Kitchen

Qingping Temple, Inquiry Cliff.

This place had earned its name because the Patriarchal True Person had once made his vows and cultivated here.

Yang Huai could see quite a few elderly Daoists in white robes trimmed with blue, performing their morning practice beneath a sheer cliff face, breathing in and out as they cultivated. Faint, intangible radiance showed around them, carrying an air of rounded wisdom and life's vital force.

Yang Huai watched the scene with a trace of envy. He knew these old Daoists were True Persons of genuine moral attainment, for whom swallowing clouds and exhaling mist, shifting stars and changing constellations were not impossible feats. He did not dare stare for long.

Yang Huai simply sat down as well, adjusting his breathing, circulating jade fluid, gathering and nurturing the lesser medicine and the greater medicine, sending them into the Twelve Regular Meridians within his limbs and bones. Just as he had expected, as he breathed in and out, a warm current arose from his abdomen and flowed through his meridians. The Twelve Regular Meridians were completely clear and unobstructed.

Before long, a familiar hunger welled up within him. But he had come prepared. He took a small bundle from beside him, containing a chunk of bright yellow meat slick with grease, and bit directly into it. It was terribly dry, with a bloody tang that made it hard to swallow.

Yet once it entered his stomach and began to digest, streams of intense warmth arose and flowed into his limbs and bones, transforming into greater medicine that nourished his depleted blood, qi, and sinews.

This was food left behind after the temple slaughtered strange beasts. Rich in nourishment, it was the usual fare of the Daoist children.

Such things were common in this barbaric wilderness, especially in Daoist temples, where supplies were plentiful and even high-grade goods were not lacking.

But to Yang Huai, it was incomparably precious.

After a piece of cured meat went down his throat, blood and qi began steadily surging forth from the emptiness within his limbs and bones. Under the circulation of the Heavenly Circuit Heart Method, they gradually nourished his body anew and swiftly strengthened his foundation.

After circulating three minor heavenly circuits in succession, Yang Huai paused slightly.

He knew that excess was as bad as deficiency.

He then turned his attention to the diagram of the twenty-two primordial glyph patterns.

The fifth primordial glyph was related to "fire."

The first five primordial glyph diagrams corresponded precisely to the Five Elements of heaven and earth—the foundation of all matter.

According to the Daoist scriptures of the temple, most principles and laws of heaven and earth were intimately connected to the transformations of these Five Elements. This was the quickest shortcut onto the path of the Dao.

After using his soul to discern the artistic conception within the primordial glyph diagram, Yang Huai successfully meditated the primordial character diagram into being an hour later.

This speed was exceptionally fast.

Yang Huai decided to press on and continue comprehending the sixth and seventh primordial glyph diagrams.

The sixth primordial glyph diagram was somewhat more complex than the first five, but the increase in difficulty was still quite limited.

In truth, after reaching the sixth glyph, one did not necessarily have to choose the sixth, seventh, and eighth. Other combinations were possible, so long as one accumulated eight glyphs in total.

Yang Huai had studied the remaining seventeen glyphs. Many of them formed rather classic combinations, such as "sun," "moon," "clear"; "heaven," "earth," "turbid"; "wind, thunder, ice"; or "life," "death," "illusion"; "yin," "yang," "spirit."

Yang Huai likewise chose the combination of the sixth, seventh, and eighth glyphs.

They were "essence," "qi," and "spirit."

These three primordial glyphs formed the foundation of cultivating life and nature, and were closely linked to the essential teachings in many of the temple's scriptures. Choosing these three primordial character diagrams would be of greater help to his cultivation and entry into the Dao for some time to come.

As for the other glyphs, Yang Huai felt he could continue studying them after entering the Dao.

That afternoon, Yang Huai returned to his room. From afar, he saw the other three Daoist children gathered together, apparently studying something.

At the sight of Yang Huai, one of the Daoist children, whose hair was tied in a bun, immediately waved him over.

"Qingli, you came at just the right time. You've arrived in time for a stroke of fortune!"

He wore a mysterious look.

"Hou Sheng, what stroke of fortune?"

Yang Huai gave the Daoist child a curious glance. The other two, including Bai Jian, raised their heads. Bai Jian said in a low voice.

"Qingli, this time Hou Sheng and Yuan Sheng have truly come upon a great opportunity. Fairy Jade Palace bestowed a Celestial Talisman upon them. I'm afraid they'll soon be able to cultivate a fundamental method!"

Upon hearing Bai Jian's words, the other two Daoist children both revealed faint smiles, unable to conceal the pride in their eyes.

The Daoist children Yuan Sheng and Hou Sheng were actually blood brothers. Their faces were seventy to eighty percent alike, both red-lipped, white-toothed, and handsome. Their temperaments were similar as well—both somewhat arrogant. Yet they did indeed possess the capital for such arrogance. While the other Daoist children were still struggling with the second and third primordial character diagrams, they had already discerned their fourth glyph. At this rate, they had every hope of mastering eight glyphs within the year, entering the inner hall to receive a method and enter the Dao.

Qingli glanced at the two and nodded, saying only, "Congratulations to you both."

He stepped forward and saw two tangible jade talismans in their hands, carved with interwoven cloud patterns.

These were Celestial Talismans.

Celestial was an honorific for those who had attained success in the Dao. From Qingli's memories, he knew that only a small number of Daoists could be called Celestials. They had already attained celestial power, and their Daoist attainment was second only to the True Persons who roamed the azure void and wielded wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. They also held no small status within the temple. To gain a Celestial's favor meant skipping many steps—one could directly enter the Celestial's tutelage and obtain a fundamental method.

The brothers Yuan Sheng and Hou Sheng treasured their Celestial Talismans dearly. After letting the two of them see them for a single glance, they hurriedly put them away.

Their return was more like a chance to show off.

Though Yang Huai figured that he would have shown off too.

To stand out so suddenly among companions who had been suffering through bleak days together—if they did not come back and strut around a couple of times, how could it possibly feel worthwhile?

"Tsk, tsk, what a heaven-sent stroke of fortune. I wonder why Celestial Jade Palace took a liking to those two. There are quite a few more gifted people than them in the temple, even some born with innate talents. Could it be because those brothers are handsome...?"

Bai Jian's tone was distinctly sour.

Naturally, he clearly did not dare say this in front of the brothers. Only because Yang Huai cultivated the Heavenly Circuit Heart Method, granting him sharp ears and keen eyes, could he hear it.

Bai Jian's eyes rolled, and he quietly moved before Yang Huai, lowering his voice.

"Qingli, I actually have a few connections too. There are other Celestials in the temple willing to take in disciples, though there are some harsh conditions and trials. If we put our minds to it, we might not need to stubbornly study those twenty-two primordial glyph diagrams!"

His voice carried a hint of restless eagerness.

Yang Huai glanced at him. If one could walk the broad road beneath the sun, who would be willing to take such a "shortcut"?

Those Celestials were not all kind-hearted elders wholly devoted to paving the way for their juniors. Scheming people were everywhere.

Beneath those harsh conditions and trials, many Daoist children had vanished completely, or had their foundations damaged and never rose again. Only a rare few truly leaped from fish to dragon.

He immediately said, "I still want to give it a try. Perhaps I can be like those few people in the temple with special talents—awaken my aptitude in a short time and swiftly comprehend eight primordial glyphs!"

A touch of "hope" entered his voice.

Bai Jian froze at those words and fell silent. Only after a while did he say, "Special talents like Qing Xian and Daokongzi's are ultimately not very common!"

When he mentioned those two names, unconcealed envy filled his eyes.

Those two Daoist children were the most outstanding among their batch. Upon first entering the temple, they had awakened special talents, comprehended eight primordial glyphs in a short time, and directly received fundamental methods. They had now obtained official Daoist status.

After chatting briefly with Yuan Sheng, Hou Sheng, and Bai Jian, the four went their separate ways into the temple and began their daily duties.

These Daoist children had assigned tasks every day. Aside from reading ancient scriptures thoroughly, they had to take part in the temple's many mundane affairs: feeding strange beasts in Hundred Beasts Cave, sweeping courtyards, tending fires and fanning flames for the pill chamber, guarding the pill chamber or scripture hall, hauling water, chopping firewood, cooking, and so on.

Qingli's task was in the kitchen, where he was responsible for chopping firewood and hauling water every day.

This task was far from easy, because the firewood here was not ordinary mountain timber, but unknown giant ancient trees that weighed hundreds of pounds apiece. Among them were spiritual woods and poisonous woods, containing spiritual essence, strange baleful powers, or even deadly poison.

Fortunately, there were dedicated fire-working Daoists to chop the wood. A junior with as little strength as he had was only responsible for stacking it.

Even so, it was grueling and hard to endure!

Inside the kitchen, there was still more than an hour before noon, yet it was already a blazing hive of activity. Three or four Daoists in red-gray robes bustled within. Billowing waves of heat rolled out from the kitchen, and ordinary people simply could not approach such temperatures. If they came too close, they would likely be scorched to ash in an instant.

Three of the fire-working Daoists had robes fluttering around them as all manner of flames flowed at their sides, as tame as the water in the Dragon King's hand. Round cauldrons resembling turtle shells danced through their hands.

Yes, great cauldrons.

They were the meal pots for all the Daoists in the temple.

Nearby, a disheveled Daoist with unkempt sideburns wielded a huge axe, chopping logs apart. Two other Daoist children stacked the split logs to one side. They were already drenched in sweat and gasping for breath, seemingly at the end of their strength. The moment one of them saw Yang Huai arrive, he looked as though he had seen a savior and hurriedly said, "Qingli, you came at just the right time. Let's switch out!"