The next morning came way too quickly for Jiang Tao's liking, he still felt winded by the whole brush made of mountain lion fur business but he couldn't complain especially not to the thousands of years old cultivator that had graciously taken him on as a disciple.

Having a steady base of operations was too good to pass up plus learning formations? A steal, so he would gladly let Yao Xiang boss him around, it was for his own benefit, anyway.

The sect was all about foundations at their current level, ensuring they had a solid grasp of cultivation before introducing anything more than basic introductory lessons. So getting specialized lessons was worth it. What he'd learned of formations back at Verdant Lotus Peak was very basic and theoretical, same for alchemy which he learned he had a minimal talent for.

No surprise there Chemistry was never a strong suit in his previous life. He flunked Organic Chem one time and promptly noped out of all things chemistry related.

His failed pills reminded him of that besides Xinyu was a handy resource whenever he needed pills or elixirs. Yuhan’s sister was pretty nice, not what he expected from a princess.

All he had to supply was the resources, and she’d have a batch ready for him in no time.

He let out a wistful sigh, thinking about his friends was making him feel a sense of yearning. It was about a month and a couple of weeks since they were dumped in the valley.

He wondered how they were doing, had they been as lucky as him? Or were they out there on their own braving the terrors of the valley? He just hoped Yuhan and Yixing were also making strides in their cultivation.

It would be impossible to be a proper cohesive faction if one of them fell behind or worse any of them, died as unlikely as that was. He wasn't keen on the whole war deal but he was coming round it.

Master Yao was pacing the clearing, a madness he choked up to the man's imprisonment and countless years of isolation. He couldn't help the shivers that ran down his spine at the thought of such a punishment.

Just cruel and unusual, but that was a perspective that did not consider the danger cultivators could possess and he knew it was a painfully naïve position.

The Emperor likely had his reasons and he honestly couldn't help but be thankful as messed up as that was, otherwise he wouldn't have an ancient cultivator like Yao Xiang as his master.

With a resigned sigh, he got up from his position on the weathered mat. “No point delaying it,” He muttered, getting out from under the pavilion.

Tao stretched his stiff muscles, feeling the morning chill penetrate his robes. The mist hung low over the valley today, and it clung to the pavilion.

He slowly approached Master Yao who had stopped at the edge of the clearing, gazing contemplatively out into the mist-shrouded forest. Greeting the old man with a deep respectful bow.

Yao Xiang glanced at him with an inscrutable expression, his eyes piercing yet distant before looking back into the forest.

“Master Yao?” he called tentatively but his expression did not change.

It took calling out his name for several moments before Yao Xiang stirred from his reverie. His gaze shifted from the misty forest to Jiang Tao, a hint of acknowledgment flickering in his eyes.

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“Ah, Disciple. Yes, yes. The bamboo,” Yao Xiang nodded as if finally becoming cognizant after a long time.

“Yes Master Yao,” he agreed, ignoring his master's eccentricisms.

“North of the pavilion, you will find a grove of bamboo on the top of an outcropping. It'll make for a fine brush handle, procure it.”

“As master commands,” Jiang Tao said.

He left Master Yao there, and after seeing to his immediate needs he set out north into the misty forests. The atmosphere in the forest was eerie, low-hanging mist only making it more ethereal and dreamlike.

It took him a short 8 hour trek before he found himself at the base of a steep-faced mountain if he could even call it that, more so a hunk of rock that rose vertically about six thousand feet by his estimate from the ground.

He would need to get a better view, cause this surely wasn't the outcrop Master Yao was describing right? Cause this was a veritable mountain.

There was something incredibly wrong with this world, the sheer scale of it was mind-boggling if he stopped to think about it for a second. Pushing aside his thoughts about the absurdity of his new life and scanned the nearby trees for a vantage point.

With an ease that he had honed in the weeks he spent in the forest, Jiang Tao scaled a nearby ancient oak. Its gnarled branches offered a sturdy perch from which he used to survey the surroundings.

As he climbed higher, the mist thinned, revealing glimpses of the valley below and the towering peak ahead.

From this vantage point, he confirmed that yes the mountain was the outcropping master was referring to. He could see the vegetation that covered it higher up and with what appeared to be a grove of bamboo at the very top.

“It's there alright,” Tao murmured to himself, a little irked by his discovery. why couldn't things be easy?

He jumped off of the oak, his mind already considering the best routes to reach the bamboo grove. He contemplated going around but decided a direct ascent would be more efficient.

The slope of the rock face was daunting, but Jiang Tao was undeterred. With a deep breath to steady himself, he began climbing. His and hands feet found purchase in the weathered natural holds.

When he encountered an entirely flat spot, a wind-boosted leap was all it took to clear it but sometimes it wasn't enough and he had to carve out a hold into the rock painstakingly.

As he climbed higher, the vegetation became denser, offering more handholds and hiding potential dangers, like the stupid mortal snake that had tried to strike at him.

It fell thousands of feet down into the valley below. The nerve of some things.

He shook his head as he chuckled at the snake's fate.

Hours passed in a blur of exertion and concentration. Finally, as the sun began to dip towards the horizon, he reached the bamboo grove. The sight was almost surreal—tall, slender bamboo stalks swaying gently in the breeze, their leaves rustling softly.

The ground they grew in was steeped with pure water qi, this bamboo was surely a natural treasure. If only he was at the sect, he would trade them in for benefits.

"This is it," he whispered, more to himself than anyone else. He stepped into the grove, feeling the moist soil under his feet and the cool air brushing against his face.

The bamboo grew strong and tall, he could see why Master Yao told him to harvest the wood for his brush from here. It would definitely be ideal for formations.

He selected a particularly robust stalk and cut it down carefully, using his formerly ornamental dagger, it was seeing tons more use than he initially intended when he got it from the sect armory. it’s not like he planned to rough it out in the forest;

It took a few minutes for him to gather a sizeable amount of wood, way more than needed from a brush but it was best to always go above and beyond.

Once he finished cutting down the bamboo, he bundled the stalks together and secured them to his back. The climb down would be more challenging with the extra weight, but he was confident in his abilities.

He took a moment to appreciate the view from the grove; the valley spread out below him like a vast, undulating sea of green and mist.

"Alright, time to head back," he said, steeling himself for the descent. The return journey was arduous, requiring careful navigation and the occasional wind-boosted leap to avoid sheer drops.

By the time he reached the base of the outcropping, the sun had set, and the soft glow of twilight bathed the valley as it gave way to nighttime.

From there the journey back to the clearing was pleasant if a little long, traveling in pitch darkness was not something he liked to do but it wasn't too bad. It was probably way closer to dawn than midnight when he arrived at the pavilion.

Master Yao Xiang was alert and waiting for him when he emerged from the forest.

"Master Yao, I have returned with the bamboo," he announced softly, bowing deeply.

Yao Xiang opened his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Good. You've done well, Disciple. Now, the last item, fret not this will be much more simple."

He resisted the urge to groan. His expression likely showed his frustration because Master Yao put up a hand to cut off his complaint.

"Patience, Jiang Tao," Master Yao said, his voice carrying an almost paternal warmth.

"These tasks are not mere chores but steps toward honing your resilience and adaptability. The path of cultivation is not just about power but understanding and mastering the world around you."

“Yes, Master,” Tao replied, feeling chastised.

"In any case, you have time. First, clear the twelfth meridian," His master instructed his tone firm but encouraging.

Jiang Tao nodded, feeling somewhat relieved.