I planted the spiritual roots for my people, and they bestowed upon me a body inscribed with incense

As Li Yuan grew older, Li Daqiang began to worry about his marriage. Li Yuan was now fifteen years old, and if he still couldn't find a wife in a few years, he would definitely be ridiculed by the villagers.

Unfortunately, when Li Yuan fell into the river last time, Li Daqiang spent a lot of money to pull him out. As a result, the Li family's savings were depleted by Li Yuan, and they also incurred a lot of debt.

Li Daqiang can only go up the mountain to hunt every day and sell his prey in town. It took him more than two years to pay off most of his debts, leaving only some small, scattered debts in the village.

Originally, Li Daqiang disagreed with Li Yuan going hunting in the mountains, but after Li Yuan's persistent pleading and his years of physical training, Li Daqiang reluctantly agreed to Li Yuan's request.

Three days after Li Yuan's fifteenth birthday, Li Daqiang, carrying a machete, took Li Yuan and headed towards Daheng Mountain, a hundred miles away from the small fishing village.

This Daheng Mountain is a dangerous mountain that spans the entire Daqing Dynasty. Legend has it that it is inhabited by many mountain spirits and monsters, and hunters have even discovered giant snakes that are hundreds of meters long deep in Daheng Mountain.

Li Yuan had no doubts about this, after all, he himself could travel through time, so it was not surprising that there were spirits and monsters around.

The journey was over a hundred miles long, but because they set off late, Li Daqiang only led Li Yuan for about eighty miles before it gradually got dark.

Seeing that it was getting dark, Li Daqiang led Li Yuan to a temple to rest for the night, preparing to continue their journey up the mountain the next morning.

Although he claimed to be hunting, Li Daqiang only dared to attack small animals. As for more powerful animals like black bears and tigers, he would avoid them whenever he saw them.

Of course, Li Daqiang's purpose was not necessarily to hunt. If he could gather some precious medicinal herbs, he could sell them for a lot of money.

Soon, Li Daqiang and Li Yuan stopped at the temple. Li Yuan glanced at his father beside him and couldn't help but speak to Li Daqiang:

"Father, what did you do for a living before?"

Upon hearing this, Li Daqiang shook his head and laughed:

"You little rascal, of course we're hunting! Otherwise, with three mouths to feed and those few acres of barren land, wouldn't we starve to death?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan then spoke earnestly:

"Father, am I referring to before you married my mother?"

Upon hearing this, Li Daqiang was stunned for a moment, then looked at Li Yuan and said:

"Why are you asking this? Eat your food and get some rest; we have to travel tomorrow..."

After saying that, Li Daqiang took a sesame seed cake out of his bundle and tossed it to Li Yuan.

Li Yuan took the sesame seed cake, took a bite, and then said:

"Father, you don't need to hide it anymore. I've grown up. The other hunters in the village are already out of place with you. Besides, knowing so many secrets, how could you possibly be an ordinary hunter?"

Upon hearing this, Li Daqiang froze on the spot. After a while, he looked up at Li Yuan, who was speaking casually.

"You little rascal, you've grown up and are just as smart as your dad." As he spoke, Li Daqiang took out an incense stick from his package and began to offer prayers.

While offering prayers, Li Daqiang spoke:

"From now on, whenever you enter a wild temple, burn incense if there is any, and if there is no incense, pray sincerely. We hunters travel through the mountains all year round, so we must have the most basic sense of awe."

Seeing this, Li Yuan readily agreed and then said:

"Understood, Father," Li Yuan said, mimicking Li Daqiang's gesture of respect before continuing:

"Now that the memorial service is over, Father, you can speak, right?"

Seeing that Li Daqiang was willing to speak, Li Yuan jumped to Li Daqiang's side, sat down, and grinned foolishly at him.

Li Daqiang shook his head, then turned to Li Yuan with a serious expression and said:

"You're all grown up now, it's okay to tell you these things."

"However, what your father told you today, you must not mention to your mother..."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan straightened his posture.

Seeing this, Li Daqiang immediately spoke up:

"Your father was originally a member of the Vajra Sect on the border between the Great Qing Kingdom and the Great Wei Dynasty."

Twenty years ago, the Vajra Sect accidentally found a tomb, thinking it was just the tomb of an ordinary martial artist, but little did they know that it was actually the dojo of an ancient Foundation Establishment Immortal.

Ultimately, it was spies from other sects within my Vajra Sect who leaked the news, causing what was meant to be the rise of my Vajra Sect to become the very thing that led to its annihilation.

From then on, the once-prosperous Vajra Sect was wiped out by the Great Qing Kingdom. Two of our Vajra Sect's patriarchs who had cultivated to the Innate Realm, as well as some cultivators, died on the spot in the Vajra Sect.

It should be noted that even martial artists at the Innate Realm have a lifespan of 150 years, which is beyond the limits of mortals, yet they still died at the hands of the sage of the Great Qing Dynasty.

The Great Wei Dynasty, which was located nearby, received news that because part of the Vajra Sect's territory was within the Great Wei Kingdom, the fighting had become uncontrollable. It was said that in the end, an immortal intervened, and only then did the fierce battle come to an end.

As for me, I escaped because I was on a mission outside the Vajra Gate when it was attacked.

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan's gaze lingered on his father, realizing that his father had once been a martial artist.

Then Li Yuan asked:

"If that's the case, then Father must be a martial artist? What level has Father reached in his cultivation?"

Seeing Li Yuan's curious expression, Li Daqiang spoke up:

"Back then, your father had just entered the Vajra Sect. He only practiced one set of Vajra Fist Technique and one set of Vajra Leg Technique... Even now, he's still just a third-rate martial artist."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan's eyes lit up, and he immediately spoke:

"Father, when we return this time, please teach me the Vajra Fist and Vajra Leg Techniques... I also want to learn martial arts."

Upon hearing this, Li Daqiang pondered for a moment before speaking:

"These Vajra Leg Technique and Vajra Fist Technique are third-rate secret manuals. If you have talent, you might actually become a third-rate martial artist."

After saying that, Li Daqiang said seriously:

"However, unless absolutely necessary, you must not reveal the martial arts you have cultivated, otherwise it will only bring annihilation upon my Li family."

After hearing this, Li Yuan nodded heavily. Seeing that his father, Li Daqiang, agreed to let him learn martial arts, Li Yuan finished the sesame seed cake in his hand and then lay down next to a patch of thatch and gradually fell asleep.

After conducting some reconnaissance, Li Daqiang slowly fell asleep in the temple.

Unbeknownst to Li Yuan, shortly after he fell asleep, the three-colored bead in his mind flew out of his head.

Then, the three-colored bead floated above the temple, while wisps of golden faith energy emanated from the temple below, converging towards the three-colored bead.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in a picturesque place, an old man whose body seemed to have no flesh and blood, only a layer of skin, opened his eyes.

"That blind fool dares to steal the incense offerings of my Heavenly Dragon Buddha!"

He then waved his hand, trying to see the situation inside the temple, but no matter how he cast his spells, the mirror in the air in front of him only showed a dark gray area.

Upon seeing this, the skeletal cultivator frowned.

"Such a powerful being, how could he possibly be interested in the meager offerings of this Daoist?"

"Since your strength is so profound, I'll give you some more; it's no trouble to form a good relationship."

After speaking, the skeletal cultivator made several hand seals, corresponding to Li Yuan's side, and the sealed box inside the temple's statue was completely opened.

The moment it was opened, incense energy, three times stronger than before, flowed continuously into the three-colored beads in the air, until the faith energy inside the wooden box was completely absorbed by the beads.

This continued all night. The next day, Li Daqiang woke up first, and then woke up Li Yuan, who was sleeping soundly beside him.

After waking up, Li Yuan stretched his body and took out the sesame seed cakes from his bundle, intending to eat them before continuing his journey.

Just as Li Yuan was eating the sesame seed cake, he suddenly noticed that the three colors in his mind seemed to have changed.

The golden part of the three-colored bead was currently surrounded by twenty-four wisps of gas.