Wandao 001
第一章:牛埔清晨 · 命运初动
清晨的牛埔村,晨雾如纱,湿气弥漫在石板小道与草屋之间,远处山岭在微光中若隐若现.田埂旁,一头老黄牛缓慢踱步,脖子上的铜铃偶尔叮当作响.
万小川蹲在溪边洗脸,清澈的溪水拍打石岸,映出他那张尚未完全长开的少年面容.他约莫十三岁,身材修长,眉目间已有英气.他一边搓着脸,一边望向远方那层层叠叠的山影,内心泛起一丝骚动.
他身穿粗布短袍,腰间系着简单的兽皮腰带,脚蹬麻鞋,却丝毫遮掩不住那种难掩的锐气.他胸前悬着一块古老的青玉吊坠,名为"护心石",据说是父亲留下的护身之物.
"小川,快吃早饭了!"远处传来万里樵浑厚的嗓音.
万小川应声起身,快步踏上石道,步伐轻盈,却每一步都踩在地势的重心处,显示出与他年龄不相称的身法修为.他回到自家木屋,只见饭桌上已摆好米饭,炖菜与一道村中特有的"灵鳟清汤".
灵鳟清汤,汤色清澈微黄,香气淡雅,略带灵草香息,一入口鲜甜滑顺,润而不腻,是万小川最爱的家常菜之一.他坐下来大快朵颐,万里樵则一边沉吟,一边为自己斟了一杯老酒.
"爹."万小川吞下一口饭后抬头问道,"您说过修仙是走向强者之路,可这条路,我真的能走得通吗?"
万里樵目光一凝,似有深意地望着他.他满脸胡渣,风霜洗礼过的面容透着历练之气,一身青灰色长袍,腰间挂着一块拂尘与一支木质短笛.
"修仙,不是光靠志气便能登堂入室."他语气低沉却坚定,"但若你能耐得寂寞,受得苦,心志够坚,就值得一试."
万小川眼中闪过一抹火光,握紧拳头.
饭毕,万小川随万里樵走进后山林地.此处灵气稀薄,但万里樵却在此设下一处简易灵阵,名为"小伏风阵",可凝聚山林微风,辅助灵气入体.
"坐下,吐纳气息,随我念诀."万里樵盘膝而坐,示意万小川对面坐好.
晨光透过松针洒落,万小川依言照做,体内经脉初开,一缕微弱灵气自指尖流入,宛若清风拂面.他努力循着父亲所传的"引灵入气诀",静心凝神,导引那股灵气流转经络.
气流初入,如针刺,如蚕丝,万小川咬牙坚持,一炷香时间后,额角已有细汗浮现.
就在此时,一声雷鸣自远空响起.
万小川睁眼望去,只见一道白光自云层中坠下,坠入村东南方的荒地之中,激起滚滚尘土.
"那是..."万里樵猛然起身,脸色大变,"是天外玄石落地!"
他转身望向儿子,眼神前所未有的凝重,"小川,今日为师父子传你最后一课,往后此路,你要自己走了."
"为什么?"万小川站起来,满脸困惑.
"因为那不是普通的陨石,那是天外玄石,极可能藏有灵器,异兽或古遗封印."
万小川内心骤然震动.
未及多想,远处已有数道遁光升起——是邻村或山野修士察觉异象,急忙赶来.
"快回屋!收拾干粮与符纸,灵水,我们走一趟!"万里樵已率先提气跃起,足尖一点松石飞跃树梢,背影如云鹤纵横.
万小川心知这或许将是他命运真正启动的关键,深吸一口气,眼中闪动坚毅光芒.
他转身冲入屋内,背上干粮袋,腰插灵符,小心地将护心石藏入内袍之中——那是他的初始,也是他命运的钥匙.
牛埔村的晨雾尚未散尽,而万道仙途的第一步,已在此刻踏出.
Chapter 1: Early Morning at Niupu — The First Stirring of Fate
In the early morning at Niupu Village, the mist hung like a gauzy veil, moisture lingering between the stone-paved paths and the grass-thatched huts. In the distance, the layered mountain ridges appeared faint and elusive in the pale light. Beside the fields, an old yellow ox wandered slowly, the copper bell around its neck occasionally jingling softly.
Wan Xiaochuan crouched by the stream washing his face. The clear water splashed against the stones, reflecting the youthful features of his face, not yet fully matured. He was about thirteen, tall and slender, with a hint of heroic spirit in his eyebrows and eyes. While rubbing his face, he gazed toward the distant overlapping mountains, a subtle unrest stirring within his heart.
He wore a coarse cloth short robe, a simple beast-skin belt tied at his waist, and hemp shoes on his feet — yet none of these could conceal the sharpness that naturally emanated from him. Hanging on his chest was an ancient jade pendant called the "Heart-Guardian Stone," said to be a protective talisman left by his father.
"Xiaochuan, breakfast is ready!" came the deep voice of Wan Liqiao from afar.
Wan Xiaochuan stood up in response and stepped swiftly onto the stone path. His movements were light and agile, each step landing precisely on the center of gravity, revealing a martial grace beyond his years. Returning to his wooden home, he found the dining table already set with steamed rice, stewed vegetables, and a village specialty — "Spirit Trout Clear Soup."
The spirit trout soup was clear with a faint golden hue, its aroma delicate and infused with the scent of spiritual herbs. The first sip was fresh and smooth, neither greasy nor heavy — one of Wan Xiaochuan's favorite home dishes. He sat down and ate heartily, while Wan Liqiao silently pondered, pouring himself a cup of aged wine.
"Father," Wan Xiaochuan asked after swallowing a mouthful of rice, "you once said cultivation is the path to becoming strong, but… can I really walk that path?"
Wan Liqiao's eyes narrowed, his gaze heavy with meaning. His face was weathered and rough, marked by the hardships of life. He wore a blue-gray long robe, with a dust whisk and a wooden flute hanging at his waist.
"Cultivation is not a path one enters with ambition alone," his voice low but resolute. "But if you can endure loneliness, suffer hardship, and have a steadfast will, then it is worth trying."
A flash of fire sparked in Wan Xiaochuan's eyes as he clenched his fists tightly.
After finishing their meal, Wan Xiaochuan followed Wan Liqiao to the forest behind their home. The spiritual energy here was thin, yet Wan Liqiao had set up a simple spiritual array called the "Small Hidden Wind Array" to gather the gentle mountain breeze and assist the flow of spiritual energy into the body.
"Sit down, breathe in and out, follow my incantation," Wan Liqiao instructed, sitting cross-legged and motioning for Wan Xiaochuan to do the same opposite him.
Morning light filtered through the pine needles, falling on Wan Xiaochuan as he obeyed. His meridians began to open, and a faint spiritual energy flowed from his fingertips like a gentle breeze brushing his face. He concentrated, guiding the energy through his channels, following the "Soul Guiding Qi Invocation" taught by his father.
The flow was like sharp needles at first, then as soft as silkworm threads. Wan Xiaochuan gritted his teeth and persevered. After a stick of incense burned, a fine sweat appeared on his forehead.
At that moment, a thunderclap sounded in the distant sky.
Wan Xiaochuan opened his eyes to see a white light plummeting from the clouds, crashing into the wasteland southeast of the village, kicking up rolling dust clouds.
"That is…" Wan Liqiao suddenly stood, his face paling, "a mysterious celestial stone has fallen!"
He turned to his son, his gaze heavier than ever. "Xiaochuan, today your master gives you the final lesson — from now on, you must walk this path alone."
"Why?" Wan Xiaochuan rose, full of confusion.
"Because that is no ordinary meteor," Wan Liqiao said grimly. "It likely contains spiritual artifacts, strange beasts, or ancient sealed powers."
Wan Xiaochuan's heart trembled violently.
Before he could ponder further, several streaks of escaping light appeared in the distance — cultivators from neighboring villages and wilds, rushing to investigate the anomaly.
"Hurry back! Pack your rations, talismans, and spirit water. We must leave at once!" Wan Liqiao surged ahead, leaping lightly over pine stones, his figure moving like a clouded crane.
Wan Xiaochuan knew this might be the true start of his fate. He took a deep breath, determination flickering in his eyes.
He rushed back inside, slinging a bag of provisions on his back, tucking spirit talismans into his belt, and carefully hiding the Heart-Guardian Stone inside his inner robe — his beginning and the key to his destiny.
The morning mist in Niupu Village had yet to clear, but the first step on the path of the Ten-Thousand Dao Immortal Journey was already taken.