Five days passed, and the new disciples had learned eighty to ninety percent of the basic spells and self-defense swordsmanship.
The Yin-Yang Sect then issued each disciple a basic talisman manual and a basic formation guide for them to study and comprehend on their own.
On the rooftops of the Yin-Yang Martial Grounds, Wang Wuqi spoke with a hoarse and serious voice.
The entire field was deathly silent.
“From this point forward, your cultivation will depend entirely on yourselves.”
“Three months from now, the sect will hold a Grand Competition for this year’s new disciples.”
“It will be used to test your cultivation results and select outstanding disciples!”
After speaking, Wang Wuqi looked toward Cai Xiaonuo, the corners of his mouth curling upward slightly.
“Cai Xiaonuo, you’ve done quite well!”
Cai Xiaonuo was startled.
What did this Senior Brother Wang mean?
With that, Wang Wuqi transformed into a streak of light and departed.
The crowd instantly erupted into an uproar.
“Cai Xiaonuo is the one who actually got praised by the Senior Brother!”
“The Sectโs Disciple Competition is only three months away. I’m not ready yet!”
Because the sect recruited disciples in three batches, they belonged to the final group.
A man in the crowd shouted, “This is too unfair!”
“The first batch of disciples has had over six months more than us to cultivate. How are we supposed to beat them?”
Li Ze didn’t care and simply left, as he had no intention of participating in the disciple competition.
Li Ze returned to the private room in the Peach Blossom Garden.
“Senior, can you let me see the basic formation guide and talisman manual given by the Yin-Yang Sect? (๏พโฝ๏พ)”
“You may!”
“Senior, you’re the best!”
Cai Xiaonuo took over the body, pulled out the formation guide and talisman manual, and clutched them to her chest.
“Hehe, I’ve been looking forward to this for so long!”
(๏ฟฃโฝ๏ฟฃ)
Li Ze could indeed see that she was truly persistent and loved immortal cultivation!
During this period, Cai Xiaonuo had been practicing her swordsmanship very diligently and studying basic spells seriously.
As for Li Ze, because his soul was damaged, he spent his time meditating and regulating his breath within the sea of consciousness.
Control over the body was mostly left to Cai Xiaonuo.
She grew quickly as well.
Despite her appearing dazed in front of Li Ze, her comprehension was actually quite high.
For instance, the flight formation took ordinary disciples over ten days to understand, but she learned it in just two.
In truth, ever since Li Ze had gained the ancient memories of the long spear, he could have wiped Cai Xiaonuo out at any time to enjoy the body for himself.
But he didn’t do it.
Initially, he just thought she was somewhat interesting, so he kept her around.
He looked at Cai Xiaonuo, who had her hands resting on the table as she stared at the diagrams with great interest.
But now, Li Ze had decided to lead Cai Xiaonuo to become a dominant powerhouse in the world of immortal cultivation.
Cai Xiaonuo looked at the talisman manual and asked in confusion, “Senior (๏พโฝ๏พ)”
“Do I just draw this Fireball Talisman exactly like it is in the book?”
Li Ze answered patiently, “Drawing a talisman requires using both a talisman pen and your divine sense to construct the pattern simultaneously.”
“The pen draws the shape, allowing spiritual energy to flow in an orderly fashion.”
“The divine sense guides the spiritual energy to complete the complex structure, allowing it to take effect.”
Hearing this, Cai Xiaonuo took out the blank yellow sand paper she had scavenged last time from her storage bag and began to seriously imitate the drawings.
But after drawing ten sheets of yellow sand paper, not a single one was successful.
“Senior, it’s so hard! โฏ๏ธฟโฐ”
Cai Xiaonuo complained, but her hands didn’t stop moving.
Li Ze’s tone was flat.
“Drawing talismans can only be felt, not explained.”
“Success or failure depends entirely on comprehension and experience. Don’t rush; accumulate experience slowly!”
After Cai Xiaonuo drew a few more, a knock came from the door.
“Xiaonuo, are you there?”
Cai Xiaonuo put down the talisman pen and went to open the door.
The wooden door creaked.
“Sister Qing is here!”
A woman pushed the door open and entered.
She wore a white gown with a slightly open collar, revealing delicate collarbones, and a silk ribbon at her waist emphasized her supple curves.
Her eyes seemed to contain flames, her black hair reached her shoulders, and two strands of hair by her temples were dyed a uniform cyan.
Her entire being radiated a brisk yet fiery aura.
Qing Ruanning immediately pulled Cai Xiaonuo into her embrace upon entering, treating her like a precious kitten.
“Silly girl, were you secretly practicing the newly issued manuals again?”
Cai Xiaonuo replied in a soft, sweet voice.
“Oh!”
“Sister Qing, can you please not hug me the moment you walk in? I can’t breathe!”
Cai Xiaonuo broke free from her embrace and went to grab the talismans she had just drawn.
“Sister Qing figured it out again. How are my drawings? Hehe!”
“Not bad, Xiaonuo.”
“To draw this wellโas expected of my Xiaonuo!”
“Oh, right! I came to find you today because I want to take you to accept some sect missions to earn some spirit stones.”
“Are you interested, Xiaonuo?”
Li Ze opened his eyes in the sea of consciousness.
In Li Ze’s memory, this was the woman Cai Xiaonuo had happened to meet by chance while practicing her swordsmanship on the back mountain four days ago.
Her name was Qing Ruanning, a Level 8 of the Spirit Realm and the daughter of the Joyous Peak Master.
She was usually quite lively and cheerful.
When Qing Ruanning saw Cai Xiaonuo practicing her swordsmanship so diligently, she couldn’t help but offer guidance.
The two shared similar interests and became good friends.
She would come to find Cai Xiaonuo whenever she was free.
Li Ze spoke, “Drawing talismans moving forward will require a large amount of yellow sand paper, and you have very little left. You also need to prepare formation flags.”
“You can agree to her. Earn some spirit stones.”
“That’s great! Sister Qing, I was just thinking about how to earn some spirit stones!”
Qing Ruanning produced a formation flag, and the patterns of a formation appeared beneath their feet.
“Then let’s go!”
The fabric of their dresses rustled at their feet as their two figures streaked through the churning sea of clouds, traveling beneath the patterns of the Sect Protecting Array.
As she flew, Qing Ruanning said, “New disciples are required to complete three missions every month, otherwise, they will be exiled to the outer sect.”
On the terrace, a bluestone building stood tall, with a plaque inscribed with the words “Mission Hall.”
Inside the hall, disciples who had come to take missions were discussing amongst themselves, with disciples of all sorts moving back and forth.
Qing Ruanning familiarly led Cai Xiaonuo to the wooden counter.
People around them cast admiring glances.
“Look, Senior Sister Qing is here to take a mission again!”
“Wow, Senior Sister Qing is not only beautiful but also powerful. I’m so jealous!”
The deacon disciple glanced at the brown token at Cai Xiaonuo’s waist and said indifferently, “Disciples can only accept Grade D missions.”
With a flick of his finger, ten jade slips floated in mid-air.
“Collect ten stalks of Moonlight Grass, slay three level-two Rock Wolves, clear a deserted cave occupied by demon beastsโฆ”
Considering that Cai Xiaonuo was only at Level 4 of the Spirit Realm, Qing Ruanning said, “Choose the Moonlight Grass. The spiritual energy in that valley is decent, so we can practice our breathing along the way.”
In the sea of consciousness, Li Ze looked at the jade plaque in front of him and sensed something was wrong.
Why would demon beasts occupy a deserted cave?
Perhaps there was a large amount of spirit stones releasing spiritual energy there.
There was a chance they could make a fortune.
Just as Cai Xiaonuo was about to agree, Li Ze suddenly spoke, “Take the cave-clearing mission as well.”
Cai Xiaonuo replied, “Sister Qing, can we take both the Moonlight Grass and the cave-clearing mission?”
Qing Ruanning thought about it.
These were just Grade D missions.
With her, a Level 8 Spirit Realm cultivator, present, what could possibly go wrong?
“Sure!”
The deacon disciple said, “The mission location is at the bottom of the Ten-Mile Cliff on the back mountain. Complete it within three days. Reward: three hundred low-grade spirit stones.”
They left the Mission Hall.
On the way, Qing Ruanning asked, “Xiaonuo, do you know why that cave was abandoned? Last month, after a Level 5 Spirit Realm disciple entered, only half a blood-stained sleeve was blown out by the windโฆ”
Cai Xiaonuo tilted her face up, her apricot eyes curving like crescent moons.
“With Sister Qing here, I’m not afraid of anything.”
In reality, Cai Xiaonuo was quite scared in her heart.
“Senior, there shouldn’t be any problems, right?”
Deep in the sea of clouds, the cliff looked as if it had been carved by a knife and split by an axe.
The two hung at the edge of the cliff as Qing Ruanning sacrificed a flying formation.
The glowing patterns of the formation carried the two of them as they slowly descended.
At the bottom of the cliff, a gloomy wind wailed.
A cave with a half-closed stone door was hidden behind vines.
Mottled runes were carved into the door pillars, their spiritual energy long since depleted.
Li Ze said coldly in the sea of consciousness, “How could the spiritual energy here be so thin?”
Qing Ruanning pulled out the short sword at her waist, the tip of the blade trembling slightly.
“Stay close to me!”
The interior of the cave was quite large and pitch black, with only a few rays of sky-light filtering down from cracks in the ceiling.
Qing Ruanning ignited a fire talisman with her fingertips, illuminating a floor covered in a mess.
Broken green swords, scattered jade slips, dried bloodstainsโฆ
Suddenly, a gust of gloomy wind swept past, and the fire talisman was instantly extinguished.
Qing Ruanning immediately became alert, holding her green sword ready to strike at any moment.
Cai Xiaonuo stayed cautiously behind Qing Ruanning.
“Sister Qing, I’m a little scared!”
“It’s okay, I’m here!”
“This is a Grade D, the lowest level mission. The danger isn’t great.”
Before Qing Ruanning could finish her sentence, a black shadow suddenly attacked like spilled inkโฆ