******* First practices ***********
Today, I was given the first guidelines for imbuing qi into notebooks. For now, I have to practice the basics. For that, I've been sent to the discarded material storeroom. Here, there're the ones that have gone wrong when writing the characters or imbuing qi, whether they're whole notebooks or single pages.
My job is to find and separate the first ones, the ones that don't have qi, to practice on them. For now, I have to imbue qi in any way, even if it doesn't make sense. Later, I'll learn how to do it for real.
I'm separating and practicing, at the same time that I'm paying attention to the notebooks with qi. If I find two of the same skill with errors in different parts, which added together can make a complete notebook, I'll keep it. It's easy to recognize where the problem is, they have a red cross on the page. As I go through them, I'm sorting them by without qi and with qi. Within these, by topic. That way, I'll be able to get complete notebooks. Or so I hope.
Today I got two, both of them with showy attacks that require the Soul realm to start. They're useless by now, but it doesn't cost me anything to store them. At least, it didn't seem I've used up too much qi. The process of imbuing it into the notebooks is slow and tedious, but not particularly demanding in terms of consumption. At least, for now.
After showing my progress, and being evaluated as acceptable, I end my day at the techniques copying workshop.
----------
I try to take advantage of every free moment I have to study the notebook, and look through the manual of the Residence. Maybe, I shouldn't be so impatient and take it easy, but I'm eager to learn more.
I was annoyed that I had to do the job of bringing water from the river. It's one of the most tedious and difficult to get out of. But it turns out I've been lucky.
The free space in the residence is mostly just dirt and rocks, but I can remodel it. The manual explains how to create the base for a pond, or a lake. I've filled it with water from the river, enough to do my task several times. I'll have to come back more to continue filling it when I have time. So, I don't have to go back and forth to the river to fill the barrels. I can hide and get it from my artificial pond, while I continue reading.
I don't quite understand everything it says. For now, I think I'll have to practice and see it with my own eyes before moving on to absorbing and giving qi. Giving qi has to be done carefully, so as not to arouse suspicion if someone advances too quickly. I can do it through sex, and then absorb more than I gave. Although, thanks to that, I can help expand their container, to advance faster. But first, I have to understand how qi is perceived. I don't quite understand it.
I've been leaving seeds in the area at the Residence near the water. I wonder if any will grow. I can make large spaces for the pond, but small holes to plant the seeds is too precise for the control I have. So, I've left them on the ground.
I've also collected some fruits in the warehouse. It seems that they don't count as living matter, and they don't spoil. It's as if time doesn't pass there.
----------
When I get back to the bedroom, Shi is lying down. I don't know how she's today, but if she's sleeping, it's better if I won't wake her up. I wanted to try some things, but it can wait. I don't want to wake her up. If she has gone to bed, it means she needs to rest.
Or maybe not. She gets up as soon as she hears me. It seems that she wasn't sleeping yet. She smiles at me and hugs me. Then, she gives me a light kiss. She seems to be better.
"How, are you?" I ask her, hugging her waist.
"Fine..." she answers, without saying anything else. It's not necessary. We already know each other.
I kiss her. She didn't expect it. It's not something we usually do, but she accepts my kiss.
"Ah~" she moans, surprised.