Chapter 58: Chapter 54: Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique, Advancement, Trait: Bright Mirror Stilled Water - Ripples

Granny Lan sighed. Yi Yunya looked at the ten trial tickets she had brought and raised an eyebrow.

’Just this? They think they can win over Senior Brother Zhong Ming with these resources? Have they lost their minds? And Xie Yuzhu didn’t even come...’

The Xie Family’s move took Yi Yunya by surprise.

In her opinion, the Xie Family’s power was slightly less than the Yi Family’s. But after learning of Zhong Ming’s Talent, they should have sent a noble lady from their direct line to get close to him, bringing resources befitting his status.

Zhong Ming had grasped Dao Rhyme in less than a month, making him the clear choice for True Inheritance of Longxi Peak. As long as he didn’t die, he had an extremely high chance of one day becoming the Peak Master of Longxi Peak.

A man like that deserved to be taken seriously by the Xie Family.

It was because she had anticipated this that she unhesitatingly bet everything she had and prepared to "battle" the noble lady of the Xie Family.

But Xie Yuzhu’s absence, along with the resources that could only be described as meager, left her somewhat baffled.

However, being clever, it only took a moment for her to guess the Xie Family’s intentions.

’The Xie Family can’t possibly think Zhong Ming won’t amount to anything, can they...? No, that’s not right. A great family never minds hedging their bets.’

Small and medium-sized families have limited resources, so they meticulously select talent to cultivate—losing even one would be a devastating blow.

But for a large Cultivation Family like the Yi Family, the game is played differently. With their vast resources, they cast a wide net. If even one of the ten prodigies they cultivate succeeds, it’s a win for them.

’Large corporations in my past life played the same game.’

’If the Xie Family leadership were directing this, they absolutely would have sent a daughter from the main lineage. Great families have plenty of children; they can afford the loss. As for the resources for Senior Brother Zhong Ming, they seem expensive to me, but to a large family, they’re just a drop in the bucket... Since none of that happened, it means the Xie Family leadership isn’t the one orchestrating this.’

’They didn’t report Senior Brother Zhong Ming’s situation to the higher-ups...’

Yi Yunya smiled, having realized the selfish motives at play within the Xie Family.

At that moment, she was tempted to cooperate with them and keep Zhong Ming’s situation under wraps.

Doing so would mean she’d have fewer ’enemies’.

But, glancing in Zhong Ming’s direction and thinking of his future, Yi Yunya sighed. She didn’t act in a way that best served her own interests, choosing instead to prioritize Zhong Ming’s.

"I’ll accept these ten trial tickets on behalf of my senior brother. Also, tell your matriarch that Yi Yunya, of the Golden Jade Tower’s Yi Family, has brought a High-grade Earth-level Treasure for Master Zhong Ming."

"..."

The moment those words—High-grade Earth-level Treasure—were spoken, Granny Lan’s pupils contracted. A deeper understanding dawned on her, and her expression grew even uglier.

"...I understand. I will report your words to the Matriarch."

After Granny Lan left, Orchid, who had been serving by her side, suddenly spoke up. "Miss, you are making enemies for yourself."

Nodding, Yi Yunya didn’t deny it. "I know. But this will allow Senior Brother Zhong Ming to grow faster."

"..." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Orchid had to agree with that point.

But in her view, Zhong Ming was Zhong Ming, and her miss was her miss. Their interests were not entirely aligned.

She didn’t understand why her normally astute miss would forget something so crucial.

As she thought this, she decided to remind her miss.

However, when Orchid turned her gaze to Yi Yunya, she discovered that her miss was looking at Zhong Ming with what seemed to be boundless affection.

’This kind of affection... it doesn’t match the Miss’s personality...’

Before she could finish the thought, Orchid realized something, and it all clicked into place.

’Not with schemes, but with sincerity... The Miss truly is the Miss, after all...’

...

Zhong Ming was unaware of the clash and calculations between Yi Yunya and the Xie Family.

Still rather naive, he was completely absorbed in studying the Clear Sound Spring Stone.

Using his Mind Reading, after about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Zhong Ming finally glimpsed some of the secrets of the Clear Sound Spring Stone.

’Flushing, cleansing... this is also a form of Flow.’

’When water flows, it carries sand and branches along with it, taking them downstream and eventually into the Great Sea...’

’And mental fatigue is a kind of sand, too. As such, it can naturally be washed away by the current. This action is also the Flow of Water.’

’Speaking of which, if fatigue can be washed away, what about physical ailments and injuries?’

[You have gained a new understanding of the Power of Flow. Your Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique has progressed by +161.]

[You have gained a new understanding of the Power of Flow. Your Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique has progressed by +82.]

[You have gained a new understanding of the Power of Flow. Your Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique has progressed by +103.]

[You have gained a new understanding of the Power of Flow. Your Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique has progressed by +111.]

[You...]

The Clear Sound Spring Stone and the Flow of Water were an exceptionally good match. Even though he had only ’read’ a little, countless insights still flooded Zhong Ming’s mind.

This was reflected on his status panel, where the progress for his Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique flooded the screen.

In the end, from a single session of Mind Reading, Zhong Ming’s gains totaled a surprising 1,133 points.

’So much... but it makes sense. For the Second Realm Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique to advance to the Third Realm, I need to go from understanding the Flow of Water to comprehending the flow of all things.’

’From the Clear Sound Spring Stone, I sensed the flow of ’fatigue’ and ’pain’—things that are almost [concepts]. Even though my understanding is only superficial, it still gave me a major insight into the flow of all things.’

Thinking of this, Zhong Ming had another idea.

’Speaking of which, if the Flow can flush special things like [fatigue] out of the body... then could I send fatigue, pain, or other negative states into someone else’s body?’