Ye Tu

The 'medicine' hoe fell, and the cliff wall made a loud noise. A large section was immediately swept away. Yu Ci began to proceed with caution, carefully wearing down the rock strata within. Even so, wherever the 'medicine' hoe passed, stone powder rained down, as if it wasn't a rock wall as hard as metal and iron, but something made of clay.

At this moment, someone called out from the surrounding mist.

"Uncle Yu, I've got three hundred stalks here. Let's take a break!" The boy's voice was still hoarse from the remnants of puberty, though it wasn't impossible he was feigning pitifulness to gain sympathy.

Yu Ci turned his head and responded. The boy's faint cheers could be heard from that direction. He shook his head and continued his work until he had completely extracted the 'medicine' grass and placed it in a stone box. This was already the last "suspected Fish Dragon Grass" within a fifty-mile radius. His progress was ten times faster than in the previous few days!

At times like these, Yu Ci felt that Ye Tu was a rather interesting little fellow.

Ye Tu was the young man he had rescued. According to Ye Tu himself, he had flown over from the great sea at the far eastern edge of the world, riding a colossal boat made of piled-up clouds, as large as a mountain. He had traveled leisurely, sightseeing along the way. When he reached Sky Rift Valley, he had exposed himself while hunting with a golden knife, attracting the attention of a nearby Poisonous Snake Monk who attempted to rob him.

Yu Ci was half-believing, half-doubting the claims of a "Mountain-Moving Cloud Boat" and similar phrases. He was willing to believe in the various incredible things in this world and take them as his own goals. The only thing that bothered him was the boy's tendency to exaggerate.

In Yu Ci's opinion, besides bragging, this kid had a host of other problems: he was timid, cowardly, petty, and lazy – a typical pampered young master who was ignorant of the world. The rest was tolerable, but he couldn't stand the "timid and cowardly" aspect. He felt that the boy's demeanor was damaging his pursuit and yearning for cultivators.

After reprimanding the boy a few times, Ye Tu, while appearing submissive, had directly changed his previous affectionate address of "Brother Yu" to "Uncle." It was purely childish behavior.

However, the boy did have some admirable qualities, such as his immense wealth!

No wonder the Poisonous Snake Monk had designs on his possessions. This kid was practically a treasure boy; his Storage Ring could always produce strange and rare items. The 'medicine' hoe Yu Ci was holding was contributed by the boy. It was made entirely of a hard jade, and even without injecting true qi, it could cut stone like mud, greatly increasing Yu Ci's efficiency in excavating 'medicine' grass.

Furthermore, the boy's cultivation was astonishing. He was only fifteen years old this year but had already reached the Spirit 통 realm, having differentiated his consciousness and materialized his thoughts. He was a legitimate cultivator. Yu Ci had only achieved this five days ago and was already twenty-five years old. It was no wonder the boy insisted on calling him "Uncle" after learning his true age.

However, Ye Tu did not appreciate Yu Ci's praise and even felt insulted. "My sister is only ten years old, but she has already formed her Yin God. If it weren't for her master thinking she was too young and wanting to stabilize her, she might have already started Sword Nurturing and cultivating her malevolent energy. What am I compared to her!"

If you're nothing, then what am I? Yu Ci felt extremely displeased and, in retaliation, ruffled the boy's scalp, messing up his hair bun terribly. Although the boy bared his teeth in dissatisfaction, his expression combination looked incredibly pleased.

This kid... is he actually a dog!

"By the way, what is Sword Nurturing?"

"Sword Nurturing? Sword Nurturing is the starting point for the longevity arts of sword cultivators. It's roughly equivalent to the Core Formation of the Xuanmen sect or the relics of the Buddhist sect. It emphasizes nurturing the sword's malevolent energy with one's own essence and spirit, controlling it with one's divine sense, and merging one's three treasures with the sword. Externally, it's aided by primordial Geng Metal Qi, rising above all things. No matter what difficulties, obstacles, or demonic calamities, they are all cut down with a single sword, thus achieving longevity..."

I don't quite understand this... Yu Ci controlled his expression and asked again, "Then what is forming a Yin God?"

Ye Tu, who was speaking enthusiastically, paused upon hearing this question. He blinked and looked at Yu Ci. After a while, he tentatively asked, "Uncle Yu, actually, you're a rogue cultivator, aren't you..."

Yu Ci was puzzled for a moment, but he nodded. The boy's gaze immediately became incredibly sympathetic.

Fine, this is another of Young Master Ye's merits: sincerity!

Yu Ci would rather he be a bit hypocritical! Yu Ci was not vain; at least he wouldn't refuse someone's good intentions for the sake of worthless face. However, Young Master Ye's good intentions were truly unbearable for ordinary people. Upon learning that Yu Ci, as a rogue cultivator, lacked most of the common knowledge necessary for cultivation, he enthusiastically offered to teach him. This was good, but why was it that Yu Ci understood every word the boy spoke, yet couldn't grasp the meaning of any of it?

"The mind is the sovereign's position; govern it with non-action. Its movements are... don't understand?"

"When the temperament is exhausted, the primordial essence appears. When the primordial essence appears, then one can act... still don't understand?"

"That primordial qi... alright, no need to say more. I know you don't understand!"

Ye Tu, unable to bear the successive setbacks, grabbed his scalp and sat down on the ground.

Actually, Yu Ci felt it was quite good. He had learned many unprecedented theories, broadening his horizons and increasing his knowledge. At least he finally understood the true meaning of the six major cultivator realms beyond the "Three Mortal Gates." According to Ye Tu's theory:

Spirit 통 is when cultivators clarify the structure of their spirit and soul, refine its nature, and elevate its level until they form a Yin God and can roam freely outside their bodies.

Core Formation is when a cultivator's spirit and soul, along with their primal qi, embrace and merge, forming a unity of spirit and body. Through nine returns and seven transformations, they form a Golden Core. This leads to a transformation of flesh and bone, tempering the spirit and body to the limit of human potential, extending their lifespan to three hundred years.

Void Stepping is when cultivators can fly by controlling qi without relying on external objects. It is also the beginning of "feather transformation and shedding." From this realm onwards, they begin to draw in the purest and most refined "primordial essence" of heaven and earth, gradually increasing their lifespan, cultivating a "true form," and transforming their spirit and soul from "Yin God" to "Yang God."

True Man is when a cultivator's "true form" and "Yang God" are achieved. Except for calamities like warfare and killing, their life and death are not easily limited, and their lifespan is extremely long, which can be considered longevity. However, by seizing the creation of heaven and earth and stealing the vitality of nature, they will inevitably incur the jealousy of heaven and suffer calamities.

Calamity Law refers to any True Man cultivator who has survived at least one heavenly tribulation. At this stage, calamities will constantly attack them, but with each tribulation overcome, their supernatural powers and cultivation will increase. Minor tribulations bring minor supernatural powers, and major tribulations bring major supernatural powers.

Earth Immortal is one who has endured at least one great heavenly tribulation of a three-thousand-six-hundred-year cycle and has survived without perishing. At this point, their cultivation is complete, and heaven and earth's calamities can no longer harm them. Theoretically, they can live as long as heaven and earth.

These six realms represent a clearly marked path to longevity. Ye Tu even categorized these six realms into two major stages: Spirit 통, Core Formation, and Void Stepping are the "Three Steps to Ascend to Heaven"; True Man, Calamity Law, and Earth Immortal are the "Three Difficulties of Longevity." Coupled with the "Three Mortal Gates" of mortal cultivation at the very beginning, it forms a complete cultivation realm system.

As long as there is enough time and diligent effort, everyone can pass the "Three Mortal Gates" of Qi Movement, Long Breath, and Luminous Aperture. However, in the "Three Steps to Ascend to Heaven," each step will weed out the vast majority of people. As for the "Three Difficulties of Longevity," they are problems encountered only by the most elite cultivators in the entire cultivation world. According to Ye Tu, failing to "ascend to heaven" might not be fatal, but failing to overcome the "difficulties of longevity" means death and the complete ruin of all previous efforts. Of course, if one succeeds, it is true longevity, the pinnacle of the Great Dao.

Those disheartening calamities were still far from Yu Ci. For now, he indulged his imagination, yearning for those profound realms. This feeling diluted the anxiety of not understanding Ye Tu's profound longevity theories. However, while he could take it in stride, Ye Tu could not.

Ye Tu looked as if he wanted to tell everyone that his life was bleak, so bleak that he was almost despairing.

Seeing the boy like this, Yu Ci couldn't help but smile and stepped forward to place his hand on the boy's head. But at this moment, the boy was much more sensitive than usual.

"Don't try to comfort me!" Ye Tu twisted to dodge, not appreciating the gesture. "To think I believed I had learned everything, and only lacked my sister A Chi's innate talent, which is why I'm inferior to her. But now I realize I'm still far behind. My master once said that to express what one has learned clearly, with a beginning and an end, without contradictions; and for the listener to gain understanding according to their differing levels, without finding it difficult, that is considered preliminary mastery. I am far from it!"

"Didn't you explain those longevity realms very well? I heard them clearly."

"Those common theories... Besides, I've been talking for so long, can you repeat what a Yin God is and what a Yang God is?"

Yu Ci was speechless.

The boy snorted dismissively. No matter how much Yu Ci tried to persuade him afterward, he wouldn't look up and continued to sulk by himself. Yu Ci, unable to do anything about this childish behavior, and worried about provoking his rebellious streak if he tried to comfort him again, decided to remain silent. He sat with the boy for a while before going back to his own tasks.

However, he didn't expect the boy's sullen mood to last for two whole days. He spoke very little, and sometimes at night, he would curl up in a corner and secretly shed tears. Perhaps the setbacks here had triggered some sad memories. Yu Ci felt this was more reasonable. This kid looked like a runaway rich young master. Perhaps he had run away in anger because he couldn't compare to his sister, A Chi... If so, it would fit his petty nature.

The boy's personality was almost the opposite of Yu Ci's. Yu Ci found it difficult to empathize and could only let the boy resolve it himself. He continued to pick herbs. After days of effort, all fourteen stalks of "suspected Fish Dragon Grass" had been dug up, and seven or eight tenths of the Shrimp Whisker Grass had also been picked. Now it was just the finishing work, and he was already considering when to leave.

Climbing onto the cliff wall about a mile from the slope, Yu Ci routinely opened the Zhaoshen Map. In the hazy green mist, the landscape of Sky Rift Valley within a fifty-mile radius was clearly displayed. From this position, he didn't have to worry about Ye Tu seeing the light emitted by the Zhaoshen Map.

Everyone has their own secrets that cannot be revealed to outsiders. Even this young child Ye Tu has them. For Yu Ci, the Zhaoshen Map was his greatest secret. Until he fully understood its mysteries and could completely control it, he didn't want anyone to know.

After opening the Zhaoshen Map, he habitually scanned the changes in the scene within the map to confirm if there was any danger nearby. To his surprise, today was different from before. At a glance, he was slightly stunned, then he chuckled, "What's going on? It's a narrow path for enemies?"

The figure within the Zhaoshen Map was none other than that Poisonous Snake Monk.

Seeing that bald rogue, Yu Ci wasn't surprised at all. He had already learned from Ye Tu that this bald rogue had been lingering around Sky Rift Valley, up to some nefarious scheme.

But now, a new problem arose. The bald thief wasn't alone; he had two companions. These three were agile and nimble, descending the cliff face. They had already reached a depth of nearly fifteen li and were still going down.

In terms of straight-line distance, they were only five li away from Yu Ci.

Besides the Poisonous Snake Monk, the other two didn't seem to be pushovers. Here, the Poisonous Snake Monk didn't appear to be the leader. A man dressed in Daoist robes beside him had a baby face, looking young. However, when he smiled, his forehead and brow corners were creased with wrinkles. He chatted and laughed with the Poisonous Snake Monk, acting completely at ease.

The middle-aged cultivator at the front, half-bald with bulging eyes and a sharp gaze, was leading them along a path with a clear objective. Even if they had to circle around, the three of them were heading back towards their original direction. If it were just that, it would be fine. But the direction they were taking was very likely to pass the slope where Yu Ci and Ye Tu were hiding.

He estimated based on the Poisonous Snake Monk. Facing him directly, one person was no threat, but two would be hard to defeat. Three people... would struggle even to escape, let alone with a burden by his side.

Of course, it wasn't impossible to take Ye Tu and flee now. But after working here for many days, the numerous pits and holes left behind wouldn't escape notice, only serving to alert the enemy. To give up the initiative at that point would be too frustrating.

"Trouble!" Yu Ci cursed under his breath and quickly returned to the slope. Ye Tu was still moping dejectedly. Yu Ci walked up to him and hissed, "Hey, that bald thief is here!"

Ye Tu hadn't snapped out of his self-pity yet. Upon hearing this, he looked up, staring blankly. Yu Ci felt helpless and simply kicked Ye Tu's thigh. The sharp pain was effective, and Yu Ci's words finally registered in his mind.

The young man yelped and jumped up. To him, there was only one bald thief: the Poisonous Snake Monk who had stolen his golden saber, the very same monk he considered the greatest villain in the world.

"Where? Where? Where? Where?"

Ye Tu, almost hysterically, drew a short saber from his Storage Ring. This saber, like the 'medicine' hoe he had given Yu Ci, was made of the same kind of jade, incredibly sharp. But it was only sharp; it was nowhere near comparable to the golden saber that the monk had taken. That golden saber, after being refined, was already a formidable magic artifact.

Clearly, this jade saber offered him little sense of security. Even with the saber in hand, the boy couldn't stop his legs from trembling. In this state, if he could withstand even one blow from the Poisonous Snake Monk, it would be sheer luck!

Yu Ci couldn't stand the boy's pathetic display and growled, "What are you panicking about? They're still far away. Even if they were right here, just draw your saber and attack. What are you shaking for?"

His words didn't have much of an effect. Ye Tu's breathing was heavy, and he was still sweating, his limited strength draining away. Yu Ci glanced at him and suddenly said, "Didn't I tell you before about how I beat that bald monk until he cried?"

Ye Tu was stunned.