I Must Find a Way to Die

Deep into the night.

Chen Guan strolled back from outside the town.

And then.

Jokes aside, he really wanted to die.

First, the sect journey held too many unknowns.

Second, this body was reaching its limit; he was nearly at the end of Post-Heaven Great Accomplishment.

Any further grinding would only increase talent proficiency, but his cultivation realm was stuck.

To put it even more embarrassingly, if not for the blessing of Bear's Strength.

In terms of raw physical power alone, he had barely reached Post-Heaven Minor Accomplishment.

"Inherited talents and the aptitude of each lifetime are both crucial, especially 'Bone Structure,' which is the most important of all."

Chen Guan sighed with emotion, feeling that the "Bone Structure" of this lifetime was simply not enough.

As for the difference between "Bone Structure" and "Talent," they were not the same.

This was how Chen Guan saw it.

Talents were things like "Blade Technique, Unarmed Combat, Bear's Strength," and the like.

These could be grinded up, stacked across every lifetime, and provided significant "combat power bonuses."

They were essentially disguised "special physical states" and various forms of "insight."

Grinding these was definitely worth it.

But Bone Structure was one's own "cultivation speed," a type of "hidden physical talent."

It was like if his grandson had a "Fifth-Grade Spirit Root," which was a standard talent.

Then, if he himself had a Fifth-Grade Spirit Root in this lifetime.

After twenty years of cultivation with the same level of insight.

Because his grandson had a higher "hidden Bone Structure," he would open his Dantian faster and have a higher conversion rate for absorbing spiritual energy, potentially ending up with forty or fifty years of cultivation base.

But because his own Bone Structure was average, he would only have ten or twenty years, perhaps even less than ten.

The reason he knew all this.

Was because Chen Guan had heard his grandson say that many seniors had told him that although he had only cultivated for twenty years, he already possessed "seventy-five years of cultivation base" compared to an ordinary cultivator!

That was "Excellent Bone Structure!"

It was more than three times that of a normal cultivator.

Coupled with his grandson's Fifth-Grade Spirit Root, he was considered a minor genius in terms of talent.

That was why his sect had refused to let him go, adamantly blocking him from going on a journey.

After all, such talent might not be considered top-tier compared to the entire Xuanyuan East Province.

But within the Guanglin Sect, he was already listed as a "key cultivation target."

As for the issue of cultivation base, it depended on the "Qi" within the body.

One complete strand of elemental Qi equaled one year.

Currently.

Chen Guan was considered a rogue cultivator, and since most of his progress was self-taught, despite seemingly cultivating for twelve years, he only had eight strands.

In particular, the eighth strand was not even complete.

But cultivators all cared about face; usually, when out and about, they would claim, "This poor Daoist has cultivated for many years; unworthily, I possess eight years of cultivation base."

At the same time.

As he drew closer to home.

Chen Guan didn't know what to think.

Theoretically, he didn't want to die; he wanted to grind more talents to lay a foundation for his future lives.

But reality was just like that—very helpless.

First destiny, second luck, third feng shui; the first thing to look at was "destiny," which meant one's birth.

As he came into contact with formal cultivators and learned more comprehensive knowledge.

Chen Guan realized that this body's hidden Bone Structure was too low, which in a sense meant he had a poor start in life.

However, these inherited talents were truly impressive; just four minor beginner-level ones had forcibly pulled him up.

It could be said that he had modified his "innate destiny."

At the age of twenty, he had basically become the number one in Little Liuzi Town.

He was even hailed as a "Young Marvelous Hero" by some storytellers.

But he knew his own situation best.

He could no longer cultivate his "realm."

"While the sect is on this trip..."

Chen Guan was hatching a crooked scheme.

"Why not just die?

After all, the interval for reincarnation is short now, only twenty days.

Plus, I've already learned the basic sense of qi.

Combined with the cultivation insights my grandson gave me, and some secret techniques only learnable within a sect.

Perhaps after the next baby is born, I can learn to gather qi before I even learn to walk.

With a higher starting point, I can cultivate much further.

As long as the opening hand in the next life is decent...

No! I mean as long as the opening aptitude is decent, I will cultivate properly and stop thinking of crooked schemes."

Chen Guan wanted to restart.

Especially since this idea was born, his anticipation for the next life had grown heavier and heavier.

Therefore, how to die.

And how to arrange his affairs, were the problems to be solved right now.

In Chen Guan's view.

The purpose of restarting was entirely to break through the "upper limit" once again.

Of course, he was now considered to have entered the sights of the Guanglin Sect.

It was also for the sake of self-preservation, so he wouldn't be captured for research.

So, before dying.

He could go to some wild places or the like, to see if he could force himself under the pressure of life and death, and raise the average of his realm and physique.

This would also ensure a minimum "lower limit" for the average in the next random restart.

As for the Life-Extending Pill.

Chen Guan looked at it.

In the next life, if he cultivated well and had good aptitude, he wouldn't fear a lack of lifespan.

If he didn't cultivate well, a dozen years would be useless anyway, so it was better to restart with stacked inheritance talents.

Since it was useless to him, he might as well offer it as a gift to see if he could settle the karma of the "grace of birth and upbringing."

The next day, early morning.

In the courtyard where Chen Guan stayed.

Early in the morning, the white-haired Patriarch Zhao, the Eldest Young Master who was over thirty, the Second Young Master, and the Sixth Brother who was nearly an adult, were all standing anxiously in the courtyard.

"Fifth Brother actually knows a cultivator?"

"Incredible... incredible... I originally thought Fifth Brother was just peerless in strength, but I never imagined his connections were so extensive..."

"Fifth Brother has been away for ten years; perhaps he is acquainted with some reclusive experts..."

"Chen Guan killed the shopkeeper of Yanhe Pavilion. With a cultivator backing him, the government shouldn't come looking for trouble..."

The four members of the Zhao family were waiting anxiously, and their purpose for coming today was also because of the major event that happened last night.

This matter had already spread like wildfire throughout the town.

Because of this.

Patriarch Zhao and the others hadn't slept well last night, constantly wanting to get to the bottom of it.

But last night, even after hearing the servants report that Young Hero Chen had returned in the middle of the night.

Even though they hadn't slept well, they didn't dare to disturb him lightly.

They had endured until now.

Including at this moment, there was also a group of people outside the Zhao residence wanting to give gifts, all pacing and watching outside the gates.

If it weren't for several constables maintaining order, the gift-givers alone would have completely blocked the wide street outside the Zhao residence.

Not to mention the gift carriages stretching from the east end of the street to the west at this time.

They were completely separated on both sides, lined up in a row, connected from head to tail, nearly two hundred meters long.

All of this was because Chen Guan was acquainted with that cultivator.

The Zhao family naturally basked in the reflected glory.

At the same time.

Inside the prefectural government office.

"Are the gifts prepared?"

The County Magistrate, who had always remained as steady as a fisherman on his perch, could no longer sit still upon hearing that a cultivator was in town.

In a small town like theirs, they hadn't encountered a cultivator in over a decade.

At least, not on the surface; they had never encountered a cultivator capable of cleaving the ground over ten zhang deep with a single finger.

"If we are speaking in terms of internal energy..."

Constable Yan also furrowed his brows, pacing back and forth before the County Magistrate.

"This person is at the very least at the Pre-Heaven Great Accomplishment!"

"Let alone in our town, even if you look at our city and the dozens of surrounding counties, those who could surpass him do not number more than a handful!"

"Moreover, according to what people say, this person is no more than twenty years old..."

"This... perhaps he is someone from a major immortal sect..."

The County Magistrate and Constable Yan prepared to pay a visit to the Zhao family.

But at this moment.

Inside the courtyard.

Patriarch Zhao had waited for a long time without seeing his child emerge, so he stepped forward, feeling somewhat perplexed and restrained as he asked:

"Guan'er, Guan'er, are you up?"

Usually, no matter how late Chen Guan returned at night, he would be up by this time.

But today, things were unusual.

Caught between fatherly emotions, Patriarch Zhao was somewhat worried, but as a grown man and the head of the family, he did not know how to express his concern, which made his inquiry seem somewhat stiff and awkward.

However, after calling out several times, Chen Guan still did not appear.

Patriarch Zhao hesitated for a moment, waited a while longer, and finally pushed the door open gently.

Creak—

The door was not locked.

Patriarch Zhao pushed it open to find the room tidy, but there was no sign of his child on the bed behind the screen.

Only a bottle of pills and a letter sat on the solid wood table by the door.

Patriarch Zhao stepped forward curiously and opened it, finding a message written within:

(Father, I suddenly remembered an unfinished matter and need to leave home for some time.

If the cultivator Chen Changhong comes looking for me, tell him that I am accustomed to my freedom and could not refuse his kind invitation, so I left without saying goodbye.

You may also show him this letter.

As for the matter regarding Sixth Brother, I have already arranged for someone to handle it: Official Liu at the yamen.

This man values profit above all else, and now that he knows our Zhao family has connections to a cultivator, he should not go back on his word, even though I killed the manager of Yanhe Pavilion yesterday.

He will be too busy trying to distance himself from the incident to seek justice for the man.

When the imperial examinations arrive next year, if he does not contact you, you may contact him.

Sixth Brother is intelligent; if possible, try to let him pursue an official career.

As for the pills on the table, they are called Life-Extending Pill, a miraculous medicine from the immortal sects; you must not speak of them to anyone.

Father, take them yourself. When I return from my travels, you must wait for Ling'er to come back.

Signed, The Zhao family's fifth son, Zhao Ling)