[Long ago, when the sect stood on the brink of collapse, Chen Xu, the sect's patriarch, held up its crumbling halls alone. He restored its Dao lineage and renewed its foundations of longevity. Later generations of disciples revered him as the Restoration Patriarch and offered incense in his honor for all time.]
Once he had sorted out his thoughts, the records about "Chen Xu" in the Grand Void Dao Evolution Record surfaced in Chen Qing's mind.
"The basic setup doesn't involve specific events, so there's some room to improvise."
He closed his eyes and focused. His experiences since entering the Dream Immortal Dynasty flashed through his mind like scenes from a revolving lantern—
He escaped the Mysterious Prison, offered counsel to bring peace to the people, and won the Princess's favor;
He went to Xuan Du Mountain to hear the Dao, condensed a Fate Talisman, and was ambushed;
He arrived in Jade Capital, where Li Xiao appeared, and the Sixth Prince confined him to the Treasure Pavilion;
"Every experience fills in another piece of the character 'Chen Xu.'"
When he opened his eyes, Chen Qing already had a rough plan. So that night, he sat on the platform of white mist in his dream, refining his thoughts.
"To break out of this predicament, I need strength. But 'Chen Xu' is still a novice cultivator. If things follow the normal course, he might not even make it out of the treasury. But since he's a fictional character to begin with, why not add another detail? If I want to win this card game, I'd better print a card on the spot!"
Even so, Chen Qing didn't let himself get carried away. He weighed the pros and cons, too.
"There are three main things to keep in mind. First, according to the rules of the Dao Evolution Records, Dao Marks can add to the setup, but the additions can't be too absurd. Otherwise, the Dao Marks will be consumed and the additions will still be invalid. Second, adding details might bring about new changes. Third, I need to save enough Dao Marks for trial and error."
He continued to work through his ideas until the eastern sky grew pale. Only then did he slowly leave the world of white mist and open his eyes.
"So I have to follow the plan, one step at a time. First, I build up Dao Marks. Then I summon the sect members and make up the rest!"
With his plan in place, Chen Qing rose to his feet and pushed open the door. The mountain breeze washed over him, leaving him refreshed and clear-headed.
In the distance, Fang Da'ao punched with the crack of thunder, his newly acquired Great Mountain Diagram helping him make rapid progress. Qu Xiaoyao crouched by the herb garden, carefully fingering the spirit plants with her small hands, sneaking glances at her senior brother as he practiced his punches.
For the next two days, Chen Qing stayed on the mountain, devoting himself to guiding his two junior disciples in their cultivation.
"Sink your qi to your dantian; drive your force through all four extremities!"
As he watched Fang Da'ao practice his fists, Chen Qing offered reminders and corrections from time to time.
Every punch Fang Da'ao threw was accompanied by the crackle of his bones and sinews.
"Uncle-Master, I feel like my tiger pounce is missing something..."
Hearing the question, Chen Qing suddenly pointed two fingers together straight at Fang Da'ao!
It was clearly only a finger, yet it carried the force of a pouncing tiger, fierce and sharp. It stopped abruptly just before reaching Fang Da'ao's face, but he was already staring wide-eyed in shock.
"The tiger pounce isn't about copying its shape; it's about gathering its spirit. You're too focused on force, and you've lost your agility."
Fang Da'ao suddenly understood and resumed his stance.
This time, his punches flowed together far more smoothly.
"Good."
Chen Qing nodded in satisfaction.
"Uncle-Master," Qu Xiaoyao said, gazing up at him hopefully, "when will I be able to be like Senior Brother?"
Chen Qing chuckled, then crouched down to meet her at eye level. "Da'ao has practiced the Five Animal Guidance Technique for seven years. Do you know how he got through those seven years?"
Qu Xiaoyao shook her head.
"He never missed a day, through wind and rain, in the dead of winter and the heat of summer." Chen Qing gently stroked the top of her head. "Cultivation is like the seasons; everything has its time. Some are like mountains, making swift progress. Others are like streams, flowing steadily and reaching far. You're perceptive, and you grasp the properties of herbs at a glance. That's a talent in its own right. When the time comes, you'll have built up enough to make great strides."
Qu Xiaoyao listened, only half understanding.
Seeing her expression, Chen Qing thought, This little girl is gentle but tenacious. The Mountain Scripture Fragments aren't really a perfect fit for her, and the Great Mountain Heavenly Art suits her even less.
I wonder if the Vast Scripture would suit her. But it teaches the sea to embrace a hundred rivers, and demands an extremely solid foundation and great insight. The original text is also full of omissions. Once we're through this crisis, I'll have to find time to complete and refine it before I can pass it on.
He considered the matter. Come to think of it, if the cultivation techniques from my dreams can all be used, then as long as I make good use of the Grand Void Dao Evolution Record, why would I ever have to worry about running short of cultivation techniques to pass down? I really could turn this into a secluded sect with an ancient lineage and an incredibly solid foundation!
In fact, guiding his junior disciples over the past two days had also helped him shore up his own foundation and organize what he had learned in his dreams. He had accumulated nineteen Dao Marks by now.
"That should be enough. I can afford to waste a few."
Dusk settled over the mountain. Chen Qing sat at the stone table in the courtyard, brewing medicine and preparing medicinal meals for his two junior disciples.
Fang Da'ao continued practicing his punches in the courtyard. Suddenly, he stumbled, his momentum falling apart. His face immediately twisted in frustration. "Uncle-Master, I still can't grasp how to let the mountain's force sink into my bones."
Hearing him, Qu Xiaoyao also complained that practicing calligraphy was dull.
Chen Qing smiled and promptly started making things up. "The path of cultivation is full of hardship. You two aren't the only ones to struggle. When the Restoration Patriarch was trapped in an ancient treasury, he was in a much worse state than you are."
"Even the Restoration Patriarch faced setbacks?"
The two little ones immediately pricked up their ears.
"More than you know." Chen Qing swept his sleeve and sat down, motioning for them to come closer. "I heard the treasury's four walls were covered in restrictions. Not even an ant could crawl out. The Patriarch thought hard for days without eating a single grain of rice..."
"Ah! He didn't even drink water?" Qu Xiaoyao sucked in a breath.
"Is that the important part?" Fang Da'ao asked impatiently. "Uncle-Master, what happened next?"
Chen Qing smiled. "Of course he escaped. Otherwise, how could the sect still have a lineage today?"
The two junior disciples immediately pressed him. "How did the Patriarch escape?"
"I don't remember clearly. I think he happened to meet an ancient cultivator, who lent him a hand, and that's how he got out." Chen Qing had been waiting for them to ask. "But the sect's records give a more detailed account. I'll check them tomorrow and tell you more."
Fang Da'ao's eyes shone. "It sounds like a story from a heroic tale. No wonder he was the Restoration Patriarch!"
Qu Xiaoyao nodded vigorously.
Having achieved his goal, Chen Qing didn't leave his two junior disciples to fend for themselves. He waited until they had both gone to bed before returning to his quiet chamber. After making a few preparations, he slowly fell asleep.
Once he reached the platform in his dream, he opened the Grand Void Dao Evolution Record and furrowed his brow.
"Five Dao Marks are gone, leaving fourteen! But the entries about 'Chen Xu' haven't increased. It looks like the added details consumed Dao Marks, but the rules judged them invalid. Yet saying he received help from an expert wasn't that far-fetched. There's already a mysterious old man nearby..."
He didn't feel regretful. This had been a test, an attempt to find the rules. So he immediately turned to analyzing the reason.
"Did the Dao think I was trying to conjure an ancient cultivator out of thin air? But I meant the gray-robed old man..."
As Chen Qing went over the rules of the Grand Void Dao Evolution Record, he suddenly understood. "The story of Chen Xu has progressed to this point. Any new details can only concern Chen Xu himself, not the outside world!" Then he realized he needed to find an entry point that would fit naturally into the story and take effect immediately.
Was there such an entry point?
"There is."
The next day, Chen Qing spent the day guiding his two junior disciples as usual. When they were free that evening, he brought up the matter from the previous day again. He said he'd checked the sect's records, and the Patriarch hadn't escaped with help from an expert after all.
He didn't tell them outright. Instead, he asked, "Can you guess how the Patriarch escaped?"
Fang Da'ao clenched his fist at once. "He must have broken through the restrictions by force! He shattered the peace of the treasury and smashed the gate with one punch!"
"No, if that treasury belonged to some Immortal Dynasty, then the dynasty must have been very powerful. How could anyone break out of it so easily?" Qu Xiaoyao shook her head. "If it could be broken, someone would've broken out long ago. Maybe he used his wits! Uncle-Master, hurry up and tell us."
Chen Qing laughed. "Perhaps because so much time has passed, the sect's records don't agree on how the Patriarch escaped. There are three versions. The first says that he found an unparalleled treasure in the treasury, and it recognized him as its master. Not only did he break free, he also shook the world of his time with his power and left behind a legacy."
"Incredible! That's the kind of man a true hero should be!" Fang Da'ao's eyes shone as he listened, and he unconsciously clenched his fist.
But Chen Qing changed tack. "Other records say that, in his moment of despair, the Patriarch suddenly remembered his past life and realized he was an immortal reincarnated. With a single thought, he broke through the restrictions, roamed free, and left behind a true immortal's lineage!"
Qu Xiaoyao's small mouth fell open. The herb trowel in her hand clattered to the ground. "Our Hidden Star Gate is a true immortal's lineage?"
"The third version," Chen Qing said, changing tack again, "says that the Patriarch found a fragment of a mysterious technique carved into the treasury wall. The technique encompassed all things. From it, he learned a method that let his mind travel with the qi of heaven and earth across the eight wilds, even though his body remained trapped in a tiny space." This version clearly built on the setup of the Primordial Chaos Qi Scripture.
As he spoke, Chen Qing wondered what level the Primordial Chaos Qi Scripture could reach. Most of it was full of profound teachings, but since it was only a fragment, it said nothing about how to refine one's cultivation at specific stages.
After listening, Fang Da'ao scratched his head. "Isn't that a little too mystical?"
Qu Xiaoyao, however, said, "I actually think this version sounds more believable than the first two."
"Cultivation is always mysterious and hard to fathom." Chen Qing nodded. "Just like the bottlenecks you're facing now. Maybe a change of perspective is all it takes to suddenly see the light."
Fang Da'ao stared at his fist, looking thoughtful. "For the mountain's force to sink into my bones... Maybe the mountain's force isn't the important part. Should I be knocking my bones more?"
"..."
Chen Qing was speechless for a moment. Finally, he said, "You should try knocking on your head more."
When Fang Da'ao came to his senses, his face flushed. Chen Qing simply shook his head.
He turned toward the darkening sky, anticipation rising in his heart.
Three versions—which one would the Grand Void Dao Evolution Record recognize?
He would find out in his dream.
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