Parting Ways!

Name: Meng Nan
Lifespan: 2/8
Faction: Chashan · Tianlin Cave
Cultivation: Inner Qi circulation
Inner Qi: 6
Bone Structure: 1
Cultivation Method: Thunder Illumination Scripture Level 4
Sorcery: Spirit Wandering Steps (Level 3), Pine Wind Swordplay (Level 2), Blood Arrow Secret Technique (Level 1)
Skills: None
Death Log: Viewable

"Inner Qi is formed!"

Meng Nan felt his entire body as if it had gained a new layer, a new barrier.

His original Inner Breath had rapidly transformed into Inner Qi during this period. Of the 100 Inner Breath, only 6 points of Inner Qi remained, with some dissipating and some transforming.

The thin Inner Qi swirled around him.

It isolated him from many dangers in the outside world.

"Outside the barbarian villages, dangers are everywhere. Ordinary people wouldn't dare to wander around recklessly. Even neighboring villages have little interaction beyond marriage. The main reason is the various poisonous insects and snakes, and the omnipresent miasma, which are impossible to guard against."

"Only by advancing to the 'Inner Qi Stage'."

At this stage, the 'Qi Circulation Diagram' visualization is complete, Inner Breath transforms into Inner Qi, and the Inner Qi disperses, enveloping the entire body. Ordinary poisonous snake and insect bites can be easily detected and blocked. Even if one accidentally enters miasma, as long as it's not too strong, the Inner Qi can resist it. Furthermore, the Inner Qi Stage's breath is more sustained, allowing one to ignore much of the common miasma.

Only then can one venture into the wilderness.

Those who brave the jungle are at least at the Inner Qi Stage.

"I'm in the Inner Qi Stage now too!"

"Two years!"

"In my original life, it took four years, but with those notes, I took many detours, saving half the time."

His progress in forming Inner Qi was two years faster than before.

With another six years, Meng Nan had the hope of advancing further from his current peak of 'Inner Qi circulation', perhaps even breaking through to the 'Inner Qi Minor Heavenly Cycle' before this life ended.

He thought to himself.

Meng Nan opened his eyes.

The first thing he saw was Zhao Xiaoshuang holding her sword and looking at him, her face also filled with surprise.

A few days later.

Meng Nan was basking in the sun outside again, holding his diary and reading it, focusing on the experiences of his and Zhao Xiaoshuang's two years adventuring outside.

He had read all of this before.

But today, he flipped through it again.

"Go back inside!"

"You're not allowed out until your homework is done!"

Zhao Xiaoshuang returned from outside, carrying the three children. She saw Meng Nan lounging comfortably and walked over. Glancing at what Meng Nan was reading, she asked curiously, "Why are you reading this? You—"

Zhao Xiaoshuang sized Meng Nan up and down, her first suspicion being that Meng Nan had lost his memory again.

"Just looking."

Meng Nan looked up at Zhao Xiaoshuang. "When I read this two years ago, I didn't notice. Reading it again these past two days, I realized my wife was quite fierce. You were always the first to act in every battle."

Closing the diary.

Meng Nan looked at Zhao Xiaoshuang, his heart filled with emotion.

Indeed, she was different.

He had known for a long time that even the same person would have a different personality due to different experiences.

As soon as he transmigrated into this life, he noticed that Zhao Xiaoshuang was somewhat different from his past life and reality.

Sharper!

More formidable!

Then, after two years of getting along, Meng Nan discovered even more.

After his breakthrough in the past few days, and after rereading the diary from those two years, Meng Nan finally understood and guessed.

"Come, sit closer."

Meng Nan called Zhao Xiaoshuang over to sit beside him, then turned his head and asked, "Have you been bored these past two years?"

Upon hearing this.

Zhao Xiaoshuang's eyes lit up, and she immediately sat up straight. "Are we going out?"

Meng Nan smiled at her reaction.

Confirming his guess.

"I just recently cultivated back to the Inner Qi Stage, so there's no rush."

Meng Nan looked at Zhao Xiaoshuang and saw her slight disappointment. He then changed the subject, "Calculating the time, Feng Ying, west of the village, is also about to break through to the Lesser Heavenly Cycle in a few days."

"Hmm?"

"Feng Ying?"

"How do you know?"

Hearing this, Zhao Xiaoshuang's attention was diverted, and she became alert.

Feng Ying was a widow, just turned forty this year, but she had lost her husband in her early twenties and raised three children alone. More than ten years ago, Meng Nan had asked Zhao Xiaoshuang to look after Feng Ying's family from time to time. They weren't close, but they occasionally interacted, making them acquaintances.

In Yinlian Village, besides Feng Ying, there were several other families with many members whom Meng Nan had contact with.

For the men, he went himself.

For the women, he sent Zhao Xiaoshuang.

Feng Ying was one of them.

Because of the long period of time and the considerable number of people, Zhao Xiaoshuang hadn't thought much of it. Now, Meng Nan abruptly mentioning Feng Ying and saying she would ascend to the Lesser Heavenly Cycle in a few days, where did he get this information?

Zhao Xiaoshuang's mood had been fluctuating greatly these past few days, and she jumped to the wrong conclusion.

"What are you thinking about!"

Seeing her expression, Meng Nan couldn't help but burst into laughter, so much so that the three children in the room burst out laughing and peeked out from the doorway, watching them. This made Zhao Xiaoshuang blush deeply.

Zhao Xiaoshuang glared back, and Meng Santan and the others were immediately scared back inside.

When she turned her head back, her expression was a mix of annoyance and anger.

Meng Nan then said with a smile, "Feng Ying has accumulated her strength and is expected to break through consecutively in the next few years, ascending to the True Qi Stage. After she breaks through to the Lesser Heavenly Cycle in a few days, her children will be grown, and she should feel restless and want to go out and explore. You two can keep each other company."

This was Meng Nan's true intention.

In the coming years, Feng Ying would be one of the people in Yinlian Village to ascend to the True Qi Stage. She would also be the only woman among those who ascended to the True Qi Stage during these years.

In his past life, Meng Nan had understood the life stories and subsequent movements of these individuals and kept them in mind.

His arrangements now seemed natural and seamless, like a painting where the brushstrokes are invisible.

It had a touch of foresight.

This was a future timeline, and Meng Nan didn't flaunt his 'foresight' in front of outsiders. However, there was no need to hide it too much from Zhao Xiaoshuang.

Otherwise.

If he refused to go out no matter what, and let Zhao Xiaoshuang go out alone, people might assume he was too scared to go out after his near-death experience.

This would tarnish his image of being tall and mighty in Zhao Xiaoshuang's eyes.

Letting Zhao Xiaoshuang go out with Feng Ying, keeping each other company, perhaps Zhao Xiaoshuang could even benefit from Feng Ying's luck.

As for Meng Nan.

"I'll stay in Yinlian Village and cultivate to the Lesser Heavenly Cycle before considering anything else."

Immortal Calendar year 32, May.

The new year had passed.

Meng Nan saw Zhao Xiaoshuang off as she left Yinlian Village. Accompanying Zhao Xiaoshuang was an excited and expectant middle-aged woman – Feng Ying.

The two families had a friendship spanning over ten years.

Meng Nan and Zhao Xiaoshuang had taken good care of her family.

Before the new year, Zhao Xiaoshuang and Feng Ying had broken through one after another. Then, Zhao Xiaoshuang found Feng Ying to discuss going out for training together after the new year. Feng Ying was already considering it and couldn't have been happier, agreeing immediately.

The Meng couple were both good people, and they had experience training outside. It would be best to go with them.

However.

After setting off.

Feng Ying and Zhao Xiaoshuang left together, but Meng Nan stopped outside the village.

After they had gone some distance, Feng Ying looked at Zhao Xiaoshuang and asked in surprise, "Master Meng isn't coming with us?"

This was too unusual!

Yinlian Village, and even the three hundred tribal villages, traditionally had men handling external affairs and women managing internal affairs.

But for someone like Meng Nan and Zhao Xiaoshuang, where the woman went out and the man stayed behind, it was very rare.

"Mhm."

"He needs to focus on his cultivation."

Zhao Xiaoshuang also felt a strange sensation.

This was the first time in over a decade that she had been separated from Meng Nan, the first time she had ventured out alone. With Meng Nan not by her side, she felt unaccustomed to it.

Yet, deep down, a hint of excitement bubbled within her.

For years, Meng Nan had been the one making arrangements and steering their general direction. Zhao Xiaoshuang wanted to see what she could accomplish without Meng Nan's protection.

She glanced back at Yinlian Village, but could only make out its silhouette. Meng Nan was no longer visible.

"I can do this!"

Zhao Xiaoshuang gripped her treasured sword, strode forward purposefully, and didn't look back!