A short while earlier, atop Colorful Cloud Peak.
"Senior Sister Qing Su, a disciple like Ping'an would be exceedingly difficult to teach even if our master personally instructed him."
"Yes, Martial Niece Qing Su. Ping'an's comprehension is simply too exceptional, and his studies are far too broad. This old woman has heard several elders mention many times that Ping'an's talent in the Dao of Formations and the Dao of Artifact Refining is unmatched among Myriad Cloud Sect's current generation of disciples. Yet you do not excel at either of those."
"Qing Su, we can all understand your concern that you may not be able to teach Ping'an well."
"Especially, Senior Sister Qing Su, Ancestor Dazhi places immense importance on his only son. Ancestor Dazhi is now the wealth Immortal of our Myriad Cloud Sect, and every Peak Master has to show him some respect. Not to mention that he is a person of great fortune and the opportunity of our sect's future."
"So, after careful deliberation, we joined forces to prepare this treasured volume for you, devoted specifically to the matter of teaching disciples..."
Inside her cave abode.
Qing Su looked at the jade slip in her hand, her Dao heart slightly stirred.
Had she not returned to Colorful Cloud Peak just now because her disciple often blew himself up and knocked himself unconscious, and she wanted to ask her master how to strengthen his primordial spirit...?
Was her disciple really that difficult to teach?
Qing Su carefully recalled every detail of her interactions with Li Ping'an over the past two years.
A few pointers from her were enough for Li Ping'an to comprehend things on his own.
One or two reminders from her could bring Li Ping'an an insight, after which he would enter seclusion by himself.
All she could teach him was the Myriad Cloud Art and various immortal combat techniques. Under her guidance and through her disciple's own efforts, there had never been anything like "unable to teach" or "unable to learn."
Qing Su pinched her chin and pondered.
Could it be that she truly was not suited to being a master, which was why the martial uncles, senior sisters, and junior sisters on the peak had specifically come to remind her of this?
My teaching methods should be correct.
That was what Qing Su thought.
Qing Su checked Li Ping'an's condition once more.
Li Ping'an was still unconscious in the reclining chair.
This unconsciousness had resulted from his spiritual sense being projected outward and failing to return in time. The impact upon it had caused his primordial spirit to tremble. It was like an ordinary person being struck on the head with a club—nothing serious, and he would soon wake up.
Her disciple had explained that he had spent the past half year devising an immortal treasure that could unleash fixed power on its own without consuming too much mana.
Qing Su did not understand such matters very well, nor did she interfere with her disciple.
Li Ping'an had as many strange ideas as stars in the night sky.
Although Li Ping'an spent quite a bit of time on alchemy and artifact refining, his cultivation progress had never fallen behind. Over time, Qing Su simply let him work on those strange artifact-refining matters himself.
Qing Su sat down in a reclining chair nearby. Her clear eyes could not hide her thoughts at all, and she turned to look at Li Ping'an again.
Actually, her disciple had some peculiarities as well.
For instance, Li Ping'an had experienced two bursts of rapid cultivation advancement over the past two years.
The first came right after Li Ping'an completed Foundation Establishment, when he suddenly went from the first level of the Void Refinement Realm to the third.
The second had happened not long ago, when Li Ping'an directly entered the threshold of the sixth level of the Void Refinement Realm from the fourth.
Qing Su had asked Li Ping'an why his cultivation had risen so abnormally, but Li Ping'an had been evasive and failed to explain clearly. He had even changed the subject.
This had actually left Qing Su somewhat disappointed. She felt that her disciple was not close enough to her and was unwilling to confide certain things in her.
Could it be that I truly am not suited to the way of a master?
She wavered.
Qing Su lightly pursed her lips and held The Way of the Good Teacher in her hands. With a gentle tap of her crystalline fingertip, jade slips slowly spread out before her, their words reflected in her eyes.
"The way of a master lies not in outward form, but in the heart. A master transmits the Dao, imparts learning, and resolves doubts. A disciple inherits the Dao, establishes their path, and extends its branches. The matter of master and disciple lies entirely herein."
"Though a master walks the Dao first, the immortal path is long. It is not uncommon for disciples to surpass their masters. Thus, there is only the distinction of before and after, never one of high and low."
"Human Qi cultivators established themselves in the Beginning of Heaven and Earth through masters passing down teachings and disciples inheriting them. In ancient times, the myriad races were fierce while humanity was weak. The sages of old followed the teachings of the Dao Ancestor, founded mountains and sects, and passed down the fruits of the Dao, allowing cultivation methods to spread widely. Thus did humanity flourish."
"A sage once said: A disciple honoring their master is one of Heaven and Earth's fundamental principles..."
The opening went on for several hundred words without getting to the point.
Qing Su was used to this. Whether it was her master transmitting cultivation methods or the elders of Colorful Cloud Peak passing down treasures and techniques, everyone liked to expound upon a bunch of principles first.
After reading the introduction, Qing Su finally found the true guidance.
She read it carefully, and something seemed to dawn on her.
This book, The Way of the Good Teacher, explained how to become a master beloved and respected by one's disciples. It did not merely contain various methods and details; it also included firsthand accounts from martial uncles, senior sisters, and junior sisters.
For example, the first rule stated that a master should always care for their disciples, followed by Qing Xu's recollection.
"When I first entered the mountain as a child and took a master, I was both hopeful and uneasy. One afternoon, beneath misty drizzle, I fell asleep on the cool mat by the window while reading scripture. My master passed by, covered me with a thin blanket, and tucked in the corners. My heart immediately settled. From then on, there was no barrier between my master and me. My cultivation progressed smoothly all the way to the Immortal Realm."
Qing Su placed the jade slip on her lap and turned toward Li Ping'an, a little light appearing in her bright eyes.
Tucking in the blanket.
That was not difficult.
Could it really make her disciple's Dao heart more stable?
Qing Su rose and floated into the bedroom in the rear hall. When she floated back, she held a thin quilt embroidered with orchids. She walked over to the reclining chair where Li Ping'an lay unconscious.
She murmured softly and held the quilt over Li Ping'an, measuring it back and forth.
Within Li Ping'an's Spirit Platform, the tiny figure of his primordial spirit slowly climbed to its feet. Just as he was about to discern his surroundings, he suddenly saw... his master spreading her arms and holding open a blanket beside him.
Hm?
What was Master doing?
Just as Li Ping'an was about to speak, his primordial spirit was struck by another wave of dizziness. His faint spiritual sense remained scattered outside his body, and he happened to see his master bend down slightly and drape the thin quilt directly over the reclining chair.
Li Ping'an froze.
Master... was afraid he would catch cold...
Li Ping'an's nose stung, and he let out a long sigh in his heart.
Though his master possessed profound cultivation and mysterious Daoist magic, and though she was simple-minded and poor with words, there was absolutely nothing to criticize in how she treated him, her disciple.
He was already a Qi cultivator at the sixth or seventh level of the Void Refinement Realm. How could he possibly catch cold?
If I achieve success in cultivation one day, I must repay Master properly. Mm, I'll take care of her in her old age too.
As Li Ping'an was feeling emotional, he felt a small, icy hand poke and feel around beside his arm through the blanket.
It tickled, but he did not dare move.
Li Ping'an was afraid that suddenly speaking would embarrass his master, so he stubbornly kept pretending to be unconscious.
That little hand soon began moving around, from Li Ping'an's arm to the back of his hand, from the outside of his thigh to the soles of his feet. With gentle yet swift movements, it tucked the edges of the thin quilt beneath him.
After a short while, Qing Su looked at her disciple, who had been wrapped in the reclining chair like a cicada cocoon with only his head exposed. She nodded in satisfaction, picked up her copy of The Way of the Good Teacher, and returned to the rear hall to continue studying it carefully.
On the reclining chair.
Three black lines crept across Li Ping'an's forehead, and the corners of his mouth twitched a few times. After thinking it over, he decided to simply take a nap.
He could not let Master's efforts go to waste.
Li Ping'an lightly dozed off, then gradually fell truly asleep.
A faint, almost imperceptible fragrance slipped into his nostrils, as though two peach blossoms had landed upon his face.
That scent was far too familiar, so Li Ping'an failed to become alert in time and let the other person approach him.
"Senior Brother, have you been sealed?"
Li Ping'an opened his eyes groggily and suddenly saw a fair, lovely Pheobe face. Her cheeks were dusted with a faint blush, her Peach Blossom Eyes rippled gently, her lips curved in a smile, and her willow-leaf brows were relaxed.
Anyone who saw her would feel a little happier.
Naturally, Mu Ningning had arrived.
Only she possessed the access Jade Talisman for this cave abode.
"Mm. I fell asleep while tinkering with something."
Li Ping'an answered vaguely, broke free from the thin quilt's restraints, stretched lazily, and flopped back down.
He looked at Mu Ningning beside him.
Today, she wore a disciple's dress with a blue base. Her long hair was arranged in twin ring buns, a jade sash cinched her slender waist, her tiny feet were wrapped in Cloth Boots, and she carried a short sword in its sheath. Two more storage treasures than usual adorned her fair wrist.
She looked entirely prepared for a long journey.
Li Ping'an asked in puzzlement, "Junior Sister, are you heading out?"
"Yes," Mu Ningning blinked. "Didn't the Affairs Hall Deacon say that you were going too? The six-sect disciple trial is leaving in half an hour!"
Li Ping'an checked with his spiritual sense and discovered that he had actually slept for eight or nine hours.
Although he had wasted most of a day's cultivation time, his primordial spirit was refreshed and his Dao Body felt entirely at ease.
He had not rested this well in a long time.
Li Ping'an stood, folded his master's blanket, then suddenly realized something.
"You're going too?" Li Ping'an looked up and asked. "Wasn't it supposed to be one disciple from each peak? Colorful Cloud Peak was sending a senior sister in the True Unity Realm, wasn't it?"
"I don't know."
Mu Ningning looked away and lightly pursed her lips. Spiritual energy stirred the fine hair over her forehead, and her voice grew softer.
"Anyway, the Affairs Hall gave me a Jade Talisman and told me to go train with them. Maybe... being half a step into Void Refinement barely counts as Void Refinement... You'll probably have to ask Uncle about that..."
"It really may have been arranged by my father."
Li Ping'an considered it briefly and said in a low voice,
"Junior Sister, these disciple trials are really just various sects dragging their disciples out to compare them. There's no real purpose to them.
"Besides, Sea Gazing Sect is hosting this time. They previously tried to compete with us for the artifact business and ended up losing quite a few spirit stones. They probably want to use this opportunity to regain some face.
"If we go, we'll likely just be left sitting on the bench and enduring others' disdain. We might as well cultivate freely in the mountains."
Mu Ningning blinked. "But the Affairs Hall has already issued the order."
"Pretend we're injured," Li Ping'an said with a smile. "We went into cultivation deviation while practicing and were both seriously wounded. What can they do to us? My father is Li Dazhi, master of Casting Cloud Hall."
She burst out laughing and moved over to the reclining chair beside Li Ping'an.
"Then I'll listen to Senior Brother. We made mistakes while practicing!"
Qing Su's voice suddenly came from the inner hall. "There is an order from the sect. Why would you not go? Ping'an, Ningning?"
Li Ping'an and Mu Ningning hurriedly stood and cupped their hands toward the inner cave.
"This disciple is here."
"Martial Uncle, please give your instructions!"
Qing Su said, "You were chosen by the sect for this six-sect trial. You should naturally bring honor to the sect and must not neglect your duty."
Li Ping'an and Mu Ningning exchanged glances.
The former calmly accepted his fate, while the latter smiled brightly. In perfect tacit understanding, they lowered their heads and accepted the order.
Li Ping'an tilted his head back and sighed. "I'll go collect a few treasures for self-defense."
"Senior Brother," Mu Ningning said with a smile, "we mustn't arrive too late!"
"I'll only be a moment."
Li Ping'an roused himself. His body turned into a wisp of cloud smoke as he drifted through the cave abode, entered several secret chambers, changed into a blue disciple's robe, and tidied himself up.
Then, after bidding farewell to his master, he mounted a small boat and took Mu Ningning with him to the Affairs Hall.
Because she was about to complete Foundation Establishment, Mu Ningning's appearance and figure had settled last year. Unless her lifespan neared its end and her Dao Body began to wither, she could maintain this youthful and beautiful appearance for as long as she wished.
Truly eighteen forever.
On the small boat, Li Ping'an thought carefully and kept turning to look at Mu Ningning.
Mu Ningning had now shed her youthful immaturity. Her oval face was quite beautiful, and her figure was excellent as well.
Since she had cultivated swordsmanship from childhood, whenever she restrained her smile before others, she carried a sharp and fierce air like a hidden blade.
She truly stood out.
Mu Ningning felt a little delighted. She thought that Senior Brother had noticed the "barely there" makeup she had spent an hour applying today, which was... rather embarrassing.
"Junior Sister," Li Ping'an said through spiritual transmission with a frown, "how about we agree on three rules?"
Mu Ningning was puzzled. "What is it, Senior Brother?"
Li Ping'an said seriously, "Everyone in the sect knows that you and I are close, but there will be disciples from other sects on this outing. We cannot appear too intimate, as that would not be good for your reputation."
"Mm." Mu Ningning nodded gently. "I understand. Senior Brother, rest assured."
Li Ping'an asked again, "Also, can you wear a veil when we go out?"
Though Mu Ningning did not understand why, she obediently took out a white veil and covered her face.
Every Colorful Cloud Peak disciple possessed one of these veils as a treasure. It could block others from probing her.
She softly asked, "Is this alright?"
"Yes." Li Ping'an smiled. "The mortal world is full of lechers, especially some young disciples with unstable states of mind. This will help avoid some minor troubles."
Mu Ningning pressed her lips together and laughed through spiritual transmission. "If that's the case, Senior Brother, you should be the one covering your face. Lechers are not only men."
"I have a technique I found in the Daoist Scripture Hall."
Li Ping'an narrowed his eyes with a smile and casually formed a hand seal. His face seemed to become covered by a thin mist, while his sense of presence plummeted.
Just moments ago, he had been a handsome, dashing young man. Now, however, he gave off an ordinary, unremarkable impression.
Mu Ningning clicked her tongue in wonder beside him. Li Ping'an handed her a Jade Talisman. "This is my improved Returning to Dust Art."
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
Though Mu Ningning said so, she merely placed the Jade Talisman into her storage treasure without any intention of cultivating it.
If she became too ordinary, she might not be able to hold down the space within three feet of Senior Brother's side.
The Affairs Hall was already before them.
Mu Ningning restrained her smile, adjusted her breathing, and stood quietly beside Li Ping'an.
Perhaps because his primordial spirit had been blown up too many times, Li Ping'an's spiritual sense was far stronger than that of an ordinary late-stage Void Refinement Realm disciple.
He spread out his spiritual sense and saw the disciples gathered inside the Affairs Hall, as well as the elders and Deacons he knew best.
Li Ping'an pondered inwardly.
Since his master had told him to come, he naturally had to obey her orders and avoid making her unhappy.
But in his view, going to compete with disciples from other sects had no practical meaning.
This trip to the coast of the Eastern Sea would simply be a leisurely sightseeing excursion with Junior Sister Mu. He had cultivated in the mountains for five years, so going out to relax and travel sounded quite nice.
What Li Ping'an had not expected, however, was this:
Because he stepped into the Affairs Hall with his left foot, several Outer Sect elders appointed him as the leader of Myriad Cloud Sect's disciples for this six-sect disciple trial.
And because his right foot entered the Affairs Hall at just the right moment, the Outer Sect elders entrusted him with temporary authority to supervise all the disciples.
And the disciples...
Recalling the scene of the 'Myriad Artifact Spirit Explosion' they had witnessed before, not a single one objected.
Li Ping'an was still a little dazed when Deacon Wang Xinhui called out:
"Disciples, wait here for a moment. Group leaders, come with me. The elders have some instructions."
Li Ping'an obediently stepped forward and followed behind Deacon Wang Xinhui into the inner hall of the Affairs Hall.
The thirty-seven disciples from the various peaks remained where they were. Most merely chatted quietly with those beside them, though some more lively ones gathered in a corner, giggling as they shared amusing stories.
The Myriad Cloud Sect did not impose many restrictions on its disciples. Everyone had grown used to being casual in their daily lives, and no immortal would scold them just for laughing too loudly.
Li Ping'an followed Deacon Wang Xinhui into a barrier, circling around several screens and out of the other disciples' sight.
Behind the screens, several elders were drinking tea with the slightly plump Origin Immortal.
Li Ping'an immediately stepped forward to pay his respects. "Greetings, Elders... Father, why have you come?"
Before you continue