Perfected Qiu He sighed and scolded fondly, “You two foolish children! Why give such a good treasure to someone with one foot in the grave? What a waste!”
Xu Ziqing smiled. “Master, what are you saying? Just look at how you are now. How could you possibly be… be… You’re clearly very young!”
As he spoke, he drew a line in front of himself with two fingers, creating an illusion.
Perfected Qiu He looked into it and saw his own reflection.
He nearly jumped in fright.
Perhaps the Flesh Upon Bones had worked too well. The image reflected in the spell was that of a round-faced youth of eighteen or nineteen, whose appearance was rather endearing.
Th-this was exactly what he had looked like when he was young!
Back when he formed his Golden Core, he had already been more than four hundred years old and elderly in appearance. Core formation had fixed his looks at around fifty or sixty. Unless he later formed a Nascent Soul and remade his body, his appearance would not change again. Who could have imagined that taking a single spirit herb would restore his body to this extent? In the cultivation world, which gifted cultivator did not look youthful? It was generally those of poor aptitude who struggled bitterly to advance who bore such signs of age, and those elderly-looking cultivators were often inferior even to peers of the same realm.
At that moment, Perfected Qiu He’s heart, which had ceased yearning for the Dao, began to stir again.
He too had possessed great determination in his youth, enabling him to form a Golden Core despite being only an ordinary inner disciple. Had he not lost his disciples and suffered under his own limitations, how could he have developed the wish to die?
Now his youthful appearance had returned, and he could feel essence and vitality surging continuously through his body. His resolve to pursue the Dao became firm once more.
The next instant, Perfected Qiu He’s aura began to rise. His realm visibly advanced.
Before long, it was as though a thin membrane had been pierced. His aura suddenly expanded, and he advanced to middle Golden Core!
That was the realm he had attained after his earlier seclusion, then lost because he believed his beloved disciples dead. Now, thanks to his experiences and insights into life and death, he had regained and consolidated it.
From now on, it would be much harder for his realm to fall again.
Xu Ziqing’s eyes brightened with delight for his master.
Yun Lie also spoke. “Congratulations, Master.”
Perfected Qiu He opened his eyes again. A brown light flashed through them and vanished, and his expression became more relaxed.
“This is all thanks to Yun’er and Ziqing.”
Xu Ziqing smiled all the more. “Master’s heavenly fortune has brought him good luck. There must be blessings ahead.”
The earlier oppressive feelings had now been swept away, and master and disciples talked happily for a while.
Perfected Qiu He then asked with concern, “Yun’er has become a Nascent Soul ancestor, so he should establish his own cultivation ground. He will be awarded a middle peak, a second-rank spirit vein, and other gifts. You ought to report your breakthrough to the sect.”
Yun Lie nodded. “I understand.”
Qiu He smiled. “Ziqing has also formed his Golden Core, so he should receive a small peak of his own. Perhaps it could stand beside Yun’er’s middle peak.”
Xu Ziqing froze. He had almost forgotten he was entitled to this reward as well.
Only…
Yun Lie spoke. “Ziqing will live with me.”
Perfected Qiu He looked at him in confusion. He knew how deep the bond between his disciples was. They had been inseparable for years, had survived countless hardships together, and had lived and nearly died side by side. Such devoted fellow disciples were rare. Yet however close they were, their constitutions and paths of cultivation differed. One had formed a Nascent Soul and the other a Golden Core, and each was walking his own path toward immortality. Perhaps they ought to give each other a little space, lest disagreements in the future damage their affection.
Xu Ziqing understood his master’s doubts. Remembering what existed between him and Senior Brother, he wanted to explain it, but when he opened his mouth, he could not decide how to put it appropriately.
Yun Lie had already said, “Ziqing and I will marry. I ask Master to preside over our ceremony.”
Perfected Qiu He went still. “…Marry?”
Xu Ziqing blushed but nodded faintly. “Senior Brother and I truly love one another.”
There was no reason to conceal it.
Yun Lie added, “Now that Ziqing has formed his Golden Core, there is no obstacle.”
Perfected Qiu He looked from one disciple to the other, one forthright, the other shy. Then he slapped his forehead, shook his head, and laughed. “You two…”
He had always believed that his eldest disciple’s Golden Core formation, with one emotion awakening the seven emotions, came from his affection for the younger disciple and their profound friendship. It had seemed perfectly natural. In the beginning, the second disciple had regarded the eldest only with respect and admiration for a cherished friend, while the eldest mostly looked after the younger. When had affection become romantic love?
On reflection, however, it was not so strange.
Under ordinary circumstances, he might have noticed their feelings much earlier, given how close they were. But his eldest disciple’s seven emotions had always been unstirred. Though Yun Lie treated Xu Ziqing well, Qiu He had never considered romance. He also remembered the beautiful women he had once sent to his eldest disciple, only for them to be so frightened that they scattered. How could he have guessed that this disciple would one day fall in love with someone?
Now that it was said openly, Perfected Qiu He quickly composed himself.
The two had once been deeply devoted friends, and their affection had strengthened with time. They trusted each other completely. Both were exceptionally gifted, handsome, and possessed outstanding bearing. If they loved one another and wished to spend their lives together, who could possibly be a better match?
The thought made Qiu He beam. “Then this is another happy occasion! Yun’er, have you decided on a wedding date? Your master will certainly preside over it.”
Yun Lie replied, “Nine days from now, we can hold the ceremony.”
Xu Ziqing’s cheeks reddened. For some reason, he suddenly felt a little nervous.
He glanced at Senior Brother. Seeing Yun Lie as calm as ever, he steadied himself.
My state of mind truly is not as strong as Senior Brother’s.
But he immediately thought that being so happy at the prospect of becoming Dao companions with the one he loved was nothing to be ashamed of.
After hearing the date, Perfected Qiu He calculated briefly.
After his eldest disciple reported his Nascent Soul breakthrough, the new cultivation ground should be settled within a day or two. Invitations could then be distributed without rushing.
They would, however, need to arrange the ceremonial supplies…
He raised the matter. “Your master can take care of the spirit fruits and other offerings. But the purple-gold thread incense needed for the ceremony must be obtained by the two of you personally.”
Xu Ziqing returned to himself, glanced at Yun Lie, and smiled. “We’ve already prepared all of it.”
Qiu He froze. “Already prepared?”
Xu Ziqing nodded. His expression darkened briefly, then recovered. “Decades ago, Senior Brother and I went into the desert to eliminate demons. On our return, we purchased the things we would need for the ceremony. But on the road back to the sect…”
Only now did Perfected Qiu He realize there had been such a plan. He sighed. “It’s all in the past. No need to dwell on it.”
Xu Ziqing smiled and did not speak of it further.
With those matters settled, all that remained was to move to the new cultivation ground before proceeding with the preparations.
Without noticing, the three had spent a long time talking indoors again.
Perfected Qiu He smiled. “Ze’er and your junior sisters must have been waiting for ages. Let’s go out and set their minds at ease.”
Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie both answered, “Yes.” Soon the three walked out together.
Sure enough, Qiu Ze, Yun Zhengrui, Yun Tianheng, and the eight junior sisters were all waiting quietly outside.
They hurried over when they saw someone emerge.
Qiu Ze and the junior sisters had asked the two Yun family youths about various matters, but those two knew only what had happened in the Hengwu Small World and could not satisfy their curiosity.
Qiu Ze took several quick steps, then saw the round-faced youth leading the way. He stopped in shock. “M-Master?”
Perfected Qiu He laughed heartily. “Ze’er, I’m impressed you still recognize me.”
The junior sisters exchanged glances, astonished and delighted.
Qiu Ze exclaimed joyfully, “It was the two Senior Brothers…”
Perfected Qiu He nodded with a smile. “Yes. Yun’er and Ziqing gave me a rare medicinal herb and restored all my vitality. They truly spent too much on me.”
After steadying himself, Qiu Ze bowed to Yun Lie and Xu Ziqing before saying, “It’s true the two Senior Brothers did this, but being filial to Master is never wasteful. I’m sure Senior Brothers feel the same way. Master, please don’t say that again.”
Xu Ziqing smiled. “Third Junior Brother is absolutely right.”
After that, Yun Zhengrui and Yun Tianheng came forward to pay their respects to their grandmaster, and both received gifts from Perfected Qiu He.
The eight junior sisters also greeted their two senior brothers. It turned out that they had cultivated desperately in the hope of cheering Perfected Qiu He and had all reached Foundation Establishment. Even though Qiu He had been losing his will to live, he deeply cherished their devotion and had accepted them all as personal disciples. The male and female disciples were ranked separately: the women from Eldest Junior Sister through Eighth Junior Sister, and the men from Eldest Senior Brother through Third Senior Brother.
Naturally, this too was happy news. Xu Ziqing selected several spiritual artifacts acquired in earlier years and gave them to his junior sisters. He also presented Qiu Ze with some excellent earth-attribute spiritual herbs. These were congratulations and thanks for the filial devotion they had shown their master over the years.
For a time, everyone was filled with happiness and harmony.
There was no need to dwell further on the bonds among fellow disciples. Though Yun Zhengrui and Yun Tianheng had already been accepted by Yun Lie and Xu Ziqing, their cultivation was not yet high enough for them to be more than nominal disciples within the sect. Only once their realms improved could they become personal disciples.
Because Yun Lie had formed his Nascent Soul outside the sect and only recently returned, he went to the main peak to report to the Sect Master. He also explained that Patriarch Ultimate Bliss had colluded with the demonic Dao.
The Sect Master and elders rejoiced to learn that Yun Lie had formed his Nascent Soul before reaching two hundred years of age. The Sect Master personally granted him a middle peak to serve as his cultivation ground, along with numerous precious artifacts, manuals, spiritual materials, and rare treasures. The elders likewise bestowed many gifts.
Yun Lie then placed his middle peak in a wide, open region of spiritual land and named it Slaughter Sword Peak. The small wood peak Xu Ziqing received for forming his Golden Core was placed beside it. Little Bamboo Peak, where Perfected Qiu He lived, and Little Slaughter Peak, which Yun Lie had previously received, were also moved near the middle peak through exceptionally powerful techniques.
Drawing upon his own comprehension, Yun Lie installed the Myriad Swords Annihilation Formation on the middle peak. Other defensive and offensive formations covered the mountain as well. Without a sword tablet personally granted by him, no one could move freely there. Anyone arriving with malicious intent would immediately be pierced through the heart by myriad swords.
Yun Lie also took out several sets of formations for the smaller peaks and instructed their occupants to arrange them. With that, the peaks became as impregnable as iron fortresses.
Perfected Qiu He continued living on Little Bamboo Peak. Qiu Ze cultivated with Master and stayed there too, as did several of his earlier friends.
The eight junior sisters were exceptionally beautiful, but there were many men on Little Bamboo Peak. Now that they were personal disciples, sharing the same residence was no longer appropriate. Xu Ziqing therefore tidied the small wood peak and gave it to his junior sisters as their cultivation ground.
Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie, meanwhile, lived together in the cave abode Xu Ziqing had opened on Little Slaughter Peak, preparing to send invitations to friends and guests for the ceremony.
Only when the ceremony arrived would the two move into the middle peak.