Three Thousand Weak Waters

With a sunny disposition, Wu Ming first went to the kitchen to find a few dry rations to feed his guardian piglet. Once the piglet had eaten its fill and grown drowsy, he scooped it up and, with light Root Stance steps, headed toward the Sect Leader Temple to leave a letter of good news for his master, who was in seclusion.

While he was at it, he also intended to ask for guidance on the next stage of the Spirit-Melting Qi-Transformation Art.

The mountain path from Xianyun Abode to the Sect Leader Temple, which once took Wu Ming a grueling half-day to traverse, now felt like a leisurely stroll. Even though he maintained the rhythm of the Root Stance with every step, he completed the entire journey in less than two hours.

When the mottled outer walls of the Sect Leader Temple came into view, it was not yet noon, and the temple gates were wide open.

As if in response to the beautiful weather, Gu Bai had happened to emerge from seclusion today.

After seven consecutive days of seclusion, the old man had finally recovered his former state, radiating a vitality like an old tree meeting spring. Even from a distance, Wu Ming could feel a massive heart slowly beating within the temple.

Even as a cripple with a damaged Dao foundation, this Nascent Soul cultivator, who styled himself a practitioner of wild Zen, still possessed a terrifying life force hundreds, if not thousands, of times greater than that of an ordinary person.

"Ming'er is here? Come in quickly."

As his master's gentle voice echoed in his ears, Wu Ming couldn't help but smile. He stepped into the temple and, sure enough, saw that the old man, who had previously looked sickly, was now glowing with health, much like an old pear tree about to bloom.

When Gu Bai saw Wu Ming, he was even more astonished.

"Good lad, it's only been a few days, but it feels like a lifetime. Your progress in cultivation always exceeds my expectations."

Wu Ming laughed, "After all, as an expert at clearing content for the first time, it's only natural that the early progress is fast... The grinding work later on won't be so easy to shortcut."

Gu Bai shook his head, "With such a mindset—neither arrogant in victory nor discouraged in defeat—the so-called grinding work will be nothing more than pushing a boat with the current for you. Very well, you've come to ask about the subsequent cultivation of the Spirit-Melting Qi-Transformation Art, haven't you? It just so happens that today, I will also pass on the body-tempering Green Pine Stance we discussed earlier. Afterward, if you combine it with the practice of the Spring Encounter Book, you should gain even deeper insights."

Wu Ming's eyes lit up, "Thank you, Master!"

Since joining the Gujian Sect, although the sect was withered and resources were scarce, the instruction and transmission of techniques had truly been a series of pleasant surprises.

The master and disciple didn't waste time with further pleasantries. Gu Bai stood up, pondered for a moment, then began to pace in a ritualistic pattern, forming hand seals as he took seven steps across the Sect Leader Temple.

His movements were as continuous as flowing water, yet each step possessed a distinct rhythm. Within those seven steps, he imprinted the seven postures of the Green Pine Stance completely and profoundly into Wu Ming's mind.

Just as Wu Ming began to grasp the essence, Gu Bai smiled, "I will demonstrate it one more time. Watch closely."

The old man then took another seven steps. Each step seemed to have a brief pause, making the rhythm between the steps distinct. However, after the seven steps were finished, Wu Ming only remembered a series of blurred phantoms connected in a line, presenting a momentum as endless as flowing water.

Gu Bai asked, "Do you need me to demonstrate it again?"

Wu Ming pondered for a moment and shook his head.

The two demonstrations were like the two sides of yin and yang... Gu Bai had displayed the most critical aspects of movement and stillness within the Green Pine Stance in an extremely exquisite manner. He had seen enough clearly and didn't need to disrupt this existing balance of perception.

Lost in thought, Wu Ming formed the hand seals himself and took a step forward.

Bang!

As his foot landed, it carried both the steadiness of the Root Stance and the lightness of spring's growth. The spiritual energy of the earth harmonized with his blood and qi, resonating with his Inner Landscape Mysterious Spirit. It felt as if an invisible hammer had fallen, forging a sword embryo, shaking the three phases into a perfect fusion.

With just a single step, Wu Ming faintly grasped the brilliance of the Green Pine Stance. In itself, it might only be a relatively ordinary high-grade body-tempering method, but when combined with the Root Stance, the Spring Encounter Book, and the Spirit-Melting Qi-Transformation Art, it was strikingly elevated, forming a set effect.

However, this set effect did not come for free. Once Wu Ming took that step, although he savored the marvelous fusion of the three phases, it only lasted for an instant before he felt a slight wave of dizziness. At the same time, the blood and qi within his body stagnated and his mana began to dissipate, vaguely showing signs of a qi deviation!

Clearly, that step had not been perfect; it was riddled with errors. Although he had tried his best to imitate the form of his master, Gu Bai, he had failed to fully capture the "momentum." Consequently, this Green Pine Stance was merely a hollow shell, unable to support the requirements of the set.

A single Green Pine Stance should not be difficult, but to combine it with other techniques while retaining the set effect, the difficulty of cultivation increased exponentially, and the risks skyrocketed along with it.

Those who cultivate the whole package deal are truly in for a lifetime of trouble!

As Wu Ming pondered and deduced, Gu Bai couldn't help but laugh: "Alright, relax a little. The Green Pine Stance does not emphasize quick success; its value lies in the constancy of the four seasons. The process of constant trial and error, of accumulating bit by bit, is actually more important than the result of mastering it."

Wu Ming had a moment of realization: Perhaps the cultivation of the Green Pine Stance is like a hero exploring a labyrinth; the price of heading straight for the finish line is losing all the side-quest rewards. Therefore, a quick victory is not necessarily a good thing.

Gu Bai looked as if he understood, yet didn't, and simply nodded gently.

Or perhaps it is like marriage. Marrying and having children early is equivalent to giving up the soul-stirring, life-and-death romances with countless fairy maidens and beauties, and forever bidding farewell to the carefree life of wandering through fields of flowers.

Gu Bai understood immediately, but how could he dare to nod? He only coughed and said, "Next, let us learn the second part of the Spirit-Melting Qi-Transformation Art..."

Since his master had spoken, Wu Ming temporarily set aside his obsession with the Green Pine Stance and followed Gu Bai to master the second stage of the technique. By now, it was already afternoon. Feeling slightly fatigued, Wu Ming asked, "Master, are you hungry? Would you like to eat something?"

Although Gu Bai was not hungry, he thought that sharing a simple meal with his disciple would be nice.

As a result, he watched as Wu Ming turned to go knock on the dozing guardian piglet...

"Wait, I am not hungry at all!"

"Is that so?" Wu Ming said with some regret, "I was going to have it go find Senior Sister Ling Xi and ask for some fruit cakes."

"...It's fine, I really am not hungry." Gu Bai said, smacking his lips and laughing at himself, "It's just that my craving for the powder is acting up."

"What craving!?" Wu Ming was almost triggered.

Afterward, he saw Gu Bai flip his fingers, and a bundle of scarlet, gold-wrapped short sticks appeared in his palm.

Just by seeing this treasured item, Gu Bai let out a satisfied sigh, and the muscles throughout his body seemed to relax a little.

Wu Ming saw it clearly: there were ten sticks in that red bundle, not a single one fewer than before!

"Master, you were in seclusion alone these past few days; did you not secretly use the powder? It's rare that Senior Sister isn't here."

Gu Bai smiled bitterly: "It is precisely because Ying'er is not here that I cannot break the rules. Besides, Ying'er only doesn't want me to use the powder and harm my body, but this [Golden Rouge] is an extremely rare, harmless smoke powder. Its craftsmanship and ingredients are completely different from ordinary goods. It really makes one... somewhat reluctant to use it."

"If Master likes it, I will find an opportunity for Liu Qi to express his sincerity again in the future."

Gu Bai shook his head: "In Qiongzhou, this item is only produced by a family of pill cultivators in Dongjun. The output is extremely scarce; I fear even Third Young Master Liu cannot just casually bring it out to express his sincerity."

"Then, if it were up to Senior Sister's temperament, she would most likely sell all these precious addictive items for a high price and exchange them for something useful. At the very least, she would sell nine out of ten, and keep at most one hanging from the roof beam, so that when your craving acts up, Master, you can look up at it and take it as a comfort."

Gu Bai's face turned pale as he listened: "...That is indeed the case."

"So, we might as well enjoy ourselves before Senior Sister returns to the mountain. Speaking of which, when is she actually coming back? Could she have run into trouble while out on her trial? Should I head down the mountain to rescue her?"

Gu Bai chuckled helplessly. "It's good that you care, but she sent word two days ago saying she had finished hunting the demons and was on her way back from the Eshui River... At her pace, she should be here in the next day or two."

Before the words had even faded, a rustling of leaves suddenly erupted outside the temple, accompanied by a howling mountain wind. The wind carried an unquestionable, chilling pressure, and this pressure...

The expressions of the master and disciple changed in unison.

"Senior Sister!?"

"Ying'er!?"

Outside the temple, a woman's light laughter drifted in on the wind.

Amidst the laughter, that long-missed, petite figure gradually ascended the steps from the end of the mountain path, appearing in their field of vision bit by bit.

Compared to a month ago, the young girl looked a bit more travel-worn; her plain robes had gained a few patches and several bloodstains, clearly indicating that this demon-hunting trip had been anything but easy. However, those cat-like eyes of hers were, remarkably, even brighter and more spirited.

Surrounding her was a layer of invisible spiritual energy, naturally shielding her from much of the dust and filth in the wind. While she was far from being completely spotless, this layer of spiritual energy alone spoke volumes.

No wonder she was able to return ahead of schedule.

"Congratulations to Senior Sister for breaking through the bottleneck and becoming a mighty Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivator!"

Gu Bai nodded in gratification.

"It is good that you have broken through, very good..."

The next moment, Zhu Ying tapped her lotus-like feet lightly, crossing the small open space in front of the Sect Leader Temple in a single stride and landing softly inside.

"Master, your disciple has fulfilled her mission and returned after the breakthrough!"

Zhu Ying's voice trembled slightly, filled with joy, and something even greater than joy.

But the tremor lasted only an instant; the next moment, the young girl regained the dignity of the head disciple of the Ancient Sword Sect. She first looked at Wu Ming, her eyes revealing great surprise and delight.

"Qi Refining third stage completion?! Junior Brother, you really are amazing! It just so happens that I brought a gift for you this time."

As she spoke, Zhu Ying took off the small pack from her back and spread it out on the ground, revealing a pair of rather exquisite animal-hide boots.

"I asked a fellow daoist who is skilled in tanning and sewing to make these from the hide of a Mountain Spirit. They can naturally borrow the power of the mountains and earth as you walk, making them perfect for practicing Root Stance."

Wu Ming was stunned and felt a flush of embarrassment upon hearing this.

I'm sorry, Senior Sister. I shouldn't have been making jokes behind your back about elevator shoes... You really are six feet tall right now!

Afterward, Zhu Ying looked at Gu Bai, examined the old man's complexion, and smiled. "Master's complexion is also quite good. You must have been resting well during this time, so..."

As she spoke, the young girl wore an expression of self-deprecating amusement mixed with a hint of reluctance as she took out a small wooden box.

"While hunting demons, I became acquainted with a daughter from a family of alchemists. When we parted ways, she insisted on gifting this to me, claiming it was a specialty of her house that she had refined herself..."

She opened the wooden box, revealing a small, scarlet-red stick wrapped in gold, lying quietly inside.

Inside the Sect Leader Temple, there was a moment of silence.

Zhu Ying looked puzzled. "Master, why do you look so troubled? You don't think I'm trying to bait you, do you? Honestly... this Golden Rouge is non-toxic and harmless. Although it was handmade by a junior of a family and its potency might be slightly inferior to those circulating in the markets, it... it's not as if you couldn't make an exception for it once in a while."

Before she could finish her sentence, a faint, trembling sigh escaped Gu Bai.

"Your master... is simply too surprised, too overjoyed."

At the same time, the bundle of Golden Rouge he had been hiding behind his back silently dissolved into nothingness, as if it had never existed at all.

Thanks to Hui Yu YH for the tip!