To observe nature, to comprehend nature, to merge with nature, and to utilize nature—this is the Way, and the sole path for a Nether Cultivator's advancement,” the old man remarked with a gentle smile as he watched Chen Feng finally catch a fish, sensing the youth had glimpsed the initial stages of the Way of Nature.

Chen Feng nodded, his heart surging with excitement. He eagerly sought guidance from the old man regarding the secret arts of Nether Cultivation, but the elder merely shook his head, claiming ignorance. He admitted to having practiced as a Nether Cultivator in his youth, but a great deal of time had passed, and furthermore, he had only learned the most rudimentary methods, completely missing the essential core. For many years, he had relied solely on fishing, through which he had accumulated a deeper understanding of this particular realm.

The Way of Nature is also called the Heavenly Way. Anything pursued to its absolute extreme will evoke a sense of comprehending the Heavenly Way.

When Li Bai’s poetry reached its zenith, his brush flowed effortlessly, yielding a thousand words as if divinely inspired; every piece was a stroke of genius, placing him impossibly high above later generations. When Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy achieved perfection, a single draft of the Lantingji Xu (Preface to the Poems Composed at the Gathering on the Banks of the Orchid Pavilion) unleashed elegance through ink and brush, surpassing all others across millennia.

This is what is meant by the Heavenly Way. To put it plainly, the human heart—when dedicated to a single endeavor until it reaches its utmost limit—becomes the Heavenly Way!

The old man had been fishing for forty years, and he only ever caught these peculiar, warm-blooded fish. In his level of integration with the Heavenly Way, his power likely already rivaled that of a Nether Venerable. However, without the corresponding cultivation techniques, even such a high realm amounted to nothing more than skilled fishing.

This is similar to how Li Bai’s poetry and Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy reached unparalleled heights, yet it doesn’t imply they possessed overwhelming combat strength. Different fields require specialized expertise, and the trajectory of the Heavenly Way varies. Only martial power that aligns with the Heavenly Way constitutes the strongest force.

However, a higher realm inherently means cultivation becomes effortless. If a set of Nether Cultivation techniques were presented now, and both the old man and Chen Feng studied them simultaneously, perhaps ten Chen Fengs wouldn't cultivate as fast as the old man. This is the disparity of realm.

Jordan’s golf game, even for shots he played recently, was superior to many who had practiced since childhood. This wasn't because he trained longer or possessed superior innate talent; it was because his fundamental realm was established. Once that realm is strong, practicing other skills becomes intuitive.

Many people find learning a foreign language difficult. But once one language is mastered, learning a second feels simpler than the first. Some individuals even achieve fluency in seven or eight languages. Such people have reached a specific realm where studying any subsequent language becomes significantly easier for them than for others.

Cao Xueqin once wrote, "Understanding the complexities of the world is scholarship; mastering human relations is literature." Worldly matters can all become scholarship. Nature itself can become the Dao. Consider a modern example: certain master writers have attained a realm where anything they write is guaranteed to be a masterpiece. This isn't merely due to favorable audience reception; sometimes it has nothing to do with popularity, but rather a deep accumulation of experience and attainment of that profound realm.

(For instance, the pseudonym "Ba Bu Fu Tu" used by Fenghuo Xi Zhuhou, who wrote The Inquisition, was very popular back then. Alas... the man abandoned the work. A lingering grievance…)

Take fishing again as an example. A seasoned angler can ascertain the water temperature, which depths various fish inhabit, what bait certain species prefer, and the optimal times for bites... Mastering these details allows them to catch fish ten times faster than an average person. Some might land a fish every ten seconds, while others might not catch a single one all day. This, too, is a manifestation of realm.

The Way of Nature is ubiquitous. A painter who draws frequently can instinctively render straight lines and perfect angles, often more accurately than with a ruler. A merchant who has sold goods for years can instantly estimate weight with remarkable accuracy, seldom off by a hair when placed on a scale. A sharpshooter fires based on feel, striking the bullseye a hundred paces away. Even reading novels extensively develops a sense: one can perceive the author's personality and mental state through the text...

These intuitions are expressions of merging with the Heavenly Way. The more intensely one studies a subject, the higher their personal realm climbs, and the closer they get to the Heavenly Way.

The old man has fished for forty years, reaching the absolute peak of his realm in fishing, perhaps unrivaled. Yet, in terms of combat, Chen Feng could end his life with a single punch.

The old man’s integration with nature granted him unparalleled skill in concealment. Fishing demands stillness; otherwise, the fish scatter. Having stood motionless for forty years while fishing, he could appear as indistinguishable from a rock, which is the primary reason Chen Feng's spiritual perception failed to locate him.

Though Chen Feng didn't learn the specific techniques of Nether Cultivation, he absorbed the essence of that profound artistic conception from the old man, and a clear path gradually opened before his eyes.

Absorbed in this artistic conception, it was unknowingly evening. After fishing for over four hours, Chen Feng had only landed three fish, while the old man had already caught more than fifty.

However, the gains from this afternoon far outweighed the fish; it was truly a case where the journey surpassed the catch.

Returning to their lodgings, Chen Feng thoroughly reviewed the day's experiences. After finishing dinner, he retreated into the room prepared for him.

The White family was very kind. Having rescued him, and now aware of his supposed amnesia, they showed no inclination to send him away.

Chen Feng resumed wearing the Dark Gold Iron he had forged into armor. He distinctly remembered wearing it before his battle with the Golden Profound Tiger, yet it later ended up inside the water flask; he surmised Yan Long had placed it there when controlling his body, finding it too heavy.

Once the Dark Gold Iron armor was on, Chen Feng intentionally suppressed his power, finally feeling at ease. Given his current ignorance of Nether Cultivator capabilities, caution was best.

Just as he was about to take out the cultivation platform fashioned from the Yellow Jade Demon Crystal, a knock sounded at the door.

“Brother Chen Feng,” Xiao Rou’s voice called from outside the room.

Xiao Rou wasn't conventionally beautiful; she was average, falling short of Ling Feng, and even slightly behind Dee in appearance. However, she possessed an inherent simplicity and sincerity that made being near her wonderfully relaxing.

“What is it?” Chen Feng retracted the cultivation platform and opened the door.

Xiao Rou was wearing a pure white, long dress tonight, resembling a blooming lily under the clean moonlight.

Chen Feng frowned and spoke stiffly, “Is something the matter?”

Xiao Rou, oblivious to his expression, replied joyfully, “Tonight is the annual Festival of Divine Descent! Let’s go celebrate together!”

“Festival of Divine Descent?”

“Yes! Legend says that over ten thousand years ago, on this very day, the God of Justice descended here. From that moment, our region bid farewell to the barbaric age, gaining human civilization and cultivation methods, allowing people to live better lives. To commemorate this, the day was named the Festival of Divine Descent—a day of joyous celebration! All the village youths have already gathered. I thought you might be bored alone, so I called you to join!” Xiao Rou quickly explained.

Chen Feng was about to decline when Xiao Rou continued, “You have amnesia; you should see more of the world. Perhaps it could help you recall something. I heard that’s how amnesiacs often recover.”

True enough, Chen Feng mused, it’s a good opportunity to learn more about this world. Cultivation can wait a bit. He made up his mind.

“Alright, I’ll go,” Chen Feng said, “Where is the gathering spot?” He started to step out of the courtyard.

“You… you’re going out just like that?” Xiao Rou asked anxiously.

“What’s wrong?” Chen Feng looked at her.

“I mean, you’re wearing my father’s clothes right now, and they’re a bit too big on you. You should at least change into something else!” Xiao Rou said. Her dark hair shone under the moonlight, and the faint scent of a young girl filled the night air, strangely alluring.

However, Chen Feng had always been rather dense about romance. He glanced down at himself. White had given him these clothes after rescuing him, and now they indeed looked somewhat mismatched.

He hesitated. His water flask held many clean clothes, but bringing them out now would surely cause shock. Not only would the style clash drastically with this world’s fashion, but possessing spatial artifacts alone would likely cause an uproar in this small village.

After a moment’s contemplation, he reluctantly admitted, “I don’t have any other clothes!”

“I know you don’t. There’s a shop not far from here that sells clothes. We can go take a look, and buy you an outfit!” Xiao Rou smiled, revealing two sweet dimples on her cheeks.

“Fine,” Chen Feng nodded, then added, “But I don't have any money!”

“…I do!” Xiao Rou sighed with slight exasperation.

The two left the small courtyard and walked towards the nearby shop. The village store was quite simple, but having clothes for sale was already a blessing.

Because it was the Festival of Divine Descent, the air was filled with singing and laughter; everyone had left their homes to celebrate outdoors, and the shop was packed shoulder-to-shoulder.

“Xiao Rou, come to buy things! Oh, and who is this?” the shop proprietress asked upon seeing Chen Feng.

“This is… this is the young man my father rescued this morning, his name is Chen Feng. I’m buying clothes for him!” Xiao Rou explained.

“Oh!” The proprietress smiled, turning to retrieve a few garments from the back. Since it was a small shop, they only stocked three styles in total.

Chen Feng casually selected one and changed into it. Already robust, wearing the new clothes made him look like a completely different person—incredibly spirited.

“What a sturdy young man,” the proprietress praised. “He looks even more vigorous than A’Can!”

A’Can was the strongest young man in the village; he now served as a guard at the church in the nearby town and had already achieved the rank of a 3rd-level Copper Armorer.

“How much?” Xiao Rou asked.

“One hundred and sixty,” the proprietress stated.

Xiao Rou responded, pulling several sheets of paper from her pocket and handing them over. “Here you go!”

As Chen Feng saw these papers, his mind went ‘boom,’ and a strange expression crossed his face. He snatched the papers from her hand, his voice trembling slightly: “This is… money?”

“Yes,” Xiao Rou and the proprietress both looked at Chen Feng, seeming slightly puzzled.

Chen Feng held the money in his palm. They were one-unit notes and fifty-unit notes. Their appearance and texture were almost identical to those from his previous life, only the portrait in the center had changed.

Looking closely at the portrait, Chen Feng finally couldn't contain a gasp: “Senior Yan Long…”

P.S.: Monthly votes have increased from 74 to 90. Although it took almost four days, I did find 15 more, so Old Ya keeps his word: today’s update is 12,000 words. Heh heh… (To be continued. If you wish to know what happens next, please log on to www**com for more chapters, support the author, and support legitimate reading!) First release

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