The moon fades, stars sink, dawn approaches.
The red sun's glow suddenly blooms from the east, brightening the dim sky in an instant.
[You've drawn energy into your body. After a night of relentless persistence, spiritual energy overflows, and a moment of clarity hits you. Your Energy Introduction Technique breaks through the limits.]
[Congratulations, your cultivation realm has entered the Qi Cultivation First Layer!]
Opening the wooden window, the mountain is bathed in red light, a scene of blazing brilliance.
Jiang Yuebai takes a deep breath of the morning mist... Ah, how foul!
She looks down at herself, her body covered in mottled filth emitting a foul odor, yet her body feels light, her strength abundant, her mind clear with her senses sharp.
Jiang Yuebai giggles dumbly, her black eyes shining brightly like the sun.
Using water to wash, surprisingly not finding the morning well water cold, where once half a bucket made her pant heavily, today with one hand she lifts a full bucket with ease.
Getting clean, Jiang Yuebai intended to knock on the north room's door to share her joy with Tao Fengnian, only to see him returning from outside the courtyard, covered in mud, looking exhausted.
"Grandfather, have you not returned all night?"
Tao Fengnian follows Jiang Yuebai's gaze to look at himself, letting out a bitter laugh, a Dust Cleaning Technique sweeping over him, renewing his appearance.
"Hungry? I'll cook now."
"I'm not hungry, Grandfather, please rest."
Jiang Yuebai swiftly takes Tao Fengnian's hoe and conical hat, pulling him to sit at the stone table, diligently lighting the smoke rod, letting Tao Fengnian take a soothing puff.
"Grandfather, look, I've made a breakthrough."
Before the first puff of blue smoke could be exhaled, Tao Fengnian was stunned, suddenly comprehending what Jiang Yuebai said, his pupils dilating.
The smoke rod falls to the ground, Tao Fengnian springs from the stone bench, fixing his gaze on Jiang Yuebai for a moment.
His face glowing, spiritual energy surging towards the sky.
"In just two nights, you've... you've broken through?!"
This little girl, what more surprises and shocks will she give him?
Yesterday, Daoist Rhyme clung to her; could it be she's truly the Five Spirit Roots with full value of nine? Even if not, she must not be far off.
People often say Five Spirit Roots are poor, but overlook one point: Five Spirit Roots with exceedingly high root values have a spiritual energy affinity several times higher than Single Spiritual Roots. Although it takes longer, bridging the gap isn't difficult with effort.
Moreover, Five Spirit Roots have advantages such as abundant spiritual energy, complete attributes, and strong endurance. However, throughout history, rarely has anyone had Five Spirit Roots with root values all above seven, which is why Five Spirit Roots fell short.
Aside from the ancestors, more than three hundred years ago, Heavenly Interence Sect produced a Five Spirit Roots with full value of eight, who was extraordinarily talented but unfortunately fell to severe injury and awaited death.
In Tao Fengnian's view, the only shortcoming of Five Spirit Roots is in earlier cultivation stages. Once forming a Golden Core and comprehending the operation rules of Heavenly Dao, those with complete Five Elements find it easier to advance than cultivators with incomplete attributes.
This is why the ancestor of Heavenly Interence Sect, Lu Xingyun, was obscure before Core Formation and soared afterward.
Jiang Yuebai's smile is radiant, "Grandfather, please rest first. I'll go tell Manager Hong now that I'm not inferior to those Outer Sect disciples at all!"
Jiang Yuebai, full of excitement, immediately turns to run.
"Stop!"
Bam!
A gust of wind brushes past her face, fiercely slamming the courtyard door shut. Jiang Yuebai halts at the door, turning back with confusion.
Tao Fengnian's face turns solemn, with excitement still lingering in his eyes.
"Before the end of the month, you aren't to go anywhere, nor tell anyone about your breakthrough!"
"Why!" Jiang Yuebai's eyes full of confusion.
Tao Fengnian ponders for a moment. Such talent even stirs a bit of jealousy and dark thoughts in his heart.
"You said yesterday you had once obtained Golden Melon Seeds but nearly lost your life trying to keep them. Now, your two-night breakthrough, like those Golden Melon Seeds, could take your life."
Jiang Yuebai's eyes flicker. She, sharp and perceptive, understands Tao Fengnian, but her heart remains stifled.
She won't forget the events at the mountain gate for a day; they openly seized her token only because they deemed her talent poor.
She wants them to know that she isn't inferior; she deserves that token!
Jiang Yuebai's eyes brim with redness, brewing resentment and grievance, Tao Fengnian sighs deeply.
"Do you wish to be the sun and moon in the sky, or the dust on the earth?"
Jiang Yuebai's pupils trembled slightly.
"I know you're not convinced, you want to prove yourself, but if you tell everyone now, you'll only gain achievements from those inferior to you, which has no meaning and will only hold you back."
"Entering the Dao in two days and nights is impressive, but do you know there are those who enter the Dao in one night, some who establish their foundation in a hundred days, and even mortals who defy destiny and ascend in broad daylight? In this vast world, extraordinary individuals emerge endlessly; what do your achievements amount to?"
A basin of cold water drenched down, dampening much of Jiang Yuebai's joy from her breakthrough. She clenched and then relaxed her fist, still feeling a touch of reluctance.
"Flying with the Immortal Crane, all you see are sun, moon, and high mountains; living with flies and insects, all you perceive is dirt, mud, and filth. You should aim for the heights, not boast to those behind you."
"But I just want to prove myself."
"An innocent man with a treasure becomes guilty; some things are beyond your understanding due to limited experience. If you trust me, endure for half a month, and you will surely understand thereafter."
"This talisman should be carried on you; it can temporarily conceal the spiritual light around you."
Tao Fengnian said no more, leaving a yellow talisman on the stone table, picked up the smoke rod, and with a weary body, went to the kitchen to cook.
Jiang Yuebai understood her grandfather's good intentions and the meaning behind his words, but her heart remained stifled.
Nonetheless, Jiang Yuebai eventually suppressed the suffocating feeling and took the yellow talisman Tao Fengnian left and tucked it into her collar.
Three days later, Tao Fengnian told her that twenty servant children her age had been assigned to Huaxi Valley and was taking her to see them.
Jiang Yuebai followed Tao Fengnian to the field, seeing from afar, elderly men and women instructing some children by the ricefield.
Feeling familiar, they indeed were those who entered the sect with her.
"Eighty-One? Is that really you!"
Turning at the sound, Jiang Yuebai saw a slightly older girl and a boy approaching.
The girl looked shrewd and greeted warmly, "We thought you entered the Outer Sect, didn't expect to see you here; wouldn't you be here as a Spiritual Cultivation Apprentice as well?"
The boy appeared honest, merely nodding with a simple smile, saying nothing.
Jiang Yuebai asked in confusion, "Why call me Eighty-One? Is it because... of the Ascension Stairs?"
The girl nodded, "Yes, you're quite famous now; everyone saw what happened before the Ascension Stairs, the worst Five Spirit Roots qualification, yet you made it to the eighty-first step, fiercely slapped that pampered lady's face, we all found it satisfying."
Jiang Yuebai frowned, "My name is Jiang Yuebai."
"I'm Lv Ying, and he's Shi Xiaowu; I am now apprenticed under Senior Sister Song Pei'er, heard that Tao Fengnian and Song Pei'er are the highest in cultivation at Huaxi Valley, both at Qi Cultivation Great Perfection, but Senior Sister Song didn't qualify as a Spiritual Cultivation Master, not like Elder Tao. By the way, whose apprentice are you?"
Jiang Yuebai slightly turned, looking at Tao Fengnian working in the spiritual field.
Lv Ying was shocked, "You've become Elder Tao's apprentice? Heard he's been in the sect for almost forty years and never taken an apprentice, with a wealthy background, you're truly fortunate."
Shi Xiaowu nodded gloomily, eyes filled with a few traces of envy.
Jiang Yuebai entered Huaxi Valley directly upon initiation, unlike Lv Ying and Shi Xiaowu who underwent entry-level indoctrination, so many things were unknown to her.
Lv Ying sized up Jiang Yuebai, "How's your Energy Introduction into Body progress? Last night I sensed Spiritual Energy already."
Jiang Yuebai somberly pressed on the yellow talisman hidden in her collar and shook her head.
Shi Xiaowu frustratedly scratched his head, "I haven't sensed Spiritual Energy yet, fall asleep as soon as I meditate."
Lv Ying raised an eyebrow, "My Four Spirit Roots surely make it easier than your Five Spirit Roots. There's still half a month, no need to worry; if there's anything unclear, feel free to ask, as fellow disciples, I'll definitely help you."
Shi Xiaowu said, "How can I not worry? I heard among those entering the Inner Sect, Lu Nanzhi entered the Dao in one night, Xie Jingshan took one day, and Shen Huaxi one day and night."
Jiang Yuebai opened her eyes in surprise, Manager Hong mentioned Xie Jingshan's Root Value being high would be slower than Shen Huaxi, yet he surpassed Shen Huaxi.
This proves he's not only gifted but diligent too, realizing this, Jiang Yuebai's pent-up frustration dissipated considerably.
Even the talented ones don't slack off, what right does she have to feel indignant with her paltry skills?
Shi Xiaowu continued, "However, there's a Three Spirit Root in Outer Sect, entered Dao in three days, truly unbelievable; typically it takes over fifteen days for a Three Spirit Root to enter Dao."
"Are you referring to the hunter's child, Xuu Hu?" Lv Ying inquired.
Shi Xiaowu nodded, drawing Jiang Yuebai's attention back.
Lv Ying suddenly became secretive, glanced around and leaned in to both, whispering, "You wouldn't know, Xuu Hu's been showing off these few days, last night he was provoked by those he shared a room with; without fully understanding his cultivation technique, he hastily cultivated on his own, and accidentally deviated his energy flow, resulting in a burst Dantian and fatality."
Buzz!
Jiang Yuebai's mind shook, suddenly spinning between heaven and earth.