Yu Ci found it amusing. These past few days, the situation at Sky Rift Valley was nearing resolution, but the aftermath brought an increasing amount of miscellaneous tasks. As the only External Affair Temple in the direction of the sheer cliff city, the Still Heart Temple could not avoid involvement. Yu Zhou, no longer enjoying his leisurely days, and Bao Guang, the only registered disciple and follower of the Old Daoist, naturally couldn't escape either.
Today, they finally had a moment of respite. Following Yu Ci, they were thoroughly enjoying themselves.
However, there were benefits to Bao Guang's presence. With some free time, Yu Ci finally voiced the question that had been bothering him for days:
"Hey, do you know what's going on with the Jade Purification Alliance?" he asked.
The Jade Purification Alliance he mentioned was one of the concepts brought up during the dispute between Li You and Meng Wei a few days ago. Other unfamiliar terms like the Ten Thousand Images Sect and Murong Qingyan were also mentioned.
Among these, Yu Ci had heard Ye Tu mention the name "Jade Purification Alliance" before. However, at that time under Sky Rift Valley, their main focus was cultivation, and these pieces of information were merely mentioned in passing. The impression had faded over time, so he had to ask again.
"The Jade Purification Alliance?"
Bao Guang, who was also somewhat ignorant, was almost stumped by the question. He had to rack his brain to recall his master's teachings before he could hesitantly respond:
"It's a large sect alliance in the East. Um, it's too far from us, so we don't usually talk about it. Brother Li, who often travels, should know more."
Yu Ci was not satisfied with this answer and frowned, "Is that all?"
Bao Guang scratched his head in thought, forgetting to tread water. He almost sank and struggled for a while before regaining his strength. However, this incident seemed to stimulate his memory, and he exclaimed:
"I remember now!"
Bao Guang slapped the water surface, causing ripples: "Master said that the sect alliance is very powerful, but its core area is still around the Three Lakes of the North, you know about the Three Lakes of the North, right?"
"Yes, the one where the lake meets the sky and the river runs like a chain?"
The so-called Three Lakes of the North refer to the three famous cultivation areas in the eastern part of the Cultivation World, north of the Cang River, known for their "lakes meeting the sky, and the river running like a chain." The three lakes, from south to north, are clearly defined as the Ring Lake, Five Chain Lake, and Jade Washing Lake. Especially the northernmost Jade Washing Lake, it is a rare top-grade jade production area in the Cultivation World.
Bao Guang nodded repeatedly, his memories now flowing smoothly, "Master said that the Cultivation World is a thriving hub of numerous Sects, unlike our Broken Realm Mountain Range, which is relatively remote, with no more than a hundred Sects of various sizes. Even if we include the Sunset Valley lineage on the other side of the Sky Rift Valley, it's still quite desolate.
"However, although both places are prosperous with Sects, the north is different from the south. The south is more free, but also more chaotic. The Three Lakes of the North, on the other hand, are home to a loose alliance of over a hundred Sects, forming the largest Sect alliance in the Cultivation World. They have managed to incorporate the vast northern region into their control, and their affairs are well-organized and impressive."
Yu Ci pondered and asked, "So, is the Ten Thousand Images Sect a member of this Jade Purification Alliance?"
Bao Guang shook his head honestly, "I really don't know about that. Within the Jade Purification Alliance, I only know four Sects: Clear Void Moral Sect, Four Clarity Sect—these are both large Sects that have a good relationship with our Lichen Sect and have had interactions for many years; then there's Flying Soul City, a very dominant Sect that had a conflict with our Sect's Mountain Gate's Wu a while ago, causing quite a stir; and lastly, the Hundred Refinement Sect, a small sect renowned for refining tools. Master has a good relationship with them, and his accompanying sword was made by Master Xu Yang of the Hundred Refinement Sect."
After conveying this information, Bao Guang felt drained, "I really don't know any more than this. You should ask Brother Li for the rest. Didn't he just return this afternoon?"
At the mention of Li You, both of them chuckled.
Brother Li was indeed an interesting character. Despite being ordered by the Sect to handle matters at Sheer Cliff City, he turned around and came back just five days after leaving with Jin Chuan and Kuang Yan Qi.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Coincidentally, he returned just as the Mountain Moving Cloud Boat was passing by and Murong Qingyan was about to arrive. He insisted on going with Meng Wei to meet her, wanting to see the famed "Jade Washing Flying Smoke" beauty for himself.
This wouldn't have been an issue, but considering the distance from Still Heart Temple to Sheer Cliff City and Li You's Cultivation Level, there was no way he could have made the round trip so quickly. This could only mean one thing: The person in charge at Sheer Cliff City had irresponsibly left the two young masters of White Sun Mansion in the wilderness and ran back to escort Meng Wei.
If it were anyone else, they might have been moved by his actions. However, it was Meng Wei who Li You encountered. With just a few words, she had pinned two serious charges on Li You. Despite this, a determined Li You had no other choice and eventually accompanied her.
This was what happened in the afternoon. By now, the two of them should have already met up with Murong Qingyan and are on their way back.
"Um, Brother Yu, I have a question," Bao Guang started to ask.
"What is it?"
"Do you think Brother Li, well, is he very fond of Sister Meng?"
Yu Ci was taken aback and looked back. He saw a young Taoist with a face full of longing. Of course, his longing wasn't for a specific person, but rather for that intense and unpredictable emotion described in legends, filled with the yearnings of youth.
Yu Ci understood this, for he had gone through this phase too. However, compared to Bao Guang's naive innocence, his own feelings had come quite early, and the object of his affection was quite absurd. So much so that he hadn't even had time to build up protective barriers before the harsh reality wiped them away.
The process was brief, the emotions absurd, and the memories were terrible, leaving Yu Ci struggling to adjust for a long time. Of course, those tender years had passed, and now, he looked at the young Taoist's budding emotions with a knowing smile and a hint of envy.
The environment that Bao Guang was in allowed him to slowly cultivate and correct these feelings, leaving himself with a complete and beautiful memory to savor in the years to come. Unlike him, each time he recalled his past, it was as if he was entering a twisted and absurd dream, followed by self-mocking laughter.
Yu Ci genuinely laughed, leaving Bao Guang puzzled.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"Uh, no. I mean,"
Yu Ci reflexively agreed, but on second thought, he didn't think the two rising stars within the Sect's Mountain Gate had any emotional entanglements. He didn't want to mislead the young Taoist, but explaining it was a difficult problem.
Just as he was thinking, a shooting star suddenly streaked across the night sky from the mountain, with a long, red tail. It was very conspicuous, but it extinguished as soon as it flew over the mountain.
Seeing the change in the sky, Bao Guang was stunned and suddenly shouted, "The Sect's emergency signal, a Flying Star!"
The so-called emergency Flying Star was used by the Lichen Sect's cultivators to notify their fellow sect members when they encountered danger. Besides its bright light, it could also stimulate a unique wave that affected the Divine Soul, detectable by fellow sect members even hundreds of miles away. But this one had clearly not fully activated before it was extinguished!
Looking at the position where the shooting star flew, it was at least twenty miles away from Nanfrost Lake. Was there a Sect cultivator in that position?
Yu Ci's mind was still reeling when Bao Guang had already hurriedly swum towards the shore, preparing to investigate the situation. He had only swum a few yards when the surrounding lake seemed to light up, reflecting a captivating wave of azure light.
He found it peculiar and was about to turn back when Yu Ci had already caught up with him, swimming with a grace and skill that far exceeded his doggy paddle. He grabbed Bao Guang's arm, not slowing down much, and swam towards the shore like a fish. At the same time, he said in a deep voice:
"Return to the observatory immediately, please call for the Temple Master."
"Eh?"
In Bao Guang's mind, there was both anxiety and curiosity, but he did not fully realize the gravity of the situation, and was a bit taken aback by the request. However, Yu Ci continued:
"The only fellow disciples we know of nearby are Sister Meng and Brother Li, who went to welcome the guests. If they really encountered an enemy and had to send for help, the enemy must be extremely powerful, perhaps even a lurking demon. At this time, only the Temple Master can ensure victory."
"But we still don't know..."
Before he could finish his sentence, a muffled explosion sounded from above, causing the lake's surface to ripple violently. Immediately after, a loud "thud" echoed from the lake, about half a mile behind them, causing a water column several yards high to erupt, with droplets splashing towards them.
Yu Ci held his breath and looked up, but before he could figure out what was happening, the entire valley and lake were illuminated by a strong light, as if it were daytime. Both Yu Ci and Bao Guang were caught in the light, bare-chested, looking at each other in surprise.
Before they could understand what was happening, a loud laugh echoed through the valley, shaking the lake:
"Come, come, let me see, our famously beautiful 'Jade Washing Flying Smoke', how does the sight of a beauty bathing compare to the legends!"
Yu Ci looked up and saw a yellow-robed Taoist priest in the sky, hurling a blazing white orb of light towards the lake, dispelling the shadows in the valley and reflecting the shimmering silver waves.
'Jade Washing Flying Smoke' Murong Qingyan?
Just as this thought flashed through Yu Ci's mind, from the center of the still undulating lake, with a "splash", a silhouette with long hair like a waterfall emerged from the water.
It was indeed a female cultivator.
She rose slowly, as if someone was gently lifting her delicate body from below. There was no hint of haste or panic. She even leisurely gathered her slightly disheveled hair, brushing off the water droplets.
No one cared how she ended up in the water because, with her movements, her graceful figure drew breathtaking curves. The intense light in the valley, like a famished beast, greedily pounced on her, enveloping her, casting an even more dazzling glow. It drew the gaze of the Yan Daoist in the sky, and those on the lake surface, Yu Ci and Bao Guang, who were unwilling to look away for a long time.
Then, the woman in the lake smiled:
"Are you impotent lechers now resorting to verbally harassing women?"
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Welcome the appearance of Sister Murong with your bookmarks and upvotes!
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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free] on: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e