Jade Pure Sect, Jade Serene Peak
Fairy Xi Xuan, cultivating in seclusion, was still recovering from the shock of her newest disciple becoming a formidable powerhouse. She felt a presence in front of her cave adobe, 'Hua Lian?'
Opening the cave adobe, she called, "Come in." Her eyes narrowed as she looked at her disciple, 'I can't see through his cultivation level?' Standing up, she secretly prepared a talisman.
Hua Lian walked slowly, with heavy steps and bowed, "Greetings, Grandmaster Xi Xuan." Her frown deepened, preparing to attack at any moment. Seeing her action, he quickly took out a token, "I've taken Deity Slaying Elder as my master."
Seeing the token, her hand slowly relaxed, "Is that so?" Suspicion still lingered, as her gaze landed on his eyes, 'Purple? Weren't they blue? Possession?'
Hua Lian bowed deeply. "Grandmaster Xi Xuan, I'm not possessed; this disciple just grabbed an opportunity." He took out a jade token with 'Xi Xuan' on it, placed it on the floor, kowtowed, and said, with gratitude, "Thank you, Master, for accepting me as your disciple."
As his head touched the cold stone floor, it reminded him of the twenty years Hua Lian had lived before being taken over by Noah. His parents were normal farmers in a small village of Great Yan.
When a passing disciple of the Jade Pure Sect discovered that Hua Lian had cultivation potential, he brought him back, and with a High-grade Water Spirit Root, he was accepted into the Jade Serene Peak.
He took Fairy Xi Xuan as his master, and just like today, he kowtowed and took the jade token. But this time, he was returning it. Fairy Xi Xuan looked at the token and, with understanding, said, "From now on, you aren't my disciple and don't call me Grandmaster. I didn't teach Deity Slaying anything."
She took one last reminiscing look, "I wish you luck on the path of Dao." Closing her eyes, "You can leave now."
But before he left, he sent out white light, which hummed through the air. Before she could react, it entered her mind, and she fell into the Dao Comprehension State. When she awoke, Hua Lian was already gone, 'Void-Drifting Steps… a movement Mystical Power.'
Looking at the jade token, she remembered the soft-spoken youth from back then. He was often the last to speak, avoided eye contact, and used as few words as possible, 'But now, you're different. Opportunities change people, I wonder who you are now.'
Jade Pure Sect, Mission Building
Many of the disciples walked in and out of the building, most were in small groups. The contribution list stood tall with a hundred names. As Hua Lian walked in, he blended in as he was ordinary-looking. The only difference was his unique lilac eyes. He recognized many names on the list, the Mo siblings, Zhou Fan, Chang Yue'er…
He arrived at the mission board, "Ingredient Gathering, Demon Core Wanted, Taming…" While looking at the missions, Hua Lian organized his goals, 'I should take one mission to travel outside the Jade Pure Sect, to collect alchemy ingredients. Dao Ancestor's inheritance says every Mortal World has them.'
'To make Mortal Dao Pills, I need to collect 3 different ingredients. All that should be found in the Mortal World.' He also searched for a mission to test his strength, as he didn't have the Simulation Trial like Han Jue.
(Fiendish Cultivator terrorises the mortal town, kill him, and bring back his core. Reward: 10,000 contribution points, 1 superior-grade spirit stone. Time: 3 years.)
Looking at this mission, Hua Lian was surprised, "That is perfect, it'll put me in the top 100." Picking up the poster, he made his way toward the Mission Acceptance Stall, quietly waiting for his turn.
When it was his turn and he turned in the mission poster, the elder in charge looked at him strangely, "You sure you want to do this alone?" He couldn't help but think, 'Although I can't see through his cultivation, he's no more than 8th or 9th level of Foundation Establishment.'
Hua Lian just nodded and handed his token. When the elder saw Deity Slaying, he almost dropped it in shock, 'When did Deity Slaying take in a disciple?!'
He went through the motion of approval, activated a special talisman, and gave back the token to Hua Lian, all while he was in a daze. When Hua Lian had already left, he woke up from his daze and stared at the spot where Hua Lian stood.
The elder shook his head, 'To be able to become a disciple of that figure, he must be impressive, but why does he seem familiar?' Stroking his beard, he racked his brain, but he sees hundreds of disciples daily, 'Well, it doesn't matter, it doesn't change who his master is.'
When Hua Lian got out, he took out his 36-Grade Violet Lotus, expanded its size, and stepped on it. 'It can be used as a flying device, but its speed is only slightly higher than a normal one.'
As he flew higher and higher, he saw the breathtaking scene of eighteen peaks touching the sky. 'The breathtaking scenes are one of the charms of cultivation…' He let out a breath, he didn't know he was holding.
Seeing the scene reminded him, 'This is a real world, not a novel. Grace, you'd kill for this view…' He got many different looks from disciples flying in and out, but he didn't care.
A memory of a young woman lingered in his mind, 'Grace, I wish we had ended up here together.' Sighing, he flew east, since the mortal town was a three-day flight away, 'I'll live here for both of us.'
Glancing one last time at the magnificence of eighteen peaks, he sped up, 'I'll come back, why am I so sentimental?'
Han Jue, who was paying attention secretly with his divine sense, sighed in relief, "This new disciple sure is impressive. I want a lotus like that…" Shaking his head, he returned to his seclusion.
Great Yan Dynasty, Jade Pure Sect Jurisdiction, White Crane City
On the outskirts of White Crane City, a man with wild hair sat in the dark cave, circulating his qi, and healing his injuries, "Damn that Heavenly Immortal Manor! What are they doing in Jade Pure Sect's territory?! If only-" He broke into violent coughing, gasping for air.
*Cough*
He spat out a mouthful of blood, trembling, he clenched the jade in his hand, 'If that Golden Core bi*ch calls for help…' He, with a trembling voice, called, "Senior?"
Jade shimmered with red light, and a woman's icy voice snapped, "What is it?"
When the man heard it, he fell on his knees despite his injuries. "Senior, Heavenly Immortal Manor made their move. When will you?"
After a slight pause, the woman's voice sounded again, angry, "Useless! You're on your own, Ming Huang." Jade dimmed, making the man even more uneasy.
He coughed up another mouthful of blood when a female voice came from outside the cave, "Talisman says he's here…" Ming Huang slapped himself, preventing him from making any noise, 'I put a barrier in a hurry; those in Heavenly Immortal Manor are all monsters.'
When he felt the woman leave, he sighed in relief. But then shriek of sword energy filled the air, the man quickly took out a talisman, "Crap!"
The sword energy hit the barrier, and a cheerful voice filled Ming Huang's ears, "There you are, you little cockroach."
He quickly got outside as the cave collapsed on itself. What welcomed him was a woman in her 20s, a single jade pin held her hair, and blue robes that represented a Heavenly Immortal Manor disciple.
The woman floated slowly, raising her sword, sending out another wave of sword energy. Ming Huang shouted, quickly throwing talisman after talisman in the air, "Qin Xinyao, don't go too far!"
The barriers shattered one after another like glass as sword energy neared, but before it hit, Ming Huang spat out a mouthful of blood and turned into a red streak. Qin Xinyao frowned and stomped her feet, "Not again!" She quickly followed the red streak, but her pace was slow compared to it.
At that moment, she saw a man on a lotus flying toward her, narrowing her eyes, she was shocked, she couldn't see through his cultivation, a faint whisper escaped her mouth, "An expert!"
He was none other than Hua Lian, having flown three days straight. When he noticed Qin Xinyao, his palms became sweaty, as anxiety crept in, 'This is my first encounter with an outside cultivator.'
Before Hua Lian could say anything, Qin Xinyao quickly clasped her hands, "Greetings, Senior, I'm Qin Xinyao from Heavenly Immortal Manor, who might Senior be?"
Her deep bow loosened when she saw his robes, realizing his background, 'Ah, so it's just Jade Pure Sect, he must be an important elder there, as such a small sect is unimportant in our eyes.'
She unconsciously raised her head higher, 'Though they have a new rising star, Deity Slaying, he's no more than a Soul Formation powerhouse.' In her analysis, she forgot one crucial thing: she's no powerhouse, but just a disciple of Heavenly Immortal Manor.
Hua Lian saw her pride seeping through, quickly released his aura, 'Though I'm nervous, and this is Heavenly Immortal Manor, this is a dog-eat-dog world, the strong rule over the weak.'
Hua Lian, emitting the aura which was equivalent to the 4th level of Golden Core, said quietly, "You can call me Violet Lotus, I'm from Jade Pure Sect." As he said, his made-up title, his heartbeat was high, 'I can use fake titles, like how Han Jue uses fake names.'
Qin Xinyao searched her brain, but found no one with such a title or name, "Then, Fallow Daoist Violet Lotus, why are you here?" Her eyes narrowed, despite the pressure, she wasn't afraid, 'I have Heavenly Immortal Manor behind me, why should I be afraid?'
Hua Lian shook his head, "I'm on a mission from my sect, a certain Fiendish Cultivator is to be captured." He looked at her curiously as her hand, which was slowly approaching her sword, relaxed.
He raised his hands in the air, "Fellow Daoist Qin, no need to worry, I came only for the Fiendish Cultivator, not to offend Heavenly Immortal Manor. Besides…" He looked at White Crane City, "This is still Jade Pure Sect's territory, is it not?"
Qin Xinya's shoulders dropped in a flicker of embarrassment, 'He sure didn't give me face, but he's right. I'm an outsider.' She sighed and pointed in the direction Ming Huang left, "He left in that direction, he's a crafty little cockroach. Despite being severely injured, he escaped my pursuit."
Hua Lian nodded in thanks for the information, seeing this, she clasped her hands, "Then, Fellow Daoist, farewell." With that, she flew in the direction of Heavenly Immortal Manor, 'I'll remember your face.'
As he watched her leave, Hua Lian couldn't help but think, 'Only memorable people from that sect are Ji Xianshen and Tu Ling'er; this Qin Xinyao isn't mentioned.'
Resting his hand on his chin, he remembered, 'Then again, this is now the real world, not some novel…' A single sigh escaped his mouth, "Noah, no. Hua Lian, you're not in a novel; people here are living, breathing beings."
As he was looking at the sky, he noticed the stars began to appear, one after another, their shimmer, like a painting, 'Well, they are a painting now that I think about it.'
"Anyway, I should probably kill that Fiendish Cultivator." His hands slightly trembled, 'Kill? Am I capable of taking another's life?' Shaking away the nervousness, he flew on his lotus in the direction Qin Xinyao pointed.
Spreading his divine sense, he didn't need to look for Ming Huang, as he was just 2 km away. Sensing him, Hua Lian's hands trembled at the thought of killing someone. He heard certain musical notes as he hesitated, making him feel drowsy, when he quickly circulated his energy, resisting it.
On the other side, Ming Huang played the guqin like his life depended on it, 'I don't believe you're stronger than that bi*ch. This guqin can kill anyone below the Golden Core.' A malicious grin spread on his face as he hit every note faster and faster, sending ripples of qi.
Jade Pure Sect, Cultivate Diligently Become Immortal Mountain
At the same time, Han Jue got an email notification.
[Your disciple, Hua Lian, was attacked by a Fiendish Cultivator.]
Seeing this, Han Jue was worried, 'He won't bring me any trouble, right?' Sighing, he closed his eyes, 'I already accepted him, I'll just have to pray he won't do anything that'll attract trouble.'
Back with Hua Lian, he just floated on his lotus, looking at Ming Huang, who kept playing guqin. Looking at the black guqin, Hua Lian noticed its rank, 'A Sixth-grade Numinous Treasure!'
He was vigilant, 'A Soul Formation Treasure, what's it doing in the hands of a Golden Core cultivator?' Hesitation slowly dissipated as the thought of death appeared, 'I dreamt of being reincarnated or transmigrated, and now I'll chicken out?'
He drew a surge of Violet Qi from his dantian, he sent out an invisible palm strike, 'Primordial Sky-Splitting Palm.' Ming Huang, sensing something was amiss, sent out a red talisman, whose strength was equivalent to the peak of Golden Core.
Talisman turned into a blood ray, but as it was halfway through, it slowed down greatly. Making Ming Huang question, 'Who is he?!' What he saw next made him despair. A wall of Violet Qi erupted from 36th-grade Violet Lotus, surrounding Hua Lian and stopping the weakened blood ray.
Hua Lian frowned, 'This is the first time I used this Mystical Power, its power is good, but my mastery…' Shrugging, he sent out another.
However, this time, it was a tad bit faster. Before Ming Huang could do anything, a palm imprint was already on his chest, and he coughed up blood. Slowly, the blood dripped down his chest as his core fell out and rolled toward the guqin, "S- Senior…"
Red jade glowed a bit before Hua Lian quickly sent the Silent Lotus, destroying it. Seeing one last hope destroyed, Ming Huang's eyes dimmed as he let out one last breath.
In a distant cave, a woman with white hair, seeing one of the jades crack, frowned, "Who did this? Why can't I deduce it?" She hesitated, but didn't contact her superior, 'I can't contact Senior, that stupid worm's death was my miscalculation.'