Chapter 4: Carefree Sigh

  Wu Ming was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and tossed over the wine gourd in his hand.

  "You like to drink at such a young age? Good, good, but this wine is from the cafeteria, right? No flavor, really no flavor. Drink mine, I have good wine! Tonight, you and I will have a drink together." The old man sat down next to Wu Ming, and somehow he also had a purple gourd in his hand. As soon as the gourd was opened, Wu Ming immediately smelled a fragrance of wine wafting out from inside.

  "It's fragrant, too fragrant!" Wu Ming took a big sip, and the wine worms in his belly showed some signs of rebellion. Although he didn't know what kind of wine it was or how many years it had been aged, he could feel that rich and mellow aroma, and he took the wine gourd and drank from it.

  "Gulp... Ah, refreshing!" Wu Ming took a big gulp and praised.

  "Awesome? Haha, first time I've heard someone say that. Awesome indeed, with this good wine to drink, it's really awesome! However, kiddo, just one sip, if you drink too much, you'll probably pass out." The old man grabbed the wine gourd from Wu Ming's hand and took a swig, then refused to give it back to him.

  Just as he was about to ask for another sip of wine, Wu Ming's face changed color. This must be poison... He had heard from his senior brothers in the sect that there were many poisons in the world that could easily destroy years of cultivated true energy, turning it into nothingness. And this old man in front of him was someone he had never seen before! However, thinking about it again, if he really wanted to harm the Xuantian Sect, he wouldn't have wasted his time on a small servant like himself.

  "Old man, this wine isn't brewed with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Treasure, is it? I feel like a surge of spiritual energy has rushed into my body! Tsk tsk, good wine is indeed good wine, even drinking can cultivate!"

  The old man didn't get angry at his impertinence, instead he said with a playful tone: "Then why don't you hurry up and refine your skills? Who knows, maybe you'll be able to advance to the second level of the Post-Heaven realm tomorrow! Hmph, I'm telling you, kid, your physique is really too poor. You're already 15 years old and only just entered the Post-Heaven realm, whose disciple are you? Even an outer sect disciple's strength shouldn't be so low, right? Did you sneak in through the back door?"

  "Who's going through the back door? I'm just a janitor, do I have to go through the back door?" Wu Ming rolled his eyes and lay down instead of refining that strand of spiritual energy.

  "Hey old man, who are you again? I've never heard of anyone like you in the Xuantian Sect. Are you here to visit relatives or something?" Wu Ming suddenly relaxed and spoke freely, as if he had returned to Earth, without any reservations, joking around like a friend. He also knew that the old man in front of him seemed to have a broad mind and didn't mind these things.

  "What about me? I'm just a dying man, haha, never mind that. Young one, aren't you going to refine this spiritual energy? If you wait any longer it'll disperse!" The old man said with a smile, also lying down like Wu Ming.

  "What's the point of refining? What can refining do for me? I'm just a miscellaneous servant, living and dying is all the same to me. Besides, isn't it too hasty to try to increase my strength like this? Drinking wine should be done properly, but making such a fuss about it makes it lose its flavor. Life is like that, always being so particular and serious is actually quite dull."

  At this moment, Wu Ming is a bit pretentious, but it also reminds him of past events. He has laughed, cried, been lonely, been betrayed, been excited, had expectations, and eventually became desperate, until now he has even gone mad.

  After being foolish and silly, Wu Ming now seems to have had a great awakening. However, this great awakening also seems somewhat unsuitable for himself, so Wu Ming shook his head and threw out these unrealistic thoughts from his mind, there's still a great journey ahead waiting for him to take.

  After hearing this, the old man was taken aback and then said: "Hehe, your idea is not bad, but it's a bit of an old-fashioned way of thinking. You're probably only in your teens, right? Don't you have any dreams? For example, becoming a great hero or being a high-ranking member of the Xuantian Sect? At least that's better than doing odd jobs, isn't it? You don't have to work and every month you'll get money and spirit stones to spend. Isn't that better?"

  "Dreams? If I say, I want this sky to no longer block my vision, this earth to no longer bury my heart, all living beings to understand my intentions, and those gods in the heavens to disappear into thin air! Do you believe it? Hahaha... Old man, old man, dreams are ultimately just dreams after all! You're already at such an advanced age, yet you still think about such illusory things?"

  Wu Ming burst out laughing and didn't ask the old man about his true identity again. Deep down, he didn't want to know either. Maybe if he knew, they wouldn't even be able to be friends anymore, and it's better this way, free and easy.

  "I want this sky to no longer block my vision, I want this earth to no longer bury my heart. I want all living beings to understand my intention, and those Buddhas to disappear like smoke in the clouds! I want this sky to no longer block my vision, I want this earth to no longer bury my heart. I want all living beings to understand my intention, and those Buddhas to disappear like smoke in the clouds! Haha haha haha, what a wonderful dream, all is vanity! Young one, just rely on these words, and you will rise above the mundane world!"

  As he spoke, the old man picked up the wine gourd in his hand and took a big gulp.

  "Perhaps everyone is born thinking that the world exists for them alone, and when they discover their mistake, they begin to grow up. And I just discovered it a few years earlier than others, which only proves that I matured early!" Wu Ming said with self-mockery.

  The old man said, "Alas, if I had your realization back then, how could I have fallen to this state today? Hehe, good kid, although your roots are not good, but this realization, even the ancestor of my Xuantian Sect, Xuantianzi, might have to admit defeat."

  "Wu Ming waved his hand and said, 'It's over, it's over. I just borrowed someone else's words, that's all. Hehe, now that I think about it, I have a deep understanding, so I'll just say it out loud. I'm just an ordinary person, I don't have such high insight. And this conversation, you mustn't let others hear it, or who knows when you'll get chopped up!'"

  "Haha, it seems that little friend is still quite interesting. Rarely does someone come back here to accompany this old man and chat, didn't expect to run into you today... Hehe, I guess I didn't come out for nothing this time!" The old man said with a smile.

  "You're driving me away, aren't you? I won't stay any longer either. I have to go to work tomorrow, so I won't keep you company!" Wu Ming stood up, patted the dust off his body and walked away with a smile.

  I don't know if it's because of my good mood or what, but as I walked, I hummed softly: "Time is hard to come by in silence, autumn wind is tired of drifting, the sunset lingers and doesn't leave, hanging on the wall, reluctant to part with me, the words I whispered to her ear in the past have already flowed eastward with the tide...

  "Haha, laughing and talking nonsense, the foolishness of the past and present will ultimately lead to nothing. The knife is dull, the blade is worn out, kindness and righteousness are broken, dreams are shattered... Is this kid intentionally talking about me? Alas, if I had met this kid eighty years ago, no, a hundred years ago, things wouldn't have ended up like this today!" The old man shook his head in nostalgia.

  After a moment, the old man said faintly: "Xiao Mu Zi, come out!"

  The sect master of the Xuantian Sect, Mu Yun Kong, walked out with a helpless expression. Why did this old ancestor always call himself "Little Wooden" every time they met? I'm already 128 years old!

  "Is your master's uncle doing well?"

  The old man didn't respond to him, but instead asked: "That young fellow, can you recognize him?"

  "I recognize him, he's a child that Bai Shifu brought back ten years ago. Because his roots were too poor to cultivate, he was let go to do odd jobs in the sect. I've seen him a few times in the Cangjing Pavilion, where he was responsible for sweeping the outer areas. He's quite honest and doesn't talk much, seems to be interested in learning martial arts, often goes to listen to classes at Xu Changlao's place. This time, after Sun Defang from the Cangjing Pavilion passed away, they pushed this kid over to take his place... who would have thought that this kid..."

  Sun De Fang, outsiders all say he didn't want to do it anymore so he retired, but those who really know the truth all know that old man died of illness and couldn't do it anymore. This hidden scripture pavilion miscellaneous role, how can you retire casually? What if you remember a few doors of absolute learning and run out, wouldn't it make countless people covet?

  "What the...?! You've actually broken through to the Post-Heaven realm?! And then you go and replace him with someone else?" The old man flicked his sleeve, coldly shouting: "You little brat, do you have a brain or not?! That previous conversation, could it be something an ordinary person would say?! Your roots are poor, your roots are poor and no one wants to take you on as a disciple, but with this kind of insight, by the time you reach my age, your abilities might even surpass mine! Do you believe that?! A disciple like this, if I don't grasp him firmly in my hands, wouldn't it be a waste?! Moreover, do you think such an intelligent little brat wouldn't guess my identity?! When he still remains calm and composed, and can even say something like that, go take a look around the entire Mystic Heaven Sect, how many people can achieve this?! That woman of yours, since she has such a relationship with him, shouldn't she be taking control?!"

  "No, I won't, absolutely not!" Mu Yun Kong's face suddenly broke out in cold sweat. This Shifu Zu was one of the few remaining elders in Xuan Tian Sect, and his actual strength had already reached the legendary level where he couldn't be defeated as long as he stood on the ground. Even if they wanted to remove him from his position as sect master, it would only take a single sentence, not to mention the profound realization he had gained from their previous conversation.

  "Alright, I'll arrange everything for tomorrow. However, his abilities are a bit of a problem. It's obvious at first glance that he has the Heavenly Jade, so just give it to him!" The old man said rudely.

  "This, this jade... hmm, I'll deliver it personally tomorrow! Or would you like me to take him as an apprentice?" Mu Yun Kong's face was still sweating, and more sweat broke out. Originally, he just felt that someone had trespassed into the backyard and followed over to take a look, but didn't expect... this was a big loss.

  Upon hearing this, the old man's eyes widened instantly: "He can barely be considered my friend, and you still dare to accept him as a disciple? Besides, with his comprehension skills, what would you teach him with? Don't corrupt people for no reason. Let him go to the Scripture Pavilion to read books by himself, it's better if he figures something out than your blind teaching. Right, absolutely cannot reveal my identity, did you hear that? Alright, I won't say anymore, I'll go sleep first!"

  After finishing speaking, the old man turned around and left. Without seeing how he moved, his body suddenly appeared tens of meters away. Watching this, Mu Yun Kong felt a pang of envy - when would he be able to break through to the Earth Stage and use this divine ability that shrinks space into inches?

  "Alas, you lucky kid, how did you get so lucky? You got off easy!" Mu Yun Kong shook his head and left.