Retirement begins with summoning Yuan Tiangang

Zhao Mingxuan didn't sleep well all night.

He lay in bed, tossing and turning, his mind filled with the scene of the riverbank during the day.

Lin Feng's calm yet resolute eyes were like two thorns, piercing the softest part of his heart.

He tried to pull it out, but the more he pulled, the deeper it pierced.

He drifted off to sleep just before dawn, but had a strange dream.

In his dream, he became a high and mighty cultivator, flying on a sword and turning clouds and rain with a flick of his wrist.

Lin Feng and his companions, on the other hand, looked up at him like tiny ants on the ground, their eyes filled with awe and envy.

He laughed triumphantly, but as he laughed, he suddenly noticed that the ants' eyes had changed—no longer filled with awe, but with pity.

It's like looking at a pathetic wretch.

He woke up with a start, covered in sweat.

The sky outside the window was just beginning to lighten, and the first crowing of a rooster could be heard in the distance.

Zhao Mingxuan sat up, panting heavily. The irritability in his heart not only did not subside, but intensified.

On what grounds?

He clenched his fist, his nails digging deep into his palm.

He is the young master of the Zhao family. He is about to embark on the path of cultivation. He possesses a treasure like the Concentration Pendant. He will become a person of high status in the future.

Why should Lin Feng and his group pity him? What right do they have?

This thought gnawed at his reason like a venomous snake.

He needs to do something to prove his superiority and trample on Lin Feng and his ilk's ridiculous pride.

But what should he do?

Should we just take some people and beat them up? That's too vulgar, and my father would definitely be angry if he found out.

Throw money at them? But Lin Feng and his group don't seem to care that much about money.

Using power to suppress? In Hexi Town, the Zhao family could indeed suppress the Lin family, but that... doesn't seem to make much sense.

What he wanted was conquest, to make Lin Feng willingly submit, and to make those peasants understand that there was an insurmountable chasm between them and him.

He sat on the edge of the bed and thought for a long time.

It wasn't until it was bright outside the window and Qiuyue came in to help him wash up that he finally had an idea.

Since Raymond Lam values ​​his group of "friends," then let's start with those friends.

Liu Xiaohu's family was poor, Li Qianqian was a girl, and although Zhang Kai was tough, his father, Zhang the hunter, still had to rely on the Zhao family to take care of his business.

Chen Jing'an... that kid is acting strangely, we can ignore him for now.

If he uses a little trick to make these people voluntarily distance themselves from Lin Feng, or even persuade Lin Feng to be pragmatic, then no matter how tough Lin Feng is, how long can he hold out?

Thinking of this, Zhao Mingxuan's lips curled into a cold smile.

He thought his idea was brilliant; it achieved his goal without resorting to violence and made him appear skillful.

He quickly washed up, changed into a more gentle-looking moon-white long gown, and went out without even eating breakfast.

He went to Liu Xiaohu's house first.

The Liu family lived at the south end of the town in two low mud-walled, tiled houses. There were piles of firewood and miscellaneous items in the yard, and a few skinny chickens were scratching for food in the corner.

Widow Liu was washing clothes in the yard when she saw Zhao Mingxuan standing outside the fence. Startled, she quickly wiped her hands and awkwardly came out to greet him: "Young Master Zhao... what brings you here?"

Zhao Mingxuan greeted her with a gentle smile: "Aunt Liu, good morning. I'm here to see Xiaohu. Is he home?"

"Yes, yes!"

Widow Liu hurriedly called into the house, "Little Tiger! Come out quickly! Young Master Zhao is looking for you!"

Liu Xiaohu poked his head out of the house and saw Zhao Mingxuan. His face turned pale instantly, and he subconsciously shrank back into the house.

"Little Tiger, come out."

Widow Liu panicked and stepped forward to pull him out.

"Young Master Zhao is looking out for you; he's doing you a favor. Why are you hiding from him!"

Liu Xiaohu lowered his head, shuffling to the fence before asking in a low voice, "Young Master Zhao... what do you want with me?"

Zhao Mingxuan took a small cloth bag out of his sleeve and handed it to Liu Xiaohu: "Yesterday by the river, I saw that you really liked my jade pendant. This is for you."

Liu Xiaohu was stunned and didn't dare to answer.

Widow Liu was also stunned. She looked at the cloth bag, then at her son, and didn't know what to say for a moment.

"Open it and take a look."

Zhao Mingxuan's smile remained unchanged.

Liu Xiaohu hesitated before taking the cloth bag. He opened it and found a string of copper coins, about twenty coins, and a small piece of maltose wrapped in oil paper.

The copper coins were brand new, gleaming with a golden light in the morning sun.

For the Liu family, twenty coins was not a small amount; it was enough to buy several kilograms of coarse rice.

Maltose was an even rarer commodity; Liu Xiaohu could only afford to eat it a few times a year.

"This...this is too precious, we can't accept it..." Widow Liu hurriedly waved her hand.

"It's just a small token."

Zhao Mingxuan stuffed the cloth bag into Liu Xiaohu's hand.

"Little Tiger is a clever boy, I like him. If you ever have any difficulties in the future, feel free to come to me."

He spoke sincerely, but everyone understood the meaning behind his words—if you take my things, you have to remember my kindness.

Liu Xiaohu held the cloth bag in his hand, feeling that the copper coins and maltose were like hot potatoes.

He remembered how Lin Feng rejected Zhao Mingxuan by the river yesterday, how Brother Feng usually took care of him, the snacks Aunt Yao secretly gave him, and the little silver bird swimming happily in the basin...

He bit his lip, then suddenly shoved the cloth bag back at Zhao Mingxuan: "I don't want it."

The voice wasn't loud, but it was firm.

Zhao Mingxuan's smile froze.

Widow Liu grew anxious: "Little Tiger! How can you be so insensible! Quickly thank Young Master Zhao!"

"I do not want."

Liu Xiaohu repeated himself, took a step back, and hid behind his mother, but his eyes remained fixed on Zhao Mingxuan.

"Brother Feng once said that you shouldn't just take things from other people."

Zhao Mingxuan's anger flared up instantly.

It's Raymond Lam again!

He suppressed his anger and tried to keep his voice gentle: "Little Tiger, your brother Feng is right, you can't just take things from strangers. But this isn't casual; it's because I like you, and I'm giving it to you. Look, it's not easy for your mother to raise you alone. This money can buy rice, and you can eat this candy. What's wrong with that?"

These words were so reasonable that even Widow Liu was swayed, tugging at her son's sleeve: "Little Tiger, Young Master Zhao means well..."

"I do not want."

Liu Xiaohu uttered those three words for the third time, his eyes a little red, but he stubbornly tilted his little face up.

"My mother said that poverty doesn't diminish one's spirit. I have hands and feet, and I can help my mother with chores. Brother Feng and the others often help me too, and Aunt Yao even mended my pants once. I... I don't want your things."

After saying that, he turned and ran into the house, slamming the door shut.

The courtyard was deathly silent.

Widow Liu's face turned deathly pale, and she looked at Zhao Mingxuan helplessly: "Young Master Zhao, this...this child is just being ignorant, please don't take it to heart..."

Zhao Mingxuan gripped the cloth bag tightly in his hand, his knuckles turning white.

He took a deep breath and forced a smile: "It's alright, he's just a kid. Aunt Liu, I'll be going now."

He turned and left, and even after walking a long way, he could still hear Widow Liu scolding Xiao Hu in the yard.

But to him, those insults sounded like slaps in the face.

He thought he could bribe a poor child, but the child retorted with the phrase "poverty doesn't diminish one's ambition."

shame.

He gritted his teeth and walked towards Zhang Kai's house.

He didn't believe that everyone would have as much backbone as Liu Xiaohu.

Zhang the hunter's family lived on the east side of the town, next to Lin Feng's family.

The courtyard was larger than the Liu family's, with several tanned animal hides hanging in the yard, and hunting tools and traps piled up in the corner.

Zhang Kai was chopping wood in the yard, his upper body bare, sweat beading on his bronze skin, and his muscles clearly visible as the axe rose and fell.

Upon seeing Zhao Mingxuan, Zhang Kai stopped what he was doing, wiped his face with the towel draped over his shoulder, and simply looked at him quietly without saying a word.

Zhao Mingxuan felt a little uncomfortable under the silent gaze, but he still stepped forward with a smile on his face: "Zhang Kai, good morning."

Zhang Kai nodded: "Good morning."

"I need to talk to you about something."

Zhao Mingxuan got straight to the point.

"What do you think of what I said by the river yesterday?"

Zhang Kai was silent for a moment, then asked, "What is it?"

"Follow my lead."

Zhao Mingxuan said,

"I know your father makes a living by hunting, it's hard work and his income is unstable. If you're willing to come with me, I'll give your family two taels of silver every month and help your father connect with better fur dealers, guaranteeing that your family's furs will fetch a good price."

Two taels of silver was a huge sum of money for the Zhang family.

Hunter Zhang goes into the mountains and if he's lucky enough to catch a big one, he can only sell it for a tael or two.

Zhao Mingxuan's offer can be described as very generous.

He believed that even if Zhang Kai wasn't interested in himself, he should be tempted by his father's feelings.

But Zhang Kai simply shook his head: "No need."

Why?

Zhao Mingxuan frowned. "This will only benefit your family."

"My father used to say, 'Those who live near mountains live off the mountains, and those who live near water live off the water.' We hunters earn our living through our own skills, not through the charity of others."

Zhang Kai's voice was calm.

"Moreover, Brother Feng is very good to us."

It's Raymond Lam again!

Zhao Mingxuan felt he was about to lose his temper: "He's good to you? How so? Taking you fishing? Picking wild persimmons? Can that fill your stomach? Can it save your father from going into the mountains and taking risks?"

Zhang Kai looked at him, and a hint of... emotion that Zhao Mingxuan couldn't understand flashed in his eyes, like pity, or perhaps disappointment.

"What Brother Feng gave us wasn't fish, nor persimmons," Zhang Kai said slowly.

"We're friends."

He paused, then added, "You're not."

After saying that, he stopped looking at Zhao Mingxuan, picked up the axe again, and continued chopping wood.

The sounds of "bang, bang, bang" echoed in the courtyard in the early morning, as if something was being knocked on.

Zhao Mingxuan stood there, feeling like a joke.

He took a deep breath, turned and left.

This time, he couldn't even manage a fake smile.

Chen Jing'an lived just two doors down, but he didn't go over; perhaps he had forgotten about it at that moment.

He then went to Li Qianqian's house.

-

The Li family lives at the western end of the town.

The gatekeeper of the Li family recognized him and invited him in directly.

Li Qianqian was learning embroidery from the maid in the backyard when she heard that Zhao Mingxuan had arrived. She reluctantly came out to see him.

"Zhao Mingxuan, what are you planning to do now?"

Li Qianqian's face showed vigilance.

Zhao Mingxuan was no longer in the mood for beating around the bush and said directly, "Qianqian, you're the eldest daughter of the Li family. Don't you feel ashamed to be hanging out with Lin Feng and the others?"

Li Qianqian froze, then her face flushed red: "What...what do you mean?"

"What I mean is, you should hang out with people of similar status."

Zhao Mingxuan said,

"For example, me. I can take you to the county's poetry gatherings, let you meet more ladies from prominent families, which will be helpful for your marriage in the future. Instead of running around the mountains with a bunch of peasants all day, getting all dusty and dirty."

He thought these words would move Li Qianqian.

Girls should always care about their reputation and future.

But Li Qianqian jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on: "Zhao Mingxuan! You...you're so annoying!"

Her eyes reddened, and her voice trembled with tears: "Feng and the others aren't peasants! They've been so good to me! They never tell me who I should or shouldn't hang out with! You... who do you think you are! I don't want to hang out with you!"

After saying that, she turned around and ran back to the backyard, leaving Zhao Mingxuan alone in the front hall.

Zhao Mingxuan stood there, feeling all the blood rushing to his head.

Shame, anger, confusion, embarrassment... a mix of emotions almost made him explode.

He failed.

It was a complete and utter failure.

He tried to entice and persuade them with money, benefits, and his status, but the three children were all stubborn and disregarded him.

Why?

He couldn't figure it out.

He walked out of the Li family home, looking lost and dejected, and wandered aimlessly through the town.

The autumn sun was lovely, warming him, but he felt cold, a cold that seeped into his bones.

Unbeknownst to him, he had walked to the vicinity of the ancient tree in the center of the town.

The ancient tree still stands tall and lush, and the old well beneath it remains as deep and secluded as ever.

Several women were drawing water from the well to wash clothes, their laughter ringing out.

Zhao Mingxuan suddenly remembered that there was also Chen Jing'an.

That child who was always quiet, like a shadow.

Yesterday by the river, he didn't say a word, he just looked at him with that empty gaze.

A glimmer of hope suddenly arose in Zhao Mingxuan's heart.

Perhaps... Chen Jing'an will be different?

He seemed so quiet, so introverted, maybe... he was afraid, maybe he would give in?

This idea gripped him like a lifeline.

He straightened his clothes and walked towards Chen Jing'an's house.

Right next to Lin Feng's house on the right.

I passed by Raymond Lam's house twice!

The gate to the Chen family's courtyard was ajar.

Zhao Mingxuan pushed open the door and went inside; the courtyard was quiet.

Old Man Chen had probably gone to the fields, and Aunt Chen was not there either. Only Chen Jing'an was sitting on the threshold of the main room, hugging her knees and staring blankly at the sky.

Hearing footsteps, Chen Jing'an slowly turned her head and looked at Zhao Mingxuan.

His eyes remained vacant, but for some reason, Zhao Mingxuan always felt that there seemed to be something hidden in that vacant gaze.

Like a deep pool, the surface is calm, but the undercurrents are turbulent.

"Chen Jing'an".

Zhao Mingxuan spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse.

Chen Jing'an didn't speak, she just looked at him quietly.

Zhao Mingxuan felt a little uneasy under that gaze, but he still steeled himself and stepped forward, taking out the Concentration Pendant from his pocket: "Do you like this?"

Chen Jing'an's gaze fell on the jade pendant, lingered for a moment, and then he gently shook his head.

"Why?" Zhao Mingxuan asked.

"This jade pendant is very precious; it can nourish your spirit and is good for your health."

Chen Jing'an was silent for a moment before softly uttering two words: "Too noisy."

It's noisy again!

He said the same thing by the river yesterday!

Zhao Mingxuan finally couldn't hold back any longer: "Noisy? How could the jade pendant be noisy? What nonsense are you spouting!"

Chen Jing'an raised her head, and for the first time, her empty eyes clearly met Zhao Mingxuan's eyes.

Then, Zhao Mingxuan heard a sentence he would never forget for the rest of his life.

"Your heart is far noisier than a jade pendant."

The sound was very soft and faint, like the wind blowing through the leaves.

But to Zhao Mingxuan, it sounded like a thunderclap.

He stood frozen in place, feeling as if all the blood in his body had frozen.

He wanted to refute, to rebuke, to question Chen Jing'an about his reputation.

But when the words reached his lips, he couldn't utter a single one.

Because after Chen Jing'an finished speaking, she looked away and gazed at the sky again.

Those eyes remained empty and blank, yet Zhao Mingxuan felt that he had nowhere to hide in them.

It's like being stripped naked and thrown into broad daylight.

All the superiority, all the pride, all the scheming, seemed so ridiculous, so... despicable, in the face of those empty eyes.

He staggered back a step, almost dropping the Concentration Pendant in his hand.

He gripped the jade pendant tightly, turned around, and practically fled from the Chen family's courtyard.

He ran a long way, until he reached a bamboo grove on the edge of town, where he stopped, leaning against the bamboo, panting heavily.

Chen Jing'an's words echoed in his mind like a curse.

"Your heart is far noisier than a jade pendant."

Is his heart... noisy?

Yeah, it's noisy.

It was filled with resentment, jealousy, anger, scheming, and a sense of superiority... like a pot of boiling sewage, constantly churning and making a jarring noise.

And what about Lin Feng and the others' hearts?

He recalled Lin Feng's calm rejection, Liu Xiaohu's stubbornness when he said "poverty doesn't diminish ambition," and Zhang Kai's words.

"What Brother Feng gave us was friendship."

The earnestness at that moment reminded me of the hurt Li Qianqian felt when she said, "They're so good to me..."

Their hearts are at peace, like the clear, gently flowing river in autumn.

That's why Chen Jing'an said the jade pendant was noisy, and that his heart was "noisier."

Because what he possessed—wealth, status, the meditation pendant, and the future path of spiritual cultivation—stirred not tranquility in his heart, but a deeper restlessness.

But what Lin Feng and his friends possessed—the trust of friends, simple joy, and integrity—brought them inner peace.

So that's what the real difference is...

It's not a difference in wealth, status, or power.

It's a difference in hearts.

Zhao Mingxuan leaned against the bamboo and slowly slid down to sit on the ground.

He looked down at the Concentration Pendant in his hand. The jade pendant was still white and its radiance still flowed, but now he only felt... it was dazzling.

He suddenly remembered his father's words: "Once you embark on the path of cultivation, there is no turning back. You will see a wider world and encounter more dangerous enemies. And your greatest reliance is not your father, nor the Zhao family, but your own strength and... wisdom."

My father said, "Wisdom."

But is there any wisdom in what he did today?

He used the most clumsy methods to win over others, using money, benefits, and status to oppress them.

And the result? They were utterly defeated by a group of children in the simplest way.

This is not wisdom.

That's foolish.

He gripped the jade pendant tightly, his fingernails digging deep into his palm.

The pain brought him to his senses.

No, he cannot admit defeat.

He is Zhao Mingxuan, the future head of the Zhao family, and the one who will embark on the path of cultivation.

He couldn't let a group of peasant kids be so easily defeated.

He wants to become stronger.

It's not just about physical strength, but also... mental strength.

He wanted to show Lin Feng and the others that he, Zhao Mingxuan, was not just a spoiled brat who only knew how to bully others.

He wants them to willingly bow their heads, not because he is rich and powerful, but because he... is worthy.

This thought, like a flame, reignited in his heart.

He stood up, brushed the dirt off his clothes, and his eyes regained their resolve.

He wants to take today's events as a lesson.

This was a lesson that made him realize his own shortcomings and the gap between himself and others.

He will remember this humiliation.

Then, it becomes stronger.

He walked out of the bamboo grove and headed towards the Zhao family mansion. His steps were much more steady than when he came.

Behind him, deep in the bamboo forest, Chen Jing'an appeared at some unknown time.

He stood beside a clump of bamboo, quietly watching Zhao Mingxuan's departing figure. For the first time, a faint trace of pity appeared in his empty eyes.

Then, he raised his hand and looked at his palm.

There, a barely visible, milky-white glimmer of light was slowly swirling, like mist or ripples on water.

He gently clenched his fist, and the faint light disappeared.

He turned around, left the bamboo forest silently, and headed towards the town.

Their footsteps were light, like a cat's.

It was as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion on an autumn afternoon.

But no one knows what real undercurrents are hidden within this illusion.

Life in Hexi Town continued to flow leisurely under the autumn sun.

The old well beneath the ancient tree has a calm, still surface.

But deep at the bottom of the well, the dragon soul that had been sleeping for countless years seemed to gently twitch its tail.

It stirred up a ripple that no one noticed.