2: Is the cultivation method strange and dangerous? I'll just give up my life!

“The fox spirits in storybooks often appear as women on the road, seducing scholars.

I didn't expect these two to delve deep into the brothel, comforting the hearts and minds of many frustrated young men.

That's right, most of those who go to the Hundred Flowers Brothel… are still romantic scholars.

I just don't know if they're absorbing Yang Qi or consuming human hearts.”

Gu Changsheng felt a sense of vigilance.

When demons appear, regardless of whether they have malicious intent, the most important thing is to improve one's life-saving methods and master extraordinary power.

His gaze shifted to the attribute panel.

【Jade-Faced Fox Contemplation Realm (Yellow)】

【Introduction: Created by the Dragon Old Madam of the Qingqiu Fox Clan. Practitioners must use jade as a knife to cut off their entire face, and their face must be stained with fox fur for a month before they can begin to Cultivate.】

‘Cutting my face? Staining it with fox fur? I'd probably die of bacterial infection in less than three days.’

There were no antibiotics in ancient times; bacterial infection was almost equivalent to a death sentence.

He continued to read, and below it was also a secret medicine.

【Jade-Faced Fox Secret Medicine: Grind jade into powder, mix with fox blood, and swallow to accelerate Contemplation Realm Cultivation.

Jade rich in Spiritual Qi and Jade-Faced Fox blood are preferred.】

‘Jade? Damn it, I'm dirt poor; where would I get the money to buy jade?

Wait, the ten taels of silver given by that fox spirit might be enough to buy a small piece of the lowest quality broken jade at the Jade Treasure Pavilion.

However, this Jade-Faced Fox Contemplation Realm is too strange.

It was clearly created by the Qingqiu Fox Clan, yet it requires consuming fox blood, which gives off a strange vibe all around.’

The Fox Shadow Technique, on the other hand, was an illusion technique that could transform one's appearance and change one's face.

No wonder the two foxes could appear openly in public.

“This Jade-Faced Fox Contemplation Realm is too bizarre; beginning to Cultivate it is practically playing with one's life.

Better to wait; anyway, there will be plenty of opportunities to find other methods later.

At that time, choosing a suitable Contemplation Realm would be best.”

With his Golden Finger in hand, Gu Changsheng was destined to be a long-lived being with infinite Lifespan, so there was no need to take risks.

Suddenly, his eyes flickered, and he noticed a bright “+” sign appearing after the Jade-Faced Fox Contemplation Realm.

With a thought, he virtually tapped the “+” sign.

【Do you want to consume ten years of Lifespan to begin Cultivating the Jade-Faced Fox Contemplation Realm?】

Confirm!

Immediately, a chill ran down his spine, as if some mysterious substance was being extracted, followed by a surge of blood and a burning sensation in his heart.

Under the Spirit Eye Technique, a space was born in his heart, containing a white fox Incarnation.

It had white fur and a jade-like face, with crystal-clear cheeks, grinning, which was quite creepy.

According to the Contemplation Realm's introduction, this was the Spirit that had been born.

An endless stream of insights immediately flooded his mind, as if he had Cultivated this method for many years.

The attribute panel changed accordingly.

【Name: Gu Changsheng】

【Remaining Lifespan: 53】

【Realm: Contemplation Realm Early Stage (0/1000)】

【Contemplation Realm: Jade-Faced Fox Contemplation Realm First Order (Yellow)】

【Techniques: Spirit Eye Technique First Order (45/100), Fox Shadow Technique First Order (0/100)】

【Skills: Painting Third Order (55/400), Weaving Second Order (45/200), Farming Second Order (30/200), Medical Skills First Order (35/100), Forging First Order (75/100), Theft...】

“Consuming ten years of Lifespan to circumvent the risks of the Cultivation method is a huge profit.”

The Cultivation method is bizarre and dangerous?

Hehe, I'll just pay with my life.

The “+” sign after the Contemplation Realm still existed.

Add point!

【Do you want to consume twenty years of Lifespan to upgrade the Jade-Faced Fox Contemplation Realm?】

Confirm!

The familiar sensation returned, and this time the Jade-Faced Fox Contemplation Realm advanced to the second order of the Contemplation Realm.

The Jade-Faced Fox Incarnation in his heart became clearer.

Insights rushed into his mind like a vast ocean.

Unfortunately, this time the plus sign disappeared.

‘Does the Lifespan consumed double with each upgrade...’

This means the next upgrade will probably require forty years of Lifespan.

And now, Gu Changsheng only has thirty-three years of Lifespan remaining.

The drastic shortening of his Lifespan brought a chill to his body and dizziness to his head.

‘There's always tomorrow; I'll have plenty of time to improve later.’

With a thought, the Jade-Faced Fox in his heart absorbed the scattered energy between heaven and earth, exhaling a wisp of black Qi that attached to his left palm.

Immediately, his left palm turned pitch black, as if he had practiced the legendary Black Sand Palm.

He touched it; his left palm, covered in black Qi, was hard as a rock, and his strength greatly increased. With a single strike, the wooden drawing table cracked with a 'snap.'

The force of this blow was probably over a thousand catties.

“Very good, I finally have some self-preservation ability.

This thousand catties of immense strength is comparable to a top weightlifter in my previous life.

Moreover, this is just the strength of one palm.

In my previous life, I could have been a Great Master of traditional martial arts, opening classes and taking disciples.”

Gu Changsheng's heart was surging.

Which ordinary person wouldn't be excited when they come into contact with extraordinary martial power?

After another attempt, the black Qi in his heart was quickly exhausted.

He also quickly learned how to use the black Qi.

“The black Qi can move freely, flowing like water to cover the body, but its range is limited to one palm.

The covered area feels like a thick callus, greatly increasing its ability to withstand blows; wooden sticks hitting it cause no pain or itching.

If it covers the palm and forearm, strength also greatly increases.

However, at the second order of the Contemplation Realm, the black Qi is only enough to last for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.”

A cup of tea, which is roughly ten minutes.

Presumably, as his Realm improves, the duration will also increase.

Since there was no business at the moment, and the drawing table was broken, Gu Changsheng simply packed up and went home.

He felt the bright ten taels of silver in his palm and sighed with emotion.

‘Sure enough, fox spirits make money quickly.

Both in my previous life and this one...’

He had sold paintings for a month, and his income was less than ten taels.

Soon, after putting his belongings into the house, Gu Changsheng, with his money bag, headed straight for the flower and bird market.

To increase his Realm and Cultivation, he still needed to take the secret medicine.

Besides a piece of jade, he also needed to buy a fox.

At the flower and bird market, people sold dogs for fighting and chickens for cockfighting, and if you were lucky, you might even encounter hunters selling some of their catches.

Wild jade rabbits with pure white fur were favorites of officials and Young Misses.

Maybe there would be a fox.

As he was strolling, a gong sounded in his ears, and the crowd gathered in one spot.

In the center of the crowd, a tall, thin man in blue held a gong and shouted, “I, Shen San, have just arrived in this esteemed place and will present a snake-charming performance for everyone. Please give me your support.”

As he spoke, he blew a dark green bamboo flute, and the tune was melodious. From a large black jar on the ground, a large patterned python slowly emerged.

The python was as thick as a bowl, covered in scales, and what was most unusual was that its head resembled a child's human face.

It was a human-faced snake!

The crowd immediately gasped in wonder, and soon a considerable amount of silver accumulated in the broken porcelain bowl.

Gu Changsheng, however, frowned deeply.

Under the Spirit Eye Technique, Shen San's eyes turned into vertical pupils, his pink tongue was forked, and a faint black Qi emanated from his body.

In the jar, the human-faced snake had the lower body of a giant python, but its upper body was that of a child wrapped in snakeskin, completely devoid of limbs.

In his previous life, he had heard of beggars who practiced ' Harvesting and dissection' (cǎi shēng zhé gē), mutilating young children, severing their limbs, poisoning them to blindness, and then stitching them to animals to attract attention with exotic animal performances.

He hadn't expected to see it here today.

Gu Changsheng remembered that such brutal acts, whether in his previous life or this one, would result in extreme punishment from the authorities once discovered.

‘The black Qi on that person is much fainter than mine; he's probably just started.

With intention against no intention...’

A hint of cold light flashed in Gu Changsheng's eyes.

Human traffickers are heinous criminals.

Harvesting and dissection (cǎi shēng zhé gē) is even more deserving of death!

Suddenly, a commotion came from a distance. A team of constables pushed through the crowd, carrying broadswords.

A woman nearby rushed to the human-faced snake, hugging its body and weeping bitterly.

“My child!”

The leading constable's gaze swept over the human-faced snake, filled with extreme anger.

“You demon of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, you fled from the north to this place, and you still practice your vicious animal husbandry techniques, harming children.

You deserve to die! You deserve to die!”

Without another word, seven or eight constables surrounded him, the crowd scattered, and a hint of panic flashed in Shen San's eyes as he fled.

In his haste, he completely failed to notice a foot extended in front of him and immediately tripped and fell face-first.

By the time he looked up, five or six broadswords were at his neck.

Shen San's face instantly turned ashen.