The next morning, Zhang Xiaohua opened his eyes and saw the unfamiliar yet cozy little room. It was then that he remembered he was sleeping in his grandmother’s house.

Zhang Xiaohua turned over and got up. It was still early. Zhang Xiaohu, who had stayed up late the previous night, was still asleep. Zhang Xiaohua left the house alone.

The courtyard was quiet. The rising sun had just cast its first warm rays onto the modest yard. Zhang Xiaohua stood in the courtyard for a moment before heading out, making his way directly to the back of the house.

His grandmother’s grave was well-maintained, the small mound free of weeds—clearly tended to frequently. Seeing this from afar, Zhang Xiaohua felt a deep ache in his heart. Approaching the grave, he knelt and bowed, remaining there in silence. He didn’t know how much time had passed before a voice came from behind him: “Xiaohua, it’s been years since I last saw you. You’ve grown up and handled yourself well. If your grandmother’s spirit is watching, she’d surely be pleased.”

Startled, Zhang Xiaohua turned around and said: “Father, there are many things I’m unsure about, whether they’re right or wrong. But as long as I feel at peace with my conscience, I’ll do them. Maybe they’re right, maybe they’re wrong, but at least I won’t regret them.”

Looking at his son’s face, now showing signs of maturity, Zhang Cai said with relief: “I’m just a simple farmer. I don’t have much wisdom to share. If you believe it’s right, then do it and don’t regret it.”

“I understand, Father,” Zhang Xiaohua replied. “I’m doing well outside, but I miss home and Grandmother.”

Zhang Cai smiled. “Your eldest brother often comes to tidy up your grandmother’s grave. Every time, he says that if he misses even a single spot, Xiaohua would never let him hear the end of it. Haha, everyone misses her, just like you do.”

“Oh, by the way, Father, you and Eldest Brother have been farming so much land these past two years. It must’ve been hard on you.”

“It’s nothing. We’re used to it. A day without work or tending the fields feels strange. Alright, no need to talk about this. Go back and have breakfast.”

After finishing his meal, Zhang Xiaohua put down his bowl and chopsticks and said_ “I’ll go fetch water.”

Liu Qian said, “No need, Xiaohua. Your eldest brother has been doing that these past two years. You should sit and rest.”

“No, no need to rest, Sister-in-law. I’ve already slept a full night and recovered. Let me go back to doing what I’m used to.”

With that, he ran off to grab the water buckets. Zhang Xiaolong and Liu Qian couldn’t stop him, so they had no choice but to let him go.

Zhang Xiaohua, familiar with the routine, left the house and headed toward the back slope. Many villagers along the way greeted him warmly, as most knew of how the Zhang brothers had returned in honor and glory. Zhang Xiaohua responded to each greeting with a smile.

Once he left the village, the number of people dwindled.

The land on the back slope wasn’t good, so not many had cultivated it. Even those who had cleared land kept a distance from Zhang Xiaohua’s plot. It was still early, so no one else was around.

Zhang Xiaohua leisurely walked to his own plot of land. It was early autumn, and the crops were ready for harvest. Seeing the bountiful produce on the land he had cleared himself, his heart was filled with joy.

After checking on his field, Zhang Xiaohua quickly descended the slope and arrived at the well behind the hill. This time, fetching water wasn’t just about getting water—it was also about investigating the mystery of the well water. Why did it contain the Yuan Qi of Heaven and Earth?

Placing the bucket on the ground, Zhang Xiaohua looked around to confirm no one was nearby. Then, he sat cross-legged, calmed his mind, and followed the method outlined in the Carefree Heart Sutra to release his spiritual perception. As soon as his perception spread out, Zhang Xiaohua was startled again, no less than the shock he’d felt at Zhang Chengyue’s courtyard. The Yuan Qi around the well was incredibly dense, comparable to that of the Medicinal Hall of the Piaomiao Sect. However, unlike the usual downward flow of Yuan Qi Zhang Xiaohua had sensed before, the Yuan Qi here was rising from below, diffusing between heaven and earth.

Zhang Xiaohua quickly understood: there was undoubtedly something unusual about this well—likely something rich in Yuan Qi generating this phenomenon. Could it be Yuan Stones? But according to the [Carefree Heart Sutra], Yuan Stones stored Qi internally and didn’t release it like this.

Still, Zhang Xiaohua’s cultivation was still shallow, and he couldn’t control his perception too far, so how could he discover the secret in the well?

Additionally, ever since his near mishap with Qi deviation the previous night, he hadn’t had a chance to examine his True Qi. Now, he followed the method from the Heart Sutra to circulate his Qi briefly. He found his meridians and True Qi to be normal, with no noticeable changes. The only difference was that his True Qi felt a bit more lively today, with faint, subtle fluctuations.

Given how ideal this slope was for cultivation, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t resist. He instinctively began drawing the surrounding Qi into his body for a brief practice session. However, just as his perception drew the Yuan Qi from the well toward him, he suddenly felt a strong pulling force above his right hand. It seemed to be tugging his perception toward a specific direction.

Zhang Xiaohua’s spiritual perception couldn’t extend far. It felt like there was something just out of reach, no matter how hard he tried. He immediately stopped drawing Qi, opened his eyes, and stood up to check the direction. To his surprise, it seemed to point back to the field he had just come from. What could be there?

Puzzled, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t understand. Every stone and clump of soil in that field had been cleared by his own hands—he knew it as well as the back of his palm. How could there be anything unusual?

Nevertheless, he put down the bucket and returned to the field on the slope. Looking around, he didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. The field was filled with crops. Could it be something buried beneath the crops?

Zhang Xiaohua surveyed the area carefully before approaching the large stone lying at the edge of the field. He sat cross-legged on it and released his spiritual perception. However, the Yuan Qi in the air above the field was ordinary and no denser than what he had sensed near the well. His perception swept across the field, but nothing unusual came to light. Unwilling to give up, Zhang Xiaohua decided to repeat his earlier attempt, preparing to draw Qi into his body. Just as he opened his pores to absorb the Qi in the field, an immense surge of Yuan Qi suddenly rushed into his body through the pores below him. This Qi was pure, mellow, and gentle. Unlike ordinary Qi that required refinement, this energy seamlessly integrated with his True Qi as it flowed into his meridians. After circulating through his meridians, only a negligible amount was refined away before the Qi settled in his middle dantian.

At that moment, realization struck Zhang Xiaohua—could the stone he was sitting on be the legendary Yuan Stone?

But Yuan Stones were said to be the size of a broad bean or at most as large as a fingertip. How could the Yuan Stone he was sitting on be so massive, larger than a reclining ox?

Was this truly a Yuan Stone?

With such thoughts, Zhang Xiaohua abandoned the conventional method of absorbing Qi and instead adopted the specialized Yuan Stone absorption technique recorded in the Carefree Heart Sutra. The only adjustment he made was substituting the hand-related meridians with those in his legs and lower body—after all, Qi absorption through the meridians followed the same principles.

The experience was utterly different from absorbing ambient Yuan Qi. As soon as Zhang Xiaohua began the technique, an overwhelming surge of Yuan Qi erupted from the stone beneath him. It felt as if he were sitting atop a geyser, with the Yuan Qi threatening to launch him into the heavens. His body, like a small boat caught in a storm, swayed uncontrollably as the endless stream of Yuan Qi poured into him.

Zhang Xiaohua had never anticipated encountering such a bizarre phenomenon in this manner. He had no choice but to calm his mind and focus all his attention on absorbing the Yuan Qi, guiding it into his meridians, and channeling it throughout his body.

Gradually, the True Qi in his meridians thickened. What was once as fine as a thread now swelled to the thickness of a finger and continued to expand. Moreover, the speed at which the Qi circulated increased noticeably. A single flicker of True Qi now covered a much greater distance within his meridians compared to before.

With his full focus on drawing the Qi into his body and refining it, Zhang Xiaohua entered an extraordinary state. It felt as though the entire world had vanished, leaving only himself. In this profound realm, his Qi absorption, refinement, and every thought became the sole essence of existence. His will was the core of this universe, shaping and controlling everything within it.

It was unclear how much time had passed when the True Qi within Zhang Xiaohua’s body gradually reached a peak. His meridians were already filled to capacity, unable to hold any more Qi. Zhang Xiaohua’s consciousness seemed detached, allowing him to maintain a calm and rational control over everything. With a single thought, he directed the process according to the methods described in the [Carefree Heart Sutra], advancing toward the second level of the technique.

The abundant true Qi filled every corner of his meridians. Following his mental guidance, the Qi began to impact a specific point within his meridians. This point appeared to be obstructed by a thin membrane, impervious to even the surging True Qi. Undeterred, Zhang Xiaohua continued to absorb Yuan Qi from the Yuan Stone while guiding his True Qi to repeatedly strike the barrier. Once, twice—he lost count of how many attempts he made. As exhaustion crept into his mind, the Qi within his meridians had also accumulated to its absolute limit.

At that moment, a flash of insight illuminated Zhang Xiaohua’s thoughts. Gathering all his True Qi, he launched a final, all-out assault on the barrier. Suddenly, a crisp “crack” echoed in his mind like a bolt of lightning. The membrane shattered, and the boundless true Qi poured through the opening like a raging flood, surging into new pathways. Zhang Xiaohua had officially entered the second level of the [Carefree Heart Sutra].

The moment the barrier broke, Zhang Xiaohua’s entire being was thrust into a new realm. A completely novel sensation enveloped his senses, as though he had been reborn into a higher state of existence.

Without pausing to reflect on these changes, Zhang Xiaohua immediately began circulating the second-level techniques of the [Carefree Heart Sutra]. He fully mobilized the True Qi within his meridians, directing it through this unfamiliar terrain while refining it continuously. Unlike before, this refinement not only tempered his True Qi but also expanded and strengthened the new meridians.

The True Qi, which had reached its limits during the first level, now underwent further refinement, reducing by more than half. The newly formed second-layer meridians were seamlessly connected to the first layer, creating a larger, integrated meridian system. Though the previously abundant True Qi had diminished through refinement, it quickly regained strength as more YuanQi from the Yuan Stone was absorbed.

The True Qi, initially as thin as thread, grew thicker once more, reaching the width of a finger. Its circulation speed remained astonishingly swift, covering significant distances within the meridians with each pulse.