"Head Senior Sister, what should we do?" Luo Fengxue asked anxiously.
Han Qingyu didn't speak, but her expression remained calm. After glancing at Wei Jiasi lying on the bed, she made a decision: "First, let's wake Second Junior Sister."
"Yes," Luo Fengxue nodded repeatedly. Having guessed the demon beasts' movements, she felt anxious inside. Han Qingyu's decision suited her temperament perfectly.
"Tiange, come help."
Mo Tiange responded and approached the bedside. Han Qingyu and Luo Fengxue helped Wei Jiasi sit up.
Han Qingyu looked up and said, "Tiange, you now have Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivation. In a moment, work with me to infuse spiritual qi into Second Junior Sister's Dantian and Sea of Consciousness to awaken her Primordial Spirit."
"Understood," Mo Tiange nodded. She sat behind Wei Jiasi alongside Han Qingyu, awaiting her command.
"When I count to three, channel your spiritual qi into her Lingtai acupoint. At first, the spiritual qi within her body will automatically resist. You must persist. Once I free my hands, I'll lend you assistance."
"Alright."
"Starting now, one, two, three!"
As soon as the words fell, Mo Tiange immediately raised her hand, condensed qi in her palm, and pressed it against the Lingtai acupoint on Wei Jiasi's back. Han Qingyu, meanwhile, directly pressed against her Baihui acupoint.
"Fengxue, watch your Second Senior Sister. If she can't hold on, feed her a Spirit-Nourishing Pill."
"Yes, Head Senior Sister."
Mo Tiange's spiritual qi was of pure Yin attribute, cold and gentle. Once it entered through the Lingtai acupoint, she immediately felt the spiritual qi encountering resistance from Wei Jiasi's meridians—a force greater than her own.
Actually, although Foundation Establishment differed from Qi Refining in classification, generally divided only into early, middle, and late stages, these three minor realms were also subdivided into nine levels. Levels one to three were early Foundation Establishment, four to six were mid-stage, and seven to nine were late-stage. The so-called Perfect Foundation Establishment meant reaching the tenth level, separated from Core Formation by only a hair's breadth.
Currently, Luo Fengxue had just advanced and was at the first level. Han Qingyu had not long entered late-stage Foundation Establishment and was still at the seventh level. As for Mo Tiange and Wei Jiasi, although both were at mid-stage Foundation Establishment, Wei Jiasi had been lingering at the Foundation Establishment realm for nearly a hundred years. Though still mid-stage, she was already at the sixth level, while Mo Tiange had just broken through and was only at the fourth.
For Qi Refining cultivators, a two-level gap already significantly affected combat strength, let alone at Foundation Establishment? The moment Mo Tiange's spiritual qi entered Wei Jiasi's meridians, the pressure from the rebound made her frown.
However, in the next instant, she activated the Spirit-Hiding Pendant. This pendant originally served to conceal constitution and gather spiritual energy. Its spirit-gathering effect could make the wearer's spells more refined. After Zhong Muling re-forged it, this effect became even more pronounced.
A stream of refined spiritual qi flowed from the Spirit-Hiding Pendant. Mo Tiange immediately felt the pressure lessen. Moreover, her spiritual qi's attribute was pure Yin—soft yet resilient—allowing her to skillfully deflect Wei Jiasi's rebounding force and proceed along her meridians toward the Dantian.
Han Qingyu glanced at her in surprise. She had originally intended to free her hands later to help, never expecting Mo Tiange to break free from the restraint alone. However, considering this nominal junior sister had encountered many fortuitous opportunities, perhaps her spiritual qi had some special properties. She didn't comment further and focused on slowly guiding her own spiritual qi downward.
Not long after, Mo Tiange's and Han Qingyu's spiritual qi converged at the Dantian. Then, this combined stream followed the special channel between the Dantian and the Sea of Consciousness, deeply infiltrating the Sea of Consciousness.
For a moment, expressions of pain appeared simultaneously on both their faces, making Luo Fengxue watch nervously.
Mo Tiange indeed felt tremendous pressure at the Sea of Consciousness. The Sea of Consciousness was where the Primordial Spirit resided, extremely distant from the Dantian, yet the Dantian was the only place connected to it. To enter the Sea of Consciousness, one had to pass through the Dantian where spiritual energy was stored. The spiritual pressure at the Dantian, with their combined efforts, didn't feel too uncomfortable. However, upon entering the narrow channel to the Sea of Consciousness, both felt powerless, only able to advance slowly, bit by bit.
Finally, their spiritual qi entered the vast, boundless Sea of Consciousness. The two of them sighed in relief and located the slumbering Primordial Spirit within.
"We must be extremely careful. The Primordial Spirit of an ordinary cultivator is very fragile. Even such weak spiritual qi could cause spiritual sense pain. Let's first envelop her Primordial Spirit, then I'll apply pressure slowly."
"Yes, Senior Sister Han."
Mo Tiange steadily manipulated her spiritual qi, following Han Qingyu's instructions. With the help of the Spirit-Hiding Pendant, her control over spiritual qi was extremely precise. She gently spread her spiritual qi, laying it over Wei Jiasi's Primordial Spirit, then ceased movement.
Han Qingyu was much more cautious. After a series of complex manipulations, Wei Jiasi's eyelashes fluttered, and a pained expression appeared on her face.
"Fengxue, Spirit-Nourishing Pill!"
Luo Fengxue responded and immediately took out a Spirit-Nourishing Pill to feed her.
Wei Jiasi's Primordial Spirit stabilized instantly. Then, she opened her eyes.
"Second Junior Sister, don't move! Wait for us to withdraw our spiritual qi from your meridians before you use your own spiritual qi."
Hearing Han Qingyu's shout, Wei Jiasi was momentarily stunned but immediately complied.
Mo Tiange and Han Qingyu expended more effort before finally extracting their spiritual qi from her meridians.
Losing this spiritual qi didn't matter much to them, but the Sea of Consciousness was an extremely fragile place. If they accidentally left spiritual qi inside, Wei Jiasi would be in trouble.
"Whew…" Having manipulated spiritual qi for such a delicate task for the first time, Mo Tiange felt utterly exhausted. Luo Fengxue hurriedly helped her down, fed her a pill, then returned to ask Wei Jiasi, "Second Senior Sister, how are you?"
Wei Jiasi opened her eyes, seeming somewhat confused: "I… what happened to me…"
Han Qingyu said gently, "Second Junior Sister, you and Tiange encountered an accident. You were bewitched by an illusion formation. But it's fine now. Don't think too much about it. Rest first. I'll tell you the details later."
"…" Wei Jiasi didn't say anything, lowering her head in a daze as if trying to recall.
"Second Senior Sister?" Luo Fengxue sounded worried.
After a long while, Wei Jiasi came to her senses and shook her head: "I'm fine, don't worry. What's the current situation?"
Han Qingyu smiled: "With me here, what is there to worry about? Second Junior Sister, rest well. Once you've recovered your spirits, I'll discuss everything with you in detail."
"Mm." Wei Jiasi's expression shifted, but she finally nodded.
This reassured Han Qingyu and Luo Fengxue. They stood up and said, "Then rest. We won't disturb you."
"Wait—" Wei Jiasi looked up, her gaze sweeping over Mo Tiange. "Tiange, I'd like to speak with you."
Mo Tiange was taken aback. She glanced at Han Qingyu and Luo Fengxue. Luo Fengxue's brow furrowed slightly, while Han Qingyu pondered for a moment before giving her a meaningful look and smiling. "Tiange, since there's nothing else, stay and accompany your Senior Sister Wei for now."
Receiving that look, Mo Tiange nodded: "Understood, Senior Sister Han."
After Han Qingyu and Luo Fengxue left, Mo Tiange approached, straightened the bed, and helped Wei Jiasi sit up: "Does Senior Sister Wei have something to tell me?"
Wei Jiasi remained silent, but her gaze lingered on Mo Tiange, filled with scrutiny and assessment.
Mo Tiange stopped her hands and quietly sat on the edge of the bed. Han Qingyu's meaning was for her to be more tolerant—after all, Wei Jiasi had always been this sort of temperament, and now she was injured besides. Mo Tiange didn't mind this to begin with, so she complied. Now, with Wei Jiasi looking at her like this, she still didn't feel displeased. Her childhood had been harsh; she was accustomed to the fickleness of human relationships. How could she take such things seriously?
She didn't know how much time passed before Wei Jiasi finally spoke: "Tiange, do you know why I asked you to stay?" Her tone, however, was calm.
Mo Tiange steadied her heart, slightly tugged the corner of her mouth, revealing a faint smile: "I don't know."
Wei Jiasi closed her eyes, seemingly lost in thought. After a long while, she opened them again and continued speaking calmly: "I… I remember doing something bad to you in the illusion. So I think I have a responsibility to explain."
"Senior Sister doesn't need to do this," Mo Tiange didn't want to hear those words. "Senior Sister owes me nothing, much less has wronged me. You were merely influenced by the illusion. What is there to explain?"
"No!" Wei Jiasi looked at her firmly, her eyes stubborn. "Although my temperament isn't good—aloof and arrogant—I've never bullied others. If I don't make this clear, I won't feel at ease."
Mo Tiange remained silent for a while, feeling a sense of powerlessness. The issues between her and Wei Jiasi were actually all Wei Jiasi's own feelings; they had nothing to do with her. Yet now…
She sighed: "Alright. Whatever Senior Sister Wei wants to say, I'll listen."
Having obtained her agreement, Wei Jiasi's gaze softened, and she smiled—a rare occurrence. She was actually a beautiful woman, with delicate eyebrows and a face like spring. If she smiled more often, she would surely be very amiable and lovely.
After thinking for a while, Wei Jiasi spoke softly: "Tiange, I don't like you. You probably know that. But I don't know if you understand the reason…"
"On our Qingquan Peak, the Patriarch is a genius. Besides the deceased Senior Uncle Qingyuan, he has six personal disciples. Our master ranks first, is the oldest, and has taken the most disciples. Over a hundred years ago, Master was still young and had only six or seven disciples under him. Among them, only Head Senior Sister and I were female disciples."
"Although all of us, the Core Formation cultivators' direct disciples, have dual spiritual root aptitudes, some are better, some worse. Mine was the best among them, so my cultivation advanced very quickly, often surpassing even the senior brothers. It could be said I was the foremost among the Patriarch's third-generation disciples. As time passed, I gradually developed a sense of pride."
"Senior Uncle Shoujing arrived before I entered the sect. Actually, his age is about the same as us third-generation disciples. Because my aptitude was exceptional, I was accepted as a disciple in my childhood. When I entered the sect, he seemed to have just established his Foundation. Back then, I only knew the Patriarch had a blood-related junior who was a personal disciple, with quite high talent and even better temperament. But I didn't take Senior Uncle seriously, because I thought I would surely surpass him, just as I had surpassed each senior brother one by one. Yet I never imagined that not only would I never achieve this goal, but the gap would grow wider and wider…"
"Senior Uncle established his Foundation at the age of twenty. Before that, Senior Uncle Lingxi from Ganlu Peak had already established his Foundation at seventeen, so it didn't attract much attention. I also thought that for elite disciples like us with high aptitudes, Foundation Establishment was a relatively easy threshold to cross. Establishing Foundation around twenty merely indicated good luck. But I never imagined that day, the first time I saw Senior Uncle…"
Listening to Wei Jiasi's bittersweet and sometimes painful recollection, Mo Tiange remained silent. She felt empty inside, even unable to hear Wei Jiasi's voice clearly.
What was the point of telling her this? Should she rejoice or sigh for it?
"…Tiange, I'm sorry. I thought I had my emotions well under control, but in the illusion formation, they were fully exposed, and I even had thoughts of harming someone… Fengxue was right. I've gone further and further down this path and can no longer control myself. Because Senior Uncle is good to you, although I forcefully suppressed it, I felt resentful inside. Actually, after fainting, I still retained consciousness. I thought for a very, very long time…"
"I know if I still want to achieve something on the path of cultivation, I must let go. But I tried and tried. When I thought of letting go, I felt I would have to abandon even my own heart… So I've made up my mind. I don't care anymore. If I can't obtain it, I won't seek it. If I can't let go, I won't force it. Now I'm around a hundred years old, separated from late-stage Foundation Establishment by only a hair's breadth. If I don't form my Core, my lifespan is probably still over two hundred years. In two hundred years, Senior Uncle likely won't have formed his Nascent Soul yet. With Senior Uncle's temperament, if he fails in cultivation, he definitely won't be trapped by emotions. By the time he considers dual cultivation, I'll probably have long since… turned to dust."
At this point, Wei Jiasi smiled at her, her gaze sorrowful yet resolute: "Since that's the case, what am I afraid of? Let this lifetime be like this. No forcing, no clinging. If I can obtain it, I will; if I can't let go, I won't. Foundation Establishment or Core Formation—let it be as fate wills…"
Mo Tiange remained silent. This was the best attitude Wei Jiasi had ever shown her, yet she couldn't muster a smile. Because she clearly sensed the desolation behind these words.
This Senior Sister Wei, no matter who looked at her, was such a proud person. Yet now she was willingly giving up her future prospects. But from another perspective, could this also be considered seeing things clearly? This is my love alone; even the person I love is irrelevant. I alone will guard it. Whether I obtain it or not, whatever the consequences, I don't care.
"Tiange, Senior Uncle he…"
"Senior Sister Wei," Mo Tiange suddenly spoke, interrupting Wei Jiasi. "I think there's no need to tell me these things. What Senior Uncle is like has nothing to do with me."
Wei Jiasi also fell silent, but in the next moment, she gave a light laugh: "Yes, I was confused. Alright, Tiange, regarding past matters, please forgive me. From now on, whether it involves you or not, ultimately my affairs have nothing to do with you."
After Wei Jiasi woke up, Han Qingyu expended more effort to help her recover her strength, finally telling her what had happened.
Wei Jiasi remained silent for a long time and indeed gave the answer they had anticipated: this was definitely a conspiracy.
Since the Danding Sect currently housed many of their senior brothers, junior brothers, and their master, Luo Fengxue grew very anxious and cried out, "Then what should we do now?"
Han Qingyu thought for a moment and said, "Being anxious is useless now. We've already been delayed here for some time. If they intended to set up something, they've likely long since prepared. As for transmission talismans, I've tried. Right now, I don't know if Master has received them."
They were quite far from the Danding Sect. Ordinary transmission talismans couldn't reach that distance unless they were Thousand-Mile or Ten-Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Talismans. Han Qingyu had sent a Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Talisman to Perfected One Xuanyin to report the events here, but such an item was highly likely to be blocked by defensive formations.
"Any news from the Yu Family side?" Wei Jiasi asked.
"None," Han Qingyu shook her head. "I hinted at it to them slightly, but they didn't understand what was happening. The Yu Family Head also tried to send a transmission to the sect. I don't know if he succeeded."
The four fell into silence again.
Currently, returning to the Danding Sect was definitely too late. They couldn't even guarantee their safety. Once a large battle erupted, the best they could hope for was to preserve their lives within the Yu Family by relying on terrain and formation advantages. If they left rashly, with demon beasts running rampant outside, they'd probably…
"Senior Sisters, regarding this matter, I'm afraid waiting is our only option," Mo Tiange said slowly after thinking for a long time. "We're merely four Foundation Establishment cultivators. The Danding Sect has a Nascent Soul cultivator present. Even if they fall into a trap, it probably won't be easy to attack. Perfected One Xuanyin and our senior and junior brothers are guests at the Danding Sect, so they shouldn't be in too much danger. It's us who are in a precarious situation. The Yu Family only has a few Foundation Establishment cultivators, and their cultivation isn't as high as ours. Relying on them definitely won't work."
Han Qingyu pondered for a long time and nodded: "Tiange is right. If those demon beasts engage in a fierce battle with the Danding Sect and can't gain the upper hand, shifting their target would put us in danger."
"Then what should we do?" Luo Fengxue asked.
Wei Jiasi said indifferently, "I think we should wait."
Mo Tiange nodded in agreement.
Seeing their reactions, Han Qingyu also said, "I also agree with waiting. Currently, we can't see the overall situation clearly. It's better to respond to changes with constancy."
With three people speaking this way, Luo Fengxue had nothing more to say: "Alright, I can't think of any other ideas either."
The four thus decided. Han Qingyu would handle negotiations with the Yu Family side. Upon learning of their speculations, the Yu Family Head became very nervous. Cooperation from all sides went without saying.
Mo Tiange found time to enter the Void Heaven Realm, but she sat silently in the small hut for a long while.
Actually, if she stayed inside the Void Heaven Realm without going out, she would naturally be very safe. But what about the Yu Family—though unrelated to her—and Luo Fengxue and the other two?
Reasonably speaking, the Xuanqing Sect had given her a place to settle, provided her cultivation needs—they had kindness toward her, no enmity. Emotionally speaking, the three of them were, after all, her senior and junior sisters. Setting aside Wei Jiasi, Han Qingyu and Luo Fengxue had always taken good care of her. Considering both aspects, she couldn't possibly ignore their safety.
Of course, she could also bring them all into the Void Heaven Realm. But she immediately rejected this idea. The Void Heaven Realm must absolutely not be revealed before others; otherwise, her life would be in certain peril.
After thinking for a while, Mo Tiange made up her mind. Then she would accompany them. She was no longer a powerless Qi Refining junior cultivator. With Foundation Establishment cultivation, she had a certain level of ability. Moreover, she possessed several treasures. Demon beasts weren't adept at using external objects. She had considerable confidence in escaping for her life.
Having decided this, she opened her Qiankun bag and prepared thoroughly.
The magic treasures she possessed were the Purple Wood Cauldron, White Silk Handkerchief, Soul-Bewitching Lamp, and Spirit-Hiding Pendant. Additionally, the Void Heaven Realm also counted as one. Among them, the Purple Wood Cauldron and Void Heaven Realm were useless in combat. The Spirit-Hiding Pendant was auxiliary. Only the White Silk Handkerchief and Soul-Bewitching Lamp could be used for direct attack. As for magical instruments, she had the Flying Sky Shuttle, Qiankun Cloud-Silk Armor, Earth-Evading Ruler, and the flying needles she had recently purchased. The Qiankun Cloud-Silk Armor was worn directly on her body. The Earth-Evading Ruler was for escape. The Flying Sky Shuttle attacked, and the flying needles were for ambush. Additionally, there were talismans and other items bestowed by Perfected One Xuanyin.
If she really counted, she possessed quite a few treasures. Against cultivators of the same level, her chances of victory were high. Against demon beasts, it went without saying. Moreover, she only needed a little time to return to the Void Heaven Realm. This paired perfectly with the Earth-Evading Ruler. She believed that even against a Core Formation cultivator, as long as she acted quickly enough, she wouldn't be completely without a chance to escape.
Thinking of this, Mo Tiange smiled faintly. The Void Heaven Realm and the opportunity from a Deity Transformation cultivator weren't something everyone could encounter. Her current strength was among the top among mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. Even against late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, her chances of victory weren't low. If she couldn't win, she could run. What was there to fear?