The Daoist Nun

Just as Qin Wan sealed the letter containing spirit stones and prepared to have it sent down the mountain, a breeze carrying the faint scent of cold plum blossoms swirled into her quiet chamber.

"Master." Qin Wan felt a jolt in her heart and hurriedly stood to offer a salute.

The person who arrived was a woman in plain white Daoist robes, her features cold, aloof, and breathtakingly beautiful.

This was Qin Wan's master, known by the Daoist title "Lone Moon."

True Person Lone Moon was a cultivator with a Heavenly Spiritual Root, and her cultivation had long since reached Foundation Establishment Perfection. However, due to the current decline of spiritual energy in the world, she had remained stuck at this bottleneck for a long time, unable to form her Golden Core.

True Person Lone Moon's gaze fell upon the letter, her voice as cold and clear as a spring: "Is this another letter to that boy named Xia Dong in Pingyang County?"

Qin Wan lowered her head, not daring to hide the truth: "Yes, Disciple was only..."

"You need not explain." True Person Lone Moon interrupted her, her tone calm. "After you entered the sect, the sect naturally investigated your past in complete detail. You once had a marriage contract with that Xia Dong, and he possesses a 'Dao Registry' of the Great You Dynasty; the sect has long had records of these matters."

Qin Wan's face turned pale. The laws of the Great You Dynasty were strict; marriage between those with a Dao Registry and disciples of an Immortal Sect was strictly forbidden. She feared her master would misunderstand her loyalty to the sect or even bring the wrath of the authorities upon them.

Seeing Qin Wan's expression, True Person Lone Moon's demeanor softened slightly, and she warned, "Since you have entered the Qixia Immortal Sect, do not entangle yourself too deeply with those of the 'Dao Registry.' The Great You Dynasty grants the 'Dao Registry' to the descendants of such people specifically to divide and restrain us; we are ultimately not on the same path."

She paused, a profound, dark light flashing in her beautiful eyes: "However, you need not feel that the situation of the Immortal Sect is unbearable. Although the Immortal Sect has repeatedly made concessions to the authorities, it is precisely because of our existence that the Great You Dynasty dares not press the cultivators of the world too hard."

"If the Immortal Sect were truly destroyed by the Great You Dynasty, then the cultivators of this world would have nowhere left to turn and would be forced to serve as lackeys for the Great You Dynasty for generations to come. Therefore, the cultivators serving the imperial court are not necessarily giving their all to the dynasty."

Qin Wan felt a chill in her heart. Her master was likely implying something deeper.

It seemed the waters of the Great You cultivation world were even deeper than she had imagined.

"The affairs of this world are far from as simple as you imagine." True Person Lone Moon stood with her hands behind her back, gazing at the sea of clouds outside the chamber. "It is impossible for the Great You Dynasty to completely subjugate the Immortal Sect. However, we do need to avoid the sharp edge of the imperial court for now."

Qin Wan bowed respectfully, assuming that after her master's reprimand, she would now confiscate the letter and completely sever this tie to the mortal world.

However, True Person Lone Moon's next words made her look up in astonishment.

"However, since you have already written the letter, there is no harm in sending it." True Person Lone Moon's tone shifted, and she said indifferently, "The political situation of the Great You Dynasty is treacherous. Since that Xia Dong holds a Dao Registry, he may yet have great fortune in the future. Establishing a bond of goodwill with him is not a bad thing for you."

True Person Lone Moon flicked her sleeves slightly.

"From now on, you may send two spirit stones to Xia Dong every month as a gesture of goodwill. I will provide these two spirit stones myself; they need not be deducted from your monthly allowance as an inner sect disciple."

Qin Wan stood frozen, her face full of shock.

She could not understand why her master, who was always aloof and highly guarded against the Great You imperial court, would suddenly show such kindness to a mortal Dao Registry holder she had never met, even going so far as to pay out of her own pocket to help maintain this relationship after having just sternly warned her.

But she knew that her actions within the Immortal Sect could never be hidden from her master.

Fortunately, she had no ulterior motives.

Otherwise, given the current strength of the Qixia Immortal Sect, destroying the small Qin Family would be a matter of a mere flick of a finger.

This path of cultivation was truly walking on thin ice, even more so than she had imagined.

Yet, at the thought that achieving immortality meant eternal youth and everlasting life, Qin Wan felt filled with motivation; she could not bear to give up this path.

Several days later, in the small courtyard in Pingyang County.

Xia Dong once again received a letter from the provincial capital. This one was written in Qin Wan's own hand. Along with the letter, a small brocade box was delivered.

Xia Dong opened the stationery and read it carefully.

After finishing, a flash of realization crossed his eyes.

Immediately, Xia Dong pondered deeply over the contents of the letter.

In this reply, Miss Qin's tone was much more grounded, and she even laid bare the true intentions behind her previous urging for him to marry and have children.

It turned out that after being reprimanded by her master, True Person Lone Moon, Qin Wan had gained a profound understanding of the complex relationship between the Immortal Sect and the imperial court.

She was a clever woman, and after this scare, she understood one thing.

Since she had decided to maintain a "bond of goodwill" with Xia Dong, some things could no longer be hidden.

After all, rather than having Xia Dong discover the secrets of the Dao Registry through his own means in the future and harboring resentment toward the Qin Family for their concealment, it was better for her to confess now.

It was better than being seen as a calculating schemer later on.

By then, all her previous investments would likely have been in vain.

Not only that, but Qin Wan also had some suspicions:

As a great cultivator at Foundation Establishment Perfection, True Person Lone Moon had an incredibly high standard of vision. Even if the sect's resources were scarce, she would never go out of her way to curry favor with a mortal Dao Registry holder for the sake of a mere "Foundation Establishment Pill."

If it were for the legendary "Ascension Order"? With her master's strength and status, she could easily find other Dao Registry families who had already produced offspring with spiritual roots to trade with; she had plenty of methods. Why waste energy on Xia Dong, who had no children and not even a spiritual root?

But she was certain that since her master had tacitly approved and even funded her in maintaining this relationship, it meant that Xia Dong must still harbor immense potential and benefits that even she could not see through.

Putting down the letter, Xia Dong let out a long, heavy breath, feeling as though the fog that had shrouded his vision had been largely cleared away.

"So that's how it is..."

Xia Dong had long known that the word "Dao Registry" was stamped on his household registration, and he had guessed that this status was somewhat special. But if not for Qin Wan's direct confession in the letter today—that a Dao Registry holder who possessed a spiritual root could directly receive special cultivation resources from the Great You imperial family (resources that even made Immortal Sect disciples envious)—he would have remained ignorant of this for a long time.

After understanding all of this, a trace of regret inevitably arose in Xia Dong's heart.

"What a pity. If I possessed even the lowest grade of waste spiritual roots, this Dao Registry status would be enough for me to truly embark upon the path of immortality."

Without spiritual roots, the path of the immortal and the mortal are worlds apart. The direct utility of this Dao Registry to him was greatly diminished; it was like guarding a mountain of gold while unable to find the key, leaving his future ultimately constrained.

"It seems I cannot rush into marriage and having children, otherwise..." Xia Dong understood that his value stemmed entirely from the fact that Dao Registry disciples with spiritual roots could obtain special cultivation resources. Once he produced an heir, his greatest worth would vanish.

No wonder Miss Qin did not make things clear from the start.

However, the fact that Miss Qin had eventually told him the truth made Xia Dong hold her in higher regard.

Though he did not know the reason, he would remember this favor.

Xia Dong collected his thoughts and held the letter to the oil lamp, watching it turn to ash.

Afterward, his gaze fell upon the small brocade box.

Opening the box, two thumb-sized spirit stones, warm and translucent throughout, lay quietly on the velvet lining, emitting a faint and enchanting glow.

Xia Dong's breathing grew slightly rapid.

Last time, a single spirit stone, after being absorbed by the Bronze Ancient Bell in his sea of consciousness, had directly helped him break through his martial arts barrier, allowing his Crane Stance to step from "Perfection" into the brand-new realm of "Limit-Breaking," giving birth to the Crane Shadow Step.

And now, he had two whole pieces in his hands!

I wonder what kind of surprise the ancient bell will bring me this time?

Xia Dong took a deep breath, steadying his mind.

He then locked the doors and windows, removed his outer robe, and lay down on the bed, carefully tucking the two spirit stones under his pillow before slowly closing his eyes.