Chapter Thirteen: Deliberation

The morning sun had just risen, casting its light upon the hillside not far from the mortuary. A massive toad crouched on the ground, while Li Yang sat cross-legged atop the golden toad’s head, his eyes half-closed in meditation. Beside him, a brilliantly colored rooster stood on one leg, wings slightly spread, striking a pose of perfect balance. The breaths of the three—man, toad, and rooster—were synchronized, facing eastward. In the newborn sunlight, a hazy red aura shimmered faintly around them.

“Senior brother, look at that...” Not far away at the entrance of the mortuary, Hualing, who was practicing her morning exercises, watched this unusual scene with unabashed curiosity.

“Tsk tsk... I have to admit, this young priest really does have some skill!” The old foreigner beside her, though he didn’t understand the intricacies at play, could not help but marvel at the sight.

“Don’t speak so lightly. This is an orthodox method of cultivation. It seems this Daoist Li comes from no simple background—far beyond the shallow techniques of our Moving Mountain Sect.” Compared to his junior disciples, Zhegu Shao’s knowledge was far superior. Even if he couldn’t fully grasp the methods involved, just sensing the mighty, vigorous life force radiating from Li Yang was enough to tell that this was no ordinary lineage.

“Senior brother, can you tell which lineage he’s from?” Hualing’s curiosity only deepened as she noticed Zhegu Shao’s grave expression.

“There are five ancient lineages: Heaven, Earth, Human, Spirit, and Ghost. Nowadays, the most renowned sects—the Maoshan and Celestial Master Sects—belong to the Celestial line, focusing on refining qi into spirit. The other Daoist lineages have faded into obscurity. This friend Li is brimming with vibrant, overwhelming vitality, reminiscent of the legendary Human Immortal line. But the Human Immortal path has its roots in ancient martial tradition. I have only read of it in old texts—never seen a practitioner with my own eyes.” Zhegu Shao shook his head, explaining in a hushed tone.

“Human Immortal? What’s that? Is it a sect like ours?” Hualing asked, thoroughly puzzled.

“You little thing, always mixing things up. I keep telling you to read more, yet even basic knowledge escapes you.” Zhegu Shao’s face darkened at his junior’s innocent questions. “The Human Immortal line is a cultivation path, not a specific sect. Our Moving Mountain techniques, though shallow, strictly speaking, stem from the Earth Immortal line. But by our generation, only fragments remain.”

“So our sect comes from the Earth Immortal line? Why haven’t you mentioned this before? And is it really possible for humans to become immortals?” The old foreigner’s interest was piqued.

“Do you even listen during lessons?” Zhegu Shao glared at his juniors, who shrank back like startled quails, before sighing. “Whether humans can attain immortality, I do not know. But it is true that one’s lifespan can be extended with cultivation. It’s said that the Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain achieved the Golden Core stage and has lived for over three centuries.”

“Three centuries? That’s truly something. Senior brother, if we could achieve the Golden Core, could we break the curse of our sect?” the old foreigner asked, eyes wide with wonder.

“Though all paths lead to the same destination, each lineage is different. Our Earth Immortal path has no concept of a Golden Core. Whether reaching that level could break our curse, I cannot say. In the history of our sect, not a single one has attained such heights.” At this, Zhegu Shao’s expression darkened.

“You’re up early, Brother Zhegu Shao.” At that moment, Chen Yulou emerged from the mortuary, greeting them before glancing at the distant Li Yang in surprise. “I hadn’t expected Brother Li to be walking the Human Immortal path.”

“Oh? Chief Chen, you seem to know a lot. Care to share?” Zhegu Shao, seeing Chen Yulou’s confident demeanor, set aside his own thoughts and asked out of curiosity.

“I wouldn’t dare claim great knowledge, but our Unsealing Ridge Sect evolved from the Human Immortal lineage. Though much of our heritage is long lost, some records remain. At first, seeing Brother Li’s skill in commanding beasts, I thought he must have inherited some shamanic arts. But now it’s clear that his core cultivation comes directly from the Human Immortal tradition.” Chen Yulou, too, looked puzzled.

“That’s just what confounds me. The Human Immortal path is famed for feats of strength and divine techniques born of one’s own body, yet Brother Li seems more adept at commanding beasts...”

“Perhaps beast-taming is simply his personal preference. There’s no need for us to overanalyze.” The old foreigner interjected, breaking off the fruitless discussion.

With a long exhale, Li Yang opened his eyes to find Luo Laowai and a crowd of his men gathered around, chattering excitedly.

“Commander Luo, what brings you here?”

“Brother Li, your skills are truly remarkable! That cultivation display was something to behold. I brought my men along to witness it myself...” Luo Laowai stepped forward, his tone exaggerated and lively.

Li Yang chuckled and shook his head. “You flatter me, Commander Luo. Just tell me what you need.”

“Hehe, with your bearing, Brother Li, you’re the very image of a legendary immortal in training. I wonder—are you skilled in alchemy or medicine?” Luo Laowai rubbed his hands together, eyeing the porcelain bottle in Li Yang’s hand with a fawning smile.

Li Yang’s mind stirred. Perhaps he could enlist Luo Laowai and the Moving Mountain and Unsealing Ridge sects to help him gather medicinal ingredients. Nurturing exotic beasts required vast resources—far more than he could ever collect alone.

It was a promising path: build his reputation, and let others bring him what he needed. The details would require careful thought.

“Commander Luo, you give me too much credit. I do know something of alchemy—not the key to immortality, but I can certainly concoct medicines to extend life, heal wounds, and ward off plagues.” With his plan forming, Li Yang spoke without modesty, listing his remedies in detail, making Luo Laowai’s mouth water.

“In that case, Brother Li, could I trouble you for some help? As you know, we soldiers all have old injuries. When the weather changes, the pain is unbearable. Of course, I’ll see that you’re well compensated.”

“Making medicine is easy enough, and payment can be discussed. The real difficulty is in sourcing the herbs...” Li Yang pretended to hesitate before voicing his purpose.

“That’s simple! Whatever you need, just say the word—leave it to me to gather it,” Luo Laowai promised, thumping his chest.

“What’s got you so cheerful, Commander Luo?” Chen Yulou, seeing Li Yang finish his meditation, approached with Zhegu Shao.

After Luo Laowai explained, Chen Yulou beamed. “Brother Li, you are indeed a man of many talents! If you don’t mind, let my tens of thousands of men on Changsheng Mountain help you gather herbs as well.”

“You are too kind, Chief Chen. If you’re willing to handle the business, I can only be grateful.” For Li Yang, rare treasures and ancient herbs could never be too plentiful. With Chen Yulou volunteering so eagerly, he had no reason to refuse.