“This is the basic cultivation for the Foundation Establishment stage. As for the road ahead, I’ll tell you once you’ve nearly reached it. Knowing too much now won’t do you any good.”
Lin Huanhuan nodded, thinking silently to herself, ‘Master didn’t mention a few key points just now. To reach the peak of Foundation Establishment, one must at least achieve an Earth Dao Foundation.’
Song Zhuying stood up and walked toward a stalk of Cloud Bamboo. The bamboo’s segments were thick and its entire body was a jade-white color, covered in faint, cloud-like patterns.
Song Zhuying plucked a bamboo leaf, held it between two fingers, and gently let go. The leaf was caught by the wind, hovering in midair. She smiled and asked, “Huanhuan, what do you think wind is?”
“What is wind?”
Lin Huanhuan thought about it carefully before offering her insight. “I think wind is essentially the movement of air. Different places have different temperatures, and the difference between them creates a pressure differential. Air then flows from high pressure to low pressure to fill the gap. This process is what forms wind.”
Song Zhuying’s eyes brightened, and she chuckled. “That’s not bad. You’re partially right. That’s a very novel answer; I suppose it can be explained that way.”
Song Zhuying continued slowly, “According to the most conventional explanation, wind is a type of spiritual energy found between heaven and earth. It is also one of the flow forms of natural essence, a product of Yin and Yang.”
“But my understanding is that wind originates from the entire world. It can be anything in existence. Wind can transform into all things, and all things can be transformed into wind. It is formless, yet it has substance.”
Song Zhuying went on with a long explanation. Lin Huanhuan’s head began to throb. She heard the words, but she simply couldn’t comprehend them.
Song Zhuying shook her head and smiled. “Perhaps I’m making it too complicated. Let me try another way.”
She pointed to the nearby Cloud Bamboo. “If I wanted you to cut down a stalk of Cloud Bamboo using only Wind Path methods, what would you do?”
Lin Huanhuan immediately grinned. “Isn’t that simple? I’d use a Wind Blade, of course! I’ll demonstrate it for you, Master.”
As she spoke, she flicked her wrist and sent out a Wind Blade. The blade of wind instantly sliced through the entire stalk of Cloud Bamboo.
“The attack power is decent.”
Song Zhuying nodded and added, “That Wind Blade of yours used about one strand of spiritual energy. That might work against a small number of enemies, but what if there are many? What would you do then?”
“Then I’d use a large-scale Wind Path spell, obviously.”
“And what if the enemies aren’t just numerous, but also individually strong?”
“Uh…” A flash of panic appeared on Lin Huanhuan’s face, but she stubbornly replied, “Then I’ll take spiritual energy recovery pills and wear them down!”
“What if you run out of pills and the enemies are still coming in an endless stream? What then?”
Faced with Song Zhuying’s relentless questioning, Lin Huanhuan really wanted to say: ‘Then I’ll just die in front of them!’ But seeing the serious expression on Song Zhuying’s face, she could only swallow those words. She shook her head with a bitter smile. “Then I’d be out of options. Master, what do you think I should do?”
“Have you ever thought about it? Could the Wind Path spiritual energy you release undergo a cycle? Could it circulate at an extremely high speed and return to your Dao Foundation? That way, there would only be a minimal loss, and your recovery speed would be greatly enhanced. Don’t you agree?”
Lin Huanhuan was stunned. Song Zhuying continued, “Other paths might not be able to do it, but the Wind Path can. Wind is formless and swift. While its attack might not be the strongest, its methods are varied. This is one of its key applications.”
Lin Huanhuan found it hard to believe. “You can do that? Isn’t that a bit of a cheat?”
Song Zhuying tilted her head. “The Wind Path lacks the attack power of Sword, Lightning, or Fire Paths. It lacks the defense of Earth or Water Paths, the recovery of the Wood Path, and the trickery of Ice or Poison Paths. What’s wrong with having a few little tricks?”
“…I guess that makes sense.”
“Alright. Follow this line of thought and start cutting Cloud Bamboo with Wind Blades. I’ll watch from the side and guide you if you do anything wrong.”
“Wait, Master, aren’t you going to teach me a specific method or something?”
“This kind of thing depends on yourself. Besides, won’t I be right here to guide you? If I taught you everything, to be honest, I would be harming you. You’ll understand in the future.”
Song Zhuying spoke with earnest well-intentions, and Lin Huanhuan had no choice but to obey.
Song Zhuying sat to the side while Lin Huanhuan repeatedly used Wind Blades to strike the nearby Cloud Bamboo. Because Song Zhuying was present, she didn’t even dare to use her Super Inner Demon to cheat. It wasn’t that she was afraid of being caught, but she worried that if her first ten attempts were perfect and the ones after that were messy, any fool would be able to see something was wrong. It was better not to take the risk.
After firing off several hundred Wind Blades, nearly exhausting the spiritual energy in her Dao Foundation, a large gap had been cleared in the Cloud Bamboo forest. Lin Huanhuan stood in place, panting heavily, yet she still hadn’t grasped the knack of it.
Song Zhuying stood up and walked over to her. She gently grasped Lin Huanhuan’s wrist and said softly, “Huanhuan, you’re being too impatient. When you mobilize your spiritual energy, don’t just blindly throw it out. You have to feel it with your heart.”
Her wrist was held by a soft, delicate hand. They were so close that Lin Huanhuan only had to shift slightly to brush against Song Zhuying’s skin. She could even smell a faint scent of bamboo, which made her feel refreshed.
Lin Huanhuan’s face instantly flushed. She didn’t understand why Song Zhuying was leaning so close. She whispered a reminder, “Master, aren’t we a bit too close? This isn’t very appropriate.”
Song Zhuying tilted her head, not understanding. “Why is it not appropriate? I’m guiding you. If I’m too far away, it’s not convenient.”
Lin Huanhuan’s lip twitched. She hurriedly said, “Even though we’re both girls, did you forget, Master? I like girls too! And didn’t you say when I first joined that I shouldn’t have any strange thoughts about you?”
“With you being this close to me, it’s hard for me — not — to have strange thoughts!”
Song Zhuying said thoughtfully, “Oh, so strange thoughts are what cause this feeling of heat throughout the body.”
“Wait, Master, did you really not know about this kind of thing before?”
“I had some understanding, but it wasn’t very clear. I know a bit more now.”
Lin Huanhuan said anxiously, “Since you know, then hurry up and move back! Master, do you really not know what personal space is? If I really can’t hold myself back later, don’t come crying to me.”
Only then did Song Zhuying take two steps back, though she grumbled, “But it’s really inconvenient from further away.”
Lin Huanhuan rolled her eyes and complained speechlessly, “Master, don’t get this close to people so casually in the future. If I were a bad person, you’d be in danger.”
Song Zhuying smiled. “Don’t worry, I understand. I only got this close because you’re my disciple. I wouldn’t be like this with anyone else.”