Volume 4 Chapter 3

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Volume 4 Chapter 3: The Aftermath

As the morning sun rose from the east and sunlight dispelled the darkness, the various negative emotions that once surrounded Xu Qingfan’s heart seemed to ease in the light.

Feeling the slight warmth of the sun on his face, Xu Qingfan awoke from meditation, slowly opened his eyes, and looked around at the familiar furnishings, chairs, bookshelves, and various wooden items. They appeared calm and simple in the changing light and shade, and a trace of confusion passed through Xu Qingfan’s heart.

"Is everything really over?"

Xu Qingfan murmured softly to himself. Although a whole night had passed, he still couldn’t believe what had happened.

Mystery, conspiracy, chaos, bloodshed, betrayal, death.

It all seemed like it just happened a moment ago, and it felt as if he was still in that endless crisis, ready to face any sudden deadly threats.

Whether on Huandao Island, the back mountain of Jiuhua, or in front of Linghua Hall, recalling the past days, Xu Qingfan could hardly believe he had faced so many life-and-death situations in such a short period. Each moment of life and death still sent shivers down his spine, and it was even harder to believe that he managed to survive them all.

However, Xu Qingfan no longer dared to assure that if he went through all these experiences again, he would still come out unharmed.

Xu Qingfan found it hard to imagine how with his laid-back nature, he had managed to navigate through such intense days with the mindset and methods he did.

Even though he had survived these changes, the cost to Xu Qingfan was significant. His serious internal injuries and Spirit Qi depletion were not even counting the injury on his right leg, which would take a long time to heal. Especially the cold energy trapped in his leg; even with Phoenix Spirit Qi, it would take a great effort to eliminate it completely.

Returning to the original peace and quiet after chaos, Xu Qingfan felt somewhat uneasy. His nerves, strained for over ten days, could not easily relax in a short period.

Feeling the leisurely air and sunlight, a dreamy sensation washed over Xu Qingfan, making it seem like he was in a dream and that his past experiences were just a vivid dream from the previous night.

Upon waking, Xu Qingfan checked his current physical condition and frowned. Even after an entire night of meditation, only less than thirty percent of his Spirit Qi had recovered. His internal injuries had only slightly improved, but fortunately, his movements weren’t hindered, though his right leg still felt a bit weak.

Shaking his head helplessly, Xu Qingfan stood up and pushed open the door. The rays of sunlight, which had been seeping through the room’s gaps, suddenly brightened, quickly flooding every corner of Xu Qingfan’s room.

Squinting, he felt the sunlight outside the door touch his face and took a deep breath of fresh morning air. The dreamlike sensation eased considerably. After a while, Xu Qingfan chuckled self-deprecatingly, shaking his head to clear the lingering illusions from his mind.

What is in the past has already passed; since it has passed, it’s essential to cherish what’s present even more.

Just then, the sound of another door opening echoed, and Xu Qingfan turned to look. From the neighboring room, Ting’er emerged as if she already knew Xu Qingfan was outside, gazing at him with an inquisitive expression.

"When are we going to the top of Jiuhua Mountain to train?"

Although Ting’er didn’t speak, her eyes seemed almost alive; with a single questioning glance, she clearly conveyed her meaning.

Looking at Ting’er’s obedient demeanor, Xu Qingfan noticed that the coldness and defiance in her eyes seemed to have diminished. It seemed that over the years, Xu Qingfan’s subtle influence had lessened both Ting’er’s animosity and the dark influence of the demon orb upon her, or perhaps, she was hiding it more deeply.

A trace of relief flashed through his eyes as Xu Qingfan smiled and asked, "Ting’er, we’re about to move away soon, and we probably won’t return here for many years. Is there anything you want to take with you?"

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s question, Ting’er showed a trace of thought in her eyes. After a moment, she turned back into the house. When she came out again, she was holding a puppet toy shaped like a puppy and a yellowed book.

The puppy-shaped puppet toy was bought by Xu Qingfan when he took Ting’er back from Jiuhua Mountain. It wasn’t because Ting’er liked it particularly; in fact, Ting’er was quite mature and never showed much interest in toys.

The real reason was that during a visit to the town market, Little Green, who was in Ting’er’s arms, suddenly showed great interest in the dog-shaped puppet. Little Green leapt out of Ting’er’s arms, dashed to the puppet stall, and wouldn’t let go of the toy. Seeing the puppet covered in bite marks and drool, the vendor was furious, and Xu Qingfan had no choice but to buy the puppet for Little Green.

As it turned out, Little Green grew very attached to the puppet. Back at Jiuhua Mountain, whenever Ting’er was too busy practicing her skills to pay attention to it, Little Green would run in circles around the puppet, as if it had found a new playmate. This saved Xu Qingfan a lot of trouble.

However, Xu Qingfan now knew that, after being fed a bunch of magical medicines by Liu Huaxiang, Little Green was about to evolve into a large creature. The thought of seeing a massive Little Green running around a tiny puppet made Xu Qingfan shiver.

The book was the "Record of Three Requests" that Xu Qingfan had left for Ting’er before he went to Zhantai to participate in the Newcomer Competition. The fact that she took it with her before leaving might mean she didn’t get much from the book, but she cared about the gift from Xu Qingfan.

Thinking of this, Xu Qingfan felt a bit happier and told Ting’er, "Ting’er, wait outside in the courtyard. I’ll take you away shortly."

After seeing Ting’er obediently walk to the courtyard, Xu Qingfan went into his room. Over the years, he had collected many treasures like spirit stones and medicinal pills, all packed on him, except for some books he needed to take, like the thirteen volumes of "Strange Tales of Mountains and Seas" and ten volumes of "History of Cultivation." Reading them in spare time could pass the time.

After putting the books he was interested in into his sleeve, Xu Qingfan stepped into the courtyard, first bowing to Yue Qingru’s grave, then busied himself again in the yard. He had once obtained two "Three Element Array" disks, and buried one to protect his dwelling. But it was later destroyed by Nangong Qingshan and couldn’t be used anymore.

This time, it was uncertain how long he would be gone. Although the Herb Garden at the top of Jiuhua Mountain wasn’t far away, Xu Qingfan wouldn’t return often. So, Xu Qingfan buried another disk of the Three Element Array in the yard, setting up the Three Element Array once again to protect this dwelling. He did this not because he had hidden any treasures here, but because he didn’t want any wild animals to disturb Yue Qingru’s resting place or damage the house.

The previous Three Element Array had been destroyed by Nangong Qingshan, but many of the spirit stones buried in various places remained. Since this was the second time he was setting up this formation, Xu Qingfan was much quicker than before. Soon, the white mist once again enveloped the wooden house, and Xu Qingfan’s retreat in the rear mountain was restored to its familiar state.

Taking one last look at the place he had called home for over twenty years, Xu Qingfan’s eyes flickered with nostalgia. Without further delay, he gently patted Ting’er’s head and softly said, "Ting’er, let’s go."

With that, Xu Qingfan commanded the Nimbus Cloud, swiftly flying towards the front mountain with Ting’er.

On the Nimbus Cloud, Ting’er, like Xu Qingfan, took one last look at the courtyard before turning her gaze towards the top of Jiuhua Mountain, seemingly looking forward to discovering something new there.

When Xu Qingfan and Ting’er finally disappeared from sight, the rear mountain returned to its usual state—peaceful and vast, with dappled tree shadows, full of vitality yet devoid of human presence.

Perhaps, this was the way the back of Jiuhua Mountain was always meant to be.

Noise truly did not suit this place.

…

After flying to the front mountain, Xu Qingfan hesitated slightly in mid-air, then directed the "Nimbus Cloud" towards Xiao Huazhe’s cave.

Originally, Xu Qingfan wanted to say goodbye to Jin Qinghan, Li Yuhan, Sheng Yushan, and the others, but since Jiuhua was about to close the mountain and they were about to enter the "Jiuji Cave" for training—where it is quite perilous—he thought they must be busy preparing and didn’t want to disturb them. So he decided instead to find his martial uncle Xiao Huazhe, who, besides Liu Huaxiang, was the only elder he was familiar with on Jiuhua Mountain.

Xiao Huazhe’s cave was located in a bamboo grove halfway up Jiuhua Mountain, appearing elegantly serene under the morning mist. Compared to Xu Qingfan’s cave on the back mountain, it was less tranquil but three times more exquisite.

After descending from the "Nimbus Cloud," Xu Qingfan respectfully stood outside the bamboo grove with Ting’er, then projected his voice into the grove saying, "Martial Uncle Xiao, junior Xu Qingfan has come to visit."

With the aid of Spirit Qi, Xu Qingfan’s not-so-loud voice clearly reached every corner of the bamboo grove.

A moment later, Xiao Huazhe’s solemn voice clearly emerged from within the grove.

"Is that Martial Nephew Xu? Come in."

Hearing Xiao Huazhe’s voice, Xu Qingfan no longer hesitated and strolled with Ting’er towards the exquisite bamboo house within the grove.

Upon entering the house, Xu Qingfan saw that Xiao Huazhe was not meditating cross-legged on the bamboo bed as usual, but rather standing quietly by the window, looking up at the wind moving the bamboo trees, the clouds rising and falling, as if pondering something or perhaps reminiscing, with a faint trace of solitude in his silhouette.

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s footsteps approaching from behind, Xiao Huazhe slowly turned around. He first glanced at Ting’er next to Xu Qingfan, not showing any surprise at the dark flame pattern on her face, and then gazed deeply at Xu Qingfan, as if trying to discern something from him.

When Xu Qingfan saw Xiao Huazhe’s face, he was taken aback.

As it turned out, Xiao Huazhe, as the senior disciple of the "Hua" generation of Jiuhua Mountain, was also the top expert of Jiuhua Mountain (besides Li Xuhan). Naturally serious, he always paid great attention to his appearance. Though he did not dress up much, he always kept his clothes tidy and his hair and beard well-groomed. However, now looking at Xiao Huazhe, his hair was disheveled and his clothes were wrinkled, as if he hadn’t cleaned himself at all since the chaos at Jiuhua the day before.

Although surprised, Xu Qingfan thought perhaps Xiao Huazhe was worried about Jiuhua’s current situation, so he didn’t dwell on it. He simply led Ting’er in a deep bow to him. But just as he was about to greet him, Xiao Huazhe suddenly said, "Qingfan, to be honest, neither you nor Qingru seem anything like my fellow disciple."

Hearing Xiao Huazhe speak this way, Xu Qingfan paused slightly, unsure of the meaning behind Xiao Huazhe’s words, and didn’t dare to respond lightly. He only looked at Xiao Huazhe in confusion, waiting for him to continue.

Xiao Huazhe went on, "My fellow disciple, from the first day he set foot on Jiuhua Mountain, was very dedicated to the practice of immortality. Among us old fellows, he was the most diligent. Yet you and Qingru, though being his disciples, seem less zealous about cultivation and more interested in leisure activities like reading books and gardening."

Hearing this, Xu Qingfan felt a twinge of guilt and said softly, "Our master had a natural gift and hoped to find the path to immortality, so he practiced diligently. However, my brother and I are of lesser aptitude; even with hard work, it would be in vain, so we are not as focused on cultivation in our daily lives."

Xiao Huazhe shook his head slowly and said, "I rather wish my fellow disciple could learn more from you two; this way, he wouldn’t have had to fall into the cycle of reincarnation so soon."

Xu Qingfan paused again, his heart filled with even more confusion. Seeing Xiao Huazhe’s face, which was both messy and forlorn, he didn’t know what to say.

Xiao Huazhe asked, "Has my junior brother ever told you about the differences between the three stages of cultivation: Foundation Establishment Stage, Condensed Core Stage, and Mahayana Stage?"

Xu Qingfan shook his head and replied, "Master only explained to me the differences within the Foundation Establishment Stage, like the Qi Refining Stage, Inedia Stage, and Lingji Stage. I suppose he felt I would never reach the Condensed Core Stage in this life, so he never mentioned the differences between the three stages."

Xiao Huazhe nodded and slowly said, "If the Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator uses the Spirit Qi of heaven and earth to transform themselves, the Condensed Core Stage cultivator comprehends the Heavenly Way, and the Mahayana Stage cultivator merges with the Heavenly Way. When the body and Heavenly Way are completely united, one reaches the realm of coexisting with heaven and earth, which is what we often call the path to immortality."

Hearing Xiao Huazhe’s words, Xu Qingfan held his breath and etched them into his heart because he knew these seemingly ordinary words were the priceless insights Xiao Huazhe had gained through years of cultivation.

As expected, Xiao Huazhe continued, "During the Foundation Establishment Stage, battles between cultivators depend entirely on whose Spirit Qi is more abundant and whose technique is purer. But once at the Condensed Core Stage, a cultivator’s power completely depends on their understanding of the Heavenly Way. The more they comprehend, the more powers they gain, and the stronger they become."

Pausing, Xiao Huazhe went on, "But since it’s the Heavenly Way, it’s not so easy to grasp. To understand it, one must always maintain a natural and calm mindset, only then can they keenly sense its subtleties and comprehend it. My junior brother, however, was too focused on cultivation, unable to keep a peaceful mind, which put him at a disadvantage. During his life, I advised him many times, and even though he understood, he couldn’t let go of his fixation. As a result, he could not advance beyond the Golden Core Stage and eventually died of old age, which is truly melancholy."

Although Xiao Huazhe’s words contained criticisms of Xu Qingfan’s master, Lu Huayan, Xu Qingfan knew there was truth in them and could not argue, so he listened in silence.

Xiao Huazhe continued, "That’s why I say my junior brother should have learned from you two disciples in terms of mindset. With your mentality, his progression would naturally have increased, and if nothing else had gone wrong, he might have reached the Mahayana Stage with me in a hundred years, continuing to explore the mystery of immortality."

Hearing Xiao Huazhe’s words, Xu Qingfan mourned for his master, then was suddenly shocked and looked at Xiao Huazhe in disbelief, exclaiming, "Martial uncle, do you mean you’ll reach the Mahayana Stage and become a master in just a hundred years?"

Xiao Huazhe nodded, but it was strange that instead of joy, his face showed deep loneliness and sadness.

When Xu Qingfan was about to congratulate him, Xiao Huazhe waved his hand and said, "You don’t need to congratulate me, as I now don’t even have a hundred years left to continue my cultivation."

Hearing Xiao Huazhe’s words, Xu Qingfan was first puzzled, then reacted with a shock and urgently asked, "Martial Uncle, what do you mean by this? Could it be that, like my master, your lifespan is already…"

Xiao Huazhe sighed, shook his head, then nodded again, and softly said, "My lifespan wasn’t exhausted before, but to gain Zhou Huahai’s trust, I took a ‘Sky Spiritual Pill,’ which greatly consumed my lifespan, and now I have less than thirty years to live."

Xu Qingfan looked horrified and quickly asked, "With your level of cultivation, Martial Uncle, even you can’t nullify the effects of the ‘Sky Spiritual Pill’?"

Xiao Huazhe nodded sadly and said, "Zhang Xusheng truly is a rare genius of the Jiuhua sect. The ‘Sky Spiritual Pill’ he made, even with the combined power of Jiuhua, we can’t find a solution."

As he spoke, Xiao Huazhe heaved a heavy sigh.

Seeing the deep despair in Xiao Huazhe’s eyes, Xu Qingfan finally understood why Xiao Huazhe, who always paid attention to his appearance, now had disheveled clothes and hair. It seemed that as he was nearing a breakthrough to the Mahayana Stage, he suddenly discovered he had little time left, leaving him in utter despair.

Although Xu Qingfan wanted to comfort Xiao Huazhe, he found himself unable to find any reason to console him, and at this moment, there was simply no reason that could comfort Xiao Huazhe.

So Xu Qingfan moved his lips, but in the end, he said nothing. After a long silence, he sighed softly and murmured, "The heavens are unfair."

It seemed like he was complaining to Xiao Huazhe, but it also seemed like he was talking to himself.

Seeing Xu Qingfan’s worried look, Xiao Huazhe’s originally despondent expression seemed to lighten a bit. After pondering for a moment, he suddenly changed the subject and asked, "Qingfan, do you remember what I said at your master’s funeral?"

Before Xu Qingfan could answer, Xiao Huazhe continued, "I said, when I die, I wonder if there will be disciples like you and Qingru to lay me to rest, or if anyone would burn incense at my grave on my death anniversary. Unfortunately, I have always disliked crowds, so although I’ve practiced for hundreds of years, I’ve never taken on a disciple. It seems unlikely anyone will send me off when I die."

His voice was filled with loneliness and fatigue.

Hearing Xiao Huazhe speak like this, Xu Qingfan felt a pang of sadness and quickly said, "Martial uncle, you don’t need to be sad. Although I’m not your direct disciple, as your nephew, if in thirty years you fall into reincarnation, I will personally carry your coffin."

Even though Xu Qingfan made such a promise, Xiao Huazhe’s expression didn’t brighten much, but the despondency eased slightly. He stared at Xu Qingfan for a long time and, seeing genuine sincerity in his eyes, Xiao Huazhe gently nodded and said, "In a way, you’re the only heir of our line, so having you send me off isn’t out of the question."

Xu Qingfan quickly said, "Yes, if anything happens to you, martial uncle, I’m just doing my duty. But you needn’t be so downcast. The world is fickle, and fate is unpredictable. Perhaps, perhaps over the years, you’ll have some extraordinary encounter and rid yourself of the ‘Sky Spiritual Pill’s’ harm. Then, you’ll become a grandmaster, and I will be honored to stay by your side and listen to your teachings."

But Xiao Huazhe shook his head sadly and said, "If opportunities really appeared often, they wouldn’t be called opportunities."

After a pause, Xiao Huazhe suddenly waved his right sleeve, and several artifacts, glowing with Spirit Qi, appeared on the bamboo table beside him. There was a ruler shining with colorful light, a copper mirror with a mystical glow, a black stone fragment, and a green slip.

Xiao Huazhe then said, "Since you’re here to see me off, you are half a disciple of mine. You can’t take anything with you in life or death. The things I’ve cultivated and collected over the years will probably be taken by that old fellow Zhang Hualing after I die. I can’t leave you with nothing, so these are things I think you might find useful. Consider them my gift to you. The instructions on how to use them are on the green slip."

Xu Qingfan understood that Xiao Huazhe was in a state of despair and wouldn’t engage in formalities, so he silently put the three items into his sleeve without further ado.

Seeing Xu Qingfan’s actions, Xiao Huazhe nodded in satisfaction and then sighed again. He said, "If there’s nothing else, you should go. I wanted you to stay with me in these final moments, but I’ve learned solitude in my last days. I know you plan to train with Junior Martial Brother Liu Huaxiang at the top of Jiuhua Mountain, right? Brother Liu Huaxiang’s skills are unparalleled, and his knowledge surpasses mine. Being guided by him is a great opportunity. You must cherish it and not disgrace our lineage."

Hearing Xiao Huazhe praise Liu Huaxiang’s skills, Xu Qingfan was slightly taken aback but thought Xiao Huazhe was merely being polite. Just as he was about to express his desire to stay with Xiao Huazhe, he saw Xiao Huazhe turn back to admire the bamboo grove outside the window, as if he couldn’t get enough of it. He waved his hand at Xu Qingfan, signaling him to leave, unwilling to say another word.

Xu Qingfan sighed slightly, knowing Xiao Huazhe desired solitude. Though his heart was heavy and he wished to stay for comfort, he bowed helplessly and said, "Then I shall take my leave. Martial uncle, please take care of yourself."

At this moment, Xu Qingfan no longer referred to Xiao Huazhe as "junior," but as "disciple."

After saying this, Xu Qingfan slowly left with Ting’er.

As Xu Qingfan walked out of the bamboo grove with a heavy heart, he suddenly heard a sad song coming from within, filled with helplessness and loneliness.

The lyrics say, "Yearning for the west wind, filled with melancholy thoughts, when red smartweed and white reeds break one’s heart. The empty fence, the old garden, autumn leaves no trace; the cold moon, the clear frost, dreams hold knowledge. Thoughts follow the wild geese afar, listening to the late pounding in silence. Who pities me lamenting for the Heavenly Way, comforting words remind that Chongyang will have its day."

Hearing this sorrowful song and feeling Xiao Huazhe’s helplessness, Xu Qingfan’s body shuddered, letting out a sorrowful sigh once more, then without lingering, he skillfully directed the "Nimbus Cloud" swiftly towards the "Herb Garden" at the top of Jiuhua Mountain.

Since the old has gone, it also means that everything new is about to begin.