They sat on the dry rocks by the riverbank, the roar of the waterfall creating a curtain of sound around them. Rou stared at her hands, her mind still reeling from the chant Mingzhi had taught her.

  "The Moon-Tide Scripture," she whispered. "It feels... complete. The circulation path is so much smoother than the Wang family’s manual. It doesn't force the water; it invites it."

  She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. "Ming'er, be honest. You have this awesome technique… did you steal from the Wang Manor?"

  “Well… yes. I did,” Mingzhi said with a straight face.

  "Mingzhi!" she gasped, scandalized, before bursting into a peal of laughter. It was a bright, clear sound that made the grim morning feel a little warmer. "You’re joking! Only a fool would believe you!"

  Mingzhi scratched the back of his head, looking away toward the treeline, thinking. "If only she knew it…"

  He stood up and held out his hand. "Give me the stones, Rou. The manual isn't enough. We need to have a better environment."

  She handed him the pouch. Mingzhi took the nine High-Grade and seven Mid-Grade Water Stones. He waded back into the shallow pool at the base of the waterfall. The water swirled around his calves, cold and insistent.

  "Mingzhi," the Spirit’s voice murmured in his mind. "For a Water Gathering Array, the geometry must be fluid. Arrange the nodes in a spiral pattern, mimicking a whirlpool. Use the flow of the river to drive the activation energy."

  Mingzhi nodded imperceptibly. He placed the stones underwater, wedging them between river rocks with precise movements. He built a spiral leading toward the center where Rou would stand.

  "What are you doing?" Rou called out from the bank.

  "Building a Water Gathering Array," Mingzhi replied without looking up. "It concentrates the ambient Qi. Think of it like a funnel."

  Rou gasped. "An array? But... isn't that dangerous? My father said forcing Qi into a focal point can crush a meridian if the cultivator isn't ready. I admit that technique you taught me is effective but won't it be too much?"

  Mingzhi placed the final High-Grade stone in the center. He stood up and turned to her, water dripping from his hands.

  "Don't you have me?"

  Rou blinked, her cheeks flushing slightly pink.

  "Why did I come here with you?" Mingzhi asked, crossing his arms and grinning. "To sightsee? I admit, you are beautiful, Rou'er, but I have work to do. I'm here to make sure you reach the Best Seed. A Perfect Seed."

  Rou’s face turned a deeper shade of red. She looked down at her bare toes wiggling in the grass. "Are you really confident I won't burst? If I explode, I'll haunt you, Xie Mingzhi. I'll be a very angry water ghost."

  "Just trust me, okay?" Mingzhi said softly. He waded back to the bank. "We have to wait for the array to saturate the water. It needs to soak in the flow. Act when I tell you."

  He sat down next to her on the rock to wait.

  Rou hugged her knees, watching the river. The silence stretched comfortably between them, but Mingzhi could see the curiosity burning in her eyes.

  "Ming'er," she said after a moment. "While we wait... can you tell me?"

  "Tell you what?"

  "Did you really rob the Wangs?" She turned to him, her expression serious. "It’s not just techniques now, but arrays too?"

  Mingzhi started laughing. "I mean... really? Do you think a merchant family has ancient techniques like the Moon-Tide Scripture just lying around? Or arrays like that?"

  "Do you think Wang Hu looks like someone who reads poetry?"

  "No," she giggled. Then she leaned closer. "Then where do you know these things from? How do you know about Seed Quality, and Arrays, and... everything? How much more do you know?"

  Mingzhi’s smile faded slightly. He looked at the river. "Sorry, Rou. It’s a secret."

  "You really won't tell?" she pouted.

  "No."

  "Pretty please?" She widened her eyes, giving him a look that usually melted her father’s heart instantly.

  "Nope."

  She nudged his shoulder. "Come on. We're partners."

  Mingzhi sighed. He stopped, putting on a thoughtful, exaggerated expression. He tapped his chin.

  "Well... maybe..."

  Rou looked up expectantly, leaning in.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  "Maybe," Mingzhi said with a straight face, "if you give me a kiss on my left cheek."

  Rou froze.

  "And then on the right," Mingzhi continued, counting on his fingers. "And then kowtow to me nine times. And call me 'Grandpa' for a month. And maybe wash my socks."

  He stopped, expecting her to punch him in the arm or splash water at him.

  Instead, she looked at him for a long, quiet moment. Mingzhi opened his mouth to stop her, but then, with a determined set to her jaw, she scrambled up onto her knees.

  She leaned forward.

  Peck.

  She kissed his left cheek.

  Mingzhi’s eyes widened. He froze, his brain short-circuiting.

  She leaned in again.

  Peck.

  She kissed his right cheek.

  "Rou?" Mingzhi squeaked.

  She shuffled back, adjusted her dress, and placed her hands on the rock in front of her. She began to bow.

  "One..."

  Mingzhi realized what was happening. He panicked. He scrambled backward so fast he nearly fell off the rock.

  "Rou'er! No! Stop!" he yelped, waving his hands frantically. "Grandma! Ancestor! Please stop! I was kidding! I was just joking!"

  Rou paused mid-bow, her forehead inches from the stone. She looked up through her lashes, her lips pursed in a pout. She let out a loud, indignant "Hmph!" and sat back on her heels.

  "You play too much," she huffed, crossing her arms. But her cheeks were burning red.

  Mingzhi let out a breath, wiping sweat from his forehead. She actually did it. That was unexpected.

  His expression sobered. He looked at her, his dark eyes serious.

  "Sorry, Rou. But I really can't tell you. Not yet. It’s... for your own safety. The less you know, the safer you are."

  Rou looked at him. She saw the shadow in his eyes, the weight he was carrying. She nodded slowly.

  "I understand," she whispered.

  She started to stand up, brushing the dirt from her dress. As she moved, the morning sun caught the object hanging from Mingzhi’s neck—the black wooden block he had forgotten to tuck back in.

  She froze.

  Her eyes went from the necklace to Mingzhi’s face. The gears in her mind turned.

  He dug it up yesterday. He was hopeless before yesterday. And today... today he knows ancient scriptures and arrays.

  "Mingzhi," she said slowly, pointing a trembling finger at the necklace. "You got this knowledgeable only after you found that. Could it be... related?"

  Mingzhi stiffened. She’s too smart.

  He smiled, a bitter, helpless smile and shook his head. He raised a finger to his lips.

  "Ssh."

  Rou stared at him. Then, a warm, understanding smile spread across her face. She didn't ask again. She simply nodded.

  "Mingzhi," the Spirit’s voice cut in, sharp and timely. "The Array is saturated. The ambient Water Qi density has reached the highest level. We can start."

  Mingzhi turned around. The pool at the base of the waterfall was glowing with a faint, azure light. The water seemed thicker, heavier.

  "Hurry," Mingzhi said, his voice turning professional. "The array is ready. We can't waste the stones."

  They strode into the water. It was freezing, but neither of them flinched. Mingzhi led her to the center of the spiral.

  "Stand here," he commanded. "Just calm yourself. Focus on the Moon-Tide rhythm. Do not worry about the flood. I am here."

  "Okay," Rou whispered. She closed her eyes.

  "And use your feet," Mingzhi added. "Root yourself. Like I did and use it to absorb more Qi, like I told you."

  She nodded. She took a breath.

  Mingzhi moved behind her. He placed his right palm flat against the center of her back, directly over her Dantian.

  "Spirit," Mingzhi thought. "Activate Divine Sense."

  "Got it, activating Divine Sense Mold," the Spirit replied.

  Mingzhi felt the familiar cold pressure wrap around Rou’s core, sensing the structure of her body through his hand.

  "Begin!"

  Rou triggered the technique.

  WHOOSH.

  It wasn't a trickle. It was a deluge. The spiral array activated, and the river water seemed to rise up, turning into streams of blue light that rushed into Rou’s body. The volume was terrifying.

  Rou gasped, her body trembling. "It’s too much!"

  "Hold it!" Mingzhi shouted.

  He slammed his Earth Qi into her.

  He didn't attack; he grounded. He pushed his heavy, stone-like Qi into her meridians, coating the walls, reinforcing the banks of her river.

  Earth dams Water.

  "Compress!"

  Rou gritted her teeth. With Mingzhi’s Earth holding the structure and the Spirit’s Divine Sense holding the mold, she wasn't swept away. She gathered the massive ocean of Qi swirling in her Dantian.

  She squeezed.

  The blue light intensified. It spun faster and faster, condensing from mist to liquid, from liquid to a heavy, dark blue sphere.

  CRACK.

  A sound like ice breaking echoed from her body.

  The water settled.

  Rou opened her eyes. She gasped, looking down at herself. She glowed with a soft, ethereal blue light.

  "I... I did it," she whispered. "It’s there. It’s solid. It’s... beautiful."

  "She’s right," the Spirit noted. "A Perfect-Grade Water Seed formed. Her affinity is truly monstrous."

  Mingzhi removed his hand, stepping back. He was exhausted, his Earth Qi drained, but he grinned.

  "You did it."

  They walked out of the water, splashing onto the bank. Rou was practically vibrating with energy. She turned to him, her face beaming with pure joy.

  She threw her arms around him, hugging him so tight his ribs creaked.

  "Thank you!" she cried.

  Then, she pulled back, planted a quick, wet kiss on his cheek, and whispered coyly, "Thank you, Grandpa."

  They both burst out laughing, the sound echoing over the river.

  "Okay, okay," Mingzhi laughed, pushing her away gently. "Don't get used to it."

  Rou spun in a circle, testing her new lightness. "So, what now? I have the Seed. Do I start the Sprouting?"

  Mingzhi’s expression turned serious. "No. Not yet. There is a secret technique. 'Laminar Layering'. Before you sprout, you must add layers to the seed to make the foundation unbreakable. I will now tell you the chants so you can cultivate to Cloud Gathering Level 9."

  He spent the next hour explaining the techniques the Spirit fed him—how to layer the Qi, how to prepare for the Sprouting pain.

  "Do not try the Layering alone," Mingzhi warned as the sun began to dip below the mountains. "It requires precision. If you layer unevenly, or layer too much, the seed will crack, collapse or never sprout. We do it together."

  "Together," Rou agreed, nodding.

  They walked back to the village as the twilight settled. The mood was light, hopeful. For the first time, the future didn't look like a dark pit.

  "I'm actually looking forward to the Sect Selection now," Rou said, looking up at the Twin Wardens. "I want to meet the geniuses from the city. I want to see how strong the sect master and the elders are."

  Mingzhi put on a thoughtful expression. "Strong people... yes. We need to be ready for them. Even for the unexpected."

  They reached the fork in the path.

  "See you tomorrow, Grandpa," Rou teased, waving as she ran toward the Elder's house.

  Mingzhi waved back, watching until she couldn’t be seen. Then, his smile dropped.

  He walked to the Xie hut, greeted his parents briefly, and went straight to his room. He barred the door.

  He sat on his bed in the darkness, the silence heavy around him. He pulled the necklace out.

  His Earth Seed was full. Rou’s Water Seed was formed. But he knew the math. This was just the beginning. There were many strong people out there.

  "Spirit," Mingzhi said, his voice grave.

  "I am here, Mingzhi."

  Mingzhi looked at the necklace, his eyes hard and determined.

  "We have to talk."