Upon hearing Li You’s tone, Meng Wei could only shake her head on the ground, while Yu Ci couldn't help but laugh.
At this moment, only the two of them were left in the forest. After the faint bell sound, the tranquility was even more pronounced. The afternoon sunlight penetrated through the gaps of the trees, casting down onto the female cultivator. Most of it was absorbed by her coarse Taoist robe, leaving only the brilliance that illuminated her cheeks, which was dazzling and captivating.
Yu Ci found it very pleasing to the eye, so he unabashedly watched her. Meng Wei seemed to be pondering over a matter related to Murong Qingyan, and didn’t mind this slightly impolite behavior.
However, this resulted in a somewhat prolonged silence between the two.
By the time both parties reacted, their instinct was to start a conversation, but they had only recently met and thus had little to talk about.
Yu Ci, having just listened to the argument between Li You and Meng Wei, was confused about a few concepts such as the Jade Purification Alliance, the Ten Thousand Images Sect, and the seemingly infamous Murong Qingyan. But considering Meng Wei's current mood, he decided not to ask, and simply said something polite and reasonable:
"I appreciate your efforts in helping me join, Sister Meng."
Meng Wei glanced at him and responded fluently, "I will act impartially."
Upon receiving this expected answer, Yu Ci smiled. He used this as an excuse to bid farewell to Meng Wei.
At this point, Yu Ci had realized that because of the argument with Li You, Meng Wei's mood was not very good, even though this emotion was controlled by her extraordinary cultivation.
As Meng Wei herself said, she was not a puppet bound by the rigid rules of discipline. How could she be completely devoid of emotional fluctuations?
To avoid causing displeasure, there was no better time to leave than now.
************
"Why did you stop me! If it weren't for you blocking me, Yu Ci would have been caught in my net, at my mercy!"
In the guest house, Jin Chuan was roaring. Because he was deliberately suppressing his voice, every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, clearly indicating extreme anger.
Kuang Yan Qi remained silent. In the forest, Li You had already set an example, and he had said all that needed to be said and advised. Jin Chuan was not a fool, he should have understood that in that situation, whatever he did would be wrong. But he was still behaving this way, which only showed that he was venting his anger and had no intention of reasoning with others. Therefore, Kuang Yan Qi could only let him vent until he was tired.
Eventually, after repeatedly emphasizing his correctness and complaining about the mistakes of others, Jin Chuan also found it meaningless and went into the inner room. Kuang Yan Qi sat in the chair, staring at the curtain separating the interior and exterior for a long time, then lowered his face, concealing the cold smile on his lips.
He disdained Jin Chuan's behavior today.
Insufficient strength, awkward status, inappropriate location, unjustifiable in terms of reason, not even a concrete plan, but just based on personal likes and dislikes, he rushed to confront that murderous man. If it weren't for the fact that they were outside the Still Heart Temple, but in some deserted wilderness, Kuang Yan Qi was certain that Jin Chuan would already be a corpse split in two.
"What a fool!"
This was the judgment Kuang Yan Qi silently made in his heart, understanding Jin Chuan's mindset all too well. This young master, the great-grandnephew of Master Jin, had held a firm belief since childhood that the White Sun Mansion belonged to their Jin family. After Jin Huan, it would be Jin Chuan who would take over this great power. Therefore, everything he did was for the purpose of smoothly assuming control of the White Sun Mansion in the future, ascending to a position of great prestige in Cliff City.
It was precisely because of this that Yu Ci's actions had enraged him so: the three stewards, the more than twenty mansion guards and personal guards represented the backbone of the White Sun Mansion, the capital he would use to rule Cliff City in the future. Yet, such a force had been obliterated under Yu Ci's sword before he had even truly tasted the flavor of controlling that power!
What Yu Ci had killed were not just stewards and personal guards, but a part of Jin Chuan himself. How could this arrogant young man not seethe with hatred?
Kuang Yan Qi, however, was different. He was acutely aware of his own status. Perhaps he was Lu Yang's disciple, Kuang Zheng's nephew, the future star of the White Sun Mansion, and possibly the chief steward assisting Jin Chuan a hundred years later, second only to one but superior to thousands. Yet, he was still subordinate to others, unable to escape the fact that he was essentially a servant.
Kuang Yan Qi had understood this early on, though he had never shown it, not to his master nor to his uncle.
Everyone knew that Jin Chuan was a proud individual, but compared to his own ambitions, Jin Chuan's were insignificant!
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Kuang Yan Qi never wanted to remain confined in Cliff City, playing the role of a strategist at the side of a mountain king. He desired to step out of the White Sun Mansion, into the wider world, into a realm of freedom where no one could suppress him. Especially after his recent cultivation at the Mountain Gate of the Lichen Sect, having experienced the life of an Immortal, his heart seemed inflated, expanding ceaselessly.
His future was not in the White Sun Mansion, but in the Lichen Sect!
He intended to stay here, not just for a few years of cultivation, but forever. He would enhance his cultivation level, expand his network, build his influence, and step by step ascend to the highest point, far above the clouds.
However, Kuang Yan Qi was also very clear that achieving this dream would be extremely difficult. Because in the eyes of most Lichen Sect cultivators, he and Jin Chuan were not two separate individuals, but jointly constituted a symbol called "White Sun Mansion". And this perception was unlikely to change for quite some time.
Therefore, Kuang Yan Qi was extremely cautious in maintaining the image of the "White Sun Mansion" in the eyes of the cultivators at the Sect's Mountain Gate. Not only did he do this himself, but he also tried to guide Jin Chuan to do the same, while constantly probing, hoping to leave a good and lasting impression on someone, or some people, within the Sect's Mountain Gate.
Nearly three months had passed, and just when he thought he was making some progress, it was Jin Chuan's foolish actions that not only caused him to lose favor with Meng Wei and Li You, but also implicated him, causing him to lose face as well.
Sitting in the room, Kuang Yan Qi gradually stopped smiling. The more he thought, the more he felt a sense of extreme foreboding. Under this premonition, his unease and anxiety began to rise. His fingers dug into his hair, tugging at his scalp, but he could not think of any countermeasures. In the end, he could only sum it up in one phrase: "That fool."
***********
Such is life, some people are disappointed, some are pleased.
Five days passed, and Jin Chuan and Kuang Yan Qi spent their time in their respective anger and frustration, while Yu Ci easily stepped over what might be the most important hurdle in his life so far.
He handed over the Fish-Dragon, passed the scrutiny of the Sect's Mountain Gate represented by Meng Wei, and officially became an Outer Disciple of the Lichen Sect. Although there was no explicit master-disciple relationship, he was now qualified to study the Innate Method for Qi Cultivation, could receive a fixed amount of Elixir and Pill and Artisan Tool from the Sect for cultivation, and could freely use dozens of spiritual veins and Qi points near the Still Heart Temple to enhance his cultivation.
Of course, at the same time, he also had certain responsibilities towards the Sect, had to accept the Sect's rules and discipline, and had to reestablish his own position.
In general, these days, Yu Ci was very relaxed. So now, he was able to lie in the cold lake water, looking up at the starry sky, enjoying the silence and mystery of the winter night. On the black canvas of the void, stars were scattered, dense and boundless. After a long time, the starlight seemed to turn into a huge vortex, sucking one's soul in.
This was the Nanfrost Lake, about sixty miles away from the Still Heart Temple, where he and Bao Guang had caught the Water Mimic Bird.
The last time he came, it was late autumn, with reeds everywhere around the lake. Now, after two or three snowfalls, the reeds on the shore had all fallen, and the empty shore was almost level with the overflowing lake water. In the black night, the boundaries were indistinguishable. Yu Ci in the center of the lake seemed to have become the center of this vast space.
At this moment, Yu Ci's breathing was faint and gradually imperceptible. However, the stars in the void seemed to pour down strands of clear light, converging on the center of this space, on Yu Ci; as if they were directly projected into his mind, unfolding a boundless Star Map.
In the "Shangqing Star Secret Talisman Book", there is the term "Star Axis". Many talismans in it are inextricably linked to the changes of the stars. When Yu Ci broke through the Acupoint Developing Stage and the Separate Consciousness & Thoughts, the image in his mind was also the opening of the void, the lighting of the stars, which had its own mystery.
In his quest to master the Qi Leading Method swiftly, Yu Ci sought inspiration from the Talisman Book, experimenting with the multitude of cultivation techniques inscribed within, striving for a fresh understanding of the Talisman.
The method he currently employs is one recorded in the Talisman Book, referred to as the "Star Connecting Secret Technique."
In essence, the "Star Connecting Secret Technique" is simple yet intriguing. It requires the user to employ the method of Contemplation and Reflection, casting the starry sky above onto the canvas of their mind, taking care not to let it blur or dissipate. Then, among the myriad stars, one must find the most appropriate few, connecting them to form a trajectory of Spirit Talisman's Rune Patterns, which eventually take shape.
During this process, he needs to use Soul Sensing, finding the most suitable points amidst the sea of stars. He also needs to guide his divine intention, connecting lines within the starlight to ultimately form an accurate Talisman. Although these "Talismans" have not truly been activated, they will resonate with the Primordial Qi within him, nourishing his body. This combination of Soul Sensing, divine intention control, and Primordial Qi regulation is extremely effective.
As for choosing Nanfrost Lake as his cultivation site, it's because it's surrounded by mountains on three sides. The size of the starry sky above, restricted by the mountainous terrain, is just right; it's neither so vast that it drains his mental energy, nor so small that it hampers his operation. Yu Ci was very satisfied with this location which he found using the Divine Map. This was already his third night of cultivation.
Stars began to twinkle one by one, evoking a sense of divine resonance, reminiscent of his initial entry into the realm of communicating with the gods.
This sensation, vastly different from the act of drawing Talismans by hand, was refreshingly novel. The stark contrast would allow him to gain a deeper understanding of his previous habits when drawing Talismans. This was precisely why Yu Ci had chosen the "Star Connecting Secret Technique."
In an instant, a Clear Mind Incantation crystallized in his mind. Feeling the Primordial Qi vibrating all around him, Yu Ci took a deep breath and opened his eyes.
The chill of the winter lake tried to penetrate him, but was repelled by the "Primordial Qi" enveloping his body. Only the gentle touch of the lake water, nudging his body, was allowed through. It was extremely comfortable. Even though he had completed his practice, Yu Ci was reluctant to leave.
At this moment, Bao Guang, stripped down to his shorts, dog-paddled over, splashing water all around.
************
After a brief transition, a more expansive universe opened up before Brother Fishbone. Just as I've said, a complete and magnificent world, awe-inspiring scenes, and beauties of all demeanors will be present! I call for your votes, I implore for your collections, and I beseech all my brothers and sisters for your robust support!
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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free] on: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e