On this day, the team took a temporary rest in a secluded valley.
Jiang Li was sitting on a huge rock. Looking at Ye Xiaoke who was helping Su Yao prepare the bonfire not far away, his curiosity welled up in his heart again.
He walked over to Ye Xiaoke, squatted down, and asked with a smile,"Xiaoke, I've always been curious. You're incredibly strong and in excellent physical condition. But judging from your adoptive father's appearance, he doesn't seem like someone who knows martial arts and can teach you how to cultivate. Besides working and herding cattle every day, didn't you have anything special going on?"
Ye Xiaoke stopped picking up the firewood in her hands, raised her flushed little face, looking rather innocent with her eyes blinking. She replied in a clear voice,"Young Master, I really didn't cultivate. Every day, just as I said before, I had to do all kinds of chores like washing clothes, cooking, and helping out. After that, I went to herd cattle. There was nothing special."
Hearing her innocent reply, Jiang Li couldn't help but sigh with emotion once again.
Compared with his own arduous cultivation day and night, he could better understand the unfairness of such "talent".
He had gone through countless hardships and difficulties in order to improve his cultivation level and had gradually reached the current state step by step.
However, Ye Xiaoke seemed to have possessed such powerful strength unconsciously, which was really enviable.
He couldn't help reaching out and rubbing her head, pretending to be angry as he said,"You little girl, you really make me envious. With such talent, it's like God has given you a ready meal."
Ye Xiaoke felt a bit embarrassed by Jiang Li's action. She scratched her head and giggled.
Jiang Li stood up and walked around Ye Xiaoke, looking her up and down as if he wanted to see through her.
The more he looked at her, the more he felt that this little girl was not ordinary. Especially her muscles and bones, which were stronger than ordinary people could imagine.
"Xiaoke, I still find it strange. Even if you work every day, those ordinary household chores wouldn't have been enough to build such strong muscles and bones for you. Tell me again, exactly how did you herd the cattle?" Jiang Li asked with a frown.
Ye Xiaoke tilted her head and thought for a moment. Gesturing with her hands, she said,"Young Master, I just herded the cattle on the Green Mountain not far from the village. Every time, I first drove the cattle from home to the river, then carried the cattle across the river. After reaching the other side of the river, I went up the mountain to herd them."
"Carried the cattle across the river?" Lin Xiao's eyes widened and he couldn't help exclaiming in surprise.
An image immediately popped up in Jiang Li's mind of Ye Xiaoke's tiny figure carrying a cow and struggling to walk across the river. He couldn't help but be shocked in his heart. Sure enough, no wonder the little girl's muscles and bones were so strong. It turned out that she had unconsciously exercised them during the process of herding cattle every day.
"That's really a bit excessive," Lin Xiao muttered, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes."In that case, herding cattle is even more difficult for her than practicing martial arts."
Ye Xiaoke chuckled softly, with a slightly embarrassed blush on her face."Actually, it's nothing. I just thought it was more convenient this way. Otherwise, if the cows walked slowly, it would waste time."
Hearing Ye Xiaoke's words, Su Yao beside her couldn't help covering her mouth and giggling."Sister Xiaoke, you're really amazing. You can even carry a cow across the river. If I were at your age, I wouldn't have such ability."
Ye Xiaoke felt even more embarrassed when praised and her face became even redder. She lowered her head and said in a low voice,"I didn't think too much about it. I just thought it was convenient. Otherwise, if the cows walked slowly in the river, it would waste time."
Jiang Li shook his head with a smile, and he liked the little girl's innocence and simplicity even more in his heart.
Ye Xiaoke had such a high talent. If she could get better guidance in martial arts, her achievements in the future would surely be limitless. Thinking of this, an idea came to his mind.
"Xiaoke, since you haven't systematically learned any profound martial arts techniques, I have a palm technique that suits you very well. I'll teach it to you starting from today. You must study it hard," Jiang Li said to Ye Xiaoke with a serious look on his face.
Hearing this, Ye Xiaoke's eyes immediately lit up and she jumped up excitedly."Wow, really? Young Master, you're going to teach me a new technique. I will definitely study hard!"
From that day on, whenever the team had free time, Jiang Li would carefully teach Ye Xiaoke the "Xuan Tian True Qi Palm".
He started from explaining the most basic methods of gathering and circulating spiritual energy, patiently elaborating on every step and every key point of the spiritual energy's operation to Ye Xiaoke.
Ye Xiaoke was also extremely earnest. Her big eyes were fixed tightly on Jiang Li's every move, and her little mouth was pursed tightly, for fear of missing any detail.
Every time Jiang Li demonstrated a move once, she couldn't wait to start imitating and practicing it.
At first, when Ye Xiaoke performed the "Xuan Tian True Qi Palm", her movements were still a bit stiff and the circulation of spiritual energy was not very smooth. Every time she struck out a palm, it could only stir up weak fluctuations of spiritual energy, which was far from Jiang Li's palm technique that was as smooth as flowing clouds and running water.
However, this little girl was not discouraged at all. She knew that since she hadn't undergone systematic cultivation and learning before, it was already quite good to have such a start.
So, apart from finishing her simple chores every day, she spent almost all the rest of her time practicing the "Xuan Tian True Qi Palm".
Whether it was in the valley in the early morning when the sunlight first shone, or by the brook in the evening when the afterglow spilled down, Ye Xiaoke's little figure could be seen practicing hard.
She repeated the moves again and again, constantly adjusting her way of exerting force and the trajectory of the spiritual energy's circulation. Every failure didn't make her lose heart but instead inspired her fighting spirit even more.
In this way, with Ye Xiaoke's diligent efforts and Jiang Li's careful teaching, it didn't take long for her to master the "Xuan Tian True Qi Palm" very well.
Now, when Ye Xiaoke performed the "Xuan Tian True Qi Palm", her movements were as smooth and natural as flowing clouds and running water.
As she waved her palms, there was a faint glimmer of spiritual energy shining. Every time she struck out a palm, it could stir up a powerful stream of spiritual energy, roaring forward, and its power was many times stronger than it was at the very beginning.
Seeing Ye Xiaoke's progress, the others in the team also couldn't help but praise her repeatedly. Lin Xiao couldn't resist patting Ye Xiaoke on the shoulder and said,"Sister Xiaoke, your progress is really rapid. If you keep going like this, I'm afraid you'll surpass us old guys before long."
Hearing this, Ye Xiaoke said with a grin,"Brother Xiao, I'm still far from being good enough. I still need to keep working hard and become as powerful as the Young Master."
Jiang Li watched from the side, and his heart was filled with gratification.
Ye Xiaoke was just like a piece of unpolished jade. Now, under his guidance, she was gradually shining with her own light.
As for himself, he also gained a deeper understanding of the "Xuan Tian True Qi Palm" during the process of teaching Ye Xiaoke. Every time he performed it, he felt more at ease and skillful, as if this martial art technique had already integrated with himself.