AWB Chapter 311 Sha Ling'er
Chapter 311 Sha Ling'er
Three days later, in Qingluan Valley.
Chen Jinshu sat cross-legged in front of the bamboo house in the space, placed the broken jade slip between his eyebrows, and probed into it with his divine sense, carefully sensing the information recorded inside.
The contents of the jade slip are not complete. The record of the Chenguang Secret Realm seems to be just a page from an ancient cultivator's notes, with missing parts before and after.
But even this small portion was enough for Chen Jinshu to form a preliminary impression of that secret realm.
The Secret Realm of Dawn is located deep within the Sea of Death. Its entrance is surrounded by a natural maze, and it can only be found by those who possess the "Dawn Token" or when a specific celestial phenomenon occurs.
The secret realm is divided into three layers. The first layer is a vast desert, the second layer is a stone forest full of ancient cultivation ruins, and the third layer is the true core area, which is said to contain the inheritance of ancient cultivation and those legendary treasures.
The "Life-Extending Ginseng" mentioned by the sand scorpion, according to the jade slip, exists beside a spiritual spring deep within the second layer of the stone forest.
Chen Jinshu put down the jade slip and gently tapped his knee with his fingertips.
"Master, what are you thinking about?" Qingheng flew down from the bamboo building and landed on her shoulder, waving her little hand by her ear.
"I was thinking about the secret realm." Chen Jinshu handed her the jade slip. "Take a look at this. What kind of spiritual object is this 'Time Lotus' described on it?"
Qingheng took the jade slip, closed her eyes to sense it for a moment, and after opening her eyes, she obtained information about the item from her memories. Her little face was full of amazement:
"The Lotus of Time? That's a legendary thing! It's said to bloom only once every three hundred years. Its petals can cleanse the soul and enhance comprehension. If you can use its lotus seeds to refine pills, it can even allow cultivators to comprehend the laws of time in a short period of time!"
"The law of time..." Chen Jinshu repeated these four words in a low voice, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.
"Does Master want to go?" Qingheng tilted her head to look at her.
"I want to go." Chen Jinshu stood up, calm and composed.
"But there's no rush. Three months is enough time for us to prepare. We need to manage the spiritual fields in the valley, stock up on pills, and refine several more defensive magical artifacts."
As she spoke, her gaze fell upon the growing spiritual field not far away.
The Qingning tea tree has grown to half a person's height, and the silvery sheen on its leaves is even brighter than it was a few days ago.
Between the nodes of the Purple Thunder Bamboo, faint silver-purple lightning flickers, emitting a faint aura of thunder.
"The weather has been nice these past few days," Chen Jinshu said casually.
"The medicinal herbs outside should be harvested, and the fields that need to be plowed should be plowed."
Qingheng jumped off her shoulder, her bare feet stepping on the soft soil: "Alright! I'll go call Jiang Yi and Yan Shuo!"
……
A month later, the spiritual herbs in Qingluan Valley yielded a bumper harvest.
The transplanted Qingning tea tree has grown to the height of a person, with thick leaves and a bright green color.
Chen Jinshu picked a batch of tender buds, stir-fried them with alchemical fire, and made three catties of "Qingning Spirit Tea". It has a delicate aroma and abundant spiritual power. Drinking one cup is equivalent to half a day of meditation and cultivation.
"Master, look!" Qingheng held a palm-sized jade box and skipped over to Chen Jinshu.
"These are the first flowers I picked from the Qingning tea tree! I never expected it to bloom here!"
Chen Jinshu took the jade box, opened the lid, and inside lay seven pale blue flower buds, each the size of a grain of rice, emitting a delicate fragrance.
"Tea blossoms." She picked one up, smelled it, and smiled slightly. "Good. Keep them. When they're fully open, we can make a batch of camellia honey."
"I think it's a good idea!" Yan Shuo walked over from the stream, holding a spirit fish he had just caught, and grinned.
"Senior, the spirit fish in this stream are getting fatter and fatter. Shall we grill some fish for dinner tonight? It would be absolutely delicious with that camellia honey!"
Chen Jinshu chuckled: "You certainly know how to eat."
"That's right!" Yan Shuo patted his belly. "The lesson my senior taught me is that no matter what, we must live life to the fullest."
Two months later, another major event occurred in Qingluan Valley.
The ancient stalactite that had been submerged at the bottom of the pool for millennia finally merged completely into the earth's spiritual vein cave.
The concentration of spiritual energy in the spiritual cave increased by nearly double, and a faint layer of spiritual mist even condensed on the surface of the pool.
Chen Jinshu stood by the pool, watching the layer of spiritual mist slowly rise in the morning light, and a thought came to his mind: "The grade of this spiritual cave is probably close to the upper grade of the third rank."
"Master, our Azure Phoenix Valley is becoming more and more like a paradise on earth." Qingheng squatted at her feet, her small hands playing with the water in the pool, her face full of smiles.
"It's a fallback plan," Chen Jinshu said, turning to look towards the valley entrance. "Judging by the days, it's about time to head to Liusha City."
Upon hearing this, Qingheng's smile faded slightly: "Does Master really intend to take Sha Ling'er away?"
“If you promise something, you have to keep it.” Chen Jinshu patted her head. “Don’t worry, she won’t disturb our cultivation.”
Qingheng pursed her lips, but didn't say anything more.
……
The three-month period has passed in the blink of an eye.
At the east gate of Liusha City, Sha Xie, dressed in a gray cloth robe and leaning on a boxwood cane, stood with a girl in a light blue dress behind him.
The girl was about sixteen years old, with delicate features, bright and clear almond-shaped eyes, and a faint smile on her lips. She seemed to have a likable personality.
However, the faint trace of sorrow between her brows betrayed her inner tension and unease.
"Grandpa, will that Senior Chen really take me in?" Sha Ling'er asked in a low voice, clutching the hem of her clothes.
Sand Scorpion reached out and smoothed the stray hairs at her temples, his voice gentle: "Yes, she will. Fellow Daoist Chen may have a cold exterior, but she has a kind heart. Follow her, learn her skills well, and don't make her angry. She will take good care of you."
Sha Ling'er bit her lip and nodded vigorously.
In the distance, a streak of emerald light appeared on the horizon, moving at incredible speed, and arrived at the city gate in the blink of an eye.
The Azure Phoenix Chasing the Moon Shuttle slowly descended to a point three feet above the ground. The emerald light on the shuttle gradually faded, and Chen Jinshu stepped off the shuttle, followed by Jiang Yi.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, you've arrived." Sand Scorpion clasped his hands in a salute, a relieved smile on his face.
Chen Jinshu nodded slightly, his gaze falling on Sha Ling'er: "This is Ling'er?"
“That’s right.” Sha Xie quickly pulled his granddaughter over. “Ling’er, quickly call him senior.”
Sha Ling'er stepped forward and respectfully performed a junior's bow: "Ling'er greets senior. Thank you for saving my life."
Chen Jinshu looked her over and nodded: "Her physical attributes are decent, and her temperament is also good. It's just that her cultivation level is too low, so she'll have to endure a lot of hardship later."
"Ling'er isn't afraid of hardship!" Sha Ling'er raised her head, her eyes filled with determination. "As long as I can learn skills, Ling'er is willing to do anything!"
A faint smile appeared on Chen Jinshu's lips: "Talk is cheap. You'll only know the weight of those words when you actually suffer."
Sha Ling'er blinked, but said without flinching, "Then please test me, senior! If Ling'er even frowns, I'm not Grandpa's granddaughter!"
The sand scorpion watched from the sidelines, feeling both gratified and heartbroken, but did not stop them.
Chen Jinshu didn't say anything more, turned around and stepped onto the flying shuttle: "Let's go. There are still things to do in the valley."
Sha Ling'er hurriedly followed, but stopped behind her and turned back to look at Sha Xie: "Grandpa, you... take care."
Sand Scorpion's eyes reddened slightly, but he forced a smile and waved his hand: "Go. Grandpa will wait for you to return after you've finished your studies."
……
Half an hour later, the Azure Phoenix Chasing the Moon Shuttle passed through the last patch of miasma forest, and the view ahead suddenly opened up.
The valley, surrounded by green mountains on three sides, lies quietly in the twilight. The valley is lush with vegetation, and a clear stream meanders through the valley floor.
The azure light faded, and Chen Jinshu stepped off the flying shuttle first, followed by Jiang Yi and the girl in the light blue dress. "This is Qingluan Valley."
Sha Ling'er stood behind her, her eyes wide with curiosity and amazement.
She was born in the city of quicksand and had grown up seeing buildings made of yellow sand and earth and stone. She had never seen such a spiritually rich and lush valley.
The air was filled with the fragrance of grass and trees and a light mist; every breath felt refreshing and invigorating.
"So...so beautiful," she murmured softly, then realized she had overstepped her bounds, quickly pursed her lips, and stole a glance at Chen Jinshu.
Chen Jinshu didn't pay any attention, and only said to Jiang Yi:
"Go and rest first, and come see me later."
"Yes." Jiang Yi responded, nodded to Sha Ling'er as a greeting, and turned to walk towards his bamboo house.
"Come with me."
Chen Jinshu turned and walked towards the stone house. Sha Ling'er quickly followed, her steps hurried, afraid of falling behind.
On the bluestone in front of the stone house, Qingheng was sitting cross-legged, her hands supporting her chin, swinging her legs listlessly.
When she saw Chen Jinshu return, her eyes lit up and she was about to pounce on her when she saw the unfamiliar girl following behind her, and she stopped in her tracks.
"Master, who is she?" Qingheng tilted her head, her blue eyes filled with curiosity and a hint of barely perceptible wariness.
“Sha Ling’er, the granddaughter of Sha Xie,” Chen Jinshu introduced simply. “From today onwards, she will cultivate in the valley.”
She then looked at Sha Ling'er: "This is Qingheng, a plant spirit, who helps me take care of the spirit field and herb garden on weekdays."
Sha Ling'er quickly bowed and said, "Ling'er greets Senior Qingheng."
"Senior?" Qingheng pouted. "Do I look that old? Just call me Qingheng."
She jumped off the bluestone, walked barefoot to Sha Ling'er, and looked up at her.
Sha Ling'er felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze, but she still tried her best to keep smiling.
Qingheng circled around her once, sniffing lightly, then her eyes suddenly lit up:
"You smell like a musical instrument!"
Sha Ling'er was taken aback, and subconsciously touched the storage bag at her waist: "I...I brought a pipa."
She took out a slightly worn pipa from her storage bag. The body of the instrument was made of rosewood, and the strings were made of ordinary silkworm silk. It wasn't a particularly good material, but it was very well maintained. The surface of the instrument was smooth, and the tuning pegs had a warm luster left by long-term rubbing.
"I've loved playing the pipa since I was little," Sha Ling'er said softly, her fingertips gently plucking the strings and producing a few crisp notes.
"Grandpa said that my mother loved to play the pipa when she was alive, and this instrument... is what she left behind."
Chen Jinshu's gaze fell on the pipa, his eyes momentarily dazed.
She thought of Shui Huanmeng, her former master who always had a bright smile but also a touch of languor, and who especially loved the pipa.
“Pipa…” Chen Jinshu repeated the two words in a low voice, so soft that they were almost inaudible.
Qingheng noticed her expression, blinked, and remained silent.
Sha Ling'er carefully put away her pipa, looked up at Chen Jinshu, her eyes filled with anticipation and trepidation:
"Senior, may I...may I learn the art of music cultivation? I've heard that you are skilled in music, and can even repel beast hordes with your music..."
Chen Jinshu regained his composure and his expression returned to calm:
"The path of sound cultivation emphasizes both talent and temperament. Since you have this intention, I will guide you as appropriate in the future. But for now, your cultivation is still shallow, so you should focus on consolidating your foundation first."
"I observe your spiritual roots: wood, water, and earth, with wood being the best. Starting today, I will teach you the basic chapters of the Evergreen Technique, supplemented by the Ode to the Earth Vein Rejuvenation to harmonize your spiritual energy. These two techniques, one for cultivation and the other for healing, are most suitable for you."
Sha Ling'er's eyes lit up, and she immediately knelt down: "Thank you for passing on the Dharma, Senior! Ling'er will definitely cultivate diligently without ceasing!"
Chen Jinshu raised his hand in a gesture of respect: "Get up. We don't stand on ceremony in this valley."
She turned and went into the stone house, and Sha Ling'er quickly followed.
Qingheng also curiously peeked out, but Chen Jinshu glanced at her and said, "Go and check the spirit field. It seems that the Ziyangzhi mushroom from yesterday has sprouted new buds."
"Oh..." Qingheng replied sullenly, and walked away, looking back every few steps.
The stone house was simply furnished with a table, a chair, and a futon. In the corner was a simple bookshelf with a few jade slips and books on it.
Chen Jinshu sat down on the prayer mat and gestured for Sha Ling'er to sit opposite him.
She took out a blank jade slip, gathered a green light at her fingertips, and quickly outlined the surface of the jade slip.
As the blue light flowed, dense runes and incantations were imprinted onto the jade slip like flowing water. After a moment, the surface of the jade slip gleamed with a warm luster.
"The Evergreen Manual is a superior cultivation method based on the wood element. It emphasizes nourishing oneself with the vitality of wood, progressing step by step, and building a solid foundation."
Chen Jinshu handed the jade slip to Sha Ling'er, "Read the first three layers of the incantation first, and ask me if you don't understand anything."
Sha Ling'er took the jade slip with both hands, placed it between her eyebrows, and probed it with her divine sense.
A cool and gentle aura flowed into the sea of consciousness through the space between his brows, and countless ancient seal characters unfolded before his eyes, each character a gem, each sentence profound.
She read intently, initially able to understand, but as she read on, the methods concerning the circulation of meridians and the transformation of spiritual energy became increasingly complex. Her brows furrowed, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
"Wood belongs to the East and governs growth. Spiritual energy should originate from the dantian, follow the liver meridian upwards, pass through the Qimen and Zhangmen points, converge at the Tanzhong point, and then disperse into the limbs and bones..." Chen Jinshu's voice rang out calmly as he explained the key points to her.
Sha Ling'er quickly composed herself and tried to circulate her spiritual power according to the incantation.
Her cultivation level was only at the ninth level of Qi Refining, and her spiritual power was thin, flowing through her meridians like a babbling brook.
However, the operating path of the "Evergreen Technique" was very different from the rudimentary cultivation methods she had practiced before. Several attempts were stuck near the Qimen acupoint, where the spiritual energy was stagnant and difficult to pass through.
"Relax," Chen Jinshu's voice rang out again, carrying a strange, soothing power.
"Do not force it. Wood is gentle and should be like water seeping into the soil, slowly permeating it."
Sha Ling'er took a deep breath, cleared her mind of distractions, and released her spiritual energy more gently.
This time, the spiritual energy seeped into the Qimen acupoint little by little, like a spring drizzle. Although it was slow, it was no longer obstructed.
Half an hour later, she finally completed a small cycle of Qi circulation.
When she opened her eyes, she felt refreshed all over. Her body, which had been somewhat tired from the long journey, seemed to have been cleansed. Although the total amount of spiritual energy in her dantian had not increased, it was more refined and condensed, carrying a faint fragrance of grass and trees.
"How are you feeling?" Chen Jinshu asked.
Sha Ling'er's eyes sparkled: "So comfortable! It's like...like soaking in a hot spring, or like lying on a spring meadow!"
A hint of satisfaction flashed across Chen Jinshu's eyes:
"Not bad. Your comprehension is quite good; you were able to get the hang of it on your first try. From now on, every morning, meditate and cultivate by the spirit field, using the life force of the plants to aid your progress."
She took out another jade slip: "These are the first three chapters of 'Ode to the Rejuvenation of Earth Veins.' This technique uses music to stimulate the vitality of the earth's veins, which can heal injuries and nourish spiritual plants. First, memorize the incantation. In three days, I will teach you how to apply it to the spiritual fields."
Sha Ling'er accepted the jade slip, carefully put it into her storage bag, and bowed again, saying, "Thank you, senior!"
"Go ahead," Chen Jinshu waved his hand.
"Let Qingheng take you to choose a bamboo house. There are a few empty houses in the valley; you can tidy them up yourself."
"Yes!" Sha Ling'er replied and left the stone house.
Outside the door, Qingheng was squatting by the stream playing in the water. Seeing her come out, she tilted her head and asked, "Finished studying?"
"Mmm." Sha Ling'er nodded, her face flushed with excitement.
"My predecessors passed down to me the 'Evergreen Secret' and the 'Ode to the Earth's Veins'!"
Qingheng pouted: "The Evergreen Technique... Master was really good at practicing this back then. But you're only at the Qi Refining stage, so take it slow."
"Let's go, I'll take you to choose a house. There are three bamboo houses available on the east side of the valley; you can choose one yourself." (End of Chapter)