Master and Disciple

Xu Chunniang's gaze swept over the bamboo basket in the girl's hands. "Come in with me."

The girl followed her into the courtyard, opened the bamboo basket, and offered it up with both hands.

"This is my tuition gift, and also a small token of my sincerity."

Seeing the basket filled to the brim with gold and silver, Xu Chunniang showed a trace of surprise.

For the girl to produce so much gold and silver as a tuition gift, her background seemed better than Xu Chunniang had imagined.

Though such gold, silver, and valuables no longer held any meaning for Xu Chunniang, she still accepted them and took the girl in as her disciple.

"What is your name?"

"Shen Miaoling."

"Can you read?"

"My eyes were injured in an accident three years ago. When I was young, my Household hired a teacher who taught me to read."

Xu Chunniang nodded. "Before learning martial arts, I will first pass on a cultivation art to you. Once you have read it, ask me about anything you do not understand."

As she spoke, she sent a spell into the center of Shen Miaoling's brow.

Shen Miaoling felt a sharp pain between her brows, and a cultivation art appeared in her mind—the Carefree Art.

Her mouth fell slightly open in disbelief. Such a method of imparting teachings was simply unheard of.

Shen Miaoling had originally thought that the master she had taken was merely an ordinary master of internal martial arts.

Only now did she realize that her master's origins were even more astonishing than she had imagined.

After the shock and delight faded, Shen Miaoling felt her way to a corner and sat down, then began carefully studying the cultivation art that had appeared in her mind.

Xu Chunniang looked at Shen Miaoling.