Chapter 35 Yanghua Cloud Sea (Twenty-Two)

Jiang Gu always felt that material possessions were unreliable, and even his cultivation place was very simple. There was only a futon in the huge cave, which Wei Feng had recently secretly hidden in his storage bag.

So now even the prayer mat is gone, and the bare cave is empty and desolate, with only a small cave that can accommodate one person carved out in the southwest corner.

Jiang Gu watched as Wei Feng laboriously carried the pile of bundles in and took out the contents.

A rattan mat covering the cave, a small table, writing implements and a pile of books, several soft pillows of various shapes, an incense burner, a huge luminous pearl, a white jade paper cutter... As Wei Feng tried to hang the gold ribbon at the cave entrance, Jiang Gu took a deep breath and looked away.

This useless thing should just bury itself in a hole and die.

Wei Feng hung his flying sword on the wall, clapped his hands in satisfaction, and turned to look at Jiang Gu.

Jiang Gu had been meditating for a long time. Noticing his gaze, she didn't even open her eyes. "Come here."

Wei Feng hurried over, but probably felt it was inappropriate to stand and look at him, so he simply squatted down in front of Jiang Gu. After looking at him for a while, he looked away somewhat uncomfortably.

Although his master had a fearsome reputation, and he felt nothing but awe when he thought of Jiang Gu, it must be said that his master was indeed incredibly handsome. However, Jiang Gu's aloof personality made him so prominent that people often unconsciously overlooked his appearance.

Wei Feng believed that it was the instinct for survival that was at play; lust was more important than life.

After all, his master could really kill someone if he disagreed with someone.

Even a lecherous scoundrel like Jiang Laowu didn't dare to covet Jiang Gu, which shows how ruthless he is.

As Wei Feng was lost in thought, Jiang Gu finally opened his eyes. The moment he met those cold eyes, all the distracting thoughts in his mind vanished without a trace.

"Sit still. Today I will teach you how to cultivate in the sea of ​​consciousness," Jiang Gu said.

Upon hearing this, Wei Feng's face showed a hint of unease, but in the end he obediently sat cross-legged in front of Jiang Gu.

Jiang Gu placed two fingers together on his forehead, "Focus your primordial spirit, and I will take you inside."

"Master, actually I—" Wei Feng hesitated, a bead of cold sweat appearing on his nose.

"What's wrong?" Jiang Gu looked down at him.

Wei Feng said somewhat uneasily, "An elder once said that I am not actually suitable for cultivation because my sea of ​​consciousness is extremely narrow."

As if worried that Jiang Gu would find it distasteful, he quickly said, "But Master, I will find a way to expand my sea of ​​consciousness."

“Some people have even said that I will never be able to establish my foundation in my entire life.” Jiang Gu didn’t care about what he said. “Follow my primordial spirit.”

Wei Feng was stunned for a moment, then quickly closed his eyes and focused his primordial spirit. His primordial spirit was pitifully small, no bigger than half a finger. He searched in the void for a long time without finding it, and began to call out to Jiang Gu, "Master, Master, where are you?"

The tiny primordial spirit could barely speak, and he was so anxious he was about to jump up and down when a huge palm came crashing down on him. Wei Feng was so frightened that his hair stood on end. Just as his humanoid primordial spirit was about to dissipate, the palm suddenly shrank to hundreds of times its original size and steadily lifted him up.

Wei Feng looked up and saw a large, golden human figure, wearing a jade crown, sash, long robe, and wide sleeves, looking down at him with eyes that showed neither sorrow nor joy.

The shape of those facial features was unmistakably Jiang Gu's.

"Master!" Wei Feng strained to look up, gazing at Jiang Gu's primordial spirit with a mixture of shock and envy. "Your primordial spirit is so powerful!"

Jiang Gu looked at the silly little thing sitting in his palm, and with a slight movement of his thumb, Wei Feng was poked to the side and fell over, but was supported by his fingertips.

Wei Feng was so startled that he grabbed Jiang Gu's index finger. The spiritual energy in Jiang Gu's primordial spirit was surging and warm, making him unable to resist rubbing his face against it.

The furry touch made Jiang Gu feel a little strange. He shrank his spiritual sense to its smallest size, and Wei Feng only reached his calf.

“Follow me.” Jiang Gu stretched out a hand to him.

Wei Feng looked up and grabbed the hand that was offered to him. The void in front of them suddenly twisted and rippled for a moment, and they found themselves in a pitch-black space.

The narrow, cramped darkness made him instinctively feel fear, and he subconsciously gripped Jiang Gu's hand tightly.

The primordial spirit often reveals true emotions more than the person. Wei Feng's consciousness was extremely tense and fearful. Jiang Gu did not shake off his hand, but instead used his spiritual power to wrap his primordial spirit. "This is your sea of ​​consciousness. Come with me."

Surrounded by Jiang Gu's aura, Wei Feng's emotions stabilized considerably. He frowned and looked serious as Jiang Gu led him forward.

Jiang Gu led him to a shallow spring, no bigger than the palm of his hand, in which a pale red spiritual energy flowed slowly.

“Your fire elemental root is stronger than your wind elemental root, so fire elemental power will dominate in your sea of ​​consciousness.” Jiang Gu released his hand. “Go in and try.”

Wei Feng stared nervously at the pool of red spring, and tentatively stepped out with his primordial spirit.

Jiang Gu watched calmly from the side. He wanted to throw the person in directly, but excessive fear would damage the primordial spirit. The primordial spirit of the Qi Refining stage is very delicate. He didn't care and suffered a lot back then, which led to a big setback when he was advancing to the next stage and undergoing tribulation.

If you have a master to teach you, these are completely unnecessary detours.

He watched as Wei Feng immersed his primordial spirit into his sea of ​​consciousness and began to teach him in detail how to cultivate in the sea of ​​consciousness. Wei Feng's comprehension was indeed excellent. After Jiang Gu guided him three times, he grasped the key points and even learned how to accumulate spiritual power in the sea of ​​consciousness through primordial spirit cultivation without a teacher.

His originally heavy and sluggish primordial spirit became light and airy. He could even sense the changes in the meridians of his external body through his primordial spirit. The mystery of it captivated him, and he even forgot that Jiang Gu's primordial spirit was right beside him.

"It's almost time." Jiang Gu's indifferent voice suddenly rang in his ear.

Wei Feng suddenly opened his eyes, and after a moment his focus returned to Jiang Gu in front of him. He asked somewhat dazedly, "Master, am I out?"

"Yes, your primordial spirit has returned to its place." Jiang Gu touched his brow with his thumb, and a Vermilion Bird divine mark was imprinted on it. "No one but me may enter your sea of ​​consciousness or approach your primordial spirit. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I've got it." Wei Feng nodded solemnly, without any suspicion.

The primordial spirit and sea of ​​consciousness are so important that no outsiders are allowed to approach them. Only Daoist partners who trust each other implicitly can communicate with each other. Even among master and disciple, it is rare for anyone to personally guide the primordial spirit, let alone allow one-sided access to another person's sea of ​​consciousness.

This situation usually results in the soul being swallowed and the body being possessed, which is the most feared situation for cultivators. This is why, after Jiang Gu swallowed the soul of the elder of the Discipline Hall, almost everyone in the Yanghua Sect avoided him like the plague.

However, Wei Feng clearly did not seem to understand.

However, it doesn't matter if he knows. He has already taken the opportunity to understand Wei Feng's primordial spirit and even branded his mark on Wei Feng's primordial spirit. This means that Wei Feng is his possession inside and out and will always be under his control.

Jiang Gu rubbed his slightly warm fingertips.

If Heaven insists that he must overcome this tribulation of love, then he might as well prepare in advance. In case he really does lose his mind and fall in love, Wei Feng will still not be able to escape his inevitable death.

Thinking of this, he glanced at the grinning, silly boy and figured it was unlikely he'd lost his mind. "Go to class."

Wei Feng turned to look outside the cave and realized that it was already broad daylight. He asked incredulously, "When did it get light?"

“You lose track of time when you’re cultivating,” Jiang Gu said. “Once you reach the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, you can go into seclusion to cultivate.”

Wei Feng couldn't help but feel a little expectant. "No wonder those elders can go into seclusion for several years at a time!"

He felt as if he had cultivated in his sea of ​​consciousness for a whole night in the short span of half an incense stick's time. What was amazing was that he did not feel tired at all. In fact, he felt light and airy all over, as if he had had a very good sleep. He might not experience this feeling even once in several years.

No wonder Xuan Zhiyan once told him that cultivating all night was much more comfortable than sleeping. He thought Xuan Zhiyan was just bluffing and often scoffed at it, but he never expected that it was true.

No one had ever taught him that he could cultivate by entering his mind's sea of ​​consciousness with his primordial spirit, and when others told him, he just took it as a joke.

Thinking of his fellow disciples who had been cultivating day and night for the past seventeen years, while he had been wasting his time on entertainment in a daze, Wei Feng couldn't help but feel anxious, even though it wasn't his intention.

How much did he actually miss out on?

"Master, I'll head to Touchun Peak now!" Wei Feng jumped onto his flying sword and transformed into a streak of light, disappearing straight away.

——

For the next few days, Wei Feng listened attentively in class.

Even Xuan Zhiyan was somewhat surprised. Taking advantage of the break between classes, he quietly pulled him aside and questioned him, "What's wrong with you lately? I heard from Liu Xian that you haven't slept even once."

"Of course, it's because I've discovered something more comfortable than sleeping," Wei Feng said smugly.

Xuan Zhiyan's expression shifted in a complex way as he looked at him, his expression unreadable. "Wei Feng, you haven't done anything bad, have you? Please don't let those vixens from the Hehuan Sect bewitch you. Although you usually flirt around, you haven't done anything outrageous. If you were to cultivate with those women—"

"I didn't!" Wei Feng's face flushed red, and he reached out to cover his mouth. "Don't talk nonsense! I only went to a brothel once to look for the Divine Kite Shark Scale, and I almost got killed by that flower spirit. Don't slander my innocence. If this gets to my master's ears, he might expel me from the sect!"

Xuan Zhiyan looked at him suspiciously, "Then you said it's even more comfortable than sleeping..."

"I'm talking about cultivation! Cultivation!" Wei Feng glared at him through gritted teeth. "Xuan Zhiyan, what on earth are you thinking?"

Xuan Zhiyan cleared his throat. "Who told you to speak in an ambiguous way?"

"I—" Wei Feng grabbed him by the collar, ready to punch him, but Xuan Zhiyan quickly nudged him, "My master is here!"

Wei Feng raised an eyebrow, smiled, and hooked his arm around Xuan Zhiyan's neck. He turned around lazily and saw Shen Yuxin and Jiang Gu walking over side by side. He immediately withdrew his arm, composed himself, straightened his body, and stood in a row with Xuan Zhiyan against the wall, respectfully performing the disciple's salute.

They looked just like two little mice that had seen a cat.

Jiang Gu glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, then continued walking forward with Shen Yuxin.

“Wei Feng has made great progress these past few days.” Shen Yuxin also saw Wei Feng and only said to Jiang Gu after they had walked a distance away: “Elder Jiang is very good at teaching.”

"He was originally a rough gem, but with a little polishing," Jiang Gu said calmly. "He owes his success today entirely to the care of the sect's elders."

These words were spoken in a very sarcastic tone. Shen Yuxin smiled and said, "The Criminal Law Hall did go too far before. Wei Feng is still young, so we should be more lenient."

"So searching souls is actually quite lenient," Jiang Gu nodded. "Compared to the Yang Hua Sect, the Jiang family has absolutely no rules."

Shen Yuxin was taken aback by his retort, and said with a helpless smile, "Elder Jiang, you flatter me."

“Wei Feng’s wind spirit root is very suitable for studying talisman techniques. I am not proficient in talisman techniques, so I will have to trouble Elder Shen to take care of this matter.” Jiang Gu said, “Next month, when I go to Xiyuan Secret Realm for training, I will go in place of Elder Shen.”

"Thank you very much, Elder Jiang." Shen Yuxin breathed a sigh of relief and cupped his hands, saying, "I have a few junior disciples who are also going to Xiyuan Secret Realm for training. I hope Elder Jiang will take good care of them then."

“Of course.” Jiang Gu nodded.

On the other side, Xuan Zhiyan and Wei Feng couldn't hear what their respective masters were saying, but they knew that the two seemed to be having a pleasant conversation. Xuan Zhiyan couldn't help but ask Wei Feng, "Isn't your master very good to you? Why are you so afraid of him?"

"Your master treats you very well, so why are you afraid of him?" Wei Feng asked, raising an eyebrow.

“…I respect him.” Xuan Zhiyan nodded firmly.

Wei Feng twitched his lips. "Of course, it's because I respect my master."

"..."

"..."

The two looked at each other for a moment, then simultaneously rubbed their arms vigorously.

“You have no idea, my master seems to have a very good temper, but when I draw the talisman incorrectly, he looks like he can eat people!” Xuan Zhiyan whispered, “Last time, I made a mistake on a page of the book I was preparing for my lessons, and when he turned cold, I felt like I had broken a heavenly law.”

Wei Feng hissed, "My master is alright. He always has a cold face. I've never seen him smile except on the day I became his disciple."

Xuan Zhiyan patted his shoulder sympathetically, "Do you know that Elder Jiang was ranked number one on the list of the most terrifying elders by the disciples of Touchun Peak?"

"Who said that! My master is so—so—gentle." Wei Feng lied, somewhat smug and indignant, "You have no idea how good he is."

Xuan Zhiyan clicked his tongue twice, "He's so good, if you're so capable, then don't be afraid of him."

“It’s only natural for a disciple to fear his master.” Wei Feng shrugged nonchalantly and said, “Is that fear? It’s clearly respect and love.”

"Elder Jiang!" Xuan Zhiyan suddenly called out to him from behind.

Wei Feng immediately straightened his back and stood properly, obediently turning his head to greet him: "Master."

The corridor was deserted, not a soul in sight.

Xuan Zhiyan looked at him meaningfully.

Wei Feng smiled, his eyes crinkling, and grabbed his neck, raising his fist.

——

Jiang Gu met with more than a dozen elders at Touchun Peak, including Shen Yuxin. Most of them were the elders who taught Wei Feng. Although he was impatient with dealing with these people, he knew that within the sect, sometimes forceful suppression could not solve all problems.

He wasn't proficient in all types of magic, and he knew that each of these elders had their own strengths. All he needed to do was ensure that Wei Feng could truly learn something at Touchun Peak. As for what kind of magic Wei Feng would study or what path he would choose in the future, that was up to Wei Feng himself.

"Master, I'm back!" Wei Feng drifted across the cave on his sword, then jumped off gracefully and ran excitedly to him.

"What's making you so happy?" Jiang Gu's single glance stopped him three steps away.

Wei Feng readily agreed and sat cross-legged opposite him. He took out several talismans from his bag and said happily, "Master, look, these are the talismans I drew today. Elder Shen praised my talent!"

Jiang Gu glanced at them. The technique used to create these talismans was still immature, but the spiritual energy was abundant and the strokes were smooth. They were considered top-notch among beginners. He nodded approvingly, "Not bad."

Wei Feng's eyes lit up instantly. "Master, Elder Song said that I'm also learning alchemy very quickly, and my fire lasts the longest among all of them."

Jiang Gu said, "Your fire elemental root will be of some help in this regard."

“That’s right, I’ve also booked the alchemy room for the latter half of the month. Maybe I can refine a batch of low-grade Nourishing Essence Pills.” Wei Feng said excitedly, “This is my first time refining pills. Master, look, this is the first pill I’ve ever refined.”

He handed a dark, black pill to Jiang Gu, his face full of anticipation.

"..." Jiang Gu was reluctant to accept, but he still opened his hand.

“Master, I added a little bit of kite blood to it.” Wei Feng leaned closer and whispered, “Because my finger was cut by the furnace hook, and then I found that I could see the kite’s mark inside.”

He shared his discovery with Jiang Gu with some curiosity, "Master, do you think if I add the heart blood of the Divine Kite Shark, I might be able to refine a Heaven-Rank pill?"

“No.” Jiang Gu frowned slightly, put the pill back in his hand, and said in a deep voice, “The heart blood has the aura of the Divine Kite Shark. It’s hard to guarantee that it won’t be discovered by someone with ulterior motives. Besides, using the flesh and blood of an alchemist to make pills is a major taboo for alchemists. You’ve only just entered the field, so don’t always think about taking shortcuts.”

Wei Feng was taken aback by his scolding, then awkwardly touched his nose and said, "I understand."

"Whether you are the Divine Kite Shark or not, it doesn't affect the fact that you are my disciple." Jiang Gu said coldly, "You don't need to test me like this next time."

Suddenly caught off guard by his blatant exposure of his secret thoughts, Wei Feng panicked. "Master, I'm sorry, I just wanted to..."

"No need to explain." Jiang Gu looked up at him. "I know you have had a hard life in the sect since you were young, so it is understandable that you do not trust others. But now that you have become my disciple, you should put away these useless habits. Instead of trying to figure out how much sincerity or falsehood others have for you, you should calm down and cultivate for a few more hours."

Wei Feng was thoroughly scolded and hung his head, stammering in agreement.

"Go and cultivate on your own," Jiang Gu said expressionlessly.

Wei Feng gripped the pills tightly in his hand, no longer daring to approach him affectionately and joke around as he had in the past few days, and slunk away into his little cave.

The boy still had a touch of naivety in his eyes. He was a little listless after being scolded, but he still showed a stubborn defiance. After noticing his gaze, he obediently and slyly lowered his head and pretended to start cultivating.

Wei Feng grew up alone in Yanghua Sect, stumbling and struggling. His childhood experiences made him naturally wary and distrustful of others, but at the same time, he also longed to be close to his elders. He had some cleverness and cunning, but because no one taught him, he appeared clumsy and dull. He was even annoying because of his excessive affectation. He had many flaws and bad habits, like branches growing horizontally on a tree trunk, which were useless except for slowing down the growth of the seedling.

What he has to do is trim away these useless things.

Jiang Gu frowned slightly as he looked at the few immature talismans on the ground.

The yellow paper instantly turned into countless dust particles, silently dissipating into the dark shadows.

Raising children is an extremely troublesome thing.