The Heart of Seeking Immortality and the Dao

Looking for you in Guangyi Commandery? The thought just flickered through my mind, but it was too cold. Niu Youdao wasn't in the mood to consider it, nor did he plan to look for the other party. He wasn't interested in these soldiers.

Watching them leave, Niu Youdao, whose teeth were chattering, struggled to climb onto the bamboo raft after confirming they were truly gone.

It was better not to come out. Once out of the water and in the cold wind, it was truly bracing, even colder. He shivered all over, his teeth chattering non-stop. He was cold and hungry. He really wanted to jump back into the water; perhaps it would be warmer. But he knew it would be no different from a frog being boiled in warm water. If he noticed something wrong, he probably wouldn't be able to climb out of the water again.

He fumbled for his tinder to start a fire, only to find it was soaked through and useless.

Spotting the roasted fish on the bamboo raft that he hadn't taken many bites of, he quickly grabbed it. His stiff fingers held it trembling as he bit into it, trying to replenish his energy. His body's heat seemed to have been completely depleted, a coldness that seeped from his bones. He felt like he was freezing solid. The surroundings were clearly a wilderness, with no sign of human habitation to call for help.

Later, he realized it was no use. His entire body felt numb, and he felt drowsy, wanting to sleep.

He knew clearly that he couldn't sleep. This was self-numbness. In his current physical state, if he fell asleep, he wouldn't wake up.

His gaze turned towards the riverbank, wanting to reach the shore and get out. But his body was already frozen, beyond his control, and his consciousness was gradually sinking.

Just as he was about to fall into a stupor, it was as if he was leaning against a furnace in a dream. His back felt scorching hot, and he suddenly woke up.

He scrambled up with a hiss, stunned, and found that his wet cotton clothes were emitting wisps of steam.

His body was no longer cold. The spot on his back was even hot to the touch, and a surging warmth continuously flowed to his limbs and bones, dispelling all the chill.

Before, he felt frozen; now, he felt a burning sensation.

He was only slightly puzzled by this, then fell into thought. The heat source on his back was precisely the acupoint where Dongguo Haoran had infused him with the protective talisman. Thinking of this, he understood. At the same time, he found it incredible. How could Dongguo Haoran's control of internal energy be so miraculous? This further fueled his desire to visit the Shangqing Sect, a desire that could even be called a yearning for immortality and the Dao.

The heat was unbearable. He wanted to regulate and guide this flow of warmth, but his body didn't have the capacity for it. He lacked the basic foundation for circulating energy, and there was no true qi within him to guide. Without the ability to circulate energy, mere thought was useless.

Secondly, he didn't know if his body was suitable for cultivation. To use the terms of cultivators, it was about his roots and bones. Not everyone was suited for qi cultivation; in fact, most people weren't. The reason for this lay in each person's unique physical condition. Qi cultivation had high requirements for the distribution of meridians in the body. Meridians were like the branches within the human body. While the main branches were similar, the smaller connecting branches might not be the same. It was like trees of the same species, but their growth patterns could differ.

Some people might not even have the same main meridian branches, and there were even individuals whose hearts were on the other side of their chest.

Those with poor roots and bones, meaning those with unfavorable physical conditions, could still cultivate qi, but only some simple qigong exercises, like breathing techniques that could prolong life. They wouldn't be able to practice those profound cultivation methods that had complex requirements for qi circulation.

Finally, he was truly too hot. Niu Youdao splashed cold water on his face and even unbuttoned his collar to let the cold wind in. His tattered cotton jacket was still emitting heat, and his skin was flushed red.

While clearing the arrowheads from the bamboo raft, Niu Youdao noticed the token shot by the female general. It was small, a round, dark red piece. One side was carved with a phoenix in flight, and the other side had the character 'Man'.

"Small Seal Script..." he muttered, staring at the characters, his eyes filled with confusion.

The writing used by people here was Small Seal Script? Given his past profession, he was naturally familiar with Small Seal Script and could read it easily.

What puzzled him was that the people in this world spoke Mandarin, yet used Small Seal Script. It seemed chaotic compared to the world he knew. But then again, from the perspective of this world, his own familiar world might be the chaotic one. He didn't know the answer to which side was truly disordered, and he remained bewildered.

The bamboo raft had entered the mountain torrents, drifting rapidly and beginning to bounce and sway.

Niu Youdao, regaining his senses, quickly gathered the series of fishing traps tied to the back of the raft. The journey was long, and they might be useful later; he couldn't let them be destroyed on this complex waterway. He held the bamboo pole in his hand, bracing and fending in the swift canyon river, his collar open against the cold wind, battling the waves that splashed up from time to time. His movements were skilled, and he clearly had experience in handling such situations, remaining unfazed. The scene was magnificent and thrilling.

After passing the rapids, the water flow calmed down again. Niu Youdao was exhausted. He grabbed a dead fish from the raft and ate it raw. A bright moon hung in the sky above the mountains.

It felt like the verses "The cries of apes from both banks are endless, and my light boat has passed ten thousand mountains." The bamboo raft flowed out of the mountains. As the rising sun's golden rays emerged from the horizon, he found a place to dock.

The warmth on his body gradually dissipated, and the cold returned. Finding a suitable spot, he swung his hoe to dig a pit, gathered dry firewood, and dragged dead trees. He then started a fire by friction and fell asleep in the warm embrace of the fire pit.

He slept soundly and set off again upon waking.

In the cold wind, there was bright sunshine; in the desolate night, a river reflected the bright moon. Sun and moon accompanied each other.

He used the bamboo pole in the swift currents, and in the seemingly calm, dead-still waters, he paddled with a simple wooden oar.

Despite the hardships, he found joy in it. His life experience was enough to cope with the cruelty of nature.

Several days later, the river appeared calm, but the current was extremely fast. Niu Youdao immediately knew there must be a cliff similar to a waterfall ahead. Before long, he indeed heard the rumbling sound of a cascading waterfall from afar. He estimated that Dongguo Haoran's so-called waterfall had arrived.

He surveyed his surroundings, faintly seeing a beautiful mountainous area in the distance. Dongguo Haoran's instructions were simple but clear. That place must be the so-called place of spiritual essence and exceptional beauty. He immediately paddled desperately with the wooden oar, struggling in the strong current to reach the shore. With all his might, he dragged Dongguo Haoran's body ashore, and then watched the bamboo raft quickly drift downstream. It tilted at the tail not far away, carrying a pile of dry firewood before disappearing.

He pulled out the woodcutter's axe that was diagonally inserted into his back and tied to his waist. He chopped some trees and vines nearby, making something like a simple stretcher. He placed Dongguo Haoran's body on it, put the vine rope straps over his shoulders, lifted one end of the stretcher, and dragged it along, pulling with his hands and shoulders, moving forward with great difficulty.

He dragged it into the deep mountains. When he reached a place with steep terrain, the stretcher became too heavy to move. He threw it on the ground, collapsed like a dead dog under a tree, untied the bamboo tube at his waist, took a sip of water, and then roared at the top of his lungs, "Are there any Shangqing Sect people here?"

After shouting several times, there was no reaction from the forest. Just as he was about to rest, and then abandon Dongguo Haoran to search on his own, he suddenly heard a "swish" sound. Something hit his face, causing pain. He immediately grabbed his axe and got up, looking around.

"Swish!" Another sound hit his face, causing pain. He looked up and saw a young man in a grey shirt standing on a tree branch, carrying a long sword on his back, looking down at him coldly. He reprimanded, "Where did you wild brat come from, making such a racket here?"

Niu Youdao's eyes lit up, and he asked excitedly, "Are you from the Shangqing Sect?"

The young man said, "How did you, a wild brat, know about the Shangqing Sect?"

Hearing this, he knew he hadn't found the wrong place. He tucked the axe back into his waist and quickly pulled aside the dirty cloth covering Dongguo Haoran's body on the stretcher, revealing his face. He pointed and said, "Him, do you recognize him? Dongguo Haoran, he asked me to find you."

The young man glanced at it, his face changed drastically. He flashed down, quickly checked, and then took out a signal arrow, pulling it back and pointing it at the sky. A ball of smoke and fire emerged, shot up into the sky with a "whoosh," and exploded into sparks with a "bang."

Soon, more than a dozen people flew over from the treetops nearby, all landing with somersaults. Niu Youdao's eyes blinked rapidly, thinking to himself that they all had such light footwork.

Those who arrived confirmed Dongguo Haoran's identity one after another. Then someone shouted, "Quickly report to the sect!"

Someone immediately darted into the forest and disappeared. The others stared at Niu Youdao, surrounding him menacingly, but no one asked him about the situation.

Before long, with rustling sounds, more people landed one after another with somersaults. Finally, Luo Yuangong, Su Po, and Tang Susu all arrived after hearing the news. Tang Yi and Wei Duo also rushed over. Dozens more arrived one after another, and most of the Inner Sect Disciples of the Shangqing Sect were present.

After confirming Dongguo Haoran's body one by one, they looked at each other, their expressions all somewhat solemn.

As Niu Youdao observed their reactions, he looked at Tang Yi a couple more times. He noticed that this girl stood out in the crowd; she was quite beautiful, looking like a fairy. However, it was merely an appreciation of her beauty. He had no other thoughts at the moment. From their reactions, he could tell that Dongguo Haoran held a significant position in the Shangqing Sect.

After squatting beside Dongguo Haoran to examine his injuries, Luo Yuangong stood up and looked at Niu Youdao, asking, "Little brother, did you bring him?"

Niu Youdao nodded, "Yes."

Luo Yuangong nodded, "Thank you. Could you explain the detailed circumstances?"

"I'm from Xiaomiao Village, three hundred miles from here. Our village was raided by soldiers and bandits, so I hid in a small temple in the mountains..." Niu Youdao recounted the general situation. As for the ancient bronze mirror, he followed Dongguo Haoran's instructions and wouldn't speak of it until he knew which of them was Tang Mu.

However, when he mentioned Dongguo Haoran taking him as a disciple, many Inner Sect Disciples present gradually changed their expressions. Tang Susu, in particular, reacted as if her tail had been stepped on. Her sharp gaze flashed, and she shouted to interrupt, "How could Dongguo Haoran casually take a wild kid from a mountain village as a disciple? You're talking nonsense! I'll kill you!"

She didn't just say it; she actually swung her palm to strike, unleashing a powerful palm strike that whistled through the air, sending gusts of wind in all directions.

"Junior Sister!" Luo Yuangong and Su Po exclaimed, but it was too late to stop her. They hadn't expected Tang Susu to attack so suddenly, and with a killing move at that.

Someone probably guessed Tang Susu's intention: Tang Mu was gone, and the succession was to Dongguo Haoran!

Niu Youdao was greatly alarmed. He wasn't without discernment; after all, he had been a cultivator before. The power of this palm strike was truly terrifying. Even before it reached him, it was already crushing him, making it impossible to breathe. If he were truly struck by this palm, he feared he would die instantly.

At such close range, with such a ferocious attack, let alone in his current state, even if he still possessed his former strength, he wouldn't be able to dodge it. He cursed the old woman's ancestors in his heart, never expecting that he had come to the Shangqing Sect to die. It was ironic, considering he had gone through hardships to personally bring Dongguo Haoran's remains as a gesture of sincerity.

In fact, Dongguo Haoran hadn't asked him to bring the remains. As long as he found the Shangqing Sect, the sect would naturally send people to retrieve the body later. It was Niu Youdao who had brought this suffering upon himself to show his sincerity.