Being detached from the world is the highest state. Elder Hua chuckled.
Yu Daochen shook his head. If we talk about states, Elder Hua has truly seen through it all.
Elder Hua laughed heartily, flicking his sleeve, and a surge of energy blew away the passing dust.
Two hundred and seventy years, neither long nor short, but to say one had no regrets would be impossible for anyone.
Arriving at Elder Hua's residence, Yu Daochen looked at the wooden door, his brow furrowing slightly.
Doors in rural homes typically face south, symbolizing prosperity and wealth, while facing north is considered to have heavy yin energy, unsuitable for a main entrance.
Elder Hua pushed the door open and walked in. Yu Daochen followed, lowering his head and then understanding.
All doors have a threshold, but Elder Hua's door not only lacked one but was also half a foot lower than the outside.
In Feng Shui, thresholds are said to ward off evil and disaster, and also to bar ghosts.
The ground inside a house can be higher or level with the outside, but it must never be lower.
Yu Daochen scanned the room. The layout was similar to that of a courtyard house, but instead of a rock garden and plants in the center, there was a medium-sized tripod stove.
Yu Daochen examined the tripod stove. Although he had heard of alchemy in the martial world, this was his first time seeing a true alchemy furnace.
Seeing Yu Daochen looking at the alchemy furnace, Elder Hua asked, "What, young Yu, are you interested in alchemy?"
Yu Daochen shook his head. "I didn't expect such things as alchemy furnaces to truly exist in this world."
Elder Hua looked at the alchemy furnace meaningfully, a mix of reluctance and unwillingness in his heart. "If you wish to learn, I can teach you."
Yu Daochen hesitated. Learning alchemy would undoubtedly be beneficial in every way.
Although there were many alchemists in the world, those who could reach Elder Hua's level were no more than three.
Seeing Yu Daochen's hesitation, Elder Hua asked no further questions.
Upon entering the main hall and sitting down, Yu Daochen heard a knock at the door: "Elder Hua, Elder Hua, it's old Chen. Something big has happened in the village."
Elder Hua, who was about to make tea, walked unhurriedly to open the door.
Upon opening it, he saw a man with a face full of sweat, gasping for breath: "It's bad, Elder Hua, someone in the village has died."
Elder Hua remained calm. "Don't rush, don't rush, speak slowly."
Old Chen swallowed hard, took a moment to catch his breath, and then said, "Liu Qidong's entire family of four died last night."
Elder Hua's brow furrowed slightly. He led Old Chen to the main hall, sat him down, and handed him a bowl of cool water.
Old Chen drank the water quickly, exhaled heavily, and said, "Last night, Liu Qidong's family of four all died. Their eyes were wide open, as if they had been scared to death. Their stomachs were bloated as if they were ten months pregnant, as if they had eaten something unknown."
Hearing this, Elder Hua's expression suddenly became solemn. He said, "Let's go to the village first."
With that, he walked towards the exit.
Yu Daochen felt something was amiss and followed. As they stepped outside, Elder Hua looked up at the sky, his brow deeply furrowed, his expression growing more serious.
Yu Daochen instinctively looked up. The sky, which had been clear and sunny, was now covered with dark clouds.
Elder Hua sighed and looked at Yu Daochen. "I'll trouble young Yu to go to the village."
Yu Daochen nodded, but before he could speak, Old Chen, standing nearby, glanced at Yu Daochen and said, "Elder Hua, is he capable?"
"Don't worry, he's no worse than I am," Elder Hua nodded.
He then looked at Yu Daochen, who had remained silent. Yu Daochen nodded. "Don't worry, I'll handle the village matters."
Elder Hua nodded and turned to walk towards the small path behind the mountain.
Yu Daochen watched Elder Hua's retreating back and then looked up at the sky again.
Although the sky was covered in dark clouds, it was only directly above the village. Ten miles away, the sky remained clear and sunny.
Yu Daochen got on Old Chen's motorcycle and headed towards Xiaotun Village.
Along the way, Yu Daochen looked at the trees and flowers by the roadside, feeling a growing unease.
The road connecting Xiaotun Village and Renshou Village passed through a mountain road, taking about twenty minutes in total.
Yu Daochen felt increasingly unsettled. He took out his phone, took two pictures, and sent them via WeChat.
Upon reaching the village entrance, he saw a man sitting under a nearby stone, smoking, his face pale, with large dark circles under his eyes.
The man saw Old Chen returning and stood up to greet him.
Seeing a young man of seventeen or eighteen sitting behind, his heart sank.
Old Chen stopped the motorcycle. The man furrowed his brow. "Did Elder Hua not come?"
Old Chen nodded and looked at Yu Daochen. "This is the person Elder Hua recommended. He's absolutely reliable."
Upon hearing that it was someone recommended by Elder Hua, the man took out a Hongta Mountain cigarette from his pocket and offered one.
Yu Daochen shook his head. "I don't smoke."
The man scratched the back of his head and chuckled. "Master doesn't smoke?"
Yu Daochen nodded.
Suddenly, an urgent voice came from a distance: "Dad, Xiao Wen is in trouble."
The three turned to look in the direction of the voice. A girl in her early twenties ran towards them.
Hearing that his youngest son, Xiao Wen, was in trouble, the man rushed home. Yu Daochen and Old Chen followed.
Yu Daochen followed the man to a doorway. Old Chen, already out of breath, panted, "Old Cai, slow down."
Old Cai could no longer speak and rushed towards his youngest son Cai Wen's room.
Just as he was about to push the door open, Yu Daochen grabbed Old Cai's shoulder and pulled him back. A middle-aged man weighing over a hundred pounds was forcefully yanked backward.
Old Chen, witnessing this, was also stunned.
Old Cai was known for his strength in the village, yet he had been casually pulled back by a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy.
Old Cai looked at Yu Daochen, about to speak, when Yu Daochen made a shushing gesture, his eyes fixed on the closed room door.
Just as Old Cai was anxiously about to rush in, Yu Daochen kicked the door open. His right hand condensed, and a golden gas covered his palm.
The room door was kicked open, revealing a seven or eight-year-old boy giggling.
He held a small knife, cutting towards his own throat, with a mass of black energy swirling around him.
Seeing Yu Daochen enter, his eyes suddenly began to bleed.
Yu Daochen reacted instantly, stomping his foot and sending a palm strike towards the black energy. Simultaneously, he grabbed the boy's hand with his left, exerting force, and flung him outwards.
The moment his palm touched the black energy, a stinging pain shot through it.
Yu Daochen's expression changed. He pushed off with his foot and retreated.
As soon as he regained his balance, a sharp, stinging pain made Yu Daochen tremble.
Looking down, he saw that his palm had a deep gash, and blood was flowing uncontrollably.
Old Cai and the other man outside wanted to help but were stopped by Yu Daochen's shout: "Don't come in."
He then stared intently at the mass of black energy that had taken on a human form.