Chapter Seventy-Two: The True Method of Establishing a Sect

"......"

Wei Lingjiang's fingertips trembled slightly, and for a moment, her heartbeat quickened, pounding heavily like drums in her chest.

Her lips pressed into a thin line as she forced down the chaos in her mind. She glanced at Chen Heng with an indifferent air and fell silent.

Neither of them spoke again. In the rather cramped bedchamber, the silence grew deeper.

Wei Lingjiang's gaze drifted past Chen Heng's shoulder; at that moment, a patch of dazzling sunlight spilled to the floor like golden sand, illuminating the writing desk, the brush and ink, and the white porcelain teacup until they gleamed.

Through the open small window, a corner of Floating Jade Lake could be seen.

Rippling jade-green waves shimmered, the lake surface trembling with light. A few gulls skimmed swiftly across the water, calling shrilly, leaving only blurred white streaks behind them.

The surroundings were so quiet.

So quiet it seemed that all the world had fallen still.

But that tranquility lasted only a heartbeat before it was broken by hurried footsteps and loud voices.

...

"Ninth Senior Sister, I followed Master’s instructions. As soon as Golden Mist Boat landed on Floating Jade Lake, I divided the two Crane Embryo Pills between these two fellow Daoists."

Leading the way was Luo Zhang, the swarthy Daoist who had piloted the Golden Mist Boat that day. He smiled back at the middle-aged Daoist nun following a few steps behind him and said,

"I knew, since Master specially gifted them the pills, he must be showing particular favor to these two. See? Now Senior Sister has come personally! And I was clever enough to set aside two adjacent guest rooms for them, saving you the trouble of searching."

Following a few paces behind him was a plump Daoist nun, her face round as a harvest moon, her figure broad and solid.

She wore a flaming crown and a robe embroidered with purple celestial cranes, carrying a horsetail whisk in hand. At this moment, she wore a kindly smile.

This plump Daoist nun, whom Luo Zhang called Ninth Senior Sister, was just over forty. Her slanted brows arched gracefully, and though she was broader than most, she moved with surprising agility—like a powerful, nimble bear, exuding a natural air of authority.

At Luo Zhang’s words, she nodded slightly, her smile beaming as she replied,

"When you handle things, Master and I both trust you. Don't worry—since Master has favored these two, their future prospects must be boundless. By making friends early, you’ve made a wise move!"

Hearing this, Luo Zhang’s heart swelled with delight.

The Master of Huaiwu Cave was known for teaching all who sought him, and his direct disciples alone numbered in the hundreds or thousands. Luo Zhang, though he had reached the level of Qi Refinement, was only slightly above the average disciple and hardly counted as one of the master's trusted core followers.

That day, after arriving at Floating Jade Lake and distributing the Crane Embryo Pills, he had deliberately given the guest room tokens to Chen Heng and Wei Lingjiang, hoping to curry favor with the master through them, to make a good impression.

And now—

Seeing Ninth Senior Sister, who was always by the master's side, come in person to inquire after these two favored by the master, Luo Zhang felt that all his efforts had not been in vain—his investment was beginning to pay off.

After all, it was only two guest rooms—a little bit of talisman money, nothing that couldn’t be earned back.

But human connections—

Those are much harder to come by...

Anyone deemed worthy of Master Huaiwu’s gift was sure to be a rising dragon, destined to become a great cultivator, famed far and wide.

If he could befriend them early, when they were still unknown, with something as small as two guest rooms, it would be a deal with immense returns.

Luo Zhang knew well that his own talent for cultivation was mediocre at best. Even if he cultivated all his life, he would likely never progress beyond Foundation Establishment. Without a stroke of luck, he might never reach the Purple Mansion realm, never open that "mansion within and without the body."

But in business—

He felt he had a certain gift, and was rather adept at it...

If not for his skill at accounting, he’d never have had the foresight to gamble all his talisman money on purchasing the guest house rooms on the Floating Jade Lake islet, and now he’d made a tidy profit.

...

"Still, connections are one thing. Even if those two become great cultivators, if they remember that I, Luo Zhang, gave them a room, then my efforts won’t be wasted... But what’s most important is that I was clever enough to show my face before Ninth Senior Sister today—maybe soon I’ll be noticed by Master himself!"

Luo Zhang climbed the long staircase with a grin, bowing and beckoning for her to follow, leading the way as his heart brimmed with hope:

"If Master sees how I treat those he esteems with such courtesy, he’ll surely be pleased—he might even praise me! And if he’s truly delighted, he might reward me with a genuine method for opening the Purple Mansion... Now that would be a real benefit! A true benefit!"

He, like the hundreds of other disciples, bore the title of disciple under this alchemist, but there was little true master-disciple relationship.

He could only use the title to gain some prestige.

But as for any real benefit—

That was rare enough...

Luo Zhang was already at the eighth level of Qi Refinement, only one step away from completion, after which he could form true Qi and lay the foundation of his path.

Then he would be justified in calling himself a Foundation Establishment Daoist.

But after that, the next stage was the Purple Mansion.

To reach that realm, he would need a "true method for opening the mansion," to guide and shape the process. And the phenomena associated with the Purple Mansion were divided into upper, middle, and lower grades—the difference between them vast as heaven and earth.

Across the Nine Provinces and Four Seas, there were tens of thousands of such methods, and with those lost from ancient times and those plundered from other realms, the number was truly endless.

Yet, for all these methods, those capable of producing a superior Purple Mansion phenomenon were as rare as stars at dawn.

Such high-level methods circulated only among the Eight Sects, Six Schools, and Twelve Great Clans, never leaking beyond their circles.

Even major sects like Five Radiance Sect or the Flower God Palace rarely glimpsed them.

—

Luo Zhang had recently heard a Five Radiance Sect disciple drunkenly proclaim that even their chosen inner disciples, handpicked by Nascent Soul elders, when they reached the third level of Foundation Establishment and sought to achieve the Purple Mansion, had only two options if they wanted to reach a higher level of phenomenon:

Either their teachers would lead them out beyond the skies to seek fortune, hoping for a stroke of great luck and a superior mansion-opening method.

For in this vast universe, with myriad heavens and countless worlds, who could say what fortunes lay hidden in the starry sea, or how many ancient abodes waited to be discovered?

If fortune truly favored them, not only might they find a superior mansion-opening method, but perhaps even stumble upon the legendary Nine Revolutions Taiyi Resurrecting Elixir.

But the cosmos was treacherous, with endless demonic beings lurking in the void; even Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators risked certain death.

Just venturing out to seek fortune was like searching for a needle in a haystack...

It was rumored that Master Jun Yao, champion of the Pill Origin Assembly, found both a superior mansion-opening method and an unknown celestial art while adventuring beyond the heavens before his ascension.

But such fortune was exceedingly rare in the Nine Provinces and Four Seas; most returned empty-handed, or worse, vanished without a trace, leaving only a memorial for their kin to mourn.

After so many fruitless attempts, even the elders of Five Radiance Sect had grown weary of this approach; it was simply not worth the risk. Even the most promising disciples, when seeking to open a superior Purple Mansion, had little choice but to petition the Eight Sects, Six Schools, and Twelve Great Clans to borrow their methods.

What price must be paid for such a loan, the drunken disciple could not say...

After all, he was not a true inner disciple, or he would not have been drinking with the likes of Luo Zhang.

As for the superior mansion-opening methods—

Luo Zhang dared not even dream. He was but one of many ordinary disciples under Master Huaiwu, who himself was only at the third level of the Cave Profound Realm—not a Golden Core, nor a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Without the backing of a great sect, even if he wished to borrow a method, it would be a joke.

Superior methods were out of the question, and inferior ones were too crude—if the method failed, he might not only fail to open the mansion but lose his spiritual foundation and see his cultivation fall apart.

Over the years, Luo Zhang had painstakingly amassed talisman money, using the name of Master Huaiwu to conduct business far and wide, even at the cost of delaying his own cultivation.

All to save enough to purchase a middle-grade mansion-opening method.

Master Huaiwu, being a Cave Profound cultivator, surely had many methods, not just inferior ones, but perhaps even some middle-grade. But Luo Zhang had never been taught directly, nor even seen his master more than a few times.

Only at the start of each month, during the public lectures, could he glimpse his teacher from afar.

And with hundreds or thousands of fellow disciples present, even asking a question was nearly impossible.

Besides, he was no prodigy and had never caught the master's eye.

His Ninth Senior Sister, by contrast, was extraordinarily gifted and, once accepted as a direct disciple, her cultivation had soared by leaps and bounds.

Yet Luo Zhang vaguely sensed a change in her disposition after becoming a direct disciple...

But, not being close, he did not dwell on it. It was only natural for those who rose in status to become distant from the likes of him.

...

As these thoughts spun through his mind, Luo Zhang, together with the plump Daoist nun, climbed the long stairs to the fifth floor of the Immortal Guest Residence.

This floor was filled with quiet, elegant rooms. Though not large, there were only two adjoining chambers, with pines and rocks arranged between them, lending the place a secluded, refined air.

"Ninth Senior Sister, here we are. The two fellow Daoists who received Master's pills are staying here," Luo Zhang said with a grin, pointing the way.

Over the years, he had come to realize that he could never save enough talisman money; his focus on business had already delayed his cultivation, and another thirty or fifty years wouldn’t be enough to buy a middle-grade method.

His talent was also no match for Ninth Senior Sister’s; he would never be accepted as a direct disciple and bask in that glory.

So, if he wanted to obtain a middle-grade mansion-opening method soon, he could only curry favor with Master Huaiwu, following his wishes, flattering and fawning at every turn.

His master was famous for generosity in the southern realm, and, as his disciple, Luo Zhang hoped that a show of filial devotion might earn him a reward.

With these thoughts in mind, Luo Zhang led the plump Daoist nun to the door, his steps light with anticipation.

"Wait," the plump Daoist nun said suddenly, flicking her whisk and frowning, "Why did you choose the fifth floor of the Immortal Guest Residence? There are only two adjacent chambers here, connected by a hidden door. Normally, only Daoist couples or families choose this spot. Could it be that the two who received Master’s pills are—"

"Ah, just a bit of private matchmaking on my part," Luo Zhang chuckled. "They seemed rather affectionate—traveling with a child, no less. Though the male Daoist seemed quite cold; I think they might be quarreling."

He hurriedly explained, "But don’t worry, if one side seals the hidden door, the other can’t open it—just an empty gesture. I wouldn’t dare play matchmaker without cause."

"Is that so? Good," the plump Daoist nun replied, betraying no emotion on her face but feeling a surge of relief inside.

"Daoist partners, is it? I haven’t heard of any major sects with Qi Refinement couples... But this will make it easier for Mistress to cast the Demon Art and turn them into her own."

As she pondered, Luo Zhang strode forward and knocked loudly on the door, calling out for some time without response.

"Strange—could the two Daoists have gone out together? Not even the chubby child is here?" Luo Zhang shook his head in puzzlement.

At that moment, the plump Daoist nun suddenly laughed. "Perhaps we interrupted their tryst—inside, they’re likely indulging in romantic pursuits! No matter, I’ve seen it all before!"

She smiled, sending a stream of true Qi through the crack in the door, and called in a loud voice, "No need to be bashful, fellow Daoists! Master has important matters to entrust to you—please come out and meet us!"

Beside her, Luo Zhang’s face paled; this was a grave breach of etiquette.

But it was too late—her true Qi had already entered the room.

"Not good!"

Wei Lingjiang had no time to react before Chen Heng seized her shoulders and pressed her close to his side.

The moment his long arm encircled her, a chill, clear aura enveloped her, wrapping her up, pressing coolly to her cheek, making her entire face inexplicably flush with heat.

Wei Lingjiang stared in shock for a moment before glaring at Chen Heng in embarrassment and anger.

Looking up, she met a pair of deep, indifferent eyes.

Beneath those long, thick lashes was only a shadow of emotionless darkness—no pleasure, no trace of youthful fervor.

He merely held her in a cold, formal manner, as if the person in his arms were a sculpture of jade or stone, not a living being.

"My technique for concealing form and dispersing presence is not yet perfected. Don’t stray too far," Wei Lingjiang silently read from the movements of his lips.

The plump Daoist nun’s true Qi continued to circle the room, but, thanks to Chen Heng’s technique, their presence was masked—her Qi passed over them without detecting a thing.

Time seemed to stretch unbearably long...

Wei Lingjiang, struggling to breathe, was pulled closer by Chen Heng, who, growing impatient, simply tightened his hold.

"..."

Wei Lingjiang pressed her lips together, finally closing her eyes and remaining utterly still, letting him do as he pleased.

Tall and slender as she was, she still had to look up to Chen Heng. With her head slightly bowed, she seemed to nestle into his arms, docile as a little bird.

After the true Qi had circled the room four or five times and found nothing, the plump Daoist nun sighed and turned to leave.

"Ninth Senior Sister! What was so urgent?" Luo Zhang hurried after her.

"Master will open Huaiwu Cave on the day of the ceremony. He sent me to give these two some advice," the plump Daoist nun replied. "Since they’re not here, you must tell them: they must take the Crane Embryo Pills. Only then can they achieve a good result in Huaiwu Cave. This is a sign of Master’s regard for talent!"

With that, she offered a parting salute and left.

Luo Zhang remained behind, his expression shifting rapidly.

"Huaiwu Cave will open again? Hahaha!"

After a long moment, he burst into laughter, his gaze fixed on the two guest room doors, overjoyed.

"It’s done! It’s done! I’ve backed the right horse!"

...

...

Inside the guest room.

Wei Lingjiang, lost in a daze, suddenly felt her shoulder released. She opened her eyes in confusion to see Chen Heng standing four or five paces away. When he saw her looking at him, he bowed apologetically.

"There was reason for my action—my apologies," he said, lowering his eyes.