110: Spread the Dharma and choose to walk alone on the great path

Wuya Prefecture, Daozhen Academy!

An eight-year-old child gently patted his sleeping deskmate with an ink-stained hand. When other students entered, he deliberately showed a triumphant smile.

“Gu Yuanwu, you’re bullying your deskmate again. Be careful, I’ll tell your Grandfather, and he’ll give you a good spanking!”

Gu Yuanwu seemed to touch his bottom fearfully and quickly said, “No, Lei Niannian, please don’t tell my grandfather. You don’t know, this kid is really bad. I saw him hitting someone the other day, so I just played a trick on him!”

Lei Niannian tilted her head in confusion and asked, “Really? Who did he hit?”

Lei Niannian knew that the deskmate Gu Yuanwu had played a trick on was the Young Master of a wealthy merchant, said to be immensely rich.

“He hit his Family’s coachman, right when he was bringing him to school. I saw it with my own eyes.”

“Even so, you shouldn’t… do this…”

At this moment, a clang-clang-clang sound came!

The bell outside rang, signifying the start of the Master’s lecture. Gu Yuanwu looked and thought, “Oh no, the ink on this kid’s face…”

Immediately, he picked up his sleeve and wiped it across his deskmate’s face with such force that the other person woke up in pain, screaming and yelling, and the classroom erupted in an uproar.

“Quiet! Quiet! What kind of decorum is this, making such a fuss?”

“Gu Yuanwu, Tuo Niansheng, you two are fighting in class again. Do you want to copy books again or not?!”

“Reporting to Master, no, I don’t. I don’t know what happened either. Gu Yuanwu deliberately played a trick and pinched my face while I was asleep!”

Then Tuo Niansheng noticed Gu Yuanwu’s inky black hand and felt some wetness on his face, immediately shouting!

“Gu Yuanwu, get over here! If you don’t want to study, leave early!”

“No, Master, Yuanwu knows his mistake! Please spare me!”

“Give me your hand, stick it out!”

The Master struck Gu Yuanwu’s palm heavily three times with the ruler. He immediately burst into tears, his eyes watery, looking pitiful!

“Alright, stop wailing. Get out!”

“And you, Lei Niannian, you go too. I’m giving you a day off. Your families are waiting for you outside!”

Lei Niannian led the crying Gu Yuanwu out of the classroom and into the academy’s exterior. Gu Yuanwu immediately jumped up excitedly.

“Hahaha, great news! I finally don’t have to go to school today!” Upon closer inspection, there wasn’t a single mark on his beaten hand.

“Uncle Zhong, why are you here? Is there something happening at home today?” Lei Niannian walked to the gate and saw a carriage parked by the roadside, adorned with a giant flying eagle.

The person who arrived was none other than Zhong Ming, the chief steward of the Iron Eagle Gang!

“Indeed, there is something, but it’s good news! Young Miss Niannian and Young Master Yuanwu, please come back with me quickly!”

Lei Niannian’s small face showed great surprise, not knowing what had happened. She could only call Gu Yuanwu to join her. After getting into the carriage, they headed towards the current Flying Eagle Hall.

Flying Eagle Hall, now the headquarters of the Iron Eagle Gang.

The carriage wheels rolled over the bluestone road, making creaking sounds, carrying them back home.

...

Upon returning home, Lei Niannian saw her father, grandfather, Grandfather, and Second Grandfather, all standing together, quietly looking at the young man seated at the head, a position usually occupied by her grandfather.

The man looked very ordinary, yet possessed an unparalleled sense of affinity. He wore a light cyan robe with wide sleeves, appearing at ease and casual. A warm-colored jade pendant hung from his waist, and his hair was simply tied with a wooden hairpin. A faint, unblemished aura emanated from him, like an Immortal.

Even though Lei Niannian had never seen this person, she felt he was a good person, like an elder brother from next door.

“Big Brother…”

Lei Niannian unconsciously called out, and everyone snapped back to reality, realizing the two children had returned.

Gu Pang and Lei Wen quickly took the two children. Lei Wen whispered, “What are you calling him? You should call him Grandfather!”

The one seated in the high position was naturally Chen Cuo. Seeing the two children return, with faces seven or eight parts similar to Gu Pang and Lei Wen, an infinite sense of emotion rose in his heart.

Thirty years, even for a Martial Artist, was enough to change many things. Gu Pang and Lei Wen, relying on his gifts, had both broken through to the Acquired Realm, but had made no further progress since!

They could only establish a Family and enjoy their grandchildren.

As for Lei Wu, he had the potential to Breakthrough to Innate, but due to being too eager for quick success, he suffered Qi Deviation, and now he was…

Only with these ironclad facts before him did Chen Cuo realize how incredibly fortunate he was, and how terrifying a “talent” it was to have Breakthroughs without Bottlenecks.

Chen Cuo came back to his senses: “It’s fine. You must be Niannian and Yuanwu! Come, come to me.”

“Grand… Grandfather!”

Under the elders’ instruction, the two children softly called Chen Cuo, then slowly shuffled to stand before him. Chen Cuo gently grasped their pulse, and instantly understood.

Neither of them had a Spiritual Root for cultivation, so they could only follow the path of Martial Arts. However, Lei Niannian had a slight anomaly about her, which gave him a refreshing feeling!

“It’s actually a Scent-Seeking Nose! Perhaps I should use this move!”

Chen Cuo hummed softly, touching their foreheads with two fingers. The two children seemed to suffer a great shock and instantly fainted.

The people below immediately felt their hearts tighten, especially the parents of the two children. Only Gu Pang and Lei Wen were not nervous; they knew Chen Cuo would not do anything detrimental to the two children.

He said, “It’s nothing. I’ve passed on two Cultivation Techniques to them. However, their current strength is insufficient. When they enter the Acquired Realm, the two Cultivation Techniques I sealed in their soul seas will automatically activate their Legacy.”

He had already forgotten which Cultivation Technique it was, but one awakened talent allowed for Dream Impartation, which was perfect for imparting the Cultivation Technique to the two of them, leaving seeds for the future.

“Let them cultivate as quickly as possible, based on my ‘Hundred Meridians Unifying Qi Technique’! If there is an Opportunity, a hundred years from now, I will still have a chance to meet them!”

He then turned to Lei Wen and Gu Pang and said, “Brother Wen, Fatty, come, let’s drink heartily!”

The three shared their feelings of separation. Chen Cuo was led by the two to the backyard of Flying Eagle Hall. The decoration of the house in the back was identical to his residence in Wei City.

“Boss, you are truly handsome and possess such a great demeanor now, just like those Immortals in the stories you used to tell. Unlike me, I’m already old!”

As Gu Pang drank, he began to chat, pouring out his recent experiences. Chen Cuo also shared interesting stories about cultivation with them. Although they were ordinary trivialities, they still made the two men tremble with fear and were deeply captivated.

Lei Wen smiled, “You rascal, once you start drinking, you can’t keep your mouth shut. My Junior Brother, he has achieved Immortal Ascension. Master must be very pleased when he finds out…”

“Yes, Master…”

That “Immortal” who had terrified Fan Wufeng his entire life, the “Immortal” who had crippled him, was merely an Innate Expert, and one of the most ordinary kind in Xueshan City, residing in the commoner district.

After Chen Cuo recognized him, he disguised his identity and, with a single palm strike, turned the opponent into a mist of blood, leaving not even bone fragments.

“It’s a pity, A-Wu also couldn’t see you return!”

Lei Wen’s eyes tightened, and he instantly sniffled, then said again, “Ding Xiang is cultivating at Lan Ni Temple in Mingxi Dao. Hong Feng, in pursuit of Perfection in his cultivation and to remain untainted by worldly affairs, is currently living in seclusion in Dahang Mountain!”

“You can go find them!”

Chen Cuo nodded, drank his last cup of wine, and looking at the two men whose eyes were hazy with drink, gently placed down two jade bottles and said, “Brother Wen, Fatty, take care!”

Instantly, he vanished like a fleeting dream.

They could only accompany him for a portion of his journey, leaving behind endless memories, for after all: the long road to longevity is fraught with hardships, one must seek the Great Dao alone!