It all started with one person becoming a shaman, but the Stand user...

What might happen next will really surprise her.

With Guan Shihua's level of mental cultivation, she would remain calm even if Mount Tai collapsed in front of her, and she could easily stay composed no matter what unexpected events occurred.

Her expression quickly softened again, and she asked directly:

"Oh? You mastered the skills on the same day? Then why did you tell your master it would take three days? And why are you willing to tell him now?"

Qinghe Miao met her gaze and answered frankly:

“When I first became an apprentice, I wasn’t familiar with my master yet. You can’t see into someone’s heart. Given my situation, I was inevitably a little wary. I was afraid that if I was too quick, it might cause unnecessary trouble or… other thoughts. So I deliberately delayed for two days to hide my shortcomings.”

He paused, glanced back at Master Chai behind him whose expression was complicated due to the excuse of "concealing his abilities," smiled, turned back, and spoke bluntly:

"I'm saying this now because my master has come all this way to see you, even though he's old and frail, for my sake. It wasn't easy for him. I can't let all his hard work go to waste."

If I want to get a substantial benefit or opportunity from you, I have to first show my face and prove that I truly deserve it.

Actually, with the system in place, he was already able to accumulate "qi" when he clicked "confirm".

As for following the master to strengthen muscles and bones and practice meditation, it was just to increase proficiency.

The reason he concealed his abilities was naturally because he was a transmigrator with modern memories who had read too many "gangster cultivation" themes in online novels of later generations.

Arriving in this unfamiliar world, and encountering a master with extraordinary skills who offers to take you as a disciple, you instinctively become more vigilant!

As the saying goes, if you don't work hard in cultivating immortality, you'll end up as brothers in the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.

Aren't there plenty of stories where the loser between a master and his apprentice ends up as the main soul in the Ten Thousand Souls Banner?

The decision to expose it now is to proactively "add value" to the display of its worth.

Because the essence of their trip was to "attract investment".

He used his enormous potential and personal connections to exchange for the "real money" that Guan Shihua, this "big investor," could offer in the present.

Whether it's spiritual resources, connections, or protection or guidance at crucial moments.

This was the first time that the two people, who were not related by blood or marriage, had met.

If you don't offer something substantial, why would anyone give you any good leverage?

Looking at Qing Hemiao's well-organized manner, Guan Shihua was not displeased at all. On the contrary, she found it quite interesting and had a thought of teasing and competing with him.

Her eyes flickered slightly, and behind her, through the unique sensory perspective of the shaman, a phantom image quietly appeared.

It was the image of an old woman with a head full of silver hair tied in a simple bun, wearing a coarse white cotton and linen dress, and a kind face.

Yet he was radiant, like a respected patriarch who ruled a vast family.

The illusory figure possessed a solid aura, and although it did not exert any deliberate pressure, it naturally exuded a profound and awe-inspiring presence.

"Hehe, good lad, you're quick-witted and quite bold."

Guan Shihua's voice remained gentle, but her words carried a hint of curiosity:

"Then how can you be sure that nothing will go wrong this time, in unfamiliar circumstances?"

Of course, we have the confidence to go out.

Qinghe Miao thought this to himself, but showed no fear on his face.

He felt the air around him seemed to have become heavier, and even the "qi" that was originally flowing smoothly within his body was being suppressed invisibly, becoming somewhat sluggish.

But he still insisted on slowly activating the technique, striving to maintain the circulation of Qi.

At the same time, behind him, a slightly blurry phantom, far less imposing than the one behind Guan Shihua, also appeared.

It was also the image of an old woman, but her figure was more ethereal, and her aura was more gentle and reserved. It was the manifestation of the "Grandma Bai" deity worshipped by Master Chai's lineage.

As soon as the phantom appeared, it bowed respectfully towards the majestic phantom behind Guan Shihua, displaying a courteous demeanor.

But it did not disappear; instead, it remained firmly floating behind Qinghe Miao.

With the pressure shared by the "immortals," Qinghe Miao spoke frankly:

"The relationship between us, the shamanic disciples, and the deities is like that of family. I believe that Grandma Guan's place must be a gathering place for many highly respected senior deities from our lineage of shamanic practitioners."

With so many celestial elders watching over us, Grandma Guan couldn't possibly bully us, her master and disciples, and the celestial beings who protect us, all of whom were also involved.

His words were neither humble nor arrogant.

"Good lad! At such a young age, you already have such a profound understanding of our lineage's cultivation methods. The key is that you're not shy, you're open-minded, and you speak so eloquently!"

Upon hearing this, Guan Shihua's smile grew even brighter and more joyful, and the imposing phantom behind her slowly dissipated as if it had never appeared.

She exclaimed in sincere admiration:

"Judging from that cleverness alone, I can't let you two, master and disciple, go home empty-handed, or people will gossip about me, the headmaster. However..."

She changed the subject, her expression becoming more serious, and her gaze scrutinized Qing Hemiao again:

"If what you say is true, being able to sense Qi and enter the door overnight, this level of understanding and affinity with 'Qi' is indeed astonishing."

But based on my detection and observation just now, the amount of Qi accumulated within you seems to be only average, even... slightly less than some of your more diligent peers. This makes me a little unsure.”

Logically speaking, in the early stages of cultivation, especially in the foundation-building phase, talent is often closely linked to physical constitution.

A person with good physical constitution has a higher sensitivity and tolerance to the primordial energy of heaven and earth, making cultivation twice as effective with half the effort.

Even if one possesses extraordinary comprehension and can thoroughly understand the techniques, the initial process of drawing Qi into the body and accumulating Qi still primarily relies on the body's 'container' and 'channels'.

In the system, it represents the amount of experience points gained from each training session.

Chapter 17: Don't hold grudges after the fight!

Qinghe Miao was fully aware of Guan Shihua's doubts.

He secretly tested himself and concluded that he would only ever have average aptitude.

Without the system, one might not even be able to become an extraordinary person.

In addition, most of this period of life is wasted in school.

Their progress in this area is naturally not much better than that of children from families specializing in extraordinary talents.

The meaning of Guan Shi Hua is quite clear, and there are many kinds of talents.

Some talents allow people to walk more steadily and further on the right path, reaching the peak, while others may allow them to make a name for themselves in unorthodox or unusual ways.

Some talents may be more reflected in the accumulation of knowledge and theoretical innovation, but they are of limited help in improving practical skills.

As the old saying goes, you can tell what a person will be like at three years old.

She was delighted to see Qinghe Miao today and was indeed considering mentoring the younger generation and cultivating talent for their lineage of shamans.

However... how much resources to allocate and which relationships to utilize are matters that require further discussion.

Many things are part of the common foundation of the shamanic lineage, and are not something she can decide on her own.

Ultimately, we need to consider its actual value and future potential.

If we could produce someone like Zhang Zhiwei, the old Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain, whose innate talent, comprehension, and temperament are all exceptional.

There's nothing more to say about that.

What secret treasures does the shamanic lineage have? They'd throw them away without a second thought!

Such people, as long as they are not heartless and treacherous, have immeasurable value for the entire school of thought once they grow up.

Even if we can cultivate a top-tier master who can reliably take over the mantle of the Elephant Cultivator and shoulder great responsibilities in the future, it would be even better.

Therefore, it is definitely worthwhile to increase the training efforts.

Guan Shihua has two grandsons, but she is not the kind of narrow-minded person who would protect her own.

Any promising talent that benefits the entire school will become the foundation for their spiritual practice.

When the time comes, as long as things are handled well, there is no vicious infighting, and there is fair competition, the most suitable person will be selected to take over the corresponding position. This is a very normal thing in all schools and sects.

But what if it's a different situation?

While possessing good comprehension and unique insights, their inherent physical attributes, or rather, their ability to accumulate Qi, have become weaknesses that hold them back.

This means that they may never reach the peak of their cultivation throughout their lives, possessing only insights but lacking the corresponding strength.

So, could we consider reducing the level of resources and the direction of training, and extending the cycle?

"There's nothing we can do. We just accept whatever God gives us. If something isn't meant to be, we can't force it, and complaining won't help."

One of the system's core functions cannot be easily utilized yet, so the level upgrades are naturally not that significant.

Qinghe Miao was also helpless about this, but said it in a very carefree way:

"However, if you want to verify it, I have a very simple and direct way."

Guan Shihua's interest was piqued, and she leaned forward slightly:

"Oh? How do you do it? Tell me."

Qing Hemiao raised his hand, pointed to Deng Youcai who was leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed, watching the show as a backdrop, and clearly said:

"Simple. Wouldn't it be the most direct way to see what happens if I fight Brother Deng?"

"What the hell? What are you looking at?"

Upon hearing this, Deng Youcai immediately lowered his arm and swore.

The casual expression on his face disappeared, replaced by displeasure at being looked down upon.

He was, after all, Guan Shihua's grandson, and a well-known figure among the younger generation of Ma Xian outside Guan.

It felt rather awkward to be singled out and challenged to a "fight" by a young-looking kid who didn't seem to have much inner strength.

Master Chai was startled and quickly stepped forward, tugging at Qing Hemiao's sleeve, and whispered urgently to dissuade him:

"Miaozi! What are you doing! Don't go looking for trouble!"

He was extremely anxious, feeling that his apprentice was ultimately from a small town, had never seen the world, and had been blinded by ordinary praise, becoming arrogant and ignorant.

Qinghe Miao simply waved his hand lightly, signaling his master to calm down.

Seeing his expression, Master Chai felt even more that the boy was clueless.

They were like a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger, completely ignorant of their own limitations.

Guan Shihua watched this scene with great interest. She stroked her chin and pondered:

“Youcai is at least six or seven years older than you, and his cultivation is solid. Your suggestion is a bit unfair.”

"Just a demonstration."

Qinghe Miao chuckled and said loudly:

"If I actually win, that would be bullying. Just don't be petty and make it so that my husband and I can't get down the mountain."

They only dared to do this because they had seen the original plot and knew the other person's personality.

"Hahaha!"

Guan Shihua burst into laughter, and waved her hand heartily:

"Alright! Gentlemen, what's with all the fighting? You've got guts. Since this young man wants to spar with you, then you can have a go! Remember, go all out, but don't really go all out. Stop when you've got enough, and let me see just how good this kid really is!"

"Oh dear, my temper is flaring up!"

Deng Youcai already felt looked down upon, and his grandmother's words further fueled his competitive spirit as a man from beyond the Great Wall.

He cracked his neck, making a soft snap, and grinned, revealing a set of white teeth:

"Grandma, don't worry, I'll definitely give this little brother a 'good' training session and I absolutely won't 'go easy' on him!"

He emphasized the last few words, his gaze fixed intently on Qing Hemiao.

Qinghe Miao cupped his hands in greeting, and the two of them said no more, arriving one after the other at the open space they had just passed.

The open space is flat and has enough room to maneuver.

Master Chai and Guan Shihua also came out and stood in the shadows under the eaves to watch the battle.

Dimly, one could also sense curious or scrutinizing gazes coming from behind the doors and windows of other houses around the yard, clearly indicating that the commotion here had attracted some attention.

Deng Youcai walked to the center of the courtyard, assumed a starting stance, and although his tone was fiery, his actions were still reliable. He took the initiative to speak: