"Thanks old man, I want you to have this." The young chief stands before him holding a book.
After coming back at the sect Yang's gaze falls on the book. It was yellowing and wrinkled pointing to its ancestry and use. The cover didn't signify what the book was about so Yang started reading it.
After he finished reading he still couldn't make head or tails of the book. It seemed like a meditation manual with some yoga poses.
[Thats a body tempering manual idiot. Its used to lay the foundation for cultivation. Everyone starts with body tempering but this manual seems to take it to extreme, even going as far as torturing to improve oneself.]
'Thats great anything related to cultivation costs a fortune. To get this for is a great fortune.'
[Dont be happy so fast this cultivation manual doesn't focus on any elements that makes it very slow and mundane. If we had a technique with fire element the person practicing would have a very vigorous body while one with earth would give a more stronger body. While practicing attributeless techniques has its advantages the flaws ought weigh them. ]
'So you mean we cant use this technique?'
[No, in fact it has one very high advantage which is it can reach equilibrium. A attributeless technique pulls all elements but only chooses the attributeless qi to cultivate. But there exists a exception, balancing the other elements qi you pull within your body. It doesn't make one able to use all elements but it's able to harnesses the reaction of the elements within the body to progress your refinement very fast and to a very high state. All body cultivators have to achieve equilibrium, without it they wont be able to match cultivators who use spells.]
'Hmm, so its decided we will use this technique. We need to become our strongest in each state if we want to continue doing the tasks and get the rewards. None of the tasks near the city were easy, if we don't push ourselves now we will always be stuck in this backwater place. '
Having thought of that he walks up to his desk and starts writing the texts in a newer paper. He knows the kids can't read because no one bothered teaching them so he has to teach them also to read and write while helping them cultivate.
-During dinner-
They have been served meat and all essential food required for growth. Yang decided against cutting costs here.
"I will now start teaching you guys to cultivate while also to read and write. So be ready from tomorrow I want you ready to study 16 hours a day."
Yangs word brought disbelief to the kids face as they had thought they were just slaves and they were just fulfilling the whims of the rich when helping the villagers. But to teach them to cultivate, read and write it seemed the rich man was not joking.
Tenfan still had his doubts as a learned slave was dangerous to it's master and thought the man before him had other objectives.
Before he had time to uncover Yangs true thought the next morning had arrived and he was being taught what words were what. He couldn't slack, he couldn't relax. Yang truly taught them for 16 hours including the eating time which was the only time they could relax. He would loom over them fixing any mistakes they made, reminding what they forget. In Tenfan's eyes Yang didn't look like a slave master but a genuine teacher teaching his students. The doubts that had taken hold seem to shake a little bit.
Tenfan didn't know a single word but he made great effort to learn. Judy seems to have learned something previously so he didn't struggle as much and he learned very fast. During the whole day teaching Judy made very few mistakes and didn't need to be reminded of anything once said. Brick had apparently learned a lot while travelling. He could read very well but struggled with writing.
While Yang checked for any suitable tasks daily, one month had gone by. The three kids looked miserable studying for 16 hours daily. They had mastered the basics and could now self study, Yang also taught them to count and do some simple maths.
Today was the day Yang had planned to start teaching them cultivation. Yang himself was clueless at first but being taught by old ghost for the month he could now teach them to the kids.
He started by teaching about what the technique did and how it was different from others. He also reminded them that they had to struggle more than others. The kids didn't seem to be scared of struggling which was good.
Yang step by step started teaching them. What steps to look out for and what to focus on. As he sat back looking at the kids performing the technique slowly old ghosts voice sounded.
[Kid we got something called a special mission. It looks like something is about to happen near us so it warned us beforehand.]
{Special quest:Catch the moon
Seven days from today in the gori lake the moon
will appear. Fish out the moon for treasures.
Rewards :unknown}
Looking at the vague quest Yang felt conflicted. He didn't know what laid at wait for them if they decided to take it. But old ghost said that special quests didn't have any consequences even if we failed. That doesn't remove the risks they face while going to lake gori.
Yang had not found any suitable task to do so this was a rare chance and he was not going to miss it. So he told the kids to focus and went to prepare the things required for the trip. Lake gori was not far from where they stayed but travelling still possessed many dangers.
Days later they set out to lake gori. The kids had gotten familiar to Yang so they were talking now and then. Judy still stayed silent because he still couldn't control his voice. And soon enough they arrived at the lake gori.