“Junior Brother, you have too many storage bags. That won’t do. You should put all your items into a single storage bag; that way, it’ll be easier to retrieve them.”
For many days now, Meng Hao forced himself not to think about spirit stones anymore, but instead followed Senior Brother Chen Fan.
As he got to know the other party better, listening to Senior Brother Chen Fan’s teachings almost every day, he gradually discovered that this Senior Brother was not at all like what the outer sect rumors claimed.
Although it was true that he was wholeheartedly devoted to the Dao, he wasn’t silent and taciturn.
Rather, if he didn’t speak, that was it. But once he started, it would be at least a few hours, or even an entire day.
In fact, in the end, it wasn’t Meng Hao who sought out Chen Fan, but rather, the other party would arrive at his cave abode early in the morning to begin their discussions.
Meng Hao couldn’t refuse, so he could only listen with a wry smile. Many times he would fall asleep while listening, and when he woke up, he would still hear Senior Brother Chen Fan talking, making him feel a pang of pity for his Senior Brother.
“There are too few inner sect disciples, so Senior Brother Chen has no one to talk to. That’s why he developed such an eccentric personality.”
At the same time, Meng Hao also understood why Senior Sister Xu often went into secluded cultivation. Because even he had, on many occasions, thought about going into secluded cultivation; only then could he escape this torment.
Even if he left his cave abode, Chen Fan would still follow him, talking all the while.
“I wonder when Senior Sister Xu will emerge from seclusion. What kind of expression would she have if she saw me?” Meng Hao, dressed in a silver robe, curled his lips into a smile.
He sat on a rock on East Peak, his long hair fluttering in the wind, enjoying the gentle breeze and gazing at the distant sunset, when Senior Brother Chen’s voice suddenly echoed in his ear.
“Junior Brother, you’re thinking about when Junior Sister Xu will emerge from seclusion, aren’t you?” Senior Brother Chen smiled as he looked at Meng Hao.
“Hmm?” Hearing Senior Brother Chen ask such a strange question, Meng Hao was startled.
“Junior Brother, don’t be shy. Junior Sister Xu Qing is naturally beautiful; it’s only natural for you to secretly admire her,” Senior Brother Chen Fan said with a smile, his eyes showing a hint of teasing.
He had a detached and easygoing personality, making him very easy to get along with, and he was very impressed with Meng Hao. After interacting with him, he immediately accepted Meng Hao as his Junior Brother.
“Xu Qing? Cough, cough, no, no, Junior Brother doesn’t… Oh right, Senior Brother, what did you say comes after a cultivator reaches the Great Perfection of Qi Condensation?” Meng Hao coughed, then quickly changed the subject.
“After Qi Condensation is Foundation Establishment. Only by shedding one’s mortal body can one be called a Spirit Cultivator, also known as a cultivator.” Senior Brother Chen Fan shook his head and smiled at Meng Hao. No longer teasing, he replied, “Establishing the spiritual foundation, within the dantian lake, nine Dao platforms emerge. The platforms’ myriad rays of light spread throughout the entire body—that is Foundation Establishment.
“And Foundation Establishment also differs. Based on different cultivation techniques, the Dao platforms condense, divided into Nine-Tier Flawless Foundation Establishment, Eighteen-Tier Imperfect Foundation Establishment, and Shattered Foundation Establishment with more than eighteen fissures. Among them, Flawless is the best, Imperfect is good, and Shattered is extensive.
“My Reliance Sect once possessed a Flawless Foundation Establishment cultivation technique; it was something that Patriarch Reliance obtained back then. And it was precisely with this cultivation technique that he was able to achieve a resounding reputation in the State of Zhao, spreading throughout the Southern Domain. Unfortunately, when the Patriarch departed, it was lost.” Chen Fan didn’t mind the trouble and explained in extremely meticulous detail.
His personality was naturally like that; Meng Hao was already used to it.
“After Foundation Establishment is the Grand Dao of Core Formation. Our Sect Leader is currently at this realm. After that is Nascent Soul, which grants eternal existence, like an earthly immortal.”
“So, after Nascent Soul?” At this moment, Meng Hao listened intently, his heart filled with yearning.
– After Nascent Soul is Spirit Severing.
Like Patriarch Kao Shan back then, he was precisely at this realm. Unfortunately, this realm is extremely difficult, a path on the razor's edge between life and death. One must sever several times in their life to truly succeed. That year, Patriarch Kao Shan went into secluded cultivation, and to this day, he has not returned.
Chen Fan said softly, his eyes, though calm, revealed a stubborn persistence towards cultivation.
– I wonder if I, Meng Hao, will ever reach the Spirit Severing realm! And what comes after Spirit Severing?
Meng Hao murmured.
– The realm after Spirit Severing is too high; I don't know the specifics either. Perhaps one must reach the great sects of this Southern Domain to learn a thing or two, but no matter what, it's all for the sake of becoming an Immortal.
Chen Fan replied.
– Become an Immortal?
– Yes! Become an Immortal.
The mountain wind blew, sweeping over the mountaintop, tousling the long hair of the two senior and junior brothers, and carrying their words further and further away.
– Junior Brother, if you go out to temper yourself in the future, you cannot limit yourself to this State of Zhao. You should know that the State of Zhao is merely a small, remote state in the Southern Domain of the Southern Reaches, where spiritual energy is not abundant and cultivators are not numerous.
Chen Fan turned his head to look at Meng Hao and said gently.
– The Southern Domain, that is the true Cultivation World. Though it's a place where the strong prey on the weak, extremely cruel, it also represents the pinnacle of the southern part of these Southern Reaches, where heroes rise and heavenly talents are most numerous. Compared to that place, our State of Zhao is far too peaceful. Cultivators of our generation must tread over mountains, cultivators of our generation must step over bones.
A strange light flickered in Chen Fan's eyes; these words seemed not to be spoken to Meng Hao, but to himself.
Meng Hao's mind trembled; these words seemed to awaken him from his daze, for it was the first time someone had spoken so clearly to him.
In this instant, a vast map seemed to unfold in Meng Hao's mind, on which lay the Eastern Lands of the Great Tang and the heroes of the Southern Domain.
– Stepping onto the path of cultivation is like leaving the mortal world; from now on, you are no longer a mortal. Cultivators inherently walk against the heavens; if you are not strong, you have no right to survive. If you are not strong, you have no right to cultivate; if you are not strong, you have no right to live; you can only let others slaughter you. Such a life, are you willing to accept it?
Chen Fan looked at Meng Hao and said slowly.
Each word poured into Meng Hao's ears and settled into his heart.
Meng Hao's eyes were unfocused as he silently pondered.
– I am a scholar from Cloud Jie Cave. My parents disappeared when I was young. My former dream was merely to become wealthy, not to live a life of hardship. I just wanted to have money and then travel to the Eastern Lands of the Great Tang.
The chilly night wind ruffled his hair. At this moment, Meng Hao was contemplating his life, just as he had climbed Mount Daqing that year, pondering his future path.
Time slowly passed. Chen Fan had left at some unknown point. Meng Hao was his junior brother, and although he had just entered the inner sect, as his senior brother, Chen Fan certainly had the duty to help Meng Hao understand what cultivation truly was, what 'no progress means retreat' meant, and what the 'you die, I live' path of cultivation entailed. Because once one enters the inner sect, it signifies that one's life has already taken half a step into the threshold of the Cultivation World, and that remaining half-step is Foundation Establishment.