Chapter 11

Chapter 11: I Hope You Remember Ruan Ruan’s Kindness

Rong Shu left her courtyard.

On the way, she ran into Fang Ren tending spirit herbs, and she called to him in passing: “Senior Brother Fang, morning.”

“Junior Sister Rong, you’ve come out of seclusion?” Fang Ren turned, froze a moment when he saw it was Rong Shu, then, noticing her current first-layer Qi Refining cultivation, broke into a smile: “Congratulations, Junior Sister Rong. Reaching the first layer of Qi Refining means you can truly set foot on the path of cultivation.”

Rong Shu’s expression didn’t change as she said: “Yes. Two months in seclusion—fortunately I gained something.”

With dual spiritual roots, taking two months to complete Qi Induction was nothing unusual. Fang Ren showed no disdain; rather, he spoke with concern: “After coming out, you’re going to ask Immortal Venerable Ze Yu for a manual, aren’t you? Junior Sister should choose carefully—this concerns your cultivation in the Qi Refining Stage.”

Rong Shu nodded: “All right, I’ll keep it in mind. Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother Fang; I’ll be on my way.”

Fang Ren seemed to hesitate, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he said nothing: “Safe travels, Junior Sister.”

As Rong Shu continued toward the Hall of Heartlessness, her mood was no longer as free and easy as when she’d first stepped out.

Senior Brother Fang knew she had been in seclusion for two months?

Was it because Senior Brother Fang was exceptionally observant and noticed on his own, or did he hear it from someone else?

And just now, he had looked a bit strange, as if he had something on the tip of his tongue.

Rong Shu only stopped turning this over when she came to the hall’s doors.

She entered the Hall of Heartlessness. Seeing Jun Xiu Ran in the main hall, she immediately bowed: “Disciple Rong Shu pays respects to Master.”

Jun Xiu Ran’s cool gaze fell on her for a second. He said: “Two months in seclusion and you’ve reached the first layer of Qi Refining?”

“Yes,” Rong Shu answered without a flicker of guilt.

Her fire attribute really was at the first layer of Qi Refining.

No problem there.

“Since you’ve reached the first layer, it’s time you chose a suitable cultivation art.”

With a sweep of his sleeve, three streaks of white light flew out and hovered before Rong Shu.

When most of the radiance faded, she saw them clearly—three jade slips.

Jun Xiu Ran explained: “These are three manuals this honored one selected for you: the wind arts Breath of Life Art and Listening to the Wind Art, and the fire art Ravaging Fire Art. Decide for yourself which to cultivate.”

“Yes.”

Rong Shu acknowledged, then picked up the three jade slips in turn and pressed each to her brow. In the next instant, the heart formulas and mnemonic verses of all three manuals unfolded in her mind.

“Breath of Life Art”: life begetting life without end, breath in and breath out; like oceans embracing a hundred rivers and currents coursing without cease, all within the cosmos of ten thousand breaths.

“Listening to the Wind Art”: merge with the wind and seek the wind; borrow the wind for momentum and heed the wind to move. I am the wind, and the wind is me.

“Ravaging Fire Art”: fire invades as it plunders—storm the city and seize the fields, a blaze sweeping a hundred li, swift and fierce as fire.

All three were suitable for the Qi Refining Stage and matched Rong Shu’s Wind-Fire Dual Spiritual Roots—truly impeccable choices.

Seeing that Rong Shu still hadn’t decided, Jun Xiu Ran prompted: “Since you have completed Qi Induction, you should be able to sense which, within your Wind-Fire Spiritual Root, is more compatible with you.”

“It’s the wind root,” Rong Shu said at once, understanding.

When she had entered the sect, both roots had been tested. The quality of her Wind Spiritual Root was indeed somewhat higher than that of her Fire Spiritual Root.

Which explained why two of the three manuals were wind arts.

With that in mind, Rong Shu’s gaze fell upon the jade slips for Breath of Life Art and Listening to the Wind Art.

The former made you a vessel—a vessel for wind, a vessel for breath—allowing you to grasp the elusive, formless, colorless wind.

The latter borrowed the wind’s momentum and submerged the self into the wind.

One was control; the other, borrowed force.

Her eyes firmed and, from the heart, she made her choice: “Master, I’ve decided. I choose Breath of Life Art.”

No matter how much you borrow, it isn’t truly yours.

Only when control rests in your hands can you feel at ease.

“Very well.”

Jun Xiu Ran’s face stayed indifferent, with no ripple of emotion. He merely swept his sleeve and retrieved Listening to the Wind Art and Ravaging Fire Art.

Rong Shu took Breath of Life Art and bowed in thanks: “Many thanks to Master for selecting manuals for this disciple.”

Jun Xiu Ran said lightly: “Cultivate properly. Do not tarnish Limitless Peak’s name.”

“Yes.”

Rong Shu answered obediently. She was about to take her leave when his cold voice sounded again: “That day in the Dust Cleansing Grand Hall, for Ruan Ruan’s sake, you were granted the position of personal disciple. I hope you will remember Ruan Ruan’s kindness.”

Rong Shu paused, then nodded silently: “Yes. This disciple will remember it.”

“This disciple takes her leave.”

After leaving the Hall of Heartlessness, Rong Shu weighed two options—return to continue closed-door cultivation of the new manual, or head to the outer sect to attend lectures—and after two seconds’ hesitation chose the latter.

Sect lectures were always held in the morning. Miss it and you had to wait until the next day, whereas manual practice could be done in the afternoon.

Decision made, Rong Shu found a Red Crowned Cinnabar Crane and flew off from Limitless Peak.

Lectures for Qi Refining Stage disciples were held on the Spirit Gathering Peak of the outer sect, because most outer sect disciples were in the Qi Refining Stage. If any broke through to Foundation Establishment, they would usually be promoted to inner sect disciples soon after.

And in general, a sect elder did not lightly take on Qi Refining Stage disciples unless that disciple’s talent was exceptional. Cases like Rong Shu—mediocre talent on paper, yet entering the sect as the personal disciple of a figure like Immortal Venerable Ze Yu—were exceptions.

Because of that, and without Rong Shu knowing it, news about her had already spread among the outer sect disciples.

Many outer sect disciples wanted to see what was special about Rong Shu—what allowed someone with merely mid-grade dual roots to enter the doors of Immortal Venerable Ze Yu.

Some were simply curious; some were jealous.

But none of them expected that the moment Rong Shu entered the sect, she would immediately go into seclusion for two months.

Which left outer sect disciples waiting in vain for two whole months.

When Rong Shu, dressed in outer sect robes, arrived at Spirit Gathering Peak, she didn’t cause any stir.

Those who had seen Rong Shu were mostly new disciples. After two months of low profile, most people barely remembered what she looked like.

And because she wore the same outer sect robes as everyone else, no one imagined that someone would actually dislike the personal disciple’s uniform for being too showy.

Rong Shu entered a lecture hall for outer sect disciples where many were already waiting.

She knew no one and had no intention of socializing. Choosing a corner, she took a meditation mat from her storage pouch and sat.

After a moment, the sect elder in charge arrived, and the outer sect disciples who had been chatting went quiet at once.

Rong Shu, like the others, listened attentively. The lecture had two parts: first the elder’s exposition, then the disciples’ questions.

By the end of the morning, Rong Shu had gained quite a bit. Several cultivation issues became clear to her.

She stopped by the Pill Treasury Pavilion to replenish the Fasting Pills she’d used over the past two months, then returned to Limitless Peak.

Back home, she dove straight into cultivating her new manual in the small courtyard.

This continued for three days. The courtyard formation remained active the whole time, which meant Rong Shu had no idea that during those days Yu Ruan Ruan had come looking for her several times.

Each time, they missed each other.

On the morning of the fourth day, as soon as Rong Shu opened her door, she ran into Yu Ruan Ruan, who had forced herself to get up an hour early to lie in wait.

Forced into an early morning, Yu Ruan Ruan’s expression was far from pleasant, yet she still had to pull on what she considered a gentle and sweet smile as she said: “Junior sister, you’ve come out of seclusion—why didn’t you send me a word? Master told me to take good care of you.”