The original host’s residence was called the Qingxin Pavilion, located at the peak of Wuhan Mountain and covered in a thick layer of snow all year round.
He Heyum walked through the corridors blanketed in frost and snow, raising his gaze to look into the chilly and desolate Qingxin Pavilion.
With no windows or doors, the wind and snow poured straight in, and the entire room was filled with a cold and lonely atmosphere.
Inside the room, there was only a wooden table, a small stool, and a meditation cushion in the corner.
He Heyum fell into deep contemplation.
Once it registered in his mind, he was greatly shocked. No way, can people actually live here?
System Xiao Jiu crossed its arms. Please, closing oneself off for a hundred odd years here is just standard operating procedure for the original host.
This wind and snow are personally replicated by the original host from the climate of the desolate polar glaciers, all to temper his state of mind.
He Heyum hugged his arms tightly, his teeth clattering together. What a ruthless person, truly ruthless.
Just how deep was this guy’s obsession with ascending to immortality? He had to treat himself with such harsh bitterness.
Xiao Jiu circled around He Heyum, seemingly feeling a bit chilly as well, and shrunk into the collar of his robe.
Hiss, why do I feel a bit cold too?
With a very human-like shudder, it urged, Quick, quick, quick, let me teach you how to control spiritual energy first. Look at you, you almost fell off your flying sword just now.
The two of us are grasshoppers tied to the same rope. If you get exposed, I will not survive either.
Controlling spiritual energy required starting from the first step of mastering true qi body protection.
The secret to this step was repeatedly practicing the process of withdrawing true qi body protection using spiritual energy.
Half an hour later, a layer of white frost had gathered on He Heyum’s eyelashes.
A cultivator without true qi body protection was only slightly physically stronger than an ordinary mortal.
He Heyum pressed his lips together, a troubled look on his face. I think we should fix the doors and windows a bit. Otherwise, I am definitely going to turn into a snowman by tonight.
Xiao Jiu replied, Once you are completely familiar with the original host’s spiritual energy, making this wind and snow stop immediately will be a piece of cake.
He Heyum asked, Ah? Oh? Is it really that powerful?
Xiao Jiu raised its head smugly. Of course, and you do not even think about how awesome this body is. A Mahayana cultivator, a being standing just half a step away from ascension.
You can actually change the weather right now, but your grasp of spiritual energy is insufficient, so you just cannot control it precisely yet.
He Heyum rubbed his chin. Really or fake?
Xiao Jiu answered, Of course I am not lying to you. If you do not believe me, try it yourself.
Outside, a blizzard was raging. He Heyum brought his right hand together to form hand seals, silently reciting the spell Xiao Jiu had just taught him.
The next instant, an unprecedentedly powerful spiritual energy poured out from his fingertips. The peak of Wuhan Mountain trembled abruptly, clouds churned in the distance, and heaven and earth changed color.
A deafening boom echoed through the air.
The howling wind and snow grew even more violent, and a silver bolt of lightning with terrifying might descended instantly, blasting a charred, massive pit into the ground not far away.
He Heyum was struck with absolute panic. That was supposed to be the snow-stopping spell, right? Why did it summon lightning instead?
System Xiao Jiu mocked, Tsk tsk tsk, you are just too terrible at this.
The Lingxiao Sect disciples at the foot of the mountain were thoroughly frightened by the sudden flash of lightning in broad daylight.
One of the disciples spoke with a trembling voice, Lightning in broad daylight like this, is it an auspicious sign or an ominous one?
Another junior disciple had not fully recovered and was still shivering. Looking at that direction, it seems to be Wuhan Mountain… Could the Immortal Venerable be undergoing a heavenly tribulation?
It does not look much like tribulation lightning, a slightly older disciple shook his head, speaking in a profound tone. Perhaps Immortal Venerable Wuhan is practicing the lightning cultivation technique. That is a long-lost secret method.
As he spoke, a trace of yearning surfaced on his face.
If only I could apprentice under Immortal Venerable Wuhan.
That way, my path of immortality would definitely be bright and smooth, my strength would skyrocket in no time, and becoming an immortal would no longer be out of reach.
The remaining disciples scoffed upon hearing this. Pfft, still daydreaming in broad daylight? Let me tell you, Immortal Venerable Wuhan will not take in disciples at all!
You do not believe me? Hmph, I bet a medium-grade crimson spirit fruit that the Immortal Venerable will not take disciples!
Another disciple glared stubbornly. Who is afraid of who? I am wagering twenty top-grade spirit stones!
Hey hey hey, gambling is not allowed within the sect, and placing bets is not allowed either! Be careful or Elder Zhang from the Law Enforcement Hall will drag you away and lock you up tonight!
He Heyum had no idea that rumors about him taking disciples were already flying all over the Lingxiao Sect, as he was currently still busy familiarizing himself with the original host’s spiritual energy.
The blizzard outside grew increasingly ferocious, stripping several leaves right off the millennium-old ancient tree.
The Qingxin Pavilion really needed some repairs.
He did not want the house to collapse while he was living in it.
Time passed quickly, and with Xiao Jiu’s cheat-like assistance, He Heyum mastered nearly eighty percent of this body’s power, ensuring that he would not give himself away when sparring with others.
He had also crammed the original novel, sorting out the various complex interpersonal relationships and re-reading the plot points that had previously grown somewhat hazy in his memory.
The most headache-inducing problem right now was his face blindness.
Fortunately, the original host rarely interacted with people on a daily basis, which saved him a lot of trouble.
The only difficult person to deal with was the original host’s senior martial brother, Lingxiao Sect Master Jiang Yuhuai, but that person was currently in seclusion and would not come out for ten months or even half a year.
By the time Jiang Yuhuai finished his seclusion, his system tasks would almost be completed.
Raising a cub should still be quite simple, right?
Although he had never raised a child before transmigrating into the book, he had raised a puppy.
The feeding methods for the two should be pretty much the same.
As long as he provided sufficient food, love, and companionship, the child would definitely grow up into an obedient, well-behaved, lively, and adorable little puppy—bah, little kid.
He Heyum wandered around inside the Qingxin Pavilion, feeling somewhat unsatisfied.
Before long, a rampaging beast tide would arrive, and he needed to rush to the small village where Chi Yuan was located before then, bringing little Chi Yuan back to settle him down properly on Wuhan Mountain.
He Heyum looked at the empty room and fell into deep thought. No matter how you look at it, this room looks dilapidated. Do you think the kid will like it?
System Xiao Jiu replied, Since you put it that way, he definitely will not like it.
He Heyum suddenly had a flash of inspiration. This is the main hall, but aren’t there side halls too? If I pick a nice one and clean it up, won’t Chi Yuan have a place to stay?
Action was better than thought. He immediately went to find a side hall with good lighting that was also very close to the main hall.
After cleaning it thoroughly, he turned his storage ring inside out, pulling out all sorts of miscellaneous, novel little trinkets and displaying them all over the room.
It finally looked like someone lived there, lacking that oppressive desolation.
Finally, he dug out a piece of exceptionally fine Phoebe zhennan wood. After a moment of thought, he gave a grand wave of his hand, carving out three large characters with flowing, effortless strokes: Jingxin Residence.
This plaque was hung right above the main entrance.
The more He Heyum looked at it, the more satisfied he felt. As expected of me, look at how beautifully written these characters are. The strokes, the curvature, they are simply perfection.
Xiao Jiu chuckled twice. Looks like chicken scratch to me.
He Heyum put on a smiling face. If you do not speak, nobody is going to mistake you for a mute.