A sage master under the pine tree imparted the Dao and taught longevity.

At 3:45 AM, Shen Mo opened his eyes from his bed.

Before dawn, the snow reflected off the paper, bathing the room in a pure white light.

He put on his coat, got up, and pushed open the door. A blast of cold air hit him, making him shiver slightly.

This was his sixtieth morning spent in the newly built Songjian Gate.

Two months ago, the sect was completed on the mountain that Chen Chuan named Wansong Peak.

Shen Mo stepped out of the courtyard gate and walked slowly along the mountain path paved with bluestone.

The newly built Songjian Gate has a completely different atmosphere from before.

The mountain gate, built of bluish-gray rock, stands about two zhang high and majestically in front of the plateau on the mountainside.

Behind the gate is a spacious training ground paved with bluestone. Behind the training ground, the main hall sits in the center, facing south, with flying eaves and brackets, exuding a solemn aura.

The main hall enshrines the ancestral tablets, and on the left and right sides of the main hall, there are rows of side rooms, with blue tiles and white walls, simple and orderly.

There is another independent alchemy room on the east side, and a scripture pavilion on the west side. It has two floors and is not very large, but it is already quite large.

The entire sect was built along the mountainside, with green pines and cypresses nestled among it, layer upon layer, arranged in a harmonious and orderly manner.

Shen Mo's gaze fell on the corner on the east side of the martial arts arena.

There stands a vigorous ancient pine tree.

It is the same tree that used to grow by the Tingsong Valley Stream.

On the day of the transplant, Master Chen Chuan personally supervised the work, applying spiritual medicine to the roots and protecting the plant with talismans. He also sent dozens of villagers to carefully drag the plant with rolling logs and ropes. It took three whole days to move it to this location.

Shen Mo crunched through the snow as he walked to the pine tree.

Brush the snow off the stone, sit cross-legged, clasp your hands in the Qingyuan Mudra, straighten your back, lower your eyes slightly, and press your tongue against the upper palate.

Inhale.

Exhale.

He practiced breathing exercises repeatedly, following the methods of the "Qingyuan Yanglun Jing".

At first, one could feel a cool breeze moving around in the nostrils, but whenever one tried to guide it into the dantian, the breeze would disappear without a trace, like an eel.

Come again.

He gritted his teeth and entered a meditative state again.

Another incense stick has burned out.

The dantian remained empty.

Another incense stick.

Sweat beaded on his forehead, and when the cold air hit him, it condensed into a thin layer of frost.

Another half hour passed.

Shen Mo finally opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath.

He raised his head and looked up at the sky.

It's snowing heavily.

Snowflakes, as fine as goose feathers, fell densely, filling the space between heaven and earth.

Shen Mo frowned.

eccentric.

That's really strange.

According to the solar terms of previous years, the beginning of spring would have already passed by now, and at most it would be just a lingering chill in the air. How could there be such heavy snow?

He stretched out his palm and caught a snowflake.

The snow shows no sign of stopping.

The primordial energy between heaven and earth is naturally pitifully thin.

No wonder he had been practicing diligently for months, yet his cultivation of the embryonic breathing realm remained stuck at the threshold of the second stage. It wasn't that he was slacking off; it was simply that the timing wasn't right.

Lost in thought, I heard the sound of footsteps on snow behind me.

"Junior Brother Qingxuan."

Shen Mo turned around and saw Xiao Jin wearing a cloak, walking slowly through the snow.

"Senior Brother Xiao." Shen Mo stood up and bowed.

Xiao Jin walked closer, his gaze sweeping over the man's face, then looking at the shallow marks left on the bluestone, and understood.

"Still no progress?"

Shen Mo responded sullenly, and couldn't help but say, "Senior brother, it's been snowing for almost two months, and the azure energy in the world is pitifully thin. I meditate every day, and at most I can only sense a wisp or two, which dissipates before I can even draw it into my dantian."

Xiao Jin remained silent for a moment, then looked up at the snow falling all around him.

"The timing is indeed unusual."

The two stood silently side by side under the pine tree, watching the snow falling all around them.

A moment later, Shen Mo suddenly remembered something and asked, "Senior brother, you went with Master to the border to build fortified villages a few days ago. Is it finished yet?"

Xiao Jin nodded and said, "It was all completed the day before yesterday."

He raised his hand and pointed southeast: "Along the border between Dahuang Mountain and the Jin Kingdom, a total of sixty-two fortified villages were built, one every twenty li, all located in strategic locations."

He withdrew his hand and continued, "Once there is an alarm, all we need to do is light some wolf dung, and the entire sect will know immediately."

"Master's thinking is truly thorough," Shen Mo sighed sincerely.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from the other end of the mountain path.

The two looked in the direction of the sound and saw the stone ox, wearing a raincoat, panting as it hurried towards them through the snow.

Although he had already practiced the method of fetal breathing and chakra cultivation, his aptitude was mediocre, and he had only just entered the first stage of fetal breathing. Traveling in this heavy snow was still quite strenuous for him.

"Senior Brother Xiao! Junior Brother Shen!" Shi Niu called out from afar.

Xiao Jin's brows twitched slightly as he stepped forward to greet Shi Niu: "Shi Niu, what brings you in such a hurry?"

As Shi Niu approached, he didn't even bother to brush the snow off his raincoat. He cupped his hands and said, "Senior Brother Xiao, I've come to ask for grain."

"Begging for grain?"

"Yes."

Shi Niu spoke urgently: "Over the past month, disaster victims have been pouring into the Dahuang Mountain area from the south. In Qingxi Town alone, no less than a thousand people have been taken in. The situation in the other four towns is similar. The town chiefs have been sending people to urge us on, saying that the granaries are becoming increasingly empty. If this continues, even the food supply for the villagers in our town will become a problem."

Xiao Jin frowned.

Shen Mo listened from the side, his heart sinking as well.

"What did Master say?" Xiao Jin asked.

Shi Niu said with a bitter face, "The sect leader said that we don't have much food left, so we have to use it sparingly. He told me to pass on a message to the heads of each town and village that among the disaster victims, only the families of those with spiritual roots, as well as those craftsmen, doctors, blacksmiths and the like, should be kept. The rest... can only be given some dry food and travel expenses and sent north to seek refuge in the prefectures and counties in the interior of Qian Kingdom."

Xiao Jin remained silent.

This method, though cruel, is a last resort.

Songjianmen was not a charitable institution, and the five towns could not support the continuous influx of disaster victims.

Just as he was about to speak, Shi Niu added, "By the way, according to those disaster victims, most of them fled from the Jin Kingdom."

Jin Dynasty.

Xiao Jin's heart stirred.

"The Jin Dynasty?" he asked, his voice lower than before. "Do you know why they fled?"

Shi Niu shook his head and said, "I didn't have time to ask about the specific reasons. I only heard the village chief mention that the Jin Kingdom suffered from war and heavy snow, resulting in widespread famine and death. The people couldn't survive, so they fled south in groups."

Xiao Jin asked no more questions.

He stood with his hands behind his back, remaining silent for a long time.

Shen Mo secretly glanced at his senior brother's profile and saw that there seemed to be an expression on that usually calm face that he couldn't understand.

He suddenly remembered that his master had never explained Xiao Jin's background in detail, and Xiao Jin himself never mentioned it either.

But at this moment, looking at Xiao Jin's reaction, he vaguely guessed what was going on.

"Senior brother..." Shen Mo called out tentatively.

Xiao Jin withdrew his gaze, his expression returning to normal.

He turned to the stone ox and said in a deep voice, "As for the grain, do as Master says."

Also, after you return, have your men keep a close eye on the refugees from the Jin Kingdom. If anyone finds out...

He paused, as if considering his words, "If anyone knows about the situation in the Jin Kingdom, especially the movements among cultivators, please record it and report it to me."

Although Shi Niu didn't understand why Xiao Jin was so concerned about the affairs of the Jin Kingdom, he didn't ask any further questions and simply nodded in agreement: "Don't worry, Senior Brother Xiao, I've got it."

After saying this, he cupped his hands in greeting to the two men, turned around, and hurried down the mountain, stepping through the snow.

Shen Mo watched the stone ox's figure disappear into the snow, then turned to look at Xiao Jin.

Xiao Jin remained standing under the pine tree, snowflakes falling on his shoulders.

"Senior brother."

Shen Mo whispered, "You...could you also be a Jin person?"

Xiao Jin did not answer.

After a long while, he finally looked away and glanced down at Shen Mo.

"Go cultivate," Xiao Jin said calmly.