On Spirit Flower Peak, where various spiritual flowers swayed in the wind, Ning had a serious expression as he formed several hand signs, mobilizing his qi with refined control.

[Wood Spring Nurturing Technique]

Ning mobilized his qi towards a seedling that was about to germinate. A gentle surge of spiritual Qi, carefully harnessed by his practiced control, enveloped the seed, bestowing upon it a nourishment that catalyzed a subtle but discernible growth.

Then, with another incantation, Ning spread out his spiritual Qi in the air, and suddenly, a gust of wind blew out of nowhere.

In the huge garden, the wind gathered around the garden and formed a small gray cloud. The cloud was not big, but it slowly started to rain. The flowers underneath started to moisten under the qi-filled rain as Ning nodded with satisfaction.

Calling upon the wind and rain with just a thought, it was truly a profound technique that had transcended the mortal method.

Wood Spring Nurturing Technique was divided into two parts: the first was nurturing various ingredients, and the second was calling upon the spring breeze to cultivate various plants.

"As expected, this truly is a divine technique for farming," Ning nodded in satisfaction. He liked this technique very much.

It was wholly because he no longer had to water these delicate plants by hand. Given the multitude of different flowers present at the peak, one could only imagine his pain when he had to do it all manually. The worst part of it all was even with all that lifting, his physique still stayed slender much to his chagrin.

A couple of minutes later, Ning finished watering the last batch of plants and was suddenly startled by a voice.

"It seems you have gotten started on the Wood Spring Nurturing Technique. Very good!" Ling Huang, who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, spoke with appreciation.

Ning turned around abruptly, his guards raised slightly, but seeing who it was, he slumped his shoulder at ease.

"Master, do you really need to appear out of nowhere suddenly? Do you enjoy surprising people?" Ning chided with dissatisfaction clear in his voice.

"When one reaches my age, one must find his own amusement," Ling Huang laughed softly, seeing the dissatisfied look on his disciple.

"Master..."

"Oh, please. I know that you also did the same to your senior sister. Liu Sisi has already berated me several times for leading you astray. You really should not be doing such acts," Ling Huang spoke with such righteousness as if it had not been him who had given Ning the idea of Batman appearing out of nowhere to scare people.

"At least I make it up to her by doing her share of chores. And, really, master? You are going to lecture me now?" Ning was exasperated by his master, who despite seeming elegant, still had a childish streak within him.

"It's only funny when I do it!" Ling Huang was the definition of a hypocrite at this moment, "However, recently, I have not been getting much reaction from your side. I still remember how startled you were for the first few times. Eep, right?"

Ling Huang really knew how to push people's buttons in the wrong way.

"Master, we both decided that never happened!" Ning spoke with righteous fury. He had already bribed the old man with wine to keep his black history safe, but now he was bringing it to light again.

Of course, not that it had any effect on the old man, who just laughed even louder.

As for "Eep"... it was not his fault for shouting that after getting suddenly jump-scared for the first time, okay? It was the fault of this old man.

Ning couldn't help but feel that this old man truly had bad taste.

Ling Huang stopped laughing and then, seemingly remembering something, he asked offhandedly, "So, how is your practice on the soul cultivation technique going?"

Ning narrowed his eyes, knowing the sadistic nature of his master; the question may as well be snark coming from him. So, not one to pass up the opportunity to rattle up his master, he smiled in embarrassment and answered.

"This disciple is dull; I barely managed to get started on it."

"Hmm. Don't be disappointed; this technique is arduous to learn even for me," Ling Huang spoke not registering Ning's a second later. Then, he flipped.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Wait! You managed to get started?!"

Ning nodded, his expression ever so humble as if what he did was nothing to brag about.

Ling Huang's lips twitched seeing that look. He only 'sold' the soul cultivation technique to Ning just to broaden his horizon and let him start to get prepared for when he would eventually acquire enough experience to truly get started in its technique.

For the strengthening of the spiritual consciousness of the fourth, Ling Huang fully intended to do so with the help of a strengthening pill. He just sold the soul cultivation method due to Fourth's insistence. In fact, he had planned to make it a lesson to not bite off more than one can chew, but now he was stunned.

Just for the record, Ling Huang barely managed to get started after a hundred years of life experience. Even then, he barely managed to scratch the surface, and he had not seen improvement in a while.

After all, without prior insights and knowledge, it was extremely hard to bypass the entry-level of the technique.

Especially, when regarding the question of "who am I?", the answer should match the reality of the practitioner, not the version of the person they think they are. Only it would be even harder to find the true self when one is buried by a multitude of identities the moment they were born, making it even harder to practice this technique unless one finds an appropriate anchor.

Even then, the true challenge was to face the endless doubt generated by simulating the technique. Unless one was extremely sure of oneself on a subconscious level, one could kiss the technique goodbye.

It was not without reason that Ling Huang was so surprised. But Ning, who had the enlightenment of various characters within reach, could naturally not be compared to others when practicing this technique. Especially, his anchor was something unique to him.

"Are you serious, fourth?" Ling Huang just couldn't help but be suspicious.

"Yes, master. But I have not been able to progress much since."

"How did you do it?" Ling Huang couldn't stop himself from asking.

Ning shrugged, hearing that question, and spoke with a nonchalant tone, "All I thought was 'I am me' and then I was able to start practicing the technique."

"You are kidding right?" Ling Huang couldn't believe his ears.

"No."

"It doesn't work like that!" Ling Huang retorted loudly, his face indicating he was very agitated.

If it was as simple as repeating 'I am me,' then he would not have been having so much trouble practicing this technique right now.

"It did for me, master." Ning would forever deny the amount of pleasure he felt teasing his master.

"..." Ling Huang took a few moments to recollect himself as he reevaluated his disciple.

Ning's eyes were clear, and based on his observation, he indeed did not lie.

Ling Huang couldn't help but feel his life was a lie. His hundred years of experience could only barely compete with his disciple. That's just sad.

Ning glanced at his master's dark face full of self-doubt, cherishing the rare moment of silence.

Who told you always to sneak upon me? This is karma.

As for why he was feeling happy, Ning just chalked it up to his master's bad influence.

Ling Huang quickly stopped his self-doubt after a while and regained his composure, fully showing the demeanor of foundation building. Only when he looked at Ning, his eyes couldn't help but twitch a bit.

But Ling Huang quickly comforted himself; after all, Ning was his disciple, and he knew that people could not be compared with each other since the beginning. So, why get disappointed after comparing oneself with others?

With that, Ling Huang instead felt that Ning was a treasure trove, each moment he would give him an unexpected surprise.

First his special spiritual consciousness, now this. Perhaps even this special consciousness could have helped in comprehending the soul technique.

Ling Huang even wondered if his disciple was too pure-hearted enough not to have a single doubt about himself.

After all, if fourth really practiced the technique with only that then it meant that he was a different type of genius altogether. After all, only thinking was not enough; he must fully believe in himself and his 'anchor'.

'Could he be the 'key' for that?' Ling Huang's thoughts converged at once. His breath couldn't help but quicken slightly.

"Master?" Ning asked slowly, detecting the abnormality of his master.

"Ineedyouforsomething!" Too deep in his thoughts, Ling Huang spoke a series of words too quickly for Ning to register.

"Master, can you slow down?" Ning felt that his master was being weird again. Why was he chanting incantations now?

Ling Huang stopped, taking deep breaths as he finally regained his composure. "Right! What was I doing?"

In the face of the problem that had haunted him for years, Ling Huang couldn't help but lose his mind seeing even a glimmer of possibility, so much so that he was going to prematurely involve his disciple.

With that, Ling Huang calmed down and spoke in his usual tone, "It's nothing, fourth. For now, just focus on your practice. You are not ready for that..."

Ling Huang's last few words were barely above a whisper.

Ning's spiritual consciousness was too weak. He could not support him even if he wanted to. Since that's the case, then his matters could only be pushed backward.

"Okay?" At this point, Ning was used to these old elders going on about stuff only to stop midway. He had already realized that this was the curse he needed to bear living in this world.

"Also, the matter regarding the spiritual consciousness pill could not be delayed any further. I would depart from the sect and go to search for the materials. It might take me a few months to gather the necessary ingredients, so take care."

Ning, who was suddenly bombarded by this news, narrowed his eyes, but before he could say anything, Ling Huang disappeared like a ghost.

Once again, Ning was not surprised. He has long gotten used to the sudden appearance and disappearance of his master. But only this time...

"I feel like Master is cooking up something," Ning naturally picked up on his master's undertones. It was hard not to when one was a qi-enhanced human being, and his master was just a few steps away from him.

Master had unwittingly succumbed to the trope of muttering words meant to be unheard but undoubtedly caught by the keen ears of others. As Ning eavesdropped on his master, phrases like 'needing something' and 'not ready' definitely painted a not-so-pretty picture of what might unfold in the near future. Ning could foresee a side quest in his future.

"Oh well, even if there was a side quest, that's a matter for the future. For now, Master leaving is good for me." Ning's eyes shined brightly.

I can finally take action.