Chapter 12

"Throughout my life as a Taoist, I have never taken on a disciple. Today, I wish to pass on my legacy to you."

The old Taoist sighed, his voice tinged with a sense of沧桑 (沧桑 means沧桑, but in this context, it can be translated as "world-weariness"). He spoke softly, "I know you have a calm and peaceful nature, preferring tranquility. This aligns well with the Daoist cultivation I practice, and you are certainly capable of dedicating yourself to cultivation."

As Qin Xianyu stepped into the door, he heard these words and was instantly taken aback.

"When we arrived at the Fengxing Manor, I had already investigated your background. Your act of saving someone today has earned the family's deep gratitude. Considering their impoverished circumstances, you even returned the consultation fee, showing a heart full of benevolence."

"Although I joked with you that day, I also knew that your act of poisoning several young heroes was out of necessity."

The old Taoist struggled to get up and sit on the bed, his voice weak. However, this movement exacerbated his injuries, causing a large amount of blood to flow, staining his clothes.

Qin Xianyu's face changed slightly, and he hurriedly went to support him, saying, "Be careful."

The old Taoist's injuries were extremely severe, and for an ordinary person, they would have been fatal. However, he possessed some mysterious ability that allowed him to survive, though he could not move recklessly, as any touch to his wounds would worsen his condition.

The old Taoist wiped his hand over his chest and abdomen, and the bleeding stopped immediately, but his face turned even more pale. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Have you read all the books here?"

Qin Xianyu nodded slightly, saying, "Most of them, and for the few I haven't finished, I have at least flipped through them."

"The old Taoist doesn't know why you haven't started cultivation or why no one has taught you the methods, but it seems that you have a good foundation. At least you understand the basic terms and concepts of Daoist cultivation."

Qin Xianyu was quite puzzled and didn't understand.

However, the old Taoist didn't explain further. He just looked at Qin Xianyu and asked, "What do cultivators seek? Do you know?"

Qin Xianyu, having read many Daoist books, nodded and said, "To achieve the Great Dao and ascend to immortality."

"Exactly," the old Taoist said. "Those who achieve the Dao and become immortals will live forever, eternally unchanging. Do you know what eternal life means?"

Qin Xianyu thought that these were all delusions, but remembering that the old Taoist had survived such severe injuries, he began to doubt whether these strange things were just delusions.

He was naturally very interested in the idea of eternal life, but the old Taoist's piercing gaze made him feel uneasy.

"Eternal life means having everything."

The old Taoist's words were like a sudden enlightenment.

Qin Xianyu was slightly shaken.

The concept of eternal life has been passed down through the ages and is frequently mentioned in Daoist books.

But when he read these books, he always had some doubts, perhaps because of his leisurely life, which made him think too much. He often recalled the words of Duke Qian.

Duke Qian once said, "What use is eternal life to the world?"

This question made Qin Xianyu think deeply in his free time.

Ordinary people toil endlessly, working from dawn to dusk, but in reality, they start working before dawn and don't stop until after dusk.

Day after day, it is monotonous and dull.

Those who have leisure time are often bored, so they seek entertainment, such as gambling and drinking, to pass the time and wait for the end of their lives.

Not only the toiling masses, but even many destitute beggars, would not easily give up their lives, despite having no apparent joy in living.

Living, it seems, brings no joy, but no one wants to die.

Thus, everyone fears death.

And everyone wants eternal life.

Even if given infinite life, they would still toil, still not find joy, and still just pass the time, but the instinct for life makes people yearn for eternal life and fear death.

It is said that these words were not spoken by Duke Qian, but he lost his confidence because of them and has been living in a state of despair for many years.

Some say that Duke Qian lost a debate with a high-ranking person in the capital and thus found life meaningless, but the most common guess is that he was possessed by evil spirits.

At this moment, the old Taoist's words were like a sudden awakening.

Eternal life means having everything.

Life has its joys, and eternal life grants infinite time to experience endless joys.

"I have lived a leisurely life for so long that I might get tired of it. A few decades of such a life are enough. If I were to live for a thousand or ten thousand years in such a way, it would be unbearably dull."

"But everyone wants eternal life, even though they don't know why or what joys it brings. Who wants to die?"

"Originally, eternal life means having everything."

Tired of a leisurely life, one can live a passionate life. Tired of a passionate life, one can live a tranquil life.

With eternal life, one can try any different life and everything in the world, and there is always hope.

Eternal life encompasses all human desires.

With eternal life, one can gradually realize all one's aspirations.

But who in this world has achieved eternal life?

Qin Xianyu was silent for a moment and asked, "Has the old Taoist achieved eternal life?"

How could this young Taoist be so tactless, revealing the old Taoist's weakness? The old Taoist gritted his teeth and, with a sense of shame, said, "I have lived for 113 years and have yet to touch the realm of eternal life."

It is said that a human life spans a hundred years, but most people only live for a few decades. Those who live to a hundred are considered very old, and those who live beyond a hundred are considered immortals.

The old Taoist thought, "I have lived for over a hundred years. You should be surprised, right?"

But Qin Xianyu just nodded, pondered for a moment, and hesitantly asked, "Senior... how much time do you have left?"

The old Taoist stiffened, looked at Qin Xianyu, and his eyes showed embarrassment and anger. His desire to take on a disciple wavered. He gritted his teeth and said, "If not for this severe injury, I could have lived for another ten to twenty years. This is the Daoist cultivation I practice, which nourishes life and extends longevity, avoiding death and prolonging life."

Qin Xianyu sighed inwardly, thinking, "So, even with methods to extend life, one still cannot achieve eternal life?"

The old Taoist, with over a hundred years of experience, could see through the young man's thoughts. He huffed and was about to say something stubborn, but as he spoke, a sense of melancholy suddenly arose in his heart. He sighed and said, "From my earliest days, I washed my bones and refined my body, and I began practicing Daoism from a young age. At 36, I cultivated true qi. After ten years, I could project my true qi, creating a barrier within a yard around me, repelling rain and fog, almost like the immortals described in the Daoist books. After another ten years of cultivation, my true qi accumulated to a height of thirteen inches at the center of my forehead, and I made no further progress."

"A few years later, I still remained at this level, and I began to doubt the records in the Daoist books, wondering if the path of cultivation had reached its end."

"However, after years of studying Daoist books, the methods described, such as the 36 Heavenly Stars and 72 Earthly Fiends, the Dragon-Tiger Convergence, the Golden Elixir Path, and the Ascension to Immortality, are all logical and profound, and are the words of our predecessors, not mere delusions."

"Throughout history, the annotations in Daoist books cannot all be fabrications. The books that have been passed down for thousands of years cannot all be false."

"I don't believe that cultivation has reached its end. There must be more profound realms beyond this."

"Even if it is true that the path of cultivation has reached its end, I have already reached this level. Should I really stop here? Is the path to eternal life truly closed to me?"

"Even if the path ahead is a fabrication and has reached its end, I must still forge my own path."

The old Taoist spoke calmly.

Qin Xianyu was deeply moved. He had read many Daoist books but never believed in them. Now, the old Taoist could project his true qi and repel rain and fog, which was akin to the magical abilities described in the stories.

Qin Xianyu didn't know what other profound abilities existed, but the old Taoist's story of cultivation was enough to captivate anyone.

"From that year on, I traveled the world, crossing the Huai River, which divides the Great Virtue Dynasty into north and south, countless times. Whenever there was a legend of immortals, I would go to investigate. Over the years, I traveled throughout the Great Virtue Dynasty and reached the states of Chu and Jin."

The old Taoist sighed lightly and said, "I have faced life and death countless times, in desolate places, in icy caves, and in bustling towns, but I have never found any immortals. The highest level of cultivation I have encountered is the same as mine, the ability to project true qi and repel objects within a yard."

Qin Xianyu sighed inwardly, thinking, "Perhaps the path of cultivation is indeed a delusion. Reaching the level of projecting true qi and repelling objects within a yard is already like possessing magical abilities."

The path ahead might truly be at its end.

Qin Xianyu sighed but did not say it aloud.

"Although I have been stuck at this level for decades, I firmly believe that there are more profound realms beyond this." The old Taoist looked up at Qin Xianyu and said, "Although I have not met any immortals in my travels, I have seen countless wondrous events and places that could not have been created by human hands. Such feats must have been performed by those with profound magical abilities."

"There must be a path ahead, but I have not been fortunate enough to see it. Perhaps it is because my resolve to seek the Dao is not strong enough, and the immortals do not wish to meet me."

"There must be a path ahead, but I have not been fortunate enough to tread it."

He paused and said solemnly, "Your master, Guan Yun, and your parents all died under mysterious circumstances. Don't you want to find out the truth?"

Qin Xianyu's body trembled.

"Those who achieve eternal life have infinite life and infinite opportunities. Everyone seeks eternal life. Don't you want to live forever?"

"Those who cultivate true qi are comparable to martial artists with inner strength. Those who can project true qi are comparable to martial grandmasters, capable of plucking flowers and leaves to injure others."

"Do you wish to receive my legacy?"

The old Taoist's words were like thunder in Qin Xianyu's ears.

Qin Xianyu's heart, which had been calm like a still lake, was now stirred by a storm. He was overwhelmed with emotion and was about to speak, ready to accept.

However, before he could speak, the old Taoist suddenly gestured, saying, "Come here."

Qin Xianyu instinctively replied, "Okay."

There was a light sound.

The old Taoist flicked his finger, and as Qin Xianyu opened his mouth, an object flew into his mouth.

The object was unknown, but it was extremely soft and slippery, melting in his mouth and turning into a cold stream of water. Before he could react, the cold water had already flowed into his body.