Chapter 19: A Spirit Root Deficient in the Five Elements? The Protagonist's Treatment

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Qinghe City.
County Government Office.
County Magistrate Chen Fan summoned Deputy Magistrate Chen Dao and County Captain Zhang Long, presenting a portrait. He said, “This man is Qi You, an evil cultivator at the third level of Qi Refinement. He specializes in sustaining ghosts and refining corpses with living humans, employing cruel methods. He may have fled into Qinghe County!”
“A notice has come down: anyone who captures or kills him will be rewarded with a thousand taels of silver and taught a mid-level martial art.”
Upon hearing about the mid-level martial art reward, Chen Dao and Zhang Long’s breaths caught, their eyes burning with eagerness.
But recalling that the target was an evil cultivator at the third level of Qi Refinement was like a bucket of cold water poured over their heads.
In this extraordinary world, whether county magistrate, deputy, or captain, none were ordinary people—anyone of rank was far from ordinary.
If they couldn’t cultivate immortality, then they could at least practice martial arts, right?
However, their strength was not great. Captain Zhang Long had just completed muscle refinement and advanced to the third level of body refinement, entering tendon refining.
Deputy Chen Dao was still at the second level of body refinement, with muscle refining.
Facing an evil cultivator at the third level of Qi Refinement, they would likely be defeated eight or nine times out of ten.
Cultivators had early advantages because martial artists needed to get close to kill them, but cultivators had many methods making it hard to be approached.
For example, Qi You at the third level of Qi Refinement could briefly fly on a sword, which was a dimensional disadvantage for early-stage body-refining martial artists.
Not to mention talismans and flying swords.
Zhou Chen’s ability to defeat Qi You was unexpected; as a marksman, his archery was already masterful, catching Qi You completely off guard and causing him to stumble.
“Deputy Chen, you are responsible for posting notices and propaganda!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Captain Zhang, take care of county security. If Qi You is within the county, he must not be allowed to massacre ordinary people on a large scale!”
“Yes, sir!”
After assigning the tasks, Chen Fan turned and left.
Chen Dao and Zhang Long also withdrew separately.
“An evil cultivator at the third level of Qi Refinement...”
Zhang Long thought about Zhou Chen.
A divine archer posed a great threat to cultivators of low rank.
Unfortunately.
Zhang Long shook his head. Zhou Chen was too weak; to threaten a third-level Qi Refinement cultivator, one needed at least to have completed skin refining, meaning a martial artist at the second level of body refinement.
If Zhou Chen had reached the second level of body refinement, combined with the city guards and constables, they might have been able to capture the third-level Qi Refinement evil cultivator.
“Why think so much? Whether we find him or not is still unknown!”
Zhang Long gathered his thoughts and ceased worrying, only hoping the enemy would not cause trouble in his territory.

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Dahe Village.
Zhou Chen, weary and cautious, finally returned home.
Besides Qi You’s ambush, the journey was uneventful.
“Brother Chen, you’re finally back!”
Qin Hongyu, waiting anxiously at the door, brightened with joy upon seeing Zhou Chen and threw herself into his arms like a swallow returning to its nest.
“I’m home!”
Zhou Chen held Qin Hongyu’s soft, graceful hips and lifted her up, heading inside.
Qin Hongyu wrapped her long legs around his strong waist, smiling brightly.
Seeing Zhou Chen restored her peace of mind.
“Brother Chen, you must be hungry. I’ve made dinner, just waiting for you!”
“I wasn’t hungry before, but now that you say it, I really am!”
Zhou Chen smiled and kissed her cheek.
Qin Hongyu blushed slightly, stepped down, and hurried to the kitchen to bring out the hot meal.
Zhou Chen set down his bow, herbs, and cloth and needlework he had bought on the way, then ate dinner with Qin Hongyu.
“Brother Chen, why did you buy so many herbs?”
Qin Hongyu asked worriedly, “Are you sick?”
“Don’t you know how strong I am? How could I be sick?”
With Zhou Chen’s current strength at the second level of body refinement and muscle refining, he was as tough as an ox, immune to illness.
“You’re something else!”
Qin Hongyu rolled her eyes but happily gave him a large piece of meat.
After dinner, Qin Hongyu cleaned up and went to wash up in the kitchen.
Zhou Chen didn’t join her but returned to his room to inspect the items in Qi You’s storage pouch.
Though his experience was limited, he had his companion “Grandma.”
Though this “Grandma” was an enchanting female ghost of modest power, she was enough for Zhou Chen’s current needs.
When Feng Xia was first absorbed into the Wind and Moon Treasure Mirror by Zhou Chen, she was a little confused. But after discovering that the treasure contained a secret realm and helped her recover and increase her cultivation, she grew fond of it—and of Zhou Chen.
Of course, she also felt her soul imprint had been absorbed by the treasure mirror. Unless she killed Zhou Chen and refined the artifact, she could not break free.
This was why Zhou Chen wasn’t afraid of revealing the Wind and Moon Treasure Mirror.
Even if Feng Xia were captured, she couldn’t reveal its secrets, and Zhou Chen could eliminate her with a mere thought at a distance.
Following Feng Xia’s instruction, Zhou Chen began to sort through the storage pouch’s contents.

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A low-grade magical sword.
Several low-grade talismans.
Nine low-grade spirit stones.
A copy of Changchun Gong, a common foundational cultivation technique in the immortal realm, practiced by many scattered cultivators, capable of reaching the ninth level of Qi Refinement.
A copy of the Netherworld Gong, the technique Qi You practiced, of the same rank as Changchun Gong but more powerful and faster to cultivate, though an evil technique.
Zhou Chen intended to cultivate Changchun Gong.
“Feng Xia, how do you detect spiritual roots? Do I have spiritual roots?”
Zhou Chen was hopeful. Even without spiritual roots, he could likely rely on the Wind and Moon Treasure Mirror to add cultivation points, but what if he was a rare prodigy?
“Master, detecting spiritual roots requires a special testing stone, but as long as I enter your body, I can observe your spiritual roots!”
“Then show me!”
Zhou Chen said immediately.
Feng Xia’s soul imprint had merged with the Wind and Moon Treasure Mirror, so Zhou Chen was not afraid she would harm him.
“Yes, Master!”
As Feng Xia spoke, Zhou Chen felt a cool energy briefly enter his body but vanish quickly.
Feng Xia returned to the treasure mirror, hesitating:
“Master, you...”
“Speak!”
“You are a five-element deficient spiritual root!”
“...”
Zhou Chen raised a brow. Was he the protagonist?
“Master, actually, five-element spiritual roots can still cultivate immortality; it’s just... much slower and consumes more resources!”
Feng Xia hurried to comfort him, thinking he might be discouraged. “Besides, Master’s martial talent is extraordinary. One day, becoming a martial arts expert will be no weaker than any cultivator!”
“I don’t need your comfort!”
Zhou Chen continued his inspection.
A copy of the Concealment Breath Technique, which can suppress one’s aura. The first level prevents detection from someone one realm higher; the second level prevents detection from two realms higher, and so forth.
When perfected to the ninth level, it can conceal one’s aura from someone an entire realm above.
For example, a Qi Refinement cultivator with the technique perfected can hide from a Foundation Establishment expert. It works for both cultivators and martial artists.
“This technique must be cultivated!”
...
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