The next morning—
sunlight streamed through the window.
The village slowly came alive.
Birds chirped among the trees.
Voices could be heard outside.
Inside the room—
Lían remained asleep.
His body lay quietly upon the bed.
His breathing was slow and steady.
Then—
his eyes suddenly snapped open.
His crimson irises stared toward the ceiling.
For several moments—
he remained motionless.
Then—
Lían slowly sat up.
He rubbed his eyes.
"...Morning already?"
He glanced toward the window.
Bright sunlight had already filled the room.
Lían yawned.
Then—
he climbed out of bed.
His feet touched the wooden floor.
He stretched his body before walking toward the door.
But—
before he could reach it—
**Knock. Knock.**
Lían stopped.
He stared at the door.
Another knock followed.
**Knock. Knock.**
Lían walked over.
He opened the door.
A familiar figure stood outside.
Aunt Xu.
She smiled when she saw him.
"Oh."
"You're already awake."
Lían nodded.
"Good morning, Auntie Xu."
"Good morning."
She looked at him for a moment.
Then—
she spoke.
"The Village Head asked me to come get you."
Lían's expression became slightly puzzled.
"The Village Head?"
Aunt Xu nodded.
"He's waiting for you in the backyard."
Lían stared at her.
For several moments—
he said nothing.
Inside—
his thoughts immediately became suspicious.
*What does that old man want now?*
*Can't he just call someone because they're staying in his house?*
Lían sighed inwardly.
*I wouldn't even be surprised if this is about the techniques.*
Still—
he kept his expression calm.
"Alright."
"I'll be there in a moment."
Aunt Xu nodded.
"Okay."
"I'll go ahead."
She turned around.
Then—
she walked down the corridor.
Lían watched her leave.
Only after she disappeared around the corner—
did his expression change slightly.
"...The old man really likes keeping people busy."
He turned back into the room.
His gaze immediately fell upon the books lying on the table.
The four movement techniques were still stacked there.
Lían walked over.
He picked them up one by one.
*I should return these anyway.*
He glanced at the books.
*Who knows?*
*Maybe that's why he called me.*
Lían wasn't particularly surprised by the possibility.
He had already agreed to return the books.
And—
he had no reason to keep them any longer.
He had already memorized everything inside them.
More importantly—
he had spent the entire previous night practicing Flowing River Steps.
There was no longer much value in carrying the physical books around.
Lían turned toward the door.
Then—
his gaze fell upon one particular book.
**[Flowing River Steps]**
He reached down and picked it up.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
*This one is different.*
He had already paid for it.
The clam shell had been part of the trade.
This technique was now his.
Lían opened his storage pouch.
Then—
he stopped.
*No.*
He remembered something.
The pouch contained too many things.
It would be safer to keep the technique somewhere on his body.
Lían slipped **Flowing River Steps** inside his coat.
*I've already paid for this one.*
*So there's no reason to return it.*
He picked up the remaining three books.
**Cloud Step.**
**Wind Chasing Steps.**
**Shadow Drift.**
He tucked them securely beneath one arm.
Then—
he walked out of the room.
The door closed behind him.
Lían glanced toward the backyard.
*Let's see what the Village Head wants this time.*
He began walking down the corridor.
His footsteps were quiet.
His expression remained calm.
But—
somewhere in the back of his mind—
a faint sense of caution remained.
After all—
with Village Head Wa Shi...
It was better to always expect something unexpected.
Lían finally arrived at the backyard.
The moment he stepped outside—
his eyes swept across the open courtyard.
A faint breeze passed through the trees.
Leaves rustled softly.
At the far end of the yard—
Village Head Wa Shi stood with his hands behind his back.
Beside him—
Xu Mei was also present.
Lían paused slightly.
*Mei is here too?*
He glanced between the two.
Wa Shi noticed him almost immediately.
His gaze shifted toward the books beneath Lían's arm.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"You came."
Lían nodded.
"Village Head."
Then—
his gaze moved toward Mei.
"Mei."
Mei smiled.
"Lían."
She looked at the books he was carrying.
"Are those the movement techniques?"
Lían nodded.
"Yes."
"I came to return the ones I borrowed."
He raised the stack slightly.
"I've already read them."
Wa Shi's eyebrows lifted.
"Already?"
Lían calmly nodded.
"Yes."
Wa Shi stared at him for a moment.
*His memory is quite good.*
He glanced toward the books again.
Then—
he looked back at Lían.
"I see."
Mei tilted her head slightly.
"You memorized all of them?"
Lían nodded.
"All four."
Mei's eyes widened slightly.
"That quickly?"
Lían scratched his cheek.
"I just read them carefully."
Mei stared at him.
She clearly didn't believe that was all there was to it.
Wa Shi, however—
remained thoughtful.
His gaze lingered on Lían.
*This child continues to surprise me.*
Lían walked closer.
He placed the three books he had borrowed onto a nearby wooden table.
**Thud.**
**Thud.**
**Thud.**
"These three belong to you."
He tapped the remaining book beneath his coat.
"Flowing River Steps is mine."
Wa Shi nodded.
"Naturally."
He glanced toward Mei.
Then—
his expression became slightly amused.
Lían immediately noticed.
His eyes narrowed.
*Why is that old man smiling like that?*
Mei also seemed confused.
"Grandfather?"
Wa Shi simply shook his head.
"Nothing."
Lían didn't believe him for a second.
He looked between them.
"...So why did you call me here?"
Wa Shi's smile slowly faded.
He turned toward Lían.
"I wanted you to see something."
Lían's expression became serious.
"Something?"
Wa Shi nodded.
"Yes."
He stepped aside.
Only then did Lían notice—
something had been placed beneath the large tree behind them.
A wooden target.
Several long poles.
And—
a row of stones arranged across the grass.
Lían's eyebrows lifted.
"What is this?"
Wa Shi smiled.
"You've learned Flowing River Steps."
"So naturally..."
He glanced toward the open space.
"I wanted to see how well you've actually learned it."
Lían stared at him.
Then—
he sighed inwardly.
*So that's what this is about.*
Mei smiled.
"Grandfather said he wanted to see your movement."
Lían glanced at her.
Then back at Wa Shi.
"Do I really have to?"
Wa Shi laughed.
"Of course."
"Consider it a test."
Lían remained silent.
Then—
a faint smile appeared on his face.
"...Alright."
He slowly stepped forward.
His body relaxed.
His breathing gradually became steady.
His eyes became focused.
*If it's only a test...*
*Then I might as well show him.*
Lían walked into the open space.
The breeze passed through his hair.
His feet settled naturally upon the ground.
Wa Shi and Mei watched closely.
Neither noticed—
the faint shift in Lían's posture.
The relaxed expression disappeared.
His entire body became fluid.
Like water waiting to flow.
Lían took his first step.
And—
his figure moved.
There was no sudden burst of speed.
No explosive spiritual energy.
Instead—
his movement was smooth.
His foot landed lightly upon the first stone.
Then—
his body shifted.
The second step followed naturally.
His waist turned.
His shoulder moved.
His center of gravity changed.
Everything happened almost simultaneously.
Lían stepped onto the next stone.
Then—
another.
Then—
he suddenly changed direction.
**Whoosh!**
His figure slid sideways.
His foot barely touched the ground before his body flowed around the wooden target.
His hand brushed against its surface.
Then—
he accelerated.
His body shot forward.
One step.
Two.
Three.
Each movement connected seamlessly with the next.
There was no unnecessary motion.
No wasted energy.
Lían's body moved like flowing water.
Wa Shi's eyes gradually narrowed.
*This...*
He watched carefully.
Lían suddenly turned.
His right foot touched the ground.
His body twisted.
Instead of losing momentum—
he redirected it.
His figure passed around another wooden post.
Then—
he suddenly stopped.
His robes fluttered slightly.
Silence.
Lían stood at the opposite end of the courtyard.
Mei stared.
Wa Shi remained silent.
For several breaths—
neither spoke.
Lían looked back at them.
"...Is that enough?"
Wa Shi's expression became complicated.
"Enough?"
Lían nodded.
"Yes."
Wa Shi slowly exhaled.
"You learned that much..."
His gaze remained fixed upon Lían.
"...in one night?"
Lían scratched his cheek.
"I suppose."
Wa Shi stared at him.
Inside—
his thoughts were racing.
*One night.*
*He only had one night to practice.*
*Yet his movements already resemble someone who has cultivated the technique for months.*
His eyes narrowed.
*His comprehension is frightening.*
*No...*
*It's more than comprehension.*
*His body seems naturally suited to the technique.*
Wa Shi recalled what Lían had said yesterday.
*His Water Elemental Physique.*
His expression became thoughtful.
*So that's the reason.*
*Water naturally follows the path of least resistance.*
*And this technique emphasizes continuous movement and redirection.*
*With that physique...*
*He can probably understand its principles far faster than an ordinary cultivator.*
Wa Shi's gaze became increasingly complicated.
*What kind of monster did that mysterious master create?*
Lían looked at him.
"So..."
He pointed toward the books.
"If that's all, I'll return the books and go."
Mei immediately spoke.
"No."
Lían paused.
He turned toward her.
"...No?"
Mei shook her head.
"That isn't all."
Lían blinked.
"Then what else?"
Mei looked toward her grandfather.
Wa Shi's expression became slightly amused.
Lían's eyes narrowed.
*Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling?*
Mei crossed her arms.
"You seem to be in a hurry."
Lían frowned slightly.
"In a hurry?"
"Yes."
She tilted her head.
"Why?"
"Do you have somewhere to go?"
Lían shook his head.
"No."
"I'm not in a hurry."
Mei stared at him.
"Then why did you immediately ask if you could leave?"
Lían became silent.
"...I just finished what I came here to do."
Mei smiled.
"Exactly."
"You finished demonstrating your technique."
"So naturally..."
She glanced toward Wa Shi.
"...there's something else."
Lían looked at the Village Head.
Wa Shi calmly nodded.
"Indeed."
Lían's expression became wary.
"What?"
Wa Shi smiled.
"I want you to spar with Mei."
Silence.
Lían froze.
His eyes slowly shifted toward Mei.
Mei blinked.
Then—
she smiled.
Lían stared at her.
"...Spar?"
Wa Shi nodded.
"Yes."
Lían's expression became complicated.
Inside—
his thoughts immediately raced.
*Why?*
*I just came here to return three books.*
*How did this turn into a sparring match?*
He looked at Wa Shi.
The old man remained completely calm.
Lían sighed inwardly.
*Of course.*
*With this old man around...*
*Nothing is ever as simple as it seems.*
Mei stepped forward.
She smiled at Lían.
"Come on."
"I want to see how strong you've become."
Lían stared at her.
"You?"
Mei nodded.
"Me."
Lían's gaze briefly swept over her.
Second Stage Spirit Refining.
Then—
he looked back toward Wa Shi.
The old man simply smiled.
Lían sighed.
"...Fine."
Mei's eyes narrowed.
"Really?"
Lían nodded.
"Yes."
He slowly stepped into the open space again.
His expression gradually became serious.
"Let's spar."
Mei's eyes brightened.
She stepped forward as well.
The atmosphere in the backyard quietly changed.
Wa Shi watched from the side.
A faint smile remained on his face.
Inside—
his thoughts were calm.
*Let's see...*
*How much stronger has this child actually become?*