"From now on, you will live here. Every ten days, I will come here to give a lecture. If there is anything you do not understand in your cultivation, you can ask me. With Senior Chen Yan here, I will surely teach you properly."
Chuyi listened attentively, nodding his head after each sentence Chu Keqing spoke, his attitude earnest and very upright.
Chu Keqing was quite satisfied in her heart... She was originally worried that since it was Chen Yan who had vouched for him—knowing a distinguished senior cultivator like Chen Yan, she feared the other party might be someone with high expectations, rebellious and difficult to manage.
Now seeing the honest and simple nature of Chuyi, Chu Keqing was also satisfied.
Such a straightforward person is indeed suitable for cultivating the Cloud Sect Technique.
Chen Yan examined Chuyi’s dormitory. It’s a single-room suite in a single-story building, with an area of no more than twenty square meters. The decor was not luxurious, but it was clean and tidy. The furnishings inside were simple, just a bed, a desk, a chair, and a wardrobe.
The desk was set with a complete set of brush and ink, paper, and inkstone, as well as a few popular zen cultivation books—all in thread-bound editions.
"These books are of no use to you, so there’s no need to study them." Chu Keqing smiled and told Chuyi, "However, if you have nothing to do, you can read them as leisure reading to pass the time."
She then turned around and spoke solemnly to Chen Yan, "There’s one more thing I have to discuss with you in advance. Our sect’s technique has its own set of traditional practices. In my place, not only do the trainees cultivate their spiritual nature, but they must also cultivate their physical bodies!
So, here, for all three daily meals and living arrangements, there is no one to serve or care for you. Everything has to be done by oneself.
Cleaning the room, washing clothes, and even cooking the three daily meals, all have to be done personally. I’m explaining this in advance so that Senior doesn’t misunderstand and think that I’m deliberately mistreating my junior brother."
Chen Yan had long known about the inherent deficiencies in the Cloud Sect Technique, so he wasn’t surprised by these steps during cultivation. He nodded to show his understanding.
Although Chu Keqing mentioned that the conditions here were average, Chen Yan thought it was already quite good—compared to Chuyi’s previous life, it was much better.
The accommodation was a single room with air conditioning, the room was clean and tidy, and the bedding and sheets were new. It was much better than the small broken room in the ruined temple on the mountain.
As for doing everything oneself every day—washing clothes, cooking meals...hasn’t Chuyi done enough of these on the mountain?
"The three daily meals are all predetermined, but the ingredients will be sent to the kitchen in the backyard each day. You need to collect them with your dormitory key. If you want to eat, you have to cook it yourself in the kitchen. But don’t worry, we are not monks, so the three meals include both meat and vegetables.
There are induction cookers available for rent in the kitchen, and the rental is free, but you need to attend morning and evening classes every day. You can use the points earned from these classes to rent the induction cooker.
If you don’t have enough points to use the induction cooker, you can only eat the communal meal. The communal meal also requires points, but it’s much cheaper in comparison.
If you want to eat something good...I don’t have it here, and I don’t recommend you eat it. Our sect’s cultivation emphasizes the suppression of external desires and the clarity of the heart!
If you need to go out, you must apply for leave and register with the Zen Meditation Class instructor—in general, each Zen Meditation Class session lasts for half a month. During the cultivation period, it’s best not to go out easily, to avoid disrupting your hard-earned insights."
Although Chuyi wasn’t very smart, he generally understood.
He had no objections at all.
Isn’t it just washing clothes and cooking by oneself, and attending morning and evening classes every day? It’s much better than in the temple.
As for the three daily meals, having both meat and vegetables is also better than in the temple, right? In his wild temple, both the master and apprentice were fake monks. Although they didn’t abstain from eating meat, they didn’t have much to eat on regular days.
And as for not going out... when he was on the mountain, his master seldom allowed him to go out either.
Chuyi listened carefully and then nodded, "Senior Sister, I will remember everything."
Afterwards, Chu Keqing had some books and other items sent over, as well as a card: "Both morning and evening classes require you to swipe the card. I have already registered him for the first Zen Meditation Beginner Class next year. Morning class will start tomorrow, and our disciples will begin teaching the basics of breathing exercises and meditation.
In a month, I will formally teach him the Cloud Sect Technique and the circulation of Primordial Qi. But, Senior..."
Chu Keqing paused, looking at Chen Yan, and cautiously said, "You, as a distinguished practitioner, naturally know that cultivation has no guarantees. Although I will teach earnestly, if..."
"No need to say more, I understand." Chen Yan nodded, "If he has talent, he will naturally achieve Dao. If he does not have that talent, I will not blame anyone recklessly. Regardless of the outcome, I owe you this favor!"
Having observed, Chen Yan also felt that Chuyi was quite suited for this Cloud Sect cultivation path.
This austere lifestyle of self-discipline and cultivating the character was something Chuyi was already accustomed to in the mountain temple.
Moreover, the core principle of the Cloud Sect Technique is to restrain worldly desires.
And for Chuyi, this simple-minded boy...
Well! Aside from those two demonesses at home, he really had no interest in other worldly desires and enjoyment.
Thereupon, Chen Yan left Chuyi at this Zen Meditation Academy and then left with Chu Keqing for Chu Keqing’s residence, the "Cloud House."