Starting Cultivation During a Trip-Chapter 134 - 102: When the Dao Heart Arises, the Demonic Aspect Emerges! Two Lineages Pass Down the Art of Killing
"Jin Mao Day!?"
Zhang Fan chewed on the name, then said, "Master Jin, that’s a pretty unique name you’ve got there."
"My master gave it to me."
"Master!? You need a master to sell fruit?" Zhang Fan said, stunned.
"I wasn’t born selling fruit, you know..." Jin Mao Day chuckled. "Back when I was young, I hustled around the Jianghu just to make ends meet, running here and there to survive."
"It’s not easy." Zhang Fan spoke softly, his tone serious: "Master Jin, what about your family or friends?"
"Family and friends..." The motion of Jin Mao Day’s hands paused for a second, then he half smiled, half sighed, "I’ve been alone for so long I’m used to it..."
"Many years ago, I had a brother... but, well..."
"Life is full of twists and turns, both north and south..."
"He’s not around anymore either."
The atmosphere suddenly turned a bit heavy. Jin Mao Day picked out some oranges for Zhang Fan, weighed them—exactly two jin.
"Twelve six, I’ll just round it—thirteen yuan."
"Alright... huh?"
"Twelve!" Jin Mao Day grinned as he handed the oranges over.
"Hey, young man, got a girlfriend? Want to buy some durian for her? Just in—they’re sweet and sticky."
Zhang Fan had just scanned the QR code and paid.
"Buy her durian?"
"Best gift for a girlfriend—durian. The wordplay: durian (liu lian) sounds like ’remain for life, love for a lifetime.’" Jin Mao Day grinned wide.
"You do puns too, Master Jin!?" Zhang Fan glanced at the price and gave an awkward smile.
"When I find myself a girlfriend, I’ll come back and buy some."
Saying this, Zhang Fan hurriedly waved goodbye and walked off.
Jin Mao Day went back to picking fruit, straightening up slowly, gazing after Zhang Fan’s receding figure, eyes clouded but narrowing just a bit.
"Life is full of twists and turns, both north and south... Life is full of twists and turns, both north and south... Senior brother, the anniversary of your death is coming."
The old man’s voice fell quietly, words barely audible, as if he was talking to himself.
...
Night is not bright.
As soon as Zhang Fan entered the company, he walked over to Jiang Lai’s desk, picked out the biggest orange, and put it in front of her.
"Try it."
"Ghost Festival is coming. Don’t run off anywhere."
Jiang Lai picked up the orange, didn’t even peel it, just said softly—like she spent every day worrying about Zhang Fan running off somewhere.
"Ghost Festival? We cultivators need to avoid that?"
"When your Dao Heart stirs, the Demonic Aspect arises... You said it yourself." Jiang Lai looked up, her bright eyes seeming to shine, staring straight at Zhang Fan.
When your Dao Heart stirs, the Demonic Aspect arises.
Mortal folk—so long as the thought of cultivation arises, heaven will create all kinds of supernatural tribulations and demonic aspects to test you.
That’s why, no matter how shallow your practice, or how vast your Divine Techniques, you must keep your awe—always at the edge of tribulation, meeting demon tribulations at any moment. Without that heart, you’ll fall into life and death instantly.
"You’re wagging your tail before you even have all your fur and a complete shape yet." Jiang Lai hugged the orange, pointing behind Zhang Fan.
"..."
Zhang Fan squinted. He hadn’t said a thing, but Jiang Lai’s words had an extra meaning underneath.
Ten years ago, that night, he entered the Great Night, using the Divine Splitting Method to meet the tribulation. In the end, it was a girl who helped him survive, splitting his Primordial Spirit into three.
That girl was Jiang Lai.
Zhenwu Mountain wasn’t the first time Zhang Fan and Jiang Lai met—their fates were tied together ten years ago.
Because of that, Zhang Fan was even more curious. He had asked Jiang Lai several times about the truth, but she would always fall silent and say nothing.
"When I get the Evil Gods back, I’ll have all my fur and a complete shape." Zhang Fan said quietly.
"Or you might get eaten." Jiang Lai replied in a murmur.
"You’re hardly ever this generous."
Just then, Jiang Hu—the way a phantom drifting about—slipped in, snatching the orange Zhang Fan was holding.
"Where’d you buy these? All dry and shriveled—no mouthfeel, no handfeel," Jiang Hu pouted, leaning toward Zhang Fan.
"Stingy much?"
"Sister Wen’s birthday is tomorrow, I still have to get her a gift," Zhang Fan muttered, his limited budget already accounted for.
Night is not bright’s rule: no matter whose birthday it is, everyone eats out together—boss pays.
"Forget it, Sister Wen never celebrates her birthday," Jiang Hu put the orange down and said offhandedly.
"Why?" Zhang Fan was taken aback.
"No idea." Jiang Hu shook her head.
"I’ve handled everything for the company today—call me if you need anything."
Just then, Wen He came out from the boss’s office, smiling and greeting everyone.
"Hm!?"
Zhang Fan paused, thinking, She’s off already? Usually Wen He’s the most diligent one in the company—always the last to leave, never takes a day off.
"Fanfan, boss wants to see you," Wen He said gently.
"Oh... okay..."
Zhang Fan stood up and left his desk, watching as Wen He walked out of the office. Muttering to himself, he knocked on the boss’s door.
"Come in."
Bai Buran was lounging in the boss’s chair, legs crossed, reading the latest Two-pronged Ape magazine—the cover had a cute anime girl on it.
"Boss, you wanted me?"
"Sit," Bai Buran said casually.
"What’s up?"
"In the next couple of days... someone from Zhenwu Mountain might be coming," Bai Buran put down the Two-pronged Ape magazine.
"Someone from Zhenwu Mountain?" Zhang Fan raised an eyebrow. "What for?"
"Lately the Wuwei Sect’s been really active around Jiangnan Province. The Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance requested a batch of experts from north of the river. Zhenwu Mountain is the face of Jiangbei Province, so of course they have to pitch in too," Bai Buran said mildly.
Honestly, he instinctively didn’t really want to deal with Daoists from Zhenwu Mountain.
"Who’s coming?" Zhang Fan couldn’t help but ask.
He was just asking for the sake of it, really. Among the Daoists down from Zhenwu Mountain, he only knew Xia Weisheng and Po Jie—those two had a pretty special status there, not the types you’d expect to be sent down the mountain.
