Intention to Tour Mountains and Rivers

A moment ago, on Colorful Cloud Peak.

"Senior Sister Qingxu, a disciple like Ping'an is incredibly difficult to teach, even for our Master himself."

"Indeed, Junior Nephew Qingxu. Ping'an's comprehension is too strong, and he studies too many things. I've heard the Elders in the sect mention it many times. Ping'an's talent in formations and artifact refining is arguably the best among the current disciples of the Myriad Cloud Sect, and you're not skilled in either of those areas."

"Qingxu, we can understand your worry about not being able to teach Ping'an well."

"Especially, Senior Sister Qingxu, Ancestor Dazhi dotes on his only son immensely. Ancestor Dazhi is currently the Wealth Immortal of our Myriad Cloud Sect, and even the Peak Masters have to give him some face. Not to mention, he's a person of great fortune, a future opportunity for our sect."

"Therefore, after much deliberation, we have jointly prepared this treasure scroll for you, specifically for teaching disciples..."

Inside her own cave abode.

Qingxu looked at the jade slip in her hand, her Dao heart slightly stirred.

Hadn't she just returned to Colorful Cloud Peak because her disciple often injured himself and knocked himself unconscious, wanting to ask her Master how to enhance her disciple's primordial soul power...?

Was her disciple really that difficult to teach?

Qingxu carefully recalled the past two years of interactions with Li Ping'an.

A little guidance from her would allow Li Ping'an to comprehend on his own;

One or two reminders from her would allow Li Ping'an to gain insights and enter closed-door cultivation on his own;

All she could teach were the "Myriad Cloud Art" and various combat immortal techniques. With her guidance and her disciple's own efforts, there had never been a situation where he couldn't be taught or couldn't understand.

Qingxu pondered for a moment, pinching her chin.

Could it be that she truly wasn't cut out to be a Master, which was why the Martial Uncles, Senior Sisters, and Junior Sisters on the peak had specifically given her this reminder?

My teaching methods must be correct.

Qingxu thought this.

Qingxu checked Li Ping'an's condition again.

Li Ping'an was still lying unconscious on the lounge chair.

This unconsciousness stemmed from his spiritual sense being released and not retracted in time, causing a shock to his spiritual sense that triggered a concussion to his primordial soul. It was like a mortal being hit on the head with a blunt object; there wasn't any major problem, and he would wake up soon.

Her disciple had explained to her that for the past six months, he had been contemplating a set of immortal artifact treasures that wouldn't consume too much magic power and could unleash a fixed might on their own.

Qingxu didn't understand these things very well and wouldn't try to control her disciple.

Li Ping'an's bizarre ideas were as numerous as the stars at night.

Although Li Ping'an spent a lot of time on pill refining and artifact refining, his own cultivation progress had never lagged. Over time, Qingxu had let him do his own peculiar artifact refining.

Qingxu sat down on a nearby lounge chair, her clear eyes unable to hide any of her thoughts. She turned her head to look at Li Ping'an again.

Actually, her disciple also had some peculiar aspects.

For instance, in the past two years, Li Ping'an had experienced two instances of rapid cultivation breakthroughs.

One was right after Li Ping'an completed Foundation Establishment, when he suddenly advanced from the first stage of the Void Refining Realm to the third stage.

The other was not long ago, when Li Ping'an directly stepped into the threshold of the sixth stage of the Void Refining Realm from the fourth stage.

Qingxu had asked Li Ping'an why his cultivation had increased so abnormally, but Li Ping'an had been vague and hadn't explained clearly, even changing the subject.

This had actually made Qingxu a little disappointed, feeling that her disciple wasn't close to her and was unwilling to confide in her about certain matters.

Could it be that I'm truly not suited for the path of a teacher?

She wavered.

Qingxu pursed her lips slightly, held the "The Way of the Good Teacher" in her hand, and gently tapped it with her crystalline fingertips. Jade slips slowly unfurled before her, their words entering her eyes.

The way of a teacher lies not in form but in heart. A teacher transmits the Dao, imparts knowledge, and resolves doubts; a disciple accepts the Dao, establishes their path, and branches out. The relationship between master and disciple is all contained within this.

Although the teacher has walked the Dao first, the immortal path is long, and it is not uncommon for the disciple to surpass the teacher. Therefore, there is only a difference in sequence between the two, not a debate of superiority.

Human Qi cultivators establish themselves in Heaven and Earth by the transmission from teacher to disciple. Since antiquity, when the myriad races were fierce and humanity was weak, the ancient sages followed the teachings of the Dao Ancestor, established sects, and passed down the fruits of the Dao, allowing cultivation methods to spread widely, thus leading to the prosperity of humanity.

The ancients said, a disciple respecting their teacher is the fundamental principle of Heaven and Earth...

The opening hundreds of words did not even get to the main point.

Qingxu was accustomed to this. Whether it was her Master imparting techniques or the elders on Colorful Cloud Peak bestowing treasures or spells, everyone liked to start by explaining some principles.

After reading the first part, Qingxu finally found the real guidance.

She read it carefully, and a sense of realization seemed to dawn in her heart.

This "The Way of the Good Teacher" explained how to be a Master whom disciples loved and respected. It not only contained various methods and many details but also included personal accounts from the Martial Uncles, Senior Sisters, and Junior Sisters.

For example, the first point, [A teacher should always care for their disciple], was followed by Qingxu's recollection.

When I first entered the mountain as a child and became a disciple, my heart was filled with both anticipation and unease. It was one hazy, drizzly afternoon; I was reading scriptures and dozed off on the cool mat by the window. Master passed by, covered me with a thin blanket, and tucked in the edges. My heart instantly settled, and from then on, I had no reservations with Master. My cultivation progress was smooth, all the way to the Immortal realm.

Qingxu placed the jade slip on her lap and turned to look at Li Ping'an, her bright eyes now holding a bit more light.

Tucking in the blanket.

This wasn't exactly difficult.

Could it truly make her disciple's Dao heart more stable?

Qingxu got up and floated to the back hall bedroom. When she floated back, she held a thin quilt embroidered with orchids and walked to the lounge chair where Li Ping'an was sleeping.

She let out a soft hum and held the quilt up to Li Ping'an, measuring him.

In Li Ping'an's spiritual platform, the primordial soul figure slowly sat up. Just as he was about to discern his surroundings, he suddenly saw... his Master standing beside him with arms outstretched, holding up a quilt.

Huh?

What is Master doing?

Just as Li Ping'an was about to speak, his primordial soul felt a wave of dizziness again. His weak spiritual sense spread outwards, and he happened to see his Master lean down slightly and cover Li Ping'an with the thin quilt directly on the lounge chair.

Li Ping'an froze.

Master... is afraid I'll catch a cold...

Li Ping'an's nose tingled, and he sighed deeply in his heart.

Although his Master had profound cultivation and profound Daoist magic, and was simple-minded and not good with words, she was absolutely devoted to him as a disciple.

He was already a Qi cultivator at the sixth or seventh stage of the Void Refining Realm, how could he possibly catch a cold?

If I can achieve success in my cultivation in the future, I will surely be filial to Master, and also take care of Master in her old age.

As Li Ping'an was contemplating this, he felt a cool little hand poke and prod him beside his arm through the quilt.

It was itchy, but he didn't dare to move.

Li Ping'an was afraid that speaking suddenly would cause his Master to lose face, so he endured it and pretended to be unconscious.

The little hand soon began to move, from Li Ping'an's arm to the back of his hand, from the outside of his thigh to the soles of his feet. The movements were gentle yet swift, tucking the edges of the thin quilt under Li Ping'an.

A moment later, Qingxu looked at her disciple on the lounge chair, who was wrapped up like a silkworm with only his head exposed. She nodded with satisfaction, picked up her copy of "The Way of the Good Teacher," and returned to the back hall to continue her diligent study.

On the lounge chair.

Three black lines crawled across Li Ping'an's forehead, and the corners of his mouth twitched a few times. After much thought, he decided to just sleep it off.

He couldn't let his Master's efforts be in vain.

Li Ping'an slept lightly, and gradually fell into a deep sleep.

A faint, elusive fragrance drifted into his nostrils, as if two peach blossoms had landed on his face.

This scent was so familiar that Li Ping'an didn't react in time, and someone leaned close to him.

"Senior Brother, have you been sealed?"

Li Ping'an groggily opened his eyes and suddenly saw a fair and lovely hibiscus-like face. Her cheeks were tinged with a light blush, her peach blossom eyes rippled slightly, and she was smiling with her eyebrows relaxed.

Anyone who saw her would feel a little more joyful.

It was Mu Ningning who had arrived.

She was the only one with a jade slip that could grant access to this cave abode.

"Mm, I was fiddling with something and fell asleep."

Li Ping'an mumbled a reply, broke free from the quilt's embrace, stretched, and then slumped back down.

He looked at Mu Ningning beside him.

Today, she was wearing a disciple's skirt with a blue background, her long hair was styled in a double bun, and a jade belt cinched her slender waist. Her small feet were wrapped in cloth boots, and she carried a sheathed short sword in her hand. Her fair wrists had two more storage artifacts than usual.

She clearly looked like she was about to travel.

Li Ping'an asked curiously, "Junior Sister, are you going out?"

"Yes," Mu Ningning blinked. "Didn't the steward of the Affairs Hall say you were going too? The six sects' disciple training is about to start in half an hour!"

Li Ping'an had already checked his spiritual sense and found that he had slept for eight or nine hours.

Although he had wasted more than half a day of cultivation time, his primordial soul was energetic, and his physical body felt completely comfortable.

He hadn't rested like this in a long time.

Li Ping'an stood up, folded his Master's quilt, and then suddenly realized something.

"You're going too?" Li Ping'an asked, looking up. "Didn't they say each peak sends one disciple, and Colorful Cloud Peak is sending a senior sister from the True Unity Realm?"

"I don't know."

Mu Ningning averted her gaze, pursed her lips slightly, and her bangs were stirred by the spiritual energy that had blown past. Her voice became even lower:

"Anyway, the Affairs Hall gave me a jade slip and told me to go on the training with you all. Perhaps, half a step into the Void Refining Realm can barely be considered Void Refining... I'll probably have to ask Uncle..."

"It's indeed possible that my father arranged it."

Li Ping'an pondered for a moment and said in a low voice:

"Junior Sister, this kind of disciple training is essentially just a comparison between disciples of various sects. It's not very useful.

"Moreover, the host this time is the Sea Gazing Sect. The Sea Gazing Sect previously tried to compete with us for magic artifact business and ended up losing a lot of spirit stones. They probably want to use this opportunity to regain face.

"If we go, we'll likely just be sitting on the sidelines and being looked down upon. It's better to cultivate freely in the mountains."

Mu Ningning blinked. "But the Affairs Hall has already issued an order."

"We'll pretend we were injured," Li Ping'an chuckled. "If we say we both got seriously hurt during cultivation, what can they do to us? My father is Li Dazhi, the hall master of Casting Cloud Hall."

She let out a soft laugh and turned towards the lounge chair beside Li Ping'an.

"Then I'll listen to Senior Brother and say I made a mistake during cultivation!"

Qingxu's voice suddenly came from the inner hall, "There's an order from the sect, why haven't you gone? Ping'an, Ningning?"

Li Ping'an and Mu Ningning quickly got up and cupped their hands in greeting towards the inner cave.

"Your disciples are here."

"Please instruct us, Martial Uncle!"

Qingxu said, "This six-sect trial, since you have both been chosen by the sect, you must bring glory to the sect. Do not be negligent."

Li Ping'an and Mu Ningning exchanged a glance.

The former accepted his fate with a calm expression, while the latter smiled brightly, lowering her head in tacit understanding to receive the order.

Li Ping'an tilted his head back and sighed, "I'll go gather some treasures for self-defense."

"Senior Brother," Mu Ningning said with a smile, "Let's not be too late!"

"It'll just be a moment."

Li Ping'an rallied his spirits, his form turning into a wisp of cloud and smoke, drifting around the cave abode. He went into a few secret rooms, changed into a disciple robe with a blue background, and tidied himself up.

After bidding farewell to his Master, he summoned 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 been fixed last year. From now on, unless her lifespan was nearing its end and her Dao body began to wither, she could maintain this youthful and beautiful appearance as long as she wished.

Truly, forever eighteen.

On the boat, Li Ping'an pondered carefully, his head constantly turning to look at Mu Ningning.

Mu Ningning had now shed her youthful immaturity. Her oval face was quite beautiful, and her figure was also top-notch.

Having cultivated the sword path since childhood, when she restrained her smile in front of others, she possessed a sharp aura, like a hidden sword.

She was indeed particularly eye-catching.

Mu Ningning felt a little pleased in her heart. She thought her meticulous hour-long application of 'transparent' makeup today had been noticed by her Senior Brother, which made her feel… rather shy.

"Junior Sister," Li Ping'an transmitted with a frown, "How about we make a pact of three?"

Mu Ningning didn't understand, "What's wrong? Senior Brother?"

Li Ping'an said seriously, "Everyone knows we are close, but we cannot appear too intimate when we go out with other disciples, as it would not be good for your reputation."

"Mm," Mu Ningning nodded gently. "I understand. Senior Brother, please don't worry."

Li Ping'an then asked, "Also, can you wear a veil when we go out?"

Although Mu Ningning didn't understand why, she obediently took out a white veil and covered her face.

This veil was a magic treasure that every disciple of Colorful Cloud Peak possessed, with the effect of blocking others from probing.

She asked softly, "Is this okay?"

"Yes," Li Ping'an smiled. "The mortal world is full of scoundrels, especially some young disciples whose state of mind is unstable. This way, we can avoid some minor troubles."

Mu Ningning pursed her lips and chuckled, transmitting, "If you put it that way, Senior Brother, you should be the one to cover up. Scoundrels aren't just men."

"I have a technique from the Daoist Scripture Hall."

Li Ping'an squinted and smiled, casually forming a hand seal. His face seemed to gain a layer of mist, and his presence drastically decreased.

Just now he was a handsome and dashing young man, but now he gave off an ordinary impression of 'nothing special.'

Mu Ningning marveled beside him. Li Ping'an handed her a jade slip, "This is my improved technique, the Returning Dust Art."

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

Although Mu Ningning said so, she merely placed the jade slip into her storage artifact, with no intention of cultivating it.

If she were too ordinary, she feared she wouldn't be able to hold her own within the three-foot radius around her Senior Brother.

The Affairs Hall was already in sight.

Mu Ningning restrained her smile, adjusted her breathing, and stood quietly beside Li Ping'an.

Perhaps because his primordial soul had been blown up too many times, Li Ping'an's spiritual sense was far stronger than that of ordinary late-stage Void Refining Realm disciples.

His spiritual sense spread out, and he saw the disciples gathered in the Affairs Hall, as well as the Elders and stewards he was most familiar with.

Li Ping'an pondered for a moment.

His Master had asked him to come, and he naturally had to obey, lest he upset his Master.

However, comparing himself with disciples from other sects seemed meaningless to him.

Going to the coast of the Eastern Sea this time was purely to accompany Junior Sister Mu on her sightseeing trip. He had cultivated in the mountains for five years; going out this time to relax and travel seemed quite good.

However, what Li Ping'an didn't expect was:

Because he stepped into the Affairs Hall with his left foot, he was designated by several outer sect Elders as the leader of the Myriad Cloud Sect disciples for this six-sect trial.

And because the timing of his right foot entering the Affairs Hall was too perfect, he was entrusted by the outer sect Elders with the temporary authority to supervise all the disciples.

And the disciples...

They recalled the sight of the 'Myriad Artifact Spirit Explosion' they had witnessed before, and not a single one objected.

Li Ping'an was still a bit dazed when Steward Wang Xinhui called out:

"Disciples, please wait a moment. The disciple leaders will follow me; the Elders have instructions."

Li Ping'an obediently stepped forward, following behind Steward Wang Xinhui into the inner hall of the Affairs Hall.

The thirty-seven disciples from various peaks remained waiting where they were. Most were just chatting quietly with those beside them, while some, naturally more lively, were laughing and joking together in a corner.

The Myriad Cloud Sect didn't impose many restrictions on its disciples. Everyone was used to acting freely in their daily lives and wouldn't be scolded by an Immortal for laughing too loudly.

Li Ping'an followed Steward Wang Xinhui into a barrier. He went around a few screens, avoiding the disciples' sight.

Behind the screens, several Elders were drinking tea with the somewhat portly Immortal.

Li Ping'an immediately stepped forward to greet them: "Greetings, Elders... Father, why have you come here?"