The following day, the apprenticeship ceremony was held very simply. They didn't even go to the Ningxin Hall on Clear Spring Peak, merely serving tea to their masters and listening to their instructions within the cave abode.
These three were only entering disciples, not yet qualified for a grand apprenticeship ceremony. Mo Tiange's own apprenticeship ceremony had been similarly simple, not even having a formal title. One day, Dao Lord Jinghe had simply called her over, she served a cup of tea, and that was it. As for Qin Xi, it went without saying—there hadn't been one at all.
Additionally, Shui Linbo was also called over to serve tea in respect to her masters. Having managed the cave abode diligently all these years, now that new disciples were entering, she, as the first disciple, could no longer remain a nominal disciple.
After the ceremony, the three disciples each selected their own cultivation chambers. Chi Yunshu and Xie Zhengyi chose ones nearby, while Sang Yushu took a fancy to the wooden hut by the Jiyuan Pool.
The days that followed were uneventful and monotonous, consisting of nothing more than cultivation and teaching disciples.
A few days later, Feifei returned.
His first words upon entering Jiyuan Valley were: "Why are there so many people?"
Xiao Guzi came forward to greet him: "Is that you, Uncle-Master Feifei?"
Feifei nodded, looking at him with confusion.
Xiao Guzi said, "We are the stewards managing the cave abode for the two Grandmasters. This is my younger sister, Xiao Zui." He then pointed to Sang Yushu nearby. "This is a newly accepted disciple of Grandmaster Shoujing. Grandmaster Qingwei has accepted four disciples and is currently instructing them."
"Oh..." Feifei flicked his sleeve. "Accepting disciples, what a hassle." With that, he entered the cave.
Not long after entering, he saw a beautiful woman who appeared to be in her mid-twenties leisurely brewing tea in the main hall.
"Who are you?" Feifei looked her up and down. "You look familiar."
The woman glanced at him. "Don't recognize me already?"
"..." Feifei carefully sensed her aura and was startled. "You're Xiaofeng?"
Xiaofeng smiled, gesturing to the seat opposite her. "Care for some tea?"
Brewing tea was Feifei's forte, so he didn't refuse and sat down to have a cup. "Not bad, though a bit inferior to mine."
Xiaofeng glanced at the tea set. "Then you do it?"
When Mo Tiange came out, she was dumbfounded to see the two of them harmoniously brewing and drinking tea.
"What's going on? Is it raining red from the sky?" Mo Tiange looked up, but unfortunately, one couldn't see the sky from inside the cave abode. These two, both with such strong personalities, were actually getting along so peacefully?
Feifei shot her a look. "Do you want us to fight as soon as we meet and tear the cave abode apart?"
Mo Tiange said, "You're not fighting because you can't win, right?"
"..." Feifei was easily defeated. He had to admit that as a recently advanced seventh-rank, even with his White Tiger aura, he was no match for Xiaofeng, who had undergone Human Transformation at the eighth rank and had her bloodline purified.
Xiaofeng smiled faintly. "Divine beasts are almost nonexistent in this world. It's rare to have a fellow of the same kind. Why fight and kill?"
Mo Tiange was more than happy if they thought that way. If they were like when Xiaohuo and Feifei first met, fighting like cats and dogs, how would they live together in the future?
However, she hadn't called Feifei back just to drink tea.
Mo Tiange promptly dragged him into the Void Heaven Realm. "Enough small talk. Go into seclusion."
"Hey, hey, why should I go into seclusion..."
"Not just you. Xiaohuo, Xiaofan, all of you go into seclusion. No one leaves until they reach the eighth rank."
"Hey..."
Mo Tiange tossed him into a cultivation chamber. "The world is in great chaos, heaven and earth are changing. Are you going to cultivate or not?"
Feifei was taken aback. "What?"
"That's what your revered Divine Beast said."
"Huh?" Feifei was even more puzzled.
Mo Tiange couldn't be bothered to explain. She went out, dragged Xiaofeng in as well, and said, "You explain it to him." Then she left.
"This cultivation method is called the Pure Yang Art, a technique specifically for those with a Pure Yang constitution. I have reviewed your original technique; it is merely ordinary and offers no benefit to your constitution. It would be better to switch to this method."
Sang Yushu received the jade slip that slowly flew towards him. After a brief glance, he was greatly astonished and immediately knelt down. "Thank you, Master, for this generous gift."
Although his aptitude was poor, his discernment was extremely sharp. This technique was exceptionally profound and could be considered one of the top-tier methods of the Xuanqing Sect. In the past, he could have exhausted his entire life without obtaining such a technique.
Qin Xi waved his hand and pointed to a small tray beside him, on which were a spirit stone pouch, several jade bottles, and a magical artifact. "These are prepared for you. Although the disciple's regular allotment is not small, your foundation is too weak and your aptitude is poor, so it is far from sufficient. Here is a year's worth of spirit stones and pills, which should be enough for your cultivation needs for a year. As for this magical artifact, it was something I obtained in the past. It can be used for both offense and defense, with endless wonderful applications. Study it carefully."
"Yes, disciple obeys." Sang Yushu kowtowed respectfully.
Qin Xi nodded slightly. "First commit the technique to memory. If there is anything you don't understand, come and ask."
"Yes, disciple takes his leave." After kowtowing, Sang Yushu departed.
Qin Xi, having accepted only this one disciple, had the simplest arrangement. Over on Mo Tiange's side, things were much busier and more chaotic.
In the mornings, she explained formations to Yi Wen and Xi Su; in the afternoons, she taught Xie Zhengyi Mechanist Arts. The path Chi Yunshu was taking was completely different from the others, requiring separate instruction.
After being this busy for about a month, Yi Wen and Xi Su had already grasped the various transformations of teleportation formations. Mo Tiange then gave them the Mysterious Mechanism Formation Manual, allowing them to study on their own while also going out to prepare for establishing the teleportation formation.
Upon learning that a teleportation formation could be established, Dao Lord Zhenyang was overjoyed. With a teleportation formation, the Xuanqing Sect could advance to attack or retreat to defend, greatly increasing the possibility of preserving the sect.
As for Xie Zhengyi, he was an extremely serious and meticulous person, with almost no hobbies. He even found satisfaction in tedious tasks. When learning Mechanist Arts, he focused with single-minded devotion, to the point where even Mo Tiange felt she couldn't compare.
After spending several months teaching him the intricacies of Mechanist Arts, leaving him a large sum of spirit stones to purchase materials himself and a batch of Crystal Soul Jade for experimentation, Mo Tiange let him study on his own. Of course, she didn't neglect his cultivation matters, granting him access to the scripture hall to select a cultivation technique suitable for himself.
As for Chi Yunshu, Mo Tiange invested even more effort. The Art of the Plain Maiden was a technique created specifically for female cultivators with a pure yin constitution. Although Chi Yunshu's physique leaned towards yin, she was not pure yin, so entering the path required step-by-step guidance. Although Sang Yushu's situation was similar, Qin Xi only had him to manage, making it much easier.
Chi Yunshu was quiet and reserved, yet an extremely decisive person. Upon realizing that her previous technique was incompatible with the Art of the Plain Maiden, she unhesitatingly dissolved the layers of her previous method one by one and switched to cultivating the Art of the Plain Maiden.
This pleased Mo Tiange greatly. The Art of the Plain Maiden was a pure technique to begin with, and those who cultivated it also needed pure intentions.
A year passed like this. Both Chi Yunshu and Sang Yushu had entered the initial stages of their cultivation and could be left to cultivate on their own.
Their techniques were relatively special. Before Mo Tiange and Qin Xi entered seclusion, they instructed that if the Inquiry Palace could not provide guidance, they should seek advice from Dao Lord Jinghe. As their grandmaster, within his capabilities, he should instruct his grand-disciples. The prospect of being able to seek advice from a late Nascent Soul great cultivator filled the two with both shock and joy, and they hurriedly assented.
Having resolved matters concerning Chi Yunshu and Sang Yushu, and having dealt with all their miscellaneous affairs, the two formally entered the Void Heaven Realm for seclusion.
Prior to this, Ye Zhenji and Shui Linbo had already entered seclusion. Feifei, Xiaohuo, and Xiaofan were also all focusing wholeheartedly on cultivation. Apart from Xiaofeng, it could almost be considered a total family seclusion.
Inside a cultivation chamber within the Void Heaven Realm, four jade slips floated between the two of them.
Mo Tiange said, "I've thought it over. The problem with the Pure Yang Art isn't actually difficult to solve."
"Oh?"
"My Art of the Plain Maiden was likely also modified. The reason I've been able to cultivate so smoothly within the Void Heaven Realm is because of the Primordial Chaos Record. By merging the Art of the Plain Maiden and the Primordial Chaos Record into the Primordial Chaos Plain Maiden Art, the problem of the Art of the Plain Maiden progressing slowly in the Void Heaven Realm was solved."
Qin Xi was thoughtful. "So, I can merge the Pure Yang Art and the Three Primal Cycle Art into one?"
Mo Tiange nodded. "Before, our cultivation levels weren't sufficient. Now that our cultivation is higher and we have a deeper understanding of the essence of the techniques, although this is somewhat difficult for us, it's not impossible."
"Then... what about the Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation Art?"
Mo Tiange smiled. "I cultivate the Primordial Chaos Plain Maiden Art, you cultivate the Three Primal Cycle Pure Yang Art. That's also one yin and one yang, no different from the Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation Art."
Qin Xi thought for a moment and understood. "So, we follow the framework of the Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation Art, fitting the Primordial Chaos Plain Maiden Art and the Three Primal Cycle Pure Yang Art into it, and we can also perform dual cultivation."
"Exactly." Mo Tiange paused. "Of course, this is just my speculation. Whether it's actually feasible or not, we'll have to try it out first."
"Then let's try." Qin Xi was a man of action. He reached out, took the jade slips for the Pure Yang Art and the Three Primal Cycle Art in hand, immersed his mind into them, and began to contemplate them step by step.
Setting aside those two, within the Heavenly Dao Sect branch courtyard in Kunzhong City, a secret discussion unknown to outsiders was taking place.
"The Xuanqing Sect has been very active lately. What exactly are they doing?" Liu Dingyuan sat at the head seat, lightly tapping the armrest as if speaking to everyone, yet also as if talking to himself.
The decline of the Heavenly Dao Sect was evident even to low-level Qi Refining cultivators. The unstoppable rise of the Xuanqing Sect was witnessed by all cultivators in Tianji. For these Nascent Soul cultivators of the Heavenly Dao Sect, the most hateful thing was that this was happening right before their eyes, yet they were powerless to stop it.
A flash of killing intent passed through Daoist Ji's eyes. "If they don't know when to stop, then we'll teach them a lesson!"
Liu Dingyuan glanced at him faintly. "How will you teach them a lesson? They have, like us, two late-stage and one mid-stage cultivator. As a mid-stage cultivator, isn't it only natural for you to defeat a few early-stage cultivators? As for mid-stage cultivators, are you confident you can definitely defeat Qin Shoujing?"
Daoist Ji snorted. "No matter how talented Qin Shoujing is, he only advanced to Nascent Soul a hundred years ago. His so-called mid-stage Nascent Soul is merely the result of Zhenyang and Jinghe forcibly elevating him. How powerful can he be?"
"Junior Brother Ji!" Liu Dingyuan's voice turned stern. "Haven't you noticed that Qin Shoujing, since returning from Yunzhong this time, is vastly different from before?"
Daoist Ji was taken aback, narrowing his eyes slightly as he recalled the feeling he got from seeing Qin Xi this time.
Liu Dingyuan said, "The aura about him is profound and solid, not much inferior to yours, who has been at the mid-stage for many years. Moreover, he carries a sacred, vast aura tinged with destruction, easily suppressing ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators into immobility. Both you and I have to admit that Qin Shoujing is no longer the junior he once was."
Daoist Ji fell silent.
Liu Dingyuan continued, "Regardless of what the Xuanqing Sect is doing, based on the reports from our spies, it is undeniable that the Xuanqing Sect is striving to enhance its sect's strength. They already have eight Nascent Souls. Although Hua Yan's time is nearing its end, it wouldn't be difficult for one or two more Nascent Soul cultivators to appear within two or three hundred years. If we're not careful and their number of Nascent Soul cultivators exceeds ten, it will be very difficult for us to turn the tables."
Everyone remained silent.
"Junior Brother Buyan," Liu Dingyuan suddenly turned to Dao Lord Buyan, "you and Junior Brother Ji should both return to the sect. Guard the sect and focus on nurturing disciples."
Dao Lord Buyan's eyes flickered. "What about here?"
Liu Dingyuan sighed, suddenly seeming to age considerably. Supporting such a large sect had exhausted him.
"We can only set aside the power of the Immortal Alliance for now. The Heavenly Dao Sect is our foundation."