A Thread of Hope

Huang Hongchuan, standing nearby, took quite a while to recover. He had truly been afraid Yi Shuyuan would reveal some earth-shattering heavenly secret. Taking the mountain stone from Yi Shuyuan, he looked at it now, shook his head, and sighed.

"His divine soul has scattered, his vital spirit has vanished. Wawa has no hope of life left!"

"Is there really no chance at all?"

Yi Shuyuan could not accept it. Wawa's death filled him with guilt, but his determination to see whether Wawa could be saved also held a measure of defiance-a refusal to let his own Dao remain flawed.

Yet the longer Huang Hongchuan looked, the more he felt something was amiss.

"Hmm?"

Huang Hongchuan's voice caught Yi Shuyuan's attention. He watched Huang Hongchuan examine the stone closely, pondering with a frown for quite some time before choosing his words carefully.

"Mr. Yi, though Wawa's divine soul has indeed dispersed, this smear of blood cannot be wiped away. His final wisp of vital energy must have seeped into the stone, mingling with its spirituality and the ink's radiance. Perhaps..."

Huang Hongchuan paused, and Yi Shuyuan froze for a moment before asking impatiently.

"Perhaps what?"

Huang Hongchuan spoke thoughtfully.

"The marvel lies in the ink left on the stone. It has mingled with Wawa's last trace of vital energy. Not only did it help him develop wisdom, it also linked itself to the aura of his spiritual intelligence, preserving that sliver of spirituality."

Yi Shuyuan studied the stone closely too, gradually discerning something. Indeed, amid the ink's lively shimmer, there was a faint exchange with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

Huang Hongchuan continued.

"Under any other circumstances, Wawa would still be beyond saving. His source has scattered, and rebuilding it would be far too difficult. This stone... at most, after a hundred years or so, might develop spiritual resonance of its own and give rise to another little spirit. But with the ink's spirituality preserving his intelligence..."

"It may not be impossible! With the aid of netherworld power, drawing upon the transformative workings of reincarnation, we could rebuild his body and soul while concealing the heavenly secrets. Perhaps there is still a thread of hope!"

As Huang Hongchuan finished speaking, something suddenly stirred in Yi Shuyuan's heart.

Have Wawa reincarnate? No-have this stone reincarnate?

Yi Shuyuan's eyes flickered. He understood little of this world's immortal wonders and mysteries, but he had insights of his own, an imagination that galloped across the heavens, and that clear, numinous feeling.

As he thought it over, the sense of absurdity actually faded from his mind. On closer reflection, it might truly be possible!

"How confident are you of this, Elder Huang?"

Excitement had crept into Yi Shuyuan's voice without his noticing. He knew nothing of the netherworld, much less this world's immortal Dao. Yet the Dao resonance in his heart and a powerful intuition told him this could work.

"All I can say is that there should be a chance!"

Huang Hongchuan's answer was ambiguous, but it was clear he too hoped to turn decay into wonder.

"Please advise me, Elder Huang. Which ghosts or gods might be amenable? Is there a deity presiding over Yuanjiang County's City God Temple?"

According to local folklore, the City God governed affairs of the Underworld. Though Yi Shuyuan had visited the City God Temple before, his arrival naturally did not oblige any ghost or god to appear before him.

Huang Hongchuan shook his head. Just as Yi Shuyuan began to think Yuanjiang County's City God Temple was an empty shell of superstition, his next words made him abandon that notion.

"I have some acquaintance with Yuanjiang County's City God, but I fear he cannot accomplish this. It is a stone, after all. This truly runs counter to the Dao of the netherworld, and may even involve mysteries that cannot be spoken of! Still, a God of the Netherworld certainly understands this Dao better than I do. You could go and ask him!"

Yi Shuyuan's brows knitted tightly, but he had already made up his mind. Whatever method it took, he would save Wawa. Even if the power of reincarnation proved useless, he would preserve the stone's remaining spirituality and seek another way.

As Huang Hongchuan explained, the stirring in Yi Shuyuan's heart grew stronger and stronger.

It made Yi Shuyuan realize that this was no longer mere guilt. It was a crucial step in his own Dao-a process of enlightenment and cultivation, and also one of manifestation. It would surely be a wondrous mystery of the Dao unlike anything in this world!

Link yin and yang, reverse heaven's ordained course, turn death into life, and reveal the hidden mysteries.

As Yi Shuyuan's thoughts reached this point, countless streams of light flashed through his divine awareness once more. Inspiration sparked in his heart, and a name emerged from all he thought, hoped, and desired-Heavenly Gang Transformation!

"If Wawa can gain a new life, I shall restore his chance to cultivate and attain the Dao!"

Seemingly sensing Yi Shuyuan's resolve, Huang Hongchuan feared he might immediately leave Broad South Mountain with the stone and hurriedly spoke.

"Do not rush, Mr. Yi. This must be done slowly. The stone's spiritual essence is unstable at present. Even if you have a wondrous art that reaches heaven itself, acting rashly will only sever this thread of hope at once. The stone still needs spiritual nourishment. It would be best to leave it where it was, continuing to absorb the radiance of sun and moon and the essence of heaven and earth. Only after a year at the least, or three at most, will it be secure!"

He was a Mountain God, after all, and understood this more thoroughly than Yi Shuyuan. His words also reminded Yi Shuyuan not to let his emotions sway him or overlook the stone's existing foundation.

Yi Shuyuan nodded solemnly, crouched down slowly, and carefully returned the stone to its original place.

Huang Hongchuan stood beside him, feeling somewhat relieved. Yi Shuyuan wanted to preserve Wawa's thread of hope, but did Huang Hongchuan not wish for the same? It was not merely because he counted as an elder, but because it struck a chord in his own heart. If this succeeded, might he too have a chance to hear that voice of the Dao that had summoned heavenly tribulation?

Fear was fear, but even as the god of a mountain, Huang Hongchuan was not free of wants and desires. Who did not wish to advance further? Who did not wish to hear the Great Dao?

Yet last night, Huang Hongchuan-who governed the Broad South Mountain range and could connect with the earth veins to touch the breath of heaven and earth-had only sensed a vast heavenly might descending. He had not even been able to see where the tribulation lay, only faintly discern an unfathomable danger.

Even a tiny spirit in the mountain stream had suffered the baptism of heavenly lightning because of that little touch of wisdom-bearing ink. Huang Hongchuan himself had done almost nothing-merely shared a drinking session and touched someone's spiritual seat to help him focus-and that had brought heavenly lightning down upon his golden body?

What Dao had Yi Shuyuan comprehended, that heaven and earth themselves would obstruct it? Not daring to listen did not mean he did not want to. Not daring to listen did not mean he did not yearn for it!

"Elder Huang..."

"Ah? What do you require, Mr. Yi?"

Huang Hongchuan snapped back to himself. Without realizing it, he had already set aside his superior bearing. Watching the flowing mountain stream, Yi Shuyuan gradually relaxed as well. A smile returned to his face, and he became that cheerful man pursuing his dreams once more.

"When it comes to the world's marvels, I am merely an outsider with a little half-understood knowledge. I still have many questions I wish to ask. I hope you will be generous with your guidance, Elder Huang!"

"I would not presume to call it guidance. I shall certainly tell you everything I know. But, Mr. Yi, is it not time you returned to Yuanjiang County's town?"

Huang Hongchuan's words brought Yi Shuyuan to his senses. He slapped his forehead, thinking that it was already the fourth day, and he had no idea how things stood at the county office!

"Quite right. I shall not linger today. I will come another day to speak with you again, Elder Huang!"

Yi Shuyuan cupped his hands and was about to leave when Huang Hongchuan said with a smile.

"If you do not mind, Mr. Yi, may I send you on your way?"

The words sounded odd to Yi Shuyuan. What do you mean, send me on my way? Of course, he knew that was just the result of watching too many television dramas in the past. As the god of a mountain, Huang Hongchuan surely did not mean an ordinary escort.

"Please work your magic, Elder Huang!"

Huang Hongchuan nodded, and a halo of light enveloped them both. Yi Shuyuan felt slightly weightless, as though he had stepped onto cotton. But instinctively planting his feet firmly, he immediately found himself on solid ground again.

"Mr. Yi, why are you doing this...?"

With Yi Shuyuan in tow, Huang Hongchuan could not sink into the earth at all. Unwilling to force the matter, he could only remind him, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

Yi Shuyuan paused, then immediately understood. Feeling rather embarrassed, he relaxed his mind, and the weightless sensation returned.

Whoosh~

In an instant, light and darkness alternated. A sensation like diving underwater, tinged with disorientation, kept flashing before his eyes. It was not completely dark, but there was little light either. Now and then, he could even make out rocks, roots, and other things.

Amid that swaying sensation, Yi Shuyuan gently closed his eyes. His awareness seemed to extend along their route, as though he could sense some network beneath the earth.

Are these... earth veins?

After a flicker of mist-veiled light and shadow, Huang Hongchuan and Yi Shuyuan appeared at the foot of the mountain. Hardly any time had passed.

Huang Hongchuan let out a quiet breath of relief. Fortunately, nothing had gone wrong along the way, and his dignity remained intact. Traveling with this Mr. Yi had felt extraordinarily heavy.

"Mr. Yi, this is as far as I shall take you!"

Yi Shuyuan was still savoring that wondrous sensation. Only at these words did he return to himself and turn aside, cupping his hands in thanks.

"Thank you for bringing me here, Elder Huang. I shall head back now."

"Wait a moment, Mr. Yi!"

Yi Shuyuan looked at Huang Hongchuan in puzzlement. You were the one who just reminded me to go back, and now you are stopping me?

After speaking, Huang Hongchuan patted his waist with his right hand. Two faint streaks of light flew from his waistband, taking shape in his hand as a rectangular wooden block and a book.

Under Yi Shuyuan's gaze, Huang Hongchuan handed both items over.

"Mr. Yi, I have no wondrous arts from an immortal lineage. The divine Dao method I now cultivate is one of those in this realm's Celestial Court Divine Dao Compendium, and it is not convenient to show it to you. This book contains some insights into mountains, rivers, and earth veins, along with a few illusion tricks. You may take it back for reference."

Delight immediately appeared on Yi Shuyuan's face. He accepted both items with both hands, his gaze passing over the book before naturally settling on the wooden block.

It was glossy black and felt quite heavy. He had no idea exactly what it was, but he knew it certainly had not been given to him to take home as firewood.

"This wood is...?"

"Hahaha, did you not say your aspirations lay in the mortal world, and that you wished to travel as a storyteller? This has never been of much use in my hands. Though it is no extraordinary treasure, neither water nor fire can harm it, and it is exceptionally sturdy. Its size looks suitable. You can use it as a storyteller's clapper!"

Yi Shuyuan smiled too at that.

"Hahahahaha! Good, wonderful! Thank you, Elder Huang!"

After they bade each other farewell again, Yi Shuyuan fondly turned his two treasures over in his hands, unable to put them down. He also used a vine to tie his hair into a topknot, then strode off toward the county town.

Huang Hongchuan remained where he was, frowning in thought before looking up at the sky. Clearly, only the two of them likely knew that Yi Shuyuan had undergone a tribulation this time.