Chapter 62: Chapter 56: Stacking, Fusing, Comprehending the Water Dao Rhyme

"My Lady, you’ve misunderstood." Realizing her words had caused a misunderstanding, Granny Lan quickly clarified, "Zhong Ming isn’t the one who feels the resources are lacking. It’s Yi Yunya of the Golden Jade Tower’s Yi Family."

"She gave Zhong Ming a High-grade Earth-level Treasure!"

"Earth-Level High Grade?!" The value of such a treasure made Xie Lingmin shoot to her feet in shock, her face a picture of disbelief. "Is she insane? How could she give Zhong Ming such a treas—"

Before she could finish, Xie Lingmin stopped herself.

Given Zhong Ming’s talent—grasping a Dao Rhyme in under a month, not even ten days—it was absolutely worth it to use a High-grade Earth-level Treasure to secure his loyalty.

Having come to this realization, Xie Lingmin was silent for a long time.

At the same time, reflecting on her previous actions, Xie Lingmin realized something: she—was guilty of arrogance.

Slumping back into her chair, Xie Lingmin spoke with a bitter expression:

"In my mind, even though Zhong Ming is a prodigy, he’s also a Lower-class Youth. I knew that ten trial passes were a paltry offering to befriend a talent of his level. But I subconsciously assumed that because of his humble origins, he was unsophisticated. I thought my gift would be more than enough to make him feel indebted and grateful."

"And it was because of that same arrogance that I thought I had plenty of time, that I could test Zhong Ming at my leisure..."

Her ingrained arrogance had always made her look down on Zhong Ming.

Before, she felt she was in a superior position, free to evaluate Zhong Ming at her leisure.

But the appearance of Yi Yunya, and her gesture of giving Zhong Ming a High-grade Earth-level Treasure, was like a hard slap across Xie Lingmin’s face, jolting her to her senses.

’I have no right to look down on Zhong Ming. It wouldn’t be beneath Yuzhu to follow him. In fact, it’s her opportunity.’

’But because of my hesitation and arrogance, I’ve squandered this opportunity... ’

Xie Lingmin was not a foolish woman. She had simply been blinded by her arrogance.

Now that the blinders of arrogance were off, she could see that Yi Yunya had already seized the absolute initiative with Zhong Ming.

People always say you never forget your first love.

Yi Yunya had bet everything on Zhong Ming, giving him that incredible treasure. It was as if she was pouring all the devotion of a first love into him.

Under these circumstances, her position in Zhong Ming’s heart would be unshakable.

Anyone coming after her wouldn’t be able to surpass her by just doing a little better; they would have to put in ten, or even a hundred times the effort.

’Did I... ruin Yuzhu’s chances?’

Knowing that she had cost her daughter such an opportunity, Xie Lingmin was filled with regret.

And as regret washed over her, she furrowed her brow, pondering her next move.

’Should I let Yuzhu go learn the sword from Zhong Ming and compete with Yi Yunya, even though she’s already fallen so far behind? Or should I just inform the family about Zhong Ming?’

Rationally speaking, Xie Lingmin already had a low opinion of Sword Cultivators, and now she knew her daughter had lost the initial advantage.

In this situation, the logical thing to do would be to sigh and completely give up on any possibility of her daughter getting together with Zhong Ming.

Alas, the human mind is a strange thing.

Food always tastes better when you have to compete for it.

Previously, even though Xie Lingmin had recognized Zhong Ming’s extraordinary Talent, the lack of competition made her look down on him and constantly pick at his flaws.

But once she learned that Zhong Ming was a hot commodity, highly valued by others, she suddenly saw all the benefits of choosing him.

’Learning the sword is certainly risky, but in this era, there’s no such thing as a truly safe place. Not even the Seven Profound Sect.’

Thinking of the Seven Profound Sect’s situation in recent years, and the escalating strange threats around Jade Lake City, Xie Lingmin’s heart gradually leaned towards Zhong Ming—or rather, she had never truly given up on the idea of letting her daughter get close to him.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have sent Zhong Ming gifts or hidden his existence from the family.

Before, she had simply been blinded by arrogance, thinking she had time to test Zhong Ming at her leisure.

Now, jolted to her senses, she convinced herself with one final thought:

’In this world, strength is the only true guarantee of safety. Zhong Ming has the potential to become one of the strong. It’s essential for Yuzhu to get close to him.’

’Even if they don’t become cultivation partners, becoming fellow disciples would still be a fine outcome.’

Having made her decision, Xie Lingmin immediately began giving orders to Granny Lan.

"Go find Yuzhu. Tell her I am allowing her to go learn the sword."

"Also, inform the family about Zhong Ming."

Her decision to let her daughter learn the sword from Zhong Ming, and to inform the family about it, was a reaction to Yi Yunya’s influence—or rather, it was a situation she was deliberately engineering.

’Yi Yunya of the Golden Jade Tower’s Yi Family has brought a High-grade Earth-level Treasure for Senior Brother Zhong Ming.’

The message she’d had Granny Lan deliver wasn’t just about staking a claim on him.

It was also her way of telling the Xie Family that Zhong Ming had already tasted the finer things. If they wanted to befriend him, they’d need to offer something truly precious, not try to fob him off with scraps like they were giving alms to a beggar.

Xie Lingmin would have a hard time producing such a valuable item on her own, so she had no choice but to inform the family and get them to contribute.

...

While Yi Yunya and the Xie Family were bustling with activity, Zhong Ming, the eye of the storm, was resting peacefully.

WHOOSH...

Time flowed by, and soon it was midnight. By then, Zhong Ming’s spirit had fully recovered.

Sensing this, Zhong Ming took a deep breath and immediately released Bright Mirror Stilled Water - Ripples.

PLINK!

As the sound of the water drop echoed and Zhong Ming ceased his suppression, countless streams of inspiration erupted like a geyser from his Sea of Consciousness.

BOOM!

This inspiration churned and combined within Zhong Ming’s Sea of Consciousness, causing him to recall the principle that ’Water has no form, hence it can take on any shape.’ He understood the transformations between water, mist, and ice; he thought of the Ripples of Water and the scouring force of a torrent; he even considered the relationship between surface water and undercurrents...

And now, all these concepts were gradually converging into one.

HUMMM!

Seeing this, Zhong Ming activated Mind Reading without hesitation, using a clearer, more focused Heart Spirit to perceive the Water Fusion.

PLINK!

Just as he focused his entire being on Water Fusion, the sound of a water droplet landing on stone echoed once more from the depths of his mind.

This time, it was not Zhong Ming activating Bright Mirror Stilled Water - Ripples; it was the exotic treasure, the Clear Sound Spring Stone.

VMMMM...

The instant the sound appeared, it sent out a ripple that cleansed his Heart Soul.

Zhong Ming had just rested and his spirit was full, without a trace of fatigue. As a result, the Ripples of Water from the Clear Sound Spring Stone had no negative emotions to wash away.

In this situation, it seemed as if the Dripping Water Clear Sound of the Clear Sound Spring Stone had been wasted.

But that was not the case. Zhong Ming had deliberately chosen this exact moment.

He had always wanted to turn the ability of this exotic treasure into one of his own Divine Techniques.

And to do that, there was no better moment than this one to blend the rhythm of the Clear Sound Spring Stone into his Water Fusion.

’Wasting a single ’refresh’ is worth it for the chance to gain a new Divine Technique.’

At this thought, Zhong Ming’s gaze sharpened abruptly.

’Success or failure all hangs on this. Water Dao Rhyme, here I come!’