Watching the Mountain

Xu Ran had been feeling especially down lately. The Sect’s situation was dire, with all sorts of battle reports coming in every day.

Although he didn’t have to go to the battlefield, his fate was tied to the Sect’s—they prospered and suffered together. With the Sect in a bad spot, he naturally felt awful as well.

A while ago, news had arrived that Shen Wuchen had been gravely injured on the New Domain Battlefield. If Ye Qingyue, who was with him at the time, hadn’t acted decisively and thrown herself in front of him without a second thought, he might have lost his life.

Though he was saved, both he and Ye Qingyue were severely wounded. Fortunately, their foundations weren’t damaged. They had been escorted back to the Sect and were now recuperating. They likely wouldn’t be returning to the battlefield anytime soon.

When Xu Ran went to visit Shen Wuchen, the moment he saw Xu Ran arrive, he immediately put on a proud, aloof mask. With a deadpan expression and a stiff tone, he said, "I didn’t bring shame."

Xu Ran’s expression froze when he heard this. He was utterly speechless inside. ’Isn’t that a dead giveaway?’

He shook his head helplessly and said, "Everything you know, I taught you. If I thought you were a disgrace, why would I have taught you in the first place?"

Hearing this, the stiff, proud mask on Shen Wuchen’s face finally relaxed. Then, with an expression of lingering fear, he said:

"Teacher, the real battlefield is terrifying."

Seeing him like this, Xu Ran actually broke into a gratified smile. ’Being afraid is a good thing.’

"Now do you understand why I told you to only fight people in a lower Realm than you?"

Shen Wuchen nodded vigorously and said with some lingering fear, "I understand now. From now on, the moment I see an opponent of the same Realm, I’ll run. I won’t stick around for a second."

"The boy is teachable." Xu Ran was very satisfied with Shen Wuchen’s attitude. Now he wouldn’t have to worry about him so much in the future.

For he had now grasped the true law of survival: only fight those weaker than yourself.

*

*

*

Compared to the oppressive atmosphere within the Sect, Xu Ran’s home was exceptionally warm and cozy.

Little Xiyue was still as elusive as ever, but she would return to spend a few days with Xu Ran about once a month. And just like before, she brought all sorts of delicious food with her every time.

She had also grown much closer to Xu Ran, like a caring daughter, always asking about his well-being and showing him the utmost concern.

Whether it was about cultivation or daily life, she was now like a daughter who would never grow up. Sometimes she would tease Xu Ran to make him happy, sometimes she would act cute and spoiled, and she would even pretend to be sad just to have him coax her.

It was as if she wanted to make up for all the fatherly love she had missed as a child, allowing Xu Ran to enjoy the bliss of a harmonious family.

"Master, when you first saw me, did you think I was really difficult to get along with?" One day, while they were having dinner, Little Xiyue suddenly blinked at him and asked with a curious expression.

Xu Ran was taken aback for a moment. His mind drifted back to when he had just pushed open the gate to Xiaoque’Er’s courtyard.

The image that had met his eyes was of a tiny little girl standing ramrod straight in the cold wind, her hair in two buns. Her eyes were wide, her face was stern, and her presence was immense as she looked at him and said those two words: "You’ve come."

It was the first time he had ever felt such a powerful aura from a little girl.

Thinking of this, he cracked a smile and said, "Not difficult to get along with, no. But you definitely left a deep impression."

"What kind of impression?" Little Xiyue asked, blinking her eyes.

"Hmm..." Xu Ran mused for a moment before replying, "’This little girl really has character. If she could be my daughter, it would certainly be a very interesting thing.’"

Little Xiyue was slightly stunned. She stared at him blankly for a long time before asking softly, "Master, you once said that a master for a day is a father for a lifetime. So, a master is also half a father... Am I your daughter now?"

Xu Ran looked at her slightly apprehensive gaze and replied with a smile, "From the moment I brought you home, I never thought of you as a disciple. I know my own abilities—I’d definitely be a terrible teacher. But if it’s raising a daughter? Then I have the confidence to see you grow up."

"Did you not think about refusing my mother’s request back then?"

"Why would I refuse? Isn’t this wonderful?"

Hearing this, Little Xiyue was stunned again for a long moment. Then, her cheeks flushed red, and she lowered her head slightly, her hands fiddling with her fingers, looking a bit shy and flustered.

It was the first time Xu Ran had ever seen her look so bashful.

Feeling Xu Ran’s smiling gaze on her, Little Xiyue suddenly stood up and said in a fluster, "Master, I’m... I’m going to go cultivate!"

With that, she ran off.

Xu Ran found this rather amusing. ’To think the girl would actually get shy.’

He then picked up the food on the table and started eating. But when he picked up a snow-white, lotus-shaped piece of food, he paused. He felt like he had seen this somewhere before.

If he remembered correctly, this should be a specialty unique to the Northern Domain, something very hard to buy here in the Eastern Domain.

He then smiled faintly and took a bite. The cool, refreshing taste... ’Looks like Little Xiyue went to a lot of trouble for all this food.’

*

*

*

News about the Profound Pure Sect planning to refine the Valley Qi Pill seemed to have spread everywhere. It wasn’t just being discussed throughout the Cultivation Realm; many within the Sect were talking about it recently as well.

The disciples were incredibly excited. Refining the Valley Qi Pill at a time like this... anyone could figure out it meant Senior Sister Yue was about to break through to the Nascent Soul Stage.

The Profound Pure Sect has had many prodigies: Ye Shan, Zhang Zhentian, Ye Qingxue, and Deceitful Blade Chen Chang’an.

But none of them, from beginning to end, had ever managed to surpass Yue Qingyu.

To many disciples, the number one prodigy of the Sect had always been the ever-composed and inscrutable Senior Sister Yue.

As long as she was around, no matter how many other prodigies fell, the sky above the Sect would not collapse.

Her presence alone was the source of everyone’s confidence.

Now, just the thought of Senior Sister Yue about to break through to the Nascent Soul Stage was enough to get everyone fired up.

Ever since she began cultivating, Senior Sister Yue had given off an unfathomable aura. No one knew how strong she was, but no one in the same Realm had ever given her a hard time. It was as if the moment she made a move, no opponent could stand against her.

Now, with her breaking through to the Nascent Soul Stage aided by a Valley Qi Pill, it was equivalent to saving several hundred years of initial cultivation time.

Perhaps she would be invincible within her Realm the moment she broke through. At that point, the Profound Pure Sect would be the most powerful Sect below the Divinity Transformation Realm.

And with Senior Sister Yue’s talent, reaching Divinity Transformation should be a sure thing.

As the day drew closer, the atmosphere in the Sect grew ever more fervent.

One day, Little Xiyue suddenly came to Xu Ran and told him that the Sect was going to refine the Valley Qi Pill outside, and she had to go help set up the Array.

Hearing this, Xu Ran’s first instinct was to refuse. The entire Cultivation Realm of Changqing County was watching the Profound Pure Sect right now; it didn’t take a genius to know how dangerous this would be.

But Little Xiyue just said calmly, "This is about Senior Sister Yue’s breakthrough."

At these words, Xu Ran fell silent. After a long pause, he could only manage a word of caution: "Be safe."

She replied with a cheerful grin, "Don’t worry."