Chapter 7: This Is a Cultivation Prodigy

Having seen the mountain gate of the Cloud Sword Sect and roughly familiarized himself with the paths, Xiao Rang led Lin Heng, who had just finished his digestion and was feeling much more energetic, back to the main hall of the Cloud Sword Sect.

Next to Lin Heng’s bedroom was a study room specially prepared for him, filled with numerous books where lessons were conducted.

“This character is ‘Lin,’ and this one is ‘Heng.’ These make up your name,” Xiao Rang said, pointing at two relatively complex characters he had written on a small blackboard.

The written language and spoken words of this world differed significantly from those in Lin Heng’s previous life. As a person reborn, Lin Heng needed to relearn the characters anew.

However, this was not a difficult task for Lin Heng. Every point increase in comprehension represented a qualitative leap. In his previous life, Lin Heng’s comprehension was at sixteen points, allowing him to memorize at a glance and apply knowledge flexibly. Now, with a comprehension of twenty points, his abilities were even more extraordinary.

Xiao Rang only needed to teach each character once before Lin Heng could learn it and write it accurately.

Xiao Rang had prepared to patiently tutor Lin Heng over time, but he did not expect him to learn so swiftly. In just one morning, Lin Heng had mastered over ten thousand commonly and uncommonly used characters, and listening, speaking, reading, and writing no longer posed any problems.

This greatly pleased Xiao Rang. Teaching a genius who learned at once was truly gratifying, providing excellent feedback as a master.

“Master, I’ve learned all the characters. What shall I study next?” Lin Heng asked, setting down his brush and paper with a sense of fulfillment. Such efficient learning not only brought strong positive reinforcement to the teacher but also gave Lin Heng a deep satisfaction in his own improvement.

It was a pity that in his previous life, he had not possessed such learning ability. His sixteen points of comprehension had been the result of a lifetime’s accumulation of knowledge and experience, leaving him neither outstanding nor mediocre.

Had he been so smart in his previous life, he might have become a leading scientist of his era.

“Not yet. We will continue tomorrow. This afternoon, your master will take you fishing,” Xiao Rang replied, declining Lin Heng’s request.

Though Lin Heng felt capable of continuing and was in good spirits, his body was still weak. A delicate and handsome face bore unmistakable signs of fatigue.

After all, only a few days had passed since Lin Heng had been poisoned by the blood pool tiger wolf medicine in the Hall of Regret and had just barely escaped with his life.

He needed to rest well in the afternoon to recover, so he could continue learning with vigor tomorrow.

Lunch was still a bowl of green rice porridge. After eating, Lin Heng took a one-hour nap before Xiao Rang took him to a small pond behind the mountain gate of the Cloud Sword Sect. Xiao Rang prepared special bait, set up his fishing gear, and began fishing.

“Lin, this pond is stocked with Blue Whisker Fish fed by your senior apprentice brother Zhang Ya. These fish not only nourish qi and replenish blood but also strengthen the foundation and are especially delicious,” Xiao Rang said with a smile. “Today, I will catch a few to prepare a meal for us master and disciple.”

Lin Heng nodded, looking forward to the tasty meal.

Lin Heng already found the green rice quite palatable, but Xiao Rang regarded it as ordinary.

Yet the Blue Whisker Fish were so delicious even Xiao Rang praised them highly—just how good would they truly be?

The two spent the afternoon fishing together; Xiao Rang occasionally told Lin Heng tales from his travels, shaping his worldview.

Though Lin Heng’s values were already well-formed and not much influenced by Xiao Rang, he still listened attentively, using the stories to understand this unfamiliar world, finding no boredom in the process.

However, as the sun began to set, their fish basket remained empty.

Frustrated, Xiao Rang’s face flushed red as he unleashed his powerful internal energy to stun the fish.

In any case, that evening Lin Heng enjoyed a delicious fish soup.

The next day, after a nourishing breakfast, classes resumed.

Today’s lesson was on the fundamentals of cultivation—understanding the meridians and acupoints of the human body. After a nap in the afternoon, Xiao Rang took Lin Heng to play within the mountain gate again.

This time, they did not fish but instead climbed to the summit of Cloud Sword Mountain to pick a type of spiritual fruit called Red Dragon Fruit.

This fruit was sweet and also had the effect of nourishing qi and blood, strengthening the foundation.

For the ensuing period, Lin Heng lived a disciplined life, receiving Xiao Rang’s teachings daily. He learned various cultivation terminologies, the taboos to observe in cultivation, and knowledge of poisons and medicines necessary for traveling the martial world.

He also wandered around, tasting delicacies and meeting many senior apprentices and elders of the Cloud Sword Sect, as well as their disciples.

Being handsome certainly had its advantages. With a charisma score of twenty, Lin Heng was generally well-liked and did not face disdain. He became well-known throughout the sect as the direct disciple of Xiao Rang, the sect leader.

Many senior brothers and sisters, aware of Lin Heng’s frailty, specially gifted him various spiritual medicines and fruits that nourished qi and blood, which he carried as snacks.

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.

Though Lin Heng had not officially begun cultivation, the pale, jade-like beauty of his face gradually acquired color. He no longer frequently felt weak or chilled, perhaps his constitution had recovered to a normal level of five points.

It was at this time Xiao Rang passed on to Lin Heng a sword technique.

“This is a martial art used by our Cloud Sword Sect to lay the foundation, called the ‘Cloud Sword Nineteen Forms.’ It consists of nineteen forms and a thousand seventy-six variations. Performing the sequence completely can stimulate the muscles, bones, and flesh throughout the body and guide the flow of qi and blood.”

“In this way, it exercises the muscles, bones, skin, and internal organs, strengthening qi, blood, and spirit, laying a solid foundation for your formal martial cultivation,” Xiao Rang explained.

Standing opposite, Lin Heng, small arms and legs clutching a short sword, nodded and then focused intently on Xiao Rang’s movements.

Xiao Rang began demonstrating the entire sword form, breaking down each move and variation, teaching the sword techniques along with the coordinated breathing and qi guidance methods.

Lin Heng found this easier than absorbing scholarly knowledge.

With his formidable comprehension and innate cultivation talent, his aptitude was at its peak. He memorized the sword forms after a single viewing, then his body began to mimic Xiao Rang’s movements.

By the time Xiao Rang finished his explanation, Lin Heng had already performed the full set of sword forms once. Though somewhat awkward, he had truly learned the moves and the breathing techniques that guided the qi.

He then continued practicing, his movements growing smoother.

Soon, the sword forms became increasingly proficient and sharp.

Lin Heng felt the flow of qi and blood circulating through his body, guided by the sword and his breathing. A warm sensation filled him, and his heart filled with joy. He wished to keep practicing endlessly.

This constant feeling of strengthening made Lin Heng fall in love with cultivation.