Where Does Fortune Come From? (4)

The cave was shrouded in darkness.

I took my time, allowing my eyes to adjust to the gloom.

Every nerve was on edge, as if something might leap out at any moment. But it wasn’t wild beasts or people I feared.

Even in the dark, I could handle them with my eyes closed. Surely, no master of such caliber that I couldn’t handle would be guarding this forgotten cave.

What I truly feared were the hidden traps or poisonous creatures that might lurk within. Tiny, venomous insects or unexpected mechanical devices.

A trap that shoots darts is manageable.

But what if the ceiling opened and poured down poison? Or if the floor gave way, sending me plummeting off a cliff?

Such mechanisms were installed in the important buildings of the Martial Alliance. Darts flying from all directions, poison spraying everywhere, and rooms sealing shut to release toxic gas.

Thankfully, this cave had none of those.

How far had I walked?

Suddenly, the cave widened into a vast chamber.

“Ah!”

An involuntary gasp escaped my lips. My first thought was this:

How could such a place exist inside a cave?

In the center, a pond drew my gaze.

I walked slowly toward it. I didn’t know where the water came from, but it was crystal clear. Sunlight streamed in through small holes in the walls.

Peering through those pinprick holes, I could see the sky. They seemed to open toward a cliff.

Moss grew on the cave walls, and unknown plants and flowers sprouted here and there.

It was a scene out of a dream, a veritable paradise within the cave.

Then, a single flower caught my eye. Like a lone star shining among the crowd, it stood out among the other blooms.

A more profound exclamation escaped me than when I first saw this space.

“Ah!”

I knew exactly what that sun-like red flower was.

“The Solar Grass!”

The Solar Grass was a rare, high-grade elixir. Consuming it was said to grant a martial artist the internal energy of a full cycle in an instant.

“The presence of Solar Grass here means…”

I leaped back instinctively.

Quickly, I scanned my surroundings. I had heard that the Solar Grass was guarded by the Dark King Snake.

The Dark King Snake was a completely black serpent, not just any venomous snake but a guardian spirit of the Solar Grass.

It was said to live by consuming the essence of the Solar Grass, coexisting like light and shadow. If the Solar Grass died, so would the Dark King Snake.

Moreover, the snake’s venom was so potent that without immunity to all poisons, a single bite meant instant death. It was such a rare snake that no antidote existed.

Sure enough, a black snake lay coiled in the nearby grass.

The Dark King Snake raised its head, sensing my presence. Its tongue flicked as our eyes met.

The venomous aura it exuded was so intense that I felt dizzy even from a distance.

I slowly drew my sword.

I was about to strike it down with a single blow but hesitated.

A strange feeling told me not to kill it.

I retreated further. As I distanced myself from the Solar Grass, the Dark King Snake lowered its head back into its coil.

A question suddenly arose.

Why hadn’t the person who created the doll killed the Dark King Snake and consumed the Solar Grass? Why had they gone to the trouble of creating a special mechanism to lead someone here?

I wondered if I was missing something.

I ventured back in.

Careful not to provoke the Dark King Snake, I examined the inner space from a distance.

Then I noticed a small passageway in a corner of the wall.

It was in a place hard to find unless you looked closely. If I had been distracted by the Solar Grass and the Dark King Snake, I would never have noticed it.

There!

I felt I had to go there first.

I wasn’t sure if I could enter the cave without provoking the Dark King Snake.

It was a bit away from the snake, so it seemed possible, yet it also felt like it might attack.

Killing it would be easy. The challenge was reaching that spot without doing so.

Was it worth the risk?

I trusted my instincts to answer that question.

I moved slowly along the wall. Very slowly, with patience. Whenever the snake seemed to react, I stopped.

It was aware of my movements. But because I moved so slowly, it didn’t perceive me as a threat.

After nearly an hour, I reached the crevice. There was indeed a passage just wide enough for a person to pass through.

Inside, there was another small space. Light filtered in, and plants grew there too.

In one corner, a skeleton leaned against the wall.

A book lay before it.

I carefully picked it up.

The Art of the Celestial Crane

The first page of the manual read:

In my later years, I stumbled upon this place. I leave these insights, gained in joy, for those who follow.

The manual detailed the martial arts of the doll. It explained in detail how to channel energy and unleash power through the five techniques. It seemed to be named after the Celestial Crane Peak.

The last page contained another note from the author.

I intended to take the Solar Grass and the Dark King Snake but discovered the All-Poison Antidote Herb growing here. As it will take decades to bear fruit, I leave everything for the one who will inherit my martial arts. Even if my insights are not passed on, that too is fate and the way of nature.

Indeed, the All-Poison Antidote Herb was growing nearby.

The All-Poison Antidote Herb bore fruit once every hundred years. Its fruit was said to neutralize any poison in existence.

“Ah!”

Now I understood everything.

When the deceased discovered this place, the All-Poison Antidote Herb had not yet borne fruit.

They left it for a future successor to use the herb and consume the Dark King Snake’s core.

It was a choice no ordinary person would make. Normally, one would kill the Dark King Snake and consume the Solar Grass.

But the deceased had left everything for the one who would inherit their martial arts.

The note ended there. There was no mention of who they were, no advice to live righteously with the elixir and martial arts.

“Ah!”

I had uttered many exclamations since arriving here, but none matched the awe of this moment.

I realized what it truly meant to empty one’s mind and follow the natural order.

“Thank you so much.”

I bowed formally to the skeleton.

I was curious about who this person was. If they lived within the last century, I might even know them.

Who could they be?

Perhaps mastering the martial arts they left behind would give me a clue.

But that was for later. Now, I had to deal with the precious opportunity before me.

If I killed the Dark King Snake and consumed its core, then immediately ate the All-Poison Antidote Herb’s fruit, I could absorb the core’s energy into my internal power. I might gain at least half a cycle of internal energy, plus the full cycle from the Solar Grass.

Yet, I hesitated.

I realized I had a unique opportunity.

The Body Immune to All Poisons.

With the Dark King Snake and the All-Poison Antidote Herb, I could attempt to achieve immunity to all poisons.

I would need to consume the core and wait until it spread throughout my body. Then, using the Celestial Martial Heart Technique and a few necessary incantations, I would have to manage my energy and consume the herb’s fruit at the brink of death.

If successful, I would never have to worry about poison again.

But if I failed, I would die.

Was it worth the risk, not knowing how potent the Dark King Snake’s venom was?

If I failed, my body might never be found. My disappearance would deeply sadden my father, mother, and Guangdu.

Still, the reason for my dilemma was that while internal energy could always be increased, the chance to become immune to all poisons might come only once in a lifetime.

My deliberation was brief.

From finding the doll in the black market, discovering the map within it, and arriving here to find all this.

It all felt like destiny. In such situations, I had always chosen to face challenges head-on.

Once resolved, I acted immediately.

First, I carefully picked the fruit of the All-Poison Antidote Herb.

With my sword drawn, I swiftly exited the passage and approached the Dark King Snake.

Hiss.

The Dark King Snake raised its head menacingly.

“I’m sorry. Let’s do something better together.”

Swish!

My sword severed the Dark King Snake’s head.

I quickly sliced open its body and extracted the core.

Even before consuming it, I felt nauseous, and my head spun.

“Please, I beg you.”

I placed the core in my mouth and chewed it.

The poison spread rapidly. It was truly horrific. It felt like my mouth and throat were burning away.

I endured the pain by pushing the Celestial Martial Heart Technique to its limits. Along with the prescribed incantations, I had to spread the poison throughout my body.

Losing consciousness would mean the end.

“Argh!”

I screamed deliberately.

I focused on my voice.

My body began to turn black rapidly. It felt like my organs were melting and my limbs were being torn apart.

No! Eat the All-Poison Antidote Herb now!

Not yet! Eating it now would mean failure!

Emotions and reason clashed within me, leaving me unable to discern which was which.

I held back, again and again.

I could feel the poison spreading to the tips of my toes.

Now, this is it.

I tried to eat the fruit of the deadly herb, but my arm wouldn’t move. My body had already slipped from the control of my mind.

Ah, this is the end.

As my consciousness began to fade, the last thing I thought of was my mother. My mother from a past life.

I was having a meal with her.

A younger version of myself.

I remember that day. It was the day I returned home after defeating the mighty king.

I was excitedly recounting the tale.

My mother watched me with a smile. Only now do I see it—the white strands in her hair, her bent back, the deepening wrinkles.

Back then, I didn’t notice.

I was only thinking of myself.

She picked up her chopsticks and fed me a side dish.

“Well done, my son. Eat a lot. Eat and gain strength.”

Her words echoed in my ears. My heart swelled, and my blurred consciousness returned. I felt tears streaming down my face.

Yes, I must eat. I can’t die like this.

I summoned every last ounce of strength. My body wouldn’t move, but I gritted my teeth. I didn’t want to die. There was too much left to do.

My mother’s face appeared in my mind.

“You can do it, can’t you, my son?”

I remembered her warm embrace, her smile.

And then, my arm began to move, little by little.

My trembling hand slowly approached my mouth.

…Mother.

With all my remaining strength, I placed the deadly fruit in my mouth.

I forced myself to chew. I felt the fruit burst inside my mouth.

As the Heavenly Martial Heart Technique activated, I lost consciousness.

How much time passed?

When I opened my eyes again, the pain was gone.

I slowly got up. My skin, once blackened, had returned to its original color.

With a tense heart, I checked my inner energy.

If it had increased even a little, this attempt would have failed.

But my core energy remained unchanged.

Success!

I had achieved the Poison-Immunity Body. No poison could harm me now.

I owed it to both my mothers.

Especially to my mother from my past life. I was making up for my past failures by being a good son to my current parents.

Please understand, Mother.

Instead, I will find happiness.

Now, having endured the pain, it was time for my reward.

I walked over and harvested the Solar Herb. After washing the dirt from its roots in the pond, I chewed and swallowed it, leaving not even the red petals behind.

The energy of the elixir spread throughout my body.

Perhaps because I had tasted such intense pain before, it felt better than any elixir I had ever taken.

Sssssss!

The elixir coursed through me. As I harnessed the Heavenly Martial Heart Technique, I absorbed all the energy.

After circulating my energy a few times, I checked my core.

I had successfully absorbed the energy of a full cycle.

Now, my core energy was approaching two full cycles, with an additional fifty years’ worth. I could finally use the Four-Step Technique.

By this time next year, I would reach a full cycle, and then I could use the Five-Step Technique. Just thinking about it sent a thrill through my body.

When I first discovered this place from the clues in the puppet box, I never imagined I would gain such incredible fortune.

Immortal arts.

Poison-Immunity Body.

A full cycle of core energy.

But that wasn’t all I gained.

I had also found this cave, unknown to the world. A place where I could rest whenever I wanted. In times of crisis, it would serve as a perfect refuge.

I buried the remains of the deceased in a sunny spot within the cave.

“May you find peace in the afterlife.”

Just as he left much behind without words, I too would show my gratitude through my actions.

“Hahaha.”

With a laugh that felt as if I could soar, I walked out of the cave.