Chapter 11: Spatial Provisioning
Wang Hong entered the Dean's Office, finding Old Dean seated by the Tea Table, savoring his tea.
"Student Wang Hong, greetings to the Dean." After a few days' absence, Old Dean seed more spirited, with noticeably fewer white hairs.
"Haha! Wang Hong is here! No need for formality in my presence. Treat it like your own ho. Co, sit down and taste my tea. What do you think?" The warmth in their interaction might lead one to believe they were family.
Wang Hong took a seat nearby, and Old Dean handed him a cup of tea. Wang Hong, having been impoverished in the past, barely had enough to eat, let alone experience tea. This particular tea, with its initial bitterness followed by sweetness and a lingering fragrance, left an impression on his taste buds.
Expressing his appreciation for the excellent tea, Wang Hong's enthusiasm prompted Old Dean to share a wealth of knowledge about tea. Wang Hong listened attentively, occasionally interjecting with questions, leading to an enjoyable conversation.
After a while, Old Dean brought up official matters. "I observed your brisk and powerful strides when you entered the academy, full of vitality. But have you already taken the Immortal Pill?"
"Yes, indeed. I have taken the Immortal Pill and used it to break through to the Acquired stage," Wang Hong replied truthfully.
"That's good. I called you here precisely because of this matter. There are so rumors circulating outside; you might have heard a few. It's advisable not to venture out of the academy easily recently. While you carry the identity of an Immortal Older Brother, and no one would dare to harm you openly, there are those with misguided motives who might target you in the shadows."
Wang Hong nodded in understanding. In front of many people, he had taken the elixir to signify that he no longer possessed the Immortal Pill.
"Furthermore, there's an empty Small Courtyard on the west side of the academy. Move in; this is the key." Old Dean handed a key to Wang Hong.
Accepting the key, Wang Hong thanked Old Dean. As he was leaving, Old Dean also gave him a pound of tea leaves.
Using the key to unlock the gate, Wang Hong was greeted by a small lawn adorned with unfamiliar weeds and scattered wildflowers. Inside a wall about the height of a person were six rooms, complete with furniture, tables, chairs, benches, a kitchen, and other facilities.
On this night, Wang Hong broke his routine and did not engage in cultivation. Instead, he brought out a lounge chair, lay down on the lawn, and gazed at the starry sky. In his hand, he held a handful of raspberries, the favorite of his Younger Brother, savoring them slowly.
"I wonder how my Younger Brother is doing now? Is anyone bullying him?"
As the saying goes, the elder brother is like a father. Wang Hong reflected, "As the elder brother, I haven't taken good care of my Younger Brother. On the contrary, I've taken advantage of him gaining many benefits. A true man stands between heaven and earth, embodying principles and setting an example for others. How can I, Wang Hong, rely on the title of Immortal Older Brother to get by?"
Wang Hong stood up, summoned an Iron Spear from Spatial, and, after assuming a starting posture, began the "Immortal's Guidance" and "Azure Dragon Erges from the Sea" movents. The spear displayed both real and illusory, with peculiar and precise techniques. It advanced sharply, retreated swiftly, with perilous montum and short intervals. Motionless as a mountain, yet thunderous as a lightning strike. Wang Hong practiced the set of movents known as the "Thunderous Spear Technique" more than ten tis until the moon reached its zenith, leaving him drenched in sweat.
After a refreshing shower, Wang Hong entered Spatial and went to sleep. Several hours passed within Spatial, but only a quarter of an hour had elapsed in the outside world. Erging from Spatial, Wang Hong, though ntally refreshed, still felt physical fatigue. Moving his muscles caused soreness, prompting him to begin ditating and cultivating his inner strength.
Wang Hong has successfully opened the Governor Vessel ridian, entering the Acquired stage. The next step is to open the remaining six ridians of the Eight Extraordinary ridians, naly the "Thrusting ridian," "Girdle ridian," "Yin Linking ridian," "Yang Linking ridian," "Yin Heel ridian," and "Yang Heel ridian." Only when all Eight Extraordinary ridians are opened can one be considered to have completed the entire cultivation of the Acquired stage.
Opening the Governor Vessel ridian is already quite challenging. For most people, it takes several years of normal cultivation, and so may even need ten to twenty years to enter the Acquired stage. Opening the remaining six ridians is even more difficult, and the majority of martial practitioners may reach a plateau at the Acquired stage. Only a very small number of martial artists can open all Eight Extraordinary ridians in their lifeti, thus entering the Innate stage. Innate practitioners, in turn, need to open the six ridians of the hands and feet, totaling twelve ridians.
Wang Hong continued his cultivation until dawn, stabilizing the recently opened Governor Vessel ridian to so extent. At this rate, reaching the Innate stage seed like a task that would take an extended period.
Wang Hong's plan was to cultivate at least until the Innate stage before venturing to Qingxu Mountain in search of Qingxu Immortal City. The journey ahead was fraught with dangers, and Wang Hong did not want to be devoured by ferocious beasts halfway.
"It seems I need to figure sothing out. Those dicinal Herbs in Spatial should be helpful; I just don't know how to use them."
After the morning Battle Formation Drill, Wang Hong, without eating, went to the Library and borrowed a stack of dical Books. Carrying them back, he muttered along the way, "It's true what they say: one regrets not having enough books when needed. I should read more in the future."
Back at the small courtyard, Wang Hong took out so Spatial Produce Rice Grains, which he had long wanted to eat but hadn't had the chance. These Rice Grains were as thick as a finger, golden-yellow, emitting an enticing fragrance of rice.
Wang Hong grabbed a handful, rubbed off the husk with a twist of his hands, blew away the chaff, leaving behind grains the size of fingertips, sparkling and white.
Wang Hong processed more than a pound of rice before tossing it into the pot. He brought the water to a boil first, then simred it over a very low fla. Only the intermittent wafts of the rice fragrance were noticeable, making Wang Hong feel like his throat was reaching out.
Using an iron pot to cook rice, a high fla after the water boils easily results in burning, and the lid should not be opened in the middle; otherwise, the rice might turn undercooked. It has to be slowly simred over low heat, producing fragrant rice with a good texture and a crispy rice layer at the bottom. Wang Hong was an expert in cooking, though he hadn't had many opportunities before due to his past poverty.
It took nearly half an hour for the rice to cook thoroughly. The cooked rice was translucent, fluffy, and each grain sparkled. Wang Hong didn't bother with any dishes; he devoured six large bowls, still not satisfied. Using a spatula, he scraped off the crispy rice at the bottom, holding it as a post-al snack.
After eating, Wang Hong felt a subtle warmth in his abdon, not as intense as when he had taken the Immortal Pill last ti. Wang Hong ditated with crossed legs for two hours. The heat in his abdon disappeared, and the newly opened Governor Vessel ridian had beco much more stable. At this rate, only five or six more tis would be needed to completely stabilize it.
Wang Hong felt ecstatic. The power gained from cultivating after just one al was equivalent to the daily practice of four or five days.
"Haha! As long as I eat two als a day, I can achieve a cultivation speed nearly ten tis faster than others. In the future, I can also pretend to be a genius."
Wang Hong made a few pancakes with Spatial Wheat and ate them, finding the effect similar to that of Spatial rice.
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