Chen Yang could only close his eyes and keep his mouth shut. He feared he might lose control and curse out loud again.
What he didn't realize was that in Li Yang's eyes, this gesture was an even more intolerable form of contempt. The fury in Li Yang's eyes intensified, and he was about to lash out at Chen Yang once more.
Unexpectedly, Cheng Jianhua's voice rang out. "Enough!"
Li Yang turned to see Cheng Jianhua standing in the doorway. Cheng Jianhua had an air of detached serenity about him, dressed in a long cyan robe that gave him an otherworldly appearance.
Chen Yang opened his eyes and saw Cheng Jianhua as well.
Cheng Jianhua's arrival was without warning. Despite having no martial arts skills himself, he had mysteriously managed to approach without being detected by experts like Li Yang and Chen Yang.
Upon seeing Cheng Jianhua, Li Yang quickly suppressed his anger, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his face.
Cheng Jianhua didn't reprimand Li Yang too harshly, merely saying, "You may go."
Li Yang nodded and left.
After Li Yang's departure, Cheng Jianhua entered the alchemy room and approached Chen Yang. He said, "You must be wondering why Li Yang and Long Xuan, despite their advanced cultivation, follow my orders, right?"
Indeed, this puzzled Chen Yang greatly. Given their level of cultivation, both Long Xuan and Li Yang would typically have unbridled personalities. Take himself, for instance - he would never blindly obey anyone's commands. If truly provoked, he'd be willing to challenge even the mightiest of opponents.
"That's correct," Chen Yang replied.
Cheng Jianhua smiled slightly and said, "I saved both Long Xuan and Li Yang when they were in dire straits. However, if you think they obey me merely out of gratitude for saving their lives, you'd be gravely mistaken."
Chen Yang said, "Long Xuan and Li Yang are both extremely individualistic. Any debt of gratitude would be fleeting to them."
"Exactly," Cheng Jianhua agreed.
Chen Yang pressed on, "Then why do they follow your orders?" In fact, what he found even more inconceivable was that Long Xuan and Li Yang referred to Cheng Jianhua as "Master." What did that imply? It was a term used by servants for their lords. The concept of Cheng Jianhua having two high-level martial artists willingly serve as his subordinates was mind-boggling.
Cheng Jianhua sat down and calmly began, "It's a long story. But I'm in a good mood today, so I'll explain it to you. The difference between you and me is that you practice martial arts, while I cultivate the Dao. Martial arts predate Daoist practices in origin. But while anyone can learn martial arts, the Dao is profoundly mysterious. Pure martial skill alone is brute force. Only when martial arts are combined with the principles of the Dao does one become a true master. You, Li Yang, and Long Xuan have all achieved a basic level of this martial Dao, which is why you're stronger than ordinary martial artists."
He paused briefly before continuing, "If one day your mastery of the Dao within martial arts reaches a level where you can manipulate magnetic fields and perceive the workings of fate, then you'd become an almighty being. But reaching that level is incredibly difficult."
Chen Yang couldn't help but ask, "If you were to practice martial arts, wouldn't you become an unparalleled expert?"
Cheng Jianhua shook his head, "Since childhood, I've had an extraordinary understanding of the Dao, but little aptitude for martial arts. To become a martial arts master, one must first learn martial techniques, then comprehend the Dao. That's the path of martial Dao. It's too late for me to start with martial arts now." He then changed the subject, "However, the highest realm of Daoist practice converges with that of martial arts masters. When Daoist adepts reach true enlightenment, they can foresee past and future events, avoid calamities, understand the secrets of longevity, and even influence others' destinies. At that level, even when facing some martial arts masters, a Daoist expert could alter their fate and cause their sudden demise."
"While we Daoist practitioners can't summon lightning or ride clouds like in legends, we can master fate and fortune."
Chen Yang gave Cheng Jianhua a deep, contemplative look. He now had a more profound understanding of the Dao, as if a new door had opened before him.
Cheng Jianhua continued, "A person's life depends on their vital energy. When that energy is depleted, death follows. This energy can be your spirit, your anger, or your hopes and ideals. In our Daoist practices, there's a mystical technique called the Minor Predestination Art. It uses our brainwave energy to sense the brainwaves of others, then creates an illusion of their destiny in their minds. Once successful, people believe it's their true fate and accept it." He paused, then added, "In essence, the Minor Predestination Art is a technique that senses and alters a person's vital energy. It's incredibly complex, comparable to the most intricate equations. My current level of Daoist skill isn't enough to perform it. Fortunately, I have the Dragon Jade, which helps me complete the technique."
"So tonight, you plan to use the Minor Predestination Art on me?" Chen Yang asked, both amazed by the technique's power and alarmed.
"Correct," Cheng Jianhua replied.
Chen Yang couldn't help but wonder, "Now that you've told me about it, how could I possibly fall for your Minor Predestination Art?"
Cheng Jianhua calmly explained, "The Minor Predestination Art is beyond your current ability to resist. Even if I hadn't told you, you'd know I was using a Daoist technique on you. Both Li Yang and Long Xuan were affected by it without even being inside the alchemy furnace. Moreover, I've put considerable effort into preparing for you."
Chen Yang retorted, "Are you really that confident? You should know that I'm a Chosen One. We tend to be different."
Cheng Jianhua replied, "This isn't about confidence; it's about my control over the future. If I couldn't control even this much, I wouldn't dare attempt to steal the mantle of the Chosen One. Ah, explaining these things to you is like playing a zither to a cow - utterly pointless."
Chen Yang felt like spitting blood. Damn it, he thought, as if I'm some ignorant brute who doesn't understand anything. In fact, he had grasped Cheng Jianhua's explanations quite clearly.
"Why at the Hour of Zi?" Chen Yang inquired further.
Cheng Jianhua explained, "Midnight is a peculiar time. Most people believe it's when yin energy is at its peak. In reality, midnight, or the Hour of Zi, is when yin and yang energies transition. It's actually the time when yang energy is strongest throughout the day."
Chen Yang pondered this thoughtfully. Then, changing the subject, he asked, "What kind of pill are you refining in this alchemy furnace?"
Cheng Jianhua was indeed in a good mood today and patiently answered Chen Yang's questions. He began, "Alchemy is a profound discipline. Have you heard this saying?" Without waiting for Chen Yang's response, he continued, "I suppose you haven't. It goes: 'Those who eat meat are brave and fierce, those who eat grains are wise and skillful, and those who consume qi are divine and long-lived.' A species' achievements are closely tied to what they eat."
Chen Yang was intrigued. Being extraordinary himself, he found deep meaning in Cheng Jianhua's words.
Rabbits, horses, and pigs eat grass, so they're destined to be dull-witted and fit for slaughter.
Dogs and wolves eat meat, so they're somewhat smarter.
Humans eat grains, so they're wise and skillful.
But ordinary people who eat a mixed diet accumulate toxins in their bodies, causing their physical functions to decline around age sixty. Martial arts masters like Chen Yang, however, can constantly expel these toxins, allowing them to remain spry even at seventy.
As for consuming qi? Legendary Daoist and Buddhist practitioners who could go without food or water were said to be almost immortal.
"What does it mean to consume qi?" Chen Yang asked, perplexed.
Cheng Jianhua explained, "Legendary Daoist masters were said to drink morning dew and absorb the essence of the sun and moon. They could turn their breath into swords, shrink vast distances, and travel a thousand miles in a day. Of course, these are just tales we've heard. In the understanding of myself and our ancestors, consuming qi means consuming alchemical pills. The furnace refines pills containing all the essential nutrients the human body needs, without any impurities. By regularly taking these pills, we naturally become divine and long-lived. We take pills for longevity, but in fact, you martial arts practitioners must also consume certain pills once you reach a certain level. At that point, ordinary food can no longer provide sufficient nutrition. However, we can't consume the pills meant for you, as our bodies aren't strong enough to withstand their potency." He paused, then added, "Another reason Li Yang and Long Xuan are willing to follow me is that they hope I'll refine pills for them in the future."
Chen Yang pondered this thoughtfully. In his youth, he had heard his master speak of how some experts could consume an entire cow in a day. This was due to their bodies' immense nutritional needs. But eating a whole cow would introduce too many impurities, which was inconvenient. If only they had access to those miraculous pills.
Chen Yang thought to himself, "The path of martial arts is still so long. I need to keep exploring, especially by interacting more with Daoists." Suddenly, he came to his senses, and a bitter smile crossed his lips. What was the point of exploring further? He might not even survive the night.
"Do you have any more questions?" Cheng Jianhua asked, noticing Chen Yang's silence.
Chen Yang shook his head but then quickly asked, "Where is Qin Moyao now?"
Cheng Jianhua replied, "She's being held in a place inaccessible to outsiders. After tonight, her life will also come to an end."
Chen Yang gave Cheng Jianhua a long look and said, "You're not killing her in advance because you're worried about unforeseen circumstances tonight. You want to use her to keep me in check, don't you?"
Cheng Jianhua smiled faintly and said, "It's my personal habit. Even when success seems certain, I always leave myself an escape route."
He then stood up and said, "Enjoy these final moments."
With that, he left the alchemy room.
As the heavy iron door of the alchemy room closed, Chen Yang let out a muffled groan. The pain in his internal organs had reached an unbearable level.
His physical condition was worse than he had imagined, with his liver bleeding internally. Without timely treatment, he would die anyway.
Chen Yang had been struggling and enduring all day. In his current state, escaping was nothing but a pipe dream.
Time ticked away relentlessly.
Before he knew it, it was half past eleven.
Footsteps sounded from outside.
This time, Cheng Jianhua, Li Yang, and Long Xuan all entered together...