Rong Ye had been hiding in his room for a day and a night, his eyes red and swollen. He was at a point where he couldn't even cry anymore. Lying on the bed aimlessly, his mind a blank canvas, he felt his life had reached its end and saw only darkness ahead.
This was the deserved end of foolishness.
Ming Hong and He Qing Yun had both knocked on his door, but shame kept him from facing his friends. He gave no answer. They left his favorite pastries by the door and waited there, fearing he might do something foolish. From a crack in the curtains, Rong Ye saw their silhouettes and felt another pang of sorrow. He didn't deserve such good friends.
He felt like a sparrow pretending to be a phoenix, afraid to let others see his past.
He would say his mother was a gentle and virtuous lady, and his father was a learned scholar. Everybody loved him, and he grew up pampered and spoiled.
He had repeated this lie so often he almost believed it himself.
The truth was, this was just a life he had daydreamed about while staying in a sordid brothel.
He could no longer deceive himself.
Rong Ye opened the door and stood before his two friends, head bowed. He confessed everything: his true origins, his mother's actual identity, his envy of Ming Hong, his manipulation of He Qing Yun, and the foolish things he had done to their Master along with the punishments he received. Finally, through his tears, he said, "I brought this upon myself. Don't pity me. My mother was right; I was doomed from birth."
The young man who used to be so cheerful now stood in the shadows, trembling with fear.
"Look, you at least have a mother," Ming Hong slapped him hard on the shoulder, chiding him, "I grew up as a beggar. I've never even seen my mother. I competed with stray dogs for food and endured hunger and cold. Finding a moldy bun was a cause for celebration. If your life, full and well-fed with a mother's love, is so awful, what does that make mine? Are you looking down on my life?"
"Exactly," He Qing Yun smiled warmly, "Rong Ye, you may tease people, but you're actually quite kind-hearted. You're always the first to notice when someone's down and try to cheer them up. We like you for who you are, not for your social status. Your presence makes everything more enjoyable."
Ming Hong exclaimed, "Tian Gong Ge has taken advantage of us."
He Qing Yun handed Rong Ye a handkerchief, comforting him, "Stop crying. Your eyes are beautiful, especially when you smile."
Rong Ye took the handkerchief. For some reason, his crying intensified.
Soft footsteps echoed from behind.
Ming Hong swiftly discerned the newcomer and turned around, calling out, "Sister Qing Luan."
Qing Luan approached with a beaming smile, carrying a small wooden box. She told Rong Ye, "You are not cursed with a wretched fate."
Rong Ye was taken aback.
"Women often say one thing and mean another. Don't focus on what your mother says; watch what she does," Qing Luan gently tousled Rong Ye's hair and continued, "You should consider why she has called you ill-fated since childhood, why she sent you to the cultivation world even if it meant never seeing you again. Did she ever ask you to build your foundation and make a name for yourself? Did she ever call for you to return and glorify your ancestors?"
Rong Ye murmured, "I don't know my father; I have no ancestors..."
Qing Luan said, "Why did she choose to die alone rather than have you return to that sordid place?"
Rong Ye mumbled, "Because my fate is bad, she didn't want to give birth to me..."
A mental barrier in his mind seemed to dissolve, and suddenly, things became clearer. He remembered when he was sick and barely conscious, his mother had sat by his bedside, caring for him while crying. She'd said she regretted having him, that she was reluctant to...
Reluctant to what?
The illusion Yue Wu Huan created made him understand how terrifying it was to serve men.
His mother knew all these things but had no power to free her son from such a horrifying fate. She had to watch him grow day by day, moving closer to hell with no way to escape. In anguish and despair, she had no choice but to accept it.
Even if Xie Que had his issues, it was still a new opportunity.
When one is already in hell, what fear is there of falling into another? How much worse could his fate get?
She gambled like the most desperate player, staking everything on the slimmest chance for a better life.
And his mother won that bet...
Qing Luan handed the wooden box to Rong Ye. "Your fates have already changed."
In the realm of cultivation, Ming Hong was no longer a beggar, He Qing Yun was no longer a farmer, and Rong Ye was no longer a lowly servant.
Escaping from Yan Shan Men had also freed them from the shackles of slavery, allowing them to live for themselves.
Rong Ye opened the wooden box to find two delicate vials inside. He poured out the pills and powders, recognizing them as top-quality Qi-gathering pills and meridian-expanding powder. Even the Qi-gathering pills carried the attributes of water and earth—tailor-made elixirs to remove impurities from his meridians, aiding him in building his foundation.
Qing Luan smiled and said, "These are farewell gifts from our Master, so that you may study and cultivate diligently."
Rong Ye couldn't help but cry again. What foolish thing had he actually done?
He Qing Yun and Ming Hong hurriedly offered words of comfort, saying all sorts of encouraging things. However, the thought of parting with their friend also filled them with sorrow.
"Don't be disheartened. Just focus on your cultivation," Qing Luan smiled and continued, "Elder Liao is stationed in Lecheng, and the Medicine King Valley frequently sends people there for supplies. You can correspond with letters in the meantime, and once you've built your foundation, I'll send you to Lecheng on assignments. Meeting up won't be an issue then."
Ming Hong's face lit up, "Rong Ye, I'll build my foundation in just a few more years! Wait for me!"
Rong Ye broke into a smile through his tears, "Are you flaunting your superior talent?"
With the lowest aptitude among them, He Qing Yun was beside himself, scratching his head and vowing to practice diligently.
The trio burst into laughter, dispersing the sadness of parting.
No feast lasts forever.
...
Carrying his luggage, Rong Ye arrived at the Tian Gong Ge workshop. The cacophony of yells and clanging metal sounds emanating from within made him nervous. He timidly lingered outside the door, mentally bracing himself for a long time before he mustered the courage to step in and face his new destiny.
Inside, there was a spacious training ground.
Two massive mechanical figures were sparring, cheered on by a crowd of men and women. Nearby, a metal monkey was doing somersaults, ceramic rabbits hopped around, and two young girls were repairing a circular platform. Then, dancing fairies appeared and floated above the platform, gracefully pirouetting.
Standing amidst the crowd was a tall, majestic female cultivator. Dressed in a slightly disheveled gray robe splattered with oil stains and wood shavings, she was holding an exquisite wooden eagle. To the cheers of the crowd, she released the eagle into the sky.
The eagle soared, piercing the blue sky and flying higher and higher.
Are there really such fascinating mechanisms in the world? Is this what a craftsman in the cultivation realm does? Could he create something like this?
Rong Ye couldn't take his eyes off the eagle soaring in the sky; his heart raced.
The female cultivator noticed him and waved cheerfully, shouting, "Hey, kid! Do you like it?"
Yes, he liked it—more than anything.
Overwhelmed with emotion and unable to speak, Rong Ye ran towards the female cultivator, running towards his future.
Mother, I have now claimed the best destiny possible.
...
Song Qing Shi had fired up multiple alchemy furnaces to produce a variety of elixirs suitable for low-level cultivators. Some were intended for apprentices, while others were reserved for Yue Wuhuan and himself. He also planned to make some standard medicinal items like Qi-Stabilizing Pills, Soul-Calming Pellets, and Impurity-Removing Elixirs, so he wouldn't have to worry about it when he was deep into his cultivation practices later.
Better safe than sorry—a good habit to have.
After successfully concocting dozens of batches of elixirs, Song Qing Shi felt a bit fatigued. He decided to unwind by checking the herbal storage. This little-known stress-relieving quirk of his was akin to a dragon guarding its treasure. Each time he completed a large amount of alchemy, counting and confirming the stock gave him a deep sense of satisfaction and security.
"Seventy-two jins of Tianming Zi, three hundred and twenty-four jins of Yanyang Flower, three barrels of Yan Jiao, only twenty-two jins of Moonlight Stone left...I've been using a lot lately. I should ask Wuhuan to restock," Song Qing Shi meticulously inspected the quantities, finding only minor discrepancies.
As he opened the drawer containing Tianxin Bamboo, he froze.
The stock of Tianxin Bamboo had significantly diminished.
Song Qing Shi was puzzled. Tianxin Bamboo had the effects of dispelling inner demons and stabilizing one's qi, but its side effect was reduced desire. Back when he had little understanding of ethics, he had conducted human trials on a philandering man. After large doses, the man turned into a virtuous individual and eventually became a monk guided by a Buddhist master.
In the cultivation world, the norms were relatively liberal. Victims seldom made a fuss over such events. Female cultivators, when deceived or exploited, rarely wept; they generally settled scores with a sword in hand.
However, this philanderer had a way with sweet words, leaving his victims disoriented, and for some reason, he was let go.
Song Qing Shi reflected on his past and his self-proclaimed fidelity. Unlike the philanderer who could charm multiple women, he couldn't even win the heart of one. The thought left him feeling a bit wronged.
The overachiever felt a touch of petulance.
Quickly regaining his composure, he dismissed his emotional baggage and started pondering where the Tianxin Bamboo had gone.
Not many elixirs required Tianxin Bamboo. Its calming effects could be substituted by many other herbs, and its demon-dispelling properties came with daunting side effects, making it rarely used among cultivators.
Song Qing Shi had not collected much Tianxin Bamboo, primarily for research to see if he could eliminate its side effects and possibly discover new uses. However, he had yet to succeed.
A whole half of the Tianxin Bamboo in the drawer was gone.
The apprentices wouldn't require Tianxin Bamboo for their alchemy. That leaves only...
Song Qing Shi suddenly recalled a faint medicinal scent he had detected on Yue Wuhuan.
It had been centuries since he last encountered Tianxin Bamboo, and its scent had slipped his memory. Upon reflection, the aroma seemed very similar—was it a blend of Tianxin Bamboo, Mica Stone, and Wuwu Flower? Together, these ingredients could form a potion that suppresses masculine desires.
Yue Wuhuan was not a philanderer, so why would he secretly consume such a potion?
Although it seemed like he had controlled the dosage, long-term consumption could lead to unpredictable and harmful consequences.
Song Qing Shi was somewhat bewildered.
He wanted to confront Yue Wuhuan directly, but upon second thought, realized that Yue Wuhuan would never reveal anything he intended to keep hidden. Conversations with him always led in circles, ending in an inexplicable surrender of inquiry.
Song Qing Shi pondered briefly and decided to act first, ask later. He took all of the Tianxin Bamboo.
Tianxin Bamboo originated from overseas and was rarely seen in the market due to a lack of collectors. It wouldn't be easy to restock once supplies ran out.
He was intent on discovering what exactly Yue Wuhuan was up to.