Chapter 134: A Healing Morning (Patreon)

Liu Wei watched with keen interest as Elder Chen slowly mended his foundations beneath the tunes if his zither. The melody he was playing was a foreign one, slower and deeper than the ones he was used to, and it had taken his full concentration to play it in the beginning, but it had become easier as he’d grown used to it. Now, he could watch its effects unfold as he played it.

As one of Liu Wei’s hands continued playing the melody, the other reached out for the kettle to refill his cup, only to realize that it was practically empty. It had been a long night, and the sun was already beginning to rise over the horizon. He let the last drops fall before putting the kettle back down and grabbing the cup. One last sip. One last melody.

…

Hu Chen felt the music wane. It felt like it had gone on for eternity, yet he was sure as soon as he felt it: The melody was nearly finished.

He didn’t feel saddened by the realization. Everything must end at some point for that was the natural conclusion of all that was. He simply continued following along with the tunes, without worry or haste; he was nearly finished himself.

As his soul followed the Dao of Earth in one last dance, he felt his foundational knowledge, previously a fractured mess of disjointed shards continued to mend themselves. As the last tune rang out and silence befell his inner world once more, he watched as the final flaw was corrected and his foundation finally formed a cohesive whole.

And in this very moment, Hu Chen felt a profound change take place in his soul. It wasn’t loud and intense, like a breakthrough, but gentle and profound, and yet it felt just like the day he had first reached the Dao Contemplation Realm. Only, where back then the feeling had been accompanied by the tearing pain of his rampant energies tearing into his soul, this time he felt only healing bliss.

Before him, the world of the Dao opened up anew and he instinctively knew that now, it was finally ready to be explored. As he opened his eyes, Hu Chen felt like he had only now truly stepped into the Realm he had reached over half a century ago.

Across from him, Elder Wei sat cross-legged, the zither still in his lap, stroking his beard and watching him with a contemplative expression. Hu Chen froze. He had almost forgotten about the man’s presence entirely, so immersed had he been in his cultivation.

In this moment, Hu Chen couldn’t think of anything to do or say, so he just sat there, unmoving. After the silence drawn out for a while, Elder Wei spoke up.

“Well, I must say, it certainly seems like this experiment was a success.”

At this remark, Hu Chen finally unfroze. Still seated in place, he bowed down abruptly and as deeply as he could, his forehead almost hitting the wooden floorboards.

“Elder Wei. I know not how I can thank you and I have nothing that could serve to repay you for what you’ve done…”

“I seek not any repayment from you, Elder Chen. I have finally confirmed the purpose of this artifact, that is enough for me.”

Hu Chen glanced up at the zither. An artifact that could confer understanding of the Dao from one cultivator to another. If he had to guess, the reason Elder Wei had chosen him as the subject of the test was that it was limited to a very basic level understanding, but even with that it was still an incredibly valuable tool.

The Pillar Families would surely wish to be informed about someone from the Reform Faction possessing such an item… too bad that they would never hear a single word about it from his mouth.

“In that case, you shall have my eternal gratitude at least.”

“That I shall gladly accept.”

After another moment of silence, Elder Wei rose to his feet.

“While I have very much enjoyed your company, Elder Chen, I fear since it is already morning, I’ll soon have my duties at the Training Hall to attend to. I don’t want to leave my assistant waiting for too long.”

Hu Chen hurriedly stood up as well.

“Of course, Elder Wei, I wouldn’t want to hold you up any longer! I shall take my leave.”

“Thank you for understanding, Elder Chen.”

Elder Wei inclined his head in a polite gesture.

“If we don’t happen upon another in the meantime, we shall meet again at the disciple admittance exam. It’s only two weeks from now, after all.”

“I look forward to it. I wish you swift progress in your cultivation until then.”

Elder Wei chuckled.

“I’m happy to be able to say that wish the same to you, Elder Chen.”

After Elder Wei had seen him to the door, Hu Chen took off into the air and flew until he was at enough of a distance that he was sure Elder Wei could neither sense nor hear him anymore. Then he dropped down into the forest once more.

Once he was in contact with the ground, he called upon his Dao to take control of the surrounding earth. It was astounding how easy it was compared to before. Commanding his element, bending it to his will felt natural now, like any common function of his body, something he’d never been able to say before. Even the ache he felt in his soul as he used his powers felt so much lighter, now that the process was eased by his improved understanding.

Hu Chen couldn’t keep his impatience at bay any longer. He’d wanted to return home first, but instead he sat down right here, on a large rock, closed his eyes and began to cultivate. When he dove into his understanding of the Dao of Earth, it felt easier and more comfortable than he had even been able to imagine.

As he started to ponder the Dao, everything made sense. The meanings didn’t offer themselves to him like they had from Elder Wei’s music, but he could reach them as a logical continuation of his existing knowledge. Gone was the molasses of flawed understanding he had to wade through to make progress. The path ahead was still a long one, but it was one he could walk freely now.

And as he did so, as he made his way along the path and gazed upon the point he would need to reach to break through to the next stage, Hu Chen realized something: He could reach it. No, he would reach it!

A wave of emotions pulled him out of his meditation as a mountain of anxieties was lifted of his shoulders. He, Hu Chen, would reach the second stage of Dao Contemplation within his lifetime!

He’d accepted his death some time ago. Every cultivator was locked in a race against time, against age. It hadn’t been easy to admit that he’d lose that race on the very first step into the realm that buy those who reached it several centuries of additional time, yet the utter hopelessness of his situation had forced him to do so.

To realize now that the second stage was within his reach after all was like having been given a second chance at life.

Hu Chen felt tears welling up in his eyes.

Not just because he’d live longer than he had thought, but because all those years of effort hadn’t been for naught. Every miniscule step he had forced himself to make, every inch he had gained throwing himself against a wall had brought him here. Brought him to a point far enough along the road to the next stage that he would now be able to reach it after all.

He turned his head to look at the sky. The sun had risen far enough to send its rays past the treetops and onto his face, as if to greet console him and ensure him this wasn’t all a dream.

And then, not able to control his emotions any longer, the three-hundred-year-old sect elder wept.