Translator: AnubisTL
Who was Zhao Kou?
He was a junior member Li Qing had met in the Righteous Gang, who later became the founder of the vital energy martial dao. The vital energy martial dao practiced throughout the World of Eternal Night today is based on the martial dao he developed.
In the days that followed, Li Qing stayed in Bright King Valley, telling the beggar boy Hua Huai Ren stories about Zhao Kou's deeds.
After hearing these tales, Hua Huai Ren wiped away tears, sobbing uncontrollably.
Yet he retained no memory of the stories Li Qing told him, only feeling deeply moved.
"Are they merely similar flowers, or is there truth to reincarnation? The answer remains elusive," Li Qing murmured to himself, abandoning his pursuit of these questions.
Old Man Hua, who had been closely observing the situation, approached Li Qing with a hint of anxiety, asking about his intentions.
"Fellow Daoist Hua, there's no need to worry. I simply noticed Huai Ren bears a striking resemblance to an old friend I knew long ago, even in his childhood appearance."
"At first glance, I even questioned the existence of reincarnation. But now I realize I was fixated on appearances. Let's just consider them two similar flowers."
Li Qing shook his head, explaining that he had no intention of delving further into such ethereal matters. Even if reincarnation were real, what difference would it make?
Despite being a divine transformation great power in the human realm, such matters remained infinitely distant. How could one possibly comprehend them without truly attaining the Dao and becoming an immortal?
"I see," Old Man Hua said, understanding dawning on his face. "With our cultivators' immeasurably long lifespans, it's only natural to encounter people with similar appearances." He then asked with concern, "Senior Limitless, have you found a promising disciple? The Hua lineage has indeed declined in recent years, and our descendants' aptitude for cultivating the Dao pales in comparison to the other four lineages."
Hearing this, Li Qing chuckled softly. "Yes, I plan to take Huai Ren as my disciple," he said. "The only question is whether he'll accept."
"Senior Limitless, you jest!" Old Man Hua exclaimed, his voice filled with delight. "To be chosen by you is a blessing Huai Ren earned in his previous life. How could he possibly refuse?"
To forge even a slight connection with a divine transformation great power was an opportunity beyond measure!
A blessing earned in his previous life? Li Qing thought with a wry smile. Isn't that just how it is?
He shook his head and chuckled again, but said nothing more.
Together with Old Man Hua, Li Qing found Hua Huai Ren and directly stated his intention to take him as his disciple.
"Become your disciple? Senior Limitless, do you mean you'll teach me cultivation?" Hua Huai Ren's eyes lit up. Over the past few days, he had come to realize just how powerful Senior Limitless wasβno one in Bright King Valley could even compare to him.
"Indeed," Li Qing replied. "Would you be willing to become my disciple and cultivate with me?"
Hua Huai Ren was about to agree immediately, but he frowned and asked, "Senior Limitless, if I become your disciple, would I have to leave Bright King Valley with you?"
Old Man Hua answered for him: "Of course! Senior Limitless is the ancestor of a powerful immortal sect. If you go with him, you can join that sect and become incredibly strong yourself."
Hearing that he would have to leave Bright King Valley, Hua Huai Ren wrinkled his nose, his face showing clear reluctance. He puffed out his cheeks and said, "But I don't want to leave Bright King Valley! I don't want to be separated from my parents."
Li Qing was momentarily stunned by the child's simple, innocent words.
He's right, Li Qing thought. If he stays in Bright King Valley, he can continue enjoying the warmth of family life. I hadn't considered that.
Old Man Hua, growing impatient, snapped, "You foolish boy! Once your cultivation is strong enough, you can return to Bright King Valley whenever you please!"
"Cultivating with Senior Limitless is a blessing you couldn't earn in eight lifetimes."
Rebuked by his great-grandfather, Hua Huai Ren lowered his head, stubbornly refusing to agree.
Seeing this, Li Qing smiled and proposed, "How about this? I'll accept you as a registered disciple for now. I'll stay in Bright King Valley for a while to guide you. What do you think?"
Hua Huai Ren's eyes lit up at the prospect of staying. He nodded eagerly, declaring his willingness.
Old Man Hua looked slightly apprehensive. "Senior Limitless, you really don't need to go to such lengths for this child."
"It's no trouble," Li Qing replied. "I have no pressing matters at the moment. Staying for a while won't be a problem. Or is Bright King Valley lacking a place for me to stay?"
Old Man Hua waved his hands frantically. "Of course not! Senior Limitless, your willingness to stay brings great honor to Bright King Valley!"
And so, Li Qing settled temporarily in Bright King Valley, a place blessed with a fifth-tier spirit vein. His cave abode was arranged in the area with the densest spiritual energy.
The news spread like wildfire, filling the other four branches of Bright King Valley with envy. They knew the Hua lineage was destined for greatness, having forged a connection with a great power in the divine transformation realm.
In the days that followed, Li Qing began instructing his newly accepted registered disciple.
Hua Huai Ren was only seven years old, his cultivation barely at the second layer of Qi Refining.
At this age, his innate aptitude was still developing, making it the perfect time to lay the foundation for his Dao cultivation. It was unwise to use mana-enhancing pills to force rapid progress, as such methods could stunt his growth.
Moreover, within this fifth-tier spirit vein, simply focusing on cultivating his Qi Refining technique would yield astonishingly rapid progress.
However, due to his young age and fondness for play, Huai Ren rarely concentrated on the tedious and uninteresting practice of cultivation, resulting in a meager level of cultivation.
The five branches of Bright King Valley generally took a lenient approach to this. With no immediate crises or external enemies, and minimal internal competition, they allowed the children to develop naturally.
As the children grew older and grasped the importance of cultivation, they would naturally turn their attention to practice. By then, it wouldn't be too late.
Bright King Valley was a vast and ancient sect with a long and illustrious inheritance, fully capable of providing its children with a complete and fulfilling childhood.
"Huai Ren greets Master!"
Accepting the offered spirit tea, Li Qing took a small sip and nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Rise. From today onward, you shall be my sixth registered disciple."
Counting the four disciples from the World of Eternal Night and Li Yuhuan from the Lingyun Sect, Hua Huai Ren became Li Qing's sixth disciple.
After a brief and simple initiation ceremony, Li Qing carefully examined the child's innate aptitude and potential for cultivating the Dao.
The child's aptitude for cultivating the Dao was unremarkable, lacking any special spirit body or dao physique. His spiritual root was identical to Li Qing's ownβa quadruple spirit root, missing only the element of earth.
However, his aptitude for the martial dao was quite promising. His qi and blood were abundant and vigorous, and his tendons and bones were supple with potential. Perhaps due to years spent in a spiritually rich environment, his body was remarkably pure, as if it had undergone marrow cleansing.
"From today onward, you will cultivate here for three hours each day. Return home after dusk."
Though reluctant to sacrifice so much playtime with his companions, Hua Huai Ren readily agreed.
"This disciple obeys!"
Seeing Hua Huai Ren's earnest response, Li Qing smiled and asked, "Have you considered which cultivation technique you wish to specialize in?"
"Like your master, I specialize in the fire dao, excelling in fire-based combat and artifact refinement."
As he spoke, Li Qing conjured a small flame at his fingertip, which quickly vanished.
Hua Huai Ren gazed at the display with longing before declaring firmly, "My father told me that the Immeasurable Bright King Art of Bright King Valley is one of the world's supreme cultivation techniques. I want to cultivate it!"
Li Qing chuckled softly, finding the boy's ambition both amusing and impossible. The Immeasurable Bright King Art was the clan-guarding technique of Bright King Valley, naturally inaccessible to outsiders. As an outsider himself, Li Qing had no right to even glimpse it.
Now that Hua Huai Ren had become his disciple, the boy's chances of mastering this supreme-grade cultivation art had likely vanished.
(End of the Chapter)
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