Retirement begins with summoning Yuan Tiangang

Its daybreak.

The light in the dilapidated temple leaked through the holes in the roof, first one, then two, then three, and finally all connected, illuminating the dust in the hall in every detail.

The dust particles floated slowly in the beam of light, like extremely fine gold dust, which was quite beautiful—provided, of course, that they were shaken off from spider webs and rotten wood that had accumulated for countless years.

Lin Feng was the first to fully wake up.

When he opened his eyes, the writhing darkness of the previous night and the giggling laughter still lingered in his mind.

But the sunlight shone directly on my face, warm and comforting, dispelling the chill from my bones.

He sat up and realized that he was still clutching the jade pendant tightly to his chest, his palms bearing marks from the pressure.

Looking around, no one else was awake yet.

He lay on his side with his arms outstretched, his brows furrowed, and one hand resting on a wooden stick beside him.

Li Qianqian curled up in a ball, like a frightened rabbit, with tears still clinging to her eyelashes.

Zhao Mingxuan was lying upright, but his face was still pale and his breathing was not very steady.

Chen Jing'an... Chen Jing'an had already woken up and was sitting on the edge of the oilcloth, staring at the sunlit ground in front of the door. Her eyes were still blank, but there seemed to be something different from last night.

Mo Wen, my martial uncle, is not in the hall.

Lin Feng's heart tightened, and he quickly got up and tiptoed to the door.

Mo Wen was standing with his back to him by the broken wall in front of the temple gate, holding a water bag in his hand and drinking water.

The morning light made his gray robe appear white, and his back looked particularly thin in the weeds, but he stood ramrod straight.

Hearing footsteps, Mo Wen turned around, his face regaining its gentle, smiling expression.

"woke up?"

He wiped the water from the corner of his mouth.

"Go wake them up, get them ready, it's time to hit the road."

"Uncle-Master Mo," Lin Feng hesitated for a moment.

"last night……"

"We'll talk about last night on the way."

Mo Wen interrupted him, his tone calm.

"Go and call someone first."

Lin Feng had no choice but to go back.

He nudged Zhang Kai, who suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp as an eagle's. He only relaxed when he saw it was Lin Feng.

When Li Qianqian was woken up, she was still groggy. Rubbing her eyes, she asked, "Mom, is breakfast ready?" But when she saw the dilapidated scene around her, her face turned pale.

Zhao Mingxuan woke up on his own. He sat up and patted the dust off his brocade robe—although the robe was so dirty that its original color was no longer visible, he still patted it very carefully, as if trying to maintain the last bit of dignity.

Chen Jing'an didn't need to be called; he had already stood up and started packing his non-existent luggage, which was basically just smoothing out the hem of his clothes.

Breakfast was porridge cooked by Mo Wen, in the same small iron pot as yesterday, with less rice and more water, but it was piping hot.

The children sat around the rekindled fire, holding their bowls and sipping their drinks in silence.

The atmosphere was somewhat oppressive, as if something was pressing down on it.

In the end, Zhao Mingxuan spoke first.

He put down the bowl, and the bottom of the bowl made a crisp sound as it tapped on the stone.

"Uncle Mo,"

His voice was a little dry.

"What was that last night...?"

All the children's eyes were on Mo Wen.

Mo Wen was poking at the fire with a branch when he heard this. He looked up and his gaze swept over the faces of the children.

The firelight illuminated his face, making the wrinkles appear even deeper.

"Mountain spirits and wild monsters,"

He said casually, as if to say that the weather was nice today, "or rather, it has become a climate for wandering ghosts."

"ghost?"

Li Qianqian's hand trembled, and the porridge in the bowl almost spilled out.

"Sort of, but not entirely."

Mo Wen continued to stir the fire.

"In this world, after people die, their souls mostly enter the cycle of reincarnation. But some souls, because of their deep attachments or the heavy yin energy of the place where they died, will linger in the human world. Over time, they absorb the filth of heaven and earth and become those kinds of things."

He paused, then added, "That one from last night must have been quite old. It can manifest its form, bewitch people, and even pick its targets; it targeted Jing'an first."

All eyes turned to Chen Jing'an.

Chen Jing'an was sipping her porridge when she heard this. She looked up at Mo Wen with blank eyes, then lowered her head again and continued drinking her porridge.

It seems like they weren't talking about him.

Why Jing'an?

Lin Feng couldn't help but ask.

"Jing'an has a special constitution,"

Mo Wen spoke so casually,

"It easily attracts these things."

He didn't explain further, but instead said,

"But you don't need to be too afraid. This kind of thing is afraid of yang energy, righteous energy, thunder and fire, and also... the noble spirit of scholars."

"A spirit of righteousness?"

Zhao Mingxuan's eyes lit up.

"Is it the power of a cultivator?"

Mo Wen glanced at him and smiled, "I suppose so. But cultivators cultivate themselves, while Confucianists cultivate the righteous energy of heaven and earth."

"Uncle Mo, are you a Confucian gentleman?"

This time, the question was directed at Li Qianqian. The little girl's eyes were still red, but her curiosity had overcome her fear.

Mo Wen didn't answer, but just smiled slightly, a smile that held something indescribable.

He put down the branch and dusted off his hands.

"The path of cultivation is divided into several major realms."

He suddenly changed the subject, "From low to high, they are acquired, innate, grandmaster, great grandmaster, celestial being, and finally, terrestrial immortal."

The children all perked up their ears.

"The Acquired Realm is about tempering the body and strengthening the bones, making one stronger than ordinary people, but still within the realm of mortals."

Mo Wen spoke calmly and deliberately.

"Upon reaching the Innate Realm, one can sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and draw it into the body, thus formally stepping into the threshold of cultivation. Lifespan can reach 150 years."

Zhao Mingxuan's breathing became a little rapid.

His father, Zhao Dechang, requested the Marrow Cleansing Pill so that it would be easier for him to enter the Innate Realm in the future.

"Grandmaster realm, true qi transforms into essence, which can be released to injure others. Great Grandmaster, essence power is solidified, allowing for brief flight."

Mo Wen continued, "As for the Celestial Realm, that's already beyond the mortal realm, capable of wielding the power of heaven and earth, and living for eight hundred years. And the Land Immortals..."

He paused, his gaze drifting to the distant mountains outside the hall: "That is the pinnacle of this realm, where a single thought can shake heaven and earth, and lifespans begin at a thousand years. In the entire central courtyard, the number of terrestrial immortals who are openly recognized does not exceed five."

The hall fell silent, with only the crackling of the fire breaking out.

Lin Feng listened intently.

He recalled his father's lazy days, Aunt Yao's gentle smile, and Uncle Xiao Hei's constant boasting of "Back in the day."

Could they... also have cultivation levels? My father never mentioned cultivation, but the jade pendant he gave me could nourish my body, the "candy beans" he gave me made me feel energetic, and the boxing manual he gave me, although it looked simple, always made me feel warm all over when I practiced it.

Could my father also be a cultivator?

Once the idea popped into my head, it grew wildly like weeds.

But Lin Feng quickly suppressed his anger—if his father were a cultivator, why would he spend all day lying in a rocking chair basking in the sun?

"Uncle Mo,"

Zhao Mingxuan spoke again, his voice filled with suppressed excitement.

"Then... how can one cultivate?"

Mo Wen glanced at him, his eyes deep: "The most important thing in cultivation is aptitude. Without aptitude, no matter how hard you try, it's all in vain. Next is temperament; an unstable temperament makes it easy to go astray in cultivation. Finally, there are resources—elixirs, cultivation techniques, and guidance from masters."

He stood up, patted his robe, and said, "Alright, it's time to get going. We need to reach Yuanyang County today, where we'll rest for a day or two and give you some time to recover."

"Yuanyang County?"

Lin Feng's eyes lit up. "My dad said that when we get to Yuanyang County, I should find a man named Uncle Qinglong."

Mo Wen paused, glanced at Lin Feng with a complex look in his eyes, but quickly regained his gentleness.

"Then when you get to the county town, go and look for him."

Mo Wen said,

"Remember, be extra careful when you're out and about."

The children packed their bags and set off again.

As Lin Feng walked out of the dilapidated temple, he looked back once more.

The mountain god temple was still dilapidated in the morning light, but the eerie atmosphere had faded considerably.

The weeds in the yard were covered with dewdrops, glistening and giving them a touch of wild charm.

But he knew in his heart that what happened last night would probably be etched in his memory for a long time.

The mountain road is still difficult to walk, but the children's mindset has changed.

Zhao Mingxuan walked behind Lin Feng, glancing up at Mo Wen's back every now and then with a burning gaze.

His mind was filled with words like "innate," "grandmaster," and "great grandmaster," as well as the marrow-cleansing pill his father had mentioned.

Once he obtains the Marrow Cleansing Pill and improves his aptitude, he will be able to formally begin cultivation, and then…

He glanced at Lin Feng, who was walking ahead of him.

At that time, these peasants won't even be worthy of carrying his shoes.

Lin Feng didn't notice Zhao Mingxuan's gaze.

He was walking along, pondering Mo Wen's words.

Mountain spirits and monsters, cultivation realms, Confucian gentlemen... these words are like pieces of a puzzle, slowly piecing together a brand new, unfamiliar, and unsettling world in his mind.

It turns out that the outside world is not only about bustling cities and academies, but also about these unseen dangers and intangible forces.

He subconsciously touched the jade pendant on his chest, and then the small porcelain bottle in his arms.

Did Father know that he would encounter these things when he gave them to him?

This thought made him feel a little choked up.

If Dad knew all along, why didn't he just say so? Why did he use excuses like "candy" and "family-inherited martial arts"?

But he quickly came to terms with it.

If Dad had told him the truth, he might have been too afraid to come out.

Just like now, although he was afraid and shocked, his curiosity about the outside world grew stronger and stronger.

He wanted to see just how powerful cultivators really were.

He wanted to see if a terrestrial deity could truly change the world with a single thought.

He even...wanted to try and see if he could cultivate.

The thought made his heart race.

He recalled Mo Wen's description of his aptitude, the warm feeling he had when practicing the "Breaking the Void Fist" manual, and the state of being full of energy after eating the "candy beans".

Perhaps... he also has the qualifications?

This idea made his steps lighter.

Chen Jing'an, walking at the very back, remained quiet.

He lowered his head, looking at the road beneath his feet, his steps as light as a cat's.

The sunlight shone on him, casting a faint shadow on the ground.

Occasionally, a breeze would blow, lifting the stray hairs on his forehead and revealing his empty eyes.

Those eyes were slightly narrowed at that moment, as if sensing something.

It's as if it's recalling something.

Mo Wen, walking ahead, had his hands behind his back and walked at a leisurely pace.

The hem of the gray robe swayed gently with each step, occasionally revealing a piece of cloth wrapped around the waist, about a foot long.

His ears twitched slightly as he listened to the children's footsteps, breathing, and the faint, suppressed murmurs of their conversations behind him.

A very faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

These children are finally beginning to open their eyes and see the world.

good thing.

It's also... a troublesome matter.

He raised his head and looked north.

There, in the direction of Yuanyang County, the sky was azure, and the clouds were like wisps of silk.