Yang followed Senior Brother Bo Yu's directions to reach the residence where he would find Senior Brother Xu Wei. Apparently he was an inner sect disciple, and so his residence was farther in, on one of the inner peaks. Taihe Peak, specifically.

  The walk took longer than Yang expected. He had to cross three different walkways, each one leading him deeper into the sect's territory. The peaks grew more isolated as he progressed. Fewer disciples around. More privacy. The residences of inner sect disciples were clearly given more space and better locations than the outer sect caves.

  Taihe Peak was solely for residences. No lecture halls or common areas. Just cave dwellings carved into the mountainside at various heights and positions. The peak itself was beautiful. Taller than the outer sect peak. More vegetation growing along its slopes. Spirit trees with leaves that shimmered faintly. Flowering plants that released pleasant fragrances. The qi in the air felt denser here too. More concentrated. Easier to draw in.

  Yang had to look for a long time before he came across the cave residence of Senior Brother Xu Wei. The peak had hundreds of residences, and none of them had signs or markers indicating who lived where he just had a general idea on where to look on the peak.

  Finally, he found it about two-thirds of the way up the peak's southern face. The entrance was larger than the outer sect caves. More elaborate. And it had a formation outside that shimmered faintly in the air.

  Yang couldn't see anything inside. It all looked blurry to him. Like looking through water. The formation created a privacy barrier that prevented anyone from seeing in or sensing what was inside. Probably also prevented unauthorized entry.

  He stood outside the formation boundary and called out clearly, "Senior Brother, I am an outer sect disciple sent by the outer sect hall for the task you posted."

  It took a moment before anything changed. Then the blurriness seemed to part slightly. Like a curtain being pulled back. Yang could see inside now. Not completely clearly, but enough to make out shapes and colors.

  "Come in," a voice called from within.

  Yang carefully made his way inside the formation. He felt a slight resistance as he passed through. A tingling sensation across his skin. Then he was through, and the world snapped back into focus.

  Once he stepped inside the formation boundary, he found himself in a well-maintained herb garden.

  The spirit herb garden was set outside the cave residence. A small, orderly plot on a flattened section of the mountainside near the entrance. Low stone borders outlined the garden, clearly marking its boundaries. Faint formation lines were carved into the ground, visible only as shallow markings in the stone. Probably some kind of formation array.

  Rows of short, leafy plants and thin-stemmed herbs grew in even spacing. Their colors ranged from pale green to deep jade. Some had small flowers. Others bore tiny fruits. A few seemed to pulse faintly with qi.

  A narrow stone path cut through the plot, allowing access without disturbing the soil. Small wooden markers stood beside each cluster of herbs. Names or types written in characters Yang was still learning to read.

  The area looked clean, quiet, and carefully maintained rather than lush or overgrown. Clearly meant for personal cultivation use rather than display. This was a working garden. A resource, not decoration.

  Yang made his way carefully along the stone path toward the cave residence entrance. He could see a young man in white robes emerging from the cave. The robes had the distinctive embroidery of an inner sect disciple. The cloud pattern along the sleeves that Elder Shi had shown him in the library.

  The man looked to be in his late twenties. Handsome features. Long dark hair tied back neatly. A calm, composed expression. His cultivation was completely invisible to Yang. Far beyond what Yang could sense.

  They both greeted each other with bows.

  "I'm Xu Wei," the senior brother said. "You're here for the herb garden task?"

  "Yes, Senior Brother. I'm Chen Yang, an outer sect disciple. Senior Brother Bo Yu at the outer sect hall sent me."

  Senior brother Xu Wei nodded, looking Yang over with an assessing gaze. "Junior Brother Yang, have you done something like this before? Tended spirit herbs?"

  Yang answered honestly. "No, Senior Brother. I just joined the sect less than a month ago. This will be my first task."

  "Hmm." Senior brother Xu Wei was quiet for a moment, considering. Then he nodded. "Come. Let me show you."

  Senior Brother Xu Wei led him back into the garden. He walked along the stone path slowly, gesturing to different sections as they passed.

  "These are Blue Jade herbs," he explained, pointing to a cluster of pale blue plants with delicate leaves. "They're used in Foundation Establishment pills. I sell these herbs to the sect in exchange for points."

  He moved to another section. "These are Qi Grass or commonly known as Spirit Grass. Used in making Qi recovery pills. Less valuable than the Blue Jade herbs, but far more in demand."

  He continued around the garden, naming each type of plant. Explaining their uses. Their growth cycles. Which ones needed more water. Which ones less. Yang tried to remember it all, but there was a lot of information coming at once.

  Finally, he stopped and turned to face Yang. "I will be going out of the sect for a few weeks on a hunting task with a group of seniors. These herbs need daily spirit qi watering to remain healthy. It's a simple task. All you have to do is water these plants daily. Do you think you can manage that?"

  Yang hesitated. "Senior Brother, where do I get the spirit water from? Is there a well or storage somewhere?"

  Senior brother Xu Wei went quiet for a moment. Then muttered to himself, "Right. You just joined the sect."

  He looked at Yang with a slightly apologetic expression. "It's a very basic technique to water plants. It uses your qi to create water from the air. Most cultivators learn it within their first few months. It's commonly used to water gardens and fields throughout the sect."

  Yang felt his stomach sink. "Senior Brother, I don't know the technique. I don't have any points to purchase techniques yet."

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  He felt frustrated, thinking this task was a dud. His first opportunity to earn points, and he didn't have the prerequisite knowledge to even attempt it.

  But Senior Brother Xu Wei waved him off. "It's an easy enough technique. I can teach you. It's too basic to be worth points anyway. Most seniors teach it to juniors freely."

  Yang's mood immediately lifted. "Really? You'll teach me?"

  "Of course." Xu Wei smiled slightly. "It's part of the task. I need someone who can water the herbs properly. If you don't know how, then I'll teach you. Simple."

  He gestured to the task details. "As mentioned in the post, it's one point per day. So you will receive one point for each day I'm not here to water them myself. Should be about twenty days total."

  Twenty points. That was significant for a new outer sect disciple. Yang agreed immediately. "Yes, Senior Brother. I'll do my best."

  "Good." Xu Wei nodded with satisfaction. Then he led Yang to an empty patch of garden. A section with no plants and just bare soil within stone borders. "We'll practice here so you don't damage any of the actual herbs while learning."

  He positioned himself in the center of the empty patch and demonstrated.

  "The technique is called Qi Dew Watering. Watch carefully."

  Xu Wei formed hand seals. His fingers moved through a short sequence. Then he held the final seal and extended his hands, palms facing downward toward the soil.

  Yang could see qi flowing from Xu Wei's palms. Thin, steady streams of energy. Gentle and controlled. The qi spread out in the air above the soil like a fine mist.

  Then moisture began to appear. Tiny droplets forming in the air. Condensing from seemingly nothing. The droplets grew larger and fell like light dew. Settling onto the soil evenly. Not in a heavy pour or in concentrated spots. Just a gentle, even distribution of moisture across the entire patch.

  The soil darkened as it absorbed the water. But it didn't become muddy or waterlogged. Just properly moistened.

  Xu Wei maintained the technique for perhaps thirty seconds. Then he released the hand seal and the flow of qi stopped. The moisture stopped condensing and the technique ended cleanly.

  "This technique uses controlled qi flow to draw moisture from the surrounding air and guide it gently onto spirit plants," Senior brother Xu Wei explained. "You circulate qi through your palms and release it in a thin, steady stream. The qi attracts ambient water essence from the air and condenses it into fine droplets that fall like dew over the soil and leaves."

  He gestured to the moistened patch. "The moisture should be evenly distributed without disturbing the roots or compacting the earth. See how the soil absorbed it evenly? That's what you're aiming for."

  Yang nodded, paying close attention.

  "By adjusting your qi output, you can control the amount of water delivered," Xu Wei continued. "Too much qi and you'll flood the plants. Too little and they won't get enough moisture. You want to find the right balance."

  He demonstrated the hand seals again, slowly this time. "The qi used in the process should be neutral and non-aggressive. You're not attacking anything. Just gently drawing moisture and guiding it. This prevents damage to delicate spirit herbs and helps maintain stable growth."

  Senior brother Xu Wei formed the seals a third time. "The technique requires very little energy and can be sustained for extended periods. That makes it suitable for daily plant care. You could water an entire field with this if you had the qi reserves."

  He paused, then added, "Advanced users can mix trace amounts of spirit qi into the water to mildly nourish the herbs. Give them a boost. But don't worry about that yet. Just focus on getting clean water without damaging anything."

  "Now you try," Xu Wei said, stepping back.

  Yang moved to where Senior brother Xu Wei had been standing. He recalled the hand seals he'd seen. Formed them slowly, making sure each position was correct.

  First seal. Second seal. Third, Hold the final position.

  He extended his hands, palms down, and tried to circulate his qi the way Senior brother Xu Wei had described.

  His qi flowed out. But nothing happened. No moisture appeared. The qi just dispersed into the air uselessly.

  Yang frowned and tried again. Same hand seals. More focus on the qi flow this time.

  Still nothing.

  "You're releasing the qi but not giving it purpose," Xu Wei observed. "You need to will it to draw moisture. Intent matters in techniques. The hand seals and qi flow are just the structure. Your intent is what makes it actually work."

  Yang tried a third time. This time focusing not just on the qi flow but on what he wanted it to do. Draw moisture from the air. Condense it. Guide it down.

  A few droplets appeared. Tiny. Barely visible. They fell in a small cluster rather than evenly distributed.

  But it was something.

  "Better," Senior brother Xu Wei said encouragingly. "Keep practicing. Focus on even distribution. And more volume. Those few drops wouldn't do anything for the plants."

  Yang practiced. Again and again. Forming the seals. Releasing qi. Willing it to draw moisture and distribute it evenly.

  Slowly, he improved. The droplets became more numerous. The distribution more even. The moisture started falling like actual dew rather than random scattered drops.

  His qi control was still rough. Sometimes he released too much qi and the water came down too heavily. Other times too little and barely any moisture appeared. But he was learning and getting better with each attempt.

  After perhaps an hour of continuous practice, Senior brother Xu Wei finally nodded with satisfaction.

  "That's acceptable," he said. "Not perfect, but good enough for basic watering. The herbs won't be damaged and they'll get the moisture they need."

  Yang felt relieved. His arms were tired from holding the hand seals repeatedly. His qi reserves were depleted from the constant practice. But he'd learned a technique. His first real cultivation technique beyond basic qi gathering.

  "I'll be leaving in a couple of days," Senior brother Xu Wei said. "You should come here every day starting tomorrow to water the plants while I supervise. That way I can make sure you're doing it correctly before I leave."

  He smiled slightly. "You'll still get the one point for those practice days as well. I'm not going to make you work for free while learning."

  Yang bowed deeply, genuinely grateful. "Thank you, Senior Brother. I really appreciate you taking the time to teach me."

  "It's nothing. We're all in the same sect. Besides, I need my herbs watered properly. Teaching you benefits us both."

  Yang took his leave and made his way back toward the outer sect peak. It was almost lunch time. His stomach reminded him he'd been working through the morning without eating.

  He enjoyed the walk back. Happy at learning a new technique finally, even if it was just a basic plant watering technique. It was progress.

  The sun was high overhead as Yang crossed the walkways between peaks. Other disciples moved about their daily activities. Some heading to lunch. Others coming from morning lectures. A few engaged in practice duels on the training grounds visible below.

  Yang felt a sense of belonging. Of being part of something larger. He had a task now. A way to earn points. A technique to practice. Seniors who were willing to teach him.

  White Cloud Sect was becoming home.

  As he walked, Yang practiced the hand seals mentally. Reviewing each position. Thinking about the qi flow and the intent required. He wanted to perfect the technique. Not just meet the minimum acceptable standard but actually master it.

  If he was going to do this task, he would do it well. Honor the trust Senior Brother Xu Wei had placed in him. Take care of those herbs as if they were his own.

  That was the kind of cultivator he wanted to be. Reliable. Trustworthy. Someone who took pride in doing even simple tasks well.

  The outer sect peak came into view. Yang could see the food hall in the distance. Smell the cooking from here. His stomach growled more insistently.

  Tomorrow he would return to Taihe Peak and practice more. Refine his technique. Make sure he could water those herbs perfectly.

  But today, he would eat lunch. Then spend the afternoon cultivating. Building his qi reserves back up after depleting them in practice.

  One step at a time. One day at a time. Building his foundation properly.

  Just like Senior Brother Bo Yu had advised.