Chapter 12: Lonely Mountain 4

Not long after Yun Shang started meditating, Gu Xian came back.

When the young Taoist priest came back, he not only picked up firewood and fetched water, but he also looked refreshed and clean.

- It turns out that the little Taoist priest is really good-looking after washing himself, with delicate features and fair skin. If he were put in modern society, he would be considered a handsome young man.

He is very good-looking and has a good character, so why does he not have much talent in cultivation?

Yun Shang felt a little sorry for him in her heart and sincerely hoped that he would be rewarded for his good deeds.

"Xiaoyun, is there dust on my face?"

Seeing Yun Shang staring at him blankly, Gu Xian touched his face, feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Oh, no, it's very clean." Yun Shang smiled and helped to put up the firewood, saying softly: "I think you are such a good person."

"You must also be a good Taoist priest who is devoted to Taoism." Gu Xian said, looking into the distance.

"Pfft--" Yun Shang was amused by his serious and tenacious gaze.

…

The fire soon started and the cave became warm.

The comfortable temperature made Yun Shang relax. She leaned against the rock wall, feeling a little tired.

- From the time she traveled through time to now, it has been a thrilling journey. She can finally take a break.

She turned her head and saw that Xiaobai was sleeping soundly on the haystack, his belly swelling with his breathing, which was very cute.

Yun Shang let out a sigh and smiled.

"You and Xiaobai really have a deep relationship as master and servant." Gu Xian happened to see this scene and felt a little touched.

"Xiaobai and I are not in a master-servant relationship." Perhaps because she was in a relaxed mood, or perhaps because she found Gu Xian to be trustworthy, Yun Shang completely let down her guard. "You may not believe me, but Xiaobai and I just met last night."

Gu Xian opened his eyes wide, looking quite surprised.

Yun Shang looked back at the sleeping Xiaobai and sighed, "Xiaobai I can tell from the first glance that he understands human nature and is not a bad person. I thought I would just give it a try, but I didn't expect it to be successful."

"A righteous man has many supporters, while an unrighteous man has few. Xiaobai is abused by it's owner every day, and he has a lot of grievances in his heart. It is your good fortune to meet him." Gu Xian said

"You want to practice seriously, right?" Gu Xian asked.

Yun Shang nodded vigorously, "I want to become strong."

"I'm glad you have this idea." Gu Xian showed a mature expression again and thought seriously, "It's a pity that I am also very weak, and Wuchen Temple has always only recruited men..."

"I want to go to Mushui Town." Yun Shang said, "I heard that every three years, many sects will recruit disciples there.This year fortunately recruitment happened in three months. So I want to give it a try three months later."

The hero and heroine in the novel entered a sect of cultivation through selection and reached the pinnacle of their lives.

If she wants to take the proper path of cultivation, she must go to Mushui Town and strive to participate in the selection examination of the big sect.

After hearing what Yun Shang said, Gu Xian showed a somewhat surprised expression, "I didn't expect you to be so ambitious, Xiao Yun. The sects that recruit students in Mushui Town are all top sects in the continent. They have very strict requirements for their disciples. It is rare to become an inner sect disciple. Even being an outer sect disciple who sweeps the courtyard is not easy."

"I know." Yun Shang lowered her head and played with her hands, her tone light but firm, "But I still want to take a chance."

"Even if I can't pass the test, I still want to go and see it. Maybe there will be some adventures." Yun Shang said, "I heard that Mushui Town is beautiful and prosperous, with many merchants and monks. There is also a legendary stories and hearsay. It's very interesting."

Gu Xian: "I have only heard about Mushui Town from my master, but I have never been there. Merchants who travel all over the country, wandering cultivators, and powerful people with profound cultivation often appear there, because it is right on the north-south dividing line of our continent. The south is relatively flat, with less spiritual energy, and there are mostly ordinary people and wandering cultivators; the north is almost full of mountains and ridges, with abundant spiritual energy, and several major cultivation sects occupy their own mountains without disturbing each other."

"If you want to achieve something, going to the northern cultivation area is the best choice. "Gu Xian smiled and said, "Xiao Yun, you are more ambitious than me. I can hardly imagine that I can go there."

Gu Xian smiled helplessly and changed the subject, "It's getting dark, Xiaoyun, you should take a rest. I am here, and there are formations outside. There should be no danger in the first layer of the forest."

"Then I'll be welcome."

Yun Shang stood up and walked to the back where there was a pile of hay and sat down, but she did not lie down. Instead, she crossed her legs and prepared to meditate - she felt that this would make her more comfortable after waking up.

She sat cross-legged, placed her hands on her knees, slowly closed her eyes, relaxed her body and mind, and began to silently recite the mantra of the exercise.

Seeing Yun Shang sitting cross-legged with her whole body relaxed and a calm expression, Gu Xian smiled with satisfaction and also sat in front of the fire to start meditating.

...

When Yun Shang complete her practice at daybreak, Yun Shang slowly opened her eyes, and Gu Xian was standing in front of her.

"Brother, is it already morning? I want to wash" Yun Shang said, she still has a habit morning bath from previous life.

"Of course." Gu Xian said, "It's daybreak now, go wash in the lake outside."

Yun Shang turned around and saw that Xiaobai was still sleeping, with no intention of waking up, so she asked Gu Xian, "Then I'll trouble you to look after Xiaobai."

...

There is a small lake not far outside the cave, hidden among the green trees. From a distance, the lake water looks blue-green like gemstones, but when you get closer you can see that the water is clear, and when the breeze blows, fine ripples are raised.

This place is secluded and surrounded by trees and shrubs. Apart from the roosting birds and the ubiquitous insects, there are no other animals to be seen.

Yun Shang also became bolder, took off all her clothes and jumped into the water.

Perhaps it was because of the protection of her true qi that the water temperature in the lake made her feel very suitable, even comfortable.

This feeling of being close to nature is free and comfortable.

In a good mood, she simply swam in the pool. After just a few strokes, the layer of dirt on her body disappeared without a trace, revealing her fair skin again.

Yun Shang touched it and felt that the skin was much smoother than before, and even the hair was darker and shinier.

No wonder everyone wants to become an immortal. Even if they cannot surpass Lingxiao and become an immortal, ordinary cultivators can still prolong their life and maintain their beauty.

In modern society, a lot of money would be saved on skin care products, cosmetics and medical beauty.

Yun Shang swam a few laps to relax her body and mind, and then washed her clothes.

… 

After washing and wrung out the clothes, they were still damp, but Yun Shang had no spare clothes, so she had to wear them.

Her hair was wet, and her clothes were wet, which made her feel a little uncomfortable. She found a place to sit down by the lake and tried to mobilize the Qi in her body to see if she could dry her clothes.

After concentrating and calming her mind, Yun Shang silently recited the "Chaos Art" technique, and soon she felt a small stream of warm air circulating in her body.

The breath only circulated back and forth in her body a few times, and her clothes and hair were completely dry, and she felt refreshed, warm and comfortable.

At this moment, Yun Shang just wanted to shout out: Cultivation is great!

On the way back, Yun Shang was thinking that she, a person from modern society, was forced to come here, but she could adapt to this primitive and harsh environment so quickly. Looking back, she found it incredible.

- Although she experienced some incredible things during her growth, overall she was still an ordinary person living a normal life.

Why did she accept this setting so quickly after being hit so hard? 

Yun Shang couldn't figure it out, but now was not the time to think about these questions. The environment she was in was the real world of cultivation, and everything she experienced was real. If she got hurt, she would bleed and feel pain, and if she encountered danger, she might even die.

She wants to live, she must live.

Yun Shang took a deep breath, put these thoughts behind her, and strode towards the cave