Chapter 3: The Mysterious Old Man

This is a leap in growth, as he looks at his skin which is delicate and smooth, all the dead skin has completely shed. Now, even if Xu Daoyan were to let out a fart, it would smell pleasant.

"Hehe, I ask you, do you want to see the outside world?" The old beggar looked at Xu Daoyan and asked seriously

It turns out that the mountain village where I live is a village under the jurisdiction of Shilong City, located in the northern border area of Youzhou, which belongs to the Jiuzhou Divine Dynasty

At the age of forty, kidney energy declines, hair begins to fall out, and teeth become brittle

"Then why do you still want to move forward?" The old beggar chuckled, appearing skeptical.

Hmph, what is there to be afraid of drinking? It's just alcohol, isn't it? Although I have never drunk it before, I have certainly heard of it!" Xu Daoyan immediately snatched the wine gourd, and the moment he opened the gourd's stopper, a fragrant aroma of wine flowed out. Just with a gentle whiff, he felt a sense of comfort throughout his body, as if his strength had increased a fewfold.

At sixty-four years of age, the essence has diminished, vitality is low, renal function is failing, and everything has begun to gradually reach its limits

"You need not ask this; kneel down and bow three times, and I will accept you as my disciple," the old beggar said with a smile.

"It's alright, I won't stay out too late. I want to see if there is anything to eat besides sweet potatoes. You should head back since you're timid; I will return soon. Remember to take the roasted sweet potatoes to my mother in the evening, or else she will go hungry" Xu Daoyan said with a smile

The boy is eight years old, has sufficient kidney energy, thick hair, and is undergoing dental replacement.

"It's wine, isn't it? Afraid to drink it?" the old beggar provoked.

Each city covers an area of at least 100,000 li and at most 360,000 li. In other words, conservatively estimated, a province would have at least 360 million li, and at most 1.296 billion li. The vastness of the Jiuzhou Divine Dynasty exceeded Xu Daoyan's imagination, and he was utterly unable to comprehend just how immense this was, leaving him in a state of serene longing.

Although Xu Daoyan was a ninth-rank individual who understood nothing, he still recognized that this was a good thing. He immediately tilted his head back and gulped down a large mouthful.

"Do you want to be a subordinate to others, or do you aspire to be above others?" The old beggar asked Xu Daoyan earnestly.

Rely on strength, the old beggar began to explain

Xu Daoyan frowned slightly; indeed, it is often said in the village that reaching the age of seventy is a rarity in history. For some, if they live to seventy, it would be considered a joyous funeral.

At this moment, as the sun set in the west, he felt a slight unease in his heart, after all, he was just a twelve-year-old boy. However, he was very curious to see what the forbidden place in the back mountain was like, so he began to step into the forest, while the sky gradually darkened.

"Ghosts are real, but this Taoist is a fake," the old beggar said with a laugh

"Oh, is that so? That's fine." The old beggar was somewhat surprised by Xu Daoyan's reaction. After a moment of thought, he took out a wine gourd from his body, brought it to Xu Daoyan's lips, and said with a grin, "Come, have a sip."

At the age of fifty-six, the energy of the liver has diminished, and the tendons have also deteriorated, resulting in a lack of flexibility in movement

Xu Daoyan felt invigorated, as if he could see further now. His eyes were bright, and he felt a significant increase in strength throughout his body. He felt as if he could easily lift a cow and, with a single punch, could break a tree!

The eight-tiered individuals are akin to that false Taoist in your village; he can rely on his wealth to consume certain substances that replenish his vital energy, thereby extending his lifespan. However, his situation is not much better. With his current strength, living just a little over one hundred years is already his limit

Dusk gradually descends

Two people, driven by hunger, ran towards the back mountain, digging out the remaining roasted sweet potatoes like dogs, eating them voraciously, as if they were reincarnated from starving ghosts. They shared a pot of water, taking turns to drink, and were very happy as they ate.

In the eerie forest

His son, one could hardly call him a villain, nor could he be compared to a good person like yours. His aptitude is quite average, but his resolve is indeed very strong; that is perhaps his only merit. If it weren't for the favor I owe his father, I would not take on such a disciple!" The speaker is the old beggar who just ate the roasted sweet potato from Xu Daoyan. He is disheveled, with a thin and emaciated body, and there are a few worms wriggling in his hair. He leans on a black stick, showing no signs of any remarkable abilities, and cannot be compared to the old man beside him.

In the back mountain, there is a forest, and beyond the forest lies a long-standing battlefield, a graveyard of war where many have died. No one dares to approach that place, as it is thick with ominous energy and harbors malevolent forces.

There are nine ranks of people, and at this moment, Xu Daoyan is the ninth rank, a person beneath others, the most humble existence. Above the first rank, there are those who are above others.

Thirty-two years old, with a robust physique and well-developed muscles

This is the ninth rank of people

How do you know? Xu Daoyan asked in confusion, clearly aware that it was merely an old beggar, yet how could he suddenly transform into someone resembling an enlightened master.

Each province has its own prince, and the one who governs a province is referred to as the prince of the province

A hundred cities, one feudal lord; the one who governs a hundred cities is the feudal lord

What are those eight individuals like? Xu Daoyan asked again

What?

"It is the innate vital energy that is contained within a person's body from birth," the old beggar said with a smile

"So, do you want to hear about the outside world? If you give me a sweet potato, I will tell you about what I have seen out there." The old beggar looked at Xu Daoyan, grinned widely, sat cross-legged on the ground, and pulled him in to share a story.

Rest assured, Daoyan, you should come back early, I will be waiting for you at home. Wu Xiaobai didn't pay much attention and left, because since childhood, Daoyan has always been quite bold, daring to do anything, and nothing bad has ever happened.

Alright. Xu Daoyan is still just a child, filled with curiosity about the outside world. Immediately, the old beggar patiently began to tell Xu Daoyan a story.

One of the elders, robust in stature with a vigorous flow of blood and energy, had dark skin and held an iron hammer in his hand, adorned with various intricate patterns. His pair of eyes sparkled as he looked at Wu Xiaobai and exclaimed with excitement, "I never expected that a casual stroll with you would lead to discovering such a treasure, a thousand lifetimes of benevolence, a golden lotus of merit, perfect in every way, a thousand births and a thousand worlds, with a pure heart and mind, truly a promising talent!"

At the age of forty-eight, the upper part of the body experiences a decline in the Yangming meridian's energy, resulting in a haggard complexion and graying hair.

What is Tian Gui? Xu Daoyan asked curiously

Wow

At this moment, two elderly men stood in the woods, watching Xu Daoyan and Wu Xiaobai

Among the nine major provinces, each province has three thousand six hundred cities, and each city has a general, with the one in charge of a city being the general

Just as Xu Daoyan was about to step into the forest, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder from behind. This unexpected touch startled him, causing him to break out in a cold sweat, his body hair standing on end, and his heart to chill.

Xu Daoyan was astonished, looking at the old beggar: "What kind of wine is this?"

"I don't care; I must take Wu Xiaobai as my disciple." The old man with the iron hammer was very excited, with hot blood surging and flowing within him.

Xu Daoyan looked at the gradually darkening forest, and faintly, it seemed as if a gust of cold wind was approaching, causing him to shiver involuntarily, with a tingling sensation on his scalp

Because Xu Daoyan and Wu Xiaobai have a very close relationship, they have played together since childhood and often sleep over at each other's homes, which is quite normal

Because I want to find something to eat to support my mother, our family is currently in a difficult situation, and we can't possibly eat sweet potatoes for every meal. If there are any mountain chickens or wild rabbits, I would like to catch a few to help my mother regain her strength. Xu Daoyan looked ahead, very focused, searching for prey, as he felt that his mother's health was somewhat fragile.

Do not rush, act independently

The six hundred lords govern six hundred cities as lords.

Xu Daoyan looked at Wu Xiaobai and said, "Xiaobai, you should go back first. I want to go to the back mountain alone to take a look. Please tell my mother that I will be staying at your house tonight."

"Fake Taoist? Our village is truly haunted," Xu Daoyan said, frowning in confusion.

I have heard that there are ghosts in the back mountain at night. Do you think the ghosts in our village might come from the back mountain?" As Wu Xiaobai thought of ghosts, he felt a shiver run down his spine

What is this? Xu Daoyan frowned, looking at the old beggar with a hint of hostility

My mother once said that a man's knees are worth gold and should not be easily bent to kneel before others. You casually utter a few words and expect me to kneel and pay my respects as a disciple; it's simply a dream!" When this issue was brought up, Xu Daoyan felt a strong aversion. He regarded kneeling before someone as an act of great humiliation.

Do you know how people are classified? the old beggar asked again

Of course, it is the superior among men! Xu Daoyan listened, feeling it was profound and mysterious. Upon being asked this question, his gaze suddenly became incredibly sharp, and he answered with great conviction

Xu Daoyan looked around the sweet potato field, noticing that there were still quite a few sweet potatoes left, which could sustain him for a while. He then turned his gaze towards the nearby grove.

Do not kneel!" Xu Daoyan shook his head

At the moment he turned his head, he was surprised to see the old beggar in broad daylight, whose pitch-black face broke into a grin, revealing a mouthful of large yellow teeth: "We meet again, kid ... ... "

"Haha, this is the wine that immortals drink, the immortal wine." The old beggar laughed heartily, feeling quite pleased: "Can you kneel down now? After taking a sip of my immortal wine, living to one hundred and twenty years old is no problem. If you break through to one hundred years, you would be considered an eighth-class person!"

A surge of heat flowed through Zixu Daoyan's body, spreading to his limbs and bones. From his skin, layers of thick, black substance were forced out, emitting an unbearable stench. The effects of alcohol seeped through his pores, shattering these layers of impurities within him into nothingness

I want to, but for now, I must first take care of myself and then my mother! Xu Daoyan knew this old beggar had traveled to many places and must have seen a lot, but I cannot just follow him and become a little beggar myself

At the age of twenty-four, the kidney energy is balanced, the bones and muscles are strong, wisdom teeth begin to grow, and the body stops growing taller

At the age of sixteen, the kidney energy is vigorous, the heavenly essence is mature, the vital energy is abundant, the yin and yang are in harmony, and one is capable of bearing children.

The old beggar's face turned green; this dead child certainly does not hold back when it comes to drinking from others.

Xu Daoyan saw the old man behind him, and his heart, which had been suspended, immediately settled down as he let out a sigh of relief. He advised the old beggar, saying: "So it is you, you must not take this road. It is said that ahead lies a battlefield graveyard left from the time of war, where vengeful spirits appear at night. If you go down that road, it will be dangerous."