"All the children had passed the test, and just as I was about to put away the Heart-Capturing Gate, it continued to run. It was flashing with a purple-gold light, projecting a great battle inside."
"A great battle?" Jian Li asked with a doubtful frown.
"It's the war between Lingyun Continent and the alien insect horde." Jian Chong's expression turned grim, his brows furrowing deeper.
"I'll go with you to take a look."
The group in the main hall followed Jian Li Zūnshàng to the outer gate's plaza to investigate.
Tianyue Peak
Back at Tianyue Peak, Jian Dan reclined in a rocking chair beneath a banyan tree, sipping tea to relax her mind.
She extended her divine sense into her Space, gently probing Cotton Candy, who remained silently floating there. This was a crucial moment for Cotton Candy's advancement.
Jian Dan had once asked if it needed her spiritual energy to help. Cotton Candy's childish voice had rung out crisply:
"Master, don't worry! Cotton Candy's advancement is driven by your own cultivation progress. As long as my core remains in your space, I won't fail!"
Since Cotton Candy was so confident, Jian Dan left it there, only checking in periodically for peace of mind.
Inside the space, Cotton Candy drifted lazily like a real cloud, its form slowly shifting as it floated.
After confirming its safety, Jian Dan swept her divine sense across the entire space. Everything was as usual, except the flow of time here was clearer now, adjustable according to her will.
This discovery delighted her. She experimented, speeding time up and slowing it down, cross-verifying these changes with her comprehension of the Law of Time.
Outside, centered around Jian Dan, everything shifted rapidly. The banyan tree beside her grew thicker and taller in moments, its foliage becoming lush whenever she accelerated time. When she slowed it, the tree's growth halted entirely.
Dressed in a pink dress, Yu Jiajia had come to pay respects to Jian Lu Zhēnzūn. She hadn't even approached the cave residence yet when she saw the banyan tree rapidly growing and shrinking, flowers and grasses around it changing in an instant.
Lü Se, witnessing Jian Dan manipulate the Law of Time for the first time, froze in astonishment. Realizing the waves of temporal power radiating outward from Jian Dan, he swiftly scooped Yu Jiajia up and retreated, calling out urgently:
"Zūnshàng!"
Yu Jiajia's personal bodyguard appeared immediately, plucking her from Lü Se's arms and shielding her with a defensive barrier.
At Lü Se's voice, Jian Dan instantly withdrew her divine sense from the space. She turned to see Lü Se and the Void Refinement cultivator holding Yu Jiajia. Her temporal power, cast unconsciously, was about to collide with the barrier. Jian Dan flicked her sleeve, retracting the temporal field and dispersing the residual force in a single motion.
In just three breaths, everything returned to normal.
"Forgive me, Zūnshàng. This was my mistake for not sending word ahead," Lü Se said, pale-faced and bowing.
Because Yu Jiajia was the visitor, Lü Se hadn't announced their arrival. He knew Zūnshàng was fond of this little girl, who was practically a half-disciple, so he'd brought her directly over—only to cause such a scene.
"Rise. I was at fault too for not setting a restriction," Jian Dan said calmly, then added, "Since you've admitted your mistake, your punishment is ten days guarding the arena. Keep your win rate at no less than half."
"Yes, Zūnshàng. I accept the punishment. I'll have Ting Feng take over my duties during that time." Without protest, Lü Se accepted his sentence, apologized to Yu Jiajia and her guardian, and left Tianyue Peak.
Jian Dan gestured to Yu Jiajia. "Were you frightened?"
Yu Jiajia signaled to her shadow guard to put her down. She cheerfully ran over. "Zūnshàng, what spell was that? It was amazing! The tree grew so fast, but now it's back to normal!" Her big, dark eyes sparkled with awe as she bombarded Jian Dan with questions.
"You're bold, little one. Do you know what would have happened if you'd stepped into my field?"
Yu Jiajia nodded seriously. "Something bad. Otherwise, Uncle Yu wouldn't have shown himself."
Seeing her gaze drift toward the bodyguard who hadn't re-hidden his presence, Jian Dan chuckled. "At least you're not reckless."
A round fan appeared in her hand, a violet jade talisman attached to it. "You were startled because of me. Take this as compensation."
"A life-saving talisman! Did you craft this yourself, Zūnshàng?"
"Good eye. I just finished it recently."
"Thank you, Zūnshàng!"
Yu Jiajia's face lit up with joy as she hung the talisman around her neck.
"I'm glad you like it. Sit and talk."
With a flick of her fan, Jian Dan summoned a child-sized rocking chair opposite her jade table.
Yu Jiajia beamed. She had always wanted to try one. Jumping lightly into the seat, she tested its motion with delight before straightening and speaking formally.
"Zūnshàng, I'm here on behalf of the other disciples from the Tongzhi's Hall to ask when you'll teach us again."
Jian Dan did a quick calculation. It had indeed been a long time since she visited the Tongzhi's Hall. "For now, just focus on laying your foundation. Train step by step. Gather your questions, and I'll answer them all during the next class."
"Yes! I'll tell everyone." Yu Jiajia hesitated for a moment, then asked shyly, "Zūnshàng, I heard you've taken two personal disciples."
Amused by her curiosity, Jian Dan smiled. "Don't you already have a master? He's both your teacher and your great-great-grandfather."
"In my heart, you're my master too. I just want to know what kind of person could become your disciple."
"You've met Yu Zongfan, my second disciple. The other is Mao Dou, my first disciple. They both cultivate at Sword Peak, so I accepted them together."
"I've met Zongfan, but not Mao Dou. Will he join the next class?"
"You'll meet him someday. They're progressing faster than your group. I'm currently conditioning their bodies."
"I see…" Yu Jiajia hid a small pang of disappointment, but it didn't dampen her happiness at meeting Jian Dan.
Then she carefully took out a guqin from her storage bag and began playing "Water Dragon Chant."
The sheet music had been given to her by Jian Dan herself, and Yu Jiajia had diligently practiced. She had chosen this moment to seek Jian Dan's guidance.
One glance told Jian Dan the instrument was extraordinary: its body was made of ten-thousand-year Tongyin Stone, its strings woven from mermaid sinew. Complex formation patterns were etched across its frame, though they remained dormant due to Yu Jiajia's limited cultivation.
The guqin's deep, majestic tones complemented her imperfect technique, lending the melody a haunting beauty. Music rippled through Tianyue Peak, drawing cultivators to listen. Only when the final note faded did they realize they'd been entranced.
"Very good. In such a short time, you've reached this level. You've worked hard."
Yu Jiajia's eyes curved into happy crescents. "Thank you for your praise, Zūnshàng!"