Yun Xi did not try to force Dian Dian. She was more than willing to give Dian Dian this bit of freedom.
After making her way up to the main hall atop the mountain, Yun Xi respectfully bowed and sincerely expressed her gratitude to Leng Zhēnjūn for the generous gifts he had given her as a master.
Only after accepting her thanks did Leng Ruohan speak. "I will be entering seclusion to break through to Divine Transformation. I will not be able to leave for a while. I'm concerned it might delay your cultivation, so I've prepared all the resources you'll need for your Golden Core breakthrough in advance. How you use them and when you use them is up to you."
"Yes, Master. This disciple understands."
"Good. Now, tell me what problems you've encountered in your cultivation."
Leng Ruohan quickly adopted his role as master, guiding his disciple with clarity and precision.
"Master, I'm having some trouble converting spiritual energy."
Yun Xi didn't hold back. She took out a jade slip from her storage ring and began listing all the issues she had encountered during her cultivation.
Leng Ruohan addressed each one in turn. For the parts Yun Xi didn't fully understand, he personally demonstrated them using spiritual energy.
By the time Yun Xi finished asking all her accumulated questions, it was already noon. "Master, I've learned so much today. I'd like to return and digest everything you've taught me before I come back tomorrow to ask about the ice-element cultivation method."
"That's fine. But remember, trying to absorb too much at once will leave you unable to chew through any of it. The issues you raised today aren't something that can be fully grasped in a day or two."
"Yes, Master. I'll remember that."
Yun Xi bowed respectfully once more before taking her leave from the hall.
The next two days followed the same pattern. The master and disciple conversed, with Yun Xi asking and Leng Ruohan answering. Whenever a disagreement arose, they would personally test it through hands-on demonstration.
Yun Xi absorbed knowledge like a sponge. Only now did she truly feel the difference between having a master and not. Although she had always considered herself an adult with strong comprehension skills, certain ingrained thought patterns had indeed limited her cultivation progress.
On the third day, after resolving all her doubts, Leng Ruohan informed Yun Xi that he would begin seclusion the next morning. If any issues arose that she couldn't resolve on her own, she could seek help from the Sect Leader, her Martial Uncle.
"Yes, Master, I understand. But once you've entered seclusion, I plan to enter a short seclusion myself, to reorganize and reflect on everything I've learned over the past three days.
I'll try not to trouble the Sect Leader. He has countless matters to attend to, and shouldn't be distracted by these small things."
Leng Ruohan's lips curved slightly at her words, and he said calmly, "That is entirely up to you. But if you really do encounter something you cannot resolve, you may retreat to Lingxue Peak and wait until I emerge. Lingxue Peak can protect you."
Yun Xi chuckled at his words, assuring him that she would take care of herself.
On the morning of the fourth day, the main hall at the mountain's summit was shrouded in clouds and mist. The activation of the formation signaled that Leng Ruohan had officially begun his seclusion.
As soon as Sheng Yuhong confirmed that Leng Ruohan was in seclusion, he rushed to Lingxue Peak, eager to visit Yun Xi. Unfortunately, he was stopped by a disciple at the peak.
"Senior Brother Sheng," the disciple explained patiently, "Senior Sister Wei was personally instructed by the Peak Master for three days. She likely gained a lot and has now gone into seclusion. If you have anything urgent, you can send her a voice transmission. I'll also be sure to inform her once she emerges."
Sheng Yuhong frowned slightly but nodded in resignation. He turned to leave Lingxue Peak, only to run into Wei Yunqing before he even reached Haoran Peak.
Wei Yunqing had composed herself. Her expression was calm and her smile perfectly timed. "Senior Brother, did you just return from Lingxue Peak?"
Still feeling a bit down after failing to see Yun Xi, Sheng Yuhong gave a simple nod, not in the mood to talk.
Wei Yunqing misunderstood. She bit her lip lightly and said, "Senior Brother, did you see my younger sister? Is she doing well? I went to visit her, but I was stopped outside the peak. It felt like she didn't want to see me."
Sheng Yuhong glanced at the slightly aggrieved Wei Yunqing and finally opened his mouth. "Is that so? Did they not tell you that she's in seclusion?"
"In seclusion? I had no idea."
"I didn't see her either. She was personally instructed by Leng Zhēnjūn for three days and then went into seclusion. I'm sure they didn't stop you because of her."
Although Wei Yunqing felt uncomfortable hearing this, her mood unexpectedly improved after learning that Sheng Yuhong hadn't seen Yun Xi either. She quickly wiped away her hurt expression and smiled. "I see. I knew my little sister wasn't that kind of person. That disciple should've explained more clearly. I nearly misunderstood her. Luckily I ran into you, Senior Brother, or I might have grown distant from her for no reason."
Sheng Yuhong simply nodded faintly, clearly not interested in further conversation. After briefly bidding her farewell, he returned to Haoran Peak.
Wei Yunqing watched Sheng Yuhong leave, then turned and went back to Dan Peak. She had no intention of sharing the news of Yun Xi's seclusion with the other members of the Wei family.
Meanwhile, on Fǎ Peak, Jīndān Zhēnrén Wei Chenyin had also received the news of Yun Xi entering seclusion. She wasn't particularly surprised. The elders and Zhēnjūn of Haoran Sect all knew that Yu Ling Zhēnjūn was on the verge of breaking through to Divine Transformation, and there had been no shortage of speculation about his sudden decision to take a disciple before that happened.
Even someone as low-key as Wei Chenyin had people indirectly asking her why someone like Yu Ling Zhēnjūn, who had never shown interest in taking a disciple, suddenly made a move. Everyone wanted to know what made the Wei family girl special.
Wei Chenyin only smiled and replied, "I really don't know. That girl was originally meant to become my disciple after entering the inner sect, but she had a breakthrough during enlightenment and ended up spending four years in seclusion to stabilize her cultivation. She had only just come out when she was taken in by Yu Ling Zhēnjūn. I was surprised too.
But she does have great comprehension. Perhaps that's what caught Yu Ling Zhēnjūn's attention."
Someone immediately echoed her words. "That makes sense. Disciples who break through from enlightenment are rare in the sect. If her comprehension is strong enough, talent doesn't matter as much."
This explanation soon became the common assumption about why Yu Ling Zhēnjūn took Yun Xi as his disciple.
After shaking off all the people trying to dig for information, Wei Chenyin also thought of paying Yun Xi a visit. But before she could even send a voice transmission, news of Yun Xi entering seclusion arrived.
She wasn't in a rush. They were both members of the Wei family. Sooner or later, they would meet again.
The other members of the Wei family also heard from different sources that Yun Xi had entered seclusion. Though disappointed that they couldn't visit Lingxue Peak, they returned to their own cultivation with renewed determination. None of them wanted to be left behind.
At that moment, the very Yun Xi whom everyone was thinking about was deep in cultivation with the Mingyue Frost Condensation Art. Surrounded by the pure ice energy of the Snowbell Flowers, it felt as though she were soaking in a warm spring. It was not cold at all—in fact, it was quite comfortable.
White ice spiritual energy surged eagerly into her body, flowing along the path guided by her divine sense. After one full cycle through her meridians, it finally settled in her dantian.
This seclusion lasted three whole months. By the time she emerged, Yun Xi had already cultivated the Mingyue Frost Condensation Art to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment. She had also refined the ice needle sealed within the thousand-year ice block, making it her second weapon.
This needle was a spiritual treasure called the Hánshuāng Xuánbīng Zhēn, or the Mystic Frost Needle. It was perfectly compatible with her cultivation method.
===
It seems Yu Ling is Leng Ruohan's dao name or maybe his title.
御泠 (Yù Líng)
御 (yù)
To control, to command, to drive
Can also carry a refined or regal tone (used in imperial contexts like 御剑 "sword control" or "imperial sword")
In cultivation, it often suggests mastery, control, or elegant command over something (e.g.,御剑飞行 – sword flight)
泠 (líng)
A rare character meaning cold, clear, cool-sounding or crystal-like
Often used in poetic or literary names to evoke cold beauty, elegance, or clarity—especially with a connection to ice or water themes
✦ Combined Meaning:
"Yu Ling" (御泠) could evoke the idea of:
"One who commands the cold"
"Master of clarity and frost"
"Graceful control over ice or elegance in stillness"
Also the Author write like this in the original text "御泠（ling）". Remember about Qin Tongshuang name? Yeah, I kinda torn between using Qin and other one. But in the end I choose to use Qin. I think this is similar with that.
This is a common practice in Chinese webnovels when an uncommon or less frequently seen character appears. The pinyin with tone is not provided, but the author gives the pronunciation in parentheses to help readers know how to read it, especially if the character is rare or might be misread.
泠 is not a common character, and can be misread as another similar-looking word (e.g., 冷 or 玲).
So the author adds （ling） to clarify that it's pronounced líng, not something else.
--
寒霜玄冰针 (Hánshuāng Xuánbīng Zhēn)
寒 (hán) – Cold, chill
霜 (shuāng) – Frost
→ Together 寒霜 means icy frost or chilling frost
玄 (xuán) – Profound, mysterious, dark (also implies something spiritual or arcane)
冰 (bīng) – Ice
→ Together 玄冰 can be interpreted as mystic ice, profound ice, or arcane ice
针 (zhēn) – Needle, referring to the weapon itself