Yun Lie paused, withdrew his hand, and nodded. “A cultivator casts aside falsehood and preserves what is pure, cultivating that one spark of the true self. When I invited you to the Wuling Immortal Sect, I said something to you. Do you remember?”
Xu Ziqing closed his eyes briefly. Of course he remembered every word Brother Yun had told him that day. “Senior Brother Yun said that after I reached Foundation Establishment, entered the great world, and joined the Wuling Immortal Sect, all that I saw, heard, and experienced would differ greatly from the small world. If my Dao heart was not upright, I could easily be blinded by superficial splendor. You told me to examine myself constantly so I could keep myself pure and not be burdened by worldly clamor and corruption.”
He had kept those words firmly in mind and had never dared forget them.
But after arriving in the great world, he had met a loving master, lively junior sisters, and a stern but deeply considerate senior brother. The order and discipline of the great sect inspired admiration in him.
Thus, although he had not been blinded by outward splendor, he had come to imagine the sect as an unblemished holy land of cultivation.
Only after witnessing today’s events did Xu Ziqing finally understand.
The sect provided resources and conveniences to disciples like them. But to cultivate its strongest members, it also granted those of higher cultivation many privileges.
The Wuling Immortal Sect was indeed an outstanding great sect. Yet where there was light, there were also shadows. It was not pure throughout.
The powers of the great world were complicated, and sects competed with one another.
To seek immortality, cultivators had to fight not only to perfect themselves but also for inheritances, standing, and resources. Those who governed a sect might not personally crave power, yet to secure their position and nurture more outstanding disciples, they often had to yield to prevailing circumstances and make compromises.
Only now did Xu Ziqing realize that, although he had believed himself settled after entering the sect, he had still been somewhat impetuous. He had let an illusion obscure his judgment, deceiving himself. Recognizing this now was a way of casting off falsehood.
At that thought, it seemed as though a fine layer of dust had gently been brushed from his heart. His Dao heart grew clearer, brighter, and more transparent.
Seeing this, Yun Lie’s gaze softened slightly. “Very good.”
Xu Ziqing lifted his head and smiled. “Thank you, Senior Brother Yun.”
When he looked again at the cultivators embracing people left and right, his gaze was perfectly clear.
The immortal path was long, and each cultivator had to decide how to walk it. No matter how unrestrained these people’s conduct might be, what entered his eyes need not enter his heart.
In truth, Xu Ziqing’s limited experience had made him judge the cultivators seeking patronage too harshly.
Their behavior might be improper, but they were still striving with all they had. Whether for long life or higher standing, they exchanged the only thing they possessed in hopes of obtaining a path upward.
And although some inner-sect disciples were arrogant and obsessed with carnal pleasures, others came to the outer sect seeking cultivation cauldrons because their techniques genuinely required them. Such cauldrons in an immortal sect were not the same as dual-cultivation partners, but neither was their use identical to the wicked demonic path’s wanton draining of another’s essence. In the end, these arrangements between inner- and outer-sect disciples were transactions of mutual benefit.
Xu Ziqing was hardly the only person discomfited by what he saw. Many prospective inner- and outer-sect disciples had only just qualified to join and knew nothing of such practices. Their expressions changed immediately, especially Su Xin, Zhuo Hanyan, and the talented cultivators from the small worlds. They frowned and withdrew to the side.
If they had not been hoping for a chance to meet a Golden Core perfected master, they would have left at once.
“Ah—S-Senior!” A woman suddenly cried out in panic. “This junior has no such intentions. Please let go…”
Xu Ziqing’s expression changed, and he turned.
A pretty, slender woman was struggling in alarm. A tall male cultivator had seized her wrist, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not pull free. She looked utterly helpless.
The tall man wore a look of arrogance. “You merely have three spiritual roots. You’ll never get anywhere in the outer sect. But you would make an excellent cultivation cauldron! If you come back with me, you’ll have a chance at good fortune!”
The woman shook her head again and again, crying as she pleaded, “This junior came only to be a weaving artisan. I truly cannot accept Senior’s kind offer. P-please, don’t do this…”
The man’s eyes grew cold. “That’s not up to—argh!”
Before he could finish, he let out a wretched scream.
Everyone saw a blur. A tiny hole had appeared straight through the wrist with which he had grabbed her. Blood streamed out, soon forming a small pool on the ground.
“You dare do this to me? My master will never forgive you—” He glared toward the source of the sword energy, then suddenly fell silent as though someone had seized him by the throat. “Y-Yun… Steward Yun…”
Yun Lie lowered his finger and spoke in an icy tone. “Under sect law, those who force fellow disciples into sexual acts are subject to execution. In consideration of your first offense, I have severed the tendons in your hand. If there is a next time, you will be killed without pardon.”
The tall cultivator scarcely dared breathe. Clutching his wound, he said repeatedly, “This junior obeys! Thank you for your mercy, Steward Yun!” Then he turned, mounted his spirit bird, and fled without a moment’s delay. Yun Lie’s sword energy had left an aura of merciless slaughter within the wound. Only a spirit pill could treat it, so he had to return to his peak immediately and seek help.
The remaining people fell silent as frightened birds. It was as if they had only now noticed the black-clad Steward of Discipline. Everyone grew much more restrained. Those who had been eyeing the better-looking prospective outer-sect disciples quickly suppressed their intentions.
Xu Ziqing suddenly understood.
The oversight entrusted to Senior Brother Yun probably did not concern the Hall of Stewards officials so much as the unworthy inner-sect disciples who violated sect regulations. It was also a measure of protection the sect afforded the prospective inner- and outer-sect disciples. That must be why the two of them had remained on the ground instead of riding the puppet black vulture high in the sky. It made intervention easier.
At that realization, Xu Ziqing felt relieved.
No matter how many shadows there were within the sect, its virtues still outweighed its flaws so long as it did not simply turn a blind eye.
But affairs seldom unfolded exactly as one wished. A vast shadow abruptly appeared overhead, blotting out half the sky. Its dark mass was terrifying.
The crowd looked up and saw a monstrous demon beast beating its fleshy wings. Air churned beneath them, whipping up a tremendous gale.
Many outer-sect disciples swayed and almost lost their footing.
The demon beast bent its long neck, glaring with dreadful blood-red eyes. Then it opened its mouth to reveal rows of sharp teeth.
The disciples could not help shrinking back in fear!
Soon, several figures stood up on the beast’s back. Tiny in comparison with its immense body, they stepped onto flying swords and swiftly descended.
In a flash, three richly dressed inner-sect disciples appeared on the ground. The one leading them had a shadowed, ill-tempered look in his eyes.
Xu Ziqing’s gaze flickered when he recognized him.
Li Cai!
He looked at the two male cultivators flanking Li Cai. Both bore arrogant expressions, and their cultivation appeared to have reached the Core Transformation stage. Were they also disciples of Ultimate Bliss Peak?
Xu Ziqing’s heart sank.
Something about their arrival filled him with unease.
And events soon proved his misgivings correct.
Li Cai and his companions approached, their arrogance making others instinctively wary.
Many of the inner-sect disciples who had been flirting with people drew their partners aside upon seeing the beast and Li Cai, as though making way for them.
Several outer-sect disciples hungry for advancement promptly gathered around, each striking the most attractive pose possible. Meanwhile, the prospective outer-sect disciples, already frightened, scarcely dared breathe.
Even if a Steward of Discipline had protected them earlier, the spectacle of Li Cai’s entourage left these newcomers, whose prospects remained uncertain, deeply nervous.
Li Cai scanned the people trying their hardest to catch his attention and beckoned to a strikingly beautiful woman.
The woman smiled dazzlingly and hurried over with a graceful sway of her hips. Sensibly, she nestled beside Li Cai and lowered her head slightly, signaling submission.
Li Cai seemed pleased, and his expression relaxed. “Since you’re so clever and agreeable, you may become my concubine.”
The two cultivators beside him exchanged smiles. “Congratulations, Junior Brother Li!” Then they told the woman, “Junior Brother Li is the direct grandson of a Nascent Soul ancestor. Being allowed to follow him is a blessing earned over several lifetimes. Serve him well, and you will enjoy countless benefits!”
Overjoyed, the woman forcibly suppressed her excitement and said in a sweet voice, “It is truly this humble concubine’s good fortune. I will certainly serve Senior Li devotedly…”
After the woman and his two companions praised Li Cai at length, he noticed the admiring gazes of other disciples at the mention of an ‘ancestor.’ Pride swelled within him, and at last his mood improved. He resumed looking among the prospective outer-sect disciples with an air of leisure.
Sweeping his spiritual sense over them, he suddenly raised an eyebrow. “A Spiritual Jade Constitution?”
His gaze had landed on the pretty woman who had nearly been dragged away by force earlier.
The woman trembled uncontrollably, openly terrified.
There were several kinds of constitution in the world that made people suitable as cultivation cauldrons. Some belonged to people with excellent natural aptitude, some were particularly compatible with certain spiritual roots, and some existed even in ordinary mortals, serving only to benefit someone else… In the Qingyun Great World, cultivators possessing such constitutions were not uncommon. The Spiritual Jade Constitution was one of them.
Gentle and balanced by nature, the Spiritual Jade Constitution appeared occasionally in men and women alike. A cultivation cauldron with this constitution had a peaceful aura. For cultivators practicing violent techniques, drawing upon such a person could soothe their own condition and make inner demons easier to overcome.
Yet it was not an especially rare constitution. Seeing the woman shaking like a leaf, Li Cai lost interest.
Being noticed by Li Cai was miserable luck for her. But he had already acquired a beauty with the Peach Allure Constitution and looked down on this one, which was also a stroke of good fortune.
Li Cai let his gaze move past her, over the many prospective outer-sect disciples, and settle on someone else.
It was a fairly tall youth, dressed in red as vivid as fire, strikingly beautiful and refined. There was a trace of pride between his brows, and his lively expressions and spirited conversation gave him a heroic air. He was difficult to ignore.
Li Cai narrowed his eyes slowly as he watched the youth. “Look at him. Doesn’t his fire aura seem… unusually pure?”
The two cultivators beside him followed his gaze, and both were delighted.
One exclaimed, “A single Fire spiritual root! We’ve searched so long and finally found one. All that time spent mastering the Aura-Observing Art wasn’t wasted!”
The other laughed. “Eldest Senior Brother has been stuck at that bottleneck for years, and the ancestor is anxious about it too. If that old bastard from Divine Fire Peak hadn’t interfered years ago… Hmph!”
Li Cai grew even more smug. “This trip was worthwhile. If we bring him back to the peak, the ancestor will surely reward us.”
“Indeed,” his companions agreed. “Junior Brother Li deserves the greatest credit.”
Li Cai laughed freely. “We’ll all share the credit!”
After exchanging a few more words, Li Cai pushed the woman aside, stepped forward, and approached the prospective inner-sect disciples.
He suppressed some of the delight in his eyes and tried to speak gently. “May I ask how this junior brother is called?”
Su Xin had been waiting at the back with his companions for an opportunity and had viewed those who flattered and attached themselves to others with disdain. But all of them came from major sects in the small worlds and knew enough about such matters not to be as shocked as Xu Ziqing. Even the arrival of the ferocious demon beast had startled them without making them excessively afraid.
What they had not expected was that this difficult-looking cultivator would take the initiative to speak to Su Xin.
Su Xin’s thoughts raced, but he curved his lips in a smile. “Su Xin greets Senior Brother. May I ask who Senior Brother…”