Hou Niao's Eighth Puzzle had simply progressed to the ninth, which was expected due to the existence of the Purple Mansion Vortex. Similar surprises would continue to arise on his path of cultivation until he thoroughly understood the secrets of the Purple Mansion.
Speaking of the process alone, it went smoothly; what was troublesome was the endless overflow of his Dantian. Would he keep expanding until old age?
One day, he saw three women in the courtyard getting dressed in armor. Of course, it wasn't actual armor but rather the cloth armor most common in the wilderness, which provided little protection. There was also an ox cart in the yard with a huge wooden barrel on its frame, so he instantly understood what the three women intended to do.
After thinking it over, he realized it had been a while since he last went out to clear his mind. So, he stepped out of his room and patted the ox on its hindquarters,
"Going to fetch water? Then let's go together."
