Chapter 302: Chapter 301: The Immortal Elder with Poor Memory
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Translator: 549690339
The Clan Leader of the Merfolk Tribe’s request was Jiang Li’s top priority. After leaving the South Sea, he flew straight to Dao Sect.
“Immortal Elder.”
Immortal Elder Zhang Cun was completely engrossed in his book. He cherished reading and collecting books, his collection surpassing any other in Jiuzhou Sutra Collection Pavilion.
His collection ranged from obscure Immortal Realm techniques to common marketplace love stories; he had a bit of everything.
“What is it this time? Have you come to ask me a question again?”
Immortal Elder Zhang Cun put down his book, assuming that Jiang Li was there to seek his advice.
After all, Jiang Li never specifically came to visit him, the solitary old man, just for conversation. Every visit meant he had some request.
Jiang Li noticed that the story Immortal Elder was engrossed in was one of an amorous nature, written by a novelist renowned for such themes.
“Actually, the Merfolk Tribe mentioned that, two thousand years ago, you borrowed a set of Immortal manuscripts from their ancestors?”
After pondering for a moment, Immortal Elder Zhang Cun had a sudden realization. “Ah, indeed there was such a matter. Let me find it.”
He fumbled around in his Storage Ring. He lived in the Sealing Self Cave that certainly didn’t provide much space for storing books.
The only ones he kept in the cave were either ones he enjoyed reading or ones he hadn’t read yet. The rest were stored in his Storage Ring.
After a long search, he looked slightly embarrassed as he said, “It seems like I misplaced it.”
“… Elder, what am I supposed to explain to the Merfolk Tribe now?”
“Don’t worry, I remember the contents.” Immortal Elder Zhang Cun tapped his forehead.
“Their ancestors were Immortals, and I am also an Immortal, so what I write can also be considered as Immortal manuscripts.”
Immortal Elder Zhang Cun began writing quickly, recreating the manuscript based on his memory.
“These should be the contents.”
Jiang Li casually flipped through the book. Most of the contents included the observations and insights of the Merfolk Tribe regarding spiritual cultivation. But the content seemed profound, understandable only by Merfolk Tribesfolk who had made it to the Transcendance Tribulation Stage.
Additionally, it contained some understandings of the Immortal Realm. For example, the cruelty of the Immortal Realm, the prevalence of survival of the fittest, and the indifferent nature of immortals.
“I admit that I am at fault here.” Immortal Elder Zhang Cun looked regretful. His own work could not compare with the ancestors’ original.
From the Dao Sect treasury, he pulled out some rare materials, unique pills, Spiritual Formation Arrays, and other valuable items.
Immortal Elder handed these items to Jiang Li, instructing him to deliver them, along with the book, to the Merfolk Tribe, “Consider these as my compensation to them.”
Jiang Li nodded, flying back to the Merfolk Tribe.
On his journey back, Jiang Li suddenly had a thought. Since the manuscript wasn’t damaged but lost, could he perhaps purchase it from the system’s store?
As soon as he thought of it, Jiang Li indeed found the Merfolk Tribe ancestor’s manuscripts in the system store. Without thinking about how many source points he was spending, he bought them outright.
“Immortal Elder’s memory really is impeccable. It’s a word-for-word match,” Jiang Li praised.
“Hm? It looks like Immortal Elder didn’t write this.” Jiang Li found evidence of Immortal Elder’s senility.
“Let me see what it says. It mentions that the Merfolk Tribe’s ancestors encountered the Dao Ancestor of the Immortal Realm. They discovered that the Immortal Realm Dao Ancestor and the Dao Sect Dao Ancestor appeared to be identical and the Immortal Realm Dao taught the Technique of Slaying the Three Corpses. Only by slaying one’s three corpses and integrating them back into oneself can one be regarded as a successful cultivator.”
Jiang Li muttered to himself, “In that case, could it be true that Dao Sect’s Dao Ancestor indeed had a connection with the Immortal Realm Dao Ancestor, possibly being one of the three corpses?”
Having found the real manuscript, Jiang Li returned to Dao Sect, teasing Immortal Elder.
“Immortal Elder, have a look. I found the original book.”
“Hey, how did this book come into your hands?” Immortal Elder expressed surprise. “How is my memory? Did I miss any details?”
“You missed the part about the Merfolk Tribe ancestors’ encounter with the Immortal Realm Dao Ancestor.”
“See, this memory of mine is not reliable, given my old age.” Immortal Elder Zhang Cun smacked his forehead regretfully. As soon as Jiang Li reminded, him, he recalled everything that was mentioned on that page.
“The rare materials…”
“Give them to the Merfolk Tribe. Consider it as the fee I owe for borrowing their book for two thousand years.”
Jiang Li queried curiously, “What exactly is the connection between the Dao Sect Dao Ancestor and the Immortal Realm Dao Ancestor? Could they be one of the three corpses?”
“I have no idea. My teacher always speaks mysteriously, often saying ‘you would know when the time comes,’ yet…” Immortal Elder paused, shaking his head before he could finish his statement. Jiang Li understood what he meant.
First Dao Ancestor had died, and unless he found a way to the Immortal Realm, he would not know their relationship.
“It might not necessarily be the three corpses. For all we know, my master could be a reincarnation of the Immortal Realm’s Dao Ancestor who descended to Lower Realm for a trial.”
Jiang Li didn’t dwell on it too much. All answers would be revealed once he reached the Immortal Realm. It was a waste of time trying to guess.
While Dao Sect Dao Ancestor always spoke in riddles, it was amusing how Immortal Elder, his student, was an open book.
Jiang Li handed over the original book and the rare materials to the Clan Leader of the Merfolk Tribe.
“There is too much here,” the Clan Leader of the Merfolk Tribe was reluctant to accept. To them, their ancestor’s manuscript merely held sentimental value and couldn’t be used for cultivation. However, these rare materials could potentially increase the Merfolk Tribe’s strength several folds, even helping her reach the Body Integration Realm purely by force feeding.
“Just take it,” Jiang Li laughed, gently pushing toward her. Obviously, he didn’t mention that not only was it Immortal Elder’s borrowing fee but there were also some contributions from him.
“They are gifts from Immortal Elder to make amends. Rest assured, no one will dare to take them from you. If anyone tries, notify me, and I will help you deal with these impudent creatures.”
Unable to decline Jiang Li’s insistence, the Clan Leader had no choice but to accept the gifts.
“When was the manuscript written by your ancestors?”
“Twenty thousand years ago, why do you ask?”
“Nothing, it was just a casual inquiry.”
With that, the matter of the Merfolk was finally concluded.
[Would you like to claim your reward?]
“Claim.”
[One Copy of the Recipe for True Dragon Blood Bath Medicine]
A recipe appeared in Jiang Li’s hand.
A small pot of Dragon Blood wouldn’t be enough to immerse the whole body, and water would need to be added. The recipe detailed accurately what materials should be added into the diluted Dragon Blood to maximize its efficacy.
“Transform Dragon Hand”
This was a book that explained the various combat techniques to use once a cultivator’s hand had undergone “Dragon Transformation”.
Only an extremely small number of cultivators who immersed in Dragon Blood could undergo “Dragon Transformation”.
“So, according to the system timeline, after I help the Merfolk Tribe emerge victorious, they would give me this pot of Dragon Blood as a token of their gratitude?”
After seeing that the two rewards from the system were associated with Dragon Blood, Jiang Li made an educated guess.
However, he didn’t follow the system’s plan of competing fairly against the South Jiao Dragon Tribe five hundred years ago.
[One Set of Invisibility Clothes]
Jiang Li was handed a set, presumably the invisibility clothes that the system had mentioned. The clothes also came with an instruction manual.
“Once you put on these clothes, your body can completely disappear from view, undetectable even to those at the Body Integration Realm. Seems pretty powerful.”
For those at the Nascent Soul Stage, such invisibility clothes could be considered a priceless treasure.
Out of curiosity, Jiang Li changed into the invisibility clothes.
Jiang Li muttered out an incantation, contrastingly shouting, “Invisibility!”
The invisibility clothes slowly became transparent, disappearing completely. Even if a Body Integration Realm cultivator used their Divine Sense to investigate, they wouldn’t be able to detect any trace of the clothes.
Jiang Li, completely naked, felt the sea breeze whip around him, resembling an exhibitionist.
The darned invisibility clothes could only make clothes invisible.
“Damn you system!”