After walking for a while, Zhi Xuan finally reached the Star Village gate, calmly guiding the goats inside. Mingling was tasked with recounting the goats.
The tired and full herd moved slowly across the ironwood palisade.
As soon as they entered, the atmosphere changed again. The faint howls from the forest were immediately replaced by the delicious smell of cooking, the aroma of freshly ground grain, and the laughter of children playing in the field. The tranquility of Star Village felt like a thick blanket, soothing the trauma from the jade valley.
"One, two, three... One-Eyed Goat, stand still!" Mingling grumbled, his staff pointing at each goat moving quickly toward the pen. His face was serious; counting was a sacred task that had to be done carefully. "One hundred and twenty-two... One hundred and twenty-three! Perfect! None were swept away by the river or became jade wolf grilled sausage!"
Mingling smiled widely, patting Zhi Xuan's shoulder. "We're safe, buddy! And we have the best jade wolf for soup tonight. Hurry up, we need to return the One-Eyed Goat to its pen before Grandfather Wu looks for it!"
They quickly finished their task, locked the pen, and ran toward the center of the village. Zhi Xuan was still hugging the bundle of jade wolf meat; the coldness of the meat felt soothing on his tense arm.
There, Grandfather Wu was standing and playing with the younger children. He turned when he heard Zhi Xuan and Mingling approaching.
"Ah, the naughty boys are back. How was your herding today?" Grandfather Wu asked, his voice containing a deep warmth, although his sharp eyes never missed anything.
Mingling immediately jumped forward, taking the meat bundle from Zhi Xuan, and offering it to Grandfather Wu with excessive enthusiasm. "Perfect, Grandfather Wu! Even the one-eyed goat walked with spirit today! We even stopped by the hunter's camp and Uncle Chen gave us the best jade wolf portion. Look!"
Grandfather Wu accepted the bundle of meat. His thin but strong hands weighed its heft for a moment. He nodded with satisfaction.
"Jade wolf meat? Uncle Chen is generous," Grandfather Wu mumbled. His eyes shifted from Mingling, who looked a little too excited, to Zhi Xuan, who was trying hard to be an expressionless stone.
"Zhi Xuan," Grandfather Wu called softly. "You look a bit pale. Is something bothering you? Or are you exhausted from the grain sack punching practice that swelled your leg?"
Zhi Xuan felt his heart pound hard. He looked into Grandfather Wu's eyes, searching for a trace of accusation, but all he found was genuine concern and a hint of inquiry.
"No, Grandfather Wu," Zhi Xuan answered, trying to keep his voice flat. "I'm just tired, and Mingling is right, that staff is indeed heavier than I thought. I'm also a little dizzy because... well, I'm dizzy from watching Mingling run zig-zag while rambling about grilled sausages all the way."
Mingling immediately nudged Zhi Xuan's arm lightly, but Grandfather Wu just laughed hoarsely.
"Always grilled sausage, Ming. You should focus more on your stomach muscles than your stomach itself!" Grandfather Wu admonished, handing the meat bundle back to Mingling. "Take this to Aunt Lian, quickly. Tell her to make rich jade soup tonight. You deserve it."
"Ready, Grandfather Wu!" Mingling exclaimed, immediately running toward the village kitchen area.
Grandfather Wu then walked closer to Zhi Xuan. He placed his wrinkled hand on Zhi Xuan's shoulder; the touch was gentle yet firm.
"Zhi Xuan," Grandfather Wu said, his voice now dropping to a whisper, far from the playing children's ears. "You are not just tired. There is a tremor around you. A tremor that is not harmonious with Star Village. Tell me, my son. Did you go somewhere you shouldn't have?"
Zhi Xuan held his breath. He knew this was the last chance to be honest, and admit his recklessness. But admitting his actions meant dragging Grandfather Wu into a much bigger cultivator problem. He chose to lie, a small betrayal of Grandfather Wu's trust.
"I apologize, Grandfather Wu," Zhi Xuan whispered, bowing his head slightly. "Mingling and I were too far at the river's edge, where the water was darker. We didn't go to the jade valley, Grandfather Wu. We were just... too close to the edge of the deep forest. We heard howling, and we panicked."
Grandfather Wu looked at him for a long time. Zhi Xuan's sapphire eyes stared at the ground, avoiding Grandfather Wu's gaze. After a moment of silence that felt eternal, Grandfather Wu let out a long sigh.
"Howling, huh," Grandfather Wu mumbled. He withdrew his hand from Zhi Xuan's shoulder and hit Zhi Xuan's shoulder with his small staff, this time not painfully, just as a warning. "Stay away from that forest edge. The howling from there is a warning, not just the sound of an ordinary wild beast. That is where the jade essence from the hidden mountains is abundant, and it makes the wild beasts greedy and strong. Don't dare to take risks just for curiosity."
"I understand, Grandfather Wu. I promise, I will be more careful," Zhi Xuan said.
Grandfather Wu looked at him for a moment longer, the old eyes still searching for something on Zhi Xuan's face which was now covered with a layer of strong determination. Finally, Grandfather Wu let out a long sigh, as if he decided to believe the small lie, or perhaps chose not to dig deeper for the sake of the village's peace.
"Good," Grandfather Wu said, his voice returning to a normal, stern tone. "Remember, recklessness is the most fatal disease for a mortal. Now go. Lunch is ready. And don't you dare make Aunt Lian wait; she'll make you chop firewood until tomorrow morning if you dare be late."
Grandfather Wu then walked away, returning to the center of the field where the younger children were playing cheerfully. He grabbed an old grain ball and was immediately swarmed by the children's laughter and shouts. The sight, in contrast to the shadow of the cultivator's blood in the jade valley, felt like a calming tension reliever for Zhi Xuan. He had successfully passed Grandfather Wu's interrogation—at least for now.
Zhi Xuan turned and immediately walked toward the food shed that also served as the village kitchen. The delicious smell of cooking, a mixture of meat cooked with forest spices and vegetable broth, grew stronger. It was the aroma of the most precious mortal life.
He found Mingling already waiting in front of the shed, leaning against the ironwood wall, his face showing irresistible excitement.
"Congratulations, buddy!" Mingling whispered, smiling broadly. "You passed Grandfather Wu's interrogation session! I almost peed my pants when he looked at you just now! You're really good at lying. Good thing you didn't tell the truth, he would have made us hit the hard grain sack for a whole week!"
Zhi Xuan snorted softly, patting Mingling's chest. "I didn't lie. I just simplified the truth. Now, let's go inside. I'm hungry. And we have to give Aunt Lian the jade stone."
They stepped into the warm shed. The shed was spacious, storing tall sacks of grain on one side, and on the other side was a large stove where Aunt Lian, a cheerful middle-aged woman with strong Human Wheel power and a soothing smile, was watching a steaming pot of broth.
At a rough long wooden table, Tang, Bashan, and Zhuwei were already seated, looking tired but satisfied. They had just returned from planting fields on the outskirts of the village, a task as heavy as hunting.
"Hey, look who's coming!" Tang called out, waving his big hand, his stout face now adorned with dry mud. "The twins with the easiest task! We have to dig mud, and you just tell the goats to walk!"
Bashan, who was sitting next to Tang, closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. "At least you didn't fall asleep under a tree like Mingling," he said flatly, his voice calm.
Zhuwei, as usual, only gave a small nod as a greeting, but his sharp eyes looked at the bundle of meat in Mingling's hand.
Mingling immediately frowned. "Wait a minute! Herding is not easy! We have to deal with striking goats and—"
Mingling immediately stopped himself, almost letting slip the incident in the jade valley. He let out a dramatic sigh. "Anyway, we deserve it! We have the best jade wolf meat from Uncle Chen!"
He quickly handed the bundle to Aunt Lian. "Aunt Lian! Here it is! Uncle Chen said this is the best! Can you make it the most delicious jade soup ever?"
Aunt Lian laughed softly. "Of course, Ming. You always get the best because you are the hope of the village." She took the bundle and placed it on the kitchen bench. "Now, wash your hands and sit down. All of you need extra energy after that hard training."
Zhi Xuan did not join immediately. He approached Aunt Lian, reaching into the pocket of his cold black robe. He took out two small pieces of jade stone he had taken from the Southern Outskirts Pasture—round jade stones that felt smooth and warm.
"Aunt Lian," Zhi Xuan said softly. "I found these in the pasture. Mingling said you wanted smooth jade stones for weaving needles. Are these good enough?"
Aunt Lian took the stones, turning them under the oil lamp light. Her face beamed. "My goodness, Zhi Xuan! These are perfect! Their jade essence is much purer than what we usually collect in the river. Weaving needles made from these will produce cloth that won't tear for ten years!"
She patted Zhi Xuan's head affectionately. "You always find little treasures. Thank you, my son. This will help a lot."
Zhi Xuan nodded, happy to have made a small, valuable contribution. He then joined the others at the table. Bashan and Tang quickly shifted places, making room for Mingling and himself.
"So, what did you see in the pasture today?" Tang asked, snatching a thick piece of grain bread from the basket.
"Just goats. Very stubborn goats," Mingling answered, immediately grabbing a larger piece of bread than Tang. "I swear, they were conspiring not to return. I had to shout like a wild dog just to get the One-Eyed Goat to move."
"You did shout like a wild dog, Ming," Zhuwei interjected in a calm voice.
"That's the art of herding, Zhuwei! You wouldn't understand!" Mingling retorted dramatically, ignoring the faint smile on Zhuwei's face.
Bashan chuckled. "Speaking of art, Zhi Xuan, is your staff really that heavy? You looked like you were about to pass out when you were holding that staff."
Zhi Xuan grabbed a glass of water, drinking it slowly to hide his tremor. "It is heavy, Bashan. But it's not an ordinary staff. I'm practicing weighted stance. It's a new philosophy Grandfather Wu only taught me," Zhi Xuan said, inventing another small lie to cover his physical condition.
Tang snorted skeptically. "What philosophy? The philosophy of a fractured shin? You should imitate me! Raw strength. Hit the grain sack, eat the game meat. Simple. That's the mortal way."
"The mortal way that makes you consume all your game meat portions, Tang," Mingling countered quickly.
"Shut up! I have to fill my muscles!"
Bashan smiled wisely. "Tang is right, but Zhi Xuan is not wrong either. Control. Grandfather Wu always says, 'A strong Human Wheel is a controlled Human Wheel'. Zhi Xuan always seeks extreme control, that's why he is the fastest."
"What extreme control? Extreme control not to fall when the grain sack hits him?" Mingling teased, which was immediately greeted by laughter from everyone.
Zhi Xuan joined the laughter, a warm laugh that felt real and grounded. Amidst this banter, the fear of the cultivator's blood and the husky whisper in the jade valley slowly faded. He looked at his friends—Tang, Mingling, Bashan, Zhuwei—they were all the pillars of the mortal limit he was protecting with his lie.
"Alright, enough joking," Aunt Lian called out, placing a large pot of broth filled with jade wolf meat in the center of the table. The aroma of the broth immediately wafted out, silencing everyone. "Eat! Refill your energy. Tomorrow, Grandfather Wu says all of you will work hard again!"
Without further ado, the five youths immediately rushed to the dish, filling their bowls with hot, rich broth. In Star Village, there was no better meditation than a delicious lunch after hard work.
At the rough long wooden table, the jade wolf meat broth was steaming, its aroma filling the shed with deep warmth. The youths ate calmly—calmly, because they were all too busy enjoying this precious dish to speak. Every sip of the hot broth felt like a healing liquid, replenishing the jade essence drained from the brutal morning training.
Tang, with his second bowl already full, chewed on a jade wolf bone loudly, his expression completely satisfied. Mingling was busy spooning all the pieces of meat in his bowl, making sure not a single strand was left.
"Ah," Tang sighed, putting down his empty bowl and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, leaving a shiny trail of grease. "Aunt Lian, your soup can truly make me live up to a hundred years. I can feel my muscles singing."
Aunt Lian smiled from the stove. "Of course, Tang. Grandfather Wu wants all of you to be strong. This jade wolf meat contains excellent essence for your Human Wheel."
Mingling, after his first bowl was finished, leaned forward toward Tang with a teasing tone. "Maybe you should wash your own bowl, Tang. So Aunt Lian can focus on making more jade soup for us who don't eat like wild boars."
"Shut up, Ming. This is filling my foundation!" Tang retorted, not feeling insulted at all. "You're just jealous because your muscles can't store as much essence as mine."
Zhi Xuan enjoyed their debate with a small smile. He deliberately ate slowly, savoring every taste and the warm sensation spreading through his chest—a warmth that, although pleasant, did not completely calm the strange pulsing of his mortal wheel.
Amidst the cheerful atmosphere, Zhuwei, who had been eating neatly and silently, put down his bowl. He looked at his friends, especially Tang and Bashan, with an expression he rarely showed: serious and slightly uneasy.
"I have something I need to talk about," Zhuwei said, his voice low but his tone firm, immediately silencing the banter between Tang and Mingling.
All eyes turned to Zhuwei. Bashan, always calm, looked at Zhuwei with raised eyebrows.
"What is it, Zhuwei?" Bashan asked. "You look like you just saw Grandfather Wu smile. Something very rare."
Zhuwei sighed. "This is from Grandfather Wu. He told me to inform all of you when we gathered. It's about the mortal limit and the Divine Wheel."
Hearing the words Divine Wheel—a realm they often talked about together—a realm that would make their mortal wheel pure, made the atmosphere at the table immediately tense. The Human Wheel was their reality; the Divine Wheel was a dangerous dream.
Tang dropped his bread. "What? Divine Wheel? Grandfather Wu never talks about that! He always says we shouldn't touch that realm!"
Zhuwei nodded. "I know. But... the situation is changing. Grandfather Wu says, at the end of this month, the hunters will go on a big hunting expedition to the northern hill."
"Northern hill?" Mingling tilted his head. "That northern hill is far. It's a dangerous place. The wild beasts there are bigger than those on the outskirts."
"They will hunt the Fire Roaring Ape, Uncle Chen and the other hunters have been monitoring that wild beast for months," Zhuwei continued, mentioning a name that made everyone hold their breath.
The Fire Roaring Ape was a Sprouting Fang level wild beast—a much higher level than a low-level jade wolf. This monster was known to have very pure essence, and its strength allowed it to leap between canopies at lightning speed and possess claws that could tear ironwood.
"Fire Roaring Ape?" Tang whispered, his eyes widening with admiration and a little fear. "That's... that's prey only hunted by Uncle Chen and Fourteen together. Why suddenly now?"
Zhuwei looked at them one by one. "Grandfather Wu says, they will use the essence from that Fire Roaring Ape. The essence of a high-level wild beast is very strong, and it will be used to break through the mortal limit."
"Break through the mortal limit? You mean..." Bashan concluded, his voice full of realization. "The Divine Wheel?"
Zhuwei nodded. "Yes. Grandfather Wu says this is the first time our village has made this collective effort. He will select several youths whose Human Wheels are the strongest and most stable. That essence will help them pass the Divine Wheel Transformation with minimal risk. If successful, they will live up to 200 years and have the strength to protect the village."
Mingling and Zhi Xuan exchanged glances. They had just returned from the hunter's camp, and neither uncle Chen nor the other hunters said anything about a plan this big.