"Aunt, Aunt!"
Upon hearing Ye Zhenji's cheerful voice, Mo Tiange emerged from the Xu Heaven Realm. With a wave of her hand, she deactivated the restrictions on the cultivation chamber.
Ye Zhenji rushed in, his face beaming with a smile.
"What is it?"
Ye Zhenji ran over, looking up at her. "Aunt, when I went to the Meng School today, Ji An and the others saw me and ran far away! It was hilarious!"
Mo Tiange smiled and patted his head. "Are you happy?"
"Yes!" Ye Zhenji nodded vigorously. "I used to think, once I establish my Foundation, I'll knock them all down and make them dare not bully me again!"
Mo Tiange chuckled. Back in Mo Village, she had harbored similar thoughts—study well, listen to Mother, and when she grew up, she'd make Tian Jun and the others pay! In the end, Tian Jun stopped bullying her, and she embarked on a completely different path.
"Even though they no longer dare bully you now, you must still strive to establish your Foundation. You cannot rely on others forever, understand?"
"Yes, Aunt. I will cultivate diligently and not bring shame upon you," Ye Zhenji said seriously. "I know my aptitude isn't good, but before coming to Kunwu, Patriarch Grandfather said diligence can compensate for clumsiness. As long as I cultivate diligently, there is still hope for me to advance."
"Good that you understand." Mo Tiange nodded with a smile. "At the beginning, Aunt's aptitude was even worse than yours, yet I still managed to establish my Foundation. So, while innate talent is important, the effort and opportunities gained later in life should not be underestimated."
Ye Zhenji blinked. He understood the latter part, but what did the first part mean?
"Aunt, they say you were accepted as a disciple by the Ancestral Master even though you were only at Foundation Establishment because your talent surpasses even a single spirit root. Why do you say your aptitude was poor? If it was poor, the Ancestral Master wouldn't have taken you as a disciple, right?"
"Hmm... both statements aren't wrong. Aunt's spirit root is a very special kind. Before establishing my Foundation, I always thought my aptitude was terrible. It wasn't until after I established my Foundation that I realized it wasn't the case."
"Oh... But in that case, wasn't Aunt's successful Foundation Establishment also because of your good aptitude?"
This question gave Mo Tiange pause. The heavenly phenomenon triggered during her Foundation Establishment had indeed made her suspicious for a long time. She didn't know if her success was due to her Hunyuan Spirit Root, or perhaps because of the Su Nü Art. Although before Foundation Establishment she had no idea what a Hunyuan Spirit Root was and was practically a waste spirit root, perhaps during her advancement she had benefited from the Hunyuan Spirit Root after all.
"... Not entirely. Aunt also endured great hardship during the Qi Refining stage. Back then, it was my Second Uncle who took care of me, providing me with large amounts of medicinal pills for cultivation. That's why I had the day of establishing my Foundation. The bitterness involved is not something easily conveyed to outsiders."
Ye Zhenji thought for a moment, then smiled again. "I understand. Aunt had Granduncle to take care of you, and I have Aunt to take care of me. I will strive to advance like you did."
This child was clever and sensible, hardly needing constant supervision. An occasional reminder was enough. Mo Tiange smiled and patted his head. "Good that you know. Alright, enough dilly-dallying. Go cultivate!"
"Okay, I'm going." Ye Zhenji obediently agreed and returned to his cultivation.
Mo Tiange closed her eyes and released her spiritual sense.
The cultivation technique Ye Zhenji practiced was the same as all entry-level disciples—the Xuanqing Sect's most fundamental set of techniques, the Southern Splendor Heart Sutra.
In fact, all entry-level disciples of the Xuanqing Sect, regardless of aptitude, spirit root, or status, first had to cultivate the Southern Splendor Heart Sutra to lay a solid foundation. When Mo Tiange joined the sect a few years ago, though not as a newly admitted disciple, she had briefly studied it. This Daoist scripture was indeed an ideal introductory technique. It didn't require specific spirit root attributes, its cultivation speed wasn't fast, and it couldn't be used for combat, but it fostered enlightenment of the Dao of Heaven and Earth, cultivated a transcendent heart, and nurtured one's nature and temperament. If one properly cultivated the Southern Splendor Heart Sutra to completion before practicing other techniques, many mental barriers would be reduced.
Although Ye Zhenji's spirit roots weren't prominent, he had a good grasp of Daoist scriptures, and his temperament and comprehension were decent. After observing for a while and seeing his cultivation proceeding smoothly, Mo Tiange stopped paying further attention and entered the Xu Heaven Realm to continue her own cultivation.
Time passed quickly. After finishing her cultivation, Mo Tiange followed her usual routine: handling miscellaneous affairs at Shangqing Palace, going to the Meng School, giving Ye Zhenji a little guidance, and then entering the Xu Heaven Realm to cultivate. This cycle repeated.
Two years passed in such peaceful days, and Qingquan Peak witnessed two major events simultaneously.
The first was that Perfected One Xuanyin was about to enter seclusion to attempt a breakthrough to Nascent Soul.
Upon learning this, Mo Tiange was delighted. Senior Brother Xuanyin was Master's first and foremost disciple, not only the earliest to join but also the one with the best aptitude. He was now over four hundred years old but had remained at the Core Formation stage, which had long seemed strange. Now that he was finally entering seclusion to attempt the Nascent Soul breakthrough, Mo Tiange silently prayed that this Senior Uncle—or rather, Senior Brother—who had always taken care of her, would succeed smoothly. If Senior Brother Xuanyin truly succeeded in forming his Nascent Soul, she would have to address him as Senior Uncle Xuanyin.
According to the rules of the cultivation world, once one reached Nascent Soul, they became a Grandmaster of a generation. Although the master who took them in remained their master, fellow disciples still had to change their form of address based on cultivation realm.
The second event was that Perfected One Shoujing, after two years in seclusion, had successfully advanced to late-stage Core Formation.
When Mo Tiange heard this, she merely smiled and said nothing. Later, when she encountered Luo Fengxue, whose words probed her feelings, she calmly deflected them without revealing anything.
Truth be told, she hadn't even met this "Senior Brother Shoujing." When she formally entered Master's tutelage two years ago, this Senior Brother Shoujing was already in seclusion and usually never left his cave abode.
These two events were neither major nor minor. Over the past two years handling affairs at Shangqing Palace, Mo Tiange had gradually approached the Xuanqing Sect's center of power and learned some things.
The Xuanqing Sect had five Nascent Soul cultivators in total. Among them, the Head Supreme Elder, Dao Lord Zhenyang, was at the late-stage Nascent Soul realm. Dao Lord Jinghe was at the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm. The remaining three—Dao Lord Lingxu, Dao Lord Miaoyi, and Dao Lord Huayan—were all at the early-stage Nascent Soul realm.
While Dao Lord Zhenyang was undoubtedly the pillar of the Xuanqing Sect, the other Nascent Soul cultivators were also fundamental to the sect. Losing even one Nascent Soul cultivator would significantly diminish the sect's strength. Currently, Dao Lord Lingxu's lifespan was nearing its end. At most, within a hundred years, this Dao Lord would pass away.
This was also the reason Perfected One Xuanyin was entering seclusion to attempt the Nascent Soul breakthrough, and why Perfected One Shoujing's advancement to late-stage Core Formation was met with such joy. The passing of one Nascent Soul cultivator required another to fill the vacancy to ensure the sect's strength and status.
Of course, these matters had little to do with her yet. At the moment, Mo Tiange was facing something that left her torn between laughter and tears.
"Senior Sister Mo!" Mo Tiange, having been sent by her master to handle business at the Main Peak, was already proceeding with caution. Yet, she still heard that voice, filled with pleasant surprise and tender affection, call out from behind her. She instantly had the impulse to immediately step onto her White Silk Kerchief and fly straight back to her cave abode.
Adjusting her expression, Mo Tiange turned around with a slight smile. "Junior Brother Bai."
This Junior Brother Bai was not Zhan Bai. Although Zhan Bai was often called Xiao Bai, Senior Uncle Bai, or Junior Brother Bai, his surname was Zhan. This one genuinely had the surname Bai, given name Yanfei. He was a disciple under the tutelage of the Xuanqing Sect's Head Supreme Elder, Dao Lord Zhenyang, possessing a single spirit root talent that emerged only once in a hundred years. Upon entering the mountain gate, he had been exceptionally accepted as a disciple by Dao Lord Zhenyang. Now, this Junior Brother Bai was twenty-five years old and had been at Foundation Establishment for three years.
Since being formally accepted as a disciple by Dao Lord Jinghe, Mo Tiange had been entrusted with almost all affairs of Shangqing Palace. Even some matters involving interactions between Supreme Elders were assigned to her. Consequently, she gradually came into contact with the true prodigies within the sect.
These so-called prodigies could be considered the elite among elite disciples. Back in Misty Cloud Sect, Foundation Establishment cultivators could take disciples, so elite disciples were only slightly better than ordinary ones. It was different in a major sect like the Xuanqing Sect; only Core Formation cultivators had the qualification to take disciples. Those who could become disciples under a Core Formation cultivator naturally possessed exceptional talent, and their temperament and comprehension couldn't be lacking. Such elite disciples were far superior to ordinary disciples. However, the title of "prodigy" was reserved only for disciples under Nascent Soul cultivators, and they had to be particularly outstanding in cultivation.
For example, their Qingquan Peak had one: Perfected One Shoujing. He began cultivating at eight, entered the sect and immediately became a disciple of Dao Lord Jinghe, established his Foundation at twenty, and formed his Core at seventy-eight. He was among the batch of Core Formation cultivators in the Xuanqing Sect who were most expected to form a Nascent Soul.
Having become a disciple of Dao Lord Jinghe, Mo Tiange herself could also be considered one. Young, yet already at mid-stage Foundation Establishment, valued by her master and carrying high hopes, Core Formation was inevitable, and there was a strong possibility of forming a Nascent Soul.
This Bai Yanfei was the same. In terms of status, he was the closed-door disciple of the Head Supreme Elder, Dao Lord Zhenyang. In terms of cultivation, he established his Foundation at twenty-two and was now twenty-five, his future limitless.
If it were before, Mo Tiange wouldn't have dared believe she could interact with someone of such status. But now, she only had a headache.
It started like this: running errands for her master was now her responsibility. Coincidentally, a few days ago, she went to Dao Lord Zhenyang's cave abode on her master's business. For some reason, as soon as this Junior Brother Bai saw her, not only was he excessively enthusiastic, but he also frequently invited her to meet.
At first, Mo Tiange thought there was no harm in associating with such a person. Only after going a few times did she realize something was off.
This Junior Brother Bai's behavior towards her was clearly not typical interaction between senior and junior disciples; it carried distinct undertones of pursuit.
Upon realizing this, whenever Bai Yanfei invited her again, she found various excuses to decline. Yet, for some reason, the more she refused, the more persistent he became. Almost every time she left Shangqing Palace, this person would somehow learn of her whereabouts and stick to her, pretending it was a coincidence. It had gotten to the point where Mo Tiange recently dared not go out.
But not daring to go out didn't mean she didn't have to. Tasks assigned by her master had to be done. If she accidentally encountered Bai Yanfei, she could only pretend not to notice and find a way to shake him off.
This situation felt strange to Mo Tiange. In her youth, she had always disguised herself as a boy. After coming to the Xuanqing Sect and dressing as a girl, she had been under Dao Lord Jinghe's wing, so she had never experienced any sort of pursuit. Suddenly having one appear, yet she wanted nothing more than to avoid it.
Seeing no displeasure in her brows, Bai Yanfei smiled and approached. To be fair, he was quite handsome. Combined with being Dao Lord Zhenyang's closed-door disciple, he had quite a few admirers. It was just that Mo Tiange felt absolutely nothing.
"Senior Sister Mo," Bai Yanfei said to her with a smile. "Long time no see."
This time, Mo Tiange had indeed been hiding for a long time. She had even requested Dao Lord Jinghe to excuse her from the Meng School, holing up in Shangqing Palace every day without stepping foot outside.
One doesn't strike a smiling face. Regardless of Bai Yanfei's intentions, he was always polite and respectful in person. Mo Tiange thus smiled and replied, "It's nothing. I've been cultivating a secret technique recently, so I haven't had time to go out."
"Really?" Bai Yanfei's eyes lit up. "What secret technique? Could Senior Sister share it so we can study it together?"
If you could just say it out loud, would it still be a secret technique? Mo Tiange paused, forcing a smile. "Junior Brother Bai, what brings you here? Do you have business to attend to?"
"You could say that..." Bai Yanfei said vaguely, then continued, "Senior Sister, it's been so long since we last met. Since we've run into each other, how about we get together properly?"
"This... isn't very convenient," Mo Tiange said. "My master still has tasks to assign me. Junior Brother Bai, I'm sorry, but I must be going." Slippery as an eel, she immediately stepped onto her White Silk Kerchief and flew towards Qingquan Peak.
"Senior Sister!" Bai Yanfei called out after her. Mo Tiange didn't dare linger at all, not even looking back.
Flying back to Qingquan Peak, she rushed into Shangqing Palace. Seeing that Bai Yanfei hadn't followed, Mo Tiange finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She was truly afraid of this Junior Brother Bai. She really couldn't understand. Although her current status was unusual and her aptitude wasn't bad anymore, the Xuanqing Sect had many female cultivators who were both beautiful and outstanding in cultivation. Was it necessary to chase after her like this?
"What's got you running like your backside is on fire?" Dao Lord Jinghe's voice sounded in her ear.
In her haste, Mo Tiange had entered through the main gate. Right inside the main gate was the main hall. Dao Lord Jinghe, who was rarely meditating, had been disturbed by her and was now glaring at her, beard bristling.
"Master." She obediently greeted him.
Dao Lord Jinghe glared at her and ceased his cultivation. "What's going on? I sent you to the Main Peak to deliver a message, and you come back like this? Was there a wolf chasing you?"
"No wolf, but a person," Mo Tiange replied. Having been his disciple for a while, she had grown informal. She found a seat for herself and poured some tea.
"A person?" Dao Lord Jinghe was surprised. "Who was chasing you?"
"Hmm..." After drinking half her tea, Mo Tiange's eyes shifted. She told the truth. "It was Junior Brother Bai Yanfei from Chaoyang Peak."
"Bai Yanfei?" Dao Lord Jinghe thought for a moment. "That disciple of old man Zhenyang's?"
Seeing Mo Tiange nod, Dao Lord Jinghe grew even more surprised. "What was he chasing you for?"
"I find it strange too," Mo Tiange said. "Junior Brother Bai is overly enthusiastic towards people. Ever since I met him, he's been frequently inviting me out. If I don't go, he means well. If I do go, it's really a bit hard to handle."
"Means well?" Dao Lord Jinghe immediately understood and snorted. "That kid has quite the nerve, actually daring to make a move on my disciple!"
"Make a move?" Mo Tiange looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Master, Junior Brother Bai treats me quite well. He hasn't made any moves."
"Hmph!" Dao Lord Jinghe snorted even more forcefully, curling his lip as he glared at her. "Quit pretending! You dare say you didn't intentionally tell me this?"
"..." With her intention exposed, Mo Tiange immediately became earnest. "Yes, Master. I find that kid annoying, but it's not appropriate for me to directly brush him off. So, I wanted to ask Master to intervene."
Hearing this, Dao Lord Jinghe wore an expression that said "that's more like it," proudly raising his head. "Don't play tricks in front of your master. With your measly twenty-some years of life, what could possibly escape me?"
Mo Tiange smiled modestly. "Yes, how could I compare to Master, who's lived over eight hundred years and is practically a spirit?"
Flattered by this bootlicking, Dao Lord Jinghe felt pleased, but after laughing twice, he suddenly realized something was off. "You brat, actually cursing your master as an old immortal?!"
"No such thing!" Mo Tiange immediately clasped her hands together. "Master, I sincerely express my reverence and, incidentally, request that you help me deal with this!"
Dao Lord Jinghe's temperament was such that he loved being flattered and praised. As soon as Mo Tiange adopted this posture, he was appeased, though he still snorted and shot her a sidelong glance, his tone softening. "Fine, tell me, what's the deal with this Bai kid?"
Mo Tiange said, "I'm quite confused myself. I just went to Chaoyang Peak to request an audience with Senior Uncle Zhenyang last time, and Junior Brother Bai received me. After that, he frequently invited me out."
This was the truth. She herself didn't understand. What did this Junior Brother Bai see in her? Cultivation? There were other young female cultivators at mid-stage Foundation Establishment in the sect. There was a senior sister under Senior Aunt Miaoyi from Qingluan Peak, only in her thirties and already at mid-stage Foundation Establishment. Hers was solidly achieved through her own cultivation, unlike Mo Tiange's, which was entirely due toOpportunity (fortuitous encounters). Looks? She admitted she wasn't bad-looking, but in the cultivation world teeming with beauties, she was nothing special. Status? Being a disciple of Nascent Soul Ancestor Dao Lord Jinghe was indeed a very high status. But similarly, that senior sister from Qingluan Peak had all that too, and she wasn't the only one. Under Senior Uncle Lingxu from Liuyun Peak, there was also a junior sister, just over twenty, even younger than her.
After she laid all this out, Dao Lord Jinghe thought for a moment and nodded. "That kid has some taste. Of course my disciple, Qin Jinghe's, is better than others!"
Mo Tiange gritted her teeth. "Master!"
Seeing her glare, Dao Lord Jinghe immediately laughed heartily. "Don't be like that! Master is praising you! Let me tell you, of the two girls you mentioned, the one under Miaoyi isn't as pretty as you. The one under old man Lingxu isn't as smart as you. If the three were placed side by side to choose from, they'd definitely pick you!"
"In my opinion, it's definitely that kid whose Dao heart is unsettled, wanting to find someone for dual cultivation. Yet, his eyes are above his head, unwilling to settle for anyone inferior. Picking and choosing, only a few meet the requirements. The disciples under Miaoyi and old man Lingxu, he's known since childhood and probably doesn't like either. Then, as soon as he sees you, he thinks you're better than the other two, so of course he sticks to you."
This explanation made some sense. Mo Tiange fell silent for a moment. "Master, then help me resolve this. As for dual cultivation, I don't want to consider it for now."
Dao Lord Jinghe puffed up with pride. "Naturally! Thinking he can just casually hook up with my disciple? Not that easy!" He changed the topic, grinning mischievously. "Tiange, are you really not considering dual cultivation? Actually, dual cultivation has quite a few benefits!"
"No!" Mo Tiange refused without a second thought.
"Really not? Let me tell you, forget that Bai kid, Master will pick a good one for you..."
"I said no!"
Rejected so resolutely, Dao Lord Jinghe lost interest. "Fine, fine. Just like that brat, completely unteachable!"
"How can one be taught about such matters? Has Master ever dual cultivated?"
Dao Lord Jinghe was choked by this question, then glared at her angrily. "What's it to you?"
"Then whether I dual cultivate or not is none of Master's business either." Mo Tiange stood up. "I'm going back to cultivate. Anyway, Master, you handle it for me!"