61: Chapter 61 Refining the Heart in the Mortal World

Xiao Jiu's odd-colored eyes spun around restlessly, for a moment staring at a flying drone and swishing its tail, then clinging to his ear to look at a roadside ice cream stall. Its fluffy tail brushed against Ye Qingxuan's neck, making it tickle.

"Daoist, Daoist! That ice cream cone puffing out white qi! This meow wants a chocolate flavor!" The kitten's soft, sweet voice exploded in his mind, overflowing with the excitement of coming down the mountain.

Ye Qingxuan flicked its little head with his fingertips and said softly, "I'll buy you two. Experiencing the Mortal World is not for you to come down the mountain to eat snacks."

Xiao Jiu let out an aggrieved howl, curled up into a ball, and rubbed against his neck, though it obediently stopped making a fuss.

"Daoist, there are so many fun things down the mountain! It's even more fun than the mountain!" The kitten's soft, sweet voice gently echoed in his mind.

Ye Qingxuan chuckled inwardly and replied softly, "The myriad states of the Mortal World are not just for amusement. You should watch carefully too; it is also a form of cultivation."

Xiao Jiu rubbed against his neck, seeming to half-understand, and obediently curled its body up to stop causing trouble.

Walking slowly down the path, the mountain breeze carrying the scent of Mortal hearths rushed toward them.

Before long, the view ahead suddenly opened up.

This was the first time in the more than twenty years Ye Qingxuan had lived that he truly stepped into the pure secular world.

When traveling down the mountain in the past, he had roamed through various sects' immortal mountains and Secret Realms, sweeping across the Prodigy of the world. Everywhere he went, people looked up to him with awe and reverence. He had never experienced such a grounded integration into the Mortal dust.

He stopped at the village entrance, quietly gazing at the bustling yet peaceful scene before him. Layers of subtle ripples stirred within his Dao Heart, which had been aloof and cold for many years.

Spiritual Qi recovery had been happening for several months, and this ordinary ancient Jiangnan town was also quietly undergoing a transformation.

The Spiritual Qi in the air was dense, far surpassing the Age of Dharma Decline.

The China roses by the roadside bloomed larger than a bowl's mouth, their leaves shimmering with a faint spiritual light. The aunts dancing square dances had exceptionally forceful movements, with people in their sixties effortlessly doing splits and bends. The running and frolicking children ran extremely fast, their physical fitness even better than junior high school students of the past.

The National Destiny was added to his body, and its blessings extended to all the people. This was real and tangible, falling upon every single ordinary person.

Ye Qingxuan's Divine Thought quietly spread out, only sweeping across a hundred meters around him without prying into anyone's privacy.

He saw an elderly lung cancer patient sunbathing on a stone stool, breathing in air carrying faint Spiritual Qi, the cancer cells slowly shrinking.

He saw elementary school students just returning from school, their bones harboring faint spiritual bone roots. He saw the rice in the fields, the ears twice as heavy as in previous years; this year was destined to be a bumper harvest.

He saw an elderly person in their twilight years sitting on a threshold basking in the sun, Spiritual Qi faintly flowing between their hair strands, chronic illnesses gone, their body robust, able to enjoy their old age in peace.

This was the beginning of everyone being like a Dragon, the blessings brought by the prosperity of National Destiny.

"Is the Daoist priest from the mountain, out for a walk down the mountain?"

A rustic and gentle voice rang out from beside him.

Ye Qingxuan turned his head to see an old farmer carrying a hoe in simple attire, smiling as he sized him up. The old farmer's gaze was open and enthusiastic, carrying the unique rusticity of country folk, devoid of awe, alienation, or utilitarian calculation.

"Indeed. This poor Daoist has come down the mountain for experiential training and is passing by this place." Ye Qingxuan nodded slightly, his tone gentle. He shed the Killing Intent and chill from the National Destiny Space, gaining a bit of Mortal warmth.

Hearing this, the old farmer smiled even more brightly, putting down his hoe and waving enthusiastically, "Then you must have a good stroll around our Qingxi Town! Nowadays, the world is getting better and better, the mountains and rivers are clear, and the people are healthy and safe. It happens to be noon; if you don't mind, come to my house for a bowl of simple fare before leaving!"

Such hospitality was hard to refuse; this was the warmest part of the Mortal World.

Ye Qingxuan did not decline, nodding gently, "Thank you for your kindness, old sir."

Following the old farmer all the way into a farmhouse courtyard deep in the alleys, the courtyard was clean and tidy, planted with a few China roses and green vegetables. Vines crawled up the corner of the wall, and a few chicks paced leisurely, tranquil and peaceful.

"Old woman, we have guests! Stir-fry two dishes and steam a pot of rice!" the old farmer shouted toward the house.

A kind old woman walked out from the house. Seeing Ye Qingxuan's refined and ethereal appearance, her eyes were filled with goodwill as she hurriedly responded and got busy, "Ah! It will be ready right away. Daoist, please sit down and rest your feet!"

Ye Qingxuan sat on a bamboo stool in the courtyard, and Xiao Jiu leaped down from his shoulder, curiously pacing around the small yard, sniffing the flowers and plants, teasing small insects, lively and cute.

The old farmer brought over a cup of herbal tea and smiled as he chatted about everyday matters, "Daoist, you wouldn't know, a few days ago people were still feeling anxious with things like the National Destiny Game and Chosen Ones. We ordinary folk don't understand those big principles; we only know that these past few days our bodies suddenly became robust, sleep became sound, working has strength, and the little kids at home don't get sick as easily anymore."

"The old folks in the village all say it's a blessing from the heavens, that our Huaguo has hit the jackpot!"

The old farmer's words were rustic. He didn't know what immortal cultivation was, didn't understand what Soul Transformation was, and even less did he know that the young Daoist before him was the very source that brought this blessing to the entire nation's common people.

He only knew that the world becoming better and the common people being safe and healthy was the best era of peace and prosperity.

Ye Qingxuan listened quietly, occasionally responding, deeply touched in his heart.

He slew Vicious Beasts, pacified alien realms, and contended for National Destiny, experiencing much bloodshed and slaughter. What he sought was never his own longevity, but precisely this kind of ordinary scenery of ten thousand homes lit by lamps and common people living in peace and stability.

Slaughter was to protect the Dao; transcending the world was to enter the world.

At this moment, the shackles of unity of heaven and man in his heart quietly loosened by a fraction.

Before long, two dishes of home-style cooking, a bowl of clear soup, and a pot of white rice were served on the wooden table. The atmosphere of Mortal hearths was rich—simple, yet warming to the heart and soul.

The old woman was exceptionally enthusiastic, constantly adding rice and picking food for Ye Qingxuan, "Daoist, don't be polite. The country's simple fare cannot compare to the immortal flavors of the mountain, but it is clean and filling."

"Thank you, benefactor." Ye Qingxuan bowed slightly, his demeanor warm and polite.

He had long since abstained from grain for many years, not eating the Mortal World's grains. But at this moment, seeing the two elders' sincere and enthusiastic appearance, he still picked up the bowl and chopsticks, carefully tasting the food of this ordinary secular world.

It was tasteless, yet it possessed a myriad of flavors.

Chatting during the meal, Ye Qingxuan quietly listened to the trivial matters of the two elders' daily lives, hearing them talk about the village's changes, neighborhood trifles, and expectations for the future.

There were no profound Dao principles, no games of slaughter and chess; there was only the purest warmth and coldness of the human world, the joys and sorrows of the secular realm.

After the meal, Ye Qingxuan stood up to express his thanks, his fingertips quietly condensing a wisp of gentle magical power that silently passed into the two elders' bodies, nourishing their visceral organs and Meridians, smoothing out the traces left by the years, and repaying this chance encounter of goodwill.

The two elders only felt their whole bodies lighten up, assuming they were just in a good mood today, and didn't think much of it.

When leaving, they stubbornly stuffed a large bag of boiled country eggs and a bunch of home-grown green vegetables into Ye Qingxuan's hands.

"Daoist, come often to play in the future!" The old woman stood at the doorway, waving her hand and shouting.

Ye Qingxuan carried his cloth bag on his back, holding the eggs and green vegetables in his hands, slowly walking along the bluestone-paved road.

Xiao Jiu lay on his shoulder, hugging a ham sausage given by the old farmer in its arms, chewing away happily.

Stepping out of the farmhouse courtyard, the afternoon sunlight gently cascaded down, paving the bluestone road.

There were more and more people in the town; passing pedestrians walked with unhurried strides, and the streets and alleys were exceptionally lively.

Walking all the way down, the wind no longer carried only the scent of vegetation; mixed with the fragrance of cooking, car exhaust, and the smell of street-side grilled sausages, it rushed over in a bustling clamor.

Turning the corner, the full view of Qingxi Town came into full sight. Old houses with white walls and dark tiles were interspersed with new-style small buildings, and milk tea shops and courier stations opened alongside the old street paved with bluestone slabs.

Under the large banyan tree at the village entrance, old men played Chinese chess, old women danced square dances, pop songs blared from large loudspeakers, and children shuttled back and forth on scooters playing and making noise. The vivid atmosphere of Mortal hearths rushed forward.

A thousand years of coldness on an immortal mountain cannot compare to a bowl of hot soup in the Mortal World.

The afternoon sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting mottled light and shadow on the ground.

People came and went on the street; food delivery riders sped by on electric bikes, couriers delivered packages door-to-door, and milk tea shops were filled with young students. Everyone's face carried hope for life.

However, Ye Qingxuan's gaze slightly congealed, falling upon a secluded alley entrance on the west side of the town.

Beneath prosperity, there must be shadows.

With the recovery of National Destiny, Spiritual Qi nourishes kind people, but it also breeds evil specters.

Ordinary people could not perceive it, but under his Soul Transformation Perfection Divine Thought, that alley entrance was entwined with Yin Qi and congested with Evil Qi. A faint evil specter aura was hidden within the market's Mortal bustle—obscure yet real.

It was not some immensely ferocious entity, but rather a low-level evil specter quietly bred by taking advantage of the Spiritual Qi recovery. It lurked in the dark, absorbing the Life Qi emitted by passersby. Over time, it would make people sick and disrupt the peace of the area.

What Senior Brother Qingyun said was true: with the recovery of Spiritual Qi, hidden demons and dormant evil specters had all poked their heads out, and the secular world had long had undercurrents surging.

Senior Sister had admonished him that this trip down the mountain should focus primarily on tempering his heart, minimizing interventions and avoiding competing for victory.

But cultivation and heart-tempering have never meant standing by coldly and ignoring the common people.

When it is time to act, one must act; protecting the peace of a region is also part of tempering the heart in the Mortal World.

Ye Qingxuan's expression remained unchanged, still maintaining his warm and calm appearance as he lifted his foot and walked slowly toward the western alley entrance.

Xiao Jiu also sensed the abnormality, putting away its playful look. Its little head looked vigilantly toward the alley entrance, whispering, "Daoist, there are dirty things over there, they stink!"

"A little evil entity cannot disturb the Mortal World." Ye Qingxuan softly pacified, his strides composed as he stepped into the secluded alley.

The alley was dark and damp, far from the bustle of the main street. Sunlight could hardly penetrate the obstructions, and Yin Qi accumulated here without dispersing.

In the corner at the end of the alley, a gray mist curled up on the ground. The mist twisted and wriggled, faintly condensing into a ferocious little face, greedily absorbing the human Life Qi drifting from the streets and alleys. Wherever the mist passed, the moss in the corner withered and turned black entirely.

This was the most base-level yin evil, lacking intelligence or cultivation, acting purely on instinct. In the past, it would have been like a mayfly, born in the morning and dying at night, but now with abundant Spiritual Qi, it managed to survive and breed.

Sensing the aura of a living person, the yin evil suddenly raised its head. The gray mist surged explosively, carrying a piercing chill, and bared its fangs and claws as it pounced to slaughter Ye Qingxuan, attempting to devour his blood qi and Life Qi.

Ye Qingxuan stood in place, not moving a single fraction of an inch.

He didn't even need to form hand seals or recite incantations, nor did he need to use the slightest bit of Divine Ability or magical power.

Merely a trace of clear Dao charm flashed across the depths of his eyes, and a wisp of pure yang clear Qi naturally overflowed from around his body.

The Great Dao is purely yang; all evils are impervious.

Hum—

A faint clear light sprinkled down the alley, and the ultimate yang and righteous Dao charm swept across all directions.

That yin evil mist, which was enough to harass Mortals and breed disease, didn't even have a shred of a chance to struggle. Instantly, like snow meeting blazing fire, it melted away in a flash.

The dark and damp alley instantly became clear and dry, the chilly aura swept away completely, and sunlight pierced through the gaps to cast down, full of warmth.

With a wave of his hand, he swept away the yin evil of a region and guarded a corner of peace.

The whole process was silent and noiseless, neither alarming Mortals nor disturbing the marketplace.

This was Ye Qingxuan's current state of mind and strength: his slaughter was restrained, moistening things silently. It was no longer the overbearing tyranny of the past that swept across everything with thunderous force, but rather the composure of hiding his edge in the mundane and protecting the Dao in the minute details.

Xiao Jiu wagged its tail with a look of disdain, "Such weak dirty things, they aren't even enough for this meow to slap with one paw!"

Ye Qingxuan chuckled, reaching out to rub its little head, "All the evils in the world originate from the minute. Slashing away great evils and villains is easy, but purging the subtle evil specters of the Mortal dust is hard. Tempering the heart in the Mortal World means guarding this peace of ten thousand homes."

In the past, he would have disdained dealing with such minute evil specters, focusing his gaze entirely on powerful enemies across the heavens.

But standing in the Mortal dust today, he truly understood that the immortal Dao is not just about climbing the heavenly road and verifying longevity, but even more so about protecting the common people and guarding the ordinary.

At this thought, the shackles in his heart that trapped Soul Transformation Perfection and blocked the Void Return realm loosened once again, his Dao Heart becoming increasingly clear and translucent.

He turned around and walked out of the alley, returning to the lively and bustling main street.

The marketplace remained prosperous, and the pedestrians remained safe and sound. No one knew of the invisible specter-clearing and peace-guarding that had just taken place in the dark, and no one knew that this handsome Daoist had swept away the yin evil with a single thought.

And precisely because no one knew, no one was grateful, and no one praised him, this Dao-protecting heart became all the more pure and sincere.