A year passed, and Dao Lord Jinghe still had not emerged from his cave abode. According to the maidservants, the Patriarch had not made a single sound all year; the seclusion chamber remained utterly quiet.
When Qin Xi and Mo Tiange heard this, they exchanged a surprised glance. It wasn't that they were shocked by the severity of their master's injury, but rather, that he had actually managed to hold his tongue for so long—truly remarkable.
The two of them went together to the seclusion chamber. As before, after Qin Xi performed a set of hand seals, Dao Lord Jinghe's voice came from within: "Xi'er, Tian Ge, do you need something?"
Before entering seclusion this time, Dao Lord Jinghe had said he would not emerge for ten years. It had only been one year.
Qin Xi raised his voice: "Master, we have a matter on which we'd like your opinion."
No further sound came from the seclusion chamber. After a moment, the stone door slowly opened.
After they entered, the stone door closed. Mo Tiange saw Dao Lord Jinghe seated in meditation, regulating his breath and healing his injuries. His complexion looked much better; at least the sense of aged frailty was gone. She felt slightly relieved. It seemed her master's injuries had improved significantly.
"Master, how are your injuries?"
Dao Lord Jinghe opened his eyes, saw them, and smiled. "Fortunately, you two retrieved those spirit medicines. My injuries are much better. Moreover, I might even turn misfortune into blessing."
Mo Tiange and Qin Xi were puzzled. They looked at each other, simultaneously thinking of one possibility, and exclaimed with joy: "Master, do you have a chance to advance?"
Dao Lord Jinghe nodded. Although his appearance had not yet fully recovered, his expression regained its former spiritedness. "Correct. Over this year of secluded healing, I have gained some insights. The late Nascent Soul stage no longer seems like an insurmountable chasm as it did before."
This was an unexpected delight. Both Qin Xi and Mo Tiange were overjoyed, congratulating him in unison: "Congratulations, Master."
Dao Lord Jinghe, however, waved his hand and tempered his expression. "It's merely a possibility. To fully recover from my injuries will take at least twenty or thirty years of work, let alone advancing?" After saying this, he asked them, "You came here. What did you want to ask?"
"Yes." Qin Xi spoke first. "Master, following your advice, I entered seclusion a year ago, while Tian Ge went out to travel..."
Subsequently, the two of them briefly recounted Mo Tiange's experiences over the past year.
After listening, Dao Lord Jinghe first probed Mo Tiange's cultivation level and praised, "Not bad. Although you've just advanced to the mid-stage, your spiritual energy is very stable. The two of you cultivating together truly is a match made in heaven."
"..." Mentioning their dual cultivation still made Mo Tiange somewhat embarrassed. She immediately changed the subject: "Master, give us your opinion. What should we do now?"
"What should you do?" Dao Lord Jinghe was surprised. "What you should do is, of course, up to you. Why ask me?"
"Master!" Mo Tiange widened her eyes. "We came to ask for your opinion!"
Dao Lord Jinghe spread his hands. "My opinion is that you should decide for yourselves."
"..." Mo Tiange and Qin Xi were simultaneously speechless.
After thinking for a moment, Qin Xi said, "Master, I think letting Tian Ge go to Yunzhong alone is too dangerous. What do you think?"
"Dangerous?" Dao Lord Jinghe's gaze swept over Mo Tiange, then turned to Qin Xi. "When you were at mid Core Formation and wanted to go do something, did I ever stop you?"
"..." Qin Xi's face flushed slightly. "No." In fact, after forming his Core, aside from seclusion, he rarely stayed at the sect. He often went out for several years at a time...
But he felt this was different and emphasized, "But she's going to Yunzhong..."
Dao Lord Jinghe curled his lip. "So what about Yunzhong? Is it any different from Tianji? Do high-level cultivators run rampant in the streets there? Or are Core Formation cultivators especially formidable?"
Qin Xi was rendered completely speechless.
Mo Tiange asked somewhat happily, "Master, you don't object?"
No sooner had she spoken than Dao Lord Jinghe turned and glared at her. "You want to go to such a distant place. Have you prepared everything? Have you arranged all matters? What's your plan?"
Mo Tiange was made sheepish by the three questions. "Isn't that why we're asking for your opinion, Master? If we decide to go, of course we'll arrange everything properly..."
"Hmph!" Dao Lord Jinghe was utterly blunt. "That's easy to say, but you two are cut from the same cloth. You've already made up your mind, so why ask? Isn't it just to get me to help persuade someone?"
"..." Thus, Mo Tiange was also rendered completely speechless.
"For this sort of thing, you specially come to disturb my seclusion? How boring! Both of you, get out! Whether to go or not, think it over yourselves and just come tell me when you've decided. How old are you..."
Amid Dao Lord Jinghe's complaints, the two of them were thus unceremoniously kicked out.
Outside the seclusion chamber, the stone door behind them shut firmly, leaving Qin Xi and Mo Tiange outside. They looked at each other, seeing mutual helplessness in each other's eyes.
There was nothing for it. They had to return first.
They walked back to their cave abode in silence, each preoccupied with their own thoughts.
As soon as they opened the stone door to their cave abode, Ye Zhenji's cheerful voice immediately greeted them: "Aunt, Master, you're back!"
Mo Tiange forced a smile and looked up, then froze.
Beside Ye Zhenji stood a Foundation Establishment female disciple, wearing the robes of the Xuanqing Sect. She was simple, clean, refined, and gentle. Though not stunningly beautiful, she was still quite striking.
Seeing them, the woman bowed in greeting: "Patriarch Shoujing, Uncle-Master Qingwei."
Hearing her voice, Mo Tiange recognized her: it was Shui Linbo. By the looks of it, her injuries were mostly healed?
"No need for formalities." Qin Xi merely replied indifferently, then looked at Ye Zhenji. "Are you planning to move back here?"
Ye Zhenji looked at them, somewhat embarrassed, and scratched his head. "Master..." Wasn't this teasing him for always staying with Linbo at Mingxin Residence?
Knowing he was thin-skinned, Mo Tiange shot Qin Xi a glare, then smiled at them. "Linbo, are your injuries healed?"
Hearing this, Shui Linbo stepped forward and performed a deep bow of respect. "Many thanks for Uncle-Master Qingwei's great kindness. By your grace, this disciple's injuries are much better."
Mo Tiange nodded with a smile. Shui Linbo's conduct was proper; she seemed even more steady and reliable than Ye Zhenji.
"Aunt!" Ye Zhenji said happily, "You've been away for so long again. I haven't even congratulated you on your advancement yet!"
Mo Tiange smiled. "You too—your cultivation has progressed again during this time. However, you must continue to work hard. You've been stuck at mid Foundation Establishment for so long; it's time to think of a way to advance to the late stage."
"Yes, I know. I've been cultivating diligently, Aunt. Don't worry."
After offering a few more words of encouragement, Mo Tiange said, "Zhenji, your master and I still have matters to discuss. Please make yourselves at home."
"...Oh, alright." Ye Zhenji replied, watching as the two of them returned to the cultivation chamber and closed the stone door.
Seeing them, Mo Tiange remembered to ask: "Are Shui Linbo's injuries mostly healed?"
"More or less." Qin Xi wasn't very concerned. "According to Zhenji, that Junior-Nephew Hanzhuo from Lingyin Peak is exceptionally skilled in medicine. Using some unknown method, he repaired her dantian. She's just recently recovered enough these past days to move about."
Hanzhuo was Kuang Zhu's Daoist title, though Mo Tiange felt his original name, Kuang Zhu, suited that Senior Brother best.
Mentioning this, Qin Xi asked again: "Regarding this Shui Linbo, what exactly are your thoughts?"
Mo Tiange was taken aback, then asked in return: "What thoughts? Zhenji likes her. Why should I have any thoughts?"
"Weren't you considering taking her as a disciple because you found her agreeable?"
"Oh, that." Mo Tiange remembered she had indeed said that. After pondering a moment, she said, "Even if I wanted to take her as a disciple, with my imminent departure, now isn't the right time. Besides, if I took her as my disciple, for her it would be like ascending to heaven in a single step. It might even hinder her cultivation. It's better to let her grow naturally for now."
"You have a point there." Qin Xi thought it over and agreed with her opinion. "To be serious, she does seem like a talent. Since she's recovered somewhat, she often comes to help Zhenji manage the cave abode. I've noticed she handles affairs even more steadily than Zhenji. I just don't trust her fully yet, so some matters aren't convenient to entrust to her."
On this topic, Mo Tiange smiled. "During my trip to the coastal region, I took the opportunity to inquire. What she said was true; her background isn't fabricated. Of course, even if we nurture her, I think we should proceed gradually. She wasn't formally accepted into the sect as a disciple. If she ascended too quickly, it might actually make it difficult for her to get along with other disciples."
"That's true." Qin Xi agreed. "In that case, once her injuries are fully healed, let her choose another cave abode and be registered like an ordinary disciple. However, we can note in the Duty Hall that she works for us here. If she proves truly reliable and capable, worth nurturing, then we can logically accept her as a disciple. This way, with her constantly guiding and reminding him, we won't have to worry about Zhenji. Moreover, having disciples handle affairs for us in the future will allow us to focus on cultivation."
Mo Tiange considered this and felt his idea was good, so she had no objections. "Alright, let's do that then."
In the Xuanqing Sect, after becoming a Core Formation cultivator, one basically rarely appeared in public. Affairs were also handled by disciples. Few were like Mo Tiange and Qin Xi. Qin Xi only had Ye Zhenji as a disciple, and Mo Tiange simply hadn't had time to accept one yet. Now, the two of them should also consider this matter. Otherwise, without trusted disciples within the sect, things could sometimes be very inconvenient.
After discussing this matter, the two fell into silence.
A moment later, they both spoke simultaneously: "I..." Seeing the other also wanted to speak, they both closed their mouths.
The two stared at each other for a moment. Mo Tiange cleared her throat and said, "That matter... do you agree?"
After circling around, they finally reached the main point. Qin Xi was silent for a moment before sighing. "I know... actually, Master was speaking in your favor..."
"But Master also scolded me." Mo Tiange muttered.
"That's true, but..." Qin Xi smiled wryly. "Alright. Going to Yunzhong isn't a big deal. You're already a Core Formation cultivator. You can handle many things completely on your own." Recalling his own experiences after forming his Core—daring to go to all sorts of dangerous places—it was precisely those experiences that allowed him to grow rapidly. Thinking of it this way, Tian Ge traveling more was actually a good thing.
Now that he had no objections, Mo Tiange instead felt somewhat embarrassed. She thought for a moment and said, "How about this: I'll still leave the specific route with you. If I don't return for a long time and you're worried, you can come find me..."
"Mm." Qin Xi softly acknowledged, then instructed, "Don't forget Master Ziyi's request. The Duty Hall has been helping you search for clues these days. Once we have leads, I'll accompany you to settle this matter."
"I remember."