Chapter 15: Disciple-y

The Condensing Jade Crystal Xiu Qingcheng saw wasn’t buried very deep; she only needed two or three scoops to unearth it from the thick soil covering it.
That blue-gold crystal, illuminated by the morning sun, reflected light like shimmering waves, dazzling beyond compare.
Xiu Qingcheng couldn’t help but stare in a daze, almost drooling.
This brings us to one of Xiu Qingcheng’s few hobbies throughout her winding life from birth to death, then to sword, then to sword spirit—
That is, she liked shiny things.
Actually, she really wanted to keep this piece of Condensing Jade Crystal for herself, but right now, it was better to exchange it for money to improve Meng Yingxing’s life.
Now, Xiu Qingcheng could only reluctantly part with it, fiercely investing in her little disciple.

Next, Xiu Qingcheng didn’t linger.
She raised the Ting Tian Sword and, in two or three strikes, shattered the Condensing Jade Crystal’s proud, sturdy outer shell, exposing its golden core.
‘What a beautiful, dazzling crystal.’
Xiu Qingcheng wiped her non-existent drool and scooped the crystal’s core into the basket.
After finishing this task, she floated up, turned, and looked at Meng Yingxing in the distance.
There was a distance between Xiu Qingcheng and Meng Yingxing now, but with Xiu Qingcheng’s vision, she could see Meng Yingxing clearly.
Meng Yingxing was meticulously wielding the wooden sword in his hand, his entire body indeed enveloped by the spiritual energy he circulated.
Every move and stance could be said to be executed with all his might, fully immersed in comprehension.
Xiu Qingcheng felt a little emotional, thinking that perhaps this kid Meng Yingxing could truly adapt easily to the potency of the body-tempering medicinal formula she had prescribed.
Although the body-tempering formula might offer only a small amount of help to Meng Yingxing, it was a form of assistance nonetheless.

Just as Xiu Qingcheng was silently observing Meng Yingxing, she suddenly noticed something amiss.
—Her range of activity was clearly much larger than before.
Previously, as soon as Xiu Qingcheng moved even a short distance from Meng Yingxing, she would lose control of the sword and become an inanimate object.
But now, Xiu Qingcheng was undoubtedly at least five hundred meters away from Meng Yingxing, yet she was still moving freely.
The Ting Tian Sword stood upright and spun in mid-air, seemingly deep in thought.
Xiu Qingcheng decided to do a quick test to see how large her current range of activity was, whether it was still limited or completely unconstrained.
However, even if she were no longer bound, she had no intention of running off by herself again.
Since she had taken a disciple, she would be responsible for him until the very end.
Xiu Qingcheng immediately began her experiment.
She also didn’t forget to bring the basket containing the Condensing Jade Crystal; if this unexpected money were lost, she wouldn’t even have time to cry.
This time, Xiu Qingcheng controlled her speed, avoiding the embarrassment of crashing to the ground like before when she rushed out.
After moving a certain distance, Xiu Qingcheng clearly felt a slight tugging force.
This force pulled at Xiu Qingcheng, preventing her from advancing further.
So, Xiu Qingcheng wisely stopped moving.
Any further, and Meng Yingxing would probably have to clean up her mess.
If she had worse luck, she might even be carried off by wild beasts!

“As expected, the range of activity has increased, but it’s not completely unconstrained.”
Xiu Qingcheng turned around and saw that Meng Yingxing in the distance had become a small dot.
“The current range of activity is probably an eight-hundred-meter radius around Meng Yingxing?
But how exactly is this range determined?
Meng Yingxing’s cultivation level?
Meng Yingxing’s state?
It’s truly perplexing.”
The Ting Tian Sword again began spinning upright in place, occasionally swaying a few times, indicating Xiu Qingcheng’s current distress.
After all, this was Xiu Qingcheng’s first time experiencing something like this.
She was completely bewildered and would need to spend more time later experimenting to understand it.
After understanding her current range of activity, Xiu Qingcheng stopped dwelling on it and buried herself back into searching for medicinal herbs for her little disciple.
Stopping and starting along the way, she gathered the herbs one by one.
About an hour later, Xiu Qingcheng had collected all the necessary herbs and returned to Meng Yingxing’s side.

At this moment, Meng Yingxing was trembling all over from exhaustion, his clothes as soaked with sweat as if he had just been pulled from the water.
But even in such a disheveled state, Meng Yingxing still tightly gripped his trembling wooden sword, gritting his teeth as he performed the movements.
This Meng Yingxing fellow was truly diligent.
When Xiu Qingcheng returned and saw Meng Yingxing’s condition, he had indeed been practicing earnestly for a full hour.
Sword practice was not like meditative cultivation, which could last an entire day.
It involved real physical exertion, and Meng Yingxing, having suffered from malnutrition since childhood, managing to persevere for so long was beyond Xiu Qingcheng’s expectation.

“Alright, take a break.” Xiu Qingcheng immediately spoke, ending Meng Yingxing’s practice.
Hearing Xiu Qingcheng’s command, Meng Yingxing felt as if he had received a great pardon.
Unable to support himself, he knelt on the ground, propping himself up with his sword.
He panted heavily, his trembling pupils watching the sweat on his face pound the ground like raindrops.
“Kid, not bad, you’re very diligent.”
After Meng Yingxing had rested for a bit, Xiu Qingcheng approached with a smile, praising him a couple of times.
Xiu Qingcheng never stinted on praise for diligent people.
Cultivation should be like this, a mix of both carrot and stick!
Otherwise, no one would like boring and unpraised cultivation!
All diligent people deserve praise!
Meng Yingxing turned his head, too weak to speak, only managing two faint smiles at Xiu Qingcheng.
Unfortunately, his hair was too long and stuck to his face with sweat, obscuring his features.
His smile looked as terrifying as Sadako from a horror movie.
“No more smiling.” Xiu Qingcheng mercilessly picked up a large leaf from the basket and slapped it on Meng Yingxing’s face.
Meng Yingxing: “?”
When Meng Yingxing recovered, Xiu Qingcheng had already gone out and returned again.
The Ting Tian Sword’s blade was threaded with a folded large leaf, the same leaf Xiu Qingcheng had used to hit Meng Yingxing earlier.
He didn’t know what was inside.

“Drink some water, look at how parched your lips are.”
Xiu Qingcheng waved it twice in front of Meng Yingxing, and only then did Meng Yingxing see a little water contained within the large leaf by Xiu Qingcheng.
But it was truly just a little bit.
Meng Yingxing took one sip and it was gone.
He licked his lips, seemingly still wanting more.
“Originally, I really put a lot of water in.”
“But I spilled it all on my way back.
When are you going to buy a container for water?
Or should I dig up some mud now and bake one out for you?”
Xiu Qingcheng briefly explained, but still shifted the blame to Meng Yingxing for not bringing a waterskin.
“Thank you, Master.
This much water is enough.” Meng Yingxing was naturally grateful; rather, he was already very satisfied that Xiu Qingcheng cared for him so much.
“But as for starting a fire, let’s not.
If we set this mountain on fire, it would be hard to explain.”
‘Arson on the mountain, Yingxing is doomed!’
Meng Yingxing’s reaction caused the Ting Tian Sword to stamp up and down rapidly twice, indicating Xiu Qingcheng’s great satisfaction with this.
“A drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring, little disciple-y!”
Xiu Qingcheng’s term of address for Meng Yingxing became increasingly intimate.