Chapter 1

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Chapter 1: Five Thousand Years of Qi Refinement

 

The mountainous area in the northwest of Kyushu feels like a primitive region, with no roads, no cars, and scarcely any signs of human presence.

Nestled among the mountains is a solitary thatched cottage. The open space outside the cottage is filled with various herbs, their fragrance wafting through the air.

Inside the cottage, the space is small, containing only a bed and a desk, which is cluttered with books and various pieces of paper.

At this moment, an elderly man with white hair and beard lies on the bed, his eyes tightly closed and his expression peaceful.

A young boy, appearing to be around seventeen or eighteen, sits by the bedside.

“Xia Xia, I really envy you. You’ve lived for eighty-one years and can depart in peace,” Fang Yu murmurs with a smile, looking at the old man who has just passed away.

“Sigh, I’m the unfortunate one. I don’t know how many more years I have to live,” Fang Yu sighs, his eyes reflecting pain and helplessness.

Since he embarked on the path of cultivation, nearly five thousand years have passed.

Throughout this long period, Fang Yu has been unable to die, and his cultivation level has remained stagnant.

After nearly five thousand years of cultivation, he is still at the Qi Refining stage!

That’s right, the Qi Refining stage! The most basic level of cultivation!

By strict standards, the Qi Refining stage isn’t even considered a true level; it’s merely a period of physical refinement.

Only after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage can one truly step onto the path of immortality.

Yet Fang Yu has been stuck at the Qi Refining stage, unable to make any progress.

Over the millennia, he has consumed over ten thousand Foundation Establishment Pills, but they have had no effect whatsoever.

In the first thousand years, Fang Yu’s master comforted him, saying it was because his spiritual root was stronger than anyone else’s, which is why he had to wait longer at the Qi Refining stage.

But a thousand years have passed, and Fang Yu still cannot break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

At that point, his master began to wonder if he had made a mistake—was Fang Yu actually just an ordinary person without any spiritual roots?

But how could an ordinary person live for a thousand years without showing any signs of aging?

Later, Fang Yu’s master successfully transcended the tribulation and ascended to immortality, leaving Earth behind.

Since then, no one has cared about Fang Yu’s cultivation level.

As time passed, the spiritual energy on Earth became increasingly thin.

Now, even if Fang Yu could break through, he would be destined to be unable to transcend and become an immortal.

However, Fang Yu has never thought about transcending; he only wants to break through this damned Qi Refining stage!

This is his obsession.

As of today, he has cultivated to the nine thousand eight hundred thirty-second layer of the Qi Refining stage. Generally, a cultivator only needs to reach the tenth layer to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

Thinking about cultivation makes Fang Yu feel a bit depressed.

He takes a deep breath, stands up, and looks at the various prescriptions written on the pieces of paper on the desk.

“If I had known you would become such a medicine fanatic, I shouldn’t have taught you medicine back then!” Fang Yu shakes his head helplessly.

According to Xia Xia’s wishes, he needs to organize these prescriptions and take them away.

Just as he begins to sort them out, he hears a commotion of footsteps and immediately looks up toward the window.

Xia Xia built the cottage in such a remote place, yet people can still find it?

Fang Yu furrows his brow slightly.

After ten minutes, a group of people arrives in front of the cottage.

There are seven people in total, including two young men and women, an elderly man in a wheelchair, and four strong men in suits, clearly bodyguards.

Seeing the elderly man in the wheelchair exuding an aura of death, Fang Yu knows that this group has come seeking medical help.

“Divine Doctor Xia, hello, my name is Tang Feng. We come from the Tang family in Jiangnan, and we would like to ask you to…” The handsome young man steps forward and speaks loudly.

Fang Yu opens the door, interrupting him.

“You’re too late; Xia Xiuzhi has just passed away.”

What!?

The expressions of everyone present change dramatically.

The Divine Doctor Xia Xiuzhi they have been desperately searching for… has actually died!?

“Wh-what? How could this be…” Tang Feng’s face turns pale as he stares blankly at Fang Yu.

To cure the serious illness afflicting Old Master Tang, they had mobilized the entire family’s resources, spending a great deal of manpower and material to finally locate the reclusive Divine Doctor Xia Xiuzhi, who had been avoiding the world for nearly twenty years.

After enduring countless hardships, they finally found the thatched cottage where Xia Xiuzhi lived, only to receive this news!

“How could it be so coincidental? We just found him… No, the Divine Doctor Xia must not have died; he’s just avoiding us!” The beautiful young girl with delicate features says, her eyes reddening with excitement.

“Right! The Divine Doctor must still be inside the cottage!” Tang Feng’s eyes shine with hope as he strides into the cottage.

Then, he sees Xia Xiuzhi lying on the bed, eyes tightly closed.

Tang Feng observes carefully and realizes that the old man on the bed has indeed stopped breathing.

“Wh-what’s going on…” Tang Feng feels his hope shatter, his entire body losing strength.

“I told you, Xia Xiuzhi has passed away. You can go back now,” Fang Yu frowns slightly, feeling displeased with Tang Feng’s intrusion into the cottage.

Tang Feng suddenly thinks of something, turns to Fang Yu, and asks, “You must be the Divine Doctor’s disciple, right? You must have inherited the Divine Doctor’s medical skills. Please treat my grandfather; we are willing to pay any amount if you can cure him!”

Fang Yu shakes his head and replies, “I’m not his disciple… I’m just an old friend of his.”

Strictly speaking, Fang Yu is actually Xia Xiuzhi’s master.

When Xia Xiuzhi was only fifteen, it was under Fang Yu’s guidance that he embarked on the path of medicine. Of course, there’s no need to mention this; no one would believe it anyway.

However, even saying he is an old friend seems a bit strange.

Fang Yu looks under twenty, while Xia Xiuzhi is over eighty; they are not even in the same age group, so how could they be called old friends?

Nevertheless, no one thinks too much about it, as the group is immersed in despair over their shattered hopes.

Old Master Tang, sitting in the wheelchair, loses all vitality upon hearing the news of Xia Xiuzhi’s death, his eyes filled with desolation.

It is fate! His time has come! There’s no need to struggle any longer!

The young girl, seeing her grandfather like this, is heartbroken, tears streaming down her face.

Fang Yu furrows his brow, looking at Old Master Tang, and suddenly speaks, “You’ve lived for seventy-three years; you should have had enough. Why do you still want to live?”

Upon hearing this, everyone is taken aback, curious about how Fang Yu knows Old Master Tang’s age.

When they hear Fang Yu’s next words, their expressions change.

Had enough?

Is there anyone in this world who has had enough of living?

What does this mean!?

A provocation? A mockery?

“You bastard, what do you mean by that!?” Tang Feng’s face turns ashen as he throws a punch at Fang Yu’s chest.

Fang Yu’s eyes flicker, but his body remains still.

“Bang!”

Before Tang Feng’s fist can reach Fang Yu, he is instead struck by a tremendous force, sending him flying backward to the ground.

The expressions of the others change drastically, shocked.

Clearly, it was Tang Feng who threw the punch, yet this young man didn’t even move, how did Tang Feng end up on the ground?

“Brother!” the beautiful girl screams.

The four bodyguards react quickly, stepping forward to stand in front of Fang Yu.

“Don’t you dare make a move!” Old Master Tang commands in a hoarse voice from his wheelchair.

The four bodyguards immediately stop in their tracks.

Tang Feng clutches his chest, getting up from the ground, looking at Fang Yu with a horrified expression.

“Young brother, we were rude. May I ask your name?” Old Master Tang inquires.

“Fang Yu,” Fang Yu replies.

Old Master Tang nods slightly and says, “Earlier, you asked me why I still want to live. I can answer that.”

“Because I still want to accompany my family. I want to see my grandchildren grow up, see them start families and careers, and watch them have children… Isn’t that what everyone wants? To watch over one generation after another.” Old Master Tang smiles as he speaks.

“Grandpa…” Hearing Old Master Tang’s words, the girl beside him cries even harder.

Family…

Fang Yu’s eyes flicker.

For him, family is a distant memory, but for ordinary people, family is always present, passed down from generation to generation.

And for the vast majority of ordinary people, who wouldn’t want to live a little longer?

“You have late-stage lung cancer, with less than three months to live. Enjoy the last moments of your life,” Fang Yu says, turning back into the cottage and closing the door.

The Tang family is left stunned.

How did Fang Yu see that Old Master Tang has lung cancer at a glance? Moreover, he said exactly what the doctors said—that Old Master Tang has less than three months to live?

He is indeed the Divine Doctor’s disciple!

After realizing this, Tang Feng knocks on the cottage door again, shouting, “Mr. Fang, you must be the Divine Doctor’s disciple, right? Please, I beg you to treat my grandfather; we…”

“Life and death are determined by fate. Leave here immediately, or don’t blame me for being rude,” Fang Yu’s calm voice comes from inside the cottage.

“Healer’s heart, how can you stand by and watch someone die…” Tang Feng says angrily.

“Feng’er, come back,” Old Master Tang speaks up.

“Grandpa!” Tang Feng’s eyes turn red as he looks at Old Master Tang.

“The young brother is right; life and death are determined by fate. If heaven wants me to die, how can I not die? Let’s go,” Old Master Tang says.

“Young brother, I have immense respect for Elder Xia. I didn’t expect Elder Xia to have passed away… Our visit today disturbed Elder Xia; I sincerely apologize and hope Elder Xia’s spirit in heaven will not blame us.” Old Master Tang says sincerely.

After speaking, he gestures for the group to turn and leave.

Though Tang Feng is unwilling, he must follow his grandfather’s orders and leave.

On the way back, everyone remains silent, the atmosphere heavy with gloom.

Tang Feng notices his sister beside him deep in thought and frowns, asking, “Xiao Rou, what are you thinking about?”

Tang Xiaorou furrows her brows slightly and murmurs, “I just feel… this Fang Yu seems a bit familiar, like I’ve seen him somewhere.”

“How could that be? This is our first time in the northwest; how could you have met this Fang Yu?” Tang Feng replies.

“That’s true… but I really feel like I’ve seen him before.” Tang Xiaorou rubs her temples and says.

Tang Feng, in a bad mood, ignores Tang Xiaorou, thinking she must have mistaken him for someone else.

However, after walking a few more steps, Tang Xiaorou suddenly stops.

“I… I remember now! I saw him at school!”