Chapter Six: Years in the Mountains and the First Descent

Time in the tranquil valley of “Return to Ruins Cottage” seemed to lose the hurried pace it held in the outside world. We rose at dawn to work and rested at sunset; spring sowed, autumn harvested; summer tended, winter stored. Though the rhythm was monotonous, it grew rich and profound through the nurture of life and the companionship of family.

In the blink of an eye, five years slipped quietly away.

For ordinary mortals, five years are enough to see a child grow into adolescence; for cultivators like us, it is but a fleeting moment. Yet for our fledgling family, newly arrived in this world, these five years were vital—transformative beyond measure.

“Return to Ruins Cottage” was no longer the modest stone cave it once was.

Through my continuous renovations and Jiang Yiyi’s careful arrangements, it had become a true immortal’s abode. The dwelling expanded several times in size, now including not only our bedrooms but also dedicated rooms for alchemy, artifact forging, talisman crafting, a library, and a spacious meditation chamber.

Upon the walls, I inscribed layer upon layer of defensive and spirit-gathering array patterns, seamlessly integrated with the external mountain-guarding formation, rendering it impregnable. Jiang Yiyi, with her unparalleled affinity, summoned luminous moss, singing vines, and strange flowers that condensed morning dew, adorning the interior like a scene from a fairy tale.

Outside the cave, the five-acre spirit fields had transformed profoundly.

After five years of spiritual energy nurturing and Jiang Yiyi’s life blessings, they had steadily advanced from first-grade spirit fields to the intermediate level of the second grade. The white jade millet planted there, through generations of selective breeding, had mutated into “Golden Silk Jade Millet,” with larger kernels and purer spiritual essence. We had long achieved “spiritual grain self-sufficiency,” with a considerable surplus to spare.

The mutated Kunlun peach tree had grown into a towering giant over ten meters high, its canopy like a great umbrella, its limbs gnarled and robust, full of strength. Every summer, it bore eighty-one fiery red spirit peaches the size of fists. Their flesh blazed like fire, and biting into one released scorching energy within, remarkably effective for tempering the body and nourishing the blood. Jiang Xiaobai loved them dearly; after each feast, she would roll in the creek several times to quell the inner heat.

Starvine climbed the entire mountainside behind our cave. When night fell, the mountain wall transformed into a dazzling star river, breathtakingly beautiful. Its fruit, the “Starfruit,” was the primary ingredient for crafting “Star Pills,” aiding cultivators in comprehending the laws of heaven and earth during their practice.

The Wuyi Mountain tea tree remained the cherished treasure of the entire “Return to Ruins Cottage.” It never grew tall, holding a graceful stature just over a person’s height, yet its emanated Dao resonance grew ever deeper. Each spring, we harvested a small jar of exquisite “Return to Ruins Dao Tea.” Savoring a cup had become one of our family’s most cherished rituals.

During these five peaceful years, the three of us made significant progress in our cultivation.

Nourished by the Golden Silk Jade Millet, Fiery Spirit Peaches, and Return to Ruins Dao Tea, and backed by the abundant resources of the Penglai Immortal Palace, I finally repaired all the cracks in my Nascent Soul Dao Embryo. My cultivation, once fallen to the great completion of Nascent Soul, was now firmly restored to the early stage of Nascent Soul, with a foundation stronger and more harmonious than before.

Jiang Xiaobai, once a five-tailed demon king, had now broken through her bottleneck, regrew a sixth tail, and officially stepped into the realm of the six-tailed immortal fox. Her strength rivaled that of a mid-stage Nascent Soul human cultivator. In human form, she appeared as a slender, stunningly beautiful girl of about sixteen or seventeen, her lively fox eyes still gleaming with a mixture of naive mischief and innocence, unchanged from her time on Earth.

The greatest transformation was in Jiang Yiyi.

Over five years, bolstered by the “Hundred Flowers Morning Dew Technique” and her extraordinary constitution, she advanced rapidly, successfully forming her Core and directly condensing the legendary “Ninth Grade Azure Lotus Golden Core.” She now stood as a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator. Even more astonishing was her command over flora; at her mere thought, all the flowers and plants in the valley obeyed her call and fought for her. In this valley, she was the undisputed queen.

Our life was abundant, peaceful, and joyous.

Yet a pressing problem gradually emerged before me.

Though self-sufficient, some materials could not be grown in the spirit fields—rare ores needed for forging high-grade treasures, specialized cinnabar and beast blood required for complex talismans, and auxiliary ingredients essential for certain elixirs. Though the Penglai Immortal Palace’s reserves were vast, they would eventually be depleted. Living off stored wealth was no lasting solution.

More importantly, we lacked information.

After five years, our knowledge of this world remained limited to the few thousand miles around these wild mountains. We did not know which dynasty this land belonged to, which prefecture or state; we knew nothing of the mightiest sects, the pinnacle cultivators’ true strength; and we had no clues about our predecessor “Return to Ruins.” We could not remain forever as isolated “mountaintop cave dwellers.”

“One Yi, Xiaobai, pack your things,” I solemnly announced one morning to my two daughters. “We are going down the mountain.”

“Down the mountain?” In Jiang Yiyi’s eyes, a spark of excitement, curiosity, and a trace of nervousness flared instantly.

Jiang Xiaobai tilted her head and asked, “Father, where are we going?”

“To a place called ‘Qingshi Town,’” I answered.

The name came to me in fragments through the chittering of those treasure-seeking rats, communicated via spiritual sense. Within their limited understanding, following the stream downstream for three days and nights would lead to a settlement where many “bipedal beasts” gathered, paved with blue stones.

That should be a market town where mortals and low-level cultivators coexisted. For us, newly encountering this world, it was the perfect starting point.

“That’s wonderful!” Jiang Yiyi cheered and immediately ran to prepare. She had long been filled with endless fantasies about the outside world.

I began meticulous preparations.

First, “disguise.” Using Penglai’s secret methods, I suppressed the spiritual signatures of the three of us. I disguised myself as an ordinary late Foundation Establishment stage cultivator; Jiang Yiyi as a great completion Qi Refining cultivator; and Jiang Xiaobai, concealed by a jade pendant talisman, had her demonic aura completely masked, appearing as a mortal girl without cultivation.

In this unfamiliar world, discretion was always the foremost rule. A Foundation Establishment cultivator traveling with two juniors was the most common, least conspicuous combination.

Finally, I adjusted the mountain-guarding formation of “Return to Ruins Cottage” to its highest alert level. If any powerful entity attempted a forcible intrusion, the formation would immediately activate and, through the soul imprint I left at its core, alert me.

All preparations complete.

At dawn the next day, accompanied by my two daughters brimming with curiosity, I locked the cave door and followed the clear stream, embarking on our first journey “down the mountain” since arriving in this world five years ago.

The mountain path was rugged, but to us, it was like walking on level ground. We chose to travel on foot rather than fly. I wanted my daughters to measure this land with their own steps and observe the truest face of this world with their own eyes.

Along the way, Jiang Yiyi was like a joyful lark, fascinated by everything.

“Father, look at this tree! Why are its leaves blue?”

“Xiaobai, look at that butterfly! Its wings have so many eyes!”

Jiang Xiaobai dutifully played the role of guardian, ever vigilant to the slightest rustle in the grass. Any wild beast suddenly leaping out would be frightened away by her fierce gaze.

We traveled for two full days, and the scenery gradually changed from primeval forest to signs of human presence. We saw felled trees, hunters’ traps, and even a winding path worn by footsteps.

At dusk on the third day, after crossing the last ridge, our view suddenly opened wide.

On the distant plain, a small town bathed in the sunset’s glow quietly appeared before us. The town was modest in size, smoke curled from chimneys, and faint sounds of dogs barking and roosters crowing filled the air. A broad road paved with blue stones stretched from the town’s entrance all the way to our feet.

There it was—Qingshi Town.