Ye Fuqi walked home slowly, his mind weighed down by the decision he had made. He was determined to journey to the cultivator settlement and unlock the path to immortality. But how could he explain this to his mother? He couldn’t reveal the secret of Old Jian, and without that truth, he had no convincing reason to offer her.
In the end, he saw only one option: he would have to leave quietly, without saying a word. After all, with the fortune left by his father, she would be well provided for—and perhaps better off without him as a burden.
That night, Fuqi left a brief letter on the table, explaining that he had met an immortal and was departing for now, asking her not to worry. Then, with a final glance back at the home he was leaving behind, he slipped into the night.
Ye Fuqi had always heard stories about the Wanshan Mountains—a wild, untamed land filled with outlaws and dangerous beasts, not a place for the casual travelers. Even the geography books he had studied marked it as a natural border, a place where civilization ended.
He also knew that venturing into the immortal settlement without any cultivation ability would be unwise. First, he would need to find shelter—a cave where he could safely cultivate. His plan was simple: master the easiest of the three techniques he had, then leave once he had gained enough strength to survive the journey.
Living in a cave itself wouldn’t be an issue. He knew how to identify edible fruits and roots, and he had a keen eye for finding sources of water. As long as he had that knowledge, his basic needs would be met. It was just a matter of time before he was ready.
He left his home after midnight, just before early morning.
As he crossed the outer wall, he found the stirring city life. Farmers, their tools slung over their shoulders, set out early for the fields, while merchants, laden with goods, prepared for the day’s journey.
Yet, most of them took the branching roads, none heading in the direction he intended. A knot of unease tightened in his chest—soon, he found himself the only traveler on his path.
Wary of potential robbers lurking along the lonely road, Ye Fuqi veered into the forest, moving parallel to the path. This road led to the village closest to the Wushan Mountains, where he could easily stock up on supplies.
But after just an hour, fatigue gnawed at him. His legs trembled with exhaustion.
"Curse my excitement! How could I forget how weak I still am?" he muttered bitterly.
With some effort, he clambered up a sturdy tree deeper in the woods. His tired body betrayed him, and before long, he drifted into a heavy sleep among the branches.
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Ye Fuqi awoke to the sharp cries of birds overhead, their calls piercing the tranquil forest air. He blinked, momentarily disoriented, then realized he was still perched on the sturdy branch where he'd fYe Fuqi asleep. The sun hung high in the sky.
"Already afternoon… and I'm starving," he muttered, a wry smile tugging at his lips. He reached into his pouch and pulled out some fruits he’d gathered the day before, eating them slowly as he surveyed his surroundings.
Once satisfied, Ye Fuqi retrieved the scriptures he had obtained and settled back against the tree, his focus sharpening.
The first was the Body of Vajra, a peculiar art. It required the "Vajra essence" of diamonds to refine one's body, transforming it into an impenetrable force capable of withstanding attacks with bare hands alone. Even reaching the lowest level of success, enough to begin refining qi, demanded ten diamonds—far more than he could afford.
The second, Secret of Red Qi, seemed to be more widely practiced. This technique harnessed the essence of the sun to cultivate Red Qi, imbuing one’s qi with a fire attribute. It was particularly useful for alchemy and refining artifacts.
The final art, Mind of the Ocean, was by far the most enigmatic. It aims to deepen the soul to the vastness of an ocean, enhancing its strength and resilience against mental attacks. The power it offered was immense, but the path to mastering it was shrouded in mystery.
As Ye Fuqi studied the texts, he came across valuable general knowledge about cultivation. He learned that all spiritual beings were composed of three essential layers—the Physical Body, the Energy Body, and the Soul. Body refining techniques like Body of Vajra strengthened the Physical Body, while cultivation focused on refining the Energy Body. Soul expansion techniques, which were the rarest of all, fortified the Soul.
The two cultivators probably fought over the last scripture, he mused.
His thoughts then turned to the jade slips he had collected. Through his reading, he discovered their true purpose: they could store vast amounts of knowledge, accessible only by using one's will to trigger them.
He eagerly applied the method to the slips he held, and his heart surged with excitement. These were no ordinary jade slips—they contained a third-level alchemy inheritance! Though he could currently access only the first level, the deeper knowledge would be unlocked as he ascended to higher realms of cultivation.
Tempering his excitement, Ye Fuqi shifted his focus to the Secret of the Red Qi. Unlike the more complex Mind of the Ocean, this technique only required the sun and seemed less daunting. He decided it was the perfect starting point for his cultivation.
The practice could only be done during daylight, involving a series of precise stances combined with a specific breathing technique. With initial success, his body would undergo purification, and he would begin to sense the flow of Qi.
Eager to begin, he carefully mimicked the diagrams, moving through the stances and coordinating his breath as instructed. Ten repetitions later, however, he felt… nothing. Undeterred, he pushed forward, repeating the practice over and over until the sun dipped below the horizon. Not a single breakthrough, but his resolve remained unshaken. He was determined to succeed, even if it took years.
As night fell, Ye Fuqi took stock of his dwindling supplies, mentally preparing to scavenge for resources from the surroundings starting tomorrow. Exhausted, he soon drifted into a deep sleep.