Chapter 223
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Chapter 223: Target Junzi Hall
The words of the Ancestor of the Sword Path sharpened Ye Yun’s clarity regarding his path. His singular focus now was to rapidly strengthen his cultivation. With the Heart of Immortals and Demons and the Ancestor’s guidance, he believed that once he broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage, few within the Heavenly Sword Sect could rival him.
This conviction burned deep within him.
To accelerate his growth, abundant training resources were crucial, but Celestial Techniques mattered equally. Ye Yun had mastered the Cleansing Immortal Heart Technique, his true qi dense and unyielding. His Diamond Body rendered him impervious to attacks below the fourth level of Qi refining—mere counterforce alone could crush weaker foes.
Yet against early Foundation Establishment experts, the Diamond Body fell short. To truly contend, he needed the Great Demon Body, a form rivaling ancient deities, unshaken even by heavenly tribulation.
But cultivating it demanded immense effort. The Cleansing Immortal Heart Technique’s records suggested he’d need at least the sixth or seventh level of Qi refining to attempt it. Once achieved, however, even fifth-level Foundation Establishment attacks would barely threaten him. Though distant, this goal consumed his ambition.
For now, training resources weren’t lacking—treasures from Hualun’s great tomb could carry him to the Qi refining pinnacle. What he lacked were techniques complementing his Thundercloud Lightning Sword and Born as a Sword: movement arts and defenses that harmonized seamlessly.
Such techniques weren’t easily acquired. Ordinary inner disciples needed approvals for high-grade Celestial Techniques, but Ye Yun’s status as a registered disciple of Shadowless Peak’s Leader Su Hao simplified access. Su Hao rarely took disciples, making even a registered one like Ye Yun notable. Below sixth-grade techniques required no scrutiny—ideal for his needs.
His problem? Contribution Points. Newly promoted, he lacked them. But why grind tasks when points could be… borrowed?
“Junzi Hall, Dragon Hall, Heavenly Secrets Group—all seem wealthy,” Ye Yun mused, stepping from his Small Courtyard with narrowed eyes.
He disliked initiating conflict. The Heavenly Secrets Group might pose future trouble, but preemptive strikes weren’t his way. Dragon Hall’s deputy leader Long Yingsheng had been abrasive but hadn’t crossed him yet.
Junzi Hall was different. Their feud traced back to Tian Zhu Peak. Zhong Ying and Zhen Huacheng had ties to them, and now their second-in-command Ming Siyu had attacked him. Had Ye Yun been weaker, he’d have died then. Even if Ye Yun forgave, Junzi Hall wouldn’t.
“Storming Junzi Hall right after joining Shadowless Peak… too bold?” He chuckled, but his gaze hardened. The enmity couldn’t linger. If Ming Siyu’s malice reflected their leader Yang Hualong’s nature, Junzi Hall bred hypocrisy.
Yang Hualong’s strength—rumored at the Qi refining pinnacle years ago—was unknown now. Ye Yun wouldn’t charge blindly. He’d wait for Su Ling’s return, consult Su Hao and Shui Qingxuan, and gauge Shadowless Peak’s higher-ups’ stance. Knowledge was power.
His Small Courtyard overlooked mist-churned cliffs, a roiling sea of fog below. Duan Chenfeng and Yu Minghong, under the Two Elders in Black and White, would return in three months, likely reaching late Qi refining. With resources and mentors, breakthroughs came swiftly.
Ye Yun cultivated for days, his true qi nearing saturation. Unlike before, he balanced body and qi. Both approached their limits—once harmonized, he could attempt the third level of Qi refining.
Reaching the third level’s transformation realm was no simple feat. True qi could then morph into weapons or beasts, wielded like extensions of his will. Ordinary disciples crawled from breakthrough to peak, but Ye Yun’s robust physique and dense qi let him stabilize rapidly. Yet progressing further grew exponentially harder.
One morning, he woke late, sun blazing. Rare relaxation eased his relentless drive. By evening, he wandered to Shadowless Peak’s back mountain, stopping before Shui Qingxuan’s cottage.
“Disciple Ye Yun came to pay respects to Master Aunt Xuan.”
Ye Yun’s voice echoed across the courtyard where Shui Qingxuan resided.
The gate creaked open, revealing a slender figure at the entrance, her face lit with a bright smile.
“Ye Yun! I’ve been back two days, yet you couldn’t visit sooner?” Su Ling bounded over, her manner playful.
Ye Yun chuckled, “I’m here to see Aunt Xuan, not you.”
Su Ling pouted. “Hmph! If you’re looking for my mother, she’s not here. Go away!”
She huffed but remained rooted, her eyes glinting as she stared at him.
Ye Yun grinned and took her hand, leading her past the threshold into the Small Courtyard. The two-story building came into view.
At its entrance stood Shui Qingxuan, nodding gently with a warm smile.
Releasing Su Ling’s hand, Ye Yun hurried forward and bowed deeply. “Ye Yun greets Aunt Xuan.”
“Why not call her Master’s wife?” Su Ling swatted the back of his head.
Ye Yun grimaced. “Ye Yun greets Master’s wife.”
Shui Qingxuan laughed softly. “Rise. I prefer ‘Aunt Xuan.’ Nine disciples already call me Master’s wife—one more changes nothing.”
“Aunt Xuan feels like family,” Ye Yun said. “Being here is like coming home.”
“Flatterer.” Shui Qingxuan tilted her head. “Did you come for dinner?”
“Evening’s the perfect time to share a meal,” he replied.
“Mother’s cooking is unmatched! You’ve got good timing.” Su Ling clung to Shui Qingxuan’s arm, grinning.
“After tasting Aunt Xuan’s dishes, all else tastes like wax,” Ye Yun said solemnly.
Shui Qingxuan smiled. “I know why you’re here. It’s about Junzi Hall.”
Ye Yun stiffened. He’d never spoken of this to anyone. How could she know?
Could this woman—rumored to lack any cultivation—see through cultivation levels and peer into minds? Impossible. Such sorcery didn’t exist. A mind-reader would be terrifying.
Yet the world brimmed with mysteries. The unthinkable often proved real.
“Sometimes,” Shui Qingxuan murmured, her voice feather-light yet thunderous to his ears, “I glimpse fragments of others’ thoughts.”
