The next morning, sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains and fell onto Lin Yaoyao's face. She stretched, sat up from her bed, and changed into a simple and comfortable white tracksuit. Pushing open her door, a faint herbal fragrance greeted her nose; it was Shen Mo tending to medicinal herbs in the courtyard. Shen Mo was bent over pruning a lingzhi herb, the sunlight casting a soft luster on her jet-black hair.
"Morning, Shen Mo," Lin Yaoyao greeted with a smile. She walked over to Shen Mo's side, squatted down, and curiously examined the lingzhi herb. "This lingzhi herb is growing so well; its medicinal efficacy should be quite excellent, right?"
Shen Mo straightened up and brushed the dirt off her hands, a hint of a smile on her face. "It is indeed quite good. This lingzhi herb is already a hundred years old; it can be used to refine many Medicinal Pills." As she spoke, she placed the pruned lingzhi herb into a bamboo basket.
"Where is Bai Li?" Lin Yaoyao looked around but didn't see Bai Li anywhere.
"She's still sleeping," Shen Mo chuckled, covering her mouth. "The little one got tired from playing last night and hasn't woken up yet."
Lin Yaoyao nodded and walked toward Bai Li's room. Gently pushing the door open, she saw Bai Li curled up on the bed, sleeping soundly. Her long silver hair was scattered across the pillow like supple silk, her fluffy fox ears were twitching slightly, and the white tail behind her swayed gently, looking truly adorable.
Lin Yaoyao walked to the bedside and lightly patted Bai Li's shoulder. "Bai Li, time to wake up."
Bai Li opened her eyes dazed, rubbing her sleepy eyes. Seeing Lin Yaoyao, she immediately revealed a sweet smile. "Sister Yaoyao, good morning." Her soft, milky voice carried a hint of acting spoiled.
"Today I'm taking you both to the Family's Trial Grounds," Lin Yaoyao said while helping Bai Li tidy her messy hair. "The Spiritual Qi there is abundant, making it very suitable to Cultivate. It will be very helpful for increasing your Cultivation Base."
After finishing their morning routine, the three went to the dining room for breakfast. Once finished, Lin Yaoyao led Shen Mo and Bai Li to a hidden valley in the back mountains of the Lin Family. At the valley entrance was a barrier emitting faint fluctuations of spiritual power.
"This is our Lin Family's Trial Grounds," Lin Yaoyao explained as she took out a Jade Plaque and pressed it against the barrier. The barrier rippled and slowly opened, revealing a passage leading into the interior of the valley.
"Let's go." Lin Yaoyao was the first to step into the passage, with Shen Mo and Bai Li following closely behind.
Passing through the passage, the view suddenly opened up. Inside the valley, green trees provided shade, birds sang, flowers bloomed, the air was fresh, and the Spiritual Qi was dense—it was like a paradise on earth. A crystal-clear stream meandered through, its gurgling water bringing peace to the mind.
"Wow, it's so beautiful here!" Bai Li excitedly ran to the stream, scooped up a handful of clear water, and lightly splashed it on her face, her expression overflowing with a happy smile.
Shen Mo also took a deep breath, feeling the dense Spiritual Qi around her, a satisfied smile appearing on her face. "The Spiritual Qi here is indeed very abundant; it's a hundred times better than the place I used to Cultivate in the forest."
Lin Yaoyao looked around and pointed toward an ancient altar hidden by vines deep within the valley, saying to Shen Mo and Bai Li, "That is our Lin Family's Legacy site; only those with the Lin Family Bloodline can enter." The altar was paved with massive bluestone slabs, and at its center sat a piece of jade emitting a soft glow. Runes were carved around the jade, shimmering with a mysterious luster under the sunlight. An ancient and solemn aura permeated the air.
Lin Yaoyao walked to the altar and gently placed her hand on the jade. The jade instantly emitted a dazzling light, enveloping Lin Yaoyao. Seeing this, Bai Li was filled with curiosity. A Legacy site sounded so interesting! Her silver eyes sparkled, and while Lin Yaoyao and Shen Mo weren't paying attention, she sneakily slipped to the edge of the altar. She reached out her small hand and curiously touched the jade.
A powerful force suddenly repelled Bai Li. With an "Ouch!", she tumbled to the ground. The soft grass cushioned the impact slightly, but she still felt a pang of pain in her bottom.
Hearing Bai Li's cry, Lin Yaoyao and Shen Mo hurried over. "Bai Li, are you hurt?" Lin Yaoyao helped Bai Li up, asking with concern, her eyes full of worry.
Bai Li shook her head and rubbed her sore bottom, pointing at the jade while looking aggrieved. "It bullied me." She pouted, her eyes turning slightly red, looking very pitiful.
After checking Bai Li's body and confirming there were no major issues, Shen Mo said to Lin Yaoyao, "Yaoyao, the Legacy site is no small matter; it's better to start your cultivation as soon as possible." She glanced at the sky; with the sunlight filtering through the leaves, it was already getting late.
Lin Yaoyao nodded and placed her hand on the jade again, closing her eyes to begin absorbing the power of the Legacy site. She could feel a stream of pure spiritual power continuously pouring into her body, nourishing her Meridians and repairing internal injuries. Her previously stagnant Cultivation Base began to loosen, and a hint of joy rose in her heart. Just as she was preparing to make a full push against her Bottleneck, a sudden sharp pain shot through her chest. The previously calm spiritual power in her body turned chaotic, and her face instantly turned pale.
"Yaoyao!" Seeing this, Shen Mo cried out in alarm and rushed forward to support Lin Yaoyao's swaying body. "What's wrong?" she asked anxiously, her eyes filled with worry.
Bai Li also nervously grabbed Lin Yaoyao's sleeve, her small face turning pale. "Sister Yaoyao, are you okay?" she asked with a trembling voice, her eyes brimming with tears.
Lin Yaoyao gritted her teeth, fine beads of sweat breaking out on her forehead, her face as white as paper. She shook her head weakly and said with difficulty, "My... previous illness that had eased... seems to be relapsing..." As soon as she finished speaking, she lost consciousness and collapsed into Shen Mo's arms.
"Yaoyao!" Shen Mo and Bai Li cried out simultaneously, looking at the unconscious Lin Yaoyao with worry.
Holding Lin Yaoyao, Shen Mo hurriedly pulled a Medicinal Pill from her Storage Pouch and tucked it into Lin Yaoyao's mouth. The pill melted instantly, turning into a warm current that flowed through Lin Yaoyao's entire body. Shen Mo's brow was tightly furrowed, her eyes full of anxiety. Sunlight flickered through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled shadows on her face. The valley was silent, save for the rustling of the breeze through the leaves.