Upon entering the room, Xuen immediately grasped the situation. Lin Hei, the son of Lin Hao and father of Lin Quirong, was afflicted by a mysterious ailment. While others were baffled, Xuen recognized it as qi deviation. Lin Hei, a peak martial expert in the mortal world, had unknowingly dabbled in low-tier cultivation techniques taught by fraudulent masters, unaware of true cultivation practices.
Xuen approached the bed and placed his hand on Lin Hei's forehead. Lin Quirong, startled, exclaimed, "What are you doing?!" Lin Hao, equally alarmed, demanded, "Stop! Do not touch him!" Unfazed, Xuen calmly replied, "I can save him. Do not worry."
Lin Hao retorted, "How can you save him? Even the finest physicians from the provincial capital were powerless." Lin Quirong added threateningly, "Stop this nonsense, or I will kill you." At this, Xuen's gaze sharpened, radiating an intimidating aura reminiscent of his confrontation with the Song family. Lin Hao was stunned, realizing the young man before him possessed an extraordinary presence.
Using voice transmission, Xuen addressed Lin Hao privately, "Elder Lin, I am here under my master's orders to assist your family. I am a disciple of the Sacred Mountain, a student of Old Master Xuen. Keep this confidential; no one else must know for now." Lin Hao, the only one aware of Old Master Xuen's true identity, was reassured, while Lin Hei and Lin Quirong remained oblivious.
Lin Quirong, still defiant, warned, "How dare you use your power to intimidate us! We have martial artists who can crush you." Lin Hao intervened, silencing his granddaughter, "Quirong, enough. He can save your father. No one his age possesses such composure and aura." Lin Quirong, taken aback by her grandfather's rare praise, reluctantly relented.
Xuen placed his hand on Lin Hei's forehead once more, channeling his qi into Lin Hei's dantian. He stabilized the chaotic qi, preventing Lin Hei's inner demon from awakening. Slowly, Lin Hei regained consciousness, astonishing everyone in the room. Lin Hei, bedridden for five months, had awoken with a single touch from this enigmatic young man. Lin Hao, realizing Xuen's true lineage, thought to himself, *Of course, he is that man's disciple.*
Xuen further refined Lin Hei's dantian, elevating him from the peak martial expert stage to the low-level martial master stage—a monumental breakthrough. The room erupted in awe, as the existence of a martial master was revered in the mortal world, though to Xuen, such masters were insignificant.
Lin Hao bowed deeply, "Young Master Xuen, we are eternally grateful for your aid in elevating my son to the master level. The Lin family will never forget this kindness." Xuen handed Lin Hei a martial arts manual, stating, "From now on, practice these techniques. This is a beginner-level manual my master entrusted to me." The Lin family was astounded; the manual contained top-tier martial arts, yet Xuen dismissed it as mere basics.
Lin Hao presented Xuen with his personal VIP card as a token of gratitude. Xuen accepted it graciously, saying, "It was nothing. I merely fulfilled my duty." Meanwhile, Lin Quirong, standing in the corner, was consumed by curiosity about Xuen's true identity. Though she longed to inquire, she deemed it inappropriate at the moment.
The Lin family hosted Xuen for dinner, treating him with the utmost respect and offering him the finest room in their estate, as if he were the master of the house.
Every night before bed, Xuen diligently engages in his usual practice. Meanwhile, Lin Quirong, driven by curiosity about Xuen, decides to sneak a peek into his room. However, in her clumsiness, she accidentally opens the door and finds Xuen meditating in the nude. Blushing furiously, she exclaims, "Xuen, you pervert!" and storms off in anger.
Xuen, left bewildered, ponders, "What's her problem? She's the one who intruded. Shouldn't I be the one who's upset?"
The next morning, Quirong is still embarrassed by her actions. Deep down, she knows she was in the wrong, but her pride prevents her from admitting it. She brusquely demands of Xuen, "Come shopping with me today."
Xuen responds, "Why should I?"
Quirong insists, "You owe me an apology for yesterday," and drags him out by the arm.
As they walk, Quirong notices Xuen's attire—traditional Chinese clothing that is worn and outdated. She feels a pang of sadness and curiosity, wondering why someone with his skills lives in such modesty. She suggests, "Let's get you some new clothes. You can't walk around with me in such old, tattered garments."
Xuen replies, "Huh? Old man Hao said the same thing. But these clothes are not old; my master gave them to me just two years ago. He even got me two pairs that year."
Quirong is shocked and remarks, "Was your master a cheapskate?"
Xuen, aware of his master's frugality but adhering to the cultivator's disregard for material possessions, changes the subject, "How do I use this card? Your grandfather mentioned I could withdraw money with it."
Realizing the extent of Xuen's detachment from modern conveniences, Quirong resigns, "I'll teach you, you mountain hermit." She proceeds to buy him a variety of clothes and essentials, also educating him about the modern world. Xuen, familiar with these concepts in theory but not in practice, appreciates the guidance. Quirong even gifts him the latest smartphone.
Grateful, Xuen thanks Quirong and prepares to return home.
They were strolling leisurely towards the street when Xuen suddenly caught sight of a place that seemed oddly familiar. He halted and gazed at an aged, dilapidated building—a large, abandoned villa. Quirong noticed his pause and inquired, "What's wrong?"
Xuen replied, "Nothing, let's keep going."
Though he dismissed it, Xuen knew that villa all too well. It was his family's ancestral home. He hailed from the Zhao family and had once lived there with his parents and sister. His father had been a prominent businessman in the area a decade ago, a time when the Lin family had not yet settled in the city.
Xuen recalled the tragic accident that had befallen his family while they were returning from a picnic. He had survived only because his master had taken him away for training. He had never discovered whether his parents had survived, but seeing the villa in such a state led him to believe they were gone.
Upon returning home, Quirong asked Xuen, "You've been quiet the entire way back. What's on your mind?"
Xuen gently placed his hand on Quirong's head and smiled. "It's nothing."
Quirong, embarrassed and blushing, replied, "If it's nothing, then I'll be going," and blinked at him.
Xuen pushed aside his sorrow and dedicated himself to practice. His master had told him that reaching the next realm would be arduous, requiring him to forge his own path and sever all emotional ties. He trained tirelessly through the night.
The following morning, Lin Hao approached him. "Master Xuen, we've been invited to a party tonight by the Song family. They want to apologize for what happened to Quirong. Would you like to join?"
Having no other plans, Xuen agreed. "I'll see you tonight," he replied. He then ventured into town in search of items imbued with spiritual aura to aid his cultivation. The mortal world had advanced, but its inhabitants had forgotten the truths of cultivation, relying instead on science.
In a secluded corner of the suburbs, he stumbled upon an old shop. "Is anyone here?" he called out.
An elderly shopkeeper, without looking up, responded, "Take a look around yourself."
Xuen was taken aback by the shopkeeper's indifference. Did he not want to make a sale? His eyes were soon drawn to a statue of an ancient Buddha, radiating a powerful aura. "How much for this?" he asked.
The shopkeeper replied, "100,000 yuan."
Xuen, who carried a card worth 500,000 yuan, handed it over and selected several other items, each possessing varying degrees of spiritual energy. The shopkeeper watched with interest as Xuen picked out the aura-rich items.
As Xuen left the shop, the old man muttered to someone, though the shop appeared empty. "Did you see that boy? Fascinating. He's no ordinary martial artist. He's already reached that realm."
A voice emerged from the shadows. "Indeed. He might be from one of the hidden sects or a disciple of those ancient masters."
The shopkeeper chuckled. "Haha, the secular world is about to become quite interesting."