Bamboo Mound

Ning Chang stopped absorbing the nutrients, stood up, and nodded.

He turned to look at the crowd below, and saw many people sighing and frowning, probably because they had not been able to absorb spiritual energy in the past hour.

Master led Ning Chang to a courtyard, which was much larger than Ning Chang's own. In the center stood a peach tree that looked quite old, but was well-maintained and full of life.

The courtyard is decorated with some flowers, which, although simple, make it not feel empty.

While Ning Changzheng was observing, his master took out two prayer cushions and gestured for him to sit down.

Ning Chang sat cross-legged, and his master placed his hand on Ning Chang's back and said, "Remember the flow of spiritual energy, and let the spiritual energy in your body circulate along this route."

Ning closed her eyes and immediately felt a warm current flowing through her body.

One lap, two laps...

Each time, it pauses briefly at a certain point in the abdomen.

The flow of spiritual energy reminded him of systemic and pulmonary circulation.

The first loop goes through the torso and limbs, the second loop goes through only the torso, and the third loop begins the cycle again...

After several laps, Ning Chang had memorized the general route. His master withdrew his spiritual power and let Ning Chang try it himself.

The master did not touch the spiritual energy that Ning Chang had absorbed; it remains in Ning Chang's body.

Ning Chang used the technique of absorbing spiritual energy to guide it closer to the previous path. After almost all the existing spiritual energy had entered the meridians, Ning Chang began to guide its flow.

After some observation, Ning Chang discovered that as long as there was a general direction, the spiritual energy would flow within the meridians, and even if it collided with the edges of the meridians, it would not easily escape.

After circulating for a few more rounds, the first batch of guided spiritual energy settled in his abdomen, and Ning Chang also felt that the meridians there had thickened!

"This should be the dantian." During the flow, spiritual energy was continuously absorbed on its own.

Guiding the spiritual energy became easier and easier. After about half an hour, Ning Chang tried to let go of the guidance, and the spiritual energy began to flow automatically along the meridian lines.

Ning Chang opened her eyes and felt completely refreshed, as if she had become much lighter.

The master was watching Ning Chang's spiritual energy flow from behind, waiting to correct him if he made a mistake. Unexpectedly, Ning Chang did not make a single mistake and even mastered the autonomous operation of the spiritual vein in just half an hour!

Even the sect leader in his youth couldn't match Ning Chang's talent in the slightest!

The shock he felt gradually turned into pride. He dreamed of such a prodigy becoming his disciple and woke up laughing every day.

Seeing Ning Chang stop, he knew that his disciple had mastered the cultivation method.

He took out a blue brocade bag and handed it to Ning Chang, saying, "Disciple, this is a gift from your master to mark your initiation into the family."

The bag was only the size of a fist. Ning Chang took the bag, opened it, and found that there was a space inside! Ning Chang estimated that the space was about one cubic meter in size.

Inside were two books, several small bottles, and a small pile of white stones about the size of a finger.

"What I just taught you was the Azure Cloud Technique, a cultivation method created by the sect leader. The book in the bag is called the Flame Heart Method, which is very suitable for your fire spirit root cultivation."

The other book contains my teachings; you can find answers to any questions you have about cultivation in it.

Ning Chang was overjoyed, "I never expected to come into contact with one of the great mysteries of the cultivation world so quickly: the spatial bag and the spirit stones."

After thanking his master, he prepared to go back and study these things.

As he was leaving, his master called him back.

“My disciple, the path of cultivation is long and arduous, but I believe that with your talent you will surely achieve something.”

However, remember not to be impatient for quick success; you must proceed steadily and surely. If you encounter any difficulties or have any questions, feel free to come to me for guidance.

Ning Chang nodded, indicating that he understood.

Upon exiting the courtyard, Ning Chang found himself halfway up Qingyun Mountain. Qingyun Mountain was the central peak of the Qingyun Sect. The sect leader lived on the mountaintop, the elders lived halfway up the mountain, and the disciples' residences and other places were at the foot of the mountain.

After looking around, Ning Chang quickly found his own courtyard. The empty space was easy to spot, not far below.

........

After much effort, Ning Chang returned to the courtyard and immediately gave instructions to Xiao Li.

"Go and get some bamboo seeds and scatter them around the yard."

On the way back, Ning Chang decided to plant bamboo.

In his view, bamboo, once grown, can provide shade from the heat, block the view, and requires little maintenance; it is practically a natural wall.

Upon entering the room, Ning Chang discovered that in addition to the cloth bag containing the fasting pills, there was another cloth bag on the table.

Upon opening it, there were five small bottles and fifteen spirit stones!

The small bottle was the same as the one in the space bag given to Ning Chang by his master. Ning Chang grabbed the cloth bag and sat cross-legged on the bed.

After counting the two bags, Ning Chang found a total of fourteen small bottles and sixty-five spirit stones!

One of the spirit stones caught Ning Chang's attention. Unlike the other spirit stones, which were pure white like jade, this one, though seemingly similar in texture, was crimson red and felt very hot to the touch.

Sensing the active spiritual energy within it, Ning Chang did not absorb it rashly, but set it aside.

Ning Chang picked up a normal spirit stone, closed his eyes, and carefully sensed its internal composition. Instantly, the enormous amount of spiritual energy it contained startled him.

It contains no impurities, but is simply a collection of pure spiritual particles interwoven together, with no gaps between the massive number of particles!

Ning Chang tried to tear off one of the grains, thinking it would be difficult, since spiritual energy attracts each other and the forces between such a large structure must be great.

However, to his surprise, with just a little guidance, and before he even got serious, the spiritual energy detached from the whole and was quickly absorbed by his palm!

This greatly surprised Ning Chang.

"A high-density combination of matter, yet not so indivisible, cannot be artificially condensed; almost no one would have the time to create a large number of spirit stones!"

Ning Chang tried to combine spirit stones in reverse, but quickly gave up. This idea required capturing a large number of spiritual energy particles, and he didn't have that much time right now.

Looking at the irregularly shaped spirit stone in his hand, Ning Chang suddenly thought of a possibility.

"What if it's... a natural mineral deposit?"

With such a large quantity and irregular shape, isn't this like a large coal deposit? Mining can't guarantee the shape of the produced material, but the size of each piece can be controlled by human intervention!

Ning Chang accepted this answer as soon as it came to mind; at least, he couldn't think of any other way to produce these spirit stones.

Ning Chang put down the spirit stone, picked up a small bottle, uncorked it, and found three pure white pills inside. As soon as he opened it, he could smell a faint fragrance.

Opening the small bottle in the cloth bag, there were three pills inside, no different from the ones Master had given me.