At this time, Xu Lingsu and Bai Hongtu had vanished somewhere. Originally, the two had planned to go drink at Chunfeng Restaurant. However, Li Yanchu instead made his way to the Taiping Inn. Truth be told, he preferred it here. With such an understanding and charming innkeeper for company, anyone would naturally feel more at ease. “You feel different these days,” the innkeeper said with a light smile. “It’s like you’ve sharpened, and your edge is showing.” Li Yanchu paused, then smiled faintly. “Maybe it’s all the recent fighting. My murderous qi’s gotten too strong.” The innkeeper’s eyes, clear as autumn water, swept over Li Yanchu. “I like every version of you,” she said, then turned and left to prepare food and wine. Whenever Li Yanchu visited, she would usually cook personally. Her culinary skills were excellent, so much so that ordinary chefs simply couldn’t compare. Just then, a contemplative look flickered in Li Yanchu’s eyes, and he instinctively reached for the Wind Tamer tucked in his robe. “I’m carrying too many treasures lately... In the eyes of other cultivators, I might be a little too conspicuous.” Five-Lightning Talisman, Spirit Officer Summoning Talisman, Jiaoslayer, Eight Trigrams Mirror, and now the Wind Tamer gifted by Lady Qingyi... Each one was a rare and precious artifact. After finishing lunch at the Taiping Inn, he returned to the Daoist temple. Sitting at his desk, he opened the Yellow Court Classics. This ancient text didn’t only contain cultivation techniques, seated meditation, breath control, and qi-guiding methods, it also recorded numerous profound techniques. Previously, due to his early Qi Cultivation Realm, many of the spells and divine abilities were beyond his reach. And because his combat prowess leaned heavily toward direct killing force, he hadn’t rushed to study them. But after hearing the innkeeper’s words just now, Li Yanchu suddenly realized that his own presence had become far too conspicuous. He needed to cultivate a divine technique that could conceal his aura. He remembered a formidable technique recorded in the Yellow Court Classics: Sun Veil[1]. Once mastered, it could cover the heavens and hide the sun, obscure fate and confound divination. Then, no one would be able to divine or detect his presence. His aura would be thoroughly veiled, preventing others from seeing through him. Following the scripture’s instructions, Li Yanchu adjusted his breathing, calmed his spirit, and cast out all distractions. Then, he began to comprehend and cultivate this secret art. An hour later, the aura around Li Yanchu was suddenly cut off by an invisible force. The entire process was incredibly complex, yet it was completed in an instant. It was a mystical and unfathomable transformation, and it was utterly supernatural. He suddenly opened his eyes wide, then carefully sensed the changes in his aura. The Five-Lightning Talisman and Spirit Officer Summoning Talisman were still steadily nourishing his body and soul. Follow current novels on novel·fiɾe·net He could clearly feel the presence of the Pure Yang Lightning Spell aura, as well as the pull of Divine Dao aura. At the same time, he had an incredibly vivid perception that his aura had completely vanished from this world. Both sensations existed simultaneously. “I did it!” Li Yanchu felt a sudden surge of spiritual clarity; he had successfully cultivated the Sun Veil! It seems... something really has changed in my body, he thought to himself. When it came to traditional Daoist cultivation methods, his talent was admittedly average. But when it came to learning divine arts, his speed was astonishing. Take, for example, the earlier techniques: Deity Summoning Art, Immobilization Spell, Telekinetic Retrieval... All of these Daoist divine arts typically required three to five years of bitter cultivation just to glimpse the basics. Yet Li Yanchu had managed to grasp their basics in mere days. Now this Sun Veil was the same. It required immense comprehension and was notoriously difficult to master. After all, it involved the concealment of fate and aura, a profoundly advanced stage of cultivation. If a Daoist could grasp even the basics of this art within ten years, they would be considered top-tier geniuses. And yet, Li Yanchu succeeded in just an hour! Meanwhile, at Lady Qingyi Temple, an elder dressed in ceremonial robes suddenly lifted his head and said softly, “Huh? Why has the divine secret become muddled?” Xue San’s expression grew tense. He pinched his fingers in calculation, and the look on his face became increasingly strange. Because of the karmic bond between him and Li Yanchu, he could sense him deeply. He had originally been able to catch a faint glimpse into Li Yanchu's fate, but now, everything around Li Yanchu was completely obscured. He could no longer divine anything... Inside Qingyun Temple, Li Yanchu clearly sensed the change within himself and instantly beamed with joy. He slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, then gathered his spirit and focused. He continued to meditate and deepen his understanding of the Sun Veil. When Li Yanchu next returned to the Taiping Inn, his entire demeanor had subtly shifted. His inner radiance was withdrawn and subdued, and he no longer carried the sharp-edged intensity of a martial artist, nor the transcendent air of a cultivator of the Daoist path. Instead, he appeared just like an ordinary person. Even the auras from the powerful treasures on his body had been completely concealed. The innkeeper lady’s eyes flickered slightly with surprise. “That was fast...” In the days that followed, Li Yanchu spent his time diligently cultivating with the Yellow Court Classics and deepening his mastery of Sun Veil. And not just that, his progress in Immobilization Spell, Telekinetic Retrieval, Deity Summoning Art, and astral projection also advanced significantly. Meanwhile, the Jiaoslayer, after being triple-enhanced, now contained an immensely potent aura. When Li Yanchu practiced his saber techniques, it also helped temper his tendons and strengthen his body, which was a discovery that delighted him greatly. As for Bai Hongtu, he lived his days in utter ease and pleasure. One day, after returning from listening to a storyteller at the teahouse, he excitedly sought out Li Yanchu. “Have you heard? The Baxia stone statue at Wangjiang Pavilion[2] might’ve come to life! Some people say they heard its roar early this morning!” Bai Hongtu’s face was alight with excitement as he recounted the tale. That Baxia statue, ancient and solemn, had long been one of Wei City’s iconic sights along the river. Commissioned by the local authorities, a pavilion had been specially built around it, with consultation from skilled feng shui masters. The intention was to invoke the protective power of Baxia to bring favorable weather and safety to Wei City. In addition to the famed Lady Qingyi Temple, the newly erected Wangjiang Pavilion had since become another attraction, drawing in tourists from all around. “It really came to life?” Li Yanchu raised his eyebrows. Rumors often spread wildly, exaggerated through countless retellings, especially with phrases like “they say” or “I heard.” Such tales usually weren’t very credible. Bai Hongtu nodded solemnly and said, “At first, only three or four people claimed to have heard the roar... But soon, a number of local fishermen and boatmen swore they heard the Baxia statue roar too. Seems like it’s not just a baseless rumor.” Could it be... that the Baxia statue really awakened? Li Yanchu frowned slightly. Stone statues gaining enlightenment was indeed possible, and Daoist arts did contain transformation spells capable of imbuing inanimate objects with life-like qualities. Something strange might be afoot... The two of them mounted their steeds and rode side by side, heading out of the city toward Wangjiang Pavilion, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Baxia stone statue said to be part of a rumored Blissful Land and to see what exactly had changed. Blackie, though still unchanged in appearance, now occasionally gave off that unruly and wickedly charming smirk, making it seem strangely intelligent and full of spirit essence. On the surface, Blackie still looked like an ordinary black donkey, and there was nothing eye-catching or special about it. But Bai Hongtu’s mount was clearly intimidated by Blackie, so much so that it didn’t even dare walk side by side with it. Only after Li Yanchu patted Blackie’s head and Bai Hongtu firmly tugged at the reins did the two mounts reluctantly travel alongside each other. 1. 掩日 literally means “to cover the sun.” The literal “covering the sun” is accurate but clunky and reads awkwardly, so I’ve chosen to use Sun Veil instead, which captures the same imagery of something so massive or dense that it partially or fully obscures the sun. ☜ 2. 望 (wàng) means “to look at,” “to gaze,” or “to hope for”; 江 (jiāng) means “river”, while 亭 (tíng) means “pavilion,” typically a small open structure often found in gardens or scenic areas for rest and viewing Together, 望江亭 literally means “River-Gazing Pavilion” or “Pavilion for Viewing the River.” To me, it conveys a sense of tranquility and poetic appreciation, suggesting a place where one can pause, reflect, and enjoy the scenery of a flowing river. In classical Chinese literature and culture, pavilions are often associated with leisure, contemplation, and poetic inspiration.☜