Don't farm, cultivate immortality!

I do want to leave something behind so that people will remember me.

He touched the box tied to his waist, stood up, and struck a few poses with his wooden sword.

...

Time flies, and before long, it was dusk.

Zhuang Xing waited by the waterwheel early in the morning. The people who had been fetching water had left, and the surroundings were quiet.

A pair of straw sandals came into Zhuang Xing's view.

Yunling arrived as promised. She walked all the way from the village with her head down until she saw Zhuang Xing by the waterwheel, at which point she raised her dark eyes.

"You really came," Yunling said softly.

“Didn’t we agree on this?” Zhuang Xing said. “You can’t go back on your promises to others. That’s what my mother taught me.”

“Let’s go over there. I’ll explain the words on the jade slip to you.” Zhuang Xing pointed to the side, to the low-lying area where they found the White Rat Cave yesterday.

The terrain there was secluded, and it would be difficult to find without careful searching. He didn't want others to see the jade slip, so that place was a suitable place to go.

Yunling nodded and followed Zhuang Xing to the White Rat Cave.

Traces of yesterday remained in front of the cave. Zhuang Xing moved two stones over, sat down, and waved the box in front of him.

Yunling sat beside him, and Zhuang Xing used the talisman to open the box and take out the jade slip.

This jade slip was found by him and Yunling together. Since Yunling could see the phantom images of lotus flowers and lotus seeds, it meant that she, like Zhuang Xing, had the aptitude to learn the Dao.

He touched one of the white jade pieces, and instantly it shone brightly, with the shadows of dragons and tigers moving.

Now that he had decided to share the jade slip with Yunling, he would no longer hide anything from her.

Yunling was stunned. She stared at the scene before her, her mouth slightly agape.

“This is a secret between the two of us,” Zhuang Xing said. “Promise me you won’t tell anyone else.”

Yunling then came to her senses, looked into Zhuang Xing's eyes, and extended her right little finger.

"I won't tell anyone," Yunling said. "Let's make a pinky promise."

"Ah."

Zhuang Xing reached out his hand and made a pinky promise with her. She whispered, "Pinky promise, a hundred years of vows, never to change."

The two then made a vow.

Chapter 35 Warming Techniques

"In short, this jade slip was left behind by an immortal known as the White Lotus Hermit, with the purpose of ensuring that someone could inherit his mantle."

"Since the two of us were able to obtain this jade slip, it means that we have a predestined connection with the layman and that we also have the talent to learn his skills."

“If you are willing, we can share the knowledge on the jade slip together, and I will read the text to you.”

"Is it alright?" Yunling asked hesitantly. "Wouldn't that be too much trouble for you?"

“If I found it too troublesome, I wouldn’t have arranged to meet you here today.” Zhuang Xing sat up straight. “I didn’t find this jade slip on my own. You were the one who heard the white rat’s cries for help first, which gave us the opportunity to obtain this jade slip. Of course, if you don’t want to learn, I’d be happy to put in less effort.”

“White Lotus Hermit…” Yunling murmured, gazing at the jade slip.

She looked at the river, then at Zhuang Xing's face and the wooden sword in his hand.

"If... I could learn this skill..."

Her gaze hardened, and she said, "I want to learn!"

“Okay.” Zhuang Xing nodded. “Then let’s hurry up and see where to start today.”

Yesterday he spent most of his time reading the layman's demon-exorcising diary; he hadn't had a chance to open the other jade pieces yet, so he didn't know their contents.

Zhuang Xing, filled with anticipation, unfolded the jade slip. The jade slip containing the "Compendium of Demons" was the third one from the left. He had just randomly picked one without paying attention to the order. According to the villagers' writing habits, the first jade slip on the right was the beginning.

He took a deep breath and touched the first piece of jade.

This time, there weren't as many special effects; there were only four characters written in ink: "Learning has no limits."

Zhuang Xing turned the page, and the White Lotus Hermit's autobiography appeared before him.

In order to make sure that Yunling, who was illiterate, could understand the meaning, he read the contents aloud in a low voice.

“I began learning Taoism at the age of three. The older I get, the more I realize that the Tao of the world is endless. There are those who wield swords like gods, those who refine treasures and talismans, those who painstakingly study magic, and those who forge their bodies like iron. All of them inspire awe.”

“In my childhood, I dabbled in various methods and approaches, and although I achieved some success, I never specialized in any one of them.”

"However, at the age of eight, I had an epiphany, realizing that learning is endless and that only by finding my own path can I overcome obstacles and break through barriers."

"Thus, this is the way of fate. The other way is the way of driving grass to grow trees, a life-giving technique that can heal, attack and defend. Its variations are endless. Those who are destined to learn it will find it difficult to create new methods if they stick to the rules."

"To learn from the old ways, one must discard old habits and start from nothing."

"If the destined one does not like the White Lotus Blossom technique and is not determined to abandon the old one, or if the destined one is a sword cultivator or a body cultivator, I can still teach the destined one my sword techniques, although they are inferior to my magic techniques."

"However, nothing should be forced, and there is no distinction between high and low methods. The best method is the one that suits you."

"During my travels, I collected many strange tales from all over the world. There are many extraordinary people with unique talents, each with their own strengths and weaknesses."

"I have a method of testing. Those who are destined can try it themselves to understand their own strengths and choose the appropriate method."

"This method is called the Warm-up Technique. It was originally a method for beginners to train their bodies. After I obtained this method, I felt that it could refine the acquired Qi. If the innate Qi has not returned, or even if the true Qi is strong, I corrected its shortcomings and practiced it every day."

"When practicing the warm-up technique, one should repeat it six times a day. After several days, when one's energy is revealed, one can understand one's own strengths."

Zhuang Xing turned the page, and a small golden figure appeared before his eyes. The figure was condensed from the glow of the sunset and outlined by many points and lines of light. Zhuang Xing noticed that these points and lines seemed to correspond to many acupoints and meridians in the human body.

The little figure stood out of thin air, slowly moving its muscles and limbs. A stream of light was drawn in through the little figure's mouth and nose, flowing through its acupoints and meridians.

The movements are very soft and slow, giving the impression of an old man practicing Tai Chi in a park.

About ten minutes later, the little figure finished a set of movements and started repeating them from the beginning.

Zhuang Xing had already memorized the movements. Seeing that Yunling was still watching intently, he didn't disturb her. He sat down, took a deep breath, and reviewed the warm-up technique in his mind.

Since this is a method for body training for beginners, it means that it is something that can be practiced.

Moreover, it doesn't seem to be a very harmful method; it's more like a kind of health-preserving exercise.

He noticed that some of the movements were very similar to the Eight Pieces of Brocade he had learned in his health and physical education class in college.

Although I don't yet understand the true meaning of terms like "acquired Qi" and "innate Qi," practicing health-preserving exercises shouldn't lead to any kind of spiritual deviation.

Thinking it over, he took a deep breath and stood still to practice his first warm-up exercise in his life.

Yunling looked up, watched for a while, and then stood up and practiced the warm-up exercise with Zhuang Xing.

Seeing this, Zhuang Xing put the jade slip away.

"Aren't you going to watch it?" Yunling asked.

“I’ve written it all down,” Zhuang Xing said.

"You memorized it so quickly?" Yunling looked surprised and lowered her head. "I haven't even figured it out yet..."

“I’ve always had a good memory; I never forget something I’ve seen once,” Zhuang Xing said. “Why don’t you practice with me? I’ll teach you.”

"Okay." Yunling nodded.

Zhuang Xing set an example by himself, letting Yunling fight alongside him.

Yunling's memory was not as good as his, and her body was somewhat stiff, so she often made mistakes in her movements.

For Zhuang Xing, this was not a bad thing. In the process of teaching Yunling, he could also notice which movements and breathing were prone to errors.

Actually, being a teacher allowed him to grasp the secrets of the warm-up technique more quickly. If he were to practice alone, there would be many subtle points that he would need to correct gradually.

As the sunset painted the clouds a fiery red, and the sound of flowing water by the fields filled the air, the two gradually synchronized their breathing rhythms. Yunling earnestly sought advice from Zhuang Xing.

Yunling's questions made Zhuang Xing realize his own problems.

As he performed the warming technique, Zhuang Xing gradually felt his body getting warmer, with fine beads of sweat seeping from his pores.

This feeling... is a little familiar...

It was just like the time he drank fish soup before. His mother had cooked the fish that the old hunter had brought into soup, and after drinking it, he felt warm all over, just like now.

The difference is that I was full after drinking fish soup back then, but now I am feeling increasingly hungry.

However, after playing for a short while, he felt hungry.

The sun was about to set, and it was time to go home for dinner.

After agreeing to meet Yunling again the next day, Zhuang Xing waved goodbye to her and went home with his father.

That evening, Zhuang Xing ate three bowls of rice.

In the following days, he met Yunling in front of the White Rat Cave and practiced the warming technique repeatedly. Gradually, he found that the energy in his body became clearer and his appetite became stronger.

Half a month later, one afternoon, he moved three stones and made a small stove in front of the white rat hole, and lit a fire.

Yunling sat to the side, holding a small knife, gutting the river fish, scraping off its scales, and skewering it onto bamboo strips.

These two river fish were caught by Zhuang Xing. He had been practicing the warm-up technique for some time, and his movements were becoming more and more agile, so he had the idea of ​​giving himself special training.

He whittled a bamboo fork for skewering fish himself, and today was his first time trying it. He caught the fish very easily.

However, although he caught the fish, it was Yunling who found it.

Yunling's five senses are more acute than Zhuang Xing's. She can detect many subtle movements that Zhuang Xing cannot. As she practices the warm-up technique, this difference becomes more obvious.

In Zhuang Xing's case, this manifests as stronger eyesight and body control.

Individual differences seem to be gradually emerging.

Yunling skewered the river fish, stuffed their bellies with some roadside artemisia to remove the fishy smell, and then roasted them on a small stove.

The aroma of meat wafted into my nose. After the fish was grilled, Zhuang Xing sprinkled a pinch of salt on it.

The two sat down to eat grilled fish. Yunling ate slowly and deliberately, while Zhuang Xing didn't care about his table manners at all, tearing off large pieces of fish meat.

There were no seasonings, just simple grilling and a sprinkle of salt, and it tasted pretty good, since it's rare to see meat on a regular basis.

However, the grass carp had a lot of bones, and after eating two or three bites, he had to slow down, even though he was hungry.

Halfway through her meal, Yunling suddenly turned around and looked behind her in confusion.

"What's wrong?"