C10 Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal

Han Binn, with the medicine basket slung over his back, returned to the quarters of the outer disciples, famished beyond belief.

He was just about to grab a bite to eat when Sun Yuangang materialized out of nowhere, blocking his path. Without any pleasantries, he demanded, "Where were you last night? Why didn't you return?"

Han Binn, afraid to reveal the truth, replied, "I got lost in the woods. Fearing wild beasts, I took refuge in a tree..."

Sun Yuangang let out a derisive snort. "Wild beasts? Stop spouting nonsense. The senior brothers have long since driven the wild beasts from these mountains. How could there be any left?"

Han Binn ventured, "But what if I had encountered a wild beast..."

"There are no 'what ifs'," Sun Yuangang cut in sharply. "It doesn't matter where you were last night. What matters is that you're going without food today."

With Sun Yuangang's face set in a forbidding expression, Han Binn realized there was no chance of eating now. He sighed and headed into his room. Inside, Xie Hu was gone. Han Binn sat on the bed alone, a chill settling over him that he couldn't shake. Winter had arrived, and his clothes were far too thin. Without a meal, if he failed to complete his task today, he would be left to go hungry yet again.

Biting back his frustration, Han Binn rose from the bed, intent on taking his medicine basket up the mountain to gather herbs.

But as he approached the door, the events of the previous night flashed through his mind. Hastily, he emptied his pockets onto the bed.

His pockets were a jumble of items: a grass stick, a stone, and then...

A thumb-sized white stone caught his eye. It was delicately crafted, resembling white jade yet not quite the same. It had the appearance of an antique, or perhaps a work of art.

"What's this?" Han Binn picked up the stone and examined it closely. As he scrutinized it, his eyes widened in recognition. Wasn't this the very stone he had kicked away yesterday? The stone was small, but upon closer inspection, it seemed to resemble something more. A seal? No, a larger stamp? Yes, this was the jade seal mentioned in the books.

Beneath the stone was a perfectly square base, adorned with the carving of a soaring dragon. What else could it be but a jade seal? Dragons symbolize emperors and embody imperial power; only on a jade seal would one find such a majestic creature. But jade seals are supposed to be large, aren't they? This one was unusually small. Legend has it that characters are inscribed on the underside of a jade seal, signifying an entire empire. I wonder, which empire lost this particular seal?

Driven by curiosity, Han Binn flipped the seal over for a closer look and was dumbfounded. Where there should have been inscriptions, the bottom was as smooth and reflective as a mirror, completely bare.

"Is this really a jade seal?" Frustrated, Han Binn was about to discard the seal when he felt an inexplicable connection surge through him. Startled, he examined the seal once more. It appeared unchanged, yet the sensation of a deep bond grew stronger.

An idea struck him, and Han Binn pressed the seal against the center of his palm. Lifting it away, he found four characters, as red as fresh blood, imprinted on his skin.

"Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal!" The characters were rare, but Han Binn, a lifelong book lover, managed to decipher them.

"Could this be the treasure Tang Xiaofeng spoke of? The very thing that saved us?" Han Binn pondered, growing more convinced by the second. Just the night before, he had been unable to breathe until he was near the seal. This artifact, which allowed survival in the desolate Yin Corpse Abyss, was undoubtedly precious. He resolved to safeguard it.

Buoyed by the Imperial Jade Seal, Han Binn felt his spirits lift. Still, one can't survive on a seal alone; he needed to gather herbs in the mountains.

Ravenous and weary from a day and night without food, Han Binn trudged along the treacherous mountain paths, nearly tumbling down several times. Whether it was a cruel twist of fate or just his abysmal luck, he couldn't say. But by the end of the day, he hadn't found a single herb, not even a sprig of Evil Spirit Grass.

Han Binn had no choice but to return to his room, his body weary from the uncompleted mission that meant no meal awaited him.

Inside, Xie Hu was already back and upon seeing Han Binn, he couldn't resist asking, "Bro, where were you last night?"

Exhausted, Han Binn collapsed onto the bed and muttered, "Got lost."

Relieved, Xie Hu responded, "I was worried you'd fallen off a cliff!" He then pulled a cornbread from his chest and offered it to Han Binn, saying, "I figured you'd miss dinner. Here, I swiped this from the kitchen for you. Eat up!"

Starving, Han Binn thanked him and devoured the food hungrily.

With a full belly, Han Binn felt much better and expressed his gratitude to Xie Hu, "Thanks." He was truly thankful to have found someone who sincerely wanted to help him.

Xie Hu, with his simple and honest nature, just smiled and said, "No need for thanks. We're going to be living together for a long time, maybe even for life." His eyes dimmed slightly at the mention of a lifetime, but he quickly perked up and optimistically suggested, "Forget about that, let's get some sleep!"

After Xie Hu drifted off, Han Binn lay in bed, examining his palm in the dim glow of the oil lamp. The four bright red characters were gone. He rubbed his eyes and looked again, but they were still missing. Puzzled, Han Binn turned over and quietly retrieved the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal, pressing it firmly into his palm.

No characters appeared this time, just a square imprint.

"Where are the words?" Han Binn inwardly cursed, "What's happening? Why are they gone?"

Closing his eyes, he pondered the mystery until sleep overtook him. In his dream, Han Binn became an Immortal, soaring through the skies and burrowing into the earth with ease. With a mere gesture, he could obliterate anything. In these feats of Immortal Arts, the artifact in his hand was the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal, now grown to the size of an adult's fist.

The next morning, Han Binn awoke to find Xie Hu gone. He was still in his room, unchanged, yet the dream had seared itself into his memory. Han Binn was puzzled; he had dreamt before, but never with such vividness. It felt so real, as if it truly existed. What could it possibly signify?

Lost in thought, the door to his room swung open, revealing two figures. The one in the lead, clad in white, could only be Tang Xiaofeng. Trailing behind him was the steward, Sun Yuangang.

Sun Yuangang, with a nod and a bow, seemed uneasy as he pointed to Han Binn and asked, "Senior Brother, this is where Han Binn resides. Is he the one you're seeking?"

"Yes," Tang Xiaofeng responded coolly, his voice barely more than a murmur, "You may leave us. I have matters to discuss with him."

Once Sun Yuangang had departed, Tang Xiaofeng strode into the room, shut the door behind him, and casually inquired, "How have you been these last few days?"

Unsure of Tang Xiaofeng's intentions, Han Binn cautiously replied, "Senior Brother Tang, did you need to speak with me about something?"

Tang Xiaofeng dismissed the question with a wave of his hand. "Nothing urgent. We both narrowly escaped death last time; it seems fate has intertwined our paths." His tone shifted abruptly as he posed the question, "Do you wish to pursue cultivation?"

To cultivate was to pursue the path of immortality, a lifelong dream for Han Binn. He was about to consent when he hesitated, wary that Tang Xiaofeng might be testing him. "Even if I desired to, I'm not currently qualified," he demurred.

With a knowing smile, Tang Xiaofeng leaned in, his voice taking on a conspiratorial edge, "I can help you with that."

"Help me?" Han Binn was taken aback, then realization dawned, and he exclaimed in alarm, "You're not suggesting you'd teach me in secret, are you? If others were to find out, we'd both be in..."

Tang Xiaofeng had anticipated this. He gave Han Binn a reassuring pat on the shoulder and whispered, "If you keep silent, and I keep silent, who else would ever know?"

Under normal circumstances, becoming an in-name disciple would take at least three years, and the prospect of mastering the true Immortal Arts was even more distant, possibly out of reach for a lifetime. Now, with this chance before him, Han Binn was uncertain whether to accept. By agreeing, he could start cultivating the Immortal Arts immediately. If he declined, he would have to...

Despite the substantial risks involved, success would elevate him to a cultivator, an immortal in the eyes of ordinary people, beyond reproach. As he pondered this, the image of a pink figure flashed through Han Binn's mind, bringing with it an unspeakable ache. If I were an immortal, would she have left me?

A slight twitch crossed Han Binn's face. Clenching his jaw, he declared, "I will cultivate."

Tang Xiaofeng, observing Han Binn's demeanor, paused in surprise. He sighed, "There's a pain in your heart that you can't shake off. Cultivators must relinquish all attachments. You can't allow those distractions to linger in your mind. If you're serious about cultivation, you must let go of worldly matters, or you'll never achieve significant progress." He produced a piece of paper from his mouth, handing it to Han Binn with gravity. "Here are the introductory techniques and the Cultivation Spell for the first three levels of the Qi Cultivating Stage. Make sure to burn this after you've committed it to memory." With that, he cast a complex glance at Han Binn and departed.

Tang Xiaofeng's visit wasn't out of friendship. Ever since his return from the Yin Corpse Abyss, a sense of unease gnawed at him, as if he was indebted to someone. After much deliberation, he considered Han Binn and thoroughly investigated his background, confirming that a villager like Han Binn would possess no treasures.

The events of that day were peculiar, with only one plausible explanation: Han Binn was favored by the heavens, blessed with extraordinary fortune and opportunity that allowed him to cheat death. Since the heavens had spared him and saved Tang Xiaofeng's own life, he felt compelled to assist Han Binn. After much contemplation, Tang Xiaofeng resolved to covertly pass on the Cultivation Spell and techniques. He reasoned that with Han Binn's modest abilities, even with the spell, he wouldn't achieve much. However, if Han Binn did manage to cultivate successfully, it would confirm his incredible destiny. Should the elders inquire, Tang Xiaofeng would be prepared to explain, ensuring he wouldn't be implicated.

Long after Tang Xiaofeng had departed, Han Binn finally turned his attention to the white paper in his hands. It was inscribed with over a thousand characters, meticulously outlining the introductory methods of cultivation, as well as the Cultivation Spells for the first three levels of the Qi Cultivating Stage. Having spent considerable time at the Heaven Light Sect, Han Binn had gained a solid grasp of the principles of cultivation. The Qi Cultivating Stage was divided into ten levels, each presenting its own formidable challenges. While those with innate talent could advance to the Qi Cultivating Stage within a month, others with less aptitude might require a decade, or even twenty years—it wasn't unheard of for some to spend their entire lives unable to embark on the path of cultivation. Han Binn harbored no illusions about reaching lofty heights in his cultivation; he would be content to master the initial three levels.

Every person has their own path, as does the heavens. Cultivators seek to align with the Heavenly Dao, in pursuit of the celestial way. The cosmos is but an expansion of the human form, while the human body is a miniature reflection of the cosmos. When one harnesses the Dao to navigate the rhythms of heaven and earth, the body aligns with the cosmic balance. The head symbolizes the heavens, the feet the earth, thus the human body embodies a microcosm of the universe.

Having skimmed the text, Han Binn gained a preliminary understanding of the cultivation journey ahead. He settled into a cross-legged position on his bed and commenced his initial breathing exercise. With this, Han Binn's journey of cultivation had truly begun. Little did he know that the Heavenly Dao Imperial Jade Seal and a Cultivation Spell would so profoundly alter his destiny.