Passing On Techniques
Upon entering the courtyard, Shen Jingchuan saw that Elder Yang had also arrived and quickly said, "Why did you come all this way in person?"
Elder Yang smiled and said, "Siqi is visiting Master's door for the first time. It would be improper for me, as an elder, not to accompany her. It would also make things more solemn."
Shen Jingchuan said no more, and with a smile led the group to the main room of the second courtyard, where they sat down as host and guests.
He took out the tea set, intending to brew the tea himself. Seeing this, Yang Siqi quickly stood up. "Master, let me do it."
Shen Jingchuan waved his hand and said, "You can't brew this tea well yet. Watch me brew it first. Once you've learned, you can try it yourself later."
He opened a jade box, took out tweezers, and gently picked out a tea leaf.
Yang Xiao, Wang Lezhi, and the others watched from the sidelines, wondering to themselves why they only released one piece; that was too stingy.
But then I thought, Mr. Shen is no ordinary person, he must have his reasons for doing this.
As soon as boiling water was poured in, a pure and mellow tea aroma filled the room.
Shen Jingchuan poured only a shallow layer of water into each person's cup, then added boiling water to dilute it before serving it to them.
His own glass, however, was the real deal, without any water added.
Elder Yang had tasted it before; he held it in both hands, treating it like a precious treasure, sipping it slowly.
The three maids started thinking again, only putting one tea leaf in the teapot and even diluting it with water, which seemed really stingy.
Shen Jingchuan observed this, smiled faintly, and said, "This is spiritual tea. It's the first time the three of you are drinking it. If it's not diluted, your bodies might not be able to handle it."
Everyone then realized what was happening and became serious.
Yang Siqi came to her senses, took a cloth bag from her bag, held it with both hands, and gently placed it on the coffee table.
"Master, I really don't know what to give as a formal apprenticeship gift. I looked up the ancient rites and prepared something very simple; please don't find it offensive."
Shen Jingchuan smiled upon seeing this and nodded, saying, "I like it very much. I'm glad you did."
The relationship between master and disciple has been similar to that between father and son since ancient times, and sometimes even closer.
"As the old saying goes, 'A teacher for a day is a father for life,' and this is not just a casual remark."
"But over the years, these traditions have faded, and I don't adhere to them anymore. Your sentiment is enough."
Upon hearing this, Yang Siqi picked up the teapot again, personally poured a full cup for Shen Jingchuan, took a step back, knelt down, and raised her hands above her head.
"Master, please have some tea."
Shen Jingchuan took it, took a small sip, and said, "Get up, that concludes the ceremony."
"From now on, these elaborate forms of kowtowing and kneeling are no longer necessary."
Shen Jingchuan didn't rush to get her up. He raised a finger and touched her forehead.
"I'll first teach you a set of Cultivation Method. Don't be afraid; just relax and receive them."
Where the fingertip landed, a divine thought slowly flowed in; it was the "Five Elements Qi Refining Instruction".
Yang Siqi felt as if many things had appeared out of nowhere in her mind, clear and distinct, as if they had always been engraved there.
She was so shocked that she held her breath.
Shen Jingchuan took out another Ring and handed it to her.
"There are some cultivation items inside, such as Spirit Stones and pills."
"First, guide your Qi into your body. Once you reach the Qi Refining First Layer, you'll be able to open it yourself. I've already explained how to use it to you using my Divine Sense."
Then, he took out a jade pendant and put it in her hand.
"I've also taught you how to use this token. Once you Qi Refining First Layer and develop Divine Sense, you'll be able to activate it."
"It's the key to this West Mountain Separate Garden. It's full of Spiritual Qi energy and very quiet. I don't come here often; you can cultivate here on your own without informing me. Go in and choose a room you like."
Yang Xiao, standing next to him, stared at the Ring with wide eyes, almost drooling.
"Mr. Shen, this... this is the legendary Storage Ring?"
Wang Lezhi murmured, "I've only ever seen this in novels."
Yang Siqi quickly took the Ring, slipped it onto her finger, covered it with her other hand, and stared at the two of them as if they were thieves.
Wang Lezhi curled his lip and said, "Tch, stingy! I'm just looking, I don't think I can steal it."
Shen Jingchuan laughed, "To a cultivator, your staring like that is just like you staring at someone's wallet."
Upon hearing this, the two realized it was true and awkwardly looked away.
Shen Jingchuan looked at them and asked, "Siqi came to become an apprentice, Elder Yang followed along as a matter of courtesy as an elder. What are you two doing here?"
Yang Xiao said matter-of-factly, "We've already discussed it; we're here to give gifts."
Shen Jingchuan raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What gifts are you bringing?"
Wang Lezhi, quick to speak, blurted out. "The gift we gave each other was ourselves!"
Shen Jingchuan was taken aback upon hearing this.
Yang Xiao realized what was happening, reached out and patted her, quickly explaining, "Please don't misunderstand, we meant that the two of us plan to be specifically responsible for protecting our teacher's wife's safety."
"I just retired, and Lezhi is graduating soon, so we won't be looking for jobs. We'll team up to keep her company; that's our gift to her."
Wang Lezhi's face flushed red, and he nodded hurriedly. "Yes, yes, I didn't say it properly, that's exactly what I meant."
Shen Jingchuan waved his hand and said, "Let's make this clear first, I'm not officially married to her yet, and you're not my disciples, so let's not talk about 'master's wife' for now."
Wang Lezhi thought for a moment and said, "Then call her sister-in-law? Sister-in-law isn't enough? Then... protecting Ms. Meng, that should be fine, right?"
Shen Jingchuan's expression softened, and he said, "I must thank you both first. With you two here, I truly feel at ease."
Yang Xiao puffed out her chest, gestured a couple of times, and said, "First of all, we're both women, which makes things easier. Besides, we both have real skills."
Shen Jingchuan nodded and said, "Okay, I appreciate it, but I must pay you. Consider it as me hiring two bodyguards for her."
Yang Xiao and Wang Lezhi waved their hands in unison, shaking their heads like rattles.
"No, no, no, we don't want the money. This is a gift we're giving. There's no reason to ask for money back after giving a gift."
Shen Jingchuan thought for a moment and said, "You two's skills are still lacking."
"You lack Spirit Roots and cannot cultivate immortality, but I do have a high-level Cultivation Method ordinary people can practice, called the 'Body Tempering Instruction,' which I will pass on to you."
"This set of Cultivation Method is specifically designed to strengthen muscles and bones. Even beginners will see a significant increase in strength, and with consistent practice for a year or two, doubling your strength is not difficult."
"When you practice to a high level, you'll gain great strength and lightness of body. I won't go into details about what comes next, but at its peak, while you might not be able to move mountains, splitting rocks and cutting wood will be very easy."
"In this mundane world, that's already top-tier skill."
The two girls' eyes grew brighter and brighter as they listened, their breathing became heavier, and their faces were filled with excitement; they almost jumped for joy.
"Come here."
The two exchanged a glance, then happily stepped forward and knelt down with a thud.
"Master, please accept my bow!"
Shen Jingchuan waved his hand and said, "I only imparted my skills; I didn't accept you as disciples."
The two remained silent, looking up at him, kneeling on the ground and refusing to get up.