Early morning, as daylight broke, Lin Hu opened his room door and saw Huan Zong standing in the courtyard. He looked up at the gray, hazy sky: “Young Master, you’re up this early?” When Liuguang Sect disciples weren’t in closed-door cultivation, they all had the habit of rising early to practice swordsmanship. But Young Master rarely wielded his sword now. Why come out so early—to admire whether the inn’s small courtyard was beautiful or not?

Huan Zong turned to look at Lin Hu, his gaze pausing briefly on the black sword in his hand. “I woke up and couldn’t sleep.”

“Demonstrate a sword technique for me.” Putting his hands behind his back, Huan Zong said: “These days you’ve been traveling east and west with me. You’ve worked hard.”

“My life was given by Young Master. Why must Young Master be so polite with me?” Lin Hu drew his sword from its sheath. “Please instruct me, Young Master.”

As a Nascent Soul cultivator who could make countless cultivators in the cultivation world look up to him, Lin Hu executed a sword technique so tightly that it was impenetrable, almost flawless. But it was only almost. After he finished the complete sword technique, Huan Zong said: “In the sixteenth form, your wrist was an inch too high. This exposed the weak point of your abdomen to your opponent. If you encounter an expert, you’ll be injured.”

Lin Hu followed the instruction and demonstrated it again. Huan Zong nodded: “Your swordsmanship has reached perfection. The biggest problem is that it’s still not flexible enough. The sword and you are not yet one. Contemplate this well in your leisure time.”

“I’ve noted it.” Lin Hu also knew his weakness, but he didn’t have Young Master’s talent. To achieve the state of unity between heaven and man, he didn’t know how long he’d have to wait.

Many things only needed to be pointed out. Huan Zong didn’t say more. At this time, a streak of bright red appeared on the eastern horizon. Day was about to break. Huan Zong looked up at the bright light on the horizon. His jade-like face was also as cold as jade.

“Young Master…”

“Continue practicing sword.” Without turning his head, Huan Zong said: “Cultivation is like rowing upstream. One cannot be lax.”

“Yes.” Lin Hu said no more and continued practicing his sword.

As Lin Hu practiced sword, Huan Zong watched from the side. It wasn’t until the sun rose in the east and the door of the eastward-facing room in the small courtyard opened that a young lady in a moon-white dress walked out.

“Senior Lin, Huan Zong.” Kong Hou seemed to be in very good spirits. Her fair face with a rosy tint wore a smile as she bounced over to Huan Zong: “You got up so early?”

Huan Zong glanced at her hair. The corners of his eyes and brows were touched by the warm colors of the rising sun. “Lin Hu was practicing sword. I came out to watch.”

“Senior Lin’s swordsmanship is truly excellent.” Kong Hou stood beside Huan Zong, somewhat embarrassed. “When I first met you both, I thought Senior Lin was a Core Formation cultivator. I didn’t expect him to actually be a Nascent Soul ancestor.”

“Your cultivation is still low. It’s normal that you can’t accurately gauge others’ cultivation levels.” Huan Zong turned to look at her. “Lin Hu still needs a while before he finishes practicing. I’ll accompany you to breakfast first.”

“Alright.” Kong Hou knew it wasn’t good to interrupt sword practice, so she agreed to Huan Zong’s suggestion.

The inn’s server saw the two coming out from the small courtyard in back and hurriedly greeted them warmly. Guests who could rent small courtyards at the inn were all wealthy important people who needed careful service.

After serving the food the guests needed, the server wiped the table while eavesdropping on the guests’ conversations. Working at a large inn, his way of finding joy in his busy work was listening to guests tell various interesting stories—which cultivator betrayed their dao companion, which major sect disciple caused trouble, which great family produced a cultivation genius, and even stories of masters and disciples turning against each other—all of which he listened to with great interest.

“At next year’s exchange conference, Liuguang Sect will definitely rank at the top again. Although disciples of the other nine major sects also have brilliant performances, in the end they can’t compare to Liuguang Sect. I’d like to go watch the excitement, but unfortunately the entrance tickets for the exchange conference have already been scalped to over a thousand spirit stones each. This old man has traveled the jianghu for so many years—I have everything except spirit stones. I’m afraid I won’t be able to see this excitement.”

“Those peddlers who inflate prices are also lacking in virtue. Last exchange conference, the highest ticket price was only twelve hundred spirit stones. This conference still has over a year before it starts, yet it’s already reached last time’s highest price. By next year, they’ll definitely call out prices of two thousand spirit stones.”

“Can’t be helped. There are too many rich fools in the cultivation world.”

“Heh, having money makes you a fool? Are those without money smart?”

“Fellow daoists, fellow daoists, everyone speak properly. Don’t get heated over conversation. We should still discuss which sect besides Liuguang Sect will perform better at next year’s exchange meeting.”

“Among the ten major sects, besides Yunhua Sect, any sect is possible.”

At the mention of Yunhua Sect, everyone in the inn let out knowing laughter.

Huan Zong’s hand holding the spoon paused slightly. He turned to glance at the people laughing behind him and frowned. Kong Hou, however, didn’t pay much attention to this laughter. Instead, she continued eating while listening to their conversation, listening with great interest.

“Yunhua Sect’s strength isn’t weak. Why wouldn’t they possibly perform well?” In the corner, a young master who looked only around ten years old was full of confusion. “Why do you say this?”

“Is this the young gentleman’s first time leaving home?” A man in gray robes laughed heartily. “The last exchange conference was hosted by Zhaohan Sect. Yunhua Sect sent over twenty disciples to participate. Who knew these disciples got distracted watching excitement along the way and forgot the time? By the time they rushed to Zhaohan Sect, the first major competition of the exchange was already over. They even lost their qualification to compete.”

The young master listened with his mouth agape, seemingly not expecting Yunhua Sect to make such a mistake. Listening to the laughter of those present, he was stunned for quite a while before saying: “Then where will next year’s exchange conference be held? If I want to buy entrance tickets, whom should I look for?”

“Next year’s exchange conference will be held at Liuguang Sect, which is why prices have been scalped so high.” Those present gossiped somewhat when discussing others’ interesting stories, but none were ill-intentioned. Seeing the young master curious about this matter, someone enthusiastically answered.

“Many sects will receive entrance invitation tickets. Some sects with tight budgets will sell some entrance tickets. As long as you have a cultivator life tablet and can prove your background is clean, you can always buy them if you spend enough spirit stones.” The one speaking was a woman who used a blade. With glamorous features, she threw the young master a flirtatious glance. “But young master must remember, when you go to the ten major sects’ territory, you must follow their rules. Those who don’t follow the rules end up so miserably that it’s not suitable for this slave to tell you.”

The young master’s face turned red from the woman’s flirtatious glance. He hurriedly shoveled down a few mouthfuls of rice, then hastily ran off. His appearance caused everyone to laugh again. Some laughed that the woman didn’t even spare young children, while others laughed that the young master was too thin-skinned, not cherishing such a fine romantic encounter.

Compared to Sanshu Town’s cold and quiet inn, Yicheng’s inn was far more lively, and there were many more cultivators here.

“Huan Zong, next year’s exchange conference will be held at your sect?” Kong Hou said softly. “Is the exchange conference fun?”

Huan Zong carefully recalled past exchange conferences, but in his mind besides disciples from various sects wearing different clothes, there were only competition after competition that he won very easily. It really couldn’t be called fun.

“Passable.” Huan Zong said. “When you come next year, I’ll take you to Peicheng outside the sect for a good look around.”

Liuguang Sect was located on Liuguang Mountain in Peicheng. Because Liuguang Sect was called the cultivators’ holy land, Peicheng also became lively, even surpassing the cities where the cultivation world’s imperial family resided. Huan Zong rarely went down the mountain before. Even when he did, he would fly directly over Peicheng and wouldn’t easily enter the city. To him, Peicheng was too noisy. But a lively provincial city was just right for taking Kong Hou to visit.

Young ladies should all like lively places.

“I still don’t know if I can go.” Hearing those cultivators say entrance tickets would sell for the high price of two thousand spirit stones, Kong Hou was already tempted. However, she didn’t know which disciples the sect would send to participate. If the elders didn’t take her then, she couldn’t shamelessly insist on going.

“It doesn’t matter. If your sect doesn’t bring you, I’ll go to Yunhua Sect to fetch you.” The corners of Huan Zong’s mouth curved up slightly. “I still have authority to do this much.”

Hearing Huan Zong say this, Kong Hou immediately became happy. She sat up straight and said to Huan Zong: “Then you absolutely mustn’t forget to come.”

“Alright.” Huan Zong’s smile became even more gentle.

“Huan Zong,” Kong Hou gently bit her chopsticks and touched the flying sparrow hairpin in her hair. “Thank you.” Because she liked this hairpin so much, after getting up and combing her hair this morning, she couldn’t wait to wear it.

“It’s just a hairpin.” Huan Zong smiled. “I’ve never given things to women before and don’t know what you like. If there’s anything you like in the future, you can tell me.”

Kong Hou put down her chopsticks and smiled: “Huan Zong, making friends like this, you’ll be taken advantage of.”

Huan Zong laughed despite himself. The young lady who casually gave him the priceless Vermillion Grass was now earnestly saying he would be taken advantage of. He didn’t know how Yunhua Sect raised their disciples to nurture a young lady so adorably naive.

“Fellow daoists, you should all say less. If these words reach Yunhua Sect’s ears, it might not be good.” A thin, wizened old man shook his head. “The ten major sects have enormous power. If you mock Yunhua Sect here, beware of making enemies with them.”

Hearing these words, the cultivators all froze. They really hadn’t thought much about this point. People all have a herd mentality. When one person doesn’t dare do something, but many do it, their courage seems to grow. Now that this thin old man brought it up, they realized that what they had just said, if known by Yunhua Sect, was indeed somewhat improper.

“It shouldn’t matter, right? I’ve had the honor of interacting with Yunhua Sect disciples before. Their personalities are very easygoing. Sometimes they even joke about themselves. How would they make things difficult for us just because we joked around a bit?” The gray-robed man said uncertainly. “Moreover, we didn’t mean any harm just now…”

“People from major sects are all skilled at acting and concealing. As for whether they truly don’t mind or are pretending not to care, who can tell? If they settle accounts later, do those present have countermeasures? Are you truly not afraid?” The thin old man said mysteriously. “There’s no shortage in this world of hypocrites who appear noble on the surface but harbor filth inside.”

“If Elder is such a cautious person, how can you say such things before everyone?”

Just as everyone’s hearts were in turmoil, a beautiful young lady in a moon-white flying immortal dress looked up at the thin old man. “Aren’t your words implying that Yunhua Sect are hypocrites? Aren’t you afraid Yunhua Sect will come retaliate against you?”

“This old man was just giving kind reminders. I didn’t say Yunhua Sect were hypocrites.” The thin old man was stunned, not expecting anyone to refute his words. “You’re just a young lady. What could you understand?”

Kong Hou chuckled. The old man’s words seemed to be kind reminders to the cultivators present, but actually he was sowing discord, making everyone feel that major sects like Yunhua Sect were hypocrites—appearing magnanimous on the surface but actually petty and vengeful, retaliating at the slightest disagreement.

“The cultivation world is so vast. If the ten major sects had to retaliate against everyone who said something bad about them, wouldn’t they be exhausted?” Kong Hou rolled her eyes. “If people from the ten major sects are all so idle with nothing to do, they might as well not be major sects and just become assassins in the cultivation world.”

When a beautiful young lady rolled her eyes, it was hard to feel any disgust. Some people even laughed at Kong Hou’s words. Thinking carefully, it made sense. If the ten major sects were truly this petty, how could they maintain their position in the top ten rankings?

Major sects were major sects because they had ability and boldness. In the past one or two thousand years, the rankings of the ten major sects hadn’t been static. Which sect that fell out of the top ten wasn’t because of improper conduct and chaotic internal management that led to declining strength?

“This beautiful little sister’s words make a lot of sense.” The glamorous woman who had teased the young master earlier curved her red lips in a smile. “Fellow daoists, don’t scare yourselves. Some people appear to be looking out for us, but perhaps they’re actually sowing discord. Everyone shouldn’t be fooled.”

The thin old man was displeased upon hearing this: “What does Daoist mean by this?”

“What could I mean?” The glamorous woman raised her eyebrows. “If the listener has a guilty conscience, there’s another meaning. If their conscience is clear, there’s no other meaning. Do I need to explain?”

“You…” The thin old man’s expression changed. He turned to glare at Kong Hou. “You say they won’t retaliate, so they won’t retaliate? You’re not from Yunhua Sect. How can you represent them?”

Kong Hou blinked and said carefully to Huan Zong: “This old man is really shameless. When he can’t out-argue that beautiful sister, he comes to bully me, a young lady. How can there be such people?”

Although her voice was small, it was enough for many people to hear. The glamorous woman immediately sneered, not leaving the old man any face: “Can’t be helped. In this world, there are always people who only age but don’t grow brains. Little sister, you’re still young and don’t understand how complicated people’s hearts can be.”

“Sister’s reminder is correct.” Kong Hou and the glamorous woman sang in harmony, nearly making the thin old man so angry he wanted to slam the table on the spot. But he also knew that if these two women joined forces, he was no match for them, so he could only forcibly endure it.

He paid his bill and left angrily.

The glamorous woman watched his back and snorted coldly: “Old thing with ulterior motives.”

After the thin old man left, the hall became lively again. Kong Hou listened to various bizarre rumors and couldn’t even focus on eating.

“I heard that on the dao partnership ceremony day, Liuyan Sect’s head disciple, in front of all the guests, terminated his marriage contract with Qingyu Sect’s xianzi, then turned around and went off with a female cultivator at Qi Refining third stage. Qingyu Sect and Liuyan Sect are now bitter enemies. By next year’s exchange conference, these two sects will probably clash fiercely.”

Liuyan Sect and Qingyu Sect’s strength in the cultivation world could rank in the top twenty. Now that Liuyan Sect’s head disciple had made Qingyu Sect lose such face, the cultivation world would probably be in an uproar over this matter for a while.

Listening to how deeply in love Liuyan Sect’s head disciple was with the Qi Refining third stage female cultivator, even refusing the single spiritual root personally transmitted female disciple of Qingyu Sect and so on, Kong Hou felt something wasn’t quite right about this matter. Pursuing physical and emotional compatibility wasn’t wrong, but this kind of thing should have been clarified early on. Why wait until the dao partnership ceremony to make a scene?

Their love was precious, so that female cultivator from Qingyu Sect should lose all face for their feelings?

“Finished eating?” Huan Zong touched the congee bowl in front of Kong Hou. “The congee is cold. Do you want the server to change it?”

Kong Hou shook her head: “I’ll go back to meditate.”

Huan Zong stood up and followed behind her. The two passed through the corridor, leaving the front hall’s noise behind. Kong Hou kicked the stone stool in the small courtyard: “That Liuyan Sect head disciple is so shameless.”

Huan Zong, who hadn’t paid attention to others’ idle talk just now: “…”

“Huan Zong, what do you think?” Kong Hou leaned on the stone table, lifting her face from her arms to look at Huan Zong.

“Mm, shameless.” Huan Zong nodded.

Looking at Huan Zong’s calm face, Kong Hou smiled and leaned toward him: “Huan Zong, you’re so cute.”

Huan Zong: “What?”

When good-looking, serious men looked over in puzzlement, it truly was a beautiful sight. Kong Hou cupped her face. Good-looking, cute, and upright—just looking at Huan Zong a few more times could lift her spirits.

Her mood instantly improved by more than half. Kong Hou stood up: “Huan Zong, I’m going to meditate!”

Huan Zong: “…”

Were young ladies’ thoughts all this difficult to understand?

Footsteps came from behind. He turned to look. Lin Hu, who had finished practicing sword, stood under a loquat tree watching him. Master and servant quietly looked at each other. Lin Hu wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, his voice calm: “I didn’t hear anything.”

Huan Zong lowered his eyelids: “You can practice the sword technique you got wrong just now a few more times today.”

Lin Hu’s hand wiping sweat froze: “Young Master, I really didn’t hear anything.”

“I don’t care whether you heard anything or not.” Huan Zong stood up, his face expressionless. “Having you practice sword has nothing to do with this matter. You needn’t overthink.”

Lin Hu: “…”

Heh.

Among Yunhua Sect’s three elders, Elder Qiushuang lived alone on a mountain peak. Because she liked quiet, throughout the year few disciples dared disturb her. But today was somewhat different. She was meditating in her cave dwelling when she heard disciples calling her outside.

“What is it?” Qiushuang walked out of the cave dwelling and saw a junior standing outside the cave entrance, holding a tray in hand. The tray was covered with red silk, so she couldn’t see what was placed inside.

“Elder, this is something Shishu Kong Hou from Qiyue Peak had a flying sword messenger send back to you. Please examine it.” The disciple from Five Elements Hall stood before Elder Qiushuang somewhat timidly, not even daring to raise her head.

“For me?” Qiushuang was somewhat surprised. She reached out to take the tray. “How is Kong Hou doing outside?” A few days ago, Jinyue from Liuguang Sect had sent a letter saying Kong Hou was with a Liuguang Sect personally transmitted disciple. Liuguang Sect’s personally transmitted disciples were always formidable, so Kong Hou shouldn’t encounter any danger.

“This disciple doesn’t know. Inside is a letter from Shishu Kong Hou to you. Perhaps the letter will mention her recent situation.”

“I understand. You may go.” Carrying the tray back to the cave dwelling, Qiushuang lifted the red silk covering it and saw a magnificent long dress on the tray. The dress had a white base with gorgeous peony flowers embroidered on it—extremely magnificent. Besides the gorgeous embroidered dress, there was also a crimson shawl and two handkerchiefs, all with styles and colors leaning toward luxurious and gorgeous.

She opened the envelope. A third of the content praised her appearance, a third said the dress would definitely look beautiful on her, and only the last few paragraphs mentioned recent circumstances.

Huan Zong…

Seeing the name Kong Hou mentioned in the letter, Qiushuang smiled. It seemed Kong Hou and this Liuguang Sect companion were having a very happy time outside. They even saw the Blue Silver Flowers that were hardest to encounter in the cultivation world. She folded the letter paper and put it back in the envelope. Qiushuang’s gaze fell on that incomparably magnificent long dress.

In Liuguang Sect, the female elders and female peak masters received gifts delivered by flying sword messengers.

The dresses were very beautiful, the embroidery on the handkerchiefs was also exquisite, and the hairpins suited their taste. The only problem was the sender. The emotionally detached, rule-abiding shizhi who didn’t even like to say an extra word suddenly sending them things women liked—how terrifying and strange was this?

A female elder specifically had her attendant inquire. She learned that besides her, several other female disciples and female peak masters in the sect had received dresses and hairpins sent by shizhi—even Jinyue, the sect master, hadn’t received any.

The female elder turned the dress over and examined it several times, but no matter how she looked, the dress in her hand wasn’t a top-grade dharma robe, but an exquisitely crafted ordinary dress. It just had several dharma arrays added that could emit flowing light, making the dress look even more beautiful, with no defensive function whatsoever.

What had happened to shizhi?

“Elder, this dress…” Seeing the elder’s grave expression, the attendant didn’t dare speak much. Only after the elder put down the dress did she ask how the dress should be handled.

“Hang it up.” The female elder thought for a moment, then added: “Hang it carefully. Absolutely don’t let it wrinkle.”

Although not a dharma robe, it was still shizhi’s heartfelt gesture. Thinking of shizhi’s physical condition, she sighed. The child who was usually so detached in his conduct had actually started to know to bring things back for them.

She searched out a pile of spirit stones, talismans, and magical artifacts and handed them to her attendant: “Shizhi should still be in Yicheng these days. Have the flying sword messenger bring these things to him.”

With shizhi’s body not well now, he should carry more magical artifacts and talismans for protection.

Kong Hou had meditated in her room for three days. When she came out, she saw a man with the characters “Like Wind” embroidered on his clothes standing before Lin Hu. Wasn’t this the uniform of flying sword messengers from the courier station?

Putting away the third storage pouch delivered by a flying sword messenger today, Lin Hu turned around expressionlessly, just meeting Kong Hou’s curious gaze.

“Miss Kong Hou.” Lin Hu nodded to her and took out two storage pouches from his storage ring. “These were sent by flying sword messenger from your sect yesterday.”

Kong Hou took the storage pouches and opened them to look. In the package Elder Qiushuang sent, besides spirit stones there were many magical artifacts, as if determined that if she couldn’t defeat others, she should smash them to death with artifacts. Another was pooled together and sent by several senior sisters. Inside was only a package of spirit stones and a letter saying she shouldn’t feel deprived outside, and also asking her to help buy several hairpins at the Embroidery Pavilion to send back.

Counting the spirit stones the senior sisters sent, Kong Hou discovered that after buying the hairpins the senior sisters wanted, there would probably be about two hundred spirit stones left. Deducting several tens of spirit stones for delivery fees, only a bit over a hundred spirit stones would remain.

Were these hundred-plus spirit stones her escape money?

Shaking the letter paper, Kong Hou discovered a few more sentences written on the back, roughly saying that Yuxiao Sect had recently released several new models of flowing immortal dresses. They couldn’t resist temptation for a moment and bought them, so they were rather strapped for cash. They asked her not to mind that they gave few spirit stones.

These truly were her dear senior sisters. When she finished buying hairpins and sending them back, she would definitely write a letter asking them to help her buy the newest model flowing immortal dress, but since she was traveling outside with little money, she wouldn’t give them spirit stones.

Watching Kong Hou count spirit stones one by one, Lin Hu thought of the large piles of spirit stones and magical artifacts Liuguang Sect’s female elders and peak masters had sent Young Master these past two days. He somewhat suspected that Yunhua Sect couldn’t recruit disciples with the best talent not for other reasons, but because they were too stingy with personally transmitted disciples.

When their Young Master went out, sect master and peak masters would send tens or hundreds of thousands of spirit stones at once. Miss Kong Hou, a five spiritual root personally transmitted disciple, actually still had to count spirit stones to get by. Willing to give disciples priceless precious swords but unwilling to give disciples more spirit stones to spend—what kind of problem did Yunhua Sect have?

Although the senior sisters were very stingy, Elder Qiushuang was very generous, actually giving her fifty thousand spirit stones. Having never been this wealthy before, Kong Hou carefully put all the spirit stones into her storage ring. Turning her head, she saw Lin Hu still there, so she pointed at the storage pouch in his hand: “Senior Lin, are these storage pouches sent to Huan Zong by Liuguang Sect?”

“Mm, nothing good, just some spirit stones.” Lin Hu didn’t dare let Kong Hou see what was in the storage pouches, afraid she’d feel inferior.

The things Young Master received these two days—just the spirit stones alone already exceeded five hundred thousand.

Kong Hou was just about to ask if Huan Zong was out of money and she could lend him some, when she heard arguing sounds from outside.

Having stayed in Yunhua Sect for so long, hearing others quarrel, Kong Hou couldn’t help but stand up and quickly run to the outer hall to see what was happening. Just reaching the doorway, she heard the three words “Liuyan Sect.”

Author’s Note: Yunhua Sect sisterhood level: Plastic.