Three-Bath River

Early the next morning, as the eastern sky first turned fish-belly white, Chu Bai shouldered his hoe and headed out to the fields.

Although he now earned money as a sparring partner and had even become the disciple of an esteemed master, Chu Bai had not grown pampered.

The family's farmwork still needed doing. It was not merely a way to share his parents' burdens, but also a means of tempering his character.

After working for two hours, until the sun had climbed high, Chu Bai wiped the sweat from his forehead and called to Chu Xianglin, who was busy at the other end of the field. "Dad, I'm going to take a break and cultivate for a while."

"Go on, go on. Don't wear yourself out." Chu Xianglin straightened up and waved with an honest smile.

Chu Bai found a quiet ridge between the fields and sat down cross-legged.

As he circulated the Lesser Qi-Gathering Art, the drifting spiritual qi around him answered its call once more and gathered toward him.

This time, the sensation was entirely different.

Now that his [Food Injury Leaks Elegance] fate destiny had fully taken shape, the acuity of his five senses had undergone a qualitative leap.

If he had previously been trying to catch fish in muddy water using his naked eyes, that water had now become clear.

One strand every two days...

Sensing the rate at which spiritual qi accumulated in his dantian, Chu Bai made some silent calculations.

At this pace, he would need only half a year to gather a hundred strands and condense them into one complete wisp of spiritual qi, reaching the Qi Refining First Layer.

If he worked a little harder and ate better, he could shorten that time further.

"Hm?"

Just as Chu Bai was immersed in the pleasure of breathing in pure-origin spiritual qi, his brow suddenly creased.

Amid that balanced, peaceful flow of spiritual qi, his keen senses caught a trace of a different fluctuation.

It was exceedingly faint. His former self would certainly have overlooked it.

But to Chu Bai's senses now, it stood out unmistakably.

It was more active than pure-origin spiritual qi, carrying a cool, damp sensation and an extraordinarily strong penetrating power, as though it could slip through every opening.

Is this... spiritual qi with a special attribute?

Curious, Chu Bai did not immediately stop cultivating. Instead, he slowly rose and followed the breath of qi northward toward its source.

After he passed through several dense reed beds, the view suddenly opened up.

A broad Kuo River stretched before him, its waters surging eastward with a low, heavy roar.

Morning mist hung over its surface like a thin veil.

The Three-Bath River.

It was infamous throughout Anping County as a perilous river.

According to the village elders, fish demons and water monsters that had gained sentience dwelled in its depths. Some people had even seen the eerie bridal sedan of the river god's wedding procession on foggy days.

For that reason, the nearby fishermen dared fish only in the shallows, never venturing into the river's heart.

Standing on the damp ground beside the river, Chu Bai took a deep breath and circulated his cultivation art again.

This time, the sensation was more than ten times stronger.

Countless pale-blue motes of light mingled with the surrounding pure-origin spiritual qi.

With each breath Chu Bai took, those motes danced merrily, even slipping into his pores of their own accord. The comfort they brought, like moisture silently nourishing all things, refreshed his spirits.

Water-attribute spiritual qi...

The knowledge Daoist Zhang had imparted surfaced in Chu Bai's mind.

The spiritual qi of heaven and earth had many different attributes. During the Qi Induction stage, the very first strand a cultivator drew in was crucial: it determined their future foundation and path.

Pure-origin spiritual qi might be unremarkable, but its strength lay in embracing a hundred rivers like the sea, accommodating all arts.

Whatever attribute of cultivation art one switched to later, there would be no conflict. This was also the choice of ninety-nine percent of Great Zhou's cultivators. After all, special spiritual qi was difficult to find and carried great risks.

Taking in spiritual qi of a particular attribute, on the other hand, meant embarking on a specialized path.

The benefit was obvious: the power of spell arts of that same attribute would increase dramatically.

For instance, the same Water Bullet Technique powered by water spiritual qi would be at least thirty percent stronger than one powered by pure-origin spiritual qi, while also consuming less energy and allowing faster recovery.

But the drawback could be fatal: the path grew narrow.

Once the body's meridians had been assimilated by the water attribute, attempting to switch to a fire cultivation art would, at best, sever the meridians inch by inch. At worst, the body would explode, killing the cultivator.

Unless they dispersed their cultivation and started over, they could only follow that single road into the dark.

The first strand of qi in my body is already pure-origin spiritual qi.

Chu Bai stared at the faint water vapor curling around his fingertips, sinking into thought.

In theory, since pure-origin spiritual qi supposedly accommodates all arts, could I absorb this water spiritual qi on top of that foundation?

If it worked, he would possess not only the stability of pure-origin spiritual qi, but also some of the power of the water attribute.

Besides, the spiritual qi here was clearly far denser than out in the fields.

If he could cultivate here, his progress might become even faster.

But Chu Bai quickly suppressed the impulse.

No. It's too risky.

I've only just begun cultivating. I know nothing about conflicts between spiritual qi attributes. If these two kinds of qi start fighting inside me and blow up my newly opened dantian, I won't even have anywhere to cry.

The path of cultivation was like treading on thin ice.

Chu Bai slowly dispersed the little trace of water vapor gathered at his fingertips. As he gazed at the ceaselessly rushing, unfathomably deep river, a flicker of awe crossed his eyes.

Neither the legendary water monsters nor this alluring yet dangerous water spiritual qi was something he could casually meddle with as he was now.

Still, this place is a treasure.

Chu Bai silently committed the location to memory.

Once I've achieved something in cultivation, or asked Master and understood the finer points, I'll come back and investigate.

By the time Chu Bai hurried to the Academy, the morning reading in the outer lecture hall was already halfway over.

Tutor Liu was leading the students in reciting the classics. Seeing Chu Bai at the door, he merely nodded and motioned for him to take his seat.

Naturally, Tutor Liu was especially lenient toward this prized pupil, who was now an Inner Gate disciple.

During the break, Chu Bai approached the lectern.

"Sir, I have some personal matters to attend to today. I would like to request half a day's leave." Chu Bai bowed respectfully.

"Go ahead." Tutor Liu set down his book and smiled gently. "Your cultivation is on track now, so you needn't be quite so rigid about your Academy coursework. Just remember one thing: never neglect the tempering of your character."

"I will remember, sir."

After leaving the Academy, Chu Bai did not go straight to the Zhang Residence. Instead, he turned into the largest tea shop in the market.

Yesterday's acceptance as a disciple had been too rushed. Although his master had said nothing, he kept feeling that he had fallen short in courtesy.

"Shopkeeper, I'll take half a catty of your finest Cloud-Mist Green."

"Certainly! Just a moment, sir. I'll wrap it up for you right away!"

Chu Bai paid and looked at the exquisite tea box in his hands. Although the expense stung a little, he felt mostly at ease.

That half-catty of tea had cost him a full tael of silver. For him now, it was nearly half a month's earnings as a sparring partner—a considerable sum.

Over the past month, including the payment settled yesterday, he had saved a total of two taels and four mace of silver from his sparring work at the Zhao Residence.

After his food and other living expenses during that time, he now had a little over one tael left.

Compared with the ten-tael tuition fee Master waived, this little bit of money is only a hair off nine oxen. Besides, Master recognized my worth and gave me this opportunity. I can't skimp on this token of gratitude.

Carrying the tea box, Chu Bai bought a few delicate pastries from the neighboring shop before heading toward the Zhang Residence in the eastern part of town.