Chapter 58: Full of Meridians and Qi, Seeking the Dao in White Robes

After returning to Bainafeng, Jiang Youling had just arrived at her courtyard when the door creaked open and a figure stepped out.

Shen Yingshu yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Youling, why are you only back at this hour? Did Master Hong call you off to do manual labor again?"

At some unknown point, the news of her visiting Danyang Mountain every five days had spread, having been twisted into her being summoned by Master Hong to perform hard labor.

Jiang Youling did not explain, allowing everyone to continue with their misunderstanding.

However, toward Shen Yingshu, she did say a few more words: "Actually, Master Hong's temperament is quite good; he hasn't made things difficult for me..."

"Fine then!"

Shen Yingshu sighed. "Anyway, I haven't attended a single one of Master Hong's classes. I heard he is quite fierce when reprimanding people..."

At this point, as if suddenly remembering something, she frowned and scrutinized Jiang Youling.

"Youling, why do I feel like something has been off with you lately? The Masters at the Daoist Hall teach on the first and fifteenth of each month—how long has it been since you went? And the dining hall... although you go to the Spirit Kitchen in the afternoon to help prepare meals, I haven't seen you at breakfast. Are you hiding something from me?"

Jiang Youling felt a slight jolt of alarm but quickly regained her composure. "What could I possibly be too busy for? I am merely occupied with work and cultivation all day long!"

"That's good, then. Hmph."

Shen Yingshu's expression relaxed. "I'll tell you some good news: yesterday, my Senior Sister said my control over fire is quite good, and she can start teaching me how to identify medicinal herbs!"

"Is that so? Congratulations..."

Upon returning to her room, Jiang Youling recalled Hong Dengyuan's previous admonition.

Spirit Root disciples should not engage in menial tasks but focus solely on cultivation; only then could they raise their cultivation to the highest level in the shortest amount of time.

Once cultivation was complete, the remaining time should be spent practicing basic movement techniques, footwork, and martial arts strikes. Only after mastering those should one practice spells, sword techniques, and so on.

In contrast, miscellaneous disciples had endless chores. They were only allowed a small portion of time each day for cultivation.

At present, her cultivation was shallow and her daily cultivation time was limited, so she was not yet troubled by a lack of time. However, in a few years, once her cultivation rose, if she continued to waste a vast amount of time on mundane affairs, her progress would stagnate. Ultimately, she would waste her life and achieve nothing.

Unless... she could be promoted from a Gray-Robed disciple to a White-Robed disciple, thereby gaining liberation from these tedious chores.

This thought flashed through Jiang Youling's mind, and she decided to ask about this matter the next time she saw Master Hong.

Checking the time, she had fifteen minutes left before her usual bedtime.

Recalling the wisp of spiritual energy she had tamed while meditating in Master Hong's cave, she could not resist. She continued to meditate, drawing that wisp of spiritual energy out from her dantian.

The tamed spiritual energy was incredibly well-behaved; at the mere movement of her thought, it slid into her Hand Taiyin Meridian and began to circulate within.

Jiang Youling followed the spiritual energy with her perception for a long time before drawing out a second wisp from her dantian, taming it and guiding it into her meridians using the same method.

She continued this throughout the night. By the time the sun was high in the sky, one-tenth of the spiritual energy in her dantian had been drawn out.

Since a portion of the spiritual energy had been removed from her dantian, she could continue cultivating and absorbing qi!

Jiang Youling stood up and pushed open the window. As a refreshing breeze rushed in, the morning sun appeared on the eastern horizon.

She sat by the window to guide the qi, only to find that her efficiency in absorbing qi today was much lower than usual.

After cultivating for nearly two hours, the amount of spiritual energy she had absorbed was even less than what she typically absorbed in one hour.

Was it because she had guided the qi into her meridians?

Jiang Youling noted this peculiarity. Seeing that the hour of Si was approaching, she hurriedly rummaged through her drawer for some spiritual food, ate quickly, and rushed to the Talisman Academy to work.

After a busy day, Jiang Youling was exhausted by the time she returned from Danyang Mountain.

She intended to continue meditating to guide the qi, but the moment she touched the bed, she found herself unable to move even a finger. Her eyelids were so heavy she could not keep them open, and she fell asleep before she knew it.

She slept for a very long time.

When she woke the next day, it was already the hour of Chen; she had slept an hour longer than usual!

Jiang Youling hurriedly got up, performed a simple wash, and sat to meditate and absorb qi.

She had expected today's absorption to be as sluggish and slow as yesterday's, but to her surprise, it was no different from usual!

After much thought, Jiang Youling finally realized—it was likely because she had meditated through the night the night before, leaving her body too fatigued, which had caused yesterday's slow absorption rate.

No wonder Master Hong always said that "more is not always better." With her current shallow cultivation, such overnight cultivation sessions were more than her body could handle, and would instead hinder the next day's progress.

Having understood this, Jiang Youling decided that in the future, she must not let cultivation interfere with her sleep.

Master Hong had said that sleeping was actually a way to nourish the spirit. If the spirit is unsettled, the qi will not flow smoothly, and any endeavor will yield only half the result for twice the effort. But if one nourishes the spirit before acting, one can achieve twice the result with half the effort.

After ten consecutive days of cultivation, Jiang Youling had guided enough qi into her meridians that her Hand Taiyin Meridian was completely saturated and could not hold a single extra drop. Only then did she go to Master Hong's cave and knock on his door.

After waiting for about fifteen minutes, the stone door swung open with a boom, and a leisurely voice drifted from within.

"Enter."

Jiang Youling stepped into the cave and bowed to Hong Dengyuan. "Master, I have successfully guided the spiritual energy into my Hand Taiyin Meridian."

"Not bad. Your first level of Qi Refinement has finally reached perfection."

Hong Dengyuan's gaze swept over her, and he nodded slightly, asking several routine questions regarding her cultivation.

Jiang Youling answered them one by one and then asked about the difficulties she had encountered in her cultivation during this period.

With a few pointers from Hong Dengyuan, her confusion was instantly cleared.

Once her doubts were resolved, Jiang Youling was about to continue her cultivation under his guidance as usual, but she heard Hong Dengyuan say

"You have mastered the essentials of the first level of Qi Refinement; subsequent cultivation is nothing more than a slow, steady process. Come find me again once you have mastered all twelve primary meridians."

Jiang Youling was momentarily stunned.

"Mastering all twelve primary meridians"—it was a simple phrase of only six words, but having understood how arduous the path of cultivation was, she felt a sense of trance.

If she became bogged down by chores and her progress slowed, she might never have the chance to come here again to listen to Master Hong's teachings.

And if she were lucky enough to master the twelve meridians... who knew how much time it would consume?

However, Jiang Youling knew well that Master Hong had already been more than kind to her. She did not dare to ask for more, and instead silently knelt and kowtowed to him three times.

"Although Master refuses to take me as a disciple, in my heart, I have long since regarded you as my teacher."

Receiving this salute, Hong Dengyuan merely said indifferently, "If you have any other doubts, feel free to ask."

Jiang Youling's heart stirred. "Gray-Robed disciples are busy with labor all day, trapped by menial tasks, while only White-Robed disciples can pursue the Dao in peace. May I ask Master, do we Gray-Robed disciples have any chance to earn a White-Robed position?"

Hong Dengyuan glanced at her. "Naturally. Opportunity belongs to those who dare to contend with Heaven and man. Starting from the fourth level of Qi Refinement, every Gray-Robed disciple can challenge a White-Robed disciple of the same realm. After three consecutive battles, if you defeat three people, you may be promoted to a White-Robed disciple."