Yun Xi stepped through the formation guarding Lingxue Peak. A blast of cold wind swept across her face, and she couldn't help but take a deep breath. Looking up at the snow-covered mountain peak, a wave of familiarity washed over her.
She walked slowly back to her small courtyard. After letting Dian Dian and Fei Xia roam free, she changed into her white robe with blue patterns. Only then did she take out her communication jade slip and send messages to her brothers and sisters back in the clan, informing them that she had signed up for the sect competition.
The first to reply was Wei Zonghao:
"Yun Xi, you've been back with the clan for a while now. Did something happen? Is everything at home alright?"
Yun Xi responded:
"I did run into a little trouble, but it's all resolved now. I bumped into Wei Yunqing after returning to the clan. She's still just as insufferable."
"She wanted me to accompany her while she was back, but I turned her down. I'm not going to play her lackey. I plan to visit the clan again after the competition ends."
"She always looks down on the rest of us siblings, but I heard she got lucky this time. Despite the setback, her cultivation has already advanced to mid-Foundation Establishment. What about you? How's your progress?"
"I'm currently at the peak of early Foundation Establishment. A breakthrough will take a proper opportunity. I've shifted some focus to alchemy. I'm guessing I'll break through naturally after the competition. I'm not in a rush."
Wei Zonghao's current mindset was stable and focused on solid progress rather than rushing forward blindly.
"It's good that you're thinking that way. I also learned some family secrets during this trip back. They're related to the current Ancestor and a certain Golden Core Elder on Law Peak. I'm planning to pay a visit to Ancestor Chen Yin tomorrow."
Wei Zonghao replied a little hesitantly:
"Is that really appropriate? That Ancestor doesn't particularly care for the Wei family's juniors."
"No matter. Even if she doesn't care for me, she has to show some respect for my master. I am, after all, a direct disciple of Yu Ling Zhēnjūn. That alone is reason enough for a visit."
Yun Xi didn't mention her advancement to the Golden Core stage. Given her current cultivation, she was already qualified to speak with Wei Chenyin as a peer.
"Got it. Just mind the tone and timing. I'll come find you after the preliminaries end tomorrow."
"Alright, focus on getting ready for now."
Just as they cut off the connection, messages came in from Wei Yunting and Wei Zonghan as well. They mostly asked about how things were in the clan. Once they were assured all was well, their attention shifted back to the sect competition, which would begin the next day.
Half an hour later, Yun Xi made her way up to the summit of Lingxue Peak. The formation around the summit hall was still active, a sign that Yu Ling Zhēnjūn was still in seclusion. Judging by the fluctuations in the surrounding ice spiritual energy, a breakthrough to Divine Transformation was only a matter of time.
Yun Xi respectfully bowed toward her master's hall, then took out a meditation cushion. She adjusted her robes before sitting cross-legged and began to recount the details of her recent journey.
"Master, your disciple has made you proud. In just under half a year outside the sect, I've broken through to the Golden Core stage. It was a little dangerous here and there, but your good disciple made it through.
It all started when I headed for Xiafei Valley. I originally left the sect to settle a few family matters and picked up a couple of sect missions along the way. That's when I stumbled upon some evil cultivators using traps to capture unsuspecting cultivators."
Yun Xi chattered on for nearly an hour and a half. She even popped two Ice Ling Fruits to soothe her dry throat before finally wrapping up the summary of her journey. She ended with a grumble:
"Master, you'd better hurry up and reach Divine Transformation. Otherwise, I don't dare use my strange flames in front of others. And really, could you learn a thing or two from Qing Zhu Zhēnjūn? At least give your disciple some sort of divine sense shield. I can't keep running every time I run into that Li Chang.
It's only because you're in seclusion right now that I'm holding back. Otherwise, I would've already figured out a way to kill that old bastard. He's clearly gone mad trying to break through to Divine Transformation. He's even teamed up with evil cultivators, sacrificed his own son, and still refuses to see the truth. It's honestly pitiful and pathetic."
After ranting for a bit longer, Yun Xi felt she'd said everything that could be said—and kept quiet about what shouldn't be exposed. She got up, dusted herself off, put away her cushion, and casually made her way back down the mountain.
Inside the hall, Yu Ling Zhēnjūn, still seated in meditation, allowed a faint smile to tug at the corners of his lips. It was the first time he realized just how talkative his little disciple could be.
But as he listened to her recount her experiences, he also caught on to something deeper. Yun Xi had a path of her own to walk. There wasn't much he could do to help her along that path. Still, before she grew into a towering tree, he would make sure to shield her from the winds.
Once Yun Xi left, Leng Ruohan banished all stray thoughts and accelerated the circulation of his cultivation method. The ice spiritual energy in the spirit-gathering formation nearly liquefied as it wrapped tightly around him.
The night passed without disturbance.
At dawn the next day, Yun Xi left Lingxue Peak and headed to Haoran Peak to attend the opening ceremony of the sect competition.
Sect Master Yu Geng still radiated charm and energy. At his side stood his eldest disciple, Sheng Yuhong. After a few words of encouragement, he declared the start of the competition. It was the shortest opening speech Yun Xi had ever heard.
She had mostly come just to watch the festivities, but the ceremony ended in less than fifteen minutes, leaving her feeling a little underwhelmed. Once the competing disciples had all headed off to Doufa Peak, she turned toward Law Peak to pay a visit to Wei Chenyin.
Wei Chenyin, an elder of Law Peak, lived alone on a small side peak a good distance from the main one. She was known for her quiet demeanor, so when a disciple informed her someone was seeking an audience, she was a bit surprised. But upon hearing the name Wei Yunxi, a smile tugged at her lips and she instructed her disciple to let her in.
When Yun Xi saw Wei Chenyin, she respectfully offered a junior's salute.
"Yun Xi greets Elder Wei."
Wei Chenyin sensed the spiritual energy radiating from Yun Xi and was briefly stunned. She smiled as she raised a hand.
"No need to be so formal. We're family, after all.
Besides, you're now a Golden Core cultivator and a direct disciple of Yu Ling Zhēnjūn. Strictly speaking, I should be calling you Junior Uncle!"
Yun Xi let out a sheepish laugh and sat down before replying:
"You're still my elder, Ancestor Chenyin. I wouldn't dare accept such a title. Just call me Yun Xi. Within the sect, I'll call you Senior Sister Chenyin. How's that?"
Wei Chenyin chuckled and nodded.
"Yun Xi, you're the first among this batch of Wei family disciples to reach the Golden Core stage—and the youngest, too. You have your master's guidance, so I won't meddle in your cultivation path. But allow me to offer one piece of advice: don't fixate solely on increasing your cultivation. Build a strong foundation, train often, and gain as much combat experience as you can."
Yun Xi completely agreed. Combat experience was exactly what she lacked right now. She nodded obediently.
"I understand. This last trip to the clan was a form of training in itself. I even had the fortune of meeting Ancestor Nanfeng. Though honestly, he was quite unimpressive. Mid-Golden Core stage, sure, but his face looked ancient. He's not even half as refined as you."
At the mention of Ancestor Nanfeng, Wei Chenyin's expression dimmed ever so slightly. But upon hearing Yun Xi's dismissive evaluation, her lips curled again.
"Men like him, always scheming and calculating, spend all their energy on others. Naturally, their own cultivation suffers. It's just like Wei Yunqing—great potential, but constantly falling behind the rest of us."