Li Xin recalls the first encounter with Chi Yu a thousand years ago…

Li Xin turned to give instructions to Chang Wu and Chang You, “You two go out first. If anyone comes looking for me, tell them I’m not here.”

“Yes, Master Li.”

After replying, Chang Wu and Chang You left.

The door to the secret room closed again. Li Xin, alone in the tranquil space, stared at the jade crown for a long time, with the image of his first meeting with Chi Yu vivid in his mind.

At that time, Chi Yu was fifteen years old. According to the national teacher’s requirements, disciples who passed the Sanqing exam were supposed to leave the mountain for three years of training. Only those who had not made any mistakes were allowed to receive the robe and be promoted to the rank of Master.

Those who could pass the Sanqing exam were usually outstanding disciples who had practiced for many years, but Chi Yu was a rare prodigy, passing the exam as the top student after only five years of training under the national teacher.

As a result, he attracted jealousy from his peers. After leaving the mountain, no one was willing to accompany him, and Chi Yu, who had never left the mountain before, had to set out alone in an unfamiliar direction.

By chance, not far from the mountain, he encountered a ragged little beggar on the roadside.

The little beggar was about as tall as Chi Yu’s waist, thin and small, barefoot, holding a tree branch, limping along.

Chi Yu was born into a scholarly family, where he was raised in luxury and had never seen someone living in such hardship.

He immediately felt pity and approached the little beggar, “Young man, are you injured?”

The little beggar stopped. Usually, people either called him a beggar or a brat, but such a polite address was the first he had ever heard.

He looked up at the delicate, fair hand that was supporting him, wondering who would be willing to touch such a dirty thing like him.

Looking further up at the person’s sleeve, he noticed the luxurious fabric embroidered with beautiful auspicious clouds. As he raised his gaze, he saw the person’s delicate features, a serene and gentle expression.

The little beggar stared at Chi Yu in surprise, “Are you a fairy?”

Chi Yu laughed, “Young man, you’re joking. I’m just a cultivator.”

Saying this, Chi Yu helped the little beggar sit on a large stone by the road. “What happened to your foot? Let me take a look.”

The little beggar quickly pulled his foot back, lowering his head and timidly saying, “It’s dirty, don’t touch it.”

Chi Yu smiled, “It doesn’t matter. If the heart is pure, everything is clean. Just stretch your foot out.”

The little beggar didn’t understand Chi Yu’s words, hesitated for a moment, but still stretched out his foot. “Well… okay.”

Chi Yu took his foot in his hands, seeing that there was no injury around the ankle, so he lifted up the ragged pants leg and discovered a large swollen abscess on the little beggar’s calf.

“What happened here?”

“I slept in the forest yesterday, not sure what bit me.”

Chi Yu’s heart ached even more. This little child had slept in the wilderness, so thin he was practically skin and bones. It was pitiful.

“Where are your family?”

“The flood came, and they all died.” The little beggar lowered his head, sadness in his eyes. “I escaped with some fellow villagers, but they had bad intentions. They wanted to sell us orphaned children to the brothels for money. I escaped when they weren’t paying attention, and walked all the way here begging for food.”

Chi Yu’s heart ached further. He turned and gestured for the little beggar to climb onto his back. “Come on, I’ll take you back to Fude Temple.”

“What’s that?” The little beggar eyed Chi Yu warily.

“It’s the royal Taoist temple of the Eastern Rong. My master is the national teacher, the immortal Guangqingzi. He will definitely be able to heal your wound.” Chi Yu patted his own shoulder. “Quick, get on, I’ll carry you up the mountain.”

The little beggar hesitated for a moment, and his small dirty hand tentatively touched Chi Yu’s clean Daoist robe.

Chi Yu stood up, lifting the little beggar by the waist, saying, “Don’t move around, just lie still.”

The little beggar nodded, “Th… thank you, brother.”

“No need to thank me.” Chi Yu smiled and asked, “What is your name, young man?”

“I…” The little beggar stammered for a while, “My surname is Li, but I don’t have a name.”

“How do you not have a name?”

“Really, my family was poor, and my parents couldn’t read, so they just called me… called me ‘Gouzi.'” The little beggar’s voice grew softer as though he didn’t want Chi Yu to hear.

As expected, Chi Yu chuckled, “What kind of name is that? It’s so funny.”

“Don’t laugh, I… I told you, I don’t have a name.” The little beggar’s face turned red from embarrassment, then he asked, “Brother, what’s your name?”

Chi Yu cleared his throat, “Remember, my secular name is Jing Wuran, my Daoist name is Chi Yu, from the Three Doctrines Sutra, and I am a disciple of the current national teacher.”

The little beggar nodded, “Got it. Brother, you’re really amazing.”

Chi Yu smiled gently, “How old are you?”

“Eight.”

“When is your birthday?”

“I don’t know.”

“How do you not know again?”

“My mother never told me my birthdate before she passed. Our poor family doesn’t keep track of such things, so naturally, I don’t remember it either.”

Chi Yu didn’t understand the ways of common folk, but hearing this, he felt that life for commoners seemed far less beautiful than he had imagined.

Previously, whether at home or during his time in the temple for cultivation, everything he had seen and heard had been peaceful and beautiful, and he had never encountered such tragic circumstances.

What was life like in the Eastern Rong Kingdom for the common people?

A deep curiosity and a sense of sorrow suddenly rose in Chi Yu’s heart. He decided he must go see for himself how the common people lived.

Soon, Chi Yu returned to the Fude Temple, carrying the little beggar on his back. Upon entering, he went directly to the rear hall to find his master, Guangqingzi.

Guangqingzi listened to Chi Yu’s account and felt deep sympathy. He agreed to keep the little beggar and treat his injuries. After examining him, he discovered the boy had a strong spiritual root, much to his delight. “Chi Yu, you’ve found a treasure. This boy’s natural talent rivals yours. He will certainly achieve something extraordinary in the future.”

“Really!” Chi Yu hadn’t expected that such a gifted person would come to him through such a simple act of kindness. He immediately bowed to Guangqingzi. “Since he is such a rare talent, Master, please take him as your disciple. It would honor my good deed.”

Guangqingzi was already inclined to do so and nodded repeatedly. “Very well, as you say.”

Then, Guangqingzi looked the little beggar over, then looked at Chi Yu, pondering for a moment. “Since he’s brought back by you, let’s name him Li Buyi. The name reflects your connection and completes your act of kindness.”

“Alright, let’s go with that name.” Chi Yu turned to the beggar and reminded him, “Hurry and thank Master. From now on, you’ll have a name.”

The little beggar, overwhelmed by this sudden blessing, quickly kneeled and expressed his gratitude. “Thank you, Master, thank you, Master.”

Guangqingzi nodded, content, and stroked his long, white beard.

Chi Yu smiled at the little beggar. “From now on, you are my junior brother. Follow Master’s teachings and cultivate well, understand?”

“Understood, Senior Brother.”

Chi Yu turned to Guangqingzi again. “Master, I’m going down the mountain for some training. The house will be empty, so why not let Junior Brother stay in my quarters? It will save the servants some trouble.”

Guangqingzi smiled. “You are kind-hearted. Very well, let it be so.”

Chi Yu bowed again to Guangqingzi. “Then I will depart now, Master. Please take care, and when I return to the mountain, I will serve you well.”

Guangqingzi nodded. “Go, train well. Fude Temple will depend on you in the future.”

“Yes, I will not fail you, Master.”

Chi Yu understood the great responsibility he bore and did not dare be careless. He quickly prepared to leave the mountain.

Turning around, he saw Li Buyi on the ground and squatted down to give one last reminder. “Junior Brother, while I’m away, be sure to serve Master well and take good care of him.”

“Senior Brother, don’t worry. I’ll do my best.”

Chi Yu smiled and stood up, then left.

Li Buyi watched Chi Yu’s receding figure and shouted loudly, “Senior Brother, I’m waiting for you to return!”

From that moment on, Chi Yu became like a deity to Li Buyi, deeply etched in his heart, constantly admired and longed for.

Li Xin kneeled by the lotus platform, murmuring the words, “I’m waiting for you to return, waiting for you to return.”

Looking back over the thousand years of endless cycles of rebirth, the only thing that supported him was this belief. He had nothing else left.

He then recited the scripture: “Jade name Wuran, secret phrase Buyi, meaning determination to know, with no doubts left.”

Li Xin took a deep breath, sitting cross-legged by the lotus platform, chanting incantations and casting spells on the jade crown.

The jade crown responded to Li Xin’s magical power, glowing faintly with a green light, gradually rising in a puff of blue smoke, forming a vague humanoid shape that slowly became clearer.

Li Xin slowly opened his eyes and asked, “Are you a soul or a spirit?”

“A spirit.”

“Which spirit?”

“Non-poisonous.”

Li Xin asked again, “Do you recognize me?”

The spirit shook its head. “I don’t remember clearly.”

Li Xin’s voice trembled. “Then do you remember how you ended up in this jade crown?”

“I remember,” the spirit replied. “When my body was destroyed, my three souls and seven spirits scattered. This jade crown just happened to fall close to me, so I entered it.”

Li Xin took a deep breath. “Does it hurt?”

“Of course, it hurt, as the soul was separated from the body, and everything was shattered. But it’s been a thousand years, and the pain is no longer clear in my memory.”

Li Xin paused for a moment before asking, “How have you been over the years?”

“Not bad. And inside this jade crown, I’ve been nourished by the magical power from my past life. I’ve mostly recovered.”

“Can you sense the other souls?”

The spirit focused and tried, then shook its head. “No.”

Li Xin sighed. It seemed he was still too weak.

Logically, even if the souls were separated, they should be able to sense each other’s presence and eventually come together to merge.

But Chi Yu’s soul had been too damaged to even sense the others.

The spirit seemed to realize something and asked Li Xin, “You’ve been asking me all this time, but you haven’t told me who you are?”

Li Xin came to his senses and forced a smile. “I’m your junior brother, Li Buyi.”

The spirit muttered, “Junior brother…”

Li Xin continued, “After your soul separated, the Earth soul found me. I then followed it to locate the other two spirits, Que Yin and Fu Shi. I placed them in the jade statues to help them recover. You stay in the jade crown, and when you all have recovered, I will merge you. When I find the remaining souls, I will help you rebuild your body and bring you back to life.”

The spirit, being only a broken soul, had no ability to think too much. It agreed in a daze.

“Alright, since you’re my junior brother, I trust you.”

With that, the figure vanished, and the spirit returned to the jade crown.

Li Xin carefully picked up the jade crown and placed it on the table where the three jade statues were kept. He then left the secret chamber.