In Lu You’s mind, even going ho after school was sothing to be done stealthily, an effort to be as unnoticeable as possible.
But Gu Ming’s arrival was like the sun, evaporating all the dark corners. He was so dazzling she had to shield her eyes, or they would be scorched red.
"Did your family agree?" Gu Ming asked in a low voice, walking over with Cyan Treasure. He kept about a ter’s distance between them as they walked.
Lu You nodded. She glanced over at Gu Ming, her gaze only reaching his shoulder before stopping when she saw Cyan Treasure flicking its forked tongue.
Cyan Treasure’s large eyes sparkled as it stared at her with curiosity, as if trying to read her thoughts.
This startled Lu You, and she imdiately lowered her head.
Gu Ming was surprised. ’I didn’t expect her family to agree so easily.’
He had thought he would have to take Lu You to Teacher Zhang, so Teacher Zhang could go to her house and persuade them.
This saved him a lot of trouble.
"Then let’s go to the office. Teacher Zhang is waiting for us there."
When the two of them entered the office, Teacher Zhang had already prepared everything they needed for the trip.
Seeing them arrive, he said, "I need to go ho in a bit to pick up my wife and kids. We’re all going to your family’s place to train."
Gu Ming didn’t mind.
As for Lu You, she just nodded blankly.
Then, it dawned on her. ’Wait, Teacher Zhang’s family is coming too? Won’t there be a lot of people?’
The thought just briefly crossed her mind, and she hadn’t yet fully processed just how many people she would have to face.
It wasn’t until she got into the car with Gu Ming and they were heading directly to Manager Ruan’s shop that the reality of the situation truly hit her.
In the car, Teacher Zhang and Gu Ming started talking about Gu Ming’s parents.
Since they were going to Gu Ming’s house, they sorted out the route. The plan was to drop Gu Ming off at his ho so he could ride in his parents’ car.
Then, Teacher Zhang turned to Lu You and asked, "Will you be riding in my car, or with Gu Ming’s family?"
At that mont, Lu You felt she had no choice.
She was only just realizing that for the next two days, she would not only have to face Teacher Zhang’s family, but also Gu Ming’s parents, and even his grandfather.
At this, the color drained from Lu You’s face. She turned deathly pale and beca as still as a statue, giving no response.
Her Sunflower Seed-eating Hamster, however, was more than happy to ride in Gu Ming’s family’s car.
So, seeing its master frozen in a daze, it responded for her.
’I wanna ride with Daddy Gu!’
Gu Ming glanced at Lu You and called her na softly, but she didn’t react.
Teacher Zhang simply took her silence as a "yes."
But first, they had to make a trip to Manager Ruan’s shop, because she had already summoned the person who would illustrate the Cultivation Technique.
The location for this was, naturally, the sa Dao Field where the Sunflower Seed-eating Hamster had comprehended the Earth Shifting Technique.
This was the second ti Gu Ming had watched soone create a Visualization Image.
Due to the number of people present, the Sunflower Seed-eating Hamster’s physical state was also slightly affected.
Lu You had to spend so ti helping Mouse Treasure get into the right state of mind.
Afterward, Mouse Treasure used the Earth Shifting Technique, moving the sand beneath its feet to its will.
However, it completely lacked the profound, artistic feel Gu Ming had imagined. All he could see was ordinary soil being moved around.
The Painter then swiftly sketched an image based on the scene of Mouse Treasure moving the sand.
With each stroke of the ink wash painting, the hamster in the image gradually ca to life with movent and expression.
It was turning its head, ears perked, its belly plump. Its two small, short paws waved gently, controlling a serpentine stream of sand.
And this was its Visualization Image.
The Painter who created the Visualization Image didn’t seem to put much care into it, and there were no extra steps.
She walked right up, stamped it with a seal, and then put away her brush.
A complete Cultivation Visualization Image for a Monochromatic Technique was finished just like that. It seed almost like child’s play.
This new Painter had no particular thoughts on a new Earth Elent Cultivation Technique that wasn’t very innovative. She was simply doing her job.
After all, it was a Monochromatic Technique. Monochromatic Techniques were common, and in her eyes, it wasn’t anything special.
So, after finishing the Visualization Image, she handed the original copy to the dazed Lu You.
Lu You took the Visualization Image and looked at the Mouse Treasure within it, subconsciously rubbing her eyes.
The Mouse Treasure in the painting seed a bit more spirited.
As for the earth-shifting motion, it looked quite diocre, without much variation.
The difference between this and the Visualization Image for the Green Treasure Breathing Technique was huge. It lacked that "Aha!" mont, that "CLICK!" that instantly cleared the mind.
’Is there a gap in the Painters’ skill levels?’
’Or is this simply the upper limit of the Earth Shifting Technique itself?’
After the Painter left, Teacher Zhang offered an explanation:
"This is drawn by the Painter based on the Pet Beast’s artistic concept at the ti. It’s considered the original Visualization Image.
"The Painted Pet used to create an original Visualization Image must be at least a Two-star Pet. An image like this has a sort of prophetic ability to improve in the future.
"It may not look very impressive now, but once Mouse Treasure’s Skill Level with the Earth Shifting Technique increases, the image will upgrade itself."
That was what he said.
However, on Gu Ming’s end, a system notification scrolled by.
Gu Ming had thought the Visualization Image was just so-so, that one couldn’t expect more from a Monochromatic Technique.
「The second edition of the *Earth Shifting Technique* Visualization Image has been created. The Mouse Treasure in the painting moves sand and transports earth, stirring a thousand-mile river of sand and turning the world on its head. Upon seeing it, Teacher Zhang, Gu Ming, and Elder Ruan are shocked into prostrating themselves in admiration.」
「"This painting doesn’t depict the present, but the future," Teacher Zhang exclaims in praise.」
「As expected of the master with the Five-star Painted Pet that Elder Ruan introduced. He put so much effort into just this original Visualization Image.」
「Elder Ruan chuckles. After all, this is the original Visualization Image for the Earth Shifting Technique’s first iteration. It would be a waste not to use a better Painted Pet.」
「Following that, Elder Ruan claps Gu Ming on the shoulder, praising his excellent talent scouting and telling him to continue recomnding such talents to the Sect for a handso reward.」
Reading this, Gu Ming felt a little bewildered.
The gap between the events in the system and what was happening in reality was more than just a little bit.
Then, a flash of inspiration struck him:
’This Visualization Image does look very ordinary right now.’
’But what if I were to hold onto it for a while? Might sothing change?’
So, Gu Ming said to Lu You:
"Let borrow this Visualization Image for a bit. My Ah Kun plans to learn the Earth Shifting Technique too."
Hearing this, Lu You handed the Visualization Image to Gu Ming without a second thought.
Mouse Treasure didn’t even get a good look at it before the Visualization Image was in Daddy Gu’s hands.
’Oh well,’ it thought. ’I’ll take a closer look once we’re in the car.’
Teacher Zhang didn’t give it much thought either, simply taking Gu Ming and Lu You back to Gu Ming’s house to switch cars.
Manager Ruan only glanced at it briefly, said, "Not bad," and didn’t press them to stay.
In her eyes, the Visualization Image for this technique was just so-so, not worth a second look. It was on the sa level as the countless other ordinary techniques that fade into obscurity.
Manager Ruan was actually more interested in Gu Ming’s Tri-Colored Technique. Unfortunately, Gu Ming had no plans to create a Visualization Image for it yet, having only registered its na in the Hall of the Great Dao.
Once they were in the car, Lu You’s heart started pounding again.
If she could, she would have chosen differently and refused to go train at Gu Ming’s grandfather’s house.
But the words had already been spoken, so she had no choice but to go along.
Fortunately, she didn’t have to go inside Gu Ming’s house. The old couple was already waiting in the parking lot outside.
When Gu Ming’s parents first t Lu You, their first impression was:
’What a shy child.’
She looked so delicate, with heavy bangs and large-frad glasses.
The bangs covered more than half of her glasses, and when she lowered her head, you could hardly see her eyes at all.
She kept her eyes on the ground, her small hands fidgeting together. It was obvious at a glance that she was incredibly introverted.
The old couple’s kind and gentle greeting was enough to make Lu You flush with surprise, like a startled little rabbit.
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