"Don't rush. Breathe in… breathe out… in… out… good. Now, keep breathing evenly like that and feel a heat in your lower abdomen. If you don't, don't panic, don't get discouraged. Just keep breathing in… out… in… out. It is imperative that the rhythm is consistent."
Ling Yu did as Gu Tianzhu instructed, keeping her breathing steady and rhythmic.
Gu Tianzhu signaled to Xuan Tian, silently asking if he could detect any spirit energy circulating. Xuan Tian, being the strongest, would be the first to notice even the faintest presence.
Xuan Tian nodded slightly and sent his senses toward Ling Yu, searching for even the tiniest sign of spirit energy. What he found shocked him. It's there! Ling Yu was generating spirit energy—even though she didn't have a core! What's going on? How is this even possible?
Xuan Tian nodded to Gu Tianzhu. The room collectively gasped at the confirmation. Hearing the reaction, Ling Yu broke her concentration and opened her eyes.
"Well? Did you find anything? Do I have spirit energy?" she asked eagerly.
Gu Tianzhu nodded. "Yes. You do. Congratulations, you can cultivate."
Ling Yu's eyes widened, and she shot up in excitement. "Really?! I can?! I really, really can?!"
Gu Tianzhu chuckled, nodding. "Yes, you really, really can."
Ling Yu jumped in joy, completely forgetting about her exhausted body. A wave of dizziness hit her instantly, making her sway as she lost her footing.
A pair of strong arms caught her, stopping her from falling further. Her hands flailed, instinctively grabbing onto whatever she could. Her fingers clutched at the fabric of her savior's robes.
As she steadied herself, she realized she was pressing against a broad chest. Both of her hands clung to the fabric, feeling the muscle beneath—solid as a rock. No… harder than rock. Like steel. Ling Yu's gaze trailed upward, locking onto a pair of dark brown eyes tinged with purple light.
She blinked.
"See?" Ling Yu muttered, pushing against the unyielding chest. "Iron Wall."
Xuan Tian sighed. "Yes, you already said so. Now, are you okay?"
Ling Yu grinned. "Yes! I am. A bit dizzy, but okay."
Xuan Tian nodded, but he didn't let her go.
Ling Yu looked around. "Now what?"
"Now you rest. Even if you can cultivate, right now you need to rest," Xuan Tian said before anyone else could speak.
"Okay, I'll rest for a while, then I'll continue waking up the victims."
"I wouldn't recommend that," Xu Yun replied. "It's clear now that you're using spirit energy to do it. You cannot overuse your spirit energy carelessly—it's very dangerous for you."
"Yes, that's correct," added Gu Tianzhu. "Now that we know you can cultivate, you need to cultivate properly to recover your lost spirit energy and accumulate more before using it again."
"But before you can start to cultivate, right now you need to rest," Xuan Tian's voice left no room for negotiation.
"But I feel fine! A bit dizzy, yes. But fine. Let me—"
"No." Xuan Tian said firmly.
"But—"
"NO." This time, it wasn't just Xuan Tian. Both doctors and Gu Tianzhu spoke in unison.
With that, Xuan Tian—who was still holding Ling Yu to keep her from falling—lifted her legs in a princess carry and took her to her room.
"Iron Wall! Let me down!"
"No. I'm taking you to your room to rest."
"But I just came from there!"
"And now you're going back there."
"Let me rest here!"
"Nope."
Their argument could still be heard as Xuan Tian carried Ling Yu out of the stone bed chamber.
Chen Zhaoyun, who had been quiet, stared at Xuan Tian's back as he walked away. Suddenly, he burst into hearty laughter.
Gu Tianzhu turned to his disciple, raising a brow. "What makes you laugh like that? It's been a while since I heard you laugh so openly."
"I don't know, Shizun. I just feel that Ling Yu is very interesting, and Shengzun is equally interesting. This disciple has never seen any Saint interact with anyone like that—let alone a human, who is always considered the lowest existence." Chen Zhaoyun's eyes twinkled with amusement.
"If only Ling Yu became my shimei, how fun would that be?" Chen Zhaoyun mused, a hopeful tone in his voice. But then he sighed, knowing it was only a dream. It wouldn't become reality. With that, he turned back to his task, preparing makeshift beds for the awakened victims.
Gu Tianzhu stood unmoving. His disciple's words planted an idea in his mind. Yes… how great would that be? If Ling Yu joined their sect, they would have a connection with an Ancestor Saint. Their sect could rise again. They could stand against Lingxu Sect and expose them.
"Shizun?" Chen Zhaoyun called, confused by his master's silence.
Gu Tianzhu quickly snapped out of his thoughts. "I'm coming."
Meanwhile, Chen Zhaoyun turned to Zhao Zhi. "Dr. Zhao, are those two always like that?"
"Xuan Xiong and Ling Yu?" Zhao Zhi reconfirmed.
Chen Zhaoyun nodded.
Zhao Zhi glanced at Xu Yun before chuckling. "That's all because of Ling Yu. She somehow manages to get Xuan Xiong to react like that. Xuan Xiong was always cold, stoic, and distant. But ever since Ling Yu joined us, things have become livelier."
Xu Yun nodded in agreement. "Ling Yu is fearless. She actually dares to have standoffs with Xuan Ge." Xu Yun shuddered at the thought.
"But because of her, Xuan Ge has become more approachable," she added with a smile.
Chen Zhaoyun nodded. He was right. Xuan Tian Shengzun is someone worth looking up to. I will follow his footsteps. I will not be arrogant. I will be kind and approachable too.
Inside her room, Ling Yu relentlessly argued with Xuan Tian to let her go back to the stone bed chamber. But Xuan Tian was literally like an iron wall—unmoving.
After arguing for a while, Xuan Tian feared that Ling Yu wouldn't actually rest, so he did something he had never done before—compromised.
"Okay, look," Xuan Tian sighed. "I know you're excited. But you really need to rest. How about this—you stay here—listen to me." He lifted his hands when Ling Yu was about to protest again.
"You stay here, but you can cultivate."
Ling Yu's face lit up. "Really? I don't have to rest?"
"Cultivating is a form of resting. So, yes, you can cultivate."
Ling Yu jumped in joy again.
"Careful!" Xuan Tian reached to steady her when she nearly fell.
"What do I do?"
"Just do what Gu Tianzhu said. Sit down. Concentrate. Close your eyes. And breathe… in… out… in… out… good. Keep doing it."
Ling Yu opened her eyes. "Until when?"
Xuan Tian replied evenly. "Until you have enough spirit energy to wake the victims."