Volume 3 Chapter 9

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Volume 3 Chapter 9: The Beginning

In Ting’er’s room, there were still ongoing fluctuations of mixed fire Spirit Qi and demonic energy. Although Ting’er no longer practiced tirelessly day and night as she did in the beginning, she was still very diligent. Every morning, she would rise with the sunrise to practice her Taoist arts, as Xu Qingfan once told her that morning was when yin and yang met, making the Five Elements Spirit Qi in the world active. Practicing Taoism at this time made it easier to harmonize with the Five Elements Qi of Heaven and Earth. From that time on, Ting’er would get up to practice Taoism whenever the sun rose, never missing once.

Gently opening the door, Xu Qingfan saw Ting’er concentrating hard to transform the black flames before her into the shape of a Firebird. Ting’er was incredibly perceptive, and as Xu Qingfan noticed the flames nearly taking the form of a bird, he nodded silently in approval. She had almost mastered the "Firebird Technique" he had taught her a month ago. The black flame before Ting’er was now more than ten times larger than the weak flicker he had seen two years ago.

As for Little Green, the creature seemed to have fully adapted to Ting’er’s fire over the past two years, showing no signs of fear any longer. It lay by Ting’er’s bed, sleeping soundly. When someone entered the room, Little Green lazily lifted its head to glance around but, upon seeing it was Xu Qingfan, went back to its nap without a worry.

Seeing Xu Qingfan enter her room, Ting’er slowly retracted the flames and quietly watched as Xu Qingfan approached, as if she already knew he had something to say.

Ting’er was fourteen now. If she were in the mortal world, a girl her age would be helping her parents with many household chores. Yet in Xu Qingfan’s eyes, she was still the helpless little girl from three years ago who had lost her parents and clan, silently mourning over her father’s body.

Unconsciously, three years had slipped by, and the once small-framed girl had grown over three inches taller. Her thin frame had gradually become more balanced. In just a few short years, the girl from the Southern Wasteland now had a poised and graceful presence. The flame tattoos covering Ting’er’s face had shown no sign of fading over the years, and together with her fair and delicate face and cool, calm demeanor, she exuded an enchanting beauty.

Over the past three years, Xu Qingfan had kept Ting’er by his side to look after her. But with the upcoming Newcomer Competition hosted by the six main sects, he could not bring her along, so he had to leave her behind for now. Although Xu Qingfan knew Ting’er was mature for her age and capable of looking after herself, he still felt somewhat uneasy.

Xu Qingfan raised his right hand slightly, instinctively wanting to pat Ting’er’s head as he used to do two years ago. But halfway through, he suddenly stopped and pretended to casually lower his hand. Was it because he realized Ting’er had grown from his waist height to his chest, or because he recalled her cold "yes" from two years ago?

Some emotional knots are not easily untangled, even if time can erode all else. Xu Qingfan could hardly forget the moment Ting’er admitted she wanted to kill him, feeling heartache just as Ting’er could never forget the moment Xu Qingfan plunged a blade into her father’s chest, blood splattering, leaving her feeling empty and in disbelief.

Despite being kind to Ting’er, Xu Qingfan hadn’t patted her head in two years.

However, Xu Qingfan couldn’t tell if it was just his imagination. At the moment he raised his hand, Ting’er’s usually cool eyes seemed to show a hint of anticipation, but after he lowered his hand, a trace of disappointment flashed quickly through her eyes. Yet, whether it was anticipation or disappointment, both vanished in an instant, and Ting’er’s eyes returned to their usual calm, making Xu Qingfan doubt whether he had imagined it all from the start.

"How could she have expectations and disappointments towards me? I killed her father; she should hate me," Xu Qingfan thought mockingly to himself. Then he collected his emotions and spoke gently to Ting’er, "Ting’er, I will be away for a while, probably two months. During this time, someone will bring you meals regularly, and Uncle Zhao Qingxuan will also deliver food for Little Green, so you don’t need to worry about anything else, just focus on your cultivation."

Initially, Xu Qingfan went to great lengths to feed Little Green. Although there were many wild animals in Jiuhua Mountain, the Spirit Qi had enriched them with intelligence, and they could not be hunted freely. The food in Jiuhua Mountain’s kitchen was only enough to satisfy Little Green halfway. Helpless, Xu Qingfan had to frequently go down the mountain to catch animals for Little Green, which took a lot of time. Later, Zhao Qingxuan noticed the situation and volunteered to take on the responsibility of finding food for Little Green. As a disciple in charge of supplies, he often went down the mountain and had plenty of time.

After hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, a slight wave passed through Ting’er’s eyes, but she nodded slightly and said nothing more.

Seeing Ting’er’s continued silence, Xu Qingfan sighed inwardly, then took out a book called "Record of Three Requests" from his sleeve and gently placed it on the table beside her, saying, "Cultivating the way of immortality must not be rushed. The more anxious you are, the harder it is to break through. The process is natural, and building a strong foundation is the right path. So after I leave, continue your practice as you have for the past two years, and don’t be hasty."

When Ting’er nodded quietly, Xu Qingfan added, "I really like this book, ‘Record of Three Requests.’ You might find it interesting during your cultivation breaks. I hope you’ll like it too."

"Record of Three Requests" is a rarely circulated book in the mortal world and even less known in the cultivation world, but Xu Qingfan really likes it. It tells the story of a minor official in the mortal world whose life was filled with struggles. The official was kind-hearted and did not know how to please others. Even though he knew how dark the world of officials was, he refused to compromise, so he was repeatedly suppressed by his superiors, never getting promoted, and not even his wife and children could understand him.

Later, on his deathbed, a friend asked him, "With your abilities, you could have used some underhanded methods to gain a high position. Once in power, you could have pursued your ambitions. Why didn’t you?" The official replied, "Principles are constraints on oneself. Once broken, the constraint is gone. If it happens once, there will be a second time, and then a third, until it becomes a habit and you forget your original purpose."

His friend was unimpressed by his words and asked what he had been seeking all his life. The official said, "Firstly, to live with a clear conscience. Secondly, to face death with peace of mind. Thirdly, to be reborn as a common scholar, remembered by none." Upon hearing this, his friend was inspired and wrote "Record of Three Requests" to tell the world that in this utilitarian society, there was once a humble official who quietly held on to his principles. Unfortunately, few people heeded it.

Or perhaps, everyone just treated this book as a joke. Isn’t it funny to rely on being a pushover?

However, Xu Qingfan hoped the book would resonate with Ting’er.

After Ting’er nodded again, Xu Qingfan said no more, turned, and walked out the door, riding his "Nimbus Cloud" swiftly toward the front mountain.

Ting’er quietly watched Xu Qingfan leave, the corners of her mouth twitching slightly as if she wanted to say something, but she held back. She glanced at "Record of Three Requests" on the table and sat cross-legged on her bed to practice her daoist skills.

Perhaps, having become accustomed to Xu Qingfan’s kindness and care over the past three years, at the moment of his departure, she felt a brief sense of loss?

Fate is like this, as if it’s a mischievous child unaware of sorrow, playing one cruel joke after another on people, yet never tiring.

…

When Xu Qingfan flew his "Nimbus Cloud" to the plaza in front of Linghua Hall, he found it bustling with people. Many disciples of Jiuhua Mountain had already arrived. Apart from Xu Qingfan, the five people representing Jiuhua Gate in the Newcomer Competition were already there, standing quietly at the forefront, silently waiting for the elders to appear.

Feng Qingtian stood at the far left of the group, maintaining at least five feet of distance from others, with a proud expression, a poised stature, and a hint of a mocking smile on his handsome face. He exuded a unique aloofness and world-weariness. Even among hundreds of disciples, Xu Qingfan noticed him at first glance. Some people are naturally dazzling, and Feng Qingtian was such. According to Jin Qinghan, since Feng Qingtian reached the Lingji Stage, his cultivation had accelerated, and he had already entered the middle stage of Lingji three years ago.

Beside Feng Qingtian stood Lv Qingshang, skilled in charms and formations. Xu Qingfan managed to claim third place in the big competition because Jin Qinghan had previously heavily injured Lv Qingshang, allowing Xu Qingfan to win without a fight. Otherwise, in a fair match, Xu Qingfan likely would have lost due to his skills at the time. Now, Lv Qingshang had reached the early stage of the Lingji Stage, clearly having put in significant effort over the years. He still had that casual and slightly decadent look on his face, seemingly unaffected by the defeat from ten years ago.

Next to Lv Qingshang was Jin Qinghan, the person Xu Qingfan knew best. If Feng Qingtian’s expression was proud and aloof, then Jin Qinghan’s was cool and indifferent. After losing to Feng Qingtian, Jin Qinghan became like a sharpened sword sheathed, his aura subtle but sharp upon closer observation. His spirit beast "Little Gold" shrank in size to perch restlessly on Jin Qinghan’s shoulder.

At the far right of the four was Wang Qingjun, who still appeared as ordinary and humble as he did ten years ago, with a plain and rigid expression. Among the four, he was the least noticeable, lacking exceptional presence, arrogance, or unusual personality, simply standing quietly in an unremarkable spot. Yet, no one dared to underestimate him, as everyone remembered his legendary battle with Feng Qingtian vividly.

Aside from these four, there was the enchanting Dongfang Qingling, the elegant Wang Qingfeng, the amiable and broad-shouldered Bai Qingfu, and the contrasting duo Li Yuhan and Sheng Yushan, who were inseparable despite their different personalities, all quietly waiting among the crowd.

In front of Linghua Hall, there were hundreds of Jiuhua disciples, each one an elite of the younger generation from Jiuhua Mountain, with at least the Inedia Stage cultivation. Seeing this, Xu Qingfan paused in surprise, as he assumed the Jiuhua Gate was gathering participants for the upcoming Newcomer Competition. However, only five disciples would typically be needed, so Xu Qingfan wondered why the high levels of Jiuhua Gate had gathered so many others.

Since Xu Qingfan arrived late and had a notable reputation in Jiuhua Gate, appearing with a rare Human Level high-grade flying instrument, everyone turned their attention to him upon his arrival.

In the past, Xu Qingfan would have felt uneasy with such attention, but after years of experience, he had gained a sense of peace. He acknowledged Dongfang Qingling, Bai Qingfu, and others with a nod before guiding his "Nimbus Cloud" to land beside Jin Qinghan.

As Xu Qingfan approached, Jin Qinghan seemed ready to speak, but suddenly, ethereal music filled the air, followed by brilliant celestial light on the horizon. Within this light, dozens of white-haired elder protectors, led by Zhang Hualing and Zhou Huahai, swiftly flew toward the crowd on clouds.