Before dawn had even broken, the fragrance of rice porridge was already drifting through the courtyard.
Gu Hengzhi squatted before the stove, carefully adding several ingredients he had gathered in the mountains. The white, slender Warm Yang Grass resembled strands of pure jade and gave off a faint fragrance. The pale-yellow Ox-Knee Fruits looked like tiny bells, gently swaying. Then there were several round, glossy Bone-Nourishing Lingzhi, like black gemstones gleaming with a mysterious light. He had found these low-grade spirit plants during yesterday's trip into the woods, guided by Earth God's Divine Will. Normally, they were either buried deep in rock crevices or disguised as ordinary weeds. If Gu Hengzhi had not stood upon the earth and sensed the fluctuations of the Earth Vein, he would never have discovered them.
"They may not be immortal pills, but they nourish the body and strengthen the bones. They're perfect for porridge," Gu Hengzhi murmured, as though conversing with the spirit plants. He expertly controlled the heat. His Earthfire Sensitivity allowed him to form a mysterious rapport with the land. As long as his feet touched the ground, he could keenly sense the flow of heat beneath the pot, like the earth's breathing echoing his heartbeat.
The instant he lifted the lid, a rich aroma rushed forth like a clear spring, mixed with the faint scent of medicinal herbs. The fragrance seemed alive as it danced through the air and tempted the taste buds. Gu Hengzhi nodded gently, a satisfied smile appearing at the corner of his lips. He served himself a bowl of hot porridge, sat by the threshold, and slowly savored the unique flavor.
After finishing the porridge, Gu Hengzhi slowly rose and drifted like a light feather to the small patch of bare earth in the center of the courtyard. His movements were graceful and natural, as though he had become one with the ground. The moment his soles touched down, Soul Power faintly circulated through his body like a spring. A gentle, earthy-yellow aura quietly enveloped his limbs and bones like a mother's embrace. He closed his eyes, silently recited his breathing formula, and began his morning training.
He ran like a gust of wind, every step seeming to dance with the earth. Drawing on the pull of the Earth Vein, he transmitted his strength with greater efficiency. His entire body seemed to glide along the ground, swift as lightning without the slightest hint of recklessness. Like a nimble cheetah, he raced across the land with a steady, grounded speed.
About an hour later, Gu Hengzhi sat cross-legged like a meditating monk and entered a state of meditation. His method did not rely on traditional cultivation techniques for guidance. Instead, it relied on particles of earth element sent up by the land, which slowly nourished his mind and Soul Power like fine rain. In meditation, he seemed to sink into a vast expanse of earth, his consciousness like a fish swimming through the deep Earth Vein, still as a rock.
His Soul Power did not improve at a blistering pace, but it flowed on endlessly like a gentle stream, exceptionally stable. There were no impurities to interfere with it, nor any danger of an unstable foundation. It was as though nature had granted him its purest power.
After washing up, he sat steadily at the desk, unfolded paper and brush, and embarked on another journey of "cultivation"—writing novels.
For him, writing novels was also part of his daily cultivation. To earn enough Gold Soul Coins to purchase herbs and spiritual plants that could aid his training, he had no choice but to devote himself fully to his writing.
Such days did not last long, because the following day was the recruitment day for Notting Junior Spirit Master Academy. Brother Su Yuntao had already submitted an application letter for him, and he only needed to report to the Academic Affairs Office tomorrow.
In the afternoon, the wind swept through the mountain village, making the leaves rustle as though whispering of something. Gu Hengzhi sat quietly on the stone steps before the courtyard, his figure appearing especially slender beneath the sunlight. He focused on mending his bundle, his fingers moving deftly through the cloth while needle and thread danced like sprites in his hands.
Under the eaves, Su Yuntao sat on a small bamboo chair, holding a steaming bowl of tea. Yet his gaze was not on the tea. It remained fixed on the boy's slightly bowed back. Concern and worry showed in his eyes as he slowly asked, "So you're planning to head to Nuoding Academy already?"
"Yeah." Without raising his head, Gu Hengzhi replied in a low but resolute voice, "My Soul Power has reached Rank 6. If I don't go learn something systematic now and keep fumbling around on my own, I'm afraid I'll take the wrong path."
Su Yuntao sighed softly and set the tea aside, as though that bowl carried all his worries. He took out a letter he had written long ago. It trembled slightly in his hand as he carefully passed it over, as though it were something precious.
"This is a letter of recommendation I wrote for Nuoding Academy's Academic Affairs Office. You may not care for this sort of thing, but it's better to have it than not. Favors aren't shameful if you use them right," Su Yuntao said, his tone carrying a trace of helplessness and sentiment.
Gu Hengzhi looked up, and his gaze met Su Yuntao's. In that instant, they seemed to see each other's resolve and hopes. Gu Hengzhi accepted the letter, warmth flashing in his eyes—gratitude and trust for Su Yuntao.
"Thank you, Brother Tao." Gu Hengzhi's voice carried a hint of emotion.
Su Yuntao waved him off, an impatient expression crossing his face. Curling his lip, he said, "What are you thanking me for? I put a lot of effort into keeping you alive until today. Just make something of yourself soon and don't let all my worrying go to waste."
The two looked at each other, then smiled.
Gu Hengzhi put away the letter, rose, and patted his bundle. It seemed to carry the weight of his dreams. He picked up his simple luggage, turned his back to the sunlight, and strode toward the distance.
"Be careful on the road," Su Yuntao called from behind him, his voice echoing in the wind with blessings and concern.
"Mm!" The boy waved without looking back, his figure gradually receding beneath the sunlight until he seemed to melt into that golden radiance...
"Gu Hengzhi, number thirty-seven. Go register in the Records Review Room."
The staff member called out and stuffed an ordinary wooden token into his hand.
Gu Hengzhi answered, then followed the stone path into the inner courtyard. Before long, he found the half-open wooden door and pushed it open.
The room was quiet. A wooden desk stood by the window, where a middle-aged man sat flipping through student records. He wore a dark-green robe, his hair neatly tied back. He was lean and sharp-eyed, though his brows always carried an air of condescension. He was none other than the famous "Fart Fog," Yu Xiaogang.
"Student Gu Hengzhi, reporting in." Gu Hengzhi's voice was steady.
Without lifting his head, Yu Xiaogang first glanced at the number on the wooden token, then casually flipped to the corresponding record. His expression was initially indifferent, but when he saw "Martial Soul: Stone Statue (Incomplete)," the corner of his mouth curled as though he found it somewhat amusing.
Then, further down, he saw, "Innate Soul Power: Rank 5"
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