Zhenren Guangwei landed on Tiansuifeng, which was shrouded in gloomy clouds. Suddenly, Immortal Cuixuan’s voice emerged from the dense mist: “You’ve returned.”
Zhenren Guangwei bowed respectfully and said in a low voice, “As instructed by Senior Cuixuan, this junior went to Qingqiu and found the small courtyard where Jiang Lifei once lived. After a thorough search, I found nothing suspicious.”
Immortal Cuixuan seemed momentarily dejected, as if somewhat surprised: “Oh? You truly found nothing?”
“Apart from broken furniture and some daily necessities, this junior dare not conceal anything.”
Immortal Cuixuan sighed deeply: “As one age, suspicion grows heavier. This overly suspicious nature is truly a flaw in my life. However, I can’t shake this ominous feeling…”
Zhenren Guangwei smiled bitterly: “This junior understands that the senior is unwilling to overlook even the slightest suspicion. However, with the Sea Calamity approaching, all major sects are overwhelmed. Focusing solely on Jiang Lifei, a mere female disciple, without any evidence, seems counterproductive.”
After pondering for a moment, Immortal Cuixuan said, “Very well, you may go.”
Zhenren Guangwei immediately bowed and retreated. After a while, Immortal Cuixuan suddenly raised his hand and tossed out a foot-long dagger from his sleeve. The dagger hovered in the air, instantly transforming into a red-haired male spirit, who knelt on the ground, awaiting orders.
“Follow that female disciple. No matter where she goes, don’t let them notice you. Report back to me everything you see, without missing a single detail.”
The spirit responded and immediately vanished from his sight.
Jiang Lifei slowly opened her eyes, exhausted from absorbing the immense spiritual energy. She looked joyfully at the small, pure white horn floating before her. As the five types of spiritual energy had not yet been fully sealed during their abundant period, it emitted a dazzling five-colored radiance, incredibly brilliant.
Moments later, the light faded, and the small horn fell into her palm. It was only as long as her middle finger, white as jade, and gleaming with a soft luster. It looked like a naturally formed ornament.
It was hard to imagine that when she first obtained this rhinoceros horn, it was taller than her entire body and had a menacing black and red intertwined appearance. After three months of spiritual energy refinement, from novice to proficient, it had transformed into this delicate form, perfectly integrated with her. The feeling was quite mysterious. No wonder her master said that only self-crafted magical treasures could fully unleash their potential.
Months ago, during the demon hunt, Zhenren Chongyi had led Jiang Lifei to wait for over a month in the wilderness at the center of the Middle Kingdom before encountering the fierce beast, the rhinoceros. When she first saw it, she was startled. The bronze bull sealed in front of the great hall in the Yimin Tomb was this creature. This fierce beast was said to be quite extraordinary, with only one huge single horn on its head. However, it wasn’t imbued with fierce and evil energy. Instead, it was impervious to the five elements, capable of both offense and defense, making it extremely formidable. It was worth the month-long wait she and her master had endured in the forest.
Jiang Lifei’s heart stirred, and the rhinoceros horn immediately began to spiral upward, sometimes extending to several zhang in length, sometimes shrinking to the size of an embroidery needle, changing at will in myriad ways. As her fingertip lightly touched the base of the horn, the spiritual energy in the peak’s secret chamber was instantly absorbed by it, like water being swallowed, far faster than her spiritual absorption technique.
“Oh, that’s a good trick, but don’t use it in front of others.”
Riyan’s old and hoarse voice suddenly appeared in her ear. Jiang Lifei turned back with great joy, meeting his pale green eyes.
“Riyan, you’re back!” She immediately stood up. “Look, this is my magical treasure. Let’s ride it and go for a tour. It’s faster than Little White Cloud!”
“Such a trivial skill, and you dare to show off!” Riyan rolled his eyes disdainfully. “I’ve been back for a long time! It took you three months to refine a mere horn, what a waste!”
He had been back for a while but didn’t tell her. Was he worried about her first attempt at refining a magical treasure and secretly keeping watch? Jiang Lifei smiled at him as he sniffed the rhinoceros horn incessantly with his pointed nose, his large ears flapping wildly. He then praised, “This thing is not bad, very suitable for you. That little immortal indeed has some insight and knowledge. However, that trick of absorbing spiritual energy you just used, try not to use it if you can avoid it, lest it causes trouble.”
Jiang Lifei nodded. Her spiritual absorption and the magical treasure’s ability to absorb spiritual energy were vastly different from the Middle Kingdom cultivators’ method of drawing spiritual energy into their bodies. Not only could it seize the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, but it could even snatch the spiritual energy within other cultivators’ bodies. Thinking carefully, this skill was quite terrifying. Once it became known, she would likely never know peace.
Riyan gazed at her silently, his eyes showing a rare hint of satisfaction, yet still carrying a trace of reluctance. He said coldly, “Everything is done now. You can be at ease being an ordinary person. Let me tell you, this is the path you chose for yourself. If you dare to tell me you regret it later, I’ll rip your head off!”
Jiang Lifei smiled and said softly, “Once I’ve made up my mind, I won’t regret it, Riyan. Thank you. When I become really powerful in the future, I’ll help you steal back all the demon energy sealed in the academy’s forbidden area. Wherever else in the world your demon energy is sealed, we’ll find it slowly and retrieve it all for you.”
“…You still remember the demon energy in the forbidden area?” Riyan’s pale green eyes stared at her with some surprise.
She flicked his fuzzy yet ethereal head with her finger. “Of course, I remember. I promised you, how could I forget?”
Riyan snorted and suddenly stood up, his nine long tails swaying. He said coldly, “The seal is about to be broken. Why would I need that bit of demon energy as a companion? Ridiculous! You still remember the nonsense of a little brat, aren’t you ashamed?!”
“Are you embarrassed?”
“Bah! Shut up!”
Jiang Lifei looked at the dim red seal on his back, feeling both happy and somewhat reluctant to part. This thousand-year-old nine-tailed fox had been suppressed within her body for so many years, keeping a low profile. He must be more eager than anyone to recover and regain his freedom. Once the seal is broken, he will likely leave immediately.
She said softly, “I haven’t been able to help you much. Even if the seal is broken, can you not rush to leave? Would you like to teach me more? There’s still so much I don’t know.”
Riyan was silent for a moment, then said faintly, “You’re not a little kid anymore, why are you still so clingy?”
Jiang Lifei curled her lips into a smile. “I’m reluctant to part with you. Is it wrong to want to stay together with loved ones and friends?”
“Hmph! Sweet talk, I don’t like to hear it!” Riyan swished his long tail, and his body gradually began to fade into nothingness. His voice sounded as if he was angry, “I need to hibernate to recover. At the fastest, it will take two to three months to return to my peak. This is the homework I’m leaving for you. If even one of these isn’t practiced well by then, I’ll pluck all your hair out!”
A blank piece of white paper floated down into Jiang Lifei’s hand, and Riyan’s old voice immediately sounded: “The method of flowing ice: take five parts water elemental energy, three parts earth elemental energy, one part fire elemental energy. Fire sea ice prison: four parts fire elemental energy, four parts water elemental energy, one part…”
She listened quietly to the homework he left, and Riyan’s figure had completely disappeared from her sight. She carefully folded the white paper and put it in her sleeve pocket, then pushed open the large door. The dazzling sunlight reflected off the snow-capped peak fell into this dark closed room, blinding her for a moment. After not seeing sunlight for three months, she felt a bit unaccustomed.
“You’re out?” Suddenly, that familiar and cold voice sounded from above. Familiar spiritual energy fluctuations. Jiang Lifei looked up with a smile and saw Lei Xiuyuan standing on a black turtle shell, not knowing how long he had been waiting. The turtle shell was being impatiently stepped on under his feet, spinning around wildly.
Jiang Lifei couldn’t help but burst into laughter: “Is this your magical treasure?”
It was a turtle shell! And black! It seemed so unsuitable for him. Lei Xiuyuan, with his proud and handsome image, should at least be stepping on a jade flute-like Qin Yanglin or something else more elegant. Stepping on a turtle shell was simply too incongruous.
Lei Xiuyuan floated down in front of her, seeing her laugh almost to the point of falling backward. He immediately pressed down on her head and said with a straight face: “Your laugh is ugly as death. It took you three months to refine one magical treasure, even a pig would be faster than you.”
Jiang Lifei thought for a moment, and instantly the rhinoceros horn floated and flipped, transforming in an instant into a three-foot-long object, like a delicate boat.
“This is my magical treasure,” she boasted proudly. “It looks much better than a turtle shell, right? Should we ride it out for a tour?”
She had been looking forward to riding her magical treasure with someone.
Lei Xiuyuan rubbed her face and chuckled lightly: “You haven’t washed your face for three months and you want to go out and play?”
Right, she hadn’t groomed herself for three months! She must look ridiculous now. Jiang Lifei quickly covered her face: “I should go wash up first…”
Lei Xiuyuan took out two stone tablets and gave them to her. They were the tokens used by disciples to enter and exit Wuyueyuan. He folded his arms, clearly impatient after waiting for three months: “I’ve already reported to Master, and obtained the entry and exit tokens. I’ll give you one hour.”
With that, he flicked her forehead and smiled slightly: “My patience is poor, don’t keep me waiting too long.”
…He had even gotten the entry and exit tokens. Jiang Lifei felt both amused and excited. She cupped her hands and bowed to him, jokingly saying: “Yes, Senior Brother Lei!”
Four months ago, Zhenren Guangwei had taken Lei Xiuyuan to hunt a pair of demons, and they had returned to Wuyueyuan with their arms full. When they parted that day, they had agreed that after six years in the sect, they could freely come and go. After refining their magical treasures, they would go out to enjoy the mountains and waters. However, there was a bit of an unexpected delay, as it took her three months just to refine one magical treasure, making Lei Xiuyuan so anxious.
After being cooped up in the sect for years, even when they went out, it was always with the elders for trials, not very free. Now that they could finally go out freely, and with the appointment at Lugong Town in August, Jiang Lifei became more and more excited. She hurriedly took a bath and changed her clothes, only to find a letter on the table, sent by Ye Ye and the others.
Unsurprisingly, both Ye Ye and Changyue were concerned about the August meeting in Lugong Town. They had sent letters to Ji Tongzhou and Baili Gelin, but there was still no news from Gelin. Changyue mentioned that if she didn’t show up for the Lugong Town gathering this time, she and Ye Ye were planning to go to the East Sea Immortals’ Assembly to look for her, not knowing what trouble that girl had gotten into again.
Jiang Lifei quickly wrote a reply, packed her belongings, bid farewell to her master and senior sister, and then dragged the black-faced Lei Xiuyuan to fly to Yaoguang Peak to find Su Wan. Coincidentally, Deng Xiguang was also there. She explained to them about the August gathering. Deng Xiguang’s eyes turned green with envy: “I have a trial in August and can’t go! Heavens! What a pity! Does this mean I won’t have a chance to see that charming junior sister who went to the East Sea Immortals’ Assembly?”
Su Wan burst into laughter and patted his shoulder hard. She had been getting along very well with Deng Xiguang lately, almost like sworn siblings: “Don’t worry, Senior Brother Deng, I’ll make sure to get a good look at that charming junior sister for you!”
Deng Xiguang looked at her with utter dejection. He sighed and pressed his hand on Lei Xiuyuan’s shoulder, asking in a low voice: “Junior Brother Lei, you’re a winner in life. Please, how did you manage to conquer Junior Sister Jiang and become her Dao companion? Please impart some tips to your poor senior brother…”
Lei Xiuyuan glanced at him and smiled: “Senior Brother Deng would need to change his head.”
Change his head? Was he saying he was ugly and stupid? Deng Xiguang’s heart shattered into pieces. How could he have forgotten Lei Xiuyuan’s sharp tongue? Watching the two of them finish their farewells and speed away on their magical treasures, he envied them to the point of tears: “On this trip, he can dual cultivate every day, enjoying all kinds of tender embraces, and Junior Sister Jiang is so beautiful like a heavenly fragrance… Alas, the heavens are blind, truly blind!”
Su Wan laughed: “Senior Brother Deng, it’s because you’re always thinking about these vulgar things that the heavens don’t look after you.”
Deng Xiguang looked at her absent-mindedly: “If the heavens won’t look after me, Junior Sister Su, could you look after me more… Hey, don’t walk away so fast…”