A Little Cultivation Insight

Recently, Lin Lin had become so immersed in cultivation that he could not pull himself free. He had not even realized that his punishment of facing the wall in reflection had ended.

After breakfast, he packed up his belongings and left Yin Wind Gorge.

Only after the Hundred Flowers Valley Patrolling Disciple stationed at Yin Wind Gorge inspected the certificate issued by the Elder of Teaching Skills confirming the end of his punishment did he allow Lin Lin to leave with his parents.

The entirety of Hundred Flowers Valley lay in a strategically perilous terrain, surrounded by mountains on all sides with a valley at its center.

Back then, the First Valley Master had been able to seize this land and establish his sect because his formidable martial arts had compelled the other heroes competing for it at the time to submit.

Yin Wind Gorge was located in the mountain range behind Hundred Flowers Valley. Once they left this place, they arrived at the Back Valley of Hundred Flowers Valley.

This was an immensely vast stretch of fertile black soil near a water source, a land exceptionally suited to sustaining life. It had all been used to grow all kinds of precious medicinal herbs and flowers.

Further ahead lay the Middle Section of Hundred Flowers Valley, the sect's core grounds. The Hidden Scripture Pavilion, the residences of the sect leader and elders, the Martial Arts Practice Square for the daily training of the many sect members and disciples, and the residences of newly admitted disciples were all located here.

Further forward, in the Front Valley, aside from the Mountain Gate of Hundred Flowers Valley, there were vast expanses of flower seas and lotus ponds with edible, medicinal, and ornamental value, breathtakingly beautiful.

Across the entire land of the Nine Provinces, the Mountain Gate of Hundred Flowers Valley ranked among the most stunning scenic places.

Some couples on good terms with Hundred Flowers Valley would take the opportunity of visiting the Mountain Gate to meet here for dates.

As for the residences of the many Elite Disciples who had been in the sect for years, as well as numerous mid-level sect experts, along with buildings such as kitchens, Forge Rooms, and bathhouses, they were all built into the rock walls surrounding Hundred Flowers Valley.

This arrangement was not only meant to avoid damaging the overall environment within the valley, but also to have these experts guard the sect grounds against outside invaders.

As a new disciple who had only joined a few years ago, Lin Lin's residence should originally have been in the disciple quarters in the Middle Section of Hundred Flowers Valley.

However, since his parents were mid-level members of Hundred Flowers Valley and bore the title of Elder of Affairs, Lin Lin normally lived with them in a residence built into the rock wall near the rear section of Hundred Flowers Valley.

It was a rather refined wooden house covering several hundred square meters, divided into two floors, with a small courtyard planted with medicinal herbs.

The lower floor contained the living room, dining room, kitchen, and storage room, while the upper floor was partitioned into several bedrooms for the family.

After leaving Yin Wind Gorge, the family did not travel through the valley. Instead, they took a small path directly up to the rocky walls of the mountain range enclosing Hundred Flowers Valley, and after walking for another ten-odd minutes, they arrived home.

After setting down the belongings they had brought back from Yin Wind Gorge, Lin Yue and Zhang Fei told Lin Lin to rest at home, while they hurried out the door.

They intended to make good on everything they had promised Lin Lin as soon as possible.

Lin Lin watched his parents leave, but he had no intention of resting either.

This was precisely the period when his martial arts were advancing at breakneck speed. How could he possibly rest?

He first cultivated his Inner Power Cultivation Method in the quiet room, calming his mind and focusing his spirit as he used up the Meridian Durability that had recovered to full after a night's rest.

Once he felt his inner breath grow a little stronger, he took up his sword and went to a level stretch of rock before the house. Taking his stance, he began practicing his swordsmanship directly.

In the blink of an eye, sword light flickered all around Lin Lin.

Compared to the icy Yin Wind Gorge, the temperature outside in Hundred Flowers Valley was far more comfortable.

At the very least, Lin Lin would not lose Health and Vitality from the ceaseless chill wind, so he could naturally devote more of his Vitality to swordsmanship cultivation.

At noon, he reheated a pot of Ginseng Chicken Soup that his mother Zhang Fei had prepared in advance and drank it for lunch to replenish his Vitality.

After resting briefly to digest his food, Lin Lin resumed his swordsmanship cultivation that afternoon, truly unwilling to waste even a moment.

Yet as he finished cultivating near dusk, Lin Lin noticed something lacking.

Cultivating outside in this springlike warmth meant he no longer needed to expend additional Vitality resisting the bone-piercing cold wind that clung to him like a shadow. He could devote more Vitality and physical strength to swordsmanship cultivation, and with his thoughts free from the wind's interference, his mind turned faster as well, allowing him to improve his grasp of swordsmanship more quickly.

But correspondingly, without the stimulation of that cold wind, his body would no longer be tempered every moment. The rate at which the strength of his physique, tendons, and bones increased would slow.

Previously, in Yin Wind Gorge, Lin Lin's Constitution had increased by one or two points every day.

But now, after a day of grueling cultivation, although he had gained more swordsmanship proficiency than he would have in Yin Wind Gorge, and his Strength and Endurance attributes had improved as well, his Constitution had not budged at all.

"To temper the body, one should cultivate in harsh environments and use nature itself to hone oneself."

"And to increase combat power, raise attributes such as Strength and Endurance, and improve one's proficiency in martial arts, one must minimize the influence of the external environment and train with specific focus."

"That way, one can achieve the greatest cultivation effect."

Lin Lin pondered as he summarized his thoughts.

For the current Lin Lin, his martial arts cultivation was still in its infancy, in a period of rapid ascent. He was still far from reaching his limits.

Tempering oneself in harsh environments was only suitable for martial artists who had reached a bottleneck. For Lin Lin at this stage, cultivating in a stable environment would still bring faster improvement.

After committing this to memory, Lin Lin sheathed his sword and headed home.

By then, his mother Zhang Fei had already returned. But seeing Lin Lin focused on his cultivation earlier, she had not disturbed him.

"Little Lin, are you done cultivating? Come take a look at the maids and servants Mother bought back today," Zhang Fei called to Lin Lin as he entered the house.

Lin Lin nodded and turned his gaze toward the newly purchased maids and servants.

There were two maids and three servants, all teenagers around ten-odd years old. They had already washed themselves clean and wore simple, coarse hemp clothes.

Though all of them were sallow and emaciated, the two maids had proper features, with a delicate and modest air.

The three servants were also broad-boned. If they were given enough food and allowed to recuperate for a while, they could become sturdy laborers.

Although these five people had now become slaves and servants, there was not the slightest resentment or dissatisfaction on their faces. Their eyes and subtle expressions revealed only gratitude toward their master's household.

In these chaotic times, even high-ranking nobles and officials could die at any moment.

To be bought back, to have a full meal, and not starve to death was already a stroke of fortune for these pitiful people with nowhere to call home.

Though Lin Lin found such fortune somewhat tragic, in this terrible age, it was an unchangeable fact.