Cultivation Techniques

Chapter 1 First Encounter with the "Immortal"
"Jianren...come out quickly...Mother promises not to kill you..." A terrifying shout rang out, making Li Jianren, hiding in the tree hollow, tremble with fear.
He had been caught peeping at the women bathing, and in his panic, he fled immediately. Actually, Li Jianren hadn't intentionally peeked; he had just happened to pass by and peeked through a hole someone had dug beforehand. Before he
could even get a good look, he was surrounded by a group of angry women who had been lying in wait. Li Jianren knew some rudimentary martial arts and quickly escaped the women's pursuit, hiding in a tree hollow he had found before.
Who knew that after these women recognized him, they would run home and tell his mother, leading to the scene where his mother shouted that she wouldn't kill him.
Li Jianren decided he absolutely wouldn't go out before dark. Although his mother was usually very gentle, he was actually very afraid of her wrath.
Li Jianren and his mother depended on each other for survival. The mother, Li Rou'er, made a living by doing needlework for others. Li Jianren took his mother's surname. He had never seen his father since he was old enough to understand. The other children in the town always mocked him for being fatherless, and they constantly teased him about his name. Those mean-spirited kids always called him "bitch, bitch," which made Li Jianren very uncomfortable.
Li Jianren asked his mother, Li Rou'er, why she had given him such a misleading name. His mother simply said, "Jianren, your name means health and kindness. It wasn't easy for me to raise you, so of course I hope you grow up healthy. I also hope that when you grow up, you will be a kind and benevolent person, someone useful to the country and the people, someone beneficial to Peach Blossom Town." "Jianren, you must understand the good intentions behind your mother's name," Li Rou'er said, giving Li Jianren an expectant look.
Li Jianren listened to his mother's explanation with a sense of helplessness, then nodded even more helplessly to indicate that he understood.
As darkness fell, Li Jianren heard his mother calling again; he figured she had gone home because she couldn't find him. Li Jianren stretched his numb legs, tapped them hard, and then trudged home with difficulty.
He didn't know how to explain to his mother that it was a misunderstanding, that he really hadn't meant to look, but why there was a hole there was completely baffling to him.
However, the few glimpses he had inadvertently caught still excited him. Those naked women were indeed all captivating, but what excited Li Jianren most was the alluring sight of the young woman next door, Juan'er, without clothes.
Juan'er was a newlywed, beautiful woman. Every time Li Jianren saw Juan'er, he couldn't help but whistle a few times, but the young woman always disliked him for teasing her and never gave him a friendly look.
Today, Li Jianren finally got to see his wife Juan'er's alluring body, and he felt that today had actually been quite fruitful.
Li Jianren stumbled along the dark road home, his steps uneven. Something was strange; why hadn't he found his way out of the grove of trees around the tree hollow where he had been hiding?
"Could it be a ghost wall?" Li Jianren was terrified, breaking out in a cold sweat.
He had heard of ghost walls; once a living person was trapped in a ghostly illusion, they would just keep going in circles, unable to escape.
...
Li Jianren lived in a picturesque town called Peach Blossom Town. The town wasn't big; it was only 500 meters from the first house. The people in this town were very united and friendly, helping each other, living a harmonious and peaceful life—a veritable paradise. Except, of course, for Li Jianren, the unpopular little boy.
Aside from his mischievous nature, Li Jianren was actually a simple-minded child. Having no father, raised solely by his mother, he lacked paternal love and deeply resented other children showing off their new clothes or treats bought by their parents. Whenever other children boasted, Li Jianren felt resentful, wondering why he couldn't have those things.
As he grew older, Li Jianren began to tease everyone in town who had called him a "bitch," either secretly retaliating or bullying their children. Gradually, people began to dislike this mischievous child, subjecting him to constant scorn.
His mother would always punish him severely after each misdeed, offering a heartfelt apology to the victims. The punishment was simple: a beating. After being beaten
so many times, Li Jianren gradually became indifferent to it. The saying goes, "The devil may be one foot tall, but the Tao is ten feet tall." After being beaten so many times, Li Jianren actually became thick-skinned and tough. A typical vine whip felt like a tickle to him. Li Rou'er was also helpless against her mischievous son. She knew perfectly well why he was so rebellious, but the secret she had kept for so many years prevented her from telling him why he didn't have a father.
...
Li Jianren still couldn't get out. It was now pitch black, and in the distance, he could hear sounds like wolf howls...
"I'm so scared, Mother! Jianren knows he was wrong. Jianren will never cause you trouble again. Demons and ghosts, please let Jianren go! Jianren will never do anything bad again! Please let me go!" Li Jianren cried out in fear.
"You call yourself a slut? Hehe..."
A woman's clear laughter came from behind Li Jianren.
"Mother! There's a ghost!" Li Jianren screamed and jumped around in terror.
"Hmph, you're the ghost! Your whole family are ghosts!"
Only then did Li Jianren dare to turn around and look. What he saw next stunned him.
It was such a beautiful "fairy sister"! Just how beautiful? Li Jianren couldn't put his finger on it; he couldn't describe it no matter how many words he tried.
This "fairy sister" wore flowing white robes, radiating a faint white light, like a fairy from a dream.
Her angry expression left Li Jianren speechless.
"You shameless person, why aren't you saying anything? Are you stupid?" the "fairy sister" asked angrily, seeing Li Jianren staring at her blankly.
Li Jianren remained stunned for a long time before realizing the "fairy sister" had just asked him a question.
"Hi, fairy sister, where are you from? This is Peach Blossom Town. My name is Li Jianren, Jian as in healthy, Ren as in benevolent, not the shameless one," Li Jianren said with a serious face.
"Hehe, I really don't know what your parents were thinking, giving you such a name! Okay, Jianren, Jian for health, Ren for kindness, Jianren, what nonsense were you talking about? There are no ghosts here, there's only me, a beautiful woman, hehe, you called me Fairy Sister? Hmm, that's not wrong." "Oh, Fairy Sister, are you really a fairy? Am I dreaming?" Li Jianren was somewhat incredulous. "
Hehe, I am a fairy. In the eyes of you mortals, I am a high and mighty immortal." "Wow, Fairy Sister, are you really an immortal? Can you teach me magic? I admire immortals so much, can I become your apprentice?" Li Jianren finished speaking with an expectant look on his face.
"Hmph, you think you can learn magic with your aptitude? You can't even escape this small Sumeru Formation, and you want to become my disciple? You were yelling and screaming just now, scaring away the spirit beast I finally managed to trap. I haven't even settled that score with you yet. Oh well, I'll let you go since you're just a mortal and didn't know you ruined my plans. Ignorance is no excuse. You can leave now."
How could Li Jianren bear to leave? He was so lucky to have met an immortal who knew magic tonight; if he left now, wouldn't he regret it?
"Fairy Sister, please teach me! I'm a fatherless child in Peach Blossom Town. People here always bully me because I have no father, and they mock me, calling me a wretch. I want to learn magic from you, not for revenge, but to learn some magic to protect my mother and prevent her from being bullied by bad people." "Fairy Sister, everything I, Li Jianren, say is true. I'm just a child and I don't have the ability to protect my mother. I've always wanted to learn a skill to protect her. Really, I'm not lying to you." What Li Jianren said was true. Although no one bullied this widow and orphan in Peach Blossom Town, life was still very difficult without a man to support them. Although
Li Jianren was mischievous, he was quite serious about learning martial arts. Ever since he met Old Chen, a retired soldier from the outskirts of town, he always pestered Old Chen to teach him the martial arts he used in the army. After Li Jianren mastered the basics, sure enough, the children who used to bully him didn't dare to mess with him anymore.
However, the roles were reversed from then on. Li Jianren started bullying other children, making him an outcast in Peach Blossom Town and unpopular with everyone.
Seeing that Li Jianren spoke with conviction, seemingly genuine, the "Fairy Sister" said, "Jianren, I see your filial piety is commendable. Come here, stand still, let me see if you have any spiritual roots." Li Jianren had never heard of "spiritual roots" before, and had no idea what they were. However, seeing the "Fairy Sister's" earnest expression, he guessed that it might be related to cultivating immortality. The
"Fairy Sister" took out something resembling a jade tablet, about half the size of her palm. Then, she lightly made a hand seal, and soon a milky-white spiritual light appeared at her fingertips.
Li Jianren's eyes widened, thinking, "How amazing! The immortal's fingertips can actually glow?" Li Jianren dared not move, obediently standing in place, watching the miraculous scene before him.
The milky-white spiritual light instantly entered the jade tablet, which then emitted a golden ray that shone back and forth on Li Jianren before extinguishing.
"That's it?" Li Jianren was still unsatisfied.
The "fairy sister" frowned slightly, looking at the tadpole-like characters displayed on the jade tablet.
Li Jianren didn't understand what had just happened; he just wondered why the "fairy sister" was silent. Was there something wrong with him?
After a long while, the "fairy sister" finally spoke: "Li Jianren, you have spiritual roots, you can cultivate immortality, but your spiritual roots are very strange. Others have obvious spiritual root attributes—metal, wood, water, fire, earth—that are easily identifiable. Your spiritual roots are chaotic, containing all five attributes. It's a pity; even if you cultivate immortality, you won't reach a high level."
"Ah, fairy sister, I can't learn immortal techniques!" Li Jianren didn't understand anything about metal, wood, water, fire, and earth; he only heard that he seemed unable to cultivate immortal techniques, and he became somewhat anxious.
"Fairy Sister, please, please teach me a couple of spells so I can protect myself and my mother from being bullied." Li Jianren, afraid the "Fairy Sister" would leave, began to plead desperately.
"Well… alright, seeing your filial piety, I'll give you a basic spellbook. Whether you can master it depends on your fate."
"You recognize all the words in this book, right?" the Fairy Sister asked casually.
"Well… hehe, I've never been to a private school. It recognizes many words, but I don't recognize many of them." "You…" The Fairy Sister trembled with anger. She had been passing by this place that evening and had discovered a spirit beast, intending to set up a small trapping array to capture it, but this child who had inadvertently wandered in had ruined it.
The "Fairy Sister" had originally intended to let the child go, but unexpectedly, the child showed great filial piety. Moved by this, the "Fairy Sister" softened her heart and agreed to help him. It was one thing that the child lacked aptitude, but giving him a basic Taoist spellbook worthless was already enough.
But the child was completely illiterate? Wasn't this just fooling herself?
The "Fairy Sister" was truly angry this time. While most people's anger was merely a passing out, when a fairy got angry, it was extraordinary. In an instant, a fierce wind swept through the forest, whipping up sand and stirring up stones.
Li Jianren was so frightened he didn't dare utter a sound; the "Fairy Sister" before him was clearly teetering between reason and irrationality. The "Fairy Sister's" holy and delicate face began to contort, veins bulging on her forehead.
Startled, Li Jianren knelt down before the "Fairy Sister" with a thud, repeatedly kowtowing and saying, "Fairy Sister, I really can't read. My mother does embroidery for others to support me; where would she get the spare money to send me to a private school? I really can't read, I wouldn't dare lie to you." Hearing Li Jianren's words, the "Fairy Sister" slowly calmed down.
"Ah... poor child, I'll help you to the end, see this through to the end." The "Fairy Sister" began to perform complex hand seals again. After a while, a beam of light appeared and instantly disappeared into Li Jianren's head.
Li Jianren immediately fainted and lost consciousness, while the "Fairy Sister" left behind a halo surrounding Li Jianren before vanishing in an instant. 　　"Ugh, my head hurts so much. What happened? Ugh, I can't remember anything. It's so dark here, I'd better hurry home, or my mother will punish me again." Li Jianren woke up to find himself lying in the woods, and feeling a little scared, he quickly ran home.
Standing 　　at the door, looking at the flickering candlelight inside, Li Jianren hesitated. How should he explain what happened today to his mother? Should he go in or not? 　　"Grumble..." Li Jianren's stomach growled. 　　"So be it, die a full death." 　　"I'm home." Li Jianren called out timidly from the doorway. 　　"Come in." His mother, Li Rou'er's, voice came softly from inside. 　　Li Jianren forced himself to go in. He had thought of many excuses at the door, but none of them held water. But he had already spoken, and where else could he go but home? Li Jianren had no choice but to go in. 　　"Jianren, come here. I won't hit you today. Tell me what happened." "Mother, I really didn't mean to today. I was passing by the bathhouse when I accidentally noticed a hole. I just glanced at it out of curiosity. I really didn't mean to look." "Oh? What did you see?" " 　　Hehe, Mother, I swear I didn't see anything. I didn't even have time to look before I was surrounded by those women." " 　　You...you still wanted to see? What do you mean you didn't have time to look? You...you're going to make me so angry! When will you stop causing trouble? You're not eating tonight. Go back to your room." Seeing that his mother was really angry this time, Li Jianren knew that not eating was a punishment for him. His life was more important. Missing a meal wouldn't kill him, but his mother's anger and beatings could cost him half his life. Without hesitation, Li Jianren immediately slipped back into his room.

Back in his room, Li Jianren sighed. He'd only glanced at it twice; why were these women making such a fuss about him?
Wait, these women were already lying in wait; they couldn't have been targeting him intentionally. Could there really be someone peeping in the women's bathhouse? Had these women already discovered an outsider spying? No wonder there was already a hole there.
Li Jianren was filled with questions, but unable to resist the overwhelming sleepiness, he slowly drifted off to sleep.
In the middle of the night, a milky white light emanated from Li Jianren's room. Soon after, the light disappeared, and the room became dark again.
Sunlight slanted into Li Jianren's window. He stretched; he'd slept really well last night.
As Li Jianren prepared to get dressed, he noticed a bowl of plain noodles already placed beside his bed.
The bowl of noodles was still steaming, and a few fresh scallions adorned the noodles, making them look especially appealing. Li Jianren knew this was breakfast his mother had prepared for him. He had been punished by not eating dinner the night before, but his mother still cared for him and had made his favorite plain noodles early this morning.
Li Jianren ate the bowl of noodles, a bowl filled with his mother's love, with great relish. He felt incredibly happy.
After finishing his noodles, Li Jianren prepared to get dressed and go out for a while, and maybe visit the young lady next door, Juan'er.
Just as Li Jianren reached out, he felt something resembling a thin book hidden in his haphazardly tossed clothes.
Li Jianren lifted his clothes and found a book with four small characters written on it: "Basic Immortal Techniques."
"Huh? How do I know how to read? What kind of book is this? Could it be a book on immortal techniques?" Chapter Two: The Allure of Immortal Techniques.
Li Jianren was very confused. When did he learn to read?
Because his family was very poor, relying solely on his mother Li Rou'er's income from embroidery, they couldn't afford to send Li Jianren to a private school. Li Jianren was very puzzled by his sudden recognition of the characters in the book.
Li Jianren had absolutely no recollection of what had happened in the grove last night, and he had no idea when he had acquired the book "Fundamentals of Immortal Cultivation" in his hands.
"Whatever, I'll just open it and take a look," Li Jianren muttered to himself.
This book was made of an unknown material; it wasn't paper at all, and it felt incredibly soft to the touch. Li Jianren began to peruse it, and immediately felt overwhelmed. This book was essentially a basic introduction to the path of immortal cultivation.
At the very beginning, the book recorded the fundamental differences between immortal cultivators and mortals.
First, an immortal cultivator must possess a "spiritual root," which is the five most basic substances that constitute the universe. Pangu separated heaven and earth, and the "clear" became heaven, and the "turbid" became earth; the
"clear" was yang, and the "turbid" was yin; the two energies of yin and yang combined to form the "Five Elements" of heaven and earth: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth; the Five Elements interact and restrain each other, endlessly generating and regenerating, allowing the universe to cycle continuously.
"Spiritual Root" refers to a special individual among mortals who can use themselves as a furnace to cultivate by communicating with the "Five Elements" of heaven and earth.
Those who can communicate with "Metal" have a "Metal" attribute in their spiritual root. "Metal" signifies "sharpness," and cultivators with a "Metal" attribute spiritual root possess exceptionally powerful attacks, often invincible.
"Wood" signifies "life," and cultivators with a "Wood" attribute spiritual root have strong vitality, like resilient grass that cannot be extinguished by wildfire and springs back to life with the spring breeze. The resilience of grass can even push aside a huge boulder pressing down on it.
"Water" signifies "softness," and cultivators with a "Water" attribute spiritual root often overcome strength with softness. Water can wear away stone with dripping water, or it can transform into a towering wave. Water can nourish all things, or it can freeze everything, leaving no trace of life.
"Fire" signifies "fierceness," and cultivators with fire-attribute spiritual roots often possess a violent temperament. Fire can burn everything, and it can also dispel the bitter cold.
"Earth" signifies "firmness," and cultivators with earth-attribute spiritual roots are persevering. Earth can create fertile fields for thousands of miles, or it can turn into vast deserts.
Upon reading this, Li Jianren began to dance with excitement, shouting, "Amazing! Amazing!"
This text introduced Li Jianren to the concept of the "Five Elements," which are both mutually generating and mutually restraining.
The generating cycle of the Five Elements is: Metal generates Water, Water generates Wood, Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, and Earth generates Metal. The restraining cycle is
: Metal restrains Wood, Wood restrains Earth, Earth restrains Water, Water restrains Fire, and Fire restrains Metal.
"I don't have a spiritual root, do I?" Li Jianren muttered to himself.
He turned the page and continued reading.
This section describes how those with "spiritual roots" can use themselves as a "furnace" to communicate with the "Five Elements" of the universe. The type of "Five Elements" one can communicate with determines the attribute of their "spiritual root."
Upon reading this, Li Jianren immediately lost interest. The text clearly stated that cultivators communicating with the "Five Elements" of the universe, also known as "spiritual energy," requires meditation and quiet cultivation—a tedious process that can take anywhere from several months to several years. Furthermore, it requires the support of "spiritual stones." These "spiritual stones" are stones rich in "Five Elements" energy, categorized into low-grade, medium-grade, high-grade, and special-grade based on the amount of "spiritual energy" they contain.
Li Jianren had no interest in meditation or quiet cultivation, let alone months or years. Moreover, what were "spiritual stones"?
He had never even seen one.
Looking at this fantastical text, which seemed like a book from heaven, Li Jianren immediately lost interest in reading further. As for how he obtained this book, *The Foundations of Immortal Arts*, Li Jianren was completely baffled.
"I'd better go out and play, I'm not looking at it anymore." Li Jianren casually tossed aside the *The Foundations of Immortal Arts* from the "Fairy Sister" and excitedly ran out of the house. As soon as he
stepped outside, Li Jianren bumped into Juan'er, the young woman next door.
Juan'er's face was pale, and her gaze was intense as she stared at Li Jianren, making him feel uneasy.
Li Jianren gave Juan'er an awkward smile, his back pressed against the courtyard wall, slowly inching to the side.
"Li Jianren, stop right there! Did you peep at me yesterday?" Juan'er shouted loudly, stopping Li Jianren who was about to flee.
"Ah? No, Sister Juan'er, yesterday was all a misunderstanding. I really didn't mean to. There was a hole there all along, really. Sister Juan'er, even though I, Li Jianren, am a bit of a rascal, I'm not a peeping Tom. If I want to look, I'll look openly and honestly. I don't stoop to peeping; that's not my style." Li Jianren said confidently.
"Pah, you shameless brat! You dare to look openly? Who do you want to see?" "You, Sister Juan'er, I want to see you the most, hehe." After saying that, Li Jianren quickly ran away.
"You brat, you rascal, don't run away! I'll tell your mother, you brat!" Juan'er shouted loudly as she couldn't catch up.
Li Jianren ran very fast and came to a place with a stream. This place was Li Jianren's private playground. Li Jianren wasn't popular in the town, and almost no children his age wanted to play with him. So Li Jianren had to entertain himself and found a quiet place to play by himself.
After Li Jianren arrived, he took a deep breath and began his morning exercise.
Li Jianren had one advantage: ever since he learned military boxing from Old Chen, a retired soldier from the outskirts of town, he had consistently practiced it. Old Chen had praised Li Jianren for his diligence.
After finishing a set of military boxing, Li Jianren felt sore all over and was drenched in sweat, so he quickly stripped off his clothes and jumped into the stream to cleanse himself.
By this time, the sun was already shining brightly, and Li Jianren was lying on a rock, enjoying the sunlight.
"Ah, what a pity. Juan'er knows I was spying on her. She'll definitely hate me from now on. And Juan'er's older sister, only two years older than me, married that tuberculosis wretch. What a pity," Li Jianren sighed as he lay on the rock. Li Jianren
was starting to feel bored again. For the past fourteen years, he had lived like this: after learning military boxing, he would practice every morning and then do nothing.
"What should I do?"
"That's right, it's been a long time since I visited Old Man Chen. His wife treats him badly, and an old man like him won't live much longer. I'll catch a couple of fish and go see him."
Without further ado, Li Jianren swam into the stream.
Peach Blossom Town was a beautiful place with clear waters and lush mountains, rarely visited by outsiders. The fish in the streams had never been indiscriminately caught, so they were quite clumsy. Li Jianren easily caught several fish about the width of his palm and the length of his forearm. He skillfully gutted and cleaned the fish, threaded a rope through them, and happily ran towards Old Man Chen's house.
"Hey, Old Chen, are you home? I've come to see you."
"Why are you shouting so loudly? Li Jianren, I'm not hard of hearing, come in if you want." "Hey, Old Chen, I came to see you out of kindness, and you treat me like this?" "You never come here with anything good. Tell me, what do you want today?" "Old Chen, you're really biting the hand that feeds you! I kindly brought you some fish, and this is how you treat me? Fine, I'll leave right away."
"Oh, you have fish? Hehe, Jianren, you're such a good boy. Hehe." "Pah, Old Chen, bringing you fish makes me a good boy? Humph... you snob." "Hehe, Jianren, you're the same. Only an old man like me, half-buried in the ground, is willing to treat you well. Look at you, how much do people in town dislike you? Why are you always causing trouble?"
"I'm a troublemaker? They don't call me a slut, so I won't bother them. What's wrong with me? Just because I'm a fatherless child, they treat me like this? Bah! If I had a father, I wouldn't let them bully me." Old Chen was silent for a while, then said to Li Jianren, "Jianren, your mother suddenly appeared in our town fourteen years ago. I didn't see your father then either. Your mother took you, who was still a nursing baby, and settled down in our town. Your mother didn't have any milk then, so it was all the women in town who fed you, spoonful by spoonful." "
You're a child who grew up drinking milk from many families. You shouldn't hate the people in town so much. Have you ever thought about why everyone dislikes you? You've done a lot of wrong things, haven't you? I'm not trying to criticize you, but you're fourteen years old, and you're still playing around all day, doing nothing. You should share the burden with your mother." Li Jianren didn't answer Old Chen's words, just lowered his head and remained silent, no one knew what he was thinking.
"Jianren! Jianren?" Old Chen asked hurriedly when he saw that Li Jianren didn't speak.
"Huh? What are you yelling about?"
"Jianren, your fish, aren't you going to cook it for me? Hurry up, I love your grilled fish." "Pah, you old geezer, all you know is eating. I'll make you eat fish bones later." Although Li Jianren said this, his hands didn't stop moving. In no time, a fire was lit. Li Jianren's movements were very nimble. Several fish were repeatedly turned and grilled in his hands, and soon the fish emitted the unique aroma of grilled fish.
Old Chen was already impatient and asked, "Jianren, is it ready yet? This old man is craving it." "Almost done, eat it, I'll make you choke on fish bones later." Li Jianren said deliberately with resentment.
The fish was grilled, and Old Chen couldn't wait to take one, tear off a large piece of fragrant fish meat and stuff it into his mouth, not caring about the heat, eating with his mouth full of oil.
Li Jianren looked at Old Chen's eating habits and felt both amused and pitiful. This old man's son had also joined the army like his father, but unfortunately, he died on the battlefield. After their son died, the daughter-in-law began to despise the aging Old Man Chen, driving him to a thatched hut on the edge of town. She faced much criticism from the townspeople, but remained defiant, refusing to take Old Man Chen back home.
Li Jianren, though mischievous, was kind-hearted and couldn't bear to see Old Man Chen being bullied by his wife. He even went to confront her, but being young, he was no match for the tall and strong woman and was thoroughly humiliated.
Li Jianren later vowed that when he grew up, he would teach Old Man Chen a lesson and teach his difficult wife a lesson.
After Old Man Chen finished eating the fish, Li Jianren remembered his mother's request to go to the tailor shop in town to get some embroidered silk. So, Li Jianren said goodbye to Old Man Chen and headed to the tailor shop.
Li Jianren felt extremely uncomfortable along the way. The women, young and old, pointed and whispered about him, their faces full of contempt. Li Jianren was very annoyed; these women all thought he was a lecherous voyeur peeping at women bathing. Li Jianren
vowed that he wouldn't be a man until he found the real lecherous man who had dug the hole.
Reaching the tailor shop, Li Jianren went straight in. He saw the shopkeeper leisurely sipping tea, so Li Jianren approached and asked, "Shopkeeper, is the silk my mother ordered ready?" The shopkeeper was startled to see Li Jianren and quickly ordered his waiter to fetch it from the back storeroom. He then kept a distance from Li Jianren, giving him a hostile look.
The shopkeeper's nervousness was understandable; his son had bullied Li Jianren before, relying on the family's wealth. Later, after Li Jianren mastered military boxing, he had beaten his son to a pulp. From then on, the tailor shop owner's son was terrified of Li Jianren, and even the shop owner himself couldn't afford to offend this troublesome brat.
After receiving the silk, Li Jianren, as usual, asked the shop owner to put it on the tab. The shop owner only breathed a sigh of relief after seeing
the troublemaker off, fearing that the brat would cause trouble again.
Back home, his mother, Li Rou'er, had already prepared lunch. Li Jianren happily put down the silk, grabbed his chopsticks, and began to eat heartily. The meal was very ordinary, just a few homegrown vegetables, but Li Jianren ate with great relish, after all, his mother's cooking was the best to his taste.
"Jianren, slow down, don't eat so fast," Li Rou'er gently scolded.
"Mother, I know, I just love your cooking, it tastes so good." Hearing her son praise her, Li Rou'er felt a sweet warmth in her heart.
Li Rou'er was only twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. Why she had a fourteen-year-old son like Li Jianren was a mystery to outsiders, and even Li Jianren himself didn't understand.
The age difference was so small that Li Jianren often doubted whether he was his mother Li Rou'er's biological son. What kind of mother would beat her own son so severely? And his mother Li Rou'er was so young; was she only thirteen or fourteen when his father "ate" her?
"What a beast," Li Jianren muttered to himself about his father more than once.
Li Jianren ate very quickly, soon finishing his meal. He patted his stomach and let out a burp.
"Oh..."
"Jianren...!" Li Rou'er called out in dissatisfaction.
"Hehe, I'm full, I'm going back to my room."
Li Jianren said with a grin. Li Rou'er couldn't do anything with her son. Not only was he mischievous, but he also often caused trouble, leading to frequent complaints from the townspeople. Li Rou'er had to apologize endlessly, so she had to harden her heart and give him a beating, but it didn't work. Li Jianren still did what he wanted.
Li Rou'er watched her son's back, a look of satisfaction on her face as she watched her growing son. Only after he was out of sight did she slowly tidy up the mess on the table and head to the kitchen.
Li Jianren returned to his room, feeling quite bored. He saw the book "Basic Immortal Techniques" that he had obtained at some point
, and an idea struck him. Since he was bored anyway, he might as well continue reading.
This time, Li Jianren found it more and more interesting. He came across a few simple explanations of immortal techniques.
"Traction Technique?" Li Jianren was deeply interested when he saw the name.
This "Traction Technique" was a very basic immortal technique, not even a true immortal technique, at most it was a Daoist technique.
This "Traction Technique" mainly explains how to communicate with an object possessing "spirit," and at a high level, one can retrieve objects remotely. The key to this "Traction Technique" lies in finding an object with "spirit." For an object to possess "spirit," it's no simple matter. For example, the immortal swords commonly used by cultivators that allow them to fly are objects with "spirit."
Cultivating "spirit" is simple: the object is absorbed into the cultivator's body for nurturing, using the cultivator as a "furnace" and the "spiritual energy" of heaven and earth as nourishment. Once the object's "spirit" is fully developed, it can be freely controlled.
Unfortunately, with Li Jianren's current cultivation level, he hasn't even begun the basics, let alone "retrieve objects remotely."
Li Jianren regretfully turned the page.
He thought for a moment, then turned back to the "Traction Technique" page.
"Could I modify this 'Traction Technique'? Could I attach my own spiritual energy to the object before attempting to retrieve it remotely?" Li Jianren began to ponder this question.
Theoretically, this idea is valid; telekinesis lies in the word "communication." Once some kind of connection is established, perhaps it can be achieved. Li Jianren pondered this problem because getting up to get his clothes was always difficult; he didn't want to get up and endure the momentary cold to retrieve them. He imagined sitting on the bed and simply pointing at the clothes, and they would come to him by themselves.
Li Jianren had had this thought countless times, but it was all just wishful thinking. However, now that he had obtained this book, *The Foundations of Immortal Arts*, perhaps it wasn't impossible. With this idea in mind
, Li Jianren immediately put it into practice.
"It's just meditation, right? I'll give it a try," Li Jianren muttered to himself.
Following the methods of meditation described in the book, Li Jianren crossed his legs, closed his eyes, and began to contemplate.
Unfortunately, Li Jianren quickly gave up because his legs went numb.
"Ouch, my legs can't take it after just half an hour. I really don't know how those immortal cultivators manage to calm their minds and cultivate. I'd better try a different method; I just can't stand this." Li Jianren sighed helplessly and had to stop his meditation to continue flipping through the scriptures.
"What? There's also 'Invisibility Technique'? 'Wall-Passing Technique'? Oh my god, isn't this killing me? I want to learn them all!" Li Jianren exclaimed loudly. These immortal techniques truly touched a nerve with Li Jianren; he was itching to learn them. These "deadly" techniques were captivating him.
Li Jianren read very carefully, afraid of missing a single word. These immortal techniques were incredibly practical, but how could he learn them? Without a master to teach him, Li Jianren had no way to begin.
His desire grew stronger and stronger, but he couldn't find a way to scratch it; he was getting anxious and frustrated.
"This book says to find a place with abundant spiritual energy to meditate and cultivate, so as to connect with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Where in Peach Blossom Town is a suitable place?"
"That's it, the place behind the mountain, I'll go there tonight!" Li Jianren exclaimed excitedly.
"Creak," the door opened, and after confirming that his mother was asleep, Li Jianren secretly opened the door and headed towards the back mountain.
Chapter 3 A Young Man of the Li Family Has Grown Up The night was
dark and the stars were few.
Li Jianren held a torch, walking unsteadily on the road to the back mountain.
Li Jianren was a little scared; this was the first time he had gone out alone late at night. The mountain wind howled all the way, making the torch seem about to go out. Li Jianren quickened his pace, rushing towards the back mountain. "
Phew..." Finally, he arrived. Li Jianren wiped the sweat from his forehead; the sweat was no longer warm, but rather cold.
Li Jianren wiped the sweat with his sleeve and carefully looked at the place.
This was a small cave, its exterior quite ordinary, but Li Jianren knew it held a secret.
The cave entrance was somewhat hidden; Li Jianren had discovered it by chance while playing. Inside, the cave wasn't spacious, only about ten zhang (approximately 33 meters) in size, containing only a spring that gurgled and trickled gently.
Li Jianren loved this spring water; it was incredibly sweet, leaving a pleasant aftertaste. After each sip, Li Jianren felt lighter, though he didn't know why, he felt exceptionally energetic.
Discovering the benefits of this spring water, Li Jianren often tried to get some for his mother, Li Rou'er, to drink as well. Unfortunately, the spring water was very strange; no matter what container he used, it would evaporate as soon as it left the cave. Li Jianren had to abandon the idea of taking some back, and each time he came, he would only drink a few sips himself.
Not far from the spring was another cave entrance. Li Jianren had explored it before, but he dared not linger there. There was only a protruding rock extending from the entrance, forming a platform. Below the platform was a bottomless abyss, which terrified Li Jianren. Each time, he would only glance at the entrance before turning back.
Back in the cave, Li Jianren sat by the spring and, by the light of the fire, reviewed the meditation method recorded in the *Basic Immortal Techniques*. After confirming it several times, he crossed his legs, drank a few mouthfuls of spring water, and began to cultivate quietly…
Li Jianren closed his eyes tightly, his mind replaying the teachings in the text: to calm the mind and concentrate on sensing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. However, no matter how he meditated, he couldn't sense even a trace of "spiritual energy."
"Could it be that my method is wrong?" Li Jianren pondered silently.
Li Jianren gradually became anxious. Did he simply lack "spiritual roots"? Did this mean he couldn't cultivate immortal arts?
At this moment, Li Jianren, with his eyes tightly closed, was completely unaware that the spring beside him suddenly emitted numerous points of white light, swirling around him.
These swirling white points of light then suddenly accelerated and burrowed into various parts of Li Jianren's body, all without his noticing.
Li Jianren then collapsed unconscious beside the spring.
...
Li Jianren seemed to be having a dream, in which he was surrounded by multicolored points of light. He reached out to touch them, but the multicolored points of light instantly escaped, and he couldn't reach them at all.
Li Jianren observed carefully; there were mainly five colors: gold, green, white, red, and yellow.
These five colors were clearly distinct, colliding and pressing against each other.
Li Jianren found the colors incredibly beautiful, all exceptionally pure. The golden dots exuded a chilling aura; the green dots were vibrant and inviting; the white dots offered a gentle touch; the red dots were somewhat violent; and the yellow dots appeared composed.
These dots swirled around Li Jianren, seemingly observing him.
They occasionally collided, as if discussing something, seemingly disapproving of him.
Li Jianren felt surrounded again, and a surge of anger rose within him. He reached out to grab them again, but still couldn't touch anything.
Frustrated, Li Jianren suddenly roared, and all the five-colored dots stopped, seemingly puzzled by his anger.
Li Jianren shouted, "You little things, even you look down on me? Get back here!" Enraged by Li Jianren's outburst, the dots rushed towards him.
"Ouch, ouch, it hurts, it hurts!" Li Jianren groaned repeatedly.
Li Jianren felt pain all over his body, a pain that seemed to come from the depths of his soul, especially the golden and red lights, which hurt him the most.
"Ouch, I was wrong, ancestors, I was wrong, please stop!" Li Jianren shouted.
The lights stopped hitting Li Jianren and tumbled around triumphantly.
"Ancestors, please, let me go, I won't dare to do it again, ouch, ouch!" Li Jianren was still wailing.
After a long time, the lights gradually disappeared.
Li Jianren breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't know what those little lights were, but the pain was real.
Li Jianren then realized that he was in an unknown space. This was not the scenery in the cave at all, but a gray and hazy place.
"Where am I?" Li Jianren was a little confused.
Time seemed to stand still in this place. Li Jianren didn't know how much time had passed, but after a long time, the lights returned.
This time, Li Jianren was smarter. Instead of cursing, he grinned slyly at the specks of light and said,
"Ancestors, you're back! Where did you go? You left me all alone here, so scared. Come on, come play with me!"
Sensing the change in Li Jianren's attitude, the specks of light began to circle around him again.
After a long time, the five-colored specks of light began to surge towards Li Jianren.
The golden specks of light circled for a while, hesitated, but finally flashed and entered Li Jianren's body. The other colored specks of light hesitated for a moment after seeing the golden speck enter before following suit.
Li Jianren fainted again.
...
"Ouch, it hurts so much, and I'm so hungry!" Li Jianren didn't know when he finally woke up. He found himself still deep in the cave, and the spring water had dried up completely.
"Strange, why is there no water here? Where will I find such good water to drink again? What a pity," Li Jianren sighed.
"Ugh, it stinks! Where's that smell coming from?" Li Jianren sniffed around, finally discovering the stench was coming from himself.
"Oh dear, what's wrong? I smell so bad. I'd better hurry down the mountain and wash up." Li Jianren left the cave, and when he emerged, he realized it was already broad daylight.
He assumed he had fallen asleep again while cultivating and slept until dawn.
In the stream, Li Jianren washed himself thoroughly. He found himself incredibly dirty, covered in a greasy, unidentifiable grime that seemed to be emanating from every pore. It took him a long time to clean himself.
Back home, Li Jianren noticed his mother's pale face and knew something was wrong.
"Jianren, where have you been these past few days?" his mother, Li Rou'er, asked with an unfriendly expression.
"Huh? A few days? No, I went out last night, Mother. I went to the back mountain, just one night, not a few days."
"What? You dare to lie? Tell me, where have you been these past few days? You won't tell, huh? I'll beat you to death!" After Li Rou'er finished speaking, she took out a thick thorny branch as usual, scaring the bewildered Li Jianren.
Li Jianren was startled, thinking, "A few days? It's just one night, isn't it? Judging from Mother's expression, she doesn't seem to be lying. Could it be that I really spent a few days in that cave?"
"Mother, I'm not lying to you, I really went last night. I really went for a few days?" Li Jianren was somewhat incredulous.
"Do you think I would lie to you? Or do you want to lie to me?"
"Hehe, how could I dare to lie to you, Mother? I really went last night. If I lied, may I die a horrible death."
"Shut up, Jianren, don't talk about death so easily. How can you die so easily?" Li Rou'er suddenly shouted.
Seeing his mother's sudden change in tone, Li Jianren felt uneasy and looked at her blankly.
"Mother, what's wrong?"
"Jianren, please don't say 'death' anymore, okay? Mother doesn't want you to die. Mother hopes you grow up well and live a peaceful life, okay?" Li Rou'er suddenly said gently.
Li Jianren didn't understand why his mother was like this and found it unbelievable. In the past, his mother would punish him severely after he made a mistake, breaking countless thorny branches in the process. Why did his mother become so agitated now when he mentioned the word "death"?
"Jianren, go back to your room. Mother wants to be alone." Li Rou'er suddenly dismissed him.
Li Jianren felt like he had been granted a pardon and immediately fled back to his room.
"Phew... that scared me. I thought Mother was going to punish me again today." "How many days have I been gone? No way, I remember it was just one night. What happened?" Li Jianren was completely puzzled.
Lying in bed, Li Jianren was still confused about what had happened. He only remembered that he had suddenly fainted while meditating, and then woke up in broad daylight.
"Sigh, I was supposed to be cultivating, how did I fall asleep? Looks like I still don't have the talent. Oh well." Li Jianren took out the book "Basic Immortal Techniques" from his pocket, looked at it but didn't find anything unusual, tossed it aside, and prepared to get a good night's sleep. Li Jianren felt that every part of his body ached. The cave was uneven, and lying there for so long had left him feeling sore. He decided to rest.
Before long, Li Jianren drifted off to sleep.
Li Jianren was woken up by his mother, Li Rou'er. He rubbed his eyes and realized that it was already getting dark. It seemed like it was time for dinner.
Li Jianren ate his meal with some unease because he noticed that his mother's eyes were different from usual, filled with complex emotions. It was as if she were reminiscing about the past, or perhaps fearing some kind of memory; in any case, Li Jianren sensed that his mother's mood was off today.
"Mom, what's wrong?" Li Jianren asked.
"N-nothing... Jianren, you should eat your food."
"Oh..."
Seeing his mother Li Rou'er's response, how could Li Jianren not know that she had something on her mind? The two had lived together for fourteen years and knew each other too well. Although his mother could be strict with him at times, Li Jianren knew that she genuinely loved him. How could he not sense that something was on her mind?
Li Jianren didn't dare to press her further; after all, it was his mother's own concern, and asking wouldn't yield any results.
Mother and son finished their meal, each lost in their own thoughts, and remained silent.
Li Jianren returned to his room, feeling that something strange had happened to him recently.
First, he had inexplicably become literate; then there was this book, *The Basics of Immortal Arts*, which he didn't know when he had obtained; and then there was the matter of what had happened during the past few days. And why his mother Li Rou'er's attitude had changed so drastically was something that Li Jianren couldn't understand at all.
After pondering for a long time, Li Jianren grew increasingly bored. He recalled the key points mentioned in the "Traction Technique" section of *The Basics of Immortal Arts*, and, mimicking the movements, formed several hand seals and chanted a few unfamiliar incantations. Then, he extended his finger and touched the *Basics of Immortal Arts* book on the table opposite the wooden bed.
A miraculous thing happened: the book actually moved.
Li Jianren rubbed his eyes, thinking he had imagined it. He tried the hand seals and incantations again, and the book moved once more.
"Wow…it really moved!" Li Jianren exclaimed excitedly.
With this discovery, Li Jianren was overjoyed. Had he learned immortal arts?
Unfortunately, after trying a few more times, Li Jianren found himself seemingly exhausted, his head spinning, and he could no longer move the book. However, Li Jianren was still very happy. His success had given him a magical feeling, a feeling he couldn't describe. He simply felt that he had some talent, having actually used the "Traction Technique"—a magical art.
From that night on, Li Jianren stopped causing trouble in Peach Blossom Town. Every night, he eagerly hid in his room to practice his "magical arts."
Today, Li Jianren was practicing the "Invisibility Technique." He was particularly curious about how this technique worked. Could it really make someone invisible?
Li Jianren seemed to have a talent for cultivation. Although the Invisibility Technique was a minor Taoist skill, for someone like him who knew nothing about cultivation, mastering it was quite remarkable.
Following the method in the scriptures, Li Jianren secretly circulated his energy, and streams of energy from all directions surged into his body. Li Jianren didn't understand why this happened, but whenever he used his own energy, the energy in the air naturally rushed towards him.
Li Jianren formed a hand seal, chanted an incantation, and then vanished from the room in a flash.
He looked around and found everything normal. Then he looked at himself and discovered he could see through his own body to see what was behind him.
Li Jianren was extremely excited; he had indeed learned the invisibility technique, but unfortunately, it didn't last long—only about half an incense stick's time.
...
Li Rou'er had noticed her son acting strangely lately, preferring to stay home and not go out. Of course, Li Rou'er liked her son to be quiet and not cause trouble. However, this son was too abnormal. He usually left early in the morning, but now he wouldn't leave the house.
Li Rou'er had checked her son's room but found nothing unusual. She just felt he was doing something he was hiding from her.
After several attempts to question him, she couldn't get any answers and finally had to leave disappointed.
...
Li Jianren held his breath, facing a wall in the house, because today he planned to pass through it.
Li Jianren had tried several times, and each time he got close to the wall, he became afraid. He was really worried that this "Wall-Passing Technique" wasn't as good as the book described, that it could actually allow one to pass through walls
. He knew firsthand how unpleasant it felt to hit a wall. When he was a child, after making a mistake, his mother, Li Rou'er, would punish him. Every time he was beaten, he would run away desperately, but behind him was a hard wall, and in front of him was his angry mother. He couldn't escape.
Every time he tried to run away, he would hit the wall, and it hurt terribly. So, Li Jianren desperately hoped that one day he could pass through walls and no longer suffer the pain of being beaten.
"Oh well, so be it..." Li Jianren encouraged himself.
He closed his eyes tightly, made a hand seal, chanted an incantation, and then charged towards the wall with a death-defying spirit.
"Hmm? No pain." Li Jianren opened his eyes.
He looked and saw that he had indeed passed through the wall.
This is Li Rou'er's room. She's not here right now; she's probably out delivering her finished embroidery.
Li Jianren rarely visits his mother's room. Now that she's not here, he decides to see what's in it. Driven by curiosity, he begins to search through Li Rou'er's room.
The furnishings are simple: a wooden bed, a dressing table, and a wardrobe.
Although simple, the room is filled with a uniquely feminine fragrance.
Li Rou'er seems to pay great attention to decorating her room; a few window decorations and stickers make it exceptionally warm and inviting.
Li Jianren opens his mother's dressing table. Inside are a few inexpensive cosmetics and a few simple hair ornaments. Li Jianren feels a pang of sadness. His mother is so young and beautiful, yet she only has so few simple accessories. He usually sees the young women and wives in town dressed up beautifully, with many hair ornaments and jewelry.
Seeing his mother so frugal, sacrificing her feminine pleasures to support him, Li Jianren felt a pang of heartache. His mother, Li Rou'er, always dressed simply, and Li Jianren had never really thought about why. Now, seeing her almost entirely lack of jewelry, he realized how difficult it was for a single woman like his mother to support him.
"Mother, I know I was wrong. I won't cause you any more trouble. I'll earn money to support you, to make you happy, and to dress you up beautifully," Li Jianren murmured softly. He
gently closed Li Rou'er's door and sat on the doorstep, gazing at the starry sky.
The stars twinkled, and Li Jianren remembered the lullaby his mother used to hum to him as a child: "The stars in the sky don't speak, the children on earth miss their mothers; the eyes in the sky blink and blink, mother's heart is like the roadside flowers." As
he hummed, Li Jianren felt his eyes welling up with tears.
"Jianren, what are you doing sitting on the doorstep? It's chilly outside, come back inside." A voice that Li Jianren knew very well came from outside.
"Mom, you're back!" Li Jianren suddenly jumped up and rushed to Li Rou'er, who had just returned from delivering goods.
"Mom, you've worked hard, come in quickly."
Li Rou'er felt that her son was acting strangely today. What had gotten into her usually rebellious son? Why was he being so enthusiastic?
"Hmm, there's no such thing as a free lunch," Li Rou'er thought to herself.
"Jianren, hmm? Did you do something wrong again today? Tell me quickly, or I'll give you a good spanking." "Oh dear, I haven't done that many wrong things. Mother, you're really judging me by my own standards. I just thought you work so hard every day, so I specially waited for you at the door today, and you still look at me with those old eyes. I won't stand for it! I'm going on a hunger strike tonight!"
"Oh dear, my good son, you've finally come to your senses! Okay, I wasn't planning on making dinner tonight anyway. Go to sleep, haha."
"Ah, you really don't care about me? Mother, you're so heartless."
"Yeah, haha, you're only just realizing that now?"
"Hmph, fine, I won't eat then, I'm leaving."
"Oh dear, this little brat has quite the temper. Tsk tsk, too bad about the roast goose I brought back today. I'll just have to eat it all by myself tonight."
"Huh? There's roast goose, Mom? Why didn't you say so earlier? You're teasing me, humph..." "Hehe, Mom, it must be hard for you to carry this, let me help you, hehe." "Go away, go away, I'll eat by myself."
"Waaah, Mom, I was wrong, let me have some."
"Haha, what did you do wrong?"
"I was wrong everywhere, Mom, I won't do it again, okay? Let me have some." "Hehehe... You said it yourself, um, my legs are a little sore from walking so far, come and massage them for me?" "Okay, my mother is going back to the palace..."
...
Li Rou'er noticed that her mischievous son had become a different person these past few days. He really hadn't caused any trouble, and these past few days he had been busy helping her with chores and constantly trying to make her happy. Li Rou'er felt very happy.
She didn't know why her son was so sensible and obedient. Could something have happened during the days her son was gone? But when Li Rou'er asked Li Jianren, Li Jianren could never give a clear answer, only insisting that he had been gone for one night.
In the end, Li Rou'er gave up asking. She figured she wouldn't get any answers anyway. Besides, her son had changed; wasn't that good enough?
...
Li Jianren decided to do something big tonight; he'd been preparing for it for a long time.
Last time he visited Old Man Chen, Li Jianren noticed that Old Man Chen seemed even more hunched over and looked much older. Seeing Old Man Chen like this reminded Li Jianren of his wife's sharp and mean face.
"Hmph, that shrewish woman from the Chen family! I, Li Jianren, have now mastered some magic; I'll teach you a lesson tonight!" ******************************************************** Thank you everyone for your likes and replies. I will continue with the following article, explaining the creative concept behind this piece.

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