Chapter Fifty-One: Movement and Stillness

“Father has his own path to follow, his own choices to make. But what about me?”

At this moment, Zhou Changwang had already returned to his dwelling. His father's departure, truth be told, had little real impact on him. Yet he too was shrouded in confusion.

The hardship of earning spirit stones, the repeated assaults by rogue cultivators—all of this made him, for the first time, begin to doubt his own journey of cultivation.

Could he truly form his foundation?

He was no longer the ignorant youth who had just arrived in this world. He knew now that in the cultivation world, to reach the Foundation Establishment stage, one generally had to do so before the age of sixty. Only by breaking through before that age did one stand a chance; once past sixty, both physical strength and spiritual energy would rapidly wane, making any further attempt almost impossible.

“Only if I reach the ninth level of the Qi Refining stage before sixty will I have even the slightest hope of establishing a foundation,” Zhou Changwang calculated silently.

At present, he was seventeen years old. That meant he had forty-three years left.

Forty-three years seemed long, but in reality, he knew it was all too brief. His spiritual root aptitude determined that his absorption of spiritual energy was painfully slow. Even with his Five Elements Technique having reached minor mastery, his efficiency barely matched that of a cultivator with four spiritual roots.

In truth, in this world, only those with three spiritual roots or better, backed by a sect’s inheritance and cultivating in areas rich in spiritual energy, could hope to reach the ninth level of Qi Refining before sixty without expending massive resources.

“That’s why I need to earn great quantities of spirit stones, so I can convert them into resources and improve my cultivation efficiency, striving to reach the ninth level before sixty.”

A heaviness settled quietly over Zhou Changwang’s heart. Yet he forced himself to rally. He could not stop. Since he had come to this world of cultivation, if he did not take in its loftier vistas, would it not be a regret?

Especially when he still had his attribute panel.

Thinking thus, he hurriedly glanced at the panel.

Name: Zhou Changwang
Lifespan: 17/78
Cultivation: Qi Refining, Level 3 (25/100)
Technique: Five Elements Technique (Minor Mastery 156/400)
Skills: Spirit Rain (Minor Mastery 128/400), Cleansing Art (Expert 56/200), Growth Acceleration (Major Mastery 78/800), Geng Metal Finger (Minor Mastery 312/400), Calming Technique (Minor Mastery 51/400), Fireball (Minor Mastery 88/400), Withered Wood Revives (Initiate 53/100), Body Protection (Expert 32/200), Lightness Step (Expert 15/200), Derivation (Initiate 95/100), Breath Concealment (Initiate 78/100), Sword Flight (Initiate 52/100)
…

A few days of cultivation had brought Zhou Changwang’s various spells to new heights.

His Body Protection and Lightness Step had both advanced to the level of expertise. The defensive power of his Body Protection spell now far surpassed the Golden Light Shield talisman he’d once bought, and though he hadn’t yet tested the full extent of his Lightness Step, it had greatly increased his speed. At the very least, he now had a better chance of escaping danger. He might not outrun high-level marauders, but outpacing other low-level rogue cultivators was well within his means.

As for his earlier studies, he had slowed his progress on most spells, except for the attack spell Fireball, which he had advanced to minor mastery.

“With this strength, combined with my flying sword, I should have an overwhelming advantage against low-level cultivators. As for those of higher rank…”

Though Zhou Changwang was unsure, he felt it best not to encounter them at all.

He then recalled his father’s parting words and walked into his father’s room.

The room was tidy, with only three books left on the desk.

The Ninefold Golden Body Technique, The Zhou Family’s Blade and Sword, and The Eight Forms of Tianyuan.

Zhou Changwang looked closer, unable to suppress a sigh. His father, after all, had left behind his own martial legacy.

The Eight Forms of Tianyuan was an unexpected acquisition, essentially a body refinement technique. But the Ninefold Golden Body was his father’s main practice, and The Zhou Family’s Blade and Sword was the method he had developed over decades of martial training.

Zhou Changwang collected them all, intending to treat them as the foundation of his own family’s heritage. Should he one day marry and have children, if his descendants were born without spiritual roots, they could at least study martial arts—it was better than having no skill at all.

…

Time flew by. Ten days passed in a flash.

During those ten days, Zhou Changwang did not step outside, choosing to cultivate in seclusion at home.

That night, just after he finished his daily cultivation and was preparing to sleep, he heard a knock at the door.

Who could it be?

His heart tightened. He hadn’t forgotten the mysterious cultivator’s repeated incursions. Cautiously peering outside, he was relieved to see it was his neighbor, Qian Xiaoyue, before opening the door.

“Fellow Daoist Qian, what brings you here?” Zhou Changwang asked gravely. He knew that, at such a late hour, she would not disturb him unless there was a reason.

“Let’s talk inside,” Qian Xiaoyue whispered.

Zhou Changwang’s nerves tensed. He ushered her in, closed the door, and, still uneasy, cast a soundproofing spell.

“Is there news?” he asked. For Qian Xiaoyue to be so cautious, it must be about her eavesdropping.

“Just now, that ‘married couple’ left—heading toward the marketplace’s inner city. Immediately after, I overheard the two brothers in the master bedroom say, ‘It’s time,’ before they too hurried out. I didn’t dare stay home alone, so I came to you. We’ve worked together before—better to have an ally to consult.”

Her face had gone a little pale as she spoke.

“You’re right. Two heads are better than one. And with us together, others may think twice before making a move,” Zhou Changwang agreed.

“So, what should we do now?” Qian Xiaoyue asked anxiously.

“We wait,” Zhou Changwang replied sharply. Going out would be even more dangerous. Only by staying inside could they respond to all changes with calm.

After reassuring Qian Xiaoyue, Zhou Changwang hastened to his room to gather his things.

First, he went to the three spirit plants growing on the windowsill. After days of nurturing, aided by repeated growth spells, they had thrived—now half as tall as a person, lush and leafy, with the first hints of budding and fruiting. Of course, this had cost him three spirit stones.

Since the plants were now well established, he couldn’t put them in his storage pouch, lest they wither. So he opened the secret compartment beneath his bed and hid them there.

Next, he gathered the talisman paper, brushes, and other items on the desk, and finally reached for the long sword at his bedside. This sword had belonged to the marauder Zhao Xifeng; for safety’s sake, he now kept it close.

He had barely finished packing when, all of a sudden, a thunderous boom echoed from afar, followed by a series of rolling explosions.