Expert First Clear, So Much Joy

The straightforward-tempered Senior Sister of the Gujian Sect had finally failed to leave her loyal Xianyun Abode.

After a fierce argument with Wu Ming, she coldly retrieved her luggage from Zheng Lingxi's treehouse, and amidst the celebratory clamor of the girl and a bunch of little beasts, she returned to Xianyun Abode, barely cleared a patch of space in the study on the east side of the main hall, and laid out a bedroll on the floor.

After that, no matter how much Wu Ming tried to decline the bedroom, Zhu Ying refused to change her mind.

--

Speaking from the heart, Wu Ming really didn't want to live with this beautiful young Senior Sister.

On one hand, in his not-so-long career as a professional first-clear player, he had long since given his heart to someone else—all his longing had been devoted to a silver-haired, green-skirted girl who excelled at setting the sea ablaze. From then on, he lost all interest in any real-world beauties.

Senior Sister Zhu Ying, though possessing five-star potential and even a suspected cat-girl lineage, was nothing but common mortal flesh compared to that sea-burning flame.

On the other hand, even before his transmigration, he was used to living alone in seclusion and wasn't really accustomed to having others around him at all times.

But as a civilized, progressive professional first-clear player, Wu Ming couldn't just stand by and watch the Senior Sister have no home to return to, her nest stolen by a cuckoo. Nor could he watch the Second Senior Sister have her nest stolen and prefer homelessness over going back.

Besides, after all the trials he'd endured since transmigrating, he could finally officially begin his Immortal Path cultivation. He needed to seize every second and be efficient—how could he let go of an excellent private tutor?

With this positive mindset, once Zhu Ying had tidied up the room, Wu Ming took the initiative to ask, "Senior Sister, when do we start cultivating the divine technique?"

Zhu Ying was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but smile before composing herself and saying sternly, "Immortal Path cultivation is no child's play. Before you formally begin, there are some things I must make clear to you."

The Senior Sister wanted to say a few words?

Wu Ming blinked, casually picked up the teapot on the table, poured tea for both Zhu Ying and himself, then grabbed some pastries and munched on them with the tea...

Zhu Ying's pretty face flushed red with anger, her eyelids twitching. "You... do you think this is a show!?"

Wu Ming quickly swallowed the pastry and explained, "Research shows: pairing snacks with short videos can effectively improve focus and boost memory..."

"Stop spouting that nonsense no one understands!" Zhu Ying scolded, then took a moment to calm herself before saying coldly, "You come from a village in Qiongzhou, raised without anyone teaching you manners. Saying the wrong thing or doing the wrong thing isn't entirely your fault. But now that you've joined the Gujian Sect and received the Human Dao Seal, you're a proper cultivator of the Immortal Path. If you keep acting so recklessly, making a fool of yourself is the least of it—it will seriously hinder your own cultivation."

Wu Ming swallowed his saliva and nodded.

"Cultivating immortality, the path of immortals, is at its core the path of humanity. And to cultivate the path of humanity, you must practice human ethics and propriety. The sages of old said, without rules, nothing can be accomplished. The word 'rules'—you must remember it well in your future cultivation."

Wu Ming swallowed again and nodded.

Zhu Ying was exasperated and simply pushed the plate of pastries over. "Eat, eat! Since nothing I say is getting through to you anyway... then let's do it your way, skip the rules and principles, and start with practice!"

Wu Ming's eyes lit up, and he proactively handed over the tea. "Senior Sister is wise!"

Zhu Ying took the cup, her chest heaving for a moment as she suppressed her anger. While Wu Ming wolfed down the food, she said seriously, "Master must have told you that your mind is exceptionally sharp, and you have a pure side to your nature—though I don't agree. But one of the foundations of cultivation, Spirit Root aptitude, is something you're quite lacking in. And there are ways to make up for it, but in my view, it's neither the Human Emperor Scroll nor exploring the Immortal Mansion—it's bitter cultivation."

Wu Ming downed the last sip of tea and smiled. "Grinding instead of paying, I get the logic. Senior Sister, rest assured."

Zhu Ying sneered. "Whether you really get it, we'll find out soon enough."

Then, she flicked her sleeve, packed up the remaining pastries on the table, pushed open the door, and led Wu Ming out to the fence of the small courtyard. Stepping onto the mountain stone path, she pointed toward the Sect Leader Temple.

"I used the Divine Movement Technique to bring you here earlier. This time, you'll go back the same way on your own. With the Herbal Tea and fruit pastries you just had, you can go three days without food or water. Walking a mountain path should be more than enough," Zhu Ying said. "Also, take this pack of pastries to Master..."

Wu Ming took the pastry bundle, looked at the mountain path ahead, and fell silent for a moment.

From the Sect Leader Temple to Xianyun Abode, he had personally experienced the rugged and treacherous terrain. Without the Divine Movement Technique, even a monkey would grit its teeth, and here he was, carrying pastries, hiking over mountains on foot, even with immortal tea and spirit fruit backing him up...

Zhu Ying sneered. "What, having trouble?"

Wu Ming smiled. "For a great deliveryman, there's no road too hard, only no internet... I'm just planning my route, aiming for a speedrun."

Zhu Ying sneered again. "Fine then, take your time planning!"

"No need, I've got a rough idea..." With that, Wu Ming stepped forward, moving nimbly as he quickened his pace along the mountain path.

Zhu Ying, in turn, dropped her smile and carefully observed his posture and footwork. After a moment, she nodded to herself.

"As expected of a descendant of the Sheep-Headed Demon Race, there really is some talent for scaling mountains..."

Sighing in admiration, Zhu Ying pulled out two yellowed, worn Spirit Talismans and stuck them on her shoulders. Instantly, her petite body became dozens of times heavier. Not only was her Foundation Establishment Realm Mana tightly suppressed, but even the blood and energy in her body felt frozen, as if spikes were driven through every limb and joint. Every breath felt like tearing at her lungs, faintly painful.

Yet under this excruciating pain, Zhu Ying showed no sign of distress. She also stepped forward, unhurriedly following behind Wu Ming.

As the Senior Sister of the Gujian Sect, Zhu Ying's strictness was impartial—strict with others, and equally strict with herself. Under the near-torturous weight of the Spirit Talismans, hiking the mountain path on foot was actually harder and more painful for her than for Wu Ming... but she had no intention of telling him that.

The Spirit Talisman pressure wasn't to silence anyone's mouth; it was because, as the sect's Senior Sister, she had to lead by example in cultivation. What was bitter cultivation? This was it!

Making a youth who hadn't even formally begun cultivation hike over mountains on foot was indeed forcing the issue. But twenty years ago, it was exactly this kind of forcing that had forged her unshakably solid Dao foundation. Even in the harshest, most dangerous environments, she could continuously refine her cultivation...

Now, Zhu Ying was already at the peak of the early Foundation Establishment Realm, just a step away from breaking through to the mid-stage. She no longer needed such a plain method to temper herself. But whenever she had free time, she would always walk this mountain path again and again, each time gaining different insights, each time reaping different rewards.

And now, what would the boy from Wuyang Village, so valued by Master, find on this mountain path?

Or rather, how far could he actually go on this path?

Zhu Ying didn't expect Wu Ming to make it all the way in one go—the mountain paths of Yan Mountain were far more rugged and treacherous than they appeared. Even the pure-blooded Sheep-Headed Demon Race of old would likely sigh in despair, let alone Wu Ming, a mixed-blood descendant with diluted bloodline?

A third, no, a quarter of the way would be pretty good, right?

--

Yet, an hour later, Zhu Ying had to drastically raise her expectations.

Watching the youth not far ahead, who resolutely turned and took a detour in front of a seemingly smooth path, Zhu Ying couldn't help but click her tongue in surprise.

"Tsk, so 'planning the route' wasn't just empty talk..."

The seemingly straightforward path right in front would ultimately lead to a steep, nearly vertical smooth rock face. Climbing up and down it would be a huge hassle, even risking a fall. Instead, the cliff beside it, which appeared impassable, hid a winding trail that allowed one to reach the next pass without too much danger.

Only the path was hidden with extreme subtlety—Zhu Ying had only discovered it by accident after walking it more than ten times. Wu Ming, who had merely been carried along once by Zhu Ying using the Divine Movement Technique, glimpsing it in a blur, had managed to keenly detect the path's existence...

Such precise route selection had repeated itself over five times in the past half hour. Every time, he accurately chose the current optimal path, avoiding unnecessary ruggedness. It was as if someone had unfurled a finely detailed full map of Yan Mountain inside his mind!

Zhu Ying, of course, couldn't understand that for someone who had grown up immersed in all kinds of open worlds, box-garden mazes, and spent years hanging around map strategy groups, recognizing and finding paths had long become an instinct.

But she had indeed witnessed with her own eyes that the boy before her, relying solely on his route-planning skill, had lasted half again as long as she had predicted!

However...

After struggling around the last bend of the winding path, Wu Ming finally showed signs of fatigue, panting heavily, drenched in sweat.

Zhu Ying thought to herself: "...After all, he's from a rural mortal family, often underfed his whole life. This physical foundation is still a fatal weakness. At this rate, even if he could pick the easiest path every time from here on, he'd probably only barely make it halfway. Still, for him, that's already pretty good."

Thus, another hour passed, and the mountain road was half done. Wu Ming, as expected, reached his physical limit. His small face was faintly pale, his legs trembling uncontrollably, as if he might collapse at any moment.

Zhu Ying then snapped to attention, closing in a few steps to follow closely, ready to prevent Wu Ming from tumbling off the cliff if his strength gave out.

Yet, as Zhu Ying followed, ever vigilant, a full half hour passed, and Wu Ming still hadn't fallen... During that time, Zhu Ying countless times thought Wu Ming's eyes would roll back and he'd pitch forward, but whenever the boy looked up at the distant peaks and trees, he somehow found an extra surge of strength to keep walking.

From behind, the boy seemed to be pulled by something intangible from some lofty height. Possession, demonic influence, zombie virus activation... For a moment, countless thoughts swirled in Zhu Ying's mind. Though she was well-traveled and knowledgeable, even she felt a creeping chill.

But Zhu Ying never stepped forward to stop him. Because every time Wu Ming twisted around or turned his head, Zhu Ying could clearly see that the boy's eyes remained as clear as ever, the joy in his gaze practically overflowing.

The hardships of the journey had left no shadow on him, and the bitter cultivation Zhu Ying advocated had left no trace of bitterness on him. Throughout the trip, Wu Ming had only felt the pleasure of exploration.

And so, a realization suddenly rose in Zhu Ying's heart: she was probably never going to see the moment he collapsed from exhaustion.

All she could do was wait for Wu Ming to keep exceeding her expectations, wait for him to stagger past the checkpoint Zhu Ying had left twenty years ago and still prided herself on, wait for the boy to cross the last mountain pass and arrive before the Sect Leader Temple...

And when the familiar, mottled paint of the Sect Leader Temple finally came into the boy's sight, the evening glow had already turned a deep, bloody red. After walking for most of the day, Wu Ming felt his limbs were numb and cold, kept alive only by the endless craving of a professional for Map Running and fog-clearing. The feeling was just like the glorious, sleepless hours of exploring a new game.

But all good things must come to an end.

At that moment, Master Gu Bai was sitting on the threshold of the temple's main gate, a small twig dangling from his mouth, his gaze warm as jade.

Wu Ming took a deep breath, overdrawing his stamina once more, and hurried forward, earnestly presenting the bundle in his hands.

"Master, this is your tea and snack pack. Please inspect and give a like."

And just as Gu Bai raised his hand to take the bundle, Wu Ming felt some thread holding his body together suddenly snap.

Fortunately, before the boy's body hit the ground, a strong arm caught him.

Gu Bai sighed, gently set Wu Ming down on a nearby cushion, and asked without looking up, "What do you think?"

After a long moment, a very reluctant voice came from beside him.

"Master has sharp eyes. I thought he'd at most make it halfway... I really couldn't see he had this kind of perseverance."

Zhu Ying's face was utterly dejected. In her right hand, she clutched two old Spirit Talismans, unconsciously squeezing them until they were on the verge of tearing.

She had originally planned to lead by example, to appear and lecture Wu Ming on the meaning of bitter cultivation and perseverance the moment he collapsed from exhaustion. Who knew that along the way, Wu Ming's endurance would be so baffling? Instead, she herself, when she was only a tenth of the way from the finish, couldn't hold out any longer and had to remove the talismans.

In terms of progress, she had broken her own past record. But from the perspective of teaching by example, she had lost to her own junior brother... It was a sheer disgrace.

Gu Bai chuckled. "Knowing it is not as good as liking it; liking it is not as good as taking joy in it. In terms of perseverance, few among your peers can surpass you. But for little Wu Ming, cultivation doesn't require perseverance at all. You might think his character is frivolous, that even if he has a moment of triumph, he might not laugh last. But ah, those who can keep smiling on the path of cultivation are often the ones who laugh last."

Zhu Ying bit her lip. After a long while, she nodded reluctantly.

Gu Bai asked again, "Anything else?"

Zhu Ying replied seriously, "I observed him the whole way. Although Wu Ming's Spirit Root aptitude is lacking, his body-tempering talent is actually excellent. If he hadn't been born in the wilds of Qiongzhou, lacking food and clothing since childhood, he probably could have finished the entire mountain road on his physical foundation alone... But looking at it the other way, that means his accumulated deficiencies are already very severe. Besides, at his age, starting body-tempering now is already a bit late. So I think the best foundational technique for him would be 'Root Stance.' It can both make up for his physical shortcomings and slightly compensate for his Spirit Root aptitude."

Gu Bai said, "You are the sect's Senior Sister. I've already entrusted the training of your junior brothers and sisters to you. Since you think Root Stance is best, then teach him Root Stance."

Zhu Ying breathed a slight sigh of relief, but still hesitated. "With his personality, I'm afraid he won't like this kind of plodding work."

Gu Bai shook his head and laughed. "Heh, not necessarily. Someone like him, seemingly flighty but actually pure in heart, often loves plodding work the most."

Zhu Ying was still a bit unwilling to admit it. "Pure in heart... Master, you rarely give such high praise to anyone. Even Ling Xi only got 'nearly pure, beneficial for the Dao.'"

Gu Bai laughed again. "Everyone has different strengths. For Wu Ming, your Spirit Root aptitude as his senior sister is something to envy, isn't it?"

Zhu Ying's brows rose slightly. "I'm not envious! I just can't figure it out... Forget it, it's getting late. Disciple won't disturb Master's rest."

With that, Zhu Ying went to one side and used a Lesser Origin Return Technique to wake the sleeping Wu Ming.

But just as she watched the boy, whom her master had praised as pure in heart, slowly come to and start rubbing his eyes and sitting up... a mischievous urge to test him suddenly arose in Zhu Ying's heart.

So she slowly composed her expression, put on an icy face, and looked down at Wu Ming from on high. "Since you're awake, don't dawdle. Today's training isn't over yet. In a little while, you'll have to walk back the same way you came."

As soon as she said this, Zhu Ying's face flushed red. Though she was strict by nature, every time she was strict, it was for a reason. This kind of gratuitous provocation was a first for her... Even she found it utterly shameful.

But to test the quality of this little junior brother's character, occasionally playing a strange role was also part of her duty as Senior Sister!

Fortunately, the evening glow was on her face, so no one could see her true complexion... Zhu Ying took a light breath and lowered her gaze to observe Wu Ming's reaction.

People only reveal their true nature in the face of setbacks. And a true setback isn't often an insurmountable mountain or an unbreakable bottleneck... but naked, malicious harassment from one's own kind, or something close to it.

From Xianyun Abode all the way to the Sect Leader Temple, Wu Ming's performance had far exceeded anyone's expectations. Asking him to turn back and walk the same road was simply preposterous. And considering it was getting dark, traveling the mountain road at night came with great risk... Zhu Ying was confident she had acted maliciously enough, and seriously enough.

So, faced with his senior sister's malicious harassment, could Wu Ming still maintain that so-called "purity of heart"?

Would he immediately question her? Or turn to their master to complain? Or dawdle and pay lip service? Or...

Just as all kinds of scenes began to flash through Zhu Ying's mind, she heard a cheer.

"Really? This Map Running quest can be done twice?!"

If the completely incomprehensible words were still within expectations, then the cheerful tone was simply unreasonable! Why did he sound so happy, of all things!?

Yet, it wasn't that he sounded happy—he was genuinely happy. Right under Zhu Ying's incredulous gaze, Wu Ming sprang up like a coiled spring, muttering lowly in completely unintelligible words, and bouncing along the same path back toward Xianyun Abode at a light jog!

Zhu Ying stood dumbfounded for a long while, until the youth's figure gradually vanished from her sight. Only then did she snap back to reality and ask in disbelief, "Is this also considered pure-heartedness!?"

Gu Bai could hardly conceal his own astonishment: "This... I suppose it counts... The mountain path is grueling, but to him, it might actually be a form of enjoyment."

Zhu Ying found it hard to believe: "He can find enjoyment in this? Has his brain gone bad?!"

At the same time, a voice that only Wu Ming could hear echoed leisurely through his mind, then transformed into an intangible encouragement, allowing him to once again push past his limits and take another step forward.

[Yan Mountain Cross-Country Log completed. Reward: twenty Spirit Crystals for creative inspiration...]

Thank you for the tip, Wu Dao!