Yin-Yang Pool

The Qiao Household had previously given him five hundred taels, and he had several dozen taels of his own. That was enough for his uncle's family to make do with. Now that he was a Grade-A Attendant, his monthly stipend would only grow in the future.

With Yang Yi having made the decision, his uncle and aunt naturally could not say anything more. After his aunt asked Yang Yi what he wanted for dinner that evening, the family prepared to leave.

"Big Brother, stay. I'll teach you cultivation!" Yang Yi called out to Yang Yong.

Yang Yong's face lit up with delight.

Hearing this, his aunt was filled with gratitude. She had brought up the matter yesterday, only for it to be interrupted. Looking back, she had felt she was being greedy and insatiable, so she had not mentioned it again today. Who would have thought Yang Yi would agree on his own?

"Second Brother, I want to cultivate too!" Yang Ya said eagerly. His aunt hurriedly tugged her. "What would a little girl like you cultivate for?"

Yang Ya immediately looked unhappy, but she did not dare say anything else.

Yang Yi said, "Little Sister can stay too."

Yang Ya immediately broke free of her mother and ran over to hug Yang Yi's arm. "Second Brother is the best!"

After his uncle and aunt left, Yang Yong and Yang Ya both looked at Yang Yi expectantly.

According to Qiao Wuwang, children of great clans had been given various good things from a young age to temper their bodies and accumulate a foundation. Only when they turned eighteen did they begin formal cultivation. With such deep accumulation before bursting forth, their progress naturally surpassed that of ordinary people.

Yang Yong was now eighteen, precisely the golden age to begin cultivating. Yet he came from a poor background and had a thin, weak frame. What foundation could he possibly have? Nor had he encountered the same fortunes as Yang Yi. If he truly began cultivating, he would certainly have to endure no small amount of hardship.

Fortunately, there was no need to worry about nourishing him through food now. As long as Yang Yong persevered, he would eventually gain something.

His eldest brother was simple and dull by nature, and his courage was not great, but he could endure hardship and work diligently. Yang Yi was not worried about his perseverance and willpower. That was Yang Yong's greatest strength.

As for Yang Ya... the little girl was not old enough, so she absolutely could not cultivate. Still, she had eaten plenty of good things at Bamboo Garden these past days, and her little face had grown much rounder than before.

"Ah? I can't cultivate?" When Yang Ya learned this, her face was a picture of exaggerated despair.

Yang Yi had only kept her here because he wanted to talk with her.

"Wait here." Yang Yi had servants bring over some snacks and settled Yang Ya down before walking over to Yang Yong.

"Big Brother, do exactly as I do. This set of Body Tempering Technique has sixty-four movements, supplemented by breathing and energy circulation. The two complement each other..." As Yang Yi spoke, he assumed a stance.

Yang Yong hurriedly followed along.

With yesterday's experience at Xiude Hall, Yang Yi found teaching even more natural today.

Unfortunately, the student was different... Compared to Tie Shan, Yang Yong was simply beyond teaching.

If Tie Shan's learning was like an adult running, then Yang Yong's was like a child learning to walk, stumbling and swaying, with mistakes everywhere.

After completing one set of the Body Tempering Technique, Yang Yong was drenched in sweat and nearly collapsed to the ground. The pain inside his body twisted his face, yet he gritted his teeth and did not cry out once.

Yang Ya watched from the side with great interest.

"Alright, Big Brother. I've already had Hundred Herbs Liquid prepared for you. Go back and soak in a bath, then eat something. Come find me again whenever you feel the hidden injuries in your body have healed."

"Alright..." Yang Yong replied, trembling all over.

After chatting with Yang Ya for a while longer, Yang Yi finally let her leave.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Early that morning, Qiao Yingquan arrived outside Bamboo Garden, and Yang Yi appeared at the entrance right on time.

"Attendant Yang, have you prepared everything?" Qiao Yingquan asked with a smile.

Yang Yi lifted the bundle in his hand. "It's all here."

Although the Qiao Household would provide plenty of dried meat and fresh water at the Yin-Yang Pool, since it was a place of cultivation, anyone entering still had to prepare all necessary items for cultivation and healing.

The bundle contained thirty bottles of Myriad-Treasure Dew and ten bottles of Hundred Flowers Liquid. By Yang Yi's estimate, it would be enough for ten days.

The reason for ten days was that each entry into the Yin-Yang Pool offered ten days of cultivation. Thus, once he entered this time, he would not emerge until ten days later.

"Good. Then please follow me, Attendant Yang." Qiao Yingquan took the lead.

Along the way, Qiao Yingquan told Yang Yi many things concerning the Yin-Yang Pool, and Yang Yi carefully committed them all to memory.

Only after more than half a shichen did the two arrive before a rock wall at the very rear of the Inner Fort.

There was a cave here, with guards stationed beside its entrance.

The Yin-Yang Pool lay inside this cave.

As they went deeper, the cave walls on both sides clearly bore traces of human carving. The passage was wide, and torches blazed brightly along both sides, so it did not feel dark.

After descending for some time, they finally arrived before a massive door.

"Attendant Yang, push open this door, and the Yin-Yang Pool will be inside. There is also a hidden compartment in this door. Although the fort has prepared fairly complete supplies within the Yin-Yang Pool, if you need anything, you may notify the servants through the compartment and have them purchase it. Someone will remain on guard outside this door at all times. Any expenses can be settled after you emerge from seclusion."

"Understood." Yang Yi nodded.

"Then this old man wishes Attendant Yang a future as splendid as brocade, and may your divine arts reach great completion when you emerge from seclusion."

"I'll borrow your auspicious words."

Yang Yi pressed both hands against the massive door and suddenly exerted force.

With a boom, the rock walls on either side trembled faintly. Then, amid a grating sound of arduous friction, the door slowly opened to both sides.

This door... truly was not something an ordinary person could open.

Once the opening was wide enough to pass through, Yang Yi stepped inside and then shut the massive door from within. With that, while he cultivated in the Yin-Yang Pool, no one would disturb him again.

He looked around.

The Qiao Household's Yin-Yang Pool could be called one of the world's sacred lands of cultivation. Yang Yi had grown interested when he first heard Qiao Wuwang mention it.

Strange stones dotted the surroundings of the Yin-Yang Pool, emitting a pearly white radiance. Thus, despite being deep beneath the mountain in an enclosed space, it was not dim.

The area was not large, only about the size of the courtyard at Bamboo Garden. Many stalactites hung from the cave ceiling above, dripping an unknown liquid drop by drop with a constant drip-drip sound. The liquid gathered in a pool below, which was roughly circular. Strangely, the water on its two sides was different colors.

The water on the left side of the pool was azure blue, while that on the right was crimson red.

Amid the rising mist, it seemed as though ice and fire met.

That was the origin of the name Yin-Yang Pool.

Looking at this strange pool, Yang Yi could only marvel at nature's uncanny craftsmanship. When Qiao Wuwang had spoken of it before, he had not dared believe it. Only after seeing it with his own eyes today did he know the rumors were true.

There was a stone platform in the pool, seemingly constructed by human hands. It was smooth and level, one zhang across, positioned exactly where yin and yang merged in harmony.

After observing the Yin-Yang Pool for a while, Yang Yi set down his bundle and inspected the supplies beside it.

There was plenty of dried meat here, all prepared in advance by the Qiao Household, convenient for replenishing his body after cultivation.

There were also several large vats of fresh water and a bathing barrel, meant for him to soak in medicinal baths and recover.

"Let's see what this is really about!" Yang Yi muttered. With one leap, he crossed half the Yin-Yang Pool and landed steadily atop the stone platform at its center.