"That is the sect master of Primary Luck Sect, Spirit Master Shuang Qing." Huan Zhong noticed that Kong Hou seemed very curious about Shuang Qing and told her his identity. "This person is skilled at management but has average cultivation. Not long after he became the sect master, he found an enormous spirit vein. Primary Luck Sect used this opportunity to develop their wealth. In a short century, they earned a lot of spirit stones in the cultivation world."
"With average cultivation but skilled at making money?" Kong Hou put the curtain down, leaving only a crack behind. Through the small crack, she saw Shuang Qing was coming closer and closer to the carriage. The horse behind him kicked back in discomfort as he neared the flying horses.
Detecting the restless emotions of the horse, Shuang Qing turned and looked at the carriage he had not paid any attention to before. He met Lin Hu's gaze. Lin Hu nodded at him. Shuang Qing nodded back formally, tightened his grip on his reins and did not move aside.
Lin Hu did not want to become entangled with him for such a minor matter. He drove the flying horses to move a few steps to the side. After Shuang Qing left, Lin Hu drove the carriage towards the inn.
They came to the inn and met Chang De. Chang De had already reserved two small courtyards in the inn. Originally, he had planned for the male cultivators to live in one courtyard and the female cultivators in another.
However, Huan Zhong, this sword cultivator, did not seem to like living with other cultivators. He spent money to reserve another courtyard, and went in with Celestial Kong Hou. Chang De thought about it and felt the arrangements were good. This would avoid everyone being unused to living together as strangers.
Seeing Huan Zhong and Kong Hou go to another courtyard, Chang De returned to the inner courtyard, found his fellow disciples and said, "Safety first when we enter the secret realm. Do not get injured for spirit grasses and treasures, and do not do anything impulsive."
"Yes." The shidi and shimei responded.
"This time, disciples from Radiance Sect and Splendid Cloud Sect are also going. Do not let other sects laugh at us."
"Radiance Sect and Splendid Cloud Sect also want to participate?" Ling Bo thought she had heard incorrectly. When had Radiance Sect ever cared about small secret realms like this that would open once every five centuries? Now, this disciple unexpectedly came with a disciple of Splendid Cloud Sect—was there something good inside?
"You have seen the two path friends before." Chang De worried that Ling Bo would make a fuss so he told her beforehand.
"I've seen them?" Ling Bo thought of Kong Hou of Splendid Cloud Sect. She frowned. Why did she encounter the other even on a matter like this? After the matter of the inn, she returned to the sect and then heard of the conspiracy of the evil cultivators. They deliberately sowed discord between the sects and the nomad cultivators in order to cause chaos in the cultivation world.
If not for Kong Hou's unintentional obstruction, she did not dare to guarantee that she would not have made matters worse with her temper. When she thought of it now, she felt slightly lucky. "Is it Celestial Kong Hou of Splendid Cloud Sect?"
"It is her and Huan Zhong of Radiance Sect." Chang De nodded. "This time, I made plans with them so we can take care of each other."
Ling Bo's lips moved. She thought of what her master had told her before leaving the sect and swallowed back her words.
"If you are not used to walking with others, when we enter the secret realm and understand the surrounding environment, we can decide if we want to move separately." Chang De thought for a moment and then said to a shidi, "Shidi, if you encounter Spirit Master Shuang Qing of Primary Luck Sect, remember to not let him know your name."
"What is with my name?" The young shidi's name was Fang Ying Zheng. He had just reached Base Building Stage. This time, he had come with his shixiong and shijie in order to gain experience.
"Spirit Master Shuang Qing has a small habit." Chang De coughed slightly. "He does not like people named 'Fang'."1
"So what if my surname is Fang? I do not eat at his table—what does my surname have to do with him?" Fang Ying Zhen muttered. However, he did not dare to rebel in front of Eldest Shixiong, and agreed.
"Eldest Shixiong, why does Shuang Qing not like people named Fang?" Ling Bo felt this habit was so weird.
"How would I know about other people's private affairs? If you have time to worry about this, go back to your rooms and meditate to strengthen your cultivation." Chang De put on a stern expression and said, "You do not care about the right matters, but are very interested in these frivolous ones. Do you seem like apprentices?"
When the shidi and shimei heard the words, no matter how curious they were, they did not dare to speak again.
##
Before the evening meal, Lin Hu found that Miss Kong Hou seemed to have taken care to dress up. He turned and looked at the sky about to turn black. It was almost night—why did she put in so much effort?
A woman's heart was like a needle at the bottom of the ocean. Same with young women.
When they came to the food hall outside, Lin Hu finally understood why. Clear Dawn Sect's Ling Bo was also present, and also finely dressed and looking heatedly over at them. However, the heat was not for Master, but for Miss Kong Hou.
"Celestial Kong Hou."
"Celestial Ling Bo."
The two beautiful women exchanged a look and bows like good friends who had not met for many years.
Lin Hu seemed to understand why Kong Hou had dressed up.
"I heard that Miss Kong Hou reached Mind Activation Stage. This one will first congratulate Celestial." Ling Bo's eyes were beautiful. When she looked at a certain person, the person would feel as though they were her entire world.
"Thank you, Celestial. My cultivation is lowly—how can I compare to Celestial?" Kong Hou smiled slightly and walked next to the table. Huan Zhong, who followed behind her, pulled out a chair for her and poured a glass of water silently.
When men could not understand what women were speaking of, the best course of action was to keep silent.
Ha, showing off people would pour tea for her? Ling Bo sneered inside, and pushed her own cup in front of her shidi. Shidi looked at the teacup in Ling Bo's hand which was almost full, then looked in puzzlement at her. What did Shijie want? If more tea was poured, it would spill out.
Ling Bo flicked a finger at the teacup and mouthed, "Pour tea."
Fang Yingzhen took an empty cup from the side and poured another cup for Ling Bo. After finishing, he shrank back to Chang De's side. He prepared to not come back out before dinner was over.
After finishing the evening meal, Chang De invited Kong Hou and Huan Zhong to the courtyard to chat.
"About the secret realm, it is most likely not suitable for us to privately enter. What do Path Friends think—should we notify Primary Luck Sect?" Chang De looked at Huan Zhong and Kong Hou. More accurately, he looked at Huan Zhong. Kong Hou and Huan Zhong were all sect disciples, but Huan Zhong had great cultivation and should be the decision-maker among the pair.
But Huan Zhong did not respond to his question and looked inquiringly at Kong Hou.
"I feel we should notify Primary Luck Sect. Whether they will send disciples to attend or not is their own matter." Kong Hou thought for a moment. She and Huan Zhong were going into the secret realm mostly to find the Cloud Seeking Tree's branch. Everything else was not important. So how many people entered the secret realm did not affect them greatly. This would also avoid rumors being produced.
Sects with greater status were more likely to become targets of gossip by other cultivators. So if they went to a secret realm today, when they came out tomorrow, the rumor would become "the three big sects banded together to steal a secret realm from a small sect." Regardless of the logic of the rumor, it would be troublesome if someone believed it.
"Miss Kong Hou is correct. I also feel the same." Chang De smiled warmly at Kong Hou. This Miss Kong Hou was really likable.
"Are you thirsty?" Huan Zhong suddenly spole. Kong Hou, who had been looking at Chang De, turned and looked at him. "Huan Zhong, I just ate. I cannot drink more."
"All right." He did not insist. He nodded and said, "I have similar thoughts to you. Since this is the case, we will send our card and formally visit Primary Luck Sect tomorrow."
Chang De smiled and agreed. After Huan Zhong and Kong Hou left, he said hesitantly, "Do you not feel that Path Friend Huan Zhong is especially cold towards me?"
The other three shidi shook their heads in unison.
"What is strange about that?" Ling Bo took out the hairpins in her hair and threw them back into the storage ring. "I and Kong Hou can fight implicitly. It will not be strange if you two are slightly cold." Men and women were the same in the end. If they were people, they would compete and have emotions. However, smart people knew how to ease the emotions. People who were not smart enough would make themselves ugly.
"Shijie, you clearly were talking and smiling with Celestial Kong Hou. Why did this become an implicit fight?" A young shidi was puzzled. "Weren't you just happy because of her breakthrough to Mind Activation Stage?"
"You will believe the courtesies of a woman?" Ling Bo raised her chin. "You cannot even see through to the essence—how can you cultivate?"
Little *Shidi: "…"
Why did he have to open his mouth and speak?
##
Primary Luck Sect was in the east side of Kui City. The entire mountain had many spirit gathering formations, the spirit energy so thick it became mist. From a distance, Primary Luck Sect looked like a palace floating in the clouds.
Three cards were sent to the hands of the sect master of Primary Luck Sect, Spirit Master Shuang Qing.
"Radiance Sect, Clear Dawn Sect, and…" Spirit Master Shuang Qing looked at the last card several times. "Why has a disciple of Splendid Cloud Sect come to my place?" Many thoughts flashed through his mind. In the end, he put down the card. "Open the front door and welcome them."
Kong Hou and the group were waiting for the response from Spirit Master Shuang Qing. After standing for a while at the base of the mountain, the gates suddenly opened. Countless disciples wearing glowing golden brocade robes descended from the sky, stood on the sides, and bowed in unison.
"Guests, welcome." Kong Hou saw the hidden golden patterns on the clothing of the disciples and the precious stone rings on their fingers. She felt that these people were shining with gold light all over.
"Friends coming from a long ways off, I am very happy." A voice came from the mountain gates. "Path Friends, please enter."
Kong Hou turned to look at Huan Zhong. She did not know if she should listen to this voice and go up.
"Do not be afraid." Huan Zhong grabbed Kong Hou's wrist through the cloth. He did not walk on the mountain path but rose up into the sky and flew towards the source of the voice. Chang De, Ling Bo and the others saw this and followed.
Shuang Qing had originally prepared to make himself look ethereal and then walk out under the curious gazes of the juniors. However, this plan went wrong at the first step. Who knew that the stoic-looking Radiance Sect sword cultivator would be so rude?
"Whoa." When Fang Ying Zheng landed, the first thing he saw was Shuang Qing's square head and rectangular face. He had never seen such a rectangular head. He could not stop himself from making an exclamation and caused Shuang Qing to glare at him.
No wonder the sect master of Primary Luck Sect did not like hearing the word "Fang". This face was so rectangular, the chin was almost as wide as the forehead.
"Everyone, you have come from afar. Please sit down and speak." Shuang Qing adjusted the golden outer robe he wore. He walked in front of the group and led them into the hall. After walking halfway, he turned and looked at the crowd. "I've heard of Celestial Kong Hou killing evil cultivators above your cultivation stage. The elders and peak masters of my sect have been full of praise. Please forgive this one's rudeness—who is Miss Kong Hou?"
"This junior is," Kong Hou said with a smile. "Greetings, Elder."
"Heroes come from the youth, seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times. Celestial is young, but already has such status—your future is bright." Shuang Qing pushed opened the doors to the inner hall. "Your honored sect has taught their disciples well."
The moment the doors opened, Huan Zhong suddenly reached out and pulled Kong Hou behind him. He looked at the slightly dim inner hall and frowned.
Noticing Huan Zhong's movement, Chang De reached out and stopped his shidi and shimei from going in.
A hint of blood that was almost imperceptible lingered in the air. Shuang Qing's expression was not good.
No murder had occurred inside. A man who did not look to be clear in mind sat on the ground. The back of his hand was bloodied, and he seemed slightly hurt.
"Grandfather." The man saw Shuang Qing and raised his hand. "My hand is in pain."
Shuang Qing endured. He went and used a handkerchief to wipe the blood off the man's hand and then fed him a pill. Then a disciple came to lead the man away.
"You have seen a joke." Shuang Qing motioned for the group to be seated. The mood was slightly awkward. That thread of blood caused this awkwardness to be filled with some unreliable speculations.
"When I reached Base Building Stage, I took a student from the mortal world." Shuang Qing glanced over at Kong Hou. "His talents were good, but because his mental state was not steady, he incurred a mental demon when he endured the ordeal. He lost his mind and now thinks he is a child of three or four.
"I should not have taken him from the mortal world." Shuang Qing forced a smile. "Maybe his birth meant that he is not suited to cultivation."
Huan Zhong said coolly, "The mental state of a cultivator has nothing to do with where they come from. Spirit Master Shuang Qing is joking."
Spirit Master Shuang Qing met Huan Zhong's cold eyes and his mind seemed to freeze. What had he just wanted to say?