The tranquility of Cloud Hidden Peak was broken by a sudden muffled boom.
That sound was not earth-shattering, but carried an odd, as if space was forcibly twisted and then snapped back, strange trembling sensation. It came from a relatively independent courtyard on the mid-mountain slope belonging to Second Senior Brother Luo Feng.
Immediately afterward, a mix of burnt smell, sulfur smell, and some unknown spiritual herb's peculiar blue smoke from burning rose from that courtyard, forming a small mushroom cloud, exceptionally conspicuous under the morning sun.
Several disciples exercising nearby were startled. They stopped and looked, their faces showing expressions of seeing something common yet somewhat helpless.
"It's from Brother Luo Feng's side..."
"Is Second Senior Brother tinkering with his 'great' inventions again?"
"This time the commotion seems smaller than last time?"
"Looks like Enforcement Hall brothers are coming again soon."
Indeed, before long, two Foundation Establishment deacons in Enforcement Hall attire, their faces expressionless, landed on flight light and walked straight into the still-smoking courtyard. After a moment, Second Senior Brother Luo Feng's voice, trying to defend himself yet clearly lacking confidence, along with the deacons' official reprimands, came from inside.
In the end, amid many disciples' sympathetic gazes (perhaps with a touch of watching a good show), Second Senior Brother Luo Feng, his hair a curly, smoking bird's nest, his face with several black smudges, was led out dejectedly by the two deacons toward the Reflection Cliff for reflection in the back mountain.
News quickly spread: Second Senior Brother Luo Feng had improperly operated a new type of talisman research, causing spiritual power disorder and an explosion. Although no personnel were injured and no major property damage occurred (according to his own insistence, he only destroyed a "trivial" experimental table and half a wall), he violated sect regulations about "dangerous experiments needing advance registration and conducted in designated areas." He was sentenced to seven days of reflection at the Reflection Cliff and compensation for public property damage.
When Xiaoqi heard this news after morning cultivation, he couldn't help but shake his head and laugh. This Second Senior Brother, although with mediocre cultivation talent and still at Foundation Establishment early stage, had boundless enthusiasm and trouble-making ability in researching various "unconventional paths."
Thinking of how Second Senior Brother, although skittish, had always been kind to him, Xiaoqi went to the dining hall and packed several of the Second Senior Brother's favorite pastries and a pot of spiritual wine. He decided to go to the Reflection Cliff to "visit."
The Reflection Cliff was located in a quiet valley behind the main peak. The environment was serene, but spiritual power was relatively thin. It was a place where erring disciples were sent for quiet reflection. The cliff face had rough stone chambers carved into it.
Xiaoqi found the one where Second Senior Brother was confined. The stone door was tightly closed, with Enforcement Hall restriction talismans posted on it. He gently knocked on the stone door.
"Who's there? Disturbing this genius's reflection and Daoist enlightenment!" came Second Senior Brother's voice, trying to be serious yet hard to hide his depression.
"It's me, Xiaoqi." Xiaoqi held back his smile, answering.
The talisman light on the stone door flickered and slowly opened. Inside, Second Senior Brother Luo Feng sat cross-legged on the only cushion in the stone chamber's center. His hair was still messy, but the black smudges on his face were cleaned. He wore a gray reflection robe, looking listless.
Seeing Xiaoqi and the food container in his hand, Luo Feng's eyes lit up instantly, like seeing a lifesaver. He jumped up from the cushion: "Xiaoqi! You're my true friend! Come in, come in! This ghost place has nothing but bland food. My mouth is losing all taste!"
Xiaoqi walked into the stone chamber and opened the food container on the floor. The aroma of pastries and wine immediately filled the space.
Luo Feng eagerly grabbed an osmanthus cake and stuffed it into his mouth, speaking with his mouth full: "Bad luck! What terrible luck! The calculations for this experiment were absolutely foolproof. In theory, it should have worked perfectly! It must be that batch of 'Void Spirit Stone Powder'—the purity wasn't enough, affecting the stability of the spatial rune, causing an extremely tiny deviation in the energy circuit at the final moment, triggering a controllable-range micro space collapse effect..."
He began to narrate non-stop about the principles of this "great" experiment. Terms like "using space-folding principles to compress talisman size, achieving high-rank talisman's portability and instant casting,""breaking the traditional talisman energy load limit"—various seemingly advanced yet confusing technical terms poured out endlessly.
Xiaoqi listened patiently, occasionally asking a question and refilling his wine. He knew that what Second Senior Brother needed wasn't a judge but a listener.
"...Tell me, how is this my fault? Blame those folks at the Artifact Refinery—supplying substandard materials!" Luo Feng finally summed up indignantly, draining his cup of spiritual wine in one gulp.
Xiaoqi smiled and passed him a piece of pickled spiritual beast meat: "Brother, next time you do this kind of 'dangerous' experiment, follow the rules and register it. At least find a sturdier place."
Luo Feng pouted: "Register? If I register, would those old fogies let me do it? They simply don't understand what the cost of innovation is! A tiny bit of risk, compared to epoch-making achievements, what is it?" He suddenly lowered his voice and said mysteriously to Xiaoqi, "Xiaoqi, I tell you, although this one exploded, I collected key data! Next time, as long as I get high-purity Void Spirit Stone Powder, I'll definitely succeed! Then, hehe, a palm-sized talisman will explode with power comparable to a Golden Core cultivator's strike. Then who would dare look down on me?"
Watching the re-ignited fervent light in his eyes, Xiaoqi was caught between laughter and helplessness. This Second Senior Brother, repeatedly failing yet repeatedly trying, optimistic to a degree worthy of admiration.
"By the way, Xiaoqi," Luo Feng suddenly remembered something. He fished around in his wide reflection robe sleeve (heaven knows how he got it in) and pulled out several crumpled yellow talismans with twisted, bizarre rune patterns. He thrust them to Xiaoqi: "Here, these are byproducts from when I researched 'automatic cleaning talismans.' The effect is unstable—sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it's a gentle breeze technique, sometimes it becomes a small water ball, occasionally spraying some sparks... You can play with them. They should be useful for dealing with dust, small insects, that kind of thing. Consider it thanks for the pastries!"
Xiaoqi looked at the several talismans in his hand with chaotic spiritual fluctuations and unreliable-looking rune structures. His mouth twitched slightly, but he carefully stored them anyway: "Thanks, Second Senior Brother."
"No need to stand on ceremony!" Luo Feng waved his hand and grabbed another pastry. "When I get out and research something good, you'll be the first to try it!"
The two of them, one reflecting, one "visiting," ate pastries, drank spiritual wine, bantered, and discussed sect gossip and various creative ideas. The stone chamber was full of relaxed, even somewhat comedic, atmosphere, completely at odds with the Reflection Cliff's intended seriousness.
The short visit time quickly passed. An Enforcement Hall deacon came to remind them.
Xiaoqi stood to take his leave: "Second Senior Brother, you... reflect well, strive to 'enlighten the Dao' early."
Luo Feng waved dismissively: "I know, I know! Seven days—just blink and it'll pass! When you get out, remember to keep an eye out for high-purity Void Spirit Stone Powder for me!"
Walking out of the Reflection Cliff, Xiaoqi looked back at the re-closed stone door and smiled helplessly. With Second Senior Brother around, Cloud Hidden Peak would seemingly never lack this kind of laughable "trouble" and vitality.
The heaviness brought by Senior Brother's departure seemed, because of this interlude, to be somewhat diluted. He shook his head, put aside these trivial matters, and moved toward his own cave dwelling.
The cultivation road was long. Occasionally having these lighthearted moments was not bad either. It's just that one wonders what earth-shaking or heart-stopping new creations Second Senior Brother will come up with after leaving seclusion. Thinking of this, Xiaoqi's lips couldn't help but curve into a smile, and his steps became lighter.