Volume One: First Steps on the Path Chapter 78: The Mark

As Ye Junze was sighing to himself, the small cauldron suspended in midair began to change once more. Sensing something, Ye Junze lifted his head to gaze at the cauldron again.

As his eyes followed its form, he saw the cauldron had ceased its rotation. It now simply emanated a gentle radiance, its size restored to its usual state. Noticing this, Ye Junze murmured to himself, “I suppose the so-called inheritance ceremony has come to an end now?”

“Let’s see if I can retrieve the cauldron,” he thought, and beckoned toward it in the air. As soon as he made the gesture, the cauldron seemed to receive some command, hurtling swiftly from the sky toward his location. In the blink of an eye, it drew near, settling once more in his palm with perfect ease.

Ye Junze nodded, saying, “It seems there’s not much difference from before. I can still control it freely.” The cauldron resting in his hand emitted several gentle streams of light, as if it had finally found its home. From its behavior, Ye Junze felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, almost kinship, and wondered if it was merely his imagination. Shaking his head to clear it, he found the feeling persisted, a warmth emanating from the cauldron. Unable to find a reason after much contemplation, he attributed it to the inheritance ceremony just concluded.

“But how am I supposed to store it now?” Ye Junze fell into deep thought.

Previously, the cauldron he had manifested was conjured by means of a spell, and when the spiritual energy attached to it was depleted, it would naturally dissipate as the spell ended. Yet now, though this cauldron was also manifested by him, after the inheritance it was clearly different—more substantial, more real. Such a cauldron would not simply vanish for lack of spiritual energy.

This realization troubled Ye Junze. Suddenly, he mused aloud, “Maybe I could store it in a spatial artifact, just as I did with the previous cauldron?”

With that in mind, he tried to channel his spiritual energy to send the cauldron into his spatial artifact. No matter how he attempted, the cauldron refused to enter. It was as if the cauldron resisted entry, and the artifact dared not accept it.

Seeing this, Ye Junze stared at the cauldron in his hand and spoke, “What am I supposed to do? I can’t go out every time with you in my hand, that’s hardly convenient.”

Just as Ye Junze was at a loss, the cauldron in his palm suddenly erupted in a blaze of light, almost as if it understood his words. Because he was so close and the transformation so abrupt, he had no time to react, instinctively shutting his eyes against the brightness.

With his eyes shut, Ye Junze could not see what transpired, but felt his hand lighten, as if the cauldron had vanished.

When he finally adjusted and opened his eyes, he was startled—there was no trace of the cauldron in his hand. The cauldron, once the size of a human head, had disappeared without a trace, as if it had evaporated into thin air.

Ye Junze anxiously searched his surroundings, but after a long search, not a hint of the cauldron could be found.

In his distress, Ye Junze called out, “Meng Yuan, Meng Yuan! Did you see where the cauldron went?”

The only response he received was Meng Yuan’s silent indifference, as if pondering why his master could be so foolish.

Ye Junze waited for Meng Yuan’s reply, but hearing nothing, he shouted again, “Meng Yuan! Meng Yuan! Where are you?!”

Meng Yuan had intended for Ye Junze to discover the answer himself, but seeing his complete lack of composure, he decided to intervene, lest Ye Junze suffer irreparable psychological trauma. With some reluctance, Meng Yuan kindly suggested, “Why not look at the palm of your left hand?”

Upon hearing Meng Yuan’s voice, Ye Junze exclaimed, “So you’re here! You scared me—I thought something had happened to you.”

Meng Yuan fell silent once more, unable to find a tactful way to express the thought that his master was simply too dense.

Relieved that Meng Yuan was safe, Ye Junze paid him no further mind and instead did as he suggested, looking at his left palm.

Lifting his left hand, Ye Junze was surprised to see a mark in its center, identical in form to the cauldron.

“Could this be the cauldron? Why has it become like this?” he wondered aloud.

“This should be another form in which the cauldron can exist externally. Now, for the cauldron, you’re more like a host; your body is its place of residence.” Meng Yuan responded, out of kindness.

Ye Junze nodded, pondering, “So that’s how it is?”

“But how do I use the cauldron from now on?” he murmured.

“You can—” Meng Yuan began, intending to explain, but Ye Junze interrupted him.

“Let me try for myself first,” Ye Junze said, waving his hand.

Meng Yuan fell silent, obediently respecting his master’s wish.

Determined to experiment, Ye Junze gathered spiritual energy and directed it toward the cauldron mark in his palm. Instantly, the mark began to glow faintly. Delighted, Ye Junze continued channeling energy, increasing his pace, and the mark’s radiance grew ever more intense.

After some time, the cauldron mark seemed to have absorbed enough energy and abruptly detached from his hand, once more becoming the familiar cauldron, resting in his palm.

Seeing the cauldron, Ye Junze smiled and ceased channeling energy.

Staring at the cauldron, Ye Junze reflected, “So that’s it.”

Indeed, from his observations, Ye Junze realized that the cauldron turning into a mark was convenient for both himself and the cauldron—remaining only as a mark in his palm would not attract attention.

Moreover, he discovered that the cauldron no longer needed to be conjured with elaborate spells; simply infusing spiritual energy into the mark would bring it forth for his use. Likewise, to revert it to a mark, he only needed to control it with his energy and intent.

“This is quite good,” Ye Junze nodded, praising repeatedly.

“Now that I understand the matter, let’s turn it back,” he said, channeling energy and intent to transform the cauldron into a mark once more.

As expected, the cauldron shrank, returning to the form of a mark in his palm. Ye Junze nodded in satisfaction.

Yet, observing the mark, he felt it was still too conspicuous, murmuring to himself, “This still seems visible to others, too bright. Can’t it be fainter, so only I know it’s there?”

He spoke without caring whether the cauldron could understand, for its recent actions proved it could respond to him.

And, as if in answer, the cauldron mark dimmed significantly, no longer shining with its previous golden brilliance.

Seeing the effect, Ye Junze said, “No, still too obvious. Make it even fainter.”

The cauldron mark obediently faded further.

Still dissatisfied, Ye Junze continued, “Still too visible. Make it blend completely with my skin tone, so nobody would notice unless I point it out.”

No sooner had he spoken than the mark transformed again, its color matching his skin so perfectly that none but Ye Junze would ever notice it.

At last, satisfied, Ye Junze gazed at the mark, delighted, and laughed, “I never expected you’d understand human speech so well. If I didn’t sense that there’s no spirit within you, I’d suspect you were inhabited by some old demon who’s become sentient.”

The cauldron responded with a gentle flicker of light, as if it half-understood and half-responded to his words. If it could speak, it might have retorted, “I am not, and even if I were, I am certainly no old demon!”

With the cauldron’s matter settled, Ye Junze clapped his hands and stretched, as if these affairs had taxed him greatly.

He exhaled deeply and said, “At last, the cauldron is taken care of.”

“No, it’s not resolved yet,” Meng Yuan interjected, breaking his long silence.

“Oh? What do you mean, Meng Yuan?” Ye Junze’s joy faded, replaced by confusion.

Meng Yuan replied solemnly, “Let me remind you, the cauldron still requires you to recover its scattered spirit fragments before it can be fully restored.”

Ye Junze waved his hand, saying, “I remember, no need to remind me. I promised the cauldron I’d help it become whole again.”

Meng Yuan fell silent, seemingly accepting Ye Junze’s words.

“Alright, that’s settled. I’ll continue cultivating now,” Ye Junze said, waving his hand.

With that, he resumed his cultivation.