Chapter 13: Diary

When Chu Zheng initially got this incomplete letter in his hands, he had wanted to glean more information about this era through it.

However, the daily opportunity to restore it had been fully utilized by Chu Zheng on the Great Circulatory Qi Guideline, and afterward, he had simply tossed it aside.

[Aged Diary (Zeroth Order): A diary of Song Wenshu, the fourth generation Family Head of the Song Family branch, which records his life experiences. It was once severely damaged by a great fire but is now fully restored.]

After its restoration, Chu Zheng leaned back on the couch and opened the yellowed title page.

[Great Zhou Calendar 1549, the fourth day of the third month, as the spring thunder began to rumble, I was overjoyed to have a son. Suddenly took it upon myself to leave something for the descendants and thus began to record the years.]

[Great Zhou Calendar 1550, the tenth day of the fifth month, after a long absence of news, my younger brother sent joyous tidings, saying there is an Immortal Seedling with outstanding potential in the family, likely to protect our clan's prosperity for a thousand years, feeling somewhat envious.]

[Great Zhou Calendar 1551, the fourth day of the sixth month, my wife gave birth to another son. According to clan rules, we must send away the eldest son, feeling quite reluctant. Spent a considerable sum of gold and silver to acquire numerous treasures and heavenly rarities to take to the Phantom Spirit Sect, asking a Superior Immortal to discern the bones of the two sons, both were found to be of mortal birth, disappointed, returned home and had no choice but to send away the eldest son.]

[Great Zhou Calendar 1562, the third day of the seventh month, numerous letters sent to my younger brother all vanished without a trace, as if sinking into the sea. It has been eight years since I received a letter from my brother, I fear the worst. Sank into a deep sorrow and drunkenness for days.]

[Great Zhou Calendar 1565, the thirteenth day of the fourth month, an old hidden injury emerged, suffering unbearable chest pains, feeling my days were numbered, I set out towards my brother's residence hoping to uncover the truth about those early years.]

[Great Zhou Calendar 1567, the twenty-second day of the ninth month, upon finding out the news, my brother's whole family had been exterminated; searched in vain for their remains. That Immortal Seedling, its whereabouts unknown, my ailing body can't hold on much longer, after much consideration, I left people behind to continue the search and went back to my hometown first.]

[Great Zhou Calendar 1568, the third day of the third month, after returning home fell ill and never recovered. My youngest son got married earlier this year, and my daughter-in-law is now pregnant.]

[Great Zhou Calendar 1569, the second day of the first month, suddenly received a pigeon-delivered letter, my brother's remains had been collected and buried by that Immortal Seedling. Later the Seedling, failing to take revenge, was ambushed and killed, the assailant unknown.]

The records stopped abruptly at this point, and no more could be found after this.

On this page, there was a strikingly conspicuous dark brown bloodstain. One could imagine the feelings of the owner of this diary at the time of writing this.

Chu Zheng closed the diary, his brows tightly knit, vaguely speculating something, yet unable to grasp the crux of the matter.

It is now Great Zhou Calendar 1702, this diary from over a hundred and twenty years ago.

Within the Immortal Sects, feuds and killings were to be expected, and he had anticipated this.

But within the diary, after the emergence of the Immortal Seedling in that younger brother's family, catastrophe struck, and later the Seedling itself was ambushed and killed. To say this was mere coincidence seems far-fetched.

Or perhaps, the original target was that very Seedling of the Immortal which had suddenly appeared.

Power struggles within the Immortal Sects often entangle mortal families, too mundane a matter. Even a glance thrown casually could cause a noble house, with a hundred years of heritage, to shatter to pieces.

The news of Song Lingqing's return to the Song Residence had already leaked. If there were people from other Immortal Sects who wanted to harm Song Lingqing, then the Song Family would be the best breakthrough point, an ideal bargaining chip.

Thinking of the recent anomalies in the Song Residence, Chu Zheng became somewhat more alert, fearing that Song Tonghai and his daughter might have noticed something.

Perhaps he needed to prepare early.

As he rubbed the aged diary in his hands, a thought suddenly surfaced in Chu Zheng's mind.

Reborn in this life, should he leave behind some traces to prove his existence?

In such a perilous world, he could not predict the day he might perish in turmoil, all to become void.

Yet, if he could leave behind some traces, in the distant future, there might be those who would follow his footsteps and see his story.

No matter the length of that story, whether filled with climaxes or utterly mundane, there will always be someone who sees it.

Just like him in his previous life, he had spent his entire life delving into the silhouettes of the ancients.

Now, he himself had become an ancient.

After a brief contemplation, Chu Zheng got up, draped in moonlight, and took out a blank booklet before grinding some ink and setting pen to paper.

"New Calendar, January 16th, embarked on the path of cultivation for the first time, many feelings stirred within, the gap between Celestials and Mortals as vast as the abyss before my eyes, treading in this world is like walking on thin ice."

Chu Zheng did not use the Great Zhou Calendar, but instead marked the day he first arrived as the beginning of his diary.

Watching the ink slowly dry, a flicker of satisfaction appeared in Chu Zheng's eyes. He had studied calligraphy for many years and, although not a master, it was still passable.

Perhaps a person from the future would by chance acquire the diary currently in his hands and read about the life he was about to live.

Feeling a moment of self moved, Chu Zheng put the book away with satisfaction, looked up at the sky, and noted the moon had crossed the well, indicating that the next day had arrived.

Carefully hiding the diary, Chu Zheng proceeded to the courtyard and once again started the Great Circulatory Qi Guideline, drawing in the moonlight into his body.

After nine Major Circuits of Qi, the sky had already started to brighten.

The Mansion's Treasury was busy enough without needing Chu Zheng's help, leaving him with a lot of free time.

Therefore, he did not cease his cultivation practice but continued the Circuit of Qi, absorbing the first ray of dawn's Qi.

With each breath, Chu Zheng could feel his body becoming lighter and his sinews growing stronger, the power in his flesh consistently increasing.

This gradual increase in strength gave Chu Zheng an unprecedented sense of exhilaration.

With the experience from the day before, his circulation of Qi this time was even faster, and by the time he finished the Eighteen Great Circulations, it was still early before noon.

The vast energy inside him spurred Chu Zheng to perform several sets of Integrated Fist, sweating profusely until his breathing became much smoother.

After catching his breath for a moment, Chu Zheng suddenly realized someone was standing not far away.

Dressed in a long green gown embroidered with richly blooming flowers and a jade belt around her waist, below which were a pair of long, straight legs that exuded an indescribable power.

"I greet the young miss," said Chu Zheng, barely perceptibly furrowing his brow as he bowed in greeting.

Song Lingxue stood not far away, her black and white eyes filled with clear surprise.

Regaining her composure, Song Lingxue lightly tossed her hair and lowered her gaze, covering her embarrassment, "Your Integrated Fist... has indeed been practiced to a high degree of proficiency."

Having not seen Chu Zheng for a long time, Song Lingxue felt somewhat dazed on seeing him again.

The last time they met, the impression Chu Zheng left on her had already significantly changed.

This time, the change was even greater. In her perception, Chu Zheng seemed to possess a kind and warm aura, very pure, akin to the rising sun, vibrant and full of life, which made one unconsciously want to get close.

If Chu Zheng knew of Song Lingxue's thoughts, he wouldn't have found them strange.

A Qi Cultivator refines the body with the Yin Yang Dual Qi, naturally purifying the aura, and the Qi within the body is the same.

Those with profound cultivation need not make a move, as their aura alone can tame Auspicious Beasts and attract spirits of grass and trees.