Chapter 54

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The wheels of the cart rumbled, and the sun filtered through the treetops, casting a dappled light.

Wujiao lay on the wooden box of the cart, lazily opened his eyes, and smiled slightly, waving his hand in greeting.

On the two horses following behind were two middle-aged men, named Fuhong and Fuda, who simply moved forward silently, paying no attention to the commotion on the cart.

These two were quite decent, at least better than the scowls of Jiao Lao and Ye Tianlong. Since they were traveling with him, there was no need to be overly critical!

Wujiao thought to himself, reaching into his chest and fumbling for a moment before pulling out a book, which was the "Compilation of Immortal Dao" by Yujing Peak Zongbao.

When he looked at the brother and sister earlier, it wasn't with his eyes, but with something mysterious emanating from his brow, which could easily penetrate wood and stone or even people's clothes, but was noticed by Hu Yancheng. He said it was divine consciousness.

What is divine consciousness?

The "Compilation of Immortal Dao" provides an overview: divine consciousness is a realm of cultivation for practitioners, with theories of wisdom, consciousness, divine soul, and celestial eye. In summary, it is the integration of essence, energy, and spirit, reaching everywhere and perceiving everything. With this divine consciousness, it's like opening the celestial eye, where sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and the senses of the eyes, ears, mouth, nose, body, and mind all undergo a tremendous transformation, becoming increasingly powerful as one's cultivation improves. Until one can see through yin and yang, and perceive thousands of miles, and so on.

I am an ordinary person without a spiritual root, how could I have divine consciousness?

From Hu Yancheng's doubts and the description in the "Compilation of Immortal Dao," it's not hard to guess that I clearly possess divine consciousness and can control it at will.

Tsk tsk, have I become a practitioner too?

I am an ordinary person, I don't even know how to meditate and cultivate!

Wujiao covered his face with the book, held his small belly, and let his thoughts wander.

The "Compilation of Immortal Dao" states that practitioners start with qi cultivation, with essence, energy, and spirit as the three treasures, each residing in the dantian, the root of life. They are also called the three palaces: the upper palace of the mud pill and the sea of consciousness; the middle palace of the red palace, the abode of the spirit; the lower palace of the dantian and the sea of qi, the repository of life. Any practitioner who unblocks the mystic gate, channels qi through the three palaces, and unites spirit and intent, can reverse the meridians, cleanse the body, and transform the bones, thus embarking on the path of immortality...

Wujiao moved the book from his face and stared thoughtfully at his dark arm.

Since the short sword disappeared, my body has been changing constantly. Could this be the sign of cleansing the body and transforming the bones? Especially that whirlpool of energy, which roared in my ears, then moved to my chest, and finally sank into my abdomen, like the convergence of dragon and tiger, refining qi and returning to the elixir, just as described in the "Compilation of Immortal Dao." That's why I was able to escape from Lingxia Mountain smoothly, and even killed the two managers, Xiang Rong and Gou Jun, at the last moment!

Those few days of escape were truly thrilling. Even more so, I slept in the sand for half a year without knowing it, like a practitioner in deep meditation. Looking back, everything seems so incredible!

In that case, although I don't have a spiritual root and don't know how to cultivate, I possess the divine consciousness and abilities of a practitioner. Or perhaps, it's the family heirloom short sword that's secretly causing this, not disappearing but merging with me. Then what am I, a person or a sword...

"The sky is getting dark, let's rest for the night!"

Wujiao was lost in thought when he heard the shout, put away the book, and slowly sat up from the bumpy cart.

By this time, half a day had passed. The fiery sun had hidden behind the mountains, leaving a few clouds hanging in the sky. As the sky grew darker, the scorching heat gradually dissipated. A breeze blew over the hill, stirring up dust that carried a chill.

Wujiao jumped off the cart, not forgetting to wrap himself in the rain cloth.

A low hill, dozens of poplar trees, and gravel and sand, with the increasingly gloomy sky, were the scenes before his eyes.

What a desolate place!

The four horsemen gathered together, whispering, then loosened their saddle girths and called the two cart drivers to tend to the animals. Soon, a bonfire was lit in a low depression by the hill.

Wujiao stood alone to one side, ignored by everyone, but he didn't mind, just gazing into the distance. After a moment, he sniffed the air, his expression brightened, and he hurriedly walked over.

Two lamb legs were roasting over the bonfire, the aroma spreading far. The old man surnamed Jiao, along with Fushan, Fuzhi, Fuhong, and Fuda, were sitting together. Ye Tianlong stood by the cart a short distance away, hands hanging down, as if waiting for orders.

Wujiao approached the bonfire, but no one invited him, so he wrapped himself tighter in the rain cloth and sat down on his own. Seeing that both pairs of boots had become "earth-eaters," he quickly crossed his legs and smiled awkwardly, "Hehe! This young man greets Jiao Lao and all the big brothers. Meeting is a matter of fate, and we are one in wine and meat. The lamb legs will burn if roasted too long, why not..." He extended his dirty hand to indicate, unable to resist swallowing his saliva.

A burning branch was thrown at him, and someone shouted, "You don't know the rules!"

Wujiao quickly pulled back his hand, the branch landing on the sand and sending up a trail of sparks. He looked at the middle-aged man beside him, embarrassed, "Brother Fuzhi, why...?" He picked up the branch with a smile and threw it back into the fire.

The man, in his early thirties, with a scruffy beard, rough face, and headscarf, had one arm exposed from his open leather robe, similar to the attire of his companions, and was quite robust. He just watched the roasting lamb legs, not turning his head, "Bringing you along is already a great favor. If you dare to be disrespectful, I'll whip you to death!"

Wujiao, as if really hit by the whip, leaned back, his expression stunned.

Laughter rose from the bonfire, and Fushan, Fuhong, and Fuda all cast disdainful glances. Only the old man surnamed Jiao remained seated, cold as a stone.

"Fuzhi, don't bully an outsider."

At that moment, Ye Tianlong accompanied two women over. The leading woman, about seventeen or eighteen, had her black hair parted in the middle, adorned with gemstones at the ends, and her fair cheeks and graceful figure made her very beautiful and charming. The woman a half step behind, about fifteen or sixteen, wore a brocade dress with her hair flowing over her shoulders, but without the gemstones, making her pretty face more natural and simple.

The group by the bonfire stood to welcome them, even the old man Jiao bowed to the women. Ye Tianlong then placed two cushions on the ground, but before he could straighten up, he couldn't help but shout, "Rude..."

By the bonfire, a man wrapped in a rain cloth, with dark limbs and matted hair, was reaching out to grab the roasted lamb leg. He didn't seem to mind the heat, easily tearing off a piece and turning to say, "Let me taste..."

The group's expressions were strange.

Fuzhi looked at the whip by his feet, wishing he could pick it up and lash the thief, but he was hesitant, his face dark. The other three looked at the old man surnamed Jiao, who stroked his beard and said nothing.

"Let him be."

Ye Tianlong wanted to react, but could only silently retreat. The group sat down with the women, and the younger woman covered her mouth and laughed, "Sister Baor, that man is really ugly..."

Fuzhi fetched several silver plates from behind, cut the lamb with a small knife, and distributed it to his companions. The part of the lamb leg that had been tasted by someone was cut off and thrown on the ground. He then brought out wine and water skins, and they ate and drank together.

Wujiao held the roasted meat but suddenly lost interest, realizing he wasn't really hungry, just craving. Now, being despised and looked down upon, he had no joy in eating or drinking. He sat alone, his gaze sweeping the surroundings.

The group each held a small knife, savoring the roasted lamb. Even the two women were eating slowly. A few yards away, the cart was parked, and the horses snorted in the cold wind. In the distance, the night grew darker, the darkness seemingly endless under the glow of the bonfire.

"Juan, find him some clothes to cover his body."

"Sister, that man is dirty and smelly..."

"Jiao Lao! Please take care..."

"Sister Baor, don't worry! After another eight hundred miles, we can avoid the trouble and reach the capital safely, with no further danger!"

"Ah, I hope so! That Mr. Wu... brother, you were so hungry just now, why can't you eat now?"

Wujiao sat there, somewhat absent-minded, and when he saw someone looking at him, he avoided answering, instead asking, "What is your name, miss? Are you going to the Youxiong Kingdom? How far is it..."

His straightforward and simple questions seemed extremely rude to the woman's companions. Fuzhi threw down the meat bone in his hand, his eyes flashing with cold light. The others also stopped eating and drinking, their expressions unfriendly.

The woman, however, was quite generous and said frankly, "My name is Jiao Baor. Due to clan disputes, I am going to a foreign country to seek refuge. It's still thousands of miles away. Are you going to travel with us?"

Wujiao slowly stood up, threw the roasted meat on the ground, wrapped himself tighter in the rain cloth, and smiled, showing his white teeth, "So you're going to the Youxiong Kingdom to seek refuge, hehe..." He didn't say more, and under the suspicious gazes of the group, turned and walked away, finding a place by a small hill and lying down, curling into a ball.

At this moment, a cold moon rose to the sky.

The "soughing" wind blew over his head, stirring up dust, like a desolate winter, cold and bleak. The stark difference between day and night was evident.

Wujiao, wrapped in the rain cloth, was still curled up, but his eyes, hidden under his matted hair, stared at the moonlight.

It has been more than three years since I left home. I can't keep hiding my head. Perhaps it's time to go back and see. To avenge the wrongs, to seek revenge, at least to understand the cause of the family's destruction...

And a gentleman's revenge, ten years is not too late. When I have regained my strength and energy, I will use that invincible and mysterious black sword. Even if I encounter a few cultivators, I won't worry about not having the means to protect myself.

However, the black sword comes and goes without a trace. How can I control it at will?

Wujiao clenched his fist, sensing a faint aura of killing, but it was not clear and disappeared without a trace. He gave up and took out the "Compilation of Immortal Dao" to read, not paying attention to the darkness around, only wanting to find answers in the book.

A small figure approached, threw a pile of things on the ground, and was about to leave, but paused, looking down at the dim moonlight and sneered, "Ugly or not, you're just being weird. Reading at night, those who know say you're pretending, those who don't think you're a fool!"

Wujiao sat up, leaning against the hill, and without answering, looked at the things on the ground, which turned out to be a set of relatively new blue cloth clothes and a pair of boots.

The person was the girl named Juan, who said with disdain, "Look at you, dirty and smelly. Fortunately, my sister is kind-hearted and willing to take you in, otherwise..."

The distant bonfire still flickered, with several figures moving, but the other woman was nowhere to be seen, presumably resting alone in the cart. The cold wind continued to blow, with intermittent sobbing sounds.

Wujiao retracted his gaze, seeing Juan still talking, and asked curiously, "Hmm... Is my reading bothering you? Is my ugliness bothering you? And being dirty and smelly... I was thinking of washing up. There's water nearby, even a dry well, and I'll jump in to show you..."

Juan just wanted to complain, but didn't expect the seemingly foolish person to be so quick-witted. She was slightly stunned, then found it amusing, and laughed, covering her mouth, "You can read, that's rare. If we encounter a well on the way, you have to keep your word..."

At that moment, the sobbing wind suddenly intensified. The wilderness was filled with ghostly howls, making one's hair stand on end.

Juan couldn't say more, her face changing slightly.

Someone by the bonfire shouted loudly, "Enemy attack..."

Wujiao's expression changed, and he took the opportunity to pick up the clothes and put them on.

...

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