A Salute to the Grand Line

After a brief interlude, everything returned to the main topic.

Root Stance cultivation guide completed. Received 200 Spirit Crystals as a creation incentive.

Root Stance cultivation log completed. Received 20 Spirit Crystals as a creation incentive.

The system's consecutive notifications directly certified Wu Ming's cultivation. The hard work of the past half day had yielded results that exceeded even his expectations.

Root Stance cultivation, whose difficulty Zhu Ying had gone out of her way to play up, wasn't nearly as hard as she'd made it sound. Just as Wu Ming had expected, the so-called "try every trick in the book and still get nowhere" was only because some people hadn't actually tried every trick in the book.

All morning, Wu Ming had tried more than three hundred different ways of planting his foot. He hadn't been discouraged or doubted himself even once. If one method didn't work, he immediately tried the next. And on his three-hundred-and-ninetieth attempt, just as he'd expected, he successfully planted his foot on the Rootless Path with an Axel Jump.

The instant he landed that step, the system settled two rewards for him. But more than the system's rewards, Wu Ming cared about Root Stance itself.

Root Stance sounded plain and unremarkable, even a little rustic. But Zhu Ying had treated it with such solemnity as the very first lesson in cultivation for good reason: it truly held a wondrous secret.

The moment his foot landed successfully, Wu Ming seemed to feel invisible roots extending beneath him, binding him closely to the earth. With every breath, he could faintly sense the earth's vast, surging pulse.

At the same time, his qi and blood began to flow faster. In an instant, they guided an invisible breath rising from the earth through several clogged, obstructed acupoints in his meridians. Much of the fatigue he'd accumulated yesterday and the pain from half a day of tumbles faded away.

That one step seemed to leave an indelible footprint on the long road to immortality. After that step, Wu Ming had officially crossed the threshold of immortal cultivation.

And succeeding in his cultivation—or rather, the entire process from taking his first step to achieving success—left Wu Ming feeling immeasurably satisfied.

The incentive rewards were certainly nice, but at best they were only snacks to go with a drink. The game itself was the true feast.

Everything had been almost perfect, if not for that unexpected egg-meets-rock incident afterward.

After a long silence, Zhu Ying finally forced herself to forget the embarrassment and let go of her anger. In the end, she managed a sincere, pleased smile.

"Junior Brother, congratulations. You've done even better than I imagined."

Wu Ming's performance over the past half day—especially the way he'd tried every trick in the book and stubbornly refused to keep his feet on the ground—had completely upended Zhu Ying's understanding of cultivation. It had even made the achievement she'd secretly been proud of seem dim by comparison...

But as the senior sister of the Gujian Sect, how could she not be happy to see her junior brother excel?

Wu Ming was a talent their master had recognized. The better he did, the more it proved their master had an eye for people, didn't it?

Besides, if one day he really could do as he'd boasted and raise the entire sect to immortality... what would a little personal pride or disgrace matter?

Having thought it through, Zhu Ying said solemnly, "Now that you've mastered the basics of Root Stance, you're a true cultivator. From now on, keep up the diligence and courage you showed today, and don't disappoint Master's high hopes for you... All right, you've worked hard all morning. Take a little rest."

Wu Ming stared at her in astonishment. "We're resting after just one morning... This xianxia world has anti-addiction rules too!?"

"?" Zhu Ying didn't understand his slang, but she could tell he still wanted to keep going. She laughed at herself. "Heh, it seems I'm the one holding you back... Since you're still fired up, let's start the next stage of your cultivation early. Do you remember the way back?"

Wu Ming smiled. "Of course. I never forget a map I've run before."

"Good. Use the Root Stance you've comprehended to walk back to Xianyun Abode."

Wu Ming's eyes lit up. "A newly refreshed daily quest? Yes!"

He spent a moment gathering himself, then twisted and stepped forward. His posture was plain, without any flourishes, yet it seemed to stir the world's energy around him. A breeze drifted through the valley, rustling the leaves nearby...

Thud!

His simple straw sandal landed squarely on the ground, making a solid, unmistakable sound. Then it drew a wisp of energy from the earth, which unmistakably flowed into Wu Ming's every limb and bone, nourishing his muscles and bones, strengthening his qi and blood, and replenishing what he'd lacked over the past dozen years.

With that one step, it was as if he'd bathed in warm water; every inch of him felt comfortable. But when Wu Ming tried to take another step, the muscles that had felt so relaxed a moment ago suddenly went numb and stiff, refusing to obey him. Only after his qi and blood had circulated for a while did the numbness ease enough for him to move again.

At the same time, Zhu Ying explained from the side, "Mastering the basics of Root Stance is a little like sudden enlightenment. Whether you succeed or fail doesn't depend much on what you've accumulated in the past. But the cultivation that comes after mastering the basics is nothing more than steady work, day after day. Keep walking step by step using the method you learned, and your stride will grow smoother and more effortless... When you hit a bottleneck, return to the Rootless Path and try to break through. Repeating that cycle is the entire process of Root Stance cultivation."

Wu Ming nodded. Taking the opportunity to steady his breathing, he stepped forward again and planted his foot firmly... His posture and pace remained exactly the same as before.

Zhu Ying hesitated, unsure what to say. She'd planned to wait until Wu Ming's steps grew unsteady, then offer a little criticism to knock him down a peg. But he'd shut down the hard truths she'd painstakingly prepared right from the start, leaving all her earnest efforts with nowhere to go...

Fortunately, there was something else she could do as his senior sister besides lecture and correct him.

"Wu Ming, stand still. Wait a moment."

Wu Ming did as she asked and stayed where he was.

"...I didn't mean you had to stop breathing too. All right, it's fastened. Try walking."

Wu Ming felt a strange coolness across his back. Curious, he turned around and saw the familiar gleam of silver swordlight.

"The Signature Weapon they gave out as a bonus?"

"...It's the Taiyi Dharma Sword," Zhu Ying corrected him helplessly. "Even as a treasure meant for the Qi Refining Stage, such a divine weapon contains a trace of sentience. Treat it with respect, as you would a person, and you'll gradually draw out all its divine abilities."

"I see. Then I'll be counting on you, old buddy!"

"...I didn't tell you to give it a name! And certainly not such a flippant one! You need to learn to respect it and value it!"

"Then I'll be counting on you, Yan Mountain Sword Head!"

"..." Zhu Ying's lips opened and closed several times, but in the end she couldn't find the words.

Especially when the words "Yan Mountain Sword Head" rang out, the dharma sword trembled slightly, as though in delight. The thin spiritual energy along the mountain paths of Yan Mountain was drawn into the sword with astonishing efficiency, then flowed into Wu Ming...

"The sword is ringing..." Zhu Ying murmured, eyes wide. For a moment, she felt that being the senior sister was getting harder and harder.

The Taiyi Dharma Sword was indeed the finest treasure of the Qi Refining Stage. But precisely because of its extraordinary quality and latent sentience, it wasn't easy to refine it and make it obey.

Yet Wu Ming seemed naturally close to the sword. He'd only given it a nonsensical title, but it had actually made the sword ring. For a treasure of the Taiyi Dharma Sword's caliber, that was already tantamount to recognizing its master.

Could she have done the same thing herself? Oh, the Gujian Sect didn't even have any treasures for her to refine, so never mind.

Sighing inwardly, Zhu Ying continued, "With this sword on your back, you'll naturally absorb energy whether you're walking, sitting, or lying down. Since you've made it ring, the sword's absorption efficiency has greatly increased. That should be equivalent to a fourth- or fifth-grade Spirit Root."

"Of course, the spiritual energy absorbed by the sword is inevitably impure, so you shouldn't take it directly into yourself. But as long as you supplement it with Root Stance cultivation, you can reliably refine that impure energy into your body. You'll inevitably waste most of it doing so, but at your current stage, this should be the best approach."

Wu Ming considered it for a moment, then nodded with a smile. "Thank you for the guidance, Senior Sister!"

"...You don't need to thank me. You're the one with extraordinary talent."

"But it was the Gujian Sect that gave me the chance to put my talent to use."

Zhu Ying paused, her expression softening. "It's good... that you think that way."

"So when I unite the Immortal Realm, I'll make sure to take the whole sect with me as we ascend!"

"...It's good that you think that way, too."

As they spoke, Wu Ming kept walking. With the Taiyi Dharma Sword's help, he was no longer just drawing energy from the earth. Each step seemed to stir an invisible whirlpool, while waves of heat rolled through his body. Every limb, bone, and acupoint felt nourished. After just a few steps, his face had flushed and his whole body had begun to grow hot.

A dozen more steps passed. Wu Ming gradually closed his eyes, immersing his mind entirely in these plain, unadorned steps. No matter how the mountain path twisted and rose or fell, it was as if he were walking on level ground. He neither missed a step nor strayed from the path.

Each step landed a little more heavily than the last, and his feet took root more firmly. With every step, beads of murky sweat seeped from his skin... He was unconsciously undergoing Tendon-Changing and Marrow-Cleansing!

His progress once again surpassed Zhu Ying's expectations. Fortunately, she'd already been surprised enough times today. She merely sighed numbingly to herself, then formed a Minor Clear Spirit Art with her fingers. Wisps of fresh, cool water vapor appeared, constantly brushing over Wu Ming and washing away the grime.

The rest of the journey passed in silence. By the time they returned to Xianyun Abode, evening had fallen.

Someone was waiting for them outside the courtyard gate.

"Senior Sister, Junior Brother, you're back!"

A sweet, lilting call roused Wu Ming from his meditative state. He stopped and opened his eyes. A tall girl in a pink blouse and long skirt was hopping about and waving at him, her face lit up with a childlike smile, while her chest heaved with anything but childlike abundance.

As expected of his savior. As expected of someone with Limited Five Talent!

"Good afternoon, Senior Sister Ling Xi."

After his exclamation of admiration, Wu Ming clasped his hands and bowed respectfully. Zheng Lingxi's eyes suddenly widened in disbelief. In the next instant, without any visible movement, she vanished from the courtyard gate and reappeared right in front of him.

Her practically bursting curves nearly slammed into his face.

Then Zheng Lingxi bent down slightly, her still-childish face almost touching Wu Ming's. Her round eyes were full of surprise and curiosity.

"Eh~ What did you just call me?"

Wu Ming answered calmly, "Good afternoon, Senior Sister Ling Xi."

Those eyes curved into delighted crescents again.

"Hehe~ Senior Sister~ I'm a senior sister now!" Zheng Lingxi couldn't help bouncing around again. "Xiao Hui, Xiao Su, Xiao Ma, Xiao Xiao Zhi, did you hear? I'm a senior sister now!"

Two squirrels, a sparrow, and a little wild boar had somehow appeared at her feet. They all made sounds of agreement... then scattered in every direction beneath the shadow that suddenly fell over them.

Zhu Ying stood behind Zheng Lingxi with a dark expression and lifted her up by the back of her collar.

"Since you're a senior sister, act like one. Stop fooling around like a child all day!"

"I-I'm sorry. I was wrong."

Zheng Lingxi, who'd been full of energy just a moment ago, instantly became like a kitten caught by the scruff of its neck by its mother. She didn't dare move.

Zhu Ying glared at her for a while, then helplessly set her down. She also dispelled the cloud beneath her feet and landed on the ground.

"What are you here for?"

Zheng Lingxi answered obediently, "I came to bring you food."

"Food?"

Wu Ming was surprised too. He couldn't help glancing at the little creatures cowering behind the fence.

"Wild game..."

"!?" Zheng Lingxi's ears twitched. She immediately flashed behind the fence and held Little Xiao Zhi tightly in her arms.

"N-no, you can't eat Xiao Xiao Zhi! I-I brought food..."

As she spoke, she carefully reached into her clothes and drew a small bamboo basket out from amid her ample curves. Inside were a few Fruit Cakes, a cluster of berries, and several fresh tea leaves...

"Didn't I tell you not to use Storage Technique like that!?"

Before Wu Ming could get a clear look at this Grand Line, Zheng Lingxi was lifted into the air by her furious senior sister and given a thorough scolding.

But when Zhu Ying saw the bamboo basket on the ground, her anger gradually faded, replaced by a hint of worry.

"Were these Fruit Cakes for Master? He didn't accept them?"

Zheng Lingxi nodded. "Master said he wasn't hungry and told me to bring them to you. He also said he was going into seclusion for a while."

"...I understand." Zhu Ying sighed. She no longer had the heart to criticize Zheng Lingxi for her shortcomings. Turning back to Wu Ming, she said, "Come inside and eat. Let's not waste good food."