Chapter 11: 011

After being questioned by Wu Chongyun, Wei Mingyi finally settled down, reining in her chaotic thoughts and hanging the Whisk back on the wheelchair.

Although she had a golden finger, it still required “Achievement Points.” Trapped in a vicious cycle, with her cultivation stuck at a kindergarten level, Wei Mingyi could only regretfully abandon her various schemes and focus on diligent cultivation.

Both the Sect Leader and her disciple were in closed-door cultivation. As for Assistant Master Hua Xiaozhu, bearing the burden of supporting the entire sect, she had to leave the mountain every few days. Consequently, Mo Xuanxiao had to devote more energy to the herb fields on the Second Peak and had no time to tend to Wu Chongyun. Mo Xuanxiao told Wei Mingyi there was no need to be nervous; as long as she wasn’t having an episode, Wu Chongyun would just sit by herself in a corner. But having been frightened once, Wei Mingyi wasn’t reassured. Even when she went to soak in the Meridian Opening Pool, she brought Wu Chongyun along.

The Meridian Opening Pool bought with Achievement Points was quite plain, but the effect was real. Wei Mingyi checked the system description; this pool’s efficiency could be boosted up to fifty percent. Yet, the moment she thought of the Achievement Points required to upgrade it to the Heaven Tier, she wilted again. After a bout of random musings, Wei Mingyi fixed her gaze on Wu Chongyun in the wheelchair and said, “Shizun, just wait here—don’t wander off.”

Inside the simple, unadorned hall were a six-panel screen and the corresponding furniture: a table, a meditation cushion, and an incense burner. These were all mundane objects, complimentary gifts from purchasing the Meridian Opening Pool. Wei Mingyi placed the wheelchair behind the table, where a few books were laid out.

Seeing that Wu Chongyun didn’t reply, Wei Mingyi put on a stern expression and said, “If Shizun wanders off, then your disciple will have no choice but to offend you and ask Shizun to enter the pool with me.”

Only then did Wu Chongyun glance at Wei Mingyi, coldly and elegantly squeezing out a single “Mm.”

Relieved, Wei Mingyi finally entered the Meridian Opening Pool and sat in meditation.

But she couldn’t just literally “take a bath”; she needed to seize this moment of clarity and diligently cultivate.

Truthfully, Wei Mingyi was rather reluctant. But after silently calculating the Talent Points needed to upgrade via her golden finger, she instantly transformed into a model student who loved learning. With Shizun still behind the screen, she could use this chance to ask about Dao Script and also confirm her presence.

Of the two Dao scriptures in her hands, Wei Mingyi first chose the Earth Tier “Six Classics Unrolled” to practice. But she quickly discovered that Earth Tier didn’t mean easy entry; she flipped through it countless times, even converting all the text back into Dao Script, yet in the end, she only knew that the Six Canons corresponded to “Wind, Rain, Yin, Yang, Light, and Obscurity.” As for the method of cultivation, she had no clue.

Ironically, the Heaven Tier scripture, “Daoist True Words,” revealed some hints to her. As long as she could master the Nine Characters Seal, she’d have formally started. After reading it using Dao Script, the Nine Characters Seal transformed into nine diagrams, which could be imitated by copying shapes. However, the corresponding incantations were harder to grasp. Although Wei Mingyi fiercely wanted to enjoy the title of “genius,” she simply wasn’t one. After several failed attempts at understanding, she immediately drawled out, “Shi—zun—”

Wu Chongyun responded with a cool sound of acknowledgment.

Wei Mingyi inwardly understood: this timely reply was probably fear that she really would drag her into the Meridian Opening Pool together.

She was actually just bluffing.

Steadying herself and seeing that Wu Chongyun was responsive, Wei Mingyi stopped being polite. Whenever she had doubts, she would ask Wu Chongyun. True to her reputation as a Nascent Soul Daoist, Wu Chongyun could answer every single question.

However, it was like querying an old, poorly maintained machine—it needed considerable time to load.

Wei Mingyi didn’t complain about Wu Chongyun’s slow responses. Listening to that weary voice, a sense of guilt actually welled up within her.

Was she being a bit too demanding? She was torturing a sick beauty.

Whether it was the effect of the Meridian Opening Pool finally kicking in, or the result of having a “teacher’s instruction”—

A few days later, Wei Mingyi celebrated a joyous event since joining the sect: she had opened her third Qi Meridian entirely on her own, and successfully comprehended the Daoist True Words, entering the stage of “Slight Understanding.” Of course, the power of this technique had to match one’s Magical Power. Given her Meridian Opening First Layer cultivation, even if she formed the Grand Hand Seal, it could probably only crush a nest of ants within Chongyuan Sect.

Regardless, every single step Wei Mingyi took was a milestone worthy of commemoration and celebration.

That very evening, Wei Mingyi pushed Wu Chongyun’s wheelchair into the small, candle-lit courtyard.

Pear blossoms covered the ground like snow, perfectly complementing the gentle moonlight.

Wu Chongyun lowered her gaze, silently looking at the strange symbol drawn on the ground. Only after a long while did she turn her head to look at Wei Mingyi, who was holding a tree branch.

“Doesn’t Shizun think my cultivation progress is rather gratifying and worth celebrating?” Wei Mingyi beamed a brilliant smile. She had originally wanted to make a small cake for herself, but on one hand, she lacked all the ingredients, and on the other… her pathetic cooking skills would only result in a major failure. So, she settled for the next best thing, drawing a large cake on the ground. Gesturing with the branch as if slicing a cake, she enthusiastically spoke to Wu Chongyun.

Wu Chongyun looked at Wei Mingyi in confusion.

Among the people she had encountered in the past, six-year-olds who had opened three meridians were a dime a dozen.

What was there to celebrate about this?

She didn’t want to argue with Wei Mingyi. And perhaps infected by that radiant, vibrant smile, she answered softly, “It is worth it.”

Wei Mingyi was overjoyed. Having finished dividing the “cake” on the ground, she extended her hand towards Wu Chongyun: “Shizun, please eat.” In her palm was a ball of pear blossoms she had plucked from the tree above. This pear tree was ancient, seemingly sentient; even its petals contained spiritual energy. Wei Mingyi had tasted them before when she had nothing better to do.

Wu Chongyun: “…” Silently, she accepted the pear blossoms. A few delicate petals slipped through her fingers, scattering onto the folds of her robe. Wu Chongyun lowered her head to look at the petals, as if debating whether to brush them off. At that moment, Wei Mingyi’s smiling face suddenly leaned in close.

“Won’t Shizun say thank you to me?”

Wu Chongyun pressed her lips together: “Thank you.”

Wei Mingyi inhaled sharply. She was just teasing.

Gazing at Wu Chongyun with her lowered lashes and listless expression, Wei Mingyi suddenly found her incredibly, almost absurdly, docile.

“Is Shizun tired?” She asked gently.

Seeing that the pear blossoms in Wu Chongyun’s palm had all been blown away by the wind, now resting upon her collar, Wei Mingyi reached out and gently brushed them off. Her fingertip caught a strand of white hair that had fallen across Wu Chongyun’s chest. Unable to resist, Wei Mingyi pinched it lightly between her fingers and rubbed it.

A hint of annoyance flickered in Wu Chongyun. She retrieved her hair from Wei Mingyi’s grasp: “Move.”

Her tone was a bit cold and stiff, but it couldn’t be called “fierce.” Unfazed by her sudden coldness, Wei Mingyi leaned on the wheelchair’s armrest and blinked at Wu Chongyun. “I’ll definitely find a way to cure Shizun.”

Seeing Wu Chongyun remain silent, Wei Mingyi rubbed her nose and spoke with animated confidence: “Shizun, don’t look down on me just because I’m only at Meridian Opening now. I’ll reach the Grotto-Heaven sooner or later. Obstacles on the Dao path? They simply don’t exist for me. The Heavenly Dao is impartial, but if it must favor one person, then that person can only be me.”

The wheelchair rolled over the pear blossoms with a creaking sound.

Wei Mingyi thought Wu Chongyun wouldn’t bother to respond. But just as they were entering the house, she suddenly heard a quiet “Boastful nonsense.”

Wei Mingyi glared at her resentfully.

She had a golden finger—how could she be compared to ordinary people?

“Shizun doesn’t believe me?” Wei Mingyi couldn’t help but voice it. “Just wait and see, Shizun. Sooner or later, I’ll beat up the Wu Clan of Spirit Mountain with my fists and kick that Jade Emperor Daoist with my foot.”

Wu Chongyun: “…”

Perhaps it was Wu Chongyun’s silence that pricked Wei Mingyi’s heart, because even her dreams were filled with scenes of her slapping people left and right, while her Shizun was invited to watch from the clouds. After proving herself, Wei Mingyi was incredibly arrogant, laughing maniacally with her hands on her hips like a villain. But then, she lost her breath, as if something had struck her chest.

Wei Mingyi jolted awake from her dream.

She opened her eyes and, by the blurry darkness of the night, looked at Wu Chongyun.

Just like the previous nights, once asleep, her Shizun became incredibly clingy, having to bury herself in Wei Mingyi’s embrace to sleep.

It was a tiny bit torturous.

Silently, Wei Mingyi touched Wu Chongyun’s cheek.

“I will definitely cure you,” she repeated solemnly.