Chapter 125: Painting the Dragon

"Only by obtaining the Qi of Longevity can one become a Longevity Person; the cosmos enters one's body, and the Dao unfolds naturally."

Is that very unfamiliar?

Never heard it before?

Good that you haven't heard it.

Because Li Rui made it up himself.

He created the Long Chun Art himself; though derived from the White Ape's Slash, every subsequent step must be taken alone.

It's hard.

But the benefits are immense.

It perfectly aligns with one's own body, leaving almost no stagnation; though progress slows, each step forward becomes profoundly solid.

"Only by laying a firm foundation can one go further."

Han Qin mentioned it.

Some prodigies of Huaqing Sect deliberately suppress their realm, refining their bodies to the extreme in each stage before advancing to the next.

Every stage is like this.

There's a perfect example right beside you—Jiang Yan.

As the only daughter of Jiang Linxian, she lacks nothing in terms of arts or elixirs.

An eighth-rank at fifteen or sixteen.

Impressive, but don't compare her to the world's young dragon-children; even within Huaqing Sect, there are many who reach eighth-rank at that age.

Is Jiang Yan's talent too poor?

Or is she not working hard?

Neither.

Jiang Linxian deliberately did this; his expectations for Jiang Yan aren't just seventh-rank or sixth-rank—they're higher.

To climb higher,

one must forge an unshakable foundation.

It's the same principle as building a skyscraper in Li Rui's past life.

Self-realized art.

The Xuanqing Qi within his body gradually changed as the art circulated, faint but perceptible to Li Rui.

The most direct manifestation:

the dragon coiled around the chaotic pearl in his dantian had become more vivid, as if ready to ride the wind and fly away.

Look closely.

You'll also notice two black dots on the dragon's eyes.

"Painting the dragon's pupils."

"In ancient times, master painters would never paint the pupils of dragons, saying: 'Paint the dragon's pupils—the divine dragon awakens!'"

The dragon's eyes are the source of life.

The most vital part.

Li Rui eagerly awaited what miraculous transformation the Qi nurtured by the Long Chun Art would bring.

He didn't know.

Perhaps no one in this world could know.

This is the drawback of self-created arts—no peers to verify or reflect upon them; perhaps only when the Long Chun Art is passed down through generations will it be understood.

After finishing cultivation,

the sky had just begun to lighten.

Li Rui opened his door early, washed his face.

Suddenly,

a crackling sound of firecrackers echoed from afar.

He paused, then smiled slightly: "The New Year is coming."

Yu State also has legends of the Nian Beast, so people set off firecrackers to scare it away; since the New Year was still some time off, this was clearly some mischievous child lighting them early.

After the New Year, in a few more months, he would be seventy-two.

Yet he was growing farther from the end of his lifespan.

A typical seventh-rank lives to one hundred fifty; he cultivates the Long Chun Art, so his lifespan is likely longer—perhaps one hundred seventy.

"So by that count, I'm still a forty-year-old youngster?"

Li Rui smiled faintly.

After sixty, he disliked celebrating the New Year, because each passing year brought him closer to death.

Now, he didn't care.

Was he no longer afraid of death?

No.

He was just temporarily not dying—still afraid, just not yet.

"Old Li, come eat dumplings!"

Yang Yong spotted Li Rui stepping out and cheerfully called out.

Li Rui blinked. Yang Yong and Wang Zhao looked like they'd been injected with energy—they'd risen unusually early.

Though they'd developed the habit of rising early at the Zhu household, they'd never risen this early before.

While slurping a scallion noodle bowl with three thick slices of meat,

Yang Yong mumbled: "New Year isn't casual—it affects your whole year's fortune."

"This year's New Year's celebration? Don't worry—I and Xiao Zhao will handle it."

He'd fled from the north and only became a guard for the Zhu household after arriving in Qinghe, so he'd kept the habit of eating dumplings for the New Year.

Yu State calls the New Year "Yuandan."

Yu State's calendar was established by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.

It used neither solar nor lunar alone, but a lunisolar calendar.

That is, twelve months in a common year: six large months of thirty days, six small months of twenty-nine days, totaling 354 days, with the first day of the year being Yuandan.

=9+shu_ba

So Yuandan is how this world refers to the Spring Festival.

Of course, "celebrating the New Year" is also commonly used among the people.

Yang Yong was ten years younger than Li Rui, but still not young; elders place great importance on the New Year.

Back at the Zhu household,

he often invited Li Rui to sneakily use their saved money to improve meals, saying: "New Year, New Year—you must get a good omen, or else after the holiday you're still poor and ragged; even the God of Wealth would scorn you and deny you fortune."

Now he'd already bought all the New Year goods and been busy for days.

Li Rui smiled faintly: "Do as you please."

After finishing the noodles,

Li Rui headed straight for the Weapon Storage.

When he stepped inside, he saw Liang He had already cleaned the place thoroughly.

"Chief, good morning!"

Liang He greeted Li Rui with a smile.

Li Rui glanced over Liang He: "About to break through?"

Liang He was startled.

He'd planned to break through quietly and surprise Li Rui, but had been seen through at a glance.

He felt discouraged: "Yes, Chief."

Though he'd joined the Weapon Storage and become an Anning Guard soldier, he still called Li Rui "Chief," and Li Rui never corrected him.

Li Rui chuckled: "Since you're about to break through, take this Peigu Pill."

Saying this,

he pulled a small jade vial from his robe and tossed it to Liang He.

Liang He froze, hastily caught it, and felt warmth in his chest: "Thank you, Chief."

The Peigu Pill is a genuine eighth-rank elixir, worth five hundred taels of silver.

This is a great favor!

Seeing Liang He deeply moved, Li Rui scolded with a smile: "Get a grip. You've called me Chief for so long—I can't let you call me for nothing."

"I will never betray your expectations, Chief!"

Liang He was about to express his gratitude.

Li Rui waved his hand: "Don't thank me yet—friendship is friendship, but the Peigu Pill still must be repaid."

"."

Liang He's face turned red, and finally he blurted: "Chief, I'll pay you back."

Only then did Li Rui stroll calmly into the room.

Why not just give Liang He the Peigu Pill outright? Couldn't he afford it?

Of course not.

With Li Rui's current wealth, giving away an eighth-rank spirit pill is truly nothing much.

But freely giving often only harms a person.

When something is obtained too easily, one fails to cherish it; later, when one becomes impoverished again, one inevitably becomes anxious over gains and losses.

Excessive attachment to external things shakes one's will.

Thus, many great clans establish strict rules to prevent their members from gaining things too easily and losing their drive.

If you want something, you must earn it yourself.

Lianghe is still young and needs much cultivation of his mind; he cannot keep thinking of living off others' efforts.

"This sort of matter suits this old man just fine."

Li Rui's lips curled slightly upward.

Just as he was about to open the unfinished "Donghua Dao Jie" from yesterday, a familiar voice sounded outside:

"Senior Li, junior Han Qin pays a visit."

(End of Chapter)