Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Heading to the Tu Family Manor

Cultivation had no sense of time. Even someone as low-level as Zhao Chun sometimes felt the months slip away like smoke.

In one retreat, eight months and more than 240 days passed in a blink.

Just as she’d expected, she crossed the threshold between early and mid-stage Qi Refining.

The 52 single acupoints and 300 paired acupoints posed little difficulty. Only the 50 extraordinary meridian points slowed her down.

When all her meridians and acupoints opened, a complete circulation formed. She expelled the last breath of mortal turbidity and advanced to the fourth level of Qi Refining.

At the same time, the Tiger Strength Art and Serpent-Form Step officially entered the beginner stage. Her strength and speed leapt forward. The Single-Line Flying Knife reached minor mastery as well, though the change wasn’t obvious yet. The Swift-Stride Sword Method, however, sharpened markedly after minor mastery, blending footwork and swordplay into something far more seamless. Zhao Chun couldn’t help feeling delighted by the progress.

In the Heng Yun world, she had been here for a year and a half.

She’d once thought she would waste away in the Outer Sect for years. Instead, chance after chance had carried her into the Inner Sect.

She accepted the menial servants’ congratulations, settled her emotions, and reminded herself that the road ahead was long. She couldn’t let joy or anger disturb her heart.

As an Inner Sect disciple, she could skip the formal registry process at the disciples’ quarters—but she still needed to go once to receive her minor exam task.

Before that, she had another urgent matter. After breaking into mid-stage Qi Refining, she needed the second volume of the Scripture of True Sensory Insight to continue training. She went to the Myriad Vault Tower, verified her cultivation, and obtained the text.

Only then did she make her way to the disciples’ quarters.

At the counter, she received a wooden tag. A gray-clad menial handed her a map as well. “The Tu Family Manor is north of Song Mountain. It’s several thousand li away, and the journey is long. I can register a three-month window for your task. How does that sound?”

Zhao Chun nodded. “Are minor exam tasks always this far?”

The menial smiled without shame. “Not usually. The sect issues tasks every two months for disciples to choose from, but you arrived late. The closer ones have already been taken.”

“If you’re not satisfied, there will be new tasks next month.”

“No need.” Zhao Chun shook her head. She’d asked out of curiosity, but in truth, she wanted to go farther. She wanted to see the land and broaden her experience.

Her belongings were already packed. She returned to the Daylily Garden, left a few instructions, and departed the sect without delay.

The Ling Zhen Sect lay within the Southern Domain of the Heng Yun world, where three mountains enclosed the Secluded Valley.

Leaving the Secluded Valley brought her into a gorge between two mountains—still within the sect’s jurisdiction, and thus also called the Ling Zhen Sect Valley.

From above, Zhao Chun could see dense lines of houses spread throughout, likely the residences of cultivator families.

Ji City lay on the first stretch of plains beyond the valley. By the time she reached it, she had been away from the sect for three days, and one Mist Skiff talisman had already been used.

She didn’t truly enter Song Mountain territory until half a month later.

Zhao Chun couldn’t help wondering: this place was so far from the sect. Why would a family here still remain under its authority? Would it not be wiser to attach themselves to a nearer sect?

Only after asking locals did she learn the answer. Song Mountain had once been the Ling Zhen Sect’s original site—the place where Patriarch Wei Ye founded the sect.

Later, the third-generation Sect Master moved the sect to the Secluded Valley. Some cultivation families refused to relocate and stayed behind.

When the Ling Zhen Sect left, it stripped the area clean—spirit veins, spirit soil, minerals, medicinal plants—anything worth carrying was taken. Only mountain springs they couldn’t move, and small spirit veins they deemed beneath notice, were left for the remaining families to survive on.

With time, families swallowed each other and merged, carving the region into territories.

The Tu Family Manor was the area controlled by the Tu Family, located at a river bend north of Song Mountain.

From what Zhao Chun had gathered, Family Head Tu Cun Chan was only a fourth-level Qi Refining cultivator, already old, with no hope of reaching late stage. None of his children could succeed him. Most were mortals. Only a great-grandson, Tu Cong Wen, remained on the immortal path—three spiritual roots, 16 years old, lingering at the second level of Qi Refining.

Without the Ling Zhen Sect’s protection, even cultivation families with long histories could wither into decline.

Zhao Chun sighed and continued toward the river bend.

Though the Tu Family’s cultivation strength was dim, their city governance was surprisingly solid.

Zhao Chun put away her Mist Skiff and entered the city.

It wasn’t like Ji City, where mortals and immortals mixed freely and rogue cultivators wandered everywhere. Here, she didn’t see a single cultivator. Everyone she passed was ordinary.

She presented her Ling Zhen Sect token at the gate. The servant there hurried to bring her inside.

In the main hall stood an elderly man with white hair and beard, welcoming her in person—Family Head Tu Cun Chan.

Around him gathered mostly middle-aged men and women. Only two youths stood among them, both striking in how they rose above the rest.

Before Zhao Chun could ask, Tu Cun Chan spoke first. “This is my great-grandson, Tu Cong Wen.”

Tu Cong Wen was the square-faced youth, his gaze clear and upright. When he noticed Zhao Chun looking his way, he froze for a heartbeat, then quickly bowed. “Greetings, Senior.”

The other youth had smiling eyes and an easy friendliness that felt almost practiced.

Tu Cun Chan’s expression tightened. His lips moved as if he weighed his words, then he said at last, “And this is my grandnephew, Tu Mian.”

Tu Mian bowed as well. “Greetings, Senior.”

His face was calm, even steadier than Tu Cong Wen’s. Zhao Chun looked closer and realized he was also at the second level of Qi Refining—and the qi around him felt even more abundant.

Tu Cun Chan lowered his voice. “That demon moth hides by day and comes out at night. I wounded it before; it hasn’t appeared for several days since. But the day after tomorrow is the full moon. It loves light. It will come.”

“You may settle in first, Fellow Daoist. We’ll go together the day after tomorrow.”

Zhao Chun had no reason to refuse. She stayed at the Tu Family.