Chapter 23

The forbidden area could be said to be the place with the densest spiritual energy aside from the main peak, so it not only serves as a punishment for those who have made mistakes among the direct disciples but also aids in cultivation.

The four people trapped in the forbidden area again felt frustrated and wanted to scratch the walls.

Xue Yu and Ming Xuan are relatively okay. Both of them have calm personalities. Symbol cultivators and pill cultivators are rare in the cultivation world. Naturally, they have to work doubly hard to live up to the sect’s expectations. However, Ye Qiao and Mu Chongxi, both sword cultivators, are finding it hard to endure the loneliness.

She sat cross-legged on the ground. “The elders shouldn’t be watching us every day, right?”

“Can we sneak out?”

Ming Xuan was caught by Ye Qiao pulling his sleeve. He glanced at her. “We can.”

“But if we want to hide from the elders, we need to use teleportation symbols.”

Ye Qiao’s eyes lit up. “Does Senior Brother have teleportation symbols?”

Ming Xuan raised his chin. “Of course.”

“My Ming family is one of the top symbol cultivation families in the cultivation world.”

Ye Qiao exclaimed admiringly, “Second Senior Brother is amazing!”

Seeing Ye Qiao’s admiring gaze, Ming Xuan cleared his throat with satisfaction. Without hesitation, he took out his only two teleportation symbols and handed them to her. “I only have these two. Use them as needed.”

Ye Qiao’s eyes brightened. She immediately took them and praised gleefully, “I knew Second Senior Brother was the best.”

Ming Xuan smirked proudly.

Of course!

But…

He had a nagging feeling that his litte sister’s words sounded familiar.

Beside them, Xue Yu, who had been meditating, opened his eyes. He probably knew that these two juniors were the type who feared nothing more than peace, making it harder for them to stay quiet than to destroy the cultivation world.

He sighed and couldn’t help but remind them from the side, “If you two go out, don’t stir up trouble. If things aren’t right, tear up the symbols and run.”

“If you encounter any opportunities, seize them. Don’t be greedy if you can’t win. There will be plenty of great opportunities to explore during the major competition later. With all five of us together, the safety factor will be higher. If you need anything, we can help you get it.”

Xue Yu rambled on with his instructions, and Ye Qiao nodded eagerly, like a chick pecking at rice, smiling brightly. “Don’t worry, Third Senior Brother, we are honest people. We definitely won’t cause trouble this time we go down the mountain.”

“Oh, right.” Ye Qiao lowered her head and took out the Spirit Refining Pills from her mustard seed bag, leftovers from her previous refining. “This pill can help you absorb spiritual energy faster.”

Since the two senior brothers intended to cultivate, she would definitely help if she could.

Spirit Refining Pills could help purify impure spiritual energy in the body quickly, greatly enhancing absorption during cultivation.

As soon as Ming Xuan smelled the familiar aroma of the pills, his face turned green on the spot.

After several months, he still couldn’t forget the taste of this pill.

Ye Qiao didn’t know about the resistance of the two senior brothers to the taste of her pills. She hurriedly put down the Spirit Refining Pills and exchanged glances with Mu Chongxi. Without hesitation, she tore up the teleportation symbols and left the forbidden area.

After the torment Ye Qiao had inflicted on him last time, Xue Yu was mentally prepared this time. He shook the bottle, carefully smelled it, and was surprised to find that what his litte sister had said seemed true. “Does my litte sister really know how to refine pills?”

When Ye Qiao had given it to him to eat, Xue Yu had thought she was just playing around, and the taste was too strong. He took a bite and spit it out, not knowing the spiritual energy inside was so pure.

Ming Xuan shuddered silently at Xue Yu’s words. Xue Yu himself had a kind of obsession with pills. Ye Qiao was not particularly normal either, refining pills was like making biochemical weapons.

If these two were to come together to refine pills in the future, would he and Mu Chongxi still have a future?

“Um… maybe these pills were bought from the Bi Shui Sect.” Ming Xuan’s voice was dry, “I heard from my master that the Bi Shui Sect’s direct descendants recently went down the mountain, and the major secret realm will open in a few months. Maybe my litte sister and junior brother happened to meet them when they went down the mountain and bought a few pills back.”

Xue Yu blinked. “Is that so?”

Ming Xuan nodded frantically. “Yes, yes. Two cultivators practicing dual cultivation, you can count them on one hand in our cultivation world. Litte sister is still a child!”

Xue Yu thought about it and felt it made sense. He was a bit regretful. He had hoped to research pill refining with his litte sister in the future.

After all, being alone was really boring.

…

Ye Qiao entrusted many pills to a medicine shop in Yunzhong City called Four Seasons Hall. The shopkeeper was currently enthusiastically promoting pills to two female cultivators who looked very wealthy.

“Esteemed lady, don’t be fooled by its ugly appearance. Its inner beauty is what counts.”

The other woman widened her beautiful eyes, crossed her arms, and laughed, “Are you sure?”

This thing has inner beauty?

“Really, esteemed lady, there’s a saying that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, and the same goes for pills.” The shopkeeper earnestly spoke. During these days, there were so many pill cultivators working together that he didn’t even notice these strange-looking pills at first.

But who made the price cheaper than other pill cultivators?

Eating it turned out to be not much worse than the large sects.

“It’s not that I’m boasting. In fact, these pills are not much worse than those from the Bi Shui Sect.”

Originally not interested in these ugly things, the two people took a small step, “They’re not much worse than the Bi Shui Sect?”

The girl laughed immediately, “Do you know what you’re talking about?”

“Do you really think the pills from the Bi Shui Sect can be compared to those of some riff-raff?”

As soon as she spoke, she was sarcastic, and the woman next to her stopped her, disapprovingly whispering, “Miao Miao, be careful with your words.”

Named Miao Miao The girl pouted, dissatisfied, muttered, “Originally … so ugly.”

The woman frowned slightly, and poured out a yellow-brown pill, pinched it apart, “You see.”

“The spiritual energy inside is very dense.”

“The quality is also good, but why is the shape so strange?”

Which god could create such an ugly pill? And the price is so low, not afraid of the pill market price inversion?

As the sect with the most pill cultivators, this is something they absolutely don’t want to see.

Miao Miao carefully felt the pervasive spiritual energy in the air, and her voice became calmer. Her eyes narrowed, “Ah, what’s wrong with this person who’s refining the pills?”

One pellet of medicine for just ten mid-grade spirit stones.

Are they crazy?

“Perhaps because it’s too ugly in appearance, they can’t sell it for a higher price?” The woman pondered, knowing that the cost of refining medicine was actually quite low; the high cost was in labor.

“Or maybe they’re not after money at all, just looking to benefit wandering cultivators?” Softening her voice, Miaomiao said, “I heard from my master that the Grand Secret Realm is opening early this year. Many cultivators have gathered here recently.”

The woman nodded in agreement, “Indeed, such reclusive cultivators exist naturally. Perhaps we’ve encountered one.”

…

After tearing the teleportation talisman, they landed in the center of Cloud City. People were passing by, mostly wandering cultivators. Ye Qiao breathed a sigh of relief; she’d heard that teleportation was random and feared they might end up in a monster’s belly or someone’s grave, which would be terrifying.

Mu Chongxi noticed the mysterious sword hanging from Ye Qiao’s waist and couldn’t help but advise, “Junior Sister, you should go to the Sword Cave and choose a lifebound sword.”

“The Sword Cave is near the Sword Sect. During the Grand Competition, as long as you rank in the top ten among sword cultivators, you qualify to enter the Sword Cave of the Sword Sect.”

“They even have ancient spiritual swords there.”

Ye Qiao: Not interested.

“Forget it, my mysterious sword is fine.” She muttered quietly, thinking that if it broke, she could always get a new one. The key was not needing to be in the top ten overall rankings.

Mu Chongxi: … Whatever.

It was impossible to make Ye Qiao strive for anything voluntarily.

Where there are people, there is always gossip. Eating places are always the best source of information. So the two of them decided decisively to eat first.

The upstairs private rooms were full, with only a few empty tables downstairs. Ye Qiao ordered two bowls of noodles and reminded Mu Chongxi with a kick, “You’ll pay later.”

Mu Chongxi agreed readily, “No problem.”

While they waited, a group of people entered noisily. Ye Qiao noticed their unified attire and swords hanging at their waists—they seemed to be disciples of some sect.

The man in the lead had a long face, like a horse’s. He scanned the surroundings and suddenly exclaimed, “Well, isn’t this from Changming Sect?”

Ye Qiao was stunned for a moment, almost thinking he was referring to her and Mu Chongxi.

It turned out to be two people from another table who stood up.

They weren’t dressed like disciples, and if it weren’t for this horse-faced man speaking up, Ye Qiao wouldn’t have known they were also from Changming Sect.

Mu Chongxi rubbed his chin, “If I’m not mistaken, they should be from the Inner Sect of Sword Sect.”

“Sword Sect?”

Ye Qiao blinked, “Isn’t the Sword Sect rumored to have a chance to become the number one sect this year?”

Mu Chongxi nodded, and the attention of everyone around shifted to the group not far away.

It seemed like there was some grievance between the horse-faced man, Song Jian, and the two Changming Sect disciples, and the atmosphere became tense.

The Changming Sect disciple raised his voice, “Song Jian, don’t go too far.”

“This is Cloud City, no drawing swords allowed.”

Song Jian, the horse-faced man, smiled, “What’s the rush? I haven’t done anything yet.”

“Didn’t I tell you before? Your Changming Sect people are trash to me.”

“In the future, when you see us, steer clear. Understand?” He lightly patted the other’s face, very insulting.

Seeing the Changming Sect disciple’s eyes turn red, Song Jian smirked even more arrogantly, “What? Did I say something wrong?”

Mu Chongxi clenched his teeth, resisting the urge to act. He took a deep breath; Cloud City had rules against fighting. Drawing swords was strictly prohibited. All he could do was desperately calm down.

Ye Qiao picked up her bowl of clear noodle soup as if nothing was happening, took a few sips, and then lifted the bowl, asking casually, “Fourth Senior Brother, are you full?”

Actually, the clear noodle soup wasn’t that delicious. Mu Chongxi nodded, not understanding why she was asking this, “What’s wrong, Junior Sister?”

Before he could finish his sentence, Ye Qiao walked straight up to Song Jian.

“Are you Song Jian?” She smiled faintly.

Song Jian was suddenly interrupted, turned his head fiercely, and asked harshly, “What?”

She flipped the bowl and slapped it onto his face, “You unfilial son, how dare you speak to your father like that?”

The entire action was swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation. She turned her head and shouted to Mu Chongxi, “Run!”

The two of them had enough experience with the disciples of Changming Sect, so they ran like hares, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Leaving Song Jian standing in disarray, with broth dripping from his chin and a few strands of unfinished noodles hanging from his head, he looked both ridiculous and pitiful.

Ye Qiao stepped on the wind and left without looking back.

She wasn’t worried about being caught up; the highest cultivation among them was Foundation Building, and Mu Chongxi alone could handle it.

Moreover, Cloud City didn’t allow fights.

Remembering the bewildered state of the other party, Ye Qiao smiled happily, her mood much better now, “I’ve wanted to do that since he walked in.”

“Litte sister.” Mu Chongxi caught up, riding the sword of day and night, and raised his thumb to her, taking a deep breath, “You really are, a little cow gives birth——”

He slowly uttered four words, “Impressive and bold.”

Mu Chongxi had long found the people from the Wenjian Sect displeasing. He had always remembered the elders’ teachings, always swallowing his pride and avoiding trouble. Ye Qiao’s swift and decisive action thoroughly delighted him.