《Tale of an Ordinary Cultivator》 Rock on the Ground In a world flooded with blinding white light, the dark silhouette of a man was stark in contrast as he continuously executed a series of profound fist techniques. Every punch of his was swift and fierce. Every step taken decisive and firm. With such extraordinary proficiency ingrained in every minute action that he took, anyone who was even only vaguely familiar with martial arts would be able to tell at first glance that this was a true expert. This expert continued to switch from stance to stance, transitioning between each move with a sublime grace that it almost made these complex techniques seem as simple as baby steps. The full set of the fist art, and then all over again. And again. Such a scene continued to play out in Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s mind as he sat cross legged on his meditation pad. His eyes were closed, and his mind was focused. Zhao Yunxiao had shut the window, but a minimal amount of light was still able to slip in through the thin gaps. This provided just enough light to illuminate the small altar positioned right next to the window, as well as the single lit incense in the incense holder atop the altar. His eyes might be closed, but he could still clearly see these images in his head. Zhao Yunxiao carefully committed this expert¡¯s movements to memory, not willing to miss even the smallest of details. Learning a set of combat art was no easy task. While everyone knew that they had to keep on practising in order to assimilate every technique as muscle memory, there was more to it than just that. Even before one could begin with their practice, they had to ensure that their understanding of the manual was correct, and image training was the most common way of doing so. Of course, everyone did things differently, even when it came to something like image training. In Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s case, whatever he had interpreted from the manual would be materialised in the form of an imaginary expert performing each technique to perfection. If a particular techinque felt even slightly off or awkward no matter how Zhao Yunxiao tried to picture it, that was when Zhao Yunxiao knew that he would have to revisit the manual to reassess his interpretation of the technique. But while image training was a common practice, there was one thing about Zhao Yunxiao that was unlike most others. Although he had already been practising this particular fist art for a while, Zhao Yunxiao refused to settle for his current take on the fist art, and would continue to perform regular image training in a bid to improve on whatever he had interpreted so far. It was a tedious path that few would take, but the hardworking Zhao Yunxiao just happened to be one of these few. Even if he could not find ways to improve, Zhao Yunxiao still found the process beneficial as it helped to solidify his understanding of each technique. Not just that, but even as he focused on the scenes playing out in his head to refine his understanding of the particular fist art, Zhao Yunxiao did not neglect any other aspects. The essence energy within Zhao Yunxiao continued to flow in a smooth manner, making consistent circulations as had been the case for the past few hours. His breaths were deep and long ¨C a textbook example of how it should be during cultivation. Unfortunately, there was a slight issue with the current situation that made it far from ideal. Knock-! Knock-! Zhao Yunxiao had been trying to ignore the knocks on his door since a while ago, but they showed absolutely no signs of stopping. Instead, the knocks were only getting progressively louder. Knock-! Knock-! Knock-! Sensing that the other party was not intending to give up anytime soon, Zhao Yunxiao finally let out a deep breath before opening his eyes. He had wanted to spend a little more time on his meditation, but it appeared that things were not going to according to his plan today. Getting up from his comfortable meditation pad, Zhao Yunxiao calmly put out the incense and opened the window to greet the warm morning sun. There was still a layer of snow that covered the ground, but the breeze that entered no longer carried the same biting cold from before. Indeed, spring was about to arrive. Knock-! Knock-! Zhao Yunxiao sighed. What a bad start to the day ¨C he did not even get the luxury to slowly savour the fresh morning air. ¡°Coming!¡± Zhao Yunxiao called out in irritation while walking out of the meditation room. Like any other outer disciple of the Black Tortoise Sect, his residence was not considered extravagant by any measure, but it was still sizeable enough to be split into four main sections ¨C the bedroom, the restroom, the meditation room, and the front hall. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Of course, that was just the suggested layout, and some disciples choose to use the different rooms for different functions instead. However, Zhao Yunxiao thought that the suggested layout made sense and thus decided to keep it as it was. Walking from the innermost meditation room to the front door would not take more than ten seconds. Yet by the time Zhao Yunxiao arrived at the front door, he had already heard another twenty or so knocks. Judging from the way that the other party was acting, he already had a good idea who the person at the door was. And as expected, Zhao Yunxiao came face to face with the young lady he was picturing in his mind when he opened the door. Gu Qiansi. Just like Zhao Yunxiao, she was also an outer disciple of the Black Tortoise Sect. ¡°What took you so long? Don¡¯t tell me you are doing something sleazy early in the morning!¡± Gu Qiansi snapped before Zhao Yunxiao even had the chance to complain about being disturbed. ¡°Even if I am doing something like that, the image in my mind will definitely have nothing to do with you,¡± Zhao Yunxiao retorted. ¡°Shoot, what are you here for?¡± ¡°Eww! Did you hear that, Junior Martial Sister Lu? You need to act carefully around him in the future, just in case he starts including you in his thoughts when doing sleazy stuff next time,¡± Gu Qiansi turned to the side and spoke. ¡°Are you seriously saying that to someone I don¡¯t even know?¡± Zhao Yunxiao had realised that there was someone beside Gu Qiansi, but he was speechless to find out that it was a stranger. ¡°Nice to meet you, Senior Martial Brother Zhao,¡± another young lady stepped out from behind the door. ¡°My name is Lu Zhiying, and I have just joined the sect. Please guide me along in the future.¡± Zhao Yunxiao could not help but pause for a moment. It was a beautiful young lady who appeared to be a few years younger than him. Her clear brown eyes seemed to sparkle along with that radiant smile of hers ¨C truly a look that was fitting of someone in the prime of her youth. ¡°Pleased to make your acquaintance, Junior Martial Sister Lu. Welcome to the Black Tortoise Sect,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clasped his fists towards the beautiful Lu Zhiying before pointing towards Gu Qiansi. ¡°And please don¡¯t take this woman¡¯s words to heart. Nine out of ten lines from her are complete nonsense, with the only exception being when she talks badly of herself.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Gu Qiansi glared at him. ¡°What? Am I wrong?¡± Zhao Yunxiao returned the glare without backing down. ¡°Hehehe, the two of you have a really good relationship!¡± Lu Zhiying had been giggling from the side, but she quickly stopped when the duo pointed their sharp glares towards her. Huu-! Gu Qiansi let out a deep sigh before speaking. ¡°Anyway, as I was saying, this is Zhao Yunxiao. If you have any questions about the sect, or anything apart from cultivation-related matters, feel free to go to him for advice. As for matters pertaining to cultivation itself, don¡¯t bother going to him. If you want to know why, it is because he is the living example of talent being the most important factor for cultivation.¡± Zhao Yunxiao felt the corner of his lips twitch. ¡°Oh? Is Senior Martial Brother Zhao the instinctive type who doesn¡¯t rely on theories?¡± Lu Zhiying asked with sparkling eyes. She had heard of the existence of cultivators who were considered to be chosen by the heavens. It was a grand term, and for good reason as well. After all, this was referring to cultivators who were so talented on the cultivation path that it felt like mere second nature to them. These people would find it difficult to share their ways with others, simply because they themselves had never struggled with the matter, so they could never understand the issues that others faced. And if they did not even understand the problem, how were they supposed to go about solving it? Should Zhao Yunxiao be one of these people, it was understandable why there would be no point in asking him anything. However, Lu Zhiying realised that there was something amiss the moment she asked that question. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Gu Qiansi could not help but burst out into laughter. ¡°How he wish that is the case! What I mean is that even though this guy works much harder than others, his cultivation level is still no different from the other outer disciples. This is the perfect example of talent being important. If you are born without talent, there¡¯s really nothing you can do about it!¡± The corner of Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s lips continued to twitch. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Senior Martial Brother Zhao! Cultivation isn¡¯t everything. I¡¯m sure you are talented at many other things instead!¡± Lu Zhiying immediately realised her mistake and hurriedly added. ¡°In fact, Senior Martial Sister Gu was just telling me that you are very knowledgeable in various other aspects, that¡¯s plenty impressive as well!¡± Huu-! Seeing the newly joined Lu Zhiying trying so hard to console him only made Zhao Yunxiao sigh even louder. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. What I am doing is called laying a strong foundation so as to go further on my cultivation path,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°Like the elders always say, the cultivation path is long and arduous. Only those who make the proper preparations will be able to go far.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, it is just as you say,¡± Gu Qiansi nodded while trying to stop laughing. She did not intend to stay on this topic for long either. Gu Qiansi knew better than anyone that this matter had always been a sore spot in Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s heart. Poking fun of him a little was fine from time to time, but she knew where to draw the line. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go, Junior Martial Sister Lu. I¡¯ll bring you to the Outer Disciples Hall to take a look,¡± Gu Qiansi said. ¡°See you later, Zhao Yunxiao. You can continue with whatever sleazy thing you were doing earlier!¡± ¡°I said don¡¯t joke about such things in front of other people!¡± Zhao Yunxiao snapped. Gu Qiansi merely laughed before leading Lu Zhiying away, though the latter did not forget to wave goodbye first. Huu-! After the two young ladies left, Zhao Yunxiao looked up at the clear blue sky above and let out another sigh. Gu Qiansi might have only been joking earlier, and he might have rebutted Gu Qiansi as always, but how could Zhao Yunxiao not understand the cold hard truth of reality? Indeed, not everyone could be like the stars that light up the night sky, not to mention the sun or moon that takes their place as the centre of this world. After all, apart from the dazzling stars in the sky, there were also the rocks on the ground. They might look unimpressive, but were essential in forming the earthen base that provided a stable foothold for others. Only with such existences serving as a backdrop would the stars appear to be shining brighter in contrast. That¡¯s right. The world also needed people like him. And he was doing well too. Even in his destined role as a rock on the ground, he was already doing far better than most. At the very least, he had the opportunity to join the Black Tortoise Sect and embark on the cultivation path. That alone was something to be celebrated. Zhao Yunxiao clenched his fists. There was no need to envy those who were in a completely different league. They, too, had their own worries as they competed among the best. Stories were aplenty about supreme talents who encountered mishaps while challenging their limits and going against the heavens, many of such incidents resulting in heavy injuries or even an early death. At the very least, that was something that people like him did not need to worry about. All he had to do was to keep doing his best in his current capacity. His aim ¨C to live a long and carefree life that was without restrictions. Perhaps after he gained just enough strength to do so, he could spend his time travelling freely around the world, experiencing all that this world had to offer. Freedom. That was the goal. Zhao Yunxiao took a deep breath of the fresh morning air while feeling the cold breeze on his face. Enough dreaming of the distant future that may or may not happen. Now then, it¡¯s time to start the day. Alchemy Chamber Duties ¡°Senior Martial Brother Bo, you are here as well?¡± Zhao Yunxiao smiled when he saw a familiar face waiting in the building he just entered. ¡°You too, eh?¡± the other party revealed a look of surprise when he saw Zhao Yunxiao. Bo Fei. This young man had very average facial features, but made up for it with his excellent buffed physique that could hardly be concealed even under his long robes. Even though he had joined the Black Tortoise Sect slightly after Zhao Yunxiao, Zhao Yunxiao still decided to address him as a senior simply because was a year older in terms of actual age. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s going to be a busy day, considering that they re three of us,¡± Bo Fei remarked. ¡°Three of us?¡± Zhao Yunxiao blinked blankly. ¡°Who else is here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± a female voice came from behind as a lady entered. ¡°Senior Martial Sister Su?¡± Zhao Yunxiao exclaimed in surprise. ¡°They activated three of us at once?¡± Su Jiemin. This young lady had a beautifully slim figure, but wasted it by always going around in a sloppily dressed state. Be it due to that reason or not, she was known among the outer disciples for her lazy personality, a trait of hers that she made no attempt to hide. ¡°Nice! With the two of you here as well, maybe I won¡¯t have to do much and can just !¡± Su Jiemin could not hold in her excitement. ¡°That¡¯s really not cute, Senior Martial Sister Su. It¡¯s no wonder you have no suitors,¡± Bo Fei sighed. ¡°Can you at least pretend that you are not thinking of pushing all the work to us, or at least say so behind our backs instead? That said, they usually only two of us at most. If they three of us here to support the rostered disciples, it means there is definitely more than enough work to go around. ou can forget about work today.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that for sure! Where there is life, there is hope!¡± Su Jiemin frowned. ¡°Wait, what did you say before that?¡± ¡°, we will know soon enough,¡± Zhao Yunxiao interjected. ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s about time.¡± In the Black Tortoise Sect, all inner and outer disciples were required to contribute to the sect by taking on sect jobs. By working on hese jobs that spanned across a vari disciples earn sect points, which could in turn be used to exchange for resources within the sect. In this regard, Zhao Yunxiao, along with Bo Fei and Su Jiemin, had signed up for Alchemy Chamber duties. Not only did they have to report for according to their rosters, they also be ed on their off days to supplement the rostered disciples whenever necessary. Today was an example of the latter, where the trio were reporting to the Alchemy Chamber after being activated outside of their assigned roster. Zhao Yunxiao led the way further into the Alchemy Chamber, heading the administrative deacon¡¯s office where they were supposed to report for duty. ¡°Disciple Zhao Yunxiao, reporting for duty!¡± Zhao Yunxiao reported the moment he entered the room. ¡°Disciple Bo Fei, reporting for duty!¡± ¡°Disciple Su Jiemin, reporting for duty¡­¡± ¡°Mm, you lot are punctual as always,¡± a middle-aged looking man looked up from his desk and nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Your disciple tokens.¡± ¡°Here!¡± Zhao Yunxiao gathered the disciple tokens from the other two and handed it the desk counter. ¡°We will be in your care again today, Senior .¡± The middle-aged looking man, Wu Chifeng, their attendance in a log book before passing the disciple tokens back to them, along with a slip of paper each. ¡°Here is the list of appointments for each room. Yunxiao will be in charge of the third cauldron room today, Jiemin fourth, and Bo Fei fifth.¡± ¡°Nice,¡± Su Jiemin could not help but upon hearing that. When disciples wanted to rent a cauldron room, they could choose whichever room they wanted and did not have to book the rooms in numerical order. By allowing disciples the flexibility to choose the rooms they preferred, it provided disciples the psychological comfort to perform alchemy in their best condition. And with the number four considered inauspicious, fourth cauldron room usually had the least number of appointments. Zhao Yunxiao and Bo Fei both shot Su Jiemin a begrudging glare, but did not complain too much about it. They had all been doing this for a while, and knew that the allocation was done at random. Moreover, as disciples who had been activated to supplement the rostered disciples, they would not have too many appointments to deal with themselves anyway. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°What are you waiting for? Off you go,¡± Wu Chifeng shooed them along. The trio left obediently, each heading to their respective rooms. Zhao Yunxiao entered the third cauldron room, and put down his bamboo backpack before giving a scan. Fortunately, the third cauldron room had been left in a rather good condition, which meant that the previous disciple on duty did their job properly. It sounded like a natural matter, but there several occasions when the previous disciple decided to skive off of work. Whenever that happened, the administrative deacons would assure them that warnings and punishments were meted out to the disciple responsible. However, nobody had ever witnessed any of such punishments, or even to whom the punishments for that matter. Who knew if anything was actually being done to punish such infringements? If Zhao Yunxiao had not known Su Jiemin , he would definitely have thought of ask Su Jiemin about the punishments to satiate his curiosity. Zhao Yunxiao opened up the list of appointments that Wu Chifeng had passed him earlier, and let out a soft sigh. The good news was that there was only one disciple who reserved the third cauldron room today. The bad news was that this disciple a slightly one, so he had better make sure the cauldron room was ready and proper before she arrived! Next came the usual motion of scrubbing and wiping. As duty disciples, they had to make sure that the cauldron was clean inside and out, free of impurities that could affect the alchemy process. Zhao Yunxiao then the entire cauldron room before checking that there was enough fuel for the cauldron fire. By the time he was finally done, it was already almost time for the disciple to arrive for her appointment, so Zhao Yunxiao simply stood at one corner and patiently waited. As expected, the door opened soon after, and a pretty young lady stepped in. ¡°It¡¯s you again, Junior Martial Brother ?¡± Leng Huiqi remarked nonchalantly after seeing Zhao Yunxiao in the room. ¡°You really do work hard, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Haha, unlike Senior Martial Sister Leng, talentless people like us have no choice but to work harder,¡± Zhao Yunxiao scratched the back of his head with a forced laugh. ¡°Mm, that¡¯s the right attitude to have,¡± Leng Huiqi nodded opening the small pouch hanging around her waist. ¡°Here, help me arrange the in order.¡± Next came a magical scene that Zhao Yunxiao could never get tired of watching. From within the small pouch, Leng Huiqi continued to pull out item after item, one by one laying them out on the table top in a tidy manner. These items, judging from the size and amount, would never have been able to all fit in a pouch as small as hers. However, they just kept appearing one after another, as though that small pouch had a limitless . Well, that was not too far from the truth either. The pouch hanging around Leng Huiqi¡¯s slim waist was called a spatial bag. A spatial bag belonged to a particular set of treasure items called spatial items which, as their name suggested, were treasure items imbued with spatial properties. These items served as a link to a separate space, allowing their users to store far more items than what normal physical bags could . Of course, there were limitations to it as well. Firstly, even though each spatial item was linked to a separate space, this separate space was still finite in size and was not truly a limitless . The size of the separate space varied from item to item, and depended directly on the level of spatial properties imbued upon each individual spatial item. Secondly, this separate space could not store another spatial item. Doing so would cause spatial distortion that could damage both items permanently. Lastly, this separate space could not store living creatures. This meant that one could not hide people in a spatial bag, or at least not when they were still alive¡­ Yet even with these limitations, possessing a spatial item was still the dream of outer disciples like Zhao Yunxiao. If he had something like that, he would no longer have to lug around his large bamboo backpack everywhere he went! ¡°Enough gawking and get to work,¡± Leng Huiqi¡¯s indifferent tone broke him out of his daze. ¡°I¡¯ll be twenty Winterwarmth Pills today. Here is the alchemy recipe. Do a stock take of the and arrange them in order. Make sure you don¡¯t make a mistake.¡± ¡°Understood, Senior Martial Sister Leng!¡± Knowing Leng Huiqi¡¯s personality, Zhao Yunxiao dared not dally. With both hands, he respectfully received the slip of paper detailing the alchemy recipe even though he had long memorised it by heart, going through it once just in case Leng Huiqi had made any modifications to the recipe. After confirming that it was the original recipe, Zhao Yunxiao check the pill on the table against those listed on the paper. ¡°The are in order,¡± Zhao Yunxiao finally confirmed after checking things through in his usual meticulous manner. ¡°Should I up the cauldron?¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Leng Huiqi said before personally walking over to inspect the inside of the cauldron. ¡°Not bad, seems like you did put in some effort to clean it well?¡± ¡°After hearing that it is Senior Martial Sister Leng coming, of course I would have to make sure that everything is in order!¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered with a radiant smile on his face. ¡°Heh, at least you know what¡¯s good for you,¡± Leng Huiqi smirked. ¡°Fire up the cauldron!¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Martial Sister Leng!¡± Zhao Yunxiao hurriedly added burning coal to the stove underneath the cauldron. Heating of the cauldron was an important skill when it came to alchemy. However, that was mainly referring to controlling the heat level after the cauldron had reached a certain temperature. As for the menial and less impactful initial heating process of the cauldron, it was often left to the disciples on duty instead. Of course, there were the more meticulous disciples who made sure to personally take care of everything from beginning till end, but Leng Huiqi was not one of them. ¡°You know me, don¡¯t you?¡± Leng Huiqi commented with crossed arms as she watched Zhao Yunxiao take care of the flames. ¡°Do a good job, Junior Martial Brother , and you will definitely get your fair share of rewards!¡± Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s eyes lit up upon hearing that. That¡¯s right. Leng Huiqi might be quite difficult to deal with at times, but there was one thing about her that Zhao Yunxiao really liked ¨C the fact that she was as generous with her resources as she claimed. High risk high rewards. While Zhao Yunxiao very much preferred leading a smooth sailing and mundane life instead of going for something like that, he Since he had already been tasked with overseeing his Senior Martial Sister Leng¡¯s cauldron room, as an outer disciple who only received a paltry amount of sect resources on a regular basis, Zhao Yunxiao naturally had to work his hardest to please a big customer like this! Winterwarmth Pill ¡°Everyone knows that Senior Martial Sister Leng not only possess unparalleled beauty, but also has generosity as vast as the seas. I naturally have no doubt that Senior Martial Sister Leng means what you say about rewarding those who deserve it!¡± Zhao Yunxiao chirped while tending the fire. ¡°Oh? Is that how the outer disciples view me?¡± Leng Huiqi probed with an amused smile. ¡°No! Senior Martial Sister Leng! How can you say that?¡± Zhao Yunxiao showed an expression of shock. ¡°Saying it like that is a gross understatement of your stellar reputation. What I just mentioned is something that is known throughout the entire sect, not just among the outer disciples!¡± ¡°Heh, I guess you can be said to know quite a bit!¡± Leng Huiqi smirked. Zhao Yunxiao was not completely lying. Leng Huiqi was truly known among the disciples as a great beauty. In fact, there were quite a few male disciples in the sect who had openly declared their pursuit of her. There were even disciples of other sects who had expressed interest in her, wanting to be her cultivation partner. On top of that, Leng Huiqi was also known to treat her followers well, expressing her generosity by showering them with gifts and resources. However, that was limited to her followers. Leng Huiqi¡¯s huge ego made it such that if you were not with her, you were against her. Because of that, in addition to her beauty, she was also known for being arrogant beyond compare! Of course, Zhao Yunxiao was not nearly dense enough to mention that. ¡°That is not all either,¡± Zhao Yunxiao quickly added. ¡°I¡¯ve also heard that Senior Martial Sister Leng is greatly talented at cultivation, and picks up things extremely fast. Many people are already speculating that Senior Martial Sister Leng will be next in line to join the list of core disciples!¡± Leng Huiqi did not reply, but Zhao Yunxiao knew that his words were working as he could see her smiling to herself through her reflection on the bronze cauldron. ¡°Have the elders already approached you about this matter, Senior Martial Sister Leng?¡± Zhao Yunxiao timidly asked. ¡°How is it that easy?¡± Leng Huiqi shook her head with a smile. ¡°You might not know since you are just an outer disciple, but becoming a core disciple is no simple matter. I¡¯d rather they approach me sometime in the future. If they really approach me now, I¡¯d actually be quite bothered by which elder to join under.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true! The elder to join under really does matter quite a lot as it might determine your future path,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded profusely. ¡°As expected, Senior Martial Sister Leng¡¯s foresight is extraordinary!¡± ¡°Heh, enough about me,¡± Leng Huiqi sat down on a wooden stool. ¡°I happen to be in a good mood today, so let me give you some advice about cultivation while you are heating up the cauldron. Is there anything that you are unclear of and need clarifications about?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered hesitantly. ¡°What is it? Is there something wrong?¡± Leng Huiqi frowned. ¡°I know this is a rare opportunity for me to clarify my doubts, but I can¡¯t quite remember what I don¡¯t understand all of a sudden,¡± Zhao Yunxiao sighed regretfully. ¡°Had I known that this is possible, I would have written down everything in a notebook to come and consult Senior Martial Sister!¡± It was a lie. Zhao Yunxiao might not be talented at cultivation, but he had a very good memory. He remembered everything that he did not understand during cultivation, but Leng Huiqi was simply not the right person to consult. Firstly, Leng Huiqi had a short temper. What if Zhao Yunxiao caused her to become irritated when he could not understand her explanations? If this ended up leaving a bad impression on Leng Huiqi, wouldn¡¯t he be causing trouble for himself then? Secondly, unlike what Zhao Yunxiao said just now, Leng Huiqi had never been known for her cultivation talent. While she was definitely more talented than himself, she could only be considered slightly above average in comparison to the other inner disciples. Rather than racking his brain over advice from her that might not be all that reliable, Zhao Yunxiao would rather wait for an elder to enlighten him on his doubts! ¡°Tsk,¡± Leng Hui clicked her tongue with a frown. ¡°This is why you are still unable to become an inner disciple after so many years. You need to make sure you remember all these things in the future, do you understand? Who knows how many more of such opportunities will you miss if you don¡¯t?¡± ¡°Understood, Senior Martial Sister Leng, I have learnt my mistake. I will surely keep that in mind in the future.¡± Zhao Yunxiao scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. ¡°Don¡¯t scratch your head with your hands full of coal! It¡¯s dirty!¡± Leng Huiqi chided. ¡°You already don¡¯t have much talent in cultivation. If you want to appear more charming to your junior martial sisters, you should at least make sure that you are always in a clean state. Let me tell you something. I will be going for a hunt with Deng Wei after this. If he dares show up in a state as dirty as you are right now, I will just walk away immediately!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Zhao Yunxiao perked up after catching something interesting. ¡°You are going for a hunt with Senior Martial Brother Deng later?¡± This Deng Wei was an inner disciple just like Leng Huiqi, and was also one of the disciples who had openly declared his interest in the beauty. For them to be going hunting together later, did that mean¡­? ¡°Don¡¯t read too much into it,¡± Leng Huiqi swiftly cut off Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s imaginations. ¡°It¡¯s just that he has been begging me for so many weeks, so I decided to just go with him once out of pure sympathy. Nothing more.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why¡­¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°That is true as well. Senior Martial Sister Leng is someone destined to be with a son of heaven. How can Senior Martial Brother Deng possibly match up to you? That said, Senior Martial Sister Leng truly has a big heart to willingly sacrifice your time in order to grant Senior Martial Brother Deng¡¯s wish.¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Leng Huiqi silently nodded to herself before suddenly narrowing her eyes. ¡°All right, enough. You can stop heating the cauldron now.¡± But it is not the right temperature yet? Zhao Yunxiao thought that in his head, but did as he was told nevertheless. As a duty disciple tending to the cauldron room, Zhao Yunxiao could be considered rather experienced when it came to controlling the heat level, having grown sensitive to detecting the heat level over time. This allowed him to realise that Leng Huiqi was stopping him just slightly prematurely as compared to the ideal temperature for refining Winterwarmth Pills. However, being a duty disciple tending to the cauldron room also meant that he should only take on a supportive role and not interfere with the alchemy process. That being the case, Zhao Yunxiao silently backed off as Leng Huiqi approached the cauldron with a confident smirk. ¡°Let senior martial sister show you how it¡¯s done!¡± Leng Huiqi moved her hands, and the previously stale air within the cauldron room was stirred up spontaneously. Her long hair and robe fluttered wildly in the wind that seemed to pick up with each wave of her arms, as if nature itself was responding to her every movement. Of course, this was not truly the case. Instead, it was her use of essence energy that was stirring up the world origin energy in the room, creating such a phenomenon. Tapping upon her essence energy not only allowed Leng Huiqi to heighten her senses, but also aided her in simultaneously control the flames and handle the pill ingredients with well-practiced efficiency. Just like that, Leng Huiqi kept throwing different ingredients into the cauldron at varied intervals without any hint of hesitation. Zhao Yunxiao stood back and watched, just as he had always done. Now that the alchemy process had begun, there was no longer anything for him to do until the clean up at the end. This meant that, exactly like what Leng Huiqi had said, this was the perfect opportunity to watch and learn whatever he could from how she performed the alchemy, be it good or bad practices. Leng Huiqi might not be known for her alchemy skills, but this was not the first time that she was refining a Winterwarmth Pill. She did not lose focus despite the long alchemy process, carrying out the entire process without committing any obvious mistakes. ¡° The cauldron before her was closed tight, but the rumbling from within could be felt. After all the earlier work of heating and mixing the individual pill ingredients, the alchemy process had finally entered its final stage where the resultant mixture was being refined into a solid pill under heavy pressure and heat. The twenty pills rolled out promptly. At one glance, it was already obvious that there were differences among the twenty pills. Leng Huiqi and Zhao Yunxiao quickly scanned through the pills, counting the pills of varying quality. ¡°Five inferior quality pills... thirteen common quality pills... and two uncommon quality pills!¡± Zhao Yunxiao exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Congratulations, Senior Martial Sister Leng, for successfully refining two uncommon quality Winterwarmth Pills!¡± Two uncommon quality Winterwarmth Pills! Usually, she would only manage to refine such a pill on a good day every month or so. But this time, she actually managed to refine two in a single batch! Seeing the look on her face, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but smile as well. From the looks of it, his reward today would not be too shabby at all! Sect Jobs ¡°Being able to refine two uncommon quality pills in a single batch... Senior Martial Sister Leng truly lives up to your name of being blessed with both looks and skills, the complete package that is the pride of our Black Tortoise Sect!¡± ¡°Each of these pills have such extraordinary curvature, not lacking one bit as compared to the beautiful sun that illuminates the entire Purple Plum Mountain. I¡¯m sure these are considered top tier even among uncommon Winterwarmth Pills!¡± ¡°All right, enough with the praises,¡± Leng Huiqi shot a playful glare towards Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you are thinking. Don¡¯t worry, I will be giving you all the inferior quality pills as always. In fact, since I¡¯m in a good mood today, I will even add a common quallity pill on top of those!¡± ¡°Long live Senior Martial Sister Leng! Your generosity knows no bounds!¡± the overjoyed Zhao Yunxiao bowed towards Leng Huiqi in worship. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The alchemy process was arduous, and the mess left behind as a result of that was rather significant as well. In order to prevent any impurities from being left behind, Zhao Yunxiao had to thoroughly scrub and wash the inside of the cauldron. Apart from that, he had to clean up the rest of the mess that had resulted from the preparation of ingredients. Just like how he would prefer to see the cauldron room in a neat and tidy state whenever he took over, he would always make it a point to leave it in a clean state after his shifts. More than an hour had passed by the time he was done, but Zhao Yunxiao did not feel the least bit tired. Even as he worked, the only thing that filled Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s mind was the common quality Winterwarmth Pill that was now in his possession. His work there was done before he knew it, and Zhao Yunxiao left the cauldron room with light steps. ¡°Disciple Zhao Yunxiao reporting to Senior Wu. There are no more appointments for the third cauldron room, requesting to knock off.¡± ¡°Mm, go ahead,¡± Wu Chifeng answered nonchalantly without even looking up from the papers that filled his desk. Taking a quick glance at cauldron rooms four and five, Zhao Yunxiao could see that Su Jiemin had already left, but the door to Bo Fei¡¯s cauldron room five was still tightly closed. Su Jiemin got lucky once again ¨C at least in terms of time spent on work. But today, Zhao Yunxiao was confident that he had to be the luckiest of the three! This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Now that he was done at the Alchemy Chamber, Zhao Yunxiao headed back to the Outer Disciples¡¯ Quarters where the residence of all outer disciples was located, including that of his own. Zhao Yunxiao felt like the world had become a better place as he relished in the warm embrace of the afternoon sun. He stopped in the middle of the road, closing his eyes to take a deep breath. Even the coldness of the winter breeze felt especially refreshing as it rustled his long black hair and thick robes. In his head, Zhao Yunxiao was already thinking about when he should take this common quality Winterwarmth Pill, imagining the wondrous effects of its efficacy. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± A familiarly rude voice snapped him straight back to reality. ¡°Are your eyes for show? Can¡¯t you see that I¡¯m enjoying the nice weather?¡± Zhao Yunxiao turned around to find Gu Qiansi looking at him with raised eyebrows. ¡°We meet again, knowledgeable Senior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Lu Zhiying waved happily from beside Gu Qiansi. ¡°...Knowledgeable?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°That¡¯s right! We are just about to look for you, knowledgeable Senior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Lu Zhiying continued to smile. ¡°Yes, knowledgeable Senior Martial Brother Zhao, your cute Junior Martial Sister Lu here has some questions for you,¡± Gu Qiansi added. Zhao Yunxiao rolled his eyes at Gu Qiansi¡¯s words. ¡°Can¡¯t you just answer her yourself?¡± Zhao Yunxiao looked towards Gu Qiansi. ¡°We just came back from the Outer Disciples Hall, and Junior Martial Sister Lu wanted to learn more about the different jobs available, so I told her that you are the best person to ask,¡± Gu Qiansi shrugged. ¡°Aren¡¯t I nice? I¡¯ve been telling her about your vast knowledge, so please live up to those expectations.¡± ¡°Is it all right for Senior Martial Brother Zhao to tell me more about the different jobs?¡± Lu Zhiying asked with a smile. Zhao Yunxiao glanced at those clear eyes hanging on that pretty face, then let out a helpless sigh. ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to brag, but if I claim to be second in terms of knowledge about the jobs in the sect, no other disciples would dare to claim first place,¡± Zhao Yunxiao flicked back his long fringe as he spoke. ¡° Zhao Yunxiao shook his head disapprovingly. ¡°When it comes to sect jobs, you should not be asking another person to choose it for you. Instead, you should always pick the one that interests you the most, only then will you be able to do it well and not end u- Ouch! What are you doing, Gu Qiansi?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Or perhaps this shows that I¡¯m not picky at all about food,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Wolf and Worse ¡° ¡°If you ask me, I¡¯d say the rewards are definitely worth the effort!¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied between mouthfuls of food. ¡°But your lazy Senior Martial Sister Gu will probably find it too tiring indeed.¡± ¡°You are just crazy for taking on so many jobs, who else does this other than you?¡±¡± Gu Qiansi rebutted before turning to Lu Zhiying. ¡°See what I mean when I said that your Senior Martial Brother Zhao is the best example of how talent is important? Sometimes it really doesn¡¯t matter how hard you work.¡± Zhao Yunxiao shot her a glare, which Gu Qiansi pretended not to notice. ¡°You guys are really close!¡± Lu Zhiying smiled as her gaze darted between the two of them. ¡°In that case, Senior Martial Brother Zhao, is it possible for me to follow you on your jobs to take a look at what they are actually like?¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± Zhao Yunxiao rubbed his chin in contemplation. ¡°In that case, how about you follow me to the Forge after we are done with dinner?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Lu Zhiying promptly agreed, but someone else was against it. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Gu Qiansi interjected immediately. ¡°Zhao Yunxiao, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you are thinking. You¡¯d better not get any funny ideas about bringing our beautiful Junior Martial Sister Lu out to some secluded place like the Forge at night!¡± ¡°...Are you serious?¡± the corner of Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Is Senior Martial Brother Zhao that kind of person?¡± Lu Zhiying turned towards Gu Qiansi. ¡°Of course not!¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered for her immediately. ¡°Listen to me, Junior Martial Sister Lu,¡± Gu Qiansi sighed helplessly as she put a hand on Lu Zhiying¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Men are all wolves. The only difference is how much they are willing to reveal in front of others, so it is always better to be safe than sorry.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Another benefit that came along with entering the Essence Gathering realm was it allowed cultivators to substitute sleep with meditation, though not for prolonged periods of time ¨C an Essence Gathering realm cultivator who did not sleep for a full year would still feel extremely exhausted. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Where are we going today?¡± Lu Zhiying asked as they left the canteen. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡® Beauty of Yellowshell Mine While Zhao Yunxiao was still reconsidering what he should say to this seemingly slightly abnormal junior martial sister of his, Bo Fei who was looking on from the side quickly answered on his behalf. ¡°You might not know this because you are new, Junior Martial Sister Lu, but the jobs at the ore mines are only for masochists like him who love suffering in pain!¡± Bo Fei explained. ¡°You will spend the entire day either burning under the hot sun or suffocating in narrow tunnels. Not only will it give you bad sunburns, it is also physically demanding enough on your body to tire you out for an entire week!¡± ¡°Really?!¡± Lu Zhiying¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Wow it sounds really bad! I can¡¯t wait to go take a look!¡± Bo Fei: ¡°...¡± Zhao Yunxiao saw the strange glance that Bo Fei was shooting towards him, and let out a helpless sigh. Even without Bo Fei saying anything, Zhao Yunxiao could guess what he was thinking. Unfortunately, it was not like he had an explanation for Bo Fei. He couldn¡¯t possibly just tell Bo Fei to just accept the fact that Lu Zhiying seems to be wired a little differently, could he? Well, he technically could... ¡°I-I think I have something to attend to so I will be leaving for now,¡± Bo Fei said in an awkward manner, seemingly having understood Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s sigh. ¡°Farewell, Senior Martial Brother Bo,¡± Zhao Yunxiao waved goodbye to Bo Fei, who hurried away as though he was running from something. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Bo really comes and goes quickly,¡± Lu Zhiying commented while watching Bo Fei¡¯s disappearing back. ¡°Forget him, let¡¯s get on our way,¡± Zhao Yunxiao led the way and Lu Zhiying obediently followed. Yellowshell Mine was located relatively further from the canteen, so it was quite a long walk for the duo before they arrived at their destination. ¡°Wow.¡± Lu Zhiying exclaimed in marvel when they finally arrived. The crater in front of her stretched so far into the ground that one could imagine fitting a small mountain within. The walls of the crater were expertly cut to form stairs and walkways that went round and round, leading all the way down into the deepest depths. Cave-like openings could be seen at regular intervals on each of the different levels, with people busy moving in and out. There were also numerous elevators made of wood and thick ropes, powered by essence energy and designed to carry cartfuls of ore from the lower levels all the way up to the surface. This was the Yellowshell Mine ¨C a place that was already extremely busy despite the early hour. Disregarding the fact that it was bustling with human activity, the natural beauty of the spot was undeniable. From where she was, Lu Zhiying¡¯s mind was filled only with thoughts about how grand the Yellowshell Mine looked. ¡°There are so many tunnels!¡± Lu Zhiying pointed around at the walls of the Yellowshell Mine. ¡°I bet it would be fun to explore each of them one by one!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up, these tunnels are all the same ¨C dark and narrow with nothing inside but soil and rocks,¡± Zhao Yunxiao decided to burst her bubble early. ¡°Come on, I will bring you to meet the administrative deacon.¡± The Yellowshell Mine comprised more than the huge crater where sect members spent most of their time mining ore. At the top of the crater lay the administrative building of the Yellowshell Mine. It was a huge building made up of giant chambers where the ore would be transported to and stored for processing. Apart from that, the building also contained multiple rooms with various purposes ¨C one of which was naturally the office of the administrative deacon. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Oh, that. Most people exchange the balance for sect points since they can do a lot more with sect points. This is especially because the metal component is only a certain percentage of the ore, and processing the ore is not the easiest job in the world. Just so you know, I¡¯ve heard that there are other ore mines with more precious metal ores deeper within the sect grounds. For disciples working in those mines, they have to turn in every bit of metal ore they mine from there.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Jackpot in the Mines ¡°The reason why you failed is because you are only relying on pure brute strength,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. ¡°Unless you have been diligently training your body over a long period of time, it is impossible to do this through physical strength alone. Rather than that, you should be tapping on world origin energy to do so.¡± ¡°How do I even do that?¡± Lu Zhiying grumbled. ¡°You will soon be forming your spiritual meridian root. After which, you will naturally be able to do so,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°For now, I will lend you a hand.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Upon realising that Zhao Yunxiao was following right behind her, Lu Zhiying did not hesitate to join the rest of the disciples and hurried down into the mines. ¡°Be careful, don¡¯t rush!¡± Zhao Yunxiao called out in surprise before chasing after her. The walkways in Yellowshell Mine were formed by cutting into the walls of the mines, with no railings as protection. While it would normally be difficult to fall since the walkways were rather wide, now that everyone was rushing in the same direction, there was definitely a chance of falling into the depths if one was not careful. Thankfully, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s worry did not materialise. Lu Zhiying might be excited, but she was not carelessly so. She stuck close to the inner walls while moving, easily avoiding being pushed over the edge this way. Just like that, the duo followed the rest of the disciples to a particular tunnel that was already packed with people by the time they arrived. Furthermore, it was obvious that everyone present had their attention focused solely on a particular disciple. ¡°Congratulations, Junior Martial Brother Nie!¡± ¡°What great fortune! Congratulations!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve really struck it rich this time!¡± ¡°Lucky you! How I wish the same thing can happen to me!¡± Standing in the middle of the crowd and receiving all these words of congratulations was a young man who had a huge smile on his face. ¡° ¡° ¡°Don¡¯t call him ¡®that guy¡¯. This person is your Senior Martial Brother Nie Hanchang,¡± Zhao Yunxiao corrected her. ¡°Okay, okay, I will call him Senior Martial Brother Nie from now on. So tell me what happened already!¡± Zhao Yunxiao could not help but let out a snicker at the curiosity that was apparent on Lu Zhiying¡¯s face. ¡°Do you see that piece of ore by his side?¡± ¡°Wow, he¡¯s amazing for being able to mine this amount of ore. No wonder everyone is congratulating him!¡± Lu Zhiying exclaimed after noticing what Zhao Yunxiao pointed out. ¡°Amount? You are probably the only one here who considers that amount of ore impressive.¡± ¡° ¡°Just like how different equipment can vary in quality, here in the ore mines, the quality of the ore can vary greatly as well,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. ¡°What we usually get are of the inferior and common quality. But from time to time, there will be some fortunate ones who manage to find uncommon quality ore that¡¯s tens of times more valuable than inferior ore.¡± ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s uncommon ore?¡± Lu Zhiying visually compared the small rock in her hands to the huge rock beside Nie Hanchang. ¡°I guess you can tell the difference from the colour.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a sigh. ¡°That¡¯s not it?¡± Lu Zhiying looked towards Zhao Yunxiao once again. ¡°What Senior Martial Brother Nie have with him there... it¡¯s rare grimiron ore,¡± Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel envy in his heart as he said that. ¡°That is a tier above uncommon grimiron ore, hundreds of times more precious than inferior and common ore! With this one piece of rock, he has really struck the jackpot and will no longer have to work for an entire year!¡± Having a Good-Looking Face is like Cheating in Life ¡°An entire year!¡± Lu Zhiying¡¯s eyes lit up in astonishment. ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡°It is indeed amazing. Working in the mines, one can really go from rags to riches,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°However, do remember that things like that only happen to those who are blessed with extraordinary luck. It is best to just treat this as regular training of the mind and body.¡± Unfortunately, Lu Zhiying appeared not to have heard him and simply kept looking at the rock in her hands. ¡°Thank you for your congratulations, fellow martial brothers and sisters,¡± Nie Hanchang clasped his fists towards the other disciples around. ¡°As to your question on how I will be handling the grimiron ore, I have yet to decide on that, and would thus have to go back and think about it. I will take my leave for now!¡± ¡°Congratulations, Junior Martial Brother Nie!¡± ¡°Congratulations, Senior Martial Brother Nie!¡± The disciples present continued to shower Nie Hanchang with their congratulatory messages as he left the tunnel, carrying the grimiron ore out with him on a pushcart. ¡°All right, we should get going t-¡± Zhao Yunxiao stopped short after seeing the dazed expression on Lu Zhiying¡¯s face. Is this little girl already dreaming of unrealistic riches? ¡°Remember, this is an extremely rare occasion. In fact, this is the first time I¡¯ve ever seen such a large piece of grimiron ore!¡± Zhao Yunxiao reminded. ¡°Mm, mm.¡± Lu Zhiying nodded in response, but her distracted reaction was enough to let Zhao Yunxiao know that she had not taken his words to heart. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go,¡± Zhao Yunxiao casually grabbed the rock in Lu Zhiying¡¯s hand and turned around. ¡°Hey, my ore!¡± Lu Zhiying cried out in surprise. ¡°Finally back to your senses?¡± Zhao Yunxiao snickered while tossing the rock back to Lu Zhiying. ¡°Here, catch.¡± ¡°Be careful!¡± Lu Zhiying complained as she carefully caught the rock. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal about that small piece of rock? You won¡¯t be able to get any sect points even if you turn it in,¡± Zhao Yunxiao laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s just go back to the Outer Disciples¡¯ Quarters so you can get the rest that you so wanted.¡± ¡°So what if I can¡¯t get any sect points from it?¡± Lu Zhiying retorted with a pout. ¡°This is the first piece of ore that I have ever mined, and it shall mark my first step towards glory in the sect!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, follow closely and don¡¯t get lost.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you give a less patronising response?¡± Lu Zhiying grumbled. ¡°And are we leaving already? But I haven¡¯t seen you do any work?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡° ¡° ¡° What are you thinking about?¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head in disapproval. ¡°While going on such trips does widen one¡¯s horizons and is useful for both satisfying one¡¯s wanderlust and providing valuable learning experience, the amount of work involved more than makes up for it. It¡¯s just that apart from leisure, going on such trips also increases visibility and allows for networking to pave roads for any future needs. If you look at it from that perspective, the benefits definitely outweigh the costs.¡± ¡°Hmm, is that why everyone is here?¡± Lu Zhiying rubbed her chin in contemplation. ¡°Well, maybe some of them are here solely for the travelling experience, but that is a myopic way to view such a precious opportunity,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied. ¡°I¡¯m going in then. Be good and wait for me outside.¡± ¡°How about I go in too?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡°I¡¯m a member of the Black Tortoise Sect too. Can I go for the interview as well?¡± ¡°Unfortunately for you, registrations have already closed,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a smirk. ¡°Try again next time!¡± ¡°Fine...¡± Lu Zhiying could only stand there sulkingly and send off Zhao Yunxiao with her eyes. Zhao Yunxiao could not help but smile after seeing Lu Zhiying¡¯s sulking face. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° His words did not result in anyone stepping out. On the other hand, it only caused them to firm their resolve further. ¡° The grass around him was even slightly taller than he was, swaying under the pull of strong winds to create a beautiful scenery, one that was painted in gold under the blazing sun above. He had been pulled into an illusion. Then again, this was to be expected. After all, the Myriad Fields Pagoda was a place known to be packed with illusion arrays. Just the fact that they were holding the interview here was enough of a warning, letting everyone know that they would likely have to go through an illusion this time. Grr-! The tall grass in front of Zhao Yunxiao parted slightly, and a large figure appeared before him. It was a beast that resembled a green fox, only that it had three tails instead of one. Its bright red eyes had their gaze fixed upon Zhao Yunxiao as it bared its fangs in menace. A fox demon. Ideal Way of Clearing the Test Just like that, Zhao Yunxiao directly walked past the fox demon and started paving his way through the tall grass, slowly increasing the distance between them. The three tailed fox demon behind him might have been snarling at him, but the fact that it did not pounce at him from the get go was enough evidence that it had its reservations about Zhao Yunxiao. And when a fox demon had its reservations about a potential enemy, it would feel even more intimidated when the other party showed no fear whatsoever. Given the nonchalant way that Zhao Yunxiao acted, the fox demon naturally thought that Zhao Yunxiao thought lightly of itself. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. In that case, there was no way that the fox demon would initiate an attack on him without being provoked. Zhao Yunxiao continued walking forward, not allowing himself to show any signs of concern about the threat behind him. Before long, his surroundings started to change. The golden fields around him faded to black, and new colours returned. Zhao Yunxiao finally let out a sigh of relief when he took in the familiar sight of the Myriad Fields Pagoda lobby. Looking around him, Zhao Yunxiao could see that everyone was now seated cross legged in the lobby, their eyes closed in concentration. It seemed that the moment they entered the illusion, everyone naturally settled into a cross legged seating position, himself included. Judging from how most of them were still in that state, he was one of the first to clear the illusion test. Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s gaze stopped on the sign that was hanging above the door that led to the next level. [Proceed to the next level once you are done.] Heh. Zhao Yunxiao stood up quietly and walked past the rest of his fellow disciples, through the door and up the stairs. ¡°Come in,¡± Rui Tang¡¯s voice answered when Zhao Yunxiao knocked on the door. Zhao Yunxiao did as he was told, entering the second level of the Myriad Fields Pagoda where Rui Tang smiled at him from behind a desk. ¡°Disciple Zhao Yunxiao reporting to Senior Rui,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clasped his fists as greetings. ¡°Have a seat,¡± Rui Tang gestured to the chair opposite him, and Zhao Yunxiao naturally took the seat. ¡°Congratulations, Zhao Yunxiao. I¡¯m not sure if you realised, but you are the first to clear the test.¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior Rui. I might have gotten lucky this time,¡± Zhao Yunxiao suppressed the smirk that was about to appear on his face. ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s eyes sharpened. ¡°I believe that the test has been specially designed to incorporate different ways to clear the test, and that there is no one ideal way of doing so.¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± Rui Tang crossed his arms. Zhao Yunxiao did not hesitate to answer. ¡°As Senior Rui mentioned, this interview was meant to select suitable disciples to accompany Elder He on his upcoming work trip to the Origin Lake Sect. While combat strength is a trait that an accompanying disciple should ideally have, it is not the only important trait.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° What an interesting pair of youngsters. Trouble at Gu Qiansi’s Herb Plot ¡°Why are you always in such a hurry, Senior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Lu Zhiying complained as she finally caught up to Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°You are asking me?¡± Zhao Yunxiao sneaked a glance behind them before turning to face Lu Zhiying. ¡°I am the one who wants to ask you why you were with Senior Martial Brother Hua Shui!¡± ¡°That guy from just now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call him ¡®that guy¡¯! He is Senior Martial Brother Hua Shui!¡± Zhao Yunxiao quickly corrected her. ¡°Yes, okay. Senior Martial Brother Hua Shui,¡± Lu Zhiying said. ¡°Well, he was the only one at the table. There were so many empty seats so I just decided to wait there as well. What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°What do you mean what¡¯s wrong? How can you sit right next to him as if it¡¯s nothing? Isn¡¯t it scary?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°Is it supposed to be scary?¡± Lu Zhiying asked back. Zhao Yunxiao took a deep breath. ¡°Sometimes I really don¡¯t know whether you are brave or oblivious,¡± Zhao Yunxiao remarked. ¡°Anyway, be careful when dealing with Senior Martial Brother Hua Shui in the future. Not only is he one of the more influential inner disciples, he is also known for being strict about order and hierarchy. If he catches you doing something wrong, you will really be in trouble!¡± ¡°Oh? What kind of trouble?¡± Lu Zhiying¡¯s eyes lit up. Zhao Yunxiao saw the sudden change in Lu Zhiying¡¯s expression and felt a headache coming on. ¡°Actually it is nothing much as well. Let¡¯s just go look for Gu Qiansi. Aren¡¯t you curious as to what kind of problem arose for her to be so busy today?¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Oh, you are right! Let¡¯s go!¡± Lu Zhiying nodded. ¡°How did your interview go anyway?¡± ¡°Who knows? They are only selecting three outer disciples to go along with Elder He since this will be a relatively short trip, so I won¡¯t get my hopes up,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°Gu Qiansi should be back already, so let¡¯s go look for her directly at her residence.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± *** Knock-! Knock-! Knock-! Knock-! Knock-! Knock-! Knock-! Knock-! Lu Zhiying watched curiously as Zhao Yunxiao continued to knock on the door without rest. In her head, this scene before her eyes quickly superimposed with a similar memory from the day before. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Zhao and Senior Martial Sister Gu sure are close...¡± Lu Zhiying muttered under her breath, drawing a stare from Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Who¡¯s close with her?¡± Zhao Yunxiao narrowed his eyes at Lu Zhiying. ¡°In what way do you see that we are close? With which eye? Your left eye or your right eye?¡± Before Lu Zhiying could reply, someone shouted over from the adjacent residence. ¡°Stop knocking already! Junior Martial Sister Gu has yet to return!¡± Hmm? Zhao Yunxiao looked up at the sky. Judging from the time of the day, Gu Qiansi should have been back long ago. Unless... she was unable to settle the issue at the Herb Gardens? ¡°Is Senior Martial Sister Gu still at the herb garden?¡± Lu Zhiying said what Zhao Yunxiao was thinking. ¡°Junior Martial Sister Lu, why don¡¯t you return to your residence first?¡± Zhao Yunxiao suggested. ¡°I will just go do a quick check to see if she is still at her plot at the Herb Gardens.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Lu Zhiying realised that Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s expression had turned slightly serious. ¡°If it is not too much trouble, can I go along as well?¡± ¡°This... I guess there¡¯s no harm,¡± Zhao Yunxiao agreed. ¡°However, she might not actually be there so it might be a wasted trip.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right! I have time!¡± Lu Zhiying nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go then!¡± *** Herb Gardens. Unlike the Alchemy Chamber or the Forge, the term Herb Gardens did not refer to a particular location in the sect grounds. Instead, it was more of a category of numerous locations that had been allocated for herb cultivation. These locations could be found in various different parts of the sect grounds, each considered a garden plot on its own. Each individual plot was then further divided into sections, with a disciple in charge of manning their own section within the plot. Due to the varying conditions required for the growth of certain herbs and plants, different garden plots might focus on cultivating different types of herbs so as to optimise their geographic advantages. However, disciples still had absolute autonomy over how they wished to cultivate their respective sections. Apart from a certain quota of selected herbs that each disciple was expected to submit every month, they were completely free to choose what else they wished to cultivate in their respective sections. Most disciples would go the safe route and cultivate basic herbs with traditional methods that had been tried and tested, while the more adventurous ones might try to innovate and find more efficient methods. Some would also try their hand at rare plants and herbs that were slightly higher on the list in terms of the difficulty of cultivation. It was not unheard of for a disciple to ruin their section simply because they planted a poisonous plant or failed in their innovative cultivation methods. Worst still, some disciples¡¯ mistakes even ended up affecting the nearby sections. Stolen novel; please report. In such cases, these disciples might not only find themselves in trouble with his or her fellow disciples, but also with the administrative deacons. That was why when choosing their plot sections, it was very important to find out who the neighbouring sections were under. Gu Qiansi¡¯s garden plot was located near the borders of the Outer Grounds, which meant that Zhao Yunxiao and Lu Zhiying had to walk quite a bit before they finally arrived at their destination. Be it fortunate or not, it was not a wasted trip. They might have confirmed that Gu Qiansi was indeed still working in the garden plot, but seeing her working away labouriously was not exactly the most pleasant of sights. In fact, Zhao Yunxiao could see that almost every disciple affiliated to this garden plot was present, uncharacteristically still working hard on their respective sections despite the relatively late hour. And the reason for that was laid clear at first glance. The originally tidy state of the garden plot was nowhere to be seen. Instead, many herbs and plants appeared to have been dug out prematurely and thrown around in a messy manner, as though the plot had been wrecked by a fierce battle. Gu Qiansi and the other disciples were basically performing a cleanup of the scene, trashing the dead plants and salvaging the remaining ones, including replanting those that had been uprooted but were yet to be lost. ¡°What happened here?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked while approaching Gu Qiansi¡¯s garden plot section. ¡°Zhao Yunxiao?¡± Gu Qiansi looked up in surprise. ¡°Junior Martial Sister Lu as well. Why are you guys here?¡± ¡°Senior Martial Brother Zhao was worried after hearing that you haven¡¯t been back since morning, and thus he came here to take a look,¡± Lu Zhiying answered. ¡°I simply tagged along as well.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her spout nonsense. I just wanted to see what could have happened to make you so shamelessly leave the difficult chore of taking care of Junior Martial Sister Lu to me all day,¡± Zhao Yunxiao corrected Lu Zhiying. ¡°Hey! That¡¯s not nice! At most it¡¯s an easy chore and not a difficult one!¡± ¡°So what happened here?¡± Zhao Yunxiao ignored Lu Zhiying¡¯s protest. Gu Qiansi looked silently at Zhao Yunxiao for a moment before answering. ¡°We are not too sure either. I only heard this morning that the garden plot has been wrecked. But by the time I reached, things are already as you see. We found claw and bite marks on the field and crops, but that¡¯s about it. As for what exactly happened for the plot to end up like this overnight... who knows?¡± ¡°Claw and bite marks? Can I have a look?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°I can¡¯t stop you even if I wanted to,¡± Gu Qiansi said with a shrug. ¡°Just look around, those marks are everywhere.¡± Zhao Yunxiao turned his gaze towards his surroundings. Sure enough, as long as he paid closer attention, he could see that things were exactly like what Gu Qiansi had said. There were numerous claw marks on the ground, while the uprooted plants were ridden with a combination of both claw and bite marks. Zhao Yunxiao picked up a dead plant that had been uprooted and left unattended, carefully examining the marks left on the plant. ¡°...A nightspirit rat?¡± Zhao Yunxiao muttered. ¡°You recognise these traces?¡± Gu Qiansi asked in surprise. ¡°I am not one hundred percent certain, but these marks do resemble those made by a nightspirit rat,¡± Zhao Yunxiao tried to think back to his past experiences. ¡°I guess the mess here does fit that narrative too.¡± ¡°What is a nightspirit rat?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡°Is it a spirit or a monster?¡± Gu Qiansi looked towards Zhao Yunxiao for an answer, not knowing much about the topic herself. ¡°Nightspirit rats are monsters that take the form of a giant rat,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. ¡°As the name suggests, they are usually active at night and move so stealthily that they are often mistaken as spirits. Their stealthy movements, along with them being very aggressive creatures that enjoy destroying things, make for an extremely dangerous combination. Perhaps it is a fortunate thing that only the garden plot is damaged, and that no one was hurt.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Gu Qiansi sighed. ¡°We were still discussing if one of us should stand guard tonight just in case the perpertrator returns. But if what you said is true, that might be a bad idea.¡± ¡°It¡¯s best not to do so, or at least not alone,¡± Zhao Yunxiao advised. ¡°If it is a nightspirit rat, it will likely return tonight. Unless all of you work together to scare it off, anyone who stays behind will only get hurt.¡± Gu Qiansi looked over to the other disciples who were busily working on their individual sections, none of them coming over to look at them even though they must have overheard their conversation. ¡°Seems like nobody is interested,¡± Zhao Yunxiao remarked. ¡°In that case, you should not stay tonight either.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible to ask the elders for help?¡± Lu Zhiying suggested. ¡°I don¡¯t know how scary this nightspirit rat is, but the elders of the sect should be able to resolve the issue easily, shouldn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°The elders are far too busy to bother about something like this,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head. ¡°Issues like this are usually handled by the administrative deacons. Unfortunately, the administrative deacon in charge of this garden plot is notorious for being lazy, and would likely just blame the matter on the working disciples instead.¡± ¡°What...?¡± Lu Zhiying frowned. ¡°There¡¯s such a thing?¡± ¡°Just my luck I guess,¡± Gu Qiansi said while she continued with her replanting. ¡°I told you long ago that you should move to another plot.¡± ¡°I was already done setting up my plot section, and moving would have been damaging to the herbs,¡± Gu Qiansi replied bitterly. ¡°I thought that things will be fine as long as I take good care of my plot section. Who knows that something like this will happen?¡± ¡°Stop planting already!¡± Zhao Yunxiao lightly grabbed Gu Qiansi by the wrist to stop her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me say that if it really is a nightspirit rat, it will most likely come again tonight? In that case, all this salvaging is for naught!¡± ¡°What am I supposed to do then?!¡± Gu Qiansi finally raised her voice as she looked up at Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°I can bring some of the salvageable ones back to temporarily plant them in my residence, but am I supposed to just throw everything else away?!¡± Zhao Yunxiao was momentarily at a loss of words. He knew that all these herbs were essentially the fruits borne from a cumulation of effort over time. As long as there was still a slim chance of salvaging them, almost nobody would choose to abandon the herbs. ¡°All right, I understand. I will be leaving first then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao let go of Gu Qiansi¡¯s wrist. ¡°Try not to work till too late. You still need energy to continue tomorrow.¡± ¡°...Okay,¡± Gu Qiansi replied. Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s reaction made her feel slightly bad for having raised her voice. ¡°Where are you going, Senior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡°Why don¡¯t we help out Senior Martial Sister Gu since we are already here?¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve had a long day, so I will be going back to rest first. Maybe I will come around tomorrow to see if there¡¯s anything I can help with,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with an apologetic smile. ¡°Bye then.¡± ¡°Huh? You are going back to rest?¡± Lu Zhiying asked in confusion. ¡°No worries, have a good rest,¡± Gu Qiansi said before turning to Lu Zhiying. ¡°You should go rest as well, Junior Martial Sister Lu. You won¡¯t be of much help out here anyway.¡± ¡°Hey! That¡¯s not nice! The sun hasn¡¯t even set yet, so I am full of energy! Even if nothing else, I can at least be a runner and help you carry things around!¡± ¡°All right, all right. Bring me that basket then.¡± ¡°Okay! Here!¡± ¡°Must be nice to be young...¡± Zhao Yunxiao took one last glance at the two young ladies working together, then turned around to leave. The moment he turned around, his eyes sharpened, and his fists clenched tight. Indeed, in such a situation, almost nobody would have chosen to abandon the herbs. But Zhao Yunxiao was certain that if he were in Gu Qiansi¡¯s shoes, he would have done so for sure. Rather than salvaging herbs that would likely just be wrecked again that night, Zhao Yunxiao would rather spend his time on more meaningful things. And that was exactly what he was intending to do right now. After leaving Gu Qiansi¡¯s garden plot, Zhao Yunxiao did not head back to his residence to rest as he had said he would. It was not that he did not want to stay and help Gu Qiansi out with her plot section. However, what Gu Qiansi needed the most right now was not someone who could help her with salvaging the wrecked herbs. Instead, what she needed was a way to deal with the root of the problem ¨C the nightspirit rat. Since asking the administrative deacon was not an option, Zhao Yunxiao could only try to take matters into his own hands! Preparation is Key With his cultivation level at the Essence Gathering realm, Zhao Yunxiao was not nearly delusional enough to believe that he would be able to beat a nightspirit rat in direct combat. Zhao Yunxiao might have come across nightspirit rats in the past, but he was no expert on these monsters by any measure. In order to find out more about them, as well as to confirm if a nightspirit rat was indeed the culprit responsible for the wreckage in Gu Qiansi¡¯s garden, Zhao Yunxiao arrived at his first stop of the day after leaving Gu Qiansi¡¯s garden plot. This was the one-stop venue for static information in the Black Tortoise Sect ¨C the Sect Library. The books and scrolls here were kept in an extremely organised manner, housed on rows of shelves that were conveniently arranged according to their respective categories. Fortunately, this problem did not apply to Zhao Yunxiao ¨C a frequent at the Sect Library. After greeting a few of the duty disciples upon entering, Zhao Yunxiao moved through the familiar aisles of the huge library and headed straight for the section on monsters and beasts. It did not take long before he managed to pick out multiple books and scrolls that contained bits and pieces of information that he was looking for. ¡°Claw marks look like this...¡± ¡°Bite marks look like this...¡± ¡°Their habits include...¡± Zhao Yunxiao muttered under his breath while reading through these resources related to nightspirit rats. Physical traits, habits, diet, and so on... There was an almost endless amount of information to go through in order to fully understand a monster¡¯s weaknesses and strengths. Even someone who had studied a monster for years would not dare claim to know everything there was to learn about it. The sun was already about to set ¨C he did not have much time left. Realising that, Zhao Yunxiao picked up the pace as he headed towards his second destination ¨C the Beastiary. Spirit beasts and monsters did not always have to be the enemies of cultivators. ¡° This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° No Matter What ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° But now that Lou Quping ¨C the administrative deacon of the Beastiary ¨C was going to personally impart the information to him, then Zhao Yunxiao could simply take the information as good. That would save him some precious time and effort! Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Rat Hunting They would attack almost any creature in sight, even if they were simply passing by. This meant that even if a nightspirit rat was full and not hunting for food, it would still move to kill any unfortunate souls that happened to stray into its vicinity. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° It Will Really Disappear? ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Enough talk. Come, help me move these bastards onto the pushcart,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Of course!¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°If I let you go around doing random nonsense like that and cause word of this incident to spread, the seniors in the sect might just end up ordering for these precious carcasses of the nightspirit rats to be distributed to the owners of the garden plot as compensation for their losses. Should that happen, there will barely be anything left for me!¡± Greatest Treasure Vault ¡°Eh?¡± Lu Zhiying was not expecting to hear that answer from Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°That¡¯s your reason?¡± ¡°You are still young, so you might not understand the harsh reality of this world,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head in disapproval. ¡°Remember those arrays that I set up just now? They draw their energy from spirit stones, and each of them costs sect points to exchange for. The energy from these spirit stones is limited too, so once they are depleted, that¡¯s it ¨C no more spirit stones and no more sect points. On top of that, I still need to exchange some medicine for my injuries. Be it to cover my losses or to compensate me for my time and effort, don¡¯t you think I ought to get something out of this?¡± ¡°What do you mean injuries? Didn¡¯t you say this is nothing at all ¨C just a warm up?¡± Lu Zhiying asked with a smirk. ¡°...You are focusing on the wrong things,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°This is about getting my just rewards.¡± Lu Zhiying chuckled at Zhao Yunxiao avoiding the question, but quickly followed up with another. ¡°Actually, won¡¯t you be able to get rewards if you just claim credit for getting rid of the nightspirit rat?¡± ¡°No way. The administrative deacon of this garden plot is not just lazy, but also a miser. The sun has to rise from the west if I want to get any decent reward out of this!¡± Zhao Yunxiao laughed. ¡°What about non-material rewards?¡± Lu Zhiying continued to ask. ¡°You mentioned that the reason why you interviewed for the work trip is to increase visibility and allow for networking to pave roads for any future needs. If others get to know that you helped out here, won¡¯t it achieve the same result?¡± ¡°This is why I say you are still too young to understand the reality of this world. Even if you want to increase visibility and network with others, you need to choose your target wisely,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. ¡°If I do what you suggested, the most I will get here is some commendation medal. On the other hand, establishing connections to Elder He and the Origin Lake Sect will obviously bring about far greater benefits. How can the two be comparable? In addition, material rewards triumph non-material rewards most of the time anyway!¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Lu Zhiying rubbed her chin in contemplation. ¡°All right, let¡¯s not delay any further,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Come help me move the nightspirit rats.¡± If he was in his peak condition, moving these carcasses all by himself would not have been a problem. Unfortunately, his right arm had been injured by the nightspirit rat. While he would still be able to move the nightspirit rats onto his pushcart all by himself, he would prefer not to strain his arm any further. Seeing that Zhao Yunxiao did all the work here and had already decided on what he wanted, Lu Zhiying did not probe any further. She started helping him out as they loaded the nightspirit rats onto the pushcart. After that was done, Zhao Yunxiao proceeded to dismantle the traps that he had set up earlier. In this regard, Lu Zhiying was not able to help much. These were traps set up to deal with nightspirit rats. If Lu Zhiying were to trigger any of them by mistake, she might not even realise how she died. Therefore, she could only sit there and watch as Zhao Yunxiao busied himself. Dismantling something was always much simpler than setting it up. Before long, Zhao Yunxiao and Lu Zhiying found themselves back at the Outer Disciples¡¯ Quarters, parking the pushcart right outside Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s residence. ¡°What are you going to do with the nightspirit rat carcasses anyway, Senior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡°That¡¯s a secret,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a teasing smile. ¡°What! How can you say that after we spent all night together?¡± Lu Zhiying protested. ¡°Hey, watch your phrasing! Others might get the wrong idea if they overhear what you just said!¡± Zhao Yunxiao cautioned. ¡°But to be honest, I don¡¯t have a concrete plan yet either. I will just have to see what I can do with it.¡± After all, Zhao Yunxiao had only just decided to do this a few hours ago. During this time, he did come up with a few ideas as to what could be done with the nightspirit rat carcasses. However, he had indeed yet to decide on the exact route that he should take. ¡°Really?¡± Lu Zhiying narrowed her eyes at Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Yes, really. Now get going already,¡± Zhao Yunxiao urged her along. ¡°See you at breakfast tomorrow.¡± Lu Zhiying eyed Zhao Yunxiao for a few more seconds before finally giving up. ¡°Junior Martial Sister Lu!¡± Zhao Yunxiao called out just as Lu Zhiying turned around and was about to leave. ¡°What is it?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡°Remember, don¡¯t tell Gu Qiansi about this,¡± Zhao Yunxiao reminded. Lu Zhiying eyed Zhao Yunxiao for another few seconds, this time for a different reason. Secretly helping out and yet not wanting to be known ¨C maybe this Senior Martial Brother Zhao of hers is actually rather cool? ¡°It¡¯s fine if she knows, but if others find out as well, they might end up wanting a piece of the nightspirit rats¡¯ carcasses,¡± Zhao Yunxiao added. ¡°Let¡¯s prevent that from happening as much as possible.¡± ¡°...Is that the only reason?¡± ¡°What else can there be?¡± Zhao Yunxiao raised an eyebrow. In the short span of a few moments, her admiration for Zhao Yunxiao evaporated. ¡°Fine, I got it already. You and your obsession over some dead rats,¡± Lu Zhiying said while rolling her eyes. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I will get going now!¡± ¡°All right, see you tomorrow,¡± Zhao Yunxiao was satisfied after getting Lu Zhiying¡¯s assurance. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Just like that, Lu Zhiying left Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s residence. However, Lu Zhiying only walked a short distance away from Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s residence before stopping in her tracks. After stopping, she looked back in the direction of Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s residence and smirked. Not wanting to share the nightspirit rat carcasses is the only reason why you do not want to let others know about this matter, eh? Lu Zhiying thought back to the solemn expression on Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s face when they arrived at the garden plot, when he told her that they were going to stop this nightspirit rat no matter what. Then, she thought back to how relieved Zhao Yunxiao was when she told him that she did not tell Gu Qiansi about this matter, and how he mentioned that Gu Qiansi would not feel good if she knew about this matter. ¡°What a liar.¡± *** Meanwhile, Zhao Yunxiao took his time to move everything from his pushcart into his residence. The tools and pushcart needed cleaning, while the nightspirit rat carcasses needed treatment. But be it the cleaning of the tools or the treatment of the nightspirit carcasses, they were nowhere near simple enough to be completed within the night. Zhao Yunxiao had used an extensive number of tools to complete a wide net of traps earlier, and these tools could not be simply stored back to where he took them ¨C not with the dirt and stains remaining on them. As for the nightspirit rat carcasses, even Zhao Yunxiao with his practiced expertise would have to spend hours if he wanted to finish treating them. Therefore, all he could do was to prioritise the more urgent matters. Zhao Yunxiao did a quick wipe down of the nightspirit rat carcasses before proceeding to drain them of their blood. Next came cleaning the nightspirit rats¡¯ blood off of the weapons. Anything else could wait but these were the two most urgent matters. Yet despite only doing the bare minimum, another hour had passed by the time he was done with the two tasks. All exhausted from the day¡¯s events, Zhao Yunxiao only managed to do some light meditation before crashing into his bed. This was slightly uncommon for the hardworking Zhao Yunxiao, but he made sure to make up for this lack of practice the very next morning. Purple Plum Mountain ¨C Black Tortoise Sect. By the time the first rays of sunlight shone upon the sect grounds, Zhao Yunxiao was already up and about. In the small courtyard in front of his residence, Zhao Yunxiao donned his usual thick robes while practising his fist and movement arts. There were multiple steps to learning a set of combat arts. Of which, the most obvious steps involved understanding the manual and actual physical practice. Some people, such as Zhao Yunxiao, emphasised the importance of image training in between the two steps. This additional step was meant to assess and confirm their interpretation of the techniques. But no matter what, actual live usage of the techniques was still the most important aspect of learning a technique. A cultivator could know a particular technique inside out, but it would all be meaningless if they were ultimately unable to execute it well in an actual battle. Zhao Yunxiao similarly did not neglect this point, making sure to practise his techniques regularly in order to assimilate every technique to muscle memory. In his head, the dark silhouette of a man stood in a world of blinding white light, executing the Xuanwu Fist Art with unreal proficiency. In the courtyard, Zhao Yunxiao tried his best to emulate each of these moves, attempting to bring to life exactly what he had in mind. This was not an easy task for sure. But after years of practice, Zhao Yunxiao was starting to get better and better. Just like that, he kept going at it for hours, until his skin was drenched in enough sweat to make it glisten under the sun. Only then did he stop and took deep breaths to regulate his breathing. In fact, if not because he had other appointments to attend to, he would have preferred to continue for a good few hours more. Alas, there were only so many hours in a day. After washing up, Zhao Yunxiao repacked his bamboo backpack before heading to the canteen. ¡°Good morning, Senior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Lu Zhiying greeted brightly as Zhao Yunxiao sat down in front of her. ¡°Good morning,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied. ¡°You guys are early.¡± He had only just arrived, but he could see that Gu Qiansi and Lu Zhiying were already almost done with their meal. ¡°Yeah, I have to head over to the garden plot after this. There is a lot left to be done,¡± Gu Qiansi explained after letting out a helpless sigh. ¡°I will leave Junior Martial Sister Lu in your care today as well.¡± ¡°Sure, I will pop over later after I¡¯m done with my stuff,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied flatly. His reaction was a huge contrast from Lu Zhiying whose eyes lit up the moment Gu Qiansi mentioned the garden plot. ¡°Up to you,¡± Gu Qiansi answered in the same manner as Zhao Yunxiao while finishing up her meal. Silence fell over the trio. ¡°Is that it?¡± Lu Zhiying quickly broke the silence. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Gu Qiansi asked in return. Lu Zhiying did not reply immediately. Instead, she glanced over at Zhao Yunxiao only to see that he was just silently eating his breakfast, as though he was completely uninterested in the conversation. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t mind me,¡± Lu Zhiying said with a helpless sigh of her own. It was a little stifling to have to keep last night¡¯s events to herself, but Lu Zhiying was someone who kept her promises. Just as Gu Qiansi mentioned, she left immediately after her meal to head over to her garden plot. As for the Zhao Yunxiao and Lu Zhiying duo, they left towards their own destination after Zhao Yunxiao finished his breakfast. ¡°So what did you end up doing with the nightspirit rats?¡± Lu Zhiying asked out of curiosity while following Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything yet,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head. ¡°Even if I did, telling you is useless since you won¡¯t be able to understand.¡± ¡°Hey! That¡¯s not nice! I can always learn!¡± Lu Zhiying complained. ¡°Let me know when you are done learning then, I will tell you when that time comes,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered with a smirk. ¡°If you keep being this mean, are you not afraid that I will flip and tell the whole world about what you did yesterday?¡± Lu Zhiying responded with a smirk of her own. ¡°Then I guess you will have to find another guide,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged before picking up his pace. ¡°Hey, wait, Senior Martial Brother Zhao! I was just joking, just joking!¡± Lu Zhiying hurried to keep up. ¡°I promised not to say anything, so I naturally won¡¯t!¡± ¡°That better be the case!¡± Zhao Yunxiao knocked her lightly on the forehead after allowing her to catch up. ¡°Hehe, of course that will be the case,¡± Lu Zhiying massaged her forehead a little. ¡°So, Lord Guide, what will we be doing today?¡± ¡°We are going there,¡± Zhao Yunxiao pointed towards a tall pagoda that had just come into sight. ¡°What is over there?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡°It is the greatest treasure vault available to outer disciples like you and I,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a meaningful smile. ¡°A treasure vault?¡± Lu Zhiying¡¯s eyes lit up once again. ¡°What kind of treasures are there? Are we allowed to take any?¡± ¡°The best and most useful treasures, and yes we are allowed to take some,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°Come on, let this senior martial brother of yours broaden your horizons today!¡± ¡°Okay! I will be in your care then!¡± Lu Zhiying answered with a bright voice. Lu Zhiying felt her heart starting to palpitate in excitement. This reaction of hers was only natural as well. It was common knowledge that cultivators possessed amazing treasures far beyond the likes of what commoners could imagine. Because of that, ever since entering the sect two days ago, Lu Zhiying had been looking forward to seeing these treasures that cultivators were famed for, but simply never had the opportunity to do so. In fact, she had been feeling kind of bummed about that fact as well. However, all that was going to change today. Now, she was finally about to feast her eyes on those amazing treasures of the cultivators¡¯ world! Preparations for Lecture The ten-storey high grand pagoda towered towards the sky, its huge shadow completely shrouding Zhao Yunxiao and Lu Zhiying from the morning sun. Each individual rooftile was engraved with a unique emblem, their designs varying from the five elements to the myriad beasts, from the grand sceneries to the activities of ordinary man. A single glance was enough even for a layman to understand the amount of hard work and details that had been put into its construction. In contrast to the rooftiles, the white walls of the pagoda had been overtaken by patches of dirt and dust in many areas, testament to how even a construct of such exquisity was not spared from the passing of time. Nevertheless, this served little to rob the pagoda of its grandeur. Just by standing before the pagoda, one could not help but be reminded of how small an individual was in relation to the entire world. For some, simply admiring the design of the pagoda led them to appreciate the blessing of being alive! Yet despite being faced with such exquisite architecture, Lu Zhiying simply could not bring herself to appreciate the grand structure. Instead, her eyes lingered on a sign that was hanging above the front door. Sect Library ¨C those were the two simple words written on the sign, albeit in a level of calligraphy comparable to the high level of architecture. Lu Zhiying: ¡°...¡± ¡°Impressive, isn¡¯t it?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked without noticing the strange look on Lu Zhiying¡¯s face. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Zhao, when you said this is the greatest treasure vault, I didn¡¯t think that you were referring to a library...¡± Lu Zhiying said with a sulk. ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhao Yunxiao glanced over at Lu Zhiying and immediately understood her thoughts. ¡°What? Were you hoping that I will bring you to see some exquisite weapons and armours or stuff like that?¡± Lu Zhiying nodded with an involuntary pout. ¡°Hahaha, don¡¯t look so disappointed!¡± Zhao Yunxiao laughed. ¡°For someone like you who just joined the sect, there is nowhere more important to you than this place! Look, even if you were to get your hands on an amazing weapon or defensive treasure right now, what can you do with it? You will simply admire it for a bit and then put it aside. On the other hand, knowledge is something that you can actually use right now! Only then can you begin touching upon the various aspects of cultivation, and thereby slowly determine the path that is most suited to you.¡± Huu-! ¡°Understood, Senior Martial Brother Zhao...¡± Lu Zhiying answered listlessly after letting out a deep sigh. Zhao Yunxiao shook his head in disapproval upon seeing Lu Zhiying¡¯s reaction, but he was also not too surprised. He had already been in the sect for a while, and had seen his fair share of new joiners. Just like Lu Zhiying, all of them were always overeager about seeing amazing treasures and learning impressive techniques. But when the few lucky ones do come into contact with these things, they would come to realise that without first establishing a stable foundation, they would have no ability to use them anyway! ¡°In any case, we are not here as visitors but as workers, so cheer up and let¡¯s get to work!¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Right! Let¡¯s work!¡± Lu Zhiying seemed to have switched gears immediately. Zhao Yunxiao smiled. At least this junior martial sister of his seemed to be someone who could separate her personal emotions from work. *** ¡°Disciple Zhao Yunxiao, reporting for duty!¡± ¡°Disciple Lu Zhiying, reporting for duty!¡± ¡°...Lu Zhiying?¡± Se Cuixiang looked up from the scroll in her hands. Se Cuixiang ¨C administrative deacon of the Sect Library. Yet despite the seniority of her position, Se Cuixiang did not look a day older than someone in her mid twenties. In fact, her milky-white skin coupled with her long luscious hair made her look even younger than many disciples in the Black Tortoise Sect. Unfortunately, she was already married. This caused many of her young admirers among male disciples to silently weep while trying to mend their own broken hearts. Of course, all these happened out of the disciples¡¯ one-sided admiration, and Se Cuixiang herself had never tried to lead anyone on in terms of such relations. In the Black Tortoise Sect, Se Cuixiang was known as the most indifferent deacon ¨C a deacon who simply did not seem to care about anything or anyone. It was to the extent that some wondered why she would decide to get married in the first place. ¡°You need to at least introduce yourself first,¡± Zhao Yunxiao told Lu Zhiying before turning back towards Se Cuixiang. ¡°Reporting to Senior Se, Junior Martial Sister Lu here just joined the sect two days ago. I am currently showing her around before she decides on her sect job.¡± Se Cuixiang glanced at Lu Zhiying, who was scratching her cheek in embarrassment, then turned back towards Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Do you remember what you will be doing today?¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Se. I took a look at the schedule,¡± Zhao Yunxiao assured. ¡°Your disciple token,¡± Se Cuixiang requested monotonously. ¡°Liang Wenshao will be your team leader today. Go report to him after I am done recording your attendance.¡± ¡°Understood, Senior Se!¡± Zhao Yunxiao responded energetically nevertheless. The recording of attendance did not take long, and Zhao Yunxiao was soon leading Lu Zhiying out of the administrative deacon¡¯s office. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. As instructed, Zhao Yunxiao brought Lu Zhiying to look for the team leader Liang Wenshao, who was an outer disciple just like them. It was not difficult to find him either. When asked about the Sect Library, one would usually think about the rows of shelves that housed information in the form of books and scrolls. However, there were also spaces put aside for other uses. For example, the administrative deacon¡¯s office was one such area in the Sect Library that was not used primarily to house information. Apart from that, there were also various halls in the Sect Library which the disciples commonly used for reading, lectures, or discussions. Liang Wenshao was standing near the entrance of one such empty hall, looking intently at a scroll in his hands just like Se Cuixiang had been doing before. ¡°You are here, Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Despite having his back against them, Liang Wenshao commented upon sensing their approach. ¡°Yes, Senior Martial Brother Liang,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered respectfully. ¡°This is Junior Martial Sister Lu, and she is here to see how work at the Sect Library is like before deciding on her sect job. I have informed Senior Se about this matter earlier as well.¡± Lu Zhiying glanced at Zhao Yunxiao in surprise before turning towards Liang Wenshao. ¡°Lu Zhiying greets Senior Martial Brother Liang,¡± Lu Zhiying clasped her fists towards Liang Wenshao. ¡°Mm,¡± Liang Wenshao acknowledged before turning around to face them. He looked to be in his early thirties and had a scholarly air about him, amplified further by the scholarly robes that he was donning. His sharp gaze pierced straight towards Lu Zhiying, almost as though he was attempting to dominate her soul through his aura alone. Those new to cultivation would generally be anxious around their seniors. Coupled with their generally lower mental fortitude due to not having undergone much training, this made it such that it was easy for them to be overwhelmed by their seniors¡¯ auras. Therefore, Liang Wenshao was especially confused to face the pair of bright eyes that looked right back at him without the slightest hint of fear or anxiousness to be found. ¡°Ahem!¡± Liang Wenshao cleared his throat awkwardly. ¡°I don¡¯t know if Junior Martial Brother Zhao have already told you this, but I call the shots around here. Even though you are not a permanent worker here, you still have to adhere to my rules while you are here. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will personally make sure that Junior Martial Sister Lu listens to everything you say,¡± Zhao Yunxiao hurriedly replied before Lu Zhiying could utter a word in response. ¡°That better be the case,¡± Liang Wenshao nodded. ¡°Now then, some of the others have arrived early and are already working on things. Go on and join them. Let me know if you need any help or have any questions.¡± ¡°I understand, Senior Martial Brother Liang. We will get going then!¡± Zhao Yunxiao said before pulling Lu Zhiying along into the hall. The hall was enormous, and as Liang Wenshao had mentioned, there were already a few disciples busily working in the empty hall. Hammering and sawing. Shifting and adjusting. Basically, they were all working on decorating and furnishing the empty hall. Zhao Yunxiao did not have to ask anyone for further instructions, naturally proceeding to work on his section of the hall. ¡°So there are three key roles that a sect librarian has to perform,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained while working. ¡°Firstly, you have to make sure that the books and scrolls are in good condition and stored in the correct areas. Secondly, you have to help maintain the library records which tracks disciples¡¯ activities. Thirdly, you have to ensure that the library is neat and tidy. Simple enough?¡± ¡°That sounds simple indeed, but are you sure that is all? Why does it seem completely different from what you are doing right now?¡± Lu Zhiying asked sceptically before lowering her voice. ¡°And that Senior Martial Brother Liang just now... who is he exactly? Why are you speaking so respectfully towards him?¡± ¡°This...¡± Zhao Yunxiao sneaked a glance at Liang Wenshao, who was still standing by the entrance, before turning back towards Lu Zhiying. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Liang likes to feel important, so just play along and he won¡¯t make things difficult for you. As for why we are doing something different today, that is because we are preparing for an event tomorrow.¡± ¡°An event? What event?¡± ¡°Has anyone informed you about the monthly lectures?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked in return. ¡°Senior Martial Sister Gu mentioned something about that,¡± Lu Zhiying answered. ¡°But she didn¡¯t elaborate, saying that it might be too much information for me to take in all at once, so she wanted me to focus on other things first.¡± ¡°She did the right thing,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°But basically, there will be a cultivation lecture conducted every month by an elder in the sect ¨C usually by Elder Mo. These lectures touch upon different topics related to cultivation and techniques and are open to all outer disciples, so you should make an effort to attend every month if you intend to go far on this path. Even if you only understand a tenth of what is taught, it will still be enlightening and resolve certain areas of doubt. The next one will be held here tomorrow, which is why us sect librarians are busy preparing for it right now.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why,¡± Lu Zhiying nodded in understanding. ¡°But if the sect librarians have to be the ones running the lecture, won¡¯t you be missing out on lecture content itself?¡± ¡°That¡¯s where you are wrong,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°Sect librarians only have to handle the administrative matters before the lecture. Once the lecture begins, the elders don¡¯t require any more assistance so we can simply sit down and listen as well. In fact, sect librarians have an advantage in that we can attend two such lectures instead of just one ¨C the one held for outer disciples as well as the one held for inner disciples!¡± ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s the perk of the job!¡± Lu Zhiying realised. After following Zhao Yunxiao around these two days, she realised that for every job, there was always an aspect to a job that would aid with cultivation. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded in satisfaction after seeing that Lu Zhiying had finally understood that fact. ¡°All right then, let¡¯s get back to work. We have to get everything done on pace with the others or we will be the ones slowing down everyone.¡± The furnishing required was no simple task, even for cultivators like themselves. Much unlike ordinary furnishing and decor, the standards here were sky high. Not only did each piece of furniture and decoration have to be placed in an exact position and angle, this also had to be done in a particular order relative to other items. After all, this was the cultivation world ¨C many things were not as simple as it seemed. Even though the layout of the hall seemed ever so innocuous, every component in the hall was designed to come together and form a complex array that covered the entirety of the hall. This array dictated not just the position and angling of the items, but also what type of items could be placed, the number of people allowed, as well as many other factors that seemed ever so insignificant yet still played a part in giving every small bit of learning advantage to those who would eventually be attending the lecture. As long as this array was in effect, everyone¡¯s focus would be heightened and their learning speed increased. On top of the difficulty of forming the array, the layout of the hall also had to factor in the personal preferences of Elder Mo as he was the star of the day. All things considered, no one apart from cultivators would be able to complete the furnishing required, or at least not with satisfactory results. Fortunately, every disciple of the Black Tortoise Sect was a cultivator in their own right. That, coupled with the fact that this was not the first cultivation lecture to be held, meant that everyone had a fairly good idea of how things need to be done. Just by referring to the blueprints, everyone was able to work on their individual tasks without requiring much instructions, with Liang Wenshao being the overall coordinator to reconcile everyone¡¯s work. Within a couple of hours, things already looked to be about done. But it was then that everyone suddenly heard a voice that set off silent sighs of helplessness in their hearts. ¡°What is this? Why does everything look so similar to last month¡¯s? Take it all down and do it all over again!¡± These words did not come from Liang Wenshao. Instead, they were from a young man who just strutted into the hall with his head held high. In fact, this young man spoke those words even as he was entering the hall, almost as though he had planned to say this from the start regardless of what he saw! Sucking Up is a Survival Skill ¡°Who is that guy?¡± Lu Zhiying asked with a frown. Zhao Yunxiao might be the one doing most of the work all morning, but she had not just been standing by the side and watching either. Although she was unable to help out with the complicated details, Lu Zhiying still performed simple chores such as the carrying of items, similar to how she had helped Zhao Yunxiao with the traps the night before. But now after they had worked their ass off all morning to set things up, this random guy just walks in and tells everyone to redo it all? Her first impression of this man could hardly be worse! ¡°Senior Martial Brother Deng Wei. He is an inner disciple under Elder Mo,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a sigh. ¡°It is never a good thing when he comes to inspect the hall before the lecture.¡± At this moment, Liang Wenshao who was in charge of the hall¡¯s setup walked up to Deng Wei. Seeing this, Lu Zhiying could not help but let out a smirk. As someone who likes to feel important, it was unlikely that Liang Wenshao would be able to hold in his temper when faced with someone as arrogant as Deng Wei. That being the case, there was bound to be a show to see here! ¡°Senior Martial Brother Deng, are you here to inspect the hall?¡± Liang Wenshao greeted Deng Wei with clasped fists. ¡°Enough with the pleasantries, did you not hear what I just said?¡± Deng Wei answered in a domineering tone. ¡°Take it all down and do it over again! I want to see something fresh! Or do you really intend to bore my master by showing him an almost identical layout every month?¡± Lu Zhiying immediately turned her attention towards Liang Wenshao, all ready to witness the strong rebuttal that was to come. Unfortunately, she was doomed to be disappointed. ¡°Ah, look at me neglecting such a simple matter! Senior Martial Brother Deng, you are still the meticulous one!¡± Liang Wenshao was all smiles as he walked up to Deng Wei. ¡°Come, come, do enlighten us with your insights on how the furnishing can be improved!¡± ¡°At least you realised that,¡± Deng Wei smirked. ¡°Walk me through what you have and I will let you know where can be improved.¡± ¡°That will be our honour! Please come this way, I will show you the blueprint we have!¡± Liang Wenshao humbly led Deng Wei over to a nearby table where he laid out the scroll in his hands. Just like that, Deng Wei sat down at the table and listened to Liang Wenshao slowly explain everything to him. ¡°...I thought you said this Senior Martial Brother Liang likes to feel important?¡± Lu Zhiying felt the corner of her lips twitch. ¡°Even if that is the case, it also depends on who he is dealing with,¡± Zhao Yunxiao let out a bitter smile. ¡°No matter what, Senior Martial Brother Liang is still an outer disciple like us. When faced with an inner disciple like Senior Martial Brother Deng, how can he still act all imperious? Won¡¯t that be asking to be slapped in the face?¡± ¡°So what if he is an inner disciple? Are we really going to redo everything just because he says so?¡± Lu Zhiying still felt indignant. ¡°Well, if he says so, then yes we have to,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°As an inner disciple, he does have a greater say. Not to mention that he is also sent here by Elder Mo to oversee things. However, do remember that you need to be careful of this Deng Wei if you ever come across him in the future. He likes to abuse authority and nitpick on small matters.¡± ¡°Why do you sound like you have already accepted this? Aren¡¯t you mad about your efforts being wasted?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡°What good will getting mad do?¡± Zhao Yunxiao laughed. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, there is a reason why Senior Martial Brother Liang is chosen to lead the preparations. He might be taking a weaker stance now, but he knows how to deal with Senior Martial Brother Deng to a certain degree.¡± ¡°He does? How?¡± Lu Zhiying was doubtful, but still turned her attention back to Deng Wei and Liang Wenshao. At this moment, Liang Wenshao was still consulting Deng Wei on ways to improve on the blueprint. ¡°...Because of that, we are thinking of positioning the array node in this manner. Even though it might look similar to the previous month, at least it will be in accordance to Elder Mo¡¯s preference. Will that be all right?¡± Liang Wenshao asked with a smile. ¡°Hmm, sounds reasonable enough,¡± Deng Wei rubbed his chin in contemplation. ¡°We can keep this part then.¡± ¡°I¡¯m relieved now that Senior Martial Brother Deng agrees with this decision. I was still a little worried that I might have made the wrong choice, but I¡¯m sure it is fine now!¡± Liang Wenshao maintained the smile on his face. ¡°About this part...¡± ¡°Sounds okay, keep this as well then.¡± ¡°Ah, thank goodness you are here to help us decide! Then about this part...¡± ¡°Seems okay as well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so nice that you are here to enlighten us!¡± Lu Zhiying watched silently, though she could not help but feel that something was amiss. Even though Liang Wenshao was taking a lower position between the two, it seemed like he was actually the one in control of the conversation, perfectly steering it in the direction that he wanted. Deng Wei had wanted everything to be changed earlier. But after a few words by Liang Wenshao, he was starting to accept that most things should remain as they were. To him, he was the one who decided that. But in everyone else¡¯s eyes, it was Liang Wenshao who led him to accept that. Of course, there were still a few tweaks that he insisted on, but those changes were definitely much easier to accomplish in comparison to redoing the entire morning¡¯s work! ¡°Thank you for helping us decide on so many matters, Senior Martial Brother Deng. If not for you, we would still be confused as to whether we are doing things correctly,¡± Liang Wenshao wrapped up the conversation with a show of gratitude. ¡°On another note, I heard that Senior Martial Brother Deng had a bountiful harvest during your hunt two days ago? And I even heard that you went with Senior Martial Sister Leng!¡± ¡°Hahaha! News sure travel fast, to think that even you have heard of it!¡± Deng Wei burst out in laughter. ¡°That¡¯s right, I went on a hunt with Junior Martial Sister Leng two days ago. It has been a while since my last hunt, so I decided to put my hunting prowess out on full display. Because of that, I ended up taking down an Origin Core realm green-eyed iron ape!¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Wow! Congratulations, Senior Martial Brother Deng! I¡¯m sure Senior Martial Sister Leng was impressed as well!¡± ¡°Hahaha! I wasn¡¯t trying to impress her,¡± Deng Wei replied. ¡°I was merely trying to spend some quality time with Junior Martial Sister Leng. I can only say that the green-eyed iron ape was unlucky enough to stumble into my path!¡± ¡°Senior Martial Brother Deng is right. With you around, all these beasts should have scrammed as far as they can if they knew what is best for them!¡± Liang Wenshao quickly responded. The duo did not try to lower their voices, so all the disciples in the hall could hear their conversation. Upon hearing this, everyone felt genuine admiration and envy towards Deng Wei. After all, this was an Origin Core realm beast he was talking about! Even if they worked hard all their lives, most of them would never step into the Origin Core realm. To be able to hunt a beast like that, Deng Wei truly deserved his title as an inner disciple! Zhao Yunxiao was similarly impressed. But at the same time, this conversation also made him recall his interaction with Leng Huiqi two days ago. Back then in the Alchemy Chamber¡¯s cauldron room, Leng Huiqi told him that she would be going with Deng Wei for a hunt. At that time, she was saying that Deng Wei had been begging her for many weeks, and that she decided to just go with him once out of pure sympathy. To think that a hunt like that actually ended with such a great harvest! If an opportunity came about, he should ask Leng Huiqi about it just to probe if there had been any material changes to her feelings since then. Should this incident have really changed Leng Huiqi¡¯s opinion of Deng Wei, then this could actually be an extremely valuable piece of information ¨C one that he could even sell to Deng Wei¡¯s many competitors in love! As for how to sell this information... Attention everyone! Are you also an ardent admirer of the goddess Leng Huiqi? Fret no longer, for we have the perfect solution for you if you wish to stand out among the crowds! All you have to do is brush up on your **** skills (we will let you know what it is once payment is received), and you will be able to stand head and shoulders above your competitors just by showing it off to the goddess! Tried and tested; there is no doubt that this is a trait that she is looking out for! The accuracy of our information is 100% guaranteed. If it is found that there is even the slightest mistake, we can even offer a 50% cashback! ¡°Senior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Lu Zhiying¡¯s voice broke Zhao Yunxiao out of his daze. ¡°Ahem!¡± Zhao Yunxiao coughed awkwardly after realising that he had been caught zoning out. ¡°In any case, others might be worth sucking up to, but there is little merit in doing so when it comes to Senior Martial Brother Deng. After all, he is too obsessed with courting Senior Martial Sister Leng. Every benefit he obtains will be invested into courting Senior Martial Sister Leng, leaving little to nothing for his followers.¡± ¡°I see. But why would anyone think of sucking up to him in the first place?¡± Lu Zhiying asked in response. ¡°Isn¡¯t he just a disciple like us?¡± Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± In his attempt to quickly change the topic, he had momentarily forgotten to consider who he was talking to. This naive young lady would one day realise that life is not as simple as she thinks, and that sucking up to others is an important survival skill! Just that perhaps that day had yet to come. ¡°All right, everyone! Gather up!¡± Liang Wenshao called out to the entire hall. ¡°Thanks to Senior Martial Brother Deng¡¯s advice, we realised that there are some areas that need to be improved, so we will be making some changes to the layout!¡± Zhao Yunxiao did not dare dally, bringing Lu Zhiying with him as they quickly joined the rest in gathering at the front of the hall. ¡°Here, take a look at the revised plan. Those in charge of the respective areas, do change up accordingly.¡± With a wave of his hands, Liang Wenshao sent his scroll floating into the air and opening up for all to see. ¡°Oh no, looks like we have quite a bit of changes to make too...¡± Lu Zhiying whispered unhappily to Zhao Yunxiao. Just like before, she had lowered her voice to nothing but a whisper. However, now that they were right in front of the group, even this failed to escape the refined senses of Liang Wenshao. ¡°Are you complaining now?¡± Liang Wenshao asked with a frown. This was the first time he met Lu Zhiying, so he naturally wanted things to start off right. And by starting off right, it meant that he wanted to establish his dominance, letting Lu Zhiying understand that he was the one in charge and to never question him! Lu Zhiying did not say much. But what she said, on top of how she simply said in front of him, was already sufficient to let Liang Wenshao know that this girl was not at all afraid of him! On the other hand, the young lady could not help but feel shocked when Liang Wenshao called her out. She had already lowered her voice to a minimum, such that only Zhao Yunxiao should have heard her. Unfortunately, she was still too green, and had completely underestimated the senses of a cultivator. ¡°You are mistaken, Senior Martial Brother Liang,¡± Zhao Yunxiao immediately stepped in. ¡°Junior Martial Sister Lu was just reminding me of the changes because I asked her to help me keep an eye out for what I need to do. She definitely wasn¡¯t complaining.¡± ¡°Stay out of this, Junior Martial Brother Zhao. I know she is new to the sect, but some lessons need to be taught early,¡± Liang Wenshao did not relent. ¡°You are absolutely right, Senior Martial Brother Liang. Lessons do need to be taught early, but I can assure you that this is really a misunderstanding,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered with a smile. ¡°Looks like there is a lot to do, why don¡¯t we hurry and get back to work? It will not be good if things ended up getting delayed.¡± ¡°We have the entire day left, this number of changes will not need that long,¡± Liang Wenshao said, his eyes staring straight at Lu Zhiying the whole time. ¡°What? Are you just going to hide behind others after complaining? If you have any complaints, why don¡¯t you say it to my face?¡± Lu Zhiying had not spoken a word since she realised that Zhao Yunxiao was trying to cover for her. However, that did not mean that she was afraid. Now that Liang Wenshao was obviously not taking Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s words into consideration, Lu Zhiying decided that there was no longer a need for her to remain silent either. If she did so any longer, she would only be throwing the problem to Zhao Yunxiao to handle! But just as she was about to say something, Deng Wei interjected. ¡°Wait.¡± Even Liang Wenshao stopped saying anything now that Deng Wei had spoken up. Deng Wei stepped forward and walked towards Lu Zhiying, finally stopping only when he was standing right before her. Deng Wei might be average looking, but he had a tall stature. With him standing this close, he was literally towering over Lu Zhiying and staring down at her. All eyes were on Deng Wei, wondering what he would do to this young lady who basically just complained about changes that he suggested. ¡°Senior Martial Brother De-¡± Zhao Yunxiao tried to say something, but Deng Wei stopped him by raising his palm towards him. Zhao Yunxiao furrowed his brows, all ready to step in if the situation deteriorate any further. Yet at this moment of tension, Deng Wei suddenly broke out into a charming smile. ¡°So you are Junior Martial Sister Lu? I heard you are new, so perhaps that is why we haven¡¯t had the opportunity to meet,¡± Deng Wei maintained his smile. ¡°I am Deng Wei, and am here to oversee the preparations of the hall. I might be the one who suggested the changes, but I have to admit that I am not always right. If you feel that some changes might not be necessary, why don¡¯t we spend some time and slowly talk things over?¡± Liang Wenshao: ¡°...¡± Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± Not just them, but everyone present was dumbfounded by Deng Wei¡¯s unexpected words and actions. That was the brightest smile Deng Wei had had since entering the hall. But since when had the infamous Deng Wei ever cared about slowly talking things over with outer disciples who went against his opinions? The frown on Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s face quickly disappeared, turning into a bitter smile instead. He was wrong. Sucking up is a survival skill? Nah. In the end, perhaps those with a good-looking face truly did not have to learn to suck up to others in order to survive! Looking at this scene unfold before him, Zhao Yunxiao was once again reminded about how unfair life could be. What Were You Doing Last Night? ¡°That¡¯s not it, Senior Martial Brother Deng. I truly don¡¯t have any qualms about the changes. Senior Martial Brother Liang must have been mistaken,¡± Lu Zhiying replied with a smile. She had instantly understood the situation, and realised that there was no longer a need for her to confront Liang Wenshao. Both of Deng Wei¡¯s eyebrows raised a little upon seeing Lu Zhiying¡¯s smile. ¡°That¡¯s fine as well. If there is anything you don¡¯t understand in the future, don¡¯t hesitate to ask your seniors. If they aren¡¯t available, you can always come to me as well.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kind words, Senior Martial Brother Deng. I will keep it in mind,¡± Lu Zhiying nodded. ¡°We are all fellow disciples of the same sect. No need to stand on ceremony with me,¡± Deng Wei¡¯s gaze lingered on Lu Zhiying for a few more moments before turning back to Liang Wenshao. ¡°Get moving.¡± ¡°Of course, Senior Martial Brother Deng!¡± Liang Wenshao answered immediately. ¡°All right, everyone. You have seen the changes to be made so let¡¯s get back to work! If there is anything you don¡¯t understand, don¡¯t hesitate to ask!¡± Liang Wenshao deliberately repeated Deng Wei¡¯s words while glaring at Lu Zhiying, obviously unhappy that she was getting away scot-free. At the same time, since Deng Wei had already spoken, Liang Wenshao could no longer pursue the matter anymore or it would seem as though he was not respecting Deng Wei¡¯s decision. Or at least, he could not pursue the matter anymore while Deng Wei was still here... ¡°Understood, Senior Martial Brother Liang!¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered before hurriedly dragging Lu Zhiying away. As observant as he was, Zhao Yunxiao naturally noticed Liang Wenshao¡¯s unfriendly gaze that had lingered on Lu Zhiying, and did not want to give either of them the opportunity to exacerbate the situation. Deng Wei¡¯s intervention might have help defuse the tense situation, but the combination of Liang Wenshao and Lu Zhiying was still a ticking time bomb that could explode at any time if left together for too long! Deng Wei watched everyone return to their work, then lightly patted Liang Wenshao on his shoulder. ¡°I still have another appointment, so I have to get going first. Let¡¯s not make things too difficult for the juniors while I am gone. Do you understand me?¡± ¡°I understand, Senior Martial Brother Deng,¡± Liang Wenshao answered respectfully. He understood that Deng Wei had seen through his displeasure about Lu Zhiying, and this was a light warning from him. ¡°Good.¡± With that, Deng Wei left as quickly as he came, drawing sighs of relief from everyone in the hall. True to his words, Liang Wenshao did not bother Lu Zhiying throughout the rest of the preparations, and Lu Zhiying similarly stayed quiet as well. Just like that, the preparations were completed smoothly by the early afternoon. This was slightly earlier than what they had expected, especially considering Deng Wei¡¯s interference. However, Lu Zhiying actually revealed a look of obvious disappointment after they were done. ¡°What is it?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked after noticing. ¡°Disappointed that there¡¯s no more work to be done?¡± ¡°Who will be disappointed about that?¡± Lu Zhiying forced a smile. ¡°Then what are you concerned about?¡± Zhao Yunxiao continued asking. ¡°You know... is this the completed version?¡± Lu Zhiying gestured towards the completed furnishings. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Zhao Yunxiao smiled as he finally realised what was going on. ¡°Are you thinking that it looks to be quite lacking, considering that this is a lecture hall for cultivators?¡± Lu Zhiying nodded, not intending to hide her thoughts. ¡°This looks just like a lecture hall that can be found in any ordinary school, albeit one that is of a rather large scale,¡± Lu Zhiying elaborated. ¡°I can understand the normal lectures being held here even for cultivators, but we are preparing for an elder¡¯s lecture! Shouldn¡¯t it be held in the skies, with the clouds as the floor and divine wood as the walls?¡± ¡°You have been deeply poisoned by the ordinary folks¡¯ embellished tales of cultivators,¡± Zhao Yunxiao laughed. ¡°Though if you think that this lecture hall is ordinary, then I can assure you that it is anything but that.¡± ¡°In what way?¡± Lu Zhiying questioned. No matter how she looked at it, there did not seem to be anything special about the furnished lecture hall. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the blueprint? Don¡¯t you find it weird that we have to control so many seemingly unnecessary and minute factors when doing up the furnishing?¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied. ¡°So what are all those things meant for?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. In fact, she had been thinking about it for a while. It was one thing to require every item to be positioned perfectly, but to dictate even the order in which the furniture and decorations were put up? The setting up of the lecture hall could have been so much simpler had it not been all these unnecessary requirements! ¡°Those additional requirements were in order to form a grand array with just the decorations and furnishing of the lecture hall,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. ¡°You might not believe me right now, but you will eventually come to realise just how amazing this ordinary looking lecture hall actually is. In fact, you should be able to see the effect of what you just did tomorrow when you return here for the lecture!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lu Zhiying¡¯s eyes lit up once again. She was indeed curious to see something like a cultivator¡¯s array in action! ¡°Really,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded with a smile. At this point, Liang Wenshao had completed the final inspection of the lecture hall. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Looks like everything is in place,¡± Liang Wenshao raised his voice to make sure everyone could hear him. ¡°Since everyone has put in the effort, I naturally will not mistreat you as well. In fact, I have specially asked Senior Se beforehand, and have obtained permission to release everyone for the day. Go ahead enjoy the rest of your day!¡± His words immediately lifted everyone¡¯s mood. ¡°Thank you, Senior Martial Brother Liang!¡± The disciples present cheered in unison, including Zhao Yunxiao. They were all expecting to have to go back to their daily duties now that they were done, so getting the day off was definitely a much welcomed surprise! Liang Wenshao grinned in satisfaction upon seeing this. He liked to feel important, but this was not only limited to making things difficult for others. On the contrary, having the power to reward those who worked under him gave him even greater satisfaction! Just like that, everyone happily left the lecture hall. As they were leaving, Zhao Yunxiao and Lu Zhiying could almost feel Liang Wenshao¡¯s sharp gaze piercing into their skin. In such a situation, the duo acted with unplanned chemistry, picking up their pace as they hurried out of the lecture hall in silence, making sure not to make any eye contact with Liang Wenshao on their way out. ¡°That was close!¡± Zhao Yunxiao could finally breathe easier after leaving the Sect Library. ¡°But Junior Martial Sister Lu, you really need to be careful of what you say next time!¡± ¡°Hahaha sorry, I really didn¡¯t think that he would hear me there!¡± Lu Zhiying laughed. ¡°But that ended up being quite the exciting situation! I almost got into real trouble there!¡± Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± This junior martial sister of his really needed to get her head fixed. How could she laugh after such an ordeal? Even a bystander like him was having cold sweat out of nervousness! ¡°Okay, okay, I will be careful next time!¡± Lu Zhiying quickly added after seeing Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s speechless face. ¡°You¡¯d better!¡± Zhao Yunxiao chided, not having much confidence that she would keep her words. ¡°So how do you think of the job of a sect librarian?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Lu Zhiying pondered for a moment before answering. ¡°If the monthly cultivation lecture is as important as you say, then the benefit of being able to attend it twice is definitely a huge plus. The work does not sound too tiring as well, so energy can be conserved and used elsewhere. But how should I say this... it seems a little too boring?¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded in agreement. It was as she said. With Lu Zhiying¡¯s personality, she was indeed not suited to be a sect librarian. On top of that, she had even offended Liang Wenshao who had a relatively high status here. Even if Lu Zhiying was interested to join as a sect librarian, Zhao Yunxiao would have advised her against it. So it was a good thing that Lu Zhiying did not want to do so in the first place. ¡°Let¡¯s drop by Gu Qiansi¡¯s garden plot to see if that woman is doing okay,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Heh, how can Senior Martial Sister Gu not be okay after what you did last night?¡± Lu Zhiying asked with a smirk. ¡°You just want to see the fruits of your efforts!¡± ¡°You take this too lightly,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head. ¡°We might have gotten rid of the nightspirit rats, but a lot of damage has already been done. It is not that easy to revive the garden plot and restore it to its original state.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Lu Zhiying exclaimed in realisation. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then let¡¯s hurry and go see if there is anything we can help with!¡± *** Due to it being located near the borders of the Outer Grounds, the walk to Gu Qiansi¡¯s garden plot was as long as ever. When they arrived, Zhao Yunxiao and Lu Zhiying could see that the condition of the garden plot had improved even further since the night before. All thanks to the disciples having worked on salvaging it for an entire day and more, the garden plot now looked much cleaner, with the wreckage from before no longer visible by any measure. While there were still gaps in the garden plot from removing the damaged crops that could no longer be salvaged, the rest of it looked almost as good as new. But just like what Zhao Yunxiao had expected, they were not completely done with the work just yet. The crops might have been replanted, and the ground might have been restored, but the disciples working on the garden plot still had to ensure that the salvaged crops were back to normal. After all, spiritual herbs were very different from ordinary plants. They were a lot more sensitive to their surroundings, and even a slight change in the density of world origin energy could result in an inferior quality yield. In extreme cases, the herb might never reach maturity. Just like how the value of pills changed exponentially as their quality increased, the value of herbs also varied greatly along with the quality of the matured plant. Anyone who had cultivated spiritual herbs before would know that utmost care had to be given at every stage of the growth process, so Gu Qiansi and her fellow disciples naturally understood this as well. The wreckage earlier had already caused a shock to the remaining crops, even for those that did not have any obvious signs of damage on the outside. With that in mind, Gu Qiansi and her fellow disciples would have to spend more effort in trying to improve the environment that the remaining crops were in, hoping that they could make up for the previous damage that had been done. ¡°Senior Martial Sister Gu!¡± Lu Zhiying called out and ran over once she spotted Gu Qiansi. ¡°Junior Martial Sister Lu?¡± the surprised Gu Qiansi looked up from the plant that she was currently touching up on to greet Lu Zhiying. ¡°Are you already done for the day?¡± ¡°Yeah, they released us early today after we were done with the setup,¡± Zhao Yunxiao walked up from behind Lu Zhiying. ¡°How¡¯s everything?¡± ¡°There¡¯s still a bit to go,¡± Gu Qiansi sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t think I will be able to go to the Silver Rain Waterfall today. Maybe you can bring Junior Martial Sister Lu there instead.¡± ¡°No need for that, we can skip it this time,¡± Zhao Yunxiao waved it off nonchalantly. ¡°Rather than going there, it will probably be more beneficial for Junior Martial Sister Lu to stick around and see how things are done in the herb garden.¡± ¡°What? But you never miss your practice sessions!¡± Gu Qiansi exclaimed in shock. ¡°We have been going every week, so going one time less won¡¯t change much,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°We can just go next week anyway.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this Silver Rain Waterfall?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡°It¡¯s a training ground for disciples,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. ¡°It¡¯s okay, we will bring you there next week, so you don¡¯t have to be too sad about not being able to go today.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not complaining about not going today!¡± Lu Zhiying replied. ¡°I¡¯d rather stay and help Senior Martial Sister Gu anyway!¡± ¡°Just stand aside and watch. Don¡¯t be a burden for her,¡± Zhao Yunxiao cautioned. ¡°Hey! That¡¯s not nice! There are things that I can help with too!¡± Lu Zhiying retorted. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him, Junior Martial Sister Lu. I don¡¯t find you a burden,¡± Gu Qiansi assured. ¡°That aside, I have something to ask you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Zhao Yunxiao pointed at himself. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Gu Qiansi turned towards Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°What were you doing last night?¡± The surprised Lu Zhiying immediately turned to look at Zhao Yunxiao, wondering what he would say next. ¡°Why do you want to know?¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied with a question of his own. ¡°I asked first.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m asking for the reason for asking that before answering.¡± ¡°Zhao Yunxiao, are you avoiding the question now?¡± ¡°And why would I have to do that? Give me one good reason.¡± Instead of replying, Gu Qiansi merely narrowed her eyes at Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Tch! Fine, calm down. I will answer, all right? No big deal,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clicked his tongue unhappily. ¡°I honestly didn¡¯t do much. I was tired so I just went back to rest after parting from you guys yesterday. What about it?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Gu Qiansi narrowed her eyes even more. ¡°In that case, where is that jade bangle that you have always been wearing for good fortune?¡± She was naturally referring to the jade bangle that Zhao Yunxiao had traded with Lou Quping of the Beastiary. As attentive as she was, Gu Qiansi had instantly noticed the jade bangle missing from Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s wrist. Lightwind Pavilion ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Gu Qiansi eyed him for a few moments before letting out a helpless sigh. ¡°In any case, you were right about the nightspirit rat returning. We found some fresh claw marks near the edge of the garden plot. But for some strange reason, there wasn¡¯t much damage done to the crops unlike the night before.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° I have told you many times that I am already done setting up my plot section, and moving would have been damaging to the herbs!¡± Gu Qiansi retorted. ¡°These are lives too. We shouldn¡¯t be hurting them for our own convenience!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Travelling a kilometre on a dirt trail was nothing difficult, much less to cultivators. However, there was little reason for anyone to do so when the other rest areas were far more accessible. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Due to a myriad of reasons, most disciples would eventually choose to switch out and focus on other techniques. But every member of the sect definitely knew how to execute these two martial techniques to a certain degree. On the contrary, there were also those who chose not to move on to more advanced techniques and stuck to refining their mastery of these two. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Cultivation Talent In a faction as large as the Black Tortoise Sect, it was extremely difficult for disciples to receive pointers or advice directly from the upper echelons of the sect. Not to mention the sect elders, most of the disciples seldom even had any interactions with any of the sect protectors. However, this was not due to the upper echelons being unwilling to share their wisdom, but because there were simply far too many disciples! In fact, excluding those secrets that they had only arrived at after a lifetime of contemplation, most of the upper echelons were generally willing to impart their wisdom on cultivation to juniors in the sect. It was not a exaggeration to say that grooming a talented disciple would be a great boost to them on both the material and reputational front, benefitting both they and the sect at the same time! Unfortunately, talent was something extremely difficult to come by, making it easier said than done to groom a standout disciple. The sheer number of disciples in the sect might have increased the likelihood of there being talented individuals, but it also made it much harder to spot the potential stars from among the mundane rocks. Given that most of the upper echelons were busy enough worrying about matters on a higher level, how could they possibly spare the time and effort to give guidance to each and every disciple just to see if they were actually one of those potential stars? At the same time, they were unwilling to just let these potential stars go to waste. That was why the cultivation lectures were conducted on a monthly basis ¨C to at least provide a certain level of guidance on a general basis. It was common belief that those with true talent would eventually show their worth even if they were only given a minimal level of help. most feasibleBut on the disciples¡¯ end, this idea of providing minimal help meant that they often had to resolve any doubts and queries through internal discussions and consulting the more senior disciples. Of course, being senior did not always mean that they know better. Still, when one was completely lost, certainly. As for whether to heed the advice of their peers or seniors in the end, that was naturally up to the individual¡¯s personal discretion. However, Adecision could only be made if one had a certain level of understanding on cultivation in general. In the case of complete novices, there was almost no way they would be able to know how to discern between right and wrong! This was only the third day of Lu Zhiying joining the Black Tortoise Sect. At this important juncture when Lu Zhiying was just beginning to build up her foundation to embark on her cultivation path, Zhao Yunxiao wanted to provide whatever guidance he could to prevent her from taking too many detours in the future. In fact, Zhao Yunxiao was not doing this solely for her sake either. After all, he was a firm believer of the fact that one learns the best when teaching others. So why not do something that benefited both of them at the same time? ¡°Are you ready to be surprised?¡± Lu Zhiying grinned. Zhao Yunxiao could not help but smile in satisfaction. Regardless of the original intention, there were many disciples who did not take kindly to peers who offer their advice without being asked. Some even find it offensive as it suggested that the other party saw themselves as superior to oneself. While Zhao Yunxiao had already expected Lu Zhiying not to mind this, seeing her responsestill put his mind at ease. ¡° Having observed Zhao Yunxiao over the past few days, Lu Zhiying dared not think that she was as hardworking as him. However, she had not exactly been lazing around and doing nothing these few days either. Outside of the time that she spent around Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi, she had been putting in a fair share of effort in preparing for the path ahead. wher time and Of course, she only had two days to study it so far, but this give her a basic understanding of how it was like. After taking a few deep breaths, Lu Zhiying¡¯s eyes shot open. ¡°Xuanwu Fist Art ¨C Invisible Snap!¡± Lu Zhiying called out. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Her right fist shot forward with such speed that one could hear the wind getting caught in her robes. It was a single punch, so the demonstration was over as soon as it started. However, Zhao Yunxiao did not miss any of the details hidden within that punch. ¡° Has anyone given you pointers on the Xuanwu Fist Art? Did Gu Qiansi say anything?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked in response. Not yet,¡± Lu Zhiying shook her head. ¡°But I did well, didn¡¯t I? I think I have a fairly good idea of how it is supposed to be like!¡± Not too bad, I¡¯m surprised you managed to get to this stage on your own in just two to three days,¡± Zhao Yunxiao admitted. ¡°Tell me, what do you know about the Invisible Snap?¡± First move of the Xuanwu Fist Art ¨Cthis is a punch that emphasises on speed over power,¡± Lu Zhiying regurgitated whatever she remembered from the manual. ¡° Because speed is the most important factor in a fight,¡± Lu Zhiying answered. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how strongyour opponent is if your attacks are the only ones landing!¡± That¡¯s right,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a smile. ¡°And that is why you always have to retract your punches immediately to return to your battle stance after executing your punch, ready to dodge any attacks from your opponents. By keeping still after punching out like what you just did, you are basically inviting your opponent to counterattack by attacking your unguarded body or even targeting your outstretched arm.¡± But I only stayed in that position just so you can checkmy form!¡± Lu Zhiying explained. I understand, but don¡¯t do that next time. Even if it is just for practice, you need to do it right so that the move is ingrained in you as muscle memory,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°On top of that, the angle of your punch is slightly too high. Your stance is slightly too wide. The rotation on your fist is good but you were slightly too conscious of it, causing your speed to fall.¡± ¡° I am already telling you in parts,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°In addition to what I said earlier, you also have to rotate your hip quicker. Don¡¯t shift your entire weight into your punch just to make it heavier. Don¡¯t-¡± ¡° Hahaha, I¡¯m just joking,¡± Zhao Yunxiao laughed. ¡°Fixing your moves and stances is a long and arduous process, and it¡¯s only your third day so just take it slow. For a start, why don¡¯t we try it again with a narrower stance?¡± When it came to the practising of moves, it was usually more effective to learn things step by step in digestible bits. So slightly lower angle on the punch, slightly narrower stance, more focus on the speed of the punch rather than the rotation, faster rotation of the hip, and less weight on the punch¡­¡± Lu Zhiying repeated what she just heard. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This time, she no longer chose to close her eyes in preparation. Zhao Yunxiao could feel his heart palpitating at this point. That last punch confirmed it. It was not a fluke ¨C the punch was exactly the same as the one she did before. He might not be the best person to judge. Bjunior martial sister of his scouldhad ever imagined Sect Market ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Gu Qiansi remarked in surprise as she arrived at Lightwind Pavilion. Before arriving, she definitely was not expecting to see a sweat-drenched Lu Zhiying lying on the snow while Zhao Yunxiao sat nearby. ¡°Senior Martial Sister Gu! You are here!¡± Lu Zhiying quickly got up and ran over to greet her. ¡°Don¡¯t go hugging others when you are all sweaty. That¡¯s disgusting,¡± Zhao Yunxiao remarked, causing Lu Zhiying to halt in her tracks. ¡°Ignore that guy,¡± Gu Qiansi was far more encouraging in contrast. ¡°What happened though? Why are you all sweaty? Did that beast do something strange to you while I¡¯m not here?¡± ¡°Can you stop spouting nonsense?¡± Zhao Yunxiao rolled his eyes. ¡°I was just trying to help with Junior Martial Sister Lu¡¯s martial techniques.¡± ¡°Martial techniques? You mean the Xuanwu Fist Art and Xuanwu Movement Art?¡± Gu Qiansi turned towards Lu Zhiying. ¡°I was intending to wait until you form your spiritual meridians before talking to you about it. So how is it coming along so far?¡± ¡°Not too bad I¡¯d say! But Senior Martial Brother Zhao¡¯s training is tiring!¡± Lu Zhiying complained. It had started out fun and exciting as Lu Zhiying sought Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s opinions on her training progress, but the situation rapidly changed after that. For the past hour or so, Zhao Yunxiao had made Lu Zhiying repeat the same few moves over and over again. During this time, Lu Zhiying did try to sneak in a bit of rest by asking Zhao Yunxiao to demonstrate for her instead. But while the latter did perform the demonstrations as she requested, these demonstrations only lasted a few moments, with Zhao Yunxiao refusing to repeat them despite her repeated pleas. With that, it was immediately back to practising ¨C the same thing, over and over again. She had only just joined the sect for three days... ¡°It¡¯s for your own good. It would be a shame if your talent goes to waste,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied. ¡°Oh? Is our Junior Martial Sister Lu talented?¡± Gu Qiansi petted Lu Zhiying¡¯s head as a reward. ¡°The world is not always fair,¡± Zhao Yunxiao lamented. ¡°Some people are just born different.¡± Gu Qiansi was visibly surprised this time. She had thought that it was a casual comment initially. But for Zhao Yunxiao to say that, it meant that Lu Zhiying¡¯s talent was at least multiple times above theirs! That would mean that she was likely inner disciple material! ¡°Senior Martial Brother Zhao is just saying that, don¡¯t believe his words. I really don¡¯t think I did anything amazing at all,¡± Lu Zhiying confessed. ¡°All I did was to make adjustments after he told me to do so, but he is making it sound like I am some genius or something. I am starting to feel that he is making fun of me!¡± Gu Qiansi looked over at Zhao Yunxiao instead of replying, only to see the latter shake his head. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Zhao Yunxiao did not have much time last night so all he could do was to drain the blood from the carcasses. Now, it was time to finish the job. Zhao Yunxiao gently lay out the nightspirit rat carcasses on the floor before pulling out a few knives from one of the various chests in his room. Taking apart the carcasses of beasts or monsters was quite a bit of work so many might see it as a chore, but Zhao Yunxiao was more than happy to do it. The fur hide was not the only useful thing either. Flesh and tendons. Organs. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Blood Experiment ¡°Greetings, Senior Martial Sister Pan,¡± Zhao Yunxiao greeted with a smile of his own, happy to see a familiar face. Pan Feifei. While she was an outer disciple just like Zhao Yunxiao, Pan Feifei was at least ten years his senior and well known as an experienced assessor at the Sect Market. Of course, her age was not apparent at all since just like many other cultivators, her looks remained as youthful as when she was in her early twenties. She might not be drop dead gorgeous, but the demure and graceful way in which she carried herself gave off an inexplicable sense of attraction. In fact, there were many young disciples who frequented to the Sect Market in hope of bumping into her! ¡°So, what do you have for me today?¡± Pan Feifei asked as she approached. As the official hub for all trade within the sect, the Sect Market did not only provide a place for people to purchase items. In addition to that, it was also the go-to place for people to sell their goods as well. And that was exactly why Zhao Yunxiao was here today. For that purpose, the Sect Market had experienced disciples like Pan Feifei working as assessors to determine the value of the items to be sold. If the seller was unhappy with the assessment, they could choose not to sell their items or even go to another assessor for a second opinion. Of course, the assessors were still disciples after all, and would not know the value of every item in the world. Should they encounter a situation where they had no idea what the value of an item was, that was when they could invite the seniors in the Sect Market to take a look. Still, such a situation rarely happened, especially when dealing with outer disciples like Zhao Yunxiao. Pan Feifei walked over and met Zhao Yunxiao in the middle of the room, her gaze inevitably falling upon the pushcart in front of him. Still, she knew better than to lift the cloth cover herself. After all, you never knew what was lying beneath. ¡°Nightspirit rat carcasses, all cut up and divided into individual parts,¡± Zhao Yunxiao introduced his goods while removing the cloth cover. ¡°Is it possible to take them out and let me have a look?¡± Pan Feifei asked politely while gesturing to a wide table at the side of the room. ¡°Of course,¡± Zhao Yunxiao understood that it was a standard part of the process, and naturally did not refuse. He pushed his cart over and started picking up item by item, laying them out on the wide table in an organised manner. Once he was done, Pan Feifei immediately got to work. ¡°The flesh is one day old but has retained its freshness, likely due to the cold weather. Lucky you.¡± ¡°The hide is quite cleanly removed, but there are some uneven parts here, and here, and here as well. There are obvious tear marks in multiple spots too, you should have been more careful when killing this thing.¡± ¡°What happened to the brain? Why is it smashed like this?¡± ¡°Okay, I confirmed that the blood is not contaminated or diluted. Let me just weigh it to see how much this is...¡± Despite the many comments and questions, Zhao Yunxiao simply stood silently by the side without responding, even when it sounded like Pan Feifei was asking questions. This was not his first time dealing with Pan Feifei, and he had learnt over the years that she was simply mumbling to herself and not really asking him anything. He would only break her concentration if he were to respond to any of her statements, not only causing her to be impatient but also unnecessarily prolonging the assessment process. Zhao Yunxiao knew better than to sabotage himself like that. As an assessor of the Sect Market, and an experienced one at that, Pan Feifei was well-versed in identifying the value of goods. Before long, she had already come up with an exact number for Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°So that adds up to 224 sect points. Seeing that you are a Silver member here, I will give you a better rate at 250 sect points. How¡¯s that?¡± Pan Feifei quickly calculated in her head. ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know this, but it is my job to say it anyway ¨C if you want to go for the auction route, the administrative fee will be 50 sect points or five percent of the auction fees for every month that we hold the goods for, whichever is higher. That said, I will recommend doing the direct market sale instead.¡± ¡°Sure, I will sell everything to the market,¡± Zhao Yunxiao did not need to think twice. Had it been another assessor, Zhao Yunxiao might have tried to bargain a little. However, he knew that Pan Feifei was not one to budge on her determined prices. As for why he chose not to go the auction route, that was because nightspirit rat carcasses were not high in demand whatsoever. It would be good if he got lucky and managed to find generous bidders immediately after putting it up for auction. But if he did not, this monthly recurring 50 sect points administrative fee would burn a hole in his wallet. Not just that, but the condition of the carcass would deteriorate after some time. Even if he wanted to do a direct market sale then, the offer would surely be lower than the current one. This meant that his loss would be far more than those 50 sect points! Rather than putting himself through all that, Zhao Yunxiao very much preferred to secure the sect points right now. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Good choice. Is there anything else?¡± Pan Feifei asked with her usual business smile. Zhao Yunxiao shook his head in response. ¡°Then I will thank you for your business once again, Junior Martial Brother Zhao,¡± Pan Feifei wrote a receipt and passed it to Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°You can claim it at the front counter. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t need me to tell you where it is.¡± ¡°Got it, thank you for the help, Senior Martial Sister Pan!¡± ¡°I hope to see you again soon! The Sect Market always welcome you!¡± Zhao Yunxiao left the room with his pushcart in tow, the latter being much lighter now that he had offloaded the goods. Claiming the sect points was a straightforward process so before long, Zhao Yunxiao was already back at his residence. It had been a productive trip to the Sect Market, but he was not quite done for the day just yet. Among the chests in his house, there was one in a corner that was slightly special. As opposed to the rest, it actually relied on simple arrays to give it a special boost, making it a storage device that possessed a rare preservative effect. This meant that things that were stored within would have a much longer shelf life. An apple might start to degrade after a week or so when left in the open, but it would take multiple times that duration should it be stored in this special chest instead. That said, the resources required to maintain the array made it an expensive investment, especially for an outer disciple like Zhao Yunxiao. However, it was an investment that he deemed necessary. Zhao Yunxiao retrieved a small waterskin from this special chest and walked over to a counter, carefully pouring the bright red liquid within out into a small bowl. Pan Feifei would have instantly recognised this red liquid had she been here, as it was the exact same thing that Zhao Yunxiao had sold to her earlier. This was the blood of the nightspirit rats. While Zhao Yunxiao had sold most of the remains of the nightspirit rats to the Sect Market, he made sure to keep a small portion of it as well. After all, there were many uses for the remains of the nightspirit rats. When the bowl was about a quarter filled with nightspirit rat blood, Zhao Yunxiao put away the waterskin before raising a small knife to his thumb. Slice-! Drop by drop, fresh human blood was slowly introduced to the contents of the bowl. When put together like that, it became obvious just how different the two types of blood were. The blood from the nightspirit rat was a darker red, and much more viscous in comparison to his own. Even though both liquids were blood, they were obviously immiscible and remained as two separate parts despite being placed in the same bowl. Zhao Yunxiao stopped adding his own blood after several drops, and promptly patched up the small cut on his thumb. His eyes then turned serious, knowing that the next step was the crucial one. Positioning his hands not far away from the bowl as if he was about to pick it up, Zhao Yunxiao started channelling essence energy from his dantian to both of his hands. Essence energy gathered at his hands before forming into narrow threads of energy that reached towards the small bowl. There were at least dozens of these threads coming from either of his hands, each containing a gentle wisp of essence energy that was eventually passed into the bowl of blood. Slowly but surely, the mixture in the bowl started to rotate, moving in a clockwise manner as though it was being stirred by an invisible spoon. Zhao Yunxiao was extremely focused, taking extra care not to overdo it. He understood that control was key here. The process could neither be too fast nor too slow. Otherwise, this experiment would only result in failure. As the mixture continued to rotate within the small bowl, the few drops of blood from Zhao Yunxiao started to disappear, slowly assimilated into the mixture. Sizzle-! Bubbles rapidly formed at the surface of the mixture, each of them bursting into thick vapour that made it such that the contents were suddenly no longer visible to the naked eye. And then it suddenly stopped ¨C both the sizzling of the mixture and the creation of the vapour. All that was left was a dark red liquid that remained in the small bowl, rotating at the same speed as before. Huu-! Zhao Yunxiao retracted his hands and wiped away the sweat that dotted his forehead. This was an experiment for which he had little hopes for success in the first place. Yet despite having expected as much, he still could not help but let out a sigh of disappointment when faced with the final result. Having spent years in the Black Tortoise Sect, Zhao Yunxiao had come to accept his own level of talent. While he was not completely incorrigible, what he had was nothing as compared to the true geniuses. It was a decent level of talent that would allow him to lead a comfortable life with the safe haven that was the Black Tortoise Sect. After a thousand years of cultivation, he should be able to gain enough strength to travel freely around the world without fearing too much for his own safety. Freedom. That was the only goal he had set for himself. It was not a lofty goal like conquering the firmaments and might even take a long time to achieve. But knowing his limits, Zhao Yunxiao decided that this was the most logical and attainable goal. Still, knowing one¡¯s limits was one thing. Despite that, who would not dream of achieving more than what they felt they were capable of? Zhao Yunxiao definitely did. He had never stopped dreaming about possessing a greater cultivation talent, such that he could obtain his goal of freedom without having to go through a thousand years of cultivation. And this blood experiment was one of the methods he had thought of in pursuit of that dream. In this world, there were many cultivators who possessed special bloodlines, for example having a trace of the bloodlines of powerful spirit beasts or monsters. In this world, there were many cultivators who possessed special bloodlines. These special bloodlines could be hereditary in nature, or they could be forcibly extracted and assimilated from foreign sources such powerful spirit beasts or monsters. Regardless of how these bloodlines were obtained, most cultivators who possessed special bloodlines would also possess an advantage in certain aspect. Greater strength. Enhanced stamina. Tougher skin. Or even special attributes such as faster cultivation rate. These were examples of advantages that could come along with the possession of a special bloodline. Seeing as that was the case, Zhao Yunxiao naturally yearned for a special bloodline of his own as well. Inheriting a special bloodline was out of the question by now, but the active assimilation of one was still possible for him! Unfortunately, just wanting to possess a special bloodline did not mean it was possible. Similar to how there were advantages to possessing a special bloodline, there could be potential disadvantages as well. In exchange for powerful attributes, certain bloodlines could result in negative traits such as poor sight or a reduced lifespan. And in extreme cases where the cultivator was unable to properly assimilate the foreign bloodline that had been introduced to the body, the consequences could be as terrible as loss of mind or even death! Thus, one had to be absolutely sure of what they were doing before actually going ahead with the assimilation of a foreign bloodline. This blood experiment by Zhao Yunxiao was exactly that ¨C him doing his due diligence. Through an activation of the blood using essence energy, the nightspirit rat blood appeared to have completely overpowered his own, reducing his own blood to nothingness in a matter of seconds! With a result like that, there was no longer a need to even look into the possible pros and cons that could come about from assimilating the nightspirit rat blood. Zhao Yunxiao opened up a scroll that was filled with words, all of them names of different creatures that he had successfully hunted in the past. Dipping a brush into the bowl of blood to use it as ink, he wrote down the words ¡®Nightspirit rat¡¯ in the scroll before drawing a cross next to it. Connections are Important for a Smooth Sailing Life But since it was an important day for them, all outer disciples were allowed to take the day off their respective jobs without any penalty whatsoever. Of course, there were those who chose to report to work as usual. In fact, anyone who did that would actually be compensated with bonus sect points. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°The sect master!¡± Lu Zhiying exclaimed in surprise. So, what is the sect master like? Is he old and ugly? Or is he surprisingly handsome and suave for his age?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°You better!¡± Zhao Yunxiao cautioned. ¡°You can tell her nicely. Don¡¯t scare Junior Martial Sister Lu like that!¡± Gu Qiansi added, causing Zhao Yunxiao to roll his eyes in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s not our place to comment on Sect Master but in any case, you will find out in half a month¡¯s time. So just be patient, all right?¡± Gu Qiansi continued. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll wait then,¡± Lu Zhiying shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°But come to think of it, will everyone here be able to fit in the lecture hall? It is the one that we prepared yesterday, right?¡± ¡°Yes, it is the one that we prepared yesterday,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°As for your first question, no. Not all outer disciples would be able to get a seat in the lecture hall.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Lu Zhiying was shocked to hear that. ¡°Why do you think we are up so early even though there is still some time before the lecture starts?¡± Zhao Yunxiao chuckled. ¡°To get there earlier and get seats?¡± Lu Zhiying guessed. ¡°Then why are we walking so slowly? There are already so many people in front of us! Let¡¯s hurry ahead!¡± ¡°It will be a mess if everyone rushes to get ahead of each other. You can say that the road there is also part of the queue to enter,¡± Gu Qiansi shook her head before dropping her voice to a whisper. ¡°And this is precisely why connections are important for a smooth sailing life. It makes it much easier to get something done.¡± ¡° ¡°Who do you think?¡± Gu Qiansi answered with a smile. ¡°You are looking at him right now.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Lu Zhiying blinked blankly before letting out a grin as she glanced over at Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Heh, I see that there are many hidden layers of consideration when it comes to deciding on your sect job.¡± ¡°Now you are learning, kid,¡± Zhao Yunxiao petted her head in approval. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m not a kid!¡± Lu Zhiying retorted while shaking his hand off unhappily. Just like that, the trio continued on their way along with the rest of the disciples. It did not take long before they arrived at their destination. As expected, there was already a long line of disciples waiting outside the Sect Library, all queuing to enter. ¡°Are we really going to do this so blatantly?¡± Lu Zhiying asked curiously. ¡°Won¡¯t the other disciples be unhappy about this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this is just how the world works. Even if they are unhappy about it, they would have to accept it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied. ¡°In any case, when it comes to matters that involve their jobs, they will also become the ones holding the advantage.¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry,¡± Gu Qiansi assured her as well. ¡°It has been like this all along, so everyone understands. Just don¡¯t go taunting others or bragging about it, and you will be fine.¡± Lu Zhiying could still feel the many gazes from the disciples around her and could not help but feel a strange feeling in her heart. With her looks, she had been used to receiving attention from people around her since young. Whether it was a good or bad thing, Lu Zhiying had come to accept it. Unlike the usual looks of admiration or lust, she felt that the current gazes towards her felt more like looks of envy. Moreover, this sense of envy did not arise from her looks, but from her status being different right now. ¡°Come now, don¡¯t lag behind,¡± Gu Qiansi grabbed her hand and strode forward. Lu Zhiying allowed herself to be pulled along while feeling a tingly warmth in her heart. By now, they had arrived near the front of the line. Unlike normal days, there was now a desk set up in front of the Sect Library entrance, with a few familiar faces manning the booth. They were acting as the gatekeepers to the Sect Library today, registering the names of those in the queue and letting them in one by one. Zhao Yunxiao did not hesitate, immediately walking up to the man who seemed to be in charge. It was a familiar silhouette dressed in scholarly robes and had a scholarly air about him. ¡°Greetings, Senior Martial Brother Liang,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clasped his fists towards him. Liang Wenshao had a stoic expression on all along, and that did not change when he turned to look at Zhao Yunxiao. On top of that, he immediately furrowed his brows at Zhao Yunxiao. This was definitely not a response that Zhao Yunxiao had expected, so it caught him by surprise. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Leader of the Outer Disciples The group knew exactly where to go after entering the Sect Library. But even if they did not, it would have been easy to find their way there just by following the crowds. It did not take long before they arrived at the same lecture hall that Zhao Yunxiao and Lu Zhiying had helped to furnish. At this moment, the seats in the lecture hall were only about a third filled, but this also meant that there were already hundreds of people seated. One would think that for an event as important as this, everyone would try to sit as close to the front as possible in a bid to better absorb whatever was being taught. However, the disciples present were scattered all around the lecture hall. Most of them were seated near the middle area, but there were also some who chose to sit right at the very end of the lecture hall despite the distance from the stage. Almost everyone was gathered in groups, with the biggest group clustering at the very front of the lecture hall. In fact, they were the only ones seated at the front rows. ¡°Oh?¡± Lu Zhiying exclaimed in surprise when she saw the person seated in the centre of the group in front. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Senior Martial Brother Hua Shui? Why is he here as well?¡± Back then during Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s interview for Elder He¡¯s trip, Lu Zhiying had waited for him outside the Myriad Fields Pagoda. That was when she met Hua Shui whom she had sat with at the same table. ¡° ¡°Younger twin brother? They look just like each other!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but there is a simple way to differentiate the two,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Hua Sheng likes the colour green, so he is always in green clothes.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. He was dumbfounded. On the other hand, Gu Qiansi had to stop herself from breaking out in laughter. ¡°I totally forgot about that!¡± Gu Qiansi barely managed to say while suppressing her laughter. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°In any case, as long as you don¡¯t offend Senior Martial Brother Hua Sheng, he is someone who will take care of you in return,¡± Zhao Yunxiao changed the topic. ¡°This is one of the reasons why he is widely accepted as the unofficial leader of the outer disciples. Because he truly cares for everyone¡¯s well-being and will stand up for us if necessary.¡± ¡°See? He sounds like a nice guy after all!¡± Lu Zhiying replied. ¡°But has there been any occasions when someone offends Senior Martial Brother Hua Sheng? What happens then?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Law Phenomenon After speaking, Liang Wenshao proceeded to the front row where a seat had been left empty for him. The lecture hall fell silent after that, those present keeping their conversations to nothing but hushed whispers. ¡°Say, what happens to those who weren¡¯t able to get in?¡± Lu Zhiying asked in a whisper as well. Even counting those standing along the sides of the lecture hall, the number of people who had entered the lecture hall still seemed to be less than the number of people who were queuing to enter the Sect Library earlier. That said, could it be that the latecomers were not given the opportunity to listen in at all? Considering the fact that this cultivation lecture was held only once a month, that would be too harsh of a punishment just for waking up later than their peers! ¡°The lecture will be projected outside of the Sect Library, so those who aren¡¯t able to make it in will have to make do with listening in from the outside,¡± Gu Qiansi explained. ¡°Of course, that is still considered quite the punishment as no one likes to listen from outside.¡± ¡°Of course no one likes to do so,¡± Zhao Yunxiao added. ¡°Not only is it less comfortable, but you are also not benefitting from the direct exposure to the elder and the arrays of the lecture hall. If they want to enjoy such benefits, they just have to get up earlier!¡± ¡°But why are they being punished when most of them aren¡¯t even late? Others are just slightly earlier,¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡°This is just how the world works ¨C it is a constant competition against others for resources,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. ¡°Sometimes going into battle after only preparing for the optimal situation will end up getting you killed should there be any unexpected situations. It is harsh, but the sect often likes to pit us against each other for resources.¡± ¡°It¡¯s harsh indeed...¡± Lu Zhiying remarked. Why did they have to compete against each other when they were all part of the same sect? Wouldn¡¯t that just harm the relationship between fellow disciples? At the same time, she made a mental note to wake up early during cultivation lecture days in the future. ¡°So, what is Elder Mo like?¡± Lu Zhiying asked again. Zhao Yunxiao rolled his eyes in response. The previous question was still all right. But in this environment where it was so quiet that everyone could hear what they were saying, Lu Zhiying actually decided to ask something this sensitive? Did she not learn from earlier when they chided her for commenting on the sect master in public? ¡°He¡¯s arriving soon, you can see for yourself later,¡± Zhao Yunxiao kept his response to a minimum. Lu Zhiying looked towards Gu Qiansi, who merely smiled back in response without saying anything. Knowing that she would not be getting anything out of them, Lu Zhiying helplessly leaned back into her seat. At this moment, footsteps could be heard coming from outside the door. No one could be seen at the door yet, but slowly but surely, the footsteps were definitely getting louder, evident that the source was getting closer and closer to the lecture hall. Most of them started sitting up straight, correcting their postures and straightening their robes, all to ensure that they would not appear too sloppy or disrespectful. And then someone finally appeared at the door. It was a man who looked to be in his late seventies, with long white hair that was tied up in a topknot. But contrary to how he looked, there was a vibrant aura about him. Each step he took was slow but firm. His eyes were filled with vitality, much like those that belonged to a budding youngster. The moment he entered the lecture hall, every disciple present stood up and clasped their fists towards him without being asked. ¡°Greetings, Elder Mo!¡± ¡°Be at ease. Take a seat,¡± the old man slowly gestured with his hand while making his way to the front of the lecture hall. He spoke in a seemingly nonchalant way, yet his voice still reverberated across the large lecture hall, easily reaching every corner without issue. Mo Tianfeng, also known as Elder Mo. He was the one elder that outer disciples were the most familiar with, mostly because he was in charge of the sect¡¯s knowledge impartation pillar. This also meant that most of the time, he would be the one conducting the monthly cultivation lecture. With that alone, outer disciples would be exposed to him on a monthly basis, unlike the other elders whom they might only see less than five times a year. Yet just because he was more connected with the outer disciples did not mean that Mo Tianfeng was lower in status as compared to the other elders. In fact, among the elders of the sect, he was actually the biggest senior in terms of age. Even the other elders would have to address him with respect! Mo Tianfeng did not start the lecture immediately. Instead, his gaze silently swept across the lecture hall, scanning the numerous disciples who were present today. This gaze of his bore no enmity or malevolence, almost as if it was a gaze coming from a regular old man. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. However, it still caused everyone to stiffen up as it fell upon them. It was not that they were intimidated either. After all, they had already gotten used to his presence after seeing him almost on a monthly basis. But just because they were familiar with seeing Mo Tianfeng, that did not mean they knew nothing about how incredible he was. As an elder of the Black Tortoise Sect, not only did Mo Tianfeng possess one of the highest authorities in the sect, but he was also one of the strongest individuals. For someone like that to spare the time to conduct a lecture for outer disciples like them was nothing but a great honour, one that they probably did not deserve! After all, even inner disciples would do anything to get into his sights. Outer disciples like them should seem like nothing but ants to someone like him. Yet, he still took the time and effort to do so. Be it for them, for the sect, or even if it was for his own reputation, all outer disciples were appreciative of his efforts and admired him from the bottom of their hearts. Because of that, they would hate to show Mo Tianfeng any signs of laziness, wanting him to know that his efforts were not in vain. On top of that, some of the outer disciples present also had a faint hope that they could catch his eye somehow, perhaps being accepted as a direct disciple or even a personal attendant. If that were to happen by any chance, their future would be set, and their path ahead would be nothing but smooth sailing! Of course, Zhao Yunxiao was not nearly delusional enough to hope for something like that. Even so, he still pushed out his shoulders and gave his best look when his gaze matched with Mo Tianfeng¡¯s, wanting to express his admiration for the latter through his actions. ¡°Today, I will be giving a lecture on the effective use of essence energy,¡± Mo Tianfeng finally started. ¡°But in order to know that, we have to first understand what essence energy truly is. As all of you should already know, it is basically energy that a cultivator employs for techniques, most commonly refined from world origin energy and stored in the dantian...¡± The lecture hall was completely silent except for his voice. Everyone had their fullest attention on him, not wanting to miss a single word or gesture. As he spoke, Mo Tianfeng lightly tapped the desk in front of him, and a buzzing sound could be heard. Lu Zhiying looked up after catching a glimpse of golden light from the corner of her eyes, only to see that a grand emblem of light was slowly appearing above them. This grand array was large enough to cover the entire lecture hall, hovering over them like a secondary roof over their heads. When the light from this grand emblem fell upon her, Lu Zhiying suddenly felt her skin tingling in response. However, she hardly had time to even think about it. That was because at the same time, Lu Zhiying also felt her breath slowing down and her mind clearing up. Her senses seemed to have improved by several levels, her hearing and her sight especially. Yet despite that, she was still able to filter out anything that she did not wish to hear, such as the light sound of breathing from the various disciples around her. It was as though the light was a magical elixir, able to improve her level of focus with just the slightest contact. She immediately thought back to how they had to adhere to certain requirements while furnishing the lecture hall. Back then, she had thought that all these requirements were ridiculous and unnecessary. After all, why would it matter if the table or the chair was adjusted first, as long as they were both positioned properly in the end? When asked, Zhao Yunxiao had explained that these were all steps to form a grand array, and that she would be able to see the effect of the array during the lecture itself. Now she finally understood what Zhao Yunxiao meant by that. The seemingly ordinary lecture hall that they were in was basically a cheat in itself when it came to learning, completely beyond the means of ordinary mortals! Lu Zhiying subconsciously turned to look at Zhao Yunxiao, only to see that just like everyone else, his gaze had not left Mo Tianfeng for a second. It was as though he did not even notice the grand array being brought to life overhead. Of course, it was not that Zhao Yunxiao did not notice it. Instead, it was because he had already known that it would be activated. This was not his first cultivation lecture at the Sect Library, as was the case for the rest of the disciples present. Rather than wasting precious seconds on admiring the array, he would rather keep his attention on the elder, just in case he missed anything that could be beneficial to his cultivation. On top of that, Zhao Yunxiao also understood that the activation of the array could hardly compare to what they were about to experience. ¡°Every individual has a different constitution. Even for twins who have been born with identical bodies and brought up in the same environment, they would have walked a different number of steps, took a different number of breaths, and had their hearts beat a different number of times. When all these minute differences add up, their constitution would naturally differ in one way or another, even if it is the slightest of differences...¡± Mo Tianfeng continued. ¡°This means when two cultivators refine world origin energy into essence energy, the resulting essence energy would always differ as well. You should always refine world origin energy into a form of essence energy that suits you the best, but how do we know what form that will be? That will depend on three things ¨C your affinity, your goal, and your path. What you are most suited for, what you are aiming for, what you have achieved so far...¡± As Mo Tianfeng¡¯s voice filled the lecture hall, subtle changes started happening around them. More specifically, small bubbles started appearing out of thin air around Mo Tianfeng. These transparent bubbles were of various sizes. Some were as big as a fingernail, while some were as big as a person¡¯s head. Initially, these bubbles only floated around the lecturing elder. But as time went on, more and more bubbles appeared and they started to float away from Mo Tianfeng, slowly spreading across the lecture hall. Under the shower of golden light from the array above, these bubbles seemed like little stars that were slowly spreading across the universe that was the lecture hall. Not just that, but as they spread across the hall, these bubbles also left a faint trail of light in their wake. These bubbles and light trails were translucent in nature and did little to hinder anyone¡¯s sight, but Lu Zhiying could not help but pay attention to them nevertheless. To the inexperienced Lu Zhiying, this was nothing more than a beautiful scene, albeit one that was hardly explainable. She looked around her and found that no one else seemed to be bothered by the sudden appearance of these strange bubbles and light trails, and that made her even more confused. Was she the only one who could see these things? When a particular bubble finally floated close enough, Lu Zhiying curiously reached out towards it. But contrary to her expectations, her finger failed to burst the bubble. In fact, her hand directly passed through the bubble, as though it was nothing but an illusion! ¡°This...¡± Lu Zhiying instinctively looked at her hand while wondering what just happened. ¡°This is what we call a law phenomenon,¡± Gu Qiansi held Lu Zhiying¡¯s outstretched hand and brought it back down with a smile, one that seemed to say that she understood how Lu Zhiying was feeling. ¡°When top tier cultivators like Elder Mo talk about the path. Their words can invoke the response of the world laws, resulting in what we call law phenomena. Actually, this level of law phenomena is already considered nothing too amazing. You will be seeing a lot more of it in the future that is to come, so don¡¯t worry too much about it for now and focus on the lecture for now.¡± Gu Qiansi took care to speak as softly as possible, not wanting to disturb the others around them. After all, the monthly cultivation lecture held an important place in everyone¡¯s heart. If not because she was afraid that Lu Zhiying would end up being too distracted by the law phenomenon and end up missing the truly important thing here which was the lecture, Gu Qiansi would have been reluctant to speak a single word in such a situation! Do You Think They Are Better Than Me? ¡°Law phenomena...¡± Lu Zhiying repeated instinctively. Gu Qiansi petted Lu Zhiying¡¯s lowered hand with a smile before putting her finger to her lips. After which, she turned her attention back to the lecture. She had already spoken too much. Anymore talking and those around them might no longer remain as understanding. Seeing Gu Qiansi¡¯s actions, Lu Zhiying quickly shook herself out of her daze before doing the same. Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi had repeatedly emphasised the importance of these cultivation lectures, so she did not wish to miss too much of it from being distracted either. Mo Tianfeng¡¯s lecture today focused on one of the most basic concepts of cultivation ¨C essence energy. Foundation Building, Essence Gathering, followed by Essence Physique. These were the three cultivation levels that marked the beginning of the cultivation path, with just about all outer disciples belonging to one of these three groups. The Foundation Building realm was where cultivators formed their spiritual meridians, preparing their bodies for the gathering of world origin energy. At this stage, they become capable of using simple combat techniques by tapping on world origin energy. However, world origin energy was different from essence energy. Cultivators only gained the ability to tap on essence energy after opening the dantian, which was also known as the breakthrough to the Essence Gathering realm. The Essence Gathering realm was where cultivators gained access to the power of essence energy. By refining world origin energy and storing it in their dantian as essence energy that they could tap on at any time, cultivators dramatically reduced their reliance on world origin energy in their immediate surroundings. Not only that, but because essence energy was essentially world origin energy that had been refined to suit them better, cultivators basically obtain a more potent source of energy, allowing cultivators to explode with a higher level of strength despite performing the same moves. Because of that, Mo Tianfeng¡¯s lecture easily struck a chord with all of those present. Just like his previous lectures, Mo Tianfeng¡¯s lecture today on the fundamentals of essence energy was an eye opener for them, providing them with the impetus for enlightenment on various fronts. It also helped that he kept his speech to a simple manner, not wanting to confuse the outer disciples who were certainly nowhere near his level when it came to the understanding of cultivation profundities. Unfortunately, even this toned-down version was too much for Lu Zhiying, who had only joined the world of cultivators just four days ago. She had yet to even enter the Foundation Building realm, not to mention come close to being able to employ essence energy. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°...And that concludes today¡¯s lecture.¡± To all these outer disciples who were enjoying the injection of knowledge, those simple words sounded like a terrible curse that brought them straight out of this information paradise. ¡° Just like everyone else, he bowed his head slightly and shouted in unison with the others. ¡°Thank you for the lecture, Elder Mo!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Admirable ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° All things considered, now that Lu Zhiying had received words of compliments from Mo Tianfeng, everyone was curious about this young lady whose future might no longer be limited to just staying in the outer sect! At this moment, Hua Sheng turned around to face everyone, causing all eyes to fall upon him instead. ¡° ¡° We do? Who are we meeting?¡± Lu Zhiying asked while allowing herself to get pulled along without resistance. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° How Nice Would That Be? ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡° ¡° ¡° Do you believe that I will leave right this instant? And why are you speaking as if you are not involved? ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Now, if only Lu Zhiying could act this logically during other times as well, how nice would that be? Flying Shell Performance Group This might be a discussion aimed at clarifying each other¡¯s doubts, but not all discussions led to conclusive outcomes. In the end, Lu Zhiying could only sit there unhappily while quietly listening in to the rest of the discussion, reluctantly accepting the fact that her own question would be going unanswered. But that could not be helped as well. Nobody here knew the answer to her question, and neither did they really contemplate about such a matter. After all, they were more focused on exploring and understanding the various cultivation paths. So what if it was really as Lu Zhiying had said, that there were more than two people out there with essence energy that shared the same attributes? How would that affect them in any way? It was not as though they could go hunt down the person who shared the same attributes as them and rob them of their essence energy! Even if they wanted to, how would they know where to find such a person in the first place? And apart from Lu Zhiying, the rest of the group were all at different stages of the Essence Gathering realm. Because of that, they had a far deeper appreciation towards the topic of the earlier cultivation lecture ¨C essence energy ¨C and were extremely interested in deciphering the words of the elder from earlier. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Are you kidding? Why would I do something like that and risk hurting my vocal cords?¡± Bo Fei shrugged. ¡°Are you trying to take my part as well?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° While the rest were busy bickering, Huang An had managed to set up a zither and settled down behind it comfortably. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Lu Zhiying asked in confusion. They were busy discussing about the cultivation lecture one minute ago, and now there was suddenly a flute and a zither? And what was this about vocal cords? ¡°Oh I forgot to mention this to you just now,¡± Gu Qiansi turned towards Lu Zhiying apologetically. ¡°We are not just here to discuss about the cultivation lecture. In addition to that, we are also here to practise for our upcoming performance.¡± ¡°A performance? As in a music performance?¡± Lu Zhiying was genuinely surprised. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded while carelessly wiping the flute in his hands. ¡°Do you know the famous Sentient Light Performance Group that is taking the Duyuan Empire by storm? You can say that we are the upcoming Sentient Light Performance Group, also known as the Flying Shell Performance Group!¡± ¡°Flying Shell Performance Group?¡± Lu Zhiying frowned. ¡°Who came up with the name?¡± ¡°See? See that reaction? I told you that the name is bad! Now we are stuck with this horrible name!¡± Bo Fei complained. ¡°I knew we should have gone with World Best Performance Group!¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°That¡¯s even worse, Senior Martial Brother Bo...¡± Huang An commented timidly. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Yes!¡± Huang An answered in her usual enthusiastic manner. ¡°Ready,¡± Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi answered in unison. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s start.¡± Huang An¡¯s fingers moved without hesitation after Bo Fei gave the cue to start, and Lu Zhiying¡¯s eyes immediately widened in amazement. Along with the first strum of the zither strings, Huang An¡¯s temperament seemed to have transformed all of a sudden. Each movement of her hands was light and graceful, as though they were dancing atop the zither in a manner that was worthy of a performance on its own. Her slender fingers plucked at the zither strings with delicate precision, giving off an aura of seemingly unhurried mannerism, one contrary to the actual speed at which the fingers moved. Bo Fei¡¯s voice might be powerful and inspiring, but Gu Qiansi¡¯s was simply enchanting. Her sweet voice provided a softness that instantly filled up a void that did not even seem to be there in the beginning, yet appeared to be ever so obvious the moment it was filled. The army of ten thousand no longer rampaged wantonly across the land. Instead, they took in their surroundings and became one with nature, as though they had always been an extension of the land itself. They no longer disrupted the serenity of the lands, but added to it instead. They no longer caused the numerous lives of the lands to scatter in fear, but moved along with them instead. Faced with such a magical scene, Lu Zhiying could hear her heart beating hard from pure excitement and awe. So this was the music of cultivators! In her heart, Lu Zhiying could not help but wonder. Now that she had joined the Black Tortoise Sect and became a cultivator in her own right, would it be possible for her to do the same? Dance Bad times felt like they lasted forever while good times always seemed to fly by in a flash. Before Lu Zhiying realised it, the song had already come to an end. ¡°How is it?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°We are pretty good, aren¡¯t we?¡± Lu Zhiying nodded profusely. ¡®pretty good¡¯ was a gross understatement here. To Lu Zhiying who had never been directly exposed to the world of cultivators before coming to Purple Plum Mountain, she was absolutely blown away by what she just heard! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Pii-! Pii-! That was exactly what Lu Zhiying felt when the sound coming from her flute sounded nothing like Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s. ¡°How is it? Difficult, isn¡¯t it?¡± Zhao Yunxiao said smugly. ¡°It¡¯s not that easy to sound as cool as me.¡± ¡°Are you that happy that Junior Martial Sister Lu is not doing well?¡± Gu Qiansi chided before turning back to Lu Zhiying. ¡°Do you not like the flute?¡± Lu Zhiying shook her head while passing the flute back to Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°I don¡¯t think this suits me.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you try the zither instead?¡± Huang An offered timidly. ¡°I find it more interesting that the flute as well.¡± ¡°Can I?¡± Lu Zhiying¡¯s face lit up once again. ¡°Of course!¡± Huang An beamed while emptying her seat. ¡°Here. Try to pluck at one or two of the strings gently to get a basic feel of it.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Lu Zhiying sat down and placed her hands over the zither. In her head, she recalled how Huang An¡¯s hands had danced atop the zither earlier, and positioned her hands in the same manner. Deng-! Dang-! Ding-! A series of random notes sounded out at the same time as Lu Zhiying¡¯s hands busily moved up and down the zither board. To phrase it nicely, the resulting zither tune was nothing but a complete mess. Thankfully, Lu Zhiying stopped after only a few moments. She frowned while looking at Huang An. ¡°I tried to follow the same movements that you did, but why does it sound so different?¡± Huang An: ¡°...¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°No, I can¡¯t sing,¡± Lu Zhiying shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t let me disturb your practice though, feel free to continue. I will just sit back and enjoy the show.¡± She might not have had the chance to try learning an instrument in the past, but singing did not require any expensive equipment. Because of that, Lu Zhiying already had plenty of opportunities to find out that she had no talent in singing. Gu Qiansi looked at Lu Zhiying for a good few moments and, after confirming that she was not too affected by the matter, turned to nod at Bo Fei. ¡°All right, second song. Let¡¯s go,¡± Bo Fei gave the cue, and the music started once again. The song might be different, but it was certainly no less impressive than before. Lu Zhiying once again immersed herself into the world of music, swaying her body along with the tunes. At one point, she started closing her eyes, imagining in her mind a new fantasy world that corresponded to the music she was hearing. A cold winter breeze hit her face in the lightest of manners, yet it proved sufficient to sweep her spirit away, carrying her along with the it to the centre of a wide grassland. There, she was surrounded by myriad flowers of all colours, their floral aromas flavouring the air with the scent of tranquility. Beautiful butterflies skipped from one flowerbed to another, creating an illusion that they were simply flowers had grown wings, dancing around her cheerfully as a silent welcome to their world. As though infected by the butterflies, Lu Zhiying could not help but smile, her body moving along with her new little friends. Just like that, Lu Zhiying danced alone in this imaginary world of hers, her accompaniment being the butterflies and flowers, as well as the enchanting song that was continuously entering her head. She did not know how to dance, but that did not matter. All she needed to do was allow her little friends to guide her along, allowing her body and limbs to move in tandem to their movements around her. Unknowingly, she had made her way from the side of the pavilion to the very centre, and was now standing right in the middle of her four senior disciples. ¡°Haha, I guess I got carried away,¡± Lu Zhiying laughed while scratching her cheek in embarrassment. ¡°No, don¡¯t be sorry! This is great!¡± Bo Fei immediately answered. ¡°What you just did was great!¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Lu Zhiying tilted her head in confusion. ¡°I think you did great too, Junior Martial Sister Lu!¡± Huang An pumped her fists in encouragement. ¡°Eh? Eh?¡± ¡°Have you learnt how to dance before?¡± Gu Qiansi asked with a smile. ¡°Who are you kidding, Gu Qiansi? Does that kind of simple dance look like it needs to be learnt?¡± Zhao Yunxiao rolled his eyes. ¡°She just has a face that¡¯s like a cheat. With those looks of hers, she¡¯ll look amazing just standing there. The dance is just something extra on top.¡± ¡°Dance?¡± Lu Zhiying finally understood what was going on. It appeared that although she thought she was only dancing in her imaginary world, she was actually dancing in reality as well. ¡°Can you stop being so harsh?¡± Gu Qiansi snapped at Zhao Yunxiao before turning back to Lu Zhiying. ¡°No, I¡¯ve not learnt how to dance before,¡± Lu Zhiying answered. ¡°But from the looks of it, it seems like I didn¡¯t do too badly, but didn¡¯t do too well either?¡± ¡° ¡°What?¡± Lu Zhiying was seriously taken aback this time. She was a complete novice when it came to the performing arts, and now they suddenly wanted her to join their performance? ¡°That¡¯s a great idea!¡± Huang An immediately agreed with the suggestion. ¡°That will give a huge visual impact for sure,¡± Gu Qiansi nodded approvingly. ¡°Can I though?¡± Lu Zhiying was still a little uncertain despite their encouragement. ¡°Aren¡¯t you performing for the New Year celebration? But New Year is just around the corner, will I really be able to learn enough within this one week or so?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° His words instantly drew the attention of all four other members of the group. ¡°Really?¡± Lu Zhiying asked in astonishment. ¡°That¡¯ll be great!¡± However, Lu Zhiying was the only one who was surprised. As for the other three, what they felt was perhaps closer to something like apprehension. ¡°You?¡± Gu Qiansi snorted in disdain. ¡°Zhao Yunxiao, is something wrong with your head? Out of everyone here, you are the least qualified to teach Junior Martial Sister Lu how to dance!¡± ¡°Senior Martial Sister Gu is right,¡± Huang An added timidly. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Zhao, don¡¯t you remember your dancing skills...?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to say this, Junior Martial Brother Zhao. But you really need to know your limits,¡± Bo Fei let out a sympathetic sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t know where your confidence is coming from, but no, you have no idea how to dance either.¡± Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± All I said is that I can help, not that I will be the one teaching! Why can¡¯t you guys just be patient and wait for me to finish speaking instead of rending my heart with such merciless verbal assaults? Hundred Puppets Array ¡°Do I really dance that badly?¡± Zhao Yunxiao could not help but ask. As far as he recalled, while he might not be the best dancer, his level was surely not bad to the extent of deserving such harsh criticisms either! However, the reactions that he was getting now caused him to question his past memories. ¡°Are you really asking that?¡± Bo Fei raised an eyebrow. ¡°w ¡° T ¡° ¡° ¡°as long astold Lu Zhiying ¡° ¡°bungo out and make new friends ¡°clarified her stanceBut it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have friends!¡± ¡°Senior Martial Sister Gu too ¡°rubbed his chin in contemplation ¡°y ¡°consider their compatibility as well ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiaoingproceeded Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s Throwing daggers. Array flags. Elixirs. e In order to make sure that everything went well, he needed to ensure that he was not missing anything important. any suppliesm tomorrow while he still had time. Otherwise, not only would the hunting trip not be the most effective, he might even end up endangering himself in the process! stock up on confronting severe If there were still lingering issues even after two full days of rest, he might have to get it checked. unsatisfactory the and lit agreed upon yesterday The number of people at the canteen was far less than the previous day, back to what it was usually like. uncomfortable ing ¡°the road ¡°people recalled the scene from the day before and nodded in understanding. ¡° ¡° Considering the sheer number of people in the sect, she could imagine the difficulty of having to compete against everyone else for time slots. ¡°might beo come across cases where someone can¡¯t get they ¡°enter ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°you can acultivation level No matter which of these measures they looked at, Tian Luoyang would be considered Lu Zhiying¡¯s senior. when addressing their peers Aaddress It was the same as how Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi had chosen to refer to Bo Fei as their senior disciple despite them being at the same cultivation level and having joined the sect before him, simply because Bo Fei was slightly older than them in terms of actual age. ¡°Okay ¡°get started ¡°Got itwgoing ¡°T Lu Zhiying nodded excitedly. ¡°Don¡¯t screw up ¡° those wordsslowly made his way past the numerous wooden puppets, eventually arriving at the centre of the array ¡°the ¡°begin ¡°I¡¯m activating the array! Tian Luoyangcould be Despitesurpass the Foundation Building realmattaining his current cultivation level of So, if anyone were to think that he was some clueless little kid, they could not be more wrong. From inside the hut, he started channelling his essence energy, sending it into the controls with a skilfulness that had come about after countless practice. In response to his actions, tstarted glowing the spirit stones were not just there Weng-! a Small Milestones But as she was observing the puppets¡¯ movements with great fascination, Lu Zhiying started to realise something... The puppets were fast. Not just the ordinary kind of fast, but very fast! To put it into perspective, they were moving at least twice as fast as the sprinting speed of an average adult man. And as if to prove a point to Lu Zhiying, six of the puppets suddenly sped up even more. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡° ¡° ¡°Oh, I guess we forgot to tell you. The difficulty of the Hundred Puppets Array can be adjusted at will, ranging from Level 1 to Level 10,¡± Gu Qiansi explained. ¡°Typically, those at the Foundation Building realm can only handle up to Level 2, while those at the Essence Gathering realm can go up to Level 4.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s the case...¡± Lu Zhiying nodded in understanding. No wonder Zhao Yunxiao was able to handle the array with such ease. He was overqualified at the current difficulty level. ¡° ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao shot forward towards a bear puppet that were approaching him from the front. That way, he completely left the range of three other puppets that were closing in on him from behind. [Xuanwu Movement Art ¨C Shifting Sands] Zhao Yunxiao quickly dodged to the right just as he was nearing the puppet ahead. But just as he changed directions, the puppet did the exact same thing, as if it was consciously chasing after Zhao Yunxiao. Not just that, but it even sped up further in the process! With that, there was no longer any way left for Zhao Yunxiao to avoid the bear puppet. ¡°Damn this thing,¡± Zhao Yunxiao cursed as he raised his fists for the first time since entering the array. [Xuanwu Fist Art ¨C Immovable Shell] Bang-! Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s heavy punch connected with the bear puppet in a thunderous collision. While that alone was not enough to stop the puppet¡¯s movements completely, it was at least able to slow the puppet down a little, giving Zhao Yunxiao the small window of time that he needed to get away. Now that he was at Level 3 of the Hundred Puppets Array, movement techniques were no longer sufficient. Zhao Yunxiao continued to use a combination of movement and combat techniques to dodge and parry the numerous puppets, and even then appeared as though he was barely hanging on. ¡° ¡° Huu-! After all, he was no enjoyer of pain. ¡°You truly did not betray my expectations, failing at the same point as last time,¡± Gu Qiansi remarked from outside the fence. ¡°What do you mean at the same point? I might not have cleared Level 3, but I lasted for twelve minutes sixteen seconds this time. That¡¯s two and a half minutes more than last time,¡± Zhao Yunxiao picked himself up and dusted his clothes. At the same time, he slowly regulated his breathing to regain his breath. ¡°So proud of that little improvement, eh?¡± Gu Qiansi laughed. ¡°We¡¯ll see how well you do in comparison,¡± Zhao Yunxiao remained calm despite hearing that. In fact, he was rather proud of what Gu Qiansi termed as a little improvement. Zhao Yunxiao was a firm believer of cumulative effort and aiming for small milestones when it came to walking the path of cultivation. Not to mention two and a half minutes, he would have been satisfied even if he improved only by a minute as compared to before. ¡°Just hurry up and get out so that I can show you how it¡¯s done,¡± Gu Qiansi answered confidently. ¡°Can¡¯t you see that¡¯s what I am doing? Patience!¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied while walking out of the fenced area. ¡° Not If, But When ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° But when the difficulty level was raised to Level 2, Gu Qiansi started utilising movement techniques as well. The approach she used to tackle the array was very similar to that of Zhao Yunxiao, and naturally so as well. The two of them had been challenging the Hundred Puppets Array together for years by now. All this time, not only had they been watching each other in action, they had also been constantly discussing about possible strategies, trying to come up with the most effective tactics they could employ to tackle the array. While their talents might not necessarily lie in the same areas, their cultivation levels were the same. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°May I?¡± Lu Zhiying asked excitedly after having obtained consent from Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi. ¡°Well, technically there are no rules barring you from doing so, but are you sure?¡± Tian Luoyang asked out of concern. ¡°Like Senior Martial Sister Gu mentioned, you can get hurt.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m used to getting hurt!¡± Lu Zhiying patted her chest in assurance. ¡°Since there is no problem, let¡¯s start then!¡± With that, Lu Zhiying excitedly entered the Hundred Puppets Array, even skipping along as she made her way to the centre. ¡°Is this really a good idea?¡± Gu Qiansi asked. ¡°Some people won¡¯t learn without experiencing a bit of pain,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. Gu Qiansi: ¡°...¡± At the same time, Zhao Yunxiao was wondering about something else. Did Lu Zhiying just say that she was used to getting hurt? If that was true, just what kind of life had she been leading before joining the Black Tortoise Sect? ¡°Let¡¯s concentrate on the present,¡± Gu Qiansi¡¯s words broke him out of his thoughts. Zhao Yunxiao looked at Gu Qiansi in surprise, at the same time feeling a chill running down his spine. It seemed that she had picked up on the same thing that he did, and was even to go further and guess his thoughts from there. Sometimes, he really suspected if this Gu Qiansi had the ability to read minds. ¡°Junior Martial Brother Tian, please start the array!¡± Lu Zhiying waved excitedly to Tian Luoyang. Tian Luoyang shot one last glance over at Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi. Only when they nodded back in response did he finally take a deep breath and channelled his essence energy, driving it into the controls. ¡°Ah, whatever! I¡¯m activating the array, so be careful!¡± Tian Luoyang cautioned. The spirit stones along the fence glowed, and the golden emblem of light appeared on the ground once again. With that, the puppets started moving, and the three watching nervously held their breaths. All four outer disciples present felt their hearts beating faster, but Lu Zhiying¡¯s was the only one doing so due to excitement. She started turning her head constantly, making sure that she had full awareness of the positions of the puppets in her surroundings. Her eyes sharpened and her ears twitched a little. Her feet tried to feel for every bit of vibration coming from the ground. At this moment, she was trying to rely on all her senses, not just her sense of sight that she was so used to. Unlike her seniors, Lu Zhiying did not have the ability to tap on world origin energy or essence energy, which made it far more difficult to sense her surroundings. However, Lu Zhiying was not intending to let that be her excuse for failing. ¡°Behind you, watch out!¡± Gu Qiansi shouted in caution, and Lu Zhiying reacted instantly. In fact, one could even argue that she moved before Gu Qiansi had shouted. It was a casual sidestep at the very last moment, easily getting out of the way of a charging rhino puppet. ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi immediately furrowed their brows. This movement of Lu Zhiying¡¯s... why did it seem so familiar? ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Is that possible?¡± Gu Qiansi had to suppress a gasp after getting confirmation from Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°What kind of unbelievable learning ability do you need to have in order to replicate something after seeing it just once?¡± Battered and Bruised The truth was exactly as Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi had imagined. In Lu Zhiying¡¯s head, the earlier scenes of her two senior disciples challenging the Hundred Puppets Array continued to replay themselves. Every step. Every turn. Every little nuance. All of them were being imprinted in her head right now, which she then translated into her own movements in reality. While she had access to neither world origin energy nor essence energy, the fact was that she was also facing a lower difficulty level. By combining everything in her arsenal, Lu Zhiying was slowly getting increasingly used to dealing with the erratic movements of the wooden puppets. That was not to say that she was having an easy time, but she was definitely doing better than anyone had ever expected! [Xuanwu Movement Art ¨C Snapping Burst] Lu Zhiying¡¯s body shot forward in an instant, getting out of the way of two puppets that were closing in from behind her. ¡°Has Senior Martial Sister Lu really not entered the Foundation Building realm? Is it even possible to do that before forming your spiritual meridians?¡± Tian Luoyang asked from within the hut. Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi looked over at Tian Luoyang, then at each other. They could tell from each other¡¯s faces ¨C neither of them thought that was possible either. In fact, had they not been the ones to bring Lu Zhiying around since the day she joined, they might have suspected that she was hiding her true cultivation level too! While both the manuals of the Xuanwu Movement Art and the Xuanwu Fist Art were handed to new disciples, the former was unlike the latter which had stances that one could practise even without the use of world origin energy or essence energy. Usually, one would only start practising the Xuanwu Movement Art after forming their spiritual meridians, thereby entering the Foundation Building realm. Only by doing so would one be able to tap on world origin energy, using it as fuel to execute the various moves. They had never seen anyone successfully execute any moves from the Xuanwu Movement Art before that stage. At least, not until today. Of course, Lu Zhiying¡¯s execution of the Snapping Burst lacked the explosive power that came along with the incorporation of world origin energy or essence energy. However, it was no doubt still a simplified version of it, one that relied purely on an extreme level of physical control. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Eh?¡± Lu Zhiying looked towards Tian Luoyang in disappointment. ¡°That¡¯s enough for today, Junior Martial Sister Lu,¡± Gu Qiansi answered on his behalf. ¡°Come, let me take a look at your injuries.¡± ¡°But I can still keep going!¡± Lu Zhiying protested. ¡°What do you mean you can? Just look at yourself right now,¡± Zhao Yunxiao scoffed. ¡°Anymore and we might have to carry you out of here when the adrenaline wears off!¡± ¡° ¡°When can we come back again then?¡± Lu Zhiying asked after leaving the array. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, all disciples have a free attempt every month,¡± Gu Qiansi patted her head in a consoling manner. ¡°We can always come back and try again next month.¡± ¡°One month...¡± Lu Zhiying pouted a little. ¡°This means that you only have one month to prepare. When the time comes, we will be checking how much you have improved,¡± Zhao Yunxiao added. ¡°If it¡¯s the same as what you did just now, then you are in trouble!¡± ¡°Oh? Heh, sure!¡± Lu Zhiying smirked. ¡°I will definitely show you how much more I can achieve in a month¡¯s time!¡± ¡°We shall see when the time comes,¡± Zhao Yunxiao waved her off nonchalantly. Gu Qiansi looked at Zhao Yunxiao in surprise, while the latter just shrugged. It seemed like he was slowly getting the hang of how to deal with Lu Zhiying. ¡°Where are we going next?¡± Lu Zhiying asked energetically after they bade farewell to Tian Luoyang. ¡°Actually, do you want to return to your residence to rest for now?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°After all, I will just be going to check on my garden plot. You have already seen how Gu Qiansi works at hers and mine is not much different, so you won¡¯t be missing much.¡± ¡°No, I want to go as well!¡± Lu Zhiying shook her head profusely. ¡°This is what I have wanted to see today!¡± Zhao Yunxiao sighed helplessly at her energy level, ¡°All right then. Let us just patch you up a little before going.¡± Both Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi had stopped the array promptly after they failed to keep up with the puppets, so they looked perfectly fine after just tidying up their clothes a little. However, that was not the case for Lu Zhiying at all. While the numerous injuries on her body were at least hidden under her clothes, those on her face were not. As time passed, dark bruises were starting to appear on her beautiful face, just like dark clouds blotting out the dazzling sun. One who was not familiar with her would probably be hard pressed to recognise her by now. Lu Zhiying naturally did not reject medical help, and allowed Zhao Yunxiao to apply some basic first aid on her. Still, Zhao Yunxiao could only help with the injuries on her face and limbs. As for the injuries on her body, Gu Qiansi would have to either tend to those in private later or bring her to a female physician. After they were done, Lu Zhiying followed them with a face painted in various colours, mainly due to the herbs and elixirs that had been applied. ¡°Are you coming along too, Senior Martial Sister Gu?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡°Mm,¡± Gu Qiansi nodded. ¡°I will just go take a look before heading back to my garden plot.¡± ¡°See? Senior Martial Sister Gu is always thinking about tending to her herb garden while you hardly do so,¡± Lu Zhiying turned towards Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve always wanted to see the difference between the two.¡± ¡°It is all about working smart,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered proudly. ¡°I think you mean that it is about dedication to your work,¡± Gu Qiansi corrected. ¡°Well, my herbs are still doing well. That¡¯s proof enough that my methods work!¡± Zhao Yunxiao argued. ¡°Unlike someone whose garden plot got wrecked a few days ago...¡± ¡°How does that count?¡± Gu Qiansi retorted. ¡°That¡¯s something completely uncontrollable!¡± Zhao Yunxiao merely shrugged in response. *** Gu Qiansi¡¯s garden plot was located near the borders of the Outer Grounds, and Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s was not located anywhere that was considerably more accessible either. It was a long walk there, and the duo took this opportunity to educate Lu Zhiying on many of the sect¡¯s rules ¨C be it written or unwritten. The incident with Elder Mo back then during the monthly cultivation lecture had given them quite the scare, and they would certainly prefer that such a thing did not happen again. Lu Zhiying continued to nod in understanding without questioning a single thing they said, but this only caused Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi to feel more uneasy. ¡°Are you sure you understand?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked sceptically. ¡°I do! You need to start trusting me more, Senior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Lu Zhiying naturally sensed the distrust coming from her senior, especially since the latter did nothing to hide it whatsoever. ¡°All right, I will take your word for it then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao was still a little doubtful, but they had already done all he could. There was nothing more they could do other than to believe her. If she really did not want to follow the rules, it would not make any difference even if they repeated them another hundred times. ¡°Oh? Isn¡¯t that Murou?¡± Gu Qiansi suddenly pointed over at a group of disciples in the distance, causing both of them to look over as well. Where Gu Qiansi was pointing, there was a group of five disciples ¨C three females and two males. The first thing that stood out about them was the fact that these disciples were dressed in attires that screamed the word luxury. The female disciples wore beautiful long silk dresses that were adorned with jewels and pearls. Their wrists and necks were decorated with exquisite accessories of gold and jade, while earrings of crystal and silver sparkled under the sunlight to complement their neatly combed hair. The male disciples were dressed in a relatively simpler fashion, but the quality of their attires certainly did not look inferior in comparison. The hems of their scholarly robes were completed with golden threads, though even that was slightly overshadowed by their jade bangles and rings. Despite travelling on the dirt road, it was amazing how not one bit of dust or dirt got onto their clothes. In fact, even their shoes had somehow remained perfectly clean. Not only that, but just by casually walking along, the group naturally emanated an aura of pride and confidence that was hardly present in the other disciples whom they had seen in the past few days. ¡°It really is Murou!¡± Gu Qiansi exclaimed excitedly after taking a second look. ¡°Wait, Gu Qians-!¡± Zhao Yunxiao wanted to stop her, but he was too late. ¡°Murou! How have you been?¡± Gu Qiansi shouted as she waved towards the group. Her actions naturally caught the attention of the group. However, instead of waving back to her in response, the members of the group looked over and immediately frowned. Liu Murou ¡°Are they your friends, Junior Martial Sister Liu?¡± the male disciple who seemed like the leader of the group asked. ¡°Erm... we crossed paths a few times as fellow outer disciples in the past, but we haven¡¯t contacted each other since I entered the inner sect,¡± the female disciple named Liu Murou answered hesitantly. ¡°Oh, so you are just acquaintances,¡± the leader nodded in understanding before turning his attention back to Gu Qiansi. By now, Gu Qiansi had realised from their reactions that something was wrong, and was quietly lowering her raised hand that she had been waving at the group. ¡°Are you outer disciples of the sect?¡± the leader asked in an imperious manner. ¡°Greetings, Senior Martial Brother Huo,¡± Zhao Yunxiao smoothly stepped in front of the confused Gu Qiansi and clasped his fists towards the leader of the group. ¡°Your foresight is indeed as sharp as reputed, correctly identifying us as outer disciples of the sect with a single glance.¡± Unlike Gu Qiansi and Lu Zhiying who had absolutely no idea who this person was, Zhao Yunxiao quickly recognised him as one of the most established inner disciples of the Black Tortoise Sect. Huo Bubai. His name literally meant undefeatable. Such a domineering name only added to his stellar reputation, built up through numerous achievements that he had accumulated under his belt over the years. While it was not exactly true that he had never lost before in his life, such occasions were few and far between, almost only happening when he was facing absolutely monstrous opponents. However, anyone would have lost against such opponents anyway, so nobody thought any less of him just because of that. And right now, this famed inner disciple was standing before them, scanning them from head to toe with an expression that was less than friendly. ¡°I don¡¯t know how the relationship is like between you and Junior Martial Sister Liu previously, and I honestly don¡¯t care either,¡± Huo Bubai declared. ¡°However, Junior Martial Sister Liu is now an inner disciple, so shouldn¡¯t you lot be changing the way you address her? Don¡¯t you think that it is no longer appropriate for you to address her by name?¡± ¡°That is our mistake, Senior Martial Brother Huo,¡± Zhao Yunxiao humbly agreed before clasping his fists towards Liu Murou who was standing behind Huo Bubai. ¡°Our apologies for the transgression, Senior Martial Sister Liu.¡± ¡°...My apologies, Senior Martial Sister Liu,¡± Gu Qiansi hesitantly added. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Liu Murou answered with an awkward smile. ¡°And you?¡± Huo Bubai turned towards Lu Zhiying who had been watching from the side. ¡°What about me?¡± Lu Zhiying responded with a question of her own. Zhao Yunxiao felt his heart skip a beat. He just knew that Lu Zhiying had not really been listening to them when they were going through all the written and unwritten rules of the sect just now! ¡°What else? Why are you not apologising as well?¡± Huo Bubai asked. ¡°Hmm? What am I supposed to apologise about?¡± Lu Zhiying tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Are you acting dumb or is this your idea of loyalty? To disassociate yourself from your comrades the moment they get into trouble?¡± Huo Bubai questioned. ¡°The sect does not need disciples who abandon their comrades in times of need.¡± ¡°But I really don¡¯t know what I should be apologising about,¡± Lu Zhiying blinked blankly. ¡°Is it possible to enlighten me, Senior Martial Brother Huo?¡± ¡°Are you trying to be clever with me?¡± Huo Bubai furrowed his brows. ¡°Hmm, but I don¡¯t quite understand what¡¯s going on right now, so I doubt that¡¯s considered being clever? I thought being clever means that you will understand most things, isn¡¯t that right, Senior Martial Brother Huo?¡± Lu Zhiying asked innocently. ¡°Let¡¯s just leave it at that, Senior Martial Brother Huo,¡± Liu Murou interjected at this point. ¡°We are running late, so let¡¯s not waste our time on needless matters. I¡¯m sure her comrades will let her know about her mistakes later.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Senior Martial Brother Huo, let¡¯s just ignore these people,¡± another female disciple added. ¡°They are not worth your precious time.¡± ¡°You are too nice for your own good, Junior Martial Sister Liu,¡± Huo Bubai shook his head in disapproval. ¡°I know that you just can¡¯t bear to see your old comrades be punished.¡± ¡°Well, I have also been an outer disciple until not too long ago, so I guess I can kind of understand the hardships that they are currently going through,¡± Liu Murou let out a bitter smile. ¡°Sometimes, one can end up losing sight of what¡¯s important because of all the daily struggles.¡± ¡°Did you hear what your Senior Martial Sister Liu just said? That is true camaraderie, something that you are obviously sorely lacking, disrespectful brat!¡± Huo Bubai berated Lu Zhiying. ¡°But since she has already spoken up for you, I shall pardon you today. Reflect on your mistakes and make sure not to repeat them in the future.¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Understood, Senior Martial Brother Huo,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered immediately. ¡°Understood, Senior Martial Brother Huo,¡± Gu Qiansi added promptly. Lu Zhiying, however, chose to remain silent. Thankfully, Huo Bubai no longer seemed to care as he turned to leave. The rest of the group promptly followed his lead, immediately diving back into their conversation as if nothing happened earlier. ¡°Did you see the condition of her face? How pathetic!¡± ¡°Exactly! Aren¡¯t they embarrassed to be going around the sect with her face all patched up like that?¡± ¡°Maybe it is exactly because she just got injured, that¡¯s why she¡¯s feeling so angry at everything right now!¡± ¡°Yeah, she probably got all those injuries from fighting some low-level opponents too. To be parading their weaknesses around like that, outer disciples these days really have no shame!¡± ¡°No wonder they don¡¯t even have any idea about the concept of basic respect. You did the right thing to cut contact with them now that you are out of the outer sect, Junior Martial Sister Liu!¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s not like I explicitly cut contact with them either. It¡¯s just that we have always been on different paths from the start. But you are right, senior martial sister. It does seem like it is probably a good thing,¡± Liu Murou agreed. ¡° The group did nothing to hide the content of their conversation as they walked away, speaking at a volume loud enough for Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group to hear everything that they were saying. ¡° ¡° ¡°What is going on here? Just who is this Liu Murou?¡± Lu Zhiying asked with a frown. In her opinion, there was definitely more than met the eye here. She did not believe that her seniors were at fault at all, and apologising would be akin to admitting exactly that. That was why she had refused to back down earlier even though she clearly understood that the other party were inner disciples. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Gu Qiansi shook her head, obviously reluctant to dwell on this matter any longer. ¡°Are you treating me as an outsider now, Senior Martial Sister Gu?¡± Lu Zhiying asked unhappily. Her words seemed to have shaken Gu Qiansi, who let out a helpless sigh. ¡°I guess I can tell you, but you have to promise not to think badly of Murou in any way,¡± Gu Qiansi said. ¡°I promise,¡± Lu Zhiying nodded. Zhao Yunxiao rolled his eyes. As if she really meant that. ¡°Well, there¡¯s really nothing much to it as well,¡± Gu Qiansi started. ¡°Murou, Zhao Yunxiao and I have known each other since young, and can be considered to have grown up together. We were really close back then too. In fact, a big part of the development of Lightwind Pavilion was thanks to her contributions. However, she got busier after being invited to join the inner sect last year, so we kind of drifted apart since then.¡± ¡°Got busier and drifted apart, eh?¡± Lu Zhiying echoed that part in a tone filled with scepticism. ¡°Why does it seem to me that it is more like she just pretended not to know you after joining the inner sect?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it...¡± Gu Qiansi¡¯s words trailed off as she spoke. She wanted to disagree with Lu Zhiying, but she also knew deep down that Lu Zhiying was right. ¡°You can¡¯t really blame Murou for that either,¡± Zhao Yunxiao cut in. ¡°You have to understand that the inner sect is completely different from the outer sect. The inner sect is a much harsher environment where discrimination and segregation are rampant, and where people are divided into clear factions. In order to fit in better and maintain her status within her faction, Murou probably has no choice but to pretend as if she does not mix around with outer disciples like us since it could lower her status in her faction.¡± ¡°It¡¯s that bad? Why would anyone want to enter the inner sect then?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡°That¡¯s not the way to look at it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head. ¡°In the end, the ultimate goal for all cultivators is to walk further on the cultivation path. How can a little bit of hardship deter you from seeking more opportunities? In fact, if you ever have the chance to enter the inner sect in the future, you don¡¯t have to feel bad if you have to pretend as if you don¡¯t know us too. That is just how the world works, and we will definitely understand your circumstances.¡± When that happened, Zhao Yunxiao did not want them to become a burden for the bright and talented Lu Zhiying. While it would be a regretful outcome to have to lose another friend, Gu Qiansi agreed with this decision too. Rather than stubbornly sticking to Lu Zhiying and becoming her shackles in the process, she would much rather Lu Zhiying leave them behind if it meant that she could realise her fullest potential that way. ¡°What are you talking about, Senior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Lu Zhiying replied with a frown. ¡°Even if I were to end up entering the inner sect before you two, there¡¯s no way that I will pretend to not know you like she did! Actually, if that were to ever happen, I will definitely do my best to bring the two of you along with me!¡± ¡°Hahaha, we appreciate the thought, but don¡¯t go making rash promises now,¡± Zhao Yunxiao laughed. ¡°It might still be some time in the future, but when it does happen, do remember what I just said.¡± ¡°Bleah!¡± Lu Zhiying stuck her tongue out in protest, and the amused Gu Qiansi patted her on the head. Gu Qiansi naturally knew that it was impossible for a newly joined inner disciple to bring other outer disciples along with her to the inner sect, but she appreciated the thought nevertheless. Having cleared things up, the trio continued on their way to Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s garden plot. It was a long walk, but they arrived eventually. At first glance, there were not many differences from Gu Qiansi¡¯s garden plot. Just like Gu Qiansi¡¯s garden plot, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s was also fully fenced up. The garden plot itself was similarly split into plot sections, allocated to individual disciples for them to take care of. It was nearing noon by now. Winter was coming to an end, but the air was still chilly and cold. Thankfully, the blazing sun hung overhead, making it easier on the few disciples who were currently working on their individual plot sections. ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao’s Garden Plot ¡°You are finally here, Junior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Qing Bian immediately put down his tools and walked over. Qing Bian was someone who could not look more ordinary. Dressed in his current farming outfit, he looked no different from any regular farmer in his early twenties. If he were to leave Purple Plum Mountain and head to the nearest town, probably not a single person there would believe that he was a cultivator. On the other hand, the other person walking over alongside him looked slightly more reliable. Lei Wenzhang looked to be in his late twenties, and was also dressed in a farming outfit. But unlike Qing Bian, his outfit remained clean and tidy despite working at the herb garden. With his long black hair tied up in a topknot, he looked more like a scholar inspecting the fields. ¡°Junior Martial Sister Gu is here as well? That¡¯s great! Please help us take a look at our crops to see if everything is going okay,¡± Lei Wenzhang said before his gaze fell upon Lu Zhiying. ¡°And this is...?¡± ¡°Wow, who is this young lady and why is she all beaten up?¡± Qing Bian exclaimed in shock. ¡°Damn Zhao Yunxiao! Have you finally fallen so low to forcibly abduct a random mortal maiden to be your servant?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you saying? If I wanted a servant, all I have to do is ask and there will be plenty of girls willing to follow me,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s already noon, time to wake up from your dreams,¡± Gu Qiansi rolled her eyes. ¡°Greetings, Senior Martial Brother Lei, Senior Martial Brother Qing. This is Junior Martial Sister Lu. She just joined the sect a few days ago.¡± ¡°Greetings, Senior Martial Brother Lei, Senior Martial Brother Qing,¡± Lu Zhiying greeted. ¡°So it is a new junior martial sister,¡± Qing Bian nodded. He was not exactly surprised to hear that. After all, not just anyone could enter the sect grounds. ¡°But what happened to her face?¡± Lei Wenzhang asked out of concern. Lu Zhiying could not help but touch the bandages on her face. First the group of inner disciples from earlier, and now them. Do her injuries really look that bad? ¡°She was mesmerised by my looks and accidentally tripped and fell,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said matter-of-factly. ¡°This is a problem that you guys will never understand.¡± ¡°What kind of fall would give such bad injuries? And what kind of person would be mesmerised by such a face?¡± Qing Bian snorted in disdain. ¡°It¡¯s true. You can ask her if you want!¡± Zhao Yunxiao turned towards Lu Zhiying. ¡°Was I lying?¡± ¡°Hahaha, not at all. I indeed tripped and fell while deeply mesmerised by Senior Martial Brother Zhao¡¯s handsome face!¡± Lu Zhiying had the wits to play along immediately, just like what Zhao Yunxiao had expected. ¡°I see that a few days is all you need to corrupt the young ones with your ridiculous thoughts,¡± Lei Wenzhang shook his head with a smile. ¡°Since you can still joke about it, I guess you are not in any trouble of sorts at least. In that case, I won¡¯t press any further.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Senior Martial Brother Lei. It really is nothing serious,¡± Zhao Yunxiao assured. Zhao Yunxiao had glossed over the matter with a joke, but there was good reason why he did not want to say the truth. What would the two of them think if they heard that Lu Zhiying ended up this way because Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi allowed her to challenge the Hundred Puppets Array even before she entered the Foundation Building realm? They could try all they want to explain that Lu Zhiying was talented enough to do so, but her current condition did not exactly help with their case. All that would happen was for the duo to think that Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi were bullying Lu Zhiying! ¡°Enough about us, how are the herbs doing?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°What can go wrong with us in charge? Come take a look yourself,¡± Qing Bian said confidently before leading the way into the garden plot. Hearing this, Lu Zhiying could not help but feel slightly confused. From what she understood, each garden plot was split into plot sections, which were in turn allocated to individual disciples. Therefore, each disciple was solely responsible for their own plot sections. In that case, what does Qing Bian mean by saying that they are in charge? ¡°They work a little differently here,¡± Gu Qiansi suddenly said, seemingly having read Lu Zhiying¡¯s thoughts from the subtle changes in her expression. ¡°In what way?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡°The official arrangements are the same in that each disciple is responsible for their own plot sections, but they made some internal arrangements among themselves here,¡± Gu Qiansi explained. ¡°To put it simply, you can say that Zhao Yunxiao passed the management of his plot section over to Senior Martial Brother Lei and Senior Martial Brother Qing.¡± ¡°Passed the management over...?¡± Lu Zhiying raised an eyebrow. You can do that? ¡°That¡¯s putting it a little crudely, Junior Martial Sister Gu,¡± Lei Wenzhang turned around to say. ¡°We are just working together to maximise efficiency.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, all for the sake of resource optimisation and fostering closer relations among fellow disciples!¡± Qing Bian nodded in agreement. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°But aren¡¯t sect jobs mainly for the sake of earning sect points?¡± Lu Zhiying turned towards Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°And what happened to learning cultivation skills on the job?¡± ¡°It is not like I¡¯m not doing anything at all,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°I do tend to my plot section on a regular basis too. It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t spare the time to keep coming regularly, so the two kind seniors here are helping me to take care of my plot section while I am away. But I still do enough to learn about the basics of plant cultivation.¡± ¡°What you have learnt from the little time you spend in the herb garden can¡¯t amount to anything,¡± Gu Qiansi remarked. ¡°That¡¯s where you are wrong,¡± Zhao Yunxiao confidently disagreed. ¡°I already have the theory down, so I just need a bit of practice to fully understand most things. It¡¯s not like I need to be a plant obsessed freak like you anyway.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Junior Martial Brother Zhao,¡± Lei Wenzhang quickly hushed. ¡°Junior Martial Sister Gu is helping us by checking the health of our herbs from time to time as well, so let¡¯s not dismiss her useful skills.¡± ¡°But if it is for the sake of more sect points, isn¡¯t it more worth it to just manage another plot section by yourself then?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡°I mean instead of helping Senior Martial Brother Zhao with his.¡± ¡° ¡° That reminds me,¡± Zhao Yunxiao reached into his bamboo backpack and pulled out two pouches. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°You are too kind,¡± Lei Wenzhang received his pouch with a smile. ¡°Thanks! But you know this is not why we are helping you with your plot section, right?¡± Qing Bian was excited about receiving his as well. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°What experiments are you talking about though?¡± Lu Zhiying asked curiously. ¡°You will see soon enough,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered with a smirk. ¡°Here we are,¡± Qing Bian gestured ahead after arriving at Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s plot section. ¡°All clean and tidy.¡± ¡°Seems like it indeed,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. He had quite a bit of trust in the duo since they had been working together for a while now. Zhao Yunxiao merely took a quick glance at the generic herbs to make sure that they had enough to meet the monthly quota, before walking deeper to a small area that was clearly different from the rest. This was where he grew herbs outside of what was required in the monthly quota, those that he mentioned were more for experimental purposes. The other herbs in his plot section were planted close to each other in neat rows to maximise space efficiency. However, that was not the case here. Though the experimental space was a relatively smaller area, it was still enough to accommodate dozens of plants. However, there were only two lone flowers growing there at the moment, planted a good distance from each other. Both flowers grew up to around the knee in height, and were bright purple in colour. Zhao Yunxiao walked over and carefully inspected each of them. ¡°How is it? Are they growing properly¡± Gu Qiansi asked curiously from a distance. ¡°This one seems to be doing all right, but the other not so much,¡± Zhao Yunxiao rubbed his chin in contemplation. ¡°Seems like for some reason, it really does grow better in soil with less minerals.¡± ¡°Maybe it is the nutrients that they are getting as well,¡± Gu Qiansi suggested. ¡°Is the feed the same for both plants?¡± ¡°I made sure to give them identical feed every time,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°Are they supposed to be the same plant?¡± Lu Zhiying asked curiously. Even at first glance, she could tell that one of the flowers was blooming more vibrantly. In contrast, the other has leaves that were turning yellow, as though the plant was about to start wilting. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Unlike the rest of them who were keeping a safe distance, Zhao Yunxiao was inspecting the flowers from literally next to them. ¡°That¡¯s because I am hiding my presence with essence energy, so they don¡¯t know I am here,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a smile. ¡°I told you that I still know quite a bit about how to handle plants.¡± ¡°The bare minimum maybe.¡± Zhao Yunxiao ignored Gu Qiansi¡¯s snide remark. He stood up and clapped his hands free of dust. ¡°Well then, nothing seems to be out of the ordinary. Now, it¡¯s time satisfy Junior Martial Sister Lu¡¯s curiosity and show her how impressive our boys here look like when they are feeding!¡± The Dangers of Spiritual Plants ¡°Feeding!¡± Lu Zhiying lit up in anticipation. Zhao Yunxiao was right. This was indeed what she had been curious about! These small flowers... just how were they capable of posing a threat to people who were so much bigger than them? ¡°Watch out,¡± Zhao Yunxiao cautioned, he himself taking a step away from the Frozen Spiders. As he said that, Gu Qiansi gently pulled Lu Zhiying further back. Lei Wenzhang and Qing Dian did the same as well. In fact, they stayed at a distance even further away than Gu Qiansi and Lu Zhiying. Seeing that the rest of them had steered clear, Zhao Yunxiao reached into his bamboo backpack once more and pulled out two rabbits. The rabbits remained completely motionless in his hands, either dead or incapacitated. A rabbit in each hand, Zhao Yunxiao carefully placed the two rabbits on the ground at the same time, one nearer to each of the Frozen Spiders. It was a very subtle movement, but the moment Zhao Yunxiao let go of the rabbits, the two flowers trembled slightly. Crack-! From the moment Zhao Yunxiao released the rabbits, up till them disappearing into the ground... everything happened in a matter of seconds. Just like that, silence returned to the garden plot, as though the events from earlier had never happened. The Frozen Spiders continued to sway in the wind, appearing as harmless as ever. But now, Lu Zhiying¡¯s impression of these flower had completely changed. ¡°Looks like they are both eating well at least,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded in satisfaction before turning to Lu Zhiying. ¡°How is it? Satisfied?¡± Lu Zhiying: ¡°...¡± She had felt a chill run down her spine earlier, seeing how easily the two rabbits were seemingly erased from existence. What made it worse was that had she not been told beforehand, Lu Zhiying would never have imagined that those vines from earlier actually came from these two harmless-looking flowers! ¡°Are you all right?¡± Gu Qiansi gently tapped her on the shoulder. ¡°...How strong are their roots?¡± Lu Zhiying finally asked. ¡°Enough to take down numerous people at once,¡± Gu Qiansi said with a smile. ¡°Many people focus on developing means to deal with powerful monsters or spirit beasts when out hunting, but what they fail to realise is that spiritual plants can be even more dangerous at times.¡± ¡°This is how they got their names,¡± Zhao Yunxiao added. ¡°They are called Frozen Spiders because their roots spread out underground like a spiderweb, capable of trapping any unsuspecting prey that is unlucky enough to venture within.¡± Huu-! Lu Zhiying let out a deep breath to calm herself down. Still, it only took a couple of moments before a smile slowly started to creep across her face once more. ¡°Are there a lot more of such dangerous plants?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°There are plenty, many of which are far scarier than Frozen Spiders too.¡± At the same time, he was relieved to see that Lu Zhiying had regained her usual temperament. After seeing Lu Zhiying¡¯s initial response, he had been slightly worried that Lu Zhiying would grow too fearful and lose confidence in herself. That would be akin to a death sentence to any promise of excellence that Lu Zhiying had shown so far. If one were to lose their self-confidence and no longer believe in their own abilities, there was no way they could tread far on the path of cultivation. But it seemed that his worries were unfounded. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. From the looks of it, Lu Zhiying was only getting more excited to encounter such dangerous plants in the future! On second thought, perhaps injecting a bit of fear into her would have been a good thing too, especially if it could help tone down her reckless behaviour a little... ¡°Stop scaring the poor girl! Don¡¯t worry, Junior Martial Sister Lu. I was just as creeped out when I firsrt saw this as well,¡± Qing Bian tried to console Lu Zhiying without having realised the change in her expression. ¡°Things like this are what make me reconsider ever venturing out into the wilds.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just keep staying within the safety of the sect grounds as well,¡± Lei Wenzhang chided. ¡°Venturing out into the wilds might come with its share of dangers, but it also helps to temper both your mind and body. It is necessary if you wish to grow as a cultivator.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m not saying that I won¡¯t ever do it. I already told you that I just want to make sure that I¡¯m fully prepared before actually doing so,¡± Qing Bian answered impatiently. It sounded like this was not the first time they had this conversation. ¡°Is that all? Are you not going to feed them more?¡± Gu Qiansi asked. ¡°No, I¡¯m trying to see if their behaviours will adjust according to the lack of prey,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. ¡°Perhaps they can transition from being carnivorous to simply creating their own food sources like most plants do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just starving them...¡± Gu Qiansi frowned. ¡°If they don¡¯t adapt well, I will feed them more next time,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It was not easy getting my hands on them, so I definitely won¡¯t want them to die on me either.¡± ¡°Are you done here then?¡± Qing Bian asked. ¡°You have confirmed that we have enough prepared to meet the monthly quota, and also checked on your strange monster plants. Is there anything else you would like to check?¡± ¡°So eager to chase me off? Do you have something to hide?¡± Zhao Yunxiao narrowed his eyes at Qing Bian. ¡°Haha, how can that be? It¡¯s just that I have an appointment to go to, and would like to go prepare for it as soon as possible,¡± Qing Bian shrugged. ¡°If you have something on, you can go ahead and leave first,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°I still have something else that I need to do here.¡± ¡°Hmm? Do you have more strange plants to be experimented on?¡± Lei Wenzhang asked. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°So, where are we going next?¡± Lu Zhiying was not ready to rest for the day just yet. ¡°I am thinking of restocking some of my supplies at the Sect Market,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said before turning towards Gu Qiansi. ¡°Are you still going to take a look at your garden plot?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, I have some supplies that I need to get as well, so let¡¯s go together. I will just check on my garden plot tomorrow,¡± Gu Qiansi shook her head. ¡° Visit to the Sect Market ¡°Junior Martial Sister Lu, you have been following your Senior Martial Brother Zhao around for a few days now. Have you come across any sect job that you are interested in joining so far?¡± Gu Qiansi casually asked as they slowly made their way towards the Sect Market. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not sure,¡± Lu Zhiying rubbed her chin in contemplation. ¡°Perhaps the ore mines?¡± ¡°The ore mines?¡± Gu Qiansi was caught by surprise. ¡°That¡¯s a rare choice! May I ask why you are interested in that?¡± Working at the ore mines was known to be hot and tiring. It was not graceful by any measure either. That was why few female disciples actually chose to work at the ore mines. ¡°Well, it seems exciting!¡± Lu Zhiying answered. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi could only look at each other helplessly. They could tell that Lu Zhiying did not truly absorb what they were telling her, but that was all they could do for her anyway. In the end, they could offer their advice but Lu Zhiying would still have to be the one making her own decision. As they walked along, the number of people around them gradually increased. The Sect Market had always been a popular spot within the sect grounds, and for good reason as well. Before long, they had arrived before the grand tower that was the Sect Market. ¡°Wow!¡± Lu Zhiying exclaimed in awe while looking up, trying to search for the top of the tower that was hidden within the clouds. Rather than the exquisite architecture of the Sect Library, Lu Zhiying was far more impressed by the sheer size of the Sect Market! ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get going now,¡± Gu Qiansi chuckled while nudging Lu Zhiying along. ¡°There are far more things inside for you to be impressed about.¡± ¡° Zhao Yunxiao looked at them and could not help but smile as a familiar scene came to mind. Despite the years that had passed, it felt like just yesterday when he first brought Gu Qiansi to the Sect Market. Back then, Gu Qiansi had a similar look of awe on her face as well. In fact, she fared far worse than Lu Zhiying and could hardly keep her mouth closed. How long has it been since then? Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Du Cuishan ¨C inner disciple of the Black Tortoise Sect. Is He a Wolf Too? Du Cuishan looked like a young man in his mid twenties, with small narrow eyes that others could hardly tell if they were opened or closed. Though they were all inner disciples, Du Cuishan was unlike Huo Bubai and Liu Murou¡¯s group that was dressed to the nines. Instead, he donned a simple white robe that made him look neat and presentable. There was also a sincere air about him that made others feel naturally comfortable. Zhao Yunxiao never had any personal interactions with Du Cuishan in the past, but he had definitely heard of the inner disciple. Du Cuishan was widely known as a regular at the Sect Market. To put it nicely, he was a great businessman who knew his stuff, possessing a keen eye that had helped him identify numerous gems that were hidden among trash. But the confusing thing was that he does make regular trades at reasonable prices sometimes, making it difficult for others to tell when he was being sincere and truthful about his offers, or when he was trying to make a killing. All in all, those who knew their stuff would find it pleasant working with him since he had access to a great network from where he could both obtain and offload items at great prices. ¡°Greetings, Senior Martial Brother Du,¡± Zhao Yunxiao was the first to respond. ¡°Greetings, Senior Martial Brother Du,¡± the two young ladies quickly added. ¡°May I know if there is anything we can do for you?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked with a smile. ¡°Hahaha, do I need to have something done before I can come talk to my beloved junior martial disciples?¡± Du Cuishan said with a laugh. ¡°Junior Martial Brother Zhao, we are all part of the same big family, so I just wanted to let you know that if you have anything you need in the future, you can feel free to approach me.¡± ¡°We appreciate the offer. That will help a lot,¡± Zhao Yunxiao expressed his gratitude with clasped fists. At the same time, he noted that Du Cuishan had already done his research on them beforehand. Some might feel flattered by the fact that an unfamiliar inner disciple knew them by name, but not Zhao Yunxiao. He understood his own capabilities. There was simply no reason for someone like Du Cuishan to be curious about him for no specific reason. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, don¡¯t mention it. I¡¯m more than happy to be of help to my fellow disciples!¡± Du Cuishan patted Zhao Yunxiao on the shoulder. ¡°That said, is there anything in particular that you are looking for? I happen to know my way around here quite well, so perhaps I can be of help. I might even be able to get you guys some discount!¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior Martial Brother Du, but I have already purchased the things I need,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said before turning towards Gu Qiansi. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I am done as well,¡± Gu Qiansi replied with a smile. They were not. However, they also understood that Du Cuishan was not truly here for them. If they were to accept his help today, it would be akin to owing him a favour ¨C a favour that Lu Zhiying might have to return in the future. ¡°So that¡¯s the case. It¡¯s good that you have managed to find all the things you need!¡± Du Cuishan smiled before turning to Lu Zhiying. ¡°How about you, Junior Martial Sister Lu? Is there anything that you have taken a liking to? If there is anything like that, feel free to let me know. In fact, if it is not too expensive, I can even consider buying it for you as a welcome gift on behalf of my fellow sect members!¡± ¡° By now, Zhao Yunxiao had learnt enough about Lu Zhiying to believe that she was not nearly as naive as she seemed. Instead, he felt like she had been cleverly using her immunity status as a supposedly young and oblivious newcomer to get away with throwing subtle insults left and right! ¡°...What might she mean by wolf, Junior Martial Sister Gu?¡± Du Cuishan asked weakly, his calm disposition clearly impacted by what he heard. ¡°This...¡± Gu Qiansi felt the corner of her lips twitch. What could she possibly say in this situation? ¡°My apologies,¡± Zhao Yunxiao interjected at this point. ¡°Junior Martial Sister Lu¡¯s train of thoughts are a little special, so we have a hard time catching on as well. That said, we have somewhere that we need to be right now, so we would have to get going. Once again, thank you for reaching out, Senior Martial Brother Du. We really appreciate it.¡± ¡°S-Sure,¡± Du Cuishan could only agree. He, too, was at a loss for words. In fact, he did not even know if he wanted to hear the answer to his previous question. He was not sure if it would indeed be the case, but how should he react if the answer turned out to be exactly what he thought it was? Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. A wolf? Him? There were instances when people had called him a fox or a snake, but he had never been called a wolf in his entire life! Since Zhao Yunxiao gave everyone a way out, Du Cuishan would naturally take it. At the very least, he had established a first point of contact. Even though the outcome of this first contact did not exactly go according to plan, there would definitely be more opportunities in the future to build the relationship further. After all, as long as he was given enough time, he was a flexible man who could think of solutions to any unexpected situations! ¡°We will get going then, Senior Martial Brother Du,¡± Zhao Yunxiao respectfully clasped his fists at him once more. ¡°Farewell.¡± ¡°Farewell, Senior Martial Brother Du,¡± Gu Qiansi added. ¡°Farewell and see you again soon, Senior Martial Brother Du!¡± Lu Zhiying added with a bright smile. ¡°F-Farewell...¡± Du Cuishan answered in a confused manner before watching the trio walk away. However, Lu Zhiying¡¯s excited manner of bidding him farewell only served to confuse him further. So in the end, did he leave a good impression on Lu Zhiying or did he not? Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group left the area immediately after. Since they had used a separate appointment as an excuse to take their leave, they naturally could not afford to stay around. Then again, they were starting to get uncomfortable from all the attention that they were getting, so they would not have wanted to stay much longer even without having had that encounter with Du Cuishan. With no other choice, the group could only get the rest of their supplies through direct purchases from the Sect Market before making their way back to their residences. The area for direct market purchases was far more organised than the one for free trade. Just like how it was like when Zhao Yunxiao sold the nightspirit rat carcasses, the group queued to enter separate rooms, where they simply told the staff what they wanted to buy. After confirming the goods and prices, they left as satisfied customers. The entire process was clean and swift, much simpler than having to scour through rows and rows of shops in the area for free trade. The only downside being that the prices were slightly higher in general. Of course, there was still an entire list of items that one had to go through if they wanted to find items that suited their needs, but that was unnecessary for both Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi who were already clear about what they wanted to buy. ¡°Is that Senior Martial Brother Du a bad person?¡± Lu Zhiying asked as they were making their way back to the Outer Disciples¡¯ Quarters. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that, but you should always be wary about others when they make offers that seem too good to be true,¡± Gu Qiansi explained. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Junior Martial Sister Lu, you can come with me tomorrow then. I will introduce you to some of our fellow sect members,¡± Gu Qiansi offered. ¡° ¡°Sure, I will bring you to the Sect Library first thing tomorrow morning,¡± Gu Qiansi said with a smile. ¡°I will go look for you guys if I am back early,¡± Zhao Yunxiao added. ¡°Maybe I will bring you see someone in the evening as well, Junior Martial Sister Lu.¡± ¡°Oh? Who are you thinking of?¡± Gu Qiansi asked. ¡°I thought of someone who might be suitable to teach our little junior martial sister some dance skills,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered with a smile. ¡°Right! Let¡¯s do that then!¡± Lu Zhiying nodded excitedly. Having decided on their plans for the next day, the group returned to their respective residences to retire for the night. Hunting Trip Nevertheless, anything was possible in Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s imaginary world of light. What mattered was whether he could fully absorb what he learnt here and eventually translate this to reality, but that was a problem for another day. The female silhouette went at the male silhouette again and again, changing up her style every time she approached in a bid to find an opening in the male silhouette¡¯s defence. In response, the male silhouette continued to refine his moves, sending the female silhouette flying repeatedly with moves that also continued to evolve and adapt. Soon, the male silhouette¡¯s responses started changing up as well. From kicks to punches. From punches to evasive manoeuvres. Zhao Yunxiao took everything to heart, making a mental note of everything that worked and everything that did not, as well as all the reasons why. Slowly but surely, the night deepened, and so did Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s understanding of the moves in his arsenal... *** At the break of dawn, Zhao Yunxiao slowly opened his eyes while letting out a long deep breath. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. While the entire Purple Plum Mountain was largely considered to be under the jurisdiction of the Black Tortoise Sect, the fact was that it only occupied a small portion of the entire Purple Plum Mountain. Even before entering the region, Zhao Yunxiao started tapping on his dantian to cover himself in a shroud of essence energy ¨C just like how he had hidden himself from the Frozen Spiders back at his garden plot. Like a Rat Bleat-! The silver spotted grand deer cried out in pain as it staggered to the side. Unfortunately, its fate was sealed. Pierce-! Pierce-! Pierce-! Three more daggers arrived in quick succession, all of them finding their way into its neck with terrifying precision. Blood spurted out from its four wounds, and yet the silver spotted grand deer refused to fall. Still, that was all it could do. At this point, it could no longer muster enough strength to escape. It was then that Zhao Yunxiao finally showed himself. Zhao Yunxiao leapt out from the treetop with his halberd raised, smashing down in a strike devoid of mercy. This was the final nail in the coffin. When the mighty halberd landed upon the back of the silver spotted grand deer¡¯s neck, its four legs finally gave way, causing it to crash to the ground. Even with that last strike, Zhao Yunxiao had made sure to approach from behind the deer monster to avoid any complications whatsoever. This meant that from start to finish, the majestic silver spotted grand deer never caught a single glimpse of its attacker. It was a monster known for its unstoppable charge. But what good was that if there was no target to charge at? Zhao Yunxiao ended its suffering with a dagger before letting out a smile of satisfaction as he thought back on the entire process. Every strike, be it the daggers or the halberd at the end, was imbued with just the right amount of essence energy, allowing them to pierce the thick hide of the silver spotted grand deer with the least amount of effort. It was a clean kill. In fact, there were a few other moments prior to this when he could have acted as well, but he chose not to take those chances as the conditions were not as ideal as he would have liked. The kill would likely still have happened, but the process might not be as straightforward. Looking at the current result, Zhao Yunxiao could not be more satisfied with his decision to wait. He casually retrieved the daggers and cleaned them in the stream before keeping them away. Next, he carefully treated the wounds of the deer with powder to mask the scent of blood. Finally, he lifted the deer that was more than twice his weight, and quickly made his way back to his pushcart. The carcass of the silver spotted grand deer might not be as valuable as that of nightspirit rats due to how common it was, but it was still potential sect points nevertheless. Even though Zhao Yunxiao was doing this mainly to hone his hunting skills, that did not mean he was ready to let anything of value go to waste. This was the life of an outer disciple ¨C every sect point mattered! It did not take long before Zhao Yunxiao had hidden the deer monster¡¯s carcass on his pushcart and returned to exploring the wilderness. His next prey was a salamander monster ¨C one that roamed the forest preying on large animals. After spotting it from afar, Zhao Yunxiao secretly tailed it for more than an hour before finding the right chance to act. At the very moment when the salamander monster let its guard down after successfully catching a wild boar, Zhao Yunxiao struck. The salamander monster¡¯s hide was far thicker than that of the silver spotted grand deer, but its agility fell behind. Faced with a monster like that, Zhao Yunxiao no longer resorted to his throwing daggers. Instead, he leapt onto it from behind, punching his halberd directly into the back of its neck. After putting away the salamander monster, Zhao Yunxiao once again began to move through the mountain forest while remaining as undetectable as possible. Screech-! Screeeeeeech-! The desperate cries of a bird resounded through the mountain forest, reaching Zhao Yunxiao from a distance away. Hmm? Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s curiosity was piqued by this, and decided to make his way towards it, albeit in a careful manner. He jumped from tree to tree as he approached, but chose to drastically slow down his pace once he realised that he was getting closer to the source of the cries. There were all sorts of monsters and spirit beasts out there, and Zhao Yunxiao could not say that he knew even half of them. The last thing he wanted was to fall for a trap that was disguised in the form of desperate bird cries. Zhao Yunxiao checked his surroundings with extra care, making sure that it was safe before taking each step. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° With that, the young man grabbed the hilt of his sword with both hands, giving his sword a hard push and thereby sending the giant tree ostrich flying backwards. That alone was not enough to deter the giant tree ostrich. With a few flaps of its wings, the giant tree ostrich stopped itself in mid air before diving back down towards the young man. This time, the young man did not answer directly with his sword. He dodged to the side, causing the giant tree ostrich¡¯s talons to miss entirely. Not only that, but with its talons grabbing nothing but air, the giant tree ostrich was left wide open as the young man slashed out from beside it. Screech-! The giant tree ostrich was fearless as it pecked towards the oncoming sword. Bang-! Its beak was a weapon in its own right, stopping the young man¡¯s sword slash in its track. ¡°Hahaha! How tough!¡± the young man laughed despite his failure to end things. However, he did not rush into attacking again, choosing to leap backwards to create some distance instead. Screech-! The giant tree ostrich cried in anger, while a few streaks of blood started to flow from its body. While its body was extremely tough, the young man¡¯s sword was not to be trifled with either. The two exchanges from before had resulted in cuts appearing on its body each time, drawing blood from both its talons and its beak. ¡°This isn¡¯t looking good for you, little birdy,¡± the young man said while swinging his sword around in a casual manner. Unlike the enraged giant tree ostrich, the young man seemed to be really enjoying the moment. Seeing this, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but be reminded of a particular junior martial sister he knew. Screech-! The trapped giant tree ostrich cried out, triggering the other to charge forward once more. ¡° In its current state, there was simply no way for it to react fast enough to block the young man¡¯s next attack. Slash-! Blood spurt out like a fountain as the young man¡¯s sword cut right into the giant tree ostrich¡¯s neck. While the blade did not manage to severe the giant tree ostrich¡¯s head in one go, it still cut halfway through it, more than enough to end its life in an instant. Screech-! The trapped giant tree ostrich cried in rage, but to no avail. What¡¯s done was done. No matter how much it cried, it could not change the fact that the other giant tree ostrich was already gone from this world. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you are next,¡± the young man turned away from the dead giant tree ostrich to face the one that was still chained to the tree. This time, the giant tree ostrich cowered a little upon matching gazes with the young man. It would appear that seeing its companion die to the young man was enough to strike some level of fear into its heart. Still, the ability to feel fear did nothing to alter its eventual fate. With one of its talons chained to a tree, it stood absolutely no chance against the young man. The young man took it down with relative ease, much quicker than when he dealt with the other giant tree ostrich. It did not take long before the young man was standing between two giant tree ostrich carcasses, using a stained cloth to wipe the blood off of his blade in a skilful manner. ¡°All done! Now then...¡± the young man said coldly as he suddenly glanced in Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s direction. ¡°Isn¡¯t it about time you stop hiding like a damn rat?¡± Crimson Sword Cheng Kai Zhao Yunxiao let out a wry smile. He had always been rather confident with his hiding abilities, but it would appear that it was still not good enough to hide from this young man. Since he had already been discovered, there was no longer any point in pretending otherwise. Zhao Yunxiao obediently leapt down from the tree, and slowly made his way over towards the young man. ¡°Greetings, Senior Martial Brother Cheng,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clasped his fists towards the young man as he got nearer. ¡°What do you mean senior martial brother? Do I know you?¡± the young man frowned. ¡°We have never met, but as your junior from the Black Tortoise Sect, I naturally have to address you as a senior,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. ¡°You are from the Black Tortoise Sect as well?¡± the young man scanned Zhao Yunxiao from head to toe. ¡°Prove it.¡± ¡°Here is my disciple token,¡± Zhao Yunxiao promptly brought out his disciple token. Upon seeing the disciple token in Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s hand, the cold stare in the young man¡¯s eyes quickly turned into one of disappointment instead. ¡°Damn, so it¡¯s a fellow disciple...¡± the young man cursed under his breath. Zhao Yunxiao felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this. Thank the heavens that he did not forget to bring along his disciple token today! Had he been unable to prove that he was a member of the Black Tortoise Sect, who knew if he would even be able to make it back to the sect in one piece tonight! ¡°So tell me, since we have never met, how do you know who I am?¡± the young man finally asked with a sigh. ¡°I might not know many inner disciples, but it is impossible not to have heard of your name, Senior Martial Brother Cheng,¡± Zhao Yunxiao quickly answered. ¡°Crimson Sword ¨C that moniker brings pride to us all while striking fear in the hearts of enemies. After all, everyone knows that you are invincible at your cultivation level. It is an honour for me to greet you like this today, Senior Martial Brother Cheng.¡± That spectacular individual combat strength of his was a big part of the reason why. Ever since he embarked on the cultivation path, Cheng Kai had yet to lose a single battle against anyone at the same cultivation level or lower. This not only made him renowned within the inner sect, but also made him a fearsome symbol that other factions had come to be wary of. With him being valued by the upper echelons of the sect, his future was limitless, and everyone naturally avoided offending him. However, most people did not only want to avoid offending him, but they wanted to avoid him altogether! That was because apart from his fearsome combat capabilities, Cheng Kai was also well known as an avid lover of hunts and battles. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Then again, that led Zhao Yunxiao to think about the second question that he had intended to ask Cheng Kai. Giant Tree Ostrich Nest Zhao Yunxiao had made up his mind by now. After making sure that Cheng Kai had indeed left, he began to look around for tracks left behind by the giant tree ostriches. Thankfully, Zhao Yunxiao already knew that these monsters enjoyed living in the trees, so that severely narrowed down the areas that he had to search, making things much easier. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Spiritual energy gushed out from the nest like a tide, just like lava erupting escaping the mouth of an erupting volcano. The sudden emergence of so much spiritual energy not only rustled the branches and leaves, but even the trees in the direct vicinity swayed along, as though they were performing a welcome dance for the arrival of precious spiritual nourishment. However, collecting the darkpetal lily was not as simple a task. Its roots had already started growing into the bottom of the nest, so removing it without damaging the roots was a tricky matter. Zhao Yunxiao could slowly pick away at the nest to free the roots of the darkpetal lily, but he simply did not have the luxury of time to do so right now. Without hesitation, Zhao Yunxiao brought out a dagger and started tearing away at the nest, cutting it into pieces. Since he did not have the time to separate the darkpetal lily from the nest, he simply had to bring the nest with him! That said, there was no need to bring along the entire nest either. That would not only be unnecessary, but the bulky nest would also impede his ability to remain stealthy while travelling through the forest. Instead, all he needed was the bottom part of the nest where the darkpetal lily had secured itself to. The giant tree ostrich¡¯s nest was large and sturdy, but its walls were still nowhere near strong enough to survive an essence energy imbued attack by a cultivator. Once he was left with only the bottom part of the nest, Zhao Yunxiao carefully placed it, along with the attached darkpetal lily, into his bamboo backpack as well. Now that he had already obtained everything that he needed, Zhao Yunxiao did not dare linger and quickly left the area. He had absolutely no intention to wait and see which creatures would be drawn to this spot by the sudden emergence of spiritual energy earlier. In fact, he no longer had any intentions to continue with the rest of day¡¯s hunt as well. This was an unexpectedly huge reward that he was carrying in his backpack right now. He could always try to hide it with his pushcart and continue with his hunt just like what he did with his previous preys. But if it were to end up going missing, he was definitely going to feel like stabbing himself for the stupidity! Being on Purple Plum Mountain where most were members of the Black Tortoise Sect, he would need to be quite unlucky to have someone discover his hidden pushcart and decide to raid it as well. However, he was not intending to take chances here. Zhao Yunxiao always believed in preparing for the worst, and the worst outcome this time was definitely not something that his tender little heart could bear! Difference in Enthusiasm Level After recovering his pushcart as well as dismantling the traps and concealing array around it, Zhao Yunxiao happily made his way back to the sect grounds. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Oh right! Did you guys hear that just a few days ago, Deng Wei and Leng Huiqi went on a hunt together?¡± ¡°I heard! That Deng Wei has been going around telling everyone about how he impressed Leng Huiqi. What a braggart!¡± ¡°Oh, I heard him mention that at the Sect Library a few days ago too!¡± Lu Zhiying chimed in. ¡°But isn¡¯t that a good thing? It¡¯s nice that they enjoyed each other¡¯s company.¡± Gu Qiansi raised an eyebrow in surprise. She had never heard of this matter, and yet Lu Zhiying already knew of it? ¡°He even went to tell that to the sect librarians? Does he really want the whole world to know?¡± ¡°Did you forget that he is following Elder Mo? It is only natural that he goes to the Sect Library often. But I really wonder what Leng Huiqi sees in him. His lecherous side comes out every time he sees a pretty girl!¡± ¡°Then again, it¡¯s not like Leng Huiqi is a noble one either. Her ego is no joke! Like Junior Martial Sister Lu said, maybe it¡¯s a good thing that the two of them get together after all. This way, they can stoke each other¡¯s ego in private every day instead of making others do it for them!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Not too bad!¡± Zhao Yunxiao remarked with a grin as he pulled back and kept away the dagger in his hand. ¡°I can react to this level of sneak attack anytime, any day,¡± Gu Qiansi smirked while keeping away her dagger too. ¡°We shall see about that,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged before turning to the three young ladies remaining on the mat. ¡°Greetings, Senior Martial Sister Chang, Senior Martial Sister Luo.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The only difference was that one was filled with anticipation, while the other was filled with impatience. This is Not What I Meant! ¡°Enough with the suspense, Senior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Lu Zhiying complained. ¡°Tell us what it is already!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. What is so important that you have to interrupt our precious picnic?¡± Gu Qiansi questioned. ¡°Precious picnic? You will understand how meaningless that picnic of yours really is once you see what I am about to show you!¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied in a confident manner. Zhao Yunxiao had brought them to a quiet pavilion nearby, only choosing to enter after making sure that there was nobody else around. ¡°So what is it?¡± Gu Qiansi was starting to lose her patience. At the same time, her curiosity began to grow as well. She knew Zhao Yunxiao well enough. For him to be this secretive, what he was about to show them must be something good indeed! Otherwise, this scrooge would not be so worried about others finding out about it. ¡°Don¡¯t blink!¡± Zhao Yunxiao opened up his bamboo backpack and pulled out an egg that was just slightly bigger than his hand. ¡°This is... an egg?¡± Lu Zhiying furrowed her brows with disappointment written all over her face. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Stop acting mysterious and say it already. What kind of egg is this?¡± Gu Qiansi asked. ¡°Giant tree ostrich. A monster at the peak of the Essence Physique realm!¡± Zhao Yunxiao announced with pride. ¡°Essence Physique?¡± Gu Qiansi widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°How did you manage to get this?¡± ¡°I managed to get it while hunting in the wilds just now,¡± Zhao Yunxiao brushed his nose with his thumb. ¡°Aren¡¯t I impressive?¡± ¡°Is it rare?¡± Lu Zhiying turned her attention back to the egg after noticing the duo¡¯s responses, but she still could not see anything special about it. ¡°The egg of an Essence Physique realm monster is quite valuable indeed, especially one at the peak of that level,¡± Gu Qiansi commented while picking up the egg to observe it carefully. ¡°Are you sure this is real though?¡± ¡°Of course, I personally retrieved it from the nest. There¡¯s no doubt about it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°How is it? Interested now?¡± ¡°I guess I can make an exception this time...¡± Gu Qiansi said reluctantly. ¡°Heh, I knew you will be interested,¡± Zhao Yunxiao grinned. ¡°There¡¯s no rush though. It¡¯s not like the eggs are going to run away.¡± ¡°Wait... eggs?¡± Gu Qiansi looked at Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°You have more than one?¡± ¡°Ten,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered frankly. ¡°So don¡¯t worry and go ham on the recipe.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Gu Qiansi let out an excited grin as well. ¡°I will make the most delicious egg dish you have ever tasted in your life!¡± ¡°I want in on it too! Please, Senior Martial Sister Gu, Senior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Lu Zhiying raised her hand. ¡°Of course we won¡¯t leave you out of this,¡± Gu Qiansi smiled while patting her lightly on the head. ¡°Like I said, there¡¯s no rush. So take your time coming up with the best recipe possible. The last thing we want is for this precious ingredient to go to waste!¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°In the meantime, I will be bringing you to see someone who might be able to teach you in the art of dance, Junior Martial Sister Lu. Or do you want to come along as well?¡± ¡°That depends on who you are going to see,¡± Gu Qiansi said. ¡°Senior Martial Sister Leng Huiqi,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°No matter how I think about it, she seems to be the most suitable person.¡± ¡°Leng Huiqi...?¡± Gu Qiansi felt the corner of her lips twitch as she turned to look at Lu Zhiying. They had just been badmouthing Leng Huiqi during the picnic earlier, and now Zhao Yunxiao was going to bring Lu Zhiying to learn from her? What bad timing! ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked after seeing the look on her face. ¡°Are you all right with this?¡± Gu Qiansi directed the question to Lu Zhiying instead. ¡°Why will I not be?¡± Lu Zhiying tilted her head in confusion. ¡°That¡¯s... good to hear,¡± Gu Qiansi forced a smile. She did not know if Lu Zhiying cared not about rumours, or if she had simply not paid attention to the conversation earlier. Either way, it was good that Lu Zhiying was not against this arrangement. ¡°So are you coming along?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked again. ¡°I think I will give it a pass,¡± Gu Qiansi shook her head. ¡°Instead, I will go read up on giant tree ostriches to find out how best to prepare their eggs. Hopefully I will have the recipe decided by the time you return!¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Sounds good,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded in approval. ¡°Why go through all that trouble though?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡°Can¡¯t we just ask the canteen chefs to cook the eggs for us? That way, Senior Martial Gu can come along with us too.¡± ¡°What a silly question. Precious ingredients have to be kept among ourselves, of course!¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered matter-of-factly. ¡°In addition, it is definitely better to have Gu Qiansi cook for us instead. There might not be much that¡¯s good about her, but I have to admit that her culinary skills are definitely more than decent, much better than those chefs at the canteen!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lu Zhiying turned towards Gu Qiansi in surprise. ¡°I will be looking forward to it then, Senior Martial Sister Gu!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up. You can judge for yourself later,¡± Gu Qiansi said in response, though one could see that the corner of her lips was slowly curling up in pride. ¡°That¡¯s decided then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clapped his hands together in conclusion. ¡°Let¡¯s get going!¡± With that, the group split up and left in two different directions ¨C Gu Qiansi headed to the Sect Library to look up on giant tree ostriches while Zhao Yunxiao and Lu Zhiying went to look for Leng Huiqi. As for where to find Leng Huiqi, Zhao Yunxiao had a fairly good idea. Before long, the duo found themselves standing before a huge door. ¡°Repeat what I said earlier,¡± Zhao Yunxiao instructed. ¡°Again?!¡± Lu Zhiying whined in exasperation. ¡°This is already the eleventh time that you are making me do that, Senior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± ¡°One last time,¡± Zhao Yunxiao promised. ¡°All right...¡± Lu Zhiying had no choice but to acede to his request. ¡°Senior Martial Sister Leng is someone who loves to feel important, so remember to be very respectful to her at all times. I got it already!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Make sure you remember that,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. But at the same time, he could not help but feel slightly worried about this junior martial sister of his. She was very intelligent, but she could also act rather recklessly at times. Still, for the sake of the upcoming performance, this was probably the best option! ¡° Su Ruining,¡± the young lady returned the greeting. ¡°I am from the Frost Lotus Dance Troupe. May I know what the reason for your visit is?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°It¡¯s you, Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Leng Huiqi revealed a look of surprise. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°What a coincidence, Senior Martial Sister Leng! I didn¡¯t think you would be here as well!¡± Zhao Yunxiao widened his eyes in astonishment as well. ¡°Is it someone you know, Senior Martial Sister Leng?¡± Su Ruining asked. ¡°Yes, we are acquainted,¡± Leng Huiqi nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll take it from here. Go back to your practice.¡± ¡°Understood, Senior Martial Sister Leng,¡± Su Ruining did as she was told, obediently heading back into the house. Leng Huiqi narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°Be truthful here, Junior Martial Brother Zhao. Is this really a coincidence?¡± ¡°Haha, Senior Martial Sister Leng is as sharp as always. Nothing can escape your eyes,¡± Zhao Yunxiao scratched his cheek with an awkward smile. ¡°I¡¯m here to look for you indeed, Senior Martial Sister Leng.¡± ¡°Looking for me?¡± Leng Huiqi asked again. ¡°Why? And how did you know that I am here?¡± ¡°Senior Martial Sister Leng is simply too eye-catching. Wherever you go, people are bound to notice,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said helplessly. ¡°I heard others saying that Senior Martial Sister Leng visits the Frost Lotus Dance Troupe on this day every week, so I took the liberty to come look for you here. I hope it isn¡¯t too presumptuous of me.¡± The Frost Lotus Dance Troupe was a performance group founded and led by Leng Huiqi. When compared to the Flying Shell Performance Group, its scale was on a whole nother level. Unlike the Flying Shell Performance which only had five members, there were dozens of members in the Frost Lotus Dance Troupe, comprising both outer and inner disciples. ¡°So you have been wasting your time listening to all sorts of gossips instead of properly cultivating. This is why your cultivation isn¡¯t improving fast enough!¡± Leng Huiqi chided. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° At the same time, Zhao Yunxiao forced himself to take a deep breath. I might have kept reminding you to be respectful earlier, but this is definitely not what I meant by that! The Easier, The Better! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. It would not be an exaggeration to say that these were extremely precious clothes that Zhao Yunxiao would never be able to afford in his entire life! ¡°Come on in and wait then,¡± Leng Huiqi beckoned before stepping back in, though she quickly paused and looked back towards Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Wait, where do you think you are going?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Zhao Yunxiao blinked blankly out of surprise. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell us to go in and wait?¡± ¡°I meant Junior Martial Sister Lu, not you,¡± Leng Huiqi rolled her eyes. ¡°I said I will be teaching her. Did I say anything about teaching you?¡± ¡°No...?¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered hesitantly. ¡°But I was not intending to learn either. I just thought that I¡¯d stay and watch how Junior Martial Sister Lu does.¡± ¡°If you are not the one learning, then why are you staying to watch?¡± Leng Huiqi let out a laugh in disbelief. ¡°What? You think just anyone can go in to watch the Frost Lotus Dance Troupe and I dance? The world doesn¡¯t work like that!¡± ¡°This...¡± Zhao Yunxiao looked over at Lu Zhiying. ¡°Will you be all right alone?¡± ¡°Are you worried that I would eat her up or something?¡± Leng Huiqi shot a glare towards Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Of course not, Senior Martial Sister Leng is known for your generosity and magnanimity, so why would I ever think that way?¡± Zhao Yunxiao hurriedly tried to appease her. ¡°I am actually more worried about Junior Martial Sister Lu offending you because she is still unfamiliar with the sect¡¯s customs.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± Gu Qiansi asked without lifting her head from the scroll in her hands. ¡°How did things go with Senior Martial Sister Leng?¡± ¡°It went well, and Junior Martial Sister Lu is learning from her right now,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what time they will be ending, but I doubt they will take very long considering how late it is.¡± ¡°Sounds like it went well then,¡± Gu Qiansi said with a tinge of relief. ¡°We will only really know when she gets back. You can ask her more about how it went then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°How¡¯s it going on your end?¡± ¡°I already have a pretty good idea on how to prepare them. Now, I¡¯m just trying to look through other scrolls to see if there are any better options,¡± Gu Qiansi answered. ¡° ¡° ¡° Perks of Hunting Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi did not spend too much time at the Sect Library, leaving right after Gu Qiansi was satisfied with the amount of information that she had collected. Having already decided on the recipe, Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi split up after leaving the Sect Library. Gu Qiansi returned to her residence to collect the condiments she had on hand, while Zhao Yunxiao made a quick trip to the Sect Market to purchase anything extra that Gu Qiansi needed. It was a rare opportunity to feast on eggs of a creature at the peak of the Essence Physique realm, so they were not going to spare any effort in making sure that it turned out well! By the time the duo met back at Lightwind Pavilion, the sky was already dark. From then on, it was Gu Qiansi¡¯s turn to work her magic. Zhao Yunxiao might have a rather decent level of culinary skills himself, but he had no choice but to admit defeat in the face of Gu Qiansi. Because of that, Zhao Yunxiao knew better than to butt in during the preparation of ingredients. Instead, he volunteered to start a fire in the wide clearing beside the pavilion. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°And did she agree?¡± Zhao Yunxiao quickly added. ¡°Yes! Luckily, she did!¡± Lu Zhiying nodded excitedly. ¡°Now I am a little more confident about the upcoming performance!¡± Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi instinctively exchanged glances and realised that they were thinking the same thing. If given a choice, neither of them would be willing to go through the mental stress of having to face Leng Huiqi every single day, even if it meant being able to deliver a better performance! But since their junior martial sister seemed more than willing to do so, they naturally would not stop her. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Zhao Yunxiao smiled awkwardly. ¡°But don¡¯t force yourself to continue if things get difficult. It is just a performance after all.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Senior Martial Brother Zhao. On the contrary, it¡¯s actually really fun!¡± Lu Zhiying beamed. ¡°Right...¡± ¡°Enough talk, the food is almost ready so get ready to feast!¡± Gu Qiansi¡¯s words drew their attention right in. ¡° The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° That¡¯s right, but I won¡¯t recommend that you join it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°After all, disciples at your cultivation level will only be in charge of preparing equipment due to the dangers of going out for actual hunting.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Maybe he should not be sharing these giant tree ostrich eggs with these ingrates after all. That will show them the true meaning of always keeping things for himself! Not a Bed of Roses ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao nodded. As expected of Lu Zhiying. Though excitement was a given, most others would also be worried about the outcome from the formation of their spiritual meridian root. Spiritual meridian roots were categorised into three main types ¨C namely regular, true, and golden ¨C in ascending order of quality. The type of spiritual meridian root corresponded to the type of spiritual meridians that would be formed eventually, meaning that a regular spiritual meridian root will only form regular spiritual meridians. Most people would end up forming regular spiritual meridians, while the rare few who managed to form true meridians stood a chance to eventually reach the Transcendent realm. Of course, standing a chance and actually being able to convert that chance into reality were two entirely different things altogether, but having that possibility was definitely way better than not having it in the first place. As for those who managed to form golden meridians, such people were fewer than few, but each of them was destined for greatness on the path of cultivation. Since the type of spiritual meridian root had such a great influence on a cultivator¡¯s future, how could people not worry about it? That said, perhaps someone as talented as Lu Zhiying truly did not have much to worry about. ¡°It¡¯s good that you don¡¯t seem nervous at all. Just maintain that calm mentality and do your best. You should be fine then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao advised. ¡°What about your sect job? Have you decided on it yet?¡± ¡°That I haven¡¯t decided. I shall think about it tonight!¡± Lu Zhiying said between mouthfuls of food. ¡°Might as well. I will be bringing you to the Medicine Pavilion today, so you can take a look there too,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°What about you, Gu Qiansi? What will you be doing today?¡± ¡°I will be going back to my garden plot.¡± ¡°Again? Are you still not done fixing it after so many days?¡± Zhao Yunxiao frowned. ¡°We are done fixing up our individual sections, but in order to prevent the same thing from happening again, we are setting up defensive barriers around the entire plot,¡± Gu Qiansi explained. ¡°Oh? Do let me know if you have any leftover materials. I would love to take anything to use it for my own plot too,¡± Zhao Yunxiao remarked. ¡°Dream on, we purchased just enough after planning everything out,¡± Gu Qiansi rolled her eyes. ¡°Get your own materials instead of leeching on others if you want to do the same!¡± ¡°I was just saying, you don¡¯t have to be so harsh...¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged nonchalantly. The trio finished up their meals and left separately, with Zhao Yunxiao bringing Lu Zhiying where he was scheduled to work today. Medicine Pavilion ¨C the central hub for all disciples who wished to embark on the path of healing, as well as for those who sought their assistance. The pavilion itself was neither as grand as the Sect Market nor as exquisite as the Sect Library. However, it did exude an aura of calmness and serenity, feeling almost like a place of worship. The three storey tall pavilion was separated into two main areas. The first storey was the consultation area, where others could seek help from the physicians of the pavilion. There was even a separate section where those who were severely injured could stay and rest under the observation of the duty physicians. Then there was the research area on the second storey that was reserved purely for the members of the Medicine Pavilion. This was where they usually performed experiments and conducted either debates or lessons on medical methods. To cater to everyone¡¯s needs, there was both a public section for open discussions and experiments, as well as a private section where disciples could do so in absolute privacy. When Zhao Yunxiao and Lu Zhiying entered the pavilion, they were greeted with a familiar face. ¡°You are here, Senior Martial Brother Zhao. Oh, Junior Martial Sister Lu is here as well. Welcome!¡± Huang An¡¯s soft voice did not sound excited whatsoever despite the look on her face. ¡°Senior Martial Sister Huang! You are here too!¡± Lu Zhiying waved. This was the second time that she was meeting Huang An. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. The first time was three days ago when they met at the Lightwind Pavilion. Back then, Lu Zhiying had been completely enamoured with Huang An¡¯s exquisite zither skills. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Upon receiving his permission, Zhao Yunxiao led Lu Zhiying back down where he showed her around both the research and consultation areas. As the duty disciples arrived one by one and started settling into their work, Lu Zhiying began to realise that there was a stark difference in certain disciples¡¯ behaviours. ¡°Why aren¡¯t those people doing anything to help?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. It was still rather early, but there had already been a few disciples who visited for consultation purposes, all of them seeking to be treated for one ailment or another. The duty disciples took turns attending to them, including Huang An and Zhao Yunxiao with Lu Zhiying in tow. However, there was a group of disciples who never bothered attending to these consultations, merely sticking to themselves and focusing on their research and discussions. ¡°Shh, don¡¯t say that so loudly!¡± Zhao Yunxiao quickly hushed. ¡°In the Medicine Pavilion, outer disciples are in charge of treating light injuries and ailments while inner disciples are in charge of more severe cases. Those senior martial brothers and sister that you are talking about are all inner disciples. Since there hasn¡¯t been any severe cases today, they are naturally not expected to take action.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Lu Zhiying was obviously not satisfied with that answer. Zhao Yunxiao realised that as well, but decided not to convince her any further. The more they talked about this, the higher the chances of being overheard by the inner disciples. And needless to be said, nobody liked to be talked about behind their backs! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The Importer After hearing from the patients with lighter injuries, the administrative deacon Jin Shang managed to gather more information about the demon responsible for this incident. From there, Jin Shang formed a rough conjecture on the nature of the demon and personally went around reminding everyone on the things to take note of when treating the injured. Lu Zhiying could not help but think to herself that this was the first time she saw an administrative deacon actually helping out the disciples. It took quite a while, but with the combined efforts of everyone from the Medicine Pavilion, the situation was eventually brought under control. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Hearing his words, the atmosphere in Clear Thoughts Pavilion suddenly chilled. At the same time, Jun Chuan¡¯s eyes could not help but quavir slightly as he realised the mistake that he had just made! Sun Minhao’s Warning ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, Senior Martial Brother Sun,¡± Jun Chuan immediately tried to appease Sun Minhao. ¡°I was just trying to explain why the hairpin is worth the price...¡± After many years of travelling and trading, he had already gotten used to adopting the demeanour of a businessman. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Hmph! I am just here to take a look. Do you really think I need to buy something from him? There¡¯s nothing special about what he is selling anyway!¡± Sun Minhao sneered before turning back to Jun Chuan. ¡°Capable, aren¡¯t you? I was wondering why you dare to be this rude, so you are relying on the fact that you have an inner disciple as your guard dog! Very well, let¡¯s see just how long your guard dog can protect you for!¡± With that, Sun Minhao turned around and stomped off. The sea of disciples behind him quickly split apart, creating an empty path for him to walk through and leave. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Wang Qisheng said to the stupefied Jun Chuan. ¡°My apologies for stepping in earlier. I simply cannot just stand by and watch as he berates you for no reason like that.¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Senior Marital Brother Wang. If anything, you really helped me out there,¡± Jun Chuang sighed in a resigned manner. ¡°Thank you for your help, Senior Martial Brother Wang.¡± If not for Wang Qisheng, he might really have had to sell the phoenix hairpin at a huge loss! ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him, Junior Martial Brother Jun,¡± Wang Qisheng said after seeing how depressed Jun Chuan looked. ¡°But if he dares to try anything funny in the future, just come to me. I¡¯ll definitely stand up for you!¡± ¡°Hopefully that will not happen. But if so, I will surely keep Senior Martial Brother Wang¡¯s words in mind,¡± Jun Chuan forced a bitter smile. Then again, most of them were no longer in the mood after witnessing the scene from earlier anyway. Sun Minhao¡¯s insults might have been directed towards Jun Chuan, but it effectively affected everyone else too. After hearing such words, how would they still be in the mood for shopping? But as Jun Chuan was packing up, someone suddenly stepped forward and picked up the same phoenix hairpin that Sun Minhao had his eyes on earlier. The irritated Jun Chuan frowned and was about to lash out, but his anger immediately subsided when he looked up to see who it was. ¡°Exquisite design, with a clean inscription that blended perfectly into the phoenix carving. As expected of the Dragonfly Hall,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said while examining the the phoenix hairpin. ¡°What? Three thousand five hundred sect points? Are you trying to incur a loss here?¡± ¡°Are you interested? That will cost five thousand sect points for you,¡± Jun Chuan answered. ¡°Maybe I should have stood up for Senior Martial Brother Sun just now,¡± Zhao Yunxiao rolled his eyes while putting the phoenix hairpin back down. ¡°Jokes aside, are you all right?¡± ¡°How can I be all right?¡± Jun Chuan sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know Senior Martial Brother Sun¡¯s personality. It will be a miracle if he doesn¡¯t look for trouble in the future.¡± ¡°At least Senior Marital Brother Wang offered his help, not that it will be of much use though,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not like you can summon him here in an instant when you need his help.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Jun Chuan sighed again. ¡°Anyway, why don¡¯t you take a look? I¡¯ve got quite a few good things this time. I can sell some to you at cost price if you need any. Anyway, this is...?¡± ¡°Junior Martial Sister Lu. She just joined the sect a week ago,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. ¡°Greetings, Senior Martial Brother Jun!¡± Lu Zhiying waved with a smile. ¡°Greetings, Junior Marital Sister Lu,¡± Jun Chuan could not help but feel slightly better after taking in that beautiful scene. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a good look as well? Since you are a friend of Junior Martial Brother Zhao, I can give you a discount too. You just need to convince this guy to pay for you.¡± ¡°No way,¡± Zhao Yunxiao plainly rejected without even looking up, focusing instead on going through the items on display. ¡°If you want anything, get it yourself when you have enough sect points in the future.¡± ¡°As stingy as always!¡± Lu Zhiying complained. She was not intending to get Zhao Yunxiao to buy her anything from the start, but it still felt bad to be rejected even before asking! ¡°She¡¯s right, you know?¡± Jun Chuan laughed. ¡°You should learn to enjoy life a little more, and that includes knowing how to spend your sect points from time to time.¡± ¡°I do spend my sect points on useful things,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°You guys should learn not to squander your sect points instead.¡± ¡°Whatever you say. So did any of my items manage to catch the eye of Young Noble Wise Spender over here?¡± Jun Chuan scoffed. ¡°There are quite a few good items, but I can guess that they won¡¯t be cheap as well,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head. ¡°I will just wait for the next batch of items instead.¡± ¡°How rare for you to not want anything,¡± Jun Chuan said sarcastically. ¡°Thank the heavens that most of my customers are not like you. The last time you actually bought something from me is probably that jade bangle from years ago... wait, what happened to your jade bangle?¡± He knew just how much Zhao Yunxiao cherished the jade bangle that he had bought from him years ago. It was an ordinary accessory with no intrinsic value whatsoever, something that most cultivators would not bother with. However, its exquisite design was its one redeeming factor. For some reason, Zhao Yunxiao had fallen in love with the jade bangle at first sight. Since it was an ordinary accessory and not a spiritual treasure by any measure, it did not cost much either, so Zhao Yunxiao bought it without hesitation. ¡°Nothing much, I just decided that it is not working well so I decided to have a change of fortune,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. Lu Zhiying watched him silently after hearing that. This was not her first time hearing about the jade bangle. Now, she was starting to get more curious about this jade bangle that both Gu Qiansi and Jun Chuan had mentioned. ¡°Is that so?¡± Jun Chuan pondered for a moment before continuing. ¡°Perhaps you made the right choice. Despite wearing the jade bangle for so long, it¡¯s not like things are looking good for you in any aspect whatsoever.¡± Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± ¡°In any case, Junior Martial Sister Gu asked me to help her get some items this time. Why don¡¯t you help me pass them to her?¡± Jun Chuan asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you already forced to pack up now? Why don¡¯t you just bring it to her yourself?¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°I am going to meet her now anyway. Let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°...Sure, but just to be clear, I am not forced to pack up. I chose to pack up myself! Voluntarily!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Zhao Yunxiao waved him off. ¡°Hurry up and finish packing so we can get going.¡± ¡°Got it already! Is that the way you talk to your senior martial brother?¡± ¡°You are just an outer disciple so why should I care?¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged, emulating Sun Minhao¡¯s earlier tone. Jun Chuan: ¡°...¡± He really needed to find one day when he had time, and properly give this junior martial brother of his a good and memorable lesson! Just like that, Jun Chuan quickly packed his stuff into his wooden chest before following Zhao Yunxiao to Lightwind Pavilion, bringing along his wooden chest by loading it onto a tow cart. Intelligence on the Origin Lake Sect By the time Zhao Yunxiao and Jun Chuan arrived at Lightwind Pavilion, Gu Qiansi was already there. Just like Zhao Yunxiao, Gu Qiansi was no stranger to Jun Chuan. The three of them quickly settled down in the pavilion, sitting around a freshly brewed pot of tea made from special tea leaves that Jun Chuan had brought in from outside of the sect. Upon their requests, Jun Chuan started sharing his experiences during his recent trip. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I almost couldn¡¯t make it back alive this time,¡± Jun Chuan said agitatedly. ¡°I always thought that people are exaggerating the tales about Bloodwind Forest, but I couldn¡¯t be more wrong! I hadn¡¯t even entered the forest itself when I came face to face with this monster that can probably kill any inner disciple with a single swipe of its paws! If not for my quick wits, I would have died to it for sure!¡± ¡°Are you certain about that? How do you beat something that can kill an inner disciple with a single swipe of its paws?¡± Zhao Yunxiao questioned. ¡°Of course I can¡¯t beat it!¡± Jun Chuan said. ¡°That¡¯s why I immediately turned and ran, luring it to a place where I saw a large group of gentle monsters earlier. It probably chased me for a hundred of kilometres, but once it caught sight of the fatter meat, it naturally lost interest in me. That is quick wits right there!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know whether to believe you or not,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said frankly while Gu Qiansi just chuckled. ¡°By the way, you mentioned that you have been to the Origin Lake Sect previously?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, and I revisited there this trip too. What about it?¡± Jun Chuan asked. ¡°Sounds like you are indeed the right person to ask then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao felt slightly more assured. ¡°The thing is that I am currently interviewing to join Elder He¡¯s work trip to the Origin Lake Sect. In case I get selected, I would like to understand more about the sect itself so that I can make the necessary preparations.¡± It was not as though Zhao Yunxiao had never left the sect grounds. In fact, he left the sect grounds quite often not just for hunting, but also to take up various sect missions. ¡°That¡¯s true, it¡¯s almost time for Elder He¡¯s annual trip to the Origin Lake Sect,¡± Jun Chuan remarked. ¡°Well to be honest, you don¡¯t have much to worry about. As our subordinate sect, members of the Origin Lake Sect look up to us quite a bit. Their attitude towards me is quite good even when I visit alone. Considering the fact that you will be visiting with Elder He, you will probably receive the highest level of treatment while you are there!¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°What about the terrain and culture? How are they like compared to us?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Nie Hanchang’s Determination ¡°Look closely at how I am doing it. Every strike has to hit the right spot, at the right angle, and with the right amount of energy. As long as one of these aspects is off, the result will not be ideal.¡± ¡°Understood, Senior Martial Brother Tian,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded profusely. Before his eyes, a senior martial brother was hammering away while giving him a brief explanation of what he was doing. ¡°Don¡¯t do it blindly as well. Look for spots of non-uniformity, be it in terms of shape, thickness, gas bubbles, grain structure, or anything else,¡± Tian Mingre explained. ¡°As a smith, you don¡¯t hammer for the sake of hammering. There must be a reason behind every strike.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. That was still a failure in his eyes. ¡°Perhaps Senior Martial Brother Tian is a little tired today. Going by your usual standard, the result would definitely have been better,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Haha, perhaps you are right. I do feel a little tired after spending too much energy on recent activities,¡± Tian Mingre agreed hesitantly. ¡°Perhaps I should have waited to recover before coming.¡± ¡°I did learn a lot from Senior Martial Brother Tian today though. For that I am grateful,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clasped his fists towards Tian Mingre in gratitude. ¡°Right... that¡¯s all that matters,¡± Tian Mingre nodded in satisfaction. ¡°As long as you managed to benefit just a little, this is not a completely wasted trip. Well then, I shall take my leave now that I am done here. Can I trouble you to clean up here?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that¡¯s my job after all,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°Farewell, Senior Martial Brother Tian.¡± Now that his work here was done, Tian Mingre promptly left the Forge while Zhao Yunxiao remained to clean up the used furnace room. Unlike the last time he was here, this was a busy shift at the Forge. By the time he finished preparing the room for the next session, he did not have much time to rest before light knocking came from outside the door. ¡°Please come in,¡± Zhao Yunxiao called out while opening the door. But when the door opened, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel surprised. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Nie? This...!¡± Zhao Yunxiao blinked blankly as he saw a familiar face at the door. It was Nie Hanchang, the same person who had managed to excavate a relatively large amount of grimiron ore from Yellowshell Mine a few days ago. Zhao Yunxiao was still wondering what happened to the ore over the past few days since it did not appear on the market, but now he finally knew where it was. Nie Hanchang had a cart by his side, on which the same large piece of grimiron ore was placed. So he had been keeping it with him these few days... ¡°Greetings, Junior Martial Brother Zhao. May I enter?¡± Nie Hanchang asked. ¡°Sure,¡± Zhao Yunxiao quickly stepped aside to allow Nie Hanchang through the door. Nie Hanchang nervously pushed his piece of grimiron ore in. ¡°I guess you will be helping me with the furnace fire?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Zhao Yunxiao felt the corner of his lips twitch. ¡°Is this Senior Martial Brother Nie¡¯s first time at the Forge?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right...¡± Nie Hanchang said awkwardly. ¡°I will be relying on Junior Martial Brother Zhao for your guidance then.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my job, so I will naturally help. But are you sure about this, Senior Martial Brother Nie?¡± Zhao Yunxiao could not help but ask. ¡°From the looks of it, are you intending to use the grimiron ore for today¡¯s smithing?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Nie Hanchang nodded. ¡°I am here to use the grimiron ore to forge a bow!¡± Speaking of this, Zhao Yunxiao could feel Nie Hanchang¡¯s nervousness dispelling, replaced by a strong sense of determination. Zhao Yunxiao might not be very close to Nie Hanchang, but he had still heard a thing or two about the latter. Since young, Nie Hanchang had always been wholeheartedly pursuing the path of the bow and arrow as his main weapon of choice. Even when everyone advised him to abandon the bow and arrow to adopt more generic weapons so that he could receive better advice from his seniors, Nie Hanchang refused to do so, choosing to walk the difficult path instead. It had not been bringing him particularly great results, but Nie Hanchang continued to insist on his ways with a zealous passion. ¡°Is that so?¡± Zhao Yunxiao sighed inwardly after seeing that Nie Hanchang seemed firm on his decision. ¡°All right then. Rest assured, I will definitely do my best to support you well. I wish you success!¡± ¡°Thank you, Junior Martial Brother Zhao. Let¡¯s start forging this then!¡± Nie Hanchang felt encouraged by Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s words. ¡°What would you like the temperature to be?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°What should it be to soften the grimiron?¡± Nie Hanchang asked in return. ¡°You want to soften the grimiron? Now?¡± Zhao Yunxiao blinked in confusion. ¡°Isn¡¯t that how you forge metal?¡± Nie Hanchang was confused by Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s question. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be starting with smelting down the ore to retrieve the actual metal component?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°Oh. Is that how it¡¯s done?¡± Nie Hanchang revealed a look of surprise. ¡°How do we go about doing this?¡± Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± Do you have any idea at all about what you are doing? ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to say this, Senior Martial Brother Nie. I know you are determined, but you don¡¯t seem prepared for this at all,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a sigh. ¡°Instead of wasting your time and this precious piece of grimiron ore, why don¡¯t you go back and research a bit more first? In fact, I would choose to sell the ore if I were you. That way, you can simply buy a bow with the sect points that you get from the sale. Isn¡¯t that a more reliable method? There¡¯s really no need to forge the bow yourself, is there?¡± In reality, it did not matter to Zhao Yunxiao what others decide to do with their time and resources. After all, it was not as though he would be penalised as a duty disciple simply because the visiting disciple failed the smithing process. If not because he could relate to Nie Hanchang, Zhao Yunxiao would not have bothered with saying all these and risk offending the other party. Just like Zhao Yunxiao, Nie Hanchang was an outer disciple who had been in the sect for many years. Over the years, Zhao Yunxiao could still see and relate to the struggles that Nie Hanchang had gone through, as well as the effort that he had to put into improving himself. And because of this, he especially could not bear to see Nie Hanchang waste away what could be considered a miraculous jackpot in the form of the rare quality grimiron ore! He would have nothing to say if Nie Hanchang had made the necessary preparations for this. Crazy Bastard ¡°What¡¯s the point of selling the ore for sect points?¡± Nie Hanchang said with a sigh. ¡°Yes, I might be able to get a rather significant amount of sect points from selling it, but it still won¡¯t be enough to help me reach the next level. Rather than obtaining a supply of inferior items that can grant me a consistent but slow growth, I would rather forge a weapon with which I can earn even more sect points at a consistent pace, at the same time gaining access to more opportunities for improvement!¡± ¡°Even then, maybe you should not rush into things,¡± Zhao Yunxiao tried to persuade him further. ¡°If selling the ore for sect points is not what you want, perhaps you can look more into the smithing process, only going through with this when you have greater confidence?¡± ¡°I know that my smithing skills are far from adequate. But that¡¯s why I have been doing my own share of research on how the smithing process should go,¡± Nie Hanchang explained. ¡°I might have neglected the part on retrieving the metal from the ore. But once that is done, I have a fairly good idea on what to do next!¡± Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± How long had it been since Nie Hanchang excavated the rare grimiron ore? Even if he had been researching day in and day out without sparing a single moment since then, it was still unlikely that he would be able to successfully create a decent weapon. And that was if he was using a generic metal too. Now, the high quality of this grimiron here would only make it even more difficult for him! ¡°No need to persuade me any further, Junior Martial Brother Zhao,¡± Nie Hanchang added. ¡°I am not the studious type anyway, so studying more will not help me much. Even if this failed, I can always mine another one. I signed up to work at the Yellowshell Mine for this sole purpose anyway, so I will keep going until I succeed!¡± Most metals were not suitable to be made into bows, but grimiron was different. Unlike most metals, grimiron possessed the property of elasticity, making it suitable to be used as the main material for a bow. It seemed that Nie Hanchang knew about this too, which was why he even started working at Yellowshell Mine in the first place. In that case, it would make sense that he was unwilling to sell the rare grimiron ore that he had finally managed to obtain. ¡°How about commissioning the Forge to help you with the forging then?¡± Zhao Yunxiao continued to suggest. ¡°That way, won¡¯t the chances of getting a decent bow be higher?¡± ¡°I think you overestimate my wealth,¡± Nie Hanchang let out a bitter smile. ¡°The rarer the materials, the higher the costs of commissioning the Forge to make me a weapon. How could I possibly afford to do that?¡± ¡°This...¡± Zhao Yunxiao hesitated. It was true that Nie Hanchang would be charged quite a fortune if he wanted the rare quality grimiron ore to be forged into a weapon. ¡°I appreciate the thought, but you really don¡¯t have to persuade me any further, Junior Martial Brother Zhao,¡± Nie Hanchang laughed. ¡°In any case, isn¡¯t there a chance of spirit resonance if the user of the weapon participated in the forging process? Who knows? Maybe I will get lucky and have that happen to me?¡± ¡°Are you really sure about this? Have you really done the proper research?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°Yes, take a look at this,¡± Nie Hanchang showed Zhao Yunxiao what could be considered the simplified version of a weapon blueprint. ¡°I have it all thought out, so all I need is help with extracting the metal from the ore. Will you be able to help me with that?¡± ¡°I guess I can, as long as you don¡¯t tell anyone...¡± Zhao Yunxiao took a good look at the blueprint before letting out a helpless sigh. ¡°But don¡¯t blame me if anything goes wrong.¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Nie Hanchang smiled in gratitude. ¡°I appreciate the help, Junior Martial Brother Zhao. I will definitely repay you in the future.¡± Zhao Yunxiao let out another sigh. Extraction of the metal from the ore was considered part of the main smithing process too, so he would be going against the rules here by helping with that. If not because he had known Nie Hanchang for years and knew what he was like, Zhao Yunxiao would never go through with this. No, that alone was not nearly enough to convince Zhao Yunxiao either. ¡° ¡° This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Forging the Grimiron Bow ¡°You will... what?¡± Nie Hanchang could not believe his ears. ¡°If you are not willing, I won¡¯t insist,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said solemnly. ¡°After all, I cannot promise that I can salvage this mess that you made either!¡± ¡°No! No, that¡¯s not it! Please help me, Junior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Nie Hanchang urgently answered. He, too, knew that he was fast approaching his limit. If it was as Zhao Yunxiao said and the metal was truly about to break, there was no way that he would have the skills and energy to salvage the situation. After all, he could not even tell that it was breaking! On top of that, just like how Zhao Yunxiao had heard of Nie Hanchang, Nie Hanchang had heard of Zhao Yunxiao as well. ¡°It¡¯s decided then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°However, you have to promise not to let anyone else know about this. As you know, this is against the rules. And don¡¯t blame me if it goes badly either. I won¡¯t be held responsible for your mistakes.¡± ¡°I definitely won¡¯t!¡± Nie Hanchang replied immediately. ¡°Thank you, Junior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± ¡°Enough talk, the grimiron is starting to cool,¡± Zhao Yunxiao did not bother with the pleasantries and directly snatched over the metal tongs and hammer from Nie Hanchang. ¡°Maintain the flame. You know how to do that at least, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Y-Yes! I can do that!¡± Just like that, the roles of Nie Hanchang and Zhao Yunxiao were reversed all of a sudden. ¡° ¡° Every strike has to hit the right spot, at the right angle, and with the right amount of energy. As long as one of these aspects is off, the result will not be ideal. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Look for spots of non-uniformity, be it in terms of shape, thickness, gas bubbles, grain structure, or anything else. Don¡¯t do it blindly. Don¡¯t hammer for the sake of hammering. There must be a reason behind every strike. ¡° ¡° Mythical Tier ¡° But whenever necessary, they could activate as a defence mechanism, suppressing anything that came their way. The arrays covering the furnace room definitely did not activate without reason this time. However, he could not help but let out a bitter smile at this moment. ¡° ¡° This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° On the other hand, this was less of a problem for Nie Hanchang. Since Nie Hanchang was not a smith, there would be less chances for people to judge him on his smithing skills. Explosive News Firstly, one needed to possess a strong will to complete the work. Secondly, one needed to possess the knowledge of what should be done, regardless of whether it was physically possible on a usual basis. These were the two prerequisites for spirit resonance, or at least those were the ones that Zhao Yunxiao could think of. He let out a helpless sigh. If it was really that simple ¨C everyone would be achieving spirit resonance left, right, and centre. In the end, it was still a phenomenon that numerous smiths had spent their lives pursuing, so how could a simple outer disciple like himself figure it out that easily? As he had thought, what happened was all luck. At this point, he felt even more convinced that turning down the chance to be known as the smith for that mythical grimiron bow had been the right choice. But even though spirit resonance was a topic far out of reach for his current level of understanding, it was not as though Zhao Yunxiao had nothing to learn from the earlier experience either. He closed his eyes and thought back to the entire smithing process. Under the influence of spirit resonance, the way he worked might not have been the most energy efficient, but it was definitely on point. He wanted to engrave to heart every little step, every little nuance. Even if spirit resonance was not achievable in the future, he wanted to at least be able to replicate the smithing process itself as much as possible! Smithing was a long process, but thankfully he did not have to go through his memories in real time. In his head, the entire process replayed again and again at multiple times the original speed, allowing Zhao Yunxiao to repeatedly experience what it was like. Zhao Yunxiao opened his eyes after an hour had already passed. Just as he was cursing in his heart, Zhao Yunxiao saw a few documents lying around on the desk. It appeared that Tian Guiren had left too urgently earlier, and did not have the time to pack things up properly. Well, Senior Tian did say to stand in for him for an hour. To do so effectively, he naturally had to know what¡¯s going on first... right? Zhao Yunxiao confidently picked up the documents to take a look. Roster schedule! His eyes lit up upon realising what the first document was about, and immediately went on to flip through it. Good, it would seem that he did not have any troublesome disciples scheduled for his next shift. Then again, these things could be rather unpredictable at times. Before today, he definitely wouldn¡¯t have thought that Nie Hanchang would create this much trouble for him as well! And this trouble actually yielded him great benefits in the end, so who knew? Perhaps troublesome disciples could be more beneficial sometimes? ¡° ¡° This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡° That high and mighty expression on his face actually looked rather adorable when coupled with his childish facial features. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The huge crystal was almost the size of a small house. Hovering in the air and giving off rays of seven coloured lights, its beautiful glow seemed to even eclipse the sun. At the same time, the new disciples could not help but feel a comfortable and warm feeling slowly well up from within them as the light washed over them. It was as though they had stepped into a hot tub, just that this feeling was much stronger and more comforting than that. ¡°This is the Heavenly Swirl Crystal ¨C a treasure of the Black Tortoise Sect specifically used to stimulate one¡¯s cultivation potential,¡± a middle aged looking man said from beneath the crystal. ¡°Today, you will be forming your spiritual meridian roots here under its influence.¡± Everyone nodded nervously, Bei Pinzi included. ¡° ¡°Hey, have you heard the news?¡± ¡°What news? Did something special happen today?¡± ¡°Damn, did you forget? Today is the day for the new disciples to form their spiritual meridian roots!¡± ¡°Oh, is it already that day? Looking at your response, don¡¯t tell me...?¡± ¡°Hehe, you won¡¯t believe what I¡¯m about to tell you!¡± On this day every year, the outer sect would always be abuzz with news about the new disciples who had to form their spiritual meridian roots. Thanks to everyone¡¯s interest in this topic, news of this year¡¯s results quickly spread throughout the outer sect. These were the different types of spiritual meridian roots that could be formed, but most people never even considered the possibility of anyone with a golden spiritual meridian root due to just how rare it was. As for disciples who could form a true spiritual meridian root, it might not be nearly as impossible as forming a golden spiritual meridian root, but they were not exactly all that common either. In fact, the sect could go for years before having any new disciple who managed to form a true spiritual meridian root. In that light, what everyone was most interested in finding out each year was whether there was anyone who managed to form a true spiritual meridian root. After all, if there was indeed a new disciple who managed to form a true spiritual meridian root, they would be slated to enter the inner sect sooner or later as long as nothing went wrong. Not just that, but possessing true spiritual meridians would also allow for the possibility of eventually entering the Transcendent realm, a goal that would be considered out of reach even for many inner disciples! And this year, news on the result of the new disciples¡¯ forming of spiritual meridian roots exploded within the sect, spreading much faster than usual and reached even those in the inner sect within the span of a day. That was because this time, it was not just one new disciple who managed to form true spiritual meridian roots. But as news about the new disciples¡¯ forming of spiritual meridian roots spread like wildfire within the sect, another piece of news slowly started to creep into people¡¯s ears as well. This other piece of news spread much more slowly, but to anyone who heard about it, the previous hot topic on the new disciples¡¯ forming of true spiritual meridian roots would immediately become no longer of interest. After all, there would be at least one new disciple who managed to form a true spiritual meridian root every few years. However, even the elders of the sect would find it difficult to create a mythical tier weapon! Nie Hanchang. This previously inconspicuous outer disciple, whom some even treated as a fool for focusing on nothing but the bow and arrow, actually managed to pull off such a feat. As of today, his name had been recorded in the annals of the sect history, known as the first outer disciple to have successfully created a mythical tier weapon in the past century! Lack of Situational Awareness The canteen was almost packed to the brim today. The number of disciples present far exceeded that on normal days. And it was only natural as well. With such a hot topic spreading throughout the outer sect, how could the various outer disciples resist gathering around to gossip with their peers? In fact, it was not just the canteen either. Most of the popular gathering areas in the Outer Grounds were crowded with people right now, all of them abuzz with chatter. At this moment, Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi were sitting opposite each other in the canteen, their hearts pounding fast. They had always known that Lu Zhiying was talented. Now that she had also managed to form a true spiritual meridian root, both of them were absolutely certain that becoming an inner disciple was only a matter of time for her now! Therefore, they could not help but feel excited for this junior martial sister of theirs! ¡°Senior Martial Brother Zhao! Senior Martial Sister Gu! I¡¯m back!¡± A familiar cheerful voice greeted them from afar, and the two of them turned to see that beautiful figure skipping over towards them. Seeing as to how her hair and robes were slightly dishevelled, it would appear that she just came over from her daily dance class too. However, the two of them were not the only ones whose attention was drawn over by the arriving Lu Zhiying. Thanks to the incident with Elder Mo at the cultivation lecture a few days ago, almost all outer disciples knew who Lu Zhiying was by now. Therefore, just about everyone recognised her the moment she arrived. Before Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi could even respond to her greeting, the canteen had already broken into an uproar. ¡°Congratulations, Junior Martial Sister Lu!¡± ¡°Congratulations on forming a true spiritual meridian root!¡± ¡°It must have been hard on you today. Welcome back!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always known that you had it in you. Congratulations, junior martial sister!¡± ... ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± Gu Qiansi: ¡°...¡± The spiritual meridian root just naturally formed? She did not feel any strain whatsoever? Does that mean she did not even try her best to form the best spiritual meridian root possible? ¡°Looks like you aren¡¯t lying,¡± Lu Zhiying concluded after seeing the bitter expression on Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s face. ¡°So, what type of spiritual meridian roots do you have?¡± ¡°Regular spiritual meridian root...¡± Zhao Yunxiao felt the corner of his lips twitch. ¡°Same here...¡± ¡°Oh? Since there are three of us who formed true spiritual meridian roots this time, I thought it isn¡¯t all that uncommon,¡± Lu Zhiying revealed a look of surprise. ¡°I was pretty sure that both of you will have true spiritual meridian roots too!¡± This time, even Gu Qiansi could not help but feel like her heart had been stabbed. Zhao Yunxiao sighed inwardly as well. He had naturally taken note of the names of the other two new disciples who formed a true spiritual meridian root alongside Lu Zhiying. Moving forward, he had to make sure not to offend those two monsters in any way. ¡°So what sect job did you choose in the end?¡± Gu Qiansi decided to change the topic. Zhao Yunxiao turned his attention towards Lu Zhiying upon hearing that. The whole reason why he was bringing Lu Zhiying around over the past week was to show her the different sect jobs so that she would be able to make an informed decision. Therefore, he could not help but feel curious about her choice. ¡°Herb Gardens,¡± Lu Zhiying answered nonchalantly. Herb Gardens? Both Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi could not help but be surprised. The Lu Zhiying who craved adventure and excitement actually chose to work in the Herb Gardens? ¡°Why the Herb Gardens?¡± Gu Qiansi asked. ¡°This way, I will always have something in common with both of you!¡± Lu Zhiying said happily. ¡°Oh, and I chose your garden plot too, Senior Martial Sister Gu!¡± Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi exchanged glances, though it was obvious that they were feeling completely different emotions right now. The former was shocked while the latter was comforted. ¡°Silly girl,¡± Gu Qiansi patted Lu Zhiying on the head. ¡°I appreciate the thought, but haven¡¯t you heard from your Senior Martial Brother Zhao that my garden plot is not the most ideal? It¡¯s not too late to change garden plots now.¡± ¡°Nope!¡± Lu Zhiying was adamant. ¡°Since I have helped with protecting it before, I can¡¯t help but feel a sense of ownership and protectiveness towards that garden plot. And this way, Senior Martial Sister Gu will also be there if I ever need any help!¡± ¡°Haha, of course I will help you in anyway you need,¡± Gu Qiansi laughed. ¡°But what do you mean by saying that you have helped with protecting it before?¡± Zhao Yunxiao glared at Lu Zhiying. ¡°Oh! Perhaps not exactly protecting,¡± Lu Zhiying quickly corrected. ¡°I meant previously when I helped you while Senior Martial Brother Zhao went home to sleep all by himself!¡± ¡°So that¡¯s it,¡± Gu Qiansi smiled. ¡°But don¡¯t say that about your Senior Martial Brother Zhao. I was the one who asked him to leave first after all.¡± ¡°Still unhelpful,¡± Lu Zhiying shook her head in disapproval towards Zhao Yunxiao. Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± This junior martial sister of his was starting to get a little too cheeky. How could he not know that Lu Zhiying was referring to the time when she followed Zhao Yunxiao to hunt the nightspirit rats at night? Since he made her promise not to tell Gu Qiansi about it, that chatterbox was probably still feeling indignant about it. Still, he was surprised by Lu Zhiying¡¯s choice of sect job. Zhao Yunxiao was almost certain that Lu Zhiying would choose to work at the mines after seeing Nie Hanchang strike a jackpot, but it would appear that Lu Zhiying was still rational enough not to chase after such things after all. Unfortunately, she just had to go and suffer together with Gu Qiansi at the same garden plot... Thinking about Nie Hanchang, who knew how he was right now after being brought away by Tian Guiren? As he was thinking that, the canteen suddenly broke into an uproar once more. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Junior Martial Brother Bei?¡± ¡°Bei Pinzi, one of the three stars of the day?¡± ¡°It really is him!¡± ¡°Come, let¡¯s go greet him!¡± At this moment, Bei Pinzi was coming to the canteen to have his meal, accompanied by a few other outer disciples whom he had been hanging out with over the past week. The moment he noticed everyone crowding over, Bei Pinzi puffed up his chest before continuing to walk forward in a more dignified manner. He understood from his other companions that his name had already spread throughout the outer sect. Since he was now a famous person in the outer sect, he naturally had to act the part! If others wanted to suck up to him, he would just have to accept it out of respect for their efforts! But just as the first greeting was about to be exchanged, someone dashed past Bei Pinzi to enter the canteen while shouting in excitement. ¡°Big news! Big news!¡± His sudden actions immediately drew the attention of everyone, though Bei Pinzi could not help but frown as his grand entrance was disrupted. ¡°What¡¯s the big news, senior martial brother? If you are talking about the results from the new disciples¡¯ formation of spiritual meridian roots, then we have already heard it.¡± ¡°Hah, new disciples¡¯ formation of spiritual meridian roots? Isn¡¯t it just some true spiritual meridian roots? It¡¯s not like someone managed to form a golden spiritual meridian root this year, so what¡¯s the big deal about that?¡± the man scoffed. Bei Pinzi¡¯s face darkened, but he tried to keep his cool. ¡°May I ask this senior martial brother what¡¯s the big news that you speak of then?¡± ¡°Oh? I¡¯ve never seen you around before. Are you a new disciple? Welcome to the sect.¡± The man took a quick glance at Bei Pinzi and commented before turning back to face the crowds. Bei Pinzi felt the corner of his lips twitch. Did this person not know who the star of today was? ¡°Stop making us wait and say it already! What¡¯s the news you speak of?¡± People were finally starting to grow impatient. ¡°Don¡¯t be shocked after hearing this,¡± the man said with a grin. ¡°Earlier today, an outer disciple actually managed to forge a mythical tier weapon!¡± ¡°What?!¡± The news shocked everyone present. If this was truly the case, then the news about three new disciples forming true spiritual meridian roots was indeed insignificant in comparison! ¡°Are you certain?¡± ¡°Who is the outer disciple?¡± Everyone started crowding over the man who brought the news, leaving Bei Pinzi standing awkwardly at the entrance. As for the news bringer, he was about to elaborate when he spotted somone from the corner of his eyes. ¡°Speak of the devil. Here is the person who did it!¡± the man pointed towards the entrance. Everyone¡¯s gazes immediately turned towards the entrance, passing straight through the seemingly invisible Bei Pinzi to the person who was approaching from behind. A deafening silence born of disbelief fell upon everyone as Nie Hanchang nonchalantly entered the canteen. Nie Hanchang had never been known for his smithing skills, so now that he was pointed out as the one who had broken records in the smithing field, everyone could not help but be dumbfounded at the sudden revelation. Seemingly oblivious to the stares coming from everyone present, Nie Hanchang walked past one person after another, finally stopping only when he arrived before Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°...Is anything wrong, Senior Martial Brother Nie?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked awkwardly. He had a bad feeling about what was to come. Nie Hanchang stared at him for a few moments before speaking. ¡°Come with me. Let¡¯s have a talk.¡± Looking at the look of determination on Nie Hanchang¡¯s face, as well as everyone¡¯s attention focusing on the two of them, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but curse in his heart. Grand Annihilator Despite his misgivings about the current situation, Zhao Yunxiao understood that he could not simply leave Nie Hanchang hanging. That would only make things worse. ¡°I understand...¡± Zhao Yunxiao said in a resigned manner before standing up. ¡°...I will pack up your remaining food and send it over to you later,¡± Gu Qiansi said. ¡°It¡¯s all right, I¡¯m done,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° After leaving the canteen, Nie Hanchang wanted to speak at a quiet place, so Zhao Yunxiao brought him to the small courtyard in front of his residence. ¡°Everyone is out tonight, so nobody will disturb us here,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°I suppose this is about what happened at the Forge earlier?¡± Nie Hanchang did not respond immediately, choosing to pull out a small pouch from his sleeves instead. This small pouch did not appear to be anything impressive at first glance, but Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s eyes widened in shock upon seeing it. ¡°Is this a spatial bag?!¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked in amazement. Spatial items were treasures that contained a separate space within, allowing their users to store far more items than what normal physical bags could offer. ¡°That¡¯s right, Senior Tian gave it to me just now,¡± Nie Hanchang nodded solemnly. ¡°Senior Tian gave it to you? For free?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked in disbelief. ¡°...Yes, but that¡¯s not what I am here to tell you,¡± Nie Hanchang reminded after realising that Zhao Yunxiao was too focused on the spatial pouch. Nie Hanchang opened up the spatial pouch and, with a wave of his hand, retrieved a huge item from within. ¡° If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Despite knowing that he did not deserve to own the mythical tier bow, much less be named as its creator, Nie Hanchang could not help but agree. That was because he still had a promise to fulfil ¨C a promise with the ones who had been his first and most loyal supporters. His late parents. A mythical tier bow was on a completely different level as compared to ordinary bows. With the help of Grand Annihilator, achieving his goal of reaching the pinnacle through the path of the bow and arrow would no longer be just a far-fetched dream! Yet even then, that did not mean he was willing to deprive Zhao Yunxiao of what he deserved. And for that reason, Nie Hanchang would make a new promise today. ¡° He might not have the ability to give Zhao Yunxiao what he deserved today, but there was still a long road ahead of them. One day, he would definitely pay Zhao Yunxiao back for all the goodwill that he was receiving today, interest included! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Power of Effective Marketing Zhao Yunxiao woke up early the next day to practise the Xuanwu Fist Art and Xuanwu Movement Art. ¡°So why was Senior Martial Brother Nie looking for you last night?¡± Gu Qiansi questioned. ¡°Have you heard that Senior Martial Brother Nie managed to forge a mythical tier bow?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked in return. ¡°Mm,¡± Gu Qiansi nodded. ¡°The entire outer sect is going wild because of that right now. Our poor Junior Martial Sister Lu¡¯s accomplishment yesterday is being completely neglected because of that!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Senior Martial Brother Nie return to the canteen last night? Did he say anything then?¡± Zhao Yunxiao probed further. ¡°Nothing much. He just said that it was all luck,¡± Gu Qiansi answered. ¡°I see...¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Well, it was nothing much last night either. Senior Martial Brother Nie was just asking me about some items that he had left behind in the furnace room since I happened to be the duty disciple for him.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Gu Qiansi narrowed her eyes. ¡°Of course. What reason do I have to lie about this?¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered without hesitation. ¡°If you say so...¡± Gu Qiansi eyed him for a few moments before finally tucking into her food once again. ¡°Why won¡¯t he just ask that in the canteen then?¡± Lu Zhiying, however, did not give up this easily. ¡°Who knows what he¡¯s thinking?¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°Maybe he was feeling embarrassed and wanted to hide the fact that he is actually careless enough to leave things lying around?¡± ¡°I have something to hide indeed.¡± Zhao Yunxiao almost jumped up in shock upon hearing the familiar voice that came from behind him. Turning around to look, Zhao Yunxiao saw Nie Hanchang placing his food down at their table and settling in comfortably. ¡°Can I join you guys?¡± Nie Hanchang asked. ¡°Sure, why not?¡± Gu Qiansi said with a playful smile while watching Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°It¡¯s not like any of us have something to hide from you.¡± Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± This was the very first time that Nie Hanchang was asking to join them for breakfast. Under normal circumstances, the introverted Gu Qiansi would have shown some form of hesitation when posed such a question, choosing to defer the answering part to Zhao Yunxiao instead. However, she seemed to have no problem whatsoever accepting Nie Hanchang today. Zhao Yunxiao could not help but suspect that she was doing this solely to spite him. ¡°So, what exactly do you have to hide, Senior Martial Brother Nie?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. Nie Hanchang responded by shooting a glance towards Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°He is just joking with us,¡± Zhao Yunxiao hurriedly said. ¡°He doesn¡¯t really have something to hide, right, Senior Martial Brother Nie? The both of us are just joking earlier.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Nie Hanchang answered with a smirk. ¡°I don¡¯t buy that,¡± Lu Zhiying insisted while eyeing Nie Hanchang. ¡°There must be something going on that you two are hiding from us.¡± ¡°My apologies, Senior Martial Brother Nie. She is a handful at times,¡± Gu Qiansi interjected this time. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m not a handful, Senior Martial Sister Gu!¡± Lu Zhiying complained. However, she also stopped probing further after that. ¡°What are you intending to do next, Senior Martial Brother Nie?¡± Gu Qiansi asked. ¡°You are probably the most famous person in the outer sect right now. Has any of the inner sect factions contacted you so far?¡± ¡°Nothing has changed,¡± Nie Hanchang shook his head. ¡°With my new bow, I just have to work harder to not let down the heavy expectations that have fallen on me right now. If I really have to say it, my next aim is to enter the inner sect not through relations, but with my own ability!¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t changed indeed,¡± Gu Qiansi said with a smile. ¡°I wish you the best of luck.¡± ¡°Thank you, Junior Martial Sister Gu,¡± Nie Hanchang said before turning to Lu Zhiying. ¡°I heard that you are one of the three who formed a true spiritual meridian root this time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Lu Zhiying answered with pride. ¡°How about you, Senior Martial Brother Nie? Did you form a true spiritual meridian root too?¡± ¡°...Unfortunately no,¡± Nie Hanchang said with a sigh. ¡°Back then, I only managed to form a regular spiritual meridian root. This is why I have to work even harder to make up for the difference.¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about it, Senior Martial Brother Nie. I¡¯ve only just learnt this yesterday, but apparently it is very common to form a regular spiritual meridian root,¡± Lu Zhiying tried to console him. ¡°In fact, Senior Martial Brother Zhao and Senior Martial Sister Gu here are the same as well!¡± Nie Hanchang: ¡°...¡± Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Gu Qiansi: ¡°...¡± All three of them did not know what to feel at this moment. From the looks of it, she was probably not trying to insult them. But if that was the case, then why did they feel like they were being trampled under her feet? The group quickly finished their breakfast, and split up after leaving the canteen. Gu Qiansi and Lu Zhiying went together to their garden plot, while Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang headed to the Yellowshell Mine. ¡°I¡¯m counting on you today, Senior Martial Brother Nie!¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a smile while on the way there. ¡°Please point out where I should mine in order to get some rare grimiron ores!¡± ¡°Junior Martial Brother Zhao is joking,¡± Nie Hanchang let out a dry laugh. ¡°If I am able to find the rare grimiron ores, I would have gotten some long ago. Why the need to wait till now?¡± ¡°Haha, perhaps it is a sort of intuition that you have developed after working there for so long?¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°In any case, I will be sticking close to you today!¡± ¡°That might be a little difficult...¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhao Yunxiao turned to look at Nie Hanchang. ¡°What do you mean? Or do you not like to mine near others? If that¡¯s the case-¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it, Junior Martial Brother Zhao,¡± Nie Hanchang shook his head. ¡°I will not be mining today. In fact, the reason why I am going to Yellowshell Mine right now is to let Senior Fei know that I will no longer be going to Yellowshell Mine in the future as well.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s it...¡± Zhao Yunxiao was surprised initially, but on second thought, this seemed to be the obvious choice for Nie Hanchang. After all, the reason Nie Hanchang had chosen to work at the Yellowshell Mine was to obtain the grimiron required to forge his bow. Now that he had already achieved that goal, there was naturally no longer any reason for him to keep on mining at Yellowshell Mine. ¡° It provided them with precious sect points, which could in turn be used to exchange for resources within the sect. For outer disciples who were hardly provided any resources otherwise, this was a source of income that most of them could not afford to go without. However, this was not the only way for disciples to earn sect points either. Just like how Zhao Yunxiao had managed to earn sect points from selling the prizes of his hunt a few days ago, disciples could earn sect points through other activities such as hunting, sect missions, or simply through making deals with others. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Want to be the next Nie Hanchang? Don¡¯t hesitate further! After all, this is exactly where Nie Hanchang managed to get the rare metal ore that was instrumental in the recent forging of the mythical tier treasure! Hard work will be rewarded. As long as you are willing to work hard at the Yellowshell Mine, success is only a single step away! So what are you waiting for? Hurry up and join us! You might just be the next one to forge a mythical tier treasure! When Nie Hanchang and Zhao Yunxiao saw the sign, they could not help but feel speechless. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, little Zhao,¡± Fei Weng waved a finger in disapproval. ¡°The primary reason for putting it up is to celebrate Hanchang¡¯s achievement. Benefit to the Yellowshell Mine is but an inevitable by-product!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it more like the other way around?¡± Zhao Yunxiao scoffed. ¡°You are just using his achievement as a way to market your Yellowshell Mine!¡± ¡°Smart, aren¡¯t I?¡± Fei Weng no longer tried to hide it. ¡°And it worked too. You can go take a look later when the two of you head down to the mines. It is amazing how hard everyone is working today after I put up that sign. At this rate, the amount of ore I get will probably double this month, or even triple if I¡¯m lucky enough! I guess this is what you call the power of effective marketing!¡± ¡°This... I will be quitting my job here, Senior Fei,¡± Nie Hanchang said hesitantly. ¡°All right, I understand,¡± Fei Weng did not seem one bit surprised. ¡°I kind of expected it, and I guess it¡¯s even better this way too. Oh, maybe I can add another line to the sign now ¨C Once you strike the jackpot here, who knows if you will ever have to work again in the future?¡± Nie Hanchang: ¡°...¡± Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± Zhao Yunxiao had been working at the Yellowshell Mine for years, but this was the first time he was seeing the administrative deacon Fei Weng as excited as this. Calculated! Zhao Yunxiao might have been dumbfounded by Fei Weng¡¯s actions, but he would soon realise that Fei Weng had not been exaggerating the change in the mines. After he went down to the mines, Zhao Yunxiao quickly noticed that the atmosphere was indeed completely different from usual. ¡°Help me take a look, is this a piece of rare ore?¡± ¡°Stop bothering me and go over there!¡± ¡°I came to this spot first, don¡¯t pretend that you don¡¯t know that!¡± ¡°Stone divination service! Come and ask where the next hotspot could be!¡± ¡°Damn, it¡¯s inferior again!¡± ¡°Over there! I heard that somebody found traces of rare grimiron ores!¡± ¡°Tch! Another bust! Damn these people who are calling random stones rare ores!¡± Not only were the disciples working at the mines far chattier today, but they were also working much harder than usual. While Zhao Yunxiao would have no issue with just mindlessly excavating the ore, that was definitely not what he signed up for. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Not One Who Discriminates ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Insurmountable Difference The previously boisterous crowd was dead silent right now. It was not that they did not want to stand up for Jun Chuan and Zhao Yunxiao, but because they understood that there was simply no point in doing so. Even if they were to step forward and take the beating for Jun Chuan and Zhao Yunxiao this time, there would be nothing stopping Sun Minhao from doing this again in the future anyway. If anything, it would just be getting a beating and offending Sun Minhao for no good reason. Rather than that, it might even be a good thing for Jun Chuan and Zhao Yunxiao to just accept their fates and take the beating. Perhaps that could at least appease the fury in Sun Minhao¡¯s heart and let matters end here. After all, while Sun Minhao was a vengeful person, he was still an inner disciple as well. It was not as though he had nothing better to do than to look for trouble with outer disciples all day long! Zhao Yunxiao understood this as well. Had he been in Jun Chuan¡¯s shoes, he would have simply stepped forward and accepted the beating right from the start. However, that was not what was happening right now. Instead of coming at him, Sun Minhao was using him to threaten Jun Chuan, and Zhao Yunxiao was unwilling to be used as a chip against his friends. No, it was probably more accurate to say that he hated being a burden to others. When asked what his main weaknesses were, Zhao Yunxiao would say that apart from his lack of cultivation talent, his irrational reluctance to become a burden to others was probably the most striking one. Zhao Yunxiao would usually think things through over and over, only making his move after ensuring that he had a certain degree of control over the situation. However, when it came to a situation where his companions could suffer because of him, Zhao Yunxiao would become far more willing to take risks if it meant that he could resolve the situation sooner. That was why he had accepted the ¡®spar¡¯ against Sun Minhao initially. Wasn¡¯t it just a short beating? No matter how he thought about it, it was better that he took it instead. After all, it was not like there was some deep grudge between them and Sun Minhao, so Sun Minhao was unlikely to go too hard on them. As long as the beating was unlikely to result in any permanent injuries, it was still something that Zhao Yunxiao could endure. In addition, Jun Chuan might still have to leave for another one of his regular trips soon. Even as a cultivator, travelling alone had always been a risky endeavour, so it would not be too convenient if he got injured here. Unfortunately, all that was no longer possible. ¡°Come,¡± Sun Minhao smirked. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to be the one making the first move.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for dragging you into this,¡± Jun Chuan said apologetically. ¡°One free item the next time you return. How does that sound as suitable compensation?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°You wish,¡± Jun Chuan answered without hesitation. ¡°How insincere,¡± Zhao Yunxiao took a quick glance at his halberd that was lying by the side of the stage, but turned back immediately. It was bad enough to spar with their fists. If they were to add weapons into the mix, wouldn¡¯t they just get even more badly injured? After all, there was no way they could beat Sun Minhao. This fight would just be about trying to reduce the level of injuries at the end. ¡°Just support me,¡± Jun Chuan said before dashing forward. Zhao Yunxiao did not answer but followed immediately. ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡± Sun Minhao laughed as he welcomed the duo with open arms. He did not bother getting into a battle stance, simply because there was no need to do so. At the Primary Origin Core realm, Sun Minhao was a full cultivation level above Jun Chuan, and almost two full cultivation levels above Zhao Yunxiao. Not just that, but the gap between an Essence Physique realm cultivator and an Origin Core realm cultivator was like that between heaven and earth, far greater than that of cultivators at the Essence Gathering and Essence Physique realms. That was because to enter the Origin Core realm, a cultivator had to overcome the deadly heavenly tribulation! It was a process that could take the life of a cultivator, but once overcome, could provide tonnes of benefits as well. In the eyes of Sun Minhao who had already successfully broken through to the Origin Core realm, this spar was akin to an adult playing around with kids! If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. [Xuanwu Movement Art ¨C Snapping Burst] Jun Chuan arrived before Sun Minhao in an instant, with Zhao Yunxiao following right behind. Bang-! Zhao Yunxiao widened his eyes in shock as he watched Jun Chuan flying through the air to land on the other end of the stage. Everything happened in an instant. It was as though the world had slowed down the moment they entered Sun Minhao¡¯s striking range. He could see Sun Minhao¡¯s leg moving towards Jun Chuan, but it was simply too fast, making it impossible for him to react to it! With Jun Chuan out of the way, Zhao Yunxiao could see Sun Minhao¡¯s gaze slowly turn towards him. Damn it. Bang-! Zhao Yunxiao was barely able to put his arms up in time to guard against the kick, but it was still not enough to nullify the impact. Just like Jun Chuan, he found himself facing the sky as he flew through the air. ¡°Argh,¡± Zhao Yunxiao groaned in pain as he landed not far away from Jun Chuan. ¡°Get up and come at me again,¡± Sun Minhao said while slowly walking towards them. ¡°Tch!¡± Jun Chuan slowly got up. As Zhao Yunxiao tried to do the same, he could feel his arms trembling in numbness. It was just a single kick, but it would appear that it had already done its fair share of work. Even so... Zhao Yunxia raised his trembling arms once more. When Jun Chuan gritted his teeth and charged forward, Zhao Yunxiao naturally followed. [Xuanwu Movement Art ¨C Shifting Sands] Jun Chuan immediately tried to change directions the moment he entered Sun Minhao¡¯s striking range, but that was not enough to throw off the inner disciple who had his gaze fixed on him all along. Bang-! It was as though history was repeating itself as Jun Chuan received yet another kick from Sun Minhao. If there was something different about it, it was that the kick this time connected with the side of his torso instead of going straight to his abdomen. Of course, the result was similar as it sent Jun Chuan flying through the air. The very next moment, Sun Minhao kicked out with the same leg towards Zhao Yunxiao. [Xuanwu Movement Art ¨C Snapping Burst] Instead of dodging, Zhao Yunxiao charged in even faster in response. [Xuanwu Fist Art ¨C Invisible Snap] Before Sun Minhao¡¯s leg could gain momentum, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s fist struck it right above the knee in a bid to stop it in its track. However, it was almost akin to a mantis blocking a carriage. Sun Minhao¡¯s leg barely slowed a beat, continuing forward on its original path to send Zhao Yunxiao flying into the air once more. And this time, he did not have his guard up. Pu-! Zhao Yunxiao spat out a mouthful of blood as he landed hard on the ground. ¡°You are already done, so just stay down and watch,¡± Sun Minhao commented coldly after seeing this. ¡°As for you, Junior Martial Brother Jun. Let¡¯s continue to have some fun.¡± Since Jun Chuan had a higher cultivation level, he was able to mitigate much more of the incoming damage with his essence energy. That was why while he was also on the losing end of the earlier two exchanges, Jun Chuan was at least in a much better state than Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°He¡¯s right, just stay down, Junior Martial Brother Zhao,¡± Jun Chuan said while slowly climbing back to his feet. ¡°Leave the rest to me.¡± ¡°You must be joking,¡± Zhao Yunxiao refused as he slowly got to his feet as well. ¡°How can I miss this opportunity to learn from Senior Martial Brother Sun?¡± With more people to beat up, Sun Minhao¡¯s anger would probably subside faster. That was better than having him concentrate all his rage on Jun Chuan alone. Besides, he had already decided to take the beating for Jun Chuan earlier, so how could he stay out of it after receiving a measly two hits? A real man would go to the bitter end with his comrades! At the same time, he could not help but think over the previous exchange. Even though he had somehow managed to predict Sun Minhao¡¯s move in advance and acted accordingly, it was still not enough to stop the earlier kick. Indeed, there was an insurmountable difference between them, brought about by the gap in their cultivation levels. Strategies and tactics could only bring one so far. In the end, the most decisive factor was still one¡¯s cultivation level! ¡°If you are going to keep coming at me, I won¡¯t be holding back next time,¡± Sun Minhao frowned at Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Thank you in advance for your guidance, Senior Martial Brother Sun,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clasped his trembling fists towards Sun Minhao. ¡°Not knowing your limits!¡± Sun Minhao sneered. Jun Chuan took another glance at Zhao Yunxiao before turning back towards their opponents. At this point, he knew better than to continue trying to persuade Zhao Yunxiao otherwise. ¡°Go!¡± Jun Chuan shouted as he dashed forward once more. Zhao Yunxiao did the same. But at the same time, he could not help feeling a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. What was happening right now seemed rather familiar somehow, as though he experienced it not too long ago. It was then that a familiar scene flashed in his head. In a world of light, a certain female silhouette kept rushing at another male silhouette despite being manhandled every time she entered his attacking range. That¡¯s right. His current situation was similar to the scene that he had pictured during image training previously, only that the roles were now reversed. He was no longer trying to learn about refining his ability when dealing with a zombie-like opponent. Instead, he had to learn how to become the zombie-like opponent and break through the opponent¡¯s defence. Of course, he was not truly a zombie, and naturally could not afford to keep rushing at his opponent in a thoughtless manner. Instead, what he needed to do was to attempt to overcome whatever was being thrown at him, so that he could eventually get to this insurmountable opponent before him. Bang-! Bang-! Once again, both of them were sent flying through the air. However, this time Zhao Yunxiao stood right back up without letting out a single groan. A determined light could be seen in his eyes even as he used his trembling hands to wipe away the trace of blood that was flowing down the corner of his lips. His legs were going soft, his body was aching all over. He even had to suppress the urge to vomit out more blood. But still, Zhao Yunxiao gritted his teeth and forced himself to remain standing. Unlike geniuses who could just breeze through the entire cultivation path, those with mediocre talent like him had to grasp every opportunity that came their way if they wanted to improve, even if these opportunities were not exactly the most comfortable. To Zhao Yunxiao, the goal had changed. This was no longer purely a meaningless spar where he just had to take a beating, no longer purely about helping out Jun Chuan. More importantly, he now had an objective in mind. And if he really managed to do it, that would take him yet another small step closer to his ultimate goal of achieving freedom! How Pathetic! Varying the speed of approach did not work. Alternating directions did not work. Trying to stop the strikes before they gain momentum did not work either. As for direct confrontation, that was naturally out of the question from the start. Even after taking another dozen trips through the air, Zhao Yunxiao still had not found a method that would work. It seemed that life did not always go the way one wanted it to. And by now, his body was already struggling to keep up. Zhao Yunxiao felt light headed, and he could barely feel his limbs any longer. In such a state, Zhao Yunxiao glanced towards Jun Chuan. With his eyes glazed and his body swaying left and right, Jun Chuan did not seem to be in a much better state either. Both of them looked to be in a terrible state, but Sun Minhao¡¯s expression was not good at all either. ¡°Why won¡¯t you fall?!¡± Sun Minhao roared in anger. ¡°Give up and plead for mercy! Or do you really want me to cripple you?!¡± At his current cultivation level, Sun Minhao could even kill the two easily if he so wanted to. But of course, that was not what he had set out to do. What he wanted was to teach them a lesson, letting them know just who was boss so that they would act with propriety in the future. That was why he had held back in every exchange, doing just enough to let them suffer without causing any permanent damage. However, even after striking them down so many times ¨C to the extent that they were all battered and bruised ¨C they still refused to give up! Sun Minhao was losing his patience fast. ¡° ¡° But that was only if it was his own pride on the line here. Since Jun Chuan was showing absolutely no intention of bowing, he naturally did not intend to be the one dragging Jun Chuan down. On top of that, Zhao Yunxiao had yet to achieve his personal objective either. ¡°Fools,¡± Sun Minhao clenched his fist upon seeing the interaction between the two. ¡°You will regret this decision.¡± Just as he said that, a young man suddenly shouted out from beneath the stage. ¡°Sun Minhao! What do you think you are doing?!¡± It was Wang Qisheng ¨C the other inner disciple who had been present at the Clear Thoughts Pavilion when Sun Minhao had a conflict with Jun Chuan. He immediately rushed over upon hearing that Sun Minhao was causing trouble for Jun Chuan, but it had still taken him some time to arrive. ¡°You are here as well, Junior Martial Brother Wang?¡± Sun Minhao looked over indifferently. ¡°Sorry, but I am busy sparring with my juniors. If you have something to tell me, feel free to look for me after this.¡± ¡°As an inner disciple, how can you bully the outer disciples for no reason?!¡± Wang Qisheng wanted to rush up the stage, only to be stopped by the other inner disciples present. ¡°You guys! All of you are in on it together?!¡± ¡°Sorry, Junior Martial Brother Wang. This is a friendly spar so let¡¯s try not to disrupt their practice,¡± the inner disciple stopping Wang Qisheng said with a smirk. ¡°Are you this offended just because you failed to force a deal with Junior Martial Brother Jun?¡± Wang Qisheng berated after being stopped by the other inner disciples. ¡°How many of you came? Five? Ten? Ten inner disciples came all the way just to bully an outer disciple? Do you know no shame?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Shameless!¡± a familiar voice shouted out from among the outer disciples. Without Zhao Yunxiao realising it, Gu Qiansi and Lu Zhiying had arrived at the Snow Moon Arena as well, drawn over by the commotion. And it was not just them either. Plenty of outer disciples had caught wind of the matter and came over to take a look. In fact, Wang Qisheng only caught wind of this incident from some of the outer disciples who had arrived later, and were thus not rounded up by the inner disciples present. ¡°Give it up, Junior Martial Brother Wang. I am just here to spar with my juniors. There is nothing complicated about it,¡± Sun Minhao scoffed, completely ignoring Lu Zhiying¡¯s random outburst. ¡°Besides, even if I am bullying my juniors, what can you do about it? Do you intend to face all of us alone?¡± ¡°He is not alone!¡± Lu Zhiying shouted out again, only to be held back by Gu Qiansi this time. It was not that Gu Qiansi did not want to stand up for Zhao Yunxiao. Rather than that, she was probably the one who wanted to help Zhao Yunxiao the most right now. But at the same time, she was also the one who knew exactly what Zhao Yunxiao would want them to do in this situation. Stay out of it. Otherwise, their entire group could get blacklisted by the inner disciples in the future. Precisely because she understood Zhao Yunxiao so well, all she could do was pray that this did not leave any lasting problems on Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Stay right here and don¡¯t act recklessly,¡± Gu Qiansi whispered to Lu Zhiying. ¡°I will be back quickly.¡± ¡°What do you mean act recklessly, Senior Martial Sister Gu? Senior Martial Brother Zhao is in trouble!¡± Lu Zhiying retorted indignantly. ¡°And where are you going now?¡± ¡°Senior Martial Brother Wang is here now, so the situation should still be relatively under control,¡± Gu Qiansi explained. ¡°Meanwhile, I will be going to find Junior Martial Sister Huang.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Huang... Senior Martial Sister Huang An?¡± Lu Zhiying immediately understood the reason why. ¡°I will go with you!¡± ¡° ¡°Okay, understood!¡± Lu Zhiying nodded profusely. As Gu Qiansi was hurrying off, another voice sounded out. ¡°The girl is right. What if he is not alone?¡± Sun Minhao furrowed his brows as he turned towards the newcomer. It was yet another inner disciple. Jun Chuan recognised the newcomer immediately. Just like Wang Qisheng, it was a regular customer of his. ¡°You better think twice,¡± Sun Minhao was not intimidated regardless. ¡°Are you intending to go against us for the sake of these outer disciples? With just the two of you?¡± ¡°What if you include me?¡± another young man called out. Jun Chuan sighed. It was yet another one of his regular customers. It was comforting to see that his regular customers were willing to support him without caring that they would offend another inner disciple in Sun Minhao, but it was meaningless. ¡°Hahaha, three of you want to fight us?¡± Sun Minhao laughed this time. ¡°If you really want to, I don¡¯t mind fulfilling your wishes right here at the Snow Moon Arena!¡± Wang Qisheng and the other two inner disciples who had arrived immediately frowned. Indeed, there was nothing they could do here. Fighting outside of the stage was against the sect rules, while going on stage for a spar three against ten was nothing short of suicidal. If they really accepted that, not to mention helping Jun Chuan, they would be the ones to be in trouble instead! Unfortunately, they had rushed here immediately after hearing the news. If they had known that Sun Minhao would be accompanied by this many inner disciples, they would have gathered their companions as well! ¡°I appreciate the thought, senior martial brothers. However, you don¡¯t have to involve yourself in this,¡± Jun Chuan said. ¡°Junior Martial Brother Zhao, sorry but I¡¯d still have to implicate you.¡± ¡°As I said, one free item as compensation.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Stingy as always.¡± ¡°That¡¯s rich, coming from you.¡± ¡°What a shit show. Come at me already. Let¡¯s end this!¡± Sun Minhao roared. Jun Chuan and Zhao Yunxiao did not need to be told twice, charging forward without hesitation. But there was something slightly different about their approach this time. Or rather, Jun Chuan¡¯s was the same, but Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s was different from before. Left leg ¨C forward kick to the abdomen: 96% Right leg ¨C arc kick to the torso: 89% ¡° It was an attack that even Jun Chuan would be unable to react to, much less Zhao Yunxiao. Yet Zhao Yunxiao reacted nevertheless. No adjustments to the kick: 94% Same leg ¨C downward axe kick: 93% Wide open: 99% Thud-! Silence fell upon the entire Snow Moon Arena ¨C one that was born out of utter disbelief. It was as though time had come to a standstill as Sun Minhao and Zhao Yunxiao stood there right before everyone¡¯s eyes, within inches of each other on the stage. Nobody could believe it. Not Jun Chuan. Not the other outer disciples. Not the inner disciples who had come to support Jun Chuan. Not the inner disciples who had come with Sun Minhao. And definitely not Sun Minhao himself. Sun Minhao felt the corner of his lips twitch from a sense of disbelief and rage combined. Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s punch was weak ¨C too weak to deal any damage to him through his essence energy guard. It was not only due to the difference in their cultivation level, but also because Zhao Yunxiao was about spent by now. No matter how he looked at it, against a weakling like Zhao Yunxiao, the only reason for this result had to be due to overconfidence on his part. But that no longer mattered at this point, and neither did whether he actually received damage from Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s punch or not. If news got out that he could not even stop a mere Essence Gathering realm outer disciple from getting in close and landing a clean hit on him, he could effectively say goodbye to his reputation in the sect! As he thought about that, a glint of murderous light flashed across Sun Minhao¡¯s eyes. Selected At this moment, Sun Minhao could clearly feel the cold touch of Zhao Minhao¡¯s fist against his chin. It almost felt like a pedestal holding his head up for the public to ridicule as they wished. Insolent bastard! Zhao Yunxiao never saw the fist coming. Bang-! A thunderous boom reverberated through the Snow Moon Arena as Zhao Yunxiao was thrown across the stage like a ragdoll. Gasps sounded out from the crowds as the heavy collision broke everyone from their daze. ¡°Junior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Jun Chuan called out in shock while trying to stand. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Lu Zhiying cried out as well, at the same time trying to push her way forward in vain. ¡°Stop! The deacons have already been informed and are on the way!¡± ¡°The deacons?¡± Sun Minhao sneered while clenching his fists in rage. ¡°Guess I will just have to settle this faster then!¡± ¡°Are you crazy, Senior Martial Brother Sun?¡± Wang Qisheng shouted. ¡°How could you use the Northern Winter Fist Art on an outer disciple? Are you trying to kill him?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t kill him,¡± Sun Minhao slowly walked towards the motionless Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°However, he would have to pay an arm or two for this!¡± How could he just let Zhao Yunxiao off after he humiliated him in front of everyone? He, Sun Minhao, was not a person who could be treated lightly like that! ¡°I was still wondering why my student is not showing up. So, it¡¯s because of you guys. I¡¯m curious. What is he supposed to pay for again?¡± It was yet another newcomer, and a female this time. But unlike the case with Wang Qisheng and the other two inner disciples, Sun Minhao could not help but frown when he saw who it was. Leng Huiqi ¨C founder of the Frost Lotus Dance Troupe. Still, Sun Minhao would not be too concerned if it was just her. During the selection for inner disciples, the Black Tortoise Sect looked at a combination of two different aspects ¨C ability and potential. As for Leng Huiqi, she was an example of someone who joined the inner sect based on potential alone. In fact, her current cultivation level was only at the Peak Essence Gathering realm, even lower than that of Jun Chuan¡¯s! However, she was also only a year older than Zhao Yunxiao, making her five years younger than Jun Chuan. To be able to reach the Peak Essence Gathering realm by the young age of twenty was testament to her innate talent, and this was what got her accepted into the inner sect. Still, regardless of her talent, the fact was that the current Leng Huiqi would not be capable of stopping the Origin Core realm Sun Minhao. So, the problem was the person standing beside her right now ¨C Deng Wei. Deng Wei had long made known his intention to pursue Leng Huiqi, so it was not surprising that he had appeared beside her. But unlike Leng Huiqi, Deng Wei was an Origin Core realm cultivator as well. Even though Deng Wei was a year younger than Sun Minhao, he actually progressed faster on the cultivation path, and was already at the Intermediate Origin Core realm ¨C one boundary above Sun Minhao. And Deng Wei was not just strong. Apart from that, he was also a favoured disciple of Elder Mo. Because of that, few inner disciples dared to offend him, Sun Minhao included. ¡°Junior Martial Brother Deng, what brings you here today?¡± Sun Minhao forced himself to mellow his tone upon seeing him. ¡°I¡¯m just taking a walk with Junior Martial Sister Leng,¡± Deng Wei nodded back in greeting. ¡°More like you just followed me here,¡± Leng Huiqi corrected before turning back to Sun Minhao. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you are going too far right now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean, Junior Marital Sister Leng,¡± Sun Minhao answered. ¡°I am merely sparring with the outer disciples, as a responsible senior would do. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can always ask them.¡± With that, Sun Minhao turned away from Leng Huiqi and continued to approach Zhao Yunxiao. Things were starting to get complicated, so he wanted to end things as soon as possible! At the same time, Zhao Yunxiao started to stir a little. The earlier punch had completely knocked him out for a good few moments, and it was only now that he was starting to slowly regain his consciousness. As he regained his senses, the first thing Zhao Yunxiao did was to check his body. Good, there were at least no internal injuries. Only after that did he let out a sigh of relief, though the simple act of sighing also caused a sharp pain to shoot through his body. How risky. He really got carried away earlier! But as he thought back to how his punch managed to connect with Sun Minhao¡¯s chin, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel satisfied as well. That was probably the best result that he could have possibly gotten under these circumstances. ¡°Take one step further and you will have to face me instead.¡± At this time, Deng Wei¡¯s declaration caused Sun Minhao to stop in his tracks. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Ju- Cough! Cough! Junior Martial Sister Huang?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked weakly when he saw the person who had arrived by his side. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not as bad as it- Cough!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak for now,¡± Huang An¡¯s eyes were focused as she entered her physician mode, carefully inspecting Zhao Yunxiao from head to toe. ¡°Ouch! Ouch! Be a little gentler, Junior Martial Sister Huang!¡± Zhao Yunxiao complained as Huang An proceeded with the inspection. ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡°How¡¯s Senior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Lu Zhiying asked as she walked up beside them. ¡°I¡¯m all right,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied. ¡°It just looks serious on the surface.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not asking you,¡± Gu Qiansi snapped at him immediately. ¡°There are a few broken bones and torn muscles here and there, but there should not be any lasting injuries as long as we don¡¯t delay the treatment,¡± Huang An diagnosed. ¡°You really got lucky there, Senior Martial Brother Zhao! If Senior Martial Brother Sun had exerted just a little more strength in that last punc-!¡± ¡°I know, I know,¡± Zhao Yunxiao waved her off. ¡°I will be more careful next time.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡°Who is helping you? I just don¡¯t want my student to be any later than this!¡± Leng Huiqi scoffed instead. ¡°Are you done here? If so, come back with me!¡± ¡°Are you all right already, Senior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Lu Zhiying asked again. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the physician girl? He¡¯s fine,¡± Leng Huiqi rolled her eyes. ¡°Yeah, I am all right,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded, albeit still rather weakly. ¡°I will be fine with Junior Martial Sister Huang here, so don¡¯t let me delay your practice.¡± ¡°Hmm... all right then!¡± Lu Zhiying answered. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Senior Martial Sister Leng!¡± On Jun Chuan¡¯s end, Wang Qisheng, the other two inner disciples, as well as the other outer disciples present went to take a look at his current condition. Jun Chuan¡¯s condition was slightly better than Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s, but that was only because his higher cultivation level allowed him to take more punishment. In actual terms, his injuries were actually more serious than Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s! After Huang An administered the basic first aid and made sure that both of them were all right, the duo were helped back to their residences where they were told to rest as much as they could. Just like that, the incident at the Snow Moon Arena finally came to an end. As for those involved ¨C from Jun Chuan and Zhao Yunxiao to the outer disciples who were powerless beneath the stage, to Wang Qisheng and the other inner disciples who came with him ¨C all of them had their own takeaways from this incident. *** Zhao Yunxiao lay on his bed with his eyes wide open, his body hurting all over, and his entire room smelling of medicine. If there was one redeeming point right now, it was that at least his stomach was full, satisfied by a sumptuous dinner. And the punch barely did anything to Sun Minhao anyway . ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Silver Rain Waterfall ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Lu Zhiying: ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you see the small rock by the side of the altar?¡± Zhao Yunxiao said while pretending not to notice Lu Zhiying¡¯s look of dissatisfaction. ¡°The waterfall has been strengthened by an array to adjust the water pressure according to your level of endurance. Tilt the rock forward to increase the pressure of the water or tilt it backwards to reduce it. If you still find that it is too weak, just tilt it forward again.¡± Lu Zhiying looked down and realised that there was indeed a small rock by the side of her altar. So that was why she felt that the pressure was very tolerable. It was because they had yet to even begin the training! ¡°Make sure you go slow!¡± Gu Qiansi cautioned. ¡°Both of you!¡± ¡°All right, let¡¯s get started.¡± Sitting cross legged on their respective altars, the three of them reached for the rock by their side. Boom-! Lu Zhiying¡¯s confidence from earlier instantly shattered as the force of the waterfall doubled all of a sudden. At this level, not to mention hours, there was no way she could even last ten minutes! On the other hand, Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi tilted the rock forward once more, increasing the water pressure even further. Unlike Lu Zhiying who was taking this with just her physique alone, the duo was guarding themselves with their essence energy as well. Because of that, they were naturally able to withstand far higher levels of force. The amazing thing was that when they tilted the rock by their side, it only affected the water pressure that was bearing down directly upon their respective altars and did not impact the other altars whatsoever. This alone showed just how exquisitely the underlying array was designed. Barely more than five minutes after starting, Lu Zhiying had already reached her limit. It was not just about having the mental fortitude to endure either. If that was the case, Lu Zhiying would have been more than capable of just sitting there and enduring the punishment. However, her body simply could no longer keep up. As time passed, she was no longer able to keep her back straight as the waterfall continued to press down on her. If things continued at this rate, she had a feeling that she might just end up engraved into the silver altar as a human monument! Splash-! When Lu Zhiying realised that her back was bending a little too much for comfort, she decisively escaped from the silver altar by diving into the plunge pool. It was a little disappointing, but there was no point in continuing when she was no longer able to even do it properly anymore! After climbing up the bank, Lu Zhiying started drying herself with a cloth that the duty disciple passed over to her. Seemingly oblivious to the cheeks of the duty disciple that had turned red after seeing the drenched Lu Zhiying, she quickly turned her attention back to Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi who were still on their altars. At this moment, both of them were sitting on their respective altars with their eyes closed, appearing to have entered a state of meditation while under the constant barrage of water. Zhao Yunxiao could not say the same about anything else. But when it came to physical endurance alone, he had absolute confidence in himself! His hand moved, and the small rock was tilted forward once more. Strange Numbers ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Duyuan Empire, Thousand Autumn City, Blueflag Mountain to the East. Snow-capped peak, Verdant trees, Point where all things meet. Members of the Work Trip When put together, the words clearly pointed to a particular location. Duyuan Empire ¨C that was the empire where the Black Tortoise Sect resided. However... Thousand Autumn City? Blueflag Mountain? Zhao Yunxiao had never heard of these places. But that was not a big issue either, for he just so happened to be at a place where information was readily available! Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Now, Zhao Yunxiao could only hope that this impression that he had of them would not change over the next few days! Crazy Winter Heavenly Palace ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Grand Reception at the Origin Lake Sect The interior of the Crazy Winter Heavenly Palace had a similar design to the exterior. But the colour theme was perhaps the only commonality between his room and the outer disciples¡¯ common room. With huge area and high ceilings ¨C this was a grand chamber worthy of being called a throne room. A deep blue coloured carpet reached from the door all the way to the other end of the room, where a crystal throne could be seen behind an intricately designed crystal table. Smaller crystal chairs lined the sides of the carpet for the inner half as well, hinting that this chamber was probably more for work purposes than for rest. At this moment, Elder He Luoxuan was the only one in the room, leaning back comfortably on the grand crystal throne as he read a thick scroll in his hands. ¡°Greetings, Elder He,¡± Zhao Yunxiao stopped by the door. ¡°Your tea and snacks are here.¡± ¡°Bring it over,¡± He Luoxuan beckoned with a wave of his hand, his eyes not leaving the scroll. ¡°Yes, Elder He,¡± Zhao Yunxiao stepped foot on the carpet and slowly made his way forward. At the same time, he carefully observed He Luoxuan¡¯s expression and demeanour. The design of the crystal tables and chairs. ¡°You said your name is Zhao Yunxiao?¡± He Luoxuan casually asked without looking up from the scroll. ¡°How long have you been with the sect?¡± It would appear that He Luoxuan did not know much about the outer disciples who would be going with him on this trip. Was it the inner disciples who made the selection then? Or did he leave solely it to the administrative deacon of the Myriad Fields Pagoda, Rui Tang? ¡°This disciple is useless. I have been with the sect for more than ten years, but I am still only an outer disciple at the Intermediate Essence Gathering realm,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered calmly. ¡°Everyone has their own role to play. Outer disciples like yourself are vital to the survival of the sect as well,¡± He Luoxuan replied. ¡°In fact, there are millions who would love to join the sect as an outer disciple, so there is no reason to think badly of your situation.¡± ¡°I understand, Elder He,¡± Zhao Yunxiao stepped back after he was done pouring the tea. ¡°Please enjoy.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± He Luoxuan finally sounded a little surprised after glancing at the tray that Zhao Yunxiao brought. ¡°Who came up with the menu?¡± ¡°Reporting to Elder He, the outer disciples decided on it together,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said without hesitation. ¡°Mm, good choice,¡± He Luoxuan nodded as he picked up the tea cup for a sip. ¡°But that is not what I am asking. What I want to know is who suggested this menu in the first place. Is it you?¡± He Luoxuan finally looked straight at Zhao Yunxiao, his deep eyes seemingly peering straight into Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s soul. Zhao Yunxiao shuddered. Under the penetrating gaze of the elder, it felt as though his body had been stripped bare right there and then. There was no overwhelming pressure or sense of intimidation, but Zhao Yunxiao instinctively understood that there was nothing that he could hide from the elder. ¡°Reporting to Elder He, this useless disciple is indeed the person who suggested the menu,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied frankly. ¡°Not bad,¡± He Luoxuan retracted his gaze with a smile. ¡°How do you know my preferences? Did you ask around about me before coming on the trip?¡± ¡°This useless disciple has always admired Elder He, thus has always been observing Elder He to emulate your habits in a wishful bid to become like you one day,¡± Zhao Yunxiao scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Hahaha, what nonsense! Instead of all that, I see that you are just really good at buttering up to others!¡± He Luoxuan laughed. ¡°But it¡¯s all right. It is good that you are willing to make the effort to do the necessary research before coming. Good job.¡± ¡°Thank you for the kind words, Elder He,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered with a smile. It seemed that Elder He Luoxuan was not too uptight as well. ¡° ¡° An hour was neither too short nor too long. During this time, Zhao Yunxiao was able to observe and learn several small nuances of the elder¡¯s, many of which were not things that he could hear of just by asking around. In fact, not even He Luoxuan himself would have been aware of certain things that Zhao Yunxiao had observed about him over the past hour! *** It was a triumphant return for Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Did Elder He really say we can take anything we want?¡± Yu Hang asked in disbelief. ¡°Damn, if I knew that the server would get double the benefits, I would have volunteered for sure!¡± Zheng Biru added. ¡°That¡¯s too bad, Senior Martial Brother Zheng,¡± Zhao Yunxiao smirked in response. ¡°Maybe you can be the next one to do it though.¡± At the same time, he also understood that such a thing would not have been possible. Even if it was Zheng Biru who had gone to serve the elder, the credit would still go to him once the elder asked who came up with the menu. And if Zheng Biru tried to lie and claim credit... who knew what kind of punishment Elder He would mete out instead? ¡°Hahaha! I was just joking, Junior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Zheng Biru patted Zhao Yunxiao on the shoulder. ¡°You are the one who came up with everything, so you should naturally be the one to receive the greater portion of the rewards!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s all thanks to Senior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Yu Hang chimed in. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Zheng and Junior Martial Brother Yu are too kind,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a smile. ¡°It was a group decision after all.¡± It would appear that his comrades were pretty easy to work with this time. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s start choosing, shall we?¡± Zheng Biru rubbed his hands together in glee. ¡°You can go first, Junior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± ¡°Then I shall not stand on ceremony!¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded and took his pick. The items in the drawers were not exceptionally expensive, but some of them were rather rare. Those were naturally the items that Zhao Yunxiao went for. In any case, there were plenty of each item in stock. Even if he took first pick, he would not be depriving the other two of anything they wanted. The rest of the journey went smoothly, with the three outer disciples resting in their common room as they got to know one another better through casual chats. In the end, they were still in He Luoxuan¡¯s personal heavenly palace right now. It was only natural that there was barely anything that the elder would need their help with. After half a day had passed, Hu Nan finally appeared at their door once more. ¡°Get ready and assemble at the entrance. We have arrived. ¡°Yes, Senior Martial Brother Hu!¡± *** The Origin Lake Sect was a faction located in the northern regions of the Duyuan Empire not far from Purple Plum Mountain, named after the mystical lake that was located within its core grounds. ¡° ¡° And leading them all was the sect leader of the Origin Lake Sect himself ¨C Sect Leader Dan Juexing! To welcome Elder He Luoxuan¡¯s arrival at the Origin Lake Sect, it could be said that the Origin Lake Sect had spared no effort and came out in full force this time! Stupid Prank ¡°You are here, Elder He!¡± Sect Leader Dan Juexing stepped forward with open arms. ¡°Welcome to the Origin Lake Sect!¡± ¡°Greetings, Sect Leader Dan,¡± He Luoxuan clasped his fists respectfully. ¡°Thank you for the great welcome as always, but you really shouldn¡¯t have troubled yourselves!¡± ¡°What are you saying? This is nothing at all!¡± Dan Juexing shook his head. ¡°It has been a while. How have you been?¡± ¡° ¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s true, that¡¯s true! Elder Ming is still more meticulous than I am!¡± Dan Juexing laughed. ¡°How about it, Elder He? Shall we proceed?¡± ¡°I shall leave the decision to Sect Leader Dan,¡± He Luoxuan nodded before waving lightly with his hand. It then flew into He Luoxuan¡¯s sleeves, thereby completely disappearing from everyone¡¯s sight. ¡° ¡° Wait a minute, did that sea serpent just blink? It¡¯s not a statue! Zhao Yunxiao tried his best to compose himself despite the goosebumps that started appearing all over his body. Keeping his cool in front of all the big shots like Sect Leader Dan and the various elders of the Origin Lake Sect was not too difficult, but the sea serpent was a different story altogether! ¡°Is there something wrong, Senior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Yu Hang whispered from the side. ¡°You don¡¯t look too well.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I just didn¡¯t expect the Origin Lake Sect to have a spirit beast as its gatekeeper,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied with a wry smile. ¡°A spirit beast? What do you mean?¡± Yu Hang tilted his head in confusion. ¡°There on that arch. That sea serpent is not a statue; it is alive!¡± Zhao Yunxiao subtly gestured towards the arch. ¡°Sea serpent? Alive? What are you talking about, Senior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Yu Hang frowned. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Hmm? What do you mean? I¡¯m talking about the sea serpent on the arch!¡± Zhao Yunxiao repeated. ¡°That¡¯s not funny, Senior Martial Brother Zhao. I don¡¯t see anything on the arch, much less a sea serpent,¡± Yu Hang¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Zheng, do you see anything on the arch?¡± ¡°The arch? What about the arch?¡± Zheng Biru asked, not having caught the earlier part of the conversation. ¡°I was just telling Junior Martial Brother Yu that the sea serpent on the arch is alive,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. ¡° ¡° ¡°The sea serpent! That thing resting atop the stone arch, right in the middle!¡± Zhao Yunxiao had to refrain himself from speaking too loudly in frustration. ¡°All right, enough. This is not the time for a prank, so stop it already,¡± Zheng Biru brushed him off. ¡°What...? Prank?!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s try to reduce unnecessary talk among ourselves in front of others, Senior Martial Brother Zhao,¡± Yu Hang timidly added before turning his attention forward as well. Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± He turned his sight back towards the top of the stone arch, and rubbed his eyes once. Then he rubbed his eyes again. Indeed, the sea serpent was right there. Why were his two fellow outer disciples insisting that it was not? Was there a rule to ignore the existence of the sea serpent? If so, why didn¡¯t he get the memo? Or is this just a stupid prank from the two? At this moment, seemingly having noticed Zhao Yunxiao staring at it, the sea serpent turned its attention onto him. Their gazes matched, and Zhao Yunxiao immediately felt a chill run down his spine. He quickly looked away, keeping his gaze straight ahead while continuing forward as he pretended not to have noticed the sea serpent. But still, he could not help but start breaking out in cold sweat. Even without looking, he could sense the sea serpent locking its gaze upon him, its eyes following his every step. And along with that, Zhao Yunxiao suddenly felt the pressure bearing down on him increase multiple fold. It was not enough to be considered overwhelming, but it still made him feel extremely stressed and uncomfortable! Damn it, the key must have been to pretend not to notice it in the first place! Zhao Yunxiao cursed in his heart. As for now... Zhao Yunxiao quickened his pace to stick closer to the elders of the Origin Lake Sect who were walking in front of him. If he was this close to the elders of the sect, then surely there was no way that the sea serpent would attack? And even if it did, at least they would be close enough to react and save him! In the end, his worries were for naught. From the moment they stepped onto the bridge, all the way until they crossed over to the other bank of the river, the sea serpent did not move from the top of the arch. Zhao Yunxiao could not help but let out a sigh of relief as they left the stone bridge, slowly leaving the sea serpent behind as they continued forward. Just like that, the entourage finally stepped foot upon the Origin Lake Sect territory. Under Dan Juexing¡¯s lead, the group strolled through the sect grounds while admiring the beautiful pavilions and grand towers, until they eventually arrived at the main hall where the Origin Lake Sect usually hosted important guests. It did not look nearly as grand as the throne room in He Luoxuan¡¯s Crazy Winter Heavenly Palace, but it was still impressive nevertheless. ¡°Brother Hu, would you like to come with me to meet the disciples of the sect while the elders have their discussion?¡± the young man asked while clasping his fists towards Hu Nan. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Yes, Senior Martial Brother Hu!¡± With that, Zheng Biru and Yu Hang followed Hu Nan as they left the main hall, led by the young man surnamed Qian. The elders stood there with a smile while watching them leave, before continuing to proceed to their respective seats. As the sect leader of the Origin Lake Sect, Dan Juexing still took the main seat at the far end while He Luoxuan comfortably sat level to the other elders. There was an attendant next to each of the elders. As for He Luoxuan, Zhao Yunxiao was naturally the attendant here. The moment the elders took their seats, Zhao Yunxiao stepped forward to test the temperature of the teapot on He Luoxuan¡¯s table, only proceeding to fill the tea cup after seeing that the temperature was ideal. ¡°My disciple Luming is slightly improper, thank you for not taking it to heart,¡± Ming Leishang said in slight embarrassment. ¡°Ambition fuels growth. It is always a good thing for young disciples to be hot-blooded and enthusiastic like that,¡± He Luoxuan said. ¡°Elder He is right, young people should be hot-blooded while they can!¡± Dan Juexing agreed. ¡°It is a pity that your direct disciple Han Xing is not here. Otherwise, our disciples will definitely be able to learn a lot from him, just like always.¡± ¡°Han Xing had the fortune of receiving an epiphany recently, and is currently on the verge of a breakthrough. That is the reason why he is not able to come this time,¡± He Luoxuan explained with a hint of pride showing on his face. ¡°Hahaha! Han Xing is as talented as always, never stopping on his path of cultivation! If only the disciples of my sect can have half his calibre, that will be our great fortune!¡± Dan Juexing praised. ¡°I am sure Han Xing will be overjoyed to hear such kind words from Sect Leader Dan. I will ask him to personally thank you on the next trip,¡± He Luoxuan said before taking a sip of the tea. ¡°Good tea.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Elder He likes your tea to be a combination of Angels¡¯ Flight and Crass Lily, so I¡¯ve specially passed down instructions for that to be prepared for today,¡± Dan Juexing said with a grin. ¡°The guys worked really hard over several weeks to find the perfect combination of tea leaves and water, so it is good to see that you are enjoying it!¡± ¡° Trying Too Hard In the end, nothing of importance was mentioned during their chat at the main hall. After a long session of exchanging pleasantries with Elder Luoxuan, most of the elders from the Origin Lake Sect finally dispersed, leaving only Elder He Luoxuan, Sect Leader Dan Juexing, and Elder Ming Leishang. Accompanied by their attendants, the trio then casually made their way to the venue for the lecture that would be held the next day. This cultivation lecture was the official reason for He Luoxuan¡¯s visit to the Origin Lake Sect, so it naturally could not be treated lightly. Before long, Zhao Yunxiao found himself standing at the front of a huge lecture hall ¨C one that was even bigger than the ones where their own monthly cultivation lectures were usually held. ¡°We tried to keep the layout similar to past years, so there should not be too many issues,¡± Ming Leishang explained. ¡°Still, feel free to let us know if you want anything changed, and I will immediately let the guys perform the necessary adjustments.¡± He Luoxuan took a quick glance across the hall and said, ¡°Xiaoqiao, Yunxiao, what do you think?¡± ¡°Go take a look,¡± Song Xiaoqiao gestured towards Zhao Yunxiao. Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± Elder He asked both of us what we think! Both of us! Why am I the only one who has to go take a look? But of course, Zhao Yunxiao knew better than to let his feelings show. ¡°Understood, Senior Martial Sister Song,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded obediently. ¡°Go with this brother and note down everything that he says,¡± Ming Leishang also instructed one of the Origin Lake Sect disciples tagging along with the group. With that, Zhao Yunxiao walked off to start his work under the accompaniment of the Origin Lake Sect disciple, all while the rest remained where they were and continued chatting among themselves. Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s first destination was the lecturer¡¯s desk. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Eh?¡± the young man looked up at him in surprise. ¡°My name is Li Teng.¡± ¡°Are you an inner disciple?¡± ¡°N-No way! I am just an outer disciple of the Origin Lake Sect...¡± This Li Teng looked to be in his mid twenties, but seemed to be extremely nervous right now. Zhao Yunxiao could understand why though. In any case, the Origin Lake Sect was still a subordinate sect to the Black Tortoise Sect. Even though Zhao Yunxiao was much younger than himself, being tasked to attend to someone from the Black Tortoise Sect must be rather nerve wrecking as a single mistake could easily bring about a disastrous outcome. If he ended up offending the Black Tortoise Sect somehow, the Origin Lake Sect would likely choose not to defend him from whatever punishment the Black Tortoise Sect wanted to mete out. And that anxiety was probably exacerbated by the fact that Li Teng did not know Zhao Yunxiao was also just an outer disciple of the Black Tortoise Sect. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Then again, an outer disciple of the Black Tortoise Sect still had a much higher status than Li Teng anyway. ¡°All right, Brother Li Teng,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°We are working together to improve the layout now, so we can be considered partners. And since we are partners, you can act comfortably around me. There¡¯s no need to be so nervous.¡± ¡°Y-Yes! Understood!¡± Li Teng quickly answered. There was no way he understood. Or at the very least, he did not seem to be able to adjust accordingly even if he did. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will tell you exactly what to change, so just note down whatever I say,¡± Zhao Yunxiao assured. ¡°If there is anything you missed, feel free to ask me to repeat it.¡± ¡°Got it, thank you!¡± Li Teng finally seemed slightly relieved. ¡°All right, let¡¯s continue then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°As I said, the chair seat needs to be half an inch higher. The desk should be angled slightly more to the right, and the surface has to be slightly smoother. There should be a space for tea at the top right corner of the desk. There needs to be two more brushes, and one of them needs to be thinner. The thinner brush¡¯s head must be soft...¡± ¡°W-Wait...!¡± Just like that, Zhao Yunxiao walked around the lecture hall with Li Teng in tow, commenting on every little nuance that he thought could be improved on. As a sect librarian, he had plenty of experience working on the layouts for cultivation lectures. That, coupled with what he had learnt about He Luoxuan, allowed him to spot plenty of areas for improvement. While each of these changes could be considered small and minute, the number of changes quickly started to add up as time passed. By the time they went one round and returned to the front of the lecture hall, Li Teng already had a long list of changes to be made. ¡°Senior Martial Sister Song, please take a look at the proposed changes,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. Li Teng caught the drift, and quickly handed the notes he made over to Song Xiaoqiao. Song Xiaoqiao frowned the moment she saw the long list of adjustments to be made. It was obvious that she never expected this many items. Li Teng noticed that too and nervously looked over at Zhao Yunxiao, hoping that he would explain himself. Unfortunately for him, Zhao Yunxiao merely remained silent while waiting for Song Xiaoqiao¡¯s response. After all, there was nothing to explain. What he suggested were all either targeting He Luoxuan¡¯s preferences or to create a more conducive environment for the lecture. If he really had to explain everything, not only would it take forever for him to finish saying it all, but it could even end up putting He Luoxuan on the spot if Zhao Yunxiao was made to list out his individual preferences one by one! ¡°How is it?¡± He Luoxuan asked at this moment. The inspections of the previous years were completed rather quickly, so they naturally thought that it would be the same this time round as well. Because of that, they had chosen to stand here and chat while waiting for it to finish. Who knew that the inspection this year would take this long? That resulted in them having stood here for quite a while. But now that it was done, He Luoxuan could not help but feel curious about the difference this time round. In fact, it was not only him. Dan Juexing and Ming Leishang looked over at this moment as well, all three of them focusing their attention upon Song Xiaoqiao who had the list in hand. ¡°Please take a look, Elder He.¡± Since the attention of the elders had all fallen upon the list, Song Xiaoqiao naturally dared not hold onto it any longer. Seeing this, even Zhao Yunxiao felt nervous. ¡° ¡° Of course, Ming Leishang was not going to call this out in front of everyone. Since even he could tell that much, he was sure that He Luoxuan would be able to as well. Ming Leishang knew that He Luoxuan was a reasonable person who would not indulge in his people at the expense of others for no good reason, so Ming Leishang decided to simply prompt He Luoxuan to make the decision instead. ¡°Yunxiao,¡± Elder He looked at Zhao Yunxiao while holding up the full list of changes. ¡°Here,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered nervously. ¡°Are you certain about these changes?¡± He Luoxuan asked. ¡°This...¡± Zhao Yunxiao looked up to see He Luoxuan staring straight at him right now. Back in the Crazy Winter Heavenly Palace, He Luoxuan had done the same thing ¨C staring straight at him when questioning him on who came up with the menu. At that time, He Luoxuan¡¯s gaze had been extremely domineering, rendering Zhao Yunxiao utterly helpless and incapable of going against his wishes. However, it felt different this time. Unlike that powerful gaze from back then, Zhao Yunxiao actually felt that the gaze that He Luoxuan was currently looking at him with was rather... curious? Why the sudden change? Zhao Yunxiao quickly thought through the numerous possible scenarios, and finally settled on what he believed was the most probable conclusion. With that, he felt the tense nerves in his body relaxing in an instant. ¡° ¡° Hmm? Ming Leishang looked at He Luoxuan in surprise. ¡° No way, right? Yet before Ming Leishang¡¯s very eyes, He Luoxuan nonchalantly rolled up the notes and turned towards Dan Juexing. ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble you again to make these changes then, Sect Leader Dan.¡± Building Rapport ¡°Does Elder He mean... everything on the list?¡± Sect Leader Dan Juexing revealed a look of surprise as he received the list of adjustments to be made. ¡°At the Black Tortoise Sect, we trust our disciples to carry out their assignments in the best manner. I¡¯m sure Yunxiao has his reasons for suggesting these changes,¡± He Luoxuan replied with a smile. Standing behind him, Zhao Yunxiao had to consciously control his expression to prevent a wide smile from creeping across his face. So this was how it felt to have an elder backing you up! It was truly a feeling of invincibility! ¡°Oh, no, that¡¯s not what I mean at all!¡± Dan Juexing realised that his emotions had shown and quickly waved his hands. ¡°Since this is Elder He¡¯s wish... Elder Ming, here, tell the kids to make the necessary adjustments.¡± ¡°Understood, Sect Leader,¡± Ming Leishang respectfully received the notes from Dan Juexing. Even though he did not quite agree with the changes, he was definitely not intending to go against the wishes of both Dan Juexing and He Luoxuan. Then again, it would be hard to decline anyway. That one line from He Luoxuan had basically shut everyone up, giving them no other choice but to accept this as a foregone conclusion. After he made such a clear statement, they could not possibly tell him to reconsider his trust in his disciples, could they? Thinking up to this point, Ming Leishang could not help but sneak a glance at Zhao Yunxiao. It was not a look of hostility, but one that was more of curiosity. Just who was this disciple that He Luoxuan was choosing to defend in such an assertive manner? Judging from the interaction between Song Xiaoqiao and Zhao Yunxiao, Zhao Yunxiao was obviously treating Song Xiaoqiao with deference. Because of that, Ming Leishang had assumed that Zhao Yunxiao was just a random outer disciple of the Black Tortoise Sect who was recruited as just an attendant. But could he be mistaken? ¡°I appreciate the kind hospitality, Sect Leader Dan,¡± He Luoxuan said apologetically. ¡°Not at all! This is your lecture after all, so things naturally should be done according to your wishes,¡± Dan Juexing shook his head. ¡°Now that we are done with things here, would you like to come with me to pay respects to the Origin Lake Sect ancestors?¡± ¡°I should do that indeed,¡± He Luoxuan agreed. ¡°Xiaoqiao, Yunxiao, I will be going with Sect Leader Dan to a restricted area, so you are not allowed to follow. Stay here and wait for my return.¡± ¡°Yes, Elder He!¡± ¡°Haha, we will probably spend half a day there, so simply waiting here will be too boring for the kids,¡± Ming Leishang laughed. ¡°In the meantime, why don¡¯t we have Li Teng show them around instead?¡± ¡°Hmm, that does sound like a good idea,¡± He Luoxuan nodded. ¡°Be sure to be respectful to both our guests Xiaoqiao and Yunxiao here,¡± Ming Leishang reminded Li Teng. ¡°Yes, Elder Ming!¡± ¡°Since we have some time right now, Xiaoqiao has a selfish request,¡± Song Xiaoqiao suddenly said. ¡°What is it?¡± He Luoxuan asked. ¡°Would it be possible for me to visit a friend at the female disciples¡¯ quarters instead?¡± Song Xiaoqiao asked. ¡°I will definitely be back within two hours.¡± ¡°Elder Ming, is there a restriction on outsiders for visiting the disciples¡¯ quarters?¡± He Luoxuan asked Ming Leishang instead of answering. ¡°Haha, since our Xiaoqiao has friends in our Origin Lake Sect, there¡¯s no reason to stop them from meeting,¡± Ming Leishang replied. ¡°It is always a good thing for our disciples to build closer ties.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see that Elder Ming is specially making an exception for you? Hurry and thank Elder Ming,¡± He Luoxuan finally nodded after getting Ming Leishang¡¯s permission. ¡°Thank you, Elder Ming and Elder He,¡± Song Xiaoqiao respectfully answered. With that, the inspection of the lecture hall officially came to an end, and the group departed from the lecture hall for their respective destinations. ¡°Is there anything that you are curious about or wish to see?¡± Li Teng asked. ¡°Or do you want to go look for the rest of your companions?¡± Now that he was left alone with Zhao Yunxiao, Li Teng appeared to be a lot more comfortable than when they first spoke. ¡°No, we don¡¯t know how much time we have exactly, so let¡¯s not go out of the way to meet up with them when we might have to leave anytime,¡± Zhao Yunxiao declined. ¡°If it¡¯s possible, I¡¯d love to visit the sect library. But if it is out of bounds to outsiders like me, how about we go take a look at the training grounds? ¡°Sure, the trainings grounds then!¡± Li Teng conveniently ignored the comment on the sect library. ¡°Come, I will bring you to take a look at the different trainings grounds we have!¡± With Li Teng leading the way, Zhao Yunxiao casually followed along while carrying his bamboo backpack. At the same time, his eyes darted around busily as he meticulously took note of everything in his surroundings. In his head, Zhao Yunxiao constantly compared what he was seeing to the map that Jun Chuan had passed to him before. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Not bad. From what he had seen so far, Jun Chuan¡¯s map was rather accurate indeed. As expected of the famed Importer! ¡°You seem to understand Elder He very well, Brother Zhao,¡± Li Teng¡¯s words broke his train of thoughts. ¡°May I ask how long you have been following him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that at all,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head with smile. ¡°In fact, this is my first time acting as Elder He¡¯s attendant.¡± ¡°You must be joking, Brother Zhao,¡± Li Teng let out a wry smile. ¡°If that¡¯s truly the case, you must have been really amazing for Elder He to vouch for you like that just now.¡± Hearing those words made Zhao Yunxiao smile once again as he thought back to what happened earlier. While Zhao Yunxiao was busy taking a trip down memory lane, Li Teng took his silence as a reluctance to continue this conversation, so he did not probe any further either. ¡°Up ahead will be our first stop ¨C Jade Force Cliff,¡± Li Teng changed the topic. ¡°Jade Force Cliff?¡± Zhao Yunxiao mused. ¡°What kind of training is done there?¡± ¡°Jade Force Cliff is where we train our endurance and fortitude,¡± Li Teng explained. ¡°When we get closer, you will naturally understand how it works.¡± Indeed, there was little need for further explanation as what Li Teng mentioned. A huge jade emblem showed through on the face of a tall stone cliff, seemingly having been inserted deep into the cliff with only one side of it left exposed. Inscribed on the surface of the jade emblem was a single word ¨C Force. Zhao Yunxiao did not know if it was coming from the word, the jade emblem, or the cliff itself, but a strong pressure bore down upon a huge square overlooked by the cliff. The closer one was to the cliff, the stronger the pressure. With that in mind, the method of training became clear as day. It was similar to training at the Silver Rain Waterfall back at the Black Tortoise Sect, just that one had to physically get closer to the stone cliff instead of having the luxury of increasing the difficulty with a single tilt of the difficulty switch. From afar, the square looked pitifully empty at the moment with only two disciples present. Still, this did not seem to affect the two disciples who sat cross legged not far from each other as they silently endured the heavy pressure. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Expecting everyone to gather just because they wished to mingle with the disciples here? What a joke! ¡° ¡° Twilight Wall Seeing that Zhao Yunxiao was taking such a deferential tone, even coming with gifts, Zhou Qin and Cui Junhe found themselves changing their attitude as well. ¡°Thank you for the kind gesture, Brother Zhao,¡± Zhou Qin took a light sniff at the packet of tea leaves in his hands. ¡°Is this Angels¡¯ Flight?¡± ¡°You do know your stuff, Brother Zhou,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°This is indeed our Purple Plum Mountain¡¯s signature tea produce. It is a pity that I didn¡¯t bring too much with me, so I can only give it to the first few people I see.¡± ¡°I guess it is fated that we are the first ones you meet then,¡± Cui Junhe said with a satisfied smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brother Zhao. We might not look like it, but the two of us are actually core disciples of the Origin Lake Sect. Since you came with such sincerity, we will naturally let the others know to take care of your needs while you are here.¡± ¡°So the two of you are core disciples of the sect!¡± Zhao Yunxiao revealed a look of surprise as he hurriedly clasped his fists towards the two once again. ¡°What an honour! It would seem that my meeting gift is indeed a little too humble then!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Brother Zhao. Angels¡¯ Flight is a rare produce that brings great benefits, so what is this about being too humble?¡± Cui Junhe shook his head. ¡°In any case, it is always the thought that counts.¡± ¡°Thank you for understanding, Brother Zhou, Brother Cui,¡± Zhao Yunxiao let out an embarrassed laugh. ¡°I shall not disturb your training any longer then. We will probably see each other again over the next few days. Until then.¡± ¡°Until then.¡± ¡°Farewell, Senior Martial Brother Zhou, Senior Martial Brother Cui!¡± Li Teng hurriedly bowed from the side. The duo clasped their fists in response, and silently watched Zhao Yunxiao and Li Teng leave the square before exchanging meaningful glances. Among those present, Li Teng was the only one to see the smile appearing across Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s face. Fated that they were the first ones to meet him? Perhaps it was indeed coincidence that Zhao Yunxiao met them here at the Jade Force Cliff. But if it had been some other disciples, would Zhao Yunxiao still have given them the tea leaves as meeting gifts for no reason? Naturally not. Zhao Yunxiao was not nearly affluent enough to be able to afford giving out meeting gifts to just anyone he came across. They might have never met before, but Zhao Yunxiao had recognised these two at first glance from afar. In Jun Chuan¡¯s notes about the Origin Lake Sect, he had included not only descriptions of the elders, but also that of the core disciples. Their looks, disposition, and general behaviours ¨C this information might not have been sufficient to confirm their identities, but Zhao Yunxiao became certain the moment he witnessed how they were training. To be able to go this close to the Jade Force Cliff, chances were low unless they were at least of core disciple status! And now that he had left a good impression on two of the core disciples, it was time to go look for more. After Jade Force Cliff, Zhao Yunxiao followed Li Teng to visit the other training grounds. Unfortunately, they did not find any other core disciples at the next few spots. Or rather, Zhao Yunxiao had been extremely fortunate to be able to find two of them in the first place. There was only a handful of core disciples in a sect, so statistically, it was never easy to meet any of them purely by chance. ¡° ¡° ¡° You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Whoever You Are ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°F-Farewell,¡± Qian Luming forced out through gritted teeth while staring daggers at Zhao Yunxiao. It was fine. Since Elder He Luoxuan had already passed instructions for the Black Tortoise Sect disciples to be elsewhere, Qian Luming decided not to pursue this matter for now. After all, the members of the Black Tortoise Sect would be here for another few days. Qian Luming did not believe that he would not cross paths with that arrogant outer disciple again during this period of time! With that, Zhao Yunxiao and the rest of the Black Tortoise Sect disciples left Twilight Wall with Li Teng¡¯s accompaniment. They did remember the way back and were more than capable of returning to the main hall themselves, but it was not too appropriate for them to be moving around in the Origin Lake Sect territory all by themselves. ¡°Do you know who that person is?¡± Hu Nan casually asked Zhao Yunxiao on their way there. ¡°Qian Luming, core disciple of the Origin Lake Sect,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered frankly. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°You knew?¡± ¡°Then why did you...?!¡± Zheng Biru, Yu Hang, and even Li Teng exclaimed in shock. ¡°As I thought,¡± Hu Nan smirked. ¡°Elder He mentioned to me that you appear rather prepared for this trip. It seems like he is not wrong about that.¡± ¡°I appreciate the kind words,¡± Zhao Yunxiao responded with a smile. It definitely felt good to be complimented. ¡°Then tell me this as well, what caused the enmity between the two of you?¡± ¡°That even I am not sure of, Senior Martial Brother Hu,¡± Zhao Yunxiao sighed helplessly. ¡°This is actually my first time speaking to him, so I was caught by surprise as well. Otherwise, there is no way that I can pretend like I did earlier.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true as well,¡± Hu Nan pondered. ¡°Could you have accidentally done something that offended him somehow?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really not sure how I offended him at all,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head. ¡°If possible, I¡¯m still hoping that Senior Martial Brother Hu will be able to help me find out.¡± ¡°Oh? Did I hear you right?¡± You want me, an inner disciple, to do something for you?¡± Hu Nan asked in a teasing manner. ¡°It is only because you are an inner disciple that I can ask you for help with this, Senior Martial Brother Hu,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered helplessly. ¡°If possible, I really don¡¯t want trouble while I am here, especially not with a core disciple!¡± ¡°Haha, all right. If I get the chance, I will try to find out what happened from Brother Qian,¡± Hu Nan nodded. ¡°Looks like we are here. You guys go back to your rooms first then. And make sure to stay out of trouble while I am not there!¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Martial Brother Hu!¡± After parting ways at the main hall, Li Teng brought the outer disciples back to their assigned rooms which was not too far away. The Origin Lake Sect had arranged for the Black Tortoise Sect entourage to stay at a huge courtyard, with each member assigned an individual room. Since He Luoxuan and the two inner disciples were having a meeting at the main hall right now, the outer disciples were naturally the only ones present after Li Teng left. ¡° What a Meaningless Concern ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Origin Lake ¡°Aaaahhhhhh!¡± Zhao Yunxiao screamed as he shot into the sky. ¡°Stop making such a big fuss. Is this your first time flying or something?¡± the sea serpent was dumbfounded as it flew alongside Zhao Yunxiao. If Zhao Yunxiao was actually listening to what it was saying, he could at least have replied that this was indeed the first time he was being sent flying through the air in such a manner. However... ¡°Aaaaaahhhhhh!¡± Zhao Yunxiao continued to scream as he felt himself rapidly gaining altitude. The sea serpent flicked one of its two whiskers, sending a ball of energy over to smack Zhao Yunxiao on the face. ¡°Ouch!¡± The impact was not too strong, just enough to make Zhao Yunxiao exclaim in pain. But more importantly, that also stopped him from screaming any longer. ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve removed the mark that you left behind. So don¡¯t even think about anyone finding out about this.¡± Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± Indeed, the moment the sea serpent mentioned that it wanted to kidnap him, Zhao Yunxiao realised that it would be unlikely for him to avoid such an outcome. Therefore, he had secretly left behind a mark with his essence energy without hesitation. As long as any member of the Black Tortoise Sect came to look for him in his room and noticed this mark, they would be able to identify it as a request for help. ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao frowned upon hearing that. As a proud member of the Black Tortoise Sect, he was naturally unhappy to hear what this sea serpent had to say. Not one person in the Origin Lake Sect territory was its match right now? He Luoxuan was also one of those people present! How could he feel good hearing a mere spirit beast look down on an elder of his Black Tortoise Sect? Of course, it was also possible that the sea serpent simply had no idea about just how strong He Luoxuan truly was, mistaking him for being at the same level as the elders of the Origin Lake Sect just because they had the same title. Zhao Yunxiao was not sure which it was, but he definitely hoped that it was the latter. At this moment, he suddenly noticed that they were nearing the main hall where He Luoxuan and the inner disciples were currently having a meeting with the Origin Lake Sect elders. Without realising it, his heart was filled with hope once again. Perhaps now that they were this close, He Luoxuan, as powerful as he was, would notice his presence and realise that he was being kidnapped! But at the very next moment, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s eyes started to glaze over. All of a sudden, Zhao Yunxiao was no longer certain if he wanted He Luoxuan to notice his presence anymore. That was because when he looked down towards the main hall where He Luoxuan currently was, Zhao Yunxiao inevitably also saw his own naked body showing through the transparent casing of water. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. If He Luoxuan were to take action right now and rescue him from the sea serpent, it would surely cause a commotion in the sect. Wouldn¡¯t the entire Origin Lake Sect enjoy a free look at his precious jade-like body then? Either get kidnapped by the sea serpent or expose himself to the world... Zhao Yunxiao actually found it difficult to decide which one was worse! ¡°So, where are you taking me?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked with a sigh, having finally given up all hopes of being rescued. ¡°Where do you think we are heading towards?¡± the sea serpent asked in return. Zhao Yunxiao looked forward upon hearing that, and his face paled. They were headed right into the deepest regions of the Origin Lake Sect territory ¨C the core grounds of the sect! ¡°Wait! The core grounds of the sect are strictly restricted to outsiders! I will die if I get caught!¡± Zhao Yunxiao shouted in panic. ¡°Getting caught should be the least of your concerns right now,¡± the sea serpent¡¯s composure was in direct contrast against Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°I¡¯ve been going in and out of this place repeatedly, making it my home for the past centuries without getting caught. What makes you think that I will suddenly get caught now?¡± Centuries? Zhao Yunxiao shuddered. That explained why this sea serpent was so resourceful. He did not know about combat capabilities, but after living for centuries, anyone would be able to develop a key trait that they were good at. Perhaps this sea serpent¡¯s was the ability to hide its presence. If that was the case, it could explain how the sea serpent managed to hide from even He Luoxuan. But that was still just the sea serpent itself! It was true that nobody seemed to be able to see the sea serpent, but they could see him just fine! Unfortunately, the sea serpent did not seem like it was open to address his concerns, and the powerless Zhao Yunxiao could only go wherever the sea serpent wanted to bring him. Before long, a beautiful lake started to come into view. The moon could barely be seen today. In its place, the numerous stars in the night sky were reflected on the surface of the lake, appearing like small glittering crystals that floated on the water. Even from afar, Zhao Yunxiao felt himself being drawn in by the inexplicable allure of the lake. It was as though the lake was the only thing worthy of attention in the world. Zhao Yunxiao had a fairly good idea on where this was the moment he saw the beautiful lake. Origin Lake ¨C the mystical lake deep within the core grounds that the Origin Lake Sect had taken its name from. ¡° ¡° ¡° Fortune Devourer, Cha The huge gate of the palace opened as they approached, and Zhao Yunxiao was slowly carried into what was probably the front hall. Interestingly enough, there seemed to be an invisible membrane where the gate was, preventing the water from the Origin Lake from flooding into the palace. Because of that, the inside was warm and dry, a stark contrast to the cold and dark environment outside. The casing of water around Zhao Yunxiao seemed to be an exception to the rule though. When Zhao Yunxiao passed through the gate into the palace, the casing of water remained firmly in place until it slowly placed Zhao Yunxiao onto the polished marble floor. With that, the casing of water finally came undone, turning into a mere puddle on the floor. At the same time, Zhao Yunxiao suddenly felt a sense of shame wash over him. Even though the casing of water was transparent, it still felt as though he was at least being covered in something. Now that the casing of water was gone, Zhao Yunxiao once again realised just how naked he was. And that feeling was further exacerbated by how brightly lit the inside of the palace was as compared to the night sky. ¡°Is there anyone else here...?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked uncertainly, his hands instinctively moving over to protect his dignity. ¡°This palace belongs to me alone. No one can enter without my permission,¡± the sea serpent answered matter-of-factly. ¡°Stop doing that. You look pathetic. Or is it because you are not confident in your own body?¡± ¡°W-What are you saying? Of course I am confident!¡± Zhao Yunxiao retorted, though he did not move his hands away. ¡°Where is this place anyway?¡± At the same time, he could not help but feel slightly relieved to hear that there was no one else here. ¡°Didn¡¯t I already say that this is my home?¡± the sea serpent answered. ¡°Your home?¡± Zhao Yunxiao raised an eyebrow. ¡°Did you actually build a home in the core grounds of the Origin Lake Sect?¡± ¡°Impressive, isn¡¯t it?¡± the sea serpent said smugly. ¡°This is just the entrance though, you haven¡¯t seen anything impressive yet. Come, let me widen your horizons!¡± The sea serpent flew deeper into the palace, and Zhao Yunxiao obediently followed. Now that he was already here, he did not really have any other choice but to play along with what the sea serpent wanted. Not to mention how impossible it was to escape from a sea serpent that could trap him in mere bathwater. Even if he did manage that, how would he explain himself if he was spotted leaving the core grounds of the Origin Lake Sect? That he was brought in there by a sea serpent that even He Luoxuan failed to notice? Would anyone ever believe him? His only choice now was to satisfy whatever the sea serpent wanted of him, and hopefully that would help him convince the sea serpent to bring him out just like how it had brought him in. Fortunately, it did not seem like the sea serpent had any malicious intentions... so far. ¡°The palace is designed by the most famous architects of the time, constructed with divine stones far more precious than you can ever imagine, and strengthened further by arrays at the Heavenly Lord level,¡± the sea serpent explained. ¡°Look at those support columns, don¡¯t the engravings seem like they are about to come to life at any moment?¡± Zhao Yunxiao looked around while following behind the sea serpent, and paid more attention to the support columns that it was talking about. Indeed, the interior of the palace looked every bit as grand as it said, with impeccable architecture that was awe-inspiring to say the least. However, Zhao Yunxiao doubted that it was truly constructed with divine stones and strengthened by arrays at the Heavenly Lord level. He was not very sure about the different levels when it came to the higher cultivation realms, but he had heard that most of the elders at the Black Tortoise Sect were only at the Heavenly Lord realm. How could cultivators on the same level as the Black Tortoise Sect elders be tasked to create arrays just to strengthen this sea serpent¡¯s home? No way that was happening. Cultivators of that level would have far more important things to do! As for the engravings on the walls and support columns, there were those of dragons, phoenixes, qilins, and other mythical creatures. Just like what the sea serpent said, these engravings looked extremely lifelike, but he sure hoped that the engravings would not truly come back to life. With everything that was happening right now, Zhao Yunxiao could no longer be sure if the sea serpent was joking or not. Nevertheless, Zhao Yunxiao could not deny how impressive the palace looked. It was not just the interior either. When Zhao Yunxiao thought back to how it looked from the outside, he actually thought that the entire palace was constructed flawlessly both inside and out. In terms of architecture alone, it was a true masterpiece. ¡°Looks like you know your stuff,¡± the sea serpent seemed to have noticed the look of appreciation on Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s face. ¡°But it is still too early to be impressed. Follow me!¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Zhao Yunxiao followed along as the sea serpent flew deeper into the palace, eventually arriving before a huge door. ¡°Get ready to be overwhelmed!¡± the sea serpent said before flicking one of its long whiskers. With that, the huge door started to creak open. The scene that unfolded next caught Zhao Yunxiao completely by surprise. Behind the huge door was a giant chamber no less impressive looking than He Luoxuan¡¯s personal room in his Crazy Winter Heavenly Palace! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Wasn¡¯t that the name of the current leader of the Origin Lake Sect? ¡° ¡° ¡°But why do you know all of this?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°Hahaha! Looks like after all this time, you still haven¡¯t figured out who I am!¡± the sea serpent laughed. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Looking at how he ended up here against his wishes, and completely naked to boot, Zhao Yunxiao truly felt like his fortune had completely run out thanks to it! Small Fortune for Big Fortune ¡°What is on your mind right now?¡± Cha asked after noticing the look on Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s face. ¡°Are you unhappy to be here?¡± ¡°Of course not, Senior Cha,¡± Zhao Yunxiao quickly shook his head. ¡°But may I ask why you brought me here?¡± Zhao Yunxiao was not sure what exactly this palace was, but it certainly looked important to the Origin Lake Sect. If Cha really was the guardian spirit of the sect as it said, why would it bring Zhao Yunxiao, someone who was not even a disciple of the sect, here to this important location? Was he wrong to believe its words after all? ¡°No particular reason. I¡¯m just bored after staying here without company for centuries,¡± the sea serpent¡¯s whiskers moved as though it was shrugging its shoulders. ¡°So, your job here is to entertain me.¡± Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± He was starting to believe it less and less. ¡°But what do you mean staying here without company? Isn¡¯t that more of a personal choice?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°If you really want to, can¡¯t you just kidna- I mean, talk to the other members of the sect? I¡¯m sure there are more than enough people in the Origin Lake Sect willing to entertain you.¡± Its strange behaviour aside, as the guardian spirit of the sect, most disciples would surely be more than happy to even have the opportunity to talk to it. If Zhao Yunxiao was ever given the chance to chat with the Black Tortoise Sect¡¯s guardian spirit, he would be thrilled even if he had to talk to it for weeks on end! Who knew what great insights he could get just from conversations with a big shot like that? Then again, in that same light, Zhao Yunxiao should probably be feeling excited to be talking to Cha right now. After all, even though Cha was not the guardian spirit of his Black Tortoise Sect, it was still considered a big shot to an Essence Gathering realm cultivator like Zhao Yunxiao. But for some reason, he simply could not feel any sense of excitement when faced with this eccentric creature. Ah! Perhaps that was exactly why Cha was bored and lonely ¨C because nobody wanted to talk to it... ¡°I have a feeling that you are thinking about something very rude right now,¡± Cha narrowed its eyes at Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°And it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to talk to the other members of the sect, but I simply can¡¯t.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t?¡± Zhao Yunxiao did not quite understand. ¡°It¡¯s all because of that Yang Hong,¡± Cha let out a helpless sigh. ¡°Back then, he had this idea that as the guardian spirit of the sect, I should maintain a certain level of mystery and only appear under two circumstances. First is when the sect was in danger, to defend the sect from enemies. Second is to those who managed to create a mythical tier treasure in the recent past, to encourage the growth of that person. Who would have known that the descendants of the Origin Lake Sect are all so pathetic, and not a single person have been able to create a mythical tier treasure?¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why...¡± Zhao Yunxiao finally understood why he seemed to be the only person who could see Cha. ¡°But Azure Hand Yang Hong has already passed on for so long. Do you really have to continue following those instructions?¡± ¡°Those are not simple instructions. I swore an oath.¡± ¡°You swore an oath...?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, the kind that would kill you if you went against it.¡± ¡°What?! But why would you agree to such stup- I mean, disadvantageous restrictions?!¡± Zhao Yunxiao could not believe what he was hearing. ¡°It just sounded like a cool idea back then, so I agreed without thinking too much. Who would have expected that things will end up like this?¡± Cha shook his head helplessly. Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± You definitely should have expected this! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡° ¡°All right then, let¡¯s do this!¡± Cha set the chess board down between them. ¡°A simple game of chess is boring. So how about we make a bet on it?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked after thinking about it a little. ¡°Oh? That does sound interesting,¡± Cha mused. ¡°Since that is the case, I will give you an item from the palace if you win.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Zhao Yunxiao exclaimed in shock. He had suggested betting on the game thinking that if he won, he could try to make Cha leave him alone for the rest of his stay. Who knew that Cha would suddenly suggest such a bet instead? Just the two treasures that he had been introduced to earlier were priceless items. If he could get a treasure of that level, that alone would make coming on this trip more than worth his effort even if he failed to achieve anything else! ¡°Don¡¯t be too happy just yet,¡± Cha grinned. ¡°To make it fair, you will have to give me something of equivalent value as well if I win.¡± Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s excitement died down immediately. Something of equivalent value to the personal treasures of the ancestors of the Origin Lake Sect? How could he possibly have anything in his possession that was even remotely close in terms of value? ¡°I know what you are thinking. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m definitely not expecting a kid like you to be capable of bringing out a treasure of such level,¡± Cha chuckled. ¡°The value of something differs according to how much one valued it. What I¡¯m asking is for you to put your fortune on the line.¡± ¡°My fortune?¡± Zhao Yunxiao frowned. ¡°Is it even possible to bet something like that? And what happens when I lose my fortune?¡± ¡°Did you forget that they call me the great Fortune Devourer?¡± Cha said. ¡°Unlike you who are affiliated with the earth element, my affiliation is fortune.¡± ¡°I am affiliated with the earth element?¡± Zhao Yunxiao blinked blankly. Cha: ¡°...¡± You don¡¯t even know your own law affiliation? Ah, that¡¯s right. You are still at the Essence Gathering realm... Cultivators usually gain the ability to touch upon the laws of the world only when they enter the Essence Physique realm. Damn, it sure is difficult to talk to kids. ¡°That does seem to be the case for now, but of course things can change as you walk further on the path of cultivation. Anyway, back to the topic of fortune,¡± Cha quickly changed the topic in case Zhao Yunxiao asked him to explain the boring concept of world laws. ¡°Without fortune, it is slightly less likely for one to encounter fortuitous encounters, but that is not a big deal anyway. As long as one has the talent and determination to work hard, one can still easily advance to the peak of the cultivation path.¡± ¡°Then I will have to decline,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head without hesitation. ¡°I already don¡¯t have great talent, so I definitely cannot afford to lose the chance to get lucky as well.¡± ¡°Can you not be so pathetic? How can you think of yourself as a completely talentless cultivator like that?¡± Cha shook his head in disapproval. ¡°One need to be confident and ambitious in order to go far!¡± Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± I did not call myself a completely talentless cultivator. I only said that I do not have great talent. In case you didn¡¯t know, there¡¯s a huge difference between the two! ¡°Think about it. I will only take a portion of your fortune if I win. But if you win, you will be taking away a treasure far beyond what you could ever have otherwise!¡± Cha tried to convince Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°This can be seen as a form of gaining fortune as well. So effectively, you are just betting your small fortune for a chance to gain a big fortune. That¡¯s not too bad a deal if you ask me!¡± Zhao Yunxiao glanced over at the golden Sin Chaser, then at the Azure Origin Robes. Indeed, these were treasures far beyond what Zhao Yunxiao would ever be able to obtain on his own, perhaps even after spending his entire lifetime cultivating. After all, the tales that he had heard about Azure Hand Yang Hong suggested that the progenitor of the Origin Lake Sect was even strong than He Luoxuan! Zhao Yunxiao definitely did not think that he would be able to reach the level of a Black Tortoise Sect elder in the future. But still... ¡°How about we have a practice match first?¡± Zhao Yunxiao suggested. ¡°Practice match?¡± Cha narrowed its eyes while hiding its grin. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s do that before the actual game then.¡± ¡° ¡° A Simple Game of Chess He knew this beat well ¨C it was the signal for him to advance. All of them were glaring at him, as though daring him to take a single step forward. A deafening silence fell upon the battlefield, through which Soldier Zhao Two could even hear the sound of metal shaking. That was right. The sound was from his armour shaking due to how hard he was trembling right now. Advance? Wouldn¡¯t that be equivalent to sending himself straight into the jaws of death? Soldier Zhao Two had always been proud of how he had endured all the training that he had done throughout his life. Every swing of a sword. Every punch against a tree. All of that had come together to give birth to the strong warrior that he currently was. But was this really what he had trained for all his life? To die for the kingdom? Soldier Zhao Two swallowed his saliva that had been born of nervousness, and tried to take a step forward. He willed it with his mind, but his legs did not follow. As though it was fully aware of the dire consequences, his body refused to obey his foolish instructions. It was impossible after all. There was no way he could advance. How could he? When all that awaited him was death? ¡°What is this? Are you not able to make a single move?¡± ¡° Upon hear that familiar voice, Soldier Zhao Two felt his surroundings begin to warp. The entire Benevolent Wave World seemed to be dissolving like butter over fire, melting away to reveal another world beneath. Zhao Yunxiao opened his eyes to find himself seated in a huge chamber with numerous stone pedestals. In front of him was a floating chessboard, and a sea serpent looked at him from across the chessboard. For a moment, the soldier Zhao Yunxiao failed to comprehend what was going on. Thankfully, his memories came flooding back the very next moment. And then Zhao Yunxiao understood. He had clearly lived the life of Soldier Zhao Two, and understood every little detail of the soldier. But at the same time, he was no soldier. Or rather, he had been a soldier, just that he was no longer one. He was now a cultivator, a proud outer disciple of the Black Tortoise Sect. Huu-! Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Zhao Yunxiao closed his eyes and let out a deep breath as he tried to compose himself, at the same time organising the jumbled memories in his head. He tried to regulate his breathing once more, concurrently using his essence energy to vapourise the cold sweat covering his entire body. ¡°You sure weren¡¯t joking when you said that you are completely talentless,¡± Cha sighed. ¡°Are you not even capable of playing a simple game of chess?¡± ¡°I never said I am completely talentless,¡± Zhao Yunxiao begrudgingly corrected the sea serpent after finally regaining his bearings. ¡°And you could have warned me about the effects of the chessboard in advance, Senior Cha.¡± A simple game of chess? How could it be shameless enough to say that to his face after he had already experienced first-hand just how strange this chessboard was? ¡°Well, you never asked,¡± Cha answered nonchalantly. ¡°So, what is it going to be? Are you even able to play the game?¡± ¡°Are you able to move the pieces on the board, Senior Cha?¡± Zhao Yunxiao could not help but ask in return. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao did not answer. Instead, he fixed his gaze on the same soldier piece as before, slowly stretching his hand out towards it. Boom-! Soldier Zhao Two looked forward, his eyes falling upon the enemy soldier who had entered the curtain of sand between the two armies. The face of this enemy soldier was a blur, but he could clearly see its eyes staring right back at him. Its gaze was cold and merciless. There was no doubt that if given the chance, it would cut him down without a moment of hesitation. It was not just this one soldier either. Every single enemy in the Black Kingdom¡¯s army behind it was glaring at him, unleashing a heavy pressure that bore down upon him. His instincts told him to run. Run as fast as possible, as far as possible. Even so, he remained standing there without retreating. Perhaps it helped that his muscles were slightly frozen from fear? It was the same situation as before, and the familiar drum beat that came from behind was no different. This was the signal for him to move forward, to enter this deathtrap that had been laid out in front of him. If Soldier Zhao Two had not been prepared for this, the pressure would probably have completely overwhelmed his nerves, bringing him to the point of collapse. ¡° ¡° ¡° I Guess It’s My Turn to Die? ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao narrowed his eyes at Cha for a moment before stretching a hand towards the chessboard. ¡° ¡° Wait a minute...! Zhao Yunxiao shuddered as he suddenly thought of something. This was just the first piece that he had lost! Dying, and then Dying Again Zhao Yunxiao felt the corner of his lips twitch. Would he really be able to handle so many more times of this? Zhao Yunxiao might not have an answer for that, but he did at least learn the answer to something else from his earlier death. Soldier Zhao Five died, and he had died along with him. ¡°So? Rested enough?¡± Cha¡¯s impatient voice sounded out once again. ¡°This game isn¡¯t too fun,¡± Zhao Yunxiao looked towards the sea serpent and said. ¡°Why don¡¯t we do something else? Perhaps we can try some calligraphy?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Are you trying to run away?¡± Cha raised an eyebrow. ¡°You suggested to play a practice game and I agreed. To not even finish the practice game after that, are you screwing with me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it, Senior Cha. But this is really too much for me,¡± Zhao Yunxiao admitted. ¡°Is it possible for your great and generous self to treat this as letting off an ignorant junior?¡± Initially, Zhao Yunxiao had a feeling that he would be able to benefit greatly if he ever managed to complete a game on the Benevolent Wave Chessboard, and that feeling of his had not changed either. What good were benefits if he could not be there to enjoy them in the end? Of course, chances were low that he would actually lose his mind from just this, but low chances did not equate to no chances. To continue with the game would be akin to gambling with his life despite not knowing the rewards awaiting him at the end, and Zhao Yunxiao was not particularly fond of taking risks for no good reason. Unfortunately, things did not always go the way one wanted it to. ¡°Not happening,¡± Cha scoffed. ¡°Either you finish this game at least, or you give up your fortune.¡± ¡°What?! But Senior Cha, we are not betting on this game, are we?¡± Zhao Yunxiao retorted. ¡°This is supposed to be a practice game!¡± ¡°So what? Did you not agree to play the practice game? If so, shouldn¡¯t there be a penalty for not upholding our agreement?¡± Cha replied. Option two was to give up on this game, as well as his fortune. Zhao Yunxiao had no clue what losing his fortune would feel like, but it definitely did not sound great. The first option at least had some form of potential benefits, but the other was purely negative. Of course, the potential consequences of giving up also sounded less severe than that of continuing the game, but there was one difference between the two ¨C the consequences for the latter might not actually materialise! Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Will and resolve, eh? These were actually the traits that he was the most confident about. If he really had to gamble on something, they were it! And with that, Zhao Yunxiao decided. That¡¯s right. He might not be the most talented cultivator, but he had always been relying on his strong resolve all this time. So, why should he be afraid of a situation where that was all that he needed? To have even considered giving up his fortune for nothing because of such unfounded fear, Zhao Yunxiao was embarrassed just thinking about that! One by one, Zhao Yunxiao experienced how his different lives came to an end in different ways, with the end always playing out in slow motion as though deliberately stretching out his pain. By the time the game was nearing its end, Zhao Yunxiao had already experienced death ten times over! And this time around, Zhao Yunxiao opened his eyes slowly. His heart rate was still faster than usual, but not significantly so. His thoughts were organised, and his limbs were steady. The excruciating pain of having his throat ruptured by cold steel remained vivid in his mind, but Zhao Yunxiao was no longer as fazed as before. ¡°Oh? Are you finally not going to act all dramatic anymore?¡± Cha teased. ¡°Or has your mind actually collapsed from just that?¡± ¡°Will you be feeling guilty if that¡¯s the case, Senior Cha?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked bitterly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, kid. If that really happens, I can wash your memories clean. It will be as though you never left your room,¡± Cha answered with an evil smirk. ¡°Oh? That¡¯s good to hear!¡± Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s eyes lit up in surprise. It would be as though he never left? Did that not mean he had never been at risk of losing his mind from playing this game of chess? Since that was the case, even his last concern was no longer a factor! ¡°Hmm?¡± Cha blinked blankly. It had wanted to sound evil, but it never expected his words to actually have a positive impact on Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°By the way, it¡¯s checkmate,¡± Zhao Yunxiao lifted his hand from the board. Cha looked down at the board. Indeed, it was his loss. ¡°Oh well, I guess the practice game is over then,¡± Cha shrugged off the result. ¡°What¡¯s it going to be now? Are you up for the bet?¡± Zhao Yunxiao rubbed his chin in contemplation. While he had been struggling with the intense process, Zhao Yunxiao had not neglected his plays at the same time. Through the game, he had made logical moves as well as testing moves. Judging from Cha¡¯s responses, there was a good chance that he would win! ¡°What will be the treasure that you are betting, Senior Cha?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? You can find out after the game.¡± ¡°That will not do, Senior Cha,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head. ¡°Since this is a bet, isn¡¯t it only fair that I know exactly what is on the line?¡± ¡°Fine, whatever,¡± Cha shrugged. ¡°You can take your pick then.¡± ¡°Then I want the Azure Origin Robes!¡± Zhao Yunxiao made his decision in an instant, not wanting to give the sea serpent any chance to take back its words. As a ceremonial robe of Azure Hand Yang Hong, it surely contained laws and secrets privy only to the big shots. To be able to study something like that would surely be extremely beneficial to his cultivation path! On top of that, it would also be able to temporarily cover his body... ¡°Fine, the Azure Origin Robes it is,¡± Cha answered without hesitation. ¡°Are you up for the bet now?¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s give it a try!¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded excitedly. ¡°Understood,¡± Cha answered. ¡°Let our bet begin then!¡± Zhao Yunxiao could see a smile appearing on Cha¡¯s face, but he was not surprised. Since he had tried to test the opponent, he naturally expected Cha to have done the same as well. Now, it was all about who had hidden themselves better! With a flick of its whisker, the chessboard returned to its original state. ¡°Do you want to start this time?¡± Cha asked. ¡°Sure,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded as he reached out towards the chessboard. ¡°Here it goes!¡± With the start of a new game came new characters. In fact, it even helped to snap him back to reality every time, preventing him from getting lost in the sea of different memories. Honouring the Bet ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡° A bowl. Do you have something else, Senior Cha?¡± Zhao Yunxiao could not help but ask. ¡°How about that fan over there? It suits me better! Or that pair of shoes? I happen to need some new shoes so that will be perfect!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° A Good Talk ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡° ¡° Who would have expected that this young disciple would actually be missing from his room this late into the night? ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Commencement of Elder He’s Cultivation Lecture Now, it was just a matter of what time everyone was planning to go for the inspection, and whether he could return before they realised his absence! The good thing was that Zheng Biru and Yu Hang were there as well. Even if He Luoxuan had any requests for the outer disciples last night, there was still a chance that they could have handled it themselves so that his absence would not be exposed. As long as they did not sell him out, that was. ¡°Are you sure nobody can see me right now?¡± Zhao Yunxiao could not help but ask while flying through the air. ¡°Again with that meaningless concern,¡± Cha answered in an ambiguous manner. Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± It might be meaningless to you as a sea serpent, but it is very important to me! With his hair fluttering in the wind, Zhao Yunxiao looked down at the casing of water around his body. He could clearly see his naked body through it. It already felt insecure enough flying through the air like that last night. Now that the sky had been lit up by the morning sun, flying across the skies of the Origin Lake Sect territory in such a state was giving him serious anxiety issues! ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Splash-! He shot straight through the open window of his room and into his bath that had already turned cold by now. It was an overly exciting freefall that ended with the perfect landing. Zhao Yunxiao had to take a deep breath to regain his composure. As he entered the cold water, Zhao Yunxiao also immediately felt the casing of water around him come undone, returning him his freedom. ¡°Thank you for bringing me back as promised, Senior Cha,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°If there is nothing else, I would have to prepare for my day now.¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Cha hovered in front of him and flicked a whisker. ¡°Ouch!¡± Zhao Yunxiao felt a ball of energy strike him in the face. ¡°Why- Eh...?¡± Zhao Yunxiao was about to complain, but widened his eyes in surprise instead. After hitting him in the face, the ball of energy actually entered his body and created a revitalising effect, effectively healing him of his fatigue from last night. Staying up a single night was no issue for most cultivators, but Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s psyche had been worn out from playing on the Benevolent Wave Chessboard. This surge of energy within him actually managed to chase away all his mental exhaustion and made him feel as fresh as ever, as though he just had the best rest of his life. In fact, Zhao Yunxiao even felt many of his injuries from the fight with Sun Minhao recovering at the same time. ¡° ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao turned back to look at the sea serpent after realising that there was something amiss. Did that mean Cha was going to come look for him tonight again? Unfortunately, by the time Zhao Yunxiao turned around, all he could see was an empty bath. Cha was no longer anywhere to be seen. *** ¡°Greetings, Senior Martial Brother Hu, Senior Martial Sister Song, Senior Martial Brother Zheng, Junior Martial Brother Yu!¡± Zhao Yunxiao cheerfully greeted the quartet as he hurried out of his room into the open courtyard. Indeed, clothes make the man. Now that he had clothes on, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel a lot more confident. But when the other disciples saw him exiting his room, they immediately revealed a look of surprise. ¡°When did you return, Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Hu Nan asked. That was enough to let Zhao Yunxiao know that his absence had been discovered. But at the same time, Zhao Yunxiao was relieved to hear that they did not seem to have noticed his return. After all, he was not exactly in the most presentable state at that time. ¡°My apologies, Senior Martial Brother Hu. I was trying to look around the vicinity to make sure that nothing is wrong and everything is secure, but got carried away after seeing so many new and fascinating things in the area,¡± Zhao Yunxiao scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. This made him sound slightly clumsy and irresponsible, but it could not be helped. After all, there was no way that he could just say that he got kidnapped by the guardian spirit of the Origin Lake Sect! That said, in order to reduce suspicions when lying, one could not totally shirk all responsibilities. Only by taking on a bit of the blame himself would his words sound more believable. Hu Nan shook his head in disapproval, ¡°I guess it is understandable for you guys to feel fascinated by everything on your first visit here, but such actions are unacceptable. Come look for me after the lecture later, I will need to have a serious talk with you about this. For now, apologise to your companions for not even letting them know where you went. They almost got into trouble because of you.¡± ¡° If he were to go missing even though Hu Nan had already explicitly asked him to visit, there was no way he would be able to get away with it no matter how he tried to make amends! ¡° Zheng Biru was initially thinking of giving Zhao Yunxiao a good talking to for his disappearance last night, but decided to forget about it after hearing Hu Nan say that he would do so himself. If if was him scolding Zhao Yunxiao, he would definitely keep it within a certain threshold. But if it were up to Hu Nan, who knew how far the inner disciple would go when meting out punishment? Regardless, Hu Nan was right in that now was not the time to worry about this matter. ¡°Understood, Senior Martial Brother Hu!¡± With that, the three outer disciples followed Song Xiaoqiao¡¯s lead as they made their way to the lecture venue. Song Xiaoqiao and Zhao Yunxiao had been to the lecture hall the day before, so they naturally knew the way there. It did not take long before they arrived at the huge lecture hall. There was still plenty of time before the appointed time for the lecture, so the hall was still empty except for a few disciples of the Origin Lake Sect who had been specially tasked to tend to their requests before the lecture started. ¡°Go take a look at the adjustments,¡± Song Xiaoqiao said to Zhao Yunxiao after arriving. ¡°You two, go look around to see if there are any issues as well.¡± ¡°Understood, Senior Martial Sister Song,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded, and so did the other two outer disciples. This time, it was only natural that Zhao Yunxiao was the one to perform the final inspection on the adjustments. After all, he was the one who had requested for the various adjustments the day before, so he would surely be the clearest on what to check for. ¡°Greetings, Senior Zhao,¡± Li Teng was present as well and stepped forward at this point. ¡°Let me show you the adjustments we made.¡± ¡°Sure, Brother Li,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered with a smile. ¡°Reporting to Senior Martial Sister Song, the adjustments were all completed.¡± ¡°Reporting to Senior Martial Sister Song, we didn¡¯t find anything that is of concern as well.¡± Song Xiaoqiao nodded. ¡°Take our positions, and tell the Origin Lake Sect disciples to open the hall.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered before turning towards Li Teng. ¡°Brother Li, we can let the attendees in once you are ready.¡± ¡°Got it, I will go let the rest know,¡± Li Teng said before hurrying away. There was still some time before the appointed time of the lecture, but it was common practice to open the lecture hall early, giving attendees time to take their seats beforehand and wait for the arrival of the lecturer. The many lectures back at the Black Tortoise Sect were conducted in the same manner as well, especially when the lecturer involved was someone as influential as an elder. After all, as mere disciples, they could not possibly be letting the elders wait for them to slowly settle down instead! The moment the doors opened, disciples of the Origin Lake Sect started entering the lecture hall in an orderly manner. At the same time, Zhao Yunxiao and the three other disciples of the Black Tortoise Sect sat comfortably at the front row as they watched them enter. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Basics of Combat For cultivators, there were countless factors that could influence the outcome of combat. First of all, the most obvious attributes would definitely be an individual¡¯s power, speed, dexterity, and durability. All these would be affected by one¡¯s innate physique and bloodline, cultivation level, as well as their training regime. Next, an individual had to understand how best they could use these attributes to gain an edge in combat, and this was where techniques came into play. Combat techniques, movement techniques, and auxiliary techniques ¨C these were the three main classifications of techniques in this world. Many only knew how to blindly pursue the higher ranked techniques, but that was not always the ideal approach. Instead, one had to learn where their strengths and weaknesses lay, using that information as a basis to choose the most suitable techniques for themselves. That would mean amplifying their strengths and covering their weaknesses. Those were not the only factors either. Even when armed with the right techniques, it would be useless if an individual did not know the ideal time and situation in battle to execute it in order to gain the greatest advantage. A battle was filled with countless possibilities and variations, so it was nigh impossible to learn a single move and be able to apply that to every situation. Or at least, that would be the excuse of the weak. In fact, if an individual practised a single technique so much, to the point of truly making it theirs, they would know exactly how to vary the execution, applying it to almost all sorts of situations. That was the final factor ¨C adaptability. Therefore, in order to get stronger, the most direct method was for an individual to simply focus on a specific technique that suited them the best, training and honing it to absolute perfection. That was actually how most of the great powerhouses had gotten to where they were today. But did that mean cultivators only needed one technique to conquer the world? The answer was yes, but only if the individual became so proficient with a technique that it could be hailed as unbeatable under the heavens. Unfortunately, that was something far out of reach for most. Until an individual could reach such a level, there would still be situations where they would need to complement their main technique with other techniques to help create opportunities in battle. Therefore, it was best to invest time and effort in learning some other techniques as well, but only if they complemented the main technique and did not affect the training of the main technique too much. That was adaptability as well, just expressed in a different manner. Yes, one could view it as the way of the weak. However, there was no shame in being weak. After all, the world was large and limitless. Even elders of the Black Tortoise Sect had a chance of encountering opponents whom they feared. As disciples, that was all the more the case. This was why everyone had to put more thought into things when considering what to focus on in their training. Talent, resource, environment, and even personality. Basically, anything that could eventually impact not just the ease of execution of the techniques, but also the ease of learning the techniques themselves and the training required to execute these techniques to perfection. How many situations would the techniques be effective in? Would the individual be comfortable in such situations in the first place? In other words, it was best for an individual to first ask themselves all these questions before deciding on what they preferred as their style of battle. Once all that was clear, the path to follow would naturally show itself... He Luoxuan¡¯s lecture addressed the very fundamentals of combat, first explaining how combat worked and how best to approach the issue of getting stronger. Zhao Yunxiao listened intently to every word, and not just because it was a precious opportunity to learn from the elder. Coincidentally, he had been trying hard to decide on the most effective combat style for himself, so He Luoxuan¡¯s lecture was like a light beacon in the middle of the night, giving him a much-needed push in the right direction. What were his strengths? Out of the different attributes stated ¨C power, speed, dexterity, and durability ¨C Zhao Yunxiao did not think that he was considered exceptional in any of them as compared to his peers. But if he really had to choose, then the one he was most confident in would have to be durability. After last night, Zhao Yunxiao had become much clearer about this. In fact, it was not just physical durability that he was confident about, but also his mental fortitude. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. But how on earth was he supposed to base his combat style off of that? He could not possibly win a fight just by being good at taking hits! Or... could he? Zhao Yunxiao fell into deep contemplation as he thought back to his previous fights. Back when he was ¡®sparring¡¯ against Sun Minhao, the only reason why he managed to land a punch against the inner disciple at the end was only because he had seen enough of the latter¡¯s moves to guess his next moves. In a way, that was similar to the adaptability that He Luoxuan was talking about. By the time the battle was nearing its end, he finally managed to adapt to Sun Minhao¡¯s style, and that was made possible only because he had somehow managed to last long enough in that fight. That was his durability coming into play! Zhao Yunxiao suddenly felt like he could see the gate to a new path slowly opening up in his head. The direction was there, but he still had to decide how he should approach the matter. No matter how durable he was, there was simply no way that he could just take his opponents¡¯ attacks and hope to last till the end! If he did that, the result would likely end up just like how it was when he faced Sun Minhao ¨C him being completely spent by the time he managed to figure the opponent out. In that case, he had to think of ways to help him survive long enough in combat... to at least last till the end. Zhao Yunxiao knew that he definitely did not possess the talent to execute tonnes of flashy techniques in battle to overwhelm his enemies. Therefore, what He Luoxuan said truly resounded with him. Focusing on just one main technique was exactly what he had in mind from the start. It was okay for the technique to be simple, as long as he was able to adapt to different situations and use them in the most effective manner. But what He Luoxuan said after that made sense as well. Before he could truly master a single technique, he would have to depend on suitable complementing techniques that could enable his preferred fighting style. Only then would he be able to maximise his combat efficiency. That¡¯s it. Now that he had identified his strength and general path, there were a few ways to approach this. To drag out a fight by taking hits better. To drag out a fight without having to take as many hits, or any at all. To be able to reliably strike his opponent despite being spent at the end. These were the options that he could think of for now. Zhao Yunxiao clenched his fists in determination. After listening to He Luoxuan, he now had a much clearer idea on how to approach this matter! The lecture felt much shorter than it actually was. When it ended, every attendee could not help but let out a sigh of disappointment. That was because in this short period of time, many of them had gained epiphanies and benefits far greater than what they would have had by cultivating by themselves for months, or even years! How they hoped that this lecture would never end! ¡°Carefully ponder over what I said,¡± He Luoxuan concluded. ¡°Even if you eventually decide to walk a different path, I hope that you will do so only after considering everything that I have mentioned today. In the end, cultivation is about believing in yourself. As long as you have absolute confidence in what you are doing, sometimes it is all right to diverge from the commonly tread path. The only thing I ask is that in your pursuit of strength and power, do not lose yourself and fall to dark temptations. As orthodox sects, we always need to have the common good in mind. With that, I thank you for your attention today.¡± ¡°Thank you for the guidance, Elder He!¡± the attendees quickly stood up and bowed respectfully towards He Luoxuan. All of them were filled with heartfelt gratitude after such an enlightening lecture. ¡°I hope to see you on the main stage of the world soon,¡± He Luoxuan nodded with a smile before standing up to leave. As He Luoxuan left the stage, the last words he said rang in the heads of everyone present, Zhao Yunxiao included. The main stage of the world! It was a vague concept, and everyone had their own perspective of what it meant. Zhao Yunxiao naturally had his own idea as well. One day, he would be strong enough to walk freely through the lands just like any accomplished cultivator. And just by hearing his name alone, other cultivators would already feel a certain level of apprehension, not wanting to bother him without good reason. To him, that was what it meant to have joined the main stage of the world! Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel the fire of motivation burning in his heart. He could not wait to hurry up and return to the sect so that he could start training! Even then, he did not forget his current station. Zhao Yunxiao walked forward without needing to be told. Together with the other disciples of the Black Tortoise Sect, they followed closely behind He Luoxuan as they left the lecture hall. ¡°Hu Nan, Xiaoqiao. You will be coming with me to have a chat with Sect Leader Dan. Yunxiao, you come along as well,¡± He Luoxuan said after they left the lecture hall. ¡°The rest of you have my permission to go enjoy some free time. Just make sure you stay out of trouble.¡± ¡°Yes, Elder He!¡± the disciples answered loudly. At the same time, the other two outer disciples could not help but steal envious looks towards Zhao Yunxiao. This was already the second time that he had been chosen to accompany the elder, so it was obvious that he had gained the favour and trust of the elder, at least more so than the two of them. And that was despite going missing the night before! ¡°Elder He, please come with me,¡± Ming Leishang appeared before them at this point. ¡°Let¡¯s head over to the main hall. Sect Leader Dan and the other elders are already waiting there.¡± ¡°Please lead the way,¡± He Luoxuan agreed with a smile. With that, the group returned to the main hall where He Luoxuan and the inner disciples had been chatting with the upper echelons of the Origin Lake Sect last night. It was as Ming Leishang had said. When they arrived at the grand hall, they could see that Sect Leader Dan Juexing and the other sect elders were already seated and waiting. Just like when they first arrived, He Luoxuan¡¯s seat had been arranged level with the other sect elders. But the one thing different this time was that there were several empty seats prepared behind each elder¡¯s. Zhao Yunxiao immediately understood what that meant as he had helped to set up similar settings back in the Black Tortoise Sect before. These extra seats were likely for the direct disciples of the elders, or at least the disciples whom they believed deserved to be present. The same was prepared behind He Luoxuan¡¯s seat, though there were only two extra seats prepared. That much was not surprising either. Rather than a participant of the discussion, Zhao Yunxiao was here more as an attendant. Because of that, it was only natural that he did not have his own assigned seat. Rather than that, there was something else that truly bothered Zhao Yunxiao. In fact, it bothered him to the extent that when Zhao Yunxiao stepped into the main hall, he almost froze up in terror! That was because apart from Dan Juexing and the various Origin Lake Sect elders, he could also see a familiar sea serpent lying lazily on the altar of offerings placed behind Dan Juexing¡¯s main seat. From atop the altar, Cha opened his eyes and grinned as it noticed Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s arrival. ¡°What a coincidence. We meet again so soon!¡± Cha¡¯s voice sounded out in Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s head. That isn’t Too Hard, is It? ¡°Look! Our esteemed guest is here!¡± Dan Juexing stood up and greeted. The rest of the elders stood up respectfully as well. ¡°Sect Leader Dan is too polite,¡± He Luoxuan clasped his fists towards Dan Juexing and the elders in response. ¡°I have shown an embarrassing side of myself earlier. I hope everyone can kindly give your guidance if there were any mistakes with what I have said.¡± ¡°Hahaha, Elder He is as humble as always,¡± Dan Juexing laughed. ¡°Come, take a seat!¡± Ming Leishang did not have to be told twice, personally leading He Luoxuan to his seat before going back to his own. From the moment they entered the main hall until everyone took their seats, no one seemed to have taken a second look at the altar of offerings. Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± He had tried to act all natural as he followed He Luoxuan to his seat, but he simply could not shake the feeling that a particular sea serpent had been staring at him all this time. ¡°Why do you look so nervous? Relax, these kids are not as scary as they look,¡± Cha laughed. Zhao Yunxiao felt the corner of his lips twitch. I am not afraid of Sect Leader Dan and the other elders! It is you I am afraid of! You! Of course, with everyone else present here, there was no way for him to reply to Cha even if he wanted to. At the same time, Zhao Yunxiao confirmed one thing. He did not know if Dan Juexing and the elders of the Origin Lake Sect could see Cha, but He Luoxuan and the two inner disciples definitely could not. Otherwise, there was no way that He Luoxuan would simply disregard the presence of the guardian spirit of the Origin Lake Sect, only greeting Dan Juexing and the various elders. After all, the guardian spirit of a sect had a status higher than that of the elders. In some factions, it even exceeded that of the sect leader! ¡°Please wait a while for our undeserving disciples to arrive, Elder He,¡± Ming Leishang said. ¡°After listening to your lecture earlier, they probably got carried away with discussions among themselves.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, it is normal for youngsters to be a little unruly,¡± He Luoxuan shook his head with a smile. ¡°The weather is starting to turn warm, how is the Origin Lake Sect preparing for the New Year this time around?¡± ¡°It is the same as past years. We will only be holding a simple celebration here, not comparable to that of the Black Tortoise Sect,¡± Ming Leishang answered. ¡°Sigh, how boring. Can¡¯t they change things up and do something interesting for once?¡± Cha complained. Of course, Zhao Yunxiao pretended not to hear it. Just like that, He Luoxuan and the elders started to make small talk as they waited. As they continued to chat, several people started entering the main hall. Seeing that the elders were having their conversation, they merely gave a polite bow before silently taking their seats behind the various elders. These were all familiar faces to Zhao Yunxiao. All of them had been present in the lecture hall earlier. In fact, even if that was not the case, Zhao Yunxiao would have recognised them from their descriptions. After all, they were all core disciples of the Origin Lake Sect. Among them were Zhou Qin and Cui Junhe whom Zhao Yunxiao had met at the Jade Force Cliff yesterday. The two of them were not surprised to see Zhao Yunxiao either, exchanging slight nods to greet each other before they took their seats. Next to enter was Qian Luming, the same person who had tried to pick on Zhao Yunxiao at the Twilight Wall. Zhao Yunxiao immediately focused his attention on this person. Damn it, he really was just looking at Senior Martial Sister Song! At this moment, Zhao Yunxiao became almost fully certain of his earlier conjecture. This crazy Qian Luming actually targeted him over some completely wrongly placed jealousy! How unlucky! It was then that Qian Luming suddenly noticed Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s presence. He turned his gaze towards Zhao Yunxiao, saw how he did not even have his own seat, and immediately let out a smirk. ¡°Hahaha, how cute,¡± Cha laughed. ¡°That Qian kid always does this when he thinks he has won. After so many years, he still doesn¡¯t change!¡± Zhao Yunxiao let out a bitter smile. It definitely did not look cute when he was the one on the receiving end! Just like the rest, Qian Luming quietly went to his seat behind his master ¨C Ming Leishang. But even after that, his gaze continued to remain mostly on Song Xiaoqiao. In contrast, Song Xiaoqiao merely greeted him with a smile before turning away. One by one, the seats were quickly getting filled up. However, there was one that remained empty even after much time had passed. And perhaps to make things worse, it was the one just below that of the main seat. This meant that it was likely Sect Leader Dan¡¯s direct disciple who was late! By now, even Dan Juexing and the elders were starting to show signs of impatience after waiting for such a long time. ¡°Luming, do you know where is Pingxi?¡± Dan Juexing finally asked. ¡°Reporting to Sect Leader Dan, I saw Senior Martial Sister Chen hurrying out of the lecture hall before most others,¡± Qian Luming answered. ¡°Since she is not here yet, she probably has something important to attend to.¡± The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Ridiculous! What can be more important than greeting Elder He?¡± Dan Juexing frowned. ¡°Luming, why don¡¯t you go look for Pingxi and tell her that we are waiting for her at the main hall?¡± Ming Leishang said. ¡°Wait, never mind that.¡± As they were speaking, a young lady showed up at the door. With her long black hair reaching down to her waist, that beautiful countenance of hers was enough to turn heads wherever she went. Her ceremonial dress looked elegant yet not too flamboyant, a perfect fit for her slender figure. Zhao Yunxiao recognised her immediately as well. Chen Pingxi ¨C prime disciple of the Origin Lake Sect as well as the direct disciple of Sect Leader Dan Juexing. ¡°Where have you been, Pingxi?¡± Dan Juexing was the first to speak. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to head over immediately after the lecture?¡± ¡°Disciple Pingxi apologises for being late!¡± Chen Pingxi immediately bowed. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± You want me to tell her this out of nowhere? Won¡¯t she treat me like some kind of weirdo then? ¡°What are you waiting for? Don¡¯t you feel bad for her? Go tell her that already,¡± Cha¡¯s voice sounded a little more impatient this time. Zhao Yunxiao ignored its words and remained where he was. He did not know what this sea serpent was smoking. Not to mention whether he should even tell her that in the first place; but even if he wanted to do so, this was definitely not the time and place for him to just go up and speak to her, especially with the atmosphere being as cold as it was right now! ¡°What? Are you feeling shy or something? How are you supposed to get girls in the future if you are afraid of this much?¡± Cha asked again. ¡°Let me teach you how to do it then. Bring a cup of hot tea to her, then tell her that she looks pale and that she should freshen up with a cup of tea. Then say what I just told you to say. Easy, isn¡¯t it?¡± Zhao Yunxiao continued to ignore it. ¡°Are you ignoring me right now?¡± Zhao Yunxiao remained silent. ¡°You stupid brat, do you believe that I can strip you down to nothing right here and now if you continue ignoring me?¡± Cha finally seemed to have lost its patience. Zhao Yunxiao took a deep breath to compose himself. Surely the sea serpent would not do anything crazy in front of everyone present? Tear-! Zhao Yunxiao felt the end of his robe sleeve splitting slightly. It was a very small tear, one that was almost completely unnoticeable. However, its sudden appearance was still more than enough to strike fear in Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s heart. And that was especially so because no one else seemed to have noticed it happening! If the others present in the main hall had noticed how his sleeves tore by sensing the sea serpent¡¯s actions, it would at least mean that they could protect him from it. But not a single person here had reacted. This meant that even if the sea serpent really did as it threatened, others might even end up thinking that it was Zhao Yunxiao who had suddenly felt like tearing his own clothes instead! ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you. So, are you going to do it or not?¡± Cha¡¯s voice sounded out in his head once again. This time, its voice sounded a lot more threatening. Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± This crazy perverted snake! Zhao Yunxiao started to sweat as he slowly reached out with trembling hands, picking up the nearest teapot to pour a cup of tea. Simply pouring tea was an action completely normal for an attendant. However, that was no longer the case when he started walking away from his station and heading towards the door. Hmm? One by one, everyone started to turn their attention towards him. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Hahaha! See that now? That isn¡¯t too hard, is it?¡± Cha¡¯s voice sounded in his head. ¡°You are a strange kid as well. You seemed perfectly fine with being naked yesterday, so why are you so easily threatened by that right now? I had expected to have to do more, but you being so agreeable really saved me the trouble there!¡± Giving Guidance Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± If not because he had no other choice, he would definitely want to be clothed at all times! But even as he was thinking that, Zhao Yunxiao tried not to let his feelings show on his face. After he finished saying everything that Cha had told him to say, he quickly turned around and made his way back to his station while putting up a confident front. All this time, most of those present had their gazes darting continuously between him and Chen Pingxi, trying to figure out what just happened. It was then that a loud voice sounded out from the end of the room, instantly drawing over everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°That¡¯s right! That¡¯s right, indeed!¡± Dan Juexing slapped his armrest in exclamation. ¡°If ice wants to gain the fluidity of water, it cannot remain frozen! Hahaha! It¡¯s such a simple concept, so how could I not have thought of that before?¡± He Luoxuan who was just about to apologise for Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s transgression felt his words being stuck in his throat. Dan Juexing¡¯s reaction was definitely not what he was expecting. ¡°Hahaha! Thank you, little brother!¡± Dan Juexing suddenly stood up and clasped his fists towards Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Thanks to those words, I believe I finally have an idea on how to help her moving forward! What are you waiting for, Pingxi?¡± ¡° Therefore, she could only refer to Zhao Yunxiao as young sir instead. Zhao Yunxiao had been wondering what on earth Cha was trying to make him say, eventually That crazy sea serpent actually made him, an outer disciple of one sect, give guidance to the prime disciple of another sect, and in front of her master to boot? There was no way that He Luoxuan would let him off the hook for such improper behaviour! It¡¯s nothing like that, Sect Leader Dan,¡± He Luoxuan hurriedly denied. ¡°Yunxiao probably just felt soft hearted after seeing Pingxi being reprimanded for her mistake and wanted to calm her down a little. His wordsare definitely not intended as guidance or anything of the sort. Yunxiao!¡± ¡° Who are you to interfere when Sect Leader Dan is lecturing his disciple?¡± He Luoxuan berated. ¡°What are you waiting for? Why aren¡¯t you apologising to Sect Leader Dan?¡± ¡° ¡°Tch! Bunch of kids acting all inflexible and old fashioned. Even I am more receptive to modern conventions!¡± Cha commented unhappily. Perhaps you are the one who is a little too modern for this world! ¡° Did Dan Juexing already realise what was going on? Don¡¯t worry, Elder He. We have all gathered here today to looking forward to receiving guidance from you,¡± Dan Juexing said. ¡°This is a problem that she and I have been trying to fix for a while now, but all our efforts have been in vain. But as expected, you were able to instantly see through the issues that our Pingxi has been facing with regards to her cultivation. I know it is purely out of kindness that you are giving guidance to Pingxi, so I naturally won¡¯t be offended. In fact, I believe it is our fortune to have you point the way for us today!¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. He Luoxuan was truly at a loss for what to do right now. If he were to deny that he was responsible for what happened, wouldn¡¯t that be akin to saying that an outer disciple of his Black Tortoise Sect was able to instantly fix a problem that Sect Leader Dan Juexing could not? ¡° In the end, the Black Tortoise Sect elder had the final say when it came to whether Zhao Yunxiao should be punished or not. But unlike the others, He Luoxuan revealed a look of surprise because he somehow understood what Zhao Yunxiao was trying to do right now. That way, he would not have to face the dilemma of having to choose between agreeing or disagreeing with what Dan Juexing said. It was just that at the same time, Zhao Yunxiao was also trying to make He Luoxuan pardon him in front of everyone. He Luoxuan would not have acceded to such schemes under normal circumstances, but he decided to make an exception this time since what Zhao Yunxiao did eventually resulted in something good for Dan Juexing and Chen Pingxi. ¡° ¡° This Cha was really making things difficultfor him just because of its whims. It was a great relief that he had managed to tide things over, but that was too close for comfort! Pardon my transgression, but since we are on the subject, can this junioralso humbly ask if Elder He has any advice for me?¡± Zhou Qin stood up and bowed deeply towards He Luoxuan. Now that there was such a rare opportunity in front of him, it was not surprising that he would risk coming across as rude to try and ask for any sort of useful advice. Since he had graced Chen Pingxi with cultivation advice specially catered to her, they wanted to see if he was feeling generous enough to do the same for others as well. Your master Elder Xie is an accomplished individual who even I have to learn from, so I¡¯m sure Elder Xie has his plans laid out for you,¡± He Luoxuan said with a smile. ¡°As an outsider who doesn¡¯t understand the situation well, I shall not say anything lest I mess things up instead.¡± Master, is it all right if I receive some pointers from Elder He?¡± Zhou Qinimmediately turned towards his master Xie Gun, refusing to give up just like that. ¡° In fact, it was not difficult for He Luoxuan to offer some simple words of advice to Zhou Qin, and he was more than willing to do so as well considering how promising the latter was. How could it be so easy to offer specific advice to someone whom he did not even know all that well? At the same time, if he were to suddenly start asking Zhou Qin about his cultivation now, would that not expose the fact that he did not come up with the advice for Chen Pingxi earlier? Say it! You had no issues saying it earlier so why are you hesitating now?¡± Cha¡¯s voice sounded in his head. ¡°All you have to do is repeat what I said!¡± Not only did I have plenty of issues with it, but it gave me plenty of issues to handle after that as well! Come on, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to help out your comrades. Don¡¯t you see how eager he is right now? Are you going to just leave him in the lurch?¡± ¡° Otherwise, the stream of demandsmight never end! Sigh, looks like I have no other choice then...¡± Just as he was thinking this, Zhao Yunxiao felt a surge of energy wrapping around his body. It was an extremely familiar feeling, almost like the casing of water that had kidnapped him last night... What About the Older Kids? ¡° ¡° ¡° The sun might be bright and dazzling, but the moon has its own allure. The moon might be mystical and elegant, but the sun has its own strength. Referencing others is a good thing, but duplicating without variation will only lead to confusion. To reach the pinnacle, one has to first ask who is it that they truly are within. ¡° ¡° This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° No rush, Junior Martial Brother Zhou, Junior Martial Brother Cui,¡± another disciple stood up and clasped his fists towards He Luoxuan at this point. ¡°Pardon my transgression as well, but can this junioralso humbly ask if Elder He has any advice for me?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° No way... right? The next moment, He Luoxuan truly felt like cursing out loud as Zhao Yunxiao confidently walked straight past his seat to the elder seated next to him. Pre-emptive Move ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Next in Line ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡° ¡° Unfortunately, Zhao Yunxiao had yet to think of a way to appease this senior martial brother of his, so he was feeling rather nervous as he knocked on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Zhao Yunxiao took a deep breath, put on as regretful an expression as he could possibly muster, and gently pushed the door open. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Hu,¡± Zhao Yunxiao greeted with a faint smile. Hu Nan was initially standing with his back facing the door, but slowly turned around to look at Zhao Yunxiao once he entered. His expression was stern. ¡°Regarding last night, I am truly sorry for what I did!¡± Zhao Yunxiao immediately took a deep bow. ¡°What Senior Martial Brother Hu said earlier is right. What I did is indeed unacceptable! I am willing to accept any punishment!¡± Since he did not have a way to explain his way out of the situation, this was the only feasible option he could think of ¨C to apologise and blame himself for everything before Hu Nan needed to do so. This way, he wanted to remove the need for Hu Nan to list down his mistakes, thereby reducing the possibility of Hu Nan getting reminded and angered by what he did all over again. Huu-! Hu Nan let out a helpless sigh as he looked at Zhao Yunxiao who was remaining in a deep bow. ¡°Rise.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Hu Nan said while patting Zhao Yunxiao on the shoulder. ¡°It is good that you understand your mistake. Make sure you don¡¯t do that again.¡± ¡°I definitely won¡¯t do that again, Senior Martial Brother Hu,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied seriously. ¡°It¡¯s good as long as you understand,¡± Hu Nan nodded. ¡°You may leave now. Have a good rest, and I will see you later before the banquet.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel surprised. ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Hu Nan chuckled. ¡°Are you expecting to receive a harsh scolding?¡± Zhao Yunxiao felt like he had been completely seen through, but he naturally would not admit that. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Hu is truly as kind as the immortals!¡± Zhao Yunxiao hurriedly praised. ¡°Since Senior Martial Brother Hu has already said so, I shall take my leave now. See you later for the banquet!¡± With that, Zhao Yunxiao immediately stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him, not wanting to give Hu Nan time to renege on his words. Looking at the closed door, Hu Nan shook his head with a smile. Talking about luck, it was a good thing that he had not lost his fortune to Cha last night. Otherwise, perhaps there was no way that something this good would happen to him. When Cha show up again later that night, he had to make sure not to be tempted into betting his fortune again, no matter what Cha was putting on the line. No, that¡¯s not right. Why was he already assuming that Cha would surely appear again that night? It was best if that jinx did not appear again later! After all, he had just given his promise to Hu Nan, so he definitely could not be found missing from his room again. Huu-! Zhao Yunxiao let out a tired sigh as he looked up towards the warm afternoon sky. There was only one night left before they depart for Purple Plum Mountain the next day. Low Profile Zhao Yunxiao returned to his room after speaking to Hu Nan, using the few hours until the start of the banquet to meditate and calm his thoughts. What happened earlier in the main hall had been a little too exciting, while what happened with Hu Nan was out of his expectations as well. Even then, these events were not enough to faze Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s mental fortitude that had been refined through virtually living thousands of years and dying dozens of times through the Benevolent Wave Chessboard. Although Zhao Yunxiao had been shocked and surprised at the time of incident, he was able to quickly calm down and accept the situation as well. Rather than brooding over what had already happened, his priority now was on the contents of He Luoxuan¡¯s cultivation lecture at the start of the day. In his head, Zhao Yunxiao tried to organise the many techniques in his head, as well as those that he had only heard of. He wanted to come up with a list of techniques that he had to look into upon returning to Purple Plum Mountain, and eventually come up with a suitable training regime for it as well. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Stolen story; please report. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° He had just told Yu Hang that they should maintain a low profile tonight, but it seemed like such a thing might no longer be possible for him... Centre of Attention ¡°The various brothers and sisters here are overreacting. I did nothing to deserve this,¡± Zhao Yunxiao hurriedly clasped his fists in response. That was especially the case when he knew that Cha was the one that they should be thanking instead, and that he had only been trying to resist all along! ¡°We understand that it is all part of Elder He¡¯s directions, but you are still the one who delivered the message, so we naturally have to thank you properly as well,¡± Chen Pingxi replied with a smile. ¡°Now then, please have a seat.¡± ¡°Y-Yeah! Let¡¯s forget about who owes who, and just enjoy the night!¡± Hu Nan added to ease over the situation. ¡°Please sit, please sit.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° After such a grand gesture of expressing gratitude from them earlier, even those who had no idea who he was would naturally grow curious about him! ¡°What did you do earlier to make them treat you like this anyway?¡± Yu Hang asked curiously. ¡°Don¡¯t ask,¡± Zhao Yunxiao rubbed his temple in frustration. ¡°I don¡¯t want to relive that memory.¡± ¡° ¡°Watch your etiquette. You are almost drooling right now,¡± Hu Nan reminded from the side. His words brought Zhao Yunxiao back to his senses. That was when he realised that those words were not just directed towards him, but also to Yu Hang who had shared a similar response as him. ¡°Haha, it is a relief to see that Brother Zhao likes what you are seeing,¡± Chen Pingxi said with a laugh. ¡°Feel free to eat to your heart¡¯s content. If this isn¡¯t enough, we can always ask them to serve more.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t trouble yourself, Sister Chen,¡± Hu Nan replied. ¡°This is already more than enough, isn¡¯t that right, Junior Martial Brother Zhao? ¡°Senior Martial Brother Hu is right, this is already more than enough indeed,¡± Zhao Yunxiao quickly composed himself and answered with a confident smile. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Chen Pingxi¡¯s eyes turned into pretty little crescent moons as she smiled in response. Interacting with a beautiful lady like this over great food ¨C it was truly a wonderful feeling. ¡° The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The graceful melody of a zither drew everyone¡¯s attention to the front. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Cultivation Sharing at the Origin Lake Sect ¡° Since Senior Martial Sister Chen says so, I will stop then,¡± Jian Qifa nodded with a meaningful smile, as was the case with many of the other core disciples. If Brother Zhao¡¯s focus is on cultivation, that makes us the same kind of people,¡± Zhou Qin was the one who spoke up this time. ¡° ¡° That much is subjective,¡± Zhou Qin disagreed. ¡°Actually, since we are on the topic of cultivation, I actually have a request that I¡¯m hoping everyone here would be able to indulge me. This is a rare opportunity for us to gather, so if it is not too much to ask, I would like everyone hereto share our views on the cultivation lecture from earlier today.¡± Junior Martial Brother Zhou is right. This is indeed a good opportunity to hear everyone¡¯s views, so let¡¯s do just that,¡± Chen Pingxi was happy about this change in topic as well. ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t I give it a go for starters?¡± Nothing can be better than that. We are looking forward to hearing your thoughts, Sister Chen,¡± Hu Nan clasped his fists towards Chen Pingxi, as did the rest of those at the table. ¡° At this point, Ming Leishang gave a signal to the performers on the stage from the elders¡¯ table. The dancers immediately stood to the side while the music softened. It became apparent that the elders had been paying attention to what was happening at the core disciples¡¯ table as well, and Ming Leishang found this turn of events too valuable to be disrupted by the performance. As the performance came to a halt, the focal point of the banquet naturally fell upon the standing Chen Pingxi. On the contrary, she even let out a smile while sweeping her gaze across the open square, proudly matching the gazes of the disciples present. This one simple act of hers exuded boundless confidence, enough to dazzle the eyes of her numerous admirers in the sect. It was mentioned that we should devise our combat styles according to the four main attributes ¨C power, speed, dexterity, and durability,¡± Chen Pingxi started. ¡°I believe that in addition to that, we also have to understand the same of our opponents. What are their strengths? How does each of their attributes compare to ours? If I were to sculpt my combat style purely on speed and my opponent¡¯s speed unfortunately surpasses mine, I would have to identify that perhaps my power is greater than theirs and come up with a corresponding plan according to that. To put it simply, this is essentially the adaptability that is required of us all...¡± With that, Chen Pingxi started to share her thoughts on the basics of combat that He Luoxuan had lectured on earlier. Her perfect demonstration greatly boosted the confidence of the other core disciples, who then stepped up to share their thoughts after her. Nevertheless, no one did anything as distasteful as putting down another¡¯s point of view, understanding that the cultivation path simply differed for each individual. To be named as core disciples of the sect, their understandings of cultivation were naturally already at a rather high level. Perhaps because of that, their opinions might differ, but all of them shared the same strong fundamentals. In the end, these were merely different paths towards the pinnacle. In a way, this was also a form of extending the cultivation lecture¡¯s contents to the outer disciples who had not been fortunate enough to attend in person. Even the elderssimilarly paid close attention to what their disciples were saying, silently evaluating them on what they had managed to comprehend. At the same time, these elders could not help but sneak silent glances at He Luoxuan. After all, their disciples were currently interpreting the lecture that he had given earlier, so it was only natural for the masters to wonder what He Luoxuan thought about it. Unfortunately for them, it was impossible to read He Luoxuan¡¯s thoughts from his expression alone. He maintained calm throughout, not showing any signs of being impressed or disappointed. Listening to what they shared, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel that he had learnt quite a bit as well, further refining his own interpretation of the topic. ¡° Yes, it was only right, yet this still caused Zhao Yunxiao to sit up straight in alarm. He had only been enjoying the moment up until now. But with how thingswereprogressing, did that mean it would eventually be his turn to share his thoughts as well? This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it As an outer disciple, what amazing insights could he possibly have that were worth sharing in front of the entire Origin Lake Sect? All he could do would be to cause everyone to realise that their respect and admiration towards him had been completely misplaced! Hu Nan had been following He Luoxuan for a while now, so his interpretation of the latter¡¯s lecture was naturally in no way inferior to that of the core disciples of the Origin Lake Sect. As a person of few words, her sharing shared a similar style in being short and concise. However, it did not fail to touch on the essence of the lecture, making it such that it was still beneficial for those listening. In fact, everyone¡¯s gazes were suddenly filled with deep anticipation, perhaps even more than when it came to Chen Pingxi! Why don¡¯t you go first, Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Zheng Biru understood the situation as well, and promptly suggested. ¡° He might not have anything impressive to offer, but Zhao Yunxiao still understood that he should at least try his best here, lest he besmirched the reputation of the Black Tortoise Sect. Thus, while Hu Nan and Song Xiaoqiao were sharing their thoughts, Zhao Yunxiao had been thinking long and hard about what he should say. What could he possibly know that would add value to what had already been shared by the others? He did not know much about spectacular techniques or profound methods, but he did learn a thing or two after reading most of the manuals detailing basic techniques that were authored by the ancient cultivator Jiang Taiming. What better way to address the basics of combat than with insights from the basic foundational techniques? This is only my humble opinion, but I believe that all combat techniques originate from the same source,¡± Zhao Yunxiao started. ¡°In the right hands and with the right understanding, basic techniques can evolve into complicated techniques, and complicated techniques can further evolve into ultimate techniques. As for the basic techniques themselves, they are simply evolved from our daily movements, adapted to fit the various situations that we could very well find ourselves in...¡± These were very general understandings, but they had been sufficient to nudge Zhao Yunxiao along in his cultivation pursuits so far. Now, he could only hope that this would prove useful to others as well. But sometimes, the same thing being said by two different people would yield two completely different results. If it were someone else saying the things that Zhao Yunxiao was saying, the audience would have quickly lost interest since there was really nothing much that was new to them. But because it was Zhao Yunxiao whom everyonealready held in high regard for whatever reason, the effect was completely different. In such a state, even something that would usually be regarded as common sense could be interpreted as a wonderful reflection of reality. Those who had not been able to discover anything useful started doubting themselves, forcing themselves to thinkdeeper as they thought that perhaps their own level of understanding was lacking in comparison. Going back to the fundamentals ¨C I¡¯m sure that will be helpful to the many fellow disciples of the sect. On behalf of everyone, I sincerely thank you for your sharing, Brother Zhao,¡± Chen Pingxi was the first to speak up. ¡° This had been very insightful indeed. I¡¯m humbled by your comprehension ability,¡± Zhou Qin added. ¡°Thank you for your sharing, Brother Zhao.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° While there should not be anything wrong with what he said, it was not exactly something that deserved this many thanks either. And to make things worse, things did not stop there. One by one, the other core disciples started expressing their gratitude towards Zhao Yunxiao, to the point where Zhao Yunxiao evensuspected for a moment that they were making fun of him. Or were they just giving him face because he delivered ¡®He Luoxuan¡¯s advice¡¯ for them earlier? Then again, it was not as though the first time was something that he had ever intended for either... Next came Zheng Biru¡¯s and Yu Hang¡¯s turns. Chen Pingxi still thanked them for their sharings, but she did so in a much more indifferent manner. The other core disciples did not add their own comments either. Thankfully, the performances resumed as the disciples¡¯ sharings came to an end, easing the atmosphere a little. Once again, everyone started to immerse themselves in the food, music, and dance. Basking in such a comfortable setting, conversations naturally flowed at the various tables. But not unexpectedly, his attention was still mainly directed towards Song Xiaoqiao. In fact, as the joyous atmosphere propagated, people eventually started to mingle beyond their own tables as well, moving around to speak to those seated at other tables. And among the various tables, the one belonging to the core disciples naturally received the most attention from the other disciples. Group after group of inner disciples came forth to greet them, mainly introducing themselves and thanking them for their sharing earlier. All he had to do was sit back and watch, sometimes responding with a simple ¡°Thank you for the kind words¡±. Greetings, Senior Martial Sister Chen, various core disciples, as well as the brothers and sister from the Black Tortoise Sect.¡± But unlike the many groups from before, one of the female disciples instantly caught Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s attention this time. Word Accompaniment ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° No matter how they looked at it, the only reason why Zhao Yunxiao would say these words would be because he was already acquainted with Xia Wei! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Useful Piece The golden carp is despised as it struggles against the powerful river flow. Who would have thought that one day it would transform into a true dragon? The heavens despises all things as it looks down in all its radiant glow. Who would have thought that one day it would fall to a challenge? ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Future Core Disciple? ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° After all, it was the very first time that he had not been caught by surprise by the appearance of this crazy sea serpent! Mysteries of the Origin Lake ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° He stopped complaining, and even felt a sense of anticipation well up in his heart. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Why is the density of world origin energy so high here?¡± Zhao Yunxiao could not help but ask. ¡°You have touched on the most important point,¡± Cha nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Before I answer, let me ask you this. Do you think the Origin Lake existed first, or do you think the Origin Lake Sect existed first?¡± ¡°The Origin Lake,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered confidently. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Be Quiet ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° He was trying to focus on comprehending the archaic characters, but Cha¡¯s constant chatter was truly distracting. After all, it was not as though Cha was just talking normally. Otherwise, Zhao Yunxiao would be able to easily block out its words. Instead, Cha spoke by sending its voice directly into Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s head, making it nigh impossible to ignore what it was saying! ¡° ¡° It would be easy for anyone to simply write down any of these characters without much thought. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Acting Skills ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Its idea of helping might very well do more harm than good! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Selfless Character ¡°Greetings, Elder He!¡± Zhao Yunxiao hurriedly clasped his fists towards He Luoxuan. ¡°Where have you been?¡± He Luoxuan narrowed his eyes. ¡°Why do you look like that?¡± ...What? Zhao Yunxiao had expected the first question, but not the second. It was only when he heard He Luoxuan¡¯s question that he finally realised the current state that he was in. Having exerted himself in trying to replicate Cha¡¯s array of archaic characters, Zhao Yunxiao now looked quite a bit paler than usual. Having flown through the sky of the Origin Lake Sect at his speed, the strong headwind had caused his hair to become dishevelled. Having been held in a casing of water until just a few moments ago, he had yet to have the opportunity to dry his clothes that were still completely drenched. To put it simply, he looked like a complete wreck right now! Zhao Yunxiao had to consciously suppress a smile from surfacing. This made for the perfect setting. ¡°Reporting to Elder He, my apologies for leaving the residence without permission,¡± Zhao Yunxiao bowed deeply. ¡°It¡¯s just that I came across something last night but did not have the chance to check it out properly because of time constraints. Since I had some time on hand, I thought that I would go back and give it a closer look. I¡¯m lucky that it is indeed the same thing that I thought it is! Here, please accept what I found as a show of my appreciation, Elder He!¡± With that, Zhao Yunxiao stretched out his two hands that were holding the flower of the Blue Jade Lotus. ¡°This is...?¡± He Luoxuan was slightly surprised by the sudden gift. ¡°Blue Jade Lotus?¡± As expected of the elder, he recognised it immediately! It was fortunate that Zhao Yunxiao was facing the floor now that he had yet to recover from his deep bow. Otherwise, everyone else would see the smile spreading across his face. ¡°That is what I believe, Elder He!¡± Zhao Yunxiao raised his head in excitement. ¡°I hope this can at least be of some use to your esteemed self!¡± ¡°It is indeed valuable, but how can I take something that you found?¡± He Luoxuan shook his head, though a smile was finally starting to show on his face. ¡°Where did you find it?¡± ¡°I heard that this is a spiritual herb that only grows in the Origin Lake Sect territory, so I have been on the lookout since I got here. Coincidentally, I sensed something strange when passing by a lake last night. Since Blue Jade Lotuses can grow in almost all environments, I had some suspicions that one could be growing in the lake and tried to take a look,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°Unfortunately, the lotus was too difficult to get to within the lake, so I was only able to confirm it just now.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± He Luoxuan nodded. ¡°Blue Jade Lotuses can indeed grow almost everywhere. Not just that, but the germination of a new plant is entirely dependent on luck, making it impossible to specially plant one for cultivation purposes. Therefore, it is unlikely that this belongs to anyone in particular. You did well in finding it.¡± He Luoxuan would not have believed Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s story if this was any other spiritual herb. However, Blue Jade Lotuses only grew in the Origin Lake Sect territory, and were exceptionally rare to boot. It was rather unlikely that an outer disciple like Zhao Yunxiao would have it in his possession prior to coming on the trip. In addition, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s current messy state corroborated his story. All things considered, He Luoxuan determined that it was most likely the truth. At the same time, Hu Nan, Zheng Biru, and Yu Hang were completely confused by the sudden turn of events. In such a short span of time, He Luoxuan had gone from his enraged state earlier to even praising Zhao Yunxiao! ¡°Please accept it, Elder He. It is not that I do not know the value of this flower, but something as valuable as this can only be put to great use in your hands,¡± Zhao Yunxiao requested once again. ¡°Unless you believe that it is of no use to you, then I will have no choice but to take back the gift.¡± ¡°Well, since you are so sincere about it, I shall accept your filial heart,¡± He Luoxuan nodded in satisfaction. With a wave of his hand, the beautiful flower floated over from Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s hands and landed right into his. Another flick of his wrist, and the flower was gone, likely stored away in a spatial item. This was the first time that Zhao Yunxiao did not feel envious seeing someone use a spatial item. After all, he was now a proud owner of a spatial item as well! ¡°I appreciate your efforts, Yunxiao. But in any case, you should have at least told your fellow disciples about this matter. How can you just leave without a word?¡± He Luoxuan said with a sigh. As expected, the gift might have been enough to temporarily appease He Luoxuan, but it was still insufficient to absolve him of his mistake. ¡°My apologies for the mistake, Elder He. But... I had my own reasons,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said awkwardly before letting out a sigh of his own. ¡°Since things have come to this, I guess I have no other choice.¡± He reached into his sleeves and pulled out four plain looking roots. ¡°What are these?¡± He Luoxuan asked. It appeared that even the knowledgeable elder could only identify the flower of the Blue Jade Lotus and not the roots. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°These are roots of the Blue Jade Lotus. They might not be as valuable as the flower, but I heard that they also possess great vitality that can be useful in alchemy and elixir making,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered with a hint of disappointment in his voice. ¡°I had wanted to give one to each fellow disciple as a surprise at the end of the trip, but it seems that the surprise is ruined now...¡± ¡°This...¡± He Luoxuan glanced over at Hu Nan and the two other outer disciples. In response, the three of them could only awkwardly avoid his gaze. At the same time, they felt their cheeks quickly turning red. They had reported the matter to He Luoxuan after finding out that Zhao Yunxiao had gone missing for two nights in a row. In the process, Hu Nan was even quite vocal in suggesting that they had to punish Zhao Yunxiao to set an example. When questioned, Zheng Biru and Yu Hang had indirectly added to the fire by expressing their disappointment at how irresponsible Zhao Yunxiao actually was in this regard. Who would have thought that the reason why Zhao Yunxiao disappeared without a word was to secretly gather gifts for them? Now that they knew the real reason, they could not help but feel ashamed of their earlier actions! ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say something when we spoke earlier, Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Hu Nan asked, albeit with a soft tone. ¡°If you had told me about this matter, I could have helped you with it too.¡± ¡°My apologies, Senior Martial Brother Hu,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clasped his fists towards Hu Nan. ¡°I have learnt my mistake. In the future, I will not get carried away and try to do something like this again.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± He Luoxuan interrupted at this point. ¡°Things might not have turned out perfectly, but your intentions are pure. You are not wrong this time, so there is no need to apologise. Instead, you kids have a lot to learn from Yunxiao and his selfless character! Rather than hurrying into reporting your own comrades¡¯ mistakes, why didn¡¯t you try to learn more about the situation first?¡± ¡°Our apologies, Elder He!¡± Hu Nan, Zheng Biru, and Yu Hang answered while lowering their heads. ¡°That¡¯s not it, Elder He! It is my fault for not informing them about the matter,¡± Zhao Yunxiao hurriedly corrected. ¡°You remain quiet, Yunxiao,¡± He Luoxuan continued. ¡°And you, Hu Nan. As the senior martial brother on this trip, aren¡¯t you embarrassed that your junior martial brother cannot even confide in you for something this simple? How am I supposed to entrust you with a leadership role in the future?¡± ¡°I will reflect on my mistakes, Elder He,¡± Hu Nan answered. ¡°And you two as well. You are all outer disciples, so reflect well on why you act so differently!¡± He Luoxuan said. ¡°As punishment, all three of you are grounded for three months after we return. Unless there is an official reason, you are not allowed to leave Purple Plum Mountain!¡± ¡°Yes, Elder He!¡± the trio answered together. ¡°This...¡± Zhao Yunxiao felt the corner of his lips twitch. Things had gone a little further than what he had originally intended. All he wanted was to get out of any potential punishment while currying favour with everyone. He never expected that Hu Nan and the rest would end up getting reprimanded like this! Thankfully, three months of not leaving the sect territory was not too big a deal. It was more of a symbolic gesture than anything else. ¡°Is there anything else that I need to know?¡± He Luoxuan asked in an authoritative manner. ¡°No, Elder He,¡± Hu Nan said. ¡°What about you, Yunxiao?¡± He Luoxuan¡¯s tone turned soft. ¡°Is everything all right?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, Elder He,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°It must have been twice as tiring to exert yourself like this for everyone even after fainting earlier. Have a good rest tonight,¡± He Luoxuan sighed. ¡°If there is nothing else, then you are all dismissed for the night.¡± ¡°Yes, Elder He!¡± all four of them answered at once. With that, Elder He turned around and left the room. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Cha had remained in the room all this while, and got to enjoy watching the entire show from a front row seat. ¡°What¡¯s there to be impressed about? Do you know how close that was?¡± Zhao Yunxiao said after letting out a sigh of relief. ¡°Things could have gone wrong at various points of the conversation. I am just lucky to have escaped unscathed!¡± Indeed, it was never definite that He Luoxuan would believe his words. It was also never definite that He Luoxuan would pardon his mistakes even after believing that they were born of good intentions. Now that He Luoxuan had punished the other disciples, it was similarly never definite that they would not hold it against him. In fact, even now, Zhao Yunxiao was still not completely certain that He Luoxuan truly believed him or that the other disciples did not hold it against him! After all, one could not just take others¡¯ words as the true reflection of what they felt. All of these were things that he would only know for sure in time to come. ¡°In any case, I was right ¨C gifts work wonders,¡± Cha shrugged with its whiskers. ¡°Come on now, I am still waiting for your words of gratitude.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be in a situation where I need gifts to get myself out of trouble if not you, Senior Cha...¡± Zhao Yunxiao reminded it. ¡°Are you saying you didn¡¯t benefit greatly because of me?¡± Cha scoffed. ¡°What was it your elder said? Pure intentions? Selfless character? Do you think he will feel that way about you if not for me? And do you know just how valuable the Heaven¡¯s Descent Bowl is? That alone is probably worth more than you!¡± ¡°I won the Heaven¡¯s Descent Bowl fair and square though,¡± Zhao Yunxiao argued. ¡°And I still don¡¯t know what it is actually good for.¡± ¡°Bah! All sorts of excuses to deny that you benefited!¡± Cha grumbled. ¡°Anyway, since we are already back, let¡¯s just continue with our chat here instead of going to the Origin Lake.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t leaving, Senior Cha?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°What? Are you unhappy about it?¡± Cha narrowed its eyes. ¡°No, no, of course not, Senior Cha,¡± Zhao Yunxiao hurriedly shook his head. ¡°I¡¯d love to continue chatting.¡± Who knew what this crazy sea serpent would do if he did not say that? And just like that, the duo continued their chat throughout the entire night, though it was actually more of just Cha telling stories of the past while Zhao Yunxiao played the role of giving the right reactions at the right time. Zheng Biru’s Strength By the time the morning sun emerged from beyond the horizon, Cha was already gone from Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s room. Halfway through the night, their discussion had moved from the topic of the sea serpent¡¯s past to the archaic characters that could be used as array runes. After Cha instructed Zhao Yunxiao further on the topic, the latter tried to practise a little and eventually grew too tired to continue. For those who were new to it, simply drawing the characters correctly would take a heavy toll on them. Because of that, Zhao Yunxiao had to enter a state of meditation to recover and properly digest everything they had discussed. When Zhao Yunxiao opened his eyes after ending his meditation in the morning, Cha was no longer anywhere to be found. It would appear that while Cha had been a nuisance all along, it still knew where to draw the line and had chosen to leave in silence instead of interrupting Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s rest. Huu-! Zhao Yunxiao slowly let out a deep breath to regulate his breathing. It had been an eventful stay, but the day had finally come for them to return to Purple Plum Mountain. He freshened up a little before stepping out into the courtyard. There was no one around, understandably so too considering the early hour. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Please,¡± Zheng Biru gestured for Zhao Yunxiao to make his move while getting into his battle stance. ¡°I shall not stand on ceremony then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao focused. ¡°Here I come, Senior Martial Brother Zheng!¡± [Xuanwu Movement Art ¨C Snapping Burst] This move that provided a sudden burst of speed was the initiation of choice for most Black Tortoise Sect disciples, and Zhao Yunxiao was no exception. He appeared in front of Zheng Biru in an instant. [Xuanwu Movement Art ¨C Shifting Sands] Once again, this was a standard follow up to Snapping Burst. The idea was to shock the opponent into a forced reaction by suddenly closing the gap, only to quickly change directions and sidestep any of the opponent¡¯s moves, before finally executing the true offense ¨C the fastest move in the Xuanwu Fist Art. [Xuanwu Fist Art ¨C Invisible Snap] In his head, he had already thought of various ways that Zheng Biru could react, and came up with the corresponding countermeasures. ¡° ¡° The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡° ¡° ¡°I saw your fight with Senior Martial Brother Sun the other day,¡± Zheng Biru said. ¡°I know you managed to land a hit on him in the end, but that was out of sheer luck ¨C possible only because you lost your footing and ended up throwing off his rhythm. In fact, even with that luck, do you think you would have hit him at all if he had been serious from the start?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Watch the environment. Watch their posture. Watch their eyes. Watch the flow of energy. Leaving the Origin Lake Sect ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° It was not uncommon for core disciples, or even prime disciples, to tag along with the annual entourage. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Techniques of Choice The return trip back to Purple Plum Mountain took half a day. During this time, the outer disciples were once again called upon to prepare tea and snacks for the elder. And unsurprisingly, Zhao Yunxiao took charge this time as well. ¡° ¡° ¡° The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Zhao Yunxiao did not want anything too complicated as that would only make it much harder to master and execute. After stopping by the canteen for a quick dinner, Zhao Yunxiao returned to his residence and excitedly opened up his newly obtained technique manuals. When learning a new technique, the first step was always to understand the underlying concepts. If one rushed into practising a technique without fully understanding what it entailed, cultivation deviation could easily occur, and that was no laughing matter. In less serious cases, all the time and effort that had been put into learning the technique would be completely wasted. In more serious cases, one could end up damaging their spiritual meridians, or even die from the backlash! Of course, there were also some genius cultivators who could easily infer the right way to execute various techniques just by skimming through the manuals, but Zhao Yunxiao was definitely not one of those people. He took his time to slowly peruse the manuals, reading and rereading each part multiple times just to make sure that his understanding was accurate. Time passed quickly as he dived deep into the three technique manuals. He had planned to spend the entire night figuring out these techniques, but that plan was eventually disrupted. Knock-! Knock-! Zhao Yunxiao did not respond to the knocks on his door, but it did not cease just because of his inaction. Knock-! Knock-! Knock-! Knock-! Knock-! Zhao Yunxiao closed his eyes in frustration before letting out a helpless sigh. Knock-! Knock-! Knock-! Knock-! Knock-! ¡°Coming!¡± Zhao Yunxiao called out in irritation as he made his way over to the door. ¡°What took you so long? Are you doing something sleazy again?¡± Gu Qiansi snapped the moment he opened the door. ¡°You are so cold, Senior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Lu Zhiying chimed in immediately after. ¡°How can you not come look for us after returning to the sect?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° You are a Burden ¡° ¡° But no matter how valuable it was, there was no point if she did not know the proper way to use it! ¡°Making elixirs or pills, or for cuisine,¡± Gu Qiansi answered. ¡°Blue Jade Lotuses possess extremely strong vitality, and every part of the plant can provide revitalising benefits when ingested. The root can even be eaten raw, though the benefits would not be optimised that way.¡± ¡°As expected of the plant freak,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°If you don¡¯t know what to do with it, you can give it to her instead.¡± ¡°You can have it then, Senior Martial Sister Gu,¡± Lu Zhiying readily handed it over. ¡°Then I will hold onto yours for now,¡± Gu Qiansi accepted it with a smile. ¡°Maybe I will make something with both roots and share half with you.¡± As someone who had only just entered the Foundation Building realm, it was indeed difficult for Lu Zhiying to know how to properly process the root. Rather than have her waste something this precious, Gu Qiansi decided to process the root for Lu Zhiying and give her the finished product instead. ¡°Time for the stories now, Senior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Lu Zhiying turned her attention back to Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Hmm, nothing special happened apart from the fact that I gave some cultivation advice to all the elders and core disciples of the Origin Lake Sect,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a shrug. ¡°Oh right, and that includes Sect Master Dan as well. So they were all quite thankful towards me by the end of the trip.¡± ¡°Senior Martial Brother Zhao...¡± Lu Zhiying muttered hesitantly. ¡°Hey Zhao Yunxiao, did we just wake you up from your sleep so you can¡¯t differentiate your dreams from reality?¡± Gu Qiansi scoffed. ¡°Stop spouting nonsense and tell us the truth!¡± Zhao Yunxiao looked up at the moonless night sky and let out a helpless sigh. ¡°Fine, nothing special happened so there really isn¡¯t much to be talked about since you already know how these things go,¡± Zhao Yunxiao tried to recall the other events that transpired. ¡°But I have to say that it definitely felt good seeing how the members of the Origin Lake Sect treat us with great respect. It truly made me appreciate just how lucky we are to be able to join the Black Tortoise Sect.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Gu Qiansi rubbed her chin in contemplation. ¡°Perhaps I should try to go on one of those trips just to experience how it is like too.¡± ¡°Mm, mm,¡± Lu Zhiying nodded repeatedly. ¡°I would definitely like to go as well!¡± ¡°If you have the chance, just do it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao agreed. ¡°However, don¡¯t think that just anyone will be able to pass the interview. Not everyone is as good as me.¡± ¡°Quit showing off,¡± Gu Qiansi rolled her eyes. ¡°So, what¡¯s the deal with the spatial pouch and the Blue Jade Lotus roots? Did they really just give them to everyone who went on the trip?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head. ¡°They are from the guardian spirit of the Origin Lake Sect. It brought me to their sect treasury and ended up losing them to me as a bet over a game of chess. Oh, actually that¡¯s just the spatial pouch. As for the roots, it gave them to me to bring back as souvenirs.¡± Gu Qiansi: ¡°...¡± ¡° ¡°I can hear you, Junior Martial Sister Lu,¡± Zhao Yunxiao reminded. ¡°If you don¡¯t want people to react like this, then stop saying things that will make others react like this,¡± Gu Qiansi answered. Zhao Yunxiao looked up at the night sky and let out another sigh. ¡°If it¡¯s not convenient to say it, we won¡¯t force you to do so either,¡± Gu Qiansi said while keeping away the Blue Jade Lotus roots. ¡°In any case, thanks for the gift!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Zhao Yunxiao left his residence early the next morning, before the first light had even descended upon the vast Purple Plum Mountain. Because of that, it was naturally not a place where people could just come and go freely. Zuo Haowen ¨C inner disciple of the Black Tortoise Sect. ¡°Greetings, Senior Martial Brother Zuo,¡± Zhao Yunxiao greeted. ¡°You are here again, Junior Martial Brother Zhao,¡± Zuo Haowen said with a helpless sigh. ¡°Have you been well?¡± ¡°Not too bad, but I will definitely feel better if Senior Martial Brother Zuo can give me a few pointers from time to time,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied. ¡°Care to help out a junior martial brother?¡± ¡°Do you even have any spare time in your busy schedule to slot me in?¡± Zuo Haowen laughed it off. ¡°Anytime for you, Senior Martial Brother Zuo,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said before flicking his wrist, causing two items to appear in his hands. They were a letter and a root of the Blue Jade Lotus. ¡°Please help me pass them to Elder Ying,¡± Zhao Yunxiao carefully handed them over. ¡°Do help me send my regards, and wish the elder a happy new year as well.¡± ¡°I was wondering where your backpack went. So it is because you managed to get a spatial item,¡± Zuo Haowen grinned while receiving the two items. ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Since you are this adamant, I will not insist any further,¡± Zuo Haowen let out another helpless sigh. ¡°I will definitely pass your message and items on to Elder Ying¡¯s attendants. But whether he receives it or not in the end is beyond my control.¡± ¡°That is good enough. Thank you as always, Senior Martial Brother Zuo,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clasped his fists in gratitude. ¡°Farewell, then.¡± ¡°Farewell,¡± Zuo Haowen nodded. He knew that what Zuo Haowen said was most likely the truth. However, that did not change the fact that Ying Qingmu was the saviour who had saved him from freezing out in the winter cold. As a clueless five-year-old who had been pampered since young by his merchant parents, suddenly being abandoned by his parents when their business failed had sent him into a state of complete shock. In the span of a single night, he had gone from a precious pearl in the palms of his parents to nothing but baggage that was hindering their escape from their debtors. You are a burden. Those were the very last words that Zhao Yunxiao had heard from his parents. Even now, he vividly remembered how these words kept ringing in his head repeatedly as he stood there watching his parents¡¯ departing backs. For a child who was that broken, Ying Qingmu¡¯s sudden appearance was like the light at the end of a tunnel, the respite at the end of a storm. Final Practice before the New Year Celebration ¡°You are back, Senior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Huang An exclaimed in her signature soft voice. ¡°Did your work trip go well?¡± ¡°I guess you can say that it went well, considering the end results,¡± Zhao Yunxiao sighed helplessly before passing her a root of the Blue Jade Lotus. ¡°Here, this is a souvenir for you.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Huang An asked in confusion. ¡°Root of a Blue Jade Lotus,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Root of a Blue Jade Lotus?!¡± Huang An looked at him in disbelief. ¡°How did you get this?¡± ¡°...I got lucky and picked it up somewhere,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied after a moment of hesitation. ¡°How lucky! Thank you, Senior Martial Brother Zhao! As a show of my gratitude, you can leave all of today¡¯s work to me!¡± Huang An patted her chest in assurance. As a physician, she had a decent understanding of spiritual herbs in general, especially those that had medicinal effects. The moment she learnt that it was a root of the Blue Jade Lotus, Huang An knew exactly what to do with the root. ¡°I appreciate the offer but I¡¯d rather not. We still have to rush for the practice later,¡± Zhao Yunxiao rolled his eyes. ¡°You are slow enough on your own. If you have to take over my share of work as well, who knows what time it will be by the time you are done scrutinising everything?¡± ¡°I am just being careful!¡± Huang An retorted. ¡°You guys need to be just as careful too!¡± ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°Anyway, I heard that Junior Martial Sister Lu has already completed her dance routine. Have you seen it yet?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s amazing!¡± Huang An nodded profusely. ¡°Words don¡¯t even do it justice, so you really have to see it for yourself later!¡± ¡°Haha, is that so?¡± Zhao Yunxiao laughed. ¡°I will look forward to seeing it during our practice later then!¡± It was a rather slow day at the Medicine Pavilion. There were not many visitors, which was a good thing considering the fact that usually only those who were suffering from problems would go to them. Because of that, the disciples on duty were able to spend most of the day doing research on the second storey ¨C something that most of them enjoyed much more in comparison to treating patients. The administrative deacon Jin Shang came over to give them some pointers as well, enlightening them on certain issues that they had been confused about. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°After spending this much time on it, I have to be at least somewhat good at tea-making or I will really be useless!¡± Huang An laughed. ¡°Even without this, no one will say that you are useless,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied. ¡°Your attainments in the healing arts alone are enough to tell everyone otherwise.¡± Huang An merely smiled in response. Just like that, the two silently savoured the fragrant tea, basking in their tranquil surroundings as they awaited the arrival of their friends. With good tea as company, the two of them did not mind the wait. Even then, they did not have to wait long. One by one, the other members of the Flying Shell Performance Group arrived after completing their day¡¯s worth of work. By the time the last member, Bo Fei, arrived, Zhao Yunxiao and Huang An had only waited for no more than two hours. ¡°Shall we begin then?¡± Bo Fei said as he settled himself in. ¡°Yes! Watch me closely, Senior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Lu Zhiying answered excitedly. ¡°I¡¯m just going to be brutally honest, all right?¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied. ¡°Don¡¯t be offended if my words are harsh.¡± He could see just how eager Lu Zhiying was to show off her dance routine, but he was also afraid that she was getting ahead of herself. However unlikely it was, if the dance happened to turn out badly, then he would not hesitate to give his honest opinion. After all, someone had to be the bad guy if need be! ¡°You won¡¯t be saying that soon enough!¡± Lu Zhiying seemed to be extremely confident nevertheless. ¡°All right, let¡¯s start,¡± Bo Fei gave the cue. ¡°Okay!¡± Huang An answered. With that, her temperament changed immediately. Her eyes sharpened like those of a hawk as she slowly lifted her hands over the zither. The Flying Shell Performance Group was slated to perform three different songs during the celebration tomorrow. ¨C a song about an imaginary land of eternal peace. This first song incorporated the soft tranquility of the lands with the violent nature of battles, assimilating them to portray a world where the lands themselves were capable of purging all semblance of evil. ¨C a calming song about the natural beauty of butterflies. The second song was heavier on the melody than the vocals, and thus relied more on Huang An and Zhao Yunxiao to portray the organised chaos to which a group of butterflies would adhere when flying around in the wilderness. It told of how something that was in its simplest original form could still be ever so amazing. ¨C a powerful song about the arduous journey of cultivation. As opposed to , this last song was much heavier on the vocals, giving Bo Fei and Gu Qiansi their chance to shine. It told of how no one could predict the future, and that one had to constantly give it their all on their cultivation path. Even if it was painful and did not yield significant results in the short run, the efforts would surely pay off one day. Next, the beautiful scene that played out before his eyes almost caused Zhao Yunxiao to lose focus and stop playing on his flute for a moment. Turning Point No one could deny that Lu Zhiying had been blessed with an extraordinary appearance. Not only were her looks infinitely close to perfection, there was nothing to be criticised about her figure either. Yes, she might not be as voluptuous as Gu Qiansi. However, she was definitely not lacking in the curves department herself. Anyone who was asked would probably answer that her slender figure was actually what suited her the best. Her body lines appeared exceptionally enchanting as she danced along to , and her long flowy hair added an extra touch of allure, tracing her every action by splashing the air with momentary instances of black. Zhao Yunxiao even had to make a conscious effort to look away from time to time when he felt that he was starting to be entranced by this beautiful creation of a performance. Otherwise, he was afraid that he might just end up falling into a daze and failing to complete the song! Before he knew it, had already come to an end. ¡°How was it? How was it?¡± Lu Zhiying immediately turned over to seek Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s opinion. She had reverted back to her excited self the moment the song ended, almost as though a switch had been turned off in her head. At the same time, the other members of the Flying Shell Performance Group turned to look at Zhao Yunxiao as well. All of them had already seen Lu Zhiying¡¯s dance routine, so they were just waiting to hear Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s verdict. And they were not surprised to see that Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s reaction was the same as theirs. ¡°Amazing! This is it!¡± Zhao Yunxiao exclaimed honestly. ¡°With you dancing with us, our performance might just end up becoming the talk of the sect in this coming year!¡± ¡°Hehe, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Lu Zhiying was pleased to hear that. ¡°I did well this time, didn¡¯t I?¡± Back when Lu Zhiying first danced in front of them, Zhao Yunxiao had been extremely critical of her dance moves, saying that she was just relying on her face. This time, the assessment from him could not be more positive so she could not help but feel good about it! ¡°You definitely did,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°Did you come up with this alone, or did Senior Martial Sister Leng come up with this for you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s rude, Senior Martial Brother Zhao! Are you asking this because you don¡¯t think that I can come up with this dance routine by myself?¡± Lu Zhiying retorted. ¡°Am I wrong though?¡± Zhao Yunxiao narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°...You are right, Senior Martial Sister Leng did come up with most of the routine,¡± Lu Zhiying answered with a pout. Zhao Yunxiao nodded in understanding. That was to be expected. After all, Lu Zhiying was just a beginner when it came to the art of dance. She would be too much of a monser if her cultivation talent applied here as well! At the same time, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel impressed by Leng Huiqi. If Leng Huiqi could coach Lu Zhiying to this extent in the short span of a week, she must be more than capable of creating performances that were even more amazing should she be given enough time for it. Considering that, perhaps it was not without reason that Leng Huiqi had so many people swooning over her! ¡°I¡¯m sure she came up with it with inputs from you as well, so you have to be credited for it too,¡± Gu Qiansi walked over and gently patted Lu Zhiying on the head. ¡°That¡¯s right! I have to be credited for it too!¡± Lu Zhiying mustered up courage with Gu Qiansi¡¯s encouragement. ¡°All right, all right,¡± Zhao Yunxiao chuckled. ¡°You did well this time indeed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t stop halfway through the performance though, Senior Martial Brother Zhao,¡± Huang An chimed in. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Bo ended up with his mouth wide open the first few times we practised with Junior Martial Sister Leng dancing in front of us.¡± ¡°Ahem!¡± Bo Fei cleared his throat loudly. ¡°Why are you making it sound like there is something wrong with me, Junior Martial Sister Huang? I have to let you know that I am the normal one here. Maybe it is just that Junior Martial Brother Zhao secretly doesn¡¯t like women.¡± ¡°I have indeed never seen him liking another girl,¡± Gu Qiansi added immediately. Gasp-! Huang An looked at Zhao Yunxiao with shock in her eyes. Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡° ¡° There were no mistakes whatsoever, but the group was not contented with just that. Instead, they continued to practise, again and again, trying to ingrain every part of the performance into their muscle memory and adjust everyone¡¯s part to achieve greater harmony. It was a repetitive process, but none of them had the slightest complaint about it. Instead, their spirits only continued to rise the more they practised, each of them growing increasingly confident about the upcoming performance. After going through the manual once more to make sure that his memory did not fail him, Zhao Yunxiao closed his eyes and began to focus. He calmly activated his dantian, tapping on the essence energy within and channelling it through his meridians before activating the technique. In his head, Zhao Yunxiao chanted the mantra of the technique while picturing his essence energy slowly leaving his body before coming together to take the form of a second him. Bit by bit, the image in his head came to fruition in reality. Five centimetres... Ten centimetres... Things seemed to be going smoothly initially, but when the construction of the earthen humanoid reached the shin level, it suddenly crumbled, turning into mere pieces of dirt. First attempt ¨C failure. Huu-! Zhao Yunxiao let out a sigh and looked at the pile of dirt. It seemed like he would have quite a bit of cleaning to do after tonight... No, this was not the time to be distracted! Zhao Yunxiao closed his eyes and focused once again. This time, he did not even reach the shin level. The earthen humanoid crumbled barely after it even started taking form. Zhao Yunxiao was not discouraged by just this. He understood that the beginning was always the hardest when it came to learning a new technique, especially when it came to something like the Earthen Clone Technique ¨C a type of technique that he had zero experience with whatsoever. Again and again, Zhao Yunxiao tried to construct an earthen humanoid with an image of himself in mind. Again and again, the earthen humanoids crumbled before completion. It was only after hours of repeated attempts that he finally managed to complete the full earthen figure. And this was not even supposed to be a difficult part of executing the technique. Now that he had managed to construct a full earthen figure, next came adding the details on the figure to make it seem like himself, as well as to actually learn to control the resulting clone with ease. Those were far more complicated steps that required a lot more looking into! However, Zhao Yunxiao did not push himself further, instead ending his practice for the night with a satisfied smile on his face. He understood his own limits, and knew better than to be too greedy for results. This much was enough for tonight. After all, it was only his first time practising the technique. With that in mind, Zhao Yunxiao closed the technique manual and cleared out the pile of dirt that had accumulated on the floor of the meditation room. Only after he was done doing all that did he wash up and pop a Winterwarmth Pill, ending his day in meditation. And while Zhao Yunxiao was deep in meditation, the darkness of the night slowly rescinded, allowing the warm rays of the sun to descend upon Purple Plum Mountain. New Year Ceremonial Rites Zhao Yunxiao got ready early the next day, but he was not the only one who did so. Just like every other year, the Black Tortoise Sect would be holding ceremonial rites early in the morning to mark the beginning of the year. All disciples were required to attend, and outer disciples were no exception. After ending his meditation, Zhao Yunxiao quickly washed up before heading for the door. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡°Is that so? In that case, I will accept this as well...¡± Nie Hanchang accepted it hesitantly. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I will definitely pay you back in the future!¡± Something that could replenish one¡¯s vitality was truly useful to him. So if it was something that Zhao Yunxiao had in excess, then Nie Hanchang would not refuse it for sure. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much, so don¡¯t be too uptight about it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao waved him off nonchalantly. Rather than waste the efficacy of such a precious ingredient, it would be better if he could share this benefit with his friends instead. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Be Wary of Association with Evil ¡° The main ceremony was over. Unsurprisingly, there were far too many members of the Black Tortoise Sect for everyone to fit in the Xuanwu Temple at the same time. Therefore, they were to enter the temple in order of seniority, with the sect leader and elders taking the lead. That was followed by the protectors and deacons, the core disciples, the inner disciples, and finally the outer disciples. While waiting for their turn, Zhao Yunxiao nudged Lu Zhiying lightly and gestured to the ones climbing the stairs to the temple. ¡°The one in the lead is Sect Leader Zhi, followed by Elder Wei, Elder Ying, Elder He, Elder Mo, and finally Elder Feng,¡± Zhao Yunxiao introduced. ¡°Remember their faces well. They are the higher authority of the sect.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Lu Zhiying nodded while committing their faces to memory. ¡° They were the elites among the disciples, the cr¨¨me of the crop. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Don¡¯t get any strange ideas,¡± Zhao Yunxiao warned after seeing her expression change. ¡°Be patient and slowly work your way up.¡± ¡°I know that already!¡± Lu Zhiying rebutted. ¡°You¡¯d better,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied. After the three core disciples, he slowly introduced the other important members of the sect as they took turns climbing the stairs to the Xuanwu Temple. It took a while to clear everyone before them, but it was eventually their turn to enter the Xuanwu Temple. The main hall of the Xuanwu Temple had a rather simplistic design. A huge statue of the divine Xuanwu was erected at the end of the hall, towering over everyone at a height of around thirty metres. There was an open space in front of the statue, where more than a hundred cushion seats had been laid out at regular intervals. Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group entered along with other outer disciples, and kneeled on a cushion seat each. ¡°Bow!¡± Hearing the instruction from the deacon in charge, everyone took a deep bow to pay their respects to the divine Xuanwu, to the extent where their foreheads were touching the floor. ¡°Rise!¡± As everyone raised their heads, the deacon in charge started going around with a thick stack of fortune sticks, letting the disciples each draw a random fortune stick before leaving the temple. This was a simple event, but it was still something that the disciples looked forward to every year ¨C it was the ceremony of getting their fortune told for the year. Some treated it as pure fun, while the more superstitious ones placed great emphasis on the outcome. Regardless of their beliefs, the results of this fortune telling ceremony would surely become a great talking point for the disciples, at least for weeks to come. ¡°It will be an eventful year, but be careful as benefits are usually accompanied by dangers,¡± Gu Qiansi read the words written on her fortune stick as they left the temple. She could not help but sigh upon seeing the contents. Rather than an eventful year filled with benefits and dangers, she would much rather have a peaceful and smooth sailing year! At this point, Gu Qiansi could not help but notice Zhao Yunxiao shooting a suspicious glare at her. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°See? Already threatening to kill on the very first day of the new year. That says a lot,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°Zhao Yunxiao, is your skin really itching today?¡± Gu Qiansi felt the corner of her lips twitch. ¡°Look at my fortune, Senior Martial Sister Gu!¡± Lu Zhiying suddenly held Gu Qiansi¡¯s arm from behind and raised her fortune stick in front of Gu Qiansi. ¡°Cherish the close ties you have, as they will bring you great fortune this year...¡± Gu Qiansi read the words before letting out a smile. ¡°You are such a nice girl, Junior Martial Sister Lu, completely different from a certain person whom I could name.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mention any names just now,¡± Zhao Yunxiao insisted. ¡°Who said I was referring to you?¡± Gu Qiansi retorted. ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t replying to you either,¡± Zhao Yunxiao looked away. ¡°Tch, are you really a man?¡± Gu Qiansi clicked her tongue in irritation. ¡°Hehehe, the two of you have such a good relationship!¡± Lu Zhiying giggled. ¡°Who has a good relationship with him?¡± Gu Qiansi rolled her eyes while Zhao Yunxiao merely scoffed in response. ¡°What did you get, Senior Martial Brother Nie?¡± Zhao Yunxiao turned to Nie Hanchang who was following behind them. ¡°Nothing much, just the usual generic stuff,¡± Nie Hanchang shook his head with a faint smile. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s the most boring kind,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied nonchalantly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Nie Hanchang chuckled bitterly. But after Zhao Yunxiao turned back around, Nie Hanchang¡¯s gaze hardened as he tightened his grip around the fortune stick in his hands. The words on his fortune stick surfaced in his head once again. Your current path would be long and arduous. It might be wise to consider looking for an alternative path that would make things easier. Those were the words that he hated hearing the most. If not because it would draw too much attention, he would have crushed the fortune stick there and then! Not Exactly the Nicest After the ceremonial rites in the morning, the members of the sect left the Xuanwu Temple to prepare for the rest of the day. The New Year celebrations of the Black Tortoise Sect largely referred to two main items ¨C the celebratory banquet and the performances. But in order to accommodate the sheer number of members within the sect, the celebratory banquet had to be split into sections, and would be simultaneously held in three different locations. The upper echelons of the sect would attend the main banquet in the Core Grounds. This included the sect leader, elders, protectors, core disciples, and certain deacons. The rest of the deacons would join the inner disciples in the Inner Grounds. As for the outer disciples, they would have their own celebratory banquet in the Outer Grounds. But no matter who they were, most of the disciples felt nothing but anticipation as they eagerly prepared for the start of the celebrations. It was a rare opportunity to meet and interact with everyone else in the sect, so most disciples wanted to make sure they looked their very best. As for the reason why, it varied from person to person. Some treated this as a competition with their rivals, wanting to look better and more successful than the other. Some treated this as a chance to show their capabilities to others, wanting to network and forge new ties within the sect. There were even some who dressed up simply to appeal to those they fancied, seeing this as a golden opportunity to connect with a potential cultivation partner. It was not uncommon whatsoever to see numerous people subtly bring along their treasures to the banquet, only to accidentally flash them at those around them. ¡°It¡¯s so nerve wrecking!¡± Huang An remarked in her usual meek voice as they waited in their assigned room. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, just as we always do in practice and will be fine,¡± Bo Fei¡¯s attempt at assuring her emerged in the form of mere broken sentences. ¡°Listen to yourself, Senior Martial Brother Bo. What are you even saying?¡± Zhao Yunxiao laughed. ¡°Shut up, I just tripped a little on my tongue, that¡¯s all!¡± Bo Fei answered in irritation. ¡°You better don¡¯t trip on your tongue later!¡± Zhao Yunxiao cautioned. ¡°Worry about yourself instead!¡± Bo Fei retorted. ¡°Here, take this,¡± Gu Qiansi started handing out small leaves to everyone. ¡°This is the leaf of a Softpetal plant. Chewing on it will help calm you down a little.¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior Martial Sister Gu! I needed that!¡± Huang An immediately skipped over and grabbed a leaf. ¡°As reliable as always, Junior Martial Sister Gu. For this, I can reward you with a date anytime in the next three days,¡± Bo Fei took one as well. ¡°How generous of you, but no thank you,¡± Gu Qiansi rolled her eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t you make it taste better? It tastes too bitter,¡± Zhao Yunxiao remarked while chewing on a leaf. ¡°Do you think this is meant for you to savour the taste?¡± Gu Qiansi clicked her tongue in irritation before turning to Lu Zhiying. ¡°Are you not going to take one, Junior Martial Sister Lu?¡± ¡°Nope, I¡¯m not feeling nervous at all. So, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a need for it,¡± Lu Zhiying shook her head nonchalantly. ¡°Is that so? All right then, just let me know if you want one later,¡± Gu Qiansi was not too surprised at her response. ¡°You are amazing, Junior Martial Sister Lu!¡± Huang An was the one who widened her eyes at Lu Zhiying¡¯s response instead. This might be the Flying Shell Performance Group¡¯s first time performing for the New Year celebrations, but it was not exactly their first performance in front of others. Even then, they were still feeling rather nervous. In contrast, the first-timer Lu Zhiying was actually completely unfazed. Huang An could not help but feel impressed. ¡°You are amazing indeed,¡± Bo Fei nodded in agreement. ¡°What are you looking at, Senior Martial Brother Bo?¡± Gu Qiansi snapped. ¡°Junior Martial Sister Huang is complimenting Junior Martial Sister Lu¡¯s guts, not her looks!¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t they both be amazing?¡± Bo Fei frowned. ¡°Or are you jealous that I am not complimenting you instead? Don¡¯t worry, your body is amazing too.¡± ¡°Wow, you really are hopeless,¡± Gu Qiansi exclaimed in disbelief. ¡°On a more serious note, shall we practise one last time?¡± Huang An suggested. ¡°I saw that our slot is rather early after all. There¡¯s not much time left to practice.¡± The order in which the performances were held was of great importance when planning any celebrations. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Usually, the more anticipated performances would be saved for last, so as to end the night on a high note. As a casual performance group comprising mere outer disciples, the Flying Shell Performance Group was naturally not given as much emphasis from the organisers, at least in comparison to the more established groups. Therefore, they had been arranged to be one of the first few groups to perform. ¡°No, practising too much right before the actual performance might have the opposite effect and make us feel more nervous. We are already good enough, so we just have to relax and do as we usually do,¡± Zhao Yunxiao disagreed. ¡°Instead of that, we should be taking this opportunity to go greet the seniors instead.¡± ¡°Go greet the seniors?¡± Lu Zhiying tilted her head in confusion. ¡°I thought they told us not to wander around the Core Grounds just now? Or is Senior Martial Brother Zhao thinking of sneaking out?¡± ¡°Of course not! It is absolutely forbidden for outer disciples to sneak around in the Core Grounds!¡± Zhao Yunxiao hurriedly shook his head. ¡°But while we can¡¯t sneak out of here, there is no problem with visiting other performance groups¡¯ waiting rooms to send our greetings. This is a good opportunity to network as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great idea! Let¡¯s go visit the dancers!¡± Bo Fei immediately agreed. ¡°Won¡¯t they find us a bother?¡± Gu Qiansi had her reservations. ¡°We just have to not overstay our welcome,¡± Zhao Yunxiao waved a finger at her. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that this is a good chance for Junior Martial Sister Lu to familiarise herself with the other inner disciples too?¡± ¡°This...¡± Gu Qiansi glanced over at Lu Zhiying, who simply blinked blankly in response. From her silence, it would appear that Lu Zhiying was indifferent to whatever choice they made. However, Gu Qiansi knew that Zhao Yunxiao had a point. It might not be much of a deal for the rest of them, but this was indeed a rare opportunity for Lu Zhiying to get to know other inner disciples. This was especially important since she was bound to enter the inner sect sooner or later. Knowing more inner disciples would only make her life easier in the future. ¡°All right then,¡± Gu Qiansi finally relented. ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s decided then!¡± Zhao Yunxiao smirked upon hearing her agreement. ¡°Let¡¯s get going!¡± With Zhao Yunxiao in the lead, the group carefully tidied up their clothes before heading out. The performing groups had all been assigned waiting rooms surrounding a huge courtyard, neatly arranged in order of their performance timings. This meant that the rooms directly beside theirs would be performing immediately before and after them. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°You¡¯re right, they are the final performers tonight,¡± Su Ruining said. ¡°Have you met them before?¡± ¡°This is actually our first time performing for the New Year celebrations, so no, we never had the chance to greet them in the past,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°I see. In that case, I will advise against going to talk to them. But if you really want to, try to rein in your temper a little when doing so, Junior Martial Sister Lu,¡± Su Ruining replied. ¡°They are not exactly the nicest people to talk to.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m always very careful with my words! I¡¯m sure it will be fine!¡± Lu Zhiying said. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to know yourself very well,¡± Su Ruining laughed. From the side, Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi could not help but nod in agreement. With that, they left and headed for the final room. Knock-! Knock-! ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°We are members of the Flying Shell Performance Group and will be performing later as well,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°We have heard a lot about the Shooting Suns and are great fans of yours, so if it is not too much of a bother, we are hoping to take this opportunity to convey our greetings.¡± ¡°Tsk. How irritating. Hold on, then.¡± Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± Su Ruining was not joking earlier. Judging from their first few exchanges, the Shooting Suns truly did not sound like they are the nicest people to talk to! Birth of a Fairy ¡°I have a bad feeling about this...¡± Bo Fei whispered. ¡°Hush! They might hear you!¡± Gu Qiansi said with a glare. While waiting for the door to be answered, the group tidied their clothes and adjusted their expressions once more, wanting to make sure that they looked their very best. After around three minutes of waiting, the door finally opened to reveal an extremely handsome young man. ¡°Greetings, Senior Martial Brother Di!¡± the group bowed and clasped their fists simultaneously. Di Jinan was a figure familiar to just about every member of the Black Tortoise Sect. After all, as the face of the Shooting Suns that performed at just about every major event, it would be more difficult to find someone who did not actually know him! But coincidentally, there just happened to be someone like that right here. As a new disciple of the sect, Lu Zhiying never had an opportunity to watch the Shooting Suns perform. Because of that, she had absolutely no clue who Di Jinan was, and could only follow along with the others¡¯ gestures without actually verbalising the greeting. ¡° ¡°My apologies, Senior Martial Brother Di,¡± Lu Zhiying quickly said. ¡°I am new to the sect, so I still don¡¯t know everyone around.¡± ¡°You are saying you don¡¯t know me?¡± Di Jinan scoffed in disbelief. ¡°Just how new are you that you don¡¯t even know me? Don¡¯t you know how to do your homework?¡± ¡°Reporting to Senior Martial Brother Di, she has only joined the sect for two weeks, so there are still many things that she doesn¡¯t know,¡± Zhao Yunxiao quickly interjected. ¡°Please forgive her for that.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why,¡± Di Jinan nodded. ¡°But did I ask you? Who gave you permission to answer on her behalf?¡± ¡°My apologies, Senior Martial Brother Di. I got ahead of myself,¡± Zhao Yunxiao hurriedly apologised. ¡°Back to you,¡± Di Jinan turned his attention back to Lu Zhiying. ¡°Raise your head and take a good look. You will be seeing much more of me in the future, so make sure you remember my face from now on!¡± Lu Zhiying looked up as instructed before lowering her head again. ¡°Understood, I will remember from today on.¡± But at the same time that Lu Zhiying took a look at Di Jinan¡¯s face, the latter had a clear look at Lu Zhiying¡¯s face as well. ¡°Oh? You don¡¯t look too bad?¡± Di Jinan mused. ¡°Is that what gave you the confidence to act all arrogant and refuse to even remember the faces of your seniors? Let me tell you one thing ¨C looks are not everything! That might have worked for you outside but on the path of cultivation, cultivation talent is all that matters. Even the prettiest flower is fated to be crushed under the weight of an unassuming rock!¡± ¡°Senior Martial Brother Di must be really talented then?¡± Lu Zhiying answered. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Even something as simple as walking suddenly felt like an awkward thing to do, and the slightest sounds they made felt as deafening as thunder. After getting in position, Zhao Yunxiao took a deep breath before doing a quick scan of the audience. ¡°Start whenever you are ready, Junior Martial Sister Huang,¡± Bo Fei whispered once everyone was in position. ¡°Mm,¡± Huang An bit her bottom lip and nodded. Huu-! After letting out a deep breath, she slowly raised her slender hands over the zither. And with that, her eyes sharpened. A single strum of the zither started off the first performance. ¨C a song about an imaginary land of eternal peace. This was the song that had instantly captivated Lu Zhiying when she first heard it, the one responsible for introducing her to the cultivators¡¯ wonderful world of music. Unfortunately, their current audience was not as easily impressed. First Reveal of Lu Zhiying’s Three Dances The second phase of was just about to come to an end. Up next would be the time for Bo Fei and Gu Qiansi to join with their voices, representing the third part of that portrayed the lands gaining the ability to purge themselves of all evil. This was also when Lu Zhiying would start dancing for real. It was not just Zhao Yunxiao who was eagerly looking forward to this. Even Bo Fei and Gu Qiansi themselves could not help but sneak glances towards Lu Zhiying as they started to sing, eagerly anticipating the next change. And change, she did. The once dull and expressionless puppet had already been given a breath of life with the flute, turning her into a true fairy. Now, the entry of the vocals seemed to have finally granted her the ability to move by her own free will. It was a calming song about the natural beauty of butterflies, depicting how something that was in its simplest original form could still be ever so amazing. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Not me, that¡¯s for sure. Is it a new performance group?¡± ¡°Who are the members of the group? I don¡¯t remember seeing them around. Are they outer disciples?¡± ¡°Junior Martial Sister Huang is there as well as Junior Martial Brother Zhao, so they are probably all outer disciples.¡± ¡°Do you know them? In that case, are you able to find out more about them?¡± ¡° ¡°Just general information, such as who the members are and whatnot.¡± ¡°Quit lying through your teeth. All you want to know is who that dancer is!¡± ¡°W-What about it? Stop pretending as if you don¡¯t want to know her!¡± ¡°I think I have seen her around before. Isn¡¯t she working at the Yellowshell Mines?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°What are all of you so excited about? No matter what, isn¡¯t she still an outer disciple? Are you really considering her as a potential cultivation partner?¡± an irritated female disciple could not resist bursting everyone¡¯s bubbles. With that, the excitement in the Inner Grounds immediately calmed down a little. Indeed, no matter how attractive she was, it was not ideal for an inner disciple to select an outer disciple as their partner. Even ordinary mortals tend to select their partners in accordance to matching backgrounds for obvious reasons. As cultivators, this would be even more of a concern since their cultivation levels had a direct impact on their lifespans. And if they could help it, most people would want a cultivation partner whom they could spend most of their lives with. ¡°That¡¯s a real pity indeed. If she is an inner disciple, she would really be a good catch!¡± someone lamented. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Well said! What is the point of being cultivators if we have too many considerations to even pursue our hearts¡¯ true desires?¡± ¡°And who is to say that she would always remain an outer disciple? Perhaps she will also become an inner disciple one day!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! We all have to start somewhere. Who hasn¡¯t started off as an outer disciple at one point?¡± ¡°Senior Martial Brother Wei hasn¡¯t...¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true. Tch, don¡¯t bring a core disciple into this discussion!¡± Watching the disciples¡¯ heated discussions, the deacons present could not help but let out amused smiles as they continued to enjoy the show. Those in the know could not help but wonder. If the current reaction from the inner disciples was already this strong, just what would become of them if they realised that this young lady was none other than one of the three outer disciples who had managed to form a true spiritual meridian root? In the Outer Grounds, the discussions among the disciples were much tamer in comparison. This was not to say that the performance did not leave as huge an impact on the outer disciples. Instead, it was the complete opposite. Many inner disciples had already been exposed to tonnes of amazing performances in the past, but that was not the case for most outer disciples. Because of that, even more outer disciples were feeling butterflies in their stomachs right now, with an overwhelming majority being the male disciples. However, most of them were consciously suppressing their emotions, not allowing anything to show on their faces. Active Pursuit Expectations for the rest of the performances skyrocketed. It had always been the norm for better performances to only be shown in the later parts of each festive celebration. After the performance by the Flying Shell Performance Group, everyone could not help but look forward to seeing the other performances to come. Unfortunately, they were bound to be disappointed. That was not to say that the subsequent performances were bad, but the Flying Shell Performance Group had simply left too deep of an impression on everyone. Of course, almost everyone¡¯s memories of the performance could be said to be focused solely on one particular person. The way Lu Zhiying moved her body along with the music was simply impeccable, incorporating the right amount of grace and force only at the right moments, which made the overall performance just about impossible to look away from. And that applied even to the female disciples. In a way, it was fortunate that the performance was being held at the Core Grounds where only the upper echelons of the sect were seated. After all, they were the calmest group, enjoying the performances in relative silence. Had it been held either in the Inner Grounds or Outer Grounds, the next performing group would have been shocked by the looks of disappointment that appeared on everyone¡¯s faces! One by one, the different performance groups went up to perform. It did not help that the Flying Shell Performance Group had performed early in the night either. Because of that, most of the subsequent performing groups were relatively unknown. This awkward situation finally ended as time passed, when more established performing groups with their own fanbase started appearing on stage. Only then did people¡¯s attention finally begin to return to the performances. *** After taking a short rest in their assigned waiting room, the members of the Flying Shell Performance Group were directed to leave the Core Grounds and return to the Outer Grounds, where they would finally get to enjoy the rest of the celebratory banquet. Upon their return to the Outer Grounds, the group first returned to their respective residences and put down their stuff before reconvening. ¡°Time to have some good food!¡± Bo Fei exclaimed excitedly as they slowly made their way to the banquet venue. ¡°It feels especially good now that we are done with our performance. I can finally eat with peace of mind!¡± Gu Qiansi agreed. ¡°I cannot agree more. I was so stressed just now!¡± Huang An said softly. ¡°Hahaha, you guys are really exaggerating things!¡± Lu Zhiying laughed. ¡°But I really am looking forward to the good food too!¡± Huang An looked at Lu Zhiying in disbelief. She definitely was not exaggerating the stress that she had felt! Come to think of it, Lu Zhiying never asked Gu Qiansi for the Softpetal leaf in the end. Huang An could not help but feel impressed by Lu Zhiying all over again. ¡°Oh, right. This will be your first time attending the New Year celebratory banquet, won¡¯t it?¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Make sure to eat your fill later. Come tomorrow, we will be having our meals back at the canteen again.¡± ¡°I will eat my fill even if you didn¡¯t tell me so!¡± Lu Zhiying was visibly excited as well. ¡°Looks like we have arrived,¡± Zhao Yunxiao rubbed his palms together as they stepped in front of the entrance to the banquet venue. ¡°Time to enjoy!¡± ¡°Do you know where our seats are?¡± Gu Qiansi asked. ¡°Trust me, I¡¯ve got this,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°Just follow me.¡± The celebratory banquet for the outer disciples was held at a huge square in the Outer Grounds, with a huge piece of thick white fabric hanging on each side of the square. Images were being projected onto these pieces of white fabric through the use of special arrays, showing everyone exactly what was happening on stage in the Core Grounds. Currently, a group was putting on a wonderful performance involving speed painting, exciting enough to capture the attention of most present. Zhao Yunxiao confidently led the way into the banquet venue, perfectly aware of the way to their allocated seats. However, he never would have guessed the reaction that they were about to get. ¡°You are here, Junior Martial Sister Lu!¡± someone called out from the first table that they passed. As though it had been a rally to battle, those words instantly caused everyone¡¯s attention to turn in their direction. Zhao Yunxiao instantly frowned, sensing that something was amiss about the situation. ¡°I saw your performance earlier. It was simply amazing!¡± the young man who exclaimed earlier had shot up from his seat and was already standing in front of them before they knew it. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. I am Sheng Qi¡¯an. Feel free to call me Big Brother Qi¡¯an.¡± ¡°Since you are not familiar with each other, let¡¯s not get ahead of yourselves. It is best to just address him as your Senior Martial Brother Sheng,¡± another young man said as he stepped up beside Sheng Qi¡¯an. ¡°As expected of you, Junior Martial Sister Lu. Your performance was simply too mesmerising. I am Zeng Fan, and it just so happened that I am currently considering pursuing the art of dance. I wonder if I can have the honour of inviting you to have a discussion on the wondrous aspects of dance?¡± ¡°Since Junior Martial Sister Lu doesn¡¯t know me well now, that is all the more reason to start,¡± Sheng Qi¡¯an replied. ¡°As for you, since when have you been into the art of dance? In case you didn¡¯t know, Junior Martial Sister Lu is really busy. Please don¡¯t waste her time with your temporary interests!¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°And who are you to speak on her behalf?¡± Zeng Fan retorted. ¡°I speak nothing but the truth!¡± Sheng Qi¡¯an said. Sparks of rivalry crackled in the air as the two stared down each other, neither willing to back down. Standing in front of them, the members of the Flying Shell Performance Group finally realised what was going on. And from where they were standing, they could see that it was not just Sheng Qi¡¯an and Zeng Fan as well. From all over the banquet venue, numerous disciples had gotten up from their seats and were slowly converging towards them! Still, the rest did not approach as actively as Sheng Qi¡¯an and Zeng Fan. Not stepping forward yet standing near enough to let their presence be known, they seemed to be taking a wait-and-see approach, wanting to see how things panned out for the two of them before deciding on their next move. In any case, the two of them had already managed to seize the initiative. If the others did not plan things out properly, suddenly walking up to the two of them to compete for Lu Zhiying¡¯s attention might just make them appear more desperate than sincere. That was an outcome that they would definitely have to avoid! Zhao Yunxiao let out a sigh of resignation. He had wanted their performance to leave an impact, but he truly did not expect the impact to be as huge as this! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Are you sure about this, Junior Martial Sister Lu?¡± Gu Qiansi asked as they settled into their seats. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° He could not wait to be blown away! Privilege of Being Mentioned in the Same Breath Members of the Frost Lotus Dance Troupe got into position on stage, all of them wearing calm expressions on their faces. Their bearing was completely different from the many groups that had performed earlier that night. It was one that exuded composure and confidence, and only just enough to not be misinterpreted as arrogance. Donning beautiful long gowns and intricate accessories, the dancers gave everyone a pleasant feeling just by looking at them standing there on stage. Order. Grace. Beauty. These words perfectly described the performance that came next, empowering the dancers as they mercilessly tugged at the hearts of men and women alike. It was like a bank of swans wantonly showing off their beauty to the audience, knowing perfectly well that it was going to entrance the latter. Every move was well executed, and the occasional eye contact sent electrifying shivers down the spines of the audience. Even Zhao Yunxiao found himself subconsciously smiling in response. However, that was about it. The dance performance by the Frost Lotus Dance Troupe was indeed impressive and captivating, but... was it just his imagination? Somehow, he had kind of expected much more than just this. To a certain extent, he actually felt disappointed by the performance. There was no doubt that in terms of the execution of the dance steps, they were surely far beyond Lu Zhiying¡¯s level. However, he felt like they had failed to leave as deep an impression as Lu Zhiying did. Zhao Yunxiao could not help but think that there was something lacking in the performance by the Frost Lotus Dance Troupe. Unfortunately, he could not put a finger to what exactly that was either. Lu Zhiying¡¯s extraordinary appearances might have played a part, but that was definitely not the entire reason why. Zhao Yunxiao rubbed his chin in contemplation and focused even more on the dance. But no matter how he thought about it, he could not identify the element that was making the difference. ¡°You sure look focused right now! Having trouble taking your eyes off of the beauties on stage?¡± Gu Qiansi teased from the side. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with that, Junior Martial Sister Gu,¡± Bo Fei interjected before Zhao Yunxiao could reply. ¡°If anything, it only proves that Junior Martial Brother Zhao is a healthy young man! In fact, you should be more worried if he is distracted by something else instead of focusing solely on enjoying this beautiful performance!¡± ¡°Tch, men...¡± Gu Qiansi shook her head helplessly. Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± Perhaps he should stop thinking too much and just enjoy the performance instead... The Frost Lotus Dance Troupe prepared two separate dance routines. Through them, the dance troupe properly showed everyone just why they were renowned in the Black Tortoise Sect. Just as always, their performance was presented in a flawless manner, making it an absolute treat to the eyes. When it finally came to an end, the many disciples watching could not help but feel regret in their hearts. Still, they did not forget the applause and cheers, which were almost mandatory considering the level of the performance that they had just enjoyed. ¡°Next will be the final performance,¡± Zhao Yunxiao remarked while applauding along. ¡°The Shooting Suns...¡± Lu Zhiying furrowed her brows. She could still clearly remember the disdain in Di Jinan¡¯s tone when he spoke to them earlier. ¡° ¡° ¡°Of course! Don¡¯t be fooled by my appearance right now. I am actually very knowledgeable!¡± the disciple could hardly hide his excitement now that he had successfully gotten Lu Zhiying¡¯s attention. ¡°The Shooting Suns can be said to be the most famous performance group in the inner sect, and I even have personal ties with a member of the group. If you are interested, I can introduce you to them in the future!¡± ¡°Would that person be Senior Martial Brother Di?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡° This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Time to end the night with a bang! Now we will be having the final performing group for the night. Please welcome onto stage... the Shooting Suns!¡± the master of ceremony introduced in excitement, drawing everyone¡¯s attention back to the stage. Cheers immediately erupted from the crowds in both the Inner Grounds and Outer Grounds. Even some of the elders in the Core Grounds could not help but reveal smiles. The Shooting Suns had not been arranged to be the final performing group for no good reason. They had earned their reputation through their stable and impressive performances throughout the years. Over time, they had shown their skills time and time again, consistently proving their critiques wrong regardless of the occasion. And now, just their name alone was enough to guarantee an impressive showing! There were five members of the Shooting Suns, each responsible for a different role. Di Jinan and another female disciple were responsible for the vocals, while the other three were all instrument players. In a way, they were similar to the Flying Shell Performance Group, or at least the version of the Flying Shell Performance Group before Lu Zhiying joined. However, the difference in the two groups¡¯ popularity was apparent for all to see. When the music began, everyone was instantly brought into a spectacular world of tunes that was enough to give them goosebumps. Impressive music. Impressive visuals. And finally, impressive stage presence. All of that came together to bend the knees of even the most musically obtuse individual, forcing them into submission before the power of music. Before they knew it, even Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group, that already had a bad impression of Di Jinan from earlier, began to immerse themselves in the performance. ¡°They are good,¡± Lu Zhiying said reluctantly. ¡°They are good, indeed,¡± Zhao Yunxiao agreed, though he was obviously just as reluctant. ¡°There is no need for comparison,¡± Gu Qiansi said. ¡°The most important thing is to enjoy what we are doing.¡± Lu Zhiying bit her lower lip in indignance. Nobody could deny the fact that the Shooting Suns¡¯ performance was one of the best ones of the night, if not the very best. Their exhilarating performance brought the atmosphere to a high, making it the perfect way to end the night. But just because the performances had ended, it did not mean that the celebratory banquet was over. Long after the performance ended, cheers were still reverberating throughout the banquet locations as everyone continued to enjoy the rest of the banquet. At the Inner Grounds, the Shooting Suns finally arrived at the celebratory banquet venue, to great fanfare. Being the last group to perform, it was not surprising that they were also the last to arrive at the banquet venue. The moment they entered, cheers erupted from the crowds as they chanted the names of the members of the Shooting Suns. And as the face of the Shooting Suns, Di Jinan¡¯s name was clearly overwhelming that of the other members. Numerous disciples walked up to them to congratulate them on their wonderful performance earlier, but unfortunately, not everyone was lucky enough to receive a good response from them. The Shooting Suns was famous even among the inner sect, so they were naturally selective about who they interacted with. Those whom they deemed unimportant were met with cold responses, or worse still, some did not even receive a response. This naturally led to unhappiness among some inner disciples, who started discussing among themselves. ¡°What are they so smug about? Do they really think that they are irreplaceable?¡± ¡°My thoughts, exactly. I have to admit that they are good, but it¡¯s not like they are the only good ones. In fact, the group that left the deepest impression tonight has to be the Flying Shell Performance Group!¡± ¡°I agree. The Shooting Suns¡¯ performance has become rather predictable over time. In contrast, the Flying Shell Performance Group really took everyone by surprise!¡± These discussions started as quiet whispers among individuals, but quickly evolved and spread as more and more people joined in. The members of the Shooting Suns usually completely disregarded their haters, thinking that it was a waste of time to deal with them. But as these discussions began to gain momentum, it became impossible for even their proud selves to ignore. ¡°Flying Shell Performance Group?¡± Di Jinan said with a frown. ¡°How good can they be? What gives them the right to even be compared to us?¡± He could still remember how the group had been overwhelmed and rendered speechless by his presence earlier that evening. For a group comprising such meek individuals, he could hardly imagine anything impressive coming out of them! ¡°What¡¯s their performance like? Is the recording ready?¡± another member of the Shooting Suns asked, just as dissatisfied as Di Jinan at the comparison. For the New Year celebration, not only were the performances projected to the Inner Grounds and Outer Grounds, but they were recorded as well. This not only allowed everyone to relive the wonderful performances once more, but also allowed each performing group to review their own performances, as well as those of the other performing groups that they had inevitably missed. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Di Jinan scoffed. ¡°Bring out the recording. Let¡¯s take a look and see if this Flying Shell Performance Group truly deserves the privilege of being mentioned in the same breath as us!¡± Are You Feeling Threatened? The recordings of the New Year performances were not some secret documents. Therefore, they were available for any disciple to borrow. ¡° It was not difficult to activate the recording stone. One just had to inject a bit of essence energy into it, and the recorded scenes stored within could easily be projected onto a screen. Now that the actual performances had ended, the white pieces of fabric on each side of the banquet venue were no longer showing anything, so they could easily project the recording onto any one of the canvases for all to see. As the light from the recording stone shone upon the blank canvas, the banquet quietened down significantly as the majority of those present turned their attention over. Many of them were looking forward to reliving the beautiful performance from earlier. But on the other hand, there were also some who were far more interested in seeing just how the Shooting Suns would react. With the sound of a zither, the recorded performance of the Flying Shell Performance Group began to play out once more. ¡° However, just his years of experience playing the instrument would already be more than Huang An¡¯s age! Because of that, just from listening to the first few bars, he was able to instantly identify the fact that Huang An was not utilising the zither to its fullest potential. There had been numerous opportunities for additional nuances to be incorporated to enhance the depth of the melody, many of which Huang An failed to capitalise on. Everyone knew just how much of an expert Yue Long was when it came to the zither as well. Now that he pointed it out, people began to realise that the zither play was indeed far from perfect. ¡°Unsurprisingly so,¡± the corner of Di Jinan¡¯s lips curled up in response. As expected, their haters had been exaggerating things out of spite. There was simply no comparison between them and some unknown performance group! Next, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s flute entered the performance. This time, Di Jinan could not help but frown. His response was not because of Zhao Yunxiao, but because of the young lady standing in front of the stage. That one change in expression by Lu Zhiying was far too eye-catching, so much so that even Di Jinan had to admit he was caught by surprise. However, that was it. After the change in expression that was admittedly done in an impeccable manner, she had reverted to a swaying of the body that did not require too much skill to perform. ¡°How is the flute?¡± Di Jinan turned to another member of the Shooting Suns. Ji Yuanbao ¨C flute specialist of the Shooting Suns. Due to his quiet and indifferent nature, Di Jinan knew that if he did not ask explicitly, Ji Yuanbao would not be making any comments. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Ji Yuanbao replied. Di Jinan felt the corner of his lips twitch while turning his attention back to the recording. He had wanted Ji Yuanbao to criticise the flute play in front of everyone, so he was naturally not entirely satisfied with that comment. However, Di Jinan also knew that it would take far too much effort to get more out of Ji Yuanbao. Instead of doing that, Di Jinan decided to focus on the two vocalists standing at the back, understanding that they would be joining the performance next. And join, they did. Unfortunately, Di Jinan did not have the opportunity to evaluate the vocals even when they entered the song. At that very moment, his attention was completely robbed instead by the young lady standing at the front of the stage. Di Jinan widened his eyes in astonishment as the fairy of the stage burst into life, using her body to depict the hidden violence of the tranquil lands. Beside him, the other members of the Shooting Suns fell silent as well. And this silence continued as the performance for came to an end. Not just that, but it also continued through and as well. Before they knew it, the recorded performance was over. Those present turned their attention back to the members of the Shooting Suns, eager to see their response. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°Tch! Merely an amateur group resorting to tricks to distract the audience from their mediocre performance,¡± Di Jinan was the first to break the silence. ¡° ¡° ¡°How can anyone even think of comparing this group to the Shooting Suns?¡± Di Jinan did not respond directly but smiled in satisfaction, relishing in the moment as he listened to his fans put down the other party. However, that was when he heard a comment that did not quite belong. ¡°You guys sure talk a lot of shit. Are you feeling threatened?¡± Hmm? Di Jinan and the rest of the crowd immediately turned their attention in the direction of that one comment that stood out from the rest. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Di Jinan spoke while staring at the young lady who just spoke. ¡°I think I might have misheard.¡± ¡°Oh? Considering the fact that you have been freely commenting on others¡¯ performances, I guess those ears aren¡¯t all that good after all?¡± Leng Huiqi stared right back at him from her seat. ¡°You¡¯d better think things through, Junior Martial Sister Leng,¡± Yue Long commented from beside Di Jinan. ¡°This matter does not concern you. Are you sure you want to get involved?¡± They might be considered fellow inner disciples, but there was still a difference in seniority. Compared to the relatively young Leng Huiqi, members of the Shooting Suns had been around for far longer, and thus wielded much greater influence in the sect. ¡°It does not concern us? What a joke!¡± Su Ruining spoke up from beside Leng Huiqi, completely undeterred. ¡°What did you say earlier, Senior Martial Brother Di? The Flying Shell Performance Group is resorting to tricks to enhance their performance? I guess by ¡®tricks¡¯, you refer to the fact that they included a dance in their performance? If that is the case, isn¡¯t that equivalent to directly insulting all fellow disciples here who pursue the art of dance, calling us tricksters?¡± ¡°You know that is not what I meant,¡± Di Jinan answered with a frown. ¡°I am simply talking about that one performance.¡± He might not care much about others¡¯ opinions, but he definitely did not want to be labelled as someone who looked down on everyone who pursued the art of dance. After all, it was not just the disciples who pursued the art of dance. There were also deacons, protectors, and even elders who researched and dabbled in the art of dance! ¡°And while you were talking about the performance, you definitely insulted the art of dance. That is something that all of us heard,¡± Su Ruining answered. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, everyone?¡± ¡°Yes, I heard it too!¡± ¡°I did too!¡± The various members of the Frost Lotus Dance Troupe immediately replied. Their response spurred on several other dancers among the audience as well, making them cry out in indignation as well. ¡°It looks like everyone heard the same thing,¡± Leng Huiqi shrugged. ¡°How unfortunate, it¡¯d appear that everyone misunderstood Senior Martial Brother Di at the same time then?¡± At this time, Deng Wei and a few other inner disciples had arrived beside Leng Huiqi, silently showing their support with their presence. ¡°What do you want?¡± Di Jinan narrowed his eyes at Leng Huiqi. ¡°Nothing much, just a simple apology from Senior Martial Brother Di to all of us dancers will do. By the way, that includes the Flying Shell Performance Group,¡± Leng Huiqi answered with a grin. ¡°Otherwise, I find it difficult to believe that you were not truly dismissing the art of dance earlier.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck, Junior Martial Sister Leng,¡± Di Jinan warned. ¡°What are your intentions for repeatedly defending those amateurs?¡± ¡°Those so-called amateurs learnt the art of dance from us Frost Lotus Dance Troupe, so do you think we should feel offended by your words?¡± Su Runing answered. ¡°You don¡¯t have the qualifications to speak here,¡± Di Jinan glared at Su Ruining. ¡°Oh? I guess dancers aren¡¯t qualified to speak to you? My bad,¡± Su Ruining covered her mouth with her hands. ¡°Don¡¯t put words in our mouths! Senior Martial Brother Di never said anything about dancers! I am talking about a junior like you!¡± Yue Long roared in anger. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This was a treatment that Zhao Yunxiao and the rest had never gotten before. While they accepted the toasts, they made sure not to make any promises about the future, understanding that all this attention that they were getting right now was almost solely due to the Lu Zhiying effect. Demon Subduing Mission – East Stream Village ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Since he was only joining them for the first time, the last thing Zhao Yunxiao wanted was to end up becoming a burden to the seasoned party! Visit from the Subordinate Sects Zhao Yunxiao fully understood that hard work was the only way for one to get there, especially for cultivators like himself who did not possess exceptional talent in this regard. Come morning, he slowly opened his eyes as he exited meditation. Unlike the day before, there were no important events lined up that day. The only thing scheduled was his weekly duty at the Yellowshell Mines, but Zhao Yunxiao had already decided to skip out on that this time. After all, he only had one day left to make preparations for the demon subduing trip, and he could always make up for the monthly mining quota another day. Zhao Yunxiao quickly freshened up before leaving for the canteen, this time no longer carrying that reliable bamboo backpack of his. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Luckily, there are not many people in the canteen right now. Otherwise, who knows what kind of commotion there would be? Damn, it¡¯s tough to have a celebrity companion. Perhaps it is really time to stop coming to the canteen for free food... Wait, that actually sounds like a good excuse to get Gu Qiansi to cook for them regularly? Now then, he just had to come up with an excuse to broach that topic! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This was none other than the look of a man who was assessing his potential rival! Who is this Little Brother Zhao? ¡°My skin is starting to sting from your intense glare, Senior Martial Brother Zeng,¡± Zhao Yunxiao felt the corner of his lips twitch. ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t misunderstand, Junior Martial Brother Zhao. I was just looking at you casually, but it seems that my presence might be a little too much for you to bear?¡± Zeng Fan answered with a smirk. ¡°You really need to start working on your mental fortitude, Junior Martial Brother Zhao. If you are interested, perhaps I can give you some guidance on how to train that aspect.¡± This is the easiest and most direct way to deal with potential love rivals ¨C by showing them who is boss! ¡°Thank you for the offer, Senior Martial Brother Zeng,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said in an unflustered manner. ¡°In that case, I will be seeking your help on this soon.¡± He knew exactly what Zeng Fan was doing, but Zhao Yunxiao had no intention to get involved in this messy situation. Even though he did not know what exactly Lu Zhiying was trying to do, he believed that she was probably more than capable of dealing with things herself without their intervention. In that case, all they had to do was to try to stay out of her way. On the other hand, Zeng Fan blinked in confusion. He was simply trying to taunt Zhao Yunxiao, but who knew that the latter would be so accepting of what he said? ¡°Are you still not done talking, Senior Martial Brother Zeng?¡± Lu Zhiying interjected. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell that Junior Martial Sister Lu doesn¡¯t want you here?¡± another young man joined in at this point. ¡°Why don¡¯t you get the hint and leave already? Don¡¯t disturb the rest of us as we have our discussion.¡± Sheng Qi¡¯an. Just like Zeng Fan, he was one of the first two to approach Lu Zhiying at the celebratory banquet last night. ¡°Can we just leave, Senior Martial Sister Gu? This place is getting a little too loud,¡± Lu Zhiying turned towards Gu Qiansi. The latter was momentarily stunned and failed to find the words to respond. It was just yesterday that Lu Zhiying said that she would not mind getting to know different people in the sect, so why was she acting like this all of a sudden? Is this the legendary push-pull technique? ¡°I-It seems that Junior Martial Sister Lu is busy right now, so I shall not bother you,¡± Sheng Qi¡¯an forced a smile in response. ¡°In that case, I will come look for you again later.¡± Zhao Yunxiao watched on in surprise as Sheng Qi¡¯an took a gracious bow before leaving. He could not help but admit that Sheng Qi¡¯an was rather suave and decisive in his actions. If he were to ever land in a similar situation in the future, he definitely had to learn a thing or two from this as well, and not over-obsess over wanting to spend time with the girl he liked. ¡°In that case, I will come again as well,¡± Zeng Fan said. ¡°Please enjoy your breakfast, Junior Martial Sister Lu.¡± And he left as well. ¡°That was surprisingly clean,¡± Zhao Yunxiao remarked. ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t expect them to leave just like that,¡± Gu Qiansi added. ¡°Hmm? Why do you think that?¡± Lu Zhiying tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Of course they have to leave. I already made it so clear for them. If they have stayed and disturbed our conversation any longer, that will only be making things harder for themselves. What¡¯s more, their pride will definitely not allow themselves to look bad in front of others.¡± Zhao Yunxiao looked at Lu Zhiying for a few moments before letting out a chuckle in disbelief. Indeed, his hunch was right. Lu Zhiying seemed to have a very clear grasp on the situation that she was in, so there should not be a problem just leaving Lu Zhiying to deal with it herself! The group parted ways after they were done with their breakfast. Nie Hanchang left alone for his training while Gu Qiansi brought Lu Zhiying to take a look at the parade of visitors from the subordinate sects. As for Zhao Yunxiao, his first destination was the Outer Disciples Hall. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. While Zhao Yunxiao immersed himself in the world of information, numerous sect disciples had gathered to watch the entrance parade of the visiting subordinate sects. As Zhao Yunxiao had said earlier, each of the visiting subordinate sects would usually send a grand entourage as a show of their strength and influence. Considering the number of sects that were subordinate to the Black Tortoise Sect, this made for quite the attraction for the disciples of the sect. The administrators of the Black Tortoise Sect understood this as well. Therefore, they specially arranged a time and place for each of the visiting subordinate sects to arrive, turning it into some sort of festive parade. The result of that was an amazing spectacle that benefited only the disciples of the Black Tortoise Sect. ¡° ¡° ¡°This... it¡¯s hard to tell for sure,¡± the disciple was stumped for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s difficult for us to really know much about them unless we spend a significant amount of time looking into them in detail. And even then, each sect has their own secrets, so it¡¯s almost impossible to know for sure.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Junior Martial Brother Zhao was probably just sharing his opinions,¡± the disciple quickly chimed in. ¡°We have to be wary of taking opinions as facts since the two are fundamentally different.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Lu Zhiying answered curtly. The subordinate sects of the Black Tortoise Sect were naturally not limited to just the Flying Swords Hall and the Armed Ape Tower, with the rest of them lighting up the parade as they arrived one by one. They put on as grand of a show as they could while following the assigned path, eventually gathering at an elaborately decorated hall where they were welcomed by the administrators of the Black Tortoise Sect. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°This...¡± He Luoxuan let out an awkward smile. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Undercurrents in the Black Tortoise Sect ¡°Little Brother Zhao?¡± Ming Leishang repeated in confusion. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Ying Qingmu confirmed. ¡°Elder Ming seems to hold this person in high regard, so I can¡¯t help but get curious.¡± ¡°Ahem! The disciples of our Black Tortoise Sect are all exceptional, so it is only natural for them to be held in high regard. There¡¯s truly nothing interesting about this matter in particular, so you don¡¯t have to be too concerned, Elder Ying,¡± He Luoxuan hurriedly cut off the conversation. ¡°On a side note, come with me, Elder Ming. Let me show you around the backyard before the rest arrive.¡± He had to stop Ming Leishang from speaking anymore. Otherwise, it might end up exposing the fact that he was not actually the one who provided the guidance to the Origin Lake Sect members! It was not as though He Luoxuan coveted the appreciation and admiration that came with it, but it would be rather awkward if the Origin Lake Sect realised the truth, as well as the fact that he had simply played along without clarifying things at that point in time. ¡°S-Sure...¡± Ming Leishang answered hesitantly. ¡°Excuse me then, Elder Ying.¡± He subtly observed the expressions on both He Luoxuan and Ying Qingmu while following the former away, with the rest of the Origin Lake Sect entourage right behind. ¡° The Sect Library was home to an almost limitless wealth of knowledge. Unfortunately, Zhao Yunxiao did not have the luxury of time to go through them all. After spending half a day at the Sect Library, the now slightly more knowledgeable Zhao Yunxiao finally parted ways with the scrolls and left for his third destination of the day ¨C the Alchemy Chamber. This time, he was not there for work. He was there as a customer, to spend his sect points in exchange for the use of one of the cauldron rooms. Now that he had gathered some information on monkey demons, it was time to put that information to good use! After paying the corresponding sect points, Zhao Yunxiao chose a cauldron room without a disciple on duty. There were two reasons for doing so. The first reason was that, as a duty disciple himself, Zhao Yunxiao knew perfectly well that not all duty disciples took pride in their work. Some were only there to do the bare minimum, all just so they could justify collecting the monthly sect points. Thus, rather than having someone help with the preparation work and then end up having to check everything all over again to make sure that nothing was wrong, it would be easier to simply prepare everything himself from the start! It was because getting a cauldron room with a duty disciple to assist him was more expensive! It already hurt his wallet just by having to reserve a cauldron room, so how could Zhao Yunxiao possibly bear the pain of getting a duty disciple to assist him on top of that? Absolutely no way. Since Zhao Yunxiao was not asking to be assisted by a duty disciple, he did not have to wait either, and was assigned an empty cauldron room upon arrival. Zhao Yunxiao could not be familiar with the cauldron rooms. The moment he entered, he did not hesitate to fire up the cauldron and slowly heat it up. It would take some time for the cauldron to reach the optimal temperature, so Zhao Yunxiao started preparing the different ingredients in the meantime. These ingredients included parts from what remained of the carcasses of the nightspirit rat that he took care of at Gu Qiansi¡¯s garden plot, as well as those of the silver spotted grand deer and salamander monster that were the trophies from his latest hunting trip. With these ingredients in hand, Zhao Yunxiao was intending to create both elixirs for himself and poisons for the target. There were also some other concoctions that could prove useful during the trip. Of course, it would be best if he ended up not having to use them at all. But in the unlikely event that the situation spiralled out of control, he would at least be more prepared to deal with it then! This was not the first time he made his own concoctions. With his past first-hand experience, coupled with the knowledge gained from observing many disciples whom he had assisted as a duty disciple, Zhao Yunxiao confidently but carefully began the refining process for each item he had in mind. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. In the residence assigned to the Origin Lake Sect, Chen Pingxi sat alone at a table in the open courtyard, silently sipping on some wine. Her eyes were glazed over in a daze, hinting that while her body might be there, her mind had probably already wandered off long ago. ¡° No, it¡¯s nothing...¡± Chen Pingxi shook her head, at the same time also shaking herself out of her daze. I know you better than that. Don¡¯t worry, just speak your mind,¡± Ming Leishang replied with a gentle smile. Since you say so, can I ask you something, Elder Ming?¡± Chen Pingxi asked. There are only the two of us here. Forget about the formalities and ask away,¡± Ming Leishang replied. ¡° Mm,¡± Ming Leishang nodded. By now, he already had a fairly good idea as to what Chen Pingxi was concerned about. ¡° ¡°What do you think?¡± Ming Leishang did not give a straight answer. ¡°If Brother Zhao is Elder He¡¯s direct disciple, surely the other elders in the Black Tortoise Sect will know that as well,¡± Chen Pingxi tried to reason. ¡°But at the same time...¡± ¡°At the same time, it doesn¡¯t make sense that he is not Elder He¡¯s direct disciple?¡± Ming Leishang completed her sentence for her. ¡°Exactly,¡± Chen Pingxi said. ¡°If is not because Elder He is trying to groom Brother Zhao, it would have been rather strange to use Brother Zhao as a proxy to give guidance to everyone in our Origin Lake Sect. It is one thing to guide the disciples, but having him give tips to yourself, and even to Master, will be considered going a little overboard!¡± Back then, Zhao Yunxiao had handed out tips to Sect Leader Dan Juexing after doing the same for the elders of the Origin Lake Sect. From Chen Pingxi¡¯s perspective, it would be rather disrespectful, even if she considered Elder He Luoxuan¡¯s lofty status, to get a random disciple to give such guidance instead of doing it himself. With that line of thought, it would only make sense if He Luoxuan was trying to use that opportunity to send a message ¨C to let everyone know that Zhao Yunxiao was someone whom he valued highly! ¡°I don¡¯t blame you for being confused,¡± Ming Leishang smiled dotingly at Chen Pingxi. ¡°Let me ask you this ¨C did you notice how Elder He immediately shifted the conversation away from Little Brother Zhao the moment Elder Ying came over?¡± ¡°...Are you saying that Elder He is deliberately hiding Brother Zhao¡¯s existence from the rest of the elders?¡± Chen Pingxi immediately understood what Ming Leishang was getting at. ¡°I won¡¯t go as far as saying that he is hiding it from the rest of the elders, but I think you can see for yourself that he is hiding it from Elder Ying, at the very least,¡± Ming Leishang said. ¡°But why?¡± Chen Pingxi frowned. ¡°In the first place, is it even possible to hide the existence of a disciple from a sect elder?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how he is doing it, but the fact is that he is managing to do so,¡± Ming Leishang shrugged. ¡°But as one of the future leaders of the Origin Lake Sect, you need to learn that things are not always as they seem on the surface. Politics is something that is present in every faction, and it can be especially fierce in a faction as large as the Black Tortoise Sect, simply because of the sheer magnitude of resources and power that are at stake. Instead of what you are being told, always choose to believe in the truth that has been laid out before your very eyes.¡± As the prime disciple, it was indeed only a matter of time before Chen Pingxi joined the upper echelons of the Origin Lake Sect. She was no longer a child either, so it was about time to teach her the ways of the world. ¡°Chen Pingxi thanks Elder Ming for the guidance,¡± Chen Pingxi nodded in understanding. In any case, we can be considered fortunate in that we have been allowed to learn of the existence of Little Brother Zhao at an early stage. It could be because Elder He was using the trip as a test for Little Brother Zhao, or it could be because Elder He is considering us members of his close confidantes,¡± Ming Leishang added. ¡°No matter the reason, it is now up to us to see how we can make full use of this information to play the situation to our advantage.¡± ¡°How can we do that?¡± Chen Pingxi asked. ¡° At this moment, Zhao Yunxiao had finally returned to his residence after having dinner at the canteen. It was just a quick meal. Still, he could not help but appreciate how peaceful it felt without Lu Zhiying present at the same table. Of course, that was just a passing thought. He was definitely not intending to stop having meals with Lu Zhiying for such a reason. And even if he had wanted to do so, there was no way that Gu Qiansi would agree to it. Perhaps even a fundamental understanding of these techniques could come in handy during the mission somehow! Mystic Cavalry Early the next morning, Zhao Yunxiao took care to light an incense before leaving his residence. There was no material benefit to doing so, except for the fact that it gave him peace of mind. It was a long way to East Stream Village, so it had been decided that they leave early in the morning to avoid any unnecessary complications. After having a quick meal at the canteen, Zhao Yunxiao headed straight for the sect gate, where he was supposed to meet up with Mo Mian and the rest of the party. Just like when he was going for Elder He Luoxuan¡¯s work trip to the Origin Lake Sect, Zhao Yunxiao was once again the first to arrive. That was because, just like back then, Zhao Yunxiao had arrived an hour earlier than the arranged meeting time. It was just that the reason for doing so was slightly different now. He had done so back then because it was a trip led by a sect elder, and he did so out of respect. The last thing he wanted was for the elder to arrive early and end up having to wait for him instead! As for this time, it was because everyone else in the party already knew one another while he was going to be the only outsider, so he wanted to express his sincerity in any small way he could. There were numerous pavilions located near the sect gate, probably constructed with the sole intention of providing disciples with a comfortable place to gather. Most of the pavilions were empty at this early hour, so Zhao Yunxiao calmly sat down in the pavilion nearest to the sect gate to perform some light meditation while waiting. But in the end, he was not able to get as much rest as he had wanted. Apart from him, there were numerous other groups that were gathering to leave the sect grounds, many of whom involved outer disciples as well. And as the outer disciple who held the greatest number of sect jobs, Zhao Yunxiao was naturally acquainted with quite a few of them. Seeing that he was in a state of meditation, his acquaintances naturally did not come over to greet him as it could disturb his state of mind. Instead, it was Zhao Yunxiao himself who grew curious about the different groups that were going off on sect missions, and could not help but sneak peeks at everyone passing by. After all, all sorts of information could become valuable when used at the right time! Nearing their arranged meeting time, Mo Mian¡¯s familiar face finally appeared. A group of three immediately went over to greet Mo Mian and, under his lead, headed in Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s direction. It would appear that the other members of the party had arrived long ago, just that they were waiting for Mo Mian to arrive and introduce them to Zhao Yunxiao. Zhao Yunxiao did not remain seated upon seeing that they were heading his way. He quickly got up and walked over to meet them in the middle. ¡°Seems like you arrived early, Junior Martial Brother Zhao,¡± Mo Mian said with a smile. ¡°Let me introduce the members of the Mystic Cavalry. These are Junior Martial Brothers Chu Han, Gui Longcan, and Pu Feixiang.¡± ¡°I will be in your care, everyone,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clasped his fists towards them in greeting. At the same time, he did a quick scan of the group as he recalled what Mo Mian had told him about each of them. ¡°We will be relying on your help this time, Junior Martial Brother Zhao,¡± Chu Han was the first to reply. Chu Han ¨C inner disciple. As the only other inner disciple of the Mystic Cavalry apart from Mo Mian, he could be considered the vice leader of the party. Intelligent, analytical, and highly observant, he was a specialist in defensive techniques, as well as the array master of the party. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Chu is right. We are all here to help each other out,¡± Gui Longcan added. Gui Longcan ¨C outer disciple. He was the support specialist of the party, an expert in casting support buffs as well as offensive buffs and curses. For that reason alone, he was probably the most important person for Zhao Yunxiao to synchronise with for this upcoming mission. As for the last member, Pu Feixiang, the first thing he said already gave Zhao Yunxiao somewhat of a headache... ¡°Pleased to meet you too, Junior Martial Brother Zhao! Perhaps we can meet up more often in the future, and we can ask Junior Martial Sister Lu to join us too!¡± Pu Feixiang exclaimed excitedly. ¡°I told you to focus on the mission instead of thinking about stuff like that,¡± Chu Han glared at Pu Feixiang. ¡°I definitely won¡¯t let you off if that frivolousness of yours ends up jeopardising our mission. When that happens, let¡¯s see who would want to meet up with you in the future!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just trying to be friendly...¡± Pu Feixiang shrugged nonchalantly. Zhao Yunxiao could not help but let out a bitter smile. Pu Feixiang ¨C outer disciple. He was honest, direct, and had an inclination to speak his mind without thinking at times. At the same time, he was also one of the main combatants in the party, specialising in dishing out heavy and powerful strikes. And apart from what Mo Mian had said about him, it would appear that this Pu Feixiang was also one of Lu Zhiying¡¯s many admirers. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°All right then, now that we are done with the introductions, shall we get going?¡± Mo Mian suggested. ¡°We have a long journey ahead, so there will be plenty of time to slowly get more acquainted with one another.¡± And finally, Mo Mian ¨C inner disciple. Founder and leader of the Mystic Cavalry, he could be considered the strongest combatant of the party, specialising in overwhelming his opponents with sheer speed. Separately, Zhao Yunxiao also discovered that Mo Mian was actually a descendant of Elder Mo Tianfeng! It was just that cultivators usually lived rather long lives, especially those with a cultivation level as high as that of Mo Tianfeng. Sometimes, their family trees could expand to a point where it became almost impossible to keep track of, so cultivators could start to lose any semblance of concern for their descendants or relatives past a certain point. As for how close the two actually were, Zhao Yunxiao had yet to find out for sure. Of course, there was also Zheng Biru, who had been grounded by Elder He Luoxuan and was thus unable to join them this time. That made the full five members of the Mystic Cavalry ¨C a party that specialised in taking up demon and monster subduing missions. Joined by Zhao Yunxiao, the Mystic Cavalry exited the sect grounds and started making their way down Purple Plum Mountain as they embarked on their latest mission. Disciples of the sect almost always followed the same official path when leaving the sect grounds, so they could not be more familiar with the route. Still, Zhao Yunxiao carefully observed everyone on the way down. How they moved individually. How they moved as a group. How fast they moved. How they took care of each small obstacle in their way. All of these were factors that hinted at how each of them would act in different situations, as well as the overall dynamics within the party. As someone who was new to the group, that was how Zhao Yunxiao intended to make up for his lack of experience with the group ¨C by analysing all the data that he could gather on them. And he was not the only person doing so. While Zhao Yunxiao was trying to grasp the group¡¯s behaviours, Chu Han was doing the exact same thing in return, carefully observing Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s manners and habits as he moved. Just like Zhao Yunxiao who was trying to better understand the Mystic Cavalry, Chu Han was also trying to better understand him for a similar reason. And this was not going to end with just the descent of Purple Plum Mountain either. There were a long two days before they were slated to arrive at East Stream Village, and both of them were intending to keep this up until then. That was going to require quite a bit of effort, but they were people who strongly believed that the results would be more than worth it! It did not take long before the group arrived at a small inn at the foot of Purple Plum Mountain. Black Tortoise Inn. As the name suggested, the inn was operated by the Black Tortoise Sect as well. There were a few reasons why it was located at the foot of Purple Plum Mountain instead of within the sect grounds itself. Firstly, it was meant as a resting place for those visiting Purple Plum Mountain, be it those who were trying to seek an audience with the Black Tortoise Sect or those who were simply touring the area. Depending on the reasons for their visit, these visitors might end up having to wait an extended period of time for any sort of response from the sect. While waiting, many of them would choose to stay at Black Tortoise Inn so that they could receive any news at the earliest possible time. Secondly, it acted as a more convenient checkpoint for the disciples of the Black Tortoise Sect themselves, saving them the trouble of having to scale the mountain every time they needed something. Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group was naturally here for the second reason. Since they did not have their own means of transport, they were here to rent spirit horses for their journey to East Stream Village. This was actually the most common reason why Black Tortoise Sect disciples visited the inn, and thus the innkeepers handled it in a smooth and well-practiced manner. Within the span of just a few minutes, the group had already found themselves leaving the Black Tortoise Inn in satisfaction, each riding a spirit horse of their choice. And now that they had acquired the spirit horses, they could finally pick up the pace for real. Even then, riding on the spirit horses did not hinder their conversations whatsoever. As cultivators, their senses were far better than those of ordinary mortals, and they could easily hear each other over the loud sound of hooves from the galloping spirit horses. ¡°So, why isn¡¯t Senior Martial Brother Zheng able to join us again?¡± Pu Feixiang asked. ¡°Does anybody know?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you listening back then?¡± Gui Longcan asked. ¡°He said that he was grounded for three months.¡± ¡°I know that at least! What I mean to ask is how he got grounded all of a sudden?¡± Pu Feixiang continued. ¡°I¡¯m not sure either,¡± Mo Mian said. ¡°He just suddenly told me that after returning from his recent work trip. In fact, he refused to tell me when I asked him too, insisting that it is nothing important. Would you happen to know anything, Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± ¡°How would Junior Martial Brother Zhao know anything when even we don¡¯t?¡± Pu Feixiang asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Junior Martial Brother Zhao was part of Elder He¡¯s latest entourage to the Origin Lake Sect as well,¡± Gui Longcan explained. ¡°Really?¡± Pu Feixiang seemed genuinely surprised as he turned towards Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Would you happen to know the reason then, Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± The sudden question caught Zhao Yunxiao by surprise. He naturally knew the reason why Zheng Biru had been grounded by He Luoxuan ¨C it was thanks to him, or at least a large part of the reason was. Back at the Origin Lake Sect, he was simply trying to curry favour with everyone while getting out of any potential punishment caused by that troublemaker Cha¡¯s antics, but somehow it ended up causing the rest to get reprimanded by He Luoxuan. Even though it had not been intentional, he could not deny that he was still the main reason why everyone got grounded by He Luoxuan. Of course, there was no way that he would tell them all that, especially since even Zheng Biru was unwilling to talk about it. ¡°That, I¡¯m not too sure either. Perhaps it would be best if you ask Senior Martial Brother Zheng about it instead?¡± Zhao Yunxiao scratched his cheek in embarrassment. ¡°No, it¡¯s all right. If you aren¡¯t aware of the matter either, then it¡¯s probably nothing important,¡± Mo Mian shrugged it off. On the other hand, Chu Han narrowed his eyes as he continued to observe Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s expression. Zhao Yunxiao noticed that as well, turning towards him while displaying the most natural smile he could muster. As though he had been caught peeping, Chu Han seemed to be a little taken aback, and could only smile awkwardly in response. ¡°Let¡¯s take a break here,¡± Mo Mian said a few hours later as they arrived by a stream. ¡°The spirit horses probably need to rest for a bit.¡± ¡°While the spirit horses rest, why don¡¯t we take the opportunity to practise the Terra Seal Formation?¡± Chu Han suggested. ¡°Good idea,¡± Mo Mian agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s do as you say then!¡± Zhao Yunxiao lit up upon hearing that. Finally, a group practice session! He might have already heard about the traits of each member of the party from Mo Mian, but there was still a limit to what he could learn with just words alone, not to mention that such descriptions could be very subjective in nature. Even though this was just going to be a practice session, it would still be a good chance for him to bridge that information gap by seeing everyone live in action! Battle Formations Battle formations were basically combination techniques that amplified the strength of the participating cultivators, allowing a group of cultivators to exhibit a level of power far greater than the sum of its parts. Because of that, it was not surprising that being adept at battle formations was considered the key to success for just about every established party. There were countless battle formations out there, almost as many as there were individual combat techniques, and each of them had their own strengths and weaknesses as well. Among them, the Terra Seal Formation was especially popular among disciples of the Black Tortoise Sect. After all, not only was it relatively easy to execute, but it was also extremely effective in combat. ¡° ¡° ¡° Lastly, it was simply more time-consuming to find time to practise together. On top of that, should they lose one or two members due to any unforeseen circumstances, the group would either have to find new members whom they had to practise with from scratch to reach the same level of synchronisation. It was either that, or they would have to make do with one or two fewer members, which usually translated to a lower level of effectiveness. ¡° ¡°That should be fine,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°All right then,¡± Mo Mian turned towards the rest. ¡°The rest will be the same as always. Junior Martial Brother Chu will be in charge of the Physical Seal, Junior Martial Brother Gui will be in charge of the Elemental Seal, and Junior Martial Brother Pu will be in charge of the Vitality Seal. I will be in charge of the Temporal Seal. Let¡¯s give it a try.¡± ¡° Of course, other seals could be prioritised should the situation arose, but the common ones usually sufficed. Instead, they stood in a circle and closed their eyes, extending their spiritual senses to encompass each other. For that reason, the members of the Mystic Cavalry were trying to get used to Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s essence energy, while Zhao Yunxiao was trying to harmonise with theirs. But at the same time, they were not in a hurry to accomplish this. Even then, their synchronisation would hardly be perfect at the end of it. That was just the best that they could hope for, given the current circumstances. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Now, it was just up to him to harmonise properly with them,such that he would not become too much of a burden! Just like that, the group travelled according to the limits of the spirit horses, practising every time they stopped for the spirit horses to rest. Upon establishing a basic level of synchronisation, the groupstarted to practise moving around in formation, employing the Terra Seal Formation as they took down dummy targets like large rocks and trees. You are pretty good at this, Junior Martial Brother Zhao,¡± Mo Mian remarked as they rested around a fire at night. ¡°Not everyone can adapt as quickly as you do.¡± Out in the wilderness and without an inn in sight, they had no choice but to camp outfor the night. While the spirit horses possessed superior night vision and could have continued galloping throughout the night, it would no doubt be detrimental to their effectiveness the next day. Rather than having that, they decided that since they were not in too much of a hurry, they might as well rest here for the night. You are too kind, Senior Martial Brother Mo,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head with a smile. ¡°I have joined a few group missions in the past, so I do have some experience with this. However, my level of mastery is nowhere near that of everyone here.¡± I won¡¯t say that,¡± Chu Han disagreed. ¡°It only seems that way because we have been doing this together for a while, and thus already harmonise well with one another. For someone new to the group, you are actually doing surprisingly wellin keeping up with us.¡± That¡¯s right, don¡¯t worry about it, Junior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Pu Feixiang added. ¡°But if you really do feel bad, why don¡¯t you arrange for us to have a meal with Junior Martial Sister Lu? If you do, I will not only overlook this, but I will also be forever grateful!¡± ¡° This is my last warning to you, Junior Martial Brother Pu,¡± Chu Han narrowed his eyes at Pu Feixiang immediately. ¡°One more mention of Junior Martial Sister Lu, and you are going to forfeit your rewards this time around.¡± What is one round of rewards as compared to a meal with my goddess?¡± Pu Feixiang shrugged. ¡°You have to do better than that, Senior Martial Brother Chu.¡± You are really asking for it, aren¡¯t you?¡± Gui Longcan massaged his temples in disbelief. Since that is too little, then how about forfeiting your rewards for the next ten missions?¡± Chu Han immediately raised the stakes. ¡° Are you seriously considering it? Are you actually an idiot?¡± Gui Longcan asked in a tired manner. What do you know? Do you even understand what love is?¡± Pu Feixiang snapped back. ¡° Ten missionswill be a little too much,¡± Pu Feixiang scratched the back of his head. ¡°Maybe not...¡± ¡° How about five instead?¡± Pu Feixiang tried to bargain. ¡° Sorry about that, the bunch can get a little noisy, but it is all done in good fun,¡± Mo Mian said to Zhao Yunxiao. Don¡¯t worry about it. It is always nice to have people whom you can chat with without restraint,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m curious, though. Do you guys only take on monster and demon subduing missions?¡± It seems like you have done your homework on us?¡± Mo Mian asked in return. ¡° That is true. Well, as much as possible, yes,¡± Mo Mian answered with a smile. ¡°My goal for the Mystic Cavalry is to become a formidable force to be reckoned with, our name alone being enough to strike fear in our enemies. To achieve that goal, we have to continue sharpening our blades and honing our skills. And what could possibly be better for that than accumulating actual combat experience?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao smiled as he watched the four of them exchange meaningful glances. He could almost hear theconvictionin their tone. There was no doubt that all four of them truly believed in the same goal, and were prepared to work together towards achieving it. If he were a little more talented, would he also be able to gather up a group of like-minded comrades who were willing to work together to realise a common ambition, no matter how difficult it sounded? Even if he could not share the same dream, he had to at least help the Mystic Cavalry achieve theirs, and not become a burden that hindered their path! Great Bandit Redblade Under the dim light of the crescent moon, Zhao Yunxiao stood under a tree located a short distance away from the rest of the Mystic Cavalry. It might be considered a short distance, yet it was still far enough for him to remain safely out of the range of their spiritual senses. Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s expression was blank as he slowly walked around the tree with awkward steps, using a hand to brush across the rough bark of the tree. That was another factor that was making it more difficult to move in a natural manner, as well as an issue that Zhao Yunxiao would have no choice but to learn to deal with. Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s clone eventually moved away from the tree and started to move around the woods, employing the Xuanwu Movement Art to the best of his abilities. It was clumsy, but it was working. Bit by bit, he started to familiarise himself with moving the clone around despite the lack of physical senses. His speed started getting faster, and he started being able to avoid more and more of the protruding branches instead of simply bulldozing through them. At the same time, Zhao Yunxiao tried to move around underground, splitting his consciousness into two as he controlled both his real body and the earthen clone at the same time. Doing so was still rather difficult for the current him, but Zhao Yunxiao was not too worried about that. There was a long road ahead. He knew that as long as he kept at it, mastery was only a matter of time. Even if he was not able to master it completely, just gaining a sufficient level of proficiency in it would be more than good enough for him! Zhao Yunxiao was finally satisfied after a few hours of practice, and slowly made his way back to where the rest of the party was. ¡°Where have you been, Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Pu Feixiang asked curiously upon noticing his return. ¡°I haven¡¯t been around this area much, so I was just exploring the area a little,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a smile, choosing not to reveal the fact that he had been out practising his new techniques. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡° ¡° It was a rather unimpressive looking inn situated near the midpoint of a mountain path, its location definitely secluded enough to be considered as being in the middle of nowhere. Out of the three tables, two were occupied by soldiers donning uniform chest plates with a sabre hanging by their waists. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Martial Artists ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Please calm down. We can still talk things through...¡± the waiter¡¯s voice was a lot softer this time, perhaps indicative of how even he himself did not quite believe the words that were coming out of his mouth. ¡°Kill them!¡± Redblade¡¯s instructions were clear and concise. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° We Really Aren’t Compatible, Are We? The soldiers and bandits had been quite evenly matched initially. In fact, the bandits might have even had the upper hand as they numbered more. However, seeing their boss collapse to the floor like that changed everything. Some of the bandits went berserk, forgetting about all forms of self-preservation as they rushed at Uncle Hei, only to be cut down by soldiers along the way. Some of the bandits decided to abandon ship and make a mad dash for the door, though not a single one managed to reach it. Some of the bandits felt their morale evaporate, and chose to raise their hands in surrender. There were also some of them who continued fighting, only to eventually realise that they were the only ones left fighting, and ended up both outnumbered and overwhelmed. But out of the four groups, those who surrendered were the only ones left alive as the fighting finally came to an end. By then, the inn was already in a state of complete mess. Most of the chairs were strewn about with broken parts everywhere, while only one table out of the original ten remained intact. Even the table that Hui Shajing was at had suffered some light damage from stray cuts. The wooden walls and floor had cuts and holes everywhere, with a large portion of it now dyed red with fresh blood that was still continuing to flow. These were the only ones who were still alive since they had surrendered right after seeing the fall of Redblade. ¡°Now then, why don¡¯t you start talking?¡± Hui Shajing asked while casually examining the sabre that Redblade had been wielding previously. ¡°Let¡¯s start with a simple question ¨C where is your hideout?¡± None of the five spoke. ¡°Come on now, let¡¯s not waste everyone¡¯s time,¡± Hui Shajing let out a sigh. ¡°You are not going to tell me that you have no idea, are you?¡± ¡°You have already won, haven¡¯t you?¡± one of them finally spoke. ¡°The boss has a huge bounty on his head. If you bring him in, it will definitely fetch you a hefty sum.¡± ¡°Let me see... are you suggesting that we settle for your boss¡¯ bounty, so that you lot can go back and split the loot that your group has accumulated over the years?¡± Hui Shajing said with a smile. ¡°Is that right? Or am I just confused?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no loot to speak of! We have always spent everything that we got!¡± the same person retorted. ¡°We just want to leave, please! We won¡¯t breathe a word about this incident to anyone else!¡± ¡°Whether there is loot or not is not for you to say, but for us to find out,¡± Hui Shajing spoke in the same composed manner. ¡°So, I will ask one last time. Where is your hideout?¡± Silence ensued once more. ¡°Uncle Hei,¡± Hui Shajing signalled. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Mo Mian had been observing the waiter since before. The poor man was frozen in fear after witnessing the whole fight. In fact, he had to lean against the wall for support just to remain standing right now. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° After all, this was the exchange that was probably going to determine their life and death! Karmic Responsibility After observing Mo Mian for a good few moments, Hui Shajing finally leaned back into his seat and smiled. ¡°Fine, we will let them go. But that will only happen after I get the location of their hideout.¡± ¡°Then I will take Young Noble Hui¡¯s words for it,¡± Mo Mian nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go. With that, the Mystic Cavalry got to their feet. ¡°No! Don¡¯t leave! They will never keep to their words!¡± one of the bandits pleaded. ¡°That¡¯s right! Take us with you!¡± another desperately added. ¡°I¡¯m sure Young Noble Hui will make good of his words,¡± Mo Mian looked back towards Hui Shajing. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Hui Shajing answered with a meaningful smirk. ¡°Cooperate with Young Noble Hui, and perhaps you can at least keep your lives,¡± Mo Mian advised before turning to leave. ¡°No! Please! These people will never follow through on their promise!¡± ¡° The members of the Mystic Cavalry no longer heeded their pleas, following Mo Mian¡¯s lead as they exited the inn. Really not taking the silver, eh?¡± Hui Shajing shouted after them, but received no response even as they exited the inn. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Status of a Cultivator ¡°Hmm? Who are those people?¡± A villager who was digging trenches at the border of the village squinted his eyes in confusion as he noticed the group of men slowly approaching on horseback. ¡°Are they inspectors from the city?¡± another villager asked with a spade in hand. ¡°No, that doesn¡¯t look like it. They look too young, and they are not wearing official robes either,¡± the first villager disagreed. ¡°Could it be...?¡± ¡°Could it be what?¡± the second villager continued asking. ¡°I... I think our request for help might have been heard!¡± the first villager exclaimed in excitement. ¡°Quick! We need to go inform Village Head Fu!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Of course, there were also cultivators who did not mind showing their true feelings, but the Mystic Cavalry preferred not to, so that they could maintain a more professional stature. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Over time, they discovered that maintaining a certain level of power distance was usually the most efficient way to complete such missions. Sometimes, being too amiable could end up implicitly encouraging others to take advantage of their kindness. ¡° ¡°You must have travelled a long way from Purple Plum Mountain. Why don¡¯t we get you settled in your lodgings first?¡± Fu Du suggested. ¡°Xian He!¡± Upon hearing his call, a young man quickly ran out from the crowds to stand beside Fu Du. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Threatened Livelihood After leaving the inn, the Mystic Cavalry followed Xian He¡¯s lead as he brought them to the village hall. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This extra moment of hesitation would be completely inconsequential under normal circumstances, but it could also end up becoming the difference between life and death should it occur at a crucial juncture! Lying in Wait After hearing from Village Head Fu Du, the Mystic Cavalry decided that their next stop would be the river where all the incidents had occurred. Initially, Fu Du wanted to personally lead them there, but that proved too much for his ailing body. So, just like before, he was forced to ask his attendant Xian He to do so instead. The river in question was not far from East Stream Village. In fact, if one knew their way around the woods, traversing through that path would only take one less than ten minutes to get there from the village entrance. ¡° Xian He nodded in response. Zhao Yunxiao glanced at Xian He curiously. Ever since they met, Zhao Yunxiao had yet to hear Xian He say a single word. Fu Du might have said that Xian He was not fond of speaking, but perhaps he was actually mute? ¡°What do you think?¡± Mo Mian posed his question to Chu Han this time. As the array master of the party, Chu Han was naturally in the best position to comment about the talismans. ¡°Something is strange about those talismans,¡± Chu Han furrowed his brows. ¡°Let me take a closer look.¡± ¡°I will go take one down for you,¡± Pu Feixiang stepped forward. ¡°No, don¡¯t do that,¡± Chu Han stopped him immediately. ¡°Touching anything might result in corresponding changes. I will go and take a look myself instead.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Pu Feixiang shrugged. Chu Han went closer to one of the overhanging vines and squinted his eyes at the talismans. At the same time, he extended his spiritual sense to probe them as well. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡° ¡°Fine,¡± Gui Longcan readjusted the vegetation to hide the existence of the ropes once more. If one did not pay enough attention, it would indeed be difficult to spot the trap. ¡°Over there! The monkey!¡± Pu Feixiang suddenly shouted. Everyone immediately went on alert and turned their attention towards where Pu Feixiang was looking. Indeed, there was a monkey over at the other bank of the river, perched comfortably on a tree as it looked straight at them. However... ¡°Can you not freak out over every random thing? Did you not hear from the village head that the hair on the monkey demon¡¯s arms is supposed to be black?¡± Gui Longcan chided in irritation. ¡°Does that look black to you?¡± ¡°Right, the hair on the arms is supposed to be black...¡± Pu Feixiang scratched his cheek in embarrassment. ¡°Heh, I forgot about that for a moment. It just gave me a shock, sitting there and looking at us like that!¡± ¡°It is strange that I don¡¯t feel any traces of demonic energy in the surroundings, though,¡± Mo Mian mused. ¡°If it is indeed as the village head has said, and such incidents have been happening a few times a month, there should have been some lingering traces of energy here.¡± ¡°It is because of the terrain,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered while still observing the monkey on the opposite bank. ¡°Junior Martial Brother Zhao is right,¡± Chu Han added with an approving smile. ¡°The elements in the surroundings just happen to resonate with one another, forming what we call a natural cleansing mechanism that constantly renews the world origin energy in the area. Even if the monkey demon has indeed taken action here previously, any lingering traces of demonic energy would be quickly washed away along with the river flow.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° And just like that, the party spent their entire afternoon by the river, waiting in vain for a demon that never showed up in the end. Searching for Information There were nothing but regular monkeys. What a waste of my efforts!¡± Pu Feixiang complained. That¡¯s nothing surprising since it was a long shot in the first place. Things are rarely this easy,¡± Chu Han said. ¡°What should we do next? Shall we continue lying in wait?¡± No, let¡¯s just leave the traps there for now,¡± Mo Mian decided. ¡°Instead, we will split up and go gather more information around the village. Perhaps there will be some useful information that can be found around the village, or perhaps some of the villagers will have things to add.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° I think it is a good idea to look for more clues before planning our next move,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. That settles it. It is getting late, so everyone should go and get some rest,¡± Mo Mian said. ¡°There is no need to report to me tomorrow morning. Let¡¯s go our separate ways and reconvene in the evening to put together what we¡¯ve got.¡± ¡° Even if they went around the village now, it was unlikely that they would be able to gather any useful information. Sometimes, there mighteven be clues that would be hard to spot when there were people around instead. East Stream Village was a poor fishing village, so they naturally could not afford to put up night torches. That was also the main reason why none of the villagers really stayed out after sunset. And that was not even due to the fact that his senses as a cultivator were more refined, but because he was absolutely not relying on his senses in the first place. Right now, Zhao Yunxiao was trying to do two things at once ¨C explore the village, as well as practise his Earthen Clone Technique. The figure moving around East Stream Village was none other than a clone of his, while his true body remained in his assigned room and meditated. It sounded like a convenient way to get multiple things done at once, but there were limitations to it as well. Disregarding the sheer difficulty of doing so, perhaps the most significant limitation was that Zhao Yunxiao was unable to share in the physical senses of the clone, and thus had to rely solely on the spiritual sense of the clone to observe the surroundings. Though, in a way, doing so actually allowed him to gather more information than simply looking around through meresense of sight. Since there was no one else out and about, Zhao Yunxiao could move around without restraint, even employing the Xuanwu Movement Art to increase his pace. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Unfortunately, he did not manage to find anything related to the demon. Of course, Zhao Yunxiao had expected as much from the start, so he was not too disappointed at the result. After moving his clone a distance away from the village, Zhao Yunxiao promptly cancelled the Earthen Clone Technique, allowing his clone to crumble to the ground as a pile of earth. Since the villagers went to bed early, they naturally got up early as well. By the break of dawn, most of the villagers were already up and about. Zhao Yunxiao did not know if it was due to excitement or if it was simply in their nature, but the villagers did not care to control their volume during their conversation with one another. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of these conversations were actually about them ¨C about how the cultivators from the Black Tortoise Sect who arrived yesterday were definitely going to save East Stream Village, pulling it out of its current dire straits! He could only hope that hearing this would not rile up the emotions with Mo Mian and Pu Feixiang even further. Zhao Yunxiao chose not to check on the others, heading straight down to the first storey of the inn. ¡° A simple fare will do,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said before taking a seat. ¡° Zhao Yunxiao patiently waited in his seat while continuing to eavesdrop on the many conversations going on outside. It would appear that there were some people going fishing later, so the villagers were putting together a guard team as always. Zhao Yunxiao could not help but wonder who was the member who would be going with them later. ¡°Apologies for the wait. Here are boiled eggs and buns, along with a pot of fragrant tea!¡± the innkeeper reappeared at his table soon after. ¡°Thank you,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°Well then, I won¡¯t bother you any longer,¡± the innkeeper said. ¡°It is nothing fantastic, but I hope you enjoy the food!¡± ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Zhao Yunxiao stopped him from leaving. ¡°If I wish to find out more about the demon problem, who do you think would be the best person for me to speak to? Apart from the village head, that is.¡± ¡°The best person to speak to?¡± the innkeeper rubbed his chin in contemplation. ¡°That, I¡¯m not too sure... perhaps Old Lin? He is the most experienced fisherman in the village. Surely he will know a thing or two about the incidents that happen around the river.¡± ¡°Old Lin?¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied. ¡°Is he among the group that will be going fishing later?¡± ¡°Great cultivator sir is all-knowing!¡± the innkeeper exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Old Lin is indeed joining the fishing group later. he really is an amazing guy. Despite his age, he is still strong and healthy. Those young fishermen have nothing on him!¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing indeed,¡± Zhao Yunxiao . ¡°How about apart from this Old Lin? Is there anyone else who might be worth talking to?¡± Since many of the incidents involved those who were fishing by the river, it would make sense to talk to an experienced fisherman in the village. But since there was already a member of the Mystic Cavalry who would be going with the fishing group later, Zhao Yunxiao decided to just leave this matter to whoever that was. ¡°Someone else?¡± the innkeeper fell into deep thought. ¡°Let me think, who else is there...?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it if you can¡¯t think of anyone else,¡± Zhao Yunxiao did not want to pressure the innkeeper. ¡°It is not important anyway. I am just trying to make sure that we do not miss any clues, no matter how small.¡± ¡°There is Madam Dian, but this might not be the best time to talk to her about this...¡± the innkeeper was hesitant with his suggestion. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°She had to witness her husband being taken by the demon just a few weeks ago, so I¡¯m not sure if she will be in the right state of mind to answerquestions right now,¡± the innkeeper explained. ¡°Let me try to talk to her. If I see that she is not comfortable about it, I will leave her be instead,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Where can I find this Madam Dian?¡± ¡°I just hope great cultivator sir doesn¡¯t misunderstand or get offended if she says something strange because of her current emotional turmoil...¡± the innkeeper seemed to be more worried about Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s feelings than the lady¡¯s. ¡°Her house is over on the other end of the village, the one with a sharp roof and a dirty chimney.¡± Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± He had explored the village the night before, and almost a third of the houses had sharp roofs! As for a dirty chimney, which house in the village did not have a dirty chimney? But at least he had a name now. With that, he could simply ask around after getting to the other end of the village. After finishing the simple breakfast, Zhao Yunxiao placed a few copper coins on the table before leaving to look for this Madam Dian. And it did not take long before Zhao Yunxiao arrived at her doorstep. Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s gaze could not help but wander to the roof of the house. It was sharp indeed, and the chimney was dirty indeed. at least the innkeeper was not wrong about those things. Now , it was just a matter of whether this Madam Dian would be in the right frame of mind to provide him with any answers! Just as he was thinking this, the door of the house opened, and a relatively young woman appeared while holding a child by the hand. Those Who Were Left Behind ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Xin¡¯er followed the villager away while Madam Dian did not even bat an eye. It would appear that they were all well acquainted. ¡°Thank you for playing along with the kid, I apologise for her rudeness,¡± Madam Dian said gratefully. ¡°Is there anything else that you need from me, great cultivator sir?¡± Even though Zhao Yunxiao had said earlier that he was not here for any specific reason, the fact that the villager was bringing Xin¡¯er away to buy them time for a conversation proved otherwise. ¡°This might not be the best time to ask, but I¡¯m wondering if you would be able to provide some information about the demon?¡± Zhao Yunxiao said frankly. ¡°If it is too hard on you, that¡¯s fine as well. I can always find the information elsewhere.¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°No, I¡¯m all right,¡± Madam Dian shook her head. ¡°I might not know much, but if what little information I do know can help by even the slightest bit, then that¡¯s good enough for me. That way, at least I can take pride in knowing that I have helped to prevent someone else from ending up like me.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded in a sombre manner. ¡°In that case, do tell me everything you know about this demon.¡± ¡°Definitely. Three weeks ago was when I saw the demon for both the first and last time,¡± Madam Dian said. ¡°My husband and I were at the river when it swooped down from the trees to grab him without warning...¡± Madam Dian started to recount exactly what happened back then. Both of them had been part of the fishing team, and had gone to the river along with a group of other villagers. But as many as they were, numbers alone proved insufficient to scare off the monkey demon that came straight for her husband. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Star of the Village Madam Xie¡¯s house was not far from where they were. Even going by her slow walking pace, it did not take more than five minutes for them to arrive. Surprisingly, this old lady was staying in a rather large compound ¨C almost half as big as the inn that the Mystic Cavalry was staying at. Zhao Yunxiao saw Madam Xie all the way to her door, which had apparently been left unlocked as she just pushed it open without issue. ¡°I shall take my leave and not disturb you from taking a rest then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Take care.¡± Madam Xie turned around to look at him, then beckoned to him with a deep frown. ¡°Are you inviting me in?¡± Zhao Yunxiao was rather surprised. Judging from Madam Xie¡¯s earlier behaviour, he had imagined that she would be a very grumpy and negative person. Therefore, he was already surprised enough that she had not been opposed to him helping her home. For her to invite him into her house was truly beyond his expectations. In fact, had she not been an ordinary villager, Zhao Yunxiao might even be worried that she was trying to set a trap for him here! ¡°I shall impose for a while then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao accepted the invitation. He had time to spare anyway, so there was no harm in spending some time here if it could make this grieving old lady feel better. ¡°Sorry to disturb!¡± Zhao Yunxiao deliberately said it out loud as he entered the house. If there were other occupants in the house, they would probably show their faces upon hearing him. As he had suspected, Madam Xie was likely to be staying alone. And that assumption was further corroborated by what he saw upon entering the house. It was a large place with decent furnishings, but it was also poorly maintained. Who knew how long it had been since someone last cleaned the house? If there was anyone else staying here with Madam Xie, then surely they would have done something about this? But if Madam Xie was truly staying here alone, then it was not a surprise that the house had ended up like this, considering her current mental state. The only problem was that, no matter how curious he was, it was inappropriate for a guest to just start looking around the house without permission. Thankfully, he was a cultivator. Zhao Yunxiao casually extended his spiritual sense to examine the house. It was still rather inappropriate to do so, but the curious Zhao Yunxiao tried to justify his actions by thinking that at least this was not the house of any young maidens. It was just a quick look to satisfy his curiosity, and it was not like Madam Xie would ever find out that he had inspected her house in such a manner! There were numerous rooms in this large house. As he scanned through them one by one, Zhao Yunxiao saw that these rooms were just as neglected as the front hall. Was that where Madam Xie kept her secret stash? Upon returning home, the old lady headed straight into the room with the floor compartment and put the rattle toy down on the dressing table. One might mistake this as Madam Xie¡¯s room due to that, but that could not be the case either. That was because only one room in the house had a bed that was not covered in dust, and this was not it. If she had been sleeping in the bed every night, there was simply no way that this much dust could accumulate on the surface. Unless Madam Xie usually slept on the floor? Zhao Yunxiao would not put that past her, especially given her current mental state. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°May I have a seat?¡± Zhao Yunxiao called out. Madam Xie had ignored him after inviting him in, so Zhao Yunxiao had just been awkwardly standing at the door ever since entering the house. Seeing that there was no response, Zhao Yunxiao simply walked to the table. But before he had time to take a seat, Madam Xie reappeared from within the room, beckoning to him once again with a frown on her face. ¡°You want me to go over there?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. Madam Xie responded by beckoning to him with larger movements, almost as though she was irritated that Zhao Yunxiao had not gotten it the first time. Despite feeling slightly confused by Madam Xie¡¯s actions, Zhao Yunxiao went along with it, entering the room that Madam Xie was in. Once Zhao Yunxiao came over, Madam Xie moved aside and pointed to an empty spot on the floor. Zhao Yunxiao instantly knew what she was pointing at. That empty spot on the floor was exactly where he had detected the small compartment in the floor earlier. He had to admit that this floor compartment was very well constructed. Even with his enhanced senses as a cultivator, it would be almost impossible to distinguish it from the rest of the floor with just his bare eyes. ¡°...What is it?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked hesitantly, not wanting to immediately expose the fact that he knew about the floor compartment. ¡°Below,¡± Madam Xie answered. Right, she could speak. Madam Xie had been silent ever since she left her usual seat in the bamboo chair out on the streets, so Zhao Yunxiao had almost forgotten that she was capable of speech. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The stack of paper appeared to be something like a diary, recording incidents that had happened in the past. These records had been lighthearted and joyous so far. But as Zhao Yunxiao read on, they slowly began to take a turn for the worse... Little Blackarms [Little Blackarms is really growing up well! Is it because he eats multiple times the amount of food that a regular monkey does? Now that he is back in the pink of health, he seems to be much stronger than other wild monkeys. Earlier today, he accidentally struck Old Li¡¯s kid a little too hard, and the poor child ended up with a broken arm. I really need to start thinking about how to teach him to control his strength.] [Little Blackarms did it again... This is already the third time this week that he has injured another child. The other villagers are starting to get their kids to stay away from Little Blackarms. I will prove to them that my child is not dangerous!] [I don¡¯t know what to do. I already told Little Blackarms not to steal food from the neighbours, but he is simply not listening! Do I really need to put him in a cage like the villagers are suggesting? But he is not just any wild animal! He is my child!] [I did my best, didn¡¯t I? I tried to tell Little Blackarms to control his strength, and to be content with what he has instead of stealing from others. But why? Why does he never listen? I am getting really tired of dealing with the other villagers!] [It was heartbreaking to have to stand by and watch as the villagers ganged up on Little Blackarms, forcing him into a cage like that. But there is really nothing I can do. I could still cover for him in the past, but now that he has gone and heavily injured Old Qi, even I have no way to defend him any longer. At least I managed to convince them not to put him down. Now, I can only hope that the villagers¡¯ anger subsides soon, so that I can return him his freedom as soon as possible.] A chance to feed it. A chance to poke it with sticks. A chance to splash water on it. A chance to throw sticks, small pebbles, and even big rocks... The number of people recorded in these receipts was staggering. Zhao Yunxiao stole a glance at Madam Xie, who was simply standing there and watching him, waiting for him to be done reading. This is our fate! It is karma! It is inevitable! We are all going to die! He did not know about the second half, but she might actually be onto something for the karma part. Zhao Yunxiao let out a chuckle in sheer disbelief. Same physical appearance, an appetite that was far beyond that of regular monkeys, as well as an unnaturally strong physique... One could not help but draw a link between this Little Blackarms in the records and the monkey demon that was currently plaguing East Stream Village. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. In fact, chances were slim that the two were unrelated. But if this Little Blackarms was truly the same creature as the monkey demon, then just about the entire village would be guilty of torturing it for entertainment in the past! It was no surprise then that the monkey demon had returned for revenge. In Madam Xie¡¯s words, this would be karma. ¡°Did you invite me into the house just to show me this?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°Who wrote this? Is it your son?¡± Madam Xie nodded. ¡°What happened after this?¡± Zhao Yunxiao continued to ask. ¡°Is it true that they died to wild beasts?¡± The other villagers mentioned that Madam Xie had lost her son and daughter-in-law to wild beasts decades ago. But could it be that they had lost their lives to the very same creature that they had rescued in the past? All while trying to release it, no less. Zhao Yunxiao did not know for sure, but there was definitely that possibility. Madam Xie looked at him for a good few moments, then walked out to sit on a chair in the front hall. Her eyes had lost the light of determination from earlier, and were glazed out once more, as though she had fallen into deep thought. ¡°May I take these with me?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked with a sigh. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° *** ¡°So, what have we got?¡± Mo Mian asked as everyone convened in his room that night. ¡°I will start,¡± Gui Longcan said. ¡°I joined the fishing team today. Be it fortunate or not, the monkey demon did not show up this time. However, some of the fishermen are witnesses to past incidents, so they did tell me what they know about this demon, including how it looks and how it acts.¡± ¡°I went to check out the smith to look at the weapons that the guard team is using,¡± Pu Feixiang followed up. ¡°They might be rather crudely crafted, but they are definitely sharp enough to be lethal. To be able to shrug off attacks from such blades means that the monkey demon is truly as tough as we had thought.¡± ¡°We have to keep that in mind when devising a plan to take it down,¡± Mo Mian reminded everyone. ¡°What about you, Junior Martial Brother Zhao? Did you manage to find anything interesting?¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded solemnly. With a flick of his wrists, a stack of paper appeared in his hands. ¡°What is this?¡± Mo Mian asked while receiving the papers from Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Just some past records of the village,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Specifically, this is the story of a strange monkey that used to stay in the village. Oh, and it happened to have black arms as well.¡± Everyone¡¯s expressions changed. ¡°Are you saying...?¡± Pu Feixiang asked. ¡°Read for yourself,¡± Zhao Yunxiao gestured towards the stack of paper. And read, they did. Before long, a solemn silence had fallen over the party as they tried to internalise what they had just read. ¡°If this is true, does that mean the villagers have been deliberately hiding this from us?¡± Gui Longcan was the first to ask. ¡°Perhaps they will say that it is because we didn¡¯t ask,¡± Chu Han answered. ¡°How convenient,¡± Pu Feixiang sneered. ¡°Where is this from? Is it to be trusted?¡± Gui Longcan continued to probe. ¡°The village head will have to be the one answering those questions,¡± Mo Mian replied in place of Zhao Yunxiao. At the same time, Zhao Yunxiao could see a fierce light flashing across his eyes. Confronting Village Head Fu Du Unlike the day before, Zhao Yunxiao and the Mystic Cavalry were all gathered for breakfast at the break of dawn. The mood was solemn, and nobody said much. However, it was likely that all of them had a similar thing in mind. After they were done, the party promptly left the inn and made their way to the village hall. ¡° Xian He nodded, then gestured for them to enter the residence. There were multiple houses in the village hall, and they were brought to the same one that they had visited the previous time. It did not take long before the village head, Fu Du, came over. ¡°Greetings, great cultivator sirs! What brings you to my humble abode this early in the morning?¡± Fu Du greeted immediately upon entering the house. ¡°No hurry. Why don¡¯t you take a seat first?¡± Mo Mian offered. ¡°My old bones are aching early in the morning, so I would have to take you up on the offer. I hope you don¡¯t mind this,¡± Fu Du slowly sat down with the help of Xian He. ¡°Do you have anything else about this demon that you would like to tell us?¡± Mo Mian cut straight to the point. ¡° ¡°I have a question indeed,¡± Mo Mian nodded. ¡°Have you ever heard of the name ¡®Little Blackarms¡¯?¡± ¡°W-What may that be? Who did you hear it from?¡± Fu Du answered awkwardly. ¡°Have you heard of it?¡± Mo Mian asked again. ¡°This... it doesn¡¯t sound too familiar. Then again, perhaps it is because I¡¯m getting too old, but my memory seems to be failing me these days,¡± Fu Du rubbed his temples. ¡°Shall I remind you then?¡± Mo Mian placed a stack of paper on the table and nudged it towards Fu Du. ¡°Have a read.¡± ¡°This...¡± Fu Du hesitated as he stared at the stack of paper. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Go ahead and have a read,¡± Mo Mian urged. ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Pu Feixiang added. ¡°Feeling nervous about something?¡± ¡°N-No, great cultivator sir. What can be wrong? I will read it then...¡± Fu Du slowly reached out towards the papers with trembling arms. And as he picked up the paper and read the first few lines, his eyes widened in shock. He had never seen these documents before! Since when had there been a record of all these matters?! Still, the initial shock did not stop him from reading on. In fact, he was curious as well ¨C curious about what exactly had been written in these papers. But as he read on, Fu Du¡¯s expression gradually turned paler. He repeatedly swallowed his saliva in nervousness, afraid of the words that could possibly appear in the very next line. He could feel the cultivators staring at him, closely scrutinising his every movement and reaction as he read. However, it was simply impossible to suppress his emotions, especially at the exact moment when he saw his name appear in the documents. When this particular line appeared, Fu Du could almost feel his soul leaving his body. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°So? Remember anything now?¡± Mo Mian asked as Fu Du slowly lowered the stack of papers. ¡°As expected of you, great cultivator sirs. Nothing can get past your eyes,¡± Fu Du answered weakly. ¡°Ready to talk, then?¡± Mo Mian leaned back in his chair upon seeing the defeated look in Fu Du¡¯s eyes. He understood that the old villager in front of him had given up by now. ¡°It is as you have suspected. Even though it is impossible to confirm this matter with certainty, we share the belief that the monkey demon is likely the same monkey that had lived in the village twenty years ago,¡± Fu Du let out a resigned sigh. ¡°It is my decision to let everyone hide this matter, so please don¡¯t take it out on them. If someone has to take the blame, then let that be me. However, I do not regret what I did. After all, I only wish to save the village.¡± Bang-! Pu Feixiang slammed his palm on the table top. ¡°You sure speak as though you are in the right!¡± Pu Feixiang shouted in rage. ¡°Carrying out all sorts of brutality and then asking for help once the tables are turned? How noble of you!¡± ¡°I understand that we were in the wrong, but that happened twenty years ago...¡± Fu Du sighed. ¡°We all make mistakes, don¡¯t we? The young ones shouldn¡¯t have to suffer for the mistakes of the old. I only hope that great cultivator sirs be magnanimous and take into consideration the fact that there are many young villagers who have no idea what even happened in the past. Please save our East Stream Village!¡± Fu Du lowered his head and pleaded. ¡°We will do what we want,¡± Mo Mian said imperiously. ¡°Tell me what happened exactly, not missing a single detail.¡± ¡°As you wish, great cultivator sir,¡± Fu Du obeyed without question. Under Mo Mian¡¯s instructions, Fu Du started recounting the events of the past. As Zhao Yunxiao had suspected, these notes were likely to have been written by Madam Xie¡¯s son. Twenty years ago, he found Little Blackarms while on a fishing trip, and decided to bring it back to the village. The unique and sociable monkey quickly grew on everyone, making it the joy of the village. But as time passed, the monkey¡¯s strength grew to the point of being uncontrollable, and it ended up injuring many villagers. Its hunger was also close to insatiable, at least for a poor fishing village like theirs. It ended up stealing food from neighbours, which caused further outrage in the villagers. To prevent further trouble, the villagers came together to trap Little Blackarms in a cage, with Madam Xie¡¯s son continuing to take care of its food and water. But this caged monkey quickly became some sort of attraction in the village, drawing in not just the locals but even visitors from elsewhere to come and take a look. Seeing its sheer popularity, Fu Du and Madam Xie¡¯s son decided to grasp this opportunity and turn it into a business. That was the start of all the ugly torture that had been presented as a form of entertainment. But one day, without informing anyone else, Madam Xie¡¯s son and daughter-in-law secretly decided to release the caged monkey back in the wild. The next thing they knew, Madam Xie was the only one who had returned from their trip to release the monkey in the woods. According to her, a troop of monkeys had attacked the young couple upon hearing the caged monkey¡¯s cries. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° What do you think we should do next, Junior Martial Brother Chu?¡± Mo Mian asked. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Basically, every single villager above the age of twenty had to gather at the village hall. The only exceptions were those who had moved to the village within the past twenty years, which naturally meant that they would not have had any opportunity for interaction with Little Blackarms. Interrogating the Village The villagers felt that something was amiss the moment they heard the set of instructions given by their village head. Still, they reluctantly cancelled their plans for the day and abided by the given instructions. One by one, the villagers streamed into the village hall with apprehension in their hearts. And when they saw the imperious look on the cultivators¡¯ faces, as well as the look of guilt on Fu Du¡¯s, they immediately understood that the cat had been let out of the bag. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Is that so?¡± Mo Mian raised an eyebrow. ¡°You must be really skilled at making weapons, then?¡± ¡°When it comes to making weapons, Ah Ye is the best in the village, for sure,¡± Fu Du complimented from the side. ¡°He is a valuable asset to the village, and everyone has always been relying on his craft.¡± ¡°Haha, I¡¯m just doing my best to help the village in whatever way I can,¡± Ye Cangyu scratched his cheek in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m not good at anything else, so I can only do this for everyone.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about the villagers relying on your craft, but you are popular for sure,¡± Mo Mian replied. ¡°Do you know that more than half of the villagers mentioned your name today?¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°They mentioned my name?¡± Ye Cangyu revealed a look of surprise. ¡°May I know what they said about me?¡± ¡°What do you think they would say?¡± Mo Mian directed the question back to him. ¡°I... I¡¯m not quite sure, great cultivator sir,¡± Ye Cangyu answered hesitantly. ¡°Then I will tell you,¡± Mo Mian said with a smile. ¡°Congratulations. You have been voted as the person whom the monkey demon likely hates the most.¡± Mo Mian might be smiling, but Ye Cangyu felt no warmth from it whatsoever. ¡°I-Is that so...?¡± Ye Cangyu could only let out a bitter smile in response. ¡°And that is why...¡± Mo Mian¡¯s smile grew wider as he spoke. ¡°We have decided that you will be helping us bait out the monkey demon.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Ye Cangyu cried out in terror. ¡°No! No, wait! Please spare me, great cultivator sir! There has to be some sort of misunderstanding here! I know, maybe it has been too long and the other villagers are confused! Yes, that¡¯s right. They have probably confused me for someone else! Why don¡¯t we ask them again? I¡¯m sure they will change their mind this time!¡± ¡°Will you change your mind, Village Head Fu?¡± Mo Mian turned his attention towards Fu Du. ¡°Wait a minute! You said that too, Village Head Fu?¡± Ye Cangyu questioned. ¡°This...¡± Fu Du hesitated to answer. ¡°How can you do this to me?!¡± Ye Cangyu shouted in rage. ¡°Do you know how much I have done for this village? How can you betray me like this?¡± ¡°H-How is this a betrayal?¡± Fu Du retorted despite being slightly flustered from being called out. ¡°You heard the great cultivator sir. More than half of the villagers said the same thing. My statement alone wouldn¡¯t have made a difference!¡± ¡°The person who had abused the monkey demon the most,¡± Pu Feixiang stated the reason that most villagers gave. ¡°What an achievement!¡± ¡°Did you perhaps use those smithing skills that you are so proud of to make equipment for abusing others?¡± Gui Longcan questioned. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Count yourself lucky,¡± Pu Feixiang added grumpily. ¡°If it were up to me, you will definitely be there in person to act as a live bait.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The party returned to the inn and convened in Mo Mian¡¯s room for a discussion once more. ¡°The more I think about today, the angrier I get!¡± Pu Feixiang grumbled. ¡°Why do we have to pick up the pieces for them?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°What is the matter, Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Chu Han asked all of a sudden. ¡°Is there something on your mind?¡± His comment drew everyone¡¯s attention to Zhao Yunxiao who had been silent for a while now. Zhao Yunxiao slowly looked around the room to meet everyone¡¯s gaze before asking, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel that we have been focusing on the wrong things?¡± ¡°We have been focusing on the wrong things?¡± Mo Mian frowned. ¡°Explain.¡± ¡°There are three ways for a demon to form,¡± Zhao Yunxiao started. ¡°It could be through self cultivation, external creation, or if they were another demon¡¯s offspring.¡± Everyone furrowed their brows simultaneously. Those words were more than enough for everyone to understand just what Zhao Yunxiao was trying to say. ¡°If the young monkey had attained demonhood through self cultivation or external creation, it would be unlikely to have been taken down and imprisoned by the villagers in the past, even if they had all worked together...¡± Mo Mian rubbed his chin in contemplation. They had seen the villagers for themselves. While they did possess decent weapons, they could not be considered strong warriors by any measure. ¡°In fact, self cultivation can be ruled out completely, considering how young the monkey was,¡± Chu Han added. ¡°That means it had somehow managed to attain demonhood while it was in the wild during the past twenty years!¡± Pu Feixiang exclaimed. ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense if you don¡¯t know anything,¡± Gui Longcan chided. ¡°If that is the case, then it would not have exhibited an unusual level of strength back then either. Junior Martial Brother Zhao is trying to say that the monkey demon is likely to be the offspring of another demon!¡± ¡°If it is the offspring of another demon, then it makes sense that it was relatively weak back when it was still young,¡± Chu Han agreed. ¡°What? Does that mean we are dealing with multiple demons here?¡± Pu Feixiang asked in surprise. ¡°Do we have to deal with its parents too?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying that it is a possibility,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clarified. ¡°And even if it really is the offspring of other demons, there is also a chance that its parents are no longer around.¡± ¡°But if they are still around, then this is going to be a lot more complicated,¡± Chu Han said solemnly. ¡°This is complicated indeed,¡± Mo Mian agreed. ¡°Until we fully understand what we are dealing with here, we will only be moving together as a group from now on. Let¡¯s ensure that there are no accidents until the very end.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± the party members acknowledged. As they adjourned the meeting and returned to their assigned rooms, Chu Han could not help but steal a glance at the departing Zhao Yunxiao. Zheng Biru did the right thing to have recommended Zhao Yunxiao as his replacement for this mission. This young junior martial brother was really proving to be far more interesting than he had originally expected! Taking the Initiative Despite having had their discussion till late the previous night, the party left the inn early next morning, just as the first light of dawn was starting to peek over the horizon. Ye Cangyu had sent his clothes to the inn last night as instructed, so the party easily picked them up before heading out to the river once more. Having already been there once, they no longer required Xian He¡¯s directions this time. There was no need for further instructions upon arriving at the river either. Instead, the party immediately got to work. The first thing they did was check on their earlier traps to see if they had been activated. But each time the trees rustled, he had to suppress the feeling to immediately check out the situation. There were various reasons for the rustling of trees ¨C wild animals, birds, or even just the wind. He was afraid that should reveal the fact that he was alert each time something caused the trees to rustle, then he might end up discouraging the one that he was truly waiting for. Discipline and self-control were important if he wanted to act as a proper bait! Alas, all his efforts were for naught. The sun slowly descended from the zenith, and yet there were still no signs of their beloved kidnapper. Rather than that, they could only see a few monkeys that continued to stare at him curiously from the other bank of the river. How he wished that one of these monkeys had black arms instead! ¡°Forget it, Junior Martial Brother Pu,¡± Mo Mian removed his camouflage and walked over to Pu Feixiang. ¡°Hmm? Senior Martial Brother Mo?¡± Pu Feixiang exclaimed in surprise. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The original plan was to wait till the end of the day at least, but Mo Mian was already approaching him even though the sun had yet to set. This was unlike the party leader that Pu Feixiang knew. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is going to work,¡± Mo Mian said while sneaking a peek at Pu Feixiang¡¯s basketful of fish. ¡°If the monkey demon were going to bite, it would not have waited this long.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Pu Feixiang got up without complaints. It was not as though he loved doing this anyway. ¡°What¡¯s our next step, then?¡± Chu Han walked up to them along with the others. ¡°Shall we try again tomorrow?¡± By now, all of them had exited their respective hiding spots. ¡°No,¡± Mo Mian shook his head. ¡°We can¡¯t just sit around and wait for days. The villagers need to be able to continue with their usual fishing activities, or they are not going to survive.¡± ¡°How about we just tag along with the fishing team then?¡± Gui Longcan suggested. ¡°This way, they can still continue to fish. If the demon attacks them, we can also step in immediately.¡± ¡°What do you think, Junior Martial Brother Chu?¡± Mo Mian asked. ¡°What about you, Junior Martial Brother Zhao? What do you think?¡± Chu Han redirected the question to Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Me?¡± Zhao Yunxiao glanced at Chu Han in surprise. He realised that Mo Mian would usually ask Chu Han for advice before making a decision. At the same time, Chu Han seemed to be the only one who would pose such questions to him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry and just speak your mind,¡± Chu Han encouraged with a smile. ¡°Well, if you ask me...¡± Zhao Yunxiao turned his gaze towards the other side of the river. ¡°I don¡¯t think any amount of waiting will work. It is just a feeling, but I think the demon is unlikely to show up as long as we are here.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Pu Feixiang was surprised to hear that. ¡°Why do you say so?¡± Stolen novel; please report. On the other hand, the rest of the Mystic Cavalry had turned to look at where Zhao Yunxiao was facing. Over at the other bank, a few monkeys were comfortably resting on tree branches. These harmless looking monkeys had their attention fully locked onto them, not turning their heads to look away even when their gazes matched. ¡°It seems like I¡¯m not the only one thinking this way,¡± Mo Mian smiled wryly. ¡°It is just an assumption,¡± Zhao Yunxiao added. ¡°And a reasonable one as well,¡± Chu Han agreed. ¡°I share the same sentiments.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s it?¡± Gui Longcan frowned. ¡°It seems we have been too careless.¡± ¡°What? What is it?¡± Pu Feixiang was the only one who seemed to have missed Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s point. ¡°Nothing you need to know,¡± Gui Longcan rolled his eyes. ¡°Just follow instructions and that will be enough.¡± ¡°I will follow instructions, but shouldn¡¯t you also tell me what is going on?¡± Pu Feixiang retorted. ¡°What¡¯s our next step, then?¡± Gui Longcan ignored him and asked. ¡°Hey!¡± Pu Feixiang grumbled. ¡°Enough of waiting,¡± Mo Mian decided. ¡°Our dear target probably has this place watched all day long. No amount of waiting will help.¡± ¡°It does?¡± Pu Feixiang exclaimed in shock. ¡°How? Why didn¡¯t I notice its presence?¡± ¡°If we are not waiting, that means...?¡± Chu Han looked at Mo Mian. ¡°We are taking the initiative,¡± Mo Mian answered resolutely. ¡°Let¡¯s bring the fight to it this time.¡± *** Thankfully for him, he quickly realised that was not the case. Instead, the party was seeking a map or any form of records that detailed the terrain in the area. Now that Mo Mian had decided to take the initiative, they naturally needed to make the necessary preparations before doing so. And the first step to doing so, and probably the most important step as well, was to fully understand what the area looked like. This way, they could at least narrow down the areas that they had to search. Yet despite how basic the request was, Fu Du was still unable to provide them with something like that. That was because even though they had been staying here for ages, the villagers had never bothered to create a map of the area. Instead, they were used to finding their way around by relying solely on memory and word of mouth. In the end, the party could only bring together a few more knowledgeable villagers, relying on their combined inputs to create a makeshift map on the spot. *** Back at the inn, the party stared at the map that had been hung up in Mo Mian¡¯s room. ¡°Is this really okay?¡± Pu Feixiang had a doubtful look on his face. ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡± Gui Longcan asked. ¡°Nothing is certain, but at least the villagers came to a consensus that this is at least 80% accurate,¡± Chu Han said. ¡°In any case, approach this with an open mind. We will be making adjustments to the map as we go.¡± ¡°Junior Martial Brother Chu is right,¡± Mo Mian nodded. ¡°Now that we suspect that our target has eyes planted all over, it is not as though we can afford to carelessly scout the area ourselves either. That might end up alerting our target, backfiring on us instead. Therefore, we can only take this map as a reference while making sure that we are prepared for any unforeseen circumstances.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s true,¡± Pu Feixiang nodded. ¡° ¡° ¡° It was unfortunate, but they still did not have full knowledge of what they would be dealing with here. So rather than saving up what he had, Zhao Yunxiao would rather prepare himself for various situations and reduce the possibility of danger ¨C even if it was only by a single percent. Even if he ended up not having to use them in the end, so be it. After all, money might be important, but his life was even more so! Mutation The river was located to the east of East Stream Village, with nothing but the woods separating the two. As for the forest past the river, that was a different story altogether. None of the villagers had ever explored all the way to the end, but what they knew for sure was that past the river, the forest extended far and wide. That¡¯s right. Not just far, but also wide. This was not exactly good news for the Mystic Cavalry. After all, it only meant that their search radius would have to be that much larger. Chu Han stepped forward without having to be told. With a flick of his wrists, several flags appeared in his hand. Zhao Yunxiao was not surprised to see this. As inner disciples, it was definitely not surprising for Mo Mian and Chu Han to possess spatial items of their own. In fact, having gone on and completed numerous demon subduing missions along with the inner disciples, even the outer disciple members of the Mystic Cavalry had managed to save up enough to get their own spatial items as well! Chu Han threw out the flags all at once, each of them flying towards a different spot in the woods and planting themselves firmly in the ground. It was a well-practised technique to quickly create a simple array with array flags. Even though these flags were physically apart, they were all connected to each other in the form of an array, with each flag representing a separate array node. Chu Han channelled his essence energy into the one flag that had been planted in front of him, and every other flag immediately started fluttering in response. A strong wind came about almost instantly, blowing hard and fast towards the other bank of the river. Be it the fallen leaves, twigs, dirt, and even small stones that were on the ground, all of them were easily picked up by the wind, carrying them along as it blew across the river. ¡° The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Unfortunately, that consideration of his ended up being a mistake. The monkeys¡¯ muscles bulged in an instant as they swiped out towards Mo Mian with their sharp claws fully extended. Bang-! ¡°Wha-?¡± Mo Mian exclaimed in shock as the two monkeys actually managed to smack his hands away. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Indeed, after half a day of moving through the woods in blind hopes of finding something, they had finally found some clues to follow. Source of Entertainment Slash-! Blood spurted out like a fountain as the two monkey monsters were decisively laid to rest by Mo Mian¡¯s sword. As much as the party members would like to study them further, this was neither the time nor place for that. Who knew how much time they had before the other monkeys realised that these two had gone missing? After keeping the carcasses away in their spatial items, the group immediately started moving once again. This time, however, Chu Han was the one taking the lead. He had always been the most observant member of the Mystic Cavalry, so he was naturally the best person to take charge now. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Aaahhhh!¡± the man screamed in horror while desperately holding onto the wooden bars for dear life. Splash-! The huge wooden cage fell into the stream below, causing water to erupt like a fountain. Inside the cage, the man almost had the air knocked out of his lungs as he slammed against the wooden bars upon impact with the water surface. Yet no matter how much it hurt, the man simply did not have the luxury of time to slowly nurse his injuries. The pain was one thing. But if he did not do anything to help himself now, the only end waiting for him would be drowning in the stream! Thankfully, the wooden cage had enough buoyancy to return to the surface of the stream. Not just that, but the old monkey on the tree also maintained its grip on the other end of the rope, preventing the huge wooden cage from being washed away by the flow of water. However, the problem was that most of the wooden cage remained underwater while only a small portion of it remained above the surface. This meant that the man only had that little space to manoeuvre as he desperately tried to keep his head within the little pocket of air accessible within the confines of the cage. And in the flowing stream, the cage did not remain stationary. Affected by the water flow, the wooden cage kept spinning around on the surface of the water. This meant that the man in the cage could not simply hold himself close against the wooden bars on top, but had to keep shifting around the cage in his continued attempts to locate the only pocket of air accessible to him. ¡°N-! O-! H-! elp-!¡± the man shouted as he tried his best to keep his head above the surface of the water, involuntarily swallowing huge amounts of water in the process. As for the man in the cage, he was simply a source of entertainment ¨C existing for the sole purpose of relieving boredom in their mundane lives. The Monkey Demon Pu Feixiang glanced at Mo Mian. With the way that he was looking at Mo Mian, it was obvious that Pu Feixiang was eagerly awaiting an order to take action. However, all he received in return was disappointment, as the frowning Mo Mian only continued to watch on in silence. Pu Feixiang clenched his fists in frustration, but he understood the reasoning behind this inaction as well. They had yet to locate the monkey demon ¨C the main reason for their presence here at East Stream Village. If they were to act carelessly in this situation, they might just end up alerting the monkey demon and allowing it to escape. It was bad enough that they would not be able to complete their mission if they allowed the monkey demon to escape. They might be able to save the man in front of them by acting now, but it would only jeopardise the lives of the other villagers! On top of that, the man was still hanging in there somehow. In fact, one could even guess that this was not the first time that this man was experiencing such a treatment. If that were the case, it would also mean that his life was unlikely to be in any immediate danger. ¡°They are doing what the villagers did to the young monkey demon in the past,¡± Zhao Yunxiao remarked. His comments caused the frowns on everyone¡¯s faces to deepen. They could not help but recall the notes that had been written by Madam Xie¡¯s son. Indeed, the scene playing out in front of them right now bore close similarities to how Little Blackarms had been treated by the villagers in the past. Did the villagers laugh and mock Little Blackarms in a similar fashion back then, even as it was being mistreated in its cage? How the roles had reversed since then! ¡°Is this revenge?¡± Pu Feixiang asked. ¡°No, more like mimickry,¡± Mo Mian disagreed. ¡°Just like how they have learnt to set up traps, they have learnt the villagers¡¯ ways of entertainment as well.¡± ¡°...Entertainment, eh?¡± Pu Feixiang gritted his teeth in frustration. How could such a thing be construed as entertainment? ¡°The man¡¯s appearance does not fit the description of Madam Dian¡¯s husband, though,¡± Zhao Yunxiao commented once more. ¡°Madam Dian?¡± the rest of the party looked at him in confusion. ¡°She is a villager from East Stream Village. I heard that her husband was the latest victim from the village, so I went to speak to her for a bit,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. ¡°But according to her, her husband should have a long scar across his back.¡± ¡°I see, so this is not the latest villager who has been abducted by the monkey demon...¡± Chu Han narrowed his eyes. ¡°So what if he is not the latest one? Does that matter?¡± Pu Feixiang asked. ¡°Two possibilities,¡± Mo Mian answered. ¡°The first possibility is that the monkeys have been abducting people from different places, and those from East Stream Village are not the only victims. The second possibility is that the monkeys do not only hold one person at a time. After kidnapping the villagers, the monkeys have been keeping them alive here in this nest.¡± ¡°It seems like my assumption was wrong,¡± Chu Han added. ¡°That huge stick house in the middle is probably not the monkey demon¡¯s abode. Instead, it should be where they hold their prisoners.¡± All of their attention fell on the huge stick house. If that was truly the case, the huge stick house would be a key location to take note of when planning their assault on the monkey nest. Snarl-! A loud cry caused the cheers to die down immediately. Even the old monkey appeared to be startled. Its muscles bulged, and it started pulling on the rope, lifting the wooden cage up from the stream. ¡°Haa-!¡± the man within the cage gasped for air before collapsing to the floor of the cage. He looked completely spent in his drenched state, with numerous fresh wounds and bruises all over his body. The other monkeys watched on in silence as the old monkey kept pulling on the rope. Snarl-! The loud cry from before sounded out once more, and the monkeys jumped in shock. The old monkey did not pull the cage all the way up to the trees, choosing to lay it down on the banks of the stream. After which, it quickly got down from the trees and waited patiently beside the wooden cage. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Zhao Yunxiao and the members of the Mystic Cavalry crouched down further, making sure that their presences were fully concealed. And as everyone looked on, a few figures started approaching from downstream. As these new entrants gradually walked nearer, all the monkeys present lowered their heads simultaneously, a clear expression of deferrence and subservience. The old monkey was no exception, either. But as for the cultivators, all of them showed different reactions to this scene. Mo Mian and Gui Longcan frowned. Zhao Yunxiao and Chu Han smirked. Pu Feixiang snorted in disdain. There were three new entrants ¨C all of them monkeys as well. However, the one in the lead drew in all of their attention right away. After all, the black hair on its arms was far too striking to miss. The monkey demon! That was the thought that went through the heads of all five cultivators. It was just like what the villagers had said. If one just ignored the black hair on its arms, it would look no different from any other monkey present. But that was only when one looked solely at appearances. Apart from its physical appearance, it was nothing like the other monkeys. The monkey demon calmly walked over on its legs, with its chest pushed out and its head held high. There was a cold look of superiority in its eyes, as though it clearly understood the difference in status between it and the other monkeys present. The other monkeys clearly understood this as well. It would be difficult to explain their attitude towards the monkey demon otherwise. But apart from this, perhaps the greatest trait that differentiated the monkey demon was that the aura that it exuded was simply unmistakable. Under the influence of its demon aura, one who possessed a weaker will would find their resolve shaken, preventing them from even putting up half the normal level of resistance! The monkey demon slowly walked past the others, finally stopping in front of the wooden cage as it looked at the drenched man who was still panting heavily. It then slowly reached out to pick up a piece of rock lying near the bank of the stream. ¡°Wait a minute, what¡¯s it going to do with that?¡± Pu Feixiang had a bad feeling. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything rash,¡± Gui Longcan cautioned. He was worried that Pu Feixiang would lose control of his emotions soon. In fact, everyone could already guess what was about to happen, but nobody wanted to say it out loud. It was only a casual snap of the wrists, but the power generated seemed almost unreal. Stab-! ¡°Aaahhh!¡± the man screamed in pain as he instantly woke up from being on the verge of losing consciousness. The rock had sufficient force behind it to pierce straight through the man¡¯s skin and flesh, directly embedding itself in his thigh! Blood sprayed out as a result, dyeing the bars of the wooden cage red. Squeal-! Squeal-! Squeal-! Wu-! Ar-! Wu-! Ar-! The monkeys immediately cheered in response, though it was unclear if they were celebrating the man¡¯s agony or the monkey demon¡¯s strength. In any case, the monkey demon did not seem to mind the rowdiness. It only extended an open palm to the old monkey, as though asking for something from the old monkey. The old monkey immediately understood, quickly fetching another piece of rock from the bank of the stream before respectfully placing it in the open palm of the monkey demon. ¡°No! Please! Please...!¡± the man pleaded in vain as he saw the monkey demon holding another piece of rock. Alas, his pleas were not heeded. ¡°Aaaahhhhh!¡± the man let out another scream as another piece of rock pierced his flesh. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Mo?¡± Pu Feixiang urged. He understood the hesitation earlier because they had yet to locate the monkey demon, but things were different now. The monkey demon was there in plain view, torturing an innocent man right before their very eyes. What else were they waiting for? ¡°It¡¯s too risky to jump in without a plan,¡± Chu Han explained in Mo Mian¡¯s stead. ¡°The monkey demon itself is not an issue. The problem is with the monkey monsters ¨C there are far too many of them. If they attack together, it is difficult even for us to escape unscathed.¡± Indeed, the monkey monsters were not a menace when dealt with individually. But because of their sheer numbers, things could get rather complicated. ¡°I can be the vanguard. I don¡¯t mind taking a few hits as long as we can get them out as soon as possible!¡± Pu Feixiang volunteered. ¡°Hell, I don¡¯t even mind taking a few dozen hits if I really have to!¡± ¡°Stop saying something so irresponsible,¡± Gui Longcan chided seriously. ¡°You might be willing to die here, but don¡¯t drag everyone down with you. On top of that, have you thought about Senior Martial Brother Mo¡¯s feelings? Do you think he brought you here thinking that it is all right for you to be injured?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t let them go unpunished,¡± Mo Mian assured him. ¡°Not a single one of them.¡± ¡°Tch!¡± Pu Feixiang could only grit his teeth and suppress his rage. Looking at this, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel relieved. At least Mo Mian was still able to remain rational when it counted. Snarl-! The monkey demon bared its fangs towards the sky and yelled. The cheers from the other monkeys continued as the monkey demon turned around and walked away from the wooden cage along with its two companions. It would appear that, just like the other monkeys, the monkey demon was only torturing the man for fun. With its two companions following right behind it, the monkey demon climbed a tree to enter a stick house. Surprisingly, there was nothing of note about the stick house that it just entered, looking just like any other. Had they not seen it entering with their own eyes, the cultivators would never have suspected that this was the stick house that belonged to the monkey demon. Squeal-! The old monkey whistled, and the other monkeys cheered once more before returning to their earlier activities. As for the old monkey, it leapt up into the huge stick house before pulling the wooden cage up by the rope, eventually keeping the wooden cage away in the stick house once more. Throughout the process, the man in the wooden cage could do nothing but hold his thigh in pain. He dared not even pull out the rocks that were now embedded in his thigh, afraid that the resulting loss of blood would be too much for him to bear. As the door to the huge stick house closed, the cultivators took a deep breath to calm themselves down. Thankfully, it would appear that the torture of the man had finally ended. ¡° ¡° ¡° It would appear that, just like Pu Feixiang, he had really been trying his best to suppress the rage that was welling up within him! Assault on the Monkeys’ Nest The party did not simply retreat from the nest. Instead, they started circling around the perimeters of the nest to gather more information about the terrain. And perhaps more importantly, they needed to find out the full scale of what they were dealing with here. How big was the nest. How many stick houses there were. Where were they located. How densely populated was the nest. All of these were factors that influenced how they had to formulate the plan for tomorrow. By the time they were done with the scouting, dusk had already fallen upon the forest. The light from the half moon above could barely penetrate the thick canopy of trees, which made the surroundings exceedingly dark. Such circumstances would make it difficult to react properly upon encountering danger. Out of prudence, most people would choose to avoid moving around in the forest at night. But for the cultivators, this was actually an ideal situation as their senses far exceeded even those of the monkey monsters. In a way, the darkness of the night had turned this region into their territory ¨C a region where they possessed the absolute advantage in terms of scouting and detection abilities. So how could they not seek to make full use of this opportunity? After scouting out the area, Chu Han quickly came up with a plan for tomorrow. And with that plan in mind, the party moved without hesitation as they combed through the forest with great speed, quickly setting up various traps and mechanisms as they did. Zhao Yunxiao observed them closely to better understand the party¡¯s habits and standards, slowly incorporating his own traps in a similar style to make sure that everything came together in a seamless and mutually complementary manner. Armed with his existing knowledge of traps and arrays, this was not a difficult task by any measure. Just like that, the party made their preparations with great care, fully prepared to spend the entire night doing so if they had to. Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel impressed when he first heard the full plan ¨C even he would not have been able to come up with anything that was much better than this. Out of everything, there was only one point that he disagreed with. ¡°What about the possibility of there being other demons?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked as they performed the preparatory work. ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that there are other demons present as well? For example, the parents of the monkey demon.¡± ¡°Unlikely. After all, we didn¡¯t see any of them just now,¡± Mo Mian explained. ¡°Considering the situation earlier, they would have appeared when the rest of them were making such a big fuss.¡± ¡°Is that really enough of a reason?¡± Zhao Yunxiao could not help but frown. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a chance that they were not interested, or were simply not around at the point in time?¡± ¡°Demons are mostly territorial in nature, Junior Martial Brother Zhao. So, they tend to leave their offspring after they become adults,¡± Gui Longcan added. ¡°We have been on various demon subduing missions before, and this happens almost every single time.¡± ¡°Do you think so as well, Senior Martial Brother Chu?¡± Zhao Yunxiao turned towards Chu Han. ¡°I understand your concerns. Your train of thought is definitely the safer way of approaching things,¡± Chu Han replied with a smile. ¡°However, it would be never-ending if we had to consider every single possibility out there. Sometimes, we just have to look at the probabilities instead. Even if it is possible, how probable is it that there are other demons present, yet they have never acted in the past twenty years while the monkey demon was being kept in captivity?¡± ¡°While it is better to be safe than sorry, it is also not feasible to always act while taking into account the endless possibilities,¡± Mo Mian continued. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. If it really turns out as you said, we will retreat immediately.¡± ¡°Stop being a worrywart and believe in our senior martial brothers! They have never failed us so far!¡± Pu Feixiang patted Zhao Yunxiao on the back in assurance. ¡°...I understand,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded reluctantly. He might have said that, but Zhao Yunxiao still did not agree with the party¡¯s decision. Yes, the probability might be low, just like Chu Han had said. However, Zhao Yunxiao definitely did not believe that the probability was low enough to be ignored. In his opinion, doing so would be nothing short of being negligent! The problem here was that it did not seem as though he would be able to convince the party otherwise. There was no other way around it. In this case, he would just have to go along with the original plan while making his own preparations for the worst case scenario! Without telling the others, Zhao Yunxiao secretly set up more preparations than planned. Of course, he only did whatever he could while making sure that these additional preparations would have no negative ramifications on the existing plan. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Pu Feixiang was the next to act, immediately raising the spear that had appeared in his hands. His essence energy flooded into the spear, and a domineering aura erupted from within the spear as the menacing tip of the spearhead glinted under the sun shining down from above. ¡°Die!¡± Pu Feixiang roared as he thrust his spear forward. Bang-! The spear struck the stick house in midair, not even giving it enough time to fall to the ground after its supporting tree had been destroyed by Gui Longcan earlier. And at the moment of impact with the spear, the stick house exploded into countless pieces. Its feeble structure did not stand a chance. It might have been good enough to keep out harsh weathers, but it was as good as meaningless when pitted against the sheer might behind Pu Feixiang¡¯s spear thrust. As the stick house crumbled, wooden pieces and broken sticks flew in all directions, right before everyone¡¯s eyes. Not even half a minute had passed since they appeared at the monkeys¡¯ nest, yet that was already more than enough. In this short span of time, the stick house belonging to the monkey demon had already been reduced to nothing but complete shambles. Quick and effective. This was the style of the Mystic Cavalry ¨C a party that specialised in demon subduing missions! Hit and Run As what remained of the stick house collapsed to the ground along with the falling tree, a shadow could be seen leaping out from within. ¡° ¡°Retreat!¡± Mo Mian ordered. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. With that, he quickly went around the monkey demon to rejoin the rest of the party. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Path of Traps This was the main reason why they had chosen not to attack the monkeys¡¯ nest at night when they had the vision advantage ¨C the plan required them to be up and about. Only then could the monkeys be lured into actively pursuing the party along this premediated path of traps, allowing these traps to display their full effectiveness! As for their main target ¨C the monkey demon ¨C these traps would hardly have any effect on it in the first place, so the party did not intend to waste their resources on it. Instead, they aimed to get rid of the numerous monkey monsters, removing them from the equation so that they would not be complicating matters when the party focused on the monkey demon. The more monkey monsters they could take down this way, the better it would be! Hearing the desperate cries coming from behind it, the monkey demon finally noticed that something was amiss. ¡° Your opponent is me!¡± Mo Mian declared as he slashed out without hesitation. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. A powerful gust of wind gathered behind him once more, propelling the speed of his sword slash to its very limits. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This trace of invisible matter entered the mouth of the bowl and instantly disappeared without a trace, as though it had never existed in the first place. World Laws Zhao Yunxiao had never come across this type of invisible matter before, and thus had absolutely no clue as to what it could possibly be. Similarly, he had no idea if this flow was something initiated by the Heaven¡¯s Descent Bowl or otherwise. Zhao Yunxiao bit his lower lips in frustration. He simply had too little information to go on right now. This was all that crazy serpent Cha¡¯s fault! How could the guardian spirit of a sect be this clueless about its sect¡¯s treasures, to the extent of not knowing what it actually does? After a brief moment of hesitation, Zhao Yunxiao carefully stored the Heaven¡¯s Descent Bowl back into his spatial pouch. Thankfully, it was a good boy this time and no longer struggled after entering the separate space within. Zhao Yunxiao finally let out a sigh of relief upon seeing this. ¡°What are you doing, Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Gui Longcan called out at this moment. ¡°Don¡¯t fall behind!¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming!¡± Zhao Yunxiao hurriedly responded before catching up. ¡° Gui Longcan pulled out a bamboo tube and pointed it to the sky. Boom-! A bright flare shot up into the sky and exploded, turning a beautiful firework. Some distance away, Mo Mian continued to keep the monkey demon busy, preventing it from interfering with the rest of the party. Chu Han was actively supporting Mo Mian with suppression techniques when he heard the explosion and looked up at the sky. Despite the thick canopy overhead, he could still roughly make out the beautiful firework above. This was the signal that he had been waiting for! ¡°Senior Martial Brother Mo!¡± Chu Han called out. ¡°Do it! I can still hold on for a minute or two!¡± Mo Mian instructed, clearly understanding what Chu Han was trying to tell him. ¡°Understood. Be careful then!¡± Chu Han said before decisively turning around to speed through the forest. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. His destination was not far away. Before long, he had arrived at the spot where the party had rested the night before. ¡° ¡° ¡° World laws. Just as its name suggested, this referred to the natural laws that governed the very fabrics of this world. They were not easy to come into contact with. But if cultivators do manage to commune with and tap into the power of world laws, they would gain the ability to perform feats far beyond the imagination of others. In fact, a stronger understanding of the world laws could even make up for a difference in cultivation levels, allowing a cultivator to skip realms and defeat someone with a higher cultivation level! Because of that, all cultivators who had reached a certain level would inevitably start pursuing a deeper understanding of the world laws. It was to the extent that any cultivator who did not possess any understanding of the world laws would never be considered a true expert! Ever since he first heard of this subject, Zhao Yunxiao had always been interested in it as well. Unfortunately, world laws were something that cultivators could only come into contact with after reaching the Essence Physique realm. As he was still at the Intermediate Essence Gathering realm, the power of world laws remained somewhat of an abstract concept that Zhao Yunxiao could only keep in mind for now. However, that did not stop him from guessing that Chu Han was currently incorporating his understandings of the world laws into the array activation. Zhao Yunxiao did not know Chu Han¡¯s actual cultivation level, but it was definitely at the Essence Physique realm at the very least. This made him more than qualified to touch upon the power of world laws. As for which world law it was exactly, Zhao Yunxiao had his suspicions from both hearing about Chu Han from Mo Mian and his own observations throughout this trip. Then again, which one it was did not matter. What mattered was that it had been incorporated into the grand array, allowing it to display such an awe-inspiring level of power right now. That gave them the window of opportunity that they needed to get this over and done with! ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Zhao Yunxiao turned around and said. ¡°R-Right,¡± Pu Feixiang answered. Just like Zhao Yunxiao, Pu Feixiang and Gui Longcan had also fallen into a daze after seeing Chu Han¡¯s flashy display of his skills. With that, the three of them quickly snapped out of their daze and started to retrace their steps, heading back to the spot where they had parted from Mo Mian and Chu Han. Now that the monkey monsters had fallen into a state of chaos, they could be said to have been taken out of the equation. As long as they remained contained in the area and were not allowed to escape, the party could slowly take their time to finish them off. But that was something to be saved for later. Before they went ahead with that, there was something more important for them to deal with right now. Next up was the main event of the day ¨C the monkey demon. Terra Seal Formation Zhao Yunxiao, Pu Feixiang, and Gui Longcan rushed straight back without bothering with the monkey monsters that were still struggling with the traps along the way. By the time they arrived, they could see that Chu Han was back as well, now fully focused on his role of supporting Mo Mian once again. Having already set up everything beforehand, all Chu Han had to do for the grand array was activate it. After which, he would no longer have to remain there to personally maintain it, not unless something went wrong with the array somehow. Yet even with his support, Mo Mian was starting to look tired at this point. His hands were starting to shake, and his breaths were getting heavier. ¡° ¡° ¡°Terra Seal Formation!¡± Mo Mian shouted without hesitation. They had tried the direct approach earlier, but the result was lacklustre, to say the least. All they managed was to create a small wound on the monkey demon ¨C one that even ordinary mortals could brush off as an insignificant injury. Since that was the case, they would just have to rely on battle formations to take down the monkey demon! ¡°Understood!¡± the rest of the party answered simultaneously. All of them quickly got into position, forming a circle as they surrounded the monkey demon and Mo Mian, though they made sure to keep their distance as well. With that done, they immediately extended their spiritual sense to encompass one another. They had already practised this numerous times on this trip. Even though it was not nearly to the extent of being able to do it subconsciously, it was definitely not too difficult either, as they were all rather familiar with doing so by now. Along with their spiritual senses, their essence energy spread out and started intertwining with one another¡¯s. Despite all of them possessing essence energies with fundamentally different traits, the distinctly different streams of essence energy started to synchronise upon coming together, eventually forming a cumulative whole. A globe of light formed, slowly growing till it became as tall as a man as it hovered directly above the monkey demon. Mo Mian could not help but let out a faint smile upon seeing this. Being able to perform well during practice was completely different from being able to do so in a life and death situation. Many a time, cultivators would succumb to the pressure of a real life situation and end up failing to live up to the stellar results that they recorded during practice. Thankfully, there was no such issue here with Zhao Yunxiao. Or, at the very least, it was all good so far. ¡°Physical Seal, activate!¡± Chu Han shouted. ¡° Another seal fell upon the monkey demon, this time no longer physical in nature. Instead, it served to restrict the monkey demon¡¯s ability to call upon the elements. This was an ability that many demons possessed, albeit in various different forms. ¡°Vitality Seal, activate!¡± it was Pu Feixiang¡¯s turn this time. The globe of light pulsed again, and a trace of red light now joined the yellow and grey from earlier. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The monkey demon immediately felt that its blood and energy were being sapped away bit by bit. At this rate, it would only get weaker and weaker as time passed, and that was even if it did nothing but stand there and wait. ¡° ¡° The result of this was the formation of a globe of light comprising light waves of five distinctly different colours. These five colours represented the five different seals that they had activated this time ¨C Physical Seal, Elemental Seal, Vitality Seal, Mental Seal, and Temporal Seal. With that, they attempted to seal off all possible moves that the monkey demon could possibly have up its sleeves, even finishing off with the Temporal Seal to cut off any attempts at time manipulation! This was why the Terra Seal Formation was considered a staple among the Black Tortoise Sect disciples when it came to battle formations. Not only was it relatively easy to execute, but it was also terrifyingly effective in battle! Just as practised! Snarl-! The monkey demon roared in rage. It might not understand the underlying concepts behind the battle formation that had just been used against it, but it could definitely feel its effects. It was almost as though it had suddenly fallen into a quagmire, and that was certainly not a pleasant experience. Unwilling to just sit and wait, the monkey demon¡¯s muscles bulged, and it leapt towards Mo Mian once more. Unfortunately, the result of doing so was obvious. It was already incapable of catching Mo Mian before, so how would it be possible to do so now that it had become even slower? In response to the approaching monkey demon, Mo Mian smirked in a relaxed manner as he easily sidestepped the attack. At the same time, he started to focus his essence energy at the very tip of his sword. ¡°Take this!¡± Mo Mian slashed out with all his might. Against Mo Mian¡¯s swift attack, the weakened monkey demon simply could not react in time. Now that Mo Mian no longer had to worry as much about evasive measures, numerous more attacking options instantly opened up to him. ¡°My turn!¡± Pu Feixiang shouted as he thrust his spear forward. Distracted and weakened, the monkey demon tried to swat away the spear thrust but was unable to do so in time. Pierce-! Pu Feixiang¡¯s spear strike similarly got past the layer of thick hair and stabbed into the monkey demon¡¯s arm. While it did not create as serious an injury as Mo Mian¡¯s sword slash, it still drew blood nonetheless. ¡° ¡° Bang-! ¡° ¡° ¡° But whatever it was, it was approaching them fast! Your Opponent is Me! Zhao Yunxiao took a quick glance at the rest of the members. All of them seemed to be fully focused on the monkey demon in front of them, doing their best to inflict damage on it little by little. Had none of them realised? ¡°Senior Martial Brother Chu!¡± Zhao Yunxiao yelled. Since Mo Mian was engaging in close quarters combat right now, Zhao Yunxiao wanted to distract him as much as possible. So, he decided to address Chu Han instead. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chu Han asked with a frown. He had a bad feeling about what was to come. To suddenly call out to him in the middle of a battle, it was very likely that Zhao Yunxiao had something urgent to say. ¡°Something is coming!¡± Zhao Yunxiao did not beat around the bush. His words instantly drew the attention of everyone in the party, including Mo Mian whom he had not wanted to distract. Thankfully, the monkey demon was still under the suppression of the Terra Seal Formation, so this single moment of distraction did not result in any terrible consequences. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Chu Han asked. ¡°What is coming?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know...¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered frankly. ¡°But it is not normal.¡± The speed of approach was far too quick for it to be an ordinary person or animal. ¡°How much time do we have, then?¡± Chu Han asked in a solemn manner. ¡°Thirty seconds.¡± Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s answer caused everyone to freeze for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s not long at all,¡± Gui Longcan remarked. ¡°There¡¯s no way that we will be able to take down this bastard within thirty seconds.¡± The monkey demon might be riddled with wounds now, but its vital signs were still going strong. Even if they were to increase the pace of their assault, it would still take more than thirty seconds to slay the monkey demon for sure! ¡°I will go check it out for now,¡± Zhao Yunxiao suggested. ¡°If possible, I will try to buy us some time.¡± ¡°You will...?¡± Pu Feixiang questioned. ¡°You aren¡¯t thinking of leaving the formation, are you?¡± Should Zhao Yunxiao leave, the Terra Seal Formation would inevitably be disrupted. Even though they could form it again with the four of them, the effects would be weakened with one person missing. On top of that, who knew what the monkey demon would do during the short interval when the formation was down? ¡°Some things still need to be done,¡± Chu Han¡¯s opinion differed from Pu Feixiang¡¯s. ¡°Rather than remaining here like sitting ducks, it is better to find out exactly what is coming. It is good if it is benign. But if it bears any malicious intent, we need to be ready for it as well.¡± ¡°Go, Junior Martial Brother Zhao,¡± Mo Mian gave the instruction after hearing them out. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will be staying here,¡± Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s response confused everyone. But in the next moment, everyone immediately understood what he meant. Behind Zhao Yunxiao, the earth rose up to form a humanoid figure. Its features rapidly became more and more distinct, while its body changed in both colour and texture to resemble clothes. Before long, a second Zhao Yunxiao could be seen standing right behind the original. They looked identical, making it almost impossible to differentiate the two. ¡°I see. A clone technique,¡± Mo Mian smiled. ¡°This works too.¡± Zhao Yunxiao did not wait for any further instructions. Zhao Yunxiao Two quickly headed off. His goal ¨C to find out just who or what this newcomer actually was! *** This newcomer was not approaching from any new location that was previously unknown to the party. In fact, it was actually coming over from the direction of the monkeys¡¯ nest, moving along the path of traps to get to them. Now that most of the traps along this path had already been activated, there was nothing much left to even attempt to hinder its advance. With the two individuals moving straight towards each other, it did not take long before Zhao Yunxiao Two encountered this newcomer. But one advantage that Zhao Yunxiao had over the newcomer was information. With the help of the alerts, Zhao Yunxiao was able to track the exact location of the newcomer. This allowed him to hide his clone just before encountering the newcomer, so that he could watch the newcomer from within the shadows. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. He had read up on monkey demons before coming on this mission. From what he understood, monkey demons seldom abandoned their offspring, often opting to live together instead. No matter how he looked at it, this new monkey demon looked physically superior to the other one by far! In fact, rather than calling this newcomer a monkey demon, it might be more intuitive to call it an ape demon instead! Zhao Yunxiao had two options now. One option was to inform the rest to temporarily give up on their assault on the monkey demon, making the necessary preparations to greet this ape demon instead. The other option was to buy time ¨C attempting to distract this ape demon long enough for them to take down the monkey demon. The possibility was low, but in the case of success, they would only have to deal with the demons one at a time. Zhao Yunxiao had about five seconds to make his decision. If he did not do anything within the next five seconds, this ape demon would simply pass his clone right by to reach the rest of the party. The answer was obvious. Boom-! Rahhhh-! The ape demon roared in rage as it felt a sharp pain start to spread throughout its body. It was only at this point that Zhao Yunxiao Two was finally willing to step out of the shadows. ¡° The ape demon¡¯s roars reverberated across the forest, reaching even the members of the Mystic Cavalry who were currently slightly further away. ¡°What was that?¡± Pu Feixiang asked in shock. ¡°Is that what you mentioned earlier, Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Gui Longcan added. ¡°It¡¯s an ape demon,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained, having sensed everything through his clone. ¡°And it is strong as well.¡± ¡°Stronger than this guy?¡± Pu Feixiang asked, referring to the monkey demon. ¡°Likely,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded, causing everyone to freeze momentarily. ¡°How is the situation? Are you able to delay it somehow?¡± Chu Han got to the point. ¡°I¡¯m trying to lure it away from here, but I am not sure how long that will last,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°Sounds like a race against time then,¡± Mo Mian let out a wry smile. ¡°This is the last sprint, everyone. Let¡¯s permanently relieve this poor monkey demon of its unpleasant memories from the past!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Everyone answered in unison as they drove their dantians to the limit. They had been taking their time to slowly whittle the monkey demon down in a safe and systematic manner, but that was not possible anymore. After all, time was no longer on their side. Mission Accomplished! A huge wooden pike shot out from among the trees immediately after, heading straight for the ape demon that was following right behind him. Bang-! With a two handed overhead smash, the ape demon sent the wooden spike straight down into the ground. ¡°Tch!¡± Zhao Yunxiao clicked his tongue in irritation upon sensing this. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° An immense pressure fell upon the monkey demon, creating a secondary layer of suppression on top of the Terra Seal Formation. This slowed the monkey demon down even further, preparing it for the impending strike. Snarl-! As though sensing that the end was near, the monkey demon let out a cry of rage. Its muscles bulged even further and its eyes turned deep red, as though a fire had been lit in its eyes. ¡°Brace yourselves, it is burning its blood essence!¡± Chu Han cautioned. ¡°Damn, it has pretty sharp instincts!¡± Gui Longcan cursed. Upon reaching the Essence Physique realm, cultivators gained the ability to burn their blood essence as fuel, temporarily boosting their abilities beyond their original limits. When used well, this was a method that could allow them to turn the tide and defeat opponents far stronger than themselves. However, while it might sound like a great way to gain an advantage in battle, there were serious consequences that accompanied the benefits. One¡¯s blood essence was directly tied to their vitality. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. By burning their blood essence, it would naturally have potentially long lasting and detrimental effects on their vitality. A reduction in lifespan was common, while a lower potential in terms of cultivation was not out of the question either. If done in an overboard manner, it might even result in death! That was why cultivators rarely resorted to this method unless they were pushed to a corner. And just like cultivators, spirit beasts and monsters that had reached a similar level would be able to do the same. With the monkey demon burning its blood essence, its abilities would surely reach a whole other level! Indeed, the monkey demon¡¯s aura erupted in the very next moment. It directly swept over the party members, imposing a heavy mental pressure on them that aimed to intimidate them into escaping. Had they not been prepared for it, the party might have been sent into a temporary state of disarray. ¡°That¡¯s not enough!¡± Mo Mian appeared in front of the monkey demon and slashed out with his Jadewind Sword, no longer seeking to strike it from the sides this time. Snarl-! Both enraged and empowered, the monkey demon leapt forward to receive his slash head on, baring its fangs and swiping out with its claws. Clank-! A loud collision reverberated across the forest as the two sides clashed. But then again, that was something within their expectations. Thud-! Thud-! Thud-! Right as the monkey demon struck Mo Mian¡¯s Jadewind Sword, three daggers flew in from the shadows to pierce it on the shoulders. Both the timing and angle of these daggers were impeccable, leaving the monkey demon no chance whatsoever to put up any sort of defence against this sneak attack by Zhao Yunxiao. Much of the impact was mitigated by the thick hair, but the daggers still managed to reach deep enough to draw blood. And that was not all. Boom-! The three daggers exploded upon impact, dousing the monkey demon in a cloud of flames. Snarl-! The monkey demon staggered back in shock. But the attacks did not let up with just that. While the monkey demon was still trying to recover from the shock of the explosion, a spear was already headed straight for it. ¡°Tundra Former!¡± Pu Feixiang shouted the name of his technique as he thrust his weapon forward. A layer of frost could be seen forming along the trajectory of the spear as it pierced through the air, as though the sheer aura of the technique was enough to freeze even the air itself. Mo Mian quickly shook off the heavy impact from earlier and charged forward at this point, concentrating all of his essence energy into his Jadewind Sword. Wind gathered around not only Mo Mian himself, but also around the blade. It was as though the wind was acting as a medium that connected him with his blade, turning them into a single entity sharp enough to cut through anything in its path. Next came an all out strike by the inner disciple, one that absolutely disregarded any form of self-defence. Slash-! The monkey demon¡¯s head flew into the air, but there was not much blood that followed. After all, Pu Feixiang¡¯s Tundra Former had not only frozen the monkey demon on the outside, but from the inside as well. Blood simply did not flow as well when on the verge of being frozen. It was only upon seeing this that the serious expressions on the party members¡¯ faces finally turned into smiles of relief. Mission accomplished! They had finally taken down the monkey demon! Now, as long as they brought the head of the monkey demon back to Purple Plum Mountain, they would be able to claim the rewards for the sect mission. Yet in the face of success, all that the party members felt was relief, not joy. Their approach might have ended up being effective, but it was actually an extremely risky manoeuvre to attempt in the first place. If not because they were on a timer, they would never have opted for this approach. After all, had they failed to take down the monkey demon with this move, both Mo Mian and Pu Feixiang could easily have been caught out of position, leaving them vulnerable to a counterattack from the monkey demon. In fact, Mo Mian could still feel his hands trembling a little from the impact earlier. That showed just how powerful the monkey demon had become after burning its blood essence, even while under the effect of the Terra Seal Formation. If they were to be caught by the monkey demon in its empowered state, the consequences would have been unimaginable! Should We Retreat? The ape demon that had been chasing Zhao Yunxiao Two all this time stopped in its tracks. Rahhhh-! After giving a ferocious roar, it suddenly turned around and started charging in the complete opposite direction. ¡°Where do you think you are going?¡± Zhao Yunxiao Two shouted. He threw two daggers at it, only to have the ape demon block them easily with a single swipe of its arm, almost as though it had eyes on the back of its head. Just like that, the ape demon quickly disappeared from Zhao Yunxiao Two¡¯s line of sight. Without the traps to hinder the ape demon, there was simply no way for Zhao Yunxiao Two to keep up with its speed. ¡°Shit, it¡¯s coming!¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°I think it sensed the death of the monkey demon somehow.¡± ¡°How much time do we have?¡± Chu Han got straight to the point. ¡°At this rate, one minute,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. The party members exchanged glances. One minute was not long at all. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Pu Feixiang asked before swallowing a pill. He had expended quite a bit of his energy with that last strike, and wanted to recover as quickly as possible, considering the current situation. In fact, that applied to everyone else as well. ¡° ¡° Considering that, leaving the decision to him could be considered a rather risky endeavour. Zhao Yunxiao understood that as well, so he was rather surprised to hear Mo Mian¡¯s question. He looked around at the party members, and saw every one of them staring right back at him, waiting to hear his evaluation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Wind gathered behind him, granting him an additional boost in momentum as Mo Mian charged forward. [Unyielding Stone Bind] Two chains shot out from the ground and headed straight for the ape demon¡¯s face. Zhao Yunxiao knew that, with his current mastery of the technique, it would have little to no effect on the ape demon. However, what mattered was that the ape demon did not know that. The two thick chains made of earth and rock would appear to be a menacing threat to anyone, so it was only normal to feel apprehensive about ignoring it altogether. Mo Mian did not allow himself to get carried away with a single successful attack, immediately leaping back to create distance between him and the ape demon once more. Rahhhh-! The ape demon roared as it turned towards Mo Mian, its eyes filled with hatred. It was evident from its gaze that it could not wait to tear Mo Mian to shreds. ¡°Terra Seal Formation!¡± Chu Han shouted without hesitation. It was almost a necessity at this point, considering just how strong this ape demon was. The quintet were well prepared for the order, instantly jumping into position to activate their battle formation. Unfortunately, the ape demon did not react the same way that the monkey demon did previously. Even though Mo Mian was the only one who had shown himself since the start, the ape demon was not overly fixated on him. Instead, he suddenly turned around and charged straight towards Gui Longcan who had only just shown himself for the Terra Seal Formation. ¡°Watch out!¡± Mo Mian shouted and immediately ran after it. ¡°Dodge!¡± Chu Han yelled in shock as well. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If the ape demon were to choose to attack Pu Feixiang in this position, it would have to suffer his halberd strike as instant retribution! Phantom Blade Mo Mian ¡° ¡° If Mo Mian could keep this up for long enough, he might even be able to defeat the ape demon all by himself! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Otherwise, Pu Feixiang might have ended up in a far worse state. ¡°All right, get into position if you are fine,¡± Chu Han said matter-of-factly. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Mo won¡¯t be able to keep this up forever.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Pu Feixiang nodded. ¡°Wait, something is wrong!¡± Gui Longcan yelled. ¡°The ape demon is burning its blood essence!¡± Stolen story; please report. ¡°What? Already?¡± Chu Han reacted in shock. Rahhhh-! The ape demon roared in rage as its demonic aura exploded, causing even Mo Mian to retreat out of caution. As he finally ended his previous state of being one with the wind, Mo Mian¡¯s figure appeared once again before everyone¡¯s eyes. His eyes remained sharp and focused, but his heavy breathing was a testament to just how exhausting the previous move actually was. Even though he had been the one doing all the attacking, he actually looked more tired than the ape demon. Of course, that was not the party¡¯s main concern right now. All five members of the Mystic Cavalry remained a safe distance from the ape demon, watching it carefully as they braced themselves for what was to come. At the same time, they could not help but feel uncertain about this sudden change in situation. Burning one¡¯s blood essence was usually left as a last resort, something that would only be done when pushed to the very limit. While Mo Mian¡¯s attacks were sharp and relentless, it should not have inflicted nearly enough damage on the ape demon for it to feel that threatened just yet. So why was it suddenly burning its blood essence? ¡°It is finally working,¡± Zhao Yunxiao was the only one who did not act surprised. ¡°What do you mean?¡± the rest of the party turned their attention towards him. ¡°The poison. It is finally starting to take effect,¡± Zhao Yunxiao elaborated. Earlier, when the ape demon was chasing after his clone, Zhao Yunxiao had managed to douse it in one of the deadliest poisons that he had in his possession. Back then, the ape demon had reacted rather strongly, which was telling enough for Zhao Yunxiao to understand that the poison was effective to a certain extent. It might not be a poison that was designed to kill fast, but quite a bit of time had already passed since then. On top of that, concerned that the earlier poison alone would not be enough to do the job, Zhao Yunxiao had also applied a second type of poison on his halberd when he struck the ape demon earlier. This was an even more lethal substance, designed to kill fast. The only downside was that it would only work when applied directly to the blood stream, but Zhao Yunxiao had managed to do just that with the help of Pu Feixiang, be it intentional or not. Zhao Yunxiao had chosen the poisons only after careful deliberation. Not only were the two poisons deadly when used separately, but when the two substances were used together on the same target, it would even cause a compounding effect that was far greater than the sum of its parts! It would appear that even the tough ape demon was not impervious to this effect. If Zhao Yunxiao had to explain why he was confident that they could take down the ape demon, he would say that there were two main reasons. The first reason would be his confidence in Mo Mian. Chu Han had already displayed his comprehension of the world laws through the grand array that sealed in the entire area. As the leader of the party, Zhao Yunxiao was certain that Mo Mian should be capable of feats on a similar level. And since he was a main combatant of the party, Zhao Yunxiao naturally assumed that Mo Mian¡¯s abilities lay in the realm of direct combat. This meant that as long as he had the party¡¯s help, Mo Mian should be capable of dealing with an opponent stronger than the monkey demon earlier. As for the second reason, it would be Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s confidence in his own arsenal of poisons. ¡°Poison, eh?¡± Mo Mian chuckled. ¡°No wonder it has been slowing down. I was thinking that things are going a little too well.¡± As someone who had been confronting the ape demon directly, he naturally observed every subtle change in the ape demon. It was normal to start slowing down after receiving numerous wounds, but the ape demon¡¯s movements were getting sluggish at a far faster rate than he had expected. Mo Mian had been confused about that initially, but it all made sense now that he knew that the ape demon had been suffering internally from poison all along! ¡°When did you even manage to poison it?¡± Gui Longcan asked. ¡°Was it the halberd strike earlier?¡± ¡°Damn, was I the bait all along?¡± Pu Feixiang grumbled. ¡°That, and even earlier as well,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°Even earlier?¡± Gui Longcan exclaimed in surprise. Zhao Yunxiao was poisoning the ape demon while they were still dealing with the monkey demon? Wasn¡¯t he only trying to distract it? ¡°I think I like you, Junior Martial Brother Zhao,¡± Pu Feixiang joked. ¡°More than you like Junior Martial Sister Lu?¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied. ¡°In your dreams,¡± Pu Feixiang snapped back without hesitation. ¡°All right, enough joking around,¡± Chu Han shut them up. ¡°We are not even done with the hard part yet.¡± They had already failed to keep the ape demon under control with their formation once, and had to be bailed out by Mo Mian¡¯s impressive individual display of skills. Now that it had started burning its blood essence, the ape demon would only become even more difficult to handle. ¡°Will the poison be able to kill it?¡± Mo Mian asked the question that was on everyone¡¯s mind. ¡°Should be just a matter of time,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°That makes things a lot simpler,¡± Chu Han smirked. ¡°Let me guess, we just have to drag things out?¡± Pu Feixiang chimed in. ¡°Sounds simple indeed,¡± Gui Longcan said. Zhao Yunxiao might not have been sure of this earlier, but he was absolutely certain now that the ape demon had started burning its blood essence. After all, burning its blood essence was equivalent to trading its vitality for a temporary boost in strength. The ape demon was already struggling to suppress the poison before this. How could it possibly fare any better now that it had consciously reduced its vitality and life force even further? If the demon had done this while fully understanding the potential consequences, then it was nothing but a suicidal move in Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s eyes ¨C an attempt at mutual destruction by an entity that had thrown away any regard for its own life. And now, it was up to them to make sure that this suicidal attempt would not pan out as it wished! Purging the Monkeys ¡°Here it comes!¡± Chu Han cautioned. Everyone except Mo Mian scattered as the ape demon charged towards the party. Having learnt from their previous mistake, this time they did not move in completely different directions from one another. They no longer wanted a situation where the ape demon had an opportunity to isolate any of the weaker combatants. Alas, the ape demon¡¯s monstrous strength still sent Mo Mian stumbling back a few steps, but this did not deter him from immediately resuming his offence after a brief moment of recovery. ¡° As for the ape demon, its movement speed slowly but steadily decreased, and its demonic aura similarly diminished little by little. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°The ape demon was a little stronger than expected,¡± Mo Mian said awkwardly after noticing Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be fine after a short rest.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you will,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded with a smile. The monkey monsters had never been a real threat from the start, and that was more so the case now that they were all scattered around. The only troublesome part was actually making sure that they combed the entire area, not missing a single one in the process. At the same time, Zhao Yunxiao dared not relax while they went on the hunt. There was no guarantee that there would not be a third or fourth demon coming their way, so he kept a lookout all along. Fortunately, there were no more such surprises waiting for them. It did not take long before the party regrouped at the monkeys¡¯ nest, having taken care of the remaining monkey monsters. While monster parts could be useful at times, these monkey monsters were a little too weak for that. Thus, instead of collecting their parts for future use, the party members simply stacked them in a pile and lit it up in a huge blaze. And with the fire burning strong behind them, the party gathered in front of the largest tree in the nest. ¡°This is it,¡± Mo Mian looked up at the huge stick house sitting on top of the tree. ¡°Yes, this is it,¡± Chu Han repeated. ¡°Do I hear people talking?¡± a hesitant voice came from within the stick house. ¡°A-Are there people outside?¡± another voice said. ¡°Save us! There are people here!¡± ¡°Let me do it,¡± Pu Feixiang leapt up to the stick house. With a powerful kick, Pu Feixiang sent the door flying off its ledge. Light poured into the stick house from the entrance, illuminating the space within. Pu Feixiang could not help but frown when he witnessed the scene before him. There were more than a dozen wooden cages, each holding a person. However, none of these people were in presentable condition. Some of them had their clothes tattered and torn, while some of them were even left completely naked. Their hair was dishevelled, and there was dirt and dust all over their bodies. All of them had parched lips, a testament to how they were all severely dehydrated and probably starved. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° As the other party members appeared one by one behind Pu Feixiang, the excitement level in the stick house only grew even further. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everyone. You are safe now that we are here,¡± Mo Mian stepped forward to assure them. ¡°What about the monkeys?¡± a more rational one asked hesitantly. ¡°Are they all gone?¡± His question caused the rest to shudder. The monkeys here had created too deep a psychological impact on them while they had been imprisoned here. Just the thought of the monkeys was enough to frighten all of them into silence. ¡°They are gone,¡± Mo Mian answered confidently. ¡°We got rid of them.¡± Those simple words were like a spell that eased the mental tension that had accumulated within these prisoners. Some started to weep. Others fell to their knees, prostrating towards the party even before they had been freed from their cages. These cages were simple enough that they did not require keys, locked with a clever combination of bolts that were accessible only from the outside. This meant that the party did not even have to expend extra energy on destroying the cages to free these people. The party moved quickly, easily freeing all of the prisoners from their cages. ¡°We are heading back to East Stream Village. Those who wish to follow us can do so,¡± Mo Mian informed them. ¡°Me! I am from East Stream Village! Please bring me back there!¡± ¡°Me too! I am from East Stream Village as well!¡± ¡°I will follow you home!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget me!¡± Many of those present reacted strongly upon hearing the name of their village. However, not everyone shared the same sentiments. ¡°Wait, why East Stream Village? What about Green Hibiscus? Can you send me back to Green Hibiscus?¡± ¡°Where is this East Stream Village? I am from Green Hibiscus as well. Is it possible to send me back too?¡± It would appear that East Stream Village was not the only place that had fallen victim to the monkey demon¡¯s kidnapping tendencies. ¡°We are here to save you from this place out of pure goodwill, but you are not our duty,¡± Chu Han answered sternly. ¡°I repeat, we will be heading back to East Stream Village. Those who wish to follow us back to East Stream Village can do so. Others are free to go wherever you want from here.¡± Chu Han¡¯s words immediately silenced those who had been complaining before. Rather than being left alone out here in the forest, they would rather get to safety first. At the same time, Zhao Yunxiao was slightly impressed by Chu Han¡¯s firm rejection. He agreed completely with Chu Han¡¯s words. Some people¡¯s greed knew no bounds. If these people chose to be unappreciative and were unwilling to accept what they were offering, then they would just have to find their own alternative ways forward! Mo Mian’s Warning Since they no longer had to worry about hiding their presence from the monkeys in the forest, the journey back to East Stream Village should have been a lot easier than their way in. Unfortunately, after getting rid of one problem, another took its place. The party now had an additional burden to carry ¨C the captives whom they had freed from the monkeys¡¯ nest. Unless the party members were willing to physically carry them, which they definitely were not, having to escort these ordinary mortals meant that they also had to follow their pace. On their way back, each of the party members was responsible for a different role. Yet despite their efforts, their journey through the forest was painfully slow. After all, most of these captives were not in good shape whatsoever. Not only were they malnourished, but they were also ridden with injuries. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° In their heads, had it not been for Zhao Yunxiao, this mission could have easily ended up as a complete disaster! Same People, Same Place, Different Circumstances At daybreak, the sound of hooves could be heard as spirit horses galloped away from East Stream Village. The party had set out at first light, choosing not to stop by the village hall to bid farewell. In the end, their stay here had not exactly been the happiest one. Since they had already done their part, they no longer wanted to have anything to do with the villagers whom, to a large extent, they deemed undeserving to have received their help. All they wanted to do right now was return to Purple Plum Mountain. That would mark the true completion of this sect mission, allowing them to finally stop thinking about it altogether. While the bandits had been overbearing at first, it was the young noble¡¯s entourage that came up on top, completely subduing the bandits by the end of the fight. ¡°The carriage is still there,¡± Gui Longcan commented as they got near. It was the same exquisite looking horse carriage that they had seen before, likely belonging to the young noble¡¯s entourage. Now that about a week had passed, it was rather surprising that the horse carriage was still there. This meant that the young noble Hui Shajing was likely to have stuck around instead of moving on with his journey. That would make sense if this was a bustling town or if there were beautiful sights to be admired, but what could possibly be the reason for remaining here in the middle of nowhere? The party could not help but have a bad feeling about this. ¡°Shall we enter?¡± Pu Feixiang asked. ¡°Let¡¯s do that,¡± Mo Mian nodded solemnly. After tying up their spirit horses, the group slowly headed for the entrance. The interior of the inn was largely the same as what they had remembered. It would appear that the damages resulting from the fight with the bandits had been repaired, albeit in a crude manner. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Fate of the Bandits After putting some distance between them and the inn, Zhao Yunxiao began to draw up a simple array on the ground. With the long hair from the horse¡¯s mane placed in the centre, he planted several array flags in an intentional order, forming a circle with the flags before chanting a simple mantra. Weng-! The flags fluttered wildly as the array slowly buzzed into life. From the base of each array flag, a strand of silver light slowly reached out, crossing the ground in between to come into contact with the horsehair. The horsehair eventually started to emit silver light itself, as though it had absorbed the light from the array flags and made it its own. Just like that, the now-glowing horsehair slowly started floating up from the ground. ¡°Perfect execution of the Star Tracer Array,¡± Chu Han praised. ¡°Please don¡¯t tease me, Senior Martial Brother Chu. It would be my honour to be able to reach just a tenth of your level in array mastery one day,¡± Zhao Yunxiao scratched his cheek in embarrassment. ¡°Don¡¯t even try that with me,¡± Chu Han chuckled, understanding that Zhao Yunxiao was just buttering up to him. ¡°It¡¯s nothing but the truth,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s see where our Young Noble Hui has been!¡± He clapped his hands together, and the glowing horsehair started to float in a particular direction. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Mo Mian said. After picking up the array flags on the ground, the party left by following the movement of the glowing horsehair. The mountains sometimes comprised areas that could prove to be a little treacherous for some, but the party was not too concerned. As cultivators, they were naturally more than capable of traversing difficult terrains. Since it was a location that the bandits could access, it made no sense that they would not be able to do so easily. On top of that, if it was a place that Hui Shajing could visit on his horse carriage, then their spirit horses would surely be more than capable of taking them there. Indeed, it did not take long before the party arrived at their destination. The fact that this was the only other location, apart from the mountain inn, where the horse had been also helped make things simpler for them. They might be bandits, but one had to admit that they made a rather wise choice in choosing the spot to build their hideout. It was well hidden in the depths of the mountain, in an area where no one would pass through for no good reason. And even if someone were to accidentally wander into the area, the dense vegetation and maze-like terrain meant that they would not be able to catch a single glimpse of the hideout until they were literally at the doorstep. By then, it would be too late for them to leave even if they wanted to. Had it not been for the Star Tracer Array, even the party members would probably have to spend a considerable amount of time combing through the mountain if they wanted to locate this place. Perhaps that was also why Hui Shajing had been so willing to just let them go. He probably never expected them to really be able to find the hideout. ¡°Do we knock?¡± Pu Feixiang asked. ¡°Do you think anyone will be home?¡± Gui Longcan rolled his eyes. ¡°Let me break it down then!¡± Pu Feixiang brought out his spear. Seeing that Mo Mian and Chu Han were giving their implicit consent by remaining silent, Pu Feixiang proceeded to do exactly that. The huge bamboo gate was around three metres tall, but that meant little to the cultivator. Remaining atop his spirit horse, he made a casual swing of his spear, which fired an arc of essence energy towards the gate. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Bang-! The energy projectile easily tore a hole through the centre of the gate, blowing it wide open. There were three long wooden pikes that came into view right upon entering. The tip of each pike impaled a man¡¯s corpse, raising them high into the air and leaving them to rot there. Dried blood stained the pikes themselves, having flowed down from the men¡¯s bodies. ¡°Those are...¡± Pu Feixiang¡¯s words trailed off without completing his sentence. He had wanted to ask a question, but saw no point in doing so in the end. After all, the answer was obvious. Perhaps it was because these men had not died for long, or perhaps the cold temperature had helped preserve the corpses. But in any case, their features were still clear for all to see. Without a doubt, these were the corpses of three of the five bandits who had surrendered to Hui Shajing back at the inn. ¡°I guess this Young Noble Hui isn¡¯t too trustworthy after all,¡± Chu Han said with a wry smile. Hui Shajing had promised that he would spare the lives of the bandits after they revealed the location of the hideout. In that case, these men¡¯s deaths here at the hideout was proof that Hui Shajing had failed to keep his promise, unless a third party had somehow gotten involved. But judging from Hui Shajing¡¯s demeanour back at the inn, the latter was highly unlikely. ¡°Let¡¯s look around some more,¡± Mo Mian¡¯s expression was solemn as he spoke. He did little to hide his unhappiness. As opposed to the impressive-looking gate, the individual houses inside the hideout were rather sloppily constructed. They were nothing more than huts made out of sticks and straw, just enough to keep out the weather. The insides of the huts were simple as well, furnished with just the bare necessities. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° To his credit, this bandit leader was quite an impressive martial artist himself. Unfortunately, that alone was not enough to save him from falling to Hui Shajing¡¯s entourage back at the inn. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° For the Good of the Masses ¡°Wow! Look who¡¯s back!¡± Hui Shajing exclaimed in genuine surprise as he watched the party members enter the inn. Hours had passed and night had fallen by now, yet Hui Shajing still remained seated at the exact same spot. It was unclear if he had moved at all throughout the day. The rest of his entourage was no different. Hui Shajing was not the only one surprised by the party¡¯s return either. Uncle Hei, Uncle Bai, and the rest of the soldiers all revealed looks of confusion on their faces. The inn waiter was also finding it difficult to believe what he was seeing. And their reactions were understandable as well. Even if they were in a city, it would be uncommon for someone to visit an inn twice in the same day. That was all the more the case now that they were out here in the mountains. There was nothing to be done in the area, so people usually only stopped by for a short rest before continuing on their journey. In fact, the waiter had never seen a customer return on the same day since the opening of the inn! ¡°Perhaps the mountain is too scary at night?¡± Uncle Hei mocked, drawing laughter from the soldiers. However, the mood quickly turned somber as the party members steadily approached Hui Shajing¡¯s table. ¡°What is it?¡± Uncle Hei stood up to block their way as they got too close for comfort. He did manage to stop the party from advancing further, but no one chose to respond to his question. ¡°Young Noble Hui,¡± Mo Mian ignored Uncle Hei and said. ¡°May I ask what happened to the five bandits whom you captured a week ago?¡± ¡°What about them?¡± Hui Shajing frowned and responded with his own question. ¡°I believe you promised to let them go after you get the location of their hideout?¡± Mo Mian continued. ¡°Ah, that,¡± Hui Shajing casually leaned back into his chair with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s right. I did say that. What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Did you?¡± Mo Mian asked. ¡°Why do you ask that?¡± Hui Shajing smile faded as he started to sense that something was wrong. ¡°I think you know exactly why I am asking that,¡± Mo Mian said. ¡°Or perhaps I should phrase it this way ¨C why did you go back on your word?¡± ¡°Where did you hear that from?¡± Hui Shajing shot a cold glare at the waiter. ¡°It¡¯s not me! I didn¡¯t tell them anything!¡± the waiter jumped in shock upon seeing his gaze. ¡°I have been in the inn all this time. There is no chance for me to say anything, even if I had wanted to!¡± ¡°Why do you care who told us that?¡± Pu Feixiang cut in impatiently. ¡°Just answer the question.¡± ¡°I do not appreciate the tone that you bunch are using to speak with my Young Noble,¡± Uncle Hei cautioned. ¡°Show some respect.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right, Uncle Hei,¡± Hui Shajing calmed him down with a hand wave before turning back towards Mo Mian. ¡°I believe the question here should be this ¨C why do you care so much about those bandits in the first place? Don¡¯t tell me you are with them?¡± ¡°What a question!¡± Pu Feixiang scoffed. ¡°You are obviously the one in the wrong, and yet you still dare to malign others? How shameless!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not play games here, Young Noble Hui,¡± Mo Mian maintained his composure, unlike Pu Feixiang. ¡°You are a smart man. Since we are confident enough to return within the day and come up to you like this, this naturally means that we have found out everything. So that brings us back to my question earlier ¨C why did you go back on your word?¡± By now, the entire entourage was on alert. Some of the soldiers even had their hands on their weapons, and were simply waiting for the order to fight. The party members noticed this as well, but they were completely unfazed. They had seen what the soldiers were capable of, and it was far from enough to threaten cultivators like themselves. The only ones who could count as half a threat would be the two closer aides of the Hui Shajing, and perhaps Hui Shajing himself. Even then, these three should not be able to pose much of a threat as long as they did not get careless. Huu-! The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Hui Shajing let out a long sigh. ¡°Fine, you got me. I have to say that you are more resourceful than I have imagined,¡± Hui Shajing shrugged. ¡°But you have truly misunderstood. It is not as though I didn¡¯t want to let them go. I simply had no other choice back then.¡± ¡°You had no other choice? Did someone put a knife to your neck and force you to kill them?¡± Pu Feixiang snorted in disdain. ¡°Well, that is not what happened literally, but I can¡¯t say that your words are completely wrong either,¡± Hui Shajing sighed again. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Pu Feixiang asked. ¡°Back then, those bandits told us the hideout location, so we decided to let them go as promised. Who knew that they would suddenly charge at us when our backs are turned?¡± Hui Shajing shook his head in regret. ¡°Even if it is not for the sake of self-defence, we also have to consider other people in the future. If such aggressive people are allowed to roam the world freely, there is no doubt that they will return to a life of crime. Considering that, don¡¯t you agree that we have no choice but to take them down then and there?¡± ¡°It is all for the good of the masses,¡± Uncle Hei nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Hui Shajing agreed. ¡°That¡¯s our sole purpose ¨C to do things for the good of the masses. In a way, you can say that the bandits simply got their just deserts. But don¡¯t worry, we have laid their bodies to rest.¡± ¡°By laying their bodies to rest, you mean leaving their corpses out to rot in the open?¡± Mo Mian questioned. Hui Shajing narrowed his eyes. With that, it was clear that the party members had truly found the bandits¡¯ hideout. ¡°Right, I forgot that we did that. It is meant as a stern warning to any others who are intending to lead a life of crime,¡± Hui Shajing explained. ¡°And the rest of the bandits in their hideout? Why did you have to kill them all?¡± ¡°Same reason. They were being aggressive.¡± ¡°The children too?¡± ¡°That reminds me! The children were really scary too, brandishing weapons and all! Who knows what they have been taught since birth?¡± ¡°And why were the women in a state of undress?¡± ¡°That part really shocked us as well! They were already dressed like that when we arrived. Can you imagine just how vile the bandits are to treat their women in such a degrading manner?¡± Zhao Yunxiao smirked as he listened to the duo¡¯s exchange of words. He had to admit that this Hui Shajing was quite a shameless talker. Not only was he completely unfazed even when faced with a barrage of questions, but he was also able to instantly come up with an excuse for every question posed. Of course, whether these excuses were believable or not was another matter altogether. ¡°If you are as noble as you said, don¡¯t you think the loot that you obtained from the bandits should be handed over to the local magistrate instead?¡± Gui Longcan interjected. ¡°Why are you staying around here instead of doing so?¡± ¡°Who knows if there are other bandits in the area? We are staying around just in case some of those lowlifes who fell through the net decide to vent their anger out on the innkeeper, simply because they can¡¯t do anything to us,¡± Hui Shajing said with a straight face. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I will definitely hand in all the loot once I get back to town. I am on close terms with the local magistrate after all.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think that you are acting beyond your station?¡± Chu Han was the one to ask this time. ¡°Something like ridding the world of bandits should be the responsibility of the authorities. If everyone is to act like you and take matters into their own hands, then wouldn¡¯t the world descend into chaos?¡± ¡°That I don¡¯t agree with,¡± Hui Shajing shook his head. ¡°It is everyone¡¯s responsibility to help others in need. Since I am able to take care of the bandits, I naturally will not hesitate to help.¡± ¡°That does make sense,¡± Chu Han rubbed his chin in contemplation. ¡°In that case, I heard that the nearby East Stream Village has been plagued by a demon for months. Your aides and soldiers seem like able fighters, so why don¡¯t you go help them out as well?¡± ¡°Is that the case? I haven¡¯t heard about it,¡± Hui Shajing shrugged. ¡°I will see what I can do once I find out more.¡± ¡°Oh? Didn¡¯t you say that you are on close terms with the local magistrate? If that¡¯s the case, shouldn¡¯t you have already heard about this issue?¡± Chu Han probed further. ¡°After all, the problem has existed for months.¡± ¡°If it has been reported to the local magistrate, then it is a matter that the local magistrate should deal with. They are not obliged to tell me about it,¡± Hui Shajing frowned. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter, does it?¡± Chu Han continued. ¡°Isn¡¯t your sole purpose to do things for the good of the masses? Isn¡¯t it everyone¡¯s responsibility to help others in need? Now that you know about the issue, let¡¯s go deal with it right now. If you are unaware of the location, we don¡¯t mind leading you there either. In a way, that is a far bigger problem than mere bandits. Every day that we delay could mean an additional death. The villagers will surely appreciate your assistance!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° With that, Hui Shajing reached into his sleeves and retrieved a token, raising it up in front of him to let the party members have a good look. The golden token was about the size of his palm, crafted into a clean hexagonal shape. There were numerous runic characters engraved into the gold, each of them neatly painted over with what appeared to be red ink. The only engraving that had not been painted over was an emblem depicting a golden leaf, located right in the centre and taking up most of the space on the token. ¡°Do you see this? This is a token that symbolises the authority of a powerful cultivator, given to me personally as a symbol of protection!¡± Hui Shajing announced confidently. ¡°If you dare to harm so much as a single hair on my body, the token will trigger and summon the cultivator over. When that happens, you can be prepared to die without a grave!¡± Therefore, Hui Shajing naturally would not have allowed things to devolve to such a state without having an ace card like this hidden up his sleeves! Difference Between Cultivators and Martial Artists Cultivators were unreachable entities in the eyes of all ordinary mortals, believed to be capable of single-handedly sweeping through the world in an unstoppable manner. With a cultivator as his backer, it was no wonder that Hui Shajing felt so confident about his current situation. Who would dare to go against him if it meant offending a powerful cultivator? In fact, he was not the only one feeling this way. The members of his entourage similarly pushed out their chests and smirked, fully confident that the token would be more than enough to scare off the party. And they were not entirely wrong either. Zhao Yunxiao and the rest of the party members instantly frowned upon hearing this. Hui Shajing was not lying. Even without him telling them, the party members could sense that the token contained a cultivator¡¯s aura. This aura truly made them feel a lot more apprehensive about taking action. After all, taking care of ordinary mortals like Hui Shajing and his entire entourage was a simple matter, but making enemies out of cultivators was an entirely different matter altogether. Who knew where these cultivators hailed from, and how strong they truly were? A single wrong step here could very well end up with them getting swept up in an issue that was way out of their hands. Even a serious conflict between factions would not entirely be out of the question. Worse came to worst, the situation might just flip on its head, resulting in them becoming the ones to get wiped out here! ¡°Scarlet Leaf Sect...¡± Chu Han whispered. He suppressed his volume to the point where only the party members could hear him, but it was still more than enough to draw everyone¡¯s attention. Scarlet Leaf Sect ¨C this was a name that all of them were familiar with. In fact, all of them had come across this emblem in the past, and would have been able to recognise its origin as well, should they be given enough time. After all, the Scarlet Leaf Sect was quite a famous faction in the cultivator¡¯s world. Or rather, it might be more accurate to call them infamous instead. Not only were they an unorthodox faction, members of the Scarlet Leaf Sect were also notorious for doing whatever they wanted without any regard for things like morality and honour. However, what they heard next instantly eased their concerns. ¡°This token is not from a high ranked member,¡± Zhao Yunxiao remarked in a similar low volume, making sure that only the party members could hear him. ¡°Do you recognise the emblem, Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Chu Han asked in surprise. ¡°Yes, I have looked into the Scarlet Leaf Sect in the past,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered without hesitation. The Scarlet Leaf Sect used the symbol of a leaf as its emblem. However, the shape, size, and orientation of the leaf varied slightly according to the rank of the owner of the emblem. As for how Zhao Yunxiao knew this, that was because he had always believed that ample preparation was the key to success. If he had not even looked into a threat as obvious as the notorious Scarlet Leaf Sect, that would be gross negligence on his part, almost equivalent to failing his own beliefs! ¡°That makes things simpler,¡± Mo Mian scoffed. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Why are you just whispering among yourselves all of a sudden? What happened to all that bravado from earlier?¡± Hui Shajing asked with a smirk. He could not feel better now that he saw how careful the party members had become. As he thought, the mere mention of a cultivator was enough to turn the situation in his favour! ¡°Where is the person who gave that to you?¡± Mo Mian asked. ¡°Hahaha, you don¡¯t have to know that. All you have to know is that only death awaits you if you dare do anything to us!¡± Hui Shajing laughed. ¡°When that happens, I can¡¯t guarantee that your corpse will be left in one piece!¡± Hui Shajing was having the time of his life. It truly felt good to confront someone who dared to challenge him, only to directly rob them of their confidence and watch them run away with their tails tucked between their legs! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Bang-! The loud explosion sent the soldiers flying in all directions, instantly clearing the way for Mo Mian. Only Uncle Hei and Uncle Bai remained standing between him and Hui Shajing, but the two of them were definitely not in a state to resist at this point. They might have been standing further behind and thus had not been struck by the lightning bolts from earlier, but just the shock of witnessing this horrifying scene was enough to turn them into human statues ¨C frozen in fear and unable to think of what to do next. ¡°Argh!¡± the soldiers¡¯ groans filled the inn, accompanied by the smell of charred flesh. Unlike the monkey and ape demons that the party had to deal with back in the forest near East Stream Village, these soldiers were ordinary mortals with ordinary flesh and bones that offered no additional defence. Their light armour did little to help either. The lightning from Gui Longcan pierced right through their feeble armour, directly cooking their skin and leaving them with severe burns that would eventually claim their lives if left untreated! Even then, Uncle Hei and Uncle Bai seemed to be oblivious to the soldiers¡¯ sorry plight. They remained frozen in place, incapable of anything apart from just staring at Gui Longcan in genuine fear. It was only when Mo Mian took another step forward that they finally snapped out of their stupor. ¡°D-Don¡¯t come closer!¡± Uncle Hei shouted nervously. At the same time, he instinctively punched out with a fist that was armed with metal knuckles. Mo Mian did not even attempt to dodge. Instead, Pu Feixiang quickly stepped forward from behind Mo Mian and casually raised his hand, directly grabbing the oncoming fist and stopping it dead in its tracks. ¡°You sure talked a lot of shit earlier. Let¡¯s see if you have what it takes to back it up!¡± Pu Feixiang scoffed. He never got up after colliding headfirst against the wall. ¡° This was the difference between cultivators and ordinary martial artists. The latter might be able to challenge the former to a certain extent, but that was only true up to a certain point. Once the cultivator passed a certain level in terms of cultivation level, most martial artists would not stand a chance in a direct confrontation! ¡°You people.... you are...!¡± Hui Shajing staggered back in shock. ¡°It seems that you have finally understood the situation,¡± Mo Mian answered coldly. ¡°That¡¯s right. We are cultivators.¡± ¡°E-Even then! I am protected by a cultivator as well!¡± Hui Shajing cautioned, albeit with much less confidence as compared to before. ¡°It is an extremely powerful cultivator as well! Are you sure you want to do this? If you leave right now, I can still pretend that nothing happened and let this matter go!¡± ¡°You will let this matter go? How nice of you,¡± Mo Mian replied with a smile. ¡°Unfortunately, the decision now lies with us. We are no longer willing to let this matter go.¡± ¡°What do you want? The loot? You can have it all!¡± Hui Shajing hurriedly offered. ¡°I can even add to it! How much do you want? Just name the price, and I will definitely get my family to come up with the money!¡± ¡°What I want is to see those who commit evil receive their just deserts,¡± Mo Mian answered indifferently. ¡°D-Don¡¯t be hasty!¡± Hui Shajing hurriedly responded. ¡°Let¡¯s slowly talk things out. Do you want treasures? Land? Or women? Everything can be negotiated as long as you spare my lif-¡± Hui Shajing never had the chance to finish his sentence. Mo Mian was tired of listening to him and decisively struck him on the neck, instantly knocking him unconscious. But as Hui Shajing fell limply to the floor, the token in his hand started to emit faint rays of red light... You Want to Capture Me? ¡°Well then, let¡¯s see what this is,¡± Pu Feixiang said while clapping the dust off his hands. Now that the entirety of Hui Shajing¡¯s entourage had been taken care of, his first thought was to take a closer look at the token that was still lying in the hands of the unconscious young noble. However, Zhao Yunxiao immediately stood in his way. ¡°Hold on, Senior Martial Brother Pu,¡± Zhao Yunxiao stopped him. ¡°Let¡¯s not be careless about this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Pu Feixiang blinked in confusion. ¡°Junior Martial Brother Zhao is right to be careful. We don¡¯t know if there are any traps incorporated into this,¡± Chu Han agreed. ¡°Step back.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Pu Feixiang shrugged and did as he was told. Chu Han raised his hand and started writing several characters in the air with his bare fingers, his essence energy coming together to form runic characters that were glowing as they hovered in the air. ¡°Seal!¡± Chu Han shouted and pointed towards the token. At his command, the runic characters flew towards the token all at once. But instead of a fierce collision of energy, the runic characters silently disappeared upon contact with the token, as though they were small pebbles sinking into a vast ocean. Still, Chu Han¡¯s efforts were not in vain. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. That was when he realised how cold he was feeling right now, and that was despite donning some thick and luxurious robes that had always been pretty good at keeping him warm. Just how long had he been out here in the open, fully exposed to the cold night winds of early spring? At this moment, rays of red light caught his eye. When he paid close attention, Hui Shajing realised that it was the same token that he had received from a cultivator. Even if it was just for the materials used to create the token, such an item would have been coveted by many. However, it had still been carelessly left on the ground in front of him, almost as though it was nothing but worthless litter. ¡°Are you there?¡± Hui Shajing called out carefully. He could not see anyone apart from the unconscious Uncle Hei and Uncle Bai, but he still asked just in case. There was no response. ¡°Is anyone there?¡± Hui Shajing called out again, this time a little louder. Still no response. Were the cultivators gone? Hui Shajing tried to look around once more, but the darkness continued to shroud his surroundings, preventing him from seeing far. Despite it being a mountain path, there were still plenty of trees and rocks around, making it easy for someone to hide if they wanted to. Still, he could not possibly remain seated like this forever, could he? ¡°Uncle Hei, Uncle Bai! Wake up!¡± Hui Shajing called out while wriggling his way over to them. However, he did not manage to get far before bumping into someone¡¯s leg. ¡°Where do you think you are going?¡± an indifferent voice caused him to freeze in place. He slowly looked up to see Pu Feixiang staring straight down at him. This stare from Pu Feixiang felt even colder than the night winds, causing him to nervously swallow his saliva. ¡°C-Cultivator sir,¡± Hui Shajing forced a smile before struggling to sit up once more. ¡°I was just wondering if my companions are fine...¡± ¡°They are not dead... yet,¡± Pu Feixiang answered. ¡°Anything else you want to know?¡± ¡°You know, this is all a misunderstanding. Haha...¡± Hui Shajing laughed awkwardly. ¡°I swear that we have always been law abiding people and haven¡¯t done anything to harm anyone.¡± ¡°Save your breath,¡± Pu Feixiang scoffed. ¡°I think we have spoken enough about tha-¡± Instead of finishing his sentence, Pu Feixiang suddenly looked up at the roof of the inn. Curious about his actions, Hui Shajing looked in the same direction as well, and his eyes immediately lit up in surprise. Despite the darkness of the night, the light from the moon still made it possible to make out the fact that there was a figure standing on the roof. ¡°Is that...?¡± Hui Shajing muttered hesitantly. He was unsure of who it was since the distance made it difficult for him to see clearly, but that was not the case for Pu Feixiang. Pu Feixiang stared straight at the figure, and the figure was similarly staring right back at him. This person stood silently on the roof, wearing long robes that fluttered loosely with the wind. The robes were long enough that if one did not pay close attention, they might just mistake the robes for a huge flag erected on the rooftop. Slowly, the figure pulled down the long hood that covered the head, revealing a beautiful face capable of enchanting countless men. It was a young lady who looked to be in her mid twenties, blessed with sharp and distinct features that left little room for improvement. At the same time, pulling down her hood also released her long black hair from the constraints of her robes, allowing it to flutter freely in the wind along with her robes. With the moon acting as a backdrop, she looked just like a fairy who had walked straight out of a painting. Or at least, that would have been the case had it not been for the malevolent aura coming from her. This unrestrained release of her dark aura instantly betrayed the graceful smile that she was wearing right now, revealing her sinister intent. Rather than a fairy, it would probably be more accurate to call her an enchanting devil instead! ¡°Greetings, Young Sir,¡± the lady spoke in a courteous manner, nevertheless. ¡°It seems you have been waiting for my arrival?¡± She spoke in a casual manner, but her words still travelled long and far, resonating in the ears of both Hui Shajing and Pu Feixiang as though she was right next to them. ¡°Greetings, Young Lady,¡± Pu Feixiang answered in a similar manner while pointing to the token on the ground. ¡°May I ask if you are the original owner of this token?¡± ¡°And if I am?¡± the young lady answered with an enchanting smile. ¡°Hahaha! You are all dead!¡± Hui Shajing finally realised who the young lady was, and started laughing boisterously. ¡°Too bad! You had the chance to escape earlier, but you didn¡¯t make use of it. It is too late for you now. Only death awaits!¡± ¡°So, are you going to take my life like he said?¡± Pu Feixiang spoke without taking a single glance at Hui Shajing. ¡°That would depend on why you are waiting for me here. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± the young lady asked without losing her smile. ¡°I guess that¡¯s true,¡± Pu Feixiang said. ¡°If you have given the token to this man knowing that he would treat it as impunity to commit atrocities, then we might have a problem here.¡± ¡°Oh? And what kind of problem would that be?¡± the young lady tilted her head in confusion. ¡°For example, I might have to capture you here,¡± Pu Feixiang did not beat about the bush. ¡°You want to capture me?¡± the young lady covered her mouth with a hand and chuckled. ¡°How kinky! Just what are you intending to do after capturing me?¡± Pu Feixiang: ¡°...¡± He was at a momentary loss of words, clearly not expecting his warning to be treated this lightly. ¡°Why are you not saying anything? Are you busy imagining it in your head?¡± the young lady laughed. ¡°What if I tell you that there is no need for mere imagination? After all, I do have to admit that you are actually quite cute!¡± But instead of Pu Feixiang¡¯s reply, what she heard in response was a calm voice coming from behind her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop teasing my junior martial brother?¡± The young lady widened her eyes in shock and immediately spun around, only to come face to face with Mo Mian. At the same time, a sword light flashed as the Jadewind Sword headed straight for her. But now that they were dealing with a member of the infamous Scarlet Leaf Sect, there was no longer a need for them to show any mercy! Not a Chance When she saw Mo Mian¡¯s Jadewind Sword headed her way, a look of genuine shock showed on the young lady¡¯s face, finally breaking the calm demeanour that she had maintained since earlier. However, simply being shocked did not mean that she was unable to react. The young lady immediately leapt backwards, directly throwing herself off the rooftop. Mo Mian did not relent either, leaping off the rooftop himself in order to give chase. As she was falling from the roof, the young lady channelled her essence energy to the limit before throwing out a talisman. With a flick of her wrist, a sword appeared in her hands, which she immediately used to pierce the talisman that she had just thrown out. Boom-! The moment her sword pierced the talisman, the latter exploded into a huge cloud of red mist, creating a cover that hid her figure in its entirety. ¡°Tch!¡± Mo Mian hurriedly covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve. Being right behind the young lady during her freefall, he had no choice but to fall into the red mist as well. Thankfully, he did not feel anything strange despite coming in physical contact with the red mist. But without knowing what it actually comprised, he dared not get careless. Mo Mian quickly leapt out of the red mist upon landing on the ground. However, the young lady was still nowhere to be seen. At this moment, two daggers flew out from the nearby trees and into the cloud of red mist. ¡°Shit!¡± the young lady¡¯s enchanting voice was heard cursing for the first time as she quickly leapt out of the red mist. Boom-! Boom-! The two daggers that had flown into the red mist exploded upon striking the ground ¨C the explosion instantly dispersed the cloud of red mist. ¡°Just how many of you ar-!¡± the young lady tried to say something but was forced to take evasive measures once again as a bolt of lightning headed in her direction. Boom-! She managed to dodge out of the way just in time as the lightning bolt instantly set fire to where she was standing just a moment before. Unfortunately for her, Mo Mian was back on her tail by now. Wind gathered behind Mo Mian as he charged towards her with his Jadewind Sword at the ready. There was no doubt that the treasure sword would be thrust forward the very moment he got in range. ¡°Enough!¡± the young lady threw another talisman in Mo Mian¡¯s direction and pierced it with her sword. ¡° This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Physical Seal, activate!¡± Chu Han shouted. ¡° ¡°Vitality Seal, activate!¡± Pu Feixiang continued. ¡° ¡° Everything happened in mere moments, resulting in the formation of a globe of light comprising light waves of five distinct colours. This globe of light hovered above the cloud of red mist, and a multi-layered suppressive force fell upon the area. It was an overwhelming suppressive force that made the earlier pressure from the illusory emblem seem almost insignificant. Subjected to this suppression from the Terra Seal Formation, the cloud of red mist did not stand a chance and instantly dispersed! And as the red mist cleared, the young lady¡¯s figure was forcibly revealed once more. ¡°Wait, stop! I give up! You win!¡± the young lady raised her right hand in surrender. Her left hand remained by her side, but perhaps it was understandable considering the state of that arm. ¡°If you want us to believe you, then seal your own meridians!¡± Mo Mian did not easily believe the other party¡¯s words. A cultivator relied on their spiritual meridians to channel essence energy within their body. Sealing a cultivator¡¯s meridians would block the utilisation of essence energy, effectively preventing the cultivator from executing any cultivation techniques. This would render most cultivators completely helpless, perhaps with the exception of those who trained in the path of body strengthening. But even for the latter, not being able to imbue their attacks with essence energy would still make them much weaker than usual. ¡°There are five of you and I am alone, but you still need me to seal my meridians? How ungentlemanly!¡± the young lady grumbled. ¡°You have three seconds,¡± Mo Mian cautioned, not intending to get into a debate with her at this point. ¡°Are you really doing this to a frail lady like myself? What did I even do to you?¡± the young lady sighed in a pitiful manner. ¡°Two seconds left,¡± Mo Mian said. ¡°Is this really necessary? Or do you intend to do something strange to me after stripping me of all forms of possible resistance?¡± the young lady covered her chest with her arms in a suggestive manner. ¡°One second,¡± Mo Mian emphasised. A halberd appeared in Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s hands. ¡°Fine, I will do it. How impatient.¡± The young lady promptly kept her sword away and tapped a few meridian points on her body. With that, the malevolent aura that she had been emanating all this while vanished in an instant. It was as though the enchanting devil from earlier had been purified all of a sudden, reverting back into an ordinary mortal. A frown instantly appeared on her face as she immediately fell to her knees. Even when she had her essence energy as support, simply standing under the Terra Seal Formation was a torturous experience. Now that she no longer had that support, she could no longer even pretend to be fine! ¡°Recall the formation!¡± Mo Mian immediately said. Now that her meridians had been sealed, they could finally relax a little. As for Zhao Yunxiao, he could not help but feel impressed by how easily the entire process went. When Mo Mian first decided that they would be taking down this cultivator from the Scarlet Leaf Sect, he had been preparing himself for a hard battle ahead. However, this fight ended almost as soon as it started. If one could even call it a fight, that was. After all, from start to finish, the young lady never had a chance to go on the offensive! Of course, this was not nearly enough to make Zhao Yunxiao let down his guard. While this was happening, he was secretly controlling a clone to search around the area, checking if there was anyone who came with the young lady. ¡°So, are you going to just stand there and leave me be?¡± the young lady said with watery eyes that easily invoked sympathy. ¡°I will bleed to death at this rate, you know?¡± Her words drew the attention of the party members to her left arm. Even now, blood was still streaming out of the huge sword wound. ¡°Treat yourself then, we will wait,¡± Mo Mian said. ¡°How am I supposed to do that? I can¡¯t access my spatial pouch without essence energy,¡± the young lady complained before raising her left arm towards Pu Feixiang. ¡°You, cute one. Come over and treat me.¡± Pu Feixiang felt the corner of his lips twitch. What did she mean by cute one? He might not be ugly, but he knew that he obviously did not look as good as Chu Han. It was obvious that the young lady was trying to tease him, probably due to their conversation earlier. But to do so in this situation... ¡°Are you not afraid?¡± Pu Feixiang asked. ¡°Why do I need to be afraid? As expected, are you intending to do something strange to me while pretending to treat me?¡± the young lady tilted her head and asked with a playful smile. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that!¡± Pu Feixiang retorted. ¡°I¡¯m asking why you are acting so frivolous! Do you not realise that you are now our priso-¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m feeling faint!¡± the young lady cut him off and weakly felt her forehead with her right hand. ¡°Go treat her,¡± Chu Han said. ¡°Me?¡± Pu Feixiang pointed to himself in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s right, why do you keep making a shy lady say something so embarrassing? Come here already. I will be fully entrusting my body to you tonight, so please don¡¯t betray my trust,¡± the young lady added with a seductive smile. Everyone could only smile wryly in response. ¡°Well, you heard her. She specifically asked for you. Someone has to do it anyway, or do you expect me to do it instead?¡± Chu Han answered with a sigh. It was a different matter if the opponent had decided to fight to the death. But now that she had willingly surrendered, they of the orthodox Black Tortoise Sect would naturally not push for her death. That was the case even though she was from the notorious Scarlet Leaf Sect. In fact, the ideal outcome would be to bring her back to the sect for the administrators to deal with. That way, perhaps they could gain more information about the Scarlet Leaf Sect and better prepare the sect members for future encounters with them. In the best case scenario, they could even help her change her ways and reform her for the better. But for that to happen, they had no choice but to first treat her wound. The young lady might be speaking in a frivolous manner, but her wound was definitely real. And it was extremely serious as well, which was not at all surprising considering the fact that it had been personally inflicted upon her by Mo Mian. If they did not get it treated quickly, not to mention returning to Purple Plum Mountain, she might not even survive long enough to see the break of dawn! Get Lost Before I Get Angry! Since Chu Han had already spoken, Pu Feixiang could only step forward despite his reluctance. But just as he reached out towards the young lady¡¯s outstretched arm, the young lady quickly retracted her arm in response. ¡°What is it this time? Weren¡¯t you the one who asked me to treat your wound?¡± Pu Feixiang felt the corner of his lips twitch. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to help me up first?¡± the young lady asked while giving him a playful side-eye. ¡°Or do you secretly enjoy watching girls kneel in front of you like this?¡± After she sealed her own meridians earlier, the young lady had immediately fallen to her knees due to the pressure from the Terra Seal Formation, and had remained in the same position since. ¡°...Just ask properly if you want something. Do you really have to say it like that?¡± Pu Feixiang reached out with his hand, which the young lady promptly took. With that, Pu Feixiang helped the young lady to her feet and started treating her wound. As they had been on a demon subduing mission where their lives could be in direct danger, Pu Feixiang naturally brought along a fair amount of medical items. He gently applied them on the young lady¡¯s wound, careful not to aggravate it further. However, this only drew another comment from the young lady. ¡°How gentle, I knew it was the right choice to entrust my body to you tonight!¡± the young lady said. Pu Feixiang: ¡°...¡± ¡°Ahem!¡± Mo Mian cleared his throat uncomfortably. ¡°Tie that woman up after you are done treating her wound. Junior Martial Brother Gui and Junior Martial Brother Zhao, go gather up the young noble¡¯s men. We will get going once Junior Martial Brother Pu is done.¡± ¡°How rude! What do you mean ¡®that woman¡¯?¡± the young lady complained. ¡°The name is Honey. Call me that instead!¡± ¡°As if your name is Honey,¡± Pu Feixiang rolled his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t I look as sweet as honey? If you don¡¯t believe me, why don¡¯t you have a taste to see if I am lying?¡± the young lady answered with a smile. Pu Feixiang: ¡°...¡± ¡°Where will we be going?¡± Zhao Yunxiao wanted to confirm. ¡°The local town,¡± Mo Mian answered. ¡°Since our young noble says he is friends with the local magistrate, let¡¯s bring him back to his friend and see how the magistrate wants to handle this matter.¡± ¡°He really is friends with the local magistrate, you know?¡± the self-proclaimed Honey interrupted. ¡°And why go to all that trouble if you want him dead? Won¡¯t it be much easier to just kill him here?¡± ¡°I have yet to ask you. What is your relationship with him?¡± Mo Mian questioned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you together? In that case, shouldn¡¯t you be stopping me from killing him instead?¡± ¡°Are you curious?¡± Honey smirked. ¡°That is why I asked,¡± Mo Mian answered matter-of-factly. ¡° ¡°I might be curious, but it is not nearly to the extent that I am willing to waste time begging you for answers,¡± Mo Mian replied frankly. ¡°After we are done with him, you will be next on the list.¡± ¡°Ah, so I am the sweet dessert after the main course!¡± Honey exclaimed while pretending to be shocked. ¡°I guess that suits me!¡± Mo Mian: ¡°...¡± He could suddenly relate to how Pu Feixiang must feel when dealing with this person. At the same time, Zhao Yunxiao and Gui Longcan quickly slipped away, not wanting to be a part of this strange conversation. First, they returned to the inn to wake up the soldiers who had all been tied up in a corner, before leading them out onto the mountain path. It was a slight hassle to wake each of them and bring them out while they were all tied up. By the time they exited the inn, the first light had already started peeking over the horizon. And under the illumination of the morning sun, the soldiers could see Hui Shajing, Uncle Hei, and Uncle Bai lying unconscious on the ground. Even though Hui Shajing had managed to regain consciousness earlier, he did not manage to stay awake for long before he was once again knocked out by the aftershocks from the fight between the party and Honey. After all, apart from the numerous explosions, each move the cultivators made had also been imbued with essence energy. This meant that even a missed attack would be capable of sending shockwaves through the air. And these shockwaves were not something that ordinary mortals could easily endure. Since Hui Shajing had already not been in the best condition, the first couple of shockwaves easily knocked him out cold. ¡°Get up!¡± Gui Longcan woke each of them with a light kick. ¡°Are you all right, Young Noble Hui?¡± Uncle Hei immediately asked out of concern when he woke up. ¡°Yeah, I... what?!¡± Hui Shajing was answering his question halfway when he was suddenly shocked wide awake, having noticed the young lady being tied up by Pu Feixiang not far away. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°I lost, my bad,¡± Honey shrugged upon noticing his gaze. ¡°This can¡¯t be...¡± Hui Shajing¡¯s eyes lost focus. The cultivator whom he had trusted to protect him all this time had actually lost! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° It was located at the foot of the mountain, with the mountain path linked to paved roads that led straight to its entrance. Though it was just a small local town, Mountainhorn Town had all the traits of a formal town, including high walls and armed guards at the gate. As the party approached the gate, their conspicuous way of travelling instantly drew the attention of everyone else. It was not too uncommon to have people moving around while being all tied up. After all, slavery was not banned in the Duyuan Empire. The problem here lay with the identity of the captives. ¡°Look! Isn¡¯t that the young master of the Hui Family? How did he and his men end up in such a sorry state?¡± ¡°How overbearing! Who are those people who captured them? I don¡¯t recognise any of them.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t look familiar. Could they be officials from the city? Or the capital, perhaps?¡± ¡°The Hui Family is not going to be happy about this. I wonder if they are already aware of this matter?¡± ¡°One thing is for sure ¨C there is going to be a show to watch!¡± Onlookers gossiped among themselves, though none stepped forward to confront the party. At the same time, the members of the party perked up their ears and listened closely to every single word that was being discussed. This actually gave them a rough idea of the power dynamics at play here. ¡°It seems like you are rather famous,¡± Mo Mian remarked. ¡°I am nothing compared to your greatness, cultivator sir...¡± Hui Shajing answered wryly. ¡°How humble,¡± Mo Mian commented. ¡°I wonder if your Hui Family thinks the same.¡± ¡°P-Please spare my family!¡± Hui Shajing quickly pleaded. ¡°That depends on how they act,¡± Mo Mian narrowed his eyes, causing Hui Shajing to swallow his saliva in nervousness. It would be best if everyone knew what was best for them. But if this Hui Family tried to do anything funny, then Mo Mian would not hesitate to punish them along with Hui Shajing. After all, it was more than likely that they had given their implicit consent to Hui Shajing for his ruthless ways! Under everyone¡¯s curious gazes, the group quickly made their way to the gate. There were two guards there at the moment, each dressed in light chain armour and had a spear in their hands. Mountainhorn Town did not impose strict restrictions on visitors, so the two of them were simply leaning lazily against the open gate as they silently watched the people passing by. However, things changed the moment they saw Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group approaching the gate. ¡°Hold it right there!¡± the two guards immediately walked over in an imposing manner. ¡°What is it?¡± Mo Mian held a hand up, and the group stopped on his cue. ¡°How dare you abduct reputable members of Mountainhorn Town?!¡± one of the guards roared. ¡°Release them immediately!¡± ¡°You are telling me to release them without asking me the reason for capturing them in the first place?¡± Mo Mian asked. ¡°I am the one asking the questions here!¡± the guard shouted angrily in response. ¡°Release them right now if you know what is best for you. Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t guarantee your safety!¡± ¡°Is that a threat?¡± Mo Mian let out a cold smile. ¡°Is it really all right for you to coerce visitors into doing your bidding like that?¡± ¡°As the ones responsible for safeguarding Mountainhorn Town, we naturally have the duty to ensure the safety of our people,¡± the guard clarified. ¡°Now then, I¡¯m only going to say this one last time. Release them and get lost before I get angry!¡± ¡°You¡¯d better do as he says,¡± the other guard added. ¡°Trust me, you would not like it when we get angry!¡± ¡°Wait a minu-,¡± Hui Shajing tried to say something, but stopped halfway as Mo Mian raised a hand to stop him from speaking further. As much as he wanted to warn the guards who were trying to help them, Hui Shajing knew better than to undermine Mo Mian¡¯s instructions. ¡°Well, guess what? I am not releasing them,¡± Mo Mian replied firmly. ¡°If you really want me to do so, go get your boss to come tell me that in person.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± the guards furrowed their brows immediately. ¡°Do you know what you are saying?¡± one of the guards said. ¡°We work for the esteemed Magistrate En. By saying that, you are effectively demanding to talk to His Honour!¡± ¡°Oh? How convenient,¡± Mo Mian smiled. ¡°That¡¯s exactly who I wanted to talk to. Bring him here.¡± ¡°Preposterous! Is His Lordship someone whom you can meet just because you want to?¡± the guard shouted. ¡°Mind your words!¡± ¡° The onlookers took in a deep breath as they heard that. Not only did these strangers capture the young master of the Hui Family, they even dared to defy the town guards and undermine the magistrate. This matter was escalating much faster than they had expected! Magistrate En Yongping However, he seemed to be oblivious to her tumultuous thoughts, continuing to be just as careless with his hand. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° As the magistrate, he was in charge of law and order within the town. Therefore, he naturally had to be well versed on the various local factions that wielded significant power. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Fools!¡± En Yongping slammed his palm on the table and bellowed, startling both the guard and the young female attendant. ¡° ¡° This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Despite their confusion, the guards quickly did as they were told. And as the guards released the ropes on the five men, En Yongping carefully observed the looks on everyone¡¯s faces. There was not a hint of relief or joy on the five men¡¯s faces as they were freed from their restraints. If he had to describe the looks on their faces, it would actually be more similar to one of amusement. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° In fact, while the commoners might be unawareof the truth, the upper echelons of society had access to enough information, and thus knew for a fact that this northern region of the Duyuan Empire was actually under the implicit jurisdiction of the mighty Black Tortoise Sect. And upon hearing Mo Mian¡¯s introduction, Hui Shajing finally understood why his backer had failed him. Public Trial ¡°I- No, En Yongping pays my respect to the esteemed lords from the Black Tortoise Sect!¡± En Yongping hurriedly clashed his fists and bowed. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Arrival of the Hui Family Hushed chatter immediately arose from the crowd. Hearing about it was one thing, but actually seeing the public trial commence still served as a huge shock to them. ¡°Plaintiffs, please step forward,¡± En Yongping said. Mo Mian and Chu Han allowed a guard to guide them forward, until they were standing directly beside the kneeling Hui Shajing. ¡° At the very least, no one here had ever seen this side of him before! The accused ¨C Hui Shajing and his men ¨C acted without regard for the sanctity of life and the morality of man, wantonly killing defenceless people and not even sparing the modesty of the women before killing them,¡± Mo Mian answered. ¡°I am here to demand punishment for his sins.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° Hui Shajing¡¯s admirers in the crowds immediately flew into a rage. Silence!¡± En Yongping bellowed, silencing the crowd. ¡°This is my first and final warning ¨C those who cannot maintain a basic level of civility shall be removed from the public trial!¡± The rowdy ones fell silent, albeit reluctantly so. His words definitely carried weight in their hearts, so they had no choice but to comply, despite how unhappy they were about it. After all, these were rather serious accusations that had been laid out against him. On top of that, it was not as though this was the first time such accusations had been brought up against members of the Hui Family. Whenever that happened in the past, the Hui Family had denied all accusations and managed to get off scot-free. ¡° After all, this was as good as not just admitting to the crimes. Not only that, but also taking full responsibility for them! One had to remember that these were heinous crimes that could land one in prison for years to come! ...Does that mean you admit to allthe accusations that have been laid out against you?¡± En Yongping said with a sigh. Who would have expected that he would also be able to think of the big picture now that things have come down to it? Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. In return, Hui Shajing raised his head and looked at En Yongping with a determined light in his eyes. That¡¯s right, I admit to the accusations,¡± Hui Shajing said with conviction. ¡°But I am the only one responsible for the crimes. My men are innocent.¡± ¡° Even then, none of them stepped forward to volunteer to bear the responsibility along with him, not even his closest aides, Uncle Hei and Uncle Bai. Perhaps this was a testament to their loyalty towards the young master, or the lack thereof. ¡° ¡° Those words were like cold water that had been poured over the members of Hui Shajing¡¯s entourage, instantly robbing them of the relief that Hui Shajing¡¯s words had given them just moments earlier. ¡°I-Is that so?¡± En Yongping said awkwardly. ¡°What do the rest of you have to say about the accusations?¡± Uncle Hei and Uncle Bai exchanged glances and sighed in resignation. They knew that this was the end. If even Hui Shajing was not able to escape the consequences, they could forget about doing so either. ¡°We admit to the accusations...¡± Uncle Hei and Uncle Bai answered together. ¡°I see,¡± En Yongping let out a sigh of relief. ¡°In that case, if there are no further objections, I hereb-¡± ¡°Wait!¡± En Yongping¡¯s verdict was interrupted once again, though Mo Mian was not the one who did so this time. In fact, the culprit was not even in the hearing chamber, and had shouted from outside of the Magistrate Hall. ¡°Who is it?!¡± En Yongping bellowed in anger. No matter what, he was still the most powerful man in Mountainhorn Town. Being interrupted by Mo Mian was one thing, but how could he tolerate being shown such disrespect by others? As he was thinking that, loud chatter arose from the crowd once more as they seemed to be excited by the turn of events. The crowd parted, creating an open path for a group of men to stride straight into the Magistrate Hall. ¡°The Hui Family!¡± Most people present recognised this group of men immediately. They were none other than the head of the powerful Hui Family ¨C Hui Guoquan ¨C and his closest aides. And right now, Hui Guoquan definitely did not look pleased as he arrived at the Magistrate Hall. En Yongping could not help but let out a silent sigh. He had held onto a faint sliver of hope that things would not come down to this, but it seemed that things would not go too easily for him. ¡°Greetings, Magistrate En,¡± Hui Guoquan said upon entering the Magistrate Hall, though the expression on his face showed anything but courtesy. But before En Yongping could say anything, Hui Shajing quickly interjected. ¡°Father! Please leave!¡± Hui Shajing pleaded. ¡°I know what I am doing!¡± ¡°Silence!¡± Hui Guoquan immediately shouted at Hui Shajing. ¡°If you know what you are doing, then you will not be kneeling here right now!¡± ¡°I have gotten myself into this, so I will bear responsibility myself!¡± Hui Shajing retorted. ¡°Please leave already! You don¡¯t know who we are dealing with!¡± ¡°Enough of your nonsense! Shut up and let me handle this!¡± Hui Guoquan turned away from him to face En Yongping. ¡°Pardon me for asking, but on what grounds is my son being charged right now?¡± ¡°Your son Hui Shajing has admitted to accusations of killing defenceless people and not sparing the modesty of women...¡± En Yongping explained. ¡°Just because he admitted to it? Who knows if he is being intimidated or blackmailed into this?¡± Hui Guoquan spoke while glancing over at Mo Mian. ¡°Anyone can claim anything. But without evidence, who knows what is real and what is fake?¡± ¡°Are you saying that I am blackmailing your son into admitting to his crimes?¡± Mo Mian said with a smile. It was a smile that brought chills to En Yongping, Hui Shajing, and their respective subordinates. However, Hui Guoquan was not intimidated. ¡°I¡¯m simply asking you for the evidence,¡± Hui Guoquan answered. ¡°My Hui Family might not be much in the grand scale of things, but I still refuse to simply stand by and keep watching my people get bullied by others. Without substantial evidence, I¡¯m afraid that I cannot accept any unfair sentencing against my son this time!¡± The public could not help but exchange glances upon hearing this. It had always been the Hui Family bullying others. Since when had they ever been the ones being bullied? ¡°Master Hui, please just step outside for now,¡± En Yongping tried to persuade him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this is a public trial. If there is any unjust sentencing, the public will not accept it either.¡± ¡°Pardon me for saying this, Magistrate En,¡± Hui Guoquan scoffed. ¡°But how can you say that when you were just about to pass a verdict without looking into actual evidence?¡± ¡°Your son has already admitted to it, what other evidence do you need?¡± En Yongping frowned. He might not wish to shred all pretences with the Hui Family, but he did not intend to let the other party step all over him either. By repeatedly questioning him in front of everyone, En Yongping was starting to feel like Hui Guoquan was undermining his authority. ¡°As I said earlier, he is just a kid. Who knows if someone is blackmailing him into saying this?¡± Hui Guoquan replied. ¡°If there is no concrete evidence to prove his guilt, I humbly beseech Magistrate En to postpone the sentencing till more information is uncovered.¡± ¡°Please, just leave!¡± Hui Shajing pleaded once more, only to have his words fall on deaf ears. ¡°Enough of this farce. I don¡¯t have the time and energy to deal with your drama,¡± Mo Mian said with a sigh. ¡°So, what¡¯s the verdict, magistrate? Or are you going to keep entertaining this clown?¡± ¡°Brat, what did you just call me?¡± Hui Guoquan sneered. ¡°Just that display of disrespect alone is deserving of dea- heavy punishment!¡± Since becoming the head of the Hui Family, this was actually his very first time being spoken to in such a frivolous way, not to mention by someone in his twenties! ¡°And who is going to punish me?¡± Mo Mian smirked. ¡°You?¡± ¡°Are you going to just let him insult me like this, Magistrate En? Is there no longer a need for order in the Magistrate Hall?¡± Hui Guoquan questioned. ¡°Please calm down, Master Hui,¡± En Yongping¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°As I said, please leave. The Magistrate Hall will handle this.¡± ¡°I do not doubt that the Magistrate Hall is fair and just,¡± Hui Guoquan said. ¡°However, I have to say that all I see now is you standing on their side without question. For example, how can you not care when your residents are being called names in court? According to the norm, shouldn¡¯t there at least be some warning issued?¡± ¡°What do you mean by this, Master Hui?¡± En Yongping narrowed his eyes. ¡°Are you questioning my integrity right now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying that, but perhaps you have been lied to by rats and is thus momentarily blinded to the truth,¡± Hui Guoquan answered. ¡°Since the very beginning, these suspicious men have provided zero evidence of the supposed crime. No matter how I look at it, they are the ones who need to be trialled instead. And since the Magistrate Hall is unable to see the truth this time, let my Hui Family interrogate the true criminals in front of the people!¡± Before anyone else could react, one of the men who had entered along with Hui Guoquan suddenly dashed out from behind him, his arms reaching straight for Mo Mian! Why Don’t You Ride With Me Instead? As the head of the powerful Hui Family, Hui Guoquan was no fool. For this public trial to even happen, there was no doubt in his mind that Mo Mian¡¯s group must have hailed from some rather illustrious backgrounds. They looked too young to be officials themselves, but it was more than likely that they were related to officials in the city. That was the only way they could force Magistrate En into doing something like this all of a sudden. However, dealing with their background was something that he could worry about later. Right now, the most urgent thing was still to prevent the public sentencing of his son. Should that happen, things would have reached a point of no turning back. As long as they could avoid that worst case scenario, anything else could be settled as long as he showed enough ¡®sincerity¡¯ to the affected parties! That was why Hui Guoquan was going all out right now, intending to scare these younglings into doing his bidding for the time being. The man who had made his move was nicknamed Iron Claw Heng, a powerful martial artist who had served him for numerous years. With his bulky physique and scary appearance, Iron Claw Heng looked just like a common brute. However, Hui Guoquan had absolute confidence in his abilities ¨C both his martial prowess and his ability to hold back just enough to not cause permanent injuries. And as expected, Mo Mian seemed to be frozen in fear as he saw Iron Claw Heng rushing at him, capable of nothing apart from simply standing there like a wooden statue! The corner of Hui Guoquan¡¯s mouth curled upwards as he saw this. However, what happened the very next moment caused his smile to freeze over. Not only did this figure appear between them in a flash, he even reached out and grabbed Iron Claw Heng¡¯s outstretched arm by the wrist, instantly stopping his advance. ¡°What?!¡± Iron Claw Heng exclaimed in shock. In his years of roaming the pugilistic world, this was actually the first time someone had stopped him with such ease! On the contrary, the person he was facing right now did not seem the least surprised. ¡°What? Not convinced?¡± Pu Feixiang scoffed. ¡°You want to deal with my boss with just this? What a joke!¡± ¡°Who are y-?!¡± Bang-! Pu Feixiang sent Iron Claw Fist tumbling back with a kick, not even allowing him to complete his sentence. The poor man immediately fell to the ground, rolling around while hugging his tummy and letting out groans of agony. becameto see However, the ones present could not bring themselves to laugh. ¡°This...?¡± Hui Guoquan¡¯s confidence crumbled instantly, his expression turning into one of disbelief. In fact, it was not just him. Everyone in the audience fell silent from the shock. Everyone knew of Iron Claw Heng ¨C the terrifying right-hand man of Hui Guoquan. ¡°What are you waiting for, magistrate?¡± Mo Mian asked without even giving Iron Claw Heng a second glance. ¡°R-Right,¡± En Yongping stuttered as he tried to quickly recollect his thoughts. ¡°If there are no further objection, I hereby sentence Hui Shajing, Hei Helong, Bai Xianfeng, and the 12 other to a minimum of ten years in prison, subject to extension depending on their assessed level of remorse!¡± Hearing this, Hui Shajing and his men could only lower their heads in resignation. At the same time, the crowd broke into a huge commotion. Some expressed disbelief at how a member of the Hui Family was actually being punished. Some cheered at how these people were finally getting their just deserts after years of unbridled arrogance. There were even some who wailed in sorrow upon realising that their idol, Hui Shajing, would be imprisoned. However, clearo onestepforward and openly object the verdict. ¡°You... you can¡¯t do this!¡± Hui Guoquan finally regained his senses and said. ¡°we know things as well!¡± ¡°Send away Master Hui and his men! Don¡¯t let them continue blabbering nonsense here! H ¡°threatenedmade ¡°YStop This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. However, he dared not act lightly either. had always beeni Many of such dealings had been with the Hui Family as well, so the latter definitely knew of many of his misdeeds. list of targets At this point, Mo Mian turned around and slowly approached Hui Guoquan. ¡° towards Even his attendants felt the same, and failed to step forward to shield him as they had usually done. ¡° ¡°say ¡° ¡° ¡° Hui Guoquan felt his mind blank out for a moment. Indeed, everything would make sense if that was the case. with His son giving up without a fight... had been Everything made sense if they were indeed cultivators from the Black Tortoise Sect! En Yongping could not help but let out a sigh of relief upon witnessing this. he should know what to do from now on ¡° frightenedwillingavoid implicating ¡° He had never expected that his son would actually get into trouble with cultivators from the mighty Black Tortoise Sect. Now that the cultivators were involved toption Thud-! In front of everyone watching, the ever-so-imperious Hui Guoquan suddenly fell to his knees in front of Mo Mian. ¡° Everyone was shocked to see this side of him, surprised at the lengths that he was willing to go for his son. as much as he was a tyrant in the city, Hui Guoquan was still a father at heart. However, Mo Mian¡¯s eyes only turned cold. ¡°tvewill ¡°lord ¡°And you as well,¡± Mo Mian suddenly turned towards En Yongping, much to the shock of the crowd. ¡°Do not go overboard with your actions in the future, or you will not be let off lightly as well.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° *** ¡°the party retrieveddemand that offrom the start ¡°yourMo MianO ¡° ¡° managed to ¡° Zhao Yunxiao¡¯stherefore After all, they could not possibly carry Honey along while riding their spirit horses back. Ethoughhad hidden Forcing her to walk while d ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°most junioris the oneyou Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± Detonate! ¡°remarked with a frown ¡° ¡° ¡°glanceWouldlike Gui Longcan: ¡°¡­¡± It was not just him either. All members of the party had no idea how to deal with this shameless woman! ¡° Since Zhao Yunxiaoabout making himcaptive awouldnot to mention the fact that ¡° h All he had to do was just tolerate this woman¡¯s antiques for a day, and it would all be over once they returned to Purple Plum Mountain! ¡°I knew you would agree!¡± Honey quickly got in her seat and tapped the spirit horse beside her. ¡°Come! Sit next to me!¡± ¡°JuZhao,¡± Pu Feixiang returned Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s earlier words to him. ¡° The journey back was largely uneventful, as the group simply rested whenever the spirit horses needed a break. Even as they rested at night, they made sure that two people were awake at any point in time, responsible for watching Honey and making sure she did not try anything funny. *** ¡°Hey...¡± Honey whispered as the spirit horses continued galloping towards their destination the next day. Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± He kept his gaze focused on the road and completely ignored her whisper, pretending as though he could not hear her. ¡°Hey... I¡¯m talking to you,¡± Honey said again. ¡°Stop acting, I know that you could hear me all along.¡± Indeed, this was not the first time that she had tried to talk to Zhao Yunxiao. It was just that in all her previous attempts, she had simply accepted it when Zhao Yunxiao straight up ignored her. This time, however, it seemed that she was not intending to let that slide. ¡°What is it?¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered coldly without looking at her. While Honey kept her voice low enough for only Zhao Yunxiao to hear, Zhao Yunxiao chose not to control his volume. ¡°Not so loud!¡± Honey chided him. ¡°And why aren¡¯t you looking at me? I thought you orthodox cultivators emphasised respect and honour? Isn¡¯t it basic respect to look at others when talking to them?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Zhao Yunxiao took a deep breath before turning to ask her. However, he still did not lower his volume. So while the rest of the party could not hear Honey, they could all hear Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s responses. ¡°Isn¡¯t that better? Aren¡¯t I attractive? I¡¯m sure you feel better looking at me instead of the road too, right?¡± Honey shot him a coquettish look. Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± ¡°All right, all right,¡± Honey leaned in closer and whispered even more softly. ¡°What do you say you help me escape?¡± ¡°Dream on. Why would I ever do something like that?¡± Zhao Yunxiao rolled his eyes in response. ¡°Of course I will make it worth your while if you do so, and your sect doesn¡¯t have to know either,¡± Honey smirked. ¡°For example, you can have plenty of riches that the Scarlet Leaf Sect has accumulated over the years. Or if that¡¯s not enough, perhaps you can have your way with me as well...¡± As she said that, Honey slowly pulled down her robe slightly from the neck, all the way down to reveal her collarbone. ¡°Not interested,¡± Zhao Yunxiao, however, was not tempted at all. That said, Honey was indeed attractive. And she had even added a charming technique to her voice, though it was greatly muted due to her meridians being sealed. On top of that, most young men around Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s age were full of vigour and curiosity. Though they might not have readily accepted her proposal, most of them would have at least felt slightly moved upon hearing such words from her. That was all she needed as well, as it would serve as a stepping stone to continue charming her target. Unfortunately for her, Zhao Yunxiao had always been an extremely disciplined individual, perhaps a little too much in that regard, so such tricks would never work on him. As if that was not enough, he had also been exposed to someone who was even more attractive than Honey over the past month, so that further helped to build his resistance against pretty girls. To put it bluntly, she was simply targeting the wrong person this time. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Hearing Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s curt reply caused Honey to finally furrow her brows. She had not thought that things would go so easily either, but she had imagined some sort of response from Zhao Yunxiao at least. Who knew that the latter would end up shutting her down so firmly? ¡°All right, enough joking around,¡± Honey said. ¡°I¡¯m actually serious when I say that you need to let me go now. Otherwise, the consequences are not something that you can even imagine.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°You have no clue about what is going on. The Scarlet Leaf Sect¡¯s plan is so profound that people like us don¡¯t even deserve to be named as chess pieces, and the world will tremble soon enough when it is revealed,¡± Honey raised her voice for the first time to let everyone hear her. ¡°This is my final warning. The Scarlet Leaf Sect will not allow any complications to the plan. So if you were to insist on bringing me back with you, I assure you that we will all be finished.¡± ¡°And I am guessing you are aware of these plans?¡± Zhao Yunxiao tried to probe. ¡°Why don¡¯t you share a bit of it with us, so that we can at least gauge whether you are speaking the truth?¡± ¡°You might be loyal to the Black Tortoise Sect, but I am loyal to the Scarlet Leaf Sect as well,¡± Honey answered. ¡°And even if I wanted to, we will all be dead once the sect finds out that I revealed any part of the plan to you. If you let me go now, we can all live that much longer.¡± ¡°Forget it, Junior Martial Brother Zhao,¡± Chu Han said. ¡°We are almost back by now. We can just let the sect administrators deal with her.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be happening,¡± Honey scoffed. ¡°And why woul-?¡± Chu Han was speaking halfway when he suddenly frowned. ¡°She¡¯s undoing the seal on her meridians!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° And with that, the ominous flames mercilessly swept over all five of them. Nie Hanchang’s Request ¡°ominousdissipated He asked that, but he was not exactly in the best condition himself, either. hair wast Nevertheless, he was still feeling quite all right. Relatively speaking, at least. edsustained ¡° He was in a much better state than Mo Mian. While the latter specialised in offensive techniques, Chu Han was a defensive specialist. This time, he actually managed to completely block out the ominous flames, not sustaining any injuries whatsoever! ¡° ¡°as he tried his best to catch his breath in a kneeling position. Unlike the two inner disciples, Pu Feixiang¡¯s and Gui Longcan¡¯s essence energy guards only managed to block the initial wave of flames before being broken through. had beencreatinged Partscaught by the flames as wella smokey Hadnot beenmight ¡° The flames from earlier had possessed an ominous trait. They had no idea what it truly was, so it could have been bad if they had let it affect them. Thankfully, that did not seem to be the case. ¡° However, he seemed to be in a much better state than Pu Feixiang and Gui Longcan, which kind of surprised everyone. appeared to be completely ¡° From the looks of it, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s physical endurance was likely even higher than his own. ¡° ¡° Indeed, had it not been for Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s early warning, which allowed them to c ¡° ¡° ¡°After allis probably Nevertheless, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel good about himself. trip ¡°where n leaving nothing but ¡°recovery pills ¡° ¡° He had wanted to bring Honey back for interrogation, hoping to earn some extra sect points by doing so. Unfortunately, that plan had gone straight down the drain now. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° He had only just gotten back from the demon subduing mission, but it seemed that he would not be getting much of a rest tonight, having to make the necessary preparations for the forging process tomorrow. Black Rose Time truly passed faster when one was busy. Zhao Yunxiao had barely managed to sneak in his daily dose of meditation when the morning sun started to slowly rise above the horizon. He got off his bed and stretched, casually loosening his nerves as he mentally prepared himself for the long day ahead. Still, he did not take long to do so. After double checking the items that he had in his spatial pouch, Zhao Yunxiao quickly left for the canteen. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Zhao! We¡¯re here!¡± Lu Zhiying¡¯s familiar voice greeted him the moment he stepped into the canteen. It was a real feast for the eyes. They really needed to start thinking of other cheap ways to settle their meals, or they might just have to learn to get used to dealing with this attention on a daily basis. ¡° Yeah, not too bad,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded while digging in. ¡°There were a few hiccups here and there, but everything worked out in the end.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Why would the prestigious Black Rose come to the canteen? It was not like they would care for the free food served here. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°I see...¡± Tu Shi shot a strange look at Zhao Yunxiao before turning back to Lu Zhiying, ¡°As you were saying, Junior Martial Sister Lu?¡± ¡°Regarding that, would it be possible for Senior Martial Brother Zhao and Senior Martial Sister Gu to join along with me?¡± Lu Zhiying asked without hesitation. ¡°Them...?¡± Tu Shi was stumped by the question but quickly recollected herself. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡± Their looks might be rather decent, but they were definitely not to the point of being exceptional. As for their talent, they could only be considered mediocre at best. No, even if they disregarded all of that, Zhao Yunxiao was a guy as well! This was simply an impossible request, to say the least! ¡°Since that is the case... thank you for the invitation, Senior Martial Sister Tu. However, I would have to politely turn down your kind invitation,¡± Lu Zhiying said with a smile on her face. Her answer drew audible gasps from many of the disciples around. While their active members had changed over the years, Black Rose was a group that had existed for a rather long period of time. That said, this was actually the first time that they had heard of anyone rejecting an invitation to join the group! Tu Shi was just as shocked as everyone else, but she did not let her feelings show. Instead, she immediately cast a suspicious glance towards Zhao Yunxiao. She could not help but feel that there was something wrong with Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s sudden outburst earlier. Did he truly just want to give Lu Zhiying a friendly reminder? Or did he have something on Lu Zhiying, using that opportunity to threaten Lu Zhiying not to join Black Rose? ¡°Can I have a private chat with you, Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Tu Shi asked. Introducing Applicant Number One! Yet even among them, there were some who were especially selfish and possessive, blatantly seeking to monopolise whatever they could, even if it was at the expense of others. Judging from the current situation, Tu Shi would not be surprised if Zhao Yunxiao had tried all sorts of ways just to keep Lu Zhiying close to him, including resorting to means that involved feeding the innocent Lu Zhiying with lies. After all, Lu Zhiying was exceptional in terms of both looks and talent. Any man would love to keep her by their side. On top of that, Lu Zhiying had only just joined the Black Tortoise Sect not long ago, and would not know how to differentiate truth from lies. In that sense, Zhao Yunxiao was clearly in a position of power over her. Who knew what he had said to her in private that could have influenced her decision? To have the heart to ruin someone¡¯s future due to their own selfishness ¨C this was the kind of man that she despised the most! ¡°A private chat...?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked hesitantly. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Tu Shi answered solemnly. Zhao Yunxiao felt the corner of his lips twitch. Under any other circumstances, he would have been happy to accept the invitation for a chat since it was equivalent to an opportunity to establish a connection with someone from the prestigious Black Rose. However, different situations called for different approaches. Lu Zhiying¡¯s unexpected declination of the invitation, coupled with the slightly hostile expression on Tu Shi¡¯s face, inevitably caused Zhao Yunxiao to heighten his guard. Thinking back on how the conversation had flowed up until now, Zhao Yunxiao quickly realised that he might have caused a slight misunderstanding. ¡°Why don¡¯t you reconsider, Junior Martial Sister Lu?¡± Zhao Yunxiao urged, making sure he was loud enough for Tu Shi to hear. ¡°Joining Black Rose is a golden opportunity that most others would die for.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I prefer to hang around you guys instead!¡± Lu Zhiying shook her head. ¡°If the two of you are not joining, then I won¡¯t either!¡± Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± While he understood that Lu Zhiying truly meant what she said, her words could also be interpreted in a way that suggested Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi had told her to make a choice between Black Rose or them! ¡°Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Tu Shi asked again. ¡°Would you like to step out with me for a moment?¡± ¡°How about another time?¡± Zhao Yunxiao suggested nervously. ¡°I still have something to attend to.¡± If he really had no choice but to go ahead with having this conversation, then so be it. But even then, rather than jumping straight into it, he had to first come up with a way to convince Tu Shi of his innocence! ¡°It won¡¯t take long,¡± Tu Shi insisted. ¡°Besides, what do you have to attend to? If need be, I can help you with that later to make up for your lost time.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be able to help,¡± Nie Hanchang¡¯s voice sounded out before Zhao Yunxiao had the chance to reply. Everyone turned to see Nie Hanchang entering the canteen and making his way over to their table. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Nie?¡± Tu Shi frowned. ¡°And just what is it exactly that I will not be able to help with?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think we need to report our activities to you, do we?¡± Nie Hanchang did not bother phrasing his words nicely. Such harsh words caused the atmosphere in the canteen to freeze all of a sudden. No one had expected Nie Hanchang to enter the conversation in such a fiery manner! At the same time, Tu Shi¡¯s frown instantly deepened. She had not been spoken to in such a condescending manner for a very long time now, and for good reason as well. Tu Shi was considered exceptional even among the members of Black Rose, and this went far beyond just her seductive looks. Instead, her cultivation talent was truly what set her apart. At her current age of twenty, Tu Shi had just broken through to the Peak Essence Gathering realm a couple months ago. Back when it happened, this piece of news had swept through and astonished the entire outer sect. After all, it was a huge milestone to reach the Peak Essence Gathering realm by the age of twenty. Peak Essence Gathering realm by twenty, or Peak Essence Physique realm by twenty five ¨C these were the basic criteria that essentially qualified any outer disciple to join the inner sect. As long as she did not screw up badly during this year¡¯s annual assessment, she would likely be an inner disciple this time next year! Of course, as a member of Black Rose, she was expected to enter the inner sect sooner or later. It was just that actually doing so was still considered a significant accomplishment regardless. But while Tu Shi was definitely famous, Nie Hanchang was not exactly lacking in comparison either. Up until about a month ago, Nie Hanchang had been regarded as nothing more than a bow fanatic who seemed to be overly obsessed with the bow and arrow. However, he suddenly shocked the entire sect by forging a mythical tier bow. Now, few in the sect did not know of his name, and that included even the inner disciples. In that regard, his fame even overshadowed that of the Black Rose members! A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Did you offend her somehow?¡± Gu Qiansi asked. She could tell that something was wrong with the conversation earlier. ¡°It seems like I somehow managed to do so during this short encounter,¡± Zhao Yunxiao let out a regretful sigh. Offending Black Rose was definitely a bad move. If he did not want to permanently lose this potential source of benefits, he would have to think of ways to reconcile with them soon! ¡°But Senior Martial Sister Tu is right,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said to Lu Zhiying. ¡°You really should give it another thought. Joining Black Rose will truly provide you with huge benefits.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I get it,¡± Lu Zhiying shrugged. Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± Do you really get it? Nevertheless, whether to do so or not was still entirely up to Lu Zhiying. If Lu Zhiying did not want to join Black Rose, it was not like Zhao Yunxiao would force her to, either. In any case, Zhao Yunxiao was confident that even without joining Black Rose, Lu Zhiying would still be able to join the inner sect sooner or later! ¡°But do the two of you really have plans?¡± Gu Qiansi eyed the two guys suspiciously. ¡°Or is it just a ruse to avoid the conversation with Senior Martial Sister Tu?¡± ¡°We are exemplary men of integrity. Would we lie just for something like that?¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°Go get your breakfast, Senior Martial Brother Nie. I can wait.¡± ¡°Exemplary men of integrity, eh?¡± Gu Qiansi scoffed in response. She had lost count of the number of times that she had caught Zhao Yunxiao lying. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ve already eaten,¡± Nie Hanchang shook his head. ¡°I have been honing my skills by going on regular hunting trips recently and ended up with a huge stockpile of meat, so I have been settling my meals with that instead. While it might not be too tasty due to my cooking skills, the nutrients are undoubtedly beneficial to my constitution.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why we haven¡¯t seen you at the canteen recently,¡± Gu Qiansi nodded in realisation. ¡°Oh?¡± Zhao Yunxiao suddenly had an idea. ¡°Do you still have a lot of it left? Would you need a chef to handle it for you?¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Gu Qiansi narrowed her eyes at him. She could roughly guess what Zhao Yunxiao was trying to get at. ¡°Well, I do have quite a huge stockpile left, and it is only growing by the day. These beasts are huge, after all,¡± Nie Hanchang said. ¡°But... a chef? Are you volunteering to cook it for me, Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± ¡°Not me, but I know someone who can do just that!¡± Zhao Yunxiao lightly pushed Gu Qiansi forward. ¡°Introducing Applicant Number One... Gu Qiansi!¡± ¡° ¡°Are you asking for a beating?¡± Gu Qiansi felt the corner of her lips twitch. ¡°That¡¯s right, Gu Qiansi,¡± Zhao Yunxiao ignored Gu Qiansi and continued. ¡°Don¡¯t judge her solely by her nasty character ¨C her cooking skills are actually top notch! Rest assured. With her handling your ingredients, you can say goodbye to the days of nasty tasting food. As long as you are able to provide sufficient ingredients, you are guaranteed to have a satisfying and delicious meal! In fact, you will even be able to get more nutrients from your food due to proper food preparation!¡± ¡°It seems like you have a death wish...¡± Gu Qiansi felt a vein popping on her forehead. ¡°...Are you sure about this?¡± Nie Hanchang could naturally see Gu Qiansi¡¯s reaction for himself. ¡°What are you doing? It¡¯s our perfect opportunity to settle our meals elsewhere. Don¡¯t ruin it!¡± Zhao Yunxiao told Gu Qiansi off. ¡°Did you even ask me?¡± Gu Qiansi retorted. ¡°And just how would cooking for Senior Martial Brother Nie help with that?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear him say that he has a lot of leftovers? If you cook for him, I¡¯m sure he will be willing to share some with us too!¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°Did you even ask him?¡± Gu Qiansi questioned. ¡°On top of that, if Senior Martial Brother Nie is providing the ingredients and I am doing the cooking, why do you need to be included?¡± ¡°That¡¯s harsh! Are you saying that you want to exclude Junior Martial Sister Lu as well?¡± Zhao Yunxiao quickly stepped behind Lu Zhiying and pushed the latter forward. ¡°That¡¯s harsh, Senior Martial Sister Gu!¡± Lu Zhiying immediately understood the assignment and echoed Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s words. ¡°...I guess it¡¯s fine,¡± Gu Qiansi had no choice but to take her words back. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± Nie Hanchang interjected. ¡°If it means that the food quality will improve, simply sharing some ingredients is nothing in comparison. I have received far more from you guys, after all.¡± ¡°You have?¡± Gu Qiansi raised an eyebrow. Since when had they helped Nie Hanchang? She was certain that she had never helped Nie Hanchang with much. In that case, when had Zhao Yunxiao helped him? And with what? ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Senior Martial Brother Nie. The food quality will definitely improve ¨C that I can attest to,¡± Zhao Yunxiao assured before turning to Gu Qiansi. ¡°Hear that? He has already agreed. It¡¯s all up to you now.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Due to Lu Zhiying¡¯s rapidly growing popularity drawing unwanted attention, they had been feeling rather uncomfortable when having their meals at the canteen recently. And now, they had finally found a way to solve this problem! Path of Smithing ¡° ¡° ¡° After their discussion last night, Zhao Yunxiao had written up a shopping list for Nie Hanchang, detailing all the extra materials that they would need for the forging process today. Since it was already late at night, Zhao Yunxiao thought that Nie Hanchang would probably have waited till today to get them. In that case, they might have to drop by the Sect Market before heading to the Forge. However, it would appear that Nie Hanchang was more enthusiastic than expected. Or perhaps he should have expected this from the start. After all, Nie Hanchang had always been known for his obsession with the bow and arrow, so anything regarding his equipment was probably considered a big deal for him. ¡°All right, wait here for now,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said as they arrived at the Forge. ¡°If I don¡¯t come out in around thirty minutes, that will be your signal to enter.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Nie Hanchang nodded. They had already agreed on this last night, so he did not need further explanation. Just like that, Zhao Yunxiao made his way into the Forge to greet the administrative deacon ¨C Tian Guiren. The latter was surprised to see Zhao Yunxiao since he was not supposed to be on duty today. Under normal circumstances, showing up for duty on a different day would not entitle one to fulfil their weekly requirement. But considering their close relationship, Tian Guiren made an exception for Zhao Yunxiao this time, though not without cautioning him not to do so too often. Zhao Yunxiao had already run countless simulations about the forging process in his head last night, so he was rather confident about at least completing the process. As for the actual quality of the final product, they would just have to leave that up to fate! ¡°I¡¯m here, Junior Martial Brother Zhao,¡± Nie Hanchang entered the furnace room and closed the door behind him. Huu-! Zhao Yunxiao took a deep breath to compose himself before nodding. ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡± Even though this was not for himself, Zhao Yunxiao still wanted to do everything he could to make it a success. No, perhaps it was because this was not for himself that he wanted it even more. After all, the thing he hated the most was to burden his companions! The duo laid out all the materials they had prepared beforehand, and went through the entire plan once more just to ensure that each of them knew exactly what to do at each stage of the upcoming forging process. Thankfully, this was not the first time that they had done this together, so Zhao Yunxiao had a clear understanding of Nie Hanchang¡¯s abilities, or the lack thereof in his case. This allowed Zhao Yunxiao to better plan their respective roles, making sure that Nie Hanchang only had to do things that he was truly capable of. After they were done, Nie Hanchang decisively brought out the Grand Annihilator with a flick of his wrist and rested it against the wall. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Hmm? Why are you bringing that out now?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked in confusion. ¡°Since we are forging support equipment for the Grand Annihilator, I just thought that it would be nice if it could witness the entire process as well,¡± Nie Hanchang scratched his cheek in embarrassment. ¡°Or is it going to be a distraction?¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head with a smile. ¡°This might be a good thing as well. Being able to see the Grand Annihilator might just motivate us to work a little harder for its sake.¡± Perhaps this level of dedication was something that Zhao Yunxiao should be learning from him as well! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If he really had talent in this aspect, perhaps it was worth considering reducing his commitment in other fields, so that he could spend more time and effort on pursuing the path of smithing a little more seriously? The Easiest One, Please! Seeing the slightly larger numbers in his account, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but smile. To a certain extent, he even felt that his exhaustion from the forging process earlier had been somewhat alleviated. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. As if that alone was not enough, there were also missions that had been put up by sect disciples. After all, not everyone had a fixed party like the members of the Mystic Cavalry. Thus, it was not uncommon for individual sect members to temporarily seek help from others for matters that they could not handle alone. Some of them preferred to personally seek out others, but there were also others who preferred to register it as a mission to simplify the recruiting process. Even then, there were thousands of such missions available. ¡° ¡° ¡°Certainly. Which mission would you like to apply for?¡± Qi Jiesheng asked. ¡° ¡° ¡°I am looking for something that¡¯s outside of Purple Plum Mountain, and is not too time consuming at the same time,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°It cannot take more than three days.¡± ¡°Outside of the mountain, but not too time consuming?¡± Qi Jiesheng repeated it in slight confusion. ¡°Pardon me for asking, but why don¡¯t you consider something that can be done within the mountain if you are pressed for time?¡± ¡°Well, I wanted to get a breather outside, but the monthly cultivation lecture is coming up, so I don¡¯t really want to miss it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao scratched his head in embarrassment. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just return to the sect yesterday?¡± Qi Jiesheng raised an eyebrow. ¡°I guess I just have a heart for travelling,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°...I see,¡± Qi Jiesheng said. He was still unconvinced, but chose not to probe any further. After all, it was not his job to question others¡¯ choices. Instead, he brought out a few scrolls and looked through them before naming a few in particular that fit Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s preference. These were all missions that could be completed relatively near to Purple Plum Mountain, and should not take more than three days to finish, even after including the travelling time. ¡°This...¡± Zhao Yunxiao hesitated a little before continuing. ¡°Among them, may I know which mission is the easiest?¡± Qi Jiesheng looked at Zhao Yunxiao with a strange gaze after hearing his question ¨C a gaze that was filled with disdain. Zhao Yunxiao naturally noticed this as well, but merely smiled in response. There were times when one had to be thick skinned in order to get what they wanted! ¡°If you want the easiest one, then perhaps this one. It is something that even those at the Foundation Building realm would be able to do,¡± Qi Jiesheng pointed at a particular mission. ¡°But if you ask me, I would suggest you take up this other mission instead. I¡¯m sure you are more than capable of doing this, and the corresponding reward is higher as well.¡± Zhao Yunxiao took a look at the two missions. The easier mission involved going to a nearby city for some contract negotiations with mortal merchants. Not to mention someone at the Foundation Building realm, even an ordinary mortal would probably have no problem doing so. As for the mission that Qi Jiesheng was suggesting, it involved joining a party that was going to perform some regular array maintenance at a historical site nearby. ¡° ¡° ¡° Since there was no danger involved in this mission, it should not be a problem to bring Lu Zhiying along as well! Going for the Risky Bet Lu Zhiying had been rather vocal about her wish to leave the mountain for a while now. Unfortunately, that had not been possible due to the sect¡¯s restriction on all new members. According to the sect rules, all new members were not allowed to leave Purple Plum Mountain during their first month in the sect. But counting the time since she first joined, she should have just hit her one month mark now. This meant that she could finally leave the mountain, and Zhao Yunxiao had no doubt that Lu Zhiying would definitely plan to do so as soon as she could. So, rather than leaving her to do whatever she wanted, it might be better to plan something safe for her instead. After all, this junior martial sister of his seemed to have an unnaturally pronounced penchant for thrills and adventure, but these things often came along with a certain degree of danger. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° First Stop – Home Zhao Yunxiao was not overly envious as he recognisedNie Hanchang beginning to embark on the path to success. Many of them soared brilliantly and became established inner disciples, leaving him in the dust during the process. However, there were also some who got ahead of themselves and ended up suffering irreversible injuries while attempting to push themselves one step too far. Rather than taking such risks, all Zhao Yunxiao wanted was to walk the path of cultivation in a slow and steady manner. This was definitely the safest way for him to reach the goal that he had always wanted ¨C freedom! Since the ingredients had already arrived, Gu Qiansi quickly started cooking with the condiments that she had brought. Before long, the quartet found themselves sitting around a fire as they happily enjoyed some freshly roasted meat. The warm juices from the meat felt especially comforting in the cold nights of early spring. As he savoured the taste in his mouth, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel proud of himself for having made this arrangement. Not only was this better-tasting andnutritious than the food served in the canteen, but it was also nice that they could have their meal in peace for the first time in a while, without getting strange looks from the other sect members. He could only hope that Nie Hanchang and Gu Qiansi would not tire of this arrangement too soon! As they were enjoying their meal, Zhao Yunxiao finally succumbed to Lu Zhiying¡¯s relentless barrage of questions, and started sharing about his demon subduing trip in detail. Unfortunately, it was a depressing story about how the demon was simply taking revenge on the humans who had mistreated it in the past, so the atmosphere quickly turned solemn as he kept speaking. With such an atmosphere, the group was not really in the mood to stay much longer after dinner, and promptly returned to their residences. But before they left, Gu Qiansi still made sure to properly store the leftovers in the big cauldron. The cauldron was armed with special arrays that allowed it to keep any food nice and fresh. Even after some time had passed, these leftovers could still be enjoyed as though they were freshly made. This was a vital part of their meal arrangement plan, making it possible for anyone to come enjoy their meals here even if Gu Qiansi was not present to personally make it for them on the spot. Nevertheless, returning to his residence did not mark the end of the day for Zhao Yunxiao. The first thing he did was checkhis inventory. Due to Nie Hanchang¡¯s sudden request last night, Zhao Yunxiao had yet to find the time to inspect the gear that he had brought along for the demon subduing trip. Zhao Yunxiao started off his morning with some light practice before heading off. But this morning was a little different for him. Instead of going to the canteen for free breakfast, he headed straight for the Clear Thoughts Pavilion. With Gu Qiansi coming along on the mission, Zhao Yunxiao thought that going to the canteen for breakfast would simply be a waste of his stomach space! As always, Zhao Yunxiao was the first to arrive, but that was only relative to the two young ladies. By the time he arrived at the Clear Thoughts Pavilion, there were already numerous other outer disciples present, most of whom were getting ready to go ahead with their plans for the day. But when Gu Qiansi and Lu Zhiying arrived with their arms linked, it was as though time itself had suddenly come to a stop at the pavilion. Everyone put down what they were doing, and the busy discussions went silent. All attention was drawn over to the two ladies, especially that of the male disciples. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡° She was in a really good mood today since she was about to go on her very first sect mission! Zhao Yunxiao instantly regretted suggesting the crowded Clear Thoughts Pavilion as their meeting point. L-Let¡¯s go,¡± Zhao Yunxiao urged while trying to ignore the death stares coming from all around him. ¡° Just like that, the trio quickly left the Clear Thoughts Pavilion and headed for the sect entrance. As they exited the sect grounds and were making their way down Purple Plum Mountain, Lu Zhiying could not help but look around in fascination. It was only a month ago when she had followed the guide up Purple Plum Mountain, taking this exact same path to join the Black Tortoise Sect. But instead of renting spirit horses like the Mystic Cavalry had done, the trio chose to rent normal horses this time. After all, they were on a simple mission with minimal rewards, not to mention that they would have to split the rewards among the three of them. Therefore, they would have to save costs wherever they could, or the costs simply would not justify the benefits. ¡° ¡° ¡° Lu Zhiying had already formed her spiritual meridian root and was now at the Primary Foundation Building realm, so Zhao Yunxiao was not too worried about her getting hurt. But if she did not know how to ride a horse, then it might end up delaying the completion of the mission. ¡° And what exactly are you intending to pay with? I don¡¯t take credit,¡± Zhao Yunxiao rolled his eyes. As a new disciple, Lu Zhiying had yet to even collect her first paycheck from working at the Herb Gardens, so there was no way she could have any sect points! This... is Senior Martial Brother Zhao suggesting that I pay with my body...?¡± Lu Zhiying askedin a shockedmanner, deliberately covering her chest at the same time. ¡° ¡° ¡° Watch ou-!¡± Gu Qiansi called out in concern, but cut her words short as she saw what happened next. ¡° Well... that went a lot better than I expected,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said wryly. Yeah...¡± Gu Qiansi nodded in agreement. On the way, Gu Qiansi shared some rice balls with everyone, which she had specially made for them early this morning. Munching on those delicious rice balls lifted Lu Zhiying¡¯s mood even further as she cheerfully commented on the various sceneries along the way, marvelling at the simple wonders of nature. Perhaps it was the feeling of horseriding for the first time, or perhaps it was the feeling of finally leaving the mountain after having her restrictions lifted. Regardless of the actual reason, Lu Zhiying could not help but feel a newfound appreciation for these simple things that even ordinary mortals would think little of. Seeing this, Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi exchanged glances in satisfaction. Unfortunately, dark clouds started gathering overhead soon after they began their journey, almost as though the heavens were jealous of their joyful moment. Seems like it¡¯s going to rain soon, and it might be a heavy one as well,¡± Lu Zhiying commented after spotting the dark clouds hanging overhead. ¡°Shall we seek shelter somewhere?¡± ¡° ¡° In fact, ever since taking a small fork in the road earlier, they had been travelling on a narrow road through the woods for a while now. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° She was just done speaking when the trio finally cleared the narrow road, entering a huge clearing. The first thing that drew their attention was the lovely wooden house at the far end of the clearing, with light smoke escaping its small chimney. Attached to it was a ranch that housed poultry. In front of the house was a decently sized piece of farmland where crops like oats, garlic, and carrots seemed to be growing well despite the cold. It was a simple setup, but one that looked neat and organised nonetheless. Well then, Junior Martial Sister Lu,¡± Gu Qiansi said. ¡°Welcome to my home.¡± Family At this moment, a little girl walked out of the ranch and caught sight of the trio. She looked to be no more than eight years old and sported a cute bobcut. Her clothes were simple, but also sufficiently thick to keep out the cold of early spring. ¡°Eh?¡± she rubbed her eyes before taking another look. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Leave it to me!¡± Lu Zhiying patted her chest in assurance. ¡°I will make sure to keep Senior Martial Sister Gu safe and sound!¡± ¡°Then I will have to thank you in advance,¡± Mama Gu nodded. ¡°All right, let¡¯s stop chatting out here,¡± Papa Gu said. ¡°It looks like it is about to rain, so why don¡¯t you continue your chat in the house instead?¡± ¡°Yes, you are right,¡± Mama Gu nodded in agreement before ushering the group into the house. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go in!¡± Gu Qianshan pulled Gu Qiansi by the sleeve. While Gu Qiansi was being dragged in by the excited Gu Qianshan, Zhao Yunxiao and Lu Zhiying made sure to take care of her horse, bringing all three horses into the ranch to shelter them from the impending rain. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Following Papa Gu¡¯s lead, Zhao Yunxiao and Lu Zhiying did not take long to put away the horses. In fact, Zhao Yunxiao did not even need Papa Gu¡¯s help. This was not exactly his first visit, so he was already rather familiar with the place. After which, the duo returned to the house while Papa Gu remained in the ranch to finish up some work. When they entered, they could see the two kids sitting on each of Gu Qiansi¡¯s sides as they updated one another on their lives. ¡°Is Auntie in the kitchen?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s probably cooking up some ingredients that Gu Qiansi brought,¡± Zhao Yunxiao whispered in response. ¡°Every time she visits, Gu Qiansi will bring along some spiritual herbs that are mild enough for ordinary mortals to consume. Of course, she would still have to process them in advance to make it possible for Auntie to cook them without causing them to lose their nutrients. But as a result of consuming these spiritual herbs, the family¡¯s constitution has improved by leaps and bounds.¡± That¡¯s nice...¡± Lu Zhiying¡¯s words trailed off for a moment as she watched Gu Qiansi chat with her excited siblings. Are you all right?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked when he noticed the longing expression on her face. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Hmm? Yes, of course! What can be wrong? Are you imagining things, Senior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Lu Zhiying¡¯s expression immediately returned to normal. ¡°But then again, I have to admit that you seem really familiar with this place. Have you been here a lot?¡± ¡°As long as I can afford the time, I will drop by whenever I am in the vicinity,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°Even if Senior Martial Sister Gu is not with you?¡± Lu Zhiying asked curiously. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°That anti-social plant obsessed freak seldom leaves the sect grounds, after all. So she is naturally not with me most of the time.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Lu Zhiying rubbed her chin in contemplation. ¡°Maybe I will do the same in the future as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure Gu Qiansi would appreciate that,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Just don¡¯t go out of your way to do so, or Gu Qiansi might start to feel bad about it.¡± ¡°Got it! Come to think of it, her parents are farmers as well,¡± Lu Zhiying suddenly realised. ¡°That explains where Gu Qiansi got her agricultural skills from!¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Auntie¡¯s cooking is quite good as well.¡± ¡°Oh, right. I should go help Auntie with the cooking!¡± With that, Lu Zhiying ran off before Zhao Yunxiao could say another word. Zhao Yunxiao let out a helpless sigh upon seeing this. At this point, Papa Gu returned to the house. ¡°Sorry, Yunxiao. I still have a delivery to make and won¡¯t be able to make it back by tonight, so I won¡¯t be able to entertain you much this time,¡± Papa Gu told Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Please feel free to make yourself at home, and see you again next time.¡± ¡°A delivery? But it is about to rain,¡± Zhao Yunxiao was surprised to hear that. ¡°Why don¡¯t I go with you then? That will make things faster and easier.¡± ¡°Yeah, Dad,¡± Gu Qiansi overheard their conversation and shouted over. ¡°It looks like this rain will be quite a heavy one as well. Why don¡¯t you let Zhao Yunxiao do it for you instead?¡± She would do it herself if possible, but her two younger siblings would probably be rather upset if she were to suddenly leave now. ¡°What are you saying, silly girl? This is my job, so how can I ask Yunxiao to do it for me?¡± Papa Gu declined without hesitation. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Yunxiao. I have been doing this for a long time, and have long gotten used to it. If you really want to help, do me a favour and stay over tonight instead of leaving so soon. My wife would love that.¡± ¡°This... all right, then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao agreed. He had known Papa Gu for years now and understood how stubborn the latter was. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s a promise then!¡± Lu Zhiying grinned. ¡°Be careful during your delivery!¡± Mama Gu shouted from inside the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯ll be going now!¡± Papa Gu shouted back. ¡°Bye, Dad!¡± Gu Qiansi said. ¡°Bye, Dad!¡± her siblings echoed. With that, Papa Gu left the house. Papa Gu went over to the ranch and drove a horse carriage out, controlling the reins from the front of the carriage. Thankfully, there was a shelter attached to the horse carriage, which would be able to shelter both him and the farm produce behind. After waving goodbye to everyone through the window, Papa Gu promptly left. In the meantime, Mama Gu finished cooking for the family with Lu Zhiying¡¯s help, and everyone came together to enjoy a simple yet delicious meal. The dark clouds overhead had finally reached their limit, and were no longer able to hold back the heavy rain. The moment they heard the thunderclap, all three of Gu Qiansi¡¯s family members simultaneously jolted in response. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°as wellwaingfrom her sleepatlisteningtranquilrainif any ¡°Auntieidwhen she heard the sound of thunder, though. definitely looked Since that was the case, ¡°Not liking it is an understatement. Auntie is actually terrified of thunder,smiled wrylyher kidsfear thunderstorms like her glance sher expression ¡°So, this is what ¡° ¡° ¡° Even if they had lost their past families, what¡¯s important was that they were now all part of a new big family in the form of the Black Tortoise Sect! Moonrise City The thunderstorm lasted all night. It was already early morning by the time it finally stopped. ¡°My daughter looks fine no matter what she is wearing,¡± Mama Gu praised as she straightened the clothes on Gu Qiansi. Beside them were Zhao Yunxiao and Lu Zhiying, both of whom were getting ready to leave as well. As for Gu Qiansi¡¯s two younger siblings, they were nowhere to be found. After staying up for the entire night, Gu Wanzheng and Gu Qianshan had fallen into a deep sleep and could not be woken up no matter how hard they tried. ¡°Take care, Mum,¡± Gu Qiansi gave her a hug. ¡°I will be back to see you soon.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your mum is absolutely fine here. You take care of yourself instead. No matter what you do, remember that safety comes first. Glory and rewards are meaningless if you don¡¯t have the life to enjoy them,¡± Mama Gu said in concern. ¡°You two take care of yourselves as well, Yunxiao and Zhiying.¡± ¡°We will,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°Well then, farewell.¡± ¡°Mm, see you again,¡± Mama Gu waved to bid them goodbye. With that, the trio got on their horses and rode off. Mama Gu did not return to the house immediately. Instead, she stood there and waved towards them as their figures slowly became smaller. And when they completely left her line of sight, Mama Gu could not help but let out a deep sigh. After today, who knew how long it would be before she could see her daughter again? *** Moonrise City was not located too far away from Gu Qiansi¡¯s family farm. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° With that, the storeowner quickly packed three buns and handed them to Lu Zhiying. ¡°Then I will just have to thank you for your generosity!¡± Lu Zhiying received the buns with a wide smile before turning to leave. Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi could not help but exchange glances. She really just got the buns for free? Nevertheless, they did not linger long and quickly caught up with Lu Zhiying. ¡°Here! One bun for each of us!¡± Lu Zhiying nonchalantly handed a bun to each of them. ¡°What¡¯s that about, Junior Martial Sister Lu?¡± Gu Qiansi asked while taking the bun. ¡°Why did he just give the buns to us for free?¡± ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s this Ten Spice Powder that you mentioned?¡± Zhao Yunxiao followed up with his own question. ¡°Haha, it is a common trick used by tricksters,¡± Lu Zhiying explained while munching on the bun. ¡°The Ten Spice Powder artificially enhances the flavour of food, allowing it to smell especially fragrant to stimulate the senses. Don¡¯t worry, there are no harmful effects to it apart from perhaps making you feel a little thirsty afterwards!¡± ¡°There¡¯s such a thing?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked in surprise before eyeing the bun in his hands. ¡°Are you sure there are no harmful effects to it?¡± ¡°Even if there are, it won¡¯t be able to affect you anyway,¡± Lu Zhiying shrugged. Zhao Yunxiao nodded in understanding. Lu Zhiying was right. As cultivators, their constitutions were definitely far stronger than those of ordinary mortals. If this was something that could even affect cultivators like themselves, it would have resulted in widespread suffering in the city by now! ¡°But how do you know about this?¡± Gu Qiansi asked suspiciously. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that I¡¯ve read about it in a book before,¡± Lu Zhiying answered carelessly while continuing to enjoy the bun in her hands. Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi exchanged glances again, but neither of them said a word before biting into their respective buns. They were well aware that something like this was definitely not information that would be recorded in books. At the same time, Lu Zhiying was obviously not intending to share the source of her knowledge, so they chose not to probe any further. And now that she had guaranteed the safety of the buns, they no longer had any qualms about going ahead to enjoy them. Be it because of this shady Ten Spice Powder or not, they had to admit that the buns truly tasted quite good! Nevertheless, this encounter only made them feel even more curious about Lu Zhiying. Just what could her life be like before she joined the Black Tortoise Sect? We Have a Deal! After walking through the streets for a while, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group finally halted their steps as they arrived at the gate of a rather unimpressive looking building. It was just a single-storey building that probably occupied only around one hundred square metres in terms of total area. ¡°Redaxe Hall,¡± Zhao Yunxiao read the sign on the door. ¡°It looks like this is the place.¡± ¡°This place?¡± Lu Zhiying could not help but reveal a look of disappointment. Zhao Yunxiao had already briefed them on the mission details earlier. They were supposed to renew an existing contract that was about to expire ¨C one that stipulated the provision of lumber to the Black Tortoise Sect. The other party was a lumber company called Redaxe Hall, which was headquartered here in Moonrise City. Since it was a company that had managed to contract with the powerful Black Tortoise Sect, Lu Zhiying had expected to be visiting the huge organisation. That was the reason why after seeing the company¡¯s headquarters, Lu Zhiying immediately began to doubt if they were at the right place. ¡°The storefront might not be representative of the scale of the actual business,¡± Zhao Yunxiao reminded. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Zhao Yunxiao knocked on the door twice before pushing it open. Perhaps because of the small size of the building, the interior was designed in quite a cosy manner. The door opened up to a small room with a reception desk facing the door, accompanied by several stools that were neatly lined up in front. There were landscape paintings covering the walls, fitting nicely into the theme of the company with the depiction of trees in each of them. ¡°Welcome,¡± the old receptionist said monotonously upon noting their arrival. ¡°Are you here to inquire about a new arrangement or an existing one?¡± ¡°An existing arrangement,¡± Zhao Yunxiao casually sat on one of the stools. ¡°We are from the Black Tortoise Sect, and are here to talk about our existing contract with the Redaxe Hall.¡± He decided to cut to the chase, even placing his disciple token on the desk to show the old receptionist as proof. As expected, the old receptionist immediately revealed a look of surprise. ¡°Ah! Distinguished guests from the Black Tortoise Sect! Forgive me for not recognising you!¡± the old receptionist exclaimed. ¡°Please wait a minute as I inform my boss of your arrival!¡± The old receptionist hurriedly made his way into the back room after finishing his sentence. Then again, he had to support himself with a walking stick to prevent his trembling legs from giving way, so his movements were still considered rather slow despite him trying his best to hurry. Watching him like that, Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi even felt a little bad for him. Thankfully, the person who came out with him had no such problems. It was a slightly plump man who looked to be in his forties, with his hair tied up neatly in a topknot. The moment he saw the group, the man immediately broke out into a huge smile. ¡°Greetings, distinguished young heroes! I am Hong Zi, the owner of Redaxe Hall,¡± the man quickly introduced himself. ¡°May I know how to address you?¡± ¡°Zhao Yunxiao.¡± ¡°Gu Qiansi.¡± ¡°Lu Zhiying.¡± ¡°What wonderful names, fitting for such wonderful people!¡± Hong Zi praised. ¡°Let¡¯s not keep standing here. Come, follow me into the back room.¡± Under Hong Zi¡¯s lead, the trio entered the back room that seemed to be Hong Zi¡¯s office. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Five percent higher than the previous price? That¡¯s great! We have a deal!¡± Hong Zi¡¯s eyes lit up in excitement. ¡°I will get my guys to prepare the new contract immediately. It should be ready by tomorrow morning, together with the first batch of lumber!¡± Had he just gotten fleeced? Should he have suggested a smaller increase in price, after all? Unfortunately, the words had escaped his mouth, and there was no longer any room for regrets. ¡°S-Sure...¡± Zhao Yunxiao agreed reluctantly. ¡°We will be back tomorrow morning to sign the new contract and collect the first batch of goods.¡± ¡°Of course! See you again in the morning!¡± Hong Zi nodded happily. ¡°Would you like to stay for some tea?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Zhao Yunxiao declined and stood up from his seat. ¡°We still have other things to attend to.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then I will see you out,¡± Hong Zi offered. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° In fact, Gu Qiansi was right ¨C Zhao Yunxiao was truly not in the best mood right now, and was just trying to hide it. So, from the moment Hong Zi agreed so readily to Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s counteroffer, Gu Qiansi had expected such a reaction from him and had been trying to hold in her laughter since! Members of the Vermilion Bird Sect ¡°Stop him! Don¡¯t let him get away!¡± A flustered storeowner shouted as he chased a young boy through the streets. The young boy looked to be around twelve years old and was wearing a ragged robe that could barely keep someone warm in this cold season. In his hands were two whole roasted chickens, which he hugged closely to his chest as he ran, seemingly afraid that he would accidentally drop them during his escape. Despite the prosperity of Moonrise City, there were bound to be people who fell through the cracks. The scene today might not be too common, but it was not unheard of either. ¡°Hmm,¡± Zhao Yunxiao mused as he saw the young boy running in their direction from afar. But before he could do anything, Zhao Yunxiao felt a slight tug on his sleeve. He looked back to see Lu Zhiying shaking her head slightly, which surprised him a little. After all, this was the first time that he was seeing Lu Zhiying stand up for a stranger. And this was just an ordinary mortal who was committing a crime as well. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Gu Qiansi noticed this and asked with a similar level of confusion. ¡°He might die if he doesn¡¯t escape here,¡± Lu Zhiying said nonchalantly, as though she was talking about something as common as the weather. ¡°He might... die?¡± Zhao Yunxiao raised an eyebrow in response. While the young boy looked rather thin and malnourished, his youth helped bolster his vitality. In fact, he would probably be able to survive even without eating for the next few days. ¡°Not from hunger, but from beatings. His wrist has been branded with a special mark, which indicates that he is the property of an underground syndicate. If he doesn¡¯t fulfil his quota, the syndicate might not want to keep him around anymore,¡± Lu Zhiying shrugged. ¡°Then again, that¡¯s not important. Let¡¯s go get some food. I¡¯m hungry!¡± Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi exchanged glances once again, before realising that they seemed to have done that a lot on this trip. ¡° ¡° ¡° Full Moon Restaurant ¨C this was the largest and most famous restaurant in all of Moonrise City. The five-storey high restaurant boasted grand architecture and luxurious designs, truly living up to its illustrious reputation. Just by looking at the exterior, it would make one feel that nothing could ever go wrong with giving the food a try! Inside, each level was a large banquet hall in and of itself, holding numerous tables that were comfortably spaced out. Under the lead of a well-groomed waiter, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group settled down at a table before making their order. This was not Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s first visit, so he was able to quickly make the order without even having to look at the menu. ¡°How nice! I¡¯ve always wanted to eat at a posh restaurant like this!¡± Lu Zhiying did not try to hide her excitement. ¡°Haha, is this your first time at such a restaurant?¡± Gu Qiansi asked. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s not exactly my first time at such a luxurious restaurant, either. But whenever I used to visit a place like this in the past, it would be for work assignments, so I don¡¯t actually get to eat,¡± Lu Zhiying explained. ¡°I see,¡± Gu Qiansi nodded in understanding. ¡°Well, you are a customer today instead of a staff, so make sure to eat your fill!¡± It would appear that Lu Zhiying had worked at a restaurant in the past, which was not too uncommon a job. However, Zhao Yunxiao felt that there was something strange with the way Lu Zhiying described it. Would one usually call them work assignments if they were working at a restaurant? Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious by now?¡± the young man continued. ¡°Why else would he not return to the sect after the mission has been completed? Even if he really had a good reason to do so, he wouldn¡¯t have left without telling anyone.¡± ¡°Enough talking. We will leave the verdict to the sect administrators after we bring him back,¡± the young lady said. ¡°It is not up to us to comment.¡± ¡°You know I am right,¡± the young man shrugged. The young lady remained silent, be it because she had no counterarguments or because she did not see the point in doing so. Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group could not help but exchange glances. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Unfortunately, the pair from the Vermilion Bird Sect did not continue their conversation further, and left promptly after they were done with their meal. Xuanwu Towers Just like the pair from the Vermilion Bird Sect, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group left shortly after they were done with their meal as well. Since they still had time to spare, Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi brought Lu Zhiying around to explore Moonrise City. ¡° ¡° For that reason, many factions had decided to set up shop here with an agenda in mind. Not only would this earn them access to the most updated information, but it would also provide them with a permanent base at which they could stay, should they be visiting the Black Tortoise Sect. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° As the unofficial ruler of Moonrise City, how could they not have a point of physical presence here? And since they did, who would dare to build something that looked grander than the residence of the Black Tortoise Sect? If anyone truly dared to do something like that, it would be akin to challenging the prestige of the Black Tortoise Sect on its home turf! ¡°Really? Let¡¯s go take a look!¡± Lu Zhiying suggested excitedly. ¡°Haha, there¡¯s no hurry. After all, we will be going to stay there tonight anyway,¡± Zhao Yunxiao laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s finish exploring the city before we go.¡± ¡°Yay, okay!¡± Lu Zhiying cheered. Since they had to wait till tomorrow for Redaxe Hall to draft the new contract, it only made sense that they stayed in the city tonight. And since the Black Tortoise Sect had a private residence here, they had no reason not to take advantage of that fact. By doing this, not only would they not have to pay a single coin for their stay, but the quality of their stay would also be far higher than any other inns in the city! Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Thankfully, there were no other outer disciples present at the moment. This gave them free rein to select any room they wanted in the third tower. Without saying, they naturally chose to stay in the rooms on the top storey. ¡°Wow! This is amazing!¡± Lu Zhiying exclaimed as she made a spin around the room in excitement. ¡°The view is great too!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± Gu Qiansi said with a smile. While the third tower might not seem as good, that was only relative to the other two towers. In actual fact, the third tower also provided an amazing experience for people staying there. Standing at ten storeys high, it still provided an amazing view of the city. Each room was huge, probably more aptly described as a suite than a room. After all, the rooms were even more luxurious and elaborately decorated than their residence back on Purple Plum Mountain. If not because the world origin energy was far denser on Purple Plum Mountain, perhaps all outer disciples would prefer to stay here instead! ¡°I told you it isn¡¯t as bad as it sounds,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a shrug. ¡°In any case, have a good rest tonight. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°He sure is,¡± Gu Qiansi narrowed her eyes further. ¡°How suspicious.¡± When Zhao Yunxiao first told them that he had taken on this mission, she had already found it strange since the rewards were not commensurate with the time needed. Yes, it might be an easy mission that seemed to fit the bill as Lu Zhiying¡¯s first mission. However, the Zhao Yunxiao she knew was not the type of person who would even consider significantly easier missions unless the rewards were well worth it. After all, he was not known as one of the most hardworking outer disciples for no reason. Rather than doing something easy for small rewards, Zhao Yunxiao would usually go for missions that provided the best rewards, as long as it was within his means to complete them in a safe manner. Even if it was because he had Lu Zhiying¡¯s safety in mind, he could have easily chosen something slightly more difficult than this. At most, they could simply tell Lu Zhiying to observe from the back. In comparison, this mission was unnecessarily safe, considering that it could even be done by those at the Foundation Building realm. And judging from his suspicious words just now, Gu Qiansi was now even more convinced that there was more to this mission than what Zhao Yunxiao was letting them in on. Unfortunately, Gu Qiansi could not think of anything, no matter how she thought about it. Just what was Zhao Yunxiao intending to accomplish by coming on this simple mission? Let’s Take a Little Detour The Xuanwu Towers provided free breakfast of a similar standard to that of the canteen back on Purple Plum Mountain. Honestly, Lu Zhiying had not appreciated it too much back then, especially after trying Gu Qiansi¡¯s cooking. But now that she had experienced the disappointing visit to Full Moon Restaurant last night, she could not help but find it far more appetising than usual! The view at the Xuanwu Towers might be beautiful, but it was still lacking as compared to those back on Purple Plum Mountain. Therefore, the trio did not linger here for long, only taking a cursory look around before leaving for Redaxe Hall. When they arrived, Hong Zi was already waiting there with a wide smile on his face. And upon seeing the other party¡¯s eager expression, Zhao Yunxiao had to consciously suppress his feelings in order to prevent his face from turning dark in contrast. Even after a night¡¯s rest, he still had not gotten over the fact that he did not do well when negotiating the new contract terms yesterday. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Hong Zi nervously swallowed a mouthful of saliva as he thought back on his interactions with the trio since yesterday, hoping that he had not said or done anything that could have offended them! Thankfully, he could not think of any ways in which he could have upset the trio. ¡°Is that all?¡± Zhao Yunxiao turned to ask him. ¡°Y-Yes, that¡¯s all, Young Hero Zhao!¡± Hong Zi hurriedly answered. ¡°Thank you for your patronage!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be off then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Farewell, young heroes!¡± Hong Zi bowed respectfully, standing there until the trio finally left his sight. That marked the completion of the trio¡¯s mission objective. All that was left was to bring the newly signed contract back to the Outer Disciples Hall, and they would be able to collect the rewards. ¡°Where are we going next?¡± Lu Zhiying asked curiously. ¡°We are not heading back to the sect already, are we?¡± ¡°Yeah, where are we going next?¡± Gu Qiansi repeated. She could not be bothered to suggest anything since she knew that Zhao Yunxiao already had something in mind for sure. ¡°Hmm,¡± Zhao Yunxiao looked at the sun to gauge the time. ¡°Since we still have some time left, let¡¯s take a little detour.¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Gu Qiansi rolled her eyes in response. If she had not known better, she might really have believed that Zhao Yunxiao had only just decided to do this after noticing the time. ¡°Sure, sure, but where to?¡± Lu Zhiying asked excitedly. ¡°There is a forest near Moonrise City called the Red Forest,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°According to what I¡¯ve heard, it is a place where monsters and spiritual beasts are known to inhabit. There have even been the occasional appearances of demons. We can go check it out, and perhaps let you observe as we take care of one or two of the weaker ones.¡± ¡°Oh? But if that¡¯s what you wanted, wouldn¡¯t it be easier to just return to Purple Plum Mountain?¡± Gu Qiansi asked in surprise. After going through so much trouble to hide it, she had not expected that Zhao Yunxiao only wanted to do some hunting. But if that was his goal, then the wilderness on Purple Plum Mountain also had a rather large population of monsters and spirit beasts. On top of that, it was also closer to the sect grounds, so they would save quite a bit of time if they just went there instead! ¡°How boring. All you know is to stay in the sect,¡± Zhao Yunxiao scoffed. ¡°We are already spending most of our time on Purple Plum Mountain. Now that we are out, how can we not take the chance to explore the local places instead? Isn¡¯t that right, Junior Martial Sister Lu?¡± ¡°Mm! I agree!¡± Lu Zhiying nodded profusely. ¡° ¡°Is there something special about this Red Forest that you are not letting us on?¡± Gu Qiansi narrowed her eyes at Zhao Yunxiao in suspicion, completely ignoring his earlier comments. ¡°Well, I just wanted a change of pace,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°Isn¡¯t it more stressful to be somewhere that our fellow sect members frequent? For one, whenever we see a senior, we would have to accede to them or stop what we are doing just to greet them.¡± Of course, that was just an excuse. ¡° ¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded in satisfaction, believing that he had presented his arguments in a way that had made it irrefutable for Gu Qiansi. What he did not realise was that she was intending to go along with his plan from the start, and was merely asking those questions out of sheer curiosity. ¡°Yay! Let¡¯s go!¡± Lu Zhiying cheered as well. Under Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s lead, the trio left Moonrise City for the secluded Red Forest. Despite its secluded location, Zhao Yunxiao had done his research beforehand, so he knew the fastest way to get there. When they arrived there on their horses, morning had yet to completely pass. ¡°Are we bringing our horses in as well?¡± Gu Qiansi asked curiously. While horses were good for helping them save energy while travelling, they would become a burden if they were to encounter any spiritual beasts or monsters in the forest. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° She knew that Zhao Yunxiao had always been a very careful person, but this was the first time she had seen him come up with such a complicated blueprint as well. In fact, she was unable to fully understand how the entire thing came together even after examining the blueprint! It would seem that he had suddenly raised his standards and was being exceptionally careful this time. She was not wrong, either. Zhao Yunxiao was truly determined not to make any mistakes, planning numerous layers of backup traps and alerts just in case something went wrong anywhere. If Cha was to be trusted for once, the Heaven¡¯s Descent Bowl was an exceptionally precious treasure. Letting anyone else find out that he had such an item in his possession could lead to serious consequences, potentially even death. Because of that, it was only natural that he would do everything possible to prevent such an outcome! Experimenting with the Heaven’s Descent Bowl Seeing the sheer amount of work that was waiting for them, the trio did not delay further and got to work immediately. Yet despite the complexity of Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s blueprint, the group was still able to proceed rather smoothly with their work. This was largely because Zhao Yunxiao took responsibility for the more difficult parts, leaving the other two with tasks that did not require nearly as much understanding of the complete system. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡° ¡° ¡° If the Heaven¡¯s Descent Bowl truly possessed its own sentience, that would make it a treasure at the mythical tier. A treasure on the elders¡¯ level that was also at the mythical tier... just thinking about it made Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s heart beat faster. Even the elders might not possess something as valuable as this! ¡°What are we hunting then?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡°Anything,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said, much to the two¡¯s surprise. ¡°Did you say ¡®anything¡¯, Senior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Lu Zhiying tried to confirm. ¡°That¡¯s right, anything,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°For starters, let¡¯s just get going. We¡¯ll take whatever we see.¡± This time, it was Lu Zhiying¡¯s turn to exchange glances with Gu Qiansi. Nevertheless, they decided to go along with Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s plan without complaints, curious to see just what he was up to. Prior to this, they had set up an extensive network of alerts covering a large perimeter within the forest, and they were determined not to wander out of this area. After securing their horses to a tree and setting up defensive arrays around them, the group commenced the hunt. Zhao Yunxiao was not joking when he said that they were hunting anything. The first creature that they came across was just a harmless fox, but he did not intend to let it go either. Whoosh-! A dagger flew out without warning, striking the fox squarely in the forehead. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± All you had to do was turn me down politely. Did you really have to say that it was ugly? ¡°Wait, on second thought, do you have no need for the backpack anymore?¡± Lu Zhiying suddenly changed her tune after thinking about it. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, can I have it?¡± ¡°What do you want it for?¡± Zhao Yunxiao narrowed his eyes at Lu Zhiying. Considering what she said earlier, he highly suspected that she had some strange designs on his reliable bamboo backpack. ¡° ¡° ¡°Tch! How¡¯s that possible?¡± Zhao Yunxiao clicked his tongue in irritation. ¡°You can have it if you want, Junior Martial Sister Lu. I will pass it to you when we return to the mountain.¡± ¡°All right!¡± Lu Zhiying cheered while drawing her two swords. ¡°In return, I will work for it now!¡± ¡°Go for it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a smile. And when they came across their next target, Lu Zhiying truly did as she said she would, charging straight for the tiger without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Lin Xiao ¡° ¡° ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Gu Qiansi asked while using a simple technique to clean the blood off of Lu Zhiying. ¡°Something¡¯s strange,¡± Zhao Yunxiao rubbed his chin in contemplation as his spiritual sense entered his spatial pouch. This time, the Heaven¡¯s Descent Bowl was as quiet as could be, not showing the same reaction to the dead tiger as it did to the dead fox. Did it have to do with the way it died? ¡°Can you lend me your swords, Junior Martial Sister Lu?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked after recording his findings. ¡°My swords? Sure,¡± Lu Zhiying agreed without hesitation. ¡°Make sure you return them,¡± Gu Qiansi reminded. ¡°Don¡¯t treat them as an exchange for your bamboo backpack.¡± ¡°I know that!¡± Zhao Yunxiao snapped back. With Lu Zhiying¡¯s swords in hand, Zhao Yunxiao personally took action when they locked in on their next target. Bit by bit, Zhao Yunxiao slowly adjusted the parameters with each subsequent hunt, all in a bid to determine the exact factors that influenced the activation of the Heaven¡¯s Descent Bowl. After hours of continuous experimenting, the trio finally decided to rest around a fire as night fell. As Gu Qiansi proceeded to pick out suitable parts for roasting from the huge pile of meat that they had collected over the course of their experiments, Zhao Yunxiao carefully went through the numerous records on his scroll as he tried to confirm his findings. It would appear that the activation of the Heaven¡¯s Descent Bowl was not influenced by the type of creature or the surroundings. However, there was one strict criteria that had to be fulfilled for it to activate ¨C Zhao Yunxiao himself must be the one to have killed the creature. In fact, it did not matter if someone else was responsible for bringing the creature to the brink of death. It would be fine as long as Zhao Yunxiao was the one to deal the final blow. As for the strange invisible matter that it absorbed from these carcasses upon activation, Zhao Yunxiao still had no idea what it was. In other words, he still did not know what the Heaven¡¯s Descent Bowl could be used for. Zhao Yunxiao could not help but let out a helpless sigh upon thinking about this. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° What is Considered Orthodox? ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Eh?¡± Lin Xiao looked over at the trio in surprise. ¡°Apologies, Brother Lin,¡± Zhao Yunxiao waved an arm, and his earthen clone crumbled to the ground. ¡°My name is Zhao Yunxiao. That was just a clone that I¡¯ve summoned.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° The physical prowess he displayed when lifting up the black death... The finesse with which he controlled the flames, both for something as violent as combat and for something as delicate as cooking... ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Did something bad happen?¡± Gu Qiansi asked. ¡°We might not be of much help, but we can at least lend you a listening ear. That is only if you don¡¯t mind sharing, of course.¡± ¡°I guess there¡¯s no harm in telling you,¡± Lin Xiao said. ¡°To start with, I am a member of an orthodox sect.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. That much was to be expected, considering the manner with which he carried himself. ¡°A month ago, I was part of a sect mission to purge an unorthodox sect in the area,¡± Lin Xiao continued. ¡°However, what happened there gave me a rude awakening.¡± ¡° Unfortunately, there were many young cultivators who did not fully appreciate this concept, until they were actually forced to partake in such enforcements to defend their faction¡¯s interests. For these people, suddenly being plunged into such a situation would come as a huge shock, especially for the tender of heart. This was not just limited to those at lower cultivation levels, either. It was also possible for someone to have been groomed within the sect all their lives, sheltered from the harsh realities of this world, until they finally left the sect with a high cultivation level. In fact, those were usually the ones who were impacted the most, as their worldviews could crumble completely upon realising how different the world was, as compared to the one that they had in mind. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the killing,¡± Lin Xiao admitted. ¡°The first few times are always difficult,¡± Zhao Yunxiao agreed. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± Lin Xiao shook his head. ¡°If it¡¯s about eradicating unorthodox cultivators who have done wrong, then I am all for it as well. However, what I experienced this time is slightly different.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The trio turned their attention to him. ¡°This time, we killed innocents,¡± Lin Xiao said through gritted teeth. ¡°You killed innocents?¡± Gu Qiansi frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you are from an orthodox sect?¡± ¡°What happened exactly?¡± Zhao Yunxiao probed. ¡°Before I continue, perhaps I should ask you this. What is considered orthodox? And what is considered unorthodox?¡± Lin Xiao said. ¡°Because on that day, we even killed babies who are tied to the so-called unorthodox cultivators ¨C babies who never had the chance to choose their paths. We call ourselves an orthodox sect, but is this really what an orthodox sect should be doing? Are these babies really considered to be on the unorthodox path as well?¡± Untethered Sage – A Life of Following One’s Heart The atmosphere turned solemn immediately. Zhao Yunxiao first exchanged glances with Gu Qiansi, then went on to ignore the nonchalant expression on Lu Zhiying¡¯s face. What was considered orthodox? This was a topic that Zhao Yunxiao had never pondered too deeply about before. He belonged to the Black Tortoise Sect ¨C a major orthodox sect. Ever since he could remember, the sect had taught the disciples that unorthodox cultivators had strayed from the right path, choosing to take shortcuts that were prone to harming both themselves and others. To prevent such actions from proliferating, it was the responsibility of the orthodox cultivators to take care of them, making sure that these unorthodox beliefs and ways would not be passed down to the next generation of cultivators. That was a logic that had always made sense to Zhao Yunxiao. But what about in this case? Was it necessary to eliminate even the babies of unorthodox cultivators? The killing of innocents had always been taboo in the cultivation world, something that the orthodox sects openly condemned. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°That¡¯s just you being sceptical again,¡± Gu Qiansi was unconvinced. ¡°I believe that most others will think like me instead!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you two overthinking things?¡± Lu Zhiying interjected at this moment. ¡°Who cares about what is traditionally right or wrong? Who cares about what others will do? Don¡¯t we just have to do what we feel is the right thing to do in the present? It¡¯s all good as long as we make sure that we all act in a way that we will not regret it in the future, isn¡¯t it? Even if these actions result in some unexpected results next time, we can simply deal with things as they come!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡° ¡° ¡° This was a life of doing whatever he wanted, and dying due to that same belief! Infernal Claw, Quan Hui of the Vermilion Bird Sect Duyuan Empire, Thousand Autumn City, Blueflag Mountain to the East. Snow-capped peak, Verdant trees, Point where all things meet. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. And the moment they saw them, the group immediately realised who these newcomers were. Members of the Vermilion Bird Sect! They were neither dressed in their ceremonial robes nor openly showing their sect¡¯s emblem in any manner. Damn it, he slipped up! He had gotten too excited upon realising that Lin Xiao had information on Jiang Taiming, only thinking about taking this opportunity to find out more about the ancient cultivator. As a result, he had failed to link Lin Xiao¡¯s identity to the members of the Vermilion Bird Sect that they had encountered back at Full Moon Restaurant. Back then, the pair had mentioned that they came to the northern regions of the Duyuan Empire to chase after a potential deserter ¨C a certain Senior Martial Brother Lin. No matter how he looked at it now, there was no doubt that Lin Xiao was this exact person! What a blunder! How could he have failed to draw such a simple link?! ¡°These are fresh traces, someone has been here up until just a moment ago,¡± one of them reported after examining the clearing. ¡°We have surrounded the area before closing in, so there is no way for anyone to escape,¡± Quan Hui said. ¡°Search the area! Anyone who was here should still be around!¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Martial Sister Quan!¡± the rest of them answered. With that, they started to spread out and comb through the area, examining every last detail. Zhao Yunxiao could not help but swallow a mouthful of saliva in nervousness. Now that they had ended up in such a situation, they definitely could not reveal themselves or let the members of the Vermilion Bird Sect find them. Otherwise, who knew what these people would do to them? But just as he was thinking about this, the unthinkable happened. Before Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s very eyes, Lin Xiao voluntarily stepped out of the concealing array, revealing himself to the members of the Vermilion Bird Sect. ¡°There¡¯s no need to search, Senior Martial Sister Quan,¡± Lin Xiao said as he slowly walked towards Quan Hui. ¡°I am right here.¡± ¡°Junior Martial Brother Lin...¡± Quan Hui narrowed her eyes as she closely observed Lin Xiao. Quan Hui might be younger than Lin Xiao, but her seniority in the sect was not to be questioned. A core disciple had absolute authority over any other disciple in the sect! Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± Gu Qiansi: ¡°...¡± Lu Zhiying: ¡°...¡± Why would he do that? What should they do now? Should they show themselves as well? They might have only known Lin Xiao for a night, but they had still managed to build quite a bit of rapport with him during this short amount of time. This was especially the case since Lin Xiao had been so generous in sharing the black death, cooking for them, and even telling them all that he knew about the Untethered Sage. Continuing to hide made them feel like cowards who were refusing to face up to their problems together with their comrade! In any case, the other party was from the Vermilion Bird Sect. Considering that their sects were allies, they were unlikely to do anything too extreme to them. Nevertheless, Zhao Yunxiao chose to adopt a wait-and-see approach. After all, this was the Vermilion Bird Sect¡¯s internal matter. If Lin Xiao could handle things here himself, then there was no reason for them to get involved. Otherwise, they might end up complicating matters further! ¡°You have finally decided to show your face,¡± Quan Hui said. ¡°I have never tried to hide from the sect,¡± Lin Xiao answered. ¡°I was merely spending some time to find myself.¡± ¡°For someone who is not trying to hide from the sect, you sure have come a long way ¨C all the way to the northern regions!¡± Quan Hui scoffed before looking towards the spot where he had stepped out from earlier. ¡°What an exquisite concealing array. This has never been your strong suit. Speak, who is helping you?¡± ¡°...Who can be helping me?¡± Lin Xiao answered. ¡°I have been travelling alone since I left the sect.¡± ¡°Do you take me for a fool?¡± Quan Hui narrowed her eyes. ¡°Break apart the concealing array!¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Martial Sister Quan!¡± the other members answered immediately. Zhao Yunxiao sighed. He was still considering whether to show himself, but the other party had ended up making the decision for them. As the creator of the array, he naturally knew it the best. It was one thing if the other party had not noticed the concealing array. But now that they were aware that there was a concealing array, it would not be too difficult for them to unravel it completely. Since that was the case, they might as well save themselves the embarrassment of being found while hiding in a corner. With that thought in mind, Zhao Yunxiao decisively stepped out of the concealing array, with Gu Qiansi and Lu Zhiying swiftly following behind. The group of twenty Vermilion Bird Sect members stared intently at the three, scrutinising them from head to toe. ¡°Greetings,¡± Zhao Yunxiao awkwardly clasped his fists towards Quan Hui. ¡°I am Zhao Yunxiao of the Black Tortoise Sect, and these are my fellow disciples.¡± Upon his cue, Gu Qiansi and Lu Zhiying greeted the other party as well. ¡°Gu Qiansi.¡± ¡°Lu Zhiying.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for implicating you, Brother Zhao,¡± Lin Xiao apologised. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°Perhaps this is for the best as well. We might be able to provide some perspective as a third party in this matter.¡± He might have said that, but Zhao Yunxiao was actually rather unhappy with Lin Xiao at the moment. If he was going to feel sorry now, then why did he have to walk out of the concealing array without asking them in the first place? Just what did he think was going to happen? This was why one had to choose their friends carefully. The saying was indeed right ¨C having a bad teammate was much worse than having a strong opponent! Man in White ¡°The Black Tortoise Sect?¡± Quan Hui furrowed her brows for a moment before reluctantly clasping her fists towards them. ¡°I am Quan Hui of the Vermilion Bird Sect. I am here leading a group of fellow disciples from my sect to arrest a sect deserter. May I ask what relationship do you have with my Junior Martial Brother Lin?¡± ¡°We met by chance last night,¡± Lin Xiao answered. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you!¡± Quan Hui shouted imperiously at Lin Xiao, causing the latter to quieten down immediately. ¡°Brother Lin is right. We truly met by chance last night,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered carefully after seeing how Quan Hui shouted at Lin Xiao. As expected, no matter which sect or faction, most core disciples were unapproachable characters! ¡°With all due respect, do you really expect me to believe that?¡± Quan Hui sneered. ¡°Let me guess. Are you going to continue by saying that you just happened to have a complex concealing array lying around here, so you were simply bringing Junior Martial Brother Lin in with you to let him experience it for himself?¡± ¡°The concealing array is to ensure our safety in the wilds. Who knows what kind of dangers lie around every corner? On a separate note, I¡¯ve heard the details from Brother Lin, and I¡¯m afraid that you might have misunderstood his intentions. Brother Lin is simply trying to explore the world for a short while before returning to the sect, and is definitely not intending to be a deserter,¡± Zhao Yunxiao tried to change the topic since he knew that his argument regarding the concealing array was rather weak. After all, this concealing array belonged to an extensive network that was far too complex for it to be meant for something as simple as that. But at the same time, it was not like he could reveal the fact that he had set up such an exquisite array because he did not want to risk exposing the Heaven¡¯s Descent Bowl. He could only hope that the other party had no clue just how complex this array was. That way, he could at least try to smoke his way through! ¡°In that case, why did you have to hide from us?¡± Quan Hui scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you are not trying to hide from just any danger. Instead, this is specifically set up to hide from us, members of the Vermilion Bird Sect!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it, Senior Martial Sister Quan,¡± Lin Xiao said. ¡°They are not-¡± ¡°I said, I am not asking you!¡± Quan Hui bellowed, cutting Lin Xiao off immediately. ¡°Do you see the pile of carcasses there?¡± Gu Qiansi pointed to their haul from the previous day. ¡°We were merely hunting in the area. Otherwise, there¡¯s no reason for us to create such a mess if we are trying to hide.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡°Is there any way that we can prove our innocence?¡± Zhao Yunxiao quickly said to turn their attention away from what Lu Zhiying said. ¡°There is only one way,¡± Quan Hui said. ¡°Follow us back to the Vermilion Bird Sect. We will leave it to our sect administrators to find out the truth from you!¡± Hearing that, the expressions on Zhao Yunxiao and Lu Zhiying dimmed immediately. On the other hand, Lu Zhiying¡¯s eyes lit up in surprise! ¡°Do we really have no choice?¡± Lu Zhiying asked expectantly. Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± He could see the obvious excitement in her eyes. It would appear that this crazy junior martial sister of his would even treat something as serious as being brought back to the Vermilion Bird Sect like an exciting adventure! ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little inappropriate?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked in response. ¡°We are here in the northern region of the empire. If we really want to have this looked into, shouldn¡¯t we be heading to Purple Plum Mountain instead?¡± The Black Tortoise Sect was a longstanding ally of the Vermilion Bird Sect, with neither being considered superior in comparison. If there was a matter involving members of both sects, it was only natural to head to the nearest of the two for mediation. ¡°Do you think I am a fool?¡± Quan Hui scoffed. ¡°If you are allowed to return to Purple Plum Mountain, would it still be possible for me to hold you accountable for your deeds?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± Gu Qiansi retorted unhappily. ¡°The Black Tortoise Sect is upright and honest. Even if we wanted to hide, our sect administrators would make us face the music!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about your Black Tortoise Sect, but I know for sure that my Vermilion Bird Sect will be fair and just. To prevent any mishaps, I¡¯ll have to request that all of you return with us!¡± Quan Hui insisted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this is not a convenient time since we would need to return to the sect shortly,¡± Zhao Yunxiao declined solemnly. ¡°Once we have the time, we will pay your sect a visit to explain the matter.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you don¡¯t have a choice,¡± Quan Hui said. ¡°Capture them!¡± ¡°Wait, Senior Martial Sister Quan!¡± Lin Xiao stepped forward. ¡°They are innocent! I truly just met them last night!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of your blatant lies,¡± Quan Hui answered. ¡°If you try to resist, we will just have to take you down by force!¡± ¡°This...¡± Lin Xiao looked over at Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry for implicating you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault that you have an unreasonable senior martial sister in the sect,¡± Lu Zhiying answered. ¡°Are you intending to risk breaking the alliance between the two sects?¡± Zhao Yunxiao tried to caution Quan Hui. ¡°By helping a deserter of our sect, you are the ones who have broken the alliance, not me,¡± Quan Hui was unfazed. ¡°What are you waiting for? Do it!¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Martial Sister Quan!¡± The other members of the Vermilion Bird Sect answered in unison before starting to approach Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group. Zhao Yunxiao, Gu Qiansi, and Lu Zhiying immediately drew their weapons and got into a defensive stance. Zhao Yunxiao held his halberd. Gu Qiansi pulled out her sword. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Lu Zhiying readied herself with her twin swords. ¡°If they resist, you have my permission to use whatever means necessary!¡± Quan Hui ordered, and the members of the Vermilion Bird Sect drew their weapons as well. ¡°Run! I¡¯ll hold them back!¡± Lin Xiao suddenly stepped in front of the trio and waved his horsetail whisk. Blazing flames were summoned forth, forming into a huge fireball that erupted towards the members of the Vermilion Bird Sect. ¡°I will take care of Junior Martial Brother Lin. You guys, continue with what you are doing!¡± Quan Hui¡¯s figure flashed, and she appeared before the fireball in an instant. While Quan Hui easily stopped Lin Xiao¡¯s attempt to buy time, the other members of the Vermilion Bird Sect quickly surrounded Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group. ¡°Give it up. At this stage, any resistance will only result in unnecessary injuries for yourselves,¡± one of the members of the Vermilion Bird Sect advised. ¡°Even then, we refuse to bow down to your tyrannical ways!¡± Gu Qiansi was enraged now. It was not just the fact that the other party was being unreasonable. They had also injured their fellow sect member without hesitation, and from the looks of it, the injuries were not light as well. ¡° ¡° Two chains shot out from the ground and formed a cross in front of them. ¡° At the same time, he pulled out a bamboo tube and pointed it at the sky. Boom-! ¡° ¡°Obediently seal your meridians, or we will have to knock you out instead!¡± one of them pointed a sword at Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s forehead. ¡°Stop wasting time and just knock them out,¡± Quan Hui said nonchalantly. But right at this moment, the sudden appearance of the sound of horse hooves instantly drew everyone¡¯s attention. Rustle-! Everyone simultaneously turned in the same direction, and saw a young man slowly riding into view on a white horse. Be it his robe, his belt, his shoes, or his gloves ¨C every single item in his attire was pure white in colour. Even the white horse was donning white reins and wearing a white saddle, as though forced to follow the same white colour theme as its rider. Zhao Yunxiao widened his eyes in surprise, and for two different reasons. For one, he had not managed to detect this person entering the perimeters despite having set up an extensive network of alerts. But that was secondary at this point. The main reason for Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s astonishment was because of the identity of this newcomer. He recognised this person with a single glance. Death Blade, Wei Yuandi ¨C core disciple of the Black Tortoise Sect! Death Blade, Wei Yuandi of the Black Tortoise Sect Zhao Yunxiao was not the only one who had recognised Wei Yuandi. Gu Qiansi and Lu Zhiying did so as well, with the latter having seen him a few times during the New Year activities. In fact, even Quan Hui and the members of the Vermilion Bird Sect managed to recognise him instantly. Just like how Zhao Yunxiao knew of Quan Hui, Wei Yuandi was famous across the Four Great Symbol Sects. No, not just across the Four Great Symbol Sects. Even outside of the Four Great Symbol Sects, his name was considered rather well known in the entire Duyuan Empire! Death Blade, Wei Yuandi. Not counting the Smiling Swordsman, he was probably the most famous core disciple of the Black Tortoise Sect. He silently rode forward on his horse, and the members of the Vermilion Bird Sect slowly retreated. With every metre that he advanced, they retreated by two. The intimidation that his mere presence was effecting on them was clear for all to see. This continued until Wei Yuandi stopped his horse right beside Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group, who were still kneeling on the ground in an unsightly manner. ¡°...Greetings, Senior Martial Brother Wei,¡± Zhao Yunxiao finally managed to mutter at this point. ¡°Disciple token?¡± Wei Yuandi said monotonously. ¡°R-Right! Here!¡± Zhao Yunxiao quickly pulled out his disciple token and presented it to Wei Yuandi. Gu Qiansi and Lu Zhiying did the same. Wei Yuandi took a cursory glance at the three of them while his spiritual sense swept over their disciple tokens. His attention remained on them for no more than a second, but it was still enough to make Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s heart palpitate in nervousness. Of course, he made sure to put on a straight face and not let his feelings show. First impressions were important, after all! Wei Yuandi then turned his attention towards the members of the Vermilion Bird Sect. Compared to Zhao Yunxiao, the members of the Vermilion Bird Sect were far worse at controlling their emotions. Just this little shift in focus from Wei Yuandi was enough to cause them to take yet another step back in apprehension. ¡°G-Greetings, Brother Wei,¡± Quan Hui clasped her fists towards Wei Yuandi. ¡°May I know the reason for your presence here today?¡± This was not the first time that the two had met. The Four Great Symbol Sects had close ties with one another, and there were plenty of occasions that allowed disciples from their factions to meet over the year. Not all disciples would be allowed to attend these events each time. But as core disciples, the two of them were stars in each of their individual factions, so they were definitely allowed to attend any of these events as long as they wanted to. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. It was only natural that they knew of each other¡¯s existence, but that alone did not guarantee that they would have a good relationship. Then again, the two of them not having a good relationship was not entirely surprising, either. When asked who in this world had a good relationship with the cold and ruthless Wei Yuandi, anyone would be hard pressed to find an answer! ¡°They are coming with me,¡± Wei Yuandi stated matter-of-factly. However, the fact that he made this demand without even trying to figure out the situation did not sit well with Quan Hui. If she were to let Wei Yuandi take these people away just like that, what would her junior martial brothers and sisters think of her in the future? Of course, she knew better than to let her emotions rule over her head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you might have some misunderstanding here, Brother Wei,¡± Quan Hui said. ¡°We found the three of them helping a deserter of my sect hide from us. That is equivalent to openly going against our Vermilion Bird Sect, so we can¡¯t just let this go without investigating further.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not tr-¡± Zhao Yunxiao tried to explain, only to be cut off by Wei Yuandi. ¡°I am telling you my decision, not making a request,¡± Wei Yuandi answered nonchalantly. ¡°I will be bringing the three of them back with me. If you wish to stop me, then I will just bring all of you back to Purple Plum Mountain as well, even if it means having to carry your corpses with me.¡± He spoke with the same indifference from the start, as though he was talking about something as natural as the weather. His facial expression never changed either, making it impossible to tell if he was joking or not. But considering his reputation, nobody would ever assume that he was someone capable of joking. Zhao Yunxiao felt the corner of his lips twitch. He had felt that Quan Hui was acting in a tyrannical manner earlier, but his Senior Martial Brother Wei was going one step further right now! Quan Hui had at least tried to reason a little before demanding to bring them back for questioning. Wei Yuandi did not even try to find out what was happening, and immediately threatened to kill them all if they defied him! And this was despite the fact that there was a core disciple of the Vermilion Bird Sect on the other side. As expected of the infamous Wei Yuandi! His reputation might not be the best. But at this very moment, it could not be more reassuring to know that they were on the same side! ¡° ¡° ¡°In consideration of the close ties between our two sects, I shall not stoop to your level today,¡± Quan Hui said. ¡°But don¡¯t think that this is over just like that, Wei Yuandi. I will definitely report this matter in full detail to the sect administrators when I get back, including how you threatened us earlier!¡± ¡°Hmm? Weren¡¯t you very arrogant earlier?¡± Lu Zhiying quickly interjected upon realising that the situation had shifted in their favour. ¡°Why are you suddenly choosing to run instead of standing your ground?¡± ¡°Who are you to speak here?!¡± Quan Hui roared. She was already feeling extremely frustrated right now, so Lu Zhiying¡¯s words easily triggered her. In addition, it was not even like she was being talked down to by an equal or a superior. Having to hear such words from Lu Zhiying, who was in such a sorry state herself, only further amplified Quann Hui¡¯s irritation. ¡°I said my name earlier, do you have a bad memory or something?¡± Lu Zhiying tilted her head in confusion. ¡°If anything, you are the one who didn¡¯t introduce yourself, so... who are you actually?¡± ¡°You...!¡± Quan Hui had to force herself to stop after noticing that Wei Yuandi was still looking at her with his sword drawn. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything more, Junior Martial Sister Lu...¡± Gu Qiansi whispered nervously while lightly tugging on Lu Zhiying¡¯s sleeves. ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t say anymore then...¡± Lu Zhiying shrugged. Zhao Yunxiao could not help but salute Lu Zhiying in his heart. He had felt the urge to taunt Quan Hui as well, but did not nearly have as much courage to do so to the face of a core disciple of the Vermilion Bird Sect. Nevertheless, he had to admit that it felt extremely good to hear Lu Zhiying go on and on like that for once! New Format Of The Monthly Cultivation Lecture ¡°We will be the better people and leave for now, but don¡¯t be too happy just yet. You won¡¯t be so lucky the next time we meet!¡± Quan Hui grew slightly braver after seeing that Lu Zhiying had decided to back down. ¡°Wait!¡± Lu Zhiying quickly called out upon seeing that the other party was about to leave. ¡°What about Brother Lin? He did nothing wrong, so you can¡¯t just take him with you like that.¡± ¡°He did nothing wrong?¡± Quan Hui¡¯s rage skyrocketed once more. ¡°Do we need to seek your permission to bring back a deserter?¡± ¡°We already told you that Brother Lin is not a deserter. Is that too difficult for you to understand?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡°Junior Martial Sister Lu!¡± Gu Qiansi hurriedly held her back. ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself!¡± Quan Hui spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°Thank you for your concern, but don¡¯t worry about me, Sister Lu,¡± Lin Xiao interjected at this moment. ¡°I have nothing to hide, so nothing will happen to me even if I have to return to the sect.¡± His voice was weak and his face was pale, a testament to how he had yet to fully recover from the exchange with Quan Hui earlier. Fortunately, he had at least managed to recover enough to on his own by now. ¡°Since that is the case, then we bid our farewell,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clasped his fists towards Lin Xiao. ¡°Take care, and may you be safe.¡± ¡°Farewell,¡± Gu Qiansi and Lu Zhiying followed suit. ¡°Farewell. Thank you for your help today, as well as your valuable insights from last night,¡± Lin Xiao returned the gesture. ¡°Still putting up an act? You sure seem to be on close terms for people who have only just met last night!¡± Quan Hui remarked sarcastically. ¡°Is it really that surprising that not everyone is as unfriendly as you?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. Quan Hui: ¡°...¡± After the past few exchanges, she had come to learn that it was best to just ignore Lu Zhiying. Otherwise, if she were to take each of Lu Zhiying¡¯s words to heart, that would only mean falling into Lu Zhiying¡¯s trap and making herself angry for no good reason! ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Quan Hui ordered unhappily. ¡° ¡° ¡°Decently done,¡± Wei Yuandi commented, catching Zhao Yunxiao by surprise with the sudden compliment. However, Zhao Yunxiao could not bring himself to be happy. ¡°You are too kind, Senior Martial Brother Wei,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered wryly. ¡°Just looking at what happened today, it¡¯s obvious that it still has a ways to go before it can be considered decent...¡± The fact was that, despite their hard work, this extensive network of alerts and arrays still proved inadequate. The moment the members of the Vermilion Bird Sect realised its existence, there would be nothing preventing them from completely ripping it apart. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Leave when you are done with your business here,¡± Wei Yuandi did not choose to console him. ¡°Stop looking for trouble out in the wilds. You might not get lucky again next time.¡± ¡° ¡°With all due respect, we were not looking for trouble, Senior Martial Brother Wei,¡± Lu Zhiying added. ¡°We came first, and those people came after. If anything, shouldn¡¯t you be telling them not to look for trouble instead?¡± ¡° ¡° In the end, he left as suddenly as he came. Just like that, the three of them were the only ones left in the forest clearing once again. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Wei is right. Let¡¯s leave soon,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Who knows if that crazy woman from the Vermilion Bird Sect will change her mind and return?¡± ¡°Mm, let¡¯s do that,¡± Gu Qiansi agreed. ¡°On a side note, don¡¯t you think Senior Martial Brother Wei was a little too aggressive there? Who knows how the Vermilion Bird Sect would respond to this in the future?¡± ¡°I think that he¡¯s pretty cool, though!¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied. ¡°He definitely showed that crazy woman who¡¯s boss!¡± ¡°There is no need to be unreasonable just because the other party is being unreasonable. Stooping to their level is not the proper way to handle things,¡± Gu Qiansi remarked. ¡°Don¡¯t you agree, Junior Martial Sister Lu?¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not sure if I understand,¡± Lu Zhiying rubbed her chin in contemplation. ¡°In fact, I was still a little disappointed that he didn¡¯t go a step further to beat them up. After all, they did rough us up quite a bit back there!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° *** For safety reasons, the group did not dally further. Zhao Yunxiao first applied some basic first aid to everyone, before they started to quickly dismantle the extensive network of alerts and arrays that they had set up in the area. The encounter with the members of the Vermilion Bird Sect had been unexpected, but Zhao Yunxiao was still rather satisfied with the information that they had gathered from this trip to the Red Forest. At the very least, he felt that they had gotten whatever information they could possibly gather here. Next, it was up to him to think about the next set of experiments to investigate the Heaven¡¯s Descent Bowl. Since they were already done with their sect mission, there was no longer a need for them to return to Moonrise City. Instead, they headed straight back to Purple Plum Mountain. Thankfully, the appearance of Wei Yuandi had stopped the members of the Vermilion Bird Sect from dismantling their arrays earlier. This meant that their horses had remained hidden and unharmed, all ready to make the journey back to the mountain. The Red Forest might be in a secluded location away from all main routes, but it was still not too far away from Purple Plum Mountain. Leaving early in the morning, the group managed to arrive at Black Tortoise Inn by evening the same day. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Who knew that he would really take that suggestion and turn it into reality? ¡° If the format had truly changed to accommodate all disciples, it might be high time for him to start reassessing his options! To Survive and Grow Together Zhao Yunxiao split up with Gu Qiansi and Lu Zhiying after leaving the Outer Disciples Hall. While the latter two returned to their residence, Zhao Yunxiao headed for the Monolith Square which, according to Qi Jiesheng, was not far from the Outer Disciples Hall. And Qi Jiesheng was right. To make it convenient for everyone, the Monolith Square had been set up just about ten minutes¡¯ walk away from the Outer Disciples Hall. It was a spot that used to be an empty patch of grassland, but it looked completely different now. Even from afar, Zhao Yunxiao noticed an enormous stone monolith that towered over everything in the vicinity. Standing at least twenty storeys high, the stone monolith was bound to become a landmark of this area in the future. Its surface was smooth on three sides, with only one side engraved with runes all the way from top to bottom. Yet despite its size, it was not difficult for the sect administrators to plant such a structure here overnight. However, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but wonder about the use of the stone monolith. From what he knew of the sect administrators, it was unlikely that they would go to such lengths for no good reason. As Zhao Yunxiao got nearer, he could see that facing this engraved side of the stone monolith was a huge open area, with seats erected to form a semicircle in front of the monolith. It was like a theatre of sorts, with the stone monolith being the sole point of attention. Both the ground and the seats were covered in tiles that bore a similar texture to that of the stone monolith, giving the entire place a feeling of congruence. Behind the monolith remained the same open grassland, untouched since before the development of the Monolith Square. ¡°Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Liang Wenshao raised an eyebrow when he noticed Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Aren¡¯t you quite the busy man? How did you find time out of your busy schedule to visit us today?¡± It was obvious that he was unhappy about how Zhao Yunxiao had taken the past few days off, while the rest of them were slogging away to complete the arrangements here. ¡°Haha, you sure love to jest, Senior Martial Brother Liang,¡± Zhao Yunxiao ran up to greet him. ¡°I¡¯ve only just heard that there has been a change in the location of the monthly cultivation lecture, so I immediately rushed over to see if there is anywhere I could help!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that you are trying to claim credit just so that you can reap the benefits tomorrow,¡± Liang Wenshao rolled his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will let you and your two pretty companions enter ahead of the others. Anything else?¡± ¡°Senior Martial Brother Liang is all-knowing. It really is impossible to hide anything from you!¡± Zhao Yunxiao scratched his cheek in embarrassment. ¡°Still, I will feel bad to only receive benefits without giving. Why don¡¯t I help out a little too?¡± ¡°What do you want to help with? Can¡¯t you tell that things are mostly done by now?¡± Liang Wenshao scoffed. ¡°All that¡¯s left is to perform a last round of checks before the lecture tomorrow.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° The scroll that Liang Wenshao handed him contained the blueprint for the setup required. With Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s experience in such things, it did not take long before he understood the task at hand. At the same time, he also gained a deeper understanding of the Monolith Square as a whole after examining the blueprint. The area in front of the stone monolith might look rather plain apart from being carved into steps, but there was actually a grand array that had already been setup beforehand, just that it was well concealed underground. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the stone monolith acted as the foundation of the entire location, acting as a core node for the grand array. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°I have yet to repay my debt to you. If something were to happen to you before that, do you think that I will still be able to focus on my training in the future?¡± Nie Hanchang said. ¡°Is it just me, or does this sound like a conversation between lovers?¡± Gu Qiansi felt the corner of her lips twitch. ¡°Shh! Don¡¯t interrupt, Senior Martial Sister Gu!¡± Lu Zhiying hushed. ¡°I still want to keep watching the show!¡± Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± Nie Hanchang: ¡°...¡± We can hear you! ¡°Ahem!¡± Zhao Yunxiao tidied his robes. ¡°Since you have kindly offered, I will let you know next time we go on a mission. However, we will definitely have to share the overall rewards. On top of that, please don¡¯t disrupt your own training just to accommodate us.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what is considered appropriate and what is not,¡± Nie Hanchang answered. ¡°Honestly, all I wish is for us to survive and grow together in this harsh cultivation world. Of course, it will be good if we can all grow as quickly as possible. But if it means that some of us might have to risk falling for the others to advance at a faster pace, then that is definitely not the kind of growth that I am looking for.¡± Zhao Yunxiao looked at him in surprise. From what he just said, it did not seem like Nie Hanchang was simply concerned about repaying his debt for forging the Grand Annihilator, but was genuinely concerned about their well-being instead. They had always known of each other¡¯s existence in the sect all these years, but it was not until the end of last year that they started interacting more. Did that mean that just from spending time together during this short period of a month or so, Nie Hanchang had already considered them to be important companions on his cultivation path? How soft! That was definitely not the mentality that someone who was on a meteoric rise within the sect should have! After all, there were countless who would fall on the path of cultivation. It would be never ending if one had to halt their steps every time they were worried about those around them! However, that was only when one thought about it rationally. Sentimentally speaking, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel glad that he was being considered an important companion as well. Even though he could not enjoy such great fortunes himself, once Nie Hanchang grew to become an established cultivator in the future, Zhao Yunxiao could at least take pride in having played a small part in the journey of such an individual. And that was the case with Lu Zhiying as well! ¡°Senior Martial Brother Nie is right. Let¡¯s survive and grow together!¡± Lu Zhiying repeated in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s right, let¡¯s do just that,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded with a smile. Upon seeing that, Gu Qiansi could not help but let out a smile as well. Since the trio were still nursing injuries from their encounter with the members of the Vermilion Bird Sect, they did not stay out for too long. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Four Symbols Mystic Realm The Monolith Square was far larger than the lecture hall that the monthly cultivation lectures had been held at in the past, with multiple times the number of seats available. This was the group led by Hua Sheng ¨C the unofficial leader of the outer disciples. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° She had heard of the term during her stay, but her understanding was still rather shallow. ¡°Why don¡¯t you start by explaining what a mystic realm is?¡± Gu Qiansi reminded. ¡°Ah, right...¡± Zhao Yunxiao laughed in embarrassment before continuing. ¡°You can think of a mystic realm as a separate space that is both stable and large enough to be considered a world on its own. There are various types of mystic realms as well. Some are formed naturally while others are created by top tier cultivators. Some are flourishing with life while others are completely barren.¡± ¡°Even among all the mystic realms, the Four Symbol Mystic Realm could probably be considered one of the most wondrous,¡± Gu Qiansi added. ¡°Not only is it extremely vast in size, it is also abundant with resources. It will not be an exaggeration to call it a huge treasure trove. Every time the mystic realm is opened, disciples who participate will always get significant rewards out of it!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° I Have a Question! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Back then, Lu Zhiying had been rather fascinated by this occurrence, and she still was right now. However, the current Lu Zhiying was at least able to control her curiosity towards these bubbles and focus her attention on the lecture content instead. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. As long as you understand the fundamental laws, even your interests and hobbies can be applied to your cultivation path... Lu Zhiying thought about what Mo Tianfeng said, and tried to apply it to herself. Just what were her interests and hobbies, and how could they be applied to her cultivation path? At the same time, Zhao Yunxiao was thinking the same thing. ¡°...And that concludes today¡¯s lecture,¡± Mo Tianfeng said in his usual slow and calm manner. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, do think through what I¡¯ve said today. I hope that it will be of some help to you in the future.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° I have a question too! I was just wondering why we can¡¯t be receiving more cultivation pills?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° These people had no idea how frightened he was when Lu Zhiying did this last month, and this was precisely why! He could not help but glance over at Lu Zhiying, wanting to see her reaction to what could have happened to her just as easily as well. However, Zhao Yunxiao was surprised upon realising that Lu Zhiying had no reaction whatsoever. Not only did she have her eyes closed, but she also had a calm expression on her face, with her breathing regulated at a slow and consistent pace. Zhao Yunxiao immediately realised what was going on. While everyone else had ended their state of enlightenment along with the end of the cultivation lecture, Lu Zhiying had remained in such a state even until now! Shocking Progress! Lu Zhiying Enters the Intermediate Foundation Building Realm! The spiritual meridian root formed the very foundation of all cultivation, which was why the successful formation of the spiritual meridian root would indicate that one had effectively entered the Foundation Building realm. ¡° ¡° ¡°Did she just say that she broke through?¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°No way...¡± In actual fact, it was not uncommon for disciples to break through during a cultivation lecture. After all, the circumstances created the perfect opportunity for many of them to gain that final bit of enlightenment and insight that they might have desperately needed, allowing them to mow down that darned bottleneck that they had been stuck at. By now, Lu Zhiying was already famous in the outer sect. Every outer disciple, be it male or female, was aware that she had only just joined the Black Tortoise for a month. Just one month, and she had already broken through to the Intermediate Foundation Building realm? If they considered the fact that Lu Zhiying had only formed her spiritual meridian root a week after joining the sect, this would mean that she had only taken three weeks to advance to the Intermediate Foundation Building realm. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡° ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao let out a breath of relief. At least her manner of speech was respectful this time. ¡°Mm,¡± Mo Tianfeng nodded. ¡°Well then, I will see you again next month.¡± Just like when he had first appeared, the floor beneath his feet let out an intense golden light that blinded everyone for a moment. And as the light vanished, so had Mo Tianfeng. The Monolith Square broke out into a huge commotion immediately after his departure. What happened at last month¡¯s cultivation lecture might have been newsworthy, but this month¡¯s events definitely trumped it! How could the excited outer disciples possibly not want to discuss about it? Unfortunately, all such discussions were abruptly put to a stop as the outer disciples saw Hua Sheng step forward to address them. ¡°Those who have posed questions without thinking them through earlier, come look for me at the Outer Disciples Hall this evening,¡± Hua Sheng said authoritatively. ¡°You heard Elder Mo earlier. If I have to hunt you down one by one, I can assure you that the result will not be pretty.¡± ¡°Congratulations, Junior Martial Sister Lu,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a smile. He had no idea how Lu Zhiying did it, but Zhao Yunxiao congratulated her nevertheless. After all, people like him would probably never understand the world of geniuses. ¡°Congratulations, Junior Marital Sister Lu,¡± Nie Hanchang added. ¡°Your talent puts me to shame.¡± ¡°You are amazing, Junior Martial Sister Lu!¡± Gu Qiansi gave her a gentle hug. ¡°I am so proud of you!¡± ¡°Hehe, am I really that amazing?¡± Lu Zhiying asked with a grin. ¡°Definitely,¡± Tu Shi¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind, prompting Gu Qiansi to quickly release the hug. While everyone had been lost in their thoughts and discussion, Tu Shi and the rest of the Black Rose had come over to look for Lu Zhiying immediately after Mo Tianfeng¡¯s departure. And with their presence, the other outer disciples who had wanted to come over to congratulate Lu Zhiying could not help but stop in their tracks. Everyone knew that the Black Rose had been trying to recruit Lu Zhiying, so nobody wanted to interrupt for fear of offending the Black Rose. ¡°Greetings, Senior Martial Sister Tu,¡± Zhao Yunxiao, Gu Qiansi, and Lu Zhiying said in unison. ¡°Junior Martial Sister Tu,¡± Nie Hanchang nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°Greetings,¡± Tu Shi nodded towards them before turning towards Lu Zhiying. ¡°Are you free to come with us for a chat, Junior Martial Sister Lu?¡± ¡°Where are we going next, Senior Martial Brother Zhao? I don¡¯t have time, do I?¡± Lu Zhiying turned towards Zhao Yunxiao instead. ¡° ¡°Fine,¡± Lu Zhiying pouted in disappointment before turning back to Tu Shi. ¡°Let¡¯s go have our talk then.¡± Tu Shi let out a helpless sigh upon seeing Lu Zhiying¡¯s attitude, ¡°Well then, please follow us.¡± With that, Lu Zhiying left the Monolith Square under the lead of the Black Rose members. ¡°Shall we go as well?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°Let¡¯s do that,¡± Gu Qiansi agreed. ¡°I¡¯ve already told Junior Martial Sister Huang that we will be going to the Medicine Pavilion instead, and she said that she will meet us there as well. So, the discussion will probably not be happening this time.¡± The Flying Shell Performance Group usually came together to discuss their takeaways after each monthly cultivation lecture, but that had to be called off this time since their injuries needed tending to. Rejecting the Black Rose Once Again ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°You got them during a sect mission, Senior Martial Sister Lu?¡± Ou Fengtian could not help but ask. ¡°What kind of mission is it?¡± As someone who had yet to go on any sect missions, Ou Fengtian was curious what Lu Zhiying chose as her first sect mission, especially since she had even gotten injured from it. If possible, Ou Fengtian would certainly try to avoid taking such a dangerous mission! ¡°It is a mission to renew a lumber contract at Moonrise City,¡± Lu Zhiying answered frankly. Ou Fengtian: ¡°...¡± Tu Shi: ¡°...¡± Xu Guilian: ¡°...¡± Shang Zhaoqi: ¡°...¡± Just how did she even get injured on a mission that did not involve any sort of danger? ¡°This is why I say that the levels are different,¡± Tu Shi said with a sigh. ¡°I assume you met with some wild monsters or spirit beasts on route to Moonrise City. With the resources at our disposal, we are able to determine the routes that are free of such dangers, or even prepare preventive measures that will chase them away during any unexpected encounters. Had you been part of the Black Rose, these injuries would never have come to be.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s not it,¡± Lu Zhiying shook her head. ¡°I got these injuries from fighting members of the Vermilion Bird Sect.¡± ¡°What?!¡± the Black Rose members exclaimed in unison. ¡°Why were you fighting members of the Vermilion Bird Sect?¡± Tu Shi asked in concern. ¡°No, why were they all the way up here in the North? Are you sure they are members of the Vermilion Bird Sect?¡± ¡°Yeah, they were chasing a member whom they thought had deserted the sect, so we kind of got wrapped up in the matter,¡± Lu Zhiying answered nonchalantly. ¡°So, that¡¯s why...¡± Tu Shi said. ¡°But even if that¡¯s the case, members of the Vermilion Bird Sect know of our group as well. With our connections to the inner sect, most members of the Vermilion Bird Sect would have hesitated to lay hands on you if they had known that you are a member of the Black Rose.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lu Zhiying asked in surprise. ¡°Does that include the core disciples of the Vermilion Bird Sect?¡± ¡°Haha, that might be asking for a little too much,¡± Tu Shi laughed. ¡°Core disciples are a different breed altogether. Just look at the core disciples of our Black Tortoise Sect, they will not care for the inner disciples of the other Four Great Symbol Sects, either. But apart from core disciples, there¡¯s always a chance to avoid conflict just by mentioning our name.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Quan Hui?! You mean Infernal Claw, Quan Hui?!¡± Xi Guilian exclaimed in shock. ¡°You were fighting her?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! That¡¯s the same alias I heard!¡± Lu Zhiying confirmed. ¡°And you escaped unscathed? How¡¯s that possible?¡± Xi Guilian continued. ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t exactly call this unscathed,¡± Lu Zhiying pointed at her injuries. ¡°Anyway, we got bailed out by Senior Martial Brother Wei in the end.¡± ¡°These are already considered extremely light injuries if you are facing the Infernal Claw!¡± Xi Guilian retorted. ¡°Wait, who did you say bailed you out again?¡± ¡°Senior Martial Brother Wei...?¡± Tu Shi frowned. ¡°Do you mean... Senior Martial Brother Wei Yuandi?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Lu Zhiying nodded. ¡°Do you know him as well? I think his alias is... Death Blade?¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Of course we know his alias!¡± Xi Guilian said agitatedly. ¡°How can we not know a core disciple of our Black Tortoise Sect? You said he bailed you out? How did that happen?¡± ¡°Well, he just appeared out of nowhere and told Quan Hui¡¯s group to scram or he would kill all of them,¡± Lu Zhiying answered. ¡°As scary as the rumours say...¡± Ou Fengtian remarked. ¡°Not really. I actually think that he was pretty cool!¡± Lu Zhiying shook her head. ¡°Really?¡± Ou Fengtian blinked blankly. ¡°I¡¯ve always thought that he is a very scary senior martial brother due to all the rumours, but I guess rumours cannot always be trusted. How lucky, you actually got to meet him! I have yet to even talk to any core disciples.¡± ¡°See? That¡¯s why I like hanging out with Senior Martial Brother Zhao and Senior Martial Sister Gu,¡± Lu Zhiying said. ¡°It is always interesting!¡± ¡°Ahem!¡± Tu Shi cleared her throat loudly. ¡°I agree that it is a rare opportunity to speak to a core disciple. However, it¡¯s not right to make a comparison just based on this one lucky encounter. Overall, being around people of higher prestige will still expose you to better opportunities to grow and develop.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t say that it is just luck,¡± Lu Zhiying disagreed. ¡°I will say that is more of a cumulation of many things, including plenty of preparation and an inculcated will to excel.¡± After all, had Zhao Yunxiao not possessed the skills and foresight to set up an extensive network of alerts and arrays in the first place, all of that would never have happened. ¡°That might be putting it a little too seriously...¡± Xi Guilian was not convinced, despite also being envious of Lu Zhiying¡¯s opportunity to interact with a core disciple. After all, even inner disciples seldom get the opportunity to do so! ¡°I do have a question,¡± Lu Zhiying said. ¡°What would you do if such a thing happened to you as well? For example, a core disciple of one of the other Four Great Symbol Sects captured one of your companions, and wanted to bring them back for questioning?¡± ¡°A core disciple?¡± Tu Shi thought about it for a moment. ¡°In that case, we would just have to return and report it to the sect. After all, we would not be able to stop the core disciple from doing so anyway.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Xi Guilian nodded. ¡°That sounds like the only feasible option.¡± Ou Fengtian and Shang Zhaoqi nodded in unison as well. ¡°That is a calculated and rational answer ¨C the same conclusion that most would arrive at,¡± Lu Zhiying answered with a knowing smile. ¡°However, I have been living a life that involves shrewd calculation and guarding against others all this while, and I no longer want to continue doing so. Now that I have a choice, I would like to experience what it¡¯s like to be around people whom I know will have my back no matter the situation.¡± Zhao Yunxiao might not have said it, but Lu Zhiying knew that Zhao Yunxiao could have left her and Gu Qiansi to escape on his own back then. Whether he would succeed or not was up for debate, but the fact that he chose not to even attempt to escape had left a deep impression on her. ¡°This...¡± Tu Shi was momentarily at a loss for words. What could she possibly say to that? Asking about Lu Zhiying¡¯s past might come off as rude. But without knowing Lu Zhiying¡¯s past, how was she supposed to comment on Lu Zhiying¡¯s decision? In any case, she could not promise to have Lu Zhiying¡¯s back no matter the situation, simply because there would always be certain circumstances when that would not be a sensible thing to do! ¡°Regardless, I¡¯m sure you have already realised by now that your level is completely different from that of Senior Martial Brother Zhao and Senior Martial Sister Gu,¡± Xi Guilian was the one who spoke first. ¡°If you continue hanging out with them, they will only end up dragging you down.¡± ¡°If that is really the case, then I will just pull them up with me instead,¡± Lu Zhiying answered with a level of confidence that surprised the four. ¡°But then again, I don¡¯t believe that there will be a need for that in the first place. Having spent some time with them, I really don¡¯t think that they are as weak as people perceive them to be.¡± The Black Rose members exchanged glances, but none of them could find the right words to say. ¡°If that is your decision, then we will just have to respect that,¡± Tu Shi finally said with a sigh. ¡°I just think that it is a waste of your talents to sacrifice guaranteed success due to short term emotional whims.¡± ¡°Perhaps it is as you said, but I believe otherwise,¡± Lu Zhiying stood firm. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m sure Junior Martial Sister Huang knows that I am just joking anyway.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°A hunting trip?¡± Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi exclaimed in unison. Are You Trying to Trick the Puppets? ¡°Y-Yeah...¡± Huang An shrank her head back a little from embarrassment. ¡°I thought that it might be good if I stepped a little out of my comfort zone for once...¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s about time for you to realise that indeed! Don¡¯t worry, I will tell you everything you need to know!¡± Zhao Yunxiao laughed. ¡°If it will make you feel better to treat me for free in return, then I guess I have no choice but to accept it!¡± ¡°Who are you kidding? It¡¯s all about the money after all,¡± Gu Qiansi rolled her eyes. ¡°You agreed immediately upon seeing that it¡¯s free!¡± ¡°What do you know? I¡¯m doing this solely to make Junior Martial Sister Huang feel better,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Junior Martial Sister Huang?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° From common best practices to the tricks that he had found useful personally, he held nothing back from Huang An. After all, sharing this information did not harm him in the slightest. By the time he was done, Huang An had already finished with Lu Zhiying¡¯s treatment long ago. ¡°That¡¯s about it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao finally said. ¡°Come look for me tomorrow, and I will pass you some items that you might find useful. Among them will be some array flags, so I will teach you how to use them as well.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Even so, Zhao Yunxiao had been apprehensive about actually following through on his words since Lu Zhiying had explicitly mentioned that it was ugly. Because of that, Zhao Yunxiao thought that perhaps Lu Zhiying was just being greedy when she said that she wanted it. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. But looking at the excited look on her face right now, Zhao Yunxiao realised that his worries were for naught. Now that their injuries had been tended to, the trio bade farewell to Huang An and left the Medicine Pavilion. Their next destination ¨C the Hundred Puppets Array. Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi had brought Lu Zhiying here in the past, so this was not a place that was unfamiliar to Lu Zhiying. And since their last visit, a month had already passed, so they now had a free attempt at it once again. After registering their disciple tokens, the duty disciple immediately got ready to assist with the activation of the training array. Zhao Yunxiao had gone first the previous time, so Gu Qiansi volunteered to do so this time. ¡°All the best, Senior Martial Sister Gu!¡± Lu Zhiying cheered from outside the fences. ¡°Activate the array,¡± Gu Qiansi instructed, and the array immediately sprang into action. Just like the last time, while all of the puppets began to move the moment the array was activated, none of them were actually headed towards Gu Qiansi. Gu Qiansi remained calm and carefully extended her spiritual sense, making sure that she was fully aware of every movement around her. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°All the best, Senior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Lu Zhiying cheered once more. ¡° ¡° Why are you just standing there and taking hits?¡± Gu Qiansi felt the corner of her lips twitch. ¡°Are you trying to trick the puppets into recognising you as one of them, thereby leaving you alone because of that?¡± ¡°Oh? Does that work?¡± Lu Zhiying asked curiously. ¡°Of course not,¡± Gu Qiansi rubbed her temples with a sigh. ¡°That idiot is just going to get flattened even before reaching Level 3.¡± ¡°Oh, then I guess I can start warming up for my turn!¡± Lu Zhiying answered cheerfully. Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± Even if you people can¡¯t be supportive and encouraging, can you at least not put me down like that? You might not be able to tell, but I am genuinely trying to do my best over here! Flight of the Butterflies ¡°What do you know? This is my way of tempering my path of body strengthening!¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°Even if you want to temper your body, this is definitely not the best way to do it...¡± Gu Qiansi felt the corner of her lips twitch. Unless Zhao Yunxiao already had a high level of attainment in the path of body strengthening, this would only be akin to asking for a beating! Or perhaps that¡¯s what Zhao Yunxiao was looking for? Was he secretly a...? Oblivious to Gu Qiansi¡¯s imagination going wild, Zhao Yunxiao called for the second level of the array. Bang-! Bang-! Bang-! Bang-! This time, Zhao Yunxiao could no longer stop a puppet with just two punches. Not only did he have to employ proper techniques from the Xuanwu Fist Art, he even needed four consecutive punches at full power to stop a single puppet. It did not take long before he was drenched in sweat, clearly exhausted by the intense level of energy required. Even then, he refused to change up his methods, and stuck closely to his plan of direct physical confrontation. As for the first aspect, that was something that Zhao Yunxiao would have to work on slowly and steadily. After all, physical endurance was not something that could be improved overnight. Even with a powerful defensive technique, it was unlikely for one to be able to sustain it for long without a good physical foundation. That was why Zhao Yunxiao wanted to take this opportunity to test his limits ¨C to understand the main weaknesses in his defence. And to do that, Zhao Yunxiao wanted to see just how far he could push himself in a pseudo combat situation. ¡° ¡° The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. There was definitely a limit to how much punishment a person could take. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Her last visit here had left her battered and bruised, and she was determined to change the narrative this time! ... With a combination of speed bursts and directional changes, Lu Zhiying weaved in and out of the puppets without problem. Unlike the last time she was here, these techniques that she was executing were no longer mere lesser adaptations. They were the real thing now, fueled by world origin energy. This gave these techniques the explosive power that they had lacked in the past, allowing Lu Zhiying to perform her evasive measures with even greater finesse. At the same time, it was not as though she was just blindly using these techniques to move as far away from the puppets as possible. Instead, she kept her movements to a minimum, constantly taking only the shortest and most efficient paths to get out of the way of the puppets. With that confident smile on her face, Lu Zhiying continued to dance around the puppets with a seemingly unrealistic level of grace. Yes, dance was the right word. ¡°Why do her movements look so familiar?¡± Gu Qiansi mused. ¡°...Flight of the Butterflies,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered hesitantly. ¡°Flight of the Butterflies?¡± Gu Qiansi repeated his words in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean exactly what I said,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied while continuing to closely observe Lu Zhiying¡¯s movements. ¡°Haven¡¯t you recognised it yet? This is her dance routine for our second song ¨C Flight of the Butterflies.¡± By that, he was referring to one of the three songs that the Flying Shell Performance Group had performed at the New Year celebrations. ¨C a calming song about the natural beauty of butterflies. ¡° In her hands, an innocuous dance had been completely transformed into a set of evasive techniques characterised with grace and elegance ¨C one that was fully capable of rendering her numerous opponents desperately grasping at straws! My Path... is Dance! During the cultivation lecture earlier, Elder Mo Tianfeng spoke about how everything in the world could be aligned to the concept of cultivation. He further elaborated that as long as a cultivator understood the fundamental laws, even their interests and hobbies could be applied to their cultivation path. This immediately got Lu Zhiying thinking. Just what were her interests and hobbies, and how could they be applied to her cultivation path? The things that immediately came to mind were not exactly things that she wanted to continue doing in the future, so that was out of the question. Gardening? No, not really. Even though she had chosen to take up a job with the Herb Gardens, the decision was mainly driven by convenience instead of interest. In that case, there was only one other thing that she could think of. That was not to mention the actual performance with the Flying Shell Performance Group during the New Year celebrations, when she was once again acknowledged for her ability. And since even Elder Mo Tianfeng said that anything was possible, then she would believe in herself and do just that. What myriad swords and unstoppable sabres? What freezing ice and blazing fire? My path... is dance! From the very moment Lu Zhiying decided that, everything started to come together in her head. It was like pieces of a puzzle returning to their rightful place, slowly revealing the beautiful picture that had been broken up and locked away as a secret to the world all this while. Things just came instinctively to her, allowing her to effortlessly join together move after move, technique after technique ¨C all in a seamless manner that seemed as natural as a fish taken to water. ¡°Level 2!¡± Lu Zhiying called out with an excited grin on her face. Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi could not help but exchange glances upon hearing Lu Zhiying¡¯s words. Level 2? That was simply unthinkable for someone who had only joined the sect for a month, especially since she had no cultivation experience prior to that! But once they remembered that Lu Zhiying was already in the Intermediate Foundation Building realm, this sounded slightly more reasonable. After all, Levels 1 and 2 were generally for those at the Foundation Building realm. ¡° ¡° ¡° This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. However, her words only fell on deaf ears as the array continued running. That was because, apart from using their own discretion, the duty disciple was only supposed to listen to the requests of the disciple challenging the array when it came to activating or stopping the array. Since Lu Zhiying was the one challenging the array right now, the duty disciple simply ignored Gu Qiansi¡¯s instruction. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Since that was the case, he could only let them learn the lesson themselves! Recruitment Test for the Observer Role ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° As an observer, you need to be able to react quickly and accurately to any unexpected circumstances that arise during the opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. Therefore, the first part will involve testing your reaction,¡± the administrative deacon explained. ¡°The test is simple ¨C you will be putting a hand on each jade figure. This will happen multiple times throughout the test, but when you feel a flow of energy coming from either figure, you are to transfer an identical amount of energy into the other figure. Just a warning that it will not be counted if you are too slow in doing so, so please try to do so as quickly as you can.¡± Just what could be the catch this time? Reaction Test ¡°Let¡¯s do a practice round to make sure that everyone understands,¡± the administrative deacon said after all five participants had each gotten behind a table. ¡°Place your hands on the jade figures.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do this,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said to Bo Fei before placing his hands on the jade tortoise figures in front of him. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s pass together!¡± Bo Fei nodded in determination. Following which, Zhao Yunxiao could not resist stealing a glance at Ze Qifa, only to discover that the latter already had his eyes closed while his hands rested on the jade tortoises. Zhao Yunxiao quickly shook the stray thoughts out of his head. That¡¯s right. This was a test of individual performance, so there was no need to look at others. Instead, all he should be doing right now was focus on himself. ¡° ¡° This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡° ¡° ¡° And they were only still in the first part of the recruitment test! Observation Test ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° However, this also made Zhao Yunxiao realise the trick to clearing this test. ¡° ¡° ¡° As though the test had not been difficult enough, the administrative deacon just had to pull a stunt like this to increase the difficulty level even further! Endurance Test ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° When you looked at it that way, this so-called test could be considered the perfect form of endurance training! Can You Please Stop? Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. But it was also at this point that one of the three finally started to falter. The rays of golden light coming from Applicant B suddenly started to dim at an alarming rate, quickly reduced to a level of intensity that was barely as bright as the light of a firefly. Even then, it refused to be extinguished. Applicant B¡¯s frown started to deepen, and his face turned extremely pale. It was obvious that he was pushing himself to the limit just to last as long as he could. The administrative deacon furrowed his brows upon seeing this, but he did not intervene. He did not approve of the disciples pushing their limits just for the sake of a recruitment test, but this was eventually the disciples¡¯ choice. If he were to step in now, he could easily be accused of showing favouritism. And worse still, that accusation could come from either side as well! Pu-! Applicant B spat out a mouthful of blood, and the faint golden light coming from him started to flicker. ¡°Damn...¡± Bo Fei muttered to himself in shock. ¡°Know your limits and stop before it is too late,¡± the administrative deacon advised. ¡°The Four Symbols Mystic Realm opens every year. It might not be worth harming yourself over something like this.¡± Both Zhao Yunxiao and Ze Qifa no longer look as relaxed as before, either. Their robes were soaked through, and their expressions were solemn. From the looks of it, it was only a matter of time before they succumbed to the pressure. The question was... who would be the first to falter? It did not take long for them to find out. Ze Qifa¡¯s body started to tremble. Bit by bit, the dark layer on his skin started to rescind. But just like Applicant B, Ze Qifa did not intend to let things end just like that. He continued to push himself to the limit, struggling to maintain the Silent Fang Body Strengthening Art for as long as he could. As long as the Silent Fang Body Strengthening Art was in effect, he would have no problem remaining in the circle! ¡° However, isn¡¯t this a little inconsiderate? Thinking up to this point, the administrative deacon suddenly felt much better. Results of the First Stage of the Recruitment Test ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Fundamentals of Arrays A single cultivator¡¯s abilities were limited. Not just that, but cultivators might feel that their powers were lacking even if they worked together as a group. While cultivators would eventually be able to improve their abilities through consistent cultivation and reaching greater heights, it was never an easy task to advance in cultivation levels. Some took years just to improve by a single boundary, while others took centuries. That was why cultivators constantly sought out new methods to do more with what they currently had. These methods included coming up with the concept of using energy efficiently, creating various techniques, using temporary strengthening pills, as well as utilising arrays. Killing arrays. Concealing arrays. Illusion arrays. Sealing arrays. Energy gathering arrays. These were some of the most commonly used types of arrays. But they were still only a part of the countless forms of arrays that various cultivators had come up with over the course of history, each created to serve cultivators in any way that they required. But no matter what kind of array it was, there was one hard downside that governed them all ¨C arrays had to be set up in advance, and thus could not truly be used as and when a cultivator wanted. ¡°As a hunter, you have the luxury to decide the time and location of the confrontation,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°By setting up an array in advance, you can create a favourable condition for yourself when things come down to it. Even if you don¡¯t wish to rely on an array to help with your hunt, you should still set one up to provide you with a backup plan in the worst case scenario.¡± By now, it was no longer just Huang An and Lu Zhiying who were listening intently. Everyone had fallen silent as they carefully took in Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s words, and Nie Hanchang was no exception. While he had more hunting experience than Zhao Yunxiao, Nie Hanchang had to admit that he had not approached it with nearly as much meticulousness. To Nie Hanchang, the hunting trips were merely ways of honing his combat capabilities. By setting up an escape route, it would be creating a nagging thought in the back of his mind that it was fine to lose as long as he tried his best, since he would always have something to fall back on. But that was not what he wanted. What he wanted was to win! However, he had to admit that moving forward, he could probably consider changing up his approach at times, instead of stubbornly sticking to what he always did. Rather than thinking that he always had to go into a fight with no choice but to win, perhaps having an escape route would allow him to challenge even tougher enemies to gain combat experience as well. There were indeed benefits to both approaches. ¡°Every array comprises various array nodes, connected together to form a web of energy flow. Be it the method, order, or timing at which these array nodes are set up, all of them could have an impact on the resulting effect of the array,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. ¡°When you are out hunting, you will not be operating on flat ground, so you need to take everything in the environment into consideration. You can even use the existing terrain as a node. But make sure not to rely too much on things that are likely to be moved or destroyed in the process.¡± ¡°Everything in the world has its own source of energy, and every source of energy could impact the overall structure of the array...¡± Huang An recalled something that she had read in the past. ¡°That¡¯s right, you have learnt well,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded in approval. ¡°And when sources of energy within the array are disrupted to a sufficient extent, so too would the array itself. That is, unless the array nodes are stable enough.¡± Beside Huang An, Lu Zhiying listened quietly without interrupting. Even though she had only joined the sect for slightly more than a month, she had already assisted Zhao Yunxiao in setting up preparations more than just once, and these preparations included arrays as well. However, she had always just been going through the motion and mindlessly following instructions. This was the first time that she was learning about the various underlying concepts, so she could not help but feel excited! ¡°Arrays tap into the world laws and align with the world origin energy in the surroundings. With enough preparation and sufficient expertise, you might even be able to take down monsters that are well beyond your cultivation level,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°The underlying concept sounds simple enough,¡± Huang An said. ¡°However, I don¡¯t know if I will be able to apply them in an actual situation...¡± ¡°That¡¯s only natural. For starters, you can just focus on perfecting one or two simple arrays that can be used in most situations for now,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Do you know of any killing or concealing arrays?¡± ¡°Yes! I have looked into the Summer Blizzard Concealing Array!¡± Huang An answered excitedly. Summer Blizzard Concealing Array ¨C it was a concealing array named as such due to its effect of creating a curtain of heavy snow around an area, effectively hiding the area from prying eyes. ¡°Hmm, that might not be too suitable in a forest,¡± Zhao Yunxiao mused. ¡°I assume that Junior Martial Sister Huang is intending to hunt in the wilderness of Purple Plum Mountain?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Huang An replied hesitantly, realising the problem here. The dense vegetation of the forest would serve as an obstacle to the falling snow. That was not to say that the concealing array would be rendered completely useless. However, its effect would definitely be reduced by a certain extent. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°Can you teach Senior Martial Sister Huang another one that will be of greater use, then?¡± Lu Zhiying suggested, her eyes shining brightly in anticipation. ¡°Are you asking me to teach her, or are you asking me to teach both of you at the same time?¡± Zhao Yunxiao saw through her intentions immediately. ¡°Haha, Senior Martial Brother Zhao is wise!¡± Lu Zhiying was not embarrassed to admit it. ¡°But isn¡¯t it the same thing? If you will be teaching Senior Martial Sister Huang anyway, what¡¯s the harm in letting me listen while you are at it?¡± ¡°Yeah, why don¡¯t you share a thing or two, Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Bo Fei did not miss the chance to chime in immediately. Among the members of the Flying Shell Performance Group, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s attainments in the path of arrays were definitely the highest. If he was willing to share a little, the rest would all be more than willing to listen! ¡°Since we have time, I don¡¯t see why not,¡± Zhao Yunxiao agreed immediately. ¡°Let me see, what would be suitable here?¡± He had never been someone who felt competitive towards those whom he regarded as his close companions. To Zhao Yunxiao, teaching them what he knew would only benefit their group as a whole, and perhaps even benefitting himself through a form of revision. After all, people often said that the best way to consolidate your understanding of a particular subject was by trying to teach it to others! Zhao Yunxiao thought about it for a little before deciding on two particular arrays. Red Devil Weapons Array ¨C a killing array that allowed cultivators to conceal all sorts of weapons, firing them at their enemies when they least expected it. Lu Zhiying¡¯s eyes lit up in surprise as she listened on, quickly recognising this as the array that Zhao Yunxiao had used back when they were hunting nightspirit rats at Gu Qiansi¡¯s garden plot. Zhao Yunxiao had seemed like a god of spears at that time, firing spear after spear at the nightspirit rats throughout the course of the battle. It was only now that Lu Zhiying finally knew the name of the array! However, she made sure to refrain from making any relevant comments, especially since their actions that night were supposed to be a secret to Gu Qiansi. After this was the Twelve Spectres Array ¨C a concealing array that allowed cultivators to hide their presence within any relatively complicated terrain that involved tall structures. By relying on twelve main array nodes that are usually converted from items in the surroundings, cultivators could reduce their presence to a minimum, allowing them to avoid potential threats or even sneak up on their prey. This array, however, was something that Lu Zhiying was not familiar with. She tried comparing it to the various concealing arrays that Zhao Yunxiao had created in the past, but none of them seemed to fit the description. It was a little disappointing, but Lu Zhiying still tried her best to learn it from scratch. ¡°Remember, array nodes are the key to the successful activation of an array,¡± Zhao Yunxiao reminded. ¡°It might be tedious, but always make sure that you do not neglect the fundamentals.¡± But immediately after saying this, Zhao Yunxiao suddenly remembered something. What he just said only served to describe the contemporary ways of arrays. However, he had recently learnt from Cha that there were ancient arrays that followed a completely different concept. Back when he was at the Origin Lake Sect, Zhao Yunxiao had witnessed for himself the wonderful usage of archaic characters in the ways of ancient arrays. Under the influence of these archaic characters, rather than carefully setting up array nodes as the foundation to form an array, it was more like an array had been formed before being made to conform to the existing array nodes! Nevermind, he should not confuse the others with such complicated stuff that even he had yet to fully grasp. For now, it was more important to just teach them the fundamentals. But Zhao Yunxiao decided that when he had time, he really had to clear his mind of distractions and properly study these archaic characters. It was already wonderful enough to understand how to utilise them as they were. If he were to somehow figure out how to assimilate them into the contemporary methods of arrays, Zhao Yunxiao was certain that it would greatly increase the means at his disposal! ¡°In the end, arrays can only be of help when in range,¡± Zhao Yunxiao continued after shaking those thoughts out of his mind. ¡°When thinking of where to set up an array, you need to think about how or whether you would be able to use it in that particular location in the first place.¡± ¡°I understand, Senior Martial Brother Zhao,¡± Huang An nodded. ¡°I will make sure to practise hard and only go after I am able to do this with certainty.¡± ¡°I will practise with you, Senior Martial Sister Huang!¡± Lu Zhiying volunteered. ¡°T-Thank you, Junior Martial Sister Lu!¡± Huang An was relieved to hear that. In the end, the concept of arrays might sound straightforward, but it was actually extremely complicated in practice due to the various considerations required during application. Every little nuance in the environment could alter the effect of the array, so it was not uncommon for novices to struggle to get their arrays activated with absolute certainty. With Lu Zhiying practising along with her, Huang An could at least have someone to discuss or consult with. ¡°That said, arrays are only there to help. You should still rely more on your personal capabilities to get the most out of the trip. That is always the safest approach,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Here, take this.¡± Zhao Yunxiao picked up a talisman from the items that had been laid out on the floor, handing it over to Huang An. ¡°This is...?¡± Huang An asked. ¡°A spatial escape talisman,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. ¡°Try not to use it unless absolutely necessary. But when needed, it can be considered a life-saving trump card.¡± ¡°A spatial escape talisman?!¡± This time, it was not just Huang An who exclaimed in surprise. Nie Hanchang, Gu Qiansi, and Bo Fei were all similarly shocked. ¡°How did you get something like that?¡± Gu Qiansi questioned. ¡°They don¡¯t even sell these things at the Sect Market!¡± Spatial escape talismans referred to talismans that were capable of ripping through the fabrics of space and sending their users to a different location in an instant. Since it was a direct displacement through space, it was extremely difficult to prevent such an escape. Therefore, even though spatial escape talismans were consumables that would be expended with a single use, they still remained highly sought after life-saving trump cards for cultivators. Unfortunately, such talismans could only be created by powerful masters who had already come into contact with the concept of space, making them extremely rare commodities. That was not because it was difficult for powerful cultivators to create something like this. On the contrary, someone who understood the concepts of space would usually be able to create such talismans with ease. The materials required were not unreasonably expensive, either. The only problem was... why would such powerful cultivators deign to waste their time on producing talismans like this unless absolutely necessary? Due to the scarcity of it, even most inner disciples would not hesitate to go on an all out bidding war to get their hands on a spatial escape talisman, so just how did a mere outer disciple like Zhao Yunxiao manage to do so? ¡°It¡¯s just a mere spatial escape talisman. Is there really a need to be this amazed?¡± Zhao Yunxiao smirked upon noticing everyone¡¯s attention falling upon him. ¡°If you are already acting like this when you see that I have a spatial escape talisman, how would you feel when you realise that I actually have two?¡± With a flick of his wrist, another identical looking talisman appeared in his hands. Everyone¡¯s eyes widened even further in shock. Zhao Yunxiao was actually not bluffing. He did not possess just one spatial escape talisman, but two of them instead! Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s smirk deepened upon seeing their reaction. He had obtained these two talismans from Elder He as a reward for serving him good tea and snacks on the way to the Origin Lake Sect. Zhao Yunxiao did not want to use up these talismans until he had absolutely no choice. Considering that, perhaps this way of showing off was not a bad way to make use of them either! Second Stage of the Observer Test ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Have you only just realised how capable I am?¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° In that case... all right,¡± Huang An finally received the spatial escape talisman. ¡°I will just hold onto it for now, and will definitely return it to you after the trip!¡± I will be looking forward to getting it back, then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded with a smile. ¡°But remember, you need to be alive to pass it back to me. So, don¡¯t be too hesitant to use it when danger arises.¡± I got it!¡± Huang An nodded in determination. Since Zhao Yunxiao and Huang An still had to attend the second stage of the recruitment test tomorrow, the group did not hang around for too long so that they could go back and get enough rest. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Two... One... Weng-! With a low buzz, every jade tablet lit up in unison. It was like a sea of stars had suddenly formed within the Snow Moon Arena, marking the official commencement of the second stage of the observer test with a beautiful start! Making the Observer Team There were many ways in which the jade tablets could display changes. Colour, light intensity, vibration, and in the worst case scenario... cracking. These indicated the different situations that the corresponding participants could go through within the mystic realm. Be it losing energy, losing consciousness, or regaining them eventually. Be it moving quickly or remaining stationary. These were things that could all be known by interpreting the changes happening to the jade tablets, with the meaning behind each change clearly defined within the test scrolls. The jade tablets might not be able to convey exactly what was happening within the mystic realm. But at the very least, it allowed those outside to understand the current condition of the participants. Coupled with their experience and understanding of the mystic realm, this in turn allowed those outside to form their own informed conjectures. But unlike him, some others began making mistakes very early into the test. And Fei Weng did not hesitate to call them out publicly for their mistakes. ¡°What do you mean he is losing energy? He is losing consciousness!¡± ¡°Check the name again! You are reporting on the wrong participant!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡° If there were many people who did not make mistakes, then only the ones who did their jobs better would be selected for the team. And that part was essentially up to the discretion of the deacon in charge ¨C Fei Weng. ¡°I will now announce the names of those who have passed the recruitment test,¡± Fei Weng said. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao nodded to himself, making a mental note to start looking out for treasure weapons available on the market from now on. Basic Forging Duties Zhao Yunxiao woke up feeling refreshed the next morning. ¡° Huang An had passed as well, but her test had ended a day earlier than that of the observer test. Because of that, the group had already celebrated her success the day before. ¡°Thank you, Junior Martial Sister Lu,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a smile. ¡°Make sure you don¡¯t screw up this time,¡± Gu Qiansi said. ¡°You are making it sound like I did screw up last time,¡± Zhao Yunxiao rolled his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that I can¡¯t be there, but please let me know if you see Senior Martial Brother Wei beat up that crazy woman Quan Hui!¡± Lu Zhiying added. ¡°Haha, you don¡¯t have to worry about that. I will definitely let everyone know if I ever see that happen!¡± Zhao Yunxiao laughed. ¡°By Quan Hui, I assume that you mean Infernal Claw, Quan Hui of the Vermilion Bird Sect?¡± Bo Fei raised an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°What¡¯s with the animosity?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know? That crazy woman is the one responsible for all their injuries,¡± Nie Hanchang remarked. Gu Qiansi: ¡°...¡± Since when did Nie Hanchang join Zhao Yunxiao and Lu Zhiying in calling Quan Hui a crazy woman as well? ¡°Woah! Seriously? What did you do to incur her wrath?¡± Bo Fei exclaimed in shock. ¡°Wait, am I the last to know this?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just drop the matter,¡± Gu Qiansi said with a helpless sigh. ¡°After all, she only did what she did because of a misunderstanding.¡± She could not help but feel that something would go wrong if their group continued addressing Quan Hui in such a disrespectful manner. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° In the end, they completed their work much earlier than expected. Not only that, but their consistency also greatly reduced the chances of failure, resulting in plenty of materials being left over. ¡° ¡° ¡° I am a very fair person. You have done well to support me, so you can have more of the rewards,¡± Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s partner said. ¡°Senior Martial Brother is too kind. In any case, I was only able to support you well because of how methodical you were in the process,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered frankly. ¡°Even then, few are able to follow my lead as well as you do,¡± his partner said. ¡°Just accept it. I don¡¯t really have much use for these materials anyway.¡± ¡°Since Senior Martial Brother insists, then I will shamelessly accept your offer,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°But may I ask how Senior Martial Brother intends to use your share of the materials?¡± In fact, these leftover materials were nothing uncommon. If they wanted to, they could easily get them from the Sect Market at a reasonable price. That was why Zhao Yunxiao was not too surprised that his partner was being so generous about it. ¡°What else can I do with it? Probably just experiment with something simple. But by asking that, does it mean that you are considering starting on a major project?¡± his partner asked. ¡°I advise you not to be too ambitious. It is not easy to create something good. Most of the time, it is much cheaper to just buy something decent off the Sect Market instead of spending a fortune on repeatedly forging something on your own. In fact, most who attempt something like this still end up with something of a similar quality in the end.¡± ¡°I will take Senior Martial Brother¡¯s advice to heart,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°Well then, it¡¯s been a pleasure working with you. I will take my leave now, and I look forward to working with you again in the future.¡± ¡° However, there was one thing that both his partner and Bo Fei were unaware of. Zhao Yunxiao had been involved in the creation of the mythical tier Grand Annihilator as well! As for the only other person who knew this... Your smithing skills are really amazing. Have you ever considered seriously pursuing this path? I just find it to be a waste of your talent. Why not make one for yourself? Nie Hanchang¡¯s past words resounded in his head. And looking at the materials that had suddenly fallen into his hands, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel that this was a sign of sorts. Previously, he had already considered the path of smithing as a possible auxiliary path. While the materials for a sabre were not exactly the same as those for a halberd, they were still similar to a certain extent, and it would not be difficult if he wanted to make up for the rest. Perhaps this was the perfect opportunity to get started? Grimoire Fruit Essence Zhao Yunxiao leapt out of the ground when he finally arrived at the entrance of the Sect Library. With a snap of his fingers, he dispelled his clone that had been walking on the surface above him. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. With that, Zhao Yunxiao started to draw up a blueprint in his head to confirm the final materials, most of which were rather affordable. And thinking about the grimoire plant, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but be reminded of his darkpetal lily. It had been a while since he had planted it at his garden plot, so perhaps it was time to go check in on it. ¡° ¡°Of course, I¡¯m here because I missed you,¡± Zhao Yunxiao laughed. ¡° ¡°Is Senior Martial Brother Qing around?¡± Zhao Yunxiao casually. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Not far away from them, in the huge net that he had set up previously, Zhao Yunxiao could see that the darkpetal lily was just about to bloom! The Darkpetal Lily Blooms Not only did they possess toxic pollen that could numb one¡¯s movements when inhaled, but their roots could also be ground into toxic powder that could disorientate one¡¯s mind when ingested. ¡° ¡° Thankfully, Zhao Yunxiao did not hear that second line, allowing him to focus on the work at hand. ¡° It¡¯s a darkpetal lily,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. ¡°Its pollen is extremely toxic in nature, so we need to be careful not to let it spread upon blooming.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Of course, Lei Wenzhang knew of Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s careful and meticulous personality, so words were nothing but a formality at this point. ¡° And the very next moment, the six petals snapped open simultaneously. But instead of the beautiful core, all Zhao Yunxiao and Lei Wenzhang could see was an eruption of black pollen akin to that of a volcano. There were no thunderous sounds or frightening tremors, but the silence only served to make the situation feel even more creepy. The black pollen was like a mass of dark powder that shot out in all directions, colliding against the net and instantly dyeing it black. That¡¯s crazy...¡± Lei Wenzhang exclaimed. ¡°What kind of flower spreads its pollen like this?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° But before doing so, Zhao Yunxiao carefully extended his spiritual sense over to get a preliminary observation of the situation. Or, at the very least, it would appear that the eruption of pollen had stopped. He shrouded himself in a protective layer of essence energy and confirmed that he had some recovery elixirs in his spatial pouch before approaching the net. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. This black pollen was extremely toxic, but that was exactly what made them valuable. And that was especially so when it came to a poison user like Zhao Yunxiao. Perhaps a good thing about the pollen of the darkpetal lily was that it was heavier than that of most flowers. This meant that they would quickly settle instead of remaining airborne for long. He carefully entered the net and started collecting the pollen that had fallen on the ground, before starting on those trapped in the net. Now that the darkpetal lily had bloomed, it looked a lot more beautiful than before. The current darkpetal lily finally resembled an actual flower, albeit a dangerous one. The toxic pollen was extremely useful as ingredients for various types of poisons, so it was perfect that he had managed to collect it before going on his mission. Now, it was just a matter of deciding what he should do with them. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Do you think that I would even go near enough to be able to damage the net?¡± Lei Wenzhang rolled his eyes. ¡°That reminds me, I¡¯d better tell Junior Martial Brother Qing not to go near that thing.¡± ¡° That aside, you need to stop introducing such dangerous things to our garden plot!¡± Lei Wenzhang chided. Trust me, I¡¯ve got this,¡± Zhao Yunxiao assured while patting him on the shoulder. You¡¯d better!¡± Lei Wenzhang warned while quickly cleaning off his shoulder. ¡°Otherwise, I will definitely seek heavy compensation from you if anything happens to me!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Apparently, the surrounding vegetation near a town has been exhibiting signs of corruption, so the mission is to investigate the matter,¡± Gu Qiansi clearly understood the matter better. ¡° That¡¯s right! They were saying that they needed Senior Martial Sister Gu to ensure the success of the mission. Senior Martial Sister Gu is so amazing!¡± Lu Zhiying praised. ¡°What about you, Senior Martial Brother Zhao? What did you want to say?¡± ¡° ¡° And it might take a week, possibly more,¡± Gu Qiansi added. ¡°What are the time restrictions on the mission that you have taken up?¡± I probably can¡¯t do both, then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°I need to make sure that I make it back for an upcoming briefing on the opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm.¡± Does that meannot only can you not join us, but we can¡¯t join you after that, either?¡± Lu Zhiying asked in disappointment. It does seem that way,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°No matter. My mission is nothing exciting anyway, just to perform a rain dance for a village. It is good that you can get exposure to corrupted plants instead.¡± I guess there¡¯s no other choice...¡± Lu Zhiying sighed regretfully. While she would much rather go with Zhao Yunxiao regardless of the type of mission, she also knew that it was not right to back out of something that they had already promised. s When will you be leaving for your mission?¡± Gu Qiansi asked. ¡° So soon!¡± Lu Zhiying exclaimed. ¡° Hmm? Are you sure about that, Senior Martial Brother Nie?¡± Zhao Yunxiao raised an eyebrow. ¡°It is just a mission to perform a rain dance. Won¡¯t you be bored?¡± I have been thinking about taking a break from all the training as well, so this is a good opportunity,¡± Nie Hanchang explained. ¡° For safety reasons, it is best to not travel alone as well,¡± Gu Qiansi advised. ¡°Since Senior Martial Brother Nie has kindly offered to accompany you, why don¡¯t you just go together with him?¡± ¡° No, that¡¯s definitely not it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head. ¡°All right, since you are willing to go, then I have no reason to decline further. As for the rewards, I will split them evenly between us. So, when will you be able to leave?¡± ¡° ¡° After all, he had never actually seen the Grand Annihilator in action after helping to forge it. If they were to meet with any spiritual beasts or monsters along the way, Zhao Yunxiao thought that he would definitely have to request for Nie Hanchang to show off a thing or two! Grand Annihilator in Action ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° An Arduous Path ¡°Hahaha! How interesting!¡± Nie Hanchang suddenly lowered his bow and broke out in laughter. ¡°Are you all right, Senior Martial Brother Nie?¡± Zhao Yunxiao cautiously asked. At the same time, he snapped his fingers, and the clone that had narrowly avoided being struck by Nie Hanchang¡¯s arrow reverted to earthen chunks that crumbled to the ground. ¡°Hahaha, yes, I¡¯m all right,¡± Nie Hanchang kept away the Grand Annihilator, but still could not stop himself from laughing. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Zhao Yunxiao repeated his question. But no matter how he looked at it, Nie Hanchang did not seem to be acting normally right now. Why else would he suddenly begin laughing in the midst of a serious spar? Was it because he could not accept the fact that he had missed his shot earlier? Zhao Yunxiao knew of some people who were extremely proud of their craft, and might not be able to handle failure in what they deem themselves to be good at. He could only hope that this was not what Nie Hanchang felt at the moment! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° He had truly never imagined that Nie Hanchang would ever consider giving up on this path! ¡° ¡° Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Black-Spotted Colossal Lizard ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° After an hour¡¯s trek, the duo finally arrived at what appeared to be a dried up swamp. There were obvious traces of there being small water bodies that had vanished altogether, leaving behind nothing but muddy ground. ¡°It looks like this is it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao stopped in front of a burrow that was inconspicuously hidden behind a pile of mud and rocks. ¡°Would there be more of those lizard monsters inside?¡± Nie Hanchang asked. ¡°Unlikely,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head. ¡°Black-spotted colossal lizards are very solitary creatures. If there are truly any creatures within, there can only be two explanations ¨C they are either its newborns, or invading creatures.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Nie Hanchang nodded. Just from hearing this, Nie Hanchang understood that Zhao Yunxiao had already considered the possibility of there being other creatures as well, so there was no need to speak further. Zhao Yunxiao did not rush into the burrow. Instead, he stayed near the entrance, closing his eyes as he extended his spiritual sense within. It did not take long before Zhao Yunxiao found exactly what he was looking for. ¡°It¡¯s there!¡± Zhao Yunxiao opened his eyes in excitement. ¡°The precious gem!¡± ¡°Is there really one?¡± Nie Hanchang answered in surprise. ¡°Are there any other creatures inside?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing apart from the gem,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied. ¡°Let¡¯s go retrieve the gem and be on our way.¡± ¡°You go retrieve the gem,¡± Nie Hanchang said. ¡°I will keep watch from outside just so we don¡¯t get trapped inside if an intruder comes along.¡± ¡°I will have to trouble Senior Martial Brother Nie to stand guard for a while, then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao agreed immediately. In fact, he had thought of this as well, but was just hesitant to voice it out. After all, suggesting something like that could easily be misconstrued as him trying to hog the precious gem for himself. But now that Nie Hanchang had suggested this himself, Zhao Yunxiao naturally would not stand on ceremony! Arrival at Kindness Village Leaving Nie Hanchang to stand guard outside, Zhao Yunxiao quickly entered the muddy burrow. The burrow might be deep, but it was not overly complicated. That was only natural as well. With its massive body, it would not have been ideal for the black-spotted colossal lizard to create a winding burrow. That would only make things difficult for itself when it came to moving around. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° And so, after more than two days of travelling, Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang finally arrived at their destination ¨C Kindness Village. Preparing for the Rain Dance ¡°This lowly one pays my respect to the two esteemed cultivator sirs!¡± the village head, Shan Shou, prostrated before the duo. Behind him, the various elders of the village quickly followed suit. ¡°We pay our respects to the two esteemed cultivator sirs!¡± ¡°Rise,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered nonchalantly. After all, this was not the first time that he had been addressed in such a manner by ordinary mortals. Right now, the group was in the village centre ¨C a huge hut made of nothing but straws, sticks, and mud. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Strange incidents?¡± Shan Shou rubbed his chin in contemplation. ¡°Now that you mention it, I do recall something that was slightly out of the ordinary.¡± ¡°Please do tell,¡± Zhao Yunxiao prompted. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if esteemed cultivator sir knows this, but our village seldom gets visitors. Therefore, every visitor to our village will naturally stand out,¡± Shan Shou started. ¡°And several months ago, there was a strange merchant who visited our village.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°Not that I remember,¡± Shan Shou scratched his cheek in embarrassment. ¡°That said, the drought might be bad, but it is not without any benefits as well. At the very least, bandit activity in the area has stopped altogether now. I guess even the bandits have left since this area has been reduced to such a state, hah!¡± ¡°That is inconsequential in comparison to the sufferings that we are going through, Village Head...¡± one of the elders reminded from behind. ¡°Yes, yes, I know. Don¡¯t you see that the esteemed cultivator sirs are already here to help us with that? Stop whining about it already,¡± Shan Shou chided. ¡°It¡¯s good that you can still bring yourself to be slightly positive about the situation,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a smile. ¡°Unfortunately, those things you mentioned do not strike me as possible reasons for the sudden shortage of rain. We can help you to summon a bit of rain now that we are here, but we cannot give you any promises for the future.¡± ¡°You can help to summon rain?¡± Shan Shou beamed upon hearing that, as did the elders behind him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the future! I¡¯m sure this drought will not last much longer, so it would be good enough as long as you can help to tide us over this difficult period!¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Then, shall we get started?¡± Zhao Yunxiao stood up. ¡°Will you be starting right now?¡± Shan Shou was slightly taken aback. ¡°Is there no need to wait for an auspicious time or something?¡± ¡°Why? Would you prefer to wait?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked in a teasing manner. ¡°No, no! The sooner the better! The sooner the better!¡± Shan Shou hurriedly waved his hands. ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d need from us, then?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, and just try not to disturb us later. You can even wait here if you want to,¡± Zhao Yunxiao smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Senior Martial Brother Nie. Let¡¯s get this over and done with.¡± The duo walked out of the hut and walked around the village, finally coming to a stop in the middle of a large field. Even though Zhao Yunxiao had told them that they could just wait patiently, Shan Shou and the other elders could not help following out of curiosity. Similarly, the other villagers also lingered around to watch. Still, all of them took note to keep a distance from the duo, afraid that their presence would result in some form of distraction. ¡°Here?¡± Nie Hanchang asked while looking around. They were currently standing in the middle of a field that was covered in wilting grass. There were also various barren spots in the field, showing where the grass had already completely died off. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°Now then, what do you know about rain dances, Senior Martial Brother Nie?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° Since Nie Hanchang had taken the effort to study the execution of rain dances, Zhao Yunxiao did not want his efforts to go to waste. ¡°Then I would have to rely on Junior Martial Brother Zhao to correct my mistakes,¡± Nie Hanchang did not turn down this opportunity to practise. With that, Zhao Yunxiao passed Nie Hanchang a set of array flags, which the latter in turn planted around the open area. Of course, this was not done in a haphazard manner. Nie Hanchang might not be an array master, but he still understood the fundamentals. He carefully investigated the area with his spiritual sense, planting each array flag only after numerous calculations based on the flow of world origin energy in their surroundings. Zhao Yunxiao watched him closely from the beginning, and was pleased to see that Nie Hanchang did not commit any huge mistakes. The manner in which he had set up the array was not the most ideal, but it also would not cause any big problems, at least not when they were at a terrain as simple as this. Perhaps the only problem would be a slightly higher inefficiency in terms of energy consumption. ¡° ¡°There are still areas for improvement, but definitely passable,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered with a smile. ¡°Have you considered pursuing a career in this field?¡± ¡°Spare me,¡± Nie Hanchang rolled his eyes. ¡°Haha, fine. But it truly isn¡¯t too bad ¨C good enough for today, at the very least,¡± Zhao Yunxiao laughed. ¡°All right then, shall we get started with the show?¡± With that, Zhao Yunxiao turned around to look at the village head, Shan Shou, who was watching from a distance with the other villagers. ¡°If you are all right with it, I will commence with the rain dance,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Please do, esteemed cultivator sir!¡± Shan Shou gave a deep bow, and the other villagers quickly followed suit. ¡°Understood,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like me to do?¡± Nie Hanchang asked. ¡°Just do whatever to make yourself look important,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°Look important?¡± Zhao Yunxiao did not give Nie Hanchang any time to think things through. With a flick of his wrists, he pulled out a horsetail whisk and raised it high into the air. ¡°Gods of the heavens and earth, heed my call!¡± Zhao Yunxiao shouted loudly. At the same time, he lightly tapped on the ground with his foot, silently activating the array that Nie Hanchang had just completed. Weng-! An emblem of light promptly appeared on the ground with a low buzz, appearing as though the world itself was showing a response to Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s call. Healing Rain ¡°Ohhhh!¡± Having heard about the arrival of the cultivators, just about every villager had gathered around by now. And as the emblem of light appeared on the ground, all of them could not help but exclaim in unison. However, they did not perceive this as the activation of an array. In their eyes, Zhao Yunxiao had successfully invoked a response from the gods of the heavens and earth! Zhao Yunxiao did not stop there, either. He started waving around the horsetail whisk in his hand, even jumping around in some sort of elaborate ceremonial dance routine that he had made up himself. ¡°For the sake of the masses, I hereby ask for your divine mercy! By the ancient oaths, I hereby beseech your magnanimous selves to deliver the masses from their sufferings!¡± Nie Hanchang: ¡°...¡± The cringe-worthy words were one thing, but the dance itself looked horrible as well. This Zhao Yunxiao truly had no talent for dancing! Nevertheless, Nie Hanchang knew that this was not the time to just stand by and watch. ¡°For the sake of the masses, I hereby ask for your divine mercy! By the ancient oaths, I hereby beseech your magnanimous selves to deliver the masses from their sufferings!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Gods of the heavens and earth, I call upon your gracious salvation in the form of rain!¡± Zhao Yunxiao finally switched up his lines upon seeing that the time is ripe. ¡° Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Behind them, the villagers prostrated once again, seeing them off with a silent show of both gratitude and respect, only getting up long after the two had completely disappeared from view. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If You Are Not That Good, Then Don’t Act As If You Are All That! This way, even if they ended up not finding any clues regarding the cause of the drought, they could at least take this chance to ascertain the current status of the bandits. Because the bandit had not been active recently, Shan Shou speculated that the bandits had already been forced away by the drought. After all, it would be terrible if the rain returned, only for the villagers to be plagued by bandits immediately after! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°A cultivator?¡± Nie Hanchang asked with a frown. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like it, but I can¡¯t be sure,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied solemnly. This man looked to be in his early thirties, dressed in ragged clothes, and had a rather peaceful expression on his face. But what led Zhao Yunxiao to doubt his identity as a cultivator was because of his parched lips that were similar to the villagers of Kindness Village. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. That would suggest that he had been suffering from the drought as well. However, a natural drought like this should not have much of an impact on cultivators, unless they had only recently embarked on the cultivation path. And even without considering that, what could a cultivator possibly be doing here in the middle of nowhere? ¡°Bandits, then?¡± Nie Hanchang asked. Zhao Yunxiao had no answers. While he doubted that this man was a cultivator, it similarly did not make sense for a bandit to be sitting out here in the wilds, and in the middle of the night to boot! ¡°Let¡¯s get the answer out of him,¡± Zhao Yunxiao suggested. ¡°Agreed,¡± Nie Hanchang nodded. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°To prevent unwanted visitors from barging in,¡± the man answered. ¡°I understand. That said, the sun has already set, so can we humbly ask to stay for the night?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°We can leave first thing tomorrow.¡± ¡° ¡°...I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t just take your word for it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao finally lost his patience. ¡°Seeing that you are out here with us, don¡¯t you think it is more likely that you are just a visitor like us? Unless you show proof that you belong here, I would just have to treat you like a fellow visitor.¡± ¡° ¡°I understand. Let¡¯s do this, then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Come,¡± the man said with a calm expression, as though he was genuinely unconcerned about Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang. Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang exchanged glances and nodded. The man might be calm, but the duo was not afraid, either. But at the same time, they also knew better than to allow themselves to get careless and complacent. That was especially the case since this man¡¯s demeanour did not fit those of a regular bandit at all. In fact, the man even moved to enter a proper battle stance, making it even more difficult to underestimate him. Nie Hanchang slowly moved away, almost blending into the darkness of the night. As an archer, he was the most effective when attacking from outside of the other party¡¯s sensory range. On the other hand, Zhao Yunxiao slowly approached the man. Or at least, that was what he did initially. But the moment Zhao Yunxiao got into range, he ramped up the rhythm without warning. [Xuanwu Movement Art ¨C Snapping Burst] Zhao Yunxiao appeared before the man in an instant. Without knowing anything about the opponent, it was almost always best to prioritise speed over power. Because of that, Zhao Yunxiao chose to attack with the fastest move in the Xuanwu Fist Art! [Xuanwu Fist Art ¨C Invisible Snap] The man widened his eyes in shock, not expecting the speed of Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s approach. Nevertheless, he managed to bring his hand up to point two fingers at his own glabella. ¡°Moonlight Sutra ¨C Body of Light!¡± With that, his entire body started to emit a dim glow, a stark contrast to their dark surroundings. Chime-! Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s fist connected squarely against the abdomen of the glowing man, but the result was not exactly what he had expected. Rather than the feeling of hitting flesh, Zhao Yunxiao felt more like he had punched a metal rack instead. Even the sound resulting from the impact resembled that of a bell¡¯s chime! However, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s punch was not to be underestimated as well. With his strong fundamentals in the Xuanwu Fist Art, every punch that he threw out in seriousness could instantly knock out an elephant, and that was only strengthened further by the layer of essence energy on his fist. No mere martial art could change a person at the fundamental level, allowing them to glow like this man did earlier. What this man executed was a combat technique instead ¨C one that seemed to strengthen his body by taking on properties similar to those of metal. There was no doubt about it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° What happened to your confident and calm demeanour from earlier, acting as if this would be a walk in the park for you? If you are not that good, then don¡¯t act as if you are all that! If you hadn¡¯t pretended to be an expert, I would have held back a little more as well. And should that be the case, you wouldn¡¯t have to suffer this much right now, either! Moonlight Sutra It took quite a while before the man finally caught his breath. By then, Nie Hanchang had come out of the shadows as well, though he still maintained a safe distance behind Zhao Yunxiao in case of any unexpected developments. ¡°So? Are you finally ready to speak now?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked impatiently. ¡°Or do you still want to solve this by force?¡± ¡°No, you are a truly powerful man. I admit my inferiority for now,¡± the man said. For now? Zhao Yunxiao could not help but notice his indignance, but chose not to dwell on it. ¡°In that case, speak up,¡± Zhao Yunxiao prompted. ¡°Who are you? Are you an unaffiliated cultivator? Otherwise, what faction are you from? And what are you doing here out here? What happened to the bandits in the area?¡± ¡°My name is Qiao Yulang, and I am not a cultivator-¡± the man started. ¡°Stop lying,¡± Zhao Yunxiao immediately interjected. ¡°Speak the truth unless you want a repeat of what happened just now.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°What¡¯s your leader¡¯s name, and where is he staying?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know which one you are talking about now,¡± Zhao Yunxiao turned him down flatly. ¡°I¡¯ll be relying on your support, Senior Martial Brother Nie.¡± Without waiting for Nie Hanchang¡¯s reply, Zhao Yunxiao leapt down from the top of the gate, landing softly on the ground below. Zhao Yunxiao Two followed immediately, holding onto Qiao Yulang by his robes. ¡°Are we not going straight to the leader?¡± Nie Hanchang asked in confusion upon seeing this. Now that they knew where the leader stayed, they could easily head straight there by leaping from rooftop to rooftop. So, why was Zhao Yunxiao not doing that instead? ¡°Trust me, I¡¯ve got this,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡° ¡° Torches lit up all over, and the hundreds of bandits started streaming out of their respective huts one by one to see just what was going on here. We Are Not Bandits! We Are Champions Of The Moonlight! ¡° ¡°All of that doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked while concealing his thoughts. ¡°Just tell me, where is Jin Kequn?¡± ¡°I am Jin Kequn.¡± The response came immediately as a young man stepped out from among the crowd. He had a lean build and looked to be in his mid twenties. His long black hair was tied up neatly in a topknot, a stark contrast to the ragged appearances that the rest of the bandits had. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Big Brother Qiao did to you, but let¡¯s resolve this with words instead of violence,¡± Jin Kequn said. ¡°I would really appreciate it if you could let him go first.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not impossible,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Hand over the Moonlight Sutra, and I can exchange it with his life.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°It might be difficult for you to see this, but we are no longer bandits but champions of the moonlight,¡± Jin Kequn shook his head. ¡°Because of the sutra, we have changed our ways. It is also because of this change that, if you agree to let him go, we will not hold this against you any further.¡± Champions of the moonlight? Did they rename themselves after the Moonlight Sutra? Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel surprised, though he made sure not to let that show. ¡°You will not hold it against me?¡± Zhao Yunxiao scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that your Big Brother Qiao would have warned you not to fight me for good reason?¡± ¡°He must have his reasons. But if we were to give up every time we are afraid, then what will be the difference between us and mere beasts?¡± Jin Kequn shook his head with a smile. ¡°In the end, it is still our character and pride that make us human.¡± ¡°Well said,¡± Zhao Yunxiao praised. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s see if you can walk the talk.¡± ¡°In that case, we shall not stand on ceremony,¡± Jin Kequn said. ¡°Everyone, prepare for battle.¡± On his cue, the hundreds of bandits moved in unison, raising their hands to point two fingers at their glabellas. ¡°Body of Light!¡± The darkness of the night was instantly dispelled the very next moment, replaced by the sudden appearance of hundreds of light sources. ¡° ¡° You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡° ¡° ¡° As for the ones around him, their eyes were locked onto Zhao Yunxiao as they ran at him at top speed. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Thank you for keeping your word,¡± Jin Kequn clasped his fists towards Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Now that we are done with that, let¡¯s move on to the next matter at hand.¡± ¡°Next matter at hand?¡± Jin Kequn frowned as Qiao Yulang walked back to his side. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Why do you sound surprised?¡± Zhao Yunxiao let out an evil smirk. ¡°I only said that I would spare your lives. I didn¡¯t say that I would be leaving right after I get the manual, did I?¡± Jin Kequn¡¯s frown deepened, and the bandits could not help but exchange worried glances. Behind Zhao Yunxiao, even Nie Hanchang could not help but raise an eyebrow in surprise while hiding atop the gate. Zhao Yunxiao had already got the manual and promised to spare their lives, so what exactly was left that he could be aiming for next? A Tough Decision ¡°May I know what else you need from us?¡± Jin Kequn asked through gritted teeth. ¡°...Is it money?¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t worry, you can keep your money,¡± Zhao Yunxiao laughed. ¡°Instead, tell me something. What do you intend to do after I leave? Will you continue practising the Moonlight Sutra?¡± ¡°This...¡± Jin Kequn had a guilty look on his face. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t have to answer. Of course, you will,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered rhetorically. ¡°And that¡¯s where the problem lies.¡± Even though Zhao Yunxiao would be taking away the manual, that was not going to stop the bandits from continuing to practise whatever they remembered. They had already gotten a taste of the power of cultivation, and were unlikely to stop despite not having the physical copy of the manual in hand. Instead, they would probably try to practise according to what they remembered, and that was where the danger lay. Because what they remembered might be wrong. Practising a cultivation technique in the wrong manner could easily result in cultivation deviation, which would in turn lead to drastic outcomes, including death! In fact, that was still the likely outcome for these bandits, even if they got to retain the manual. They were all ordinary mortals and had no cultivators around to guide them on the basics of cultivation. So, how could they ever have the right understanding of what was being mentioned in the manual? It was already surprising enough that they had managed to get to where they were without any obvious issues, but that could be attributed to pure luck. At the same time, there could already be underlying issues brewing within, just that they had yet to grow into an obvious problem. The situation would only get worse as they progressed, until a point where things became completely irreversible. When that happened, the entire group would be completely wiped out! This was also why Zhao Yunxiao had decided to gather everyone and assess them altogether, instead of going straight to the leader. It was to decide what he should do with these bandits next. If they retained the vile mentality of bandits, Zhao Yunxiao would not have cared less about their eventual outcome. But looking at things now, be it due to the Moonlight Sutra or otherwise, their behaviours were certainly different from the generic bandits. In that case, Zhao Yunxiao did not want to just stand by and watch as they indulged in their newfound power, only to end up meeting a tragic death where they might not even understand how they died! ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t abuse our power for our personal gains,¡± Jin Kequn assured. ¡°I am not sure how much my words are worth, but I promise that we will not become a problem that you will have to fix in the future.¡± Zhao Yunxiao locked eyes with Jin Kequn, and proceeded to assess him from head to toe. Still, this was a tough decision that he had to make. Should his assessment be wrong, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s next step could very well end up creating a group of powerful bandits that even he might be unable to control in the future! Even so, he would like to trust in his judgement this time. Huu-! ¡°From today, forget about everything that you have learnt,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said after letting out a deep breath. ¡°I will look through the Moonlight Sutra and leave you a proper mantra before I leave. Practise that instead, and I will be back to teach you further in time to come.¡± ¡°You mean...?!¡± Jin Kequn widened his eyes in astonishment. ¡°This...!¡± Qiao Yulang was just as surprised. ¡° Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Famous Designer, Lou Yuan ¡°Have you finally realised who you are speaking to?¡± Lou Yuan puffed up his chest in confidence. ¡°Since that is the case, hurry up and get rid of those bandits. I will reward you accordingly once that is done!¡± ¡°Young Sir...¡± Jin Kequn muttered hesitantly. He had always thought that the young man they captured was somewhat of a weirdo, but it would appear that he was actually someone rather influential? If this young man truly managed to convince Zhao Yunxiao, then that would be the end of them! ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have already made my decision, so I naturally won¡¯t go back on my word because of something like this,¡± Zhao Yunxiao assured. ¡°What do you mean something like this?¡± Lou Yuan protested. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t appreciate rewards, are you saying that you intend to let these bandits go? I might be lucky enough to survive because of my wits, but who knows how many lives they have taken in the past?¡± ¡°Wits?¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head in disbelief. ¡°If not for their mercy, would you be able to survive until now? Didn¡¯t you see just how easily they opened your door? The bandits could have killed you anytime they wanted.¡± ¡°But Young Sir, we are no longer bandits. We are champions of the moonlight...¡± Jin Kequn corrected. ¡°Yes, yes, champions of the moonlight,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded patronisingly. ¡°So, are you saying that you will be letting them go? Even after all that they have done in the past?¡± Lou Yuan narrowed his eyes. ¡°Which cultivator does not have blood on their hands?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked in return. ¡°As long as they are willing to change for the better, that is good enough of a reason to forgive them. Come to think of it, you sure have gotten vocal all of a sudden. Is it because you think I won¡¯t do anything to you?¡± ¡°...Aren¡¯t you a disciple of the orthodox Black Tortoise Sect? I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t intend to harm me... do you?¡± Lou Yuan suddenly turned pale once more. ¡°I-I am the disciple of Wushuang!¡± He had indeed felt much more confident upon realising that Zhao Yunxiao was from the Black Tortoise Sect, thinking that help had finally arrived for him. However, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s stern reminder caused him to mellow down instantly. ¡°Honestly, I still have my doubts about your identity as the disciple of Wushuang,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said frankly. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t harm you, and neither will they. You may leave now. The bandits won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡± ¡°But Young Sir, we are champions of the moonlight...¡± Jin Kequn muttered. ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s what I meant.¡± ¡°Leave...?¡± Lou Yuan hesitated. ¡°How can I just leave?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zhao Yunxiao frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you advise me to leave while I can, saying that the bandits are out to harm me? Why are you not heeding your own advice?¡± ¡°But Young Sir, we are no longer ba-¡± ¡°Yes, yes, champions of the moonlight. I get it already.¡± ¡°I-I naturally have my own reasons for staying! Do you think I came to this desolate area just to play around?¡± Lou Yuan retorted. ¡°After spending all this time here, my master will mock me if I just go home empty handed!¡± ¡°And what could the famous designer, Lou Yuan, possibly wish to achieve in this desolate area?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡° ¡° ¡° Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°You are leaving?¡± Jin Kequn was startled to hear that. ¡°But Young Sir, didn¡¯t you say...?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will be back after I am done with my matter,¡± Zhao Yunxiao assured. ¡°In any case, it should take at least a few days to analyse the fundamentals of the Moonlight Sutra. I will not be able to share anything concrete tomorrow.¡± ¡°This... okay, then. I will trust your words,¡± Jin Kequn nodded reluctantly. ¡°Wait, you will be coming back here?¡± Lou Yuan asked in disbelief. ¡°I am not asking you to return with me,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°You are free to go after we are done with your matter.¡± ¡°O-Of course! No one can stop me from going wherever I want!¡± Lou Yuan said. ¡°Yes, famous designer,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to believe me,¡± Lou Yuan felt the corner of his lips twitch. ¡°You are right. I don¡¯t,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered frankly. Lou Yuan: ¡°...¡± ¡°In any case, that¡¯s settled. I still need to look through the manual, so I will be turning in for now,¡± Zhao Yunxiao turned to leave. ¡°We will be leaving early tomorrow morning, so have a good rest yourself.¡± ¡°W-Wait!¡± Lou Yuan called out in alarm. ¡°Are you just going to leave me here? Alone?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Haven¡¯t you already been here for a while?¡± Zhao Yunxiao raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why the sudden concern?¡± ¡°But that¡¯s before I know the bandits can just break down the door!¡± Lou Yuan protested. ¡°Let me bunk in with you tonight!¡± ¡°Dream on,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shut him down immediately. ¡°It is a place for two, not three.¡± ¡°Please! Otherwise, you won¡¯t find me alive tomorrow morning! The bandits are going to kill me in my sleep!¡± Lou Yuan pleaded. ¡°And I¡¯ve seen the condition of that guy¡¯s hut. It¡¯s definitely big enough for three!¡± Jin Kequn: ¡°...¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° And that was where the difficulty lay. Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang spent the night discussing the approach towards cultivating the Moonlight Sutra, and how it could be simplified for the bandits who did not have any background, whatsoever. It was a busy night for the two. Without realising it, the first rays of the sun had fallen upon Stoneyard Hill, marking the arrival of the next morning. Celestial Meteorite ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°How can you still laugh? I wouldn¡¯t be in this state if you had not just left me here to fend for myself all night!¡± Lou Yuan protested. ¡°So, did the bandits attempt to kill you at night?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked nonchalantly. ¡° ¡° ¡°Oh, to search for the celestial meteorite? Yes, let¡¯s get out of here!¡± Lou Yuan got up and immediately started ushering Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang out of the hut. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°I guess there¡¯s no helping it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao heaved a sigh of helplessness. ¡°Let¡¯s get going then. This might take a while.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that complicated,¡± Lou Yuan corrected. ¡°All we have to do is follow the differences in energy density. If the celestial meteorite has really fallen here, it will surely be emitting a certain degree of energy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Zhao Yunxiao agreed. With that, he closed his eyes and spread out his spiritual sense. Lou Yuan was not wrong. Despite the harsh environment, Zhao Yunxiao could sense that the energy density in their surroundings was much higher than normal. It was not mere world origin energy either, but some form of refined energy instead. This meant that the higher energy density was definitely not something natural. But that said, it applied to the entire environment. No matter how he tried, Zhao Yunxiao could not detect any significant differences in energy level that could possibly suggest the direction where this refined energy originated. ¡°Managed to sense it?¡± Lou Yuan asked, apparently having guessed what Zhao Yunxiao was doing. ¡°No luck,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered bitterly. ¡°Do you sense anything, Senior Martial Brother Nie?¡± ¡°No,¡± Nie Hanchang shook his head as well. ¡°Tch! How pathetic,¡± Lou Yuan clicked his tongue in irritation. ¡°What¡¯s the use of learning how to fight when you can¡¯t even do something this simple? Follow me!¡± ¡°Wait, do you have an idea on where to go?¡± Zhao Yunxiao questioned. ¡°Of course!¡± Lou Yuan snorted in disdain. ¡°While I might not be able to fight as well as you do, this level of energy sensitivity is nothing to a famous designer like me!¡± With that, Lou Yuan confidently walked into the desert. Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang exchanged glances, then silently followed along. While they were sceptical about Lou Yuan¡¯s claim, it was not as though they had a better plan anyway. Since the next best alternative would just be slowly combing the desert, they might as well go along with Lou Yuan for now. Lou Yuan never slowed down. In fact, his pace only grew faster as they walked along, just like the excitement that was clearly showing on his face. And for good reason as well. It did not take long before they finally found what they were here for. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. From the top of a tall sand dune, the trio looked down at what appeared to be an enormous sand crater. Within the crater, one could see a huge black rock that was half buried in the sand. The surface of this rock was smooth with a metallic sheen, perfectly reflecting the blazing sun that was bearing down on it. It was clear that this was no ordinary rock. That was not all, either. The moment they arrived at the sand crater, the energy density in their surroundings had suddenly climbed to multiple times that at the edge of the desert. ¡°You really knew the way?¡± Zhao Yunxiao muttered in surprise. Zhao Yunxiao had always been proud of his mastery of energy sensitivity and control. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a surprise...¡± Nie Hanchang absentmindedly added. ¡°Hah! Do you finally believe that I am a famous designer now?¡± Lou Yuan put his hands on his waist in triumph. ¡° ¡° ¡°That might be true, but that doesn¡¯t mean everyone with good energy sensitivity is a famous designer,¡± Zhao Yunxiao argued. ¡°If you really want to prove that, then show me something that only a famous designer can do.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Wastefulness is a Sin Fire rubies were naturally occurring precious stones that were able to generate and and emit fire-element energy on their own. Anything that could create their own energy would be considered a valuable resource, and fire rubies were no exception. Zhao Yunxiao might not have seen one in person before, but its traits were simply too distinct to be missed! ¡°That¡¯s right, this is a fire ruby...¡± Lou Yuan¡¯s words trailed off towards the end as he found himself mesmerised by the beauty of the red stone. ¡°Why do you look so surprised as well?¡± Zhao Yunxiao questioned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you come here specifically for this?¡± ¡°Who is surprised? You are the only one who is surprised here! I can¡¯t be more composed right now!¡± Lou Yuan broke out of his daze and quickly recollected himself. ¡°Is that so?¡± Zhao Yunxiao raised an eyebrow sceptically. ¡°So? Are you going to take it away?¡± ¡°Of course, I will!¡± Lou Yuan answered. ¡°Hurry and remove the rest of the outer layer, so I can put the rest of it away!¡± ¡°Seems like you aren¡¯t able to do so?¡± Zhao Yunxiao mused. ¡°But why should I help you? What¡¯s in it for me?¡± When Zhao Yunxiao thought about it, that made sense as well. It had taken him quite a bit of effort to break through the outer layer of the celestial meteorite, so how would someone like Lou Yuan be able to do so? ¡°We can split the fire ruby! How about that?¡± Lou Yuan offered without hesitation. ¡°One third for me, one third for you, and one third for your anti-social friend over there.¡± Nie Hanchang felt the corner of his lips twitch. He might not like to speak much, but isn¡¯t it a little too much to say that he is anti-social? On the other hand, Zhao Yunxiao smirked upon hearing Lou Yuan¡¯s words. ¡°It seems that there is more of it than what you have expected?¡± Zhao Yunxiao surmised. He had thought that it was strange for Lou Yuan to act so surprised. Having come all the way for the celestial meteorite, surely Lou Yuan must have a few conjectures as to what it was? It was also strange that Lou Yuan would so readily offer up two-thirds of the fire ruby after going through all that effort, especially when Zhao Yunxiao had not even asked for that much. But both of that would make complete sense if this find was actually far larger than what Lou Yuan had initially expected! ¡°So what if I have miscalculated a little? Isn¡¯t this outcome better for all of us?¡± Lou Yuan did not bother hiding it. ¡°If that is not enough, you can have all the outer layer too. It is nothing special to me, but it should still be of some value to you guys.¡± ¡°Since you have already said so, I shall not stand on ceremony,¡± Zhao Yunxiao agreed. ¡°A third it is, with the outer layer going to us.¡± He had personally experienced the toughness of the outer layer of the celestial meteorite earlier. Even though he did not know what this black metallic-looking material was exactly, there was no harm in bringing it back for now. Who knows? Perhaps he might be able to find some use for it after some experimenting! And by going with this distribution arrangement, he would not have to feel bad about Nie Hanchang getting nothing from this trip, either. Of course, whether Nie Hanchang really cared for the fire ruby was another matter altogether. In fact, considering their relative combat strengths, as well as how they were currently alone in the middle of nowhere, it was not impossible for them to just seize everything outright instead of sharing with Lou Yuan. However, such an act would be no different from the unethical behaviours of unorthodox cultivators. As a proud member of the great Black Tortoise Sect, Zhao Yunxiao would naturally not do something as shameful as that! Or at least, not with just this level of rewards on the line... With that, Zhao Yunxiao continued working on breaking away the outer layer of the celestial meteorite while making sure not to hit the fire ruby that lay in the centre. If possible, Zhao Yunxiao would have preferred to keep the outer layer as a whole instead of breaking it into pieces, but there was nothing he could do about that. Without breaking open the outer layer, there was simply no way to get to the fire ruby within. The temperature in the sand crater continued to climb as more of the fire ruby became exposed. As time passed, even Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang became drenched in sweat from the heat, yet Lou Yuan still looked unperturbed. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel amazed upon seeing this. Judging from its effect so far, Lou Yuan¡¯s treasure robes were probably worth quite a fortune! ¡°Why are you slowing down?¡± Lou Yuan questioned while carefully scrutinising a small piece of the black metallic outer layer. ¡°What¡¯s with that tone? Do you believe that I will just stop altogether?¡± ¡°Haha, I was just joking! Come on, why are you being so angsty? Just go on at your own pace. I will wait, I will wait...¡± Almost a full hour had passed before Zhao Yunxiao finally managed to pick apart an entire face of the celestial meteorite, exposing the entire fire ruby. The sand crater seemed to have changed colours at some point, basked in the bright red light that was constantly emitted by the fire ruby. The surrounding temperature had now soared to an unprecedented height, and even Zhao Yunxiao was starting to find it unbearable despite the protection of his essence energy. It was almost as though a mini sun had descended upon them. Yet disregarding the black metallic outer layer of the celestial meteorite, the entire fire ruby was actually only the size of a fist. To be able to generate this much energy despite its relatively small size... it was no wonder that Lou Yuan had been willing to come all this way just for a chance at finding it! ¡°Now, how do we split it?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°It¡¯s not as tough as it looks, just use your halberd to split it apart,¡± Lou Yuan said. ¡°Is that okay?¡± Zhao Yunxiao confirmed again. ¡°Won¡¯t its value decrease if it is split into smaller pieces?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Unlike most other precious stones, the value of a fire ruby is not in its whole,¡± Lou Yuan explained with a smug look on his face, happy to be able to show off his knowledge. ¡°Every known use of the fire ruby is either by processing it in smaller pieces or by extracting its essence. Even if it is shattered, there will be no real impact on its value.¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. That was what he remembered as well. However, it was not like he was an expert in this field, so he would have preferred not to make an irreversible move like that without first confirming it with existing records. But since Lou Yuan seemed so sure of it, Zhao Yunxiao decided to trust him once again. Zhao Yunxiao smashed down with his halberd, this time aiming directly at the fire ruby instead of the outer layer. And it was just as Lou Yuan had said ¨C the fire ruby was not as tough as it looked. With a single swing of his halberd, Zhao Yunxiao instantly shattered the fire ruby into numerous tiny fragments. Lou Yuan stepped forward without hesitation at this point, and extended an open palm towards the shattered fire ruby. Whoosh-! The fire ruby fragments formed three separate streams that flew towards him, landing in his hand to form three mini towers. Even after being shattered, these fragments of the fire ruby did not lose their shine. They continued to emit a bright red light along with an intense heat, akin to three towers of flame forming atop Lou Yuan¡¯s palm. ¡°Don¡¯t be too surprised,¡± Lou Yuan smirked after seeing the expression of shock on the faces of Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang. ¡°As a famous designer, I naturally have a supreme level of mastery when it comes to material handling!¡± Zhao Yunxiao felt the corner of his lips twitch. This Lou Yuan simply could not let go of any opportunity to brag about himself! But then again, what he did was truly surprising indeed. While moving items from a distance was definitely possible with a trick or two, even a cultivator at the Essence Condensation realm would find it difficult to do so with such precise control! At the same time, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s gaze could not help but linger upon Lou Yuan¡¯s gloves. To be able to withstand the heat of the fire ruby under direct contact, could it be that Lou Yuan¡¯s gloves were just as much of a treasure as his robes? It was a wonder that those bandits on Stoneyard Hill had managed to stop themselves from robbing him clean! ¡°Here, one stack for each of us as promised,¡± Lou Yuan stretched his hand out. ¡°I won¡¯t stand on ceremony then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao stepped forward. With a flick of his wrist, he took one small tower of fire ruby fragments, storing it away in his spatial pouch. Nie Hanchang did the same, and Lou Yuan kept away the last tower. After they did, it felt like day had suddenly turned into night. Along with the fire ruby, the bright red light that had flooded their visions since the start vanished all of a sudden, and the temperature around them similarly plummeted. Even though they were still in the middle of a desert while subjected to the glaring afternoon sun, the difference made it feel as though they had dived into a cold pool of water in the middle of summer. This sensation was extremely refreshing! But rather than relishing in this sensation, Zhao Yunxiao quickly got busy instead. Now that he had collected his share of the fire ruby, he stored away the black metallic outer layer of the celestial meteorite, before going around to sweep up the rest of the broken pieces that had fallen to the ground earlier. This was part of his share, and he was not about to leave any of it behind! ¡°Isn¡¯t this enough already? Do you really have to collect every last piece?¡± Lou Yuan asked with a look of disdain. ¡°Wastefulness is a sin!¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied only after making sure that he had retrieved even the smallest remnant. ¡°Now then, are we done here?¡± The celestial meteorite might have been a surprisingly valuable find, but that had not been their aim from the start. While Lou Yuan might have been here for the materials, Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang had followed along only because they hoped this could put an end to the drought. And with the removal of the celestial meteorite, Zhao Yunxiao believed that they had already done their part for the villagers back in Kindness Village, and there was no need to linger any longer. After all, this was the only clue they had regarding the cause of the drought in the area. What happened next would depend on the villagers¡¯ fortune. If it managed to solve the issue, that would naturally be for the best. But even if it did not, the villagers would just have to find their own path to survival instead! ¡°Are you really intending to return to the bandits?¡± Lou Yuan asked hesitantly. ¡°Naturally,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°But as I said, you are free to go from here. There is no need for you to return with us.¡± ¡°O-Of course! No one can stop me from going wherever I want!¡± Lou Yuan instinctively replied. ¡°However, my pride simply prevents me from leaving before forcing you to admit my ability as a famous designer.¡± ¡°You mean you are coming back with us?¡± Zhao Yunxiao raised an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°I guess there¡¯s no way around it. I would just have to bear with you bunch a little longer,¡± Lou Yuan shrugged. ¡°But don¡¯t be too happy just yet. When I¡¯m done letting you know just how amazing I am, I won¡¯t be deigned to stay even if you beg me to!¡± Moonlight Sutra - Cheat Sheet Since Lou Yuan had already decided to stay, Zhao Yunxiao naturally would not try to persuade him otherwise. After all, it was only to Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s advantage if Lou Yuan wanted to stay and complete a halberd blueprint that suited him! With that, the trio slowly made their way back to Stoneyard Hill. Dusk had fallen by the time they returned. Witnessing the scene before him, Zhao Yunxiao had to admit that the bandits were rather resourceful. During this time, the bandits had not only fetched Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang¡¯s horses, but they had even managed to source a small amount of water for the horses to quench their thirst. Zhao Yunxiao was unclear where this water came from, but it would appear that there was a reason why the bandits had been able to survive on this dry, rocky hill for so long. ¡°You are back, Young Sirs!¡± Jin Kequn exclaimed in joy upon seeing the group¡¯s return. ¡°But you too...?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that tone? Do you think I want to come back?¡± Lou Yuan snapped. ¡°If not for your two young sirs wanting to find out just how amazing I am, I wouldn¡¯t want to come back and see you degenerates, either!¡± Huu-! Jin Kequn let out a deep sigh without saying anything in response. He knew from experience that arguing with Lou Yuan was completely meaningless since the latter held an unreasonably strong prejudice against them. It would be best if Lou Yuan did not return. But since the two cultivators had implicitly agreed to it, he could only grit his teeth and tolerate Lou Yuan¡¯s continued presence. ¡°Did anyone practise the Moonlight Sutra while we are away?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°Of course not!¡± Jin Kequn hurriedly answered. ¡°Since Young Sir has already told us to forget about everything we have learnt so far, I made sure that everyone stopped practising the sutra. Right now, everyone is just patiently awaiting your guidance!¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Unfortunately, the Moonlight Sutra is rather complicated, so I would still need a little more time to break it down further. We would have to continue staying here for the next few days. But don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t need you to prepare any additional food or water for us.¡± ¡°We will do as you say, Young Sir,¡± Jin Kequn gave a slight bow before glancing towards Lou Yuan. ¡°What about him? Is he staying too?¡± ¡°Just leave him in the same hut as before,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s more than capable of taking care of himself.¡± ¡°How can you say that?! Let me stay with you instead!¡± Lou Yuan protested. Unfortunately for him, Zhao Yunxiao coldly turned around and walked away with Nie Hanchang in tow. ¡°You cold-hearted monster! Wait for me!¡± Zhao Yunxiao did not bother responding to Lou Yuan¡¯s request. To be fair, it was not that the hut that Jin Kequn prepared for them could not fit one more person. However, they still could not afford to have Lou Yuan around. After all, Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang still had to discuss how to simplify the Moonlight Sutra. In the process of doing so, it was inevitable that they would take reference from other cultivation techniques, and the ones that they were most familiar with were none other than the cultivation techniques that were exclusive to disciples of the Black Tortoise Sect. While these were not exactly top secret information that could jeopardise the sect¡¯s existence when leaked, it was still taboo to spread such information to people who did not belong to the sect. This was a rule that just about every faction abided by. Or at the very least, the orthodox factions did. If Lou Yuan were to join them in the hut, they would have constantly to skirt around this topic, which would in turn greatly slow down their discussion progress. In the worst scenario, it might even cause their discussion to come to a complete halt! Despite that, it was not like Zhao Yunxiao completely disregarded Lou Yuan¡¯s well-being, making sure to at least remind Jin Kequn not to let his men bother Lou Yuan. Of course, it was definitely not simply to prevent the latter from feeling too uncomfortable to work on a proper halberd design... *** Two days passed in a flash. During this time, Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang barely left their hut, spending the majority of their time in deep discussion. Similarly, Lou Yuan kept to himself in his hut. Not to mention bothering anyone, he did not take a single step out of the hut. The bandits dared not bother either group, so they had no choice but to wait patiently for further news. They felt rather empty now that they were suddenly told to stop practising the Moonlight Sutra ¨C something that they had literally devoted all their time to in the past few months. Fortunately, something else happened that gave them a topic to chat about. The weather changed. Bit by bit, the hot and dry weather that had consistently plagued them over the past nine months was finally taking a turn for the better. For the first time in months, a small cloud actually managed to block out the blazing sun, giving them a brief respite from the blazing heat! The bandits looked up at the sky, relishing in the cool embrace of nature. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. It was a simple phenomenon that they would not have thought twice about previously, yet now it had become something capable of putting them in such a trance. In the end, people usually did not know how to cherish things when they were in abundance, only knowing how to lament their loss when these things were gone. And while the bandits¡¯ attention was still directed towards the sky, the door to Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s hut creaked open. Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang stepped out of their hut, took a quick glance at the sky, then turned their attention back to the bandits. ¡°Young Sirs! You are finally out!¡± Jin Kequn was the first to notice them, and hurried over immediately. ¡°Gather everyone and follow me,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. Without waiting for Jin Kequn¡¯s response, he and Nie Hanchang made their way to the far end of the hideout, which was an area surrounded by rocky cliff walls. ¡°Here?¡± Nie Hanchang asked as they stood in front of a wide cliff wall. ¡°Here,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. With a flick of his wrist, a dagger appeared in his hands. Slice-! Slice-! Slice-! Zhao Yunxiao started carving away at the cliff wall, engraving word after word on the surface. Words became phrases, and phrases formed sentences. Soon, an entire corner of the cliff wall had been filled with word engravings. Without someone to guide them, it was nigh impossible for the bandits to properly cultivate the original version of the Moonlight Sutra. Zhao Yunxiao could try to clear their doubts while he was here, but it was not like he could stay here forever. That was the reason why Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang had spent the past few days discussing how to simplify it, hoping to help the bandits understand it enough to practise on their own. And this was the fruit of their labour. Moonlight Sutra ¨C cheat sheet. What made it different was that not only did this include the original version of the Moonlight Sutra up to the first two chapters, but each individual line also came with an accompanying explanation. With that, Zhao Yunxiao aimed to reduce the chances of the bandits experiencing cultivation deviation from misunderstanding what was stated in the Moonlight Sutra. In fact, there was much more to the Moonlight Sutra than just the first two chapters, but the rest of it was beyond even Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang, both of whom were only at the Essence Condensation realm. At their current level, all they could do was convert the first two chapters, though this would already suffice in leading a practitioner into and throughout the Foundation Building realm. For the bandits who had no cultivation experience whatsoever, this should more than suffice for the time being. By the time Zhao Yunxiao was done, Jin Kequn and the other bandits had all gathered around. ¡°As I said before, try to forget everything that you have learnt in the past, and follow this instead,¡± Zhao Yunxiao turned to them and said. ¡°When I manage to decipher and simplify the rest of the sutra, I will return to add the following chapters.¡± It was at this moment that the bandits understood why Zhao Yunxiao had only used a small corner of the cliff wall. So, it was to make space for more in the future! ¡°Pardon me for asking this, Young Sir. But isn¡¯t it a little too risky to engrave this openly onto the cliff wall?¡± Jin Kequn asked carefully. ¡°This way, won¡¯t anyone who sees this immediately realise that we are practising the Moonlight Sutra? To save ourselves from unnecessary trouble, isn¡¯t it safer for it to be in the form of a manual so that we can at least hide it?¡± ¡°You had it in the form of a manual before, but did that stop us from finding out?¡± Zhao Yunxiao rolled his eyes. ¡°On the other hand, if it is in a manual and someone does rob you of it, that would mean losing your only access to the technique. Now that it is engraved in the cliff wall, even if it is discovered, there is still a chance that you can share access to it with the other party. On top of that, most people would not expect something so precious to be out in the open as well. This way, others would be even more doubtful of its authenticity.¡± There was also another reason that Zhao Yunxiao did not mention. His calligraphy skills were not exactly the most exquisite. On top of that, having to carve the words on the cliff wall only made it more difficult than simply writing. As a result, the words were not the prettiest, and that was already putting it nicely. Perhaps a harsher assessment would simply be that it looked sloppy. So, even if it were to be discovered, most cultivators would be unlikely to pay it any mind, much less consider the possibility of it being the lost signature technique of the ancient Moonlight Heavenly Lord! Of course, Zhao Yunxiao was not intending to tell the bandits that. ¡°I understand now. This lowly one pays my gratitude to Young Sir for the help!¡± Jin Kequn suddenly kowtowed towards Zhao Yunxiao. Others might not have caught the nuance in Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s words earlier, but Jin Kequn definitely did. When Zhao Yunxiao spoke about returning to add the following chapters, it was a clear indication that he was intending to leave. For that reason, Jin Kequn wanted to take this chance to show his gratitude before it was too late. He knew that Zhao Yunxiao did not have to do all this for them. With such a difference in strength, there was absolutely nothing stopping Zhao Yunxiao from just taking the Moonlight Sutra and leaving them stranded. Zhao Yunxiao might be younger than Jin Kequn, but for him to go out of his way to stay a few days just to do this for them, Jin Kequn could not help but feel heartfelt admiration and gratitude towards Zhao Yunxiao! ¡°Hold on! Don¡¯t do this just yet,¡± Zhao Yunxiao quickly stopped Jin Kequn before he could complete the kowtow. ¡°Now, I will try to explain this to the best of my ability. I will only do this once, so instead of doing all these unnecessary things, why don¡¯t you listen carefully instead?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, Young Sir!¡± Jin Kequn did not need to be told twice, and neither did the rest of the bandits. This was exactly what they had been hoping for, so all of them immediately gave him their undivided attention. Facing the large group of people who were watching him intently, Zhao Yunxiao suddenly could not help but swallow a mouthful of saliva in nervousness. This was not his first time being at the centre of attention. After all, most mortals would treat cultivators with a similar level of reverence, so it was not uncommon for him to be treated with immense respect while out on missions. However, this would be the first time that he had to teach on the concept of cultivation from a position of authority! This was completely unlike a simple exchange of ideas and interpretations among fellow disciples. Every word that he spoke from now, the bandits would probably take as truth. If he were to make any mistakes in his explanation, there would be a direct impact on the lives of these bandits. Should that happen, hindering their cultivation progress would be considered a minor consequence. In the worst-case scenario, that could even lead to the eventual deaths of the entire group by cultivation deviation! Up in the skies, the small cloud began to float away, revealing the afternoon sun that had been hidden behind. The golden rays shone down upon them once more, as though meaning to free everyone from the cloud¡¯s dark shadow. Down on the ground, Zhao Yunxiao similarly prepared to reveal the truths behind the ancient Moonlight Sutra. His intention ¨C to free the bandits from the doubts that were currently clouding their minds, as well as preventing further doubts from forming in the future. He could only hope that his attempts at doing so would not end up clouding their mind even further. Huu-! Zhao Yunxiao took a deep breath to compose himself. And with that, he began to give a cultivation lecture for the very first time in his life. Green Bull Inn Zhao Yunxiao started off a little uncertain. This was not uncertainty towards the topic at hand, but uncertainty towards himself. After all, this was his first time delivering a cultivation lecture. Still, he made sure to put on a confident front, carefully hiding this side of his emotions from the bandits who were listening intently to his words. Fortunately, the more he spoke, the less need there was for pretence. Slowly but steadily, confidence started to well up from within him. This was a confidence that naturally arose from having made ample preparation. After all, he had spent the past few days tirelessly studying the Moonlight Sutra, even going to the extent of repeatedly bouncing his ideas off Nie Hanchang. During this time, he had broken it down to the smallest details, making sure that he did not miss even the slightest hints of conceptual tidbits embedded within. He had revised the explanation over and over, making sure that he did not neglect to address any possible forms of interpretation. The first two chapters of the Moonlight Sutra were long, but his explanations were even longer. And right now, he was even further elaborating on the explanation piece, ensuring that the bandits truly understood his intended message. Unlike Elder Mo Tianfeng¡¯s monthly cultivation lecture, there were no law phenomena or anything fantastic of the like. But that did not matter. The absence of such phenomena did not shake the bandits¡¯ undivided attention to his words, nor did it prevent the message from getting across. Some of the bandits even sat down on the rocky ground, closing their eyes to block out all distractions while focusing on Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s lecture, looking one step closer to the proper cultivators that they were aspiring to become. In fact, they were not the only ones benefitting from this. Compared to attending Elder Mo Tianfeng¡¯s amazing monthly cultivation lecture, Zhao Yunxiao actually felt an even greater level of satisfaction from giving this seemingly ordinary lecture of his. Even he could not put a finger to the exact reason why, only knowing that this was a surreal feeling that he had never experienced in his life. He had yet to realise it, but through this act of helping the bandits, his understanding of cultivation had risen to a whole new level. By the time Zhao Yunxiao finally ended his lecture, the sun was already setting over the horizon, dyeing the sky in a beautiful gradient of orange light. It was truly an apt timing. The setting sun marked the end of the day, just as this stage of their lives was rapidly coming to an end. Perhaps after today, the bandits would no longer qualify to be mentioned as ordinary mortals. Along with the rise of tomorrow¡¯s morning sun, the bandits would effectively be joining the ranks of cultivators. No, that¡¯s not right, either. These people were no longer bandits. They were champions of the moonlight. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much you will gain out of this. But if what I just said can eventually help you gain strength in the future, I do hope that strength would be used for good instead of evil,¡± Zhao Yunxiao concluded. ¡°Hopefully, that is the first thing that people will think of when they hear the phrase Moonlight Champions in the future.¡± ¡°Moonlight Champions...¡± Jin Kequn smiled for a moment before kowtowing. ¡°Thank you, Young Sir. Your wisdom knows no bounds!¡± It was just a simple rephrasing of the term that they had used to refer to themselves before, but such a change was already more than enough to please Jin Kequn. In his eyes, their benefactor had just bestowed a new name upon them to mark this new beginning. From today onwards, their group shall be called the Moonlight Champions! ¡°Your wisdom knows no bounds!¡± the rest of them promptly followed suit. Zhao Yunxiao had mixed feelings when he watched the entire group bow down towards him. This time, he did not stop them immediately. In order to decrease the chances of the Moonlight Champions deviating from the orthodox path, he needed them to remember that he was the one who had guided them on this path, and that he would return to provide them even more guidance in the future. For as long as this idea remained stuck in their heads, they would have to think twice before doing anything that went against his wish for them to do good! ¡°Rise,¡± Zhao Yunxiao eventually said after a minute. ¡°We will be leaving early next morning. I¡¯m just letting you know now that there¡¯s no need to prepare a farewell or anything like that.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Jin Kequn nodded. He felt regretful that Zhao Yunxiao would be leaving so soon, but he also understood that this was inevitable. After all, there was nothing about this place that would make a cultivator like Zhao Yunxiao want to stay for long. That night, Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang had an early rest for the first time in days. Now that they were done simplifying the Moonlight Sutra, they no longer had to stay up like they did over the past few nights. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. And even before the sun rose the next morning, Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang were already up and about. Knock-! Knock-! There was no response. ¡°We are leaving this place. Will you be staying or leaving as well?¡± Zhao Yunxiao called out impatiently. This time, the door to the hut flew open almost immediately, revealing a flustered Lou Yuan within. ¡°Why are you suddenly leaving? Where are you going?¡± Lou Yuan questioned. ¡°We are done with our business here, so there¡¯s no reason for us to stay any longer,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered matter-of-factly. ¡°We just wanted to let you know, rather than having you come out to find us gone.¡± ¡°Of course I won¡¯t stay here alone!¡± Lou Yuan retorted. ¡°But why are you suddenly leaving? I am yet to be done with the halberd design!¡± ¡°I thought as much, but that can¡¯t be helped. We don¡¯t have time to stay here until you are done,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. He had hoped that Lou Yuan would be able to complete the promised halberd design before they left, but there was no other way around it. After all, who knows how long more it would take? While it was certainly better to have another halberd design for reference, it was not as though he must have it, either. Zhao Yunxiao was already more than satisfied with the blueprint that he had come up with himself! However, Lou Yuan had other plans. ¡°No, this would not do,¡± Lou Yuan looked extremely dissatisfied. ¡°I will be following you until I am done with the halberd design. There is no way that I will allow you to leave before admitting to my superiority!¡± ¡°You will be following us?¡± Zhao Yunxiao repeated it in surprise. ¡°Do you even know where we are going? Are you sure you aren¡¯t just saying this because you are afraid of being captured by others if we were to leave you alone?¡± ¡°How rude! This is just a once-off matter!¡± Lou Yuan crossed his arms unhappily. ¡°And of course I would have to follow you. After doubting my awesomeness like that, don¡¯t even think that you can just run away without any repercussions!¡± Zhao Yunxiao exchanged glances with Nie Hanchang, and the latter shrugged nonchalantly. From the looks of it, Nie Hanchang was leaving the decision to him again. ¡°If you really wish to follow us, I won¡¯t decline as well,¡± Zhao Yunxiao started. ¡°However, you would have to take care of yourself. We are not going to just lug around a burden on our journey.¡± ¡°What burden?! You are the burden!¡± Lou Yuan snapped. ¡°I am more than capable of taking care of myself, so you just have to worry about yourselves!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, so capable that you got yourself captured and unable to escape,¡± Zhao Yunxiao scoffed. ¡°That aside, do you even have a horse?¡± ¡°This...¡± Lou Yuan felt the corner of his lips twitch as he suddenly remembered that Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang had come on horseback. And he had only just said that he would not be a burden... this slap to the face came far too soon! ¡°You can ride behind me,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a helpless sigh. ¡°Pack up your things and let¡¯s get going.¡± ¡°S-Sure...¡± Despite the early hour, many members of the Moonlight Champions were already awake. When they noticed Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group of three walking past, all of them stopped whatever they were doing to give them a deep bow. No words were exchanged, but the reverence in their hearts was unmistakable. ¡°Why are they suddenly acting like this?¡± Lou Yuan asked uneasily. He did not get any answers, but he chose not to probe any further. Perhaps he already had an answer in his heart. The group led the horses down to the foot of the rocky Stoneyard Hill before finally getting on horseback. From there, they set off to their next destination ¨C Ghost Fog Valley. *** Green Bull Inn ¨C an old and simple two-storey inn that was located near the entrance to the mystical Ghost Fog Valley. Yet despite the treacherous reputation of Ghost Fog Valley that boasted a high fatality rate to visitors, the inn was actually enjoying a rather brisk business atmosphere. The main dining area contained around twenty separate tables, and just about every single one of them was seated with customers. Zhao Yunxiao, Nie Hanchang, and Lou Yuan were seated at one of those tables as well, with a wide variety of dishes laid out before them. It was truly a sumptuous feast, a fitting reward for a long day of travelling. This was something that Zhao Yunxiao would never have ordered usually, and that was the case this time as well. Initially, he had only wanted to order some simple dishes and be done with it. It was only at Lou Yuan¡¯s insistence that they increased the number of orders, though Zhao Yunxiao only agreed when Lou Yuan promised to foot the bill. ¡°Are you guys new to the valley?¡± a bald man from the adjacent table asked. The bald man looked to be in his mid-thirties, was well-built, and donned fitting battle robes. He wore a set of flexible armour over his robes, and had a sheathed sabre hanging on his belt. One look was enough to tell that this was a battle-hardened warrior who was always ready for a fight! He was not the only one, either. The other three men seated at his table gave off a similar vibe, and so did most other customers in the inn. It was almost as though this inn was a gathering place for warriors and soldiers alike. ¡°Yes, we have just arrived,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clasped his fists towards the man. ¡°May I know if this big brother has any advice that you feel might be helpful to us?¡± ¡°Since you are asking so nicely, I guess I have no choice but to say something,¡± the bald man looked them over from head to toe. ¡°Your physiques are pretty good, but you seem a little underprepared in terms of your gear. If you want to hear my honest opinion, then I would suggest that you go get some weapons and armour before coming back.¡± ¡°Why do we need weapons? Isn¡¯t the main danger of the valley due to the fog?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked in surprise. ¡°Or has there been a change in the situation here?¡± Ghost Fog Valley had always been considered a dangerous area, but it was mainly because of the thick mist shrouding the area. This mist made it extremely difficult to navigate within the valley, and even those familiar with the local terrain could end up not being able to find their way out. In the end, nobody knew how many people failed to leave after entering every year, but it was estimated to be at least in the double digits, if not more. But that was a purely navigational issue. How would donning weapons and armour help with overcoming such a problem? ¡°Damn, you weren¡¯t joking when you said that you have just arrived,¡± the bald man shook his head in disapproval. ¡°But I guess it is also fortunate that you decided to drop by instead of heading straight into the valley. This way, at least you won¡¯t be caught off-guard when you enter.¡± ¡°Hahaha! Quit scaring the kids! Don¡¯t you see how nervous they look because of you?¡± one of the bald man¡¯s companions laughed. ¡°Shut up! At least I am being kind enough to give them helpful advice. What have you done for anyone but yourself?¡± the bald man snapped before turning back to Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°The fog might have been the only threat in the past, but things have changed in recent years.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Zhao Yunxiao frowned. ¡°Thieves and scavengers,¡± the bald man said solemnly. ¡°Then again, considering the number of people getting lost in the valley every year, I guess this is only to be expected. Nowadays, there are more and more of such groups roaming the valley, specifically targeting visitors to the valley. If you are unlucky enough to encounter any of them, even ending up lost and penniless in the middle of nowhere might already be considered a fortunate outcome!¡± Am I Getting Pranked? ¡°So, that¡¯s why just about everyone here is armed,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded in understanding. What the bald man said was rather believeable. Since there were always people getting lost in the valley, that truly made this the perfect hunting ground for people like thieves and scavengers. It was almost as though nature itself was on their side, helping them gather their prey for the taking. Had Zhao Yunxiao been a thief by profession, he would probably have considered this a good business opportunity as well! ¡°It is good that you finally understand,¡± the bald man said with an approving smile. ¡°So, heed my advice ¨C go home and prepare further before returning. Or if you want to save time, we can also provide our services, ensuring your safety for a small token fee...¡± Zhao Yunxiao finally realised why the bald man had struck up a conversation with them. They were just trying to look for potential customers! ¡°Thank you for the offer, I will think about it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°What about you? How long has it been since you arrived here?¡± ¡°We, the Iron Sabres, have made this place our home for more than five years!¡± the bald man patted his chest confidently. ¡°Among everyone here, we can be considered among the first to arrive.¡± ¡°Oh? Did the others also decide to base themselves here?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked curiously. From the sound of it, everyone here had been around for a while. ¡°Well, you can say that, but most of them haven¡¯t been here for as long as we have,¡± the bald man dragged his chair over to their table and lowered his voice to a whisper. ¡°That group over there has only been here for half a year. That group has been here for a year. Only two months for that group...¡± One by one, the bald man pointed out the amount of time that each group had been in the area for. Zhao Yunxiao rubbed his chin in contemplation as he listened on. As long as the bald man was not just coming up with random numbers, then he truly had to be based here for a decently long period of time in order to know about all the others. But that aside, this was all too strange. Apart from Ghost Fog Valley, there was nothing much that was of note in the area. Just why would all these people choose to base themselves here? Was the escort service really this lucrative? Or could it be...? At this moment, someone suddenly caught Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s eye. Seated in a corner of the inn was a man who looked to be in his mid-fifties, wearing slightly worn-out robes with a large hat. He was seated alone, with a plate of nuts and several jars of wine resting on his table. Still, it was as though the man could barely see the nuts, focusing solely on drinking instead. ¡°What about that man?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°How long has he been here?¡± ¡°Who knows? He is probably the only one who has been here since before we arrived,¡± the bald man shrugged. ¡°However, not only is he scrawny and feeble, but he also drinks himself to sleep every evening. I certainly wouldn¡¯t hire him if I were you!¡± ¡°Hire him? Is he working as an escort as well?¡± ¡°Yes, he is. But like I said, you¡¯d be better off steering clear of him unless you want to end up with a drunk and scrawny escort!¡± the bald man scoffed. ¡°I understand,¡± Zhao Yunxiao turned back to look at the bald man. ¡°We are actually here to look for the grimoire plant. Do you know where I can find it?¡± Ghost Fog Valley might not be comparable to Purple Plum Mountain, but it was still rather huge. While it was not impossible for Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group to comb the area in search of the grimoire plant, they would definitely be able to save a lot of time if they had the help of the locals to identify where exactly to go. Therefore, it might really be worth paying for the escort service just to save some time. Unfortunately, life often did not go as smoothly as one would hope. ¡°Grimoire plant?¡± the bald man turned back to his companions. ¡°Has any of you ever heard of a grimoire plant?¡± ¡°Gri- what?¡± ¡°No, never heard of it.¡± ¡°Not me, either.¡± ¡°We might not have heard of it, but why don¡¯t you try describing its characteristics? Perhaps we have seen it around,¡± the bald man said. ¡°The fruit is a mix of silver and brown. You probably wouldn¡¯t miss it if you had come across it in the past,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°A-Ah! That one! Yes, I remember seeing it before!¡± the bald man exclaimed. ¡°If you are looking for it, I can bring you to where I last saw it!¡± ¡°Yes, I remember now too!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Now that you mention it, I have seen something like that. The colours are rather unmistakeable!¡± The bald man¡¯s companions started chiming in as well. ¡°Is that so?¡± Zhao Yunxiao narrowed his eyes, not knowing if he should believe them. ¡°The answer is no,¡± Lou Yuan had been silent all along, but finally spoke up at this point. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zhao Yunxiao turned to him in surprise. ¡°What I mean is, don¡¯t believe them,¡± Lou Yuan answered matter-of-factly. ¡°They have no clue what you are talking about.¡± ¡°Wha-?! You¡¯d best make yourself clear!¡± the bald man almost yelled in indignation. ¡°Are you accusing us of lying?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too obvious,¡± Lou Yuan did not back down. ¡°Your tone and body language changed instantly after hearing that your companions had not heard of it before. Your breathing got faster, your eyes started darting around, your facial expressions became more rigid, and you started speaking twenty-two percent faster all of a sudden. All these factors hint at you trying to put up a facade to hide your anxiety. Or, simply put, you are lying through your teeth.¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Upon hearing this, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but recall his first meeting with Lou Yuan. Back then, Lou Yuan had identified his background just from watching the way he walked. And now this... It would appear that not only did Lou Yuan have an extremely high mastery of energy sensitivity and control, his ability to read people was just as incredible! ¡°Y-You have no idea what you are talking about, kid!¡± the bald man insisted. ¡°I¡¯d dare say that in this entire inn, no one but our group will be able to bring you to find what you seek. With just that statement earlier, we will be doubling the price of our service!¡± ¡°You can double it or triple it, that doesn¡¯t matter since we won¡¯t be engaging your service,¡± Lou Yuan shrugged. ¡°On the other hand...¡± Lou Yuan stood up and slowly started to walk through the inn. As he did, almost everyone in the inn turned their attention towards him. Some of them had gotten curious after overhearing the bald man introduce each group to Zhao Yunxiao earlier, and thus started paying attention to their conversation. Some of them only started paying attention after the bald man¡¯s outburst due to Lou Yuan¡¯s accusation. Regardless of the reason, everyone could not help but feel intrigued, taking this as a rare source of entertainment. Lou Yuan paid no attention to everyone¡¯s gazes, slowly passing table after table until he arrived at a corner of the inn ¨C the same corner where the man wearing a large hat had been drinking since earlier. Unlike everyone else, this man had not turned to look at Lou Yuan ever since the start. But as Lou Yuan stopped in front of his table, the man paused slightly ¨C his hand that was bringing the wine jar to his mouth stopping dead in its track. Even then, he still did not turn his gaze towards Lou Yuan. ¡°Sir, you have seen it before, haven¡¯t you?¡± Lou Yuan lightly placed his palm down on the table. ¡°By that, I mean the grimoire plant that my companion has just described.¡± The man remained silent for another moment, then continued drinking. ¡°Why are you pretending, Sir?¡± Lou Yuan smiled and sat down in front of the man, seemingly unbothered by the fact that he was being ignored. ¡°Let¡¯s just get straight to the point ¨C what¡¯s the price?¡± Thud-! The man placed his wine jar on the table, then matched Lou Yuan¡¯s gaze with eyes that were slightly glazed over from inebriation. ¡°Five spirit stones,¡± the man said. ¡°Five spirit stones, it is. How do I address you?¡± Lou Yuan agreed decisively, much to the surprise of the onlookers. ¡°You can call me Old Niu,¡± the man took another gulp of wine from his jar. ¡°When do you intend to enter the valley?¡± ¡°As soon as possible,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered while making his way over. ¡°When do you think is the best time to enter?¡± By now, Zhao Yunxiao had become certain of Lou Yuan¡¯s exceptional observation skills. Since Lou Yuan had suddenly decided on engaging Old Niu, Zhao Yunxiao decided to take a leap of faith and go along with this decision as well. After all, they only needed a guide to bring them to the grimoire plant, so whether it was this person or a group of armed warriors did not matter. As for protection from the scavengers and thieves... it would probably be in these people¡¯s interest to not come near them instead! ¡°If it is up to me... we leave tomorrow at dawn,¡± Old Niu replied between gulps of wine. ¡°Then let¡¯s leave tomorrow at dawn,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°Are you out of your mind?!¡± the bald man from earlier could no longer tolerate it at this point, and came stomping over. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t wish to engage our services, so be it. But you are choosing this drunkard over us? Are you actually serious?¡± ¡°My apologies,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered calmly. ¡°Truth be told, I¡¯d have loved to work with you. However, it seems that my companion has taken the liberty of coming to an agreement on his own. A gentleman doesn¡¯t go back on his word. Even though my companion has failed to consult us beforehand, we can¡¯t exactly go back on our word anymore. I hope you understand.¡± ¡°Tch!¡± the bald man clicked his tongue in irritation, aware that Zhao Yunxiao was just brushing him off. ¡°Do what you want! Trust me, you will definitely end up regretting this!¡± The bald man turned around unhappily and went back to his table. ¡°Thank you for your understanding,¡± Zhao Yunxiao patronisingly clasped his fists towards the departing bald man, before turning his attention back to Old Niu. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s talk about the price.¡± ¡°What is there to talk about?¡± Old Niu narrowed his eyes. ¡°Haven¡¯t we already decided on five spirit stones?¡± ¡°Just take a look at us. We are poor travellers without any affluent background, so how can we possibly afford five spirit stones?¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered with a regretful sigh. ¡°As much as I¡¯d love to give you what you want, we can only afford two spirit stones even if we put everything together...¡± ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Old Niu directly turned back to Lou Yuan. ¡°Didn¡¯t you agree to five spirit stones? I will accept nothing less than that!¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lou Yuan redirected the question to Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Can¡¯t you even afford five spirit stones?¡± ¡°Unfortunately no,¡± Zhao Yunxiao sighed once more. ¡°So, if this sir here can be kind...¡± ¡°Then the deal is off,¡± Old Niu refused instantly, returning to downing the wine in front of him. ¡°That does seem to be the case...¡± Zhao Yunxiao revealed a look of regret. In fact, he could definitely afford five spirit stones. Zhao Yunxiao might only be an outer disciple at the Black Tortoise Sect, but he was also one of the most hardworking outer disciples there. After years of saving, coming up with five spirit stones was still not an issue for him. But that did not mean he was willing to spend them on a mere guide! Ghost Fog Valley might be huge, and the fog disorientating. However, unlike ordinary mortals, it was not as though he would truly get lost in a valley that was just mistier than others. The only reason he had thought of hiring a guide was to save time. But if he had to spend so much of his hard earned spirit stones to do so, then wouldn¡¯t that defeat the purpose of him spending time and effort to acquire those spirit stones in the first place? Not a chance! ¡°If you lack spirit stones, I do have one on me as well,¡± Nie Hanchang walked up to him and said. ¡°Perhaps it will be enough if we add them up?¡± ¡°You are already not getting much out of this trip, so how can I spend your spirit stones on top of that?¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered with a despondent look on his face. ¡°In addition, it won¡¯t be enough even if we add up our spirit stones...¡± Lou Yuan felt the corner of his lips twitch, realising that Zhao Yunxiao was not just bluffing to push down the price. Zhao Yunxiao was truly intending to abandon the idea after hearing the price! Lou Yuan had readily agreed to Old Niu¡¯s price of five spirit stones because he found it to be a reasonable price. Who would have thought that these two disciples from the Black Tortoise Sect could not afford even that? ¡°Forget it, I will pay for it instead!¡± Lou Yuan said in exasperation. ¡°Rather than waste time wandering around the valley, we might as well get it done quickly and return!¡± ¡°Oh? Will you really?¡± Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s eyes lit up immediately. If Lou Yuan was willing to pay, then Zhao Yunxiao definitely would not stand on ceremony! After all, the world was so big. Who knew when they would ever meet again after parting ways, if ever at all? There was little need to think about having to repay this kindness in the future! ¡°Here are your spirit stones,¡± Lou Yuan rolled his eyes at Zhao Yunxiao before directly placing five spirit stones on the table. His decisiveness inevitably drew looks of greed from the other customers in the inn. However, what Lou Yuan heard next rendered him completely speechless. ¡°No, I have changed my mind,¡± Old Niu leaned back into his chair instead of picking up the five spirit stones. ¡°I won¡¯t be taking up this business anymore, so go look for someone else!¡± Lou Yuan: ¡°...¡± Is everyone working together to prank me right now? Entering Ghost Fog Valley ¡°Look at you bunch ¨C young, inexperienced, and unprepared,¡± Old Niu snorted as he scanned the trio from head to toe. ¡°Are you even aware of how dangerous Ghost Fog Valley is? My conscience simply doesn¡¯t allow me to bring you into a place where you could very well lose your lives!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just a matter of navigating our way within the valley?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°As for the thieves and scavengers, that is a problem that cannot be circumvented with mere preparation. If that happens and we can¡¯t escape, we can just willingly give up our valuables to keep our lives.¡± ¡°You think you can keep your lives with just that? What a joke!¡± the bald man from before commented loudly from his table, but Zhao Yunxiao pretended not to hear him. ¡°Even if it is just about navigating in the valley, I have seen far too many young people like you who simply refuse to listen to instructions at times, eventually meeting a tragic end,¡± Old Niu shrugged. ¡°If you want me to bring you along, that¡¯s fine. But you would have to promise to listen to my every word!¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t a problem as long as it is regarding navigation within the valley,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded immediately. ¡°That is what we are paying you for anyway.¡± ¡°Correction ¨C that is what ¡®I¡¯ am paying him for, not ¡®we¡¯,¡± Lou Yuan interjected. Zhao Yunxiao pretended not to hear him as well. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then fine,¡± Old Niu reached out to keep away the five spirit stones. ¡°But at any point during the trip, the moment you don¡¯t listen to me, the deal will be off. At that point, I will not be refunding the spirit stones.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Zhao Yunxiao agreed without hesitation. There was nothing to be worried about. He was not the one paying anyway. They had already intended to enter the valley the next day, so Old Niu¡¯s suggestion worked out perfectly. Now that they had their fill and even gotten a guide, the trio returned to their respective rooms that they had rented for the night ¨C something that Lou Yuan was more than grateful for. He had not slept comfortably in a bed for months, not even back at Stoneyard Hill, so he fell straight into the dream world the moment his head hit the pillow. As for Zhao Yunxiao, he popped a Winterwarmth Pill and entered a state of light meditation. This trip was taking a little longer than expected, so he could not help but feel that he was falling behind in terms of his cultivation. In front of him, Zhao Yunxiao Two lit a lamp at the table and spent some time reviewing the halberd blueprint that he had come up with before, carefully recalculating just how many grimoire fruits he would need. The last thing he wanted was to return to Purple Plum Mountain, only to find out that he had not brought back enough materials to complete the forging process! When he was done, Zhao Yunxiao Two began to study the local terrain map and inspect his inventory, making sure that everything was in place. Ever since he acquired the Earthen Clone Technique, Zhao Yunxiao had been trying to practise it at every opportunity he got. Through weeks of relentless practice, he had slowly improved in his ability to divide his thoughts into two separate trains. While it was still far from perfect, cultivating while controlling his clone to perform simple tasks like this was no longer something out of reach for the current Zhao Yunxiao. This was proving to be a huge benefit for Zhao Yunxiao, allowing him to work on various tasks without having to sacrifice his daily cultivation in the process! At the break of dawn, the trio promptly gathered back at the entrance to the inn, where Old Niu was already waiting. Old Niu looked no different from yesterday ¨C still wearing those slightly worn-out robes, still wearing a large hat, and still reeking of alcohol. He even had a wine gourd hanging by his belt, a stark contrast to the other customers who had weapons at the ready instead. Few words were exchanged except for the usual pleasantries. Since they already knew each other¡¯s goals and responsibilities, there was no need for further clarification, and the group immediately set out for the nearby Ghost Fog Valley. Ghost Fog Valley was located not far away from Green Bull Inn. In fact, Green Bull Inn could be said to be right at the entrance to Ghost Fog Valley. After walking for around five minutes, they could already see a layer of fog shrouding the path ahead. ¡°From here on, stick close to me if you don¡¯t want to get lost,¡± Old Niu cautioned, and Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group obediently did as they were told. In fact, they did not actually have to do so since they could just lock onto Old Niu with their spiritual sense. However, Old Niu had been rather adamant about them listening to his instructions the day before, so they decided not to undermine him right from the start. The fog was relatively light initially, but rapidly grew thicker as they delved deeper into the valley. Dirt paths gradually started to disappear, replaced by thick vegetation with protruding tree roots and rocks. Traces of footfall and civilisation slowly rescinded, overtaken by the pristine beauty of nature. Of course, the presence of the thick fog also meant that no one could truly see the beauty for what it was. Even Zhao Yunxiao could not help but frown. The fog here was far thicker than he had expected. No wonder many people got lost in the valley and could not find their way out, eventually ending up losing their lives out here in the wilderness. Yet despite the severe lack of visibility, Old Niu walked on without hesitation and made decisive turns at each fork in the road. He was navigating this maze-like valley in a manner that was almost as though his eyes could pierce right through the fog and lock onto their destination. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. This was good and all, but Zhao Yunxiao quickly realised that something was amiss ¨C Old Niu¡¯s pace was slowly getting faster and faster. The rate of change was subtle, but it was there nevertheless. After a while, it reached a stage where an ordinary mortal would have to sprint at full speed just to keep up! Zhao Yunxiao glanced at Nie Hanchang, then at Lou Yuan. It would appear that they were keeping up perfectly, neither of them bothered by the increase in pace. This was normal as well. For cultivators, going at such a pace was not an issue, whatsoever. Zhao Yunxiao was not sure about Lou Yuan¡¯s cultivation level, but there was no doubt that he was at least at the Foundation Building realm. In fact, considering his masterful control of energy, his cultivation level should at least be at the Essence Gathering realm as well. Seeing that his companions were doing fine, Zhao Yunxiao chose not to mention anything for now. But soon, he noticed that sweat was starting to form on Lou Yuan¡¯s forehead. Not just that, but Lou Yuan¡¯s breaths were starting to get faster and irregular. It was clear that Lou Yuan was nearing his limit. ¡°P-Please slow down!¡± Zhao Yunxiao suddenly called out. ¡°I... I can¡¯t take it anymore!¡± Zhao Yunxiao stopped dead in his tracks, hanging his head low and panting heavily while bending over to rest his hands on his knees. Nie Hanchang: ¡°???¡± Lou Yuan: ¡°???¡± The two of them had been moving alongside Zhao Yunxiao all this time, and had not sensed the slightest hint of struggle from him. So, why did he break down like that all of a sudden? ¡°Hmm?¡± Old Niu turned around in surprise. ¡°We aren¡¯t even going all that fast! Just this much, and you are already at your limit?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah! I can¡¯t go on anymore!¡± Zhao Yunxiao waved his hand in surrender. ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a while, please!¡± ¡°This is why I have been reluctant to take up this job when I saw how young and unprepared you bunch are,¡± Old Niu scoffed. ¡°I guess there¡¯s no helping it. But it can get complicated if we stop for too long, so let¡¯s just rest for a few minutes.¡± ¡°Complicated? In what sense?¡± Lou Yuan asked. ¡°Thieves and scavengers. Stopping for too long might attract them to our location, and it is troublesome once we get surrounded,¡± Old Niu explained. ¡°You bunch might be cultivators, but don¡¯t underestimate these people. Some of them are not that easy to deal with.¡± ¡°Okay... just a few minutes will do,¡± Zhao Yunxiao agreed gratefully between heavy breaths. Zhao Yunxiao was not at all surprised that Old Niu had figured out that they were cultivators. They might not have explicitly revealed that they were cultivators, but what they had done so far was more than telling enough. ¡°Then I will rest for a bit as well!¡± Nie Hanchang directly sat down on the ground. ¡°How tiring!¡± Zhao Yunxiao had to consciously suppress his smile from showing. Lou Yuan still seemed confused, but it would appear that Nie Hanchang had caught onto what he was doing. This Old Niu was not simple. To be able to move at such a pace with ease, there was no doubt that he was someone at the Essence Gathering realm or above, or at least possessed strength at a similar level. And Zhao Yunxiao could think of two possible reasons why he was gradually increasing his pace as they moved. The more innocuous reason would be truly just to get to their destination faster. However, there was no reason to subtly increase the pace if that was the case. Rather than that, they could simply go fast from the start, and choose to slow down if they could not handle the pace. Therefore, it was more likely to be the second reason ¨C Old Niu was secretly testing their capabilities. And in this Ghost Fog Valley where it was not surprising for visitors to never find their way out, and where few would care to investigate what happened within... it was not difficult to guess why Old Niu might be testing them. Regardless of whether his suspicions were true, it was always best to be wary. Because of that, Zhao Yunxiao had decided to deliberately act like he was much weaker than he truly was. This way, should his suspicions actually turn out to be true, there was still a possibility of gaining the upper hand by catching Old Niu by surprise! Of course, it could also turn out not to be the case. That way, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s current actions would only serve to delay their progress. However, Zhao Yunxiao was someone who always believed in preparing for the worst. If it meant that they could avoid the worst-case scenario by doing so, a slight delay to their progress was not too big of a cost. As for the option of not hiring Old Niu altogether, that would make little difference to the end result. Had Old Niu truly meant them any harm, Old Niu would have followed them into the valley regardless. That was also exactly how it went with the bald man from yesterday and the rest of the Iron Sabres. When they left Green Bull Inn earlier, Zhao Yunxiao could sense the Iron Sabres coming out from their hiding spots to secretly tail them from behind. Unfortunately for them, they had probably never considered that Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group would move at such a breakneck pace. Within less than half an hour into their journey, they had already completely left the Iron Sabres in the dust! But that was the Iron Sabres. Had it been Old Niu who was tailing them, things would definitely be a lot trickier. Rather than having to constantly worry about someone who was tailing them in secret, it might even be a better idea to have them join them in the open instead! After a few minutes of rest, the group resumed their journey into the depths of the valley, once again starting slow, with Old Niu subtly picking up the pace. And when the pace reached a similar level as before, Zhao Yunxiao made sure to call for a break to rest once again. Consistency was important when trying to influence the beliefs of others. Zhao Yunxiao did not know if Old Niu had fallen for it, but the latter at least agreed to rest each time. Along the way, Old Niu constantly complained about how unprepared they were for the harsh terrain of Ghost Fog Valley, and reminded them how fortunate they were to have hired him to make up for their lack of preparations. In response, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group shrugged off his words in a nonchalant manner, treating them as nothing but background noise. Perhaps realising that he was not getting the acknowledgement he wanted, Old Niu eventually stopped complaining as well. Just like that, the group of four continued deeper and deeper into the valley. After hours of moving through the thick fog, they were finally greeted with some good news. ¡°Here is where I usually see that strange plant of yours,¡± Old Niu stopped and said. ¡°However, let me just say in advance that I don¡¯t always see it every time I visit this area. You can try looking around, but I am not going to bear any responsibility even if you end up not finding any!¡± Zhao Yunxiao took a look around. Well, it was not exactly looking since the thick fog prevented one from seeing anything past three metres. Examining his surroundings with his spiritual sense, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but let out a satisfied smile. It would appear that Old Niu had not been lying to them. This was indeed the ideal type of habitat that grimoire plants were said to thrive in. Now, he could only hope that they would be able to find one quickly and finally put an end to this long trip! Acquiring the Grimoire Fruit Bearing such distinct characteristics, even those who had never come across a grimoire plant would be unlikely to miss it. With that in mind, the three young cultivators split up and started combing the area. It was an obvious showing of disinterest towards the success of his clients¡¯ aim, but Zhao Yunxiao did not mind that one bit. Right from the very beginning, Old Niu¡¯s job had only been to help them find this place, not to help them search for the plant. So, it was perfectly understandable for him not to go above and beyond his duties. In fact, Zhao Yunxiao might even feel sceptical of Old Niu¡¯s intentions if he were to act overly enthusiastic about helping them! Extending his spiritual sense to scan his surroundings, Zhao Yunxiao slowly started straying away from Old Niu¡¯s position. Nie Hanchang and Lou Yuan did the same, but there was one singular difference between their actions and Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s. Even as Zhao Yunxiao was looking around for the grimoire plant, he made sure to keep an eye on Old Niu as well. He was careful not to directly keep his spiritual sense locked onto Old Niu since doing so had a chance of triggering some form of defensive measure. By observing even the slightest movements of these objects and calculating how they could have resulted from the changes in Old Niu¡¯s position, Zhao Yunxiao was able to determine Old Niu¡¯s current position and movements to a fair degree. While making sure that Old Niu was not displaying any signs of being alerted, Zhao Yunxiao slowly moved further and further away. And when he had finallycreated a long enough distance between them, Zhao Yunxiaoturned a corner and gradually channelled his essence energy to conceal his presence. Even before the earth could fully rise up to form intoa clone, Zhao Yunxiao hurriedly used a concealing technique on it, making sure that the clone would not be discovered. After Zhao Yunxiao Two took form, he immediately started to use his own essence energy for concealment, collected some array flags and spirit stones from Zhao Yunxiao, and then hurried off into the depths of the valley without hesitation. The entire process happened in a matter of seconds. If Old Niu turned out to be weaker than them, then it would not be too big of an issue. But if Old Niu was stronger, then they would definitely need some external help to tide themselves over. Now that this had been set in motion, Zhao Yunxiao could finally continue his search for the grimoire plant with a greater peace of mind. Yes, the grimoire plant had a particular habitat that it thrived in. But as long as it was within that habitat, it could actually grow on just about any surface. While this was a strong trait that increased its survivability, it also made searching for it far more difficult since they would have to look just about everywhere for possible traces of it. In the heads of the trio, they could not help but start suspecting that there might not actually be any grimoire plants here. After all, even if this was a habitat that suited the growth of grimoire plants, and even if grimoire plantshad indeed grown here in the past, it was not a guarantee that there would be some growing here right now! Coincidentally, it was just as such thoughts were surfacing that they suddenly had a breakthrough. ¡° ¡° ¡° A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Specifically, he needed two-thirds of the amount that could be extracted from a fully ripe fruit to complete the forging process. After all, if the forging attempt were to fail, the material would most likely go to waste and no longer be usable in the next attempt. Therefore, he had wanted to at least collect two fruits, which would give him enough grimoire fruit essence to make at least three attempts. We actually managed to find one,¡± Lou Yuan remarked in astonishment. ¡°But how do you intend to bring the grimoire plant with you? You know how sensitive this plant is, don¡¯t you?¡± Most parts of the plant would lose their elemental properties soon after the death of the plant. If they ended up harming the plant during the extraction process, there might just be nothing useful left by the time they make it back to Purple Plum Mountain! ¡° Even though Zhao Yunxiao was currently leaving the management of his garden plot to Lei Wenzhang and Qing Bian, such an arrangement only started long after he took on a job at the Herb Gardens. Initially, he truly worked hard at the job to acquire the relevant skills involved. While it might not be up to the level of the plant-obsessed Gu Qiansi, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s skills with regards to the treatment of spiritual plants, or herbalism in general, were not just at the beginner level. As long as he knew the correct method to treat a particular spiritual plant, simply putting it into practice was not a tall order for him. And since he dared to make this journey, there was absolutely no way that he would not have done his homework regarding the extraction method fora grimoire plant. Next, he carefully dug out the grimoire with the earth around it intact, making sure not to damage the roots in the process. Unfortunately, spatial items could only store non-living objects. Therefore, Zhao Yunxiao had to store the grimoire plant, along with the soil around its roots, in a small bag to keep it alive for as long as possible. ¡° ¡° Well, the main use of the plant is in the culinary field. The roots can be crushed into fine powder that can alter the taste of food by quite a bit,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained without hesitation. ¡°It is an acquired taste that doesn¡¯t suit most people, but there is still a small minoritywhoreally enjoy it.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° We simply belong to a small reclusive sect, nothing worthy of mention,¡± Zhao Yunxiao scratched his cheek in embarrassment. Haha, are you worried that I would judge you? Come on, I don¡¯t even belong to any factions, so anything would be better than my current situation!¡± Old Niu laughed. Still, I would prefer not to embarrass myself. Please understand the feelings of people of low status like us,¡± Zhao Yunxiao insisted with a sheepish smile. Old Niu narrowed his eyes, while Zhao Yunxiao retained that embarrassed look on his face. ...Fine then, I won¡¯t force you if you don¡¯t wish to divulge,¡± Old Niu finally relented. ¡°Is one enough, though? Or do you need more?¡± ¡° While it was naturally best to collect as many grimoire plants as possible, Zhao Yunxiao did not want to push his luck either. After all, it already took hours for them to find this one grimoire plant. Who knew how long it would take for them to find the next one? But before Old Niu could respond, all four of them turned towards the same direction ¨C the direction from which they came. ¡° ¡° I¡¯m not sure how they managed to track us down, but it is best to avoid conflict,¡± Old Niu said. ¡°How about moving deeper into the valley? Not far from here is where the source of the fog is. If we head in that direction, the thicker density of the fog should prevent them from finding us.¡± The source of the fog? Is it not a naturally occurring phenomenon?¡± Lou Yuan¡¯s interest was piqued at this point. ¡°What isactually creating this fog?¡± It is natural. After all, the thing that is causing this is a natural resident of the valley ¨C fairymist flowers,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°They grow in the depths of Ghost Fog Valley, and are responsible for creating the fog.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° While the Iron Sabres might comprise merely ordinary mortals, they were a group familiar with combat. To avoid any complications, he would prefer not to get into a direct conflict with them out here in unfamiliar territories, especially sincethey had yet to ascertain Old Niu¡¯s true intentions! Fairymist Prairie The group ventured deeper into the valley under Old Niu¡¯s lead, with the fog visibly thickening with every few steps they took. Back at where they had found the grimoire plant, visibility still extended to about three metres away. However, this distance rapidly decreased as they moved, going from three metres to two metres, and eventually to one. At one stage, it even got to the point where they could barely see their own outstretched hand, and that was despite their enhanced vision as cultivators. Had it not been for their use of spiritual sense, they would probably suffer numerous trips and falls while traversing this uneven terrain. ¡°We are here!¡± Old Niu exclaimed in relief as they exited a rocky path to enter a wide prairie. Old Niu had not lied to them ¨C the entire journey took less than half an hour. In fact, it only took them around fifteen minutes to get here. However, the difference in visibility was as extreme as day and night. ¡°Is this it?¡± Lou Yuan closed his eyes. Zhao Yunxiao did the same, and so did Nie Hanchang. The fog here meant that they could barely see their surroundings, so the only way to find out what this place looked like was through spiritual sense. That was why the first thing all three of them did was to focus on extending their spiritual sense to scan the area. It was a wide prairie with plenty of lush vegetation around. While the thick fog meant that they could not make out anything in the distance, a small amount of light still found its way through to reach the plants, allowing them to thrive. A gentle breeze constantly caressed their faces, carrying with it a strong floral fragrance that seemed to have come from a mix of flowers. ¡°So, this is the fairymist flower!¡± Lou Yuan opened his eyes and walked over to a nearby bush. Now that he knew about the fairymist flower¡¯s characteristics, it was not difficult to identify one in person. These fist-sized flowers were white in colour, and a thick stream of mist was constantly emitted from the stigma of each flower. It was basically a prairie that was overgrown with fairymist flowers, with the latter numbering in the thousands, if not tens of thousands. Here, these spiritual plants almost seemed to be something as common as grass. And with each individual flower producing a thick stream of mist, it was no wonder that the resulting fog had been sufficient to cover the entire Ghost Fog Valley! ¡°This is a form of defensive measure,¡± Old Niu explained as if he was a senior teaching his junior. ¡°By emitting mist like this, the fairymist flower seeks to hide itself in fog, away from the eyes of potential predators.¡± ¡°How fascinating!¡± Lou Yuan carefully inspected a flower from up close. ¡°How is it? Are there any uses for it?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°Hard to say,¡± Lou Yuan plucked a flower and started spinning it by the stalk. After being plucked, the stream of mist coming from the flower decreased all of a sudden. But rather surprisingly, it did not stop completely. Lou Yuan plucked another flower, and the same thing happened. ¡°Interesting! I definitely have to bring some back to perform some tests!¡± Lou Yuan licked his lips in anticipation. ¡°Dig one out for me!¡± ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± Zhao Yunxiao raised an eyebrow. ¡°Tch! Who else can I be talking to but you?¡± Lou Yuan said impatiently. ¡°You are pretty good at this, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°This is my first time seeing these flowers too!¡± Zhao Yunxiao rolled his eyes in disbelief. ¡°And even if I knew how to do so, why should I help you?¡± ¡°How stingy! Haven¡¯t I helped you a lot so far?¡± Lou Yuan replied. ¡°Why don¡¯t you treat this as a form of repayment?¡± ¡°And how have you helped me so far?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t I help you pay that guy to be a guide?¡± Lou Yuan answered while pointing to Old Niu. Old Niu: ¡°...¡± ¡°I am thankful for that, but it is not like the spirit stones went to me,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°Though if you are willing to pay me to help you, then that¡¯s a completely different story...¡± ¡°What? So, you are just asking for spirit stones? Are you really poor or something?¡± Lou Yuan felt the corner of his lips twitch. ¡°It is a matter of principle!¡± Zhao Yunxiao insisted. ¡°If you want someone else¡¯s help, it is only natural that you provide something of value in return!¡± ¡°...Fine, one spirit stone for three plants!¡± Lou Yuan relented surprisingly quickly. ¡°Three plants? How do you intend to carry them with you?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked sceptically. ¡°Surely you are not intending to ask us to help you carry them, are you?¡± The fairymist flower itself was the size of a fist. However, the entire fairymist plant, including the branches and roots, was almost half as tall as a man. Considering the fact that living plants could not be stored in spatial items, three plants would be quite the troublesome load to carry on a journey! If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. Do you want the spirit stones or not?¡± Lou Yuan questioned. ¡°Of course I want it!¡± Zhao Yunxiao agreed immediately. ¡°But I can only give it a try. Don¡¯t blame me if it doesn¡¯t work. Here, take this!¡± Zhao Yunxiao passed Lou Yuan the bag that was holding the grimoire plant, then turned his attention towards the nearest fairymist flower. Truth be told, Zhao Yunxiao was rather curious about these fairymist flowers as well, especially since this was the first time that he was seeing them in person. Even if Lou Yuan had not asked him for help, he would probably also have tried to extract a fairymist plant just for the experience. But before Zhao Yunxiao could even start working on the fairymist plant, he suddenly furrowed his brows in alert. He was not the only one either. All four of them turned towards the entrance of the prairie. Once again, the Iron Sabres were closing in on them. ¡°They actually managed to follow us here? Or were they headed here from the start?¡± Lou Yuan thought out loud. ¡°I have never seen them come this deep into the valley. They must have found a way to track us down,¡± Old Niu rubbed his chin in contemplation. Zhao Yunxiao glanced at Old Niu, carefully observing the latter¡¯s facial expression. However, he could not tell if the latter was hiding anything. ¡°What do we do? Shall we leave again? Or shall we hide in a corner?¡± Lou Yuan asked. With the low visibility in the area, hiding in a corner might really allow them to avoid detection. Of course, that would only work if the Iron Sabres had intended to come this way from the start. If the Iron Sabres were using some special methods to track them down, hiding in a corner would be do absolutely nothing for them. ¡°Let¡¯s try staying in a corner for now. If that doesn¡¯t work, then let¡¯s face them directly,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a sigh. ¡°I am done wasting time on running.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Nie Hanchang agreed immediately, his eyes lighting up in excitement. ¡°Hey, they are ordinary mortals,¡± Zhao Yunxiao had to remind him. Nie Hanchang had been spending most of his time hunting monsters lately, and Zhao Yunxiao was concerned that he might go overboard in dealing with the Iron Sabres. It had always been frowned upon for cultivators to kill ordinary mortals, and that was especially so if it was done in large numbers. Then again, they were currently in the depths of Ghost Fog Valley, where accidents do happen often. If there was no other choice, Zhao Yunxiao would not hesitate to do the necessary as well. While he believed in the orthodox way, he was not nearly inflexible enough to risk putting his companions in jeopardy just for the sake of mere reputation! With that, the group quickly retreated to a far corner of the prairie, waiting patiently for the arrival of the Iron Sabres. They did not have to wait for long. In a matter of minutes, the Iron Sabres were already marching into the prairie. Including the four men whom Zhao Yunxiao had met back at Green Bull Inn, there were almost twenty of them in total. Each of them wore a set of flexible armour over their robes and had a sheathed sabre hanging on their belt. It would appear that this was the distinct uniform of the Iron Sabres. But rather than that, the small tokens that several of them were holding in their hands were what truly caught Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s attention. These tokens that seemed to be made from copper were constantly emitting a faint light that shot out in a straight line. And wherever this beam of light passed, the fog around it cleared to a certain extent. While this only applied to a small area around the beam of light, it still created a small window of visibility for the Iron Sabres to see through the thick fog around them. ¡°The tracks lead here. They must have come this way!¡± a bald man led the group while closely examining the ground. It was the same bald man who had offered the Iron Sabres¡¯ escort services to Zhao Yunxiao back at Green Bull Inn. Zhao Yunxiao could not help but exchange helpless glances with Nie Hanchang. Indeed, the Iron Sabres came here by following their tracks. ¡°There they are!¡± It did not take long before the Iron Sabres found the group that was simply standing in a corner of the prairie. ¡°Hehe, look who we¡¯ve got here!¡± the bald man opened his arms as he approached. ¡°Why are you all huddled up in a corner? Don¡¯t worry, we are not bad people.¡± ¡°Why are you following us?¡± Zhao Yunxiao questioned, not bothering with the pleasantries. ¡°Why, you ask?¡± the bald man grinned while continuing to approach. ¡°Since we have been fated enough to meet earlier, we decided that we might as well come and protect you. After all, Ghost Fog Valley is a dangerous place. Who knows if any accident would befall you?¡± ¡°Thank you for your kind thoughts, but we don¡¯t need any protection,¡± Zhao Yunxiao declined politely. ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave first? We would prefer not to be disturbed.¡± ¡°How harsh! This place is so wide, so how are we disturbing you?¡± the bald man shook his head in disapproval. ¡°We have your kind interests at heart, so why don¡¯t you just accept our protection?¡± By now, there was only a distance of ten steps left between the two groups. ¡°I advise you to stop where you are. If you were to come any closer, I might have to assume that you are trying to cause an ¡®accident¡¯ to us instead,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said coldly. ¡°Oh?¡± the bald man let out an amused smile. ¡°And what would you do if that¡¯s the case? Would you get your drunken escort to protect you? Just look at him! This is why choosing the right escort is so important. If you had paid us from the start, you would not have found yourself in such a situation right now!¡± Zhao Yunxiao could not help but take a glance towards Old Niu, who had already taken his position behind the three youngsters, using them to hide from the Iron Sabres. His face was pale, and his body was trembling. His gaze was shaky, unable to look straight ahead. No matter how one looked at it, Old Niu seemed to be overwhelmed with fear ¨C fear towards the Iron Sabres. But why? Why would Old Niu, who possessed the strength and capabilities of a cultivator, be afraid of ordinary mortals like the Iron Sabres? Zhao Yunxiao could not help but frown. Did Old Niu know something that they did not? In that case, was he underestimating the Iron Sabres simply because they were ordinary mortals? That was improbable, but not impossible. Considering how they had been resourceful enough to get their hands on those strange copper tokens, it would not be too far-fetched for them to have other tricks up their sleeves as well. He definitely had to approach this with care and, as far as possible, prevent the situation from escalating! The next moment, a piercing sound could be heard cutting through the air. Thud-! ¡°Wha-?!¡± the bald man hurriedly took a few steps back, shocked by the arrow that had suddenly appeared on the ground right in front of his feet. ¡°Did you not hear what my companion said earlier? If you were to come any closer, we will assume that you are trying to cause us harm,¡± Nie Hanchang casually loaded up his bow with another arrow. ¡°And believe me, the next arrow will not miss!¡± Sneak Attack Over the past few days, Nie Hanchang had always carried himself in a quiet and reserved manner. Who would have expected him to actually be the first to resort to violence? But Lou Yuan had no complaints about that. Rather, it actually felt rather good to be on the side that seemed stronger! However, he had yet to even have the chance to start coming up with a plan, and Nie Hanchang had already thrown out such a hard warning. Even though Nie Hanchang had not pulled out the Grand Annihilator, this was still more than enough to shred all pretences between the two sides. Then again, if they were going to go down this route, Nie Hanchang should have just directly used the Grand Annihilator instead. That way, at least the sense of intimidation would have been stronger! He glanced at the arrow that had embedded itself on the ground in front of his feet, then looked up to see Nie Hanchang holding up a bow at the ready. ¡° Do you really want your final words to be something this meaningless?¡± Zhao Yunxiao crossed his arms confidently. Y-You! Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself!¡± the bald man took another step back. ¡°How many of us do you think there are? Don¡¯t even think that we will be afraid of just the few of you! What are you waiting for?! Go get them!¡± Get them!¡± The twenty or so men drew their sabres and charged forward with a roar. As he watched his companions rush past him, the bald man seemed to have regained some confidence and straightened up his chest once more. ¡° ¡° ¡° And are you going to keep hiding behind?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡° I am not talking to you,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said, his gaze directed towards Old Niu. ¡° Zhao Yunxiao did not know whether to believe him. But even if he did not, there would not be enough time for him to question Old Niu any further. There had only been a distance of around ten stepsbetween them and the Iron Sabres. Even for ordinary mortals, such a distance could be covered in mere seconds. Let¡¯s just take care of them,¡± Zhao Yunxiao decided. ¡°But don¡¯t get careless.¡± Got it,¡± Nie Hanchang nodded, and promptly released his hold on the bow string. ¡° A member of the Iron Sabres cried out in agony, falling to the ground as the arrow buried itself in his thigh. Considering how the arrow had not directly pierced through his leg, it would appear that Nie Hanchang was already holding back a little. ¡° The Iron Sabres suddenly slowed their steps, taken aback by the sudden appearance of the halberd. ¡° ¡° ¡° Ignoring the numerous beams of light that the Iron Sabres were pointing towards him with their special tokens, Zhao Yunxiao shot forward to meet the hesitant members of the Iron Sabres, and his halberd swept out without mercy. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° There might only be a few short steps between him and his enemies, but Nie Hanchang calmly stood his ground without taking a single step from his original spot. The thick fog itself provided a great cover, and the members of the Iron Sabres had to shine their light over just to confirm his position. One by one, the members of the Iron Sabres fell to the ground, screaming in pain as blood oozed out of the wounds in their thighs. Those who stayed away would be shot down one by one, while those who tried to go for Nie Hanchang would find themselves face to face with Zhao Yunxiao and his trusted halberd. Some did try to stop Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s halberd with their iron sabres, only to be sent flying as they fell victim to the sheer difference in power. Even though their special copper token had allowed them to see in the fog to a certain extent, the two young cultivators could directly lock onto the Iron Sabres with spiritual sense, pinpointing each person¡¯s location with absolute accuracy. The Iron Sabres simply did not stand a chance! ¡° ¡° While the Iron Sabres did possess an above average level of strength, the entire process had been far too easy. ¡° On his cue, the other two men threw out similar-looking pouches, all of them aimed straight at Zhao Yunxiao. Then again, it did not matter what these were. At the same time, seeing this sneak attack actually made him feel slightly relieved. ¡° Unlike what Zhao Yunxiao was suspecting, this was indeed their last resort. They might not have had full confidence in the result, but they still thought that it would give them a small window of opportunity to escape. Never in their wildest dreams would they have expected the pouches to just disappear into thin air! Hahaha! How pathetic! Is this your attempt at a sneak attack?¡± Lou Yuan mocked. ¡°Even I can do much better than that!¡± Without anyone realising it, Old Niu had managed to sneak up on him, and was already way within striking distance! Even while they were dealing with the Iron Sabres, they continued to keep an eye on Old Niu, wary that he might try something in the confusion. It might not be as direct as locking their spiritual sense onto Old Niu, but they made sure that they stayed alert about any movements in his direction. And at such close proximity, there were no longer any chances of escape! That¡¯s right, how pathetic! This is how a real sneak attack should look like!¡± Old Niu sneered, now openly declaring his intention upon realising that he had been discovered. Even before he spoke, his hand was already reaching out to grab Nie Hanchang by the back of his neck. Nie Hanchang¡¯s mind raced upon sensing this approaching hand. He had an ominous feeling that the moment he allowed Old Niu to grab his neck, it would be over for him! The only choice left was to guard himself. But as someone who was dedicated to the bow, he had no close combat weapons with him. At such close proximity, he had absolutely no way of avoiding this shockwave. All he could do was urgently pull back his outstretched arm, putting up both arms as a guard in front of his chest to brace himself for the inevitable impact! Green Bull Demon Bang-! Old Niu¡¯s expression turned grim as he staggered a few steps back. The impact might not have caused him any significant injuries, but it had completely ruined his plan! He could tell from Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang¡¯s combat style that Nie Hanchang was the main damage dealer while Zhao Yunxiao acted as the protector. So, as long as he could start things off by taking out Nie Hanchang, everything else would be much easier to handle from there on. And he almost managed to pull it off too! Alas, who knew that Nie Hanchang would be able to create such a powerful shockwave all of a sudden? In fact, this shockwave was not just targeted at him, but also propagated outwards in all directions. Zhao Yunxiao rushed over to Lou Yuan, using his essence energy to form a shield that guarded the two of them. As for the Iron Sabres, they were not nearly fortunate enough to receive any form of protection. ¡°Aaahh!¡± Members of the Iron Sabres were sent flying in all directions as they were struck by the shockwave, and this also included those who were already lying on the ground, incapacitated by Nie Hanchang¡¯s arrows. [Invisible Snap] Nie Hanchang did not even bother looking back, directly dashing towards where Zhao Yunxiao and Lou Yuan were standing. Rather than potentially putting himself at risk by confronting Old Niu, Nie Hanchang knew that his first priority should be to put some distance between them! At the same time, Zhao Yunxiao left Lou Yuan¡¯s side and shot towards Old Niu, effectively exchanging places with Nie Hanchang to put himself between the two. ¡°That is...!¡± Lou Yuan gaped in shock, unable to take his eyes off of the Grand Annihilator. He could tell at a glance that this was not just some random bow. It was a very high-quality rare-tier treasure at the very least, and there was even a slight chance of it reaching the mythical tier! However, Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang had no interest in explaining things to him right now. Zhao Yunxiao was directly facing Old Niu, while Nie Hanchang quickly turned around and nocked his bow, aiming it straight at Old Niu. ¡°What quick reactions,¡± Old Niu sighed regretfully while casually tidying his robes. ¡°And here I thought that I had already hidden myself quite well!¡± ¡°You might have succeeded if it were someone else,¡± Zhao Yunxiao tried to appear as calm as possible. ¡°It¡¯s too bad that you met us instead.¡± ¡°Is that so? How unlucky of me,¡± Old Niu played along nonchalantly. ¡°But you are surprisingly sneaky,¡± Zhao Yunxiao remarked. ¡°Is this why you are always drinking? To use the alcohol smell to further conceal your own aura?¡± ¡°Hahaha! You overestimate yourself! Who needs alcohol to get past your weak senses?¡± Old Niu laughed. ¡°Perhaps you are right,¡± Zhao Yunxiao admitted. ¡°But judging from the current situation, I guess the real reason why your past clients tend to meet with tragic ends is not just because they refused to listen to you?¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s going a little too far. You can¡¯t possibly hold me responsible for everything that happened here in the past. There are indeed many who lost their bearings in the valley and never got to leave,¡± Old Niu denied. ¡°But since we know that¡¯s going to happen anyway, I might as well not let their precious belongings go to waste!¡± ¡°Have you thought that if you truly played your part as a proper guide, perhaps these people would not meet a tragic end, nevertheless?¡± Zhao Yunxiao questioned. ¡°Don¡¯t blame the person, blame the game. Why should the powerful waste time and effort on helping those beneath them, when we can just go ahead and directly take everything they have?¡± Old Niu shrugged. ¡°Just look at those thieves lying there. Didn¡¯t you similarly choose to overwhelm them with strength instead of spending time and effort on guiding them to do good? This is simply a matter of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. While you take care of them, I will take all of you out in one fell swoop!¡± ¡°So you are the oriole here?¡± Zhao Yunxiao scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a greedy oriole in my life. Doing all this just for the sake of some spirit stones, is it really worth it? Are you not afraid that karma will catch up to you sooner or later?¡± ¡°Spirit stones? Hahahaha! Do you really think that I care for your valuables? Why don¡¯t you look at your own poor ass? Considering how you hesitated to pay just five spirit stones, how many spirit stones can you possibly have?¡± Old Niu laughed. ¡°Rather than your spirit stones, your flesh and blood are far more valuable!¡± Zhao Yunxiao frowned, as did Nie Hanchang. Even the members of the Iron Sabres, at least those who were still conscious, could not help but shudder upon hearing that. ¡°Flesh and blood?¡± Zhao Yunxiao tried to confirm. ¡°And what do you intend to use that for?¡± ¡°That, you will know soon enough,¡± Old Niu let out a sinister grin. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s not waste more time. I am still hoping to get back to the inn to enjoy some nice late-night drinks!¡± Whoosh-! An arrow of energy shot forward like a thunderbolt, though it hit nothing but air. Old Niu seemed to have expected it, quickly dodging out of the way before charging towards Zhao Yunxiao. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. [Unyielding Stone Bind] Two earthen chains shot out from the ground to catch Old Niu, but his charge was simply too powerful. With a loud bang, he charged straight through the two earthen chains, instantly crushing them into harmless bits that fell right back to the earth. Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s frown deepened. Considering how sneaky Old Niu had been and his thin physical frame, Zhao Yunxiao had expected him to be a warrior who emphasised technique and speed. Who knew that Old Niu would suddenly burst forth with a level of power that was completely incongruent to his scrawny figure? Still, Zhao Yunxiao did not just stand there and watch. He pierced forward with his halberd, determined to stand his ground and meet Old Niu¡¯s charge. On the other end, Old Niu similarly did not waver despite seeing the halberd aimed straight at him. Instead, his skin started to turn dark green. Not only that, but his skin also gained a metallic sheen, smooth enough to reflect light. Just like that, he charged head first into Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s halberd! Clank-! The sound of metal striking metal reverberated across the prairie as Old Niu directly met the halberd¡¯s spear tip with his forehead, testament to just how hard Old Niu¡¯s skin had become. Zhao Yunxiao was the one who ended up staggering back from the heavy collision, though Old Niu thankfully lost all momentum as well and was stopped in his tracks. ¡°Damn, you have some thick skin!¡± Zhao Yunxiao complained while hurriedly returning to a battle stance. He frowned deeper upon taking a quick look at Old Niu. Even with such a heavy collision, his halberd still failed to leave a single scratch on Old Niu¡¯s reinforced skin! Old Niu had no time to engage in random banter. Even before he had regained his bearings, arrows of energy were already raining down upon him. Bang-! Bang-! Bang-! Old Niu put his arms up as a guard, using his reinforced skin to directly withstand the onslaught of arrows from Nie Hanchang. Shockingly, the arrows of energy actually failed to penetrate the skin of the scrawny Old Niu! Fortunately, it was not like they were not completely ineffective, either. Even though the arrows failed to penetrate Old Niu¡¯s skin, there was still enough strength behind them to at least suppress him for the time being. Zhao Yunxiao did not just stand idly by while Old Niu was occupied. Instead, he quickly retrieved an array flag and planted it into the ground. He did not know how long Old Niu¡¯s reinforced skin could last, but it was clear that none of their attacks were truly working on him at the moment. It would be good if this was just a short-lived technique. But in the worst-case scenario where this reinforcing technique could even last for days, there was simply no way that they could keep him at bay for that long! Under most other circumstances, Zhao Yunxiao would have already resorted to using poison to take Old Niu down. Unfortunately, that was a little too risky this time. Zhao Yunxiao had no idea how the thick fog around them would interact with poison clouds, so there was a chance that the poisons he had at his disposal could go out of control after coming into contact with the fog. If used carelessly, he might just end up poisoning the entire Ghost Fog Valley, harming countless innocents in the process. Unless he was left with no other choice, he would definitely refrain from doing so! Zhao Yunxiao knew himself well ¨C he did not have any attacks that were more powerful than Nie Hanchang¡¯s arrows. So, if they wanted to take down Old Niu with certainty, they would have no choice but to rely on killing arrays! ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± Old Niu shouted furiously. The very next moment, demonic energy suddenly burst forth from within him. Old Niu¡¯s dark green skin that initially only covered the front half of his body started extending more and more to cover his entire body. His face grew longer, and his scrawny body grew huge and muscular. His teeth turned sharp, and two horns akin to swords grew out from the top of his head. He resembled a huge green bull that was standing on his back hooves, reaching twice the height of an adult male. Compared to his initial physique, which was a scrawny figure in his mid-fifties, the contrast was simply incredible! ¡°Bull demon!¡± Lou Yuan exclaimed in shock, finally turning his attention away from the Grand Annihilator for the first time. ¡°Why are you surprised?¡± Old Niu harrumphed. ¡°Don¡¯t y-¡± Bang-! Old Niu raised his arm and directly swatted away an oncoming arrow of energy. Nie Hanchang was startled to see that, and finally stopped with the relentless barrage of arrows. ¡°That¡¯s better!¡± Old Niu smirked. ¡°As I was saying, why do you look so surprised? Don¡¯t you know who the true owners of Ghost Fog Valley are?¡± ¡°True owners of Ghost Fog Valley?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°Do you remember the name of the inn where we first met?¡± Old Niu prompted. ¡°Green Bull Inn...¡± Zhao Yunxiao recalled. ¡°Are you the owner?¡± ¡°Wrong train of thought,¡± Old Niu corrected. ¡°I am a descendant of the green bull demon herd that once ruled Ghost Fog Valley. In other words, the entire valley is my home! So, tell me, what¡¯s wrong with me taking care of any intruders? You only have yourselves to blame for entering without my permission!¡± ¡°Ghost Fog Valley has always been unclaimed territory,¡± Zhao Yunxiao corrected. ¡°If it is truly as you say, then where are the rest of your herd? Where is the proof that the valley belongs to you?¡± ¡°Unclaimed territory, my hoof!¡± Old Niu harrumphed. ¡°This is the territory of us green bull demons, and it will always be! It is just that these accursed flowers started appearing in the valley all of a sudden, turning the entire valley into its current strange state. Unable to adapt to the strange environment, all my kinsmen started leaving one by one. Now, I am the only one left defending our home.¡± ¡°You were here since even before the fog appeared?¡± Zhao Yunxiao raised an eyebrow. ¡°Who can attest to that?¡± ¡°The Green Bull Inn is the best evidence, having been named in honour of my herd. Why else do you think they would name it that?¡± Old Niu said. ¡°That being the case, the inn has been established for a long time. I won¡¯t be surprised if even the current owner is unaware of the origin of the inn¡¯s name...¡± ¡°How convenient,¡± Zhao Yunxiao rolled his eyes. ¡°Without proof, I can also claim that the entire Duyuan Empire used to belong to my family, but everyone simply forgot about that!¡± ¡°As unreasonable as expected,¡± Old Niu spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°Then again, it makes no difference either way. In any case, you will not be leaving here today!¡± This time, Old Niu did not wait for Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s response, directly charging towards Zhao Yunxiao once more! Stop Running Around If You Are A Man! ¡° Even though they had allowed Lou Yuan to come along with the condition of having to take care of himself, their consciences simply would not allow them to leave him for dead in such a situation! Old Niu charged forward without stopping ¨C straight into a bush of fairymist flowers. The entire bush of flowers collapsed and scattered, unable to bear the weight of his huge body. Yet despite missing the trio, his charge was not completely meaningless, either. In the midst of his charge, Old Niu had stepped on the array flag that Zhao Yunxiao had planted, directly crushing it under his hoof. It wouldappear that he had caught onto Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s plan. ¡° A clone formed beside Zhao Yunxiao, and the two of them immediately scattered in two opposing directions, darting around the prairie and planting array flags along the way. In this case, he would just have to create the array much faster than Old Niu can disrupt him! Do you really think that I will let you do as you please?!¡± Old Niu roared as he pulled himself out from the crushed bush of fairymist flowers. But rather than waste time going after the two Zhao Yunxiaos who were running all around the prairie, he targeted Nie Hanchang and Lou Yuan this time. From what he had observed so far, Nie Hanchang and Lou Yuan were definitely the weakest links here, possessing few means to defend themselves. And as long as he could get a hold of them, he was certain that someone as righteous-sounding as Zhao Yunxiao would immediately surrender to save the lives of his companions! Unfortunately for Old Niu, Nie Hanchang was no easy target. There was a wide variety of defensive attributes that cultivators would have to work on simultaneously, just so that they would not have an exploitable weakness in combat. But as a bow and arrow specialist, Nie Hanchang did not follow the conventional path. Instead, there was only one defensive aspect that Nie Hanchang hadalways been focusing on. Agility ¨C or essentially just the ability to put distance between him and his enemies. As someone who wholeheartedly pursued the path of archery, that was the only form of defence that he believed in. As a result, Nie Hanchang was actually far more agile than Zhao Yunxiao! Nie Hanchang had simply been caught by surprise earlier, rendering him unable to react in time. But now that he had identified exactly who his opponent was, Old Niu had no chance of catching him! Old Niu¡¯s charge was fast and filled with power, but it was simply too predictable. By mixing in numerous changes in directions, Nie Hanchang was basically dancing around Old Niu, sending him crashing into bush after bush of fairymist flowers. Zhao Yunxiao could not help but suspect that he might have had experience doing this in the past. He thought that he had already gotten a good gauge of their movement speed and stamina earlier during their trek into the valley. But now, that no longer seemed to be the case. In fact, this brat had already far surpassed his earlier threshold! ¡° The two Zhao Yunxiaos in front of him looked identical, but Old Niu showed no signs of confusion. Just in case of unforeseen circumstances like this, he had kept his spiritual sense locked onto the real Zhao Yunxiao right from the very start of the fight! Unfortunately, now that he had reverted to his true form of a bull demon, the arrows no longer seemed to have an effect on him. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡° Even though Zhao Yunxiao was moving around quickly, Old Niu was still slowly creeping up on him. This was especially so, since Zhao Yunxiao had not stopped planting array flags as he moved around, making it impossible to move as quickly as he originally could. On the other hand, Old Niu chose not to resort to his power charges, simply chasing Zhao Yunxiao around with his innate advantage in speed. It took a while, but even while constantly swatting away the energy arrows that kept coming at him, Old Niu inevitably managed to close the gap. ¡° ¡° But just as he was about to get a hold of Zhao Yunxiao, Old Niu saw his target suddenly dive straight into the ground, completely disappearing from sight right before his very eyes! He had no methods at his disposal to attack below ground! ¡° Hahaha!¡± Lou Yuan could not help but laugh. ¡°Stop running around and let you beat us to death? As expected of a bull demon, your body might be developed, but your brains still need a couple thousand years to fully evolve to match the state of a human brain!¡± Damn it!¡± Old Niu changed direction and started going after the array flags without hesitation, crushing them under his hooves one after another. After ensuring that he was a safe distance away from Old Niu, Zhao Yunxiao left the safety of the ground and revealed himself once more, quickly resuming what he was doing. Yet seeing the array flags being destroyed one by one, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel his heart bleed. Those array flags were not cheap! If he were a more talented individual, he might have already figured out the way to create arrays using the archaic characters that Cha had taught him before. When used together in the right manner, those archaic characters could form arrays with far greater ease, which would in turn allow him to set up the array much faster. Then again, there was no meaning to thinking about such hypothetical scenarios. Right now, the only way to reduce his losses was by focusing on completing the array faster! ¡° He could similarly see that the rate at which he was destroying the array flags was not as fast as the rate at which the Zhao Yunxiaos were planting them. However, speed was not the only factor to consider here. He did not know what kind of array Zhao Yunxiao was trying to set up here. But now, he was betting on the fact that after destroying a sufficient number of his array flags, Zhao Yunxiao would not have enough remaining to complete a fully functioning array! Even though Zhao Yunxiao did not know the exact extent of the damage, he still involuntarily paused for a moment, astonished by the sudden increase in power behind the arrow that had resulted in Old Niu being pushed back. On the contrary, it was only because he had yet to truly come across a need to increase the power behind his arrows. And in front of everyone¡¯s eyes, Nie Hanchang started yet another draw motion on the Grand Annihilator. ¡° Seeing that he had attracted Old Niu¡¯s attention, Nie Hanchang decisively lowered his bow to focus on evasive measures once again. He was currently in an awkward situation where he had no real option. But if he chose to go after Zhao Yunxiao or destroy the array flags, Nie Hanchang would be allowed to freely fire arrows at him, and these arrows were currently the only things that truly posed a threat to him! Rather than worrying about the future dangers, he decided that eliminating the current source of danger was of top priority. Sir, Would You Prefer To Be Shot By An Arrow Or Struck By A Halberd? The Dark Tortoise Devouring Array sprang into action. This was a killing array developed by the Black Tortoise Sect, designed for the sole purpose of eliminating the enemy for good, to the point where not even a trace of them would be left behind. Without any knowledge of their opponent and fighting in a location that he was unfamiliar with, Zhao Yunxiao dared not get careless. Despite this array¡¯s high energy consumption, Zhao Yunxiao would not hesitate to use whatever means necessary, especially in such a situation where there was a real risk of losing their lives. After all, what was the point of holding back if it meant that they could lose their lives as a result? Yes, they were orthodox cultivators, so killing should be avoided whenever possible. Since young, they had been taught that subduing the enemy was the way to go. However, Zhao Yunxiao still firmly believed that ideals were always secondary to the concept of self-preservation. If the only way to ensure their survival was to kill Old Niu, then he would choose to do so without a moment¡¯s hesitation! Old Niu immediately sensed the stirring of energy behind him and spun around to look. Before his very eyes, world origin energy was quickly condensing into ten different streams, each stream quickly taking on the form of a tortoise head that stared him down directly. This condensation of energy had unexpectedly sucked in the surrounding fog, not only increasing the visibility in the area, but also causing these tortoise heads to look more tangible. If one did not look closely, it would be easy to mistake this for a real ten-headed giant golden tortoise monster. Old Niu was startled for a moment, but quickly regained his cool. Though to put it accurately, it was not composure, but a different feeling that took over instead. ¡° He had only been chasing shadows since the start of the fight. At this point, he was truly struggling to hold in the frustration and rage that had accumulated within him. On the contrary, his demonic aura erupted as he summoned forth his essence energy. Rather than standing there and waiting to be attacked, Old Niu charged forward to meet the tortoise heads head-on. He stood firm, not taking a single step back despite the thunderous impact, successfully stopping the tortoise head from proceeding any further. Unfortunately for him, this only stopped the tortoise head from proceeding any further, not eliminating the threat for good. If he were to turn his attention away, there would be nothing stopping the tortoise head from resuming with the assault. Damn you!¡± Old Niu cursed and punched out with both fists. Chomp-! Chomp-! Chomp-! The jaws of the remaining seven golden tortoise heads connected directly with his body, though they actually failed to instantly penetrate his metal-like skin. To stop even the Dark Tortoise Devouring Array, this Old Niu¡¯s defences were incredibly tough! An arrow of energy directly penetrated the tough skin on Old Niu¡¯s back. It might not be a deep wound, but this arrow definitely punctured the skin to reach the flesh. Blood started flowing out from this wound ¨C marking the first injury that Old Niu had gotten since the start of this battle! ¡° The only response he received was in the form of another arrow of energy, striking the exact same spot as before to deepen the wound. The giant tortoise heads were finally starting to get through Old Niu¡¯s tough skin, causing small streaks of blood to emerge from seven different spots on his body. And this was excluding his back, where Nie Hanchang¡¯s arrow was starting to create a huge gash. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. He could not help but lose all strength in his limbs, collapsing back to the ground. In fact, despite how things might look to be overwhelmingly in their favour right now, he understood that the situation could change at any moment. What Zhao Yunxiao loved the most about arrays was the fact that not only were they allowed a cultivator to exhibit a level of strength far beyond their own, but they could also draw upon the surrounding world origin energy as their source of power. However, the latter was only achievable through careful calculations, mainly due to the sheer complexity of integrating the arrays with their surroundings. But with how urgently he had to set up the Dark Tortoise Devouring Array, Zhao Yunxiao had no choice but to abandon this step, opting to use spirit stones as the array¡¯s main source of energy. At this moment, Zhao Yunxiao could already sense the various spirit stones starting to dim, a clear testament to how the energy contained within was rapidly depleting. ¡° ¡° You¡¯ll be surprised! I have lived here for a long time, and this allowed me to gather tonnes of treasures that you have probably never seen in your life!¡± Old Niu continued. ¡°It¡¯s true! At least give me the chance to show you. You can decide after seeing it for yourself. If you are not satisfied, it¡¯s not too late to deal with me then!¡± ¡° Didn¡¯t you mention earlier that you were concerned about karma? Now that I think about it, you are absolutely right! It is indeed an important issue!¡± Old Niu immediately turned to Zhao Yunxiao after seeing a dead end with Lou Yuan. ¡°If you let me go, I promise to devote the rest of my life to doing good! That would also translate to good karma on your end, since you would have created an avenue of constant good deeds for the masses!¡± If you really have my interests at heart, just stop struggling and let karma catch up with you for good!¡± Zhao Yunxiao retorted. Old Niu widened his eyes in surprise at this point, aware of the sudden accumulation of an immense amount of energy behind him. Nie Hanchang appeared to have become dissatisfied with the energy arrows from earlier, and was currently gearing up to fire an even more powerful shot. ¡° Damn it, this is your final warning! Stop now, and I promise not to pursue this matter any further!¡± Old Niu cursed. ¡°If you push your luck any further, I would be forced to play my cards as well. If that happens, it will only result in huge losses for both parties!¡± Do your worst!¡± Lou Yuan taunted. ¡°What more can you possibly do in your current situation?¡± ¡° As he said that, his muscles bulged further and his eyes turned deep red, as though a fire had been lit in his eyes. Zhao Yunxiao frowned. Old Niu was burning his blood essence to gain a temporary boost of strength! Whoosh-! Nie Hanchang released an enormous arrow of energy, and it headed straight for the deep gash that already existed on Old Niu¡¯s back. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± Old Niu pushed forward with his horns, completely sending back the golden tortoise head that had been contending with them. And with two powerful punches, Old Niu pushed another two golden tortoise heads back a good distance, then slammed his fists upon the other golden tortoise heads that were trying to rip the flesh off of his body. He did not have time to shake them off completely, but he managed to at least loosen their grip a little. That was all he needed to turn around with brute force and face the oncoming arrow of energy! But just as he was about to turn, Old Niu noticed Zhao Yunxiao charging straight at him with his halberd raised. It was a frontal charge ¨C something that Old Niu would have deemed a foolish endeavour under almost any other circumstance. Even prior to burning his blood essence, Zhao Yunxiao had not been a match for him in a direct contest of strength. Now that he had gained a huge boost to his strength by burning his blood essence, it was practically suicidal for Zhao Yunxiao to charge at him like this! The problem here was that if he chose to deal with Zhao Yunxiao, that would leave his back open to Nie Hanchang¡¯s arrow. And if he turned around to deal with Nie Hanchang¡¯s arrow, that would leave his back open to Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s direct attack. Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s attack was not too strong, incapable of penetrating his tough defence. However, the situation had changed due to the huge open wound on his back. His skin might be tough, but his flesh was not! The common answer would always be to defend against the stronger attack. In this case, that would be Nie Hanchang¡¯s arrow of energy, without a doubt. But if he were to defend against Nie Hanchang¡¯s arrow of energy, that would only allow Zhao Yunxiao to strike him and retreat for free, and then things would be back to square one. However, that would not be the case if he chose to deal with Zhao Yunxiao instead. With Zhao Yunxiao coming into close proximity, this was actually a golden chance to directly take Zhao Yunxiao out of the equation! He had already endured so many arrows to his back. As long as he could endure just one more, albeit a much stronger one, there was a real possibility of completely turning things around and making it a one-on-one fight! After allocating a small amount of essence energy to defend his back, he gathered most of his energy in his fist, charging up to punch forward with every last bit of excess strength he could muster. Such an opportunity was unlikely to come around again ¨C he had to end Zhao Yunxiao in one move! Right from the very start, he had expected Old Niu to choose to deal with him instead. If he were to retreat, Old Niu would be able to divert most of his energy to defend against Nie Hanchang¡¯s attack, reducing the resulting damage dealt. Zhao Yunxiao knew himself well. Even with a direct hit using his halberd, that would not have been enough to either overpower or take down Old Niu. So, from the very beginning, he had looked at this as nothing but a distraction attempt. And at just about the exact same moment, Nie Hanchang¡¯s highly charged arrow of energy struck Old Niu¡¯s back, finding its way straight into his flesh through the existing open gash! The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind Halberd and fist collided ¨C the thunderous impact sending a shockwave out in all directions. Tremours rippled through his arm like a wave, eventually reaching his body and shaking it down to its very core. Yet even then, Zhao Yunxiao refused to take a step back, enduring it with all of his mind and body. Of course, it definitely helped that he could clearly see how Old Niu was in an even worse state right now. It was obvious that Nie Hanchang¡¯s arrow of energy had resulted in some grievous injuries. But despite these injuries, he still refused to turn away from Zhao Yunxiao. On the contrary, it actually made him more determined to double-down on his earlier decision. Aaaaaaahhh!¡± Old Niu roared and struck out with his other fist, directly striking Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s halberd on the shaft that was already bent to its limit. This time, it was Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s turn to spit out a mouthful of blood as he staggered back a dozen steps, only managing to barely find his footing after falling to one knee for support. He had been imbuing his halberd with essence energy, which formed a natural connection between the two. The sudden destruction of the halberd had caused an unexpected disruption to this connection, resulting in an energy backlash that directly affected Zhao Yunxiao from within. That said, he was lucky enough to get away without suffering any severe internal injuries, but the consequences still could not be ignored. But top it all off, there was still the psychological pain of witnessing his trusted halberd be reduced to nothing but scraps! ¡° The relentless golden tortoise heads were also starting to get through Old Niu¡¯s tough skin with greater ease, a testament to how he was starting to lose his ability to sustain the energy expenditure required to strengthen his defences. This was the terror of the Dark Tortoise Devouring Array ¨C a killing array capable of rendering its target into absolute nothingness. And from the looks of it, Old Niu was done. Now that there was a brief moment of respite, Zhao Yunxiao thought back to the arrows of energy that Nie Hanchang had been firing, and could not help but shudder in apprehension. Considering this, Zhao Yunxiao was just glad that they had been on the same side. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡° He was the most lively one right now, being the only one who had not participated in the battle, or at least not directly so. ¡° ¡° Bit by bit, pieces of flesh were still being slowly ripped out of Old Niu¡¯s tough body. ¡° Wha-cough... What right do-cough... Do you people have? To co-cough... come here and loot our home?¡± Old Niu spoke weakly, his speech impeded by the blood that kept escaping his mouth in spurts. Ghost Fog Valley has always been unclaimed territory,¡± Zhao Yunxiao repeated what he said earlier. Cough! Unclaimed territory? That¡¯s easy for outsiders like you to say...¡± Old Niu responded wryly. With that, his huge body finally fell to the ground, landing face firstonto the floor of grass. His body started transforming once again, this time losing all semblance of a humanoid and completely reverting to his true form of a giant green bull. The entire valley is my home! So, tell me, what¡¯s wrong with me taking care of any intruders? You only have yourselves to blame for entering without my permission! All my kinsmen started leaving one by one. Now, I am the only one left defending our home. Unclaimed territory? That¡¯s easy for outsiders like you to say... Was it others¡¯ fault for disregarding his claims? Or was it Old Niu¡¯s fault for not possessing the strength to defend his home, yet still stubbornly trying to do so? It was a world where the strongest fist set the rules. Even a man with the most tragic of backgrounds would need to be put down if he was posing a risk to others. Otherwise, it would only serve to bring tragedy upon more people! ¡° ¡° Now that things had come to this, they had to ensure that he dies, or Zhao Yunxiao would not be able to leave with a peace of mind. Zhao Yunxiao carefully aimed the dagger at Old Niu¡¯s closing eyes while suppressing the chaos in his own body. But just as he was about to throw out the dagger, he suddenly found himself losing his balance. Wha?!¡± Zhao Yunxiao exclaimed while struggling to find his footing. It was the world around him that was suddenly warping crazily! Nie Hanchang furrowed his brows and knelt down to stabilise himself, leaning against the Grand Annihilator for additional support. What¡¯s going on?!¡± Lou Yuan cried out in horror as he similarly staggered around like a drunkard before quickly holding onto Nie Hanchang for support. There was no doubt about it ¨C they had fallen under an illusion technique! Who did it? Old Niu? This figure slowly transformed, changing from mere petals to form flesh and blood, complete with clothes that wrapped neatly around it. It was a young boy with white hair reaching all the way down to his feet, dressed in white cloth that covered him from the neck down. His pupils and iris were both white, making them seem almost invisible against his white sclera. ¡° The Best Fertilisers Those were the first questions that popped into everyone¡¯s mind. But the moment he took his first step, Zhao Yunxiao froze and fell back to one knee, unable to resist his disorientating surroundings. He realised that even his spiritual sense was also starting to be affected by the illusion technique. And with his physical senses warping crazily, there was no longer a way to tell left from right, not to mention identify the direction of the entrance! His original plan had been to let his clone block the unknown boy while he temporarily escaped the scene, coming back to rescue Nie Hanchang and Lou Yuan after carefully analysing the situation. However, his clones relied on nothing but spiritual sense. Now that spiritual sense was being blocked, his clone had absolutely no way to make a move, either! ¡° There were still a few moments before the Dark Tortoise Devouring Array ran out of energy, and Zhao Yunxiao was not about to let that go to waste. The illusion technique might have affected his senses, but it was much more difficult to deceive a killing array! Unfortunately, even that was all in vain. ¡°Cute.¡± The boy simply remained nonchalant, simply watching on indifferently as the giant tortoise heads clamped down upon him, and the next moment revealed exactly why. Despite their menacing appearance, the giant tortoise heads bit down on nothing but air, as though the boy was a completely intangible figure that existed outside of reality. It would appear that even the Dark Tortoise Devouring Array was unable to cause any damage to the boy! Zhao Yunxiao could not help but break out in a cold sweat. Whoever this boy was, they were almost completely at his mercy right now! ¡°Who are you? What do you want?¡± Zhao Yunxiao finally stopped trying to escape and asked. In any case, escape was impossible. With his vision distorted and his spiritual sense blocked, he could not even accurately locate the direction of the prairie entrance, so what chances of escape were there? Fine, he actually still had the spatial escape talisman that he had gotten from Elder He, but Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s heart ached just from the thought of using it. Until the very last moment, he would definitely refrain from expending such a precious item! ¡°You can call me Hua Xian. I guess you can say that I am a fairymist flower who gained enlightenment,¡± the boy answered with a faint smile. ¡°That said, do you know how many of my friends have been crushed to death as a result of your fight? As their leader, don¡¯t you think I have the responsibility to avenge them?¡± Zhao Yunxiao frowned at the unexpected situation. He had accounted for various scenarios that could possibly occur here in Ghost Fog Valley, but who would have imagined that a fairymist flower would have gainedenlightenment and turned into a flower demon that specialised in illusion techniques? This was something that would not have happened even once in thousands of years! Zhao Yunxiao recalled how Old Niu had been charging into bush after bush of fairymist flowers earlier, and it was not surprising that plenty of flowers had been crushed under his weight. Unfortunately, they could hardly absolve themselves from all responsibilities, either. After all, they had also been deliberately leading Old Niu into the bushes while dodging around earlier, hoping that doing so would delay him even one or two moments longer. We sincerely apologise. We truly did not know that this place is under your charge,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with as calm a tone as he could muster. ¡°However, the true culprit here is still Old Niu. We are willing to hand him over to you, and you can do whatever you want with him.¡± Oh? Those are some interesting words considering how you were just saying that Ghost Fog Valley is unclaimed territory,¡± Hua Xian snickered. ¡°And don¡¯t worry, I will definitely be taking him. However, you lot will be coming along as well.¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao instinctively looked in the direction of Lou Yuan¡¯s voice. He could barely make out Lou Yuan¡¯s figure through his distorted senses, but the latter seemed to be standing straight up instead of kneeling on the ground for support like he and Nie Hanchang. Was his spiritual sense so strong that even the illusion technique could not block it completely? What a shame! If Lou Yuan had combat capabilities like a regular cultivator, he might actually be able to help them out in this situation! But then again, this was still something that could come in handy. He just had to come up with a way to use this to their advantage. Zhao Yunxiao probed his spatial pouch. Good, his spiritual sense might be blocked out in the open, but he was at least able to access the items in his spatial pouch. Next, he had to ensure that he was not under the threat of immediate danger. ¡°Fertilisers? That does sound like a tempting offer, but what guarantee do I have that you will return after I let you go?¡± Hua Xian shook his head with a faint smile. ¡°On top of that, what fertiliser could possibly be better than the corpses of cultivators? By absorbing your bodies, my companions might even be able to touch upon the brink of enlightenment, joining me in gaining sentience!¡± ¡°W-What? Fertiliser? Us?¡± Lou Yuan staggered back in shock. What¡¯s wrong with the inhabitants of this Ghost Fog Valley? Old Niu was crazy enough to covet their flesh and blood, but this Hua Xian was no different! ¡°That might be true for higher ranked cultivators, but our cultivation level is not nearly high enough to have such a huge impact,¡± Zhao Yunxiao was significantly calmer despite being in a worse condition than Lou Yuan. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I can prove it to you as well.¡± Zhao Yunxiao pulled a dagger out of his spatial pouch, then cut a small slit on his thumb. Drip-! What are you trying to prove?¡± Hua Xian scoffed. ¡°If you are trying to let me sense the essence in your blood, I¡¯ve already had plenty of chance to do so earlier. Do you think you haven¡¯t bled enough?¡± If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m sure you already know that our bodies will be far from nutritious enough to grant enlightenment to your companions,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. Thankfully, he could not only feel the touch of the dagger, but also an aching pain at the spot where he had cut his thumb, which indicated that his sense of touch and sensitivity to pain were still working properly. After all, who knew what this illusion technique was capable of? The last thing he wanted was to continue engaging with Hua Xian, oblivious to a plant root or any other weapon that was slowly drilling into his body and crushing his heart! On the other hand, had he not been able to sense any pain, Zhao Yunxiao would have used that spatial escape talisman without missing a beat! It¡¯s not just him! My body is not nutritious as well!¡± Lou Yuan desperately added. That doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Hua Xian shrugged. ¡°There is a long road ahead. Even if you prove insufficient to close out the entire journey, you can still do your part by helping to bridge a dozen steps.¡± ¡° The spirit stones shone brightly, and the light from the golden emblem on the ground intensified once again. As opposed to doing so through the array nodes, this was an extremely ineffective way of feeding energy to the Dark Tortoise Devouring Array. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about it. It was impossible for Zhao Yunxiao to locate the array nodes in his current state, so this was the best he could do to extend the duration of the array, which was quickly coming to an end due to its depleting energy source. Don¡¯t you ever learn? That thing doesn¡¯t work against me,¡± Hua Xian tilted his head in confusion. ¡°You humans really aren¡¯t nearly as smart as you think you are.¡± ¡° Hmm, that does make sense,¡± Hua Xian nodded. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll let you go now as long as you promise to come back with all the treasures you have within a week¡¯s time.¡± ¡° Sigh, do you really think I am a fool? If I were to let you go, would I even see you again after a thousand years?¡± Hua Xian shook his head in disapproval. ¡°All right, enough talk. It is time to act like the fertilisers that you are, and return to the ground in silence.¡± Thick plant roots broke out of the ground surface, slithering towards the trio like wooden snakes. Or perhaps it should be the quartet if one included the motionless Old Niu. But right now, the young trio could no longer even see clearly, so how could they ever avoid these roots? And just as the roots came into striking distance, they suddenly shot forward, wrapping around them in an instant. ¡° ¡° He was not a masochist, so he was definitely not feeling excited about being bound by the roots. Rather than that, it was just that being bound like this actually allowed him to realise something important. A Plant Demons Weakness Zhao Yunxiao could directly attack the plant root since he could feel exactly where it was, but doing so was unlikely to yield any significant results. He was not going to simply assume that Hua Xian was an idiot. Since Hua Xian had dared to allow his roots to come into direct contact with them, it could only mean that even if they tried to attack his roots, the damage done to him would still be minimal. He either had absolute confidence in the toughness of his roots, or it could be that even damaging the roots would do little harm to him. So, if they really wanted to take down Hua Xian, they still had to find his true body. But to do so, they would have to first free themselves from the roots binding them. Whether that was possible remained to be seen. But even if they managed to free themselves, if Hua Xian had any semblance of intelligence, he would definitely retract his roots to prevent them from following his roots to his main body. And if they were to lose direct physical contact with the roots, they would once again be like lost lambs, unable to locate their opponent due to their distorted senses. Because unlike Nie Hanchang and Lou Yuan, he still had another card up his sleeve! As expected, the root was rather tough. ¡° However, Zhao Yunxiao was not discouraged by that. ¡° Zhao Yunxiao quickly tried to grab onto the retreating root, but his distorted senses caused him to grasp at nothing but air. I can¡¯t shoot without knowing where you are!¡± Nie Hanchang shouted upon feeling the roots retreat, instantly understanding that Zhao Yunxiao was starting to make his move. ¡° ¡° Point to his true body!¡± Zhao Yunxiao shouted. True body?! O-Okay!¡± Lou Yuan immediately spun around and did as he was told. ¡°I am pointing at it now! But are you able to see me? I can¡¯t even see my own hand properly!¡± As expected, Lou Yuan¡¯s physical senses might be just as distorted as theirs under Hua Xian¡¯s illusion technique, but his mastery of energy sensitivity was on a completely different level, allowing him to overcome the illusion technique and be fully aware of his surroundings. This was initially done as a precaution against Old Niu ¨C to set up a killing array that he could lead Old Niu into when necessary ¨C but it ended up only coming in handy now. Under the effect of Hua Xian¡¯s illusion technique, Zhao Yunxiao realised that while he could sense nothing from the clone that was in the prairie with him, he had retained the mental link with the earlier clone that had not followed him into the prairie, and could still sense everything in the latter¡¯s surroundings. Because of that, Zhao Yunxiao immediately controlled this earlier clone to give up on the killing array and hurry over, though he was also careful not to let Zhao Yunxiao Two enter the prairie itself, lest he fell under the same illusion technique. By casting his spiritual sense into the prairie, Zhao Yunxiao Two could sense Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s true body. And using Zhao Yunxiao Two as a third party to observe his own body movements, Zhao Yunxiao was able to calculate and adjust his throwing motion on the fly, allowing him to throw the spatial pouch in the right direction and with the right amount of strength. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Since Zhao Yunxiao Two could sense Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s true body, he naturally could sense Lou Yuan and where he was pointing to as well. ¡°What?!¡± Hua Xian was shocked by the sudden attack. The earlier retracted roots shot out from the ground, forming a blockade that shielded the bush of flowers. Boom-! An explosion occurred upon impact, charring the roots black. Zhao Yunxiao had refrained from using explosive talismans earlier, worried about accidentally setting the prairie on fire. But now that his enemy was part of the prairie, why would he hold back? If it catches fire, so be it! ¡°Oh shit!¡± Lou Yuan quickly cowered from the blast and hid behind Nie Hanchang. ¡°Damn you!¡± Hua Xian¡¯s boyish figure sneered in rage as he glared at Zhao Yunxiao Two, though the latter quickly disappeared behind the dense vegetation in the surrounding terrain, showing absolutely zero intention of facing Hua Xian. Zhao Yunxiao had no idea about the actual range and activation rules of Hua Xian¡¯s illusion technique, but he was going to do everything necessary to prevent Zhao Yunxiao Two from falling prey to it! Another three other daggers flew into the prairie, aimed at the same bush of flowers despite coming from a slightly different direction this time. This was the weakness of plant demons, and Hua Xian was no exception to the rule. ¡°Wishful thinking,¡± Hua Xian said before extending his thick roots to block the daggers once again. Boom-! Boom-! Two more explosions bombarded the thick root, though Hua Xian also made sure to adjust his roots so that the same spot was not struck twice. The third dagger was slightly slower, only arriving after the explosions were over. Still, that did not escape the keen eyes of Hua Xian, who easily blocked it with the same root. Poof-! This time, there was no thunderous explosion that followed. Instead, it was replaced by a cloud of black smoke that burst out from a small bag attached to the dagger. What is this?!¡± the startled Hua Xian hurriedly retracted his root, only to find out that a layer of black powder had now covered the surface of the root. This was the pollen of the darkpetal lily ¨C infamous for its ability to numb enemies¡¯ movements when inhaled. Firstly, it would serve as an attack option, and this had already proven its worth earlier by stopping Hua Xian from binding all three of them with his roots. Secondly, its continued activation would suck up the fog in the area, concentrating them in the form of the giant tortoise heads. That removed the risk of this fog being an unknown medium that could potentially cause poison to spread throughout the entire valley. When the pollen of the darkpetal lily came into direct contact with Hua Xian¡¯s root, some of it inevitably seeped within, entering his xylem sap that spreads from the roots throughout his entire body. Now, it was back to the first reason for extending the duration of the Dark Tortoise Devouring Array ¨C using it directly as an attack option. ¡° ¡° The thick roots that were too slow to return stopped moving. Essence energy accompanied this demonic aura, spinning around the flower like a tornado and acting as a form of energy barrier. Faced with this storm of energy that had suddenly appeared, even the surrounding fairymist flowers within the same bush were almost uprooted instantly. Since his physical body was struggling to keep up, Hua Xian had decisively opted to give up on that altogether, choosing to concentrate all of his energy in creating an energy barrier instead. At the same time, his sheer desperation and urgency could be seen from how he could no longer afford to care about the well-being of his companions ¨C the very same matterthat had led to him acting in the first place! The ten giant tortoise heads charged forward, their huge jaws biting down mercilessly upon arriving at the edge of this energy tornado. Bang-! The energy barrier lasted for mere moments before shattering, exposing the defenceless sole fairymist flower within. Sealing Hua Xian ¡°No way...¡± Lou Yuan¡¯s eyes glazed over in despair. The Dark Tortoise Devouring Array had finally run out of energy at this crucial moment! But while Lou Yuan was busy lamenting that fact, the other two youths were already on the move. When Hua Xian chose to focus all of his energy on defence, he had also been forced to lift the illusion spell that covered the area. The impact caused the plant to bend at the point of collision, with the momentum almost uprooting the entire plant altogether. Still, it was surprising how such a small and fragile flower actually managed to withstand an impact that strong. Zhao Yunxiao Two followed closely behind the arrow of energy, reaching the fairymist flower in an instant. An indentation could clearly be seen now, but it was still insufficient in cutting through the stem. Bang-! Zhao Yunxiao Two did not hesitate to strike again, hitting the exact same point before taking a step back. Bang-! Another arrow of energy struck. This time, the arrow pierced right through the stem, directly separating the fairymist plant at the stem! Still, all of them understood that the fight was not over just yet. After all, unlike most animals, plants would not die instantly just because they were ¡®decapitated¡¯. ¡°Use this!¡± Lou Yuan finally regained his senses at this point, and threw a bag towards Zhao Yunxiao Two. ¡°It¡¯s a sealing bag!¡± Zhao Yunxiao Two grabbed the bag and pumped essence energy into it without hesitation. He did not know how long it would take for Hua Xian to recover, but he definitely was not intending to wait around for the latter to cast another illusion spell! Seal it!¡± Lou Yuan shouted. Zhao Yunxiao Two did not need to be told twice. A powerful suction force came from the sealing bag, causing the top half of the fairymist plant, including the flower, to fly straight in. The sealing bag immediately closed up after that, with red thread spinning around the mouth of the bag to bind it tight. Countless runes on the sealing bag lit up for a moment before dimming down. ¡° ¡° The truth was that when Hua Xian lifted the illusion technique, Zhao Yunxiao had immediately controlled Zhao Yunxiao Two to charge in, while he himself did not waste any time in leaving the prairie. Even if they failed to take down Hua Xian before he recovered, Zhao Yunxiao did not want a situation where he and his clones were all sitting within Hua Xian¡¯s attack range. Since Zhao Yunxiao Two was taking on the attacking role this time, he naturally needed to be outside, just in case the situation turned for the worse! As for why he could not take on the attacking role instead, that was because of his grievous injuries. ¡° Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Get out of there fast!¡± Zhao Yunxiao shouted while grabbing the two items. ¡°Damn it! Can¡¯t you give us an earlier warning?¡± Lou Yuan complained while escaping in the arms of Nie Hanchang. ¡° ¡° Nie Hanchang retreated as well, raising the Grand Annihilator without hesitation to aim straight at the sealing bag. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Hahaha! Let me out and I will definitely let you experience hell!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The explosion caused brain matter and blood to splatter out from the orifices of his head, though the shape of Old Niu¡¯s skull still remained largely intact. Seeing this, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but be amazed once again by the sheer toughness of Old Niu¡¯s physique. Was it because he had been diligently trying to refine the Heaven¡¯s Descent Bowl with his essence energy, and it finally resulted in a positive change that occurred in the latter? Even if nothing else, this would at least reduce the chances of the Heaven¡¯s Descent Bowl being discovered by others in the future! Halberd Blueprint Yes, this fire would probably cause quite a bit of damage to the valley, butthat might not necessarily be a bad thing. After all, the fairymist flowers had flourished to the point where they could be considered overgrown, resulting in the Ghost Fog Valley being shrouded in a thick fog that had long started to endanger the lives of visitors. Dusk had already fallen by the time they returned to the entrance of Ghost Fog Valley. ¡°All right, pass me my grimoire plant. You can have your sealing bag back,¡± Zhao Yunxiao offered the bag in his hands. ¡°What do you mean my sealing bag?¡± Lou Yuan took a step back. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who used it?¡± ¡°I... am the one who used it, yes,¡± Zhao Yunxiao raised an eyebrow at this unexpected reaction from Lou Yuan. ¡°But-¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one holding onto it now?¡± Lou Yuan continued to question. ¡°Yeah...?¡± Zhao Yunxiao had a bad premonition. ¡°Then you should naturally be the one to hold onto it,¡± Lou Yuan claimed. ¡°At least until you get rid of that thing inside.¡± Hua Xian: ¡°...¡± What do you mean by ¡®that thing¡¯? On their way out of the valley, Hua Xian had tried to say all sorts of things to get their attention ¨C from cursing their families to berating their looks, to even pleading for mercy. However, all of his words had been completely ignored without exception. By now, he had completely given up on saying anything, and decided that he might as well save his energy in preparation for any opportunity to escape. ¡°Are you serious? Why should I hold onto it?¡± Zhao Yunxiao felt the corner of his lips twitch as he glanced at the sealing bag in his hands. ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t you say that you want to bring a few fairymist flowers back to perform some tests? This is perfect then, isn¡¯t it? He is a fairymist flower too!¡± ¡°I wanted normal flowers! Not a crazy flower demon!¡± Lou Yuan retorted. ¡°What a coincidence! I don¡¯t want this thing either!¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°And the bag isn¡¯t even mine to begin with!¡± ¡°Then get rid of him before returning the bag to me!¡± Lou Yuan insisted. ¡°How am I even supposed to get rid of him? Do you want me to release him right now?¡± Zhao Yunxiao rolled his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not like this is some regular trash that can just be thrown anywhere!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you part of the Black Tortoise Sect? Can¡¯t you get your elders to get rid of it somehow?¡± Lou Yuan questioned. ¡°And didn¡¯t you say you are the apprentice of Wushuang?¡± ¡°My master is a designer! Not a demon slayer! Why would he get rid of this thing for you?¡± Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± Lou Yuan actually had a point. Wushuang was a famous designer, while the Black Tortoise Sect was the leading faction of the region. If they wanted to be strict about it, the Black Tortoise Sect did have a responsibility to take care of the demons and threats in the area. Did he really have to bring this dangerous Hua Xian back to Purple Plum Mountain? It would be fine if this sealing bag was truly secure, but what if an accident occurred along the way that caused the bag to be unsealed? That said, handing Hua Xian to the sect administrators might actually yield him some sect points. If things went well, he might even be able to recoup a big part of his losses from this trip! ¡° Without waiting for a response, Lou Yuan immediately marched back to Green Bull Inn which was not far away from them by now. Just like that, the group returned to Green Bull Inn where they had stayed the night before. The only difference being that while they left as four in the morning, yet they were only returning as three in the night. The innkeeper naturally noticed this as well, but said nothing about it while checking them into their rooms. Had it not been for this discretion of his, Green Bull Inn might not have been able to last until this day.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Unlike usual times, he was not cultivating but recuperating instead. The injuries that he had suffered this time were not light by any measure. While he had been fortunate enough to escape without any severe internal injuries, he still knew better than to ignore the numerous smaller issues, lest they fester into a bigger problem in the future. That was something that only worked against an opponent as immobile as a plant demon. Had it been a faster opponent, he could have ended up losing his spatial pouch instead! Sigh, there were actually so many things that he had to improve on. Early next morning, the trio gathered at the entrance of the inn with their belongings packed. They were already done with their business here, so there was no reason to stay any longer. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Here, take a good look!¡± Lou Yuan handed the scroll over to Zhao Yunxiao before crossing his arms proudly. ¡°What is this?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked while unrolling the scroll. As he did, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s eyes could not help but light up in surprise. It was a blueprint for creating a halberd! ¡°I promised that I will make you admit that I am a famous designer, and I always deliver!¡± Lou Yuan declared triumphantly. ¡°Make sure you open your eyes wide and see ¨C this is something that you will never be able to come up with in your entire lifetime- no, not even in ten lifetimes!¡± Zhao Yunxiao excitedly looked through the blueprint. Unfortunately, it was not that easy to decipher. The blueprint was extremely detailed, stating everything down to the most minute of considerations. It would probably take hours just to properly go through everything. ¡°All right, take your time,¡± Lou Yuan said. ¡°I don¡¯t expect someone like you to understand it right now, but if you can follow the blueprint and create this thing, you will definitely understand just how great of a designer I actually am!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Zhao Yunxiao refused to go along with Lou Yuan. ¡°No matter how intricate it is, it might not be something that suits me. After all, did you even ask me any questions about myself or my preferences?¡± Hahaha, what an amateur remark!¡± Lou Yuan laughed. ¡°Questions like that make it obvious that you are someone who doesn¡¯t know the trade. For truly good designers on my level, we are able to gleen all the information we need just by observing the way you move and use your current halberd!¡± ¡° ¡° When we meet next time? Does that mean you will be leaving now?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked in surprise. ¡° Is that so?¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded with a tinge of regret. They would also be heading back to Purple Plum Mountain now, and it would be unreasonable to expect Lou Yuan to follow them back. ¡° ¡° There had been a few unexpected turns of events, but they were finally done with this visit to Ghost Fog Valley. Shall we get going too, Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Nie Hanchang asked. Yes,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°It¡¯s time tohead home.¡± Huang Ans Grievance In order not to aggravate Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s injuries, the duo did not rush on their journey back to Purple Plum Mountain. As they took their time, a journey that could have been completed in two days took them three days to cover instead. Still, Zhao Yunxiao was just thankful that nothing unexpected occurred along the way. Throughout the journey, Hua Xian had been unexpectedly well behaved, only speaking up once or twice and immediately shutting up again once told to do so. Initially, he had intended to immediately hand Hua Xian over to the sect administrators upon returning to Purple Plum Mountain, just to eliminate any chances for complications. But seeing how effective the sealing bag was, Zhao Yunxiao was starting to feel a little more greedy. In the event of a mishap, he needed to be fully ready with everything he needed to suppress Hua Xian. If he could not find a way to ensure that, then he would rather do away with this plan altogether! ¡° ¡° That¡¯s subjective,¡± Qi Jiesheng could not bring himself to agree. ¡°Some may argue that stepping out of your comfort zone is the fastest way to learn. For example, aren¡¯t you close with that Junior Martial Sister Huang of yours? Even someone as meek as her went out of her way to experience something new. Even though it did not necessarily end with the best outcome, at least she can tell herself that she tried! I¡¯m sure that will still end up being helpful to her in the long run.¡± Junior Martial Sister Huang? Do you mean Huang An?¡± Zhao Yunxiao frowned upon hearing that. ¡°What do you mean by that? Did something happen to her?¡± Oh, you didn¡¯t know? You really do head here first thing after returning from your sect missions,¡± Qi Jiesheng realised. ¡°Apparently, she got into a conflict with other sect members during a trip out of the sect and ended up taking a loss. As for the specifics, it would probably be best if you go ask her yourself.¡± I understand,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°Thank you for the information, Senior Martial Brother Qi. I will be taking my leave for now.¡± Having heard of this news, there was no way that Zhao Yunxiao could still proceed with his initial plan of heading to the Sect Library. Instead, he headed straight for Lightwind Pavilion after leaving the Outer Disciples Hall. As expected, he could hear the melodious zither tunes even before he arrived at the main clearing in the woods. Whenever she was feeling down, she would come to Lightwind Pavilion to play the zither all by herself, almost as though the sound of zither had the power to chase all her troubles away. ¡° ¡° ¡° T-That...¡± Huang An hesitated, her eyes darting left and right while fiddling with her fingers. ¡°It was okay, I guess...?¡± Is that so?¡± Zhao Yunxiao narrowed his eyes. ¡°But what I heard is slightly different. Am I misinformed then?¡± ¡° Are you all right?¡± Zhao Yunxiao avoided the question. ¡° ¡° Judging from how hesitant Huang An was, the situation might be a little more complicated than he had expected. ¡° While out hunting in the wilderness of Purple Plum Mountain, Huang An quickly chanced upon another group of senior martial brothers and sisters, who generously invited her to join their group. Tempted by the opportunity to potentially expand her circle and learn from her seniors, Huang An promptly agreed. With that, she joined the group and went around hunting together for a few days. Who knew that in a moment of distraction, these friendly senior martial brothers and sisters would actually end up stealing the spatial escape talisman that Huang An had in her possession? When Huang An found out and confronted them about it, they first ridiculed her for being careless enough to lose her own items, then questioned her obvious unfamiliarity with the item, accusing her of perhaps having stolen it from others herself. Finally, they brushed her off by claiming that the spatial escape talisman had belonged to them from the start! The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. She would have just sucked it up if the spatial escape talisman had truly belonged to her in the first place, but the problem was that the talisman was something that she had borrowed from Zhao Yunxiao! I¡¯m so sorry, Senior Martial Brother Zhao...¡± Huang An muttered while hanging her head low. ¡°You lent me that precious spatial escape talisman out of concern for my safety, and I actually ended up losing it in such a manner...¡± Don¡¯t be too worried about it. Since I am willing to hand it to you, I naturally do not need it back anymore,¡± Zhao Yunxiao forced himself to say. ¡°But who are these people? And how did they know that you have a spatial escape talisman?¡± However, he also knew that with Huang An¡¯s personality, she must have been feeling extremely guilty and depressed since the incident. Thus, it was necessary to first ease the poor girl¡¯s emotions. It is Senior Martial Brother Gan Luozhi¡¯s group...¡± Huang An said hesitantly. ¡°I... I might have gotten carried while chatting with them and accidentally told them about the spatial escape talisman...¡± So, that¡¯s how they knew...¡± Zhao Yunxiao sighed helplessly. As for this Gan Luozhi, this was not the first time that Zhao Yunxiao had heard of him. In fact, he was quite the infamous character in the outer sect. And this had truly worked well for him so far, especially considering how Hua Sheng was the unofficial leader of the outer disciples ¨C someone whom everyone else would take the initiative to greet during each monthly cultivation lecture. Some of them might be inner disciples, but Hua Sheng was not just some random outer disciple, either. Not only did he have a powerful twin elder brother in Hua Shui, but he was also on good terms with numerous inner disciples, as well as certain elders! While Hua Sheng himself had always been a reasonable person, it was only natural to expect people to favour those closer to them. If they ended up offending Gan Luozhi, who knew what this cunning person could end up whispering in Hua Sheng¡¯s ears? However, Zhao Yunxiao was not intending to let this matter slide just because of that. How could he allow the matter to end like this for her? In his eyes, Huang An would never have had to go through this whole ordeal if he had not taken the liberty of lending her the spatial escape talisman! Don¡¯t worry. Just leave this matter to me,¡± Zhao Yunxiao patted Huang An gently on the shoulder. Eh? What are you intending to do, Senior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Huang An¡¯s eyes shook in anxiety. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you are planning to confront Senior Martial Brother Gan Luozhi?¡± Of course!¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered without hesitation. ¡°Even though I am fine without it, I still can¡¯t just let him take it for free! After all, it is mine to begin with!¡± ¡° Huang An was not someone who cared too much about the sect politics, so it was clear that someone had already warned her about this matter. Well, Senior Martial Brother Hua hasn¡¯t officially endorsed his actions, has he?¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°In addition, we have reason on our side, so who knows? Perhaps I can even get Senior Martial Brother Hua to stand on my side this time!¡± Then... I will go with you!¡± Huang An quickly offered. Our Junior Martial Sister Huang An sure has changed. How brave!¡± Zhao Yunxiao praised with a smile. ¡°All right, come along then. Let¡¯s go get back what is rightfully ours!¡± It was not too difficult to locate Gan Luozhi. As someone who had built his identity almost entirely on being the trusted sidekick of Hua Sheng, locating the latter would be equivalent to finding him ninety percent of the time. And everyone recognised the unofficial leader of the outer disciples, making it easy to find Hua Sheng¡¯s current location with just a bit of asking around. There was the assessment and sales area that facilitates the selling of goods, the standard market area that facilitates the purchase of goods, and the open market area that facilitates free trade among disciples. Right now, Hua Sheng was calmly strolling through the various shops in the open market area, taking a look at the items on sale. Alongside him were his usual companions, with Gan Luozhi naturally counting among them. This is kind of expensive. Are you sure you are selling it at the right price?¡± Gan Luozhi picked up a treasure fan and scrutinised it closely. ¡°We don¡¯t want people laughing at Senior Martial Brother Hua for buying something overpriced!¡± ¡° I don¡¯t intend to get that, but you can buy it if you find it worth the money,¡± Hua Sheng casually remarked while looking at other items. ¡° However, this learned scholar¡¯s brows suddenly furrowed as he noticed a familiar figure approaching from the distance. ¡° No, it has nothing to do with you,¡± Gan Luozhi replied coldly while putting the fan down. ¡°It is just that my mood is suddenly affected for some reason.¡± What¡¯s wrong, Junior Martial Brother Gan?¡± Hua Sheng asked, but quickly turned his attention to the duo who was walking up to them. ¡°Looks like you are here for a purpose. Is there something you need?¡± ¡° I see,¡± Hua Sheng calmly stepped aside, not questioning further. ¡° In response, Huang An could not help but cower, hiding her tiny frame behind Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s back. ¡°Greetings, Senior Martial Brother Gan,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clasped his fists towards Gan Luozhi. ¡°I heard that you have taken a few things from Junior Martial Sister Huang without permission in the wilderness of Purple Plum Mountain a few days ago. Therefore, I am here to humbly request that you return the things that do not belong to you.¡± Since Gan Luozhi was going to pretend that he did not know what was going on, Zhao Yunxiao would naturally make the situation crystal clear from the start, so that he would have no choice but to explain himself! Since He Is Asking So Nicely, What’s Wrong With Just Accepting It? Zhao Yunxiao spoke with a calm smile on his face, as though he was speaking of a light subject. However, what he just said was anything but that ¨C enough to take everyone completely by surprise. Taken a few things without permission? It was equivalent to directly accusing Gan Luozhi of stealing from his juniors, just phrased in a different manner! ¡°Eh?¡± Huang An blurted out in shock, and immediately looked at Zhao Yunxiao with concern in her eyes. Zhao Yunxiao had always approached things in a careful and meticulous manner, so she was definitely not him to come off so strongly from the start! Apart from her, everyone else turned their gazes towards Gan Luozhi, curious to see his response. And facing such a situation, Gan Luozhi did not show the slightest hint of panic. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you have heard, Junior Martial Brother Zhao. But there must have been a misunderstanding somewhere. I have never done anything like that,¡± Gan Luozhi answered. ¡°I assume you are the one who instigated this, Junior Martial Sister Huang? We have already spoken about this matter previously, so why don¡¯t you tell everyone here what truly happened?¡± Gan Luozhi cast a cold glance towards Huang An, who felt her confidence waver once more. It was not as though she had not tried to reason with Gan Luozhi before. The last time she tried, the latter had completely laughed off her accusations, making her feel like a complete fool. Just the thought of having to go through that again made her heart chill! ¡°Is it true that Senior Martial Brother Gan invited Junior Martial Sister Huang to join you on your hunting trip in the wilderness?¡± Zhao Yunxiao spoke up on her behalf. ¡°Hiding behind someone else after making accusations?¡± Gan Luozhi let out a sigh of disappointment. ¡°Technically, it is a junior in my group who invited her without consulting me, but I am willing to shoulder that responsibility.¡± ¡°I see. Is it also true that Junior Martial Sister Huang told you about the spatial escape talisman in her possession, and then ended up losing it soon after joining your group?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked again. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if she told anyone in the group, but I certainly don¡¯t remember her telling me anything about it,¡± Gan Luozhi shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sure that I told you!¡± Huang An finally found the courage to chime in. ¡°You can insist so, but my recollections are as such,¡± Gan Luozhi shrugged. ¡°And is it true that you have a spatial escape talisman in your possession now?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked again. ¡°Yes, but is it really so surprising that I do have one?¡± Gan Luozhi narrowed his eyes at Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°You know, Junior Martial Brother Zhao. I have been patiently answering your questions so far, but don¡¯t you think you are being a little too aggressive in trying to pin the blame on me? I don¡¯t know about this spatial escape talisman of hers, but why can¡¯t I have one of my own? Or are you going to blindly believe her words even if she pins such accusations on everyone who has one such talisman?¡± ¡°Her spatial escape talisman has been given to me by Elder He, which I then lent to Junior Martial Sister Huang,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°Because of that, it is different from most other talismans as it has the mark of Elder He. If Senior Martial Brother Gan doesn¡¯t mind, would you be willing to bring out your spatial escape talisman for everyone to see if it contains the same mark? If it does not have the same mark, I will naturally apologise for having wrongly accused you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think you are being a little too demanding now?¡± Gan Luozhi frowned. ¡°Why should I let you take a look at my belongings just because of a few random accusations? If you wish to pin the blame on me, shouldn¡¯t you first come up with some evidence that I did take something from her? And why can¡¯t I have obtained my spatial escape talisman from Elder He as well? You are not the only one who can enter his grace!¡± ¡°Oh? Does that mean Senior Martial Brother Gan has obtained a spatial escape talisman from Elder He as well? In that case, you must know what the mark is like?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°That makes it easier. If Senior Martial Brother Gan can simply describe the mark in detail, I am willing to accept my mistake without having to see the talisman itself.¡± ¡°It is just a spatial escape talisman. Why would I scrutinise it so closely for no reason? Whether there is a mark or not, that is inconsequential to whether it belongs to me or not!¡± Gan Luozhi insisted. At the same time, he could not help but feel frustration welling up from within. He might have admired the spatial escape talisman quite a bit after obtaining it, but he never noticed anything like a mark on it. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that even if there was a mark, he would not have been able to tell it apart from the original talisman runes. That said, he had never heard that Elder He would make a personal mark on his talismans, so he was suspecting that Zhao Yunxiao was just bluffing. Unfortunately, he could not be completely certain about this as well, so he dared not truly commit to calling Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s bluff. After all, if he tried to call Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s bluff and there ended up truly being a mark on the talisman, wouldn¡¯t that be akin to shooting himself in the foot? ¡°Senior Martial Brother Hua, please uphold justice for us,¡± Zhao Yunxiao directly turned away from Gan Luozhi at this point, clasping his fists towards Hua Sheng instead. Huu-! Hua Sheng let out a sigh before turning to Gan Luozhi. ¡°Why don¡¯t you bring out your spatial escape talisman for everyone to take a quick look?¡± ¡°Senior Martial Brother Hua, don¡¯t listen to their nonsense!¡± Gan Luozhi protested. ¡°I have never done anything like what they claim. The talisman truly belongs to me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself,¡± Hua Sheng spoke softly, but it was enough to make Gan Luozhi¡¯s hair stand on ends.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s lips curled upwards upon hearing that. As expected, Hua Sheng might have a good relationship with Gan Luozhi, but that did not mean he was clueless about the latter¡¯s personality. He might be willing to tolerate Gan Luozhi¡¯s actions to a certain extent, but there was still a limit to things. And this limit was what Zhao Yunxiao was gambling on. After all, in such an open setting, it would be detrimental to Hua Sheng¡¯s reputation as the unofficial leader of the outer disciples if he chose to take Gan Luozhi¡¯s side. No, not just that. It would reflect badly on him even if he had just stepped aside and watched without doing a thing. As long as he did not take charge of the matter, Hua Sheng¡¯s reputation among the outer disciples would definitely take a significant hit! Of course, whether Hua Sheng would bear a grudge towards Zhao Yunxiao for forcing his hand was another matter altogether, but Zhao Yunxiao was planning to deal with that separately. ¡°This... all right,¡± Gan Luozhi nervously swallowed a mouthful of saliva. His actions were slow and hesitant as he flicked his wrist, retrieving the familiar piece of talisman from his spatial bag. Zhao Yunxiao was actually rather surprised to see this. He had actually expected Gan Luozhi to deny having it in his possession at the moment, or worse still, produce a separate spatial escape talisman. Thankfully, those scenarios did not end up playing out, which saved him quite a bit of trouble. This Gan Luozhi was either too simple-minded, or he did not dare to blatantly deceive Hua Sheng in his face. ¡°Is this the one?¡± Hua Sheng picked up the spatial escape talisman and showed it to Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°It is the one,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded immediately. ¡°Nonsense! That talisman is mine!¡± Gan Luozhi insisted. ¡°What proof do you have that it has been taken from you?¡± Hua Sheng asked. ¡°There is actually no mark made by Elder He. Instead, I drew a personal mark on the talisman with treated rat blood,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered confidently. ¡°It is a crossmark, drawn in a way that it will not interfere with the talisman effect. I can explain the entire process if you are interested in testing the blood components.¡± ¡°That is easy to say after having seen it!¡± Gan Luozhi anxiously argued. ¡°I am the one who drew the mark!¡± ¡°Senior Martial Brother Huang, you should understand the situation now,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°The crossmark has always been part of the talisman rune. There are no additional marks on the talisman.¡± ¡°Wha?! You little shit!¡± Gan Luozhi immediately realised that he was being played. ¡°You dare to trick me?¡± ¡°Senior Martial Brother Hua, please uphold justice for us,¡± Zhao Yunxiao repeated, directly ignoring Gan Luozhi. He knew that Gan Luozhi had lost all credibility at this point, so there was no point in talking to him any longer. From the start, this had been a straightforward matter to him. Yes, Gan Luozhi was tricky to deal with. However, the reason for that was not due to Gan Luozhi himself, but mainly because of his ties to Hua Sheng. As for Gan Luozhi himself, everyone knew that his bark was worse than his bite. Having been so occupied with sucking up to Hua Sheng, how would he know anything about spatial escape talismans? In fact, such talismans were so profound that Zhao Yunxiao himself did not understand much about them, and that was even after weeks of studying the same talismans in his possession! So, the moment Zhao Yunxiao decided to confront Gan Luozhi, he immediately came up with this plan to trick him into revealing his own misdeeds. However, this was the limit of what he could do. If the other party continued to refuse, it was not like he could use force to snatch back the spatial escape talisman. That would simply give Gan Luozhi an opportunity to turn the tables on them, accusing them of assaulting a fellow sect member. And with such an accusation labelled against them, their side would immediately lose the moral high ground! Therefore, he decided to use Hua Sheng as a mediator. ¡°How do you want this matter to be settled?¡± Hua Sheng said with a sigh. Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s eyes lit up upon hearing that. While he knew that he currently held the moral high ground, coming to Hua Sheng to directly demand something that his companion had stolen would inevitably have a detrimental impact on Hua Sheng¡¯s reputation. For Hua Sheng to stand on Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s side this time, some might praise Hua Sheng for being impartial. However, it would simultaneously give off the impression that Hua Sheng either did not have the power to protect his close aides or was unwilling to do so. This would surely have an impact on Hua Sheng¡¯s influence, making others feel that his friendship might not be as valuable as it seemed. That was definitely not the impression that Zhao Yunxiao wanted to create with today¡¯s matter. Therefore, he knew that whatever he said next was key. It had to be firm enough to show Gan Luozhi that he was not joking around. But at the same time, it had to show some deference to Hua Sheng, at least on the surface. ¡°Since Senior Martial Brother Gan is so insistent that this talisman belongs to him, I don¡¯t want to make things difficult for him, either,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said, once again surprising everyone present. ¡°I am willing to duel Senior Martial Brother Gan for this talisman.¡± ¡°Duel for the talisman?¡± Gan Luozhi raised an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°Do you mean you? Against me? One on one?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, let¡¯s have a duel in three days,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°To make things fair for both of us, I will put a spatial escape talisman on the line as well. Winner takes all. How about that?¡± ¡°Senior Martial Brother Zhao...!¡± Huang An anxiously tugged on Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s sleeves. ¡°Trust me, I¡¯ve got this,¡± Zhao Yunxiao lightly patted Huang An¡¯s hand. ¡°You want to challenge me to a duel?¡± Gan Luozhi narrowed his eyes, his initial surprise turning into suspicion after seeing the confidence that Zhao Yunxiao was exuding. ¡°You do realise that I am at the Peak Essence Gathering realm, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°And I am currently at the Intermediate Essence Gathering realm, but cultivation level is not the only determinant of the victor in battle,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered matter-of-factly. ¡°Let this be a fair battle on the stage of the Snow Moon Arena.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± Gan Luozhi asked again. Zhao Yunxiao was rather famous in the outer sect as the one with the most sect jobs, so most people knew a thing or two about him. His cultivation level was no secret, either. For him to directly challenge Gan Luozhi, the latter could not help but feel that there must be a trap of sorts. At the same time, Huang An¡¯s worried look did not seem to be faked, so Gan Luozhi could not help but feel confused. ¡°I am serious,¡± Zhao Yunxiao assured. Gan Luozhi¡¯s mind raced, trying to come up with all sorts of scenarios in his head. Unfortunately for him, he did not have the luxury of time to slowly think this through. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Hua Sheng suddenly broke out into a hearty laugh. ¡°Since he is asking so nicely, what¡¯s wrong with just accepting it? In any case, this will be a good tempering session for both of you, so there is no need to hesitate any further ¨C I will decide this on your behalf. Let this duel commence in three days at noon, on the Snow Moon Arena. Each participant shall put a spatial escape talisman on the line, and the winner will get to take both the talisman. For this duel, I shall personally be the judge!¡± I Am The Most Suitable Candidate! ¡°Thank you for taking charge, Senior Martial Brother Hua,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clasped his fists towards Hua Sheng, then did the same towards Gan Luozhi. ¡°Let¡¯s have a fair duel in three days, Senior Martial Brother Gan. Till then.¡± With that, he immediately turned and left. On the other hand, Huang An stayed rooted to the ground in stunned silence. She anxiously switched her gaze repeatedly between Hua Sheng¡¯s group and the leaving Zhao Yunxiao, wondering if she should do anything about this crazy situation. A duel between Zhao Yunxiao and Gan Luozhi? There were two small boundaries between the two, so anyone sensible would favour the latter! However, she quickly decided not to butt in, and hurried after Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Hua, I-¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to explain yourself further,¡± Hua Sheng held up a hand to stop Gan Luozhi from continuing. ¡°The fact that I accepted the duel on your behalf isn¡¯t only because I want you to take responsibility for your actions, but also because I believe in your abilities. Being forced to remediate or choosing to remediate out of goodwill ¨C these two actions might seem similar on the surface, but they are two completely different things. Do you understand what I mean?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, Senior Martial Brother Hua,¡± Gan Luozhi hung his head low. ¡°Good. Just to be clear, I will be impartial during the duel, so you would have to do this on your own,¡± Hua Sheng said. ¡°That¡¯s it for this matter, then. Let¡¯s continue looking around.¡± ¡°I will not expect anything less from you, Senior Martial Brother Hua,¡± Gan Luozhi nodded. But as Hua Sheng turned around to continue browsing through the shops, a cold light flashed across Gan Luozhi¡¯s eyes. Remediate? Sure, if Zhao Yunxiao was so desperate to have the spatial escape talisman back, it was not impossible for him to give it back. However, don¡¯t even expect him to return it without a fight. Even if nothing else, he would have to take this opportunity to let everyone know the true consequences of daring to mess with him! *** It took quite a bit of time and effort, but Zhao Yunxiao finally managed to assure Huang An after repeatedly telling her to trust him. He had wanted to get some ideas on how to suppress Hua Xian. But the sky had turned dark by now, and something like that could always wait till another day. In fact, he would not have gone even if it was not yet dusk. After all, he now had a more pressing matter at hand ¨C the duel with Gan Luozhi in three days. Upon returning to his residence, Zhao Yunxiao went straight into the meditation room, put down his bags, and quickly entered a light meditative state. Zhao Yunxiao was not some combat genius who could easily skip ranks to fight opponents with a higher cultivation level. Or at the very least, he would never be able to do so in a straightforward and direct confrontation. In order to defeat an opponent like Gan Luozhi, who was two small boundaries above him, he would have to rely on that brain of his. Thankfully, the opponent this time was the infamous Gan Luozhi. That saved Zhao Yunxiao the time needed to gather data on his opponent, because he had already been consistently doing so all along. In fact, this was not exclusive to just Gan Luozhi. Zhao Yunxiao had been doing the same for every member of the Black Tortoise Sect, and that included even Gu Qiansi and Lu Zhiying. After all, this information would not only be of use when trying to fight against these people, but also when trying to work with them. The more he knew about others, the easier it would be for him! In his mind, the world filled with white light appeared once more, housing two dark silhouettes. One of them possessed Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s physical proportions, while the other looked just like Gan Luozhi. Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s silhouette moved in response, using every book in his arsenal to counter his opponent¡¯s moves. Just like that, Zhao Yunxiao started to play out the fight between them from start to finish, then repeating it with slight tweaks here and there. By repeatedly simulating the fight with different variations, he was trying to ascertain the most effective tactic available to him for dealing with Gan Luozhi. The only reason why Zhao Yunxiao dared to throw out a challenge like that was because he had a higher confidence of obtaining victory than otherwise. That said, nothing was set in stone. It would still be both foolish and arrogant of him if he did not make full use of these three days to increase his chances as much as possible. A powerful weapon or item could completely change the result of a fight. That was why after losing their main weapon, most people would definitely try to replace it as soon as possible, and Zhao Yunxiao was no exception to that rule. Itdefinitely seemed like the obvious thing to do right now, especially since Zhao Yunxiao had already come up with the plan to create a halberd and also obtained the necessary materials. On top of that, he even had a blueprint from Lou Yuan that could potentially be much better than his own! Of course, there was also a slim chance of it being completely trash, in which case he would just have to dump it and confront Lou Yuan if they ever met again in the future. Yet despite the obvious benefits of replacing his halberd, Zhao Yunxiao also understood that it was not that easy to get used to a new weapon.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. A single misstep could determine the difference between victory and defeat, and Zhao Yunxiao did not believe that he would be able to fully attune to a new halberd within a short span of three days ¨C or less than that if he included the time required for forging. It was unfortunate. But considering the limited amount of time he had, Zhao Yunxiao decided that he would just have to fall back on his trusted daggers for the upcoming fight. One who knows his enemy and himself would never be in peril even through a hundred battles. While this saying might be a little exaggerated, there was certainly a degree of truth to it. That was why Zhao Yunxiao had chosen to focus on this path, seeing it as the clearest way to increase his odds of victory. As if the term ¡®cultivator¡¯ was not telling enough, increasing one¡¯s cultivation level was definitely the most direct and effective way to increase one¡¯s strength. However, that was only the case when one looked at it long-term. When it came to increasing one¡¯s strength within a short period of three days, this would usually be the most ineffective among the three paths. Still, there was no harm in doing so. Zhao Yunxiao knew his own limits. For someone like him, a breakthrough was something that could only be wished for, but expecting it to happen would only end in disappointment. After all, the last thing he wanted was for an earlier problem to resurface during the upcoming duel. Of course, cultivation pills quickly lose their effect when used in quick succession, but he would take whatever little boost he could get at this point! Wait, you are just going to keep doing that? What is this garbage level of efficiency?¡± Hua Xian remarked. ¡°I thought that my life as a plant demon has been difficult since I can¡¯t go around collecting cultivation resources. But here you are, choosing to act like you are immobile even when you have two working legs. How stupid!¡± He stood up without hesitation, grabbing the sealing bag and bringing it to the front hall. But if Hua Xian was planning to be irritating like this, then there was no reason for Zhao Yunxiao to put up with it. Wait! Wait! Wait!¡± Hua Xian hurriedly called out as he realised that Zhao Yunxiao had thrown him into a crate. ¡°I was just saying it for your own good! I won¡¯t speak anymore if you don¡¯t like hearing it!¡± ¡° Come on, you need to focus on the good side of people instead of the bad side,¡± Hua Xian replied. ¡°Rather than focusing on how I am calling out your stupid cultivation method, perhaps you should think about why I said that instead!¡± All right, all right. Let me be more straightforward then. You want to beat that Gan guy in three days, don¡¯t you?¡± Hua Xian quickly followed up. ¡°After watching you all night, I can tell that you have already sufficiently reinforced your cultivation level, and are only lacking an impetus to break through to the next boundary. So, what if I tell you that I have a method that is highly likely to help you accomplish just that within the next two days?¡± He had been thinking about how to regain his freedom ever since being trapped in the sealing bag, and he believed that this situation was providing him with just the opportunity that he needed. If he could provide enough benefits to Zhao Yunxiao, perhaps it would eventually be possible to trade this merit in exchange for freedom! ¡° ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°Dream on,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered without hesitation. ¡°Firstly, I don¡¯t even know if your method would be of any use. Secondly, I won¡¯t know if you are actually trying to harm me instead. Lastly, even if I have to lose this duel, I wouldn¡¯t allow you to go out and harm more people!¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Hua Xian quickly called out upon seeing that Zhao Yunxiao was about to close the lid of the crate. ¡°How about this? I can tell you the method, and you can decide what to do after everything is done. If you think that I earned it, you can set me free. Alternatively, I will be happy with just being let out of the sealing bag. As you probably already know, I can¡¯t actually move on my own. There is no way that I can escape your sect even if you let me out of the bag.¡± Zhao Yunxiao finally paused for a moment. ¡°Fine, tell me the method that you have in mind.¡± Since there were no obligations involved, there was no reason not to hear him out. In addition, Hua Xian was right. Most plant demons only gain the ability to move after reaching a higher cultivation level. So, even if Hua Xian was released from the sealing bag, he would still have to remain on Purple Plum Mountain. And as long as he was here, the sect administrators would never allow him to cause trouble without any repercussions. The only problem was that Zhao Yunxiao would get into serious trouble if things got to that stage. But there was no need to worry about all that for now. Since the decision was entirely up to Zhao Yunxiao, he could always think about whether to release Hua Xian from the sealing bag later. ¡°Right, the method...¡± Hua Xian dragged out his words, seemingly still contemplating if this was the right decision on his part. ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself if you don¡¯t want to,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said coldly after sensing his hesitation. ¡°No, no, I am not forcing myself. I will say it!¡± Hua Xian replied. ¡°If you have access to a sentient spiritual plant, you can try getting it to gather its essence energy into a leaf, then hold the leaf while cultivating. If the essence energy is concentrated enough, and if the spiritual plant knows just what you need, this could be used to create an environment of dense energy, potentially providing the necessary impetus to overcome your cultivation bottleneck!¡± ¡° How can it be the same?¡± Hua Xian scoffed. ¡°Cultivation pills are designed for prolonged use without straining your dantian. However, what you need is an explosive force to help you break through the bottleneck!¡± ...Fine, but a sentient spiritual plant that knows just what I need?¡± Zhao Yunxiao raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you referring to yourself?¡± Well, if you don¡¯t have any other candidates in mind, then yes!¡± Hua Xian answered without hesitation. ¡°When you think about it, I am definitely the most suitable candidate for this!¡± Advanced Essence Gathering Realm ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shut him down immediately. ¡°What? Why? Don¡¯t you want to break through to the next boundary?¡± Hua Xian retorted. ¡°Do I look like a fool to you?¡± Zhao Yunxiao narrowed his eyes at the sealing bag. ¡°You want me to hold a leaf that you have packed full of your essence energy while cultivating? What would I do if you tried to take me down with you?¡± ¡°Tch! My life is much more precious than yours, so why would I do something that stupid?¡± Hua Xian snorted in disdain. Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± Did you really mean to say that out loud? But that aside, Hua Xian¡¯s words did make sense when he thought about it. Firstly, it was not easy for a spiritual plant to gain enlightenment in the wilds. Hua Xian had probably spent hundreds of years, if not thousands, in order to become a flower demon. However, all that effort would go straight to waste if he were to harm Zhao Yunxiao, since there was no way that he would be getting away with it considering how deep they were within the Black Tortoise Sect territory. After all, even if Zhao Yunxiao were to pass Hua Xian to the sect administrators, they were more likely to engage Hua Xian in corrective services within the confines of the sect instead of directly killing him off. Secondly, if it was just about creating a more suitable cultivating environment, the risks involved would not be as huge. In contrast, directly ingesting the leaf would be something completely out of the question. Thirdly, Zhao Yunxiao had a decent level of expertise when it came to studying item traits, accumulated over numerous years of doing various work at the sect. To a large extent, he should be able to determine if Hua Xian had played any tricks on the leaf. Of course, it was not like he could completely eliminate the risks, so it still came down to weighing the benefits against the costs. Do it then. However, that¡¯s on the condition that you stay within the sealing bag at all times. You can release a leaf from within,¡± Zhao Yunxiao decided after a few moments of contemplation. ¡°I will take a look at the leaf and decide from there.¡± Good decision! Your conditions are fine. As long as you don¡¯t let my efforts go to waste, I can assure you that you will only benefit from this!¡± Hua Xian answered. ¡°Just don¡¯t forget about my help after you reap the benefits!¡± ¡° Yes, yes, I will! I am doing it now! Now, you just have to open the sealing bag for a moment.¡± But if he were to simply open the sealing bag like this, Zhao Yunxiao would still be putting himself at risk for that brief moment. It was only after Zhao Yunxiao had walked a good distance away that Zhao Yunxiao Two carefully released the sealing bag. ¡°Tch! How distrustful. Did you grow up surrounded by liars or something?¡± Hua Xian said unhappily. Hua Xian understood that if he wanted to regain his freedom anytime in the near future, the best chance he had would be by getting into Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s good books. A single leaf floated out of the opened sealing bag ¨C a leaf that was packed full of essence energy by the flower demon. Zhao Yunxiao Two did not hesitate to close the sealing bag after grabbing the leaf, once again trapping Hua Xian within. ¡° ¡° It was indeed packed with essence energy. Just to produce this single leaf, Hua Xian must have emptied out most of his energy reserves. Now, let¡¯s see if it works,¡± Hua Xian urged in anticipation. Letting out a long breath, Zhao Yunxiao finally decided to take a leap of faith here. Cultivation was a long journey that mainly required patience and hard work, establishing a strong foundation every step of the way. But on top of that, there were also times when calculated risks had to be taken, and that was especially true for those who lacked talent like himself. Zhao Yunxiao was definitely not someone who enjoyed taking risks. Things likeventuring into unchartered territories and risking his life for fortuitous encounters that could turn his life around were simply unthinkable to him.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. But at the same time, that did not mean he would not take any risks whatsoever. His cultivation talent was already enough of a limiting factor. If he dared not even grasp an opportunity where the risks were this low, then who knew if he would ever attain his dreams of freedom? Once Zhao Yunxiao triggered it with a slight injection of energy, a burst of demonic essence energy erupted from within the leaf, forming into a cloud that shrouded Zhao Yunxiao. And for it to take such a compact form, the level of energy control involved was no easy feat either! Immersed in this enclosure of essence energy, Zhao Yunxiao felt his body quickly becoming lighter. The flow of energy within his spiritual meridians was starting to become smoother, making it almost effortless to circulate his essence energy. Hua Xian had not been bluffing earlier ¨C this was definitely different from taking a Winterwarmth Pill. Zhao Yunxiao did not know what Hua Xian did and how he did it, but such an effect was definitely not something that would naturally happen upon entering an environment of higher energy density. At least, the benefits would definitely not be as large as this. It was an extremely comfortable feeling, as though entering a world where cultivation was that much easier. But if that was indeed the case, then it was understandable why they were capable of reaching a higher cultivation level than others! The Foundation Building realm was about forming the spiritual meridian root, using it as a base to form a complete network of spiritual meridians ¨C something that would act as one¡¯s cultivation foundation. As for the different stages of the Essence Gathering realm, they indicated the progress of connecting the dantian to these existing spiritual meridians. The greater the completion rate, the greater the amount of essence energy that could be stored and the smoother the energy flow. This naturally decreased the reliance that cultivators had on world origin energy in the surroundings, as well as making it easier to execute complex techniques that were much higher in terms of energy consumption. These were not arbitrary numbers chosen by some random ancestor. Most cultivators would encounter bottlenecks at each of these points, unable to take a single step further. As time passed, these points naturally came to be seen as significant hurdles that had to be crossed. Zhao Yunxiao was one of those cultivators who had been stuck at a bottleneck for some time. Specifically, he had been stuck at the 49.9% mark for quite a while now. All he needed was one more step to reach the next boundary, yet this singular step had been ever so elusive. He had already gone through this many times in the past, only for the spiritual meridians to eventually break off instead of staying attached. Zhao Yunxiao had never stopped cultivating while stuck at the previous bottleneck, thereby accumulating an extremely solid foundation. However, Zhao Yunxiao also knew that he did not have the luxury of time to celebrate the achievement of this milestone. This push to the Advanced Essence Gathering realm might have sounded simple, but it actually took almost two full days to complete. Bold Declaration Day of the duel. Zhao Yunxiao made one final check of his inventory before stepping out of his residence for the first time in three days. The moment he went out the front door, he saw Gu Qiansi and Lu Zhiying in the front courtyard. They were seated by a small fire that they had made, over which a pot of soup was simmering. When they saw Zhao Yunxiao stepping out, the duo instinctively got to their feet. ¡°When did you return from your mission?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked casually while walking over to them. ¡°We just got back yesterday,¡± Gu Qiansi replied solemnly. ¡°And the first thing that you think of after returning is to come set my courtyard on fire?¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head in disapproval. ¡°...I heard from Junior Martial Sister Huang,¡± Gu Qiansi changed the topic while filling up a bowl of soup. ¡°I¡¯m sure you did,¡± Zhao Yunxiao received the bowl and started slurping on it. ¡°Trust me, I¡¯ve got this.¡± ¡°You always say that when diving into something risky,¡± Gu Qiansi pointed out. ¡°And I have always delivered after saying that, have I not?¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied matter-of-factly before passing the empty bowl back to Gu Qiansi. ¡°You have, indeed,¡± Gu Qiansi silently received the bowl and kept it away. ¡°Exactly,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a smile. ¡°Go kill that bastard,¡± Lu Zhiying finally said. ¡°Let¡¯s not go that far,¡± Zhao Yunxiao chuckled, though a cold light simultaneously flashed across his eyes. ¡°But I definitely won¡¯t let him off easily.¡± That¡¯s right. Gan Luozhi was not the only one intending to take this opportunity to send a message ¨C Zhao Yunxiao had similar plans as well. If given the choice, he would always prefer not to provoke others and create unnecessary enmity. However, he would never stand by and allow his companions to suffer at the hands of others, especially not when it was because of something that he had done! Zhao Yunxiao only had a single bowl of soup, leaving the rest of the pot untouched. Gu Qiansi did not tell him to drink more either, understanding that a single bowl was the ideal amount. After hearing that Zhao Yunxiao did not step out of his residence for three full days, it was not difficult for Gu Qiansi to guess what he was doing. Because of that, she had specially prepared a bowl of soup made with nutritious monster meat. Rather than filling his stomach, it was more aimed at nourishing his energy. Just like that, Zhao Yunxiao headed to Snow Moon Arena along with Gu Qiansi and Lu Zhiying. The Snow Moon Arena referred to a huge clearing in the Outer Grounds, within which several separate stages had been erected with a safe distance between each of them. This was where disciples of the Black Tortoise Sect usually engaged in friendly spars with one another. When Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group arrived just slightly before the appointed time, the area was already packed full of people. A duel between Gan Luozhi and Zhao Yunxiao with two spatial escape talismans on the line ¨C news of this matter had spread throughout the entire outer sect over the past three days. Neither of them could be considered a top-notch character, but they were still rather well-known individuals in the outer sect. On one side was the overly hardworking outer disciple with the greatest number of sect jobs ¨C the underdog with a cultivation disadvantage. On the other side was the infamous bootlicker who had already gotten on many people¡¯s nerves. In actual fact, most people were rooting for Zhao Yunxiao in this duel, though few truly believed in his chances of victory. ¡°All the best, Junior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± ¡°You can do it, Junior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± ¡°Show him what you¡¯ve got, Junior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Many people in the crowd cheered for him upon noticing his arrival, especially since he had always tried to maintain a good relationship with others. ¡°Come place your bets! Prevailing rate is at 23 to 1.06 ¨C Zhao Yunxiao at 23, Gan Luozhi at 1.06!¡± a senior disciple walked around while holding up a huge sign that detailed the odds. Quite a number of disciples walked up to him to place their bets, and the senior disciple promptly adjusted the rates after. ¡°Come place your bets! Prevailing rate is at 24 to 1.05 ¨C Zhao Yunxiao at 24, Gan Luozhi at 1.05!¡± the senior disciple continued to solicit for bets. Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± It was clear that the last group of disciples had mostly betted against him. Otherwise, his rates would not have suddenly become better. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Zhao...¡± Huang An walked up to him at this point. ¡°Are you sure about this? How about I just apologise to Senior Martial Brother Gan and get him to cancel this duel?¡± ¡°Are you doubting my ability to win, Junior Martial Sister Huang?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked in a teasing manner. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it...!¡± Huang An quickly corrected. ¡°It¡¯s just that Senior Martial Brother Gan is at the Peak Essence Gathering realm, so you are severely disadvantaged...¡± Gu Qiansi could not help but steal a peek at Zhao Yunxiao as well, wanting to see his reaction.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, cultivation isn¡¯t everything,¡± Zhao Yunxiao patted Huang An lightly on the head. ¡°Let me show you how it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°But...!¡± ¡°If you really wish the best for your Senior Martial Brother Zhao, you need to stop putting him down before the duel,¡± Gu Qiansi quickly chided. ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°...Okay,¡± Huang An obediently walked over to hold Gu Qiansi¡¯s outstretched hand. Zhao Yunxiao smiled and looked around them. Judging by the size of the crowd, probably more than half of the outer disciples had turned up today. He also spotted Nie Hanchang standing in a corner, casually leaning against a tree with his arms crossed. Upon noticing his gaze, Nie Hanchang looked over and nodded. Zhao Yunxiao returned the greeting, then continued walking ahead. This time, Gu Qiansi and the others did not join him by his side. Zhao Yunxiao slowly walked up the appointed stage with steady steps. On the stage, Hua Sheng and Gan Luozhi had already arrived and were waiting for him. ¡°Apologies for the wait, Senior Martial Brother Hua, Senior Martial Brother Gan,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clasped his fists towards the duo. ¡°Not at all. You are on time,¡± Hua Sheng corrected. ¡°We are the ones who have arrived early.¡± ¡°Shall we get started since we are both already here?¡± Gan Luozhi asked. ¡°There are only a few minutes to go. Let¡¯s just wait for the appointed time,¡± Hua Sheng refused. He knew that there were many outer disciples who had taken the day off to watch this fight, so starting earlier might result in disappointment for some of them. ¡°Prevailing rate is at 20 to 1.2 ¨C Zhao Yunxiao at 20, Gan Luozhi at 1.2!¡± Hmm? Did the rates for his victory just decrease? Zhao Yunxiao could not help but look over, only to see Jun Chuan walking away from the senior disciple who had been collecting bets. Jun Chuang noticed his gaze and responded with a thumbs-up. Zhao Yunxiao could not help but shake his head with a helpless smile. Some people might feel that betting in someone¡¯s favour was a way of supporting them, but Zhao Yunxiao did not believe in something like that. After all, it was not as though he would gain some sort of advantage just because of how much had been betted on him. As long as one did not allow their mental state to be affected by something as insignificant as bet rates, none of that would matter. ¡°Throwing sect points away like that just to express support ¨C what a good friend you have!¡± Gan Luozhi said sarcastically. ¡°Perhaps if you changed your ways, you could actually gain some real friends as well,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied without hesitation. ¡°And who knows? Perhaps he is just a smart investor who is about to get richer?¡± ¡°Are you sure you still want to speak to me like that at this juncture?¡± Gan Luozhi narrowed his eyes. ¡°Are you not afraid of angering me?¡± ¡°I should be asking you that instead,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°Are you really still asking me that at this juncture?¡± ¡°How brave of you,¡± Gan Luozhi scoffed, but did not elaborate further. After all, it was not like he could openly declare his intention of completely destroying a fellow outer disciple! As the time drew closer to noon, more and more outer disciples arrived at the Snow Moon Arena. In fact, there were even some inner disciples who had decided to come watch for entertainment. Of course, there were also many outer disciples who chose not to come watch. Some of them believed that the outcome was already decided and were not interested in watching what they believed would just be a public beating, while there were also those who cared not about others¡¯ affairs. Bit by bit, discussions among the audience started to die down. By the time noon arrived, Snow Moon Arena was dead silent, with everyone focusing their attention on the main stage. ¡°As the judge for this duel, let me, Hua Sheng, state the rules,¡± Hua Sheng announced. ¡°This duel will be between Gan Luozhi and Zhao Yunxiao, with each side putting up a spatial escape talisman on the line. Let me emphasise right now that this is not a death match, and the victor will be decided when one side is either knocked down from the stage or incapacitated. Apart from that, I will also step in to stop the fight whenever deemed necessary. If there are no objections, hand me the bets.¡± The duo did not play any tricks, each stepping forward to place a talisman in Hua Sheng¡¯s hands. After checking that there were no issues, Hua Sheng finally stepped down from the stage. This left Gan Luozhi and Zhao Yunxiao as the only ones standing on stage, staring each other down from opposite corners. A gentle breeze swept across the stage, rustling their hair along with their battle robes. The sun rose overhead, unblocked by clouds as it illuminated the stage with its warm golden rays. ¡°It is noon, and I hereby declare that the duel begins!¡± Hua Sheng announced from below the stage. ¡°Please give me your guidance, Senior Martial Brother Gan,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clasped his fists respectfully. ¡°Likewise,¡± Gan Luozhi returned the greeting, albeit with a snide smirk on his face. With a flick of his wrist, a sword appeared in Gan Luozhi¡¯s hands ¨C a sword that Zhao Yunxiao recognised immediately. Flowing Water Sword. This was a sword that had been given to Gan Luozhi by Hua Sheng¡¯s inner disciple elder brother, Hua Shui. It was a light sword, specifically designed to enable swift attacks. When paired with Gan Luozhi¡¯s Wind Immortal¡¯s Nine Directional Sword, it became extremely tricky to deal with. ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and bring out your halberd!¡± Gan Luozhi urged. ¡°You are lucky that you are facing me right now. Against a more ruthless opponent, you would be dead before even getting the chance to do so!¡± Just like Zhao Yunxiao had heard about Gan Luozhi, the reverse was true as well. Zhao Yunxiao had been using a halberd as his main weapon for years, so Gan Luozhi was naturally aware of that much. ¡°You have misunderstood, Senior Martial Brother Gan,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head calmly. ¡°Out of respect for you as a senior, I will not be using my halberd for our duel. That said, this is a handicap that I have willingly taken upon myself, so you do not need to be concerned about it. Please feel free to do your best, regardless.¡± His tone was calm and steady, but his words alone were shocking enough to send shockwaves through the hearts of the audience. Not only was Zhao Yunxiao challenging Gan Luozhi to a duel despite possessing a lower cultivation level, but he was also giving the latter a handicap by not using his main weapon? Huang An anxiously tightened her hand that was holding onto Gu Qiansi, while the latter let out a helpless sigh. Nie Hanchang chuckled a little, while Lu Zhiying grinned in anticipation for the show that was about to start. Gasps of shock could be heard from all over the crowds as well, no one expecting Zhao Yunxiao to make such a bold declaration. It was one thing to do so when it was a friendly spar, but everyone was well aware of the circumstances that had led to this duel. Not only was their pride on the line, but there were also two spatial escape talismans! Zhao Yunxiao was probably the only one who would mess around under such circumstances! Even Hua Sheng could not help but narrow his eyes at Zhao Yunxiao, his evaluation of the latter changing slightly after hearing what he said. ¡°What a good junior martial brother! How bold! I just hope that you don¡¯t regret this later!¡± Gan Luozhi spoke through gritted teeth, his rage welling up from deep within. To think that Zhao Yunxiao would dare show him such disrespect! His instincts were already screaming at him, telling him to completely rip this brat to shreds! Wind Immortals Nine Directional Sword Gan Luozhi could no longer stand still at this point. Executing the Xuanwu Movement Art, he charged forward with the Flowing Water Sword raised. In response, Zhao Yunxiao immediately retreated. Since cultivators could easily cover large distances in a short amount of time, the stage was naturally not small by any measure. Otherwise, every duel on the stage would just end up being an all-out brawl in close proximity. Zhao Yunxiao made full use of this to run circles around the stage. It was clear to all that he had opted to take an evasive stance instead of meeting Gan Luozhi in a frontal exchange. ¡°Hmph!¡± Gan Luozhi harrumphed in disdain. After that bold declaration, he had suspected that Zhao Yunxiao might have something hidden up his sleeves, but this was all he had? What a joke! At this point, Gan Luo finally understood the reason behind that bold declaration from earlier. Zhao Yunxiao was just trying to find an excuse to explain his eventual loss! But if Zhao Yunxiao believed that he could end things with a simple loss, then he was completely mistaken. Now that things had come to this, there was no way that Gan Luozhi would allow him to leave without first breaking a limb or two! Otherwise, how was he supposed to show his face around the outer sect in the future? Essence energy burst forth from within Gan Luozhi, gathering in his hand that was holding the Flowing Water sword. [Wind Immortal¡¯s Nine Directional Sword] The gentle spring breeze that had been blowing across the stage picked up all of a sudden, instantly picking up in intensity. It did not take long before getting to the point where ordinary adult males would be swept away by the wind! These strong winds seemed to be coming from all directions, greatly hindering Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s movements and pushing him towards the centre of the stage. He could still resist it to a certain extent. But with this hindrance in play, it was not going to take much for Gan Luozhi to catch up with him. Thud-! Thud-! Zhao Yunxiao dropped two daggers, sticking them into the ground behind him. ¡°Tch!¡± Gan Luozhi quickly deviated from his original path, avoiding the two daggers just in time. Boom-! The two daggers exploded behind Zhao Yunxiao. Though they failed to hit the vigilant Gan Luozhi, it still increased the distance between the two. ¡°Do you only know how to run? Too bad for you, but there is no running from me!¡± Gan Luozhi waved his sword, and the winds blowing into the arena further increased in intensity. Zhao Yunxiao frowned as his movements slowed down immediately. Just as expected, the Wind Immortal¡¯s Nine Directional Sword truly lived up to its name. It was extremely troublesome to deal with! In fact, this was a high-level sword technique that someone like Gan Luozhi would never have had access to under normal circumstances. The Wind Immortal¡¯s Nine Directional Sword was a sword technique developed by Elder Feng Wanjia, passed down to members of her faction in the inner sect. In a way, this technique could be considered an identifier of sorts, whereby anyone who used this technique could be considered a member of her faction. And with her approval, Hua Shui in turn taught this technique to Hua Sheng and his close companions. Just like that, someone like Gan Luozhi not only managed to get his hands on the powerful Flowing Water Sword, but also a sword technique that was usually only taught to inner disciples of the sect. This was the power of connections. By having a good relationship with people in high places, it became possible to obtain benefits far beyond what one would ever be able to get through mere hard work and determination! Under the effect of the Wind Immortal¡¯s Nine Directional Sword, Zhao Yunxiao understood that it had become impossible for him to keep avoiding Gan Luozhi. Therefore, he decisively turned around to face his opponent. Zhao Yunxiao did not rush into close combat. Instead, he chose to stand still in his battle stance, allowing the strong winds to slowly drag him over. Seeing this, Gan Luozhi could not help but let out a smirk. ¡°Finally realised that you can¡¯t run any longer?¡± He stood tall and steady. Except for his fluttering robe and hair, he seemed completely unaffected by the strong winds that were slamming against Zhao Yunxiao. Zhao Yunxiao did not respond to his taunt, silently keeping his eyes locked on Gan Luozhi and his Flowing Water Sword. Every change in expression, every flex of the muscle, every bit of change in distance, every movement of the eye... Zhao Yunxiao made sure to pay close attention to every last detail. Slowly but surely, the distance between the two began to decrease. The audience watched with bated breaths. It was only a matter of time before they entered each other¡¯s attack range. Considering the difference in cultivation levels, this might just be where the fight will end! With a sword in hand, Gan Luozhi¡¯s attack range was naturally longer than Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s. And the moment Zhao Yunxiao got close enough, Gan Luozhi thrust his sword forward without hesitation. Zhao Yunxiao narrowed his eyes in concentration. Sword thrust to the forehead: 66% Sword thrust to the left shoulder: 29% It was the former ¨C Gan Luozhi¡¯s sword pierced straight towards Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s forehead. The latter reacted instantly, promptly crouching down while sidestepping to the right, cleanly avoiding the Flowing Water Sword. A dagger appeared in his hands, and he slashed up towards Gan Luozhi.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. However, the powerful winds suddenly changed direction at that moment, pushing him away from Gan Luozhi. His attack would still have connected had he been using a halberd, but the range of a dagger was simply too short. Of course, its range was only short when used like a sword. Whoosh-! The moment he realised that the distance between them was increasing, Zhao Yunxiao threw the dagger without hesitation, aiming for a slight opening that Gan Luozhi had revealed after piercing out with the Flowing Water Sword. ¡°In your dreams!¡± Gan Luozhi scoffed. While he might not have enough time to bring his sword back as a guard, he still had his other hand free. A red cloth appeared in Gan Luozhi¡¯s hand, which he threw open in the direction of the oncoming dagger. The red cloth spun in the air after unravelling, looking like a spinning red wall that stood between the dagger and Gan Luozhi. When the dagger hit the cloth, the cloth instantly wrapped around it, catching it and slowing it down to a halt within moments. Poof-! The cloth trembled a little, but it easily withstood the explosion of the dagger that had just happened within. Zhao Yunxiao had expected as much, but he still wanted to try his luck. Unfortunately, it would appear that Gan Luozhi had not been exaggerating the defensive capabilities of his treasures. The winds reversed once again, pushing him back into the attack range of the Flowing Water Sword. Downward slash to the neck: 96% The blade shone with a silver glint under the spring sun, reflecting the light on Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s neck. It was almost as though this was some sort of ominous mark that foretold the connection of the sword. Zhao Yunxiao knew better than to block the Flowing Water Sword with his daggers. After all, these daggers were made with regular steel. Even when imbued with essence energy, they were unlikely to be able to endure a clash with the treasure sword. [Unyielding Stone Bind] Two chains made of earth and rocks shot out from the ground, creating a blockade between him and the sword. Slash-! Slash-! The two earthen chains were directly sliced apart, falling back to the ground as four portions. Still, it bought just enough time for Zhao Yunxiao to dodge out of the way. Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s mastery of the Unyielding Stone Bind was already rather decent by now, but the combination of the Flowing Water Sword and the Wind Immortal¡¯s Nine Directional Sword was on another level altogether. ¡°Haven¡¯t you realised it already? There¡¯s nothing you can do!¡± Gan Luozhi deliberately taunted while slashing out once more. He was not entirely wrong, either. In everyone¡¯s eyes, Gan Luozhi had maintained control over the fight ever since the very start. All Zhao Yunxiao did was dodge around the stage, with all of his attack attempts neutralised with relative ease. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before he slipped up. And considering the various advantages that Gan Luozhi held, just one clean strike was probably all it would take to incapacitate Zhao Yunxiao. If the crowd could see this, so could Gan Luozhi and Zhao Yunxiao. That was also the reason why Gan Luozhi had been repeatedly taunting Zhao Yunxiao. He wanted to stir up Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s emotions, especially his sense of self-respect and dignity, so that the latter would choose to keep fighting instead of giving up. After all, Gan Luozhi was planning to use this chance to send a message to everyone, warning them to never mess with him in the future. But in order for that to happen, Zhao Yunxiao had to first remain on stage so that Gan Luozhi would even have the chance to deal some real damage! Zhao Yunxiao easily saw through his intentions, but he did not mind it one bit. In fact, this was what he preferred as well. Rather than going all out from the start and quickly deciding things through a rapid exchange of moves, drawing out the fight made it easier for him to confirm the veracity of his data. Just like when hunting a prey out in the wilderness, he wanted to be certain of his opponent¡¯s behavioural patterns before truly making his move. The winds howled, and Zhao Yunxiao found himself being pushed towards Gan Luozhi once more. ¡°You actually dared to challenge me with just this much?¡± Gan Luozhi said mockingly. ¡°All right, this has gone on long enough. It¡¯s time to properly teach you the consequences of disrespecting your seniors.¡± Winds started to spin around the Flowing Water Sword, dense enough to turn visible as they encased the blade like a mini tornado. This was a move that the inner disciples present recognised immediately. Heavenly Wind Slash ¨C the signature move of the Wind Immortal¡¯s Nine Directional Sword. By summoning a tornado around the sword that could extend freely, this move effectively increased the range, area of effect, and destructiveness of the impending sword strike. When facing disciples from Elder Feng Wanjia¡¯s faction, this was a move that one definitely had to be wary of! Gan Luozhi¡¯s execution of the technique was far lacking as compared to the inner disciples, but most were still curious as to how this version of the sword art would fare against outer disciples. Zhao Yunxiao narrowed his eyes upon seeing this. It would appear that Gan Luozhi was starting to lose his patience, which explained why he was starting to use more advanced combat techniques. Most would feel that Gan Luozhi was intending to strike him down with the next attack, but Zhao Yunxiao understood that such a thing was not Gan Luozhi¡¯s aim. Instead, Gan Luozhi was probably thinking of injuring him just enough to significantly slow his movements, making it easier to continue tormenting him on stage. But regardless of Gan Luozhi¡¯s aim, Zhao Yunxiao could not afford to be struck by that next attack. The main problem that people faced when confronting the Heavenly Wind Slash was the fact that the summoned tornado could move independently of the sword. This meant that it was effectively two attacks disguised as one, making it much more difficult to avoid. And when struck by the Heavenly Wind Slash, its sheer destructive capability was something that few could truly stand up to. Zhao Yunxiao had always been confident in his endurance ability, but he was definitely not intending to test the might of this attack on such an important stage! But since Gan Luozhi had decided to take things up a notch, Zhao Yunxiao decided that perhaps it was time for him to start making his move as well. ¡°Watch my sword!¡± Gan Luozhi cautioned, though the sinister light in his eyes betrayed his true intentions. The Flowing Water Sword slashed down mercilessly. At the same time, the loud howling of the winds could be heard throughout the entire Snow Moon Arena as the mini tornado escaped the confines of the sword and swept out in all directions, leaving almost no safe spots remaining on the entire stage. All attention fell onto Zhao Yunxiao at this moment. Unless he possessed spatial capabilities, it seemed nigh impossible for him to avoid Gan Luozhi¡¯s attack. Now, there was one question on everyone¡¯s mind ¨C just how would Zhao Yunxiao defend against the Heavenly Wind Slash? Unfortunately, they did not get the answer they wanted. Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Zhao Yunxiao dived straight into the ground in response, causing both attacks to hit nothing but air. He still avoided it in the end. ¡°Do you only know how to run?!¡± Gan Luozhi roared in frustration. ¡°Don¡¯t you realise that you are just delaying the inevitable? You would have to come out eventually, so why don¡¯t you save everyone¡¯s time and do so right now?¡± Rumble-! As though responding to his taunts, the floor of the stage broke open as Zhao Yunxiao rose from the ground. ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡± Gan Luozhi smirked. ¡°Everyone here has gathered to watch us, so let¡¯s not wast-¡± His words were cut short when the floor of the stage started to break open in various other spots. Rumble-! Rumble-! Rumble-! Gan Luozhi felt the corner of his lips twitch as the ground started breaking in various spots around him. One by one, Zhao Yunxiaos started appearing on the stage until there were five of them surrounding Gan Luozhi. ¡°What a waste of time!¡± Gan Luozhi gnashed his teeth in irritation. ¡°Do you really think that this kind of petty trick will ever work on me? Just who the hell do you think I am?¡± Inexperience of Youth ¡°Naturally not,¡± all five Zhao Yunxiaos started speaking in unison. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Gan is all powerful. How can anything I do ever work against you?¡± Gan Luozhi felt the corner of his lips twitch as the rage within him reached a whole new level, especially when he noticed the suppressed chuckles that were coming from the crowd. Let¡¯s see just how long you can stay this cheeky! He was not flustered from seeing Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s Earthen Clone Technique. After all, cloning techniques were quite popular among cultivators. Apart from the Earthen Clone Technique, there were also other techniques that had a similar effect. But just because it was popular, that did not mean it would be effective. Most cloning techniques shared the same flaws. Firstly, clones were usually significantly weaker than the original user, which meant that they were not as threatening. Secondly, there were usually subtle differences in their movements, which made it possible to identify the true body as long as one paid close attention in combat. Thirdly, cloning techniques were quite taxing on both mental capacity and essence energy, making it a huge investment for something that might not yield a proportionate amount of benefits. Lastly, since the clones had to be directly controlled by the user, it also meant that they would stop moving altogether once the true body was too occupied to continue doing so! Because of all these limitations, it became a common belief that cloning techniques were more suited for information gathering than actual combat. And this difference was further amplified in the case of a direct duel, as it was definitely much easier to discern the true body from the clones when you only had one opponent to worry about! In comparison, fighting with a pet beast would have been superior in almost every aspect. Therefore, what Gan Luozhi was feeling right now was more of frustration than fear, seeing this as nothing but a mere delaying tactic by Zhao Yunxiao. As he was thinking that, all five Zhao Yunxiaos started advancing towards him. This time, they were not just allowing the wind to push them forward, but actively approaching on their own accord. Despite his rage and irritation, Gan Luozhi did not get careless. He swept his spiritual sense across the five, carefully observing their every move. Just which one was the true body? ...He truly could not tell! These clones all bore the exact same appearance and moved in the exact same manner! Still, Gan Luozhi remained calm. If he could not identify the true body, he would just have to force the true body to reveal himself! The howling of winds could be heard once more as the mini tornado reformed upon his Flowing Water Sword. ¡°Come!¡± Gan Luozhi roared while slashing out in a wide horizontal arc. [Heavenly Wind Slash] Just like before, the mini tornado escaped the imaginary confines of the sword and swept out in all directions. Zhao Yunxiao might think he had him surrounded, but that meant little when he could just respond with a technique that could cover almost the entire stage at once! The five Zhao Yunxiaos narrowed their eyes simultaneously. [Unyielding Stone Bind] Ten chains of earth and stone broke through the surface of the ground, wrapping around a single Zhao Yunxiao to form some sort of dome-shaped earthen fortress. Bang-! The ferocious winds slammed against the earthen dome, tearing chunks of it off like an invisible beast. Huge cracks appeared all around the dome, but it remained standing. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the other four Zhao Yunxiaos. Without the cover of something like the earthen dome, they were defenceless against the powerful gales, which knocked them straight out of the stage! Thud-! Thud-! Thud-! Thud-! The four Zhao Yunxiaos stopped moving the moment they touched the ground, instantly crumbling into earthen chunks. However, Gan Luozhi paid no attention to them. Instead, he shot forward immediately, slashing out towards the earthen dome. ¡°As if this will work!¡± Gan Luozhi¡¯s Flowing Water Sword sliced right through the already-crumbling earthen dome. Slash-! Not only did his treasure blade slice through the earthen dome, but it also reached Zhao Yunxiao who was hiding within. The tip of the blade cut through Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s clothes like paper, creating a deep horizontal gash across his chest. Zhao Yunxiao tried to punch Gan Luozhi in what seemed like a last-ditch attempt to take his opponent down with him, but his body crumbled into earthen chunks before his fist could connect. It was another clone!If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Rumble-! From behind Gan Luozhi, Zhao Yunxiao leapt up from within the ground and immediately threw a dagger towards him, aiming for his open back. ¡°Fat hope. I saw through your plan from the very start!¡± Gan Luozhi harrumphed. At the same time, he threw open his red cloth, allowing the defensive treasure to form a red wall behind him. Rumble-! Another four Zhao Yunxiaos leapt out of the ground in the other four directions, each throwing a dagger towards Gan Luozhi. Gan Luozhi widened his eyes in surprise. Just how many clones are there?! In fact, he was not the only one who was caught by surprise. Everyone knew that Zhao Yunxiao was only at the Intermediate Essence Gathering realm. To create these many clones at once, it would appear that Zhao Yunxiao was really going all in on this exchange, not hesitating to deplete all his essence energy in one go! What a reckless gamble! Now, it was a matter of whether Gan Luozhi could brave this assault. If he did, the fight would be as good as over! Gan Luozhi shared the same thoughts as the crowd. But with daggers coming at him from all directions, he did not have the same luxury of time to slowly ponder over his next move. Thankfully, he at least already had his back covered. So, that was one less dagger to worry about. Gan Luozhi reacted quickly, desperately using the Flowing Water Sword to deflect the remaining four daggers. Despite them being thrown in such a way that they should arrive at the exact same time, Gan Luozhi still managed to vary the contact timing a little by using the winds to his advantage. However, these were not regular daggers. Boom-! The first dagger that he blocked ended up exploding in his face, creating a ball of fire that completely engulfed him. Thankfully, Gan Luozhi had already expected this after having seen Zhao Yunxiao do the same thing earlier, so he had shrouded himself with a defensive layer of essence energy. Boom-! Boom-! Boom-! Gan Luozhi might be better known for his notorious behaviours, but it was not as though he had no ability to his name. Having hung around Hua Sheng for this long, it would be strange if he had not learnt a thing or two. Despite being blinded by the flames and smoke that had appeared from the very first explosion, he managed to block the other three daggers. Still, he was not completely unfazed by the assault. With the successive explosions striking him at point black, Gan Luozhi could not help but stumble back a little. And this alone caused the rage in his heart to rise to an unprecedented level. He had intended for this duel to be a completely one-sided affair from start to finish. Even though he did not suffer any serious injuries thanks to his defensive layer of essence energy, just the fact that he had been forced a few steps back might create the illusion that he was actually struggling against an opponent with a lower cultivation. That was not something that he could accept! Huu-! Gan Luozhi let out a deep breath to calm himself down. Regardless, he knew that the fight was already over. To create this many clones would have taken a huge toll on Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s essence energy reserves. As a cultivator at the Intermediate Essence Gathering realm, just that alone should have forced him to push himself beyond his limit. A bold gamble to end things all at once ¨C a wise decision. After all, if the fight were to drag on for long, Zhao Yunxiao would surely be the first to run out of essence energy. This was the advantage of possessing a higher cultivation level. Not only was he able to execute techniques that required greater energy consumption, but his energy reserve was also much larger, allowing him to fight for a longer duration as long as he kept pace. Zhao Yunxiao must have thought about this and was worried about an extended fight, which was what led to him taking this gamble. And it almost worked too. In a way, it was only due to a huge mistake by Zhao Yunxiao that Gan Luozhi had come out relatively unscathed. Had Zhao Yunxiao not used the explosive daggers earlier, Gan Luozhi might not have thought to shroud himself in a defensive layer of essence energy when blocking the daggers. If that were the case, getting hit by the resulting explosions might actually have caused some serious injuries. Then again, perhaps it was to be expected of someone who had only just hit twenty years of age. This was the inexperience of youth! And starting from now, this would be his show. Now that Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s essence energy reserves had depleted, Gan Luozhi no longer had to worry about much. The only question was how he could best use Zhao Yunxiao as an example to send a clear warning message to everyone! Fortunately for Gan Luozhi, he was still hidden within the cloud of smoke that had formed from the explosions. This prevented those in the crowd from noticing the cold light that flashed across his eyes. Instead, the crowd turned their attention to something else. ¡°Wait a minute. What is he doing?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me...?¡± ¡°No way, is that really possible?¡± Loud discussions coming from below the stage broke Gan Luozhi from his train of thoughts. And when he swept his spiritual sense out to observe his surroundings, Gan Luozhi could not help but widen his eyes in shock. With a single thought, winds swept across the stage and instantly dispersed the cloud of smoke from around him. This cleared his vision, allowing him to visually confirm what he had sensed earlier. Right now, the five Zhao Yunxiaos were standing still, facing him from five different directions. There was a strand of essence energy coming from each of them, spreading out to intertwine with one another. At the same time, a globe of light had formed above Gan Luozhi, comprising light waves of five distinctly different colours. A chill ran down Gan Luozhi¡¯s spine as he recognised this technique immediately. How could he not? Yet at the same time, he was also struck by confusion, unable to understand what was going on. Shouldn¡¯t Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s essence energy reserves be depleted by now? No, even if that was not that case, he still should not be facing this technique right now! This is a duel! It simply does not make any sense! ¡°Physical Seal, Mental Seal, Elemental Seal, Vitality Seal, Temporal Seal, activate!¡± The five Zhao Yunxiaos called out in unison, and a multi-layered suppressive force fell upon Gan Luozhi. [Terra Seal Formation] Dishonourable Victory It was an overwhelming suppressive force that instantly forced him to his knees! Yet even as he was subjected to this heavy suppression, Gan Luozhi still could not fully comprehend what was going on. This was obviously the Terra Seal Formation ¨C a battle formation that sought to weaken the enemy by sealing off various aspects of their abilities. However, battle formations were supposed to be executed as a group! Was it really possible to do it with clones? Or were there people secretly helping Zhao Yunxiao from the side? Gan Luozhi could not be faulted for thinking that way. Apart from him, there were many among the crowd who started spreading their spiritual sense to scan the surroundings, wanting to find out if anyone was helping Zhao Yunxiao in secret. On the other hand, Hua Sheng could not help but nod in approval. This was an extremely rare move. In fact, executing a battle formation with clones was something that the majority of outer disciples had never even considered possible. However, this was not something unheard of. In fact, it was a topic that had always been the subject of research and experiments, even at the highest levels. After all, battle formations provide a significant boost to overall combat strength. So, if a cultivator was able to do that all by himself, the results were definitely not something to be scoffed at! On top of that, doing this alone could directly circumvent the difficulty of spiritual synchronisation. Clones were controlled with a single individual in the first place, so synchronising with your own clones would naturally be much easier than synchronising with other individuals. Unfortunately, there was a huge flaw with this combat style that no one had a good answer for, even till date. Executing a battle formation was something that demanded absolute concentration, requiring one to constantly adapt to every little change in the battle conditions. At the same time, controlling one¡¯s clones also required a similar amount of mental strain. This dual source of mental strain created an extremely tall hurdle that few could overcome, where only those with an incredible mental fortitude could even begin to attempt doing so. Should the cultivator¡¯s mental strength reach its limit while trying to do this, the battle formation could easily end up failing, bringing about an energy backlash to every single clone and the true body. In addition, clones were usually much weaker and more fragile. This meant that if the cultivator failed to protect any of the clones involved in executing the battle formation, this battle formation could also end up failing. An energy backlash was not a joke, and that was more so the case when executing a complex technique like a battle formation. It could completely kill off a cultivator¡¯s ability to continue fighting, or if serious enough, result in severe injuries that could be irreversible or even lead to death! Because of the risks involved, even cultivators with a much higher cultivation level would not attempt something like that unless they had absolutely no other choice. Hua Sheng did not know if Zhao Yunxiao was aware of the risks involved. But if he knew and still decided to go for it, then his gamble was truly paying off right now. Under the suppression of the Terra Seal Formation, not only had Gan Luozhi been forced to his knees, but he also had to summon every last bit of his energy just to prevent himself from falling flat onto the ground! Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s eyes flashed with a cold light, and a dagger flew out towards Gan Luozhi. Pierce-! Blood spurted out from Gan Luozhi¡¯s thigh as the dagger directly buried itself in his thigh. ¡°Argh!¡± Gan Luozhi¡¯s attempt to suppress his groan ended in vain. Audible gasps came from the crowd, followed by loud discussions that were a mix of excitement, worry, and intrigue. Gan Luozhi did not even attempt to put up a defence against the flying dagger? It would appear that he simply did not have any excess strength left in him while resisting the effect of this Terra Seal Formation. This meant that as long as Zhao Yunxiao could keep up the battle formation, Gan Luozhi would be nothing more than a sitting duck! Zhao Yunxiao understood that as well. But the duel was not over just. No matter what he had to do, he had to ensure that he claimed this victory. This was the only way to send a message not only to Gan Luozhi, but to everyone watching right now. He did not care who the other party¡¯s backing was. If someone dared to mess with his companions, then he would do everything in his power to retaliate accordingly! Pierce-! ¡°Argh!¡± Gan Luozhi gritted his teeth as another dagger pierced his thigh. His entire body was trembling ¨C a result of both the physical strain and the agony that he was feeling right now. And his injuries actually only made up a small portion of the agony that he was feeling. On the contrary, the main reason was actually sheer frustration and embarrassment. He finally understood the real reason why Zhao Yunxiao had been throwing out those explosive daggers repeatedly since the very beginning. It was all to condition him to see it as a simple attack on its own. And the moment Gan Luozhi let his guard down by just a little, Zhao Yunxiao directly pulled a fast one on him, using the explosions to camouflage this crazy move. How despicable! Is he really going to lose this duel? To a trick like this?Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. He refuses to accept that! At this moment, Gan Luozhi deeply regretted not going all out from the start. He believed that if he had taken this seriously right from the get-go, there was absolutely no question that he would have been the one standing over his opponent right now! ¡°The next dagger might just hit somewhere a lot more important. Are you still not going to admit defeat?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. His words drew meaningful smiles and surprised coughs from the crowd, though there were also some who felt offended. ¡°End the fight already! You resorted to trickery like this to win, and you still have the cheek to shame your opponent?¡± ¡°A warrior can be killed, but not humiliated! That¡¯s going too far!¡± ¡°This is just torture! How can you bear to be so cruel to your fellow sect member?¡± ¡°What are you so proud of? This battle formation nonsense only works as a surprise trick in a duel. If this is a real fight, you would have lost for sure!¡± ¡°Senior Martial Brother Gan was just giving you a chance earlier. How can you take advantage of his kindness like this? Despicable!¡± ¡°Even if you win today, it will be nothing but a dishonourable victory resulting from trickery! What¡¯s the point in that?¡± People in the crowd started to openly voice their complaints, their voices getting louder and louder, to the point where some even began to shout towards the stage. After all, Gan Luozhi had his fair share of supporters as well, most of whom wanting to ride on his connection to Hua Sheng. These people could not bear to just stand and watch as Gan Luozhi suffered in such a disgraceful manner. Not just that, but part of the complaints also came from those who had suffered from his antics in the past and felt bitter about their previous interactions after seeing Zhao Yunxiao dare to stand up for himself. Once a community grew large enough, there were bound to be people like this. If they could not get something good, they would not feel good about others getting it as well. If they had been treated unfairly, they similarly needed others to suffer from the same unfair treatment. Otherwise, they would not feel balanced in their hearts! ¡°Silence!¡± Hua Sheng shouted, and everyone shut up immediately. Lost in their wave of emotions, they had momentarily forgotten that Hua Sheng was the judge for the duel! If Hua Sheng did not say a word, what right did they have to do so? Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t they be effectively criticising Hua Sheng¡¯s judgement regarding the fairness of the duel? Zhao Yunxiao had not bothered with the complaints from the start. But when he heard Hua Sheng shut them up, a faint smile still crept up on his face. As expected, Hua Sheng was impartial in his judgement. Or at the very least, he was forced to be impartial with this many people watching. With that, Zhao Yunxiao turned his attention back towards Gan Luozhi. He could see the indignance on Gan Luozhi¡¯s face, with eyes that were about to tear up from sheer frustration. It was not like Zhao Yunxiao could not relate to Gan Luozhi¡¯s feelings. If their roles were reversed, Zhao Yunxiao would probably be feeling just as indignant. No, that was not quite right either. Gan Luozhi should probably be feeling worse because of his reputation in the sect and his higher cultivation level. On top of that, Gan Luozhi probably felt that he should not have lost at all. After all, executing a battle formation with clones was not exactly the most traditional move. Some might even say that it was a cowardly move that avoided actual confrontation despite it being a duel. But who cares about what others think? The moment Hua Sheng dismissed all these complaints as the judge, every opinion they had immediately ceased to hold any water! As for the complaints about not ending the fight quickly, it was not like Zhao Yunxiao did not want to do so, but he simply dared not rush into it! The only ways to obtain victory were to either incapacitate or knock his opponent out of the stage, and he would have to use powerful explosives on Gan Luozhi to accomplish either in a safe manner. But with Gan Luozhi¡¯s suppressed state, who knew what kind of injuries a powerful explosion like that could cause? Zhao Yunxiao wanted to secure a clear win and send a message to everyone, but he did not want to cripple Gan Luozhi! If he were to do something like that, his reputation in the sect would plummet into the abyss! Alternatively, he could either use poison to knock Gan Luozhi out, or walk up to physically throw him out of the stage. Unfortunately for him, using poison on a fellow sect member had always been an unspoken taboo due to its potentially lasting effects. As for walking up to physically throw Gan Luozhi out of the stage, it was also too risky an option. It was not uncommon for people to summon forth unexpected bursts of strength when it truly mattered. While the Terra Seal Formation seemed to be completely holding Gan Luozhi down and preventing him from doing anything right now, who knew if he would be able to momentarily overcome this in a last-ditch effort? If that were to happen when Zhao Yunxiao was in close proximity, the tides could turn in an instant! Because of that, Zhao Yunxiao chose to take the safest route ¨C to wear Gan Luozhi down either until he surrendered, or until Hua Sheng decided to declare his victory. Though from the looks of it, Gan Luozhi surrendering was nothing but a pipe dream. Not only was he far from falling into despair, the rage in his eyes was actually growing more intense by the second! As for Hua Sheng... Zhao Yunxiao sneaked a peek at the judge, only to be detected instantly. Nevertheless, Hua Sheng did not show any signs of disapproval despite meeting Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s gaze. Instead, he merely let out a helpless sigh before beginning to slowly make his way up the stage. Seeing this, everyone immediately understood what was going on. The fight was over. ¡°No, I refuse!¡± Gan Luozhi gnashed his teeth and drove his dantian to the limit. He summoned forth every last bit of his essence energy at once, resisting the overwhelming pressure to get to his feet. But how could Zhao Yunxiao ever give him a chance to do so? Whoosh-! A dagger flew through the air, though the trajectory was slightly different from before. Unlike the earlier daggers, which were aimed at Gan Luozhi¡¯s thigh, this one was aimed at Gan Luozhi¡¯s glabella. If it hits, this could potentially mark the end of Gan Luozhi¡¯s life! The crowd was caught by surprise as they witnessed this sudden change in attitude. Some widened their eyes, some frowned, some sneered, while some felt the impulse to curse and swear. As for the person in question, Gan Luozhi focused all his strength into his right arm, desperately raising his Flowing Water Sword to guard against the dagger. Clank-! An uncomfortable silence fell upon the entire Snow Moon Arena, which allowed everyone to hear clearly as the dagger fell harmlessly to the ground. However, it was not Gan Luozhi who had successfully defended against it. Despite his struggle, he had still failed to raise his sword in time. Instead, it was Hua Sheng who had rushed forward and swatted the dagger to the ground at the very last moment, effectively saving Gan Luozhi from impending death. Zhao Yunxiao had expected as much. Or rather, this was the result that he was aiming for by throwing out that dagger. He knew that since Hua Sheng was already making his way up the stage, he would definitely be able to intervene in time. But along with the intervention of the judge, it would also mark the end of the fight. Regardless of whether it was a dishonourable victory that resulted from the trickery, the fact was that Zhao Yunxiao was the victor of this duel! Please Teach Me How To Fight! ¡°As the judge presiding over this duel, I hereby declare that the victor is Zhao Yunxiao!¡± Hua Sheng announced. With that, the silence shrouding over Snow Moon Arena was dispelled in an instant as the crowd immediately broke out into separate discussions, all of which amalgamating to an almost thunderous level of noise. That talentless Zhao Yunxiao actually managed to beat Gan Luozhi? Despite a two boundary disadvantage in cultivation level? Despite giving himself a handicap of not using his main weapon? This was a huge upset! Of course, there were still some people who were unhappy about Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s victory. But with Hua Sheng personally announcing the result, who dared to breathe a word of grievance? Those who were more result-focused started marvelling at Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s individual use of a battle formation, thinking of practising how to do the same themselves. At the same time, those with more analytical minds were thinking back to how the fight had progressed, closely scrutinising the flow of events. It would appear that right from the very start, Gan Luozhi had not landed a single hit on Zhao Yunxiao? Prior to today, everyone thought lightly of Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s chances at victory. After all, a single clean strike from Gan Luozhi was probably all it would take to mark the end of the duel. Yet not only did Gan Luozhi fail to do so, but the actual result was also the complete reverse of that ¨C Zhao Yunxiao effectively took him down in one go by gambling on a single big move. Considering how Gan Luozhi possessed both a superior cultivation level and the Wind Immortal¡¯s Nine Directional Sword, could that really be a coincidence? Or could it be that Zhao Yunxiao had completely read him like a book, making all the right moves in response to Gan Luozhi? Regardless, this was something that they would definitely have to be mindful of in the future. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Zhao actually won...¡± Huang An felt all tension leave her body, and her knees immediately gave way, but she was quickly supported by Gu Qiansi. ¡°Didn¡¯t he say to trust him? Why are you acting so surprised?¡± Gu Qiansi said with a smile. At the same time, she tried her best to suppress the immense sense of relief in her heart. In contrast, Lu Zhiying merely continued watching Zhao Yunxiao in silence, while Nie Hanchang let out a meaningful smile before leaving the Snow Moon Arena. Back on the stage, Gan Luozhi was finally allowed to breathe easy as the Terra Seal Formation came to an end. But before he could say a thing, his eyes widened in surprise as the five Zhao Yunxiaos crumbled to the ground. Not only him, but the majority of those in the crowd went speechless as well. In the end, all five of them were clones! This meant that even if Gan Luozhi had managed to muster enough strength at the end to rush at them and take them down, he still would not have caught Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s true body! Should that have happened, who knew what kind of response would be waiting for Gan Luozhi then? In the end, just how many steps ahead had this Zhao Yunxiao prepared for? The surface of the ground broke open as the real Zhao Yunxiao slowly climbed up. His face was pale and his body was covered in sweat. It was clear that he had overexerted himself a little. However, what most people saw was nothing but the glory of victory emanating from him. After seeing that Gan Luozhi was fine, Hua Sheng slowly walked over to Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Congratulations, Junior Martial Brother Zhao. Here are the talismans that you have earned with this victory,¡± Hua Sheng handed the two spatial escape talismans over to Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Well done.¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior Martial Brother Hua,¡± Zhao Yunxiao received the talismans with trembling hands. ¡°My apologies for what happened at the end.¡± He had directly made use of Hua Sheng to end the duel, and there was no way that Hua Sheng did not know that. Therefore, even if the latter was going to bear a grudge against him for the matter, Zhao Yunxiao still thought that it would be best for him to apologise first. ¡°It is not your fault. If anything, Junior Martial Brother Gan is to be blamed for stubbornly refusing to surrender,¡± Hua Sheng shook his head. ¡°That said, have you already broken through to the Advanced Essence Gathering realm?¡± ¡°Senior Martial Brother Hua is truly wise and resourceful. It is impossible to hide anything from you,¡± Zhao Yunxiao took this chance to throw in some praises. ¡°I have indeed broken through to the Advanced Essence Gathering realm.¡± ¡°I see. Congratulations on that as well. I know how hard you have been working, so it is good to see that your efforts are being rewarded,¡± Hua Sheng nodded. ¡°However, there is something that I have to say regarding your methods, and it is not going to sound good.¡± ¡°Please feel free to give me your guidance, Senior Martial Brother Hua,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied. ¡°You are a smart boy, so I believe you understand just how risky this was. Your reckless gamble might have paid off this time, but I hope you won¡¯t do something as risky in the future. Most of the time, a safe escape is a better choice than a reckless victory,¡± Hua Sheng advised. ¡°I understand, Senior Martial Brother Hua,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°It is good that you understand. Now then, the mental strain from what you did must be enormous, so hurry back and get some rest,¡± Hua Sheng said with a sigh. ¡°I will get going then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao turned to clasp his fists towards Gan Luozhi. ¡°I got lucky today. Thank you for the pointers, Senior Martial Brother Gan.¡± These were mere pleasantries, and nobody present would believe that Zhao Yunxiao truly thought this way. However, it still had to be said as long as Zhao Yunxiao wanted to leave any opportunities for reconciliation in the future.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. After all, no matter what happened between them, they were still members of the same sect. There was always the possibility of them having to work together in the future. ¡°Thank you for the pointers...¡± Gan Luozhi reluctantly replied, his breaths still yet to return to a regular pace. With that, Zhao Yunxiao slowly made his way down the stage while ignoring Gan Luozhi¡¯s spiteful glare. The crowd parted immediately, opening a wide path for him to go through. At the same time, those in the crowd watched him with a mixture of emotions. Joy, anger, bitterness, excitement, admiration, relief, awe... these were just some of the emotions going through these individuals¡¯ minds at this moment. Zhao Yunxiao ignored all of that. At the same time, he was not too surprised by the fact that Hua Sheng had figured out that he had broken through to the Advanced Essence Gathering realm. After all, the techniques he employed were all common techniques that everyone knew about. Anyone with a keen sense of observation would have noticed that his total energy expenditure easily exceeded the capacity of most Intermediate Essence Gathering realm cultivators. Had he not broken through to the Advanced Essence Gathering realm, it would have been literally impossible for him to summon that many clones, and even have them execute the Terra Seal Formation. However, there was something that Hua Sheng had been mistaken about. For Zhao Yunxiao, the risks involved in having his clones execute the Terra Seal Formation were actually not as large as Hua Sheng had imagined. Otherwise, someone as risk-averse as him would never have gone for it. The main downsides to doing so were the mental strain involved and the fragility of the clones, both of which could potentially lead to a premature termination of the technique and, in turn, an energy backlash. But what Hua Sheng did not know was that this mental strain was not nearly at the level where it could tickle Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s mental fortitude! Zhao Yunxiao had always been confident in two main aspects ¨C physical and mental fortitude. That was because they were just about the only traits that had nothing to do with talent, and could only be improved through arduous training. As if that was not enough, he had further refined his mental fortitude by playing on the Benevolent Wave Chessboard with Cha back at the Origin Lake Sect. Through this experience of virtually living for thousands of years and dying dozens of times, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s mental fortitude had already reached a level far beyond his realm! But that alone was not enough to eliminate the risks. After all, there still remained a risk of energy backlash in the event that Gan Luozhi disrupted his clones. Therefore, Zhao Yunxiao had only decided to do this after careful analysis of Gan Luozhi. Gan Luozhi¡¯s basic traits, his combat style, the techniques and equipment in his arsenal, his personality, his attitude towards this duel, the material and state of the duel platform, the weather, the season, the atmosphere of the event... By comparing it closely to himself and running countless battle simulations in his head, Zhao Yunxiao finally came to the conclusion that this would most likely work. At the same time, Zhao Yunxiao understood that there was no such thing as a perfect plan, and thus had no intention of putting all his eggs in this basket. He had been watching Gan Luozhi closely from the start. Had Gan Luozhi managed to overcome the Terra Seal Formation, he would have immediately cancelled the technique so that he would not receive any energy backlash. It would have been an immense waste of energy, but at the very least he would not straight up lose the fight at that point. Zhao Yunxiao let out a helpless sigh as he revisited his earlier train of thoughts while walking away from the stage. It might have worked this time, but the next time would surely be different. Now that he had revealed this move, Gan Luozhi, as well as all of those present who had witnessed this duel, would be wary of it when facing Zhao Yunxiao in the future, so he would effectively have one less trick up his sleeves. It was unfortunate, but Zhao Yunxiao did not regret doing so. After all, securing the victory was still the priority! And it was not as though he would often have the need to fight his fellow sect members anyway. ¡°Let me take a look at you, Senior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Huang An arrived before him at this point, having hurried over the moment he left the stage. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I am fine,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head with a smile, patted Huang An on the head, then continued on his way. The truth was that he was not fine at all. However, he refused to show any signs of weakness here in front of everyone. Otherwise, the impact of the intended message that he wanted to send would be greatly diminished. Huang An quickly hurried after him as he led the way out. As he passed, Gu Qiansi and Lu Zhiying smoothly joined the group and left. Back on the stage, Gan Luozhi limped over to Hua Sheng¡¯s side with his head hung low and blood still flowing down his thigh. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Senior Martial Brother Hua. I¡¯ve let down your expectations.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry. Wins and losses are natural on the arduous path of cultivation. The most important thing is to take this as a learning experience and find a way to improve yourself.¡± ¡°I understand. Thank you for the guidance, Senior Martial Brother Hua.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Hua Sheng nodded in approval. But at the same time, he could not help but keep his gaze locked on the group of four who were currently making their way out of the Snow Moon Arena. What an interesting bunch. *** ¡°What do you mean you didn¡¯t suffer any injuries? You are hurt everywhere!¡± Huang An exclaimed in shock. After leaving Snow Moon Arena, the group had headed straight for the Lightwind Pavilion where Huang An seated Zhao Yunxiao down for a good examination. During this time, Bo Fei came over to join them as well. Nobody had told him anything, but it was not difficult for him to guess that the group would be here. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s different. Those are from my mission earlier,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. ¡°I am feeling a lot better now after replenishing my essence energy.¡± Gu Qiansi narrowed her eyes at him, but chose not to say anything at this point. ¡°You fought Senior Martial Brother Gan despite such injuries?!¡± Huang An felt tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°I am so sorry for causing trouble, Senior Martial Brother Zhao.¡± ¡°What are you sorry for? This is what companions do for each other,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°If you are truly feeling bad about it, perhaps you can waive all my medical expenses in the future?¡± ¡°Tha-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t use this excuse to take advantage of Junior Martial Sister Huang!¡± Gu Qiansi chided before Huang An could agree. ¡°It is one thing for her to do it for you willingly, but don¡¯t force her to make a promise like that!¡± ¡°Fine, fine...¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect you to fight while bearing prior injuries. Seems like you are finally starting to lose that overly careful mentality of yours,¡± Bo Fei said. ¡°Just don¡¯t go too far, or I might have to start thinking of which coffin to buy.¡± ¡°I will only accept coffins made wholely with spirit stones, but can your poor ass afford any of those?¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied matter-of-factly. ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡± Huang An protested. ¡°Are you sure you are feeling all right?¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine,¡± Zhao Yunxiao assured. ¡°You have already done an examination as well, haven¡¯t you? I¡¯m sure you can tell that I didn¡¯t suffer any grievous internal injuries.¡± ¡°It would be too late if that were to happen!¡± Huang An retorted. ¡°That said, you really need to be careful,¡± Bo Fei stopped joking and spoke seriously. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Gan is not someone who would just take things lying down. For all you know, he might already be thinking about how to take revenge for this in the future.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Senior Martial Brother Bo. I will be careful,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered before turning to Lu Zhiying. ¡°You are surprisingly quiet today, Junior Martial Sister Lu.¡± Lu Zhiying did not avert her gaze, looking Zhao Yunxiao in the eye for a good few seconds before finally speaking. ¡°Please teach me how to fight, Senior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Dealing with Hua Xian ¡°Teach you how to fight?¡± Zhao Yunxiao raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why are you asking this all of a sudden? Did something happen during your mission?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Junior Martial Sister Lu?¡± Gu Qiansi asked as well. ¡°Is it because of the corrupted trees? Or is it because of your Senior Martial Brother Zhao¡¯s duel?¡± Corrupted trees? Zhao Yunxiao picked up on it immediately. ¡°I just want to be able to help as well...¡± Lu Zhiying said in an uncharacteristically soft voice. Zhao Yunxiao let out a helpless sigh. ¡°I understand your feelings, but the last thing that you should be doing right now is to succumb to your impatience,¡± Zhao Yunxiao advised. ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been two months since you joined the sect. Right now, your focus should be on building your foundation. Honestly, everything else can wait until you have decided on your own path.¡± ¡° Every cultivator dreamt of becoming all-powerful, but things had to be done one step at a time. As a new cultivator, trying to skip steps in order to get stronger at a faster rate was a known recipe for disaster! As someone whose progression was rather disproportional to the amount of work that he had put in, he had always been eager to find faster ways to increase his strength as well. Over the years, countless people had advised him to be patient. That if he just kept at it, things would surely turn out well in the end, and that he would eventually become stronger in time to come. But every time Zhao Yunxiao heard something like that, he could only think that the other party was patronising him. I understand,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Give me a few days to think this through, and I will see how I can help. No promises, though.¡± ¡° The group had split up to handle their own matters over the past week or two, so they spent the next few hours sharing some sect gossips and news while Zhao Yunxiao meditated to slowly replenish his essence energy. When he finally felt good enough to walk by himself, they promptly left Lightwind Pavilion so that Zhao Yunxiao could return to his residence for a proper rest. Unfortunately, Zhao Yunxiao was not about to get his restful moments just yet. The moment he stepped through the door into his residence, he was greeted by a familiar voice. ¡° ¡° He had initially brought Hua Xian back to Purple Plum Mountain with the intention of handing him over to the sect administrators, then got greedy and wanted to use him for potential experiments first. Not bad,¡± Hua Xian said. ¡°You actually managed to beat a Peak Essence Gathering realm opponent despite only having just broken through to the Advanced Essence Gathering realm. You have quite a bit oftalent!¡± ¡° ¡°I¡¯ve only just said that you are talented, but it looks like I have to take back my words immediately,¡± Hua Xian scoffed. ¡°What I did was not to increase your cultivation rate. Instead, it was to create a pseudo environment that aligns more with your physical traits, making it easier for you to overcome the bottleneck that you are facing.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Zhao Yunxiao pretended as if he understood. ¡°But what about increasing my cultivation rate? Are you able to do that as well?¡± If that was possible, having Hua Xian around would be equivalent to gaining a cultivation acceleration tool ¨C the envy of all cultivators! ¡°Do you think cultivation is a joke?¡± Hua Xian immediately shot him down. ¡°If I could do something like that, wouldn¡¯t I have done that for myself first? After years of doing so, would I still be weak enough for you idiots to capture me?¡± ¡° ...Sorry, I misspoke.¡± But is that really all you are capable of? Isn¡¯t there anything else you can do to help?¡± Zhao Yunxiao continued to probe, hoping to find a better way to make use of Hua Xian. ¡°How about for the next bottleneck? Would you be able to help as well?¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Close enough. At the very least, your guesswork isn¡¯t too bad,¡± Hua Xian replied. ¡°Considering that I am at the Essence Physique realm, being able to help someone at the Intermediate Essence Gathering realm break through their bottleneck is already amazing enough, and you still want me to be able to do more? Do you really think that I am some almighty being?¡± What a pity! He had been hopeful, but it would appear that Hua Xian¡¯s value as a cultivation acceleration tool had ended right as it began. ¡°Why do you look so disappointed? I am still the reason why you managed to win!¡± Hua Xian reminded. ¡°Correction ¨C you are the reason why I managed to win as easily as I did. But without you, I would simply have opted for another way to do so,¡± Zhao Yunxiao reminded. ¡°Regardless, I guess I still have to thank you for it.¡± ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao did not know about Hua Xian¡¯s history, but it was not difficult to imagine that the latter had taken plenty of lives in the past. Letting him go was akin to releasing an unreformed mass murderer back into the wilds. That was not something that Zhao Yunxiao could do in good conscience. That way, Hua Xian would not appear too out of place while enjoying a slightly greater sense of freedom as compared to remaining in the sealed bag. At the same time, Zhao Yunxiao would also be able to continue keeping an eye on him. ¡° ¡° Before letting Hua Xian out of the sealing bag, he still had to find out more about the weaknesses of the fairymist flower demon. While the presence of the sect administrators meant that Hua Xian would not go unpunished if he ever dared to do anything crazy, Zhao Yunxiao did not want to solely rely on that as a control. After all, the damage might have already been done by then. In addition, Hua Xian might not be useful as a cultivation acceleration tool for him, but he could still help Gu Qiansi and rest. Not just that, but he also had his value as an experimental subject. Without a way to suppress Hua Xian himself, it was too risky to let Hua Xian out of the sealing bag. Not only would he end uplosing a valuable asset if the sect administrators were forced to intervene and capture Hua Xian, but he might also be punished on top of that! Zhao Yunxiao entered the meditation room after speaking to Hua Xian. After making sure that the windows were closed, he carefully placed two iron bowls side by side on his table. With a flick of his wrist, the fire ruby fragments that he had gotten from the celestial meteorite appeared in one of the bowls. Its appearance immediately chased away the chill of the spring night, almost as though the blazing sun of summer had appearedhere in this small room. Another flick of his wrist, and a glowing crystal appeared in the other bowl. This was a crystal that he had obtained from the black-spotted colossal lizard¡¯s burrow. Back then, Zhao Yunxiao had no idea what this was. But now, he had a fairly good idea. Comparing the two gemstones side by side, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but let out a smile. One emitted a bright red light, while the other emitted a shimmering blue light. One was constantly generating fire-element energy, while the other was generating water-element energy. Despite the huge contrast in their energy traits, someone who paid close attention would realise that they were actually extremely similar in terms of their internal structures. Water sapphire ¨C a precious stone that could be considered the water-element equivalent of the fire ruby. Back then, it had been easy to recognise the fire ruby due to the sheer amount of it contained within the celestial meteorite, but he did not have that same luxury when it came to the much smaller water sapphire. It was only after obtaining his share of the fire ruby fragments that he finally caught on to what it could be. After confirming the identity of the water sapphire, Zhao Yunxiao quickly stored everything away and walked over to open his window. Around this time every year, purple plum flowers would start to bloom all over the mountain, turning the scenery into a beautiful sea of purple and white. To the members of the Black Tortoise Sect, this change in scenery was the greatest reminder that a new year had begun. Along with the visual stimulation, it was far more symbolic than the intangible verbal mention of New Year¡¯s day. At the same time, he understood that this was but a brief respite. There was still a long list of tasks waiting for him to complete. But before anything else, the grimoire plant would not be able to live forever after being uprooted. Body Strengthening System Zhao Yunxiao did not neglect his daily cultivation just because of this. It was only after a full night of meditation that he finally brought out Lou Yuan¡¯s halberd blueprint, scrutinising it down to the smallest detail. The dimensions of the halberd were rather similar to his own, only differing slightly in terms of weight distribution. This was much unsurprising since Lou Yuan had already seen his earlier halberd. From the beginning, Zhao Yunxiao had told Lou Yuan to come up with a halberd that utilised the essence of the grimoire fruit as one of the main materials, and it was clear that the latter had not forgotten about that. Just like Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s original plan, Lou Yuan¡¯s blueprint had focused on using the essence of the grimoire fruit as a catalyst, which meant that the resulting halberd would also possess both earth and metal elemental properties. However, that was about where the similarities end. Instead of other metals commonly used to forge weapons, Lou Yuan¡¯s blueprint took the black metallic outer layer of the celestial meteorite as its core. He even included the method to process it into actual usable metal, which he called meteor steel. Apart from that, the forging process, the engravings and grooves, the shapes of the parts, the positioning of the parts, the soldering process... all of them differed greatly from what Zhao Yunxiao had initially intended. In fact, some of the methods mentioned were completely alien to him. With his experience in both watching and performing forging, while it might not be perfect, he could still simulate the forging process to a certain extent. Still, that alone was not enough for Zhao Yunxiao. In order to confirm the feasibility of Lou Yuan¡¯s recommended methods, he would still need to look it up in the Sect Library to prove its veracity. [Create a pentagon-shaped joint right below the blade. This would not only serve as a form of support for the blade and a pseudo-guard against stray blades that run along the shaft, but it would also act as an aesthetic key. In addition, it provides the foundation on which you could perform the next step. Please be reminded that this next step is fully optional, so only proceed with it if you wish to bring this halberd to the next level.] [The key is to obtain the fire ruby, the wood amethyst, the metal emerald, the earth topaz, and the water sapphire. Once you have collected all of them, melt them down separately and use the melted stones to create a five-node array on this pentagon-shaped guard. Note that this will only work if you strictly follow the materials and forging process in this blueprint, so don¡¯t blame me if it doesn¡¯t work because you decided to be cheap and use some inferior methods. As for what array to include, here is a list of recommendations...] Zhao Yunxiao knew that there were many high-level items that contained their own arrays. With the help of these arrays, these items were able to grant their users abilities far beyond those that did not. Getting the fire ruby and water sapphire had been purely due to lucky coincidences, so how was he supposed to obtain the other three precious stones? Since that was the case, there was no reason for him to stubbornly stick to his original plan. Fortunately, the precious stones were the only materials that he was lacking. While most of the other materials differed as well, none of them were materials that he did not already possess or could not get his hands on. Perhaps this was also Lou Yuan showing his empathetic side. After all, Lou Yuan seemed to have an impression that he waspoor. Wildflowers could be seen blooming at various spots, adding vibrant colours to the otherwise monotonous landscape. ¡° ¡° Why all of a sudden?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked curiously. Why not?¡± Gu Qiansi turned around to explain. ¡°On top of the obvious benefits, I heard that this also reduces the risk of corruption in vegetation.¡± ¡° This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Better to be safe than sorry,¡± Gu Qiansi shrugged. ¡°In any case, a higher density of world origin energy does help improve our condition too. By doing this, there are only benefits but no harm.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° He did not know what the sect administrators were smoking when they first decided to build Lightwind Pavilion, but the location was truly terrible! That was the main reason for its dilapidation before Zhao Yunxiao and Gu Qiansi decided to fix things. Yet despite their efforts over the years, it remained a fact that the Lightwind Pavilion was essentially still public property, so they had always been hesitant about going too far in the terms of the improvements. Come to think of it, perhaps this would be a better location than his garden plot if he wanted to transplant Hua Xian? This way, he would not have to expose Hua Xian to other sect members, and the mist that would inevitably be created would not impede his work partners from working on the garden plot as well. At the same time, perhaps he could also help to look after the spiritual plants here? ¡° ¡° You will? Then we will leave you a spot,¡± Gu Qiansi nodded before narrowing her eyes at him. ¡°That said, what exactly happened during your mission? How did you get this badly injured from a rain dance mission?¡± ¡° If it is as easy as you say, then you would not have gotten injured,¡± Gu Qiansi scoffed. ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t get Senior Martial Brother Nie injured as well!¡± Yeah, you don¡¯t have to worry about him,¡± Zhao Yunxiao chuckled. ¡°The current Senior Martial Brother Nie is probably more capable than both of us combined.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s the difference that a mythical tier weapon makes,¡± Gu Qiansi understood his underlying meaning immediately. ¡°Since you are free, do you want to help us with this?¡± ¡°What do you mean I am free? I am a busy person!¡± Zhao Yunxiao quickly declined. ¡°I have important matters to attend to today!¡± ¡°Oh? Are you already going back to work?¡± Gu Qiansi asked in surprise. ¡°No, not yet,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head. ¡°In fact, I will probably only resume work after the opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm.¡± ¡°That long? What will you be doing in the meantime?¡± Gu Qiansi raised an eyebrow. ¡°I will be trying to forge a weapon,¡± Zhao Yunxiao saw no reason to hide this. ¡°As expected, you were lying about giving a handicap during the duel, weren¡¯t you?¡± Gu Qiansi shook her head in disbelief. ¡°I knew something was up. With such valuable items on the line, how could someone like you ever voluntarily give yourself a handicap?¡± But since Zhao Yunxiao did not seem to want to talk about it, she chose not to probe further either. ¡° ¡° ¡°I always have a plan,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered confidently. ¡°Wow! So, after Senior Martial Brother Nie, Senior Martial Brother Zhao will be forging a weapon too? Can I watch?¡± Lu Zhiying asked. ¡°Not this time,¡± Zhao Yunxiao rejected her outright. ¡°It is an important process, so I cannot afford to have any distractions during the forging process.¡± ¡°Ah, okay...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will show you if I actually manage to complete it,¡± Zhao Yunxiao patted her gently on the head. ¡°That aside, I am also thinking of refining a Firecrown Pill soon.¡± ¡°Firecrown Pill?¡± Gu Qiansi repeated in surprise. ¡°Sounds like the word going around is true. Have you already broken through to the Advanced Essence Gathering realm?¡± With that many people witnessing the duel between Zhao Yunxiao and Gan Luozhi, Hua Sheng was hardly the only one who had noticed that Zhao Yunxiao should have broken through to the next boundary. ¡°Mm,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°So, it is about time to start doing this.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Gu Qiansi answered solemnly. ¡°Let me know if you need any help.¡± ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t stand on ceremony,¡± Zhao Yunxiao laughed. Wait, what is this Firecrown Pill? Why does it sound like such a serious project?¡± Lu Zhiying asked in confusion. ¡°Is it very difficult to refine?¡± ¡°The refinement of the pill alone is already not easy, but what comes after is where the true difficulty lies,¡± Gu Qiansi explained. ¡°The Firecrown Pill is a catalyst for opening the Mind Gate ¨C one of the Six Gates of Self-Actualisation.¡± ¡°The Six Gates of Self-Actualisation!¡± Lu Zhiying¡¯s eyes lit up upon hearing that. ¡°Are you cultivating the body strengthening system, Senior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Lu Zhiying had already been in the sect for almost two months, so it was only natural that she knew a thing or two about the basics of cultivation by now. While cultivators focused on the essence cultivation system, there were in fact other less popular routes that could complement this. Among them, the most common one had to be the body strengthening system. Most considered the relationship between body strengthening and essence cultivation as the difference between might and magic, separate but not exclusive. The body strengthening system comprised three stages, starting with the Six Gates of Self-Actualisation, followed by the Four Seals of Heaven and Earth, and finally the Nine Paths of Dominion. And within the Six Gates of Self-Actualisation, each gate marked a single boundary, though there was no particular order in which the different gates had to be opened. That said, there were also cultivators who decided to go all in on it, abandoning the essence cultivation system altogether to focus solely on advancing through the body strengthening system. Some even succeeded in making a name for themselves in this matter, using sheer physical prowess to overcome all essence-based techniques from their opponents. I have yet to start cultivating in the body strengthening system, but I intend to do so indeed,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. Zhao Yunxiao did not plan to go as far as abandoning the essence cultivation system to focus solely on the body strengthening system. On the contrary, he had always believed that he needed to work on both routes in order to keep up with his peers. This might sound strange to others, especially considering the fact that he was already struggling with his cultivation rate in the essence cultivation system. If he divided his focus on top of that, it would only make sense for his cultivation rate to plummet further. After all, combat capabilities were almost just as important on the path of cultivation. He had always taken pride in that physical endurance of his, actively seeking ways to use it as his edge against others who were more talented than him. So, if his ongoing efforts in that aspect could be further rewarded by cultivating the body strengthening system, then he definitely could not let this opportunity go to waste! Plant Cruelty As for why Zhao Yunxiao had not just gone straight for the body strengthening system from the very start, that was simply because it was impossible to do so. Without the existence of spiritual meridians to carry energy throughout their body, even the body strengthening system that focused on the body would be unable to exhibit its prowess. In this case, cultivators would be left with sheer muscle strength, making them almost no different from ordinary strong mortals. Secondly, the barrier of entry was much higher for the body strengthening system. Opening each of the Six Gates of Self-Actualisation required a catalyst, and all of them comprised various precious ingredients that were not easy to obtain. Thirdly, even with a catalyst in hand, the actual process of breaking through each gate could be described as torturous, requiring immense physical and mental fortitude to overcome. Not to mention ordinary mortals, even many cultivators had failed to endure through it! That was why Zhao Yunxiao had been shelving the matter in the past. How nice! I wish I could quickly reach Peak Foundation Building realm, so that I can embark on the path of body strengthening as well!¡± Lu Zhiying said in envy. ¡°What about you, Senior Martial Sister Gu? When are you going to start?¡± ¡° You are not?¡± Lu Zhiying¡¯s disappointment could almost be seen on her face. ¡° ¡° First and foremost, he had to verify the feasibility of Lou Yuan¡¯s methods. If he still had time after that, he would try looking into possible ways to suppress Hua Xian, or just weaknesses of fairymist flower in general. He closed his eyes and let out a long breath, taking a short moment to organise the large amount of newly obtained information in his head. His conclusion ¨C it should be feasible. Thankfully, these were still relatively common materials that were not too expensive. Otherwise, Zhao Yunxiao might just have to take another trip to gather the materials himself! Apart from the forging materials, he also purchased a separate set of talisman papers and some special ink. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. He laid out the talisman papers all over the countertop, and started drawing runes on the talismans like a madman. Each talisman required a combination of numerous runes, drawn meticulously in a special manner and order. Every rune had to be created in a unique manner and infused with a certain amount of essence energy. As the number of completed runes increased, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but feel the strain both physically and mentally. ¡° Having grown up alone in the wilds, he had never been properly taught on such topics. Therefore, while he might have a great understanding of how nature and energy worked, he was still rather clueless about equipment and miscellaneous items like talismans and runes. ¡° ¡° ¡° Hah! You sure enjoy seeking thrills!¡± Hua Xian laughed. ¡°After fighting that bull demon, you came back to fight your senior, and now you are going for yet another challenge? Impressive! So, what will you be doing this time?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° While he could understand Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s wariness to a certain extent, wasn¡¯t this going a little too far? To use all that against him, couldn¡¯t that be considered plant cruelty? Perhaps anything would be better than staying locked up in the bag like this, never seeing the light of day. What¡¯s more, if he were to say something wrong and accidentally ruffled Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s feathers, who knew if the latter would suddenly decide to increase the severity of the measures? Unfortunately, he had just about no attainments in the field of talismans to speak of. No matter how hard he tried to analyse Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s work, he still understood nothing about what Zhao Yunxiao was doing! Zhao Yunxiao had expected as much. Despite that, he was not someone who would base his actions on mere assumptions. After all, there was always a slight chance that Hua Xian had managed to learn some skills in this aspect despite his background. Oh? You are here, Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Nie Hanchang looked up in surprise, being halfway through breakfast himself. ¡° ¡° He had absolute trust in Zhao Yunxiao. In his opinion, that result had been a given from the moment Zhao Yunxiao dared to issue the challenge! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° He sure got more talkative,¡± Nie Hanchang commented. ¡°But by saying that he helped in your cultivation, are you saying that he played a part in your breakthrough to the Advanced Essence Gathering realm?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° I see. Need any help?¡± ¡° ¡° Halberd Forging ¡° Zhao Yunxiao had transplanted him to the edge of the pond, at a spot where Gu Qiansi had clearly left vacant for him. Not just that, but he also could not help but notice that the world origin energy density here was significantly higher than that at Ghost Fog Valley, which would only serve tohelp him cultivate at a faster rate. Perhaps that was to be expected of a famous faction like the Black Tortoise Sect. For them to have selected this spot as their base, there must be something special about this land! Thankfully, while he could still feel Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s array constantly draining him of his demonic energy, that would only reduce his combat capabilities, not his cultivation rate. As long as he ignored the fact that he was currently being held as some form of prisoner, this was actually quite a good place to reside at for the time being! Let me warn you one last time ¨C don¡¯t try anything funny,¡± Zhao Yunxiao cautioned. ¡°There might not seem to be anyone around, but the sect administrators are always watching. And if they are ever forced to take action, neither of us will get away unscathed. At that point, I might be punished a little, but your life would most likely be forfeit!¡± ¡° When you regain enough strength, perhaps you can help Senior Martial Brother Nie break through to the Advanced Essence Gathering realm as well,¡± Zhao Yunxiao added. Just because he had done it before, did this kid think that doing such a thing was easy? Maybe he needed to reevaluate if it was truly a good place to settle down at. ¡° I¡¯ll pass,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head. ¡°And I will probably be spending the next few days forging my halberd, so do help me keep an eye out for any significant news in the sect.¡± Zhao Yunxiao knew that with Nie Hanchang¡¯s way of life, he would most likely be the last to know about any interesting news in the sect. However, there was no harm in asking. I see. Will you be using your original plan or that famous designer¡¯s?¡± Nie Hanchang asked out of curiosity. I think I will follow his blueprint. I have to admit that it is actually quite impressive,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. Is that so?¡± Nie Hanchang snickered. ¡°I guess the trip is well worth it then.¡± ¡° It had originally been a trip meant solely to harvest the grimoire fruit. Who knew that by detouring a little for a simple mission, they would actually end up obtaining so many benefits? Well, perhaps not so much for Nie Hanchang, but at least Zhao Yunxiao had obtained quite a bit of benefits! He carefully laid out all his materials and inspected each of them individually, comparing them against the blueprint as a final inventory check. Unlike Nie Hanchang¡¯s Grand Annihilator, which was created solely with grimiron, Lou Yuan¡¯s halberd blueprint comprised various materials. Each of these materials naturally had to be treated separately, making the forging process far more complicated in comparison. This meant that the time required would also increase in comparison. Of course, while it was true that creating basic equipment out of a single material was simpler, creating high-quality equipment in that manner was actually countless times more difficult. That only made the completion of the Grand Annihilator even more of a miracle! The energy expenditure required to process this many materials was not a joke. In order to maintain his condition at peak condition throughout the forging process, he had no choice but to start taking recovery pillsright from the very start. Otherwise, the recovery rate could fail to keep up with the rate of expenditure.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Zhao Yunxiao might be careful with his wallet, but he knew when it was necessary to spend as well. Of course, this method was not for everyone as it would result in a greater mental strain. Thankfully, this was not a problem that Zhao Yunxiao would need to worry about. While he had already run this through countless mental simulations by now, it remained a fact that this was still the first time that Zhao Yunxiao was actually doing it in person. All he could do was trust in Lou Yuan¡¯s methods, and try to handle any complications along the way with his own gut feeling! While it was not exactly the same thing, they still provided a basis upon which Zhao Yunxiao could take reference to when reading the situation. In the end, most things in life did not have a hard formula that could ensure success. Instead, it was mainly about understanding underlying concepts and applying them wherever necessary. This went for cultivation, and the path of smithing was no different either. The molten liquid is then removed from the furnace and poured into another, repeating the process again and again to ensure the complete removal of all impurities. Just a little too cool and the metal would not be able to melt completely, which naturally meant that that separation of impurities was impossible. Bits of unmelted metal could also be filtered out along with impurities, drastically reducing the output of refined metal. It was definitely the toughest portion of the forging process. Not only did this process require a good control of the fire, but it also required a good understanding of the material he was dealing with. By doing this, he was trying to increase the compatibility between him and the resulting weapon, which would make it easier for his energy to flow through the weapon in the future. Zhao Yunxiao then released the liquid metal from the furnace, pouring it into a mould to take the shape of the halberd. In its molten state, the black liquid metal had been heated to a bright golden state, looking like liquid gold as it filled up the mould. The silver juice entered the golden molten metal like water into the ocean, silently disappearing without a trace. Nevertheless, he could not afford to stop here simply because of mere uncertainty. Instead, he quickly moved on with the next few steps before the metal had a chance to cool down completely. The shaft, beak, blade, and point of the halberd were all designed to be part of one whole piece of meteor steel, so the shape was mostly there after having it solidify within Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s pre-made mould. Edges needed to be sharpened, and corners needed to be rounded off. Not just that, but there were also nooks and crannies that had to be engraved into the metal for various reasons. And that was only the main piece. Apart from that, there were also various separate parts that had to be smithed and attached. These parts might not seem to have too big of an impact if looked at individually, but the overall effect after they came together as a whole was not to be underestimated. From time to time, Zhao Yunxiao would pop another recovery pill or some small pieces of food, ensuring that his energy and hunger levels remained at an optimal level. The only thoughts that filled his mind were related to the current status of the forging progress, as well as the steps and materials that he had to prepare next. Before he knew it, only the final step remained. The pentagon-shaped joint had been crafted successfully. Now, all that remained was to add it onto the shaft right below the blade. Penta-Edge Grimoire Halberd Zhao Yunxiao carefully scrutinised it from top to bottom, and then bottom to top again. There were absolutely no signs of awkward incongruence that could usually be seen from someone wielding an unfamiliar weapon, almost like he had already possessed this halberd for years. At the very least, that was what most people believed. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. This was not an easy decision. Zhao Yunxiao might have studied and practised with the archaic characters since his return from the Origin Lake Sect, but this would still be his first time actually using it for something important. Zhao Yunxiao quickly shook that thought out of his head. Just thinking about it was causing his heart to bleed, and he could not afford to be distracted by that right now. He held up the bowl of fire rubies in his left hand, and an inscription knife in his right. After shrouding the inscription knife with essence energy, he decisively dipped it into the bowl. Every stroke of the character threatened to drain a huge portion of Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s entire reserve of energy, as though the halberd was a hungry beast that had locked onto its next meal. Had he gotten carried away and lost control of his pacing, there was no doubt that his dantian would have been emptied in an instant. Despite his pale face that had resulted from expending almost every last bit of his energy, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but smile while letting out a sigh of relief. This was his first time completing a practical ancient array node using archaic characters! He looked at the bowl of fire ruby fragments. At this point, most of the fragments had been reduced to grey powder after being completely drained of their essence, with only a couple of smaller fragments remaining. Considering the meagre amount, it would be difficult even if he wanted to sell them at the Sect Market. Zhao Yunxiao did not immediately jump into processing the water sapphire. He knew that his current condition was not the best right now, and forcing himself to do that in this state was just inviting trouble for himself. Therefore, Zhao Yunxiao sat cross legged while holding a spirit stone, entering a state of light meditation to recover his essence energy. This would be his main weapon from today onwards ¨C the Penta-Edge Grimoire Halberd. Pointing the Way Zhao Yunxiao did not linger long. Now that he was done with the forging process, he quietly cleaned up and left, going as far as sneaking out of the Forge to avoid seeing any familiar faces. However, he would prefer not to have anyone realise that he had spent such a long time here in one go, for that would only lead to unwanted questions. A cultivator¡¯s main weapon was a huge part of their combat capability. Exposing its appearance was inevitable, but accidentally revealing details about its forging process, structure, or materials would only allow others to deduce its strengths and weaknesses. That was definitely something that Zhao Yunxiao would want to avoid at all costs! The first thing Zhao Yunxiao did after leaving the Forge was to determine how much time had passed. He had been so focused during the forging process that he had failed to keep track of the time, and the fact that there were no windows in the furnace room did not help either. Thankfully, finding out the date was not a difficult task at all. Just like what happened to Zhao Yunxiao, it was not uncommon for cultivators to get carried away with all sorts of different tasks. At higher cultivation levels, cultivators could even remain in a meditative state for years in a single setting. Considering that, this was the least that the sect could do to help its members recalibrate to society after being out of the picture for extended periods of time. Zhao Yunxiao looked at the noticeboard erected at the entrance of the Outer Disciples¡¯ Quarters and let out a helpless sigh. It was longer than he would have liked but at least still within the upper limit of his estimations, so he was not too surprised. However, this also meant that there were only two days left until the opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. He only had today left that was free, eh? The weather was great. Huge clouds covered the sky, just enough to provide shelter without giving off a gloomy feeling. The sun was hanging directly overhead, indicating that it was around noon. There was still half a day left ¨C plenty of time to get things done. While he sought to satiate his hunger with some good food, his earthen clone would beperforming some long overdue equipment maintenance. After returning from Ghost Fog Valley, he had immediately dived into preparations for the duel with Gan Luozhi, followed by the forging of the Penta-Edge Grimoire Halberd. It was only now that he could finally do so without any urgent issues weighing down on his mind. What was originally an unimpressive dirt trail now had its aesthetics greatly accentuated by the flowers blooming on each side, forming two low walls of purple plums that gave visitors the illusion of being welcomed by nature itself. It was only then that he finally turned the last corner and stepped into the open clearing of the Lightwind Pavilion. There had been some changes to the Lightwind Pavilion over the past few days, though there was nothing that he had not already expected. With the introduction of the spiritual plants by the pond, the density of world origin energy had indeed gone up as Gu Qiansi had intended. It was not by much, but the extra comfort provided by this small difference was still sufficient to lift one¡¯s mood. But rather than that, the greatest difference had to be the thin layer of mist that hung just above the ground, making it seem as though everything was built upon clouds. ¡°If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. I¡¯m glad that you are enjoying yourself,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said with a smile. ¡°However, don¡¯t let your guard down around him. He is still a demon after all ¨C a demon who had taken the lives of who knows how many people.¡± ¡° That remains to be seen,¡± Zhao Yunxiao scoffed. ¡°That said, are you here alone, Junior Martial Sister Lu?¡± That¡¯s right,¡± Lu Zhiying answered. ¡°Senior Martial Sister Gu is at the Sect Library, looking into the matter of corrupted plants. I think she got worried after we went on the previous mission.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° Hey! It is not nice to doubt me like that!¡± Lu Zhiying complained. ¡°I am seriously thinking about how I can become stronger!¡± ¡° Lu Zhiying had mentioned wanting to learn how to fight after his duel with Gan Luozhi. It would appear that it had not been a fleeting thought. Even though he was her senior, it was not as though he could just decide the path for her. Not to mention the fact that he was just an outer disciple, even inner or core disciples would not be able to do so easily. After all, choosing the ideal path for themselves was already difficult enough, so choosing it for others was even more so. And if his advice ended up causing Lu Zhiying to go down the wrong path, it would be doing her a huge disservice by negatively impacting her future accomplishments! Therefore, Zhao Yunxiao only intended to provide small prompts along the way, helping Lu Zhiying find the path by herself. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Up till now, Lu Zhiying had probably shown the most interest when practising for her New Year dance performance. And ever since the New Year, her movements all seemed to have a tinge of dance elements incorporated in them as well. That was made especially apparent when they last visited the Hundred Puppets Array, where she had literally danced around the puppets. ¡° That¡¯s not it. In fact, there are no good or bad choices, only choices that are more or less suitable. As long as you wholeheartedly believe in it, then it will naturally be the right choice,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered with a smile. Nobody believed that he could go far on the path of bow and arrow, yet he persevered regardless. Yet here he was, rapidly gaining accomplishments on that very path that others had disapproved of. Considering how much more talented Lu Zhiying was, as long as she truly believed in it, perhaps she would be capable of deriving miraculous results even from the most unconventional of paths! ¡° I am, but this is different,¡± Lu Zhiying shook her head. ¡°Learning her dance style is one thing, but incorporating it into my combat style is completely different. That would result in a combat style that isn¡¯t truly my own, thereby making it difficult for me to advance further.¡± You have learnt quite a bit. Indeed, it is best to come up with your own style,¡± Zhao Yunxiao praised. ¡°However, taking advice from her doesn¡¯t mean just copying her. You will just be understanding her train of thoughts so that you would know what to consider when coming up with your own style. At the same time, why don¡¯t you start reading up on all the various dance techniques to see if anything interests you?¡± But there are so many documents on dance! How long would it take to finish reading them all?¡± Lu Zhiying complained. You don¡¯t have to finish them all, just enough to be able to form your own ideas. And if that still sounds like too much, then you can only blame yourself for not having any ideas otherwise,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. ¡°If you are able to come up with something good by yourself, then there will naturally not be a need for you to go through all that.¡± ¡° Mm,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, you are not alone on this path. This is just the starting point. If you have any questions along the way, feel free to approach me or your Senior Martial Sister Gu, as well as any other seniors in the sect. That said, try not to reveal too many details to those whom you don¡¯t trust as much, or it could be used against you in the future.¡± ¡° ¡° Only by working even harder could he delay the amount of time needed for Lu Zhiying to overtake him, thereby ensuring that he would be able to guide her along for as long as possible! Geniuses of the Subordinate Sects ¡°I hope everyone is aware of your individual duties by now. If there is anything that you are unsure of, please ask now. If any of you were to mess up during the actual event, I will definitely not let you off easily, do you understand?¡± Fei Weng, the deacon in charge of the observer team, said at the end of the briefing. ¡°We understand, Senior Fei,¡± the group of observers answered in unison. ¡°Good,¡± Fei Weng nodded. ¡°Let me remind you that the opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm is not just an opportunity for us to nurture our talents and display our might to our subordinate sects. At the same time, it is also a friendly competition against the Vermilion Bird Sect, the White Tiger Sect, and the Azure Dragon Sect. And by friendly competition, I mean that we have to do everything in our power to assist our side to win. Remember that every time you mess up, it could potentially be the tipping point that causes us to fall behind!¡± Aren¡¯t you exaggerating a little, Senior Fei? We are just observers, so how can our work have such a great impact on the outcome?¡± one of the observers laughed. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° What do you mean? We can definitely exchange our insights regarding the path of cultivation. Who knows? If we get to spend some time together, she might just realise how charming I am and fall for my superior intellect!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. *** The Inner Grounds. Elder He Luoxuan sat in the main seat of a large hall, slowly raising his wine cup towards the others present. ¡° It is our honour to be invited. How can it be considered difficult?¡± an elder of the Flying Swords Hall said. Unlike her, the two young beauties seated behind her were still in the prime of their life. They looked identical, with the only difference between them being the hairpins on their heads. One of them wore a black hairpin, while the other wore a white one. ¡° As the prime disciple and greatest talent of the Origin Lake Sect, it was no surprise that Chen Pingxi had been given a slot to join the event. As for the second slot that the Origin Lake Sect possessed, it had been given to the cultivation maniac Zhou Qin, whom Zhao Yunxiao had first met at the Origin Lake Sect¡¯s Jade Force Cliff. At this moment, both of them were looking around curiously at the Black Tortoise Sect inner disciples present. ¡°Do you see Brother Zhao?¡± Chen Pingxi whispered. ¡°Not at all. He must be busy elsewhere,¡± Zhou Qin answered. ¡°Yeah, I guess that must be the case,¡± Chen Pingxi sighed helplessly. She was still hoping to have a short chat with Zhao Yunxiao before the opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm, but it would seem like that was impossible now. Perhaps it was only to be expected as well. In the end, this gathering was just a superficial welcome party, meant more for networking than anything constructive. Elder He Luoxuan might not have a choice since someone of a corresponding status had to host the elders of the subordinate sects, but why would someone like Zhao Yunxiao bother wasting his time at a gathering like this? Surely, he had far more important things to do than that! Thinking up to this point, Chen Pingxi stopped looking around for him and looked straight ahead at the opposite table. Seated there was Elder Xiong Yan of the Armed Ape Tower. Similarly, there were two disciples seated behind him, but the presence of one completely overshadowed the other. He looked similar to Elder Xiong Yan, boasting a muscular body paired with a naturally handsome face. His chest pecs and broad shoulders could hardly be hidden beneath his robes, giving off a form of majestic manliness. His short brown hair was neat and tidy, not obstructing his face one bit. Everyone present, be it the core disciples of the other subordinate sects or inner disciples of the Black Tortoise Sect, was seeing him as the greatest variable in this year¡¯s opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. Opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm After his daily cultivation session, Zhao Yunxiao spent the rest of the night making sure that he had remembered every single detail from the briefing, and even those from other sources on top of that. But as he looked at the list of participants sent from the subordinate sects, he could not help but sigh. Origin Lake Sect. Elder ¨C Ming Leishang. Participants ¨C Chen Pingxi, Zhou Qin. Zhao Yunxiao could not help but recall how the Origin Lake Sect members had mistaken him for an important character of the Black Tortoise Sect. Zhao Yunxiao had already tried to do his part, and did not intend to burden himself too much over this matter. It was a huge open square with a raised column at each corner. Three of the four columns looked plain and simple, but on the last one stood a giant stone statue of a majestic tortoise with its head raised to the sky and jaws opened wide ¨C almost as though it was attempting to devour the heavens. To optimise resource expenditure and minimise risks, all four sects would work together to open the Four Symbols Mystic Realm every year, striving to have their disciples expand their horizons and gain valuable experience within. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Courtesy of the setup team, there were now numerous tall tents with seats and banners set up all over the original empty open square. Zhao Yunxiao was currently seated alone at the observer team¡¯s tent ¨C one that was located strategically between both the largest and smallest tents present. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. There were a thousand participants each year, carefully selected from the cream of the crop. At this point, he suddenly matched gazes with another participant. Chen Pingxi had noticed him the moment she arrived at the Black Guardian Square. While noticeably confused at his role, she dared not question the arrangements of Elder He Luoxuan. Instead, she chose to watch him closely, waiting patiently for him to notice her while trying to extract whatever hints possible from his actions. And as expected, Zhao Yunxiao was able to detect her gaze from among a thousand participants present! Seeing Chen Pingxi¡¯s intense gaze and howhappily she was nodding towards him, Zhao Yunxiao felt the corner of his lips twitch. Nevertheless, he quickly suppressed the anxiety in his heart and nodded back in response, making sure to do so with as much confidence as he could possibly muster. The elders could not help but pay slightly more attention to those of their own faction, though that was the limit of what they would do. ¡° With her impeccably slim figure that had all the right curves, her softfacial features that screamed femininity, as well as her long black hair that stretched all the way down to her waist, Elder Feng Wanjia looked just like a young beauty who was not a year past her twenties. Yet contrary to her looks, she was actually one of the most feared elders in the sect, largely in charge of the sect¡¯s tests and tribulations. Seeing her step forward, the inner disciples present instinctively tensed up in response. ¡°I will be opening the portal now. All participants, get ready,¡± Elder Feng Wanjia announced. With that, she turned around to face the giant tortoise statue, which was located right next to the elders¡¯ tent. ¡°Everyone, stay alert,¡± Fei Weng whispered to the observer team. ¡°Don¡¯t miss a thing once it begins.¡± Zhao Yunxiao turned away from Elder Feng Wanjia to focus on the rows of jade tablets in front of him, each with the name of a participant written on it. Upon entering the venue, each participant had formed a temporary spiritual connection with their corresponding jade tablet. Now, it was up to Zhao Yunxiao and the rest of the observer team to keep track of the participants¡¯ statuses through these jade tablets. ¡° Weng-! A low buzzing sound could be heard within the square, accompanied by a gentle trembling of the ground, as energy started welling up from within the giant tortoise statue. ¡° Their bodies turned into a blur, as though they were becoming mere wisps of smoke. The participants calmly closed their eyes, bracing themselves for what was to come. A World of Opportunities and Perils ¡°All three of them are rapidly losing energy! One of them is about to lose consciousness!¡± one of the observers shouted. ¡°Do we have any information on where they are? Who exactly are they fighting that is giving them such huge problems?¡± a sect protector cursed. ¡°Should that be the priority at this point? Tell them to activate their jade tablets and get out of there!¡± another sect protector shouted. ¡°No, let¡¯s wait a little longer! Otherwise, that will mark the end of their time in the mystic realm! Tell them to retreat instead!¡± ¡°Who cares about ending their time in there? If you wait any longer, they might even lose their lives!¡± ¡°You are only saying that because they are not from your Wei Faction, so you don¡¯t want them to keep getting more benefits!¡± ¡°What a slanderous proposition! I am just being concerned about their well-being!¡± ¡°Touch your heart! Is there really no truth to what I am saying?¡± ¡°You selfish bastard!¡± The two sect protectors stared daggers at each other while the observer watched on nervously, not knowing what to do. Such heated arguments were not rare occurrences during the opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. The disciples¡¯ achievements in the mystic realm had too great an impact on the prestige of the internal factions, so it was not uncommon for emotions to run wild. And as long as it was not concerning a disciple whom the elders had their eyes on, the elders would leave all judgement to the sect deacons and protectors. This made for a situation where conflicts constantly arose between sect protectors and deacons, especially between those from different factions. ¡°Erm, it really seems like they really can¡¯t hold on much longer...¡± the observer said timidly, afraid of interrupting the protectors¡¯ heated argument. ¡°Just how bad is it?¡± they asked in unison. Unfortunately, the observer did not have the chance to respond. Crack-! A huge split appeared down the middle of one of the jade tablets, effectively dividing it into two. Crack-! Crack-! The other two jade tablets followed suit within mere seconds, similarly splitting apart and losing their glow. Upon seeing this, the two sect protectors fell silent for a moment before shooting another glare at each other. However, they did not continue arguing. Instead, they merely let out irritated harrumphs before moving on to oversee the other participants. Most people saw the Four Symbols Mystic Realm as a land of opportunities, but it was not without its share of perils as well. With the cracking of the jade tablet, it indicated the worst-case scenario for the corresponding participants ¨C death in the mystic realm. The Four Symbols Mystic Realm could be considered a separate realm on its own, and not some imaginary land where results did not translate to the real world. This meant that participants could retain all the resources that they had obtained within. But on the same note, injuries and deaths that happened in the mystic realm would be effected in the main realm as well. While it was not common for participants to die in the Four Symbols Mystic Realm, it still happened to the few unlucky ones every year. It was a shame, but now that it had already been determined that these participants had died, there was no reason for the sect protectors to continue harping on the matter. Even for inner disciples, few were truly indispensable. Of course, some were much more valuable than others, but these three did not belong in that category. As sect protectors, rather than arguing with each other over who was in the right or wrong this time around, they both understood that their time and effort would be better spent trying to oversee the other participants and ensure their well-being instead. After all, it was not worth truly shredding all pretences with a fellow sect protector over some dead inner disciples. ¡°Tch! Bunch of indecisive idiots,¡± Fei Weng cursed under his breath before patting the observer on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, so don¡¯t worry about it. Let¡¯s just focus on the rest.¡± The observer could only let out a helpless sigh before continuing to observe the remaining participants under his watch. Zhao Yunxiao felt for him upon seeing this. Yes, it was not the observer¡¯s fault since he had already reported on the issue. But despite Fei Weng¡¯s assurance, having a few participants die under his watch was still going to have a negative impact on the observer¡¯s performance assessment at the end. Zhao Yunxiao could only hope that the same thing would not happen to him! He turned back towards the twenty jade tablets in front of him, all of them glowing with a stable light. It was not stated explicitly, but Zhao Yunxiao understood that these twenty participants under his watch could be largely separated into four main groups. Six of them belonged to Elder Ying Qingmu¡¯s Ying Faction, five belonged to Elder Wei Huolun¡¯s Wei Faction, seven belonged to Elder Mo Tianfeng¡¯s Mo Faction, while the last remaining person was an anomaly who did not join any factions. Since Elder Ying Qingmu was the one who had saved him in the past, he was definitely rooting for the six from the Ying Faction.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. However, he also could not help but pay more attention to the factionless participant. Crimson Sword Cheng Kai. More than a month ago, Zhao Yunxiao had encountered this senior martial brother during a hunting trip in the wilderness of Purple Plum Mountain. While he found that the latter was as eccentric as the rumours said, Zhao Yunxiao still did learn a thing or two from him back then, so he looked forward to seeing Cheng Kai¡¯s performance this time. People were often like this, seeking personal validation through the accomplishments of those who taught them. Due to an ancient agreement among the ancestors of the Four Great Symbol Sects, deacons and above were prohibited from entering the mystic realm in a bid to leave any resources and opportunities within for their disciples to grasp. And without characters at the elder level to comb through the land, no one truly knew the actual limits of this mysterious world. And at this moment, six participants from the Black Tortoise Sect were running along in a dense forest overgrown with tall silver-coloured trees. After entering the Four Symbols Mystic Realm, the majority of participants would move around in groups for safety. While this also meant that any opportunities and rewards would need to be shared, most still believed this to be the superior method of tackling the challenges within. There is a huge snake-type creature up ahead!¡± We have information on three types of snake-type monsters in the Silver Forest, none of which we have an advantage over in a direct confrontation. It might be dangerous to engage without setting up beforehand.¡± ¡° After hearing from the reconnaissance specialist and the combat analyst, the group leader decisively steered the group away from the potential conflict, looking for an easier target instead. This group leader was a renowned inner disciple whose name Zhao Yunxiao was familiar with as well. He was the person whom Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s old friend Liu Murou seemed to be hanging out with nowadays, though the latter did not seem to have made the list of participants this time. ¡° Enter battle formations. We shall engage it while retreating. If it proves to be weaker than expected, be prepared to turn around and take it down!¡± ¡° They refused to believe otherwise! ¡° Are you crazy? Don¡¯t you remember Senior Martial Brother Hua retrieving a ring from the Blacksnow Tundra last year? It turned out to be a complete jackpot!¡± The leader of the Wei Group, Nuo Qianling, furrowed her brows while staring at the encased wooden sword. There¡¯s absolutely no way that we are going to leave this here,¡± Nuo Qianling said with a determined voice. ¡°We have to bring this back with us no matter what, even if we have to carry the entire block of ice back with us!¡± A huge temple stood at the top of a hill, located at the very edge of a cliff while overlooking the vast lands beneath. Its exterior looked dilapidated, overgrown with vines and wild grass. But at the same time, the ancient aura that it exuded was unmistakable. They were the seven members from the Mo Faction under Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s watch, led by the inner disciple San Wanfan. The unknown dangers of the temple aside, the main reason stopping them was actually not related to the temple itself. Instead, it was due to the group of participants standing among the same tall grass right across from them. Everything has an order to it. We arrived here first, so we should have the opportunity to explore the temple first!¡± San Wanfan shouted. ¡° You-!¡± the group from the Mo Faction was clearly angered by the other party¡¯s taunts, but dared not take up the challenge. After all, all of them had recognised the leader of the opposing group with a single glance. When facing a group led by a core disciple, it would be difficult for anyone to remain confident of victory! Breaking Down of Negotiations Even though core disciples usually preferred to act alone in the Four Symbols Mystic Realm, there was nothing prohibiting them from moving around in groups as well. That was especially the case for core disciples who were still young and at the beginning of their cultivation path. All core disciples needed to be extremely talented to gain such a status, but not all of them had truly converted that talent into actual strength. After all, a very talented cultivator at the Essence Gathering realm might already be able to challenge those at the Essence Physique realm, but it might take some time before they acquire sufficient strength to confidently challenge opponents at the Origin Core realm, even those who were far less talented than themselves. Therefore, there was no way that one of the Four Great Symbol Sects would risk having young core disciples wander around on their own, exposing themselves to the unknown dangers of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. This way, even though the core disciples were still considered relatively weak, their safety could still be ensured since they were surrounded by the strongest of companions! That was exactly the case for Quan Hui. ¡°You don¡¯t have to look so downcast,¡± Quan Hui smirked upon seeing the hesitant look on the Mo Group¡¯s faces. ¡°We aren¡¯t looking to bully you with excessive combat strength here. How about this? I will accept any duel challenges. If anyone within a full cultivation realm of me manages to win, we are willing to leave without any complaints.¡± Hmm? Upon hearing this, San Wanfan started to seriously consider his options. A handicap of a full cultivation realm was definitely a huge deal. After all, cultivators at the Origin Core realm had overcome the deadly heavenly tribulation, giving them a significant advantage over those at the Essence Physique realm. Not to mention a full cultivation realm, even someone like him, who was at the Intermediate Origin Core realm, should still have a huge advantage against Quan Hui who was only at the Peak Essence Physique realm. Or at least, that should be the case in theory. However, this was Infernal Claw Quan Hui they were talking about! Core disciples were known for their ability to jump ranks and fight well above their cultivation levels. The question now was whether he believed this cultivation advantage was enough to make up for the difference in talent. ¡°I see that you are considering it,¡± Quan Hui smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t take too long.¡± ¡°Senior Martial Brother San...¡± the members of the Mo Group said worriedly. ¡°I know,¡± San Wanfan said through gritted teeth. ¡°We will stay back for now and let you enter first.¡± Even though he believed that he stood a fair chance of winning, there was definitely still a possibility of losing. ¡°Is that it? How boring,¡± Quan Hui exclaimed in disappointment. ¡°However, I¡¯m afraid just staying back is not enough. After all, who knows if you will suddenly stab us in the back while we are busy exploring the temple?¡± ¡°What? Then what do you want from us?¡± San Wanfan questioned. ¡°Leave the area completely. You are not to stay within a hundred kilometres of this place,¡± Quan Hui replied nonchalantly. ¡°A hundred kilometres? Ridiculous!¡± ¡°You must be joking! This mountain doesn¡¯t belong to you!¡± Quan Hui¡¯s demand immediately drew outrage from the Mo Group. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that demand is a little too much,¡± San Wanfan voiced out as well. ¡°This is simply to ensure our own safety when exploring the unknown temple,¡± Quan Hui shrugged. ¡°Actually, if you really think about it, a hundred kilometres is not much at all. There are still plenty of places where you can explore in this vast realm. But if you don¡¯t agree to our terms, then I guess we would just have to do this the hard way.¡± If this is how you intend to do things, then it looks like what you call the hard way is the only option we have,¡± San Wanfan sneered. ¡°You might be used to getting what you want in the Vermilion Bird Sect, but don¡¯t think that we of the Black Tortoise Sect can be messed with as you please!¡± With his declaration, those from the Mo Group immediately entered a battle stance. Hah, that¡¯s interesting. The negotiations broke down a lot faster than I expected,¡± Quan Hui chuckled. ¡°Well then, I¡¯m looking forward to finding out why exactly you cannot be messed with. Please don¡¯t let me down.¡± *** ¡°Detecting heavy energy fluctuations and abrupt movement patterns. San Wanfan¡¯s group is likely to have entered battle!¡± Zhao Yunxiao reported. ¡° This deacon was also from the Mo Faction, so he was especially concerned about the performance of the Mo Group led by San Wanfan. That was even more the case since there were seven of them. San Wanfan¡¯s intention was to head north upon entering the mystic realm, and statements from others seem to corroborate that. However, there have been no reported sightings of them ever since,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°From other statements, the northern part would seem to have turned into a mountain range ¨C a rather huge change from last year.¡± Even with the jade tablets, there was only a limited amount of information that they could garner from outside of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. While it was possible for them to send information to the participants, the opposite did not hold true.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡° ¡° ¡° What did you understand? Don¡¯t listen to his bullshit!¡± Fei Weng walked over and interrupted at this point. ¡°Don¡¯t tell my observers what to do. The disciples from your faction might be important, but they are not the only ones whom he is watching. He will update whenever necessary, so just wait your turn!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° They have not expressed their intentions prior to entering the mystic realm, and have not been sighted apart from at the entrance,¡± Zhao Yunxiao recalled. ¡°However, their energy expenditures had shot up suddenly, which indicates that they might have been caught by surprise. That, or they might have launched a surprise attack on others.¡± Hopefully it is the latter! Damn this bunch, being all secretive for no reason,¡± the deacon cursed. ¡°Just look at what kind of trouble they are causing now!¡± Was there a particular region that they were planning to explore? If this region no longer existed, what would they do? However, such information could still help the sect administrators determine the participants¡¯ current status and locations to a certain degree, thereby allowing them to send over information that could help the participants get out of potentially tricky situations. That said, there were also participants who refused to divulge such information or even straight up lied about it. This could be due to many reasons, perhaps out of fear of sabotage or simply not wanting to let others find out what rewards they had obtained from the mystic realm. After all, there was almost no such thing as eternal friends in the face of benefits. There had been countless stories of past relationships believed to be as strong as steel, yet still ripped to pieces in the face of a huge enough temptation. More importantly, some of these broken relationships even involvedbetrayal by one¡¯s own family! And as their observer, Zhao Yunxiao was feeling just as frustrated. These were the participants who made his job the hardest! Nevertheless, he could not give up on finding out more about them just because of that. Zhao Yunxiao continued to listen out for the statements given by other early dropouts while watching the jade tablets before him, trying to glean as much information about the mystic realm as possible without missing a single word. When dealing with the Four Symbols Mystic Realm, where the situation was akin to an information blackout from the outside, even the most insignificant-sounding piece of information could prove to be useful in its own way! Blacksnow Tundra, Four Symbols Mystic Realm. The Wei Group was currently locked in battle with dozens of living skeletons. These were humanoid skeletons that would have looked just like that of human adultsif not for the long horn protruding from each shoulder. Their bones were a dull grey in colour, though it still looked striking enough with the black snow as backdrop. And if that was not sufficient, the eerie red glow in their eye sockets definitely made them impossible to miss. Where the hell did all these skeletons suddenly come from?¡± one of them complained while striking a skeleton with his staff. Bang-! By the time it stood back up, it already looked as good as new, seemingly completely unscathed from the earlier strike. These skeletons did not possess any strange or unexpected moves, though they made up for it with a shocking level of speed and strength. In addition, the bones were extremely tough and could not be broken even with the Wei Group¡¯s treasure weapons. While this onslaught was still at a level that they could handle for the time being, they could not help but worry about their stamina. If they could not find a way to destroy the skeletons once and for all, the skeletons might just keep coming at them forever. Should that continue to be the case, there would definitely come a point where their stamina eventually ran out! ¡° This is all your fault for disturbing that one skeleton earlier! It was so far away, but you just had to go engage it for no good reason!¡± How would I know that so many of them would suddenly appear from underground? And didn¡¯t you laugh along as well when I said I would go get rid of it?¡± Shut up already!¡± Nuo Qianling shouted. ¡°If you have spare energy to argue, why don¡¯t you try getting rid of a few more skeletons instead?¡± As her party members quietened down to focus on battle, Nuo Qianling could not help but steal a glance at the ice pyramid behind them. She had convinced her group to aim for the Blacksnow Tundra after hearing about the bountiful treasures that last year¡¯s participants had managed to obtain from here. Last year¡¯s participants did not mention ever encountering anything like this! With things going awry right from the start, she felt a nagging premonition that extracting this wooden sword from within the ice pyramid was going to be a lot more difficult than she could ever imagine! Taking Temporary Control Splash-! Splash-! Splash-! Three individuals leapt out of the plunge pool beneath a short waterfall, landing firmly on the rocky shore. They each summoned a wave of energy, immediately returning their drenched appearances to a dry state. With their emergence, chatter immediately started among the small crowd that had gathered around. ¡°They are back! Did they do it?¡± ¡°Just look at the satisfied look on their faces. I¡¯m sure they succeeded.¡± Thank you for your well wishes, everyone. We have indeed managed to enter the underwater cave and obtained a few small rewards. Let¡¯s all do our best to obtain greater treasures from the rest of the mystic realm,¡± the man said with an amiable smile. Donned in light chainmail and exuding an aura comprising both righteousness and might, he resembled a young general ready to charge straight into war. His words drew mixed emotions among the crowd, many of whom feeling nothing but envy. After all, most of them had also tried to enter the underwater cave earlier. Unfortunately, none of them had managed to breach the energy barrier at the entrance. ¡° ¡° ¡°He might be a core disciple, but his cultivation level is not that high either,¡± another spectator rebutted. ¡°Perhaps the key to entering this underwater cave isn¡¯t through forceful entry, but by relying on greater talent to find a special way in.¡± ¡° They might have felt bad if another inner disciple managed to obtain something when they had failed to do so, but a core disciple doing so was another matter altogether. Core disciples had always held a nigh unreachable status in the hearts of other disciples, thought to be capable of fetching the moon and plucking the stars. ¡° It was a rather ordinary-looking young man, sporting short black hair and dressed in neat battle robes with a sword hanging by his waist. There was an excited light in his eyes, apparent to all three in Qi Yi¡¯s party as he confidently matched their gazes. ¡°Crimson Sword Cheng Kai!¡± one of the spectators subconsciously blurted out the other party¡¯s name. Those in the crowd immediately felt uncomfortable upon hearing his name, and that included those from the Black Tortoise Sect. However, Qi Yi was unfazed and promptly clasped his fists towards Cheng Kai. ¡°I have heard of Brother Cheng¡¯s great name for a while now. May I know if there is something that you wish to speak to me about today?¡± Yes,¡± Cheng Kai smirked while taking a step forward. ¡°Either hand over the treasures that you just obtained, or get ready for a good beating.¡± Qi Yi furrowed his brows, the amiable expression from earlier instantly disappearing from his face. From the fighting intent that Cheng Kai was emanating in an unbridled manner, he could tell that the other party was definitely being serious! ¡° ¡° A streak of light shot out from the huge energy globe above the tortoise statue, landing on Yuan Shang¡¯s assigned spot in the participants¡¯ tent. This streak of light turned into a flash of bright light as it landed, though it quickly dissipated to reveal the appearance of Yuan Shang himself. Two physicians rushed over, immediately starting to examine and treat the various wounds on his body. Thankfully, he did not seem to have suffered any grievous injuries. ¡° We have entered battle with Vermilion Bird Sect¡¯s Quan Hui¡¯s party, and are being heavily suppressed,¡± Yuan Shang explained in a frustrated tone. ¡°They are a group of six, but they are a lot stronger than we expected!¡± ¡° What happened is like this...¡± Yuan Shang started to recount the details of the incident, understanding that while he had already been eliminated, whatever he said now might still be of help to the rest of his party, who were still struggling in the mystic realm. Many of these sect administrators were not exactly concerned about Yuan Shang, especially those from other inner sect factions. However, all of them were definitely eager to use this opportunity to find out more about the current situation within the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. ¡°So, the fight broke up into small skirmishes, and your opponent forced you to exit,¡± Sect Protector Pei let out a helpless sigh. This was essentially a friendly competition, not a life-and-death battle. Therefore, participants would not go to the extent of killing their opponents.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Still, most victors only forced the losers to leave the area. Forcing the losers to activate their jade tablets and exit the mystic realm altogether was quite the domineering thing to do, usually only done when there was some bad blood between the two groups. For Quan Hui¡¯s party to do so, it meant that either Quan Hui was acting with arrogance, or Yuan Shang had deliberately left out certain details with regards to their encounter. Either way... how unlucky! ¡°Please help Senior Martial Brother San and the others!¡± Yuan Shang pleaded. It was not as though the rest were in any sort of mortal danger, but he still hoped that his party would be able to survive this battle, even if it meant doing so without him. The opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm had always been largely regarded as the most important event for inner disciples every year. If their entire party ended up getting routed here, they would have to bear the shame of achieving nothing for at least the rest of the year. There was even a possibility of the matter being brought up repeatedly for decades to come! ¡°Send a message to San Wanfan. Get them to stop being stubborn and retreat!¡± Sect Protector Pei promptly turned towards Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°We have been trying to retreat as well, but they just keep chasing!¡± Yuan Shang added. What? Those arrogant brats are going too far!¡± Sect Protector Pei cursed. ¡°It seems like they won¡¯t give up until they have forced everyone to exit!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° What kind of party are you? How can you bunch go into the Four Symbols Mystic Realm with so little communication?¡± Sect Protector Pei berated. ¡°Ah, whatever! Just tell San Wanfan to use whatever trump cards he has to get out of there!¡± Zhao Yunxiao did not know about San Wanfan, but he definitely would not! I understand what you are thinking, but why don¡¯t we tell him something more constructive than to just do whatever he can?¡± Fei Weng advised. Constructive advice? That¡¯s easier said than done! What kind of constructive advice can we possibly give him with the limited information we have?¡± Sect Protector Pei complained. ¡°If you have any idea, why don¡¯t you enlighten me a little?¡± ¡° In the end, most disciples refrained from revealing all their trump cards to fellow disciples, much less the sect protectors and deacons with whom they had an even more distant relationship. ¡° Tch! Just tell them whatever I said!¡± Sect Protector Pei insisted. ¡°Get them to use whatever trump cards they have to retreat from there!¡± Apologies, Senior Pei, but I agree with Senior Fei,¡± Yuan Shang interjected from the side. ¡°I don¡¯t think that will help Senior Martial Brother San at all. Can¡¯t we tell him how to deal with Quan Hui¡¯s party instead? Or at the very least, how to get out of there?¡± ¡° That might be true, but they are right as well,¡± another sect protector intervened at this point. ¡°What you are telling them is of no value. Doing so will be nothing but a waste of sect resources.¡± Tch! Why don¡¯t you tell me what we can do then?¡± Sect Protector Pei clicked his tongue in irritation, though his tone inevitably mellowed a little in response. Through the jade tablets, it was possible for them to send messages to the participants in the mystic realm, but each and every message would expend a certain amount of energy that had to be accounted for through spirit stones. This essentially meant that each message sent would cost the sect precious resources! While the Black Tortoise Sect had a relatively large reserve of resources, their rate of expenditure was not small either. Considering that, burning resources just to send a completely useless message was frowned upon as prodigal and wasteful. ¡° Zhao Yunxiao had gotten tired of the long discussion. This matter had a direct impact on six of the participants under his watch. If all of them ended up eliminated this early, that would definitely have a negative impact on his assessment even though it was not exactly his fault. Rather than just waiting around for a decision to be made, he decided that he might as well try something in the meantime. ¡° ¡° This was not an unprecedented matter as well. In fact, it was actually quite common for observersto be tasked with giving temporary guidance to the participants while the solution was being discussed among the sect administrators. It allowed the participants to at least receive some updates on the situation, giving them a slightly better fighting chance while waiting for an actual solution from the sect administrators. However, observers were usually tasked to do so. Seldom would they voluntarily request for this, mostly because they wanted to avoid being made responsible for any potential mistakes. ¡° ¡° In his mind, information gathered from past years of research and personal reports rapidly reconciled with the statements from the participants who had been eliminated early thus far, coming together to form a tentative map of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. It was a map that was lacking in terms of completion, comprising several empty gaps as well as overlapping layers that suggested different possibilities due to unverified sources of information. Zhao Yunxiao slowly opened his eyes with a determined gaze. ¡° You Are Not Alone Nearby, Sect Protector Pei continued to argue with the other deacons and protectors over what should be done, none of them paying any attention to Zhao Yunxiao as the latter began to speak calmly into the talisman. Shit! San Wanfan cursed in his heart as he saw the two pillars of fire charge towards him like vicious vipers trying to rip out his heart. He hurriedly retreated before slashing the ground with his long glaive, drawing a clear line in front of him. A thick wall of ice shot up from the ground, just in time to stand in the way of the two flaming vipers. The frosted surface prevented San Wanfan from seeing behind the ice wall, but the cracks that immediately started appearing said enough. San Wanfan¡¯s expression turned ashen, understanding that the ice wall would not last for long. Still, this was enough to bring him a brief respite, during which he could take a good look around him to find out just how his party members were faring at the moment. Including him, there were seven members in his party. Against Quan Hui¡¯s party of six, they actually had a numbers advantage initially. Who knew that the moment the fight started, Quan Hui herself would rush at the weakest member of his party, Yuan Shang? While he had tried to rush over and help, attacks coming from an opponent at the Intermediate Origin Core realm immediately forced him to step back instead. Being only at the Advanced Essence Physique realm, Yuan Shang did not stand a chance against Quan Hui, and had been taken out of the fight even before the rest could break out of their initial blockades. With a quick scan, San Wanfan could tell that each of his party members was struggling against their respective opponents. At this rate, they probably would not be able to last another thirty minutes! San Wanfan was unsure if joining up to fight a team battle would change anything. However, what he knew for sure was that if they continued to fight individual battles like this, it would lead to certain defeat! ¡° This resulted in the battles being forced further and further apart ¨C a result that was completely opposite from what San Wanfan had wanted. It was clear that their opponents had realised their superiority in terms of individual combat prowess, and were not intending to allow any uncertainties to be introduced. ¡° He had no idea what to do next, but he also did not have the luxury of stopping to think things through properly, especially with the two flaming vipers still chasing him from behind! It was at this point that he suddenly heard a voice in his head. San Wanfan was surprised for a moment before realising what just happened. He stole a glance at the rest of his party members, and all of them had the same startled look on their faces. Seems like all of them got the message. ¡° ¡° He was very clear about the challenges that the sect administrators faced in this event due to the limited amount of information that they had access to, so their instructions might not always be the best. In fact, there had been cases in the past where the instructions from the sect administrators actually ended up doing more harm than good! But at the same time, he also knew that they would only end up eliminated if they continued with what they were doing, so it was not like he had any better option than to trust in the sect administrators for now. As expected, the sect administrators were not certain about their directions. What a pain! You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. But that was easier said than done, considering how all of them were currently busy running while fending off attacks from the back, courtesy of the relentless pursuit from their respective opponents! As the strongest member of the party, if he did not pace himself, it was very likely that he would end up escaping alone and leaving his party members to be surrounded by Quan Hui¡¯s party. That was definitely not what he wanted! The imaginary map in his mind transformed yet again, the layers rearranging themselves to assimilate this new piece of concrete information. For it to be the lake instead of the cliff, that made things a lotsimpler. ¡° San Wanfan drove his dantian to the limit, channelling a large portion of his essence energy as he slashed out with his long glaive. A long wall of ice rose from the shore, drawing a line behind the entirety of his party to create a physical separation between them and their pursuers. He had already decided to gamble on the instructions from the sect administrators, which was what allowed him to follow the instructions in the message without any hesitation. After doing so, he immediately glanced over at Lou Guanlai, who was another member of his party. If not for his father, Lou Quping, an administrative deacon at the Beastiary, who had given it to him for free, Lou Guanlai would not have had one with him either. Still, the fact remained that he indeed possessed one right now, though this was something that not even his party members were aware of. No, that was not possible. Wasn¡¯t it too much of a waste to use it like this? As a random precaution? Not just that, but activating the talisman would also require him to expend quite a bit of energy. That would put him in a disadvantageous position for dealing with Quan Hui¡¯s party once they caught up! Forget it! Now was not exactly the time to be thinking about all that. His party members were still waiting for him to take the lead. The one-time-use talisman immediately burned up in response, turning into six streaks of blue light that shot towards each member of the Mo Group, including Lou Guanlai himself. This blue light disappeared the moment it made contact with its targets, almost as though it had never existed in the first place. However, all of them understood that the effect had already been activated. ¡° Oblivious to their use of the Hydrocurtain Talisman, Quan Hui¡¯s party fired numerous flaming projectiles after the Mo Group, instantly crushing the ice wall. ¡° On his cue, all six members of the Mo Group dived straight into the calm lake, albeit from different points along the shore. ¡° They might be more comfortable with techniques of the fire element, but that did not mean they were afraid of battling in a lake. Fighting underwater might reduce the firepower of their techniques, but it was only by a small degree. That was hardly enough to turn the tides of battle. With a loud splash, the six members of Quan Hui¡¯s group entered the water, following right behind the Mo Group. Lou Guanlai felt his heart ache as he brought out yet another expensive one-time-use talisman, though he still activated it without verbalising his complaints. With its activation, the Bloodmist Pocket immediately created a mist of blood that lingered in the water, hiding their figures from their pursuers by reducing visibility to near zero. Quan Hui¡¯s party instinctively furrowed their brows as they came face to face with the sea of red. All of a sudden, not only did they lose sight of their targets, but they also realised that they could no longer sense their targets¡¯ presences. However, that was not nearly enough to deter them from continuing with their pursuit. The lake was only this big, and there were only so many places their targets could go. Quan Hui led the charge by diving straight into the cloud of blood, her eyes flashing witha predatory intent akin to that of a bird of prey searching for its target. But since the humiliating encounter with Wei Yuandi about a month ago, Quan Hui could not help but feel a slight change in the way that her peers viewed her. It felt as though each gaze that fell upon her was filled with mockery and disdain, judging her for not being able to stand up to her opponent despite having the numbers advantage. As proud as she was, there was no way that she would allow this to continue. In order to wash her humiliation from that day, Quan Hui had vowed to show everyone an explosive performance during the opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. She believed that only by doing so could she get her critics to shut up once and for all. On the other hand, San Wanfan and the rest of the Mo Group were not feeling nearly as passionate. In fact, what they were feeling right now could be considered quite the opposite, especially after hearing a message that sent a chill down their spines. One Problem After Another! ¡°What do you mean bythem not being alone?¡± Fei Weng asked with a frown. ¡°Who is there with them? No, even before that, where are they right now?¡± While Sect Protector Pei continued his heated argument with the other deacons and protectors over what decision had to be made regarding San Wanfan¡¯s party, Fei Weng had silently stood behind Zhao Yunxiao to see just how the latter was intending to deal with the current situation. And after hearing Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s warning to San Wanfan¡¯s party, he could no longer rein in his curiosity. If I am not wrong, they should be at Trident Lake right now,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered without looking back. Trident Lake!¡± Fei Weng understood the moment he heard that name. This was not a very well-known location among disciples, largely because participants were usually only interested in obtaining treasures, and no one had ever found any extraordinary treasures there. But as someone who had been put in charge of the observers for years, it would be strange for Fei Weng to not remember this place. After all, while it might not be an exaggerated number, there had still been quite a few participants who were forced to escape from the Four Symbols Mystic Realm after wandering into this place. The cloud of blood covered quite a large area, but that was only by the standards of ordinary mortals. With nothing holding her back, it did not take long for a cultivator like Quan Hui to swim right through the cloud of blood. And as she emerged from the other side, she immediately spotted the Mo Group desperately trying to swim to the other shore. Opening her hand like a claw and gathering essence energy upon it, her hand burst into dark red flames despite being underwater. With a swipe of her ¡®claw¡¯, five streaks of intense flames burst forth towards the escaping Mo Group. These streaks of flame traversed through the water with ease, leaving white bubbling trails in their wake as they instantly vaporised the lake water upon contact. Even if San Wanfan had somehow failed to sense the eruption of energy behind them, it would be impossible for him to miss the sudden appearance of an intense light source within the lake. ¡° Cultivators of the Origin Core realm had the ability to use voice transmissions ¨C a way of directly sending their voices into the heads of those in the vicinity. Doing this would prevent their conversations from being overheard by others, as well as allow for communication in environments where it was difficult to speak. After informing his party members of his intention, San Wanfan decisively turned around to face the oncoming attack alone. But at the same time, he could not help but recall the message that he had received from the sect administrators. You are not alone in the lake. In just about any other situation, San Wanfan would have chosen to intercept this attack with a projectile of his own since that was the safest approach. However, he decided against it this time. San Wanfan¡¯s minimal defence failed to completely block out this explosive damage, and the flames instantly reached his skin. Nevertheless, he clenched his hands around his long glaive to endure the pain, cleverly using the explosive force from the impact to propel himself back and continue his escape. Wait, stop chasing them!¡± The very next moment, a grey trident shot up from the depths of the lake, passing right in front of her very eyes, just inches away from her face. Had she carried on with her pursuit, there was no doubt that she would have been in the direct path of the trident. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that this trident was an attack aimed right at her! But before Quan Hui even had the time to think about whether she should be feeling rage or fear, she suddenly felt a powerful suction force acting upon her, pulling her deeper into the lake. As it tore through the lake, the trident had directly pushed out all the water in its vicinity, creating a huge vacuum that immediately sucked in everything around it like a vertical black hole.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. With how close Quan Hui was to the path of the trident, she was naturally subjected to the full brunt of this suction force. Quan Hui drove her dantian to the limit and channelled all the essence energy she could, all in a bid to resist the suction force and retreat. What happened so fargave her all the information that she needed. There was no doubt that if she were to allow herself to be pulled in, that would be the end of her! Thankfully, the suction force did not last too long as the lake water quickly moved in to fill the vacuum. Even then, she was not intending to wait around for the master of the trident to appear. Along with her party members, Quan Hui turned around and headed straight for shore, instantly giving up on their pursuit of the Mo Group. No words had to be exchanged for all of them to realise that their top priority right now was to get out of the lake as quickly as possible! Energy expenditure and movements stabilising at a low level. San Wanfan¡¯s party is likely to have either escaped danger, or they have already gotten captured,¡± Zhao Yunxiao reported matter-of-factly. What do you mean?¡± Sect Protector Pei immediately came over and asked. ¡°There is a huge difference between escaping and getting captured! Which one is it?¡± The other deacons and protectors similarly came over and gathered near Zhao Yunxiao, eager to find out what happened. Reporting to Senior Pei, it is more likely that they have escaped, but we don¡¯t know that for sure,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said honestly. ¡°That is, unless we want to send them a message to find out if they are safe.¡± This...¡± Sect Protector Pei hesitated, aware of the many eyes that were on him at the moment. ¡°Forget it, it is good enough that their situation has stabilised for now. Now that they have some time to think things through, I¡¯m sure they will be able to find a way to deal with things themselves.¡± Sending messages to get participants out of a tricky situation was one thing, but sending messages just to check on their well-being was a completely different matter altogether. It could easily be construed as a display of both wastefulness and bias, considering how sending each message would cost the sect spirit stones. If they had to constantly check on all participants just to see how they could help, then the spirit stones expenditure would be off the charts. That aside, it would also defeat the purpose of letting them explore the mystic realm in the first place, which was supposed to help them gain experience under a minimal level of intervention. Fei Weng nodded in satisfaction upon seeing this, agreeing with Sect Protector Pei¡¯s decision. In addition,unlike Sect Protector Pei, he was rather familiar with Zhao Yunxiao. Seeing the look of relief on Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s face told him all he needed to know. He knew that Zhao Yunxiao should have a good gauge on the probability of each scenario, and would not have shown such an expression if the chances of the Mo Group being captured were high. With that in mind, Fei Weng decided to leave Zhao Yunxiao to manage things here while he attended to the other observers. ¡° While saying that, he had to consciously suppress the corner of his lips from twitching. This Shu Yifei was not a member of San Wanfan¡¯s Mo Group. Instead, she belonged to the Wei Group led by Nuo Qianling. ¡° Two physicians rushed to the scene. Seeing how her clothes were in tatters and almost revealing a little too much skin, the female physicians immediately put up a small curtain to shield her from the eyes of others while they examined and treated the various wounds on her body. ¡° Being from the Wei Faction as well, it was not surprising that he, who looked to be a bald old man in his eighties, was interested in the situation of participants from the same inner sect faction. ¡° ¡° That¡¯s not it...¡± one of the physicians replied hesitantly. Such a response caused Deacon Que to turn solemn. ¡°It is fine if you don¡¯t wish to reveal what you guys are up to. But I hope you realise that by doing so, you will also be robbing your party of the opportunity to receivehelp. And seeing how you have just escaped the mystic realm, your other party members probably aren¡¯t doing too well on their own either!¡± ¡° Seeing that Shu Yifei was still being all tight-lipped, Deacon Que was just about to give up on her and walk away when he suddenly heard a voice transmission coming from her. Deacon Que¡¯s solemn expression slowly softened as he listened to most of the details regarding the Wei Group¡¯s current situation, though Shu Yifei deliberately left out what exactly they had found encased within the black ice. Deacon Que had indeed heard of this region within the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. However, it was not exactly the most popular area. Yes, there had definitely been rare treasures discovered there, but the harsh conditions were a huge risk as well. To think that they had tried to challenge the Blacksnow Tundra, and even managed to find something encased in black ice. No wonder Shu Yifei was being all secretive about the matter. Even Deacon Que could not help but feel interested in this potential treasure! If possible, he really wanted to help them retrieve it. At this moment, he could not help but turn his attention towards Fei Weng. As he watched Fei Weng busily managing other observers, his eyes lit up with hope. Surely, the deacon in charge of the observers would have a good idea on how to help! I Have a Business Offer for You Really?¡± Fei Weng narrowed his eyes at Deacon Que. ¡°You are saying that one of them found an old comrade¡¯sremains encased in black ice in the Blacksnow Tundra, so they are seeking to bring it back to honour their old comrade? Not just that, but they got attacked by strange skeletons while trying to do so, and are refusing to give up since they prioritise their companions over personal achievements within the mystic realm?¡± Deacon Que had pulled him aside to speak in private, so he had thought that the former would be mentioning some important secrets. Shh! Not so loud!¡± Deacon Que hushed him quickly. ¡°Those kids don¡¯t want the old comrade¡¯s cultivation partner to hear of it before they can confirm their success!¡± ¡° Regardless of the truth, if the deacon truly wanted to help these participants, Fei Weng did not mind getting the observer team to translate that intent into action as long as it was not too much trouble. However, Fei Weng was definitely not intending to use the spirit stones that had been allocated to him for such private requests, especially when he was not even being told the full story! This isn¡¯t my first time, so I understand that at least,¡± Deacon Que nodded. ¡°But can¡¯t you try to claim this expenditure under necessary expenses? After all, the kids are trying to do this for a good cause!¡± Not a chance. Rules are rules,¡± Fei Weng shut him down immediately. But still, it is all for the sake of their comrade. Doesn¡¯t the sect teach us abou-¡± ¡° Fine, I will fund it!¡± Deacon Que finally said through gritted teeth. He might not know what exactly Nuo Qianling¡¯s party had found, but he decided that it was worth gambling on it for once. ¡° ¡° By ¡®Brother Fei¡¯, are you referring to me?¡± Fei Weng felt the corner of his lips twitch. ¡°Are you being serious right now?¡± ¡° Indeed, he had some impression of participants coming across black ice or skeletal enemies in previous years. But as the deacon in charge of the entire observer team, his focus had always been on whether the participants were able to handle the situation. If they could not, then he would step in to give them a caution or two, including asking them to directly pull out of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. How would he have the time to study ways of helping the participants defeat their opponents or uncover greater treasures? While doing so, Zhao Yunxiao seemed to have a good grasp on the participants¡¯ means and abilities, using this knowledge to help them escape their enemies and avoid detection within the Trident Lake. It looks like Brother Fei has thought of something?¡± Deacon Que asked. ¡° ¡° It is not that there are no other ways,¡± Fei Weng replied. ¡°If you are willing to take the risk, I can get my observer to provide some small tips to the group. He has been a member of the observer team for a few years now, so he has a rather good understanding of the mystic realm. But as I said, you will be the one bearing all the risk if you choose to do this. In no way would I, or my observer, be liable for any consequences that arise as a result!¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡° After confirming the payment amount and solidifying the agreement with a handshake, Fei Weng parted ways with Deacon Que and walked over to Zhao Yunxiao. Listen, Little Zhao. I have a business offer for you...¡± Fei Weng casually stood beside Zhao Yunxiao while telling him the story through voice transmission. As Zhao Yunxiao listened on, he could not help but feel mixed emotions. Due to the sheer importance of this event, it was not surprising that every inner sect faction would try their best to secure the best benefits for their representatives. Therefore, there would always be private requests to look out for certain participants. However, these requests were both a boon and a bane. These requests would usually only be entertained after the more pressing matters had been dealt with, so as to ensure that they did not directly affect their official duties. Therefore, they could be considered just another source of benefits for observers. But at the same time, entertaining such requests would naturally come with a risk of offending others, especially when the participants whom they tried to help still ended up not doing well. Of course, most people would understand that it was not the fault of the observers, but there would occasionally be some unreasonable ones as well. To minimise such incidents, Fei Weng would always act as the first line of vetting and filter out any unreasonable requests. However, what Fei Weng believed was feasible might not always align with the observers¡¯ thoughts. Thecurrent request from Deacon Que was one such example. Zhao Yunxiao quickly went through the information in his mind, trying to recall anything relevant. We both know that the story is complete bullshit, but I¡¯m sure you also understand that our focus isn¡¯t on that. More importantly, are you confident of providing some assistance? If not, I will go turn it down,¡± Fei Weng continued. ¡° That¡¯s all you need to do,¡± Fei Weng nodded before taking on a solemn expression. ¡°Temporary control granted with regards to Nuo Qianling¡¯s party, considering the precarious situation that they are in at the moment.¡± As long as Zhao Yunxiao could provide any form of value-add whatsoever, that would be more than enough for him to prevent Deacon Que from asking for a refund! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° These strange skeletons might not be exceptionally strong, but they were incredibly tenacious. As the battle dragged on, the party members¡¯ energy reserves had slowly begun to deplete, causing them to struggle against these lesser opponents. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before the rest of them followed in Shu Yifei¡¯s footsteps and were forced to exit one after another! Three long months of shamelessly begging and pleasing others just to get the information that they needed ¨C all that hardwork was what finally allowed them to make this exciting discovery. No, that¡¯s not exactly it either. Even considering how they had beenarmed with that knowledge, this was still an extremely fortunate result. Therefore, she was trulyunwilling to give up just like that! As for retreating first and coming back for the sword later, that did not seem like a viable option either. After retreating a good distance, they finally came to the conclusion that these skeletons would not be giving up anytime soon, or at least not until they left the borders of Blacksnow Tundra. And even if they truly retreated all the way out of Blacksnow Tundra, whether these skeletons would really stop their pursuit then was still uncertain. That said, they could not afford to retreat that far either. Not only would the disorientating environment make it difficult for them to return to the exact spot where the wooden sword was located, but battling across long distances could also draw the attention of other participants in the vicinity. The worst-case scenario would be for other participants to dive in and take away the wooden sword while they were busy luring the skeletons away. Simply thinking about this possibility made her blood boil in indignation! Still, considering the current situation that they were in, perhaps she had no other choice. Just as Nuo Qianling was starting to resign herself to her fate, she suddenly heard a message come through from the sect administrators. [Zhuang Chan, execute the Spiralhorn War Tune. Everyone else, quickly set up a defensive perimeter and protect Zhuang Chan at all costs.] Junior Martial Sister Zhuang, Spiralhorn War Tune!¡± Nuo Qianling shouted. ¡°Everyone else, defensive formations on her!¡± Rather than wasting precious time on asking them one by one, she might as welljust make sure that everyone understood the plan by immediately repeating it aloud! Red-Eyed Skeletal Ghouls Red-Eyed Skeletal Ghouls ¨C extremely durable skeleton warriors that wander the Blacksnow Tundra in groups, hunting down any signs of life that were unlucky enough to cross their paths. Disregarding anything more than twenty years ago for the sake of temporal relevance, Zhao Yunxiao noted only eight recorded encounters with these Red-Eyed Skeletal Ghouls, of which only two encounters had resulted in victory over them. Seventeen years ago, the then-prime disciple of the Azure Dragon Sect had forcibly suppressed the skeletons by summoning a giant spiritual tree. Not only did he succeed in sealing them away, but his actions also resulted in a small change in the terrain of the Blacksnow Tundra. For the years following that, everyone avoided the spiritual tree whenever they wandered into the Blacksnow Tundra, wary of accidentally releasing the skeletons within. It was not until ten years later that the spiritual tree stopped being spotted by participants, assumed to have finally fallen to the annual terrain change of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. Then three years ago, a participant from the Vermilion Bird Sect used a sound-element technique to boost the strength of his party members when facing this same type of skeleton. Back then, it had been said that the moment this technique started, the Red-Eyed Skeletal Ghouls immediately descended into a state of chaos, as though they had come face to face with the bane of their existence. Their seemingly invincible aura crumbled in an instant, allowing the participants to slay the skeletons that had been suppressing them until then. Even Zhao Yunxiao had only noted it down without much expectation, treating it as just another interesting titbit that only had a small possibility of coming in handy in the future. And now, three years later, this small bit of knowledge had finally found its use. But with nothing else to fall back on, this was already the most viable option that he could give to the Wei Group! Under the onslaught of the heavy snowstorm, Zhuang Chan revealed a look of hesitation as her party formed a defensive perimeter around her. ¡° ¡° If they wanted to increase their movement speed in battle, there were plenty of other techniques that would be much more useful than this! To top it off, it was not like the sect administrators had never given the wrong instructions. ¡° But it is not a suitable combat technique!¡± Zhuang Chan retorted. ¡°If I really go ahead with this, it will only end up draining my energy reserves for no reason. At that point, I would no longer be able to even retreat from these skeletons!¡± As the party leader, she naturally knew of Zhuang Chan¡¯s Spiralhorn War Tune since the latter had used it plenty of times to aid the party in the past. Because of that, she had also been feeling a little confused about the instructions from the sect administrators, though she eventually chose to brush it off by telling herself that perhaps she did not fully understand the technique. ¡° ¡° Tch!¡± Nuo Qianling glanced at the wooden sword in the distance and furrowed her brows. ¡°Just follow the instructions! We¡¯ll do that while waiting for further instructions to come in. I¡¯m sure they will tell us what to do next!¡± But if they could not even get any benefit after getting exposed, then they would really end up being a laughingstock! But... fine! Let¡¯s gamble on this then!¡± Zhuang Chan still had her doubts, but decided to trust in her party leader¡¯s intuition this time.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. But right now, the psychological impact was minimal on the Wei Group. To most people, witnessing the skeleton¡¯s sudden increase in aggression would have brought them instant regret, thinking that their actions had only made their situation worse. However, Nuo Qianling did not share that sentiment. Now, it was just a matter of determining if this change was truly a good thing for them or not. That was something that they would have to find out for themselves! ¡° As she spoke, a thick layer of ice formed around her right arm, turning into a long spike, which she immediately used to strike at the nearest Red-Eyed Skeletal Ghoul. Prior to this, these skeletons seemed nigh indestructible. While the Wei Group members were able to send them back with each strike, these attacks absolutely left no traces on the skeletons¡¯ bodies. ¡° ¡° Now, they had suddenly taken on a much more aggressive posture but were starting to show weaknesses, which meant that the battle was now headed towards a much earlier yet unpredictable conclusion. The only question now was whether the Wei Group would end up victorious at the end of this quick battle, or if they would fall to the sheer aggression of the Red-Eyed Skeletal Ghouls. Zhao Yunxiao saw the jade tablets vibrating a lot faster than before, and understood that the Wei Group had taken it up a notch in terms of the pace of the battle. It would appear that the Spiralhorn War Tune had indeed forced the Red-Eyed Skeletal Ghouls¡¯ violent nature to surface. Now, he could only hope that Wei Group would be able to withstand the onslaught that followed. After all, there were two main issues here that had to be addressed. And then there was the second issue ¨C the black ice pyramid that was supposedly holding the corpse of an old comrade. In fact, there had been several such encounters reported in the past, where participants came across treasures encased in black ice but were unable to extract them. There had only been one success story ¨C also accomplished seventeen years ago by the then-prime disciple of the Azure Dragon Sect. After he had successfully suppressed the Red-Eyed Skeletal Ghouls with the spiritual tree, he similarly came across a black ice pyramid that held an undisclosed treasure within. Despite his initial confidence, the repeated failures still made him feel like giving up. In fact, he was just about to leave when he accidentally discovered a strange way to slowly melt away the black ice. When the black ice started melting, it released a huge amount of energy that drew in monsters and spiritual beasts from all over the Blacksnow Tundra. Zhao Yunxiao felt a headache coming on as he was suddenly faced with a tough decision. Brief Respite Even if the Wei Group eventually ended up claiming victory over the Red-Eyed Skeletal Ghouls, it would have to be through a difficult battle that pushed the party members to their limits. Considering that, it was unlikely that they would give up even if he did not reveal the method to melt the black ice. He could see them wasting their time and effort, trying all sorts of means while fully exposing themselves to the assault of other enemies that passed by the area. And should he reveal the method to melt the black ice, nothing else he said would matter. Regardless of the amount of caution that he tried to throw out, all of it would surely fall on deaf ears. Of course, he would still have to caution them regardless, even if it was just to safeguard his own interests. Only by doing so would nobody be able to put the blame on him should things go awry, for the onus would then be on Nuo Qianling¡¯s party. If they chose such an option despite having received an explicit warning in advance, then they only had themselves to blame. The last thing Zhao Yunxiao wanted was for a participant under his watch to end up dying in the Four Symbols Mystic Realm, for the sake of both camaraderie as well as his rewards as an observer! This might not be a popular location among participants, but it was still a region that had existed for centuries within the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. Therefore, the encounters recorded over the years were numerous enough to form a long list. Not just that, but there would also be different reports from participants regarding each type of opponent, some complementary and others contradictory. All these had to be reconciled in order to eliminate any noise data. Not only would he have to think of the strengths and weaknesses of each possible opponent, but he also had to match them against the strengths and weaknesses of each member of the Wei Group, as well as consider the various means at their disposal. He understood that each successful case under his belt meant potentially greater rewards. Even if these rewards were not immediately apparent, his accomplishments would still add up over time and leave an impression on Fei Weng, and that could already be considered a reward in and of itself. Thankfully, even though this was a difficult task that could not be accomplished in a short amount of time, Zhao Yunxiao had one thing going for him at least. And without a doubt, this battle was not going to end anytime soon. Originally holding her flute to her lips, Zhuang Chan¡¯s hands fell limply to her sides, revealing a complexion that had turned as pale as a ghost¡¯s. Not wanting to let her comrades down, she had truly overexerted herself this time, forcing herself to push on even after she had long reached her physical limits. ¡° Even through the heavy snowstorm, she could see that the sky above had lit up once more. Without realising it, they had fought through the entire night! It¡¯s finally over now, right?¡± another member asked nervously while looking around them, unable to shake off the feeling that the skeletons could rise once more. ¡° She could still see the numerous bones scattered all over the black snow, proof of the long and difficult battle that they had just undergone. None of the skeletons were moving anymore.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Even though they had to lose Shu Yifei in the process, they had finally managed to tide over the crisis! They might have gotten rid of the skeletons, but they still had to figure out a way to extract the wooden sword. As though having read her mind, a message came through from the sect administrators at this very moment. [To melt the black ice, you can use the red flames in the eye sockets of the Red-Eyed Skeletal Ghouls. However, it is best not to do that. The moment the ice starts melting, it will release a storm of energy that will draw in enemies from all over Blacksnow Tundra. It will be almost impossible for your party to last long enough to get what you want.] Truthfully, she had been rather exasperated by her party member for having lured these skeletons over, but now it would appear that this was just the river of fate leading them towards their inevitable destination! Nuo Qianling slowly stood up before walking over to pick up one of the skulls scattered across the snow. Peering within, she could indeed see a small flame burning in each of the eye sockets. It was best not to melt the ice and get the treasure that they had found after going through such difficulties? If it was something that they could handle, they would sweep it away without hesitation. And how would they ever dream of catching up to the core disciples, who were like stars shining high up in the sky? If she could be contented with living a life of mediocrity, then she would not have chosen to step upon the arduous path of cultivation in the first place! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° I thought so,¡± Nuo Qianling let out a similar grin. ¡°Quickly rest up and recover your energy then. Let¡¯s find out which one is stronger ¨C the power of the Blacksnow Tundra, or the power of our determination!¡± Energy expenditure and movements tending towards zero, but their vitals are recovering. Nuo Qianling¡¯s party is likely to have escaped danger,¡± Zhao Yunxiao reported matter-of-factly. He kept an eye on the Wei Group¡¯s jade tablets, which indicated that they were completely stationary at the moment. Yes, it was only natural that they would want to rest and recover after a hard battle. However, as long as they did not leave the area, there was still a good chance that they had yet to give up on the black ice. However, he was still hoping for that slim possibility of them choosing rationality over emotions, deciding to give up on the black ice to seek safer rewards in the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. Then again, no matter how nerve-racking the wait was, it was still a brief respite where he could finally afford to let his mind rest a little. ¡° ¡° After escaping from Trident Lake, the Mo Group had continued to run for half a day before they finally came across this river that cut through the woods. Even before the first light of dawn shone down upon them, all six members had already gotten up, and were now gathered around a large campfire that they had set up along the banks of the river. No words were exchanged among the party members as they sat around the fire, silently chewing on the grilled fishes that they had gotten from the river last night. The sound of the river flowing and the fire crackling came together to form a melody of serenity, a huge contrast to how yesterday had gone for them. There was a gloomy atmosphere in the air, though that was probably only natural as well. After all, not only had they lost a battle, but they had also ended up being chased around for such a long time. ¡° Of course not,¡± San Wanfan answered without hesitation. ¡°We definitely need to find a way to make them pay. We need to let them know that we, disciples of the Black Tortoise Sect, are not mere pushovers!¡± Not only losing a battle but also being chased like a dog for half a day ¨C he could already imagine all the mocking comments that awaited them after leaving the mystic realm, and just thinking about the upcoming humiliation made his blood boil. He had spent years building up a reputation for his party, and there was absolutely no way that he would allow all his efforts to be destroyed by a single crazy bitch¡¯s desire to show off. Even if it meant resorting to cheap tricks, they had to think of a way to turn the tables on Quan Hui¡¯s party! Yin Yang Sword Diagram Have you heard? Apparently, Cheng Kai defeated Sword Finger Qi Yi in a duel!¡± ¡° What kind of question is that? Sword Finger Qi Yi is a core disciple of the White Tiger Sect! Do you know any other ¡®Cheng Kai¡¯s who could be capable of such a feat?¡± ¡° A day had passed since the opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm, and there were already a number of participants who had been forced to exit. Among them, the most surprising news was undoubtedly the one about Crimson Sword Cheng Kai defeating Sword Finger Qi Yi in a direct duel. An inner disciple defeating a core disciple ¨C this provided a huge boost to the reputation of the Black Tortoise Sect! At the same time, Cheng Kai was also an anomaly who did not belong to any inner sect faction, so there was no political agenda stopping anyone from feeling proud of his achievement. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° At the same time, he was also not surprised by Cheng Kai¡¯s unorthodox way of tackling the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. In fact, most experienced helpers would not be. After all, Cheng Kai had done the exact same thing in previous years, taking this opportunity solely to challenge participants from the various sects. Since Cheng Kai had been challenging the others over their gains in the mystic realm, his numerous victories also meant that he had gotten away with a portion of each opponent¡¯s treasures. In fact, there had been many who simply gave him a portion of their rewards right from the get-go, all to avoid the duel altogether! Watch the environment. Watch their posture. Watch their eyes. Watch the flow of energy. ¡° ¡° ¡° A day had passed since the opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. While the participants were busy exploring the mystic, the helpers back at the sect were also busy going about their tasks. For the observers, they had already been watching their assigned participants for an entire day, and some of the more inexperienced ones were starting to show obvious signs of fatigue. That said, this was not Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s first time on the observer team, so Fei Weng was not too worried about him. If anything, his question was more for the sake of just going through the motion. ¡° His vitals are healthy, energy expenditure is low, and movement is moderate,¡± Zhao Yunxiao reported immediately. ¡°It is likely that he is travelling without feeling any immediate threat right now.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° They had received a business offer to help Cheng Kai out. This would not have been too surprising had it been anyone else, but Cheng Kai was someone who did not belong to any of the inner sect factions. Who could possibly have decided to spend their precious resources on this? If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Perhaps a good place to start would be trying to find out who could possibly benefit from Cheng Kai doing well in the Four Symbols Mystic Realm! ¡° ¡° The Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligator was a known monster within the Four Symbols Mystic Realm, with past participants having encountered it on various occasions. After all, they already knew of its existence and understood that no matter how slim, there was still a possibility of encountering it in the mystic realm. Look, there are some people in front of it!¡± a party member remarked. He had thought that the alligator monster was making a beeline towards them, but it would appear that it was actually chasing after another group instead. These four figures were actually the Yin Yang Sword Sisters of the Flying Swords Hall, together with the Tidal Fairy and some guy from the Origin Lake Sect! ¡° ¡° The Mo Group set off on his cue, rapidly closing the distance between them and the approaching party. ¡° Not much further. I can feel the water energy right ahead,¡± Chen Pingxi replied before letting out a deep frown. ¡°Wait, someone¡¯s coming straight for us!¡± It is a group of six,¡± Zhou Qin added solemnly. ¡°We need to change directions. Otherwise, we will risk getting caught in a pincer!¡± No, let¡¯s charge right through. We¡¯ll take care of it!¡± Ye Yuyang volunteered with a voice as clear as her sister¡¯s. ¡°Let¡¯s go, sis!¡± ¡° ¡° It might be too late by the time we slowly investigate,¡± Ye Yuyang answered. ¡°I would rather not take that chance!¡± With their bodies airborne and parallel to the ground, the two of them held each other by the left hand while extending their swords with their right hands. This circle of energy quickly grew larger, expanding to a diameter of about ten metres. At the same time, it started to gain colour ¨C white on one side and black on the other ¨C forming a yin yang symbol. Wherever it passed, all the trees and branches in its way were completely obliterated without exception! As expected of the Yin Yang Sword Sisters¡¯ signature combination attack, its destructive power was truly amazing. It did not get boring no matter how many times they saw it! What the hell?!¡± San Wanfan widened his eyes in shock as he suddenly realised what was coming straight for them. ¡°Everyone, dodge!¡± Let the Siege Commence! The ice wall crumbled instantly upon impact, like a mantis trying to block a carriage. However, San Wanfan had already expected as much. One group was charging forward in an imperious manner, while the other was desperately scampering across the ground. Fortunately for him, the quartet did not feel the same. ¡° ¡° Rather than apologising, she decided that the priority right now was still to warn them of the current situation. ¡° ¡° There¡¯s no need to run from it any longer,¡± San Wanfan assured. ¡°We will do the heavy lifting. You just have to support us wherever necessary!¡± As he spoke, San Wanfan could not help but feel akin to the heroes in classic romance stories, saving the damsels in distress in a suave and confident manner. Because of that, many inner disciples of the Black Tortoise Sect believed that they had a better chance with these beauties. Since he had already climbed his way up to become a party leader in the inner sect, San Wanfan believed that his conditions were not too bad as well. All he needed was an opportunity to create a connection with these beauties without it feeling too forced. He definitely had to make use of this situation to leave a lasting impression! ¡°This...!¡± Chen Pingxi looked on with worry in her eyes. ¡° ¡° Wait, they are a party, so they might have some established battle patterns. If we carelessly enter the battle, we might even end up getting in their way,¡± Chen Pingxi stopped them. ¡°Let¡¯s wait and observe for now.¡± ¡° He took the centre while his party members fanned out along his left and right, seeking to form a circle around the approaching Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligator. As they moved, all of them retrieved a huge flag and raised it with one hand. Each flag had the word ¡®sail¡¯ written on it, albeit in a different handwriting. The moment they surrounded the Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligator, the party started moving in unison, circling the monster in a clockwise direction. Outstretched tree branches crashed against oneanother along the edge of the rotating piece of land, causing trees to fall all over. This meant that the Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligator would not be able to lock onto a party member and run in a straight line towards them either. However, the Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligator still did not slow its charge. This way, it wanted to escape the boundaries of the ground that was currently spinning. And with this movement, the area that was spinning actually moved along with them.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. As expected, the Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligator soon stopped its charge after falling to this battle formation, looking around in an obvious state of confusion. There was no need to worry about any ranged attacks. ¡° He thought that he would have some time to think about how to help Cheng Kai. Who knew that San Wanfan¡¯s party would suddenly start giving problems once again? ¡° ¡° ¡° Damn it, those brats from the Vermilion Bird Sect! Quickly help them!¡± Sect Protector Pei said. ¡° Tch! Just keep watching them and let me know if the situation worsens!¡± But the fact remained that the Mo Group was currently in a precarious situation. If only he knew where they went after escaping from Trident Lake. Without that information, he was truly helpless! Zhao Yunxiao let out a helpless sigh upon seeing this. There was no doubt about it. Nuo Qianling¡¯s party had decided to go ahead with melting the black ice after all. Sometimes, people simply overestimate their current position. Just because they had a wayto pull out of the mystic realm at any given moment, many participants mistakenly believed that they could simply do whatever they wanted without fear of any real consequences. Unfortunately, reality had proven time and again that what they believed might not be entirely true. Just because they had a way to escape did not mean that they would always have the opportunity to use it. Every single year, there were participants who ended up losing their lives within the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. If it were up to Zhao Yunxiao, he would never make such a decision. Nuo Qianling retracted her hand that was armed with the Hail Lance, standing imperiously over the now-motionless ape monster. Secondly, melting the black ice truly released a storm of energy that seemed to be attracting monsters to their location. Unless its detection capabilities were that much better than theirs, it was clear that the ape monster was headed for the location instead of them. Thankfully, all of them had been rather easy to deal with so far. Still, Nuo Qianling was not nearly naive enough to believe that this was the end of it. In order to get to the wooden sword in the black ice, they would gladly deal with anything that the Blacksnow Tundra wanted to throw their way. At this point, messages from the sect administrators started coming through in her head once again. [There are five enemies that pose the greatest threat to your party. First are the Rainbow Scythe Ants ¨C identifiable by the rainbow light emitted by their mandibles and how they move in a swarm. They rely on two things to overwhelm their opponents ¨C their numbers, and their extremely hot mandibles that could melt down even treasure weapons. Instead of taking them head on, either use overpowering scents to confuse them or try to cut off their feelers. They rely purely on capturing the scents in the air, so they would not be able to pinpoint your positions once that is taken from them.] [Second is the Blacksnow Wyrm ¨C identifiable from the white lines stretching across the entirety of its enormous black body. The Blacksnow Wyrm is extremely tough and impervious to almost all elemental attacks. It usually strikes from underground, seeking to catch its targets by surprise by swallowing them whole along with the ground itself. Always be wary of loose ground, as it might be due to the presence of the Blacksnow Wyrm lurking beneath. Piercing attacks are the way to go when facing the Blacksnow Wyrm, though they need to be strong enough to penetrate its tough skin.] [Next are the Serpent Mammoth ¨C identifiable by the black serpents on its body instead of hair, the True Ice Wyvern ¨C identifiable its resemblance to a black ice sculpture, and finally the Moonlight Wolf ¨C identifiable by the extremely bright silver light from its eyes. If you meet any of these three, abandon your plan and escape immediately. You cannot beat any of them.] She might not have heard of the Rainbow Scythe Ants or True Ice Wyvern, but she had indeed heard of the Blacksnow Wyrm, the Serpent Mammoth, and the Moonlight Wolf. Without a doubt, they were all extremely dangerous opponents. However, undying creatures like the Red-Eyed Skeletal Ghouls should be considered an exception, and should not be used as the basis of judgement. If the sect administrators had not sent such a message, perhaps she would still have chosen to take the safe route. But now that she knew this was their current impression of her group, there had appeared an urgent need to prove their worth. That way, they could decisively show the sect administrators just how strong they truly were! Increasing Efficiency The pitter-patter of water droplets hitting the ground drowned out all other sounds in the vicinity. It resembled a melody of serenity, a huge contrast to the devastation that had just occurred here a few moments ago. But unlike what most would think, this was not the sound of rain. Instead, it was the sound of remnant water hitting the ground ¨C remnant water from an impressively large-scale water technique that had drowned out the entire area. This was no ordinary water, but one that had been imbued with essence energy. The impact from this liquid hammer was nothing to be scoffed at, enough to cause the entire ground to sink in. Every single tree and piece of vegetation in the area had been flattened under this overwhelming force, turning it into a wide clearing. After witnessing this technique, even her allies could not help but gape in awe, momentarily unable to utter another word. Her face was pale, her breathing was irregular, and her limbs were trembling. It was not nearly to the extent of being about to fall over, but anyone would be able to tell that it was taking her quite some effort to even remain standing. The startled San Wanfan slowly retreated in fear, backing away from the Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligator that had been forced to the ground after receiving a direct hit from Chen Pingxi¡¯s Tidal Hammer. Chen Pingxi¡¯s attack had slammed down on this land with the Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligator at the very centre, and its legs were not nearly strong enough to remain extended under the force of the impact. Not just that, but the introduction of such a gargantuan amount of energy-imbued water had also directly extinguished the black flames that it had summoned earlier. Still, one thing was for certain ¨C this Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligator was definitely an anomaly! Otherwise, regular Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligators were simply not supposed to be capable of breathing fire, not to mention fire of such destructive power! The unexpected fire-element attack had completely caught his party by surprise. Most of them had reacted fast enough to put up some basic form of defence, but not all of them were so lucky. However, he knew that this could already be considered to have gotten off lucky. After noticing that the Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligator was still recovering from the earlier hit, he quickly rushed over to the party member who was positioned nearest to him. Are you all right, Junior Martial Brother Teng?¡± San Wanfan knelt beside Teng Qi and asked. ¡° Don¡¯t worry, I will not let your sacrifice be in vain,¡± San Wanfan said, rage welling up within him. ¡°If not for that Quan bitch, how could we have ended up in such dire straits right now? I assure you that I will avenge this shame by launching a counterattack on them. No matter what it takes, I will make them pay!¡± ¡° ¡°Don¡¯t just stand around! The Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligator is about to recover!¡± Ye Yuyang shouted. ¡°Hurry up and follow us!¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Gritting his teeth in a mix of indignation and embarrassment, San Wanfan shouted to the rest of his party. ¡° *** ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Is it that bunch from the Vermilion Bird Sect?¡± Yuan Shang immediately followed up. No, that¡¯s not it...¡± Teng Qi said weakly from behind the curtains. ¡°We encountered a Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligator with an anomaly, and I was caught by surprise by its sudden attack. What happened is like this...¡± How could you be this careless!¡± Sect Protector Pei¡¯s expression darkened after hearing the full story. ¡° Exactly! It¡¯s all their fault!¡± Yuan Shang echoed his sentiments in a voice filled with rage. ¡° But don¡¯t worry,¡± Teng Qi said. ¡°Before I left, Senior Martial Brother San promised to avenge this injustice by launching a counterattack on them. I¡¯m sure he will make good on his word!¡± ¡° ¡° However, was it truly possible for San Wanfan¡¯s party to pull off something like that? ¡° Sect Protector Pei was not the only one feeling worried at the moment. Yes, he felt bad for the Mo Group as well. After all, they had truly been rather unfortunate in terms of their encounters within the Four Symbols Mystic Realm so far. All things considered, it was certainly comforting to hear that they had joined up with the participants from the Origin Lake Sect and Flying Swords Hall. With such a lineup, overcoming the Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligator should not be a problem as long as they worked together earnestly, even if it was an anomaly. As expected, while everyone always said that the Four Symbols Mystic Realm was full of treasures, a significant amount of effort was still required to actually locate them. It was not like he did not like acquiring more treasures either. But more so than that, he actually preferred a good fight to hone his skills. And what better way to do so than by targeting the participants who might be aiming for these treasures? He did not know why he was suddenly receiving such a message. But if the sect administrators wanted to help him increase his efficiency in locating worthy opponents, he would definitely welcome this gesture with open arms! As for confirming whether the instructions were true, there was only one way to do so ¨C by actually following them and finding out for himself. Forced Coalition Nine participants stood silently along the raging river, each of them positioned strategically to surround the large creature that was now half submerged in the flowing water. None of them looked to be in a good state, with their clothes dishevelled and exhaustion clearly showing on their faces. Yet despite their weary bodies, they dared not avert their gazes from their opponent. They fully understood that a single moment of carelessness could easily result in grievous injuries ¨C injuries that could effectively end their run here in the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. The Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligator in the centre was currently riddled with wounds, its tough scales torn off in multiple spots to reveal bleeding wounds. In fact, its movements were now reduced to the slight opening and closing of its jaws, and even that was done in a slow and subdued manner. It is nearing its limit,¡± Ye Yuyang said, her clear and soothing voice unable to conceal her relief. ¡°Just a little more!¡± Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligators had always been known to reside in the river, so drawing it over to the river would have seemed to be a foolish choice at first glance. However, they had chosen to do so regardless, basing this decision on nothing but pure trust in Chen Pingxi¡¯s ability. After drawing the Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligator over to the river, Chen Pingxi immediately took the lead in the battle that followed. With the way she manipulated the water element to increase the strength of her techniques, it would not even be too much of an exaggeration to say that she was the one carrying the entire group to victory. In comparison, the rest of the group were merely playing support roles that might or might not have mattered. Even with that, this still turned out to be a long and difficult battle that took its toll on all nine participants. Thankfully, the end finally appeared to be within sight! Well then, one final sprint. Let¡¯s end its suffering once and for all!¡± San Wanfan lifted his glaive. Yet despite his attempt to sound confident, the trembling of his arms betrayed his true current state. ¡° Everyone looked at him, confused by what he was saying. One should not simply underestimate the vitality of Origin Core realm monsters. Even when brought to the brink of death, most of them would be able to quickly recover as long as they were given the opportunity to do so. The grand explosions that followed shocked everyone into instinctively putting up their guard. Throughout the battle, Chen Pingxi had thrown out plenty of water-element attacks. And at this moment, the energy-imbued water that had resulted from every single one of her earlier techniques exploded all at once. It was a huge eruption of energy, carrying a total force that might not necessarily be less than that of the earlier Tidal Hammer. And this time, parts of the explosion even occurred from within the Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligator, directly bypassing the monster¡¯s external defences! The Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligator was unable to even muster a final roar. At this moment, they could not help but turn their attention to Chen Pingxi, who had silently closed her eyes and sat down cross legged on a rock to recover her energy with spirit stones. Her relatively tiny frame appeared inexplicably large all of a sudden, exuding an untouchable aura akin to a goddess who was meditating atop a lotus flower. She was truly deserving of her name! Understanding that the battle had truly concluded, the Yin Yang Sword Sisters and members of the Mo Group quickly followed Chen Pingxi¡¯s lead, sitting down to recover as well. Before long, San Wanfan was the only one who remained standing. This was not because he was not tired. Instead, it was because he had something more important to do. Be it the Yin Yang Sword Sisters¡¯ Yin Yang Sword Diagram or the Tidal Fairy¡¯s Tidal Hammer and Tidal Burst, they were all impressive techniques that were extremely difficult to handle. Witnessing them in the flesh, he immediately came up with a bold idea to further his plans. It has been a pleasure fighting alongside everyone today. I, San Wanfan, hereby thank you on behalf of the Black Tortoise Sect!¡± San Wanfan clasped his fists towards everyone. ¡° Even though they did not exactly request for assistance, it remained a fact that the Mo Group had helped them in this battle. Please don¡¯t stand on ceremony, Sister Ye. Our factions can be considered as one big family, so it is only natural to help each other out in the face of any difficulties,¡± San Wanfan replied. ¡°That said, I do have a selfish request to make, which I hope everyone would be able to indulge.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡° That said, she could not help but feel shocked by the response that followed. I¡¯m glad that Sister Ye thinks this way. In that case, I shall be frank,¡± San Wanfan said. ¡°Our party wasassaulted by Infernal Claw Quan Hui¡¯s party earlier, and temporarily fell into a disadvantage as a result. That said, we are not intending to take it lying down. Instead, wewill be launching a counterattack with the intention of forcing them out of the mystic realm. For the honour of the Black Tortoise Sect, I humbly request your assistance in our endeavour!¡± Not only had he mentioned earlier that it was only natural for them to help each other out, but he also made sure to emphasise that this concerned the honour of the Black Tortoise Sect. As disciples of the Black Tortoise Sect¡¯s subordinate sects, this would naturally create a huge psychological burden on both the Origin Lake Sect and Flying Swords Hall participants. At the same time, this also helped him avoid pleading for their help from a personal standpoint, which helped him retain a bit of honour and face! In fact, they would probably have readily agreed if it was something else, but this matter involved taking on the party of a core disciple of one of the Four Great Symbol Sects! Core disciples were the focus of every faction, individuals to be nurtured into future elders. Even if the operation were to be a resounding success, it could very well result in an enmity between their sect and the Vermilion Bird Sect. And creating bad blood with any of the other Four Great Symbol Sects was an extremely huge deal! While they were officially subordinate to the Black Tortoise Sect, the alliance among the Four Great Symbol Sects was an ancient bond that had always bound the four factions together. That said, they were still duty-bound to assist the Black Tortoise Sect. Because of that, this would have been a no-brainer if the one asking was a core disciple of the Black Tortoise Sect. However, San Wanfan¡¯s identity as only an inner disciple made it difficult for them to agree without question! ¡° ¡° She naturally understood that San Wanfan was trying to use the name of the Black Tortoise Sect to force them into agreeing, but it was not like they had much of a choice. Since they probably had to do it anyway, they might as well put their all into it and make it a resounding success! ¡° Chen Pingxi slowly opened her eyes and matched San Wanfan¡¯s gaze. I would love to help, but I am ashamed to admit that I am truly spent after the battle earlier,¡± Chen Pingxi said with a faint voice that could easily be mistaken as that of someone on her deathbed. ¡°If you wish, Junior Martial Brother Zhou and I can follow along and see what we can do. However, I really don¡¯t think I will be able to join any battles for the time being. In fact, I would even need you to protect me during this period, Junior Martial Brother Zhou.¡± ¡° That¡¯s good enough,¡± San Wanfan agreed. ¡°In that case, Sister Chen can just follow along for now and participate only after you have sufficiently recovered. That¡¯s settled then! I¡¯m sure we are all exhausted from the fight, so let¡¯s rest up for now. I will let you know of the plan once we are done.¡± At the very least, he now had the Yin Yang Sword Sisters to fight by their side. Even if Chen Pingxi could not recover in time, the twin sisters would still be an enormous boost to their group¡¯s combat capabilities. In fact, it was not usually in his nature to be so overbearing when requesting assistance, but this case was an exception. After all, their performance in the Four Symbols Mystic realm would have a huge impact on his party¡¯s reputation. For the sake of his party, he would even be willing to go to more extreme ends! As expected, they seemed to have overcome the Bloodtoothed Dragon Alligator, and were now in a state of recovery. That said, it was not like he no longer had to worry about them now. If what Teng Qi said was true, then the main issue was what happened next. Personally, he had to admit that this was quite an exciting offer, especially after all the disrespect that Quan Hui had shown his group in their previous encounter. But at the same time, this would only be exciting if it was actually doable. Zhao Yunxiao did not know the exact members of Quan Hui¡¯s party, but there was no way that the Vermilion Bird Sect would allow the party¡¯s strength to fall below a certain threshold. On the other hand, he had done ample research on the Mo Group, so he was very clear on one thing ¨C no amount of tricks was going to let them stand a chance against a core disciple¡¯s party. In order to have even the slimmest possibility of victory, they would have to enlist the assistance of all of the Yin Yang Sword Sisters, Chen Pingxi, and Zhou Qin. And even if they did join, the odds of winning were still abysmal to say the least. In order to stand a decent chance, they would need to come up with a darn good plan! That would be necessary in order to carry out his current plan ¨C to gather as much supporting evidence as possible, hoping to come up with an argument that was strong enough to dissuade San Wanfan from carrying out this foolish plan of his! Petty Tricks Despite being in the midst of quietly meditating to recover his strength, San Wanfan could not help but let out a self-deprecating chuckle. Over the past few hours, he had been getting sporadic messages from the sect administrators, updating him on various potential treasure spots that had been discovered nearby. Initially, he had still been pleasantly surprised by the attention, thinking that their group had managed to gain the attention of the sect administrators. However, he quickly realised what was truly going on. The sect administrators must have heard from Teng Qi that he was planning to launch a counterattack on Quan Hui¡¯s party, and were currently trying to divert his attention. This could mean one of two things. It was either that the sect administrators were advocating for peace, or that they had no confidence in their chances. And judging from past experiences, it was most likely the latter. That was nothing surprising as well, considering how even he himself had yet to come up with a plan that could lead to certain victory. Despite his eagerness to get back at Quan Hui¡¯s party, San Wanfan was not a fool. In order to improve their chances, theyhad no choice but to resort to other measures as well. Sometimes, what sounded like petty tricks were absolutely necessary when dealing with a stronger opponent. Doing so was nothing to be ashamed about. Unfortunately, San Wanfan did not know the four newcomers very well, making it difficult for him to consider their strengths when coming up with a plan. Asking them directly would be considered intrusive as well since nobody liked to expose their own strengths and weaknesses. After all, not only did he not fully understand the four newcomers in his group, but he also did not know enough about Quan Hui¡¯s party members. Even if all else failed, they could just slog it out in a direct battle. After all, it was not as though they had absolutely no chance of winning! Let¡¯s go,¡± San Wanfan stood up and said. ¡°It¡¯s time to show those Vermilion Bird Sect degenerates the consequences of messing with the Black Tortoise Sect!¡± *** ¡°Mere petty tricks,¡± Cheng Kai said, holding his sword steady with its tip stopping just millimetres away from his opponent¡¯s neck. With that, he pulled back his sword and stored it away with a flick of his wrist. As for his opponent, it was a young man sitting against a cliff wall, though it was probably more apt to say that he was leaning on the wall just to be able to sit upright. Multiple slashes could be seen all over his body, a result of the punishment that he had just gone through. ¡°Cough...! Tha-that¡¯s easy for you to say...¡± he said weakly before tossing a pouch over to Cheng Kai. ¡°Not everyone is a monster like you. In order to keep up, most of us have no choice but to rely on what you call petty tricks!¡± You don¡¯t have a choice?¡± Cheng Kai scoffed. ¡°This kind of mentality is exactly the thing stopping you from training hard enough to win through your own strength.¡± Under the silent gazes of the crowds, he turned around and walked away, having claimed yet another victory under his belt. [Approximately a hundred and fifty kilometres east, there is a group gathered to raid a monster nest. Do note that the battle has already been ongoing for at least two hours, so it might have already ended.] Cheng Kai let out an amused grin before rushing off towards the east. From the side, the crowds could not help but feel their spines tingle as they saw this grin suddenly appear on his face. Indeed, there was no smoke without fire. *** The relentless snowstorm continued its assault on the Blacksnow Tundra as the sun slowly disappeared behind the horizon. Yet despite the gloomy weather, the members of the Wei Group were feeling better than ever. Monster carcasses were littered all around them, most of them already half buried in snow. This was a result of the constant assault that they had been facing for at least the past ten hours. But thanks to the warning from the sect administrators, the Wei Group had already prepared themselves for this. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. At the same time, they also abandoned any idea of collecting materials from the carcasses, deciding to leave that for later when everything was done and dusted. Such an arrangement had worked wonders for them. In fact, they had even managed to easily fend off one of the five monsters that the sect administrators had warned them about ¨C the Rainbow Scythe Ants. They had to admit that the appearance of the Rainbow Scythe Ants had been rather shocking. Just the sheer numbers were intimidating enough, not to mention the aura of death that they carried. However, just by throwing out some scent bombs, these monsters immediately turned into headless chickens. Come to think of it, despite their scary appearances, the Rainbow Scythe Ants were actually rather cute to even think that they stood a chance! ¡°Well done, everyone. Just a little more, and we can all leave this godforsaken place!¡± Nuo Qianling encouraged. Can we please go somewhere warm next? I¡¯ve never liked the cold weather, so this environment is really getting on my nerves,¡± Zhuang Chan said while continuing to hold the flames against the black ice. Hahaha, sure! Let¡¯s go somewhere warm next!¡± Nuo Qianling laughed. ¡°When we do, I will persona...¡± Her words trailed off as the faint sound of an elephant¡¯s trumpet pierced through the loud howling of the snowstorm to reach their ears. The sound was faint, yet it still managed to send chills down their spines. It was almost as though their bodies had instinctively reacted to the source of the sound, understanding the danger behind it. ¡° Having done their fair share of digging, all of them knew that there was only one creature in the Blacksnow Tundra that would make a sound like that ¨C the Serpent Mammoth. If you meet any of these three, abandon your plan and escape immediately. You cannot beat any of them. The party members¡¯ cheerful mood disappeared in an instant, replaced with a inexplicable sense of anxiety. They could not help but look over at Nuo Qianling, waiting to hear her decision on what to do next. Not just that, but a smile of excitement even appeared on her face. Looks like the heavens are on our side,¡± Nuo Qianling said. ¡°The sect administrators have written us off as a party that was incapable of dealing with the Serpent Mammoth. But once we manage to do so, we would effectively be exceeding their expectations, forcing them to regard us as a party of greater potential. Things cannot get any better than this!¡± ¡° ¡°That¡¯s right. All those monsters from before have been completely helpless before our strength, so what is one more going to change? Let¡¯s take it down in grand fashion!¡± ¡° Plan? What need is there for a plan?¡± Nuo Qianling smirked. ¡°The Serpent Mammoth is nothing like the Red-Eyed Skeletal Ghouls, so there is no need for any petty tricks. We just have to do the usual, and the Serpent Mammoth would not stand a chance!¡± It was obvious that she truly believed in what she said ¨C in the strength of her party. With just a few words, she had completely wiped away all the fear and uncertainty that had been lingering in their minds. It was as though she had given her party members a new source of strength, creating a powerful wave of energy that coursed through their veins. Zhao Yunxiao looked at the jade tablets in front of him and nodded to himself, satisfied at what he was seeing. The Four Symbols Mystic Realm would remain opened for a total of three days, and they were already nearing the end of the second. Yes, three of them had been eliminated, but they had also received the necessary treatment and were no longer in any sort of danger. This should be another lull period for him to rest a little, with only the Wei Group that he might have to keep an eye on. Be it the Mo Group, the Yin Yang Sword Sisters, Chen Pingxi or Zhou Qin, all of them had recovered and were back on the move. Heearnestly hoped not. Otherwise, he might need to think of a way to help them out a little. Instead, he could only hope that on the upcoming final day, things would go smoothly for the current participants under his watch! Serpent Mammoth ¡° Yeah, but we all know that size is not always directly proportional to combat strength,¡± another party member answered softly. Focus,¡± Nuo Qianling hushed. ¡°As long as we perform as per usual without slipping up, this bastard will soon be nothing but a barrier on the ground to help us block the wind!¡± She and her party members glanced forward at the black shadow that was gradually approaching from behind the heavy snowstorm, all of them already in their battle-ready stances. Standing at ten metres tall, it was almost like a moving structure in the middle of the tundra, capable of blocking out the winds just like Nuo Qianling had said. The black body camouflaged well into the black snow, but it was nigh impossible not to notice its presence ¨C not even when shrouded in the current darkness of the night. After all, each step it took sent tremors through the ground ¨C a good indicator of its incredible weight. With all of them constantly squirming around, it looked as though the Serpent Mammoth was covered in a layer of living carapace. All these snakes seemed to have minds of their own as well. As the Serpent Mammoth gradually got closer, a large number of them started to fix their gazes upon the Wei Group. Thousands of eyes stared them down from afar, giving off a creepy feeling of intimidation that could not usually be felt when facing a single enemy. However, that alone was not nearly enough to make Nuo Qianling waver. Zhuang Chan, keep working on melting that ice,¡± Nuo Qianling ordered. ¡°The rest of you, on me! It¡¯s time to take it down and show the sect administrators our true capabilities!¡± The Serpent Mammoth reacted instantly. The very moment the Wei Group started moving towards it, it began its charge. ¡° After years of fighting together, the three of them had a tacit understanding among them. Even without planning it beforehand, they quickly scattered in three separate directions, attempting to confuse the Serpent Mammoth. However, the Serpent Mammoth showed no signs of confusion. It did not even hesitate to chase after Nuo Qianling, seemingly having locked onto her since the very start. ¡° Numerous icicles instantly shot out from the ground, forming giant spikes that threatened to impale anyone unfortunate enough to be in the area. This was a grand ice-element technique that could take out entire armies all at once ¨C a move that had earned Nuo Qianling victory over numerous battles in the past. No matter how one looked at it, this powerful technique that Nuo Qianling had prided herself on had absolutely zero impact on the Serpent Mammoth! ¡° But while she was fast, the Serpent Mammoth was faster. Not even her repeated attempts at changing directions managed to increase the distance between them, with the Serpent Mammoth perfectly following her every move. ¡° Still, the armour of snakes sprang into action at this moment. They directly bit down on any projectiles that came close, crushing any tangible projectiles while dispersing any intangible ones. ¡° ¡° The thunderous explosion resulted in a shockwave that even cleared out the snowstorm for a moment, creating a giant cloud of smoke that shrouded the entire monster.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡° Compared to her party members, she was rather confident in her superior comprehensions into the Law of Fire. Considering how the Serpent Mammoth was weak to fire, she believed that this was her moment to shine. A loud trumpeting could be heard as the Serpent Mammoth charged out of the cloud of smoke, this time headed straight for Qin Biyu. Her earlier attack had perfectly drawn over the aggro of the monster. ¡° ¡° Now, all they had to do was to use that information to their advantage, slowly wearing it down until it was spent. Slowly and steadily... just like how they had dealt with many of their opponents in the past! ¡° ¡° Just like the other participants, a streak of light shot out from the huge energy globe above the tortoise statue, turning into Qin Biyu in the participants¡¯ tent. The situation is critical! The patient¡¯s bones are shattered in multiple areas, resulting in several ruptured organs. There are also signs of being afflicted with poison!¡± ¡° ¡° Speak up! We can¡¯t deliver the right antidote promptly unless you tell us what you need!¡± Stop asking already! The patient is unconscious, so she cannot answer any questions! Don¡¯t distract us from making our diagnosis!¡± ¡° ¡° However, he also clearly remembered Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s earliermessage, cautioning the Wei Group against engaging the Serpent Mammoth. Doing so would be understandable if they actually had something to back up their confidence. But from the looks of it, that could not be further from the truth! It¡¯s a match! Bring us the antidote for the Serpent Mammoth¡¯s venom!¡± one of the physicians declared. It was a confirmation that brought mixed feelings to both Zhao Yunxiao and Deacon Que. Nuo Qianling¡¯s party was not the first that had ignored the advice of the sect administrators, and they most certainly would not be the last. If the participants really wanted to do as they pleased, then there was nothing that they, as deacons and sect protectors, could do about it. As long as the participants were prepared to face the consequences, this was still their decision to make. Unfortunately, while Fei Weng and Deacon Que could reluctantly accept this outcome, Zhao Yunxiao could not easily do so. It would not be too bad if all of them eventually managed to escape the mystic realm. But if anything untoward were to happen to any of them, that would have a huge negative impact on his assessment results! Think! Zhao Yunxiao bit his lower lip, anxiously combing through the information in his mind as he tried to come up with anything that he could do to help. Anything at all would do! He was certain that there was zero chance that the Wei Group could emerge victorious over the Serpent Mammoth, so he could only think of three other ways to go about it. This was definitely the ideal option. Unfortunately, he had already tried telling the Wei Group to do so, but they simply did not listen. That said, he could possibly try to scare them by claiming that Qin Biyuwas currently in grave danger, but that could end up fuelling the rage in their hearts instead. Many cultivators lose their rationality when it comes to protecting or avenging their companions, so this was a risky move that Zhao Yunxiao would rather not take his chances with. Considering how the Serpent Mammoth stood at the apex of the Blacksnow Tundra, this was another lost cause. Without having experienced any threats to its life, how could it know the feeling of danger? The Serpent Mammoth had likely been drawn over by the party¡¯s attempt to melt the black ice, which had already been going on for hours. If they could somehow keep it busy without trying to defeat it, perhaps they could last until the black ice had completely melted? Once that was done, the Wei Group should no longer have a reason to continue entangling with the Serpent Mammoth. The problem here was that Zhao Yunxiao did not know for sure how big this black ice was, as well as whether the Wei Group¡¯s intention was to take down the Serpent Mammoth or simply defend themselves. It would be best if it were the latter. But if the members of the Wei Group were truly trying to prove themselves by defeating the Serpent Mammoth, then no amount of advice he gave now would be of use. Zhao Yunxiao took a moment to organise his thoughts before tapping on the talisman in front of him. If you wish to defeat the Serpent Mammoth, you are on your own. But if you simply wish to buy more time, then there is indeed a way to do so. However, please be prepared to make some sacrifices in the process. Here¡¯s the plan...¡± Strength of a Core Disciples Party ¡° ¡° The next moment, all six members of her party rushed out of the ancient temple, returning to the wide clearing outside that was overgrown with tall grass. The ancient temple started collapsing behind them, and was reduced to rubble within a matter of seconds. Even during the collapse, dangerous-looking beams of energy could be seen escaping through the gaps in the rubble, shooting into the skies and piercing the clouds. Thankfully, that did not last long. As for Quan Hui¡¯s party, all of them looked exhausted and even slightly unkempt. But as they exchanged glances, smiles subconsciously started appearing on each of their faces. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The party had indeed faced numerous traps and dangers inside the temple, but the treasures they found made it well worth the trip. And now that they were back out and basking under the warm sunlight, the party members could not help but feel a lot more relaxed. This successful venture felt especially rewarding after having spent a full day recovering from the injuries that they had suffered back at the Trident Lake. Fortunately, it did not pursue them as they tried to escape, only sending out a few more attacks after them. That said, those attacks were no joke as well, almost enough to take them out altogether. In fact, it could already be considered quite the miracle that they had managed to escape Trident Lake without losing anyone. Compared to facing that monster, challenging the ancient temple felt like a walk in the park! Quan Hui shook her head to clear those depressing thoughts. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time left. Let¡¯s quickly recover before looking for more treasures!¡± ¡° ¡° Countless water droplets formed along the edges of the array before shooting inwards, turning into water arrows that headed straight for Quan Hui¡¯s party that stood within. A small flame spread underneath his raised foot, making it seem as though the sole of his shoe was on fire. And with this burning sole, he stomped his foot down with great force. ¡° That said, it was unthinkable for participants from the Flying Swords Hall to target them in such a manner. Not only were they a much weaker faction, but they also had no enmity with each other. It would still be possible if they had encountered each other and ended up in a conflict, but setting up a killing array in advance was simply ridiculous. ¡° ¡° With their shoulders leaning against each other¡¯s, the two of them raised both palms to face the oncoming Yin Yang Sword Diagram.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. The fire dragons let out a majestic roar as they slammed into the Yin Yang Sword Diagram, resulting in a huge explosion that sent out shockwaves in all directions. And with the disappearance of the Yin Yang Sword Diagram, the Yin Yang Sword Sisters who had been following right behind were quickly exposed. Still, the twin sisters did not slow their advance. Against the party of a core disciple of the Vermilion Bird Sect, it would be naive of them not to have expected at least this much. Watch the sides!¡± Quan Hui shouted upon noticing their confidence. ¡°There has to be more than just the two of them!¡± Be careful not to get caught by them!¡± San Wanfan shouted, finally revealing his presence. ¡° It was frustrating for her to admit this, but while they seemed to be holding up well, that was a temporary thing. If this battle dragged on, they would most likely be the first to expend all their essence energy. At that point, they would be no different from lambs to the slaughter! Of course, as core disciples of a sword-focused faction, they were no slouches when it came to close combat either. The four of them quickly started an intense exchange of close combat techniques, though it was clear that the Yin Yang Sword Sisters were at a slight disadvantage. ¡° ¡° ¡° On the other hand, Quan Hui was not only alone, but her cultivation level was also the same as his ¨C at the Peak Essence Physique realm. Be it in terms of numbers or cultivation level, they should have a clear advantage over Quan Hui. Yet they could not help but hesitate. After all, her terrifying combat prowess from their earlier encounter was still fresh in their memories. Coupled with her confidence in coming to face them alone, they had a foreboding feeling that even if they fought her together, they would end up being defeated instead! At the same time, the rest of Quan Hui¡¯s party moved to engage San Wanfan and the remaining members of his party in direct battle. We let you off easy the last time, yet you still came crawling back,¡± Quan Hui said as her hands burst into flames. ¡°This time, don¡¯t expect us to show any mercy!¡± ¡°Detecting heavy energy fluctuations and abrupt movement patterns. San Wanfan¡¯s group is likely to have entered battle!¡± Zhao Yunxiao reported. ¡°This appears to be a difficult one for them.¡± Most likely, they had commenced San Wanfan¡¯s plan to engage Quan Hui¡¯s party. That said, for them to find Quan Hui¡¯s party as they had wanted, it was likely that their battle location was not far from that of their first encounter. Following Qin Biyu, another member of the Wei Group had already been eliminated with similarly serious injuries. Some might say that they were foolish for not activating their jade tablets earlier, and from the perspective of someone whose assessment would be greatly impacted should anyone die in the mystic realm, Zhao Yunxiao definitely agreed with those sentiments. But at the same time, Zhao Yunxiao could also understand their feelings to a certain extent, and thus felt a sense of admiration towards them for being willing to push their limits like this. After all, it was inevitable that they would be caught eventually. If it were so easy to toy with the Serpent Mammoth, it would never have been considered such a great threat in the first place. Zhao Yunxiao had suggested that they activate the jade tablets right before being caught, but he definitely did not expect them to push their limits to such an extent ¨C only activating it after actually getting hit. The bad news was that out of the original five, only Nuo Qianling and Zhuang Chan remained. If she could not last long enough for Zhuang Chan to get through the black ice, then everything that they had done up till now would be for naught. And even if she could last long enough for Zhuang Chan to get through the black ice, Zhao Yunxiao could only hope that whatever was inside that black ice was worth all this trouble! As for their claim that it held an old companion¡¯s remains, he did not believe it for a second. It was already the final day before the closure of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. Surely there was no way that both groups would suddenly end up getting wiped out after having come this far? Who Dares Accept My Challenge? ¡° ¡° But why? They might be on the back foot right now, but the difference between the two sides isn¡¯t that great,¡± Zhou Qin probed further. ¡°If we were to join in, it is very likely that we will be able to turn the tides.¡± You underestimate them too much. Things are not as simple as they might seem,¡± Chen Pingxi let out a helpless sigh. ¡°Please trust me this time.¡± I understand, Senior Martial Sister Chen,¡± Zhou Qin nodded. Just like that, the duo continued to watch the battle unfold in a direction that was clearly to San Wanfan¡¯s disadvantage. ¡° ¡° Damn it! What¡¯s she waiting for? Are you sure she is not unconscious?¡± Deacon Que asked. ¡° ¡° That is, if she ever gets back... Just monitoring Nuo Qianling¡¯s jade tablet was really causing his blood pressure to rise. Despite being precariously close to losing consciousness, her energy expenditure and movement speed had not decreased much since the very start. He had thought that the other members of the Wei Group were pushing their limits a little too far, but it would appear that this Nuo Qianling was the true champion when it came to pushing limits! If she continued to push herself like this, it would only be a matter of time before she crossed the line of no return. Hopefully, she was wise enough to give up before then. ¡° ¡° ¡° Those words drew the attention of both Fei Weng and Deacon Que, the latter having paid close attention to the Wei Group since the start. As for Zhuang Chan, two physicians were on her as well, but it was quickly revealed that she was completely fine. How is it?¡± Deacon Que rushed over to Zhuang Chan immediately. ¡°What did you fin- I mean, come with me. Let¡¯s have a chat in private!¡± This act of pulling Zhuang Chan away left the other sect deacons and protectors feeling very dissatisfied. Some of them harrumphed in irritation, while others actually chose to follow along. Fei Weng lightly patted Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s shoulder before proceeding to tend to the other observers. Just like the other sect deacons and protectors, Zhao Yunxiao had been itching for answers, so such an outcome left him feeling dissatisfied as well. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. That said, there was nothing much he could do to help at this point. All he could do was to observe their conditions and warn them if things ever got too dangerous. ¡° In front of her, Lou Guanlai and his companion were looking much worse for wear as compared to before. Their clothes were dishevelled and their breaths were heavy. There were also plenty of burn marks all over their bodies. You talk big, but it is obvious that you are starting to run out of energy,¡± Lou Guanlai taunted despite his terrible appearance. ¡°Let me guess ¨C you must be feeling rather anxious deep inside right now, hoping that your facade of arrogance will prevent us from realising that your energy reserves are depleting fast!¡± Hah! You overestimate yourselves,¡± Quan Hui scoffed. ¡°I still have more than enough in me to wipe you out twice over!¡± ¡° Because they had not shown any signs of wanting to participate in the battle, Quan Hui¡¯s party had chosen to ignore them up till now. But everyone knew that the situation would change if they were to join in. There were many who believed that her capabilities were not too far behind Xiong Yekong of the Armed Ape Tower, who in turn was a complete monster comparable to the core disciples of the Four Great Symbol Sects! Cowards! All of you!¡± Quan Hui yelled in rage. ¡°Ambushing us when we are spent, setting up a killing array to aid your non-existent combat capabilities, and even ganging up to gain the numerical advantage. How far the Black Tortoise Sect has fallen! If you don¡¯t want to disgrace your sect any further, let¡¯s settle this with a fair duel right now! Come, you Black Tortoise Sect cowards! Who dares accept my challenge? If any of you were to win, I will personally announce on stage that I have lost to your party during the Meeting of the Great Symbols!¡± He could not deny what Quan Hui had said ¨C this was definitely not the most honourable of plans. However, what mattered most was that it was working. Regardless of the means, having forced a core disciple¡¯s party to their limits could easily rid them of any bad reputation that would have come about from being chased like a dog earlier. Now, if they could go one step further and defeat Quan Hui¡¯s group, that would truly allow them to bask in glory after this! However, while that might be true in a normal situation, things were rather different now that Quan Hui had already expended a huge amount of her essence energy. At this moment, not only did he hold an advantage in terms of cultivation level, but he also had more energy left in his reserves. Could he win? After all, this might be the only chance he would ever have to claim victory over Quan Hui- no, a core disciple¡¯s party! On the other hand, if he were to accept the duel and lose, not only would that mean sabotaging the potential victory of their party, but it would also bring about personal shame to himself. As expected, all of you Black Tortoise Sect disciples are cowards who can only find victory in numbers. As individuals, none of you are good enough!¡± Quan Hui mocked. ¡°Fine, if all you can do is fight at a numerical advantage, then let¡¯s continue this dishonourable battle! Let us show you that even with dishonourable methods, people like you will not be able to win!¡± ¡° At this point, it would appear that he had no choice but to gamble it all in a direct duel against Quan Hui! But just then, everyone simultaneously turned their eyes towards another corner of the clearing, where an ordinary-looking young man had appeared and was walking over in a casual manner. He sported short black hair and was dressed in neat battle robes, with a sword hanging by his waist. Did you just say that you are looking to duel a Black Tortoise Sect disciple? What a coincidence. That¡¯s exactly what I am looking for as well!¡± Zhao Yunxiao narrowed his eyes as he observed Cheng Kai¡¯s jade tablet, which indicated that he had finally stopped moving around. Since there was no way of truly confirming anything, he could only hope that Cheng Kai had managed to find the Mo Group and Quan Hui¡¯s party as he had instructed! Arrogance of the Strong Quan Hui glanced over at San Wanfan, only to see a similarly confused expression hanging on the latter¡¯s face. ¡° That said, having a deep love for battle was not that big of a deal. After all, there were plenty of other disciples from the four factions who loved fighting, some of whom were even crazier about it than Cheng Kai. Instead, there was another more important reason why Cheng Kai was so much better known than all of the others. Ever since he first embarked on the cultivation path, Cheng Kai had yet to lose a single battle against anyone at the same cultivation level or lower. I sure hope not. It would be boring otherwise,¡± Cheng Kai grinned. ¡°So,can I take that as an acceptance of the duel?¡± ¡° Don¡¯t worry, Junior Martial Sister Mei. I know what I am doing,¡± Quan Hui raised her palm to her party member while maintaining eye contact with Cheng Kai. ¡°Come! If you are itching for a fight, then I will gladly show you what is the true meaning of being invincible at your cultivation level!¡± Yes, Cheng Kai¡¯s involvement at this point might end up stealing their thunder to a certain extent. But at the same time, it also served to set their victory in stone! Compared to gambling on a result that could easily go either way, San Wanfan would take this option any day of the week! But just as San Wanfan was thinking this, Cheng Kai¡¯s next words caused his heart to sink. ¡° ¡° But at the same time, she could not help feeling underestimated by the other party. ¡° ¡° All we did are things that would be completely acceptable in actual battles!¡± San Wanfan retorted. The rest of you can do whatever you want for all I care, but she is mine,¡± Cheng Kai said impatiently. ¡°If you don¡¯t agree with what I have decided, you would have to change my mind by force.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° He knew that once Cheng Kai had made up his mind, it would probably have to take an earth-shattering event to make him change his decision. Now, he could only hope that Cheng Kai would truly live up to his reputation. Against anyone else, San Wanfan would not be worried whatsoever. But against a core disciple like Quan Hui, it would be difficult to claim that the result had already been decided.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡° ¡° ¡° It felt meaningless to continue their battle when this duel was supposed to decide the victor, but were they supposed to just stand by and watch the duo recover? Unsure of what to do next, the two sides that had been broken up into three battlefronts awkwardly gathered back up into their respective groups, watching the duo with a tight feeling in their hearts. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Being captured at this stage? Unlikely,¡± Sect Protector Pei shook his head. ¡°Even earlier, the other party had tried to eliminate them entirely. Now that only a single day remains, there iseven less reason for them to waste time on taking captives.¡± But Cheng Kai¡¯s energy expenditure had remained stable too, indicating that he was not in a fight. So, that could not be the case. ¡° Watch the situation closely,¡± Fei Weng said, clearly aware of the attention that Cheng Kai was getting from all corners of the Black Guardian Square. ¡° Indeed, they had decided to go with a duel! This was the main reason why Zhao Yunxiao had led Cheng Kai to the battle location in the first place. With Quan Hui being a core disciple who was similarly at the Peak Essence Physique realm, there was absolutely no way that Cheng Kai would let her go without picking a fight. It was not necessarily obstinacy, perhaps closer to a confidence that was naturally present in those who possessed true strength. Zhao Yunxiao saw this as the arrogance of the strong ¨C probably the exact same thing that was driving Cheng Kai to repeatedly challenge others without restraint. It was a move that would directly benefit both sides! At that point, the Mo Group would still be in a better situation than before. Zhao Yunxiao looked up at the sky. Even if Quan Hui tried to recover after the duel with Cheng Kai, there would not be much time left for her to rejoin the fight. As the half moon hung directly overhead, many of those present started to turn their attention towards the elders¡¯ tent. ¡°Three days have passed. I hereby announce the closure of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm, and will be bringing all participants back immediately,¡± Elder Feng Wanjia announced. Zhao Yunxiao let out a sigh of relief upon hearing this, as did the other observers. As of this very moment, their jobs at the event had officially come to an end. Chen Pingxis Suspicions After which, the energy globe rapidly reduced in size, until it eventually disappeared from sight altogether. The giant tortoise statue¡¯s eyes stopped emitting light, and the intense energy pressure coming from it ceased to exist. In just a few moments, what had felt like a true guardian deity completely reverted to its initial form of just an ordinary-looking giant tortoise statue. But for the participants, there was a clear difference between the state that they were in before and after entering the mystic realm. Three days ago, all of them had appeared in tip-top condition, looking all confident and excited as though they were ready to even take on the world. Now, while some of them still showed signs of excitement, the most apparent commonality among everyone was definitely exhaustion. Plenty of participants bore visible injuries, and even more of them were in a dishevelled state. Physicians and ushers rushed in without hesitation, busying themselves with examining the participants and tending to their medical needs. On the other hand, Zhao Yunxiao had some time on his hands now that his job had already come to an end. While he might appear to be leaning back in his seat without a care in the world, Zhao Yunxiao was actually making sure to remember as much as possible about everything that was happening in front of him right now. Each participant¡¯s position ¨C whether they were left alone or gathered up with others, as well as who exactly they were gathered up with. Over the years, he had come to realise that this point in time, when everyone was fresh out of the mystic realm, was when they were most likely to behave in accordance to their true feelings. And that naturally made this the best time to glean clues about what had transpired over the past three days. Every year, many existing relationships were either strengthened or strained. At the same time, there were numerous new relationships forged as well, though these new relationships could be either good or bad. Every year, there were power dynamics within the inner sect that shifted due to the participants¡¯ performances within, regardless of them being successes or failures. Plenty had fallen from grace due to their disastrous results, while plenty had risen by performing unexpectedly glorious feats. Only by securing their attendance would disciples have a chance to be regarded as part of the inner circle ¨C people who truly had the potential to influence what happened within the sect. Even among inner disciples, there were not many who held such a status. Some of them started approaching others to engage in conversations, some of them sought medical help immediately, and there were also some who directly left the area. Despite the presence of the elders, this was a rare occasion where, as long as they felt like it,participants were allowed to leave without excusing themselves. They already had a long three days in the mystic realm, so the sect administrators were still rather understanding in this regard. Nevertheless, sect protectors and deacons quickly dived in like vultures, trying to speak to anyone they could and extract as much information as possible. Participants were all expected to hand in reports on their experiences after recovering from their time in the mystic realm, but many of the sect protectors and deacons were too impatient to wait for that. As expected of participants from Elder Ying Qingmu¡¯s faction, all of them still looked to be in relatively good condition. There were some injuries that could be seen here and there, but no pressing issues that had to be addressed. They did not appear nearly as tidy and composed as the Ying Group, but they still looked much more presentable than he had expected. At this moment, Cheng Kai was already making his way out of the Black Guardian Square. It was truly eye-catching how a path opened up for just him as everyone quickly got out of his way.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Judging from his departing back view, he seemed to be in a rather decent condition. Cheng Kai himself might not care enough to speak of it, but the Mo Group would definitely want to do so. ¡° ¡° You are too kind. I¡¯m the one who should apologise for that, especially after enjoying such great hospitality from your sect before,¡± Zhao Yunxiao quickly stood up to return the greeting. ¡°That said, I¡¯m still doing all right. I hope things went well for you in the mystic realm?¡± Thanks to the Black Tortoise Sect, we are doing well,¡± Chen Pingxi nodded. ¡°I see that you are acting as an observer this time?¡± That¡¯s right,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°Since I do not qualify to be a participant, I can only help out as an observer instead.¡± Since he was stationed here at the observers¡¯ tent, they must have already realised that he was just a regular outer disciple. He would only be making a fool out of himself if he still tried to insist otherwise. Observers are no less important than participants,¡± Chen Pingxi shook her head with a smile. ¡°In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that observers are the most important people during this event. After all, it is only thanks to the observers that participants like us are able to explore the mystic realm with peace of mind.¡± As expected of the prime disciple of the Origin Lake Sect, she was truly good at socialising. She did not even bat an eyelid while lying through her teeth! ¡° No, everything¡¯s fine, Senior Fei,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head. If that¡¯s the case, then why are you bothering our guests from the Origin Lake Sect?¡± Fei Weng turned his attention to Chen Pingxi. ¡°Did he offend you in any way?¡± ¡° You are here just to greet him...? Well, it¡¯s good if that¡¯s truly the case,¡± Fei Weng raised an eyebrow in scepticism. ¡°Little Zhao, try not to bother them too much. They must be tired from the past three days, so let them rest and leave anything unimportant for later.¡± Well then, we will not impose on you any longer, Brother Zhao. We will still be around for the next few days, so I¡¯m sure there will be more opportunities to speak further,¡± Chen Pingxi gave both of them a polite nod before turning around to leave, with Zhou Qin doing the same. ¡° ¡° Seems like you left quite a good impression then,¡± Fei Weng patted him on the shoulder. ¡°But be careful not to attract too much attention. I¡¯m sure you already know this, but there are plenty of people who are watching.¡± I will keep that in mind. Thank you for the reminder, Senior Fei,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said while letting out a helpless sigh. Indeed, he could feel plenty of gazes and spiritual senses starting to sweep over him, scanning him from head to toe. These were mainly from the male disciples present. Chen Pingxi was a high-profile character who was popular even among the Black Tortoise Sect¡¯s inner sect disciples. For her to come up and greet him immediately after the event ended, it was inevitable that it would draw attention from others. Once these proud inner disciples realised that he was just a regular outer disciple, they would no longer be too concerned about him. After greeting Zhao Yunxiao, Chen Pingxi and Zhou Qin quickly excused themselves from the Black Guardian Square and returned to their residences. Since neither of them was feeling too exhausted, they came together to discuss their thoughts instead of retiring for the night. Did you notice the jade tablets when greeting Brother Zhao?¡± Chen Pingxi asked solemnly. ¡°Both San Wanfan¡¯s party and that Crimson Claw Cheng Kai are under his watch.¡± Are you suggesting that Elder He had assigned Brother Zhao as an observer on purpose to carry out a plan targeting Infernal Claw Quan Hui?¡± Zhou Qin frowned. ¡°But neither San Wanfan¡¯s party nor Cheng Kai seemed to be acting.¡± ¡° This...¡± Zhou Qinfell into contemplation. ¡°But is that really possible? How would they know how Infernal Claw Quan Hui would act and where she would go?¡± Their target might not be Infernal Claw Quan Hui specifically. Instead, she could have just been the unfortunate one to appear at the wrong time,¡± Chen Pingxi speculated. ¡°Otherwise, isn¡¯t it too much of a coincidence? What reason could there be for Crimson Sword Cheng Kai to suddenly appear at such a desolate location at that moment?¡± If what you are suggesting is true, then Brother Zhao¡¯s role as an observer is huge!¡± Zhou Qin exclaimed in shock. ¡°It would not even be an exaggeration to call him a hidden wildcard that is being used to flip the tables on the other three factions!¡± Indeed,¡± Chen Pingxi agreed. ¡°That said, this is all just speculation for now. I have memorised the names of the other participants who were under his watch. Over the next few days, let¡¯s find out exactly how the others fared. Having that information could bring us greater clarity on the situation.¡± ¡° Achievements during the Opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm It was not just about creating a poison with greater lethality, but also creating poisons with various other functions such as delayed activation or paralysis. Doing so would greatly increase his arsenal of moves, allowing him greater flexibility when dealing with more complex situations that could arise in the future. As for the four lesser gates, they were the Left and Right Shoulder Gates, as well as the Left and Right Hip Gates. All of them shared a similar effect of increasing both the muscular strength and rate of channelling essence energy in each of their corresponding limbs. However, starting with the two greater gates was largely believed to be ideal. This was because increased perception and vitality could help support the opening of the other gates. One made the process easier while the other made the opened gates stronger. Unfortunately, the two greater gates were also relatively much more difficult to open, which was why most people actually chose to do it the other way around. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. It was a time-consuming process that would take almost an entire day, which was why Zhao Yunxiao wanted to seize this opportunity to get it over and done with! Chen Pingxi could not help but frown as she carefully went through the reports, focusing especially on the participants who had been under Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s watch. Yes, Huo Bubai¡¯s party did rather well, and Cheng Kai¡¯s feats were naturally exceptional. But there could also be information privy only to the inner circle that did not make it to her ears. To know for sure, she would have to keep these people¡¯s names in mind during the days that followed. As for what this connection was about, nobody knew. However, not a single person suspected the relationship between them to be indecent in any shape or form. To be able to fight and defeat opponents despite suffering from a cultivation disadvantage of an entire realm... this fearsome combat talent was even enough to draw in the attention of the sect administrators. Post-Event Celebratory Parties ¡°You what?!¡± Zhao Yunxiao widened his eyes in surprise, almost spitting out the food in his mouth. ¡°I killed a monster at the Advanced Essence Physique realm, so they are asking me to go in for a chat tomorrow,¡± Nie Hanchang shrugged. ¡°Why are you acting so nonchalant about it? This is huge!¡± Zhao Yunxiao exclaimed, almost standing up in excitement. ¡°If you play this correctly, it could potentially become a way to enter the inner sect!¡± After a long day at the Alchemy Chamber, Zhao Yunxiao went to meet up with the group back at the Lightwind Pavilion. That was when he finally heard the news about Nie Hanchang, directly from the person in question. Now that the news had spread, a sect protector from the Wei Faction actually sent Nie Hanchang an invitation to have a chat. The other party had framed it as a casual chat, but the true aim was pretty obvious. More than likely, this was a way to assess his suitability in joining the inner sect under the Wei Faction! ¡° Can you act a little more in line with the words you speak? The way I see it, you definitely do not seem like you care about this opportunity whatsoever! ¡° ¡° Ever since he was young, plenty of people had tried to persuade Nie Hanchang to trade up the path of bow and arrow for something easier and more suitable. ¡° ¡° After the opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm, there would usually be a day of rest before things started happening again. And the first things of note would usually be the private parties organised by various disciples, meant to celebrate everyone¡¯s hard work and successes within the mystic realm. These parties were mainly for inner disciples to network among themselves. As for the stars of the parties, they would usually be those who had done well in the Four Symbols Mystic Realm, or at least those who were well connected to them. Understanding the importance of networking and forging relations, most people would be on the lookout as to which parties would be held and who would be invited. ¡° ¡° ¡° He had brought the matter up purely as a joke, and truly did not expect to hear about such a thing from Nie Hanchang. It seemed like Nie Hanchang was really starting to gain momentum in his rise through the ranks! ¡° Hah, is that so...?¡± Zhao Yunxiao was speechless. He was definitely excited about the progress that Nie Hanchang was making. But at the same time, he could not help but wish that Nie Hanchang would be at least half as excited about the matter as he was! ¡° It¡¯s really nothing. We just had some contact back at the Origin Lake Sect, so she is merely greeting me out of courtesy,¡± Zhao Yunxiao let out a wry smile. ¡°This piece of news will probably die off extremely soon.¡± I see, that makes sense,¡± Gu Qiansi nodded. All of that is not important,¡± Lu Zhiying interjected impatiently. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to fill us in on everything that happened during the opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm, Senior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± ¡° Having been hard at work for the whole of yesterday, he definitely had to catch up on all the news that he had missed. And if there was still some time left, he wanted to research a little more about the opening of the Mind Gate. Regarding the latter, he believed that he should already have all the basic information down, but it never hurt to be sure! Unfortunately, he did not even get the chance to begin carrying out his plan. The moment he stepped out of his residence in the morning, Zhao Yunxiao saw two familiar figures standing there waiting for him. ¡° ¡° The two unexpected guests from the Origin Lake Sect clasped their fists towards him. ¡°Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s nothing wrong,¡± Chen Pingxi shook her head with a smile. ¡°Junior Martial Brother Zhou and I would just like to get your advice on something. That said, I tried to look for you yesterday as well but didn¡¯t manage to find you. You must have been really busy!¡± I¡¯m definitely nowhere near as busy as you two. Let¡¯s take our current situations for example ¨C you must be flooded with party invitations, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Zhao Yunxiao laughed. ¡° Don¡¯t joke with me, Sister Chen. I am just an outer disciple, so how could I be invited to any of those parties?¡± Zhao Yunxiao shrugged. Heh, all right. If you say so,¡± Chen Pingxi snickered. ¡°But I have to admit that Brother Zhao saw through us immediately. As you have guessed, this is precisely the reason why we are seeking your advice. We would like to hear your thoughts on which party we should attend.¡± You want to hear my advice?¡± Zhao Yunxiao tilted his head in confusion. ¡°But shouldn¡¯t you already have plenty of experience with this?¡± Changes always accompany the flow of time. Unless one could escape the ever-flowing river of time, no individual or faction would be an exception to this rule,¡± Chen Pingxi answered. ¡°Rather than making a decision based on what I know as an outsider, I figured that it would be wiser to consult someone from the inside.¡± This was definitely not the first time that subordinate sects had been invited to participate in the opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. Year after year, these parties had been an integral part of the post-event celebrations, and could already be considered part of the tradition by now. As the prime disciple of the Origin Lake Sect, Chen Pingxi had naturally been through this cycle of activities many times in the past. If it were in the past, Chen Pingxi would certainly have made a decision on her own instead of bothering to ask anyone for advice. In addition, this was also a good opportunity to both strengthen the connection with Zhao Yunxiao, as well as learn more about the sect from the perspective of a disciple valued by Elder He Luoxuan. I see. Well, I¡¯m not sure if an outer disciple like me counts as someone from the inside, but I can share what I know,¡± Zhao Yunxiao rubbed his chin in contemplation. ¡°That said, is there something specific that you wish to hear?¡± ¡° All right, so there are many parties going on at the same time, and each has their pros and cons. I¡¯m not sure which invitations you have received thus far; but if you ask me, there are two main parties that you should definitely attend,¡± Zhao Yunxiao made a ¡®two¡¯ sign with his fingers. ¡°They are the main party organised by the He Faction, and the party organised by Senior Martial Brother Duan.¡± ¡° That¡¯s right,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°As one of the most high-profile core disciples of the sect, I have heard that his party would always be graced by the most influential disciples. Even the other core disciples would try to drop by for a while. If you are able to join that party, you would stand a chance to forge closer relations with them. In fact, I have never heard of anyone declining an invitation to that party.¡± ¡° That one is rather specific to you,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. ¡°No matter what, Elder He is still the elder in charge of diplomacy, and would thus have a larger influence over the Origin Lake Sect¡¯s relations with the Black Tortoise Sect. By attending the party organised by his faction, you can gain access to those directly under him, who might be in a position to influence his thoughts to a certain extent. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t need me to elaborate further on what benefits that could bring.¡± If that¡¯s the case, shouldn¡¯t we be hanging out more with you instead? Brother Zhao is wise,¡± Chen Pingxi said. ¡°In that case, would you like to attend the He Faction¡¯s party as well? Even if you don¡¯t currently have an invitation, I¡¯m sure they wouldn¡¯t mind if you entered with us.¡± Thank you for the invitation, Sister Chen, but I¡¯m afraid that I¡¯d have to refuse,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to treat you as an outsider. But as a disciple of the Black Tortoise Sect, it might be a little inappropriate for me to attend the party by receiving an invitation from your side. I hope for your understanding in this regard.¡± However, to accept an invitation to a Black Tortoise Sect party from someone outside of the sect... that would not reflect too well on the sect, and might even end up drawing unwanted attention to himself. ¡° Whatever the reason was for Zhao Yunxiao to keep staying under the radar, he was definitely taking it extremely seriously! Faced with Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s nonchalant rejection, as well as everything that she had seen and heard about him thus far, Chen Pingxi decided right then and there to take a gamble. Since that is the case, I won¡¯t be attending any of those parties as well,¡± Chen Pingxi said. What?¡± Zhao Yunxiao widened his eyes in shock. ¡°Why all of a sudden?¡± ¡° ¡° Yes,¡± Chen Pingxi answered curtly before turning back to Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°And since I now have some time on my hands, would Brother Zhao be willing to spend these two days showing me around instead?¡± ¡° Just like Zhou Qin, he was clear of the potential implications for Chen Pingxi. I¡¯m definitely serious,¡± Chen Pingxi assured with a smile. ¡°After all, I¡¯ve been taking good care of Junior Martial Sister Xia for your Senior Martial Brother Jun. Even if it is in exchange for that, this request of mine probably isn¡¯t considered going overboard, is it?¡± ¡° As for the potential consequences for Chen Pingxi, there was no way that she was unaware of them. That sounded like newsworthy information indeed. Zhao Yunxiao might not understand the rationale behind her decision. But if she truly wanted to do this regardless of the consequences, then there was no reason for him to refuse! Just Waiting for the Right Opportunity The post-event celebratory parties usually only start the next day ¨C three days after the closure of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. But since Chen Pingxi and Zhou Qin were already there, Zhao Yunxiao decided to just postpone his original plans and show them around instead. That said, this was not the first time that the duo had been to Purple Plum Mountain, so there was no need for him to show them most of the basic stuff. The only place there truly was to show was the Monolith Square, which had only been completed in the past two months. After walking around a little, they went to a rest area at Chen Pingxi¡¯s suggestion, where they enjoyed tea under a simple pavilion that overlooked a field of flowers. ¡°So, what do you think about the Origin Lake Sect, Brother Zhao?¡± Chen Pingxi suddenly asked while sipping on the spirit tea. ¡° ¡°It¡¯s good that Brother Zhao feels this way,¡± Chen Pingxi did not think much of the perfunctory reply. ¡°But how do you think we can improve things?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° It is really not a matter of being able to speak freely or not. I truly have nothing to say! I know that you bear a heavy burden as the prime disciple, but I am a mere outer disciple. The things I worry about are only at the level of my herb garden plot, so how would I know how to improve the Origin Lake Sect? He glanced at Zhou Qin for help, only to come face-to-face with an expression filled with anticipation. Are these people serious? But while he was contemplating how to best phrase his refusal, he suddenly thought of Cha. Back then, not only did the guardian spirit provide guidance to the disciples, but even the elders were not left out. From the looks of it, Cha had been more than happy to do so as well. If they could find a way to re-establish their connection with it, that would definitely be beneficial to everyone in the sect! ¡°If I really have to say something, then perhaps you could consider going back to your roots?¡± Zhao Yunxiao suggested. ¡°Going back to our roots?¡± Chen Pingxi blinked blankly, definitely not having expected such an answer. ¡°Pardon my ignorance, but may I know what Brother Zhao means by that?¡± ¡° Why don¡¯t you guys start by forging some mythical treasures? That sounded more condescending than anything else! On top of that, it would also be difficult to explain why he would suddenly give such a suggestion. To justify his suggestion, he would likely have to mention what happened during his previous trip to the Origin Lake Sect. If it was solely about how he helped to convey the pointers from Cha, then there were no issues with doing so. However, who knew what the current sect administrators of the Origin Lake Sect would think when they realised that he had received a few treasures from Cha? If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°So, you are here, Senior Martial Brother Zhao!¡± Lu Zhiying exclaimed while stepping into the pavilion with Gu Qiansi. ¡°These are...?¡± ¡° ¡°Greetings, I am Chen Pingxi from the Origin Lake Sect.¡± ¡°Zhou Qin from the Origin Lake Sect.¡± ¡°Ah! I¡¯ve heard of your great names!¡± Lu Zhiying exclaimed, finally realising who they were. ¡°Sister Lu is too kind with your words,¡± Chen Pingxi answered with a polite smile. At the same time, she could not help but take note of their names. She had never heard of Gu Qiansi, but Lu Zhiying was a completely different story. One of the three new joiners who had established a true spiritual meridian root, before moving on to break through to the Intermediate Foundation Building realm within a month. In that case, she might have to look into this Gu Qiansi as well... ¡°Are you looking for me?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± He was not surprised that Gu Qiansi and Lu Zhiying were able to find them. They were not at a resting area that was as secluded as the Lightwind Pavilion. As long as anyone bothered to ask around, it would not be difficult to find someone who had spotted Zhao Yunxiao and the Origin Lake Sect duo. ¡° ¡° ¡° Considering how Lu Zhiying had once mentioned that the backpack was ugly, he was starting to suspect that the backpack had already met its demise! ¡°That¡¯s not true. I love it!¡± Lu Zhiying corrected. ¡°I¡¯m just waiting for the right opportunity to use it, that¡¯s all!¡± ¡°Waiting for the right opportunity?¡± Zhao Yunxiao narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°What right opportunity do you need to carry a backpack?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t need it right now!¡± Lu Zhiying retorted. I guess you are right...¡± Zhao Yunxiao continued to scrutinise Lu Zhiying¡¯s expression. ¡°So, are you really just looking for the right opportunity to use it? You haven¡¯t thrown it away, have you?¡± ¡°Why would I throw it away? I still have great use for it!¡± Lu Zhiying insisted. Great use for a backpack? Somehow, hearing that line only made Zhao Yunxiao feel more suspicious of her. ¡°It¡¯s not like you need it anymore, so why are you being concerned about how she uses the backpack? It¡¯s making you sound petty in front of the guests!¡± Gu Qiansi interjected in a mellowed tone. ¡° ¡° ¡°Is that all right?¡± Lu Zhiying¡¯s eyes lit up immediately. ¡°I just remembered that there is something that I still have to do at the garden plot, so maybe not for me...¡± Gu Qiansi said hesitantly. Zhao Yunxiao could only smile helplessly. This Gu Qiansi was as reserved as ever. ¡°Oh, is that so? In that case, let me accompany you as well,¡± Lu Zhiying said with a slight tinge of reluctance before turning to Chen Pingxi. ¡°But before I leave, is it okay if I ask something?¡± ¡°Sure, go ahead,¡± Chen Pingxi answered, instinctively taking on a semi-formal tone. As the prime disciple of the Origin Lake Sect, she was already used to people posing all sorts of questions to her. Answering many of these questions required careful consideration ¨C not too formal, yet not too casual. Not too vague, yet not too detailed. After years of doing so, the way to answer such questions had already become ingrained in her, so she could instinctively switch between being casual and being prepared to answer official questions. Yet with all her experience and mental preparation, the question that came next still managed to catchher by surprise. ¡°So, what do you think of our Senior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± Invitation to Armed Ape Tower ¡°What do I think of Brother Zhao?¡± Chen Pingxi could not help but hesitate for a moment. This sounded like a simple question, but the meaning behind it could vary greatly depending on the context. Right now, she could tell that few others actually paid much mind to Zhao Yunxiao, so she still held the first-mover¡¯s advantage. There was no need to rush things. If she handled this too hastily, it might even end up causing the other party to be on guard against her. ¡°Brother Zhao is an amazing cultivator with great potential. I¡¯m actually surprised that he has not already been invited to be an inner disciple,¡± Chen Pingxi answered casually, completely hiding the caution that she currently held. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? I totally agree!¡± Lu Zhiying nodded profusely. ¡°Look, Senior Martial Brother Zhao, it¡¯s probably only a matter of time until we all become inner disciples!¡± Chen Pingxi: ¡°???¡± Was that it? In the end, had she read too much into it? Or was Lu Zhiying simply too good at hiding her intentions while delivering this probing question? ¡°All right, enough of your nonsense,¡± Zhao Yunxiao rolled his eyes in response. ¡°Isn¡¯t there something that you have to do? Hurry up and go before things crash and burn!¡± ¡°Bleah!¡± Lu Zhiying stuck her tongue out at Zhao Yunxiao before turning to leave with Gu Qiansi. With that, Zhao Yunxiao was left alone with the Origin Lake Sect duo once again. ¡°Junior Martial Sister Lu is just a little free-minded and doesn¡¯t actually mean any harm. Please don¡¯t take offence to her words,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°No, not at all. In fact, I do envy her carefree mannerism. It is a trait that many cultivators fail to retain,¡± Chen Pingxi let out a faint smile. ¡°On top of that, our views do align.¡± ¡°Haha, is that so... that said, I know you mentioned that you don¡¯t want to join the celebratory parties, but you really should reconsider,¡± Zhao Yunxiao quickly changed the topic. ¡°Especially for the two parties that I have mentioned earlier.¡± ¡°Since Brother Zhao insists, then I will do as you say,¡± Chen Pingxi nodded. Zhou Qin could not help but let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Even so, I will probably only drop by for a short while before coming to look for you. Where would I be able to find you?¡± Chen Pingxi continued. ¡° ¡° ¡°I did say that. But after today¡¯s experience, I realise that I don¡¯t quite know where to bring you either,¡± Zhao Yunxiao scratched his cheek in embarrassment. Chen Pingxi and Zhou Qin had already been to the sect multiple times in the past. In fact, considering how Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s access to certain locations was restricted because of his status as an outer disciple, the duo might even have visited more of the sect grounds than him! ¡°We don¡¯t have to go anywhere special,¡± Chen Pingxi answered. ¡°In fact, I would love to just see where you usually go.¡± Zhao Yunxiao glanced at Zhou Qin, who could only close his eyes in resignation. ¡°Well, if you say so, then I guess it¡¯s fine,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind crowds, would you like to meet at the Clear Thoughts Pavilion? Every year, many outer disciples will gather there to await updates coming from the various celebratory parties. It will be rowdy though, so do be mentally prepared.¡± He would usually have avoided doing this, considering the potential amount of attention that Chen Pingxi¡¯s presence would attract. However, after spending a day together, he realised that Chen Pingxi was already very familiar with the sect grounds. Even if he wanted to show her around, there was nowhere new that he could bring her! So, rather than forcibly putting together an awkward itinerary, he decided that he might as well do as Chen Pingxi had requested and show her the reality of the outer disciples. After all, there must be plenty of inner disciples vying to spend time with Chen Pingxi. Considering that, there must be a reason why Chen Pingxi had chosen to ask him, a mere outer disciple, to show her around and even give suggestions on how to improve on the Origin Lake sect. It was very likely that she wanted to understand the difference between the Black Tortoise Sect and the Origin Lake Sect at the outer sect level ¨C an area that she probably had not had much contact with in the past.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° That was also why, despite her beautiful and alluring appearance, Elder Feng Wanjia was actually one of the most feared elders in the sect. In fact, many disciples secretly referred to her as a psycho due to the difficult tests that she often came up with! Gathering at Clear Thoughts Pavilion That said, he had already done quite a bit of research on these two prominent entities in the past, so this was more of just looking at recent incidents to update his mental library. While most parties would only begin at night, some of them were deliberately held in the morning to avoid clashing with the others. This would prevent attending participants from having to choose between them and other parties that they might also wish to attend. Zhao Yunxiao understood that as well, and thus did not place too much emphasis on them. Instead, he took this time to resume his research on the Armed Ape Tower. The newly expanded tribulation chamber that they wanted Elder Feng Wanjia¡¯s assessment on was actually quite the famous one. Zodiac Tree ¨C this was a tribulation chamber constructed way back during their progenitor¡¯s time, and had been standing strong in the Armed Ape Tower since ancient times. To tinker with something like this, the current sect administrators were truly playing with fire here. If they accidentally screwed up during the expansion of the tribulation chamber, they might just end up losing an ancient inheritance from the progenitor! But at the same time, Zhao Yunxiao could also guess why they went ahead with this despite the risks. It was likely that due to their growing population of disciples, the Zodiac Tree was starting to prove insufficient in accommodating their needs. And, lacking the ability to construct something similar, the sect administrators probably decided to tap on their existing resources, looking to expand the Zodiac Tree instead. There had long been rumours of the Armed Ape Tower looking to break free from being subordinate to the Black Tortoise Sect, aiming to be an ally on equal footing instead. From the looks of it, even if the current intention was not that, it might not be entirely impossible for such a reality in the future! The Clear Thoughts Pavilion had always been the go-to location for outer disciples who wanted in on the latest updates from the post-event celebratory parties. After all, this did not only contain gossip. There might also be useful information that could directly concern them in the future! ¡° Zhao Yunxiao gave a slight nod while avoiding the angry gazes from those male disciples. ¡°I see that everyone is already here, but where¡¯s Gu Qiansi?¡± Besides Lu Zhiying, Bo Fei and Huang An were there as well. Even Jun Chuan had arrived and was busy mixing around with other disciples, though they were mostly talking about things that they wanted him to bring back from his future trips. On the other hand, Gu Qiansi was nowhere to be seen. ¡° ¡° ¡° She did! But when I thought about it, this place definitely sounded much more interesting!¡± Lu Zhiying answered frankly. You are definitely right about that!¡± Zhao Yunxiao agreed. ¡°Don¡¯t learn from that antisocial creature.¡± ¡° ¡° Hah, exactly! I wonder if there is anyone who would ever sign up for something like this,¡± Bo Fei scoffed. ¡°That said, if this is a trip to the Flying Swords Hall, I would be the first to sign up just for an opportunity to meet the Yin Yang Sword Sisters!¡± ¡°Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Havingheard of the Yin Yang Sword Sisters, she was not too surprised by Bo Fei¡¯s comment. This was not her first time seeing him display his wolf-like nature, and it certainly would not be the last. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Haha... it should be fine?¡± Zhao Yunxiao scratched his cheek awkwardly. ¡°I just have to be careful not to step on Elder Feng¡¯s toes.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Didn¡¯t you just arrive? Where are you going again?¡± Lu Zhiying asked in surprise. ¡° ¡° ¡° With that, he separated from the group to mix around with the others. As the day progressed and more people started moving from party to party, it created more opportunities for information to be leaked as well. Depending on each insider, such information could range from something as simple as the participants list of each party to more specific matters like collaborations on future missions, or even previously undisclosed gains in the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. Having such information in hand would allow one to extrapolate the relationships among the top inner disciples and plan their actions accordingly. That said, while different insiders were privy to different information, there was one thing that they all had in common ¨C none of them would publicly announce such information, for obvious reasons. Instead, they would quietly sneak into the crowded Clear Thoughts Pavilion, blending into the crowds without anyone noticing. Naturally, Zhao Yunxiao belonged to the former. If the insider was willing to share the information, then things were straightforward enough. Everyone would eagerly welcome these generous informants. But if they were here to sell the information, outer disciples at the Clear Thoughts Pavilion had to carefully weigh the costs and benefits before making a decision on whether they wished to buy the information. At times, some people would pool their sect points together to buy the information as a group. Zhao Yunxiao, however, chose not to participate in such dealings. Yes, this could mean that he would be a step behind in certain aspects, having to obtain such information from a secondary source. Senior Mar-!¡± Lu Zhiying wanted to call out to him, but Zhao Yunxiao quickly put a hand over her mouth to stop her. Next, he hurried forward to put a hat on Nie Hanchang¡¯s head, topped with a veil that hid his face from the others. ¡° Act natural so you don¡¯t attract attention. We can remove the hat once enough time has passed for others to feel that you have been here all along,¡± Zhao Yunxiao whispered. ¡°If others find out that you came from one of these celebratory parties, you will be swamped in no time.¡± ¡° Everyone here was seeking out information sources from such celebratory parties. If they were to realise that Nie Hanchang had been a participant at one of these parties, there was no way that they would let him go easily! After Nie Hanchang, it did not take long before a huge group arrived at the Clear Thoughts Pavilion. But unlike Nie Hanchang, they made absolutely no effort to hide their presence, causing a huge commotion among the outer disciples present. Then again, it would be difficult even if they wanted to be low-profile. Along with numerous inner disciples, many of whom being participants in the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. Given their identities, not to mention the Clear Thoughts Pavilion, their arrival would have caused a commotion even at many of the celebratory parties being held around the sect grounds today! Faced with such a scene, Zhao Yunxiao felt the corner of his lips twitch. He knew that Chen Pingxi would be coming over, but she never mentioned anything about bringing all these inner disciples along with her! Given the situation, perhaps it would be best if he steered clear of her today. With so many capable disciples from the Black Tortoise Sect by her side, surely she would not need him to show her around anymore? Why Dont You Stick to Your Role? Unfortunately, Zhao Yunxiao did not have much of a choice in this matter. With the sea of outer disciples parting instinctively to open a path for the new arrivals, Chen Pingxi walked right up to Zhao Yunxiao without hesitation. ¡°Greetings, Brother Zhao,¡± Chen Pingxi clasped his fists towards him. The initially rowdy outer disciples quietened down in an instant. Even the inner disciples who had arrived with Chen Pingxi stopped their conversations short. A moment of absolute silence fell upon the Clear Thoughts Pavilion, just like how all eyes fell upon Zhao Yunxiao. As for the person in question, he could not help but curse in his heart. Nevertheless, he knew better than to let his true feelings show. ¡°Greetings, LadyChen,¡± Zhao Yunxiao returned the greeting in a dignified manner. ¡°Why the sudden formality? Please just call me Sister Chen as always,¡± Chen Pingxi answered with a smile. ¡°Y-Yes, Sister Chen...¡± ¡°I see that Sister Lu is here as well,¡± Chen Pingxi nodded towards Lu Zhiying. ¡°Greetings, Sister Chen,¡± Lu Zhiying answered in a surprisingly reserved manner. Zhao Yunxiao could not help but nod in approval in his heart ¨C it was clear that she had understood the need to not stand out right now. ¡°Are these your friends as well?¡± Chen Pingxi¡¯s gaze continued to scan across those who were gathered around Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°That¡¯s right, let me introduce them,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered. ¡°These are my Senior Martial Brother Bo Fei, Junior Martial Sister Huang An, and Senior Martial Brother Nie Hanchang.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Naturally,¡± Chen Pingxi smiled. Nie Hanchang ¨C the first outer disciple to have successfully created a mythical tier weapon in the past century, as well as someone who had single-handedly taken down a monster that was more than a full realm above him in terms of cultivation level. She had heard that he was close to Zhao Yunxiao, and today¡¯s encounter confirmed that for her. So, it was not just Lu Zhiying, but Nie Hanchang as well? For some reason, it would appear that many of the outer disciples who had been more prominent recently had ties to Zhao Yunxiao... Could this really be a coincidence? Or were the undercurrents in the Black Tortoise Sect going to start propagating from the outer sect? Oblivious to her thoughts, Nie Hanchang could only look to Zhao Yunxiao for answers, believing that the latter was the one who had told her about him. But before Zhao Yunxiao had a chance to explain, the other inner disciples started to break their silence. They might have been caught by surprise earlier, but they were definitely not intending to let outer disciples like Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group hog Chen Pingxi¡¯s attention to themselves! During the New Year celebrations, Lu Zhiying¡¯s enchanting dance had managed to capture the hearts of numerous disciples, and that included inner disciples as well. Who knew that by accommodating Chen Pingxi¡¯s strange request to come to the Clear Thoughts Pavilion, they would be rewarded with such a godsent opportunity? ¡°Fairy Chen sure is creative and thoughtful. Instead of always sticking to the usual grand parties, I guess coming to places like this from time to time can be refreshing as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. With the right mentality, anywhere can be turned into a party ground. I didn¡¯t even know that there¡¯s such a huge gathering here in the outer grounds. Fairy Chen sure is well-informed!¡± ¡°Hey, the few of you. Do you know how to play any instruments?¡± one of the inner disciples directly pointed at a few outer disciples. ¡°If you do, go play a few songs to liven up the mood for us.¡± ¡° ¡° Inner disciples were essentially superior to outer disciples in terms of status, so it was difficult for the outer disciples to reject such direct orders. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. With their instructions, the Clear Thoughts Pavilion quickly underwent a 180-degree transformation, at least in terms of the atmosphere. The inner disciples were seated around a few round tables, calmly chatting while basking in the music. On the other hand, the outer disciples kept to the sides of the pavilion, keeping their volume down to avoid disturbing, and thus offending, the inner disciples. It might seem like a clear and unfair segregation, but many of the outer disciples actually preferred it like this. Instead of having to simply wait for informants to provide them with updates from the various parties, now they could also receive first-hand updates from this group in real-time! The performance isn¡¯t great, but I guess it is only to be expected,¡± one of the inner disciples remarked carelessly. ¡°That said, I do have in my possession a few tickets to a closed-door performance by the Sentient Light Performance Group in a week¡¯s time. Fairy Chen, would you be interested in going?¡± A closed-door performance by the Sentient Light Performance Group?¡± Chen Pingxi could not help but reveal a look of surprise. Comprising talents from all over the land, perhaps the result of the group had already been set in stone from the very start. After its formation, the Sentient Light Performance Group took the entire Duyuan Empire by storm, and their fame and popularity were skyrocketing by the day. To be able to acquire a ticket to their performance, and a closed-door one at that, was truly not an easy feat! A closed-door performance by the Sentient Light Performance Group sounds great! Does this brother here have two spare tickets?¡± Qie Xing asked. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, perhaps Fairy Chen could go enjoy the performance with my senior martial brother.¡± This was not the first time that Qie Xing had tried to match Chen Pingxi and Xiong Yekong. Nobody knew if he was acting on the latter¡¯s behalf or on his own accord, but Qie Xing had never concealed his wish for these two to become cultivation partners. There were some who found his actions interesting, but those who fancied Chen Pingxi only saw this side of him as a complete pain in the ass. ¡° ¡° ¡° Thank you for your offer, but I have some matters to attend to in the coming weeks,¡± Chen Pingxi interjected calmly, clearly already used to such a situation. ¡°I hope you enjoy the performance on my behalf.¡± ¡° ¡° Are you doubting Fairy Chen¡¯s words, thinking that she¡¯s just making up an excuse?¡± ¡° The inner disciple and Qie Xing glared at each other once again, but what happened next caused both of them to quickly forget about each other. ¡° I¡¯m afraid that will not be appropriate,¡± Zhao Yunxiao declined immediately, making sure to avoid the death glares that were starting to come from the group of inner disciples. ¡° ¡° I am just going to ask Brother Zhao to show me around a little. I will be right back,¡± Chen Pingxi answered nonchalantly. It did not take a genius to understand why all these outstanding disciples had chosen to abandon the ongoing parties to accompany her here. They had already expressed this much sincerity, yet she actually wanted to leave them to hang out with him? He understood that there was not much time left before each entourage left Purple Plum Mountain, so she might be feeling eager to learn more about the Black Tortoise Sect¡¯s outer sect before that. However, there was still a right time and place for everything, and this was definitely not it! Imagine abandoning the celebratory parties to accompany Chen Pingxi, only for the latter to leave them hanging to hang out with an outer disciple. If word of this matter were to spread, wouldn¡¯t they all become laughingstocks? However, Chen Pingxi had already spoken, so what could they possibly do in this situation? ¡° ¡° Flying Shell or Flying Tortoise, that doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Geng Guoye narrowed his eyes at Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°But since that is the case, rather than trying to be a guide, why don¡¯t you just stick to your role and perform for everyone instead?¡± Unwelcomed Generosity As soon as the words were out, Qie Xing nodded towards Geng Guoye in a thankful manner, while the latter quickly responded with a nod of his own. It was clear that there was a tacit understanding between the two. Unlike many of the others present, Geng Guoye had never actually considered pursuing Chen Pingxi. Even as an inner disciple, he was very aware that with this many competitors, it would never be his turn. The two of them had a good relationship that went way back, though it was mostly because Geng Guoye secretly wanted to use Qie Xing as a way to get closer to the rising star Xiong Yekong. And the way he did it was exactly to Qie Xing¡¯s liking as well. Qie Xing did not know why Chen Pingxi was so fascinated with Zhao Yunxiao, but he would not allow anyone to stand in the way of him matchmaking Chen Pingxi with Xiong Yekong, not even if it was someone as unlikely to succeed as an outer disciple. In his eyes, both Geng Guoye¡¯s choice of words and tone served to put down Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s importance in the sect, which would only diminish Chen Pingxi¡¯s impression of him. Even if Chen Pingxi got offended by that, the rage would not be directed towards his Senior Martial Brother Xiong Yekong, so that was perfectly fine with him. There was actually nothing wrong with an inner disciple like Geng Guoye asking an outer disciple like Zhao Yunxiao to perform. But for Geng Guoye to do so right after Chen Pingxi explicitly mentioned that she wanted Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s company made the context rather different, not to mention the additional remark of telling Zhao Yunxiao to stick to his role. ¡° Are you trying to say that you can¡¯t d-¡± But if you don¡¯t mind, we can go with just the melody!¡± ¡°Hmm? S-Sure, please do,¡± Geng Guoye stuttered a little when replying. He had expected a bit of resentment from Zhao Yunxiao, and had even prepared a few words to shoot down any potential objections from the latter. However, none of that came to be. Instead, he could not help but feel taken aback by Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s unexpected level of enthusiasm, which even caused him to lose his confrontational stance for a moment. What he did not know was that from Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s perspective, his suggestion was a godsend! Not only did it allow Zhao Yunxiao to avoid having to pull Chen Pingxi away from all the inner disciples and draw unlimited aggro upon himself, but it also gave the Flying Shell Performance Group a chance to gain some free publicity in front of these excellent inner disciples. In terms of going against Chen Pingxi¡¯s intentions, that was not his problem. It was not like he could decline an inner disciple¡¯s orders, so Geng Guoye could deal with the consequences himself. ¡°Junior Martial Sister Huang, let¡¯s do this!¡± Zhao Yunxiao said while heading to the front of the pavilion ¨C an area that had been cleared out to create a makeshift stage. ¡°O-Okay...¡± Huang An fumbled a little before quickly following along. On the other hand, Bo Fei and Lu Zhiying remained where they were. While they were also part of the Flying Shell Performance Group, it would be awkward for them to join in without Gu Qiansi. Having just one set of vocals would only make their songs sound awkward. At the same time, the dance had been designed with the vocal accompaniment in mind, so dancing without any vocals would end up diminishing the strong impact of the performance as well. Zhao Yunxiao knew that Lu Zhiying had left a deep impression on everyone with her dance during the New Year celebration, so he wanted to keep it that way. Although Huang An did not bring her zither along, the group that was performing before had been using one, so she simply borrowed it from them. Before long, the duo was stationed in front of the Clear Thoughts Pavilion, instruments at the ready as they faced everyone present. Everything happened so fast that Chen Pingxi was at a loss for words. But at the same time, she could not help but find it amusing. She definitely understood Geng Guoye¡¯s intentions, and she did not believe that Zhao Yunxiao was oblivious to it either. Nevertheless, Zhao Yunxiao seemed to be taking it well in his stride. As one¡¯s confidence in their own value grew, others¡¯ opinions of them would naturally cease to matter as much. Instead, they could even use this to their advantage at times, manipulating others¡¯ aggressive suggestions to help further their own goals. If one could be easily triggered by mere words, then there was only so much that they could amount to. Chen Pingxi naturally did not believe that Zhao Yunxiao was eager to perform in front of everyone. However, she did catch on to the fact that he did not want to draw attention to himself, which would have inevitably happened if she had succeeded in getting him to accompany her. What a pity. This was her plan to gain Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s trust, to gauge the other disciples¡¯ responses, and to make a quick assessment of the disciples¡¯ current understanding of the political situation. But it would appear that the latter might have seen through it. Then again, it was not like she had no gains at all. After all, she still managed to see the inner disciples¡¯ attitude towards Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s group. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. This was not just about Geng Guoye¡¯s aggressive attitude, but also the others¡¯ indifference. On top of that, this incident also gave her a better understanding of Zhao Yunxiao, strengthening her belief that the latter was not ordinary. Although the Origin Lake Sect was subordinate to the Black Tortoise Sect, no ordinary outer disciple would give up an opportunity to network with her the way he did. Even if forced to do so, they would at least show some form of reluctance. As for Zhao Yunxiao, he actually looked happy to oblige. As Zhao Yunxiao and Huang An got ready to perform, Chen Pingxi naturally returned to her seat. This caused Qie Xing, Geng Guoye, and the other inner disciples to let out a sigh of relief. Even then, she could not help but let out a smile as she saw how hard Zhao Yunxiao was trying to divert attention to his performance instead of on him as an individual. Just what could he and Elder He Luoxuan possibly be planning for the Black Tortoise Sect? Just what could she do to jump on this bandwagon before it was too late? It was not even all that amazing, so why was Chen Pingxi clapping so happily? ¡° Understood, Senior Martial Brother Geng,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded. Geng Guoye¡¯s words made sense, so he and Huang An quickly put away their instruments and started making their way back into the crowd. ¡° ...There might have been a misunderstanding there,¡± Zhao Yunxiao could feel trouble coming his way. ¡°It was more like Senior Martial Brother Sun was feeling generous, so he decided to give us some very simple pointers while passing by. I was just lucky enough to be present at the right time, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡° Seeing this, the other outer disciples could not help but exchange nervous glances while Qie Xing subconsciously let out a faint smile, as did many of the other inner disciples. After all, Qie Xing was not the only one offended by Chen Pingxi¡¯s inexplicable fascination with Zhao Yunxiao. It is regretful, but I would have to let down Senior Martial Brother Geng¡¯s well wishes today. I am truly too useless. Despite being a mere helper during the opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm, I still ended up overexerting myself and have yet to fully recover,¡± Zhao Yunxiao explained. Don¡¯t worry, I will be mindful of that during the spar,¡± Geng Guoye answered. ¡°In fact, I will even suppress my cultivation level to match yours, just to make things easier for you.¡± Even then, there are many outstanding seniors and guests present today, so I¡¯m afraid it might not be the best use of everyone¡¯s time,¡± Zhao Yunxiao continued to decline. ¡°I am lacking even at my best, so it would be far too boring for everyone when my current self can¡¯t even exert ten percent of my abilities now.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Since Brother Zhao is feeling under the weather, perhaps this is truly not the right occasion for a spar,¡± Chen Pingxi spoke up at this point. I¡¯m afraid that I would have to disagree, Fairy Chen,¡± Geng Guoye replied. ¡°On the other hand, I would argue that this is a rare opportunity to exchange pointers. After all, one would not always be at their best condition when wandering the world. This would be a great way for Junior Martial Brother Zhao to learn how to approach a battle when not at his best.¡± ¡° Senior Martial Brother Geng, since Senior Martial Brother Zhao is not feeling well, would it be possible for my humble self to receive your guidance instead?¡± Lu Zhiying suddenly stepped up. ¡°I have long heard of your prowess and truly wish to learn more from you.¡± In any case, Lu Zhiying did not believe that Geng Guoye would go overboard in front of everyone. If it was just a bit of beating, then she could definitely endure it! Is that so? Since you wish to receive guidance on behalf of your Senior Martial Brother Zhao, it would be the least I could do to give you the guidance that I have intended for him,¡± Geng Guoye replied with a sneer. If Zhao Yunxiao chose to save her, then they would be back to square one, rendering Lu Zhiying¡¯s intervention meaningless. But if hechose to simply stand by and let his junior martial sister get hurt in his stead, it would also serve the purpose of diminishing his standing in Chen Pingxi¡¯s eyes. ¡° I did say that,¡± Geng Guoye immediately understood what was happening, and answered with a wide smile. Well then, I shall thank Senior Martial Brother Geng in advance for your pointers,¡± Zhao Yunxiao clasped his fists towards Geng Guoye. Void Blade ¡° ¡° In any case, this was a problem that had come up because of him. There was no way that he would allow Lu Zhiying to get involved, especially since there was a chance of her getting hurt while doing so! This... okay, I trust you!¡± Lu Zhiying nodded after glancing over at Huang An to make sure that the latter was still there with them. It is good to hear that you are willing to accept this rare opportunity. In that case, why don¡¯t we begin immediately?¡± Geng Guoye did not want to give Zhao Yunxiao any opportunity to slip away. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Ten. Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° Don¡¯t worry about the sect rules,¡± Geng Guoye shrugged it off. ¡°If the sect administrators wish to pursue the matter, I will bear all responsibilities.¡± ¡° Those watching nodded in approval. Geng Guoye had been true to his word ¨C the essence energy he released was indeed capped at the Essence Gathering realm. What many did not know was that while the suppression of his cultivation level might have indeed made the spar slightly fairer, there was actually a deeper, more sinister, intention behind his decision to do so. Against someone at the same cultivation level, Zhao Yunxiao was more than confident of lasting this long. However, an Origin Core realm cultivator like Geng Guoye would still possess huge advantages even with his cultivation level suppressed. Firstly, his understanding of each individual technique would be much better. After all, advancements in cultivation level naturally came with a greater understanding of the laws of the world, which would in turn allow him to break each technique down to a greater level of granularity and refine every little aspect. Secondly, both his senses and physical capabilities would be far superior, having his physique refined by overcoming the heavenly tribulation to enter the Origin Core realm. It would be a different story if he had to take down Geng Guoye, but just trying to last through the fight was certainly doable! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao had used this same technique during his duel with Gan Luozhi about three weeks ago, so it was still fresh in the minds of the outer disciples. Unfortunately, there was no way that someone as far-sighted as Geng Guoye would not have a countermeasure to something like this. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡° He threw it into the air and pierced through it with two fingers, causing the talisman to start burning up. But instead of smoke and ashes, it actually turned into golden particles that fell to the ground, which quickly gathered together and transformed into a mole-like creature. Summoning an Emerald-Eyed Mole to take care of a rat in the ground, how apt!¡± Qie Xing praised with a relaxed smile. And the more humiliating the method was, the better! ¡° Heeding Geng Guoye¡¯s order, the Emerald-Eyed Mole instantly burrowed into the ground. And just a few moments later, flames erupted from within the burrow hole that it had just created. Then, there was silence. Tch! Useless creature!¡± Geng Guoye cursed upon realising the fate of the Emerald-Eyed Mole. ¡°Looks like I have no choice but to do it myself!¡± With a flick of his wrist, a sword appeared in his hands. Closing his eyes in focus, he started to gather essence energy within the blade. ¡° Yet as the dagger flew past him, at the very moment when the dagger was closest to his body, Geng Guoye frowned as his spiritual sensepicked up on something attached to the dagger. His sword seemed to have a strange attraction force to it, drawing in every last bit of flames that originated from the explosive talisman, even those that had been propagating in the opposite direction. Void Blade ¨C this was Geng Guoye¡¯s signature technique, one that he had created by incorporating every last bit of his understandings into the Law of Space. Indeed, in the Black Tortoise Sect, every inner disciple was an expert in their own right. She had to admit that Geng Guoye¡¯s Void Blade was an extremely powerful technique. Despite being suppressed to the Essence Gathering realm, it was still capable of displaying such terrifying power. If Geng Guoye was able to gain deeper understandings into the Law of Space and further refine the technique in the future, perhaps even Chen Pingxi might start finding herself hard pressed to do anything against him! But Geng Guoye was unfazed upon witnessing this. Instead, he simply changed his target to the ground itself. This was clearly not a regular slash by a sharp sword. Instead, Geng Guoye¡¯s sword slash created a fissure in the ground that went almost ten metres deep. The edges were not clean and smooth either, looking rough as though the earth had been forcibly sucked out of the ground. They understood that with the immense destructive power of the slash, just a single hit could potentially bring about the end of Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s life! Well, at least he would not have to worry about not receiving a proper burial, so perhaps that was not all that bad for him. But that might be rather ominous for the Clear Thoughts Pavilion... As though sharing their grim concerns, Zhao Yunxiao quickly leapt out from the ground. Finally realised how you can¡¯t keep hiding forever?¡± Geng Guoye stopped slashing the ground and smirked. ¡° Geng Guoye¡¯s Void Blade was truly a little too terrifying, so it was not surprising that an outer disciple like Zhao Yunxiao would be too intimidated to continue this spar. ¡° Each of Senior Martial Brother Geng¡¯s moves is exquisite and refined. The moment I noticed that, I realised that I would not stand a chance even if we openly exchanged moves,¡± Zhao Yunxiao sighed in regret. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Geng¡¯s level is simply too much higher than mine. Continuing this will only be a waste of everyone¡¯s time, so I admit my loss in all aspects.¡± ¡° As expected, that did not work. Still, it was at least worth a shot. Zhao Yunxiao firmly believed that Lu Zhiying was someone who would become an inner disciple in time to come. Since she had chosen to vouch for him numerous times by now, he definitely could not appear too weak, or it might just cause her to be mocked in the future for having chosen to associate with weaklings. No matter how slim the chances, he had to do his best to claim victory here. Even if he ended up losing anyway, he had to at least put up a good fight for the optics. Receiving Guidance by the Clear Thoughts Pavilion Unfazed by the approaching Geng Guoye, Zhao Yunxiao stood his ground and threw three daggers straight at his opponent. With a wave of his hands, Geng Guoye summoned three spatial orbs that flew out to meet these three daggers mid air. Each of these spatial orbs wasmerely the size of a fist, and even rapidly decreased in radius with each second that passed. Yet even with their decreasingsize, they remained big enough for the daggers to enter and disappear into them. There were no ripples or disturbances in the air as that happened, almost as though these orbs were open gates that had sent the daggers to a faraway land. Fortunately, the orbs continued decreasing in size, until they disappeared shortly after devouring the daggers. Otherwise, who knew what would be needed to stop their charge? With the daggers acting as a distraction, he immediately charged forward to meet Geng Guoye in a direct confrontation. At the same time, two other Zhao Yunxiaos leapt out from the ground, commencing a three-pronged attack on Geng Guoye. ¡° Zhao Yunxiao One tried to block the sword slash with two daggers, only for the daggers to be directly sliced apart along with his torso. With that, he turned into earth that fell back to the ground. Zhao Yunxiao Two leapt backwards to avoid the slash, only to be struck by an invisible burst of essence energy that suddenly extended from the tip of the sword, which easily split him in half at the chest. Just like the previous, he turned into earth that fell back to the ground. On the other hand, Zhao Yunxiao Three brought out a huge metal shield, which finally managed to stop the powerful strike by Geng Guoye. The impact sent shockwaves in all directions, picking up the fallen leaves and blowing them straight into the pavilion. It was a successful defence, but Geng Guoye was not done just yet. In most situations, this would not be the smartest move in the book. If one¡¯s opponent had chosen to adopt a purely defensive stance like Zhao Yunxiao Three had done, it would likely take quite a lot more effort in order to break through. Therefore, it would usually be ideal to try and circumvent the defence instead of trying to crush it head on. Against an outer disciple like Zhao Yunxiao, he was confident that he held the absolute advantage. All he was concerned about was how to make this victory appear as domineering as possible, so as to completely humiliate the other party. With that, the simple-minded Qie Xing would definitely become more favourable of him, thereby allowing for easier access to Xiong Yekong! And this truly served that purpose. Bang-! Bang-! Bang-! Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s heels sank into the earth with each successive strike, as though he was nothing but a nail being hammered into the ground. With each moment that passed, Qie Xing¡¯s smile became wider. And with each moment that passed, Geng Guoye¡¯s confidence grew. He could not see Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s expression from behind the huge shield, but he could definitely feel the layer of energy protection on the shield quickly thinning away. His attacks were working, and it was only a matter of time before he crushed the shield in front of everyone! He was not the only one thinking that way too. Most of those watching shared his sentiments, believing that Zhao Yunxiao had to either come up with something quickly or face impending defeat. But right at that moment, Geng Guoye sensed the surface of the earth tremble around him. An earthen chain shot out from the ground on each side, seeking to bind him completely. At the same time, another Zhao Yunxiao leapt out from the ground behind him, raising a black halberd high into the air to strike him from behind. Another one? Just how many clones was he intending to waste his essence energy on? Geng Guoye scoffed. But just as he was about to turn around and deal with the fresh attacks, Zhao Yunxiao Three suddenly threw his shield away, abandoning his defensive stance to throw two daggers at him before personally charging at him with a third dagger in hand. Four attacks from four different directions. It seemed to be somewhat of a tricky situation, but Geng Guoye remained unfazed. The same spatial orbs from before made their appearances once again, only that there were four of them this time. Two of them devoured the flying daggers while another two directly pulled the earthen chains into space, breaking them from their root and neutralising them entirely. Next, Geng Guoye turned his attention to the two who were coming at him from opposite directions ¨C Zhao Yunxiao Three with the dagger, and Zhao Yunxiao Four with the black halberd. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. He had been convinced that Zhao Yunxiao Three was the true body due to thestubborn resistance earlier, but now he was not so sure. Instead of standing still and waiting for both attacks to arrive at the same time, Geng Guoye decided to take the initiative. He stepped in the direction of Zhao Yunxiao Three, intending to take care of him first since a dagger would be easier to deal with. His sword struck like lightning, meeting Zhao Yunxiao Three¡¯s dagger mid-trajectory. No one had any doubts about the outcome of this exchange, not even Chen Pingxi or Lu Zhiying. Earlier, Geng Guoye had directly cut through two daggers at once, so how could Zhao Yunxiao Three stand a chance with just a single dagger in hand? In everyone¡¯s eyes, it was all about how Geng Guoye would fare against Zhao Yunxiao Four¡¯s halberd strike after this. However, what happened next caused everyone to widen their eyes in shock. Clank-! The exchange forced Zhao Yunxiao Three back one step, but that was it. His hand remained raised and the dagger remained intact, though it was now pressed firmly against Geng Guoye¡¯s sword. With this single dagger, Zhao Yunxiao Three had successfully stopped the sword slash! Geng Guoye was bewildered as well. But while he was still trying to process this situation, the battle instincts that had been deeply ingrained in him quickly took over. What followed was a barrage of sword strikes that rained down upon Zhao Yunxiao Three. Clank-! Clank-! Clank-! Step by step, Zhao Yunxiao Three was forced further and further back. Yet one thing was clear to everyone watching ¨C despite the swift onslaught from Geng Guoye, Zhao Yunxiao Three was holding his own. He was matching Geng Guoye move by move, stopping every single sword strike with that little dagger in his hands! ¡°What?!¡± Qie Xing stood up in agitation. Even Geng Guoye himself could not believe it. But as the person involved, he still understood the situation slightly better than others. It was not that Zhao Yunxiao had begun to keep up with his moves. Instead, it was he who had been reduced to a level that Zhao Yunxiao could keep up with. Everything was fine up until the moment of impact, but that was when things suddenly felt grossly amiss. He had obviously put in ten levels of strength into each sword strike. Yet for some reason, the energy output only ended up being half of that. Even though he had indeed suppressed his cultivation level to the Essence Gathering realm, this difference was definitely far more than the supposed effect of that! This completely messed with his calculations of speed and strength, making it extremely frustrating to say the least! Just what was going on here? This time, Geng Guoye no longer held the advantage. The impact with the black halberd easily forced back Geng Guoye¡¯s sword, blowing his stance wide open! ¡° He could definitely bring his sword back up in time to guard against the halberd. But that would only yield the same result, where his stance would be blown open once more. This time, there would not be enough time for him to recover, making him fully vulnerable to Zhao Yunxiao Three¡¯s dagger strike. In the first place, this fight was meant purely to put Zhao Yunxiao in his place. While there was nothing technically wrong with escaping to reset the situation, doing so in front of everyone would greatly diminish the impact of his original intentions. Borrowing the momentum fromhis exchange with the halberd, Geng Guoye skilfully spun around to meet Zhao Yunxiao Four¡¯s follow up with a backhand slash. At the same time, a familiar black matter shrouded his blade at a pace that was much faster than normal ¨C forcibly accelerated by Geng Guoye at the expense of his energy reserves. Others might not have figured it out just yet, but the reason behind the reduced power in each of Geng Guoye¡¯s strikes was due to one of the arrays in the Penta-Edge Grimoire Halberd. Born of a single archaic rune that had been inscribed with the essence of the water sapphire, this ancient array was capable of creating a dampening effect unique to the free-flowing water element, thereby greatly reducing the force behind any oncoming attacks. This helped to bridge the strength difference between Zhao Yunxiao and Geng Guoye. Otherwise, without having cultivated the body strengthening system, wanting to exchange moves with someone whose physique had been refined through heavenly tribulation would be nothing but a pipe dream! However, this dampening effect was not almighty either. In fact, one clear weakness of this dampening effect was that it applied solely to physical force. Geng Guoye¡¯s Void Blade possessed immense destructive capabilities not because of the speed and power at which it struck, but because of its mysterious spatial effects.This was not something that the ancient Disperse array would be able to effect its influence on. Faced with the Void Blade, regular weapons would be devoured without a trace. Even treasure weapons might face a similar fate if they were not hardy or durable enough. Would his Penta-Edge Grimoire Halberd be able to withstand it? In any case, he had collected enough materials to forge three halberds. While he did manage to complete this in a single attempt, he was still planning to forge another two halberds with the excess materials for contingency purposes. As for the materials for the array inscriptions, that was a separate matter. In fact, Zhao Yunxiao was even toying with the idea of using different inscriptions for different halberds, which would greatly increase the number of moves at his disposal. So, if this one ended up ruined... actually, let¡¯s not think about something as heartbreaking as that. Power at the Peak Origin Core Realm Terrifying spatial winds erupted upon impact, a clear testament to the Void Blade¡¯s ferocious attempt at devouring the Penta-Edge Grimoire Halberd. Yet the beauty about spatial techniques was that it was almost always silent in nature, as any sound below a certain threshold would have been lost in the deepness of space itself. If not for the tremendous amount of spatial winds generated from the collision, others might even suspect that the duo had deliberately reduced the power behind their strikes at the very last minute! As for the Penta-Edge Grimoire Halberd, it actually managed to remain intact despite clashing directly against Geng Guoye¡¯s Void Blade. Realising this inevitably brought a faint smile to Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s face. As expected of Lou Yuan¡¯s blueprint... this halberd is strong! ¡° Even if Geng Guoye had suppressed his cultivation level to the Essence Gathering realm, it still did not make sense for Zhao Yunxiao to be able to suppress Geng Guoye in such a manner! After Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s halberd strike threw Geng Guoye off his stance, Zhao Yunxiao Three immediately followed up from behind with a dagger strike of his own. With his right hand, he swung his sword back down towards the oncoming halberd. With his left, he directly punched out towards the approaching dagger. Judging from his clenched fist, he was definitely not trying to stop the dagger by pinching it by the blade. Geng Guoye¡¯s sword slammed against the Penta-Edge Grimoire Halberd with such power that it even caused the latter to bend slightly. While it immediately bounced back to its original shape, it still could not avoid the fate of being sent flying ¨C along with Zhao Yunxiao who was holding on like his life depended on it. Brother Geng, that does not seem very courteous of you,¡± Chen Pingxi remarked while most others were still reeling from the shock of the sudden turnaround. ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise to suppress your cultivation level to the Essence Gathering realm?¡± My apologies, I might have overreacted a little indeed,¡± Geng Guoye admitted reluctantly while awkwardly straightening his robes. ¡°However, I had not expected Junior Martial Brother Zhao to resort to such petty tricks. That caught me by surprise, which was perhaps why I failed to control myself for a moment there.¡± ...Petty tri-?¡± Zhao Yunxiao was speaking halfway when he stoppedto spit out a mouthful of blood. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. This level of power definitely did not belong in the Essence Gathering realm. Geng Guoye had gone against his word and released the seal on his cultivation level! Thankfully, it would appear that Geng Guoye did not go all out after doing so. Otherwise, Zhao Yunxiao would no longer be standing right now. Even so... May I know what Brother Geng means by petty tricks?¡± Chen Pingxi asked what was on his mind. ¡° That weapon? What¡¯s strange about it?¡± ¡° ¡°If that¡¯s true, then deliberately hiding the existence of an array inscription despite this being a friendly spar can be considered trickery indeed,¡± Qie Xing quickly added in support. Exactly,¡± Geng Guoye continued. ¡°If not for that, how would I have been surprised enough to accidentally act as I did? Now, I cannot help but question the reason behind deliberately concealing and then activating this array during the spar. Would you like to explain yourself, Junior Martial Brother Zhao?¡± What was he supposed to do otherwise? Volunteer all his secrets to everyone with whom he interacted? Yet despite how unfair he felt the accusation was, he was not exactly in a position where he could argue against Geng Guoye. After all, as an inner disciple, the latter was technically his superior. Going against him in such a public setting might bring temporary satisfaction, but it would also be tantamount to setting himself up for trouble in the future. While it was frustrating, it would still be in his best interest to take a step back here. Not just that, but he also made a mental note to steer clear of Geng Guoye in the future. ¡°Senior Martial Brother Geng is right. I should hav-¡± ¡°What a joke!¡± Chen Pingxi quickly cut him off, startling everyone present. Up until now, Chen Pingxi had maintained a graceful decorum, carrying herself in a manner that truly lived up to the ¡®Fairy¡¯ part of her alias, Tidal Fairy. But at this very moment, all signs of that were nowhere to be seen, replaced with a fierce light that was burning within her eyes. Her tone was firm and solemn, truly exuding a level of prestige befitting the prime disciple that she was. ¡° How is that the same?¡± Geng Guoye¡¯s expression turned ugly as well, extremely unhappy to be confronted in such a public manner. ¡°My Void Blade is no secret, while those strange characters on his weapon are suspicious to say the least. Who knows? There might even be a chance that their origins did not belong to the orthodox path!¡± Since he had already gone against his promise of suppressing his cultivation level, Geng Guoye wanted to use any means necessary to justify his actions. That was why he had to paint Zhao Yunxiao as the bad person here, even if it meant throwing random accusations at him. Only by doing so would he be able to distract everyone into excusing his actions, preventing his reputation from taking a hit. Not just that, but painting Zhao Yunxiao as the bad person would also achieve the original intention of putting him down. At the same time, Geng Guoye made sure to phrase things in a speculative manner, all so that there would be no need for him to take responsibility for his words later. However, he never expected that those words would instantly backfire on him. ¡°Insolence!¡± Chen Pingxi¡¯s Peak Origin Core realm aura erupted in an instant, creating an immense spiritual pressure on everyone at the Clear Thoughts Pavilion. ¡°Those are archaic runes that can be found in my Origin Lake Sect as well. Are you insinuating that my Origin Lake Sect is not of the orthodox path?!¡± Indeed, while others might not be familiar with the archaic characters on the Penta-Edge Grimoire Halberd, she clearly remembered seeing them at the Origin Lake. To be able to utilise those archaic characters in the creation of array inscriptions, Elder He Luoxuan¡¯s understanding of these archaic characters must have already reached a sublime level. Just a moment ago, her heart had still been pounding in excitement while thinking about the endless possibilities that could result from that. Who knew that while she was still contemplating how to bring the matter up with Zhao Yunxiao, these same characters would be labelled as potentially unorthodox right in front of her face? Such a drastic turn of events shocked everyone present. Chen Pingxi was doing nothing to hide her rage, and her unrestrained aura was taking a significant toll on the audience. Those at the Foundation Building realm felt their legs go soft, unable to stand without holding onto something else for support. Those at the Essence Gathering realm had to focus on regulating their dantian, consciously suppressing the essence energy in their dantian from going wild. Among them, Lu Zhiying had to quickly hold onto Huang An for support, or she would have buckled to her knees. Even then, she could not help but grin in excitement, relishing in the moment as she personally experienced such immense spiritual pressure for the very first time in her life. So, this is the strength of a cultivator at the Peak Origin Core realm! Varying Reactions ¡°That is not what I meant...¡± Geng Guoye¡¯s tone immediately mellowed down as he realised the gravity of the situation. ¡°Then what exactly is it that you meant?¡± Chen Pingxi questioned. ¡°I apologise for my careless words earlier,¡± Geng Guoye said reluctantly. ¡°The Origin Lake Sect has always been a close friend of the Black Tortoise Sect, so how can it ever be unorthodox in nature? It would appear that my ignorance regarding the archaic runes has resulted in an embarrassing moment. For that, I sincerely seek your forgiveness.¡± Under the watchful gazes of everyone present, it was humiliating to have to backpedal on his words. However, he had no choice but to do so. He could easily get away with throwing random accusations at outer disciples, but it was an entirely different story now that the Origin Lake Sect had been implicated. If handled improperly, his words could even be interpreted as a nefarious attempt to divide the two factions ¨C something that could result in punishments comparable to those for treason! ¡°Please calm down, Fairy Chen,¡± Qie Xing hurriedly interjected. ¡°I can vouch for Brother Geng¡¯s admiration for the Origin Lake Sect. I am sure this is a misunderstanding.¡± ¡° ¡°He might be stupid, but he is not malicious. Why don¡¯t you just ignore him and enjoy this beautiful night with me?¡± ¡°The outer disciples are watching. How about continuing this discussion at a more private location instead?¡± ¡°Brother Geng has already admitted his fault, so please be appeased.¡± At the same time, Geng Guoye clasped his fists towards Chen Pingxi and bowed his head slightly in apology, nervously awaiting the latter¡¯s response. Thankfully, this response ended up being a positive one. Chen Pingxi glared at Geng Guoye for a few moments before finally retracting her aura. The spiritual pressure on everyone rescinded in an instant, causing the outer disciples to let out a sigh of relief. ¡°If I hear comments that besmirch the good name of my Origin Lake Sect again, I will bring the matter straight to the elders of the Black Tortoise Sect!¡± Chen Pingxi cautioned. ¡° ¡°That¡¯d better be the case!¡± Chen Pingxi said before walking over to Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Are you all right, Brother Zhao?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, thank you for the concern, Sister Chen...¡± Zhao Yunxiao said rather uncomfortably. While he definitely appreciated Chen Pingxi¡¯s help, he could also sense everyone¡¯s eyes focusing on him right now. He definitely did not want to attract too much attention and end up getting on Geng Guoye¡¯s bad side! ¡° Please don¡¯t say that, Sister Chen is definitely not at fault here. We are the ones who should apologise for not having hosted you well instead,¡± Zhao Yunxiao shook his head. ¡°That said, I¡¯m sure that this is all a huge misunderstanding, and that Senior Martial Brother Geng truly did not mean to show any disrespect to the Origin Lake Sect.¡± ¡° ¡°In that case, I won¡¯t hesitate to take Senior Martial Brother Geng up on your offer next time,¡± Zhao Yunxiao replied with an excited smile, though it looked rather forced due to his pale lips. Chen Pingxi looked at Zhao Yunxiao and let out a helpless sigh. To still be able to chat with Geng Guoye in such a casual manner, it was clear that Zhao Yunxiao did not actually care about what the former had done to him earlier. It was almost as though such matters were too trivial to be even worth thinking about for him! ¡° The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Let me take a look,¡± Huang An offered. ¡°Wait, let¡¯s do this somewhere else,¡± Zhao Yunxiao suggested. *** ¡°Thankfully, you seem to be fine,¡± Huang An said after completing a detailed examination of Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°There are some minor injuries, but you should be able to recover in a day or two.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear!¡± Lu Zhiying chimed in. ¡°This won¡¯t get in the way of your upcoming trip then!¡± ¡°I am leaving tomorrow, so it might still have a small impact. However, it shouldn¡¯t be too much of an issue,¡± Zhao Yunxiao corrected while stretching his limbs. ¡°How envious! I want to go on a trip too!¡± Lu Zhiying pouted for a moment before suddenly recalling something. ¡°Oh right, what¡¯s with that weapon of yours? Is it really an unorthodox weapon like Senior Martial Brother Geng said?¡± ¡°How can you still say that after what happened earlier? Do you want Lady Chen to beat you up?¡± Zhao Yunxiao smirked. ¡°Why the sudden formality? Please just call me Sister Chen as always,¡± Lu Zhiying mimicked Chen Pingxi¡¯s voice. Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°...¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Zhao Yunxiao broke down the fight into blocks, analysing each individual move from start to end, from his perspective and then his opponent¡¯s, meticulously considering the various other choices that they could have taken at every juncture. Every fight was an important lesson on combat proficiency, and every experience an important step towards the pinnacle. Zhao Yunxiao had no intention of letting this precious opportunity for improvement slip right past his fingers. As he was immersed in the world of battle simulations, the night silently came to an end. The Path of Enemies Cross Often Early the next day, Zhao Yunxiao left his residence after completing his usual morning practice. Unlike most other days, the sect grounds were already bustling with activity despite the early hour. Many of the celebratory parties had lasted throughout the night, and there were plenty of disciples who were only just heading back to their residences now. At the same time, the delegates from the subordinate sects were also leaving Purple Plum Mountain today. Because of that, there were also Black Tortoise Sect disciples going around to bid them farewell. Zhao Yunxiao greeted a few familiar faces as he headed for his first stop ¨C the Lightwind Pavilion. Here, he was intending to bring along some of the food that had been stored away by Gu Qiansi. ¡°Why are you packing this much food? Are you going on a long trip?¡± Hua Xian remarked as the fairymist flower continued swaying lightly by the edge of the pond. ¡°I won¡¯t be gone for long,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said curtly. ¡°So, don¡¯t even think about doing anything funny in the meantime.¡± ¡° ¡° You have also said that before already,¡± Hua Xian sighed. ¡°How distrustful. Is that really how you think of me? As a mere troublemaker?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° As for Hua Xian, perhaps the most significant change that it had brought to the Lightwind Pavilion was still in the visual aspect. The mist that it created made this place look a little more mystical, but that was about it. After performing a thorough examination of the array that was suppressing Hua Xian, Zhao Yunxiao finally left for the meeting location mentioned by Fei Weng. This time, the group would be meeting outside a large hall in the Inner Grounds that was commonly used to host guests from other factions. And as always, Zhao Yunxiao arrived earlier than the appointed time. Greetings, Senior Martial Brother Hua!¡± Zhao Yunxiao immediately stepped forward to greet him. Considering how he was one of the more influential inner disciples in the Feng Faction, perhaps it was not surprising that Hua Shui had been selected to come along. In fact, this wish to do well did not purely stem from the fear of getting punished, but also because he subconsciously wanted to gain Hua Shui¡¯s approval. Even if one disregarded Hua Shui¡¯s usual reputation, he was still one of the three disciples who had created the greatest waves during the recent opening of the Four Symbols Mystic Realm. By forming and leading a coalition that included members from the other three great symbol sects, he successfully defeated a powerful monster on the level of the Serpent Mammoth. This news was a source of pride for all disciples of the Black Tortoise Sect, and Zhao Yunxiao was no exception! Having fought the Azure Dragon Sect¡¯s Thousand Blade Ren Qiansha to a draw, Armed Ape Tower¡¯s Xiong Yekong once again proved that he was deserving of his reputation as someone who had reached the level of the core disciples of the Four Great Symbol Sects. Perhaps he would get to witness this rising star showing off a thing or two during the trip! Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° That¡¯s good. Make sure you remember everything and act accordingly. Elder Feng has little tolerance for incompetence,¡± Hua Shui cautioned. ¡°Work together with Junior Martial Brother Gan on this matter, and play to each of your strengths.¡± ¡° Greetings, Senior Martial Brother Hua! You are as dedicated as ever, having arrived so early!¡± a familiar voice just about instantly confirmed Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s suspicions. Gan Luozhi stepped forward and was about to clasp his fists towards Hua Shui when he suddenly stopped in his tracks, having noticed Zhao Yunxiao who was standing right there with Hua Shui. ¡° At the same time, he could only silently curse in his heart. Well, considering the latter¡¯s relationship with Hua Sheng, perhaps it was not too surprising that he had been selected for this trip. Regardless, he could only hope that the other party would put aside their little argument from three weeks ago, and focus on completing the job at hand! ¡° ¡° ¡° Remember that,¡± Hua Shui reiterated in a stern manner. ¡° ¡° Oh? So, Hua Shui will be coming along as well?¡± Elder Xiong Yan exclaimed in surprise. ¡°How reassuring! I will be relying on you to bail us out if we get stumped by any unexpected problems!¡± Elder Xiong¡¯s words are too kind. With Elder Feng around, there is no need for me to meddle at all,¡± Hua Shui said before turning back to Elder Feng Wanjia. ¡°Everything is prepared. We can depart at any moment now.¡± ¡° ¡° That said, apart from the way that it had appeared, the house itself might not look all that impressive to most, considering it was just a building made entirely of bamboo. How could it be that simple? ¡° The members of the Armed Ape Tower were right behind him, followed closely by Elder Feng Wanjia and those from the Black Tortoise Sect. As the last person to enter, the door gently closed behind Zhao Yunxiao. At that very moment, Zhao Yunxiao felt a strange sensation wash over him. It was an inexplicable sense of loss ¨C as though he had just been cut off from the rest of the world. The physical appearance of the door felt like just a facade, and what it truly symbolised was an entire world that now stood between him and the outside world. ¡° ¡° With that, the members of the entourage retired to their assigned rooms for the time being. ¡° From the looks of it, this trip was likely to end up being a lot more troublesome than he had originally hoped! Gentlemanly Offer Even though Zhao Yunxiao was seated on quite the exquisite bed, he found it difficult to get truly comfortable. Physically, this was definitely a conducive place for rest. However, the psychological aspect of things continued to weigh down upon him, to the extent that he found it too distracting to even enter meditation. Senior Martial Brother Gan, shall we have a chat?¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. I understand that there have been some minor differences between us in the past, but that is something that only arose because of the circumstances that we were in back then,¡± Zhao Yunxiao said. ¡°Personally, I truly respect you as a senior. After all, everyone knows about your exceptiona-¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If Gan Luozhi really could personally ensure that everything worked out just fine, then Zhao Yunxiao would naturally be fine with taking a back seat and letting him handle things. In fact, he would even welcome such a thing since that would give him more leeway to focus on gathering information on cultivating the body strengthening system. And if Gan Luozhi messed things up, Zhao Yunxiao would not be able to avoid being implicated as well! Nevertheless, there was no use in confronting Gan Luozhi right now. Judging from his personality, Gan Luozhi might even get triggered into deliberate sabotage if the wrong buttons were pushed. Zhao Yunxiao could only choose to observe the situation for now, while getting ready to step in whenever the situation called for it. At least he knew now that Gan Luozhi had the intention to do well, so that was better than nothing. Zhao Yunxiao felt slightly more assured after hearing that, and slowly eased into a state of light meditation. After a few moments, Gan Luozhi opened his eyes ever so slightly to steal a peek at the meditating Zhao Yunxiao. In his head, his conversation with another junior martial brother late last night started to replay itself. Big news, Senior Martial Brother Gan! Junior Martial Brother Zhao beat Senior Martial Brother Geng Guoye in a spar! Even if you want to believe in fake rumours, at least choose something that is a little more plausible. That brat beat Senior Martial Brother Geng? What a joke! Don¡¯t you know that Senior Martial Brother Geng is an Origin Core realm martial artist? That¡¯s not it. Senior Martial Brother Geng promised to suppress his cultivation level to match Junior Martial Brother Zhao¡¯s, only to be forced to release his true strength! ...Is that true? It happened in front of hundreds of eyes at the Clear Thoughts Pavilion. How can it be fake? That said, he had to admit that it felt good to hear that piece of news. With this, everyone would finally shut up about his loss to Zhao Yunxiao in the past. Now, all that was left was to let Zhao Yunxiao know who exactly was the superior one between them. Once that was done, everything would fall back into place, returning to how it was before. In that sense, perhaps them ending up on this trip together could also be seen as fate working in his favour! *** And unlike the Origin Lake Sect¡¯s territory, which comprised mainly of relatively flat lands and numerous water bodies, the Armed Ape Tower was based in the depths of a dense forest. Elder Feng Wanjia did not call for the outer disciples even once, so everyone was able to get ample rest during the journey that took almost an entire day. The door to the bamboo house slowly opened and Elder Xiong Yan led the way out, followed quickly by the rest of the group. They were currently at a wide clearing, surrounded by tall trees that were each more than a hundred metres tall. Beneath their feet, the ground had been covered neatly in wooden boards, which in turn formed a wooden path that led out of this clearing. Standing by the exit were two young ladies, both dressed in the disciple robes of the Armed Ape Tower ¨C a heavy fur cloak that covered them from head to toe. If not for the fact that the hood was currently pushed back, the faces of these female disciples would have been hidden beneath the shadows. It was difficult to describe their looks as exceptional, but they were definitely not ugly either. That said, their eyes that were burning with vitality easily drew in everyone¡¯s attention, making their appearances irrelevant to a certain extent. Seeing the arrival of the bamboo house, the two female disciples immediately stepped forward to greet them. ¡° ¡° Greetings, Elder Feng!¡± the two female disciples were flustered for a moment, but quickly regained their senses and bowed towards Elder Feng. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° My apologies for not being able to prepare a grand reception for your arrival,¡± Elder Xiong Yan turned towards Elder Feng Wanjia. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t hold it against us.¡± Don¡¯t worry about it. This trip is a last-minute decision, so that much is understandable,¡± Elder Feng Wanjia shook her head indifferently. ¡°Let¡¯s enter.¡± ¡° With a wave of his hand, the bamboo mansion shrank to the size of a fingernail and flew into Elder Xiong Yan¡¯s sleeves. He then started leading the way into the depths of the forest. The wooden path that they were on branched out at numerous intersections, splitting into paths that led to who knew where. With the tall trees blocking the way, it created a maze-like terrain that was nigh impossible to navigate through unless one was already familiar with the terrain. In addition to the fact that the sky was already turning dark, the thick canopy overhead blocked out what remained of thesunlight. This resulted in their path receiving close to no natural illumination whatsoever. Of course, the group could have easily kept track of their surroundings with their spiritual senses as well, but these little stones of light did more than just that. Their presence not only provided simple illumination, but also a beautifying effect on the surroundings that made it look far more welcoming. It was a three-storey mansion made with several different types of wood, with the contrast in wood types used cleverly at various junctures to give the structure a greater sense of artistic depth. Numerous exquisite carvings could also be seen on the wooden surfaces, each done with deliberate intention to complement the others, adding an aura of profoundness to the already ancient-looking building. ¡° Go prepare some tea for our guests,¡± Elder Xiong Yan instructed without taking a second glance at the disciple. ¡°Qie Xing, go gather the core disciples.¡± ¡° Shortly after, a female disciple, who looked to be around twenty years of age with rather pretty features, entered the hall to pour tea for everyone. Despite her obviously skilled movements when serving tea to Elder Xiong Yan and Xiong Yekong, her expression quickly turned frigid as she approached Elder Feng Wanjia¡¯s table. ¡° Y-Yes, Elder Feng!¡± the female disciple jumped a little upon being addressed. Seeing how her words only made the female disciple feel even more nervous, Elder Feng Wanjia could only let out a helpless chuckle. This was not her first time seeing something like this, but it was not her duty to help. In the end, it was still up to the disciple to overcome her own reservations. ¡° His movements were swift. In just a matter of seconds after offering to help, he was already done serving Elder Feng Wanjia, Sect Protector Shan Lihui, Fei Weng, and Hua Shui. Here,¡± Gan Luozhi handed the teapot back to the female disciple with a warm smile. ¡°That aside, I have to say that you are really pretty. Would it be possible for me to know your name?¡± ¡° At the same time, her eyes began to sparkle as she looked at Gan Luozhi, having been completely caught off guard by his gentlemanlybehaviour. I see. Nice to meet you then, Sister Qing. My name is Gan Luozhi, but you can just call me Brother Gan,¡± Gan Luozhi said while maintaining his smile. ¡°If there is anything that you are unsure of in the future, feel free to approach me for help.¡± ¡° Just like how there were plenty of cases where disciples from different factions ended up as cultivation partners, there were also plenty of cases where disciples behaved like complete casanovas when visiting weaker factions. Gan Luozhi had not poured any for him, so why did this Qing Fengxi leave with the teapot? Well, that actually worked out perfectly for him. Zhao Yunxiao promptly stood up, wanting to head to the back of the hall to ask for some tea. This was not because he really wanted the tea, but because it would look strange if he were the only one without it. Or at least, that would be his excuse. In actual fact, he simply saw this as a good opportunity to speak to the native disciples. If he did this right, it could very well open up avenues for him to gleansome information regarding the body strengthening system! However, he had yet to even take his first step when he heard a deep voice suddenly call out to him. ¡° Not only did the famous Feral Claw Xiong Yekong know him by name, but was also offering to show him the way? He was no beautiful fairy, so what¡¯s the catch here? A Faction Specialising in Body Strengthening ¡°Thank you for the kind offer, Sir Xiong. However, there is no need to trouble you,¡± Zhao Yunxiao answered without hesitation. ¡°I should be able to find the way. If I were to encounter any issues, I would just ask the fellow disciples back there.¡± Zhao Yunxiao did not know why Xiong Yekong knew his name, or why the latter was offering to show him around. What he knew was that anything that seemed too good to be true, usually was! Most people would have jumped at the opportunity to interact with Xiong Yekong, and Zhao Yunxiao himself had initially been looking forward to potentially doing so during this trip as well. But the current circumstances were far too suspicious. Yes, he was a disciple of the Black Tortoise Sect, which the Armed Ape Tower was subordinate to. However, as an outer disciple, his status was still inferior to that of Xiong Yekong¡¯s, so there was absolutely nothing in it for Xiong Yekong to act this way. Or at the very least, there was nothing that Zhao Yunxiao could think of. It was never a good idea to actively enter a situation where he knew less about others than they knew about him. If he simply jumped into things without having figured out the other party¡¯s motives, that would only be putting himself in a passive position. At the same time, potential scenarios immediately started to run through his head. Did Qie Xing badmouth him in front of Xiong Yekong? After all, Qie Xing had always been close to Geng Guoye, so what happened at the Clear Thoughts Pavilion could have left a bad impression on the former. If that was the case, then Chen Pingxi would have truly landed his innocent self in big trouble for no good reason this time! ¡°Brother Zhao is too courteous,¡± Xiong Yekong said. ¡°In any case, we are just waiting for Sect Master Kui and the other disciples to arrive, so I do have some spare time at the moment. On top of that, I have been looking forward to having a short chat with you for a while now. Why don¡¯t you consider this as giving me an opportunity to do so?¡± ¡°Brother Xiong¡¯s words are too serious,¡± Hua Shui interjected at this moment. ¡°But your words truly make me curious. Is there any special reason why you would like to speak with our junior martial brother? Those who are oblivious might even misunderstand that you are trying to dig some insider news from him! Haha!¡± His laugh made it seem like a joke, but the underlying meaning was clear to those who were in the know. ¡°Brother Hua sure loves to jest,¡± Xiong Yekong answered firmly. ¡°It is exactly as what I just said ¨C I wish to have a short chat with him. If others can even end up misunderstanding such an innocuous situation, perhaps it will just be a testament to how scheming their minds actually are.¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s better to avoid trouble. If you truly have no special reason to do so, then why don¡¯t you just let my junior martial brother do his thing instead of insisting on speaking to him?¡± Hua Shui shrugged. Haha! Is there a need for any special reason to wish to chat with someone?¡± Xiong Yekong laughed in disbelief. ¡°If you truly want me to explain why, so be it. I have nothing to hide anyway. All I want is to exchange cultivation pointers with him. Surely you will not try to stop me from doing so with your junior martial brother? Otherwise, others might just misunderstand that you are trying to keep either myself or your own junior martial brother in check!¡± The warm atmosphere from before turned cold in an instant. It was clear that Hua Shui and Xiong Yekong did not see eye to eye. Though this was something that Zhao Yunxiao had heard about, it was the first time that he was witnessing it in person. After all, despite being widely considered one of the more influential inner disciples, Hua Shui still held a status that was beneath that of the core disciples. For others to openly say that Xiong Yekong was on par with the core disciples, it was effectively claiming that Xiong Yekong had already surpassed him. Come to think of it, did Xiong Yekong just mention that he wanted to exchange cultivation pointers with him? Zhao Yunxiao felt the corner of his lips twitch. What kind of cultivation pointers could an Essence Gathering realm cultivator like him possibly exchange with the Dao Rune realm Xiong Yekong? Essence Gathering, Essence Physique, Origin Core, Dao Rune. There was a difference of three full realms between their cultivation levels! This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. The only possible way that any discussion between them could take place would be with Xiong Yekong one-sidedly giving him guidance, and Zhao Yunxiao did not believe that there were any free meals in this world. Hearing that, Zhao Yunxiao immediately returned to his table that was without any tea. Similarly, Xiong Yekong silently sat back down. Leading the way in was Sect Master Kui Tui. He looked to be in his eighties, with a bald head and slightly hunched back. He had a long white beard that reached down to his chest, and even his eyebrows were fully white. Each step he took felt shaky and seemed to require plenty of effort, making him appear weak and feeble. Behind them were the elders of the Armed Ape Tower, followed by their core disciples, of which Qie Xing was a part of. ¡° Everyone present immediately stood up out of respect. ¡° ¡° It¡¯s good to hear that Elder Feng is not offended. Please take a seat,¡± Sect Master Kui Tui said after settling down on the master seat. ¡°First of all, allow me to thank you for agreeing to come to our humble sect.¡± Our two sects have always had a good relationship since ancient times, so it is only natural to help one another out,¡± Elder Feng Wanjia smiled. ¡°That said, it is a rare opportunity to be allowed to examine the Zodiac Tree as well. Who knows? I might just be the one getting more out of this!¡± Haha, I¡¯m glad that Elder Feng can think of it this way,¡± Sect Master Kui Tui answered. ¡°The wisdom of the ancient sages is truly deep and humbling. We have already tried our best to ensure a smooth expansion of the Zodiac Tree, but it just doesn¡¯t feel too right. In that regard, I look forward to Elder Feng¡¯s assessment of our work.¡± ¡° All right, let¡¯s leave all that work talk for later,¡± Sect Master Kui Tui nodded in satisfaction. ¡°We might not have managed to prepare a banquet to welcome your arrival, but I have arranged for our precious disciples to put on a little performance instead. I hope that this would be enough to satisfy Elder Feng.¡± As compared to a banquet, I¡¯d definitely prefer to witness the great talents of the Armed Ape Tower!¡± Elder Feng Wanjia smiled. Elder Feng¡¯s words are too kind. In that case, let¡¯s begin,¡± Sect Master Kui Tui turned his attention towards the core disciples. ¡° ¡° ¡° Upon exchanging quick nods, the two suddenly shot towards one another. The scene that followed could only be described as a ferocious flurry from both sides, as the two started engaging in a seemingly vicious exchange of attacks and defences. If one was not aware of the situation, they could easily mistake this as a battle to the death! On top of the skilful and calculated manner in which each attack was executed, the sheer brute force behind them was unmistakable as well, born of a combination of essence energy and sheer physical prowess. This level of power was not something that could be emulated easily. Disregarding the use of special techniques that increased one¡¯s physical prowess, this would be a level of power that belonged solely to those who cultivated the body strengthening system! The spar between the two core disciples, Lian Chang and Lin Woxin, eventually came to an end as they simultaneously disengaged. However, it was quickly followed by that of others. One after another, the core disciples of the Armed Ape Tower went up in pairs to show off their capabilities. There were distinct differences in terms of combat techniques and capabilities among the core disciples, but all of them had one thing in common ¨C every single one of them possessed a level of physical prowess that could only be achieved through cultivating the body strengthening system. Watching everything from the front row seat, Zhao Yunxiao could not help but palpitate in excitement, to the extent that he even forgot about the troublesome situation from earlier and the lack of tea on his table. As a faction specialising in the body strengthening system, the Armed Ape Tower would surely have some tricks on how to better approach the opening of the Six Gates of Self-Actualisation. Even if that was not the case, just tips on how to better train their physique would be helpful for his cultivation path as well. Now that he was already here, he definitely had to try and glean such information off of the Armed Ape Tower¡¯s disciples while he had the chance! Xiong Yekongs Tests ¡°What a wonderful display of skills. The youths of the Armed Ape Tower are truly brimming with talent!¡± Elder Feng praised as the exhibition came to an end. Haha! Elder Feng is too kind. The kids still have a long way to go,¡± Sect Master Kui Tui laughed it off, though he definitely looked pleased. ¡°If Elder Feng can give some advice to them, I¡¯m sure they will be ecstatic.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Wait a minute,¡± Xiong Yekong spoke up again at this moment. ¡°I would like to have a chat with Brother Zhao. Would you be able to handle this matter alone, Brother Gan?¡± ¡° ¡°Oh? Do you know this little brother, Yekong?¡± Sect Master Kui Tui asked out of curiosity. Elder Feng Wanjia was about to give some pointers to the other core disciples, yet Xiong Yekong suddenly asked to leave. It was rather uncharacteristic of him to act so tactlessly. ¡° ¡° In a way, Xiong Yekong¡¯s actionscould easily give off the impression that he had zero interest in what Elder Feng Wanjia had to offer in advice. That would be rather offensive considering Elder Feng Wanjia¡¯s status. If handled improperly, this could create tension between the two. And that would only be detrimental to Xiong Yekong¡¯s future. ¡° ¡° ¡° May I know what Sir Xiong wishes to speak about?¡± Zhao Yunxiao asked as they walked along. You must have been surprised by my sudden request. But don¡¯t worry; this is nothing serious. I only wish to seek your advice on picking out a suitable gift for the Black Tortoise Sect entourage,¡± Xiong Yekong explained. If that¡¯s the case, I will certainly do my best to help,¡± Zhao Yunxiao nodded, though he could not help but feel that there was more to it than Xiong Yekong was letting on about. This wooden house was smaller than the mansion that they had just left, but not by much. At the same time, the number of guards stationed outside the wooden house made it rather obvious that it held a greater importance. ¡° ¡° The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. One shelf filled with various swords, and another covered with sabres. Accessories, weapons, equipment, scrolls, talismans, and even spirit stones ¨C all of them were laid out before his very eyes. Welcome to our treasury,¡± Xiong Yekong said proudly. ¡° After all, he was not a member of the Armed Ape Tower. It would not be appropriate to look around without restraint. Xiong Yekong smirked. He had been paying attention to Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s expression, and could not help but notice how unfazed he was. Yes, the Armed Ape Tower¡¯s treasury might not be as impressive as that of the Black Tortoise Sect, and this was also just the common treasury that did not hold the core treasures of the sect. However, an ordinary outer disciple should still have felt some level of astonishment upon entering. Looking at how calm Zhao Yunxiao was, perhaps there was a good reason why Tidal Fairy Chen Pingxi had been showing such interest in this person! However, the current him was solely focused on improving himself. As for things like finding a cultivation partner, that could be left till when he had fully established himself as a cultivator. But while he had not thought of Chen Pingxi as a potential cultivation partner, he still respected the latter as a peer. So, after hearing that Chen Pingxi had been paying close attention to this Zhao Yunxiao, Xiong Yekong could not help but become curious as well. Just what was so special about this outer disciple that warranted so much attention from Chen Pingxi? Thus, when he realised that Zhao Yunxiao would be coming along to the Armed Ape Tower this time, he decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to sound him out. That said, Zhao Yunxiao had just passed this test with flying colours! It was not that he did not find these treasures valuable, but the psychological impact from just seeing them was no longer as prominent. What do you think, Brother Zhao? What do you think would be suitable as a gift for Elder Feng and the others?¡± Xiong Yekong asked as he casually strolled into the large chamber. ¡° Don¡¯t worry too much. Since Elder Feng is here personally, there is nothing here that we are unwilling to offer. Please go ahead and choose a few suitable ones,¡± Xiong Yekong insisted. ¡°That said, I am just hearing out your opinion. Ultimately, I will still be the one making the decision on which items to select as gifts, so you don¡¯t have to feel too pressured.¡± ¡° ¡° A sword for Hua Shui, to add to his collection of blades. However, Xiong Yekong only took a quick look at the four items before turning back to him. ¡°These are pretty good choices. But why only four items? Aren¡¯t you still missing two?¡± ¡° ¡° There will be a gift for me too?¡± Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s eyes lit up in surprise. After all, it was rare for outer disciples like them to receive welcome gifts as well. Well, this is not the usual practice. But as the prime disciple, I can make an exception this time,¡± Xiong Yekong smirked. ¡°Onjust one condition.¡± ¡° In the end, was it just as Senior Martial Brother Hua Shui had predicted? Was Xiong Yekong truly doing this with the aim of digging some sect secrets out of him? As much as he would love to get his hands on some new treasures, he would never betray his sect for it! ¡° Zhao Yunxiao: ¡°???¡± His condition was to... hit him?