Yangcheng in May was already sweltering.
Scattered white clouds drifted across the sky, but they couldn't block the sunlight that pierced straight down. It filtered through the dappled shadows of the trees, transforming into flecks of golden light that were still dazzling to the eye.
As Gu Zhao walked out of the job fair in the university gymnasium, the relief of the air conditioning vanished instantly, replaced by a suffocating wave of heat.
"How'd it go?" a voice suddenly asked beside him.
"Not great." Gu Zhao recognized the voice and shook his head. "It's all sales or customer service."
Zhang Hang sounded slightly surprised. "Not a single one hiring programmers?"
"There were," Gu Zhao nodded, then pursed his lips. "But they only want people with master's degrees."
"Pfft, hahaha!" Zhang Hang burst out laughing and slung an arm around Gu Zhao's shoulder. "Why are you even looking for a job? Programmers work a 9-9-6 schedule. Wouldn't it be better to just go back and take over your old man's business?"
Gu Zhao was speechless. "My old man is still in his prime. He doesn't need me to take over for him."
"Then just be a rent-collecting landlord!" Zhang Hang said with a sly grin. "Mess around for a few years, then take over!"
Gu Zhao shot Zhang Hang a sidelong glance. "Can't you have a little ambition?"
"I have plenty of ambition, thank you very much!" Zhang Hang retorted, full of self-righteousness.
Zhang Hang started counting on his fingers as he laid it out for Gu Zhao. "I was a bad student, so I can't get a good job. I'd earn three or four thousand a month, and that pocket change probably wouldn't even cover my medical bills after I've worked myself to death."
"If I don't work, I can spend my time having dim sum, playing games, watching streams, and hitting the gym. I'll be healthy, I'll be in a good mood, and I might even find a girlfriend."
Zhang Hang looked at Gu Zhao. "Tell me, isn't that a much better deal than having a job?"
Gu Zhao could only cringe. "You own a bunch of properties. You've got a point!"
Gu Zhao and Zhang Hang had been classmates since middle school. They didn't live far from each other and had compatible personalities, so they'd quickly become friends.
Both of their families owned factories and ran businesses. However, over the years, Gu Zhao's family business had chugged along steadily, while Zhang Hang's had taken a massive leap forward, which was why they had managed to snap up more properties in Yangcheng.
"I'm telling you, you should just quit job hunting. Let's make videos together! We can do food vlogs around Yangcheng. Once we get famous, we can get sponsorships. We can have fun *and* make money!" Zhang Hang urged.
"I'm not filming food vlogs," Gu Zhao snorted. "Taking money to say things I don't mean? That would affect my Dao Heart."
Zhang Hang was speechless. "What century are you living in? Who still cares about cultivating their Dao Heart? Nowadays, don't Monks and Daoists open Martial Arts schools and wellness centers to make money?"
Zhang Hang pulled out his phone, opened an app that looked like a mix of TikTok and Kuaishou, and pulled up Gu Zhao's account. "Look at these videos you post. The background music and scenery have some potential, but what the hell is this stuff you're talking about?"
Gu Zhao glanced at the screen. "The Three Lights True Qi Cultivation Method and Celestial Spirit Talismans," he said calmly.
Zhang Hang: "..."
"What the hell is the use of that!" Zhang Hang griped. "Are you planning to sell Cinnabar and Yellow Talismans on there?"
Gu Zhao couldn't be bothered to respond and walked straight toward the campus gate. "I'm not doing sponsorships, period. My grandpa taught me that if you want to live a long and healthy life, you have to keep a peaceful heart."
"You're getting way ahead of yourself! Get famous first, then we can talk. You can't get any sponsorships with only three hundred-something followers anyway!"
Zhang Hang caught up to Gu Zhao and continued to brainstorm. "If you want to get more followers, you should film skits."
"What kind of skits?" Gu Zhao asked as they walked.
Zhang Hang grinned. "How about the 'hero saves the beauty' trope? Didn't you learn some moves from your grandpa? Your fighting style is pretty flashy."
"What an ancient, cliché trope!" Gu Zhao retorted. "Who even watches that stuff anymore? The modern version is I go to save the 'beauty,' and then it turns out to be a setup and they demand I pay them off."
"Let's film that! It's guaranteed to go viral!" Zhang Hang gave him a thumbs-up. "You can play the unlucky martial arts expert, and I'll be the guy working with the girl to scam you."
"Wow, thanks a lot," Gu Zhao said dryly.
"Hey," Zhang Hang finally noticed that Gu Zhao wasn't heading for the cafeteria, but toward the campus gate. "You're not going to keep sending out résumés this afternoon?"
"The competition is insane. What's the point? I'm taking a nap this afternoon!" Gu Zhao declared.
...
After grabbing lunch with Zhang Hang, Gu Zhao walked into a residential complex not far from the university and went home.
His parents had bought the apartment for him when he got into college, giving him a place to stay outside of the dorms. He had rarely used it before, only moving in this year for his internship and to hole up while writing his thesis.
He had since gotten used to living there and had moved almost all of his things over from his dorm. All that was left was to pick up his diploma from the university.
After tossing his bag on the sofa and changing into some comfortable clothes, Gu Zhao went out onto the balcony. He sat facing the sun and, out of habit, began to meditate and circulate his Qi.
Everything Gu Zhao knew, he had learned from his grandfather.
According to his grandfather, their lineage had its own heritage, but it had lost contact with the orthodox Taoist Sects long ago and was only passed down among the common folk. He considered what he learned a part of traditional culture, and it would be a great shame for it to be lost to time.
During his father's generation, a time of casting off "feudal superstitions" and embracing economic reform, there was little interest in Cultivation or Martial Arts. His father had given it up early on to join the wave of new entrepreneurs and had actually become quite successful.
By the time Gu Zhao's generation came around, living standards had improved, the nation was growing stronger, and a sense of cultural pride was on the rise. That, combined with the wealth of information on the internet, sparked Gu Zhao's interest in these old traditions.
So, under his grandfather's guidance, he began his studies, and he had been practicing for more than a decade.
Even though his grandfather had passed away, the practice had become an ingrained habit for Gu Zhao.
He sat cross-legged, his hands forming the Shen Seal. With his eyes gently closed, he began to Conserve Spirit, his breathing growing long and steady with each inhalation and exhalation.
Gu Zhao bathed in the warm sunlight, imagining the sun's True Qi pouring into his body, coursing through his meridians, and transforming into his own power.
After about fifteen minutes of breathing exercises, Gu Zhao concluded his session and opened his eyes, taking stock of his condition.
'Hm... no change.'
'Of course there's no change!'
His mind felt clear, his vision sharp, and his breathing was easy. He felt much more energetic, and the frustrations of the morning had vanished completely.
Gu Zhao stretched and was about to get up.
Just then, he suddenly felt a searing heat on his chest.
Startled, Gu Zhao quickly pulled out the Wooden Token that hung around his neck.
It was a piece of lightning-struck Jujube Wood, about half the size of his palm and reddish-black in color. The front was carved with a Divine Statue and some incomprehensible symbols. The back was inscribed with a Talisman that incorporated the two characters for "Five Thunders."
Gu Zhao called it the Five Thunders Order.
It was an heirloom his grandfather had passed down to him, said to be a keepsake of their lineage. Legend told of how their founding ancestor had been taught a divine Technique by an Immortal in a dream. When he awoke, a thunderbolt had cracked from a clear sky and struck a nearby jujube tree. The ancestor, finding this extraordinary, investigated and discovered the token within the wood.
Gu Zhao had been wearing this Token for years. It wasn't as if it had never been exposed to the sun before, but when had it ever gotten this hot?
Staring at the Five Thunders Order in his hand, Gu Zhao suddenly felt the Token begin to vibrate in intermittent bursts.
'What's happening? It's moving on its own!'
Gu Zhao was stunned, his mind going blank for a moment. He could feel an aura swirling around the Token, pulling at him with a strange suction.
Gu Zhao subconsciously brought the Token closer, focusing his senses on it.
The next moment, his vision went black. He vanished from the balcony, leaving behind only a fading "Fu—" that dissipated into the air.