Yun Bei Fen clung to Mei Chao Bing's shoulders, took a deep breath and cracked his eyes open. He could do this! He definitely wouldn't disappoint senior martial brother Mei! It couldn't be that hard. He had managed to cultivate until he established his foundation, after all. He knew about spiritual energy and could even take it in. This was just distinguishing the levels of the spiritual energy like Mei Chao Bing had explained to him. Nothing more! He could definitely do that!
Yun Bei Fen focused on the person in front of him, ignoring everything else around them. He could see light around Mei Chao Bing as if he was shining from inside. Senior martial brother Mei had already formed his core several years ago so the energy he gave off was very strong. If he could sense spiritual energy of that level … he should be safe in the border region, shouldn't he? If somebody even stronger came, then there was no way for him to flee or fight anyway. Not that his chances to escape would be very high if his opponent was of the core formation stage.
Yun Bei Fen looked around but he was only blinded by all the energy around them again. He groaned and hurriedly hid in Mei Chao Bing's arms again.
Mei Chao Bing didn't say anything and just rubbed his back, holding him gently. He hadn't expected that Yun Bei Fen would be successful after just a try or two. After all, he had been coddled by his Master for way too long. There would be some trial and error involved.
Yun Bei Fen scrunched up his face. He couldn't believe that it hadn't worked! He had tried so hard so shouldn't he have gotten at least some results? This wasn't fair!
He took another deep breath and tried again. This time, he didn't turn away from Mei Chao Bing. He gingerly peeked over his shoulder and eyed what was behind him. Most of it was just a gentle glimmer. In comparison to the brilliant light Mei Chao Bing gave off, this was like a shimmering veil, nothing that hurt to look at.
Yun Bei Fen stared at it until his senses started to get used to it before he pondered further. Behind Mei Chao Bing … Then this should be … the spiritual energy of the trees? It was merely something surrounding them in their everyday life. Considering what Mei Chao Bing had said before, he didn't need to pay too much attention to it.
Yun Bei Fen raised his gaze. The gentle light in front of him stayed the same. It seemed that there was no difference whether he looked at the trunk or the top. In fact … He looked up even higher where the sky should be. Still. The same glimmer greeted him as if the whole world was made up of it.
Yun Bei Fen blinked and raised his hands, looking at them next. Compared to that glimmer, they were especially bright but they paled in comparison to Mei Chao Bing's body. Then those spirits or demons or whatever they were …
He glanced over and found that they were somewhere in between the light the surroundings gave off and the one he himself emitted. Huh. It seemed they really were in the Qi refining stage.
Yun Bei Fen blinked and stopped trying to figure out the spiritual energy in their surroundings. Instead, his normal vision returned. Well, at the very least, he saw the trees as trees again and Mei Chao Bing as Mei Chao Bing. Everything seemed dull though and he could still see afterimages from just now.
He pressed his eyes close and hid in Mei Chao Bing's arms again, rubbing his cheek against Mei Chao Bing's chest. "Senior martial brother Mei …"
"Mn?"
"Is it that I can see the level of an opponent this way?"
"More or less." Mei Chao Bing continued to brush Yun Bei Fen's back to reassure him. "The brighter the light you perceive is, the stronger your opponent will likely be. But it's not very accurate. Especially if you're of a lower level than your opponent."
"Why?" Yun Bei Fen carefully cracked his eyes open and blinked at him.
"Because it's possible to consciously lower the spiritual energy you circulate. That way, somebody could pretend to be of a lower level even though they are actually stronger than you."
"Ah?" Yun Bei Fen finally wasn't seeing those afterimages anymore and opened his eyes completely, staring at Mei Chao Bing. "Then what can I do?"
"Not much in that case. Somebody stronger will be able to deceive you."
Yun Bei Fen's eyes widened in horror. So even though he could perceive the different intensities of the light now and even judge the level they corresponded to more or less there was no way for him to actually use this? He would still be doomed to be hunted down and gravely injured or maybe even killed?!
Mei Chao Bing grimaced when he saw the little bunny's frightened expression. Ah, maybe he should have packaged the truth a little more nicely … He gave a cough and patted Yun Bei Fen's head. "Don't worry. Most people wouldn't stoop so low. After all, gaining a higher level is worth showing off for most of them, isn't it?"
"Oh." Yun Bei Fen collapsed in relief and snuggled up against Mei Chao Bing.
His senior martial brother could only sigh though. Most people wouldn't stoop so low … Well, he was one of the rare exceptions. He had adjusted the spiritual energy he gave off for Yun Bei Fen and he had done the same while they were in the sect so that even the Elders couldn't tell. Only the Sect Master who still had a higher cultivation base than he knew that something was up.
That … meant he was also stooping very low, right? So maybe … he should tell Yun Bei Fen? But that kind of conversation, he couldn't imagine it at all. And even if he told him, what would it change? No, it was still better to continue to guide him in his own cultivation. That way, Yun Bei Fen could find out on his own. This little bunny … he wouldn't hold it against him. By now, he was sure of that.