The Future Of A Past [II]

"Hello."

Ju Feng uttered some words of greeting as he cautiously approached the unresponsive girl. With teary eyes on the messy floor, the girl continued to ignore him, but Ju Feng knew tears could be deceiving. He was aware of changelings who could transform into humans and wouldn't waste anytime to flay him alive.

The Soul-Demons, the Blood-Cultivators, the Death-Fairies. He could go on with the list. All of them were extremely dangerous to mortals and immortals alike. Hence, he knew he had to be extra careful as he remembered the general saying.

"Never trust a lonely crying human, it could be the last thing you do in life."

But as he got much closer, he found the thing on the floor to be pieces of a granite jar and spilled mountain wasp honey. Ju Feng heaved a sigh of relief when he realized what had happened, but also felt pity for the girl. He knew mountain wasp honey was more expensive than valley bee honey since it was more difficult to obtain and more nourishing. The wasp honey that could fill a jar, the size of the broken one, would cost 3 gold coins at the least. 

Gathering his thoughts, Ju Feng raised his voice. 

"Do you need any help?"

This time, the girl slowly raised her head, regarding Ju Feng who was observing her cautiously. The mark on her forehead shone faintly in her frustrations. 

"What do you care?"

"Chang Chang?"

The surprised Ju Feng asked in a low tone after realizing who the girl was. Yan Chang Chang. The girl with the Othar symbol on her forehead. She was the daughter of the village's previous diviner who was slain in a recent death rage among the blood cultivators[Xue Wus]. Although he had only seen the girl from afar while following his mother to the market, there was no mistaken of the girl's identity. 

"Don't blame yourself, Chang Chang."

Reaching into his loin sac, Ju Feng removed two gold coins from his entire savings of four gold coins. The coins his parents had intentionally given to him for his continuous services on the farm. He was about to give out half of it, yet there was something about the girl which attracted his kindness. 

"Maybe this'll help?"

Seeing the gold coins, Yan Chang Chang's face lightened up. Lost for words, she couldn't quite believe what her eyes were seeing. The boy giving her two gold coins without a second thought? Two gold coins would be enough when added to the ones she got already. Life was truly strange. Now, she had to move fast before it was too late.

"Thanks a lot. You saved my day."

"I'm Ju Feng by the way."

"I know who you are." 

Yan Chang Chang voiced as she took off in fast speed.

"Won't forget this."

"No need to worry about that, Chang Chang."

Ju Feng reached home later in the afternoon feeling satisfied. He had been in a good mood since morning, and had been happy since coming back from the market. His mother and grandparents didn't want to ask him about it, they just went along with his joyful flow.

With a thought, Ju Feng went to the quiet and peaceful pond area to meditate.

Inner peace.

Ju Feng sat by the pool and was about to close his eyes to meditate with the soul serenity technique, when he noticed the movement of the gentle wave ripples on the pond's surface caused by a single beautiful butterfly. Several wavefronts from the ripples were approaching the stone arc at the edge of the pond.

Upon reflection off the stone arc at the edge of the pond, the water waves changed direction and headed towards a single point. All the energy carried by the water waves converged at this single focal point before spreading out through the water.

The profound unity and harmony of the scene was a total comprehensive insight. Ju Feng closed his eyes, calmed his mind with the Soul Serenity technique, and began to dwell on the insight from the wave ripples. Two hours later, he had discovered a basic secret of the Mortal-Hand. The first stage of the Shifting-Heavens hand technique.

"Yes!"

He shouted as he pumped his fist in the air, and performed a little jump around. He went to the training area to test out the basics of the Mortal-Hand. As he followed a series of martial arts moves, his hands blurred into faint phantoms to his delights.

Although it was minute, it was really a beautiful scene. He had uncovered the basic knowledge of the first stage of the Mortal-Hand technique. Now, he had to figure how to proceed forward. He would need to start practicing the technique which could take many years before mastering it. Nonetheless, it was turning out to be a really good day.

His mother who had been watching him came over to congratulate him.

"Congratulations, my son. I'm truly proud of you."

"Thank you, ma. After so many years, I finally learned the basics of the first stage. I still have many years of practice to master it, but only three more to go now."

His grandparents who were working in the farm, also came over to check the situation after seeing the bright bust of rainbow sword lights.

"We saw the fluctuations in the manifestations, that's why we came over. Is everything alright?

"Yes, father. Ju Feng was only trying out the first stage of his Shifting-Heavens technique. He recently learned its basic secrets. It's all good, father."

"Ah, I guess it is."

Zhang Wang Jing glanced at her husband smilingly before focusing on her grandson. She knew her grandson would need all the encouragement he could get in order to forge ahead in the world of cultivation, including martial arts.

"Congratulations, Ju Feng. You have worked so hard for it, you deserved it."

"Thank you, grandma."

"Come on, Ju Feng. You deserves some celebration. The making of a young man."

Zhang Li Qiang grinned widely.

They celebrated Ju Feng's achievement that evening with a great deal of magical delicacies.

After the celebration, Ju Feng went to the cultivation chamber and started his soul cultivation, using the Timeless-Soull technique. His dantian and meridians continued to enlarge as the technique stretched their capacities ceaselessly. Soon, the focus would be on their depth. 

When he reached the Chi condensing stage, the ocean of Chi would be compressed into a sphere of energy which would prevent the leakage of Chi energy from his body. The beginning of his immortality path. 

Ju Feng popped one needle-edge crystalline one into his mouth and closed his eyes while striving hard to control the powerful energy. Still the energy was too much for him to control. He held his head in agony before collapsing on the floor.

Moments later after coming around, he was deep in cultivation. Nothing was more soul pleasing than a good cultivation. Several hours later, he exited the cultivation chamber and headed towards his room, smiling brightly.

"What a day."