Chapter Thirty-Eight: Three Years

Three years later.

Not far from Renjia Town, there stood an elegant, refined little mountain villa, built beside mountains and waters. The villa was not large in size, its back leaning against the great mountain, flanked by lakes and streams. The view from the front stretched across endless fields, far from the bustle of humanity, immersed in enchanting scenery.

As the poet said: After the rain, the empty woods are slow to kindle fires; steaming millet is served to the eastern fields. Over misty paddies, white egrets take flight; beneath the shadowed summer trees, golden orioles sing.

At the heart of the villa was a delicate courtyard, radiant in spring, flourishing with a riot of colors. In its center stood a massive alchemy furnace. Beside the furnace was a platform about a yard high, upon which rested two verdant stones, one large and one small.

A young man of striking presence, with sword-like brows and bright, starry eyes, sat cross-legged atop the platform. His aura was calm and steady; with every breath, faint traces of crimson appeared and vanished on his face. His lips were red, teeth white, and his eyes shone with an unfathomable depth, as if containing the stars and the sea. His skin glowed with a jade-like sheen, yet he radiated a masculine vigor. He wore a long robe patterned with intertwining yin and yang, not quite Daoist yet not secular, lending him an ethereal air.

Before him stood a resplendent rooster, balancing on one leg, wings slightly spread, facing the morning sun in the pose of the golden rooster. The crimson crown atop its head bloomed like a fiery lotus, where a stream of yin-yang energy circulated endlessly, resembling intertwining fish in pursuit.

To the sides crouched a giant toad and a centipede. The toad, with four sturdy legs like the feet of a tripod, was covered in golden coin-like markings. The centipede bore six wings upon its back, its body a brilliant red-gold, shimmering under the sunlight.

"Brother! Brother!! Brother Kuai has come to bring you medicinal herbs; Sister Yi asked me to call you."

Just then, the soft, childish voice rang out. A young girl, five or six years old, dressed in a pink floral garment, skipped into the courtyard, speaking in a sweet, gentle tone.

Her features were exquisitely carved, cheeks plump and rosy. Her innocent, wide eyes blinked as she stared at the young man on the platform, her head tilted, embodying an adorable, soft charm.

"Kuai has come? Little Tuan Tuan, who else is with him? Is that Uncle Chen with the sunglasses here again?"

Li Yang smiled lightly, leaping down from the platform, taking the little girl's hand, and asked in a quiet voice.

"No, I don't know them, I only know Brother Kuai..." The girl thought for a moment, sucking on her fingers, then shook her head.

Leading her to the front hall, Li Yang saw Kuai accompanied by a group of brothers from Changsheng Mountain, enjoying tea in the parlor.

"Hahaha... Brother Li, we meet again! It’s been another half a year since we last saw each other. This place of yours is truly splendid. When I retire, I’ll find a mountain retreat like this to spend my days," Kuai, clad in a short-sleeved shirt, sprang from his chair with enthusiasm upon seeing Li Yang.

"Hahaha... If you like it, Brother Kuai, you're welcome to stay as long as you wish. By the way, how are Chief Chen and the others doing?" Li Yang replied with a smile, sitting down as he spoke.

"Much the same as always—listening to opera, watching plays, enjoying life. Oh, and recently, Brother Zhigushao married Miss Hong."

"Is that so? Then let me offer my congratulations, though I regret not attending their wedding myself," Li Yang said apologetically.

"We’re all people of the rivers and lakes, no need for such formality. Brother Zhigushao asked me to pass on a message: he wants to know how your preparations are going."

"Tell Brother Zhigushao that I am nearly ready. Within the next two years, we can begin. Ask him to wait for my word and not to act recklessly," Li Yang replied solemnly after a moment’s thought.

"Hahaha... Rest assured, Brother Li, I’ll pass your words faithfully. These years, Chief has led the brothers but we haven’t encountered any major tombs. Everyone is itching for action, waiting to tackle the King Xian’s tomb!" Kuai laughed heartily.

"Most of these medicinal herbs were collected by Commander Luo. Here! He asked me to deliver this letter to you," Kuai said, pulling a thick stack of envelopes from his breast and handing them to Li Yang. He then sat down again and took a sip of tea.

"Oh... Commander Luo can write now? That’s rare indeed. The pills everyone requested last time are ready; please take them back for Commander Luo and the others. Also, bring a gift for Brother Zhigushao and Miss Hong, wishing them a long and happy marriage!"

Just then, a beautiful woman dressed as a Daoist priestess entered, carrying a small box. Her figure was graceful, curves full like a ripe peach. Her fitted Daoist robe accentuated her alluring silhouette. Her hair, dark as ink, was lazily coiled atop her head; her complexion was flawless, white as jade, as if the fairness reached to her very bones. Her phoenix-shaped eyes flickered beneath long lashes, exuding noble elegance—a truly exquisite lady.

"Greetings, Madam!" Upon her entrance, Kuai immediately became respectful, rising to salute her.

"No need for formality, Brother Kuai. Thank you for your help these past years. Here are the pills you need, and gifts for Brother Zhigushao and Miss Hong," she replied with a smile, handing him the box.

"Since it’s still early, we won’t linger. Chief is waiting for me to return. Brother Li, we’ll await you at Changsheng Mountain," Kuai said, taking the pills, saluting Li Yang and Madam He, then hurriedly left with his companions, driving their carriage out of the villa.

...

After arriving at Renjia Town, Li Yang spent a full year recuperating before his injuries finally healed, thanks to the cultivation resources and medicinal herbs gathered in Ping'an County. Otherwise, his recovery might have taken even longer.

During this period, Li Yang corresponded with Chen Yulou and others, soon receiving letters and the first batch of herbs and cultivation resources.

In the second year, as his strength improved, Li Yang personally traveled to Bottle Mountain, retrieving the alchemy furnace hidden among the crevices.

He also examined Madam He’s constitution; though unfamiliar with the so-called "Yueyin" body, he discovered it was a physique of extreme yin, well-suited for Daoist cultivation. Accordingly, he taught her a traditional Daoist method, the Moonlight Technique. Even Jin Ling received a scripture for health cultivation, though her ordinary talent and advanced age meant her progress was limited.

Over these years, Li Yang often took the Furious Rooster out to devour ghosts and evil spirits. Unexpectedly, this not only restored the yin-yang energy atop his head but also allowed it to fully condense, as if a phoenix rising anew from the ashes.

Moreover, with abundant resources, the Golden Centipede not only fully recovered but its bloodline transformed and matured completely. Although the Golden Toad had not yet developed a third leg, it had made significant progress.

Driven by the power of the pills, Li Yang’s cultivation soared. His vital energy was as robust as the blazing sun in the sky—purely by strength of physique, a swing of his arms could muster ten thousand pounds of force. He was only one step away from refining the bloodlines of exotic beasts.