90: Two years

Su Ming slowly opened his eyes.

The entire world, in his perception, had been completely reconstructed.

In the corner of the courtyard wall, a late-returning dark beetle, its six tiny segmented legs scuttling across the rough ground, made an extremely faint “rustling” sound, clearly entering his ears.

Under the moonlight, the air was no longer empty. Countless tiny dust motes slowly floated and spun before his eyes.

He could even feel the cool Spiritual Qi emanating from the ancient well, circling around him like a wanderer who had found its home.

This was the world of the Qi Refinement Stage.

“Hmph.” From the ring, Lin Yu’s voice carried a touch of well-placed fatigue and an uncontainable satisfaction. “At least he wasn’t completely stupid.”

Finally, this kid’s beginner’s guide is complete! My gold-medal bodyguard and mobile power bank has finally successfully booted up! The pension plan has taken a solid first step!

Su Ming stood up and walked a few steps in the courtyard. The Breath Concealment Art operated on its own accord with his will, and his entire aura instantly became dormant, as if he were a stone in the courtyard, a silent blade of grass.

Lin Yu’s soul floated in the ring, letting out a surprised “Eh?”

Strange, for a moment just now, I felt this kid’s presence completely disappear. This Breath Concealment Art, combined with his own Spiritual Qi, is even better than I imagined.

“Master.” Su Ming returned to the house and closed the door.

The initial euphoria and novelty of the Breakthrough gradually faded, replaced by a deeper sense of bewilderment.

He looked at his empty hands and asked in a low voice, “This Disciple has stepped into the door of cultivation, but… where does the path beyond the door lead? This Disciple feels like a blind man who has touched an elephant’s leg but doesn’t know what the elephant truly looks like.”

Lin Yu almost laughed out loud in the ring.

Good kid, he’s learned to infer and started thinking about philosophical questions. Not bad, not bad, he has one percent of my demeanor from back then. Knowing to ask for directions is better than blindly fumbling around.

He cleared his throat and said in the weathered tone of an experienced elder, “Disciple, that you can ask such a question shows that your mind has opened, and you are no longer that foolish boy who only knew how to practice diligently.”

“What do you think cultivating Immortality is? Is it finding a deep mountain forest, digging an Immortal Cave, then going into seclusion for a thousand years, and emerging invincible?”

Su Ming didn’t speak. In the storybooks he used to read, it seemed… most of them were written that way.

“Wrong!” Lin Yu’s voice was decisive. “That’s a dead end for fools! The real world of cultivation is more complex than you imagine, and also more… realistic.”

“The Mortal world and the cultivation world seem like two completely different worlds, but they actually coexist under the same heaven and earth. They are like water and oil, incompatible, yet contained in the same bottle.”

“This bottle is the rigid hierarchy and barrier of information.”

Lin Yu’s voice deepened, carrying the wisdom of one who had seen through the ways of the world: “Think about it, if the methods of cultivating Immortality were available to everyone, wouldn’t the world have long since fallen into Chaos? Could the emperor’s Dragon throne still be stable? Could the prestige of millennium Families still be preserved?”

Su Ming’s heart tightened. He thought of Zhou Wenhai, Professor Liu, and the teachings about power and means.

“If you want to enter the circle of cultivating Immortality, you can: first, have an Immortal come to find you; second, you go find them yourself. This Master can’t help you much right now. This Master has been trapped in this ring for too long; a thousand years have passed, and I’ve never even heard of this country.”

“The true secrets might be hidden in deep mountain caves, or perhaps locked in the highest temples, written in the oldest Family genealogies, or hidden in the emperor’s imperial study,” Lin Yu patiently guided.

“The son of a farmer, even if he kowtows to death at the mountain gate, an Immortal wouldn’t spare him a glance. But if it were a high-ranking official holding power, a renowned scholar, he would only need to show a hint of longing for eternal life, and believe it or not, ‘Immortal edge’ would proactively come knocking.”

These words, like a bolt of lightning, cleaved through the Chaos in Su Ming’s mind.

He instantly understood.

What he lacked was never Heaven And Earth Treasure, nor peerless Cultivation Technique.

What he lacked was an identity, a “qualification” that would allow him to access the true secrets of this world.

“So, Disciple,” Lin Yu’s voice carried a sense of Su Ming up, “the imperial examination is the only ladder you can climb right now.”

“You are currently in the County School, seeing only the world from the bottom of a well. When you pass the Provincial Examination and enter the prefectural city; when you pass the imperial examination and stand in the imperial court, the people you meet, the books you read, the things you hear will be vastly different.”

Su Ming let out a long breath, and all the confusion and bewilderment in his chest vanished.

He bowed deeply to the ring.

“Disciple understands.”

His gaze was clearer and more determined than ever before.

From that night on, Scholar Su Ming of Qingshi County School seemed to have changed, and yet seemed not to have changed.

He still went to school on time every day, listened attentively, and respected his teachers. However, he was no longer content with just the curriculum outlined by the Masters.

The County School’s library became his true home.

Steward Sun was surprised to find that Scholar Su’s reading speed was inhumanly fast. A thick volume of “Qingzhou Prefecture Annals,” which others would take at least ten days to half a month to read, he could finish in an afternoon, and he seemed to remember it all.

Even stranger, the books he read became increasingly varied.

Besides classics, histories, philosophical works, and collections, he was more interested in the dusty corners.

“Records of Southern Border Anomalies,” “Records of Western Mountain Essence Spirits,” “Biographies of Eccentrics from the Previous Dynasty,” “Illustrated Treatise on the Feng Shui of Daliang”… these idle books and forbidden books, considered “unprofessional” by other students, he read with great relish.

With the memory and Mental Energy far surpassing ordinary people, brought by the Qi Refinement Stage, he was like a tireless machine, frantically scanning and organizing the vast sea of information.

He was no longer simply looking for words like “Immortal” or “God.”

He began to build a massive database centered on time, place, and event.

“In the 34th year of Yong’an, there was a tiger in the Northern Mountains that spoke human words. The county lieutenant led three hundred men to encircle and suppress it, but to no avail. Giant claw marks, three inches deep, were found.”

“In the first year of Kaiping, fishermen in the East Sea saw a Dragon shadow during a heavy rain, a hundred zhang long, with golden scales, disappearing into the clouds in an instant. The next day, three indestructible Dragon scales were found on the beach.”

“In the seventh year of Jingtai, an eccentric called himself ‘Cloud Dweller’ and performed a technique on the peak of Mount Tai, drawing heavenly thunder to Body Tempering. A thousand spectators watched, and then he drifted away, his whereabouts unknown.”

…Two years passed quietly amidst the rustling of books and the chirping of cicadas in the courtyard.

Autumn winds rose again, turning the old locust tree in the Grade A Small Courtyard yellow.

In Zhou Wenhai’s study, Yu Lin, dressed in a brand new official uniform, was full of vigor. He had passed the Provincial Examination three years ago and, in the spring examination last year, he even passed consecutively, being placed in the third class of successful imperial examination candidates. Although he could not enter the Hanlin Academy, he was posted to a neighboring county as an eighth-rank county magistrate.

“Junior Brother Su, this Senior Brother will be taking up his post in a few days. After this departure, I don’t know when we will meet again.” Yu Lin looked at his Junior Brother, who had grown into a tall and handsome youth, filled with emotion.

In these two years, Su Ming’s brilliance at the County School was unmatched. Zhou Wenhai almost treated him as his true successor, imparting everything he knew. Everyone knew that in the Provincial Examination three years later, the top scholar of Qingshi County would undoubtedly be him.

“Senior Brother, your future is bright, and I wish you a smooth journey.” Su Ming bowed respectfully, his expression calm.

After seeing off Yu Lin, in the Small Courtyard, Zhao Rui was sighing as he clutched his luggage.

“Su Ming, what do you think my dad is thinking? He insists I go to the Prefecture School. With my level, won’t I just be at the bottom?” Zhao Rui had grown taller in the past two years, but his personality was still the same—working for three days and resting for two, with no academic progress.

Su Ming just smiled and didn’t speak.

Zhao Rui was going to the Prefecture School, but he still had to stay at the County School. Because here, he had the “roots” he couldn’t leave.

At night, Su Ming sat cross-legged by the well.

The spiritual power in his body was much more abundant, and the “Qi Sea” in his Dantian slowly rotated, with a point of light in the center that was several times brighter than two years ago.

Qi Refining second layer.

In these two years, he had almost drained every trace of Spiritual Qi from this spiritual well.

But he also keenly felt that the well’s Spiritual Qi recovery speed was getting slower and slower. This well, like an overgrazed pasture, was heading towards exhaustion.

“Master, this is not a long-term solution,” Su Ming said in his heart.

“This Master said it long ago,” Lin Yu replied lazily, “This well is only enough for your beginner’s village. If you want to level up, you have to change maps. Don’t worry, once you get your ‘qualification,’ there will be plenty of blessed lands for you to absorb from.”

Su Ming suppressed the anxiety in his heart and immersed his mind in his brain.

There, a huge map composed of countless fragments of information was slowly taking shape.

For two years, he had almost flipped through every book in the library with the character “ different” (anomaly/otherworldly).

The results, however, disappointed him.

Official histories were secretive about this, and all supernatural events were categorized as “auspicious omens” or “calamitous anomalies,” full of political interpretations.

Unofficial histories and miscellaneous notes were difficult to distinguish between true and false, full of exaggerations and fantasies. He found over three hundred records about “Immortals,” “demons,” “spirits,” and “monsters,” but upon careful analysis, most were mythical legends in the style of the “Classic of Mountains and Seas,” or isolated local events, unable to form a complete System.

Regarding organized cultivation forces, such as Sects and Families, there wasn’t even a clear name.

“Master, you are right.” Su Ming said to Lin Yu in the study, facing the thick pile of notes on the table, “The core information of this world is monopolized. Without reaching that level, one doesn’t even have the qualification to know.”

“Only understanding this now? It’s not too late.” Lin Yu’s voice carried a hint of satisfaction. “Not finding it is the correct outcome.”

However, it was not without any gains.

This afternoon, Su Ming came again to the ancient locust tree at the west corner of the city.

Xu Qing’s bookstall had expanded a bit compared to two years ago. He still had that lean and calm demeanor, but there was a hint of maturity in his brows.

The Su Family Village’s paper mill had fared much better under the guise of “government supervision and civilian management.” No one foolish enough dared to cause trouble. And Xu Qing’s bookstall, relying on being an angel investor in the Su Family Village’s paper mill and his relationship with Su Ming, also obtained paper for copying books at a price lower than the market rate, greatly improving his Family’s situation.

“Brother Su, are you looking for those strange things again?” Xu Qing looked at Su Ming rummaging through a pile of old books, smiling and shaking his head.

In these two years, Su Ming had become his strangest customer, specifically picking out ghost stories and absurd notes.

“Brother Xu, have you heard any new rumors recently?” Su Ming asked without looking up.

This was their new unspoken understanding.

Xu Qing’s old bookstall was an information hub in town; people from all walks of life, merchants traveling north and south, would always leave behind bits and pieces of information.

“New rumors?” Xu Qing thought for a moment, then lowered his voice. “There really is one.”

He leaned closer and said, “A few days ago, the head of a caravan transporting goods from the south said that when their merchant team passed by Mount Fengming to the south, they encountered a strange thing.”

Su Ming’s movements stopped.

“They traveled for three days, and every night, they could see colorful light emanating from a valley deep in Mount Fengming, like a rainbow after rain, but brighter than a rainbow. The light wasn’t dazzling, it was very soft.”

“The local guide was scared pale and warned them not to get close, saying it was an ‘Immortal’s dwelling,’ protected by ‘Rainbow Light Treasure Evil,’ and Mortals who entered would instantly turn to dust.”

Su Ming’s heart suddenly pounded.

Mount Fengming! Colorful light! Immortal’s dwelling!

These words combined made the spiritual power in his body fluctuate uncontrollably.

“What happened next?” He asked, suppressing his excitement.

“Next? There was no next.” Xu Qing spread his hands. “That caravan leader, after hearing what the guide said, traveled dozens of miles around that valley and quickly fled before dawn. This matter was just treated as drunken chatter; no one took it seriously.”

Su Ming remained silent, firmly committing this place name to memory.

He knew that this might be the first potentially real clue related to “Immortals” that he had found in two years.

Bidding farewell to Xu Qing, Su Ming walked back to the County School.

“Master, Mount Fengming…”

Lin Yu was silent in the ring for a moment, not directly denying it, but letting out a meaningful chuckle.

“Disciple, do you know why this Master often says that without reaching a certain level, one doesn’t even have the qualification to know?”

“If that truly is an Immortal’s dwelling, and not some phosphorescence or marsh gas, Mortals see the light, feel awe, and go around it, thus surviving. But a Qi Refinement Stage Cultivator like you, who has just touched the threshold, if you rashly go, your fate will be even worse than a Mortal’s.”

“Why?” Su Ming didn’t understand.

“Because of Laws.” Lin Yu’s voice became serious. “High-level Cultivator Immortal Caves or Secret Realms are often not in what we commonly perceive as ‘space.’ They might be attached to the main world, like bubbles attached to a water surface, but they have their own entrances and Laws.”

“That colorful light, to Mortals, is an anomaly, but to the true cultivation world, it might just be an ordinary spatial ripple or energy dissipated from a Formation. Its true entrance might require a specific time, a specific incantation, or even a specific ‘token’ or ‘Bloodline’ to open.”

“If you go now, it’s like an ant crawling next to a treasure map. To you, the treasure map is just a piece of paper with a strange smell; you can’t even understand that it’s a map, let alone follow it. You’ll just fruitlessly wander in that area, eventually either being accidentally crushed by a guardian Formation, or… more tragically, you’ll find nothing at all, simply wasting time.”

“So, Disciple, what you lack now is not a location, but a ‘key’ and an ‘instruction manual’.”

“This ‘key’ might be the identity of a Successful Provincial Candidate or an imperial examination graduate, allowing you to access ancient Families or court institutions that guard these secrets. That ‘instruction manual’ is systematic cultivation knowledge, allowing you to understand the true meaning behind those ‘anomalies’.”

“If you go to Mount Fengming now, you are using a Mortal’s mindset to solve a cultivation puzzle, which is destined to be futile. Only when you obtain higher qualifications can you access the people and knowledge that can interpret this puzzle.”

“Using the rules of this world as your ladder to explore another world, that is the action of a wise person. Acting recklessly is the path to death.”

“Before that, your most important task is the Provincial Examination three months from now.”

Su Ming returned to the Grade A Small Courtyard and closed the door.

He looked out the window, his gaze seemingly piercing through thousands of mountains and rivers, settling on that distant Mount Fengming.