Chapter Thirty-Eight: Father and Son (Part Two) — Third Update

Early summer mornings arrived swiftly.

Before dawn, the sky was already pale, tinged with the grayish light of daybreak. Zheng Yanqing stepped out of his room and stretched his body in the courtyard. The residence consisted of three sections—front, middle, and rear—with more than thirty rooms in total. There were stables and cowsheds, all well appointed, housing three mares, six oxen for plowing, and a blue donkey.

The blue donkey was the same one Yanqing had once raised; now it, too, had been brought here.

Sixteen black wooden columns formed a winding corridor in the rear courtyard. On the whitewashed walls, as tall as two men, vines climbed, dotted with little orange, yellow, red, and white flowers. At the base of the walls, tufts of soft weeds grew, dewdrops clinging to their blades, sparkling in the light.

The courtyard was still. Zheng Shian, exhausted from travel, had not yet risen.

Yanqing stretched in the rear courtyard, then stepped out. He walked through the corridor to a small side gate in the middle courtyard, pushed it open, and left the residence. He jogged along the embankment of the Yi River, breathing in the fresh air and basking in the gentle morning breeze.

The house that the Zheng family had arranged for his grandfather and him was more than forty li southwest of Luoyang. To the south, another thirty li would bring one to Longmen Mountain. The Yi River wound its way through Longmen, like a jade belt looped around the land.

On the river embankment, the wind was soft, teasing the willows that swayed gracefully.

Yanqing jogged for a while and felt his body warming up. He stopped by the riverbank to practice his exercises.

Now, it was clear to him that the Dragon Subduing Skill that Duoduo had once taught him no longer served much purpose.

Duoduo had told him before that different techniques were needed at different stages of cultivation. What she’d taught him before was foundational, and it no longer suited him. But the Guiding Method taught by Sun Simiao remained effective.

Since that night when Zheng Yanqing broke through the Foundation Establishment stage, his vital energy had surged, and his kidney essence was strong.

According to Sun Simiao, when kidney essence forms, teeth and hair grow anew—a stage of burgeoning strength and growth. Kidney essence, also known as innate essence, combined with the acquired essence of the organs, fortifies the body and accelerates growth. It was the ideal time for cultivation.

Normally, this kidney essence appeared around the age of ten, which would be eight in later generations. Yanqing was only six, yet already possessed it. Physically, he had entered the growth stage early—an opportune moment to transform bones and refine qi. Compared to ordinary people, Yanqing had an extra two years of growth. As long as he continued his practice, he could maintain his robust vitality, strengthen his kidney essence, and potentially achieve longevity.

Longevity?

How long could one live?

To live to a hundred was longevity; to reach eighty, that too was longevity...

For Yanqing, having lived two lives, longevity mattered little. As time slipped away, he needed greater strength to protect himself. Since Duoduo’s Dragon Subduing Skill was no longer useful, the Guiding Method was now his primary pursuit.

Combining the movements of the Guiding Method, Yanqing felt his fascia lengthen, his strength multiply.

When he slowly completed a full set, he could sense the burgeoning vigor within his bones. Joints grew, tendons stretched, and faint popping sounds echoed in his ears. After the routine, his body was drenched in sweat, his inner garment soaked through. He was exhausted, yet his spirit was invigorated.

He dared not sit down but walked slowly along the embankment, letting the boiling energy subside.

In the distance, a procession of carriages and horses approached.

There were about a hundred people, among them sturdy riders on tall steeds.

Yanqing stopped, watching in surprise from the embankment. While farmers were already busy in the fields, these people had come to the riverbank. Were they admiring the scenery, or did they have some other purpose?

Among them, two stood out.

One was tall and thin, dressed as a Taoist; the other was robust, his beard and hair gray, a fine beard resting within a protective pouch on his chest. In ancient times, long beards were prized, and men took great care of them. When traveling, to prevent the wind from disheveling their beards, they would use such pouches.

The rest appeared to be attendants, following behind the two.

The season for spring outings had passed. What were two elderly men—one a Taoist—doing on the riverbank so early?

Yanqing couldn’t help but watch.

He saw the two gesturing, sometimes pointing toward Luoyang, sometimes looking toward distant Longmen Mountain. At times they argued heatedly, at others they spoke in low tones.

He couldn’t make out their words, but it seemed the Taoist held the upper hand.

"Child, go play elsewhere."

A young man spotted Yanqing and came over, trying to usher him away. He reached out, but as his palm touched Yanqing’s shoulder, he was surprised by the springiness of the boy’s skin—it pressed under his hand, then suddenly sprang back. This wasn’t something Yanqing did intentionally, but a natural reflex from three years of practice.

Especially after months of cultivating the Guiding Method, his body had become highly sensitive to external force.

Caught off guard, the young man nearly stumbled and exclaimed softly, then reached out as if to seize him.

"Chuke, what are you doing?" the bearded elder called out, noticing the commotion.

"Grandfather, there’s a child here. I was afraid he’d get in your way, so I was sending him off," the youth replied.

The elder came over, glared at his grandson, then smiled at Yanqing. "Child, my grandson was rude just now. Don’t take it to heart... Here’s a string of coins as an apology. Do you live nearby? Do you know who owns these fields?"

The elder was kindly and even offered money.

A string of coins—one thousand Sui dynasty coins. Yanqing accepted without hesitation.

"These lands all belong to the Zheng family."

"Is that the Zheng family of Xingyang, or of Pengcheng?"

The Zhengs were divided between north and south, hence the distinction. As the elder asked, he realized it was an odd question for a child.

"Xingyang Zheng family," Yanqing replied.

"Oh, you really know... Yes, the Xingyang Zhengs." The elder pondered, then patted Yanqing’s head. "Go play elsewhere. There are many people here; it wouldn’t be good if you got hurt."

Yanqing replied and walked down the embankment.

After descending, he couldn’t help but stop and glance back.

Who were these people? What were they doing here?

Yanqing scratched his head, puzzled. He was certain he’d never seen the elder before, yet there was something official about him, even a faint sense of familiarity.

He had a hunch that something significant was about to happen.

A faint light flickered in his mind, elusive and unreachable.

After pondering for a long time to no avail, Yanqing simply let it go and ambled back home.

He decided to skip school that morning—it was already too late to arrive on time. He’d go in the afternoon, when the teacher would be there, and that would be a good time to meet.

The thought brought a faint sense of anticipation.

As he approached home, he saw from afar several horses tied to the hitching post at the gate.

He paused, puzzled by the early hour—it was only mid-morning. Who could have arrived so soon?

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There was a gathering to attend in the evening, so the third update comes early. Wishing all readers a pleasant weekend and an even more enjoyable reading experience. And while you’re at it, please continue to support the author—your bookmarks and recommendations mean so much!