8: Pray for rain, and the fairy fate will reappear!

What does cultivation depend on?

It depends on talent and background.

Cultivators with good talent, when using techniques, are always able to grasp the knack, integrate them, and enhance their power.

In the Qi Refining Realm, using techniques primarily involves adapting to the times, focusing on going with the flow.

For example, asking for rain by the water is much smoother than asking for rain at the foot of a lava volcano.

The power of the technique will also be much stronger.

Of course, this is only the Qi Refining Realm; upon reaching the Dao Foundation Realm, one truly creates celestial phenomena.

However, these things are still somewhat distant for Shen Li.

As mentioned earlier, asking for rain at the foot of a volcano, a water-attribute technique, would be considered good if two tenths of its full power could be unleashed.

On the Yellow Sand Plains Gobi Desert, it's a bit stronger than the former, but it's estimated that only five tenths can be unleashed.

Plus, with the moisture seeping into the sand, it would be good if it achieved three tenths of its power.

So, Shen Li made a safeguard for himself.

That is the Yunmai Heshui Formation.

Actually, he was very tempted by the Blazing Sun Array. The Yellow Sand Plains is dry, and the fire attribute is strong. Using the Formation to unleash its power would be stronger and consume less.

But there was no choice; for the sake of his future territory, he had to reluctantly give it up.

Yes, Shen Li had already regarded Black Ridge City as his... Dragon Rising Land.

Although this description is not very apt.

Inside Black Ridge City, the city gates were closed.

Many common people were complaining about something.

In the shade, the scantily clad common people were parched, muttering to themselves.

"I thought that Lord Zhou was dead, and we would finally be able to relax a bit, but I didn't expect an even more difficult Lord to arrive."

"Black Ridge City has no well water; we can only go to Black Horn Mountain to fetch some dirty water to boil and use. This Lord doesn't even let us out the main gate. Is he trying to literally let us die of thirst?"

"Alas, he probably intends to continue exploiting us common folk."

"How can we go on like this? I'm afraid we won't be able to hold out much longer."

"Don't speak too soon. Maybe it's for other reasons. You know, in the past month, although this Lord hasn't shown his face, he has frequently hired craftsmen and strong men to work."

"They don't lack food, and they've also been paid. Don't think of people as so bad, right?"

"Exactly, exactly. I heard that our Black Ridge City was not originally under Zhou Ba's control, but belonged to a noble family within the Immortal Sect. I did see that Young Master from afar once."

"He has an extraordinary appearance and a light, agile presence. Perhaps he comes from an Immortal Cultivation family, and he might even be an Immortal."

"An Immortal? How could he be so young?"

The Cultivators of the Huangsha Mountain Range come and go, and Black Ridge City, which is already desolate on normal days, has no resources to attract Cultivators.

So some common people have never seen a Cultivator in their entire lives.

They only heard in legends that Cultivators could ascend to the heavens and descend into the sea, incredibly powerful!

Soon, a somewhat thin figure ran over, saying breathlessly.

"Folks...folks."

"Ergouzi, aren't you helping the City Lord's Mansion? What are you doing here now?"

The young man called Ergouzi's face shone with surprise, and he said urgently.

"Do you know about the high platform built in the north of the city some time ago?"

"I know."

"What's so strange about that thing?"

Ergouzi's voice was filled with surprise as he said.

"That was ordered by this new City Lord, and now this new City Lord is on top of that high platform!"

"On such a hot day, what does this new City Lord want to do?"

"Exactly, exactly. Just being in the shade makes my mouth dry, let alone under the sun. Is he not afraid of death?"

"Asking for rain! That Lord wants to ask for rain!"

They looked at each other, and suddenly, an old man stood up abruptly, saying in a deep voice.

"I remember over ten years ago, an Immortal Master also came, stood on the city wall, and asked for rain for half a day. He was invited by Zhou Ba at a great cost!"

"Could it really be an Immortal?"

"Who cares? Go and see, go and see!!!"

Seeing this, the thin Ergouzi quickly ran to another spot, causing a stir.

Many common people swarmed along the main road towards the north of the city.

Some women and children even brought dried ceramic bowls and jars with only some yellow mud at the bottom.

Below the high platform, Qiu Ya dispatched other guards to firmly surround the high platform.

Her beautiful eyes were filled with vigilance, and her gaze swept towards the high platform, looking at the young figure standing with his hands behind his back.

She muttered.

"Couldn't he just use the technique inside the City Lord's Mansion? There's no need for interference either, why go to all this extra trouble?"

On the high platform, Shen Li looked straight ahead, watching the increasingly dense crowd, while calculating something in his mind.

"What kind of prayer is good for asking for rain?"

"The sky is dead, the yellow sky shall rise? No, those are the words of the Great Sage of Peace, used for rebellion."

"When my flowers bloom, all others shall die? That's also for rebellion."

"Singing Jam Hsiao's songs? Singing what... 'Princess'? That doesn't seem very reasonable either."

After a long time, Shen Li finally pulled four lines of prayer from his memory.

"Clouds gather on mountain tops, mist billows; wind blows, rain falls, bringing sweet dew;

Praying to the heavens for rain and dew, nourishing the earth and all living things."

As his voice fell, the scorching sun still shone overhead.

Many common people lowered their eyes in disappointment, and some children started crying loudly.

Some common people shook their heads, then turned to leave.

But then... the scorching sun overhead was gradually covered by a layer of dark clouds.

A moist vapor suddenly emanated from the dry air.

The four great Formations activated, the Spiritual Qi in the Spirit Stones continuously consumed, dried up, and then replenished.

As the Yunmai Heshui Formation activated, Shen Li only felt mentally exhausted.

But he still multitasked, outlining the magic seals.

The cyan-blue magic seals formed, like a bridge connecting heaven and earth.

A rolling thunderclap, covering the dark clouds over the entire Black Ridge City, poured down rain like a waterfall.

In their astonishment, the suspicion on the faces of Black Ridge City's common people turned into disbelief, and then into boundless ecstasy.

Some common people used ceramic bowls to catch the water.

An old woman pressed her granddaughter's head, kowtowing repeatedly towards the high platform.

Some people ran wildly in the rain like madmen.

Others took off their long clothes, enjoying the lubricating nourishment the raindrops brought to their shriveled skin!

On the magic boat, Wang Chen, who hadn't gone far, looked back and was startled to see the great Formation appear.

"Could it be an enemy invasion?"

Before he could say anything, the Immortal Master Hong Tu exclaimed in surprise.

"A bit clever, using a water Formation to create a country within a country, isolating the earth and fire attributes of the yellow sand, making the water attribute strong, and then casting the Small Cloud Rain Technique to enhance its power."

"There are many clever people in cultivation, but those who are good at creating conditions, achieving their goals, and integrating them are not many."

"It's a bit wasteful of Spirit Stones, but it's a clever idea nonetheless."

"It seems he truly is an outer disciple proficient in practical matters, but for the sake of some common people, I wonder if it's worth it."

Seeing this, Wang Chen's eyes flickered, and he also settled down.

On the high platform, Shen Li, whose Spiritual Qi was depleted, quietly heard a new Immortal opportunity.

[Within three days, a group of mysterious guests will visit. They are members of the Black Horn Gang, closely related to the person on the city wall, and they are here to transfer a strange treasure they carry. You can obtain the Living Spring Water Vein.]

[Seven days later, the earth Dragon will turn over, and a wisp of Profound Yellow Qi will overflow from the earth'spulse. You can obtain the strange treasure Profound Yellow Qi.]