Chapter 97: Chapter 95: Liezi’s Wind Riding Technique

It was late in the evening, and curfews were already being enforced on most of the streets and wards in Pinglan City, when Song Ciwan finally bid Xie Yunxiang farewell and departed.

After they parted ways, Song Ciwan used her Escape Technique and quickly arrived outside an inn in the southern part of the city.

Inns could be found all over Pinglan City, but for the highest concentration of the most affordable ones, one had to look no further than Diligent Study Square in the south.

Diligent Study Square was right next to Xue Shufang, which was filled with all sorts of private schools. Not far from there stood Dongfeng Academy, one of the top academies in all of Cangling County.

Countless Scholars flocked from all corners of Cangling County, their hearts filled with a pilgrim’s reverence. Using the private schools in Xue Shufang as a launching point, they hoped that one day their own Talent would manifest, granting them entry into Dongfeng Academy. From there, they could ride the east wind to a meteoric rise!

As a result, the adjacent Diligent Study Square developed its own commercial ecosystem.

Diligent Study Square was filled not only with inns, but with bookstores as well.

However, Song Ciwan’s main reason for choosing Diligent Study Square wasn’t this, but rather its proximity to the Demon Refining Platform on its other side!

The area around the Demon Refining Platform had its own complete commercial ecosystem.

This included all sorts of Elixir Medicine Shops, Spirit Material Shops, Weapon Shops, and Clothing and Food Stores.

Farther to the southwest lay mortal marketplaces and concentrated residential districts.

In short, where there are people, there is commerce. Merchants with keen instincts for opportunity could always make the most of any situation.

Song Ciwan, holding her goose and disguised as Xin Mian, picked an inn to stay in for the time being.

Her plan was to stay at the inn for the night. The next day, she would leave the Big White Goose behind, change into her identity as the mortal girl Song Xun, and sneak out of the inn. Then, through a Broker, she would rent a small courtyard home in Shanren Square, which was to the southwest of Diligent Study Square.

From then on, the persona of Song Xun would become Song Ciwan’s primary identity.

’As for the Big White Goose... both Xin Mian and Song Xun will have a goose. It’s a flaw in my cover, but it doesn’t matter.’

’Truth becomes falsehood, and falsehood becomes truth. How could any outsider possibly guess the relationship between "them"—Xin Mian the Cultivator and Song Xun the Mortal Martial Artist?’

’Even if someone figured it out, I have the Fetal Transformation Technique. I can create countless new aliases at a moment’s notice.’ 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

’With so many aliases at my disposal, I can go anywhere under the heavens. What is there to fear?’

’The issue with the Big White Goose isn’t urgent either. I’m making progress every day. As long as I get stronger fast enough, the problems caused by this flaw will never catch up to me!’

Night deepened, and Song Ciwan settled into her room at the inn.

The Big White Goose was fast asleep, so Song Ciwan took an elixir and began to cultivate.

After Midnight passed, she opened the Heaven and Earth Scale and began to sell off her gains from the day.

This was the most anticipated moment of the day!

’First, I’ll sell the emotional orbs from Xie Yunxiang. There are three of them. Selling orbs from a person for the first time should grant me some Magic.’

[You have sold human desires—the joy, obsession, and bewilderment of a Mid-Stage Qi Transformation Cultivator—for one tael and three maces, and obtained the Basic Taoist Skill, Liezi’s Wind Riding Technique, First and Second Layers.]

A flight-based Daoist Technique! Liezi’s Wind Riding Technique!

A profound torrent of Daoist scripture washed through her mind. Song Ciwan sat cross-legged and immediately began her Cultivation of the new Daoist Skill with all possible haste.

The Insight Technique panel displayed: Basic Taoist Skill, Liezi’s Wind Riding Technique (First Layer Beginner 21/100).

The experience bar, however, was ticking up nonstop. Song Ciwan’s speed of comprehension was simply unnatural.

Liezi’s Wind Riding Technique (First Layer Beginner 35/100)

(Beginner 56/100)

(Beginner 78/100)

(Beginner 99/100)

...

Time flew by. As the sky began to lighten at dawn, Song Ciwan opened her eyes. After a single night of comprehension and Cultivation, her Liezi’s Wind Riding Technique had reached the very peak of the Entry Level. She was just a single step away from breaking through to the Skilled Stage!

’Why did this happen?’

’Is it because I naturally have Top Level Comprehension?’

’No. While my comprehension wasn’t bad before, it was clear I could never have reached this level back then.’

’My comprehension had clearly been enhanced!’

’It’s because my Cultivation has broken through to the Qi Refining Stage, my mastery of the First Layer of the Sutra of Sitting and Forgetting has reached the Master Level, and I’ve successfully entered the Beginner stage for the Second Layer.’

The Sutra of Sitting and Forgetting, as a Cultivation Technique, had a miraculous effect. Once my Divine Soul took form and my Spiritual Sense emerged, my comprehension was naturally nourished, causing my learning ability to skyrocket.

Liezi’s Wind Riding Technique was only a Basic Taoist Skill. For the current Song Ciwan, cultivating it to the peak of the Entry Level in a single night was no problem at all.

Song Ciwan stood up and felt a wisp of wind flowing lightly around her. She reached out to catch it, but it mischievously slipped through her fingers. She took a light step, and it came rubbing against her again, clinging to her affectionately.

A wonderful sense of enlightenment flowed through her. As the rosy glow of the morning sun streamed through the window, it seemed to illuminate her mind, making everything feel perfectly clear.

She still had many acquisitions in the Heaven and Earth Scale left to sell, but Song Ciwan decided not to sell any more for now.

’Since it was morning, I should go out and take care of important business first.’

Song Ciwan changed into a practical set of women’s clothes and molded her face into the likeness of "Song Xun." The Big White Goose was still sound asleep. Song Ciwan infused it with a wisp of energy from her Dream-Entering Technique to ensure it continued its sweet, deep slumber.

She then took out a Brocade Pouch, placed an Exorcism Talisman inside, and hung it around the Big White Goose’s neck.

Then, employing Liezi’s Wind Riding Technique, Song Ciwan opened the window at the back of her room and floated gracefully down into the narrow alley below.

Flying was forbidden in Pinglan City—at least, during times of peace. The Government Office had issued a clear edict prohibiting flight for any Cultivator below the Divinity Transformation Stage, as well as others of equivalent power.

Song Ciwan wasn’t so carried away as to insist on flying; she merely wanted to experience the sensation of riding the wind down for a landing.

The wind in the narrow alley was gentle;Floating down, so very effortless.

In that instant, the wind stirred, and so did her heart. Song Ciwan thought she heard a faint sound by her ear, like a soft PUFF of air blowing past.

A breakthrough in Liezi’s Wind Riding Technique.

(First Layer Skilled 12/1000)

A faint smile touched Song Ciwan’s lips, but she quickly suppressed it.

’Right now, I am no longer Song Ciwan "herself," nor am I the kind and sincere youth "Xin Mian." I am the Female Martial Artist "Song Xun," singularly devoted to her training!’

Song Ciwan suppressed her aura and activated the Lightweight Grasshopper Skill. As light as a swallow, she darted out of the alley and headed quickly toward her destination for the day: the Shanren Square Dental Clinic.

The morning light was still faint as Song Ciwan diligently bustled about, managing both her cultivation and her daily life.

She remained hidden in the mortal world, like a tiny worker ant willingly accepting the confines of its worldly cage—tireless, yet utterly unremarkable.

She didn’t even know that Duan Xinghun, who had debated the Dao with her from afar, had suffered damage to his Dao Heart, unavoidably delaying his arrival in Su Yang City by another two days.

Su Yang City had become so desolate it resembled a ghost town. While a fair number of people were unwilling to leave their homeland, the aftermath of the great disaster at Bibo Lake had inevitably left deep scars on their hearts.

It was a wound that would require time to heal, not something that could be fixed in a day.

Upon arriving in Su Yang City, Duan Xinghun headed straight for the depths beneath Bibo Lake.