Seeing this, Chen Shuangbai couldn't help but smile and cupped his hands in greeting again.
"How have you been, sir?"
That glowing little figure is none other than the Book Spirit Zhang Yin.
It squinted, turned its head away in annoyance, and said in a low voice, "Of course it's good. I'm just a Book Spirit, not comparable to you, the sect's rising star and busy man!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Shuangbai knew why it was angry.
"Yes, yes, it was my fault."
Chen Shuangbai walked forward with a smile, sat down at the other end of the jade table, and then magically took out a jade bottle from it, gently placing it next to the three storybooks.
Book Spirit glanced over out of the corner of her eye and saw that the jade bottle was crystal clear, with amber-colored spiritual liquid shimmering inside, emitting an alluring sweet fragrance and a faint Spiritual Qi.
"This is honey dew brewed by my martial uncle using the essence of a hundred flowers and a spiritual spring. It is exceptionally sweet and refreshing, and I thought it would suit your taste, sir. Consider it a small token of my apology from Shuangbai. Is that alright?"
This is both a storybook and honey dew...
Book Spirit finally succumbed to the temptation, and the pouty expression on her face could no longer be maintained.
It snorted, with a deliberately mature tone. "You're not so bad after all, you still have some conscience!"
As he spoke.
With a wave of its tiny hand, it uncorked the jade bottle and, from who knows where, produced a tiny jade cup. It then controlled the jade bottle, which was larger than itself, to pour out a cup of honey dew, and began to savor it with relish.
With a clatter, one of the storybooks was opened and someone began reading it with great enjoyment.
Chen Shuangbai chuckled inwardly.
He had been entrusting Lu Zhiyuan to collect these tales of ordinary people from the martial arts world.
Before coming to the Book Collection Cave, I made a point of taking out a few books. Knowing that it was trapped here and couldn't go out, it must have liked things that satisfied its appetite. Now that I see it... it really is just what it likes.
"Speak, what brings you to see me this time? You never come here without a reason; you must be having some trouble in your cultivation again, right?"
Zhang Yin crossed his legs slightly, hovering above the jade table, looking as if to say, "I saw right through you."
Chen Shuangbai didn't stand on ceremony.
"I received a third-tier Law Technique from the Great True Person, named [ Clouds and Water Share the Same Sky ], from the Great True Person..."
Zhang Yin's little face immediately turned serious.
"Clouds and water... share the same sky?"
Chen Shuangbai nodded.
After listening, a thoughtful look appeared on its little face. After confirming that it was correct, it carefully examined Chen Shuangbai and said, "Tsk tsk tsk, it hasn't been that long since I last saw you, and you're already in the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage?"
"It seems... I was right about you!"
"You flatter me, sir!"
Chen Shuangbai's appropriate show of weakness pleased the Book Spirit of the Book Collection Cave.
It pondered for a moment before continuing, "This third-tier Law Technique of the Great True Person... I vaguely remember it. Years ago, he also sent some cultivation notes and reflections, but those things weren't formally passed down; they were quite disorganized, and nobody usually looked at them... Let me think, where did I put them...?"
Having said that, it beckoned with its finger, and several Jade Slip flew out from some bookshelf and landed in front of Chen Shuangbai.
"Take these. One of them is True Person Bo's cultivation notes, and the others are essays on his insights into the harmony of clouds and water, left behind by the sect's seniors. Take a look; you might find it helpful in understanding other things as well."
This is the greatest benefit of sectarian inheritance!
"Thank you, sir!"
The wisdom and experience of countless predecessors are accumulated here. Even the scattered notes and insights contain valuable insights into spiritual practice, enough to help later generations avoid many detours and even gain unexpected inspiration.
"No need to thank me... If you really want to thank me, why don't you come visit me more often and bring me a few more storybooks while you're at it... Oh, and by the way, bring more of this honeydew next time, it tastes quite good."
As she spoke, the Book Spirit was already immersed in the storybook and the honey dew, and a contented expression appeared on her little face.
Chen Shuangbai smiled knowingly and then turned to open True Person Bo's cultivation notes.
Like most monks' notes, the contents are also vast and haphazard, spanning a long period of time.
From the initial experiences of entering the Dao, to the insights gained in the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, and even all the way to the Early Golden Core Stage...
But more often, it records what this great True Person saw and heard during his travels to various countries, his observations of celestial phenomena, landforms, mountains and rivers, Rare Flowers and Exotic Herbs, and so on, as well as his exchanges and discussions with different cultivators.
These things, seemingly complicated and even unsystematic, were being studied with great interest by Chen Shuangbai.
Among these scattered records, Chen Shuangbai witnessed True Person Bo's long-term observation and understanding of various water-related phenomena such as water, clouds, thunder, fog, ice, and snow.
Without realizing it, he turned to a page, on which was written these words:
"Today, while traveling through a large marshland, we were caught in a downpour. Dark clouds rolled like ink, and white raindrops danced like pearls. The water vapor in the marshland rose and merged with the rain clouds in the sky, making them indistinguishable."
Thunder rumbled and lightning danced wildly, enveloping the fields as if countless bolts of lightning were interwoven into a net. The water, fueled by the thunder, grew even more violent; the thunder, aided by the water vapor, spread unimpeded. Water and thunder, mutually generating each other, had reached such a state!
"Suddenly, I had an epiphany: thunder arises from clouds, clouds arise from water, thunder falls and returns to water, in an endless cycle. But is water the substance, clouds the function, and thunder the transformation? The three—substance, function, and transformation—seem to be separate, but in reality, they are inseparable..."
The passages of text and the scenes seemed to unfold before Chen Shuangbai's eyes.
He seemed to be following the young True Person Bo, experiencing the magnificent mountains and rivers together, observing the wonders of heaven and earth together, and contemplating the infinite mysteries of the Great Dao of Water.
It's as if you're traveling through True Person Bo's experiences in his youth, and before you know it, your mind is immersed in it.
I don't know how much time passed.
When Chen Shuangbai came to his senses from reading the True Person's Notes, he noticed that the sunlight streaming in had gradually turned a dim, yellowish hue.
But he showed no signs of fatigue whatsoever; on the contrary, he was full of energy, his eyes shining brightly.
The Book Spirit was still immersed in the world of the storybook, occasionally letting out a silly "hehe" laugh, while the jade cup beside her was already empty.
Chen Shuangbai was deeply moved.
"Truly magnificent and wondrous, a truly rewarding experience!"
After hearing his words, the Book Spirit finally came to her senses. Looking at him, she knew he had gained a lot, and said, "It's good that you've gained something."
Chen Shuangbai put away the True Person's Notes and the few personal reflections he had written, then bid farewell to the Book Spirit, saying that he would visit again next time.
The Book Spirit didn't even look up, waved her little hand, and said, "Okay, go ahead, remember to bring new storybooks and delicious food next time!"
Chen Shuangbai smiled, said nothing more, and left the Book Collection Cave.