Sights of Cold Creek

At dawn, the sky slowly turned the white of a fish's belly, revealing a faint glimmer of light.

A youth in blue robes sat cross-legged beneath the Pine and Cypress of the cloud-wreathed mountain. His straight brows were long and handsome, his eyes closed, his expression tranquil and composed, with an air untouched by worldly dust.

Dense Spirit Vigor gathered around him. Morning dew glistened among the leaves and needles, while moisture rolled through the air, lingering in a thick haze.

Jiang Yang changed his hand seals, drawing great quantities of Spirit Vigor into his Qi Sea and increasing his cultivation little by little.

The Dew Essence Consumption Method favored the dew of early dawn. Its effects were best just before daylight broke, and cultivating near rivers, lakes, or seas further enhanced them.

Moisture abounded around Rain Xiang Mountain. Cold Creek flowed right beside it, and deeper within lay a vast lake called Dew-Covered Lake, so broad that its shores were difficult to see.

As daylight rose and all things stirred back to life, the Spirit Vigor gathered around Jiang Yang gradually dispersed. He slowly ended his cultivation and opened his eyes. The abundant Spirit Vigor had left him like a fish in water, every inch of his body feeling wonderfully refreshed.

"The Spirit Vigor here... it's several times denser than it was at the Lower Court on Falling Rain Peak. Is this what inner disciples get?"

Jiang Yang's eyes shone with excitement. No wonder everyone wanted to gain admission to the inner sect.

Having a Cave Abode all to himself felt incredible. Before, he had to compete with the other disciples of his intake for Spirit Vigor every day. Now, all the Spirit Vigor within dozens of yards was his alone, and its abundance was almost beyond belief.

"If it's like this every day, I should be able to take my cultivation up another level soon."

At that moment, Jiang Yang was nothing more than a country bumpkin entering the city. He felt the satisfaction of someone who had gone hungry for years plunging into a buffet and eating his fill. Only after savoring the feeling for a while did he slowly rise.

It had been nearly nightfall yesterday when he finally found his newly assigned home. After tidying up in haste, he had climbed into bed and fallen asleep.

Although immortal cultivation made no distinction between day and night, quite a few cultivators still kept to the routine of rising with the sun and resting at sunset. Jiang Yang did not delve into the reasons; he simply followed their example.

Besides, his cultivation method worked best in the early morning. Unless he was in secluded cultivation, staying up late to practice brought half the results for twice the effort. Better to rest and await the right moment.

His newly assigned abode lay in a hollow halfway up the mountain. Pine and Cypress stood all around, Wei Rui vegetation flourished, and the surroundings were wonderfully quiet. A walk of a few dozen paces brought the Cave Abode into view.

Inside were two stone rooms furnished with basic tables, chairs, and household necessities. They were simple, even crude, but Jiang Yang genuinely liked that sort of thing.

Cultivating immortality was all about the feeling. This mountain hollow held a Grotto-Heaven of its own, with the pine and cypress for companions and grasses and trees for neighbors. Living here, drinking morning dew at dawn and sleeping in the mountains at dusk—that was what being an immortal ought to mean.

"Grrr..."

Jiang Yang's expression froze. He rubbed his belly and muttered:

"Even immortals get hungry. Even immortals have to eat. I still have to report to the Rain Listening Pavilion on Dawn Rain Peak today, so I can't afford any delays. That's a lot scarier than being late for school..."

With that thought, Jiang Yang sprang into motion and raced down the mountain.

He had now entered Qi Refining. All his meridians were open, and magical power circulated ceaselessly through his body. By the standards of ancient times, he had already reached the perfected person realm, yet he still could not subsist entirely on wind and dew.

Still, Spirit Vigor could now replenish most of what he expended each day, and one meal every day or two was enough. As for the Grain-Repelling Realm, where one could go ten days without sleep and three months without food, only accomplished cultivators who had established an Immortal Foundation could attain it.

He hurried to the Dining Office, where the warmth of cooking fires mingled with the drifting fragrance of food.

Compared with the bustling crowds on Falling Rain Peak, the dining hall on Morning Rain Peak seemed much quieter. Only a few senior brothers and sisters sat scattered about the spacious hall.

With business to attend to, Jiang Yang ordered a serving of polished rice and several small plates of glistening side dishes from the cook.

Rice could never be too finely milled, nor meat too finely sliced. Jiang Yang put down his chopsticks as soon as he felt somewhat full. The food tasted good, but it was not Spirit Rice, so eating more would bring no further benefit.

Leaving the dining hall, Jiang Yang headed for Dawn Rain Peak.

He had asked Senior Brother Zhou Yanwei for clear directions yesterday, and the journey was no short one. Dawn Rain Peak stood beside Dew-Covered Lake, and he would have to cross Cold Creek Valley to reach it. Even hurrying all the way, it would take nearly an hour.

He raced along, reaching Cold Creek not long after descending the mountain.

Cold Creek was a creek in name, but when Jiang Yang arrived, he discovered that its breadth would have justified calling it a great river. Its waters were simply calm and clear to the bottom, rather than turbulent.

Beyond a double-arched bluestone bridge lay Cold Creek Valley.

The terrain here was a rare stretch of plains, with fertile spiritual soil. Drawing on Cold Creek, the sect had opened up extensive spirit fields.

From a distance, Jiang Yang could already see many cultivators busy in the fields. Some formed hand seals to summon rain, while others killed pests or drove away birds.

Fields of wheat, Spirit Rice, immortal plants, and spiritual crops spread their fresh fragrance through the air. What a scene of abundance.

"Whew, finally here. This should be the place."

Compared with the broad, bustling expanses of Falling Rain Peak and Morning Rain Peak, Dawn Rain Peak actually consisted of three mountains standing side by side. Its main peak rose tall and imposing, while the flanking Side Peaks were much smaller. There were fewer people around as well; at least, Jiang Yang had encountered fewer and fewer cultivators as he went.

The Rain Listening Pavilion stood at the summit of the right-hand peak. Jiang Yang briefly checked the mountain paths before beginning his ascent.

Senior Brother Zhou had repeatedly warned him yesterday that the main peak was the cultivation ground of the sect's patriarch, True Person Dawn Rain. He absolutely must not take the wrong path. If he caused offense, no one would be able to save him. Thus, he walked with a measure of caution.

The Side Peak was not high, and Jiang Yang soon reached its summit. The Rain Listening Pavilion stood atop the mountain. From afar, the building looked small, its upturned eaves, stone carvings, and colorful paintings seeming poised to soar into the air. A projecting terrace stood outside, lofty and imposing, offering views in every direction.

Thud...

Jiang Yang was about to take a few more steps along the path when a transparent wall abruptly blocked his way.

"It's a formation barrier..."

Seeing ripples shimmer across it, Jiang Yang's heart jolted. He hurriedly took out his identity token and held it toward the barrier. The watery curtain opened into a doorway, allowing him inside.

"Who triggered the formation?!"

Jiang Yang had barely stepped through when a clear female voice rang out. A woman in emerald robes approached from afar, her hair arranged in a bun with long locks hanging beside her temples. Her face was fair, cold, and lovely as a painting, her brows tightly knitted.

As she drew closer and saw a blue-robed disciple, her brows relaxed slightly. She could not help asking:

"Who are you?"

Jiang Yang could not discern her cultivation. Seeing her youthful face, he hurriedly bowed and said:

"This disciple is Jiang Yang. I was assigned duties on Dawn Rain Peak and accidentally triggered the formation. Please forgive me, Senior Sister."

The emerald-robed woman had already guessed his identity fairly accurately. Hearing his words, she said with a composed expression:

"If you've been assigned duties here, you need only show your token to open the formation. Why act so rashly?"

Jiang Yang's lips twitched, but he offered no further explanation. He was only a newly promoted disciple; what did he know about formations? His spirit sense was weak, and he could hardly keep it extended to investigate at all times. That was how he had blundered straight into the edge of the formation like a reckless fool.

"Never mind. Follow me."

Fortunately, the emerald-robed woman was merely giving him a warning and did not truly intend to pursue the matter.

As her skirts swayed gently and she walked farther inside, Jiang Yang followed several paces behind. The summit covered a vast area, with bamboo leaves surging on either side of the path and dense Spirit Vigor filling the air.

Her figure was slender from behind, graceful in emerald green. He heard her say:

"My surname is Li, and my given name is Zhouying. I have the honor of serving as a steward of Dawn Rain Peak. You may call me Steward Li or Senior Sister Li."

Jiang Yang briefly considered this. "Steward" sounded distant, while "Senior Sister" felt friendlier, so he cupped his hands and said:

"Please go on, Senior Sister Li."

Li Zhouying neither approved nor objected. As she continued inward, she explained:

"Planting spirit bamboo is not difficult in itself. It only requires care and attention to detail. Newly sprouted spirit bamboo is fragile and must be tended every day. A careless person will accomplish nothing."

Jiang Yang was no fool. He could tell that Senior Sister Li was subtly admonishing him. Clearly, his earlier behavior had still left her with a somewhat unfavorable impression.

"The spirit bamboo must take root and anchor the soil within three months before it can pass inspection. Are you confident you can do it?"