Li Yundong declined Duoji Danzeng's invitation, retracing his steps for over an hour until dusk began to settle. He arrived at a clear, broad river, bent down to drink the cool water, and washed his face.

Lifting his head, Li Yundong suddenly found a graceful, slender figure standing before him.

The person wore a long, purple gown, draped in a layer of faint white gauze, seemingly enveloped in a soft celestial mist. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, her gaze distant yet profound; it was Ziyuan.

Ziyuan scrutinized Li Yundong, a hint of admiration flickering in her eyes.

Startled by Ziyuan's sudden appearance, Li Yundong looked around in astonishment and exclaimed, "How did you get here?"

Ziyuan smiled faintly and replied, "Didn't I tell you I would come find you once you successfully established your Foundation?"

Li Yundong was surprised. "Do you have telepathy? How could you arrive so quickly?"

Ziyuan smiled but said nothing. A thought suddenly struck Li Yundong, and he probed tentatively, "You haven't been following me the whole time, have you?"

Ziyuan offered no reply, simply turning and walking in one direction. Li Yundong called out loudly behind her, "Hey, I'm talking to you! You haven't been trailing me this entire way, have you?"

But Ziyuan offered no response, walking at an unhurried pace ahead. Li Yundong caught up to her, his voice tinged with oddity. "Hey, if you really were following me the whole time, did you see me nearly meet disaster and decide not to lend a hand?"

Ziyuan suddenly stopped, turned around, and stated seriously, "Do you know what the I Ching says?"

Li Yundong paused. "No."

Ziyuan declared, "Heaven moves vigorously; thus, the noble person ceaselessly strives for self-improvement!"

Li Yundong's expression sobered; he vaguely grasped the meaning behind her words.

Ziyuan's usual composure was replaced by rare solemnity. She continued, "Do you know the meaning of this? What does 'ceaselessly striving' truly mean? Why not just 'keep improving'? If I appeared to help you every time you encountered hardship, would that truly be cultivation? Always remember, the only one who can truly help you in this world is yourself!"

Li Yundong was deeply shaken. He thought: Indeed, if I hadn't endured such arduous cultivation on this journey, how could I have established my Foundation on a peak over six thousand meters high? How could I have cultivated the Great Hand Seal so rapidly? How could I have survived the sneak attack from those two thugs?

The very first line of the Qian hexagram in the I Ching states: Heaven moves vigorously; thus, the noble person ceaselessly strives for self-improvement!

Did I perhaps believe that having obtained the Human-Essence Golden Elixir, I no longer needed to strive, and that all benefits would simply fall into my lap?

Li Yundong's demeanor became solemn, and he said earnestly, "I have learned my lesson; thank you for this sharp awakening. I was frivolous and impatient just now!"

Ziyuan nodded, a slight smile gracing her lips. "You don't need to be so tense. I observed everything you did along the way. Your progress in cultivation is truly astonishing, rare even in this age. Just remember never to become complacent; know that you have only just stepped across the threshold on the path of cultivation!"

Li Yundong nodded, his expression reflective. "You are correct. Human perception is like a circle. The area inside this circle is our understanding; outside is the world. The smaller the inner area, the less contact we have with the world. But when my perception suddenly expanded so much, I realized I was even more ignorant about the world!"

Ziyuan smiled. "That's because you've encountered more unknowns! Your pace of cultivation is too fast now. Although your power is growing quickly, your fundamental cultivation skills are not solid enough. For many things, you know what happens, but not why it happens. For instance, what is the nature of your Great Hand Seal technique? Where does the Great Hand Seal of Esoteric Buddhism originate? Why must it be paired with mantras to be effective?"

Li Yundong was momentarily stunned, his eyes involuntarily lighting up. "Yes, I never considered those questions." He looked eagerly at Ziyuan. "Can you tell me why?"

Ziyuan smiled. "I'll say it again: Heaven moves vigorously; thus, the noble person ceaselessly strives for self-improvement. I can only point you toward a path; how you walk it is your own business. You can go back and slowly search for related texts and study them yourself."

Li Yundong was surprised. "Are these books like the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon—cultivation texts that are readily available everywhere?"

Ziyuan sighed. "The Great Dao is formless; the supreme principle is simple. Many people eagerly gaze into the distance seeking the broad road to immortality, without realizing that the true path of cultivation lies right beneath their feet!"

Li Yundong felt a sense of enlightenment, nodding inwardly. He then asked, "Then, shall we fly back directly?"

Ziyuan laughed softly. "Fly back? Are you joking? The Tibetan Plateau is so high, already close to the heavens. If you fly up again now, in the height of summer, aren't you afraid of being struck by heavenly lightning?"

Li Yundong asked, puzzled. "What is the reasoning behind that?"

Ziyuan explained gently, "It’s the same principle as a lightning rod. Cultivators are inherently powerful energy bodies, and Heaven is extremely sensitive to these energy signatures. If you stay low, it's one thing, but you yourself are a massive energy body, and you insist on flying so high, especially during the summer when thunder is abundant—if heavenly lightning doesn't strike you, who will it strike?"

As she spoke, Ziyuan added, "You must remember two laws of the cultivation world: the closer you are to Heaven, the closer heavenly lightning is to you; the greater your power, the more formidable the future lightning tribulation will be!"

Li Yundong couldn't help but give a wry smile. "So, it's inevitable that I'll be struck by lightning, and it will be a fatal one?"

Ziyuan smiled faintly. "Not necessarily. Why do we Daoists pursue longevity? Because we believe that man can conquer Heaven!"

Saying this, she resumed walking forward. "Let's go, it's time to return. Once we get back, I can teach you the techniques of divine abilities!"

Li Yundong’s heart stirred with excitement. "Can you teach me the flying spell first?"

Ziyuan laughed. "You can't get fat in one bite; let's take it one step at a time." Then, remembering something, she took a train ticket from her pocket and handed it to Li Yundong. "Here is your ticket."

"That's great, you even bought my ticket? Do you tell fortunes? How did you know I would establish my Foundation exactly now?" Li Yundong said, smiling as he took the ticket, but his expression froze as he glanced at it. "No way, a Puliè?"

Ziyuan walked on without turning back. "You saw correctly. A Puliè!"

Li Yundong was aghast. "Are you saying that train that stops at every station, has green carriages, gets so crowded in the aisles you can't even get to the restroom?"

Ziyuan stopped and couldn't help but sigh. "It seems so!"

Li Yundong was caught between laughter and tears. "No way! Even if I, a grown man, have to endure it, you, a fairy-like beauty, have to ride such a slow train with me? Are you kidding me?"

Ziyuan turned to face him. "Do you think I am an omnipotent immortal? Even my sect's connections don't extend this far. This is Esoteric Buddhism's territory. I stood in line and bought this ticket myself!"

Li Yundong offered a placating smile. "You could have bought a ticket for the high-speed train!"

Ziyuan showed a rare, distinctly feminine expression, rubbing her temples with a bitter smile. "Don't you realize this is the peak period for students returning to school? Tickets are hard to buy!"

This expression suddenly made Li Yundong realize: this beautiful woman, who seemed completely untouched by the mundane world, was actually just a girl not much older than himself.

"So even a fairy has to worry about things like this in the mortal world?" Li Yundong couldn't help but chuckle.

Ziyuan looked at Li Yundong and couldn't help but think: Today, seeing him fight three opponents, although he was ruthless—killing one, dispatching another—his demeanor and actions were still measured, his fury not clouding his judgment. The counter-strikes that turned the tide were brilliant, hinting at the bearing of a Grandmaster! I thought he was precocious for his age, but now I see his youthful nature still lingers. However, he is only twenty, not much older than Hong Ling; I shouldn't be overly demanding.

Encountering a familiar face on the unfamiliar Tibetan Plateau, and thinking about returning soon, Li Yundong's spirits soared. He waved his hand and laughed heartily, "Let's go, time to head home!"

He took a couple of steps, then suddenly stopped. "Where are we catching this train?"

Ziyuan replied, "Lhasa!"

Li Yundong's expression became strange. "How far is that from here?"

Ziyuan said calmly, "Probably several hundred kilometers."

Li Yundong gave a wry smile. "Don't tell me we have to run the entire way?"

Ziyuan glanced at him strangely. "Do you want to fly up and invite lightning to strike you?" She pointed toward the sky. Li Yundong looked up and indeed saw heavy, swirling clouds overhead. He couldn't help but curse, "Damn it, the moment I establish my Foundation, a patch of dark clouds covers my head. What's the meaning of this!"

Ziyuan started walking. "Let's go. Your pace isn't slow; running for a few days should get us there."

A thought sparked in Li Yundong's mind, and he chuckled. "I have an idea!" Saying this, he ran back toward the location where he had established his Foundation. After a few steps, he looked back and saw Ziyuan standing in place, watching him in confusion.

Li Yundong ran back and grabbed her arm. "Just follow me, I have a way!"

Ziyuan was caught off guard, her arm grasped by Li Yundong. Her body trembled slightly, and her eyes widened in shock as she stared at him holding her wrist. Li Yundong suddenly realized his action was rash; he released her hand and managed an awkward smile. "Sorry, I just got excited. I didn't mean anything else, don't overthink it. I just suddenly remembered those two guys who tried to rob me left a car behind. We can drive; it will save time, right?"

Ziyuan paused briefly before regaining her composure, saying faintly, "It's fine. You lead the way, and I'll follow behind."

Although her expression remained calm, after Li Yundong turned away, her other hand unconsciously pressed against the wrist he had just held. Her thoughts were complex, and she stared into the distance with a lingering gaze: The Golden Elixir appears, settling worldly ties; the thunder first sounds, revealing the truth.

What exactly did this "revealing the truth" mean?

Did it point to true feeling, or the actual truth?

I thought that the last time this young man summoned lightning to execute Heavenly justice, it fulfilled the cryptic verse, "the thunder first sounds, revealing the truth." But looking back, I feel that wasn't quite right.

This young man, though a rare cultivation genius of the century, deeply loves another woman, and I feel no particular affection for him. There seems no possibility for them to be together. What exactly did Master's cryptic verse mean?

Ziyuan looked at Li Yundong’s retreating back, her heart churning with a thousand thoughts and worries.