Qi Cultivation and the Full Moon Dream

Wugou had resided in the Skill Transmission Pavilion for precisely one month. Today marked the next selection day for Saint Water Palace’s island disciples.

Elder Zhu Manzhi and Martial Uncle Zhu Youji, who occasionally frequented the Qi Refining Hall, were assuredly absent today.

The Qi Refining Hall comprised nine sub-halls, each corresponding to one of the nine stages of Qi Refining, from the first to the ninth.

Each time a disciple advanced their cultivation, they were required to move to the corresponding Qi Refining sub-hall, until they successfully established their foundation and departed.

The entire Qi Refining Hall was enveloped by a potent Spirit Gathering Formation. Inside, it was incredibly spacious, with large yellow prayer mats placed approximately every ten steps.

Meditating upon these mats significantly accelerated the rate of spirit gathering.

Disciples who entered Saint Water Palace and failed to establish their foundation within eight years faced only two paths: they either departed the island or were relegated to the ranks of outer sect disciples, performing menial tasks.

Consequently, during their first year after being selected and their final year, when their drive was at its peak, most opted to live within the hall itself.

This naturally led to Qi Refining Hall One and Qi Refining Hall Nine being the most populated, yet also the quietest, among all the halls.

Only when hungry, attending to bodily needs, or bathing would these individuals briefly leave. Consequently, it was a common sight to find disciples asleep on the prayer mats within the hall.

“Wow, look! That kid over there has been coming to the Skill Transmission Pavilion for about a month now. Every time, he only shows up near noon, immediately flops down to sleep, and leaves as soon as he wakes up. He’s totally amazing, haha!”

Sensing that he was being discussed, Wugou subtly opened one eye. He merely flicked his gaze, discerning no trace of Elder Zhu.

Still, his eyelids felt heavy. He continued to sleep.

This acute wariness had been sharpened over the past month, a direct result of his unceasing battle of wits with Elder Zhu.

For the first two days, Wugou had been relatively well-behaved. After that, he began to experiment with slacking off.

The time he spent on the prayer mat each day progressively shortened, until, finally, Zhu Manzhi discovered his antics.

Inevitably, a session of head-knocks and butt-smacks followed.

It wasn’t until the seventh day of Wugou’s Qi Refining practice that his auditory senses had grown remarkably keen. The moment anyone near him bowed to Zhu Manzhi upon his entry into the hall, Wugou would instantly become aware.

This allowed Wugou to evade Zhu Manzhi for two consecutive days. Zhu Manzhi, during those two days, simply presumed his persistent supervision was finally yielding results.

It wasn’t until the ninth day that Lu Jinhan reported him. Another beating ensued…

So-called Qi Refining involves condensing the vital essence and blood within one’s body, using the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to catalyze its transformation into true qi.

This continues until a sufficient volume of true qi has accumulated. Then, through internal visualization, one circulates the true qi throughout the body, clearing all meridians, purifying the essence, until the foundation is successfully established.

On the tenth day, Wugou perceived a sensation of qi within his body. However, his qi sensation was unusually intense.

The moment he began cultivating, the speed at which his vital essence and blood transformed into true qi was unbelievably fast. Almost invariably, the accumulated vital essence would vanish in a mere instant.

Consequently, Wugou felt even more sleepy.

By the fifteenth day, every disciple in Qi Refining Hall One was acutely aware of Wugou, this notorious slacker.

His “glorious record” of sleeping for fifteen consecutive days and enduring Elder Zhu’s relentless beatings gradually spread beyond Qi Refining Hall One, prompting disciples from the other eight halls to occasionally visit and witness this legendary figure for themselves.

Thus, Lu Jinhan no longer needed to tattle on him daily. Whenever Zhu Manzhi passed by Qi Refining Hall One and saw disciples snickering outside, it was a given that Wugou was undoubtedly asleep.

And so, Elder Zhu’s “Cloud-Stepping Art” would activate. Followed by two sharp “thwacks”…

Elder Zhu likely never conceived that his seemingly trivial “Cloud-Stepping Art” would one day prove so remarkably effective.

On the twentieth day, Wugou’s five senses had undergone further refinement. He had now firmly memorized the rhythm of Zhu Manzhi’s footsteps.

The instant Zhu Manzhi appeared within two hundred meters of him, Wugou’s body would spring up like a coiled spring. In the span of a single breath, he could assume the five-heart-to-heaven cultivation posture.

He peacefully spent five days in this manner. During this period, many shrewd disciples also observed Wugou’s peculiar ability.

Whenever they felt a bottleneck in their cultivation and their hearts were troubled, they, too, would want to secretly slack off.

At such times, all they needed to do was keep an eye on Wugou. When Wugou rose, so did the disciples in Qi Refining Hall One.

For several consecutive days, Zhu Manzhi failed to catch a single lazy disciple in Qi Refining Hall One. He, too, sensed something unusual.

By all logic, this should have been a good thing. But, Wugou was present, which complicated matters…

Therefore, on the twenty-sixth day, Zhu Youji became the one to patrol the hall. The result, predictably, was the same…

Yet, only a day later, Zhu Youji, too, could no longer catch Wugou in the act. By today, the thirtieth day, Wugou could now even sleep while simultaneously diverting a portion of his mind to detect if anyone nearby was discussing him.

The sun gradually set. The island’s temperature plummeted swiftly. Outside the Qi Refining Hall, the cries of seabirds echoed intermittently.

“You damn sissy, why are you staring at me? You’re giving me goosebumps all over!”

“You stinking rat, when did I ever stare at you? Don’t presume that just because you’re handsome, you can spout such nonsense!”

“Young Master Lu, cease your bickering. The other martial siblings are observing…”

Despite himself, the clamor of their argument roused Wugou. He cast a glance. It was Hua Youdie and Lu Jinhan, yet again.

It was strange indeed. No one knew why these two had become sworn enemies. Without fail, they would cause a disturbance at this hour every day.

However, in days past, patrolling inner sect disciples would arrive to mediate. But today was the selection day for those entering the island.

All inner sect disciples in the Skill Transmission Pavilion had been called away to handle the selection affairs. He wondered how long these two would persist.

Throughout the entire Qi Refining Hall, Wugou was only marginally familiar with these two individuals.

Hua Youdie, because every time Wugou visited Dijie Quarter for a meal, the fellow would inevitably gravitate towards him. Over time, Wugou had gained a slight understanding of Hua Youdie.

Despite his youth, the fellow was a master of every trickery and deception, possessing a thieving skill that left even Wugou, an immortal who had undergone several reincarnations, utterly astounded.

Furthermore, his cunning and slippery nature ensured he always found a scapegoat for his misdeeds. Thus, Wugou was always extra cautious when speaking with him, fearing he might be ensnared in the fellow’s schemes.

No wonder Lu Jinhan liked to call him “stinking rat.”

As for Lu Jinhan, from the moment he entered the sect, he had harbored an inexplicable animosity towards Wugou. Several times, Wugou’s beatings for slacking off were directly attributable to him.

But this fellow always seemed to be in a bad mood. According to Hua Youdie, on the day of the selections, this fellow was initially highly regarded and noticed by Elder Zhu Manzhi.

Yet, to his surprise, on the second day, when Zhu Manzhi sought out Lu Jinhan for a conversation, he was taken aback by Lu Jinhan’s somewhat effeminate self-reference.

From that point forward, while Zhu Manzhi continued to show Lu Jinhan considerable care, he steadfastly avoided any close proximity. Lu Jinhan’s peculiar demeanor would likely prove difficult to alter in the short term.

Thus, Hua Youdie enjoyed calling him “damn sissy.”

Wugou cast a final glance at the duo, shook his head, and walked away. In Wugou’s estimation, these two epitomized “trouble.” He had no desire to get involved.

It was already deep into the night when he returned to his Skill Transmission Pavilion dormitory in Dihui Quarter. Wugou’s dormitory was quite clean and spacious.

He had heard from Zhu Youji that this was a special privilege, a “backdoor,” that Ning Jing had specifically arranged for him alone. Wugou had indeed seen Hua Youdie’s room, and it was significantly smaller.

Wugou’s stepmother, Miaomiao, naturally had no grasp of such social intricacies. The exalted Palace Master Luo Bingyan would, of course, never consider such minute details.

Wugou hadn’t anticipated that Hall Master Ning Jing, a woman who appeared so boisterous and exuded an almost palpable aura of killing intent, would possess such a meticulous nature. The beautified portrait he had given her, it seemed, had not been for naught.

Pondering this, Wugou offered a knowing smile, contemplating whether to sketch Hall Master Ning a private bathing scene in the future. This was, after all, his forte.

He walked to his door, just about to close it.

“Wugou, we’ve come to see you! Haha!”

The voice had just reached him when Wugou felt an “unidentified mass” strike his face with considerable force.

Just as he moved to grasp it, a searing pain then erupted in his abdomen.

“Roar!”

Accompanied by a guttural growl, Wugou instantly lost his balance and plummeted heavily onto the floor. It took Wugou a significant moment to regain his composure from the dizzying impact.

“A-wu! Just you wait, I’m going to spank your butt!”