When Jian Yumei saw the slab of stone, he approached it with a gentle stride. Picking up the stone delicately, Jian Yumei noticed a remarkable difference in his strength. Holding the large slab in his hand, it felt as light as a piece of wood.
Supporting the stone with his left hand, he extended his right hand. Using his hand to control the energy, he transformed the palm qi into a cutting blade. Slowly, he began to slice into the stone. In no time, one side was neatly cut.
Then, he proceeded to carve the other side. The palm blade was infinitely sharp; wherever the qi passed, the stone was as soft as tofu encountering a knife. Soon, a suitable tombstone emerged.
Jian Yumei lifted the tombstone and returned to the location of the small hut, where a few withered graves were situated. He directly placed the tombstone beside the graves, letting it fall to the ground. With one hand pressing down on the stone, it swiftly sank into the earth, leaving only half of it exposed.
Extending a finger, Jian Yumei wrote on the stone: "Grave of the Hu Sisters." Soon, these vigorous characters were inscribed on the stone.
As Jian Yumei looked at these words, he sighed. He knew not when he would come to pay homage to these sisters. Yet, at some point, when he recalled this experience, he would yearn to return to these mountains and forests, to seek out this place and reminisce about the past.
Jian Yumei looked at the two king snakes, which were still hissing at him. He felt as though they were bidding him farewell.
Jian Yumei smiled; he knew he could visit them whenever he pleased. If they wanted to leave now, he would let them. Perhaps they wished to return to accompany the Immortal of the South Sea.
Jian Yumei nodded. "Thank you both. Go back early; I will visit you whenever I have the chance!"
"Hiss, hiss!" The two golden-crowned snakes shook their heads, and Jian Yumei smiled. He remembered hearing foreigners on the train saying that on an island, nodding meant agreement. Could those people all be snakes in disguise?
Jian Yumei burst into laughter. The two snakes continued to sway their heads, then suddenly began to rise into the air, gradually disappearing from Jian Yumei's sight.
"Truly spiritual creatures!" Jian Yumei exclaimed.
Yet, at this moment, Jian Yumei felt different from the previous night's cultivation. He clearly sensed countless wisdom and mystical lives in these mountains and forests, something he had not known before.
"If one day I grow tired of wandering the world, I will forever be accompanied by the mountains and forests, and you will all be my friends!" Jian Yumei spoke to these wise creatures in his heart.
At this moment, he received many responses, and Jian Yumei smiled.
He remembered the letter his master wanted to send. At this moment, he knew that as long as he reached out his hand, the letter would come to him. However, he decided against such mischief. After all, he didn't want his master to reprimand him when he returned.
Furthermore, it would be best not to divulge the details of this incident to his master. It was quite embarrassing. Let it be his secret.
But perhaps his master would know. Perhaps he already knew but wouldn't say, just like how he knew Jian Yumei was the reincarnation of Li Yuanhao.
If he were indeed the reincarnation of Li Yuanhao, then he must be skilled in warfare. No wonder he longed to go to Huangpu Military Academy, to embark on great endeavors with Mr. Sun. However, he did feel a sense of attachment; perhaps it stemmed from that mysterious ancient tomb.
When Jian Yumei thought of that ancient tomb, he wanted to use his clairvoyance to see it. However, he restrained himself; he knew that such skills should not be used frequently, as excessive consumption would harm his power.
Well, it's not necessary after all, Jian Yumei thought. At this moment, thinking of Mr. Sun, he was curious to see the past lives of the people around Mr. Sun, to see if they were the same as those he knew. Yet, he resisted the urge; he knew that such actions were best avoided. He remembered his master saying that while reclusive masters might observe such things, they never spoke about them. He didn't know if he was a master now, but he couldn't say for sure.
This was also cultivation, an important aspect of it. It was best to remain serene and quiet.
Thinking of this, Jian Yumei recalled many stories. He remembered the conversation between Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong, where Zhuge Liang said to Pang Tong, "Strategist, you are the phoenix among men, but just make sure not to pass through Luofeng Slope!" To which Pang Tong laughed heartily and replied, "Strategist, remember this too: you better not linger too long in Wuzhangyuan in the future!" After that, they both burst into laughter. Perhaps they were both masters, but even masters had limitations. Jian Yumei could not predict his own fate.
The outcome of this story was that Pang Tong advocated for Liu Bei's entry into Sichuan. However, during the battle in Sichuan, Pang Tong was attacked by the Shu army on Luofeng Slope and perished from a rain of arrows. As for Zhuge Liang, after the Six Locations and Mount Qi, he was deadlocked with Sima Yi in Wuzhangyuan, and eventually died of illness in Wuzhangyuan during autumn.
"Great masters can predict the future, but right now, I can also foresee some of the past and future, seeing how small the universe is! I must enhance my cultivation and become a qualified practitioner. I must not become conceited over minor skills. I must be like Sakyamuni Buddha, possessing such great wisdom, yet only smiling at the sight of a flower!" Jian Yumei muttered to himself.
Jian Yumei knew that what he possessed would be considered minor skills by those eminent monks. It should be sufficient for him to wander the world and do meaningful deeds. However, there were always higher levels to strive for, and Jian Yumei must remember that.
Thinking of his master's task, he stepped forward, but exerted force, and he felt as though he were flying.
He quickly stopped.
He hadn't mastered this rhythm yet.
He took a few light steps, returning to a normal pace.
After a few steps, he gradually accelerated. At this point, he felt the trees on either side rushing past him.
Jian Yumei stopped and looked around. He was surprised to find that after just a few steps, the place he had just been was far behind him. He was now on another hilltop.
"Could this be the skill of the Divine Traveler that earned him that title?" Jian Yumei wondered aloud.
Was there a faster method? Jian Yumei thought. Just then, a voice sounded in his mind, "Yes, I will teach you!"
Jian Yumei was startled, but not surprised. He knew that when he greeted those wise creatures earlier, he received many kind responses, and this voice was likely one of those benevolent responses.
"Listen carefully, I will teach you a mantra. If you recite it, you can travel underground!" the voice said.
"Travel underground?" Jian Yumei repeated.
"Yes, come, recite with me. It's best to memorize it. Of course, after practicing a few times, you won't need the mantra anymore. A single thought will suffice. But for now, you need to master these mantras. They are like the blessings given to you by the ancestors!" the voice continued.