Mo Tiange stood on the flying sword, looking down below.
Peaks clustered together like a gathering, cloud-waves surged like anger, layer upon layer of ridges rose in majestic, towering splendor.
This was Taikang Mountain of West Kunwu, the mountain gate of the Xuanqing Sect.
If she hadn't been to the Tiandao Sect and witnessed Mount Yuheng and Mount Tianmo, she would have surely felt awe-struck facing the scenery beneath her feet.
So majestic, with such abundant spiritual qi. Compared to this, Yunwu Mountain was simply not worth mentioning. Even the Zixia Sect's headquarters, which had once drawn her admiration, now seemed petty and small.
Taikang Mountain soared thousands of zhang high. Though not as tall as Mount Tianmo, it was already a rare, lofty peak among all she had seen on her journey. Its main peak was the highest, surrounded by six other peaks of similar height. Countless rooftops and eaves nestled among the mountain forests, and hundreds of disciples stood in neat rows on a plaza, practicing martial techniques.
Seeing where her gaze lingered, Qin Xi explained, "Although our Xuanqing Sect is a Daoist sect, we also have many different cultivation methods. These disciples belong to the Sword Branch. They are sword cultivators, which is why they practice martial techniques like in the mortal world."
"Oh... it looks truly spectacular." From afar, watching these cultivators in blue and white robes swing their swords together, sword energy crisscrossed the air, a dashing and pleasing sight.
Sensing someone approaching, she looked up and saw a team of seven or eight cultivators flying over on swords not far away. The leader seemed to be a Foundation Establishment cultivator, likely responsible for patrolling the mountains. Seeing them, this team flew closer but only bowed to Qin Xi from a distance.
After they left, Qin Xi said, "Alright, from now on you are a disciple of the Xuanqing Sect. I'll take you to enter the sect now. Let's go."
The flying sword descended, heading towards one of the peaks.
"This is Qingquan Peak. Our Xuanqing Sect has six peaks in total. Disciples of each peak usually cultivate on their side peaks and go to the main peak to listen to sermons. You just need to remember the general layout of Qingquan Peak; you'll only go to the main peak occasionally."
As Qin Xi finished speaking, the two of them had already landed in front of a great hall.
While she was still surveying her surroundings, a female cultivator emerged from the hall. Upon seeing them, her face lit up with pleasant surprise, and she was about to call out—
"Fengxue, come here."
The female cultivator swallowed the words about to leave her mouth, her mind full of questions, and approached to bow.
Qin Xi first said to Mo Tiange, "This is the managing disciple of our Qingquan Peak. She is also Uncle-Master Xuanyin's personal disciple, Luo Fengxue."
Then, he said to this Luo Fengxue, "How is it that after three years, you still haven't established your Foundation?"
Luo Fengxue looked at his expression, blinked, and cleverly called out, "...Uncle-Master?"
Qin Xi smiled slightly. "Correct. Now you must call me Uncle-Master."
"Oh..." Luo Fengxue's eyes darted around, and she also smiled. "Uncle-Master, you've been gone so long on this trip. Grandmaster has been very worried!"
Qin Xi didn't answer, however. Instead, he pointed at Mo Tiange. "This is a new junior sister who has just entered the sect. First, take her to register her name. We'll arrange other matters later."
"Oh, I understand." Luo Fengxue looked at Mo Tiange, a flicker of confusion crossing her face, but in the end, she just smiled. "What is this junior sister's name?"
Being called "junior sister" for the first time, and while she was currently dressed in male clothing, Mo Tiange momentarily didn't know how to respond properly. Finally, she just replied, "Senior Sister Luo. My name is Mo Tiange."
"Tiange?" Luo Fengxue repeated her name, then immediately warmly took her hand. "Don't call me senior sister. Everyone calls me by my name; you can call me Fengxue too!"
"This..."
Seeing Mo Tiange completely at a loss facing Luo Fengxue's enthusiastic manner, Qin Xi couldn't help but smile. "Junior Brother Ye, I will first report your matter to Grandmaster. You go with Fengxue for now." Then he instructed Luo Fengxue, "Fengxue, I entrust her to you. Make sure to handle things properly."
Luo Fengxue smiled playfully. "Understood, Uncle-Master. You haven't been back for so long; go pay your respects to Grandmaster first. I'll keep a good eye on her!"
"..." Faced with the lively Luo Fengxue, Qin Xi also seemed somewhat helpless. He didn't say anything more, just waved his hand and left directly.
Watching his back disappear, without him saying anything more to her or even glancing back, Mo Tiange felt a complex mix of emotions.
From Yunwu Mountain to the Xuanqing Sect, they had traversed almost the entire Kunwu mountain range, a journey that took a full two months. During these two months, the two of them had grown immeasurably closer. Perhaps due to being taught by a famous master since childhood, Qin Xi was knowledgeable and experienced. Not only did he tell her many cultivation insights, but he also shared numerous stories and observations. His temperament was actually not as cold and aloof as when they first met; instead, he was gentle and courteous. Conversing with him felt like being bathed in a spring breeze, and he had been of immense help to her...
When she realized she was developing a sense of dependence, she knew things were taking a dangerous turn and decisively distanced herself.
Qin Xi came from a prestigious family and had high-ranking elders. Even if he sought a cultivation partner, with her aptitude, she had absolutely no hope. Why entertain such delusions? Therefore, upon discovering the faint stirrings of affection, she rationally severed them.
This was the first time she had developed such feelings for someone. That she could make such a rational decision even surprised herself. However, she didn't feel any struggle because she had never before possessed such firm resolve to walk further on the path of immortal cultivation.
Qin Xi approached the highest cave dwelling on Qingquan Peak.
Calling it a cave dwelling wasn't quite accurate; it was more like a palace. Although it was carved into the mountain's belly, the entrance was completely modeled after a palace.
The disciple guarding the palace door saw him and cried out joyfully, "Uncle-Master Shoujing, you've returned!"
He nodded. "Is Grandmaster in?"
The disciple replied, "Yes, please enter."
Stepping through the palace gate, the floor was paved with spirit jade, the walls made of wondrous stone. Though not resplendent with gold and jade, it exuded an indescribable air of nobility.
Inside the great hall, a middle-aged man with a golden crown and kingly robes, radiating an aura of extreme nobility, reclined lazily on a dragon-carved couch. One woman massaged his legs, another peeled grapes for him.
And this middle-aged man, who resembled a mortal world emperor, was actually a Nascent Soul cultivator.
Only after swallowing the grape the beauty placed by his lips did he spare a glance at Qin Xi. "What have you been up to this time? Actually gone for three years without returning—Huh? Your cultivation has recovered?"
Ignoring this person's mannerisms reminiscent of a decadent mortal ruler, Qin Xi picked a chair and sat down, pouring himself some tea. "What else could I be doing? Of course, searching for spirit medicine to heal my injuries. And incidentally, seeking some body-refining techniques in preparation for Nascent Soul Formation."
"Hmph!" The man lifted an eyelid. "That's not all, is it? You clearly brought back a little girl. What, has your mortal heart finally stirred?"
"Do you think I'm like you?" Qin Xi retorted bluntly, then frowned. "How do you know it's a girl? She's clearly..."
"You think wearing men's clothes can fool these eyes that have seen countless women? Oh, no, my divine sense—" Muttering half to himself, the man swallowed another grape, shifted to a more comfortable position, and looked at him. "Speak. Someone you'd bring back definitely isn't an ordinary girl. What's going on exactly?"
Qin Xi stopped bantering with him and thought for a moment. "Master—"
If Mo Tiange had heard this address, she would have certainly understood his true identity. Qingquan Peak was where Patriarch Jinghe cultivated in seclusion. Since this middle-aged man was a Nascent Soul cultivator, he was naturally Qin Jinghe. And those who could call him "Master" numbered very few in the entire Xuanqing Sect.
"Master, please accept her into the sect."
"Huh?" Qin Jinghe, who had been eating grapes, nearly choked upon hearing this.
Swallowing the grape in his mouth, he thought for a moment, waved the two women away, and finally sat up straight. "Have me take a disciple? What kind of person is this girl, to actually catch your eye?"
Qin Xi didn't answer the latter question, only saying, "Just accept her as a nominal disciple. I will handle other matters myself."
"First tell me who she is—"
Qin Xi had no choice but to explain. "Do you remember, twenty years ago, someone once entrusted an orphan to my care?"
This Qin Jinghe, who bore no resemblance to a Nascent Soul cultivator and instead seemed like a decadent, incompetent mortal king, thought for a moment and understood. "Oh, so it's that family's girl. Tsk, what a disappointment. I thought you'd finally come to your senses." Saying this, he lay back down, though this time without beauties to serve him, so he used magic to peel the grapes himself.
Seeing his behavior, Qin Xi felt even more helpless. "Master?"
The man complained, "I say, Xi'er, I am your granduncle and also your master. Can't you show a bit more respect in your attitude?"
"Can you blame me for not respecting you?" Qin Xi was completely unapologetic. "Look at yourself. Do you have the demeanor of an elder?"
"You brat—" The man jumped up. "I clearly taught you myself, so how did you end up like those stuffy old Daoists? Who said immortal cultivation requires purifying the heart and diminishing desires, single-mindedly bitter cultivation to achieve anything? Your master here still managed to reach the mid-stage of Nascent Soul, didn't I?"
"I was only talking about the demeanor of an elder, I didn't..."
"Don't I know what you're thinking? Brat, you just got back and you're already making me angry!"
Just as he was about to explain, he was cut off. Qin Xi had no choice but to swallow his words and spread his hands. "Fine, whatever you say. Who told you you're the elder?" He was used to it anyway.
"That's more like it." Satisfied, he continued eating grapes. After a while, Qin Jinghe said, "First, tell me your plan. I remember, the news the disciple you sent out brought back ten years ago said that girl indeed possesses a Pure Yin Constitution?"
Qin Xi nodded. "Correct. Actually, her Spirit Root isn't great, but she is extremely diligent and has good comprehension. With proper nurturing, she might still become a talent."
"A talent? You mean Core Formation?" Qin Jinghe shook his head. "Don't apply your own example to others. You, brat, are at least a dual Spirit Root; you won't be held back by aptitude. That child, I recall, has Five Spirit Roots, right? A cultivator with Five Spirit Roots, no matter how hard they work or how good their comprehension, will find it very difficult to achieve much. Being able to establish their Foundation would be a stroke of incredible luck!"
Qin Xi didn't argue back. "Master, since you think so, how about I make a bet with you?"
"Hmm?"
"You say she can at most establish her Foundation. I say she will definitely form her Core!"
As these words left his mouth, Qin Jinghe on the couch stopped his actions and looked at him thoughtfully. "Where does this confidence of yours come from? Don't talk about a Five Spirit Roots cultivator; even dual Spirit Roots cultivators like you, a considerable number remain stuck at the Foundation Establishment stage. You say she will definitely form her Core? Have you discovered something?"
Qin Xi, however, shook his head and only said two words: "Intuition."
Qin Jinghe paused, then curled his lip disdainfully. "Come on! Don't forget, no matter how amazing you are, you're only at the mid-stage of Core Formation now. Sensing the Mandate of Heaven? Can you surpass your master here?"
Qin Xi looked at him with a cold smile. "Master, are you so amazing? I remember back then you said it would take me two hundred years to advance to Core Formation. What was the result? I formed my Core in only seventy years. In two hundred years, I'll probably have formed my Nascent Soul!"
Qin Jinghe's face flushed red, but the next moment he spoke righteously. "Sensing the Mandate of Heaven can have errors, okay? Don't get cocky either. Forming a Nascent Soul within two hundred years—how many years has it been since Tianji produced someone like that? Let me tell you, don't think forming a Nascent Soul is as simple as forming a Core. Back then, I was already a heaven-sent prodigy, and I was nearly four hundred years old when I formed my Nascent Soul. You..."
"So, Master, you're betting she definitely won't form her Core?"
The topic jumped too quickly. Qin Jinghe paused, then got angry again. "Who said I'm betting with you? Brat, get lost, always trying to scheme against me—Wait! I wanted to ask what you plan to do with her, not discuss her future prospects with you. Don't change the subject on me!"