In this world, truly, perhaps there is nothing else apart from humans, birds, beasts, fish, and plants. But it’s also possible, as people often say, that in this world, there are other life forms, life forms that transcend human understanding.
According to ancient texts, from the primordial chaos, Taiji was born. And from Taiji itself, three forms of existence came into being: the first life was Pangu, the first energy was Primordial Qi, and the first principle was Primordial Origin—though three, they were one. Pangu, all by himself, day after day, held an axe in his right hand and a chisel in his left, striving to expand the mortal realm. Primordial Qi, all by itself, condensed to form birds, beasts, grass, trees, flowers, and leaves. Primordial Origin, all by itself, created the primal principle that light is light and dark is dark. All of this took a very, very, very long time. This is a story everyone knows.
From ancient times, humans, observing all the strange occurrences around them—flashing lightning and rumbling thunder, fierce winds and heavy rains—things they absolutely could not cause or resist on their own, naturally came to believe that there were immortals in the nine layers of heaven and Yama in the underworld beneath the nine layers of earth.
Thus, legends of immortals were passed down to later generations. Countless individuals sincerely turned their hearts towards the immortals born of their own imagination, offering rituals and burning incense day and night, praying for happiness and wealth. But there were also more exceptional individuals—philosophers, sorcerers, scholars—who rose above the masses, discerning the profound truths hidden within the immortal tales still told to children. If all living beings, from the smallest shrimp and fish, to humans, and even the immortals in the celestial realm, all originated from Taiji, then how could humans not also achieve immortality?
Compared to other species, humans were physically the weakest, yet ultimately they came to rule over all creation. Driven by the dream of becoming immortals, from one generation to the next, all kinds of people—mad and sane, inept and brilliant, renowned and unknown—rose up as others fell, some pouring all their wealth and strength into the diligent search...
Up until now, though still not perfect, some individuals have far surpassed the majority, each in their own way, using their mortal forms and wisdom to realize countless truths of the cosmos. Each had different doctrines, but ultimately, all had, in essence, raised themselves above the humble station of humanity to a higher echelon. They are collectively known as Tu Zhen Jia.
Many profoundly enlightened predecessors, legends say, lived for thousands of years without dying; others possessed boundless, all-encompassing wisdom; still others could lift mountains, block rivers, and summon wind and rain. The common folk believed this was achieving enlightenment and becoming an immortal, so more and more people flocked to the path of Tu Zhen.
But in this life, some live in luxury, while others struggle to make ends meet. Countless people harbored such aspirations, yet perhaps might never see their aspirations fulfilled, even upon reaching their graves. And yet he, who throughout his life had never wished for anything more than a warm meal and delicious soup, suddenly found himself sitting here, in a room.
And this room was located within a house.
And the house, in turn, was located within a mountain villa.
And this mountain villa was part of Jade Knot Palace, a Tu Zhen Sect that, though it only gathered around six hundred Tu Zhen Jia, its status was at least among the eighteen most renowned sects of the era.
“—Tsk, so it’s already been a year, hasn’t it?”
A Si Mo, his name was A Si Mo, jumped out of bed, washed his face and combed his hair, stretched his shoulders and twisted his back to get his blood flowing, then began folding his quilt and mosquito net. Everything was done swiftly and methodically. Once finished, he looked around to check everything, then stepped out the door, beginning another day as an apprentice Cultivator.
A Si Mo, like most other disciples of Jade Frost Palace, had been an orphan since childhood. But unlike his fellow disciples, he was not from the Central Plains, but from the Near Desert, and a very typical Near Desert person at that: his skin was dark, tanned, and smooth, while his hair was a lustrous black. His eyebrows were curved and thin, and his eyes were large, black, and bright like two pools of lamp oil.
Who his parents were, or what they looked like, A Si Mo could only vaguely recall, because from a young age, he had been adopted by an uncle from his clan. That uncle told him that when he was three years old, his mother fell gravely ill and passed away. Four years later, after entrusting him to this uncle, his father also closed his eyes forever.
He lived with his uncle's family for four years when, one day, a misfortune suddenly occurred. Someone used cunning to seize his uncle's market share, causing the uncle to lose almost all his livelihood overnight. With no other choice, his uncle decided to sell all his possessions, investing all his accumulated capital into one big trade journey, a do-or-die venture. It was on this journey that he became acquainted with a younger brother, three years his junior, named Zi Ranlong, the son of a Central Plains merchant who was traveling with his uncle. However, man proposes, God disposes; not long after that caravan entered the Central Plains territory, a band of bandits ambushed them, slaughtering almost everyone, leaving only the two children, him and Zi Ranlong. As they tried to protect the corpses of their loved ones, the robbers slashed them across the back, their blood mingling into one...
Recalling the old tragedy and his friend from that life-or-death moment, A Si Mo couldn't help but sigh. If it weren't for their fate not yet being sealed, if a Jade Frost Palace elder hadn't happened to pass by at that very moment, taking pity and saving them, slaughtering all the bandits, they might well have been wandering spirits by now. That elder treated and saved him and Zi Ranlong, then brought them back to Jade Frost Palace to be taken in. Time flew by like a shuttle; more than seven months had passed, and gradually, A Si Mo had overcome the past and grown accustomed to his new life.
Opening the door, a gentle cold wind swept past, making A Si Mo shiver despite wearing a very warm padded jacket. The Near Desert blood flowing in his veins made him almost immune to the scorching heat of the desert, but not to the icy winds and snow of the high mountains. Placing his hand on the hilt of the knife at his hip, A Si Mo took a deep breath; a warm sensation spread from his palm, chasing away the cold clinging to his very bones.
This knife was a treasured family heirloom, his uncle always used to say. From the tip of the blade to the end of the hilt, it measured exactly nine *tấc* (36 cm) long, with a six-*tấc* (24 cm) blade and a perfectly straight spine. His uncle had used this very blade to fight off bandits. Later, his uncle was ambushed and stabbed in the back by the bandit leader, but before dying, he still managed to blind one of the bandit leader's eyes. A Simo and Ziran Long had stood back-to-back, the two boys merely imitating adults, grabbing whatever they could to defend themselves. Of course, it was useless. When they were rescued and revived by that elder, A Simo realized he still had the knife with him. From then on, he always kept the knife by his side, treating it as a memento.
In the past, whenever he was plagued by nightmares each night, A Simo would go to his room's doorway and use the gleaming blade to reflect the moonlight and starlight, seeking solace. Perhaps because the blade had been passed down through countless generations of his family, or perhaps because it was his only remaining link to his old family, whenever he gripped it tightly in his hand, A Simo would feel significantly more at ease, his loneliness and fear greatly diminished.
"Alright, let's begin."
With his mind now calm again, A Simo stretched a few more times, then began his daily training regimen, which Senior Brother Shang Xiong had taught him seven months ago.
A Simo was a disciple of Medicine Hall Master Zhu Yuyan, one of the six elders of Yujie Palace. Every day, Medicine Hall disciples would rise early and climb Mubao Peak to chop firewood. Occasionally, they would go to the north bank of Tianxing River to carry water. This routine would repeat until midday. After lunch, they would go to Jingling Hall to meditate and absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth until evening. After dinner was everyone's free time, but generally, it was also spent cultivating.
He remembered the first day he began his cultivation. Senior Brother Shang Xiong had come directly into his room to wake him up. He rubbed his eyes and looked outside; it was still very early. At that time, he asked Senior Brother Shang Xiong, who replied very simply:
"Of course, one cannot be lazy in cultivation. Get up quickly and come practice with me."
The first time he climbed the peak, after only a short distance, he realized the slope was getting steeper and steeper, and the path was much longer than he had imagined. However, he looked at Senior Brother Shang Xiong beside him, who was still walking with utmost ease, his steps incredibly nimble, so he gritted his teeth and continued to follow. Yet, half an hour later, A Simo was so exhausted he was panting, his legs numb, utterly worn out.
Senior Brother Shang Xiong, who was ahead, saw his state, chuckled softly, and stopped to wait for him. A Simo didn't pay much attention then; he could only collapse onto the ground, desperately trying to catch his breath.
The Senior Brother then said with a smile, "Junior Brother, you should know that for cultivators, the body is the most important. If your body isn't strong, even the most profound cultivation methods will be impossible to practice. Our Yujie Palace originates from Taoism, and we highly value the way of nurturing life and strengthening the body. The more profound the cultivation method, the more crucial the body becomes. Do you understand?"
Seven months ago it was like that, and now he had grown accustomed to it. Though he still had to exert himself, he no longer had to stop at every turn on the path from the mountain villa up to the edge of the forest; he only paused once or twice, depending on his physical condition. Of course, when he arrived, he still found it difficult to even breathe, only able to lean against a tree and massage his legs for a while before he could stand upright. But even that was progress.
Pulling out a wood-chopping saber he had sharpened beforehand, A Simo walked up to a small pine tree, just a little taller than him, and assessed it from top to bottom. Positioning the blade where he felt comfortable, A Simo licked his lips a few times, then took a breath and swung the saber down. There was a sharp clang, as if the saber had struck hard rock, making A Simo’s hand tingle and causing him to drop the blade. The pine tree was still small, its trunk quite flexible, and with one chop, it leaned slightly backward. A Simo couldn’t hold onto the blade, and with nothing to hold it back, the tree trunk sprang back, whistling through the air like a whip.
“Not a chance… Ow!”
A Simo had barely opened his mouth to gloat when suddenly a pinecone fell and hit him on the head, causing excruciating pain. Furthermore, A Simo was unprepared at that moment, and this unexpected “ambush” sent him stumbling to the ground, where he could only groan in pain, clutching both his head and his backside.
He hadn’t known before that when he chopped down a tree, this would happen; he couldn’t dodge in time, and the back of his hand was fiercely struck by the small pine tree, causing immense pain. This time, he avoided the melon peel only to step on a coconut shell; the pinecone on the branch, dislodged by his chop, fell and hit him on the head. So painful!
“A Simo, what on earth are you little rascal doing?”
Turning his head, A Simo couldn’t help but curse himself inwardly. Had he stepped out of the wrong side of the bed today? Why was his Senior Sister here?
The Yujie Gong was formed by six smaller branches, known as the Six Halls: Zheng Hall, Guan Hall, Jin Hall, Yao Hall, Qi Hall, and Shu Hall. The six Hall Masters were also the six elders who presided over the Yujie Gong, each with their own lineage of disciples. For example, Ziranlong was a disciple of Guan Hall Master Xin Yan. Yao Hall Master Zhu Yuyan was his Master. Besides him, there were two other disciples in Yao Hall: Senior Brother Chang Sheng and Second Senior Sister Zhu Tangmeng, who was the Master’s granddaughter.
Senior Sister Zhu was a year younger than him but had joined the sect earlier, so by rules, she was still his Senior Sister. Because he hadn’t known the situation, the day after he formally acknowledged Zhu Yuyan as his Master, when he met her, he mistook her for a lost little girl (He still didn’t understand what he was thinking at the time to believe that), which led to this scene:
He placed his hand on her head and gently ruffled it:
“Little sister, what are you doing here? Are you lost?”
“I… Brother… who are you?”
“Me? My name is A Simo.”
“A Simo? I… I don’t know anyone named A Simo.”
“Hmm… I think I’m, how should I put it… Master Zhu’s third disciple, I guess.”
“Oh, if that’s the case…”
He ruffled her head again:
“So, what’s your name?”
“Tangmeng, but…”
He ruffled her head a third time, even messing up her hair completely this time:
“Tangmeng, huh? What a lovely name! So, are you lost?”
“No, I’m not… but wait…”
“Don’t worry, little sister. When I was your age, I used to sneak off to play all the time…”
“Tsk.”
Suddenly, from the small, pretty girl in front of him, a terrifying killing intent erupted, one that would make gods and demons tremble. A Simo recoiled in fright so quickly that he stumbled and fell flat on the ground. At this point, he still lacked much experience talking to her, so he immediately committed a taboo:
"– Little sister... don't cry. When I was little, I used to get lost a lot too..."
After that, well... in short, he was immediately put on Sister Chu's blacklist. She held such a deep-seated grudge against him that she would interrogate him at every turn, making him fear her nine times out of ten.
"– Idiot, it's been seven months and you still can't chop down a pine tree?"
"– Sister Chu, what's the name of this pine tree?"
Sister Chu was dumbfounded when she heard him say that, looking at him as if he were an idiot. (Well, in her eyes, he was always an idiot, but this was different):
"– Don't tell me a pinecone fell on your head and you lost your memory?"
"– Just answer me."
Sister Chu shot him another glance, then shrugged:
"– It's called the Black Gold Pine?"
"– Why is it called the Black Gold Pine?"
"– Hey, you really haven't lost your mind, have you? Brother Chang explained this to you on the very first day."
"– Just answer me."
A Simo repeated himself. If there was one thing that made him feel Sister Chu was most like a ten-year-old girl, it was her intense curiosity.
"– Hmph. That's because the spiritual energy of heaven and earth on Mu Bao Mountain is very abundant. The plants here have absorbed this spiritual energy for generations, long since transforming their essence. Just like that tree, its age is probably roughly the same as yours, yet ordinary people can't easily chop it down, which is why it's called the Black Gold Pine."
"– My current cultivation level..."
"– Qi Condensation Stage, first layer."
This time, before he could finish speaking, Sister Chu quickly cut him off, her arms crossed over her chest, clearly very impatient. However, A Simo wasn't about to miss an opportunity to tease her like this, so he calmly stood up, dusted off his pants, and spread his arms, saying:
"– My cultivation level is still at the first layer of the Qi Condensation Stage, no different from an ordinary person. Of course, I can't chop down a Black Gold Pine; otherwise, it would disgrace its name. You are a heaven-favored daughter, having reached the first layer of the Foundation Establishment Stage at just ten years old. Those in the world who can compare to you can be counted on one's fingers. If I could also easily chop down this tree like you, wouldn't that mean I'm your equal? That's impossible."
This answer was four parts specious reasoning and six parts flattery. However, Sister Chu was only ten years old, so she probably couldn't see through it and naturally found it agreeable.
A Simo was secretly gloating in his heart, when he suddenly heard Sister Chu continue speaking, her subsequent words striking his ears like thunder:
"– Then, today, your punishment is to cook both lunch and dinner."
"– Huh? Why punish me? What did I do wrong?"
"– How long did it take me to break through to the first layer of the Qi Condensation Stage?"
A Simo was a little speechless. Sister Chu, are you trying to hoist me by my own petard? But now, he couldn't not answer.
"– Three months."
"– How long did it take Senior Brother to break through to the first layer of the Qi Condensation Stage?"
"– Se... seven months."
"– Seven months. You've been here for over seven months, and there's still no sign of you breaking through to the first layer. So, where's the problem? Is Brother Cang Xiong a poor teacher? I can go report to Master and have him tutor you instead of me."
"– No, Senior Brother is very attentive in teaching me, not negligent at all. He guides me very carefully and thoroughly."
If you teach me, my future days will truly be bleak.
– Then it can only be because you’re lazy. They say one should learn one thing and understand ten, yet you learned from Senior Brother Shang Xiong and are still worse than him. If every disciple of Jade Frost Palace were like you, would Jade Frost Palace’s legacy be able to endure for so long?
– No, but…
Before he could think of a way to turn the situation around, Senior Sister Chu calmly played her last card:
– Sect Rule Number Six: “Any Senior Brother or Senior Sister who finds a Junior Brother or Junior Sister from the same sect path lazy and unwilling to cultivate may, at their discretion, impose strict discipline and instruction. Punishments may only consist of normal household chores; heavier punishments require the approval of the Master or the Steward’s Office.” As your Senior Sister, I am now assigning you the punishment of cooking today’s meal, which does not exceed the sect rules in any way. So, do you have any objections?
Objections? Damn right I have objections! Of course I object! This is taking out her anger on an innocent party, twisting logic, and mixing personal and public affairs. Just as A Simo was about to open his mouth to protest, Senior Sister Chu transformed into a blur, instantly closing in on him, startling him so much that he fell backward again, landing on his backside.
– I’ll ask again, do you have any objections?
Oh no. He had once again committed a major taboo of Senior Sister Tang Meng: She was only 11 years old, yet her cultivation far surpassed her peers, earning her a place among the sect’s young prodigies. But precisely because of this, her personality was incredibly competitive and she never tolerated being gainsaid.
I’ll endure.
– I… I have no objections.
He forced himself to speak through the pain. Ugh, why is my fate so miserable? But just then, Senior Sister Chu reached out towards him, making him instinctively lean back.
– S-Senior Sister… what are you doing? I’ve already surrendered.
– Hmph, quiet down. Let me see where you got hurt just now.
She bent down slightly, her small hands gently stroking his hair, her voice very soft.
– Getting hit on the head by a pinecone can still cause problems, you know. If you were to kick the bucket like that, it would truly be a ridiculously pointless death. Let me check if your empty head is alright.
A Simo was a little surprised by Senior Sister Chu’s gentle gesture. Even more surprising, he suddenly felt an unnamed warmth well up in his heart. However, he merely smiled, not paying much attention to it, and said:
– Oh, if it’s an empty head, how could it possibly be hurt?
– Oh, my mistake. It should be a completely stupid head. This young lady needs to concentrate, so quiet down.
He chuckled softly. Although Senior Sister Chu had a hot temper and was stubborn, she actually cared about others. He recalled one time when she found him crying in his room; she immediately kicked the door open and stayed by his side all night, gently but incessantly scolding him, calling him “stupid,” “ignorant,” and asking “if you wanted to cry, why hide it from everyone?” yet she never left his side that entire night.
Senior Sister Chu suddenly said:
– My mother often said that whenever you’re in pain somewhere, if someone just blows on it gently, the pain will go away immediately.
After saying that, she gently blew on his head. The mountain air was cool. As Senior Sister Chu blew on his head, A Simo felt a slight tickle, but the pain truly did lessen.
– How is it? Feeling better?
What he said next, even he didn’t quite understand.
– Ah.
– Oh no, did I hurt you?
– You did it wrong, so of course I’m in pain.
– What did I do wrong?
– My father said it’s not blowing. He said wherever you’re in pain, someone else has to kiss you there.
– You… what did you say?
– Ah… my head hurts so much… it’s killing me… it feels like someone’s hitting my head with a hammer…
– Even if it hurts, you don't need to h-ho… like that, do you?
– AAAAAAA…
– Alright… alright, you… you calm down.
At that moment, Sister Duong Mong’s face was crimson, tears even streaming from the corners of her eyes. But then, she tremblingly grabbed his shoulders and pulled him closer. Her lips were first tightly pursed, then slightly puckered, and then…
– You damn idiot.
Wham! Sister Duong Mong’s Iron Head Skill truly had profound power; one blow sent him sprawling to the ground. How terrible. She immediately turned her back and stomped away, only throwing back one line:
– Go die by yourself, I don’t care anymore.
Despite her words, when A Tu Mac slightly tilted his head to watch Sister Duong Mong’s small figure depart, her earlobes were still bright red.
– Ai ya, there’s no need to be so heavy-handed.
And so, for the rest of that day, he just lay there, face up to the sky, laughing like an idiot, until Senior Brother Thuong came to call him.
Oh, and he still had to cook lunch and dinner for that day. Ha.