Qingyun Mountain was a very mature scenic area. While preserving its original ecological features very well, most outdoor safety hazards had already been artificially eliminated.
The steep terrain was protected, fences were erected around potentially lethal vegetation, and dangerous wild beasts that might have existed were long ago relocated to more suitable environments.
That is why Ji Jinnian's suggestion was so good; it basically satisfied everyone.
The accompanying teachers also didn't have to constantly worry about bringing the students out only to fail at keeping them safe.
And the students, having this rare opportunity, could play to their hearts' content without any objections.
As for Ji Jinnian, he certainly hadn't forgotten the goal of this trip.
When the sky was just beginning to lighten, he followed the ancient path paved with bluestone, traversing the clouds and mist to reach the pavilion on the summit of Qingyun Mountain.
The view was expansive.
When viewed from the foot of the mountain, the clouds and mist that perpetually shrouded Qingyun Mountain had now transformed into a sea encircling the summit. Other, even taller mountains in the distance looked like islands of various shapes.
It was unknown if it was because the moisture was heavier at night, but the clouds and mist were thicker and denser than usual, barely covering the foundation of the summit pavilion.
At a glance, Ji Jinnian appeared to be standing atop the clouds.
Using the faint morning light, one could see that cloud layers still existed in the higher sky.
The youth, situated between these two layers, watched the patch of rapidly brightening light in the distance.
It wasn't harsh, yet it easily tore open the black fabric.
And then dyed the sky cyan.
However, Ji Jinnian hadn't come here just to sightsee.
All his attention was focused on the rising dawn glow and the clouds and mist that were gradually becoming dazzling because of it.
The final missing piece of his Visualization Method had been silently filled in by Ji Jinnian. The spinning wheel existing in his consciousness seemed to let out a cheer and began to slowly rotate.
And as the spinning wheel operated, the colored clouds and mist around Ji Jinnian began to flow slowly around him, as if influenced by some invisible force.
During this process, something unseen transformed into a thread on the spinning wheel.
Ji Jinnian concentrated his mind and sensed this extraordinary thread in his mind.
It wasn't a single color as he originally thought, but a more splendid blend of colors.
There was the cyan unique to early morning, very light.
Then came the noble purple, and the even more dazzling red.
If Ji Jinnian had to describe it, he felt it was the color of vitality and hope.
This newly spun thread was wound onto one end of the spinning wheel. It was currently just a very short segment, but later it would coil there and become a skein.
Moreover, once the thread end existed, even if Ji Jinnian didn't consciously spin thread in the future, or wasn't in a similar environment, this vital and hopeful 'Dawn Glow Thread' would be inexhaustible.
Of course, if subjective consciousness was involved, or if he was in a suitable environment for spinning, the efficiency would naturally be higher.
Beautiful things are always dazzling and fleeting, especially the morning sun, just like the ephemeral Epiphyllum blossom.
The sun had risen. Although the cloud glow was still the same cloud glow, it was no longer what Ji Jinnian needed; it could no longer provide effective assistance for him to spin thread.
Ji Jinnian opened his eyes: "Time to go back. We can make it for breakfast."
He planned to make another trip at noon, when the sunlight was hottest and most dazzling, to spin the thread belonging to that moment.
His mood was excellent, better than ever, so much so that his steps down the mountain felt slightly more relaxed.
The series of transcendent cultivation practices stemming from the Visualization Method had just begun, and the power he currently commanded was still very weak—these were undeniable facts.
But the future was promising.
He had long since prepared his outline.
If there is thread, there must be a shuttle; if there is a shuttle, a loom is indispensable; and if there is a loom, there must be cloth; and where there is cloth, a needle is certainly needed...
The spinning wheel was the foundation, various threads were extensions of that foundation, and what followed were naturally refinements of the former two.
For Ji Jinnian, the former two were like the cultivation techniques and magical arts used by immortal cultivators.
The former was the fundamental method of cultivation, and the latter was the method to protect the Dao. Neither could be missing.
"Cough, cough, I'm thinking too far ahead," Ji Jinnian shook his head, gathering his thoughts that had scattered due to excitement.
Ji Jinnian descended the mountain with light steps, returning to his residence halfway up the mountain before others started looking for him.
Some students or teachers who slept early and woke early noticed Ji Jinnian returning from outside, but they only glanced and paid no mind.
If those mischievous children might have received a few reprimands from the teachers, he, with his steady conduct and excellent grades, had not only impressed his classmates but had long since earned the recognition of the teachers.
They were completely satisfied with him; he was simply too worry-free.
"Boss, did you go out for a morning run?" As soon as Ji Jinnian sat down, Li Ming approached with breakfast.
After receiving a nod in response, Li Ming remarked with emotion, "As expected of the Boss, unwavering in exercising!"
This wasn't Ji Jinnian deliberately crafting an image; rather, in his cultivation plan, a healthy body was the most fundamental requirement.
In an era dominated by modern weaponry, although he wouldn't foolishly waste vast amounts of time and energy strengthening and compensating for his close-combat shortcomings,
a physical fitness level where he panted after running a couple of steps meant his margin for error was relatively low.
This potentially fatal weakness, in Ji Jinnian's eyes, was a flaw that had to be eradicated.
Years of appropriate exercise combined with a healthy diet meant Ji Jinnian's physical fitness far surpassed that of his peers.
As previously mentioned, the teachers' satisfaction with him encompassed virtue, intellect, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor—it was all-around satisfaction.
Ji Jinnian was not only excellent in his schoolwork; he also represented himself and the school in many competitions that didn't consume much time, including athletic events.
In these types of competitions, although he sometimes lost the first place to exceptionally talented specialists, for the vast majority of people, he was still a mountain too high to climb.
Ji Jinnian replied indifferently, "There's no use talking about this now. Have you estimated your scores yet for when we get back?"
The skill of score estimation was something the students in their advanced class had long mastered.
"Yep, I think I did pretty well," Li Ming smiled, revealing two rows of big white teeth. "As long as nothing too outrageous happens with you, Boss, I can still follow you into junior high."
Li Ming's grades were only slightly weaker in their class, but compared to other classes, they would still rank among the top, so his boast wasn't empty talk.
The 'outrageous thing' he referred to was Ji Jinnian being admitted through special recruitment, or the even lower probability of forgetting to write his name.
Ji Jinnian shook his head, "That's not what I want. I already had my parents refuse it."
The Great Xia Nation had corresponding support policies for outstanding talents. In the centuries-long history of the Great Xia Nation, 'geniuses' like Ji Jinnian were not rare.
Every genius who managed to grow up could, through their own efforts, advance the progress of society to varying degrees.
Of course, there were far more 'geniuses' who failed to mature and faded into obscurity.
Therefore, Ji Jinnian's refusal of the Great Xia Nation's support would not cause any negative repercussions.
The Great Xia Nation, being the world's strongest, possessed the magnanimity for this.
The prerequisite was not to drag them down or cause trouble.
Ji Jinnian was not someone so tactless.
Li Ming was surprised: "You refused, Boss?! Why? Is it because you can't bear to part with me? Waaah, I knew it..."
He sidestepped the person leaning in to avoid having the snot and tears smeared on him. "While the support is good, it doesn't come without a price."
"I have a plan for my future and don't want to be tied down so early."
He had already lived enough of a life with a foreseeable end in that dream.
Li Ming, having been brushed aside, wasn't bothered: "Then which middle school is the Boss planning to attend? As long as the Boss gives the order, your little brother guarantees an unhesitating charge."
Ji Jinnian ignored the other person's clowning behavior: "Haven't decided yet. I'll make a decision based on the situation then."
It was common knowledge that geniuses received preferential treatment, and unfortunately, he was now considered an undeniable genius in the eyes of others.
So he planned to first see what attractive conditions those schools could offer.
He didn't lack large scholarships; what he needed was the maximum degree of freedom, preferably even more than he had during these primary school years.
Once the scores were out, he could start choosing the school that 'quoted' the highest.
However, the school he chose this way might be the most suitable for him, but not necessarily the most suitable for Li Ming.
Thinking of this, Ji Jinnian glanced at the silly-looking fellow and said no more.
When noon arrived, Ji Jinnian found a casual excuse to shake off the clingy Li Ming and went to a location near the summit.
Even under the scorching sun, this mist hadn't dispersed; it was just much thinner compared to the morning, perfectly softening the glaring sun.
The spinning wheel in his mind hadn't stopped rotating since it started that morning. When Ji Jinnian directed his consciousness, the spinning wheel responded to his command.
Thin mist rotated and swirled around him, and the second thread condensed into shape as the spinning wheel operated.
Compared to the 'Dawn Glow Thread,' this white-gold, almost transparent thread seemed very ordinary.
Looking at it, it couldn't represent the midday sun; it should have been more dazzling and hotter.
Logically, that was true, but there was nothing wrong with Ji Jinnian, or rather, with this thread.
Because it didn't represent the harsh midday sun; its true essence was the cloud and mist itself under the sunlight.
It couldn't bear the concept of the intense sun at all. If it forced the comparison, it would only result in the same outcome as ordinary clouds and mist facing scorching sunlight:
Evaporation.
Or rather, this was normal; conversely, the 'Dawn Glow Thread' from the morning and the 'Dusk Thread' that would soon be born were the special ones.
They unexpectedly carried special concepts due to the unique changes in form occurring during those specific time periods.
This was the main reason Ji Jinnian was uncontrollably happy.
After all, this was a great start; who wouldn't like that?
Ji Jinnian didn't look down on this ordinary cloud mist thread either. After all, in the orthodox inheritance of the Weaver Girl, this kind of thread condensed from clouds and mist was the most basic and indispensable material for weaving all heavenly garments.
Even with gaps in the inheritance, it wasn't hard to notice that this thread had a wide range of applications.
Moreover, it wasn't inherently bad. Besides plans to reinforce it later by adding various cloud energies, Ji Jinnian could also use this thread to create and control clouds and mist.
Although currently, because the 'Cloud Mist Thread' was only a thread end, he couldn't create a large area of clouds and mist, this was already an undeniable supernatural power.
If he wished, it wouldn't be difficult now to indirectly harm people or even take lives by manipulating the mist.
For instance, the refraction of light by mist could create mirages.
Don't think that it was just simple visual deception for now; it might not be the case in the future.