Chapter Twenty-Eight: First Glimpse (3)

The medicinal energy now entrenched within Che Wuyou’s dantian had grown so powerful as to inspire awe, yet it remained utterly silent and motionless. No matter how fervently Che Wuyou tried to mobilize it, it would not stir, remaining beyond his control. This had been the case for a year. To see such formidable medicine, yet be unable to harness it, was a frustration Che Wuyou could scarcely endure.

He recalled a day more than half a year ago, when he could no longer contain his vexation and summoned the courage to seek out Miao Shilin. Che Wuyou explained his predicament in detail. Miao Shilin’s reaction had been peculiar—he seemed surprised, though Che Wuyou could not tell whether it was at the question itself or at Che Wuyou’s awareness of the anomaly in his dantian.

After a long silence, Miao Shilin finally spoke with calm detachment: “This is normal. Pay it no mind, and do not mention it to others.” He then admonished Che Wuyou to devote himself diligently to cultivation, not to squander this precious time. Seeing even Miao Shilin so unconcerned, Che Wuyou put aside his worries.

Still, Che Wuyou was far from resigned. He clung to the hope that one day these powers would be his to command, so he tried, every day without fail. Today was no exception. Seeing Liu Lanzhi still refining her medicinal energy, he stubbornly attempted once more to manipulate the energy in his own dantian. Yet, as always, the verdant energy remained motionless—neither refined nor stirred. With a helpless sigh, he gave up his futile effort.

Che Wuyou sat cross-legged in silence, reflecting on his year of practicing the “Hundred Herbs Formula.” His heart burned with excitement; after all, it was a treasured technique coveted by countless disciples of the Miao family, known as their supreme legacy. He felt immense fortune to be able to cultivate it and was resolved to cherish the opportunity.

He quickly calmed his mind and focused on sensing the world’s spiritual energy around him. Following the teachings of the “Hundred Herbs Formula,” he slowly circulated the meager true energy within his dantian. With each cycle, the ambient spiritual energy seemed to be drawn in, entering his body through various acupoints and filtering into his meridians.

Guided by the formula, Che Wuyou used his will to temper his meridians with the world’s energy, simultaneously drawing another stream into his dantian. Finding this process slow, he divided his focus yet again, refining the energy within his dantian. Through these three simultaneous efforts, a portion of the world’s energy was permanently absorbed, becoming part of his true energy.

To practice the domineering “Hundred Herbs Formula,” the Miao family’s supreme art, and manage three tasks at once—if Liu Lanzhi were to learn of this, one could only wonder what she might think.

Even someone of Liu Lanzhi’s remarkable talent could only temper her meridians first, waiting until they were resilient enough before guiding spiritual energy into her violet palace, then finally refining it for her own use. She followed each step methodically, never daring to distract herself, for refining spiritual energy was fraught with danger; a single misstep could mean serious injury or even death. Thus, every stage demanded full concentration, and disturbances were most unwelcome.

Yet Che Wuyou had merged these steps into a single process—and succeeded. This was not due to exceptional talent, but because his spiritual strength was extraordinarily robust. To others, multitasking was difficult; for him, it was hardly a challenge. Such was the benefit of a powerful mind: precise control and acute perception, though Che Wuyou himself was unaware of this.

After circulating his energy for a full cycle, Che Wuyou finally opened his eyes. After an entire year, he had managed, three days prior, to gain mastery over the “Hundred Herbs Formula,” reaching the initial stage. So many wasted days and nights had at last yielded success. Though his rate of refining true energy was still frustratingly slow, Che Wuyou felt a measure of joy and contentment, for he was worlds apart from where he’d been a year ago.

He glanced at Liu Lanzhi and could not help but marvel; her absorption of spiritual energy was far faster than his own. He could clearly sense the fluctuations in the spiritual energy around her, and compared to her speed, he still had a very long way to go. Though both practiced the “Hundred Herbs Formula,” the gulf between them was vast.

Che Wuyou knew the reasons—Liu Lanzhi’s cultivation was already advanced, so the quantity and speed at which she drew in energy naturally far exceeded his own. Further, their understanding of the formula differed; the deeper one’s mastery, the faster the absorption and refinement of spiritual energy. With Liu Lanzhi’s extraordinary talent, such progress was only to be expected.

He looked out the window; seeing the early hour, he considered cultivating further, but for some reason, found his mind wandering. Two years ago today, he had been forced to leave the Che family, his heart bitter and hopeless. One year ago today, he had waited, full of longing, for his mother to visit him. And today? Disappointment after disappointment from the Che family and his mother had left him wary of hope, or perhaps devoid of it altogether.

Would anyone from the Che family come today? Che Wuyou bit his lip. For the first time, he felt no pang of anxiety or anticipation regarding their arrival—only memories and a sense of acceptance lingered after two years. Perhaps he had adapted to everything in the Miao family, even the hardships they brought, and perhaps, whether or not the Che family came, it mattered little to him now.

He could not recall when the vivid images of the Che family, once so haunting in his dreams, began to fade in his memory, leaving only dull shades of gray. Maybe, deep within, there remained some secret yearning in the quiet hours of the night.

As Che Wuyou’s thoughts swirled, he saw someone enter at the doorway of the Miao family’s martial hall. The man’s demeanor was aged and serene—it was Miao Shilin, whom he had not seen for some time. Che Wuyou was momentarily stunned, then hurriedly rose and stood respectfully at the side.

Miao Shilin said nothing; he simply cast a detached glance at Che Wuyou and then slowly walked to the window of the martial hall. He gazed out at the distant ranks of towering mountains, as if entranced by some hidden beauty, unmoving. Only when Liu Lanzhi finished her cultivation and called out crisply, “Master,” did he turn away.

Miao Shilin’s gaze lingered only briefly on Che Wuyou before shifting to Liu Lanzhi, his expression softening for a fleeting moment.

Liu Lanzhi, seeing her master’s gentle look, sensed he wished to speak. She obediently asked, “Master, is there something you wish to instruct me?”

Miao Shilin nodded, hands behind his back, turned slightly, and after some thought said, “Lanzhi, from today you need not teach him the ‘Hundred Herbs Formula’ any longer; he will never learn it anyway. From now on, teach him this scripture instead.” With that, Miao Shilin turned, drew a handwritten page from his sleeve, and carefully handed it to Liu Lanzhi.

Liu Lanzhi knew well whom her master referred to. Though she wondered why Che Wuyou was no longer to practice the “Hundred Herbs Formula,” she did not press the matter. She accepted the handwritten scripture and examined it thoroughly. Her brows soon furrowed—what kind of scripture was this? After reading it through, she could glean nothing.

The illustration showed a Daoist with a blurred face, striking a series of strange, eccentric poses, as if practicing some bizarre technique. Yet upon close scrutiny, it seemed entirely off.

Perplexed, Liu Lanzhi asked, “Master, what scripture is this? It feels so strange… Could it be the legendary ‘Classic of Qi Huang’?” She spoke casually, without much attention, never truly believing this was the legendary treasure.

Unexpectedly, her offhand remark startled Miao Shilin greatly. His expression shifted; he carefully scanned the hall, ensuring no one else was present before letting out a sigh of relief. Then, with a grave expression, he asked in a low voice, “Lanzhi, where did you learn the name ‘Classic of Qi Huang’?”

The “Classic of Qi Huang” was renowned among the elite in the cultivation world, so Miao Shilin had to treat the matter seriously. Yet, in ordinary cultivation families and smaller sects, its name was hardly known; most minor clans had never even heard of it. Their limited influence meant they had no chance to encounter such information; this scripture was generally taboo, inaccessible without sufficient power. Thus, Miao Shilin’s question.

Seeing her master’s solemn demeanor, Liu Lanzhi dared not withhold anything. She quickly replied, “Once, as I passed through the **, I overheard you speaking to Mistress about the ‘Classic of Qi Huang,’ saying it was one of the treasures of the cultivation world and that its requirements for cultivation were extremely strict—only those with first-grade mental strength could practice it… You were so engrossed in your explanation that you didn’t notice me.” Noticing her master’s questioning look, she added the final sentence to explain how she had overheard.