Zhou Xi spent a week learning the complete Yushan School's exercises and successfully stored the excess spiritual energy in his tendons and veins in his dantian.
Every day when Taoist Baopu came to check on Zhou Xi's training results, he would frown and let out a long sigh. Taoist Baopu felt sorry for Zhou Xi. Although Zhou Xi had good aptitude, it was a pity that he started practicing too late. Now Zhou Xi's body functions were already in decline. Even with the nourishment of spiritual power, he could never catch up with young people.
In fact, Taoist Baopu somewhat hated his own indecision. If he hadn't been waiting for the judgment of "heaven" and had brought Zhou Xi back to the mountain earlier, Zhou Xi's body would have been in excellent condition. However, things had come to this point, Taoist Baopu could only think of other ways to remedy the situation.
Although Zhou Xi didn't understand the meaning of Taoist Baopu's sad sigh, he didn't think much of it. In Zhou Xi's opinion, he had only come to Yushan Sect to keep his promise. He had never dreamed of achieving immortality. Whether his cultivation speed was fast or slow, Zhou Xi didn't care much.
After Zhou Xi drew the Qi into his body, Taoist Baopu asked him to make good use of his time to practice every day, and also specially sent a little Taoist boy Xiuzhu to serve Zhou Xi.
Xiuzhu is fourteen years old this year. Like most of the menial disciples at Jinping Peak, Xiuzhu is a cultivator with four spiritual roots and has already reached the second level of Qi training.
Zhou Xi, who had just entered the first level of Qi training, was not yet able to practice fasting. Every day, Xiuzhu would go to the kitchen halfway up the mountain to bring Zhou Xi's meals back to his cave. After Zhou Xi finished eating, she would return the bowls and other items to the kitchen. Zhou Xi felt embarrassed to have a teenager running around for him, and he repeatedly suggested going out to eat so that Xiuzhu wouldn't have to run around so hard.
Xiuzhu was so frightened that he fell to his knees, begging Zhou Xi not to chase him away. Xiuzhu and the other errand disciples had fought tooth and nail for the chance to serve Zhou Xi. If he were to be chased away by Zhou Xi after just a few days, Xiuzhu could foresee the cold stares and ridicule of the other errand disciples.
From Xiuzhu, Zhou Xi learned some of the rules of the cultivation world. It was also the first time he knew that his identity as a direct disciple actually held such a high status within the sect. In the entire Yushan Sect, there were only fifteen direct disciples.
Zhou Xi was not a pedantic person. Seeing that Xiuzhu was enjoying herself, he did not say anything about asking Xiuzhu to leave.
The cave that Taoist Baopu arranged for Zhou Xi to live in, though simple in appearance, was fully equipped. It had a bedroom, a study, an alchemy room, and everything in between. Aside from the medicine room, which Zhou Xi was not allowed to enter, all the other rooms were his for his use.
However, Zhou Xi had no use for any of these rooms except the bedroom. Initially, after practicing, Zhou Xi would enthusiastically go to the study to find books to read, but he discovered that the study in the cultivation world was very different from his previous study. The shelves in the study here were not filled with books, but with jade slips.
Zhou Xi was dumbfounded. Taoist Baopu rarely appeared and had never taught him how to "read" the jade slips. Xiuzhu was not qualified to enter the study due to her status, so naturally she could not teach Zhou Xi how to "read".
Taoist Baopu had forbidden Zhou Xi from wandering around, so Zhou Xi had no choice but to retreat to his cave to cultivate. Zhou Xi had already reached the first level of Qi training. As the spiritual energy flowed through his meridians, he could feel the cells in his body rejoicing. However, Zhou Xi was old after all, and his meridians weren't as flexible as those of a young person. After more than half a month of cultivation, only a thin layer of spiritual energy remained in his Dantian.
Taoist Baopu came every day and took Zhou Xi's pulse every day to check Zhou Xi's progress in cultivation.
Taoist Baopu became anxious when he found that Zhou Xi's cultivation speed was not as smooth as he expected.
After spending several days in his study reading the jade slips, Taoist Baopu emerged exhausted and announced that he would "train Zhou Xi's body." Zhou Xi asked Taoist Baopu what "training" meant and fell silent.
To be honest, Taoist Baopu had been very attentive to Zhou Xi these days. Zhou Xi wanted to object to his arrangement, but he didn't know how to start. Zhou Xi had only been in the cultivation world for about two weeks, and although he didn't understand what "body building" meant, he could already imagine the danger just by hearing the word.
Taoist Baopu was impatient and prepared the medicinal juice for Zhou Xi to strengthen his body within a day. He brought Zhou Xi to this secret room and let Zhou Xi soak in the medicinal juice.
When Zhou Xi was soaking for the first time, Taoist Baopu was standing by, watching how Zhou Xi's body was enduring and slowly adding the medicinal juice into the body.
Zhou Xi felt sore and numb at first, and then the pain became unbearable.
Taoist Baopu had Zhou Xi practice his skills in the pool to absorb spiritual energy. As the spiritual energy flowed through Zhou Xi's body, the pain eased considerably.
Then, Taoist Baopu added some medicinal juice to it, and waves of pain once again occupied Zhou Xi's senses. This cycle repeated over and over again, and it took Zhou Xi three days to complete his first body training.
Taoist Baopu came over to check Zhou Xi's meridians and found that they had not only widened a bit, but also increased in flexibility. Finally, a smile appeared on his frowning face.
The second time, Baopu Taoist still watched over Zhou Xi, slowly adding various medicinal juices to the pool. When Zhou Xi felt the pain unbearable, Baopu Taoist even injected his spiritual energy into Zhou Xi's head to help him fight the juices. This time, Zhou Xi felt the pain as if scraping his bones while soaking in the juices.
A few days later, Zhou Xi managed to hold on again.
Three days ago, Taoist Baopu prepared the medicinal juice and was about to watch Zhou Xi soak it for the third time.
Xiuzhu came in to report that Senior Brother Liu had brought the person back. Taoist Baopu paused for a moment before pouring all the medicinal juice in his hand into the pool. He then handed Xiuzhu a small bottle and told her to watch Zhou Xi soak. He then added a suitable amount of spiritual liquid from the small bottle to the pool and hurried away.
This time, the medicinal juice was more unbearable for Zhou Xi than any other time. As soon as Zhou Xi got into the pool, he felt the medicinal juice scraping his flesh like a steel knife. Zhou Xi jumped out of the pool in pain.
Before Zhou Xi could say anything, Xiuzhu's hands moved. Zhou Xi didn't know what was happening, and he lost control of his body and fell back into the pool.
Amidst the intense pain, Zhou Xi heard Xiuzhu muttering, "Brother Zhou, this is what Xiuzhu needs. You have Master Baopu watching over you, so you won't die. Xiaoyun will die without this bottle. Brother Zhou, I've taken the thing. Even if Xiuzhu owes you something, I'll definitely pay you back when I have the chance."
Zhou Xi fainted from the severe pain.
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