Tian Ling'er, the cheeky daughter of Tian Buyi and Su Ru, quickly stepped forward. Her delicate features beamed with excitement as she whistled playfully.
"Xiaofan, call me Senior Sister!"
Though Zhang Xiaofan looked like an eleven-year-old child, in his past life he had already been twenty. He was technically older than Tian Ling'er by seven years. But in this world, she was his senior in cultivation.
He smiled awkwardly. Looking at her bright, delicate face, he had to admit even in his past life, he'd never seen anyone quite so charming.
"Senior Sister," he called out obediently.
"Hehe!" Tian Ling'er laughed joyfully, clapping him on the shoulder. She posed proudly, one hand on her hip.
"From now on, Xiaofan is under my protection! Anyone who dares bully him will have to answer to me!"
The other disciples couldn't help but laugh at her righteous display.
"Junior Sister has truly inherited Master's teachings!"
"At thirteen, already at the fourth level of Tai Chi Xuanqing Dao amazing!"
"I, He Dazhi, have practiced for over a hundred years and still haven't reached that level!"
The banter continued.
Zhang Xiaofan watched them with a quiet smile. The atmosphere here was light, cheerful nothing like the cold scheming he'd read about in other sects.
But then Su Ru suddenly stood. Her gentle demeanor shifted instantly into one of authority. A chilling aura spread from her, freezing the room in an instant.
The disciples straightened up at once.
Su Ru's tone became sharp:
"Look at you, scared stiff just because I'm going to test your progress."
"In five years, we'll face the Seven Clans Martial Competition, held once every sixty years. Last time, your performance brought shame to our sect!"
"Enough talking. All of you come at me now. Let me see what you've got!"
Everyone tensed.
Song Daren's eyes darted nervously, and he suddenly grabbed Zhang Xiaofan by the arm.
"Master's wife, I need to take Xiaofan to teach him the basics. Master's orders can't delay!"
Without waiting for permission, he bolted from the hall with Zhang Xiaofan in tow.
Behind them, a chorus of indignant voices echoed through the mountain forest:
"Master's eldest disciple, you're shameless!"
"Running like that? What happened to loyalty?"
"Senior Brother Song, aren't you a little too fast?!"
But Song Daren paid them no mind. He sprinted as though a beast were nipping at his heels. The reason for his panic?
Su Ru's wrath.
To the others, Mistress Su was a calm and graceful figure.
But Song Daren knew the truth. When she got angry, her fury was more terrifying than a rampaging spirit beast. And her punishments were… memorable.
Zhang Xiaofan clung tightly to Song Daren's back as they raced through the forest.
Wind lashed against his cheeks, the world a blur of towering trees and rushing leaves. His heart pounded not in fear, but in awe.
He had never experienced anything like this in his previous life.
High above, Tian Ling'er drifted lazily on her Amber Red Silk.
The colorful ribbon fluttered behind her like a rainbow, and she giggled as she floated effortlessly, her carefree laughter echoing through the treetops.
Zhang Xiaofan looked up at her and couldn't help but smile.
She seemed like a fairy from the legends playful, beautiful, and utterly free.
Eventually, the trio reached a quiet clearing surrounded by dense bamboo.
The sunlight filtered through the green canopy, casting shifting shadows on the forest floor.
A breeze rustled the bamboo stalks, creating a soft symphony of whispers that danced in the air.
Song Daren finally came to a stop, breathing heavily.
He set Zhang Xiaofan down and wiped his forehead dramatically. "Whew. Safe... for now."
Then he turned serious and pointed at the surrounding forest.
"Junior Brother, welcome to Dazhu Peak's tradition. From today onward, you must cut down one bamboo stalk here every day."
Zhang Xiaofan blinked. "Every day?"
Song Daren nodded. "Yup. It might sound easy, but don't be fooled.
These aren't normal bamboo. This is black-knotted bamboo harder than rock.
Even seasoned cultivators struggle to cut them cleanly."
He grinned and tapped a thick stalk nearby.
"Start with ones around the size of your arm. That should be enough to toughen your muscles and train your control.
Think of it as your daily homework."
Zhang Xiaofan nodded earnestly. He remembered this from the original novel. The black bamboo wasn't just training it was character-building, a form of quiet endurance meant to forge the foundation of a true cultivator.
Song Daren then reached into his sleeve and pulled out a thin, cloth-bound booklet.
"Here," he said, holding it out with both hands. "This is the first level of our Qingyun Sect's core cultivation method Tai Chi Xuanqing Dao. Treasure it."
Zhang Xiaofan took the book with both hands, his movements reverent.
The pages felt warm in his grip, pulsing with faint spiritual energy.
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
Song Daren smiled warmly. "I remember how excited I was when I first received mine. To ordinary folks, just learning this technique is like stepping halfway into immortality!"
Then his tone shifted, becoming low and solemn.
"The Tai Chi Xuanqing Dao is no ordinary method. It was created over two thousand years ago by Qing Yunzi, the founder of Qingyun Sect.
After generations of refinement, it's now considered one of the most profound Daoist cultivation arts in the world."
.