Inheritance and Departure

Through Li Yuan's account, Xu Yang learned that cultivators actually existed in this world. His heart was filled with curiosity about these mysterious figures; he wondered if one could truly attain immortality by becoming an immortal.

Li Yuan had remained obsessed with cultivation until his dying breath, suggesting that immortality might indeed be possible. At this thought, Xu Yang's heart grew fervent. The temptation of eternal life was immense, not to mention the prospect of possessing the formidable power to roam the world at will.

After daydreaming for a moment, Xu Yang snapped back to reality. He looked at Li Yuan's corpse, picked up the green porcelain bottle, and used it to dissolve the body. In a short while, it had turned into a puddle of yellow liquid.

He turned to glance outside the temple. The sky was already bright, but Xu Yang was no longer in a hurry to leave. Since he had dissolved the bodies in the temple, no one would know that anyone had died here, and he no longer feared investigations by government officials.

He packed up a large pile of items and placed them in a hidden corner. Famished, Xu Yang took out the remaining flatbread and stuffed it into his mouth in large bites. After eating hurriedly, he took a sip of water and immediately began to examine his spoils.

He set aside the items obtained from the old man; that old fellow was covered in toxins, and who knew if the items were coated in deadly poison? It would be a tragedy if he were to be accidentally poisoned. Thus, Xu Yang examined Li Yuan's belongings first.

There were some banknotes, three porcelain bottles, two tokens, and two books. Xu Yang tucked away the banknotes and bottles, focusing his attention on the other items. One of the two tokens was proof of Li Yuan's identity as an imperial secret agent, while the other was a credential given to him by the immortal, which could be used to gain an audience with that person.

As for the two books, one was the Heavenly Demon Great Art and the other was the Ice Palm. According to Li Yuan, both were top-tier martial arts manuals. What frustrated Xu Yang was that he couldn't understand them at all; although he knew some characters, he couldn't grasp the meaning of the text. Fortunately, Li Yuan had anticipated this situation before he died and had made arrangements.

After checking the items, a thought struck Xu Yang, and he suddenly remembered the package the old man had hidden yesterday. He immediately climbed behind the Buddha statue and emerged holding a bundle.

However, Xu Yang did not examine it immediately. Instead, he packed all his belongings into a bag, slung it over his shoulder, and headed toward Xiao Liu Township.

Half an hour later, Xu Yang arrived at a secluded courtyard. This was the old man's residence—a location Li Yuan had told him about—which was remote enough to serve as a temporary base.

Xu Yang pushed open the courtyard gate and entered. A quick glance revealed that the interior was sparsely furnished with aged furniture, and the side room was stacked with various medicinal ingredients. Fortunately, the place was well-equipped enough for him to live there for a while.

Time flew like an arrow, and in the blink of an eye, a year passed. In a dense forest in Xiao Liu Township, Xu Yang stood before a thick tree. He raised his right hand and tapped it gently against the trunk. With a soft thwack, a palm print an inch deep remained on the wood, with specks of frost appearing over it. Xu Yang's face lit up with joy.

"Haha, I've finally succeeded. With the Ice Palm at the minor completion stage, it is time for me to leave as Master Li instructed." After a year of grueling training, Xu Yang's martial arts had finally reached a level of minor success, and he was extremely excited.

A year ago, he had obtained the manuals but could not understand their contents. Fortunately, he was clever; he used the silver left behind by Li Yuan to enroll in a martial arts school in the county town. Although the school didn't teach profound techniques, it provided basic knowledge, including explanations of human acupuncture points and meridians.

This was exactly what Xu Yang lacked. After filling in his gaps in knowledge at the school, his progress in martial arts advanced by leaps and bounds. After all, he had previously undergone a marrow-cleansing infusion from Li Yuan, which had greatly improved his aptitude. Furthermore, he still possessed some of Li Yuan's internal energy and was practicing superior martial arts.

Returning to his residence, Xu Yang took out the manuals and shook them while channeling his energy, causing them to instantly crumble into fragments. He casually threw the shredded paper into the stove, turning the manuals to ash. He had already memorized the contents, so it was better to destroy them to avoid attracting unwanted attention.

Now that his martial arts had reached a minor stage, it was time to go out and gain some experience. Moreover, Li Yuan had left him with some matters to attend to before he died, which he could now handle. More importantly, he needed to figure out how to break through to the innate realm and enter the world of cultivation.

Thinking of this, Xu Yang felt quite frustrated. The treasure that Li Yuan and the old man had fought over had ended up in his hands, yet it was completely useless. The so-called treasure was nothing more than a small, pitch-black sword and a statue with three heads and six arms. Both were only the size of a finger, looking like children's toys.

No matter how he looked at them, he couldn't find anything miraculous. However, they were incredibly hard; neither blade nor fire could damage them in the slightest, and he had no idea what material they were made of. If not for this discovery, Xu Yang would have thrown these toys away long ago. To study their secrets, he kept both items on his person at all times.

Early the next morning, Xu Yang shouldered his pack and left Xiao Liu Township for the county town. Upon arrival, he bought some dry rations and turned toward Yuelai Inn. His only friend was there, and since he didn't know when he would return after leaving his hometown, he wanted to bid farewell to Xiao Wang.

Reaching the entrance of the inn, Xu Yang walked in and was led by a waiter to a private room on the second floor. He turned to the waiter and said, "Young man, where is your colleague Wang Dong? I am his friend; please tell him I am waiting for him here." As he spoke, he tossed some copper coins to the waiter.

The waiter, having received the tip, quickly agreed and hurried away. A moment later, the waiter returned with Wang Dong. Wang Dong was shocked to see Xu Yang and rushed forward, opening his mouth to ask a question.

Xu Yang waved his hand to stop him and turned to the waiter, saying, "Bring all the signature dishes of the house, and a pot of Bamboo Leaf Green. Keep the change as a tip." He tossed a silver ingot to the waiter, who caught it, bowed repeatedly, and hurried off to prepare the order.

Xu Yang and Wang Dong sat down. Wang Dong asked anxiously, "Yangzi, where have you been all this time? I went to the temple to look for you several times, but there was no sign of you." "Haha, Brother Wang, it's a long story. I had a stroke of luck and met a benefactor. I haven't lived in that dilapidated temple for a long time. I'm here today to say goodbye."

"You're leaving, Yangzi? Where to?" Wang Dong asked.

"I'm heading to Mountain City Prefecture, the capital of the prefecture. My benefactor is from there. He saw that I was clever and took me on as his subordinate, asking me to return with him," Xu Yang said, looking happy.

Wang Dong said with envy, "You have good fortune, brother. I congratulate you. But it will be difficult for us to meet in the future." At this, Wang Dong's expression dimmed.

Xu Yang sighed, his own expression turning somber as he said, "That is why I came to bid you farewell, Brother Wang. If not for your care over these years, I fear I would have starved to death and joined the old beggars long ago."

Just then, the waiter entered with the food and wine. Xu Yang said, "Brother Wang, the food is here. Let's eat and talk." After the waiter left, the two picked up their bowls and chopsticks and began to eat and drink.

After three rounds of drinks, they paused for a moment. Xu Yang took a book and a banknote from his robe and placed them in front of Wang Dong. Wang Dong was stunned; he instinctively picked them up to look, and his expression changed immediately. He looked up at Xu Yang and asked, "Brother, what is this?"

Xu Yang smiled and said, "This is a gift for you, Brother Wang. We are about to part ways, and it won't be easy to meet again. Please accept these as a token of my gratitude for your care over the years."

Looking at the items in his hands, Wang Dong's face flushed with excitement. He said in a hoarse voice, "I've only helped you with small things, brother. These are too valuable; I am unworthy!" Although he said this, his hands gripped the book and the banknote tightly.

Xu Yang knew he was tempted, but that was only human nature; he would have been the same in his position. Xu Yang laughed and said, "What are you saying, Brother Wang? You have been a benefactor to me. I know you've always wanted to marry the innkeeper's daughter, so now that I've made my fortune, I naturally want to help you."

"That book is a martial arts manual. Keep it safe, Brother Wang, and practice it slowly so you can have the power to protect yourself," Xu Yang urged.

Wang Dong nodded excitedly to show he understood, then tucked the items into his robe. The two stopped talking and downed their cups in one gulp. They continued to eat and chat until they were full. Xu Yang rose to bid Wang Dong farewell. Wang Dong saw him out of the inn and stood at the entrance, watching Xu Yang disappear into the distance.

Xu Yang took one last look at Wang Dong, turned away from the hometown that had raised him, and stepped onto the road to Mountain City Prefecture, beginning a life of turbulent storms and grand events.