Master of Kaidan-Chapter 501

Jiang Ziya hesitated upon hearing Feng Xue say so, but considering that he had already been expelled from the mountain, and reflecting on his ideal of seeking immortality and the Dao, he ultimately accepted the gift with both hands respectfully.

Seeing this, Feng Xue took a Token inscribed with the character "Heaven" from her pocket and placed it on the table, saying to Jiang Ziya,

"With this Token, you can take up a position at the City God Temple in the north of the city, open a medical hall, and accumulate some experience. It’s also a good way to earn money and avoid the hardship of manual labor."

Although Jiang Ziya was not the old slicker who had been through the wringer for many years eight years later, he had lived 72 years without his life going to waste. Seeing the Token, he felt somewhat unworthy of it and, bowing deeply, said,

"What virtue or ability do I possess to deserve such generous favor from my senior?"

"It’s just a brief affection for talent, not willing to see a pearl covered in dust," said Feng Xue. With a flick of her robe, she transformed into a breeze and disappeared without a trace, along with the teahouse, the stove, and the bamboo forest.

Jiang Ziya looked around in a daze only to find himself still sitting before the stall, with no change to the number of baskets.

"Was it a dream?" Jiang Ziya attempted to laugh at himself, but looking down, he saw in his hand a scroll of books and a palm-sized Token.

"Could it be real?!" Jiang Ziya’s face flushed slightly, he immediately tucked the Token into his chest, and then opened the small booklet titled "Ganoderma Life Extension Method," reading it carefully.

After flipping through a few pages, Jiang Ziya felt slightly disappointed because the booklet was mostly about gathering medicinal herbs and taking medicine to prolong life, accompanied by some dissections of human bodily functions.

It was not widespread, but for an old man who had practiced Alchemy on Kunlun Mountain for decades, these contents were already well known to him. Still, thinking of the various mysterious actions demonstrated by the senior, he continued to read patiently.

However, as he turned the pages, his movements gradually slowed, and the initial contempt on his face was replaced by seriousness. With a deeper probe, the medical theory that he had taken for granted began to take on unfamiliar shapes. What was initially a discussion on acupuncture meridians, after just a few sentences, became about unlocking human potential, including many aspects that, in Jiang Ziya’s eyes, had reached the scope of Spells, though achievable by merely transporting Essence Qi and conditioning the muscles and bones by any Mortal.

Further on, the integration of Yin and Yang, the harmony of dragon and tiger, the dual cultivation of spirit and life, and even from ordinary gathering of herbs to taking medicine, all the way to the discussions on essence, energy, and spirit, and from the five organs to the five energies’ conditioning and development, evidently aiming for the "Three Flowers Gathering at the Top" and "Five Qi Chaoyuan."

To reach this Realm was not the work of an ordinary Immortal. Among the many disciples on Kunlun Mountain, only second-generation disciples could reach this stage, with only a few from the third generation and beyond.

As Jiang Ziya continued to flip through, he found that the pages had inexplicably come to an end, his expression abruptly shifting from anticipation to astonishment, and finally settling into a hint of bitterness.

However, this bitterness did not last long. After a moment, he perked up, thinking of Feng Xue’s previous words, he thought to himself,

"The senior did not write how to progress further, not wanting me to follow others’ paths, but to pave my own. The senior started with the most common Alchemy Dao and medical theory, and had already laid out a complete path of Enlightenment. As long as I follow the steps, I will be able to reach that Realm. What difference does it make whether it’s written or not?"

With this thought, Jiang Ziya shook his head, looked at his somewhat withered hands, and felt an unprecedented passion—

"Since the senior did not write it, it means she does not wish for me to follow in the footsteps of predecessors. While the path of entering the Dao through medicine has become clear, the senior’s path focused too heavily on the physical body and neglected the cultivation of the spiritual. Whether this was an intentional omission by the senior, I can take it as a starting point and attempt to carve out my own path!"

Jiang Ziya was now more confident in his Immortal Path than ever before, for he clearly understood that even if his own ideas did not work out, the content within this medical book was enough for him to prolong his life. When that time came, he would simply reorganize everything he had learned in his lifetime.

In earlier years, he regarded the term "Enlightenment" as extremely profound, and those capable of Enlightenment were Great Powers among Great Powers. Therefore, he never thought he could achieve Enlightenment himself and focused solely on learning the ways of others.

But now, with guidance from his senior and this medical book as a catalyst, he had essentially taken the most difficult first step toward Enlightenment. If he still couldn’t become an Immortal after that, it would only prove that he, Jiang Shang, was no more than ordinary!

With his mental barriers broken, Jiang Ziya felt a newfound clarity in his spirit. Even if he were to take that step now, it seemed it would only take an instant, but Jiang Ziya, who had made his own choices, had no intention of continuing down the path dictated by the practices of Yuxu Palace. He packed up his bamboo wares, loaded up his burden, and headed straight for the City God Temple in the north part of the city.

(Remembering my childhood, I thought Jiang Ziya was quite incapable at this time, but now that I calculate, Jiang Ziya carried his burden for thirty-five li every day on foot... Thirty-five li, even a physically fit person walking empty-handed would take seven to eight hours for a round trip. With a load of bamboo wares, Jiang Ziya’s shoulders were red and swollen...)

...

By evening, when Mrs. Ma thought it was about time, she got up intending to wait at the doorway, but she saw Jiang Ziya approaching briskly, his legs moving swiftly and his hands empty. Surprised, she exclaimed:

"The bamboo wares might have sold out, but how come you don’t even have your carrying pole?"

"What bamboo wares and carrying pole? I’ve given them all to the villagers," Jiang Ziya replied nonchalantly, his face aglow. Mrs. Ma’s face changed immediately upon hearing this, and she was about to say something when she saw Jiang Ziya take out a stack of banknotes from his chest:

"I met a senior today who helped me find a job at the City God Temple. I help people with medicine and treatment. This is today’s earnings for you to buy some household necessities."

Mrs. Ma’s anxiety immediately eased upon hearing this. She took the banknotes without counting them and welcomed Jiang Ziya into the house, serving him a meal. Nevertheless, she couldn’t help but express her concern:

"The City God Temple is extremely popular these days. You have to be careful treating people there. Make sure you don’t end up in a lawsuit over failing to cure someone’s ailment."

Jiang Ziya felt somewhat displeased upon hearing this and replied at once:

"I’ve practiced Alchemy on Kunlun Mountain for forty years; medical theory and alchemy are deeply ingrained in me. How could I possibly kill someone with my treatment?!"

"So powerful, yet I haven’t seen you treat yourself!"

Although Mrs. Ma remarked on Jiang Ziya’s confidence without saying much more, she merely muttered under her breath. Unbeknownst to her, Jiang Ziya was a Cultivator, and even if he had not become an Immortal, he had sharp hearing and clear sight. He glared at her and demanded:

"What ailment do I have that needs treatment?"

Mrs. Ma did not respond, but her gaze unmistakably drifted downward (the original text explicitly mentioned Jiang Ziya’s neglecting marital pleasures due to his obsession with the Great Dao, leading Mrs. Ma to assume he was impotent, referring to him as ’useless’). This left Jiang Ziya furious. Recalling the Yin Yang Balancing Skill described in the Ganoderma Life Extension Method, he retorted sharply:

"Tonight, I will prove to you whether I have any ailments!"

"Heh." freeωebnovēl.c૦m

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