Xie Yuan had never imagined he would hear his older brother’s name from a strange Daoist.

Astonished, he sized up the middle-aged Daoist.

The Daoist was tall and thin, dressed in a simple blue robe. His black beard fell to his chest, and his hair was held in place with a wooden pin. He looked like a common fortune-telling Daoist from some rural village.

His face was lean, with a rather conspicuous mole at the corner of his mouth that was somehow not unsightly. His placid expression revealed a tranquil disposition. As he stood there, he seemed to have merged completely with his surroundings.

Xie Yuan could tell at a glance that while the man’s attire was ordinary, his bearing was not to be taken lightly.

"This is... Xie Lun’s home. May I ask who you are, Daoist? Why are you looking for my brother?"

Xie Yuan asked.

Xie Yuan’s form was reflected in the Daoist’s eyes, which were as deep as a lake. A flicker of realization crossed his face.

"So you are Xie Lun’s younger brother."

"You know me, Daoist?"

Xie Yuan was even more astonished.

The Daoist nodded.

"Of course. If not for you, I don’t believe I would have made a special trip to come back here."

"Huh?"

Xie Yuan was lost in a fog, more confused than ever.

The Daoist simply smiled faintly and asked,

"And your brother? Is he not home?"

Xie Yuan fell silent for a moment before saying,

"Please follow me, Daoist."

「In the woods, before a grave mound of packed yellow earth.」

When Xie Lun passed, he left nothing behind. Penniless, Xie Yuan had only managed to build a burial mound, carve a stone tablet, and create a cenotaph with the help and arrangements of Wang Lei and Li Lan. The few of them held a simple funeral for him.

The Daoist and Xie Yuan stood before the grave mound. After a moment of silence, the Daoist sighed softly.

"The whims of fate are truly unpredictable."

Hearing this, Xie Yuan clenched his fists.

"Daoist, what is fate? My brother was kind and well-regarded by all. He was like a father to me. Why did he have to be devoured by wild beasts, his body left incomplete?"

The Daoist shook his head.

"I’m afraid no one in this world has an answer to that question."

Xie Yuan stood silently for a long moment before turning to ask,

"Daoist, you still haven’t said how you came to know my brother."

The Daoist looked up slightly.

"Before the new year, I was passing through the mountains here and met your brother in the woods.

"I saw from afar a young woodcutter with arms like an ape and a waist like a wasp. His Qi and Blood were like a dragon’s. He was born to practice martial arts.

"At the time, I was facing a bottleneck in my cultivation that had plagued me for a decade. Seeing a rare talent like your brother, one in ten thousand, I suddenly had the idea to rest for a while, take on a disciple, and pass on my teachings."

Xie Yuan’s eyes widened as he listened.

’This... Could he be my brother’s master?’

’Was Big Brother’s talent for martial arts really that incredible?’

The Daoist continued,

"But I never expected that your brother would refuse."

"Why?"

Xie Yuan gasped, completely caught by surprise.

’Wasn’t this the classic scenario of meeting a reclusive master and being taught a Divine Skill?’

’He was on the verge of escaping this poor mountain village and turning his life around. How could Big Brother have refused?’

’Unless...’ He could only think of one possibility.

Sure enough, the Daoist glanced at him and said,

"I wanted to take your brother away, but he insisted on bringing you. I had important business at the time; one disciple was already more than I wanted, and I couldn’t take on a frail young boy as well. And so, our potential master-disciple relationship ended there."

Xie Yuan felt a complex mix of emotions as he listened, slowly pressing his lips together.

An opportunity to change his destiny had been laid right before Xie Lun. With just a nod, he could have soared to great heights and become a Martial Artist envied by all.

But he refused.

In fact, knowing his brother as he did, Xie Yuan had guessed the reason almost as soon as the Daoist started speaking.

’Big Brother would have definitely refused.’

’He wouldn’t abandon me. He wouldn’t leave his young, frail brother with no one to care for him...’

Becoming a Martial Artist, hunting, Li Lan... no matter how many choices he faced, the outcome was always the same.

What does it mean for an elder brother to be like a father? Xie Lun, with his own choices, had provided the best possible answer.

Xie Yuan’s eyes grew red. He clenched his fists with all his might, barely managing to keep the tears from falling in front of a stranger.

The Daoist gazed straight ahead, seemingly oblivious to Xie Yuan’s distress.

"Although your brother refused me, it’s rare for me to develop such an appreciation for talent, so I gave him a Fist Skill manual. I planned to come back after some time to see how he was doing.

"If his progress was poor, then so be it. But if he practiced well, I was determined to take him as my disciple, no matter what. Alas, the world is unpredictable... When did he pass away?"

"Around the Beginning of Summer this year."

Xie Yuan said, his voice hoarse.

The Daoist nodded slightly.

"A pity. If he had mastered the Cultivation Technique, why would he have feared mere wolves and tigers?"

After a long pause, Xie Yuan finally calmed down.

He composed himself. As he thought about what the Daoist had said, his curiosity grew.

"Daoist, you wanted to take my big brother as a disciple... Your cultivation realm must be very high, right?"

The Daoist stroked his long beard.

"It’s not considered particularly high."

"If I may ask, what realm would that be?"

"Heh, what realm do you think I’m at?"

the Daoist retorted.

’The Sect Leaders of the three major martial arts halls in Panlong Town are all at the Second Training, so one must be at least at that level to open a hall and take disciples. This Daoist has the air of a master and seems more powerful than the Iron-cloth Sect’s Sect Leader... Perhaps he’s at the Third Training?’

After a moment’s thought, Xie Yuan decided to aim even higher and said tentatively,

"The Fourth Training, with full mastery of the Bone Pass?"

The Daoist froze for a second, then burst out laughing.

"Hahaha, you young lad... Still in the External Training stages, and you think that qualifies someone to take disciples?"

’Huh? But... doesn’t that insult all the Sect Leaders?’

Xie Yuan felt the Daoist’s presence suddenly soar. His tall, thin silhouette seemed to expand infinitely, towering over even the sky-piercing iron poplars.

Seeing the Daoist’s reaction, Xie Yuan realized he must have said something ridiculous and scratched his head in embarrassment.

"I don’t know what realms come after the Fourth Training."

The Daoist’s laughter died down, and he shook his head.

"These minor sects can’t teach anything worthwhile. They don’t even have a clear understanding of the cultivation realms.

"Listen closely. ’The Four Passes of External Training and the Qi Blood Transformation; The Heaven and Earth Bridge, and Inner and Outer as one.’ These speak of the four great realms: ’The Four Passes of External Training,’ ’the Qi Blood Third Transformation,’ ’the Heaven and Earth Bridge,’ and ’Inner-Outer Unity.’"

This was the first time Xie Yuan had ever heard of the realms that followed, and he quickly committed them to memory.

’So there were so many more stages. I thought the Second Training was pretty decent, but it turns out the entire Four Passes of External Training are just considered the entry level?’

Yet, a Martial Artist at the Second Training could practically run rampant in Panlong Town.

Completing all Four Passes of External Training would likely make one a powerhouse in a place as large as Yunzhao County.

But there was always a higher mountain to climb, a bigger fish in the sea.

Xie Yuan couldn’t help but sigh. ’A small pond really is shallow. If I spent my whole life messing around in Panlong Town, I’d probably think the Second Training was the pinnacle.’

’Only by venturing out can one truly know how vast the world is.’

’Since I was born into this world, how could I let myself be trapped in a mountain village?’

Xie Yuan felt a much larger world slowly unfurling before him, and his heart filled with a sense of purpose.

He looked at the Daoist, his gaze probing.

"Daoist, I feel like when you stand there, you’re on the verge of becoming one with your surroundings. Does that correspond to that ’Inner-Outer Unity’ realm?"

The Daoist glanced at him and gave a noncommittal smile.

"You do have a bit of intuition. That’s rare.

"Stop forcing yourself to practice that crude external technique. Otherwise, you’ll completely destroy your body."

Xie Yuan froze, stunned that the Daoist had seen through his condition at a single glance.

"Oh... alright."

Sensing Xie Yuan’s hesitation, the Daoist glanced from him to the stone tablet and sighed softly.

"If you insist on practicing...

"I had modified a Fist Skill, intending to give it to your brother to help him cultivate his qi, but I was too late.

"The younger brother inherits from the elder. Let this be considered the fulfillment of that karma."

He took out a small booklet and handed it to Xie Yuan.