Chapter 41

The Elder Council of the Jade Clarity Sect was built against a mountain, sprawling over millions of acres.0

The residences, scattered far apart, were hidden among the greenery, appearing and disappearing like a mirage.0

Jian Huan descended from a green bamboo strip, lightly lifted her skirt, and hopped up the stone steps before crossing the threshold.0

The courtyard was adorned with blooming peach blossoms, their fragrance lingering in the air, exuding an out-of-season, luxurious scent.0

Shen Jizhi watched quietly, following Jian Huan as they weaved through the peach blossom path.0

At the end of the path was the main hall.0

Inside, a few people were seated, engaged in casual conversation.0

Jian Huan quickened her pace and, before even entering, called out with a bright, youthful voice, “Apologies, everyone! We’re late!”0

The people in the hall turned their heads, stood up, and exchanged bows in greeting.0

Gong Feihong introduced the two sides: “These are Jian Huan and Senior Brother Shen, whom I mentioned earlier. You can chat among yourselves. The elders are summoning me, probably to discuss matters about the Nine Regions Conference. I’ll take my leave now.”0

With that, Gong Feihong bid farewell, leaving the five of them in the hall.0

For a moment, no one spoke. Five pairs of eyes glanced at one another, waiting for someone to break the silence.0

Just as Jian Huan was about to say something, the young man dressed in black standing to the left spoke first: “Yang Ye, Beast Tamer, first-year disciple, dual spiritual roots, Foundation Establishment, first layer.”0

The man in white beside him, with a gentle voice, followed up: “Yin Yusheng, Medicinal Cultivator, inner sect disciple, triple spiritual roots, Foundation Establishment, second layer.”0

Jian Huan then introduced herself, having recently advanced a small layer after her second bath: “Jian Huan, Talisman Cultivator, first-year disciple, dual spiritual roots, Foundation Establishment, second layer.”0

After her introduction, the three who had spoken first turned their gazes to the remaining two.0

Shen Jizhi glanced at Jian Huan and said calmly, “Shen Jizhi, Sword Cultivator, personal disciple, five spiritual roots, Foundation Establishment, first layer.”0

The last girl, with her head lowered, spoke in a soft, delicate voice: “Wen Jiu, Sword Cultivator, inner sect disciple, dual spiritual roots, Foundation Establishment, sixth layer.”0

Jian Huan nodded as she listened, found a seat, and sat down. Noticing Shen Jizhi still standing, she blinked at him.0

Seeing this, Shen Jizhi slowly dragged a chair over and sat beside Jian Huan.0

The others followed suit and took their seats.0

Yang Ye, with his straightforward demeanor, got straight to the point: “The Lotus Square Town small secret realm is a natural one. It opened three years ago, and according to the cultivators who entered, it’s mostly filled with sixth and seventh-grade demon beasts and spirit herbs. These things aren’t of much value to high-level cultivators, but for us, they’re just right.”0

The other four nodded slightly, indicating they were listening.0

Yang Ye clasped his hands toward them and said, “With Senior Brother Shen, Senior Brother Yin, and Senior Sister Wen here, it shouldn’t be my place to speak. But I also have matters to attend to later, and I’ve explored quite a few secret realms since joining the sect, so I’m relatively familiar with them. Therefore, I’ll speak frankly. Generally, people enter secret realms in groups, but conflicts often arise when dividing the treasures afterward, sometimes even leading to bloodshed. Since we’re all fellow disciples, to avoid such a situation, I suggest we agree beforehand that no matter who makes the move, the demon beasts and spirit herbs will be shared equally. If we’re lucky and the secret realm has a hidden treasure left by a powerful figure, we’ll split up and search for our own treasures. How does that sound?”0

In the cultivation world, there are many powerful figures who, unable to create their own secret realms or unwilling to do so due to their eccentric temperaments, would secretly hide treasures in natural secret realms. However, such occurrences are rare, happening in only two or three out of a hundred secret realms. But since there’s a possibility, it’s best to address it beforehand to avoid disputes if it does happen.0

Jian Huan felt at ease and was the first to agree: “No problem.”0

The other three also had no objections.0

Yang Ye said, “Then it’s settled. We won’t waste time by leaving the sect together. Let’s meet at Lotus Square Town at the hour of Wei (1-3 PM) five days from now.”0

After setting the time, Yang Ye hurriedly left, and the girl named Wen Jiu slipped away without a word.0

Jian Huan, however, wasn’t in a rush to leave. She turned to the young man in white and asked, “Senior Brother Yin, if I recall correctly, weren’t you the one who discovered Hu Zhi’s corpse that day?”0

Yin Yusheng smiled and replied, “Indeed, it’s quite a coincidence. When Junior Brother Gong mentioned the secret realm and said the two of you would be joining, I agreed immediately. I’ll be counting on your support in the secret realm.”0

Jian Huan said, “Not at all, Senior Brother is too kind.”0

After a few polite exchanges, the two left Gong Feihong’s residence one after the other.0

Outside the gate, Jian Huan said to Shen Jizhi, “I’ll drop by to inform Elder Yu Qing on my way. You can head back first.”0n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Outside the pavilion, the green bamboo swayed gracefully.0

Inside, Jian Huan looked astonished, unable to believe what she was hearing: “Lend it to me?!!!”0

Across from her, Elder Yu Qing smiled and nodded: “Once you enter the secret realm, the Xuantian Mirror will be useless, and I won’t know whether you’re safe or in danger. Lending you the green bamboo strip will give you a better chance of success. You can return it to me once you’re back safely.”0

Jian Huan stared at the green bamboo strip floating before her, unsure of what to do.0

It wasn’t hers, and taking it felt somewhat inappropriate.0

But after weighing the pros and cons in her mind, she reached out and accepted the bamboo strip from Elder Yu Qing. She stood up and bowed solemnly: “Thank you, Elder Yu.”0

“No need to be so formal,” Elder Yu Qing shook her head. “You’re under my care now. Be careful on your journey, and go ahead.”0

Elder Yu Qing’s green bamboo strip was no ordinary item. With it, Jian Huan could draw talismans and form arrays, and she wouldn’t need to smear her blood on the bamboo strip when facing opponents.0

The bamboo strip was emerald green, cool to the touch, and upon closer inspection, one could see the spiritual iron powder embedded in its patterns, forming intricate runes.0

“Tsk,” Shen Jizhi remarked upon returning from the Equipment Forging Hall and learning about this from Jian Huan. He gave a half-smile, “Elder Yu seems to treat you quite well.”0

Jian Huan caressed the bamboo strip lovingly and nodded, “Indeed. If Elder Yu hadn’t mentioned in class that he wouldn’t take on disciples before being promoted to Peak Master, I would’ve knelt down and begged to become his disciple back then.”0

Shen Jizhi averted his gaze, not wanting to look at the green bamboo strip on the bed, and let out a fake laugh, “Heh.”0

The Xuantian Mirror beside them lit up. Jian Huan carefully stored the bamboo strip in her Mustard Seed Pouch and picked up the mirror. It was a message from Ma Congcong.0

[Ma Congcong: Yes, yes, I happen to be flying to Lotus Square Town in three days.]0

Lotus Square Town was quite far from the Jade Clarity Sect. If they traveled by sword, they definitely wouldn’t make it in five days.0

The teleportation array was too expensive, so Ma Congcong’s “black car” was the best option, taking only two days.0

[Ma Congcong: Two hundred spirit stones per person. Book soon, as many people are heading to the Lotus Square Town small secret realm lately.]0

[Qian Duoduo Has Talismans: Alright, I’ll book two seats.]0

Following the usual process of the black car, it would gather ten people before departing, and the exact time of departure was uncertain.0

But with so many people heading to Lotus Square Town recently, Ma Congcong’s black car had already gathered ten passengers and was set to depart at the hour of Si (9-11 AM).0

At the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), Jian Huan and Shen Jizhi had already packed up and left their home.0

They didn’t bother locking their wooden hut, as there was nothing valuable inside. The blankets, quilts, tables, and meditation cushions had all been stored in their Mustard Seed Pouches and taken with them.0

The only valuable items left behind were the first-grade spirit tree and the yet-to-sprout Purple Jade Grass.0

To be honest, after several days had passed and the Purple Jade Grass still hadn’t sprouted, Jian Huan and Shen Jizhi were feeling a bit disappointed.0

In the first few days, they had checked daily to see if it had sprouted, but now they couldn’t be bothered.0

The thought of the five spirit stones they had invested possibly going to waste made them uneasy, so they decided it was better not to think about it.0

As for the first-grade spirit tree, it was unlikely anyone would steal it, as it wasn’t truly a first-grade spirit tree yet, and its leaves hadn’t fully grown.0

As for the Earth Fruit Spirit underground…0

Jian Huan and Shen Jizhi crouched nearby.0

She spoke softly, “Little fruit, Shen Jizhi and I are going on a short trip. Stay hidden underground and don’t come out. If someone comes, burrow deeper into the soil and turn into a little green worm, okay?”0

The array Qi Wan had set up to summon the Earth Fruit Spirit only worked one way—Jian Huan could summon it, but the spirit couldn’t notify her if it was in danger.0

To ensure the Earth Fruit Spirit could continue producing fruit here, she didn’t want to take it with them.0

The Earth Fruit Spirit replied weakly, “…Got it. Please just leave already.”0

It ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‍just wanted some peace and quiet. Why was that so hard? For the past few days, they had been asking it why the Purple Jade Grass hadn’t sprouted yet. How could it sprout so quickly? The first-grade spirit tree wasn’t even fully grown yet—what was the rush?0

After bidding farewell to the Earth Fruit Spirit, Jian Huan and Shen Jizhi arrived at the meeting point a quarter of an hour early.0

Ma Congcong was feeding the spirit horse with spiritual grass when he saw the two of them approaching. He flashed his signature grin and said, "You’re here? Hurry inside, quite a few people have already arrived."0

The two of them paid their fare and boarded the carriage. As soon as they stepped in, Jian Huan froze for a moment.0

In the farthest corner of the carriage, a slender and delicate girl was holding a thick, black greatsword upright. The sword nearly obscured half of her figure. Beside her, a handsome man in white robes cradled a medicine basket, inside of which was a sickle.0

Upon seeing Jian Huan and the others, the girl with the black sword silently lowered her gaze, trying to blend into the background of the corner.0

Yin Yusheng awkwardly greeted them, "What a coincidence. I thought you’d all be taking the teleportation array."0

Jian Huan chuckled, "Yeah, what a coincidence."0

She had also assumed they would be taking the teleportation array!0

Jian Huan walked over and sat down beside the sword cultivator, Wen Jiu, greeting her warmly, "Senior Sister Wen."0

Wen Jiu gave her a slight nod in acknowledgment.0

Shen Jizhi took a seat next to Jian Huan.0

The carriage was filled with other people, so no one engaged in conversation. Some were meditating, others were reciting incantations, and a few were lost in their own thoughts.0

Time passed slowly, and soon it was time to depart.0

Just before the appointed hour, a figure dressed in black quickly boarded the carriage.0

Yang Ye didn’t pay much attention and simply took the first available seat he saw.0

The spirit horse neighed, its hooves pawing at the air as it slowly ascended into the sky.0

Yang Ye looked up and immediately met the intense gazes of three pairs of eyes.0

Yang Ye: "..."0

Holy cow, they were all people he knew!0

Jian Huan waved at him with a meaningful smile, "Hey, what a coincidence."0

Yang Ye forced an awkward smile, "Yeah, what a coincidence."0

Why had he suggested meeting directly in Lotus Square Town? Was it really because gathering at the sect would waste time?0

No, it was because he couldn’t afford the teleportation array and had planned to sneak onto the ten-person spirit horse carriage. If everyone else had taken the teleportation array, it would have been too embarrassing to admit he wasn’t taking it.0

But who would have thought...0

The spirit horse soared into the clouds, speeding toward Lotus Square Town.0

The carriage gradually stabilized, and the five of them sat in silence.0

They had all come together because of Gong Feihong, but even though they knew of each other, they weren’t close.0

In their usual encounters, they had always thought the others were doing well and didn’t seem like people who would be short on money. So how could this be...0

After a while, Jian Huan spoke up softly, "How much do you all owe Gong Feihong?" When chatting with others, it was best to share your own situation first to encourage them to open up, so she added, "I owed three thousand spirit stones, but I’ve recently paid it off."0

Yin Yusheng fiddled with the sickle in his medicine basket and sighed, "I owe nine thousand spirit stones. Not only haven’t I paid it off, but the debt keeps growing..."0

Yang Ye sighed as well, "Same here. I owe seven thousand."0

From the corner, Senior Sister Wen Jiu’s soft voice uttered a few words, "I owe twenty thousand."0

Jian Huan, Yin Yusheng, and Yang Ye were visibly shocked and turned to look at her.0

Jian Huan exclaimed in surprise, "Senior Sister, how did you end up owing so much?"0

Wen Jiu, unused to so many eyes on her, coughed lightly and pointed to the large black sword in her arms.0

Everyone understood immediately.0

She was a sword cultivator, after all.0

The four of them had now shared their debt situations and, with unspoken agreement, turned their gazes to Shen Jizhi.0

The other three also knew Shen Jizhi. His master, Gu Shan, had become famous during the Great War between the righteous and demonic sects a century ago. Later, his reputation spread across the Nine Provinces due to his habit of drinking and accumulating debts. As Gu Shan’s only direct disciple, and with his strikingly handsome face, Shen Jizhi was well-known throughout the Jade Clarity Sect.0

Rumors had it that Shen Jizhi had inherited a mountain of debt from his master, Gu Shan.0

But rumors were just rumors, and the others couldn’t be sure of their accuracy. After all, they weren’t close to Shen Jizhi and didn’t know the details.0

Shen Jizhi sat upright, not participating in the conversation. Instead, he had his eyes slightly closed, quietly meditating.0

Jian Huan had already reached the second level of Foundation Establishment, and he didn’t want to fall behind. He had to seize every moment to cultivate.0

Sensing their gazes, he didn’t rush to speak. He first completed the small cycle of energy circulation he was in the middle of, exhaled slowly, and then opened his eyes to reply, "I don’t owe Gong Feihong anything."0

The other three, except for Jian Huan, showed a hint of envy.0

"I owe his father," Shen Jizhi said with an impassive expression, "one hundred and seventy thousand."0

Almost simultaneously, a series of gasps echoed through the carriage.0

One hundred and seventy thousand!0

Shen Jizhi shook his head slightly, closed his eyes again, and resumed his meditation, completely tuning out the world around him.0