Afternoon, at the foot of the mountain.
With a crisp pa sound, Yang Yunhai landed lightly on the tip of his toes, the vines strapped to his back trailing down the cliff face.
"Here, I've secured it up top," he said, lifting his hand and passing the tied rope to Zhu Zhuqing.
"Thanks." She took the rope, fastened it around her waist, and turned toward the rock wall, beginning her climb.
"I should start too." Watching Zhu Zhuqing ascend higher, Yang Yunhai turned to another section of the cliff. Stopping about five meters away, he raised his right hand. Pressing his middle and index fingers together, soul power surged as arcs of lightning crackled at his fingertips.
"Discharge!" With a flick, a finger-thick bolt of lightning shot out, striking the rock face with a loud pa, leaving behind a charred black mark.
The next moment, he spread his fingers, and lightning surged again at his palm. A golden sphere, no larger than a thumb but constantly crackling with arcs, gradually formed above his hand, a web of interwoven lightning threads. From a distance, it looked like a thunder orb.
A few breaths later, Yang Yunhai frowned, then hurled it.
Boom! A loud detonation rang out, shaking the cliff wall.
"My control is still lacking. I can't compress much yet." He muttered, shaking his head before turning toward the dense Blue Silver Grass nearby.
Sitting cross-legged, he released his martial soul. Vines rose one after another.
They twisted, intertwined, and stretched, gradually forming into a massive vine serpent, as thick as his thigh, its head sharp and bristling with barbs. Coiling into shape, it slithered like a living creature and perched on his left shoulder.
It swayed, hissed, and slammed against the air as if alive.
Half an hour later, another snake head formed, this one resting over his right shoulder.
"If only my spiritual power was stronger… and my control better. Then I could even use the vine's ability to store energy, letting the vine serpents fight independently." Opening his eyes, he glanced at the writhing creations on either side of him, sighing softly.
Time flew. An hour later, a thud echoed from the distance.
Yang Yunhai turned his head, immediately frowning.
Zhu Zhuqing had just landed, her graceful body bent slightly, right wrist braced against the stone wall while her left arm dangled at her side, her legs trembling.
From afar, he could see her palms red and blistered, her hair damp with sweat, faint salt stains marking her neck.
'She pushed herself too hard.' Yang Yunhai leapt forward, quickly closing the distance and steadying her by the shoulder.
"I'm fine. Just need to rest a little," Zhu Zhuqing said through gritted teeth.
"Your hands are blistered and bleeding, and you still say you're fine?" Yang Yunhai shook his head, channeling soul power gently into her body.
As he infused power, he explained, "Your body is in a state of exhaustion. You can't sit down right now. I'll use my soul power to ease your injuries, then we'll walk around a bit to loosen the muscles. After that, I'll carry you back to the cabin to rest."
"Thank you," Zhu Zhuqing replied simply.
"Don't mention it." Yang Yunhai smiled faintly, continuing to pour in soul power.
Soon after, he withdrew his hand and supported Zhu Zhuqing as they walked. When she could barely continue, he bent down and lifted her around the waist, carrying her swiftly back to the cabin.
Throughout the trip, Zhu Zhuqing said nothing, her head resting quietly against his shoulder.
Moments later, they returned. Yang Yunhai set her down gently on a chair inside.
"Sit and rest. Massage the sore spots a little. I'll get hot water ready for you to bathe."
"Mm." Zhu Zhuqing gave a soft nod, watching as he stepped outside.
After a while, when her strength returned slightly, she pushed herself up and walked unsteadily to the window. Looking out, she saw Yang Yunhai wearing a short-sleeved shirt, gripping a massive log nearly three meters long and as thick as a man's arms. With steady rhythm, he squatted and stood, training with perfect form.
Zhu Zhuqing's lips trembled as she bit down lightly.
To grow stronger. To keep growing stronger, until she could defy the fate forced upon her—this had always been her reason to fight. But now, she realized… she hadn't been working hard enough. The gap between her and Yang Yunhai seemed only to widen further.
Her hands clenched tightly at her sides, eyes shining with new determination.
Half an hour later, the cabin door creaked open. Yang Yunhai entered, glancing around the empty living room before turning toward her room. Through the half-open door, he saw Zhu Zhuqing seated on the bed, already cultivating.
Smiling faintly, he didn't disturb her and instead headed straight to the kitchen.
He set a pot to boil for dinner, while another boiled water.
Two quarters later, he knocked on Zhu Zhuqing's door, carrying two buckets of steaming water.
"Zhu Zhuqing, the hot water's ready. I'll pour it into your tub."
Zhu Zhuqing opened her eyes, rising slowly as she answered softly, "Thank you."
"It's nothing." Yang Yunhai stepped in and carried the buckets to the bath.
The wooden house built for him by the three Education Committee members had wells in every room's bathroom, but no heating. Water had to be boiled by hand, carried in, and mixed to the right temperature.
That part, he left for her to handle.
Later, after finishing his own bath, Yang Yunhai carried out the freshly cooked dishes and set them on the table.
Not long after, Zhu Zhuqing emerged wearing a loose black robe that couldn't hide her figure.
They ate quietly together, then each returned to their rooms to cultivate.
The next morning, they rose early, had breakfast, and jogged to the training grounds. After morning drills, they went back to the cabin, ate, rested, and continued afternoon training.
This time, Zhu Zhuqing fared better. Though her hands still blistered, Yang Yunhai healed her, and she no longer collapsed from exhaustion. She even began helping with chores—boiling water and preparing rice—so Yang Yunhai could bathe as soon as training ended. Cooking, however, she wisely left to him.
Thus, day by day, a week quickly passed.
"Grandfather should be back in Heaven Dou City today. I plan to visit him this afternoon. Tianheng, do you want to come along?" Dugu Yan asked after morning practice, turning to Yu Tianheng.
"I think I'll pass." Yu Tianheng instinctively shrank his neck.
"Is my grandfather really that scary?" Dugu Yan pouted unhappily.
"Meeting the parents is scarier than training," Osler chimed in with a grin.
"…" Dugu Yan rolled her eyes at him but didn't argue.
Yang Yunhai only shook his head, said nothing, and waved to Zhu Zhuqing before leaving with her.
Half an hour later, in a mansion in Heaven Dou City—
"Grandfather, I'm back." Dugu Yan walked in briskly.
"Well? Anything interesting happen at the Academy recently?" Dugu Bo asked, his usual opening.
He had been secluded in his hidden medicine garden for days and knew nothing of city affairs.
"There was one thing," Dugu Yan nodded. "A very strong control-type soul master joined our team."
After days of training together, even she had to admit Yang Yunhai's martial soul control was terrifying. His personal combat strength was overwhelming, strong enough to easily suppress any of their members—without even giving them a chance to fight back.
"Oh?" Dugu Bo raised a brow. "How strong?"
For his arrogant granddaughter to praise someone like this, the boy must be impressive.
"His name is Yang Yunhai, he's…" Dugu Yan began describing.
"Skin dark as ink, texture like jade… wait. Isn't there one of those in my garden?" Dugu Bo's mind shook when he heard about the bamboo shoot water. But after hearing Yang Yunhai's own speculation, his mood soured.
He had to admit, it made sense. The older you grew, the more cautious you became—he wouldn't dare gamble with such things.
To have a treasure yet be unable to use it… it felt worse than eating dirt.
He sighed at Yang Yunhai's luck.
The description matched exactly with what he had. Clearly, Yang Yunhai hadn't lied. A commoner soul master couldn't have known of such a rare treasure otherwise.
"A lucky child indeed," Dugu Bo finally said.
"But such a person is worth befriending. Not only is he diligent, but his thinking is unique, different from ordinary people. Interacting with someone like that will benefit your cultivation as well." He smiled at his granddaughter.
Truthfully, he had never heard of anyone using Blue Silver Grass to such extremes.
Dugu Yan rolled her eyes. "I know, Grandfather."
"There's more," she continued, "Once in the dorm, he used his martial soul to sense my wrist, and later asked me for poison. Do you think… he might have sensed something?"
"That brat? He doesn't even know herbs. How could he?" Dugu Bo scoffed.
If Yang Yunhai, a kid with no knowledge of medicine, could sense her poison with just a touch and then develop an ability to absorb poison… what would that make of Dugu Bo's decades of study? A waste?
"True," Dugu Yan admitted, then muttered softly, "But honestly, I kind of hope he succeeds."
Dugu Bo fell silent. Thinking of the pain his granddaughter had endured for years, his heart ached, though he kept a smile on his face.
"Then let him experiment. If he succeeds, tell me, and I'll find him to test it myself."
"Better let me handle it. If you go, you'll only scare him," Dugu Yan snorted.
"As you like." Dugu Bo waved it off. In his mind, absorbing soul power and absorbing poison were completely different things.
"Enough. Since you're here, let's have a proper meal together tonight."
"Of course! I already told teacher Qin Ming and Tianheng that I won't be back tonight."
"…"
(End of Chapter)
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