Respect

"Cloud Number Two is acting up again. The person on the cloud is heading towards my path."

Li Ping'an glanced at the glass mirror in his palm, his thoughts racing. He quickly made up his mind.

He continued to rush forward above the sea of trees, extending his spiritual sense as far as possible in all directions.

After traveling like this for a while, Li Ping'an suddenly stopped, his body falling into the canopy of a large tree. He frowned and looked ahead.

A young woman was lying on her side on the grass, her face pale and her breath faint, clearly severely injured. Even from behind, she looked alluring and enchanting.

Li Ping'an jumped directly under the tree.

Just as the three Immortals from the Myriad Cloud Sect in the air thought Li Ping'an was going to play the hero and save the beauty, Li Ping'an cupped his hands from afar towards the woman and sighed:

"I am carrying a secret sect order, so I cannot get involved in unnecessary trouble. I hope you can overcome this current tribulation smoothly."

—This was said for the Immortals on the clouds to hear.

With that, Li Ping'an formed a hand seal, transformed into a cloud of mist, and burrowed into the ground. He used Earth Evasion to circle west for several miles before continuing south.

On the white cloud, Elder Yan Sheng nodded with a smile, while Wei Yanzi's expression was complicated.

In another white cloud, Xiao Yue, an outer sect elder and True Immortal of the Myriad Cloud Sect, let out a soft snort from her nose, her phoenix eyes showing a hint of amusement.

Xiao Yue had specifically gone to East Sea Market Town beforehand. Among her many registered disciples, she had chosen three female cultivators with the most outstanding appearance and aptitude and brought them here to set a trap for Li Ping'an.

—Her registered disciples usually stayed in the market towns under the Myriad Cloud Sect's jurisdiction, similar to handyman disciples, and were not on the official Myriad Cloud Sect disciple roster.

Seeing Li Ping'an ignore such an opportunity for "hero saving the beauty," Xiao Yue regarded him with a higher opinion.

The first trial had failed, but Xiao Yue was not in a hurry.

There were still two more challenges, and she wanted to see how Li Ping'an would handle them.

Li Ping'an traveled south for only a hundred miles, passing two large cities, and arrived at another desolate forest.

As he was rushing through the forest, layers of mist suddenly appeared ahead. Inside the mist, a stream gurgled, and it seemed like treasure light was flashing.

Finding treasure on the road?

Li Ping'an almost laughed out loud.

This was the mortal realm in the heart of the Eastern Continent. Due to the turbid energy of the mortal world, the spiritual energy here was mixed, and few Qi cultivators from sects settled here. Therefore, it had become a "treasure hunting ground" for the "lower-class" rogue cultivators of the Eastern Continent.

The probability of finding treasure in such a place was lower than encountering an Immortal's great-aunt taking a bath.

Li Ping'an did not stop. He detoured ten miles to the east, avoiding the area covered by the dense fog.

When he reappeared, he still remembered to stand on a treetop and look back, sighing:

"What a pity. I have a sect order and cannot take any risks. This treasure has no fate with me."

Then he continued south.

On the white cloud, Wei Yanzi had already sensed that something was not right, while Elder Yan Sheng's smile became even more amiable.

On another white cloud, Elder Xiao Yue's slender willow eyebrows were already slightly furrowed.

This brat is actually this vigilant?

He's just a minor Light Condensation cultivator, not yet at Foundation Establishment, and this is his first time descending the mountain. How can he be so mature?

Sensing that her plan was too shallow, Xiao Yue was about to directly recall the third female cultivator. However, as her immortal sense swept over, she saw that Li Ping'an was only about ten miles away from the third female cultivator.

And this time, judging by Li Ping'an's trajectory, it seemed he wasn't avoiding it anymore.

'Is this part of the inner sect trial? Or is it a setup by those Immortals in the sect who dislike my father?'

Li Ping'an pondered inwardly.

Reason told him that someone must be trying to obstruct him from completing the outer sect trial, thereby embarrassing his father.

—Given the existence of the Founding Ancestor Daoist Master Kongming, those old Heavenly Immortals in the sect who were competing with his father for the Sect Master position could probably only go this far.

However, after experiencing the first two trials of "hero saving the beauty" and "encountering treasure on the road," Li Ping'an was truly unsure.

If it was really a setup by those people, wouldn't it be a bit too crude?

In the wilderness, which severely injured female cultivator would deliberately wear a tight-fitting gauze skirt that offered no protection, and specifically accentuate her curves from behind?

The treasure-hunting spot was even more absurd. Why was it covered by ordinary dense fog besides the treasure light? Why was there no spiritual energy attached to this fog?

In short, there were flaws everywhere.

Li Ping'an grumbled inwardly for a few sentences, continuing to cautiously scout the path ahead. He soon discovered the location of the third trial.

Well, the distance between the three "checkpoints" was the same!

As far as his spiritual sense could see, at the edge of the forest more than ten miles away, an old woman stood under a crooked-neck tree, her face full of melancholy. She was throwing a cloth belt towards a tree branch, seemingly intending to take her own life.

This old woman...

Li Ping'an formed a sword finger with his right hand and drew it from left to right. Green wood radiance flashed in his eyes.

One leaf blocks the eye, open heart sees ghosts! Ten thousand directions indistinguishable, sees ghosts and monsters!

It was not an old woman at all, but a young woman with two buns on her head, using a transformation technique to appear old. Her strength was probably around Light Condensation Stage Seven to Eight.

If a cultivator in the Light Condensation Realm could hang themselves, Li Ping'an would offer to let Steward Wei Yanzi take his surname.

This person was at Stage Seven of Light Condensation, also using a Myriad Cloud Sect cultivation technique, and knew a rare transformation technique… Was this an inner sect disciple? And from which peak?

Just as Li Ping'an was about to say "Sorry" and leave, he suddenly heard the old woman cry out in distress:

"I don't want to live anymore! My eldest son joined the Myriad Cloud Sect to cultivate, and my second and third sons are not filial! I truly cannot go on living!"

Good heavens, she's trying an open scheme on me now?

If this old woman hadn't mentioned the Myriad Cloud Sect, it would be easy for him to dodge. But now that she has, if he dodges, people will easily find fault with him.

Not to mention, Li Ping'an already knew that there were at least two Immortals from the Myriad Cloud Sect above his head.

Li Ping'an set off again, heading straight for the old woman. Midway, he deliberately revealed a trace of his aura, allowing her to detect his whereabouts.

Sensing Li Ping'an rapidly approaching, the female cultivator disguised as the old woman moved much more nimbly. In a few quick movements, she tied the cloth strip into a secure knot and stepped onto a half-rotten tree stump.

Her process of hanging herself was extremely practiced.

By the time Li Ping'an appeared on the treetop to the north, the old woman had already placed her neck in the cloth strip, with only the final kick of her feet remaining.

Li Ping'an suddenly spoke, his voice clear and unhurried: "Elder, why do you seek to end your own life?"

The old woman visibly froze. She turned her head to look into the woods and saw a young male cultivator standing with his hands behind his back on the treetop. She couldn't help but gasp.

She asked with a trembling voice, "Are you an Immortal, Immortal?"

Her acting isn't bad.

Li Ping'an asked with a slight smile, "I heard you say just now that your eldest son joined the Myriad Cloud Sect to cultivate. Is this true?"

The old woman clutched the cloth strip and sighed mournfully, "So what if it is? My eldest son went to cultivate, found his own bright future, and doesn't care about this old woman. I don't blame him!"

"What a coincidence."

Li Ping'an smiled:

"I am a prospective outer disciple of the Myriad Cloud Sect. I cannot stand by and do nothing when I witness such a thing."

"Ah?"

The old woman turned to look at Li Ping'an, her voice trembling, "Do you know my eldest son?"

Li Ping'an immediately shook his head: "I apologize, I haven't officially entered the outer sect to cultivate yet. I only know one or two friends. I can't say how many disciples there are in the Myriad Cloud Sect... However, since you are the birth mother of a disciple of my Myriad Cloud Sect, I should do something for you."

"Alas! Immortal, you really don't need to bother with me! This old body of mine is a nuisance and an annoyance wherever I go. There's truly no joy in living! I shall bid farewell here today... Farewell!"

The old woman's emotions became somewhat agitated. She brought her neck back into the cloth strip, about to kick away the tree stump.

Strange, why isn't he speaking up to stop me?

The young female cultivator disguised as the old woman muttered to herself, unable to resist glancing sideways at the treetop.

Li Ping'an stood quietly with his hands behind his back.

Sunlight dappled his face, which was covered by a thin mask, and a gentle smile was always present.

This?

The old woman closed her eyes and shed tears, while Li Ping'an stood there with a smile.

The old woman let out a long sigh, but Li Ping'an remained unmoved.

The young female cultivator, disguised as the old woman, hardened her heart. She kicked the wooden stump, which tilted to the side, and the cloth strip instantly tightened.

Li Ping'an finally made a move.

He descended from the treetop and stood on the slightly pale forest path. He cupped his hands in a salute towards the old woman and said loudly, "Since your eldest son and I are fellow disciples, I should naturally collect your remains and handle your body, to uphold the bond of fellow disciples."

The old woman's eyes widened, and she began to kick her legs in mid-air.

Li Ping'an let out a slow, long sigh: "My father always said, abandon the plot of helping others, respect others' wishes, and do not impose your own thoughts on others. Although I cannot bear to see this elder die, I should respect her choice. Alas, born in the morning, die in the evening, mayflies in the world!"

The old woman's eyes rolled back, and her leg-kicking motion began to slow.

Li Ping'an's right hand moved in slow motion, and a writing desk appeared before him, with fruits, an incense burner, and a peach wood sword laid out on it;

Then, his left hand moved in slow motion, and a large, rust-stained alchemy furnace appeared before him.

Li Ping'an muttered, "Later, I'll cremate this elder and take her ashes to the sect for her eldest son. Although this alchemy furnace is valuable, the Ming Cave True Fire restriction on it can only be used three or four more times. This way, the elder won't be indecent after death, saving me the awkwardness of handling her body. Hmm... Open the furnace!"

Crack!

The old woman's cloth strip suddenly snapped, and she fell to the ground in a sorry state, her eyes filled with tears as she glared at Li Ping'an.

Li Ping'an quickly took half a step forward and asked from a distance, "Are you alright? I have some excellent rope here, would you like me to help you hang it up?"

"N-no need! Cough! Cough cough! This old woman suddenly remembered her grandchildren... Cough cough cough!"

The old woman's face turned bright red. She got up, half-running, half-crawling, and sprinted away along the path towards the distant village.

Li Ping'an quickly called out, "Elder! I've already prepared everything!"

"No, no! I've thought it through! I've thought it through!"

The old woman's retreating back grew increasingly agile.

Li Ping'an smiled and shook his head, putting away the writing desk and alchemy furnace. He once again wore a look of regret and murmured, "Missed a good opportunity to help a fellow disciple. Let's be on our way."

With that, Li Ping'an leaped to the treetop, his toes landing on a floating leaf.

Using the leaf as a boat, he crossed south alone.

At this moment, the atmosphere on the two white clouds was vastly different.

On one side, Wei Yanzi was roaring with laughter, unable to contain his mirth, while Elder Yan Sheng leisurely sipped from his water pipe with a smile.

On the other side, Xiao Yue's charming face was as dark as water. The three young female cultivators she had summoned knelt with their heads bowed behind her, not daring to even breathe.

Especially the petite young female cultivator with her hair in twin buns, who was now sobbing uncontrollably.

"Mas-Master! He almost burned this disciple to a crisp!"

"Silence! What kind of behavior is all this crying and sniveling!"

Xiao Yue snorted.

"He saw through your pathetic transformation technique long ago. He was just trying to scare you!"

"Then, Master, what should we do next?"

"This Li Ping'an refused a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit."

Xiao Yue said calmly.

"Originally, I wanted to see which of you was fortunate enough to find a Dao companion with a strong background and use that opportunity to have you enter the sect to cultivate.

"Since it's come to this, then let this Li Ping'an suffer a bit first.

"Ling'er?"

The twin-bun female cultivator took half a step forward. "Your disciple awaits your command, Master."

"The outer disciple Qi cultivator, Chen Gongmin, whom he is looking for, was sent to a spirit mine three hundred miles away yesterday.

"I will send you to Chen Gongmin's Daoist temple. You will pose as Chen Gongmin's disciple and must lead him to the spirit mine. I have set up an illusion array near the spirit mine that can trap him for a hundred days, preventing him from passing the outer sect trial.

"This way, I can give the elders within the sect some explanation."

Xiao Yue's phoenix-like eyes swept over them.

"If you can't even handle such a small matter, then you don't need to work for me anymore."

"Ling'er understands!"

Following that, Xiao Yue rode her cloud forward. This time, however, she no longer flew directly over Li Ping'an's head but instead detoured a hundred miles to the east.

She had already shed her contempt for that minor Light Condensation cultivator.