Nine Transformations of the True Spirit

The next morning, Chen Yuan and Zhao Shan came to the small courtyard where the old Confucian scholar lived.

Compared with when he left, the appearance of this dilapidated courtyard has changed. It has been replaced with a brand new elm door, and the courtyard walls have been replaced with high-quality blue bricks. Compared with the dilapidated courtyards around it, it looks out of place.

Zhao Shan knocked on the courtyard door and said:

"I asked Mr. Yan to move to Xingye Fang before, but he refused to move. He said that he had saved up more than ten years of money to buy this small courtyard and he would die here. I tried to persuade him several times, but he still couldn't move. I couldn’t be persuaded, so I had to renovate the yard..."

Before he finished speaking, a tall man opened the courtyard door. After seeing Zhao Shan, he saluted respectfully:

"Manager Zhao!"

Zhao Shan patted his arm and said with a smile:

"Thank you for your hard work. What's going on these days?"

The man said respectfully:

"Three days ago, there were several new thieves who came to the county. They were coaxed by the thieves and admitted to the hospital late at night. I had their hands and feet broken and sent them to the county government. The thieves were also arrested by Lei Captou and put in jail."

Zhao Shan said with satisfaction:

"Well done. When you receive your monthly payment next month, you will receive an extra tael of silver."

The man said happily:

"yes!"

As he spoke, he moved out of the way and led the two of them into the hospital. Zhao Shan turned to Chen Yuan and said:

"There are three sects and nine sects in the east of the city. There is a mixture of fish and dragons. I have said hello to all the thieves and gangs, but there are always some stupid young people who don't understand the rules. I specially sent two brothers to protect Mr. Yan."

When the two of them walked into the courtyard, there was another lanky man standing under the eaves. After seeing Zhao Shan, he also saluted respectfully.

Chen Yuan nodded:

"Senior brother is interested."

The interior of the small courtyard has also changed. Originally there was only one main room and one side room, which were dilapidated. But now it has been renovated, the courtyard wall has been expanded by more than ten feet, and two new rooms have been built.

A young maid walked out of a newly built bedroom. After seeing Zhao Shan, she hurriedly saluted:

"Manager Zhao!"

Zhao Shan waved his hand and said:

"No need to be polite, how is Mr. Yan's health?"

The maid lowered her voice and said worriedly:

"Yesterday, Dr. Li came again and said that Mr. Yan had run out of fuel and that he should have passed away a long time ago. He was hanging on by just one breath, but he had been hanging on this breath for several days, just by drinking ginseng soup every day. , I can’t hold on for long..."

Before she finished speaking, Chen Yuan's expression changed and he walked quickly towards the bedroom.

The maid followed and was about to go in, but was stopped by Zhao Shan, who shook his head and said:

"Don't go in and disturb me. Follow me to the main hall and wait."

Chen Yuan entered the bedroom. The room was brightly lit, but it was filled with a strong smell of herbs, giving people a sense of decay.

The old Confucian scholar was dressed in plain white clothes, lying on his back on the bed. His hair was sparse, his face was thin, and his eyes were dim.

Hearing the footsteps, he turned around with difficulty, blinked a few times, and then he saw clearly that it was Chen Yuan. His eyes suddenly lit up, and he grinned and said:

"Er Niu, you...you are back."

His voice was as low as a mosquito or a fly. Chen Yuan stepped forward quickly and said:

"Sir, I'm back."

The old Confucian scholar slowly raised his left hand and murmured:

"Okay, just come back. I drank so many herbal medicines, and finally I didn't suffer in vain."

His palms were dry and sallow, like chicken feet, and covered with dark brown age spots.

Chen Yuan held his hand, slowly absorbed a bit of magic power, and said:

"The student is unworthy and fails to serve the bedside, which makes the husband suffer."

The old Confucian scholar's physical body was nourished by magic power, his eyes became much brighter, his voice became louder, and he said with a smile:

"Although you are not here, Manager Zhao has taken great care of me, so why should I not say anything? I have been depressed all my life. The luckiest thing is that I accepted you as my student, so that I can enjoy my old age peacefully. You can come back to see me. Once again, I’ll be satisfied.”

"gentlemen……"

"Ahem!"

The old scholar coughed twice, his voice became louder, looked at the beam above his head, and said slowly:

"All my life, I have only loved reading. I know everything from classics and history collections to poems and songs, Taoist classics, and war manuals. I am full of knowledge and knowledgable about the past and the present, but I cannot understand two things. One is the imperial examination, and the other is life and death. "

"The imperial examination required me to write an eight-legged essay. I knew how to write it, but I couldn't write it. Every time I started writing, my chest felt clotted, I felt dizzy and short of breath. I was unable to enter school for the rest of my life, and I couldn't even pass the junior college entrance examination."

"Between life and death, there is great terror. Last winter, I closed my eyes every night for fear that I would not be able to sleep, and I was extremely scared. God was so kind and allowed me to survive. This time, I couldn't survive, and I was so terrified. All day long, just waiting for death to come.”

Having said this, the old Confucian scholar turned his head with difficulty, looked at Chen Yuan, showed a stiff smile, and said:

"If I hadn't had the last bit of obsession in my heart to see you, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to hold on for a long time. You respected your teacher and allowed me to enjoy my old age. I have nothing to repay, except to keep this room full of books. As well as my family’s heirloom treasures, I will give them to you.”

As he spoke, he slowly raised his other hand, reached into his arms, took out a jade pendant, and handed it to Chen Yuan.

This is a cyan jade pendant. One side is engraved with mountains, rivers, Baiyun Palace, and the other side is engraved with the word "Lingyun". The texture is delicate and warm, and the carvings are lifelike and ingenious.

"This Lingyun Pendant is an inheritance from my ancestors. No matter how poor I am, I have never sold it. I will give it to you today."

Chen Yuan let go of the old Confucian scholar's hand, stood up, took the jade pendant with both hands, and bowed deeply to the old Confucian scholar:

"Thank you sir for the gift!"

The old Confucian scholar smiled contentedly and said:

"My wish has been fulfilled, and I finally don't have to suffer anymore. Let me give you one more word. Everything in the world, except life and death, is all false. You must not be disturbed by external things..."

His eyes slowly became distracted, and his voice became lower and lower until it was unheard.

Chen Yuan hurriedly held the old Confucian scholar's hand, poured magic power into his body, and called out repeatedly:

"Sir! Sir!"

But there was no response from him. Chen Yuan sighed softly and withdrew his magic power.

The old Confucian scholar's vitality disappeared and he could no longer recover.

But at this moment, Chen Yuan's expression changed and he looked at the old Confucian scholar in disbelief.

When he was infusing magic power just now, he actually detected signs of spiritual roots in the old Confucian scholar's body!

He quickly injected a little more mana, felt it carefully, sighed, and retracted his palm.

The old Confucian scholar not only has spiritual roots in his body, but also spiritual roots of earth and wood. If he embarks on the immortal path, he can expect to build a foundation and form a pill.

But he never came into contact with the world of immortality in his life, and he lived mediocrely in the world, and eventually died on the bed.

Even the spiritual roots in his body have become looming due to old age and physical weakness.

If Chen Yuan hadn't continuously poured magic power into his body, he wouldn't have been able to find it.

And as the old Confucian scholar dies, the spiritual roots in his body will slowly disappear and disperse in the heaven and earth.

Chen Yuan had mixed feelings in his heart and his face was changing. He looked down at the Lingyun Pendant in his hand and murmured:

"Good fortune plays tricks on people, and immortality is rare..."

…

In the afternoon of that day, Zhao Shan made arrangements for the funeral of the old Confucian scholar and buried him outside Leping County in a place with beautiful mountains and clear waters and excellent Feng Shui.

Chen Yuan personally carved a monument for him, which read: "The tomb of Yan Xiangpei, the former teacher and scholar, is erected by his student Chen Erniu."

After setting up the tombstone, he stood in front of the old Confucian scholar's tomb for a long time, stroking the Lingyun pendant, with a complicated expression and turbulent emotions.

The old Confucian scholar had the spiritual roots of the earth and had excellent qualifications, but he never set foot on the path of immortality and died on his bed.

But he, a pseudo-spiritual monk, was lucky enough to get the immortal cultivation technique and reach the fourth level of Qi refining.

There is nothing better than this when fortune plays tricks on people.

But he and the old Confucian scholar have one thing in common. If he cannot become an immortal, no matter how far he goes on the road to immortality, he will eventually turn into a pile of bones.

Apart from life and death, everything is false.

Only by cultivating immortality and attaining the Tao can one live forever.

Chen Yuan's eyes slowly became firmer, he buried all his emotions deep in his heart, put away the Lingyun Pendant, and turned around to leave.

…

When Chen Yuan returned to Zhao Mansion, Zhao Shan had already prepared a table of food and wine and comforted him:

"Junior brother, I express my condolences and accept the change. Mr. Yan passed away peacefully..."

Chen Yuan said calmly:

"Life or death is a matter of fate. I can see your husband for the last time, and I am satisfied."

Zhao Shan asked Chen Yuan to take a seat, but Chen Yuan refused and said:

"Senior brother, I still have something to do. I have to go to the county town today. I won't stay here soon."

Zhao Shan hesitated a few more words, but Chen Yuan had already made up his mind, so he could only give up.

Before leaving, Chen Yuan said:

"I am going to the county town. I don't know when I will return. I would like to ask my senior brother to take care of my parents for me."

Zhao Shan said solemnly:

"Don't worry, junior brother, as long as I'm here, nothing will happen to your uncle and aunt."

"Thank you, senior brother."

Chen Yuan cupped his fists and saluted, and then said:

"My little sister is only thirty-five years old. When she is about to get married, I have asked my family to ask my senior brother to help me find a good family. I don't want to be rich and powerful, but just do my job well and don't let my little sister suffer and be bullied." ”

Zhao Shan supported Chen Yuan and said in surprise:

"I heard from my junior brother that this trip will take a long time? This matter is all my responsibility. Your little sister is my little sister. I will never let her suffer any injustice."

Chen Yuan insisted on saluting again, but Zhao Shan couldn't hold him back.

"Then please, senior brother. I love my little sister the most. When she gets married, please ask senior brother to cover her head for me."

Zhao Shan realized something and said softly:

"I've written it down, junior brother, don't worry."

Chen Yuan saluted for the third time, then took out a thin booklet from his arms, handed it to Zhao Shan, and said:

"There was something missing in the Six Yang Techniques that I gave to my senior brother before. This is the complete Six Yang Techniques. It is a first-rate secret book. It also includes the Chiyang Sword Technique and the Shadow Step, which are rare magical skills in the world. Today I I gave it to my senior brother.”

Zhao Shan's expression changed, he stared closely at the Six Yang Gong in Chen Yuan's hand, his Adam's apple rolled up and down, and said:

"This... this is too precious..."

"This thing is no longer useful to me, senior brother, just accept it. This is master's family inheritance technique, and it needs senior brother to pass it on."

When Zhao Shan heard the word "Master", his expression darkened, he took the booklet and said solemnly:

"Thank you, junior brother. Don't worry, as long as I am alive for one day, I will make the Chen family rich!"

Thanks for the reward from the honest and reliable guy!