As soon as they left Yunhua Sect’s sphere of influence, Zhou Xing, who had been silent the entire time, spoke with a trembling voice. “Elder brother, everyone in Yunhua Sect are hypocrites. It’s truly… truly…”

Thinking about how he had been confined these past few days in that prison without daylight, with no one to talk to and unable to see anything. When the guards inside finally lit a lamp, what he saw was someone else being tortured. Those screams, each more miserable than the last, made his entire body tremble.

That wasn’t even all. The torturers had said, “This Nascent Soul elder being punished still has five thousand cuts remaining.”

“Using young boys and girls as medicinal ingredients for pill refinement—what kind of elder is that?” Another torturer snorted coldly. “This kind of person dying would be letting him off easy.”

He didn’t know if it was his imagination, but Zhou Xing felt that when these two people were talking, they had intentionally or unintentionally glanced several times in his direction, frightening him so much that he dared not curse or make noise, even unconsciously lightening his breathing.

Everyone outside said things like Yunhua Sect had an easygoing personality, didn’t strive for superiority, and kept to themselves in a corner—all lies and nonsense. Where was the easygoing nature in those torture methods? Now, as soon as he closed his eyes, his mind would conjure images of skin and flesh being flayed from that Nascent Soul cultivator’s body.

“Shut your mouth!” Zhou Cang said angrily. “That Yunhua Sect spared your life was already obtained by me throwing away my face built over hundreds of years. Do you think this is just anywhere, some second or third-rate small sect? This is Yunhua Sect, a major sect with a long-standing legacy. Don’t think that just because outsiders often joke about Yunhua Sect’s trivial matters, Yunhua Sect is truly easy to bully. If Yunhua Sect were really so incompetent, could they have remained stable in Lingyou Realm for so many years?!”

Zhou Xing was unwilling to accept this. Just as he was about to mention Yunhua Sect’s torture methods, he heard Zhou Cang say, “After we return this time, you must properly enter closed-door cultivation. Without my permission, you cannot go anywhere. If you cause this kind of trouble again, even I won’t be able to protect you.”

“You’re the dignified sect leader of Yuxiao Sect. Could it be that…”

“Not anymore.” Zhou Cang said expressionlessly. “How could Liuguang Sect allow a cultivator who can’t manage his household properly to be sect leader?”

Though the Zhou brothers had left, Liuguang Sect’s Peak Master Song He still remained at Yunhua Sect. Cultivators sometimes needed to gather together to discuss the Dao, to supplement their own deficiencies.

Within Yunhua Sect, spiritual energy was abundant, the atmosphere harmonious, and the food plentiful…

Song He stood atop a mountain peak, looking at the rolling clouds and mist between the mountains, and let out a long sigh. Yunhua Sect was truly a place where once you came, you didn’t want to leave. No wonder cultivators from outside often came to play in Yong City, and all the major sects wanted to open shops in Yong City. It was really because the people in this place were too good at enjoying life.

If he weren’t a sword cultivator with a firm Dao heart, eating the various delicacies Yunhua Sect prepared every day, he would probably develop the illusion that life should be lived this comfortably. Amid several moments of sighing with emotion, voices came from halfway up the mountain. It must be Yunhua Sect disciples practicing their lessons.

“Senior martial brother, so divination requires memorizing all these things? I thought once you cultivated, you would naturally understand.”

“Who told you that cultivating would make you know everything?”

“…”

“Mm?”

“I haven’t been reading story books randomly.” Kong Hou shook her head repeatedly. “I was just asking casually, just asking casually.”

“Heaven and earth, yin and yang, heavenly stems and earthly branches, celestial phenomena and mountains and rivers—all are related to the word ‘divination.'” Cheng Yi didn’t hold it against her. “The simpler a person’s life, the easier it is to divine. The more complex a person or matter, the more easily they’re affected by these things. Although our Yunhua Sect isn’t known for divination, we cannot be ignorant of it. Now that you’ve established your foundation, after I introduce you to divination, you can go to the Treasure Hall to select your destined magical artifact, or choose materials suitable for you and forge one yourself.”

“This place has open terrain and abundant spiritual energy. As a beginner in divination, you’ll more easily develop a heart of comprehension here.” Cheng Yi glanced at the sky. “The weather hasn’t been good these past few days. Once the weather improves, I’ll teach you to read celestial phenomena.”

Song He didn’t disturb this pair of martial siblings, nor would he observe their teaching methods. Although nowadays many internal cultivation methods between sects were integrated and mutually discussed, what should be respected still needed to be respected. However, who said Yunhua Sect’s disciples were all lazy? From what he could see, they were quite diligent. Where was the excessive behavior rumors from outside suggested?

Not good to listen for long—Song He was just preparing to turn and leave when he heard another male voice carry over.

“Senior martial brother, junior martial sister has been studying for so long. Let her eat something and rest a bit first. Don’t rush, take it slowly. Children need to grow—using the brain too much will make them ugly when they grow up.”

Song He’s feet paused. He almost couldn’t believe his ears. This was simply ridiculous! How long had they been studying that they needed rest? After disciples under Liuguang Sect got up, the first thing they did was swing their swords three hundred times before they could barely be called not lazy. Just that little bit earlier—what could possibly be tiring about that?

“Junior martial brother makes a good point. Kong Hou, you rest for a quarter hour first.”

Song He couldn’t listen anymore. He feared that if he continued listening, he would point at these disciples’ noses and scold them. Fortunately, he was an elder with cultivation and bearing, and knew that other people’s disciples couldn’t be scolded, so he could only swallow this grievance.

What would such a good five spiritual roots talent seedling be raised into by Yunhua Sect?

With Song He’s cultivation level and energy concealment skills, the three martial siblings had no idea someone had just been standing above them. The three ate, drank, studied a bit, and practiced some moves, quickly passing a pleasant day.

After returning to her cave dwelling, Kong Hou pulled out her little notebook and used a writing brush to neatly write down several sentences.

Lingyou Realm, Year Five, Third Month, Nineteenth Day. Studied with senior martial brothers. Another pleasant day.

Over the following days, Kong Hou finally memorized the hexagram transformations and even helped her second senior martial brother divine a minor fortune, saying he would suffer a small financial loss soon. A few days later, her second senior martial brother happily told her he had lost a money pouch containing five spirit stones.

When the senior martial brothers and sisters heard Kong Hou could finally perform divinations, they all came to congratulate her, as if Kong Hou had accomplished something tremendously important.

Song He stood inside looking through the main hall doors at the direct disciples crowded together in the distant martial arts field, laughing and playing with each other. Turning his head to look at Heng Yan’s expression again, there was surprisingly no emotional fluctuation, as if he had long grown accustomed to it.

Noticing Song He’s gaze, Heng Yan smiled slightly. “Our sect’s disciples are a bit lively. I’ve made Brother Song He laugh at us.”

“Not at all, not at all. Your esteemed sect’s disciples… are clever and lively. Very good, very good.” Song He felt vaguely surprised in his heart. Did the disciples within Yunhua Sect truly have such good relationships?

Even in the strictly managed Liuguang Sect, conflicts would arise between direct disciples over resource issues. Looking at Yunhua Sect’s current situation, the other direct disciples all had decent aptitude and were originally the pride and joy of the sect. Now suddenly a junior martial sister with five spiritual roots had arrived, and moreover had broken through to Foundation Establishment in just four years. Didn’t the others have any other thoughts?

“I came to find the sect leader today to bid farewell.” Song He clasped his hands toward Heng Yan. “This incident was a failure of strict governance under our Liuguang Sect. Fortunately, the sect leader was magnanimous and didn’t let this matter damage the harmony our two sects have maintained for many years.”

“Brother Song He is being too serious.” Heng Yan said. “How could this matter be blamed on your esteemed sect? This matter has passed; we need not mention it again. But why is Brother Song He in such a hurry? Is my hospitality inadequate? Why not stay at our humble sect a few more days so I can properly host you?”

“Your esteemed sect has been very warm to me. It’s just that our humble sect has many affairs. My stay these few days has already been stolen leisure time amid busyness.” Song He shook his head. After hesitating a moment, he ultimately didn’t mention Zhong Xi’s unstable mental state, only speaking of other matters.

Heng Yan knew his mind was made up and didn’t ask more questions. He could only keep him for lunch and personally escorted him to the main hall gates of Yunhua Sect.

“Sect Leader Heng Yan, please don’t see me further. I take my leave.”

“Go slowly.” Heng Yan returned the courtesy and watched Song He depart on his flying sword.

Song He stepped on his flying sword at extremely high speed. Seeing someone flying toward him from ahead, he dodged to the side. As an aged Out-of-Body Stage elder who concealed his cultivation, he never much liked competing for airspace with young cultivators.

“Greetings, senior.” This young cultivator actually flew before him and bowed.

Wasn’t this Wang Tong’s young disciple with five spiritual roots? She was still at the martial arts field this morning—how had she run out in just the time it took to eat lunch?

“Martial niece Kong Hou need not be so courteous.” Song He noticed a story book peeking out from her sleeve. It seemed to be titled “Cultivation Chronicles.”

Noticing Song He’s gaze, Kong Hou lowered her head and stuffed the story book further into her sleeve.

Song He: “…”

Kong Hou: “…”

She should have put the story book in her storage pouch. Now she’d lost face in front of another sect.

“The path of cultivation cannot be indulged in external objects.” Song He ultimately couldn’t bear to see such a good seedling walk the lazy and scattered wrong path, so he decided to play the role of the disliked villain and say a few more words. “Could martial niece lend me this book to read?”

Kong Hou reached into her sleeve to fumble around, suppressed the intense reluctance in her heart, and handed the book to Song He with both hands. “Thank you for Peak Master’s teachings. Please.”

“Thank you for gifting me the book, martial niece. Farewell.”

“Peak Master, go slowly.” Watching Song He fly away like flowing light, Kong Hou breathed a sigh of relief and happily touched her sleeve. Fortunately, she still had another book hidden inside that this peak master hadn’t seen.

After Song He returned to Liuguang Sect and jumped down from his flying sword, he heard someone ask, “Martial uncle, what is that in your hand?”

Only then did Song He remember he had just accepted a story book from that little girl. He turned to look at his martial nephew whose complexion was pale. “I borrowed it from a young friend.”

The person asking the question cast their gaze onto his hand, their long eyelashes trembling lightly. “I see.”

**Author’s Note:** Kong Hou: Urgent! I was caught reading extracurricular books by the head teacher from the prestigious school next door, and he borrowed my book. What should I do?! Fellow Daoists, please help me think of a solution. Waiting online!