Chapter 176 - A Gift Under Starlight

Stepping inside his quiet residence, Su Ming closed the wooden doors behind them.

Walking over to the eastern side of the study, Su Ming took out the ancient mountain painting from his storage ring. Ever since the formation of his World Seed, this painting had become a physical doorway into his personal Grotto-Heaven.

The painted ink rippled like liquid water, radiating a soft spatial light.

Without a word, Su Ming stepped forward into the canvas. Bai Qingxian followed closely behind him.

The space surrounding them twisted for a moment, and in the next instant, the study vanished, replaced by the cold night on a mountain summit.

Above them stretched an endless night sky, illuminated by ten thousand glittering stars. Pale starlight radiated down the peaks and across the valley.

Ever since the World Seed stabilized, the two had made a habit of visiting this place from time to time. Away from the outside world, it had become their private retreat.

Su Ming had spent several quiet days studying the spatial structure of the canvas. Yet unlocking the true mysteries of it required deep mastery over spatial laws.

Walking to the edge of the cliff, Bai Qingxian sat down and let out a long sigh. The cool breeze brushed against her face. The tension and mental exhaustion from the recent trials finally melted away.

Sitting beside her, Su Ming looked down at the quiet valley.

"I should probably learn the occupation of a Spiritual Chef."

Bai Qingxian blinked, then let out a clear laugh. "Is that how you break the silence? Master Fan would weep into his spirit rice if he heard that."

"What? Isn’t that better? I know mortal cooking very well," Su Ming said in a somewhat serious tone. He turned to look at her and chuckled.

"Jokes aside, congratulations, Miss Bai. Fifth Master Physician of the sect, and personal disciple to Grandmaster Yao. It is quite a title."

"Thank you," she replied softly, a genuine glow of happiness in her eyes. "It still feels somewhat unreal."

"Here," Su Ming said, reaching into his wide sleeve. "A small congratulatory gift."

He retrieved a white jade slip and handed it to her.

Bai Qingxian looked at it with mild curiosity. "What is this?"

"Take a look for yourself."

Curious, Bai Qingxian sent a strand of divine sense inside the jade slip.

The moment her consciousness made contact, a massive network of golden and crimson pathways unfolded before her mind. Her eyes widened in genuine astonishment.

Recorded within the slip was Su Ming’s Human Vessel Anatomical Canon. It contained an exhaustive mapping of human physiology and meridians, detailing auxiliary vessels, minute blood vessels, and hidden pathways. It was the result of Su Ming combining his anatomical understanding with the insights gained from Wang Tian’s meridian reconstruction surgery.

To an ordinary cultivator, it was merely a complex chart. But to a Physician like her, it was a priceless treasure that went far beyond the orthodox manuals of Medicine Valley.

"This..." Bai Qingxian withdrew her divine sense, staring at Su Ming with disbelief. "How did you deduce all this?"

"A bit of logic, and plenty of careful observation during Wang Tian’s treatment," Su Ming replied calmly.

Bai Qingxian held the slip tightly against her palm. "This is far too precious. Thank you, Su Ming."

She carefully placed the jade slip into her spatial ring.

Watching her tuck it away, Su Ming crossed his arms and let out a long sigh.

"You know, you really dodged a calamity today."

Bai Qingxian raised an eyebrow, looking at him with an amused glance. "What calamity?"

"If that Lu Feng fellow had actually won, you would be over on Green Cloud Peak right now acting as his assistant."

"Who would?"

"You."

"When did I agree to that?"

"You did," Su Ming said, pointing a finger. "You said—"

"I only agreed that I would serve him," Bai Qingxian interrupted, a sly smile curving her lips.

"As in... handing him a cup of bitter tea. Once. From three paces away. While wearing protective gloves."

Su Ming paused, stared directly at her for two silent breaths, and rubbed his forehead. He let out a deep sigh, completely defeated by her shameless logic.

"You..."

Bai Qingxian chuckled softly, clearly pleased with herself.

Seeing her relaxed smile, Su Ming shook his head.

"Still, Miss Bai... in this vast world, there exists a particular type of trouble you must always watch out for. Call them Children of Destiny."

Bai Qingxian immediately noticed the change in his tone and listened carefully.

"They possess absurd luck," Su Ming explained quietly. "They stumble into ancient caves, survive fatal falls off cliffs, and pick up long-lost cultivation manuals with ease. They defy all common sense, drag everyone around them into one catastrophe after another, and somehow emerge looking like righteous heroes. When you encounter someone like that, do not attempt to reason with them. Just step aside, or deal with them before they start causing trouble."

Bai Qingxian considered his words for a moment. "Do you think Lu Feng was one?"

Su Ming gave a slight shrug. "Who knows..."

He paused briefly, then added in a casual tone, "Remember that Lin Fan I mentioned before?"

In an instant, Bai Qingxian’s eyes narrowed into an icy glare directed straight at him.

Su Ming felt the temperature around the summit drop several degrees and cleared his throat awkwardly.

Back when he had dealt with Lin Fan, some time later, Lin Yao had innocently asked what dual cultivation meant. Caught completely unprepared, Su Ming had choked on his tea, panicked, and immediately deflected the question by telling her to ask Miss Bai because she was a physician.

Poor Bai Qingxian had been left trapped for half an hour, trying to explain dual cultivation to a wide-eyed teenager.

"How could I possibly forget?" Bai Qingxian said with a dangerous smile.

"Next time you receive such an inquiry, Peak Master Su," she said sweetly, "I will personally brew you a pot of Hundred-Year Bitter Bile tea to clear your throat."

"I will pass on that offer."