Chapter 3: As the Executioner (Part 1)

As he raced along, Yang Chen's speed was no less than that of his companions who were walking together. By the time they returned to Yang Village, Yang Chen had just managed to catch up.

In just over ten days, Yang Chen's memories became increasingly clear, and everything from his youth returned to his mind. While honing his skills and running, Yang Chen soon arrived at an ordinary mountain.

Lifting the box, it felt heavy, weighing at least around 100 pounds. If it weren't for Yang Chen's recent diligent training and his naturally strong physique since childhood, he truly would not have been able to lift it

Practicing martial arts, in the eyes of the disciples of immortality, is entirely a method of the lowest tier among the lower tiers. As long as one cultivates Qi and establishes a foundation, an endless supply of spiritual energy will naturally come to refine the body, which is undoubtedly a hundred times more effective than the external martial skills. Moreover, practicing martial arts is purely a waste of cultivation time; with that time, it would be more worthwhile to consider refining a batch of elixirs or mining a few taels of spiritual stones.

Yang Chen was overjoyed, as he carefully dug along the edge of the object, revealing a perfectly square metal box. The box had been buried in the ground for many years, yet it showed no signs of rust, only a dull, unremarkable blackness.

From Tai Tianmen www.hetushu.com, it is still nearly a month's journey back to Yang Village. When they came, the sect would cover the travel expenses and transportation, but for those who have been eliminated, they must find their own way back. The young people of Yang Village are not very affluent, so for this journey of over a month, they can only walk back.

A month of effective training has made Yang Chen appear a bit more robust than when he left. Although he is only sixteen years old, his physique is not inferior to that of an adult.

In the lively scene of the celebration held by the Yang family, the departure of the eliminated Yang Chen's family appeared so inconspicuous.

After completing the worship, Yang Chen turned to the back of the altar. He walked between the altar and an old locust tree behind it to measure the distance, calculated the midpoint, and began to dig. He continued to dig down for nearly six feet before encountering a hard object.

The news that Yang Xi and Yang Lan, the legitimate grandchildren of the two Yang elders, were selected by the Tai Tianmen immediately caused a great uproar in Yang Village. Almost the entire county was shaken, and even the county magistrate came to offer his congratulations. For a time, Yang Village was bustling with activity, as if a grand festival was being celebrated.

At this time, it is likely that Old Master Yang has not yet informed Yang Xi about these matters, which conveniently benefits Yang Chen. He first filled in the excavated soil, and then Yang Chen directly transplanted a small tree from a nearby location to this spot. After that, he carried the box and walked to a place in the woods by the roadside at the foot of the mountain, where he buried it again. After ensuring that there were no flaws in the surroundings, Yang Chen then followed the main road towards his hometown.

Finding a pretext at random, Yang Chen left the team and set out on his own. The other companions did not think much of it; they all speculated that he wanted to go back and see if there were any opportunities left, yet no one spoke up to confront him, allowing him to leave freely

Yang Chen was not, as everyone imagined, returning to Tai Tian Men to seek opportunities; instead, he turned directly into the mountains. With a machete in hand and relying on his experience of over ten thousand years, he could easily find food and drink. The reason he avoided everyone was that Yang Chen wanted to begin honing his body.

Similarly, even in the battles of practitioners, there is still a considerable difference between someone who has trained in martial arts and someone who spends all day practicing meditation without any other concerns. Before Yang Chen began his cultivation, he used external martial arts to temper his muscles and bones, and this was precisely the purpose of his training

In addition to martial arts, there are also running, jumping, and a series of other methods that can enhance physical flexibility and speed. On the way back to the village, Yang Chen either ran or jumped, and all the food was hunted in the mountains with a machete

This mountain is not far from a small county town, yet very few people venture into the mountains. The mountain is barren, with hardly a trace of vitality, and there is a small mountain god temple that has long fallen into disrepair, with half of its walls collapsed

Originally, there were some murals on the wall, but they have already been eroded to a mottled state by wind and rain. After Yang Chen entered the temple, he did not mind that the deity on the altar had long lost its form, leaving only a pile of mud blocks; instead, he first bowed to the original altar. Although the mountain god is small and the temple is dilapidated, it is still a place where someone from the heavenly court holds office.

Yang Chen stood in front of the mountain god temple, carefully confirming that this was indeed the temple from his memory. Only then did he smile, push open the temple door that had rotted away significantly, and walk inside

Only cultivating external skills and not internal skills has another reason: the demonic technique of the Evil Old Demon that enhances spiritual roots can only be practiced before any cultivation begins. The limitations of the technique cannot be resolved at all.

This kind of tempering is entirely different from the cultivation of immortal techniques; it does not involve the practice of breathing techniques to draw energy into the body. Instead, it employs external martial arts, practicing external boxing techniques to make the body stronger. As for internal cultivation methods, they are not practiced at all

This box was left by Old Master Yang, who is also Yang Xi's grandfather, for his descendants as a fund to be used for a resurgence in case of any calamity. However, this fund now belongs to Yang Chen.

The foundation of practice is of utmost importance, and apart from the fundamental spiritual roots of practice, it is also reflected in a stronger physical body. A solid foundation signifies a stronger potential for development

Yang Chen has regained his usual amiable disposition, and with his goals clearly defined, he has lost that sense of impatience. The indecisive Yang Chen seems to have suddenly transformed in the eyes of others; he is gentle and smiling, yet effortlessly guides his companions to follow his arrangements without them even realizing it. The group perceives no oddity at all, only feeling that Yang Chen's words are very reasonable.

Next, Yang Chen intends to take this capital and return to bring his parents, distancing themselves from Yang Village. When Yang Xi framed Yang Chen back then, he even used Yang Chen's parents as hostages, forcing Yang Chen to reluctantly accept those circumstances. In this lifetime, Yang Chen no longer plans to give Yang Xi any opportunities.

The effective cultivation of the body is the first step. Even on the path of practice, it is not solely about the various methods of cultivation while neglecting the body. Certainly, once one's cultivation reaches a certain level, spiritual power can strengthen the physical body. However, the effect of strengthening a frail scholar's body is still different from that of strengthening a robust body

Yang Chen is not foolish; with a cultivation experience spanning ten thousand years, he understands better than anyone the vast difference between a strong body and a weak one when both are cultivated simultaneously. Perhaps over a mere few hundred years, the differences may not be apparent, but when the time for ascension truly arrives, the terrifying nature of this disparity will become clear

Everyone has considered this point; before setting out, each person carries some silver coins. At the small shop at the foot of the mountain, they buy a large quantity of dry bread, wrapped in a cloth, which serves as food for the journey. For the farmers, walking a long distance is not regarded as a significant matter, as it does not delay their agricultural work. If they encounter a fortuitous event, they will rise to success; if not, they will return to continue their lives.