The hammer fell, sending sparks flying in all directions.
The rhythmic "clang, clang" echoed through the small blacksmith shop in Qingshan Village, mingling with the crackling of the furnace fire to create the melody most familiar to Ye Wuji since his childhood.
"Dad, is this blade just about done?" Ye Wuji wiped the sweat from his forehead and raised a freshly forged hunting knife to examine it closely. The blade was not overly long, but its lines were smooth and its edge razor-sharp, casting a cold, gleaming reflection in the sunlight.
"Ha, not bad at all!" Ye Tieshan set down his hammer, took his son's work, and lightly ran his thumb along the edge before nodding with satisfaction. "You're getting quite handy, boy. This blade is a few cuts better than what I made back in my prime."
Ye Wuji grinned, flashing a row of white teeth. "Of course. My dad is the best blacksmith in Qingshan Village. If I couldn't even master this much skill, I'd have wasted all this brute strength of mine, wouldn't I?"
Ye Tieshan laughed heartily and handed the hunting knife back to his son. "Alright, enough of your boasting. Go deliver this knife to Old Lin the hunter. He made a special trip to order it yesterday, saying he wanted to use it for hunting as a wedding gift for his son. Run along, and pick up your mother's medicinal herbs from the mountain while you're at it."
"Got it." Ye Wuji took the knife, wiped his hands casually on his apron, wrapped the blade securely, and hung it at his waist.
Just as he was about to step out, a disheveled old man stumbled frantically into the blacksmith shop. His clothes were in tatters and his face as pale as death, as though he had just survived a brutal fight. The old man looked around, his gaze locking onto Ye Wuji with a strange, flickering light in his eyes.
"L... Little friend... save me..." The old man's lips trembled, and before he could finish, he collapsed like a kite with a snapped string.
"What on earth is going on?" Ye Tieshan quickly put down his tools, and together with Ye Wuji, he carried the old man to the crude wooden bed at the back of the shop.
Ye Wuji carefully checked the old man's condition, finding his breathing faint, his complexion sallow, and his forehead frighteningly hot. "Dad, it looks like this old man has been poisoned. Judging by the symptoms, it's the venom of a Black Wind Snake. Doesn't Mom have the antidote herbs? I'll go get them."
Ye Tieshan nodded. "Go ahead. I'll give him some water in the meantime."
Ye Wuji sprinted home, grabbed a few medicinal ingredients from his mother's herb basket, and raced back to the blacksmith shop. He pounded the herbs into a paste, mixed them with water, and carefully fed the concoction to the old man.
"Old mister, how did you get bitten by a Black Wind Snake? That kind of venomous snake is rarely ever seen around our Qingshan Village." Ye Wuji asked out of curiosity while tending to the old man.
Stirred by the medicinal effect, the old man slowly opened his turbid eyes and spoke in a weak voice: "Little friend... your medical skills... are extraordinary..."
"Wouldn't go that far. I just learned it all from my mother. She's the village herbalist and knows a bit of simple medicine," Ye Wuji said modestly, though he vaguely sensed a probing look in the old man's eyes.
"You... being able to recognize... the Black Wind Snake venom... is no small matter," the old man said with difficulty. "Most people... would just take me for... someone who collapsed from heatstroke."
Ye Wuji scratched his head and chuckled. "That's nothing. I've been following my mother up the mountain to gather herbs since I was a kid, so I've seen plenty of strange plants and poisonous creatures. After a while, you just remember all the different symptoms."
The old man let out a long sigh, looking as though he had finally relaxed or let go of some burden. With trembling hands, he drew a tattered booklet from inside his tunic. The cover was so faded that only two characters, "Hunyuan", were faintly discernible.
"This... Hunyuan Formula... I give it to you... to repay... saving my life..."
Ye Wuji quickly waved his hands. "Old mister, it's not worth all that. Saving a life is the right thing to do. I can't accept something so valuable from you."
Yet the old man insisted on shoving the book into Ye Wuji's hands. "Take it... My days are numbered... and this book was never meant for me anyway... Perhaps... it is meant for you..."
Just as Ye Wuji wanted to decline further, Ye Tieshan shot him a meaningful look from the side. "Just take it. It's the old man's sincere wish."
With no other choice, Ye Wuji had to accept the battered booklet and tucked it inside his shirt. He wanted to ask the old man a few more questions, but he noticed the old man had already closed his eyes to rest, as if the brief conversation had completely exhausted his energy.
"Dad, I'm going to deliver the knife to Old Lin the hunter first, then head up the mountain to find Mom and bring the herbs back. I'll have to leave you to look after the old man."
Ye Tieshan nodded. "Go on, don't dilly-dally. I'll keep an eye on him. Once your mother gets back, her medical skills are better than yours—she might have an even better method."
Ye Wuji acknowledged with a grunt, picked up the hunting knife, and headed toward Old Lin the hunter's house at the eastern end of the village.
Along the way, he couldn't resist pulling out the Hunyuan Formula to take a look. The pages had turned yellow and some parts were torn, but the handwriting remained clear and legible. What the contents described left Ye Wuji utterly astounded—this was actually a manual teaching people how to cultivate!
"Cultivating to become an immortal? Drawing spiritual qi into the body? Aren't these just the fairy tales told by wandering Taoist priests?" Ye Wuji muttered to himself, yet he found himself irresistibly drawn to the detailed descriptions in the book.
Qingshan Village was nestled in a remote mountainous region; although merchant caravans passed through from time to time, contact with the outside world was sparse. The villagers occasionally heard rumors from passing caravans about "immortal cultivators"—people said to be able to fly through the skies, burrow through the earth, and wield boundless magical power. But to ordinary folk in Qingshan Village, those were mere unreachable myths and legends.
As he walked, Ye Wuji flipped through the pages, becoming more engrossed the more he read. Although damaged, the Hunyuan Formula was remarkably systematic. It started from the most basic concept of "guiding qi into the body," detailing the methods of cultivation and the characteristics of various realms.
"If this is real, wouldn't that be incredible?" Ye Wuji thought to himself, though he still dared not fully believe it. He put the book away, deciding to study it carefully after returning home that evening.
Arriving at Old Lin the hunter's home, he delivered the knife and exchanged a few pleasantries. Old Lin was extremely pleased with the quality of the blade and paid a few extra copper coins as a reward.
"Young Ye, your dad taught you well! This craftsmanship is top-notch. One of these days, when I bag some good game, I'll definitely send some your way."
Ye Wuji smiled and thanked him, then hurried toward the mountain. His mother, Madam Ye, was a renowned herbalist in the village, frequently heading up the mountains to gather various medicinal plants, which she used to treat the villagers or sold to passing caravans to make a living.
Passing through a bamboo grove and navigating several steep mountain paths, Ye Wuji finally found his mother gathering herbs in a wide clearing.
"Mom!" Ye Wuji called out from afar.
Madam Lin looked up and, seeing that it was her son, smiled. "Wuji, you're just in time. Help me carry this basket of herbs back."
Ye Wuji ran over, took the bamboo basket from his mother's hands, and casually filled her in on what had happened at the blacksmith shop.
"The old man was poisoned by a Black Wind Snake? There really are those venomous snakes on this mountain, but they rarely ever bite people," Madam Lin said, frowning in thought. "Let's hurry back and take a look. What medicine did you give him?"
Ye Wuji listed off the various medicinal ingredients he had used, and Madam Lin nodded in approval. "Good choices. That should temporarily stabilize the poison. However, Black Wind Snake venom is potent; it will require other ingredients to completely neutralize it."
Mother and son quickened their pace down the mountain. Upon returning to the blacksmith shop, they found that the old man was already able to sit up and was chatting with Ye Tieshan. Seeing Madam Lin enter, a strange flicker crossed the old man's eyes before he quickly regained his composure.
"How are you feeling, old mister?" Madam Lin stepped forward to inquire while professionally checking his pulse and complexion.
"Thanks to the young brother's timely rescue, the poison has subsided quite a bit," the old man's voice was much stronger than before. "However, your esteemed wife's medical skills are even more exquisite. A single pulse-reading told her the poison in my body hasn't been completely cleared yet."
Madam Lin smiled faintly. "You flatter me, old mister. I've just spent many years gathering herbs in the mountains and have picked up some knowledge of poisons. I'll mix another dose for you, and the poison will be completely gone in three days."
She turned to Ye Wuji and said, "Go and get the Three-leaf Ginseng and White Spirit Grass from my herb basket, and add the freshly picked Green Toad Leaf to decoct the medicine together."
Ye Wuji prepared the ingredients according to his mother's instructions and quickly brewed a bowl of medicinal soup. The old man took the bowl, drank it down in one gulp, and immediately felt a great sense of ease throughout his body.
"Where is the old mister from? Why were you bitten by a poisonous snake?" Madam Lin asked casually while tidying up her herbs.
The old man sighed. "This old man is just a wandering idler drifting across the lands. I happened to pass through your esteemed area, but unfortunately lost my way in the mountains and ran into a venomous snake. I suppose my time wasn't up yet, which is why I was fortunate enough to be saved by the young brother."
Ye Wuji acutely perceived that the old man's answer was somewhat vague, as if he deliberately intended to evade mentioning his origins, but he chose not to press further.
"Since the old mister has nowhere to go, why not stay at our home for a few days and wait until the poison is completely cured before setting off?" Ye Tieshan cordially invited.
The old man repeatedly waved his hands. "No, no, this old man has already intruded too much. How about this: I'll stay at the village inn for a few days and hit the road once I've fully recovered."
Ultimately, upon the Ye family's insistence, the old man agreed to stay at the village inn, with Ye Wuji delivering his medicine daily.
At dusk, after settling the old man into the inn, Ye Wuji returned home. After finishing dinner, he retreated to his small room and eagerly pulled out the Hunyuan Formula to continue studying.
The book detailed the first step of cultivation—"guiding qi into the body." Legend had it that all things in the world possessed spiritual qi; immortal cultivators must first learn to perceive and absorb this spiritual qi, allowing it to circulate within their bodies to gradually improve their physique and enhance their strength.
"It sounds amazing, but does such a thing really exist?" Ye Wuji was half-skeptical, yet he decided to give it a try.
Following the instructions in the book, he sat cross-legged, adjusted his breathing, and attempted to sense the surrounding "spiritual qi." At first, he could feel nothing at all save for the night breeze blowing past, the chirping of crickets, and the faint sound of barking dogs in the distance.
"Could it really just be a myth?" Ye Wuji felt a trace of disappointment, but he patiently continued trying according to the book's method.
After an unknown length of time, just as he was about to give up, he suddenly felt something lightly brush against his skin. The sensation was extremely subtle, akin to a wisp of breeze caressing him, yet carrying a certain indescribable texture.
A thought stirred in Ye Wuji's mind, and he immediately tried to "grasp" that wisp of sensation with his mind, just as the book described. To his surprise, this time he genuinely "saw" it—not with his eyes, but through some wondrous faculty of perception.
Within his perception, countless tiny light spots floated in the surrounding air; some bright, some dim, displaying various colors. Those light spots drifted with the air currents, occasionally gathering and occasionally scattering.
"Th-this is spiritual qi?" Ye Wuji was so shocked he almost forgot to breathe. He had never imagined he would actually be able to witness the sights described in the book.
Guided by the Hunyuan Formula, he attempted to guide a wisp of spiritual qi into his body. It was very difficult at first, as those light spots seemed to possess a will of their own, unwilling to be absorbed. But Ye Wuji kept trying, and finally succeeded in drawing a tiny stream of spiritual qi inward.
At that moment, he felt every pore on his body relax. A warm current surged from his lower dantian, slowly flowing toward his four limbs and hundred bones. The sensation wasn't overwhelmingly intense, but it was remarkably wondrous, like bathing in warm sunlight while his entire body felt light and comfortable.
"It really works!" Ye Wuji was so excited he nearly jumped up. Yet he quickly reined in his emotions and continued to guide the spiritual qi's circulation within his body according to the book.
After some unknown duration, the crowing of a rooster startled him awake. Ye Wuji realized that without noticing it, dawn had already arrived. He felt light-bodied and full of energy, experiencing no fatigue whatsoever despite pulling an all-nighter.
"Could this be the effect of cultivation?" Ye Wuji thought with pleasant surprise, then shook his head. "Surely it can't be this fast; it's probably just psychological."
Regardless, one thing was certain—the Hunyuan Formula's claims were not groundless; cultivation was a real thing!
Over the next few days, aside from helping his father at the forge and delivering medicine to the old man, Ye Wuji seized every spare moment to cultivate the Hunyuan Formula. He found his perception of spiritual qi growing stronger by the day, and his absorption speed was increasing as well. According to the book, this marked the very beginning of the first stage of cultivation—the Qi Condensation stage.
On the fifth day, when he went to the inn to deliver medicine to the old man, he found the old man's complexion had recovered significantly. He looked hale and hearty, bearing no resemblance whatsoever to someone who had suffered from a lethal poison.
"The little friend seems somewhat different these past few days," the old man said meaningfully as he took the medicine bowl.
Ye Wuji felt a jolt in his heart, wondering if his cultivation had been noticed. "Old mister, your eyesight is sharp. I actually... well, my body does seem a bit sturdier lately."
The old man chuckled heartily. "Is that so? Perfect then, this old man has a favor he needs the little friend's help with. By the small stream at the eastern end of the village, there's a kind of 'Blue Heart Herb' that serves as a supreme medicinal ingredient for neutralizing Black Wind Snake venom. It's just that I'm old and my legs are stiff; I wonder if the little friend could help gather some?"
Ye Wuji was stunned. "Blue Heart Herb? My mother has never mentioned a herb like that."
"This plant is extremely rare; an ordinary herbalist might never encounter one in a lifetime. But this old man is certain it's there." The old man retrieved a crude map from his tunic and pointed to a marked spot on it. "Right at this location, it shouldn't be hard to find."
Ye Wuji took the map, looked it over, and nodded. "Alright, I'll go take a look."
Leaving the inn, Ye Wuji followed the map's directions to the small stream at the eastern end of the village. The scenery here was picturesque, with crystal-clear water and shaded banks lined with lush trees. According to the map, the Blue Heart Herb should grow beside a peculiar rock near the stream.
After searching for a while, Ye Wuji finally discovered a few small plants growing next to an oddly shaped blue-gray stone. The grass was quite distinctive, its leaves exhibiting an uncommon deep blue hue with a heart-shaped pattern right in the center.
"This must be the Blue Heart Herb, right? It really is unusual." Ye Wuji carefully harvested a few stalks, preparing to bring them back for the old man.
At that moment, a strange hissing sound drifted from not far away. Ye Wuji lifted his head alertly to see something writhing in the bushes by the stream.
"A snake!" Ye Wuji instantly recognized it as a snake, and a sizable one at that. Even more shocking was that the creature was pitch black all over, save for a white marking on its head—it was precisely the legendary and exceedingly rare Black Wind Snake!
Ye Wuji's heart tightened, and he instinctively wanted to back away. But the Black Wind Snake seemed to have already spotted him and was slowly slithering his way.
"This is bad!" Ye Wuji knew just how lethal the Black Wind Snake's venom was. If he were bitten and failed to receive prompt treatment, his life could very well be in mortal danger.