Chapter 46 Part 1

“That person who never came out of the Shanyue True Form Chart—is that Li Shangshan, the cultivator of the Causal Vow Dao?” A faint sigh echoed, followed by a pause before the voice continued, “In ten thousand years, no practitioner of the Causal Vow Dao has ever achieved the Dao. Even if those resources were given to her, she couldn’t push to the Cave Heaven Realm. It’s not quite right. There must be something unusual happening in the Return to Ruins. The resources should be reserved for others with hope of ascending the realm.”

When it came to matters of the Return to Ruins, the Cave Heaven Daoists were extremely pragmatic.

“Fellow Daoist, are you saying that even if she truly took first place, the result should be changed because she’s ‘not worth it’?” Qin Lianxin let out a laugh and spoke casually.

The speaking Daoist fell silent for a moment before replying, “Perhaps other rewards could be used instead.”

“Fellow Daoist, don’t forget—there were three others traveling with Li Shangshan Fellow Daoist. Are they not worth it either?”

Lian Rusu listened to the discussions among her fellow Daoists, her brows slightly furrowed. She knew there would be objections to the Tianjiao Competition results, but she hadn’t expected her fellow Daoists to be so dismissive of Li Shangshan just because she cultivated the Causal Vow Dao.

“The Prodigy List has always been a symbol of fairness. Have the remaining competitors compete again. If the arena isn’t suitable, then evolve another Cave Heaven paradise.” Tianyan Sect’s Sect Master Wu Tan spoke up. She glanced at Lian Rusu’s manifestation and continued, “But when should it start? Do we wait for that little Fellow Daoist to come out?”

“No need for another test.” A low voice rang out as a dragon shadow manifested on the painted wall, and the seal belonging to the Origin Sea lit up once more—it was Dragon Lord Ji Yanyu. “My Origin Sea forfeits this competition and acknowledges those few little Fellow Daoists.”

“The Joy Sect also forfeits.” Joy Sect’s Sect Master Ning Suhin shook her head with a light sigh. Many of her Joy Sect cultivators had been sent out by Li Ruoshui. Those four might not have completely crushed the Joy Sect Daoists in terms of realm alone, but in the Shanyue True Form Chart, it clearly wasn’t just about cultivation level.

“Everyone, let’s vote.”

In less than the time it took for half a stick of incense to burn, the court debate reached a result. Tianyan Sect and Medicine King Mountain hadn’t participated in the Prodigy List competition, and the sects with a chance at first place successively chose to forfeit the match. Thus, the win fell to Li Ruoshui and her group. However, this result still needed to be posted in the Dharma Realm, and before the Immortal Dao Conference arrived, the final outcome could still change.

In the Dharma Realm, the cultivators’ reactions varied.

Unlike the Daoists from great sects with inheritances, loose cultivators desperately needed vast resources. Without opportunities and lacking supplies, even with talent, they couldn’t reach Cave Heaven. Some were unwilling to accept this outcome.

“We left the Shanyue True Form Chart for good reasons. The competition stopped midway—shouldn’t we compete again? Why announce the results directly?”

“Yeah, if I’d known the competition would continue, I wouldn’t have left the Shanyue True Form Chart.”

“Even if we don’t compete again, it should be decided by the amount of Sun and Moon Divine Sand, right?”

Voices rose one after another, making the Dharma Realm quite lively.

“You can bring up other things, but you’ve got the nerve to talk about divine sand? Don’t you know why the Fellow Daoists from Taiyi and Joy Sect have zero divine sand? No one pursued you for hiding your divine sand, but suggesting to measure the results by divine sand—isn’t that too shameless?”

“When we came out, there were still Golden Core Realm Ruin Spirits inside. Would anyone really dare to stay alone?”

…

Feng Qing unusually refrained from joining the squabble among those Daoists. A trace of dissatisfaction lingered in her heart. In her view, they could wait for Li Ruoshui to emerge and compete again—she believed they could defeat the others. But those sects had suddenly forfeited, making this “first place” title feel somewhat hollow and open to disdain.

She noted the names of the cultivators voicing opposition in the Dharma Realm and directly issued challenge letters, inviting them to duel, whether on the Martial Practice platform or outside the Dharma Realm.

Some people had the hardest mouths from head to toe. The only way to shut them up was to beat their mouths rotten.

–

In Taiyi Sect.

Xie Chaosheng went to the Law Hall to pay respects to Lian Rusu.

What remained in the Law Hall was a manifestation, but with Xie Chaosheng’s Golden Core Stage cultivation, she still saw only a hazy mist. She glanced at it before withdrawing her gaze and bowed to Lian Rusu. “This disciple pays respects to Master.”

Lian Rusu flicked her sleeve, lifting Xie Chaosheng. She said, “Do you have any objections to this result?”

“None.” Xie Chaosheng shook her head. Recalling the Nascent Soul Realm Ruin Spirit, she still felt a lingering fear. At the time, the Fellow Daoists on the Unfettered Boat had nearly collapsed. If Li Ruoshui and the others hadn’t arrived in time, who knew how many more would have been lost. They had indeed relied on the Sun and Moon Divine Sand to recover their vital energy, but if Yue Shenlin hadn’t pointed it out, no one would have thought of it. Moreover, it was Li Ruoshui who had risked her life to destroy the formation. If the formation had remained, spawning more Nascent Soul Ruin Spirits, they would surely have been wiped out.

“Master, can the Shanyue True Form Chart really not be opened again? When will Senior Sister Li come out?” Xie Chaosheng couldn’t hold back and pressed further.

Lian Rusu lowered her eyelashes. “She’s cultivating inside. She’ll come out when the time is right.”

In truth, she’d had a chance to learn Shangshan Junior Sister’s identity earlier—for instance, during the time she saved Chaosheng on the Path of No Return—but Taiyi’s custom was for favors and grudges to be self-reported. She hadn’t pried or interfered.

Xie Chaosheng continued, “Master, Senior Sister Li didn’t participate in the Prodigy List under our Taiyi’s name. Whatever she gains from first place shouldn’t be shared with our Taiyi.”

Lian Rusu replied, “Naturally.”

Hearing Lian Rusu’s assurance, Xie Chaosheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. After thinking for a moment, she went on, “With Senior Sister Li’s merits, she already qualifies for the inner sect assessment to become an Auxiliary Teacher. This disciple took the liberty of transferring her registry to the inner sect. As for the Spirit Jade Pills needed for enrollment, this disciple will settle them for Senior Sister Li according to the rules.” It was the first time she wanted to repay a debt of gratitude, but she’d never gotten the chance to wait for Senior Sister Li’s return. She could only tie the reward to her name for now. This time, when Senior Sister Li emerged from the Shanyue True Form Chart, she’d have to return to Taiyi at least once—after all, the Immortal Dao Conference would be held at Taiyi.

Lian Rusu nodded lightly. “Do as you see fit.”

Xie Chaosheng added, “Several Nascent Soul True Persons are very interested in Senior Sister Li and want to take her as a disciple.”

Lian Rusu’s brows furrowed slightly. “No.” She and Li Ruoshui had addressed each other as senior and junior sisters on the Tianyan Mirror. It wouldn’t be appropriate for Li Ruoshui to take a disciple of the same generation. Moreover, hearing Chaosheng call her “Senior Sister Li” repeatedly felt somewhat off.

Xie Chaosheng was stunned. Master had agreed quickly to previous matters; she’d thought there’d be no issue here either. She hadn’t expected a flat “No” to cut off her words. Could Master intend to take her as a true disciple?

Lian Rusu continued, “She’s of the same generation as me. Chaosheng, you don’t need to call her Senior Sister anymore.” If Li Ruoshui weren’t a Taiyi cultivator, the form of address wouldn’t matter, but since she was a Taiyi disciple, the hierarchy couldn’t be disordered.

Shock deepened on Xie Chaosheng’s face. She gazed at Lian Rusu in bewilderment, unsure how Li Ruoshui had been elevated a generation. But since Master had said so, there must be a reason. Xie Chaosheng respectfully acknowledged, “Yes.”

Lian Rusu said no more. A breeze blew, and the manifestation scattered like clouds and mist.

In the dojo.

The Undefiled Sword didn’t dare chatter in front of Lian Rusu; it sensed the accumulated displeasure on her.

It had been like this since returning from the Empire.

Was it because of the Return to Ruins? The Undefiled Sword pondered carefully but felt it wasn’t.

“You don’t need to look for anyone in the outer sect anymore.” Lian Rusu glanced at the Undefiled Sword Spirit, now only seventy to eighty percent similar to her, and said indifferently.

“Hm? Did she really perish in the mountains?” The Undefiled Sword Spirit exclaimed in shock.

Lian Rusu said expressionlessly, “Li Rubing is Li Shangshan.” When she learned Li Ruoshui was Li Shangshan, she naturally paid some attention. After checking the registry records and correlating the entry and progress timelines, how could she not realize that the fish the Undefiled Sword Spirit had picked up back then was grilled by Li Shangshan?

The Undefiled Sword Spirit: “…”

Lian Rusu added, “She saw ‘my’ true appearance.”

Combined with the sword spirit’s neurotic behavior, she was certain the “first impression” left behind wasn’t good.

The Undefiled Sword Spirit didn’t dare make a sound and directly transformed into a sword, lying stiffly on the sword rack.

So many years had passed—surely it had been forgotten?

–

In the Shanyue True Form Chart.

After ruining over a dozen dharma swords, Li Ruoshui finally grasped a bit of the knack for the Yin Talisman Three Absolutes.

Everything was fine in this Cave Heaven paradise except she couldn’t contact her bosom friend or copy homework from her. Some of the complex and tedious Dao texts in the scripture manual required her to ponder and deduce them herself.

This feeling of being forced to use her brain was truly awful.

But aside from practicing, what other choice was there?

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was the nine hundred and fifty-seventh year of the Supreme Nine Kalpas.

By now, a year and a half had passed since entering the Shanyue True Form Chart.

She had scoured all the remaining Sun and Moon Divine Sand, and mastered the Yin Talisman Three Absolutes. It was time to find a way out.

“My bosom friend left you by my side—surely there’s meaning to it, right?”

“Speaking of which, did I forget to ask how you got here? Did you slip in through that rift back then?”

Li Ruoshui spoke to the flock of Blue Butterflies swirling around her.

If she’d been in secluded meditation, opening and closing her eyes would mark the passage of years, but most of the time in the chart, she was awake. This made boredom and loneliness cling to her like shadows, so she could only confide in the Blue Butterflies.

“How do I send a message to my bosom friend? Should you disperse on your own, or should I slap you once for show?” Li Ruoshui muttered on.

Thick shade blanketed the ground, moonlight frosted like rime, floating light and shadows were enchanting, and occasional cries from night birds accentuated the mountain’s serene solitude.

Suddenly, a silver gleam streaked from the northwest, swift as a shooting star or lightning.

The aura of something good? Li Ruoshui’s eyelids twitched. She immediately stopped muttering and hurriedly summoned her escape light, chasing after the silver gleam. But the silver light flashed and vanished. Li Ruoshui circled the landing spot several times without finding a trace. She didn’t leave and simply found a protruding mountain rock nearby to sit in meditation.

The bright moon and sparse stars hid in drifting clouds. Two hours later, a hint of dawn appeared on the horizon, the surrounding mountains turned verdant as if painted, snow peaks gleaming against the sunrise, gradually adorned in gorgeous hues. All around was still, and that hidden silver light emerged quietly again, absorbing the purple qi of this small heaven and earth.