Chapter 24: Cherish the Present

The old beggar had always been satisfied with Xu Daoyan's attitude and immediately asked, "Do you know why the Huns raid your village?"

"Because they need to plunder food, store it, and help their people survive the winter," Xu Daoyan answered seriously.

"Hmm, not bad. The kidneys are the main organs for storage, and they are crucial. Think about it, the more food you store, the more you can survive the winter, and the more food you can plant in the spring. After that, you won't have to worry about food shortages anymore," the old beggar continued.

"I understand!" Xu Daoyan nodded in agreement.

"The kidneys belong to water and also govern the bones. Once you cultivate your kidneys, your bones will become stronger. Think about it, bones are hidden deep within the body, covered by skin, muscles, blood vessels, and fascia, making them the least visible part," the old beggar explained.

Xu Daoyan nodded, listening attentively, completely engrossed.

"After cultivating your kidneys, your bones will become harder. Why do copper skin and iron bones go together? Copper skin comes first, followed by iron bones. After cultivating in the autumn, you will have copper skin, and then iron bones. Once you cultivate your kidneys, you won't be afraid to fight adult men. Your bones will be even harder, greatly increasing your combat power!"

Xu Daoyan's eyes gleamed with excitement. This was what he had been looking forward to, and it was finally here!

The old beggar also gave examples. If a person's kidneys are weak, they will often have back pain and weak bones. Young people can recover from broken bones in a few months, but for the elderly, once a bone is broken, it is very difficult to recover. This is because the kidney essence is insufficient, making it hard for the bones to grow. Such vivid examples were common in the village, and Xu Daoyan gained a deeper understanding of the kidneys.

The kidneys are related to the bladder. If a person's kidney essence is insufficient, they are more likely to be frightened, as fear causes the qi to descend. This is why some people may wet their pants when they are overly frightened.

"During the three months of winter, this is the time for closure and storage. The water freezes, and the ground cracks. Do not disturb the yang. Go to bed early and rise late, waiting for the sunlight. Keep your thoughts hidden, as if you have a secret. Seek warmth and avoid the cold. Do not expose your skin, for it will cause the qi to be easily depleted. This is the way to respond to winter and the method of nourishing and storing..."

Xu Daoyan slowly inhaled the winter qi, which was icy and cool, and it merged into his kidneys.

In winter, all things hibernate, and the atmosphere is solemn, but life is hidden within. Water can freeze, and the ground can crack. For ordinary people, it is best to go to bed early and rise late, as the cold air in the early morning can harm the body. It is only after the sun rises and the sunlight disperses the cold, balancing yin and yang, that the body will not be damaged.

He cultivated for a full fifteen days.

At this time, small snowflakes began to fall from the sky, landing on his body, making the winter qi even more intense.

Xu Daoyan sat alone on the open ground at the back of the mountain, motionless, using the winter qi to temper his bones.

In the autumn, he tempered his skin, and in the winter, he tempered his bones.

The technique in the kidneys is called bone tempering, which is divided into hundred-refined iron bones, thousand-refined iron bones, and ten-thousand-refined iron bones.

During this winter, after cultivating his kidneys, Xu Daoyan felt that his hearing had improved. Sitting on the back of the mountain, he could hear the whispers of the families in Liuzhu Village if he focused.

The kidneys are connected to the ears, and as the saying goes, "sharp hearing and clear vision." A person's intelligence is closely related to the health of their kidneys and liver, which is very important.

As Xu Daoyan's strength increased, his need for human essence pills also grew. After three months of winter, he found that the human essence pills he had were almost depleted.

Using the Immortal Wood Mirror to observe his lifespan, he saw that he had 2,100 years, which was considered a lower-grade third-class.

A lower-grade third-class lifespan ranges from 2,011 to 2,710 years.

A middle-grade third-class lifespan ranges from 2,710 to 3,410 years.

An upper-grade third-class lifespan ranges from 3,410 to 4,110 years.

Since he had condensed his lungs, Xu Daoyan's cultivation speed had steadily increased, far surpassing his previous self.

The first, second, and third classes are already considered upper-class. However, each grade requires 700 years, which is even higher than the first grade of the middle class.

1,810 years is the peak of the upper-grade fourth class.

Xu Daoyan would need to reach 2,510 years to be at the peak of the lower-grade third class. Currently, he was only 2,100 years old, so there was still a significant gap, but he could now be compared to the warriors of the Wind Cavalry!

Today was New Year's Eve, and Xu Daoyan did not cultivate. He looked at the old beggar and said, "You are also my master. Come to my house and meet my mother, so she can be at ease!"

"Haha, there's no need for that. You should all have a good family reunion," the old beggar laughed and disappeared before Xu Daoyan.

Xu Daoyan did not say much and walked to Liuzhu Village, listening to the villagers' sighs. For them, this New Year's Eve was bound to be sad, as almost every household had lost someone, making it impossible to be happy.

On this day, Wu Xiaobai did not go far.

He was already at Xu Daoyan's house early, helping out.

When Xu Daoyan entered the door, Aunt Dumb, Ling'er, and his mother were all there.

Everyone was gathered around a table, making dumplings.

"Brother Daoyan, you're back?" Ling'er smiled brightly, her eyes forming a crescent moon, looking very beautiful, and her voice was clear and crisp.

"Yes, today is New Year's Eve. I was going to come and call you all," Xu Daoyan smiled and asked, "What filling are the dumplings?"

"Um, leek and beef," Ling'er giggled, quickly making dumplings with ease.

Xu Daoyan sat down next to Wu Xiaobai and asked, "How has your cultivation been recently?"

"It's okay!" Since his parents died, Wu Xiaobai's personality had changed a lot. He was not as cheerful as before and rarely smiled.

"Xiaobai, cultivate well. I will definitely avenge your parents," Xu Daoyan said, touching on a sensitive topic. He had always been unsure of how to comfort others.

"Last New Year's Eve, our family was gathered around making dumplings. I even told my parents that next year, we would invite Aunt Wu and Daoyan to our house for the New Year's Eve dinner..." Wu Xiaobai's eyes welled up with tears. He was kind-hearted and different from Xu Daoyan, and the death of his parents was something he could not easily get over.

"Xiaobai, I always consider you as my own son. From now on, consider this your home!" Wu Shi looked at Xiaobai's tears and felt a deep pain. She had watched him grow up, and he was no different from her own son.

"Aunt Wu..." Wu Xiaobai's tears fell.

"Brother Xiaobai, don't cry. Ling'er will make something delicious for you, okay?" Ling'er's voice was clear and gentle, making people feel comfortable.

Wu Xiaobai didn't know why, but after Ling'er's words, his emotions calmed down. He wiped his tears and said, "I'm sorry. Today is New Year's Eve, and we should all be happy. I don't want to ruin the mood."

Xu Daoyan also joined in making dumplings, joking with Ling'er, which made the atmosphere much more joyful. Chatting while making dumplings, Wu Shi felt very happy and wished it could always be like this.

But thinking about Xu Daoyan, who would join the army in the spring, she felt a pang in her heart and couldn't help but shed tears.

"Mother, what's wrong?" Xu Daoyan saw his mother crying and asked urgently.

"Ah? Nothing, I'm just too happy. If only your father were here," Wu Shi smiled.

"Don't worry. In the spring, I will join the army. I know Shiyun from Shilong City, and I can ask him to help find my father," Xu Daoyan said with determination.

Wu Shi knew that Xu Daoyan was no longer an ordinary person. He had a high-level master teaching him cultivation, and in just six months, he had grown to nearly nine feet tall at the age of twelve, which was against the norm. She finally understood that Xu Daoyan's cultivation was real, and everything in the family had changed dramatically over the past year.

That day, the family had a happy New Year's Eve dinner.

As night fell, Aunt Dumb took Ling'er back to the wooden house next door to rest.

Wu Shi also felt tired and went to sleep.

In the courtyard, Xu Daoyan and Wu Xiaobai sat on the stone steps.

Looking around, everything was covered in snow, and the moon was bright and clear in the sky. Wu Xiaobai said, "Daoyan, on the day of Start of Spring, I have something to give you. I hope it can always be with you!"

"What is it?" Xu Daoyan was very curious.

"Let's keep it a secret for now," Wu Xiaobai smiled and looked at Xu Daoyan, saying, "Daoyan, whether or not you seek revenge is not important. Many people always dwell on what they have lost and fail to appreciate what they have. You and Aunt Wu are the closest people to me. I don't want anything to happen to either of you. Remember, on the battlefield, your life is the most important thing."

"Don't worry. I will survive and become very strong. I will find my father and reunite him with my mother!" Xu Daoyan was very determined. He did not want to be like Baitao, who could not return to see his mother when she was critically ill, feeling guilty for the rest of his life.

Nor did he want to be like Zhang Chao, whose parents lost their son and whose unborn child never saw his father.

To survive on the battlefield, there is only one way: to become stronger.

"Good, with those words, I am at ease. You have never failed to do anything you set your mind to," Wu Xiaobai said. Xu Daoyan had always been his role model.

He had always looked up to Xu Daoyan and followed in his footsteps.

At that moment, the old man with the iron hammer suddenly appeared. Wu Xiaobai stood up and said, "Daoyan, I should go. On the day of Start of Spring, I will come back. You must wait for me."

Xu Daoyan nodded, glanced at the old man, and bowed.

The old man took Wu Xiaobai and disappeared from Xu Daoyan's sight.

Xu Daoyan released Zhang Chao, Qin Han, and Baitao from the ghost-binding bag. They had been continuously cultivating with Xu Daoyan during this period.

With the old beggar teaching them techniques to cultivate their souls, they had made rapid progress. Qin Han and Baitao had already reached the second-class ghost realm, and even the weakest Zhang Chao had reached the third-class ghost realm.

This was equivalent to the realm of second-class and third-class humans!

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End of Chapter 24