Baili Qingmiao took the pile of treasures and returned to the sect to cultivate for the night, but she felt uneasy for some reason. She found that her cultivation had increased from the second to the seventh layer of Qi Foundation. She believed that this was all due to the guidance of the senior.

The education she received since childhood taught Baili Qingmiao that even the grace of a drop of water should be repaid and that she should not sit back and enjoy her success. So she requested to see her master and told her that she wanted to go down the mountain to gain experience.

Baili Qingmiao’s master Elder Qing Rong was a female cultivator. Most of the female disciples in Shangqing Sect were under her tutelage. Shangqing Sect didn’t prohibit dual cultivation. They just warned all disciples that dual cultivation should only be practiced after reaching Nascent Soul stage. It gave hope to those students whose state of mind was uncertain, and made them work harder. Not to mention that when cultivators entered the Nascent Soul stage, their state of mind would also enter another realm. The feelings of immature infatuations would be weakened and only the true feelings would remain, which would also help the students see their hearts clearly, so that they would not hurt themselves when their cultivation was still low.

Shangqing Sect had always believed that a restriction was better than a ban. Instead of forbidding the disciples to fall in love with each other secretly, it was better to give priority to guidance which would not stimulate the rebellious mentality of the disciples.

The effect of this sect rule was good. Some disciples, in order to be honest with their sweethearts, worked hard to advance in their cultivation. The atmosphere in the whole sect was therefore positive.

When Elder Qing Rong heard that her favorite little disciple was determined to go out to practice alone, she smiled with relief, patted Baili Qingmiao’s palm and said, “I was worried that you would be reluctant to leave your elder martial brother, and wouldn’t go out alone.”

“Ah, Shifu~” Baili Qingmiao blushed and hugged Elder Qing Rong’s arm.

When Elder Qing Rong saw that her little apprentice finally realized it, she felt very relieved and nodded. “It’s good to be motivated. You’re a rare genius. If I hadn’t stopped you, because I didn’t want you to build your foundation too early I’m afraid you would have reached Qi Foundation stage when you were twelve or thirteen years old. After reaching Qi Foundation, your body wouldn’t have grown up until you reached Nascent Soul stage. Would you like practicing for a hundred years looking like a twelve or thirteen year old?”

Baili Qingmiao was a little embarrassed. She had been young at that time and didn’t understand anything. If she looked like a twelve or thirteen years old, it would be terrible for her elder material brother to guide her like a father with a daughter.

Elder Qing Rong told Baili Qingmiao not to go to too dangerous places after going down the mountain. In case of a critical situation, she should immediately summon help. She should observe more and not try to be brave. After a lot of detailed instructions, she was given a self-defense weapon, which could protect its master from the attack of a Spirit Transformation stage cultivator. When she felt that there was no detail left to mention, she asked Baili Qingmiao to go to the Deacon Hall with her token to register.

There were many disciples in Shangqing Sect and it was necessary to have a clear record of everything. Baili Qingmiao’s experience should usually take between half a year and a year. When it expired, the elders of the sect would try to find her whereabouts, which also gave some kind of protection to the disciples of the sect.

As the senior disciple, He Wenchao also had a position in the Deacon Hall. So when it was his turn to take over the token brought by Baili Qingmiao, he held it for a moment. “Junior Martial Sister, are you going down the mountain alone?”

“Yes, I can’t always be a small tail behind my brother,” Baili Qingmiao said with a smile. “I want to advance to Nascent Soul stage as soon as possible and kill demons side by side with my elder martial brother, defend the righteous path, ward off the evil, and gain a good reputation in the cultivation word.”

“Is that so? That’s good, that’s good… ” He Wenchao, who had a spring dream all night, was in a trance. His mind was blank. When he saw his junior martial sister, he felt a little guilty so when he heard that she was going down the mountain, he felt a bit more relaxed.

Baili Qingmiao did not notice that He Wenchao was absent-minded. After she registered, she lit up her soul lamp. This was what the disciples had to do when they went down the mountain. In case of a misfortune on the way, the soul lamp would go out, and the upper fraction of Shangqing Sect would know her situation immediately.

After bidding farewell to her senior brother, Baili Qingmiao went down the mountain and came to the restaurant where she had met Wen Renhe and the others before.

Wen Renhe had made an agreement with Baili Qingmiao not long ago. Seeing her coming in, he nodded slightly and said, “You go first, we will arrive later.”

With Baili Qingmiao’s speed it would take at least seven days to reach the ice field of  Wanli, but only two hours for Yin Hanjiang and merely a quarter of an hour for Wen Renhe. 

“These items still have to be returned to this Elder, I don’t deserve them.” Baili Qingmiao took out the storage hairpin and put it on the table. “I still have the fire feather cloak in case I get hurt in the ice field of Wanli. With the guidance of Senior my ability has greatly increased, which has greatly benefited me. It’s only natural to work for Senior to repay it, so I can’t accept anything more.”

Wen Renhe raised his eyebrows. “Everything has a cause and effect. I gave it to you for a reason, you are now receiving the retribution. It will not increase your involvement, rest assured.”

“Ah?” Baili Qingmiao was slightly surprised. “Do I have a karma relationship with this Senior? But I grew up in Shangqing Sect and have never seen you before?”

“Karma may not be in this life, or in you, or even in your previous life, it is in the blood,” Wen Renhe said. “I will not only give you these things, but also help you cultivate, until you become a deity, and help you fulfill all your wishes.”

Baili Qingmiao pulled at her belt and said shyly, “Becoming a deity, I don’t even dare to think about it, but if I need to have a wish, I want to reach the Nascent Soul stage as soon as possible, so I can…”

She didn’t say the second half of the sentence, but one could guess what she meant when they heard her. Wen Renhe swallowed a mouthful of tea without the slightest change in his expression and then waved his hand. “Go quickly, we will meet at the entrance of the ice field of Wanli in seven days.”

“Alright.” Baili Qingmiao left the restaurant, the hairpin still on the table.

After she left, Yan Hanjiang held his sword in the air and a simple magic array appeared to protect the two of them. The outsiders didn’t seem to be able to hear them and were still drinking tea, chatting and eating and they could move freely within the array.

Wen Renhe frowned and asked, “What’s your wish?”

“This subordinate is the sword of the Lord. If the sword is present, until this sword breaks, Master will not die,” Yan Hanjiang said.

He said it instinctively without blinking an eye or even thinking, as if this phrase had been repeated in his mind countless times and become an obsession.

“You’re really boring,” Shu Yanyan said, coming out of the corner and leaning lazily on Yin Hanjiang’s shoulder. “Great power, immense strength, cute and charming men… cough, women, which of those things is not desirable? Isn’t that right, my Lord?”

Wen Renhe’s face was expressionless. “Never thought about it.”

Shu Yanyan: “…”

Wen Renhe and Yin Hanjiang were like two iron bumps, which reminded Shu Yanyan of some unpleasant memories.

She still remembered that more than 80 years ago, Wen Renhe took Yin Hanjiang to the main temple of Xuanyuan Sect. Wen Renhe singled out the old patriarch and killed the other person after three days and nights of fighting. Yin Hanjiang always protected him during his tribulation and did not allow anyone to come near him.

Yin Hanjiang was only at the first layer of Spirit Transformation stage but the sword in his hand was a spiritual sword. He merged his Qi with the Qi of the sword forcibly, and suddenly gained terrible power. In the main temple several experts at the Void stage did not dare step forward.

But cultivators didn’t just fight head-on,  they had a lot of ways. Yuan Tanzhu asked Shu Yanyan to seduce Yin Hanjiang. She did not rely solely on her appearance to seduce him. With her power, cultivators at the Spirit Transformation stage and bellow, men, women, and children would become Shu Yanyan’s subjects. It was also hard for male cultivators above the Spirit Transformation stage to resist, and they were also easy to deal with.

So Shu Yanyan confidently descended to the ground and got her teeth knocked out by Yin Hanjiang. More than a year later, she still couldn’t speak clearly. Until she heard that Wen Renhe engaged the original talents of Xuanyuan Sect again, she did not dare to mend her wound. 

In that war, Shu Yanyan was afraid of Wen Renhe and Yin Hanjiang for they were free of emotions.

When Wen Renhe killed, seeing a beautiful woman, he did not distinguish between a man and a woman. As for Yin Hanjiang, she actually felt from the bottom of her heart that he was just a cold sword, without eyes or heart. He didn’t care whether it was a man, a woman or an animal in front of him, he only cared about Wen Renhe.

In Yin Hanjiang world there was only the distinction between Wen Renhe and the rest of the world. Shu Yanyan was from the ‘outside’. Over the past 80 years, every time Shu Yanyan saw Yin Hanjiang, she had a toothache and this man almost became her heart demon.

But she was a courageous and brave woman, how could she bear a grudge for such a trivial matter?

Edited by : Ninja 

Proofreader: Taalia

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