Beginning with the Five Animals Fist to Become a Saint

The afternoon sun shone through the window lattice and onto the spotless floor.

The aroma of food wafted from the kitchen, mingled with the damp scent of freshly turned earth.

Wearing a newly bought plain apron, Ji Mingyue held a spatula and carefully placed the last dish of lotus leaf chicken into a porcelain plate.

The crane perched at the doorway, tilting its head to watch the steam rising from the pot, occasionally letting out a soft chirp.

Jiang Ning sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, peeling the bean pods that Ji Mingyue had just bought.

After a long while.

"Dinner's ready!" Ji Mingyue stood by the table, hands on her hips, looking smug.

Jiang Ning looked at the six dishes and one soup on the table, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

The cooking methods for these dishes differed significantly from those of Daxia cuisine, as they were primarily stir-fried or pan-fried.

"Did you learn to cook when you were in the palace?"

Looking at the six dishes and one soup that looked and smelled delicious, Jiang Ning asked a question.

"No!" Ji Mingyue shook her head with her hands on her hips, and then continued, "In the palace, as the seventeenth princess, I never lift a finger! You should be happy! This is the first time I've cooked, and even my father hasn't enjoyed this treatment."

Hearing this, Jiang Ning was even more surprised.

"Then how come your cooking skills look so outstanding!" he said, looking at the six dishes and soup in front of him.

"It's a secret!" Ji Mingyue smiled mysteriously.

Then she picked up the wine jar that she had just placed aside.

clang--

It landed on the wooden table, making a clattering sound.

She had just bought this jar of wine from the market and hung it around the crane's neck.

"We should have a good drink to celebrate moving to a new house!" Ji Mingyue said.

As she spoke, she removed the red stopper from the jar, and the aroma of the wine filled the air.

gurgling—

The clear, refreshing liquor was immediately poured into two large bowls.

"Try it, this is a specialty of Guangning City, a century-old Qinglu wine!"

Jiang Ning sat down, took a sip of the wine, nodded, and showed a satisfied expression: "Not bad!"

Ji Mingyue smiled.

He then sat down and clinked his bowl against Jiang Ning's.

The two of them took a sip.

"Try this one too!" Ji Mingyue scooped a spoonful of fish brain soup into another clean bowl.

The soup is milky white and has a wonderfully fresh aroma.

Jiang Ning drank it, and a warm feeling spread from his throat all the way to his stomach, and his taste buds on the tip of his tongue also blossomed.

He looked up at Ji Mingyue, a look of disbelief flashing in his eyes.

With just one bite, he could tell that Ji Mingyue's culinary skills were outstanding, no less than those of his sister-in-law, Liu Wanwan.

"How is it? Is it delicious?" Ji Mingyue asked, her eyes narrowed.

"It's delicious, the taste is excellent!" Jiang Ning nodded in approval.

"Then drink more!" Ji Mingyue scooped up another large spoonful of fish soup and poured it into Jiang Ning's bowl.

Jiang Ning sipped the fish soup and then sampled the other six steaming hot dishes.

The air was filled with the rising heat, and the warm sunlight streaming through the window created an unusually peaceful atmosphere, as if separated from yesterday's bleak and snowy scene by two different worlds.

After a hearty meal and drinks.

At this moment, a noticeable blush appeared on Ji Mingyue's face.

That jar of wine is now only half full.

"I'm so happy!!" Ji Mingyue murmured as she watched Jiang Ning munching on a chicken wing.

Outside the house behind them, the crane, having just finished eating the two pills that Ji Mingyue had fed it, was now gnawing on half a lotus leaf chicken.

A warm breeze blew in through the window, carrying a faint smell of alcohol.

Ji Mingyue looked out the window.

Amidst the tangled vegetation, there is both the desolation of winter and the verdant greenery unique to the south.

"It will be beautiful outside the window next spring. Flowers will climb all over the window frame, and the peach blossoms will be in full bloom." Ji Mingyue imagined with longing, her eyes sparkling.

Jiang Ning smiled and said, "There's no need to wait until spring."

"Oh, right!" Ji Mingyue suddenly looked up: "You just said that. Do you have some special methods?"

Jiang Ning nodded.

Then he got up and pulled up her sleeve: "Come with me."

Upon hearing this, Ji Mingyue stood up and followed Jiang Ning.

The two crossed the threshold and arrived at the front yard.

The two walked slowly to the patch of soil in the front yard where flower seeds had just been sown.

The sunlight slanted down, and traces of water from the recent watering remained on the surface of the soil.

Ji Mingyue looked at him curiously, her eyes slightly drunk, yet sparkling with anticipation.

"Let's see!"

Jiang Ning gently tapped his fingertip forward.

A barely perceptible wisp of golden divine power overflowed from his fingertips, drifting away like fine mist and silently seeping into the soil.

In an instant—

A faint rustling sound came from beneath the soil.

Suddenly, small bumps appeared on the originally flat soil surface, and countless tender green shoots broke through the soil and grew upwards at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The leaves unfurled, the stems grew taller, and in the blink of an eye, flower buds emerged.

In an instant, the flower seeds that had just been sown have all sprouted and grown.

The once withered branches have sprouted new buds and green leaves.

Ji Mingyue's eyes widened, and she sobered up considerably: "This...this is..."

Before the words were even finished, the flower buds began to bloom one after another.

The marigold unfolds its bright yellow petals, shining like gold under the sunlight.

Morning glories twined around the withered branches, blooming with pale purple, trumpet-shaped flowers, climbing along the wall and window frames.

Even the unnamed wild grasses bloom with tiny white flowers, like scattered snowflakes covering the ground.

In just a few breaths, the once barren soil was now a riot of colors and teeming with life.

The once bare branches have become lush and green, and the entire front yard is bursting with the vitality of spring, with everything thriving.

"The flowers you wanted are here now!" Jiang Ning turned around, looked at Ji Mingyue's surprised and delighted expression, and smiled slightly.

Ji Mingyue squatted down and gently touched a blooming marigold. The petals were soft and realistic, still moist like the morning dew.

She looked up, her eyes slightly red: "What kind of method is this?"

Jiang Ning said, "This is a basic application of the cycle of the four seasons. 'Autumn harvests, winter stores, spring brings forth life, summer fosters growth.' Once you understand the cycle of the four seasons, it won't be difficult to bring spring back to this place!"

"Thank you! This is the best gift I've received today!" Ji Mingyue stood up, looking at the lush greenery and blooming flowers in front of her, her face beaming with excitement.

"Next, I'm going to trim the flowers and plants! It will be absolutely gorgeous here after I'm done!"

Jiang Ning nodded: "I believe you."

"Then I'll go clean up the dishes first, and then I'll start trimming the flowers and plants in the front yard this afternoon! After that, I'll tidy up the two rooms." Ji Mingyue looked very motivated.

Then he looked at Jiang Ning and said, "From now on, you just need to focus on your own things!"

"Okay!" Jiang Ning nodded.

Afterwards, Ji Mingyue went back inside to clean up the dishes, while Jiang Ning walked towards the backyard.

Back in the backyard, Jiang Ning calmed his mind and quickly entered a state of cultivation.

Visualize the six major solar terms of autumn.

The cool breeze of the beginning of autumn,
Fallen leaves at the end of summer.

The frost that forms during the White Dew season.

The six solar terms were all visualized in his mind.

Images flashed through his mind.

[Autumn Treasure Trove Experience Points +199]

At this moment, his divine sense naturally emanated outwards, enveloping the entire courtyard like mercury pouring out.

The scene in the front yard is clearly reflected in my mind.

Ji Mingyue rolled up her sleeves, revealing her fair forearms, and was tiptoeing as she trimmed a clump of morning glory vines that had climbed up the wall.

With focused expression, she scissors swept across the tangled branches and leaves, leaving behind a sparse yet elegant patchwork of green and purple blossoms.

The crane followed at her feet, occasionally using its long beak to pick up the pruned branches and leaves, piling them in a corner to save her workload.

Afterwards, Jiang Ning calmed his mind and continued to concentrate on meditation.

[Autumn Treasure Trove Experience Points +199]

[Autumn Treasure Trove Experience Points +199]

【.】

Time passed, and the sun gradually set in the west.

Sensing the smell of firewood wafting from the front yard, Jiang Ning opened his eyes.

[Craftsmanship]: Autumn Treasure Trove (Perfect 7013/10000)

His gaze swept over the panel, then he closed it.

After dinner, he returned to continue his spiritual practice.

The moonlight was clear and bright, pouring down on the earth like quicksilver.

The candlelight illuminated the room, and Ji Mingyue's figure was reflected in the window lattice.

She was laying out the bedding on the bed.

After laying out the two rooms.

She arrived at the archway in the backyard.

Bathed in moonlight, the several-hundred-square-meter backyard appeared exceptionally tranquil.

Jiang Ning stood motionless in the courtyard.

Ji Mingyue watched quietly for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before slowly leaving without disturbing the peace.

After a while.

The sound of cranes clucking came from the front yard, as if they were talking to people.

A few more moments passed.

Candles were lit in one of the rooms in the courtyard; it was a room that Ji Mingyue had just tidied up.

After a long while.

The moon was high in the sky, and there was still no movement from the other room. The candlelight in Ji Mingyue's room slowly went out.

late at night.

Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the sky.

The bright moon overhead had already begun to slant eastward.

He slowly withdrew his gaze and opened the panel again.

[Craftsmanship]: Autumn Treasure Trove (Perfect 8879/10000)

"I'm still a thousand points short. I'll have to wait until tomorrow!" he thought to himself.

He then closed the panel and stood up.

Pass through the round archway in the backyard.

He arrived at Ji Mingyue's room.

The door was not closed, but only slightly ajar.

He pushed open the door and walked into the room, his footsteps silent.

I came to the bedside.

Moonlight streamed through the window and fell on the foot of the bed.

The refracted moonlight also illuminated Ji Mingyue's face.

Looking at Ji Mingyue's slightly furrowed brows.

Jiang Ning gently smoothed it out, then lifted the blanket that had slipped down to her waist back up to her chest and covered herself up again.

After doing this, he turned and left the room.

During the day, while he was cultivating, he also observed Ji Mingyue's actions.

He also knew that Ji Mingyue would be bored after finishing those things.

But he understands even more clearly that he doesn't have much time to rest anymore.

As he pondered this, he walked toward his room.

He then went to sleep fully clothed.

The next morning.

The sky was bright.

The morning sunlight streamed through the window and fell on Ji Mingyue's eyelids.

Her eyelashes trembled slightly, then trembled a few times before she opened her eyes.

She slowly got up, rubbed her eyes, and her gaze fell on the door.

The door, which had been slightly ajar, was now tightly shut.

Upon noticing the subtle change, a slight smile appeared on her lips.

Then he threw off the covers, got up, and got out of bed.

She put on her deerskin boots, went to the window, and gently pushed it open a crack.

Jiang Ning stood in the center of the courtyard, arms slightly outstretched. There was no radiance around him, yet he seemed to blend into the morning light.

He closed his eyes and remained still, but a thin layer of white frost covered his shoulders and the ends of his hair, the frost lines as fine as hairs, rising and falling slightly with his breath.

That was the frost formed from the morning dew.

The crane, which was dozing under the eaves, looked up and chirped softly when it heard the sound of the window being opened.

"Shh." Ji Mingyue put her finger to her lips, her gaze still fixed on Jiang Ning.

She could tell that Jiang Ning was meditating.

Last night before going to sleep, she quietly stood by the archway and looked at it for a long time.

At that time, the moonlight filled the courtyard, and an autumnal atmosphere permeated Jiangning.

As the morning light began to shine through, the thin layer of frost revealed the chill of winter.

Ka—

A very soft, crisp sound.

Ji Mingyue gazed intently and saw a patch of frost on Jiang Ning's shoulder quietly shatter, turning into fine mist that dissipated into the morning breeze.

Immediately afterwards, the thin frost around his body crumbled one after another, like ice scales peeling off, vaporizing before even hitting the ground, and rising up hazy white smoke.

Amidst the white smoke, Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes.

A vision of autumn leaves seemed to flash in his eyes.

He exhaled a breath of stale air, the white vapor shooting out like an arrow, disappearing only after traveling three feet.

[Autumn Treasure Trove Experience Points +199]

[Skill]: Autumn Treasure Trove (Perfect 9373/10000)

At that moment, Ji Mingyue also lowered the window.

He glanced at the room where Ji Mingyue was, then turned and walked towards the kitchen.

He had just prepared the porridge in advance.

After a while.

Ji Mingyue pushed open the door, dressed in fine clothes, and saw Jiang Ning appear.

Jiang Ning was seen carrying a steaming bowl of white porridge and several side dishes.

"You're awake? Perfect timing, the porridge is ready too." Jiang Ning gestured to the porridge and side dishes in his hand, then walked towards Ji Mingyue's room.

He went inside and placed the food plate on the table.

"Sit down and eat with us!" Jiang Ning said.

Ji Mingyue looked at Jiang Ning, her expression somewhat moved.

He then went to Jiang Ning's side and took the bowl of rice porridge that Jiang Ning handed him.

Steaming hot, it was clearly fresh out of the pot.

Ji Mingyue scooped up a spoonful of porridge and put it in her mouth.

The rice porridge is soft and sticky, with the fragrance of grains, and the warmth spreads from the throat all the way to the stomach.

She looked up at Jiang Ning: "You didn't sleep last night?"

“I don’t need to sleep that long!” Jiang Ning shook his head.

"Did you get up so early just to make porridge for me?" Ji Mingyue asked.

Jiang Ning said, "It was just something I did on the side!"

“From now on, I’ll take care of it. You need to focus on your cultivation!” Ji Mingyue scooped up another spoonful of porridge and put it in her mouth. “I can see that you’re very busy and shouldn’t waste time on such trivial matters. I’m very satisfied with this bowl of porridge today!”

"How can you just enjoy without giving anything in return!" Jiang Ning shook his head.

"But..." Ji Mingyue opened her mouth, but was interrupted by Jiang Ning: "You can sleep peacefully in the morning. Making porridge in the morning won't take up my time! I'll have to rely on you for lunch and dinner!"

“That works too!” Ji Mingyue nodded, not forcing the issue.

He scooped up another spoonful of porridge and put it in his mouth, then looked at Jiang Ning with a gentle gaze.

After the two finished breakfast, Ji Mingyue took away the bowls and chopsticks and took the initiative to wash them, so that Jiang Ning could focus on his cultivation.

Jiang Ning also returned to the backyard.

With his mind focused and his state adjusted, he quickly entered a state of cultivation.

Beginning of Autumn, End of Heat, White Dew
The six solar terms were all visualized in his mind.

Images flashed through his mind.

[Autumn Treasure Trove Experience Points +199]

[Autumn Palace Experience Points +199]

【.】

As time goes by, experience points continue to increase.

The sun is rising higher and higher.

It was close to noon.

Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes.

[Skill]: Autumn Treasure Trove + (Perfect 10000/10000)

At this moment, the experience points accumulated for the Autumn Treasure Trove have reached their maximum.

"It's done!!" He slowly exhaled.

The white mist, sharp as a sword, pierced the air three feet high. (End of Chapter)