Qingyun Sect, one of the six righteous sects in the Central Continent.
Among them, cultivators of great prowess emerge endlessly, making it especially prosperous. Most importantly, Qingyun Sect selects disciples without regard to their background. As long as one has sufficient talent for cultivation and a sincere heart seeking the Dao, there is a chance to join this sect.
For the homeless Lin Nan and Shen Yuer, Qingyun Sect was indeed the best choice.
The two walked side by side. Shen Yuer extended her left index finger, and a streak of blue light spiraled around her palm. As she curled the other four fingers, the blue light flared at her fingertip like a burning starfire.
“This is Qi. I cultivate a fragmentary version of the Shen Family’s Long Breath Song. Being able to cultivate this is already a testament to my exceptional talent. Right now, my Qi can cover external objects and be used to activate some magical tools.”
Lin Nan nodded. “The carriage you were sitting in earlier, that’s a fusion of Beast and magical tool, right?”
“That’s right. The Shen Family’s specialty is actually the combination of Beasts and magical tools. That carriage is just a child’s play. The most powerful are the flying floating boats. If there’s a chance, I’ll take you for a ride.”
“Miss Shen, aren’t you afraid of being caught and taken back by the Shen Family if you ride the flying boat?”
Shen Yuer’s face stiffened. “Oh right, I almost forgot.”
Perhaps the mention of this painful matter caused a brief, tacit silence between them. Then Shen Yuer suddenly asked, “By the way, Xiao Nan, your skills are pretty good. Who taught you?”
Lin Nan blinked. “I taught myself.”
“Self-taught my foot,” Shen Yuer rolled her eyes. “If it weren’t for my luck, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to endure that palm strike just now.”
“Forget it, if you don’t want to say, I won’t ask.”
Lin Nan didn’t know how to explain at that moment.
Because she really had taught herself. Or rather, it was innate.
For example, in the life when she became the Demon King, she was able to wield inexhaustible Demon Power from birth, and her combat talent was deeply ingrained in her mind from the moment she opened her eyes.
Such talent hadn’t completely faded even after reincarnation.
This life, she was just a half-demon without Demon Power; otherwise, that palm strike would have brought forth a terrifying demon wind.
Lin Nan closed her eyes slightly, preparing to recall the battle techniques she once mastered, when a dissatisfied click sounded by her ear.
She looked up to see Shen Yuer crossing her arms, pouting. “You really won’t say, huh!”
Lin Nan smiled quietly.
Truly a sixteen-year-old girl.
Every frown and smile, every gesture and movement carried a lively, passionate energy impossible to ignore.
“Hmph, even if you won’t tell me, who told you I’m a good person.”
Shen Yuer took Lin Nan’s hand and led her into the shade of a large tree. “I’ll teach you the Shen Family’s Long Breath Song. Try to see if you can smoothly find the method to circulate Qi.”
Shen Yuer was straightforward and practical.
She explained the key points of the Long Breath Song while popularizing the concept of cultivation.
“Cultivation is cultivation of Qi.”
“They divide ordinary cultivators into nine ranks across three realms. The lower three ranks are the third-class realm, the middle three the second-class realm, and the upper three the first-class realm.”
Lin Nan sat cross-legged, following Shen Yuer’s guidance and attempting to sense the Qi deep in her dantian.
She asked curiously, “What happens after the first-class realm?”
“What are you thinking? The so-called three classes are prepared for us mortals. If you go beyond the first class, wouldn’t that make you an Immortal?”
“But I’ve heard about things like True Immortals and Human Immortals…”
“Ah, that’s just people trying to sound good and save face. They call third-class Commoners, second-class Grandmasters, and first-class True Immortals. It’s just meaningless titles~”
“Xiao Lin, don’t think so far ahead. You can’t even circulate Qi properly yet. You’re not even in the ranks!”
Lin Nan nodded, sitting cross-legged with her head bowed, palms enclosing her dantian. Following Shen Yuer’s instructions, she tried to guide out this so-called Qi.
In her view, the path humans and demons pursue in cultivation is largely different. She had experience with Demon Power perception; perhaps she could use a similar method to sense Qi?
“The path of cultivation is long and arduous. Don’t look down on the third-class realm. Many people never even cross that threshold in their lifetime. Once you step into cultivation, every rank is a watershed—one in ten, one in a hundred… no telling how many get stuck.”
“When you truly cultivate Qi, it means you’ve entered a new world. Everyone’s Qi starts as a white mist. As the cultivation method evolves and the individual’s control improves, it eventually takes on various colors.”
Lin Nan concentrated on feeling her dantian, while Shen Yuer tirelessly instructed.
“The Shen Family’s Long Breath Song leans toward beast control and object manipulation, based on softness and mainly water techniques. Most cultivators’ Qi is blue, like mine.”
Lin Nan quietly repeated the incantations Shen Yuer taught her in her mind. Somehow, she actually felt a strange warmth emanating from her dantian.
Unsure if it was illusion or reality, she held her breath and focused intently on that sensation.
Unconsciously, Shen Yuer’s voice grew distant until she could hear nothing.
In this mysterious state, Lin Nan fell into darkness, with only a single flickering light dot unwavering in the world.
She ran toward the light tirelessly.
Getting closer and closer until she stood before it.
The light dot was actually composed of several light spheres about the size of bulbs, eight of them silently floating in the air like flowers waiting to be plucked.
“If I’m not mistaken…”
These eight light spheres corresponded to the Qi Yun Golden Light she had obtained in her previous eight lives.
That was excellent. At least it proved her past deaths hadn’t been in vain.
The calm pool of Lin Nan’s heart suddenly rippled. Her heart trembled as she reached out and touched the closest light sphere.
The next moment, a dizzying whirlwind swept over her,
Accompanied by the scent of incense and rhythmic wooden fish sounds from afar.
As the Buddha bell echoed faintly, chanting reached her ears.
“Namo Buddha”
“Namo Dharma”
“Namo Sangha.”
Lin Nan hesitated, then softly added, “Siddhi hulu lu. Siduru.”
If she remembered correctly, this chant came from the Merit Treasure Mountain Divine Mantra. Sincerely reciting it could eliminate sins, prevent descent into hell, and lead to rebirth in the Pure Land.
As the continuous chanting unfolded, Lin Nan’s dizziness gradually faded, and the surrounding darkness dissolved.
She raised her eyes and realized she was inside a temple.
Beneath a towering Buddha statue knelt a devotee. She wore monk’s robes, long hair cascading behind her, eyes lowered, hands clasped in prayer.
The chanting that had freed Lin Nan from her dizziness came from her.
She studied the side profile of the woman. After a few breaths, her eyes suddenly widened. What if…
What if she wasn’t mistaken, this chanting woman was clearly…
Whoosh—
The tightly shut temple door was pushed open. Golden, dazzling Buddha light instantly filled the entire temple.
A deep, resonant voice emerged with the light, “Devotee, another ten years have passed, and the hair you shaved still grows instantly.”
“Your worries and karmic obstacles have never dissipated.”
“How many more decades do you plan to kneel?”
The kneeling woman suddenly let out a soft laugh. She gently shed the monk’s robe covering her back, revealing a gorgeous long robe beneath.
“I won’t kneel anymore…”
“Never again.”
She turned to look in Lin Nan’s direction, tears streaming silently down her cheeks.
She looked at that corner of the temple that should have been empty.
Though nothing was visible, she just knew — the person she had bitterly pursued for thousands of years was there.
“Finally… found you, Teacher.”
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