Chapter 19
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Chapter 19: Life Has Its Flaws
“Li Hui, did you use the Celestial Demon Acupoint Stabbing Technique to tap into your potential?”
“No, it should be gentler than the Celestial Demon Acupoint Stabbing Technique; otherwise, you wouldn’t be so stable.”
The refined elder, Sun Zhengyang, stood up and paced around the courtyard. Finally, he looked at Li Hui and said, “This situation is quite tricky. You are burning your life force. It shouldn’t be this intense, but for some unknown reason, this consumption is fiercer than fire.”
“Ah?” Li Hui’s mind swayed, his thoughts rumbling like thunder, connecting yesterday’s events together. He felt an air of mystery surrounding him.
A glimmer of understanding emerged within him; he realized that what Elder Sun said was correct. Could he really break through so easily with his own talent? And must it come to the point of consuming Miao Jade?
What was Miao Jade? It was something only true disciples would use, yet he had consumed six pieces in just half a night.
Seeing Li Hui’s reaction, Sun Zhengyang realized the boy probably didn’t understand why this was happening to him. As an elder, there were some things he needed to say, so he pondered a moment before speaking: “Child, do not be afraid. Fortune and calamity depend on each other; often, they change according to fate. Though you are burning your life force, there are solutions. If you can continue to advance quickly, perhaps you can mitigate the loss.”
“Burning my life? My lifespan?” Li Hui suddenly grasped the situation and asked, “Are you saying I’ve become a short-lived ghost, with only a few days left to live?”
“Not at all, not at all!” The more Sun Zhengyang looked at Li Hui, the more he liked him. He really didn’t want this boy to lose confidence, so he encouraged him, “You were not supposed to live beyond two years, but because you have unlocked the spirit mark, your lifespan has at least increased to three years.”
“I can still live for three years?” Li Hui’s eyes darkened, but he resolutely dismissed any distracting thoughts and said, “Thank you, Uncle Sun, for letting me know. To be honest, I feel like I’ve already earned a fortune just making it to today. Since there is still a chance, I might as well fight fiercely over the next three years.”
Sun Zhengyang was somewhat surprised; he had never seen a cultivator take their lifespan so lightly. This young man exuded an astonishing spirit and will!
What was Li Hui thinking? His hometown faced a plague, and he had been wandering since he was nine. He began his career in the military at ten years old, with more than two hundred comrades losing their lives. Only his elder brother, second elder brother, and he, the youngest, survived. That alone felt like a gain!
Afterward, even his elder brother died from poison; a resolute man had survived the battlefield but not the schemes of the world. Yet, this little life of his still persisted, which was also a gain.
Moreover, among the miscellaneous disciples who entered the Jade Symbol Sect at the same time, regardless of their aptitude, at least twenty percent perished due to feuds, gambling debts, jealousy, or the tempers of Inner Sect Disciples. He avoided all those fates, and that too was a gain.
Life was so fragile; Li Hui had gained almost ten years of life. Knowing he could earn three more years, what was there to feel depressed about?
Rather than discourage him, this situation only solidified his resolve to seek vengeance and adventure. He thought, “I’ve got three years to live. From today onward, no matter whom I fight, it’s all worth it.”
Sun Zhengyang scratched his head, not expecting Li Hui to be this open-minded. He thought he would need to provide careful comfort, but this boy seemed exceptionally clear-headed. Nonetheless, he still offered the other some hope, twirling his beard as he said, “Not exactly; I pride myself on my medical skills, but it depends on who I compare myself to. Do you know Baisha Slope in Tianlai City? There is a medical sage living there.”
Li Hui paused slightly. Although he could quickly regroup and steady his mind, it didn’t mean he wasn’t interested in his own condition. There must be a reason for his current state, right? If it was due to someone’s doing, what was their motive, and mindset in doing so?
In short, he wanted to be clear even if it cost him his life.
The refined elder smiled. He noticed that Li Hui took his words to heart. Whether or not he could find that medical sage was up to chance, and one could not force it. Even if it didn’t work out, there would at least be a direction to strive toward, right?
While eating, Li Hui chatted with Sun Zhengyang, asking for tips on navigating the world as a cultivator. The refined elder hadn’t spoken with cultivators in a long time and opened up once he started to chat, turning into quite the talker. Li Hui, being new to all this, needed such experience, so he listened attentively.
“Child, look at the villagers in Shanghe Village, and then see us cultivators. From the moment you opened your spirit mark, you became part of two distinct classes. As your cultivation progresses, we cultivators gradually rise above the ordinary and no longer see ourselves as one of them. Even if there are high-level demon cultivators playing around, whether to recruit disciples or cultivate, the key word here is play. Mortals are mortals, and we cultivators are cultivators; even if they mix together, a clear boundary will still form.”
“Cultivators have their own circles because conflicts frequently arise. Each time we act, the impact is considerable, so keeping a distance from ordinary people is a way to protect them. Remember, when you see those from demonic sects harming the innocent, save if you can; the people need it! I don’t know why, but the last two hundred years have seen continual natural disasters, affecting not just our Daling Dynasty, but also neighboring countries.”
“Actually, natural disasters aren’t the worst. After all, cultivators are extraordinary. As long as they are willing to protect a region, people can still live in peace. What is frightening are the man-made calamities and the chaotic struggles between dynasties, which inflict great harm on the world…”
Sun Zhengyang elaborated, unconsciously infusing his understanding into Li Hui. The fact that he could stay rooted with the villagers while living comfortably showed his kindness, making him one of those rare individuals among scattered cultivators who upheld their principles. Naturally, he had remarkable skills to survive until today.
To say the least, Li Hui receiving his guidance was truly fortuitous and transformed his path, even more useful than getting into trouble with the Chief Steward, Jin Buduan. No matter what happened in the future, this insight would greatly help him navigate the world and act wisely.
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, Sun Zhengyang took out a map from the house and placed it on the wooden table. He pointed to a corner and said, “Look here; this is our Daling Dynasty, located at the southeastern corner of the entire Wutu Continent. There are several similar dynasties around it, but none are as close to the sea as Daling. Moving upward, you’ll pass through over twenty countries to reach the center of the continent, where the land of cultivators most yearn for lies.”
“Most yearn for?” Li Hui felt he had eaten enough; he had been eating since morning and it was nearly dusk. After going to the toilet sixteen or seventeen times, did he not notice how the villagers looked increasingly annoyed? Continuing to eat might just overwhelm Shanghe Village.
“Correct, most yearn for it. That’s the Great Xia Dynasty, the current birthplace of many dynasties,” Sun Zhengyang reminisced with his hand stroking his beard.
“Have you been there, Uncle Sun?” Li Hui asked, surprised. With Sun Zhengyang’s cultivation, how could he have traveled to such a distant country?
Sun Zhengyang flushed slightly, chuckling, “I haven’t been there, but the cultivator who taught me medicine came from the Great Xia. It’s a pity I didn’t seize the opportunity back then.”
Li Hui was about to ask about the Nine-Mystic Continent when he suddenly felt numerous acupoints on his body heating up. The spiritual energy within him surged fiercely again, the same feeling as last night. Could it be that after just one day, he was going to open the spirit mark once more?
