Oh no, I accidentally cultivated three spiritual roots and became an empress!

Seeing that Uncle Xuan Yuan was furious, Zhong Lingxin didn't dare to say a word to comfort her friends.

She quickly diverted Uncle Xuan Yuan's attention by talking about the suffering she had endured in the Four Seasons Formation.

Poor Xuan Yuan, his attention was diverted by Zhong Lingxin in an instant.

They began teaching her how to deal with the monsters and plants that appeared in the Four Seasons Formation.

By the time Xuan Yuan remembered why he had found Zhong Lingxin, his anger had completely dissipated, leaving him only with a constant murmur of "Little one, little one."

He also told Zhong Lingxin some news: "Xiaoxin, your master has compiled all his insights on formations, you'll have to take extra lessons."

Zhong Lingxin nodded; she was already prepared.

He became even more interested in formations when he heard that his master had trapped all the cultivators of the Lingyun Sect who were undergoing tribulation within the sect.

It's just unknown whether she has a talent for formations.

Xuan Yuan was also a little worried, but he still comforted Zhong Lingxin, saying, "Xiaoxin, it doesn't matter if you don't have talent. Even if you can't set up an array, it's good if you can break it. Actually, your master and I have discussed it. Whether it's swordsmanship or zither playing, it's all related to soul techniques. Soul techniques have special requirements for spiritual sense, so you should be able to learn array formations. To be precise, your spiritual sense is strong, so you should be able to learn all four arts."

Zhong Lingxin smiled and said, "Then I'll even learn Uncle Xuanyuan's talismans."

Xuan Yuan nodded: "Alright, I'll say it again, even if you can't learn it, at least you should understand it. It's a real pity that you're not learning from such a good master. Qing Yang, to use your words, is a perfectionist. Anything that catches his eye, he has to learn to the extreme."

Zhong Lingxin silently broke out in a sweat. She wasn't a perfectionist, so she hadn't learned it well enough.

It was obvious that Venerable Qingyang knew Zhong Lingxin very well.

He devised an extremely detailed study and cultivation plan.

The requirements for each array plate are detailed enough that Zhong Lingxin has a complete list.

For example, a trapping formation. How many cultivators can a first-grade trapping formation trap? What is the highest rank of a cultivator? What grade of magic weapon would a cultivator need to break the formation?

Only by meeting the requirements of the Venerable Qingyang can Zhong Lingxin learn the second rank.

In the words of Venerable Qingyang, one must reach the highest requirements for each rank in order to learn the next rank.

Otherwise, one will pass through each stage in a daze, and in the end, like Feng Wanli, one will have the title of a ninth-grade array master but will not even know that one's own array has been altered.

Zhong Ling thought to herself, "Master, you are a top-grade array master. Those low-grade ninth-grade noobs are no match for you."

Qingyang Venerable Saint seemed to see through Zhong Lingxin's thoughts and patiently explained, "Array formations, like the other three arts, become increasingly difficult as you progress. To put it bluntly, it's because if you don't have a solid foundation, you're always chasing upgrades. In the end, array formations are actually just the superposition of various smaller arrays. If the smaller arrays aren't perfect and are all crooked, of course they can't be stacked together."

Zhong Lingxin nodded. What Master said was right. It's like building a house. If the foundation isn't solid, and you build a high-rise, it's bound to collapse.

It seems I need to start all over again with my weapon crafting and alchemy, and correct all my minor flaws.

Seeing that Zhong Lingxin had truly taken it to heart, Venerable Qingyang nodded with satisfaction.

His little apprentice is great; he grasps things instantly and doesn't need him to supervise him every day.

For the next ten years or so, Zhong Lingxin either entered the Four Seasons Formation or studied the Four Arts in Qingyang Cave, only occasionally visiting her older and younger brothers.

She studied very thoroughly.

Qingyang Venerable Saint met the requirements in every assessment.

Even in alchemy and weapon crafting, she's now producing only top-grade pills.

Over the past ten years, Xuan Yuan has often gone out for a stroll, sometimes with Huan Huan, Le Le, and eight little cloud deer.

The two little ones somehow learned to take on side jobs.

Huanhuan is now a level three nine-tailed fox, and has grown three tails.

Xuan Yuan used magic to conceal her true form, and Lele transformed into a flame flower, which was then placed on her forehead.

To outsiders, Huanhuan was just a cute little white fox, hopping and skipping around Xuanyuan.

Xuan Yuan also made a storage ring for Huan Huan and hung it on her little paw.

Every item she and Lele obtained outside went into her storage ring.

In her words, she is a dignified mythical beast who will rely on herself for the rest of her life.

Under her influence, the eight little cloud deer also learned to be dignified spirit beasts.

Since the little cloud deer were bound by a master-servant contract with Zhong Lingxin, what they heard most often was about Qingyang Venerable teaching Zhong Lingxin how to cultivate and ascend to immortality.

So they suddenly had a plan for their lives. They were no longer satisfied with being an eighth-tier spirit beast and wanted to ascend with Zhong Lingxin to become a member of the immortal beasts.

Zhong Lingxin greatly welcomed Yunlu's eagerness to improve, and most of the pills she used for practice ended up in Huanhuan and Yunlu's mouths. The best magical artifacts she used for practice were all given to Huanhuan and Yunlu.

Meanwhile, Huanhuan and the Yunlu also obtained a large number of talismans and array plates.

So much so that when they encountered a fifth-tier demonic beast and a Golden Core cultivator who dared to rob them, they were happier than if they had seen their own mother.

These are all spirit stones!

Huanhuan and the Yunlu reciprocated by giving most of the spiritual herbs and minerals they earned from their side jobs to Zhong Lingxin.

A virtuous cycle has been formed between the two sides.

Huanhuan and Yunlu, who took on too many private jobs, attracted the attention of several cultivators.

Uncle Xuan Yuan, who was leading them around, suppressed his cultivation and pretended not to know that there were several tails trailing behind him.

Huanhuan sent a message to Zhong Lingxin: "Xinxin, we're being watched again. Oh dear, you have no idea how busy we've been lately. There are always some blind people watching us. I'm not going to talk about it anymore. A group of people couldn't hold back and followed us. We'll talk later. Let's have a fight first."

Holding the interrupted communication talisman, Zhong Lingxin suddenly felt an intense longing for the outside world.

Looking at the expression on his little disciple's face, Venerable Qingyang said calmly, "Go out. You haven't been out for more than ten years. It's time to go out and gain some experience. Cultivators also need to go out and travel often."

Zhong Lingxin was a little reluctant to part with her master.

The day of her master's ascension was drawing ever closer, and the ethereal feeling emanating from him often made Zhong Lingxin want to reach out and grab him, to see if her master was still sitting in front of her.

Venerable Qingyang smiled and said, "Go out and gain some experience. Over the past ten years, you have built an excellent foundation in both cultivation and the four arts. It's time to improve them all. Go out and gain some experience to temper your mind, and everything will be perfect."

Zhong Lingxin looked at her master, thought for a moment, and said, "Master, I will come back after a year of training at most."

Qingyang Zunsheng nodded.

The youngest apprentice is a filial son and wants to spend as much time as possible with his father before he ascends to immortality.

In truth, he also longed to spend more time with his apprentice.

Xuan Yuan, in particular, took the little ones out to train so that they could become very good at it and help his little apprentice.