Chapter 2

### Chapter 2: The Young Ding Hao

"Enter the state of tranquility!"

Ding Hao felt a surge of joy in his heart. He opened his mouth and spat out a black stone. This thing was the root cause of his穿越 (穿越 means "穿越" in Chinese, but in this context, it refers to "transportation" or "transmigration"), a relic left by the notorious Ding Qiuqiu. The stone had one significant function: to help people enter a state of tranquility. When practicing the Star Absorption Technique on Earth, one also needed to enter this state. Each time, Ding Hao would place the stone under his tongue, and he would quickly enter the state of tranquility.

"Good! This stone has come with me. This is truly a blessing from heaven!"

Without delay, Ding Hao returned to the Bodhi mat by his bed, sat down cross-legged, and placed the black stone under his tongue.

"Drink and sing, how long is life? The mind is calm and clear, not tainted by a speck of dust."

Each time he held the stone, he would hear these words. Then, Ding Hao would immediately enter a state of clear and empty meditation. In front of him was a vast, formless void...

However, at that moment, a loud bang came from outside the room. Ding Hao had not yet woken up, and then the sound of a copper basin falling, "clang," echoed. This was not enough; Ding Hao felt a sudden jolt to his body, immediately breaking him out of his state of tranquility.

Being startled out of a state of tranquility is very uncomfortable, and Ding Hao's face turned pale.

"These people are truly despicable! No wonder the original Ding Hao couldn't awaken; it's all because of you!"

It turned out that the wicked servant, Ding Laosi, to prevent Ding Hao from awakening, had instructed the household servants to make loud noises whenever they saw Ding Hao sitting in meditation. If that didn't work, they would directly hit the copper basin, and even the maids would come in with brooms, pretending to clean, to collide with Ding Hao.

"Truly despicable, servants overstepping their bounds! How can I enter a state of tranquility like this?" Ding Hao was furious.

These wicked servants were too much. Just as he entered a state of tranquility, he was woken up. How could he possibly awaken? The previous Ding Hao was too weak, always submitting to such treatment, making these wicked people even more brazen!

"Hmph, you wicked servants, I have my own ways to deal with you!" Ding Hao said with hatred.

Ding Hao was not a meek and easily deceived person. All the descendants of the Ding family inherited the despicable and base character of the notorious Ding Qiuqiu, with a very poor reputation! Therefore, Ding Hao's father named him "Ding Hao," meaning "upright and noble, vast and grand!"

However, it was a pity that Ding Hao's character... well, well.

Since these wicked servants wouldn't let him enter a state of tranquility, he decided to leave his small room.

The Ding family was a middle-class household, with five rows of houses in the front and back. Although the family had declined in recent years, there were still some servants and gardeners.

A gardener was standing next to a tree, placing his hand on it, using the Immortal Root technique to communicate with the tree, making it grow in the desired direction and bear fruit. In the garden, several maids were planting flowers. With a wave of their hands, they used the Immortal Root technique to complete the process of pest control and fertilization for a small area of flowers. Then, a maid with the Water Immortal Root technique raised her hand to create clouds and rain, watering the flowers.

"What a wondrous world," Ding Hao marveled.

In his previous life on Earth, there was a strong push for agricultural modernization and industrial scale production. In this world, using some small Immortal Root techniques, one person could easily cultivate dozens or even hundreds of acres of land.

"This is true high technology," Ding Hao nodded. "In such a world, ordinary people who haven't awakened their Immortal Roots really have no skills to farm or work!"

He followed the corridor to the main hall, where there was a wooden statue, depicting his great-grandfather, Ding Yibai.

In the Nine States world, if an ancestor became a powerful figure in the Immortal Cultivation World, a statue could be erected in the family's home in the Nine States Small World. The more statues, the greater the power; the higher the ancestor's cultivation, the better the materials that could be used for the statue!

Ding Yibai was a False Core-level true cultivator in the Immortal Cultivation World, so a wooden statue could barely be used! If it were a Foundation Establishment-level cultivator, only a clay statue could be used! If it were a Qi Condensation-level cultivator, only a memorial tablet could be used!

Respected and valuable, if a silver, gold, or jade statue were placed in the main hall, even the Three Emperors and Nine Lords of the Nine States Small World would kneel and bow!

Do not underestimate these statues; they can truly manifest!

When something significant happens in the family, or when incense is burned for prayers, or when the family faces a great calamity, the ancestral statue will manifest to protect the family.

However, it was a pity that the old ancestor of the Ding family had not manifested for a long time in the Immortal Cultivation World! Even when Ding Hao's father died, the statue did not manifest! Therefore, some people speculated that the old ancestor of the Ding family might have met with a tragic end in the Immortal Cultivation World!

This kind of thing was common in this world; one's rise or fall affected everyone. If the old ancestor was alive, everyone was fine; if the old ancestor was gone, the entire family in the lower world would be doomed.

Ding Hao picked up the incense on the table, lit it, and bowed twice to the two-meter-tall wooden statue in front of him, thinking to himself: "Senior, don't blame me. Although my soul is not your great-grandson, my body still is. Senior, please bless me to awaken soon..."

At that moment, a yellow dog ran into the main hall.

"Woof woof woof!" The yellow dog barked loudly and pounced on Ding Hao.

"Damn!" Ding Hao thought, "I burned incense and paid respects to the ancestors, but instead of the ancestors manifesting, I attracted a dog."

He dodged the dog and looked up to see a ten-year-old boy's figure flash by outside. From the back, Ding Hao recognized him as the second son of the wicked servant Ding Laosi, Ding Juncai!

"Big Yellow, bite him to death and come eat the bones!" Ding Juncai shouted from outside, but did not come in.

"Even if you bite me, you can't bite me to death?" Ding Hao was furious. "At such a young age, how can you be so wicked?"

Ding Hao had a way with dogs. He spat out the black stone and approached Big Yellow.

"Drink and sing, how long is life? The mind is calm and clear, not tainted by a speck of dust."

A voice that only Big Yellow could hear came from the black stone. Then, this fierce yellow dog suddenly knelt on the ground, eyes wide, and entered a state of tranquility.

"Even a dog can enter a state of tranquility; this stone is truly powerful," Ding Hao patted the dog's head and then put the stone back in his mouth.

The stone had been with Ding Hao for too long, so its effectiveness was entirely under his control.

After a brief state of tranquility, Big Yellow's eyes were a bit dazed. He looked at Ding Hao and then turned and ran out.

Ding Hao did not stay in the main hall for long. He put some incense ash and other items in his clothes and walked out. Outside, he saw Ding Juncai standing under a tree with Big Yellow, holding a piece of meat from a bristle beast.

The bristle beast was a low-level spirit beast in the Nine States world, with tender meat that was beneficial for those who had not yet awakened their Immortal Roots.

Ding Hao thought to himself, "This Ding Laosi is truly a wicked servant! He says he has no money, but he spent ten taels of silver to buy me a book. How does he have money? His second son's dog is eating bristle beast meat, while I, the young master of the Ding family, have never tasted it!"

"Big Yellow, go bite the waste!" Ding Juncai shouted fiercely.

People in the Nine States world mature early. At ten years old, Ding Juncai clearly knew that to become the master of the Ding family, they had to get rid of this waste.

However, it was a pity that this time, Big Yellow did not follow his command.

Ding Juncai shouted again, "Big Yellow, bite him, and I'll give you bones to eat!"

Big Yellow still did not move, and finally, he just lay down on the spot.

"Big Yellow, go bite him! Go!"

Looking at the urging Ding Juncai, Ding Hao coldly said, "Your family, the Ding Laosis, have done countless wicked deeds, and you are so despicable that even the dog won't help you. You will get what you deserve!"

With that, he turned and walked back to his residence.

Back in his room, Ding Hao set everything up and then sat down cross-legged, pretending to meditate.

Soon, the sound of banging and clattering came from outside. These sounds did not affect Ding Hao; the state of tranquility induced by the black stone was very strong. Even thunder outside wouldn't bother him. The only thing he feared was the maids deliberately rushing in to collide with him.

Sure enough, when they saw Ding Hao sitting still, a maid in a red dress walked in with a broom. Just as she was about to push the half-open door, a loud "whoosh" came from above, and a large amount of incense ash fell, covering the maid's head and face!

"What's going on!" The maid opened her eyes wide and saw that Ding Hao had already opened his eyes and was sneering at her.

"Waste, how dare you play tricks on me?" The maid, covered in incense ash, looked angry and frustrated, as the ash was hard to brush off.

"Play tricks on you?" Ding Hao stood up and said coldly, "As a maid, you enter the master's room without knocking, as if you own the place. I ask you, do you know the rules? What kind of maid are you? Who is the master here, you or me?"

The maid glanced at Ding Hao with disdain and said, "Master? How funny, you haven't awakened by the age of 15, what makes you a master? I awakened at 13! You just happened to be born in a good place!"

"Whether I awaken or not is none of your business. Don't forget that you eat the food and wear the clothes of the Ding family! If it weren't for the Immortal Seed title earned by our ancestors, where would you get the monthly 50 taels of national allowance? Without this allowance, how would you have food and drink? You enjoy the blessings of the Ding family, yet you do everything to prevent me from meditating and awakening, trying to steal my Immortal Seed status!"

Ding Hao walked closer, pointed at the maid, and said, "This is my final warning! I, Ding Hao, am not to be trifled with. The first time, it was incense ash; the second time, it will be a sword!"

"Scaring who?" The maid, though still defiant, turned and left, knowing she was in the wrong.

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**End of Chapter 2**