Volume 4 Chapter 6

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

Volume 4 Chapter 6: Reflections

Imagine something very important to you, yet you know there’s no chance of success. In such a situation, would you feel disappointed? Or perhaps, would you feel hopeless?

Yes, anyone can do it.

But that’s not the most despairing thing.

The most despairing is when you had no hope, and then one day, a glimmer of hope suddenly appears, only to vanish in an instant, leaving you unable to grasp it.

How would you feel at that moment?

Deep despair? Or so much despair that you can’t even feel despair anymore?

That’s exactly how Xu Qingfan feels now.

The night is cool, the peak of Jiuhua Mountain is a frozen world, yet Xu Qingfan feels his heart is colder than all of it combined.

Colder than ice and deeper than the dark night.

The joy that had just appeared on Xu Qingfan’s face suddenly froze, and after a long pause, he forced a smile and said, "Really? I see."

After that, there were no more words.

But this was only a surface calm; in Xu Qingfan’s heart, there was a storm raging.

"Is this fate?" Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but think to himself.

Although not a fatalist, Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but begin to resent the injustice of fate at that moment.

Seeing the deep disappointment on Xu Qingfan’s face, Ting’er gently walked over to his side, held Xu Qingfan’s hand like last time, and seemed to want to use the warmth of her hand to ease his sorrow.

After a moment of contemplation, Liu Huaxiang said, "But there is a way to handle this."

Xu Qingfan suddenly looked up, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He hesitantly asked, "Martial Uncle Liu, are you saying that this secret technique can still work for me?"

Liu Huaxiang seemed to just notice Xu Qingfan’s disappointment, but instead of comforting him, he simply said, "Of course it can. This secret technique, at the end of the day, is just about using methods to alter a cultivator’s body, and what you need now is merely a bit more adjustment."

Hearing Liu Huaxiang’s words, Xu Qingfan finally felt at ease, realizing that, although it was just a few words exchanged, the emotional highs and lows were no less intense than the experiences of the past ten days.

After all that happened, Xu Qingfan no longer felt the initial excitement; instead, he became calm.

Once he calmed down, Xu Qingfan suddenly sensed that something in Liu Huaxiang’s words was off.

The human body has evolved to its stable form over millions of years, not something that can be changed at will. Moreover, Xu Qingfan was familiar with the history of the cultivation world and most cultivation methods, yet he had never heard of any secret technique that could enhance a cultivator’s aptitude.

For instance, Medicine King Valley has always tried to use the power of elixirs to improve cultivators’ bodies, but after thousands of years of research from the entire sect, they still hadn’t achieved anything.

Thinking of this, Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but ask gravely, "Martial Uncle Liu, is this secret technique reliable? Or are there any successful precedents? If I were to use this technique to improve my aptitude, would it require any sacrifices?"

Liu Huaxiang looked at Xu Qingfan’s calm expression and wasn’t angered by his doubts; instead, he nodded approvingly and then softly said, "This secret technique is very reliable. To my knowledge, there have already been many successful cases. Although it requires sacrifices, if you’re determined enough, they are completely manageable."

Xu Qingfan was slightly taken aback and asked again, "Whose creation is this secret technique? Since it’s so mysterious and has many successful cases, why haven’t I heard of it before? And what are the sacrifices you mentioned that are completely manageable?"

Upon hearing Xu Qingfan’s questions, Liu Huaxiang seemed to delve into distant memories. After a long while, he said, "This secret technique was created by a rare genius in the cultivation world over thousands of years. However, this genius had an extreme personality and eventually turned to evil. He not only used this technique to alter his own body, but also transformed all his followers with it. Due to his many wrongdoings, he always acted in secrecy, leading to little knowledge of him in the cultivation world."

The person Liu Huaxiang was referring to was his junior, Zhang Xusheng, but Liu Huaxiang’s tone was so distant that Xu Qingfan thought he was speaking of a past predecessor from thousands of years ago. Moreover, Xu Qingfan’s focus was more on the technique itself, so he didn’t consider Zhang Xusheng’s involvement.

After a pause, Liu Huaxiang continued, "As for the cost I mentioned, the risk of this secret method is tremendous. A single mistake could lead to the loss of all power, or even complete annihilation, and the method I acquired is far from complete. Although I’ve tried to improve it over the years, I’m not as brilliant as the original creator. Moreover, I’ve removed some extremely cruel parts of this cultivation method, which has only increased its danger."

After another pause, Liu Huaxiang frowned and said, "Even though I have removed some cruel parts, using this method on you still requires a large number of resentful souls and vital essence, which is problematic."

Hearing Liu Huaxiang’s words, Xu Qingfan’s expression gradually turned serious. After pondering for a moment, he asked slowly, "Martial Uncle, if this secret method is used on me, what are the chances of success?"

After thinking for a while, Liu Huaxiang said gravely, "Thirty percent."

Liu Huaxiang then added, "That’s why I said your body’s transformation has both advantages and disadvantages. Due to the changes in your body, performing this secret method on you will be much more complicated and take significantly longer. Moreover, because your body is now very different from an ordinary person’s, the uncertainty has greatly increased. Originally, there was a fifty percent chance of safety, but now it’s only thirty percent. The benefit, however, is that due to your body’s transformation, we can skip the most critical step of this method, which is enhancing the body’s vitality. Accomplishing that would have required a great number of human souls and essence, something I’ve always been worried about where to find."

After finishing, Liu Huaxiang looked into Xu Qingfan’s eyes earnestly and said, "I’ve told you everything I can. Whether or not to let me perform this transformation on you is entirely up to you. I will not interfere."

As he spoke, Liu Huaxiang kept a close watch on Xu Qingfan’s eyes, as if he didn’t want to miss any change in his expression.

For Liu Huaxiang, the decision Xu Qingfan would make at this moment was also very important. From it, he could gain deeper insight into Xu Qingfan’s character. Only then could he decide how to reshape Xu Qingfan’s character, which he considered far more important than altering Xu Qingfan’s abilities.

To some extent, Liu Huaxiang was already regarding Xu Qingfan as the future successor of Jiuhua’s sect leadership.

Meanwhile, Xu Qingfan was also filled with hesitation.

Only less than a thirty percent success rate?

Xu Qingfan knew that with his aptitude, if he trained in the normal way, he might never have the chance to reach the Condensed Core Stage, let alone seek the path to immortality.

Remembering the powerlessness he felt during the Jiuhua incident when he fought desperately but couldn’t control his fate, and how his former companions had already entered the "Jiuji Cave" to train and would soon receive enlightenment from the Jiuhua elders, greatly enhancing their skills, while he would be left far behind, made Xu Qingfan feel an urge to immediately agree with Liu Huaxiang’s proposal and accept his secret transformation technique.

But then, thinking about the less than thirty percent success rate, Xu Qingfan hesitated again.

A success rate of less than thirty percent meant that if Xu Qingfan accepted the secret transformation and failed, it would be expected, and if he succeeded, it would be considered mere luck.

This hesitation didn’t mean Xu Qingfan lacked the determination to become stronger or was without courage; rather, for someone with a scholarly nature like him, it was difficult to entrust his life and future solely to what could be called luck.

When reading history, sometimes Xu Qingfan wondered if those so-called successful adventurers in history weren’t, in some ways, just fortunate recklessness? Simply lucky risk-takers.

Hundreds of adventures, with success once or twice, then historians would greatly praise them, resulting in many people admiring adventurous success. Meanwhile, those who chose a cautious approach were often criticized as conservative and indecisive.

But for Xu Qingfan, rather than taking a chance with no guarantee, he prefers to proceed step by step, slowly but surely. While this approach seems less decisive, it is more responsible both to himself and to others.

Xu Qingfan would also take risks and leave his fate to luck, but only as a last resort when all other options have failed.

Watching Xu Qingfan’s expression change from decisive to hesitant, then from pondering to firm, Liu Huaxiang didn’t interrupt. He simply waited silently for Xu Qingfan’s response.

After quietly thinking for a long time, Xu Qingfan finally raised his head and said to Liu Huaxiang, "Martial Uncle Liu, I have made my decision."

"What decision?" Liu Huaxiang asked.

Xu Qingfan said in a deep voice, "I will accept Martial Uncle’s secret technique on me, but not now."

"Oh? Why is that?" Liu Huaxiang asked curiously.

Xu Qingfan carefully chose his words and said slowly, "To be honest, the secret technique that can change a cultivator’s aptitude is very appealing to someone like me with low aptitude. But with a success rate of less than thirty percent, it’s far too low. I can’t rely on luck for my fate, especially not at this moment."

"Oh, so you mean you’ll accept the secret technique when it’s your last resort?"

Xu Qingfan shook his head and said, "Martial Uncle, you mentioned earlier that maintaining vitality is crucial when performing this secret technique. If, by the end, I am already old and my vitality is greatly reduced, the hope of successfully executing the technique would be even lower."

Liu Huaxiang asked with interest, "So when do you plan to accept my secret technique transformation?"

Xu Qingfan explained seriously, "Given my current situation, although the hope of Core Formation is slim, it’s not entirely impossible. Martial Uncle, you once gave me a ‘Wutong branch’, which contains very powerful Spirit Qi. If I fuse it with the ‘Spirit Purging Sutra’, there is about a thirty percent chance of Core Formation success."

"What if it fails?" Liu Huaxiang asked. "Thirty percent possibility is still quite low."

"If it fails, I will request you to use the secret technique you’ve obtained to transform my body," Xu Qingfan stated firmly.

Liu Huaxiang frowned and said, "But have you considered this? If you merge the ‘Spirit Purging Sutra’ with the ‘Wutong branch’, the phoenix traits in your body will become more evident. Then, if you undergo this secret technique transformation, the success rate might be even lower, perhaps around twenty percent."

Xu Qingfan smiled and asked, "Martial Uncle Liu, since it’s a last-minute gamble, what’s the difference between a success rate of less than thirty percent and twenty percent?"

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, a glint of comfort flashed in Liu Huaxiang’s eyes. While others might think Xu Qingfan’s choice lacks courage, Liu Huaxiang appreciated Xu Qingfan’s cautious approach. Especially as he was considering leaving Jiuhua Mountain in Xu Qingfan’s hands, and for a weakened Jiuhua Mountain, an aggressive sect leader would only lead it faster to ruin.

Although thinking this, Liu Huaxiang’s face showed no emotion. He just nodded subtly and said, "I said you should decide for yourself. Since you have made up your mind, let’s do it your way."

Xu Qingfan bowed deeply to Liu Huaxiang and respectfully said, "Thank you, Martial Uncle, for your support. If I still can’t reach the Condensed Core Stage after merging with the Wutong branch, then I will rely on your assistance, Martial Uncle."

Liu Huaxiang waved his hand and laughed, "There’s no need for thanks. Helping you achieve the Condensed Core Stage would be a joyous occasion for Jiuhua, too. Once you succeed in Core Formation, just keep an eye out for some rare flower and herb seeds for me."

Xu Qingfan smiled and said, "Of course."

After speaking, Xu Qingfan and Liu Huaxiang couldn’t help but exchange a smile.

Suddenly, Xu Qingfan noticed Ting’er, who was holding his hand obediently, and remembered her unusual condition. He transmitted a message to Liu Huaxiang, asking, "Martial Uncle Liu, you’ve been teaching Ting’er this past month. Have you discovered anything about the anomalies in her body?"

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s question, Liu Huaxiang frowned and replied, "The Demon Ancestor truly deserves his reputation. The magic orb he refined is remarkably profound. Even though Ting’er is no longer the owner of the orb, her body remains a mystery."

As if pondering something, Liu Huaxiang paused and continued, "Now Ting’er’s body is filled with demonic energy, which seems to have a life of its own, continuously absorbing the surrounding Spirit Qi to grow stronger. This means that even if Ting’er doesn’t cultivate, her internal power will eventually turn her into a cultivator, not a typical one, but a demon cultivator. With you teaching her immortality cultivation, Ting’er has, besides demonic energy, the Five Elements Spirit Qi within her, making her identity difficult to define."

Hearing Liu Huaxiang’s words, Xu Qingfan was taken aback, realizing how complex Ting’er’s condition was. He then asked, "Martial Uncle Liu, even with your skills, can you not remove the demonic energy from Ting’er’s body?"

Liu Huaxiang shook his head, "The magic orb’s alteration of Ting’er is thorough. The demonic energy is deeply embedded in her body and soul, making it not easy to remove. An improper attempt might severely harm her. I once tried to channel a wisp of Spirit Qi into her body for detection, but it was quickly corroded by the demonic energy. Increasing the Spirit Qi for more detection might harm her body, so there hasn’t been any progress."

Xu Qingfan asked, "Is there really no other way?"

After a moment of silence, Liu Huaxiang said, "There is a way that’s not quite a way."

Xu Qingfan quickly inquired, "What way?"

Liu Huaxiang smiled wryly, "That is to wait until Ting’er successfully cultivates her skills, at least reaching the Golden Core Stage, and then rely on the transformation of her body by the Spirit Qi of heaven and earth, along with the rich Spirit Qi within her, to expel the demonic energy from her body on her own."

Hearing Liu Huaxiang say this, Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but sigh, smiling bitterly in his heart, finally understanding why Liu Huaxiang called it a way that’s not quite a way.

With Ting’er’s current unusual condition, who knows what other changes might occur by the time she reaches the Condensed Core Stage. By then, her situation will likely become even more complicated. Moreover, Liu Huaxiang’s method is merely a guess, and whether it will truly work is uncertain.

Meanwhile, Ting’er looked curiously at Xu Qingfan, seemingly unable to understand why Xu Qingfan and Liu Huaxiang fell into sudden silence, and then why Xu Qingfan sighed after being silent for so long.

Noticing Ting’er’s puzzled gaze, Xu Qingfan suppressed his worries, gently patted Ting’er’s head, and softly said, "Ting’er, it’s late. Don’t only keep cultivating; go and rest early as well. A balance between work and rest will make your cultivation more effective."

Ting’er nodded obediently, then bid farewell to Xu Qingfan and Liu Huaxiang with her eyes before quietly heading to her room.

Originally, Little Green was quietly lying behind Ting’er, but when Ting’er left, it quickly followed her, as if it didn’t dare to stay near Xu Qingfan for even a second. Seeing Little Green so frightened, even Xu Qingfan felt like he had turned into a fearsome beast.

Compared to the place Liu Huaxiang arranged for Xu Qingfan, Ting’er’s room was clearly much nicer, though a bit smaller than Xu Qingfan’s. It was unclear why Little Green followed, as its current size couldn’t possibly fit in the tiny thatched hut.

Little Green seemed to realize this problem itself, as after Ting’er entered the hut, it very sensibly lay down in front of her window. It already had a pile of dry grass prepared underneath, as if it was its bed.

Liu Huaxiang nodded and said, "I’ll head back to my room too. I’ll carefully consider that secret technique and see if there are any improvements that can be made."

With that, Liu Huaxiang didn’t say goodbye to Xu Qingfan and shakily walked towards his room, his frail and elderly figure looking like it might be whisked away by the wind at any moment.

Watching Liu Huaxiang’s silhouette fading into the sunset, Xu Qingfan sighed again. He looked up at the sky, realizing it was quickly becoming overcast. Shaking his head lightly, he too went back to his room.

Once everyone had returned to their rooms, the top of Jiuhua Mountain became quiet again, leaving only the monotonous and hollow sound of the howling wind.

…

After Xu Qingfan returned to his room, he sat cross-legged on the bed, but no matter what, he couldn’t calm himself to meditate. The hope of forming the Core, the less than thirty percent success rate, Ting’er’s unusual condition, and even Liu Huaxiang’s frail figure kept swirling in his mind, refusing to disappear.

In this way, Xu Qingfan remained sitting in a meditative posture on the grass bed all night long, filled with countless thoughts.

Although Xu Qingfan had decided to first try merging with the ‘Wutong branch’ and accept Liu Huaxiang’s secret method transformation if he couldn’t achieve Core Formation, he did not immediately retreat to merge with the ‘Wutong branch’ when daylight came.

Just as Xu Qingfan taught Ting’er, cultivating immortality requires a balance of work and rest. Having just completed a healing retreat, forcing another retreat might lead to unstable results.

So, over the next month, Xu Qingfan either read the books he brought to the "Herb Garden," taught Ting’er about cultivation, or discussed rare flowers and herbs with Liu Huaxiang. Apart from his daily meditation routine, he did nothing else related to cultivation and led a leisurely life.

Liu Huaxiang shared the same mindset as Xu Qingfan. Although he saw that Xu Qingfan hadn’t begun his retreat, he didn’t urge him, trusting Xu Qingfan to manage these matters on his own.

In this leisurely manner, a month quickly passed, and Xu Qingfan had adjusted his mindset to be calm and natural.

The time for Xu Qingfan’s retreat and attempt to merge with the ‘Wutong branch’ was fast approaching.