Heavenly Dao Restriction

As Lu Yi stood there puzzled, the woman in white rubbed her hair, covered her mouth with a hand, and yawned. Looking at Donggong Mingyue, she spoke in a lazy voice with a faint magnetic lilt. "Little Mingyue, where's the Magnolia Pastry?"

Donggong Mingyue smiled. "Peak Master, didn't you tell me to bring Junior Brother Lu Yi here? Junior Brother Lu Yi has arrived."

So she really was the Peak Master?!

The corner of Lu Yi's mouth twitched. The image he had of the legendary, peerlessly gifted Drifting Soul Peak Master was rapidly collapsing in his mind.

Hearing this, the Drifting Soul Peak Master glanced at Lu Yi. A trace of clarity entered her hazy eyes, and her lips curved into a languid smile. "Ah, I remember now. I did tell you to bring this kid over."

As she spoke, the Drifting Soul Peak Master sized Lu Yi up, raised a brow, and said, "Not bad. When Ningshuang mentioned you to me, she said you were only at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer. It's only been a little over half a month, and you're already at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer? Your aura is solid, and your foundation isn't weak. You really do have something to you. No wonder those old fogeys are all thinking of snatching you up."

Lu Yi's pupils contracted slightly. He had not expected the Drifting Soul Peak Master to see through his cultivation at a glance, and he was rather shocked.

This woman who looked as if she had not fully woken up seemed to be genuinely powerful?

Lu Yi smiled. "Peak Master, you flatter me. Lu Yi is still weak and needs to cultivate even harder."

The Drifting Soul Peak Master stretched lazily and smiled. "Too much modesty isn't good. You're different from Ningshuang and little Mingyue. For someone with a mortal body to reach this point, it seems you've encountered quite a substantial opportunity."

Lu Yi's heart jolted, and cold sweat nearly broke out.

He really had encountered quite a substantial opportunity. After all, this was a Golden Finger—how could the opportunity it brought be small?

He had not expected the Drifting Soul Peak Master to see through it at a glance.

Lu Yi felt some pressure in his heart. All sorts of scenes from novels he had read in his previous life flashed through his mind—murdering for treasure and the like—and he went a little numb.

This was a true heavyweight. Even if he wanted to run, he would not be able to escape.

Just then, the Drifting Soul Peak Master's lazy voice continued. "I know a little about the Fate Technique. I can tell you're not a bad person. Whatever opportunity you obtained is your own fortune. I can't be bothered to concern myself with it. I called you here only because I think highly of your talent."

Hearing this, Lu Yi relaxed slightly.

Cultivators valued their true hearts above all else. Since the Drifting Soul Peak Master had said so, she truly seemed to have no designs on him.

Then Lu Yi laughed inwardly. Thinking about it, that made sense. The Drifting Soul Peak Master was the most dazzling genius of the White Cloud Sect. Her talent was already more than formidable; who knew how many geniuses she had seen, or how many opportunities she had encountered?

Besides, she was a righteous cultivator herself, not some Heretical Cultivator.

How could someone like her develop designs on him over such a tiny bit of progress?

Lu Yi felt that he truly had been overthinking things.

But... the Drifting Soul Peak Master actually knew the Fate Technique? Though he knew nothing about the Fate Technique, he had never heard of any Spirit Transformation cultivator who understood such things.

Forget Spirit Transformation cultivators—even Void Insight cultivators did not seem to understand something as illusory and intangible as fate, did they?

Worthy of being the Drifting Soul Peak Master. The moment she spoke, she felt impossibly lofty and profound.

Lu Yi sighed inwardly and asked, "Peak Master, do you mean to take me as your disciple?"

The Drifting Soul Peak Master stretched. Her simple white dress accentuated her slender waist and ample bosom, but Lu Yi did not dare look at all, afraid he would be beaten to death.

"Let's go inside and talk. Standing here is exhausting."

Lu Yi watched the Drifting Soul Peak Master turn and head toward the Bamboo House, his mind full of question marks. A Spirit Transformation cultivator actually found standing exhausting?

Seeing Lu Yi somewhat dumbfounded, Donggong Mingyue smiled. "Junior Brother Lu Yi, let's go in."

Lu Yi came back to his senses, nodded, and followed the Drifting Soul Peak Master and Donggong Mingyue into the Bamboo House.

Inside the Bamboo House was a hall. A bamboo tea table stood in the center, with soft couches beside it.

The Drifting Soul Peak Master sprawled on a soft couch without the slightest regard for her image. She shifted the fluffy cushion behind her back, then smiled in satisfaction and looked at Lu Yi. "Whether I take you as a disciple will depend on your performance."

Lu Yi immediately thought of the condition Donggong Mingyue had mentioned earlier. Could it be that condition?

Somewhat puzzled, Lu Yi asked, "What sort of performance does Peak Master require?"

The Drifting Soul Peak Master revealed a mysterious smile. "Lu Yi, do you know what lies above the Qi Refining Tenth Layer?"

Lu Yi froze, his head full of question marks. Seeing the Drifting Soul Peak Master's mysterious expression, the corner of his mouth twitched. "The Foundation Establishment Realm?"

The Drifting Soul Peak Master smiled sweetly. "For ordinary cultivators, that is indeed the case. The Qi Refining Tenth Layer is a Heavenly Dao Restriction. Upon reaching the completion of the tenth layer, one can condense a Dao Foundation and step into the Foundation Establishment Realm. But there are always some people who don't like the Heavenly Dao's rules and regulations. You understand, right?"

Lu Yi's eyes widened as he stared at the Drifting Soul Peak Master in astonishment. "...Peak Master, you mean... above the Qi Refining Tenth Layer, Foundation Establishment isn't the only path?"

The Drifting Soul Peak Master raised a brow and smiled. "Kid, your comprehension isn't bad. That's somewhat close, but not entirely correct."

She continued, "For ordinary cultivators, the Qi Refining Tenth Layer is the limit of the Qi Refining Realm. But that is the Heavenly Dao's limit. If you surpass that limit, there is still a path ahead in the Qi Refining Realm."

Hearing this, Lu Yi was deeply shaken. "The Qi Refining Tenth Layer isn't the limit of the Qi Refining Realm?"

This was the first time Lu Yi had ever heard such an idea. In his understanding, the Qi Refining Realm had ten layers; above the tenth layer was Foundation Establishment, above the tenth layer of Foundation Establishment was the Golden Core...

Yet today, the Drifting Soul Peak Master's words had opened the door to a new world for Lu Yi. The Qi Refining Tenth Layer was actually not the limit!

The Drifting Soul Peak Master smiled. "No. Above the Qi Refining Tenth Layer, if you break through the Heavenly Dao's limit, you can enter the Qi Refining Eleventh Layer. The Heavenly Dao Restriction of the Qi Refining Realm has three layers. Break through all three restrictions, and you can reach the true limit of the Qi Refining Realm—the Qi Refining Thirteenth Layer."

"...The Qi Refining Thirteenth Layer?" Lu Yi was stunned.

After hearing the Drifting Soul Peak Master's words, Lu Yi had thought that the Qi Refining Eleventh Layer would be the limit after breaking through it.

There were more layers after the eleventh? The highest was the thirteenth layer?!

If someone reached the thirteenth layer in the Qi Refining Realm, how terrifying would they be? Lu Yi did not even dare imagine it.

They could easily fight low-level Foundation Establishment cultivators? That was fighting above one's major realm!

Was that not absurdly outrageous?

"That's right, the Qi Refining Thirteenth Layer."

Lu Yi came back to his senses, looked at the Drifting Soul Peak Master, and asked, "Peak Master, then how does one break through this limit?"

At that moment, Lu Yi set himself a small goal on the path of cultivation.

First, he would break through to the thirteenth layer in the Qi Refining Realm.

The Drifting Soul Peak Master smiled. "Breaking through the limit is actually very simple. What we cultivators cultivate is essence, energy, and spirit. We continuously temper ourselves to break through realms and elevate ourselves. Breaking through limits is the same. Continuously temper your foundation, including your body, Spiritual Qi, and spirit. Once your foundation reaches the necessary point, you will naturally be able to sense this Heavenly Dao Restriction."

Seeing Lu Yi sink into thought, the Drifting Soul Peak Master smiled and said, "Didn't you want to know how to become my disciple? It's simple. Break through one Heavenly Dao Restriction and reach the Qi Refining Eleventh Layer, and I'll take you as my disciple."