The Transmigrator's Cultivation - Chapter 423

With a movement as quick as lightning, he grabbed the wrist of a person. Then, with a thought, a blood-red vine wrapped around the person’s body, nearly digging into the flesh and drawing forth traces of blood.

The person winced in pain and staggered back several steps.

Xu Ziqing released his grip and looked over.

The individual wore a blue robe and had an ordinary appearance, but there was a hint of fear in his eyes.

Xu Ziqing recognized him; he was Gui Chou, the one who had been pursued earlier in front of the tavern, and now he had come to steal from him.

Gui Chou was quite terrified. He had targeted a young cultivator who seemed mild-mannered and unfamiliar, thinking he could easily succeed. Unexpectedly, he had encountered a tough opponent who had caught him like this… The blood vine was incredibly strange; it seemed to absorb blood, leaving him momentarily powerless and unable to escape, as if even the true essence within him had been confined!

Xu Ziqing held no goodwill toward habitual thieves, but he didn’t consider them enemies either. However, since this person dared to act against him, he couldn’t let him go. He glanced at Gui Chou, waved his robe sleeve, and both of them vanished without a trace.

Once the two had left, the others in the market finally began to speak.

“Gui Chou has finally been caught!”

“Indeed, he has been causing trouble here and implicating us!”

“I hope this immortal teaches him a good lesson!”

Those speaking were all cultivators; although the mundane stall owners did not voice their opinions, their expressions showed a considerable amount of approval.

From this, it was clear that Gui Chou was truly unpopular here.

Xu Ziqing used his technique to take Gui Chou outside the city.

Gui Chou stood obediently, appearing compliant and not daring to play any tricks.

Xu Ziqing then spoke, “Did you want to steal my things?”

Gui Chou shivered, quickly saying, “It was my ignorance and rudeness to offend you, senior. Please forgive me this once; I won’t dare to do so again!”

The man was quite clever; upon realizing that Xu Ziqing was not the kind of fierce figure who would take his life, he immediately admitted his mistake and apologized without regard for his pride.

Seeing Gui Chou’s demeanor, Xu Ziqing’s gaze darkened slightly. After pondering for a moment, he raised his hand and pointed at him.

Gui Chou thought to himself, “This is bad,” believing he had misjudged the character of this cultivator and was about to dodge immediately. Yet, he didn’t manage to escape.

This point seemed both extremely quick and incredibly slow; Gui Chou had no time to react before he was struck right in the chest.

In an instant, a gentle yet powerful force coursed through his limbs and meridians, exposing his inner world entirely before another, without leaving any trace. It filled him with a sense of horror.

This was a Nascent Soul cultivator! He had actually tried to steal from a Nascent Soul cultivator!

In that moment, Gui Chou regretted it immensely. How could he have known that such an ordinary-looking Nascent Soul cultivator could conceal his aura so well?

However, Xu Ziqing’s point was not meant to harm Gui Chou; he was merely probing. But this probe made him feel somewhat troubled.

If Gui Chou had been a ruthless criminal, killing him would have been justified, but through the earlier investigation, Xu Ziqing discovered that this man had never personally killed anyone and had no murderous intent within him. It was evident that he only engaged in theft and hadn’t caused anyone to lose their life because of it. But if he were to let him go now, it wouldn’t sit right knowing he would continue his petty crimes.

Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but fix his gaze on Gui Chou, as if contemplating something.

After being probed, Gui Chou broke out in a cold sweat, filled with immense fear. Although he realized he hadn’t been harmed, the earlier sensation was enough to make him tremble in terror. Especially now, being stared at in such a way made it even more unbearable. He instantly turned over countless thoughts in his mind, determined to find a way to plead for mercy.

Perhaps in a life-and-death situation, his mind was sharper; Gui Chou quickly spoke, “Senior, senior! Though I am a thief, I have never harmed anyone. I only did this to fulfill my master’s last wishes. Now that I’ve been caught, I dare not act like this again. Please, senior, consider my filial piety and spare my life! I beg you for mercy!”

Xu Ziqing’s gaze softened slightly. “Oh?”

Seeing a glimmer of hope, Gui Chou immediately continued, “To be honest, I was originally from the lower realm. However, after my parents accidentally came to the Nine Void Realm, they could never return, so we settled here. Later, my mother passed away after giving birth to me, and my father also died of despair… I was raised by my master, who was also from the lower realm, practicing the way of theft. He passed this knowledge to me…”

In other words, Gui Chou’s background was intricately tied to the lower realm. He was raised by an old thief who had poor qualifications, and after the old thief was severely injured during a theft, he barely managed to escape, leaving only a breath behind. To fulfill his master’s dying wish, Gui Chou took up the way of theft as a means of cultivation, which required him to steal frequently—whether minor thefts or larger heists, it was all part of his training.

In truth, Gui Chou did not wish to cultivate in this manner, but he had no choice but to comply with his master’s wishes. After the old thief passed away, he began his cultivation, primarily focusing on the techniques left by his parents. However, because he was not truly willing, his progress stagnated after reaching the Core Formation Stage.

Over the years, Gui Chou had developed a keen eye and avoided provoking those who were completely untouchable. He had stolen from those of the same realm and even those one realm higher without significant trouble—unlike Xu Ziqing, a Nascent Soul cultivator’s imposing aura was usually apparent at a glance. Even if he tried to conceal his attitude, it would still carry a peculiar sensation. He never expected that someone like Xu Ziqing, who was clearly powerful, would be so approachable; it was simply unheard of. This was why he had been caught. Now that he was caught, he felt relieved when he said he would “never dare again,” at least he wouldn’t have to choose between fulfilling his master’s wishes and saving himself.

After hearing all this, Xu Ziqing’s expression also relaxed. If it was for the sake of cultivation, he had nothing further to say. He didn’t suspect Gui Chou was lying, as there were indeed many paths of cultivation, including puppet techniques, talismans, alchemy, legalism, sword techniques, and it wouldn’t be surprising for there to be a path of theft.

“In that case, you may go,” he said, but he still warned him, “I don’t care what path you choose to cultivate; you must not recklessly harm others’ lives. If you fall into my hands again, I will eliminate you. Do you understand?”

Upon hearing this, Gui Chou was naturally overjoyed. “Thank you, senior! I have never harmed anyone; even when pursued, I only fled for my life and would never dare to do anything that harms others! Please rest assured!”

Having given a warning and sufficiently intimidated him, Xu Ziqing decided not to dwell on the matter any further. He raised his hand to retract the blood vine and prepared to leave. As for the minor injuries inflicted by the blood vine on Gui Chou’s body… he regarded them as a small lesson, something to make Gui Chou remember. He didn’t care to further attend to them.

Gui Chou hurriedly took out a pill and swallowed it. After seeing Xu Ziqing had walked a distance away, he thought for a moment and decided to follow, calling out, “Senior! Senior!”

Xu Ziqing paused slightly. “What do you want?”

Gui Chou caught up, his expression respectful. “I would like to ask, did you also come from the lower realm?”

Xu Ziqing replied, “You should have already guessed that.”

Gui Chou hesitated for a moment and then said, “Yes, I dare to guess again. You are not a sword cultivator, are you?”

Xu Ziqing nodded. “That’s correct.”

Gui Chou listened and, after a brief hesitation, said, “Senior has shown great magnanimity by forgiving my offense. I have nothing to repay you with, but… ” He gathered his courage and added, “I have some news I can share with you.”

Seeing Gui Chou’s earnest expression, Xu Ziqing felt a flicker of curiosity. “Then tell me.”

Gui Chou, seeing that Xu Ziqing believed him, was somewhat pleased. “I have traveled for many years and have some understanding of the Nine Void Realm. When my parents came to the Nine Void Realm, it wasn’t through the Sword God Token, but rather another type of token.” He then took out an object and placed it in his palm.

The token was iron gray, inscribed with the words “War God Token.”

It looked somewhat similar to the Sword God Token, but there were still subtle differences.

In terms of purpose, it was likely similar to the Sword God Token.

Upon seeing it, Xu Ziqing asked, “What is the use of this War God Token?”

Gui Chou took a deep breath and replied, “This item grants access to the Nine Void Battlefield; it is a… passage token.” Furthermore, this type of token was originally only possessed by those from the Nine Void Realm, while the only token for traveling from the lower realm to the upper realm was the Sword God Token.

Without needing Xu Ziqing to ask further, Gui Chou shared everything he knew.

The War God Token should not appear in the lower realm, but if someone from the Nine Void Realm wanted to travel to the lower realm, they could use this token, with a limit of three people for round trips. Gui Chou’s parents were merely a pair of Golden Core cultivators who had come to explore secret realms when suddenly someone from the Nine Void Realm used this token to come to the lower realm, appearing right around them. However, that person was being pursued and was ultimately killed along with a strange monster.

Gui Chou’s parents were unable to evade in time and were injured by the residual effects. The War God Token emitted light at that moment, and in their desperation, Gui Chou’s parents seized it, not knowing how they were pulled into the Nine Void Realm. Nevertheless, they were still severely wounded.

As for how Gui Chou’s parents settled here afterward, they had not told their only child; they simply entrusted the token to Gui Chou, asking him to keep it safe. Even his master, the old thief, did not know about this item.

During his years of travel, Gui Chou was quite attentive to matters regarding the War God Token and eventually picked up some information, learning that this token could be used to reach the Nine Void Battlefield, a place for training. Regardless of whether one was a divine path cultivator or another type of practitioner, as long as they had been there and returned safely, their cultivation could surge dramatically! However, the specific details remained unclear.

Since Xu Ziqing spared his life, Gui Chou guessed he might have come to accompany someone, and staying for too long would inevitably delay his cultivation. So, he gritted his teeth and offered this item. On one hand, it was a form of repayment; on the other hand… if he could gain some favor in return, that would be even better.

Given Gui Chou’s qualifications and cultivation level, even with the War God Token, he would probably only be risking his own life in the Nine Void Battlefield. It would be better to hand it over; with Xu Ziqing’s temperament, he might exchange it for some benefits. And Gui Chou’s instincts were not wrong.

Xu Ziqing was somewhat intrigued by the War God Token and certainly wouldn’t take it for nothing.

Translator: Lynn

Translations are not 100% correct. Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.

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