stonecrandall Chapter 3, Section 9: Yin Zhen Jing - Green Wood Chapter
Chapter 3, Section 9: Yin Zhen Jing - Green Wood Chapter
But occasionally, some good things will appear.
For example, on the tenth day, he signed in and received a "Physical Enhancement Pill". After taking it, his physical strength was enhanced again.
On the twentieth day, he obtained a "Bone Tempering Grass". Although it was only a first-tier herb, its effects were greatly enhanced under the refinement of the Nine Yin Manual.
On the thirtieth day, he obtained a copy of "Soul Beast Compendium (Ten-Hundred Years Edition)".
A thick, leather-bound book appeared in Yan Zu's hands. Opening it, he found it richly illustrated, detailing the physical characteristics, habitats, attack methods, and weaknesses of over three hundred common ten- to hundred-year-old soul beasts. It even included simple countermeasures and annotations of usable materials. The illustrations were lifelike, and the text concise and precise.
"Good stuff!" Yan Zu's eyes lit up. This thing might be more helpful to their family than a pill. His father, Yan Hu, hunted on the outskirts of the forest year-round; the more weaknesses of a spirit beast he knew, the safer and more successful he would be.
He thought about it and didn't take it out immediately. Instead, he chose to "accidentally" find the book at the bottom of a dusty old box a few days later while "tidying up" with Yan Hu.
"Dad! Look what I found!" Yan Zu held up the book, his face beaming with excitement, as if he wanted to praise me.
Yan Hu took it and his eyes widened in disbelief: "This...this is a Soul Beast Encyclopedia? And it's so detailed! Ancestor, where did you find this?"
"It's right under that old box, pressed down there!" Yan Zu pointed to a broken box in the corner that was said to have been passed down from his ancestors.
Yan Hu, unsuspecting, excitedly flipped through the pages: "Great! Excellent! With this, going into the mountains will be much safer! It even knows that the most brittle bone is under the third bony plate at the back of the Ironback Bear's neck! Ancestor, you've done a great service!"
Seeing his father's delighted expression, Yan Zu felt a sense of relief mixed with a touch of bitterness. The fact that a basic encyclopedia could make his father so happy highlighted the scarcity of resources available to ordinary Soul Masters.
The days passed peacefully in signing in, practicing, pretending, and occasionally "discovering" something useful.
A gentle voice called from outside the window, "Grandma, are you up? Mom made you some steamed egg custard."
Yan Zu immediately concealed his aura, rolled off the bed, and transformed back into the obedient child.
After finishing breakfast, he stood in the courtyard, facing the rising sun, and slowly threw a punch.
This punch showed no fluctuation of soul power, but its trajectory was exquisite and its angle tricky, subtly containing the profound meaning of the "Great Subduing Demon Fist" from the Nine Yin Manual. Although it was just a starting stance, it already displayed extraordinary power.
Su Qing came out of the kitchen and saw this scene. She couldn't help but laugh and said, "Zu'er, what are you doing? You're like a little monkey."
Yan Zu stuck out his tongue and made a face: "I'm practicing boxing, and I'm going to be even stronger than Father in the future!"
"Good, good, good, our Zuer is the best." Su Qing smiled with her eyes crinkling.
"Mmm!" Yan Zu replied crisply, then skipped and hopped away.
Watching her son's lively figure from behind, Su Qing's eyes were full of doting affection.
As night fell, Yan Zu returned to his small room once again.
He sat cross-legged on the bed and began his daily routine of cultivation.
The Nine Yin Soul Power flowed through his meridians, and the silvery-white energy was several times thicker and faster than before. He could feel that he was not far from breaking through to the next level.
"Continue your cultivation," he told himself.
Just then, the system light screen reappeared:
[Host has been detected to have checked in for a full month consecutively, triggering the monthly reward.]
Yan Zu's eyes lit up, and he immediately muttered in his mind, "Sign in!"
[Ding! Monthly check-in successful!]
[Reward: Abridged version of "Nine Yin Manual: Green Wood Chapter"]
[Reward Description: A cultivation technique specifically improved for plant-type martial souls, which can optimize the efficiency of soul power circulation and enhance the vitality of the source.]
Yan Zuxian was taken aback for a moment, then overjoyed.
This reward is practically tailor-made for mothers!
He memorized the contents of the exercise without hesitation.
The next day at dinner, Yan Zu suddenly spoke, her voice carrying a perfectly timed air of bewilderment. "Mother, I've been having some strange dreams lately," she continued. "In my dreams, there was a white-bearded grandfather who taught me some breathing techniques, saying they could strengthen the body. I tried them, and they felt quite comfortable."
"Oh?" Su Qing became interested. "What breathing technique?"
Yan Zu jumped off the stool, sat cross-legged in the same posture he had practiced the night before, folded his hands over his lower abdomen, and pretended to be meditating. Then he deliberately slowed down the breathing rhythm of the Nine Yin Manual by ten times and slowly inhaled and exhaled.
Su Qing initially thought the children were just playing, but as she watched, her expression gradually changed.
She was a Soul Master, albeit a low-level one, but extremely sensitive to fluctuations in Soul Power. At this moment, she sensed an incredibly faint yet remarkably stable flow of Soul Power emanating from her son!
Although that soul power was as thin as a hair, it was perfectly integrated. It traveled along a trajectory she had never seen before, and wherever it passed, even the dust in the air seemed to be calmed down and become quiet.
"This...this is..."
Su Qing covered her mouth in surprise.
Yan Zu "woke up" at the opportune moment, rubbing his eyes and saying, "Mother, did I do something wrong?"
"No, no!" Su Qing quickly hugged him, her heart pounding. Although she didn't know the origin of this breathing technique, she instinctively felt that it was something extraordinary.
"Grandma, don't tell anyone about this, not even your father, understand?" she solemnly instructed.
Yan Zu nodded obediently, but secretly chuckled to himself. He knew that if he wanted his parents to accept this cultivation technique, saying it was a "system reward" would be too shocking; the idea of a "fortuitous encounter" would be much more convincing.
As for why he didn't tell Yan Hu...
Yan Zu's gaze fell on his father, who was chopping wood outside the courtyard.
Yan Hu is honest and straightforward, and can't keep secrets. If he finds out, he might let it slip while drinking one day. Su Qing, on the other hand, is more thoughtful and will keep it a secret for him until the time is right before letting Yan Hu know.
"Mother, do you want to try it too?" Yan Zu looked up at her with her little face. "I think this breathing method might help with the circulation of your soul power."
Su Qing hesitated.
She looked down into her son's clear eyes, which were full of sincerity and concern.
"Okay, Mother will give it a try."
She ultimately couldn't bear to refuse her son's filial piety.
Following Yan Zu's instructions, Su Qing also sat cross-legged and tried the slow breathing rhythm. At first, she only felt her breathing was not smooth and her soul power had no reaction. But when the third cycle was completed, she suddenly felt a slight disturbance in her level 22 soul power!
The "dead energy" that had been stagnant in the meridians for years—a hidden danger left by the disordered flow of soul power—slowly began to flow under the influence of this breath. Although weak, it was real.
"This...how is this possible..." Su Qing opened her eyes in shock.
She had been stuck at level twenty-two for a year, her soul power making no further progress. But now, she sensed an opportunity to break through!
Yan Zu was secretly delighted, but remained outwardly composed: "Mother, isn't it very useful?"
"It works, it works so well!" Su Qing's eyes reddened with emotion. She hugged her son tightly, her voice choked with sobs, "Grandpa, you are truly my lucky star."
Yan Zu patted his mother's back with his small hand, his heart filled with tenderness.
This is just the first step.