After hearing Qiu Xier's words, Ranran also checked herself in the bronze mirror and found that her skin had indeed improved a lot.
She recalled what Second Uncle Master had said before, that the ice lotus in the lotus pond was originally a spiritual item that could harmonize one's spiritual power foundation. Mu Qingge had used it to harmonize Su Yishui's vitals back then.
Could it be that soaking in the water from this lotus pond was the reason for her improved skin?
Upon hearing Ranran's guess, Qiu Xier couldn't help but feel excited and prepared to join Ranran to soak in the lotus pond right away.
If she could get rid of the freckles on her face, it wouldn't be cultivating in vain!
It happens that today Shifu took Senior Uncle Master and the two Senior Brothers down the mountain to visit friends. There were no men in the mountains, so it wouldn't be bad to have an open-air skincare bath!
When they arrived at the pond, Ran Ran got changed first into thick chest wraps. She then plunged into the water for a swim around the pond.
Qiu Xier was originally worried about the cold water, especially since it was almost winter.
But seeing Ranran swimming so happily, she tentatively tested the water temperature with her hand. It wasn't as cold as she had expected. So she impatiently took off her outer clothes, put on her chest wrap, and jumped right into the water.
However, after swimming for a while, Qiu Xier suddenly felt an indescribable chill, creeping into every pore of her body. Before long, she started screaming in horror, shouting, "Quick, I… I'm freezing to death!"
She frantically swam towards the shore while asking Ranran, "Why did the water turn freezing cold?"
Ranran was stunned because she didn't feel cold at all! She even felt that the water was pleasantly warm, and her entire body felt indescribably comfortable!
But Qiu Xier didn't seem to be exaggerating. She was shivering uncontrollably in the water, with frost forming on her skin. She looks about to freeze solid!
She couldn't swim back to shore in time, already feeling her limbs stiffening, half opening her mouth, looking at Ranran in panic, wanting to cry for help but her tongue was already frozen.
Ranran hurriedly swam over, trying to push Qiu Xier back to shore. But with her dog paddle strokes, how could she save someone?
The blood slowly drained from Qiu Xier's face, she was about to freeze to death. Ranran is really distressed now, she wished that she could carry Xier and fly onto shore.
Just then, the water in the pond surged, especially around Ranran, as if it was boiling. A strange warmth surged from her lower abdomen.
Unable to control it, Ranran suddenly leaped out of the water, lightly landing on a lotus leaf.
She was startled for a moment, but there was no time to think. She reached out to drag Qiu Xier, who was gradually stiffening in the water. But Qiu Xier was quite heavy, and Ranran couldn't pull her up at all.
At that moment, a white figure flashed before her eyes. Su Yishui suddenly appeared. He waved his long finger and the water surged and pushed Qiu Xier steadily onto the shore.
Second Uncle Master Yu Tong quickly placed her palm on Qiu Xier's back, channeling her spiritual energy to force out the invading cold from her body. Senior Uncle Master Yu Chen then helped carry the unconscious Qiu Xier back to rest in bed.
The sudden scene shocked the two Senior Brothers who had just returned with Shifu.
Especially Ranran, who was standing lightly on the lotus leaf, her white wet dress sticking to her body, revealing delicate shoulders. Her slightly wet hair clung to her cheeks and neck, while water droplets dripped continuously from her slender ankles and rolled onto the green lotus leaf, all looking…..very mesmerizing.
Ranran hadn't even reacted yet when Shifu, with an ashen face, suddenly took off his cloak, flew up, wrapped Ranran in it, and brought her back to the shore.
The two male disciples were craning their necks to continue looking, but Su Yishui blocked her from their view, just in time to cover their sight.
Only when they saw Shifu's piercingly cold gaze did they realize their indiscretion.
Su Yishui coldly said, "There's nothing here. Go practice on your own!"
Gao Cang and Bai Baishan were originally following Shifu to the grass hall to cultivate their qi. They didn't expect such an accident to happen at the lotus pond along the way. They also had no idea what had happened.
They shouldn't say it, but why did little junior sister's figure look so good?
In their impression, she should be a thin and frail girl. But when her long skirt was wet and clinging to her body, she… really had an enticing figure. Unfortunately, after a brief glimpse, Shifu blocked their view. They could only walk away with lingering regret.
"Why did you take off your clothes to swim? Don't you know people could pass by here?" After everyone dispersed, Su Yishui with a cold face, picked up the clothes on the ground, wrapped Ranran up like a dumpling, and began to reprimand her.
Ranran had thought they had gone down the mountain and wouldn't return for a while, but she didn't expect Shifu to come back at this crucial moment.
Things could have been disastrous just now. She knew she was at fault and could only lower her head and listen to Shifu's scolding.
Still she couldn't help but interrupt Shifu's neverending scolding and asked impatiently, "What happened to Xier? Why did she almost freeze to death?"
Su Yishui obviously hadn't finished what he was going to say, but seeing Ranran so anxious, he still explained with a stern face, "The lotus pond here grows ice lotuses, which are extremely cold. They have changed the water quality here over these long years, and not everyone can play in the water. You are of the Wood element, needing emptiness within. These ice lotuses are very beneficial for you. But for those who are unsuitable, going in can easily absorb too much cold qi and freeze to death."
Hearing this, Ranran couldn't help but draw a cold breath. In other words, if Su Yishui hadn't come back in time, Xier might have been frozen to death!
Seeing her guilty look, Su Yishui softened his tone: "It's my fault for not explaining clearly to you all. From now on, keep them away from this ice lotus pool. Yu Tong has given Xier a Warming Pill and she was also found in time. She just needs to rest for a while, and she'll be fine."
Ranran nodded vigorously. She would never dare to bring Xier to play in the water again. But just now, did she… stand on the lotus leaf?
Now that she had set down her worries, she finally remembered jumping onto the lotus leaf in her moment of desperation.
And Su Yishui looked at her thoughtfully, remarked, "You are naturally lazy, looks like you need some pressure to make progress…"
It seemed that this accident had also opened up insights for Shifu. The teacher, like a cook, had to look at the meat before using the knife. For someone like Xue Ranran, who had no ambition and only thinking about marrying and leaving the mountain, she needed some pressure to improve.
So in the following lessons, it wasn't just walking on lotus leaves. Su Yishui also brought a wooden barrel of pebbles to throw at Ranran while she stood on the lotus leaf.
Although Shifu didn't use real force, getting hit by the pebbles was still painful. In order to dodge them, Ranran had to do her best and jump around like a rabbit spirit had possessed her.
As for the other disciples, seeing someone like Xue Ranran who was originally of a constitution unsuited for cultivation, mastering the Light body technique of floating on water in such a short time, was really enviable.
Bai Baishan, who had been wavering in his pursuit of the Dao recently, became more resolute.
He had initially suspected that Shifu was unwilling to teach them real skills, only making them carry sandbags up and down the mountain every day. But now it seemed that Su Yishui was indeed capable. Not only could he deal with the number one demonic cultivator Wei Jiu, but he could also train someone who was useless like the little junior sister into someone so outstanding.
Such a Shifu was truly exceptional! But was Shifu biased? Why was the little junior sister progressing so rapidly while he was not taught real skills?
Two days later, Bai Baishan couldn't hold back and asked Su Yishui why he didn't teach them higher-level Cultivation techniques.
Su Yishui glanced at him and said mildly, "In Cultivation, you start from the basics. The higher your Cultivation level, the harder it is to change your foundation. If you regret joining the XiShan Sect, it's not too late to change now. But if your Cultivation is deeper, and you want to leave, you'll have to disperse your foundation, which can inevitably damage your tendons and bones. Learning later, is also hoping that you won't regret it."
Ranran listened on the side, recalling the previous time when the Jiuhua Sect came to collect things, and the Second Senior Brother was indeed very attentive, and seemed to be trying to build a relationship with Mu Qingge.
Su Yishui had obviously sensed the Second Senior brother's hidden agendas and thus gave him a reminder.
Bai Baishan didn't expect that his little schemes had been noted by Shifu. And now, its all laid out in front of all the senior brothers and sisters, so he felt quite ashamed. He quickly declared that he had no intention of changing sects.
Su Yishui looked at him and said mildly, "Many disciples came to join the XiShan Sect at the beginning. Why did I choose you few? It's because your ancestors have some history with XiShan. Someone owed favors to your elders in the past, and I'm just fulfilling an old promise that person made. However the depth of the master-disciple relationship is beyond human control. If you regret it now, you can leave at any time."
After saying that, he stood up and walked out of the dining hall.
Obviously, this was also the answer to Bai Baishan's question – since you entered Su Yishui's sect, you should follow his rules. If he asks you to carry sandbags every day, then carry them obediently. If you can't bear it and feel like you haven't learned anything, the sect is open for you to leave anytime. But if you regret it and want to leave, don't blame Shifu for taking back the foundation he had taught you!
Ranran bit her chopsticks, feeling that Shifu was also testing her. Once you set foot on the path of Cultivation in Yongcheng West Mountain, it's not something you can give up just because you want to.
She sighed slightly, wondering how disappointed her parents would be if she didn't marry, but only focused on cultivating in XiShan. And she didn't know if they would have more children in the future; otherwise, if they had no one to take care of them in their old age, how could she focus on cultivation?
But Xier didn't take Ranran's concerns seriously: "Who said cultivation and marriage can't go hand in hand? If you reach a certain level, finding an immortal companion is true bliss! Besides, the saying goes, when one person achieves the Dao, even their animals ascends with them. If you truly achieve immortality, why would you worry about your parents having nobody to rely on?"
Ranran wasn't someone who dwell on worries. After hearing the Third Senior Sister's words, she felt they made sense. She realized that she had considered herself a useless person in cultivation before, it was her own knowledge that was inadequate.
Now that she had glimpsed the path and entered the sect, she naturally had to focus and first learn self-preservation.
Since Xier fell into the water, triggering Ranran to make her breakthrough and mastered the Light body technique, Su Yishui seemed to have found a great teaching method. He kept raising the stakes for Ranran and even the other senior brothers and sisters 'benefited' as well.
On this day, Shifu solemnly announced that he would take them down the mountain to study cultivation!
This matter stemmed from Shifu's recent trip down the mountain to visit his friend.
On that trip, Shifu met with an old acquaintance from twenty years ago.
This person named Qin Xuanjiu, was now the defending general stationed at the strategic Northwestern town of Wangxiang Pass in Daqi. This time he had come to West Mountain fiercely determined to see Su Yishui.
Su Yishui, however, changed his usual aloof demeanor, and personally went down the mountain to meet him. He even had a hearty drink with him in the pavilion at the foot of the mountain.
Originally, General Qin was disdainful of drinking with Su Yishui, but it seemed that he had been upset by something and was eager to drown his sorrows in alcohol, becoming quite excitable for a while.