Yan Mountain Entrusts the Orphan

Zhu Ying woke to the blur of a familiar window in her bedroom, the night outside steeped in moonlight, warm and soft as water.

"How long... was I asleep?"

The thought barely formed before a sharp sting made the young woman frown.

The backlash from forcibly channeling the technique was fiercer than expected... Though pushing through a transmission art at the early Foundation Establishment stage would inevitably invite a rebound. In truth, she was gifted, had studied under the Nascent Soul True Person Gu Bai for nearly twenty years, built an exceptionally solid foundation, and was protected by the thirty-nine-layer Human Dao Seal. In theory, with sufficient preparation and thorough planning, forcing it once wouldn't be a major problem.

But her state over the past two days had been anything but sufficient or thorough... Yan Mountain was remote and sparse in spiritual energy; most of the time, she relied on the Inner Landscape Mysterious Spirit for the qi needed in daily cultivation. Yet tending to the newcomer these past few days had left her no time for herself, and her mana and true essence had begun to lag behind consumption...

The unconscious train of thought worsened her headache. She held back a groan, shaking her head slightly on the bed as if to fling the pain away... But as she tilted her head, she saw a plain-clothed youth in white standing not far from the bedside, watching her with a smile.

"!?!?"

In an instant, shock surged like a flood, jolting Zhu Ying upright. She gaped, tongue-tied, before finally forcing out words: "You—how are you here?"

Wu Ming smiled. "To take care of Senior Sister up close, of course. Do you feel unwell anywhere? Hungry? Want me to cook you a bowl of Egg Noodles?"

Zhu Ying shook her head instinctively, but then a clear rumble came from her stomach.

"!"

Before the flush could rise to her cheeks, Wu Ming nodded. "Alright, one bowl of Egg Noodles!"

"I didn't say yes!" Zhu Ying quickly reached out to stop him, but as she extended her hand, another shock struck her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her sleeve was a faint pink... And she only ever wore plain white clothes. So this wasn't what she had been wearing before!

So...

"Wu Ming, what did you do to me while I was asleep?"

A chill aura began to coalesce invisibly in her words.

Wu Ming, seemingly oblivious, stepped out as he spoke: "I went to call Senior Sister Lingxi to look after you."

"?" Zhu Ying paused, then realized she had misunderstood him. Her face reddened slightly. "...Lingxi came?"

After a beat, she couldn't help a wry laugh. "That girl usually avoids me like the plague. How did you manage to get her here?"

"I told her that you were exhausted and unconscious, and that she could take the chance to do whatever she wanted to you to get back at all the suffering she's endured. She came running."

"...Running, huh. Good."

The chill that had just dissipated instantly re-formed.

"But don't worry, Senior Sister. Lingxi talks big, but when she actually saw you, she went pale and couldn't stop trembling. All the pranks she'd planned on the way vanished in a flash."

"...Heh. She'd even planned pranks on the way!"

"After that, I had her carry you to the bed, give you a simple wash and wipe, change your clothes, and apply a few herbs... Finally, when she saw you were about to wake up, she got too scared and left first."

"...Too scared, huh? Well, she did put in the effort. Once I've recovered, I'll go thank her in person."

"Oh, Senior Sister, do you want scallions in the Egg Noodles?"

"...Yes." Zhu Ying nodded, then only belatedly realized how strange it was.

In the span of that exchange, Wu Ming had already walked out of the small room, gone to the adjacent kitchen, and started chopping scallions and cracking eggs. And throughout the conversation, it was as if they were right next to each other.

This was unmistakably the [Sprouting Message] sound transmission technique from the first layer of the Spring Encounter Book!

She had only been asleep half a day, and Wu Ming had managed to run to Zheng Lingxi's place and teach himself a complete spell!?

Even with the Immortal Palm Blessing helping him past the initial hurdle, cultivation after that left no room for shortcuts... In just half a day, Wu Ming had stabilized his mana and learned a full spell on his own. Such talent was truly... beyond words!

How long had it taken her to learn her first spell? Two days? Three? Or longer?

As she pondered, a thought struck her, and she quickly asked, "You didn't tell Master about my situation, did you?"

From the kitchen came Wu Ming's reply: "No."

"...Good."

"Senior Sister, how much vinegar in the noodles?"

"Just a little."

After a while, Wu Ming brought over a steaming bowl of clear broth Egg Noodles. The rich aroma of scallions and noodles surprised Zhu Ying and made her fingers twitch with appetite.

With a hint of curiosity, she took the bowl, blew on it gently, and carefully sipped the broth—even at the Foundation Establishment stage with a tempered body, she couldn't stand anything too hot...

The taste did not disappoint her caution. It wasn't exceptionally delicious, but it filled her with a warmth that spread through her whole body... the flavor of home.

"Who would've thought... you know how to cook."

As a long-time solo expert, Wu Ming smiled. "As long as it suits Senior Sister's taste."

"Mm, it's very good. Thank you."

With a simple nod of thanks, Zhu Ying said no more, quietly picked up her chopsticks, and ate in silence.

As a devoted practitioner of the Human Emperor Scroll, she always adhered to the rule of no talking while eating or sleeping. Now, before her junior brother, she was even less willing to break decorum.

For a time, the only sound in Xianyun Abode was the occasional clink of bowl and chopsticks... Zhu Ying ate with the quiet elegance of a noble lady, not a sound as she slurped the noodles, leaving Wu Ming watching in quiet amazement.

But just as the atmosphere began to relax, a sudden gust of wind swept outside, and the next moment, an old man in gray robes rushed into the room.

"Ying'er, are you alright!?"

"Pfft!"

The noodles and soup he'd just swallowed sprayed out like a geyser... Zhu Ying's face flushed crimson as she covered her mouth with her hand, shooting a murderous glare at Wu Ming!

Didn't you say you hadn't told Master!?

Wu Ming explained, "When Senior Sister Ling Xi left, I told her, 'When you were wiping down Senior Sister, you might have seen something you shouldn't have. To be safe, it's best to lay low at the Sect Leader Temple for a few days'... She probably ratted me out."

"!?" Zhu Ying's gaze grew increasingly murderous.

Fortunately, she soon had bigger things to worry about than being mad at Wu Ming.

"Ying'er, you, how could you act so rashly? I taught you to instruct on my behalf, not to push yourself and give Ming'er the Immortal Palm Blessing. That technique is perilous—at the slightest misstep, the least you'd suffer is True Essence depletion, the worst is Qi deviation! You... you!"

Zhu Ying sighed, lowering her head. "This disciple was too eager for quick results. Please punish me, Master."

"Ah, it's my incompetence, dumping everything on you, that forced you to push yourself... How could I have the face to punish you? The one who truly deserves punishment is this useless old man!"

Zhu Ying exclaimed urgently, "Master!"

Gu Bai continued, "Though you haven't depleted your True Essence, you've shattered your inner landscape's balance and temporarily lost your Mystic Spirit Qi. And since you're naturally incompatible with external aids like pills, to reconstruct the Great Circulation and nurture Mystic Spirit again, you'll need an ample supply of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy."

Zhu Ying froze, then realized what he was implying and quickly argued, "This disciple can use both the Spring Encounter Book and the Searing Autumn Scripture to rebuild the inner landscape!"

"How long will that take?" Gu Bai shook his head. "Ying'er, you're on the verge of a breakthrough—this is a critical time. Whether you can cross that bottleneck in the next five years is of utmost importance to you. If you lose this opportunity because of this, I'll regret it for a hundred years!"

"But..."

"Zhu Ying, heed my command."

"Yes!"

"The Dinghuang Prefecture in Wu City recently issued a Demon Hunting Decree, summoning cultivators from across the county to hunt down a group of Mountain Spirits that have been killing and fleeing. This matter is not only a public duty concerning local safety but also a private affair closely tied to our sect—those Mountain Spirits were the ones who attacked Ming'er back then. I'd already planned to send you out for training, and now it seems the timing couldn't be more fitting."

As Zhu Ying's face showed hesitation, Gu Bai added, "The county prefecture's Demon Hunting Decree always offers generous rewards, and during the campaign, they'll open the prefecture's earth veins for participants to absorb and refine. For you, that's an unparalleled benefit... And word has it that among those answering the summons, there are quite a few local talents of similar age and cultivation to you. You've only ever cultivated in the mountains—this is a good chance to build some connections."

Zhu Ying let out a cold laugh. "Heh, I doubt those young masters and ladies from noble families would be willing to make connections with the likes of us!"

"... Do you truly believe no one outside those noble families can match your cultivation and age?"

Zhu Ying paused. "This disciple... didn't think that."

"Ah, it's not wrong of you to think that way." Gu Bai said. "In any case, if anyone acts arrogant and rude, we'll keep our distance. In the path of cultivation, you can't avoid dealing with all kinds of people. When you one day become a True Person, or even condense a Nascent Soul, dealings with noble families will be unavoidable."

Seeing Zhu Ying still reluctant, Gu Bai couldn't help but smile and pat her head. "Besides, while the Demon Hunting Decree offers rich rewards and isn't too dangerous, it's notorious for roughing it outdoors and dragging on with endless trouble. How many noble scions would actually volunteer for such a thankless task?"

"Mm..." Zhu Ying truly had no other choice. After pondering for a moment, she shook her head hard to shake off her master's hand and said solemnly, "This disciple accepts the order!"

"Good. Then rest early today, and set out for Wu City first thing tomorrow morning."

With that, a faint spiritual light flickered in the old man's hand, and Zhu Ying's drowsiness surged, her eyelids drooping. Before long, she fell back into a deep sleep.

Only then did Gu Bai turn to Wu Ming. "Let's go outside and talk for a bit?"

Wu Ming nodded, and the scenery before him blurred as his master brought him to a small hill outside Xianyun Abode.

At the hilltop, the moon hung like frost in the clear sky, the mountain breeze blowing. Facing the wind and gazing at the moon, Wu Ming suddenly felt the trickle of mana within him, like rain nourishing spring, beginning to subtly grow.

A moment later, Gu Bai's gratified laughter came from behind. "Heh, such fine spiritual nature. Though your Spirit Root is lacking, you constantly make up for it with other aptitudes. In just these few days, your progress would rank among the best even in the Sanqing Immortal Sect. I doubt anyone would believe you're just an ordinary Desolate Person."

Wu Ming said, "All thanks to Senior Sister's teachings."

"Mm. The first hurdle of the Spring Encounter Book's entry stage is extremely demanding on Spirit Root aptitude and hard to bypass through shortcuts. For you, it was indeed a tough barrier. But once past it, though dangers remain, with your spiritual nature, it will be a long, smooth road. No wonder Ying'er couldn't hold back and passed on her power to break through for you. The taste of having fine talent yet being stuck at a bottleneck—she knows it better than anyone."

Wu Ming nodded.

Gu Bai continued, "This Demon Hunting Decree is also a karmic opportunity for her breakthrough. So even without today's events, I'd likely have sent her down the mountain for training. But without Ying'er, your cultivation will inevitably suffer... Your master's Dao foundation is damaged, and most of the time I have to hole up in the Sect Leader Temple, rarely able to look after my disciples outside. It's truly shameful to say."

Wu Ming smiled. "Master, don't worry. I'll be fine on my own."

Though losing Senior Sister Zhu Ying would mean a drop in cultivation efficiency from self-study... on the flip side, it also freed up plenty of material to work with.

Lose some, gain some—I'll level up solo!

"Actually, by rights, when Ying'er goes out for training, Ling Xi should be the one to look after things in the sect. But her nature is too pure—she's almost naive about the world and even worse at teaching..."

"No problem. I'm good at that."

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of!" Gu Bai sighed. "For a while now, I'll be in seclusion healing my injuries. With your Senior Sister Zhu Ying gone, the sect will inevitably fall to you. I trust you with everything else, but with Ling Xi... Some things need your care, yet not too much care. The balance..."

"Master, rest assured. I'll handle it well and nurture Senior Sister into a fine talent!"

"..." Gu Bai was silent for a long time, unable to think of a reply. He could only sigh, pat Wu Ming on the shoulder, and bring him back to Xianyun Abode.