Chapter 1693: Arrival of the Peaks

On the other side, Mo Qing and Wei Zhongran listened to the subtle verbal sparring between Li Yan and the guard. Wei Zhongran was secretly taken aback.

The Li Yan before him seemed like a different person. Whenever Li Yan returned to Little Bamboo Peak, he was a man of few words; he would answer what he was asked and nothing more. His respectful demeanor had left a fixed impression on Wei Zhongran: that of the somewhat restrained mountain youth who had first joined the sect. Even after his cultivation had surpassed Wei Zhongran’s, Li Yan had remained the same—quiet and reactive.

But hearing him speak with the guard, Wei Zhongran was startled to find his youngest disciple was incredibly smooth and articulate. He appeared to be answering questions, yet provided absolutely no substance. This was a far cry from the Li Yan he knew. Only those on their side could tell that every sentence Li Yan uttered was layered with multiple layers of intent. Even if a listener found a hole, Li Yan would plug it from multiple angles, leaving them wondering if they had misheard him.

Wei Zhongran caught Mo Qing’s puzzled glance and then looked at Zhao Min and Gong Chenying. They didn’t seem surprised at all. Zi Kun, too, kept his eyes downcast, as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

‘It seems I truly do not know my own disciple,’ Wei Zhongran sent a helpless voice transmission to Mo Qing.

Zhao Min, Gong Chenying, and Zi Kun had seen Li Yan engage in countless battles of both strength and wit. To them, this was just how Li Yan spoke to outsiders.

Mo Qing and Wei Zhongran soon relaxed. Though they were at the Malevolent Spirit Sect, they didn’t know this guard. Even within the same sect, there were different lineages and internal politics. It was best to be cautious. That was why Mo Qing, the veteran “old fox,” had led the conversation initially. But now that the guard wanted to talk to the Spirit Transformation “senior,” they could only watch closely.

The area where they stood, while somewhat secluded, was still near the main gate. Cultivators were constantly entering and leaving—a scene of vibrant activity. Some cast glances their way, and many eyes showed a flash of admiration upon seeing Zhao Min, Gong Chenying, and Li Zhaoyan.

But that was all. The Malevolent Spirit Sect’s punishments for predatory behavior were notoriously severe; disciples didn’t dare cross that line. In the lower realm, the sect was called “evil,” but that was due to its ruthless cultivation methods, not because of some “dual cultivation” path that stole the yin of others. Furthermore, with cultivation, beauty was easy to maintain; in the upper realm, women of their caliber were common.

However, the aura of Zhao Min and Gong Chenying was unique. As practitioners of dual dharma-body cultivation, their physical presence and bearing were something ordinary practitioners could not replicate.

After about half a cup of tea’s worth of waiting, a faint spatial ripple appeared above their heads. Li Yan was the first to sense the anomaly, looking up immediately while the others were still unaware.

“Eh? This little fellow’s reaction is quite sharp!”

Following a light exclamation, a figure solidified fifty feet in the air. It was a beautiful woman in black robes with a graceful figure. She looked to be in her thirties, with skin as white as snow and exquisite features.

Li Yan’s heart skipped a beat when he saw her. It wasn’t her beauty that startled him, but the terrifying power radiating from her body.

‘Is this… Late-stage Void Refinement?’ He was genuinely shocked. Why would such a powerhouse suddenly appear here? With his current strength, he would have no choice but to run as far as possible if they were enemies.

As her voice rang out, Wei Zhongran and the others jolted, realizing someone had approached them without their knowledge. Looking up, Wei Zhongran found the woman vaguely familiar.

Before he could process the thought, Mo Qing’s face flushed with excitement. His usually steady and elegant frame began to tremble. He fell to his knees and kowtowed. His voice shook with emotion.

“Your unworthy disciple, Mo Qing, greets the Master!”

Mo Qing never expected that the person sent by Old Gentleman Peak would be the master he hadn’t seen in over a thousand years. Back when he was a mere Golden Core disciple, his master had left the lower realm as a Spirit Transformation cultivator to seek an ascension node. Much of his subsequent training had been handled by senior brothers.

The guard had said he notified the two peaks, and they assumed an executive or manager would come to verify their identities. They never imagined a powerhouse of this magnitude would appear.

“Hmph! You truly are unworthy. How are you still at the Late-stage Nascent Soul? And it looks like you’ve been stuck there for years. Su Changyang and the others reached Spirit Transformation after me, yet their disciples have already surpassed you!”

The woman’s beautiful eyes finally moved from Li Yan to the kneeling Mo Qing. However, her mind was still racing: ‘Who is this youth?’

According to her information, a clone of Gu Jiuqi was currently in the lower realm, and Su Changyang had recently ascended because he could no longer suppress his cultivation. There should be no other Spirit Transformation cultivators in the lower realm for the time being. ‘Could someone have reached Spirit Transformation in just a few centuries? But Su Changyang’s disciple said the strongest in the lower realm was Mo Qing.’

The guard had sent separate messages to the two peaks, and she assumed he meant an executive was coming for her peak. She hadn’t expected to find this entire group. Seeing Wei Zhongran and the others without sect robes, she wondered if they were friends Mo Qing had made during his journey to the sect after ascension.

Mo Qing’s shout had interrupted her thoughts. She saw his level and was annoyed that her youngest disciple was still at the Nascent Soul realm. She had taken him in because of his extraordinary potential, but her long periods of seclusion had meant she offered him little guidance.

Upon hearing Mo Qing’s exclamation, Wei Zhongran and the others realized who she was. Wei Zhongran’s eyes flashed. No wonder she looked familiar; he had seen her portrait in Mo Qing’s residence on the main peak.

Li Yan and his family rarely visited the main peak and had little contact with Mo Qing, so they didn’t recognize her. Li Yan was stunned; he hadn’t known Mo Qing’s master was still alive. Many assumed she had long since entered the cycle of reincarnation. He never expected her to be a Late-stage Void Refinement expert. If Li Yan was shocked, the awe felt by Zhao Min and Gong Chenying was tenfold.

Just as they were about to pay their respects, a whistling sound tore through the air, and a voice called out.

“Senior Sister Lu, are you praising me? I’m only a little stronger than Mo Qing, heh heh…”

A streak of blue light cut across the sky, indifferent to the gazes of other cultivators, arriving with an air of pure arrogance.

“Da Cen, what are you doing here?”

The woman, Lu, frowned. The people of Little Bamboo Peak were always incredibly showy, from top to bottom. She preferred a quiet life focused on the Dao and disliked their flamboyant nature.

As she spoke, Wei Zhongran’s body shook. The newcomer was too fast to see, but that voice was unforgettable.

“Master?” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

As he spoke, Ancestor Lu’s gaze snapped to Wei Zhongran. ‘This is Da Cen’s disciple? His disciple is also at the Late-stage Nascent Soul?’ she thought, surprised.

“Senior Sister Lu, this disciple is here to collect the people of Little Bamboo Peak, of course!”

The blue light faded, revealing an old man. It was indeed Da Cen, who had been missing for years. He looked much older than the woman.

“Senior Brother, you truly did ascend successfully!” Mo Qing called out, moving toward him in a flash. His joy was genuine. In their generation, his bond with Da Cen was the strongest. After Da Cen left, Mo Qing had worried he might have perished during the passage. Every time he thought of their long years together, he felt a sense of loss.

“I say, where are your manners? You should call me ‘Senior Uncle.’ I am a Spirit Transformation cultivator now!” Da Cen looked at the approaching Mo Qing with a cold expression, hands behind his back.

Mo Qing froze. He sensed an air of cold detachment from the man, making him feel that despite the familiar face, this person was a stranger. Ancestor Lu’s eyes turned cold as she watched this. She was right here; what was he trying to pull? Even Wei Zhongran wondered if this was an impostor.

Then, Da Cen’s face changed instantly. His arrogant posture collapsed, and he lunged forward, pulling Mo Qing into a bear hug.

“Hahaha! Old Mo, you finally made it! I was worried you’d ascend straight to the Western Paradise! I almost bought some spirit money to burn for you!” He pounded Mo Qing’s back so hard it made a thumping sound.

“Let go! You… let go! You’re choking your father!” Mo Qing cursed, finally finding his voice. He felt he couldn’t breathe.

Da Cen let go and looked at him with mock disapproval. “Ancestor Lu is right here. You’re her most well-behaved disciple; how can you use such foul language? Have you no shame?”

“Get lost… get the hell away from me!” Mo Qing snapped, taking a step back and shooting a nervous glance at Ancestor Lu.

“Are you two finished? Leave at once. And who are these others? Mo Qing, are they your friends?” Ancestor Lu’s gaze returned to calm. Though she didn’t like the Little Bamboo Peak line, she could see the genuine bond between her disciple and Da Cen. Despite their antics, their eyes had flashed with sincere affection for a moment.

This turn of events left not only the group but also the bald guard stunned. He realized the “unworthy” disciple’s master was actually the Void Refinement Elder Lu. He’d assumed her lineage was at most at the Spirit Transformation level. He was glad he hadn’t tried to push them; he would have offended someone far out of his league.

Wei Zhongran looked at his master in shock. In his memory, Da Cen was a stern, protective man. He never imagined his master had this side to him.

“Oh, those people are… all from Little Bamboo Peak. Wait… you? You’re that little Foundation Establishment brat, Li… Li Yan!”

At Ancestor Lu’s question, Da Cen swept his gaze over the group and saw Wei Zhongran and Zhao Min. He had spent his life guarding the sect and sitting in the back mountains of Little Bamboo Peak. Since the peak had so few members, he knew his disciples well. Zhao Min, Gong Chenying, and Li Yan were all his grand-disciples. But he didn’t recognize the little girl or the beast-aura cultivator. And why was there a Golden Core here?

He turned to Wei Zhongran for an explanation. But then, to his horror, he realized the familiar dark-skinned youth was also a Spirit Transformation cultivator. Not only that, but they were in the same realm. He took a closer look. It was Wei Zhongran’s youngest disciple.

‘I’ve worked so hard all these years just to reach the peak of the Mid-stage Spirit Transformation… how is he also at the Mid-stage?’ Da Cen was dazed. For a moment, he completely ignored Li Zhaoyan and Zi Kun. He was certain he had mistaken the person. It had to be a mistake…

Li Yan stepped forward to greet him, but Wei Zhongran moved first, shooting Li Yan a look.

“Your disciple greets the Master…” He stepped forward, bowed deeply, and immediately began a voice transmission.