"Hehe, it seems Tian'er really is our hope—no, the hope of our Lingxiao Pavilion. I'm so happy today." After Ling Tian left, Lingyun danced around with excitement, and Humei was thrilled too.
After finally calming down, Lingyun said, "From now on, we must do everything we can to nurture this child, even if we..." He left the words unfinished and gazed gently at Humei, his eyes filled with both remorse and determination.
A trace of sorrow flashed through Humei's foxlike eyes, but it vanished in an instant, replaced by renewed resolve. She chirped several times.
"After a while, we'll teach Tian'er how to cultivate properly. Mm, I need to get everything in order and plan out his cultivation regimen. Humei, spend these next few days playing with Tian'er. He probably doesn't know his true situation yet and is still sad, thinking he's a 'good-for-nothing.'" Lingyun seemed to have noticed the gloom in Ling Tian's eyes and understood that he had only been forcing a smile.
Ling Tian probably didn't want Lingyun and his wife to feel sad on his account. The thought filled Lingyun with comfort.
"Chirp." A trace of uncertainty flickered in Humei's eyes.
"It's better for Tian'er if we don't tell him. People often don't treasure what comes easily. Longing—deep, burning longing—will fill him with motivation, and he'll cherish the hard-won opportunity all the more. He'll also understand a great deal and see the world more clearly." Lingyun smiled faintly, his gaze toward Humei as tender as water.
Humei chirped a few times, apparently agreeing with Lingyun, though her expression was full of reluctance.
"One must endure the bitterest hardship to rise above all others." Lingyun's expression was resolute. Then he added, "Besides, Tian'er's meridians really are blocked right now. The fact that he can't cultivate yet is true."
Humei chirped again, sounding helpless.
"Why are fireworks so beautiful? Because countless different powders mingle together, struggle, burn, and finally burst forth in a single instant." Lingyun murmured to himself, as if speaking of fireworks, yet also of Ling Tian.
"But I reckon the people up on Qingyun Mountain will start gossiping again. 'Good-for-nothing'? Hmph. One day, you'll regret those two words." Killing Intent filled Lingyun's face.
Just as Lingyun had predicted, Ling Tian had only just shaken off the label of "good-for-nothing" on Qingyun Mountain when another "good-for-nothing" began to make the rounds, spreading even faster than before.
So what was our protagonist, Ling Tian, doing now?
Ling Tian had already left the courtyard where Lingyun lived and run to the dilapidated Great Hall on Qingyou Peak.
"How could this happen? I actually can't cultivate?" Ling Tian thought, his face full of dismay.
"Could Heaven really be jealous of me?" Ling Tian was furious.
"Hehe, I'm a child born of Gods and Devils. Maybe Heaven really won't tolerate me." Ling Tian gave a bitter laugh. The tribulation today, and the Jade Flute and Guqin protecting him, had brought these memories flooding back.
"But if things are like this, how am I supposed to reach the Immortal Realm? Even if I could cultivate and eventually ascend to the Immortal Realm, my father and mother would probably have escaped by then, given their abilities. But I still want to see them." Ling Tian's face brimmed with longing.
"My parents now must be heartbroken and worried too." Ling Tian gave another bitter smile.
"Then I really can't let myself look sad. Otherwise, they'll only be more upset." Ling Tian suddenly made up his mind.
"Besides, Father said he'd teach me to cultivate himself. Maybe he's noticed something. I refuse to believe I'm a 'good-for-nothing.'" A spark of inspiration flashed through Ling Tian's mind as he recalled his parents' strange behavior.
Ling Tian also knew that Lingyun and his wife were living in seclusion here. They didn't seem to be cultivators from Qingyun Sect, and they were clearly no ordinary people.
"Maybe things will take a turn after all." A glimmer of hope stirred in Ling Tian's heart.
Thinking of this, Ling Tian let out a soft breath and immediately felt much lighter. He had been terribly stifled just moments ago.
"I'll wait a few days and see. Father said he'd teach me to cultivate, so there must be another way." Ling Tian paused, then thought, "I'd better go back, or Father and Mother will worry."
As he thought, Ling Tian set off toward the little courtyard.
Over the next few days, Ling Tian acted as though nothing had happened. He played and joked as usual, chatting and laughing with Humei, and laughter rang out across Qingyou Peak. But the flowers, plants, insects, and beasts all suffered, as Ling Tian and Humei teamed up to torment them. They truly lived through fire and water.
Time passed quietly, and before long, another month had gone by.
That day, Lingyun suddenly called out to Ling Tian and Humei as they were about to go play.
"Tian'er, don't go out to play today. It's time to start cultivating." Lingyun got straight to the point.
At once, Ling Tian cheered and leaped with joy. "That's wonderful, Father! I thought you'd forgotten. Hehe."
"How could I? How could your wise and mighty father forget something that important?" Lingyun was back to boasting.
"Hehe, I knew you wouldn't forget, Father. So what am I going to learn first?" Ling Tian asked, his face full of curiosity and anticipation.
"Well, I don't have a suitable cultivation method for you yet..." Lingyun couldn't help feeling awkward. He had just been bragging about how wise and mighty he was, and now he was admitting he had no suitable technique. It was certainly embarrassing.
Before Lingyun could finish, Ling Tian lowered his head, his face clouding over. His little mouth puckered. "Oh."
"But—" Lingyun suddenly changed tack.
"But what?" Ling Tian's eyes lit up. He looked up, full of anticipation.
"But someone will bring us a cultivation method soon. Even I'm envious of it." Lingyun gave a mysterious smile.
"Really?" The little fellow looked dubious.
"Ahem, why don't you believe your old man?" Lingyun felt defeated when he saw Ling Tian's doubt, but continued, "If you don't believe me, ask your mother. She knows."
Humei froze and looked suspicious for a moment. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she chirped several times, clearly confirming that Lingyun wasn't lying.
Ling Tian grew even more curious, but no matter how much he pleaded, Lingyun and his wife refused to tell him. In the end, he could only give up, frustrated.
"Then what am I supposed to do to cultivate now, Father?" Ling Tian asked listlessly. He was naturally disappointed that he couldn't get the answer he'd been hoping for from his parents.
"Start with the basics. Clear Qingyou Peak." Lingyun's answer was astonishing.
"Ah?" Ling Tian was dumbfounded.
"What do you mean, 'ah'? Hurry up and go 'cultivate.' Use this." Lingyun tossed Ling Tian a blade about two feet long. It was unmistakably made of Mortal Iron.
"Oh." With no choice, Ling Tian took the blade and went to "cultivate."
The next month was miserable for Ling Tian. He spent all day chopping down the shrubs and weeds on Qingyou Peak. The peak was vast and imposing, with an enormous area, so there was no way to clear all of it. In a month, he had only managed to clear a few ancient paths on the mountain.
After a month of "cultivation," Ling Tian had grown much sturdier, and his little hands had grown stronger too. Apart from eating and sleeping, he spent the entire month clearing the old paths. They hadn't been maintained for many years, and shrubs and weeds had grown thick along them. Ancient trees twisted like coiling dragons, their gnarled branches winding and curling. They were certainly not easy to chop down with the Mortal Iron blade in Ling Tian's hand.
Ling Tian chopped at the trees and weeds without stopping. His little hands were covered in blisters, and he even broke several blades.
Strangely enough, no matter how badly injured Ling Tian's hands were, everything would be fine as soon as he woke up from a night's sleep. He would be full of energy again, his little hands as smooth and pale as jade, without a single scar. Lingyun and his wife weren't surprised at all, as if they knew why this happened.
One day, a month later, after Ling Tian had finished clearing all the old paths up the mountain, Lingyun told him to stop. He said this stage of "cultivation" was complete and that a new task would begin the next day.
But no matter how much Ling Tian asked, Lingyun refused to tell him what it was. Frustrated, Ling Tian went to bed, hoping the hours would pass quickly so he could find out what Lingyun had up his sleeve the next day.
The following day, while the sky was still dim, Ling Tian got up early and waited in the courtyard, his expression tinged with both eagerness and hope. Lingyun and his wife hadn't come out yet.
Ling Tian didn't have to wait long before Lingyun appeared.
"Good morning, Father." The moment Lingyun came out, Ling Tian hurried over to greet him.
"Tian'er, up so early? You're a whole hour earlier than usual. You normally have to be dragged out of bed. Did the sun rise in the west today?" Lingyun could clearly see how eager Ling Tian was, yet he took his time, a hint of sly amusement and teasing in his eyes.
"Father, today we're starting the new cultivation training." Ling Tian's eyes brimmed with longing as he reminded him softly.
"Oh, sorry. I forgot." Lingyun slapped his forehead and spoke with exaggerated embarrassment, though his expression looked entirely fake.
"Father, you..." Ling Tian couldn't help rolling his eyes, his little mouth puckering.
"Haha, you're just like your mother when you get impatient." Lingyun laughed loudly. Seeing Ling Tian's disgruntled pout, he added, "All right, time for the second stage of cultivation. Go on—run."
"Running?" Ling Tian felt like crying. "What's the point?"
Lingyun's expression turned serious. "Tian'er, how have you felt this past month?"
"Hmm? I feel a lot stronger. It's like I know my body better, and everything feels more coordinated. Oh, and I've gotten much better at using a blade." Ling Tian found it strange that Lingyun's answer had nothing to do with his question, but he still told him about the changes he'd noticed over the past month.
"And you still doubt your father?" Lingyun deliberately darkened his expression, feigning anger.
"Hm?" Ling Tian was startled, then suddenly understood. "Father, I get it. I'll go run."
As he spoke, Ling Tian began running around the courtyard. When Lingyun had asked what changes he'd noticed, Ling Tian had thought it over and understood: Lingyun had been training his body, helping him get used to it as quickly as possible. That would not only help him get stronger, but also help him become familiar with every part of his body.
"Good, you understand. Go run along the mountain path you just cleared, all the way to the foot of the mountain and back up. For now, you don't need to run too much. Three times a day will do." Lingyun's answer was astonishing.
Ling Tian, who was running around the courtyard, stumbled and nearly fell flat on his face. Qingyou Peak was at least ten li from foot to summit, even measured in a straight line. The ancient path wound and twisted, making it more than twice as long—twenty li. And he had to do three round trips. Ling Tian felt like crying without tears.
Though he felt like crying without tears, Ling Tian knew Lingyun wouldn't make him do it for no reason, so he obeyed.
The ancient path up Qingyou Peak had only just been cleared. Some weeds and dead branches still littered the way, and moss coated the steps. This made the climb harder, and a single slip could send him tumbling.
Fortunately, towering old trees lined the path, and there were even fruit trees. Qingyou Peak stayed green all year round and made for a lovely view. Spirit Beasts would even appear now and then. It was certainly better than a barren mountainside, and Ling Tian could only console himself with that.
And so Ling Tian began his life of hardship.
At first, because Ling Tian was still so young, he had to stop and rest ten or twenty times just to climb the mountain once. But little by little, things improved. Eventually, he only needed to rest about ten times for a round trip. As time went on, the number slowly dwindled further.
Anyone up on Qingyou Peak would have seen a curious sight:
A little boy darted back and forth along the ancient mountain path. He moved with the vigor of a dragon and the agility of a tiger, bounding along at a swift pace. On the towering old trees beside the path, Spirit Apes and other strange beasts often watched Ling Tian run back and forth. From time to time, the Spirit Apes would leap and somersault among the trees, climb and call out loudly, following Ling Tian up and down the mountain.
Sometimes Ling Tian would let out a whoop, and the monkeys would howl along with him. Sometimes they would pick wild fruit and toss it to him. Ling Tian was never shy about taking it; he'd catch the fruit and eat it. He would even nod to the monkeys now and then, making them cheer and leap with excitement.
Before you continue