A Book on Qi Refinement

"Can I really sense it?"

Fang Zelin suddenly opened his eyes, which were now filled with delighted surprise.

For the past half month, he had been unable to sense Qi Force at all.

Fang Zelin had almost begun to think his guess had been wrong.

Yet today, that knock on the door had actually acted like a catalyst, helping Fang Zelin knock open the door for himself.

At that moment, Fang Zelin was overjoyed.

Although the Qi Force had vanished after appearing for only an instant, Fang Zelin had felt that distinct sensation with absolute clarity. There could be no mistake!

"Little Fang?"

Hearing no movement inside, the auntie knocked again, a hint of concern in her voice.

"I'm coming out!"

Delighted, Fang Zelin answered and hurriedly wheeled himself over to open the door, then went to the table and began eating in great mouthfuls.

Seeing the delight on Fang Zelin's face after he came out, the auntie wondered why he had suddenly become so happy.

Still, it was a good thing to see Fang Zelin happy.

After Fang Zelin finished eating, the auntie cleared away the dishes, washed them, and left with the rubbish.

Fang Zelin returned to his room in tremendous excitement and began trying to sense Qi Force again.

This time, however, for some reason, he could no longer sense it.

Fang Zelin calmed himself and thought carefully, realizing that his emotions were fluctuating too intensely right now, which was why he could not sense it.

Once he understood this, Fang Zelin stopped forcing the issue.

Having confirmed that the Martial Dao worked across both worlds, he had essentially verified that the other world was real.

Even if it was not a real world, it was still something extraordinary.

In that case, why bother practicing martial arts? He should seek immortals!

At this thought, Fang Zelin shut the doors and windows and immediately entered the other world.

Anzi County.

When Fang Zelin opened his eyes, he was already in the inn.

Before Fang Zelin could get up, however, a sudden wave of dizziness washed over him, and he toppled headfirst onto the bed.

"What's going on?"

Fang Zelin opened his eyes and looked around, utterly bewildered.

Just a moment ago, he had been in the inn, then felt himself fall straight into unconsciousness. How had everything around him changed when he opened his eyes again?

Looking up, he seemed to be inside a great hall.

While Fang Zelin was puzzling over this, someone emerged ahead of him. He knew this person very well-wasn't this Zhang Weichu, the water ghost he had met at the Yongding River?!

It seemed he had brought him here.

Had he realized Fang Zelin had fooled him before, and now wanted revenge?

At the thought, Fang Zelin's heart jolted. As his thoughts ran wild, Zhang Weichu approached him with a look of delighted surprise.

Upon reaching him, Zhang Weichu bowed deeply.

"Mr. Fang, please forgive me for taking the liberty of inviting you here so abruptly."

"Er, is there something you need, sir?"

Seeing how courteous he was, Fang Zelin suppressed his astonishment and replied in similarly formal language.

"Thanks to your guidance before, this humble god was finally freed from the suffering of the waters. The City God even thought highly enough of me to grant me a position as a yin deity, allowing me to receive incense offerings from the mortal world."

Zhang Weichu spoke with extreme courtesy, bowing respectfully.

Thanks to Fang Zelin's guidance, he was now a registrar serving under Judge Wen and held a small measure of authority in the Underworld Bureau.

All of this had come from Fang Zelin's guidance.

Not to mention that the kappa had previously said Fang Zelin was very likely an immortal's disciple.

With that connection as well, he treated Fang Zelin with even greater respect.

That actually worked?

Hearing Zhang Weichu's words, Fang Zelin muttered inwardly, somewhat stunned. He truly had not expected him to enter the Underworld Bureau.

"After reporting to the Underworld Bureau, I originally intended to thank you in person. Unfortunately, there were so many duties there that I never had the chance. Please forgive me for only finding you to offer my thanks after so many days."

"Whatever you may ask of me, I will do everything in my power to fulfill it."

Fang Zelin waved a hand at his words, but looking at him now, an idea stirred in his mind.

"Does the Underworld Bureau have any methods for cultivating immortality?"

Since he had said as much, Fang Zelin asked outright.

If it did, this would be like someone handing him a pillow just as he was getting sleepy!

Zhang Weichu was taken aback at the question. A method for cultivating immortality? Wasn't he an immortal's disciple? Why would he still need one?

Right, the kappa had mentioned that he had descended the mountain to gain experience and could only be taught immortal arts after completing his training.

Besides, he was only asking for a method for cultivating immortality, not immortal arts. Presumably, he was growing a little impatient.

Zhang Weichu pondered for a moment, thinking carefully.

Serving under Judge Wen and having won his appreciation, he had been allowed to browse quite a few books in his collection. Among them was indeed a Qi Refining method.

It was useless to yin deities, though it was not a particularly profound method either.

There should be no harm in giving it to him.

At this thought, Zhang Weichu nodded. "There is one book. Shall I deliver it to you shortly?"

"Yes!"

Fang Zelin was overjoyed. He had obtained a method for cultivating immortality just like that? What a delightful surprise!

After they finished speaking, Fang Zelin no longer planned to go out. He intended to wait at the inn for Zhang Weichu to deliver the book on Qi Refining.

Fang Zelin did not have to wait long before Zhang Weichu brought the manual over.

Zhang Weichu came straight to his door, knocked, and handed over the manual before turning into a wisp of blue smoke and leaving.

He said that the Underworld Bureau had many duties to attend to, so he could not stay long.

Fang Zelin did not try to keep him. At that moment, the book on Qi Refining he had brought held his complete attention.

When Fang Zelin opened the book and took a close look, the dazzling contents immediately drew him in.

"At the beginning of heaven and earth, yin converged, with the clear above and the turbid below; gather the clear and turbid to divide yin and yang, and draw upon the harmonious union of yin and yang."

Fang Zelin stared at the book before him and read carefully. Fortunately, back at the martial arts school, he had read some sections of the sword manual and heard explanations from a martial arts instructor.

Though the two books differed somewhat, that had at least given Fang Zelin a few points from which to begin comprehending it.

Fang Zelin quieted his mind and began studying it intently.

As Fang Zelin immersed himself in comprehension, the distant sun climbed to its zenith, then slowly sank toward the western mountains.

The evening sunlight shone into the room, bathing the entire space in a layer of golden yellow.

Just then, Fang Zelin finished reading the entire book, with only a hazy understanding of its contents.

At that moment, as though drawn by something, Fang Zelin suddenly saw a towering mountain appear before him.

Mist wreathed the mountain, with occasional cries of cranes and colorful clouds.

"What? You gave someone the book on Qi Refining?"

Inside the City God's temple, Judge Wen stared wide-eyed at Zhang Weichu standing before him.

Looking at Judge Wen before him, Zhang Weichu began to feel uneasy.

Judge Wen studied Zhang Weichu, then shook his head. "How could the path of cultivating immortality be so easy? If merely reading a book allowed one to set foot upon it, cultivators would already be everywhere between heaven and earth."

Zhang Weichu froze at these words, then widened his eyes. Wasn't reading a secret manual enough to cultivate immortality?

"Then that Qi Refining method is fake?"

"Of course not."

Judge Wen shook his head. "Even I do not know the precise reason. I only know that comprehending a book on Qi Refining alone does not allow one to embark on the path of cultivating immortality."

Hearing this, Zhang Weichu thought for a moment, then relaxed again.

Although he did not know why, Fang Zelin was an immortal's disciple. Presumably, he already knew about this, so there was no need for Zhang Weichu to worry.