Cultivation: Starting from a Mortal Bone

The First Fairy of Yunlan Domain, the Cyan Mountain Sect’s Saintess, Su Xiyue, may very well appear at the Gathering of the Worthy.

When this news spread from the City Lord’s Mansion in Lin Xian City, it immediately caused a great commotion.

It attracted not only cultivators from Yunlan Domain, but also those who had hurried in from other regions, all entering Lin Xian City.

Even some cultivators who had been waiting and watching at the Ruins Rift rushed back.

All for a single glimpse of this First Fairy’s immortal beauty!

Qin Yu was wholeheartedly focused on earning Flame Points and cultivation, and rarely took the initiative to inquire about matters in the outside world.

His master’s wife, Yin Qinghe, naturally learned of it.

However, she felt that this matter had little to do with her rebellious disciple.

He already had four... no, three Dao Companions—surely he couldn’t be coveting that First Fairy as well?!

And so, she never mentioned it to Qin Yu.

Perhaps she also thought it unlikely the two would ever cross paths.

The First Fairy Su Xiyue was, after all, the future lord of an Immortal Sect—how could she possibly fancy a mere junior cultivator from a loose cultivator city?

That day.

Yin Qinghe brought Qin Yu and Zhao Mengli, the two of them, as they made their way toward the City Lord’s Mansion.

She had not put much effort into her appearance today, and, dressed in a loose, plain robe, had hidden her seductive figure beneath its drape.

However, her peerless beauty still drew countless gazes.

She was long accustomed to this, but her rebellious disciple would, intentionally or not, move to block her from prying eyes, shielding her from their stares.

The beautiful master’s wife grumbled a bit, but secretly she was delighted.

On the road.

She was still somewhat uneasy and again reminded Qin Yu and Zhao Mengli of various etiquettes to mind, particularly that they mustn’t draw attention, nor make trouble, and should strive to keep a low profile and avoid notice of anyone.

At present, they sought neither to stand out nor be chosen by any Immortal Sect—getting through this safely was enough.

At the City Lord’s Mansion.

Cultivators of the Cyan Mountain Sect stood at the gate.

They looked extraordinary; one among them even emanated the formidable aura of Foundation Establishment.

This made the approaching cultivators all the more nervous and awestruck.

Most of them were mere cultivators from the loose cultivator city; in their eyes, even an Immortal Sect disciple was a lofty presence, a lofty branch far too high to reach.

How would they dare accept the courtesy of Immortal Sect disciples?!

So each of them bent their waists lower than the last.

It made it all the easier to distinguish the status of those arriving.

Those able to greet properly were clearly cultivators from other Immortal Sects.

At the gate, Qin Yu naturally stood behind Yin Qinghe, head slightly bowed, half his face hidden from view.

He was still being somewhat cautious.

After greeting along with Yin Qinghe, the three entered the City Lord’s Mansion smoothly.

After all, they ran a medicine shop, and with Zhao Mengli’s reputation, they were shown some respect, and led all the way by maidservants into the Inner Mansion.

However, as for seats, of course, they were placed on the periphery.

This actually made Qin Yu breathe a sigh of relief.

In such a marginalized spot, surely no one would pay them any attention, right?!

Once seated, he began to observe his surroundings.

What surprised Qin Yu first was that the environment within the City Lord’s Inner Mansion had changed—where once there was a stone wall ahead, it had now been torn down.

Now revealed was the luxurious splendor of blooming flowers and lush grass, the elegance of jade-green bamboo and tumbling petals on mountainous stones, the harmony of playful fish gliding in green waves amidst thick blossoms, the classical touch of lotus rising from the water, stretching into the sky.

Most eye-catching of all was the lake.

Across its surface, wisps of mist drifted, ethereal as a dream, and with the slightest spiritual sense, one could tell—it was not ordinary mist, but vaporized spiritual qi!

Such was the richness of the spiritual qi!

A gentle breeze stirred, lotus buds sang softly with the wind, and dew rolled across the ruyu jade-plate leaves of the lotuses. Looking further, a panorama of softly smiling lotuses greeted the eye, the rush of wind like murmuring waters.

Against this backdrop woven by green leaves and lotus flowers, a pavilion stood quietly in the center of the lake—like an immortal cave mansion, existing apart from the world.

"That elder from the Immortal Sect must be residing there."

Qin Yu felt a chill—fear of discovery made him look away after only a fleeting glance.

In the Inner Mansion there were many cultivators present; those from Lin Xian City were but a handful.

The three did not converse with others, nor did they attempt to curry favor or draw near the high-born cultivators present.

In the Inner Mansion, they seemed all the more out of place.

"Hey, have you all heard? The Cyan Mountain Sect’s Saintess, Fairy Xiyue, may grace this event."

"Is that true?"

"Absolutely. My elder cousin, cultivating in the Cyan Mountain Sect—though only an outer disciple—was lucky to hear this secret and told me himself."

"Hiss..."

All around, gasps broke out, eyes glimmering with disbelief.

"A personage like Fairy Xiyue—how could she lower herself to get involved in such worldly matters?!"

"Indeed, Fairy Xiyue’s heart is as lofty and pure as the clouds, untouched by dust. Why would she appear in such a small city?!"

Clearly, most cultivators believed this was mere rumor, spread by the Cyan Mountain Sect to use as a lure for attendance.

"But what if Fairy Xiyue really appears?"

These words silenced the area for a moment.

But the hush lasted only briefly before someone spoke up: "If Fairy Xiyue truly appears, I swear I’ll devote myself to the Cyan Mountain Sect!"

At this, the people nearby all voiced their agreement.

"I as well! If I might behold even an instant of the Fairy’s grace, that fleeting radiance would satisfy me for a lifetime. Even if I turned to dust, I’d smile in the underworld."

However, a voice of clarity rang out: "Hah, a bunch of fools!"

"Fairy Xiyue is the future lord of the Immortal Sect. Would she pay attention to the likes of you?!"

Yet even as he spoke thus,

that very person kept seated, even craning his neck with anticipation, eyes fixed on that lakeside pavilion as if terrified to miss some crucial moment.

However, the seated Qin Yu was utterly dumbfounded.

What’s going on?!

Fairy Xiyue may appear at the Gathering of the Worthy?

If she saw him, wouldn’t he be doomed?!

No—that’s not right.

Didn’t Master’s wife say that a Cyan Mountain Sect elder was handling this event? Why would Fairy Xiyue appear?

Qin Yu looked toward Yin Qinghe, but she only cast him a cool glance in return.

Yet the look on Qin Yu’s face made Yin Qinghe pause for a moment.

Her rebellious disciple’s reaction wasn’t right.

Didn’t all the cultivators, regardless of gender, look forward to her arrival? But Qin Yu was the opposite: anxious, restless, like sitting on burning coals.

This was truly unexpected.

Could he have offended Fairy Xiyue?

Yin Qinghe guessed at this, but soon dismissed the idea.

How could Qin Yu have any dealings with one so lofty as the First Fairy?

The two weren’t even in the same world.

"Master’s wife, is it still possible... to leave now?" Qin Yu’s lowered voice reached her.

"What do you think?"

Yin Qinghe couldn’t help but furrow her brows as well.

She could feel it—her rebellious disciple definitely had some secret he wasn’t telling her.