As the dark clouds thickened, Yu Ci’s figure suddenly lowered. Taking two swift steps, his form blurred. At that moment, the encroaching clouds had completely enveloped the area. However, the innate Qi around him, driven by the mist-like sword Qi, created ripples in the air. Though he wielded no sword in hand, his aura was as sharp as a blade. In an instant, he tore through the binding net of dark clouds—not retreating outward but heading straight for Senior Brother Li.
The twenty-odd feet of distance closed in a flash. Within five feet of Senior Brother Li, there was no effect from the dark clouds or shadow lightning, giving Yu Ci a foothold. As he raised his eyes, he saw Senior Brother Li smiling at him.
“Apologies, apologies,” Li said with a grin. “I just wanted to let a few unruly juniors witness your abilities, so they’d learn some sense of propriety.”
With that, he curled his five fingers, and the dark clouds condensed, retracting into a black orb within his palm. Then, his expression turned solemn. “Li You, fourth-generation disciple of the Practical Hall of the Rifting Earth Sect, greets Junior Brother Yu. If I have offended earlier, I offer my apologies here!”
Yu Ci smiled and returned the courtesy. “No need, Senior Brother Li. When you deployed the shadow lightning web, you deliberately eased its strength and showed restraint. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to break through.”
He referred to Li You’s calculated move, intentionally slowing the shadow lightning web’s deployment to match Jin Chuan’s abilities and reactions. In fact, Li You had shown restraint not only towards him but also towards the others. The young daoist Bao Guang, Jin Chuan, and Kuang Yanqi were all within the range of the “One Qi Thousand Knots Yin Thunder Net,” yet none had been harmed. The precision of Li You’s control was truly impressive.
Hearing their exchange, Bao Guang finally understood what had happened. His anger turned to joy as he eagerly introduced, “Senior Brother Yu, Senior Brother Li is one of the most formidable senior brothers in the sect. Though only thirty-five this year, he has already perfected his Yin Spirit and is on the verge of forming his Core.”
Impressive indeed! Yu Ci couldn’t help but feel surprised. Cultivation after reaching the Divine Connectivity realm requires refining hidden awareness to achieve Yin Spirit, followed by an extended period of nurturing and tempering. Only then can the Yin Spirit exit the body for spiritual travels. Gradually extending the duration and range of these travels to achieve perfection leads to the profound resonance of True Qi and the spirit, forming the core—referred to as the Core Refinement stage.
According to Bao Guang, Li You was only a step away from grasping the mysterious resonance to achieve Core Refinement. That he had reached this point at thirty-five was truly remarkable.
“If the young daoist keeps praising me, I won’t forget what you just said!” Li You, despite being ten years older than Yu Ci, exuded a lively energy. Smiling, he remarked, “I dare not call myself formidable in front of Junior Brother Yu. Your mastery of sword Qi, subtle and mist-like, was truly elegant. I’ve read in Uncle Yu’s records that you excel in sword techniques, but I didn’t expect it to be this extraordinary. Hmm, it even has traces of the sect’s Dispersing Mist Sword…”
Lowering his voice, he asked, “May I ask if Uncle Yu has taught you any sword-related secret arts?”
Yu Ci smiled and shook his head without explanation.
Li You wasn’t concerned; his question had been casual. He winked at Yu Ci before turning to Jin Chuan, whose face was dark with displeasure. “You saw Junior Brother Yu’s technique, didn’t you? Even if you had deployed the shadow lightning net earlier, you wouldn’t have caught him. Moreover, he could have reached you in an instant, and by then…”
He didn’t finish but instead lightly dragged a finger across his neck. Jin Chuan’s face turned crimson, then ashen.
Watching Jin Chuan’s reaction, Li You chuckled and was about to speak further when his expression shifted.
Turning his head, Yu Ci followed his gaze.
The snow, shaken loose by the “One Qi Thousand Knots Yin Thunder Net,” still drifted in the wind. From within the forest emerged the daoist who had been playing with birds earlier, now walking toward them.
Yu Ci suddenly recalled that this person had also been within the range of the net. How had they remained unaffected?
Curious, he looked closer and was slightly taken aback.
Though plainly dressed, the person’s exposed skin was fair as snow, and their unadorned face was delicately beautiful. It turned out the daoist was a woman.
Her bright, clear eyes radiated calmness and composure, reflecting a deep sense of cultivation.
As Yu Ci observed her further, she had already approached the group. With a gentle sway of her dust whisk, she formed a hand gesture and bowed slightly, speaking softly.
“Greetings to Senior Brother Li and all the junior brothers.”
Her manners were impeccable, her voice soft and gentle—matching Yu Ci’s impression of her.
However, Yu Ci noticed that as soon as she spoke, Li You’s smile turned awkward.
Jin Chuan and Kuang Yanqi’s faces turned pale as if drained of blood.
Bao Guang, on the other hand, exclaimed in surprise, “Senior Sister Meng!”
His cry seemed to jolt the others.
Following Li You’s lead, the previously discomposed cultivators immediately straightened and bowed respectfully, addressing her as “Senior Sister” or “Junior Sister” with utmost formality. Their sudden display of decorum caught Yu Ci off guard.
The nun’s gaze naturally fell on Yu Ci. Remembering her playful demeanor with the birds earlier and noting the group’s inexplicable reactions, he couldn’t help but smile. He nodded at her, to which she lowered her gaze without further response. However, a faint smile lingered on her lips—a subtle moment only Yu Ci noticed amidst the others bowing.
When the greetings concluded, Li You laughed and stepped forward. “So, it truly was Junior Sister Meng. Just now, I wondered why the shadow lightning net felt off. It turns out it couldn’t detect you. Your cultivation is becoming purer.”
Seeing his playful approach, Meng lowered her eyes slightly and said softly, “Senior Brother Li.”
The moment she addressed him, Li You stiffened, his smile turning wry. “Junior Sister Meng, what advice do you have for me?”
“According to the sect’s commandments, cultivators must not act frivolously or speak carelessly. One must be measured and sparing with words, holding morality as the utmost principle. Senior Brother, your lively nature puts you at an inherent disadvantage in this regard. You must exercise caution.”
Hearing this, Li You chuckled dryly, saying, “No harm, no harm. I haven’t formally taken vows to enter the Dao yet. Those commandments don’t apply to me.”
The daoist priestess shook her head slightly. “Since you are a cultivator, you should observe these commandments. Even if your nature doesn’t align with them, you must maintain reverence. Just now, your exuberant demeanor and careless words could easily invite ridicule if heard by others, adding fuel to the fire and doing nothing to ease tensions. Moreover, to mock others arbitrarily, favoring some while slighting others, has already violated three commandments. When you return to the mountain, you should report yourself to the Disciplinary Hall to atone for today’s transgressions.”
Li You’s face turned pale at her words. He wanted to plead further, but seeing the seriousness in her expression, he could only stomp his foot and say, “Fine, I’ll accept the punishment!”
Still, his naturally cheerful disposition soon resurfaced. Accustomed to punishments in the sect, he quickly put on a smile again and turned to Yu Ci. “Come, come, Yu Junior Brother, let me introduce you to someone extraordinary: this is the top figure in the sect’s Disciplinary Hall, Meng Wei, Junior Sister Meng. Though young, she’s already highly respected in the sect. Back then, she once…”
At this point, his words abruptly stopped, interrupted by a forced and awkward coughing sound from someone behind him. Li You’s face turned genuinely embarrassed as he tried to think of a way to smooth things over. Meng Wei stepped forward, gracefully bowing to Yu Ci.
“Meng Wei, fourth-generation disciple of the Disciplinary Hall of the Rifting Earth Sect, greets Daoist Yu.”
Her timely words allowed Li You to breathe a sigh of relief, but he soon asked curiously, “Why not call him Junior Brother?”
Meng Wei regarded Yu Ci with a deep gaze before responding calmly, “Although Daoist Yu has been recommended by master to start his journey with merit tasks from the Hall of Collective Merit as an outer disciple of the sect, his merits have yet to be verified. I must personally confirm them one by one before anything is finalized.”
Yu Ci acknowledged, saying, “That’s how it should be,” and formally returned her greeting.
Having observed her for a while, Yu Ci couldn’t help but notice that Meng Wei’s demeanor bore a resemblance to Xie Liang. Both were products of the Disciplinary Hall. However, while Xie Liang was cold on the outside but warm at heart, awkward in speech yet kind in nature, this Senior Sister Meng, despite her earlier amusement with the birds, didn’t seem as stern and joyless as she appeared.
After the events of the previous night, Yu Ci felt more at ease dealing with people like Meng Wei. However, it was only now that he realized she was the one sent by the sect to reassess his qualifications as an outer disciple. In a way, half of his future cultivation journey was tied to her judgment.
There was no need to fawn over her, but avoiding her displeasure was certainly wise. Fortunately, their first impressions of each other seemed positive enough.
While gauging Meng Wei’s temperament, Yu Ci noticed her gaze shift to Jin Chuan and Kuang Yanqi, who had been sidelined for a while.
As Meng Wei’s eyes fell on them, both young men visibly stiffened. Though her expression wasn’t overtly stern, the two appeared uneasy, bowing their heads and muttering, “Senior Sister Meng,” in a noticeably timid manner.
“I overheard you in the forest earlier, speaking of Daoist Yu’s alleged collusion with the demons of Sky Rift Valley.”
Her words sent shockwaves through the group, their reactions varied.
Jin Chuan and Kuang Yanqi’s expressions stood out.
Kuang Yanqi paled immediately and tried to signal his companion to exercise caution. However, Jin Chuan, heated and impulsive, blurted out, “He must be in league with the demons!”
Meng Wei’s expression didn’t change as she asked softly, “Is that so? And what were you doing?”
“I was capturing him to present to the Immortals…”
Realizing mid-sentence the enormity of his mistake, Jin Chuan swallowed the rest of his words, but it was already too late.
Meng Wei fixed her gaze on Jin Chuan. “Where did you discover that Daoist Yu was colluding with demons? What evidence do you have? Did you report it to the sect? Did the sect issue an order for his capture? If so, where is the order, and who is tasked with its execution? Which of you two holds the authority to enforce the commandments and carry out arrests?”
Her voice remained gentle and soft, yet each question carried increasing pressure. By the time she finished, Jin Chuan was ashen-faced, head bowed, unable to meet her eyes.
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