Chapter 156 – Extra 17 – Sun Yunhe & Jiang Qi 2

After a deafening roar that shook the earth, dust filled the air, and filthy blood splattered everywhere. Two men dressed in green robes tumbled to the side in a sorry state. The middle-aged man with three long strands of beard under his chin spat out a mouthful of blood with a “wah” sound. The younger one quickly scrambled to his feet and supported him, anxiously asking, “Father! Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” the middle-aged man waved his hand. “Go check if that beast is dead.”

The young man immediately stood up and walked toward the nearby pit. Inside the large crater lay a massive black python, as thick as a bowl, already lifeless. Its skin was mangled, whether from fire or lightning, and a faint burnt smell emanated from it. Seeing this, the young man sighed in relief and returned to his father’s side, reporting, “Father, the snake is dead. This calamity should be over.”

The middle-aged man nodded, leaning on his son’s arm to stand up. He glanced at the mound ahead and frowned. After a long while, he muttered, “Something’s not right. How could this place’s earth energy nurture a Teng Python? Could there be something else underground?”

Hearing this, the young man grew tense again and scanned the surroundings. His eyes suddenly lit up as he pointed to the north of the snake’s den. “Father, that small mound over there looks suspicious. Should I go check it out?”

After a moment of contemplation, the middle-aged man nodded, cautioning, “Use the Mystic Flags to scout the path. Be careful.”

The young man, who appeared to be not yet twenty, was agile and skilled in Daoist arts. He quickly arranged seven small red flags. Seeing that the flags remained still, he carefully performed a hand seal and cautiously approached the mound. After a brief hesitation, he drew a short knife from his waist and plunged it into the soil.

This move was reckless. The middle-aged man’s brows furrowed, but he didn’t stop his son. His youngest son was a rare talent, perhaps not as skilled as their master, but certainly far superior to what he had been at that age. Such prodigies couldn’t be coddled; they had to be allowed to forge their own path.

The blade sank into the soil without any unusual occurrences. The young man exhaled softly and continued digging. In less than half the time it took for an incense stick to burn, he exclaimed, “Father, it’s a turtle shell!”

The middle-aged man was startled and, despite his weakened state, walked over. Indeed, buried under the mound was a complete turtle shell, as large as a millstone. Such a large turtle was unheard of inland, let alone a complete shell. Typically, turtles shed their shells piece by piece. A complete shell like this usually indicated that an old turtle had passed away here. Glancing at the reddish-brown shell and then at the nearby snake den, the middle-aged man’s furrowed brows relaxed. “So that’s it,” he said.

Regardless of the turtle’s species, it must have attained some level of spiritual cultivation. The spiritual energy released from its decaying body would have been significant, attracting the Teng Python to nest here. The turtle and snake together formed a Black Tortoise pattern. As the Teng Python was on the verge of becoming a demon, the Black Tortoise’s malevolent water couldn’t be contained, leading to the disaster in the nearby village. The turtle shell’s interference with the earth energy had also prevented them from detecting the snake demon earlier.

Fortunately, nothing had gone wrong. The man let out a soft sigh and was about to speak when the young man suddenly froze. He gently brushed away the loose soil at the bottom of the pit and picked up a small, round object.

“It’s a little turtle. And it’s alive?” The young man marveled as he held the turtle in his hand, poking it lightly. He looked up at his father, who hesitated for a moment before taking the turtle.

At that moment, the small turtle seemed to wake up, struggling to move its limbs as if trying to jump out of the man’s hand. Its tiny head looked around and then let out a series of “ah ah” sounds toward the shell below, its voice high-pitched, almost like a child crying.

This surprised the two men even more. Turtles that could vocalize were extremely rare. The middle-aged man didn’t release the turtle but instead wiped the dirt off its shell, examining it carefully. After a moment, he said uncertainly, “It seems to be a Tomb turtle. But Tomb Tortoises eat snakes. How could it coexist with a Teng Python?”

Tomb Tortoises, also known as Snake-Clamping Turtles, were carnivorous and particularly adept at eating snakes. They were natural enemies of pythons. Even if the python had no interest in eating the turtle, it wouldn’t have allowed the little creature to live nearby.

The young man couldn’t bear to see the little thing struggle any longer. He took the turtle from his father’s hand and gently rubbed its small, round head. “Maybe this little one is the old turtle’s descendant? Who knows how many years it’s lived, and in such a Black Tortoise-nurtured place…” His eyes suddenly lit up as he looked up and asked, “Father, can I keep this turtle? It might make a good spiritual companion!”

Among Daoist practitioners, raising rare creatures from heaven and earth wasn’t uncommon, though most kept monkeys or birds. Few raised snakes, and even fewer kept turtles, as turtles lived for so long that their cultivation process was stretched out over centuries. Often, by the time the turtle gained any spiritual awareness, its keeper would have already passed away, making the endeavor pointless for cultivation.

However, the middle-aged man only pondered for a moment before nodding. “Alright. This turtle is of extraordinary origin and has a Black Tortoise resemblance. It might indeed become something significant. Later, check if the Teng Python has formed a core. Take both the inner and outer cores. They should be great supplements for this little one.”

Spiritual beasts formed cores during their cultivation, but snakes formed dual cores. The outer core was located in the brain, round and white, while the inner core was the snake’s gallbladder. Powerful snakes could refine their gallbladders into crystalline pearls, while weaker ones could still strengthen the body. These were the most valuable parts of a snake demon. Now, both were to be fed to the turtle, which would have shocked anyone else. However, the young man was thrilled. He jumped up and said to the little turtle, “You’re in for a treat! You’d better awaken your spiritual awareness quickly. Don’t wait until I’m dead to become intelligent.”

Strangely, upon hearing this, the struggling turtle stopped moving and obediently let itself be tucked into the cloth belt at the young man’s waist. The young man rolled up his sleeves and began processing the python. The already strong scent of blood grew even more pungent.

Standing to the side, the middle-aged man watched for a while before shifting his gaze to the nearby village. The world had settled into peace, and the current emperor was fond of Daoist practices. He had even bestowed the title “Master Xiyi” upon Chen Tuan. That man had once secretly visited his master, but now, while his master’s name remained tarnished, Chen Tuan had become a guest of honor at the emperor’s court. The middle-aged man sighed softly and turned his attention back to his son. It seemed the task of inheriting their master’s legacy would fall to him.

Meanwhile, the young man had just extracted the outer core from the python’s brain. Without wiping his blood-stained hands, he held the core up to the turtle’s mouth, teasing it. To his surprise, the seemingly foolish turtle suddenly raised its neck and swallowed the core whole. Startled, the young man grabbed the turtle and shook it. “You’re too greedy! How could you swallow the whole core? Spit it out! You might burst!”

The outer core was about the size of a peanut, and the turtle was tiny. It was practically choking, its legs flailing as it was shaken, but it refused to let go. It even managed to gulp down the core while hanging upside down, letting out a weak “ah” afterward, its beady eyes misty as if pleading.

The young man and the turtle stared at each other for a while before the former finally gave in. He flicked the turtle’s shell. “If you explode, don’t blame me.” After scolding it, he ignored its flailing limbs and stuffed it back into the cloth bag. After some more work, he skinned the python, removed its gallbladder and fangs, and buried the remaining bones.

Turning around, he saw his father had already reburied the turtle shell. Curious, he asked, “Father, the turtle shell is a rare treasure. Aren’t we taking it?”

“It’s been drained by the Teng Python. Taking it would only be a burden. It’s better left here to stabilize the earth energy,” the middle-aged man replied, brushing dust off his hands. He glanced at the blood and mud stains on his robe and sighed. “Let’s hurry. We still have a thousand miles to cover to reach Juzhou.”

Hearing this, the young man also sighed. “Do we really have to visit that Jiang family?”

“It’s our master’s instruction. We must return this Bone Formation to them,” the middle-aged man replied calmly.

Pain flickered in the young man’s eyes. Their family’s Feng Shui techniques were unparalleled, but their origins couldn’t be openly discussed. His father’s master—his grandmaster—was the most infamous traitor in the Daoist world in the past century: Sun Yunhe of the Mao Mountain Sect. Even with his extraordinary talent, such a name would only bring death if spoken aloud. His father had been raised by their grandmaster, treating him as both a disciple and a son, and their bond was deep. Since he had gained awareness, this duality had been a thorn in his heart, caught between public opinion and familial duty, leaving him in constant turmoil.

As if sensing his son’s hesitation, the man said softly, “The world is full of self-righteous moralists and fools. There’s no need to take their words to heart. The ultimate purpose of Daoist arts is to serve. If we act righteously, we can accumulate merit for our master and leave behind a good name. In this world, how many are truly free from the Daoist sects’ control?”

“I understand,” the young man replied.

The middle-aged man studied him for a while before patting his shoulder. “Che’er, don’t blame your father. One day, you’ll truly understand.”

The young man remained silent for a moment before nodding again. Seeing his son’s expression, the middle-aged man said no more. He brushed the dust off his robe and strode toward the distant mountain path. The young man reached into the cloth bag and felt the turtle, which seemed to be kicking its legs, either from the potency of the snake core or from being stifled. But having such a companion seemed to lighten his heavy heart. Smiling softly, he caught up with his father, and the two walked side by side.

&&&

Eighty Years Later

At the foot of Jade Phoenix Peak, in a thatched cottage, an elderly man with white hair and a long beard was writing something. His face was lean, his demeanor calm. Though dressed in a simple gray robe, he exuded an air of immortality, resembling a true sage. As he wrote, a series of “tap tap” sounds came from the doorway. With a slight smile, he looked up and asked, “Has that kid left yet?”

The response was a soft “ah.” It turned out the visitor wasn’t a person but a turtle the size of a bowl, its shell reddish-brown and its neck stretched out, energetically chirping at the old man. Though turtles could make sounds, no one could understand what it was saying. The old man chuckled and set down his brush. “That kid has talent, but the Wei Family’s secrets aren’t easily passed on to outsiders… Fine, later you can show him the turtle shell. The Great Derivative True Technique is the culmination of my life’s work. Let him steal as much as he can.”

Hearing this, the turtle stopped chirping. It tilted its head, staring at the old man for a while before crawling over and rubbing its long neck against his pants leg. The old man smiled, bent down, and picked up the turtle, placing it on the table. He gently stroked its smooth, cool shell.

“You’ve been with me for decades, yet you’ve only grown this much. You’re not even enough for a single pot of soup… Alas, after I pass, you should leave. The wilderness is vast, and there’s bound to be a place suitable for your cultivation. My descendants… I’m afraid they’re hopeless…”

A trace of melancholy crossed the old man’s face. This was his lifelong regret: he had no children, and his brothers’ descendants were mediocre at best. Despite studying the arts, they only grasped a fraction of the knowledge, not even matching the scruffy kid lingering at their doorstep. At this rate, the Wei Family would soon have no worthy heirs.

The turtle pecked at his finger and vigorously shook its head. The old man chuckled. “Rely on you? You’re so small. How could you be dependable? Don’t let them sell you off. Well, children have their own fortunes. Don’t worry about it.”

The turtle seemed unwilling to give up and bit onto his sleeve, as if trying to prove itself. But the old man easily pulled his sleeve free. Looking into the turtle’s shiny black eyes, he smiled. “Who knows how long you’ll live? For now, it’s impossible. But if one day you become more powerful, perhaps you could look after my incompetent descendants. That would make up for the elixirs and medicines I’ve fed you all these years.”

The turtle tilted its head as if thinking, then reluctantly let out an “ah.” The old man laughed. “It’s not a sure thing. Maybe you’ll end up in a soup pot someday. But if, by chance, you ever encounter them, just give them a helping hand.”

Hearing the soup pot mentioned again, the turtle pecked at him indignantly. This time, the old man wasn’t so lenient. He tossed the turtle to the ground and lightly kicked its shell. “Hurry up. That kid’s still waiting outside. Don’t let him run off.”

The old man was unwilling to teach but couldn’t bear to let such a promising talent slip away. The turtle tilted its neck as if ignoring the old man’s contradictory demeanor and strutted out. Soon, a low exclamation came from outside, tinged with surprise and restraint, as if afraid of being seen. The old man shook his head with a smile and resumed writing. A lifetime of cultivation had culminated in just a thin book. He wondered how many generations it would last.

Warm sunlight spilled onto his hands, and his brush paused for a moment. He glanced out the window before lowering his head again. Though he couldn’t compare to his grandmaster, he had never disgraced his father’s name. He wondered how long the ancestral shrines erected by the common folk would stand. Perhaps in a hundred, a thousand years, his lineage would leave a faint mark.

&&&

A Millennium Later

On a newly paved asphalt road, a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy walked briskly, his lips pressed tightly together. He carried only a small cloth bag and hadn’t taken any transportation, as if suppressing his emotions. He walked quickly and resolutely, with no intention of catching a ride. This was the road from the village to the county town. Walking the entire way would take half a day, but his demeanor suggested he wasn’t out for a leisurely stroll. Instead, he seemed burdened, using the walk to vent his feelings.

As he rounded a bend, he came across a dense windbreak forest. He glanced up instinctively and suddenly frowned. A turtle the size of a washbasin was laboriously crawling along the road. After a day under the sun, the asphalt was scorching hot. Even stepping on it was unbearable, let alone crawling. The large turtle’s shell was filthy, showing signs of a long journey. Despite the heavy shell, it showed no signs of giving up, continuing its slow crawl across the road.

The boy froze for a moment, then rushed over and grabbed the turtle’s shell. “Are you trying to get yourself killed? Don’t you see the cars?”

A car whizzed past them, and the turtle, seemingly startled, turned its head and bit the boy’s wrist.

“Ow! You bit me!” He quickly withdrew his hand, looking at the turtle with a wry smile. Finally, he sighed, took out a bottle of water from his bag, and poured it over the turtle. “Fine, it’s too hot for anyone to be out here. Let’s not fight. Wait until there are no cars, and I’ll help you cross the road.”

The cool water seemed to calm the turtle’s temper. It closed its eyes, shaking its neck contentedly. Seeing the turtle’s improved mood, the boy smiled, picked it up, and quickly crossed the road. After catching his breath, he set the turtle down. “You’re really heavy. You’d probably fetch five hundred bucks if sold.”

The turtle let out an “ah,” sounding almost like a curse. The boy laughed and bent down to gently stroke its shell. “Alright, I won’t bother you anymore. The forest’s over there, and there’s a small pond, but it’s someone’s fish farm. Don’t get caught.”

After saying this, the boy stood up, brushed the dust off his pants, and continued on his way. Behind him, the turtle stretched out its neck, sniffing the air. Suddenly, it abandoned the forest and began following the boy. After a few steps, the boy turned around in surprise. “Why are you following me? I’m out of water!”

The turtle ignored him. When the boy stopped, it stopped; when he walked, it followed. After several hundred meters of this, the boy turned back, exasperated. “Are you really a turtle? Or just some kind of sticky plaster? If I catch you, I’ll make soup out of you! Ow! Don’t bite me!”

As he played with the turtle, a car pulled up beside them. The driver rolled down the window and called out, “Hey, kid! Keep that turtle for me! Don’t let it get away! I’ll split the money with you!”

Hearing this, the boy immediately shouted back, “Uncle, this is my family’s turtle! My dad asked me to take it to the city!”

The driver was taken aback, eyeing the boy and the turtle skeptically. “Your family’s turtle?”

“Of course,” the boy replied without hesitation, picking up the turtle and jogging to the car. He smiled at the driver. “Uncle, could you give us a ride? I’ll pay the fare!”

The driver clicked his tongue. “Forget the fare. Will you sell the turt— Ow! Why’s it biting?!”

The boy grinned innocently. “It’s a spoiled pet. That’s why I have to take it to the city. Don’t worry, I’ll hold it tight so it doesn’t cause trouble!”

Seeing that the boy was just a kid, the driver couldn’t refuse. He grunted, “Get in!”

The boy cheered, climbed into the passenger seat with the turtle, and held it securely. Strangely, the turtle didn’t bite this time. Instead, it stretched its neck, curiously inspecting the car’s interior. Watching the turtle’s antics, the weight on the boy’s heart seemed to lighten. He chuckled and stroked its shell. “You’ve never seen a car before, have you? Once we get to the city, you’ll see even more.”

The turtle ignored him, eagerly looking around. The boy muttered to himself, “Such a diva. You’re practically royalty. Fine, I’ll call you Lao Ye from now on.”

Though he grumbled internally, his posture relaxed. He leaned back in the seat, absentmindedly stroking the turtle’s bright red shell, a faint smile in his eyes.