Lost Her Restraint

After Shen Yun left, Elder Ming withdrew his gaze and asked in puzzlement, "Mister Fang, are you interested in him?"

The White-Clothed Youth drawled lazily, "I merely find him interesting. Perhaps he can give me a surprise."

Elder Ming's eyes were cloudy, yet a sharp light flickered within them. For Mister Fang to take notice of him, what exactly is so extraordinary about this kid?

Even now, Elder Ming did not know Mister Fang's origins. He only remembered that after the latter had saved him, he had been assigned to the Scripture Pavilion before him.

More than a hundred years had passed. Mister Fang had not changed in the slightest from back then, while he himself was already white-haired and nearing the end of his days.

After returning home, Shen Yun began recalling what had just happened.

"I heard Elder Ming has guarded the Scripture Pavilion for more than a century. What Kind of Sacred Being could make him value someone so highly?"

Shen Yun pondered inwardly, then took out the Black Jade Slip and immediately sensed that it was different.

Ordinary jade slips were flawless as white jade, gleaming with the luster of jade. Yet this Black Jade Slip gave off no light at all, and it weighed three times as much as an ordinary jade slip, displaying its extraordinary nature in every respect.

"I wonder what it contains."

Shen Yun did not hesitate any longer. He sank his mind into the jade slip.

At once, his head felt heavy as a vast torrent of information swept over him, turning into a Daoist text where every word was a pearl.

"The essence of the Five Elements is the foundation of heaven and earth.

As the Five Elements turn, all things shine.

Water of the Five Elements nourishes all things.

Earth of the Five Elements stands firm as rock..."

Shen Yun scratched his head. The Daoist text flowed on and on, seemingly encompassing the ultimate truths of heaven and earth. Yet it was all Profound and Mysterious parallel prose, like a heavenly book, obscure and difficult to comprehend.

When he examined the jade slip again, he could only hear an ethereal voice, like murmured ravings drifting from afar.

It looked like an elaborate prank, one that would leave anyone utterly baffled. Yet Shen Yun wore a serious expression. His extraordinary comprehension allowed him to grasp a few scattered fragments.

Over the following days, Shen Yun never left his home. By chance, Shen Pingsheng had gone out to attend to business, so Shen Yun stayed home alone and devoted himself to cultivation.

Yesterday, he had broken through to the Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation. Even among the younger generation of the Shen Family, he was outstanding. Many cultivators in their thirties or forties were only at this level.

His heart remained calm as he immersed himself completely in the Daoist text within the jade slip.

"The Five Elements cycle without end, containing the withering and flourishing of heaven and earth. It truly is wondrous."

Shen Yun sighed inwardly. The Daoist text expounded the supreme principles of mutual generation and mutual restraint among the Five Elements, benefiting him immensely.

He tried to fuse Fire and Wood Spiritual Energy into one. The two distinct colors of light gradually connected, only to separate at the slightest touch and return to their original state.

During that brief contact, Shen Yun's mind was intensely focused when a marvelous change suddenly occurred.

It was as though a great bell had rung. His mind seemed to undergo a baptism as intangible spiritual power gathered into a trickling stream, opening another doorway deep within his mind.

"This is Divine Sense!"

Shen Yun's eyes shone brightly. He saw the flowing Divine Sense gather within the doorway, eventually turning into a golden river.

In an instant, his aura underwent a Heaven Overturning transformation, as though his Life Level had leapt upward, becoming ever deeper and more profound.

"I never thought I would cultivate Divine Sense and open up a Sea of Consciousness. Truly, I planted willows without intent, yet they grew into shade."

Shen Yun let out a sigh. During this time, he had cultivated many Cultivation Methods, and his spiritual power had gradually strengthened. He had not expected this comprehension to turn quantitative change into qualitative change, allowing him to condense Divine Sense in one stroke.

Though the fusion of the Five Elements had failed, Shen Yun had still seen a few clues. The Black Jade Slip recorded a peerless Dao method of Five Elements Fusion.

"I suppose I understand it now. In a couple of days, I'll Go To visit Mister Fang."

Shen Yun stopped obsessing over it. This Dao method was vast and profound, not something that could be comprehended in a day or two. He decided to meet Mister Fang first.

With nothing else to do, Shen Yun began refining talismans again and immediately felt the difference.

"Far too easy. Divine Sense truly is marvelous."

Mysterious runes sprang to life on the paper. Shen Yun's brush moved like a roaming dragon, his motions seeming tempered through a thousand trials.

As he finished the final stroke, the talisman gave off a blue radiance. Blue currents of water could faintly be seen flowing between the runes, as though alive.

Shen Yun nodded in satisfaction. "A High-grade Water Shield Talisman. Not bad."

Among first-rank talismans, the Water Shield Talisman was one of the more difficult types. Yet with Divine Sense to aid him, it was no more than a casual gesture for him.

He spent the entire night refining talismans. Only with his terrifying recovery speed could he endure it; anyone else would have been drained dry long ago.

It was nearly dawn before he lay down to rest. Half-asleep, he heard knocking from outside the door.

"Who could it be this early?"

Shen Yun yawned and opened the door, only to see the graceful Shen Qingruo. Her complexion was poor, and her eyes, usually brimming with spirit, were somewhat dim.

"What's wrong? It's rare for you to come looking for me this early."

Shen Yun poured her a cup of flower tea before asking.

Shen Qingruo pouted, somewhat angry. "I ran away from home."

The hand holding Shen Yun's teacup trembled. Helplessly, he said, "Fine. There are still a few empty rooms upstairs. I'll Go To the Market later and buy you a new quilt."

Shen Qingruo's eyes lit up. She grabbed his arm and said, "I knew Brother Shen Yun was the best."

Shen Yun shook his head. This little girl must have quarreled with her family. I'll visit Uncle An tonight.

Shen Yun tidied his clothes, intending to sell the talismans he had refined recently. After washing up, he took Shen Qingruo to the Market.

Deep within Sunset Peak, an elegant four-story pavilion stood beside the water, surrounded by exotic flowers and veiled in misty spiritual energy, like a heavenly palace.

The estate sat beside the source of the Spirit Vein. Those who could live here were either wealthy or noble, all important figures within the clan.

In the courtyard garden, a woman of exceptional bearing simmered with anger. Her exquisite face was expressionless as she stared fixedly at the robed man opposite her.

The man was handsome and scholarly, possessing a calmness untouched by stormy waves. Yet at this moment, his face was full of helplessness as he kept drinking tea to conceal his inner unease.

"Shen An, is this the fine daughter you raised? You said a few words to her, and she ran away from home."

The beautiful woman's expression was unfriendly. She was Shen Qingruo's mother, Shen Qingling.

The two had spoken the previous night about sending Shen Qingruo to cultivate at the Main Branch. The little girl had refused no matter what, and they had exchanged a few heated words.

When they woke up this morning, Shen Qingruo had vanished without a trace. Only then had Shen Qingling dragged Shen An over to question him.

"Our daughter is grown now. We should respect her wishes."

Shen An could only offer empty platitudes. If he added fuel to the fire now, he would suffer for it later.

Shen Qingling's willow brows rose sharply as she sneered, "You certainly respected her. When Qingruo brings home a son-in-law someday, will you still be sitting here drinking tea?"

Shen An's expression changed. He said seriously, "Qingruo has always known her limits since childhood. You can't say such things carelessly."

Shen Qingling snorted softly. "Qingruo knows her limits with everyone else. But when she sees that Brother Shen Yun of hers, where does she have even the slightest restraint left?"

No one knew a daughter better than her mother. Without needing to guess, she knew where Shen Qingruo had run off to.

Shen An looked utterly awkward and could only mumble, "When she comes back this time, I'll definitely give her a proper talking-to."

Shen Qingling sighed. "Other matters can be discussed, but cultivation is absolutely not something to be careless about. This time, you cannot go soft-hearted."

She knew that her husband greatly admired Shen Yun. Even though he possessed only a Three-Attribute Spirit Root, Shen An had always believed he was no ordinary creature trapped in a pond.

She could turn a blind eye to other matters, but when it came to cultivation, she would never yield.

When parents planned for their children, they planned far ahead; nothing was more fitting.

Shen An embraced her and promised, "I understand. This year, we'll send Qingruo to the Main Branch."