Watching the Mountain

Accumulating Spiritual Qi and Spiritual Power was just a transformation of strength. To achieve a breakthrough, one also needed to understand their Cultivation Technique—or rather, have a sufficient comprehension of the Dao. Only when both power and Realm were adequately accumulated could one continue to advance on the path of cultivation.

When people were unable to break through to a certain Realm in their entire lifetime, it wasn’t just due to a lack of resources. More often, it was because their understanding of their Cultivation Technique and their comprehension of the Dao were lacking.

Although Xu Ran understood this, he wasn’t particularly fazed. Possessing the Longevity Dao Fruit, he had all the time in the world to comprehend the Dao. There was no need to rush.

Besides, the town he lived in was already sparse in Spiritual Qi. Even without that hurdle, a breakthrough would have taken him a very long time.

And so, he continued to cultivate at a steady, unhurried pace, all while reading this world’s various books and classics.

Twenty years passed, and his Cultivation broke through to the Qi Cultivation Second Layer. During that time, he bid farewell to many of the elders from Xu Family Village.

Another twenty years went by, marking the fiftieth year since he had parted with Yue Qingyu. His Cultivation broke through to the Qi Cultivation Third Layer.

By this point, almost everyone he knew in Xu Family Village had passed away. However, under his guidance, the village had long since escaped poverty and grown prosperous, becoming the envy of all.

Upon reaching this Realm, Xu Ran felt the difficulty of cultivation even more keenly. This was because the breakthrough from the Qi Cultivation Third Layer to the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer involved a critical juncture, known in the Cultivation Realm as "Dao Hearing."

It required one to use their Cultivation Technique to perceive the Dao Rhyme of the world—to observe the ceaseless flow of a stream, the vitality of an ancient tree, the soaring of a fierce fire, or the profound weight of mountain rock.

No wonder Yue Qingyu had set the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer as the condition of their agreement. The difficulty of reaching this Realm was on a completely different level than everything that came before.

To make a simple analogy, the difficulty of progressing from the Qi Cultivation First Layer to the Third was like basic arithmetic from Xu Ran’s past life. But reaching the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer was like jumping directly to advanced mathematics.

The leap was simply enormous.

For a full fifty years, Xu Ran observed mountains and rivers, yet he gained no insight. Then, one night, he took out the Wooden Token Yue Qingyu had given him and stared at it for a whole night. He suddenly discovered that the ’Yue’ character she had left on it seemed to contain the Dao Rhyme of Withered Wood Revives in Spring.

And his primary attribute was, in fact, the Wood Attribute.

He realized then that the Wooden Token wasn’t merely the proof of their promise that Yue Qingyu had left him. It was also an opportunity for enlightenment. As for whether he could seize it—that had been entirely up to fate.

Upon realizing her intentions, Xu Ran let out three great laughs. Overnight, his Cultivation broke through directly into the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer.

Afterward, he took the Wooden Token and set off toward the Profound Pure Sect.

A century had passed, and Xu Ran felt deeply uncertain whether Yue Qingyu would still honor their original agreement.

After all, the notion of recommending a man over a hundred years old to join the Sect as a new disciple was simply outrageous.

But regardless, he had to try.

After cultivating for a century, he had come to deeply understand the importance of a Sect for a Cultivator.

The reason it had taken him a century to reach the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer wasn’t just a matter of his own Comprehension; it was also because he lacked guidance, resources, and all manner of other support.

He was certain that if he had been a disciple in a Sect, it would not have taken nearly so long to reach his current Realm.

...

When Xu Ran’s Wooden Token was delivered into Yue Qingyu’s hands, Que’Er happened to be there as well.

Que’Er had transformed from the young girl she once was into a middle-aged woman. Only Yue Qingyu retained the same ethereal appearance she’d had when she first met Xu Ran; time had not left a single trace on her.

At Yue Qingyu’s prompting, Que’Er recalled the origin of the Wooden Token. The memory of calling that young man ’Brother Xu’ surfaced in her mind, and she felt her ears burn as her expression grew complicated.

She then said to Yue Qingyu, "Senior Sister, that Xu Ran is so shameless! He has no self-awareness at all. You took pity on him back then and gave him a chance to cultivate. It would be one thing if he were simply ungrateful, but he actually took your casual words from back then as a serious promise."

"A century has passed, and he’s only just reached the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer. He must be an old man by now, right? Asking you to recommend a man over a hundred years old to join the Sect... isn’t that just putting you in an awkward position?"

"How about I just give him a few bottles of Elixirs and send him on his way?"

Yue Qingyu looked at her and spoke softly, "Junior Sister, it was a promise. Since he has fulfilled his part and come to our door, it is only right and proper that we fulfill ours."

"If we as Cultivators are always preoccupied with calculating gains and losses instead of fulfilling our duties, how can we ever expect to advance far upon this path?"

Que’Er’s expression froze. She was about to offer an explanation, but Yue Qingyu had already picked up the Wooden Token and started walking down the mountain.

Seeing this, her expression shifted, and she hurried to follow.