Don't farm, cultivate immortality!

For her, staying happily at home with her parents, playing until she grows up, and then finding a good husband to marry into is a very good choice.

Learning swordsmanship might not be a good thing for her.

Whether it's good or bad is not something that anyone other than her can decide.

The meaning of life lies in living it the way you like.

Zhuang Xing has already given her the sword manual. From now on, whether she picks up the sword manual and practices swordsmanship day after day, or whether she gets tired of swordsmanship one day, is up to her.

"Father, Mother, Sister, I'm leaving!"

Zhuang Xing, leading his horse and having changed into his Taoist robes, stood in front of the courtyard gate and waved.

Yunling was beside him, and bamboo shoots were sprouting from the soil, while tender buds were emerging from the branches of withered trees.

"Brother and sister, take care!" Zhuang Ming waved enthusiastically, watching the two people disappear into the distance with her parents.

Winter goes and spring comes; the sun rises and sets.

In this courtyard, there wasn't a single person taller than her, holding her hand and leading her out.

She picked up the sword manual and the wooden sword. Although she couldn't read the words, she followed the little figures drawn on the manual and practiced each move in the courtyard by herself.

After getting up in the morning, she practiced chopping; after lunch, she practiced stabbing and picking.

She remembered the way her brother taught her to practice swordsmanship in the snow, and the feeling of him lifting her arm.

Although she was still clumsy, she persevered in practicing swordsmanship under the shade of the bamboo forest.

She still wanted to become as capable as her brother.

...

Chapter 302 Conversation

Spring Equinox in the second year of Yuankang.

The spring rain fell softly, and amidst the drizzling rain, thunder rumbled.

Zhuang Xing had been back on the mountain for some time. He sat cross-legged under the eaves of the courtyard surrounded by earth-hidden vines, on a blue stone brought from the mountains, closed his eyes and practiced the Dragon Breath Technique.

Beside me were cucumber vines supported by withered bamboo poles, raindrops fell in front of me, a clap of thunder flashed across the sky, and the rain fell on the roof tiles, gathering into a trickle.

Several pandas used him as a climbing frame, hanging on his shoulders, legs, and head.

This was his request; he needed to practice the Dragon Breath Technique in a place full of distractions. After returning from the foot of the mountain, he focused even more intently on his practice, without any distractions.

After that night, he made a breakthrough in his state of mind and entered a new realm. Even if pandas were playing around, he could still circulate the Dragon Breath Technique without any hindrance. He went from the beginner level to the minor completion level. The total amount of true qi increased slowly but constantly, like water dripping into a pool.

He had been cultivating here for a whole day, and Yan Huai'an sat to the side, staring blankly at him.

Zhuang Xing slowly exhaled and opened his eyes.

When the little bears saw that he had woken up, they all jumped off him.

He stretched his limbs, saw Yan Huai'an beside him, and noticed that the incense stick in the hand warmer had burned out. He then said softly, "Sister Yan, I'll be going out now."

"Hmm." Yan Huai'an stood up and handed him a straw hat and a raincoat.

"When will you return, Your Majesty?" the panda asked.

"I'll be back before dinner." Zhuang Xing smiled, put on his raincoat and straw hat.

"What are we having for dinner tonight?"

"Have some pancakes, I haven't had any for days."

Zhuang Xing waved and stepped into the rain and mist.

He went straight to Qiluzhai, where the old Taoist priest asked him to meet him in the dining hall.

The bluestone path was a bit slippery, and many of the stones were covered with moss. This dark green moss loves the warm and humid season like spring, and it grows wildly. If you are not careful, it is easy to slip and fall.

Especially now that it has rained, the stone slabs are slippery as if they have been oiled.

But Zhuang Xing's steps were steady, and this did not affect him at all.

He arrived at the entrance of Qiluzhai. Some disciples hurriedly left in the rain. These were disciples who had just finished their talisman lessons. Before he arrived, the old Taoist priest was still inside the hall giving a sermon to his disciples.

He pushed open the door and saw the old Taoist priest tidying up bamboo slips and talismans.

"You've arrived, just in time. Help me tidy up," the old Taoist priest said with a smile.

Zhuang Xing then stepped forward and helped him pick up the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

"Master, where should we put these things?"

"Come with me, let's take it upstairs."

Zhuang Xing followed the old Taoist priest up to the second floor of Qiluzhai.

"Just put it on the table."

The old Taoist priest made a hand seal, and a thin purple flame flew from his fingertips, igniting a small square bronze stove on the table. There was charcoal in the pot, and a faint smell of charcoal wafted out. A teapot with a spout was placed on the bronze stove. In the time it took Zhuang Xing to put things down, the teapot was already making a whirring sound.

The old Taoist priest lifted the teapot, gently blew on it, and extinguished the leaping purple flame.

"Sit down." The old Taoist priest poured two cups of tea.

Zhuang Xing sat down opposite the old Taoist priest, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and quietly waited for the old Taoist priest's reply.

“I have already discussed what you said with the elders,” the old Taoist said. “You are now a disciple of the Red Harvest Sect and can stand on your own. I think your decision does not need us elders to say anything more.”

“Master, please speak freely,” Zhuang Xing said. “Over the years, I have received much care in the sect. Although I have requested to leave, I think the elders may still want me to stay. If there is anything I can do, please tell me.”

"You're quite the straightforward child," the old Taoist smiled. "Alright, I won't beat around the bush with you then, but before I begin, I still have to ask you one question: are you really determined to go?"

"I'm going," Zhuang Xing nodded.

"Is there anything about Xuanqing Temple that you dislike?" The old Taoist's smile vanished, and he simply stared at him.

“No,” Zhuang Xing said. “I really like it here. Xuanqing Temple is like my second home. To be honest, when I first got into that carriage covered with straw, I was thinking, ‘Will this be a sect that constantly exploits me and makes me work, just like my father used to work as a farmhand, working until late at night every day?’”

"But before I even reached the foot of the mountain, I knew I was wrong. This is a good place. If I had to spend the rest of my life here, I think I would be willing."

"Then why are you leaving?" the old Taoist priest asked.

"Because I want to go out and see the world." Zhuang Xing exchanged glances with the old Taoist priest.

“You and that boy Song Yu are exactly alike.” The old Taoist shook his head and smiled with relief. “But you are a little better than him. At least you ran away without saying anything.”

The old Taoist priest took a sip of tea, his wrinkled face revealing no emotion.

“Child, I am old now.” The old Taoist priest said, “When I got to this age, I realized that there are many things that cannot be taken with you. It’s good to go out and see more of the world. But to be honest, I don’t want you to leave. But since you have made your decision, it is fate. As you grow older, I knew this day would come. This place is too small to keep you here.”

“If you want to leave, I won’t force you to stay, but most of the elders don’t agree with your trip. If you really want to leave, you need to settle your accounts first.”

"Master, please speak." Zhuang Xing knew it wouldn't be that simple and had already prepared himself.

"You have been in the sect for nine years, learning swordsmanship and magic from the sect. Your masters have spent a lot of effort teaching you, and you have lived up to their expectations, becoming a disciple of the Red Spine Sect at such a young age," the old Taoist said. "But one thing is one thing. It is our duty to teach you these methods while you stay in the sect. If you want to leave, we cannot destroy your meridians or make you forget what you have learned."

"According to the elders, you must settle all the things you have learned and mastered over the years," the old Taoist said. "Besides, it's not just you who is leaving; Yunling is going too. You know that Yunling is studying under Master Yuanyan, and that medicinal herb field should have been managed by her."

"With the departure of the two of you, all the effort we've put into nurturing you over the years will have been wasted. So, I can't make decisions on these matters on my own. To make up for the sect's losses, you'll have to come up with some ways to compensate for them."

"Disciple understands," Zhuang Xing said. "Then how should we make amends?"

"This matter is still under discussion," the old Taoist said. "Although I have no intention of keeping you here, it depends on what the elders think. There won't be a result for a while. You have to be prepared that this is by no means easy. I advise you to sneak down the mountain under the cover of night; it will be easier."

Chapter 303 Leaping Over the Dragon Gate

“Master, please don’t joke like that. If I really ran away secretly, I would have no face to come back.” Zhuang Xing said, “No matter what the elders ask of me, I will definitely find a way to fulfill it.”

Be a teacher for one day, and be a father for life.

Zhuang Xing learned a lot at Xuanqing Temple, not only in the arts of talismans and magic, but also in the sword he was using, which was forged by Master Wu of the Sword Forging Hall.

Finding a master forger with such outstanding skills elsewhere is no easy task, and even if you do find one, commissioning him to create a sword tailored to your specifications is not something that can be done with just a few coins.

He received so much care in the temple. One should be clear about gratitude and resentment, and repay both kindness and wrongdoing.

He wouldn't leave silently without a word; even if he were to leave, he would make up for all the debts he had owed over the years. This was his principle in life.

"Aren't you afraid we'll deliberately make things difficult for you if you say that?" the old Taoist priest asked.

“If Xuanqing Temple were truly a place that deliberately makes things difficult for people, then I wouldn’t be sitting here discussing this with my master,” Zhuang Xing said.

"You child, you have a way of speaking." The old Taoist laughed. "Even if we don't make things difficult for you, this matter is probably not something you can get away with by just fooling around. Although this matter has not yet been resolved, you should know that you and Yunling are the two most outstanding people among the younger generation."

“Our Taoist sect only goes down the mountain to recruit disciples once every ten years. Sometimes we only recruit a dozen or so, and sometimes we can bring twenty or thirty people up the mountain. In addition, when we go down the mountain to exorcise demons, we may meet some people with good fortune or people who come to the temple to study. In about ten years, we can add forty or fifty people.”

"Currently, I have a total of 267 disciples: 12 Purple Spike Elders, 26 Black Spike Disciples, 53 Red Spike Disciples, and the rest are Blue Spike and White Spike Disciples. The only ones who can become Red Spike Disciples at the age of ten are you two. In addition, the youngest Red Spike Disciples are all over twenty years old, and the Black Spike Disciples are all over forty years old."

"Although you two are only losing two disciples of the Red Harvest Sect, the elders are certain that you will be able to take over the elder positions in the future. I, the old Daoist, am even more convinced that you can follow the ancestral teachings of our founder, accept the sword intent, and assume the position of sect leader."

"So for now you are just Akako, but if you really want to leave, I'm afraid we'll have to settle accounts with you according to the standards for elders."

"Master, what do you mean?" Zhuang Xing listened intently.

He sensed from the old Taoist priest that the man already had some plans.

"You specialize in swordsmanship, which is offensive, while I specialize in fire magic, which is also offensive. And for an attacker, the most important task is naturally to deal with powerful enemies," the old Taoist said calmly. "In recent years, the weather has become freezing cold, and monsters have become restless. There are often demonic disasters in various places. Ordinary small demons are fine; our disciples can eliminate them. But if we encounter a powerful demon like the human-tiger demon from thirteen years ago, the younger generation is helpless and can only let us old men step in."

“Now that we old men are still here, we can still step forward and hold things up. If you stay, in ten years, even if we are gone first, I believe you will be able to take up the mantle. Even if you can’t, your senior brothers and sisters will still have the strength to fight. Don’t blame me for having too high expectations for you. You are indeed exceptionally talented. If you can stay in the temple, you will surely ensure the prosperity of our Taoist sect for many years.”

“But once you leave, even though your senior brothers and sisters are all studying hard, it is difficult for any of them to match your talent.”

"So... if you can come up with a way to fill this gap, the elders will be speechless."

“However, you are still just a young man, this is a bit too much for you,” the old Taoist said. “I will discuss this further with the elders. You only need to…”

“Master, I understand.” Zhuang Xing interrupted the old Taoist’s next words. “Since this mess was left behind because I left, I will definitely mend it.”

The old Taoist priest was stunned for a moment, seemingly not expecting him to make such a boast at such a young age.

Do you know how difficult this is?

“No matter how difficult it is, it’s what I should do,” Zhuang Xing said. “If I couldn’t do it, I shouldn’t have come down the mountain, let alone gone out to sea.”

"..." The old Taoist priest was silent for a moment, then smiled and looked at him with narrowed eyes, "Child, the more you say that, the less I want you to leave."

"I will try my best to make Master willingly let me go," Zhuang Xing replied.

"If only Song Yu could be like you." The old Taoist blew on the steam from his teacup and sipped his tea. "Since you say so, I will relay your words to the elders verbatim."