Chapter Twelve: Guiding Xiao Yan

"I saw that you had fallen asleep and was afraid you might catch a cold, so I wanted to move you to a more comfortable place."

Ning Jiuyou watched as Xiao Yan stammered in a flustered panic, waving his hands about as he tried to explain.

She paused for a brief moment, then gave an awkward cough and said, "I... I understand. Thank you, Xiao Yan."

Xiao Yan scratched his head and offered a sheepish smile, feeling secretly relieved that Ning Jiuyou wasn't angry. He glanced at the sky and said, "Let's go. It's time to eat; I'm sure Father and the others are waiting for us."

"Wait a moment, Xiao Yan. I have something for you."

As she spoke, she reached for a book resting on a nearby stone and handed it to him. Xiao Yan took it curiously, his gaze falling upon the cover, where the characters "Spirit Rhyme Heavenly Pivot Manual" were inscribed in bold.

"Xiao Yan, this is a supplementary cultivation technique called the 'Spirit Rhyme Heavenly Pivot Manual.' It can accelerate the condensation of your Dou Qi, help you better perceive the energy between heaven and earth, and improve your cultivation efficiency. Moreover, practicing this technique is of great help in stabilizing your foundation."

After she finished speaking, Ning Jiuyou looked at him earnestly and said softly, "I don't know why you push yourself so hard in your cultivation, so there isn't much I can do. I hope this technique proves useful to you."

She then glanced at his clothes, which were soaked with sweat. "You know, you must balance work and rest. Constant, unrelenting cultivation not only exhausts the body but also does no good for your state of mind. Sometimes, a proper moment of relaxation might even lead to new insights in your cultivation."

*Little Yanzi, this girl is right. You have been pushing yourself too hard lately. A little relaxation will only do you good. Besides, you have not only me by your side but now another person as well, so..."*

*Master, I understand.*

He looked at Ning Jiuyou and said, "Jiuyou, thank you. You always seem to offer help exactly when I need it most. Rest assured, I will manage my cultivation time more reasonably. With this technique, my path of cultivation will surely be much smoother."

Ning Jiuyou shook her head with a smile. "You are welcome. As you said, we are friends; helping one another is only natural. Let's go, let's head to dinner. Let's not keep Uncle Xiao Zhan and the others waiting too long."

...

During the meal, Xiao Zhan inadvertently noticed the fluctuations of Dou Qi in Xiao Yan’s body. He paused, sensed them more carefully, and a look of pleasant surprise appeared on his face.

"Yan'er, I didn't expect you to have already reached the sixth stage of Dou Qi. That is quite an improvement! It seems you haven't been slacking off lately."

Xiao Yan smiled modestly. "It’s thanks to Jiuyou's help on a daily basis; otherwise, I wouldn't have made such rapid progress."

Xiao Zhan nodded, his face full of gratification. He then turned his gaze toward Ning Jiuyou, his eyes filled with a touch of admiration. "Jiuyou, your innate talent for cultivation is even more astonishing! Your speed is almost catching up to mine. To have advanced to a four-star Dou Zhe in such a short time... this old man is truly put to shame."

Ning Jiuyou quickly waved her hands. "Uncle Xiao Zhan, you flatter me too much. Furthermore, your strength is profound; I still have a long way to go."

Because of her family's unique techniques, Xiao Xun'er had naturally sensed Ning Jiuyou’s level as well. "Sister Jiuyou is indeed exceptionally gifted; I am quite impressed. I hope we can discuss cultivation methods together in the future."

Ning Jiuyou looked at Xiao Xun'er beside her. Whether it was a trick of the senses or something else, she always felt that there was something different about Xiao Xun'er—something that made her seem even more formidable than the other youths of the Xiao clan. "If you have time, Xun'er, you can come find me. I am always available."

Xiao Zhan looked at Xiao Yan, Ning Jiuyou, and Xiao Xun'er, his heart filled with deep emotion.

...

After dinner, Xiao Yan returned to his room and took out the "Spirit Rhyme Heavenly Pivot Manual" that Ning Jiuyou had given him. He laid it flat on the table, his eyes fixed intently on the text and diagrams, filled with curiosity and anticipation.

Old Yao emerged from the storage ring and examined the manual. He couldn't help but pause, a flicker of surprise flashing through his eyes. "Little Yanzi, this technique is truly marvelous! Look at the circulation path of the Dou Qi; it cleverly aligns with the flow of spiritual energy in the heavens and earth, allowing one to absorb the maximum amount of external energy into the body. Furthermore, it has unique benefits for nourishing and widening the meridians. I have never seen such an exquisite supplementary technique."

Hearing Old Yao’s assessment, a surge of excitement rose in Xiao Yan’s heart. He studied the manual carefully, finding it more profound the longer he looked. "I never imagined that Jiuyou could produce such a magical technique for me. She is truly too kind to me."

Thinking of all the help and concern Ning Jiuyou had shown him, Xiao Yan’s heart was filled with gratitude. Just as he was immersed in his admiration for the manual and his appreciation for Ning Jiuyou, a soft knock sounded at his door.

Xiao Yan paused, surprised. That aura... was it Ning Jiuyou?

"Xiao Yan, it's me, Ning Jiuyou," her gentle voice came from outside.

It was her!

Xiao Yan stood up quickly and hurried to the door. When he opened it, he saw Ning Jiuyou standing there with a faint smile, her eyes filled with concern.

"Jiuyou, why are you here?" Xiao Yan asked in surprise.

Ning Jiuyou looked at him and said, "I was worried you might not understand some parts of the manual, so I came to see. If there is anything you don't grasp, I can explain it to you."

Xiao Yan felt a warmth in his heart, touched by her thoughtfulness. "Thank you, Jiuyou. I was just looking through it, and it feels truly wondrous."

Ning Jiuyou smiled and stepped into the room, looking toward the "Spirit Rhyme Heavenly Pivot Manual" on the table. "That’s good. While the technique is exquisite, there are some things one must be careful about while practicing. Let me explain them to you."

She walked to the table, picked up the manual, and began to explain it to him in detail. After patiently going over the key points and the areas where mistakes were easily made, she set the papers down and looked at Xiao Yan with encouraging eyes.

"Xiao Yan, now that I have explained so much, try practicing it once. I will watch from the side, and if there are any issues, we can discuss them together."

Xiao Yan nodded, took a deep breath, and sat cross-legged. He began to circulate his Dou Qi, following the methods recorded in the manual. At first, the flow was smooth, but before long, a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his face turned slightly pale.

Ning Jiuyou reached out to interrupt him.

"Xiao Yan, look here. Your Dou Qi is moving too fast through this particular meridian, causing a buildup that is blocking the passage instead. You must control the speed of the flow and let it pass through steadily."

Xiao Yan followed her guidance, adjusted the flow of his Dou Qi, and tried again. However, although the Dou Qi did not catch in that meridian this time, a problem arose in another spot.