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Wugensheng's aura became increasingly ethereal, as if he might merge into the surrounding air at any moment, making him elusive.
Zhang Yunyuan's changes, however, were more subtle.
His Qi was several times stronger, his foundation was as solid as a rock, and every move he made carried a sense of harmony and confidence that he had never had before.
With a thought, he tried to circulate the newly generated Primordial Qi within his body.
An invisible wave emanated from him and quietly spread outwards.
The Qi flows that he perceived as violent, chaotic, and conflicting instantly became docile as soon as they approached within three feet of him, as if guided and regulated by some invisible force.
Like rivers flowing into the sea, they were silently devoured and transformed by the invisible "domain" around him, eventually turning into the purest energy, which was absorbed by his Primordial Dao Qi.
There was no more conflict or frenzy, and nothing could affect him anymore.
Zhang Yunyuan was overjoyed.
He finally became, like Wugensheng, as if he had become part of this Twenty-Four Solar Terms Valley.
These energies could no longer affect him in the slightest.
Wugensheng, who was standing to the side, noticed this subtle change, and a hint of undisguised surprise flashed in his eyes.
He could clearly sense that Zhang Yunyuan had formed an independent small aura around him, which was like a miniature black hole, dissolving and absorbing all the chaotic energy around him.
This method is similar to his own "divine spirit," yet it is fundamentally the opposite.
One returned to nothingness, the other to chaos.
But he didn't ask any further questions.
Everyone has their own secrets and opportunities; forcibly probing them will only damage the friendship between friends.
He assumed that Zhang Yunyuan was a man of profound Taoist skills and exceptional comprehension, and that he had encountered something extraordinary in this place.
The two walked in silence through the "What is a Human Cave," bypassed the still-sleeping white ape, and finally emerged from the cave entrance hidden by vines.
The bright sunlight pierced through the thin mist at the top of the valley and shone on the two of them, bringing a touch of warmth.
They arrived at the stream where they had first entered the valley.
The clear stream reflected the two figures; one still had that carefree look, but his eyes held a deeper clarity and understanding.
The other one has shed some of his youthful naiveté, his figure is more upright, and his brows carry a calmness that is inconsistent with his age.
"I'm leaving."
Wugensheng spoke first, breaking the silence.
He gazed at the ever-changing clouds and mist in the valley, his eyes distant.
"This place is nice, but it's not where I belong."
"I still have a lot to do, and many answers to find."
He turned his head, looked at Zhang Yunyuan, and gave him a sincere smile.
What about you? What are your plans for the future?
Zhang Yunyuan gazed at the distant mountains and said softly.
"It's time for me to go."
"Descend the mountain to travel and verify one's own path."
He spoke the last four words very softly, so softly that only he could hear them.
Wugensheng burst into laughter, his laughter echoing through the valley.
"Excellent! What a perfect testament to one's own path!"
He patted Zhang Yunyuan on the shoulder heavily.
"You and I may have different paths, but we can be said to have arrived at the same destination by different routes."
As he spoke, he took out the Cave Heaven Ring from his pocket, glanced at the identical ring on Zhang Yunyuan's hand, and a smile flashed in his eyes.
"These twenty-four grains will be our shared secret from now on."
"If you have some free time in the future, you might as well come here for a couple of drinks and then discuss the mystery."
Zhang Yunyuan nodded solemnly.
The two walked to the entrance of the valley, to the invisible door formed by spatial ripples.
Wugensheng stopped, turned around, and solemnly cupped his hands in greeting to Zhang Yunyuan.
"Yun Yuan, we met by chance, yet we feel like old friends at first sight. These seven days of friendship are worth more than ten years of my wandering the martial world."
"After today's parting, I don't know when we will meet again."
“I will continue to guide my ‘people’ and seek my ‘path’.”
“Go and explore your own ‘experience’ and prove your own ‘law’.”
He paused, his eyes gleaming with an unprecedented light.
"This chaotic world is both a purgatory and a furnace. People like you and me, born into this world, should do something earth-shattering to make our lives worthwhile!"
Looking at the blazing fire in his eyes, Zhang Yunyuan was also infected by it, and a surge of heroic spirit welled up in his chest.
He also returned the greeting to Wugensheng with a solemn bow.
"Brother Feng, take care."
Wugensheng laughed heartily, without a trace of lingering attachment. He turned around, took a step, and his figure disappeared into the ripples of space.
Zhang Yunyuan stood there, looking in the direction he had disappeared, without moving for a long time.
He knew that from this moment on, the leader of the Thirty-Six Thieves who would later stir up the winds and clouds of the world had truly embarked on his legendary path.
And it's time for me to set off too.
He took one last look at this valley that was full of mystery and wonder, then turned around and stepped into the invisible door.
Outside the door, it was still that vast, desolate expanse of yellow earth.
Inside the gate, it was a hidden paradise.
We part ways here, one by one.
Farewell to old friends, may we meet again in the world of martial arts.
Chapter 45 Seven Days in the Cave, Seven Years in the World
Passing through the ripples of space, Zhang Yunyuan returned to the desolate open space of the Qinling Mountains.
He subconsciously looked back, only to find that barren, lifeless yellow earth stretching as far as the eye could see, with no trace of the lush valleys to be seen.
That isolated realm of Qi seemed to have never existed.
It was as if the seven-day fairyland adventure I had just experienced was nothing more than a bizarre dream that would vanish upon waking.
But he could clearly feel the primordial Dao Qi surging like a river, so powerful it was almost overflowing, roaring joyfully in his dantian.
And the ring on his left index finger, which was closely bound to his soul and had a warm yet cool touch, silently proved that all of that had actually happened.
In just seven days, his cultivation level surpassed the insurmountable barrier that countless extraordinary individuals could not reach in their entire lives.
This achievement can be described as a meteoric rise.
He took a long breath of the slightly thin and murky air outside, forcefully suppressing the surging excitement and ecstasy that almost burst forth from his heart.
He carefully discerned the direction, and without hesitation, he used the Wudang Ladder Cloud Leap technique to swiftly rush towards the direction beyond the deep mountains.
The rugged and steep mountain road now seemed like flat ground to him, even easier than flat ground.
His movements were unpredictable; sometimes he would lightly touch the steep rock face with his toes and move several feet to the side; other times he would use the protruding treetops as leverage to leap across the deep ravines like a bird.
In just half a day, he emerged from this vast, remote mountain range.
Ahead, a village of moderate size appeared indistinctly on the horizon.
Looking into the distance, wisps of smoke rise from chimneys, and one can faintly hear the sounds of chickens and dogs, creating a rich atmosphere of everyday life.
The sudden return from that spiritually rich and secluded paradise to this noisy and bustling mortal world gave Zhang Yunyuan a strong and peculiar sense of being in another world.
He slowed his pace and walked into the town.
The scenery on both sides of the street seemed to be largely unchanged from when he went up the mountain seven days ago; it was still the same bluestone road, earthen walls and gray tiles.
The pedestrians on the street seemed even more solemn, each one hurrying along, their brows furrowed with a lingering worry and sorrow.
A subtle tension permeated the air, like a taut string.
Zhang Yunyuan had some doubts, but he didn't think much of it.
He simply assumed that in this chaotic world, with the political situation turbulent, people's lives were becoming increasingly difficult.
He casually walked into a roadside teahouse, where a few tables of customers were sparsely seated.
He ordered a pot of coarse tea and a few plates of local snacks, intending to rest for a while and inquire about recent news.
At the next table, several men who looked like weary traveling merchants were drinking tea and talking in hushed tones with worried expressions.
"Have you heard? There's fighting again up north, and this time it's quite a big commotion."
A businessman sighed.
"Sigh, this war has been going on for so many years. It's never stopped since the Qing Dynasty. When will it ever end?"
Another businessman chimed in, his voice tinged with fear.
"A few days ago, the neighboring county was occupied by those Japanese devils again. They burned, killed, looted, and committed all sorts of atrocities. I heard they even raided the nunnery in the town. It was a truly horrific sight!"
"Who can argue with that? These days are getting harder and harder."
Taxes are increasing day by day, and exorbitant levies are as numerous as hairs on a cow. The government doesn't care, the army doesn't care, and they just let those Japanese run rampant... Our goods have been robbed several times on the road by those defeated soldiers!
Zhang Yunyuan listened quietly, his brows gradually furrowing.
The situation seemed to be much more serious than he had imagined.
Just then, a ragged, emaciated newspaper boy ran past the teahouse entrance, holding several crudely printed newspapers in his hand and shouting loudly with all his might.
"Newspapers for sale! Newspapers for sale! The battle of Xuzhou is critical! Our soldiers are fighting bravely!"