Chapter 8 Qi Daolin

Chapter 8: Qi Daolin

Ancient stone steps, broken walls, scattered rubble, and overgrown weeds—this place was desolate, with ruins and remnants speaking of desolation and decay.

Lin Fan struggled to prop up his small body, which was almost falling apart, as he surveyed his surroundings. He felt that this place was filled with strangeness, an aura of ancient vicissitudes permeated the air, creating a melancholic atmosphere.

However, compared to all that, he was more concerned about the somewhat shifty-looking old man in front of him, who kept staring at him, making him feel uncomfortable all over.

“Um… Grandpa, did you save me?” Lin Fan finally asked, in a very innocent and childlike voice, his pair of clear, bright eyes sparkling.

“Hmm!” The old man instantly became serious, nodding profoundly, feigning an immortal demeanor. He looked like an otherworldly expert.

“Oh, my mom said that if someone helps you, you should be grateful… So, thank you, Grandpa!” Lin Fan’s childish face was plump and very cute.

After spending these past few years with Ye Qingxian, acting had become his self-cultivation. He could speak without batting an eyelid, maintaining caution at all times.

“Little friend, how did you end up here?” the old man asked gently, his deep eyes shining with wisdom.

He was quite curious how a child with no cultivation could have come here. In his mind, he was already planning how to coax him into becoming his Disciple. This was a Primeval, a being treasured by all sects.

His Dao lineage had been in decline for many years. Although he had taken in two Disciples a few years ago, both had died. Now that a talented one had conveniently appeared, he certainly couldn't let him go.

“I don’t know either. I only remember that when I was playing in the mountains with the little rascals from the village, I stepped on an altar, and *whoosh*, I was teleported away!” Lin Fan said, looking confused, indicating he had no idea.

“Oh, I’ve hit the jackpot! It seems he’s not from any major power. But then again, he’s already four and hasn’t started cultivating.” The old man secretly rejoiced, determined to coax the child in front of him into his sect.

There was no room for doubt, because for a Primeval like this, even if he came from a minor Dao lineage, it was impossible that he hadn't started cultivating by four years old. That would be too wasteful!

No sect would do that. This was a future seed, crucial for the Dao’s fortune. They should be thinking about how to strengthen their foundation.

Generally speaking, the best age to start cultivating was from two years old. At this age, the body was not yet fully formed, and through various precious medicines and blood baptisms, the most solid foundation could be laid.

Some powerful Dao lineages, when first baptizing their exceptionally talented Disciples, would even use divine medicine and the precious blood of ancient Vicious Beasts to refine them from the start, in order to ensure greater potential during cultivation.

Seeing the old man not speaking, a smile playing on his lips, and with a hint of ill intent, Lin Fan suddenly felt uneasy. He wondered if this shifty old man would do *that* to him. He had heard of some strange old men with a penchant for children.

He, Lin Fan, had been pure and chaste for two lives. Would he really fall into this old man's hands? The thought sent shivers down his spine.

Immediately, he put on an act, saying in a clear voice, “Grandpa, can you send me home? My mom and dad will treat you to meat!”

His sincere big eyes were filled with timidity, watery as if tears were welling up, about to spill over.

Faced with such an innocent, helpless child, Qi Daolin felt too awkward to start coaxing him. His old face flushed slightly.

After all, the child was too young, just a baby who had just been weaned and was still under his parents' wings. If he were a bit older, with his old face, he would have lured him without this sense of guilt.

“Little one, do you know where your home is, so I can send you back?” Qi Daolin tried to communicate.

Although he had a bit of a notorious reputation, he still had some bottom line. To take the child as his Disciple, he should at least inform the child's parents.

And he didn't think the parents would refuse. Would unknowledgeable people from a small mountain village reject him, a person of profound cultivation, from teaching their child?

That’s right, Qi Daolin thought exactly that. First, he would send the child home, then bring him back to the Supreme Dojo.

“My home is in Lin Village, Grandpa, do you know it?” Lin Fan asked softly.

He was testing the old man, to see what his true intentions were, and if he had any other designs on him. If absolutely necessary, he would have to mention Ye Qingxian’s name.

That person was quite famous among Master Level cultivators, but he wondered if this eccentric old man knew her.

Otherwise, I am in danger!

“Little one, there are many villages named Lin in this world. With just this information, it’s hard to find your way home. Do you know any other details, like a place name?”

“Hmm…” Lin Fan scratched his head, as if trying hard to remember, then suddenly said, “I think I remember hearing Grandpa Village Chief say that our place was… some Borderlands!”

“Borderlands?!” Qi Daolin exclaimed in surprise, sensitive to those two words.

“Hmm!” Lin Fan carefully observed the other party’s reaction. He deliberately mentioned those two words to gauge his cultivation, because ordinary people wouldn’t know what the Borderlands were—only those with high cultivation could go there.

From the looks of it, this old man's cultivation should be quite high, at least a Heavenly God, probably above a True God.

“Little one, it might be very difficult for you to go home. This is the Three Thousand Provinces, very far from the Borderlands, with a terrifying No Man's Land in between.”

Qi Daolin hadn't expected this child to come from such a distant place, even outside the Three Thousand Provinces. He must have been transported by a teleportation array, and this array was extraordinary, having crossed countless star rivers.

“Ah… *Waaah*… What should I do? I miss my mom and dad. They must be waiting for me to come home.” Lin Fan’s eyes instantly welled up, crystal tears rolling down his cheeks.

At this moment, he couldn't help but admire himself. He truly was a good actor. Life was like a play, all dependent on acting skills.

Lin Fan was also surprised that he had actually arrived in the Three Thousand Provinces. Ye Qingxian had thrown him so far, directly from the No Man's Land of the Borderlands to here, spanning who knows how many billions of miles, from the Nine Heavens to the Ten Earths.

However, he just wanted to leave quickly now, find a major sect to join and start cultivating. Having his life in someone else's hands truly wasn't good.

“Don’t cry, little one. Going home is difficult, but not impossible.” Qi Daolin comforted him gently, like a kind elder, very amiable.

“Really?!” Lin Fan’s fluttering big eyes, bright as jewels, wiped away a tear, as if seeing hope and light at that moment.

Facing such intense gaze, Qi Daolin’s old face couldn't help but blush. He was a bit unaccustomed to it, it was the first time a child had looked at him like that. He almost couldn’t bear to take him as a Disciple.

His faction was not simple; everyone hated them, and they were surrounded by enemies. Bringing such a small child into it, he wondered if it would harm him.

But he still replied, “Of course it’s true. When a person’s cultivation is high enough, he can naturally go anywhere he wants.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Fan immediately looked crestfallen again, saying with a face full of disappointment, “But our village is very poor and weak, and I don’t know how to cultivate…”

“Ahem, don’t I exist? Join my sect, and I can make you a peerless expert!” Qi Daolin shrugged, saying so.

Suddenly, an ethereal mist enveloped the old man, with auspicious light and colorful glows, illuminating the area like a brilliant sun. It gave people the feeling of ascending to Heaven, ethereal and transcendent, like a Heavenly Immortal descending to the mortal world.

“Wow!” Lin Fan exclaimed, momentarily stunned. At the same time, he secretly thought, this old man puts on a good show; any ordinary child would surely be fooled by him.

However, he was also relieved. It was good that the other party didn't have *that* kind of idea. Ruining his purity and taking his bones, especially his purity, would be worse than killing him.

This was also within his plan. This old man seemed to have extraordinary strength, which saved him some effort in finding a sect to join. For now, being able to cultivate was good enough.

“Are you willing to join my sect and fight for it?” the old man asked, suddenly becoming stern. Chaos Qi fell from above his head, and his true body seemed to rival Heaven and Earth, looking down on all living beings.

“I am willing!” Lin Fan replied.

He had no choice. He was unfamiliar with the place, and for his own safety, he would join first. Moreover, he had underestimated this old man; the other party might have reached the Heavenly God, or even Master Level.

This was not a loss. It seemed it wasn't a small family or sect. The other party staying in this broken place might just be cultivating his character and living in seclusion. The true Dao lineage should be very prosperous.

At least, that’s what Lin Fan thought.

The old man nodded, then solemnly pulled Lin Fan to make him swear an oath, strict beyond measure, praying to Heaven and Earth. He then took a drop of Lin Fan’s blood and dripped it onto a scroll, which then ignited.

This left Lin Fan utterly dumbfounded, his mouth agape. Was joining a sect really this strict?

When everything was done, Lin Fan asked, “I still don’t know what to call you, Grandpa, and what is our Dao lineage called?”

“Qi Daolin. As for the Dao lineage, it’s the Supreme Dojo. How about that, isn’t it majestic? Aren’t you proud? You’ll know in the future, no weaklings come from our lineage!” the old man said with a smile, quite confidently.

“Ah…”