Zeng Dalou led Cai Zhao back slowly.
"Junior Sister Cai, don’t blame me for letting Lingbo off lightly. This matter... well, the Azure Tower Sect’s rules are actually very strict and absolutely do not tolerate bullying among disciples. It’s just... sigh, it’s just that Lingbo’s talent and constitution resemble Sect Leader Qi more than his late wife... She was slow in her youth, but once she breaks through her meridians..."
"Wait, hold on." Cai Zhao grew increasingly puzzled. "My aunt said that the former Sect Leader Yin was renowned as a prodigy, famous throughout the Martial World by his teens."
Zeng Dalou turned to her. "The ‘master’ I’m referring to is Lingbo’s father, the current Sect Leader Qi, not her maternal grandfather."
Cai Zhao gasped and looked Zeng Dalou up and down. "Sect Leader Qi is your master? You..." Judging by your age, shouldn’t you be of the same generation as Cai Pingchun and the others?
Zeng Dalou remained expressionless. "I just look mature for my age. In truth, I’m several years younger than your father."
Several years younger still puts you in your thirties—Cai Zhao forced a polite chuckle.
"Did Heroine Cai never mention me to you?"
Cai Zhao shook her head. "In her free time, my aunt loved to tell me amusing anecdotes from her travels in the Martial World, but they were all trivial and scattered. Oddly, she never spoke a word about the North Star sects."
Cai Pingchun and his wife had always forbidden their children from asking Cai Pingshu questions, fearing their youthful ignorance might lead to painful memories. As a result, Cai Zhao’s understanding of the Martial World was fragmented at best.
Zeng Dalou sighed softly and shook his head.
As they continued walking, Zeng Dalou went on, "...Back then, if not for the kindness of my master and Heroine Cai, I would’ve been just another starving beggar freezing to death on the streets, never able to enter the Azure Tower Sect. My master’s grace is something I’ll never forget. Besides, cultivation isn’t about age. Your father has made remarkable progress in martial arts over the past decade, while I, with my mediocre talent, have merely lingered in the sect, relying on seniority."
Cai Zhao said, "That’s how Fallen Blossom Valley’s martial arts are—progress is slow at first, requiring patience and steady cultivation. The later stages, however, yield profound strength. My aunt said that because of this, my father endured a lot of bullying in his youth."
—The martial arts of Fallen Blossom Valley were like a tree. In its sapling stage, anyone could easily uproot it. But once its roots grew deep, anchoring firmly into the bedrock below, not even the fiercest storm could topple it.
Of course, there were exceptions.
Cai Pingshu was the exception.
Zeng Dalou chuckled knowingly. "I see. Heroine Cai must have been exceptionally gifted, then. Not only did she make a name for herself at a young age, surpassing all her peers, but she also single-handedly slew the Demonic Cult’s leader. The title of ‘Number One Under Heaven’ was well-deserved. When I first saw Heroine Cai at ten years old, I was baffled—this girl wasn’t much older than me, yet so many heroes revered her."
Cai Zhao fell silent. "Yes, but the cost was too great."
"It was the injuries from slaying Nie Hengcheng that led to Heroine Cai’s untimely death." Zeng Dalou’s voice was heavy with sorrow.
Not wishing to dwell on the topic, Cai Zhao changed the subject. "Senior Brother Zeng, please tell me more about the senior disciples in the sect, so I don’t end up causing more ‘misunderstandings.’"
Zeng Dalou gave a bitter smile. "You did nothing wrong today. It was Junior Sister who acted improperly. Chang Ning is the orphan of Great Hero Chang Haosheng..."
Before he could finish, Cai Zhao gasped softly. "He’s actually Great Hero Chang’s son? The Chang family still..."Zeng Dalou sighed, "Your Fallen Blossom Valley prefers to stay out of Martial World affairs, remaining secluded year-round, so you might not have heard. Months ago, the entire Wu'an Chang family was slaughtered by the Demonic Cult, with only Great Hero Chang and his son escaping. Great Hero Chang's injuries were too severe, and he passed away on his way to Nine Conch Mountain. Given his friendship with our master, when Chang Ning arrived with his late father's letter seeking refuge, how could our master turn him away? So he took him in."
Cai Zhao softly exclaimed, "Auntie once said she rarely admires anyone in her life, but she held Great Hero Chang Haosheng in the highest regard for his hatred of evil and kind-hearted nature. Back then, Great Hero Chang even helped Fallen Blossom Valley... Is Chang Ning now a senior disciple in the sect?"
"Not yet. Chang Ning is severely injured with lingering poison. The master plans to heal him first before accepting him as a disciple and teaching him martial arts, so he can one day avenge his family."
"I see. So that Snow Lotus Pill was meant to treat Chang Ning's injuries and detoxify him." Cai Zhao steered the conversation back.
Zeng Dalou could only sigh again. "Our master possesses the rare 'Celestial Fire Dragon' bone structure. Initially dull, but if one fears no setback and dares to advance, once the meridian barriers are broken, any martial training becomes twice as effective with half the effort. But alas, the difficulty lies precisely in 'fearing no setback and daring to advance.'"
—Legend has it that in primordial times, while other dragons could easily break their shells and roam freely, the 'Celestial Fire Dragon' had to endure eighty-one years of scorching flames before emerging to dominate the world.
Cai Zhao nodded. "I know this. Auntie said when she first met Sect Leader Qi, he was being bullied. Originally, Old Sect Leader Yin had another direct disciple, but after seeing Sect Leader Qi break through his barriers and progress rapidly, he took him into the inner sect and nurtured him carefully."
Zeng Dalou sighed. "Yes, that was Senior Disciple Qiu. He now travels the world and rarely returns to Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff. I wonder if he'll make it back for the old patriarch's death anniversary."
He turned to look at Cai Zhao. "The master often says he owes his meridian breakthrough to Heroine Cai. When they met, he was just an ordinary outer disciple with no prospects. But Heroine Cai told him he was a hidden dragon in the pond, destined to soar high and command attention, urging him not to lose heart over early struggles. The master says he has never forgotten her words all these years."
Cai Zhao lifted her face, the mountain sunlight stinging her eyes.
She could imagine how radiant and bold her aunt must have been in her youth when she spoke those words.
"But Lingbo couldn't do it. Repeatedly impacting meridians and enduring ascetic training—what agony that must be." Zeng Dalou's expression darkened. "The sect mistress has only her, cherished since childhood. How could she bear such hardship? With the Snow Lotus Pill, the pain during meridian impact would be lessened, which is why Lingbo had such high hopes. That pill was accidentally obtained by Third Junior Brother and later offered to the master. After discussing with the sect mistress, they originally intended it for Lingbo. But then... then Junior Brother Chang Ning suddenly arrived... Naturally, saving a life took precedence."
"There's no need for excessive regret. Back then, didn't Old Sect Leader Yin have plenty of precious elixirs? He desperately hoped his two daughters would achieve greatness, but in the end, did either Madame Yin succeed? Qinglian Furen was passable, but my future sect mistress, Madam Sulian... well, heh."
In truth, Cai Pingshu's original words were: Yin Qinglian's skills were merely mediocre at best, while Yin Sulian could only be described as a turtle flipped on its back.Martial arts training is inherently arduous—rising at dawn and practicing until dusk, never resting through heat or cold. One must endure repeated tempering and impacts on their meridians and bones to transcend the limitations of an ordinary body. Noble-born and beautiful young ladies often cannot bear such hardships, especially when their fathers have already paved alternative paths for their two daughters.
Zeng Dalou frowned, then shook his head with a bitter smile. "Heroine Cai and the sect mistress have never gotten along well, so she might say such things, but Junior Sister Cai should be more cautious with her words. After all, the sect mistress will soon be your elder as well."
Cai Zhao ignored his remark. "Even if the Snow Lotus Pill can ease the pain during meridian breakthrough, it doesn’t guarantee success. The Snow Lotus Pill is a sacred remedy for healing injuries and detoxifying poison. Using it this way—if the breakthrough fails, the precious medicine will be wasted."
Zeng Dalou sighed. "Success or failure doesn’t matter much. I only hope for harmony in Master’s household."
As they walked and chatted, Cai Zhao soon learned she would have five senior brothers and one senior sister, making her the seventh disciple. She had already met half of them.
Zeng Dalou was the eldest senior brother, a beggar boy taken in by Sect Master Qi Yunke in his youth. Though his aptitude was mediocre and martial skills unremarkable, he was warm-hearted, honest, and handled affairs with fairness and thoroughness, making him the de facto steward of the Azure Tower Sect.
The second senior brother was the delicate-looking young man who had earlier fawned over Qi Lingbo—Dai Fengchi, a distant relative of the late sect master. It was said his entire family had been slaughtered by the former Demonic Cult leader Nie Hengcheng when he was still in swaddling clothes, leading the late sect master to adopt him. Later, he became Qi Yunke’s disciple, specializing in the "Forty-Nine Meteors Chasing the Wind Sword." He had already gained some renown in the Martial World (which meant he was quite famous).
Cai Zhao expressed admiration while admitting she had never heard of him, leaving Zeng Dalou with nothing to do but shake his head and smile wryly.
Next was Song Yuzhi.
Whether at home or in the sect, he ranked third. Unsurprisingly, among all the disciples, he had the highest talent, the strongest martial prowess, the most handsome appearance, and the wealthiest background… and the most overbearing father and elder brother.
"It’s quite rare for Third Junior Brother to willingly endure a simple life on the Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff. After all, the Vast Heaven Gate at Singing Emerald Peak is unimaginably wealthy—mountains of gold, silver, and pearls, as the saying goes…"
"Yes, that much is obvious," Cai Zhao chuckled. "I already witnessed the extravagance of Vast Heaven Gate at Wind Cloud Peak earlier. Not to mention, Third Senior Brother’s mother was the late Qinglian Furen. I won’t provoke him in the future."
Zeng Dalou could only smile helplessly.
Speak of the devil—just as the two were discussing him, a familiar figure came rushing toward them from afar.
"Eldest Senior Brother! Eldest Senior Brother!"
The voice arrived with the person. Song Yuzhi leaped forward, covering seven or eight zhang with the first call and appearing before them by the second. Cai Zhao silently praised, "What impressive lightness skills."
"Eldest Senior Brother, Junior Sister Cai." Song Yuzhi clasped his hands in greeting, his jade-like face tense with urgency. "Eldest Senior Brother, has Lingbo caused trouble again?!"
Zeng Dalou hesitated, unwilling to deny Qi Lingbo’s actions in front of Cai Zhao.
Song Yuzhi’s expression darkened. "Eldest Senior Brother, stop shielding her. Again and again—I’m going to report this to Master right now—"
"Wait!" Zeng Dalou grabbed Song Yuzhi’s arm. "Why the rush? Can’t we discuss this calmly? Leave it to me—I’ll handle Lingbo…"“It’s just a slap on the wrist after all the fuss!” Song Yuzhi’s gaze was icy as he stared straight at Cai Zhao. “Junior Sister Cai, were you bullied just now? Was Qi Lingbo the one leading it? Was she?!”
Being new here and still unable to tell who was who, Cai Zhao had no idea what tangled grudges or affections existed between these senior brothers and sisters. She wasn’t about to step into that mess lightly.
So she shook her head, smiling brightly. “Senior Brother Song might have misunderstood. Earlier, Senior Sister Qi and I merely crossed paths. She treated me with one part surprise, two parts delight, three parts closeness, four parts warmth, and five parts overwhelming hospitality. One moment she urged me to rest quickly so I wouldn’t tire myself; the next, she was teaching me the rules of conduct—it was truly like a spring breeze. Though it was only a brief encounter, I benefited greatly and already consider Senior Sister Qi as my own elder sister in my heart. As they say, it was like meeting an old friend at first sight.”
Zeng Dalou’s mouth hung open, unsure whether to be shocked or pleased.
Song Yuzhi glared, enunciating each word. “You’re lying.”
“If you don’t believe me, ask Senior Brother. Did I lie?”
Zeng Dalou stammered, “...N-no, she didn’t lie. Lingbo did tell Junior Sister Cai to rest and gave her some advice...” Language truly was a wondrous art.
Song Yuzhi looked at Cai Zhao. “Even if the first part was true, the ‘elder sister’ bit is definitely fake.” It sounded utterly nauseating.
Cai Zhao rolled her eyes. “How would you know what’s true or false in someone else’s heart? Anyway, I’m fine now. Third Senior Brother, you can go about your business.”
Song Yuzhi’s chest heaved. Being infuriated by this girl twice in one day was more than enough. He turned and left, never wanting to see this vexing future junior sister again.
Zeng Dalou exhaled in relief. “Junior Sister Cai, you’re magnanimous. As your senior brother, I thank you. It’s not that I don’t want to uphold justice, but... if this isn’t handled carefully, Master and Madam will start arguing again.”
—The word “again” was used with exquisite precision.
Cai Zhao wisely avoided delving deeper into the topic and instead asked Zeng Dalou to continue introducing the sect.
Fourth Senior Brother Ding Zhuo was taciturn and obsessed with martial arts. He likely wouldn’t be seen at an event like today.
Zeng Dalou sighed. “Fourth Junior Brother carries a deep blood feud, which is why he trains so relentlessly. He’s waiting for the day he masters his skills to descend the mountain and seek vengeance against the Demonic Cult.”
Cai Zhao paused. “Aside from you and Third Senior Brother, is there anyone in our sect without a blood feud?”
“Yes, Fifth Junior Brother.”
Zeng Dalou told Cai Zhao that if she saw a young man with dimples and a cheerful smile entertaining guests later, that would be Fifth Junior Brother Fan Xingjia. He was the only disciple so far selected from the outer sect, recommended by Li Shibo, who oversaw the outer sect. He had a good temper, excellent talent, and came from a blissfully intact family with loving parents and siblings—a rare case. He was also unusually skilled in medicine and refining True Qi.
“Senior Brother Fan is skilled in medicine and refining True Qi? That kind of constitution is uncommon.” Cai Zhao’s eyes lit up.
Innate True Qi was seven parts refinement and three parts nourishment.
Those who practiced martial arts defied the natural order, often suffering from meridian disorders or True Qi deviations—some even faced Qi deviation or bodily rupture. But if someone with a nurturing Qi could gently guide and supplement the process, recovery from injuries would be much smoother.The problem was that twenty years ago during the great battle between righteousness and evil, Nie Hengcheng unleashed swarms of Demonic Cult minions specifically targeting alchemists and Qi cultivators among the Big Dipper Six Sects. Those who practiced nurturing True Qi often lacked high martial prowess themselves, making them easy targets. As a result, many senior heroes suffered grievous wounds that wouldn't heal, severely weakening the combat strength of the Big Dipper Six Sects.
Naturally gifted individuals with such aptitudes were rare, which explained why Li Shibo from the outer sect recommended Fan Xingjia - rarity increases value, after all.
The sixth junior sister was Qi Lingbo, Sect Leader Qi's only daughter. In a few days, Cai Zhao would join as the seventh.
"Master takes so few disciples? I heard Four Stallions Gate recruits widely, with nearly a thousand disciples," Cai Zhao questioned.
Zeng Dalou hesitated before carefully responding, "Master says capable people mostly grow themselves, they're not raised. Many youths come to Nine Conch Mountain each year. As long as they come from clean backgrounds with proper conduct, Master accepts them all to study and train together. Those with talent will naturally stand out, depending on their comprehension."
Cai Zhao rolled these words on her tongue before smiling lightly: "Master speaks wisely. What use was Old Sect Leader Yin taking so many disciples? Wasn't it our master from the outer sect who ultimately distinguished himself?"
"Exactly. When junior sister achieves mastery in cultivation, you might even contend for the sect leadership position," Zeng Dalou teased.
Cai Zhao rolled her eyes: "I'll take that as your blessing."
As they spoke, the Azure Tower Sect's residence came into view - a magnificent palace that drew involuntary sighs from all who beheld it.
With white jade steps, golden accents, white walls and dark tiles, vermilion beams and painted pillars, the three-tiered palace seemed to float above the clouds, truly deserving its reputation as "Heaven's palace above, Dusk Micro Palace below."
OpenNovel