Chapter 36: The Old Man with a Hoe

Chen Xian walked along the main street, where the atmosphere was filled with festive cheer as far as the eye could see. This scene would remain unchanged for at least another month. There were few pedestrians on the street; for most people, this was a rare moment for joyful reunion, so naturally, few were out strolling.

Chen Xian walked leisurely, observing his surroundings, his mind growing increasingly alert. He had no particular destination in mind; simply walking like this felt pleasant enough. As he wandered, he found himself, without realizing it, in a park. Unlike the sparsely populated streets, there were a few people here. The standing rockeries, the ancient trees that remained evergreen in this season, and the frozen, clear-bottomed pond gave the place an exceptionally cold and tranquil air.

Chen Xian found a stone bench and sat down. Occasionally, he could hear snippets of conversation, which added a touch of vitality to the surroundings. He emptied his mind, quietly soaking in the atmosphere, feeling quite at peace. His dark eyes scanned the area, as if trying to etch every detail into his memory. For the moment, Chen Xian was truly enjoying himself.

"Young man, it’s the New Year—why are you out here all by yourself?"

An old man walked over, smiling kindly at Chen Xian, his tone filled with goodwill. Chen Xian looked up, his eyelids twitching involuntarily. He cast a surprised gaze at the strangely dressed old man before him. In the middle of winter, what kind of old man would be walking around with one shoulder exposed, carrying a hoe, looking as if he had just returned from working in the fields? It was truly astonishing.

What struck him most was that from the hoe, Chen Xian could clearly catch the scent of fresh soil. Su Prefecture was located in the northwestern part of the Great Xuan Empire; throughout the winter, the region was blanketed in silver, and it would be nearly impossible to find a patch of earth that could be easily dug. Even with great effort, one would only find frozen, hardened soil, and such earth would have its scent locked away by the frost, never emitting the fragrance of fresh soil. To unearth such fresh earth, one would likely have to dig three feet deep.

The old man’s face looked remarkably ordinary, but his eyes were exceptionally clear, without a hint of murkiness. "This old man is likely a martial artist," Chen Xian thought to himself. At the same time, he was curious: what exactly had the old man been digging for to find such soil?

The old man’s complexion was ruddy, and his expression carried a sense of serenity that made him appear, at a glance, to be a simple and kind-hearted elder. He wore a thin, plain-colored robe and cloth shoes that did not appear particularly thick. In such weather, one who could dress like this was not necessarily a martial artist, but if their breathing was steady, unhurried, and their face showed no sign of flushing from the cold, Chen Xian could think of no one else it could be.

Even though Chen Xian could not detect the slightest trace of martial arts cultivation on him, he remained certain that the man was a martial artist. After all, what ordinary old man could endure such a deep winter without his face reddening or his legs trembling? Chen Xian concluded that the only reason he couldn't perceive any martial aura was that the man’s skill level was far superior to his own—at least that of a Master of Internal Energy. Only those at that level or higher could reach the state of returning to simplicity, where it was impossible to tell from their appearance, movement, or stillness whether they possessed any martial arts at all.

Chen Xian couldn't help but look at the man a few more times, though the old man ignored his slightly odd gaze.

"Old sir, I’m just taking advantage of some free time to walk around and enjoy the scenery," Chen Xian replied. "I probably won't have much time for such leisure in the future."

The old man had not revealed his status as a martial artist, so Chen Xian naturally did not press the issue, referring to him simply as "old sir."

The old man nodded with a smile. "Yes, walking and looking—that's good! The young people of today don't know how to appreciate such beautiful scenery outside; it’s really... The landscapes here encompass almost every type of terrain in the Great Xuan. Regardless of the season, it always fills one with deep emotion. In my view, to walk through Su Prefecture is to walk through the entire Great Xuan."

The old man nodded in agreement; he too felt that it was good to get out and walk. "In all my life, Su Prefecture has been my favorite place," he sighed, looking at the surrounding scenery. "Here, you find the most honest and hardworking farmers. These people spend their whole lives dealing with the land. They are born into poverty, yet they have their own persistence and their own pursuits. This is a unique spiritual civilization of the Northwest of Great Xuan—a great spirit. To me, this place is all the more worthy of my respect."

He looked at the grass and trees around him, his eyes filled with deep nostalgia. Chen Xian watched the old man’s wistful expression, his eyes brightening. The old man seemed very familiar with Su Prefecture and held a deep affection for it. He wondered if the man was reminiscing about his hometown or his youth. Though he saw that the old man had a story, Chen Xian did not inquire, choosing instead to listen quietly. After all, this seemingly ordinary man, who appeared only to have a high tolerance for the cold, was in fact a martial artist with hidden depths. If the old man wished to share, Chen Xian would naturally be happy to listen.

After a while, the old man stopped speaking. He looked at Chen Xian, a flicker of light in his eyes, and said slowly, "Young man, how old are you this year?"

Chen Xian was slightly dazed. The old man had determined at a glance that he was in his twenties. Anyone else unfamiliar with him would never be so certain, assuming him to be a teenager, as he did indeed look like one. Now, with his progress in the martial path, his physique was constantly transforming—his skin, flesh, tendons, bones, blood, organs, and marrow were all changing—and naturally, his outward appearance had changed as well.

"Twenty-two," Chen Xian replied casually.

The old man’s face showed a look of approval, and his gaze toward Chen Xian grew even more satisfied. He walked over to the stone bench beside Chen Xian and sat down, placing the hoe he had been carrying on the ground. He put his hands to his mouth, blew a few puffs of warm air, and then rubbed them together, as if they were chilled.

This stunned Chen Xian. "You’re a martial artist, and at least a Master of Internal Energy at that—is this really necessary?"

"Young man, my surname is Zhang. People call me Old Man Zhang. It seems you are someone who knows how to appreciate a beautiful view. If you have time in the future, you should come to Jiang Prefecture for a visit; the scenery there is quite nice, too!"

"I will! If I have the time, I will certainly go," Chen Xian nodded, unwilling to decline the old man’s kindness.