Back in her room, Zhao Chun felt a headache coming on. Just now, with a single sentence from Cao Wenguan, she felt the atmosphere in the hall change, and several gazes swept over to her. It must be that cultivating the secret technique brought about some changes to her body, which was how he was able to see it.
Zhao Chun was displeased in her heart, but if she could do it all over again and was asked whether she would still cultivate so arduously, the answer would be a definite yes. To cut off one's own opportunities just because of others' jealousy would be the most foolish thing to do.
To be honest, Zhao Chun was not one for overthinking things. She just lived with a clear mind and was not skilled at playing mind games with people. Power, status, and other such external things all stemmed from one's own strength.
She had always upheld one principle: any obstacle would be easily resolved in the face of absolute power. Since things had come to this, the only way was to quickly improve herself, to make others weigh the consequences before they dared to act against her. But the more she thought this way, the more impatient her cultivation became.
Her heart was vexed, and her aura was also unstable. Zhao Chun had no choice but to stop her Tuna Breathing. She opened the ornate window and saw that it was only the middle of the night.
It was the time when late spring was turning into early summer. The courtyard was brimming with life. She leaned on the windowsill, observing the courtyard she had lived in for a month but which still felt mostly unfamiliar.
The person next door was already asleep. The only source of light in the courtyard was the bright moon. Compared to the sun, the moonlight was gentle and serene, like a veil of gauze draping down.
The sun and moon existed within the cosmos. Zhao Chun did not know if the universe of this world was the same as the one from her world. If it was, were she and her family, separated by an extremely vast distance, gazing at the same moon, feeling the same gentle moonlight?
A flower she could not name was in full bloom in the courtyard. Its crimson blossoms were like a wildfire spreading across a prairie, covering almost the entire courtyard, not sparing a single corner. Alright, she did miss one spot, Zhao Chun laughed to herself.
Even the walls of the side rooms and the hanging eaves pillars above the doors could not escape the invasion of the flowering vines. That dry well, however, stood out awkwardly in the courtyard, with not a single trace of plant growth around it. It was not strange that Zhao Chun had not realized it was a dry well.
What dry well would be so clean, as if someone diligently tended to it, with not even a weed growing? She draped on an outer robe, tiptoed out the door, and leaned over the well's opening. The rim of the well was cold and rough.
Not even moss could be seen in its crevices. She felt increasingly strange in her heart. Peering down, she could only see endless blackness.
In her previous life, dry wells were inevitably associated with ghosts and monsters. Zhao Chun was one to believe it could be true rather than dismiss it as impossible.
Though not to the point of being scared, staring into such a dark and gloomy place, coupled with the constant draft blowing out from the well, made Zhao Chun feel a bit chilly. Just as she was about to return to her room, something seemed to flash inside the well.
It was only for a brief instant, but she still noticed it. Zhao Chun narrowed her eyes slightly, ensuring her concentration was focused. That thing flashed again, at the very edge of the well.
Zhao Chun could not describe what kind of light it was, but it gave off a scorching hot feeling. It grew brighter and brighter. At first, it was just a halo the size of a grain of rice, but eventually, it became like a flame, almost illuminating the entire bottom of the well.
She could now see the thing clearly. It was an oval-shaped pearl, with a strange color, like the most limpid and gorgeous red, and also like resplendent, dazzling gold. It reminded her of the golden-red expanse that had appeared in her mind on the day of the selection; it too had such a peculiar color.
A sense of longing suddenly rose in Zhao Chun's heart, like parched land meeting a welcome rain. In for a penny, in for a pound. She took down the hemp rope from the well, gave it a tug with both hands, and felt it was sturdy enough.
She tied a slipknot around her waist, tied the other end to a thick tree not far from the well, and then climbed over and into the well. The well was not dug very deep, and the walls had no moss. Zhao Chun slowly descended without any mishap.
She had a gut feeling that the bead was the reason the well was dry and no plants grew around it. Upon reaching the bottom, she did not dare to touch it directly. She first took off her outer robe and wrapped it around her hand, then gently picked it up.
After seeing no reaction, she dared to touch it with her other, unwrapped hand. The bead was as warm as a living creature, yet extremely hard. Held in her palm, it felt like a gemstone.
Zhao Chun felt that no gemstone in this world could compare to it, so limpid and gorgeous, so dazzlingly brilliant. It began to flicker in Zhao Chun's hand again. After this flicker, however, the light gradually weakened until it was extinguished, and the bead became dim and transparent.
She felt that the power within it had not disappeared, but had merely gone dormant. Zhao Chun tucked it into her clothes and climbed back up the well. Although she did not know what use the bead had, keeping it with her was better than simply tossing it away.
After going back and forth, Zhao Chun estimated it was almost the fourth watch. She returned to her room, climbed into bed, thinking that she should rest for as long as she could. The next day, everyone was led outside the hall early in the morning.
When Cao Wenguan saw that everyone had gathered, he took out a piece of talisman paper and tossed it into the air. A plume of white smoke seeped out of the talisman paper, continuously expanding and drifting, eventually forming a Smoke Boat. He boarded first, followed by Wang Fang.
Seeing that the Smoke Boat appeared ethereal yet could carry weight, the others boarded one by one. With a wave of Cao Wenguan's hand, the Smoke Boat gracefully flew up and sped away, vanishing toward the horizon in the blink of an eye. Let alone the others, even Zhao Chun found it magical.
In her past life, she had flown through the clouds in an airplane, but that was a steel behemoth driven by an energy source. This Smoke Boat, she did not know the principle behind it.
It traveled extremely fast, with clouds zipping past them, yet the people on the boat felt as if they were on solid ground, not feeling the slightest bump. Wang Fang enlightened everyone, "This is a Boat-travelling Talisman made by a Talisman Cultivator. In the Drifting Clouds World, it is often used for short-distance travel.
As for long journeys, it is not quite sufficient." A Talisman Cultivator was someone who created talismans. Zhao Chun mused that the Cultivation World and the small worlds actually had similarities.
This kind of division of labor system was one example. No matter what kind of world, it was composed of people. Mortals were people, and cultivators were also people.
People had different areas of expertise and capabilities, which naturally formed various classes and divisions of labor, giving rise to similar societies. The destination was a place covered by heavy clouds. A deep rift opened up in the sky, from which a fierce wind poured out, rumbling loudly.
When Cao Wenguan arrived, several similar Smoke Boats were already parked unsteadily beneath the rift. The ones in the lead were all people wearing Daoist robes similar to his. Those few people cupped their hands at him in greeting, and Cao Wenguan returned the gesture.
"Brother Cheng, is everyone here?"
Answering him was a short, stout Daoist named Cheng Tan: "Not yet. Sister Yuan and Brother Bao have not arrived."
"Only the two of them are left? Then I suppose I am late as well."
"Haha!"
Cheng Tan laughed heartily.
"Not at all, not at all! We only arrived less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before you! To be the first, some people must have rushed their charges up to travel who knows how early."
These words were quite grating. The faces of several people darkened instantly. One retorted, "You think everyone is like you, only knowing how to sleep foolishly?"
Cheng Tan was completely unconcerned and continued to chat with Cao Wenguan. Seeing this, the Daoist who had spoken became furious. Just as he was about to lose his temper, Cheng Tan said joyfully, "Sister Yuan and Brother Bao have arrived!"
Everyone looked over and saw two Smoke Boats approaching side by side. On the left was a beautiful woman with willow-leaf brows and apricot eyes, her features lovely and charming. On the right was a tall man, with an upright posture and a dignified appearance.
The two politely exchanged greetings. To prevent Cheng Tan from causing more trouble, Cao Wenguan said, "Since everyone is here, we should not delay. Let us contact the Guiding Elder immediately."
Everyone nodded without objection. Cao Wenguan then took out another piece of talisman paper, letting it transform into a stream of light that shot into the rift.
"I wonder which elder will come to guide us. It would be great if it were Elder Qi. We would also like to witness a magical art like Universe Within the Sleeve," the beautiful woman said with a smile to Cao Wenguan.
"My Master has been preoccupied with the cultivation of his disciples in recent years and probably does not have the energy to focus on other matters. This time, it should be Elder Lin who comes."
The beautiful woman nodded and said, "Elder Lin also has a hand in the art of summoning wind. This little sister can also take a look." The four of them then chatted and laughed again.
Zhao Chun and the others were not like the leading Deacons, who could converse in the fierce wind. The Smoke Boat swayed, and they had to hold onto the edge of the boat to keep from falling. Even Wang Fang was holding onto the white smoke, his feet slightly unsteady.
After about half a quarter-hour, the fierce wind suddenly intensified. Zhao Chun almost had to crouch down to maintain her balance. At this moment, she noticed a giant hand appearing from the rift above.
The hand was slender and fair, translucent like jade. It reached down from the rift, and before Zhao Chun could get a clearer look, it swiftly clenched, grabbing the Smoke Boats and the people on them!
It is unknown how much time passed before the darkness was completely dispelled, and the several Smoke Boats saw the light of day again in a mountain forest. This event was a huge shock to everyone present! Those Deacons did not dare to speak either.
After the giant hand dissipated, a tall young woman appeared. She had thick eyebrows and large eyes, and was not particularly beautiful. The unique pride emanating from the young woman set her apart from everyone else present.
She was like a mountain, not a flower or grass. She was the kind of person Zhao Chun most wanted to become.
"I was not aware of Elder Qiu's personal arrival. This one, Outer Sect Deacon Cao Wenguan, pays my respects to the Elder!"
The few other Deacons, who were still in a daze, also hurriedly bowed. Seeing this, the probationary disciples buried their heads even lower, not daring to look directly. Elder Qiu's expression was cold as she said, "Recently, miscreants from other sects have been repeatedly trespassing.
Fearing that Foundation Establishment cultivators might not be their match, the Sect Master had this one come to guide those from the various small worlds. This is already the Sect outer perimeter. You all may enter on your own.
This one still has other small worlds to guide, so I will be on my way." The deacons dared not say no, so they all respectfully saw Elder Qiu off. After she left, the beautiful woman exclaimed in shock, "It was actually Elder Qiu!"
The look of shock had not yet faded from Cheng Tan's face. He said, "A Core Formation Stage Great Cultivator, truly too powerful! Her entire body is filled with divine power, incomparable to others."
Zhao Chun did not know what the Core Formation Stage was, but she roughly understood that it must be a realm reached later in cultivation. That one giant hand was truly astonishing, already beyond the limits of human imagination. Only now did Zhao Chun feel what a true Great Cultivator was.
The talismans and silver fish were all performed by borrowing external objects, but this Elder Qiu's power came purely from herself. Since she had decided to walk the path of cultivation to the very end, she had to become like that, possessing the ability to roam freely between heaven and earth. Others did not know what Zhao Chun was thinking.
The rest of the people on the Smoke Boat from the State of Chu, including Wang Fang, had never seen such a scene before. They were all soaked in a cold sweat, stuttering and unable to speak.
"Too incredible! I want to become a person like that too!"
Xie Baoguang praised. Wang Fang looked at his yearning expression and sighed, "Above Qi Refining is Foundation Establishment. Only after breaking through Foundation Establishment does one reach Core Formation.
Many people are trapped in the Qi Refining Stage for their entire lives. Let alone Core Formation, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator can suppress a region and establish a sect. You all should not be too impatient.
For now, focus on guiding Qi into your bodies." He did not expect these words to dissuade the others. Even he himself, after witnessing the somewhat cruel situation of the Outer Sect, found it difficult to suppress his yearning for a figure like Elder Qiu, let alone a group of children who were not very old.
Only when they truly entered the Sect would they understand that not everyone could have a promising future.
(End of Chapter)