Cultivators believe in luck and also believe in fate. Even if everything is merely coincidence, cultivators who have been trapped in a bottleneck for too long will still cling to faint hope, searching for an opportunity to break through.
Jinyue finally understood what intentions these sect masters who came bearing gifts harbored. They hoped that Liuguang Sect would manipulate the transmission array to place their disciples in the same discussion room as Kong Hou.
“Go and ask the various sect masters and sect leaders to return,” Jinyue sighed. “Tell them I’m not here at the moment.”
For the sake of that bit of fortune in their junior disciples’ cultivation, the elders of each sect had truly exhausted every method. Thinking of the current state of the cultivation world, Jinyue shook his head. If there was always no one able to ascend, what use were abundant opportunities?
The final exchange meeting was held on the third day. Before Kong Hou even entered the courtyard, she encountered many cultivators who came forward to chat with her. There were so many people that they couldn’t even squeeze through the entrance.
“Everyone, the exchange meeting is about to begin. Please don’t linger too long outside the door.” Huan Zong walked over, reaching out to shield Kong Hou behind him. “In another two quarters of an hour, the transmission array will stop operating. Please don’t miss the opportunity, fellow Daoists.”
Huan Zong rarely appeared before others in the past. These past few days, he had frequently appeared on the viewing platform, and many people only now learned what the legendary Zhongxi Zhenren actually looked like.
Seeing Zhongxi Zhenren approach, the others felt too embarrassed to continue surrounding Kong Hou. However, seeing Zhongxi Zhenren’s protective attitude toward Kong Hou Xianzi made them unable to help suspecting the relationship between the two. Someone who normally didn’t show his face suddenly appearing daily on the viewing platform made it hard for people not to overthink.
Holding Kong Hou’s hand, he ascended the steps: “Watch your step.”
Kong Hou turned her head to glance around, then secretly smiled at him: “Then I’ll go in now.”
“Mm.” Huan Zong nodded. “I’ll be on the viewing platform outside the courtyard.” After thinking for a moment, he added another sentence: “Don’t let yourself be wronged.”
Kong Hou thought for a moment before understanding what Huan Zong meant by this. He was worried that conflicts might arise in the discussion room that would cause her to be wronged: “Don’t worry, I won’t.”
Huan Zong glanced at the timekeeping artifact hanging at the courtyard entrance and said to Kong Hou: “I’ll wait for you outside.”
The Yunhua Sect disciples walking behind Kong Hou: “…”
Were they going to participate in a discussion, or going to slay demons and eliminate evil?
Huan Zong watched as Kong Hou and the Yunhua Sect disciples entered the inner courtyard, then turned to walk toward the viewing platform. After walking some distance, he stopped and turned his head to look at a male cultivator wearing light-colored robes not far away.
Among a crowd of male cultivators dressed in various styles, this man didn’t look like a cultivator, but more like a pampered young nobleman living in luxury.
The other person also saw Huan Zong and cupped his hands in salute.
Huan Zong returned the courtesy and flashed to the viewing platform to sit down.
“Chi Si, I didn’t expect you to admire Zhongxi Zhenren so much that even your clothing style is so similar.” A traveling rogue cultivator patted Chi Si’s shoulder. “It’s just a pity you’re not a sword cultivator, otherwise more female cultivators would like you.”
Chi Si smiled gently, stroking the jade pendant on his fan handle: “If I could have even three parts of Zhongxi Zhenren’s elegant bearing, I would already be content.”
“We rogue cultivators emphasize freedom and ease. Don’t learn that stuffy old manner of sect disciples.” The rogue cultivator removed his hand from Chi Si’s shoulder. “You’re also at the Heart Movement Stage cultivation level. If you’re lucky enough to be placed in the same discussion room as Kong Hou Xianzi, perhaps you too could leap forward to the Core Formation Stage cultivation level like those two before.”
Chi Si still smiled without speaking. He stepped through the courtyard gate, and the fan in his hand spun in a circle before he was transmitted to a discussion room. He turned his head to look at the young woman beside him, cupped his hands and smiled: “This lowly one is Chi Si from the Rogue Cultivator Alliance. Greetings, Kong Hou Xianzi.”
The newcomer wore fine robes and a jade crown, held a folding fan, and had an extraordinarily handsome face with a smiling expression. This was a man of outstanding appearance. Among all the male cultivators she knew, only Huan Zong was better looking than him. But she didn’t know if it was her imagination—she noticed that the other person bore some resemblance to Huan Zong.
“Greetings, Daoist Chi Si.” Kong Hou pushed the dried fruits in front of her toward Chi Si. “Would you like some?”
“Thank you, but no need.” The smile on Chi Si’s face didn’t change. He glanced at the pile of dried fruit shells in front of Kong Hou, and his motion of stroking the fan handle intensified slightly.
Soon new cultivators were transmitted in one after another. Within the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the people in the discussion room were complete.
“Daoist Chi Si?” Banwu saw Chi Si, his tone seeming both surprised and doubtful. “You’re at the Great Circle of Core Formation cultivation level, why were you also transmitted here?”
Chi Si’s face showed an ashamed expression: “A few days ago, I told a not-so-small lie. I didn’t expect to be exposed today. How shameful, how shameful. I’ve made you laugh, fellow Daoist.”
“Hmph.” A nearby female cultivator in red clothing couldn’t help but mock: “Even pretending about your cultivation level—as someone who cultivates the Dao, don’t have such heavy vanity.”
“Fellow Daoist speaks correctly.” Chi Si raised his head and smiled gently at the female cultivator. The female cultivator looked at his handsome face, her expression changed, and she could no longer say any mocking words. Seeing this, the others didn’t say much more. Having finally been placed in the same room as Kong Hou Xianzi, if they were transmitted out because of a conflict, how disadvantageous that would be.
After exchanging pleasantries and introducing themselves, everyone looked at Kong Hou with burning eyes, waiting for her to speak.
Kong Hou… Kong Hou distributed a small dish of fruit to each person and raised her hand to signal everyone to continue.
Seeing that she had no intention of speaking first, everyone felt somewhat disappointed. Banwu from Biyu Sect, seeing this situation, spoke up: “This lowly one is untalented and willing to cast a brick to attract jade.”
Kong Hou tilted her head and quietly listened to Banwu’s cultivation insights. This Biyu Sect disciple, apart from being somewhat rigid in his conduct, actually had quite good attainments in cultivation. After listening, she actually gained some understanding.
They say that after reaching Core Formation cultivation level, one needs to pass through the great hurdle of a heart tribulation. She wondered what her heart tribulation would be.
She hadn’t sworn to marry the world’s most beautiful person, nor had she sworn to become some kind of craftsman. Since arriving at Yunhua Sect, her progress could be called smooth sailing. She really couldn’t think of what kind of heart tribulation she would have.
“Kong Hou Xianzi, this lowly one has a doubt I don’t understand. I wonder if Xianzi could resolve my confusion.” Chi Si said, “In terms of cultivation, is romantic love beneficial or harmful?”
Hearing these words, the crowd who had been discussing with each other couldn’t help but stop talking and turn their heads to look at Kong Hou. Regarding the rumors about Kong Hou Xianzi and Zhongxi Zhenren, they had heard some these past few days, but since neither Liuguang Sect nor Yunhua Sect had released any information, they didn’t know if it was true or false. Now seeing someone bring up matters of romantic love, how could they still be in the mood to discuss the Dao?
Curiosity is the ladder of human progress, and the cultivators naturally possessed this virtue.
“I wonder how old you are, fellow Daoist?” Kong Hou didn’t answer immediately.
“This lowly one is one hundred forty-seven years old.” Chi Si smiled as he answered.
“Fellow Daoist has witnessed the world’s prosperity for over a hundred years yet still hasn’t comprehended this question. This lowly one is only eighteen years old—how could I see through it?” Kong Hou’s gaze met Chi Si’s. These were eyes full of tolerance and gentleness, as if encouraging her to speak her thoughts—whether childish or profound, he wouldn’t mock her for it.
Kong Hou shifted her gaze away: “I wonder what insights Daoist Chi Si has.”
“Love is something that without it is tasteless, and with it brings much vexation.” Chi Si toyed with his folding fan. “Debts of love must be repaid, and playing with emotions will also exact a price. Do you agree or not?”
Kong Hou tilted her head to look at Chi Si, blinked, then suddenly smiled: “Daoist Chi Si has such outstanding appearance—I wonder how many debts of love you’ve incurred?”
Hearing this, Chi Si laughed softly, using his folding fan to lightly tap his chin several times, looking extremely charming. Even the several female cultivators sitting with them couldn’t help but blush and steal several more glances.
The discussion meeting ended. That evening there was no commotion at all, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed the cultivators who broke through their cultivation levels in the previous two days were just coincidentally lucky. If Kong Hou Xianzi were truly that formidable, would Yunhua Sect be willing to let her come out?
As a result, the next morning, thunder sounded again—someone else had broken through.
Kong Hou was having breakfast with her fellow disciples when she heard the thunder outside and couldn’t help saying: “Did these cultivators specifically run to Liuguang Sect to undergo their tribulation? For buildings damaged by lightning, do they compensate at market value or find a way to repair them?”
Linghui reached out and poked her forehead: “You’re already starting to feel sorry for Liuguang Sect? Rather than worrying about Liuguang Sect, you’d better worry about yourself.”
Kong Hou pursed her lips. She didn’t know why, but she always felt something was off somewhere. How could such coincidental events exist in the world? If she truly had such good fortune, the first person to advance to Core Formation Stage should have been herself, not all these unrelated people.
On the main hall’s roof eaves, Jinyue stood with hands clasped behind his back, looking toward the direction struck by lightning, and asked Song He behind him: “Which sect’s disciples are staying there?”
“The Rogue Cultivator Alliance.” Song He coughed dryly. “A disciple has already sent a message. The cultivator currently breaking through is named Chi Si, who joined the Rogue Cultivator Alliance several years ago. Yesterday… he was in the same discussion room as Kong Hou Xianzi.”
Jinyue frowned and performed some divination calculations, but the future fate was chaotic—he couldn’t calculate anything at all.
The cultivators who came to participate in the exchange meeting were in an uproar. The two disciples whose cultivation levels rose before could barely be called coincidence, but after a third rogue cultivator also advanced in cultivation level, even some elderly cultivators couldn’t help suspecting that Kong Hou possessed some unspeakable fortune.
Fortunately, Qiushuang was stationed on Yunhua Sect’s side, otherwise people from other sects would have long since been unable to sit still. But even so, Yunhua Sect disciples didn’t dare casually leave Mingjian Peak, afraid of being surrounded by people from other sects.
In Liuguang Sect’s dungeon were imprisoned evil demons who brought calamity to the world and evil cultivators who killed people like flies. These evil beings, because the crimes they committed were too severe, suffered needle-piercing and burning torment daily, living a fate worse than death.
Hong Mian was imprisoned in her original fox form. Her fox fur had become dull and lusterless, and she didn’t even have the strength to stand.
Whenever she approached the door, powerful spiritual energy would force her back, and her entire body’s bones felt as if they’d been crushed. In the adjacent cell was a bloodthirsty demon. The evil demon lay on the ground, lazily swishing its tail: “Don’t waste your energy. When this prison was built, immortal methods were used. You can’t escape.”
“Shut up!” Hong Mian bared her teeth and roared.
Just then, footsteps neither light nor heavy could be heard. Hong Mian unconsciously raised her head.
The bloodthirsty demon tucked its head and tail under its belly, as if it hadn’t heard any sound. It wasn’t until the footsteps faded away and the neighboring cell was empty, the fox spirit nowhere to be found, that it suddenly shouted loudly: “Someone come, the fox spirit has escaped from prison!”
He hoped that Liuguang Sect, in consideration of his active exposure and earnest reformation, could let him suffer fewer punishments.
These prestigious orthodox sects had too many methods for dealing with demons—they couldn’t be provoked.