"I'm sorry. I forgot you are mortals and cannot touch these things."

Miao Yi then asked, "Xue'Er, are you alright?"

The expressions that Qian'Er and Xue'Er threw at the jade plate was filled with reverence. It turned out to be something that mortals were unable to touch.

Xue'Er shook her head, immediately offering her apology for the mistake, "It's all my fault for almost destroying Cave Master's things."

"It's alright," said Miao Yi chuckling. "I have some matters for you to attend to. Both of you come with me!"

The two of them trailed behind him as they departed from the main hall, only to be greeted by the sight of the sun s.h.i.+ning brightly outside. Once the things residing on the jade plate came into contact with sunlight, the hairs that were coated with ice suddenly emitted wisps of black smoke. The ice vanished and instantly the hairs returned to their natural state.

When ice met sunlight, it was impossible for it to melt so quickly, and it was also utterly impossible for it to emit black smoke.

Therefore, it was plainly obvious that the ice covering the hair really wasn't ice of a natural phenomenon and was instead, formed by an extremely prominent aura of Yin energy.

The sight of the ice, having suddenly emitted black smoke before turning back into hair, once again made Qian'Er and Xue'Er fearful, because they hadn't felt celestial energy and instead, had sensed a thread of evil energy.

All of a sudden, Charcoal, who was lying on his side at the doorway, swis.h.i.+ng his snake-like tail and dozing off, let out a loud sneeze. He lifted his head abruptly with widened eyes, looking straight at the item in Miao Yi's hand, as though he had sensed something as well.

But after seeing Miao Yi leading the two handmaidens up the 'astronomical platform'; and realizing that it wasn't affecting him in any way, he continued to lie down and sleep, being extremely lazy.

The astronomical platform was actually a high platform that made it convenient for gazing up at the stars. Upon ascending onto the astronomical platform, Miao Yi placed the jade plate on the floor. Once the breeding began to the moment they hatched, according to Lao Bai's theory, the eggs should be kept separate from the ground as it was necessary that they must never have any contact with the ground. Thus, placing them on the astronomical platform was ideal.

Under the scorching sun, Miao Yi crouched down to observe them for some time. The gentle breeze caressed each strand of hair inserted into the dark eggs. He wasn't sure whether the theory mentioned by Lao Bai, to allow the dark embryo to draw support from the strand of hair, to gradually become familiar and get used to the world of the living was true or false.

"Qian'Er, Xue'Er!"

Miao Yi stood up.

"Here!" The two young girls responded together.

Miao Yi pointed to the things inside the jade plate and said, "From today onwards, I will enter closed door cultivation. Both of you will need to take turns keeping watch under the astronomical platform and not allow anyone to come up and touch this thing. The two of you shouldn't touch it too, and you mustn't let it come into contact with the ground under the astronomical platform. Every day when the sun sets, or when the sun cannot be seen on cloudy or rainy days, remember to come to the silent quarters to call me. Every day when the sun rises, both of you must also come to inform me at the silent quarters! "

"We will remember it!" The two young girls nodded their heads in reply.

The three of them went down the astronomical platform and arrived at a pavilion. After Miao Yi informed them both to sit down together, he asked again, "Do the both of you know any needlework?"

Both of them once again nodded their heads in confirmation, "Yes."

"Tailor me a close-fitting vest..." said Miao Yi; using gestures, he began to outline the type of cloth bag that he wanted them to make.

After understanding his intentions, the two young girls swiftly went to retrieve the needles, threads and materials. Upon returning, Qian'Er sat at the side tailoring the cloth while Xue'Er used a comb to help Miao Yi comb and tied his hair back neatly from the mess that it was before.

At this exact moment, Yan Xiu entered the courtyard. He found Miao Yi and informed that he had already liaised with East Arrival City, so that the construction of the dock and the s.h.i.+p would start work tomorrow.

"Don't lessen the artisans' wages." Miao Yi exhorted again and again.

This wasn't already the first time he had mentioned it, so Yan Xiu naturally indicated that he would do as he was told. After taking notice of Xue'Er's complexion, he couldn't help but be out of turn and asked, "Little Auntie's complexion doesn't seem to look well, are you sick?"

Xue'Er promptly shook her head; recalling the sensation from before, she was still traumatized.

Miao Yi turned to cast a look at Xue'Er, whose face was still deathly pale. He knew that her vital energy was just slightly wounded earlier and that it wouldn't be a big issue. Hence, he turned his head back to Yan Xiu and said, "Speaking of them both, I was about to look for you."

Yan Xiu asked, "What would Cave Master ask of me?"

"Don't the two of them have the natural endowment for cultivating?"

As he asked this, Yan Xiu immediately guessed what was Miao Yi trying to say. "Cave Master wants to make them both cultivate?"

Straightaway, Qian'Er and Xue'Er casted a glance at Miao Yi quietly. After all, it wasn't their first day here. During these past days, they constantly heard the people coming and going talk about cultivation, so they knew somewhat hazily what it meant. Their little hearts couldn't help but tightened; their little ears perked.

"That's correct!" Miao Yi nodded his head.

That was indeed his plan. He felt that the two weak girls by his side simply couldn't do anything at all Especially to cultivators; such handmaidens were considered to be a bit bothersome to him. Traveling to the back mountain to come and meet him would require a long walk. When climbing the mountain again in a round trip, they would end up exhausted until they gasped for breath with their facial expressions changing. This wasn't practical in the long run.

In the case of Yang Qing, there were two cultivating handmaidens at his side. Thus, handling any state of affair became much easier. Not only that, he could even use them as his personal bodyguards.

Especially seeing Xue'Er almost meet with a mishap when touching the jade plate earlier, led him to seriously consider this matter in his mind.

"Where can we obtain a cultivation method for them?" asked Miao Yi.

Yan Xiu muttered to himself irresolutely for a while before saying, "A complete cultivation method is the lifeblood pa.s.sed on by each sect. It will never be leaked. What's more, in order to gain control over their sect's disciples, they also part.i.tion it into stages to pa.s.s on. I fear that it will be too difficult to obtain. If there is a chance to go to the Flowing Clouds Dune Sea, that is a place of unregulated zones. The majority of the Loose Cultivators, who had nowhere to establish themselves in the realm of the Six Sages, are all there. Demons, devils, ghosts and monsters are also mixed in together. It's normal for some people to double-cross each other. There is a possibility that you can purchase a cultivation method with a high price, but no one can absolutely guarantee that a purchased cultivation method that has yet to be cultivated, will be complete or not. Even worse, they might cultivate until they enter a state of Qi deviation. After all, the majority of the cultivators usually learned their cultivation method by heart so even if they carried it on them, they could also tamper with it, so only they can understand, to prevent their cultivation method from being leaked."

"Flowing Clouds Dune Sea…" Miao Yi muttered a few times, recalling the charming woman he met at Mystic Arts Temple.

Casting off the shadow of the Lady Boss's every frown and smile from his thoughts, he shook his head and said, "That place is too far. Who on earth would have nothing better to do but to run there to risk their life? Moreover as you said, it's not guaranteed. Are there really no other choices?"

Yan Xiu shook his head. "Very difficult! In order to suppress the numbers of cultivators in the world, there are strong measures taken against trafficking of the cultivation methods in private! This can only possibly happen in a d.a.m.nable place like the Flowing Clouds Dune Sea."

He hadn't mentioned who was the one doing the crackdown, but upon hearing it, Muao Yi understood he was talking about the Six Sages. The Six Sages did not wish to see too many people sharing the world's incense and power of will. Once the number of cultivators overflowed, everyone would desire to obtain the power of will, so naturally turmoil would arise. It would give rise to a grave threat against the current rules in force. The Six Sages would never allow there to be people who would become a threat to them.

Miao Yi furrowed his brows and asked, "Then where did the handmaidens at Manor Head's side obtain their cultivation method?"

"Naturally, it's Manor Head pa.s.sing on his own cultivation method. Usually that should be the case." Speaking of this, Yan Xiu asked curiously, "Cave Master, why didn't you teach both of them your own cultivation method? You can completely pa.s.sed on the teachings to them step by step based on their capability to comprehend."

These words were pleasant to hear. However, it implied that Miao Yi would be like the other sects, part.i.tioning the cultivation method into stages and teaching them gradually. With this method, he could also exercise control over his two handmaidens.