One Blessed with Fortune

Halfway up Hanging Moon Peak, an enormous terrace opened in the mountainside, as though a giant beast had bitten a chunk out of it.

At the center of the terrace lay a clear lake, its surface filled with lotus blossoms as white as jade. A few plump fish swam among them, sending out rings of ripples.

On the eastern side of the lake stood an exquisite three-story pavilion, half on the shore and half over the water. A plaque hung from the top floor, bearing the words: White Dragon Pavilion.

After Li Yu and Yin Ya arrived, the former took out a spirit talisman and activated it.

Before long, a beautiful female cultivator emerged. She wore a plain white dress with broad sleeves, its lotus-embroidered hem falling gracefully and accentuating her slender, upright figure.

Upon seeing her, Yin Ya greeted her courteously. "Greetings, Senior Sister Song."

Li Yu hesitated briefly before calling out, "Cousin."

The female cultivator was named Song Lingxi. She, too, came from an aristocratic cultivation clan. Her clan and Li Yu's Li clan both lived in the Yi River Basin and had intermarried for generations. When they were children, their elders had even arranged a childhood betrothal with Li Yu's parents. But after his parents died, that arrangement naturally ceased to count.

Song Lingxi had joined the Five Lotus Sect in the same intake as Li Yu. Her exceptional talent had allowed her to skip the outer disciple stage entirely and become an Inner-Chamber True Disciple.

"You've come at a bad time. Master has guests," Song Lingxi said after hearing why Li Yu had come, giving him a somewhat peculiar look.

Li Yu hurriedly replied, "We can wait. There's no hurry."

Song Lingxi nodded and led them into a side hall. While they waited, she suddenly asked, "I heard your Foundation Establishment attempt failed?"

Li Yu nodded frankly.

Song Lingxi gave him a regretful look but said nothing more.

The two had grown up together. Though their betrothal was gone, Song Lingxi knew Li Yu was a decent man with the drive to better himself.

Had he succeeded in reaching Foundation Establishment, he might have inherited Li Fulai's connections within the Five Lotus Sect and secured a firm foothold. He might well have made a suitable match.

But now that he had failed, everything had come to nothing.

Their paths would no longer cross in the future.

On the second floor of the White Dragon Pavilion.

Li Hun sat with Li Dong, looking somewhat ill at ease.

Across from them sat a female cultivator with a clean, unadorned face, dressed in blue-and-white Daoist robes. After reading the letter in her hands, she nodded. "I appreciate Clan Head Li's kind intentions. Our two branches share the same roots and breathe as one. Since Li Yu is now ruined, I will look after Li Dong from now on."

The female cultivator was named Ge Jin. She was Hanging Moon Peak's elder in charge of general affairs, as well as the inheritor of Peak Master Wen Weilan's mantle.

Wen Weilan was an Inner-Chamber True Disciple of Jiang Taiyi and a fellow disciple of Li Fulai, the ancestor of the Yiyang Li.

For that very reason, disciples of the Yiyang Li were assigned to Hanging Moon Peak after joining the Five Lotus Sect, where someone above could look after them.

But since Li Fulai had passed away in meditation, the ties of affection between the Yiyang Li and Wen Weilan had grown increasingly thin. By now, the Li clan could only obtain an audience with her disciple, Ge Jin.

The Yiyang Li did not want this connection severed, so they needed to cultivate someone on Hanging Moon Peak whose words carried weight. Previously, under the guidance of a capable elder within the Lineage, Li Yu had chosen to join the Five Lotus Sect after his parents sacrificed their lives.

For that reason, the spirit vein at the Heaven-Questioning Pavilion had nominally remained under Li Yu's name until his Foundation Establishment attempt failed.

Li Dong was thrilled by Ge Jin's words. He even thought to himself that it was fortunate Li Yu had failed to reach Foundation Establishment; otherwise, how could he ever have caught the eye of these Foundation Establishment Cultivators?

Li Hun was also thoroughly satisfied. He set down their gifts and took his leave.

Just as they were leaving, Song Lingxi entered and said to Ge Jin, "Master, Li Yu has brought Yin Ya to request an audience."

At the mention of Li Yu's name, Li Hun frowned and took it upon himself to speak. "Elder Ge, that brat has no sense of propriety. I'll go send him away."

Song Lingxi's delicate brows furrowed slightly, but Ge Jin narrowed her eyes outright and gave Li Hun a faintly icy look. His heart jolted, and he was suddenly at a loss for what to do.

Although they were both at Foundation Establishment, Ge Jin was an outstanding cultivator within that realm. Even their clan head, Li Mou, would have to observe the courtesies of a junior before her.

Li Hun hastily apologized. "I overstepped."

With that, he hurried away with Li Dong.

In the hall on the first floor, Li Yu received Song Lingxi's transmitted message and was leading Yin Ya upstairs when they encountered Li Hun and Li Dong coming down.

Li Yu was inwardly startled. He had not expected those two to be the ones Ge Jin was receiving. He had already braced himself for humiliation from Li Hun, but the latter merely gave him a long, searching look before leaving with Li Dong without a word.

"Eh? Isn't that your eldest nephew? Why didn't he even greet you when he saw you? Does he have no manners?" Yin Ya knew Li Dong and asked Li Yu with some puzzlement.

Li Yu did not answer. After fulfilling his promise today, he planned to take a mission and stay far away, no longer meddling in Hanging Moon Peak's affairs. Besides, a family's shame should not be aired outside. There was no need to tell an outsider about it.

By then, the two had reached the second floor and met Song Lingxi, who was waiting for them. Yin Ya immediately focused his attention on their imminent meeting with Ge Jin.

Li Yu briefly explained why they had come, and Yin Ya immediately produced the gift he had prepared: a cluster of pale green spirit bamboo.

Its jade-like stalks gleamed with silver markings. As the bamboo leaves swayed gently, a faint mist sprang into being. At the same time, the somewhat damp air throughout the White Dragon Pavilion, half of which stood over the water, became pleasantly dry.

Ge Jin, who had initially paid little attention, was mildly surprised when she sensed the change. With her cultivation, she naturally did not care whether the air was damp or dry, but she was certainly pleased to have it made more comfortable.

"Not bad," Ge Jin said. Song Lingxi immediately stepped forward to accept the gift.

Having accepted their gift, she naturally had to do something in return. Ge Jin considered for a moment, then took out a scroll. "You do indeed qualify to compete for the position of eldest senior brother of the outer disciples. However, if I appoint you outright, the other elders may object. How about this? The main peak happens to have issued a mission. You two complete it, and I will persuade the other elders one by one. As for the mission reward, I can help you secure a portion of Foundation Establishment spiritual resources."

Upon hearing this, Yin Ya immediately accepted the scroll respectfully with both hands. "This disciple would brave boiling water and tread through fire without hesitation."

Even Li Yu had not expected Ge Jin to be so accommodating.

Could she be doing this out of respect for Ancestor Li Fulai?

That doesn't make sense either. I spent so many years as eldest senior brother of the outer disciples, yet I never saw Ge Jin give me any special treatment.

After turning it over in his mind, he could only attribute it to Yin Ya's exceptionally well-chosen gift.

Song Lingxi escorted the two out. At the entrance to the White Dragon Pavilion, Li Yu said to Yin Ya, "Junior Brother, after today, we owe each other nothing."

Yin Ya, however, shook his head. "Senior Brother, have you forgotten? Elder Ge said,

"this mission is for the two of us to complete."

Li Yu froze. Thinking back, Ge Jin really had said that. He wanted to decline, but they were still standing in front of the White Dragon Pavilion, and he had to keep up appearances. He asked, "What exactly do we need to do?"

Yin Ya raised the scroll in his hand and shook his head. "I haven't read it yet."

Li Yu immediately bade Song Lingxi farewell and headed down the mountain with Yin Ya.

After watching them leave, Song Lingxi returned to the White Dragon Pavilion. Seeing Ge Jin standing by the window, gazing out over the lake, she approached from behind and asked in confusion, "Master, why are you taking such good care of Li Yu?"

Whether it was giving Li Hun the cold shoulder or changing the Sect Mission's reward, none of it resembled Ge Jin's usual conduct. Song Lingxi knew exactly how much her cousin was worth and could not understand how he commanded such consideration.

Ge Jin merely smiled calmly and shook her head as she watched Li Yu's retreating figure. "He isn't the one I value. It's the other one."

"Yin Ya?" Song Lingxi was even more puzzled.

Li Yu at least had his connection to Li Fulai, but Yin Ya was a commoner through and through. For three generations, his ancestors had possessed neither spiritual roots nor Dao bones. Everything he had achieved today had come through his own struggles. Could it be that, like her, he had caught the eye of a senior cultivator who intended to take him as an Inner-Chamber True Disciple?

"His identity is unusual. He is a piece placed on the board by a great cultivator. In the near future, that great cultivator intends to stir the winds and clouds. Several of the sect's ancestors are divided over whether to support him. So they have simply placed a small wager on Yin Ya, whom he sent over of his own accord, and will see how the situation unfolds." During her latest seclusion, Ge Jin's cultivation had advanced another step, reaching Foundation Establishment perfection. She thus gained access to more of the Five Lotus Sect's secrets. It was also Wen Weilan who had instructed her to keep an eye on Yin Ya, this piece on the board.

"So Li Yu is the one basking in his reflected glory." Song Lingxi finally understood.

"Yin Ya is blessed with fortune. If Li Yu can seize this chance and help him while he is still obscure, he may have another opportunity to reach Foundation Establishment in the future. It all depends on whether he can lay aside his pride as a scion of a cultivation clan." In Ge Jin's eyes, Li Yu, having failed to reach Foundation Establishment, no longer held any value or claim upon her regard.

Still, if Li Yu could ride Yin Ya's fortune to turn his fortunes around, she would be glad to see it. After all, he was a descendant of her senior martial uncle Li Fulai.

At the foot of the mountain.

"Junior Brother, you know my injuries haven't healed. If I go with you, I'll only hold you back. Besides, there's only one portion of the mission reward, and that won't be easy to divide. Why don't I withdraw voluntarily?" Without even looking at the mission, Li Yu delivered the excuse he had prepared long beforehand.