Having resolved the century-old grudge between the Wang and Lin families of Sunset Mountain, Tang Xiao Qi felt his Dao seed growing more complete. He did not linger, continuing westward. The further west he went, the more desolate the terrain became, vegetation growing sparse, yellow earth exposed, the wind beginning to carry fine gravel, the air filled with a dry and scorching atmosphere. He had learned from others that this place was the border region between the Central Plains and the Western Desert.
One day, he arrived at a border town named "Yellow Sand Collection." The town was not large, most buildings constructed from rammed yellow earth in a rugged style. The town was frequented by wind-blown merchants and traders, mercenaries living by the sword, and some fierce-looking local cultivators with dark skin, the atmosphere far more rough and chaotic than inland towns.
Xiao Qi found a relatively clean-looking tavern, sat in a corner, ordered a pot of the local specialty "Burning Knife" wine with its spicy kick, and a few simple dishes of dried meat and flatbread. As he drank alone, he listened to the travelers from all directions discussing loudly, gathering information about the Western Desert and surrounding regions from their conversations.
Inside the tavern, voices clamored, discussing treasure legends in the desert, fierce sand bandits, strange quicksands, and the mysterious sects and tribes deep in the Western Desert.
Just as Xiao Qi was listening attentively, the tavern door was pushed open with a "bang," and a scorching, heavy aura surged in with it. An extremely burly, tower-like man strode in. He wore simple beast-skin vest, exposing bronze-colored, muscle-knotted arms, his skin rough as if polished by countless winds and sands. His face was resolute, his eyes steady and restrained, walking with the gait of a dragon or tiger, naturally carrying an immovable imposing manner. His cultivation had actually reached Golden Core early stage!
As this man entered, the originally noisy tavern instantly quieted quite a bit, many people unconsciously lowering their voices, looking at him with awe. Clearly, this person had considerable prestige in Yellow Sand Collection.
That man's gaze swept across the tavern, seemingly looking for an empty seat. When his line of sight passed over the corner, it suddenly fixed on Xiao Qi!
He first froze, then his tiger eyes burst with incredible wild joy, that steady imposing manner instantly replaced by excitement.
"Brother Xiao Qi?!!"
A trembling, thunder-like shout rang through the tavern, drawing everyone's attention.
One could only see that tower-like man, like a child seeing family, taking three steps as two to rush to Xiao Qi's table, excitedly turning red all over, hands and feet at a loss, his appearance completely at odds with his mighty figure.
Xiao Qi was also slightly stunned, then raised his head, looking at this familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar resolute face before him, his eyes instantly filling with surprise and warmth.
"Tiezhu?!"
The man before him who had successfully formed his Golden Core, with steady and fierce temperament, was none other than the body cultivator he had met in Tian Shu City back then, later separated in Golden Sand City of the Western Desert, who had vowed to form his Golden Core through his own efforts—Zhao Tiezhu!
"It's me! Brother Xiao Qi! It's really you! That's great! I thought... I thought..." Zhao Tiezhu spoke incoherently with excitement, his tiger eyes even faintly glistening with tears. Since parting at the Heavenly Dao Palace back then, he had been randomly transmitted to the depths of the Western Desert, experiencing nine deaths and one life, struggling countless times on the edge of death, finally successfully forming his Golden Core relying on tenacious will and the resilience he had learned from Xiao Qi's side. He had thought of this friend who was both brother and mentor, who had had such great influence and help on him, countless times, not knowing where he was or whether he was alive or dead. Now suddenly reunited, how could he not be excited?
Xiao Qi stood up, forcefully patted Zhao Tiezhu's iron-hard shoulder, feeling the vast and solid qi and blood power within him, his heart also filled with mixed emotions, genuinely happy for him. "Good! Good! Successfully formed the Golden Core, foundation solid, Tiezhu, you really did it!"
"All thanks to Brother Xiao Qi's guidance and not abandoning me back then! Without Brother Xiao Qi, I, Zhao Tiezhu, might have died in some corner long ago!" Zhao Tiezhu's voice choked, genuine emotion flowing. He still remembered that Xiao Qi had treated him as an equal when he was humble, that Xiao Qi had shown him a broader world, that Xiao Qi's beliefs had influenced him.
"Sit down, sit down." Xiao Qi pulled him to sit, pouring him a large bowl of Burning Knife wine.
Zhao Tiezhu picked up the bowl, tilted his head and drained it in one go, the strong wine entering his throat, as if finally suppressing his surging emotions somewhat. He carefully examined Xiao Qi, finding his aura deep as the sea, though sitting right before him, he seemed to merge with the surrounding heaven and earth, completely unable to see through his specific cultivation, but that composure and profundity far exceeded what he could match.
"Brother Xiao Qi, you... what cultivation are you at now? I feel you are even more... more powerful than before!" Zhao Tiezhu asked naively, his eyes full of worship.
Xiao Qi smiled slightly, not directly answering, instead asking: "Tell me about yourself, how have you been these years? How did you end up in this Yellow Sand Collection?"
Zhao Tiezhu's expression turned serious, and he began recounting his experiences over the years. He had been transmitted to a death sand sea deep in the Western Desert, encountering terrifying sandstorms and strange venomous scorpions, nearly dying. Later he was saved by a small body cultivator tribe living in an oasis, where he healed and cultivated, relying on the fragment of "Vajra Demon-Subduing Divine Art" obtained in Golden Sand City and his own desperate efforts, finally condensing his Golden Core through life-and-death battles. After forming the Golden Core, he left the tribe, gaining experience in the Western Desert while inquiring about Xiao Qi and news from the Central Plains, only recently arriving at this border Yellow Sand Collection, partly to gather information, partly because being close to the Western Desert was suitable for body cultivators like him to temper themselves.
"Brother Xiao Qi, what about you? After the Heavenly Dao Palace, where did you go? Where are Fairy Mu Xue and Crown Prince Ao Qin?" Zhao Tiezhu asked with concern.
Xiao Qi briefly recounted his experiences of being transmitted to an unfamiliar mountain forest, then wandering the mundane world, practicing medicine to save people, guiding little demons, resolving grudges, and so on. Zhao Tiezhu listened sometimes exclaiming in wonder, sometimes sighing with emotion, sometimes clenching his fists, as if personally experiencing it.
"Mundane world refining the heart... practicing one's own Dao... Brother Xiao Qi, you're still this amazing!" Zhao Tiezhu sincerely praised, able to feel that the path Brother Xiao Qi walked, though seemingly ordinary, contained incomparably profound Great Dao truths.
The two reunited after a long separation, with endless things to say, bowl after bowl of strong wine, recalling the past, discussing the present. The people in the tavern watched this pair with stark contrast yet unusually harmonious, one in blue robes calm and unruffled, one mighty as a mountain, secretly guessing their origins.
Halfway through drinking, Zhao Tiezhu put down his wine bowl, looking at Xiao Qi, his eyes firm and earnest: "Brother Xiao Qi, I know the Dao you walk is different from mine, you need to temper yourself in the mundane world. I, Zhao Tiezhu, am a rough man, don't understand so many great principles, but I know, following you, can't go wrong! If you're going to continue wandering, can... can you take me with you? I can be your guard, do odd jobs! I'm Golden Core now, I can help!"
He looked at Xiao Qi, his eyes carrying expectation, and a trace of imperceptible tension, afraid Xiao Qi would refuse.
Xiao Qi looked at Zhao Tiezhu's sincere and firm eyes, warm current surging in his heart. He knew Zhao Tiezhu wasn't doing this to attach himself to the powerful, but genuinely regarded him as an elder brother and guide, wanting to follow him.
He pondered for a moment, not immediately answering, but asked: "Tiezhu, you've now formed the Golden Core, you could carve out a world in the Western Desert, why still follow me wandering everywhere?"
Zhao Tiezhu scratched his head, giving a naive smile, yet his eyes were exceptionally clear: "Brother Xiao Qi, improving strength is certainly important, but I feel, being with you, I can learn more principles of being human, can see a broader world. Back then in Tian Shu City, in Golden Sand City, and just now hearing your experiences, all made me understand that cultivation is not just fighting and killing, improving power. I want... I want to be like you, be someone useful to others, not just a powerful cultivator."
Xiao Qi was moved by these words. He looked at Zhao Tiezhu's pure eyes, knowing he genuinely thought so. This kind of childlike heart was especially precious in the cruel cultivation world.
He raised his wine bowl, heavily clinking with Zhao Tiezhu's, laughing loudly: "Good! Since that's the case, let us brothers travel together again, to see the world's scenery, to walk the Dao beneath our feet!"
"That's great! Brother Xiao Qi!" Zhao Tiezhu was overjoyed, excitedly almost smashing the table, hurriedly stabilizing his strength, tilting his head to drain the wine in the bowl in one go, feeling this spicy Burning Knife was unexpectedly sweet at this moment.
Brothers reunited, friendship even deeper than before. At this Yellow Sand Collection on the edge of the Western Desert, Tang Xiao Qi gained a loyal, capable body cultivator brother by his side. Their mundane world wandering path would thus add more possibilities and colors.