Lady Cultivator

Mo Tiange withdrew her aura and controlled her breathing. Now that she finished cultivating, Mo Tiange slowly opened her eyes.

One’s divine sense was born out of one’s primordial spirit. If one didn’t purposefully train their primordial spirit, it would only slowly grow stronger following the progress of their cultivation. Those with high cultivation levels naturally had formidable divine senses. If one’s cultivation level reached the Core Formation or even Nascent Soul realm, their divine sense could also be used to injure others. However, these kinds of injuries, in fact, weren’t caused by only divine sense but also spiritual aura pressure. Therefore, although these attacks were very effective on cultivators with lower cultivation level, they weren’t effective on cultivators within the same realm.

Nonetheless, the first layer of the Soul-Refining Art would already allow Mo Tiange to mortally injured cultivators in the same realm as her. Its second layer would even allow her to have pressure power over cultivators of the same realm. That being the case, in fights of magical power, she could use it to pressure her opponents for some time. Even if her opponents were very skilled, they wouldn’t be able to use their full strength.

After experiencing the formidable power of the Soul-Refining Art, Mo Tiange’s priority in cultivating shifted to working on the Soul-Refining Art. Since her body was transformed into a Five-Spirit Cultivating Body, her meridians became tough and her spiritual aura became steady—she would never be possessed by the devil. Her progress in practicing this technique was also multiple times faster than other people’s. It would really be a waste if she had free time but didn’t use it to practice.

In the two years she remained inside her Virtual Sky World, she completed the first layer of this art and could now use her divine sense to carry out attacks. Now, she was starting to learn the second layer. If she completed this second layer, she would be able to directly exert pressure on other people’s divine senses, thus allowing her to gain an advantage in fights of magical power. At the same time, this second layer of Soul-Refining Art would also give her some resistance against high level cultivators’ spiritual aura pressure.

Unfortunately, the people of Gujian Sect would most likely arrive very soon. She had just started practicing the second layer of Soul-Refining Art, so it probably wouldn’t have any significant impact in this fight.

Right after this thought crossed her mind, Mo Tiange suddenly felt a wrath-filled spiritual aura pressure permeating the entire sky above Qianmen Ridge.

Her whole body shivered in apprehension. This must be at least a middle stage Core Formation cultivator. Had the Gujian Sect people arrived already?

After summoning the White Silk Handkerchief, she fled out of the room and flew to the sky.

Outside, she saw an angry middle-aged sword cultivator in Gujian Sect’s uniform standing above Qianmen Ridge Station’s gate, carrying a sword on his back. At the same time, she also saw Senior Martial Brother Kuang Zhu flying towards the gate on a white cloud.

Upon seeing this, Mo Tiange hastily followed suit on her White Silk Handkerchief.

In addition to Ye Jingwen and Zhan Bai, other Foundation Building cultivators from Xuanqing School also came towards Kuang Zhu.

As for other cultivators of the seven great cultivation groups, they were just waiting and watching from a distance.

Kuang Zhu stopped in front of Qianmen Ridge Station’s gate and cupped his hands. “Master Daoist Liufeng has come from afar, my apologies for not greeting you sooner.”

With a repressed fury, Master Daoist Liufeng said, “You’re Kuang Zhu?”

Even though he was facing Master Daoist Liufeng’s oppressive and angry question, Kuang Zhu remained unperturbed and said, “I am.”

“That being the case, call those accomplices of yours who conspired to murder seven of my Gujian Sect Foundation Building cultivators!”

A faint smile appeared on Kuang Zhu’s face. It seemed that the Sect Head of Gujian Sect, Master Daoist Liufeng, came to handle this matter himself. He then said, “There’s no such thing as a murder conspiracy at Qianmen Ridge Station. May I know whom Sect Head Du is referring to as my accomplices?”

Mo Tiange was completely shocked. This incident actually made Gujian Sect’s Sect Head personally come over! It seemed that there was no way the matter could be settled peacefully.

Master Daoist Liufeng was outraged. “My Gujian Sect had seven Foundation Building cultivators in Qianmen Ridge Station altogether. The disciples of my sect personally witnessed five Foundation Building cultivators, including Wan Hongan, entering the main hall and perishing inside. The whereabouts of the other two Foundation Building cultivators are unknown. Excuse me, Manager Kuang, but how are you going to explain this to my Gujian Sect?”

Still with the same graceful and calm expression as before, Kuang Zhu said, “Presumably, your Gujian Sect disciples didn’t make a full report regarding this matter. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have to explain again.”

Right after, Kuang Zhu pointed towards the razed main hall. “That was originally the main hall. Allow me to ask, Master Daoist Liufeng, can you perhaps guess what happened here?”

The aura refined from blood in Thousand Shapes Asura Formation would remain in the vicinity until three to five months after the formation was laid. Because of that, when Master Daoist Liufeng scanned the area with his divine sense, his expression instantly changed.

The smile on Kuang Zhu’s face faded as he asked, “If it wasn’t because my spirit tool was able to luckily prevent the Thousand Shapes Asura Formation from being completed; if it wasn’t because my junior martial sister was good at formations and used formations to create illusory beasts to kill the mastermind, Wan Hongan, inside the formation, Sect Head Du certainly wouldn’t have the chance to seek me out to hold me accountable for the crime, not to mention to take back the corpses of the deceased Gujian Sect disciples.”

Before Master Daoist Liufeng could answer, Kuang Zhu spoke up again: “If I remember correctly, disciples who launch the Thousand Shapes Asura Formation are classified as Gujian Sect rebel disciples. Sect Head Du, where should rebel disciples of the seven great cultivation groups in Kunwu Alliance’s station be placed in this chaotic time of war?”

The launching of the Thousand Shapes Asura Formation needed three blood mediums at the least. Furthermore, if after launching the Thousand Shapes Asura Formation, the formation’s master was lucky enough to be alive, he would still turn into a devil cultivator and his cultivation level would decrease greatly. This formation was a formation that would end in mutual destruction. Nevertheless, Kuang Zhu avoided talking about why Gujian Sect disciples launched the Thousand Shapes Asura Formation in the first place. The conflict directly pointed at what happened after the launch of the Thousand Shapes Formation.

Even though Master Daoist Liufeng still had a lot of critical words to say, Kuang Zhu had placed those deceased Gujian Sect disciples on the opposite side of everyone at Qianmen Ridge Station—Master Daoist Liufeng really couldn’t do anything to give him a hard time.

They saw Master Daoist Liufeng’s face turning red, then turning white and eventually green. He said furiously, “You killed all Gujian Sect disciples who participated in this matter; your intentions were naturally to silence them! I really don’t know what kind of despicable method you used to actually lure my Gujian Sect disciples into using the Thousand Shapes Asura Formation. In any case, This Deity won’t be muddled by your lies! Since this matter isn’t clear, we’d better look for the obvious truths!”

Once he said that, every Xuanqing School Foundation Building cultivator summoned their magic tools. Only Kuang Zhu remained as calm as before. “It was originally Sect Head Du’s disciples who acted against the rules. Does Sect Head Du perhaps plan on completely exterminating every disciple of the seven great cultivation groups at Qianmen Ridge?”

Master Daoist Liufeng was about to explain, but they suddenly heard a thunderous voice accompanied by a terrible spiritual aura pressure spreading from afar. “Sect Head Du might as well kill This Lord too!”

The originally nervous-looking Xuanqing School disciples immediately became ecstatic. Some disciples even shouted loudly: “Grandmaster Jinghe has come!”

Before their shouting stopped, they already saw a carriage of clouds emerging from the mountain ahead. Surrounded by eight Foundation Building female cultivators in elegant, fluttery clothes carrying palace lanterns, the carriage flew quickly towards Qianmen Ridge Station.

This extremely vain, ostentatious style naturally belonged to the one and only Lord Daoist Jinghe of Xuanqing School.

After this incident occurred, both sides immediately sent Thousand of Miles Sound-Transmitting Talismans. Compared to the distance between Qianmen Ridge and Xuanqing School, the distance between Qianmen Ridge and Gujian Sect was slightly farther. Lord Daoist Jinghe must’ve started his journey right after he received the Summoning Talisman, yet he was just arriving now. Presumably, it was because the speed of this cloud carriage was controlled by these female cultivators.

Watching the cloud carriage surrounded by a group of female cultivators proudly making its way towards them, Kuang Zhu’s always-tranquil-looking face somewhat darkened.

Nonetheless, this sumptuous cloud carriage paid no heed to the stares directed at it. The eight female cultivators around it were probably also accustomed to this kind of situation. Indeed, they even smilingly put the palace lanterns away and took out identical flower baskets from their Qiankun Bags. Then, under everyone’s watchful gazes, they started to throw fragrant flower petals in the air as if they were performing some sort of show. It wasn’t until the flower petals completely covered the ground beneath that the cloud carriage slowly landed.

Everyone then watched two maids pulling the gold-lined curtain up, exposing the gold-crowned, majestically dressed, extremely noble-looking middle-aged man sitting inside. The man carelessly swept his gaze over everyone present.

If there was anyone who thought this cloud carriage was too extravagant before, after seeing the cloud carriage’s master, they now felt this extravagance wasn’t excessive in any way.

Eventually, Lord Daoist Jinghe’s gaze landed on the cornered-looking Master Daoist Liufeng. A very amiable smile appeared on his face. “Your Gujian Sect always reveres fighting strength above all else, but our Xuanqing School is a Dao School. So-called Dao Schools naturally have to talk about principles.”

Upon hearing these remarks, a crowd of Xuanqing School disciples suddenly felt embarrassed.  Our Dao is the Dao united with the Law of the Heaven and is the Dao of balance; what on earth does it have to do with principles…?

Besides, this Grandmaster Jinghe has always been a blood-thirsty person. When has he ever talked about principles…?

Without waiting for Master Daoist Liufeng to answer, Lord Daoist Jinghe turned to talk to Ye Jingwen. “Jingwen boy, it’d be better if you told me what happened from the beginning. That way, I can reason with Sect Head Du properly.”

Ye Jingwen first glanced at Kuang Zhu, who then nodded at him. His gaze then shifted to Mo Tiange. Mo Tiange said, “Big Brother Ye just needs to tell the truth,”

Ye Jingwen naturally wouldn’t be foolish enough to report the truth as it was, so he could only use the story they cooked up before. He cupped his hands and began talking: “Grandmaster, if we’re to talk about this matter, we have to go back to when Junior Martial Sister Mo arrived at Qianmen Ridge Station.”

Lord Daoist Jinghe carelessly said, “No problem, tell me in detail.”

“Several days ago, Junior Martial Sister Mo, who went missing during the Danding School battle two years ago, finally recovered from her injuries and found Qianmen Ridge Station. Senior Martial Brother Kuang sent someone to arrange a resting place for Junior Martial Sister Mo then assigned her a task that would require her to leave the station.”

“Because Junior Martial Sister Mo is a newcomer and because many changes occurred during this two-year war against demonic beasts, after receiving the task, Junior Martial Sister Mo planned to take a look around first. Because of the incident that year, most people in this station didn’t recognize Junior Martial Sister Mo. At that time, I was also out on a task and hadn’t returned. Thus, Junior Martial Sister Mo had no other option but to leave the station alone. It was precisely because of this that Wan Hongan and two other middle stage Foundation Building disciples from Gujian Sect harbored ill intentions and followed Junior Martial Sister Mo out of the station. ”

“That day, I happened to just finish my task and was about to come back to the station. However, when I was about to reach the station, I suddenly sensed some people ganging up on a cultivator from Xuanqing School. When I arrived, Wan Hongan’s group was already surrounding and bullying Junior Martial Sister Mo…”

Originally, Ye Jingwen still felt somewhat guilty in telling these lies. But now, while his role in this story was replaced by Mo Tiange, he was still the person involved, so the anger evoked in his heart was real. The more he talked, the more heated and embittered he became. He actually described how repulsive those people were when they molested others and tried to kill others to rob their belongings in such a vivid and realistic way.

Beside him, Mo Tiange, whose drooped head seemed to be sinking lower and lower, grumbled inwardly.  Big Brother Ye, the person who got surrounded, beat up, and such and such really doesn’t have the slightest thing to do with me.

Once he saw everyone present starting to look angry, Ye Jingwen promptly resumed talking about how Mo Tiange resisted and struck back and how, with his aid, she had a life-or-death fight against several Gujian Sect cultivators. The matter of Wan Hongan sacrificing his fellow disciples and escaping to the station was also explained clearly.

By the time he reached this part, Lord Daoist Jinghe already had an extremely angry look on his face.

Based on how Ye Jingwen was telling the story, perhaps those Gujiang Sect cultivators who perished in the main hall would also be reduced to a heinous group of people by him, so Kuang Zhu, worried that this grandmaster would start a mass murder, immediately interrupted him. “Regarding what happened afterward, let me be the one to talk about it.”

Everyone then heard Kuang Zhu continuing the story with his calm, refined voice. “After his two companions died, this Wan Hongan came back and incited other Gujian Sect disciples to come to the main hall, framing and condemning Junior Martial Sister Mo. He even suggested that if Junior Martial Sister Mo was willing to marry him, he would take responsibility for the death of his two companions in front of Gujian Sect’s elders. Previously, when Junior Martial Sister Mo was ambushed outside the station, she already gained a thorough understanding of this person’s maliciousness, so she naturally didn’t believe him.”

“I believe that out of everyone at Qianmen Ridge Station, some must’ve already known that Wan Hongan wasn’t an upright person. After his true colors were exposed as someone who abandoned his fellow disciples, other senior martial brothers from Gujian Sect naturally stopped helping him. However, seeing that the matter had been exposed and that the death of those two disciples would also be blamed on him, he launched the Thousand Shapes Asura Formation, intending to kill us and several senior martial brothers from Gujian Sect inside the main hall.”

“When they entered the main hall, those senior martial brothers were too impulsive and ended up starting a small fight against us. Because of this, they fell into Wan Hongan’s scheme and were chosen as blood mediums. If it wasn’t because my Medicinal Cloud happened to prevent Thousand Shapes Asura Formation from being completed, I’m afraid Qianmen Ridge Station would’ve become a land full of aggrieved ghosts now. It’s really a pity that those senior martial brothers from Gujian Sect had to die with so many wrong accusations directed at them.” Kuang Zhu heaved a deep sigh, sounding as if he was filled with regret.

Because Ye Jingwen didn’t plan on letting Wan Hongan off, and Kuang Zhu also wasn’t soft-hearted, they did infuriate Gujian Sect’s Foundation Building cultivators on purpose. However, regarding the several other Gujian Sect cultivators who died in the main hall, they had indeed died rather unjustly. Thus, Kuang Zhu’s words could be considered to restore their innocence.

Once the always irascible Lord Daoist Jinghe heard the complete account of what happened, he “hmphed” coldly and raised his hand, causing another explosion to take place—a huge pit was formed where the main hall was before it was razed by the ground from Wan Hongan’s explosion.

The remaining power left from that explosion made everyone tremble. Some Aura Refining disciples whose cultivation levels were rather low even had blood flowing from the corners of their mouths.

Meanwhile, Lord Daoist Jinghe said in spitting anger, “Is my, Lord Daoist Jinghe’s, last disciple ¹ someone you can take liberties with as you please!?”

His words made Mo Tiange raise her head in astonishment. After she took a brief look at Lord Daoist Jinghe, she speedily shifted her gaze at Ye Jingwen.

Ye Jingwen, looking completely astounded, also turned his head to look at Mo Tiange. He knew long ago that Mo Tiange was Lord Daoist Jinghe’s registered disciple, but the difference between last disciple and registered disciple was akin to the difference between heaven and earth.

Registered disciples would be given some attention when they happened to be remembered at best. Although they naturally had some perks compared to ordinary disciples, in the end, they still lacked a master’s guidance—they had to work a lot harder on their cultivation path.

Becoming the last disciple wasn’t as simple as becoming a formal disciple. Because masters felt that receiving the last disciple was enough, the majority of last disciples were also direct disciples. In their treatment of their last disciple, the master naturally would put more care into their teachings. Without a doubt, all things bestowed to last disciples were all kinds of hidden treasures. After hearing this from Lord Daoist Jinghe, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say Mo Tiange hit the jackpot.

At this moment, Lord Daoist Jinghe was facing the Sect Head of Gujian Sect. While releasing a tremendous spiritual aura pressure, he said angrily, “He actually wanted to use human lives to blackmail a female disciple from my school to marry him! It wouldn’t be enough punishment even if he died multiple times! Since he’s dead already, I won’t kill anyone today. But, in the end, it’s your Gujian Sect’s moral standards that aren’t strict enough; Du Liufeng, go back and tell Old Daoist Fuling; if he doesn’t want me to kill in your monastery, all of you better give me a statement for this matter!”

Having finished his speech, Lord Daoist Jinghe turned around and cast a very strict gaze towards Mo Tiange. “Tiange!”

Although Mo Tiange still hadn’t recovered from her astonishment, she would never ask this Lord Daoist Jinghe to explain what he meant in front of everyone. Thus, she hastily hung her head down and answered, “Disciple’s here.”

“Facing this kind of shameless, unscrupulous person, you should’ve just cut him down and given him a quick death! Two years ago, you dared to lead a fifth rank demonic beast away by yourself, yet you actually didn’t dare to kill this kind of scoundrel on the spot! As my disciple, you’ve really made me embarrassed! Today, you’ll follow me back to the mountain and enter Closed Door Meditation!”

Although his words sounded harsh, he firmly twisted the fact that she could not into she dared not. He obviously mentioned the fifth rank demonic beast to make people believe Xuanqing School was lenient while Gujian Sect was aggressive. Compared to Ye Jingwen’s long-winded story, Lord Daoist Jinghe’s straight-to-the-point words were more believable.

She then heard Lord Daoist Jinghe once again saying in rebuke: “Ye Jingwen, you’ve left the mountain for quite a long time, but you didn’t make the slightest progress. I think it is also time for you to go back and listen to your master’s guidance.”

Right after he finished, his left hand grabbed one cultivator and his right hand grabbed the other—the two people were caught by him and were brought onto the cloud carriage.

As the cloud carriage slowly rose to the sky, they heard Lord Daoist Jinghe’s sneer: “Sect Head Du, this matter has been explained clearly, but your fellow martial brothers still haven’t arrived. On second thought, they probably aren’t able to come. Sect Head Du, if you don’t want to collect their corpses, you’d better go back and save them.”

Master Daoist Liufeng’s expression changed. He originally thought the bloodthirsty Lord Daoist Jinghe’s unexpected “today I won’t kill anyone” remark as strange, but it was nevertheless a heaven-sent blessing. Now, it turned out he said that because he already vented on his way there.

He initially came to handle a few Foundation Building cultivators. If because of this Gujian Sect ended up losing several additional Core Formation cultivators, perhaps their fate would be as miserable as Danding School, who lost its due to demonic beasts.

Master Daoist Liufeng certainly wouldn’t dare to linger there. By the time Lord Daoist Jinghe finished speaking, his silhouette was already nowhere to be seen.

When the cloud carriage was in the sky, they once again heard Lord Daoist Jinghe’s shout. “Kuang Zhu.”

Kuang Zhu hurriedly answered, “Disciple’s here.”

“This is a present for you. If those insensible things from Gujian Sect come here again, beat them up and throw them out. You mustn’t be lenient!” Everyone saw one of the female cultivators beside the carriage taking a mortar-like object from inside the carriage. She then stepped onto her flower basket and floated down to Kuang Zhu’s side. She gave the mortar to him before flying gracefully back to the side of the cloud carriage.

Lord Daoist Jinghe’s voice, which now didn’t have the slightest anger in it, spread from inside the carriage. “This mortar is known as the Heaven-Mixing Mortar. The pestle in it is called Earth-Cracking Pestle. One’s for attacking and one’s for defending; they complement each other. They also have the effect of increasing the medicinal properties in spiritual panaceas. They suit you better.”

Soon afterward, they saw a female cultivator beside the carriage taking a skirt from inside the carriage. Lord Daoist Jinghe said, “This Hundred Fragrant Flower Skirt is for your family’s Xiaobai. A girl has to have a girl’s appearance. Wearing men’s clothing all day long—where’s the fun in that? This Lord dislikes this kind of pearl-covered-by-dust-situation the most.”

All Xuanging School disciples widened their eyes in shock. In an instant, everyone focused on Zhan Bai.

This time, everyone practically saw the expression of the always-indifferent Senior Martial Brother Kuang Zhu darkening.

A female cultivator beside the cloud carriage delivered the Hundred Fragrant Flower Skirt to Zhan Bai then left Qianmen Ridge Station with Lord Daoist Jinghe’s cloud carriage.

As they watched Grandmaster Jinghe leaving, Xuanqing School disciples instinctively turned around and looked Zhan Bai up and down. However, they suddenly heard Senior Martial Brother Kuang Zhu, who had never been a very loud person, roaring, “What do you think you’re looking at!? Head back!”

He then left, pulling Zhan Bai along with him.