From Mortal to Immortal, Awakening the Spirit and Enlightening the Dao

"Nothing."

Li Moqing shook his head, unwilling to explain.

He bought some food, tea leaves, and spices. They would serve a wonderful purpose later.

"Master, why did you take me as your disciple?"

Zhang Xingfeng did not press him. Instead, he asked another question.

"Because we were fated to meet, of course," Li Moqing answered with a faint smile. "Xingfeng, why do you ask?"

He glanced toward the sect's Trial Stele. Xingfeng was fine when I left. I came back to find him like this. Could he have...

"Fated? But Master, I already tested my spiritual aptitude at the Trial Stele. Not a single star lit up!"

Zhang Xingfeng gave a bitter smile and looked at Li Moqing, on the verge of tears. "Master, I'm just an ordinary person. I'm destined to remain mortal my whole life!"

So that's it, just as I thought.

Li Moqing had anticipated this. Clearwind Town had no cultivators, and people with spiritual aptitude were exceedingly rare. There might not be a single one!

Otherwise, why would the Cloud Offering Sect, a mere thirty li from Clearwind Town, have only a dozen or so members after all these years?

But to him, this was no problem at all!

"So that's what's bothering you. I thought it was something serious."

Li Moqing smiled at Zhang Xingfeng, as calm as a cloud drifting on the breeze.

No spiritual aptitude? I just need to make something up and find a way to give you some.

"Huh..."

Zhang Xingfeng froze, staring at Li Moqing in bewilderment.

"Xingfeng, do you see that giant tree near the Trial Stele, and the huge stone beneath it?"

Ignoring Zhang Xingfeng's confusion, Li Moqing pointed to a giant tree on the south side of the square.

Zhang Xingfeng followed his finger and nodded. "I see them. Is there something special about that tree and stone?"

"Very special."

"The tree is called the Spirit-Awakening Tree, and the stone is called the Dao-Enlightenment Stone. I obtained them through a fortunate chance."

"Together, they can help a mortal become immortal by awakening the spirit and opening the mind. All you need to do is sit on that stone and contemplate the Dao. Even a mortal can attain enlightenment and become immortal."

Li Moqing smiled faintly, spinning the whole tale out of thin air.

"They're really that miraculous?"

Zhang Xingfeng stared, dumbfounded.

The vast world held all manner of wonders. Naturally, he had no reason to doubt it.

[Ding! Congratulations! Your fabricated claim has been believed by your personal disciple Zhang Xingfeng. The Spirit-Awakening Tree and Dao-Enlightenment Stone have become real.]

[Awaken the spirit, comprehend the Dao, and turn a mortal into an immortal—all within arm's reach!]

[Making this fabrication real has consumed one opportunity to do so for Zhang Xingfeng, gained when you took him as your disciple!]

[You have two opportunities remaining to make fabrications real for Zhang Xingfeng, gained from taking Zhang Xingfeng as your disciple.]

Hearing this, Li Moqing looked toward the giant tree near the Trial Stele and the huge stone beneath it.

They looked just as they always had, but he knew they had undergone a change that turned heaven and earth upside down!

"They really are. If you don't believe me, go sit on the stone and try!"

Li Moqing answered with certainty.

"All right! I'll try it right now, Master!"

Zhang Xingfeng's eyes shone. His dejection vanished, and he sprang to his feet and raced toward the Spirit-Awakening Tree and Dao-Enlightenment Stone.

"Xingfeng, there's no need to rush. Eat first!"

Li Moqing called after him.

"No, Master! I want to comprehend the Dao and become a cultivator first!"

Zhang Xingfeng answered impatiently and ran even faster.

So be it. I'll let Xingfeng awaken his spirit and comprehend the Dao on his own. I'll go eat something to fill my stomach.

Li Moqing returned to his own pavilion. Of course, he would not eat in front of Zhang Xingfeng. Cultivators could abstain from food once they reached the fourth level of the Qi Refinement Realm.

And in Zhang Xingfeng's eyes, he was at least at the ninth level of the Foundation Establishment Realm!

The moon shone bright among sparse stars.

Atop the Dao-Enlightenment Stone,

Zhang Xingfeng had sat cross-legged with his eyes closed in concentration for an hour.

He was as still as a slab of golden stone.

When he first sat down, the only thing he noticed about the Spirit-Awakening Tree was a pleasant coolness. Nothing else seemed unusual.

He had even begun to doubt Li Moqing's words. Now, though, he had no doubts left.

A wisp of spiritual awareness had flashed through his mind, vanishing as quickly as a shooting star across the sky. He had never managed to catch it.

But something had changed, and that thrilled him so much that he forgot his stomach had long been growling.

Spiritual awareness, come back!

Zhang Xingfeng urged himself inwardly.

Perhaps sincerity could indeed work wonders. The Spirit-Awakening Tree rustled and swayed, giving off a faint glow that gathered around him like a veil of gauze for him to absorb.

The Dao-Enlightenment Stone sent out a warm current that climbed from his legs all the way into his mind.

In an instant, Zhang Xingfeng's mind cleared, his senses sharpened, and spiritual awareness surged forth!

So much spiritual awareness! I have to catch it!

Zhang Xingfeng grew more excited. He cried out inwardly, concentrated harder, and vowed to keep every wisp of it in his mind.

He became so absorbed in the effort that hunger and time fell away!

"I caught it! I finally caught it!"

After who knew how long, Zhang Xingfeng shouted in excitement.

His senses had never been clearer. Even with his eyes closed, he felt as though he could see everything in the world!

Heaven and earth, the stars, and the vast universe appeared in his mind. He sensed things he had never sensed before.

Most importantly, he detected source qi, something he had never been able to perceive. There was not much of it, but he sensed it clearly!

Excitement surged through him. He knew this marked his first step onto the path of cultivation. He had successfully awakened his spirit and comprehended the Dao!

Boom!

Zhang Xingfeng's eyes flew open, and an aura unlike any he had possessed before burst from him.

This was the difference between a cultivator and a mortal. Though Zhang Xingfeng had not formally begun cultivating, the moment he sensed source qi, he gained an aura of his own—an aura of might!

That might alone could kill!

And when his cultivation reached the ninth level of the Foundation Establishment Realm, that aura would become an oppressive force, stronger and more terrifying still!

"Huh? Master, when did you get here?"

Zhang Xingfeng spotted a white-clad figure beside him. He hurriedly drew in his aura and asked.

"A while ago."

Li Moqing answered calmly, then offered his congratulations. "Xingfeng, congratulations on awakening your spirit and comprehending the Dao. Now you can become a true cultivator!"

"Yes! Who would have thought that a mortal like me would have the chance to become a cultivator?"

Zhang Xingfeng spoke with wonder, his face full of joy.

"But before you become a cultivator, you should eat."

Smiling, Li Moqing handed him the food he had prepared.

"Ah..."

Only then did Zhang Xingfeng realize that dawn had come. His stomach had been raising a tremendous fuss for some time.

"Thank you, Master!"

Zhang Xingfeng hurriedly took the food and wolfed it down.

"Slow down. You'll choke. No one's going to steal it."

Li Moqing smiled as he cautioned him.

"It's your fault for making such delicious food, Master. Once I start, I can't stop!"

Zhang Xingfeng kept devouring it like a gale sweeping away clouds, even as he joked.

Li Moqing made no comment. He simply watched Zhang Xingfeng in silence.

"Burp!"

A quarter of an hour later, Zhang Xingfeng let out a satisfied belch.

"Master, I'm full. I want to test my spiritual aptitude again."

He rose from the Dao-Enlightenment Stone as he spoke.

"All right."

Li Moqing nodded and followed him.