Starting Cultivation During a Trip

Zhao Jie Xuan once said, this battle would surely rot in Li Changgeng’s belly; if he could not suppress Zhang Fan with his own strength, then a Heart Demon would be born.

Next time they met, it would be a fight to the death.

”The dust has settled. Looks like I can pack up and return to Yujing City.” Zhang Fan took a deep breath of fresh air.

Things here were resolved, and Jiang Lai had been found as well.

Next, what he needed to do was to comprehend the Golden Radiance Iron Box in his hand, and to find a way to achieve Divine Fusion as soon as possible — that was the top priority.

After all, heaven knows when Li Changgeng might come back to kill him.

Remember, that day in the Imprisoned Immortal Temple, Zhao Jie Xuan began scheming step by step; after being weakened by the Group of Demons Birthday Celebration Painting and the Golden Radiance Treasure Box, that monster still possessed such might. Truly, a grave threat lingering in Zhang Fan’s heart.

Only with Divine Fusion would Zhang Fan truly have the power to protect himself and establish a secure footing.

Apart from this, he still needed to find Zhang Lingzong. After all, that was his birth father; always wandering outside like this was no way to live.

”Let’s wait until we get back.” Zhang Fan muttered softly. ”You all pack up. Tomorrow we’ll…”

Before he finished speaking, Zhang Fan was startled to see the Liu Brothers sitting there, utterly motionless, as if frozen in time, not even blinking.

”Young man, may I have a word with you?”

At this moment, a soft voice came from the side.

Zhang Fan looked up and saw a man approaching, dressed in a suit, looking gentle and refined. He didn’t wait for Zhang Fan’s response, but sat down on his own.

”Who are you?” Zhang Fan asked warily.

”Li Chengge.”

”Lao Mountain Sect Leader!?” Zhang Fan exclaimed in shock, hurriedly bowing in salute, ”Junior greets the elder.”

Whether this man before him was truly the Lao Mountain Sect Leader or not, just the strength and aura he revealed made Zhang Fan dare not act rashly.

”Senior, what about them…” Zhang Fan looked at the Liu Brothers.

”No need to worry. Let’s just talk.” Li Chengge gestured with a raised hand.

”Samadhi True Flame… To think one so young could awaken such a Divine Power Technique.”

At this, Li Chengge went straight to the point; with one sentence, Zhang Fan’s brow twitched violently.

”Senior, I…”

”No need to deny it. This is East Mountain. If I say it’s you, then it is you...”

Li Chengge’s words brimmed with immense confidence and an unquestionable authority.

”Which sect raised you as a disciple?”

”Zhenwu Mountain!” Zhang Fan felt overwhelming pressure. Invisible ripples radiated from Li Chengge’s body, making the entire street grow vague and ill-defined.

Storms surged in Zhang Fan’s heart. He had never felt such an imposing aura before: vast as the heavens, towering as mountains, surging as waves. Just by sitting there, Li Chengge made it hard for Zhang Fan to breathe.

”Since when did Zhenwu Mountain produce such a disciple?” There was a trace of doubt in Li Chengge’s eyes.

”Did your elders never teach you that Divine Techniques must not be invoked recklessly?”

”Huh? Is there really such a rule?” Zhang Fan shook his head.

”Is that so!?”

Li Chengge’s face grew cold, the doubt in his eyes deepening further.

”Do you know what Daoist Skill is? What Divine Techniques are?”

At that moment, Li Chengge abruptly shifted topics, posing a seemingly unrelated question.

Zhang Fan paused, then humbly replied, ”May senior instruct me.”

”The defining trait of this world is impermanence. Everything—without exception—constantly changes…”

”So-called Daoist Skill, so-called Divine Techniques, are powers of impermanence itself…”

As he spoke, Li Chengge picked up a note from the table, flicking his forefinger.

”Can you shatter it?”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fan paused; if it were to burn the note to ash, he could do that. But as for a spell that fragmented or split objects, he had not learned such a thing.

Szzzt—

As Zhang Fan pondered, a harsh tearing sound resounded.

Li Chengge picked up the note and simply tore it to pieces by hand.

”This…”

”Daoist Skills, Divine Techniques, even humans themselves—are all powers to change this world. They are the means by which impermanence arises…”

”Their commonality lies with Mr. Nian…”

First came the thought, then came the action. Whether by Divine Techniques, Daoist Skills or one’s own strength, changing the form of the note—creating the phenomenon of destruction—all began with intention.

Intention is the most fearsome and wondrous power in this world.

There is a saying: the world is born of the mind’s desires; thus, it is false, impermanent, and easily altered.

In certain respects, this idealist theory of ’mind-only’ cannot be considered wrong.

For example: people desired warmth, hence there was fire; sought shelter, hence dwellings; wished to record, hence writing…

As peoples’ intentions multiplied, the world gradually changed, coming to have its present form.

Be it through Divine Techniques, Daoist Skills, or human effort, the method and form are irrelevant; the result remains the same.

Intent shapes the physical world—this world that is substantial, and yet, illusory.

The Buddhist Sect has a central theory called ”Dependent Origination is Emptiness”: what did not exist before, will someday vanish; like this note, it was born of thought, and one day will decay, disintegrate, and disappear…

This coincides in many ways with the Daoist concept of ”Cultivating Truth through Illusion”: all is void, merely borrowed for the sake of cultivation.

”Why is senior telling me all this?” Zhang Fan asked, perplexed.

”There is a saying: everything is born of intent; what matters most is that very first thought…”

”The very first thought?” Zhang Fan echoed softly.

”The first thought… it is the origin of all things. The Daoist Sect calls it the Grand Beginning…”

”The ’One’ in Embrace One arises from that primal thought; only with it were all things created, only then was there a path of cultivation, only then could miraculous divine powers be born…” Li Chengge’s voice became mysterious and unfathomable.

”That original thought is the Dao; every god-given Divine Technique springs from it.”

Li Chengge’s discourse sounded like legend or myth.

All things stem from that thought, and Divine Techniques are strange powers derived from it—transcending time and space, shifting at will; awakened by whomever fate decrees, awakened whenever fate decrees.

”Because of this, Divine Techniques must not be shown lightly; the consequences are too great, the uncertainties too many…”

Just like in a perfect framework, if a point repeatedly flashes, it will disrupt the integrity of the whole.

This is also one of the key reasons for the existence of the Divine Power Association.

”If you truly are a Zhenwu Mountain disciple, your elders cannot have failed to warn you.”

Li Chengge slowly rose, his gaze on Zhang Fan full of deep suspicion.

As he spoke, Li Chengge reached out and laid his hand on Zhang Fan’s shoulder; the irresistible pressure was like a mountain crashing down, leaving Zhang Fan’s Primordial Spirit entirely immobilized.

”So this is what it feels like to face a sect leader?” Zhang Fan thought to himself.

Li Chengge could command Lao Mountain, and was the youngest among the ten great Daoist sect leaders of the famous mountains; his realm and cultivation were at least that of an Observatory Master, perhaps even having realized the level of Celestial Master.

This kind of being was not someone Zhang Fan could resist at this stage.

”I don’t care whether you’re truly a Zhenwu Mountain disciple; use Divine Techniques recklessly, and you’ll come with me.”

Li Chengge spoke coldly, pressing down on Zhang Fan, ready to depart.

”Sect Leader Li, it’s been years.”

Just then, a slow, casual voice echoed across the street, which seemed frozen in time.

Thunder rumbled overhead, and as black clouds surged, a figure appeared at the end of the street, clad in a Daoist Robe fluttering in the wind, with eyes cold and remote as if peering from afar, drifting like a sword.