This statement was something James Smith had heard four times before, so for the fourth time, he used his method to get rid of entanglements. He reached into his robe, took out an inconspicuous wooden bell, held it in his palm, and showed it to the man in the yellow robe: “Reporting to the immortal master, what I need to do was entrusted to me by the owner of this bell.”

The bell seemed to possess some magical power. At a glance, the Daoist’s face immediately showed shock. His gaze flickered for a moment, and then, following the etiquette of peers and equals, he cupped his hands and bowed to James Smith: “Sorry to have disturbed you, little Daoist friend. I’ll take my leave now.”

It was always like this. But this time, James Smith still had something to say, and spoke up in time: “Please wait, Daoist. The owner of the bell once said… the children of the Luo family are of poor character and unfit for cultivation.”

The yellow-robed Daoist nodded earnestly: “Please convey to the elder that Qingmang Mountain will never accept those of poor character. I also wish the elder enlightenment and everlasting freedom. Farewell.” William Clark was able to obtain the qualification to join Qingmang Mountain not because of his talent, but because his father pestered and pulled strings, spending a fortune and using countless connections to get him this opportunity. Even so, he was only a registered disciple, and the Daoist didn’t take him seriously at all.

With a light stamp of his foot, the Daoist transformed into a streak of green light and soared into the sky. Moments later, a loud voice rang out from midair: “William Clark, your immortal fate is severed! Remember this: if you dare harbor any evil thoughts again, I will take your head! Be a good person!”

William Clark was dumbfounded, completely at a loss as to what had happened. His plump body swayed twice, then with a thud, he fell to the ground and began to wail loudly…

James Smith listened to the crying in the distance, stood quietly for a while, and murmured, “I told you it was unlucky to beat gongs and set off firecrackers to the west, but you just wouldn’t listen.” He then turned and went back inside, first packing his belongings, then lighting incense before his grandfather’s memorial tablet, praying for a while, and finally saying softly, “Grandpa, I’m about to go thank the black-robed immortal for his kindness. I’ll probably be leaving in a few days. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

After speaking, James Smith took the wooden bell in his hand again and crushed it with force.

Three days later, without any flying lights or immortal magic, a black-robed elder suddenly appeared in the courtyard of James Smith’s home.

Chapter Two: The Spirit of Youth

With white hair and wrinkled skin, his posture was upright. Although he was an old man, there was not a trace of kindness about him; instead, he exuded an air of sternness.

James Smith stepped forward and bowed to the black-robed elder: “Greetings, senior.”

The black-robed elder looked James Smith up and down and asked, “All these years, have you been diligent in sharpening your blade?”

James Smith replied, “I started at the age of four. Whenever I had time, I would carefully sharpen the blade.”

“What do you feel when sharpening the blade?” the black robe asked again, his tone flat.

“Before I was ten, I would get very sleepy while sharpening, a drowsiness I couldn’t resist. I often fell asleep while sharpening. And I was always sleepy in general… not the anxious kind, but a warm, comfortable sleepiness. But after I turned ten, it was different. I didn’t get sleepy anymore, and it became a habit. Whenever I sharpened the blade, my mind would settle, undisturbed by anything else.”

As he spoke, James Smith always seemed a bit drowsy—an old habit from sharpening blades as a child. Now it had become a “habit”; though he was no longer sleepy, the drowsiness still lingered in his eyes.

The black-robed elder was fairly satisfied with James Smith’s answer and nodded: “Your grandfather told you about what happened back then, right?”

This time, James Smith shook his head, looking confused: “When Grandpa was alive, he only told me to sharpen the blade well. When he passed, he told me to crush the bell, and an immortal would come for me. He never said anything else. As for the rest, I ask for your guidance, immortal master.”

The black-robed elder was visibly displeased, clearly blaming old man Su for not telling the boy anything, leaving him to explain the past now. Though his expression was impatient, he still forced himself to recount the general story…

Over a decade ago, the black-robed elder was passing through a small city in the north when he happened upon a bandit raid—bandits storming the city, burning and killing. The black-robed elder was a master cultivator, and such mortal slaughter was, in his eyes, no different from two nests of ants fighting. He had no intention of intervening, but soon, someone caught his attention: an old man in his sixties, carrying a blood-soaked young man on his back and holding a baby in his arms, fleeing with all his might.

An old man in his fifties or sixties, barely able to run himself, yet still carrying a grown man and holding a child—one could imagine his hardship. The bond of life and death among family moved the black-robed immortal, who, feeling a twinge of compassion, withdrew his magic and descended to the ground to meet the old man.

It was a family of three generations: the old man carried his son on his back and held his grandson in his arms. As for his wife and daughter-in-law, they had already perished in the chaos.

Unfortunately, the young man on his back, who had still been breathing when the old man picked him up, had now passed away. The baby in his arms had also been struck by a stray arrow, wounded in the side, and was on the verge of death.

The old man, fleeing for his life, saw the black-robed figure flying through the sky and knew he was a man of great power. He immediately knelt on the ground, weeping and begging the immortal to save his barely alive grandson, willing to do anything in return.