Martial Arts in Search of Immortality

The place where Qiu Yan and the others got off was already close to Qingchang County. After walking and stopping along the way, they soon hired another ox cart from a nearby village. It took most of the day, but they finally arrived in Qingchang County by evening.

Inside and outside the city, beggars were everywhere, each one wearing a numb, vacant expression.

"The bandit trouble in the south has had quite an impact. Eight times out of ten, these people fled here from southern villages." Liu Huai could not help sighing at the sight.

"It seems the authorities have no intention of dealing with these people." Qiu Yan sensed waves of chaotic intent radiating from the county seat before him. At the same time, the power of karma around him suddenly tightened, making his heart jolt. Looking at the refugees and beggars one by one, understanding dawned on him.

After entering the city, Qiu Yan did not take the Liu Household to his home in the northern part of town, instead finding an inn for them to settle into.

By the time everything had been taken care of, night had fallen and it was time for dinner. Qiu Yan spoke to the Liu family members. "Uncle, it has been a long day, so do not think too much about it. Have dinner and get some proper rest. I'll keep Brother Yan company."

Liu Huai nodded. "That works too. Hero Yan spoke up for justice today and stepped forward when it mattered. You ought to thank him properly."

"Of course." After bidding farewell to Liu Huai and his family, Qiu Yan took the burly man surnamed Yan to a well-known tavern in Qingchang.

"Your Shu Region wine really has a flavor all its own." The burly man surnamed Yan tipped back a large bowl of wine, then wiped his mouth.

Qiu Yan looked at him, raised his cup in response, then tipped back his head and drained it in one gulp.

Seeing this, the burly man surnamed Yan shook his head. "Not that I should say it, Brother Qiu, but wine ought to be drunk from a bowl. How can a cup feel satisfying?"

Qiu Yan smiled. "I cannot hold my liquor. Brother Yan, do not make things difficult for me."

The two had met by chance and had not even known each other during the day, yet there was a reason they were now sitting here drinking together.

When Xie Shan of the Pan Household had led people to intercept them, the burly man surnamed Yan had stepped forward upon seeing injustice. He was far better than the bystanders around them. Later, he had remained impartial as well, leaving Qiu Yan with a favorable impression.

Afterward, the burly man surnamed Yan had worried that the Pan Household would seek revenge, so he had accompanied them all the way. Even though Qiu Yan had made it clear that the Pan Household cared about its reputation and would not cause trouble again in the short term, the man had still refused to leave. Qiu Yan could not help admiring his warm-hearted devotion to righteousness and developed the desire to befriend him.

As it happened, the burly man surnamed Yan was also interested in Qiu Yan's skills. After some back and forth, the two shared the basics of their lives and formed an acquaintance.

Only then did Qiu Yan learn that the burly man surnamed Yan was from Yan-Zhao and had some reputation in the local martial world. He was known as Great Saber Yan the Second, while his true name was Yan Yongjie.

After taking a few bites of food and a few sips of wine, Qiu Yan suddenly said, "Brother Yan, you said you came to the Shu Region in search of immortality?"

"That's right." Yan Yongjie set down his cup and chopsticks. "I traveled west all the way, passing through Jing-Xiang and Qin-Long before finally entering Shu, all to seek an immortal opportunity."

"An immortal opportunity?" Qiu Yan found this strange. "What sort of thing is the immortal opportunity Brother Yan seeks?"

Yan Yongjie laughed heartily. He picked up a bite of food and swallowed it before speaking. "To be honest with you, little brother, I do not know exactly what this immortal opportunity looks like either, though there is a reason for it. Yan has practiced martial arts since childhood. Ten years ago, my skills had already reached the level of Sound-Bones Tremor."

Qiu Yan praised him. "Oh? Brother Yan has already reached Sound-Bones Tremor? Your kung fu has been trained into your very bones; by vibrating the bone membranes, you can generate force! Though I do not know much about martial arts, I know reaching such a level is no easy task."

Yan Yongjie was slightly surprised. "You look like a scholar, yet you possess martial skills. Could it be that you wish to emulate the ancients, studying letters and practicing martial arts, becoming accomplished in both civil and martial pursuits?"

Qiu Yan shook his head. "How could this be called practicing martial arts? It was merely a fortunate coincidence that strengthened my body."

Yan Yongjie assumed he did not wish to go into detail and did not press him. He continued their earlier topic. "No matter how good one's kung fu is, one remains an ordinary mortal. Though I had attained Sound-Bones Tremor, I always felt there were higher realms beyond it. Thus I lost my appetite and sleep, pondering bitterly day and night, but could never find an answer. Then one day, by a strange twist of fate, I saved a Daoist priest. Yet a few days later, the priest still failed to pull through. He left behind a book, though, and only then did I learn how vast heaven and earth truly were. It turned out that training kung fu into the bones was merely the foundation!"

"I wonder what was written in that book?" Qiu Yan could not help asking.

"It was nothing particularly important, just a travel journal recording all sorts of sights and experiences across Great Rui, even beyond the frontier in the Western Regions. It also spoke of martial arts and mentioned some inconceivable feats of the martial path."

As he spoke, he took a small leather pouch from his robes. Opening it revealed a crumpled booklet.

Yan Yongjie carefully turned to the last page of the booklet, then looked at Qiu Yan with hopeful eyes. "Little brother, your knowledge is extraordinary and your skills are impressive. You are surely no ordinary man. Have you ever seen such a sight?"

Hearing this, Qiu Yan focused his attention on the book. What met his eyes was a landscape painting.

Mountain springs surged forth, twisting and crossing through one another. Clouds and mist formed a curtain that descended from the heavens. Amid those springs and mists, a pavilion flickered in and out of view, floating in midair.

"This is?" Qiu Yan's brows knitted slightly as he caught a trace of familiarity from the painting.

It was strange. The booklet was wrinkled and worn, clearly many years old, yet this painting was smooth and pristine, without the slightest sign of age. Even the mountains and waters within seemed to move, lifelike enough that it felt as though, in the next instant, the spring water and clouds would pour from the painting and spread around them.

"What? Brother Qiu, do you recognize this place?"

"No, I do not. I merely find this painting exceptionally strange and am astonished by the excellence of its artistry."

When Yan Yongjie saw Qiu Yan's expression change slightly, joy appeared on his face. But when he saw Qiu Yan shake his head in denial, he could not help sighing and smiling bitterly. "The marvel of this painting is not limited to that. What matters most is the place it points to."

He closed the booklet and said, "Though this book is a travel journal, the things it records surpass imagination. Yet on careful reflection, they also accord with the principles of heaven and earth. It further indicates that after the bone membranes begin to tremble, there is still the path of Life Cultivation. Unfortunately, it gives no specific method, only some supporting evidence. That is why Yan has carried it around and searched everywhere, hoping to uncover the truth of the place depicted in the painting. Regrettably, I have never found it."

"This item is so precious that Brother Yan should put it away carefully. As the saying goes, when sincerity reaches its utmost, even metal and stone can be split. Heaven, earth, and the gods know your heart; they will not let your intentions and will be wasted in vain." Seeing his bitter smile, Qiu Yan offered comfort.

"That is what Yan thinks as well!" Hearing this, Yan Yongjie burst into hearty laughter, and all the bitterness on his face vanished. "Leaving that aside, over these past years I have crossed mountains and forded rivers, seen the land's magnificent vistas, and have not lived in vain. Even if I never find an immortal opportunity in the end, it will still have been worth it."

Qiu Yan nodded to himself.

This man is broad-minded. He is someone worth befriending.

Qiu Yan had come to understand The Way of Nature and Life with the City God's help, but ordinary people toiled their entire lives, and few ever came into contact with the true meaning of Life Cultivation. For someone like Yan Yongjie to learn of these matters already counted as having affinity. With a little more luck, he might step onto the path of true cultivation.

From Yan Yongjie's words, Qiu Yan roughly guessed the situation of ordinary martial artists. Most were likely limited to the first realm of Life Cultivation. Without guidance, without cultivation methods to lead them, and without any opportunities, they would find it difficult to enter the second realm of Life Cultivation, Soul Tempering, for their entire lives. They could not condense the Seven Souls, and their lifespans remained limited. No matter how well they trained their kung fu, they would only live ten-odd years longer than ordinary people, and in the end it would all come to nothing.

"However, Yan Yongjie has already trained his kung fu to Sound-Bones Tremor. He has opened the sinews and bones throughout his body and attained Vibratory Force, reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment. With a little guidance, if he senses the changes in the Seven Souls, he may have a chance to step onto the true path of Life Cultivation. To meet is fate; I may as well fulfill his wish. With this man's temperament, he will surely achieve something and need not squander his life away."

As he thought, Qiu Yan's attention returned to the booklet in Yan Yongjie's hands.

"The painting on the final page of this book is exceedingly strange. That familiar aura and atmosphere seem faintly entwined with the wishes of the people!"