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Join the ServerThe arrival was none other than Junior Uncle Yue, who had been away for over a year.
After such a long absence, she still wore her bright snow-white robes trimmed with green, and as she stepped over the threshold of the main hall, the cloud patterns on her robes still shimmered with white light.
Having broadened her horizons considerably, Lian Yueying could now definitively say this was a spirit robe, and one of no low rank.
Upon seeing the newcomer, Yuansheng’s usually placid face grew considerably graver.
Inside the hall, everyone except the Sect Master and the kneeling Wang Tong rose and offered their respective salutations.
Lian Yueying’s disciple’s bow differed slightly from Zhou Zhongchen’s, but before she could lower herself further, Yun Meng subtly lifted her with a gentle surge of spiritual energy.
Junior Uncle Yue said nothing as she approached, instead casting a glance at Zhou Zhongchen.
Zhou Zhongchen understood, immediately changing his seat to allow Junior Uncle Yue to sit beside Yun Meng.
In that brief moment, Yun Meng had already informed Junior Uncle Yue of the situation.
Once seated, Junior Uncle Yue fixed her gaze on Wang Tong, openly locking onto the spiritual essence surrounding Wang Tong.
Like a man seized by the throat, Wang Tong dared not move a muscle, all his previous agitation vanishing entirely.
Seeing this, Yuansheng lightly cleared his throat and said, “What is this, Fellow Daoist? Such an oppressive aura directed at a Foundation Establishment junior is perhaps inappropriate.”
‘If you find it so improper, why don’t you try to stop me?’
Junior Uncle Yue replied nonchalantly, not even sparing Yuansheng a glance.
A few breaths later, realizing Yuansheng made no move, she sighed, “Naturally, you old fossil, you’ve always only looked out for yourself.
What a pity, if you had made a move, I could have beaten you senseless.
Just looking at you annoys me.”
Yet, everyone seemed accustomed to Junior Uncle Yue’s demeanor.
Not only did the Sect Master remain silent, but even Yuansheng could only express his displeasure, saying, “Had I known Fellow Daoist Han Xue was returning, it wouldn’t have been this old man coming here for negotiations.”
‘Oh, please. This is only because we’re inside the Mountain-Bearing Sect. If we were outside, I’d beat every single one of you from the Green Forest Sect I encountered.’
This scene left Lian Yueying utterly dumbfounded.
Yuansheng’s expression, as if swallowing shattered teeth, shocked her immensely, simultaneously fueling her curiosity about just how powerful her master truly was.
“Fellow Daoist…”
Junior Uncle Yue, finding her scrutiny uninteresting after a while, grew rather impatient when Yuansheng spoke, waving her hand dismissively.
“As for negotiations, I believe the Green Forest Sect has misunderstood.
Today, I summoned you here merely to inform you: this little beast will die.
I’ve decreed it.”
“What?!” Yuansheng finally burst out, rising to look at the Sect Master.
Seeing no reaction from him, he turned and bellowed, “If your sect insists on this, our Green Forest Sect will surely appeal to the Dao Alliance for justice!”
‘The old tortoise isn’t retracting into its shell anymore?
It’s the same rhetoric again.
We’ve been hearing this from you ever since you returned from the treasure hunt.
What? Did the Dao Alliance ignore you?’
Yuansheng was speechless.
Junior Uncle Yue gradually intensified her spiritual pressure, and Wang Tong appeared to be in immense pain.
His already crimson face turned increasingly purple, and blood began to trickle from his seven orifices.
Just as Yuansheng was about to intervene, he heard Junior Uncle Yue speak slowly.
“I understand the Dao Alliance’s ways better than you do.
Moreover, do you—or rather, does the current Green Forest Sect—truly dare to report this to the Dao Alliance?”
Junior Uncle Yue’s gaze held deep meaning.
The crow’s feet at Yuansheng’s eyes deepened considerably.
The two confronted each other for a moment, until Yuansheng ultimately had no choice but to lead his people away, flicking his sleeves in departure.
Almost the moment he left, Wang Tong’s head suddenly emitted a muffled thud, and he collapsed, bleeding from his seven orifices, breathing his last.
Sensing that the Green Forest Sect members had departed from the Mountain-Bearing Sect, Junior Uncle Yue waved her delicate hand, and a spiritual flame shot out.
In the blink of an eye, it incinerated everything belonging to Wang Tong, leaving no trace.
Immediately after, she turned and patted Lian Yueying’s arm.
“As expected of a disciple of Han Xue; eliminate evil thoroughly.
Aside from being a little rash, everything else you did was correct.”
Upon hearing this, Lian Yueying was too stunned to know what to say.
Only when Zhou Zhongchen rose, bowed, and excused himself, did she recover, murmuring, “So powerful.”
“Your master hasn’t been like this in a long time; seeing her today reminds me of Senior Sister Han Xue from back then.”
The Sect Master rose, smiling.
Junior Uncle Yue turned to him and said, “Junior Brother Dangyue was once just as impetuous.
It seems Master’s decision to entrust you with the Sect Master position has truly made you far more composed.”
“Alas, given all these difficulties, it’s truly wonderful that Senior Sister can empathize with this junior brother.”
After listening to Dangyue, Junior Uncle Yue stood and nodded to Yun Meng, then motioned for Lian Yueying to follow her.
She then said, “You must be quite busy, so I won’t disturb you further.
I have matters to discuss with my disciple.”
With that, the two exchanged nods, and Junior Uncle Yue, accompanied by Yun Meng and Lian Yueying, exited the main hall and flew towards the medical pavilion.
Upon entering the medical pavilion and closing the main door, Lian Yueying couldn’t help but ask, “Master, was what you just said about me being your disciple true?”
‘What? Are you unwilling?’
“Willing, willing!” Lian Yueying declared, then solemnly knelt to perform the disciple’s bow, saying, “This disciple, Lian Yueying, respectfully greets Master.”
‘Oh right, one must offer tea when taking a master.’
Thus, Lian Yueying bustled into the room to pour tea, then knelt once more before Junior Uncle Yue, holding the teacup high above her head.
“Master, please accept this tea!”
Junior Uncle Yue watched her perform these actions, not immediately taking the teacup.
She asked, “I recall you offered tea when you first entered the sect and were assigned to the Lake Hall.
What? Was that merely for show then?”
‘Lake Hall… did I misunderstand?
Are Han Xue’s disciples the same as Lake Hall disciples?’
Lian Yueying felt a pang of disappointment.
Just as she was about to lower the teacup, Junior Uncle Yue took it and drained it in a single gulp.
At this, Lian Yueying looked up at the somewhat petite woman before her, her lovely face beaming with joy.
“There are fifty-six disciples in the Lake Hall, but I, Han Xue, currently have only one disciple: you.
Are you relieved now?”
After she spoke, Junior Uncle Yue watched Lian Yueying complete her disciple’s ceremony.
Yun Meng, standing nearby, chuckled, “Actually, when you ascended the mountain peak by circulating your cultivation technique through your physical body, your master had already acknowledged you as her disciple.
Your dedication to cultivation is precisely like hers back then.”
Having completed the ritual, Lian Yueying looked up at the two women.
Junior Uncle Yue was also looking at her, and after a brief exchange of gazes, she said, “Since we are master and disciple, I shall address you more intimately.
Ying’er, your master asks you: where lies the ultimate destination of the immortal path?”
Honestly, she wasn’t sure what a master should be like, but having spent more time with Yun Meng than with Junior Uncle Yue, she inevitably felt a little flustered in Junior Uncle Yue’s presence.
“This disciple’s knowledge is shallow; I only know of Nascent Soul cultivators.
Beyond that, the sect’s archives hold no records.”
“Above Golden Core lies Nascent Soul.
Your master cannot compare, but I have indeed witnessed it.
And I can tell you, Nascent Soul is not the end, nor is the realm beyond Nascent Soul the ultimate destination.”
‘Beyond Nascent Soul, there is still more… The texts once spoke of Foundation Establishment cultivators roaming the heavens and earth, while Golden Core cultivators could establish sects, and a sect with a single Nascent Soul cultivator presiding could ascend to the middle or upper ranks.
Nascent Soul cultivators are already rare, capable of moving mountains and filling seas, their lifespans unknown.
What terrifying power must lie beyond that?
If even that isn’t the end, could it be Immortals?’
Junior Uncle Yue’s words greatly expanded Lian Yueying’s vision.
She pondered the word ‘Immortal,’ taking a long moment before finally asking, “The destination, is it ‘Immortal’?”
Lian Yueying looked up at Junior Uncle Yue, but saw her shake her head.
“From ancient times to the present, no book has ever recorded Immortals.
Where are they and what do they do?
What do they look like and what do they say?
If, as mortal legends claim, Immortals ride clouds and mists to observe the mortal realm, then are we cultivators, soaring tens of thousands of feet high, also considered Immortals?”
Initially, Lian Yueying had thought that the absence of Immortal records in books merely meant they weren’t in the Mountain-Bearing Sect’s archives, or that she simply hadn’t encountered them yet.
But Junior Uncle Yue’s words plunged her into confusion.
‘Yes, even in my previous life, the legends of Immortals flying and escaping the earth seem insignificant now.
Omnipotence is merely how mortals perceive it.’
Seeing Lian Yueying’s solemn expression, Junior Uncle Yue let out a long sigh, not for Lian Yueying, but more as an lamentation on the matter itself.
“Cultivating immortality, cultivating immortality – in truth, no one truly knows what an Immortal is.
My asking you these questions today is your first lesson.
Even if the immortal path is vast and seems endless, as long as the Great Dao resides in your heart, you will not lose your way.
Of course, these matters are far too distant for you right now.
Neither the beginning nor the end is as important as the journey itself.
Simply remember why you cultivate immortality.”
“This disciple will remember.”
‘Yes, where the end lies is not for me to consider now.
At least, I must first walk step by step along the existing path.’
Such profound questions are faced by every cultivator, yet no one knows the answer.
Of course, Qi Refinement cultivators strive for Foundation Establishment, and Foundation Establishment cultivators aspire to form a Golden Core.
Much like the question, “What should I eat today?” which has troubled mortals for thousands of years, one can always devise an immediate solution, but there is no constant, unchanging answer.
“Alright, let’s discuss serious matters.
Your master’s journey of over a year was actually to prove the effectiveness of the ‘Buried Qi and Metamorphosis Art’.
When correctly applied, it is absolutely several times stronger than that pirated version.”
As she spoke, Junior Uncle Yue waved her delicate hand, and three spiritual plants of varying forms floated before them.
Upon close inspection, Lian Yueying realized she recognized only one of them.
She slowly articulated, “Stone Vine…”
Stone Vine is actually a type of creeper.
Once its seed breaks open, it will emerge from solid rock walls and then spread across the mountain face at a visible speed, its appearance indistinguishable from earth and stone.
Unlike other spiritual plants, Stone Vine is only effective when it has just emerged from its seed and before it begins to spread.
Even a few breaths later, its medicinal efficacy is greatly diminished.
Clearly, this Stone Vine was at precisely the right moment, and one could sense the boundless earth spiritual energy contained within it.
Lian Yueying made no attempt to conceal her limited knowledge, and Junior Uncle Yue and Yun Meng naturally knew she only recognized the Stone Vine.
Yun Meng added, “Indeed, it is Stone Vine.
The other two plants are Jade Angelica and Blazeweed.
These two spiritual plants cannot be found anywhere, not just within the borders of the State of Liang, but throughout the entire Dao East.”
The cultivation world is divided into four regions.
The State of Liang, where the Mountain-Bearing Sect is located, lies in the Dao East.
However, only Qi Refinement cultivators speak in terms of state names.
By the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core stages, the vastness of the world is viewed in broader directions.
Thus, centered around the Dao Alliance Immortal Capital, the regions are categorized into Dao North, Dao South, and Dao East.
As for the missing Dao West, it is the territory of demonic beasts, and people prefer to call it the Demonic Realm.
Returning to the main topic.
The rarity of these spiritual plants was such that Lian Yueying had never even heard of them, let alone their effects.
Junior Uncle Yue, being direct in nature, did not keep them in suspense.
“Stone Vine strengthens bones and muscles, Jade Angelica strengthens meridians, and Blazeweed fortifies qi and blood.
The so-called ‘Buried Qi and Metamorphosis’—’Buried Qi’ is something you’ve been doing all along.
However, relying solely on cultivation techniques to achieve ‘Metamorphosis’ would likely take decades to show results.”
Junior Uncle Yue’s words silenced Lian Yueying.
In a few breaths, her expression shifted from bewilderment to disappointment, then a sigh, and finally, serenity.
She asked, “Master, this disciple wishes to know: does effort truly matter in the face of innate talent?”
“Frankly, no,” Junior Uncle Yue stated bluntly.
Yun Meng shot her a glare from the side, but Junior Uncle Yue shook her head and continued, “Leaving aside that talented individuals also work hard, consider someone like Zhou Yan: his talent is exceptional, yet he isn’t particularly diligent.
Still, his cultivation speed far surpasses that of ordinary people, and in time, he is bound to achieve great things.”
Upon hearing this, Lian Yueying had initially felt somewhat disheartened, but the mention of “Zhou Yan” suddenly made a surge of indignation well up within her.
Seeing this, Yun Meng knew Junior Uncle Yue’s intention.
“How do you feel?”
“Thank you, Master, this disciple feels very good.”
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