Chapter 20: My Master and Disciples (Part 2)

  Time flies so fast, Bo Zhong has been under Xue Pinggui's command for more than a month.

  He would appear punctually in front of his master's bed every day at the fifth watch, regardless of whether Xiaosan locked the door, set up an array, or released a bewildering fragrance... He never missed a single day. As a result, after just a few days, whenever it was almost time for the fifth watch, Xiaosan would wake up with a start and jump out of bed, shouting loudly to avoid having another dream where he was holding onto Lao Mang's head and scrubbing it.

  He basically spends every morning in the seal. Because he had learned a few years of seal from the old man before, and also knew how to refine several simple talismans for driving out ghosts and evil spirits, Xiao Si was very quick to get started when refining the Heavenly Thunder Seal.

  It is often said that one method can be used universally, and a hundred methods can be used universally. The technique of talisman-making, in the end, is to move the talisman arrays onto specially-made materials such as talisman paper, wooden strips, tortoise shells, or jade stones, so that they release array energy when needed, whether it's moving mountains and seas or becoming invisible and escaping, with a thousand uses that cannot be exhausted.

  However, for Xiang Xiaosi, refining a fifth-grade Dao symbol was still a rare occurrence that only happened when the big masters took action.

  He spent a whole seven days to thoroughly understand the structure of the talisman, and then used five more days to figure out the properties and uses of various materials, before he began to carefully try to make one on the talisman paper with his brush.

  On the first day, Xiao Si drew twenty-one mistakes. Bu Suanzi neither scolded nor got angry, but simply said a sentence that made Xiao Si feel sore for half a month: "This pile of waste paper cost 1360 taels of silver."

  Then, the number of mistakes made by Xiao Si suddenly dropped to six on the second day. On the third day, there were only two places where he went wrong. By the fourth and fifth days, he had not made any more mistakes for two consecutive days.

  Master's extraordinary error correction ability couldn't help but make his disciple Bu Suanzi deeply feel the power of silver.

  So on the sixth day, when Xiao Si was about to formally write the talisman on the Tian Gui Jia, Bu Suan Zi solemnly introduced: "This piece of Tian Gui Jia was obtained by my disciple from an elder in Nanhai Guayue Pavilion, and if sold on the black market, it can be worth 150 taels of gold."

  Soon, Bo Suanzi couldn't help but regret saying that one sentence - just as a faint "pa" sound was heard, Xiao Si's hand trembled and the brush pen soaked in spiritual liquid fell mercilessly onto the piece of Tian Gui armor.

  Then he heard his master scratching his head in embarrassment, saying awkwardly: "Disciple, why don't you go find that Hanging Moon Pavilion elder and grab a few more pieces back?"

  Ba Suanzi let out a mournful sigh in her heart, her face twisted in silence for a moment before she lightly exhaled and said: "It's okay, my disciple still has a few pieces left. Once they're all used up, we'll go rob again."

  As soon as he finished speaking, Bu Suanzi immediately regretted it. As expected, Xiao Si let out a sigh of relief and said: "You should have said so earlier! Since the Tian Gui Jia can be obtained without spending money, then I'll take a chance!"

  Fortunately, the second piece of Tian Gui Jia painting turned out to be quite good, and a five-product Tian Da Lei Ji symbol was finally refined. However, its power is somewhat disappointing, and it's feared that even a high-ranking master in the Guan Wei realm might not be killed by it.

  At the same time, Xiao Si had also thoroughly understood the Thirty-six Heavenly Star Formation. Under Bo Zhang's guidance, he moved the Twenty-eight Constellation Star Array as a whole to his left arm, forming an independent small cycle of Zhou Tian, and the price paid for this was that Zhu Que Qi Lian Huan had to change its footwork to fist strikes.

  Next, he will merge the thirty-six heavenly star arrays into his body, and the process will be much simpler. Compared to when he first comprehended the twenty-eight constellations' star array with a nervous heart like walking on thin ice, Xiao Si has grasped some experience now, plus Bu Zhanzi being such a good disciple protecting him by his side, it's hard to think of any mishaps.

  From this, the power of Xiao Si has made further progress, and the cold air in his body can hardly be felt anymore. All have been transformed into gurgling clear springs, circulating endlessly in the meridians.

  But Xiao Si suddenly realized that even if he had already merged two star arrays in his body, the amount of true energy that could be mobilized was still limited. However, this limited true energy was enough to allow him to engage in a fierce battle with an expert at the level of Guan Wei.

  Under the excitement, Xiao Si's desire for knowledge became even stronger, and he threw himself into the contemplation of the Taiyi Star Array like a madman.

  The difficulty of the Big Dipper Formation is undoubtedly much higher than that of the Thirty-six Heavenly Star Formation, but with a cheap apprentice by his side, how could he not use him? And so, Xiao Si's usual phrase naturally changed to: "Apprentice, let Master test you first..."

  Bu Suanzi really kept her promise, turning a blind eye to Xiao Si's various evil deeds, and working hard every day, answering all questions, until even Ruan Yu couldn't bear to look at it anymore.

  "This day, Xiao Si's heart was racing with excitement. He took out the treasured Panhai Demon Cauldron he had snatched from You Guai's body and asked: 'Disciple, do you recognize this treasure?'"

  Ba Suan Zi took it over and stroked it with his hand for a moment, then replied: "Reporting to Master, this object should be the Pan Lao Yao's early years' refined Mang Hai Mo Guan, which was later passed down to his fourth disciple You Gu Yu."

  Xiao Siyi smiled and said: "Not bad, you have some insight. Let me test you first, do you know how to activate this python sea magic cauldron?"

  Mo Du said, "To control the magic caldron, one must first erase the spiritual seal stored inside it and then personally refine a new spiritual seal to replace it. Only then can one drive this treasure as they wish."

  "What is a spiritual seal? Hmm, you don't have to say it for me to know, so you'd better just give a simple explanation."

  "What is meant by a spiritual seal is that the master of the immortal soldier and magic treasure implants a strand of their own spiritual consciousness into it through a symbol, allowing them to communicate with it mentally like an arm commanding a finger. Others, no matter how profound their abilities are, cannot activate it."

  Xiao Si suddenly enlightened, pretending to ponder for a moment and said: "Actually, isn't this just like the principle of one key opening one lock? Why bother talking a lot but still not getting to the point of how to eliminate the original spiritual imprint?"

  "Disciple replied: 'I just tried to infuse a strand of spiritual awareness into the pot and already sensed the existence of the spiritual seal. To eliminate it, some effort is required, but the most troublesome thing is gathering some refining materials.'"

  Xiao Si slapped the table and said: "Alright, let's go shopping on the street now."

  "Bo Suanzi shook her head and said: 'The sky is still early, I'm afraid the market has not opened yet.'"

  Xiao Si was taken aback and suddenly realized: "You don't open the door during the day, could it be that what you want can only be found on the black market?"

  Bao Sanzhu nodded, and Xiao Si patted his chest: "No problem, this matter is on me. Later you make a list, we'll go to the black market to buy it."

  "Besides, I have one thing that is unclear to me, and I need to ask Master for guidance. How long has Master been collecting this python sea magic pot?"

  "It's been over a month, I haven't had time to study it yet, just take it and practice with it."

  Bu Suanzi didn't expose his nonsense and said: "In that case, it has been several tens of days since he was last warmed up."

  Xiao Si's ears perked up immediately, and he listened intently as Bu Suanzi continued: "Generally speaking, after a magical weapon or treasure is refined, it needs to be carefully nurtured. Firstly, it absorbs the essence of heaven and earth to accumulate spiritual energy, and secondly, it communicates with the master's mind to enhance spirituality. Otherwise, the spiritual energy will not increase, and the spirituality will gradually decrease."

  Xiao Si's eyes rolled around and he said: "If Master were to entrust this magic cauldron to you for nurturing, how would you guarantee that its spiritual energy increases daily and its spiritual nature is not extinguished?"

  "Ah, this python's demonic cauldron is best nourished by soaking it in fresh blood, replenishing its primordial yin."

  Even if Xiao Si had been dealing with the dead for over a decade, he couldn't help but jump in fright at these words: "You mean to say that we need to use human blood and a virgin's yin?"

  "Master's discernment is clear, I admire it."

  "Damn it, where am I supposed to find so many people's blood and virgins for you?"

  It seems that Bo Zhong had seen through Xiao Si's thoughts, and continued to say: "But this method is too cruel and will bring disaster to the master of the magic treasure."

  Xiao Si nodded repeatedly and said, "That's right, didn't that bald donkey die violently in the wilderness?"

  "Ah, Master's reminder has inspired me," said Bu Suanzi with a smile. "I think I've come up with an alternative solution - we can use the spiritual liquid refined from Yīn Shān Jīn Yuè Chóng to nourish this treasure. The effect won't be much different."

  Xiao Si muttered to himself: "Yin Mountain is quite far from here."

  "Master, don't worry, this thing should be available for purchase on the black market in Jiangzhou."

  Xiao Si looked out of the window and said, "Let's go, I'll take you to have a good meal, then we'll go stroll around the black market."

  The two left the pawnshop and Xiao Si quickly found a common wine house to order four dishes and one soup. After they finished eating, the sky was almost dark, and they left the wine house.

  Baizuo led Xiao Si towards the outskirts of Jiangzhou, and as night fell, there were no signs of human activity on the road. Occasionally, one or two wild beasts would dart out from the bushes, startling a flock of nocturnal birds in the trees.

  Xiao Si saw that the surroundings were becoming increasingly desolate as they walked and couldn't help but ask, "That... disciple, how much farther do we still have to go?"

  "Up ahead," said Bao Da'er, tapping his black bamboo staff.

  Xiao Si walked forward, gazing ahead, but all was dark and indistinct, nothing could be seen clearly. Only the faint sound of the river flowing could be heard, as if they had arrived at the riverside.

  As expected, the two of them walked out again and came to a stretch of rocky beach by the You River.

  "On the first and fifteenth of every month, there will be two markets here. Many things that can't be bought or sold on the streets will be brought to the black market for trade." He then took out two masks from his sleeve, put one on himself, and handed the other to Xiao Si: "Everyone who participates in the black market transactions will not reveal their identities, even if they don't mind others knowing, they must still follow the rules here."

  Xiao Si let out a soft "oh" and put on her mask, feeling an inexplicable thrill of excitement.

  At this point, Bo Suanzi leaned over and listened for a moment before saying, "It's about to begin."

  Xiao Si's eyes gazed out, and soon she saw that on the river surface, two or three green lanterns had lit up, casting a faint glow. Before long, even more colorful lanterns lit up, and small boats broke through the waves, heading towards the rocky beach.

  Around the same time, dozens of figures emerged one after another from the rocky beach, apparently they had been hiding on the side and waiting for the market to open.

  "Jiangzhou's black market is not as prosperous as Jiangling, it's much more desolate and cold. However, the materials Master needs for refining should all be available, it's just a matter of price."

  Xiao Si couldn't help but ask: "What if we run into a master who charges an arm and a leg, or someone else buys it?"

  Her lips curled up slightly, revealing a hint of cold intent, and she replied calmly, "Then let's rush in."

  Xiao Siyi was shocked and finally understood the majesty and elegance of Hei Laoda, the second master of the twelve linked rings of the Yangtze River.

  After all, he and Bo Zhongzi can be considered as people of the same way. It's just that one specializes in robbing the living, while the other wants to rob regardless of whether they are dead or alive.

  Suddenly a dull thud was heard, and an iron anchor was dropped from a boat. The night market had begun.

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