“People from Yuanji Sect urgently request an audience?” When Song He heard the words from his disciples, he vaguely felt something was strange. A few days ago, he had taken leave of Sect Master Yuanji at Yunhua Sect. If there was anything, Shuang Qing could have told him directly at that time. Why wait until now to send disciples over to deliver a message?
Although he felt somewhat strange in his heart, his face showed no emotion. Song He had people invite the Yuanji Sect members up.
Soon, a man dressed in blue robes with a middle-aged appearance strode in and took out the token from his body. “This subordinate is an attendant of the Yuanji Sect master. On the sect master’s orders, I have important matters to report to your esteemed sect.”
“Our sect master has recently entered closed-door cultivation and is not convenient to receive guests. If you don’t have urgent matters, you can wait until the sect master comes out of closed-door cultivation before bringing them up.” Song He informed the Yuanji Sect attendant of Liuguang Sect’s current situation.
“Before this subordinate came, the sect master already said that if your esteemed sect’s master has matters and is unavailable, telling other peak masters would be the same.” The attendant took out a small wooden box. “An evil cultivator sent a puppet to infiltrate our humble sect, attempting to use benefits to arouse greedy hearts in our sect’s disciples. Fortunately, it was discovered by the sect master, and the evil cultivator’s plan did not succeed. This is the puppet wooden figure left behind after the evil cultivator was struck down by the sect master.”
Song He received the wooden box and opened it to look. Inside indeed lay a puppet wooden figure. This wooden figure was made extremely exquisitely. On the puppet wooden figure’s body were also several talisman patterns. The most formidable talisman pattern was a soul-confusing talisman.
The soul-confusing talisman couldn’t completely control a person’s heart and mind, but it could easily draw out desires hidden deep in one’s heart. People controlled by desires often found it easier to abandon their original principles and beliefs, doing things they wouldn’t normally do.
Song He sighed. Now that evil cultivators’ methods were emerging frequently, these righteous sects probably couldn’t sit idly by and await their doom anymore.
“Many thanks to Sect Master Shuang Qing for specially informing us of this matter.” Song He had the Yuanji Sect attendant sit down. “If the sect master doesn’t mind, I wish to dispatch several disciples to temporarily stay at your esteemed sect for a few days. What does your esteemed sect think of this?”
This phrasing was quite tactful. In reality, it was out of fear that evil cultivators would retaliate against Yuanji Sect, causing Yuanji Sect to fall into a difficult position. Song He saying it this way gave Yuanji Sect sufficient face.
“Many thanks to the peak master.” The Yuanji Sect attendant’s heart leaped with joy. Before coming, the sect master had instructed him that if Liuguang Sect didn’t proactively dispatch people to protect them, he should find a way to hint at it to Liuguang Sect. Fortunately, Liuguang Sect’s Peak Master Song He was an honest person and didn’t make things difficult for him.
Shuang Qing’s prediction was correct. Not long after he destroyed the puppet wooden figure sent by the evil cultivators, one night, many evil cultivators with strange movements suddenly broke into Yuanji Sect and tried to kill people on sight.
But how could the swords in the hands of Liuguang Sect disciples allow evil cultivators to kill innocents indiscriminately? In just the space between rising and falling, some evil cultivators died at the hands of these sword cultivators. Looking at these disciples of Liuguang Sect, then looking at his own sect’s disciples, Shuang Qing deeply experienced what was called a huge chasm.
When Liuguang Sect disciples took action, they were clean and efficient. There wasn’t a single superfluous gesture in their sword techniques, yet they were extremely aesthetically pleasing. If these disciples’ sword techniques were already this brilliant, who knew what kind of elegance Zhenren Zhong Xi possessed?
After the evil cultivators’ first assassination attempt failed, they sent people again. After all were slain by the combined forces of Liuguang Sect disciples and Yuanji Sect disciples, they no longer came knocking. Perhaps it was because the evil cultivators already knew there were Liuguang Sect disciples stationed there, so they temporarily suppressed this grudge.
Shuang Qing didn’t become careless because of this. Instead, he earnestly invited Liuguang Sect disciples to temporarily stay at the sect, the reason being fear that those evil cultivators would attack again after they left. Liuguang Sect also worried about this kind of thing happening, so they left several direct disciples at Yuanji Sect.
Just when everyone thought the evil cultivators wouldn’t come again, a month later, the evil cultivators made a comeback, even bringing some magical tools with extremely powerful attack capabilities. Unfortunately, these evil cultivators hadn’t thought that Shuang Qing’s face would be this thick. Although clearly not a subsidiary sect of Liuguang Sect, he did what subsidiary sects did, keeping Liuguang Sect sword cultivators behind as helpers.
In the moment before the evil cultivators died, what they probably thought was: why would there be righteous sect cultivators as annoying as Liuguang Sect sword cultivators in the cultivation world?
While Yuanji Sect and the evil cultivators fought intensely, things at Yunhua Sect were peaceful and quiet. After hearing that Yuanji Sect was harassed by evil cultivators, they even had the flying sword messengers at the relay station bring several defensive magical tools to Yuanji Sect to express their goodwill.
For the disciples in the sect, what made them happiest was that senior martial brother Cheng Yi had advanced to the Nascent Soul realm, and they also had a Zhenren from Liuguang Sect giving them guidance on sword techniques. The only slight imperfection was that this Zhenren Huan Zong had too powerful an aura. As long as he was present, they didn’t dare slack off while practicing swordwork. For a time, the disciples’ sword techniques improved by leaps and bounds.
Every time she saw junior martial brothers and sisters as well as martial nephews being well-behaved in front of Huan Zong, Kong Hou would hide behind Huan Zong and secretly laugh.
“You, as a senior martial sister, go laugh at them again.” Huan Zong was most helpless about Kong Hou’s appearance. He sighed. “Why don’t you practice a set of sword techniques and let me see?”
Kong Hou hurriedly shook her head. “My sword techniques are mediocre. I have no achievements in this area. Please spare me.”
“Yet you still dare to laugh at other junior martial brothers and sisters?” Huan Zong poured her a cup of tea and didn’t mention having Kong Hou practice swordwork again.
“Seeing them not doing too well, I can’t help being happy.” Kong Hou took a sip of tea. “Huan Zong, tomorrow we’re going to start closed-door cultivation. Are you prepared?” She worried that Huan Zong’s body couldn’t handle it. Over this past month, martial uncle Qingyuan helped adjust Huan Zong’s body every day. Although unable to cure it completely, his complexion looked much better than when they first met.
“No problem.” Huan Zong had stayed at Yunhua Sect for over a month and held great prestige among Yunhua Sect’s younger generation disciples. Elder Shuishuang liked good-looking juniors, so after seeing Huan Zong, she even gave him a divine artifact she had personally crafted.
If not for the fact that Huan Zong always wore white clothes, everyone at Yunhua Sect would almost forget he was from Liuguang Sect.
“Why are you two hiding and being lazy here again?” Cheng Yi stood a few steps away from the two people with a smile, shaking his head helplessly. A perfectly good Liuguang Sect peak master had only stayed at their Yunhua Sect for over a month and had already learned to be lazy. He was truly afraid that next year, Liuguang Sect people would come settle accounts with them.
“Elder martial brother, Huan Zong and I are discussing important matters of cultivation.” Kong Hou earnestly greeted Cheng Yi. “Martial brother, come drink a cup of tea.”
“No more tea. Today, each peak is accepting inner sect disciples. Master wants you to go with me to pick people.” Inner sect disciples were different from direct disciples. Direct disciples were personally taught by the peak master. Inner sect disciples were taken into various peaks, occasionally receiving guidance from peak masters and direct disciples, but at other times still studying together with other disciples. If they performed well, they would have the opportunity to be accepted as disciples by peak masters or direct disciples.
This was also why Kong Hou, having just entered the sect a few years ago, had already become a martial aunt.
Kong Hou put down her teacup and glanced at Huan Zong. “Master isn’t going?”
“Master is currently drawing talisman patterns and temporarily can’t spare time. Tan Feng entered meditative concentration and hasn’t awakened yet, so today this matter can only be handled by you and me.” Cheng Yi said, “However, Master already spread the word long ago, saying you are his final disciple, so this time our Qiyue Peak probably won’t be able to recruit many people.”
No inner sect disciple didn’t want to enter under a peak master’s tutelage. Now that Master no longer accepted disciples, Qiyue Peak’s attractiveness compared to the other four peaks was much weaker.
“Master isn’t accepting disciples, but there’s still you.” Kong Hou said. “Elder martial brother, you’re now a Nascent Soul old ancestor.”
“Forget it, forget it.” Cheng Yi refused without thinking. “I’m already too busy worrying about all of you every day. Where would I have time to teach disciples?” With a master above who didn’t spare him worry, and junior martial brothers and sisters below with jumpy personalities, how deranged would he have to be to accept indoor disciples?
“Huan Zong, come with me to watch the excitement.” Kong Hou tugged at Huan Zong’s sleeve. “Your eye is better, so you can also help us choose.”
Huan Zong didn’t immediately agree but instead looked toward Cheng Yi. “Would this be appropriate?”
“Daoist Huan Zong need not be bound by conventional etiquette. You are an honored guest of our Qiyue Peak. With your help in deliberating, we’ll also have more confidence.” Cheng Yi looked at his junior martial sister tugging at Zhenren Zhong Xi’s sleeve, his mood extremely conflicted. Although they always called Zhenren Zhong Xi by his common name, they couldn’t truly forget his real identity.
“Since this is the case, then I shall impose upon you.” Huan Zong lowered his head to glance at the sleeve that Kong Hou had crumpled, giving her an indulgent smile. “If there’s anything you need to ask later, just tell me directly using telepathy.”
“Mm-hmm.” Kong Hou’s feet didn’t stop. “Then let’s go quickly. We can’t let the other four martial uncles pick all the good prospects.”
Last year, Yunhua Sect recruited nearly thirty new disciples, but disciples qualified to enter the inner sect numbered only eighteen. When Kong Hou arrived, these new disciples had just entered and stood properly.
“Sect Master, all martial uncles, we’ve come late.” Cheng Yi brought Kong Hou and Huan Zong to sit in the seats belonging to Qiyue Peak, turning his head to sweep a glance over the eighteen disciples without speaking. His seniority was low, so it wouldn’t be appropriate to speak first.
Every time it came to competing for disciples, the five peak masters would have undercurrents surging. This time Wang Tong didn’t come, and Heng Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Pretending not to see the undercurrents among these junior martial brothers, he said, “This time in selecting inner sect disciples, we’ll still follow the usual rules. Each peak and the disciples will conduct mutual selection, and none may be forced. After the quotas are set, once they step out of this door, the peaks may no longer create conflicts over these matters, otherwise, it will be handled according to sect rules.”
Heng Yan’s meaning was stated very plainly. If you want to compete, compete today, and the new disciples must be willing to be competed for. Once out this door, the dust settles, and no one can have opinions anymore, much less engage in retaliation.
Wu Chuan brought out a tray with five jade tokens placed inside, their backs facing up. “Four martial uncles as well as junior martial brother Cheng Yi, these five jade tokens represent the order in which you select. Please choose for yourselves.”
“Cheng Yi is a junior. Please let the four martial uncles choose first.” Cheng Yi knew Qiyue Peak had no advantages and didn’t compete to go first.
The other four martial uncles weren’t polite with him either and each picked one. Cheng Yi picked up the last piece and turned it over to look. The character “two” was carved on it. He was actually selecting second? He frowned in difficulty. If he selected well later but the other party was unwilling to go with him, that would be awkward.
He finally understood why Master was unwilling to come. It turned out he was afraid of losing face.
Having figured this out, Cheng Yi sighed, then stuffed the token into Kong Hou’s hand. “Junior martial sister, you do it.”
Kong Hou: “…”
Cheng Yi thought of this point, and Kong Hou thought of it too. She looked at Cheng Yi suspiciously. The senior-junior martial sibling affection between them in the past was all fake, wasn’t it?
Huan Zong watched the interaction between this pair of martial siblings and couldn’t help curving his lips. He had only stayed at Yunhua Sect for just over a month, yet the number of times he smiled actually exceeded the past ten years.
“It seems my luck today is not bad.” Qingyuan turned the jade token over and waved it in a circle before everyone’s eyes. He looked at the new disciples standing in neat rows below and began the first round of selection.
Among these eighteen disciples, three had single spiritual root qualifications, and their temperaments were also good. All the peak masters had already secretly observed them for a long time.
“Gui Lin, are you willing to join my Chenxia Peak?” When Gui Lin was first recruited into Yunhua Sect, Qingyuan had already conceived the thought of accepting a disciple. Now he naturally hadn’t given up.
“Thank you for the peak master’s favor, but this disciple has already decided on the peak sect he wishes to join.” Gui Lin knelt down and performed a grand bow to Qingyuan. “Please forgive me, peak master.”
Qingyuan furrowed his brows but ultimately didn’t say anything more. “So be it.”
Gui Lin raised his head and slowly looked toward Kong Hou, then prostrated himself in a bow. “Senior martial brother Cheng Yi, senior martial sister Kong Hou, this disciple wishes to join Qiyue Peak. Please fulfill this disciple’s wish, senior martial brother and senior martial sister.”
Cheng Yi: “…”
This kid was trying to provoke conflict between their Qiyue Peak and Chenxia Peak!