One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

Ten minutes later.

Nie Lingfeng sat cross-legged on a relatively flat rock by the pool, his left hand supporting a fist-sized, steadily burning orange-red flame (he noticed that the size and burning time of the flame seemed to be related to the consumption of some kind of warm energy in his body, though he wasn't sure if it was a variant of internal force). In his right hand, he used a thin stone strip that he had carefully selected and sharpened on the rock to skewer a prepared fish (the process of scaling and gutting the fish was quite messy and smelly, so we won't go into details), and slowly rotated it above the flame, carefully adjusting the distance.

sizzle...

Scalding oil seeped from the gradually golden-brown fish skin, dripping onto the flames and bursting into tiny bubbles with an enticing sound. The rich, pure aroma of charred meat, mingled with a subtle fishy scent, permeated the cavern as if it were a tangible presence, filling his nostrils and wildly stimulating his salivary glands.

Nie Lingfeng's mouth was watering uncontrollably, and he had to swallow repeatedly, his eyes fixed on the increasingly tempting grilled fish in the flames, his gaze frighteningly green.

"Be careful with the heat...don't rush...heat evenly...I remember watching a cooking show that said grilled fish should be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside..." he muttered earnestly, even though his only "cooking" experience in his previous life was limited to boiling instant noodles, frying eggs, and reheating leftovers in the microwave.

Five more minutes passed, which felt like an eternity.

The fish is finally cooked.

The whole fish was a perfect golden brown, with taut, slightly charred skin and cute little bubbles in some places. Nie Lingfeng eagerly yet carefully removed the grilled fish from the flame, brought it to his mouth, puffed out his cheeks, and blew hard.

Once the heat dissipated slightly, he eagerly tore off a small piece of the crispiest, most charred fish from the edge and stuffed it into his mouth, ignoring the heat.

It was scalding hot! The burning temperature made him grimace.

But the next second—

Delicious! The pure, overpowering aroma of meat explodes in your mouth!

How fresh! The natural sweetness of the fish, even without any seasoning, is exceptionally pure and rich!

Tender! The outer skin is crispy, while the fish inside is still juicy, delicate, and tender!

"Waaaaah..." Nie Lingfeng was so moved he almost cried, mumbling incoherently, "It's meat...it's cooked meat...it's piping hot meat...it would be even more perfect if it had a little salt, but...waaaah...it's so delicious...a delicacy..."

He no longer cared about his image or the proper way to eat slowly, and began to wolf down the fish with both hands. The fish was so hot that he hissed and gasped for breath, but he couldn't bear to slow down.

Five minutes later.

Nie Lingfeng let out a satisfied, loud burp, looked at the half-eaten, still-warm grilled fish in his hand, and fell into a brief moment of contemplation.

"Is that... enough?" He touched his slightly bulging belly in disbelief, feeling a long-lost, warm sense of fullness. "In my past life... I was a carb warrior who could devour two grilled fish and a whole bowl of rice by myself..."

Sure enough, the child's smaller stomach capacity severely limited his performance.

He looked at the remaining, still tempting grilled fish with a mixture of satisfaction and regret. After hesitating for a few seconds, he stood up, found a few relatively large, clean (he wiped them carefully) leaves of an unknown fern nearby, carefully wrapped the remaining grilled fish, and placed it on a dry, well-ventilated stone platform.

"Can't waste it, there'll be food for the next meal." He muttered to himself, then fell back down onto the cool but flat stone, spreading his limbs and gazing at the eternally deep blue "mossy starry sky" above him.

The feeling of fullness brought a strong, warm sense of languor and sleepiness, but it also made his mind clearer and calmer than ever before.

It's time to take stock of the current situation and plan for the future.

"The current situation can be summarized as follows," he said in a low voice, analyzing the situation as if giving a project presentation, while facing the void:

"First, I am trapped deep in Lingyun Cave. The structure here is complex and bizarre, and it may be a living maze or a hidden formation. With my current (almost zero) combat ability and ignorance of the terrain, blindly wandering around will result in a very high probability of death."

"Second, basic survival resources confirmed. Food source: There are fish in the cold pool. Although catching them requires skill and is not very efficient, it should be enough to sustain us with the Wind God Leg technique we've just mastered. Water source: The water in the cold pool is clear and cold, and drinkable (hopefully without parasites). Shelter: This cave is relatively safe and dry."

"Third, I possess the first stage of Nie Feng's knowledge base. The theoretical systems of Wind God Leg, Six Secrets of Frost, Cloud Dispelling Palm, Heavenly Frost Fist, Ice Heart Technique, and Creation Blade are complete, but they are all in 'memory state' and urgently need to be transformed into actual cultivation results."

"Fourth, I possess physical enhancements and special abilities granted by the Qilin marrow. These include: a significant affinity and control over fire (the ability to start a fire), strong resistance to cold (and perhaps also resistance to high temperatures), and superhuman physical recovery speed and wound healing ability (passive health regeneration). These are the important assets that have enabled me to survive here for a long time and even to cultivate in seclusion."

Nie Lingfeng sat up, the confusion and panic in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by a calm, rational determination.

"Therefore, after comprehensive analysis, the optimal solution is—" He took a deep breath and said, word by word:

"I will go into seclusion and focus all my energy on training."

"First, transform the theoretical knowledge in your mind into real combat power, and practice basic martial arts such as Wind God Leg and Six Secrets of Frost to a level that can at least be used in actual combat and have a certain ability to protect yourself. Then, with the improved strength, systematically explore Lingyun Cave and find a way out."

"Anyway..." He looked around the dark blue cave that had been sealed off for hundreds or thousands of years, a helpless bitter smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, "It's probably not going to be out for a while, maybe even three or five years. There's no use in rushing."

Just do it.

Nie Lingfeng suddenly stood up, patted his clothes which were covered in dust and smelled of fish (although they were already filthy), and his eyes were as sharp as a knife about to be drawn.

His "Lingyun Cave Secluded Cultivation Plan" has officially begun.

Daily practice begins at dawn (marked by the darkest light from the moss).

The first lesson, without fail: sit cross-legged and meditate, circulating the "Ice Heart Technique" for one hour (approximately two hours). At first, distracting thoughts surged up like boiling water—thinking of the gradually blurring faces of my parents from my past life, the mortgage I hadn't paid off, the ending of the anime I was following that suddenly stopped halfway through, the delicious spicy hot pot place downstairs from my office, and even how much better it would have tasted if I had sprinkled some cumin on the grilled fish earlier…

But gradually, as he forced himself to recite the profound incantation repeatedly, guiding that faint yet resilient wisp of icy blue energy along specific meridian pathways, a cool and tranquil feeling began to arise from the depths of his heart. His chaotic thoughts, like a calmed lake, gradually settled, and his consciousness became clear and focused. Although he was still far from the state of "a heart as clear as ice, unperturbed even if the sky collapses," he had at least entered a meditative state.

Having mastered the Ice Heart Technique, it was time to practice the Wind God Leg Technique. The theory was flawless, but the practice was a complete disaster.

"Making mountains out of molehills!"

He gave a low shout and, following the route of internal energy flow he remembered, exerted force in his legs—

Pfft!

He tripped over his own feet and fell flat on his face, his chin hitting the cold, hard stone, making him see stars from the pain.

"Hiss... No, no, my internal energy went astray. I should have gone through 'Zusanli' first, then 'Yongquan'..." He grimaced as he got up, patted the dust off his face and hands, carefully recalled the details, and started over.

This kind of slamming and bruising was repeated dozens of times every day. His knees, elbows, and palms were quickly covered in bruises, burning with pain. But Nie Lingfeng discovered that whenever the pain became unbearable, the Qilin tattoo on his chest would warm slightly, and a warm, moist current would flow from it, slowly moving towards the wound. When he woke up the next day, most of the bruises had faded, and by the third day they were almost invisible.

"Is this... a passive health regeneration and accelerated healing buff?" He curiously poked the warm center of the tattoo with his finger. The tattoo didn't react at all, as if silently saying, "Basic stuff, don't be silly."

The cultivation of the Six Secrets of Frostbite requires the Snow Drinking Blade. Nie Lingfeng solemnly held this divine weapon, the coldest in the world, with both hands, and assumed the starting stance according to his memory: his feet were neither too far apart, his right hand held the blade, the tip of the blade slightly lowered, his mind calm, trying to sense the coldness in the blade and resonate with his own icy true energy.

First trick: A startled glance.

It emphasizes extreme simplicity and speed, eliminating all frills and concentrating all energy and spirit into a single strike, aiming for a decisive victory.

He focused his mind and concentrated, carefully channeling the icy blue energy within his meridians, slowly infusing it into his right arm holding the sword, and then guiding it towards the Snow Drinking Blade—

Wave!

The blade flashed, accompanied by a faint whooshing sound; the air temperature seemed to drop by a degree or two where the blade passed.

And then... no more.

There was no expected fierce blade aura breaking through the air, no ice spreading and freezing everything, only the natural chill emanating from the Snow Drinking Blade itself, which was several degrees colder than the surrounding area.

"Your internal energy is too weak, and it doesn't resonate enough with the sword." Nie Lingfeng wasn't discouraged. He sheathed his sword and stood up, nodding instead. "Your approach is correct. Keep practicing and accumulate internal energy!"

The cultivation of Cloud-Dispelling Palm and Frost Fist also encountered the predicament of being "theoretical giants but practical dwarfs". When a palm strike is made, let alone the swirling clouds and multiple palm shadows, there is not even a decent palm wind; when a punch is thrown, it is wishful thinking to expect frost to cover the ground, at most you will feel a little cold on your fist.

As for creating the blade... the description in the inherited memories is even more mysterious: "No moves or styles, it's all about intuition; everything can be a blade, and the moves are made at will." Nie Lingfeng scratched his head, "This... can't be rushed; it depends on comprehension and opportunity."

The happiest time of his daily training was undoubtedly "fishing for a snack." As his understanding of the first move of the Wind God Leg, "Catching the Wind and Shadows," deepened, he progressed from initially needing half an hour and getting soaked to barely catch a fish, to only needing a quarter of an hour and becoming significantly more agile, and later—as soon as the silver shadow in the pool showed any sign of emerging, he could step on the edge of the pool and dash out like the wind, his fingertips striking with precise cold air, greatly increasing his efficiency.

"This is called sustainable development and ecological balance." He said seriously to the deep pool while skillfully roasting the freshly caught fish with the flames on his fingertips, "When I've mastered my skills and leave this godforsaken place, I'll definitely leave some incense for your fish clan. I'll never eat up your descendants."