The next day, Xiao Yong Zhūnzhǔ arrived at Zixiao Peak with Tao Chengfeng Zhēnjūn. Yue Liang, who had been lazily sunning herself atop a tree, suddenly perked her ears. In the next moment, her figure vanished from the branch and reappeared on Tao Zhēnjūn's shoulder.
"Tao Zhēnjūn, it has been a while. Congratulations on reaching the Nascent Soul stage."
Tao Zhēnjūn stiffened slightly when Yue Liang landed, but quickly relaxed. His calm voice responded, "Thank you, and congratulations to you as well. I have been sent by the sect to bring you home."
"Thank you for coming all this way. I thank you on behalf of my master. Let me say goodbye to Xiao Lu, then we can depart."
She flickered and appeared before Lu Xuanyuan, who had been watching her eagerly.
"Xiao Lu, my task is done, and I must return to my sect. You have to cultivate hard, alright?"
"But Yue Liang, your master hasn't come yet! Why don't you stay at Zixiao and continue cultivating here?"
"No can do. I'm a beast of the Heavenly Sword Sect. It wouldn't be right for me to remain in another sect." She raised her paw and lightly tapped her sword token, then said in a serious tone, "Your spiritual roots are outstanding, and you have excellent resources. Your starting point is already high, so you must work even harder. That way, you won't let your elders down. When you walk out into the world, people will say 'Lu Xuanyuan is remarkable,' not just that you're the sect leader's heir. Understand?"
Lu Xuanyuan had been feeling a little down, but now looked confused by her words. He shook his head.
"It's alright. Shan Zhēnjūn told me once, if you don't understand something, find someone who does. Go ask your ancestor. Here, this is a parting gift from me. Thanks for looking after me."
Yue Liang fished out a Purple-Heart Fruit from her storage collar and stuffed it into Lu Xuanyuan's hand with a flourish, then with a flash, returned to Tao Zhēnjūn's shoulder.
Xiao Yong Zhūnzhǔ and Tao Zhēnjūn had heard every word. Especially Xiao Yong Zhūnzhǔ, who found himself reminded of the first time he met Yue Liang and her master.
Tao Zhēnjūn watched Yue Liang's stern lecture and couldn't help but think of how Shan Zhēnjūn used to scold her. He gave a soft cough to hide his amusement. After expressing thanks to Xiao Yong Zhūnzhǔ, Tao Zhēnjūn quietly took Yue Liang away through the teleportation array.
Lu Xuanyuan repeated Yue Liang's words to the current Sect Master of Purple Sky, while Xiao Yong Zhūnzhǔ smiled beside him.
"So, you really listened to Yue Liang. Good. It's simple—just cultivate hard. Once you're strong enough, you can go to the Heavenly Sword Sect openly and see her again."
Lu Xuanyuan still seemed unsure and looked toward his ancestor. Xiao Zi Zhēnzhūn nodded with a smile.
"Xiao Yong is right. You must work hard. If not, you won't even get out of the sect."
Once the young one left, Xiao Zi Zhēnzhūn's expression turned serious.
"The Heavenly Sword Sect really is full of talent. Even a little spirit beast is so sharp-minded."
"She's well-taught by her master," Xiao Yong Zhūnzhǔ replied, sipping his spiritual tea.
"By the way, how was the issue with Chang Ping handled?"
"Zi Qing Zhēnzhūn took care of it personally. That clan falls under her protection, so it was best for her to act. Fewer chances of collateral damage."
"A Mahayana Zhēnzhūn who lacks crisis awareness wouldn't have made it this far in cultivation anyway."
"Agreed. After this incident, Purple Sky's security will be tighter."
"Still, don't get careless. The threat is from beyond this realm. We can't afford to slip up. Begin elevating the tier of resources allocated by the sect. From now on, start preparing for the alchemy competition's candidate selection."
"I understand. Things have been relatively calm in the Dao cultivation sects recently, especially with the incidents in the Purple-Grade Secret Realm and the Chilang Secret Realm. Everyone's been on high alert. The Pill Sect, Array Sect, and Artifact Sect have all intensified their training programs for alchemists, formation masters, and refiners."
"Even the Loose Cultivator Alliance has increased trial opportunities and rewards. Some sects have cautiously opened recruitment to outsiders."
"Looks peaceful for now, but the future is uncertain. Elder Yin hasn't been seen since appearing in Tianyue City over a decade ago. Without him, we can't even get a divination reading."
"Better to be prepared than caught off guard."
"What about the Demon Sect?"
"It's been a mess for nearly a decade. Word is that Mó Su of the Heavenly Demon Palace tracked a nest of black beetles to the Devil Abyss and wiped them out. But both Mó Su and his team went missing after that. Then a year later, a tribulation cloud formed above the Devil Abyss and has not dispersed since."
"Anyone investigate?"
"Cultivators from every sect have checked it out, but found nothing except the cloud. No one dares trouble a Unity or Mahayana expert to look deeper, but the Heavenly Demon Palace has stationed people there to keep watch."
"We'll follow their lead."
Meanwhile, Tao Zhēnjūn rushed back to the sect with Yue Liang. He had no choice. He feared someone from Purple Sky might demand compensation from the Heavenly Sword Sect for the destruction of the famed Purple Lotus fields behind the mountain.
When he heard Yue Liang's full story, he barely managed to keep a straight face. He had known Shan Yunzu wouldn't just lend out her beloved Yue Liang so easily.
Turns out she gave Yue Liang one of her lifesaving talismans. Yue Liang used it in self-defense to injure someone (as Yue Liang put it, "a bad person") and incidentally destroyed the flower fields ("an unavoidable consequence of protecting myself").
What an incredible talisman it must be. Tao Zhēnjūn was heartbroken just imagining it, yet Shan Yunzu had handed it over to her beast without blinking. Truly, people and beasts were different.
He sighed and decided it was best to get Yue Liang home quickly before something else went wrong and Shan Zhēnjūn held him accountable. By the time they returned to the Heavenly Sword Sect, Yue Liang had already fallen into deep sleep, beginning her advancement process.
Jian Li Zhēnzhǔ checked on her and, seeing her stable aura and slowly rising cultivation, ordered that she be sent to the Raccoon Beast territory on Medicine Peak.
The Raccoon Beast Ancestor initially thought Yue Liang was injured, but after careful inspection, saw she was simply sleeping through a breakthrough and felt reassured. Xingxing was thrilled to see her younger sister again and even more delighted to find her cultivation rising. She quickly prepared a comfortable grass hut to help Yue Liang concentrate on her advancement.
Meanwhile, in the mortal world, on Yaguo's Mount Ya...
Du Yanran finished refining the last drop of spring water, and finally reconnected all the torn meridians in her body. She let out a heavy breath. Her eyes flashed with cold light as she opened them. After five years, she could finally cultivate again.
A knock sounded at the door.
"Wife, dinner is ready."
It was the hunter Ah Hu, calling her to eat.
Du Yanran's eyes flickered with disdain at the title. If not for the mountain's quietness and the faint spiritual energy that helped her repair her meridians, she would never have used her spiritual sense to manipulate him into servitude.
The two of them had even registered as a married couple at the local yamen to provide her with an identity. But she had never once shown her face to the villagers, only claiming to be recovering from illness while hiding away in Mount Ya.