Kind-hearted Grim Reaper

Xi Er laughed heartily and said, "Big Brother, I'm always worried that I don't have anyone to accompany me. From now on you and I can keep each other company. Come, let me take you to see the ancestral house, and when my sons come back, they can help you renovate it. Then we can become neighbours again."

Under Xi Er's enthusiastic guidance, Ah Dai and Owen arrived at a small courtyard on the eastern edge of Stone Pond Town, facing the sea, a good distance from the residences of other inhabitants of the town. Seeing the small yard in front of him, Owen's eyes turned red. This was where he spent his childhood after all.

Xi Er pat Owen on the shoulder and said, "What, are you missing your Uncle and Aunt again? A lot of people, alas, died in that big tsunami."

Owen looked at Xi Er and said, "It's been so many years, what's the use of thinking about it." He took out several Gold Coins from his pocket and stuffed them into Xi Er's hands, saying, "Brother, after being away for so many years, I'm not familiar with anything anymore, I'll have to inconvenience you to find someone to help me fix this rundown house."

Xi Er hurriedly declined, saying, "Big Brother, what are you doing? Isn't this being distant? It's only right that I help you now that you're finally back. Don't worry, I'm quite renowned in town, once my sons who are out working return, I'll have them get some roofing felt and timber to renovate the house. It should take one day. Don't give me money, otherwise, I'll get upset.">

Owen said, "How can that be, already owing you a favour, how can I make you pay it out of your pocket. Take it, quick, take it, otherwise, I just won't come back to stay." After a long debate, Xi Er was unable to resist Owen's insistence and took the money.

Xi Er said, "Big Brother, you go have a look in the yard first, I'll go arrange things for you. Come to my house to eat at noon, we have to enjoy a few drinks, I have some vintage wine there, ha ha." Saying this, Xi Er turned and walked towards the town.

Watching Xi Er's gradually disappearing figure, Owen said to Ah Dai, "When you see him later, you should call him Uncle Xi Er, and call me Uncle, got it? This is where we're going to live from now on."

Ah Dai nodded and asked,"Uncle, when will you start teaching me martial arts?"

Owen smiled slightly and said, "Anxious, are you? I know you want to hurry back to see your teacher, but learning martial arts is not a day or two's work. We must lay a good foundation before we begin, right? Come, I'll take you in to take a look, I haven't been back here for over forty years."

Ah Dai understood the conversation between Xi Er and Owen about their age and asked, "Uncle, are you really fifty-eight years old?"

Owen looked at him and said gently, "Yes, I am! Fifty-eight years old. The reason I look so young is mainly because the practice I cultivate slows down the aging process, so I look only about forty. Once we settle down, I will teach you this skill."

Pushing open the unlocked gate, a musty smell hits them. Frowning, Owen grasped Ah Dai's hand and entered the courtyard. It was about thirty square meters, empty all around with two tile-roofed houses with closed doors. There were many spider's webs in the corners of the walls. Because the house is near the sea, the soil is saline. If not, there would be moss, which would make cleaning even harder.

Two days later, with Xi Er's enthusiastic help, Owen's ancestral house was completely renovated and some new furniture was purchased. As Xi Er, the mayor, supported them, the townsfolk gradually accepted Owen and Ah Dai.

Ah Dai relaxed a lot. Compared with the log cabin in Illusive Forest, this place was more like a home, with everyone treating him kindly. He met Xi Er's three sons. His oldest son looked about the same age as Owen. When Xi Er told his family that Owen was older than him, they all looked incredulous. Xi Er's three sons are all married, the eldest granddaughter is only two years younger than Ah Dai, and there are also two grandsons, aged seven and three.

In the evening, Owen sent Xi Er's family away. Standing in the courtyard, he took a deep breath of the slightly salty sea breeze, and said, "Ah Dai, come here."

Ah Dai had just finished cleaning up the dishes, heard Owen calling him, dried his hands, and walked over, "Uncle."

Owen turned around to look at Ah Dai, and said solemnly, "I know you hate me for forcing you to leave your teacher. But, starting tonight, I'm going to start teaching you everything I've learned in my life. I hope you will study conscientiously. If you want to meet your teacher again, you must learn all my skills before you can leave, do you understand?"

Ah Dai nodded and murmured, "I understand." He agreed verbally, but his heart had already flown back to the Illusive Forest, wondering if Goris had returned by now.

Owen said, "From today, you will stop practicing the magic that Goris taught you, it will distract you. Magic is very rare in this town, so don't display your Fire Magic in public, understand?"

Ah Dai lifted his head and stared at Owen, emphatically saying, "No, I must continue to practice magic. I can't forget the magic my teacher taught me."

Owen was nonplussed, this was the first time Ah Dai had dared to contradict him. He wasn't angry, instead he said soothingly, "Son, you must understand that magic and martial arts can't be learned at the same time. We only have a finite amount of time in life, it's already extremely difficult to reach the peak in either one of these professions, let alone master both at the same time. Your teacher Goris won't blame you."

Ah Dai stubbornly shook his head, saying, "No, that won't work, I have to practice magic. I can avoid using it in front of people, but I must practice everyday."

Owen thought for a moment and said, "Alright, since you insist, you are allowed to practice for one hour every night. But at other times, you must not let magic affect the cultivation of your martial arts, can you do that? If you can't, then you must give up magic."

Ah Dai nodded and said, "I, I will make sure to do it."

Owen said seriously, "Good, today I will begin by teaching you the most basic method for practicing. The martial arts I cultivate are called Life Sea. It refers to the constant flow of life energy, primarily raising your own life energy levels and transforming it into a sacred aura, it's a martial art. It can be considered the most orthodox top-notch martial arts cultivation method on the continent, and the best method for improving longevity. This is why I look so young. When Life Sea runs inside your body, it's what your teacher Goris would call True Qi, and when output as energy to attack it is what we call martial arts energy. Since you have eaten the Fruit of Past Life, your cultivation will surely be twice as efficient. Let's go, we will go back to the house, and there I will pass on the formula to you."

Back in the room, Owen said seriously, "The overall principle of Life Sea is just four words, which are the 'Life Sea' I told you about. Only when you have constant life energy will you always have the ability to wield martial arts energy." Back then, it was precisely the constant life energy of Life Sea that let Owen hold out until he scared away people like Mie. "Remember the formula for the first stage, which is, 'Qi follows thought, Qi arises from the heart, cultivating essence into Qi, continuously flowing life energy'. The cultivation of the first stage is also the foundation of Life Sea, it's the foundation building phase. Alright, let's start."

Owen had Ah Dai sit cross-legged on the bed while he sat behind Ah Dai, his right palm on the area of Ah Dai's heart. He instructed, "Close your eyes, silently recite the formula. The formula is for understanding, use your mind to sense the position of the warm flow of energy and remember it. Okay, let's start."