By the time Li Qiu returned home, the sun had already set behind the western mountains.
From his father, he learned that Zheng Shude’s parents had actually agreed to let him go to Wanjia Town. This filled Li Qiu with immense joy, and the shock he had felt earlier from the spells cast by his master gradually faded away.
After dinner, his parents urged Li Qiu to get some rest so he could set off early at daybreak. Thinking of the three treasures—the *Azure Wood Formula* and the others—tucked inside his tunic, Li Qiu hurried back to his room.
He opened the *Tao Te Ching* first. The words that met his eyes were: "The Tao produced One; One produced Two; Two produced Three; Three produced All Things. All things bear the yin and embrace the yang, harmonizing through the vital breath."
Even though Li Qiu was clever, he had never encountered such expressions before. He was confused, only half-understanding what he read. He then turned to the *Classic of Mountains and Seas*, but it was filled with strange beasts and birds he didn't recognize at all, so he gave up on that as well.
He picked up the *Azure Wood Formula*. The opening page read: "All things have a spirit, and only through wood does life flourish; neither guarding nor attacking, yet thriving and lush. The wild grass stretches afar, withering and flourishing with the seasons; burned by wildfire, it never dies, for the breeze brings new life. The Azure Wood Formula is the root of longevity; those who obtain it must be cautious in word and deed. Contemplate it daily, labor through the years, and only when bitterness yields to sweetness will success be attained."
It continued: "Wood thrives and overcomes Earth; Earth, with its great virtue, carries all things and overcomes Water; Water, flowing ceaselessly, overcomes Fire; Fire, burning bright and inextinguishable, overcomes Wood. Water creates Wood, Wood creates Fire, Fire creates Earth, Earth creates Metal, Metal creates Water. Only through this cycle of creation and destruction of the Five Elements can all things reach balance."
Li Qiu thought to himself, "It says here that the grass grows again with the breeze, but then it says Fire overcomes Wood. Isn't that a contradiction?"
He flipped through the rest, only to find it contained just six levels of technique. He wondered if the remaining three levels were perhaps inside the Storage Bag.
Setting his other thoughts aside, he followed the instructions in the book: he sat cross-legged, placed his hands together below his abdomen, closed his eyes slightly, and entered a state of stillness. He stopped thinking, looking, listening, and moving, focusing his energy into his dantian.
Before long, he felt a surge of heat rise in his belly. It moved down from the dantian, along his lower abdomen, reached the Zhongji point four inches below his navel, passed through the perineum and the anal passage, reached the tailbone, traveled up along the spine, arrived at the Baihui point on the top of his head, then moved down his face, passed his throat, and entered the dantian along the center line of his chest and abdomen. This was the Lesser Heavenly Circuit.
After just one circuit, Li Qiu was drenched in sweat. Yet, his body felt as refreshed as if he had taken a hot bath, and all the soreness he had been feeling vanished entirely.
Just as Li Qiu was about to change his clothes, he heard a rooster crow outside—it was already dawn.
Li Qiu thought, "To think that a single Lesser Heavenly Circuit took an entire night! And yet, I haven't slept, but I don't feel sleepy at all for the road ahead. I feel full of energy, not groggy as I would be if I hadn't slept." He was amazed and began to believe in this technique even more.
He tried to open the Storage Bag, but there was no reaction at all, so he had to let it be.
Outside, he heard his parents bustling about. He could hear his mother sobbing softly and his father comforting her.
Li Qiu’s heart ached. Recalling his life from childhood to the present, he felt he had been a burden to his parents. Then, thinking of the unknown world of cultivation, a surge of ambition swelled within him. He felt that a man should strive to become a dragon or a roc to make his time in this world worthwhile. He climbed off the bed, changed his clothes, and walked out the door.
His parents had already prepared everything: food, clothing, drink, and supplies. It was a massive bundle, and Li Qiu doubted he could carry it. He said to his mother, "Mother, I'm going primarily to sell the wolf. How can I travel far with so much luggage? Just bring a little food. A hunter’s son won't go hungry for meat, will he? Just bring me a few clean sets of clothes."
Li Laosan added, "I think so too, but your mother is so worried that I had to let her be. But Qiu is grown now and has his own mind. Let's listen to him."
Mistress Zhao had no choice but to agree. The family sat down together for breakfast.
After the meal, Mistress Zhao went to the kitchen to clean up, leaving the father and son alone.
Li Laosan hesitated, then finally took a small manual from his chest and said, "After much thought, I have decided to pass this *Light Cloud Step* on to you. Among you sworn brothers, you are the only one without martial arts training to protect yourself. It isn't that I didn't want to teach you, but I wanted you to study, to get out of this remote mountain village, and to make something of yourself in the outside world—whether as an official or a merchant. No matter how high one's martial skill, one is still just a brute. My injury only confirmed this belief. Besides, you have been weak since childhood, and our ancestral *Tiger Back Fist* is too aggressive for you. Now, I think this *Light Cloud Step* is the only thing you can train in. You are already thirteen, past the best age for training, but practicing this is better than having no skills at all. Take it."
Li Qiu took the book, thinking, "He won't teach me how to fight, only how to run. Is he worried I'll lose a fight and need to escape? Heh, how interesting."
Seeing Li Qiu’s mischievous grin, Li Laosan knew his son’s mind had wandered off again. He didn't chide him, but instead urged, "Our family has received a lot of help from your grandfather over the years. When you get to town, you should bring him a gift." Li Qiu quickly agreed.
A short while later, Li Zhuo, Wang Suo, and Zheng Shude arrived.
Li Zhuo was wearing a purple robe and carried a short staff in his left hand. He looked heroic, but he was holding a folding fan in his right hand, waving it back and forth in a rather incongruous manner.
Wang Suo had dozens of traps strapped to his back, wore a short tunic, and had several throwing knives tucked into his belt.
Zheng Shude was dressed in simple homespun clothes, holding a large sword, and stood there looking like a wandering swordsman.
All four of them brought deer and roe deer skins that their families had hunted earlier, intending to sell them in town. However, looking at the excitement on the three boys' faces, they didn't look like they were going to work, but rather off on an excursion.
Li Laosan and Mistress Zhao came out, and after the inevitable pleasantries and greetings, Mistress Zhao began her endless stream of instructions. The four boys nodded along like bobbing puppets.
By now, the sun was fully up. The four companions set off, laughing and happy. Even after they were out of sight, Mistress Zhao stood there for a long time, gazing in the direction they had disappeared.