As soon as Gui Lin spoke these words, the entire hall fell silent. The other three peak masters all turned their heads in unison, their eyes burning as they looked toward Qingyuan, their desire to watch the excitement fully exposed. Qingyuan knew of these martial brothers’ habit of enjoying watching excitement, but he was the dignified peak master of Chenxia Peak. Even if he was very angry in his heart, he absolutely wouldn’t show even a bit of it in front of the juniors. He raised his head and smiled as he looked toward his martial brothers.

If they wanted to watch excitement, it wouldn’t be that easy. Although back then he had wanted to take Cheng Yi as a disciple but was beaten to it by Wang Tong, that was all something from two or three hundred years ago. He hadn’t taken it to heart at all, not at all.

The three peak masters, seeing him like this, coughed dryly and all lowered their heads. They feared that if they continued watching, Qingyuan’s eyeballs would shoot out flames, and if a commotion broke out, it wouldn’t look good in front of the juniors.

Gui Lin was a rarely seen good prospect, so it was no wonder Qingyuan had conceived the thought of accepting a disciple. However, what they never expected was that the place Gui Lin most wanted to go was actually Qiyue Peak. After Wang Tong accepted Kong Hou as a disciple seven years ago, he had already declared he would no longer accept direct disciples. If Gui Lin entered under Qiyue Peak, the best choice would be to take Cheng Yi as his master.

“Gui Lin, my master has long said he will no longer accept direct disciples. Even so, do you still want to enter Qiyue Peak?” Cheng Yi didn’t dare raise his head to look at martial uncle Qingyuan and could only look toward Gui Lin. “You won’t regret it?”

“I won’t regret it. This disciple is willing to enter under Qiyue Peak.” Gui Lin bowed deeply to Cheng Yi.

Cheng Yi didn’t answer immediately. He turned his head to glance at Kong Hou. Kong Hou’s face bore a smile, remaining silent, but internally she used telepathy with Huan Zong: [Huan Zong, what do you think?]

[He’s a good prospect suitable for cultivation. It’s just a pity he can’t enter under martial uncle Wang Tong’s tutelage.] Huan Zong’s expression was bland as he looked at the handsome young man standing below the steps. [If Daoist Cheng Yi accepts him as a disciple and makes him the next generation’s direct disciple, it wouldn’t be burying his talents.]

If it were any other sect, Huan Zong would never make this kind of suggestion. Many sects had internal discord, with a large part of the reason being peak masters comparing disciples or fights arising from competing for disciples. But Yunhua Sect was different. This sect seemed to act chaotically without rules, but in terms of internal management, they had far more brains and methods than other sects, and the relationships between the peaks were also very close.

Kong Hou deeply agreed. Gui Lin was a good prospect for cultivation. What was most rare was his diligence and hard work. Senior martial brother was already a Nascent Soul old ancestor, yet didn’t have even a single registered disciple under his name. Gui Lin being so worry-free, accepting him wouldn’t be a loss.

“Senior martial brother.” Kong Hou said softly in Cheng Yi’s ear. “Since Gui Lin intends to enter under our Qiyue Peak, why don’t you temporarily accept him as a registered disciple? Gui Lin acts steadily and cultivates diligently. If you accept him as a disciple, he can be an extra help in the future.”

Whether he had outstanding talent or cultivated diligently, neither compared to acting steadily and being able to help. Having figured out this point, Cheng Yi said to Gui Lin, “If that’s the case, you shall enter under my Qiyue Peak. I will temporarily accept you as my registered disciple. Are you willing?”

Gui Lin was slightly stunned. After a moment, he bowed and said, “This disciple pays respects to Master.” He raised his head to look upward and met Huan Zong’s gaze. He timidly wanted to look away, but with his entire body rigid, he couldn’t turn his neck.

Then he saw the renowned Zhenren Huan Zong slightly incline his head toward him and reveal a smile.

This smile was extremely faint, like an epiphyllum appearing briefly before immediately disappearing. For some inexplicable reason, Gui Lin felt the other party was mocking him, or rather, it was a victorious smile.

After Gui Lin entered Qiyue Peak, the other four peaks also began selecting people. In the end, almost all the other four peaks selected four disciples each, while Qiyue Peak only selected three disciples. Gui Lin, Gao Jianyan, and Li Rou all entered Qiyue Peak, becoming Qiyue Peak’s inner sect disciples.

Li Rou had also proactively entered Qiyue Peak. Her reason was that she also wanted to become a cultivator as formidable as senior martial sister Kong Hou. Regarding this, Gui Lin had no other opinion. He just suddenly discovered that he was now a generation lower in seniority than Li Rou and Gao Jianyan. In the future, when seeing them, he would have to address them as “martial uncle,” which was really hard to make him happy about.

Who would be willing to suddenly drop a generation in seniority?

“They’re all newly entered disciples. One is a martial uncle, one is a martial nephew. With everyone frequently encountering each other at Qiyue Peak, I’m afraid they won’t be able to change how they address each other for a while.” Kong Hou glanced at Gui Lin and said with a smile, “Why not accept all of them as registered disciples? That would also be more convenient for forms of address.”

Accept three registered disciples just for the sake of forms of address?

After brief consideration, Cheng Yi agreed. Registered disciples, when it came down to it, only had a nice-sounding title. In fact, their master had no time to manage them too much, and when they studied techniques, they still had to do so together with the sect’s other disciples. In terms of closeness, registered disciples had just barely entered, while direct disciples had the closest master-disciple relationship.

Li Rou and Gao Jianyan hadn’t expected that with just a few words from Kong Hou, they would be able to enter under Old Ancestor Cheng Yi’s name. This was simply an unexpected delight. Especially Li Rou—when she looked at Kong Hou, her eyes almost glowed, as if Kong Hou at this moment radiated auspicious energy for thousands of zhang, capable of toppling cities and kingdoms.

Seeing that matters were concluded, Heng Yan, as the sect master, had these new disciples all withdraw. He glanced at the three junior martial brothers and several juniors. “The disciples have all been selected. Those who should go back to guide disciples, go guide disciples. Those who should cultivate, go cultivate. If you all sit here in my presence, do you want me to keep you for a meal?”

The other peak masters got up and left. Kong Hou was just preparing to take Huan Zong away when she was unexpectedly called back by Heng Yan.

“Kong Hou.” Heng Yan stood up and glanced at Huan Zong, who was preparing to lower his head and leave. “Zhenren Zhong Xi need not avoid this. What I’m saying to Kong Hou is not some private matter.”

Huan Zong turned his head to look at Kong Hou. Kong Hou smiled at him, then turned to Heng Yan and said, “Sect master martial uncle, what instructions do you have?”

“I heard from Wang Tong that you and Zhenren Zhong Xi are very fated and can practice dual cultivation of heaven and earth.” He took out a small cauldron the size of a palm. On the small cauldron were intricate talisman patterns. The moment it was taken out from the storage ring, the spiritual energy outside the room couldn’t wait to gather into the room, and the entire room became filled with rich spiritual energy.

“This is the Dragon Phoenix Cauldron passed down from Yunhua Sect’s ancestors. According to legend, when placed between cultivators who can practice dual cultivation of heaven and earth, it has the effect of concentrating the mind, smoothing the qi, cleansing the meridians, and cutting through blockages. Unfortunately, over several generations of our Yunhua Sect, not a single disciple has had this opportunity. Now it can finally be put to use. Before the next disciple capable of practicing dual cultivation of heaven and earth with another appears at Yunhua Sect, this Dragon Phoenix Cauldron shall be temporarily entrusted to your care.” Heng Yan also hadn’t thought that Yunhua Sect’s treasury would still have this item. A few days ago, while organizing the various gifts received at Cheng Yi’s Nascent Soul Formation grand ceremony, he had discovered it.

Although he didn’t know if this cauldron was real or fake, the ancestors in handling affairs surely wouldn’t cheat their descendants.

“Thank you, martial uncle.” Kong Hou wasn’t pretentious either. She accepted the Dragon Phoenix Cauldron and smiled as she thanked Heng Yan. This small cauldron, not knowing what material it was made from, not only carried powerful spiritual energy itself but also seemed to contain the qi of the five elements of heaven and earth. Just touching it made her entire body feel comfortable.

“This is… the Heaven Earth Harmonious Five Elements Dragon Phoenix Yin Yang Cauldron?” Huan Zong saw clearly what was in Kong Hou’s hands. On his face, which had lacked much emotion for many years, a trace of surprise appeared. According to legend, several thousand years ago, a great power comprehended the five elements of heaven and earth. While observing celestial phenomena at night, he suddenly felt inspired and took star fire iron and dragon phoenix blood feathers to craft a small cauldron. Legend said this cauldron possessed divine power to suppress mountains and rivers and command the cosmos, and had the effect of comprehending the five elements and yin-yang, so it was named the Heaven Earth Harmonious Five Elements Dragon Phoenix Yin Yang Cauldron. But this cauldron had long been lost. Some said this cauldron was taken away when the great power ascended. Others said this cauldron was left by the great power in some very difficult to find secret realm, to be obtained by the fated.

But no one could have guessed that this mysterious divine artifact was actually hidden in Yunhua Sect, and was even taken out by the sect master easily and casually in front of him, an outsider. How precious this cauldron was—did Sect Master Heng Yan truly not know?

“It’s just a cauldron that others can’t use. With such a long name, who can remember it?” Heng Yan didn’t deny that this cauldron was the Heaven Earth Harmonious Five Elements Dragon Phoenix Yin Yang Cauldron and said with a chuckle, “Calling it the Dragon Phoenix Cauldron is so much better—both auspicious and easy to remember.”

Huan Zong fell silent. He began to somewhat suspect that perhaps among the ten major sects, the one with the deepest foundation wasn’t their Liuguang Sect but rather Yunhua Sect, which didn’t show off. The already extinct merman scales were gifted at will. The cauldron casually taken out was the Dragon Phoenix Cauldron that only existed in legends. Yet the reason for taking it out was to make dual cultivation of heaven and earth smoother for disciples in the sect.

This was like holding a blade sufficient to slay dragons but using it to chop an earthworm, then saying the blade usually had no use and could finally be used to chop earthworms.

If the Dragon Phoenix Cauldron had a spirit, at this moment it might transform into human form and have a fight with Heng Yan.

Turning his head to look at Kong Hou holding the Dragon Phoenix Cauldron with a beaming smile, Huan Zong’s expression became gentle. Valuing feelings lightly and material things even more lightly—for Kong Hou, who had suffered loneliness in her childhood, to be able to join such a sect was heaven’s way showing her great favor.

“Thank you, sect master.” Huan Zong’s heart stirred slightly. He cupped his hands and bowed to Heng Yan. “Please rest assured, sect master. Regarding matters of the Dragon Phoenix Cauldron, this junior absolutely will not tell a second person.”

Hearing this, Heng Yan nodded and smiled. “I naturally trust Zhenren Zhong Xi’s character.” Otherwise, how would he dare take this item out?

Having lived nearly a thousand years, he could still barely discern a few points about a person’s character.

After taking leave of Heng Yan, Kong Hou went to see her master and senior martial brother. She was about to enter closed-door cultivation for half a year. She couldn’t just selfishly close her cave dwelling door and ignore everything. Returning from senior martial brother’s cave dwelling, she saw the three newly entered little martial nephews squatting in a corner practicing sword techniques. She didn’t go disturb them and instead turned to jump onto her flying sword, heading directly toward her own cave dwelling.

“Gui Lin, what are you looking at?” Li Rou reminded him in a low voice. “It’s my first day at Qiyue Peak. I should still perform more diligently.”

“It’s nothing.” Gui Lin withdrew his gaze and put his attention on his sword.

In Kong Hou’s cave dwelling sat a huge spirit-gathering array. Zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting—everything was present. This was Huan Zong’s first time alone with a woman in a cave dwelling, and moreover, it was the woman’s cave dwelling. He sat cross-legged on a cushion. The orange candlelight shone on his chin, making even the contours of his face appear gentle.

Kong Hou walked over with her hair loose and placed the Dragon Phoenix Cauldron on the auspicious cloud table in front of the two of them. Kong Hou without makeup looked like a clear lotus that had yet to fully bloom, carrying the unique sweetness of a young woman.

Huan Zong opened his eyes and looked at the shadow cast on the wall. His eyelids trembled slightly, but he didn’t look at Kong Hou again.

Kong Hou sat cross-legged beside him. Clearly the two hadn’t touched, but Huan Zong could sense the aura on her body. Kong Hou waved her sleeve to extinguish the candlelight in the cave dwelling. The cave dwelling immediately became dark, with only a few magical artifacts in the corner of the cave dwelling that served as decorations emitting a faint glow.

The sound of fabric rubbing rustled. Huan Zong felt a piece of cool fabric brush across the back of his hand. His fingers curved, then immediately released quickly, like a little thief who had done something bad and was eager to hide it—seeming carefree but actually panicked inside.

“Are you afraid of the dark?” In the darkness, Kong Hou tilted her head and asked Huan Zong.

“No.” As this word left his mouth, Huan Zong discovered his voice was hoarse and unpleasant. He reached up to pinch his throat. “I’m already long accustomed to it.”

“Then I won’t take out an illumination magical tool.” Kong Hou adjusted her sitting posture into the standard meditation position and closed her eyes.

Huan Zong turned his head to quietly watch her. Only after a moment did he slowly close his eyes. Wispy spiritual energy escaped from his heavenly spirit point, circled once in the air, and attached itself to Kong Hou.

You within me, me within you.

Suddenly, Kong Hou opened her eyes. The spiritual energy on her body scattered completely. “Huan Zong, have you ever had a woman you admired?” An enclosed space with no one to disturb sometimes made people bring up topics that ordinarily wouldn’t be mentioned, topics that were even somewhat unrestrained.

“Never.” Huan Zong opened his eyes. His cultivation had already recovered greatly. Even in darkness, he could see the young woman’s face clearly.

Her eyes were very bright and very large, as if trying hard to see him clearly in the darkness.

Huan Zong spread open his palm. Light flickered in his palm, also illuminating Kong Hou’s vision. Kong Hou blinked, and for some reason, a big smile bloomed on her face.

Seeing her appearance, Huan Zong flipped his palm, and countless small animals composed of fluorescent light leapt from his palm. This was a trick Kong Hou had once shown him, yet Huan Zong used it with consummate skill.

Kong Hou raised her head to look at the “small animals” running about in the cave dwelling and smiled. “Huan Zong, being together with you, it seems like every day is very happy.”

Huan Zong’s hand trembled. All the small animals in the room instantly disappeared, and the cave dwelling once again returned to darkness.

His lips moved. Only after a long while did he say, “I as well.”

Kong Hou laughed softly and sat cross-legged properly. “Come on, let’s practice dual cultivation together.”

Huan Zong’s lips tightened slightly, the gentleness on his face not fading.

Dual cultivation…