Dao Practitioner

Yu Ziqing felt that he was still too young.

No matter what, he had never thought of this. The last time Old Yang had joked with him, he had casually said that Yu Ziqing had four stomachs, so eating that little food would never risk bursting them.

At the time, Yu Ziqing had actually sighed inwardly. This world really was dangerous. An evil-path Shepherd knew the Art of Beast Creation well enough to alter even the structure of a human's internal organs.

With insufficient knowledge, he naturally had not suspected anything.

Only now did he realize that a method capable of directly changing the inside of a life-form was far beyond what ordinary Art of Beast Creation could accomplish.

For the moment, the danger level of this world was still within the scope of his understanding.

The instant that thought surfaced, he felt young again. He had fallen right back into the trap of using the boundaries of his own knowledge to define things he did not understand.

What the hell did "within the scope of understanding" mean?!

He could not understand it at all.

He was certain that Old Yang had never cultivated before. He had simply been an ordinary person—at most, his legs had been fairly nimble and his spirit had been good.

Then there was the fact that he knew a great deal and had read widely.

Even though Yu Ziqing was now practicing boxing under the guidance of the extraordinary ordinary man Er Han, and his body was growing stronger by the day, with a distinctly nonhuman ordinary person right before his eyes,

Yu Ziqing still could not understand how Old Yang had done it.

How had he gone from being a victim of the Art of Beast Creation to truly becoming a goat, completely changing his life-form?

And how had he dared to do it? How had he been willing to do it?

Old Yang saw Yu Ziqing's shock, and he also saw his confusion. He rose, extended a hoof, and patted Yu Ziqing on the shoulder.

"Don't worry. This is already the best possible outcome. The old me could only begin again after dying.

"From the moment I had you call me Old Yang, I had already made my decision.

"Now, there is only Old Yang."

"I..."

"You don't need to ask."

Yu Ziqing had only just opened his mouth when Old Yang interrupted him.

"I know you really want to know why, but even in Jinlan Village, I don't dare say. The reason behind it is something I absolutely cannot reveal yet.

"Didn't you want to cultivate? I can teach you some things right now."

Old Yang shifted the subject somewhat stiffly. Yu Ziqing fell silent and could only continue forcing himself not to ask. He knew that if Old Yang said he did not dare, and had even been willing to turn into a sheep to escape it, then speaking of it would certainly bring enormous danger.

"There are many paths of cultivation in this world, and countless cultivation methods.

"First, choose a path of cultivation, then choose a cultivation method.

"Qi Refining cultivators are the most numerous. They are orthodox. Qi-Eaters are Divine and Long-lived; Qi Refining cultivators have the longest lifespans, so they naturally attract the most followers.

"Body Refining cultivators are fewer in number. Their bodies are like Black Iron and refined steel; even in death, they do not decay. They possess many divine abilities and resemble demonic beasts or barbarian tribes.

"Spirit Refining cultivators are fewer still. Their powers are strange and uncanny, impossible to guard against. Even if they fall, they may still have a chance to start over.

"These three have the greatest numbers. After that come all sorts of niche cultivation paths. There are too many of them, and most are connected to the first three. You can learn about them when you get the chance."

"What about Dao Practitioners?" Yu Ziqing asked. He had heard this title more than once.

Even the evil paths of the Wasteland knew that the Dao Practitioners of Great Qian held extremely high status and were very difficult to deal with, especially the Dao Practitioners of Langya Academy.

"Dao Practitioners are all mortals. Or rather, no matter what they were in the past or what they will be in the future, they are mortals now."

"Mortals?"

That answer was somewhat beyond Yu Ziqing's expectations.

"That's right. Mortals." Old Yang chuckled.

"Just as there are no two identical leaves in this world, people are not the same either. Even identical twins born of the same mother are bound to differ.

"There is no scripture or cultivation method in this world that completely and perfectly suits a person.

"The so-called scriptures and methods are merely paths pointed out by those who came before for those who come after. The one truly walking the road is still yourself.

"There will inevitably be a flaw that most people overlook. Once they reach a certain height, it becomes an impassable heavenly chasm forever.

"That is because they have already walked their former path and can no longer turn back.

"Many, many years ago, a man reached the summit, only to discover that the road ahead was completely blocked. No amount of heavenly treasures or earthly riches could help him. In despair, he dispersed all his cultivation, shattered his true body, and annihilated his soul.

"Yet by some accident, he did not die. He was cast down into the body of a mortal.

"This time, he did not hurry to practice Qi Refining. Instead, in the body of a mortal, he first cultivated Dao cultivation and studied everything.

"By the time he was eight hundred and thirty years old, even various spirit medicines could no longer extend his life, and his lifespan was completely exhausted. He had not even begun Qi Refining or undertaken Hundred Day Foundation Building.

"At that moment, he merged all his previous knowledge with a lifetime of research. In a single instant, he comprehended the Dao, opening a new path for himself and for future cultivators.

"He absorbed Qi in one day, advanced one level a day, and twelve days later laughed three times before transforming into a rainbow and chasing the sun away.

"And that was the beginning of the Dao Practitioners."

"How should this senior be addressed?" Yu Ziqing asked reverently. A powerhouse like this was the kind of cheat-enabled legend where you could not even see his back. Saying "truly awesome" would almost feel like belittling him.

"We descendants respectfully call him the Dao Beginning True Immortal, the beginning of the Dao Practitioners.

"After that, whenever cultivators could make no further progress, some followed in that senior's footsteps, dispersed their cultivation, and killed themselves in hopes of cultivating anew. Who knew how many seniors perished because of this? Gradually, people began to summarize some methods, and at last, some managed to succeed.

"Later, everyone understood that the safest method was to begin as a mortal: first cultivate Dao cultivation, then absorb Qi.

"When one's Dao cultivation was sufficient and one clearly understood which path of cultivation to take, entering the Dao and absorbing Qi into the body in a single step became as unstoppable as splitting bamboo. The path of Qi Refining would have no bottlenecks or obstacles. Crossing several levels in a mere few months would bring no hidden trouble.

"Unfortunately, although that was how things were, only a minority were willing to settle their minds, conduct research, comprehend the Dao, and cultivate Dao cultivation.

"After all, a Dao Practitioner remained a mortal for every day they did not enter the Dao. Without someone to protect them or any means of self-defense, they could easily perish. Some Dao Practitioners of Great Qian rarely even left Langya Academy."

Yu Ziqing mulled it over and felt that it was probably like leveling up first without spending any points. Once one's level rose, all one's other stats would still be terrible. Then, after deciding what class to change into, one could change classes directly and spend points afterward, without wasting a single point.

So, at the same level, they ought to be stronger.

"That's enough. Don't worry about these things for now. I'll teach you everything you need to learn. In any case, aside from nourishing your body, you can't practice Qi Refining here. Once you've decided later, we'll talk about which path you want to take.

"I'm tired. I need to rest. Go outside for now."

Old Yang interrupted Yu Ziqing's thoughts and drove him out.

Actually, Yu Ziqing still wanted to ask many things. For example: Could he first cultivate one level of Dao cultivation, then practice Qi Refining, and cultivate Dao cultivation again afterward?

Could he first level up to ten, then change classes and spend his points? After changing classes, would he no longer be able to level up?

Or would something go wrong later if he had not leveled up enough?

His knowledge was too limited, and he did not really understand. In any case, this method had been continuously perfected over so many years and still remained this way. There had to be a reason for it.

He could regard Langya Academy as an academy of cultivation science. The people there would always know more than he did about professional matters.

After leaving the Earth Den and arriving at the place where they had celebrated earlier, Yu Ziqing saw that more than half the people had already left.

The trade had ended. Yu Ziqing also saw many people holding new tools. Some had obtained clothes to keep out the cold, and there were even several new large iron pots. Everyone looked quite happy.

They probably did not care about the preciousness of Jinlan Ore. After all, the stuff could not be eaten or worn, and they had no use for it.

Of course, Yu Ziqing guessed that the traded goods definitely consisted of more than these worthless items. For example, the Molten Millet Cake he had seen before must have been made from raw materials traded in from outside.

There was nothing similar in the village at all.

Those raw materials should not have been cheap or easy to obtain in Great Qian either.

Yu Ziqing had just walked over when Er Han emerged from who knew where and dragged him outside.

"Young Master Yu, Grandfather wants to see you."

"What is it?"

"Come with me."

Er Han led Yu Ziqing all the way to the village entrance.

As soon as they arrived, Yu Ziqing saw the two brothers who had secretly brought Old Yang out earlier. They had been bound hand and foot and tossed onto the ground, while several burly, fierce-looking villagers stood beside them.

The Village Chief leaned on his cane, his face cold as he stared ahead of the village.

"Village Chief." Yu Ziqing clasped his hands in greeting. By now, he had calmed down and did not immediately demand that the two brothers be beaten to death.

The Village Chief turned around. A trace of a smile and a trace of apology appeared on his face.

"Young Master Yu, someone in the village broke the rules. I failed to keep them in line. I asked you here today so you could bear witness and vent your anger."

The two men on the ground struggled to say something, but unfortunately their mouths were stuffed full. The yellow-faced man's terrified face had turned ashen, while the other wore a savage expression, though no one knew what he wanted to say.

The two of them had not even properly learned the village's rules, yet they had dared to do something like this.

Colluding with outsiders to harm someone from the village was the greatest of taboos. Though no one in the village had violated this rule for many years, and some had even begun to forget it,

anyone who was not a fool should have understood it after staying in the village for so long.

"Young Master Yu, do you want to hear what they have to say?" the Village Chief asked again.

"No need. I don't particularly want to listen, and I already know what they'll say."

What could they say?

That they had been bewitched by An Yue, that they regretted it terribly, that they should not be killed, and so on. That An Yue had ordered them to do it, that An Yue would take them away, blah blah blah...

What else could there be?

Were they idiots? Yu Ziqing was absolutely certain that An Yue would never say anything like that. She would never take them away, and she probably would not even spare them a glance.

The Village Chief nodded in approval and waved to the several strong men beside him.

The burly men, who seemed to have been waiting impatiently, fire blazing in their eyes, said nothing. They lifted the two men, carried them to the village entrance, and threw them directly into the Locust tree forest.

The thick layer of fallen leaves in the Locust tree forest flowed like quicksand. Accompanied by a rustling sound, it swallowed the struggling men bit by bit. In no time, the forest once again returned to deathly silence.

The group turned and left. Yu Ziqing understood why the Village Chief had done this.

It was to set Yu Ziqing's heart at ease.

It meant: You are one of our villagers, and among our own people, you are part of the most important handful.

Regardless of whether the Village Chief had known anything before or had made any guesses, none of that mattered.

From this day onward, Old Yang was a sheep. Not only was mentioning that Old Yang had once been human forbidden—even guessing it was a grave taboo in the village. After death, he would not even have the right to be buried in the Back Mountain, and his status would be lower than that of someone who stole and ate White Meat.