“Xianzi Kong Hou, to be honest with you, we’ve encountered trouble this time.” Ge Jin had discussed with her junior martial brothers and sisters for a long time and still decided to speak truthfully. If it were other people, they could say some things while withholding others. But Kong Hou was different—she was a personal disciple of Yunhua Sect. If she discovered they were deliberately concealing things, it would affect all of Yunhua Sect’s view of Jixiang Pavilion.
Years ago, when Jixiang Pavilion’s numbers had dwindled, outsiders said they had already been abandoned by the great dao of heaven and earth and could no longer divine anything. No one sought their divinations. Even some talented disciples under their sect had joined other sects. At their poorest, they couldn’t even scrape together the money to repair the sect.
Just when the previous pavilion master thought Jixiang Pavilion would perish in his hands, Sect Master Heng Yan of Yunhua Sect came to ask them whether they were willing to affiliate under Yunhua Sect. For Jixiang Pavilion, which had reached the end of its rope, this was simply like a pie falling from the sky—something they wouldn’t dare dream of.
That night, the previous pavilion master bathed and burned incense. Before the soul tablets of successive sect masters, he cast a divination for Jixiang Pavilion.
Great Fortune.
After affiliating with Yunhua Sect, Jixiang Pavilion received spirit stones, magical artifacts, and various cultivation materials bestowed by Yunhua Sect. For cultivators, the most precious things weren’t spirit stones and magical artifacts, but cultivation materials.
In the early stages of cultivation, what cultivators throughout the cultivation world learned was about the same. But the higher one advanced, the more important sect support became. Even rogue cultivators had a Rogue Cultivator Alliance to share resources with each other, not to mention the assistance sects provided disciples.
Precisely because of this, many sects wanted to affiliate under the Ten Great Sects. But the Ten Great Sects didn’t accept just any affiliated sect—their standards varied, making it truly difficult to have a unified answer. Jixiang Pavilion had been part of Yunhua Sect for many years. Yunhua Sect never interfered with their internal affairs and instead lent assistance when major events occurred.
Now the secret manuals Jixiang Pavilion disciples used for cultivation were the same as Yunhua Sect disciples’. They could even buy at cost price from the main sect many magical artifact talismans that other cultivators couldn’t obtain even clutching spirit stones. They often joked privately among themselves that it must have been the spirits of successive pavilion masters in heaven who cursed Sect Master Heng Yan, making him so muddle-headed as to accept Jixiang Pavilion as an affiliated sect.
After listening to Ge Jin explain the divination process, Kong Hou asked: “Is the hexagram directed at you all, or all of Jixiang Pavilion?”
“It should be directed at us.” Seeing that Kong Hou didn’t doubt her words but instead showed concern for Jixiang Pavilion’s safety, Ge Jin felt both moved and ashamed. Their group had walked the path of cultivation for nearly a hundred years, yet they still needed a young lady only sixteen years old to help them. These years had truly been wasted in cultivation.
“Evil cultivators have been making frequent moves recently. It’s right for you to be careful.” Kong Hou saw their panicked expressions. “Tomorrow you’ll leave with me. Though my cultivation isn’t sufficient, fortunately I have Senior Lin and my good friend Huan Zong accompanying me. This is fortunate for both you and me.”
“The Dao Friend Xiao Dong who was with Senior Lin seems to be a Liuguang Sect disciple?” Ge Jin said. “I heard him call Young Master Huan Zong ‘martial uncle.’ Could he be…”
“You’ve guessed correctly.” Kong Hou nodded. “Huan Zong is also a Liuguang Sect personal disciple. However, he won’t return to the sect but will travel with me instead.”
A Liuguang Sect personal disciple…
Ge Jin’s heart settled completely. She no longer worried about the safety of the journey back to Jixiang Pavilion. No wonder stories had spread some days ago about how Xianzi Kong Hou and Young Master Huan Zong bravely fought evil cultivators and rescued countless righteous sect disciples. It turned out the two were traveling together and took action when they saw injustice.
Everyone said that Liuguang Sect’s sword cultivators were mostly cold-hearted and cold-natured, with their only persistent dao being the sword. She hadn’t expected that Miss Kong Hou could actually have such a good relationship with a sword cultivator and even get him to accompany her to enjoy lanterns and appreciate flowers. This showed what a lovable young lady she truly was.
Early the next morning, Huan Zong opened his room door to see Xiao Dong standing outside.
“Martial uncle, disciple must return to the sect today. Please take good care of yourself, martial uncle.” The Wangjian Peak’s peak lord was Song He. Xiao Dong’s master was one of Song He’s personal disciples. Before leaving, his master had told him that if he encountered martial uncle in Yan City, he must check how his health was.
In his master’s words, martial uncle’s body seemed to have problems—very serious problems. But from yesterday until today, no matter how he looked, martial uncle’s body wasn’t too terrible. Though his complexion was somewhat pale, it hadn’t reached the terrible state his master worried about.
“Is your master Cang Shan or Cang Hai?” Huan Zong remembered that Master Uncle Song He had only accepted these two disciples.
“Martial uncle, my master is Cang Hai.” Xiao Dong’s heart felt somewhat low. As expected, martial uncle didn’t know who he was and had no impression of him at all.
“When you return, tell your master not to overthink things.” In Huan Zong’s view, these two martial brothers Cang Shan and Cang Hai were good in every way—they just thought too much, a trait they got from Master Uncle Song He.
Xiao Dong: “…”
He didn’t dare pass along these words.
Lin Hu came out and saw Xiao Dong standing pitifully at the young master’s door. He spoke to help him out: “Xiao Dong, you go back first. I’m still here watching over your martial uncle.”
“Much obliged, Senior Lin.” Xiao Dong bowed deeply in thanks to Lin Hu. After bidding farewell to Huan Zong, he stepped onto his flying sword and left.
The Jixiang Pavilion disciples rose very early—or rather, that entire night, they basically hadn’t slept. Hearing sounds outside, they quickly got up.
“You all rose this early?” Having finished practicing a sword technique set, Lin Hu saw the Jixiang Pavilion disciples had all gotten up. He put away his sword: “Originally planned to have everyone eat breakfast before leaving, but the young master knew everyone was anxious to return, so he prepared food and placed it in the flying palace. Once Miss Kong Hou rises, we can depart.”
“Much obliged to Xianzhang Huan Zong and senior.” Hearing that Young Master Huan Zong was actually using a flying palace to send them back to the sect, Ge Jin felt somewhat embarrassed. This was too costly in spirit stones. Activating a flying palace required spiritual energy from many spirit stones, so most cultivators traveling used their own flying artifacts. Though not as comfortable as flying palaces, they at least saved money.
“Fellow daoists need not mind. We were originally planning to go to your esteemed location. We’re just happening to travel the same road with you all.”
Where were there so many coincidences in the world? It was just that the other party was willing to help. Ge Jin understood this in her heart, but facing Lin Hu’s calm face, she didn’t say more. Being too courteous would seem affected. Everything had its measure—that was better.
“Why did you all get up so early?” As soon as Kong Hou came out of her room and saw the Jixiang Pavilion disciples and Lin Hu were all there, she couldn’t help but look up at the sky. It had just gotten light. Guessing the Jixiang Pavilion disciples might be somewhat anxious inside, she looked around.
“The young master has also risen.” Lin Hu guessed Kong Hou was looking for Huan Zong and pointed at the inner courtyard door. “Outside.”
Outside the inner courtyard was a small pool with rare Seven-Color Lotuses planted inside. However, now wasn’t the season for Seven-Color Lotuses to bloom. On the water surface, one could only see small corners of lotus leaves emerging. Huan Zong returned to awareness from meditation. Opening his eyes and turning to look, Kong Hou was walking toward him from the inner gate.
“Huan Zong.” Seeing he had already spotted her, Kong Hou stopped and waved at Huan Zong. “We’re ready to go.”
“Alright.” Huan Zong stood up and walked toward her.
While Kong Hou had already found Huan Zong, several Jixiang Pavilion disciples in the inner courtyard, using the excuse of returning to their rooms to pack, closed the door and began divining.
“Returning to the sect today—fortune or misfortune?” Ge Jin asked Hong Ling, who was using a spirit rhinoceros horn to divine.
Hong Ling’s expression showed some panic: “Senior martial sister, I—I can’t divine anything.”
A junior martial brother nearby, seeing this, took out his jade turtle shell and began calculating. But the jade turtle shell seemed to have lost its spiritual nature—nothing could be seen.
“You also can’t divine it?” Ge Jin’s expression turned ugly. This junior martial brother was the most talented among their group of martial siblings. Though he entered late, his ability to perceive the great dao was the strongest. Now even he couldn’t divine anything, indicating this journey was full of variables. With their current abilities, they fundamentally couldn’t calculate any trajectory.
“Senior martial sister, what should we do?” Hong Ling said anxiously. “Go or not go?”
Before Ge Jin could speak, a knock sounded at the door. Xianzi Kong Hou spoke from outside: “Fellow daoists, have you finished packing? We’re preparing to depart.”
“Go.” Ge Jin said. “Following Xianzi Kong Hou, fortune and misfortune are uncertain. But if we don’t follow them, we face great misfortune. Of two evils, choose the lesser—we go.” Moreover, two sword cultivators were traveling with them. Powerful sword cultivators could even kill enemies above their level. What did she have to worry about?
Seeing them come out, Huan Zong tossed the flying palace from his sleeve into the air. A magnificent and imposing palace appeared above the rooftop. The Jixiang Pavilion disciples looked up at this exquisite and beautiful flying palace. So sword cultivators not only had formidable cultivation but were also especially wealthy.
“Kong Hou, come.” Huan Zong pointed in the air. An arched bridge leading to the flying palace appeared, emitting gold and silver colored light in the air.
Young ladies liked these shiny things, so he’d show her more of them.
“What a beautiful bridge.” Kong Hou flew up and stepped onto the bridge, looking down. The wind stirred her hair. Her smiling appearance was even more brilliant than the sun just rising at the eastern horizon.
Huan Zong thought—such an adorable young lady, anyone would want to treat her well, even better.
He walked to Kong Hou’s side and said to her: “That technique you used last night—after returning to my room, I learned it.”
“The butterfly transformation one?” Kong Hou turned to look. “Huan Zong, you’re amazing. You learned it so quickly?”
“Want to see?” Huan Zong asked.
“Yes!”
Huan Zong formed a finger seal. A pair of golden butterfly wings suddenly appeared behind Kong Hou. The wings carried Kong Hou flying to the flying palace’s observation deck, then transformed into countless butterflies disappearing between heaven and earth.
The Jixiang Pavilion disciples standing in the courtyard stared dumbly at this scene. After a long while, Hong Ling finally stammered: “Do personal disciples of great sects usually play like this?”
“Don’t speak carelessly.” Ge Jin glanced at the silent Lin Hu nearby and said to her junior martial brothers and sisters: “All of you, follow me up.”
Wait—the hexagram today said she should step with her left foot, but when she stepped onto the bridge, she seemed to have stepped with her right foot?
Upon reaching the flying palace, Lin Hu poured a bag of spirit stones into the ceremonial furnace in the flying palace’s main hall. He sent a strand of divine sense into it, and the flying palace flew at extreme speed toward the outskirts of Yan City.
“Senior martial brother, Zhenren Huan Zong has left by flying palace.” A junior martial brother pushed open the door and entered the room, his voice somewhat anxious.
“He was never going to stay long in Yan City.” An He raised his hand. “Let him go. From now on, increase the annual gifts sent to Liuguang Sect by twenty percent.”
He didn’t know if it was his imagination, but why did he feel… that senior martial brother not only wasn’t regretful about Zhenren Huan Zong’s departure, but seemed to have a hint of seeing him off with relief?