Meanwhile, the girl holding Xu Taiping's hand merely smiled at him without a word.
Xu Taiping looked at the young man before him, then at the red-robed girl beside him, and finally at his second uncle and aunt, who were still grappling with the Bai household's steward. The last trace of wavering in his eyes vanished.
"I'm willing."
With a resolute gaze, Xu Taiping nodded to the two young disciples.
The young man laughed heartily at his answer, then swept his broad sleeve. A breeze from within it gathered up Xu Taiping and the red-robed girl, carrying them into the air to land on the immortal crane hovering above.
"Taiping, my name is Dugu Qingxiao. I am the second disciple of the Seventh Peak of the Azure Profound Sect."
"My name is Zhao Linglong, the seventh disciple of the Seventh Peak of the Azure Profound Sect. From now on, I'll be your junior senior sister."
"Taiping greets Senior Brother and Senior Sister."
Amid their laughter and conversation, the villagers watched the immortal crane recede above the sea of clouds. In the blink of an eye, it was gone.
As for Xu Taiping's second uncle and aunt, they ultimately failed to beat the Bai household's steward and servants. Having lost both the boy and the money, they could only sit beneath the old elm at the village entrance, pointing at the sky and cursing furiously.
Cloud Cottage Mountain.
In just one day, Xu Taiping had ridden the immortal crane to the legendary Cloud Lodge Immortal Mountain.
To be precise, however, the Cloud Cottage Mountain known to the mortal world was merely the entrance to the Azure Profound Sect.
It was like an iceberg in the seas of the far north: what showed above the water was often only a corner of the whole.
"What you mortals call Cloud Cottage Mountain is merely a screen around the Seven Peaks of Cloud Lodge. The true Seven Peaks of Cloud Lodge are shrouded year-round in the clouds and mist of a barrier. Only with a spirit bird to guide you can you enter or leave."
As they were about to plunge into the sea of clouds above the mountaintop, Linglong excitedly explained this to Xu Taiping from her seat on the immortal crane.
"Then how big... is the real Cloud Cottage Mountain?"
After hearing Senior Sister Linglong's explanation, Xu Taiping grew curious about Cloud Cottage Mountain.
"The mountains of Cloud Cottage Mountain stretch for ten thousand li, and its seven main peaks rise more than ten thousand zhang high. Its area is probably no smaller than your Great Liang Kingdom. But because the whole of Cloud Cottage Mountain forms a world unto itself, mortals see it as nothing more than a small mountain."
It was Qingxiao, who had been meditating beside them, who answered Xu Taiping's question.
"No smaller than the Great Liang Kingdom?"
Once again, Xu Taiping's understanding of the world was shaken.
"That's right. There are many grotto-heaven secret realms like Cloud Cottage Mountain in the cultivation world. Our Azure Profound Sect on Cloud Cottage Mountain is only a third-rank cultivation sect."
Linglong nodded with a smile.
"Then above the third rank..."
Boom!
Just as Xu Taiping was about to ask more about the cultivation world, a fierce gust slammed into them. The immortal crane beneath them let out a piercing cry.
"Junior Brother, this is the barrier astral wind stirred up by the Mountain-Guarding Grand Array! Hold tight to my hand, or you'll fall!"
Linglong shouted as she held Xu Taiping's hand.
"All right!"
Xu Taiping nodded, then tightly clasped that hand, so soft it seemed boneless.
Whoosh, whoosh...
In the blink of an eye, the Gang Wind turbulence before Xu Taiping dispersed completely. All that remained was a clear blue sky, rolling mountain ranges, peaks towering into the clouds, and hanging mountains half-hidden in the sea of clouds.
"Now this is the true Cloud Lodge Immortal Mountain."
Zhao Linglong stood and gazed into the distance with considerable pride.
"Brother Qingxiao, Junior Sister Linglong."
Just then, a sweet, gentle voice came from beside them.
Xu Taiping turned and saw a streak of azure light flying out of the sea of clouds to one side.
On closer inspection, it was a slender woman with a sweet face, flying through the air on a jade gourd with a little girl behind her.
"Senior Sister Ziyan? Why did you go down the mountain too?"
Zhao Linglong smiled and waved to Ziyan.
"Not long after you went down, the Spirit Bone Stele reacted again. This time, our Sixth Peak also gained a disciple chosen by the Spirit Bone Stele."
Ziyan smiled and glanced at the little girl behind her.
The little girl wore a white dress, her skin as fair as jade. Seen from afar, she looked like a flawless porcelain doll, exquisitely pretty.
"What a lovely little girl."
Zhao Linglong's praise was heartfelt.
"Congratulations, congratulations. The Sixth Peak has gained another promising seedling. I fear it will take first place in the next Seven Peaks Grand Competition."
Qingxiao smiled and cupped his hands toward Ziyan.
Ziyan covered her mouth and laughed, an unintentional hint of allure slipping into her expression.
"Buyu, hurry and greet Senior Brother Qingxiao and Senior Sister Linglong."
Ziyan patted the girl behind her on the shoulder.
"Buyu greets Senior Brother Qingxiao and Senior Sister Linglong."
The little girl bowed to Qingxiao and Linglong rather awkwardly.
"No need to stand on ceremony."
Qingxiao smiled.
Linglong turned to Xu Taiping beside her and patted his little head as well.
"Taiping, hurry and greet Senior Sister Ziyan of the Sixth Peak and your future junior sister. The Sixth Peak is the wealthiest of all seven peaks, so you'd better get into her good graces."
"Taiping greets Senior Sister Ziyan and Little Sister Buyu."
Though somewhat bewildered, Xu Taiping still bowed respectfully to Ziyan.
"No need for such courtesy, no need. Once you become a formal disciple of the Seventh Peak, I'll give you a Foundation-Nourishing Pill."
Ziyan smiled.
"Hurry and thank Senior Sister Ziyan!"
Seeing Taiping still standing there in a daze, Zhao Linglong hastily pressed his head down, prompting him to thank Ziyan.
"Th-thank you, Senior Sister Ziyan."
Still rather confused, Xu Taiping offered his thanks.
"Senior Brother Qingxiao, are you heading to Dragon Gate Hall next?"
Ziyan changed the subject.
"That's right. Before taking Taiping up to the Seventh Peak, we must first go to Dragon Gate Hall to test his spirit bone."
Qingxiao nodded.
"Then I'll go with you, Senior Brother Qingxiao."
Ziyan steered her flying sword alongside the immortal crane carrying Qingxiao and the others.
"Then let's go together."
Qingxiao nodded.
"Tsk, tsk, Senior Sister Ziyan, why don't you ride the immortal crane with my senior brother? I can take Buyu on the flying sword."
Zhao Linglong wore a mischievous grin.
"Zhao Linglong, are you asking for a beating?"
Ziyan's cheeks flushed as she scolded her.
"Keep talking nonsense, and I'll kick you off."
Qingxiao shot the grinning Zhao Linglong a look.
"I won't, I won't! ..."
Zhao Linglong hugged Xu Taiping's shoulders and repeatedly begged for mercy.
Xu Taiping's face was a little hot as well. This was the first time in his life that a girl he barely knew had hugged him.
But more than his embarrassment, what occupied his mind was what Qingxiao had said earlier-"First go to Dragon Gate Hall to test his spirit bone."
"Senior Brother Qingxiao, why do we need to test my spirit bone?"
Xu Taiping could not help asking.
"Although you were personally chosen by the Spirit Bone Stele and can become a disciple of the Seventh Peak without taking an entrance test, we still need to determine your spirit bone's type and grade. It will help with your future cultivation."
Qingxiao explained to Xu Taiping.
"Little Taiping, you probably don't know this yet. In the cultivation world, anyone with a spirit bone can cultivate, but spirit bones still come in different types and grades."
Zhao Linglong hooked an arm around Xu Taiping's shoulders, then counted on her fingers as she explained.
"As for types, the most common are the five-element spirit bones of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Besides those, there are rare variant bones such as ice, lightning, and wind."
"As for grades, there are four in total: purple spirit bone, golden spirit bone, profound spirit bone, and white spirit bone. Purple spirit bones are the rarest and are also called heavenly spirit bones, while white spirit bones are the most useless."
At this, Xu Taiping finally understood.
"Why are white spirit bones the most useless?"
He asked curiously.
Before you continue