One year later.
Yun Xi finally fused the last violet petal of the Seven-Colored Lotus with her dantian, completing the integration.
The moment her work was done, the spiritual energy around her began to surge restlessly, pouring into her body without her even summoning it. At the same time, within her dantian, a faint shadow of a seven-colored lotus began to take form.
As the influx continued, the lotus shadow grew more defined, slowly drifting toward the center of her dantian.
The tiny Yuányīng inside seemed fond of this lotus of pure spiritual energy. It reached out, gently touched the radiant petals, then in a flash of light, seated itself at the lotus' heart. With five hearts facing the heavens, it began absorbing the rushing spiritual energy.
For nine long years Yun Xi had nurtured her meridians with spiritual energy, but the damage to her dantian meant she could never store much. She had always felt an underlying weakness. Now, with the flood of energy filling her dantian, a deep steadiness settled into her bones. She fully immersed herself in the cycle of drawing in energy, refining it, and compressing it into storage.
The fluctuation of qi from the rear mountain soon caught the attention of Hao Hui and Hao Yan, who appeared almost simultaneously outside Yun Xi's cave dwelling.
Hao Yan's phoenix eyes glimmered as she remarked, "Tsk tsk. Seems Senior Sister truly values this girl, lending her even the Ancestor's old cave dwelling."
"It's only a cave dwelling. More importantly, can't you see Yun Xi is about to break through?" Hao Hui replied with a smile.
"I can see that. This girl might just make it in time for the Five Regions Grand Competition."
"You think Senior Sister Hao Yi would actually let her go out?"
"Yun Xi can't hide in the sect forever. This too is a form of tempering. Besides, we're here, aren't we?" Hao Yan said bluntly.
At that moment, the spiritual energy of the entire rear mountain began surging wildly toward the cave before them.
Hao Yan clicked her tongue again. "This isn't the aura of breaking into mid Nascent Soul. It feels more like late Nascent Soul. How old is she? Her cultivation speed is even faster than her master's. At this rate, I worry she might ascend to the Spirit Realm before Yu Ling does."
Hao Hui chuckled. "That's called surpassing the master. At least our Haoran Sect will have successors. We old Ancestors might finally get a chance to head to the Spirit Realm ourselves."
"That's true enough. But who knows what waits for us once we ascend? The situation of the Weiyu Realm isn't exactly ideal."
Hao Hui's eyes hardened. "That's precisely why we old ones must act. Even if we ascend, we must cut off the claws reaching into Weiyu Realm. Do they really think we are so easy to bully?"
"You're right about that." Hao Yan nodded in firm agreement. There was no reason to suffer suppression without striking back.
Meanwhile, lost in her cultivation, Yun Xi unknowingly broke through the barrier into mid Nascent Soul. As more energy poured into her meridians and dantian, she began circulating the Mingyue Frost Condensation Art, guiding the flood of energy through her body in a great cycle before returning it to her dantian.
In the end, with the support of the Seven-Colored Lotus, she stabilized her cultivation at the peak of mid Nascent Soul. Only then did she slowly open her eyes.
In truth, she could have pushed straight into late Nascent Soul, but she didn't want to be reckless. She chose to firmly suppress her realm at mid Nascent Soul peak instead.
Rising to her feet, she swept her sleeve to open the cave dwelling and stepped outside. Seeing Hao Hui and Hao Yan waiting, she immediately bowed with respect.
"Yun Xi greets the two Zūnzhě."
Hao Hui smiled warmly. "Yun Xi, congratulations on leaving seclusion. Your cultivation has advanced greatly."
Hao Yan asked curiously, "Why not press straight into late stage? The spiritual energy here is still abundant."
Yun Xi smiled, dimples showing at her cheeks. "This junior prefers to take things steadily rather than rush ahead."
"That's a wise mindset. Go, share your good news with your master," Hao Hui said, waving his hand.
"Yes, this junior will take her leave." Yun Xi bowed again before departing. For the first time, she entered the Hive with her true face uncovered.
Inside the Hive, Yu Ling had already received news of Yun Xi's emergence. The aura around his had softened considerably. He raised her hand, sending out a transmission talisman.
Within half a stick of incense, Yun Xi entered the Hive as though she had long been familiar with its halls, and came before her master.
"Master, this disciple has emerged from seclusion. The harvest was great—not only is my dantian healed, but my cultivation has advanced to mid Nascent Soul."
Yu Ling gave a single nod. "Not bad."
His words were as concise as ever. he handed Yun Xi a jade slip. "This was entrusted to me by Ancestor Hao Yi for you. Inside is what you wanted to know."
Then he gave her another jade slip. "And this contains the information you asked for about the Wei Clan and Wei Yunqing."
"Many thanks, Master."
Yun Xi accepted both jade slips and first examined the one recording the Wei Clan and Wei Yunqing's situation.
Since relocating to Haoran City after Yun Xi's coma, the Wei Clan had grown increasingly low-key. But because of the trade in Rejuvenation Liquid, they drew the eyes of ambitious individuals.
When certain parties tried to seize the formula and drive the Wei Clan out of Haoran City, the sect sent Elder Dan Yang of Pill Peak to negotiate. On behalf of the sect, he struck a deal: the Wei Clan would hand over twenty percent of the profits from Rejuvenation Liquid, and in exchange the sect guaranteed their monopoly and extended protection within a certain range.
Patriarch Wei Lingtao agreed without hesitation. The Wei Clan's situation was precarious: Ancestor Wei Chenyin was still in closed-door cultivation attempting her Nascent Soul breakthrough, Yun Xi lay gravely injured and unconscious, and though her master was at Divine Transformation, she had been heavily wounded while exterminating a fallen evil cultivator and could not aid them.
Wei Yunqing was even less reliable—completely out of contact. As for her master Zuo Qiu, the Wei Clan had never once met him. Word was he too was in seclusion, and they dared not disturb him.
Thus, Elder Dan Yang's arrival resolved their crisis. Wei Lingtao convened the elders, and the matter was swiftly settled.
The next day, once Haoran Sect formally acknowledged the agreement, all suppression against the Wei Clan vanished overnight. Some even came fawning, though the Wei Clan saw through such false faces.
After these experiences, Wei Lingtao became even more reserved, refusing shallow connections. He focused solely on running the family shops, cultivating the younger generation, and maintaining steady ties with the Feng Clan of Kunyu City.
With Haoran Sect disciples occasionally returning home for short stays, the Wei Clan's situation fully stabilized, ushering in a period of peace.
Reading this, Yun Xi felt satisfied. At least her clan wasn't dragging her down.
She then looked at the jade slip concerning Wei Yunqing's tribulation at Yunmen Temple, muttering under her breath, "No wonder she's the heroine—luck still follows her. Nearly possessed by a heart demon during her Nascent Soul tribulation, yet the Buddhist cultivators of Yunmen Temple managed to save her. Hard to kill indeed."
Her brows arched slightly. As the so-called daughter of destiny, Wei Yunqing was clearly favored by heaven. So why had her tribulation been so vicious this time?
Even with the monks' aid in purging the heart demon, Wei Yunqing suffered heavy injuries. She remained in seclusion at Yunmen Temple, unable to return to Haoran Sect anytime soon.