Chapter Thirty: Burying the Qilin in the Fields

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The Northern Darkness Divine Skill forms the foundation, while the other two are methods for cultivating and preserving one’s life. United as one, the three together are, in truth, a road that reaches the heavens.

To steal the breath of Heaven and Earth and draw it into one’s own body, transforming again and again in pursuit of immortality—those who attain freedom beneath Heaven are called immortals!

Of course, this was merely Meng Fan’s own conjecture. From the perspective of the cultivation arts in the Under One Person world, at least, that seemed to be the case.

As for anything beyond that, even Meng Fan himself could not say for certain.

Still, now that he had reached a conclusion, he would certainly seize Xu Zhu’s opportunity when the time came.

Zhong Ling was only ten years old at present, the same age as him. In any case, time flowed at a one-to-one ratio between the two worlds, so all he needed to do was keep an eye on the timeline from now on.

Meng Fan finished his cultivation and sat up on the bed. Five animals were guarding him nearby.

There was Zhaocai, the tabby cat; Jinbao, the white-haired dog; Qifu, the black crow; Yinyuan, the lightning sable he had subdued most recently; and Zengshou, the Manggu Vermilion Toad.

One had to admit that Meng Fan was rather gifted at naming things.

Since the lightning sable was silver-gray from head to tail, he had named it Silver Coin. As for the Manggu Vermilion Toad, a creature covered in poison and capable of taking a person’s life, he had named it Longevity.

And the crow, which was traditionally considered unlucky, had been named Blessing. In short, he simply did everything backward!

The Fortune Cat and Treasure Dog were, by comparison, the most normal of the five.

Old Meng had not objected to Meng Fan raising the animals. He had already known about the cat, dog, and crow, so there was no need to explain those again.

As for Silver Coin and Longevity, Meng Fan had lied and said they had wandered into the house on their own. Old Meng was timid by nature and would never raise much of an objection.

Aunt Luo, however—Meng Fan’s stepmother—had taken one look at the Manggu Vermilion Toad and said, “That frog has such a vivid color. Xiaofan, you must be careful. Make sure it isn’t poisonous!”

Meng Fan deliberately showed the creature to them, poking the Manggu Vermilion Toad with his finger to demonstrate that it was harmless. He then said, “It should be a genetically mutated tree frog. It doesn’t contain any toxins. If we keep it at home, it can even eat mosquitoes and other insects.”

Seeing that Old Meng had not objected, Aunt Luo found it difficult to say anything more.

In fact, before she had come into contact with Old Meng, Hua Feng had already found Meng Fan and revealed certain information to him. Thus, she knew that both father and son possessed the techniques of a Beast Master.

Hua Feng had also advised him to pay attention to the child’s education, but not to interfere too much. That was why she had asked the question.

As the saying went, a woman followed her husband’s lot, whether she married a rooster or a dog.

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After marrying Old Meng, her heart had gradually come to favor him more and more. This was especially true after the birth of their first child the previous year. Meng Fan now had a younger brother, whom Old Meng—utterly hopeless at naming things—had called Meng Chen.

Naturally, she still loved Meng Fan just as much. After all, without comparison, there could be no contrast. Meng Fan had always been such an obedient child, while Meng Chen’s constant crying and restless energy made her feel somewhat exasperated.

As she watched the harmonious family before her, her thoughts gradually shifted toward living a peaceful and stable life.

———

One morning, at the dining table.

Aunt Luo gently warned Old Meng, “Be careful on this mission to the south. I heard that organization is utterly ruthless. You must protect yourself. Don’t rush headlong into danger when something happens. The two little ones at home are still waiting for you to come back.”

As she spoke, the worry in her eyes was impossible to conceal.

Old Meng nodded somberly without saying much. He merely slurped his porridge and occasionally picked up a piece of preserved vegetable.

After a long while, he sighed and said, “Don’t worry. Brother Liao is leading the team this time. With him in charge, we’ll be safe.”

Meng Fan’s heart stirred.

The south?

And he was going together with Liao Zhong?

Could they be heading to the Miao frontier?

By his calculations, it was now 2010—the very year the Medicine Immortal Association would be destroyed. In other words, this mission would rescue Chen Duo!

At that thought, Meng Fan immediately became interested. He asked, “Dad, is this mission very dangerous?”

Aunt Luo gently patted his hand. “Xiaofan, there are some things about the company you shouldn’t ask about. Don’t pry.”

Meng Fan curled his lips. “What’s the big deal? Dad works for the company, and so do you, Mom. Doesn’t that make me a thoroughly respectable heir? Can’t you reveal even a little?”

Old Meng smiled when he heard this. “Xiaofan, your mother is only thinking of what’s best for you. Keeping your mouth shut isn’t a bad thing.”

“Are you going with Uncle Liao?” Meng Fan asked, trying to draw him out.

Old Meng nodded. “Though this mission may be somewhat dangerous, your Uncle Liao specifically requested that I be temporarily assigned to it. Still, with your intelligence, you should be able to guess a few things about your father’s abilities. So, Xiaofan, put your mind at ease!”

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“While I’m away, just focus on learning from your master. I heard him say that your Xingyi Fist has already reached the second level?”

Meng Fan smiled proudly. “Of course. And in the second level—forgetting form and emphasizing intent—I’ve already achieved a little something!”

In truth, if Meng Fan had not been trying to lay a solid foundation by perfecting all twelve forms of Xingyi, but had instead chosen only one form to cultivate, he would probably have taken this step two years ago.

To prove that he was telling the truth, the spirit in Meng Fan’s eyes abruptly changed. His gaze became bright and vivid, brimming with life. At the same time, a vast and unrestrained will swept toward the two of them—wild and arrogant, intent on shattering the highest heavens and defying every law under the sky.

“This is… the intent of the monkey?” Old Meng asked after carefully sensing it.

Over the past few years, Meng Fan had constantly practiced Xingyi Fist, and Old Meng had consequently come to understand it quite well.

Meng Fan restrained his aura and dispersed the will. Then he nodded. “That’s right—the intent of the monkey. In my vision, the monkey’s intent is to nurture the image of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, a being bold enough to battle Heaven and Earth!”

“As for the other forms, I have ideas for each of them as well. In the art of Xingyi, I will certainly surpass my master.”

“Besides, Master himself has said that the student should surpass the teacher!”

Old Meng was naturally delighted to see Meng Fan making progress, but he still admonished him earnestly. “You must not become arrogant or complacent. You’ve only been cultivating for a few years. You still need to understand that Heaven is high and Earth is vast.”

“You mustn’t end up causing endless trouble like that Stone Monkey.”

“I know, I know. Conduct is forged through cultivation; brilliance shines forth naturally. Tigers and leopards hide in the deep mountains, while dragons and springs lie concealed in the vast sea. The crane’s cry pierces the firmament, and the tortoise lives to a ripe old age. Let joy nourish understanding of the Way, beneath the boundless ninefold heavens.”

Meng Fan shook his head and recited the verse with exaggerated solemnity.

“They say that a qilin may lie buried in the wilderness. Aren’t you a qilin yourself, Dad?”

Old Meng shook his head and mocked himself. “I’m just a Beast Master. What qilin are you talking about?”

Meng Fan spoke with profound meaning. “Dad, wait a few more years. In a few years, I will surely find another path and let you see hope for Beast Masters.”

Old Meng smiled, but he did not hold much hope in his heart.

He had already opened the path of the Beast Master, and had walked it to its very end. Where else could another path possibly exist?

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