Chapter 42: Days of Tranquility

Aikesi walked over and stood beside Linlei. He looked at the five brothers in the courtyard, fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "They are quite lucky."

Linlei nodded. "Indeed. They met Mr. Xisai and obtained the secret code passed down by their ancestors. From now on, their lives will be different."

Aikesi shook his head. "I am not talking about that. I am saying they met you."

Linlei paused for a moment, then smiled. "Aikesi, when did your mouth start saying such things?"

Aikesi remained expressionless. "Just speaking the truth."

The two exchanged a smile and said no more.

Over the next few days, everyone began to truly settle in. This manor, hidden in a mountain hollow, gradually came to life.

Saisile cleaned out the abandoned woodshed next to the side room. Calling it cleaning was an understatement; it was practically a demolition and rebuild. The old man fiddled inside for three days, the place ringing with constant clanging and banging.

Aikesi went to take a look the next day and saw Saisile squatting in the corner, smearing some gray mortar onto the wall. Aikesi recognized it as a material used to isolate aura—something Undead Mages commonly used to set up laboratories, capable of preventing energy leakage and avoiding certain unnecessary "troubles."

On the third evening, Saisile emerged from inside, covered in gray dust, yet wearing a look of pride. Standing at the doorway, he brushed the dust from his hands, jerked his chin toward the people in the courtyard, and spoke with undisguised self-satisfaction, "Everything will be convenient from now on."

The five Bake brothers had also quieted down during this period. Every day they held that scroll of the Undying Secret Code, five heads huddled together, murmuring and arguing endlessly. However, their literacy was indeed low; the characters on the secret code were in ancient script, with complex strokes and obscure characters appearing one after another, leaving them utterly confused. The eldest, Bake, frowned, pointing at the characters on the scroll with his finger, recognizing them one by one, and asking his younger brothers when he couldn't identify one. The second, Gaici, scratched his head, his face turning red with strain, unable to produce a single word for a long time. The third knew a few characters, but when strung together, he didn't know what they meant. The fourth and fifth were even less capable, able only to stare blankly.

Finally, Saisile couldn't bear to watch anymore. One evening, he called them over and explained it page by page. Although the old man primarily cultivated Undead Magic, he was well-traveled and knowledgeable; he broke down those cultivation terms in his mouth, explaining them clearly and thoroughly.

The five Bake brothers nodded repeatedly as they listened. The eldest even took out a piece of charcoal and made notes on a wooden board, writing crookedly. Those notes were all twisted and turned, with characters of varying sizes; some were written incorrectly, crossed out, and rewritten, but every stroke was made with force, showing a genuine desire to remember.

"The core of the Undying Warrior," Saisile pointed to a line in the secret code, his voice low and certain, "lies in tempering the flesh with battle aura, not projecting the battle aura outward like ordinary Warriors. Remember this: from today on, your bodies are your weapons, your armor. When cultivated to a high level, the flesh will be harder than dragon scales."

Gaici's eyes sparkled as he listened. That very night, he assumed a horse stance in the courtyard for half the night. Shirtless, he stood under the moonlight, legs slightly bent, arms extended horizontally, motionless. The moonlight shone on him, illuminating his solid muscles and the fine beads of sweat on his forehead.

Linlei still went out before dawn every day to cultivate in the Hou Shan, returning only after dark. His movements were elusive; sometimes when Aikesi woke up in the morning, he would see Linlei's door open, but the person was already gone. Other times in the evening, Aikesi could sense the energy fluctuations coming from the Hou Shan in the courtyard; it was the aura of the earth, heavy and solid, like mountains breathing.

Aikesi himself was not idle.

Level 9 initial-stage Magic needed stabilization; the Molten Heart needed further control; and the Molten Heart Staff needed breaking in. Apart from necessary rest, he cultivated every day. In the morning, he meditated facing the dawn—sitting by the window, letting the first ray of sunlight fall on his body while sensing the flow of Magic within him. In the morning, he practiced Magic control. In the evening, he used the Soul-Stabilizing Pearl to nourish his spiritual power—holding that deep blue pearl in his palm, letting that cool aura penetrate deep into his soul.

The days passed regularly and fulfilling.

Occasionally, when he stopped, he would stand in the courtyard and look at the distant mountains.

One evening, Aikesi opened his eyes from cultivation and heard commotion in the courtyard. He pushed the door open and saw the five Bake brothers forming a circle, with Gaici shirtless in the middle, looking excited.

"What's wrong?" he walked over.

Bake turned his head, saw him, and spoke with suppressed joy, "Brother Aikesi, you've arrived just in time. This kid Gaici seems to have grasped the knack; let him show you a move."

Gaici grinned, showing a mouthful of white teeth. He assumed a horse stance, took a deep breath, and his chest clearly swelled.

Aikesi noticed a faint bronze luster appearing on the surface of his skin.

Gaici threw a punch, striking the millstone-sized rock in the courtyard.

Bang!

The rock shattered instantly upon impact, with fragments splashing all over the ground. Several pieces bounced to Aikesi's feet, hitting his boots and making a slight dull thud.

"Good!" the other four shouted in unison, their voices filled with suppressed excitement. The fourth, Weilin, jumped up, almost dropping the spatula in his hand. The fifth, Leikesi, ran straight over and hugged Gaici's arm, shaking it.

Gaici retracted his fist; not even a white mark remained on his knuckles. Excitement flushed his face red, veins on his forehead bulged slightly, and his breathing grew heavier, "Big Brother, did you see?" His voice trembled slightly, betraying his uncontrollable excitement.

Bake was also excited, but still maintained the demeanor of an elder brother. He nodded, trying to appear steady, "Not bad, not bad, keep working hard." Yet the smile in the corners of his eyes was impossible to hide, and his voice was a few degrees higher than usual, with the tone rising slightly at the end.

Aikesi looked at the shattered rock and understood immediately. The fracture surface was very fresh, with cracks radiating from the center of the fist mark outward, as if a brute force had split it from the inside. It was not a surface fracture, but a complete collapse from the inside out.

This cultivation method was indeed different from ordinary Warriors. Ordinary Warriors cultivated battle aura; the stronger the battle aura, the stronger the battle techniques, and the stronger the strength. Undying Warriors cultivated a different path—the stronger the battle aura, the stronger the flesh, turning the body itself into the most powerful weapon.

"Well done," he said.

Gaici chuckled, scratching the back of his head, his honest face full of pride. He looked down at his fist, turning it over and over as if examining a rare treasure. He clenched his fist, released it, then clenched it again, feeling that newly born Strength Profound Mystery.

Saisile poked his head out of the laboratory, took a look, and pouted, "Just at the entry level, what are you so happy about?" The old man still held a glass rod in his hand, coated with some green liquid that glowed eerily in the sunset. "If an Undying Warrior is truly cultivated, the flesh will be harder than that of the Dragon Clan. You are still far from that. Kid Gaici, that layer of skin of yours is at most a bit thicker than cowhide."

Gaici wasn't annoyed, saying cheerfully, "Just practice slowly; there's plenty of time anyway." He patted his stomach, making a thumping sound, "Being thicker than cowhide isn't bad; we didn't even have this before."

Linlei returned from outside and happened to see this scene. He walked into the courtyard, his gaze sweeping over the rubble, then looked at the five Bake brothers and nodded, "Not bad."

Hearing Linlei say "not bad," the five were even happier. Weilin jumped up again, almost really throwing the spatula, but Bensen grabbed him by the arm. Leikesi ran straight over, hugging Gaici's arm and shaking it, "Second Brother, Second Brother, let me touch, let me touch!"

Gaici generously extended his arm, letting his younger brother touch it. Leikesi touched for a long time, then said puzzledly, "There's nothing different; it's just flesh."

"Stupid!" Gaici tapped his head, making a dull "Dong" sound. "The power is retracted, of course you can't feel it. It's only there when hitting someone."

Leikesi covered his head, whining in grievance, but couldn't help touching his older brother's arm again.

Dinner was cooked by Weilin. This kid was the youngest, but he had a knack for cooking—he claimed to have learned it while working as an assistant in a restaurant kitchen when he was young. Back then he was so small he couldn't reach the stove, so he stood on a stool watching the master chef stir-fry. When the chef was in a good mood, he would let him help pass green onions, ginger, and garlic; when he was in a bad mood, he would kick him away. Just like that, picking up bits and pieces here and there, he slowly learned the craft of cooking.

A large pot of meat soup, served with coarse bread, had more than ten people eating until they were sweating profusely. The soup was stewed with wild rabbit meat and added some unknown mountain mushrooms, so delicious it made one want to swallow their tongue. Weilin also baked several flatbreads; crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Tearing them open and soaking them in the soup, they absorbed the broth, and one bite filled the mouth with fragrance. The flatbreads were made of coarse wheat flour, somewhat rough, but after soaking in the meat soup, they became soft and chewy, getting more fragrant the more one chewed.

Beibei also received a large piece of meat. The little thing carried the meat to a corner and ate with relish. It first used its paws to pin the meat down, then lowered its head to tear and bite, emitting satisfied whining sounds from its throat. Heilu lay nearby, occasionally sticking out its tongue to lick Beibei's fur, only to be impatiently pushed away by Beibei's paws. Heilu wasn't annoyed, simply changing posture to continue lying down, but his ears remained perked up, listening to the commotion around.

After dinner, it was completely dark. A bonfire was lit in the courtyard, the firelight making people's faces flicker between light and shadow.

Weilin was clearing the bowls and chopsticks, moving nimbly, stacking the dishes together and carrying them to the well to wash. Bensen added a few logs to the fire, the flames crackling and popping, with sparks flying. Leikesi sat hugging his knees, staring blankly, not knowing what he was thinking; the firelight reflected on his young face, alternating between bright and dark.

Saisile, rarely, did not return to his laboratory. He sat by the fire, holding a clay cup containing his own brewed herbal tea. The old man squinted, watching the flames dance, his expression unusually relaxed. The scent of the herbal tea mixed with the smoke of the bonfire, creating an indescribable sense of tranquility. He occasionally took a sip of tea, smacked his lips, then squinted again, continuing to watch the flames.

Linlei also came out, sitting a bit further away, leaning against a tree.

Aikesi leaned against the window of his room, looking out at the night. The window was half-open; the night breeze, carrying the coolness of the forest, blew in, brushing against his face comfortably. In the coolness was the scent of grass and trees, the scent of soil, and the faint, elusive fragrance of flowers drifting from afar.

The moon rose, very bright. The moonlight spilled into the courtyard, gilding everything with a layer of silver. Heilu's fur glowed eerily, as if draped in frost. Beibei, emerging from who knows where, jumped onto Heilu's back and lay still. The little thing curled into a ball, its tail covering its nose, and soon emitted a faint purring sound.

The cry of a night bird drifted from afar, intermittent, as if echoing each other. One called, another answered, then a third joined in, rising and falling, forming a simple nocturne. The mountain wind blew through the treetops, making a rustling sound, as if something were walking quietly. When the wind blew through the bamboo grove, the sound was louder; bamboo leaves rubbed against each other, like countless tiny bells ringing.

Aikesi withdrew his gaze and took the Soul-Stabilizing Pearl from his chest.

The pearl glowed with a deep blue light under the moonlight; holding it in the palm felt like a warm coolness. This coolness was not bone-chilling or biting, but like holding a piece of jade just fished out of a stream, a perfectly balanced coolness. Over these few days, he had been using this thing and indeed felt his spiritual power much more stable than before. The restlessness that occasionally appeared during cultivation had vanished, and his thoughts were clearer.

He put the pearl back in his chest and began to cultivate.

The Nuwa Diagram appeared in his mind; the figure with a human head and snake body became even clearer. The surrounding galaxy of stars rotated slowly, every star appearing like a living creature, twinkling with faint light.

Spiritual power was increasing slowly at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye. Very slow, so slow it was almost unnoticeable, but it was indeed increasing. Like a stream in the mountains, day after day, year after year, eventually merging into a river.

The night deepened.

The bonfire gradually extinguished, leaving only a few dim red embers, flickering in the night wind.

Saisile also returned to his laboratory. Faint light emanated from that room, occasionally accompanied by the soft clinking of vessels and the old man's low muttering, as if talking to himself or speaking to some invisible thing. Linlei had disappeared at some point, probably returning to his room to cultivate. His door was tightly closed, with no light and no sound, as if no one was there.

The courtyard fell silent.

Only Heilu and Beibei remained there. Heilu lay prone, his ears twitching occasionally as he listened to the sounds around him. His eyes glowed with a faint green light in the darkness, like two small gems. Beibei slept deeply, his small body rising and falling with his breath, his belly heaving up and down, his tail twitching now and then, probably dreaming of something.

Aikesi opened his eyes and looked out the window.

The moonlight remained bright, illuminating everything in the courtyard with perfect clarity. The patterns on the bluestone slabs, the weeds in the corner, the clothes left on the clothesline to dry—all stood out with sharp outlines under the moonlight. In the distance, layers of mountain shadows overlapped, as if sketched with thick ink, their levels distinct.

The night breeze blew in, carrying a hint of coolness and the unique silence of late night. That chill was already stronger than it had been at dusk, bringing the dampness of dew and the crisp cold of an autumn night. In a few more days, autumn would arrive. The mountains' autumn comes early and leaves quickly, followed by a long winter.

Aikesi withdrew his thoughts, closed his eyes again, and continued his cultivation.

With the help of the Soul-Stabilizing Pearl, his spiritual power slowly increased, and the Nuwa Diagram in his mind grew ever clearer. The star river spun, a cool energy flowed, and everything was developing in a better direction.

Outside the window, the moonlight was like water.