior Brother Shang took me there once before, and last month, I went again by myself. I wanted to invite you then, but you weren't around. That's why I came earlier today."
Chu Ning was slightly taken aback to learn that Qiu Shunyi had already been to the market square twice. He asked curiously, "We don't have any spirit stones on us. What would we do at the market square?"
Within the Qingxi Sect, menial disciples like Chu Ning didn't receive a monthly allowance of spirit stones like inner and outer disciples. If they wanted to obtain spirit stones, they had to work for them.
For example, in order for Chu Ning to earn spirit stones, he would have to wait several months for the spirit rice and Ink Spirit Bamboo to mature, harvest them, and then hand over a portion to the sect before exchanging the surplus for spirit stones.
"We don't have any spirit stones now, but we can still go and take a look," Qiu Shunyi said with a hearty laugh. "Then, when we have spirit stones later on, we can buy whatever we want."
"Also, it's boring to stay here and tend to the fields all day. It'll be fun to go to the market square and see the sights."
Chu Ning's heart stirred at the suggestion. Indeed, in the months since he had joined the sect, he hadn't ventured outside at all.
He was about to agree when a thought occurred to him, and he asked, "Is it dangerous?"
"Not at all!" Qiu Shunyi quickly assured him. "Qinghefang is only a hundred miles from us. No one would dare to harm someone from the Qingxi Sect in this area.
Also, if we're lucky, we might even run into some senior brothers or uncles on their way out, and we can hitch a ride on their flying boat.
You may not know this, but the sect provides new disciples like us with six free rides on the flying boat. Of course, it's unlikely that we'll be able to get a ride back, so we'll probably have to fly back on our own."
Reassured, Chu Ning followed Qiu Shunyi out.
The two of them made their way to a large square within the mountain gate.
This mountain gate was one of the main entrances to the vast Qingxi Sect, located near the foot of the mountain.
Deeper within the Qingxia Mountain Range was another mountain gate that served as the entrance to the outer sect.
Chu Ning had not yet been to that place either.
As they arrived at the square, they saw a few people already gathered there.
Qiu Shunyi introduced Chu Ning to another companion who would be joining them on their trip to the market square—Lu Xingyuan, Qiu Shunyi's current neighbor.
He was also among the newest batch of disciples.
Speaking of neighbors, Chu Ning often ran into Qi Chongmao, his own neighbor.
However, Chu Ning valued his peace and quiet and was focused on his cultivation, so he merely exchanged greetings and didn't socialize further.
Qiu Shunyi, on the other hand, was as outgoing as ever and had quickly become close with their neighbors.
The reason they were waiting here instead of leaving right away, as Qiu Shunyi explained to Chu Ning, was that by waiting a little longer, they would have a better chance of catching a ride on a higher-grade flying boat.
However, the return trip would depend on their luck; if they didn't happen to run into anyone, they would have to fly back on their own.
As the three of them chatted, an elderly man indeed arrived at the square, piloting a flying boat.
They greeted the elder and expressed their intention to go to the market square.
The elder didn't say much but simply gestured for them to board the boat.
This flying boat was smaller than the one Chu Ning and the others had ridden from Qingxi City, but it was just the right size for the seven or eight people who were waiting.
The flying boat took off, and in less than half an hour, they had arrived at a grand entrance gate.
As Chu Ning disembarked, he looked up at the gate, upon which three large characters were written.
Qinghefang.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
