I instinctively tried to evade the light, but it was too late, it painlessly penetrated my glabella, and a flood of information filled my brain like a rushing river.

[100] strikes, Yin and Yang's palm.

The hand is the ultimate weapon, sharpen it, and it will be sharper than the sharpest sword. Harden it, and it will be harder than the hardest mace, toughen it, and it will be tougher than a black turtle shield.

Collect Yin and refine Yang to form the ultimate weapon; Yin and Yang, [100] strike palm.

After a while, I returned to normal. Refine Yang and collect Yin; I sat in a meditative stance and tried to replicate the profound martial technique. I naturally have Yang. As for Yin, I should also have it after my joyous interactions with Zhu Ling.

I circulated my Yang qi, and the little Yin qi in my body, two palms about twice my size, appeared beside me. The black one is on the left while the white one is to the right. I targeted the stone stele and controlled the palms to attack.

*Boom!*

A large bang resounded as two handprints formed on the stone stele before disappearing. How fierce, the stele is supposed to be hard so for the palms to actually leave a mark; what can they do to a human? I looked at the stele one more time before appearing in my room.

I should go and visit Jiang Yan. I want to ask her if she knows about the locket and its origin.

I arrived at a huge courtyard populated with a plethora of flowers creating a rainbow of colors. Jiang Yan is a plant lover, so it isn't a surprise she took her time to make her compound scented with flowers. I plucked a pink flower and gave it a sniff as I headed inside the mansion. Sweet-scented pollen assaulted my nostrils, making me sneeze like a deer and discard the hateful flower.

The majestic and firm door was opened, so there was no need to push it. I walked in as if the mansion belonged to me. My sight was immediately attracted to a painting hanging on the wall. I walked towards it to closely examine it. How beautiful. A fairy-like woman with exquisite bodily features was perfectly captured on it. The artist was so skilled that the figure seemed so life-like making me question what is reality and what is imagination. The only downside is that the face is covered with mist obscuring my view.

Now, where is Jiang Yan? I walked to the study, but she wasn't there. The situation is weird as she's always there to welcome me once I visit. I continued to search until I encountered a dark corridor with a ray of light penetrating from a partially closed door. Hearing muffled voices, I decided to investigate like the curious cat I am.

"Alchemy is like cultivating the Tao; only through patience and dedication will you succeed. You need to clear your mind from all distractions," Jiang Yan and Zhu Ling sat side by side in front of a huge golden cauldron with three stumps as its leg. Vivid lines and intricate patterns on the body of the golden cauldron make it aesthetic and pleasant to the eye. The most noticeable are the mythical beasts of legend; the winged tiger, black tortoise, fiery phoenix, and the prideful azure dragon. "Right now, your body hasn't awakened yet, but once it does, you won't need to use this scrap of metal to refine pills," I remained silent as Jiang Yan continued to instruct Zhu Ling on what appears to be alchemy.

"Use your true fire just as I taught you and heat the herbal mixture to a hundred degrees," Zhu Ling nodded her cute head and concentrated.

"Tianglong true fire!" For some reason, she chanted a name as scarlet red fire shot from her body and rushed to the golden furnace. Her beautiful hands trembled as if what she was doing was taxing to her.

"Don't lose focus," Jiang Yan advised with her eyes glued to the furnace, making me wonder if she had noticed my presence already. The room's temperature rises by the minute, and soft sweat droplets form on Zhu Ling's face. I waited patiently, not wanting to disrupt the process as it should be useful and life changing to her.

"Open it now!" Jiang Yan abruptly commanded, and the furnace's lid shot open. Just behind it, two small blue balls followed and flew directly to Zhu Ling, who was waiting with a small white vial. "Not bad, your first earth rank pill is a success," Jiang Yan congratulated the ecstatic Zhu Ling.

"I must make more for Ming," Zhu Ling's sudden mention of my name caught me off-guard, but it was a welcomed surprise.

"Look who's at the door," Zhu Ling turned at Jiang Yan's words. Her inquisitive gaze turned into a smile, and she rushed to me, giving me a hug which I reciprocated.

"Ling'er, you'll crush me," I feigned pain so that she could release me, which she did with a blush. She finally realized that Jiang Yan was also in the room.

"I told you to come and see me after opening your meridians, but you took your time," Jiang Yan broke the silence with a lecture. I shrugged my shoulders as it was the surnamed Kong's fault. If he hadn't spoiled my mood, I would have visited earlier instead of feeling like a weakling.

"I am here now, better late than never," I moved towards the furnace and examined it closely. The damn thing is about twice my height and a spear and a half wide. One glance at it, and you would be able to tell it shouldn't be in the room due to the size of the door. I ignored the logic behind it as I'm sure some cultivation nonsense could explain it. "I also want to ask you something," after feasting my eyes to the absolute fill, I turned to Jiang Yan and said.

"Then let's go to the study, Zhu Ling, make sure you clean the furnace," Jiang Yan walked out, and I followed, of course, after inappropriately touching Zhu Ling, making her squeal like a scared rabbit. "So, what is it that you wanted to say?" Jiang Yan sat at a rather majestic chair, and I made myself comfortable on a smaller version of it.

"This," I touched the locket and showed her. "Do you know anything about it?" For the first time, I saw hesitation in her beautiful and mature face. I confirmed she must know something with that, so I locked my gaze to hers to force a confession out of her.

*Sigh*

"Ok, I'll tell you, just don't look at me like that," I was surprised she yielded that quickly, but a victory is a victory nonetheless.

"I'm all ears," I adjusted myself to the most optimum posture for listening.

"When you were born, that locket was also born," I furrowed my brows and waited for her to continue lest my mind strays and starts to conjure inappropriate thoughts, "The heavens will bestow the so-called children of heaven treasures after their birth, all I can tell you is, that locket is very important to you," after saying that, her face turned to an expression that said no matter what she won't say anything else.

I consider myself a tactful person, so I didn't persuade any further as it would make her uncomfortable. I simply nodded and committed her words to memory. The mystery will eventually be solved once she decides to open up.

"What can it do?" After sighing in relief, she asked. Now, this is a tricky part. To explain to her, I would have to take her inside the small world, but I'm not sure if she can survive or even go in there in the first place. Sure the plant can survive, but plants and humans are different.

"Bring your hand closer," I reached out my open palm to her after deciding endless worry is useless to me, she hesitated for a moment, and I could see a faint blush on her face. Blushing like a little girl? If the situation weren't so serious, I would have used that as an excuse to tease her.

Her soft hands touched mine, making me wonder if she was cultivating properly. I mean, shouldn't cultivation toughen your muscles? On second thought, I don't think I would appreciate her having tough hands. The moment she touched me, I transported us to the small world.

"This place is like a... small world," watching her observe the surroundings with an impressed look filled me with pride. She continued with her surveying while approaching the stone stele. She gave it a light tap and curiously observed it. If she concluded something, her face didn't show. "What can you do?" She caressed the stele and asked.

"Apart from teleportation, nothing else that I know of," I reached to her and teleported her away from the stele. At first, she was surprised, but after a while, she got used to it. On the way, I explained to her about the barrier, and she insisted I take her to it.

"It's the perfect combination of hardness and softness," she examined the malleable barrier and said. For some reason, her statement reminded me of when I got the Yin and Yang joyous unification scripture. "You need to get stronger to unlock it," after examining it, she moved towards me and said.

"Get stronger?" So far, many things need me to get stronger so that I can access them. The locket can get behind the growing line.

"The stronger you get, the more abilities you will realize, and there is a surprise waiting for you in the deeper zones," the last part she said with a gentle smile. I pretended not to get the clue she just dropped." Anyway, what do you plan to do with this place?"

To her question, I smiled as I envisioned the place teeming with life; a carnivorous plant here, a flying beast there. " I plan to turn this place into a jungle, a personal jungle."

"Do you need help?" 

"Where you can help, I will ask," with her, things will be smooth, but in the end, I won't feel satisfied as it won't be my hard work. She nodded in understanding.

"Then let's go back," I took her hand, and we appeared at the study once again.

"Your turn now. What did you want to tell me?" I asked her.

"Wait here," saying that, she walked out of the room. I didn't fail to notice her swaying hips hidden in her modest robes. Once she walked off, I made myself comfortable and started to fiddle with various things on the table.

"Master..."

Just as I was getting comfortable, a feminine voice I didn't recognize sounded. I lazily turned my head to eye the culprit. A girl dressed in cyan robes stood with an astounded look on her face. The most noticeable part of her isn't her modest breasts but her snow-white hair, an ice beauty? I found myself murmuring under her piercing blue gaze.

"Who are you? What are you doing here? And why are you seated without respect in the master's house?" After adjusting her expression, she shot me a series of questions.

"Girl, all those questions, which do you want me to answer?" I made no effort to adjust my posture to her liking. But I can't blame her if anyone else were in her position. The reaction would be the same, I mean, seating at the great sect master's home like this should be a shock for them, but this place is no different from home to me.

"Answer me!" The ice beauty didn't like my nonchalant attitude. Is that a sword? For a moment, I heard the sound of an unsheathing sword, causing me to rise from the seat.

"Are you for real?" The girl heard a thin sword in her hand. Is it her motto to attack without thinking? I can be an important guest for the sect master, and yet she wants to attack? "What if I don't?"

"Then don't blame me for forcing you," saying that, she took a stance.

Junior_elder

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