Bright moonlight, secluded deep mountains.
By the murmuring brook, Jiang Lai sat cross-legged atop a slab of green stone, her shoulder-length short hair framing a supple, slender figure. Her clear eyes, flowing gently, seemed as profound as an empty valley, suffused with a subtle aura of spiritual grace.
Zhang Fan was silent, saying nothing. This was his third meeting with Jiang Lai…
Each encounter led into realms of unbelievable mystery; every glance upward, he felt this woman was untouched by the smoke and dust of the mortal world, so ethereal as to be somewhat unreal.
"Last night… that giant serpent I met, was it real?" Zhang Fan couldn't hold back, voicing the question in his heart.
"Primordial Spirit emergence."
Jiang Lai's beautiful eyes lifted lightly, her voice cold and clear, uttering just those four words.
"I really glimpsed the Primordial Spirit? Cultivation is real…"
Zhang Fan was deep in thought. Ever since entering Zhenwu Mountain, everything he'd encountered was beyond belief. Though he'd started to piece together suspicions, hearing the words "Primordial Spirit emergence," his heart still surged with emotion.
"Then just now…"
Zhang Fan raised his hand, examining his right arm, recalling the transformation moments ago, his face showing hesitation.
"Primordial Spirit draws lunar brilliance, Qi interacts, Dragon and Snake transformation…"
Jiang Lai's gaze swept over Zhang Fan, as though in inspection.
After Initial Movement comes Manifestation; through refining the Primordial Spirit, dissolving all shadowy impurities, the body undergoes all manner of inconceivable changes and gains extraordinary power.
Dragon and Snake transformation—this is tantamount to successful Foundation Establishment, and is equivalent to the Qi Worker rank among the Nine Major Ranks of Manifestation.
"Cultivation truly is miraculous…"
Zhang Fan pondered deeply; he could indeed feel his body had grown lighter, his strength clearly enhanced, his perception heightened—even able to hear worms crawling beneath the earth…
"Just now, my arm seemed to sprout scales… I won't turn into a snake, will I…" Zhang Fan recalled his recent changes, and inadvertently grew worried.
"Embrace One—Form of All Under Heaven…" Jiang Lai lowered her eyelids, her voice soft as silk.
Embrace One—Form of All Under Heaven; following the laws of nature, all techniques are born.
One can be as soft as a baby, as the breath of a turtle or snake, as the longevity of pine and cypress, as ephemeral as the life and death of a mayfly… In the end, all methods return to One, finally attaining Dao.
Each method differs, but that's not what matters. Only "Embrace One"—regardless of dharma lineage, regardless of transformation… In truth, there's no real difference.
"Embrace One—Form of All Under Heaven…" Zhang Fan muttered quietly, savoring the words.
"Let's go."
At that moment, Jiang Lai slowly rose to her feet.
"Go where?"
"Qingwei Palace."
As she spoke, Jiang Lai leapt deeply, like a woodland fawn, darting into the endless night.
"Wait for me!"
Zhang Fan hurried after her. In less than a minute, the old, broken-down palace and temple loomed before him—the very place he and Li Yishan had tried and failed to enter earlier.
"This is Qingwei Palace?"
"You'll be safe here…" Jiang Lai said calmly.
Hearing this, Zhang Fan instinctively glanced back. Since this was Zhenwu Mountain, the Qian Family brothers probably wouldn't come after him.
Whoosh…
Just then, Jiang Lai vaulted effortlessly over the wall.
"Wait— You…"
Seeing this, Zhang Fan pushed off with his feet, and with a leap cleared the three-meter-high wall in a flash. Before, he would've had to climb on Li Yishan's back just to get over.
He was utterly amazed by his newfound abilities.
In the front yard, an old well stood lonely amidst wild grasses. In the moonlight, Zhang Fan saw a stone plank lying across the mouth of the well, carved with intricate talismanic runes.
"Why isn't there a single person around?" Zhang Fan followed Jiang Lai, entering the rear hall courtyard.
"Legend says this is the place where Zhenwu attained the Dao… On ordinary days, few come here…" Jiang Lai said quietly.
"Such a grand legacy?" Zhang Fan was stunned, unable to help scrutinizing the unimpressive palace and temple.
"Why don't they dress it up a little, open it to the public?"
A place where Zhenwu became immortal—even that name alone, with a bit of PR, would be like Emperor Qin Shi Huang eating peppercorns—winning big.
"Would you turn your family's ancestral grave into a tourist spot?" Jiang Lai replied indifferently without so much as a glance back.
"If tickets were 280 yuan… Might be worth considering."
"..."
"Who goes there?"
Just then, a stern shout came from afar; the courtyard lights snapped on brightly. Next, two Daoists, one tall and thin, one short and stout, appeared, carrying flashlights, blinding beams pointed at Zhang Fan.
"Don't misunderstand… We're on the same side."
Zhang Fan hurriedly raised his hand to block the glare, twisting aside and saying, "Jiang Lai, explain to them…"
He stopped mid-sentence—turning, Jiang Lai was nowhere to be found, not even a shadow.
"Who are you? Sneaking into Qingwei Palace in the dead of night—how dare you!"
The tall, thin Daoist gripped his flashlight, wariness gleaming in his eyes.
"Let's take him and talk later."
The short, fat Daoist stepped forward; a fierce wind kicked up, like a tiger descending a mountain. In a flash, he was in front of Zhang Fan, his fleshy hand reaching straight for Zhang Fan's shoulder.
Buzz…
In that split second, Zhang Fan reacted instinctively—his body shrank back, whipping away like a flash of lightning; moving like a snake, he dodged the short, fat Daoist's grasp.
"Dragon and Snake transformation… So, you're one of us…" The short, fat Daoist's expression altered slightly.
Such reflexes, such speed—to evade that grab—no ordinary human could match that physique.
At the very least, he'd stepped into Manifestation, accomplished the Dragon and Snake transformation, attaining the Qi Worker rank.
"Stay."
At that moment, the short, fat Daoist clenched both fists, making a hugging gesture. His throat vibrated as he let out a thunderous shout—like a bell ringing suddenly, shaking the soul.
"Alarm Bell Roar!!!"
In Zhenwu Mountain's Daoist Skill, there exist Twelve Roar Techniques, paired with hand seals, meant to subdue Ghost Gods… The Alarm Bell Roar was one of them.
Instantly, Zhang Fan's complexion turned pale; his mind buzzed, unable to concentrate, his spirit in chaos. In that window of distraction, the short, fat Daoist seized him by the collar, lifting him high.
"Let him go."
Just then, a chilly voice sounded in the night.
The short, fat Daoist paused, then slowly set Zhang Fan down.
"Senior brother, he…"
"Wu You, Wu Wei… Step back for now. This is Zhenwu Mountain—the arrival of anyone shouldn't agitate your Consciousness so. Where have all your days of Qi Cultivation gone?"
The cold voice rang out again. Zhang Fan found it familiar—steadying his mind, he looked up, and recognized the face.
"Taoist Pojie!?"
Back when Zhang Fan and Li Yishan spied on Qingwei Palace, it was this very Daoist who kindly warned them away.
"Hmm!?"
Taoist Pojie was startled to hear Zhang Fan call his name; after a pause, he looked Zhang Fan up and down, hesitating a moment before recollection struck him.
"You? How did you…"
In that instant, Taoist Pojie's face changed dramatically. His eyes were wide, staring hard at Zhang Fan. Despite years of cultivation, his heart roiled with emotion, impossible to stay calm.
He remembered—two days ago, Zhang Fan was still just an ordinary sightseer, a mere mortal who wandered into the temple…
But in just two days—how could it be…