Chapter 4, Cultivation

As dawn approached, they once again left the city of Yingdu far behind and turned onto the road leading to the eastern entrance of Jishan.

Wu Sheng continued on his journey. By evening, he felt a chill in the air. As he approached the entrance of Jishan Dongkou, he finally saw a wooden house with lights on inside, so he went forward to knock on the door

That night, Wu Sheng found a sheltered crevice at the foot of Jishan, made a fire, and crawled in to spend the night outdoors

The dozens of inmates who were expelled are all wild men captured in recent days, and they each left limping in their own way

After peeling back the bark of the tree, I found several wriggling fat worms, cooked them over a fire until they were done, and consumed them all. This took up an entire hour

However, Wu Sheng quickly adjusted his mindset; after all, this is a world of cultivation. Is there anything more alluring than becoming an immortal?

How frustrating it is!

The Return to Truth Technique nurtures the energy of heaven and earth, transforming the spirits of all things. It is one of the foremost methods in this world, and the initial steps are not difficult. Wu Sheng sat cross-legged for a moment, and his limbs and meridians began to absorb spiritual energy. This sensation was both familiar and unfamiliar; although it was merely a barely perceptible trace of spiritual energy, it greatly uplifted his spirits

In the past, Wu Sheng was an assassin who adhered strictly to his principles, refusing to kill those without cultivation, deeming such business unacceptable. Thus, he let the cultivator go. At that time, the cultivator proposed a ten-year period, stating that he would definitely come to Yunmengze to find him after ten years

After searching carefully for half an hour, I found some berries and quickly stuffed them into my mouth, chewing vigorously. These berries are both bitter and astringent, but they are not toxic, and they contain plenty of moisture, providing sustenance for a while.

As Wu Sheng passed by a grove, he already felt a hollow sensation in his stomach and his legs grew weak, so he plunged into the forest

Cultivating the Four Great Realms: Refining Qi, Refining Spirit, Returning to Emptiness, and Merging with the Dao. Wu Sheng began his cultivation in his youth, spending twelve years on refining Qi and eighteen years on refining spirit, totaling thirty years of arduous effort. Now, having returned to the starting point in a single day, he truly feels a sense of unwillingness.

In the past, Wu Sheng often roamed the wilderness, and his survival skills in the fields were quite strong

What a predicament, arriving in a world where one can cultivate immortality, only to discover that one cannot cultivate at all. Is this a joke played by the heavens on me

Wu Sheng forced himself to remain calm and began to recall carefully

Such a high level of cultivation has vanished just like that, which is truly a pity

It is alright, starting over is what matters! Wu Sheng is filled with anticipation for the life that lies ahead

Although my skills are lacking, after so many years as an assassin, my eyesight, reflexes, and stance are still intact. With just two punches, that short fellow was knocked to the ground, and it took him quite a while to get up after wiping away the blood from his nose. He cupped his hands in a gesture of acknowledgment towards Wu Sheng, indicating his defeat, and then left without looking back

Wu Sheng lay on the ox cart, departing from the capital of the Chu State with a group of fellow inmates who had also been whipped. As they passed through the gate, he could not help but turn his body to observe the gate archway, which was two zhang deep, slowly sliding over his head.

In front of him was a short table, on which burned an oil lamp, its flame flickering.

After repeated attempts, Wu Sheng ceased his efforts and sat dazed in place—his energy reservoir was depleted

The other party mentioned that they are going to a certain celestial mountain to pay homage to a certain master, where there are methods for re-cultivation

The wild people live outside the city; either their ancestry is unknown, or they are the descendants of sinners. Therefore, they do not receive the same treatment as the citizens. However, this does not mean that they do not have homes. On the contrary, there are many wild people outside the city, who have spontaneously formed numerous wild villages, making a living through farming, fishing, hunting, and gathering firewood, while paying heavy taxes to the king or the nobles.

An unexpected incident occurred, and these spiritual energies passed through the Qi Sea and dissipated

The refugees also have places to settle, such as caves and the like. At this time, Wu Sheng is also a refugee, but his place of refuge is not nearby; rather, it is hundreds of miles to the east, north of the Jing River, in the Yunmeng Marsh.

Wu Sheng was momentarily taken aback, gazing into the room

After racking my brain, I can only vaguely recall a long-buried memory.

It will take no more than three days to arrive, and if returning, Wu Sheng estimates it will take at least ten days to leave.

Indeed, this is a method of traveling with full effort, and there are many issues one must face. The most significant of these is the problem of food. If this issue is not resolved properly, it is not to mention ten days; one may not even be able to travel for half a month.

The inmate who challenged Wu Sheng yesterday was a short man, now glaring at Wu Sheng. In this world, the importance of keeping one's word is paramount; once a promise is made, one must go to great lengths to fulfill it, especially when it comes to a duel. Even if Wu Sheng felt it was utterly meaningless, he could only shake his head and step forward to accept the challenge

This past event suddenly resurfaced, reigniting hope in Wu Sheng's heart, prompting him to sit by the campfire and strain his mind in recollection

At that time, I curiously asked: Can the Qi Sea be rebuilt if it is damaged?

The massive city gates slowly closed—inside the city, a search for the assassin was underway, and the access control had not yet been lifted

Due to the reason of time travel, the former Wu Sheng has already passed away. Although his memories have been partially inherited, the further back in time, the more blurred the memories become. It is still quite difficult to find a solution from these memories.

A trace of spiritual energy is absorbed, converging along the meridians towards the sea of qi, and then ... ...

At the door, a tall man dressed in blue emerged, his imposing figure nearly blocking the entire entrance. He held a long sword in his arms, stepped aside slightly, and bowed slightly.

After five ox carts passed, at a distance of ten zhang from the city gate, the escorting temple officials drove them down and took the ox carts back.

Thus, he began to recall when the ten-year period would be, how many years had passed since this matter occurred, and how much longer he would have to wait for the other party to fulfill their promise. If it were Wu Sheng's own commitment, he would certainly keep it in mind at all times, but since it was the other party's promise, Wu Sheng had not taken it to heart.

Outside the city, the atmosphere is refreshing and crisp, characteristic of autumn.

With my current physical strength, I can reach the eastern entrance of Jishan by night. After that, it will take two days of travel to reach Luanshi Ferry. From Luanshi Ferry, after crossing the Jing River by boat, it will take another three days to enter the Yunmeng Marshes

Later, Wu Sheng returned and refunded the money to the employer. After hearing the reason, the employer did not press Wu Sheng further, but instead praised him for his chivalrous spirit

What is the name of that mountain

It is just a pity about the more than 20,000 yuan I have saved up myself

Regardless of the circumstances, it is imperative to leave Yingdu first

Moreover, there is another issue. Although the portrait on the maritime capture document is incorrect, the description of oneself is accurate. The title "Assassin Wu Sheng" is indeed quite renowned, and there is no reason for the capital, Yingdu, not to raid the Yunmengze area. One's residence is indeed very concealed, but in the vast State of Chu, where exceptional talents and extraordinary individuals abound, as long as one is determined to search, they will surely be able to find it. Wouldn't returning be akin to walking into a trap?

Home is no longer a place to return to, Wu Sheng walked for half a day in the wilderness, heading west along the southern foothills of Mount Ji, preparing to find a place to settle down first

It is now late autumn, and it will be soon

That monk seems to be called Jin Wuhuan

Kneeling in the room was none other than the fisherman, whom they had not seen for several days, who also bowed respectfully to Wu Sheng.

Upon considering this, Wu Sheng could no longer sit still. He extinguished the campfire and, taking advantage of the night, turned around and headed east, towards the direction of Yunmengze

It is not possible; we must hurry back to Yunmengze, hoping that the other party will fulfill their commitment to come

It is gone, as if the Qi Sea never existed, which also means that one's body is like a large sieve, forever unable to retain spiritual energy, let alone refine true essence

Unfortunately, I cannot recall it no matter what.

I remember a few years ago, my former self took on a job to kill a cultivator. Upon finding the person, I easily forced that cultivator into a desperate situation and even asked him why he did not draw his sword. The cultivator admitted that his energy sea was destroyed, and he had no cultivation left. He lamented that if he could be given a few years, he would surely have the strength to fight.

What is the name of that master

On both sides, the soldiers stood with spears, and the royal flag fluttered fiercely atop the city wall, presenting a scene of solemn grandeur

Recalling the events one by one, it seems that it was precisely during the winter of ten years ago