Journey of True Cultivation-Chapter 96: The Cultivator and the Kind Old Man

In a relatively busy part of town, a small grass field sat nestled between houses and shops. Yuan sat quietly on the grass, his expression pensive and deep in thought.

After "bullying" the black robed youth, he had questioned him about cultivators and whether he knew anything useful. As it turned out, the boy did.

It wasn't exactly a secret, everyone in the town knew it was ruled by a cultivation family, even if only a small one. According to the young man, cultivators occasionally visited the town, hoping to join the Loose Tail Clan.

Interestingly, he claimed the clan never seemed to reject anyone. That detail caught Yuan's attention. He was, after all, currently lacking in cultivation resources.

The youth also rambled about some underground groups tied to mortal nobles, hinting that he himself belonged to one. But Yuan quickly lost interest. Mortal politics didn't concern him.

So, after breaking a few of the boy's bones and dislocating an arm, Yuan left the alley unnoticed.

Now, he sat calmly on the edge of the town's central gathering place. Restaurants lined the area, and even a few mortal nobles walked by with an air of self importance, mere frogs at the bottom of the well, Yuan thought. He paid them no mind.

Instead, his gaze was fixed on a particular structure in the distance: a pavilion.

Though small compared to the grand pavilions he had seen in Truth's illusion, it was one of the tallest buildings in the town. Modest in design, made of sturdy wood, the pavilion stood before the mountain where the Loose Tail Family resided.

It seemed to function as some sort of entry point or ceremonial gate.

Beyond it, Yuan could see a few other structures nestled at the mountain's base, likely the clan's residential quarters or administrative buildings.

With his thoughts gathered, Yuan stood up from the grass and began walking straight toward the wooden pavilion gate. As he approached, he noticed two men stationed there, clearly guards, both clad in light armor.

Without hesitation, Yuan placed his hands behind his back and walked calmly toward them. When they noticed him coming, one of the guards raised a hand and barked, "Stop!"

Yuan stopped, meeting the man's gaze directly.

The guard, a middle aged man, frowned slightly, caught off guard by the strange intensity in the child's stare. It wasn't normal for a boy this young to look at someone with such calm, unblinking focus.

"Do you need something?" the guard asked, a bit more cautiously now.

Yuan gave a small nod.

"There is something I'd like to ask," he said, his voice steady.

Both guards gave him their full attention.

"I heard the Loose Tail Family accepts cultivators. Is that true?"

The two men looked at each other, clearly surprised by the question, especially coming from a child.

After a short pause, the older guard nodded.

"Yes, it's true. As long as you've reached the Mortal Awakening Stage, the clan allows you to join one of the Outer Halls. And if you have the talent to awaken all five senses, you can officially become part of the family."

He spoke slowly, clearly under the impression that Yuan had been sent by someone else, perhaps a cultivator who didn't want to approach directly.

Yuan nodded, satisfied. His guess had been correct, this clan truly was near the bottom of the cultivation world. Still, for now, that was enough.

"In that case," Yuan said with a faint smile, "I'd like to join the Loose Tail Family, if that's possible."

Both guards blinked in surprise.

"You're... a cultivator?" asked the second guard, who had remained silent until now.

Yuan looked at him and nodded again, still smiling faintly.

"Yes. I am a cultivator, at the First Sense of the Mortal Awakening Stage."

One of the guards stared at Yuan for a moment, clearly startled. Then he coughed a few times and nodded. "Alright, I'll report this to one of the Loose Tail Family's cultivators. Please wait here."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Yuan alone with the other guard. They didn't have to wait long. Soon, the guard returned, with an old man dressed in a white robe marked by thin black lines.

The man had long gray hair, deep black eyes, and a face marked by age. His aura was calm, but it was clear his body was nearing the end of its life. Yuan's eyes widened in surprise.

He recognized him.

It was the kind old man who had given him a ride in the hay filled wagon, the one who had called himself Old Man Feng.

The old man looked just as surprised. Then he let out a hearty chuckle and shook his head.

"What a twist of fate! We arrived at the same time and parted ways... only to reunite like this!" he said warmly. Despite his age, his voice was bright and full of life, like that of a cheerful youth. It was a stark contrast to the quiet elder who had offered him shelter during the journey.

Yuan smiled faintly. "Indeed, Old Man Feng. I didn't expect to see you again so soon."

Hearing Yuan call him "Old Man" instead of "Senior" or "Elder" was informal, almost intimate, something that made Feng laugh again.

His laughter turned into a rough cough, which shook his body for a few seconds. When it finally stopped, the atmosphere quieted.

The two guards exchanged glances. They were clearly surprised the elder knew the boy, but they dared not ask questions. No one in their right mind would risk offending a member of the Loose Tail Family.

That was as good as asking for a long, painful death.

"So, young man," Old Man Feng said with a wry smile, "you were a cultivator all along and didn't say a word? I treated you like my own grandson... and yet, such secrecy. Truly, fate is cruel."

Yuan chuckled softly. "If I had known you were a cultivator too, Old Man Feng, I might have kept my distance."

After that brief exchange, they fell silent. Old Man Feng turned to Yuan, then glanced at the two guards.

"He'll become a cultivator under me," he said calmly. "From this moment on, he is part of the Loose Tail Family. Do not spread this information. And if you do..." His eyes suddenly gleamed with a sharp, dangerous light, "be ready to face the consequences."

That single look was enough to terrify the guards. Their backs straightened immediately, and they bowed deeply, saluting with nervous respect. Neither of them dared say another word.

"Come along. You're no outsider now," Old Man Feng said warmly, gesturing for Yuan to follow him.

Without a word, Yuan stepped behind the old man, and together they entered the wooden pavilion.

Inside, they climbed a narrow staircase leading to the second floor. At the top, the old man opened a plain wooden door, revealing what appeared to be an office.

The room was simple and sparsely furnished. There was a couch, a large table with a single chair, a smaller side table, and a few additional chairs arranged around the room. No decorations adorned the walls. Everything was practical, plain, but orderly.

Old Man Feng turned to Yuan and gestured toward the couch. "You can sit here."

Yuan nodded and quietly sat down, while the old man settled into the chair behind the large desk. Resting his arms on the armrests, he leaned forward slightly and smiled at Yuan.

"So, tell me, why is someone as young as you traveling the world all alone?"

Yuan was slightly surprised by the question, but it wasn't difficult to answer.

"It's nothing complicated," he replied calmly. "I left my village because I have no home or family to return to, no friends to hold me back. After reaching the First Sense of the Mortal Awakening Stage, I decided to travel to the kingdom's main town. I hoped I might find a clan willing to accept me as a disciple."

"Alone, with no friends or family..." the old man muttered under his breath, a flicker of pity in his eyes. "What a cruel path for a child to walk. So young, and already a cultivator... It must not have been easy for you."

He studied Yuan for a moment, then smiled softly.

"Ah, I just realized, we never exchanged names, did we? Mine is Longwei Feng."

"Longwei Feng..." Yuan repeated the name inwardly before replying aloud, "Luan Yuan."

"Luan Yuan? What an interesting name!" Longwei Feng chuckled. "Well then, Luan Yuan, it's good to formally meet you. I hope we'll get along. After all, our meeting must've been decided by fate!"

Decided by fate, huh... Yuan thought silently. If this meeting truly was arranged by fate, then the fate of the Loose Tail Family is anything but fortunate. My arrival won't bring prosperity... but calamity

A faint smile curled on Yuan's lips, a soft, innocent smile that didn't match the thoughts behind it.

"Hello, Old Man Longwei Feng. I too hope we get along well. After all... fate brought us together."