17 Participating In The Erudition Trials (3)

Bai Ye retired to her room, oblivious to the new title that was bestowed upon her, and its significance. She glanced out of the window in the direction of her house, reminiscing. After a moment, she took a seat and began her training.

"I have to quickly master Sensations." Bai Ye knew power was the only way to be in control of her life.

With that in mind, Bai Ye spent the whole night meditating.

Sunlight speared through the village streets. Sitting cross-legged on the heated platform was Bai Ye. Her body was encapsulated in an energy field that hummed softly.

Tendrils of green energy seeped out from her body. The energy had a rich, earthy scent.

Suddenly, a pain shot through Bai Ye's body. Her concentration broke like a tightly-wound lutestring.

She cried out in pain.

At this moment, Bai Ye felt her body spasm in response to the pain. Her nerve endings felt like they were on fire. She had been meditating and chanting the incantation taught by the spirit when the pain struck her.

She wondered if she had been overzealous in her attempts. She was unfamiliar with her family's practice, and recklessness could lead to irreversible disabilities. That would be bad...

Minutes passed before she regained her senses. The pain faded away and there was a sense of joy in her heart. She knew she had not overstepped any boundaries.

She felt strings snapping within, and she was sure it meant the Gates of Heavenly Spirits1 in her body were opened.

The vibrating sensation only faded after an hour.

Bai Ye exhaled deeply. When she breathed in, the sour odor of her body assaulted her nose.

It reminded her of the smell of the swamp from yesterday. It was revolting.

She made a beeline for the wash area. Although she was not the most hygienic person, the rotten smell was too strong to ignore. She had to get rid of the smell.

After four rounds of washing, she was finally free from the odor.

"Little Ye? Are you done? We'll have breakfast before we leave," Ji Fu hollered. A few seconds later, Bai Ye came to the table, dried and dressed.

Ji Fu studied the girl, an eyebrow raised.

"What's the matter?" Bai Ye was mildly worried she was not thorough with her washings.

The old man said nothing and gestured for Bai Ye to eat. The girl's Spiritual Energy had grown significantly from yesterday. He was proud of her progress.

The rate at which the girl was gaining Spiritual Energy was abnormally fast. The phenomenon supported Ji Fu's theory that Bai Ye was an extraordinary spirit host.

To have improved by leaps and bounds in just one night…

His excitement nearly made him drop his bowl of porridge. He redirected his mind to other things at hand.

"Are you alright, Grandpa Ji?" Concern was etched into Bai Ye's face. She wondered if she should check his pulse to see if he had had a stroke.

"I'm just a bit nervous. I haven't left the village in a long time," Ji Fu lied. He quickly excused himself from the table under the guise of checking on their food supplies for the journey.

She observed the old man for a second longer. Once satisfied, her focus returned to her breakfast. As she picked up her chopsticks, a green flash crossed her eyes.