Chapter 135: Pinecone, Are You Out of Your Mind?

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Master Qingxu noticed that Yan Chixia, Bai Xiaoyue, Tu Xiaomeng, and Song Ta’er all appeared somewhat nervous. As he continuously sprinkled medicinal herbs into the "Spiritual Spring" water, he gently smiled and reassured them:

“Danzi, Mingzi, Congzi, Chizi, don’t be anxious! When the water heats up and the ‘Body Tempering’ begins, just relax and sit quietly in the water... If at any point you find the heat unbearable, immediately come out. Do not force yourself, or you will burn your body! ‘Body Tempering’ is not a matter of a single day. Throughout your cultivation journey, you will undergo countless sessions of ‘Body Tempering’... So you must let things flow naturally and allow progress to come in due time.”

“Yes, Master! We understand!” Yan Chixia, Bai Xiaoyue, Tu Xiaomeng, and Song Ta’er replied in unison.

As they spoke, Master Qingxu had already evenly sprinkled both bowls of herbal powder into the “Spiritual Spring” water. Then, he stood quietly by their side, attentively observing.

The originally crystal-clear blue water of the “Spiritual Spring” suddenly turned a pale yellow, with gentle wisps of steam beginning to rise from its surface.

“Ah!” Tu Xiaomeng involuntarily exclaimed, “It’s heating up! Master, the ‘Spiritual Spring’ water is starting to get hot! Oh my, it’s getting hotter and hotter...”

Before she could finish, Master Qingxu interrupted gently, “Congzi, don’t speak and don’t be nervous... Yes, just sit upright in the water, fully relaxing your body—only then will all the pores open, allowing the cleansing of hair and marrow, removing dross to preserve the essence, and thereby strengthening your constitution!”

“Mm!” Tu Xiaomeng nodded firmly and fell silent, sitting quietly alongside Yan Chixia, Bai Xiaoyue, and Song Ta’er, calmly undergoing the ‘Body Tempering.’

As time passed, the “Spiritual Spring” water grew steadily hotter, with ever more steam rising from its surface. The powdered herbs and crushed medicinal plants dissolved in the hot water, releasing their healing properties. The pale yellow water gradually deepened to a rich orange-yellow hue.

The water’s temperature now exceeded that of Yan Chixia, Bai Xiaoyue, Tu Xiaomeng, and Song Ta’er’s bodies, causing their pores to fully dilate as they accepted the purifying process. Though the water was already scalding, ordinary people would have long since been unable to endure it. Yet they all felt a profound sensation of comfort throughout their bodies.

Master Qingxu stood nearby, watching their expressions and the shifting colors of the “Spiritual Spring” water with solemn intensity. Silently, he kept track of the time for their ‘Body Tempering.’

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According to Master Qingxu’s estimate, Song Ta’er’s ‘Body Tempering’ should last no more than fifteen minutes; Tu Xiaomeng’s about thirty minutes; Bai Xiaoyue’s around forty-five minutes; and Yan Chixia’s approximately one full hour.

However, events unfolded somewhat unexpectedly.

After fifteen minutes, the herbal powders and plant fragments had completely dissolved, turning the once clear “Spiritual Spring” water murky and reddened. Steam billowed from the nearly boiling surface, yet Song Ta’er remained seated motionless, his golden face tightly strained as if nothing were amiss.

Master Qingxu was astonished... Suddenly, an urgent thought struck him: “This is bad!” He quickly employed his spiritual perception to inspect Song Ta’er’s submerged body and immediately discovered that his skin was severely scalded. Trembling with intense pain, his hands and feet concealed in the murky water shook uncontrollably.

“Song Ta’er, get out quickly!” Master Qingxu shouted loudly.

But Song Ta’er shook his head stubbornly, his voice trembling, “No! Master, Xiaomeng, Sister Bai, and Brother Yan are still ‘Body Tempering’... How could I be a deserter? I won’t leave! I want to endure with them...”

Before he could finish, the increasingly scalding water overwhelmed him, and he fainted, his head tilting as he slipped into the boiling water.

“Ah?” Yan Chixia cried out in alarm, immediately springing up, scooping Song Ta’er into his arms, leaping out of the basin, and gently laying him on the grass. He then shouted at the golden-faced youth, “Song Ta’er, wake up! Wake up...”

Bai Xiaoyue and Tu Xiaomeng hurriedly climbed out of the jade basin and rushed over, calling out loudly together.

Master Qingxu hurried forward as well. With a casual gesture, a “Great Restoration Pill” appeared in his palm, having been summoned from his storage space.

Before Master Qingxu could speak, Tu Xiaomeng quickly took the pill and pressed it into Song Ta’er’s mouth.

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Immediately, Song Ta’er let out a cry and regained consciousness. Opening his eyes to see Master Qingxu, Yan Chixia, Bai Xiaoyue, and Tu Xiaomeng gathered around, he hastily sat up, confused, and asked:

“Brother Yan, Sister Bai, Xiaomeng, weren’t we just ‘Body Tempering’? Why are we all out now?”

“Song Ta’er, are you crazy?” Tu Xiaomeng looked at his red, swollen burns with deep concern and couldn’t help but cry, “‘Body Tempering’! ‘Body Tempering’! What did Master say before we started? How could you forget everything so quickly?”

Upon hearing this, Song Ta’er chuckled foolishly, “Hehe, Xiaomeng, don’t cry! I didn’t forget what Master said. At first, during the ‘Body Tempering,’ I felt the water getting hotter and hotter, and it was almost unbearable, so I wanted to get out quickly. But when I saw you, Sister Bai, and Brother Yan sitting there motionless... I thought, if you all aren’t afraid of the hot water, why should I be? So I gritted my teeth and kept enduring, determined to get through it with you. But when Master called me to come out, I could no longer hold on and fainted right away!”

Master Qingxu heard this and felt both amused and irritated: “You foolish boy, you’re so stubborn. The length of ‘Body Tempering’ varies from person to person. Among you four, your cultivation is the lowest; you should know when to retreat, not harm yourself unnecessarily.”

“Exactly,” Tu Xiaomeng chimed in, complaining, “Song Ta’er, it’s all your fault! Sister Bai, Brother Yan, and I were ‘Body Tempering’ peacefully together, but you upset everything at once! You’re really... infuriating!”

Originally, Tu Xiaomeng wanted to say that he was “good for neither starting nor finishing anything,” but she feared hurting his pride, so she held back.