In the Sect Master's Hall, Qi Yan stood meekly to one side, watching Mu Xunzhen press a finger to Ye Jingshan's forehead, apparently searching his soul.
After a moment, she withdrew her hand and sneered. "He really did find himself a new patron."
Qi Yan could guess that for Ye Jingshan to dare lay hands on a Heavenly Evolution Sect disciple, even an outer sect disciple, he could not possibly have failed to arrange an escape route. Any power daring to accept such a "traitor" and serve as that escape route had to be very strong, and secretly at odds with the Heavenly Evolution Sect.
Thus, this was not a matter concerning the Ye Clan alone. Pulling it up would bring mud along with it.
"May I ask which sect?"
"The Azure Cloud Sect." Mu Xunzhen sneered. "That old ox-nosed Daoqing, always claiming to possess an immortal's bearing, untainted by worldly dust... how laughable."
Qi Yan had barely even heard of this Azure Cloud Sect.
He came from a remote little city on Tianliang Continent. Had Mu Xunzhen not been a peerlessly beautiful immortal maiden, her fame probably would not have reached that place either. Sometimes, strength in cultivation alone was not enough to spread one's reputation... here on Heavenly Prefecture Continent, there were probably not many who had heard of the Resounding Sword Sect or Qin Poxu either.
But anyone who dared oppose the Heavenly Evolution Sect certainly could not be weak.
"Master, please do not let your guard down. From what this disciple knows, the Azure Cloud Sect may not be the only one with designs on us."
"Oh?" Mu Xunzhen fixed her beautiful eyes on him. "What else do you know?"
Qi Yan recounted everything concerning the Illusory Dream Spirit Butterfly, concealing nothing about Yun Ranyi either. "Yun Ranyi said this creature was drawn into being because a god was about to descend. They guessed that Master was secretly pursuing the path to godhood, and the appearance of the Illusory Dream Spirit Butterfly happened to corroborate that. If Yun Ranyi could guess, so could others."
Despite the importance of the matter, what caught Mu Xunzhen's attention was actually this: "You know about the Illusory Dream Spirit Butterfly?"
Qi Yan hurriedly said, "Yun Ranyi told me."
Mu Xunzhen stared at him for a long while before slowly saying, "I have not deliberately sought to attain the path to godhood... in truth, I cannot attain the position of Arbiter of Fate. At least, not at present."
"Huh?"
Mu Xunzhen did not explain in detail... she could not even find her own Brother A-Yan, and all her feelings remained bottled up inside. The road ahead was unclear, his fate unknowable, and she even felt she might not survive her next tribulation. How could she speak of becoming the Arbiter of Fate?
Yet in cultivation, things were often accomplished through nonaction. She had not deliberately pursued this path and felt she could not attain it, but in seeking someone, cultivating the arts of heavenly secrets, searching for the numbers of the Great Expansion, and following her obsession, she had unknowingly aligned herself with the meaning of the Arbiter of Fate.
If she found Brother A-Yan one day, resolved the obsession in her heart, and brought her cultivation to fruition, might she naturally attain that divine station? That remained unknown. In any case, the possibility was certainly not small. If this had drawn the spirit butterfly into being, that did indeed make sense.
Following that reasoning... did it mean the day she found Brother A-Yan was not far off, and that was why such an omen had appeared between heaven and earth?
Mu Xunzhen's heart pounded. Even her slender hands unconsciously clasped together, and her gaze wandered off somewhere.
Qi Yan stared, dumbstruck. Master, what are you doing, Master? Is this still Perfected Mu?
If Jiang Jinyue had been beside him, she would surely have nodded vigorously. Whenever their master looked like this, who could possibly run out of things to complain about?
Mu Xunzhen was pondering a question... following that reasoning, if those people wanted to obstruct her path to becoming the Arbiter of Fate, that was equivalent to stopping her from finding Brother A-Yan...
Boom! A surge of force rose soundlessly, her white hair billowing.
Qi Yan instinctively backed away, terrified as he watched his master's killing intent suddenly soar into the heavens.
No wonder his senior sister had been so repressed. Keeping a sovereign company truly was like keeping a tiger company; her expression changed faster than the pages of a book could turn.
Seeing Qi Yan drenched in sweat, Mu Xunzhen finally calmed herself slowly and said evenly, "I understand these matters now... Qi Yan, have you noticed that your fate is very unusual?"
Qi Yan said cautiously, "My luck is rather good?"
Mu Xunzhen asked, "Why did you go to the External Affairs Hall to take a mission this time?"
"There were some unfavorable rumors about my admission to the sect. This disciple suspected that someone at their source was maliciously spreading information with its head and tail cut off, exploiting people's innate jealousy to stir up resentment toward the main peak. So I wanted to accomplish something to shut their mouths."
Mu Xunzhen nodded slightly. "So with your performance at the External Affairs Hall just now, every step you took was intended to keep the rumors from escalating."
"Yes."
"And your mission unexpectedly exposed a subordinate sect's collusion with outsiders, then went on to uncover the hidden currents of other powers working against our sect."
"..."
"This chain of reactions cannot be encompassed by luck alone... just like the sound of your name, you are the pivotal point on the board." Mu Xunzhen suddenly said, "If we truly speak of cultivating the path of the Arbiter of Fate, a fate like yours is the foundation for it. You are more suited to it than I am."
A flash of delighted surprise shone in Qi Yan's eyes.
The path of the Arbiter of Fate-who would not want it? He was merely just starting out and did not dare reach beyond his grasp. In truth, ever since he first heard Little Crybaby mention it, it had existed as his highest aspiration. He had not expected his master to think so highly of him.
He did not dare show it and hurriedly lowered his eyes. "Since Master is pursuing this path, and only one person can occupy it, this disciple would not dare entertain the thought."
"Heh..." Mu Xunzhen neither agreed nor disagreed, merely saying, "I am aware of those matters now. You need not concern yourself with them. Focus on cultivating in peace. You started too late, and your cultivation is too low at present. Even serving as the pivotal point on the board would be difficult. Perhaps we can discuss more when you reach Foundation Establishment."
"Yes."
"I originally said I would reward you with a magical artifact once you reached the late Qi Refinement stage, but you did very well this time and deserve a reward." Mu Xunzhen glanced at his ring, as though trying to see the earrings inside.
Qi Yan secretly hid his hand behind his back.
Mu Xunzhen said, "I do not particularly approve of the way others train disciples, using all manner of magical artifacts above their level to increase their combat strength while they are still in the Qi Refinement stage. It may win them a moment of glory, but it easily breeds dependence on external things, which is detrimental to oneself. Thus, if you want a magical artifact, my suggestion is to begin nurturing a natal magical artifact now and eventually raise it into a natal magical treasure. You can consider what sort of magical artifact you would like."
Qi Yan thought to himself that his master's way of thinking still bore rather heavy traces of witch cultivation, or perhaps leaned somewhat toward martial cultivation.
Dao cultivators worked with external things; even heaven, earth, and the five elements were external things they commanded and borrowed. Their way of thinking would be somewhat different.
But he really had not considered what sort of magical artifact to use. Swords simply looked rather cool... so he asked, "Would a sword work? Would that make me seem like a martial cultivator?"
Mu Xunzhen shook her head. "My natal weapon in my early years was also a sword. It is actually very suitable for someone cultivating both witchcraft and the Dao. Witches often fight using their own strength, and a sword can effectively conceal their foundations, leading others to mistake them for sword cultivators. At the same time, many Dao cultivators also use swords, whether as a medium to cast and amplify spells or as a powerful offensive magical treasure. All of those are possible."
"Your early years? Master, do you no longer use it?"
"Mm. In a great battle back then, the sword was half destroyed and lost... afterward, I stopped using one. It was not a pleasant memento anyway." At this point, Mu Xunzhen pressed her lips together and said no more. She merely took out several different metallic materials and casually tossed them into the air.
The materials hovered in midair. Green flames blossomed at Mu Xunzhen's fingertips as she refined an artifact directly in empty space.
Qi Yan stared stupidly.
It was his first time seeing artifact refining done like this, without even a furnace. Before his very eyes, the metals melted and fused, then were drawn out into the shape of a sword.
He had no idea how hot the green flames blooming from those slender fingers were. Judging by his master's expression, she might as well have been playing.
Before long, a sword blank floated before Qi Yan. "This is only a blank, not yet a finished sword. For now, its material is merely strong and sharp, so it functions only as a weapon, but it has great potential for further development. Whatever other Dao arts effects you wish to add, you should seek out materials yourself to fuse into it, forging and nurturing it. Only then can it become linked to your life and become your sword."
Qi Yan asked, "Then how should I obtain the materials?"
Mu Xunzhen said evenly, "Missions, or accumulate resources and trade with others. When I taught Jinyue back then, I spoiled her. I cannot repeat that mistake now."
Qi Yan wanted to cry. My cave abode hasn't even been furnished yet! I don't even have any artifact-refining equipment!
Mu Xunzhen said, "As for forging equipment, you may use your life token to collect it from the Internal Affairs Hall. That is something you are entitled to."
Qi Yan suddenly remembered something and took out some of the silk. "Is this Illusory Dream Spirit Butterfly silk useful?"
Mu Xunzhen's expression grew slightly peculiar. "This substance... can weave dreams."
"Huh?"
"Your current cultivation cannot bring that out, but twisted into a rope, it is excellent for tying people up. As it closes in on someone, it induces hallucinations, making it difficult for them to dodge. However, its current toughness is insufficient to restrain anyone above Golden Core. You will still need to seek other materials to strengthen it in the future."
Qi Yan finally understood why his master's expression was so peculiar. For a lecher preying on women, this thing was a treasure among treasures.
Is it still not too late to change my natal magical artifact?
Forget it... Qi Yan put away the silk and was about to take his leave when he suddenly remembered something else and asked, "I heard there is an inner sect tournament next month."
Mu Xunzhen said evenly, "The inner sect tournament is divided into two tiers, Foundation Establishment and Golden Core. It assesses the cultivation achievements of each peak's young disciples. There is no Qi Refining stage division."
Qi Yan said, "This disciple was wondering whether I should participate in the tournament and see whose disciples target me the most fiercely. Then we would know the source of the rumors. Perhaps that person is even colluding from within with the likes of the Azure Cloud Sect outside."
Mu Xunzhen smiled briefly. "The intention is commendable. But if I needed a Qi Refinement disciple like you to risk your life over something like this, what use would I be as sect master? Go. Attend to your own cultivation."
On reflection, Qi Yan agreed. Since his master knew about the matter, she would have her own plans. He did not insist, cupping his hands and taking his leave.
Mu Xunzhen watched him leave, then pressed her forehead with a troubled sigh.
Her trip to Tianliang Continent and meeting with Qin Poxu had yielded little. The Extreme Dao Sect had already vanished without a trace from Tianliang Continent. That was fine; it was not important... but the divinations concerning "reincarnation" that she had truly wanted to perform had yielded nothing either.
Yet there had been one strange piece of information.
Qi Yan had been like two different people before and after blowing up his ancestral graves. Even his childhood sweetheart, Luo Chaoge, had said so.
But his soul was stable, clearly showing no signs of possession.
To say his soul's light from a previous life had awakened did seem quite plausible... yet Qi Yan's behavior was wrong... the Heavenly Evolution Sect's clues in its search, the character "Yan," the jade pendant-if he were Brother A-Yan, he should have immediately known Little Crybaby was looking for him. How could he have shown absolutely no reaction?
If his memories had not awakened, that would fit better. Yet if they had already awakened, then it did not fit at all.
Could there be a second layer of memories yet to return?
Or was he simply someone else's reincarnation, entirely unrelated?
No matter how Mu Xunzhen thought about it, she could never have imagined intersecting times and spaces. The Little Crybaby in Brother A-Yan's mind was merely a Golden Core Little Crybaby. Even if he suspected Xiao Yuan, he would never suspect his own master. The two passed face-to-face without recognizing each other, like an illusory dream.
It was too difficult... Mu Xunzhen slowly curled up, hugging her knees as she huddled there, staring blankly at the wavering candle shadows on the ground.
The Illusory Dream Spirit Butterfly's descent... was it a hint that the day she found Brother A-Yan was not far off? Or a hint that it was only an illusory dream?