Ye Fan opened the door to the stylish and well-maintained building, welcoming Su Mu inside.
As they entered, the contrast with the vibrant chaos outside was imdiate.
The interior was spacious, tastefully decorated with a blend of modern furniture and subtle, artistic touches that hinted at both comfort and sophistication.
Su Mu couldn't help but marvel at the elegant decor and the seamless integration of practical anities with aesthetic design.
"Make yourself comfortable, Mu'er. Think of this place as your own ho," Ye Fan warmly encouraged her, setting his keys down on a polished side table.
As Su Mu took off her shoes and stepped further into the living spaces, Ye Fan led her towards one of the rooms on the ground floor.
He pushed the door open, revealing a bedroom that had clearly been ticulously prepared for her arrival.
Soft lighting illuminated a comfortable-looking bed with fresh linens, a sturdy desk near the window, and a wardrobe.
The cozy ambiance and thoughtful touches – a vase with a single, exotic-looking bloom, a stack of clean towels – made her feel an unexpected sense of warmth and belonging, easing the lingering feeling of being adrift in this vast new city.
"Your Aunt prepared this room for you," Ye Fan explained, gesturing toward the well-appointed space.
"She's usually at work and not at ho now, but will return soon. If you're hungry, feel free to order sothing from outside or make it yourself if you can—all the ingredients are in the kitchen."
He added, "We don't have any servants in the house, by the way. And don't bother ordering for . I'll be joining my friends tonight for dinner and will return late."
Su Mu nodded, absorbing the information. It was different from her family ho, but the independence felt strangely appealing.
"Thank you, Uncle Ye Fan. The room is lovely. I'll take care of myself, and you don't need to worry about dinner for ."
Ye Fan smiled, leaning against the doorfra. "If you need anything or have any questions, feel free to ask. I know starting at the academy can be overwhelming, but I'm here to support you throughout your ti here." He paused, then added casually, "Also, don't worry about security; Little Black will be here. It's very strong."
As if summoned by his words, a small black cat descended the stairs with silent paws, strolling lazily into the hallway just outside the room.
The feline possessed sleek, glossy fur that seed to absorb the ambient light, giving it an almost mystical appearance.
Its eyes, a vibrant shade of erald green, were sharp and observant, reflecting an intelligence that seed to surpass that of a typical house cat or any cat she knew of.
It regarded Su Mu with a calm, assessing gaze before letting out a soft, almost inaudible ow.
Ye Fan chuckled softly. "See?" He gave Su Mu a final nod. "Alright, settle in. I've got to head out."
With that, Ye Fan left, the front door clicking shut behind him, leaving Su Mu and the enigmatic cat alone in the quiet house.
Little Black, with an air of silent understanding, padded over to Su Mu.
Its erald eyes, sharp and observant, held a certain depth, as if it could perceive the thoughts and emotions swirling within her after the day's journey.
Su Mu, intrigued by the mysterious feline, knelt down and couldn't help but reach out to gently stroke its glossy, almost unnaturally sleek fur.
The cat leaned into her touch slightly, purring softly, a low rumble that seed strangely resonant in the quiet room.
As ti passed in the quiet monts of the evening, left alone in her uncle's house, Su Mu rembered the small, plain wooden box her father had pressed into her hands just before she left.
He had told her not to open it until she arrived here.
Curiosity overcoming her initial fatigue, she retrieved the box from her luggage and sat down on the edge of her new bed.
As she carefully lifted the lid, a soft, ambient glow emanated from within, bathing her face in gentle light.
Inside lay a collection of smooth, polished Spiritual crystals in varying hues – deep sapphire, fiery ruby, clear quartz, and others she couldn't imdiately identify.
Each crystal seed to pulse faintly with a unique energy, humming almost imperceptibly beneath her fingertips.
Beside them rested a delicate necklace made of a pale, shimring tal, with a small, intricately carved charm shaped like a crescent moon cradling a star, fashioned from light blue crystal.
"And here I thought it was just a normal box," Su Mu mused aloud, her fingers gently tracing the facets of a warm, amber-colored crystal.
"Dad always did have a flair for surprises." She held the light blue necklace up, watching the way it caught the light, emitting its own faint, enchanting luminescence.
"It's beautiful... but what secrets does it hold? And these crystals... Dad must have known they'd co in handy, but for what?"
Her eyes glinted with curiosity.
"Dad ntioned not to open the box until I reached Uncle Ye Fan's place. What mysteries are you hiding, and why the specific timing?" Su Mu murmured, caught between anticipation and a sense of reverence for the carefully chosen contents.
Her attention then shifted to a smooth, palm-sized jade crystal amongst the others, radiating a gentle warmth.
As she picked it up, a serene energy flowed into her palm, calming the whirlwind of thoughts in her mind.
Suddenly, the surface of the jade shimred, and a small, translucent holographic figure of her father materialized above it, hovering in the air before her.
His familiar voice, warm yet firm, resonated softly in the room. "Mu'er," the hologram began, his image looking directly at her, "I hope your journey was smooth and comfortable. I had planned to convey this ssage to you yesterday, but considering your condition after the awakening anomaly, I recorded it using this shadow jade instead."
He continued, "Within this jade lies the complete breathing thod of our Su family – the Lunar Disc Breathing thod – passed down through generations."
"Now that you're an awakener, it's ti you transition from the incomplete version you practiced before to this complete technique."
A sense of seriousness laced her father's holographic expression. "This breathing thod is exclusive to our direct line family mbers."
"Its power is significant compared to the incomplete version, but so is the responsibility that cos with it."
"After learning, guard this knowledge closely. Do not share it with others, not even those you trust implicitly."
"Violating this rule will result in severe consequences according to our family's traditions, and even I won't be able to intervene at that point."
The holographic figure of her father held her gaze for a mont longer, then slowly faded, leaving Su Mu sitting in the quiet room, the weight of the jade crystal in her hand and the gravity of his words echoing in her mind.
With the jade crystal resting warmly in her palm, Su Mu focused her intent, delving deeper into the information it held.
A rush of detailed knowledge flooded her consciousness, bypassing sight and sound, directly implanting itself into her understanding.
The intricate details of the Lunar Disc Breathing thod unfolded like an ancient, luminous manuscript within her mind, revealing the secrets of its working principles.
"This is incredible," Su Mu marveled inwardly, her eyes widening slightly even though they were closed as she ntally processed the complex flow of information.
"It's not just about the physical act of breathing... It's a fusion of spirit and essence."
"It's mostly different from the incomplete breathing thod I practiced before, except for the beginning parts." A thought sparked: "Is it structured like this intentionally, to make the transition easier once the foundation is laid?"
As Su Mu absorbed the information, the core concept beca clear. "So, it's about aligning my breath with the ambient spiritual energy and a special type of Yin energy drawn primarily from the moon," she thought, piecing together the complex pathways and energy flows described.
"Channeling them through the specific spiritual runes described in the thod… Basically, it's a complete drawing about how to draw power from the lunar cycles."
The information stread with flawless precision, explaining the significance of different lunar phases for optimal cultivation, the delicate balance required between Yin and Yang energies within her own spiritual core, and the ticulous, consistent practice needed to unlock the technique's true potential.
It was far more sophisticated than anything she had learned before.
As the details continued to settle, Su Mu sensed the resonance between the artifacts in the box and the Lunar Disc Breathing thod.
The various spiritual crystals likely served specific purposes related to the technique, perhaps enhancing focus, purifying energy, or providing raw power during crucial stages.
And the light blue necklace ... "It seems designed to passively gather that special Yin energy," she hypothesized, "or maybe it can absorb free spiritual energy from the surroundings, assisting in speeding up my cultivation."
"Patience and focus," Su Mu whispered to herself, her ntal energy fully attuned to the jade crystal's lingering resonance.
Her father's warning about the thod's secrecy and importance echoed in her mind.
"My first priority now is to master the Lunar Disc Breathing thod. I need to start as soon as possible."
Making her decision, she carefully placed the jade crystal and the other artifacts back into the box, except for the necklace, which she fastened around her neck.
The cool touch of the charm against her skin was strangely comforting.
She settled herself cross-legged on the floor, closed her eyes, and took a slow, deliberate breath, preparing to begin her first attempt at the true breathing thod of her lineage.
In the blink of an eye, the room fell into a profound silence, broken only by the soft, rhythmic pattern of her initial breaths and the quiet purr of Little Black, who had curled up near the foot of the bed, watching her with those intelligent erald eyes.
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