C9 There Were so Many Crystals That There Was No Place to Spend Them.(1)

Just as the hour of Yin struck, Zhong Wen, with a heart brimming with joy, moved swiftly through the forest, his steps as light as air. To the observant eye, his toes barely grazed the ground like a dragonfly skimming water, his body seemingly suspended in midair, his movements graceful and nimble, his pace astonishingly quick.

The Cloud Immortal Step, an exquisitely sophisticated technique of movement, was typically reserved for disciples of Medicine King Valley to harvest spiritual herbs from cliffs and precarious locations. To Zhong Wen, such limited use was tantamount to squandering a precious gift.

Empowered by spiritual energy, he now executed the technique with ease, reveling in the evening breeze caressing his face, the trees blurring past him, giving him the exhilarating sense of being as fleet as the wind itself. He mused, "If I were to deliver packages, would there be any chance for the other couriers?"

He had unearthed the true potential of the Cloud Immortal Step.

Upon opening the Storage Ring in Medicine King Valley, Zhong Wen was astounded by the contents within. The Valley Master had deemed Spirit Crystals unworthy of the ring's space. Within the ten cubic meters lay not only the Valley Master's personal alchemy furnace and acupuncture needles but also a trove of rare treasures, precious medicinal herbs, and seeds. A cluster of Spirit Crystal Cores lay discarded in a corner, as if they were mere trinkets, keeping company with the ordinary crystals Zhong Wen had added.

The ring's herbs and seeds, unlike those cultivated in Medicine King Valley, thrived with life, unaffected by time's passage. This was a hallmark of the Storage Ring—within its confines, time stood still, preserving items unchanged, which also meant it could not house living creatures.

In addition to amassing wealth to rival nations, Zhong Wen stumbled upon an unexpected delight.

Before departing Medicine King Valley, parched, he sought to quench his thirst from the lake. But the water that touched his lips was so briny, so acridly salty, that he spat it out in shock. Frustration gave way to wonder as he realized—he had discovered a saltwater lake!

Zhong Wen, who had been subsisting on a meager diet of simple tea and plain rice, silently retrieved the Medicine King Valley Lord's alchemy furnace from his storage ring. He filled it to the brim with lake water and took it with him.

If the Medicine King Valley Master ever discovered that his prized, expensively crafted alchemy furnace was being used as a vessel for lake water, he'd likely be so furious that his very skeleton might rise from its resting place to haul Zhong Wen away.

By the time Zhong Wen made it back to the Floating Flower Palace, it was nearing the break of dawn, with the first hints of light whitening the sky.

Having recently advanced to the Human Wheel Realm, Zhong Wen's spiritual energy was scant. Despite the Cloud Immortal Step being a low-energy technique, he was drenched in sweat from the exertion.

He eased the door open and to his surprise, found Lau Qiqi already in the courtyard, diligently practicing her swordplay.

Was she always this dedicated?

Their eyes met, and a fleeting awkwardness hung between them.

"Did you go out last night?" Lau Qiqi inquired, her voice tinged with caution.

"I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep, so I went for a run to get some exercise," Zhong Wen quickly improvised.

"Your body really is quite weak," Lau Qiqi observed, noting Zhong Wen's heavy breathing and sweat-soaked appearance. She seemed to buy his story. "Go freshen up in the back. Without any spiritual energy training, you're prone to catching a cold if you don't dry off properly."

Zhong Wen nodded. "Miss Lau, do you always start your sword practice this early?"

"My master gets up even earlier," Lau Qiqi replied, her eyes shining with reverence as she spoke of her mentor. "I can only hope to one day reach my master's level."

"With your dedication, I have no doubt you'll get there," Zhong Wen said, offering a supportive smile before dashing off to his room for a washbasin and heading to the backyard well for water.

As Zhong Wen walked away, Lau Qiqi watched his retreating figure, sensing a subtle change in him that she couldn't quite identify.

She shook her head, puzzled, but quickly refocused on her sword training.

Back in his room, Zhong Wen peeled off his shirt and used a cloth to dab his body with water from the basin. Despite the summer season, Breeze Mountain wasn't particularly hot, and the well water felt cool against his skin. Thankfully, having begun his practice of the One-energy Longevity Technique, he found the chill bearable.

He had just finished wiping down his torso and was stepping out of his trousers when a knock sounded at the door.

"Come in!" Zhong Wen called, hastily pulling his pants back up.

Mrs. Wang entered, her cheeks tinting with color at the sight of Zhong Wen shirtless. However, she didn't shy away, instead eyeing him with a curious gaze.

"What can I do for you, Mrs. Wang?" Zhong Wen inquired, reaching for his shirt.

"I was about to do laundry and wondered if you had any clothes that needed washing. I could take care of them for you," Mrs. Wang said, her voice soft and soothing. "Since you're freshening up, I can take whatever you've changed out of."

"I... only have these clothes," Zhong Wen admitted, scratching his head sheepishly.

Mrs. Wang paused, then burst into laughter. "Oh, I apologize, I wasn't thinking. Let me take your measurements, Young Master Zhong. I'll pick up some fitting garments for you when I head down the mountain for groceries."

Widow Wang was naturally attractive, and her laughter only added to her allure, making Zhong Wen's heart race.

"Mrs. Wang, you're going down the mountain? May I join you?" Zhong Wen's outlook had shifted dramatically overnight; he was no longer apprehensive and had grown curious about the world below.

"Breeze Mountain is quite high, Mr. Zhong. With your recent recovery, wouldn't descending be too exhausting?" she asked.

"Not at all, I'm nearly back to full health. More rest might actually do me harm. Some exercise could be just what I need to aid my recovery," Zhong Wen replied, shaking his head. "And Mrs. Wang, please, no more 'Young Master Zhong.' If it's all the same to you, just call me Zhong Wen."

"Alright then, Zhong Wen, let's head down the mountain together later. I'll show you around the village and we can pick up a few sets of ready-to-wear clothes," Mrs. Wang said with a smile.

"Then, just give me a moment, I need to wipe... my body again," Zhong Wen stammered, awkwardly avoiding the words "private parts."

"I'll tidy up a bit more, and we'll meet in the courtyard shortly," Mrs. Wang, being worldly-wise, quickly caught on to his embarrassment, smiled, and closed the door behind her as she left.

Once Mrs. Wang was out of sight, Zhong Wen breathed a sigh of relief, hurriedly finished his washing, and quickly dressed in his still-damp clothes. He then made his way to the courtyard.

Mrs. Wang was already there waiting by the gate, dressed in a light yellow cotton outfit cinched at the waist with a rose-red sash that highlighted her slender figure.

"What are these?" Zhong Wen inquired, eyeing the large cloth bags in each of Mrs. Wang's hands.

"These are for trade. We'll be taking them down the mountain to sell," Mrs. Wang replied, her slight frame managing the heavy bags with ease.

"Let me carry those for you," Zhong Wen offered eagerly.

"No, no, you're our guest. It wouldn't be right to have you carry these," Mrs. Wang demurred, shaking her head.

Without further ado, Zhong Wen took the bags from her hands. "It wouldn't be proper to let a lady do the heavy lifting when I'm here," he insisted.

"Zhong Wen, what are you saying? With an old woman like me around, it's not fitting to have you gentlemen do such dirty work," Mrs. Wang said, clearly not grasping his point of view in a world that favored men over women.

"Old? Mrs. Wang, if you hadn't mentioned it, I would have mistaken you for a young lady of noble birth in her prime," Zhong Wen complimented.

Mrs. Wang burst into laughter, bending over with mirth. "I took you for a straight-laced fellow, but you're quite the charmer," she teased.

Their banter brought them closer, and they continued their descent from the mountain, chatting and laughing all the way.

Zhong Wen hoisted two hefty cloth bags, feeling an endless stream of spiritual energy coursing through his limbs and bones. Despite trekking along the mountain path for the better part of the day, he wasn't the least bit fatigued—a testament to the remarkable One-energy Longevity Technique.

Ahead of him, Mrs. Wang moved with a surprising lightness and vigor.

"Mrs. Wang, are you also a practitioner?" Zhong Wen inquired, unable to contain his curiosity.

"Me? Just a simple farmwife. I'm not blessed with such fortunes. I've been working at the Floating Flower Palace, and the Palace Lord, taking pity on my hard labor, shared some Qi Training methods with me. I've kept at it daily, and it's done wonders for my health. Now, climbing these mountain trails doesn't wear me out at all."

"It sounds like the Palace Lord of the Floating Flower Palace is quite the benevolent soul," Zhong Wen remarked with admiration.

"Palace Lord Lin is akin to a Bodhisattva incarnate, a celestial being among us," Mrs. Wang replied, her face aglow with respect.

Their pace was swift, and before long, they reached the base of the mountain. From there, Zhong Wen could make out the lush greenery of the fields stretching out in the distance.