Starting Cultivation During a Trip

Zhang Fan paused for a moment and accepted the items. Inside was a stack of documents and a set of keys for the courtyard.

”This... Actually, I thought she would come back to find me,” Zhang Fan said sincerely.

The Gusu Clan’s courtyard was worth eight figures, such a sum he only saw during the Qingming Festival.

Even if he worked himself to death in Night is not bright, he couldn’t earn that kind of money.

”That house is not given to you; it’s just temporarily letting you live in it...”

Shi Shougong’s words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly quenching Zhang Fan’s fiery heart.

The stack of documents only showed Zhang Fan had the usage rights, not transferred ownership.

”Oh, by the way, for that courtyard, the monthly property fee is six thousand eight hundred and thirty-six... This is for this month...”

Saying this, Shi Shougong pulled out a receipt from his pocket and pushed it in front of Zhang Fan.

”Property fee? Over six thousand?” Zhang Fan was stunned; his take-home pay each month, after deducting insurance and housing funds, was just over six thousand.

”You don’t have money, do you?” Shi Shougong said casually, his face barely showing a hint of a smile.

”No problem, no problem... We can rent out that courtyard.”

Su Shiyu tried to mediate the situation.

If the courtyard is rented out, it would bring in at least thirty-five thousand a month; deduct the property fee, and there’s still a substantial surplus.

”Tsk tsk, good idea, hurry up and rent it out for me,” Zhang Fan squinted his eyes and said.

While he cultivated in Night is not bright, his realm progressed by leaps and bounds, soon to enter the Spirit Department, pushing towards High Skill, needing money in many places going forward.

After all, the four keys to cultivation: Method, Mate, Wealth, Land.

If one wants to break through higher realms, wealth is indispensable. Cultivating magic, maintaining the body, and refining talismans... which of these doesn’t require money?

Merely relying on a fixed salary won’t work.

”Let’s do it... As for you guys... find a place to settle down first, and if I don’t speak, don’t wander around; this is Yujing City... hidden talents abound,” Zhang Fan thought.

Rather than let these two troubles roam outside, better to keep them nearby.

”Great, we can be together in the future.”

Su Shiyu sat beside Zhang Fan, holding his arm, smiling brightly.

”I’ll handle it.”

Shi Shougong picked up the document bag on the table, showing a meaningful smile, saying something that completely stunned Zhang Fan.

”Congratulations on joining the Wuwei Sect.”

Saying this, Shi Shougong left.

”No... No... No...”

Zhang Fan awoke as if from a dream, looking at Su Shiyu, then at the departing Shi Shougong, suddenly pondering over the situation.

They’re from the Wuwei Sect, now following him...

What does this mean!? What kind of relationship is this!?

”Colleagues!?” Zhang Fan’s expression grew increasingly odd.

After sending Su Shiyu away, Zhang Fan returned to the company, and Jiang Hu was looking at him with a strange expression.

Besides, Wen He’s smile had some ambiguity.

Even the usually silent Old Yu occasionally glanced at him.

”What did you say while I was away?” Zhang Fan stared at Jiang Hu and asked.

”I didn’t say anything, right? You know me, I’m not the kind of person who gossips behind someone’s back,” Jiang Hu replied righteously.

”Fanfan, don’t do anything in the car anymore; you’ll end up in the social news.”

At this moment, Wen He passed by and leaned in to kindly remind him.

”...”

Zhang Fan squinted his eyes, mechanically turned around, and stared at Jiang Hu.

”This is concern among colleagues.”

Jiang Hu grinned awkwardly and smiled.

...

In the evening, finally waiting for off work time, Zhang Fan quickly left the company.

Not being eager to leave work implies a problem with one’s mentality.

He rented a shared bike, crossed two streets, and arrived at the Crown Grand Hotel, heading directly to the nineteenth floor, the Tide-Listening Pavilion, where Li Yishan had booked a private room.

”Not late, right...”

Zhang Fan opened the door and shouted, but upon entering, he didn’t see Li Yishan; instead, there were two beauties sitting there.

”Hmm!?”

”Is it him!?”

Zhou Miaochan and Zhou Miaoyu saw Zhang Fan entering, exchanged looks, both showing a peculiar expression.

Isn’t this the cultivator youth they saw on the subway in the morning!?

”No coincidence, no story; the world’s affairs indeed have a mystical side,” Zhou Miaochan thought to herself, outwardly unaffected.

”We’re friends of Li Yishan... You’re Zhang Fan, right...”

At this point, Zhou Miaochan stood up to introduce herself, displaying grace.

”Hello...”

Zhang Fan nodded in agreement, glancing around but not seeing Li Yishan.

”He went to get wine,” Zhou Miaoyu said softly, observing Zhang Fan.

During the day on the subway, she hadn’t seen him clearly, unexpectedly meeting him at night.

Zhang Fan was alone facing two beauties, unfamiliar ones at that, appearing somewhat uneasy, instinctively glancing around and checking his phone.

”Friend Zhang seems a bit uncomfortable,” Zhou Miaoyu teased.

”Not exactly... This hall burned down last year, killing people...” Zhang Fan randomly found a topic.

”Is Fellow Daoist Zhang also a cultivator yet superstitious?” Zhou Miaochan whispered softly.

”How do you know?”

”Mentioned by Li Yishan,” Zhou Miaochan casually replied.

”Though life and death are fated, nothing to do with fortune or misfortune, death is an end, after all, makes one superstitious,” Zhang Fan stated plainly.

Cultivators strive for immortality, not exempt from taboos despite the cultivation.

Death represents an ending.

”My elders once said, cultivators are either obsessed with emptiness or nothingness... merely to evade death... these are lower pursuits, never reaching the Pure Yang Wuji Realm.” Zhou Miaochan expressed her thoughts eloquently.

”What insight does Miss Zhou have?” Zhang Fan casually inquired.

”Zhuangzi said all things in one house, life and death are alike... Life and death in the Dao’s nature, experiencing life without death, how to achieve the Pure Yang Dao?” Zhou Miaochan whispered.

”Once dead, what’s left to cultivate? How to comprehend the Pure Yang Wuji Realm?” Zhang Fan pondered.

The easiest is talk, the hardest is walking the talk.

”Not exactly...” Zhou Miaochan shook her head softly.

”I heard there’s an Inner Core technique allowing one to shift from life to death and death to life...”

”There’s such an Inner Core technique?” Zhang Fan showed interest.

If such an Inner Core technique truly exists, its profoundness would rival the Divine Demon Holy Embryo.

”Hasn’t Fellow Daoist Zhang heard about the Jia Sheng Gui Si principle!?” Zhou Miaochan said softly.

Ancient observers of celestial phenomena, using heavenly stems for the year, marked Jia as beginning and Gui as completion.

”Buddhists speak of life and death cycles, seeking reincarnation; Daoists focus on the present...” Zhou Miaochan said softly.

”This technique condenses countless cycles into one lifetime, Primordial Spirit rebirths repeatedly as if experienced reincarnation...”

”Such a technique exists.” Zhang Fan’s gaze turned solemn.

”From Jia’s birth to Gui’s death, death and rebirth, endless cycles...” Zhou Miaochan said softly, her eyes displaying longing.

”This is one of the legendary Nine Great Inner Elixirs...”

”Jia Sheng Gui Si!!!”

The secret of life and death is trivial before this method; each cycle transforms one’s being, becoming incredibly powerful.

He is no longer himself; he’s entirely different...

”Jia Sheng Gui Si...” Zhang Fan muttered, contemplating the name.

This stands shoulder to shoulder with the legendary Divine Demon Holy Embryo technique.

”Is life and death a mere jest? Can anyone actually cultivate this method?” Zhou Miaoyu became absorbed, asking.

”Perhaps... It’s merely legend,” Zhou Miaochan shook her head softly.

Each legendary Inner Alchemy Technique is terrifying yet extraordinary, impossible for humans to perfect, existing only in legend.

The Jia Sheng Gui Si cycle of rebirth and death is perhaps meant for no one to achieve.

”Here he is...”

At this moment, a hearty voice came, Li Yishan entered late.