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Su Yi could sense that Yue Shichan really wanted to go to the Great Xia with him.
Even so, he shook his head and refused. “I can’t go now.”
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It had been a month since Su Yi last saw Wen Lingxue and Cha Jin. Before he went to the Great Xia, he had to get the people around him settled in.
Cultivating one’s heart amidst mortal dust required one to temper themself through mundane sentiments and entanglements. Besides, Su Yi had never been heartless. How could he just up and leave?
He indeed admired Yue Shichan, but he couldn’t just disregard everything else and leave for the Great Xia with her just because of that.
Yue Shichan instantly felt a bit dejected, but Su Yi said gently, “The Orchid Terrace Dharma Assembly doesn’t start for another half year, right? There’s no reason I can’t go later.”
Yue Shichan quickly got her emotions under control and nodded. “Then I’ll wait for you there.”
She paused, suddenly a bit hesitant, then slipped a string of snow-white bells off her cuff and passed them to Su Yi. “These are Mother and Child Rhinoceros Horn Bells. If you proceed to the Great Xia, so long as you have these on you, I’ll be able to find you immediately. Please accept them.”
Su Yi took them, then looked them over. The little bells were exquisitely crafted, and they were carved out of Purpleplume Rhinocerous Horn Jade. They were smooth and soft to the touch, and they emanated a faint and subtle fragrance.
Su Yi flared his nostrils, and he quickly recognized the scent; it was a perfect match for Yue Shichan’s own gentle fragrance.
There was no doubt about it; she’d worn the string of bells for so long that they were permeated with her scent.
When she sensed the subtle movements of Su Yi’s nostrils, Yue Shichan was stunned. Her fair, beautiful face went somewhat rigid, and her eyelashes quivered.
A moment later, she took a deep breath, then got up. “Then I shan’t disturb you any longer. Farewell, Fellow Daoist.”
“Wait,” Su Yi called out. “Hold on a moment.”
As he spoke, he took a blank jade talisman. After a moment’s thought, he used his divine sense to engrave a miniature array.
He then passed it to Yue Shichan. “This is a Small Five Elemental Shift Talisman. When you encounter danger, use your cultivation base to activate it. It can instantly transport you a hundred miles away. Not even Spirit Dao cultivators can prevent it from taking effect.”
“You can use the talisman up to three times, but each use expends an enormous amount of your energy, so don’t use it except when you’re in danger.”
Yue Shichan’s eyes filled with surprise. “This… Did you make this just now?”
Just hearing his description of its effects, Yue Shichan knew that this was a life-saving treasure. Not even Spirit Dao cultivators could stop her from fleeing with it. How strong must it be?
But if it were that simple, it’d be easy to accept. It’s not like Yue Shichan didn’t have her own secret treasures and trump cards.
No, what really surprised her was that Su Yi had made the talisman on the spot, seemingly without any effort!
That was no different from turning trash into treasure; it was a miracle!
However, Su Yi only sighed in response. “My cultivation is limited, so this is the best I can make. Still, it’ll be enough to keep you alive and help you avert disaster.”
Yue Shichan was stunned. He’s seriously not satisfied with it!?
“Quick, take it.” Su Yi proffered it to her.
Yue Shichan hurriedly accepted it with both hands, then gazed deeply at him, a smile on her lips. “Many thanks!”
The light of dusk added an additional layer of inscrutability to the blue-robed youth reclining in his wicker chair.
After she bade farewell and left, that image of him floated back into her mind, and she couldn’t get it out of her head.
“That guy… Just what kind of person is he?”
Meanwhile, in Pinewind Villa.
Su Yi leaned back into his chair and said to no one in particular, "I wouldn’t have guessed I’d encounter someone with an innate Profound Illumination Spiritual Body. A physique of this level is rare to the extreme. She has a natural-born talent for cultivation. Were the peak-level ancient sects of the Nine Provinces to discover her, they’d scramble to recruit her…
“Oh, later on, if I get the chance, I can have her cultivate alongside me. I can’t just let a good seedling like her go to waste."
….
Later that day, Yue Shichan left on a solitary journey to the Great Xia.
It was also on this very day that the newly-appointed imperial preceptor, the talk of the town, silently disappeared from the capital without anyone knowing it.
One day later.
A fierce golden eagle silently landed on Mount Autumnleaf, not far from the Imperial Provincial Capital.
The blue-robed youth seated on its back rose, then leisurely dismounted. He casually tossed the bird a tier-four spirit stone. “This is your reward.”
The bird nervously accepted it, quivering in fright as it looked at Su Yi.
Just one day ago, it had been fast asleep, deep within the mountains. The bird would never have guessed that a young man would appear out of nowhere, slap it awake, then demand it acted as his mount!
The golden eagle was the hegemon of its mountain. How could it possibly agree to that?
In the end, Su Yi forced it to the ground, leaving it no choice but to submit to Su Yi’s tyranny…
“Don’t just stand there. Take it and go.” Su Yi waved it away.
This tier-nine vicious bird reacted as if it had received an imperial pardon, soaring off in a panic.
Su Yi, meanwhile, placed his hands behind his back and walked toward the academy built on Mount Autumnleaf.
This was his second visit to Heaven’s Origin Academy.
Last time, it was shortly after he arrived in the Provincial Capital. He had Zheng Muyao take him straight to Heaven’s Origin Academy so that he could terminate his marriage with Wen Lingzhao face-to-face.
Now, on his second visit, he was already the famous imperial preceptor of the Great Zhou, a legendary figure who’d killed numerous Earthly Immortals in rapid succession.
Of course, Su Yi didn’t care about such empty titles.
Burbling Spring Pavilion.
Cha Jin and Ning Sihua were currently playing chess.
When she saw that Cha Jin looked uneasy, Ning Sihua couldn’t help but sound exasperated. “Miss Cha Jin, your young lord is already safe and sound, so why do you still seem like you’ve lost your soul?”
Cha Jin lowered her head bashfully. “I… I was wondering when he’d come back, and I got a bit distracted.”
As she spoke, she hurriedly picked up a piece and was just about to play it when she heard someone chuckle beside her.
“You’re playing so badly that even if an immortal were to take over, they couldn’t turn this game around.”
Cha Jin shook from head to toe.
Thud!
The chess piece slipped from between her smooth, slender white fingers, then spun non-stop.
However, Cha Jin couldn’t be concerned with that. She shot to her feet, and when she saw the tall, familiar figure beside her, she was dumbstruck.
“Young… Young Lord!?” Her beautiful eyes widened, and her shiny lips opened. Disbelief was written all over her face, as if she suspected she were dreaming. It just didn’t feel real.
When he saw her surprise, Su Yi couldn’t help but laugh.
A moment later, Cha Jin hugged him tight. This caught Su Yi off guard. Is it worth getting so worked up over?
Ning Sihua suddenly felt like a third wheel, so she silently slipped away.
“Young Lord, I’m so glad you’re back. I’ve been so worried that you wouldn’t want me anymore… I… I was really so scared….” Cha Jin’s delicate frame quivered. A pair of jade-like arms hugged Su Yi tight, as if afraid she’d lose him again. Long-suppressed emotions burst out of her, like floodwaters breaking through a dam as she completely lost control. Tears streamed down her face.
Su Yi felt a bit uncomfortable at first, but gradually, his heart softened. He gently reached out and patted her on the back. “Enough; I said it earlier. There’s nothing I hate more than watching a woman cry her eyes out.”
“Uh…” Cha Jin hurriedly relaxed her stranglehold on Su Yi and wiped the tears from her face. She whispered, “Young Lord, I just couldn’t control myself….”
Su Yi laughed. “Any idiot could see that.”
Cha Jin’s cheeks blushed red, as if she had a fever, and she said in a voice as quiet as a gnat, “I’ve embarrassed myself…”
“Take some time to calm down, then gather everyone for a banquet,” said Su Yi gently.
Cha Jin wasn’t the only one staying at Heaven’s Origin Academy. Wen Lingxue and the Feng Siblings were here too.
It had been a long time since they’d last seen each other. Naturally, a banquet was in order.
Cha Jin hurriedly nodded. This transcendent, slender, elegant beauty was meek and obedient as could be whenever Su Yi was around.
When night fell, the plateau near Burbling Spring Pavilion was lively as could be.
Su Yi, Ning Sihua, Cha Jin, Wen Lingxue, Feng Xiaofeng, and Feng Xiaoran had all gathered for a lavish banquet—pineblossom wine, tea brewed in spring waters, rare and precious delicacies, melons and other fruits, and a wide array of refreshments.
They chatted and ate, the atmosphere lively and harmonious.
Wen Lingxue was delighted. Perhaps because she’d had too much to drink, her fair, beautiful features were flushed red. Every moment of her eyes, every laugh and smile had a languid, playful charm unlike her typical tranquil good looks.
She sat beside Su Yi, charming both in joy and in anger. Her eyes shone with happiness and delight.
Cha Jin sat on Su Yi’s other side. Her gaze occasionally landed on Wen Lingxue, who was practically leaning against Su Yi, yet she felt no jealousy or urge to compete.
She was well aware that Wen Lingxue occupied an irreplaceable position in Su Yi’s heart.
After several drinks, Ning Sihua asked, “Fellow Daoist, what are your plans for the future?”
“I plan to lie low and cultivate for a while,” said Su Yi casually. He’d long since made plans to seize this rare lull to refine a batch of Yin-Yang Nine Purities Pills, as well as a Five Elements Profound Amplification Formation. He’d make some talismans too while he was at it.
If he had the time to spare, he’d instruct his allies’ cultivation and help them improve more quickly.
So long as he prepared accordingly, the next time he needed to go out and temper himself, he wouldn’t need to worry about their safety.
“Fellow Daoist, how about… How about we establish a sect?” said Ning Sihua. “We can invite Mu Xi, Chen Zheng, Pu Yi, and our other alliance members to participate.”
Su Yi mulled it over, then nodded. “Sure.”
Establishing a sect wouldn’t just unite their hearts; it would protect them too.
With him there as a deterrent, ordinary factions wouldn’t dare offend members of their newly-established sect.
Ning Sihua smiled. “Great! Leave the various trivialities involved in its establishment to me. As for you, Fellow Daoist… All you need to do is think of a name for the sect.”
She knew Su Yi was lazy, and if she asked him to handle such trivialities, he’d surely lose patience. Thus, she volunteered to handle them herself.
Su Yi waved. “It’s just a name. I’ll just leave that up to you too.”
The way he saw it, the goal of establishing a sect wasn’t to promote any given body of knowledge or enlighten the masses, nor was it to expand his power and influence or dominate the nation.
It was only significant as a way of protecting those around him.
He wasn’t truly establishing a sect, so the name didn’t matter. He’d just leave it up to Ning Sihua.
Ning Sihua couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. She knew Su Yi was lazy, but she didn’t expect he’d be too lazy to even think about his own sect’s name.