Guangwei Zhenren landed on the cloud-shrouded Tiansui Peak when suddenly, the voice of Cuixuan Xianren emerged from the dense gloom: "You've returned."
Bowing respectfully, Guangwei replied softly, "As instructed by Senior Cuixuan, this junior visited Green Mound and thoroughly searched the small courtyard where Jiang Li Fei once lived. Nothing suspicious was found."
Cuixuan Xianren fell silent for a moment, seeming somewhat surprised. "Oh? Truly nothing at all?"
"Only broken furniture and daily utensils remained. This junior dares not conceal anything."
Cuixuan let out a long sigh. "Age brings suspicion, and my doubting nature has been a lifelong flaw. Yet I cannot shake this ominous premonition..."
Guangwei smiled bitterly. "This junior understands Senior's insistence on leaving no stone unturned. But with Sea Fall approaching, all major sects are overwhelmed. Without evidence, obsessing over a single female disciple like Jiang Li Fei seems... disproportionate."
After pondering, Cuixuan finally said, "Very well, you may go."
Guangwei immediately bowed and withdrew. After a long while, Cuixuan suddenly flicked his sleeve, sending forth a foot-long dagger that hovered midair before transforming into a red-haired male weapon spirit, who knelt silently awaiting orders.
"Follow that female disciple. Wherever she goes, ensure they don't detect you. Report everything you witness to me verbatim."
The weapon spirit acknowledged and vanished instantly.
As vast spiritual energy gradually retracted into her body, Li Fei wearily opened her eyes, gazing joyfully at the pure white miniature horn floating before her. Still brimming with unsealed five-element energies, it radiated dazzling prismatic brilliance.
Moments later, the glow subsided as the horn settled into her palm—now merely finger-length, jade-white and luminous like a naturally formed ornament.
It was incredible to recall how this Horn of the Rhinoceros had originally towered over her, its black-and-red surface fearsomely jagged. After three months of painstaking spiritual refinement—from clumsy beginnings to mastery—it had transformed into this exquisite form that felt like an extension of herself. No wonder Master said only self-forged Mystical Treasures could achieve their full potential.
During that demon hunt months ago, Chongyi Zhenren had waited with Li Fei for over a month in Central Land's wilderness before encountering the Ferocious Beast Rhinoceros. Its appearance had shocked her—this was the very Bronze Ox sealed before the Outlander Tomb's hall during both her visits. Legendary for its singular massive horn devoid of malignant energy yet impervious to elemental forces, equally formidable in offense and defense, justifying their lengthy vigil.
At Li Fei's thought, the horn spiraled upward, expanding to several yards before shrinking to needle-thin dimensions with effortless versatility. When her fingertip brushed its tip, the chamber's spiritual energy rushed forth like whales drinking rivers—far surpassing Spirit Absorption's speed.
"Not bad, this trick. But never use it publicly."
Ri Yan's hoarse, aged voice suddenly sounded by her ear. Li Fei whirled around in delight to meet his ghastly green eyes."Ri Yan, you're back!" She immediately stood up. "Look, this is my Mystical Treasure. Let's ride it around—it's definitely much faster than that little white cloud!"
"Such petty tricks you dare show off!" Ri Yan rolled his eyes disdainfully. "I've been back for ages! It took you three whole months to refine this lousy horn. What kind of nonsense is that!"
He had returned long ago but didn't tell her—was he worried about her first attempt at refining a Mystical Treasure and secretly kept watch? Li Fei smiled at him. His pointed nose sniffed the Horn of the Rhinoceros incessantly, his large ears twitching. Then he praised, "This thing isn't bad. It suits you well. That little Celestial does have some taste and insight. But that move earlier—Spirit Absorption—avoid using it unless absolutely necessary. Save yourself the trouble."
Li Fei nodded. Her Spirit Absorption and the treasure's ability to draw Spiritual energy were vastly different from the Central Land cultivators' method of channeling energy into their bodies. Not only could it seize the Spiritual energy of heaven and earth, but it could even snatch the energy from within cultivators themselves. Thinking carefully, this technique was truly terrifying. If word got out, there would be no peace left for her.
Ri Yan gazed at her quietly, his eyes unusually carrying a trace of relief, yet mixed with unwillingness. He said coldly, "Everything's settled now. You can live peacefully as an ordinary person. Listen, this is the path you chose. If you ever dare tell me you regret it later, I'll rip your head off!"
Li Fei chuckled softly. "Once I make up my mind, I won't regret it. Ri Yan, thank you. When I become truly powerful in the future, I'll help you steal back all the Demon Qi sealed in the Academy's Restricted area. And anywhere else in the world where your Demon Qi is sealed, we'll find it—piece by piece—and return it all to you."
"...You still remember the Demon Qi in the Restricted area?" His emerald-green eyes stared at her in surprise.
She flicked his furry, illusory head with her finger. "Of course I remember. I promised you—how could I forget?"
Ri Yan snorted and abruptly stood up, his nine long tails swaying. He said coldly, "The Seal is about to break! What need have I for scraps of Demon Qi as decoration? Ridiculous! You still remember a child's nonsense—how embarrassing!"
"Are you blushing?"
"Bah! Shut up!"
Li Fei looked at the dim red Seal on his back, feeling both joy and reluctance. This thousand-year-old Nine-tailed Fox had been trapped within her body all these years, forced into obscurity. He must yearn for his peak strength and freedom more than anyone. Once the Seal breaks, he’ll probably leave immediately.
She whispered, "There's so much I couldn’t help you with. Even after the Seal breaks, could you... not leave in a hurry? Will you teach me a little more? There’s still so much I don’t know."
Ri Yan was silent for a moment before replying flatly, "You're not a little brat anymore. Still this clingy?"
Li Fei curved her lips. "I just don’t want to part with you. Wanting to stay with loved ones and friends isn’t a crime, is it?"
"Hmph! Sweet talk—I won’t listen!" Ri Yan flicked his tail, his body gradually fading into nothingness. His voice sounded almost angry. "I need to meditate and recover. Two or three months at most, and I’ll return to my peak. Here’s your homework. If even one thing isn’t mastered by then, I’ll pluck out every hair on your head!"A blank sheet of paper fluttered down into Li Fei's hands, and Ri Yan's aged voice immediately rang out: "The Glacial Ice Method requires five parts aquatic spiritual energy, three parts Earth element spiritual energy, and one part fire spiritual energy. For the Infernal Ice Prison, four parts fire spiritual energy, four parts aquatic spiritual energy, one part..."
She listened quietly to the homework he left behind. By the time she finished, Ri Yan's figure had completely vanished from sight. Folding the paper carefully, she tucked it into her sleeve pocket before pushing open the heavy door. The blinding sunlight reflected off the snowy mountaintop flooded into the dim seclusion chamber, dazzling her eyes after three months without daylight.
"Finished?" That familiar, cool voice suddenly sounded above her, accompanied by equally familiar spiritual energy fluctuations. Li Fei looked up with a smile to see Lei Xiuyuan standing atop a pitch-black Spinning Tortoise Shell, having waited who knows how long. The turtle shell spun impatiently beneath his feet.
Li Fei couldn't hold back a sudden snort of laughter. "Is this your Mystical Treasure?"
An actual turtle shell! And black at that! It looked completely mismatched for someone like him. With Lei Xiuyuan's refined and elegant demeanor, he should at least be riding a jade flute like Qin Yangling or some other graceful object. A turtle shell was just too incongruous.
Lei Xiuyuan floated lightly down before her. Seeing her nearly doubled over with laughter, he firmly pressed down on her head with a stern expression. "You look hideous when you laugh. Three months to refine one Mystical Treasure—even pigs work faster than you."
With a thought from Li Fei, the Horn of the Rhinoceros at her waist immediately levitated and flipped over, transforming in an instant into a three-foot-long vessel resembling an exquisite boat.
"This is my Mystical Treasure," she boasted proudly. "Much prettier than a turtle shell, right? Shall we go for a ride?"
She'd been longing for someone to accompany her on a treasure ride.
Lei Xiuyuan pinched her cheek lightly and chuckled. "Three months without washing your face and you want to go out?"
Right—she hadn't bathed or combed her hair in three months! Who knew how ridiculous she looked now. Li Fei quickly covered her face. "I should go clean up first..."
Lei Xiuyuan produced two stone tablets and handed them to her—Tokens for disciples to enter and exit No Moon Court. Crossing his arms, he clearly showed his impatience after waiting three months: "I've already reported to Master and obtained the entry Tokens. You have one hour."
Then he flicked her forehead and smiled faintly. "My patience is limited. Don't keep me waiting too long."
...He'd even gotten the entry Tokens ready. Amused and excited, Li Fei clasped her hands in a playful salute. "As you command, Senior Brother Lei!"
Four months ago, Guangwei Zhenren had taken Lei Xiuyuan to hunt numerous Demons, returning to No Moon Court with arms full of spoils. When they parted that day, they'd agreed that after six years in the sect, they could come and go as they pleased. Once their Mystical Treasures were complete, they would travel and enjoy the scenery. But an unexpected delay had stretched her treasure refinement to three months, leaving Lei Xiuyuan this impatient.
All these years cooped up in the sect, with any outings strictly supervised by elders—hardly any freedom. Now they could finally roam freely, especially with their appointment in Lu Gongzhen this August. The more Li Fei thought about it, the more excited she became. After a quick bath and change of clothes, she noticed a letter on the table—sent by Ye Ye and the others.As expected, Ye Ye and Chang Yue's letters were about the gathering in Lu Gongzhen in August. They had sent letters to Ji Tongzhou and Baili Gelin as well, but there was still no word from Ge Lin. Chang Yue mentioned that if she didn’t show up for the Lu Gongzhen gathering, she and Ye Ye planned to search for her at the East Sea Myriad Immortals Assembly. Who knew what trouble that girl had gotten into this time?
Li Fei quickly wrote her reply, packed her belongings, bid farewell to her Master and senior sister, then dragged a scowling Lei Xiuyuan to Shining Light Peak to find Su Wan. Coincidentally, Deng Xiguang was also there. After explaining the August gathering to them, Deng Xiguang’s eyes turned green with envy: “I have trials in August and can’t go! Heavens! What a shame! Does this mean I’ll miss the chance to meet that alluring junior sister who went to the East Sea Myriad Immortals Assembly?!”
Su Wan burst into laughter and gave him a hearty pat on the shoulder. She had grown quite close to Deng Xiguang lately, almost like sworn siblings: “Senior Brother Deng, don’t worry. I’ll make sure to take a good, long look at that alluring junior sister for you!”
Deng Xiguang’s gaze was nothing short of mournful as he sighed and placed a hand on Lei Xiuyuan’s shoulder, whispering, “Junior Brother Lei, you’re a winner in life. Tell me, how did you manage to win over Jiang Shi Mei and become her cultivation partner? Please share some tips with your pitiful senior brother…”
Lei Xiuyuan glanced at him and smiled faintly: “Senior Brother Deng, you’d need to change your head.”
Change his head—was that a dig at his looks and stupidity?! Deng Xiguang’s heart shattered into pieces. How could he have forgotten Lei Xiuyuan’s sharp tongue? Watching the two of them finish their business and speed off on their Mystical Treasures, he wept with envy: “He gets to go out and enjoy Dual Cultivation every day, basking in all kinds of tender comforts, and Jiang Shi Mei is such a peerless beauty… Ah, the heavens are blind, the heavens are blind!”
Su Wan couldn’t help but laugh. “Senior Brother Deng, it’s precisely because you’re always thinking about such vulgar things that the heavens refuse to favor you.”
Deng Xiguang stared at her blankly. “If the heavens won’t favor me, could you favor me a little more, Junior Sister Su… Hey, don’t walk away so fast!”
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