Ch.21: Immensity of Heaven and Earth
In a tavern of the southern district, Qinglong.
A group of men, with a glass full of drink in one hand and snacks in the other, gathered to listen to a man talking with interest.
His appearance is like a storyteller you would have visiting the village at the end of the week.
Someone whose fairy tales are well-liked by the children.
Except that he was not telling fairy tales, and his audience was not children.
The whole crowd listened attentively to them, their face full of awe and curiosity.
"They say the martial spirit awakening caused visions in the sky!"
"Actual visions!"
"Dragons! Phoenixes! Qilins!"
"As if Immortals appeared as if bowing to their sovereign!"
"And a giant spirit image behind the child, glowing!"
"The Giant visage of the martial spirit with full-body armors and multiple weapons hovering around it..."
"What a sight it was..."
"That kind of phenomenon… have you ever heard of anything like that ever happening in the world?"
"Never! That's something out of cultivation miracles!"
"I know, right! I myself wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen them myself!"
"But this thing has happened here in our own city of Qinglong!"
"Heaven itself has blessed our land, with the appearance of this phenomenon, even more miracles happening all around the city..."
Standing behind the man, observing his manner of speech and storytelling, Lu Sheng stayed quiet.
That was until he came to the last part about miracles and things.
Lu Sheng frowned slightly.
"A Lie," Lu Sheng murmured as he got up, ready to leave the place.
Surrounding people from the start didn't even notice his figure.
What can he say, the effect of skills is real.
This was the 6th place where Lu Sheng had gathered information.
In many places Lu Sheng visited, the most common information he got was the same as what the man spoke of.
Even reading the expression of the man and all, he knew he was not lying.
So many people can't tell the same lie while simultaneously fumbling in the places that don't match, would they?
Suddenly, Lu Sheng stopped in his tracks, deep in thought.
Still...
A heavenly vision?
That was not common in this world.
So, what could it be?
A wide area illusion?
But what reason for someone to make such an illusion?
That severely limits the scope of possibilities.
Is it a fellow Reincarnator?
Someone from a higher-tier Xianxia world?
Lu Sheng's thinking came to an end as a newly spreading rumor fell on his ears, making him nearly fall in his tracks.
"—and the young lady immediately brought them to get their spirit ring!"
"Not even waiting for the ceremony!"
"Well, they have twin martial spirits!"
"And one is a body type!"
"T-twin martial spirits and a body spirit!?"
"And innate level ten soul power!"
Someone gasped.
"No way. Level ten!?"
"At least that's what the instructors were whispering!"
"And they're so cute! I heard they look like a tiny fairy!"
"And they might surpass Lu Sheng in no time."
"That's why the young lady grabbed them so fast! She knows a heaven-defying genius when she sees one!"
"Lu Sheng's position as the senior disciple is in danger then, isn't it?"
"We might not even have to add young master after him in some time."
"Bah! What trash is Lu Sheng, you dare compare that Cheap disciple with a heaven-sent genius! You clearly don't know immensity of heave...!" A drunk man suddenly spoke, but was quickly silenced by the surrounding people.
Looking at the person who didn't know the 'immensity of heaven and earth', not wanting to be associated with him, the people quickly changed tables, and even the storyteller moved away.
After all, they knew that the new disciple was sure to surpass Lu Sheng, but they also knew that they were not the ones qualified to say it.
Seeing all this happen, Lu Sheng just closed his eyes, exhaling softly.
Another misunderstanding.
He went with the seasonal hunting team because he wanted to learn the process.
Because he wanted to choose his spirit ring alone.
He wanted the experience what it was like to go on a trip alone.
But the city had clearly rewritten that narrative.
In their version:
'Lu Sheng was ignored by the City Lord's family, sent out with ordinary students. But, the new disciple was cherished and guided personally by the Young lady and City Lord himself!'
He sighed through his nose.
"Perfect."
"So I leave for half a month," he muttered, "and suddenly there's a six-year-old heavenly-vision prodigy with twin spirits, innate full power, and a body spirit."
He rubbed his chin.
But it further cemented his guess.
It sounded exactly like someone with a cheat.
A person's golden finger.
Or… someone from an advanced world?
Either way-
This has got to do with him.
Maybe he could get along with that person, after all, they were at the end fellow reincarnators.
And if that person is from a certain colored star planet, he can also show them what Mount Tai actually looks like.
...
Yet as he stepped out into the evening chill, another thought tugged at him.
Someone he had not seen even once today.
Someone whom he would always encounter in his stroll around the city.
Someone who always seemed to know exactly where he was and could find him everytime.
Li Yao.
The realization made him stop under the lantern-lit arch.
He hadn't seen her.
Not even a trace.
Of course, he didn't specifically look for her.
But he had gone around the whole city a few times, and even seemed to have seen more than half of his former classmates around; even teachers and other students were spotted by him.
Although it was normal for some time not to meet someone, even if you specifically look for them
Something felt wrong.
He had his feeling in his heart that he wouldn't find her even if he looked for her.
His intuition was ringing here.
He tightened his cloak around himself.
"Let's check the usual places."
Children chased each other in the snow-dusted yard.
Their laughter filled the air.
"Aunt Mei," Lu Sheng said as he approached, "did Li Yao come by recently?"
The woman blinked in surprise.
"Li Yao? Wasn't she just here sometime ago?" She said, holding her chin, looking thoughtful, "Or was it Su Tong?"
Then it clicked in her.
"Right! Li Yao! Yes, she has been out for some time, maybe for a week?"
"Wait, it's been a week? She didn't even stop for the Awakening Ceremony 3 days ago?"
Lu Sheng asked, surprised cause he knew that the awakening ceremony had happened 3 days ago, which means that Li Yao had completely missed out on the event.
She shook her head.
"I assumed she would be preparing for her own awakening next month."
"She said she is going to a relative's house next city and will take some time to get back."
...
Eastern District Medicinal Garden, Qinglong.
Her favorite place.
The scent of snow-lilies and frost herbs always calmed her.
She used to come here to do some odd jobs, like normally some orphan children do in their spare time, to earn some pocket money.
But today—
Empty.
Even the gardeners looked puzzled.
"Little Yao?" one said. "Haven't seen her in a long time."
"She used to come every morning," another added.
Lu Sheng's gaze drifted to the spirit herbs
He remembered she used to name each plant in the block she worked, the funny names still in his memory.
"Looks like even you don't know her address," he said, looking at the flower petals glowing with a silverish green glow.
Leaving after exchanging greetings with the people in charge of the medicinal garden.
...
He finally exhaled slowly.
He couldn't search the entire city in the dark.
Not today.
His intuition was telling him that wherever she was, Li Yao was safe.
Besides—
He had not completed his training streak.
Though a few have been done, half of them remain.
If he skipped today, several skills' progress curves would reset under the Hardworking Genius trait.
He couldn't afford that.
"Alright… focus."
He turned and headed back to the mansion.
By the time he reached the training yard, the sun had fully set.
Soft yellow lanterns lit the stone floor, casting long shadows.
Lu Sheng inhaled.
"Martial Spirit Possession."
Golden light spread across his limbs.
Silver runic lines traced his form.
But unlike when he had no spirit ring, this time the transformation was more dramatic.
His muscles thickened, height shifted upward, and golden armor formed around him like a second skin, glowing with silver runic symbols.
Though there was armor, he didn't feel any weight and quickly got started with each of the skills training.
With the cold winter breeze passing by him, he began the set of training, starting with physical exercise.
The cold evening air stung his lungs, but he began his exercises anyway.
Punches.
Footwork.
Soul power/Spiritual power circulation.
Breathing rhythm.
Each movement is precise, controlled, and almost meditative.
Not only to control one's strength but also to control it at full power.
Followed by soul power and spiritual power control exercises.
And ending it all with the daily routine of studying the theoretical part and tinkering with medicine and soul guides.
Just like that, the day came to an end...