Li Bai was in the midst of confusion. Normally, one would expect someone from this village of mortals to not know anything about energies and such. However, he knew about this Jia Ming, or rather, Meng Shan's secret identity. Furthermore, he had just confirmed that this girl had recovered her childhood memories. Even though he thought that this girl in front of her had only stayed there for about two or three years, surely she should have at least heard of it even once.
In truth, Meng Shan had stayed there until she was five years old, and it has been 13 years since then. So, Li Bai's suspicions were even more vaild considering this.
Yet, no matter how hard she tried, Meng Shan just could not recall what an "Earth energy" was or even something remotely close.
Li Bai thought hard. "Hmm..." He placed his hand on his chin, giving of the image that he was contemplating about something.
Meng Shan stared at him as she continued to try to recall.
Thinking of her origins, Li Bai's mind worked in reverse... Aha!
He had remembered now why she had never heard of Earth energy or anything of the sort. It was because upon the founding of this clan, Li Bai decided to be secretive about everything.
He had established this clan very far away from his current location, and far away from any other humans as well. In other words, this clan was secluded.
He had taught his descendants different terms from what was usually used across the entire realm. In this specific situation, the term "Earth energy" has been referred to as "Ground mana".
As for the reason to why he changed the names? Honestly, he had forgotten why he even founded a clan in the first place...
"Then..." Amidst the silence, Li Bai said a single word which made the focused Meng Shan direct her attention to him instead of trying to remember.
Meng Shan looked at Li Bai with expectation. After all, she had already witnessed his skills happen right in front of her. If she didn't take this opportunity to become as awesome as him, then she should just go back to her bed and sleep forever.
To save her mother and father who were, potentially, still alive, she needed to learn this child's amazing skills.
"...have you heard of Gr- err, "Ground mana" then?" In the middle of speaking, Li Bai stuttered a little bit. He cringed at the immaturity of his past self. Lucky for me, I have already lived a good hundred centuries after this fellow... My mind should be impeccably mature by now!
Upon hearing the familiar term, Meng Shan rapidly nodded her head. At first, his prior question had already halved her hopes of being accepted as his disciple. With a term she was familiar with coming out of the other party's mouth, her hopes had risen again.
As such, she was very enthusiastic about answering this one. After all, this was possibly her only opportunity to get out of this peaceful yet ignorant village.
"I see..." Li Bai was right on the spot with his predictions. Aside from teaching other terms, he also made a new, superior cultivation technique for these descendants of his.
This Meng clan should be quite famous among the lands... I should pay a visit sometime.
Other than Jin He, he had also shared his secret identity to the clan through the means of an urban legend.
This legend states that the founder of their clan possessed a strong soul, and could survive until the end of time. However, his body couldn't, and each time it started to rot, he would abandon it and seek another compatible one.
With this legend being believed in the Meng clan, each outsider that wanted to enter their territory needed to pass through numerous checkpoints, all to determine if they were the founder of not. This had become a tradition, and up to this day, it was not abandoned.
He wanted to pay a visit to see if this small clan he started grew into a gargantuan power. If it did not after all this time, Li Bai would be dissapointed. He would take matters into his own hands and seize control of the clan again, to make it prosper.
This was because when he made this clan, he had made it on a whim. His main goal was still to become the strongest. Now, his objective had changed.
I can make use of the Meng clan to not start from scratch... A thought flashed through Li Bai's head, but he quickly brushed it off.
The Meng clan was in a separate continent from the one he was in now - he was able to determine this much by idling for a decade.
He made it into this village only with the help of Wu Tai's punch. Otherwise, instead of seconds, it would take a few weeks!
This was going to be an aggravating journey for Li Bai - from this village back to his current hometown.
He wanted to, at least, reap a single benefit from this trip. Otherwise, it would become a fruitless journey, making him feel the urge to punch Uncle Tai's face in.
I wonder what he is doing now, that princess would be a good disciple for me! Nevermind, I must focus on the matter at hand.
Meng Shan was getting more anxious as time went on with Li Bai staying silent. Is he already thinking of whether to keep me or not?
The reappearance of Li Bai's voice was like salvation to her.
"At least you have heard of it. Have you practiced the cultivation technique?" Li Bai snapped back to reality.
"Um... ah, yes." Nervous, Meng Shan almost denied ever having practiced the cultivation technique, but in fact, she had. At the last moment, she remembered her mom tenderly teaching her the techniques.
"Then project some of your "Ground mana" into the stone you are holding." Li Bai delivered his instructions sternly.
Following Li Bai's instructions, Meng Shan tried to apply her mana that was stored in her body for over one and a half decades, to no avail.
Failing the first attempt, Meng Shan becamr more anxious. Before she recovered her memories, she was much more mature. But now that they were back, she reverted back to her childish nature.
Li Bai didn't know whether to laugh or cry at this. Of course, her personality hasn't been changed much, just that it was much faster for her to get anxious or scared.
"Erm..." Meng Shan revealed an embarrassed voice. This was her second attempt, yet she still failed it.
What's wrong with me? Could it be that the one I remember is different from the actual one? Meng Shan began doubting herself more.
The third attempt came, and it went. The fourth came, but it seems that it just knocked on the door. The fifth, sixth, and seventh came, but they fled after they found out they were actually lining up for the wrong product!
All of Meng Shan's attempts went down the drain, with one making an excuse of "I will retrieve your engagement ring!"
After the tenth attempt, Meng Shan's face was already pale.
It was not because of tiredness, or that her energy was already empty. Wait, that's the same thing... Anyways!
It was not because of those, but rather, it was because her worry was pushed to the maximum! Her self-confidence had, like all of her previous attempts, went down the drain.
While she was attempting to project her mana into the stone, Li Bai was observing the energy flow in the surroundings.
His Soul Strength was not for nothing. He had immediately found out the root cause of her problem.
To be honest, he instructed Meng Shan to project her energy knowing full well this might happen.
"Hmm, stay still." Li Bai suddenly uttered as he walked closer.
"Okay- eh, what?!" Meng Shan was willing to stay still, until the child's hand had found its way to her stomach, slowly making its way up.
