Chapter Seventeen: The Ways of All Trades

As evening descended, the entire Beast Mountain Range was bathed in golden light beneath the dusk.

At the edge of the ancient forest, inside a certain mountain cave, Ye Zihan sat on the ground. The broken ribs at his chest had already been mended by Lan Yu, and the burns on his back were covered with a cool ointment. He felt no pain at all.

“Teacher's healing skills are remarkable!” Ye Zihan stretched, feeling completely at ease, as if he had never been injured. The wounds he sustained at midday were healed by dusk. He was full of admiration for Lan Yu's exquisite medical arts.

“As a summoner, one cannot be lacking in healing arts.” Lan Yu smiled gently, her voice tinged with quiet pride. If not for her soul state and diminished strength, the injuries left by a mere Tier Two beast would be nothing—she could have healed them with a mere wave of her hand.

“The summoner’s healing arts, the soul path of the Shikigami Mage, the arsenal of the Hunter, the array techniques of the Sealer, the martial skills of the Shadow Dancer—these are all detailed in the ‘Five Illusions Manual’. If you devote yourself to training, with your talent, reaching my level is not beyond your grasp.”

Ye Zihan listened intently, his gaze unwavering, absorbing Lan Yu’s teachings.

“You are but sixteen, and the road of cultivation stretches long before you. Moreover, you are born defiant of fate; this path will never be smooth. Only through diligent training can you travel farther and faster than others.”

“Since you have come into this world, why not leave behind your own legend? Let the Three Realms know your name—Ye Zihan! Only then will you have truly deserved your title as the Child Against Heaven!”

Ye Zihan clenched his fists. Lan Yu’s words seemed to set his blood boiling: as a man who has chosen the path of cultivation, how could he remain nameless and unknown?

“Now that your wounds are healed, take advantage of the time while your teacher Hong Yan is out hunting, and study the ‘Five Illusions Manual’ well. That tome cannot be mastered in a day or night. To become legendary in the Three Realms, strength is indispensable.”

“Yes!” Ye Zihan nodded, then drew a spatial scroll from his robes.

On the Illusion God Continent, treasures, techniques, and items are categorized into five levels: Shadow, Night, Wind, Moon, and Blood. This spatial scroll, gifted to him by Lan Yu and Hong Yan, belonged to the Blood Rank. Its inner space was vast, and it bore a blood spirit imprint—no outsider could open it without the owner’s blood, regardless of their cultivation.

After some searching, Ye Zihan retrieved the ‘Five Illusions Manual’. Despite its name, it was oddly composed of only three volumes: Fire of Five Illusions, Water of Five Illusions, and Wood of Five Illusions—missing the Metal and Earth elements.

Ye Zihan had asked Hong Yan and Lan Yu about this peculiarity, but neither knew the reason. The manual was ancient, and though the pair inherited its teachings, their understanding was not complete.

Nevertheless, though only three volumes existed, each contained references to the other two elements, allowing Ye Zihan to cultivate all five.

Although he had memorized the contents, he still habitually held the manual in his hands, as if its presence brought peace and clarity, enabling him to enter his optimal state for cultivation.

With reverence, he opened the pages. Familiar diagrams and text appeared before his eyes.

“Fire Element Shadow Martial: using the body as conduit, refining the physique to unleash martial arts. When mastered, the power is boundless.”

“Water Element Shikigami: using the soul as guide, tempering the spirit through soul arts. Using cards or talismans as media, monsters are sealed within and summoned for battle.”

“Metal Element Hunter: using weapons as guide, forging arms through study of weaponry. Weapons serve as tools with great utility in combat.”

“Wood Element Summoner: using elixirs as guide, capturing monsters and controlling them with medicine, summoning them as needed.”

---

“Earth Element Sealer: using array diagrams as guide, setting formations for offense or defense, striking unexpectedly in battle.”

Ye Zihan read the outline word by word, pondering that though the descriptions were brief and plain, they held the essence of cultivation.

“I’ve trained in more than ten martial skills across the elements. Though they aren’t high-ranked, they suit my current strength best. I won’t pursue others for now.”

He continued reading, considering his own circumstances, seeking ways to maximize his abilities rather than greedily chasing advanced techniques. He understood well the folly of spreading oneself too thin.

“Besides, I’m still not proficient in soul forging, healing arts, and array techniques—I must accelerate my training.”

Cultivating all five elements was extremely difficult, requiring immense time. Since Ye Zihan only began training at twelve, time was pressing.

“As for weapons, I need to forge a new one. My iron dagger was destroyed in battle with the Scarlet Flame Lion.”

Thinking of weapons brought memories of the afternoon’s fight—his instinct to survive, the terror of defeat, the ruthless resolve to kill, and the taste of blood—all stimulating Ye Zihan’s nerves.

The scene replayed in his mind. He slowly closed his eyes, unconsciously slipping into meditation.

“Hmm?” Lan Yu, beside him, noticed Ye Zihan had suddenly stopped and was slightly surprised. “Meditation?”

The beast’s flashing claws, saliva-dripping fangs, blazing flames, evasive footwork, the resolve to survive by risking everything—the feel of the iron dagger piercing the lion’s body, the timing of its explosion…

Scene after scene passed through his mind. Ye Zihan seemed to relive the battle, analyzing its mistakes and drawing lessons, deepening his sense of combat.

After half an hour, Ye Zihan felt a tremor in his mind, as if he had gained an insight. His aura began to rise!

His energy gathered and expanded, breaking through the mid-stage of the Two Forms, rising to its late-stage peak before settling.

Opening his eyes, Ye Zihan emerged from meditation. He clenched his fists, feeling pure energy coursing through his body, immensely comfortable.

“A single meditation after real combat, and your cultivation advances a stage. Not bad,” Lan Yu said with a pleased smile.

Ye Zihan grinned, surprised that this unintentional meditation had pushed him to the peak of the Two Forms stage. Real combat at the edge of life and death was far more rewarding and dangerous than sparring.

Just then, a flash of red appeared at the cave entrance—Hong Yan had returned, carrying a wild deer.

“Oh? Late-stage Two Forms already? Looks like you gained greatly from your battle with the Scarlet Flame Lion,” Hong Yan remarked, sensing Ye Zihan’s rapid progress.

Ye Zihan chuckled, scratching his head embarrassedly.

“Why were you gone so long?” Lan Yu, ever attentive, noticed worry in Hong Yan’s expression and asked.

“The situation outside is strange.” Hong Yan put down the deer and beckoned Ye Zihan to help build a fire.

---

Lan Yu looked at Hong Yan with puzzled eyes, waiting for his explanation.

Hong Yan seemed uncertain himself, pondering for a while before speaking slowly. “We’re at the edge of the ancient forest, only five or six miles from the outer region of Beast Domain. But when I went hunting, I noticed something odd.” He stroked his chin, his face full of doubt. “The beasts from the outer domain seemed frightened, rushing madly into the inner domain.”

“In the Beast Domain, the deeper you go, the stronger the beasts. Most beasts claim territory as their lair and fiercely guard against intrusion. Now, if outer domain beasts are flooding into the inner domain, aren’t they courting death?” Lan Yu asked, puzzled.

“That’s the strange part. The inner domain is dangerous, and the outer domain beasts know it. Yet, despite that, they’re rushing in regardless—that can only mean there’s an even more terrifying threat in the outer domain now.”

Lan Yu’s brows knit. What could drive all the outer domain beasts to risk everything by fleeing into the perilous inner domain?

“Because Zihan is here, I can’t stray too far. I couldn’t investigate further. But I did sense a tremendously powerful aura. It was very subtle, probing every corner of the Beast Domain, from inside out, as if searching for something. The outer domain beasts were likely terrified by this aura, which drove them inward.”

Hong Yan glanced at Lan Yu and added, “That aura is not weaker than either of us. I did my best to shield my presence to avoid detection.”

Lan Yu was slightly startled. Who could possess such power, besides the masters and grand elders of the major clans and sects of the Three Realms?

“Don’t forget those old men of the Illusion God Hall,” Hong Yan interjected, as if reminding Lan Yu.

“Them?” Lan Yu’s voice betrayed her surprise.

“We can’t be sure, but it’s possible.” Hong Yan looked thoughtful. Who was the owner of that aura? Why had he come to the Beast Domain, causing such upheaval? And what was he searching for?

After much fruitless pondering, Hong Yan could only sigh inwardly. He sensed the matter was anything but simple. His intuition told him that after centuries of calm, the Illusion God Continent was finally stirring with unrest.

Meanwhile, Ye Zihan, with practiced skill, had already gutted the deer, skewered it, and set it over the fire. As he turned the spit, the meat became crisp and golden, droplets of fat sizzling on the flames. Ye Zihan scored the meat with his knife and sprinkled a blend of spices. Instantly, a rich, savory aroma filled the air.

“Seems you’ve got not only the talent of a cultivator, but the makings of a chef as well,” Hong Yan remarked, giving up on his worries as the scent wafted through the cave—even his strong self-control couldn’t resist.

Over four years, Ye Zihan had not only improved in cultivation, but had also mastered hunting, cooking, and other skills under Hong Yan’s guidance.

“All thanks to your excellent teaching, Teacher,” Ye Zihan laughed, handing a roasted leg to Hong Yan.

Ye Zihan had not missed a word of Hong Yan and Lan Yu’s conversation. Hearing that the mysterious person’s cultivation was even higher than theirs, he was secretly shocked. But since neither explained further, Ye Zihan, wise as he was, didn’t press for answers.

The domain of his teachers was not something he could touch yet.

“All right, let’s eat and rest tonight. That person will likely be gone tomorrow. Once they leave, we’ll set out again,” Hong Yan said, inviting the others to sit.

Within the cave, firelight danced across their faces—casting its glow not only on the three, but on the Illusion God Continent, soon to be swept by turmoil.