Chapter 69

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That damp, lingering air, accompanied by a faint trace of a fishy smell, was something Qi Wuhuo had only sensed yesterday from the young noble clad in luxurious attire who had come to gamble with the fortune-teller.

Sensing it now, his subconscious assumption was that it was him again.

The young Daoist turned around, following the direction of the aura. His gaze traveled through the bustling crowd outside and locked onto a tea house about thirty steps away. It was a two-story building. He raised his head to look, but the figure that met his eyes was not the young noble he had seen yesterday. Instead, it was an elderly man leaning against the railing of the second floor, drinking tea alone while holding a crying child in his arms.

The old man gently comforted the child.

It seemed he had noticed Qi Wuhuo’s gaze.

The old man turned to look.

Meeting the elder’s eyes, Qi Wuhuo realized he was being rude. Standing amidst the crowd, he clasped his hands together in a slight gesture of apology.

The old man chuckled warmly and said: “I didn’t expect to encounter a true disciple of the Xuanmen Orthodox Sect here.”

“This old man has been drinking tea alone, feeling quite lonely.”

“Little Daoist, if you don’t mind, why not come up and have a cup of tea with me?”

The old man’s invitation was carefree and unrestrained.

Qi Wuhuo thought for a moment, then expressed his thanks.

Carrying the sweet-scented osmanthus cakes in his hand, he ascended the stairs step by step to the tea house’s second floor and took a seat near the window.

He noticed that the child who had been crying earlier had now stopped. A woman hurriedly came up, picked up the child, and repeatedly expressed her gratitude while bowing deeply. After listening to her words, Qi Wuhuo understood what had happened. Apparently, due to the large crowd in the market today, the woman had become separated from her child. It was the old man who had taken care of the child, entertaining them while also sending someone to help find the woman.

The woman expressed her gratitude profusely as she left.

Yet, in her eyes, there seemed to be a trace of lingering fear.

The child, on the other hand, was delighted, turning around to wave goodbye to the old man.

The old man smiled gently and raised his teacup in acknowledgment.

Then, he invited Qi Wuhuo to sit down. The young Daoist took a seat across from the old man and finally saw his true appearance.

It was only then that he understood why the woman’s eyes had carried that hint of alarm earlier.

The elder had a stern and commanding presence, his brows sharp and high. However, his right eyebrow was only half intact, and a patch of his forehead bore the scars of what appeared to be burns.

Combined with his imposing features, this lent his visage a faintly fierce and intimidating quality.

The old man, noticing that Qi Wuhuo’s gaze held no malice or discomfort, could discern the purity of the youth’s heart—a clarity akin to a polished mirror. This was a testament to Qi Wuhuo’s exceptional cultivation of his inner nature. When people are young, their experiences are limited, and their Primordial Spirit tends to be more vibrant than the acquired consciousness shaped by learning and life experiences. Thus, children are often more sensitive to detecting the hidden malice or goodwill in others.

It was likely for this reason that the child, despite the elder’s stern and fierce countenance, had taken such a liking to him.

Qi Wuhuo expressed his gratitude for the elder’s invitation.

The old man regarded Qi Wuhuo thoughtfully and praised: “Young Daoist, your face is unfamiliar, yet your cultivation is remarkable. Many cultivators these days are overly eager to amass Primordial Qi and divine abilities, neglecting the cultivation of their innate spirit. Such an approach allows for swift progress in the early stages but leads to bottlenecks later, making it difficult to break through. Some may remain stuck for a lifetime.”

“And it’s not just about appearances either.”

The old man reached up and touched the scarred side of his forehead, smiling casually.

“Young Daoist, are you here on a journey to wander and explore?”

Qi Wuhuo replied: “Yes, though there are also some other matters to attend to.”

The old man laughed heartily and said: “In that case, why not stay here a little longer? The Lantern Festival in Zhongzhou Prefecture is livelier than even the imperial capital of the mortal realm. The royals and nobility fear for their lives, so their celebrations are riddled with restrictions. Here, though, it’s far more splendid!”

“Take your time to see the sights. Wandering far and wide, bearing witness to the mundane world, is the only way to cultivate a heart that can transcend yet remain engaged with the world, free from attachment to external things.”

As he spoke, the old man poured Qi Wuhuo a cup of tea. He did not ask for Qi Wuhuo’s name, nor did he introduce himself.

It was simply a chance encounter over tea, sharing the scenery outside together.

Qi Wuhuo took a sip of the tea. As it entered his mouth, it tasted crisp and refreshing. Almost immediately, waves of pure energy spread throughout his body, reaching every limb and meridian.

His Primordial Essence and Primordial Qi stilled momentarily, becoming even more harmonious and refined.

“This is…”

Qi Wuhuo was slightly astonished.

He calmed his mind and focused, immersing himself in this sensation. Only after the time it took to finish an entire cup of tea did that pure energy gradually dissipate.

At this moment, the initial bitterness of the tea gave way to a lingering sweetness on Qi Wuhuo’s palate. The old man smiled and said: “Among the countless cultivators in this world, it is rare to encounter one who walks the slowest and most arduous path of the Daoist orthodox lineage. Although I do not know the sect you hail from, since you have already reached the stage of [Three Talents Complete], your lifespan should extend to 120 years.”

“With your foundation, achieving [Innate One Qi] will not be beyond your reach.”

“You should take the road that allows you to go the farthest.”

“But remember, now is not the time to recklessly pursue divine abilities or immediately attempt to condense your Innate Primordial Qi.”

The old man smiled gently and continued: “After reaching the stage of [Vital Qi Nourishes Spirit, Strengthen the Body, and Lighten the Frame], you must still nurture your foundation for a hundred days before you can begin practicing the condensation process.”

“If you attempt to cultivate while still nurturing, it will be akin to peeling skin and breaking bones—arduous and unlikely to succeed.”

“First, stabilize your foundation, then cultivate and harmonize the flow of energy. Only then should you proceed toward Innate Primordial Qi. This is the steady path forward.”

Qi Wuhuo reflected deeply, comparing the old man’s teachings with the heart techniques passed down by his teacher. He solemnly expressed his gratitude.

The old man laughed heartily and said: “It’s good you don’t mind this old man’s penchant for meddling in others’ affairs.”

Qi Wuhuo shook his head and replied: “For you, sir, to offer guidance is an act of kindness, and the principles you speak are correct.”

“Although my Primordial Qi, Primordial Essence, and Primordial Spirit are complete in harmony, they have not yet [taken root]. If I were to advance prematurely, my foundation would undoubtedly become unstable. It would be like constructing a tall building without laying a proper foundation—quick to build, but impossible to raise high.”

“For that, I owe you my thanks.”

The old man sighed wistfully and said: “If only my son possessed your level of understanding and temperament, things wouldn’t be so troublesome.”

“Your son?”

The old man stroked his beard with a mixture of helplessness and fondness on his face, saying:

“Yes… haha. He was mischievous in his youth, full of vigor and hotheadedness, and caused quite a bit of trouble.”

“Later, I went through much effort to raise him and teach him divine abilities and cultivation. It wasn’t until recently that I could finally pass on my [responsibilities] to him. Now, he’s in charge, allowing this old man to step away, enjoy the scenery, and indulge in a quiet cup of tea during what should be the busiest years of my life.”

The old man gazed outside, watching the bustling crowd and the smoky warmth of the mundane world. His eyes were focused, and he smiled as he spoke:

“My elder brother wants me to go live in the [Ancestral Land] in the East.”

“But no matter how familiar the ancestral land is, it’s merely the place where I lived in my youth. My entire life has been spent here. I’ve grown accustomed to these sights day after day, and now, being asked to leave so suddenly, I find myself reluctant. They’ve urged me many times, yet I keep finding excuses not to go. It’s made me wonder, truly. Little Daoist, people always say one is attached to their homeland, but what exactly is a homeland?”

The young Daoist observed the old man’s demeanor, thought for a moment, and replied: “Perhaps what one longs for is their memories.”

The old man was momentarily stunned. Then, as he looked at the throngs of people in the red-dusted world, he smiled and said: “What a profound notion—memories.”

“You’re absolutely right, Young Daoist.”

“What I long for is not merely the ordinary places or scenery. Perhaps it’s everything I’ve seen and experienced here.”

“This is where I was young, and this is where I’ve grown old. Apart from this place, where else could I call my homeland?”

He raised his cup, sipped his tea, and continued to sit in the second-floor tearoom, gazing out at the world outside.

At this moment, the elder’s previously stern features softened.

Qi Wuhuo looked at the elder’s forehead, hesitated briefly, and then said: “I know some medical techniques. Would you like me to take a look?”

The elder did not refuse, instead replying with a casual smile: “Then I’ll trouble you, young Daoist.”

Qi Wuhuo stood up, walked to the elder’s side, and said politely, “Pardon me.” He reached out and pressed his hand lightly on the elder’s forehead. Almost immediately, he felt a wave of searing heat. For some reason, it gave him a faint sense of familiarity, yet it was clearly beyond the scope of his medical skills to decipher. Retracting his hand, Qi Wuhuo said nothing. The elder merely chuckled and remarked:

“Thank you for your kind intentions, Little Daoist. But I’m afraid this is not something you can resolve.”

“Seven or eight years ago, during the great drought in Jinzhou, an entire region was parched and barren. At the time, I relied on my modest divine abilities.”

“I carried two loads of water and went to that place to sprinkle down a few rains. This scar is from what I encountered back then…”

The elder raised his hand to touch his forehead, coughed a few times, and continued with self-mockery:

“Otherwise, I wouldn’t have handed over my duties to my son so early.”

“Rain?”

Qi Wuhuo was suddenly taken aback.

He recalled an incident from his youth. When he had offered his last piece of flatbread to a younger child, a mob had swarmed, stealing his food and beating him severely. Left lying on the ground, barely clinging to life, it was a sudden rain that woke him from unconsciousness and barely kept him alive. The elder, however, gazed ahead with a faint smile, saying: “Yes, rain.”

“Rain falls from the clouds, joining rivers, lakes, and seas. Later, as the sun and moon rise, it transforms into vapor and returns to the sky.”

“This endless cycle of rise and fall—is it not like a cultivator’s breathing, with energy circulating through the hundred meridians?”

Qi Wuhuo was thoughtful, murmuring to himself: “The sun is akin to nature, the moon to life, and the vapor and waters resemble the flow of energy through the meridians, ceaselessly circulating.”

“Is that how it is…”

A flicker of understanding dawned in his heart.

The elder did not hear the youth’s whispered musings, nor did he realize that his casual sighs would lead the young Daoist to a moment of enlightenment.

Instead, the elder leaned slightly forward, gazing at the swirling clouds outside with a gentle smile:

“The first rain or snow of each year always suppresses lingering malicious energy. It dissipates the accumulated dryness and agitation of the year past. This is what it means [Renewal of All Things]. A winter with rain or snow drives away plagues, ensuring the crops and trees flourish in the spring. People love the sight of snowy landscapes and fresh rain, which is why I cherish this first rain each year…”

The young Daoist finished his tea.

The elder remained, gazing at the scenery.

Neither had exchanged names. They simply shared a cup of tea, admired the view, and listened to the wind rustling through the mortal world.

Entering such a place was an act of spontaneity; leaving it was equally so.

That was all.

As Qi Wuhuo left, his eyes caught sight of a chessboard on the elder’s table. It displayed a famous and intricate puzzle.

One was solved only recently within the decades of the Dream of Golden Millet.

The young Daoist reached out, picked up a chess piece, and placed it on the key position to resolve the game. Then, without lingering, he stepped away.

The street vendors’ enthusiastic shouts proved too tempting, as did the aroma of freshly steamed buns. The young Daoist walked past the stall but soon pursed his lips, retreating step by step. Finally, he treated himself to a steaming meat bun. Content, he walked along while savoring it~~

It was only after buying some osmanthus cakes that Qi Wuhuo realized something. Even with the [Round Light Manifestation Technique], there was no way to send these mortal osmanthus cakes to the stars above. As he pondered, the mirror he carried began to shift again. Startled, Qi Wuhuo cast a Concealing Charm and carefully retrieved the mirror to take a closer look.

Countless streams of light converged on the surface of the mirror, coalescing into a single character—

[Difficulty] (難)!

Qi Wuhuo froze. “Difficulty? What does this mean?”

First, it had displayed [Good] (好). Now, it showed [Difficulty] (難)?

[Good] [Difficulty]

Challenging?

The young Daoist finally grasped the meaning of the girl’s conveyed message. She had gone to such great lengths to send it, only to say that the incantation was too difficult?

This revelation went beyond his expectations. Ever since his childhood, when he had witnessed so much of the darker side of human nature, he had always maintained strict control over his emotions. Yet now, standing amidst the bustling mortal world, holding a box of sweet osmanthus cakes, the young Daoist couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.

Biting into his bun, he contemplated for a moment. Then, he wrote a response:

“My cultivation has advanced.”

“When I return, I believe I will finally be able to properly use the [Round Light Manifestation Technique].”

“I’ll teach you. It’s not hard.”
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