When Ren Yanke and his sister first heard of Zhou You's return, they were genuinely concerned. There were always people monitoring every move of Zhou You's group. But soon, Zhou You and his team closed themselves off, actively recruiting disciples. It was evident they were staking their claim in Jiangnan base.

Ren Yanke soon felt relieved. Zhou You's fame made any sect associated with him highly regarded. Friends and colleagues flocked to Zhou You, some even trying to find shortcuts to his favor.

Xuan Yue found it baffling to receive a call from the hotel about Zhou You's three-day absence from dining. Was there a need to forcibly break into the room?

He rushed back to the hotel and told the manager, "It's fine. We've been having meals sent on time. Whether my master eats is his business. Martial artists can survive without food for days. Don't disturb him. If you cause my master to lose focus, you'll have a massive problem."

The manager immediately ordered the keys to be returned. Honestly, he almost considered calling the police. If something happened to such an important figure in their hotel, it would be catastrophic.

As Zhou You had promised, he emerged from his room on the fourth day after a three-day seclusion. Right outside his door was a neatly placed breakfast. He hadn't eaten for three days. He wasn't so much hungry as he was craving. Thus, he took the breakfast and went inside to eat.

As soon as Xuan Jue received the news, he hurried back, cheerfully asking, "Master, have you finished your seclusion?"

"Isn't that obvious?"

"Have you gained insight?"

"Yes."

"Really?" Xuan Jue, in excitement, leaped a yard high and pounced on Zhou You, asking, "Master, how are you so incredible? Please tell me!"

Zhou You pushed him away, chiding, "You're seventeen or eighteen, not seven or eight. Don’t jump on people on a whim. If my partner sees you, you can forget about being my disciple."

"I'm sorry, hehe, I forgot that I have a grandmaster. Should... I call and apologize to him?"

Zhou You wasn't buying it, "If you dare, go ahead and call."

"Alright, I don't have the guts."

Zhou You instructed him to lock the door. He then guided Xuan Jue into a cultivation stance, placing a hand on his pulse, allowing him to circulate his inner energy while closely feeling the path of Xuan Jue's internal energy.

While there are countless methods of internal cultivation, the ultimate goal remains the same: to cultivate a force within the body, which gathers in the dantian. The more energy in the dantian, the deeper the inner strength. These methods merely guide the body to absorb spiritual energy and convert it into inner strength.

Over these three days, Zhou You had thoroughly studied it. The Xuan Sect's method of internal cultivation was impressive. Its advantage was its rapid absorption of spiritual energy compared to other methods. However, it was challenging to understand with its convoluted terms. Several times he wondered if the Xuan family had mistakenly copied the texts.

Perhaps one can't practice two internal methods simultaneously, but he tried other scriptures and felt no contradiction with the Taiyi Scripture. He concluded that two methods wouldn't conflict but integrate. After practicing the Xuan Sect's method, he noticed an increase in his absorption speed.

Zhou You felt the flow of Xuan Jue's internal energy, reciting the mantras, and also briefly shared his understanding. Everyone's interpretation differs, leading to different outcomes, which is why many fail to cultivate internal energy in their lifetime.

At a certain moment, Xuan Jue seemed to have an epiphany. The surrounding spiritual energy converged, pouring into his body. He distinctly felt changes in his meridians, a mix of expansion and pain.

But this familiar sensation excited him. It indicated progress in his internal cultivation, and much faster than he'd anticipated.

"Enough for now, pause your cultivation," Zhou You instructed, releasing his hold, letting Xuan Jue rest.

His breakthrough was near, requiring just a little more effort. This could wait for another time when he was alone.

Eyes wide open, Xuan Jue rolled around the bed laughing, "Hahaha, I'm about to break through! I never thought it would be so soon! My grandfather said it might take me three years to surpass this bottleneck, and it's only been a year. He'd be so envious when he finds out!"

Zhou You waved him over after his fit of laughter, "Enough of this silliness. Come here; I have something to tell you."

Immediately, Xuan Jue got up, giving a respectful bow, "Thank you for your guidance, Master!"

"Alright, sit cross-legged. If you sincerely wish to become my disciple, try practicing the method I cultivate. This internal method is called the Taiyi Scripture, something I acquired unexpectedly. I've introduced it to others before, but they couldn’t grasp it. Give it a shot. If you ever master it, I'll accept you as my disciple."

Realizing the gravity of this test, Xuan Jue nodded determinedly, "I'll give it my all."

Zhou You thought to himself that success in such matters wasn't solely about hard work. Talent played a big part. Perhaps his undistracted time spent in a mountain cave years ago facilitated his comprehension.

"Now, pay attention. I'll first recite the mantra for the initial layer. Memorize it. Later, I'll guide you using my method. Whether you can grasp its essence is up to you."

Zhou You and Xuan Jue spent most of the day alone in the room. The hotel staff frequently passed by, and more than once they were tempted to eavesdrop. With a man and a woman alone in a room for so long, who would believe that nothing happened?

Especially since everyone knew Zhou You's true identity. As the esteemed wife of Marshal, how could she be in a room with another man?

The hotel manager faced yet another dilemma. Some urged him to report the incident, fearing that if the news leaked, Marshal Shao would surely retaliate against their establishment.

The manager, in utter frustration, ran his fingers through his hair. Both individuals were figures he could not afford to offend. Offending either side meant trouble. Why did things have to be so complicated?

"Enough with the gossip," he said. "Get back to your jobs. It's not our place to meddle in others' private matters. Work properly, and don't add to the chaos!" After reprimanding his staff, he immediately considered submitting his resignation, thinking it might be the safest choice.