Chapter 6

In early spring, the weather was still cold and the vast mountains were still covered in a blanket of white. The majestic peaks, like ancient giants clad in snow, exuded a desolate aura.

Amidst this icy landscape, a young boy wrapped in animal skins was practicing martial arts.

His moves were simple and clumsy, the kind that would be looked down upon by experts in the martial arts world. However, his strength and speed were formidable, enough to shock the majority of experts in the martial arts world.

Each of his moves would stir up a cold wind, and when he struck with his fists or feet, a deep hum would resonate. This was something only the most accomplished experts, who were just one step away from becoming grandmasters, could achieve!

The sunlight after the snowfall became even brighter, illuminating his body, which was as solid as a stone sculpture, and revealing the calm and determination on his face. Although his features were still somewhat youthful, the composed and steady demeanor in his eyes added a great deal of presence, making him appear like a true expert.

After practicing for a while, the young boy charged towards a large tree, roared with anger, and punched the trunk. A loud boom echoed, followed by continuous cracking sounds. The tree, with a trunk at least a foot in diameter, slowly tilted, and many broken roots burst out of the ground. Finally, the tree crashed to the ground, felled by a single punch!

"Alas!" Despite the power of that punch, Wu Jie did not smile; instead, he sighed deeply and sat on a nearby rock, lost in thought.

"The effects of the Ginseng Body Tempering have reached their limit. If I were to force my way through the meridians and enter the innate realm, it would be wrong. The step to enlightenment must be completed through cultivation techniques. Otherwise, it would be a deviation, and I would have to spend several times more effort to make up for it in the future."

Jasmine had once said that Wu Jie's internal energy and blood were already at their peak, with a pure yang energy almost condensed into a tangible form. Unfortunately, he had not yet found the right opportunity. Otherwise, by igniting the pure yang with heart fire, it could transform into pure yang true fire. The greatest advantages of this pure yang true fire were two: first, it could burn through meridians, allowing him to further temper his body; second, it could suppress various evil spirits, making it an excellent protective tool when traveling in the martial arts world.

However, Jasmine did not know how to ignite the pure yang with heart fire...

"My current physique has already reached the pinnacle of the acquired realm, comparable to those who have trained for decades to become top experts. Yet, despite having such great strength, I cannot effectively utilize it... The punch just now fully utilized the strength of my arms, but the strength of my torso was only about seventy percent utilized!"

"Even this level of skill took several months of hard training to achieve. As for 'power originating from the feet, using the waist as the pivot...' I haven't even begun to understand it... How can I fully utilize my strength?"

He had asked Jasmine, but she was not good at teaching. Her explanations only made him more confused, so he had to practice diligently.

Now, it seemed that relying solely on his own efforts was not enough; he needed to seek guidance from true martial arts experts.

However, when Wu Jie took a deep breath and stood up, and when he looked around the clearing where he had lived for nearly four months, seeing the traces of his martial arts practice on the surrounding wood and stones, he could not help but feel a sense of accomplishment.

Compared to four months ago, his strength had improved incredibly, almost as if he had ascended from the earth to the heavens.

Looking at the fallen tree not far away, how many people in the martial arts world could knock down such a large tree with a single punch?

Not many!

Wu Jie remembered that Du Tuanlian had once told him that those with the strength to lift a tripod and pull up a tree, even if their techniques were poor, could still be considered martial arts experts, capable of making a name for themselves and intimidating a region.

Wu Jie believed that the "lifting a tripod" referred to a tripod much smaller than the one in the temple outside the county town, and the "pulling up a tree" was certainly not a tree that required a strong man to embrace with both arms—such a person would likely have the strength of ten thousand pounds.

"With my current strength, I should be able to lift the tripod used for the autumn sacrifice in the ancestral hall, and I could probably pull up a tree about a foot in diameter... So, am I considered a martial arts expert now?"

After careful consideration, although he had not yet ignited the pure yang true fire and his techniques were still somewhat clumsy, he seemed to meet the criteria for a martial arts expert as described by Du Tuanlian. He was probably good enough to travel the world...

If so, it was time to set out on his journey to seek the Dao and immortality!

"Why didn't you set out long ago? Why waste so much time practicing martial arts!" Jasmine said with a hint of frustration. "What's the point of practicing these human fighting techniques? They offer no help for immortality! On the contrary, the better you practice, the more you deplete your vital energy... If it weren't for the medicinal cultivation to replenish your energy, you would probably have only forty years left to live!"

Wu Jie smiled slightly and asked, "What do you think I need the most right now?"

"Seeking the Dao for immortality!"

"Then where should I go to seek the Dao?"

"Cave heavens, blessed lands, famous mountains, or the capital of a great country... In any case, the various sects should have left clues in the human world. If you are determined, you will definitely find them!" Jasmine said loudly. "Most sects recruit disciples this way!"

"Then I will have to travel far and wide, cross mountains and rivers, and deal with all kinds of people... What's wrong with having a bit more martial arts skill?"

Jasmine thought for a moment and nodded repeatedly.

"You're right, Master! You should definitely practice your martial arts! Seeking the Dao is not like inviting guests to a meal; it's normal to engage in combat. When the time comes, if our martial arts are good, we can cut down our opponents and claim the opportunity for ourselves!"

Wu Jie pursed his lips, not commenting on Jasmine's violent tendencies.

After packing his belongings, Wu Jie took off the animal skins he had been wearing and put on the clothes his mother had sewn for him. He set off in the opposite direction from when he had entered the mountains.

Unlike when he had entered, he now moved as lightly as a bird, taking steps that were equivalent to ten steps of an ordinary person. When he encountered obstacles, he did not need to detour; he simply climbed or jumped over them, moving even more nimbly and quickly than the monkeys in the mountains.

The vast mountains and forests were no longer an obstacle to him; he crossed them as if they were flat ground.

When he had entered the mountains, it had taken him five days, but when he left, it took only half a day. By the time the sun was setting but not yet set, he had already left the forest where he had lived for four months and returned to the main road outside the mountains.

If he returned to the town now, he could probably still make it home in time for dinner, but Wu Jie did not rush home. Instead, he headed towards the county town.

He could not tell his parents about the body tempering, so when he returned home, he would have to say that his four-month quest for immortality had been fruitless. Wu Jie did not want to disappoint his parents, so he needed to bring back some visible gains.

Now, Wu Jie ran faster than a fine horse. By the time it was slightly dark, he had already reached the outskirts of the county town.

The city gates were naturally closed, but this did not pose a problem for him. The county town's city wall was less than two zhang high, and he easily leaped over it, entering the city without any difficulty.

Wu Jie had been to the county town with his father before and was familiar with the area. He turned a few corners and arrived at the only pharmacy in the county. He took out a "ginseng" from his medicine basket and indicated that he wanted to sell it.

This ginseng, originally from the Heavenly Book World, was of superior quality. Its main body was about half a foot long, and its main stem was thicker than a thumb, making it a rare and valuable item. The pharmacy clerk was stunned at first glance and, after a moment, came to his senses and hurriedly led Wu Jie to meet the owner—such a valuable ginseng was not something a junior clerk could decide on!

"Wu Xianzhi, I heard you went out to seek immortality last autumn. It seems you have made great gains!" The pharmacy owner, Mr. Wang, chatted with Wu Jie in a very familiar and friendly manner, showing none of the arrogance he had displayed when Wu's father had come to sell medicine. "Is this ginseng a gift from an immortal?"

Although Wu Jie did not understand why he was asking, he did not lie and shook his head, answering frankly, "Immortals are not so easy to encounter! I searched in the mountains for several months and only found this ginseng. I thought that since I had gone out, I should bring something back for my parents, so I decided to sell it and bring some money home."

Mr. Wang nodded repeatedly, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

"Xianzhi, you are indeed filial! It seems that heaven favors the filial. That's why you have obtained such a fine ginseng!" He smiled kindly, his words full of sincerity. "I have always been fair in my business, treating everyone equally. This ginseng is of superior quality and could be the pride of my shop. I am willing to offer 800 taels of silver. What do you think?"

Wu Jie was taken aback. He remembered that Mr. Wang was known for his stinginess. A few years ago, when he and his father had come to sell medicine, this man had nitpicked and criticized the medicine, devaluing it to almost nothing, and had repeatedly lowered the price. If it hadn't been for Du Yu's intervention, the medicine, which should have been worth hundreds of taels of silver, would have sold for only half the price... How could this man have changed so much today?

He knew the market value of ginseng. Ginseng was divided into five grades, with prices increasing accordingly. The first grade was called "treasure," and the second grade was called "precious," both of which were rare and priceless. The third-grade ginseng could be exchanged for 120 times its weight in silver, the fourth-grade for 80 times, and the fifth-grade for 50 times. Below the fifth grade, it was called "miscellaneous ginseng" and could only be exchanged for 15 times its weight in silver, and not even pure silver.

His ginseng, in terms of quality, should have been third-grade, weighing six taels and seven qian. An offer of 800 taels of silver was indeed reasonable. However, given the old merchant's nature, it would be normal to devalue it to fourth or even fifth grade. Today, he had offered such a generous price—Wu Jie almost wanted to go outside to see if the sun was rising from the west!

No matter how puzzled he was, Wu Jie would not turn down money, so he immediately agreed to the price.

However, the shop did not have that much cash on hand, so Mr. Wang invited Wu Jie to stay overnight and promised to go to the bank the next morning to get the silver and complete the transaction.

Wu Jie had no objections, thanked Mr. Wang, and was led by a clerk to a side room to stay the night.

The clerk was very attentive, first helping him wash his face and hands, and then bringing him a hot meal, treating him even better than a guest at an inn. After days of rough living, Wu Jie was finally able to sleep in a soft bed. He fell asleep quickly and soundly.

At this moment, Mr. Wang was in his room, a cold smile on his face.

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