Chapter 287
Chapter 287: Life
Wang Jie stood in a daze and asked blankly, “How do I fake it?” If pretending to be dead truly worked, there wouldn’t be so many real deaths. Faking death in front of cultivators was no simple task.
Xiao Rong coughed lightly and began explaining, “The key to pretending lies in authenticity, positioning, posture, companions pretending with you, and also…”
He went on at great length, sharing all his experiences.
Wang Jie listened quietly without objection. [Who knows when I might need these tips?]
Xiao Rong held nothing back. Even as he spoke about faking death, he emphasized always keeping an eye on the main force, making sure he wasn’t left behind during retreats. There were plenty of tips and tricks for that, too.
Wang Jie listened in admiration. Xiao Rong had never shared so openly with anyone else before. Initially, he’d thought Wang Jie, who reached the Six Dao Wanderer stage in the Full Star Realm at such a young age, was the kind of warrior who’d fight to the death. Now, he realized he had completely misunderstood.
The two talked for a full three hours before finally ending their conversation.
Returning to the rest chamber, Wang Jie found the room already cleaned, yet the heavy scent of blood still lingered.
His easygoing master soon arrived, commenting, “That Xiao Rong is quite interesting.”
Wang Jie nodded, “There’s a reason he’s survived battle after battle.”
Shu Rang smiled faintly and said, “Indeed, he’s lucky.” Then, he carefully looked Wang Jie up and down, praising him, “As expected, this method suits you perfectly. With it, you can approach breakthroughs at nearly the speed of ordinary cultivators, not falling too far behind—though you’ll suffer greatly.”
Wang Jie grimaced bitterly, “It’s excruciating. It feels like having my skin peeled off and bones torn out.”
“Pain is just an illusion,” Shu Rang said gently. “When your cultivation bears fruit, you’ll look back and feel grateful for the suffering.” He sighed briefly before adding, “Come, I’ll take you home now.”
“We’re not leaving with everyone else?”
“Waste of time.” As soon as Shu Rang spoke, the scene shifted abruptly before Wang Jie’s eyes. Stars flew beneath his feet. Shu Rang stepped upon them effortlessly, each stride covering immense distances.
“Watch closely, think carefully. This is the foundational footwork of Star Path Masters—the Gui Cang Steps,” Shu Rang explained patiently. “When you reach the Wandering Star Realm, you’ll be able to cultivate it.”
Wang Jie stared at the constantly shifting stars beneath. Gui Cang Steps? Even if he watched intently now, he still couldn’t understand. He merely saw endless stars shifting continuously. Clearly, his master had deliberately slowed down, allowing him to experience the method.
Time passed steadily, and soon they returned to the third star link of Black White Heaven—the core region itself.
Without delay, Shu Rang took Wang Jie directly into Zhi Upper Realm, bringing him beneath a deep, surreal night sky. He called out casually, “Old fellow, come out and greet us.”
Wang Jie’s eyes flickered. [Old fellow? Could the person here possibly be Zhi Yu, the ancestor of both Black White Heaven and the Zhi family?]
Looking across the entire Black White Heaven, aside from Zhi Yu, no one else seemed qualified to be addressed so casually by his easygoing master.
Ahead, the starry sky rippled like a flowing mirror, and a gentle voice spoke, “Enter, please.”
Shu Rang guided Wang Jie forward.
Crossing through the darkness of the stars, Wang Jie saw a rundown straw hut leaning against a cliffside. A foul-smelling stream ran beside it, accompanied by chicken and pig pens.
Wang Jie stared blankly. [What kind of place is this?]
Shu Rang rolled his eyes, calling out impatiently, “And who are you pretending to be this time?”
From within the hut came the sound of weak coughing, “A… a destitute young scholar born… in a land where etiquette and tradition… cough, cough… and promises… weigh heavier than life itself. And I… happen to be bound by… an engagement.”
“And then?” Shu Rang prompted.
“That engagement is… cough… with the prime minister’s daughter.”
“You certainly enjoy these games,” Shu Rang remarked sarcastically.
“Cough… Please wait just… just a moment. It’ll be over soon,” the voice assured weakly.
Listening to him, Wang Jie agreed silently—the voice indeed sounded like it would end soon.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted nearby.
A group rushed toward the hut, ignoring Shu Rang and Wang Jie entirely. They kicked down the hut’s door, barging in rudely. Among them was a young woman with slender eyes, her gaze filled with scornful contempt.
Wang Jie looked inside.
A thin, frail young man lay coughing uncontrollably, a chipped bowl beside his pillow filled with murky medicine.
“Who… are you all? What… do you want?” he managed weakly.
The young woman stepped into the hut, frowning deeply. “You’re the one engaged to this Miss?”
“You… you’re the prime minister’s daughter?”
“Hmph. Someone like you thinks you can marry me? Hand over the engagement contract, or don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
“No… cough, cough… impossible. This engagement was set… by our parents. How… how could it be canceled so lightly? You… cough… don’t even think about it.”
“Then blame your parents for arranging this match. Finish him,” she commanded coldly.
Her followers immediately lifted the young man roughly, pressing a damp cloth tightly over his mouth and nose. He struggled desperately but couldn’t break free, eventually suffocating miserably in the hut.
Before leaving, the woman ordered her men to burn the hut down and left without a backward glance.
Shu Rang and Wang Jie watched silently as flames consumed the young man’s body inside the hut. Then, to Wang Jie’s astonishment, that same young man rose to his feet, calmly patted out the flames on his clothes, and walked out with an awkward smile, “Sorry to keep you two waiting. This way, please.”
A breeze swept past, carrying an unpleasant odor from the pigpen.
Wang Jie observed this strange young man curiously. [Could this truly be Zhi Yu? Completely unlike what I imagined.]
Soon after, the three of them sat together beneath a pavilion halfway up the mountain.
“He’s the disciple I mentioned to you before. How is he? Looks quite decent, right?” Shu Rang introduced Wang Jie with pride.
Wang Jie stood up and respectfully bowed, “Junior Wang Jie pays respects to Senior.”
The young man waved dismissively, “No need for formalities.”
Shu Rang turned to Wang Jie, explaining calmly, “He is Zhi Yu, ancestor of the Zhi family, and also the father of your backer, Zhi Xing Xue.”
Understanding fully, Wang Jie immediately bowed deeply again, “Disciple greets Ancestor.”
Zhi Yu laughed heartily, praising him, “Alright, child, truly impressive. To reach such strength using lock force, even I must admire it.”
Shu Rang shot him a sideways glance and asked directly, “Then why aren’t you offering a welcome gift?”
Zhi Yu was speechless, sighing, “Can’t you hold back a bit and wait until I give it willingly?”
“I’m worried you’ll pretend to forget.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Zhi Yu said, thoughtfully stroking his storage ring as if wondering what to give.
Shu Rang took a sip from his wine gourd and teased, “Your life’s quite enviable—getting whatever you desire whenever you think of it. Your human experiences are truly unmatched.”
“What kind of life are you planning next?”
Zhi Yu chuckled lightly, eyes dreamy as he imagined the future: “A king of a fallen kingdom, leading a million troops yet willing to die by the riverside for the sake of a beauty. Imagine that scene, imagine the way she would look at me, and how the historians would write about it. Just thinking about it excites me.”
Shu Rang rolled his eyes, muttering, “You’re sick.”
Suddenly, Zhi Yu tossed a jade pendant toward Wang Jie, saying, “This trinket suits you. It’s called the Fuyao Pendant. Activate it, and you’ll possess the speed of a Star Refining realm expert for the time it takes an incense stick to burn. It’s an excellent choice for staying alive.”
Wang Jie’s eyes brightened, quickly bowing respectfully, “Thank you, ancestor.”
Zhi Yu waved it off casually, “We’re family—no need to be formal. Little brat, if someday you truly become a Star Path Master, just remember your own sect.”
“This disciple would never forget,” Wang Jie assured him solemnly.
Shu Rang looked displeased, saying sharply, “What do you mean, ‘if he truly becomes’? What’s that supposed to imply? Are you suggesting my disciple can’t succeed?”
Zhi Yu smiled awkwardly, “I didn’t mean that. It’s just, a Star Path Master—you know, Wandering Star realm is only the beginning, not a true Star Path Master yet, and he intends to surpass Wandering Star realm…”
His words trailed off unfinished, but the meaning was clear: he did not hold much hope that Wang Jie could reach the next realm.
[The Hundred Star realm, perhaps?]
“Reaching the Star Refining realm might indeed be unlikely, but the Hundred Star realm is good enough,” Zhi Yu added with a nod.
“Hundred Star realm won’t be a problem,” Shu Rang agreed. “True, as long as he achieves that level, it’s enough.”
“Give him the tool for the Starry Martial Meet as well,” Shu Rang reminded him. “It’s only three years away—approaching quickly.”
Zhi Yu tossed Wang Jie a meditation cushion—an extremely ordinary cushion.
“Sit on this, and when the Starry Martial Meet begins, it’ll directly transport you there to participate in the bridge-pillar tournaments. Little fellow, bring honor to Black White Heaven. Try your best to rank within the top ten of the Full Star realm. I’m counting on you.”
Wang Jie stared at the cushion curiously, asking, “All I have to do is sit on it?”
“Simple, isn’t it?” Zhi Yu smiled knowingly. “Without such methods, how else could the meet even be held? If all the great bridge pillars gathered in one place, several years wouldn’t be enough.”
Wang Jie considered it and realized he was right.
“Enough now, let’s go,” Shu Rang said, ready to depart with Wang Jie. “We won’t disturb your enjoyment of life any longer.”
Zhi Yu sighed wistfully, “Life is dull, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I can’t even leave freely, or those two lasses will nag me endlessly.”
Just as Shu Rang was about to leave, he suddenly remembered something, turning back to Zhi Yu. “Almost forgot to tell you—Zhong Yi has joined the Ancient Sword Pillar Keeper.”
Zhi Yu’s face immediately turned cold, his gaze sharp as ice. “I already know.”
Shu Rang departed swiftly, Wang Jie following close behind.
“Next, I’ll send you to Drunken Serenity Forest,” Shu Rang told Wang Jie. “It’s a gathering place for members of the Black White Heaven Club. With the battlefield quiet now, it’s a good place for you.”
Wang Jie requested that Shu Rang first take him to Lock Path Interval, to Feng Yu Star, as he wanted to meet his hometown companions first.
Shu Rang agreed readily and swiftly led him toward Lock Path Interval.
On Feng Yu Star, Wang Jie’s sudden arrival caused an eruption of joyous excitement.
“Boss!” Qing Zheng dashed forward immediately.
Behind him, Old Five, Old Nine, and the others stood quietly, their eyes filled with surprise and delight.
Wang Jie laughed openly. Only in front of these people could he completely drop his guard.
In the distance, Shu Rang withdrew his gaze thoughtfully—this was good.
In the cultivation world filled with schemes and life-or-death struggles, staying in that state constantly would eventually drive one insane. Humans were emotional creatures, so the strongest cultivators all found ways to unwind.
Zhi Yu did it by experiencing countless lifetimes, relaxing through each new experience.
Wang Jie valued his hometown greatly. These people from Blue Star would always be his anchor to sanity.
Even if Wang Jie had not had these connections, Shu Rang would still have found a way to help him unwind, knowing that no one could remain tense indefinitely.
Though Wang Jie’s arrival could not be shared with every Blue Star native, those who had known him before were all here.
They had already gathered earlier to welcome Zong Cheng Ping, so the timing was perfect.
“Boss, let me see—huh? You got fat!”
“No way, he clearly lost weight!”
“Stop making nonsense, he’s obviously gained some weight.”
“I swear on your dog’s eyes that he’s lost weight!”
“Fine, let’s weigh him. Wait, why should it be my dog’s eyes—no, why should it be my eyes?”
“Hahahaha!”
Chatting and laughing with everyone, Wang Jie felt as if he had returned to Blue Star. That time, though perilous, had a grounded feeling he couldn’t find even on the solid ground of other planets.
His heart could only land safely here.
“When you all left, how was Silver Radiance Empire?” Wang Jie asked thoughtfully.
Hong Jian replied, “The Silver Radiance Empire treated us quite well. When we departed, Empress Jun Hua seemed reluctant. Of course, mainly because she knew once we left, you wouldn’t visit again.”
Sister Tang said sympathetically, “Even as the empress of a mighty star-spanning empire, she felt even more insecure than we did.”
“She shared a lot with us,” Hong Jian continued. “According to her, Silver Radiance Empire is like a piece of meat that could be devoured at any moment.”
Wang Jie nodded calmly, “Indeed, that’s exactly right.”
“Boss, with your current status, what would you do if you wanted to deal with the Silver Radiance Empire?” Seeing everyone’s gaze shift toward him, Old Nine quickly added, “Don’t misunderstand—I have nothing against Silver Radiance Empire. I just want to make a comparison.”
Wang Jie replied simply and calmly, “It would only take one sentence.”