A Youngster's Promise

After the old man's voice fell, it was as if several thunderous rumbles erupted in the void, auspicious clouds shifting in colorful splendor, rolling away.

Ten thousand feet of auspicious clouds churned, a thousand rays of auspicious aura transformed.

The man and the yellow ox instinctively raised their heads, their faces tense, searching the rolling auspicious clouds for something. In the end, they found nothing and dispersed, only then breathing a sigh of relief. They exchanged glances, both slightly shaken—

"May your name be recorded on a jade slip, your body adorned in a cassock."

"To summon all spirits as witnesses, the Five Emperors to certify."

The weight of these two sentences was immense, in a way, extremely heavy.

The first sentence simply meant that your name would be recorded on a jade slip, and you would don the attire of the Daoist Sect.

The second sentence, however, was about your initiation, requiring the spirits and deities of the world to be present as witnesses and the Five Heavenly Emperors to personally certify.

Although it was just the old man's words, the location was special, and no one knew how much weight this sentence carried, or how far the Daoist name [Xuanwei] would spread, or how many people would know of it. But no matter what, it could not be mere empty words.

Finally, the old man smiled and released the hand holding the jade slip.

Qi WuHuo saw that on the white jade slip, the back was inscribed with the five characters [Jin Province Qi WuHuo], and the front bore the two golden characters [Xuanwei]. The white jade was the base, with gilded cloud script, subtly seeming to possess a principle of flowing change. The old man tucked the jade slip into Qi WuHuo's sleeve and said, "Now, you are my disciple."

Qi WuHuo's eyes brightened. He wanted to smile but instinctively raised his hand and touched his hairpin.

The young man's brows suddenly filled with a smile.

In the past, he wore simple short tunics and blue shirts, convenient for chopping firewood on the mountain. His hair was merely tied with a grass rope. Now, he had changed into the attire of the Daoist Sect, with cloud-sleeved robes and Daoist shoes. His black hair was tied with a Daoist hairpin, and a sword box was slung across his back, containing a sword and a zither.

The old man then took something from the man, a box, and placed it into his sleeve. After a brief chat, the sky outside had completely darkened. Lamps were lit in the room. The old man stopped the conversation, looked at Qi WuHuo and the young girl chatting nearby, nodded slightly, stood up, and called out to Qi WuHuo with a smile, "WuHuo, it's time to leave."

The young girl, who was happily congratulating Qi WuHuo, froze and said, "So soon?! It's barely nightfall."

"Can't you stay until tomorrow?"

The old man stroked his beard and replied with a smile, "We came with enthusiasm, the tasks we needed to do are done, and the people we needed to see have been seen."

"Naturally, it's time to leave."

The young girl seemed to be disappointed that her rare peer, who was also quite interesting, had to leave so soon. She had hoped he would stay a few more days so they could have fun together. Instinctively, she looked at her father and Uncle Ox, hoping they would understand her gaze and help persuade him to stay.

But her father and Uncle Ox, who usually followed her lead, did not speak up to keep him. They merely stood up to see them off.

They were clearly delighted by the old man's visit, yet they did not try to keep him when he was leaving.

It seemed they would never defy any of the old man's requests.

Thus, despite her reluctance, she could only pout and stand up, joining her father and Uncle Ox to escort the young man and the old man towards the "riverbank." The old man walked at the front, accompanied by the yellow ox and the man. Qi WuHuo walked a little slower and suddenly felt his sleeve being tugged. He turned to see the young girl holding his sleeve with one hand and her finger to her lips, shushing him.

Then, she lowered her voice and asked, "You're leaving already."

"Mm."

The young girl was clearly reluctant. "What are you going to do next?"

Qi WuHuo slowed his pace slightly, walking alongside her. He thought for a moment and replied, "I should be going home."

The young girl looked confused. "Home? Aren't you traveling with your teacher?"

Qi WuHuo shook his head, looking at the old man's retreating back. He replied, "Teacher said our karmic affinity is ending. This is a parting gift. When he mentioned the gift, there were three choices: upper, middle, and lower. The first was a Life-Extending Elixir, the second was imparting true methods. The highest choice of karmic affinity, not giving elixirs, not bestowing methods, but giving me a karmic affinity. I suppose coming here and truly becoming his disciple is that karmic affinity."

"But since Teacher said this [karmic affinity] is a parting gift."

"It means that the parting and the end of our affinity haven't actually changed."

"Although I've just entered the Daoist Sect, I know the principle of not forcing things."

"And I know Teacher's style."

"Effortless action and purposeful action, no need to be attached."

The blue-robed youth looked at it all with a sense of acceptance.

"Not forcing things? Effortless action and purposeful action?"

The young girl didn't understand. She thought for a moment and said, "Then what will you do when you get home?"

Qi WuHuo replied, "Of course, I'll cultivate."

"Actually, my cultivation is very low. I'm still in the stage of [Refining Primordial Essence]. And because of certain experiences, my Primordial Spirit is much stronger than my Primordial Qi and Primordial Essence, making it difficult to cultivate the orthodox Primordial Prenatal Qi of the Mystic Gate. Look, I can't even use the water-stepping technique you taught me. I'll go back and cultivate properly this time."

"That way, next time, perhaps I won't need your help to stand on that river."

"And, I still have some things I must do..."

He carried the sword box on his back.

Inside were the regrets and dying wishes of those harmed by Tantai Xuan, which he had recorded.

He had promised those people.

He had the waist token of the [Ming Zhen Dao Alliance].

That held clues about the disaster in his hometown when he was young.

And about Teacher's matter...

Of course, the most important thing is to cultivate slowly and improve your own realm.

The young girl nodded blankly, then asked curiously, "When can you come again?"

Qi WuHuo thought for a moment and replied, "According to Teacher's words, I might need fifty years to properly build my foundation and reach the realm of Primordial Prenatal Qi."

The young girl's eyes widened as if startled, "F-f-f... fifty years, that's so slow?!"

She immediately grabbed Qi WuHuo's sleeve.

She didn't have any contempt or other opinions about the boy's foundation or aptitude, she just lamented, "If you can only come here to play with me in over fifty years, I'll be bored to death here..."

"People rarely come here."

"Even if they do, there aren't many interesting ones."

Looking around, she suddenly pulled Qi WuHuo's hand over and placed a dark box in his palm. Qi WuHuo was curious, and the young girl stood on tiptoe, whispering in his ear, "Shh, don't make a sound."

"Inside is a mirror, and the cultivation method for the [Method of Manifesting Light Circles]."

"When you go back, you must learn it."

"That way, even if you're outside, you can contact me, and you have to tell me about what happens outside often."

The young girl's eyes sparkled, and she clenched her fist slightly, "Don't forget!"

Qi WuHuo saw the pure and innocent look in her eyes.

He smiled, cupped his hands, and put the box away, saying, "Okay."

"I will remember."

"If I see anything interesting or meet interesting people outside, I will tell you about it often."

He thought for a moment, then said, "Here, you extend your hand too."

The young girl looked confused and extended her right hand. Her palm was fair, and her fingers were like carved white jade. Qi WuHuo took out the short sword he used for self-defense and gently placed it, still in its sheath, into the young girl's palm. The young Daoist, who always looked upright and honest, had a rare faint smile on his lips:

"You gave me this gift, and I don't have much to give you in return."

"This is a short sword I sharpened myself. I hope you don't dislike it."

"Wow, thank you!"

The young girl put the sword away, wore it at her waist, and then spun around, pressing her skirt. Her skirt fluttered slightly, her black hair was tied with a green ribbon, and she placed her hand on the sword. As her skirt rose and fell, she smiled brightly, "I'll take good care of it!"

"Next time, I'll show you my swordsmanship too!"

The boat, transformed from a tree branch, still floated quietly on the river. Qi WuHuo stood beside the old man, while the burly man stood on the 'island' and cupped his hands in salute, "Then, I will naturally complete this matter, and I await your good news."

The young girl poked her head out from behind the burly man, waving and smiling brightly, "Qi WuHuo, remember!"

"When your cultivation is high enough, remember to come here!"

The man was helpless.

He thought for a moment, then smiled and instructed Qi WuHuo, "I cannot tell you the location of this place or how to get here. If you are interested, you can go to the prefectural city of Central Province and ask for someone who calls himself [Knows Nothing of Everything]. Then you will know."

The handsome young Daoist stood behind the old man and nodded slightly.

After bidding farewell, the old man took him back onto the boat. This large boat, which seemed capable of holding a thousand people, slowly set sail. A breeze brushed against their faces. The old man stroked his beard and looked into the distance. Qi WuHuo noticed that the surroundings were pitch black, yet the water surface in the night was rippling with layers of light spots, like reflections of stars, incredibly beautiful.

Qi WuHuo asked, "Teacher, where are we going next?"

The old man smiled and replied, "Act without acting. Didn't you just answer that child?"

"Now, I will give you your first lesson as an introductory student."

"And also the last lesson before we part."

"I'll take you to meet your senior disciple brothers."