The dream world.
Princess ‘Shi Le’ said, “If you wish to forge the furnace, I shall directly impart the method of furnace forging to you within the dream world. Your method of forging the furnace is different from others. In the state of all phenomena unified, you must adhere to your original heart and not be swayed by external benefits. Your five primal origins and laws of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth will transform into human forms. They will try to tempt you with various benefits, and you will need to tame them with your original heart. Only then can you successfully forge the Martial Dao Furnace.”
“It is difficult for a mortal body to refuse such temptations.”
Chen Jiuyang was inwardly shaken. This Princess ‘Shi Le’ could actually transform her primal origins and laws into human forms. However, he could also feel that he could only slowly tame these primal origins and laws in the state of all phenomena unified, and twist them into one. They would truly be like people.
If the primal origins and laws lacked sentience, would they act like this?
...
The sixth day of the third lunar month, the day of Awakening of Insects.
Qingcheng, built by the river.
Early morning.
Chen Jiuyang held a fishing rod and a fish basket on his back, preparing to leave the city.
“Little beggar, where are you going so early in the morning?”
A city guard soldier wearing leather armor and holding a red-tasseled spear asked.
Chen Jiuyang was clean from head to toe, not at all like a beggar. His speech and demeanor were also not like a beggar’s, which was why the soldier remembered him. He was slender, and although his clothes were old, they had no patches.
He looked at the fish-belly white sky and the receding white frost, and said with a smile, “Spring fish are the most delicious and nutritious. I’m going to catch a few fish to stew for soup and nourish my younger siblings at home.”
“What is ‘nutritious’? What word did you steal from some scholar? A beggar insists on speaking like a scholar, it’s truly strange.”
“Alright, little beggar, go and come back quickly. When you return, I’ll charge you one fish as an entry fee.”
The two soldiers guarding the city gate did not make things too difficult for Chen Jiuyang and let him leave the city.
The river surface was shimmering with red light. Chen Jiuyang dug two earthworms from the soil as bait and began to fish.
Blue sky and white clouds drifted leisurely, and the warm spring sunlight washed over the heart.
The sixteen-year-old youth, clad in thin clothes, was in a good mood and hummed a tune:
“At the end of the horizon lies wind and sand…
The story of the mortal world is called longing…”
“The Great Dao is simple, well said…”
An old voice suddenly sounded in Chen Jiuyang’s ear.
“Hmm?”
Chen Jiuyang was startled and looked around, but saw no one. His expression became slightly solemn. He stood up and cupped his fists in a salute towards the river, saying, “May I ask which immortal elder is playing a trick on this humble one?”
In such a situation, whether it was a human, a demon, or a ghost, calling them an immortal elder was definitely not wrong.
“You, young man, have a good disposition.”
The old voice sounded again, and then an old man with white hair and blood-stained clothes slowly appeared in the air above the river.
“Are there really immortals in this world?”
“...I can transmigrate to this world, so it’s not surprising to have such existences. There’s no need to be so astonished.” Chen Jiuyang’s expression only shifted slightly, and then he cupped his fists in a salute again, “Greetings, old immortal.”
The white-haired old man’s mouth was bleeding, and his voice was somewhat weak, “I am not an immortal, just an old man who is about to die.”
“May I ask, old sir, if you have anything you need me to do?” Chen Jiuyang asked calmly.
“Your disposition is indeed good.” The white-haired old man stood on the river surface, his body suspended, not touching anything. His ancient eyes fell on Chen Jiuyang:
“As you can see, I am dying, but I still have something I cannot let go of.”
“Young man, if you help me with one thing, you can inherit my legacy and enjoy endless wealth and prosperity in this life. How about it?”
Chen Jiuyang slowly shook his head, “I don’t do everything. Old sir, you can tell me what it is first.”
“Swish.”
A flash of light appeared in the white-haired old man’s hand, revealing a golden token carved with dragon patterns, made of pure gold: “This is the Seal of Kingship. You can take this token to the capital of the Cloud Kingdom and be sealed as a young king, enjoying wealth for a lifetime. How about it?”
Chen Jiuyang slowly shook his head, “Old sir, tell me the matter first.”
The white-haired old man’s other hand flickered again, revealing an ancient book with purple energy swirling around it: “This is the Grand Supreme Nine Chapters Profound Scripture, which can lead to the path of eternal life. How about it?”
He carefully looked at the young man before him. The young man remained unmoved, still saying, “Old sir, tell me the matter first.”
The white-haired old man nodded slightly, and the objects in his hands instantly turned into nothingness. After hesitating for a moment, he waved his hand, and the figure of a young girl slowly reappeared in the void beside him.
The young girl was of ordinary appearance, about the same age as Chen Jiuyang.
The white-haired old man said, “I am dying. This is my dearest person. I cannot bear to leave her alone in this mortal world. Young man, if you help me take care of her, what conditions do you have?”
The young man pointed to the river surface and said with a smile, “Then please, old sir, catch a few of the fattest fish for me.”
A hint of astonishment flashed in the white-haired old man’s eyes, “Young man, are you perhaps toying with me?” Not wanting kingship, not wanting eternal life, but wanting a few fish?
“It is not so.” Chen Jiuyang slowly shook his head and said, “I am a beggar. The old gentleman took me in and raised me with just one steamed bun back then.”
“Not everything in the world can be measured by money and benefits. At least, human life before me is priceless.”
“Just like how the old gentleman saved my life back then, he sought no reward and did his best to support us siblings.”
“I am now merely following the old gentleman’s example, repaying his kindness with my meager strength, and I do not need the old gentleman to give me anything extra.”
“To me, it is simply like having another sister at home like myself.”
“...Girl, you need to be a bit more well-fed. Looking at you, you’re a bit thin. You’ll need good nourishment at home, otherwise, you’ll easily become sickly, and it will be difficult to find a husband to marry in the future.”
“Hahahaha!” The white-haired old man laughed, tears streaming down his face, “I have lived for so many years in vain, only to find that in the end, not even a young man can see things clearly.”
He slightly curled his fingers, and as if the sleeping girl’s body was bathed in light, her ordinary and thin appearance disappeared, replaced by an exceptionally beautiful girl with a captivating appearance and figure, like an immortal from heaven.
It was Chen Jiuyang’s turn to be astonished, “Is there really such a beautiful girl in this world… Please, old sir, still conceal her true appearance, lest she attract the pity of others. I am just an ordinary beggar and have no power to resist.”
The white-haired old man took in his every move, becoming even more satisfied, “Expressing affection, but stopping at propriety. Truly sincere.”
Then the young girl returned to her ordinary appearance. With a slight flick of his finger, the figure of the peerless maiden slowly floated over from the river surface and landed on the grass by the bank.
“May I ask, old sir, what is her name?”
“Mu Xi.”
Chen Jiuyang nodded slowly, “I’ve noted it down.”
Then the white-haired old man placed a seed into Chen Jiuyang’s hand, “Although you seek nothing, I cannot refrain from giving. The fortune within depends on your own comprehension.”
Then Chen Jiuyang saw the plant seed, the size of a fingernail, merge into his body.