Exchanging Pointers (4)

Verdant Leaves Gathering Technique.

Amongst the few readily available Spiritual Gathering Technique, this one could be said to be the best match for those with a Wood-Based Spiritual Soul. But being the best doesn't mean it was flawless. As best as it could be, this technique still has some part that was considered problematic.

One of them was to get as close to nature as the user could.

Because the Spiritual Gathering Technique efficiency is greatly affected by the state of mind, their surroundings often play a significant role in increasing their efficiency.

An easy example would be comparing between a Fire-Based and Water-Based Spiritual Soul awakener. A Fire user would thrive if they're cultivating near the base of an active volcano but might find it harder to concentrate if they're around the rivers or lake. A Water-Based user might feel comfortable when cultivating under the rain, but not when he was doing it in the hot summer.

It might be a slight difference, but they play a significant role here in terms of efficiency.

But for the Verdant Leaves Gathering Technique user, the meaning of getting as close to nature would be undressing to the point nothing left on them. And this was the sole reason why Xia Xuan-Xuan's face turned rosy like a ripened peach.

'Was... Was he intending to do this from the start? I can't believe that behind that uninterested look of his... He would actually try to take advantage of me this way!' Xia Xuan-Xuan's head was clouded by the sense of embarrassment about getting undress before Yanglin.

Seating and cultivating on top of a male's bed while using a Verdant Leaves Gathering Technique technique... Was this not a provocation and temptation if such behavior of hers was spreading out of this house? Would there be people still willing to take her as their bride if people misunderstood her?

"N - N - No!!!" Xia Xuan-Xuan raised her voice out of sudden to reject Yanglin's perverted suggestion. Her rejection came at Yanglin like a slap on his face.

"Then... Just try to remember what I told you. What you need to do is imagine that you're trying to fill the teacup full with water. The Realm Vessel was the cup, and the Spiritual Energy around you was the water." Yanglin said.

"If you stumble across something troublesome again, then feel free to look for me again," he added. Because he didn't go through the book's content in the earlier pages, he's still clueless about the requirement and conditions to efficiently practice this Spiritual Gathering Technique.

"I - I'll leave first!" Xia Xuan-Xuan was leaving his place in a hurry. Her panicky face looked no different from a rabbit entered a lion's den. Escaping from this place seems to be the one and only thing in her mind right now.

"What was she trying to do anyway? I haven't even started to make fun of her yet. Don't tell me I caught her in the act, and that's why she tried to escape before I embarrass her?" Yanglin was puzzled by her change of attitude. He had no idea that they resemble one another.

"Huh... Huh... Huh... Oh my... My heart is beating too quickly... Calm down, please..." Xia Xuan-Xuan shut herself in her room after getting back to her home. The nervousness from before was still evident on the two peach-like cheeks of hers. If her mother were to see her face right now, she'd be wondering which handsome young master got her haughty daughter flustered to this extent.

...

...

...

The broken hut was once again quiet without external disturbance.

Felling that he can finally continue cultivating in peace, Yanglin once again sat cross-legged on top of that hardened bed. It might not be as comfortable as the Spiritual Gathering Mat provided during his awakening. Still, it was better than not having anything or sitting on the floor.

Like before, the Spiritual Energy around him was gathered right above his head before spun into a spiraling cone that gradually flowed into his tiny Realm Vessel.

Time passed by hours. When he finally gathered about a dozen worth of Clarity Foundation Pill, the process of having the golden thread mantra drilling into his bone and flesh repeated. This continues at least once a day.

...

...

...

A month later.

"Ah... I haven't memorized the entire book yet." complained one of the few that awakened their Spiritual Soul on the same day as Yanglin. Yanglin, Xia Xuan-Xuan, and the youth who tried to ask them questions were much better from their looks.

Especially the youth.

His name was Tong Xun, the only son of the Bronze Lion Escort Agency's leader. Judging from how confident he seems, he must have quite a breeze in his cultivation.

In comparison, Yanglin and Xia Xuan-Xuan were less fortunate as he was. As the only son of the escort agency's leader, it was only natural that he was better off in stabilizing his own cultivation. It was not compulsory to rely only on the foundation pill one produced themselves to improve their cultivation.

Many cultivators that were much better off could boost their cultivation speed by exchanging the resources they need through something else. And Tong Xun was one of the examples. Liu Shuixian was another excellent example, but since she awakened much earlier than this batch, it was understandable why she hardly mingles with them.

"The two of you seem doing quite well. I was surprised to see there is more than one person that able to catch up with my current level." Tong Xun said with his hand crossed on his chest.

But that was not the only surprise. It seems that Tong Xun not only practiced a Spiritual Gathering Technique but a Body Tempering Technique as well. It was evident that his body had already started to undergo the baptism of Body Tempering based on the faint Spiritual Energy seeping out from his body.

"Heh... What uses you try to catch up with brother Tong? No matter how much you try, the reward for the most significant potential candidate will go to our brother Tong." the other guy said. He's still trying to fawn over Tong Xun with flowery words.

"You looked pretty confident. No wonder your family keeps injecting resources on you." Yanglin gives him a thumbs up while praising him.

"Wh - What did you mean by that sentence?" Tong Xun revealed a puzzled expression.

"Is that not wrong? One that got spoonfed is actually barely getting fatter than the two of us. I wonder where did those resources you ate go." Yanglin added. What he said made Xia Xuan-Xuan almost spit out the bit of saliva she was going to swallow.