Living as a Mortal: Grinding Experience Starting from the Underworld

"Alas, everything I did was at your mother's behest, including accepting you as a disciple."

"Your mother was a mortal who spent her life depressed because she had no spiritual roots, could not fight alongside your father, could not see the scenery of cultivation, and could not experience the joy of immortality."

"Especially after your father died in battle, she was overwhelmed with emotions while pregnant, and was utterly exhausted. After giving birth to you, she clung to life, wanting only to know if you had any spiritual roots."

"She only closed her eyes in peace when you were six years old and your spiritual roots were discovered."

Zhang Guihe spoke slowly, turning his head away, not daring to look Zhang Feng in the eye.

"This box contains your mother's belongings and the stone carving she left for you. Go and see for yourself."

"As for your parents' graves, you should know that they are the graves of your uncle and his wife, whom you have been worshipping since you were a child."

"Sigh~ Go, child, tell your master everything and you'll be able to put your mind at ease."

"Finally, regarding your junior sister Mei Xin, don't worry about it. The Great Dao is ruthless, but people's hearts are fickle. Maintaining one's true self and not being misled is inherently difficult!"

"It's not your fault, nor is it hers; this is simply the way of cultivation."

"Parents, relatives, friends, and loved ones are the easiest things for mortals to obtain, but the hardest things for cultivators to obtain."

Zhang Guihe let out a long sigh, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

Zhang Feng silently accepted the black box.

Upon opening, a letter was found sealed and preserved by spiritual power, four carved stones lay quietly inside, along with a cold iron token and several family genealogies.

The letter unfolds, revealing several lines of small characters, the strokes crooked and trembling, yet each character remains clear and distinct.

Letter:

"Feng'er, Mother is going to reunite with Father."

In this life, he was favored by a Foundation Establishment Immortal and gave birth to a little immortal.

Although I am just an ordinary person, I have no regrets.

As for why I don't meet you or acknowledge you...

It's just because your mother is only human, and besides, her illness has worsened so she can't be there to watch you grow up.

After weighing the pros and cons, it's better to leave you alone than to subject you to the pain of losing your mother at a young age.

As your mother, I believe that Guihe can take good care of you. Once you have achieved mastery of your cultivation, you will know everything.

As your mother wished, being able to see you one last time would allow her to breathe her last.

But for some reason, even at the very end, the hatred lingered.

After much contemplation, he finally understood that his desire to seek immortality and enlightenment was something he could not suppress.

I hate that we were childhood sweethearts, yet I alone have no spiritual roots.

I hate that I'm the only ordinary person in my family of three.

I hate that the path to immortality has rejected me entirely.

The writing abruptly ended, and Zhang Feng involuntarily pictured the woman with a troubled face but exceptionally resolute eyes.

What a selfish mother.

Zhang Feng gritted his teeth and calmed his turbulent emotions.

There are four inscriptions, three of which have names: Zhang Feng and his family of three; the other is blank.

Carving stone, genealogy—an ordinary mother confined to her bed, unable to move, had meticulously planned everything.

There is also a black iron token engraved with the character "青".

Zhang Feng put everything into his storage bag.

From then on, he understood why, as a nominal disciple, he was able to receive the same or even greater resources for training as his master's personally taught disciples.

This allowed him to continue his cultivation during the Qi Refining stage without having to stop due to a lack of cultivation materials.

"Master, my loved ones are gone, but life must go on. I returned to Suihan Island to see how you are doing."

"Seeing that my master is in good health, I am relieved."

"This item is a token of my filial piety."

Zhang Feng took out several bottles of pills to treat internal injuries and improve cultivation. Despite years of addressing each other as master and disciple, it was difficult to change his address in a short time.

"There's no need for that. Just as I predicted, with your improved cultivation, your state of mind is also more stable."

"There is a difference between immortals and mortals. My sister-in-law taught my brother and me this lesson, and now she is making it up to you as well."

"Remember to take a look at the family genealogy when you have time; you might find it useful later when you've achieved some success in your cultivation."

Zhang Guihe firmly declined and did not accept the elixir.

"Stubborn old man!"

Zhang Feng cursed inwardly, put down the pills, and fled the cave.

The speed was so fast that Zhang Guihe, who was in the early stage of Foundation Establishment, couldn't react at all.

"Master, I'm going to pay my respects to my parents. Tonight, I'll bring some wine and meat, and invite my fellow disciples over for a drink."

Listening to Zhang Feng's final telepathic message and witnessing that unattainable speed, Zhang Guihe's fingers caressed the jade bottle of pills, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"Elder brother, elder sister-in-law, child, you've grown up, your cultivation level is now higher than ours."

……

Halfway up the icy mountain, a cold wind blew, and Zhang Feng looked calmly at the two joint burial tombs.

Offerings were presented, paper candles were lit, and two cups of sacred wine were poured.

He could feel his mother's deep concern, love for her son, and far-sighted plans.

However, this method is far too brutal and agonizing.

That encounter when he was six years old truly made him realize the difference between immortals and mortals.

But years later, Zhang Feng, who knows everything, is filled with regret that he cannot recognize his former lover.

However, everything has two sides. Even he, a cultivator, sometimes falls into a demonic state and cannot see through things, let alone his mother, who is a mortal.

The stability of one's state of mind is the stability of "constantly polishing" it; encountering, seeing through, and then stabilizing is a cycle that repeats itself.

It's all in the past now, like the wind blowing over a mountaintop, changing every moment.

He was determined to move forward; the path of cultivation, the path to immortality, was already firmly established in his heart.

Even if these past emotions are unearthed now, they will only strengthen his resolve to follow the Tao.

The path to immortality is one of relentless progress.

……

That night, Zhang Guihe summoned his only remaining disciple, Zhang Feng, to drink and discuss philosophy.

I learned that two senior brothers and sisters had already perished while trying to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

Zhang Feng also sighed.

If he hadn't had the panel and the Foundation Establishment Pill given to him by Wan Qing, he would most likely have died here.

We spent the night drinking and reveling until dawn.

Zhang Feng helped his sleeping senior brother and master to rest.

He set off alone to visit his junior sister Mei Xin's family.

The Mei family is a small, reclusive family. Zhang Feng and his junior sister once visited the elders of the Mei family.

Southeast of Suihan Island, at the foot of an iceberg, lies a small villa.

Zhang Feng met Mei Qing'er, who had arrived early to wait for him.

"Uncle, you've arrived! Grandpa is waiting for you inside!"

Mei Qing'er led Zhang Feng into the house.

Inside the main hall, an old man sat upright, his face sallow and tinged with sadness.

"Nephew, you've arrived!"

"Greetings, Uncle Mei! Zhang Feng has arrived!"

Zhang Feng bowed respectfully.

"Please get up! Your master, Brother Guihe, sent me a message last night."

The old man lifted Zhang Feng's arm and led him to sit down in the main hall.

"I already know about Xin'er's matter."

"I am on good terms with your master and know your personality very well."

"You wouldn't do something like betraying your fellow disciples and severing ties with your siblings, but I never imagined that Xin'er could do it."

"It was all my fault for failing to properly guide you, which almost harmed my nephew. Fortunately, good fortune always protects the virtuous."

"Please accept my bow, my dear nephew!"

The old man spoke with emotion and looked ashamed, bowing deeply to Zhang Feng.

Zhang Feng raised his hand to stop him, and his spiritual energy gently stopped the old man's bent back.

"Uncle Mei, there's no need for this. This is my junior sister's storage bag. When a person dies, it's like a lamp going out; everything is over!"

"No, no, how can we sever our bonds of friendship so easily?"

The old man was agitated and did not accept the storage bag.

"I see that my nephew has no one to take care of him or serve him. Why don't you bring Qing'er along and have her serve as your maid?"

The old man finally revealed his true intentions.

Zhang Feng sighed inwardly and looked at Mei Qing'er, who was standing to the side with her fingers twirling her hair and her face full of anxiety.

"Uncle Mei, there's no need for that. Zhang Mou has long been accustomed to being alone, and besides, Qing'er is my nephew!"

Upon hearing this, Mei Qing'er's expression darkened, and she twisted her fingers even faster.

"My affair with my junior sister is over. As for Qing'er, I can take her as a disciple under my name. Uncle Mei can send her to my master tomorrow to receive his instruction."

"I will leave her enough resources to establish her foundation. As for whether she can successfully establish her foundation, that depends on her own fate."

Zhang Feng suggested that with Mei Xin gone, there would definitely be some unpleasantness between Master and this old friend.

Now there is another opportunity for restoration, which can also provide companionship for the elderly craftsman who lives alone.

"Alright, as long as we're connected by brotherhood, that's fine."

The old man excitedly agreed, and Mei Qing'er also looked delighted.