Zhen Chanzi grumbled, “Guess the land changes somewhat after ten thousand years. It’s at the bottom of the cliff.”
Wang Qi was at the bottom of a river valley. Through the erosion done over ten thousand years by the water, the riverbed deepened and turned this place into a valley that was neither deep nor shallow. Yet for some reason, the rock behind Wang Qi had kept its shape no matter how much the water licked its surface.
Zhen Chanzi guided him. “Place your hand on the rock.
As Wang Qi placed his right palm on the shinny large rock, it shifted and turned into blue light that gathered in his hand in the form of a sword.
As the rock’s final trace of light faded away, it crumbled to pieces.
“That’s… the sudden spiritual energy loss caused the matter to lose all energy breaking down the molecular and chemical bonds.” Wang Qi patted the rubble with curiosity. The rock with different physical lost all strength, turning to dust.
Spiritual energy was energy’s exponent. Losing spiritual energy meant the matter would lose its energy as well. It was the root cause behind barren wastelands forming in thin spiritual energy areas.
Wang Qi turned to the longsword. It was a meter long and three inch wide, your standard one-handed sword.
“Raw Mountain, an average, uh, perfect instrument maybe?” Zhen Chanzi explained. “Refined from the spiritual energy of the land, by pouring spiritual power into it, its weight becomes incredible. It has a tough sword energy, and can blend into the landscape to hide itself. The sword’s most distinguished feature is its ability to take a lands’ dragon vein power to strengthen itself. It may be an instrument, but it can advance further still.”
He didn’t know who sealed the sword here, but it was Zhen Chanzi who taught him the way to remove it.
Wang Qi was unsure, however, how could this toothpick mean anything to a great Great Ascension cultivator. He could’ve given it over to a disciple or just seal it up in some land’s dragon vein to be upgraded further. Wouldn’t Kunlun’s dragon vein fair much better than this nameless place?
I just didn’t fit ancient cultivation’s m.o. of making a profit.
Zhen Chanzi explained, noticing his doubt. “This is where my inner demon lay. Dig out the stone.”
Wang Qi touched the rock. After eating Newton’s apple, his grasp of power had increased. With a few vibrations, the rock broke apart to reveal its contents.
It was an ancient wine jar with a small mouth, corked and covered in talismans.
“Ancient cultivators don’t devour everything, just the things that lead them towards immortality.” Zhen Chanzi said. “For an endless life, they would cast away anything that would trigger their inner demons.”
“Inner demons? Isn’t ancient cultivation all about cutting away all emotions?”
Zhen Chanzi huffed. “Ancient cultivation’s resolve might seem crude to you, modern cultivators, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t made any progress in the field.”
On the contrary, ancient cultivation was careful about resolve, far more than modern cultivation. Radiant Divinity Pavilion took a thousand years to sift through ancient cultivation’s research and simplify all the fluff and other concepts.
Just how ancient cultivation had inner demons, it also had resolve. Zhen Chanzi was a Great Ascension for a reason and knew about resolve, far deeper than a Qi Refining Wang Qi and his psychology theories.
“I’ve also been young and reckless at some point. I’ve made my fair share of dumb choice that I regret to this day. I used to wail and shout back in the day, buying a wine jar and hanging out with friends to enjoy Dragon Horse’s famous sceneries while getting hammered. At the end, I and my friends sealed our final regrets in that jar, with my trusty sword watching over it…” Googlᴇ search 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩·𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢·𝔫𝔢𝔱
Ancient cultivation’s values weren’t modern system’s. The former had many close friends, with many they could trust their lives with—’In the vast world, I am the greatest, and stepping into cultivation is worth it.’
“The sword back then… you mean in the Nascent Soul Stage, old man?”
“Raw Mountain is something I wore in my youth. Senior… it was he who gave it to me. To come out of my inner demon, I forsook it here.”
Wang Qi stood in the water, looking at the jar.
Ten thousand years ago, a heartbroken man who should have been brimming with ambition buried it here. The youth reached for the jar. The talismans left by an ancient Nascent Soul cultivator weren’t much. Adding to that thousands of years, and they lost their effects. At Wang Qi’s touch, they turned to dust.
Fearing the content rotted away, unable to withstand oxidization, he asked, “And after?”
“Ephemeral Tranquility Palace and Imperial Celestial Rift Sect were at war, which I joined.” Zhen Chanzi said, “The two fought for many years, at each other’s throat, but it never devolved into total annihilation for the other’s sect. I was the one who started the war, yet ended up hiding here, and breathing my last.
“After that, I only recently found out that Ephemeral Tranquility Palace was destroyed and the Imperial Celestial Rift Sect was severely damaged, with the Sacred Soul Coven, a second-rate sect, reaping the benefits in becoming Divine Province’s overlord. Eight thousand years later, modern cultivation appeared and Sacred Soul Coven was no more.”
Wang Qi asked, “Do you regret it?”
“Eternal life would be the best, but a sound mind is required. “Zhen Chanzi said, “Just like you, modern cultivators, eternal life isn’t about having an aimless life.”
Wang Qi breathed out. “Then, what do you think now? The thing you hold on to dearly.”
Wang Qi never expected that answer. “Indifferent? Why? You died for it!”
Zhen Chanzi was solemn. “Boy, embarking on the modern cultivation path, I can no longer teach you anything. This shall be the last thing I can give you. Remember it well.”
“There’s no calendar in the mountains, the year remains unknown. A cultivator’s mind ages incredibly slowly, making it normal for a two century old Golden Core cultivator to have the temperament of a twenty-year-old. The body ages slowly as well. With an unaging body, the mind never gets old. Therefore, a cultivator’s mindset changes different from a mortal’s. But, even if as slow as this, it does change after all.
“A change in mentality, but having a stable mind, won’t let any inner demons unbalance you. That’s why I say indifferent. Some things are better left alone, instead of splitting hairs. The next time you realize, the inner demon is gone.
“Indifference doesn’t mean forgetfulness. Now that’s truly cruel. Your parents were taken from your life, but your carefree attitude and strong will are something born from that tribulation, aren’t they? Carry it with you and don’t dwell in the past. Remember it so that it won’t happen again. Then look forward.”
Zhen Chanzi’s every word struck Wang Qi’s heart like a hammer.
Personal experience was worlds above empty reasoning. Before this jar, Wang Qi was in complete agreement on this.