Chapter 78: The Personal Disciples of Each Peak Gather

Afterwards, Cao Xuan studied the "Proverb Domain" once more to ensure he could wield it at critical moments.

“Fortunately, activating it consumes true essence, but dissolving it only requires a trace.” He had initially thought that lifting the “Silence” domain would also drain his true essence, which had troubled him for a while. But once he lifted it, he realized—though he had altered the rules, the inherent laws of the Xuanhua Continent still remained. Forcibly changing the rules had cost him a great deal of true essence, but restoring order only required a trigger to return things to their original state.

As dawn crept in, Cao Xuan dissolved all the domains, and Li Yao gradually awoke.

She yawned, “Good morning, little junior brother!”

Cao Xuan nodded, gently freeing himself from Li Yao’s octopus-like embrace. “Senior sister, time to get dressed. We’re due at Qingyun Ferry.”

Li Yao grinned and wrapped around him like a python once more. “Junior brother, just a quarter of an hour, let’s cultivate together! Morning training is important!”

Cao Xuan shook his head helplessly. Could he refuse? She was already entwined around him, and besides, he hadn’t exactly withdrawn himself either.

...

“What time is it?” Yu Qingsong asked calmly.

“Senior brother, it’s the hour of the dragon!” Li Zhiyun replied, gloating.

Yu Qingsong nodded and turned to Yu Wan, “Junior sister Yu, didn’t you tell Li Yao and Cao Xuan the exact time to gather?”

At Qingyun Ferry, Yu Qingsong had brought Liu Yu from Qingyun Peak, Li Zhiyun had brought Xing Mengfan from Demon-Expelling Peak, Yuan Dan was with Ye Caixuan from Alchemy Peak, and Wang Tie was there with Jin Tiehua from Artifact-Refining Peak. Only Yu Wan from Talisman Peak stood alone—none of her disciples had arrived.

Her expression soured. To avoid suspicion, Yu Wan had deliberately not checked Li Yao’s quarters this morning. Yet those two little troublemakers still made a mess of things.

“Senior brother, I’ll go and... hmm? They’re here.”

Just as Yu Wan was about to say she’d drag them out of bed, she saw the two approaching together.

Seeing them both neatly dressed, Yu Wan breathed a sigh of relief—she’d truly feared they might arrive in disarray, and who knew what Li Zhiyun would say then.

Noticing Li Yao holding Cao Xuan’s arm, the other peaks’ prodigies looked on with curiosity. Before coming, they’d heard Talisman Peak would send an extra disciple and wondered if there was another expert. After all, the peaks were quite familiar with each other’s talents.

“Hmm? Junior brother Cao, it really is you!” Ye Caixuan exclaimed.

Before the departure, the peak masters had shared the name list for Qingyun Assembly. When Ye Caixuan saw his name, she’d had her suspicions. Over the past year, because of Li Yao’s fiftyfold effect, Cao Xuan and Ye Caixuan had interacted only in passing—he hadn’t gone out of his way to bring gifts. Occasionally, when refining pills and meeting her at Alchemy Peak, he’d exchange a few words and offer some elixirs as gifts.

But Ye Caixuan was an alchemist herself. Apart from the first time, when he’d gifted her a Qi-Gathering Elixir different from her own, which triggered a strong emotional response and returned three Foundation Cultivation Pills, later gifts simply triggered the standard fiftyfold return.

“Greetings, Senior Sister Ye,” Cao Xuan replied.

“Oh, I’m so forgetful! After you were promoted to true disciple, I never asked which elder you apprenticed under. I thought you were still at Alchemy Peak.” Ye Caixuan hadn’t thought much of it; since Cao Xuan’s apprenticeship hadn’t been widely publicized, she’d assumed he’d joined an unremarkable elder there and felt awkward asking.

At that moment, a burly, giant-like youth suddenly stammered, “Li... Li Yao... Senior sister... long time no see!”

Artifact-Refining Peak and Talisman Peak were closely linked—each skilled in their own field. The Artifact-Refining Peak would engrave simple talisman formations themselves, but for more complex ones, they’d collaborate with Talisman Peak. As a child, Jin Tiehua had always followed behind Li Yao.

Seeing him, Li Yao beamed, “It’s Xiaohua! Why haven’t you invited me to refine artifacts lately?”

Jin Tiehua scratched his head. “Senior sister, I messaged you—but you didn’t reply!”

Once past his initial embarrassment, his words flowed more easily.

Li Yao laughed awkwardly and pulled out her message talisman. “Ah, I’ve been busy in seclusion recently, barely checking my messages.” As she scrolled, she subtly released her mid-stage late Foundation Establishment cultivation.

Sensing her aura, the other peak masters and even the true disciples’ eyes brightened. Among them, Liu Yu from Qingyun Peak, elegant as a young nobleman, exclaimed in delight, “Junior sister Li Yao has also broken through to late Foundation Establishment! That certainly boosts our chances at the Qingyun Assembly.”

“But I wonder about this junior brother—doesn’t he know men and women should keep their distance?” Liu Yu remarked. “Though junior sister Li Yao is approachable, I hope you’re not using your status to get close to her.”

Unlike Jin Tiehua, Liu Yu wasn’t shy. As a true disciple of Qingyun Peak and Yu Qingsong’s pupil—who was set to retire and needed a Golden Core successor—Liu Yu was highly likely to inherit the sect leader’s position after his own breakthrough.

To his mind, only someone like himself was worthy of a fairy as outstanding as Li Yao. As he looked at her—hadn’t she developed since their last meeting? She possessed both the grace of a maiden and the stature of a queen.

Indeed, the “Heavenly Talisman Codex” was a top-tier cultivation technique, and talismans were manifestations of the laws themselves. After a year together, each time Cao Xuan and Li Yao fused their spiritual essence, every great cycle of their dual cultivation improved Li Yao’s constitution.

And not only Li Yao—over the year, Cao Xuan himself had changed greatly from his once unremarkable appearance. In truth, his natural endowment had always been good, but previously, due to his fourth-grade spiritual roots, he’d lacked any spiritual presence and seemed ordinary. After upgrading to ninth-grade spiritual roots with cleansing elixirs, and with the “Heavenly Talisman Codex” and peak late Foundation Establishment cultivation, he had become a striking figure within the sect.

As his cultivation advanced, the world in his eyes transformed as well—something Cao Xuan deeply understood. After all, everyone had the same basic features, but what made certain fairies seem ethereal if not the evolution of their very being?

Sensing the emotions Jin Tiehua and Liu Yu had for Li Yao, Cao Xuan shook his head. One was a boiling sheep, the other a cheerful lamb. But alas, with Li Yao’s affection at ninety-five, she was already his koala—what could these two immature boys possibly hope for?

With their journey to the Central Continent imminent, Cao Xuan had no desire for small talk. In the cultivation world, strength was paramount. So he directly released his own aura.

Peak late Foundation Establishment!

“Hmm?”