Chapter 61: Th Scum Is A Treasure

In the north mountain, Bamboo Pavilion.

"Shifu." Cheng Sheng called as he approached Fan Wen.

"Take a seat." Fan Wen said.

Cheng Sheng heavily sighed, then knelt before Fan Wen. His forehead hit the ground. Only the other disciples' voices can be heard from afar. "How's founder?" he asked. He didn't dare raise his head and meet Fan Wen's gaze.

"It's not your fault – " Fan Wen said.

"It is." Cheng Sheng said. "I cannot control the power in my body – "

"Enough!" Fan Wen said. His cup hit the table and it broke. The tea spilled between his fingers, together kin was with some blood after Fan Wen's skin was cut by the broken pieces of the cup. "Your founder brought it upon himself," he told Cheng Sheng.

"Mn." Cheng Sheng muttered. "I think so, too." He said.

"Yes – " Fan Wen agreed, then his face darkened. He looked at Cheng Sheng, feeling that his shamelessness was too similar to a certain someone's. He took a deep breath to calm himself, pressing down the irritation he felt. He had been scared when Xie Lan spat out a mouthful of blood. He had thought of the worst when he learned the internal injury was caused by the power inside Cheng Sheng. He had initially blamed Cheng Sheng but later removed those thoughts since Cheng Sheng isn't the one to blame. When he was assured by Xie Lan that he was fine, he finally calmed down. Then, he left to meet with Cheng Sheng who sent him a message through the Voice-Transmitting Talisman. "How are your fellow disciples?" he asked.

"Tomorrow, this disciple will exchange students with da shixiong." Cheng Sheng answered. "Lei-shijie and Feng-shixiong… their alchemic skills have improved." He told Fan Wen.

Fan Wen nodded, pleased. Then, he turned when he felt the drape barriers were touched, and Fei Yin appeared. "Xiao Yin." He called.

"Shifu." Fei Yin saluted before his eyes fell on Cheng Sheng who was kneeling on the ground.

Fan Wen looked at Cheng Sheng. "Why are you still kneeling?" he asked. Is Cheng Sheng purposefully making him look like a bad master to his fellow disciple?

"Shifu…" Cheng Sheng called, his voice wronged.

Fan Wen got a bad premonition.

"… I can't feel my legs." Cheng Sheng continued.

Fan Wen's face darkened. "Xiao Yin. Help your shidi up." He told Fei Yin.

"Yes – " Fei Yin answered and pulled Cheng Sheng up by his armpits, just like an adult pulling up a child.

After a few seconds, Cheng Sheng felt his legs again. His feet touched the ground, and then he tapped his shoes against the ground, feeling his legs. This Spiritual Awakening Method is really good! He thought and smiled.

Fan Wen ignored Cheng Sheng's stupid look and he turned to Fei Yin. "How are your shidis and shimei?" he asked.

"Shifu. Li-shidi, Lei-shidi, and You-shimei are working hard." Fei Yin answered. "Their strength and speed have improved." He added.

Fan Wen nodded, feeling satisfied. "Continue with what we have planned for tomorrow." he said. "You can now have your dinner." He told them, then sent them outside the pavilion. When the two left, Fan Wen sighed. "I hope these preparations will be enough for the Intersect Competition." He muttered, then left to see Xie Lan.

The next day, the seventh day of training.

Study Hall, south mountain.

"In Pill Concocting, with just one stalk of herb, you can make a variety of pills with it after combining it with other herbs." Cheng Sheng started. "By understanding their properties, you can change the nature of the pill you are making." He said.

You Rou immediately took down notes while Li Tian and Lei Ling were helping her list the herbs' properties. "I got it, Cheng-shixiong! Thank you!" she said as she finished writing. Her eyes are gleaming.

Cheng Sheng nodded. "Later, you study all the herbs." He told You Rou. "In Pill Refining, you only need full concentration." He said. "The more you are concentrated, the higher the number you can refine the magic pill." He told her.

"Yes!" You Rou nodded.

Cheng Sheng looked at them three. He already finished telling Li Tian about the Voiced and Silent Spell Casting, and also taught Lei Ling the areas he needed to observe in Talisman Making. Now, he just finished advising You Rou about Pill Concocting. "I already have told you everything I learned." He said. "Now – " he looked at them one by one before he continued. " – we're on the last step." He said.

"The last step?"

Cheng Sheng nodded. "There are three foundations in alchemy – " he said. " – theory, practice, and the third and last one – " he raised three fingers. " – qi!" he said.

"Qi…" they muttered.

"Theories can be learned, or realized." Cheng Sheng started. "Practice can be done with guidance. However, qi – " he said. " – you rely on yourself. How much qi was drawn when you cast a spell, the strength of the spell relies on it." He looked at Li Tian. "How much qi you input in the talisman, determines the talisman's effect." He looked at Lei Ling. "How much qi you use in Pill Refining, speaks to the quality of the pill." He looked at You Rou. "The last step of our training is meditating." He said and snapped his fingers.

They looked at their feet when an array appeared beneath their feet. Then, the next second they appeared in the Meditation Hall at the west mountain. "Amazing…" the muttered in awe.

"I'll channel the qi the Qi Absorbing Array of the Xinfaxian towards your body." Cheng Sheng said as his foot tapped on the floor and an array appeared. "This is the Qi Channeling Array. Qi will directly enter your body. Find your place." He told them.

The three immediately sat on the floor and then started to meditate. Not long after light covered their body. Cultivators who practice alchemy – mages, are more defenseless than sword cultivators unless they practice both just like Cheng Sheng. Mages rely on their magic tools, yet when their tools run out or are useless against the enemy, their last sort is their soul force – using qi as a weapon. The more qi one has, the stronger the soul force can they exert. That's why he has to make Li Tian, Lei Ling and You Rou level up before he can teach them soul force.

Fan Wen and Xie Lan may or may not know this technique. If they do, then the reason they didn't teach them this technique is that one, they are too weak. Two, they will exhaust their qi and it will affect their cultivation. One requirement in alchemy is to be careful, thus, Cheng Sheng will teach these three people. A careful person will not recklessly exhaust themselves to the point there would be nothing left of them in case of emergency.

Cheng Sheng closed his eyes – not to meditate but to sleep. Waiting is really boring.

Training Hall, east mountain.

"The reason why you awaken your sword spirit is to not make friends, but to be synchronized with them when you fight." Fei Yin said.

Dark lines covered Feng Mo and Lei Qing's faces. For one moment, they really thought what Fei Yin said. However, they are not stupid. Thus, they immediately recovered. "How do we synchronize with our sword spirit?" Feng Mo asked.

"Deep understanding." Fei Yin answered. "Xiao Bao." He called his sword spirit. His jade pendant glowed, and when the light died down, Feng Mo and Lei Qing felt plucking their eyes out.

Are we mistaken? Why is there suddenly a little Cheng-shidi? They thought as they looked at the cute and small version of Cheng Sheng. They would've thought it was Cheng Sheng's child had not it been Fei Yin's cold temperament. Da shixiong… you always refresh our understanding of you. They thought and looked at Fei Yin blankly. And what was that name? 'Xiao Bao'? 'Bao¹'? Da shixiong, we never thought you were this kind of person! But of course, they didn't yell at Fei Yin except in their mind. That's it… Cheng-shidi was already possessed by da shixiong without him knowing!

"Having a deep understanding between the two of you, you and your sword spirit should be intimate with each other. The reason why their sword never left the cultivators and was buried with them is because, next to their lover, their sword spirit is the most intimate with them." Fei Yin explained.

So, that's the reason why you named your sword spirit 'Xiao Bao'? Da shixiong, it's useless to hide it or be implicit! The appearance of your sword spirit already sold you! Feng Mo and Lei Qing suffered a blow. Cheng-shidi… you can never escape from da shixiong…

They began their road of deep understanding with their spiritual friend - sword spirit.