Quite the makings of a Daoist

Fang Zelin stood at the foot of the mountain, wondering why he had appeared in a place like this.

He had clearly been in the inn just a moment ago.

But sensing that the mountain before him was extraordinary, Fang Zelin steadied himself and felt that this probably had something to do with his studying the Qi Refining book just now.

Besides, the mountain before him was steeped in an immortal air. Fang Zelin hesitated no longer and stepped onto the mountain path ahead.

Fang Zelin walked a few steps along the winding path, and an old fisherman appeared before him.

The old man wore a straw rain cape and held a fishing rod, fishing up ahead.

As Fang Zelin drew a little closer, the fishing rod in the old man's hand suddenly twitched.

The old man opened his eyes and waved Fang Zelin over.

Fang Zelin immediately approached. He was just about to cup his hands and ask why he was here when the old man suddenly opened his eyes and looked at him, a trace of something strange in his gaze.

Then it turned to approval.

"You have quite the makings of a Daoist."

"You may enter my Daoist school."

With that, he casually waved a hand, and a drop of water flew out of the stream before him and sank into Fang Zelin's brow.

Before Fang Zelin could speak, he opened his eyes to find himself back in the inn.

Watching Fang Zelin leave, the old man in the mountains murmured, "If a man does not look out for himself, heaven and earth will destroy him. What excellent words!"

Looking at the distant sunset, Fang Zelin froze for a moment, then lowered his head to look at the Qi Refining book in his hands, only to see it turn into a cloud of dust and scatter.

For a fleeting moment, he felt as though something different had appeared between heaven and earth.

The book in his hands, which he had only half understood before, suddenly made complete sense to him.

After a little thought, Fang Zelin sat down on the bed beside him and immediately began practicing the Qi Refining method from the book.

"The turbid and clear divide into yin and yang; from their union, Qi is born."

"Gather the spiritual, raise yin and yang; the Dao opens and returns to the spiritual."

Fang Zelin closed his eyes and began regulating his breathing. Having cultivated Qi Force before, he found this attempt at Qi Refining even easier than he had imagined.

The surrounding Spiritual Qi began flowing into Fang Zelin's body.

In an instant, Fang Zelin felt as though his whole body were cheering and leaping for joy.

When Fang Zelin opened his eyes again, he saw the morning sun rising outside and felt spiritual power flowing into every limb and bone.

"So refreshing."

"It's as though..."

"Before, I was bound in shackles, and now, at last, those bonds have been undone."

Fang Zelin looked down at himself, feeling that things were very different today.

"Sir, I've brought your hot water. Would you like it now?"

Outside the room, the inn attendant knocked and called through the door.

"Yes, come in."

Hearing him, Fang Zelin nodded, unlocked the door, and motioned for the attendant to bring in the hot water.

This was one of the inn's services: every morning, they brought hot water for the guests staying here to wash up.

However, only guests staying in superior rooms or better received this treatment.

After all, this was ancient times. There were no such things as faucets.

The attendant set down the hot water, gave the table beside him a habitual wipe, then turned and left the room.

But just as he stepped through the doorway, he suddenly paused and glanced back into the room in puzzlement.

"Strange. Why did I feel so inexplicably comfortable while I was in that room just now?"

The attendant was a little puzzled, but remembering that he still had many rooms to deliver hot water to, he hurried off to continue his work.

Fang Zelin washed up with the hot water, then hurried back to the real world for a meal.

After telling the housekeeper she need not come today, he returned to Anzi County.

"Little junior brother, you're here so early today!"

At the martial arts school, Fang Zelin had barely reached the training grounds before quite a few people greeted him.

Fang Zelin nodded to each of them in response, returning their smiles.

He had gained quite a lot from this martial arts school. At the very least, he had confirmed that the martial arts taught here could be used in the real world.

Although he could now practice Qi Refining and pursue immortality, he had already paid, after all. Fang Zelin planned to train for one final day, then stop coming.

Soon, on the training grounds.

Fang Zelin began practicing martial arts along with everyone else.

This time, however, Fang Zelin suddenly felt something different about his training.

As he practiced the Wind-Riding Sword again, Fang Zelin could clearly sense some of the shortcomings in his execution.

This time, as he wielded his sword, the sharp blade in his hand felt a little lighter.

There was a hint of moving with the wind woven into it.

Several senior brothers nearby immediately sensed something amiss as well. When they turned to look at Fang Zelin, surprise flashed across their faces.

"Little junior brother has improved this frighteningly much today?"

"We only gave him a word of advice yesterday, and he's already improved this much today. He truly isn't human!"

The senior brothers exchanged glances, all thoroughly astonished.

A little later, once Fang Zelin finished his sword practice, the men nearby came straight over.

Astonished, they could not help looking Fang Zelin up and down. "Little junior brother, your swordsmanship has improved by leaps and bounds today. It seems to have a little of its true essence now."

"With swordsmanship like that, I'd believe you if you said you'd practiced for ten years!"

Hearing this, another man could not help nodding repeatedly in agreement.

Fang Zelin broke into a smile at their words. This was probably because of his Qi Refining.

Since beginning Qi Refining, he had kept feeling as though his shackles had been removed. Even when looking at certain things, he could sense how much had changed.

It was a little like standing somewhere higher up to look at things.

Naturally, that gave him a more complete view.

"You flatter me, senior brothers. I'm just fumbling around on my own."

Fumbling around?

Hearing this, everyone nearby was struck speechless.

If this level of skill counted as fumbling around, then what did that make them?

"Since little junior brother has such martial skill now, we could take him along tomorrow."

Another senior brother nearby pondered for a moment at the sight, then spoke.

Tomorrow?

Fang Zelin froze at this, a trace of confusion on his face.

He had spent all his time lately practicing martial arts and truly had not paid attention to anything else.

The others considered this for a moment, then nodded as well. "Indeed, we could."

"May I ask what this is about, senior brothers?"

Listening to their exchange, Fang Zelin was completely at sea.

He had no idea what they were talking about.

"A wild beast has been attacking people on Wangqing Mountain in Anzi County. More than thirty people have already died at its claws. The matter alarmed the county magistrate, so he posted a bounty notice: anyone who captures the beast will be rewarded with thirty taels of silver."

Thirty taels of silver?

At this, delight immediately rose in Fang Zelin's heart.

He had spent almost all his silver learning martial arts.

The superior room at the inn was not cheap either. Fang Zelin had just been wondering how he should earn some more silver.

And now, such a fine opportunity had come his way.