Chapter 350: Bestowing the Name Ling Qing, Stabilizing Mountains and Rivers!
The rear mountain of Bai Miao Village.
This place was considered forbidden territory for the Li Clan, a place only the Saintess was normally qualified to enter. Even Great Elder Li Xuan hadn’t set foot here since the Miao King accepted the Saintess as his disciple.
At this moment, within the forbidden grounds on the rear mountain of Bai Miao Village, a young man stood at the peak, watching the clouds and mist churn before him. This was the highest point on all of Thunder Mountain. As far as the eye could see, the entirety of Southern Sky unfolded below. Amidst the swirling clouds, Lin Mu looked as if he were deep within an Immortal Realm.
Lin Mu’s heart was stirred. His palm opened involuntarily, stroking the air before him. In an instant, the tumbling clouds roiled and churned, following the sweep of his hand to transform into different shapes—a lion, an Azure Hawk...
Li Lai, who had just arrived, was so shocked by this sight that her red lips parted slightly, her eyes filled with adoration.
"As long as you devote yourself to cultivation, you will be able to do this too, in time," Lin Mu said, withdrawing his hand and clasping it behind his back. "Li Lai, from the moment you became my disciple, your future was destined to be extraordinary. Therefore, remember to cultivate diligently, and never grow lax."
"Yes!"
Li Lai already held both respect and admiration for Lin Mu, but at this moment, she even felt a trace... of fear.
It seemed that behind her Master, there was a world that transcended her understanding. As his disciple, one day, she too would have to step into that world. Even now, her feet were already on the threshold, but to enter, her current strength was far from sufficient. For the first time, Li Lai desperately craved power—immense power!
"Over the next three days, I will guide your cultivation," Lin Mu continued. "You may raise any doubts or confusion you have, and as your Master, I will naturally help you resolve them one by one."
Li Lai was not Li Xiaotian. Li Xiaotian pursued the path of entering the Dao through the Martial Way, and as a Half-step Grandmaster, had already chosen his path. But Li Lai was different; she had never been exposed to the Martial Way, and what Lin Mu imparted to her were all methods from the Immortal Realm. Great Elder Li Xuan had never even heard of such things, let alone seen them, so he had no way to guide Li Lai’s cultivation even if he wanted to.
All this time, Li Lai had been fumbling through cultivation on her own. To have achieved what she had was truly commendable. However, Lin Mu felt that the girl’s cultivation speed was still too slow. If Li Zhou and the others knew of this thought, they would surely despair. In less than two months, Li Lai had already surpassed them by a great margin. If that was still considered slow, there was no point in them even trying.
"Thank you, Master. This disciple will certainly not let you down!" Li Lai knelt on the ground, answering respectfully.
***
Over the next three days, Lin Mu meticulously guided Li Lai’s cultivation. As the reincarnation of the Heavenly Emperor, his vision and perspective could be considered the foremost in the universe. He didn’t teach Li Lai any spells or impart any supreme Dao Methods. Instead, he started from the most fundamental and simple aspects, helping her feel the great Dao of nature and the forces of heaven and earth.
In just three short days, although Li Lai’s cultivation level hadn’t advanced in the slightest, her entire temperament had undergone a radical change. If the previous Li Lai was like an ethereal, clear spring, she was now like the entire valley—seemingly ordinary, but in truth, containing all things. In her understanding of cultivation and her perception of nature’s power, the current Li Lai was now a cut above even Li Xiaotian. Once she fully digested these insights, her cultivation speed would undoubtedly astonish the world.
***
Li Lai sat cross-legged on the mountain peak, her body forming an enticing curve. Suddenly, she opened her eyes. With a wave of her fair hand, the wind surged, and the mist before her began to swirl with the motion of her palm. However, it lasted only a few seconds before the mist settled back into place, as if it had never moved at all.
"Master, I..." Li Lai turned her head to glance at Lin Mu not far away, her expression slightly guilty. In these three days of listening to her Master’s teachings, she had gained a preliminary grasp of nature’s power. But every attempt she made lasted only a few seconds; she was completely unable to sustain it.
"To have achieved this much in just three days means your talent is already exceptional," Lin Mu said casually. If anyone from the Immortal Realm heard him, they would be utterly shocked. For the Heavenly Emperor himself to call her talent exceptional meant it was not just good, but supremely so. Furthermore, this was on Earth, in The Last Dharma Age where Spiritual Energy was scarce. If Li Lai had been born anywhere in the Immortal Realm, she would have been a genius disciple that sects would fight to the death over.
"This is all thanks to Master’s excellent guidance." Li Lai bowed deeply to Lin Mu. "For these three days of listening to your teachings, this disciple will forever hold this kindness in my heart."
Lin Mu waved his hand. "That will do. Your cultivation will pause here for now. You must deeply contemplate what I have taught you for it to be useful to your practice."
"Understood!"
Lin Mu thought for a moment, then said, "Since I have personally taught you for three days, from this day forward, you are my direct disciple, no longer merely a nominal one."
"Thank you, Master!" Li Lai was overjoyed, her eyes turning slightly red.
Her Master had finally accepted her as a direct disciple. She had longed for this day for who knows how long.
"Since you are now my direct disciple, I shall bestow upon you a new name." Lin Mu looked at the distant mists as dusk began to fall, murmuring, "Vast are the trees along the path of the heart, the spirit platform is naturally dust-free; just wait for the dawn, the clear and the muddy will separate on their own!"
"From now on, I grant you the name Ling Qing."
Li Lai repeated the name to herself, then immediately knelt and kowtowed. "Many thanks to Master for bestowing this name!"
"Mm. You may go. I must now begin my solitary cultivation," Lin Mu said seriously. "Remember, without my permission, no one is to take even a single step onto this rear mountain. If this order is defied, do not blame me for being ruthless!"
"Understood!" Li Lingqing replied, slowly rising to her feet and departing. She would personally stand guard to ensure no one disturbed her Master’s seclusion.
After confirming Li Lingqing had left, Lin Mu focused his mind. With a light wave of his hand, several rays of light shot from his palm, concealing themselves among the surrounding trees and stones.
WHOOSH!
Suddenly, a vast mist enveloped the entire mountaintop as countless streams of worldly Spiritual Energy poured into the area.
With this formation as a barrier, no one will be able to break in.
Lin Mu thought for a moment, then opened his hand again.
WHOOSH!
In the center of his palm, a black dot flickered. It swelled in the wind, transforming into a massive cauldron.
The cauldron that could suppress mountains and rivers—the Mountain and River Cauldron!
Looking at the cauldron before him, Lin Mu smiled slightly. "Using you to hold this place down will be absolutely foolproof."
However, no sooner had the Mountain and River Cauldron appeared than all the Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth rushed violently into it, leaving not even a shred for Lin Mu.
He was dumbfounded.
Outside, just as Li Lingqing stepped out of the forbidden area, a shiver ran through her, and she whipped her head around to look back. What she saw made a trace of disbelief flash across her beautiful eyes. To her astonishment, she could no longer see where her Master was. The very mist before her now exuded an extremely dangerous feeling.
To step inside carelessly would mean certain death! Master is truly the strongest in the world!