Immortal Cultivation: Starting from a Pharmacy Apprentice

Chapter 272: Chapter 272: Style

When the Nai Daoist spoke of "kindred spirits," he couldn’t possibly have meant fellow cultivators.

A moment’s thought was enough to realize he could only mean his own kind.

A chill went down Bai Mo’s spine.

’There’s another being like him hidden here?’

The Nai Daoist glanced around, clucking his tongue and shaking his head.

"You’ve deliberately concealed your nature, using only Divine Power in your attack and showing no trace of your cultivation methods. But you can’t fool me."

"Friend, that fragrant aroma you’re giving off is practically wafting right into my face. How could you not reveal your true nature?"

Hearing this, the black-robed figure opposite paused. A moment later, the mask on his face fell away, revealing a cluster of leaves within.

The group of men were horrified.

"What kind of monster is that?"

But Bai Mo’s eyes widened, and he exclaimed softly,

"It’s the Progeny of the Great Azure Flower."

The Nai Daoist paused, turning to glance at Bai Mo.

"What ’progeny’?"

Bai Mo answered quickly, "There was once a Great Azure Flower on this mountain that reached the end of its life. The main plant withered, but it left behind a progeny that escaped."

"Many disciples witnessed it firsthand. It was a truly bizarre event."

The Nai Daoist nodded lightly.

"Born from heaven and nurtured by earth... Its origins are no less remarkable than my own."

"Such conditions can easily give rise to an aberration."

By now, the Progeny of the Great Azure Flower had shed its cloak and black robes, letting them fall to the ground.

A gold-threaded emblem was visible on the lining of the black robes, looking like the mark of some merchant house in Immortal Arrival City.

’Bai Mo was sure he’d seen that mark before. He just wondered which unlucky Cultivator had been its victim, leaving this behind.’

’Or had the Progeny bought it in the city?’

The Progeny’s leaves unfurled. The roots and stems that had formed a humanoid shape dispersed, bathing in the sunlight, seeming utterly content.

A smile spread across the Nai Daoist’s beast-like face.

"A unique specimen, just as I thought."

He took a single step, and a wind rose from the level ground, carrying a dry heat.

As the wind brushed against Bai Mo’s face, his skin instantly felt so dry it threatened to crack.

ROAR!

In a trance, he seemed to hear the majestic roar of a beast echoing from the distance, a soul-shaking sound.

When Bai Mo came to his senses, he saw that the surrounding vegetation had already withered and died.

A yellow gale formed, swirling down toward the Progeny of the Great Azure Flower, carrying an astonishing heat.

The next moment, the Progeny’s rootlets pierced the ground. It shuddered, ripping the earth open as a massive cloud of azure energy erupted forth.

The azure energy and the yellow gale clashed, finally tearing apart the gale and its aura of fiery annihilation.

The Nai Daoist halted, looking genuinely surprised.

"You actually have a few tricks up your sleeve. Impressive, most impressive."

He sighed. "I don’t want to fight you. My arts follow the path of life’s extinction, which is the perfect counter to your own path of life."

"If we really start fighting, I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold back."

At his words, the Progeny also ceased its attack, seemingly quite wary of the Daoist.

"Now then, kid, why did you come here?"

Bai Mo quickly stepped forward and cupped his hands.

"I heard there was a Jade Water Blossom here, a rare Spirit Medicine. I need it for my Alchemy, so I came searching for it."

The Nai Daoist grunted in acknowledgment, then turned to the Progeny and spoke slowly.

"Friend, what do you think?"

The Progeny of the Great Azure Flower shook its leaves, creating a dry, rustling sound.

It gestured for a long while before the Nai Daoist fully understood its meaning.

"Kid, it says this flower is also a unique specimen, born of heavenly grace and earthly dew. It cannot be harmed."

"So, you see..."

Bai Mo was stunned for a moment. When he came to his senses, he could only reply obediently,

"In that case, I dare not insist. I will drop the matter."

The Nai Daoist let out a hearty laugh.

"What a good kid. None of that headache-inducing stubbornness."

"By the way, who are all these people? Did you bring this many helpers?"

"How much would that even cost in pay and provisions?"

"I don’t have that many connections," Bai Mo said quickly. "Only these ten or so are my own people."

"The rest are just competitors, all trying to claim the unique flower."

"Oh?" A smile touched the Nai Daoist’s lips.

"From what I can see, there’s no small amount of hostility in their hearts."

"Er, yes. After all, blood has been shed..."

The Nai Daoist sighed.

"This old man is kept on a tight leash up on the mountain... so you, kid, are not to speak a word of what’s about to happen."

As he spoke, an emerald light glinted in the Daoist’s beastly pupils, striking panic into the hearts of those who saw it.

A great panic suddenly bloomed in the hearts of Qi Long and his men. The creature wasn’t even looking directly at them, yet their hearts felt as if they had been plunged into an icy abyss.

"Senior, spare us!"

Even as the words left their lips, they were already scrambling away, fleeing for their lives into the woods.

WHOOSH! ROAR!

Another gust of hot wind swept through, kicking up leaves and stones, forcing everyone to shut their eyes.

Bai Mo kept his eyes shut, hearing only the chaotic wind mixed with bestial roars and the sound of gulping and swallowing.

When he opened his eyes again, Qi Long and his men were all lying on the ground in various poses, their faces frozen in terror.

The Nai Daoist chewed a few times.

"Such heavy sin... such a fine taste. What did these people do for a living?"

A shiver of horror went through Bai Mo, but he managed to force a smile.

"They’re Cultivators who made a living hunting in Celestial Barrier Mountain. It’s just... their hands might not have been entirely clean."

The Nai Daoist shook his head.

"This goes far beyond ’not entirely clean.’"

As he said this, he looked toward the Progeny of the Great Azure Flower and smiled.

"Meeting like this must be fate. It’s been a century since I’ve met a kindred spirit from the outside world."

"What say you and I have a chat? I’m not a free spirit, you see. I can’t even enter the mortal world to temper my cultivation as the Dao requires."

The Progeny’s leaves swayed.

The Nai Daoist looked displeased.

"For beings of our stature, what is a short time spent exchanging insights on the Dao? It’s hardly worth mentioning."

"As for this junior of mine, he has hands and feet. He can find his own way back."

"But I can’t bear to see him return empty-handed. Friend, about that flower... perhaps you have some withered twigs or broken leaves he could take back? He could brew them into tea, if nothing else."

The Progeny went still, clearly in thought. After a long moment, it began to rustle its leaves again.

The Nai Daoist was delighted.

"Really? You’re too kind, my friend! Truly!"

He turned to Bai Mo.

"Our friend here has agreed to let you, kid, pick a few handfuls of its blossoms and leaves. Just be sure not to harm the main plant."

"However, when you have the time, you must find some Spiritual Water and Spirit Soil to replenish it."

’The way he said it, that last condition sounded more like a polite formality—just for show.’

’Stunned, Bai Mo couldn’t help but admire the Nai Daoist’s cunning.’

’He couldn’t even begin to guess how profound the Daoist’s cultivation was.’

His brief, stunned silence, however, clearly displeased the Nai Daoist.

A voice suddenly echoed in Bai Mo’s mind.

"You little whelp, don’t be ungrateful! This flower has seen the world; it’s not easily fooled. Securing this much of a benefit for you was no easy task!"

Bai Mo jolted, realizing the Daoist had misunderstood him. He quickly cupped his hands in a bow.

"Receiving even this little bit is an incredible fortune. I am endlessly grateful."

"Nurturing a flower requires a great deal of essence. If I have the chance, I will certainly return to repay this kindness!"

And so, under the watchful eyes of the two titans, Bai Mo meekly went and picked a few handfuls of the small, blue and white flowers.

Qin Wen and the dozen or so others hardly dared to even glance at the Nai Daoist, simply following behind Bai Mo as they prepared to depart.

They had only taken a few steps when the Nai Daoist called out to them.

Bai Mo turned to see the Nai Daoist pointing repeatedly at the corpses on the ground.

"You’re a wasteful child!"

It dawned on Bai Mo in a flash. He then led his men to loot the bodies before finally departing.

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