Journey of True Cultivation-Chapter 93: Eyes That Remember Eternity

He was about eight years old, with brown hair and eyes. His face was ordinary, nothing particularly special stood out. His parents were neighbors of Yuan's family, and like Yuan, he was the youngest among his siblings. The two of them had grown up together since they were babies.

But ever since Yuan regained the memories of his past life, he had become distant with everyone in the village. Only this foolish young boy still tried to talk to him and play together.

"Luan Yuan, why are you so quiet? Did something happen?" he asked curiously, drawn to the distant look on Yuan's face. But after only glancing at him, Yuan closed his eyes again, disinterested in anything the boy had to say, and resumed his cultivation.

"Hehe, Luan Yuan, are we playing that game again? I talk and you listen silently? Hehehe, such a good game! We should keep playing it!" he said cheerfully and sat down beside Yuan on the stone.

His small, curious eyes wandered around the area, as if trying to memorize it again. They weren't far from the village, just on the edge, but thick trees surrounded the spot.

Most people avoided coming here. It was too quiet, too isolated, and the wind howled strangely through the trees. Many villagers said the place felt... weird and uncomfortable. It was not a place anyone liked to linger in.

After taking in the scenery, he began speaking again.

"Luan Yuan, did you hear? My eldest brother and your second brother, Luan Zheng too, they both got accepted as Scholars at the City! Can you believe it? And now they're working for a noble family! That's... that's got to be a big deal, right? I mean, working for nobles, our families must be really proud!" He paused for a breath, then leaned closer.

"Oh! And your eldest sister, Sister Luan Feng, she just had a baby! My second sister said her husband works at a restaurant. She says he's super hardworking and... get this, he's even friends with some nobles!"

He continued talking, one topic after another, like a waterfall that refused to stop flowing.

Yuan said nothing. He didn't even open his eyes. He sat there, like a statue, while the boy's chatter filled the air.

And then, after nearly three hours of endless gossip and cheerful noise... Yuan finally opened his eyes.

Seeing that Yuan had opened his eyes, the boy looked up at the sky and noticed the sun had climbed higher, it was getting hotter. A rumble in his stomach reminded him that he was hungry. With that feeling, he immediately understood why Yuan had finally opened his eyes.

"Is it already time for lunch?" But by the time he realized it, Yuan was already on his feet, walking back toward the village.

"Ah, wait, Luan Yuan!" he called out, scrambling to his feet and hurrying after him. As he standed next to yuan he resumed his endless stream of chatter, talking nonstop all the way back to Yuan's house.

The house was made of wood and slightly larger than most of the other homes in the village. Compared to the neighboring buildings, it almost looked luxurious. Without hesitation, Yuan pushed open the already ajar door and walked straight toward the kitchen.

There, his mother stood by the stove, cooking.

She wore a simple brown robe, typical attire for many women in the village and was stirring a pot of vegetable soup. The vegetables had been given to her by the mother of the brown haired boy.

Upon seeing the two children enter, Yuan's mother turned to them with a warm smile.

She had long black hair, deep, shining eyes, and a face that, though aged, still held a beauty that would make many men jealous of Yuan's father.

"Lin Xiaoyu, Luan Yuan, are you here to eat? Lunch will be ready in about ten minutes. Go wait at the table," Yuan's mother called warmly from the kitchen.

Lin Xiaoyu and Yuan headed toward the dinner table, though Lin Xiaoyu lagged behind for a moment to chat with Yuan's mother. Their short conversation ended when she laughed and gently pushed him toward the table, where he plopped down next to Yuan.

"Brother, what should we do next?" Lin Xiaoyu asked, grinning at Yuan. But when he glanced over, he saw Yuan already had his eyes closed again.

Still, Lin Xiaoyu didn't seem bothered. Cheerful as always, he kept talking to himself like it was a game they both enjoyed.

Ten minutes passed quickly, and soon Yuan's mother arrived with two wooden bowls, each filled with steaming soup. She placed them gently on the table, then returned to the kitchen.

While they ate, Lin Xiaoyu didn't speak, not out of respect, but because he was too busy slurping loudly. Despite the noise, Yuan didn't say anything. He just calmly ate his soup.

They finished quickly. Yuan stood up first, carrying his bowl to the wash basin, where he rinsed it using the water set aside for cleaning. Lin Xiaoyu followed a moment later, doing the same with his own bowl.

Yuan didn't say goodbye to his mother as he left, slipping out quietly like always. But Lin Xiaoyu waved and thanked her with a cheerful smile, then ran after Yuan.

At the door, he paused and looked at Yuan excitedly.

"Luan Yuan, where are we going now?"

Yuan didn't answer. He just kept walking.

"Hehe," Lin Xiaoyu chuckled, and happily followed him, like a baby duck trailing its mother.

But before they could get far, a small group of village children blocked their path, four boys and two girls, all about their age, dressed in simple brown robes.

"Oi! Look who it is! The mute monk and his noisy sidekick!" one of the boys shouted with a grin. He had brown hair, sharp blue eyes, and a smug expression that said he thought he was the boss.

Another boy laughed, he standed behind him. "Bet they're headed to that creepy forest again. What are you two, ghost whisperers?"

One of the girls clutched her brother's sleeve and whispered, "Do you think they really do rituals there? Like... to summon demons?"

Her twin brother stepped forward, puffing out his chest. "Tch. Don't be dumb. But if they do anything weird, I'll tell the village head!"

Lin Xiaoyu stopped and turned, eyes wide with curiosity. But Yuan kept walking, unfazed, as if their words didn't even reach him.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" the first boy barked. "You think you're better than us or something?"

Lin Xiaoyu chuckled nervously and quickly tugged on Yuan's sleeve, trying to smooth things over. "C'mon, Di Sheng. You know Brother Yuan's always like this. Don't make a fuss, yeah? Let's just call it even, give his big brother some face, will you?"

At that, Yuan stopped.

He turned his head slowly, eyes settling on the group with a gaze like cold steel.

Not angry. Not threatening.

Just... distant.

As if they were insects buzzing too close to something ancient and quiet.

The laughter died.

A chill swept over the group. One of the girls actually took a step back. Even Di Sheng's confident grin faltered.

Then, without a word, Yuan turned away and kept walking.

Lin Xiaoyu blinked, stunned for a moment. Then he grinned and chased after him.

"Brother Yuan, how did you do that? Just one look and they couldn't even move or speak! Are you like the people in those old stories?" Lin Xiaoyu asked excitedly, eyes shining. He paused, trying to remember something. "What were they called again?"

"Cultivators," Yuan said quietly.

It was the first time he had spoken in days. His voice was low and hoarse, even a little rough on the ears, but Lin Xiaoyu didn't mind. He was already used to Yuan's silence and rare words.

"Yes! Cultivators, that's it!" Lin Xiaoyu nodded enthusiastically. "Are you one of them?"

Yuan didn't answer.

Lin Xiaoyu asked again, and again, but Yuan remained silent.

Eventually, realizing he wouldn't get an answer, Lin Xiaoyu gave up and returned to what he did best, chatting about village gossip with a carefree smile.

As evening came, dinner time slowly arrived. This time, no one disturbed them.

Now, at the dinner table, Yuan wasn't alone. Several other family members were present, and Lin Xiaoyu had already left, he had to go eat at his own home, leaving Yuan once again by himself.

Sitting quietly in one of the chairs, Yuan closed his eyes and waited for the food. But across the table, his older sister was watching him with a strange expression.

"Weirdo, why are you silent again? Aren't kids your age supposed to talk a lot?" That was the voice of his third sister, Luan Yao. Yuan didn't react, he simply ignored her.

"Third Sister, don't say that," said his third brother, Luan Yang. "Youngest Brother is just a quiet child. Let him be."

Luan Yao just rolled her eyes and looked away, clearly annoyed by Luan Yang's response.

Silence fell over the dinner table for a while, broken only when their mother brought over a pot of soup and began serving. The rest of the family, Yuan's father, his third brother, and his two older sisters, began to chat as they ate. Yuan, as always, said nothing.

He ate silently, spooning the warm broth into his mouth.

Unlike lunch, this soup wasn't just vegetables. A few small pieces of meat floated in it, probably something his father had managed to barter for at the market.

Laughter and conversation continued around him, but Yuan finished his meal quietly. When they asked him to stay and eat together longer, he ignored them, stood up, washed his bowl in the cleaning water, and left for the sleeping room.

He sat on his small bed, motionless. Not long after, Luan Yang came in and settled into the bed beside his.

For a while, he just looked at Yuan, then let out a soft sigh.

"Little Brother... you should open up more. I know you probably don't understand what I mean right now, but... please, at least try. For me."

He reached out as if to ruffle Yuan's hair, but Yuan subtly shifted away, avoiding his hand. Luan Yang sighed again and lay back on his bed, closing his eyes.

"Hopefully... everything will turn out okay," he whispered.

Yuan heard him. He stared at the ceiling, his thoughts turning inward.

He began to recall the life he had lived for the past four years, day after day of silent effort, small struggles, and slow cultivation. He thought of the pain, the obstacles, and the lonely path he had taken to awaken his first sense.

And as sleep finally overtook him, he knew one thing for certain.

Tonight would be his last night in this place.

Tomorrow, he would leave behind the mortal world...

...and step into the world of cultivation.