Uncovering this truth was like opening a door to a new world for Chen Xiao. No longer would he have to feel dissatisfied or gaze enviously at those who could cultivate immortality. He could create an entirely new system of cultivation for himself.
However, this new method had its pros and cons. The benefit was that it allowed him to walk the path of immortality, even with a body devoid of talent and spiritual roots. The downside was that he had no idea whether this path would lead to heaven or to hell.
But everything in life carries risk. If you choose a path that no one else has walked before, you must be brave enough to face the danger. And courage was one thing Chen Xiao never lacked.
After sitting for a while to calm himself, Chen Xiao was able to think about other questions. Why could he absorb this energy now, but not in his previous life?
Before today, the only two things he knew of that could cause fluctuations in the energy field were feng shui tools with their own energy fields and cultivators. Ordinary people, in either his past or present life, couldn't do such things. By this logic, anyone capable of drawing energy into their body certainly wouldn't be an ordinary person.
At this thought, Chen Xiao paused and placed his hand on his chest.
His previous life had ended, yet somehow he had transitioned through time and space, arriving in this strange world and inhabiting the body of a boy who had also died. This bizarre experience made it clear that he could not possibly be a "normal" person.
He had never realized this before, because he had been too busy adapting to this new world, learning the skills necessary for survival here. He had ignored such an obvious conclusion, thinking he would simply be one among the thousands of ordinary people in Daiguo.
Now, as he reflected, Chen Xiao realized that this body, once belonging to an ordinary boy who had grown up doing menial labor and had practiced martial arts with a teacher, had undergone some hidden change. He had forgotten one very obvious characteristic.
This boy's life had been one of hard work, building a strong and muscular body, which had quickly recovered from injuries due to youth and good health. But despite his physical strength, he couldn't seem to gain weight, and his once athletic physique had gradually become more like Chen Xiao's former, slender body. His skin, once rough and calloused from hard work, was slowly smoothing back to a normal state.
This wasn't something he could do on his own. There must be something within his body, something that caused these changes. And it was this unknown that made him constantly feel hungry. It was also this unknown that allowed his body to absorb the energy.
As for why he always felt hungry, it was likely because this unknown needed energy to sustain itself. And energy, in the form of feng shui, could be absorbed. After absorbing the energy, his body temporarily returned to the ordinary appetite of a normal person, no longer requiring extra food.
With this realization, the answer became clear. Just like in his previous life, ordinary people could only passively receive energy, while the one actively absorbing the energy in this body was not him, but this unknown entity within him.
Although the presence of this unknown entity inside him was puzzling, Chen Xiao did not feel fear or unease. He trusted his instincts and judgment—this unknown was likely connected to his transition into this time and space. In fact, it might even be the reason he was brought back to life. This unknown entity had effectively saved his life, so no matter the danger, he would face it with calm acceptance.
It didn't matter if he didn't fully understand everything now; someday, he would figure it out. With this thought, Chen Xiao felt his mind expand. His emotions, for the first time since coming to this world, became unexpectedly calm. His thoughts were clear, and his heart felt peaceful as if a barrier within him had been lifted.
Just as Chen Xiao was deep in this tranquil state of mind, someone called out from the courtyard, "Is anyone home?"
Chen Xiao looked up curiously at the sky. The sun, once the source of daylight, had set, and the sky now carried the lead-gray hue of dusk. At this time, most people were preparing dinner, and it was rare for anyone to visit.
Chen Xiao stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and called out, "Yes, who's there?" As he spoke, he circled around the screen wall by the door and walked to the front gate.
A slightly plump woman stood outside. Upon seeing Chen Xiao, her eyes brightened, and she immediately said, "Young Master Chen, I need to talk to you about something." This woman, Aunt Huang, was Chen Xiao's neighbor. She had been the one to lend him a water basin and cloth when he was cleaning the house and had kindly pointed out the location of the well.
Chen Xiao had a good impression of this kind-hearted neighbor. So, he invited her into the main hall. However, he had been so busy today that he had even eaten lunch early, a quick meal of steamed buns, and hadn't had time to boil water. Naturally, there was no hot water, so he just poured her a cup of tea.
Chen Xiao sat in the main seat of the living room, apologetically looking at Aunt Huang, who had taken a seat at the guest table. "I'm really sorry. I've been busy with some things today and didn't get a chance to boil water. It's my fault for not offering you a cup of hot tea."
Aunt Huang didn't mind the lack of tea; instead, she followed the topic and said, "With such a big house, it's just you here. Of course, you must be overwhelmed. There's always something to do around the house."
Chen Xiao smiled politely. "It's alright."
With three large rooms and a small courtyard, just cleaning the house every now and then took a lot of effort. Chen Xiao only had a day off every ten days, so he didn't want to waste his rare rest time on chores. That's why he had hired an elderly woman to help with the work. She came every three days to do the laundry, wipe down the furniture, dust the walls, and sweep the floors.
Aunt Huang, noticing Chen Xiao's expression, said, "I've noticed you don't seem to cook at home much?"
Chen Xiao nodded. "Yes. I can get by with whatever food I find. As long as I'm full, the rest doesn't matter."
Aunt Huang shook her head. "You can't say it like that. Look at your house—cold stove, cold pot. You work hard all day, but when you come home, there's no one to talk to. You can't live like this!"
As Aunt Huang spoke, Chen Xiao began to have a bad feeling.
"I knew from the moment I saw you that you were a fine young man. It's tough living alone, with no one to care for you." She smiled, then leaned in a bit closer with a playful expression. "You won't believe it, but today, a few people came to ask about you. Since we live close by and you don't have a woman at home, they came straight to me. You didn't see, but three or four of them came!"
Chen Xiao immediately broke into a cold sweat. "Uh… please wait. I feel bad not offering you a cup of tea when you've come all the way here. Let me go get that for you." Before Aunt Huang could respond, Chen Xiao quickly stood up and rushed out the door into the kitchen.
Aunt Huang was clearly trying to set him up for marriage! In all his twenty-eight years, this was the first time he had ever encountered such a situation. It immediately gave him a headache.
As Chen Xiao hid in the kitchen, Aunt Huang took it as shyness and casually followed him, standing outside the door. She kept talking about who had come asking about him, which families had daughters, and what their circumstances were. She didn't stop until the water was boiling, and they both returned to the living room.
Afterward, Aunt Huang, in a tone of earnest persuasion, said to the silent Chen Xiao, "You're not getting any younger, and it's time you started thinking about marriage. If you don't mind, I'm happy to help you find someone. You can just relax and wait to become a groom. You won't have to worry about anything; just consider me as a matchmaker." She picked up the now slightly cold tea and took a big gulp. "Once you have a wife, you'll come home to hot meals, and you won't have to worry about boiling water. Everything will be taken care of, so you can focus on making money outside. The man works outside, and the woman manages the home—that's how it should be."
Chen Xiao pulled the corners of his mouth in a half-smile but remained silent. He didn't want to get married. Even if he did get married someday, he certainly wouldn't marry someone just to do chores for him. If that was the case, he might as well hire a maid.
Chen Xiao didn't blame Aunt Huang for her sudden enthusiasm; the feng shui he had set up in this small courtyard was beginning to take effect.
A bustling household. Without parents, there would be no siblings. To increase the family size, he would need a wife. A wife would count as adding to the family. Moreover, once the wife was brought into the household, it would guarantee two children within three years. The effect was clear and reliable.
Even though Chen Xiao resisted silently, Aunt Huang wasn't easily dissuaded. Chen Xiao had a wide forehead and a sharp chin, with a typical oval face. His thick eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes gave him a striking appearance, and his straight nose added to his features. His lips were his most prominent feature—his upper lip curved like a bow, while his lower lip was full, and the corners of his mouth turned up even when he wasn't smiling. His large, clear eyes gave him a refreshing and spirited look that made people instinctively like him.
Despite Aunt Huang already having grandchildren, she was still drawn to handsome young men! Just because of his handsome face, she was determined to find him a good match.
For the first time, Chen Xiao felt that having such good feng shui might be a mistake. If it weren't for the rent and deposit he'd already paid, he might have moved out right away.
After finally managing to get rid of Aunt Huang, Chen Xiao went out to solve his dinner. As he ate a bowl of hot soup noodles, he couldn't help but think, having someone cook for him would be nice, but not at the cost of his lifelong happiness. To give up the wide variety of delicious food in the world for just one person's cooking? How could he be so foolish?
At this moment, it was clear that Chen Xiao's experience with relationships was still quite empty.