"Wait, wait, wait!" Mingling exclaimed, rising to his feet, his hands banging the table enthusiastically. "Why didn't Uncle Chen tell us when we were just there? We just came from the hunter's camp! Why is it suddenly like this? And the Divine Wheel? Why did Grandfather Wu change his mind?"
Zhuwei shrugged. "Grandfather Wu said it was a sudden decision. And he asked us not to talk about it at the hunter's camp; he said Uncle Chen and the others were focused on their preparations. This is only for us, the next generation, who have shown determination. He said he wants to give us a chance to step further than the mortal limit."
"A chance..." Tang muttered, his eyes now gleaming with burning ambition. He clenched his large hand. "Me! I have to be one of them! I'll punch the grain sack two thousand times tomorrow! My raw strength is the greatest! My Human Wheel must be the most stable!"
"Don't be arrogant, Tang," Bashan admonished, though there was a small smile on his face. "Grandfather Wu looks for stability, not just strength. Breath control and internal focus are the key. I will definitely be chosen. I can keep my Human Wheel pure in the middle of a storm."
A debate immediately broke out. Tang and Bashan started comparing their achievements in training: who lifted the most ironwood logs, who held their breath the longest, and who was scolded by Grandfather Wu the least in the past month.
Zhi Xuan sat silently, his surprise deeper than the others. The Divine Wheel they yearned for... It felt distant because his mortal wheel was cracked. A defect he didn't know the cure for. He looked at Mingling, who seemed equally confused but was soon dragged into the excitement.
"Zhi, we have to fight too!" Mingling whispered with sparkling eyes. "Imagine, we could live 200 years! We could beat Tang in a fishing competition! My Human Wheel is the most agile! Grandfather Wu must be looking for speed!"
Zhi Xuan shook his head slowly. "Ming, Grandfather Wu said this is only for those who are faithful and truly willing. And he said a stable Human Wheel."
"Of course I'm willing!" Mingling countered. "Who wouldn't be! But you're right, it has to be stable." Mingling suddenly became serious again, nudging Zhi Xuan. "I bet Grandfather Wu will choose Bashan, Tang, and... maybe Zhuwei because he's so consistent. But we still have a chance! We have to train harder!"
Zhi Xuan could only nod, the coldness of the secret he was hiding now felt like ice weighing down his chest. If the Divine Wheel was their goal, then he didn't know if he could reach it because his wheel was defective.
"By the way, Zhuwei," Mingling asked, his voice lowered slightly, asking for a detail missed in the initial excitement. "When did Grandfather Wu tell you this? He seemed so calm when we returned from herding earlier."
Zhuwei chewed his last bite, swallowing slowly. "This morning, after you went herding. He said he had planned it for a long time, but only now has the right beast—the Fire Roaring Ape—been seen in the northern hill. He said it was a golden opportunity. And he said, 'Don't let anyone know about this except you all, especially that reckless sapphire-eyed boy'."
Mingling gasped, glancing at Zhi Xuan who immediately froze. "What?!" Mingling exclaimed. "He said that about you, Zhi? Why?"
Zhuwei shrugged with a flat expression. "He just said, 'Zhi Xuan is too fast and too curious. He will destroy his own Human Wheel before its time. I don't want him to take this risk'."
Zhuwei's words, although delivered in a calm tone, felt like a hard slap to Zhi Xuan. Grandfather Wu, though caring, saw him as a risk to be avoided. Zhi Xuan felt a mixture of anger, disappointment, and confirmation. Grandfather Wu was right. He had destroyed his own Human Wheel. But it gave him greater power, and now he had to fix it himself, without anyone's help.
"That's not fair!" protested Tang, who for some reason took offense on Zhi Xuan's behalf. "Zhi Xuan is the fastest! His speed can rival Fourteen's!"
Bashan intervened. "Tang, Grandfather Wu is right. Zhi Xuan lacks stability. He always pushes the limit. But that doesn't mean he won't succeed. He just needs time." Bashan turned to Zhi Xuan, his gaze sincere. "Don't worry, Zhi. If we succeed, we will protect you and the village. You can have a healthy Human Wheel, and live long."
Zhi Xuan forced a faint smile. "Thank you, Bashan. But don't worry, I will train harder. I want to know how far the mortal limit I can reach without that Divine Wheel."
He lied. He didn't just want to know the mortal limit. He wanted to fix his Human Wheel. And he knew where the answer might lie: the Jade Valley and the Injured Cultivator. If the village planned to hunt the Fire Roaring Ape, all the hunters would be busy. It was the perfect opportunity for him.
While finishing his broth, Zhi Xuan made a decision. Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! The command echoed in his mind. He would return to the jade valley tonight.
"Zhi, Zhi, Zhi Xuan! Hey sapphire boy!"
Zhi Xuan gasped as Mingling patted his back. He quickly stood up and looked around at his friends, his gaze as foolish as a chick who had lost its mother.
"Oh-ugh... What... What is it?" Zhi Xuan stammered, momentarily disoriented before sitting back down in the chair, sighing softly and leaning his head on the table.
Tang, who was busy cleaning his bowl enthusiastically, burst into laughter. "He's dreaming about the Divine Wheel! Bashan, look! Even Zhi Xuan is starting to panic!"
"He's not panicking," Bashan countered, his voice calm. "He's concentrating. Right, Zhi? Are you looking for a way for your Human Wheel to be as stable as mine?"
Zhi Xuan just snorted, trying to manage a faint smile. "I... I'm just tired. And yes, Mingling is right, I dreamt of a very large grilled sausage made of jade wolf. Don't worry, I'll get enough rest tonight."
Mingling's crisp laugh immediately greeted Zhi Xuan's confusion. "What's wrong with you, buddy? You look like you just saw a ghost chasing the One-Eyed Goat! What were you spacing out about? Don't tell me you're thinking of a way to beat Tang in an eating competition, that's impossible!"
Zhi Xuan touched his rapidly beating chest. He almost mentioned the cultivator and the jade valley. Control, he reminded himself, remembering Bashan's lesson.
"I'm just tired, Ming," Zhi Xuan replied, his voice slightly hoarse. He raised his head from the table, his sapphire eyes now sharper. "I was thinking about Grandfather Wu's words. If the Divine Wheel is the key, I have to find a way to make mine stronger, or more stable. I'll spend this afternoon in the forest behind the fields, looking for firewood that's heavier than my staff."
Mingling snorted, sitting next to Zhi Xuan. "Looking for firewood? That's Bashan's job. Listen, Zhi. Forget looking for firewood! I have a better plan!" Mingling leaned forward, his tone returning to his favorite conspiratorial whisper. "We should look for some 'elixirs' from nature. You know, the legendary red berries we tried to find before? Maybe there are fruits or roots that can boost our Human Wheel, without having to wait for Grandfather Wu to choose us!"
Zhi Xuan smiled faintly. That was typical Mingling—always looking for a magical, naive shortcut. "You'll never change, Ming. Those red berries almost got us eaten by a jade wolf when we were kids. I don't want to be scolded twice by Grandfather Wu for the same thing."
"But, Ming has a point," Bashan interrupted, who had been listening calmly. "A strong foundation comes from good nutrition. We expend our Human Wheel with hard training. We must replenish it in the purest way. Jade wolf meat is excellent, but Pure Forest Ginseng roots will strengthen our energy. I plan to look for some tomorrow morning, before the stance practice."
"Pure Forest Ginseng? Isn't that near the northern hill?" Tang asked, his expression becoming serious. "That's too dangerous, Bashan. Only hunters dare to go there."
Bashan shook his head. "I'll only go to the outskirts, Tang. I need the Ginseng to cleanse my lungs. The purer my Human Wheel, the greater the chance Grandfather Wu chooses me for the Divine Wheel."
A debate about the potential of Pure Forest Ginseng immediately erupted among his friends. This was the perfect break for Zhi Xuan. He observed his friends. They were all talking about the Divine Wheel and opportunity, but they were all moving within the boundaries set by Grandfather Wu.
Zhi Xuan knew he couldn't wait. He needed something more than Pure Forest Ginseng. He needed an answer, or an essence capable of patching the crack in his chest.
"Alright, I agree with Bashan. Nutrition is important," Zhi Xuan said, concluding. "I'll look for some good mushrooms in the deeper river forest this afternoon. Water mushrooms usually contain good moist essence for our joints after punching the grain sack. That's safer than Pure Forest Ginseng, Bashan. Don't take risks."
Bashan nodded, satisfied. "That's wise, Zhi Xuan. Don't go too far. And be back before sunset."
After lunch, the youths quickly returned to their routine. Mingling and Tang left to help the village blacksmith, Zhuwei returned to sharpen his knife, and Bashan began his static breathing exercises.
Zhi Xuan pretended to go look for water mushrooms near the deeper river, carrying a small leather bag, a lantern, and his heavy staff. However, as soon as he passed the village shed and lost sight of Grandfather Wu who was playing with the children, he turned sharply left, moving away from the river. He entered the forest that was starting to get foggy in the dusk, covered by the dense jungle.
Every step he took felt heavy because of the soft ground and several water depressions on the sides of the path. He deliberately took this route so as not to be easily followed by anyone, circumventing the path to the jade valley.
"Hmm, I hope Grandfather Wu isn't suspicious." Zhi Xuan looked around at the climbing plants wrapping around the large trees, smiling faintly, remembering these plants were certainly older than the average age of Star Village residents.
He continued to step, entering an older layer of the forest, where the ancient tree canopy was so dense that the afternoon light was only faint lines falling on the forest floor. The air here was colder and damper, carrying the sharp scent of moss and rotting wood. The path he took was an ancient, rarely traveled path, a place where the foundation of Star Village began to thin and the crueler outside world began to reign.
"The forest is getting denser, I have to get there soon before it gets dark," Zhi Xuan mumbled.
He didn't dwell on disappointment. He used every mortal lesson Grandfather Wu taught—speed, silence, and spatial awareness—to cover his tracks. The heavy staff on his shoulder felt more than just a burden; it was an anchor holding the mortal remnants of himself.
Zhi Xuan's footsteps on the muddy ground were now almost silent. He walked along a low ridge, where the moss and curving tree roots provided a more solid footing. He weaved between the thick tree trunks, his shadow lengthening and twisting with the struggling twilight light.
Hehe...
A soft humming like a woman's low laughter echoed subtly, mixing with the sound of the wind and the smell of wet soil. The sound startled Zhi Xuan, making him stop abruptly and look around.
"Who?" Zhi Xuan mumbled, becoming more alert, lowering the staff from his shoulder and holding it with both hands.
There was no answer, only greeted by leaves rustling in the wind that made Zhi Xuan's hair stand up, he was in a defensive stance, stepping in a circle while raising his staff, ready to hit anything.
"Come out! Show yourself!" Zhi Xuan shouted with a slight tremor, but he braced himself for what was to come. For a moment he continued to step in a circle on the spot, neither moving forward nor backward. He remembered the husky whisper he heard in the pasture and the cultivator's blood. This laughter felt closer, colder, and carried a disturbing tone of satisfaction.
"That sound... like in the pasture," Zhi Xuan muttered, still very wary, remembering this path was indeed never passed by anyone.
Hehe... hehehe...
The laughter returned, this time sounding closer, as if its source was only a few feet behind his back. The sound did not come from a physical mouth or lungs; it was a sound that felt etched directly onto his eardrums, a cold and suffocating vibration in the air.
Zhi Xuan spun quickly, his heavy staff swinging in a perfectly trained arc. He aimed the staff at the shadow of a giant tree behind him, but he only hit empty air. His staff swung with the full power of his Human Wheel, making a whoosh sound in the damp air, but there was nothing.
Silence for a moment, the soft laughter disappeared, Zhi Xuan lowered his staff again. "Strange... that sound doesn't seem to come from outside," Zhi Xuan muttered, he raised the staff to his shoulder again and turned to continue the journey.
Dusk began to creep in darker and covered the forest completely, Zhi Xuan stopped for a moment to pick up a stone, then gathered small twigs around him.
"I need a lantern to continue this journey." Zhi Xuan crouched on the damp ground, feeling the coldness of the forest moisture penetrating his robe. The decision to return to the jade valley could not be canceled—he had to take advantage of it before it got completely dark and before the hunters left. He needed light.
He placed the small pile of dry twigs he had collected, then took two small pieces of flint from his leather bag. The stones felt cold, the most basic raw material for fire in Star Village. He held one stone in his left hand, and the other stone in his right hand, and began rubbing them quickly and skillfully.
Spark. Spark.
Small sparks began to leap, dancing between the stones, but the air in the forest was too damp, and the twigs he collected were too green. The sparks quickly died out without managing to burn anything.
Zhi Xuan repeated it, this time faster and with greater pressure, focusing the strength of his trained arms. Spark. Spark. Spark. A larger spark appeared, but still failed. Frustration slowly crept into his mind. Under normal conditions, he would only need three strokes to start a simple fire.
"Damn it. Too wet," Zhi Xuan mumbled, wiping the mud from his palms. He knew he couldn't waste time. Using the lantern was the only way, but he had to light it quickly.
"One more time," Zhi Xuan muttered.
He reached for his waist and took the lantern made of stretched small wild beast horn and covered with thin leather. Inside was a small wick and a little highly flammable wild beast oil. Zhi Xuan knew that one proper spark should be enough.
He placed the lantern on the damp ground beside him. His hands, though tired, still held the two flints. This time, he didn't just use his muscle power, but also focused his mind. He recalled Bashan's lesson about internal tranquility, and then, he remembered Fourteen's demonstration at the hunter's camp: control over the energy inside you.
Zhi Xuan knew he didn't have spiritual energy like Fourteen. He couldn't manifest a mini-flame. But he had a cracked spinning wheel, the cold anomaly in his chest that had given him power and speed no other mortal possessed. That wheel was the source of his strength, and now, he had to use it for the most mortal of tasks: lighting a fire.
Zhi Xuan closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. He pushed his mind inward, feeling the pulse of that cold wheel, which now pulsed faster, reacting to the urgency and controlled fear. He imagined his energy as an invisible layer of power around his hands. He rubbed the two flints again.
Spark!
The spark produced this time was much larger and brighter, momentarily burning the damp air with a sharp golden light. Zhi Xuan, not letting the moment pass, directed the spark directly onto the oily wick inside the lantern.
Fzzzzzt!
The wick ignited with a quick sizzle, and a small, calm yet steady flame immediately appeared, radiating a warm yellow light. Zhi Xuan sighed in relief; a sharp dizziness immediately struck him from the internal energy boost he had just performed. He succeeded.
He carefully closed the lantern, letting the yellow light cut through the now completely suffocating darkness of the forest. The lantern light projected terrifying shadows of ancient trees, turning the familiar forest into a strange labyrinth.
"Alright, cracked wheel. You're useful too," Zhi Xuan mumbled, rubbing his chest.
He stood up, slung the leather bag over his shoulder, and tightly gripped his heavy staff. His goal was now clear, and he had to move fast. The jade valley.
He walked forward, following the winding ancient path. With the lantern, he could see the slippery rocks and muddy depressions more clearly, allowing him to maintain a fast yet silent pace.