Great Bamboo Peak.
Shou Jing Hall.
"Master, Mistress."
"Your disciple... Your disciple wasn't just fooling around."
Ye Xuan's voice was low, with just the right touch of hoarseness.
Tian Buyi and Su Ru exchanged a glance, both looking a little stunned.
What was this kid up to now?
"Actually..."
Ye Xuan turned around and looked earnestly at his two elders.
"Lately, while cultivating, your disciple has felt restless."
"The spiritual energy within me flows smoothly, but there's always this... indescribable sense of resistance."
"It's as if... as if something's blocking the way."
"Your disciple heard that there's a grove of Tear Bamboo in the back hills of Small Bamboo Peak. It's quiet and serene, perfect for calming the mind and centering the spirit."
"I just wanted to take this opportunity to go there, clear my head, and adjust my state of mind. Hopefully, I can... break through this damn bottleneck!"
After finishing, Ye Xuan even put on an appropriately pained, anxious expression, as if he were worrying himself sick over his cultivation.
Silence.
Dead silence.
Tian Ling'er blinked, utterly bewildered.
A bottleneck?
What kind of advanced term was that?
Su Ru's mouth fell slightly open, her face full of disbelief.
And Tian Buyi...
Tian Buyi's expression was as colorful as a dye shop.
His face flushed red, then went pale, before finally turning liver-colored.
His chest heaved violently, and two hot gusts of air blasted from his nostrils. He looked ready to explode at any moment.
"Bott... bottleneck?"
Tian Buyi's voice trembled. He was furious.
He stretched out a finger as thick as a carrot and pointed it at Ye Xuan's nose, but for a long moment, he couldn't get a word out.
Half a month!
It had only been half a month!
And you'd already reached the second level of the Tai Chi Xuan Qing Dao!
At that pace, even the successive generations of Great Bamboo Peak's ancestors would be impressed!
If Ancestor Qingye himself came back to life, he'd probably give you a thumbs-up and exclaim, "Holy crap!"
Back then,
he, Tian Buyi, had always considered himself a gifted cultivator!
But how long had it taken him to reach the second level of the Tai Chi Xuan Qing Dao?
A full two years!
That was the result of countless days and nights of arduous cultivation, of sweat soaking through his clothes again and again!
And now this kid stood right in front of him, looking completely innocent as he said—
I've hit a bottleneck.
I want to clear my head.
Was this what a bottleneck looked like?
This was nothing but shamelessly rubbing his success in everyone's face!
It was like someone who'd made a hundred million in just half a month coming to complain that making money was too hard, that he'd hit a bottleneck in life, and that he wanted to take a vacation in Hawaii to clear his head.
If the heads of the other peaks heard this, wouldn't they run him through with their flying swords?
"You... you..."
Tian Buyi laughed in sheer fury.
It was a strange kind of laughter born from a fit of rage.
"Good! Very good!"
"You reached the second level in half a month, and you still have the nerve to talk to me about bottlenecks?"
"You call that a bottleneck? You haven't even woken up yet!"
"I think you're just asking for a beating!"
Tian Buyi flung his sleeve.
An invisible wave of energy swept out, making the nearby tables and chairs creak and rattle.
"What utter nonsense!"
"You even made up an excuse like that just to go have fun!"
"I'm telling you, Seventh!"
"If you've hit a bottleneck, then there are no more geniuses in this world!"
"Get back to cultivating!"
"If you dare bring up going to Small Bamboo Peak again!"
"Your master will show you what a real bottleneck is—when I beat you so badly you can't get out of bed!"
Tian Buyi roared like thunder, shaking dust from the ceiling of Shou Jing Hall.
Seeing this, Su Ru hurriedly grabbed her husband, afraid he might really flatten his precious disciple with a single slap.
She looked at Ye Xuan with an amused smile, a hint of helplessness in her eyes.
The boy had excellent talent, but his personality... was far too restless.
He'd actually come up with an excuse like that to get himself off the hook.
"Seventh, stop fooling around."
"Cultivation is a gradual process."
"You're advancing at an astonishing pace, already far beyond ordinary people. Don't bite off more than you can chew."
Su Ru gently tried to persuade him.
"As for clearing your head..."
"The back hills of Great Bamboo Peak are vast. Can't you clear your head somewhere there?"
"Listen to your master and stay on the mountain."
"Once you break through to the fourth level, the Object Moving Realm, and can protect yourself, there'll be plenty of time to visit the other peaks."
Looking at his master, who was hopping mad, and his mistress, who was patiently trying to reason with him,
Ye Xuan sighed inwardly.
So much for playing the victim. That didn't work!
Well, it was a bit... too far-fetched.
After all, the world of geniuses was always hard for ordinary people to understand.
Ye Xuan shrugged. He knew there was no chance of getting his way today.
If he kept pushing, he might really get beaten.
Old Tian had a big, fleshy hand, but that didn't mean his slaps wouldn't hurt.
"Yes."
"Master, Mistress."
"Your disciple was wrong."
Ye Xuan lowered his head, exceedingly docile, looking as if he'd truly seen the error of his ways.
"Hmph!"
Tian Buyi gave a heavy snort, and his expression finally softened a little.
At least the kid knew what was good for him.
If he'd talked back again, Tian Buyi would have had to bring out the family discipline!
"All right, that's enough. Everyone can go!"
"Ling'er, hurry back and get your things together. Stop standing around getting in the way!"
Tian Buyi impatiently waved his hand.
Tian Ling'er was as relieved as if she'd been pardoned. She pulled a huge face at Ye Xuan.
Then
she skipped toward the rear hall, humming an unfamiliar little tune. She was clearly in a great mood.
Watching his senior sister's smug figure, Ye Xuan rubbed his nose.
Fine, I won't go.
My legs are my own, after all.
Once they're gone, won't Great Bamboo Peak be mine to do as I please?
I'll think of a way to sneak out. Who'll know?
Besides,
even if he couldn't sneak out,
the system hadn't said he had to claim the daily reward these next few days.
There was no time limit on the sign-in task.
There was always another chance!
He just needed to find the right opportunity to visit Small Bamboo Peak.
Ye Xuan's little schemes were clicking away in his mind.
But on the surface, he obediently bowed and left Shou Jing Hall.
The moment he stepped outside,
the docile look vanished from his face, replaced by a meaningful smile.
Small Bamboo Peak...
That was a sign-in paradise!
Whether it was the rewards there or the legendary beauty, senior sister Lu Xueqi, it was worth taking a risk.
"Seventh!"
Just then,
Senior Brother Song Daren's honest voice came from behind him.
Ye Xuan turned around.
Song Daren was looking at him with concern.
"I heard Master got really angry just now. Are you all right?"
Ye Xuan grinned, showing a bright, toothy smile.
"I'm fine, Senior Brother."
"Master's just pushing me to work harder."
"By the way, Senior Brother, I wanted to ask you something..."
"Is there a shortcut from Great Bamboo Peak to Small Bamboo Peak?"
Ye Xuan leaned closer and asked in a lowered, secretive voice.
Song Daren froze, then his expression changed dramatically. He quickly covered Ye Xuan's mouth and anxiously looked around.
"Shh!"
"You little troublemaker!"
"You can't go saying things like that!"
"If you really sneak off to Small Bamboo Peak, Master will skin you alive!"
Seeing his senior brother's panicked expression,
Ye Xuan only smiled wider.
Skin me alive?
Heh.
As long as I run fast enough, Master's slap won't catch me!
Before you continue