Nan Yan was still too young to hide her affection for someone. She found Qi Yang admirable in every way and always clung to him, reporting every little detail of her day.
Qi Yang consistently encouraged her to read more, which often invited mockery from their fellow disciples. For cultivators, the Qi Refining stage didn’t require extensive knowledge. Understanding acupoints, meridians, and cultivation mantras was sufficient. They viewed the classics on etiquette and history as relics of mortal sages, worth a glance but not the thorough study Qi Yang demanded of Nan Yan.
Out of fondness for her adoptive brother, Nan Yan didn’t question his methods. She halved her cultivation time to read, gradually losing interest in the frivolous stories she once enjoyed.
A month later, Qi Yang exhaled deeply in his meditation room, opening his eyes with a hint of darkness. The Dao Heart Sutra, the world’s supreme cultivation technique, allowed him to establish his foundation perfectly at Nan Yan’s age. Now, he was stuck in the late stages of Qi Refining, unable to progress.
Was it because this body he had taken over lacked the aptitude?
Qi Yang spread his fingers, slowly condensing a ball of spiritual energy. It swirled like a shuttle, pure and solid, vastly superior to his peers who practiced the Yang Yue Sect’s techniques.
He silently recited the Dao Heart Sutra again: “Those who cultivate the Dao Heart Sutra must not let emotions cloud their vision, nor harbor hatred in their hearts…”
Qi Yang, also known as Qi Shaocang, had fallen from grace, his grand path destroyed and found himself trapped in the Mortal State, bound by a life-linking lock. Could he truly claim to feel no hatred?
As a hint of demonic thoughts stirred in his mind, a loud knocking came from outside.
“We agreed to go to the market at noon! Three breaths left. Three, two, one! Time’s up! Let’s go!”
The little girl’s crisp voice rang out repeatedly, seemingly dispersing the nascent demonic thoughts.
Qi Yang reflected for a moment. As the knocking grew more urgent, he sighed, grabbed his spirit stone pouch, and opened the door.
“Next time, just use the voice transmission talisman at the door. I’ll come out.”
“You were in your meditation room when I left this morning, and you’re still there now. I was worried you’d be hungry.” Nan Yan produced a steaming rice cake, offering it proudly. “Here, eat this. I had it steamed using the leftover heat from the medicine hall.”
Logically, Nan Yan should have finished her snacks long ago. Surprisingly, despite her chubby hands, she was quite adept in the kitchen. Through self-reliance, she had even saved up quite a few fasting pills.
Unable to refuse her enthusiasm, Qi Yang took a bite and found it surprisingly tasty. He asked curiously, “This rice… where did you get it?”
“I planted it at the edge of the spirit field. It ripens quickly. I used the wind-milling technique you taught me to grind it into flour.”
The “Huainanzi” states: “When people fully use their talents and exert all their strength, they can adapt and make the most of everything.” It seemed she had been reading diligently lately.
“Is it good?”
Qi Yang looked at Nan Yan, then at the rice cake, finding them increasingly alike. He praised, “Soft, fragrant, sweet, round, and jade-like. It’s an excellent cake.”
Nan Yan loved hearing Qi Yang’s four-character compliments. Overjoyed, she said, “Then eat more! I brought several pieces. We can eat on the way.”
Qi Yang was about to say it was improper to eat while walking, but seeing Nan Yan’s excitement for their outing, he decided to set aside etiquette for now. With Nan Yan in one hand and a rice cake in the other, they descended the mountain, attracting curious glances along the way.
About ninety li west of Yang Yue Sect lay a small market town nestled in a valley. A few hundred paces away was a mortal road leading to a human prefecture.
When Qi Yang and Nan Yan arrived in the early afternoon, old horses were snorting in the shade at a nearby post station. A tea stall owner was tossing finely chopped licorice into a boiling teapot. The tables were filled with merchants chatting about this year’s prices for firewood and rice.
“Wrong way. It’s over here,” Qi Yang said, turning Nan Yan’s face away. “Having entered the immortal path, we should minimize our exposure to mortal affairs.”
Nan Yan looked up and asked, “Isn’t that just like becoming a monk?”
“Cultivators seek longevity. It’s different from Buddhist monkhood.”
“How is it different?” Nan Yan counted on her fingers. “No eating, no drinking, no family, no smiling at anyone. Just meditation and fighting. It’s no fun at all.”
Qi Yang was at a loss for words. After a moment, he tried to explain, “Family is still possible, just in a different form. If cultivation methods and realms are compatible, people can become dao partners.”
“That’s worse than becoming a monk. Two people who don’t even like each other, just paired up to improve their cultivation.” Nan Yan pouted. “Once I get the pill to cure my mother, I’m going home.”
Undoubtedly, Nan Yan had great aptitude, but she lacked a heart truly devoted to the Dao. Her childhood had been fulfilling, far better than the dull path of cultivation.
But mortal life was fleeting. Qi Yang couldn’t help but think of the life-linking lock… How could he make her want to cultivate voluntarily?
Lost in thought, they entered the market town’s barrier. Once inside, Nan Yan was captivated by the sights, forgetting their earlier conversation.
“Bet on ten-year-old second-grade spirit herbs! Twenty spirit stones per share!”
“Snow Lion beast cubs! Ready for core extraction in three years!”
“Batch of demon beast hides, trading only for solid pills!”
“Furnace shop owner about to enter seclusion! Selling twenty-year-old furnaces!”
The valley market had wide plank roads built into the cliff sides, bustling with all sorts of strange goods. Unlike mortal markets, cultivators cared more about the vendor’s cultivation level than the appearance of their stall. The higher the cultivation, the more popular their wares.
After two months of work at Yang Yue Sect, Nan Yan had accumulated twelve spirit stones and twenty bone-warming pills, mostly from taking over Qi Yang’s medicine hall duties while he focused on cultivation. Among her peers, she was relatively well-off.
“Young friend, do you like this sky-swimming fish? Five spirit stones each. One feeding a month is enough.”
A cultivator selling spirit beasts held up a white porcelain fish bowl. Inside, a blue goldfish swam slowly. As Nan Yan leaned in to look, the fish flicked its tail and floated out of the bowl. Its gauzy fins shimmered like gold dust as it gracefully circled Nan Yan before returning to the bowl to blow bubbles.
Nan Yan desperately wanted the item, but remembering she needed to find medicine for her mother’s illness, she restrained herself.
“Let’s go,” she said.
Ji Yang smiled. “I thought you liked it?”
Nan Yan whispered, “The pills inside look expensive. We should save money.”
“Oh,” Ji Yang replied, seemingly comforted by her frugality. He didn’t appear worried about spirit stones as he led Nan Yan to the pill and stone area.
The most common item sold there was the Spirit Consolidation Pill, which accelerated spiritual energy absorption during meditation. It was the lowest-grade pill. Next was Bone-Warming Pills like the one Nan Yan had, which nourished bones, improved cultivation, and strengthened the body.
There were also breakthrough pills, which relied on short bursts of massive spiritual energy to break through meridian barriers and advance cultivation. These were the most expensive and sought-after.
“Low-grade Qi Refinement Pill! Thirty percent chance of breakthrough from the early to mid-Qi Refinement stage. Starting price: 300 spirit stones!” a vendor shouted.
“330 spirit stones!” someone bid.
“350!”
“400!”
Nan Yan gave up after hearing these prices. Moreover, Ji Yang had repeatedly told her not to use pills for breakthroughs during the Qi Refinement stage. It was better to spend more time reading and expanding one’s mind than relying on pills.
After two months of sporadic cultivation, she had stabilized at the early Qi Refinement stage. She could use minor spells like Rain Formation, Water Shield, Swift Movement, Wind Bullet, and Telekinesis. As long as she didn’t reveal her abilities in combat, she was managing well.
“Ordinary people can’t absorb spiritual energy. Although cultivation pills have many effects if consumed by mistake, the spiritual energy impact often damages meridians,” Ji Yang explained while buying talisman paper and cinnabar pens from a nearby stall for three spirit stones. He wrote down a few pill names and continued, “Qihuang Pill, Xinghe Pill, and Liqi Pill have mild properties and minimal toxicity. They only affect flesh and bones. Even if they don’t work for your mother, you can keep them for yourself. Look for these nearby.”
Nan Yan took the list and asked, “Should I go alone?”
Ji Yang nodded. “I need some spirit stones, so I’ll draw Thunder Talisman to sell. Feel free to look around, but don’t wander too far.”
Thunder Talisman was an attacking talisman. Although thunder wasn’t one of the five elements, it could be derived from wind and fire, making it one of the strongest attacks.
Curious, Nan Yan stayed to watch. Ji Yang found a secluded corner, dipped his talisman brush in cinnabar, and pondered for a moment. He took out a talisman paper and let it float in front of him. With a flourish, he began writing. Spiritual energy immediately gathered on the talisman, but the paper couldn’t withstand the power and spontaneously combusted.
“Oh no!” Nan Yan exclaimed as some ash fell on her shoe, giving her a small electric shock. She quickly moved away.
Ji Yang paused and asked, “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, just a little numb. What kind of talisman is that?”
“A talisman can store one spell. It seems this paper was too weak to contain such a powerful attack spell.”
Ji Yang’s original sect had specialized in talismans for a thousand years, researching various spells. Considering the area’s thin spiritual energy and low-level cultivators, he decided to draw some lower-grade talismans.
With this in mind, he invited Nan Yan to watch, saying, “I’ll teach you how to draw an Ice Wall Talisman. Carrying one with you can block a full-force attack from a late Qi Refinement cultivator.”
Nan Yan watched as he drew five talismans. The cinnabar ink changed from red to a shimmering ice-blue, feeling cool to the touch. Intrigued, she took the brush and started practicing. Talisman drawing wasn’t a skill one could master quickly. After trying four or five times, all ending in spontaneous combustion, she felt discouraged.
Ji Yang drew two more talismans, nearly depleting his spiritual energy. Seeing that Nan Yan still had energy left, he realized she naturally possessed more spiritual energy than her peers. Appreciating her talent, he became more instructive: “Practice the characters I taught you, and your talisman skills will naturally improve.”
Nan Yan shared Mu Zhanting’s reluctance when it came to practicing calligraphy. She felt that being able to recognize characters and have them recognize her was enough. The idea of practicing until she could qualify for the imperial examinations seemed too demanding for her chubby hands.
… Though it had made her hands noticeably slimmer.
After parting ways with Ji Yang temporarily, Nan Yan wandered the market alone, unable to find suitable pills. Eventually, she spotted a dusty bottle labeled “Liqi Pill” at a mid-Qi Refinement cultivator’s stall.
“Excuse me, about this Liqi…” Nan Yan began, but the vendor was busy haggling with someone else, holding a palm-sized blue gauze and arguing heatedly.
“I said I won’t sell it. As a righteous cultivator, how could I trade with a demonic cultivator?” the vendor shouted.
“Don’t be unreasonable, friend. Items displayed in the market are for sale. Five hundred spirit stones are enough for a small cultivator like you to break through to mid-Qi Refinement. My patience is limited; you’d better cooperate, or… you might want to stay in this market forever,” threatened a female cultivator wrapped in a cloak, carrying a human-sized coffin on her back. The coffin was studded with over ten blood-colored nails as if containing some evil creature.
She was a demonic cultivator.
Demonic cultivators weren’t without a place in the cultivation world. The top demonic sect, Tianxie Dao, occupied Si State, bordering Chen State. The two States often clashed, though rarely involving cultivators above the Core Formation stage.
Demonic cultivators advanced rapidly in cultivation. Despite battling inner demons, they often outperformed their righteous counterparts. As a result, righteous cultivators, while reluctant to associate with them, were also unwilling to offend them.
“You!” The mid-Qi Refinement cultivator fumed, but as the female cultivator released a hint of her aura, he turned pale under the immense spiritual pressure. “A… a Foundation Establishment senior.”
“I didn’t want to use my cultivation to intimidate, but you left me no choice, youngster.” The female cultivator snorted, tossing a bag of spirit stones and reaching for the gauze.
Suddenly, someone intervened.
“Hey, friend, didn’t I ask you to hold this gauze for me? I sent my sister to watch it. How could you sell it?” a voice rang out.
Nan Yan looked up to see a young man in white robes. His voice sounded flamboyant, and when she saw his red lips, white teeth, and peach-blossom eyes, she thought him even more ostentatious.
The female cultivator was annoyed. “Nonsense! I was here first!”
She didn’t use her cultivation to intimidate this time, sensing that the young man in white was also at the Foundation Establishment stage.
The vendor, unwilling to trade with demonic cultivators, quickly caught on. “Yes, this senior reserved the spiritual material and specifically asked this young lady to watch it.”
Nan Yan stood there, bewildered. But when the young man in white turned to look at her, their eyes met, and she found herself speaking without thinking.
“Yes, my brother asked me to watch it.”
The female demonic cultivator sneered, “Then can you tell me this chubby girl’s name?”
The young man in white glanced at Nan Yan for less than a breath before inspiration struck. “Qiu Qiu, brother told you to watch the treasure carefully, but you just wander off. I’ll have to punish you when we get back.”
Nan Yan: “…”
“Well played, righteous cultivator! I’ll remember this,” the female cultivator scoffed before leaving.
After she left, the vendor sighed in relief. “Thank you for your help, fellow Daoist.”
The young man in white bowed slightly and smiled. “As fellow righteous cultivators, we must help each other. To be honest, this item is Silver Mermaid Gauze, a rare treasure woven by merfolk from the North Sea. It can block some spiritual energy. That demonic cultivator probably wanted to use it to sneak into the deeper parts of the Filthy Valley during the ‘Spring Hunt.'”
The cultivator paled. “Oh no! No wonder demonic cultivators have been appearing in Fan State lately. What should we do?”
“I don’t think that demonic cultivator will let this go easily. How about I buy this Silver Mermaid Gauze for a thousand spirit stones, and you can use the money to buy some protective talismans? If you unfortunately encounter her again, just say Yin Ya bought it.”
The cultivator hesitated but was tempted by the offer. “I appreciate your kindness, senior, but protective talismans are hard to find…”
The young man called Yin Ya said, “Qiu Qiu has some. I’ll buy them from her and trade them with your Silver Mermaid Gauze. How about that?”
Nan Yan: “Who are you calling Qiu Qiu?”
Yin Ya: “Whoever answers to it is Qiu Qiu.”
Nan Yan: “Goodbye.”
Yin Ya called out to stop her, grabbing her arm. “I didn’t bring any talismans. Can you sell me one of yours?”
Nan Yan crossed her arms defensively. “How did you know I have talismans?”
“You’re out without even a storage bag. The spiritual energy from the talismans is leaking out.”
These were talismans Ji Yang had given her, so Nan Yan was reluctant to sell. She stubbornly refused, “These are from my brother. I’d rather throw them away than sell them!”
Yin Ya said, “I’ll buy one for 300 spirit stones.”
Nan Yan, recognizing the situation, replied, “How many does the senior want? If it’s not enough, Qiu Qiu can go call my brother.”