Chapter 005: Where Did You Come From

“What do you mean by ‘dabbling in cults’?” Xiao Bai asked, puzzled.

“Think about our Second Grandfather from the house next door! That old fellow who’s always preaching that the Dao Court is corrupt, and that if humanity wants to avoid extinction, it must undergo reform. He’s always at home ranting, pulling our eldest brother into it, dragging our fourth brother along, and even bothering you kids. I often see him giving speeches to a crowd of servants and guards. Who would believe he’s not dabbling in cults?

Now think about my fourth brother, just remember the way he was addressing all those mortals earlier—isn’t it just like Second Grandfather next door when he’s holding court and expounding his teachings, that same smug and inexplicably confident demeanor?”

Xiao Bai burst out laughing at the comparison.

“‘Holding court and expounding teachings’—he’s just telling stories, really. Miss, we all think Second Grandfather from the fourth house has some sense in what he says,” Xiao Bai replied, “Many in the family enjoy listening to him, and he never looks down on us servants either. He’s really amiable.”

But Qinghu held little affection for that old man.

Because she knew his true face!

Back when Qinghu was just four or five, every time she went out to play, that old fellow would secretly grab her collar and threaten her, demanding, “Where did you come from? You shouldn’t even be here.”

Every time Qinghu heard this, she’d roll her eyes. Why shouldn’t she be here? Why should she tell an old man where she came from?

Once, when he was threatening her, her eldest brother caught him and immediately hauled him away by the collar. After that, the old man never dared threaten her again or press her about her origins.

“And besides, Miss, why say Second Grandfather is a cultist? The old man just likes to play, make a fuss, and tell stories.” Xiao Bai smiled, defending him.

Qinghu scoffed inwardly: Others might not know, but she certainly did. That old man regularly met in secret with people from the Black Heaven Sect—the very group the Dao Court had officially outlawed and hunted. He’d even hosted them in their home. Who would believe he wasn’t a cultist from the Black Heaven Sect? Only a fool.

Don’t think a sound-blocking formation could keep her from overhearing. Not just her, even their fourth house’s little maid Qingjiao knew.

Hadn’t anyone noticed how Qingjiao had avoided Second Grandfather since she was little?

Qinghu hadn’t reported him only to avoid implicating her parents and brothers.

After all, the families of cultists were also exiled to the City of Uncertainty!

Alas, her fourth brother could have chosen anyone to emulate, but he just had to follow that old man!

“Qingquan, come over here and teach everyone the Blood Kill Breathing Technique. Those who can read and understand must study carefully; those who can’t, just memorize it for now. Once Qingquan has gone over it three times, you can ask about anything you don’t understand.

Is that clear?”

“No problem!” This time, everyone had learned their lesson and shouted in unison.

Qingzhen was greatly satisfied.

“Alright then, let’s get started.” The lesson began in earnest.

Qingquan stepped forward calmly, teaching the gathered mortals earnestly and seriously how to begin cultivating the breathing technique.

He was surprisingly adept at the process.

Once everyone’s attention was focused on Qingquan, Qingzhen quietly moved to his sister’s side. “How did your fourth brother do just now?”

“I didn’t expect you to be so good at instructing ordinary folk, Fourth Brother!” Qinghu exclaimed in surprise.

“Nothing to it. Before coming here, Father and Second Grandfather next door both gave me special pointers. Personally, I prefer Second Grandfather’s methods; I used the very approach he taught me. Just look at the results—it works! Second Grandfather really is a man with stories to tell!” Qingzhen looked ready to heap praise on Second Grandfather.

Qinghu: “……”

She’d better keep a closer eye on Fourth Brother in the future, and make sure he didn’t spend too much time with that old man.

Qingquan’s lesson was simple, clear, and straightforward. He demonstrated three times how to begin the breathing technique.

To master it, one must first enter a state of tranquility—a difficult requirement that blocked most mortals from becoming cultivators.

As everyone practiced together, the children, elderly, and women soon withdrew. The children couldn’t sit still, and the elderly and women left to look after them.

The restless young men among the mortals also quickly excused themselves.

Don’t assume all grown men can sit still and cultivate; many can’t even read, and asking them to memorize the entire breathing technique as if it were scripture was simply too much. Though the allure of becoming a cultivator was great, those without talent simply gave up.

Out of three hundred, only twenty or thirty remained, composed and focused—including that Deng Xiaolai.

Many other young men didn’t leave, but stayed quietly on the sidelines, watching.

They couldn’t do it themselves, but still envied those who could cultivate!

“That Deng Xiaolai really seems to have the gift for cultivation?” Xiao Bai asked curiously, watching the boy.

“Qingquan explained it well. If it had been our Third Grandfather teaching, only two or three might have lasted through the lesson,” Qinghu remarked, recalling how Third Grandfather loved to use technical jargon. When they were kids, just hearing about his lessons made their skin crawl and their legs tremble.

All the siblings had suffered through it, and Qingzhen nodded, “That’s why I told Qingquan to prepare a teaching plan and make sure I could understand it first—if I got it, everyone else would too.”

Xiao Bai: “……”

Qinghu nodded, “Fourth Brother leads by example—such sacrificial spirit.”

Grandfather, actually their great-grandfather, did have some talent for cultivation; otherwise, he wouldn’t have lived so long, or been appointed to teach the family’s children the basics.

But just because he could cultivate didn’t mean he knew how to teach others!

“I’ll take the night watch tonight. Save me the last batch of fried bugs for a midnight snack,” Qingzhen suddenly said.

Qinghu: “You’ll turn into a ball if you eat too much at night!”

“No worries. I wouldn’t mind turning into a tub. I don’t plan to marry or have children anyway—women would only slow my sword-drawing speed!” Qingzhen declared, patting his chest.

Qinghu: Fourth Brother really is hopelessly corrupted; that old bachelor Second Grandfather taught him nothing good.

“Fourth Brother, you should spend less time with Second Grandfather. He’s gone his whole life without a woman, but his sword-drawing isn’t any faster. He’s been beaten and sent home more than once—if you follow his example, you’ll be ruined!”

Ahem, Qingzhen nearly burst out laughing at her retort. “Little girl, don’t talk nonsense if you don’t understand. Second Grandfather didn’t go a lifetime without women—he just never planned to marry or have children. And he wasn’t beaten and sent home from outside… Anyway, don’t ask.”

Meanwhile, Qingquan reached the end of his lesson. “The breathing technique you’ve learned is the foundation of humanity, strictly forbidden by the Dao Court from being transmitted at will. So, unless you have the Shen family’s permission, you must not divulge this technique to others.”