Thus, on the deserted island, Zhang Xiaohua cultivated the Carefree Heart Sutra while comprehending the Art of Earth Evasion and alchemy. Together with the lightning-drawing enhancement training in the night rain, more than half a year passed in the blink of an eye.
At first, Zhang Xiaohua had used his little sword to carve lines into the floor of the small cave, counting the days. Later, as he kept carving, he lost interest and stopped counting, merely carving away.
"If it weren't so I could later see how many days I'd spent on this deserted island without even a seabird, I wouldn't bother carving these lines. I might as well draw circles in a corner of the cave and curse White-headed Weng. That would be far more satisfying."
Zhang Xiaohua had also gone from raising his head expectantly atop the mountain every day, nearly turning himself into a ship-watching stone, to no longer even looking. Too much disappointment had taught him a truth: the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. Better to cut off his own retreat and stop thinking of going back. Perhaps then, an unexpected surprise might come.
Such focus and diligence took his cultivation to another level. The Carefree Heart Sutra had reached the middle stage of the fourth layer, while the Big Dipper Divine Fist had reached the fifth. His comprehension of earth evasion had reached the final hand seal, yet he had long been unable to break through. As for alchemy, he had learned all the basic theories. He only lacked some herbs and practical operation before he could refine pills.
Zhang Xiaohua had also committed all those alchemy hand seals to memory and had formed them with his hands while studying them. Yet he had always feared ruining things, so he remained cautious