Chapter 453: Learning Diligently

Ji Yuan’s recent display left Hu Yun wide-eyed. Though the sleeve technique wasn't directed at him, that single wave of the sleeve made Hu Yun feel as if Mr. Ji was about to encompass the entire courtyard. He instinctively cowered on the stone table, as if fearing he would be swept away by the sleeve if he didn't.

“Mr. Ji, what kind of divine ability was that? It was terrifying! I felt like I was going to be sucked into your sleeve.”

As soon as Hu Yun spoke, the little characters who had been playing hide-and-seek with him burst into laughter.

“Hahahaha, what's so scary about Master's sleeve?”

“Exactly! We're in there every day; it's not scary at all!” “That's right, sometimes Master even lets us see outside.”

“Precisely, Hu Yun! You should come live with us inside the Sword Intent Scroll; you'll understand once you spend some time in Master's sleeve!”

Hu Yun's words made Ji Yuan, who was pondering the recent gains and losses, pause. He ignored the clamoring little characters around him and turned to look at the red fox, finding him still cowering on the stone table, his usually fluffy fur flattened against his body.

“What are you afraid of? I was just testing it out; I didn't even manage to pull in a bee. By the way, tell me exactly how it felt.”

At Ji Yuan's words, Hu Yun straightened up, thought for a moment, and then spoke hesitantly.

“It's just... I can't quite put my finger on it. But when you waved your sleeve, it felt incredibly vast, as if it would swallow me whole. Inside, it wasn't black or white; it seemed blurry, yet utterly terrifying. Yes, utterly terrifying...”

Hu Yun wasn't sure why he was so afraid of a sleeve. Logically, even if Mr. Ji were to actually put him in his sleeve, there would be nothing to fear. Yet, he had been genuinely terrified just moments ago, cowering on the table.

“Was it like a feeling of being consumed?”

Ji Yuan asked, and Hu Yun hesitated, nodding then shaking his head, still unable to explain clearly.

“Alright, I understand.”

Ji Yuan nodded, no longer pressing Hu Yun for details. He surmised it was similar to his Heaven-Tilting Sword Stance: though the Sleeve of the Universe was still far from complete, Ji Yuan had already integrated a small degree of the '势' (momentum or force) into its application. The ability to harness this '势' could influence and intimidate, which explained why someone with poor composure, like Hu Yun, would be affected.

“Sir, you still haven't told me what kind of divine ability that was!”

Hu Yun remained very curious. He thought it was a fascinating ability that pulled people in, but since it was also so frightening, it surely wasn't simple.

Ji Yuan looked at him, thought for a moment, and then replied.

“This is a way of employing a highly profound divine ability at a much-reduced level. That ability is called 'Sleeve of the Universe'.”

“Oh... so it's an ability that sucks people in?”

“Haha, you're not entirely wrong to think that way. However, the Sleeve of the Universe can contain both people and objects. It's a remarkably wondrous storage ability that can store one's own possessions and also be used against enemies.”

Hu Yun glanced at his own tail.

“Then I have a similar ability too! My tail can both store things and be used against enemies! Hehehe...”

Hearing this jest, Ji Yuan couldn't help but smile, while the surrounding little characters laughed even more boisterously.

“Hahahahahahaha...” “Hahaha, Hu Yun is going to make me die laughing!”

“Hahaha, that's too funny, too funny!” “Exactly, hahaha, Hu Yun, how dare you compare your tail to Master's Sleeve of the Universe, hahaha...”

“Such an ignorant fox, hahahaha...”

“Exactly, exactly! Do you even know the saying, 'The sleeve holds a vast universe, the pot contains endless days and months'?”

“Precisely! It encompasses everything within a mere inch, the Dao accommodates all things in the myriad realms—that is the true art of the Sleeve of the Universe. Does your tail even *begin* to compare to Master's divine ability?”

“Hahahahaha...”

The little characters laughed on and on, making Hu Yun's cheeks puff out. The little characters were truly bullying the fox too much!

Ji Yuan's mouth twitched slightly. These mischievous characters were mocking Hu Yun precisely based on the theoretical deductions he had previously outlined on paper...

“Quiet.”

The moment Master spoke, the entire Ju'an Pavilion fell silent; one could hear a leaf drop.

“This Sleeve of the Universe isn't truly complete yet. Only when I successfully refine its principles will it truly live up to the saying, 'The sleeve holds a vast universe, the pot contains endless days and months'.”

Although Ji Yuan said this, all the little characters were exceptionally confident in their Master. What did it matter if it wasn't complete now? It would be eventually. All of Master's divine abilities were self-derived and incredibly potent; praising them now or later made no difference.

Ji Yuan looked up at the top of the date tree. In just a short while, more bees had gathered, fluttering amongst the date blossoms to collect nectar.

Picking Hu Yun up and placing him on a stool by the table, Ji Yuan took out his brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. He began to grind the ink while contemplating his deductions. Once the ink was ready, he lightly dipped his wolf-hair brush and immediately started writing on the paper.

Hu Yun watched from the side for a while, wanting to speak many times, but not daring to disturb Ji Yuan. Seeing that even the little characters were silent, only flying out to form various formations and spar, Hu Yun was even more reluctant to make a sound.

This wait lasted from morning until afternoon. Although Ji Yuan's writing speed wasn't slow, he only managed to deduce and complete one page, which left Hu Yun feeling disoriented.

A bored Hu Yun had already started a fire in the kitchen, boiled water, and even brewed tea.

Fortunately, Ji Yuan finally stopped, set his brush aside, and sat down.

At that moment, Hu Yun immediately darted into the kitchen. Two breaths later, he emerged, holding a wooden tray with his front paws and balancing it from underneath with his head. He walked upright on his two hind legs. Though his posture was amusing, the tray he carried was remarkably steady, laden with brewed tea and four teacups.

“Mr. Ji, Mr. Ji, please have some tea, have some tea!”

As he spoke, Hu Yun gently jumped onto the stone stool and carefully placed the tray on the stone table. This sequence of actions made Ji Yuan both amused and relieved; the fox proved to be somewhat useful after all.

“Alright, tell me, what do you want to ask for?”

Ji Yuan could easily see through Hu Yun's little trick, but he was happy to sit down and pour himself a cup of tea.

After a moment's thought, Ji Yuan waved his hand towards the kitchen, summoning a spoon. He tapped its handle and offered it to the little paper crane that had just landed on his shoulder.

“Go get me a spoonful of fresh date blossom honey.”

The little paper crane tilted its head, looking at Ji Yuan. Although it had a head and a mouth, its mouth wasn't open. It could hold a piece of paper, but how could it grasp a spoon? Nevertheless, it tried, and found that as soon as its mouth touched the spoon handle, it could pick it up as if stuck to it. It then immediately flew off with the spoon.

Hu Yun watched the little paper crane fly away. When Ji Yuan looked at him again, he finally gathered his courage and spoke.

“Mr. Ji, the scissors and yellow paper you used last time to cut the little paper figures... could I borrow them to play with?”

“Haha, you've been thinking about that all these years?”

“I've always been thinking about it...”

This was hardly a difficult request. Ji Yuan simply stood up, went into the house, and brought out the small bamboo basket containing the yellow paper and scissors, placing it in front of Hu Yun.

“Lending them to you is no problem, but with those paws, can you even use scissors?”

“No problem, no problem, I can use them!”

Hu Yun was a demon after all. He extended his right front paw onto the scissors, and with a surge of demonic energy, his paw adhered to both iron handles. As his paw opened and closed, it was clear he used them effortlessly.

“Mr. Ji, do I just need to cut out that many little figures, and then press them together at the end?”

Ji Yuan blew on the tea in his cup, squinted, and carefully observed Hu Yun, then smiled broadly.

“Of course, it's not that simple. Today I'll teach you how to cut those little figures. However, you certainly won't be able to refine them into guardian divine generals like the Golden Armored Warriors; you'll have to settle for something less.”

“As long as I can cut out little figures, that's enough!”

Hu Yun wore a very happy smile, but inwardly, he was practically bursting with joy. He wasn't stupid, not at all; Mr. Ji's words meant he was about to teach him a skill!

Ji Yuan glanced at the fox. Although Hu Yun tried his best to keep his smile from becoming too exaggerated, his tail was wagging several times faster, like a happy little dog.

Hu Yun's character was developing like a child's, and it was quite good now. This little demon naturally had his outstanding qualities, but he was still too weak.

While he could easily deceive ordinary people, there's a saying, "What you see depends on your status." As a demon, he was bound to encounter ghosts, monsters, and evil spirits, so teaching him some skills would be beneficial.

A moment later, carrying a sweet fragrance, the paper crane flew back. The spoon was full of fresh flower nectar, brewed from the date blossom pollen in the Ju'an Pavilion courtyard.

The current Hu Yun was no longer the Hu Yun of the past. Back then, Yin Qing had to force him to learn to read. Now, to acquire a skill, he could stubbornly squat on the stone stool for three days and three nights straight.

Ji Yuan wanted to see when the fox would complain of hardship and fatigue, or when he would want to rest. So, he didn't stop, continuously making the fox cut and guiding him. When the yellow paper ran out, he would simply produce more from his sleeve.

By now, the floor was covered in paper scraps, yet Hu Yun had only managed to cut out thirty complete yellow paper figures. His normally lively fox eyes were now bloodshot from mental exhaustion, and his two paws were trembling slightly.

“Take a break.”

Ji Yuan finally told Hu Yun to rest, but the fox, stunned, dared not put down the scissors.

“Sir, sir, you said that thirty-six complete paper figures are needed to form a Tian Gang number, or it won't be in vain. I've only... only cut thirty...”

“Haha, alright, then you can rest after you've cut all thirty-six.”

Ji Yuan added silently to himself.

‘Or, until you mess up another one.’

To Ji Yuan's surprise, Hu Yun gritted his teeth, absorbing the spiritual energy from the courtyard and forcing himself to stay alert. He endured, truly completing the visualization and cutting of all thirty-six yellow paper figures.

This was no mere facade. Ji Yuan clearly saw that the moment the cutting was complete, the thirty-six paper figures continuously flashed with radiance. The next stage would require continued precision; if he kept cutting, not a single one could be wasted, or all previous efforts would be in vain. However, if he stopped now, the 'Tian Gang' number was already sufficient to form talismans.

“Well done, well done. You actually managed to cut them in just three days.”

Ji Yuan praised him with a smile, but then looked at Hu Yun again, only to find the fox swaying unsteadily, his mind unclear. Just as Hu Yun was about to fall backward, Ji Yuan quickly reached out to support him, then picked up the now unconscious red fox and placed him on the table.