Southeast Asian Tycoons Pay a Visit

By employing the method of refining essence into qi, the efficiency of cultivation was drastically reduced. Even a person of exceptional talent could not reach the Nascent Soul stage, no matter how long they dedicated their life to it. From that point on, all knowledge of how to cultivate beyond the Nascent Soul was completely severed.

The arts of refining essence into qi had, over countless years and through generations of prodigies, proliferated and branched into myriad new methods. Yet, their foundational level remained too low; the myriad Daoist arts gradually fell into decline, and only a handful of low-level techniques that could be used in the Qi Gathering stage survived.

As the traditional arts faded, simpler methods for strengthening the body rose to prominence, ushering in the era of both internal and external martial arts. But as the spiritual energy of heaven and earth grew ever thinner, even cultivating internal martial arts became increasingly arduous. The transmission of advanced training methods was gradually drowned in the river of history.

By modern times, with spiritual energy almost entirely depleted, cultivation had become nearly impossible. High-level internal martial arts had long since been lost; only some rudimentary internal boxing and a few external styles, stripped of their true essence and reduced to mere forms, remained in transmission.

Pan Wu had always valued the collection of various methods. Over millennia of evolution, he had managed to preserve nearly every renowned cultivation technique. Xiao Yao, having inherited Pan Wu’s Divine Soul Foundation, now possessed a starting point for soul cultivation that even surpassed Pan Wu’s level in life. Any method relating to the soul or spiritual power was open to him, with virtually no restrictions.

Thus, when it came to cultivating the soul, he had no doubts—following the prescribed method of the Divine Soul Art would suffice. However, his physical body remained that of an ordinary, frail human. For training the flesh, he would have to start from scratch, with no foundation whatsoever.

Pan Wu did possess a wealth of cultivation experience. Through each reincarnation, he had experimented with various methods. Yet, he had never placed much importance on the cultivation of the physical body—so long as it survived until his next reincarnation, it was enough.

Except for his original life, every subsequent reincarnation had a lifespan of about three hundred years. Once his soul reached the required level, he had to reincarnate—no sooner, no later. For this reason, he had no need to waste time or energy on physical cultivation. No matter how high the body’s level, it would have to be abandoned when the time came.

Pan Wu may have neglected the physical arts, but Xiao Yao could not afford to. Though he could reincarnate after his body died, he still hoped to extend his current life as much as possible. He was still young, with infinite possibilities ahead. If he worked hard, perhaps he might even attain immortality.

Anyone of sound mind would wish for eternal life, even if it was but a fantasy. If there was even the slightest chance, it was worth striving for. If the spiritual energy of the world were still abundant, he would have unhesitatingly chosen the orthodox path of a cultivator. Yet, with the current lack of spiritual energy, Pan Wu himself could barely manage to use such methods, and their efficiency was hardly better than the more modern innovations.

He needed to carefully weigh the pros and cons of each method to select the one best suited for himself. As the saying goes, sharpening the axe does not delay the woodcutter; before thoroughly understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each method, he was not in a hurry to begin.

At ten o’clock the next morning, Qin Huali arrived punctually at the door. Steward Lu personally greeted him and led him into the drawing room.

Qin Huali was an elderly man of about seventy, yet he stood straight and tall, his hair still black, and his spirit vigorous, showing no signs of age. He had already conducted a thorough investigation into Xiao Yao’s background. Though it was their first meeting, he was not a stranger, and greeted him proactively, “Mr. Xiao, I apologize for visiting unannounced.”

“Mr. Qin, you are an honored guest, one of the few friends my master had in his lifetime. It is a pleasure to welcome you to my home,” Xiao Yao replied.

After some polite conversation, Steward Lu poured each of them a cup of tea. Qin Huali first expressed his deep condolences over the passing of Old Zhao, and his profound regret at being unable to attend the funeral.

After reminiscing about moments shared with the late master, Qin Huali finally turned to his purpose. “More than half a month ago, I spoke with Old Zhao by phone, hoping to obtain a protective talisman from him. He refused, telling me to contact you after some time. He informed me that you had inherited all his teachings, and that in the future I should address my requests directly to you.”

“At the time, I sensed something was amiss. Old Zhao’s tone had a hint of finality, as though he were making arrangements for after his passing. But then I thought, given his extraordinary nature, perhaps, having found a true successor, he no longer wished to be troubled by worldly affairs. So I did not press the matter.”

Qin Huali sighed. “Who would have thought that would be our last conversation? Old Zhao did so much for the Qin family, yet I never saw him one last time, nor even attended his funeral. I have felt such guilt and regret ever since.”

Whether Qin Huali was playing to emotions or speaking sincerely, it made little difference to Xiao Yao and Pan Wu, for there was no true bond of master and disciple between them. Xiao Yao responded in kind, “My master was a true cultivator, devoted to the pursuit of immortality, never concerned with worldly matters. Even in his passing, he insisted it be quiet and unceremonious, refusing any funeral rites.”

“He cared nothing for fame or wealth, which only deepens our sense of loss and longing. But my master sought tranquility of spirit, to come and go without a trace. Since this was his final wish, as his junior I had no choice but to comply. If this seems unreasonable, I ask for your understanding,” Xiao Yao said, his tone heavy with sorrow.

Although Old Zhao had told Qin Huali directly that Xiao Yao was his successor, Qin Huali still harbored doubts. Xiao Yao seemed far too young, and, from what he knew, had spent little time with the old master. Could he really have mastered all those miraculous skills in just a few days?

Qin Huali was unsure. In the past, he had obtained two protective talismans from Old Zhao, paying a steep price each time. He had no expectation that a talisman from Xiao Yao would cost any less.

He did not mind the price, for a talisman meant a life, and no cost was too great. What he feared was that Xiao Yao might not possess the requisite skill. If the talisman proved ineffective, or even useless, a little lost money was a trifling matter—but if it failed to save a life, that would be a grave concern indeed.