Chapter 31

In the following days, Liuli and Feng Xiwu, master and disciple, reached an unprecedented level of unspoken understanding—if you don’t speak, I won’t either.

Although Feng Xiwu didn’t seem inclined to settle the score about what happened in the illusion realm, Liuli remained extremely well-behaved.

Just let this matter quietly pass, let it drift away with the wind.

It wasn’t until a small accident happened later and Feng Xiwu offered some vocal guidance that the strange atmosphere between them was broken.

The seven days were up, and all the disciples in the secret realm were expelled by a powerful thrusting force. Everyone fell to the ground one after another like dumplings being dumped into a pot, and among them, Liuli was the most conspicuous.

After all, there was no second person like her who carried a Stone Puppet on her shoulder instead of using a Storage Ring.

Feng Xiwu told her to deal with the Stone Puppet herself. Obviously, that wisp of her divine sense had already been retrieved. Liuli then put the stone puppet away; the craftsmanship of this thing was actually quite exquisite.

Liuli gained a lot from this trip. She handed over the things she didn’t need to the sect and kept the rest for herself, then returned to Parasol Tree Mountain.

After returning, Feng Xiwu asked her for the prize from the sect competition that she had previously refused to accept. It wasn’t a prop, but a very precious piece of ore.

Feng Xiwu said she was going to use it to refine something. Liuli naturally had no objections, as she couldn’t use it right now anyway.

Liuli returned to her own room and took out the Double-Sided Bronze Mirror and the small booklet she had obtained from the secret realm to examine them closely.

This booklet wasn’t a secret manual, but more like the owner’s miscellaneous notes. The owner didn’t leave a name, so Liuli silently called them “Senior” in her mind. Inside, it messily recorded the owner’s cultivation insights and some minor spells they had researched themselves.

Liuli became completely engrossed just reading these, absorbing the experience and gaining many insights. Coincidentally, this Senior was also a maverick, disliking rigid adherence to convention in cultivation, and had done much practical experimentation—which strikingly resembled Liuli’s own previous reckless and chaotic cultivation methods.

Flipping past these and looking further, Liuli discovered that this actually taught how to open up a Small Cave Heaven!

As far as Liuli knew, there were very few people in the entire True Martial Continent who could open up a Small Cave Heaven now. In the common knowledge of the Cultivation World, Nascent Soul cultivators could store objects in the void, but this was merely borrowing other parallel small spaces to store inanimate objects, just like a Storage Ring.

At the Body Integration Stage, a cultivator could finally open a small space of their own. Though initially it could only store inanimate objects as well, the difference between borrowing one and having one’s own was immense. This small space was the foundation for a future Small Cave Heaven. What it could become depended on the individual cultivator’s cultivation.

The division of cultivator ranks is roughly: Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Soul Formation, Void Refinement, Body Integration Stage, Mahayana, and Tribulation Transcendence.

Upon reaching the Tribulation Transcendence stage and enduring the Lightning Tribulation, one could ascend. Yet, it was said that in the past ten thousand years, the number of those who ascended couldn’t even fill a single hand’s worth of fingers. In the last five thousand years, not a single person has ascended.

The True Martial Continent was becoming more and more desolate. Ancient great powers fell one after another. Now, in the entire continent, let alone ascension, there weren’t even many Mahayana Seniors left.

And the reason the Heavenly Martial Sect could become the largest sect within thousands of miles was precisely because the Old Ancestor of Ten Thousand Waters, residing within the sect, was a Body Integration Stage expert. Looking down the hierarchy, there was a cultivation gap. The Heavenly Martial Sect only had two Soul Formation experts: one was out traveling the world, and the other was in seclusion.

Yet even so, this was enough for the Heavenly Martial Sect to hold its position as the local boss. After all, within three thousand miles, the only other sect capable of rivaling the Heavenly Martial Sect, the Heavenly Net Sect, merely had one Void Refinement and two Soul Formation cultivators.

The miscellaneous notes explained profound concepts in simple terms. Unfortunately, Liuli’s current cultivation wasn’t sufficient, so she could only read it for the pleasure of dreaming.

After reading it, she gave the booklet to Feng Xiwu. Feng Xiwu looked through it and then returned it to Liuli. For an orthodox genius like Feng Xiwu, personal enlightenment was far more important than reading another’s experience.

Feng Xiwu further admonished: “Keep it safe. No need to show it to others.”

Although Feng Xiwu’s separated spirit only had Foundation Establishment cultivation when entering, her inherent cultivation level was high enough for her to notice many things Liuli hadn’t.

The mechanisms set by the secret realm’s master seemed simple, but in truth, it was a process of selection from the moment one stepped into the Peach Blossom Forest. The realm master had set rather complex conditions, confirming that Liuli was their fated person before giving the miscellaneous notes to Liuli.

It could also only be given to Liuli, because to others, the notes would appear full of heretical doctrines and fallacies. If shown to others, they would merely think it was the rambling nonsense of some whimsical cultivator, a joke—who would take it seriously?

But it just so happened that Liuli herself also had a freewheeling nature, and she resonated with certain ideas in these notes.

Feng Xiwu added: “Naturally, you also shouldn’t treat it as an absolute standard. You must take the essence and discard the dregs, and hold firm to your own Dao.”

Liuli nodded heavily: “I understand!”

Besides these notes, the Double-Sided Bronze Mirror obtained from the secret realm was also an interesting magical tool. After researching it for a few days, Liuli discovered it could create extremely realistic illusion realms based on the obsessions of the trapped person. Listen to this—it sounded less like an illusion and more like stirring up one’s Inner Devil.

Although it had no offensive power, the mirror’s owner could use it to explore the inner thoughts of the trapped person and manipulate the illusion at will.

Thus, this item was also a rare treasure.

Liuli got a new toy, but before she could play with it for two days, her Sect Leader father borrowed it.

“This thing is good—essential for interrogations.” Xue Meiniang clicked his tongue in wonder. “I’ll return it when I’m done.”

Liuli didn’t stand on ceremony either, seizing the opportunity to fatten her purse again: “Dear father and daughter, let’s settle accounts clearly. This counts as a rental fee.”

“Stingy brat.” Xue Meiniang cursed with a laugh and drifted away.

…

Time slipped by until winter arrived.

For Liuli, the daily life in the Heavenly Martial Sect was: eat, drink, sleep, cultivate.

There were too few entertainment options; besides cultivation, it was just cultivation. Occasionally, Liuli would take Liang Tiantian down the mountain to wander around nearby, but that was about it.

It was precisely because of this boredom that Liuli poured her energy into making snacks. Every time she came up with a new creation, she’d first send it to Feng Xiwu for a taste.

One day, Liuli bought several barrels of spirit-energy-rich cow’s milk from the Exotic Beast Garden. She was going to bring it back to try making cheese. Walking along the path, she unexpectedly saw a familiar face.

It was Ye Zhenzhen, whom she hadn’t seen for several months.

Liuli greeted her with mild surprise: “Yo, you’re back!”

Ye Zhenzhen looked a bit thinner, her lips tightly pursed, her expression somewhat unpleasant—but since she always wore a sour face, Liuli didn’t think much of it.

Instead, it was Ye Zhenzhen whose expression slightly relaxed upon seeing Liuli that surprised Liuli a bit.

Had this girl taken the wrong medicine? Was she done throwing tantrums?

The first thing Ye Zhenzhen said upon seeing Liuli was: “I finally understand why you fell out with Long Jingxing.”

Yo, the address changed from “Senior Brother Long” to “Long Jingxing.” It seemed the plot had developed to the part where “Ye Zhenzhen, fawning on the powerful and discarding the weak, abandons Long Jingxing.”

Liuli asked with a smile: “Why?”

Ye Zhenzhen crossed her arms huffily: “Nothing!”

“I don’t think you look like it’s nothing.”

Ye Zhenzhen endured it for a bit longer, then finally couldn’t hold back. “Prejudiced, malicious, cold, and extreme!”

It wasn’t easy for her to speak ill of someone behind their back, but Ye Zhenzhen had endured several months of torment from Long Jingxing. She truly couldn’t bear it anymore, so she briefly complained.

It turned out that after Ye Zhenzhen accompanied Long Jingxing away from the Heavenly Martial Sect, she guarded him every day. After all, Long Jingxing had been secretly attacked and poisoned; the mastermind behind it might strike again.

Who knew that not only did Long Jingxing undergo a drastic personality change? He actually believed Ye Zhenzhen’s actions meant she was looking down on him, making sarcastic remarks every day without saying it outright. When they arrived at Long Jingxing’s home and faced the blow of a broken engagement, Long Jingxing’s temperament grew even more gloomy. In front of everyone, he viciously cursed his fiancée, practically painting her as a fickle woman who climbed the social ladder.

Yet, he didn’t stop to think that Long Jingxing and that girl only had the bond of meeting once in their childhood. It was just a marriage alliance for the benefit of their families. What feelings were there?

In Ye Zhenzhen’s view, it was normal for the girl to break the engagement. Not breaking it would have been the scheme, since she also had a great future ahead. Why should she be tied for life to a cripple just for a betrothal contract?

By this time, the close proximity and Long Jingxing’s behavior had already eroded most of Ye Zhenzhen’s admiration for him. Before, when they were far apart, Ye Zhenzhen viewed him through a pink, girlish filter, seeing everything about Long Jingxing as good. Now… Long Jingxing’s lofty image had shattered into pieces.

What Ye Zhenzhen liked was the formerly gentle, kind, honest, and steadfast Long Jingxing, not this person who seemed to have completely changed into someone else!

And then one thing happened that made her last shred of feelings for him vanish entirely.

Right before returning to the sect, Long Jingxing unilaterally assumed Ye Zhenzhen was still hopelessly devoted to him. “Magnanimously,” he stated: “Junior Sister Ye, although you have a fiery temper and a rough personality, during this time, only you were willing to stay by my side. As long as you restrain your temperament and become gentler and more considerate, I am willing to become cultivation partners with you.”

Ye Zhenzhen: “…………”

Get lost! Ye Zhenzhen backhanded Long Jingxing across the face, exploding with rage. She abandoned Long Jingxing and returned alone first.

Liuli: “…Then you’ve truly offended him deeply.”

Ye Zhenzhen rolled her eyes: “Actually, as early as the Inner Sect Competition, during that match between you and him, I realized he could be rather self-righteous… I could tell he, he was actually… angry, because you turned against him and stopped listening to him. But I only thought he was too infatuated with you, that’s why he wanted to control you, hit you…”

Ye Zhenzhen turned her head aside, embarrassed: “Looking back now, you must have seen his true nature long ago, which is why you cut ties, right?”

Liuli smiled innocently: “Mm… I suppose so.”

Ye Zhenzhen’s fallout with Long Jingxing was both a good and bad thing. The good part was her mind had cleared, and she was no longer hanging herself on a crooked tree. The bad part was that Long Jingxing held grudges; who knew how he’d retaliate if he regained power someday?

Liuli couldn’t clearly remember this part of the plot, nor did she know how to help Ye Zhenzhen avoid it.

She could only give a word of caution: “In the future, you’d better avoid him.” As for when the plot reached that point later, she’d figure out a way to help Ye Zhenzhen then.

“As if I need you to tell me that? In any case, I never want to see him again!”

Without Long Jingxing, that intelligence-lowering device, by her side, Ye Zhenzhen was quite normal. No longer treating Liuli like a love rival, she suddenly had a great awakening, thinking that her past jealous squabbles were simply insane.

It was just that her fiery attitude couldn’t change overnight. Waving her hand, Ye Zhenzhen left behind a sentence: “I’m going back to calm down first.” And off she went.

…

Liuli thought she was the female lead, so her cultivation would surely be smooth sailing. But, well… if this female lead didn’t obediently follow the plot, the Plot Gods wouldn’t stand for it, and so—she finally hit a bottleneck.

Ever since Liuli entered the ninth level of the Foundation Establishment stage, her cultivation speed grew slower and slower.

Feng Xiwu hit the nail on the head: “Cultivation isn’t a matter of working behind closed doors. It’s time for you to go down the mountain and gain experience.”

The Heavenly Martial Sect disciples had a custom of descending the mountain to train before breaking through to the Golden Core stage. Even after reaching Golden Core, they wouldn’t stay in the sect all the time.

To break through to Golden Core, both cultivation and enlightenment were indispensable.

Liuli looked at the heavy snow outside and pouted: “No way, I want to celebrate the New Year first.”

Fine, New Year it was. There was no rush for this moment.

Feng Xiwu didn’t say more. She sent Liuli off to cultivate, brewed a pot of tea for herself, and quietly watched the falling snow outside the window.

Ever since she met Liuli, she had been living more and more like a mortal.

This New Year, Liuli had a fairly lively time. In the past, she had long been accustomed to spending the New Year alone in a cold rental apartment, eating instant noodles and watching variety shows. Now, with Feng Xiwu by her side, with Liang Tiantian, and also Xue Meiniang, Ye Zhenzhen, and others, it was so bustling and lively that the New Year passed before she even had time to feel sad about not being able to return to her original world.

Though the New Year had passed, the snow hadn’t stopped. Liuli made a bunch of sweet dumplings and shared them with her friends: “I’m about to go down the mountain to train, don’t miss me too much!”

“I might not come back for months or even years, boohoo… when you take a bite of sweet dumpling then, it will be just like I’m still by your side.”

“Enough!” Ye Zhenzhen put down her spoon and sighed in exasperation. “I’ve also reached the time to go down the mountain to train. If you can’t bear to leave, let’s go together!”

Liuli: “…Huh?”

Ye Zhenzhen frowned and snapped: “What kind of expression is that? What? Are you unwilling?!”

Liuli: “I’m not, I didn’t, don’t make things up!”

“Then it’s settled!”

“Of course, I have no problem with it.” Liuli said as she ate a sweet dumpling. “But I also want to bring someone with me this time. Her name is Lin Mengxian. Do you know her?”

Half a month ago, Lin Mengxian came to wish Liuli a happy New Year and discussed this matter with her. Lin Mengxian said she was afraid to go down the mountain alone and didn’t have any close fellow disciples, so she hoped Liuli could take her along.

Although Liuli had never escorted a girl in the game, bringing one along for a training quest was definitely no problem.

Lin Mengxian’s delicate aura was like Sister Lin’s, but her temper was far gentler. She was also good-looking and could endure hardship without being fussy, so Liuli agreed in one breath.