Songlin Village had once been exactly like this.
Quite a few people in the village cultivated, but they had no idea what they were cultivating. They only knew to imitate blindly, and that after cultivating, they could live longer.
The cultivation method the old Daoist practiced had the same problem. Without a master’s guidance, Li Qiuchen seriously doubted whether he could even understand all the obscure terms in that book.
He knew the how, but not the why.
He himself could not make sense of it, yet he still wanted to enlighten the villagers here.
Aside from using the Soul-Tethering Art to turn these villagers into puppets and coaxing them into cultivating with him, he could do nothing at all.
And he actually thought that worshiping a tree root would make it grow and sprout…
In truth, people like this were hardly rare in the history books Li Qiuchen had read in his previous life.
They held utterly naive fantasies about cultivating immortality.
Eat one pill—wow, ascension!
Marry one fairy—wow, ascension!
There was no helping it. Their understanding was limited.
You could not possibly expect villagers who could not even recognize a single large character to understand what the Great Dao of Longevity was. At most, they would know that they might live a couple more years.
Hearing Li Qiuchen’s teasing, which was three parts ridicule, three parts cool indifference, and four parts casual nonchalance, the old Daoist flushed crimson with shame, but he still refused to get up.
He was already this old; face was worthless. If he could receive guidance from an immortal, then no matter what price he had to pay, he would do so willingly.
“Master, please accept me as your disciple! If I can cultivate the Great Dao of Longevity, this disciple swears to repay Master’s grace even if I must braid grass and carry a ring in my beak. If there is even half a lie in my words, may the heavens strike me down with five thunderbolts!”
Li Qiuchen said impatiently, “Senior, this is really unnecessary. I myself am still in the midst of cultivation, so how could I casually take on a disciple? But if you do not mind… we can sit down and properly discuss and exchange insights. If you keep pressing me like this, then I may as well leave.”
The old Daoist climbed up from the ground awkwardly and said with an apologetic smile, “This poor Daoist truly wishes to take a master and learn the arts. I have made a fool of myself before Junior Brother. As for the paltry tricks this poor Daoist has learned, I imagine Junior Brother would not think much of them. I hope Junior Brother will offer me more guidance.”
“Guidance is too much to say. Leaving aside everything else, plant that tree root first.”
Li Qiuchen said calmly, “If you listen to me, I guarantee I can make this tree root sprout. When the appointed day comes, you will also have an explanation when you go meet that Mohe Zhenren. If the dharma husk in his hands is truly wondrous beyond measure… perhaps my master may also develop some interest. Senior, do you understand what I mean?”
“I understand!”
The old Daoist nodded vigorously.
What was there not to understand? Even among bandits, if one wanted to join a stronghold, one had to present a pledge of allegiance.
He knew perfectly well how shabby his own little fortune was. If he wanted to enter an immortal sect, he had to bring out sufficient benefits.
As for suspicion—suspicion of what? The spiritual tea brought by that immortal crane could not be faked.
What benefits had Mohe Zhenren ever given him?
Was there even a choice to make? Even a fool would know what to choose!
“Everything shall be as Junior Brother says. I only wonder where we should begin?”
Li Qiuchen smiled and said, “Stop making those villagers cultivate with you. The method is wrong, so all of it is wasted effort. Let them go back to farming. Then bring me paper and brush, and I will draw you a formation diagram. Follow what is shown in the diagram and set up the formation in the village. When the time comes, I will tell you what to do next.”
Of course, he did not know any formations, but he had seen the arrangements the old peach tree had made in the village.
Following the number of the Heavenly Dipper, thirty-six trees were planted throughout the village, their root systems connected to one another.
To put it plainly, it was thirty-six external power banks, charging at the same time.
Then plug the data cable into the phone… connect the roots to the old peach tree’s root.
Never mind whether it could be used or not; it was more than enough to bluff someone.
In such a rush, the old Daoist definitely would not be able to find thirty-six century-old trees to serve as formation eyes.
But that was not important.
Anything planted would do.
The old Daoist took his two free strong laborers and spent a full three days moving thirty-six trees of different species back from the mountain. Following the formation diagram Li Qiuchen had drawn, they planted them in different positions throughout the village.
As the saying went, a tree moved is a tree killed; a person moved is a person made alive.
Logically speaking, no tree could withstand such torment. There was no way they could survive being planted like this.
But Li Qiuchen had a cheat.
He raised his bamboo pole and lightly tapped the trunks, and those severed roots began growing rapidly, firmly gripping the earth.
Li Qiuchen then directed the old Daoist to dig channels between the trees, fertilizing and watering them every day to speed up the process of their roots growing and connecting.
Afterward, at the roots of the large tree in the center of the village, he dug out a pit and had the old Daoist stuff the peach tree root inside, burying it in the soil.
In relatively scientific terms, this was called grafting.
The old Daoist stared from the side, dumbfounded.
Could this work?
How would I know whether it works or not?
I’m here as an undercover agent, not because I truly want to accept you into some sect.
Li Qiuchen raised his bamboo pole and lightly knocked it against the tree trunk, secretly sending over a stream of life energy to connect the peach tree root with this persimmon tree.
If he continued transmitting energy, then he would surely be able to witness the miracle of the old tree root sprouting.
But there was no need.
“You must persist in watering and fertilizing it every day, pulling weeds and catching insects. You cannot slack off for even a single day.”
Li Qiuchen instructed expressionlessly, “After I finish constructing this Great Azure Wood Formation, it will absorb the vitality of this place every day and gather it at the center of the formation. This vitality will not only come from those villagers, but also from the crops they plant. Once the roots spread over, all of it will become part of the Great Azure Wood Formation. Senior, you must act discreetly. You must not let outsiders detect anything unusual in this village.”
On the Method of Building a Pigpen.
It was hard to say what the inside was like, but when it came to the superficial aspects, Li Qiuchen was certain that no one was more professional than him.
This setup was something he had copied one-to-one from the arrangement in Songlin Village.
The Li family’s eye technique could be said to be quite precise when it came to copying and pasting.
The old Daoist followed close behind with paper and brush in hand, almost wishing he could record every word Li Qiuchen said and every movement he made. Seeing Li Qiuchen turn and walk toward the outside of the village, he hurriedly asked, “Where is Junior Brother going?”
Without looking back, Li Qiuchen waved and said with a smile, “Senior, wait here in peace. I’m going back into the mountains to fetch some things. When the day arrives, I will come over again and go with you to meet that Mohe Zhenren.”
The old Daoist tried bitterly to make him stay, but failed. He could only stand in place, crestfallen.
What a good person! Even my master never treated me this well. If I can enter such an immortal sect, perhaps I truly can seek the real method of longevity?
Li Qiuchen neither went to find the old village chief nor tried to gather any information from the Song brothers.
He was very patient.
Before he figured out the spell in the Yellow Locust Chapter concerning the manipulation of puppets, he did not intend to do anything unnecessary.
The old Daoist seemed easy to fool, but who could guarantee that an honest man had no schemes?
Every blade of grass and every tree in this village might be his eyes and ears.
There was nothing wrong with being a little cautious.