Chapter 4

Hat Mountain, located amidst the Donglin mountain range, has a village at its base. The villagers, known for their simple and honest ways, live by farming, isolated from the outside world.

In the early morning, at the village gate, all the villagers gathered to see off a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy. The boy, though thin, had a fair and gentle appearance, and despite his ordinary blue robe, which was faded from frequent washing, it suited him well, complementing his pure eyes and giving him a lively air.

His name was Bai Xiaochun.

"Villagers, I am going to cultivate immortality, but I cannot bear to leave you all," the boy said, his face full of reluctance, making him look even more innocent and simple.

The villagers looked at each other, their faces showing deep reluctance.

"Xiaochun, your parents passed away early, but you are a... good boy!! Don't you want to achieve immortality? As an immortal, you can live for a very long time. Go, a fledgling must eventually leave the nest," an elderly man with white hair stepped out from the crowd, pausing slightly as he said the words "good boy."

"Whatever happens outside, you must persevere. Once you leave the village, don't come back, for your path lies ahead!" The old man, with a kind expression, patted the boy's shoulder.

"Immortality..." Bai Xiaochun's body trembled, his eyes gradually becoming determined. Encouraged by the old man and the villagers, he nodded firmly, took a deep look at the villagers, and turned to stride away, gradually leaving the village.

As the boy's figure disappeared into the distance, the villagers became excited, their reluctance instantly replaced by joy. The old man, who had been so kind just moments ago, was now trembling, tears streaming down his face.

"Heaven has eyes, this white weasel, he finally... finally left. Who told him they saw an immortal nearby? You have done a great service to the village!"

"This white weasel has finally left. Poor my chickens, because this white weasel was afraid of their crowing, he used some method to incite a group of children to eat chicken, and they ate all the chickens in the village..."

"It's like a festival today!" Cheers immediately erupted in the small village, and some people even took out gongs and drums, beating them joyfully.

Outside the village, Bai Xiaochun hadn't walked far when he heard the sounds of gongs and drums and cheers coming from the village. He paused, his expression somewhat strange, and coughed. Accompanied by the sound of the gongs and drums, Bai Xiaochun followed the mountain path up Hat Mountain.

Although Hat Mountain was not very high, it was covered with thick shrubs. Even in the early morning, it looked dark and quiet.

"According to Er Gou, he saw an immortal flying in the sky a few days ago when he was being chased by a wild boar here..." As Bai Xiaochun walked on the mountain path, his heart was pounding. Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the shrubs, like a wild boar, which made the already nervous Bai Xiaochun feel a chill down his spine.

"Who, who is there!" Bai Xiaochun quickly took out four axes and six machetes from his bag, still feeling uneasy, he also took out a small black incense stick and clutched it tightly.

"Don't come out, don't come out! I have axes, machetes, and this incense can summon lightning and bring down immortals. If you come out, I'll strike you dead!" Bai Xiaochun shouted, trembling, and hurriedly ran down the mountain path, the weapons clattering and falling to the ground.

Perhaps he really scared it off, the rustling sound soon disappeared, and no wild beast came out. Bai Xiaochun, pale-faced, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He was tempted to give up and go back down the mountain, but then he remembered that this incense stick was left to him by his parents before they passed away. It was said that an ancestor had once saved a fallen immortal, who left this incense as a token of gratitude, promising to take a descendant of the Bai family as a disciple. As long as the incense was lit, the immortal would come.

However, he had lit the incense over ten times, and no immortal had ever come, making Bai Xiaochun start to doubt whether the immortal would really come. This time, he was determined for two reasons: the incense was running out, and he had heard from the villagers that an immortal had been seen flying in the sky a few days ago.

So he came, hoping that being closer to the immortal might make the immortal notice him.

After some hesitation, Bai Xiaochun gritted his teeth and continued. Fortunately, the mountain was not very high, and soon he was panting at the top. Standing there, he looked down at the village, feeling quite sentimental, and then looked at the small black incense stick in his hand, which had been burned many times and was almost gone.

"Three years, may my parents bless me, this time it must succeed!" Bai Xiaochun took a deep breath and carefully lit the incense. Immediately, a strong wind rose around him, and the sky darkened with thick clouds. Lightning flashed, and thunder roared in his ears.

The sound was so loud and the momentum so strong that Bai Xiaochun trembled, feeling as if he might be struck by lightning at any moment. Instinctively, he wanted to spit to extinguish the incense, but he struggled and held back.

"Three years, I've lit this incense twelve times, this is the thirteenth time. This time I must hold on, Xiaochun is not afraid, I won't be struck dead..." Bai Xiaochun thought of the past three years, during which he had lit the incense twelve times, each time accompanied by thunder and lightning, but no immortal had ever come. Each time, he had been so scared that he had spit to extinguish the incense. Strangely, this incense, which seemed extraordinary, could be easily extinguished with water.

While Bai Xiaochun was trembling and waiting in the thunder, not far away in the sky, a long rainbow was rapidly approaching.

Inside the rainbow was a middle-aged man, dressed in splendid robes, with a refined and ethereal appearance, but he looked weary and dusty. His eyes showed deep fatigue.

"I want to see who this person is, who has been lighting incense for three years!"

Thinking of his experiences over the past three years, the middle-aged man felt angry. Three years ago, he had sensed someone lighting the incense he had given when he was in the Qi Condensation stage, reminding him of a past favor in the mortal world.

He flew out to find the source, planning to return quickly, but each time he followed the scent, it would suddenly disappear, breaking the connection. This happened over ten times in the past three years, causing him to repeatedly interrupt his search, wasting three years...

Now, he saw Hat Mountain from a distance and the figure of Bai Xiaochun on the top. He was so angry that he instantly flew to the top, waved his hand, and extinguished the incense.

The thunder immediately stopped, and Bai Xiaochun, taken aback, looked up to see a middle-aged man standing beside him.

"An immortal?" Bai Xiaochun asked cautiously, unsure, and secretly picked up an axe behind his back.

"I am Li Qinghou. Are you a descendant of the Bai family?" The middle-aged cultivator's eyes were like lightning, ignoring the axe behind Bai Xiaochun, and he examined him. He found the boy to be handsome and somewhat similar to an old friend, with good potential, which eased his anger.

"I am a descendant of the Bai family, Bai Xiaochun," Bai Xiaochun blinked and said softly, though he was somewhat afraid, he straightened his back.

"Why have you been lighting this incense for three years?" The middle-aged cultivator asked calmly, posing the question he had been most curious about for the past three years.

Hearing this, Bai Xiaochun's mind raced, and he put on a melancholy expression, looking down at the village.

"I am a person of deep feelings, and I cannot bear to leave the villagers. Each time I lit the incense, they were also reluctant to see me go. They are still sad about my departure."

The middle-aged cultivator was taken aback. This reason was unexpected, and his anger lessened. From his words, the boy seemed to have a good nature.

However, when he looked down at the village, his divine sense swept over it, and he heard the sounds of gongs and drums and the cheers of the villagers celebrating the departure of the "white weasel." His face darkened, and he felt a headache, realizing that the seemingly innocent and harmless Bai Xiaochun was actually full of mischief.

"Tell the truth!" The middle-aged cultivator glared, his voice like thunder, making Bai Xiaochun tremble.

"It's not my fault! Your incense is broken. Every time I light it, there's thunder, and I almost got struck dead several times. I survived thirteen times, which was already very difficult," Bai Xiaochun said pitifully.

The middle-aged cultivator was speechless, looking at Bai Xiaochun.

"If you are so afraid, why did you light the incense over ten times?" The middle-aged cultivator asked slowly.

"I'm afraid of death. Cultivating immortality means living forever, and I want to live forever," Bai Xiaochun said, sounding aggrieved.

The middle-aged cultivator was speechless again but felt that the boy's determination was commendable. He thought that if the boy was sent to the sect for training, his character might improve.

After some thought, he waved his sleeve, enveloping Bai Xiaochun in a long rainbow, and flew toward the sky.

"Come with me."

"Where are we going? This is too high..." Bai Xiaochun, seeing himself flying in the sky with a deep abyss below, immediately turned pale, threw the axe, and clung tightly to the immortal's leg.

The middle-aged cultivator looked at his leg and said helplessly, "Lingxi Sect."

Brothers and sisters, after two months, do you miss me? I miss you all very much!

I have made a detailed outline for this book, and every time I review the plot, I feel excited, as if it's burning. I am very satisfied, and tomorrow, I will start updating, one chapter in the morning and one in the evening!

I am very excited. We have been silent for several months, and now we are back, ready to... fight again at the starting point!

During the new book period, brothers and sisters, don't forget to collect and recommend! Collection and recommendation are crucial!

I beg for collection! I beg for recommendation!

Let everyone know, we... are back!

Our goal is still... to be number one on the click and recommendation charts!