Seeking the Dao

He Degong parked the flying boat and stepped off first, his feet landing on the dry, yellow dust Crane Spirit Mountain, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Mr. Wen, I hope you are well." The head of the He Household family bowed respectfully to a white-browed cultivator with a gloomy face in front of the cave abode.

"Hmm, didn't I say beforehand that the master is currently in seclusion and has no important business, so please don't come to visit! What brings you here today?" Mr. Wen's tone was unfriendly, and a hint of anger appeared on his old face as he looked at He Degong with a displeased expression.

"How could we dare disobey Mr. Wen's teachings? It's not that I have something to discuss with Senior Lang today, but rather that I have an elder brother who needs..."

He Degong's explanation was interrupted by Mr. Wen halfway through, who waved his hand and said, "Alright, alright, don't think that just because you're the head of the He Household family, you can recommend some scoundrels to see the master! I've said it before, don't bother your senior with the He Household's messy affairs."

If you can't do the job well, then resign and be replaced; if the He Household has no one capable of doing it, then you might as well all leave empty-handed! You, Old Man Wen, should go and find another capable person for the master, so that your family won't hold us back any longer."

This old man was short and small, and his tone was sharp as a blade, cutting into one's ears.

It was clear that he was used to giving such a reprimand; in just Three Words, he managed to scold He Degong, who was more than a foot taller than him, so much so that he couldn't even lift his head.

The Jade-Faced Gentleman was so ashamed that his face turned as red as a date, and he was completely embarrassed.

"This junior disciple, Kang Dabao, has come to pay my respects to Senior Lang Yi on behalf of my elders." Sect Leader Kang Da, naturally unable to bear seeing He Degong humiliated, immediately stepped forward to defuse the situation and addressed Mr. Wen in a loud voice.

"Kang Dabao? I am ignorant and have never heard of your name before. May I ask who your elders are?" Mr. Wen saw Kang Dabao walk steadily off the flying boat, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and he frowned slightly.

Although this old cultivator didn't dare to Foundation Establishment, he had followed Lang Yi for over sixty years and his cultivation had reached the Peak Qi Refinement. Naturally, he could see that the fat man in front of him had a deep foundation, almost no less than He Dezong, who was preparing to Foundation Establishment back then, and was not at all like an ordinary Qi Refining Powder.

Therefore, the tone of his speech could not be the same as when he spoke to He Degong; the words and intonation were much softer.

Those who can serve as close servants to Foundation Establishment True Cultivator would have died countless times over if they didn't have this level of discernment.

"I, Kang, am the Chongming Sect, and have always made a living in Pingrong County, rarely venturing out. Therefore, my reputation is shallow, and it is normal that you do not know me. My elders have instructed me to bring him a letter to pay respects to Senior Lang Yi, so I trouble you to take the time to convey their message."

"Chongming Sect, Pingrong County, Kangda, Kang Dabao!" Only when these three words were put together did Mr. Wen suddenly remember who was in front of him.

"This is the Fei Household's son-in-law who killed a Foundation Establishment cultivator in the battle of Little Wu Mountain! That's right! The He Household did have a marriage alliance with the Chongming Sect in their early years. However, even when He Dezong's dead father was still alive, the two families didn't have much contact."

Now that He Dezong is dead, how could He Degong, this pampered son of the emperor, still have any connection with the Chongming Sect?

Mr. Wen quickly processed these thoughts in his mind, and then a smile quickly appeared on his face:

"Haha, I never expected it to be the renowned Cloud Horn Sect Leader Kang in person! Oh dear, forgive my poor eyesight! Please forgive me, fellow Daoist! Please forgive me! My master just emerged from seclusion three days ago and is currently admiring the flowers in the garden. I'll go and report to him right away!"

Mr. Wen's voice was now soft and soothing, a stark contrast to his tone when he spoke to He Degong. Such a sudden change from arrogance to obsequiousness—it's laughable!

After Mr. Wen rode his Law Artifact back to his cave abode at top speed, He Degong dared to raise his head and laugh a few times with He Degong Sect Leader Kang Da. Not long after, when he spoke again, there was a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Ahem, to be honest, brother, I've met Mr. Wen so many times, but only today did I realize that he can actually speak so kindly!" He Degong shook his head, his smile tinged with bitterness.

Kang Dabao sighed, but couldn't think of anything to say.

The two waited a short while longer before a streak of azure light appeared from afar. As the light drew closer, Sect Leader Kang Da could clearly see the newcomer's features without even using his divine eyes. He Degong then whispered a reminder, "Brother, be careful. This is Lang Yi, the number one cultivator in Hong County."

Lang Yi, with his wrinkled skin and white hair, was so thin he resembled a withered vine that hadn't tasted rain in a long time; dry and brittle, as if a single rub could easily peel off a layer of his brittle skin.

His eyes, the whites of his eyes already slightly yellowed, were filled with stories and the marks of time, deeply sunken into their sockets, showing little vitality, and he looked extremely haggard.

Judging from his appearance alone, one could not discern the True Cultivator demeanor of Lang Yi, who had reached the Foundation Establishment Perfection.

Even compared to those ordinary old cultivators who couldn't attain immortality and were just waiting to die, whom Sect Leader Kang Da often saw when he traveled to the market and shop, there wasn't much difference between them.

Upon seeing that it was Lang Yi himself who had come, Kang Dabao recalled He Degong's words on the spirit boat earlier, and a trace of apprehension flashed in his eyes. However, he dared not show it in the slightest, and together with He Degong, they respectfully bowed and said, "Greetings, Senior Lang!"

Lang Yi didn't even glance at He Degong beside Kang Dabao. After returning the greeting to the Sect Leader Kang Da, he hurriedly asked, "Did Sima Fei send you here, young friend?!"

"What you say is true, senior. It was indeed my brother Boyue, who sent me here. This is a letter from the master; please take a look!"

Lang Yi hurriedly reached out and took the small piece of silk, about the size of a palm, and carefully examined it for a while before letting out a sigh of relief, his face lighting up with joy. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, young friend. Please, please, the manor has prepared a feast and entertainers. Please come in quickly."

Sect Leader Kang Da originally wanted to take He Degong with him, but the latter was filled with mixed feelings and shook his head to leave. Only then did Lang Yi have the mood to take a look at He Degong, and it took him a long time to recognize that this was the He Household family head he had just appointed.

Lang Yi's mind is now entirely focused on Kang Dabao, who was sent by Sima Fei, so he has no time to care about He Degong.

However, seeing that He Degong was so sensible pleased Lang Yi quite a bit. Just then, Mr. Wen, whom Lang Yi had left behind, also arrived. Lang Yi then said, "Wen Liu, take He Household to collect a magic Law Artifact. He and Young Friend Kang have done a good job in guiding us, so don't be stingy. Take him to the Earth Script Library to choose one."

"Yes, sir!" Wen Liu replied respectfully, his tone extremely humble.

Unable to refuse, He Degong followed Wen Liu down the stairs.

Lang Yi personally piloted the cyan flying sword, carrying Sect Leader Kang Da into the "Old Pine cave abode," which Kang had painstakingly built on Crane Spirit Mountain.

Kang Dabao could tell that the name of the cave abode had a lot of meaning, and his suspicions about He Degong's claim that his He Household brother was killed by Lang Yi deepened.

However, he wasn't worried about anything. Seeing the old thief's behavior, it was clear that he needed something from Sima Fei.

Even if they were unwilling to help with Sect Leader Kang Da Foundation Establishment, they certainly wouldn't go so far as to plot against him.

As for whether Sima Fei was colluding with this old scoundrel to harm him, Kang Dabao felt that he was not that capable, and that Sima Fei would go to such lengths.

Although the Old Pine cave abode, which Lang Yi opened up, has the word "cave abode" in its name, it is not just a few cramped stone chambers as others might imagine; it is actually quite large.

When Sect Leader Kang Da entered the cave abode, he saw a large number of mortals mixed with a few cultivators, and there was no shortage of taverns, teahouses, brothels and other establishments.

Inside the cave abode, there was even a large spiritual field where some Second Tier spirit medicine Spirit Plant rarely seen outside were grown.

Various kinds of spirit bees and butterflies flew freely in groups of three or five, chasing and playing joyfully above the spirit field, truly a scene of vibrant life and the flourishing of all things.

Sect Leader Kang Da could tell that this was an extremely high level of geomancy skill, and he was slightly surprised.

Whether judged by the He Household brothers or by his reputation, Lang Yi is hardly a good person. He is ruthless in exploiting his subordinates and oppressing the kind-hearted, which is simply outrageous.

Upon hearing these remarks, Kang Dabao naturally regarded Lang Yi as a True Cultivator Foundation Establishment who did not engage in productive labor.

However, even just seeing this cave abode, Sect Leader Kang Da knew that it was not like that. This Foundation Establishment who was about to die of old age was definitely a master in this field, so his evaluation of him naturally rose even higher.

Lang Yi led Kang Dabao to a flower garden. He flicked his left index finger, and a puppet strongman, which was ten feet tall, vigorously stirred the cable.

After the roar, a crystal-clear, emerald-green table and chairs slowly emerged from the pool beside the flowerbed.

At the same time, another water spirit emerged from the pool and worked in perfect harmony with the puppet warrior. It puffed out its round little mouth and gently inhaled, causing the remaining water droplets on the tables and chairs to fall into its mouth with a gentle breeze.

Lang Yi invited Kang Dabao to leap across the pool and land on the green chair in the middle of the pool. He then gently shooed away the coquettish Shui Ling before turning to Sect Leader Kang Da and smiling, saying:

"I never expected that Sima Fei would think so highly of me, that you would have to come to Hong County to learn these meager skills from me."

Fang Yi Kang Dabao landed on the green chair, he felt a surge of pure Wood Element Spiritual Qi flow into his body through his pores. He then tentatively activated the "Azure Wood Treasured Light Guide".

Although it was only for a moment, it was already clear that this jade chair was an extraordinary auxiliary Spirit Artifact, probably even among Second Tier artifacts.

Such treasures are something that even ordinary Foundation Establishment would never have seen, which shows how wealthy Lang Yi was.

"I found this item in a secluded residence in Ding Prefecture sixty years ago. It took quite a bit of effort to obtain it." Lang Yi spoke of this past event without any change in expression, only giving a faint smile.

"I have long heard of your extraordinary skills, senior." This was no exaggeration from Sect Leader Kang Da.

This is because Lang Yi, though a penniless Rogue Cultivator, is one of the few Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivators in Cloud Horn Prefecture.

In addition, his aptitude was mediocre, possessing only the most common Four Spirit Roots. Yet, with this poor hand, Lang Yi had already earned the title of the number one Rogue Cultivator in Cloud Horn Prefecture twenty or thirty years ago.

Given Lang Yi's humble origins, his achievements have truly inspired admiration among many low-level cultivators in Cloud Horn Prefecture.

But heroes grow old, Lang Yi had long lost his former vigor and spirit. His Dao Foundation was inferior, and there was absolutely no hope of him achieving True-Grade Golden Core. He had no choice but to pursue the path of False Core.

Although achieving this False Core is a minor path, the spiritual materials required are beyond the reach of even someone as wealthy as Lang Yi, who is in the Foundation Establishment.

Having no other option, he could only hope to catch the eye of the state court again and see if he could obtain the opportunity to extend his lifespan by sixty years.

Lang Yi is now 210 years old. He suffered many hidden injuries in his early years and is not far from the end of his life as Foundation Establishment True Cultivator.

In order to secure his future, Lang Yi had been making overtures to the Two Instruments Sect for many years.

However, the latter, as a local tyrant who was famous throughout several states, had many talented people in his sect. Even though his family was large and his business was extensive, he did not have extra resources to give to a mediocre Rogue Cultivator like Lang Yi.

Therefore, Lang Yi's act of serving King Xiang was actually a favor he received.

Fortunately, the state government also took up residence in Cloud Horn Prefecture at this time, and Lang Yi finally got what he needed. Even though the state government didn't give him any promises, he didn't care.

When Acting Sima Gun first arrived in Hong County to quell the rebellion, Lang Yi readily humbled himself and became a guide, completely betraying his in-laws, the Mo Household of Hong County.

Even though Lang Yi committed such a disgraceful act, the False Core elixir was so precious that it was not enough to earn him any merit, nor could it be exchanged for it.

However, he could see things clearly. Now that his lifespan was coming to an end, even if he devoted himself to serving the state government, he wouldn't be able to do it for many more years. So why not give it a try?

Fortunately, hard work pays off. Sima Fei remembered that his wood magic skills were decent and even sent his son-in-law to seek the Dao. This was an opportunity that Lang Yi had to seize!

After the pleasantries were finished, Lang Yi took out a black jade tablet and said softly, "Since Sima has shown me such favor, I will certainly not be ungrateful. This is a quiet room equipped with Second Tier Spirit Vein; please use it as you wish. As for the wooden plank..."

Lang Yi paused here, "I lost my mother when I was three and my father when I was seven. When I grew older, I was not talented enough and no immortal sect would accept me. So I had no choice but to take a Qi Refining Powder who had lost all his cultivation as my master."

After six years of apprenticeship, he finally succeeded in Drawing Spirit into the Body at the age of twenty-one. Since then, he has worked as Bandit Cultivator, studied geomancy, and joined evil sects. In his pursuit of immortality, he has taken countless detours.

This time, I have gained Sima's trust, who said that my wooden magic is still acceptable, and asked you, young friend, to come and seek the Dao with me. But to be honest, young friend, I have had no one to teach me since childhood, and I have even misused more than a dozen kinds of qi cultivation methods.

I cultivated in a daze for many years before finally correcting my ways. As for why I was able to achieve Foundation Establishment, even I can't explain it clearly."

"What does Senior Lang mean?" Kang Dabao frowned, feeling that Lang Yi was making excuses.

"Young friend, don't be impatient, I haven't finished yet. Later, I also figured out some of the meaning behind it. In conclusion, the most likely reason is that I have always enjoyed collecting and studying wooden tablets, and finally comprehending their True Intention meaning."

This Storage Bag contains printed copies of the wood magic classics that I have collected, ranging from the Desolate-Tier Lower-Grade to the Vast-Tier Superior-Grade, totaling one hundred and sixty-six volumes. I have also annotated and explained most of them.

As the saying goes, "Read a book a hundred times, and its meaning will become clear." With your exceptional talent, young friend, after reading this, you will surely obtain the opportunity to Foundation Establishment fortuitous opportunity. I guarantee that if you have any questions or need to ask me, I will not hold back and will impart all my knowledge to you!

"One hundred and sixty-six books? Even if the vast majority of them are Desolate Tier Cultivation Method, it's still not something that can be done in a short time." Upon hearing this, Sect Leader Kang Da's face showed surprise.

"If you work hard, young friend, you should achieve something within five years," Lang Yi said calmly.

"Five years?!" Sect Leader Kang Da couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. Lang Yi, seeing Kang Dabao's ungrateful attitude, felt quite displeased.

Think of all the hardships he endured in his pursuit of the Dao. Even after trying every method imaginable, such as standing in the snow outside the master's door and lying on ice to catch carp, he still couldn't obtain even the most basic Desolate-Tier Lower-Grade Cultivation Method.

If Kang Dabao hadn't been carrying Fei Nanying's letter, why would Lang Yi have gone to such lengths?

It should be noted that even with the longevity-enhancing items that Lang Yi sought out, he might not have another twenty years to live. Yet, he is still willing to dedicate so much time to wholeheartedly teaching Kang Dabao, which is already an extraordinary act of sincerity!

Sect Leader Kang Da naturally understood this principle, and after his initial surprise, he calmed himself down.

"Well, five years isn't a long time. This opportunity is truly rare. I can only hope that the jade pendant in my hand can unleash its power once more," Sect Leader Kang Da thought to himself.

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