Chapter 3: The Dying Man
Not far from the fortune-telling stall, two people were seated by the window inside the teahouse.
One man, one woman.
The man had a handsome appearance and an elegant Confucian temperament, his hair fastened with a purple sandalwood hairpin, looking to be around thirty years old.
Hearing what the young man had said, the middle-aged man couldn't help but give a wry laugh, "Daytime thoughts become nighttime dreams; it seems that colleague's wife must be very charming to make him so obsessed."
The woman sitting opposite the middle-aged man had a curvaceous and graceful figure.
She was dressed in a light purple gown, her satin-like waist-length hair pouring down like a waterfall, her features veiled by a mist, indistinct, dreamlike and illusory. She seemed both a girl and a woman, with a charm that was extraordinary.
The woman rested her chin on her hand, staring blankly at the pedestrians on the street, lost in thought, silent.
The middle-aged man was named Leng Chaosong, the lord of Tianqing Manor.
From a young age, he was interested in studying ancient and modern scripts. He was versed in medicine, astronomy, geography, and various arts and crafts, having studied at Dufeng Academy and followed the teachings of Confucianism. He reached the Great Profound Sect Master before turning seventeen, distinguished without parallel, hailed as the second Zhao Wuxiu.
To know, Zhao Wuxiu was the true number one in the world.
The only one in the Heavenly Human Realm!
Unfortunately, Leng Chaosong's cultivation later stagnated and progressed very slowly.
However, as demon energy suddenly resurged, he boldly used it to transform the natural profound energy of heaven and earth, advancing at an unprecedented rate, breaking into the Saint Realm and ranking seventh in the world.
The path of martial arts is divided into three Grades, two Masters, and four Realms.
The three Grades are: Third Grade Martial Artist, Second Grade Martial Artist, and First Grade Martial Artist.
The two Masters are: Lesser Profound Sect Master and Great Profound Sect Master.
The four Realms are: Heaven Desolation Boundary, Saintly Ascension Realm, Feathered Transformation Realm, and Heavenly Human Realm.
Martial Artists refine True Qi, like frogs in a well, observing only a patch of sky.
Sect Masters transform profound energy, transcending the well, as vast as the sea and sky.
The enlightened enter Realms, seated above the cloud peaks, in tune with the cosmic Yuan Qi.
Leng Chaosong's choice to switch from "human cultivation" to "demon cultivation" meant that he would have to spend several times more effort and time than others to step into the Feathered Transformation and Heavenly Human Realms in the future.
At the same time, he drew a clear line with the so-called "righteous path."
He was even scorned by Dufeng Academy.
In a place like the Capital, where dragon energy abounds, a demon cultivator like him would not be able to come close, let alone near the imperial city. If he did trespass, he would likely be kicked out by the one who presides over the imperial city.
But now, he could safely enter the Capital and leisurely drink tea in the small teahouse not far from the imperial palace, entirely thanks to the woman sitting in front of him.
Li Guanshi, Sect Leader of South Sea Holy Sect, in the Great Perfection of Feathered Transformation Realm.
Number two in the world.
Just one step away from the Heavenly Human Realm.
In Leng Chaosong's slightly narrowed eyes surged a mix of awe, emotion, jealousy, envy, and a hint of love buried deep since his youth, a feeling that never faded.
"Only one year left."
Leng Chaosong blurted out impulsively.
The moment he spoke, he immediately regretted it, realizing he had misspoken and touched on a forbidden subject for the other party. He overflowed with apologies and was also somewhat nervous.
The woman hummed in response, showing no annoyance.
Mustering his courage, Leng Chaosong boldly asked, "Have you chosen someone? Is it the lord of Cloud Snow Castle? The Gatekeeper of the Sword Pavilion? The Great Protector of the Sky Demon Sect? Or someone from the imperial palace in the Capital?"
The individuals Leng Chaosong mentioned were all top-notch experts well-known throughout the lands, youthful and favored by destiny.
In truth, Leng Chaosong wanted to add his own name.
But he dared not.
And he knew all too well that the woman aloof atop the clouds would not choose him.
Only one year remained.
Whether it was the temples or Jianghu, the realm of humans or demons, nearly all male cultivators were waiting for this woman's choice, eagerly anticipating, watched on in hopeful anticipation.
They all hoped to be chosen as her dual cultivation partner.
According to the unique cultivation technique "Three Lives Longevity Skill" of the South Sea Holy Sect, if Li Guanshi did not engage in dual cultivation with someone within the next year, not to mention stepping into the Heavenly Human Realm, even her current heaven-reaching cultivation would vanish into thin air.
So, she must choose!
She must share her cultivation and destiny with someone else.
She was the treasure of the human world.
From a young age, she received praise as the number one beauty in the world, "The quintessential dream of a thousand autumns, a celestial in the Turquoise Pool," and she still topped the ranking of beauties, also possessing the air of a celestial nymph, exceptional talents and constitution, and a rare "Warm Jade" physique.
Even if one didn't covet her cultivation and destiny, just her naturally beautiful face and pure, crystal-clear body were enough to captivate countless men.
Of course, there had been crazed souls who tried to take her by force, but alas, they were no match for her, truly no match.
Who would be the lucky one to share the joy of lying side by side with her?
With his gaze unintentionally turning intense, Leng Chaosong felt a surge of jealousy and resentment within him, his state of mind wavering like raging waves, nearly on the verge of his Dao Heart collapsing.
"The girl is not bad," Li Guanshi said softly.
As if doused with cold water, Leng Chaosong instantly sobered up, his back soaked through with sweat.
He took a deep breath, wiping away the trace of scarlet that had slipped from the corner of his mouth, and when he looked up again, the last ripple of emotion gently dispersed, and he returned to a state of tranquility.
Leng Chaosong smiled gratefully and looked towards the young girl who was ferociously interpreting dreams for the young man at the fortune-telling stall, his eyes filled with indulgent warmth, and he said softly, "She takes after her mother in disposition."
Li Guanshi asked, "She's also of age now, does she have someone in mind?"
Leng Chaosong gave a wry smile, "Like you, she's also choosing."
"That young man isn't bad," joked Li Guanshi.
Leng Chaosong cast a glance at Jiang Shouzhong, lamenting, "What a waste of a good appearance."
The implication was clear: the young man was good-looking, but of no practical use.
An embroidered pillow.
Li Guanshi picked up her porcelain cup and smiled wryly, "His roots may be lacking, but doesn't your Tianqing Manor prioritize mental state over inherent constitution? As good as water, serene contemplation, seeing the true nature of the mind, understanding the mechanism of the heart, tasting the truth of the heart, observing the heart to prove the Dao, how come it has become so worldly in your view?"