My mother is the white moonlight of the cultivation world.

In the following days, Hua Yue did not forget to cultivate.

However, the process of cultivation is truly complicated and difficult to describe.

Whenever she sits cross-legged and draws her Qi into her body, a vast amount of spiritual energy surges in like a tidal wave, rushing wildly into her dantian. It seems as if she's about to break through the barrier of the first level of Qi Refining and head straight for the middle stage.

But ironically, at every crucial moment, her dantian was like a bottomless funnel.

No matter how much spiritual energy flows in, it will steadily and completely fall back to the initial state of the first level of Qi Refining after reaching a critical point.

My cultivation level has increased, yet it seems like it hasn't.

This continued for several days in a row.

Hua Yue sat cross-legged on the futon, feeling the spiritual power in her dantian that was just right, maintaining at the first level of Qi Refining, and let out a long sigh.

"This is really weird."

She pinched her cheek, completely baffled.

It seems I'll have to find an opportunity to ask Yue Qingxue about this, since my true master, Mo Ze, is currently missing.

That morning, the sect bell rang melodiously, signaling the start of classes at the main peak.

Hua Yue dared not neglect her duty. She fed Bai Yu two spirit fruits for breakfast and then climbed onto the crane's back.

"Baiyu, let's go to the main peak for class!" "Screech—" Baiyu responded cheerfully, flapped its wings, and its plump body soared into the sky with astonishing agility, flying towards the cloud-shrouded main peak.

The morning breeze, cool and damp, caressed her face, refreshing her spirits. Just as Hua Yue was enjoying the flight, a streak of light flashed past her, creating a strong gust of wind that made the white jade sway in the air.

Hua Yue steadied herself and turned her head to look.

A young man in brocade robes was hovering not far away, standing on a magnificent and obviously valuable flying sword.

The young man was handsome, but his brows carried an inescapable arrogance. He was none other than Xuan Tianyu, who had joined Qinglin Peak with her at the apprenticeship ceremony that day.

Xuan Tianyu's gaze swept over Hua Yue and finally landed on the crane beneath her. It was chubby and didn't look very smart.

He scoffed, "Senior sister, don't be late. After all, even if you're just a nominal student, if you're late on the first day of class, it'll be a disgrace to Qinglin Peak."

Having said that, he proudly raised his chin, and the flying sword beneath his feet shone brightly, transforming into a streak of white light that instantly left them behind. "Screech! Screech!"

Bai Yu seemed to understand the sarcasm in those words, and her neck feathers bristled with anger. She cried out several times in the direction where Xuan Tianyu had disappeared, full of resentment.

"Alright, alright, don't take it to heart." Hua Yue soothingly stroked Bai Yu's smooth neck. "Why get angry with a little brat? Let him go quickly, we're not in a hurry."

She couldn't be bothered to argue with a child who hadn't even grown up yet.

When I leisurely strolled to the main hall of the Dharma teachings, the huge hall was already filled with newly initiated disciples.

Hua Yue glanced around and found that most of the good seats in the back were taken, leaving only a few empty seats in the front row.

Next to those empty seats sat Gu Ye and Ye Xinrou.

The two sat upright, with blank jade slips and engraving pens in front of them, looking every bit the model students, clearly there to reserve seats.

Hua Yue felt a chill run down her spine.

Sitting with the male and female leads is like sitting in the center of a vortex of gossip and trouble, isn't it?

But with the lecturer arriving soon, she really had no other choice.

Hua Yue braced herself and tried to walk quietly as she sat down a seat away from them, one seat away.

As soon as she sat down, she felt two pairs of eyes on her.

A dish from Ye Xinrou, filled with curiosity and a desire to explore.

The other one was Gu Ye, who was aloof and indifferent, showing little emotion, but being looked at by him always made one feel a chill down their spine.

Hua Yue kept her eyes straight ahead, pretending that she was invisible.

"Hua Yue! Over here!"

A familiar yet energetic voice came from behind me.

Hua Yue turned around and saw Zhou Ye chuckling and waving at her before plopping down in the seat next to her.

"You're finally here! I thought you overslept." Zhou Ye poked his head out and greeted her quietly.

"Didn't you go to Beast Taming Peak? Why do you look so listless?" Hua Yue noticed the faint dark circles under his eyes and was a little curious.

Zhou Ye's face fell instantly. He lowered his voice, his face full of grief and indignation: "Don't even mention it! My master gave me a spirit beast egg, saying it was my future partner, and told me to nurture it with spiritual power so that it could hatch as soon as possible."

These past few days I've been huddled around that egg like a mother hen, I haven't slept well at all!

Hua Yue couldn't help but burst out laughing.

She imagined Zhou Ye carefully cradling an egg in his arms, and it was absolutely hilarious.

The two were chatting and laughing quietly when the lecture hall suddenly fell silent.

An indescribable chill suddenly spread from the entrance of the hall, and the previously noisy hall fell silent instantly, with everyone instinctively straightening their backs.

Before anyone arrived, the chill of winter was already in the air.

Hua Yue's heart stirred, and she looked up at the doorway.

A figure walked slowly in, backlit by the light.

The newcomer wore a moon-white robe, his long, ink-black hair loosely draped behind him, swaying gently as he walked. His features were exquisitely handsome, like a work of art sculpted from ice and snow; his nose was high and straight, his lips pale, but his eyes were as deep and unfathomable as an eternally frozen pool, devoid of any warmth.

His entire demeanor, like the aura he exuded, was cold and unapproachable.

It was him, Ji Wuchen.

On the day of the apprenticeship ceremony, Hua Yueguang was so nervous that she didn't dare to look closely at the legendary male protagonist from the original novel.

Seeing it today, I can see that it truly lives up to its reputation.

Ji Wuchen walked up to the podium, his cool gaze sweeping over the hundreds of new disciples sitting below.

When his gaze swept across the front row, it paused very slightly on Hua Yue's face for a fleeting moment.

Immediately, Hua Yue clearly saw that his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly on his face, which was as cold and sculpted as ice and snow.

It wasn't admiration, nor was it amazement; rather, it was an expression carrying scrutiny and... a subtle displeasure.

Hua Yue's heart skipped a beat.

What happened?

Why is it that everyone's first reaction upon seeing her face is to frown?

She silently lowered her eyes, utterly speechless.

My face is definitely not bad. My mother always likes to pinch my cheeks and praise me, saying that I am just like her when I was a child, a true beauty in the making.

She doesn't look strange, so what's the problem?

Could it be... that her mother caused some terrible trouble in the cultivation world, so that these important figures dislike her when they see someone who looks somewhat like her?

Hua Yue thought about it more and more and it seemed very possible.

She quietly lowered her head even further, trying to minimize her presence, afraid of attracting any unnecessary hatred.

On the high platform, Ji Wuchen had already spoken.

His voice, like his personality, was clear and cold, like jade striking against jade, without much variation, yet it reached everyone's ears with exceptional clarity. "My name is Ji Wuchen."

After a brief self-introduction, we got straight to the point.

"Today, we will discuss the method of guiding Qi into the body and circulating spiritual energy."

Hua Yue understood. It was indeed a waste of talent for Ji Wuchen, the next sect leader, to personally teach such basic introductory lessons to new disciples.

It seems the rumors were true; he made this special trip mostly for his two precious disciples, Gu Ye and Ye Xinrou. Ji Wuchen spoke little, not a single word wasted; every word seemed to have been refined through countless trials, each a gem, pointing directly to the essence of the Great Dao. Many points that Hua Yue had previously pondered on her own, finding obscure and difficult to understand, were instantly clarified by his few words. "Spiritual energy enters the body, separating the pure from the impure, distinguishing the five elements, and is gathered in the dantian—this is the beginning. However, the dantian is not the end, but the foundation..." Hua Yue listened intently, even temporarily forgetting who was sitting next to her, and forgetting the unpleasantness of being "death stared" by Ji Wuchen just now.

She was immersed in this profound ocean of knowledge, feeling her understanding of cultivation deepening at an unprecedented rate. Just then, Ji Wuchen's voice suddenly stopped.

The entire lecture hall was silent, and all the disciples raised their heads, waiting for him to continue.

Ji Wuchen's cold gaze swept across the entire room once more, finally settling precisely on the figure in the front row who had been keeping his head down since the beginning, as if he wanted to shrink into a ball.

His tone was flat, revealing neither joy nor anger.

"Why is the circulation of spiritual energy based on the twelve regular meridians, rather than the eight extraordinary meridians?"

When the question was raised, many disciples were stunned.

This question, though seemingly basic, actually points directly to the core of cultivation.

Hua Yue was also stunned; she... seemed to know the answer to this question.

Just as she was organizing her thoughts, that cool voice, carrying an undeniable air of defiance, rang out again.

"You answer." The four words, though not heavy, weighed down on Hua Yue like a mountain.

In an instant, hundreds of gazes in the entire lecture hall focused on her.

There was curiosity, schadenfreude, sympathy, but mostly, people were just there to watch the spectacle.

Hua Yue's mind went blank for a moment.

She had already shrunk herself up to look like a quail!

On the high platform, Ji Wuchen's gaze remained fixed on her, calm and composed, yet carrying an invisible pressure that left her nowhere to hide.

He didn't urge her, but waited quietly. That silence was more unsettling than any harsh reprimand. Hua Yue took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

She does know the answer to this question.

In the original work, this is a crucial point in the cultivation system. The author once devoted an entire chapter to explaining the principles behind it through the words of an elder.

When Hua Yue first read the book, this passage left a deep impression on her because it overturned her preconceived notions about many fantasy novels.

She slowly stood up, her eyes lowered, not daring to look at Ji Wuchen's face. She could feel her heart pounding so hard it felt like it was about to leap out of her throat.

"Reporting to...Reporting to the Immortal Venerable." Her voice trembled slightly, without her even realizing it, but her words were still clear. "Because...because the twelve meridians correspond to the twelve two-hour periods of the day and are closely related to the flow of Qi and blood in the human body and the operation of the five internal organs. Guiding Qi into the body cultivates the 'human,' not just the 'Qi.'"

She paused, feeling her thoughts become clearer after she started speaking. The panic of being called out in public was being replaced by a focus on knowledge.

"When spiritual energy enters the body, if one does not first use the twelve regular meridians as a foundation to strengthen the body and cultivate the vital energy, and temper one's internal organs and meridians to be in harmony with the laws of heaven and earth, it is like a tree without roots or water without a source. Directly circulating spiritual energy through the eight extraordinary meridians may seem to be rapid in the short term, but the foundation is unstable and the spiritual energy is impure. In the long run, at best, one's cultivation will stagnate, and at worst, one's meridians will be disordered, leading to qi deviation and demonic possession."

"The twelve regular meridians are like 'rivers,' and the eight extraordinary meridians are like 'lakes.' Only when hundreds of rivers converge can lakes become vast. If there is no dredging and guidance of rivers, and one insists on forcing lakes to store water, it will only lead to flash floods, dam collapses, and loss of life. Therefore, the path of cultivation should be based on the twelve regular meridians, strengthening the foundation and purifying the source, which is the right path."

After saying this, Hua Yue herself was somewhat surprised.

She had expected to be so nervous that she would become incoherent, but unexpectedly, under that extreme pressure, her mind worked incredibly fast. She perfectly blended the original theory with her own understanding, speaking clearly and logically, even using a simple and easy-to-understand analogy. The entire lecture hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Many new disciples wore expressions of sudden realization. They had only known to do it this way before, but had never deeply considered why. Now, after Hua Yue's explanation, they felt enlightened, and much of the confusion about cultivation in their minds was dispelled. Even Zhou Ye, standing beside her, stared at her with his mouth agape, completely incredulous.

Hua Yue nervously clutched the hem of her clothes, awaiting the final judgment. She didn't know if her answer would satisfy this discerning immortal.

It felt like an eternity had passed.

Ji Wuchen's deep eyes stared at her, but the emotions within them remained unreadable.

Just when Hua Yue's heart was about to leap into her throat, he finally reacted.

His tightly furrowed brows seemed to relax a little, and although he still had that unapproachable look, the scrutinizing and displeased aura had indeed faded considerably.

"Sit down." The cold voice rang out again, still just two words.

Hua Yue felt as if she had been granted a pardon and quickly sat down, her back already soaked with cold sweat.

Ji Wuchen didn't look at her again, but continued speaking in his flat tone.

Hua Yue let out a long sigh of relief, feeling completely exhausted. She glanced at Zhou Ye beside her and saw him winking at her, silently mouthing, "Awesome!"

Hua Yue refocused her attention on the lecture, not only to absorb knowledge, but also because she was afraid that the lecturer might suddenly decide to launch another attack.

Hua Yue learned a great deal from the lesson, but was also filled with trepidation.

Fortunately, Ji Wuchen didn't call anyone's name until the bell rang to signal the end of get out of class. As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and left the lecture hall without uttering a single word, coming and going like the wind.

"Hua Yue, you're amazing!" Zhou Ye approached her with an admiring look. Hua Yue patted her chest, still shaken. "Don't even mention it, I was scared out of my wits."

"I have to hurry back," Zhou Ye said as he walked. "I need to go back and continue channeling spiritual energy into the spirit egg; it might hatch soon!"

"Go on, go on, I wish your spirit egg will hatch soon."

"Thank you for your kind words!" After saying goodbye to Zhou Ye, Hua Yue walked alone on the white jade path of the sect.

Ji Wuchen's class benefited her greatly, but it also made a mystery in her heart even more urgent.

She clearly had a correct understanding of cultivation, so why... did her cultivation level remain stagnant?

No matter how rich your theoretical knowledge is, if you can't translate it into real skills, it's just empty talk.

She thought of Yue Qingxue, who was her nominal master and a powerful cultivator in the Nascent Soul stage, and perhaps could see what was wrong with her.

Having made up her mind, Hua Yue no longer hesitated and turned to walk towards the main hall of Qinglin Peak.

Hua Yue didn't know if Yue Qingxue was available today, nor did she know if her sudden arrival would disturb her.

As soon as she stepped onto the square in front of the palace, she saw a familiar figure emerge from inside the palace.

That person was none other than Xuan Tianyu.

Xuan Tianyu also saw her, paused in his steps, and a slightly amused expression appeared on his face.

"Oh, isn't this Senior Sister?" He walked over slowly, his tone seemingly warm, but there was no smile in his eyes. "It's rare that Senior Sister would take the initiative to come to the main hall."

"What a pity, you've come at an inopportune time. Master has important matters to attend to today and is afraid he won't have time to instruct you." His words carried an undisguised sense of superiority, as if Hua Yue were an uninvited guest.

Hua Yue's heart sank slightly, but she remained calm on the surface. She didn't want to have any conflict with Xuan Tianyu.

"It's alright. If Master Qingxue is busy, I'll come another day."

She nodded slightly as a greeting, and then turned to leave.

"Hey, Senior Sister." Xuan Tianyu suddenly appeared, subtly blocking her path, his smile widening. "What if... Master is also very busy another day?"

Hua Yue frowned as she looked at Xuan Tianyu, not understanding what he was trying to do.

Xuan Tianyu seemed quite pleased with her confused expression. He leaned closer, lowered his voice, and spoke in a tone that appeared to be considerate but was actually full of malice:

"Senior sister, you can't be unaware, can you? Master expends a great deal of spiritual energy every day to heal and prolong the life of that senior brother lying inside. Where would he find the extra energy to teach a... nominal disciple like you?"

She understood the unspoken meaning in Xuan Tianyu's words.

He was telling her to go back to where she came from.

She silently walked past Xuan Tianyu without saying a word, and quickly headed towards her residence. This time, Xuan Tianyu did not stop her.

Behind him, Xuan Tianyu let out a contemptuous sneer.

Late at night.

Outside the window, the moonlight, like water, spilled onto the ground.

Hua Yue thought of her mother.

If her mother were willing to take her with her, even to the most dangerous place, she would. At least, she wouldn't be all alone like she is now.

An unprecedented sense of loneliness and grievance overwhelmed her like a tidal wave.

She came here simply to survive and find her mother's whereabouts. She tried her best not to offend anyone, but some people were still hostile towards her.

Exhaustion, a deep-seated, bone-chilling exhaustion.

Hua Yue closed her eyes, no longer even concentrating on meditation. She curled up, buried her head in the blanket, and let herself drift off to sleep in the boundless darkness.