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Join the ServerThe impact of Yue Yixuan’s words sent a shiver down Lian Yueying’s spine, her back immediately slick with cold sweat.
“Your disciple does not comprehend, Master. I beg you to enlighten me.”
Having spoken, Lian Yueying looked towards Yue Yixuan, only to find her master had already turned, now seated cross-legged on a meditation cushion, her gaze fixed on Lian Yueying with an intensely scrutinizing air.
[‘What could possibly be happening? In the half-year since I arrived, I’ve never heard Master speak with such a formal tone, and any secrets I might possess are entirely unrelated to the sect.’]
The very word “summon” carried an inherent implication of interrogation, making anyone uncomfortable. Lian Yueying maintained her respectful bowing posture, awaiting Yue Yixuan’s next pronouncement, when suddenly she felt the surrounding spiritual energy lock down. It was as if she stood utterly exposed before Yue Yixuan.
Fortunately, this profoundly unsettling experience lasted only three breaths (TL Note: A traditional Chinese measure of time, approximately equivalent to a few seconds). Yue Yixuan withdrew her immense divine sense, then manipulated a meditation cushion to float before her, gesturing for Lian Yueying to be seated.
[‘Is this the divine sense of a Golden Core cultivator? To her, I am but an ant before a giant, as if a single thought could utterly crush me.’]
Against Yue Yixuan, all of Lian Yueying’s usual stratagems proved useless. Only her innermost thoughts remained unreadable, making direct communication her sole lifeline.
Lian Yueying inwardly affirmed that she had never committed any act detrimental to the Tuoshan Sect. Yet, even facing a potential wrongful accusation from Yue Yixuan, she found not a flicker of anger within her, only meekly settled onto the meditation cushion.
“Calm your mind. Regulate your breathing.”
After enduring such immense pressure, it would be impossible for anyone to instantly find inner peace. Nevertheless, Lian Yueying complied, closing her eyes and focusing on the subtle currents of spiritual energy.
“If you cannot maintain composure even as Mount Tai crumbles before you, how can you ever hope to cultivate immortality?”
Yue Yixuan instantly perceived the turmoil within Lian Yueying’s heart. Lian Yueying offered no reply, but at that moment, a surge of anger finally ignited within her—an anger directed squarely at herself.
Whether it was shame at her own weakness or an urgent desire for power, it no longer mattered. Lian Yueying, recognizing her utter inability to resist, found that her anger unexpectedly compelled her to release all other thoughts. She focused solely on the flow of the world’s spiritual energy and the currents within her meridians, and within a few breaths, she genuinely achieved a state of calm.
This, surprisingly, caused a flicker of astonishment in Yue Yixuan, who admitted she could not have achieved such a feat at Lian Yueying’s age. Nevertheless, the serious matter at hand demanded attention. Yue Yixuan placed three fingers on the cun kou pulse (TL Note: A pulse point on the wrist, often used in traditional Chinese medicine) of Lian Yueying’s left hand. After pressing for five breaths, she traced her fingers upward along the arm until they rested upon the ren ying pulse (TL Note: A pulse point on the neck).
“You’ve never undergone body tempering, your spiritual energy is impure, you haven’t cultivated the Lei Wu method provided by the sect, and your origins remain a mystery. Every single aspect of your being aligns with the profile of an enemy spy. You should offer an explanation.”
Lian Yueying’s curved eyelashes trembled subtly. Even though she had ceased her meditative breathing, she dared not open her eyes, for each of those four accusations revolved entirely around her shrouded past.
“It seems you still haven’t grasped the gravity of your situation.” Yue Yixuan rose, turning her back to Lian Yueying as she took a few steps, her gaze settling on the Lake Hall emblem displayed on the wall. “Do you know why you were assigned to Lake Hall?” she inquired.
[‘Given the way she’s asking, it’s probably not because I expressed a desire to be here.’]
“Because I wield this very dagger to annihilate the souls of all spies, severing any possibility of their reincarnation.” As she spoke, Yue Yixuan turned, raising her right hand to point at Lian Yueying. In that instant, a short dagger, etched with intricate purple patterns, materialized and hovered precisely between Lian Yueying’s eyebrows.
The sudden eruption of danger was overwhelming. A cold sweat naturally beaded on Lian Yueying’s forehead, and the spiritual energy radiating from the short dagger conjured countless vivid images before her eyes. In these visions, men and women alike were pierced through the brow by the dagger, their bodies exploding into crimson mist, their souls screaming as they fractured into oblivion.
A tempest of fear raged within Lian Yueying’s heart. She made no attempt to count, only perceiving at least thirty or more such horrifying scenes. In that moment, she even forgot to breathe, terrified that the slightest movement would condemn her to the same gruesome end.
“Zhou Zhongchen’s breakthrough during the treasure hunt, followed by his attack on the Qinglin Sect, was a pre-arranged plan. Allowing someone of your unknown origins to participate in the treasure hunt was merely a test, to see if you would reveal any suspicious behavior, at which point Zhou Zhongchen could have eliminated you alongside the others. However, you proved remarkably cautious.”
Upon hearing this, even though Lian Yueying understood their reasoning, her heart swelled with profound indignation. The accompanying wave of injustice made her nose sting with unshed tears.
“Did it never occur to you that I might be innocent?”
“You are a clever child; you should already know the answer.”
[‘Of course. With over three hundred individuals within the sect, it’s only natural they’d rather mistakenly eliminate an innocent than allow a single spy to slip through.’]
Lian Yueying closed her eyes, then, after a deep breath, declared, “I can swear upon my Dao heart that I am absolutely not a spy from another sect.”
“A mere Qi Refinement cultivator speaks of a Dao heart? Spies are concerned only with their mission; it matters not if they make no further progress in this life. Furthermore, as you haven’t yet reached Foundation Establishment, heavenly retribution would not befall you, so spare me any talk of being struck by five bolts of divine lightning. Now, use your index finger to leave a drop of blood on the dagger. Should you utter a single falsehood, your soul will be annihilated.”
The sensation of surrendering herself entirely into another’s hands resurrected old nightmares for Lian Yueying. Yet, the fervent desire for life burning within her compelled her to comply.
A sharp prick of pain emanated from her index finger. As the dagger made contact with her blood, its purple etchings briefly flared with light before dimming back to their usual state.
“First, tell me: are you a spy from another sect?”
“No.”
Lian Yueying’s voice carried an unwavering certainty. Yue Yixuan’s gaze remained fixed on her, the dagger hovering motionless.
“Now, address those four points I raised earlier.”
“What you mentioned, Master, truly concerns my past…”
“The girl was born with a peculiar illness; even in the scorching heat of summer, her body remained unnaturally cold. Her loving parents, finding no cure from ordinary physicians, were forced to seek the aid of an immortal master. The immortal master pledged to heal her, stating that the girl possessed an aptitude for cultivation. Overjoyed, her parents prostrated themselves in gratitude.
“However, this ‘immortal master’ was nothing more than a Foundation Establishment cultivator whose lifespan was rapidly approaching its end. He sought to use the girl as a key ingredient for an evil pill, thus he forced her to absorb the cultivation of others to swiftly reach Foundation Establishment, as only then could she be fully utilized in his concoction. Fortunately, cultivators of the righteous path discovered his scheme in time, and the girl was rescued. Tragically, her parents met a cruel end, perishing in a fiery inferno.”
Halfway through the harrowing tale, Yue Yixuan had already furrowed her brow, pulling out a medical classic to consult. Once Lian Yueying finished her narrative, Yue Yixuan once again checked her pulse, withdrawing her hand only after a prolonged examination.
“A person of Great Yin (TL Note: A rare and potent Yin constitution in cultivation lore), their essence blood can be refined into pure Yin qi. A thousand methods exist in this world to incorporate them into medicinal concoctions, proving immensely beneficial even for Golden Core cultivators.”
The unconcealed astonishment in Yue Yixuan’s voice caused Lian Yueying’s heart to plummet. Yet, she watched as Yue Yixuan closed the medical classic, recalled the short dagger into her body, and adopted a profoundly serious expression.
“You must never allow anyone to examine your pulse again. I am not skilled in medicine, nor do I have any interest in unethical medicinal ingredients like Great Yin blood. However, the human heart is inscrutable, and people will resort to anything to advance their cultivation.”
Lian Yueying froze, and this reaction instantly clarified for Yue Yixuan why the disciple had previously been so resistant to others examining her bones. Yue Yixuan could only scratch her head before continuing, “However, your suspicions have not been entirely cleared. Tell me, why were you so vicious during the competition just now? Such a young age, yet such heavy killing intent.”
[‘She was present during my competition, so the command token must have been seen… Still, before a Golden Core cultivator, such minor tricks are surely inconsequential.’]
“I only deployed the fourth strike out of an abundance of caution. The moment I saw Zhao Qianqian’s protective golden light begin to dissipate, I intentionally diverted the spell. She merely sustained minor injuries.”
Hearing this, Yue Yixuan’s expression once more darkened considerably. The dagger artifact shot forth from her body again, streaking towards Lian Yueying like a venomous serpent.
“You sly child. Must I keep ‘Zixuan’ poised here indefinitely before you decide to speak the absolute truth?”
[‘She… Master is a righteous cultivator. Since she now knows my past, I should seize this opportunity to seek her guidance.’]
Having reached this realization, the dagger’s immediate threat seemed less formidable. Lian Yueying respectfully kowtowed and saluted, “Master, I humbly request your guidance to resolve my confusion.”
Yue Yixuan nodded. Lian Yueying then proceeded to circulate the Great and Small Heavenly Cycles of the ‘Huihai Art’ before her, explaining how she had previously drawn upon the spiritual root conditions of Qinglin Sect disciples for reference. In the blink of an eye, two quarter-hours (TL Note: A traditional Chinese measure of time, approximately 30 minutes) had passed.
“While your explanation was a bit convoluted, I now comprehend your situation.”
“Thank you, Master. This ‘Huihai Art’…'”
“It has nothing to do with the cultivation method itself.”
Yue Yixuan shook her head. Under Lian Yueying’s bewildered gaze, she commanded the dagger to float between them, flicking its blade with a finger. “This artifact is called ‘Zixuan’,” she stated. “I acquired it after slaying an evil cultivator. Before it came into my possession, this blade brought about the annihilation of countless righteous cultivators’ souls. Tell me, do you believe the fault lies with the blade or with the person wielding it?”
“Your disciple comprehends your meaning, Master. However, the ‘Huihai Art’s’ inherent method of operation involves absorbing the cultivation of others…”
“What defines ‘normal’? I cannot fathom the intentions of the ‘Huihai Art’s’ creator, but at the very least, you have discovered a superior method of utilizing it. Cultivation techniques, much like artifacts, are inherently neutral; they possess no inherent good or evil. It is the wielder who imbues them with intent.”
[‘My benefactor once spoke similarly. Was he, too, trying to convey the same message as Master? The wielder imbues it with intent… the wielder imbues it with intent.’]
“So, it’s not the ‘Huihai Art’ that makes me abnormal, but rather that I myself am somewhat… volatile?”
Lian Yueying still couldn’t bring herself to utter the word “bloodthirsty.” She had never considered herself obligated to perform heroic deeds, but neither did she wish to descend into the path of evil.
“Not entirely. You skipped body tempering, cultivating to the fourth level of Qi Refinement through an unorthodox method. These four levels of cultivation carry the resentment and hatred of those cultivators whose energy you absorbed. Even though you spent two years stabilizing your cultivation, these negative emotions still affect you. If I’m not mistaken, you’ve been taking marrow-cleansing and bone-tempering pills for the past six months.”
Yue Yixuan’s words struck true. Whether through sect exchanges or transactions down the mountain, Lian Yueying had done everything possible to solidify her foundation, compensating for both innate weaknesses and acquired flaws.
Seeing Lian Yueying nod, Yue Yixuan continued, “Exactly. The first lesson in cultivation is body tempering—strengthening the physique, refining one’s temperament. Only when the first wisp of innate spiritual energy naturally gathers in the dantian can one truly begin Qi Refinement.”
[‘That’s right. My benefactor also said I might have no hope for cultivation. I only thought he meant that cultivating with useless spiritual roots was difficult, but now I understand the deeper meaning.’]
“You bypassed body tempering, exacerbating the already poor foundation of your five-element spiritual root. It’s perfectly normal for your temperament to be lacking.”
The more Yue Yixuan spoke, the more Lian Yueying’s heart churned with anxiety. She quickly bowed and pleaded, “Please, Master, teach your disciple. I absolutely refuse to give up.”
Yue Yixuan knew the solution, yet she felt a strong urge to temper Lian Yueying’s expectations.
This solution demanded daily, unyielding perseverance for a one-in-a-hundred chance of success, and the bitter sting of failure after giving one’s all was often the most crushing.
Yue Yixuan truly understood the weight of a master’s responsibility in that moment. Previously, she had focused solely on her own cultivation, leaving her disciples to their own devices. She often wondered why her senior sister had entrusted Lake Hall to her.
Decisions carried responsibility. In combat, Yue Yixuan would react instinctively, but the current situation left her hesitant.
Seeing Yue Yixuan remain silent, Lian Yueying gazed at the petite woman before her with intense longing. She prostrated herself once more, crying, “Please, Master, teach me!”
Although Lian Yueying had performed the disciple’s bow to Yue Yixuan half a year ago when joining Lake Hall, it was at this moment that she truly acknowledged Yue Yixuan as her Master.
“Very well. I shall impart the method to you. However, success or failure will ultimately depend on your own efforts.”
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