Chapter 4: Xu Yan's Self-Delusion
Chapter 4: Xu Yan's Self-Delusion
The sky was still dark when Xu Yan began his morning routine, standing in the horse stance as he prepared to cultivate.
"Master said, focus on comprehension and intention, not form. Sense the qi and blood, manipulate it, and temper the skin..." Xu Yan recited to himself.
"The ancient geniuses completed the skin tempering in just five days, but I haven't even sensed my qi and blood yet. The gap is enormous. Master said I mustn't be impatient; the more anxious I am, the harder it will be to sense the qi and blood."
Xu Yan calmed his mind and focused his attention inward, attempting to sense the subtle energies within his body.
A faint light began to illuminate the horizon.
As the sun prepared to rise, Xu Yan, immersed in his attempt to sense his qi and blood, suddenly felt a warm current emerge in his chest and abdomen. It was subtle and warm, seemingly flowing with his breath.
"Qi and blood!"
"I've sensed my qi and blood!"
In that moment, Xu Yan was thrilled.
"Calm down, calm down. I must keep my mind peaceful and my qi stable..."
"How do I manipulate the qi and blood to temper my skin? Master didn't give specific instructions. Should I ask him for guidance?"
"No! Master said it's about comprehension and intention. I must grasp this feeling now. If I slack off, it will be harder to sense the qi and blood again..."
"Moreover, if I have to ask Master for detailed instructions on how to manipulate my qi and blood, won't I disappoint him? Won't he think I lack comprehension?"
With these thoughts, Xu Yan dismissed the idea of seeking guidance from Li Xuan.
He continued standing in the horse stance, attempting again and again to manipulate his qi and blood while recalling Li Xuan's teachings on the subject.
With his mind wholly focused inward, he became immersed in the act of manipulating his qi and blood. Unconsciously, his breathing adjusted to match the flow, and gradually, a strand of qi and blood permeated his body, causing his skin to turn slightly red, as if warmed by an inner heat.
"I should have entered the skin tempering stage, right?"
Xu Yan was elated. Finally, he had sensed his qi and blood and successfully manipulated it to temper his skin.
...
Li Xuan yawned and, after washing up, stepped out to prepare breakfast.
He was used to being the only one in the village, self-sufficient and independent.
As he stepped out, he spotted Xu Yan cultivating in the horse stance. A twitch formed at the corner of his mouth. His disciple was diligent, but unfortunately, no amount of diligence would make up for the fake cultivation method he had invented.
"I'll wait until he can't take it anymore and comes to ask me. Then, I'll just make up some more nonsense to feed him."
Li Xuan shook his head and turned away.
Xu Yan, upon seeing his master, felt a surge of excitement and wanted to tell him about sensing his qi and blood and entering the skin tempering stage.
But when he saw Li Xuan shake his head, his heart skipped a beat.
"Is Master displeased with me?"
"Could it be that with Master's cultivation, he can't tell that I've sensed my qi and blood and entered the skin tempering stage?"
"He must think I'm impatient and arrogant, unable to keep a calm mind..."
After this internal monologue, Xu Yan decided against sharing his progress with Li Xuan.
Instead, he took a deep breath and calmed his heart, continuing to manipulate his qi and blood to temper his skin.
"Master's depth is unfathomable. With just a glance, he can see through my cultivation progress. I must not be proud or complacent. There's no need for me to speak; Master can see my progress with his own eyes."
Xu Yan's heart was enlightened as he realized that his master could perceive his cultivation without any words from him.
Li Xuan headed to the chicken coop and grabbed a chicken, intending to continue making the Nine-Leaf Yuanzhi soup. This was a rare treasure, and after drinking the soup yesterday, he felt his body had become stronger.
He took out his knife, ready to slaughter the chicken.
But then he paused. "That's not right. I have a disciple now. It's not appropriate for the master to serve the disciple. It should be the other way around!"
"Anyway, I've already deceived him once. Since he's my disciple now, it's only reasonable for him to serve his master, right?"
With that thought, he held the chicken in one hand and the knife in the other, approaching Xu Yan.
"Disciple, come. Slaughter the chicken, add some Nine-Leaf Yuanzhi, and make a soup. It's time to cook."
Xu Yan stopped his cultivation and took the chicken and knife from Li Xuan, feeling a bit dazed.
"What's wrong? You don't know how to cook?" Li Xuan frowned at his disciple's blank expression.
"Of course not. Xu Yan is an idiot, but he's also a young master from a wealthy family. How could he possibly know how to cook?"
Despite his internal monologue, now that Xu Yan was his disciple, Li Xuan intended to make good use of him. "Disciple, every action and every moment, whether sleeping or eating, is part of cultivation. Although you haven't entered the door yet and are far from my level, it will be beneficial for you to get familiar with these tasks early on."
Li Xuan spoke with a serious expression.
"Yes, Master!" Xu Yan straightened his posture and replied respectfully. "Master's cultivation is too high. He appears to be involved in mundane tasks, but that's precisely what makes him a true master! A reclusive sage!"
The more Xu Yan thought about it, the more profound and unfathomable he found his master to be. On the surface, Li Xuan seemed ordinary, not displaying any signs of a powerful cultivator, but that was precisely what made him a true hidden expert!
And so, Xu Yan went off to cook.
Li Xuan, still feeling a bit uneasy, kept an eye on him. He noticed that while Xu Yan was a bit clumsy at slaughtering the chicken and cooking, with his guidance, the resulting meal should at least be edible.
Satisfied, Li Xuan carried a chair and placed it under the large tree in front of the house. He lay back and relaxed, awaiting the meal.
"Having a disciple to serve me, this kind of life is pretty good."
"With Xu Yan's intellect, he won't be able to see through this deception for a while, but I should still prepare an escape route..."
After the meal...
Xu Yan returned to his cultivation.
"The speed of my skin tempering has increased, and my qi and blood have strengthened by at least 50%..."
"At this rate, even if I can't complete the skin tempering in five days, I should be able to do so within a month."
Xu Yan was thrilled to sense the accelerated speed of his skin tempering, and his excitement grew.
"Why did the speed of my skin tempering suddenly increase? Could it be because of..."
He thought of the Nine-Leaf Yuanzhi soup! The Nine-Leaf Yuanzhi was a rare treasure, and his family only had one such item in their collection. If he weren't the only child of the Xu family, deeply loved by his parents, he wouldn't have been able to offer it as a gift to his master.
"Master!"
Xu Yan was deeply touched at that moment.
"Master knew about the Nine-Leaf Yuanzhi and how it could aid my cultivation, so he let me make soup with it!"
"I must not disappoint Master's kind intentions. I will cultivate diligently and strive to enter the door of martial arts soon!"
In his self-delusion, Xu Yan's admiration for his master knew no bounds, and he was deeply moved by Li Xuan's supposed thoughtfulness.
He continued to manipulate his qi and blood, constantly tempering his skin.
As he did so, Xu Yan felt his body growing stronger. His qi and blood became more vigorous, his skin more resilient, and it seemed that he had truly entered the initial stages of skin tempering.
"I feel like my strength has more than doubled, and I've only just begun the skin tempering. How powerful will I be once I've perfected it?"
"I must enter the door of martial arts within a year!"
Xu Yan's eyes shone with determination.
"The effects of the Nine-Leaf Yuanzhi are incredible. I feel like my strength has increased. Should I keep this to myself? Nah, it was Xu Yan's gift anyway. I'll just cook it together and share it. I shouldn't be too greedy."
Li Xuan, feeling the changes in his body, had a momentary thought of keeping the Nine-Leaf Yuanzhi for himself. But ultimately, he wasn't greedy enough to go through with it.
(End of Chapter)
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