Having made his decision, Fang Yichi wasted no time and resumed his cultivation practice, diving into hell once more. Since he already had experience in absorbing essence, it wasn't hard to draw the particles floating in the air.
His body was bathed in sunlight. Fang Yichi looked like an orange figure, but that glow faded instantly. His inner pores, now free from the blockage of the old "Golden Map," absorbed the solar essence that, upon touching his skin, fused immediately.
Fang Yichi felt an itch — as if he had been dipped in a bucket of nettles. Extremely uncomfortable. Infuriatingly itchy.
"Shit! Why does it itch so much?" he cursed, and just as he was about to scratch himself, he heard a voice from a distance.
"Keep going! The itching is normal. It means your skin is evolving and becoming tougher, so endure it!" shouted Mei Lie, who had regained her mysterious master demeanor.
"Okay..." Fang Yichi gritted his teeth and continued cultivating the essence, the itching growing worse by the second. His skin was flushed, his blood boiling. He was sweating intensely, droplets falling and soaking the ground around him.
The day was nearing its end. The sun began to set, and the light gradually dimmed.
Sensing the solar essence becoming increasingly scarce, Fang Yichi opened his eyes with a tired expression.
"Didn't I say so? Cultivation is hard. It's not as simple as it looks. It demands great endurance," Mei Lie, who had watched the entire process, said calmly. But in her heart, she was very pleased. 'This bold disciple actually cultivated for twelve straight hours... For a first time, that's incredible! His persistence is admirable.'
She praised him in her thoughts, but showed nothing outwardly. She approached and wrinkled her nose.
"Go take a shower, you reek of sweat."
Fang Yichi, still recovering from exhaustion, didn't say a word. His mental state wasn't good enough for small talk. Mei Lie didn't blame him; it was expected. She simply smiled slightly and entered his house.
Alone, he recovered. After some time, his breathing returned to normal.
Coming to his senses, he noticed a horrible smell. Looking at himself, he realized his skin was exuding a strong odor. He instantly covered his nose and rushed to the bathroom.
***
In the bathroom, Fang Yichi took a long shower — the longest of his life — to get rid of the stink. He had no idea how many times he had scrubbed his skin. All he knew was that the bath lasted fifty minutes, and the water in the barrel was reeking.
He poured the water down the drain, which led to the sewer outside the village. It flowed through a small tunnel made of various sturdy materials Fang Yichi had no clue about.
But he didn't dwell on that; his focus now was his new skin. There were no more scars — the ones he'd gotten from the fight with the wolf were healed. His skin had also become lighter in tone. The impurities accumulated over time had been eliminated.
"I want a mirror!" Fang Yichi wanted to see his current appearance.
But sadly... poor people don't have one — it's too expensive. The only way was to go to the river to see his reflection.
"But it's too late now..." He felt a little down for a few seconds. Then, he put on fresh clothes: a black outfit he had saved for special occasions.
He considered that day special, so he decided to treat himself. After getting dressed, he used a blue hairpin to tie up his hair. Then, he left the bathroom and went to the kitchen.
***
Mei Lie, who was preparing some food, suddenly paused when she saw a delicate-looking young man walk in. He was handsome; his black hair and eyes, along with his calm demeanor, would make anyone want to cherish him.
'What am I thinking?' She was startled by her own thoughts. 'When did I become like this?'
She started to blush. 'Damn disciple, I've only accepted you today! Why are you messing with my thoughts?' She didn't blame Fang Yichi, only herself for losing the composure of a respected master.
"Master? What's going on with you?" Fang Yichi, who had come to fix something to eat because he was hungry, raised his eyebrows, watching her.
"Nothing. Eat well today. Tomorrow, I'll take you somewhere to speed up your skin cultivation," Mei Lie said with a mischievous smile.
Fang Yichi shivered. 'This won't end well... I smell chaos.'
He cried internally. With a bitter smile, he began eating. His master had prepared simple dishes: roast chicken stuffed with herbs, rice, and a strange green liquid in a cup.
"Is this edible?" Fang Yichi eyed the cup suspiciously. After thinking for a while, he brought it to his mouth. The moment the liquid touched his tongue, he realized it was good.
"Appearances are deceiving! I thought it would be awful, but it's really good!" Fang Yichi's eyes widened in shock. Soon he turned into a glutton, tearing off the chicken leg, drinking the green liquid, and eating the rice alongside it.
Satisfied, belly full, he patted it and went to his room. That night, he snored like a pig.
The next day, after sleeping through the night, Fang Yichi went to find his master, eager to know what the day's training would be.
'Speaking of which... did she sleep here?' He began to wonder about it. At that moment, everything darkened — his excitement for cultivation had made him forget about his master.
Quickening his pace, he went to find her. It didn't take long to spot her outside the house. At that moment, she was watching the sunrise on the horizon.
Once again, Fang Yichi imprinted that scene in his mind. He wanted to paint that moment. 'My master is so beautiful...'
He wasn't a pervert, nor a shallow person. His admiration was respectful — he sincerely appreciated beautiful things.
Walking slowly, he approached his master from behind and, for a moment, contemplated the silence.
"The whole world is so beautiful, isn't it? The starry night, the sun, the moon... everything is perfectly lovely," he said.
"Except for humans," Mei Lie replied, turning to him at some point.
Fang Yichi looked at her. "You're right... some kill for fun, others exploit, taking from the poor. There's betrayal... truly trusting someone is hard, for fear of being stabbed in the back."
Mei Lie nodded. "For someone who's lived in this village, your understanding of nature is impressive."
"It's necessary, for someone who's lived alone since thirteen... and often hunts in the Shrouds." Fang Yichi smiled. He had never sought out Elder Song. Since his father's death, he had lived like a lone wolf.
"I-I see..." Mei Lie didn't know what to say. She had trained Fang Yichi when he was fifteen because she found the boy interesting, but she never really understood him.
Mei Lie rarely stayed in the village. She had only returned this time to speak with the village chief about an important matter. On the way, she found the boy she had once trained, on the brink of death.
It made her feel pity. Fang Yichi had always worked hard to learn and possessed a remarkable ability to do so. Seeing him in that state moved her. And she immediately wanted to save him.
And the moment he woke up asking about cultivation, she had only one thought:
'How far can this young man go? Cultivating in such a desolate region?'