Chapter 123

Chapter 123: During Seclusion

Wei Yun Ting, Zong Han, and Zong Jin all cupped their fists respectfully to Yun Xi and said with heartfelt gratitude, “Many thanks to Yun Xi, clan younger sister, for your care and protection. We’re deeply grateful.”

Yun Xi replied warmly with a smile, “We all belong to the Wei Clan. Naturally, we should support one another and move forward together.”

Zong Hao remained silent. He knew he didn’t yet possess Yun Xi’s strength and didn’t dare casually make any promises.

Yet, their mere presence wearing Inner Sect disciple robes as they walked around the outer peaks served as clear backing for their clan siblings. At least now, the Outer Sect disciples wouldn’t dare easily bully those from the Wei family.

The three understood Yun Xi and Zong Hao’s intentions well. So, when Yun Xi announced she and Zong Hao would soon begin their secluded cultivation, Wei Yun Ting smiled and personally escorted the two back from the Outer Sect’s mountain.

Their group of five was noticed by many Outer Sect disciples along the way, stirring envy and admiration alike. It was now known throughout the sect that another Wei Clan member had directly entered the Inner Sect. Many disciples silently decided it would be wise to befriend rather than offend Wei Clan members in the future.

Once all these small matters were settled, Yun Xi and Zong Hao hung their seclusion plaques and started consolidating their cultivation bases.

Sheng Yu Hong soon learned from Song Ke that Yun Xi had exchanged her identity token for that of an Inner Sect disciple. Intending to meet her and introduce her formally to his master, Sheng Yu Hong arrived at Yun Xi’s new residence—only to find she had gone to the Outer Sect.

Sheng Yu Hong left a message talisman at Yun Xi’s door, inviting her to meet. But when Yun Xi received it, alarms immediately went off in her mind. [I don’t want anything to do with the male lead.]

Based on her experience from reading the original novel, she knew clearly the male lead belonged to the heroine, while the second male lead belonged to the readers. As for herself—a female side character—she would typically end up as nothing but a stepping stone, serving to deepen the relationship between the main couple. [I must be bored out of my mind if I’m going to play matchmaker for the leads.]

Thus, she decisively ignored Sheng Yu Hong’s invitation. Instead, she placed the “seclusion” plaque prominently on her door and slipped into her courtyard. Just in case Sheng Yu Hong tried to barge in, she activated her newly obtained fourth-level formation disc. Inserting nine medium-grade spirit stones, she set up the defensive formation before settling down cross-legged for cultivation.

Yun Xi’s worry was well-founded. Not long after her seclusion began, Sheng Yu Hong indeed showed up. Upon seeing the plaque, his elegant brows knitted slightly. After some hesitation, he knocked at the barrier, but the formation shimmered slightly without any response from within.

A flicker of irritation crossed Sheng Yu Hong’s heart. He knocked twice more, but there was still no answer. Eventually, he could only leave in disappointment.

True Lord Yu Geng soon noticed that his chief disciple had been distracted recently. Upon questioning, he learned Sheng Yu Hong had intended to introduce a certain female disciple to him, but unfortunately, she was in secluded cultivation.

“It doesn’t matter,” True Lord Yu Geng comforted with a calm smile. “She’s merely in seclusion, not departed from the sect. If the affinity is there, you’ll meet eventually. There’s no need to rush.”

“Master is right,” Sheng Yu Hong acknowledged humbly, quickly adjusting his mindset and deciding not to dwell excessively on Wei Yun Xi’s matters.

Meanwhile, on the alchemy peak, Wei Yun Qing locked herself in her room upon returning and vented her anger by smashing every breakable item. Only afterward did she finally manage to calm down.

She believed events weren’t supposed to develop this way. Deep down, she had always believed Wei Yun Xi was destined to be her stepping stone, not someone who constantly outshone her. It wasn’t just because of the illusions she saw during the heart trial, but also because a faint voice deep within her insisted on this truth.

“Hmph! Don’t think you’re safe just because you’ve entered the Inner Sect. Without a powerful master, you’re still just a common disciple,” Wei Yun Qing muttered bitterly to herself.

Then she adjusted her expression, reopened the isolation formation, and walked out to nurture the Foundation Establishment Grass, which was on the verge of maturity.

Wei Yun Qing gently infused it with wood-element spirit energy until exhaustion, after which she sat cross-legged to recover. When she reopened her eyes, Ye Shao Tian stood before her.

“Senior Brother Ye, you’re here!” Wei Yun Qing greeted him warmly.

“Junior Sister Yun Qing,” Ye Shao Tian replied with a pleased smile, “It seems you’ve nurtured this Foundation Establishment Grass excellently.”

“Yes, it’s nearly matured,” she responded with a satisfied nod.

“Good! Our Foundation Establishment pills will soon be within reach.” Ye Shao Tian was delighted. He’d long awaited this pill to smoothly enter the Inner Sect alchemy peak. His path forward in cultivation would surely become smoother.

Wei Yun Qing shared the same thought. She absolutely couldn’t lose to Wei Yun Xi, or how else could she ever surpass her?

During Yun Xi’s seclusion, she diligently repeated her previous cultivation methods. She’d advanced quickly, and because her Dao Heart was firm, her cultivation base remained stable. Thus, she spent less time stabilizing it and more time strengthening her techniques, determined to match her strength to her cultivation level.

Of course, she wasn’t entirely isolated. Occasionally, when restless, she would leave seclusion to stroll briefly, checking any communication talismans pasted outside her formation and scanning her communication jade slips, ensuring she remained connected to the outside world.

Three months into Yun Xi’s seclusion, Qin Tong Shuang successfully broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage, becoming an Inner Sect disciple. Two months later, Long Dao Yu also advanced successfully, relocating into the Inner Peaks.

After a year and a half, Wei Yun Ting and the others had finally gathered enough spiritual plants for three batches of Foundation Establishment pills. True to her promise, Yun Xi came down from her secluded cultivation on the night she received their message and refined the pills for them. Nine pills emerged: three high-grade, three medium-grade, and three low-grade.

Handing the high- and medium-grade pills to Wei Yun Ting for him to distribute, Yun Xi returned leisurely to the Inner Peaks.

The five Wei clan disciples were delighted. The extra pill could be sold to the sect for spirit stones, funding their future cultivation. Quickly reaching an agreement, they divided the pills based on their contribution, selling the final one and splitting the proceeds evenly.

Naturally, Wei Yun Qing wasn’t included in these arrangements—she hadn’t contributed to collecting the plants. Besides, they heard she’d obtained a Foundation Establishment pill through Ye Shao Tian from the outer alchemy peak, eliminating the need to worry about her.

After two years, Wei Zong Hao emerged from his own seclusion, passed the alchemy peak assessment, and became a pill-refining apprentice under Elder Lu Dan Yang, spending each day busy and fulfilled.

In Yun Xi’s third year of seclusion, Sheng Yu Hong visited the Inner Peaks again, still failing to meet Wei Yun Xi. He left another communication talisman behind, drawing attention from many Inner Sect disciples who secretly noted Yun Xi’s rising significance.

When Long Dao Yu heard about this, his mood turned complicated. To think the Senior Brother he admired was paying special attention to Wei Yun Xi made him wonder about her hidden qualities.

Wei Yun Qing was similarly displeased. She’d used her Foundation Establishment pill and became an Inner Sect disciple by Yun Xi’s third year of seclusion. Upon learning Sheng Yu Hong was searching for Yun Xi, she secretly bribed disciples to monitor Yun Xi’s residence, creating deliberate “chance encounters” with Sheng Yu Hong.

Without Yun Xi’s knowledge, Wei Yun Qing thus began building a relationship with Sheng Yu Hong.