Chapter 118 - Arc 8: Wuling Immortal Sect | Chapter 118: Change of Status
Translator: Lynn
Yun Lie stood silently not far away, emanating an aura impossible to ignore. His cold gaze didn’t land on Li Cai; instead, he fixed his eyes on the young man in the green clothes.
In Xu Ziqing’s eyes, there was only his shixiong, so he paid no more attention to Li Cai. He hastened his steps and greeted Yun Lie with a smile, saying, “Yun Shixiong, you’re back.”
Yun Lie nodded slightly and replied, “Let’s go.”
Curious, Xu Ziqing inquired, “Shixiong, aren’t you planning to go to the library to choose exercises?”
Yun Lie responded, “No need.” Xu Ziqing then understood that Yun Shixiong had invited him here not because he had something to do, but to guide him. Realizing this, warmth filled his eyes, and all the displeasure caused by the earlier incident dissipated. He thought to himself, ‘On this path to immortality, no matter how difficult it gets, it’s just a test. Being able to meet Yun Shixiong is already the luckiest thing in my life!’
The two of them left hand in hand, leaving Li Cai behind, feeling ignored and filled with resentment.
Li Cai looked at the departing figures of the two, one dressed in green and the other in white, and muttered angrily, “Who is that person in white?”
One of the followers responded anxiously, “That’s the newly promoted Golden Core Stage Daoist, Xiaolu Peak Yun Lie! He just made it to the Tianlong list recently, and now he’s already a core disciple. I don’t know what his relationship with Xu Ziqing is…”
The rest of the group also appeared uneasy.
As registered disciples of Jile1Previously translated as Bliss Peak, I decided to name it Jile Peak, so the naming of this peak is the same as other peaks Peak, their cultivation bases were higher than Li Cai’s, but they lacked the status of direct disciples. Hoping to curry favor with Li Cai, they wanted him to speak well of them in front of Jile Patriarch.
Today, they came to support Li Cai after hearing that he was angry, intending to act as a deterrent. However, instead of achieving that, they seemed to have caused more trouble.
A sense of turbulence filled the air.
Li Cai frowned, “So what if he’s a core disciple? Maybe he can’t beat our second shixiong! Don’t forget, our second shixiong is in the middle stage of Golden Core!” Though he had been shocked earlier, being used to being domineering, Li Cai’s anger now prevailed once more.
Deep in his heart, Li Cai firmly believed that among the disciples of the same generation, no one surpassed his second shixiong in power. While Yun Lie had earned a spot on the Tianlong list, his second shixiong had achieved that feat even earlier, so there was no reason to fear him.
The other registered disciples breathed a sigh of relief when they heard the mention of the “Second shixiong.”
Li Cai’s anger continued to rise, and he declared, “When I return, I’ll have a talk with the second shixiong, and we’ll show them on the day of the Sect’s Great Competition! As for Xu Ziqing… I’ll handle him myself!” The disciple with the highest cultivation level looked at Li Cai, his expression filled with worry. He didn’t say anything, but his heart trembled at the thought of what he had witnessed in the past.
Yun Lie had remained silent for over a decade. While many disciples had heard rumors about his early prowess, they had only retreated slightly and never truly experienced fear. However, this disciple had seen Yun Lie return covered in blood, an image forever etched in his memory. Now that Yun Lie had made a breakthrough and reached the early stage of the Golden Core, his power might not be overwhelming, but his swift ascent to the fifth position on the Tianlong ranking was nothing short of extraordinary.
Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie walked back together, and Xu Ziqing was delighted to see his shixiong coming to pick him up. He decided to share everything that happened earlier, just like how they used to confide in each other during their time in the small world. Xu Ziqing believed that open communication was crucial to avoiding misunderstandings and maintaining their bond as brothers. He wanted to discuss any future matters with Yun Lie before taking any action, especially to avoid causing any harm to Xiaolu Peak, their master sect.
When Xu Ziqing finished speaking, Yun Lie remained silent for a moment before reassuring him with a simple, “Don’t worry about it.”
Relieved by his shixiong’s response, Xu Ziqing suddenly recalled something and asked, “Yun Shixiong, what about Jile Peak?”
Yun Lie’s expression, which was usually emotionless, slightly furrowed his brows. Though subtle, Xu Ziqing noticed the change and became curious, asking if Yun Lie was familiar with Jile Peak.
Yun Lie’s response was concise and clear, “People from Jile Peak are not to be friends with.”
Xu Ziqing took note of Yun Lie’s unusual response, and even though Yun Lie had always been decisive, this statement seemed particularly arbitrary. Nonetheless, Xu Ziqing respected his shixiong’s words and nodded, promising not to interact with Jile Peak’s disciples.
As they continued walking, Xu Ziqing noticed the golden dragon pattern on Yun Lie’s shoulder and inquired with a smile, “Yun Shixiong, did you go to see the Sect Master? Why did you come back with this?” The golden dragon pattern exuded a sense of awe, and Xu Ziqing wondered about its significance.
Yun Lie lowered his gaze and explained, “It’s the core disciple’s dragon pattern robe.”
Surprised, Xu Ziqing asked, “Does that mean you are now a core disciple?”
Yun Lie confirmed, “Yes.”
In response, Xu Ziqing congratulated his shixiong on his achievement.
Yun Lie explained that the Sect Master had called him to discuss his ranking on the Tianlong list. His presence on the list had changed significantly after he soared to the top five. He became the first disciple in the Wuling Immortal Sect to achieve such a feat in thousands of years. While three other disciples from the same generation were on the list, they ranked above 30, making Yun Lie’s achievement even more impressive.
The suzerain recognized Yun Lie’s achievement and immediately promoted him to a core disciple, elevating him to the top rank among the core disciples. The core dragon pattern he now possessed symbolized his status and came with significant benefits. It granted him the highest authority, allowing him access to various resources, excluding only the rarest treasures of heaven and earth, which required special verification.
Upon hearing Yun Lie’s promotion, Xu Ziqing was left in awe. He had only been at Wuling Immortal Sect for a few days, yet he had already witnessed the incredible opportunities and wonders it offered. Nevertheless, he quickly shifted his focus to rejoicing for Yun Lie. After all, the higher one’s cultivation, the more resources one required. With the sect providing such resources, it would undoubtedly save him a lot of time and effort.
However, Yun Lie remained composed and glanced lightly at Xu Ziqing, whose eyes filled with joy. He reminded Xu Ziqing, “Cultivation should not be pursued for the sake of ease. What you truly need, you must strive to find the best for yourself.”
Xu Ziqing was taken aback by his words and immediately reined in his smile, responding earnestly, “Yun Shixiong, I understand.”
While Xu Ziqing acknowledged the convenience of the resources provided by the sect, he also recognized their limitations. They might offer readily available items, but these might not always be the best for one’s growth and development. In the end, true progress in cultivation required a personal connection with one’s needs and aspirations. Relying solely on the sect’s resources could lead to complacency and a loss of enthusiasm, ultimately hindering one’s progress.
Having had this conversation, the two dao brothers approached the peak of Xiaolu Peak, lowering their figures and landing in front of Xu Ziqing’s cave, where their journey had begun.
In the same spot as before, not much had changed except for the presence of a thin young boy holding a piece of thin wood and diligently practicing his swordsmanship.
Perched on a treetop nearby was an eagle with black feathers and golden highlights. It lay on its back, breathing in and out, absorbing the aura of heaven and earth and converting it into spiritual energy that entered its belly.
The eagle’s eyes were half-opened and half-closed, giving it a somewhat lazy appearance. Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but chuckle as he called out, “Chonghua.” In response to his voice, the eagle’s eyes snapped open, and it quickly flew down from the treetop.
Xu Ziqing extended his arms and caught the eagle, letting it rub against his face. He playfully remarked, “Why are you slacking off in cultivation?”
Chonghua let out a soft howl, seemingly begging for forgiveness.
Xu Ziqing shook his head with a smile, saying, “I won’t allow it next time.”
Chonghua nodded repeatedly, as if flattering Xu Ziqing.
At the same time, Yan Shuang, the young sword practitioner, noticed Yun Lie’s presence and promptly turned to salute him. “I have seen the master,” he greeted, adding, “I have seen Master Xu.”
Xu Ziqing returned the greeting with a warm smile. Chonghua also noticed Yun Lie and was startled, causing its feathers to bristle. It quickly flew back to the tree, closed its eyes, and resumed its cultivation.
Yun Lie remarked to Xu Ziqing, “Chonghua is your demon pet. I’ll assist you in its training. Don’t spoil it.”
Xu Ziqing laughed and nodded in agreement, saying, “Chonghua has been with me since it hatched. We’ve been through thick and thin together. I can’t help being strict with it. But since Yun Shixiong is encouraging me, I’ll continue to do so.”
Chonghua seemed to pick up on the conversation and became more focused on its cultivation.
Yun Lie didn’t dwell on the topic further and moved on to another subject. “Yun Shixiong, Yan Shuang is usually very hardworking. I just observed him practicing his swordsmanship diligently. However, there seems to be something off about the strength of his sword strikes.”
Yan Shuang was deeply passionate about swordsmanship. Even though he could not ascend to the peak, he practiced his sword diligently in his spare time. His desire to learn from Yun Lie stemmed from his wish to receive some guidance and advice.
Xu Ziqing pondered, recalling how he used to live in the cold bamboo forest of Xiaozhu Peak. Perhaps Yan Shuang had wanted to observe him and Yun Lie practicing the sword back then, but shixiong didn’t drive him away. Instead, he encouraged his pursuit of swordsmanship. Now that Yan Shuang was recognized as a servant by his shixiong, his wish had been fulfilled. Yet, instead of merely observing, he put in sincere effort, which made Xu Ziqing admire and appreciate him even more. He was willing to understand his shixiong’s intentions for Yan Shuang.
Upon hearing Xu Ziqing’s thoughts, Yun Lie said, “He must put his heart into whatever he does.”
Xu Ziqing knew that his shixiong grasped his meaning, so he smiled and responded, “Yes.”
Yun Lie nodded slightly and suggested, “You can guide him in his sword practice.”
Xu Ziqing’s eyes brightened with a deeper smile. “Yes, Yun Shixiong.”
Yun Lie didn’t say much, offering a parting phrase, “Practice your sword diligently, starting from Mao hour, don’t forget it,” before soaring into the sky.
After respectfully seeing Yun Lie off, Yan Shuang turned to Xu Ziqing, kneeling down to express his gratitude with a formal gesture, saying, “Thank you, Master Xu, for your benevolence. Yan Shuang will never forget your kindness.”
Xu Ziqing nodded with a warm smile. “After I finish my tasks for today, I’ll guide your sword practice.”
Yan Shuang’s eyes sparkled with excitement as he quickly responded, “Yes!”
In the evening, Xu Ziqing sat cross-legged in the cave, his expression showing a mixture of seriousness and complexity.
In the past few days, he had been busy settling in and hadn’t had the chance to spare a moment. Additionally, Chonghua hadn’t fully recovered its energy, and he hadn’t had a chance to examine the jade slip that contained information about beasts. Finally, he had the opportunity to read it now, and to his surprise, he discovered that things were not as straightforward as he had initially thought.
Throughout history, the heavens and earth have been home to countless living beings, with humans and animals being the most numerous among them. Both of them contend with the laws of the universe, with cultivators striving to advance through different realms, while beasts advance through ranks.
Animals are further divided into monsters and spirit beasts. The path of cultivation for humans and beasts is different. Humans are favored by heaven and earth, possessing excellent comprehension, but they are restricted by their spiritual roots. On the other hand, animals lack spiritual roots.
However, if a person cultivates diligently for ten thousand years, they can achieve the state of perfection, while a beast who cultivates for the same period may not even attain complete spiritual wisdom.
Because of this, many beasts have yearned to become human, hoping for a smoother path of cultivation.
After tens of thousands of years of evolution, apart from cultivators and monsters, another group emerged in the world – the demon cultivators. These are beings who, after turning into humans from beasts, cultivate the way of humans.
Yan Shuang, the incarnation of the Shuangyan Bird, has actually transcended the category of monsters and become a demon cultivator2Reminder: demon cultivator doesn’t necessarily evil, they cultivates the chaotic way. Unless they use evil ways to cultivate, then they are called devil cultivators..
The reason for Xu Ziqing’s solemn expression was due to this method of human transformation.
According to the records in the Jade Slips, there are three methods by which animals can transform into humans.
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1Previously translated as Bliss Peak, I decided to name it Jile Peak, so the naming of this peak is the same as other peaks2Reminder: demon cultivator doesn’t necessarily evil, they cultivates the chaotic way. Unless they use evil ways to cultivate, then they are called devil cultivators.