"Here."
Wu Huang offered her the cup of green tea that he had prepared beforehand. Hong Jiu'er received it with both hands, showing courtesy, and drank immediately, as if she truly needed it. What she did not know was that this tea was no ordinary beverage; it was mixed with a very low-grade, almost imperceptible medicinal powder, yet it was enough to calm the mind and relieve fatigue.
In a matter of moments, her state stabilized and she regained her clarity. Of course, that did not mean they would continue immediately. Even if her body and mind were restored, practicing continuously in a short period could generate hidden problems, especially for someone who was just beginning.
Wu Huang observed her calmly before asking:
"Did you comprehend anything?"
Hong Jiu'er lowered her gaze slightly. Her eyes, previously full of concentration, now seemed somewhat dull. She had managed to master the breathing and the postures he taught her, but she felt frustrated for not having managed to manifest any mystical change or break through a barrier on her own.
"No, Senior Brother..." she replied in a low voice, with a hint of disappointment.
Wu Huang showed no surprise.
"Don't worry. It is only natural," he said reassuringly. "You only need to practice constantly."
His tone carried no haste or demand, as if this were something completely expected. In reality, he was clear about it. Whether she managed to master it through constant practice or had some fortuitous encounter in the future that accelerated her progress was not something he could or should decide.
The path of cultivation did not depend solely on effort. It required comprehension... and talent. Talent could shorten time, facilitate progress, and open doors that others could not even see. But without comprehension, even with the greatest talent, a person could remain stuck in the same place no matter how hard they tried.
Of course, there were fortuitous encounters that allowed one to skip steps by bypassing comprehension. But unless you were a Child of Destiny, those were things you could only dream of and that would never happen to you. He himself was clearer on this than anyone. Many servant disciples somehow found treasures and managed to advance rapidly with them. However, in the best-case scenarios, they only managed to become inner disciples; their lack of potential and comprehension of what cultivation truly meant stagnated them, leaving them unable to even reach the final stage of Qi Refining, and therefore, unable to take the step toward Foundation Establishment.
The best possible result would be to find treasures while simultaneously cultivating knowledge, understanding how the laws operate, and understanding oneself. Thus, one's path would be so light that even reaching the Golden Core before the age of thirty would be possible. That would be the best possible path, but the number of people with such luck is infinitesimal. Even among the Children of Destiny he knew, only one of them required the help of a treasure to advance; the rest used their own talent to progress and become outer disciples.
That was why, at this moment, the only thing Wu Huang could do was teach her everything within his power and wait for Hong Jiu'er to manage to take that first step on her own. Fortunately, considering she was a Daughter of Destiny, it was impossible for her to lack comprehension.
Wu Huang brushed those thoughts aside and continued speaking lightly with her to relax the atmosphere.
"How did you like the tea?" he asked with a smile.
Hong Jiu'er, who was still savoring it, was slightly startled and, somewhat embarrassed, replied:
"This tea is delicious. Is it from some famous mountain?"
Wu Huang let out a small laugh and shook his head.
"Not at all. They are just common leaves that grow near the river. Although this is a mountain of immortals, common river water is still just that. The secret is not in the tea, but in not being in a hurry when preparing it. If you rush the fire, the leaves turn bitter and the taste will be a bit bad."
Hong Jiu'er thought for a moment as if trying to understand it.
"It's like... when you cook jiaozi," she said, her eyes shining. "If you throw them in the water and let it boil furiously without stopping, the dough breaks and the filling comes out. You have to add cold water little by little every time it boils so they cook slowly and turn out perfect."
Wu Huang smiled faintly, though inwardly he was a bit confused. He was by no means a cooking expert, so he could only nod as if he understood.
"Oh, have you already tried them?" he asked. "I thought you hadn't eaten them, since I gave you steamed buns earlier and you seemed very impressed."
Hong Jiu'er, a bit sheepish, explained:
"It's not that I hadn't eaten them before, but the flavor was especially delicious, much better than the ones I had eaten in my hometown."
Wu Huang nodded as if he understood. Mortal food and cultivators' food, though similar in appearance, had an abysmal difference in materials. Some usually put small elixirs in to enhance the flavor; since he was already used to it, he didn't even give it any importance.
Noticing that Hong Jiu'er's mind had adjusted, Wu Huang continued teaching her. In essence, it was more of a constant explanation than active practice; Hong Jiu'er listened, assimilated, and tried again, while he patiently guided every detail.
In that manner, several days passed. Until, finally, a change occurred.
Wu Huang, who was speaking calmly, suddenly stopped. His eyes locked onto the girl. As someone in the Qi Refining stage, he could perceive—albeit faintly—the flow of natural energy.
And at that moment... Natural energy was beginning to gather around Hong Jiu'er.
Without saying a single word, Wu Huang stopped speaking. With a swift movement, he activated an isolation formation, sealing the area to avoid any external disturbance. Then he placed himself by her side, in silence, like her protector.
"It took less time than I expected..." he murmured to himself.
In his case, it had taken an entire month to comprehend and master that first step. The fact that she achieved it in just a few days spoke for itself regarding her talent.
"It seems I won't have to intervene in any adventures..." he added with a slight sigh, not taking his eyes off her.
Meanwhile, inside Hong Jiu'er's Sea of Consciousness... An entirely different landscape was unfolding.
Before her, a terrifying creature appeared. A gigantic nine-tailed black fox, whose body seemed to cover the sky itself. Its eyes shone with indescribable ferocity, and each of its tails moved as if it had a will of its own.
"Who... who are you?" Hong Jiu'er cried out, unable to hide the fear in her voice.
"Pathetic vessel," the beast roared, with a voice that made the air tremble. "That witch could no longer contain me... and decided to transfer me to you."
"Witch... who are you talking about?" Hong Jiu'er asked, trembling, not understanding what was happening.
"It does not matter if you do not know," the creature said, raising its nine tails forcefully. "The only thing I want from you... is your life."