Carp swim freely in the clear pond, grateful for your kindness and devotion to your teach

Composing himself, Yan Chen flicked his sleeves and prepared to climb the stairs.

at the same time.

Then, on the stone steps of Huacai Tower, from the side of a jade pillar, half of a chubby little round head peeked out, its big eyes blinking back and forth, looking at the young man in front of it with a curious gaze.

Yan Chen glanced at him sideways, smiled slightly, and bowed respectfully, saying:

"So it's you, young Daoist brother! It's been a long time since we last met at the Forging Academy!"

The young Taoist priest, who thought he was well hidden and wanted to steal a few more glances, was caught red-handed. He immediately pouted and reluctantly revealed himself.

She was one of the two young Taoist disciples who followed Senior Sister Zhu back then.

Yan Chen then realized that the other party was already at the first level of Qi Refining, and even showed signs of overflowing true Qi. He was probably not far from reaching the second level.

He was secretly startled.

As the saying goes, "a small thing can reveal a great truth." After nearly a month of ups and downs in the Forging Fire Academy, Yan Chen thought to himself that he had become accustomed to the various aspects of cultivation. Even if all the mortal servants in the Nine Academies were combined, how many people could actually jump out of the swamp and shed their mortal ways?

Speaking solely of himself, if it weren't for the assistance of the [Immortal Official Jade Pendant], his innate "world-shaking wisdom," and his unparalleled "perseverance," he would have been far more capable.

They will probably be like ordinary weeds, sinking into a daze and never able to turn their lives around. They can only look up to the breath and eyebrows of the "superior cultivators" and live in fear.

This shows how difficult it is to cultivate the Tao. It requires a combination of "opportunity" and even "fate" to survive in the cracks and find a chance to achieve enlightenment.

The difficulties and obstacles involved are difficult for outsiders to understand.

Looking at the young Taoist boy in front of him, he was no more than five or six years old. Even Taoist schools would not accept such a child.

One must first enter the academy, study the classics and understand the principles, and spend three years there before obtaining a "Daoist Certificate" to qualify for the "Daoist Examination" and enter the Daoist school.

However, the other party had already reached the first level of Qi Refining, and it was quite stable and solid, obviously not something that could be achieved by "pulling up seedlings to help them grow".

The gap between people is like a chasm!

"Could it be that the other party is not human at all?"

"Or is it that constantly being by Senior Sister Zhu's side has the benefit of increasing cultivation speed?"

Yan Chen was puzzled, but he didn't show it at all, and said in a calm tone:

"Junior brother, there is a matter that I have not yet understood and would like to ask Master Zhu for his opinion."

"Since you happen to be here, young Daoist, may I trouble you to convey my greetings? I bow in advance."

After speaking, he bowed slightly, showing no disrespect for the other party's status as a Daoist disciple.

The young Taoist boy, nicknamed "Golden Boy," clearly enjoyed it, and chuckled, drawing out his words in a deliberately experienced tone:

"Well... to tell you the truth, Senior Sister Zhu already knew you were coming to visit, so she moved to the back courtyard early and is currently enjoying the flowers and watching the fish by the 'Clear Pond'!"

"You already knew?"

Yan Chen raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, somewhat surprised.

But upon further reflection, a sense of understanding arose.

Cui Shu Lou and even the entire Xu Chun Fang are under the jurisdiction of Dan Lan Valley and Rong Jin Valley.

Zheng, the steward, was clearly uninterested in these mundane affairs, so he left all the responsibilities to Sister Zhu.

Senior Sister Zhu, on the other hand, was quite happy with this and took the affairs of the market very seriously.

Therefore, the events, big and small, that have occurred in Xuchunfang these past few days have not escaped Sister Zhu's notice.

Furthermore, his own cultivation methods, whether it be "Tea Stove Brewing Sword Dance and Leaping Song", "Divine Furnace Imagination Fire Burning Passion and Desire Curse", or "Qingyuan Chengming Elixir Formula", all originated from his own hand.

Therefore, by combining the two, one can roughly estimate one's own cultivation progress.

"The head of this valley is at the fifth level of the Qi Refining Realm... the so-called 'superior cultivator' is truly terrifying!"

Yan Chen's mind raced, but his feet kept moving.

Guided by the young Taoist boy, we passed through a grove of tall bamboos. The scenery on both sides was delightful, and the verdant greenery connected front and back, creating a serene and tranquil atmosphere that inspired contemplation and enlightenment.

If you look back at Huacai Tower at this moment, you can see that the glazed red tiles are like a sky full of flaming clouds, spreading across the horizon, and the green bamboo leaves seem to be bathed in flowing fire, showing a touch of clear gold color, which is magnificent and splendid.

It can be described as a spectacular sight.

"The bamboo shoots are reserved, while the red tiles are wild and unrestrained. The contrast between the restrained and the unrestrained is striking. Perhaps we can glean a glimpse into Senior Sister Zhu's temperament and Daoist heart from this."

Yan Chen gradually gathered his thoughts, and soon arrived at the back courtyard of Huacai Tower.

By the clear pond.

A pool of clear, flawless water blends seamlessly with the sky. Five-colored koi carp swim joyfully, their fine scales layered and shimmering, making it impossible to discern the water's depth or the number of their tails.

Right now, a child is squatting on the bank playing in the water, occasionally startled by the koi that pop their heads out, making him look adorable.

On one side of the pool stands an elegant two-story hexagonal pavilion, with a base of bluestone and stone steps extending outwards.

It connects to the bluestone path beneath Yan Chen's feet.

He gazed intently at the pavilion.

Then a slender figure appeared, wearing a cloud-colored cloak, sitting gracefully beside a stone table, her body turned to the side, her long black hair flowing down, adorned only with a jade hairpin, simple and serene.

I am now leisurely sipping tea, wisps of steam rising from between my lips and teeth.

Untouched by worldly dust, a beauty untouched by the world, none could be more fitting!

The little boy ran towards the pavilion, and as he passed the little girl, he secretly harbored a mischievous thought and wanted to scare her.

However, the little jade maiden had already noticed something by observing the reflection on the water's surface. She scooped up a handful of water and turned around to splash it at the little golden boy.

The two children immediately started playing and fighting.

"You two little rascals, stop fooling around in this quiet place. Have you mastered the 'Qi Observation and Geomancy' techniques I taught you last night?"

From inside the pavilion, a clear, melodious sound, like ice cubes colliding, rang out.

"Okay, Senior Sister Zhu... We'll go back to cultivate now and won't delay your business!"

The two young Taoist boys stuck out their tongues, glanced at Yan Chen with smiles, and then left the Qingchi pond, bickering with each other.

"Both of them are at the first level of Qi Refining..."

"Is the so-called 'feng shui' (geomancy) as I imagine it to be?"

As Yan Chen's thoughts raced, he stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and said:

"Wishing you good health, Master. Your junior brother bows in respect."

Zhu Zhilan slowly set down her crystal-clear cup and said softly:

"Please sit down and pour yourself some tea."

Yan Chen raised an eyebrow, said nothing more, simply said "Yes," and then chose a stone bench and slowly sat down.

He gently lifted the teapot and poured another half cup of tea for Senior Sister Zhu.

Seeing that the other party slightly raised their head, he respectfully inquired:

"I have come to inform you, Master Zhu, that I have a question that I would like to ask you. I hope you can enlighten me!"

After speaking, he told the other party about his current cultivation bottleneck.

"The wood element in the Jia branch energizes the fire element in the Bing branch, and the two elements, which generate each other, clash. The fact that you were able to realize this in such a short time shows that you are indeed intelligent and talented."

Zhu Zhilan lowered her eyelashes, took a sip of tea, and her expression was unreadable.

After a pause, he continued:

"Many disciples of the Melting Gold Valley have been stuck at the hurdle of 'simmering the internal organs and cooking the viscera' because they could not understand the key to it and thus fell into a bottleneck, making it difficult to make any progress."

"Those with better talent might be able to figure it out on their own after three to five months."

"Those who are less capable... are afraid that they will not seek change and will continue to make mistakes, causing the two energies to clash, damaging their internal organs and meridians, and they will never have the hope of reaching the third level of Qi Refining in their lifetime."

Zhu Zhilan suddenly raised her head, her clear, bright eyes holding a hint of a smile, and looked at the handsome young man opposite her.

Said:

"But you were able to figure out a way to suppress 'Bing Fire' with 'Ji Earth' and balance Yin and Yang in a very short time. Your cultivation vision is comparable to that of some disciples at the third or even fourth level of Qi Refining."

"You flatter me, Senior Sister!"

Yan Chenfu suddenly realized his mistake and stopped referring to himself as "master".

But Zhu Zhilan didn't correct him; instead, she smiled and looked at the clear pool.

Lightly said:

"In this world, all beings belonging to the 'human' family are born different."

Some people are naturally intelligent; some are born foolish; some are good at scheming and taking shortcuts; some only know how to bury themselves in hard work... And among these differences are many factors such as "origin", "interpersonal relationships", and "environment".

These factors are either good or bad, and there are many variations.

"Therefore, it is common for the 'vulgar and incompetent' to rise to power, while the 'noble and wise' are mired in the mire."

"Just like the koi in the clear pond, if they were born in a small river, not to mention fierce birds and beasts, even if they were caught by ignorant people, they would only kill and cook them."

"In this way, how can one reveal one's innate virtues?"

Yan Chen lowered his eyelids and fell silent for a moment.

He paused for a moment, then stood up, bowed deeply, and said sincerely:

"Junior Brother's current modest achievements are entirely due to the support of the Gold Melting Valley and even Senior Sister Zhu."

"If you do not despise me, Senior Sister, I am willing to respect you as my master, serve you faithfully, and be devoted to you like a dog or a horse!"

……