《My Path of Cultivation》


 Chapter 1: The Xuán Huáng Flag

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    Huo Yuanjia aired, all the boys in Jiusi Zhang were so proud because our family also had its own martial arts. Since we were in the "Yin-Yang" profession, the family had a set of peach wood swords, one for each child. Under the guidance of my two older brothers and several cousins, I almost beat up every other boy in Jiusi Zhang.


    Fengshen Yanyi series was airing on TV, I admired the character Nezha. When I saw him riding on two fire wheels, wearing the Qiankun Circle, I thought he looked so cool. I begged my grandfather to make me two fire wheels and a Qiankun Circle. My grandfather, though helpless, couldn¡¯t make fire wheels, so he made me a Qiankun Circle out of steel wire. For several days, I had great fun playing with it, but I accidentally broke the nose of a boy named Yang. As a result, I was sent to my third uncle¡¯s house in the provincial capital to study.

 Chapter 2: The Storm

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 Chapter 3: Embarking on the Path of Cultivation

    A small flag and a violent storm changed the course of my destiny...


    After I screamed out a thunderous shout to the heavens, the storm quickly subsided. When I came to my senses, I found myself surrounded by the villagers of Jiusi Zhang.


    "San Tong, did you hear that dragon''s roar just now?"


    "...Yeah, the sound came from here. Did you see something?"


    "..."


    The villagers of Jiusi Zhang probably thought I was standing there because I had discovered something. But in reality, I only screamed out in frustration, venting my inner turmoil. As for seeing anything, the only thing I saw was the small flag flying. It truly seemed to have the power to ward off storms, just as the legends claimed. But would the villagers believe me? I opened my mouth, hesitated, and said nothing.


    When I thought of the small flag, I suddenly realized it was back in my hand, though I had no memory of when it returned.


    My father, noticing the blood on my face, hurriedly asked what had happened. I smiled faintly and attempted to walk over to reassure him that nothing had happened. But I couldn¡¯t move. My body felt weak, and I collapsed to the ground.


    After that storm, I fell seriously ill, feeling drained with no idea where the problem lay. The barefoot doctor in Jiusi Zhang was helpless, and my family sent me to the provincial hospital. The doctor diagnosed me with severe nutritional deficiencies, and after several IV drips, my condition still didn¡¯t improve. It wasn¡¯t until an elderly Chinese medicine Cultivator took one look at me and diagnosed severe vital energy depletion, prescribing a powerful tonic, that I slowly regained my strength.


    But my illness was strange.


    A few days after my body started to recover, I returned to my uncle''s house in the provincial city. That night, I dreamed of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. The scene in my dream was almost identical to the storm I had witnessed. The dream made me feel terribly uncomfortable, but just as in reality, a Xu¨¢n Hu¨¢ng Flag appeared and calmed everything down. I woke up with a sigh of relief, though I still felt weak¡ªat least without the nosebleed this time.


    This time, I didn¡¯t need to be hospitalized. My uncle gave me more tonic herbs prescribed by the old doctor, and after a few days, I gradually recovered.


    Once I regained strength, I immediately checked under my pillow for the small flag. For several nights, I had been having the same dream. Aside from the initial storm, in the other dreams, only the flag appeared, and it felt strangely familiar¡ªit looked exactly like the small flag that had been with me for over a year.


    The odd thing was that the small flag was gone. I asked my uncle and aunt, as well as Zhang Fuhong, but none of them had seen anything under my pillow.


    And so, the small flag disappeared, but it continued to appear in my dreams every night.


    My health completely recovered. Zhang Fuhong, my cousin, jealously told me that I had grown taller. We were both around 1.7 meters before, but now I was half a head taller than him. When I measured, I had grown a full 8 centimeters. I was overjoyed to finally be taller than this kid.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    In the following days, I went to the provincial city library to browse books and gather information, trying to figure out what had happened to me. Every night when I returned home and saw Zhang Fuhong, I noticed he looked full of energy, with a glowing complexion. But a few days later, Zhang Fuhong was rushed to the hospital with a nosebleed. The same old Chinese medicine Cultivator said it was because Zhang Fuhong''s vital energy had been excessive. It turned out that this kid had secretly taken some of the tonic herbs I had been prescribed when I was sick, hoping to grow taller like me. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t grow at all and caused quite a scare.


    I spent many hours in the library of the provincial city, reading books on mysterious phenomena. In one book, The Decoding of Human Mysteries, I came across a passage that read:


    "Humans are the spirits of the universe, carrying the entire holographic essence of the cosmos within them. Humans are composed of two aspects: the body and the soul, the material and the consciousness. If we regard a human being as a combination of material and spirit, then the material is the body, and the spirit is the consciousness. A person is, in essence, a microcosm."


    Reading this passage, I struggled to explain my situation. I concluded that my microcosm had once been affected by wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, and that the small flag had probably entered my microcosm. The dreams I had were not just dreams, but a true reflection within my Sea of Consciousness.


    But what exactly was the small flag? I had a bold idea: could it be a Magical Artifact, similar to the magical treasures in Chinese mythology? And if so, could it have been integrated into my body? After all, the small flag had entered my microcosm. Once this thought crossed my mind, I became excited. For that period, I was obsessed with reading countless mythological stories, qigong cultivation methods, and Buddhist and Taoist scriptures.


    Every day in the library, I encountered a girl from my class, Wu Xiaoman. She was beautiful, with a clear, soft voice and a height of nearly 1.7 meters. She was our class''s cultural committee member.


    Every time I saw her, she would be holding different music books, softly singing under her breath. But when she passed by me and saw the books I was reading, she gave me a cold, dismissive glance.


    I never initiated any conversation with her, as I didn¡¯t want to make things awkward. So what if my grades were poor?


    I continued reading Chinese ancient mythological stories, occasionally laughing foolishly. I fantasized about my small flag really being a magical artifact, that I could summon wind and rain, and soar through the nine heavens...


    My uncle thought I had become enlightened and realized the importance of studying hard. He decided to send Zhang Fuhong to the library with me. However, the lazy kid didn¡¯t want to go at first, but when he saw Wu Xiaoman at the library, he suddenly became eager to join. Every day, he started going to the library even more eagerly than I did. I, on the other hand, was content with my own path and didn¡¯t pay him much attention.


    By the time the second year of high school was about to start, I had become obsessed, convinced that the small flag was a magical artifact. A year ago, when I first obtained it, I had bitten my lip, and my blood dripped onto the flag. According to the legend, magical artifacts were often refined with blood. I had held onto that small flag for a whole year, sometimes treating it as a companion. Over time, I unconsciously became more attuned to it, as if I was following the mythical method of refining magical artifacts. Then, during the summer vacation, the storm in Jiusi Zhang had activated the small flag...


    Finally, I quietly decided to embark on the path of cultivation.


    When the school year began, I found that my backpack was filled with books¡ªTao Te Ching, I Ching, Wuzhen Pian, Liexian Zhuan... In the study that my uncle had prepared for me, there were piles of books, including Baopuzi Neipian and Tongxuan Zhenjing...


    I had searched through almost every bookstore in the provincial city and gathered hundreds of related books. No one taught me how to cultivate, so I had to rely on my own exploration. And thus, I began my journey on the path of cultivation.

 Chapter 4: Refining the Self and Establishing the Foundation

    The math teacher at the podium was saying, "¡­ If real numbers x and y satisfy xy > 0, and x2y = 2, find the minimum value of xy + x2..."


    L¨¹ Zu said, "The Dao is named by nature, it is without form, one essence only, a single origin, a divine essence¡­ It is empty of self and color, an I-ness of energy, guarded as an egg, long-lasting, then inside and outside become seamless, the spirit complete, the energy full, and the essence transformed¡­¡±


    The teacher continued lecturing on the podium, while I sat at the back of the classroom, engrossed in a book on Taoist cultivation.


    When the second year of high school began, there was a major seating change. Unfortunately, Wu Xiaoman became my deskmate. Every time she saw me reading something unrelated to class during lessons, Wu Xiaoman would give me a disapproving look, silently conveying how unambitious she thought I was.


    I had an average appearance and a medium build, and I never tried to pretend to be scholarly or high-minded, especially not in front of someone as beautiful as Wu Xiaoman.


    A week after school started, everything settled into a routine. The other students studied hard, while I diligently focused on cultivating the Dao.


    Wu Xiaoman was an excellent student, ranked among the top ten in the class, just like my cousin Zhang Fuhong. Her beauty attracted many of the boys, including my cousin Zhang Fuhong.


    After becoming deskmates, Zhang Fuhong and I grew closer. Every night, when he returned home, he would chat with me, and of course, the conversation always revolved around how amazing Wu Xiaoman was. I would just reply vaguely, because my focus at school was almost entirely on cultivating Taoism. Deep down, I thought with a sense of pride, "Cultivators don¡¯t care much about the allure of women. See? Even though I haven¡¯t started cultivating yet, my desires are already gone."


    One day, during a math lesson, the teacher asked, "In the relationship of trigonometric functions of the same angle, what is the square relationship¡­ Zhang Santong, can you answer this?"


    Under Wu Xiaoman¡¯s repeated urging, I stood up and foolishly said, "The Dao!"


    The teacher exploded in anger, "The Dao? What Dao?!"


    In history class, the teacher asked, "Zhang Santong, what is the connection between Song Ziwen and Sun Yat-sen?"


    I answered, "Song Ziwen is Sun Yat-sen¡¯s brother-in-law."


    The teacher gritted his teeth and pointed to a silver dollar from the Republic of China in the textbook, "Who is this person?"


    Without hesitation, I answered, "A Buddhist Cultivator¡­"


    The whole class burst into laughter.


    After several such incidents, the teachers completely ignored me. Fortunately, my cousin Zhang Fuhong, in an attempt to get closer to me, didn¡¯t mention my embarrassing moments to my uncle.


    Others laughed at my foolishness, but I laughed at theirs. I was cultivating the Dao!


    For the next ten days or so, I summarized a common understanding in cultivation: "Refine the essence into Qi, refine the Qi into spirit, and refine the spirit into emptiness." There was also the final concept of "breaking through the void." Therefore, in my cultivation, I must begin with refining the essence into Qi.


    Laozi said: "Those who do not know the union of yin and yang create, this is the ultimate of essence."


    An infant, while sleeping, has no awareness of sexual desire, yet their reproductive organs still respond. This is the natural function of essence.


    Thinking carefully, although I wasn¡¯t an infant, in my sixteen years of life, I had virtually no understanding of women. My awareness of sexual desire was almost nonexistent. Plus, every morning, I practiced cultivation, and the medicinal herbs I had taken during the summer break had greatly increased my energy.


    To refine essence into Qi, the first step is to be full of energy. The first step in refining the self is to hone the body. The successful marker for this is a warm energy in the Dantian, with the kidneys feeling like they are simmering in soup, and the Qi flowing along the meridians. The second step is to establish the foundation, with the successful marker being the opening of the three gates and the seven channels.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.Since childhood, I had practiced the family tradition of Zhang family martial arts, which had made my body exceptionally strong. However, refining the self also involves refining the heart. For safety''s sake, I chose to start from the very first step of refining the self.


    To collect the spirit, every night before sleep, I would light incense and focus my mind. To familiarize myself with the acupoints, I spent every morning silently memorizing them.


    On September 9th, 1998, I officially began my cultivation. After returning home from school and eating dinner, I told my uncle and his family that I wasn¡¯t feeling well, then locked myself in my room.


    I sat on my bed, using the seven-pointed sitting method I had learned from the books. When my body and mind were fully relaxed, I slowly focused my eyes and drew the spirit light from the distance toward the space between my eyebrows, closing my eyes gently. Then I guided this light into the Brain Palace¡­


    Boom!


    According to the method I had collected and organized, I should have drawn the spirit light down through the central channel to the Qi point, then to the Dantian, and finally closed the breath to guard the point. However, when I guided the spirit light into the Brain Palace, there was a thunderous sound.


    For the first time, I saw the small flag without dreaming. The moment my consciousness guided the spirit light and encountered the small flag, the light transformed into lightning.


    I focused my mind and let it flow naturally. I didn¡¯t dare to overthink it. The lightning, formed from the spirit light, was like a key. The small flag immediately released countless strands of lightning, which coursed through my entire body. Within a breath, it returned to calm. I opened my eyes and felt an unprecedented lightness in my body. My Dantian felt warm, my kidneys like being simmered in soup, and the Qi flowed along the meridians. My intuition told me that the refining of the self had been completed.


    I seized the momentum and began to establish my foundation. I directed my Qi through the governing meridian from the tailbone to the cervical vertebrae, passing through the three gates, into the Brain Palace, down the Ren Meridian to the middle Dantian, and finally to the lower Dantian. This cycle continued endlessly, and my meridians became unblocked.


    In Taoist cultivation, the establishment of the foundation should take a hundred days. But my spirit was greatly shaken. According to the steps for foundation establishment, all my meridians had opened. In the depths of my perception, I could tell that all of this was related to the summer storm in Jiusi Zhang and the small flag.


    Had I not obtained the small flag, I might have spent a hundred or a thousand days in vain trying to establish my foundation. But now, it was accomplished easily, and I marveled at my luck.


    Now, I constantly felt the small flag releasing a nameless refreshing energy within my Brain Palace, flowing through my entire body. My mind seemed to have become clear, and I felt as if my head had "opened up." At this moment, I was full of energy, my Qi abundant, and my spirit clear. The establishment of my foundation was complete.


    It felt so effortless, and I thought to myself, This must be a coincidence.


    When I obtained the small flag a year ago, it had been stained with my essence blood. Over the following year, I had kept the small flag with me, treating it as a friend and confiding my emotions in it.


    All of this seemed very ordinary, but from the perspective of cultivation, it was part of the process of refining the magical artifact. Later, during the summer storm in Jiusi Zhang, when the small flag flew into the air, my consciousness could sense its location. The lightning struck the flag, and my mind and body were jolted. Unknowingly, my meridians had already been opened. Combined with my strong physique and abundant energy, in one night, I had completed the refining of the self and the foundation. Everything was no accident¡­


    <hr>


    This chapter touches upon both the protagonist¡¯s internal cultivation journey and their interactions with others. I¡¯ve adjusted the terminology and sentence structure to ensure clarity while keeping the tone consistent with the previous chapters. If you have more to share, I¡¯m ready to continue!

 Chapter 5: The Pleasure of Cultivation

    I have an obsession. As long as a thought exists within me, my true consciousness will never fade. The moment a thought arises, the body and soul are separated. This is when I begin to recognize the universe...


    The next morning, my uncle¡¯s family was all surprised when they saw me. I was a little confused, but in the end, it was my cousin, Zhang Fuhong, who asked me with a dark expression on his way to school: ¡°Are you dating Wu Xiaoman?¡±


    ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡± I burst out laughing, then asked, ¡°Why do you think that?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you? Then why do you look so energetic?¡± Zhang Fuhong asked skeptically.


    ¡°Damn! What does my good energy have to do with her? Are you overthinking things?¡± After a pause, I asked him, ¡°So, do I seem different from before?¡±


    ¡°Um! ¡­ Ah! Same, same.¡± When my cousin heard that I wasn¡¯t seeing Wu Xiaoman, he became absent-minded in the conversation.


    I sighed, feeling silent. I thought maybe it was because I had begun my cultivation. Perhaps my aura had changed, as they say, ¡°the face reflects the heart.¡± My mind was clear, my mood was pleasant, and I felt full of energy, so it was normal for me to appear different from before.


    I hadn¡¯t slept all night, I had been busy cultivating and solidifying my foundation. I was consolidating my progress. As I walked to school, I heard the birds chirping and felt the vitality of the grass by the roadside. I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how beautiful the world was!


    When I arrived at class and saw Wu Xiaoman, I made an exception and smiled at her, which confused her. Inside, I laughed heartily.


    During morning study, Wu Xiaoman asked me, ¡°What are you eating today?¡±


    ¡°Fried dough sticks and milk? Why?¡± I asked, puzzled.


    Wu Xiaoman seemed to have an epiphany and said, ¡°I thought you took the wrong medicine. You don¡¯t seem like the same person as before.¡±


    I was frustrated! This girl really knows how to talk! I couldn¡¯t be bothered to reply and closed my eyes to experience the changes cultivation had brought to me.


    ¡°Essence,¡± ¡°Qi,¡± and ¡°Spirit¡± are known as the Three Treasures in ancient cultivation practices. In alchemy, they are referred to as the Three Pills. I believe that "Essence" is the life force, "Qi" is the source of power, and "Spirit" is the light¡ªthe essence of life. If any of these three functions are lost, it is a symbol of death.


    I quietly felt the existence of ¡°Essence,¡± ¡°Qi,¡± and ¡°Spirit¡± in my body. I cultivated my ¡°Essence,¡± ¡°stored my Spirit,¡± and ¡°absorbed Qi.¡± Slowly, the Three Treasures merged into one, becoming a profound and indistinguishable whole. I deeply experienced the joy of life.


    When I focused my mind, I felt the cool sensation of the small flag floating in my Sea of Consciousness, circulating through my veins. Unknowingly, I had focused on my Sea of Consciousness, instead of following the common practice of focusing on the lower Dantian.


    Essence, Qi, and Spirit interact. When they flow smoothly, one becomes a person; when they reverse, one becomes a Daoist. The Three become one through reversal, and when separated, they flow naturally.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    I calmed my mind, drew my Spirit to the Heavenly Heart, and then to my Sea of Consciousness. The small flag was still, my thoughts remained in this moment.


    I absorbed Qi, gathered it from my limbs into my Sea of Consciousness, exhaled, and then scattered it back to my limbs, drawing it again to my Sea of Consciousness. I focused only on this single thought¡ªthis thought was tied to the small flag.


    In that moment, I deeply experienced the pleasure of life. My will was firm, my determination was bright, my mind clear, and my wisdom sharp.


    ¡°Hey...! Zhang Santuo.¡±


    I was meditating when I vaguely heard someone calling me. I exhaled, gathered my mind, and opened my eyes to find that my deskmate, Wu Xiaoman, was calling me.


    I asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Wu Xiaoman said, ¡°What were you dreaming about just now! The first class is about to start, it¡¯s English class.¡±


    Oh my god, damn English! I hated English. Every time before English class, the teacher would have a spelling test. If you misspelled even one word, you¡¯d have to write it five hundred times. Spelling tests were my nightmare.


    I had been too busy with my cultivation these past few days and had no time to memorize the vocabulary. In a panic, I took out my English textbook and asked Wu Xiaoman, ¡°What lesson are we on? What words are we spelling today?¡±


    ¡°...You really are hopeless,¡± Wu Xiaoman sighed. Her voice was soft and pleasant. ¡°Lesson three¡¯s words. Hurry up and take a look.¡±


    I was sweating! It had been more than a week of classes, and I didn¡¯t even know which lesson we were on. Thinking about it, it was really embarrassing. Even someone as thick-skinned as me felt a little ashamed when Wu Xiaoman pointed it out.


    I flipped to lesson three and quickly wrote down the words that were going to be tested on my hands. In case I was called on to spell them on the board, I couldn¡¯t afford to make a fool of myself. Even though I was always making a fool of myself, writing on my hands to cheat had become my habit.


    Just as the class bell rang, I had just finished writing the twenty or so words in a dense block on my palms. Hehe, I thought, this should be fine.


    Sure enough, being prepared made all the difference! The beautiful English teacher called on me. Two other classmates, Cheng Fan and Cao Kui, who were also the worst students, stood beside me. They were my closest friends because we were all in the same boat.


    I went up to the podium, standing far on the right. The tall and burly Cao Kui stood in the middle, and the skinny Cheng Fan, nicknamed ¡°Skinny Monkey,¡± stood on the left. The teacher stood beside me, her large, beautiful eyes fixed on me as if she had a grudge against me. I thought, oh no, this was going to be embarrassing for sure.


    When we had our spelling test, the teacher would call out the Chinese word, and the students would write the English translation.


    The teacher said a Chinese word, and immediately turned her gaze to me¡ªsweat!


    I used my thumb and index fingers to hold the chalk, glancing at my palm, and quickly wrote the word on the blackboard. My movements, my eyes, it was all practiced to perfection.


    ¡°Zhang Santuo!!!!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I turned around, only to find the teacher staring at me angrily. The young, beautiful teacher¡¯s angry gaze was as captivating as ever!


    She pointed at me and said, ¡°Put your hand out, what¡¯s written on your palm?¡±


    How did she know I had something written on my palm? How did she spot my trick? I was confident in my method, but I thought someone must have tattled on me. My mind raced, and I answered, ¡°Teacher, I wrote the words at home this morning and used them to review on my way to school.¡±


    ¡°Good! Good! Good!¡±


    The teacher said three ¡°goods¡± in a row and then asked, ¡°Then you don¡¯t need to write. Just say it directly. How do you spell ¡®snake¡¯?¡±


    ¡°S¡ªn¡ªa¡ªk¡ªe.¡± Huh? I actually spelled it correctly. When had my memory gotten so good? I had only written the words on my palm before class, but now I couldn¡¯t explain why I remembered them so clearly. Before I could think too much, the teacher asked, ¡°How do you pronounce it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The teacher continued to ask me to spell seven or eight more words, and I spelled them all correctly. The classmates below were all amazed, especially my cousin and Wu Xiaoman. Honestly, I was surprised too. I hadn¡¯t expected my mind to open up so much after starting cultivation. Looks like cultivating really does work!


    I didn¡¯t know which of the guys had sold me out, and I cursed them inwardly. Suddenly, I thought to myself: Now that I¡¯ve started cultivating, maybe it¡¯s time to learn some small spells, draw some talismans... If anyone crosses me, I¡¯ll... hehe! Unlimited thin Buddha!

 Chapter 6: The First Success in Drawing Daoist Talismans

    Heavenly Xuan, Earthly Huang, the Six Qi of the Great Void. Morning attire imbued with spiritual essence, with divine tiger patterns in gold. The sky is my roof, the earth is my bed, the Five Sacred Mountains and rivers are my bridges; the mysterious movement of primal essence is my clothing.


    I was born into a family of ¡°Yin-Yang¡± Cultivators, specializing in the spiritual practices of exorcising souls and geomancy. Thus, from a young age, I was exposed to the art of drawing talismans, and I¡¯ve read many ancient scriptures. My calligraphy, naturally, was second to none.


    Now that I had officially embarked on the path of cultivation, I decided to simultaneously practice drawing Daoist talismans and learn some minor spells to deal with those who offended me. Every time I practiced, I could feel the vitality coming from my little ¡°flag.¡± Although my cultivation was still in the early stages of refining essence into Qi, unable to generate true Yuan (primal energy), I could still tap into some of the essence from the little flag.


    As Baopuzi says: ¡°Zheng Jun says that the talisman originates from the Old Lord, and they are all celestial writings. The Old Lord is able to communicate with the divine, and all talismans are bestowed by the divine.¡± The so-called celestial writings refer to natural phenomena such as the rising and setting of the sun and moon, the movement of stars, and the occurrence of storms and lightning. Talismans are a kind of "script" created based on these natural phenomena and celestial patterns.


    In the Huainanzi, it¡¯s written: "Ghosts fear peach wood. In ancient times, people used peach branches about the size of a finger, cut them in half, and wrote prayers to dispel disaster." These written prayers on the peach wood are considered the earliest form of "talisman records."


    After that English class, I began to peruse a large number of books about Daoist talismans, but the results were minimal. I secretly spent my meager savings on high-quality yellow paper and cinnabar brushes, and I started drawing talismans based on the Huangting Dun Jia Yuan Shen Jing in class...


    A knife is not sharp without steel, and a talisman is not effective without a killing intent. Drawing talismans is easy, but creating the right energy is difficult. When drawing a talisman, one must strictly follow the procedure, using various techniques and requirements. Also, while drawing, one must concentrate and infuse energy or divine intent to make the talisman effective.


    My first talisman, a Liu Wu Liu Yi talisman, was said to be used to suppress fire. I drew it in class, and that night, I secretly went to the kitchen to test its power.


    I opened the gas, lit a flame, and silently muttered ¡°Fast!¡± as I tossed the talisman onto the fire.


    Something strange happened.


    When I threw the Liu Wu Liu Yi talisman into the flame, the gas flame was instantly suppressed and quickly extinguished.


    Haha! I succeeded! I couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud in joy.


    ¡°San Tong, what¡¯s going on with you?¡± Aunt San hurried into the kitchen when she heard my laughter and smelled the gas. She anxiously said, ¡°Why did you open the gas? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Oh no! The fire was extinguished, but in my excitement, I hadn¡¯t noticed the gas was still leaking. The talisman could suppress the flame, but not the gas! I had been too careless.


    I chuckled, quickly turned off the gas, and ran out of the kitchen. Back in my room, I continued my talisman drawing.


    I cleaned my hands and prepared the cinnabar brush.


    Spreading out the yellow paper, I first recited the paper incantation: ¡°The Northern Emperor orders this paper, to write talismans and exorcise evil spirits. Anyone who disobeys shall be dragged to the capital, as decreed by law!¡±


    I then took up the cinnabar brush and recited the ink incantation: ¡°I call upon the five Thunder Gods and the electric flashes of lightning, one to protect my life, another to bind ghosts and evil, all living and dead will be controlled by the Heavenly Way, I shall live forever, as decreed by law!¡±


    With the brush in hand, I prepared to draw the talisman and muttered: ¡°Heavenly garden, earthly place, the law of the nine chapters, now I strike the brush, all ghosts will be sealed away, as decreed by law!¡±


    With concentration and focus, I drew the first talisman. As I drew, I recited, ¡°Heavenly and Earthly Yin and Yang, the sun rises from the East, I decree this talisman, sweeping away all misfortune, as decreed by law!¡±


    In one go, I completed over a hundred yellow paper talismans, including Feng Shui Lamps, Prison Break Talismans, Soul Collecting Talismans, Mountain Opening Talismans, Communication Talismans, Demon-Suppressing Talismans, Wealth-Seeking Talismans, Plague-Dispelling Talismans, Evil-Repelling Talismans, Karma Talismans, Child-Bearing Talismans, Protective Talismans, Five Thunder Talismans, etc.


    Among these, I drew many Wealth-Seeking Talismans, and a few Karma Talismans and Child-Bearing Talismans. I mischievously planned to secretly give a Child-Bearing Talismans to Wu Xiaoman, wondering if it would work... Hehe, no food, skinny Buddha!


    Though the small flag provided me with vital energy, I still felt exhausted after drawing the talismans. I put all the talismans in my backpack and continued my nightly practice.


    Each night¡¯s practice left me feeling refreshed the next morning. When I went to school the next day, I couldn¡¯t resist my itch and glanced around the classroom to see which classmate I disliked most, to test out my Karma Talismans.


    Wu Xiaoman noticed me taking out the yellow paper talismans and curiously asked, ¡°What are these?¡±


    ¡°Treasure!¡± I replied, proudly.


    ¡°Go to hell, who are you calling treasure?¡± Wu Xiaoman glared at me in anger.


    Whoosh!


    The surrounding classmates all focused their attention on us. I sweated! I was referring to my talismans as treasures, not calling her my treasure, what was she getting angry about?


    Unfazed by the curious glances of my classmates, I calmly muttered, ¡°Bored!¡±


    Wu Xiaoman¡¯s chest heaved in anger, and my heart skipped a beat. For the first time, I noticed how beautiful her chest was.


    ¡°You... pervert.¡±


    So I¡¯m a pervert, big deal! Seriously, today¡¯s girls, I only looked at her a little longer, what¡¯s the big deal?


    Suddenly, I felt an intense gaze burning into me. Looking up, I saw my cousin staring at me with a strange look. What was that about? I didn¡¯t do anything to Wu Xiaoman! It was so annoying!


    I took out a talisman and said to Wu Xiaoman, ¡°See, this is the treasure I was talking about.¡±


    Wu Xiaoman, curious, asked, ¡°What treasure?¡±


    ¡°Good stuff, I usually don¡¯t tell anyone, haha!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a few sheets of paper, what¡¯s so special about them? Really, I think you¡¯re the one who¡¯s boring!¡±


    I glanced at Wu Xiaoman, then turned my attention back to the class to see if I could test my talisman on anyone.


    Eventually, I fixed my gaze on a quiet and kind girl named Zhang Yu, who was delicate in appearance but always looked pale. I heard she had some illness.


    The Plague-Dispelling Talismans, Evil-Repelling Talismans, and Protective Talismans should work for her, but how to give her the talismans became a problem. I looked at Zhang Yu and racked my brain for a solution.


    Wu Xiaoman and Zhang Yu were close friends. Could I get Wu Xiaoman to pass the talisman to her? No, that¡¯s too difficult; Wu Xiaoman really dislikes me, it wouldn¡¯t work.


    After thinking for a long time, I suddenly had a bold idea, and it made me grin with satisfaction.


    Hehe! I smiled with confidence.

 Chapter 7: Jealousy and Love Letters

    "ÐÄÔ´×ÔÔÚ£¬Éí²»ÄÜÀÛ£¬¾³²»ÄÜÂÒ£¬ÈçÀ´±¾ÐÔ£¬ÂÊÐÔ¶øΪ£¬·½ÄܵüÃ."


    ¡ª This is a philosophical line, reflecting on self-mastery and the importance of maintaining inner peace and clarity.


    "Did you talk to Wu Xiaoman today?"


    As soon as I got home from school, my cousin, Zhang Fuhong, impatiently asked.


    "I didn''t say anything." I replied lazily, "Why? Is there a problem?"


    This kid really left me speechless. He was too shy to confess his feelings to Wu Xiaoman, and now he was apparently jealous of me. Poor kid.


    "So what were you two talking about, ''baby'' and ''treasure''?" He continued, "What were you talking about exactly? Did you make her angry?"


    What? What do you mean? Xiaoman and I don¡¯t have anything in common. Sure, my grades are bad, but I¡¯ve already started down the path of cultivation. My mind is clearer now, and my memory has improved dramatically. My bad grades are just temporary. Hearing my cousin¡¯s whining, I started to get a bit angry.


    "What¡¯s it to you? Do I need to report everything to you? Whether Xiaoman and I have anything in common is none of your business." I threw these words out without caring about my cousin¡¯s irritated face.


    He looked surprised that I could hear his soft muttering. Hehe, as a Cultivator, if I couldn¡¯t hear such a small voice, I¡¯d be doing a disservice to my little flag. Seeing him getting angrier as I casually mentioned Xiaoman, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh inside.


    Fuhong threw his backpack down, pointed at me, and loudly asked, "You? You think you deserve her?"


    This kid was such a bookworm, I started to wonder about his intelligence. How could he say something like that?


    If there¡¯s one thing I hate the most, it¡¯s being pointed at, no matter who does it¡ªeven if it¡¯s my cousin. I frowned and coldly told him, "What do you mean, ''you''? I¡¯m your older brother. Watch your attitude, and stop pointing at me."


    "You two stop arguing. You¡¯re brothers, what can¡¯t you say properly?" Aunt San entered and pulled Fuhong into his own room. I noticed her look at me with a hint of disdain. That feeling made my anger instantly vanish. I¡¯m living under someone else¡¯s roof; I¡¯ll endure.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    I knew this would likely lead to a few weeks of cold war with my cousin, but that was fine. At least I¡¯d have some peace and quiet. Who cares about a bookworm, anyway?


    That evening, during dinner, no matter how much Aunt San called Fuhong, he refused to come out. In fact, I could hear him quietly crying in his room. Poor kid. I thought for a moment whether I should help him pursue Xiaoman, but then I decided against it. It wasn¡¯t my problem.


    Back in my room, I took out the talisman I had prepared for Zhang Yu, and then found a beautiful piece of paper to wrap it in.


    In the past, I had written many love letters for my burly classmate, Cao Kui, to send to the girls in our class. Every girl got one. Hehe! This time, I planned to send an anonymous letter to the frail Zhang Yu, along with three talismans I had carefully selected.


    I took out a piece of paper and began writing:


    Dear Xiaoyu,


    First of all, allow me to address you as "Xiaoyu," a classmate who has secretly watched you for over 300 days. I hope you can forgive me for being so abrupt.


    I am very fortunate to finally have the chance to say everything I have long wanted to say. I think I have truly fallen for you, Xiaoyu. Don¡¯t be surprised, just keep reading.


    During every lonely night, I find myself turning in my bed, with your beautiful face filling my mind. Many times, I wanted to call you just to say hello, but I never took action. Now, I finally muster the courage to face your judgment.


    How I wish to be by your side every day, to guard that sense of peace and calm.


    Whether I see you in class or in my dreams at 2 AM¡­ you are always so beautiful. But your face always looks so pale, as if you are a wounded angel.


    No words can express the longing in my heart. Every time I look at your fragile shoulders, every time I hear your cough, my heart trembles. Your face always carries a faint sorrow, a sorrow that calls for my care.


    Knowing you has made me realize that life has a profound meaning. I feel that I should stop hesitating. I want to do something about it.


    During the summer vacation, I passed by the Sanqing Temple in my hometown. The elders there spoke of an old immortal who lived there. People come to make wishes and ask for talismans. I entered without hesitation.


    You might laugh at me, but at that time, I only wanted to ask for peace talismans for you. I just want you to stay safe and happy. That¡¯s my biggest wish.


    I spent an entire day at the temple in front of the Sanqing statue. That day, my heart was filled with happiness. For you, what is a day of waiting? If it could make you healthy again, I would wait a hundred years, a thousand years, what does it matter?


    As I write this, I realize I don¡¯t even want to reveal who I am. It doesn¡¯t really matter. Xiaoyu, the three talismans enclosed in this letter will silently guard you for me. This is enough for me.


    I believe that the kind-hearted you will carry these talismans with you because you are Xiaoyu, and that talisman represents my sincere heart. The three talismans represent three lifetimes. The old immortal at the Sanqing Temple once said that we are bound by three lifetimes of fate...


    I will stop writing here, dear Xiaoyu. Heaven knows how much I love you. Take care of yourself. Remember, in this lifetime, I love you more than anything else.


    September 12, 1998, evening.


    Silently loving you.


    Wow! It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve written a love letter. I¡¯m sweating as I write this. With Zhang Yu¡¯s personality, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll carry the talisman with her when she sees this letter. Is that good? Well, it¡¯s up to her. Cultivators act according to their heart, hehe!


    I put the letter and talismans together, tucked them away, and began my nightly cultivation routine.

 Chapter 8: Strange Occurrences

    "A Cultivator must detach from self-reflection... He should focus only on the present and not be unaware of his own weariness."


    ¡ª This is a philosophical line reflecting the importance of self-awareness and being grounded in the present moment.


    The next morning, while a few classmates who arrived early were not paying attention, I secretly placed the love letter and talisman I had prepared into Zhang Yu¡¯s desk drawer. The whole morning, I couldn¡¯t help but secretly delight in anticipation!


    My deskmate, Zhang Xiaoman, noticed that my gaze was always directed towards Zhang Yu, and her expression became one of disdain. It seemed that my influence in Xiaoman¡¯s eyes had really taken a downturn. As a Cultivator, I could very much feel how others perceived me.


    Ever since I began cultivating, I no longer dared to practice during class, fearing that I might accidentally exhibit strange or unusual behavior and attract attention. Without cultivation to occupy my mind, I had no choice but to read books on cultivation, occasionally attending some lessons from my teachers.


    During the first class in the morning, Zhang Yu finally noticed the love letter and talisman. Her reaction was quite exaggerated. First, her small mouth opened in surprise, and her face immediately flushed red. She then looked around nervously and hurriedly stuffed the love letter and talisman into her bag.


    I saw it all and couldn''t help but chuckle to myself. Zhang Yu actually had a bit of charm. How come I never noticed it before? Hehe!


    The life of a sophomore was very dull. Our school didn¡¯t have any school tyrants organizing events, nor was there any selection for campus beauty or heartthrob. Ah! How boring.


    I found that I didn¡¯t quite fit in with my classmates. They were all nervously studying, constantly preparing for next year¡¯s college entrance exams. Being at a key school, the academic atmosphere was different. Was I a bit special?


    I decided to be a good student. This seemed to be my second decision to study hard, hehe! I had been so busy with cultivation that I nearly forgot I was a student. Hmm, studying hard is important.


    At the end of my first year, I ranked near the bottom of the class in the exam results. And there was even some cheating involved! Oh my god! Thinking about it now, I felt sorry for my dad, my studies, and my third uncle.


    I had to pick up my studies from where I had left off. Starting from that day, I found all the textbooks from my first year and even from middle school, and began reading them from the beginning.


    A week later, I finished all the middle school textbooks. There didn¡¯t seem to be anything too difficult. Was I really that bad, that weak before? Every day as I read my middle school books, my cousin Zhang Fuhong would give me a cold laugh, and my deskmate, Zhang Xiaoman, would stare at me like I was an idiot.


    I ignored their astonishment and continued with my studies. I didn¡¯t believe there was anything more difficult than cultivation in this world.


    It seemed like every time I entered the classroom during that week, there was a pair of eyes watching me. Maybe I was just too sensitive.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Another week passed, and I had gone through all the first-year textbooks. Hmm? I realized that none of it was too difficult. It seemed that I understood everything in those books. Cultivation is so great! After cultivating, studying felt so easy. I studied during the day and cultivated at night. The world is wonderful!


    Before I knew it, it was the week before the National Day holiday. A few class officers gathered a few times and then told the class that there would be a trip organized for the National Day holiday, and everyone needed to contribute fifty yuan.


    Bah! I couldn¡¯t be bothered to go. I¡¯d rather spend that money on yellow talisman paper and cinnabar brushes to draw talismans for fun. Recently, I had been paying attention to Zhang Yu, and the three talismans I gave her were ones I personally drew. I could feel that she had been carrying them around, and her complexion had gradually improved. Her increasing smiles indicated that my talismans were effective. I felt a great sense of accomplishment. Zhang Yu used to look pale and withered, but now, with the protective and purifying talismans, she had changed so much.


    I glanced at my deskmate, Wu Xiaoman, and an idea flitted through my mind: Maybe I should give her a fertility talisman? Hehe, wait, what am I thinking? This is a mental obstacle, a cultivation-related heart demon!


    During lunch, the class officers began to announce the arrangements for the outdoor trip and picnic group assignments.


    "Zhang Santong, Cao Kui, Cheng Fan, Chen Yu, you four are in the same group."


    What? I didn¡¯t even sign up, how did I end up in this list? I asked my cousin, Zhang Fuhong, who was a class officer, "Did you make a mistake? I¡¯m not going, and I didn¡¯t sign up."


    "...?" My cousin looked puzzled as well.


    I noticed that Zhang Yu suddenly became a bit uneasy. At first, I didn¡¯t pay much attention, but just as I was about to repeat my decision not to go, a commotion came from outside the classroom.


    Curious and boisterous, Cao Kui and Cheng Fan quickly ran outside. Everyone else followed suit, leaving only the quiet Zhang Yu and me who didn¡¯t want to move.


    Zhang Yu turned around to glance at me, seemed like she wanted to say something, but her face turned red, and she quickly turned away.


    Hehe, she¡¯s so cute. I laid down on my desk, trying to nap for a bit.


    But not long after, a sharp scream pierced through the classroom.


    "Ah! ...!"


    Oh my god, what¡¯s going on with Wu Xiaoman? It startled me. I looked up and saw Xiaoman hurriedly running into the classroom, looking like she was about to vomit. Her face was as white as a sheet. Didn¡¯t she just go play ping pong after lunch?


    Seeing her in such a state, it looked just like how women on TV act when they¡¯re pregnant. I thought for a second and was suddenly shocked¡ªshe couldn¡¯t have secretly stolen my fertility talisman, could she?


    I hurriedly checked my bag. Thankfully, the fertility talisman was still there.


    Out of curiosity, I asked Xiaoman, "What happened?"


    "...Wuwu... Ghost..."


    Sweat! Xiaoman, how could there be a ghost in the daytime? I couldn¡¯t figure it out, so I left the classroom to see what was going on.


    By the school¡¯s ping pong table, a group of students had gathered. I walked over and met Cao Kui, who had a dumbfounded look on his face. I asked him what happened.


    Cao Kui cursed, "Damn, we¡¯ve seen a ghost!" and then explained the situation.


    It turned out that during lunch, Xiaoman was playing ping pong with a few classmates. The ball accidentally fell into a small hole. A few of the boys watching volunteered to bring a bucket of water to fill the hole. After pouring about ten buckets of water, the ping pong ball still didn¡¯t float up. Finally, with a loud crash, the ground around the hole caved in several meters deep. Halfway up the wall of the pit, a human head with long hair and wide-open eyes appeared, facing the sky. One hand was pointed at the sky, and the clothing on its arm was all torn, revealing withered muscles. The nails on its fingers were about half a foot long and curved, which was extremely terrifying.


    As Cao Kui described the scene, I couldn¡¯t help but shudder. No wonder Xiaoman looked so terrified.


    Amitabha Buddha!

 Chapter 9: The Long Road of Cultivation

    "Human nature dies, Dao nature lives! Love dies, Dao love arises!"


    <hr>


    I was about to go and take a look at the so-called corpse with long fingernails and long hair, but I found that several school leaders, along with the campus police, had already arrived and were driving the students who were gathered around away.


    I overheard someone saying that our school was built on a burial ground, and it seems that the rumor was not baseless. Given the events that had unfolded, I¡¯m sure the number of young couples sneaking off to the corners of the playground at night would decrease significantly.


    During lunch, the students couldn''t stop discussing what had happened on the playground. However, my deskmate, Wu Xiaoman, sat silently at her desk, her face pale. It seemed that her brow had taken on a slightly dark hue.


    Hmm? Is she overly frightened? Or perhaps she¡¯s troubled? Maybe she''s been possessed or affected by some evil spirit?


    Alas! I¡¯ve only just begun my cultivation, with only a small achievement so far. I can draw talismans, but I¡¯m unable to perform any real spells. My experience is limited, so if I were more capable, I could have easily checked her pulse to figure it out!


    Sigh! Amitabha Buddha!


    It¡¯s been over half a month since I started cultivating. After successfully consolidating my foundation, I¡¯ve begun to sense the wonders of the innate realm. I¡¯ve gradually started channeling Qi into my body and am now moving toward the formation of the Golden Core.


    Strangely enough, when I usually cultivate, whenever the divine light touches the little flag in my Niwan Palace, it actively starts to draw in and refine the energy of the heavens and earth. It then accumulates into my dantian through my meridians. The method I use is completely different from the one described in the books, but so far, I haven¡¯t encountered any major issues, so I just let it be.


    The upcoming National Day trip, my deskmate Wu Xiaoman¡¯s condition, and the dried corpse incident at school didn¡¯t stir much emotion in me. I put all of this behind me and spent the entire afternoon contemplating the path I should take in cultivation. After reading so many stories about immortals, and seeing all these things like magical treasures, formations, celestial treasures, blessed lands, and caves, I realized that I had almost none of them. What a pitiful Cultivator I am! At least I have a little flag as a magical item, though I don¡¯t even know its name.


    When school ended, I noticed that there weren¡¯t many students left around. Time really flies.


    I walked home and found that my uncle, aunt, and cousin had already started dinner. Although my appetite had decreased recently, I still ate a little to appear normal.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "San Tong, why are you eating so little?" my uncle furrowed his brows and said, "You¡¯re still growing, you should eat more. You don¡¯t look like a Zhang family member at all with that little appetite."


    Sigh! What does my eating less have to do with being a Zhang family member?


    At home, my aunt ignored me, my older cousin was away at university, and my younger cousin, Zhang Fuhong, always looked down on me. Only my uncle truly cared about me.


    I gave a silly smile, but inwardly, I was really moved. I remembered a saying I had read somewhere: "Those who treat me well, I will repay with goodness, and those who treat me poorly, I will respond with the same." Over the years, my uncle had always treated our family and me with care, and I silently kept that in my heart.


    That evening, I reviewed the materials I had gathered since beginning my cultivation. Suddenly, I wondered if I could take out the little flag in my Niwan Palace.


    I immediately sat on my bed, calmed my mind, and focused my thoughts on the little flag. As I silently wished for it, the little flag instantly appeared in my hand.


    It was as I had hoped! I was thrilled, as it had been a while since I had held the little flag so intimately. I looked at it carefully, and noticed that its color was even more vibrant than before. Three patterns, vaguely resembling oracle bone script, had appeared on the flag, though I couldn¡¯t quite make them out. Even if I could see them clearly, I wouldn¡¯t know what they meant. Sigh!


    Amitabha Buddha! Looks like I need to read more books on this. As a Cultivator, I realized I still had a lot of things to learn. The path of cultivation is long and arduous!


    With a sigh, I naturally placed the little flag under my pillow, as I had done before, and began my nightly cultivation.


    As usual, I sat on my bed, relaxed my body and mind, and once I reached a state of relaxation, I slowly focused my eyes and guided the divine light to the center of my eyebrows. Then, I gently closed my eyes. I began to convert the divine light into awareness and guided the spiritual energy from the heavens and earth into my body.


    "Hum..."


    Suddenly, a sharp, tearing pain shot through my brow, and my whole body trembled. I let out a painful groan. What was happening? Why did the spiritual energy I was guiding into my body feel so chaotic and harsh?


    "Poof!"


    I felt my meridians tearing apart, and I coughed up a mouthful of blood.


    Just when I was about to collapse under the pain, the little flag under my pillow emitted a golden light. It appeared in my Niwan Palace, and the chaotic energy of the heavens and earth that had been ravaging my body was quickly absorbed and refined by the flag, turning into a refreshing spiritual energy that repaired my damaged meridians.


    At the same time, a strange thought suddenly appeared in my mind, accompanied by images of lightning, thunder, wind and clouds, and flying dragons, all surrounded by flashing golden characters. The image gradually compressed until it turned into a flag. To my astonishment, it was the little flag in my mind. Three golden words, "Xu¨¢n Hu¨¢ng Q¨ª" (Ðþ»ÆÆì), appeared in my heart, and the golden characters that surrounded the image left behind a line of strange-looking characters in my mind. I couldn¡¯t recognize a single one of them. They didn¡¯t look like oracle bone script or simplified characters, nor were they in any known language.


    At that moment, I truly understood the profound mystery of the Xu¨¢n Hu¨¢ng Q¨ª. I sat quietly on my bed, absorbing everything that had just happened.


    In the end, several questions flashed through my mind: Why couldn¡¯t I guide the spiritual energy into my body using the methods described in the cultivation books? Why did the spiritual energy that wasn¡¯t refined by the flag feel so strange? If cultivating according to the books was the correct way, then why weren¡¯t there more Cultivators succeeding?

 Chapter 10: Cultivating the Dao—Progress with the Times

    The Dao is originally mysterious beyond mystery, and the world changes unpredictably; how could the Dao be any different? The secular world undergoes countless transformations, and so does the Dao!


    <hr>


    This time, during my cultivation, I realized that if I recklessly tried to draw the celestial energy into my body after leaving the Xuan Huang Flag, I''d probably end up in disaster. The thought alone made my skin crawl. I had once believed that after entering the Dao, everything would be smooth sailing¡ªhow naive I was!


    I''ve been cultivating for half a month now, and looking back, I realized that I don''t even fully understand what the Dao is. Being able to enter the Dao shows that my luck is good, but the road ahead will undoubtedly be full of obstacles. The worst part is that I don''t even know who to seek advice from.


    The next day at school, I flipped through a few Daoist books, but without clear guidance on how to continue my cultivation, I didn''t dare to proceed on my own. The Xuan Huang Flag constantly absorbs the celestial energy around me, refines it, and channels it into my dantian. Even if I don¡¯t intentionally cultivate, I still make progress. I thought to myself, maybe I should first understand what the Dao really is.


    The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name.


    The nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth; the named is the mother of all things.


    Sigh! I never properly studied classical Chinese, and after reading the first chapter of the Dao De Jing countless times, I still couldn¡¯t quite grasp what the Dao really is. It¡¯s truly embarrassing. I wonder if the Chinese teacher would understand? I almost had the impulse to ask her, but in the end, I decided against it.


    I spent the whole day reading, and vaguely came to understand that the Dao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two, Two gives birth to Three, and Three gives birth to all things. After the Dao gives rise to all things, it continues to exist within the very things it created, as the foundation and essence of all existence. The Dao is omnipresent, it fills the universe and is within everything. While the Dao is present in everything, it is not something tangible; it cannot be seen, heard, or touched. It is the essential nature of all things in Heaven and Earth.


    I thought to myself: if all things are born from the Dao, and everything bears the mark of the Dao, then the Dao itself must also change, as everything in the world is in constant flux. But no matter how the Dao changes, it remains the Dao.


    So, as a Cultivator, if I¡¯m to sense the changes in the Dao, shouldn¡¯t I follow the ways of the ancients?


    If we were to compare the Dao to a road, imagine you have an ancient city map from a century ago¡ªwould it still be useful to you today? Some cities update their maps yearly, so you can imagine how much things change! Change is inevitable!


    The Dao gives birth to One.


    One gives birth to Two.


    Two gives birth to Three.


    Three gives birth to all things...


    I began to wonder: if one were to cultivate when the Dao gives birth to One, would that be easier than cultivating in the process where One gives birth to Two, Two gives birth to Three, and Three gives birth to all things? If this is the case, then it¡¯s clear why there were many successful Cultivators in ancient times, but there are so few today. Without a map, if you have one road, two roads, or three roads to reach your destination, it¡¯s far easier than having a thousand paths leading to the same place. The difficulty is obvious.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Suddenly, I had an intuition: some Daoist books should only be referenced, not copied verbatim. If I focus too much on the cultivation methods of the ancients, my progress might be slower than expected.


    It seems that cultivating the Dao also requires keeping up with the times! Infinite longevity!


    Once I understood this, I felt much more at ease. The Dao is vast, with countless paths, but I¡¯ve already entered the gate of the Dao through the Xuan Huang Flag, so why worry about other cultivation methods?


    I¡¯ve figured out many things, but today my cousin, Zhang Fuhong, seemed to have a puzzled look on his face. He kept sneaking glances at me, which made me very curious.


    On the way to school that morning, he asked me, "Aren¡¯t you going on the trip? Who signed you up?"


    I lazily replied, "Who knows?"


    On the way home that evening, he asked again, "Are you sure you don¡¯t know who signed you up and paid the fee?"


    What¡¯s going on with this kid? When did he start caring about me so much? I answered, "I don¡¯t know, I just don¡¯t know. Heh."


    "Then why did Zhang Yu sign you up?" My cousin suddenly asked.


    What? Zhang Yu signed me up? How could she possibly have done that? No way¡­ she shouldn¡¯t even know I wrote that love letter. I deliberately wrote it in a style that would obscure my handwriting. Could she have figured it out?


    "Uh¡­ well¡­ hehe, maybe Zhang Yu felt sorry for me or thought it¡¯d be a shame if I didn¡¯t go¡­ or maybe she just thought I was handsome, haha!" I laughed it off and casually responded to him.


    Before I knew it, the National Day holiday was just around the corner, and my classmates had discussed the trip several times. I decided to join them. My deskmate, Wu Xiaoman, seemed to have recovered from the shock of the corpse incident, and her complexion had improved. However, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was off about her. She seemed even colder than before. She used to give me disdainful looks, but now she barely acknowledged my existence, and it seemed she was the same with everyone else.


    During this time, I¡¯d been so busy with my cultivation and studying that I had made quite a few blunders in class. Now, the teachers had mostly stopped paying attention to me. As long as I didn¡¯t disrupt the class, they didn¡¯t bother with my performance anymore. It seemed I had thoroughly disappointed them. But not the English teacher.


    Our English teacher, a young and pretty woman who had just graduated from university, was always fashionable and lively. She was full of passion for teaching, and she was one of the more energetic and attractive teachers in our school.


    Her name was Lv Yanling, and she had called me to her office several times. She told me that, as a teacher, she couldn¡¯t give up on any student. Her responsibility was to educate and nurture, not just to teach the curriculum.


    I felt a headache coming on.


    When I was younger, I had learned the "Yin-Yang" talismans incredibly fast, but these 26 English letters? I just couldn¡¯t get them right. I personally thought that talismans were harder to learn than English, but I just couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    Every time I faced the English teacher, I nodded my head like a little bird pecking at rice. As I nodded, I would take in every detail of her from head to toe. For the first time, I realized that women could actually be quite attractive. I found myself interested in women. I began to observe my classmates more closely, looking at this one and that one, and I realized that only my deskmate, Wu Xiaoman, and Zhang Yu were really worth looking at.


    I began to observe Wu Xiaoman and Zhang Yu carefully, and from then on, aside from cultivating the Dao, I also had a new pastime: observing them during morning exercises.


    To make up for my previous mistakes, I had already gone through all the textbooks from my first and second year. Once I was confident that I understood everything, I slipped back into my usual carefree study routine, never once thinking about self-studying for the third year or university-level courses...

 Chapter 11: The Youthful Days of Classmates

    The nature of the Dao is omnipresent, pure and naturally still. When still, it is the nature; when in motion, it becomes emotion.


    <hr>


    This time, the class trip destination was called "Medicine Water Gorge." It was said that deep inside the gorge, there was a large stone statue of a toad, and from its mouth flowed a crystal-clear spring throughout the year. On the sixth day of the sixth month, there would be a grand multi-ethnic bonfire party, and on that day, many people would come to worship the stone toad. The spring water it produced was believed to have miraculous healing powers capable of curing all ailments.


    Besides our class of dozens of students, our homeroom teacher, Xin Tianfan, and English teacher, L¨¹ Yanling, also joined the trip. On the morning of October 1st, all the students gathered at the school gate by 7 a.m. By 8 a.m., Xin Tianfan, with his shiny hair, and L¨¹ Yanling, dressed in a vibrant outfit, finally arrived.


    "Students, we are setting off!"


    As one of the class officers, my cousin Zhang Fuhong enthusiastically greeted the teachers and waved his hands to everyone, loudly shouting, "Our trip officially begins! Please board the bus in order according to your seat number."


    Sweat! How could this happen? If we sat according to seat numbers, that meant I¡¯d have to sit with Wu Xiaoman for the four-hour ride to Medicine Water Gorge.


    I quietly moved to the side of the muscular Cao Kui and patted his shoulder. "Hey, buddy, you¡¯re not getting any other chances. When you get on, take my seat, alright? Your dream girl, Xiaoman, will be next to you. Hehe."


    Why did I feel so perverted saying that? Infinite Buddha!


    "Really? Haha, thanks, man! You¡¯re a true brother! Here, I¡¯ve got a bunch of fruit, can''t finish it all, take some with you on the bus!" Cao Kui laughed happily as he handed me a few washed apples and stumbled onto the bus.


    Cao Kui¡¯s good friend, Cheng Fan, smiled at me, making me feel a little awkward. I tossed him an apple, and only then did he return to his usual self.


    Once on the bus, I glanced around and noticed the last row was nearly empty. Perfect! I could lie down and sleep without anyone bothering me. Since I started practicing the Dao, I¡¯ve felt increasingly out of place with my classmates. Ugh! But I¡¯m still a passionate, energetic, healthy youth! Why am I like this?


    My cousin noticed that Cao Kui was sitting next to Wu Xiaoman, glaring at me, then saw me lying at the back. He shot me an angry look. I turned my back to him, ignoring his fire.


    I felt someone sitting in the row in front of me and turned around to see our homeroom teacher, Xin Tianfan. When he saw me, he chuckled and showed off his freshly whitened teeth.


    How cold!


    I shook my facial muscles and smiled, greeting, "Hello, Teacher!"


    Xin Tianfan ruffled his shiny hair and combed it a few more times with his fingers before answering in a rather unpleasant tone, "You¡¯re Zhang Santong? The one with so many questions?"


    Sigh! Teacher Xin Tianfan, we¡¯ve been together for over a year now, and yet you still don¡¯t know my name? Is that my misfortune or yours?A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    I twitched my mouth and reluctantly nodded. "Yes, I¡¯m Zhang Santong."


    After answering his question, I lay back down on my seat, paying no attention to the fact that he seemed about to lose his temper.


    The bus set off, and a few of the class officers took turns speaking, followed by speeches from both teachers. Then, the game activities began, and it seemed either they didn¡¯t notice me lying at the back or they didn¡¯t want me to join. Either way, no one disturbed me.


    After more than an hour, the bus started bumping along a rocky road and entered a large canyon. The noise in the bus quickly died down, replaced by the sounds of people vomiting one after another.


    The strange smell was so strong even I, at the back, couldn¡¯t escape it. I switched to internal breathing, sat up, and endured.


    Almost all the girls and most of the boys were holding plastic bags and vomiting. Others weren¡¯t any better, pinching their noses and opening all the windows. I saw Cao Kui give his window seat to Wu Xiaoman, and I noticed he seemed to have thrown up as well.


    The driver had no choice but to stop the bus, and everyone got out to rinse their mouths with bottled water. I saw the quiet and gentle Zhang Yu handing her water bottle to both L¨¹ Yanling and Wu Xiaoman. While doing so, I accidentally overheard their conversation.


    "Xiaoyu, why didn¡¯t you get carsick this time?" Wu Xiaoman asked curiously, "I remember you used to get carsick even worse than me. How strange!"


    "¡­ I don¡¯t know the reason," Zhang Yu blushed, instinctively pressing a small sachet hanging from her neck.


    "Wow, Xiaoyu, what¡¯s in that?" L¨¹ Yanling, with her sharp eyes, noticed a little yellow paper corner sticking out from Zhang Yu''s sachet. She asked, intrigued.


    Damn! Looks like Zhang Yu is in trouble now. The paper she was holding inside the sachet was a talisman I gave her. Could it be that she¡¯s not getting carsick because of the talisman? I remember giving her three talismans¡ªone for expelling plague, one for banishing evil, and one for protection. If this talisman really worked, should I start selling them as "no-motion-sickness talismans" and make a fortune? Haha!


    As I daydreamed, Zhang Yu hurriedly hid the sachet, blushing, not saying anything, but she did glance at me. That look made me feel uncomfortable. Even Wu Xiaoman looked at me strangely.


    Wu Xiaoman probably realized the yellow talisman inside the sachet was from me and seemed a little sad. She walked toward me.


    Wow, she walks like the heroine in the movie Liu Hulan!


    "Zhang¡­ classmate?"


    Wu Xiaoman walked up and extended her hand toward me.


    Zhang classmate? Damn, what kind of address is that? Sounds so awkward. As expected of a top student, Wu Xiaoman instantly realized that the yellow talisman was responsible for Zhang Yu not getting carsick. But she never would have guessed that my talismans were the real deal. Ah, Zhang Yu knows that talisman is mine. Does that mean the love letter incident will be exposed?


    Whatever, I¡¯ll just let things unfold naturally. I¡¯m a Cultivator, what do I have to be afraid of?


    Three pairs of beautiful eyes were staring at me, making me feel a little embarrassed. I took out two Anshen talismans from my pocket and handed them to Wu Xiaoman and L¨¹ Yanling.


    Wu Xiaoman asked, "Is this why Xiaoyu doesn¡¯t get carsick?"


    I nodded, "Yes."


    L¨¹ Yanling asked curiously, "Zhang Santong, where did you get these talismans?"


    Without hesitation, I answered, my eyes not even blinking, "An old man with a white beard in my dreams taught me to draw them."


    Zhang Yu, red-faced, seemed to want to ask me something, but couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it.


    I chuckled and casually told them, "It took me years to draw these, so don¡¯t think they¡¯re easy. I¡¯m giving you these as a gift. If you want more, the price is negotiable."


    When L¨¹ Yanling held the talisman, she visibly relaxed and seemed much lighter. Her gaze toward me sparkled with curiosity and excitement. But my attention was focused on Wu Xiaoman. A strange grayish aura flashed across her forehead, and the Anshen talisman in her hand emitted a faint red glow that no ordinary person could see¡­

 Chapter 12: A Little Bird

    "Sentient beings are not the Dao, but can cultivate and attain the Dao; the Dao is not sentient beings, but can respond to their cultivation."


    <hr>


    I gave the same talismans to both Wu Xiaoman and Teacher Lv Yanling, but their reactions to the talismans were quite different. While Teacher Lv seemed relatively normal, the dark aura flickering around Wu Xiaoman¡¯s face made me very cautious. It reminded me that she was the first person to discover the mummified body in the hole on the school playground. Recently, every time I saw her, her expression had been so cold, which made me feel that something was off.


    After Wu Xiaoman wore the peace talisman, I became more certain that my instincts were right. Unfortunately, my knowledge of cultivation is almost nonexistent, so I couldn¡¯t figure out what was happening. Thankfully, after a short while, Wu Xiaoman¡¯s complexion began to improve, and her expression wasn¡¯t as cold as it had been the past few days. Everything seemed to return to normal.


    After half an hour of rest, everyone boarded the bus again. After several stops and more bouts of vomiting, we finally reached the canyon near Yaoshui Gully around 2 PM.


    The closer we got to Yaoshui Gully, the heavier the feeling of oppression in my heart. The Xuanhuang Flag in my Dantian had unfurled, and the vital energy within it was more active than before. However, once we got off the bus, everything seemed to return to normal. I felt strange¡ªthis was the most excited I had been since I started my cultivation. I had a hunch that something would happen on this trip.


    After I gave the peace talisman to Teacher Lv and Wu Xiaoman, neither of them got motion sickness anymore. Soon after, my cousin found out from somewhere, and I had to give him one as well. Before long, everyone knew that I had talismans that could prevent motion sickness. For the first time, I became the center of attention among my classmates, but unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have many talismans with me on this trip.


    I noticed that our class teacher, Xin Tianfan, who usually had a shiny hairstyle, now looked completely disheveled with a sickly green complexion. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit smug.


    Once everyone unloaded the cooking equipment and tents, the bus driver started the bus and drove off quickly, disappearing into the canyon.


    I heard that we were going to stay here for two days. Tonight, we would set up tents and rest, and later have a bonfire party. Tomorrow, we would visit the stone toad statue and drink the spring water, and the day after, we would climb the mountain to watch the sunrise.


    The canyon was surrounded by towering, unnamed mountains, covered with dense birch forests. Anyone who wandered into the forest could easily find a bundle of old birch bark that had fallen off the trees. Birch bark is excellent for starting fires.


    After a short rest, the class leaders assigned more than ten boys to gather birch bark, while others began to set up the tents in slightly higher and flatter areas. The girls went to the creek in the middle of the canyon to wash the cooking utensils and prepare the rice, vegetables, meat, and fruit.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Everyone was busy.


    I was assigned to gather birch bark and my cousin specifically asked me to collect some dried pine branches as well. He said that with the pine branches, the bonfire smoke wouldn¡¯t be so irritating, and it would give off a fragrant aroma.


    Reluctantly, I set off with Cao Kui and Cheng Fan, climbing up the cliffs on both sides of the canyon to gather bark. The three of us together looked somewhat ridiculous¡ªCao Kui, who was aiming to get into the sports school, was tall and strong, I was of medium height, and Cheng Fan barely reached 1.7 meters.


    Since there was no time limit for gathering firewood, we weren¡¯t in a hurry. Under the lead of Cao Kui, who had been here before, we first picked wild strawberries to satisfy our hunger. We couldn¡¯t eat them all, so we each pulled out a plastic bag to pack them. We also caught a nameless little bird that hadn¡¯t learned to fly yet.


    This little bird had pale green feathers and bright purple eyes¡ªit was very strange. None of us could identify it. After playing a game of rock-paper-scissors, the little bird was mine.


    When we had played enough, we collected some birch bark and pine branches, bundled them up, and played another round of rock-paper-scissors. In the end, Cao Kui had to carry the load.


    I was feeling so pleased with myself. Every time I saw their gestures during rock-paper-scissors, I could almost guess what they would do just from their small movements and expressions. This kind of intuition only came after I started cultivating. I couldn¡¯t help but feel once again that cultivation was amazing!


    However, Cheng Fan always seemed to beat Cao Kui in rock-paper-scissors. This guy was clever. Cheng Fan¡¯s academic performance was similar to mine, and he had a great singing voice. He also liked to draw, with dreams of attending an art school and becoming an artist.


    I remembered watching a TV show once where a Tai Chi master tried to make a bird fly using only his palm, but it kept fluttering around without flying. Back then, I was envious, and now, seeing the bird in my hand, I suddenly wanted to try it myself.


    I drew a stream of vital energy from the Xuanhuang Flag into my hand, and as I opened my palm, the bird first stood still, then looked around a bit, and unexpectedly closed its eyes, not wanting to fly away. I hadn¡¯t even begun to learn the palm techniques from the TV show, and it was already acting like this¡ªhow frustrating.


    I sighed. I had lost interest in the little bird. While Cao Kui and Cheng Fan weren¡¯t paying attention, I placed it on the ground.


    After walking a few steps, I turned around and saw the little bird fluttering behind me, its round eyes looking at me pitifully as it chirped.


    Cheng Fan turned around when he saw the bird wasn¡¯t in my hand, but flying behind me, fluttering up and down, and he asked, ¡°San Tong, you¡¯re not going to give me that bird?¡±


    ¡°Of course I will,¡± I replied, though I was curious about why the bird wasn¡¯t afraid of humans. My interest was piqued again, and there was no way I would give it up to Cheng Fan.


    In the end, I caught the little bird again. I planned to study it in the next few days.


    When we returned to the camp by the canyon, more than ten tents had already been set up. Everyone was unpacking their things and sitting in a circle, with snacks and fruit laid out on cloth.


    We three were the last to return, and I overheard my cousin muttering that we had been lazy with our work.


    The sharp-eyed Teacher Lv Yanling immediately noticed the little bird in my hand and exclaimed, ¡°Wow! Zhang San Tong, your little bird is so cute!¡±


    ¡°Pfft...!¡±


    ¡°Cough... cough...!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Several classmates either choked or spat out the drinks they were holding.


    I froze. What? Why did Teacher Lv say ¡°your little bird¡±? That comment sounded... a bit suggestive.


    Both our class teacher and most of the boys looked at me, and their first reaction was to look down.


    With a thud, Cao Kui, who was carrying a large bundle of firewood, collapsed to the ground, banging his fists on the ground in frustration...

 Chapter 13: That Year, Our Dreams

    I originally sought to keep my heart steady, but my heart could not find peace until my heart knew it. The heart governs virtues, willpower, body, heaven, and spirit. When can I finally prove my true self?


    ¡ù¡ù¡ù


    We set up our tents on a spot about ten yards higher than the bottom of the canyon because we feared that it might suddenly rain in the evening. When we arrived, everyone had checked the weather forecast, but it seemed like not many people believed the prediction of no rain for the next few days, especially since the weather in the forested, mountainous canyon area could be unpredictable, particularly at the end of summer.


    Across from our camp, on the other side of the canyon, there was a mountain cave. Such caves could be found all around the foothills or the bottom of the mountains. No one really paid much attention to it.


    I had just become the subject of everyone''s teasing due to a little mishap, and I didn¡¯t mind it much since I had thick skin. Surprisingly, our beautiful and graceful English teacher, L¨¹ Yanling, wasn¡¯t even the slightest bit embarrassed. I was really impressed by her!


    Everyone was intrigued by the little bird in my hand, especially the girls in our class.


    Strangely enough, the little bird behaved very calmly in my hand, but once anyone else held it, it would flutter and struggle uncontrollably. Who would¡¯ve thought that I had such a strange connection with this little bird?


    Since there were many of us, we formed several circles with snacks and fruits in the middle. I casually inserted myself into one, and next to me was a very quiet boy from the class. Honestly, I couldn¡¯t even remember his name. I felt a little embarrassed about that.


    The cheerful sounds of young boys and girls, the chatter, and the munching noises filled the quiet canyon with a unique charm. I started eating my fruit, while the little bird kept chirping beside me. I threw the leftover fruit pit to it, and to my surprise, the bird actually ate the fruit. What the heck! I had caught, beaten, and cooked many birds in my life, but I had never seen or heard of one eating fruit like this.


    ¡°Everyone, I hope you¡¯re having fun on this trip! Let¡¯s all raise a glass together!¡±


    I was playing with the little bird when suddenly I heard my cousin Zhang Fuhong¡¯s enthusiastic speech. Only then did I realize that there was a glass of beer in front of me. Nice! I liked beer. I didn¡¯t quite understand what my cousin was saying, but I raised my glass and drank it all in one go. Out of curiosity, I tipped the glass and let a few drops fall into my palm, which I then fed to the bird.


    ¡°Cheers! We are all classmates because of fate. In the future, let¡¯s all work hard for our goals after entering university. Now, why don¡¯t we all share our dreams? How about it?¡±


    My cousin was still blabbering on, and I continued feeding the bird beer.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go first. My dream is to become a teacher,¡± my cousin said.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    When I heard him say this, I looked up and noticed that he was gazing at the homeroom teacher and the English teacher with sincere eyes. What?! When did my cousin become such a flatterer?


    Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! There were many applause.


    Wu Xiaoman, the second person, said, ¡°My dream is to become a broadcaster or a TV host.¡±


    Hmm, she has personality! Clap! Clap! Clap! Applause.


    Zhang Yu then said, ¡°My dream is to become a doctor.¡±


    It seemed like she had been ill before, always taking medicine, maybe that¡¯s why she liked hospitals and the smell of drugs. My mind wandered off.


    Clap! Clap! Applause.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    One by one, my classmates shared their dreams. Everyone, except for my cousin, had a look of longing in their eyes. I couldn¡¯t help but ask myself: Before my grandfather passed away, my dream had been to become a renowned Taoist Cultivator. But after my grandfather¡¯s death, and after I started practicing cultivation, has my dream shifted to becoming an immortal? I thought about it and realized that wasn¡¯t the case at all. In the beginning, I had started cultivating just for fun. So what was my real dream? I suddenly felt that the classmates sitting around me seemed so distant, so far away. Sighing, I laid down on the ground and stared at the sky¡­ I really need to think of a dream.


    ¡°Zhang SanTong!!! Zhang¡ªSan¡ªTong.¡±


    It seemed like someone was calling me. I sat up and saw that everyone was looking at me.


    ¡°You, why are you so down? We¡¯re asking you¡ªwhat¡¯s your dream?¡± my cousin asked me bluntly. Young people nowadays, where did they get all this energy? Just because I didn¡¯t give him my seat on the way here, he had to be so rude.


    I had no interest, so I lazily responded, ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t have a dream.¡± After I finished, I even tried to clap, but when I raised my hand, I noticed everyone was looking at me with disdain.


    No applause! Forget it, I wondered if no dream meant no applause.


    When I said that I didn¡¯t have a dream, I saw a variety of different gazes.


    My cousin¡¯s eyes showed a bit of a bitter smile. Maybe as family, he felt helpless.


    Wu Xiaoman¡¯s eyes were cold, with a trace of regret.


    Zhang Yu¡¯s gaze I couldn¡¯t quite understand, but it felt strange.


    ¡­¡­


    In any case, I was mocked by my classmates again. Since I started practicing cultivation, why did I feel more and more distant from them? I was always helpless about it. I wanted to change, but I just didn¡¯t feel interested.


    Afterward, I simply lay down on the ground. The rest of the class began to play games, and no one invited me to join. I enjoyed the peace and quiet. Occasionally, when everyone clinked glasses to drink, Cao Kui and Cheng Fan would come over and share a drink with me. That¡¯s what brothers do!


    The little bird was still beside me, falling and getting up, then standing again, only to fall down again. It seemed like it was drunk.


    I gazed at the sky, and suddenly, a dark cloud appeared from who knows where. It looked like a person with messy hair, the features unclear. In an instant, it became violent and spread out in all directions, with a ferocious, ever-changing form, pressing down from the sky.


    I shouted, ¡°It¡¯s going to rain, let¡¯s pack up!¡±


    At that moment, everyone noticed that the sky had darkened, and they hurriedly began packing their things. They started building a dirt wall around the tents to prevent water from getting in.


    Within a short time, the sky turned into a chaotic, oppressive mass of clouds, and the wind began to pick up, growing stronger.


    ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡±


    Deafening thunder echoed repeatedly from the sky, reverberating throughout the canyon.


    What troubled me was that the Xuanhuang Flag in my mind was trembling, as if it were excited. Damn it, why would this happen? There are so many classmates around. If I release the Xuanhuang Flag, wouldn¡¯t I scare them all to death?


    I used my spiritual sense to calm the Xuanhuang Flag and grabbed the little bird. Feeling helpless, I told everyone that I was not feeling well and went into the assigned tent.


    As the thunder grew louder, it became harder to suppress the Xuanhuang Flag. Through the curtain of the tent, I saw that the sky outside had turned pitch black, a storm was approaching.


    Damn it¡ªstupid weather forecast¡­

 Chapter 14: The Place of the Xuan Yin Killing Curse

    As the storm approached, most of my classmates were surprisingly excited. Only someone like me, born in the mountains, knew what it meant. If it rained heavily for several days, we might be stranded here. If the soil on the hillside where our tent was pitched wasn''t solid enough, we might even face a landslide. Moreover, in such a place, caves were everywhere, and in a heavy rain, water would gush from all directions. I couldn''t fathom who had suggested that we come here to play.


    However, all of that was the least of my worries. The heavy rain pounded the tent, and everyone rushed inside. MyÐþ»ÆÆì (Xuan Huang Flag) in my Dantian seemed even more restless. I had a faint feeling that the flag absorbed the energy of lightning and storm to thrive, and this could explain why it was always so unsettled during thunderstorms.


    I had always been a bit of an outsider in the class, so I didn¡¯t care about the surprised looks from Cao Kui, Cheng Fan, and two other classmates in the same tent. I sat cross-legged, closed my eyes, and began to calm and communicate with the flag. As soon as my consciousness met the flag, a strange sensation enveloped me, almost like being transported into another space.


    To be precise, it felt like I was outside the tent.


    My body remained inside, eyes closed in meditation, but my perception was fully immersed in the outside world. The thunder and rain surrounded me. I could see every lightning strike, feel the speed of each thunderclap, and even touch each raindrop. The wind brushed by, and my mind became extraordinarily clear in that moment.


    Suddenly, it felt as though the lightning and thunder were rushing toward me. But instead of fear, I felt joy, like drinking sweet rain. After a while, I felt a bit exhausted and opened my eyes. With a slight breath, the energy within me surged, and the Xuan Huang Flag emitted a faint, soothing light. It seemed my cultivation had made some progress, and the energy in my Dantian was beginning to take a liquid form.


    "Not bad, kid. When did you learn Qi Gong?"


    I snapped back to reality and saw four classmates, particularly Cao Kui, watching me curiously.


    Qi Gong? Yeah, I guess it did look like I was practicing Qi Gong.


    "I¡¯ve been practicing since I was young. Pretty impressive, huh? Did you see the smoke coming from me earlier? Ha!" I joked, though I was secretly worried about any unusual external manifestations during my practice. Seeing their faces, it didn¡¯t seem like they¡¯d noticed anything unusual.


    "Pfft! You''re just showing off. You were just sitting there for an hour." Cheng Fan said in disbelief, and the other two nodded in agreement.


    Huh? An hour? I felt like it was only a moment. Sweat! Why was it so quiet outside? Just as I was wondering, a scream came from outside.


    "Wow, the rain stopped! Come look!"


    "Such a beautiful scene!"


    "Look, a rainbow!"


    We all went outside. When I stood up, I accidentally dropped the little bird, which had been sleeping on my leg. I hadn¡¯t noticed it at all¡ªturns out, the little guy had been napping while I was meditating.


    After the storm, the air was crisp and fresh. The sky was an unimaginable shade of blue, pure and spotless. The rainbow appeared, arching gracefully over the mountains, forming a natural bridge across the gorge. The mountains, washed by the rain, revealed their true beauty.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    I stepped out of the tent, breathing in the fresh air, my mood lifted to its peak.


    Because of the rain, the creek in the medicinal water valley had risen a bit and was now a little murky. On the opposite side of the gorge, a cave began to emit a gush of water with a thunderous roar.


    The class leaders, ever diligent, checked the numbers and counted the supplies. Fortunately, everything seemed fine. But due to the rising water in the creek, we couldn¡¯t find enough clean water, meaning we¡¯d have to rely on the food we brought. The planned bonfire night seemed unlikely.


    As the sun set, the evening glow was beautiful, and everyone was taking in the scenery, leaving behind the stress of studies and the hustle and bustle of the city. This place was truly beautiful.


    Noticing that I was standing a little farther from the group, my cousin came over and asked, ¡°What¡¯s up with the talisman you gave me? Didn¡¯t my dad say the Zhang family should stay away from the Yin-Yang business? Why are you still drawing those ghost talismans?¡±


    I responded bluntly, ¡°Really? You used to draw talismans too, and you¡¯ve seen how Grandpa used to draw them. Do you really think the talisman I gave you is the same as those?¡±


    "Well, we¡¯re family, but you¡¯re always reading those strange books at school. How do you explain that to Uncle? Don¡¯t you care about the people who care about you? Think about it, okay?" My cousin said, then turned and walked away.


    He called me ¡°older brother¡±¡ªI almost couldn¡¯t believe it. The beautiful surroundings seemed to have softened his mood. It had been years since he last called me that.


    After he left, I saw Zhang Yu, Wu Xiaoman, and the English teacher walking toward me.


    Should I avoid them? After a moment of thought, I decided, as a Cultivator, who should I fear? Pretending I didn¡¯t see them, I began playing with my little bird. I decided to give it a name¡ªXiao Fei.


    ¡°Zhang San Tong, this bird is so cute! Can you give it to me?¡± the English teacher said, always cheerful and straightforward.


    I replied, ¡°It¡¯s not just a bird, it¡¯s Xiao Fei.¡±


    ¡°Xiao Fei? Well, whatever you call it, it¡¯s still just a bird, hehe!¡±


    I insisted, ¡°It¡¯s Xiao Fei, not just a bird.¡± Even though I knew I might sound a little unreasonable, I couldn¡¯t help myself.


    Perhaps due to the advancement of my cultivation, I noticed a subtle, dark aura around Xiaoman¡¯s brows. My heart skipped a beat. That dark energy was strangely active, though Xiaoman seemed unaware of it, with only a pale complexion as a sign.


    I suddenly felt a chill in my body. It reminded me of the terrain we had passed through since entering the gorge, most of which had deep ravines and stagnant water. Now that we had reached this place, I noticed there were more black holes in the surrounding mountains, pointing directly at this spot. The place seemed to be an auspicious location for a deadly curse. When I was a child, I had been forced to learn Feng Shui, and although I wasn¡¯t an expert, I understood a few things.


    "Zhang San Tong, what are you thinking? Tell us about those talismans you¡¯ve been drawing. They seem so cool!" Zhang Yu asked, noticing I was deep in thought and scanning the surroundings.


    To confirm my suspicions, I didn¡¯t pay attention to their questions. I ignored their growing impatience and ran over to my cousin, pulling him out of the group.


    ¡°Fuhong, don¡¯t get mad, but take a look at the surroundings. Doesn¡¯t this place have the aura of a ¡®Xuan Yin Killing Curse¡¯?¡±


    My cousin paused for a moment, then carefully scanned the area before saying, ¡°Now that you mention it, it does seem like it. But what does that have to do with us?¡±


    My cousin had always been sharp. When he said that, I was even more certain. I sighed and said, ¡°Remember the dry corpse incident at the playground? Who was the first to notice?¡±


    He froze for a moment, his face changing color. He blurted out, ¡°Wu Xiaoman?¡±


    Damn! Why did he say that so loudly? I quickly turned and saw that everyone was staring at us with suspicion. Particularly Xiaoman¡¯s gaze, which made my cousin and me feel embarrassed.


    ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s your relationship with Wu Xiaoman?¡± My cousin asked anxiously.


    I replied seriously, ¡°Her brows are tainted with a dark aura. She¡¯s been possessed. Now that we¡¯re in this place with such heavy Yin energy, what do you think will happen?¡± After all, both my cousin and I were from a Yin-Yang family, and he understood what I meant. At least I wasn¡¯t speaking to deaf ears.

 Chapter 15: After the Thunderstorm, a Sword Emerges from the Cave

    ¡°What? Is this for real?¡±


    Upon hearing that it was about Wu Xiaoman, my younger cousin became alarmed. ¡°How did you find out?¡±


    ¡°How I found out is not important.¡± Of course, I couldn¡¯t tell him about my ability to perceive the aura of people since cultivating the Dao. Seeing his anxious expression, I sighed. This guy is done for¡ªhe¡¯s already fallen head over heels and doesn¡¯t even realize it.


    I patted his shoulder and said, ¡°It¡¯s best if we leave here tomorrow. Otherwise, the Yin energy will grow stronger, and we don¡¯t know what could happen.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡± My cousin thought for a moment, thanked me, and then fell silent in deep thought.


    Over there, Wu Xiaoman, Zhang Yu, and our English teacher were whispering to each other, frequently casting glances in our direction. It was obvious they were talking about me and my cousin.


    ¡°Brother, what should we do now?¡± my cousin asked, looking up. ¡°If we say this to the others, they definitely won¡¯t believe us. We can¡¯t cancel the trip just based on this reason.¡±


    Yeah¡­ I nodded, furrowing my brow. ¡°Let¡¯s hope nothing happens over the next few days. She has the amulet I gave her, so she should be fine.¡±


    My cousin and I didn¡¯t have any better ideas at the moment. Back when we were younger, we had seen something similar to the situation with Wu Xiaoman. In our hometown in Jiushizhang, there was a weak woman who, one night, while walking home, suddenly started shouting, no longer recognizing anyone around her, claiming to be the daughter of a noble family from the Qing Dynasty. When such things happened, people usually found a butcher with strong Qi to intimidate the person or hired shamans, monks, or even witches to perform rituals.


    Both my cousin and I came from a family of Yin-Yang Cultivators, but we never learned how to expel evil spirits. We didn¡¯t study these methods much and came to the provincial city to study, so now, when we faced such an incident, we were completely helpless. Here I am, a Cultivator of the Dao, and I couldn¡¯t even deal with such a small issue. How embarrassing.


    The scenery after the rain was beautiful, but I couldn¡¯t care less. My mind was occupied with the fact that I had been cultivating for so long and still hadn¡¯t learned a single spell. How frustrating! Where could I go to learn a spell, and who could I ask for guidance? I looked around, but there wasn¡¯t a single Cultivator in sight. Forget it, I¡¯ll go back and read some books and see if I can find something useful.


    The bonfire party for the evening was canceled, and everyone started to wander around in small groups, chatting.


    I noticed that Wu Xiaoman, Zhang Yu, and the English teacher were heading in my direction again. Great! It seemed my talisman had caught their attention. Why do girls have so much curiosity? If this keeps up, I¡¯ll just give them each a ¡°talisman for childbirth,¡± as a joke. Hah!Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Sure enough, the three of them surrounded me as soon as they arrived. Zhang Yu and Wu Xiaoman gave me a mix of soft and sharp gazes, while the English teacher began to interrogate me.


    ¡°Zhang Santuo, tell us where you got that talisman from! I heard from Wu Xiaoman that you¡¯ve been drawing these things in class. Is that true?¡±


    How is she asking this? She knows I drew it myself, yet she still asks where I got it from? How does she even manage to be a teacher?


    I smirked internally. ¡°It¡¯s something I drew myself. What¡¯s the problem? Are you girls thinking of a group purchase or bulk order? I can give you a 10% discount if you want¡ªonly 800 each. Act fast!¡±


    ¡°You know how to draw these things?¡± The English teacher continued to probe.


    Does this woman ever stop asking questions? Can¡¯t she see that I¡¯m half-heartedly answering her?


    Since I¡¯ve never been good at buttering people up, especially when it comes to beautiful women, even if it¡¯s my teacher, I just can¡¯t do it. Now that I¡¯m cultivating the Dao, I¡¯ve become even more disinterested in these social games.


    ¡°The story of how I learned to draw talismans is quite long, it goes way back...¡± I began to fabricate an answer.


    ¡°Stop!¡± The English teacher, Lyu Yanling, glared at me with her bright eyes and said, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not going to talk, huh? Well, when it¡¯s time for you to write down your vocabulary, just wait for it!¡±


    Is she threatening me? Hah, I¡¯ve cultivated the Dao and my mind is sharp. I¡¯m not afraid of such small tactics. I shrugged. ¡°Fine, I¡¯m a good student. If you want to test me more, I¡¯m happy to oblige!¡±


    What? As I said that, I noticed Zhang Yu¡¯s eyes brighten, and Wu Xiaoman¡¯s expression seemed a little distant.


    ¡°You...!¡± Lyu Yanling was about to say something, but suddenly her expression changed, and she smiled. ¡°You¡¯re so bad! Your English is so poor. I guess I¡¯ll have to give you extra lessons from now on?¡±


    What? I nearly passed out. I¡¯ve been trying to avoid learning English, but now she wants to give me extra lessons? Is this some form of forced labor?


    I sighed again and began to lie. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell you, but you have to promise to keep it a secret. Actually, every night, an old man with a white beard teaches me...¡±


    Before I could finish, Lyu Yanling interrupted me. ¡°Stop, stop. You little rascal!¡±


    She rolled her eyes at me, then took out the talisman I had given her and asked, ¡°What is this thing called?¡±


    ¡°The anti-motion sickness talisman,¡± I answered without hesitation.


    ¡°What?¡± The three women¡¯s eyes widened in unison, staring at me.


    ¡°It¡¯s something I invented. Yep, I came up with it!¡± I shrugged. Believe it or not.


    Zhang Yu seemed about to ask something, but when she looked at Wu Xiaoman and the English teacher, she stopped. She looked so cute as she hesitated, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little distracted. Wait¡­ what am I thinking?


    Suddenly, a loud voice came from across the valley.


    ¡°Ah! Everyone, come and look! I¡¯ve found a treasure!¡±


    We all turned toward the sound, and there, near the mountain cave across from our camp, we saw Cao Kui waving what looked like a long object, shouting in excitement, ¡°It¡¯s a sword! I found a sword!¡±


    Everyone was shocked. This guy really has good luck. I remember when I was a child, I explored caves with my friends, and the scariest thing we found was a skull. But now, after the rain, Cao Kui finds a sword. I¡¯m not surprised that the sword was washed out of the cave by the mudslide.


    We all ran over to take a look. Cao Kui, thrilled with his find, eagerly displayed the sword for everyone.


    I leapt over the creek and quickly ran toward him. Suddenly, I noticed a faint rumbling sound coming from the dark cave. My heart tightened. I ran over and grabbed Cao Kui¡¯s hand, shouting, ¡°Be careful! Get away from there!¡±


    Before my voice could fade in the valley, I had already yanked him to safety, pulling him toward a higher spot.


    ¡°Boom! Crash¡­!¡±


    A deafening roar drowned out everyone¡¯s screams as a huge torrent of water and rocks surged out of the cave, heading straight toward us.

 Chapter 16: A Small Display of Skill

    A thought arises, and the mind becomes still. Disputes are of no concern, the self and others are forgotten, all evil ceases, the eight winds are motionless, and purity is the foundation.


    <hr>


    ¡°Boom¡­¡±


    The flood from the cave behind us surged forward like a wild beast, rushing toward me and Cao Kui. The fearful expressions of my classmates and the two teachers flashed through my mind. At this moment, however, I felt strangely calm.


    Only one thought occupied my mind: to get out of the cave and to higher ground as quickly as possible.


    The stillness of my heart allowed the energy in my body to flow more naturally through my meridians. Sensing the urgency of the flood behind us, I realized that time was running out. Without hesitation, I mustered all my strength and hurled Cao Kui forward to a higher ground about ten meters ahead.


    A thought arises, and the mind becomes still. Disputes are of no concern, the self and others are forgotten, all evil ceases.


    In an instant, I gathered my focus, merging mind and body into one, fully channeling my energy. Several illusory figures appeared in front of me, below where I had thrown Cao Kui, and I caught him with ease, gently lowering him to the ground by absorbing the force of his fall.


    Cao Kui appeared disoriented, dazed and confused. Meanwhile, the other students and teachers stood frozen, their eyes and mouths wide open in disbelief.


    We had finally escaped. I suddenly felt drained and collapsed to the ground. Looking back, I saw that the flood from the cave had been successfully avoided by both Cao Kui and me. The torrent, mixed with rocks and mud, rushed into the creek in the middle of the canyon and slowly subsided.


    <hr>


    ¡°Wow¡­! You¡¯re a superhero!¡±


    ¡°So amazing!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Only then did the others react, rushing over to us, their exclamations filling the air.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly. To save this fool Cao Kui, I had no choice but to reveal some of my abilities. I thought about it for a moment and figured I¡¯d just make up some excuse about having practiced martial arts since I was young.


    I was utterly exhausted, and Cao Kui seemed to be just as weak, sitting beside me. I was drained, while he was probably just scared stiff, haha.


    I closed my eyes and pretended to be completely worn out, not wanting to say anything. The students around me continued to marvel, but I ignored them. My cousin came over and asked, "Bro, are you okay?"


    "Bro?" This was the first time my cousin had called me "bro" in front of everyone. Not easy, huh? When did this kid change his mind? Ah, young people¡­ especially brothers, they never hold grudges for long. Regardless, I was genuinely touched by his concern.


    The others gasped in surprise, likely not expecting us to be brothers.


    Haha! I felt good, so I joked with my cousin, ¡°You know my skills, right? This little thing? No big deal.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    <hr>


    ¡°Wow! Zhang San Tong, you and Zhang Fu Hong are brothers? I can¡¯t believe it!¡±


    ¡°So cool! San Tong, your kung fu is so amazing! I didn¡¯t know you could do all that!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The classmates chattered excitedly, still in awe of what had just happened. From shouting "Be careful!" by the creek to running to Cao Kui¡¯s side, dragging him away, and then throwing him to higher ground when the flood came¡­ It all seemed like a long time, but in reality, it all happened in a few breaths. Even I was a little surprised at how it all turned out.


    I was too weak to continue standing, and my cousin helped me up, guiding me back to the camp. The attention of the classmates shifted to the sword in Cao Kui''s hand. It was a one-foot-long sword with dragon carvings on its surface. Although the sword had a bit of mud on it, there was no sign of rust. The material was a mystery, and the handle and guard formed an entire dragon, perfectly crafted.


    Each student took a turn holding the sword, but none of them could pull out the blade, which was quite odd.


    Accompanied by Cheng Fan, Cao Kui walked over to me, still holding the sword, and said, "San Tong, this sword is for you. A sword should go to a hero, and it seems only fitting that it should be yours."


    What a guy. Looking into his eyes, I understood that he was thanking me for saving him earlier. But instead of expressing his gratitude directly, he just said he was giving me the sword. That was very much to my liking. Without hesitation, I said, "Haha! I used to play with swords when I was a kid. Not really into them now. You should keep it. Maybe it¡¯s an antique, and when you make a fortune, don¡¯t forget to treat me to a big meal! Haha!¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°No, this sword must be yours.¡±


    Cao Kui insisted, placing the sword into my hand and patting me on the shoulder, his eyes full of gratitude.


    I was stunned. This guy was really generous.


    I reluctantly asked, ¡°Alright, the sword is mine now, but can I give it away?¡±


    Cao Kui shot me a cool look and replied, "Of course!¡±


    Haha! Honestly, even though I liked the sword, I had no intention of keeping it. Glancing at my cousin, I handed the sword to him and said, "Here, bro, this is for you. Haha!¡±


    I had recovered some of my strength after being drained earlier. Ignoring my cousin¡¯s and everyone¡¯s wide-eyed expressions, I laughed and pushed him aside, turning to walk toward the camp. Since Zhang Fu Hong was my cousin, and he had called me "bro" in front of everyone today, I decided to give him the sword. It wasn¡¯t a big deal, and I was happy to do it.


    <hr>


    Back in my tent, I lay on my cooling mat, reflecting on what I had done today. I wouldn¡¯t call it an act of heroism; I wasn¡¯t that noble. My actions were simply driven by my heart.


    Then I thought, as a Cultivator, what was my true heart?


    Cultivation begins with the heart, and the heart is the foundation of the spirit. The spirit is one of the three treasures of cultivation. People say cultivation begins with the heart, but I¡¯m still not entirely clear on what my true heart is.


    One saying goes: "People know the heart of the heart, but do not know the reason for the heart."


    Another says: "The Dao cannot be seen, but the heart is clear. The heart cannot be measured, but the Dao is guarded."


    And yet another: "The Supreme Taoist mind is still, moving without disturbance. The flowing water and the reflected moon are like my heart... The Dao is of the heart, embracing all things."


    I pondered a pile of phrases about cultivating the heart, but I felt somewhat confused...


    Forget it, I thought. Other people¡¯s hearts are not mine to understand. I seek the Great Dao, cultivate body and heart. I cultivate my body and seek my true heart, that is enough. Why bother with the vague terms in those ancient books?


    I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. The energy I had exhausted earlier began to gradually restore itself through the Xuanhuang Banner. Suddenly, I remembered the little bird in my pocket. I reached in and found it still there, and when I pulled it out, I saw that it had fallen asleep... What the heck!


    After today''s events, I suddenly realized that my martial arts practice, combined with cultivation, had made significant progress. Cultivation really is amazing!


    Now, in the middle stage of refining essence into Qi, my dantian is full of energy like stone, my movements are light, and when I cultivate, my heavenly energy flows smoothly. My heart and aura are gradually changing for the better.


    I couldn¡¯t help but sigh again¡ªcultivation really is wonderful! Haha!

 Chapter 17: The Heart-Moving Stage of Refining Essence into Qi

    The heart is the foundation of the spirit; when internal medicine is completed, the mind and spirit must first be cultivated.


    ¡ù¡ù¡ù


    That evening, because a classmate suddenly discovered a spring of clear water, the bonfire party went on as scheduled. I didn¡¯t like crowds, so I lied, saying that I hadn¡¯t fully recovered and wanted to rest early.


    While the other classmates were singing, dancing, and enjoying themselves by the fire, I stayed inside the tent, contemplating the path of cultivation.


    In the past few days, I had realized that the energy within me had transformed into a liquid form. This indicated that my external medicine was nearly complete, and I was about to enter the stage of refining internal medicine.


    Refining Essence into Qi, or the "Hundred Day Pass," is a metaphor in cultivation, representing the hope of success after a hundred days. Of course, it¡¯s just a metaphor. I had already formed my foundation, but it had taken me more than half a month to make some progress in refining Essence into Qi. To finish the entire process in a hundred days was impossible. Since beginning my cultivation, I hadn¡¯t dreamed once.


    During this time, through extensive reading and organizing cultivation-related books, I had come to understand what refining Essence into Qi was all about. In Taoist alchemy, it¡¯s a crucial stage. The earlier stage of refining oneself and forming the foundation merely repairs the deficiencies in the three treasures: Essence, Qi, and Spirit. Once they are complete, these three treasures are also referred to as medicine or "the three completions."


    In the process of refining Essence into Qi, Essence, Qi, and Spirit change names according to the different stages.


    At this point, my meridians were fully open, and the Essence, Qi, and Spirit had been activated. My origin was clear, and my vitality was full. Small cycles of energy were circulating smoothly within me, flowing upwards to the "mud pill" and downward to the "heavenly palace," passing through the Yellow Court and entering the Dantian. This cycle repeated hundreds of times.


    At this stage, I had completed the external medicine stage of refining Essence into Qi, which was the initial stage. Now, I was about to focus on the next stage¡ªrefining Qi.


    My cultivation had allowed me to draw in external energy through the Xuanhuang Banner, which helped me complete the process of absorbing energy from the environment into my body. Last time, I directly absorbed energy from the Xuanhuang Banner, and the overwhelming energy nearly caused me to lose my mind. I realized that my ability to cultivate was entirely due to the existence of the Xuanhuang Banner.


    As for why the Xuanhuang Banner could refine the external energy into something I could use, I didn¡¯t fully understand. Maybe, once I deciphered the mysterious symbols and patterns on the banner, I would have an answer.


    Now, I was wondering how I could transform external energy into internal energy and then combine both to complete the stage of refining Qi.


    Previously, I thought the Qi in the refining process was the same as the true Qi seen in martial arts films, but once I began cultivating, I realized that the two were entirely different. In cultivation, the Qi that is refined from Essence is the true "Golden Elixir," which is the legendary great medicine in Taoism.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    The term "refining" refers to the process of transforming Essence, Qi, and Spirit into one, with the goal of achieving "oneness." The process of transformation is a reversal, a process of returning to the origin.


    To break down the stages of refining Essence into Qi:


    <ol>


    <li>The first stage: Refining the self¡ªnourishing Essence, Qi, and Spirit.</li>


    <li>The second stage: Establishing the foundation¡ªopening all the meridians.</li>


    <li>The third stage: Drawing Qi into the body¡ªusing the spirit to refine external energy.</li>


    <li>The fourth stage: Heart-Moving Period¡ªthis is when the refining of internal energy begins, and it¡¯s crucial to refine the heart during this stage.</li>


    <li>The fifth stage: Internal Medicine Birth (Golden Elixir formation).</li>


    <li>The final stage: Combining internal and external energy to form the Great Medicine (Golden Elixir), completing the refining process.</li>


    </ol>


    After reflecting on the stages, I felt more confident. I now understood that I was about to enter the Heart-Moving Period, where refining the heart would be the focus.


    Looking at the time, I was surprised to find that I had been contemplating for over an hour. Outside, the classmates were still reveling in their festivities. I walked out of the tent, away from the bustling crowd, and sat alone on a large stone. I took out the little bird and began to daze off, not thinking about anything¡ªjust sitting there, letting my mind wander.


    I¡¯m not sure how much time passed, but suddenly, a soft voice pulled me back to reality. I turned around and saw Zhang Yu. Though we were far from the bonfire, I noticed that her face was slightly flushed.


    "You called for me?" I asked softly. At that moment, my heart was completely calm, and her appearance didn¡¯t stir any emotions.


    "I have something to ask you," Zhang Yu¡¯s voice grew a little louder. She seemed to have gathered her courage, and her bright eyes locked onto mine. I could see confusion, hope, and something else I couldn¡¯t identify.


    The little bird in my hand chirped a few times, and the evening breeze, carrying the cool air of the canyon, ruffled Zhang Yu¡¯s cute bangs. The wind seemed to stir my heart.


    Wait, had I entered the Heart-Moving Period? Was it the wind or her presence that stirred me? Or was it truly the Heart-Moving Period?


    The moment I entered the Heart-Moving Period, was my heart not supposed to stir?


    I looked at the little bird in my hand, my heart fluttering. But then my attention shifted back to the bird. Wait, the bird¡¯s feathers seemed a bit darker green now!


    "Zhang Santu, did you hear what I said?" Zhang Yu called again.


    When I looked up, I saw that Zhang Yu¡¯s expression seemed a little hurt. Her eyes blinked rapidly, and with each blink, it seemed like she was trying to hold something back, like starry lights were blinking from her eyes. It softened my heart. Was this heart-softening a part of the Heart-Moving Period?


    I quickly suppressed my random thoughts and replied, "Yes, I heard you. What do you want to ask? I know a lot about addresses, astronomy, and more, though there are some things I don¡¯t know!"


    She smiled cutely, revealing two small dimples, and my heart skipped a beat. This was it¡ªmy heart was stirring again. I had to fix my heart soon!


    Zhang Yu then asked, "Do you have a Sanqing Temple in your hometown?"


    "No, why do you ask?" I asked curiously, but then my heart suddenly fluttered again. Didn¡¯t I mention the Sanqing Temple in the letter I had written to her? Now I felt a little uneasy. Was I entering the Heart-Moving Period or not?


    God, is this what it feels like when the Heart-Moving Period starts? Is it always this erratic?


    Should I answer her directly or avoid the question? After thinking for a moment, avoiding it would be contrary to my true heart, and I couldn¡¯t do that if I was to cultivate my heart. I decided to face it.


    I smiled slightly at Zhang Yu and said directly, "That letter you received, I wrote it. And the charm was also from me."


    Zhang Yu¡¯s lips parted in surprise, and as she blinked a few more times, she suddenly said, "So it was you?"


    When she spoke, I saw a mixture of disappointment, surprise, and excitement in her eyes. What else was there? I couldn¡¯t quite tell.


    At that moment, I felt like my heart had stopped beating.


    Heart, oh heart! Looks like I need to hurry and cultivate my heart. Amitabha Buddha!

 Chapter 18: The Medicine Pools Black Tortoise Spits Water, and the First Signs of A sinister, ghost

    That night, I couldn''t help but think back to my conversation with Zhang Yu, and I nearly lost sleep over it.


    Zhang Yu had said to me, quite firmly: "The three talismans you gave me, you said each one represents a lifetime of love¡ªthree talismans, three lifetimes: past, present, and future. I hope you''ll remember what you said. And I truly thank you. My health has improved so much lately, thank you... I... look forward to it..."


    Look forward to it? What does she look forward to? I thought and thought, but couldn''t figure it out. Amitabha Buddha!


    Could it be that Zhang Yu really believes I like her and is hoping I''ll pursue her? What should I do?


    I¡¯ve already solved the high-level problem of cultivating, but relationships? Ugh, that¡¯s annoying! I''ve written countless love letters but never actually dated a girl. Experience, huh? Turns out, experience really matters! Even the Xuan Huang Flag can¡¯t help me here¡ªthis is frustrating. Looks like whatever Zhang Yu is expecting, I¡¯ll have to figure it out myself.


    Do I like her? I don''t know. She¡¯s beautiful, especially now that her health is getting better, she¡¯s more lively and full of energy.


    Wait, can Cultivators even have relationships? I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any rule against it. Whatever, Dao follows nature. I guess I¡¯ll just let things between Zhang Yu and me develop naturally. Haha, look at me, after cultivating, I¡¯m so simple in my thinking.


    Another thing was bothering me, though, and also a little exciting. There¡¯s a legend that at 11 p.m., the yin energy is at its peak. I was worried that beautiful Wu Xiaoman might be possessed by a sinister, ghostly force or have it manifest on her, but fortunately, nothing unusual happened. Everything seemed normal.


    The guys in the tent with me were all outside, sitting by the fire to keep watch, while I lay alone in the tent. It was so comfortable that I drifted off into a half-sleep, thinking and thinking, and the night passed by in a daze.


    After entering the "Heart-Motion Stage," my cultivation had shifted its focus to nurturing my heart. Collecting external energy (yuanqi) wasn¡¯t as important anymore.


    The next morning, I woke up early and stepped out of the tent. I was the first one awake. All the campfires were out, and the guys who had been on watch the night before were all lying next to them, fast asleep. They¡¯d been full of enthusiasm last night, but now they were all knocked out. I bet tonight, they won¡¯t be nearly as active in keeping watch.


    I placed the little bird on my shoulder and took a stroll through the gorge. The morning air was slightly cool and carried a refreshing scent that made me feel light and at ease.


    Hmm? Is that... my English teacher?


    She wasn''t wearing any makeup, and her outfit was casual¡ªa loose tracksuit with her hair tied in a ponytail. She looked very youthful and energetic.


    Hmm! What¡¯s that scent in the air? It smells so good...


    "Zhang San Tong, you¡¯re up so early. I thought you were a lazy student," said the beautiful English teacher, L¨¹ Yanling, playfully. As she spoke, I watched her rosy lips move, and my heart started pounding.


    Oh no! When did I become so attracted? Amitabha Buddha!


    "Hehe," I chuckled, and casually replied, "Good morning, teacher. I went to bed early yesterday, so I woke up early. Haha! If I hadn¡¯t gotten up early, my little bird wouldn¡¯t have anything to eat. Haha!"Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Wait! Why did I say that? Sure enough, the beautiful, youthful L¨¹ Yanling¡¯s face turned red, and her sharp eyes glared at me. But to my eyes, she seemed so charming. No tofu available... Amitabha Buddha!


    "I¡¯m not talking to you anymore. By the way, when you go back to school, could you give me a few more of those ghostly talismans? Just so we¡¯re clear, okay? Or else I¡¯ll give you extra lessons," she said, leaving me with a graceful smile as she walked away.


    I smiled wryly. What¡¯s the big deal with a few talismans? No problem. As long as she¡¯s willing to pay, that¡¯s my hard-earned work.


    I put my left hand in my pocket, holding the little bird with my right hand. I walked leisurely back to the campsite, giving the bird a few bugs to eat for breakfast.


    Today¡¯s plan was to visit the legendary stone toad in the nearby gorge, which supposedly spits water capable of curing all kinds of ailments.


    We weren¡¯t actually at the "Medicine Pool" yet, but at the junction of it and the gorge. I heard that it takes over two hours to walk to the actual site, and the path in the gorge was difficult to navigate. Most of the students weren¡¯t keen on going, so it was entirely voluntary. We weren¡¯t required to follow any class leader¡¯s orders. Naturally, some students decided to stay back at the campsite.


    I wasn¡¯t particularly interested in going either. I¡¯d seen plenty of stone animals in the mountains before, but none of them spat water. However, the enthusiastic, burly Cao Kui and Cheng Fan insisted on dragging me along. Ugh! I couldn¡¯t say no to them, so I reluctantly joined the group, carrying half a pancake and heading towards the gorge.


    There were only 18 of us in total¡ªstudents and teachers¡ªwho were heading to see the stone toad. There were only five boys: me, Cao Kui, my cousin Zhang Fuhong, Cheng Fan, and our homeroom teacher, Mr. Xin Tianfan. The rest were girls, and I knew most of them by name.


    We climbed, jumped, and scrambled through the gorge, forming a long line as we went. My cousin, Zhang Fuhong, kindly took Wu Xiaoman¡¯s backpack. Before long, we boys were all carrying extra backpacks. Damn cousin, this is such a hassle.


    I couldn¡¯t help but think to myself, Surely, a few girls are bound to twist their ankles or something on this journey, right? But to my surprise, nothing like that happened. Amitabha Buddha, to my amazement, it was our homeroom teacher, Mr. Xin Tianfan, who twisted his ankle! Ha-ha! I couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    In the end, Mr. Xin had to stop, and a few enthusiastic girls and my cousin stayed behind to take care of him. The rest of us continued on towards our goal.


    The closer we got to the stone toad, the more oppressed I felt. A growing chill spread through my heart, and I couldn¡¯t shake the sense that something wasn¡¯t right. I decided to push it aside and focus on the stone toad.


    By 10 a.m., we finally reached the legendary location. It was like we¡¯d entered a giant cloth bag. The gorge before us widened and flattened out. There were no large stones around, and the steep cliffs surrounding us looked like they had been cut by a knife. In front of us, at the end of the gorge, a clear spring flowed from a gap in a massive rock. Could this be the legendary stone toad?


    Excited, everyone rushed forward to get a closer look at the spring. Upon closer inspection, the stone toad did resemble a toad, but it was much more peculiar. The back half of the stone statue was hidden beneath the cliff, and only the front half of its toad-like form was exposed. Its surface was smooth, unlike the usual bumpy skin of a real toad. Its large mouth was slightly open, with clear spring water flowing out.


    Everyone had heard that the spring water could cure all diseases, so they eagerly took out bottles to fill with the water and drank it. Sweat! Had they forgotten that the water that cured ailments was supposed to come out only on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, after many people had made offerings to the stone toad?


    I couldn¡¯t care less about the healing water. Standing before the stone toad, I felt the pressure that had been weighing on me disappear, but a coldness began to build inside me. Frowning, I sensed that something was off here.


    Out of curiosity, I used my internal energy to reach out and touch the toad statue.


    "Boom!" Suddenly, my sea of consciousness was flooded with an image that shocked me to the core: a huge stone turtle, lying beneath the cliff with only its head exposed. My God! The so-called stone toad was actually the head of that stone turtle! I shuddered and quickly withdrew my hand, standing there in a daze.


    "San Tong, what¡¯s wrong? Why aren¡¯t you drinking the godly water?" Cao Kui pulled me aside, urging, "It¡¯s better than Nongfu Spring. Come on, have some!"


    I turned around and was immediately shocked. Standing next to Cao Kui was Wu Xiaoman, but her face was twisted in a frightening way. Her eyes were filled with a terrifying, ghostly glare, and she was staring at me intently.


    Sweat! Why is she staring at me like that???

 Chapter 19: Fighting the A sinister, ghostly force and the Growing Misunderstanding

    The other students and the beautiful English teacher, Miss Lv Yanling, didn¡¯t notice anything unusual about Wu Xiaoman at first. Everyone was too busy drinking the so-called ¡°holy water,¡± which could supposedly cure all illnesses. Who doesn¡¯t have some minor ailments, right?


    Wu Xiaoman suddenly grinned, showing her white, perfectly aligned teeth, and screamed as she lunged toward me.


    ¡°Ahhh...!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    It was only then that everyone realized something was off with Wu Xiaoman. What did "something off" mean? At that moment, Wu Xiaoman was acting like a madwoman¡ªbaring her teeth, waving her arms, shaking her head wildly, her hair in disarray. She almost seemed ready to tear her clothes off. Amitabha Buddha!


    Damn it! Seeing Wu Xiaoman charge at me, I instinctively activated my Yin-Yang Step, a technique I had practiced since childhood. In a flash, I spun and slipped past my classmates.


    ¡°Woah¡­!¡±


    Another ear-piercing scream from Wu Xiaoman as she completely disregarded the others around her and locked onto me, continuing her relentless charge.


    A few of the girls screamed and cried, while the more composed ones tried to surround her and subdue her.


    I understood that Wu Xiaoman had been possessed by a a sinister, ghostly force spirit after being cursed some time ago. Perhaps the talisman I gave her helped keep the spirit at bay, but now, in this place where the Yin energy was particularly dense, the so-called ¡°holy water¡± seemed to have triggered the evil spirit¡¯s full force, overwhelming her mind.


    That damned ¡°holy water.¡±


    Damn it, why is it always me? Why is it that every time something goes wrong, I¡¯m the one it happens to? Is it because, deep down, Wu Xiaoman subconsciously dislikes or even hates me? The possibility seemed quite high.


    I didn¡¯t have time to think too much. I threw my beloved green bird to the ground and, seeing Wu Xiaoman charging at me again, I dodged, and she followed, lunging once more. This wide, flat space in the medicine water gorge became our battleground¡ªme dodging, her chasing.


    Born into a family of Yin-Yang Cultivators, I had mastered the Yin-Yang Step, a technique that allowed me to dodge with lightning speed¡ªlike the wind, quick as a flash!


    But no matter where I went, Wu Xiaoman, possessed by the a sinister, ghostly force, was right behind me. It was as if she had a deep grudge against me. She wouldn¡¯t stop until she knocked me down!


    All the girls had been paralyzed with fear. Miss Lv Yanling screamed and, along with Cao Kui and my little bird, chased after Wu Xiaoman. Zhang Yu, crying, yelled for me to be careful. Cheng Fan collapsed to the ground, too scared to move.


    Everything had fallen into chaos.


    Hearing Zhang Yu¡¯s panicked but worried voice, I felt a brief moment of gratitude. But, to hell with it. So what if Wu Xiaoman¡¯s possessed by a a sinister, ghostly force spirit?


    Why should I be running?Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    What am I afraid of?


    I¡¯m a Cultivator!


    Earlier, I¡¯d instinctively dodged, not expecting her to get so obsessed with chasing me. I was now irritated and, suddenly turning around, I stopped.


    Wu Xiaoman, possessed by the spirit, was caught off guard by my sudden movement. When my classmates saw me stop, they yelled for me to get away.


    Why should I dodge? I thought about it for a moment. I had no reason to.


    As Wu Xiaoman continued to lunge at me, I calmly reached into my pocket, took out a Calming Talisman, and held it tightly in my right hand, fully charged with energy. There was no way I couldn¡¯t subdue a mere a sinister, ghostly force spirit.


    Her claws were fierce, her strength was evident, but I, a Cultivator¡ªeven in my heart-moving phase, with no specific spells¡ªtrusted in the power of my Xuanhuang Banner. No evil spirit could overcome me.


    As everyone stared in fear, Wu Xiaoman, possessed by the evil spirit, grabbed my shoulders, mouth wide open, and lunged for my neck.


    I channeled my energy, ignored her move, and silently muttered ¡°¼²!¡± before quickly pressing the Calming Talisman to her forehead. Just as her mouth was about to close around my neck, I used one hand to press her head, my foot sweeping in to take her down.


    This Calming Talisman was infused with my own energy, vastly different from the motion-sickness talisman I gave her yesterday. As soon as she and I fell to the ground, I noticed a momentary clarity in her gaze. But then, just as quickly, her face twisted again as the a sinister, ghostly force took over her mind once more.


    Cao Kui, who had been following closely behind, rushed over and helped hold her arms down.


    ¡°Ahhh¡­!¡±


    Cao Kui let out a pained scream. Poor guy, I didn¡¯t expect Wu Xiaoman, in this state, to possess such immense strength. In a moment of carelessness, she grabbed his arm and sent him flying. I heard the sickening crack of his shoulder dislocating.


    Miss Lv Yanling, Zhang Yu, Cheng Fan, and the others, terrified, stayed away from me and Wu Xiaoman, rushing over to check on the injured Cao Kui.


    ¡°Hiss¡­¡±


    The pain was unbearable. I held down Wu Xiaoman¡¯s arms, but I had forgotten about her legs. She suddenly kneed me in the stomach, and I gasped for air, enraged. I locked her legs with mine.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Wu Xiaoman opened her mouth again, aiming for my nose. I braced myself and bumped my forehead against hers.


    Ha! You think you can win? Finally got you!


    But as I looked down at our positions, I froze. Wait a minute¡ªwhy do we look like this...?


    With my hands pinned to her arms, my legs wrapped around hers, and my head pressing against hers, we were in a very compromising position. And with Wu Xiaoman struggling beneath me, it looked strikingly similar to one of those... scenes.


    What is this? Why is my chest so soft?


    A sin!


    Damn it! Amitabha Buddha!


    A crowd of classmates was watching us, and I couldn''t be thinking such thoughts right now. I suppressed the bizarre impulse and quickly focused. I raised my head and directed another burst of energy onto the Calming Talisman on her forehead.


    Wu Xiaoman¡¯s face contorted in pain, but she soon regained her usual cold, aloof demeanor. As she saw me above her, she screamed, ¡°Don¡¯t¡ªno! Help! Somebody!¡±


    It seemed like she had regained her senses, but her scream... why did it sound so strange?


    Just as I was about to release her, I noticed her eyes flash with that same malicious, evil glare.


    How strong is this a sinister, ghostly force?


    I released another burst of energy into the talisman, strengthening the seal.


    Wu Xiaoman came to her senses again and screamed, ¡°Zhang Santong! You pervert! Don¡¯t do this!¡±


    As soon as she finished shouting, the evil spirit once again seized control.


    I continued to inject more energy into the talisman.


    Once again, Wu Xiaoman regained clarity and cried out, ¡°Don¡¯t! Please! Let me go! What you¡¯re doing is illegal!¡±


    Under the influence of the a sinister, ghostly force, Wu Xiaoman struggled beneath me. I couldn¡¯t help but feel flustered, my blood rushing. On top of that, hearing her plead only made it worse.


    Though the students around us didn¡¯t know exactly what was happening, they understood that Wu Xiaoman had regained her senses for a brief moment. I had to make sure she wouldn¡¯t misunderstand me.


    Miss Lv Yanling, being cautious, approached us and stood nearby. I didn¡¯t know what she was planning, but I hoped she would help calm things down.


    This little a sinister, ghostly force really had me in a tight spot. I couldn¡¯t believe how awkward this situation had become. My temper flared up, and, in a moment of heat, I applied more force to restrain her limbs, my head slowly lowering toward hers...

 Chapter 20: The Tempting Allure of Xiao Man’s Divine Realm

    Heaven and Earth, the body and soul, five elements intertwining. The body and mind move with the flow of five energies. The Dao itself is born of energy, and a person¡¯s essence is shaped by spirit.


    ¡ù¡ù¡ù


    A nameless little a sinister, ghostly force, and yet it has made me, as a Cultivator, so helpless.


    A surge of anger rose in my chest, my mind heated up, and without thinking, I tightened my grip on Xiao Man¡¯s limbs. Slowly, I lowered my head, concentrating my spirit, focusing my mind on the spot between my eyebrows, where my soul¡¯s center, the Mud Pill Palace, was located. I aimed it at the spot between Xiao Man¡¯s brows, where the a sinister, ghostly force had possessed her.


    Around me, I heard the shocked voices of my classmates and our beautiful English teacher, Ms. L¨¹ Yanling, but I paid no attention to their strange reactions.


    As soon as our foreheads touched, I lost all awareness of the outside world. In that moment, I felt as if I had been electrocuted, and then, in a daze, I seemed to enter a strange space.


    It was like being in an endless, dark void. In front of me, Xiao Man stood, her eyes filled with autumnal charm. She was enveloped in black mist, holding an ancient bronze mirror, casually applying makeup, and giving me flirtatious glances.


    But I keenly noticed a flash of panic in her eyes.


    Was this Xiao Man? Or was it the Xiao Man possessed by the a sinister, ghostly force?


    I asked, "Who are you? Where is this place?"


    The black mist swirling around Xiao Man parted slightly, and she lazily lifted her eyelids, her voice dripping with seduction, "I don''t know where this is. Can you tell me?"


    From all my reading on cultivation and the tales of immortals, I realized that this might be Xiao Man¡¯s divine realm. As I looked at her, covered in black mist, I pondered how I could destroy the a sinister, ghostly force.


    Taking a step forward, the black mist surrounding Xiao Man stirred and swirled, slowly retreating to her feet. As the mist dispersed, Xiao Man¡¯s seductive shoulders, perky chest, delicate waist, rounded hips, and long, slender legs gradually became visible.


    The mist swirled around her feet, and Xiao Man spun around, naked, before me. With a slight parting of her lips, she asked, "Do you think I''m beautiful?"


    Her face seemed to be glowing with a honeyed allure¡­


    I was momentarily entranced. Her voice was intoxicating, and as my gaze traveled from top to bottom and back up again, I felt my heart race, dry-mouthed.


    Hmm... I don¡¯t know why, but I suddenly thought of a film about a "Char Siu Bao" (BBQ pork bun). I jolted myself awake and absent-mindedly responded, "Yes, you are very beautiful."Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    I smiled, wondering what other tricks she had up her sleeve. I was curious.


    Heh... Amitabha Buddha!


    Seeing my reaction, Xiao Man, possessed by the a sinister, ghostly force, turned around, the black mist swirling again. She took out an ancient book bound in thread and gently waved it in front of me.


    Her voice became even more alluring as she spoke, "Want it? This is an unparalleled martial arts manual. If you want it, just say the word. You can learn supreme martial arts, and with a few shakes of your body, you¡¯ll radiate such an aura that many underlings will beg you to be their leader. Think about it, how impressive!"


    An unparalleled martial arts manual? Could this be something like those coveted treasures fought over by the legendary heroes and villains in the movies? I could feel my mouth watering, and I blinked, wondering if I should take it.


    For a moment, I seemed to forget that Xiao Man was possessed by the a sinister, ghostly force, that I was a Cultivator, and that I didn¡¯t even know how I ended up here.


    Her eyes sparkled with dazzling, seductive stars as she took a step closer, waving the book in front of me.


    "¡®The Sunflower Manual¡¯"¡ªthe words caught my attention, and I snapped out of it. Cold sweat instantly covered my body.


    Damn, I didn¡¯t say anything to Xiao Man possessed by the a sinister, ghostly force. I just raised my middle finger at her.


    She paused for a moment, looked at the book in her hand, and then smiled knowingly. The book disappeared, and in its place, the bronze mirror appeared again.


    She gently waved her hand, and the mirror emitted a flash of light, cutting through the darkness and revealing a sliver of white light.


    "Do you see it? Step into it. Inside is a world of unimaginable beauty¡ªthere are exquisite elf maidens, tender mermaids, alluring cat-girls, pure celestial beings, and enchanting demon princesses..."


    Before she could finish, I interrupted with a smile, "Is there also an orc with large pores?"


    The possessed Xiao Man stared at me in confusion, but then she didn¡¯t give up, continuing, "You don¡¯t want to go to that world? What about the Tang Dynasty, where you could dual-cultivate with beautiful women? Or maybe you¡¯d prefer marrying a celestial sister from the ¡®Heavenly Dragon Eight Parts¡¯?"


    "Enough." I suddenly felt irritable. Coldly, I told the ghostly possessed Xiao Man, "It¡¯s you who should go. You should leave here immediately."


    She completely ignored my anger, her voice dripping with pitiful pleading. "You don¡¯t want to go? Well then, just tell me where you want to go, and I¡¯ll know. Just tell me, and I¡¯ll understand..."


    "Ahhh...!" Her constant talking was driving me mad. I felt my head about to explode, and I thought to myself, If I died now, would it be better?


    But just as I was about to find something to end it all, I saw a strange smile form on the corner of Xiao Man¡¯s lips. Cold sweat poured from me as I forced myself to stay calm.


    Suddenly, I realized that I was a Cultivator and that this was Xiao Man¡¯s divine realm. I remembered I had the mysterious Xuanhuang Flag.


    I realized my emotions shouldn¡¯t be so easily swayed by her. Why was that? Was it because I was in the Heart Moving Stage of cultivation and my mind was not yet firm? I shuddered at the thought.


    With a thought, the Xuanhuang Flag appeared in my hand, and instantly, the dark space became a storm of lightning and thunder. Xiao Man¡¯s possessed form recoiled in fear, retreating quickly.


    I froze in panic. If the lightning struck and shattered the a sinister, ghostly force along with Xiao Man¡¯s soul, wouldn¡¯t that mean her destruction?


    But before I could put away the Xuanhuang Flag, the retreating Xiao Man, surrounded by black mist, was swept by a fierce wind. "Ahhh!" A shrill, unwilling scream rang out, and only a faint, naked Xiao Man remained, collapsed on the ground.


    Her body twitched gently as I muttered to myself: "Thank goodness. Thank goodness."


    I withdrew my spiritual senses and immediately regained my awareness of the outside world. Panting, I stumbled away from Xiao Man, who was now unconscious, and sank to the side, exhausted.


    "Zhang Santong? Why did you knock Xiao Man out?"


    The crisp, surprised voice of Ms. L¨¹ Yanling suddenly reached my ears, and before I could respond, I collapsed into a deep sleep.

 Chapter 21: The Great Perfection of Refining Essence and Transforming Qi Beyond Medicine

    I slowly opened my eyes, and the vast blue sky appeared so enchanting. My whole body felt so incredibly refreshing, and the air carried a faint scent of water, which was so comfortable!


    Huh? Surprised for a moment, how did I fall asleep?


    "You''re finally awake?" The urgent voice of English teacher Ms. L¨¹ Yanling echoed in my ears.


    I got up and looked around. Zhang Yu, Ms. L¨¹ Yanling, Cheng Fan, and all the students who had come to see the stone toad statue were gathered around me, including Cao Kui, who was covered in cold sweat and unable to move his hand.


    The beautiful Wu Xiaoman was also by my side. At this moment, she seemed even more radiant than before, and every little movement was mesmerizing. Could it be that the essence from the a sinister, ghostly force she had absorbed earlier had enhanced her?


    Why was her gaze so strange as she looked at me? Could it be that she knew everything that had happened when I entered her sea of consciousness and divine realm?


    Even if she did, so what? I chuckled bitterly and reached out to help Cao Kui, who had dislocated his left arm. I asked, "Kid, you seem pretty tough. Heh, does it hurt?"


    Cao Kui grinned and shrugged, "Not really, ah...!"


    Look at you pretending! When he wasn¡¯t paying attention, I quickly reset his dislocated arm. For me, who came from the Zhang family, known for practicing martial arts from a young age, resetting a dislocated arm was a common occurrence!


    Ms. L¨¹ Yanling said, "Alright, Zhang Santong has woken up. Everyone, let''s head back!"


    For some reason, after sleeping and waking up, though I felt clear-headed and refreshed, my heart was overwhelmed with an inexplicable sense of weariness. I was tired of this pale existence, tired of myself.


    I cultivated, but was there a day when I would leave this bustling world and shatter the void? This thought was the first to arise in my mind. I felt like a dying plant, hiding in the corner of the world, alone.


    Did I regret cultivating? At this moment, the way my classmates and teachers looked at me seemed so strange. In their eyes, why was it that when I touched Wu Xiaoman, who had been possessed by the a sinister, ghostly force, she was suddenly healed? They didn¡¯t understand how such an event could astonish everyone.


    "Zhang Santong, do you know what happened to Wu Xiaoman just now? Can you tell me what exactly happened? Why is she like this?" Ms. L¨¹ Yanling asked. The situation had frightened everyone, and Wu Xiaoman at the time was even more terrifying than a mad person.


    I glanced at Wu Xiaoman. The blue dress she wore when she arrived was covered in scratches. Hearing Ms. L¨¹ Yanling¡¯s question, she looked at me eagerly, as if hoping for an answer.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes told me they wanted to know why. Sighing, I answered, "Last time, Wu Xiaoman saw a dried corpse on the playground. Maybe she was Possessed by a malevolent force spirits." I casually replied, but my gaze drifted to the stone toad statue in the distance, feeling a thousand emotions stir. Who knew that the statue wasn¡¯t a toad at all, but the head of a Black Tortoise statue?Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    And why did the water flowing from the Black Tortoise¡¯s mouth make the a sinister, ghostly force inside Wu Xiaoman so rampant during the day?


    This place was truly strange.


    Everyone looked at me in confusion. These were educated people of the modern era, and they couldn¡¯t have imagined that I would say something so ridiculous as being "Possessed by a malevolent force spirits."


    Tilting her head, Ms. L¨¹ Yanling asked curiously, "How do you know about this?"


    I snapped back to reality, stood up, and casually answered, "I¡¯m cousins with Zhang Fuhong from our class. Our family is a Yin-Yang family. We learned ghost hunting, talisman drawing, and exorcism as part of our childhood education, so of course, I know these things."


    I turned to Cao Kui and asked, "How long have I been asleep?"


    Cao Kui replied, "A full two hours."


    Two hours? Hadn¡¯t they woken me up? Feeling Zhang Yu¡¯s concerned gaze, I smiled faintly. After waking up, I felt that my spiritual sense had undergone a strange transformation. I could vaguely grasp and feel the emotional fluctuations of the people around me.


    I sighed inwardly. Cultivating is wonderful!


    I noticed that everyone had a bottle of mysterious water, and my curiosity stirred. I slowly walked up to the Black Tortoise statue and took a sip of the water.


    The moment the water entered my mouth, a chill ran through me, and my whole body shivered. The pores on my skin contracted violently. How strange... Why did nothing happen to the others, including Ms. L¨¹ and my classmates?


    I drank more, curious to find out more.


    After a few large gulps, I felt a violent tremor inside my body. The cold energy rushed through my lungs and swirled around my dantian, causing the liquid external medicine energy I had accumulated to roll over and rush through my meridians. The mysterious yellow flag in my spiritual palace emitted a soft glow, refining the external medicine energy as it passed through.


    The energy that had been refined became transparent, crystal-clear, and it flowed through my body, making me feel incredibly comfortable.


    Though I didn¡¯t understand why this water made the a sinister, ghostly force inside Wu Xiaoman act up, I realized that after drinking the water, my cultivation hadn¡¯t made a massive leap, but the external medicine energy became more refined and fluid.


    I couldn¡¯t stop drinking. I eagerly leaned down and gulped more water, drinking until I couldn¡¯t take another drop.


    Sweat poured down my forehead. I hadn¡¯t expected so much water to almost freeze my lungs. In the amazed gazes of my classmates, I closed my eyes, focused my energy, and began digesting the cold energy within.


    Perhaps because the flag had a Yang property, the external medicine energy, originally refined by Yin essence, had become somewhat neutralized. As a result, my previous external medicine cultivation had reached the Great Perfection and entered the stage of cultivating internal medicine. With the addition of the cold energy from the mysterious water, my cultivation foundation became even more solid. I thought, once the internal medicine is complete, it won¡¯t be long before I reach the state of forming the Golden Pill with Yin-Yang harmony and Dragon-Tiger power!


    I was looking forward to the day when I could comprehend the profound characters and diagrams passed down by the mysterious yellow flag in my mind.


    After the incident with Wu Xiaoman¡¯s divine realm and exorcising the a sinister, ghostly force, it seemed like my state of mind had changed. My spiritual sense had grown much stronger¡­


    Once my energy settled down, I felt a wave of joy rise in my heart. Once again, I felt the ecstasy of cultivating. Cultivating is truly wonderful! No wonder ancient Cultivators didn¡¯t care about women. The pleasure of cultivation is so intoxicating.


    Hm? What¡¯s that strange fragrance?


    I opened my eyes, startled. The beautiful Ms. L¨¹ Yanling was blinking her big eyes, almost leaning in close to my face and exclaimed, "Wow, does this water make you more beautiful?"


    I sweated! Amitabha Buddha!

 Chapter 22: Refining Essence into Qi – The Birth of Internal Medicine

    The essence is life itself, and life is linked to the heart and kidneys. The heart and kidneys carry mercury, and mercury itself is symbolized by the dragon and tiger. The dragon and tiger relate to the concepts of Kan and Li in the I Ching, and Kan and Li are the furnace, the alchemical cauldron. By collecting external medicine to refine essence and Qi, one creates the internal medicine that nurtures the heart and spirit.


    ...


    "Why don¡¯t you go to another world?"


    On the way back to the base, my classmate Wu Xiaoman, who had become even more beautiful, suddenly asked me.


    I staggered, almost losing my composure.


    Feigning ignorance, I asked, "What other world? What are you talking about? I don¡¯t know anything about that."


    Xiaoman gave me a sweet, almost mischievous smile, as she proudly flaunted her charm. She spoke with a smile, "It¡¯s a place with mesmerizing elves, beautiful mermaids with endless tenderness! And let¡¯s not forget the beastly sisters with pores like craters. Heh!"


    I forced a bitter smile, realizing that it was pointless to pretend I didn¡¯t understand. It seemed that after being possessed by the Ghostly Evil (¹íÉ·), Xiaoman was aware of everything that had happened inside her spiritual realm. Who would¡¯ve thought?


    Heh! Suddenly, an image of Xiaoman¡¯s beautiful, naked form flashed in my mind. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and shake my head, teasing, "Beautiful, so beautiful! Haha!"


    Xiaoman¡¯s face flushed red, but to my surprise, she didn¡¯t respond with her usual sharp retort. Instead, she sighed, glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention, and then quietly asked, "Zhang Santong, can you tell me what¡¯s going on? The excuses you gave everyone are only half-truths. I know there¡¯s more you¡¯re keeping to yourself. Can you tell me?"


    I sighed helplessly, saying, "Some things are better left unknown. Even if I told you, you wouldn¡¯t understand."


    With a bewildered look, Xiaoman muttered to herself, "Yes, I don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t get it at all."


    I shook my head and said with a wry smile, "Don¡¯t think too much about it. Just consider it a dream. It¡¯s all over now."


    "Thank you!" Xiaoman nodded, taking a deep breath before smiling at me, "Yeah! Let¡¯s just treat it all as a dream."


    On our way back, there was little conversation. Groups of students walked in clusters, and before long, Teacher L¨¹ Yanling came over to have a heart-to-heart with everyone, reminding us not to speak of what had happened by the stone statue in the Medicine Water Gorge.


    Ah! This is difficult! With so many people, who could guarantee that the events concerning Xiaoman wouldn¡¯t be spread around?


    As we neared the base, Xiaoman, who had been walking distantly from the others, began to show signs of a faint sorrow on her forehead. She, who normally avoided me, had taken a few steps away from the others and walked beside me.


    Perhaps after the Ghostly Evil incident, her embarrassing moments had been exposed to everyone. For a beautiful girl, that was undoubtedly an uncomfortable experience.


    Around 3 PM, we arrived at the camp. The students who had stayed behind were gathered in groups, playing cards and games.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    When they saw us returning from the Medicine Water Gorge, they eagerly surrounded us, asking a flurry of questions.


    After some difficulty in managing them, those of us who had gone to the gorge walked back to our tents, weary. Some immediately collapsed onto the ground, while others applied ointment to their feet and ankles.


    When I entered the tent, I saw my cousin, Zhang Fuhong, lovingly admiring the dragon-shaped sword. Soon after, Cao Kui and Cheng Fan also entered, and the three of them began chatting excitedly.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat detached. It seemed like I was just a spectator among my classmates, unable to really integrate into their world. Is cultivation destined to be a lonely path?


    Suddenly, I felt a strange emptiness, like I was missing something. It was an odd sensation. What had I lost?


    I quickly put my hands in my pockets, and then¡ªwhere¡¯s my little bird? My green little bird that couldn¡¯t even fly, the one I¡¯d left on the ground when I was chasing Xiaoman through the Medicine Water Gorge. I had completely forgotten about it after everything that happened.


    What would that little bird do after drinking the spiritual water? I began to speculate. Should I go look for it? Maybe I could go and check the stone toad statue while I¡¯m at it...


    After thinking for a while, I decided against it. Maybe the little bird and I are just not meant to be. Let things happen naturally. As for the mystery of the Xuanwu spitting water, I could always check it out later¡ªmaybe during the Grand Multi-Nation Bonfire Festival next June 6th.


    Feeling bored, I walked out of the tent and wandered over to a small creek in the canyon. I watched the flowing water and listened to its gurgling sound as tadpoles swam past. The world truly is beautiful.


    How much of the water from this creek will eventually flow to the ocean, I wondered?


    In the evening, we lit the bonfire. Everyone gathered around it, singing, dancing, and chatting. It was a lively scene, but strangely, I couldn¡¯t find Xiaoman anywhere among the crowd.


    Our class teacher, limping a little, took the spotlight at the bonfire, singing songs I had never heard before.


    Later that night, just as I expected, when it was time to arrange the night watch, everyone scrambled away faster than rabbits.


    I volunteered to take the night watch, and when the others saw someone had volunteered, they didn¡¯t question whether I¡¯d be alone or lonely. They simply accepted it.


    The night was calm, the stars faintly visible, and the occasional breeze made its way through the camp. The moon had disappeared from view. I lay on the ground, staring up at the sky.


    Crackle¡ªmany flying insects flew into the fire.


    The surrounding mountains seemed rugged and sharp, as if they were struggling to sink into the earth with an almost unbearable persistence. The creek in the canyon wound like a silver ribbon...


    I lay there, feeling the strange sensation in my mind. I looked up at the stars. Wait¡ªwhere did the stars go? When did they disappear? It looks like it¡¯s going to rain. Damn!


    I quickly added more fuel to the fire. Moments later, a light drizzle began, and I felt someone walking toward me. Without turning around, I envisioned Xiaoman holding an umbrella and walking toward me.


    Ever since I had entered her spiritual realm, whenever she was close, all I had to do was focus for a moment, and I could sense what she was doing. Damn! Am I planning to sneak away and... hehe, I¡¯m such a pervert! Amitabha Buddha!


    When did she change into that black outfit? If only I had known earlier... haha!


    Xiaoman offered the umbrella to me with an inexplicable expression. "Take good care of Zhang Yu," she said, "She¡¯s a good girl." After saying that, she turned and walked back to her tent.


    I was stunned. What does that mean?


    I threw the umbrella aside¡ªnot that I wasn¡¯t grateful, but I actually enjoyed the rain.


    I began to drift into a daze again, my mind wandering to feel everything around me.


    At that moment, the eternal presence of life, the ceaseless motion of all things, rushed at me. It felt like the universe itself was calling out to a lonely cultivator seeking the truth of life.


    The connection between spirit and flesh, the embrace of fire and rain, the call and response between what searches and what is searched¡ªit was as if something deep within me was awakening, my soul trembling. Suddenly, life felt fuller, more profound. My soul expanded into infinity, becoming one with the eternal flow of existence, as the passion of life overwhelmed me.


    My vital energy surged, and within my dantian, a single glimmer of light flashed¡ªseemingly slow, yet in an instant, a star-like brilliance filled my being.


    At that moment, my lonely soul cried out in joy.


    On October 2nd, 1998, on this very day, my external medicine reached perfection, and my internal medicine began to birth. The period of heart movement passed... inexplicably.

 Chapter 23: The Old Woman of Jiushizhangs Divination, Please, Great God, Let the Seven Orifices Ble

    The next morning, the original plan was to climb the mountain and watch the sunrise. However, by the time the sun had risen high into the sky, none of the students had gotten out of bed. It seemed everyone had played too hard the previous day and was exhausted!


    By the time everyone got up, the bus that had been arranged earlier was already bumping its way into the canyon.


    ¡°Oh! We can finally go home!¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and pack!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Each student was eager to go home. After more than two days without hot meals, showers, or access to TV and computers, these young boys and girls who had been cut off from society for two days were finally heading back.


    At 1:00 PM on October 3rd, our trip finally came to an end. After arriving at the school, a few class officers said, "See you after the holidays," and everyone went their separate ways to head home.


    After this trip, my relationship with my cousin had greatly improved. When we returned home, and my third uncle saw us chatting and laughing, he was so happy that he hosted a welcome dinner for us.


    My cousin took out the dragon-shaped sword I had given him and showed it to my third uncle. My third uncle''s eyes narrowed into slits as he took the sword from my cousin, holding it up to a magnifying glass. He exclaimed, "I found a treasure!"


    That evening, before bed, my third uncle called me and my cousin into his study and told us that we should visit our old home during the National Day holiday.


    Yes, I thought to myself. It had been more than a month since I last went back home. So much had happened recently, and I remembered that every year during National Day, we would go back to the village to dig potatoes, pick apples, and carry hunting rifles to shoot wild rabbits and pheasants¡­


    After starting my cultivation journey, there was one thought that kept haunting me, making me afraid to continue. I would have to watch as my family members leave one by one, and I would be left alone in this world, living in solitude. How lonely and miserable that would be!


    I thought that once I started cultivation, nothing would be able to defeat me, but reality was so helpless. I had entered the path of cultivation thanks to the Xuanhuang Banner, but thinking about the chaotic and impure spiritual energy outside, how could I let my family cultivate?


    Is everything truly fate? Cultivators defy the heavens and seize their destiny, but it seems that it¡¯s not as simple as doing whatever we wish.


    That night, I couldn''t sleep!


    The next day, my third uncle asked his driver to take me and my cousin back to our hometown, Jiushizhang. The distance from the provincial capital to Jiushizhang was about fifty kilometers, and half of that was winding mountain roads. As we got closer to Jiushizhang, a light rain began to fall. The familiar scent of soil and trees, so deeply ingrained in my bones, seemed to welcome us.


    By the time we arrived at home, my parents had gone to visit a neighbor, and my cousin had gone to my eldest uncle¡¯s house. I also left the house and wandered around the village.


    On the small road east of the village, I saw an old friend I hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. Without thinking, I called out, ¡°Yang Ganzi, you little rascal! Where have you been? Long time no see!¡±


    Yang Ganzi was the kid I grew up with, the same one whose nose I broke when we were little.


    ¡°Haha! The scholar is here! Kid, it¡¯s been a while. How did you grow taller than me?¡± Yang Ganzi¡¯s rough voice came from afar as soon as he heard my call.


    Yang Ganzi¡¯s surname was Yang, so the villagers of Jiushizhang always called him ¡°Yang Ganzi.¡±


    Jiushizhang had two very special families: one was the Zhang family, with hundreds of members, and the other was the Yang family, which had very few men. The Zhang family was special because they had been a family of Yin-Yang specialists for generations, while the Yang family was special because of Yang Ganzi¡¯s grandmother.


    The Zhang family used to have many professionals in Yin-Yang affairs. In the ten miles surrounding the area, there was no other family that specialized in this. The most skilled trade in our family was conducting rituals for the souls of the deceased.


    Yang Ganzi¡¯s grandmother was a renowned exorcist and fortune-teller, famous for her divine abilities in the area.


    I had also heard that Yang Ganzi¡¯s grandfather was once a great exorcist, but he tragically died after coughing up blood during a ritual.


    I also heard that Yang Ganzi¡¯s grandfather¡¯s brother went mad during a divination ceremony when he called on the spirits.


    Yang Ganzi¡¯s father, when he was young, had slept on damp land while digging for gold, and as a result, at only around forty, he had to use a cane to walk. Yang Ganzi¡¯s mother had passed away from tuberculosis when he was young.


    As for Yang Ganzi, he had dropped out of school in third grade and started helping the villagers herd cattle and sheep. Now, I heard he had opened a slaughterhouse. Not bad at all!


    People said this was the result of the Yang family leaking too many secrets of heaven, and that they had been punished by the heavens. As for whether this was true, only the heavens knew.


    I walked up to Yang Ganzi, slapped him on the shoulder, and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re looking pretty strong now. Look at that body, you¡¯re like a little bull! Haha.¡±


    ¡°Come on, stop talking nonsense. Let¡¯s go to my place and have a drink.¡± Yang Ganzi grinned. When we were young, we used to sneak drinks from our families, so we were old drinking buddies.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    We laughed and walked toward the Yang family¡¯s house at the edge of the village.


    It had been many years since I visited the Yang family. Their house, once a small adobe structure, had now been replaced by two tiled houses. The only thing that hadn¡¯t changed was the central altar used for ancestral worship in the courtyard.


    A strange, pungent odor was wafting from the yard¡­


    Seeing Grandma Yang standing next to the altar, burning something, I walked up to her and greeted her. ¡°Grandma Yang, how are you? What are you doing?¡±


    Grandma Yang lifted her wrinkled face, her eyes slightly unfocused. She paused for a moment before she finally recognized me. ¡°Oh! You¡¯re that young man from the Zhang family, right? You''ve grown so big! You have a good destiny, a round and full heaven¡¯s crown, and the heavenly bridge leading to the sky. Tsk tsk, you¡¯re truly a child with great fortune!¡±


    I smiled. Grandma Yang was famous for her strange ways of speaking, and she still hadn¡¯t changed a bit. Looking down, I saw she had drawn some strange lines on the ground, with a pile of twigs in the center. On top of the twigs was a piece of bone that had been charred black.


    Yang Ganzi, standing beside me, looked at his grandmother with a gloomy expression. It seemed like he didn¡¯t like her¡ªor perhaps he didn¡¯t like the way she always played mysterious games with the supernatural.


    I asked, ¡°Grandma Yang, what are you doing?¡±


    Grandma Yang looked down at the fire and the nearly cracked bone, speaking softly to me. ¡°Don¡¯t speak yet, listen carefully.¡±


    Hearing this, I immediately became interested. I ignored Yang Ganzi, who was pulling at my sleeve, and stared at the bone intently. What could she possibly be doing? What was so special about the sound of crackling firewood?


    Suddenly, the bone cracked open with a few small fissures, and sparks flew from the fire.


    Grandma Yang asked, ¡°Did you hear anything?¡±


    "Really that impressive?"


    "Do you want to learn? If you do, Granny will teach you. You¡¯re so clever, unlike my little lamb at home..." Granny Yang said with a sigh, as if feeling deeply the sorrow of her unique skills being without an heir.


    As soon as she mentioned "little lamb," a young man carrying two bottles of barley wine entered the room. He glanced at his grandmother and said, with an impatient tone, "Granny, stop fooling people. You tell everyone that they¡¯re smart and destined for greatness, but who could possibly learn that nonsense you call ¡®spiritual tricks¡¯?¡±


    Ah! So that¡¯s how it is! I felt a little disappointed.


    Before Granny Yang could say anything, the young man grabbed my arm and led me out of the room, taking me to another part of the house to drink.


    We talked about our childhoods and drank together.


    He brought up the time I broke his nose, so I drank a bit more.


    Then I had a sip, telling him about my studies, and he had a sip, talking about how he tended the sheep...


    For more than three hours, until the sky began to darken, I had managed to get him thoroughly drunk. I carried him to the bed, bid Granny Yang farewell, and headed home.


    By the time I got home, my parents had already heard I was back, and they had prepared an extra dinner for me. When my father smelled the alcohol on me, he just shot me a glare and didn¡¯t scold me for drinking as a student.


    At the dinner table, my mother asked me this and that, and I patiently answered each question.


    "How¡¯s school going?" my father asked, his first words.


    "It¡¯s okay," I replied evasively. "I¡¯ve made some progress recently."


    "Oh!" Hearing that I had improved, my father¡¯s brow relaxed a bit, and his expression softened.


    My mother noticed how much I had grown taller and slowly filled my bowl with more food. She added extra vegetables and kept saying every minute, "Eat more, you need to eat more when you''re growing!"


    When my mother said "eat more," I ate more. Heh.


    That night, I chatted with my parents until midnight, and only then did we rest. Lying in my own bed, it felt so comforting!


    The next morning, after breakfast, I had nothing to do, so I went out for a stroll. By some strange coincidence, I ended up back at the young man¡¯s house.


    He wasn¡¯t home, but Granny Yang, seeing me, smiled broadly and started talking again about how her fortune-telling was so accurate, how she could predict the past and the future.


    For the next few days, I found myself returning to Granny Yang¡¯s house to listen to her ramble on.


    For three straight days, Granny Yang taught me how to divine with bones, and gave me a handwritten manual on how to interpret bone fractures. On the second day, I understood her explanation of Taiyi Liu Ren (a method of divination), and she gave me a Liu Ren divination plate. On the last day, she taught me how to read faces and talked about all the many gods she had once summoned. I was left dizzy from all the information! But since I was leaving for school on the seventh of October, I finally asked the question that had been on my mind.


    "Granny, with all these gods'' altars in your house, who do you offer to every day? When you summon gods, who do you invite?"


    "Hehe!" Granny Yang chuckled, and said, "Because it¡¯s difficult to summon gods, I just offer to many of them. With so many gods, surely one of them must be on duty whenever I call."


    Hmm! I felt dizzy from that strange explanation...


    "Granny, you still haven¡¯t told me how to summon the gods. Can you share the method with me?"


    As soon as I asked, Granny Yang¡¯s expression changed. After a long pause, she sighed, her face falling into a melancholy, absent expression as she murmured, "Forget it, I can¡¯t tell you that. It¡¯s dangerous and could kill someone!"


    So serious? I¡¯m intrigued; this sounds like a real challenge!


    "It¡¯s fine, Granny. Didn¡¯t you say I have great luck? You don¡¯t need to worry about me," I casually said, continuing to pester Granny Yang about the summoning method.


    After a moment of contemplation, Granny Yang nodded and said, "Alright, follow me. I¡¯ll show you once. Whether you can learn it or not is up to you."


    Excited at the opportunity, I eagerly followed Granny Yang.


    She took out a cloth from under the Eight Immortals table in the main hall and laid it out in front of the altar. It was about a yard long and wide, made of dark yellow material, and covered in intricate red lines and circles. It looked so mysterious that one glance almost made my mind spin.


    "Watch carefully!" Granny Yang warned, then began muttering incantations under her breath. With each step she took, her feet followed the red circles, stepping precisely on each one. At over seventy years old, I marveled at how spry Granny Yang was as I silently observed her movements and gestures.


    From the moment Granny Yang began the ritual, I expanded my spiritual senses. But as the ritual ended, I found nothing. Where were the gods? There didn¡¯t seem to be any divine presence. Granny Yang didn¡¯t appear possessed, either.


    Seeing my disappointment, Granny Yang shot me a glare and said, "You think summoning a god is so easy? Didn¡¯t you see that when people come to me for divine help, they always bring large feasts?"


    Seems like summoning gods is indeed quite a difficult task.


    I asked her, "Granny, what incantation were you chanting just now?"


    "Anything you want to chant will do," Granny Yang replied.


    Huh! I nearly choked on my own breath. What a strange incantation!


    As Granny Yang was about to put the cloth away, I quickly said, "Granny, let me try."


    She eyed me skeptically but said bluntly, "Try if you want. You really think it¡¯s that easy?"


    I stood on the strange cloth, focused my mind, and began to chant: aoei... gkh... I followed her steps and gestures as she had done earlier.


    As I moved, I felt my inner energy surge, my spiritual consciousness began to gather, and I soared through the sky, breaking through the canopy and rising higher and higher with each step and gesture.


    Suddenly, the spiritual energy I had propelled upward was torn apart by the chaotic forces in the sky. My head throbbed painfully, blood streamed from my seven orifices, and I felt immense danger. Just then, the mysterious yellow flag in my dantian emitted a white light, pulling my spiritual consciousness back.

 Chapter 24: The Mummified Corpse Disappeared

    Suddenly, the rapidly ascending spiritual consciousness was torn apart by the chaotic energies and life force in the sky. A sharp pain shot through my head, blood oozed from my seven orifices, and I felt the impending danger. Just then, the Xuanhuang Flag flashed with white light and forcefully pulled my spiritual consciousness back.


    When Yang Granny saw my condition, her face turned pale with fear, and she hurriedly shouted for me to stop.


    In fact, even if Yang Granny hadn''t shouted, I had already stopped. My mind went blank, and I absentmindedly wiped the blood dripping from my nose, feeling incredibly frustrated.


    "How many is this?" Yang Granny waved two fingers in front of me.


    I shook my head and weakly replied, "Granny, I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry."


    "How many is this? Tell me quickly! You¡¯re scaring me to death!" Yang Granny urgently ignored my answer.


    "It¡¯s two, Granny, I really am fine."


    Sighing, Yang Granny pulled me off the yellow cloth and said, "Quickly wash your face, look at you, don¡¯t tell anyone, especially not that lamb child or your family, I was really scared just now."


    "Don¡¯t worry, Granny!" I felt weak all over and was mentally drained, but I asked curiously, "Why did that happen just now? Why was it fine for you, but not for me?"


    Yang Granny''s expression faltered for a moment, and after a brief pause, she awkwardly replied, "Child, actually¡­ actually, I lied to you. I really don¡¯t know how to summon the great gods."


    My God!


    "Then where did the steps and gestures you taught me come from?" From her actions earlier, I clearly felt the change in my life force and spiritual consciousness. If that was all fake, then Granny really was some kind of shaman.


    "The steps, the gestures, and the yellow cloth¡­ all of them are passed down in the Yang family," Yang Granny sighed and said, "Lamb¡¯s grandfather, when he tried to summon the gods, he bled from his seven orifices and died¡­"


    After saying this, her gaze became vacant, and it seemed like she was lost in thought.


    When I heard that Lamb''s grandfather had died from bleeding after attempting to summon the gods, my heart sank, and I broke into a cold sweat! Could it be that I had just brushed past the gates of death? Why did I end up with bleeding from my seven orifices on my first attempt at summoning the gods?


    Where did all that chaotic energy and violent life force come from?


    I remembered when I left the Xuanhuang Flag last time and drew life force into my body, the violent energy was similar, but this time, besides the intense energy, there was also an energy that seemed to have a consciousness of its own. What was that?


    What¡¯s really going on here?


    Is it because of changes in the Heavenly Dao, or is it something to do with me?


    Cultivators strive to seize the Heavenly Dao to pursue immortality, but if the Dao has become so chaotic and violent, isn¡¯t that a great calamity for cultivators?


    With the Heavenly Dao like this, how am I supposed to comprehend the true meaning of the Dao?


    These questions kept swirling in my mind, and I began to overthink.


    I spent the rest of the way back to school mulling over everything, but I still couldn¡¯t come up with a reasonable explanation for why my spiritual consciousness soared freely that night at the medicine valley, yet when I tried to summon the gods, my mind was nearly shattered.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    If it weren¡¯t for the Xuanhuang Flag, I might have been finished. Even so, when I got back to the provincial city, my face was still deathly pale, and I looked utterly drained.


    My relatives immediately asked if I was feeling sick, especially when I returned to the provincial city. My third uncle insisted on taking me to the hospital, but I politely declined. It wasn¡¯t an illness; it was just the aftereffects of failing to summon the gods. I didn¡¯t want to be lectured or hear nagging, so I kept my mouth shut about everything I had learned from Yang Granny about divination and summoning gods.


    On the 8th of October, when I returned to school, my classmates were all curious when they saw me in such a state. Several of my friends who knew me well asked what had happened.


    I just made up a quick excuse and kept to myself, feeling too drained to care about the others'' concern. I was frustrated!


    The first day of school, no one was focused, and the teacher let us study on our own. For me, it didn¡¯t matter whether it was self-study or class; I continued to live my quiet school life.


    If I had been in this state before the National Day break, I would have to wait for my energy to slowly recover. But now that the inner medicine had matured, it was time to refine my spiritual consciousness. My heart was almost completely depleted, and it was just the right time to temper it. The so-called "break through and stand again" was a perfect match for my current condition.


    While my classmates were busy studying, I was in the last row with my eyes closed, cultivating. My deskmate, Wu Xiaoman, had tried to remind me a few times but eventually stopped bothering me.


    After class, Zhang Yu would always come over to chat with Xiaoman, while also expressing concern about my lack of motivation, complaining that I was wasting my time.


    Why do they think I¡¯m wasting time? I¡¯m cultivating, heh.


    At the end of English class, the beautiful teacher, L¨¹ Yanling, called me into her office and said, "Zhang Santong, you¡¯re quite a strange student. So, did you bring the talismans I asked for?"


    I replied, "Yes, I brought them."


    L¨¹ Yanling took out several hundred yuan bills from her drawer and handed them to me, saying, "Give me a few more of those talismans, the ones that stop motion sickness. Here¡¯s 800 yuan, take it."


    Wow, she really gave me 800 yuan! After thinking for a moment, I didn¡¯t hesitate and took the money, handing her five Calming Talismans, joking, "Heh, teacher, if you need anything else, just let me know!"


    Huh? I think I may have made that sound a bit ambiguous... Oops! No harm done, right? Amitabha Buddha!


    I didn¡¯t give her more talismans because she was a teacher. After all, I¡¯m just a poor student, not a benefactor. Those were the results of my cultivation; I had to cherish them.


    Time passed quickly as I went on with my lazy school life. It took me nearly half a month to restore and refine my spiritual consciousness. The small medicinal pellet in my dantian had grown to the size of a pea.


    My spiritual consciousness became stronger, and whenever I was bored, I would try using my will to move small objects, just for fun. Cultivation was indeed enjoyable!


    During this time, a rumor began circulating among my classmates.


    It was said that during the National Day holiday, the school had hired some Taoist priests to perform a ritual to cremate the mummified corpse. However, the night before the cremation, the corpse disappeared.


    Although the school tried to suppress the news, within a few days, nearly every student knew about it. Many students began walking in pairs to school, and by the time evening self-study rolled around, there were hardly any students left in the classrooms. We day students eventually stopped going to evening self-study altogether.


    The rumors left everyone uneasy.


    If the mummified corpse really disappeared, I was certain someone was behind it. The evil soul fragments that had remained in the corpse had been exterminated by my Xuanhuang Flag, so the corpse definitely wouldn¡¯t have disappeared on its own.


    When my deskmate, the beautiful Xiaoman, heard the rumor, her face turned pale, poor thing! You look down on me, but I see you¡¯re just as vulnerable as I am!


    With the upcoming midterm exams, everyone was on edge, and the atmosphere at the school became heavy.


    Of course, I was the exception. I still went to school to cultivate, returned home to cultivate, and occasionally studied the Taiyi Liu Ren method that Yang Granny taught me. As for summoning gods, I set that aside for now until I could figure out the cause.


    Autumn was here, the Yang energy was receding and the Yin energy growing, the wind was fierce¡­ Autumn¡¯s beauty was mature¡ªit wasn¡¯t as shy as spring, as exposed as summer, or as introverted as winter.


    Huh? When did I become so poetic? It was a Saturday, and with nothing to do, I went out to buy some yellow paper. As I was walking down the street, I suddenly found myself marveling at the beauty of autumn.


    In the small shop where I was buying yellow paper, I noticed a middle-aged man dressed as a Taoist priest, around forty years old. His eyes gleamed with energy, and he looked full of life.


    When he saw me buying yellow paper, the middle-aged Taoist looked at me with curiosity, and in his hand, he carried a large cloth bag. I had no idea what was inside.


    What a strange Taoist...

 Chapter 25: Cultivation and Science

    The great path begins with the mind; when the heart returns to unity, all things are possible. A cultivator views the world with indifference, but not with a lack of feeling; they stand firm in their true intentions and remain unwavering. The subtlety of this, however, cannot be expressed in words.


    ¡ù¡ù¡ù


    "Excuse me, young man, please wait!"


    Just as I was leaving the small shop, a voice called out from behind.


    I turned around and asked, "Hello, Daoist. Is there something I can help you with?"


    The middle-aged Daoist looked at me seriously and said, "I noticed you have delicate bones, your aura is rising, and your eyes are clear. Would you mind if we talked somewhere?"


    Could he be a fraud? His words made me break into a cold sweat!


    After some thought, I nodded and replied, "Alright!" After all, I had time, and it was quite intriguing to meet such a strange Daoist in the provincial capital. I was curious about what he had to say.


    I followed the middle-aged Daoist behind him until we reached a building. The Daoist looked around to ensure no one was nearby and asked, "Young man, would you be interested in believing in the path of cultivation?"


    Such a direct question! It went straight to the point!


    I nodded and answered, "Yes!" After all, I practiced cultivation myself, how could I not believe?


    "Really? Then, would you be willing to become my disciple?" Upon hearing that I believed in cultivation, the Daoist was clearly delighted.


    I was taken aback. Could I be encountering a legendary opportunity? Why didn''t this Daoist look like the immortal figures I had imagined? He didn''t seem like someone with an otherworldly presence.


    I thought for a moment. Could he also be a cultivator? But why hadn¡¯t I felt any energy fluctuations from him? I could see his vitality was strong, though. Curiously, I asked, "Do you have any magical treasures, flying swords, or elixirs?"


    The Daoist froze, then coughed awkwardly and replied, "Well... I haven''t cultivated any magical treasures yet, but if you become my disciple and achieve success in cultivation, the treasures passed down through my lineage will be available for you to choose from."


    I gave a slight laugh, about to say something, but then I noticed an elderly man walking toward us with a lively energy. Seeing that the Daoist and I were sizing him up, the old man smiled and said, "I''m curious about what you two are talking about. Mind if I listen in?"


    Although the old man smiled kindly, I could sense a trace of disdain in his gaze as he looked at the Daoist.


    The middle-aged Daoist glanced at the elderly man, then at me and said, "Amitabha, I was planning to take this young man as my disciple."This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Learn what from you? Those ghostly, supernatural things? Becoming an immortal? How strong are your powers, Daoist?" The old man shot back, questioning the Daoist sharply.


    I couldn''t help but chuckle internally, curious to see how the Daoist would respond.


    "Amitabha, I am from the Yuan Guan sect of Haixin Mountain. I have been practicing for over fifty years, and I have mastered most of the seven meridians and eight channels. However, I am still far from reaching the supreme realm," the Daoist explained.


    "Ha! What a huge joke! You can''t even cultivate yourself and you''re trying to convince this young man to learn those airy-fairy things? Don''t you know what age this is? This is the era of science! The most important thing in the new century is talented scientists, not Daoists. Do you understand?" The old man became more animated as he spoke, his face reddening. "I saw you lead this young man aside and I knew it would be nothing good. There are so many frauds like you nowadays. I will never let the future pillars of our country be deceived by these charlatans!"


    Fraud? Charlatans? Could he be talking about me? The old man clearly had a strong aversion to Daoists, or he wouldn''t have spoken so harshly.


    The middle-aged Daoist, realizing the elderly man was not a good conversationalist, tried to explain but instead just shook his head and turned back to me. "Young man, do you really think we Daoists are just frauds?"


    The elderly man insisted, "Young man, don''t believe him! As an aspiring person with knowledge, you should not believe in those illusory things."


    I found it hard to answer. If all cultivators were frauds, what did that make me?


    I smiled lightly and said, "Both cultivation and science are merely different ways of understanding the world. They''re like twin siblings, each pointing fingers at the other, claiming that the other is not their parent. I think fighting over the relationship between science and cultivation is not very meaningful."


    Upon hearing this, the old man glared at me, scrutinized me again, and the middle-aged Daoist smiled and said, "It is rare for someone to think like this. Good heart!"


    The Daoist took out a small piece of paper and handed it to me, saying, "This is my business card. If you ever decide to cultivate, you are always welcome to visit. Amitabha."


    ...A business card from a Daoist? How amusing. I took it, and saw that it read: Haixin Mountain Yuan Guan Sect¡ªTian Huazi. Contact number: 0086¡ª0987¡ª¡ª654321.


    I put the business card away and introduced myself, "My name is Zhang Santong. I hope I will have the chance to ask for your guidance in the future."


    The old man snorted, shaking his head with a sigh before turning and leaving.


    Noticing that it was getting late, I bid farewell to Daoist Tian Huazi and made my way home, preparing for the upcoming mid-term exams. For this exam, I decided to go all out and answer as much as I could. The high school textbooks were no challenge for me. I had thought about getting sixty on each subject, but I realized I couldn''t bring myself to do something so contrived.


    My cousin Zhang Fuhong was shocked when he saw me studying seriously. Normally, I would rely on cheat sheets, but this time I was studying with real effort. He couldn''t help but comment that I had finally "seen the light."


    Heh, little did he know, I had already seen the light long ago.


    Thinking about the conversation with Daoist Tian Huazi and the old man, I recalled that Tian Huazi had said he had been cultivating for over fifty years and had only completed half of his meridians. Could this be true? Wasn''t it impossible for a cultivator with a master to have such low cultivation? If he hadn''t completed even the foundation-building stage, that was a serious problem.


    And yet, Tian Huazi was a real cultivator, so why was there such a huge difference in cultivation between him and me, who had only been practicing for less than a year?


    If Tian Huazi knew that my inner elixir had formed, I was afraid he might be shocked beyond words.


    I glanced at my physics textbook and remembered the old man''s words¡ªthis new century needed scientists. What future did a cultivator like me have in this scientific age?


    I had never really thought about such questions before...


    Well, let nature take its course. The great path will unfold naturally.

 Chapter 26: The Shocking News of the Soul-Transference Array and the Daoist Reviving by Possessing a

    Due to the recent surge in student numbers at the school, the midterm and final exams are usually held in the same classroom for both the high school and junior high school students. This mix of different grade levels not only saves classroom resources but also helps prevent cheating among students of the same year. It¡¯s a thoughtful arrangement. Back when I took exams, if I ever cheated, it was always by my own efforts.


    The invigilating teachers are typically one from the high school and one from the junior high. If any teacher is caught not monitoring the exam strictly by the patrol leader, that teacher might lose their bonus for the entire semester.


    On November 10th, the tense midterm exams finally began. In the exam room I was assigned to, I only knew two people, Cao Kui and Zhang Yu. This time, I was unusually serious about not preparing any cheat sheets, and my mindset was completely different from the usual exam mentality.


    The three-day exam marathon caused all the students to forget about the rumors of the missing mummified corpse, and during the evening study sessions, the number of students increased again.


    Since I had decided to go all out and give my best performance on this exam, I took it seriously. It was the first time in my life that I had actually worked diligently through the test papers. As a cultivator, I was supposed to remain low-key, but it seemed that study and cultivation were two completely different realms. At least for now, I was still a student. As long as my results weren''t too outstanding, I thought, it wouldn''t interfere with my cultivation.


    So, for this exam, I filled out most of the entire paper, whereas in the past, I would only complete part of it. How embarrassing! Even so, I finished every exam first, as I always did, causing my high school teachers to roll their eyes at me.


    When the three-day exams ended, everyone relaxed. The morning after the last exam, when I arrived at the classroom, I saw that Cao Kui¡¯s mouth was swollen, and he was limping. Cheng Fan, who was normally quite slender, also had his arms swollen and looking green and scary.


    Both of them looked very pale. In surprise, I walked over and patted Cao Kui¡¯s shoulder, asking, ¡°Hey! What happened to you two? Did the skinny monkey¡¯s arms and your mouth get into a fight or something? Haha!¡±


    Their faces looked awkward, and I smelled a familiar odor coming from Cheng Fan¡¯s hands. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Did you two sneak over to the school playground and steal some walnuts last night?¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡± Cao Kui grinned widely, giving a bitter smile and nodded.


    Cheng Fan, the skinny monkey, also smiled shyly, but something about his smile made me feel that there was more to it than he was letting on.


    Speaking of walnuts, every autumn, the decades-old walnut trees along the water ditch at the school playground bear abundant fruit. Before the walnuts mature, they have a green outer skin, which must be peeled off to reveal the true walnut. If you¡¯re not careful and get some of the juice from the skin on your hands, it will definitely cause swelling. Since there are many walnut trees in my hometown as well, I immediately understood the cause when I saw them.


    What really puzzled me was Cao Kui¡¯s leg. I asked, ¡°What happened to your leg? Did you pull a muscle during your morning workout?¡±


    ¡°No, I saw a ghost this morning, damn it.¡± Cao Kui¡¯s face turned strange as he whispered to me, ¡°You know, at our sports school, we usually start training before dawn. Today, I was the first one to arrive at the playground, but my classmates weren¡¯t there yet, so I secretly climbed a walnut tree to pick some walnuts. But when I was about to climb down from the tree, guess what I saw?¡±


    As Cao Kui was telling this, I could sense a shiver in his voice. What did he see?


    A ghost? Why would there be ghosts? Cao Kui usually had a lot of guts, so whatever he saw must have really shaken him. I curiously asked, ¡°Come on, stop messing around and tell me what you saw.¡±


    Cao Kui, looking all mysterious, whispered, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it, but halfway down the tree, when I looked back, there was someone standing under the tree.¡± He swallowed hard, but couldn¡¯t continue.


    This guy, it seemed, was truly terrified. It was just a person standing under the tree, yet he looked like he was about to cry while telling the story. This didn¡¯t seem like the usual fearless Cao Kui.


    I looked at Cheng Fan and asked softly, ¡°Who did Cao Kui see?¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°It¡¯s the mummified corpse,¡± Cheng Fan whispered, ¡°Cao Kui told me that he was sure it was the mummified corpse he saw.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, definitely.¡± Cao Kui, who had calmed down a little, took a deep breath and interrupted, ¡°Although it changed clothes and cut its hair and nails, I¡¯m absolutely certain it was the mummified corpse. Those eyes, those eyes¡­¡± As he spoke, Cao Kui¡¯s body started to tremble again.


    It was the mummified corpse? How could it come back to life? If what Cao Kui saw was really the mummified corpse, then it must have been a huge shock for him to see it suddenly appear in front of him. No wonder he was so scared.


    I took out a calming talisman from my pocket and handed it to Cao Kui, saying, ¡°What are you afraid of? You¡¯re a grown man.¡±


    After he put the talisman inside his clothes pocket, Cao Kui¡¯s face gradually returned to normal. I asked, ¡°What happened next? Where did the mummified corpse go?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Cao Kui shook his head with a bitter smile, ¡°I was so scared that I fell out of the tree. When I got up, everything around me was empty. I don¡¯t know where that guy went.¡±


    Cao Kui¡¯s words lingered in my mind the entire morning. For the whole morning, I couldn¡¯t calm down. I kept thinking about why the mummified corpse came back to life. Looking at my desk mate, Xiao Man, quietly doing her homework beside me, I thought to myself, if she had encountered the mummified corpse again, she¡¯d probably be scared half to death. We had been desk mates for such a long time, and I was wondering if she still had that talisman I gave her. I asked, ¡°Hey, do you still have the talisman I gave you last time?¡±


    Xiao Man blinked her beautiful big eyes and curiously asked, ¡°Why do you want to know? It¡¯s in my possession. You¡¯re not asking to take it back or for money, right?¡±


    Ugh! Seriously? I couldn¡¯t be bothered to reply, but I thought to myself, if the mummified corpse appeared again, it would definitely cause a huge uproar at school.


    At lunch, I overheard some classmates talking about how the principal had entered his office with a few people dressed as Daoist priests. It seemed that the situation was just as Cao Kui had said¡ªsomething was wrong.


    A few Daoist priests? Could it be that Tian Huazi from Haixin Mountain, whom I met a while ago, was among them?


    Just ten minutes before class started in the afternoon, our homeroom teacher, Mr. Xin Tianfan, appeared at the door. His walk no longer had a limp, but his face didn¡¯t look too good.


    Without a word of small talk, Mr. Xin went straight to the point. ¡°Students, the school has decided to give everyone an extra three-day holiday since the exams are over. You can head home now. All boarding students must leave the school by 3 PM today.¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    A holiday? The entire class was in an uproar. It was unheard of to have a holiday after an exam, and such a sudden announcement left everyone momentarily stunned. But then, the realization hit: a holiday! Everyone, without exception, was thrilled.


    Without saying anything, Cao Kui, Cheng Fan, and I exchanged looks. From each other''s eyes, we knew that whatever was going on was definitely related to the corpse.


    Once the homeroom teacher left the classroom, the students immediately began discussing among themselves, hurriedly packing their things. The boarding students from other counties loudly protested, asking why they had to leave the school if there was a holiday. However, judging by the teacher¡¯s tone, leaving the school was definitely a requirement.


    By the time everyone had packed up and was leaving, Cao Kui and Cheng Fan walked up to me.


    Cao Kui asked, ¡°Are you going back to your hometown?¡±


    I replied, ¡°No, there¡¯s no point. I just got back from a long journey. It¡¯s only a three-day holiday; nothing to do back home.¡±


    Cheng Fan mischievously whispered to me, ¡°Well, since you¡¯re not going back, let¡¯s come back to school and have some fun these few days!¡±


    I laughed helplessly and said, ¡°You two are nuts. Cao Kui, you¡¯ve been scared out of your wits. Coming back to school for what? To catch the corpse? Aren¡¯t you scared enough already?¡±


    ¡°Heh! Just say yes or no, do you want to come or not?¡± Cheng Fan asked.


    ¡°Fine! When should we meet?¡± Actually, I was just as curious. It would be impossible to not join in on the excitement.


    ¡°How about we go back and sleep this afternoon, then meet at 7 PM by the supermarket behind the school?¡±


    Having set the time, I packed my stuff and walked out of the classroom. I strolled down the street near the school. Not far from the school, I spotted Taoist Master Tianhuazi again, accompanied by a young Taoist who was holding what looked like a compass. They were hurriedly walking and talking about something.


    Out of curiosity, I quietly followed behind them, focusing intently to hear what they were saying.


    ¡°Master, where do you think our ancestor has gone?¡± the young Taoist asked.


    So, they were looking for their master and their clan? I hadn¡¯t noticed any old Taoists around.


    Tianhuazi frowned and sighed. ¡°He should be somewhere nearby. Hurry up and look for him.¡±


    ¡°Master, do you think the school will blame us for stealing the corpse?¡± the young Taoist continued. ¡°Is there something wrong with our Soul-Transferring Formation? Why did the soul transfer work, but he¡¯s not acting like he used to?¡±


    A corpse? They had stolen it? And the Soul-Transferring Formation the young Taoist mentioned¡ªwhat was that all about? Doubts started swirling in my mind, and I listened even more closely to what they were saying.


    Tianhuazi explained, ¡°Sigh, maybe the formation wasn¡¯t perfect. Plus, none of us have true essence, so we couldn¡¯t fully activate the Soul-Transferring Formation. I¡¯m worried the soul that was transferred to the corpse might be incomplete. Your ancestor had always been disappointed with his lack of progress in cultivation. Seeing that his body was failing, he had no choice but to go all in and try it.¡±


    Oh my! What was going on? From what Tianhuazi said, his master had transferred his soul into the corpse. I was stunned! This was no longer just some strange occurrence¡ªI had just heard the secret of the century!

 Chapter 27: Cultivators, the Soul and Spirit as the Heart

    Life begins with the soul¡¯s essence, called "Po" at birth, and then the "Hun" comes with the rising of Yang. The soul, the spirit attached to the body, is "Po," while the god, or divine essence attached to the energy, is "Hun." The Yang spirit is the soul, the Yin spirit is the essence, and they mutually serve as residences for one another.


    ¡ù¡ù¡ù


    Suppressing the various questions rising in my heart, I continued eavesdropping on the conversation between Tian Huazi and the young Daoist.


    The young Daoist scratched his head and asked Tian Huazi, "Master, why is it that after Master¡¯s soul was transferred into the mummified corpse, the body still has warmth and breath? Could it be that Master has cultivated into the legendary external incarnation?"


    The young Daoist was clearly an inquisitive fellow.


    Each of his questions made my heart tremble. Although their conversation was almost inaudible on the bustling street, as someone with a modest understanding of Daoist cultivation, this was still something that caught my attention. Tian Huazi''s master had transferred his soul into a mummified corpse¡ªhow could he still be alive? And an external incarnation? The young Daoist seemed to have little understanding of how difficult it is to cultivate such a thing.


    Tian Huazi, looking fondly at the young Daoist, patiently answered, "I don''t know either. When we activated the Soul Transfer Formation, something strange happened, as you know. Normally, the formation uses the power of heaven and earth to guide the vital energy and move the soul, but before we even ran the formation for a minute, it started making cracking noises. Something definitely went wrong. After your master screamed, all the ritual tools used to set up the formation exploded. Ah! I really don¡¯t know what happened."


    Tian Huazi, who had appeared energetic and lively earlier, now looked somewhat disheveled. Hearing him talk about the magical Soul Transfer Formation, my astonishment had already become numb. As someone who cultivates, I was not entirely surprised; such things were to be expected in this line of work.


    "Wow, I didn¡¯t expect the legendary formation to really exist!" The young Daoist shook his head, impressed. "Master, since such a powerful formation exists, why is it that so many people cultivate Daoism, but no one ever succeeds in reaching the Golden Core stage? They all get stuck at the Foundation Establishment stage and can¡¯t continue."


    A good question indeed! This was exactly what I was eager to know. I continued following behind them.


    Tian Huazi sighed deeply and said, "Yes, why? When your master successfully established his foundation at the age of thirty, but even after a century, he couldn¡¯t draw the vitality of heaven and earth into his body. That¡¯s why your master thought of transferring his soul and spirit into the mummified corpse, but now, look at what has happened. What happened to the Dao of Heaven?"


    The young Daoist''s expression grew darker, and he fell silent, seemingly discouraged by what he had just heard. I was about to leave when the young Daoist asked another question.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "Master, I¡¯ve heard that many seniors in our sect died violently due to their cultivation. Is that true?"


    Tian Huazi abruptly stopped, lowered his voice, and sternly asked, "How do you know this? Who told you?"


    The young Daoist, looking innocent, replied, "Everyone in the Upper Yuan Monastery knows this. Why would I need to explain?"


    Tian Huazi sighed and hurried his steps, "Ah, you troublemaker! If you are worried about this, then why even cultivate Daoism? It¡¯s the heart demon!" He muttered as he walked faster.


    I saw that the young Daoist quickly followed behind, and realizing there would be no more useful information, I stopped. People hurriedly passed by me on the street. I looked up at the sky and reflected on Tian Huazi''s words. Indeed, where was the Dao of Heaven?


    The conversation between Tian Huazi and the young Daoist left my mind in turmoil.


    I mentally pieced together the sequence of events. During the National Day holiday, the school invited Daoists from Haixin Mountain''s Upper Yuan Monastery to perform a ritual to incinerate the mummified corpse. But Tian Huazi''s master, for reasons unknown, suddenly decided to steal the corpse and, with the help of other Daoists, used a formation called the Soul Transfer Formation to move his soul into the mummified body. However, when the formation was activated, something went wrong. The soul transfer might not have been complete, and Tian Huazi''s master lost control of the mummified corpse, which disappeared.


    Why did the mummified corpse keep appearing at our school? Was there something in the school drawing it in? I recalled my classmate Wu Xiaoman¡¯s god¡¯s domain where the evil soul from the mummified corpse was eliminated. Afterward, Xiaoman seemed more energetic than ever. What was really going on here?


    Life begins with the essence of the soul, called Po, and as the Yang rises, the Hun is formed. The soul is attached to the body, and the spirit is attached to the energy. The heart is the root of the soul and spirit, and for cultivators, the soul and spirit are the foundation of their power.


    Could there still be traces of his original soul''s essence within the mummified corpse?


    When I destroyed the evil soul in Wu Xiaoman¡¯s god¡¯s domain, was I really eliminating it completely? If so, why did Xiaoman remember everything that had happened in her god¡¯s domain? Why was her spirit growing stronger?


    Tian Huazi¡¯s master, the Soul Transfer Formation, the mummified corpse, the evil soul, Xiaoman¡¯s changes¡ªall of these events were connected to the issue of the soul. For a cultivator, the heart is the foundation of the soul and spirit. Cultivating the heart strengthens the soul and spirit.


    I also recalled Tian Huazi¡¯s comment about the Soul Transfer Formation malfunctioning. The cracking sounds from the formation¡ªI was certain it had something to do with the chaotic vital energy of heaven and earth.


    And the young Daoist¡¯s comment about the senior cultivators in the Upper Yuan Monastery who died in violent ways. From my own experience with cultivation, I understood the answer: these elderly Daoists could not draw the vitality of heaven and earth into their bodies, so they couldn¡¯t move past the Foundation Establishment stage. However, their spiritual training had hardened their will. If their mind and spirit reached out to commune with the vital energy of heaven and earth, the violent deaths they experienced were inevitable.


    With so many mysteries surrounding the soul, I didn¡¯t want to stay outside any longer. I quickly returned home and reviewed a large amount of material. I now understood the importance of the soul for a cultivator.


    A cultivator must master the six energies of heaven and earth, refine the spiritual essence, and cultivate the heart and soul. The heart is the root of the spirit and soul, and to reach the true essence of Daoism, one must understand the Dao of Heaven and earth.


    Haha! With this new understanding of the soul¡¯s importance to cultivators, I became deeply intrigued by the recent events surrounding the mummified corpse. I eagerly awaited the evening when I would meet with Cao Kui and Cheng Fan to secretly observe how the Daoists from Haixin Mountain¡¯s Upper Yuan Monastery would deal with the mummified corpse.

 Chapter 28: The Cloud Thunder Technique

    According to some cultivation texts, when one''s inner medicinal foundation reaches a certain level, one can begin to cultivate minor spells. Daoist spells generally fall into several categories: manipulating the primordial energies of heaven and earth, invoking deities to perform rituals, talismanic inscriptions, and the use of one''s own spiritual power.


    Recently, I¡¯ve often found myself lamenting that I can''t even perform a simple spell. It¡¯s not that I haven¡¯t been cultivating; it¡¯s just that... well, it''s quite frustrating!


    Invoking deities¡ªuntil I figure out why the primordial energy of heaven and earth is so turbulent, I have no intention of attempting it. If I were to rashly attempt it and fail, it wouldn¡¯t be worth the risk. As for manipulating the primordial energy of heaven and earth, I don¡¯t have the ability to do so, nor the method to harness such wild and intense energy. My own spiritual power is too shallow to even think of using it. For now, the only thing I can manage is talismanic inscriptions.


    Talismans can control evil energy. In addition to the primordial energy, talismans can also control evil through spiritual consciousness. Therefore, a person with strong spiritual consciousness, even without any major cultivation achievements, can still use talismanic inscriptions. So, as a cultivator, I¡¯m not really anything special. But of course, that¡¯s only true for now!


    Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. Every time my Xuanhuang Flag activates, a storm of thunder and rain follows. So, if I hold the Xuanhuang Flag in my hand, could I control it to release lightning?


    At this thought, I immediately sprang into action. There were still a few hours before my scheduled meeting with Cao Kui and Cheng Fan, so I focused my spiritual consciousness, and the Xuanhuang Flag appeared in my hand.


    I infused my vital energy into the Xuanhuang Flag and shouted toward a flowerpot in my room, ¡°I¡¯ll zap you, zap, zap, zap!¡±


    Nothing happened! What¡¯s going on?


    After thinking for a moment about the methods and hand gestures for controlling magical tools described in Daoist texts, I quickly grabbed a book on thunder-based spells from my collection.


    Thunder magic involves talismans and incantations used to summon rain, clear skies, exorcise demons, and guide the souls of the departed. Thus, when the heart aligns with the Dao, it becomes the master of all, allowing one to command the magic.


    While there are many types of thunder spells, to truly master them, one must cultivate the spiritual light and primordial spirit within, transforming one''s divine essence to wield them.


    This is all so profound! Aligning the heart with the Dao, cultivating the spiritual light and primordial spirit, transforming the divine essence¡ªspells are servants of the heart, and the heart is the master of spells. It seems that thunder magic is governed by the mind, with primordial energy merely acting as the conduit.


    In a book titled Daoist Magic¡¯s Return to the Source, I suddenly came across some details about thunder magic, including hand gestures, secret gestures, thunder incantations, divine transformation techniques, methods to summon thunder and fire, and a series of other techniques.


    What caught my attention the most were the six thunder hand gestures described in the book.


    It didn¡¯t seem too difficult! My curiosity got the best of me, and I couldn¡¯t resist trying it out for myself.


    For safety, I recalled the Xuanhuang Flag into my Mud Ball Palace and began following the Cloud Thunder technique¡¯s hand gestures. I focused and carefully mimicked the gestures in the book: I bent my right index finger, placed my thumb over it, then pressed the tip of my thumb against the "chou" pattern, and curled my middle, ring, and pinky fingers...Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    As soon as I completed the hand gesture, I suddenly felt the space around me fluctuate, and a strange primordial energy gathered in my hand. However, to my disappointment, no lightning appeared. The strange energy was absorbed by the Xuanhuang Flag in my Mud Ball Palace.


    Inside my spirit palace, the Xuanhuang Flag seemed quite excited after absorbing the energy. A soft yellow glow began to shimmer across the flag''s surface. Intrigued, I repeatedly performed the Cloud Thunder hand gesture, and each time, a flow of energy was drawn from my hand into the flag. The flag¡¯s patterns became clearer.


    What delighted me even more was that the Xuanhuang Flag suddenly emitted a wave of strange spiritual consciousness, which enveloped the mysterious symbols it had imparted to me. For the first time, those cryptic symbols seemed to come alive, slowly emitting a soft golden light.


    An ancient, solemn intent flowed through my mind.


    How strange!


    I was ecstatic!


    However, no matter how many times I performed the Cloud Thunder hand gesture, those mysterious symbols remained still. Seeing that the time I had agreed upon with Cao Kui and Cheng Fan had arrived, I stopped my actions. The Xuanhuang Flag and the cryptic symbols fell silent once again.


    This whole experience felt both surprising and magical! If I could uncover the secrets behind those mysterious symbols, I was certain my cultivation journey would undergo a tremendous transformation.


    I was so eager to explore more!


    Although I had failed this time, it was still a promising start. Even though I felt impatient, I wasn''t one to act recklessly. I knew that this required time and patience. I calmed my emotions, took out a few of the talismans I had drawn, and walked out of my room.


    I greeted my third uncle, telling him I was going to stay at a classmate¡¯s house for the night. Then, I hurried out the door, chuckling to myself.


    Although I had visited Cao Kui¡¯s house a few times before and even stayed overnight, my third uncle strongly disapproved of me staying out, fearing I might get into trouble.


    By the time I arrived at the supermarket behind the school, Cao Kui and Cheng Fan were already there.


    I laughed, "You two, why are you so eager to see a mummified corpse? Aren¡¯t you scared of it?"


    "Scared? Nah! We''re just gonna watch from a distance," Cao Kui answered with ease, clearly forgetting how terrified he was this morning. After bringing along my Calming Talisman, he¡¯d suddenly grown bolder.


    I thought for a moment and then handed a Calming Talisman to Cheng Fan.


    ¡°Wow, such beautiful lines, such harmonious patterns. Who drew this?¡± Cheng Fan exclaimed, holding my talisman. ¡°It wasn¡¯t you, was it? You¡¯ve always been into this kind of stuff. What a waste! You should be drawing professionally with your talent!¡±


    ¡°Damn! Since when did you become such a chatterbox?¡± I chuckled. Cheng Fan seemed really engrossed in drawing now, as he critiqued my Calming Talisman.


    Well, I liked it! Heh.


    The school¡¯s perimeter wall was a two-person-high iron fence, easy to climb for the three of us. We had snuck out plenty of times during school hours. After buying some snacks for the night, the three of us quickly scaled the fence and found a quiet spot on the campus to hide.


    As the sky slowly darkened, the school¡¯s classrooms were pitch black, not a single window lit up. The large trees on campus swayed slightly in the wind, and leaves drifted through the air. The entire school looked a bit desolate.


    Unfortunately, my spiritual consciousness still couldn¡¯t extend to every corner of the school; I could only sense everything within a ten-meter radius. Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t have to wait around like this! Looks like I need to speed up my cultivation! I¡¯ve been slacking off lately!


    "Hey, do you guys think we¡¯ll really see a mummified corpse? Why is there no one around the school?" Cheng Fan asked softly, bored, looking at me and Cao Kui.


    I thought to myself, this guy¡¯s probably already scared, huh?


    I grinned and said to Cheng Fan, ¡°If something weird happens, just run! I don¡¯t want to get my blood drained by a mummified corpse.¡±


    I was just teasing him, of course. Cheng Fan was the smallest of the three of us and slow to run, but after hearing my warning, he didn¡¯t seem worried at all.


    Could it be that my Calming Talisman is working too well on him? Maybe I should make some extra talismans and sell them for a little extra cash. The Calming Talisman is perfect for preventing motion sickness and calming nerves... What a great product!


    Lost in thought, I suddenly felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end¡­

 Chapter 29: The Reappearance of the Mummy

    While lost in thought, I suddenly felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and I quickly signaled Cao Kui and Cheng Fan to be quiet and not make any sound.


    My sudden movement startled the two of them, who had been about to speak. They stared at me in shock.


    I looked around, but saw nothing. However, as a cultivator, I didn¡¯t doubt my own senses. Could it be that the mummy had appeared nearby, but I couldn¡¯t see it?


    Alright! If I can''t see it, I¡¯ll use my spiritual sense. I extended my sense to cover the area within several dozen meters, but still didn¡¯t detect anything unusual.


    Damn! How could this happen?


    Could it be that the mummy moved so fast, it passed by us just now?


    Feeling a bit embarrassed under the gaze of Cao Kui and Cheng Fan, I chuckled and shook my head, signaling that I hadn¡¯t found anything.


    "Here! Everyone, be careful!"


    Suddenly, a loud shout came from a blue three-story building in the distance. We three turned our gaze towards it and were startled to see that it was the teaching building of our high school.


    As soon as the shout ended, the lights in the hallway turned on, and I saw several figures flashing through the windows, rushing towards a classroom. It seemed that they were heading for a classroom on the first floor.


    That classroom¡ªwas our own class!


    Why would the mummy appear in our classroom, of all places?


    I exchanged incredulous glances with Cao Kui and Cheng Fan, all of us clearly surprised by the situation.


    "Should we go take a look?" Cheng Fan asked, his curiosity piqued. It seemed his bravery had grown.


    Cao Kui immediately disagreed, "You go if you want, but if you get caught, it¡¯ll be bad. What if they mistake us for the mummy?"


    I thought for a moment, then felt that it shouldn¡¯t be too much trouble. I nodded and said, "Let¡¯s go take a look, but be careful not to get noticed. Cao Kui, why don¡¯t you stay here, and Cheng Fan and I will go..."


    Before I could finish, a loud "bang" sounded as a window shattered.


    Turning to look, I saw a figure leap out of the broken window from our classroom. Could it be the mummy? I wondered, but the figure¡¯s movement seemed too agile for a mummy!


    As the figure landed, five Taoist priests in traditional robes jumped out of the window one after another. To my surprise, among them were Tian Huazi and the young Taoist priest I had seen earlier. They landed and quickly surrounded the figure that had jumped out of the window. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t see the face of that figure as it was facing away from me.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    With all the commotion, why hadn¡¯t anyone from the school come out? I thought maliciously¡ªperhaps these Taoists had scared the school staff away with their talk of the mummy sucking blood?


    "Master, is it really you? Master?" Tian Huazi stepped forward and called out to the figure in the center.


    The figure slowly turned around, facing Tian Huazi. Its face was pale and devoid of color, its skin dry and shriveled. Its eyes were vacant and dazed, creating a terrifying sight. Could this be the mummy that had had its soul taken by Tian Huazi¡¯s master? Interesting indeed!


    "Who... who are you? Give me back my soul... give me back my soul..." The mummy¡¯s mouth moved slightly, and its words sounded unnatural, sending chills down my spine in the night air.


    Was the mummy searching for its own soul? Or was it Tian Huazi¡¯s master seeking his soul?


    I looked at Cao Kui and Cheng Fan beside me. Both of them were staring at the figures in the school building with their mouths wide open, eyes glued to the scene in front of them. Unlike me, a cultivator, they probably couldn¡¯t make out the details of the figures.


    I continued to observe.


    I noticed the mummy seemed absent-minded. Tian Huazi gave a signal to his four companions, and they immediately began to move, surrounding the mummy tightly.


    It seemed like they were trying to subdue it.


    "Ahh... give me back my soul..." The mummy suddenly yelled, twisting its neck in an unnatural way. Its head cocked to the side as it suddenly vanished and reappeared outside the Taoist priests¡¯ encirclement. Its movement was so fast and strange that I was greatly surprised¡ªit was almost like the Yin-Yang Steps passed down in my family.


    "Shangyuan Xuanji Steps? Master, do you not recognize us?" Tian Huazi quickly turned back, desperately speaking to the mummy, but it seemed the mummy didn¡¯t understand what he was saying.


    "Master, it seems that the Ancestor really doesn¡¯t recognize us... What should we do?" A young Taoist, whom I had seen earlier, asked Tian Huazi in a worried tone.


    Tian Huazi looked momentarily troubled, then shouted, "Everyone, put more effort into it! We can¡¯t let the master escape again!"


    With that, Tian Huazi lunged forward again, his steps surprisingly similar to those of the mummy.


    Strangely enough, though the mummy appeared not to recognize the Taoists, it didn¡¯t seem intent on fighting them. As the five Taoists closed in once more, the mummy cocked its head again and glanced at the classroom where it had crashed through the window. It cried out once more: "Give me back my soul... give me back my soul..."


    Its dry voice faded, and the mummy''s figure flickered several times, evading the Taoists¡¯ encirclement and floating towards the school¡¯s sports field.


    The five Taoists, unwilling to let the mummy escape so easily, shouted and rushed after it.


    All of this happened in just a few minutes, from the sound of glass breaking to the figures vanishing without a trace. Cao Kui and Cheng Fan, standing beside me, were utterly stunned and hadn¡¯t spoken a word.


    Though these Taoists didn¡¯t seem to have any fluctuations in their vital energy, their skills were incredibly agile and impressive¡ªlike the lightness of footwork seen in martial arts films. To Cao Kui and Cheng Fan, it must have been utterly amazing.


    Should I help the Taoists capture the mummy?


    After a moment of consideration, I decided against it. After all, I was a student, and dealing with mummies was the Taoists¡¯ job. Heh.


    After a while, Cheng Fan mumbled to himself, "Damn... that was... amazing!"


    "Yeah! So martial arts really exist! I... I..." Cao Kui stammered, unable to finish his words, but from the tone of his voice, I could tell he was eager to learn martial arts too.


    I snapped them both out of their daydreaming, and the three of us climbed over the school¡¯s wall. My plan was to go home, but Cao Kui and Cheng Fan insisted on staying. It seemed that their courage had grown, no doubt because I was around. Heh.


    The three of us ended up at Cao Kui¡¯s house, and for the next three nights, we secretly returned to the school each night. Strangely, we never saw the mummy or the Taoists again. Feeling bored, we didn¡¯t want to leave empty-handed, so on the last night, we climbed the walnut tree near the sports field and spent the night picking walnuts.

 Chapter 30: My Good Fortune!

    Three days of vacation quickly passed, and when we returned to school and resumed normal classes, everything felt as calm and ordinary as usual. The broken glass in our classroom had been replaced, yet it seemed that no one noticed the change.


    The results of the midterm exams were about to be announced, and the expressions and conversations of my classmates were filled with anticipation. However, some students, like Cao Kui and Cheng Fan, wished the results would never come out.


    As for me! I answered the exam questions naturally, writing only what I knew. I didn¡¯t care about my grades, whether I was expecting good results or not. To avoid attachments, one must first let go of attachments¡ªlook at my calm state of mind, ha ha!


    I heard from some students who were on good terms with the teachers that during our holiday, almost all the school teachers went to a big hotel in the provincial capital to eat and drink, while also grading the papers. When I heard this, I suddenly understood, no wonder I hadn''t seen any teachers around the school in the past few nights.


    Cao Kui had somehow gotten his hands on several martial arts manuals. During our morning training session, he was punching and kicking, causing Cheng Fan to scold him for being both boring and insane.


    Cultivating in stillness and doing nothing¡ªthis is the way of the Tao. The way is everywhere, natural in its movement and stillness, from beginning to end. Ever since I began cultivating, everything has been going smoothly. I haven¡¯t taken any magical pills or devoted myself to intense training, especially after I formed my inner elixir.


    During these days, my cultivation wasn¡¯t about circulating grand energy; instead, I focused on using the Thundercloud Seal to absorb special spiritual energy from the world to power my Xuanhuang Flag.


    Every time the Xuanhuang Flag absorbed the special energy, it emitted an arcane golden light, covering the mysterious characters floating in my mind. Then, the characters would release an ancient, solemn energy that constantly tempered my mind.


    In just a few days during the holiday, I could clearly feel the changes in both my inner elixir and my overall aura. My inner elixir, once the size of a pea, had now grown to the size of a quail egg, and my entire aura had become increasingly tranquil.


    What puzzled me was that occasionally, I heard faint, low roars from two different sources in my sea of consciousness, like the roar of a tiger or the roar of a dragon. The sound seemed familiar, almost like I had heard it during the violent storm in my hometown, Jiushizhang, last summer¡­


    One morning in class, when the teachers entered the room, they were all holding thick stacks of exam papers. The first thing each teacher did when they entered was to look at me strangely.


    Sigh! I knew my results would catch their attention. If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have done so well. I thought to myself.


    As a cultivator, if I can¡¯t face this small issue, how can I face the ethereal Dao?


    ¡°Zhang Santong? 98 points, who did you copy from?¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Who is Zhang Santong? 89 points, how did you know the exam questions in advance?¡±


    ¡°Zhang Santong, 99 points, how is this possible? After class, come to my office and explain¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Throughout the morning¡ªphysics, chemistry, mathematics, and politics¡ªnot one of my scores was below eighty, but all I got were suspicious looks from teachers and surprised gazes from my classmates.


    I improved, what¡¯s wrong with that?


    During the break, Cao Kui slapped my shoulder hard, saying, ¡°Kid, did you take Viagra before the exam? How did you suddenly become so amazing?¡±


    That made me sweat!


    I had to pick up my middle school textbooks and start studying again. Was it easy for me? Haha, I didn¡¯t really do much. There was no need to explain myself.


    My desk mate, Xiaoman, and my cousin, Zhang Fuhong, were both full of surprise. Xiaoman asked me, ¡°Zhang Santong, you were really studying hard this time? You weren¡¯t just pretending?¡±


    Pretending? For whom? Sigh! I just had a good burst of luck and answered the exam honestly. Hehe!


    I gave a half-smile and didn¡¯t bother to respond to her.


    At lunchtime, after everyone finished eating, the students began discussing class and grade rankings. I kept hearing my name mentioned. It seemed that now, all the students and teachers were going to see me in a new light.


    Today, Zhang Yu was especially happy! How did I notice? Amitabha Buddha!


    Whether my results were from cheating or I had known the questions in advance, the other students didn¡¯t really care. They weren¡¯t making a fuss. They were more concerned about their own grades.


    As for my excellent results, they only led to suspicion from the teachers and didn¡¯t cause the principal to intervene. There was no talk of me being a top student destined for a prestigious university.


    In this large, important school, Zhang Santong¡¯s sudden outburst of results caused little stir. It only provided a new topic for conversation!


    In the afternoon, when the Chinese exam results were announced, I surprisingly scored 99 points, placing first in the class. This once again shocked my classmates, but I still appeared calm, as though it wasn¡¯t even my result.


    From my classmates¡¯ perspective, I could clearly see my own shadow. In the past, they seemed to treat me as if I didn¡¯t exist. Now, everything had changed just because of my good grades. Student life, the pursuit of learning!


    If my third uncle and my parents knew about my grades, they¡¯d probably be very happy, right? Actually, this was also the reason I gave my best effort in the exam¡ªto stop my family from worrying about me.


    After making progress in my cultivation, my family became a source of pain. Cultivation aims to seize the heavens'' and earth¡¯s creations for immortality, but what about them? Sigh! I¡¯ll think of a way to deal with that later.


    Although my grades had changed, my behavior in class remained the same. I closed my eyes to rest, read random cultivation books, and drew new talisman formulas with a cinnabar brush¡­


    After school in the evening, I stayed behind, had dinner with Cao Kui and Cheng Fan, and then continued researching some advanced talismans in the corner of the classroom. Most of the students stayed for self-study, creating a great atmosphere for learning!


    At 10 p.m., while immersed in my talisman research, my cousin woke me up. I realized that all the students had gone home. Sigh, I had been too focused.


    When my cousin and I were leaving the school gate, I suddenly felt a fluctuation in my sea of consciousness. I stopped, concentrating to capture the subtle sensation.


    It was my desk mate, Xiaoman.


    Ever since I entered her spiritual realm at Yaoshuigou, I¡¯ve been able to sense her emotions from a distance. This time, I clearly felt her panic and helplessness. Her frightened face and lifeless eyes appeared vividly in my mind.


    I only had one thought: Poor Xiaoman must have encountered that mummified corpse searching for souls.


    Should I go rescue her?


    Would I help that beautiful desk mate who looks down on me?


    They say cultivators should not concern themselves with good or evil, nor with human desires or heavenly principles. Everything is like the reflection in a mirror¡ªsimply responding when it comes.


    After thinking for a moment, I decided to check it out. The mummified corpse incident, the cycle of karma, it¡¯s also my affair. Cultivators value karma, so I¡¯ll take a look and understand it!

 Chapter 31: The Poor Xiao Man

    Pick it up, let it go; enter it, exit it. That¡¯s the true path of cultivation in the mortal world.


    ¡ù¡ù¡ù


    It¡¯s said that cultivators do not dwell on good or evil, nor on human desires and the laws of heaven. Everything is like the light from a mirror with no mirror¡ªwhen something comes, it responds, and that¡¯s all.


    I¡¯m a cultivator too, and at least in this regard, I fully agree. After thinking it through, I decided to go see Xiao Man. The incident with the mummified corpse, the karmic cycle¡ªit¡¯s all tied to me.


    Cultivators take karma very seriously, and perhaps it¡¯s time for me to settle this karmic debt.


    I told my cousin that I had an urgent matter and didn¡¯t pay attention to his surprised expression as I quickly turned and ran toward the direction where Xiao Man seemed to be.


    On the night of November in the provincial capital, a hint of coolness was in the air. Under the dim streetlights, occasional shadows of pedestrians passed by. Even at this hour, the streets were still crowded.


    Our school is located near the eastern suburbs of the provincial city, close to several universities, so the streets around here are full of food stalls, open-air restaurants, and even barbecue stands selling lamb skewers...


    I had never asked Xiao Man where her home was, nor had I ever thought to inquire from others.


    At this moment, I had to rely entirely on the mysterious feeling guiding my steps, as I raced forward.


    I wasn¡¯t sure how fast I was running, but it was definitely faster than any of my past sprint tests. My hearing was unusually sharp now, a side effect of cultivation, and I could clearly hear screams behind me.


    ¡°Darling, look! Someone¡¯s running naked!!¡±


    ¡°Dad, look! It¡¯s Superman¡­!¡±


    ¡°Damn, who¡¯s this crazy person?¡­¡±


    ...


    Hearing these voices almost caused me to lose my breath. Damn it, cultivation made my hearing so sensitive!


    I could sense Xiao Man¡¯s increasing panic and confusion through my spiritual awareness. Gritting my teeth, I sped past a few girls screaming, turning left by ninety degrees, and sprinted toward a pedestrian bridge.


    In the distance, under the shadow of the bridge, I saw a few young men standing in a circle, laughing strangely, while the voice of Xiao Man¡¯s screams mixed with the rasping, muffled sounds of the mummified corpse calling for her soul.


    I slowed down to a walk when I was about ten meters away from the group¡­


    ¡°Come on, you idiot, take off that girl¡¯s clothes! Hehehe!¡±


    ¡°Haha, tsk tsk! This is better than watching a movie, come on, hurry up, let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll keep watch.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Bro, let¡¯s get out of here, this guy looks like a lunatic, what¡¯s with him talking about his soul coming back¡­¡±


    ...


    The strange laughter of the young men reached my ears, and I sighed. It seemed that these guys had stumbled upon the mummified corpse entangling Xiao Man, and instead of playing the hero and rescuing her, they were just enjoying the scene.


    If these arrogant young men knew the "idiot" or "lunatic" they were talking about was a resurrected mummified corpse, I wonder what their reactions would be? Heh heh!


    None of these guys noticed my arrival. They were so caught up in the scene. As I approached, I cleared my throat loudly.


    ¡°Cough!¡±


    The five young men immediately turned around, looking at me, standing on the outer circle.


    I saw Xiao Man and the mummified corpse at the center of their circle.


    My appearance didn¡¯t seem to attract any attention from the mummified corpse or Xiao Man.


    The mummified corpse¡¯s vacant eyes were fixed on my poor desk mate, Xiao Man. It mumbled, ¡°Return my soul... return my soul¡­¡±


    The mummified corpse looked so much like a mentally ill person or an idiot. At least, it hadn¡¯t made any physical movements toward Xiao Man.


    Xiao Man, squatting by the pillar on the pedestrian bridge, had her head down and was frantically waving her hands as she sobbed, ¡°Please, let me go, please, let me go¡­¡±


    Under the dark shadow of the bridge, the scene certainly looked eerie and terrifying, no wonder it attracted these young men.


    ¡°Hey, bro, there¡¯s a good show here, come check it out!¡±


    I turned toward the voice and saw a skinny, flat-headed guy bending his back and waving his hand at me.


    I glanced at him faintly and ignored his invitation. Even though they were standing there watching the mummified corpse torment Xiao Man, I didn¡¯t feel angry or annoyed.


    ¡°Hey, kid, why aren¡¯t you speaking? Are you mute? I¡¯m talking to you, can you hear me?¡± The flat-headed guy, looking a little annoyed that I ignored him, glanced at his companions and shouted at me arrogantly.


    Normally, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered with this guy. Whether he called me mute or not didn¡¯t matter. But when he called himself ¡°old man¡± while talking to me, my body flashed, and without a word, I slapped him across the face.


    ¡°Slap!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±


    Ah, what a crisp sound of a slap!


    What a miserable scream of pain!


    The mummified corpse was finally alerted. It suddenly turned its pale face toward me, and it seemed like the mummified corpse had more expression now than it did a few nights ago¡ªthere was surprise, there was fear.


    Xiao Man also noticed my presence. She screamed, then with a flash of movement, she sprang to my side in an instant. Damn, that was quick!


    ¡°Zhang San Tong, hurry! Help me get rid of him... he... he keeps asking for my soul¡­¡± Xiao Man trembled, clutching my arm tightly, pleading with me.


    Ah! My beautiful desk mate, how helpless she seemed at this moment! I sighed and shifted my focus to the mummified corpse.


    Xiao Man let out another scream, and sensing movement behind me, I sneered, swinging my arm behind me.


    ¡°Slap!¡±


    Another crisp slap echoed, but there was no scream of pain this time.


    It seemed like the person sneaking up behind me wasn¡¯t the flat-headed guy from earlier.


    I didn¡¯t move. Lifting my right leg, I kicked out sideways.


    ¡°Boom!¡± Another young man was sent flying several meters before hitting the ground, groaning in pain.


    Hmm? No more sounds? Fine, I couldn¡¯t care less about those young men. The mummified corpse in front of me was my main target. My gaze remained locked on the mummified corpse, and strangely, its hollow eyes seemed to show excitement.


    How should I deal with this mummified corpse? I had drawn so many talismans, but they were all from the past cultivation sects, mostly for protection or exorcism. I had no offensive talismans at all.


    Sigh! Could I be forced to use the Xuanhuang Flag?


    ¡°Wa... ah... ah!¡±


    Suddenly, before I could come up with a solution, the mummified corpse let out a strange cry. Its eyes flashed with a ghostly white light as it suddenly raised its hands, nails growing rapidly, and with a swift lunge, it came at me.


    ¡°Ahh...!¡±


    Xiao Man, who was clinging to my arm, screamed once more before rolling her eyes and fainting.


    ¡°Ghost...!¡±


    ¡°Oh my god...!¡±


    ...


    My spiritual sense caught every subtle movement of the mummified corpse as it lunged at me, and I also noticed that the five young men, including the one I had kicked, were all shrieking in terror and quickly scampering away, disappearing into the distant shadows under the dim streetlights...

 Chapter 32: Destroying the Mummy, Gaining the Soul Knowledge of the Old Daoist

    In the vast universe, all things are in my heart. When I reach a state of no mind, what could possibly disturb me?


    <hr>


    In recent days, in order to understand the mystery of the Xuanhuang Flag and the enigmatic characters, I have studied some Taoist books on thunder magic. Most of them require specific footwork, hand gestures, and techniques related to thunder spells, the transformation of spirit, the collection of thunder and fire, as well as the summoning of lightning.


    However, many of these techniques were ineffective despite repeated attempts. Several times, they even caused my vital energy to become disordered, resulting in a cold sweat.


    I¡¯ve also researched the legendary "Five Thunders" technique, but all the texts said was that it stemmed from the Five Elements theory, using the Five Thunders¡ªMetal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth¡ªwithout offering any detailed cultivation methods, leaving me uncertain of where to start.


    The only things I¡¯ve gained are seven different thunder hand seals: the Sky Thunder Seal, Earth Thunder Seal, Cloud Thunder Seal, Water Thunder Seal, Demon Thunder Seal, and Fighting Thunder Seal.


    Each time I perform one of the first six seals, the surrounding energies of the world fluctuate, and a strange energy flows into the Xuanhuang Flag. But when I use the final Fighting Thunder Seal, the Xuanhuang Flag releases a powerful force that draws the surrounding energies together, forming small blue lightning bolts at the tip of my finger. I can feel the immense destructive power they possess as soon as I think about it.


    Now, seeing the mummy with a sinister expression charging at me, I suddenly remembered the Fighting Thunder Seal. This is a perfect opportunity to test it! Hehe.


    I quickly held the unconscious Wu Xiaoman in my left arm and retreated a few steps. With my right hand, I began to form the Fighting Thunder Seal. I concentrated as my pinky bent over the ring finger, my middle finger hooked under the pinky, and my thumb pinched the middle finger, hiding the nail of my thumb. Finally, my index finger, which remained straight, pointed directly at the charging mummy.


    In an instant, I felt a faint blue lightning wrap around my index finger.


    The mummy froze in mid-air, a flash of surprise and panic flashing across its eyes.


    Time seemed to stop at that moment, as if the whole world was still, leaving only me in motion.


    My index finger struck precisely at the mummy¡¯s forehead.


    The lightning at the tip of my finger immediately surged into its forehead...


    The mummy¡¯s face changed drastically. Struggling, it attempted to move away from my finger, but I followed closely, channeling my vital energy and activating the Xuanhuang Flag. I whispered the word "Fast," and the mummy trembled. Its mouth opened in a silent scream as it collapsed to the ground, reduced to dust by my thunder.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    So easy? The mummy was destroyed so easily?


    I was stunned, but before I could fully process it, I felt two mysterious forces flowing from my finger into my body. I couldn¡¯t react in time. One force rushed towards my Mud Ball Palace, while the other headed toward Wu Xiaoman, who was in my arms.


    I was shocked and quickly tried to block them with my energy, but it was useless. The mysterious forces pierced through my energy and sped up.


    Strangely, the Xuanhuang Flag in my Mud Ball Palace didn¡¯t repel these mysterious forces. When they entered, my mind was immediately flooded with an overwhelming amount of unfamiliar information.


    No, to be more precise, I found the memories of an old Daoist named Chongxuan.


    A vast amount of information surged into my mind, and despite my strong spiritual sense, I felt dizzy and overwhelmed. The memories were very systematic, but they lacked any emotional or intentional content.


    I could sense that the breath of Wu Xiaoman in my arms was slowly becoming calm, and I too relaxed, closing my eyes. I scanned through the memories of the old Daoist, Chongxuan, with my spiritual sense. Then, with all my strength, I sealed the mysterious energy containing the memories into my Mud Ball Palace.


    Although these memories were important, I didn¡¯t want them to merge with my soul, as that would disturb my true self. The thought of it made me uncomfortable.


    From the memories of Chongxuan, I learned everything about the mummy incident.


    Chongxuan was the master of the Daoist Tianhuazi from Haixin Mountain. After cultivating for nearly a hundred years, he still remained at the Foundation Establishment stage. As he aged and his vitality declined, his path to the Dao seemed increasingly distant.


    By chance, he learned of a mummy appearing at our school. Desperate, he used the Soul Transference Formation of Haixin Mountain to transfer his soul into the mummy¡¯s body.


    However, during the transfer, something went wrong. Chongxuan¡¯s soul was shattered by the energy within the formation, and only his spiritual awareness (Earth Soul) was transferred to the mummy. His wisdom and some of his memories merged with the mummy. This explained why the mummy at our school displayed the walking technique of Haixin Mountain¡¯s secret art.


    When the mummy was discovered at school, its soul fragments, except for the Heaven and Earth souls and the Original Soul, attached themselves to Wu Xiaoman. Ultimately, I eliminated the Ghostly Evil in her divine palace, but the Heaven and Earth souls couldn¡¯t be destroyed. They were suppressed by her Calming Talisman, unable to escape or return to the heavens, so they fused with her soul, which made Wu Xiaoman more spiritually advanced and beautiful.


    The resurrected mummy only retained the Earth Soul of Chongxuan and the Original Soul of the mummy, which explained why it was searching for the missing souls. Since Wu Xiaoman possessed the essence of the mummy¡¯s Heaven and Earth souls, it focused on her.


    I had just destroyed the mummy¡¯s body, but I couldn¡¯t eliminate the old Daoist¡¯s Earth Soul or the mummy¡¯s Original Soul.


    Souls are primordial, while spirits are acquired. No matter how strong my Xuanhuang Flag or Fighting Thunder, they cannot destroy a soul.


    After the mummy¡¯s body was reduced to dust, Chongxuan¡¯s Earth Soul entered my Mud Ball Palace, while the mummy¡¯s Original Soul entered Wu Xiaoman¡¯s body.


    It was all so intricate.


    Although I had obtained Chongxuan¡¯s memories, I didn¡¯t want them to merge with my own soul, as that would interfere with my true self. But the ancient Daoist¡¯s experience over a hundred years of cultivation, and his insights into the secret arts of Haixin Mountain, were invaluable for me as a cultivator without a master¡¯s guidance.


    Sigh...


    I muttered to myself, "In the end, it all comes down to fate."


    Amitabha Buddha... wait, no! It should be "Wuliang Tianzun" (The Infinite Lord)!


    Through Chongxuan¡¯s memories, I finally realized why cultivators always chant "Wuliang Tianzun" instead of "Amitabha Buddha."

 Chapter 33: The Tranquil Mind and Supreme Freedom, All Things Reflecting the Heart

    "Sweep away the acquired consciousness and transform it into primordial enlightenment. This is the true mastery of the Dao. When the heart does not align with the Dao, advancement is difficult. Harmony, however, is the great chaos where heaven, earth, and man are in unison."


    <hr>


    Wuliang Tianzun!


    I lowered my head to look at Wu Xiaoman, who was in my arms. Her breath was long and steady, and her once pale face had now regained its color. Even a faint blush had appeared on her soft, delicate face. Her occasionally fluttering eyelashes were undeniably charming.


    I sighed in amazement. This was probably my second intimate contact with Xiaoman. If I hadn''t cultivated the Dao, this situation might have never happened. It seems that the Xuanhuang Flag has destined my life to be filled with endless excitement.


    Holding Xiaoman¡¯s soft body in my arms, I found myself staring at her beautiful face, feeling my blood quicken, my mouth becoming dry. Unconsciously, I had become mesmerized.


    Although I was a cultivator, as a young man, it was my first time observing such a beautiful young girl up close, and a ripple of emotions stirred within me.


    I quietly gazed at Xiaoman. Her lips, so delicately red, exhaled a soft fragrance that dissolved my wandering thoughts. I felt my senses sharpen and gradually intoxicate me. Her soft murmurings seemed to resonate through my heart.


    In this moment, human emotions transcended the Dao. For the first time in my life, I realized that, aside from the great Dao, there were such exquisite feelings to be experienced.


    The cool autumn night breeze gently brushed Xiaoman¡¯s hair, causing it to flutter across my face and waking me from my reverie.


    I sighed deeply, then raised my right hand and swept away the ashes of the dry corpse, sending them into the sky. From where it came, let it return there. Heh.


    Looking at the time, it was already late. The streets were nearly deserted. I glanced at Xiaoman in my arms and frowned slightly, letting out a bitter smile. Why hadn''t I learned some kind of "awakening spell"? Helpless, I pinched her acupoint.


    Xiaoman groaned softly and slowly opened her eyes. When she saw herself in my arms, she screamed and quickly pushed away from me.


    "What do you want to do? What happened to me? Where is the dry corpse?"


    Still dazed, Xiaoman looked around, realizing there was no one else around, and then hurriedly asked me, panic in her voice.


    I smiled, replying, "Heh, the dry corpse has been sent to hell. It will never appear again. Don¡¯t worry." I paused for a moment, then added, "It''s late, let me take you home."Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    "...Was that the dry corpse from the school?" Xiaoman didn''t answer my question but instead asked calmly.


    "Yes." I nodded.


    Sighing helplessly, Xiaoman took a step forward and grabbed my hand, pleading, "Zhang Santong, can you tell me what happened? I¡­ Woo!"


    As she spoke, she began to cry. Seeing her so upset, I hesitated for a moment, then gently wrapped one arm around her and let her lean on my shoulder.


    I didn¡¯t know how to explain everything to her¡­ sigh.


    Xiaoman¡¯s sobs grew softer, and I could feel her body getting heavier. I looked down in shock. She seemed to have fallen asleep again. The fright from the dry corpse had left her in a state of panic, and now, with her body relaxing, her spirit couldn¡¯t hold up.


    But it was so late now. What was I supposed to do? I couldn¡¯t just stand here holding her all night, could I? What a dilemma!


    I was about to wake her up when I suddenly heard hurried footsteps, growing louder and nearer.


    Turning my head, I saw two figures gradually become clear under the dim streetlights, walking toward the bridge where Xiaoman and I were. They were walking quickly, constantly scanning the surroundings and calling out Xiaoman''s name.


    It seemed like they were Xiaoman¡¯s family. I let out a breath, relieved. With her not being home this late, it was clear they must have been very worried about her.


    "Xiaoman¡­ Xiaoman."


    "¡­"


    One of the voices was full of anxiety and panic. It must have been Xiaoman¡¯s mother.


    I patted Xiaoman gently. She woke up with a slightly embarrassed look and whispered, "Thank you."


    "Xiaoman¡­ Xiaoman¡­"


    The anxious calls continued to come.


    Upon hearing them, Xiaoman immediately opened her mouth to respond, but then glanced at me and stopped, a slight panic appearing in her eyes.


    I smiled. Xiaoman must be worried that her family would misunderstand seeing us together. Sigh, never mind. I¡¯ll leave now; after all, she¡¯s safe now.


    Whispering a soft goodbye, I turned around and walked down from the bridge, heading to the other side of the street.


    Behind me, I could hear Xiaoman talking with her parents. It seemed like everything was no longer my concern.


    I strolled slowly down the street, the wind growing stronger, and the dry leaves fell from all sides, swirling and flying in the air.


    I couldn¡¯t help but sigh: the cycle of fallen leaves, how small is life¡­


    The dark autumn night, the dazzling starry sky, the dim streetlights, the leaves rustling in the wind, all creating a cold and desolate scene. The neon lights flickered in the city like a thousand stars, illuminating the entire dark night.


    "Sigh..." I suddenly felt a deep sense of loneliness, as if my shadow on the ground was the only thing alive in the reflection of the city.


    I looked up, gazing at the stars, facing the vast sky. A sigh rose from the depths of my heart.


    The profound silence of the night calmed my mind and soul, and the brilliance of the stars left me in awe. As I stared at the countless stars, I felt so insignificant. Before my cultivation, I only admired the beauty of the stars and the magnificence of the city¡¯s night scenery.


    But now, my life seeks nothing else. Any shallow distractions or indulgences feel like an excess. Only the Dao remains in my heart. Looking at the sky, facing the vast heavens, I silently shouted in my heart: my life is no longer bound by the heavens. My fate will be determined by me alone! I control my destiny!


    In that moment, I suddenly felt a profound connection between my mind and the vast heavens, as if my heart and all things in the world were one. The mind and matter, me and the world, were in perfect unity.


    At that moment, my mind was so peaceful¡­ so peaceful. Before this peace, I could feel the world¡¯s chaos and my own awareness. But at the height of this peace, I felt as if everything in the world resonated with my heart, and I was above all mundane emotions.


    I stood quietly on the street, immersed in the quiet and contemplating the mysteries of the Dao¡­

 Chapter 34: Yin-Yang Five Elements Hand

    Last night, I stayed on the street all through the night until dawn. The universe and everything in it returned to my heart, and my heart found immense freedom. Entering this state greatly elevated my mindset. I even felt that my inner core had grown considerably overnight, and my external spiritual energy had taken on a golden hue.


    Only when the morning arrived, and the streets began to fill with people and cars, did I realize the time. I slowly made my way toward the school. I hadn''t returned home last night, so I figured my uncle and his family must have been extremely worried.


    I sighed. What if one day, I suddenly entered a deep trance for ten days or more? What would I do then?


    Should I move out and live on my own? I had recently earned 800 yuan from selling a Calming Talisman to the English teacher, so I could rent a small room near the school for half a year. But would my uncle agree? It seemed difficult.


    They say that for a cultivator, wealth, relationships, law, and land are all indispensable.


    But I was a poor cultivator¡ªwithout wealth.


    From the memories of the old Daoist, I learned that while there were still many cultivation sects, none of them could draw the energy of heaven and earth into their bodies. The highest cultivation level in these sects was only at the Foundation Establishment stage. Over time, most of these sects had transformed into martial arts schools. If I wanted to verify my cultivation techniques with someone else, it seemed impossible. So, the ¡°relationships¡± part was also absent.


    As for the ¡°law,¡± in recent decades, countless cultivation books had flooded the market, but I could only glean the essence from them. Given the changing energy of heaven and earth, not all these manuals were applicable for cultivation. In my heart, I had a feeling that if I could decipher the mysterious texts and images left in my mind by the Xuanhuang Flag, the ¡°law¡± would soon reveal itself to me. So, I decided to put the topic of the ¡°law¡± aside for now.


    As for the ¡°land,¡± it was even more of a distant dream. According to the old Daoist''s memory, stories of Daoist paradises and caves were still circulating three hundred years ago, but they seemed to have disappeared from the world afterward. This mystery stirred my curiosity, and I promised myself that when the opportunity arose, I would definitely seek it out.


    While I was deep in thought, I arrived at the school gate and was surprised to see my cousin and uncle waiting for me.


    Feeling a bit embarrassed, I walked over to them. The moment they saw me, both my cousin and uncle rushed over and immediately asked where I''d been the previous night. I told them that I had been dealing with something important and had forgotten to call home. When my uncle asked what it was, I could only say it was an urgent matter but couldn''t explain further.


    My cousin gave me a judgmental look, shaking his head in disappointment.


    In the end, my uncle didn''t press me further about where I''d been but scolded me for staying out all night without calling home. He also took a few extra glances at me, commenting that I seemed different from usual today.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    My uncle said, ¡°You look like the graceful autumn leaves swaying in the wind.¡± Oh no!


    Meanwhile, my cousin commented that I seemed to exude a kind and gentle demeanor, with an underlying aura of an elite. Really? Was that true? It might have been because my cousin knew I had done well in the recent exam. Fortunately, my uncle didn¡¯t blame me too much, and soon enough, they let me go. My cousin and I walked into the school together.


    The boarding students were running their morning laps. It reminded me of how Cheng Fan often scolded Cao Kui for his awkward martial arts practice every morning. I had an idea and bid my cousin farewell, heading toward the sports field.


    From afar, I saw more than ten students preparing for a physical training exam, each practicing their own set of exercises. Among them, surprisingly, was Cao Kui, who was practicing horse stance all by himself.


    I quietly approached him from behind and kicked his leg.


    "Ow!"


    Cao Kui collapsed to the ground, and when he looked up and saw me, he yelled, "You came so early! You¡¯re such a jerk!¡±


    With a lazy yawn, he got back up, and I asked, "What are you doing?"


    He muttered, "Practicing martial arts. If you don¡¯t practice the stance, all your effort is wasted. But it¡¯s hard to explain to you."


    Suddenly, his eyes brightened, and he grinned, "Ah! I almost forgot you¡¯re a master. The way you showed off during the trip... You''re like a true hero! Zhang the Hero, please teach me some martial arts. I''ll be your servant in my next life to repay you!¡±


    I laughed. This guy would do anything to learn martial arts, even promise to be my servant in his next life.


    I recalled some martial arts manuals in the old Daoist¡¯s memory, and with a slight focus, I selected a technique called "Yin-Yang Wuxing Hand."


    I called Cao Kui over to a quiet corner and asked, "Are you sure you really want to learn martial arts?"


    Cao Kui¡¯s face lit up, and he grabbed my arm, talking non-stop. "Are you really going to teach me? I¡¯m serious! This is amazing! What will you teach me? The Dragon-Subduing Palm? Or the Nine Yang Divine Skill or the Nine Yin Manual? You can teach me those, right?"


    I stared at his nose and noticed how the pores seemed to expand. What a sight!


    I chuckled and asked, "How about the Sunflower Manual?"


    Cao Kui immediately nodded eagerly, "Yes! Wait, no... I still want to carry on the Cao family line!"


    The mention of the "Sunflower Manual" reminded me of when the Ghostly Evil held it and tried to tempt me. At that moment, a question popped into my mind¡ªwhy would that Ghostly Evil know about the "Sunflower Manual"?


    Before I could dwell on it further, Cao Kui¡¯s voice interrupted me. "Zhang San Tong! Come on, how will you teach me?"


    I put the thought aside for now and joked, "I have an ultimate martial art, the best one in the world. Once you master it, you''ll be invincible¡ªno one will be able to beat you."


    "Really? What is it?"


    "Yin-Yang Five Elements Hand."


    "Teach me! Teach me, brother!"


    From the old Daoist''s memories, I knew that this technique had a more impressive name: "Qiankun Taiyi Golden Wood Water Fire Earth Five Elements Mysterious Wood Hand." It involved using the five elements of Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth to mimic their cycles in practice. Legends said that mastering it could allow one to capture others'' essence, and it was a method often used by cultivators when refining their energy and establishing their foundations.


    I spent over an hour teaching Cao Kui the stance and energy flow for the Gold Element hand. I cautioned him to practice this one thoroughly before moving on to the other four elements.


    Cao Kui was so excited that he practiced diligently. His enthusiasm lasted all the way until breakfast, where, holding chopsticks in one hand, he kept flipping his other hand around, causing Cheng Fan to ignore him, pretending not to know him, fearing it might make him look bad.

 Chapter 35: Alcohol, Meat, Cigarettes, and Women

    No matter how well I did in the midterm exams, or how my teachers and classmates praised me, I didn¡¯t really care. In class, I still sat in the back corner, either zoning out or reading books related to cultivation.


    However, today there was an exception¡ªmy beautiful deskmate, Wu Xiaoman, didn¡¯t come to school. This was something that had never happened before.


    The entire morning, I kept noticing my cousin, Zhang Fuhong, casting anxious and suspicious glances at Xiaoman¡¯s empty desk.


    As soon as the morning classes ended, my cousin pulled me aside on the playground and asked, "What did you do last night? Why isn¡¯t Wu Xiaoman in school today?"


    "What? Why would I know why she¡¯s not in school?" I replied irritably. It seemed like my cousin had really developed feelings for Xiaoman.


    He still didn¡¯t give up and asked, "You didn¡¯t come home last night, did you two go on a date or something? Otherwise, why do you look so refreshed this morning?"


    Oh my god! The little guy really thought that, huh? He''s so sensitive! I was stunned.


    "I¡¯m not obligated to answer your questions. Whether you believe me or not, go ask Wu Xiaoman," I said, leaving him with that and walking away. If he liked Xiaoman, he should go after her, not me.


    I walked into the cafeteria, and was immediately dragged out by Cao Kui and Cheng Fan. They said we were going to eat a big meal, and Cao Kui was treating. This guy was so happy after learning a bit of martial arts in the morning¡ªhe was acting like it was a major achievement. Haha! I was happy too, the usual cafeteria food was so unappetizing, but a treat outside was always nice.


    We found a restaurant and the three of us dug into large chunks of lamb with our hands, drank beer, and smoked cigarette after cigarette. Damn it! Here I was, a cultivator, indulging in alcohol, meat, and cigarettes without hesitation. Oh heavens!


    Cao Kui suddenly said, "Aren¡¯t we missing something?"


    I laughed, knowing exactly what he was getting at.


    Sure enough, Cheng Fan asked, and Cao Kui grinned, saying, "We¡¯re missing three women, haha!"


    After more than ten bottles of beer, they were both already starting to get tipsy. When they started talking about women, their faces lit up with excitement and a bit of lewdness, haha.


    Cao Kui, with his mouth full of oil, puffing on a cigarette, asked Cheng Fan, "Hey, thin monkey, do you like anyone from our class? Come on, tell us!"


    Cheng Fan, his eyes hazy, shook his head and said, "Forget it, all my energy is dedicated to the great cause of art. As for women... I haven¡¯t thought about it yet."Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Cao Kui then turned to me. "What about you, San Tong? You must like someone, right? Haha, with your relationship with Wu Xiaoman, she must be the one, right?"


    "Go to hell," I chuckled. "I¡¯ve dedicated all my energy to the great cause of my studies."


    I laughed again. "It¡¯s you who¡¯s overflowing with energy. Since you¡¯re asking me and Cheng Fan, you must have someone you like."


    Cao Kui grinned, looking bashful. "Actually, I like our English teacher!"


    "Spit..." Cheng Fan and I both sprayed food and drink all over him, making him a mess.


    "Haha! You really like Ms. L¨¹ Yanling? You¡¯re kidding, right?" Cheng Fan slapped the table, laughing so hard he almost couldn¡¯t breathe.


    I couldn¡¯t believe it. Cao Kui actually liked Ms. L¨¹, of all people? I had thought he and Xiaoman might have some connection. But now, it seemed like he was just making the most out of everything.


    As we joked and laughed, I felt like a normal teenager for the first time in a while.


    That day, I smoked for the first time and actually found it kind of enjoyable. I wondered if a cultivator like me could develop a cigarette addiction? The truth was, the real fun for me was using my mind to shape the smoke after I blew it out. Cigarettes weren¡¯t half bad!


    Cao Kui and Cheng Fan were a bit drunk by the time we left the restaurant. We didn¡¯t head back to school immediately. Even though the teachers didn¡¯t care much if we didn¡¯t listen in class, they definitely wouldn¡¯t tolerate us coming back smelling like alcohol. So, we decided to skip the first two classes in the afternoon. Instead, we went to the gate of the provincial university, just across from the school, with our arms around each other, smoking cigarettes and ogling the beautiful girls walking by.


    My ears were sharp enough to catch the whispers of passing university students. Their words mostly consisted of the phrase "punk" as they looked at us.


    "Am I a punk?" I thought, glancing at Cao Kui and Cheng Fan. We definitely didn¡¯t look like students.


    Although I wasn¡¯t drunk, I liked the feeling of not caring about what anyone thought of us, being free and unrestrained. Youth is truly wonderful!


    It wasn¡¯t until after four in the afternoon, when the smell of alcohol had faded from our clothes, that we returned to class.


    No one asked about the alcohol smell or the fact that we had skipped class. Everyone was focused on one topic: Xiaoman had come by in the afternoon to pack her things and said she was transferring schools.


    She was really transferring? I walked to my desk and saw that her things were gone. It seemed like she was serious about leaving.


    I sighed. It felt strange to sit alone. Cao Kui and Cheng Fan patted my shoulder, trying to comfort me.


    What was there to feel bad about? The one who should be upset was my cousin Zhang Fuhong.


    I looked at him, and sure enough, his eyes were red, as if he had been crying. When he saw me come back to class, his eyes seemed like they were going to shoot fire at me...


    Later that evening, on the way home, my cousin started yelling at me again.


    He accused me of going out with Xiaoman last night, bullying her, and making her so scared that she didn¡¯t even want to come to school anymore. I was innocent, but I couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain.


    Thus, after Xiaoman transferred schools, I started my high school life without a deskmate. After a few days, I got used to it.


    Although Xiaoman was gone, Zhang Yu, the sweet and lovely girl from our class, still often came to ask me for help with her studies. But I could tell she was looking at me with more and more warmth in her eyes, making my heart flutter like a little cat scratching it. Oh heavens, I loved the way she looked at me!


    Days passed, and soon it was almost New Year''s. Our English teacher suddenly announced in class that she wouldn¡¯t be teaching us anymore because she was going abroad to study.


    Now, the one who couldn¡¯t take it was Cao Kui. So, he dragged me and Cheng Fan out again for food, drinks, cigarettes, and talks about women...

 Chapter 36: The Memory of Daoist Chongxuan

    The Dao is inherently without intent; do not seek it with desire. To seek and fail is to understand; to not seek and yet gain is the true path.


    <hr>


    Every day when I arrived at school, there was one less beautiful classmate, one less beautiful teacher. Suddenly, it felt like something was missing in the routine of school life.


    What is missing must be replaced by something else. Hehe, look! My cousin Zhang Fuhong and Cao Kui both gained new nicknames as lovesick boys. After the departure of Wu Xiaoman and our English teacher, it didn¡¯t take long for the classmates to discover their infatuations. Soon, there was a new topic in class.


    Autumn, originally a season of harvest, saw the love seeds of my cousin Zhang Fuhong and Cao Kui wither just as they had started to sprout. Oh, what a pity!


    As for me, I seemed to be doing well. My academic performance had improved recently, and my internal cultivation had reached a great level of perfection. My internal elixir was growing steadily. I felt that everything I ate was delicious, and though I slept less, I felt fully rested. My spirits were high, and life felt more carefree. Cultivation really is great!


    Cao Kui, after recovering from the sadness of our English teacher¡¯s departure, became even more passionate about practicing the Five Elements Yin-Yang Palm. As his instructor, I was slightly embarrassed. Could this be the power of love? Should I try dating as well? Would my cultivation soar like a rocket then?


    Of course, I just entertained that thought. Since I started cultivating, everything had been going naturally. I never rushed to break through the void and ascend, nor did I have any formidable enemies or vendettas like the protagonists in novels. So, I just maintained a simple, steady approach, not striving too hard for breakthroughs.


    Since Wu Xiaoman left, my cousin Zhang Fuhong had lost weight and stopped talking to me. He had probably decided that I was the cause of her departure. Sigh! If only he knew the real reason ¡ª Wu Xiaoman left because she no longer wanted to stay at a school where there had once been a mummified corpse.


    Lately, whenever I was bored in class, I would browse through the memories of Daoist Chongxuan to pass the time. Among the records from the Upper Yuan Temple on Haixin Mountain, I learned about the existence of two other cultivation sects in Qing Province, aside from the Upper Yuan Temple: one was the Quanzhen Sect, which focused on solitary mountain cultivation and rarely appeared, and the other was the Zhengyi Sect, or the Talisman Sect, which was only passed down in certain families. The latter focused on drawing talismans, casting spells, summoning spirits, and driving away ghosts ¡ª activities that were commonly practiced by household Taoists, also known as "fire-residing Taoists." In Daoist Chongxuan¡¯s memories, he had dealings with both Quanzhen Taoists and fire-residing Taoists, but none of them had truly achieved remarkable success in cultivation.


    Aside from these Taoist sects, I discovered some fascinating historical accounts and rumors about the cultivation practices in Qing Province from Daoist Chongxuan''s memories. For instance, it was recorded that during the Wei and Jin Dynasties, on the desolate mountain slopes of Jishi Mountain in Qing Province, there were Taoists known for their "crane feather robes" and their devotion to the Dao, who practiced in the Tang Shu Cave and Shi Liang Cave while preserving a large collection of ancient scriptures. The Qiang people at the time believed these Taoists were divine beings, and they called the caves "Tang Shu" (named after a Qiang word for ghost), while they named the river flowing from Jishi Mountain the "Tang Shu River."


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    There were also records of the highest Taoist goddess, the West Queen Mother (Xi Wangmu), who managed both celestial and earthly female immortals. Her abodes included the West Queen Mother''s Stone Cave at the source of the Huang River, the West Queen Mother Temple on the Qilian Mountains, and her Jade Palace in Kunlun Mountain.


    Wow! I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if there might be any immortal pills or precious medicines hidden there. As I read these accounts, I couldn¡¯t help but imagine the possibilities.


    Taoist immortals lived in "Cave Heavens and Blessed Lands," with ten major Cave Heavens, thirty-six minor Cave Heavens, and seventy-two Blessed Lands. The fourth major Cave Heaven was called "Taixuan Extreme True Cave Heaven" on Xixuan Mountain¡­


    Huh, Qing Province actually had these legendary places?


    Among the most startling things I found in Daoist Chongxuan¡¯s memories was a story recorded in the Upper Yuan Temple''s collection: In the 11th year of the Tianming era (1626), a black cloud appeared over the Qilian Mountains, accompanied by thunder and lightning for six whole months. Afterward, a towering peak mysteriously vanished, leaving only its base. Taoists from all over China rushed to see it, suspecting that this was no natural disaster but something else. An elderly Taoist with a white beard said that a hidden "dragon and tiger vein" had been destroyed there. In the following decades, this Taoist stayed in the area. It was rumored that he had boundless magical powers, could ride the clouds, command thunder, and had superb alchemy and medical skills, rivaling that of immortals¡­


    Qilian Mountain? A towering peak vanishing? A white-bearded Taoist? Could this be related to my hometown, Jiushizhang? Why is there no such story in my hometown? Was I simply unaware, or is there something more to this?


    This is truly intriguing. I need to ask the elders when I return home for the winter holiday.


    Suddenly, I realized that I wasn¡¯t really without things to do. The stone caves of Jishi Mountain seemed like they could be very interesting to explore. I definitely couldn¡¯t miss the "Taixuan Extreme True Cave Heaven" on Xixuan Mountain. It was a place of legend, after all. Hmm¡­


    I made a secret resolution: Whenever I had time, I¡¯d go check it out, maybe dig around a bit, who knows what treasures I might find! I couldn¡¯t wait for the winter break to arrive. How exciting!


    As time passed, my classmates were busy preparing for exams, while I, immersed in Daoist Chongxuan''s memories, faced a lot of disapproving looks from my peers and teachers.


    During the New Year¡¯s Eve, our class held a small gathering. That night, as we were leaving, Zhang Yu, with a slight hint of beer on her breath, gave me a little cloth doll ¡ª as cute as she was. She also brought greetings from Wu Xiaoman, who thanked me deeply.


    Oh! So someone actually remembered me during the holiday and sent me a gift. I suddenly realized that life could be so beautiful!


    After the New Year, the end-of-term exams quickly approached, and the atmosphere in school grew tense. Everything seemed to lose its charm for me. In the meantime, I became so absorbed in Daoist Chongxuan''s memories that during the first exam, I almost wrote "Daoist Chongxuan" in the name field on the exam paper. Sigh, that was a real slip of the mind!


    That evening, I forced the soul of Daoist Chongxuan out of my spiritual palace and dissipated it, allowing it to return to the heavens and earth. The things I had gleaned from Daoist Chongxuan''s memories, though I hadn¡¯t consciously studied them, had already become ingrained in my mind, thanks to my powerful consciousness. As soon as I focused, I could recall them as if they were my own memories.


    After the exams, I eagerly had my uncle''s driver take me back home. As soon as I arrived in my hometown, Jiushizhang, I heard villagers discussing the imminent passing of Granny Yang, who had once invited a divine being to the village¡­

 Chapter 37: "Heavenly Scripture of Alchemy and Medicine"

    After the final exams, I couldn¡¯t wait for my uncle¡¯s driver to take me back home. The provincial capital was nice, but after all, it wasn¡¯t my home.


    As soon as I returned to my hometown, Jiushizhang, I overheard the villagers gossiping about how Old Yang, the one who had invited the divine spirit, was near death.


    How could that be? Wasn¡¯t Old Yang in good health during the National Day holidays? How could she deteriorate so quickly in just a few months?


    When I got home, my parents were there. My mother was quite happy to see me back for the holidays, but I couldn''t help noticing that there was more white in their hair.


    Returning home felt strange and bittersweet, but overall, it was good to be home!


    My mother was busy making food for me, but I quickly stopped her, telling her I wasn¡¯t very hungry. Then, I asked, ¡°Mom, I heard Old Yang is sick. Is that true?¡±


    My mother sighed and said, ¡°Yes, a few days ago, someone came to ask her to summon a spirit to drive away evil, but unexpectedly, she suddenly collapsed during the ritual and became paralyzed. Now she can only speak intermittently, and her words are unclear. Could it be that the Yang family has revealed too many secrets and is being punished by the heavens?¡±


    I was startled. Wasn¡¯t this the second time something had gone wrong during a ritual to summon a spirit?


    My father took a few puffs from his pipe, his half-hidden face surrounded by smoke. He grunted twice and glanced at my mother, saying, ¡°Stop talking nonsense. What secrets? The Yang family has been full of scammers for generations. How could they summon a divine spirit? If I could do that, I¡¯d be a god myself. Ridiculous!¡±


    My mother rolled her eyes at him and retorted, ¡°Your family¡¯s the best, huh? Isn¡¯t it the Zhang family that¡¯s full of so-called ¡®spiritual masters¡¯? Didn¡¯t you say the Yang family and ours were very close in the past? Why are you speaking like this about them?¡±


    I froze, surprised. The Yang family and the Zhang family were close in the past? Was there something more to this?


    I quickly asked my father, ¡°Dad, what was our relationship with the Yang family? I¡¯ve never heard of this before.¡±


    My father glanced at me, stood up from the sofa, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t ask about those things. Just focus on your studies.¡± After finishing, he walked out of the room.


    Something was off. From the look on his face, I could tell there was more to the story, but why wouldn¡¯t he tell me?


    I said to my mother that I was going out for a bit, and then walked towards the Yang family¡¯s house on the east side of Jiushizhang.


    Regardless of what the relationship between the Yang family and our Zhang family was, I should go see Old Yang, especially since she had taught me the methods of divination and spirit summoning.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Along the way, I greeted the villagers¡ªuncle, aunt, elder, brother, and so on. It felt good to keep up appearances; if I ignored them, they¡¯d surely say, ¡°Look, Zhang Santi¡¯s son went to school and now that he¡¯s home, he doesn¡¯t even recognize us anymore.¡±


    Although I didn¡¯t mind these things, my parents were very concerned with face, so being polite like this was probably me doing them a favor.


    When I entered the Yang family¡¯s house, I saw Yang Youcai, the father of Yang Y¨¢ng, limping out of Old Yang¡¯s room. He was walking slowly with his hands behind his back, his demeanor calm and unhurried.


    ¡°Ah! Isn¡¯t this¡­ Santi?¡± he said, his speech slow as always.


    Ugh, Yang Youcai always spoke like this. A word would come out so slowly, and given his calm manner, he didn¡¯t seem at all like someone whose mother was on the verge of death.


    I quickly nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯m here to check on Old Yang.¡± Before he could say anything else, I hurried into Old Yang¡¯s room.


    The room was filled with a strong smell of Chinese medicine, so pungent it was almost unbearable.


    Old Yang was lying on the bed under a large red quilt, her lips trembling as she stared blankly, her hair a tangled mess, and the wrinkles on her face deeply set in a regular pattern. Beside her pillow, there was a half-bowl of black, sticky medicine and an old, worn-out thread-bound book.


    The book, slightly yellowed and facing down, didn¡¯t seem like something I could recognize at first glance.


    I sat down by the bed and softly said, ¡°Old Yang, I¡¯ve come to see you.¡±


    Hearing my voice, Old Yang¡¯s dull eyes suddenly seemed to brighten a little. She opened her mouth, but I noticed that her mouth was crooked, and her words came out with great difficulty.


    I was puzzled. Since Old Yang was like this, why hadn¡¯t I seen Yang Y¨¢ng at home?


    ¡°Santi, good¡­ good child,¡± Old Yang said with great effort.


    Seeing how hard it was for her to speak, I quickly said, ¡°Old Yang, don¡¯t speak anymore, just rest well.¡±


    ¡°Water¡­¡± she whispered.


    She needed water, so I quickly stood up, took the cup from the nearby table, and gently helped Old Yang sit up to feed her a few spoonfuls.


    She felt so light, and I sighed inwardly, feeling a bit down.


    ¡°Santi, are you on vacation now?¡± After drinking a bit of water, Old Yang¡¯s speech became a bit quicker.


    I nodded and replied, ¡°Yes, just got back today for the holidays. By the way, Old Yang, where¡¯s Y¨¢ng? I haven¡¯t seen him around.¡±


    Old Yang sighed and said, ¡°Who knows? He hasn¡¯t been home lately. I heard he¡¯s been taking some lamb to the south to make a fortune.¡±


    Ah, no wonder.


    ¡°That kid, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t see him again¡­¡± she added with a faint smile.


    I forced a silly grin and said, ¡°Old Yang, you¡¯ll definitely get better, don¡¯t talk like that.¡±


    ¡°Child, I know my own fate,¡± Old Yang said with a bitter smile in her eyes. ¡°Do you believe it? In the past, when I asked for divination, it was all fake. But recently, I¡¯ve had a strange feeling¡­ I did a reading myself, and I know I won¡¯t last much longer.¡±


    ¡­I didn¡¯t know whether to believe Old Yang¡¯s words or not, but reluctantly, I nodded to show I believed her.


    ¡°Santi, those things I taught you, don¡¯t use them anymore. Oh, summoning gods¡­ What gods? The Yang family hasn¡¯t summoned a single god, but we summoned the King of Hell instead. It¡¯s all karmic retribution!¡±


    After hearing Old Yang¡¯s words, I thought for a moment. It seemed like she was telling the truth. Damn it!


    ¡°Those things are harmful, Santi. You¡¯re a good kid, I don¡¯t want to hurt you,¡± Old Yang said, speaking more and more quickly.


    I said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Old Yang, I understand. But I want to ask, what was the relationship between our Zhang family and your Yang family?¡±


    Old Yang paused for a while and then said, ¡°Yes, it was a big one. My maternal family¡¯s surname is Liu. The Zhang, Yang, and Liu families have a history, but very few of your generation know about it. Hey, take that book. It¡¯s for you. Read it and you¡¯ll understand.¡±


    I was curious. I picked up the old, thread-bound book, its pages frayed at the edges, and opened the cover. Four bold characters in cursive appeared in front of my eyes.


    I suddenly felt my eyes widen in shock.


    The title of the book was ¡°Heavenly Scripture of Alchemy and Medicine.¡± My heart pounded.