Applied Immortality

Wang Qi gathered around with his teammates after he pushed back the Ghost Apes. Mao Zimiao and he were spent of spiritual power once more, and, adding Wu Shiqin’s discharge, they had to recover again. Before that, Wu Shiqin was brooding as she asked Wang Qi, “Why haven’t I seen you use sword energy in our fight?”

Grand Ripple Enigma’s ripples were similar to a sword cultivator’s sword energy; Wu Shiqin figured it to be the latter since she didn’t have Su Junyu’s perception.

Wang Qi patronized, “If you had paid attention, you’d realize it’s too deadly. Since I’ve only been putting up posters, it’s not grave enough to warrant assaulting or killing a disciplinary officer.”

Wu Shiqin choked on her words.

“Your words make sense, but why do I get the feeling the tone is lacking? Shouldn’t it be the case that ‘I’m hiding my cards for taking him on?'”

“I feel that you’re actually revealing something suspicious here. Now where have I heard that line before?”

Su Junyu interjected, “It’s a trope. Seven in ten books about a young cultivator’s revenge for his family’s murder use it.”

Since the fighting was over, this Myriad Arts Sect true disciple returned to reading his book.

Wang Qi glanced at Wu Shiqin before turning to Su Junyu. “You two have a lot in common.”

The fight looked dangerous, but Wang Qi and Mao Zimiao were unharmed. After a rest, the team was back on track.

It was May, past the spring equinox, and the days grew longer. Despite the delay the Ghost Apes’ interference caused, Wang Qi and co. reached Lake 41 before dark.

Lake 41 was fairly large among the dozens of lakes within the evolution path experimental area, taking up five hectares.

Wu Fan slumped on the ground upon seeing water. “I’m spent. I can’t take another step.”

Su Junyu glanced up before again burying his head in his book. “This distance will do. Any closer, and you’ll draw the attention of the demons. The herding Thunder Clap Stag isn’t something you can take on.”

Wang Qi, Mao Zimiao, and Wu Shiqin sat down as well. They also felt the exhaustion of spending the entire day moving around at such a fast pace. 

Su Junyu asked Wang Qi, “How many tasks did you complete?”

Wang Qi did some math and answered, “Pretty much all of them. We’ll rush for Rock 52, and we’ll be done.”

Su Junyu nodded. “That should be around tomorrow at noon. Don’t slack off now; make a bonfire.”

“Eh?” The first to complain was Wu Shiqin: “Senior Brother Su, I thought demons weren’t afraid of fire.”

Divine Province wasn’t like Earth, where wild animals feared fire. In this place, some demons were even drawn to it, to say nothing of the fire-type demons that loved to nest in flames. 

Wang Qi thought, along with Su Junyu’s usual thinking, “Is it to set the mood?”

Su Junyu explained, “This is a customary convention.”

“Eh?” the four tilted their heads.

“Of the countless beings living on Divine Province, only humans know how to make fire, while fire-type demons only burn a large area’s combustible resources. That’s why the customary convention in Divine Province is that the area around a bonfire belongs to humans.” Su Junyu said, “Any demon that attacks it can be killed on the spot. In such circumstances, if I kill demons, it won’t affect your evaluation.”

Mao Zimiao looked at her teammates, then at herself. “But picking up firewood…”

Wu Fan added, “And we’ve just entered summer. Where are we to find dried branches?” 

Su Junyu shrugged, his eyes never leaving the book. “Figure it out yourselves. Here’s a tip: don’t chop down any trees.”

“As long as we don’t cut them down, it’s fine, right?” Wang Qi smirked, sending off a few ripples and cutting down branches.

Mao Zimiao looked conflicted. “Little Qi, have you ever made a bonfire, nya?” 

Wu Shiqin mocked, “You like choking on smoke that much?”

Trying to make a fire with green wood would give out a thick black smoke.

“How’s that a problem?” Wang Qi sneered and snapped his fingers, Celestial Entropy’s spiritual power covering the branches. The others felt a sudden heatwave passing them, and the leaves on the wood dried up and fell while the branches became prime fuel for fire.

“It’s so convenient having Little Qi around, nya.”

Su Junyu looked grave at him and asked, “Just how many cultivation methods are you doubling in?”

Wang Qi laughed in response.

[You kiddin’? Letting something like that out will lead to an early grave. There’s only so much my bookworm name can handle.]

Wu Shiqin took out a cooking pot from her storage bag and, along with fresh meat and bottles of seasonings, said, “Let’s make dinner.”

Wang Qi gasped, “You’re also a foodie? Today you’ve exposed too many things about you already!”

Wu Shiqin frowned, unable to understand his meaning.

Wu Fan said, “No, it can’t be…”

Wang Qi asked, “Can’t be what?”

Wu Fan pointed at Wu Shiqin’s bottles of seasoning and said, “Those are for roasting meat. They just don’t fit Senior Sister Wu’s, uhm, utensils. The meat, too, wasn’t prepared. Senior Sister Wu doesn’t look like a food lover.”

Wang Qi was pensive. “Is it a common trope in books?”

Su Junyu nodded. “Yep.”

Wu Shiqin blushed, deciding to gaze at the scenery instead.

Mao Zimiao stood up to dispel the awkwardness. “It was nice of Shiqin to bring them, nya. Shall I fetch some water from the lake?”

Wang Qi hazed, “Zimiao, please tell me how one can go about making stew with roasted meat seasoning.”

“Little Qi, you always say not to mind the trifles, nya.”

Mao Zimiao took a couple of steps when Wu Shiqin grabbed her and said, “Don’t go.”

“Nya?” Mao Zimiao asked, “Why?”

Wu Shiqin pointed to where she was looking. A herd of deer was walking out from between some sparse trees. They had light brown fur, without spots or any other markings. They were around four meters long, and their glorious antlers neared three meters in size. Also, a blue flash traveled between the members of the group.

These were one of the survey targets of Wang Qi’s group, Thunder Clap Stag.

Wang Qi took out a paper and said, “I can’t let this rare chance go to waste.”

Su Junyu glanced at the Stag King in front. It was taller by a head and had light golden antlers. He sighed, “You crossed the threshold and stepped into Accretion, he-he.”

“What are you smiling at, Senior Brother Su?”

“Back in the day, when I joined the trials here as a mid-Qi Refining cultivator, that Stag King was at the peak of the Awakening Stage. I was scared to death when I fought it.” Su Junyu pointed at it with a smile and said, “Now I’m at mid Foundation Establishment, while it just entered Accretion. Killing it can’t be easier.”

Su Junyu pondered, “Speaking of, it does not antagonize humans, nor does it slaughter other beings with relish. Should I report it and include him among the real demons?”

Wang Qi shook, “Holy crap! You’re saying, After the Immortal Alliance was set up, animals can’t become demons without permission?