Chapter 377: Chapter 9 Ba Duan Jin, Breakthrough Six Times
Zhu Xiao’s use of the spirit world could provide valuable experience in perfecting one’s spirit world, not to mention the fee (dissipating spiritual power) that had to be paid.
Such a good deal, Wang Sheng wouldn’t possibly refuse.
However, Zhu Xiao as an “internal tester” clearly wasn’t enough; since it was a test, more experience was needed.
It wasn’t easy to find a strong person like Zhu Xiao, but was it hard to find martial artists?
Not to mention, there were many suitable candidates right within Qingshan Village; perhaps they couldn’t offer Zhu Xiao’s sharp insights at a glance, but definitely, some feelings were no problem at all.
Once his strength increased through the cultivation of the spirit world, he would, in turn, give back even more to them.
Mutual benefit, of course, his gains depended entirely on how much his spirit world could expand.
“I need to work hard!”
His spirit world expanded a wave with his strength, covering about the area of Lushui County if centered around Qingshan Village, but the number of people who could enter at the same time was still less than a hundred.
That was far from enough for his plan.
So he had to continue enhancing his spirit world.
“Fortunately, the strength of the spirit world is linked to one’s power, so it won’t waste time.”
The stronger the power, the stronger the divine thought, and the stronger the spirit world.
If he had to cultivate both separately, he would need to consider more carefully because power was the most important thing after all.
Thinking of this, Wang Sheng said goodbye to Zhu Xiao.
He first went back to try and promote the spirit world in Qingshan Village, then slowly cultivate and increase its strength.
Zhu Xiao also wanted to go back to handle her own affairs, so Wang Sheng said goodbye to her and returned to Qingshan Village.
Once back, Wang Sheng found the village chief.
“Chief, if someone is about to make a breakthrough to Grandmaster, you can send them directly to me, and I’ll handle it.”
This was something he had wanted to promote slowly, but Zhu Xiao’s matter had accelerated it.
Hearing this, the village chief’s somewhat cloudy eyes lit up.
Each Grandmaster added to the village made their strength a bit stronger, a scene he was happy to see.
“Good, I’ll notify everyone soon.”
He had already felt something and wanted to do more for the village before leaving.
Liu Jian’an stood by, wanting to persuade his grandfather not to overexert himself, but ultimately remained silent.
“Ahh, Chief, are you really…”
“No need to say more, Yun Sheng!”
Wang Sheng was silent too; three times don’t make right, this third time was already a declaration of determination.
Some convictions are not to be shaken by external things.
“Besides promoting to Grandmaster level, other realms will gradually open up in the future; in the end, everyone in Qingshan Village will receive assistance in their breakthroughs.”
Since that was the case, he might as well reveal some of his plans to make the village chief, Zhou Zhengwen, happy.
Sure enough, after he spoke these words, the village chief’s smile grew even wider.
Watching the village chief leave, Wang Sheng turned to Liu Jian’an, the man raised by the chief, as dear as an own grandson.
“Get ready, there’s not much time left!”
Liu Jian’an remained silent, in fact, his grandfather had long asked someone to buy his shroud.
“I understand.”
Seeing Liu Jian’an like this, Wang Sheng shook his head and said no more, leaving the chief’s home and once again returning to closed-door cultivation.
Both his cultivation and the spirit world needed time to be refined.
However, because the spirit world needed “internal testers,” he did not enter complete isolation.
At the end of the year 560 of the Great Zhou calendar, Zhu Xiao came with her maid, bringing along quite a bit of luggage.
“You don’t mind if I live in the village, do you?” she asked with a smile on her face.
Wang Sheng knew she would put aside her business at Yuelai Inn to fully immerse herself in cultivation, but he didn’t expect her to take up permanent residence in Qingshan Village, even bringing her maid.
The maid’s job wasn’t just to attend to her, but also to relay messages from Yuelai Inn.
“Of course not.” Qingshan Village had seen a sizeable population increase over the years, but there was still plenty of room for two more people.
Thus, Zhu Xiao settled in, personally arranged by the village chief.
After settling in, like Wang Sheng, she entered closed-door cultivation, only now and then seeking out Wang Sheng’s spirit world to verify her own strategies, leaving the people of the village quite amazed.
In the end, they could only exclaim in admiration that she was indeed a friend of Yun Sheng.
Time passed quickly, and thus came the year 562 of the Great Zhou calendar; over a year had passed.
In that time, Wang Sheng had awakened yet another of the Five Internal Gods, Hao Hua!
In the lungs resides the Qi of Dui, the Qi of metal, its color white. Due to its whiteness, it’s called Hao, and for its flourishing beauty, it is known as Hua, thus named Hao Hua.
Hao Hua comes from the metal element of the Five Elements.
The Qi of metal excels in attack, and Hao Hua’s power was exceptionally strong, especially when imbued in weapons. Even ordinary weapons could become divine weapons, sharp enough to cut hair as it fell and slice iron like mud.
When strengthened in a flying sword, it was even mightier, not to mention Hao Hua could also attack autonomously, transforming into the divine beast, the white tiger, with claws that seemed capable of tearing the heavens and earth.
Although he had only awakened one of the Five Internal Gods, for Wang Sheng, his strength had increased significantly, and the balance of the Five Elements was improved once again, allowing him to wield the power of the Five Internal Gods for extended periods.
Hao Hua had also entered his spirit world to stabilize it further, making it even more robust and perfect. After using it, Zhu Xiao said it seemed better than before.
Over a hundred people could now enter the spirit world simultaneously.
Wang Sheng felt another tremendous leap would come if the Five Elements in the spirit world were complete.
His other skills naturally improved too, just not as substantially as when Hao Hua appeared.
Before Xuan Ming, the last of the Five Internal Gods, could appear, Li Wenguang found him.
Li Wenguang was also a martial artist in cultivation with his son, Li Yongfeng. Despite his age and many shortcomings, with Wang Sheng’s help, he had achieved the rank of a Seventh-Grade Martial Artist. Thus, even in his sixties or seventies, his body was still robust.
“Uncle Li?”
Li Wenguang seldom sought him out; when he did, it usually signaled important matters.
Wang Sheng had a bad feeling and spread out his Divine Thought.
At the same time, Li Wenguang spoke, “The village chief can’t make it!”
Wang Sheng nodded, saying nothing; he had sensed it with his Divine Thought just moments earlier.
The two walked to the village chief’s house in silence. The crowd was sparse, composed of some older villagers and the family of Liu Jian’an and Shi Yunqing, who knelt before the village chief’s bed as he imparted his final words.
“…In my youth, I had many regrets, but my old age turned out surprisingly smooth. Living to this day, I have no significant regrets, my only wish is to be buried alongside your grandmother, Xiu Yun…”
Xiu Yun, the name of the village chief’s wife.
In a society like this, the village chief, having no offspring, neither remarried nor took concubines. Instead, he devoted all his energy to the village, showing the depth of their bond.
His lingering concern was to be buried with his wife.
“Grandfather, rest assured…”
Liu Jian’an spoke while restraining his emotions.
“That’s good, that’s good!” The village chief said those words, then looked toward the bedside.
Wang Sheng knew the village chief was looking at him.
He expected the village chief to say something, but all he received was a smile; then the chief adjusted his body, even straightening out his clothes as if making himself presentable.
“Xiu Yun, I’m coming…”
With those words, there was no more sound.
“Grandfather…” Liu Jian’an burst into tears.
Zhou Zhengwen, the village chief of Qingshan Village, had departed this world.
Wang Sheng had heard someone say that some pursue life’s length, while others value its richness.
“If life were a book, the village chief’s volume would be quite remarkable!”
Soon, some of the elders wanted to dress the chief in his burial clothes, a traditional custom.
However, Liu Jian’an interjected.
“Grandfather said there’s no need for burial clothes; he wanted to be buried in the clothes he’s wearing.”
Although some wanted to object, Liu Jian’an stood firm.
Eventually, Old Man Zhou, formerly the village doctor with considerable prestige, intervened, “We should respect the deceased’s wishes. Let’s follow Chief Zhou’s decision.”
Someone who knew mentioned, “These clothes… they might be the last ones Grandmother Xiu Yun made before she passed… Chief Zhou even boasted to us about them once…”
Silence fell, and no one spoke further.
The funeral arrangements were managed by others, and Wang Sheng lent his help before stepping out of the room, knowing he couldn’t continue his seclusion for the time being.
The village chief was among the villagers he knew best, having cared for him and his previous self alike.
Without children of his own, the chief treated all village children as his own.
The original host had often eaten at the chief’s house, after Li Wenguang’s. Had the original host been willing, the chief would have even adopted him as a foster son.
Facing the death of such a man, Wang Sheng’s feelings were complex.
He stood outside for a while before sensing Old Man Zhou approach him. Wang Sheng was grateful to him for the medical book that had proved invaluable.
“How about it, seeing old Zhou pass away must be tough?”
Wang Sheng nodded.
There was no need to hide some emotions.
Old Man Zhou, taken aback, said, “I thought you’d become hard-hearted after all that cultivation!”
Of course, his words were just a way to console Wang Sheng, who was well aware of what he had done.
“When you pass away, I’ll be sure to send you off with joy!”
“You brat! I’m not like Chief Zhou; I still want to live…”
Their mood lightened with the exchange.
Afterwards, they returned to the village chief’s home, as there was a funeral to prepare for, and Wang Sheng had a role to play.
The village’s respect for the chief was universal, and Liu Jian’an had invited Yue to preside over the ceremony.
Days later, the burial was completed in a spot that overlooked the entire village.
As Wang Sheng watched the chief’s burial, he realized that nobody could contend with the inevitability of life’s end.
“I may lie dormant, but I refuse to be a cicada with a fleeting lifespan!”
After several days, his Ba Duan Jin practice had a breakthrough, six times the limit!