"Ming, come on, wake up!"
Zhi Xuan reached out his hand toward Mingling, who was still curled up under the tree, insisting he was meditating. The offered hand was accepted. Mingling stood up with a start, brushed the dust off his robe, and skillfully caught the gourd that Tang threw.
"Damn it, Zhuwei was absolutely right. You almost passed out," Tang teased, grinning while folding his large arms. Mingling just snorted, hastily gulping down water from the gourd. The water was cold, quenching his burning thirst, and restoring the energy drained by the brutal sack-punching session.
"I didn't pass out. I was just... collecting the Jade essence that flew out when I punched," Mingling countered, his tone full of poor pretense. He threw the empty gourd back to Tang, who caught it easily.
"Alright, let's go herd those goats!" Mingling said with forced enthusiasm. He couldn't let his fatigue show.
Herding was a peaceful task, but also an important one; the goats produced milk and wool, the second source of livelihood for Star Village after their game meat. Mingling walked ahead toward the Village Head's ranch, heading to the pens of the fussy goats.
Zhi Xuan, whose leg still felt a little sore from the grain sack incident, walked leisurely toward the pile of tools near the village shed to grab a guiding staff. His back faced the sun, which had now fully penetrated the forest canopy, illuminating the dust floating in the air.
As he walked, Zhi Xuan unconsciously touched the area between his ribs.
That strange sensation appeared again. It was no longer the pain of muscle fatigue, but a sensation like a cold flint stone slowly spinning inside his body. The wheel felt thick and solid, no longer the mortal wheel he imagined. It was a divine wheel—the potential for a 200-year lifespan, the potential for immortality, a potential he should not have touched yet.
"'We are mortals, Zhi Xuan. Our limits are thin.'"
Wu Quezi's words echoed in his head. He knew Wu Quezi was right. Pushing the mortal wheel too far could shatter the mortal core, which would be fatal. But that reckless push gave him results. Now, every breath felt more efficient, and his eyes could catch the color of the moss on the shed wall that he had never noticed before—proof that the mortal wheel in his body had elevated his mortal senses to a new level. However, he also knew something was wrong. The wheel felt uneven, as if some parts were cracked.
I must find out what happened, he thought, the curiosity in his sapphire blue eyes now replaced by a burning determination. He arrived at the shed. Inside, thick, sturdy wooden staffs lined up neatly. These staffs had to be strong, as they were used not only to guide the goats but also to fend off wild dogs or even the lowest level of stray beasts.
As Zhi Xuan chose his staff, Mingling appeared, leading a flock of goats with merrily clanging bells. Mingling walked backward, grinning.
"Hey, brat! That staff you chose is too heavy! Want to hit the goats to make them walk faster?"
Zhi Xuan weighed the staff in his hand. The staff did feel heavier than usual, as if the wood's density had increased. Strangely, despite the weight, his muscles did not complain.
"This isn't for hitting the goats, Ming. This is for hitting the Jade Wolves who might have bad thoughts about our goat meat," Zhi Xuan answered casually, resting the staff on his shoulder. "Besides, a heavy staff makes me look more imposing in front of the village girls."
Mingling shook his head. "Useless. They will only look at how much grain you can harvest, not how heavy your staff is. Just a mortal."
Both of them laughed. Laughter was Star Village's shield against the cruel world outside.
"Did you count the goats?" Zhi Xuan asked, reminding him.
Mingling put on a serious face. "Of course! There are one hundred and twenty-three. White goats, black, brown, thick-fleeced, thin-fleeced, short-bearded goats, long-bearded goats..."
"Enough, Ming! You didn't forget to count the little One-Eyed one, did you?"
Mingling flinched. "Oh, the One-Eyed goat! That's the most important one! If he's missing, Grandfather Wu will make us hit the grain sack until next year!"
They hurried out of the Star Village gate. The dirt path immediately led to the forest edge filled with thin mist. As soon as they passed the ironwood palisade boundary, the air became colder and more humid. The sound of mortal birds chirping was replaced by the faint distant howl of Wild Beasts.
"Alright, my poor human wheel," Zhi Xuan whispered to the Human Wheel inside his body, swinging his staff. "Let's see how far you can take me today."
They walked for almost an hour. Zhi Xuan made sure to observe the path closely. The ground here began to show rocks mixed with wet soil adorned with small marshy depressions, glittering faintly when hit by the sunlight penetrating the canopy. The trees towered as if supporting the sky, a faint aroma of sandalwood and the wind carrying the distinctive scent of morning dew.
Mingling led the herd of goats in front, the exactly one hundred and twenty-three goats, passing through the muddy path. The goats, with their merrily clanging bells, created a pastoral symphony that contrasted with the silence of the menacing primeval forest. Zhi Xuan walked behind, occasionally using his heavy staff to guide the goats attempting to stray into the bushes.
"You know, Zhi Xuan," Mingling suddenly broke the silence, his eyes focused on the One-Eyed goat walking awkwardly. "I once thought, why does Grandfather Wu never allow us to hunt too far?"
Zhi Xuan shrugged, swinging his staff. "You know the answer, Ming. 'Our limits are thin'. He always says that. To him, achieving the Divine Wheel itself is a limit we shouldn't touch."
"Yes, the Divine Wheel," Mingling snorted, cleaning the mud stuck to his shoe with the tip of his staff. "Who wants to live 200 years if 150 of those years are spent hitting grain sacks and being afraid of every shadow. The people in Shoutuo City might call us fools for being afraid to take the cultivation path, but for us, a healthy mortal wheel is enough."
Zhi Xuan just smiled faintly. He could feel the rotation of that cold flint wheel in his core. A wheel that had surpassed the mortal limit, giving him strength, but also giving him a deep fear. He was an anomaly.
"Maybe they are not fools," Zhi Xuan replied softly. "Maybe they are just pragmatic. If you become a Long-Life Mortal, you have 200 years to watch your grandchildren grow up. That's not a bad thing."
"True," Mingling said, jumping lightly to avoid a puddle that reflected the shadow of a giant tree. "Besides, I don't have the talent to swallow strange pills and soak myself in wild beast blood like the merchants tell. I prefer enjoying game meat cooked by Aunt Lian and drinking fermented wine than thinking about that painful Blood Transformation."
Mingling paused briefly, sighed, and looked at Zhi Xuan with a teasing gaze. "You are different. You are always curious. You know, when you punched the sack earlier, the look in your eyes seemed to want to shatter the sack, not just hit it. Do you really want to become a cultivator, Zhi Xuan?"
Zhi Xuan felt his heart pound, but managed to hide it with a light laugh. "Me? Become a cultivator? Impossible. I just want to beat Tang in the fishing competition next month! I need extra strength to pull that Iron Scale Fish. That's all!"
Mingling laughed heartily. "Iron Scale Fish? Don't be foolish! That fish is a half-mortal level Wild Beast! You need more than just a heavy staff to catch it!"
They continued their journey. As they walked further, the mist began to thin, replaced by the morning light penetrating the canopy and creating golden streaks of light among the leaves. They reached an area where the mud became drier, and the rocks on the ground looked smoother.
Zhi Xuan bent down, picking up a round piece of rock from the ground. The rock felt warm and slightly slippery. "Hey, look at this, Ming. Isn't this a strange rock?"
Mingling, who was busy pulling the rope of the One-Eyed Goat that kept trying to eat the moss on the trees, glanced quickly. "It's just jade, right? Just cleaner. That's why the grass in the southern outskirts pasture is so fertile. They say the eroded jade essence from the hidden mountains flows here."
Mingling finally managed to restrain the goat. "Oh, I remember. Aunt Lian wanted me to find some smooth jade stones to be sharpened into weaving needles. It would produce stronger thread. That's our task, fool! Collect some!"
"Right," Zhi Xuan mumbled. But he was not just looking at the stone; he felt a faint vibration from the spinning mortal wheel in his core. The wheel craved this stone. The energy inside it felt purer than anything he had ever absorbed through food.
Zhi Xuan carefully stored the stone in the pocket of his cold and soft robe.
"What about that grain sack?" Mingling suddenly asked, turning his head. "I still think that grain sack is a goat in disguise. It didn't move, it just pretended. You know, like Zhuwei, quietly strong."
Zhi Xuan chuckled. "If that grain sack is Zhuwei, then Zhuwei is the strongest in Star Village. It made my leg swell!"
"Speaking of swollen legs," Mingling lowered his voice, moving closer. "Did you notice Grandfather Wu just now? He looked like he was searching for something where the sack fell."
Zhi Xuan frowned. "Maybe he was worried we wasted too much sand. Sand is hard to get."
"No, that's not it," Mingling mysteriously shook his head. "He was staring at you, Zhi Xuan. With the same look he uses to stare at a very dangerous wild beast. Are you sure you didn't just break your ankle, but also broke the Laws of Heaven and Earth?"
Zhi Xuan offered a careless smile, although inside him, a cold sensation ran down his spine. He knew Wu Quezi had sensed something.
"The Laws of Heaven and Earth? I can't even crack a boiled eggshell without ruining it, Ming. I'm just a mortal youth trying to live until 80 and taste Aunt Lian's fermented wine. That's all," Zhi Xuan said, swinging his staff again, this time with a little more strength.
Both of them walked out of the forest shadow, and before them lay the vast Southern Outskirts Pasture. The grass here was short, dense, and a beautiful emerald green. At the edge of the pasture, a small river flowed calmly, the best place for the goats to drink. The view was peaceful, an oasis of mortality on the edge of the cruel Xing Luò Plain.
"Ah, freedom!" Mingling exclaimed, stretching out his arms, and letting the goats spread freely. "Here it is. Task complete. Now we wait until noon."
Mingling ran under the nearest tree by the riverbank, taking out a piece of dried game meat from his pouch. "You know what this means, Zhi Xuan? It means I am meditating while eating!"
Zhi Xuan just shook his head, laughing. He walked toward the river, letting the goats drink. He then sat down on the riverbank, took his staff, and observed it.
"A heavy staff, huh?" he murmured softly. His eyes stared far out at the river, watching the reflection of the goats drinking the river water, occasionally tapping his staff into the water when he saw some careless goats getting too close to the river.
Zhi Xuan immersed his thoughts for a moment, thinking about Mingling's previous words about becoming a cultivator. He asked himself if becoming a cultivator was as great as people boasted. Then, if a youth like him succeeded in becoming a cultivator, would it mean he would replace the village head?
"No, no, no!" Zhi Xuan shook his head when the thought of becoming the village head, replacing Grandfather Wu Quezi, surfaced. He shuddered at the thought of Grandfather Wu Quezi's staff flying at his head if Zhi Xuan dared to think such a thing. A small smile pulled at the corner of his lips as he recalled the days he grew up in Star Village, how he and the other youths were cared for by Grandfather Wu Quezi.
"Hey, don't you dare forget your duty, sapphire-eyed boy! I'm busy meditating," Mingling admonished from under the shade of the tree. He bit into a piece of dried game meat with a satisfied expression. "I don't want Grandfather Wu to pull our ears because our One-Eyed Goat was carried away by the current!"
Zhi Xuan immediately raised his head. His sharp eyes instantly found the small goat he meant. The One-Eyed Goat, which indeed had a visual impairment, was now standing too far at the water's edge, its nose almost touching the river surface. The water there looked darker, an indication of depth that might be dangerous for such a small creature.
"I see him!" Zhi Xuan replied, immediately standing up and aiming his staff. He tapped the tip of his staff on the ground, creating a distinctive knock-knock sound, a sound well-known by the goat herd as a signal to retreat. The One-Eyed Goat, responding to the sound, immediately turned and rejoined the herd in the safer pasture.
Zhi Xuan sat down again, now with a more vigilant gaze, his eyes observing every movement of the goats. Sitting by the riverbank like this always brought up a flood of memories. He looked at Mingling, who was now enjoying his lunch, and a faint smile formed on his face.
Star Village was their home, and Grandfather Wu Quezi was the pillar supporting the roof for all of them. The youths who trained together in the field—Tang, Bashan, Zhuwei, Mingling, and himself—were not just comrades; they were a family built by iron, sweat, and tough affection.
Zhi Xuan was the youngest in the group. He was found at the village gate one stormy night, wrapped in that mysterious black robe with red embroidery, and only had a worn bamboo scroll as his identity marker. He was raised by the entire village, but it was Wu Quezi who taught him every stance and every philosophy about the "mortal limit."
Mingling, on the other hand, was the most talkative and spirited. He was the son of the village's famous blacksmith. Since childhood, Mingling had shown athletic talent and agility, although lacking in raw strength. He was always the first to start a silly fight, and the first to pull the quieter Zhi Xuan into trouble.
Zhi Xuan remembered when they were children, they once tried to sneak into the primeval forest to find red berries that legend said could make them fly. They were almost eaten by a jade wolf, and only the quick intervention of Tang saved them, although both of them had to endure the pain of Grandfather Wu's staff hitting them for a full week.
Tang, the stocky youth, was always the protective older brother. He was the largest and strongest among them, muscular from helping his father, a woodcutter, since childhood. Tang was the perfect representation of the pure, mortal power of the mortal wheel: devastating punches, remarkable endurance, and a simple heart.
Tang always took care of Zhi Xuan and Mingling, making sure they got enough portions of game meat and protecting them from minor bullying from other villages during trade exchanges.
Then there was Bashan, whose body was as big as Tang's, but his mind was calmer. Bashan was the thinker. He always won breath endurance competitions, not because his lungs were bigger, but because he mastered the art of calming his mind. Bashan was the one who taught Zhi Xuan how to focus his thoughts during stance practice, explaining that true strength begins with internal peace, even for a mortal.
Lastly was Zhuwei. Zhuwei was a quiet figure, with jet-black hair that was always tied back, and rarely spoke unless absolutely necessary. He was the most mysterious, but also the most persistent. Zhuwei was the only one who could last the longest in the log-lifting exercise under Wu Quezi's supervision. He was the representation of pure diligence. Zhuwei once said to Zhi Xuan, "We are mortals. The only magic we have is consistency."
These five youths—Tang, Bashan, Zhuwei, Mingling, and Zhi Xuan—grew up in the same rhythm: the sound of the blacksmith's hammer, the howl of wild beasts, the cry of babies, the laughter during harvest, and the sound of Wu Quezi's staff hitting the training field. They all knew their roles. They trained hard not to become gods or immortals; they trained hard to become the foundation of Star Village. They trained hard to live up to 80 years and ensure the next generation could do the same.
However, within Zhi Xuan, that cracked spinning wheel had changed everything. He still loved Star Village and his friends, but he knew he had broken the unspoken promise they all held. He had crossed the line.
Mingling finished eating, and was now sitting cross-legged under the tree. "You know, I'm jealous of you, Zhi Xuan," he said suddenly, his voice softer than usual.
Zhi Xuan turned his head. "Jealous of me? Because my leg was almost broken?"
Mingling laughed softly. "Not that. I'm jealous of your sapphire eyes. They always see things we don't. You are always looking for the limit, even when we should be satisfied. One day, I am sure you will shatter that grain sack, and then... you will surpass Star Village."
Zhi Xuan felt a pang in his heart. "I will never surpass you, Ming. I just... I just want to know where this black robe came from. If I become stronger, maybe I can remember. Maybe I can find out who my parents were and why they left me."
Mingling nodded, without a teasing tone. "Well, don't think about it too much. Let's sleep for a bit. After this, we will pass through the jade valley area. Remember Grandfather Wu's instructions: never touch the jade valley rocks directly. They are too pure."
Zhi Xuan just nodded. He tightened his grip on his staff that felt so solid. The jade valley. Rocks that were too pure and also dangerous for them. He closed his eyes, letting the warmth of the sun in the southern outskirts pasture calm him.