The Unruly Immortals

"Cultivation of Truth?" Li Huowang mulled over the term in his mind, which felt both familiar and foreign to him.

He knew about so-called cultivation novels, but he could be certain that these two were not the same thing!

The Oblivion Path was falsification, while Xinsu was the cultivation of truth? Were they mortal enemies? Was this why they harbored such grudges against Xinsu? For a moment, Li Huowang felt as though he had grasped much. Yet, he understood nothing at all.

"No, no, that's not right, Brother Zhuge, wait for me to think this through clearly," Li Huowang closed his eyes, covering his aching head, and pondered deeply.

Seeing such a reaction from him, Zhuge Yuan was not in a hurry. He reached out to move the chessboard aside and once again started to methodically prepare tea with various teawares.

By the time he had just finished brewing a new cup of tea, Li Huowang spoke up again.

"Brother Zhuge, I still feel something is not quite right. Look, the Oblivion Path cultivates falsehood, so they want to turn everything else into a falsehood. Now, if we, Xinsu, could really cultivate truth, doesn't that mean, we Xinsu possess the ability to create something out of nothing? But I clearly do not have such an ability!"

"Are you really certain you do not have it?"

"Absolutely not! What I gained from this identity as Xinsu, other than those unavoidable illusions surrounding me, is nothing but mismatched powers!" Li Huowang answered decisively, confident in his understanding of his own body.

Li Huowang had been in this strange world for over a year. He had experienced many things and also acquired many extremely odd abilities.

But he had never gained any powers of true cultivation. If he truly had such formidable abilities, why would he need to suffer so much, to endure so many ordeals?

On matters as significant as one's own life, you couldn't simply believe whatever others said. It was essential to ask carefully and clarify.

"Brother Zhuge, the so-called Xinsu you speak of, with its reliable cultivation technique, does it really exist?"

Upon hearing this question, Zhuge Yuan thought carefully, then once again began to speak slowly, "Actually, I merely came across it once in a miscellaneous book. I don't know whether it's true or false."

"However, based on the actions of those from the Oblivion Path, I believe that there is at least an eighty percent chance that this cultivation technique is real."

"Furthermore, are you really sure you've never experienced anything related to cultivating falsity into truth? That doesn't sound right. As far as I know, nothing that happens to Xinsu should be considered strange. Perhaps you've done it, just without noticing?"

"The player is blind, while the bystander sees clear. Why don't you share your experiences with me, and I'll help you sort them out?"

Li Huowang looked at Zhuge Yuan before him, thought carefully, and finally nodded.

Since he even knew that he himself was Xinsu, there was no point in hiding any other secrets.

"Alright then, Brother Zhuge. I'll start with the Qingfeng Taoist Temple. At that time, there was an evil cultivator named Master Danyang, a literate madman, who got his hands on some nonsense Heavenly Book and was nearly driven mad by his obsession with becoming immortal…"

In the serene bamboo house, accompanied by a gentle breeze, Li Huowang began to recount his story from over a year ago.

Li Huowang had been through a lot, and he originally thought he would have a long story to tell, even preparing to talk all night if necessary. However, barely after reaching the part about An Ci Nunnery, Zhuge Yuan stopped him.

"Brother Li, take a look," he said as he pushed a piece of xuan paper dense with text in front of Li Huowang, "is this the Pill Recipe you used to serve to your Master, Master Danyang?"

Although Li Huowang was not very knowledgeable about calligraphy, he could tell that Zhuge Yuan's handwriting was beautiful. The recipe for the Immortality Pill he'd given to Master Danyang was neatly written on it, and even the detailed steps for circulating the grand cycle of internal and external energy were included at the bottom.

Li Huowang glanced at it, "Yes, that's it. What about it?"

Hearing Li Huowang's question, the always calm Zhuge Yuan raised his voice slightly, "What about it? This Pill Recipe is just like your chess game. Do you really believe that with this alone you could help your Master achieve the state of a Demi Immortal?"

"Yeah, I was curious about that too. How could Master Danyang possibly become---" He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening as sudden understanding dawned on him.

"Are you saying that it was Xinsu's power that helped Master Danyang attain immortality? No, no, that can't be right. I hate Master Danyang to the core. I would never help him become an immortal, never!" Li Huowang asserted emphatically.

"Yet Master Danyang did become one. Brother Li, think again. What else were you carrying inside you at that time?"

"Inside me at that time? I had half of Master Danyang's face in my belly, but how---" As the words left his mouth, Li Huowang instantly realized the implication.

Zhuge Yuan nodded, verbalizing the realization dawning in Li Huowang's mind. "Exactly! He may have had only half a face, but he was still alive! His flesh and blood resided within your stomach! It was his obsessive desire for immortality that used your Xinsu ability to make himself immortal."

The words struck Li Huowang like thunder, instantly unraveling mysteries that had puzzled him until then. It had never occurred to him that the accidental cause of Master Danyang's ascension to immortality had been due to his own body.

Zhuge Yuan nodded approvingly, "See, that's why they say, 'The observer is clear-headed when the involved is confused.' Though Master used Xinsu quite roughly, resulting in his grotesque half-human, half-spirit appearance, he still achieved the state of a Demi Immortal."

"Even if you didn't understand anything, you still allowed a mere mortal to become an immortal using your body. Do you still doubt the Xinsu's ability to feign true Cultivation of Truth?"

Faced with undeniable facts, Li Huowang could no longer argue; he, as Xinsu, indeed possessed some unique ability, only he had been totally unaware of it when using it before.

"Wait! If I possess this kind of ability, have I used it elsewhere besides aiding Master Danyang in becoming an immortal?"

Li Huowang strained to remember as he'd been through a lot on his journey. But despite his best efforts, he couldn't differentiate what was real and what might be the reality created by his abilities.

"What is the truth, after all?"

As Li Huowang pondered this question, he saw Zhuge Yuan flick his Folding Fan before his eyes.

"How about it, Brother Li? Now you must understand that apart from seeking a method from Bei Feng, you have other paths to take, right?"

Li Huowang pulled himself together and nodded gravely, "Thank you for enlightening me, Brother Zhuge! Now I indeed have more than one path to choose from. May I ask how one cultivates this so-called Cultivation Technique, and how to use the Innate Qi within me?"

"This…" Zhuge Yuan's usually fair face showed a hint of difficulty. "In that regard, I'm afraid I am helpless. I only came across this technique mentioned in passing in an old book and took note of it. As for where it can be found, I really did not pay attention."