The Inn’s Generosity and the Manual’s Revelation

“Wait, junior sister… well, what the innkeeper said isn’t entirely unreasonable. It’s truly unsuitable for a young woman like you to be out alone at this hour, especially since other inns might not even have vacancies.”

“And what junior sister said is also true; it’s improper for men and women to touch, lest your reputation be sullied. So, if you don’t mind, junior sister, you can have the room to yourself. I… I’ll just make do in the lobby for the night!”

Before I could truly step out of the inn’s main hall, a rough, yet somewhat embarrassed voice called out from behind me. I turned back in slight surprise, only to find it was Peng Shuxiong, Third Brother Peng, who had spoken.

“Oh, how could I possibly inconvenience senior brother like this? I truly appreciate your kindness, but I should still go out and try my luck!”

Hearing him, I was naturally a little touched. However, our acquaintance had only spanned a single day, and moreover, as a boy before, I had even treated others to drinks… In short, I would feel quite awkward if someone had to sleep in the inn’s lobby because of me.

‘Of course, that applies to him. If it were someone like Guo Hao or Linghu Ruoxu from my dorm, I’d probably kick them out to sleep without any psychological burden, wouldn’t I?’

“No, no inconvenience at all, junior sister. Your personal safety is paramount, and there’s no need for you to take that risk. I… I…” He waved his hands in a hurry, but his words trailed off halfway. He stammered and hesitated for a long moment before quietly adding the last few words, “I’d be worried…”

His words made my face flush with heat. I inwardly cursed myself for being useless; though I was now a girl, I had been a boy for so many years. Shouldn’t my skin have long since thickened to be as impenetrable as a city wall’s corner? Why was I so ineffective?

“So, that’s how it is… but this lobby is so cold and bleak; how could anyone sleep here?” I murmured.

As I glanced around, I saw the inn staff member I had just given a cold shoulder to, now looking on with an expectant expression. Seeing me look at him, he immediately chimed in.

“Little… esteemed lady… this gentleman speaks the truth! The night is late, the roads are dark, and some unsavory characters might be lurking, preying on lone young women. You should really heed his advice!”

“If the lobby isn’t suitable, there’s a woodshed he could stay in! I guarantee to make it comfortable and warm for this gentleman. What do you think?”

Turning my gaze once more, I saw Peng Shuxiong’s honest face was filled with earnest anticipation. My resolve softened somewhat. Considering it was the middle of the night and I had lost all my martial arts, it wouldn’t be right to venture out alone. I could only bow my head slightly and nod, speaking softly.

“Then I thank you, Senior Brother Peng Shuxiong. I will surely repay this kindness and virtue in time…”

“Ah, yes, yes… no, no, no… it’s merely a small favor, nothing to mention. We’re all from Tianwu University, and you’re a junior sister, so it’s only right, only right…” The simple-hearted giant, seeing my agreement, quickly uttered a few polite pleasantries, though they were a little jumbled and incoherent, making me, standing nearby, couldn’t help but smile faintly.

“Senior brother, don’t be so modest. If I say I will repay you, I will naturally repay you!” I continued softly, then turned to the innkeeper. “Since that’s settled, please take me to my room first. I truly am a bit tired…”

Hearing this, the inn staff member beamed with delight, agreeing profusely as he led me to the guest rooms behind the hall. Faintly, I could still hear someone grumbling from the lobby behind us.

“Damn it, Third Brother Peng! We thought you were honest, but you’re actually exceedingly cunning! You hogged all the good deeds, making us brothers look like terrible people in front of junior sister!”

From the voice, it must have been Guo Hao without a doubt. Following his complaint, a chorus of agreement immediately erupted, along with what sounded like Third Brother Peng getting playfully knocked on the head.

****

The grand lamps were extinguished, and the water clock chimed softly. I cautiously double-locked the room door, then secured the wrought iron chain. Only then did I let out a long breath.

Turning, I sat on the edge of the bed, leaving only a single bedside lamp lit. After listening quietly for a while and confirming that no one was spying, I retrieved the black cloth package my Master had given me before our farewell and carefully opened it under the light.

The first thing that caught my eye was a neatly folded piece of paper. Opening it, I found it was an admission notice. Faintly printed on the background was the gate of Tianwu University’s West Campus, with the school’s nameplate, personally inscribed by the Taizong Emperor of this dynasty, extremely prominent.

At the center of the notice, written in an elegant, ornamental script, were the words: “This is to formally admit student Dongfang Bubai as a special enrollment student in our school’s Faculty of Foreign Studies, specializing in the Sun Moon Divine Cult program!” Below, a small line of text was appended: “Permanently valid, regardless of changes.” In the bottom right corner, the name “Dugu Sheng” was signed with flowing, vigorous strokes, accompanied by the principal’s official seal.

Gazing at this admission notice, I felt a sense of bewilderment. Just a few months prior, I had received an almost identical one. Yet, life is unpredictable; who could have imagined that a mere hundred days later, I would be holding another admission notice, heading to Tianwu University to re-enroll?

Besides the notice, the package also contained a stack of miscellaneous documents. Judging by the text on them, they appeared to be materials for household registration at the prefectural yamen. There were also several labeled bottles and jars, along with a few small gold ingots.

At the very bottom, wrapped in three layers of oil paper, lay a square-bound book. On its cover, a column of four clerical script characters was barely discernible. It was none other than: “Sunflower Manual”!

My heart tensed. I knew this was a supreme treasure of the martial world, my Master’s lifelong unresolved issue, and the key to whether I could recover my martial arts and inner energy. I couldn’t help but nervously glance around, and only after confirming there were no disturbances did I slowly swallow a mouthful of saliva, then gently, carefully opened it.

The very first line, the opening general principle of the Sunflower Manual, was starkly written in blazing red characters, immediately catching the eye: “To cultivate divine power, wield the blade, self-castrate.”

I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. So, the rumors at school were indeed true. Yet, the senior who penned this manual was perhaps a little too honest, deliberately writing this sentence in vermillion ink to make it stand out! I secretly pondered the old senior’s intentions, surmising they aimed to make those cowardly individuals, who lacked the resolve to self-castrate for cultivation, lose heart at the sight of the peak and retreat in the face of difficulty.

After sighing for a moment at the meticulous efforts of this esteemed senior, I began to peruse the content following the red line. This martial arts manual was roughly divided into several sections.

It recorded various methods for cultivating qi, nourishing qi, and controlling qi, as well as techniques for harmonizing yin and yang, subduing yin with yang, and eradicating inner demons. Furthermore, it contained descriptions of innate True Qi and the various realms of cultivating this internal art. Finally, there were several sets of form-based martial arts designed to complement this unparalleled supreme Yin inner energy.