Chapter 1 Debt Collection
Xilanzhou.
Xiaocangshan Mountain, Qingsong Taoist Temple.
A narrow stone path, just wide enough for one person to walk on, winds its way up from the foot of the mountain, and green tiles and bricks peek out from the lush, verdant forest on the mountainside.
The midday sun was scorching, and the cicadas chirped weakly.
In a small, low-ceilinged house in a secluded corner of the Taoist temple, a boy lying stiffly on the ground propped himself up with trembling arms and leaned against the wall, panting heavily.
"Heh"
The boy suddenly clutched his head with both hands, letting out a low cry of pain.
He felt as if a red-hot iron spike was being inserted into his head and constantly stirring. The excruciating pain forced him to clench his teeth, his hands were so tightly clenched that his knuckles turned slightly white, and cold sweat soaked his temples.
An unfamiliar memory desperately burrowed into his mind, and his body began to convulse violently, every pore emitting screams and howls of unbearable pain.
He lived in a modern society like a steel jungle. As an insurance agent, his biggest pastime outside of work was staying at home and immersing himself in the world of novels, movies, and computer games.
His only hobby that doesn't involve staying at home is collecting stones in mountain streams. His motivation isn't noble; he just wants to find unusual stones to exchange for some money to improve his life.
In another memory, he lived in a world of cultivation. His ancestors were once a family of cultivators, but later the family fell into decline and became rogue cultivators. Now, only his father and he are left to depend on each other.
Knowing the hardships of being a rogue cultivator, the father wanted to do everything he could to raise his child into a sect cultivator, hoping that he could rebuild the family in the future.
The Taoist Academy is an institution under the Jinling Sect, a sect of immortal cultivation, and it supplies new blood to the sect.
The triennial sect assessment is approaching, and he is making his final efforts to become a true cultivator.
Memories flashed by like a rapidly spinning revolving lantern, frame by frame, in his mind. The starkly different memories merged slowly like two drops of blood of the same type.
After an unknown amount of time, the boy felt the pain gradually subside. He glanced around the room and slowly figured out the current situation.
He had traveled through time. In the midst of a sweet dream, he vaguely felt a flash of light in the room, and when he opened his eyes again, he found himself here.
"Thump, thump, thump"
Just as he was lost in thought, the wooden door was slammed shut, and a rough voice roared:
"Ji An, you've been caught! Open the door now."
The boy felt his memories, which seemed like a tangled mess, rapidly layering together, and the memories of the cultivation world gradually became clearer.
The original owner of this body was named Ji An, seventeen years old. This year was his last year at the Dao Academy, as various sects would not recruit cultivators over the age of eighteen who were in the Qi Refining stage.
In theory, everyone can cultivate immortality. Some people are born with open dantian and ancestral apertures and manifest immortal veins. These people are born with the seeds of immortality and are always sought after by various sects. They are born at the starting point of others' finish line.
The ancestral aperture of most people closes before birth, and at the same time, the immortal vein disappears.
Those who wish to embark on the path of cultivation can only do so by practicing the Meridian Circulation Method to circulate their Qi and blood and refine their spiritual energy. Once their Qi is fully developed, they can take the Meridian Opening Pill to reopen their immortal meridians.
"Open the door! I know you're in there!"
The banging on the door grew louder and louder, and dust fell from the door frame and walls, indicating that they were about to break down the door if they didn't open it.
Ji An grinned and staggered to open the door.
With a creak, the door opened, and a man with a slightly youthful face but a large, burly build was seen raising his fist, which was as big as a clay pot.
He rolled up his sleeves, revealing his strong, muscular physique, and the loose-fitting black Taoist robe he wore somehow looked like a tight-fitting bodysuit.
The man's eyes were bright and piercing, and his exposed skin had a warm, jade-like luster, a sign that he had entered the Qi Refining stage.
Looking further out, behind the man stood a tall, handsome young man in fine clothes and a graceful young woman in a blue gauze dress.
Information about the three people appeared in Ji An's mind; they were all his former creditors, and now they were his creditors.
The cost of purchasing the Meridian Opening Pill was a huge sum for Ji An's family; his father had saved for many years but still couldn't raise enough.
Three months ago, his father came to visit him and said that he would definitely collect enough spirit stones in half a month or a month at the latest.
Before his father left, he entrusted all the family's possessions to him. With the sect's assessment date approaching, but still no news of his father, Ji An knew that something must have happened to his father.
After much deliberation, the predecessor made a bold decision.
He lied that his father's pet spirit-seeking rat was pregnant and promised to sell the cubs to the three wealthiest people in the academy, borrowing a total of nine spirit stones.
With the thirty-six pieces left by his father, he could just buy a Meridian Opening Pill from the Taoist temple.
Ji An smiled bitterly to himself, but forced himself to remain calm and cupped his hands in greeting:
"Senior Brother Chu, Senior Brother Zhang, Senior Sister Zhao, what brings you here?"
These people were all younger than him, but cultivators do not respect age; instead, they determine seniority based on cultivation level.
All three of them were already cultivators in the Qi Refining stage, so of course they had to address each other as senior brothers.
"Stop pretending with us!"
Chu He lowered his fist. Although he was burly, he was only fifteen years old.
“Your father went to the deep mountains to gather herbs and hasn’t returned for three months. He’s most likely dead by now. I don’t believe you didn’t know. Give us back the spirit stones!”
"otherwise."
As Chuhe spoke, he raised his fist, which was as big as a clay pot.
Ji An felt even more bitter, for his predecessor had long anticipated that the truth could not be concealed.
After borrowing the spirit stones, he immediately exchanged them for a Meridian Opening Pill and took it that very night.
The original owner knew that if he couldn't seize the opportunity to embark on the path of immortality, it would take him many years to accumulate enough spirit stones to buy the Meridian Opening Pill.
Moreover, he might not be able to keep the spirit stones, and after leaving the academy, he is very likely to be targeted by some rogue cultivators eager to improve.
It's all about timing and fate. The previous incarnation went mad and died, and the current Ji An is a different user.
"Wait," the girl spoke, her eyes bright and beautiful, like peach blossoms.
"I observe that Junior Brother Ji's qi is disordered and his steps are unsteady. Could it be that he has already exchanged for and taken the Meridian Opening Pill?"
"What? You took the Meridian Opening Pill but failed to open your meridians?"
Chu He's eyes widened. While the Meridian Opening Pill couldn't guarantee a 100% success rate in helping someone open their immortal meridians, the success rate was over 70%.
In his eyes, although Ji An was dull, he was very diligent in his cultivation, and the fact that he had been able to cultivate in the Taoist academy for several years without being expelled from the mountain showed that he must have something commendable in the eyes of his master.
Ji An forced a smile and cupped his hands in greeting again:
"There was a slight mishap, but please rest assured, fellow Daoists, I will definitely be able to return the spirit stones."
"How do I repay it?"
The young man in brocade robes spoke calmly and continued:
"You must know very well that the only reason we are willing to lend you spirit stones is because of your father."
Even if we can't get the demon beast cub, it wouldn't be particularly difficult for a Qi Refining Stage 8 cultivator with a Spirit-Seeking Rat to obtain spirit stones. At worst, we can stop cultivating and focus on paying off our debts.
He took a step forward, his eyes piercing:
"You haven't even entered the Qi Refining stage yet, how can you repay me?"
Ji An remained silent; what the other person said was correct.
Even if he embarks on the path of immortality, he may not be able to pass the sect's assessment;
Even if one were lucky enough to enter a sect, it would take several years to produce nine spirit stones.
The main currency used by cultivators in the Qi Refining stage is spirit crystals, which are made from broken spirit stones. They are about the size of a one-yuan coin, and it takes one hundred spirit crystals to exchange for one low-grade spirit stone.
In the early stages of Qi Refining, cultivators have limited means to earn spirit stones. They might not even be able to save up half a spirit stone in a year unless they give up cultivation.
He knew he had to say something, or he would be in deep trouble. After this year's sect assessment, he would no longer be able to stay at the academy due to his age.
Back then, these people had plenty of ways to deal with him.
Ji An let out a soft breath, his mind racing as he thought of what to say. He was anxious inside, but his expression remained calm; he still maintained the professionalism expected of an insurance agent.
He coughed lightly, cupped his hands, and solemnly said:
"Senior Brother Chuhe, Senior Brother Yuanshan, Senior Sister Mengyao."
Although there is no Meridian Opening Pill, if one can comprehend the divine intent within the Meridian Circulation Method, one can naturally open the Immortal Aperture and then the Immortal Meridian.
I am not very talented. When I took the Meridian Opening Pill, my mind was in a state of panic and I almost went into a state of demonic possession. However, I also glimpsed some of the divine meaning of the Meridian Circulation Method in my desperate situation.
Before the sect's master comes to assess them, they must have already reached the Qi Refining stage.
Ji An's face was full of confidence, showing no trace of his previous frustration.
He had no confidence at all, but if he couldn't get through the present, there would be no future. So, although he was panicking inside, he didn't show it on his face.
"The sect assessment is coming soon. I hope that you three fellow Daoists will give me a chance, considering that we have studied together for the past few years."
If I, Ji, fail to ascend to immortality, I will certainly give you all a satisfactory explanation.
"We have studied together for many years, how could there be no friendship between us?"
Since Brother Ji is so sincere, we might as well wait a little longer.”
As Zhao Mengyao spoke, she looked at the other two:
"The assessment is the day after tomorrow, so it's only a couple of nights away."
Senior Brother Zhang, Junior Brother Chu, what do you two think?
Just as Chu He was about to say something, Zhang Yuanshan subtly shook his head, then turned and said:
"Then we'll wait until after the sect's assessment. If our junior brother can't enter the sect, we'll have to settle our score!"
Ji An nodded calmly: "It's a deal."
Zhang Yuanshan gave him a deep look and slowly said:
"I believe my junior brother will keep his promise, let's go!"
"Take care of yourself," Chu He snorted coldly, and then left.
"Then I wish Junior Brother Ji a successful opening of his meridians, and that his path to immortality may be everlasting!"
Zhao Mengyao nodded kindly and turned to leave.
The three figures disappeared down the path. Ji An's composure vanished, and he walked back to the house, looking utterly dejected.
After they had walked quite a distance, Chu He lowered his voice and said:
"Senior brothers and sisters, why don't you just ask for the Beast Taming Technique? Ji An's father must have a secret method."
"Heh," Zhang Yuanshan chuckled.
"You think you can buy a beast-taming technique for a few spirit stones? What unrealistic dreams are you having?!"
My uncle once saw Old Man Ji'an's spirit-seeking rat and knew that it was indeed quite capable.
If it wasn't cultivated by accident, the other party's beast-taming technique must be unique, and if the method is complete, it could even be passed down as a lineage.
Let's put some pressure on him first, and wait until he's desperate before we slowly negotiate. Asking for the secret technique right away would make us seem too greedy.
Chu He scratched his head: "But, if Ji An really succeeds in opening his meridians and entering the sect, we won't be able to control him."
"You believe that too?" Zhang Yuanshan frowned slightly.
Zhao Mengyao smiled faintly and said gently:
"Junior brother, being able to comprehend the essence of the Meridian Circulation Technique on your own before the age of eighteen must be an extraordinary person with remarkable comprehension."
If Ji An possessed such comprehension, he wouldn't have wasted five years at the Daoist academy without successfully opening his meridians.
The spiritual essence in pulse diagnosis relies on enlightenment; listening to others can actually limit one's thinking.
Cultivating immortality is essentially about defying fate; how can one comprehend divine will without sufficient accumulation of knowledge?
However, wasting too much time comprehending the techniques and divine meanings will cause one to miss the best age for entering the Dao, which is why most people can only rely on the Meridian Opening Pill to embark on the path to immortality.
"What if this kid suddenly gets it?"
Chu He muttered something under his breath, then said:
"We have to prevent this kid from escaping."
"Can he escape our grasp?"
However, to avoid unnecessary trouble, you should go down the mountain now and send people to guard the roads leading to and from the Taoist temple, as well as all the hidden paths.
New book launch, investment welcome.
(End of this chapter)
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