Whenever a senior from the inner peaks ascends, their Cloud Residence is dismantled, and the mountain is restored to its original state.
This is done, first, to make room for newcomers so they can arrange their residence according to their own wishes.
Second, the construction of a Cloud Residence requires the use of various skills, such as arrays.
Rebuilding prevents the peak's architecture and environment from stagnating and provides newcomers with opportunities to practice their abilities.
After taking an interest in Gu Ningyun on the Path to Immortality and marking her, Yi Chu began surveying the locations where the Spirit-Attuning Peak's spirit vein passed through.
He specifically chose this area, which offered an unobstructed view of the sea of clouds, and carved out a section of the cliffside to create this space.
After the New Disciple Competition ended and he learned of Gu Ningyun's preferences, he drew up targeted blueprints for the Cloud Residence and began its construction in earnest.
He assigned tasks to disciples to build the structures according to the plans and personally drew the array patterns for them.
The waterfall on the cliff was mountain water he summoned through magic, and every flower, blade of grass, and tree was purchased and transplanted from Thousand-Herb Peak.
The only thing beyond his capabilities was the earth-rank mid-grade protective barrier on the outermost layer of the residence.
For that, he sent a message to Yi An's master—the Mahayana stage Supreme Elder of the peak—requesting his assistance.
Most of these Supreme Elders were difficult to track down; after finishing the array, he vanished again to parts unknown.
Watching Gu Ningyun happily inspect everything, a hint of a smile flashed in Yi Chu's eyes. “Have you thought of a name for your Cloud Residence?”
Gu Ningyun walked to the courtyard gate and thought for a moment. “How about Pine Wind and Water Moon?”
Yi Chu pointed toward the plaque, and the four characters for Pine Wind and Water Moon appeared vividly upon it.
The brushwork was powerful and full of character, with the Daoist intent unique to high-level cultivators lingering between the strokes.
With the name settled, Yi Chu grasped her wrist to check her condition before heading to the Sword-Training Platform. “Use every means at your disposal to attack me, excluding auxiliary resources like talismans.”
He intended to test her current strength.
The protective barrier of the Sword-Training Platform activated automatically, absorbing the aftershocks of all attacks.
Gu Ningyun held nothing back, alternating between sword qi, spells, and her zither as she launched her assault at Yi Chu.
Yi Chu formed a hand seal, and invisible currents of air swept toward Gu Ningyun.
She was caught in the currents and struggled to stabilize herself.
Her attacks struck the air currents as if hitting thick cotton or an exceptionally resilient barrier.
She was not discouraged, putting her full strength into every strike.
“Compared to most cultivators, your current strength is more than enough to defeat those at the same level.
“However, looking at you individually, your current situation is that you have the cultivation of the peak of Qi Refining level twelve, but you are far from exerting the strength you should possess at that level.”
After fifteen minutes, Yi Chu raised his hand for her to stop. “You should spend some time at Fighting Peak. It won't be too late to establish your foundation once you have fully mastered the strength your current cultivation level provides.”
“I understand, Master.”
“Remember to inform me before you begin your Foundation Establishment.”
After Yi Chu left, Gu Ningyun pushed open the doors of the pavilion to find a reception hall.
There was a door on either side of the hall, each leading to a corridor with three rooms.
Behind the doors of the left corridor were an alchemy room, an artifact-refining room, and a kitchen.
Behind the doors of the right corridor were a talisman room, an array room, and a bathroom.
At the end of the corridors, behind the reception hall, was a staircase leading to the second and third floors.
The second floor consisted of four large rooms: a master bedroom and a walk-in closet on the left...
...and a study and a cultivation chamber on the right, separated by a three-meter-wide corridor. With windows at both ends of the corridor, the space was not dark at all.
The third floor had six empty rooms that the owner could decorate as they pleased.
Each room was equipped with appropriate arrays, devices, and furniture according to its function.
For example, there was earth fire in the alchemy and artifact rooms, a pool in the bathroom, cooking utensils in the kitchen, and bedsheets and quilts in the bedroom.
All the furniture and supplies were brand new, and even the array patterns on the walls appeared freshly engraved.
The Daoist intent in every stroke was no different from that of the four characters on the plaque.
Gu Ningyun left the pavilion and sat on the swing, watching the sunset hanging at the edge of her vision, dyeing the sea of clouds a brilliant orange-red.
This Cloud Residence... her Master must have built it for her personally.
She touched her chest and gripped one side of the swing's chain, the corners of her mouth curling up uncontrollably.
Spirit-Attuning Peak's Pine Wind and Water Moon—this would be her home from now on.
...
After she had spent about ten days at Fighting Peak, disciples began emerging from the Phantom Cloud Mirror on Governing Peak after passing their assessments.
Wen Xuan passed the assessment the day after Gu Ningyun. A few days after Wen Xuan, Ling Hanbai was also teleported out of the Phantom Cloud Mirror.
The rankings for the New Disciple Training Department were constantly being updated, and the top positions were now clear.
Gu Ningyun tapped on it to take a look—
Class 11,680 Inner Disciple Promotion Competition Leaderboard
1st: Gu Ningyun, passed assessment in two days;
2nd: Wen Xuan, passed assessment in three days;
3rd: Ling Hanbai, passed assessment in six days;
4th: Zhu Zijin, passed assessment in eight days;
5th: Jun Luo, passed assessment in nine days;
6th: Si Puyu, passed assessment in nine days;
7th: Jiang Yao, passed assessment in eleven days;
8th: Mu Chenze, passed assessment in eleven days;
9th: Fu Mingzhi, passed assessment in fifteen days;
10th: Qin Xiaosheng, passed assessment in sixteen days;
11th: Xi Caixuan, passed assessment in nineteen days;
12th: Shao Yuqi, passed assessment in nineteen days;
......
The Xiaoyao Forum had been discussing the matter for days, and the post titled with the inner disciple competition rankings was still at the top of the list.
She hadn't planned to click on it, but she accidentally noticed a comment about someone she knew.
“The inner disciple competition primarily tests character and temperament, so I expected Wen Xuan to rank high. During the New Disciple Competition's arena matches, the moment I saw her fighting more bravely as the battle went on, never giving up, I knew today's result was coming.”
Gu Ningyun quickly added a reply to the comment: “Senior Sister has a keen eye!”
News of her friends' master-selection ceremonies began to arrive one after another.
Wen Xuan joined the peak of the East Yang Peak Master as his closed-door disciple.
Dongyang Peak primarily recruited disciples with fire spirit roots.
Besides being a single fire spirit root user who excelled in body refining and combat techniques, the Peak Master was also quite proficient with artifacts like maces and meteor hammers.
When she introduced the situation to Wen Xuan and expressed her intention to take her as a disciple, Wen Xuan felt as if she had met a kindred spirit and immediately decided to join Dongyang Peak.
Daoist Lord Yi Shu, the Master of Alchemy Peak, slapped her thigh in frustration. “What a waste! What a waste! How can an Innate Pill Body be squandered like this!”
It was only after Wen Xuan said she loved alchemy and would often visit Alchemy Peak to ask for guidance that she smiled again.
Jun Luo joined the peak of the Punishment Peak Master as his second disciple.
The Sword Peak Master had missed out on three sword-dao talents in a row—Gu Ningyun, Ling Hanbai, and Jun Luo.
It was only after he took Si Puyu as his disciple that he finally grinned from ear to ear, contentedly taking his brand-new little disciple to watch the excitement.
Jiang Yao and Mu Chenze—one an artifact-obsessed nut who couldn't move when he saw a magic tool, and the other an array-obsessed nut who clung to Jun Luo for the sake of arrays.
One joined the peak of the Artifact Peak Master as his second disciple.
The other joined the peak of the Array Peak Master as his closed-door disciple.
The Peak Masters who had snatched the top ten disciples were beaming with joy, leaving the empty-handed Peak Masters and elders waiting expectantly at the entrance of the Sect Leader's Hall.
While the Xiaoyao master-selection ceremony was in full swing, and while Gu Ningyun was eating Blue Lake Scallops and fighting at Fighting Peak, Mr. Xueyue released a new storybook.
At Taiyi Peak of the Star-Moon Sect, an inner disciple's divine sense entered a jade slip titled 《Seducing Master: Stolen Love is Especially Sweet》. At times, he cackled strangely; at others, his expression twisted.
......
......
As she spoke, she cupped Yuan Qingzi's right hand, buried her face in his palm, and wept silently, her lips trembling.
Scalding tears fell onto his palm, and the blood in Yuan Qingzi's heart surged. The demonic toxin he had been suppressing began to stir.
He had returned from the demon realm some time ago, afflicted with a demonic toxin capable of confusing the mind.
The antidote pills were still being refined; until then, he could only remain in seclusion in a quiet place, focusing his mind to resist the erosion of the toxin.
Sensing his body stiffen, Gu Lianxue released his hand and, as if in a panic, knelt upright and buried herself in Yuan Qingzi's embrace.
The incense balm behind her ears emitted a faint fragrance that curled around Yuan Qingzi's abdomen and nose.
This was a demon realm incense balm her father had specifically found for her, capable of unconsciously triggering one's greatest inner wickedness.
An ordinary cultivator would lose their mind with just a tiny bit. Fearing it wouldn't work on someone of Yuan Qingzi's high cultivation, she had specifically applied a thick glob behind her ears on the way there.
“They all say I'm a waste, that I'm not worthy of being your progeny disciple.”
She looked up from Yuan Qingzi's embrace, her trembling, watery eyes meeting his directly.
“Master, over the years, you are the only one who has consistently favored and protected me.
“In this world, I only have you.
“Are you really going to abandon me?”
Yuan Qingzi's heart suddenly tightened. He instinctively reached out to pat Gu Lianxue's shoulder. “You are my disciple. How could I ever abandon you?”
When he spoke, his voice was hoarse and broken.
Heat surged within him, and he vaguely sensed that something was wrong.
Yuan Qingzi gripped Gu Lianxue's arms to help her up and took two steps back.
“It is too late tonight. Go back and rest. Tomorrow, I will have someone deal with those who speak such nonsense...”
“Master says he won't, but his actions show he can't wait to be eight thousand miles away from me.”
“That is not it. I just... I just...”
Yuan Qingzi opened his mouth, somewhat at a loss for words.
How could he explain? Was he supposed to say he wasn't intentionally distancing himself, but...
He dared not think further. He only managed a dry sentence: “In short, things are not as you think.”
Gu Lianxue stared at him for a moment, then suddenly stepped forward, grabbed his hand, and placed it over her heart.
“This disciple knows in her heart how Master treats her. Master, please do not worry.”
Seeing that she finally understood, Yuan Qingzi—no, Qingxuzi—secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The Heavenly Silkworm Silk was soft and thin; the heat from her chest made his palm tremble.
His gaze inadvertently traced Gu Lianxue's slender eyebrows, the reddish corners of her eyes, her high nose, and her fresh, tender lips.
Yuan Qingzi suddenly recalled her delicate, pale collarbones and her bare, pink feet.
Evil grew like vines, strangling his chaotic mind.
He jerked his hand back, closed his eyes tight, and frantically recited the Heart-Clearing Incantation.
Gu Lianxue watched his reaction closely. Suddenly, she opened her arms and wrapped them around his waist, burying her head in the crook of his neck.
To suppress the demonic toxin, Yuan Qingzi had specifically chosen a Daoist robe with buttons.
The buttons locked the collar tight, covering even his neck completely.
Gu Lianxue stood on her tiptoes and leaned toward his ear, her lips accidentally brushing against it. “Xue'er knows you are the most reliable...”
The voice was like honey drilling straight into his ear. Yuan Qingzi could take no more; he pulled her into his embrace, his eyes turning a blood-red.
......
The next day, Yuan Qingzi suddenly snapped his eyes open. There was not a single part of his body that didn't ache.
The torn robes on the floor and the messy traces on the bed all reminded him of what had happened last night.
There was no one else in the bedroom. He reached out to pull back the quilt, only to suddenly see a rose-red camisole clutched tightly in his palm.
His pupils shook as the memories of last night replayed before his eyes.
In a panic, he stored it in his storage ring and stood up to dress.
His divine sense swept across Taiyue Peak, and he immediately saw the small courtyard with its array activated and its doors and windows tightly shut.
She was the disciple, and he was the master.
Yet he had lost control and done such a disgraceful thing to her.
Incestuous master-disciple relations were intolerable to the Heavenly Dao.
After straightening his attire, Yuan Qingzi arrived at the small courtyard and touched the array with his finger.
After a pause, he produced the Peak Master's seal and opened a gap.
Gu Lianxue was curled into a ball in the corner of the bed, her hands clutching her shoulders as she stared blankly at the bed curtains.
Traces were visible where her collar failed to cover her skin; Yuan Qingzi naturally knew how they had been caused.
He had practiced asceticism for many years and had never experienced such a thing.
Last night, his mind had been compromised, and he had inevitably been a bit excessive.
Yuan Qingzi's face was blood-red as he wrapped her in the quilt. “What happened yesterday was truly my fault. If you find it difficult to face, I... I can use a spell to seal this memory for you.”
......
The sun rose and set, and the storybook gradually reached its end.
The disciple at Taiyi Peak who was reading the storybook withdrew his divine sense, glanced at the jade slip, and then looked toward the residence of the progeny disciples, his mouth hanging open.
Mr. Xueyue was very famous across the Five Continents, and his new storybook was being discussed everywhere.
The disciples of Taiyi Peak—and even those from other peaks of the Star-Moon Sect who knew Gu Lianxue—had complex expressions as they looked toward Taiyi Peak, filled with constant suspicion.
“Why do I feel like the setting of this storybook is a bit familiar?”
“Unable to cultivate for four years.”
“Qi Refining level three for nine years.”
“Unique and exclusive favor.”
“Gu Lianxue, Taiyue Peak, and a name so similar to that person.”
“They say stories come from life. Do you think this storybook could be based on reality?”
“I've always felt something was wrong. How could sword qi pass through the front of the dantian and damage the spirit root inside?”
“Furthermore, I've never heard of a damaged spirit root being able to recover.”
“Could it be that the forbidden practice of a spirit root swap actually exists?”
“Impossible. If such a method existed, those powerful experts would have used it for their own untalented juniors long ago.”
“Then how do you explain the matter of Gu Lianxue?”
“A master-disciple romance is a great transgression; one cannot survive the lightning tribulation. Do Gu Lianxue and that Peak Master really have such a relationship? She even seduced...”
As soon as he finished speaking, a female cultivator suddenly spoke up. “Junior Brother, watch your words!
“Although I dislike Gu Lianxue as much as you do, you can say whatever you want about her elsewhere. But the Gu Lianxue in the storybook is a nineteen-year-old youth, and Gu Lianxue is only eleven now. It's unlikely she could do such a thing. It's better not to use such filthy words on her.”
“True. Even if this were real, I suspect the one with the ill intentions is the other person. After all, the exclusive favor involving the resources of an entire peak is obvious to everyone.”
The surrounding female cultivators all cast looks of shared indignation. The male cultivator, realizing his slip of the tongue, instinctively changed the subject.
“A storybook is just a storybook. I won't speak nonsense without evidence.
“It's just that this spirit root swap... every single detail seems to match up.”
“I'm also a bit suspicious. Why don't we get together and report her? We'll know if there was a spirit root swap once she's captured and investigated.”
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