Chapter 226 - 222: Dharma Transmission to a Weird

Song Ciwan walked to Gao Xiaolang’s side and squatted down, listening to him say, "Sister Song, so this is what the world is like with the Nine Provinces united."

"Although there is still poverty and sickness, hardship and disaster... at least this world doesn’t have so much war."

"When Demon Fiends and mysterious threats run rampant, there are people who take charge and look after the common folk. Even if it’s hard—so, so hard... there’s at least a sliver of hope, even if it’s just a tiny bit..."

His voice was light and weak, and though there was a smile on his face, he couldn’t help but choke up as he spoke.

The Heaven and Earth Scale appeared, having collected another ball of qi: [Small City Level Mysterious Ghost Spirit, melancholy, bewilderment, relief, seven taels and three maces, sellable.]

Song Ciwan didn’t speak, only listened quietly.

She figured that Gao Xiaolang probably didn’t need her to say anything. He just needed someone to listen.

Gao Xiaolang pressed his face against the wall beside him, as if nestling against someone from a distant time and space, separated only by the stone. He then said in a low voice, "Sister Song, I can’t stay in this city for long. There’s an aura here that makes my heart pound with fear. It’s terrifying."

Song Ciwan instantly understood the reason for his weakness.

The Great Zhou Dynasty’s City Defense Array suppressed all non-human beings that reached a certain Level.

Gao Xiaolang’s Level was stuck in the middle. He wasn’t Strong enough to break free from the suppression, nor was he weak enough to be overlooked by it. He was caught right on the threshold, so he truly couldn’t stay in the city for long.

Song Ciwan said, "Xiaolang, the city gates are already closed for the night. I’ll see you out of the city tomorrow morning."

Gao Xiaolang murmured his assent, then used the wall to help himself up. He looked at Song Ciwan and asked timidly, "Sister Song, in that case, may I be a guest at your home tonight?"

Song Ciwan smiled and said, "Of course you can, Xiaolang. Please."

As she spoke, she gracefully made a welcoming gesture.

Gao Xiaolang immediately broke into a smile. He was missing his left eye, had a large head and a very thin body, giving him a slightly strange appearance. But when he squinted his eyes and smiled, there was an indescribable cuteness about him.

Song Ciwan reached out and gently stroked his slightly messy hair.

Gao Xiaolang’s eyes widened again, and he stared up at her blankly.

Song Ciwan smiled, took this little ghost’s hand, and led him through one alley after another, returning home quietly under the cover of night.

She had spent a full day and most of a night in the Inverted Deceit Realm of Huai Xi Village, but in the real world, only one or two hours had actually passed.

The different flows of time always created a disorienting illusion, making one lose track of day and night. As Song Ciwan walked, she slowly circulated her aura to steady her emotions.

「Thus, a rare, peaceful night passed.」

The next morning, Song Ciwan was woken by the sound of her next-door neighbors arguing.

After the rooster had crowed three times, Young Master Sun from the house to the east was having his ear pulled by his wife, who shouted, "You lazy bum, get up! Hurry, hurry, go boil some water! I need to make dough this morning. It’s the fifteenth of the first month, we have to prepare snacks!"

Young Master Sun yelped, "Ouch, ouch!" and complained, "What are you doing? Are you trying to start a rebellion? What kind of woman in this world are you... Ouch! You, you, you, let go! It hurts, woman! Ouch, please, let me go! Fine, fine, I’m going, I’m going, alright?"

After a fierce ear-pulling from his wife, he finally gave in after a brief struggle. Grumbling, he got up to boil the water.

At that moment, Gao Xiaolang, who was staying in the other room, also woke up. He had heard the voices from next door, and the moment his eyes opened, he ran to the kitchen and, on his own initiative, started lighting the fire to boil water.

When Song Ciwan saw this, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

She simply went to the kitchen as well. Letting Gao Xiaolang tend the fire, Song Ciwan took out the ingredients and cooked some Yangchun Noodles.

Yangchun Noodles are so simple they’re almost plain, but when Gao Xiaolang saw the two steaming bowls of noodle soup, he immediately stared at them eagerly, practically drooling.

Song Ciwan placed the noodles on the table and waved to Gao Xiaolang. "Xiaolang, go wash up quickly. Come eat when you’re done."

Gao Xiaolang, however, first prepared a basin of hot water for Song Ciwan, then carried another basin to the side for himself. Last night, Song Ciwan had given him some toiletries, and he quickly and deftly used them to wash himself up—

—even though, as a mysterious being, he probably didn’t need to wash up at all.

Song Ciwan’s Cultivation was now profound. Having refined the Thunder Fire Body Devouring Technique to achieve the Body of Impermanence, she had long been able to remain untouched by dust and grime and didn’t really need to wash up either.

But Song Ciwan hadn’t dropped the habit of washing up. She tidied herself up with extreme speed and, at the same time, changed her face. This time, she changed into the face of the Female Martial Artist, Song Xun.

Seeing her change her face again, Gao Xiaolang was no longer surprised. Instead, he circled Song Ciwan, sizing her up with envy. "Sister Song, your Magic is truly marvelous! Not only can you change your physical form, but you can even alter your aura."

He said, "I’ve seen other people’s Transformation Techniques before, but they usually only change one’s appearance, not the fundamental aura. That kind of transformation isn’t very useful. Who could it possibly fool? Only your technique, Sister Song, is completely different..."

Gao Xiaolang praised the ingenuity of Song Ciwan’s transformation. As he spoke, his expression was full of admiration. It was clear he held the Fetal Transformation Technique in the highest regard.

Seeing this, an idea suddenly struck Song Ciwan.

On a whim, she asked, "Xiaolang, would you like to learn it?"

Gao Xiaolang was both surprised and hesitant. "Can I learn it?"

Song Ciwan said, "There’s no harm in trying. However, this technique passes from my lips to your ears today. Whether you can learn it or not, you must never pass it on to others. Can you do that?"

Gao Xiaolang immediately straightened his back. He stood up, walked before Song Ciwan, and performed a formal kowtow. "Thank you, Sister Song! I understand the rules and will never pass on this Secret Technique! If I break this vow, may I suffer the calamity of dissipation!"

The Heaven and Earth Scale appeared, and Song Ciwan collected another ball of qi: [Small City Level Mysterious Ghost Spirit, joy, gratitude, shock, one jin and six taels, sellable.]

Song Ciwan: ...

’A bit unexpected, but I guess it makes sense.’

Although Gao Xiaolang was a ghost, his Mysterious Ghost Spirit was so easy to collect that for a moment, Song Ciwan was tempted by the thought of keeping him around for regular harvesting—

Of course, Song Ciwan was no black-hearted merchant; she would never do such a thing.

She had offered to teach Gao Xiaolang Fetal Transformation and Shape-shifting merely as an experiment to see if she could use her Dharma Transmission Skill to teach a mysterious being a Daoist Skill.

’If a ghost can also cultivate the Dao, what will it ultimately become?’

Acting on her thought, Song Ciwan helped Gao Xiaolang up while secretly activating her Dharma Transmission Skill. She then began to explain the secrets of cultivating Fetal Transformation and Shape-shifting to him in detail.

However, Song Ciwan herself had only Mastered the First Layer of Fetal Transformation and Shape-shifting, so she could only teach Gao Xiaolang the Beginner method.

"The essence of the Transformation Technique is the Innate. By Returning to Innate, one becomes a unified whole..."

In the small kitchen, Song Ciwan’s voice seemed to contain a kind of Dao Intent. Amidst the swirling steam of the Yangchun Noodles, Gao Xiaolang listened with extreme focus as Song Ciwan imparted her knowledge.

On the Insight Technique’s panel, the experience for Song Ciwan’s Dharma Transmission Skill began to rise noticeably.