After discussing the matter, Lin Xiao asked He Yi a few casual questions.
For instance, whether he was adapting well to life in the sect, if the food was to his liking, and if he was facing any difficulties in cultivation.
Everything seemed fine until Lin Xiao asked about cultivation, at which point He Yi spoke up.
"To be honest, Sect Master, I possess the talent of a single water spiritual root. However, when I attended the lesson at the sect's cultivation hall today, I found that none of the available cultivation techniques were suited to water spiritual roots. Moreover, for some reason, I am no longer able to cultivate using my previous method. Sect Master, you once mentioned that you would explain the reason and provide a solution once I joined the sect."
"Oh, right!" Lin Xiao smacked his forehead and retrieved a stack of cultivation technique manuals from his personal vault, handing them to He Yi.
"Here, these are the cultivation manuals of our sect. Given your current situation, you should find one of these suitable for your cultivation. Take them and choose whichever you prefer."
He Yi took the stack and, to his surprise, the first one on top was the very same manual Bai Shu had lent him during the lecture earlier: The Original Essence Sutra.
The stack of manuals was automatically arranged in order of rank by Lin Xiao's system, with the Original Essence Sutra—the highest-ranking technique—on top.
Lin Xiao had asked the system earlier, and it confirmed that all the sect's cultivation techniques could train Primordial Qi, but The Original Essence Sutra was the easiest to grasp and the most suitable for He Yi's condition.
Hence, Lin Xiao didn't give He Yi only the Original Essence Sutra; instead, he gave him a variety of manuals to choose from, understanding that cultivation was a personal journey, and one should pick a technique that best suited their preferences.
Watching He Yi seriously flipping through the manuals, Lin Xiao remarked, "Since you already have some cultivation experience, transitioning to these techniques shouldn't require you to discard your existing cultivation base. You'll likely progress faster than those starting from scratch. If you have any questions, feel free to ask the other disciples or the instructors at the cultivation hall during their morning lectures."
As he spoke, Lin Xiao pulled out a small booklet from his robe.
"Oh, and here. This is a record of my insights on how to comprehend and cultivate Primordial Qi from our sect's techniques. You can take a look."
This booklet was something Lin Xiao had compiled after his own breakthroughs with Primordial Qi, writing it during his free time before he went into seclusion. He had since made several copies and planned to place them in the cultivation hall and the sect's library.
He Yi nodded and accepted the booklet.
"Thank you, Sect Master."
"You're welcome. With diligent cultivation, it shouldn't be long before you regain control of your Golden Core power..." Lin Xiao trailed off mid-sentence, suddenly pausing.
Noticing something strange, He Yi looked up and saw Lin Xiao staring intently at him, eyes shining with realization.
"What's wrong?" He Yi asked, puzzled.
Why was Lin Xiao looking at him like he had spirit stones on his face?
Lin Xiao, now brimming with excitement, exclaimed, "Of course! We can do it this way!"
He Yi frowned. Do what this way?
Jumping up, Lin Xiao clapped both of He Yi's shoulders.
"If you can cultivate Primordial Qi, then you could be the one to activate the Fujing Treasure Array in the future!"
He Yi, still confused, asked, "But how could I possibly cultivate Primordial Qi...?" He stopped mid-sentence, realizing something. He glanced down at the booklet Lin Xiao had just handed him.
He had initially taken it casually, assuming it was just cultivation insights. However, he hadn't paid attention to Lin Xiao's mention of Primordial Qi earlier.
"This... can cultivate Primordial Qi?!" He Yi asked in astonishment, holding up the booklet and the manuals.
"Yes, indeed," Lin Xiao confirmed with a nod.
Suddenly remembering that he hadn't explained the changes in He Yi's Golden Core yet, Lin Xiao cleared his throat awkwardly and asked, feigning nonchalance:
"Has anything changed in your Golden Core?"
He Yi nodded and recounted the current state of his Golden Core.
"Perhaps it's the presence of that small white bead inside me. Now, when I try to circulate my old cultivation method, it feels extremely sluggish."
Lin Xiao, adopting the tone of a knowledgeable elder, explained:
"That small white bead inside you is actually the embryonic form of Primordial Qi. The reason your previous cultivation method no longer works is that you haven't yet learned how to cultivate or use Primordial Qi. So, when you try to circulate your old method, the spiritual energy and Primordial Qi inside your Golden Core clash, causing that sluggish feeling."
"That's why I said earlier that once you joined our sect, this issue could be resolved—because our sect's cultivation techniques can train Primordial Qi."
He Yi finally understood, but he still had a question:
"But where did this Primordial Qi come from?"
Lin Xiao scratched his head. Explaining this part was tricky—it wasn't like he could reveal that he had unconsciously influenced He Yi's cultivation. That would sound a bit too much like brainwashing.
"Uh… Well, you've seen for yourself that our Lingxian Sect is just a small sect. We can't afford to expose ourselves to the larger dangers of the outside world. But you're different. You already have a background in the cultivation world, and now, you can cultivate Primordial Qi."
"So! If you master it, you can be the one to activate the Fujing Treasure Array in the future. Just make sure not to reveal that you're from Lingxian Sect, so you won't attract unnecessary attention to us!"
Lin Xiao felt incredibly clever.
With this plan, all he needed to do was help He Yi become a formidable Primordial Qi cultivator within the next fifteen years, which was much faster and easier than enhancing the overall strength of the entire sect!
In an instant, Lin Xiao felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted off his shoulders.
He Yi... well, what could he do? The sect master had spoken, so he had no choice but to go along with it.
And truthfully, he thought this plan was rather reasonable. Lin Xiao could be unreliable at times, and if He Yi himself could activate the Fujing Treasure Array, it would give him more peace of mind.
So, the matter was settled with little fuss.
The day before, Liu Yunan had already included a lock ring as part of the standard disciple gear for He Yi, and now He Yi dutifully wore it on his hand.
Lin Xiao had He Yi memorize the secondary formation pattern on his lock ring.
"If you have any questions about cultivating Primordial Qi, you can contact me anytime."
He Yi agreed, and with nothing more to discuss, Lin Xiao left his quarters to go find Liu Yunan.
Liu Yunan was in the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, tallying the day's completed tasks when Lin Xiao walked in.
"Hey, you're here!" Liu Yunan greeted excitedly.
Lin Xiao casually sat across from him, picked up a nearby record book, and flipped through it absentmindedly.
"Busy? What did Village Chief Du say?"
"Village Chief Du said it's not urgent. He just asked that we find some time to visit the village soon."
"Alright, let's go tomorrow. I might have to spend some time in the Formation Hall after that."
"Okay, I'll make sure the tasks for tomorrow are all arranged," Liu Yunan replied.