Chapter Three: Awakening

The scorching sun hung high overhead, and the temperature soared rapidly.

A range of lofty mountains undulated endlessly into the distance. On a mountain path, five or six meters wide and stretching farther than the eye could see, an old man trudged along. His hair was white as snow, his black robe tattered, and his face wizened with age. Leaning heavily on a wooden staff, he looked as if he had reached the twilight of his years.

“Damn it, what hellish place is this? There should be a river here!” the old man cursed hoarsely, glancing at his skeletal hand gripping the staff and then at the endless sea of mountains. “Three days on the road, and I haven’t even seen a single bird!” This was none other than Grandpa Ya, who had just emerged from the ancient tomb.

Grandpa Ya had exited the tomb unscathed, encountering no danger, yet he soon realized that the landscape was not as he remembered. The mountains rolled on without end, and here and there grew towering trees, each at least a century old—far more colossal than any he had seen on Earth, or at least in the places he’d visited.

A shroud of confusion clouded Grandpa Ya’s mind. Apart from the giant trees and wild grasses, not a single animal appeared—not even a solitary bird. As he walked, drowsiness crept over him; his head grew heavier with each step.

“Am I about to die?” he wondered. “It’s not fair! In forty years, I haven’t even been with a woman! Am I truly to perish in this bizarre place?” He struggled to stay upright, knowing all too well that if he collapsed, he might never rise again.

His eyelids drooped, his strength ebbed away, and with a heavy thud, he fell to the ground. In the instant before he lost consciousness, a final thought flashed through his mind: “If heaven grants me another chance, I swear I’ll gather all the beauties in the world and build a grand harem! Not even immortals will stop me from following my own path…”

…

The sun blazed mercilessly in the sky, its burning rays robbing the earth of all moisture; the parched yellow soil crumbled into dust at the lightest brush of wind.

“Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!” The pounding of hooves echoed through the mountains.

From afar, a carriage sped along the road, flanked before and behind by four fine horses, each ridden by a burly, broad-shouldered man. At the reins sat an elderly man with graying temples.

Two riders led the way, while two more guarded the rear, forming a defensive square around the carriage—clear evidence that someone important was inside.

“Whoa!” The two men in front tugged their reins; their horses reared, hooves striking the ground with force as they snorted impatiently.

The carriage behind came to a halt as well.

“Xiaolong, Xiaowu, what’s going on up there?” the steward, Old Ye, called as he dismounted and approached the two men in front.

The pair swung down from their horses, bowed with fists cupped, and replied, “Steward Ye, there’s a man lying in the road ahead, blocking our path. We don’t know if he’s alive or dead.”

“Oh? Go and see what’s happened,” the old man ordered.

“Yes, Steward Ye.” Xiaolong bowed and walked toward where Grandpa Ya lay sprawled on the ground.

“Grandpa Ye, what’s the matter?” A slender, immaculate hand drew back the carriage curtain, and a young girl stepped gracefully down.

She appeared fifteen or sixteen, dressed in a pale blue gown. Her eyes were bright and clear, her brows delicately arched, and her long lashes quivered gently. Her fair, flawless skin glowed with a soft blush, and her lips were as tender and pink as rose petals.

“You little rascal, why are you coming out here? The sun is fierce—you’ll get sunburned, and Grandpa Ye will be heartbroken,” the old steward chided affectionately, ruffling her hair.

“Grandpa Ye, don’t forget, I’m already a Sixth Heaven master! Give me a few more years and I’ll catch up to you. The sun can’t hurt me,” she pouted.

“Haha! I nearly forgot—my little girl has grown up. You’re not the child who used to cry at the drop of a hat anymore.” He laughed heartily.

“You’re awful, Grandpa Ye! I’m ignoring you now, hmph!” With that, she scampered off toward Xiaolong.

“Uncle Long, what’s happened?” she called as she ran.

Seeing her approach, Xiaolong bowed respectfully. “Young Miss, this old man is barely clinging to life. His pulse is weak—he may not last another two hours.”

The girl knelt beside Grandpa Ya, placed her fingers on his wrist, and, after a moment, stood up. “He can still be saved. Uncle Long, please carry him to the shade of the grove up ahead.”

“Grandpa Ye, everyone’s weary from the journey. Let’s rest in the grove, have something to eat, and wait until the heat of noon passes before moving on,” she suggested to the steward and the others.

“Very well; as you wish, Young Miss,” Steward Ye agreed, and the group moved toward the small grove.

Within the woods, dense leaves shielded them from the blazing sun.

The four guards sat at the four corners, keeping watch.

Beneath the great tree, the girl took out a water flask and gently gave Grandpa Ya a sip. Then, she retrieved a small porcelain bottle from her waist.

“Vitality Elixir? Girl, you’re…” Steward Ye exclaimed in surprise, recognizing the medicine her father had given her.

“Grandpa Ye, this is our only option. The Vitality Elixir is mild; any other medicine would be too much for his condition,” she replied, unscrewing the cap and pouring out a small green pill.

“Ah, all right. As long as you’re happy.” The steward sighed.

The Vitality Elixir was worth a hundred gold coins per bottle, with only nine pills inside. Its effects were legendary—even for martial artists, as long as their injuries weren’t fatal, they would recover within two hours. For ordinary people, it was a miraculous remedy for longevity and health.

A hundred gold coins—a single pill was worth ten! One gold coin could support a common family for a month; this one pill was a year’s expenses. The steward had never tasted such precious medicine in his life.

He couldn’t help but envy the old man, marveling at the young miss’s kindness—she would give such a priceless gift to a stranger.

If even the steward was envious, the four guards could only stare longingly, nearly drooling as they watched her handle the medicine.

The girl pried open Grandpa Ya’s mouth, placed the pill inside, and fed him another sip of water to help him swallow. She checked his pulse again and found it weak but finally stable.

Her task done, the girl settled herself cross-legged, closed her eyes, and formed hand seals. A clear light shimmered around her as the spiritual energy of heaven and earth slowly gathered.

Half an hour later…

Grandpa Ya felt currents of heat surging through his body, which his very flesh seemed to resist, struggling against the invading force. After a while, the heat dissipated as if consumed by something unseen, vanishing without a trace.

His consciousness gradually returned. Grandpa Ya flexed his fingers, and slowly opened his eyes.