9: Long years in the mountains

The turmoil brought by the rainstorm gradually subsided, but the reputation of Qingfeng Temple's efficacy grew like weeds after a spring rain, its roots quietly spreading through Zhaojiaao Village and several surrounding mountain villages.

Li Muchen's rule of one bamboo tube of spirit well water per day initially left the villagers puzzled. However, seeing his firm attitude and the tangible effects of the well water—crying children slept peacefully, the frail elderly gained some energy, and even an old man with chronic back pain felt much relief after persistent washing—everyone silently complied.

Every morning or evening, groups of three to five villagers would climb the mountain together to respectfully collect water, leaving behind home-grown fruits, vegetables, eggs, and grain.

Because of this, the temple's incense offerings began to show faint signs of life. Although the statues were broken and the halls drafty, villagers would spontaneously kowtow before the main hall after collecting water, muttering prayers for safety and leaving a few coins or a handful of grain as an offering.

Li Muchen carefully put these things away; though they weren't worth much, they were the first offerings since the temple's reopening and held extraordinary significance.

His contact with the villagers increased as well. Besides his frequent visitor, Zhao Desheng, other villagers gradually dared to speak with him. From their idle chatter, Li Muchen gained a better understanding of the world below the mountain.

Zhaojiaao Village had barely over a hundred households, living off farming and herb gathering. Most young people went out to work in the cities, leaving the elderly and children to guard the ancestral lands. There were two even smaller villages nearby in similar situations. The town further away was much more prosperous, with markets, schools, and hospitals.

Days flowed by in this slow rhythm.

Every morning, Li Muchen would breathe in the purple Qi of the rising sun within the Spirit Gathering Formation. During the day, he would either study the scriptures and diagrams obtained from signing in (besides Talismans and herbs, he had later obtained an 'Elementary Introduction to Formations,' which perfectly complemented his Spirit Gathering Formation), tend to the two plots of increasingly vibrant vegetables and heart-clearing grass, or continue cleaning and repairing the temple.

His tools remained crude, but his control over True Qi grew more refined daily. Combined with the simple tools villagers occasionally helped bring, progress was much faster than at the start. He patched two more small leaks in the main hall and cleared a space in the ruins of the side hall.

The ancient cypress tree had become an object of Li Muchen's daily attention. It now had seven or eight new leaves, the largest as big as a baby's palm, dripping with emerald green, their veins clearly visible in the sunlight. The newly emerged buds had also unfurled.

More importantly, Li Muchen could clearly feel that the dormant life force within the ancient tree had completely awakened. It was absorbing the Spiritual Qi emitted by the Spirit Well and the faint energy gathered by the Spirit Gathering Formation at a slow but steady pace, nourishing itself.

Though the tree still appeared withered and thin on the outside, it had truly come back to life. Even the bark on the trunk had become much more lustrous, faintly radiating a vigorous vitality.

He even tried to channel a wisp of pure, gentle wood-attribute True Qi into the trunk while watering the ancient cypress tree with spirit well water.

The ancient tree seemed to tremble slightly, its leaves moving without wind and making an extremely faint rustling sound, as if in joyful response. From then on, this became one of his daily tasks.

The opportunities brought by the sign-in System daily, while no longer as pivotal as the Spirit Gathering Formation diagram, were a steady stream that constantly bolstered his foundation. Besides scattered Low-Grade Spirit Stones, spirit soil, and herb seeds, he successively obtained the [Elementary Alchemy Handbook (Fragment)], which recorded the refinement methods for several lowest-grade Medicinal Pills like bigu pills and qi nurturing pills. Although the required herbs were uncommon, they weren't Spirit Medicines and could perhaps be found in the mountains or from the villagers.

He also received the [Low-Rank Magical Artifact: Qingfeng Whisk], an ordinary whisk with a wooden handle and horsehair. However, having been steeped in incense for years, it contained a very faint sense of 'purity' that offered slight resistance against evil and foul Qi. For Li Muchen, it was primarily a handy 'Magical Artifact' through which True Qi flowed more smoothly; and [A Stack of Talisman Paper, a bit of cinnabar], which finally allowed him to try practicing the 'Elementary Talisman Illustrations'.

Drawing Talismans was a whole different world. It required one to concentrate their mind and calm their Qi, using specific brushstrokes to dip into 'spirit ink'—a blend of one's own True Qi and cinnabar—to outline Talismans containing specific 'intent' and 'logic' in one go.

Any slight deviation, hesitation, or lapse in True Qi would cause the Talisman to fail and might even destroy the Materials.

Li Muchen first tried to draw the simplest 'Cleansing Talisman.' He failed dozens of times, wasting a lot of Talisman paper and cinnabar, before barely managing to draw a crooked, dimly glowing Talisman.

Once activated, the effect was negligible, only freshening the air within three feet for a few breaths of time.

But he never tired of it. Every failure was a tempering of his fine control over True Qi and his mental focus. When he could finally draw a qualified 'Cleansing Talisman' with relative stability and even began to attempt the more complex 'Calming Talisman,' he felt his understanding and use of True Qi had reached a new level.

His cultivation was also steadily improving. Under the triple boost of the Spirit Gathering Formation, Spirit Stones, and the light of Karma, combined with his daily diligent practice, the True Qi vortex in his Dantian grew larger and more solid by the day. He had reached the Perfection of the 'Circulation Realm' within the 'Refining Essence into Qi' stage, and was faintly touching the threshold of the next Realm, the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Foundation Establishment required further refining and compressing the scattered True Qi in the body to build a solid Dao Foundation within the Dantian, laying a crucial foundation for the subsequent 'Refining Qi into Soul.' This step required slow, meticulous work and could not be rushed.

Time in the mountains seemed to stretch out. There was no noise of the city, no information bombardment, only the rising and setting of the sun and the wind passing through the forest.

Li Muchen's state of mind also became increasingly calm and transparent amidst this quiet cultivation and labor. The impetuousness and anxiety brought from his past life were gradually washed away. He looked more and more like a true cultivator, leisurely tending to his temple and managing his cultivation.

Occasionally, outsiders would break this tranquility. Besides the regular villagers, two groups of hikers had stumbled into the area during this time. Hearing from villagers about a 'very effective' ruined temple on the mountain, they came to explore out of curiosity.

Li Muchen received them calmly as before, merely stating that the temple was a place of quiet cultivation and that the well water was decent but nothing miraculous. Seeing the temple's dilapidated state and the young but composed temple head, the hikers didn't pry further, though they found him somewhat special. They drank some well water, rested for a while, and left. Only a few individuals marveled at the ancient cypress tree growing new branches from dead wood in front of the hall and took a few photos.

Li Muchen didn't care about this. As long as it didn't interfere with his cultivation and life, a little curiosity was harmless.

This afternoon, he was by the vegetable plot, using his meager spirit soil and spirit well water to carefully transplant several heart-clearing grass seedlings that were growing too densely. The heart-clearing grass was growing well, already half a foot tall with pale green leaves unfurled. Its serene fragrance became increasingly apparent, showing significant effects when he meditated nearby.

Suddenly, a series of hurried and panicked footsteps came from the mountain path, accompanied by suppressed crying and shouting.

"Temple Head! Temple Head, save him!"

Li Muchen stood up and looked over. He saw Zhao Desheng and a dark-skinned man in his thirties carrying a crude stretcher made of branches and vines, stumbling up the mountain.

A young man lay on the stretcher, his face as pale as paper, eyes tightly shut, and teeth clenched. His clothes were covered in dirt and dark red bloodstains, especially his left leg; the pant leg was torn open, revealing a mangled wound where bone was faintly visible, still slightly seeping blood. Following beside them was a middle-aged woman crying her eyes out, likely the injured man's mother.

"What happened?" Li Muchen quickly walked forward to meet them.

"In the mountains... gathering herbs, he f-fell! Tumbled several yards, his l-leg is broken!" The dark-skinned man carrying the stretcher panted heavily, his face full of terror. "A rock cut him, the blood won't stop! We won't make it to town in time!"

Zhao Desheng also said urgently, "Temple Head, can you... can you think of something? This boy has lost too much blood. If it doesn't stop soon, I'm afraid..."

The woman fell to her knees with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly. "Temple Head! Please save my son! I beg of you!"

Li Muchen's heart sank. This injury was more than ten times more serious than Wang Hao's sprain! It wasn't just a fracture; there was severe trauma and blood loss!

He could feel the young man's breath was weak, his life force like a candle in the wind. Ordinary Guiding Qi to Unblock Meridians would be of no use at all! Even his meager healing Spells would have extremely limited effects against such an open fracture and massive bleeding.

What should he do? Watch a life slip away before his eyes?

His gaze swept over the vibrant ancient cypress in front of the hall, over the lush heart-clearing grass in the vegetable plot, and over his own hands, which had become steady and strong from cultivation and labor.

Inside his body, the bit of Karma light seemed to sense his determination, flickering slightly and emitting a warm, steady power.

Perhaps... he could give it a try? By combining all the means he currently had?

There was no time to hesitate.

"Carry him into the main hall and place him somewhere clean!" Li Muchen ordered in a deep voice, his tone carrying an unquestionable steadiness. "Old Uncle Zhao, find some clean cloths and boil some water! You, brother, go to the well and draw some water—it must be the freshest!"

His calmness infected the panicked group. Zhao Desheng and the man quickly complied.

Li Muchen quickly entered the main hall. From the corner where he kept his belongings, he took out the 'Elementary Herb Identification Illustrations' and quickly flipped to the pages for herbs that stop bleeding, promote tissue growth, and mend bones.

At the same time, he rapidly recalled the rudimentary techniques for 'nourishing life force' and 'sealing acupoints to stop bleeding' from the Basic Guidance Technique, as well as the subtle sensitivity to life aura brought by the light of Karma.

A race against the Grim Reaper quietly began in this ancient temple on the desolate mountain.