The weather was warm, and Zhuan Ming sat inside his home wearing only his underwear. A bowl of water rested in front of him to quench his thirst—body merging was incredibly straining, causing excessive sweating during the process.
Unable to start with the lava rhinoceros bones due to the risk of his body failing to adapt to their rapid growth—which could leave him severely injured or even cause him to burst from within—he instead retrieved the boar tusk hidden beneath his bed. Roots erupted from his body, completely enveloping the tusk and absorbing it until nothing remained.
He placed a cloth between his teeth, bracing himself. Soon, discomfort spread through his body, escalating into searing pain as if he were being torn apart from the inside. Beads of sweat rolled down his skin as he clenched his jaw, biting down hard on the cloth. The agonizing process lasted five hours, leaving his body slightly thicker and covered in small stretch marks.
Afterward, he was overcome with deep hunger and devoured a large meal. Once finished, he bathed, washing away the foul odor left by his intense training. Now refreshed, he donned his robe and headed to the academy.
He attended his classes, then sought out Li Qingyue to hear what she had discovered in the library. She informed him that she hadn't found much—no specific dances were recorded, but there had once been a practice of welcoming and giving thanks for the rain, where people danced in the downpour.
Zhuan Ming fell into thought. How did someone uncover this in my past life? It must be simpler than I thought. He mentally reviewed the markings again, noting their subtle differences. Then it struck him—the lines resembling footprints increased by one in each subsequent marking. The dance order must begin with the fewest lines and progress to the most.
Determined to test this theory, he resolved to wait for the next rainy day. After bidding Li Qingyue farewell, he returned home to cultivate his soul for the rest of the day. Though a hundred small phantom roots had formed, he wasn't even one percent of the way to his goal. He ate a light meal and went to sleep.