Chapter 2: This Body, a Vessel in Heaven and Earth, Where Shall the Rivers and Mountains Not Be Free? (Please Bookmark)

At the river ferry,

The spring tide surges with hastening rain.

Chen Yuan, cradling the sleeping girl in one arm, retrieves a short flute from his sleeve.

Against the towering backdrop of firelight, he plays the flute.

The crisp and melodious sound echoes over the rippling azure waves.

In a moment, on the misty river surface of night, a small boat sails forth from afar.

No one is aboard.

This is a legacy artifact from the previous Mountain Patrol Military Officer, said to be crafted by a ghostly entity.

In an instant, the small boat cleaves through muddy waves and arrives at the Wild Crossing.

Chen Yuan lightly leaps, boarding the vessel.

Placing the girl under the dark canopy, Chen Yuan seats himself at the bow, crossing his legs.

The wind and rain are halted a half-foot from his body.

And he, with the small boat cutting through the waves, sways within the dark emerald landscape of mountainous rain.

In this body, the world is my transient vessel; where cannot I roam unobstructed?

He indeed wishes so,

But he cannot do so now.

It's a long story, short story short, he has traversed through time.

Before traversing, he was just an ordinary worker, who enjoyed reading novels and delving into the mysteries of Taoism in his spare time.

One day he awoke, having crossed to this world.

Becoming a lowly lackey within the Sky Patrol Department.

In this world, humans, ghosts, demons, and devils abound, with Martial Arts thriving.

Sky Patrol Department, patrolling on behalf of heaven, slaying demons and expelling devils.

In simple terms, a force characterized by violence.

But sadly, Daqian Dynasty is in its twilight, its Luck crumbling.

As a result, demons no longer lurk in the forests but indulge in a feast upon the mortal world, causing calamity in all directions, to the despair of living creatures.

Furthermore, various dojos from all walks of life have stepped into the fray to contest for the scattered Luck within heaven and earth.

All kinds of people set the stage, disrupting the orderly Worldly society.

Against such a backdrop, the Sky Patrol Department crumbled from within, beset by demons from without, suffering heavy casualties, losing its past glory, and fading from the historical stage.

After the local Mountain Patrol Military Officer and his Apprentice Demon Slayers fell to demons,

Chen Yuan, the sole surviving Apprentice Demon Slayer under the colonel, was hastily put in charge and inherited the Banshan Tiger Talisman belonging to the Mountain Patrol Military Officer.

And so, he became the new Mountain Patrol Military Officer!

Strictly speaking, it's "provisional."

Because this was without following official Prefecture procedures—a bit absurd but the harsh reality of the situation.

Upon traversing here, his unfortunate predecessor had earnestly heeded his senior's advice and died defending the mountain.

Miraculously, the Banshan Tiger Talisman which was external, upon his taking over this body, transformed into a beam of divine light, rooting itself in his Mud Ball.

Each time a demon is slain, he receives corresponding Luck Points as a reward.

At the thought, Chen Yuan's mind stirs.

His basic information floats to the forefront of his mind.

"Chen Yuan: Mountain Patrol Military Officer"

"Realm: Qi Refining Minor Achievement [Weique Pass]"

"Luck Points: 1"

"Cultivation Techniques: Dragon Subduing Stance (Perfect), Devil Suppressing Fist (Perfect), Taoist Inner Scripture Map (Minor Achievement)"

"Magic: Beast Breeding, Devil Suppressing Fist, Sword Qi"

"Divine Skills: Consume, Heart Eye (available for cultivation)"

Martial Arts Realm is divided into nine.

First Body Refining Three Stages: Refining Skin, Bone Tempering, Blood Movement. This stage primarily strengthens sinews and builds vital energy through External Body Techniques.

Second Stage of Qi Refining: Yang Generation, passing three barriers, Small river cart. This stage begins with refining vital essence from blood, generating a wisp of Essence Qi, channeling Qi through Weique, Jiaji, and Jade Pillow Three Gates, passing the Small river cart, eventually leading to Dragon and Tiger convergence in Dantian, completing Zhoutian Circulation.

Three Body Mysteries: In this stage, thirty-six thousand Profound Acupoints in the flesh, True Meaning of Divine Power contained within. This stage involves channeling Essence Qi to unlock various Profound Acupoints, yielding minor Divine Skills in different body parts, such as Fire Breathing and Gold Refining, Divine Hundred Steps, stepping on water without falling...

After these three realms, it's the major hurdle in Cultivation - like crossing a chasm, necessitating profound insight into the True Intent of heaven and earth. Mysterious of mysteries, he still cannot discern clearly.

His wandering thoughts retract, and the pitch dots in his eyes refocus.

Chen Yuan added the single Luck Point he just obtained from slaying the Mountain Demon onto the Taoist Inner Scripture Diagram.

The next second,

the progress bar for the Taoist Inner Scripture Diagram immediately moved from forty-nine percent to fifty-one percent.

At the same time, the True Qi within his body increased by one part, triggering a chain reaction.

Starting from the Dantian, it surged straight towards the great dragon on his back.

Passing through the Weique Pass, rushing towards the Jiaji Pass.

This process is called passing Three Gates, which are the Weique at the base of the great dragon on the back, Jiaji, and the Jade Pillow gates.

Now, Chen Yuan was crossing the second gate.

Chen Yuan tensed his whole body, hiding his Qi within, letting the heavy rain wash over him.

His chest heaved, inhaling deeply and exhaling briefly, as a fierce fire burned rapidly.

Between his breaths, white mist shot out from his nostrils like a dragon, extending seven to eight feet away.

Time passed like this.

Chen Yuan's body gradually became scorching hot; raindrops hitting him instantly turned into white mist.

The whole person seemed enveloped in steaming clouds.

After an unknown period,

the wind stopped, the rain ceased, and the dark clouds dispersed.

As the great river flowed eastward, a hint of dawn's early light appeared on the distant horizon.

It was at this moment,

"Pop."

A subtle muffled sound came from within Chen Yuan's body.

He had passed the second gate!

Slowly opening his eyes, a trace of Divine Light was concealed within them.

Chen Yuan slowly rose, and at that moment, crackling noises burst from the great dragon on his back.

Flexing his muscles and joints, Chen Yuan's previously restrained mood felt considerably uplifted.

For one thing, his capabilities for establishing himself in the world had grown stronger.

However, in these troubled times, it still wasn't nearly enough.

Fortunately, slaying demons granted additional points.

By continuing steadily like this, there would inevitably come a day as free and unfettered as the river flowing eastward.

And this Eight Hundred Miles Langdang Mountain would be his grazing field.

With this thought, Chen Yuan's spirit was lifted, and he gazed far into the distance.

In the distance, the outline of a city emerged.

....

Qingshan County, built alongside the mountain and beside the water, was a small county spanning dozens of miles.

Now, as dawn broke and the sky turned pale,

the county that should have been bustling seemed somewhat deserted.

Outside a humble house in a deserted corner of the county, the loud cries of a young girl could be heard.

"Grandpa"

Following that, the door of the house was hastily opened.

An elderly man, who was still robust, rushed out frantically, and upon seeing that it was his lost granddaughter, he cried with joy.

"Nannan"

Grandfather and granddaughter embraced and wept.

This commotion disturbed the neighbors.

Soon they came out to look and started talking amongst themselves.

"Nannan, who brought you back?" The old man meticulously checked if his granddaughter had any bruises and asked anxiously.

The girl shook her head.

The old man remained silent, looking at the empty alley.

Then, he knelt down and kowtowed in both directions.

Afterward, he carried his granddaughter back home.

At the end of the alley,

a figure wearing a straw hat slowly drifted further away.