Chapter 10: Old Mo

Early the next morning, Lady Yu and Jiang Yan set off for Lingyin Temple by carriage. An Yi took on the role of driver, since Jiang Yan did not wish for others to see him in his current state.

Why Lingyin Temple, one might ask? Lady Yu explained that Jiang Yan’s great-great-great-grandfather had recently gone there to visit an old friend and had yet to return to the Mo family residence.

After about two hours, the carriage finally arrived at Lingyin Temple. Jiang Yan felt numb from sitting so long, and with his swollen belly, even his stomach was pressed uncomfortably. He thought to himself, so this is what it feels like to experience the hardships of pregnancy!

Suddenly, a fluffy white creature darted toward him. With quick reflexes, Jiang Yan caught it in his arms.

“Little White, what are you doing here?” he asked, stroking the cat’s soft head, curiosity in his voice.

“Purr... meow... purr... meow meow...” The white cat squinted its eyes in contentment, purring and meowing in response.

“Did you follow the carriage all the way here?” Jiang Yan wondered aloud.

“Meow meow meow...” came the reply.

The seamless exchange between man and cat was reminiscent of a real-life encounter between Psyduck and Slowpoke. Watching their warm interaction, Lady Yu couldn’t help but laugh. She took Little White from Jiang Yan’s arms, affectionately rubbing its chin. “All right, let’s go inside now.”

At the temple’s grand entrance, two young monks stood guard.

“Little master, we’ve come to visit the Mo family elder. Could you please announce our arrival?” Lady Yu addressed them.

“Please follow me,” said one of the slender monks, welcoming them warmly.

The trio followed the monk across a long arched bridge, flanked by lakes where lotus blossoms bloomed. Beyond the bridge, they reached a grove of peach trees.

The monk suddenly stopped and spoke solemnly, “Please stay close to me. There are formations within; without guidance, it’s easy to get lost.”

Jiang Yan saw that the peach grove was in full bloom, pink petals drifting down.

“Don’t worry, just lead the way. We’ll stick right behind you,” Jiang Yan replied confidently.

They followed the monk, weaving left three times and right four times among the peach trees.

Just as everyone was feeling dizzy from the circuitous route, the ground trembled; the trees parted as if by magic, revealing a narrow path.

A parrot with multicolored feathers flew toward Jiang Yan.

It perched atop his head, hopped twice, and chirped, “Welcome, welcome, welcome.”

Little White’s eyes lit up at the sight of the parrot. With a meow, it broke free from Lady Yu’s embrace and leapt toward Jiang Yan’s head.

The parrot dodged swiftly, squawking, “Bad cat, bad cat, bad cat!”

And so began the chase—one fleeing, one pursuing—much to the exasperation of Jiang Yan and his companions, who followed behind.

Emerging from the path, they found two venerable elders beneath a tree, engaged in a game of chess. One was a handsome gentleman, the other a white-bearded monk.

It should have been a scene of tranquil leisure, but the two mischievous creatures shattered the peace. The parrot flitted up and down, teasing Little White.

“Stupid cat, stupid cat, you can’t catch me, you can’t catch me!”

Little White, bristling with indignation, arched its back and poised to leap, determined to pin that ugly bird down and give it a good thrashing.

“Ling Feng, your juniors have arrived. Haha, let’s call it a day with our match,” the old monk chuckled, stroking his beard.

“You old rascal, next time we must settle who’s the better player. Xiao Wu, stop fooling around and come back,” the handsome elder called.

The parrot gleefully flew to his arm, nuzzling his neck affectionately.

Little White, abandoning the chase, slunk back to Jiang Yan’s side.

“Greetings, Ancestor; greetings, Master Yu,” Lady Yu bowed, nudging Jiang Yan with her elbow.

Jiang Yan, snapped out of his daze, hurriedly bowed as well. “Greetings, great-great-great-grandfather; greetings, Master Yu.”

He couldn’t help but grumble inwardly: This handsome uncle is actually my great-great-great-grandfather? He looks barely forty!

Master Yu laughed heartily. “Haha, Zixuan, it’s been ages. Your boy has grown so much.”

He turned to tease, “Ling Feng, who would have thought you’re now a great-great-great-grandfather. In a few years, perhaps you’ll be a great-great-great-great-grandfather!”

Cultivators, especially those with profound skills, are serene in the face of time’s passage. Their sense of time is not as acute as that of mortals.

So Elder Mo often forgot how many “greats” should precede his title in front of the younger generation. And with every extra “great,” his embarrassment grew.

“You old rascal, always mocking me. Enough formalities now. Just call me Ancestor,” Elder Mo scolded with a smile.

He glanced at Jiang Yan. “Come here, boy.”

Upon seeing Jiang Yan’s swollen belly, Elder Mo had already used his spiritual power to inspect Jiang Yan’s physical condition. He found that Jiang Yan’s dantian was accumulating five different elemental spiritual energies.

“Ancestor, can you tell what’s happening to me?” Jiang Yan asked, curiosity brimming.

He couldn’t help but marvel—only an expert could see through his predicament at a glance!

“Boy, let me see your hand,” Elder Mo said with a smile.

Jiang Yan obediently extended his right hand. Elder Mo felt his pulse, sending a stream of true energy into his body.

A warm sensation filled Jiang Yan’s dantian, so comfortable he nearly drifted off.

“Boy, you’re in luck. Timing is everything—if you’d come later, you might have exploded from excess spiritual energy.”

Though he’d suspected as much, hearing it from a master made Jiang Yan’s heart quiver.

“Ancestor, I haven’t done anything! I haven’t even started cultivating—how am I absorbing spiritual energy?” Jiang Yan was full of questions.

Elder Mo’s expression grew mysterious, his tone deepened. “That’s precisely the problem! It seems your spiritual roots were once sealed, and now, by some stroke of fate, the seal has loosened. Your spiritual roots are exceedingly rare, able to automatically absorb energies matching their attributes.”

Indeed, absorbing spiritual energy came as easily as play! Comparing oneself to others could drive one mad with envy.

Elder Mo paused deliberately before continuing. “Your dantian has accumulated a great deal of spiritual energy, but since you haven’t started cultivating, you can’t transform it into true power. So your dantian keeps swelling.”

Jiang Yan listened, stunned, eyes wide.

Oh my God!!!

A genius like him, facing such a ridiculous life-or-death crisis?

“Is there a solution? Can you help me convert the spiritual energy?” Jiang Yan asked urgently.

“This matter requires careful consideration. You must cultivate quietly at Lingyin Temple for a time, attempting to transform the energy yourself. Don’t worry, I’ll oversee your progress personally. Remember, if your foundation isn’t steady, the earth will tremble and mountains will shake!”

Elder Mo was deeply gratified. He’d thought no one in the Mo family could surpass him, but now this boy, able to automatically gather spiritual energy in such a barren mortal realm, promised boundless potential—perhaps even a swift ascension!

“Thank you for your guidance, Ancestor!” Jiang Yan bowed in gratitude.

Everyone felt a weight lifted from their hearts. Lady Yu thanked Elder Mo and took her leave, returning to the palace.

Jiang Yan arranged for An Yi to escort Lady Yu back, while he and Little White stayed at Lingyin Temple.

The sect’s recruitment was less than two months away. Jiang Yan decided it was wise to lay a solid foundation here first.

Master Yu assigned Jiang Yan a quiet, elegant courtyard called Emerald Bamboo Hall, not far from Elder Mo’s Azure Pavilion.

Thus began Jiang Yan’s journey into cultivation—one destined to be... chaotic, no doubt?

Hahaha ε=ε=(ﾉ≧∇≦)ﾉ