Stealing Immortal

Chapter 124: Chapter 123: Master

Chen Qingyang said to her, "Master, there’s something you may not know. I had a fortuitous encounter some time ago. I went to the Separation Fire Assembly, and that’s how I became like this."

Yun Ci shook her head, seemingly uninterested in where Chen Qingyang had gone. "I’ve seen plenty of people with higher Cultivation than you, and plenty who have attended the Separation Fire Assembly more times than you have. You’re different from them. It seems..."

As she spoke, a hint of curiosity surfaced in her expression. "Something must have happened."

’My Conscious Fish was transformed by the True Dragon and then cultivated in the world of the Separation Huo Dragon Pearl. It now resides within my body. That must be the change she’s talking about,’ Chen Qingyang realized.

’Just what kind of Divine Power is this Ice Skin Jade Bone Technique? And what is the Cultivation of this Foundation Establishment Master before me? Her intuition is terrifyingly sharp.’

He couldn’t let the same thing happen to him a second time. Chen Qingyang simply said, "I don’t quite understand what change you’re referring to, Master."

In response, Yun Ci just stared at him and smiled. Her serene and distant expression always carried a hint of coldness. "You’re really no ordinary person!"

Chen Qingyang didn’t respond. He just opened the bundle on the floor and laid out the Elixirs one by one. The Master sat before him, her bare feet dangling in the air. She extended her right hand, gently cupping her cheek, her gaze drifting over as if it were weightless.

"Master, all one hundred and twenty-five Tier Four Yang Replacement Powders are here. The remainder will be delivered in a few months. Please inspect them!"

But Yun Ci simply waved a hand. "There’s no need."

Just as her voice fell, two more Children came up from downstairs. She instructed them, "Put these away. Tomorrow, deliver them in the order I’ve arranged."

"Yes, Master."

Yun Ci added, "Also... bring some tea!"

’It seems this Master enjoys the feeling of emptiness.’ The vast space of the fifth floor contained only a soft couch and a lamp. When she mentioned wanting tea, someone even had to bring a long table up from downstairs.

Chen Qingyang hadn’t expected such hospitality. Seeing the Master sit down with her legs angled to the side, he gently took a seat opposite her.

Facing her, he couldn’t help but feel a little constrained.

"This tea is quite good. You should try it!"

With that light, airy remark, Chen Qingyang lifted his cup and took a sip.

A fragrance filled his mouth, and a warmth spread from his stomach through his entire body. This was no mere tea; it was practically as potent as strong liquor.

Chen Qingyang said, "Thank you, Master. But this tea is certainly unusual!"

The Master replied, "The Ice Skin Jade Bone Technique I cultivate, which I’m sure Liu Tao has told you about, is of the Taiyin Cold. Naturally, I prefer things that are warm. This tea is called Rising Sun Tea, and I am quite fond of it."

Chen Qingyang glanced into his teacup. Indeed, the tea leaves were distinct and whole.

"...Ahem. If I may, I’d like to borrow your Separation Huo Dragon Pearl for a look?"

’So she did have an ulterior motive. This tea doesn’t come for free.’ Of course, Chen Qingyang didn’t dare refuse. He handed the Dragon Pearl over. The Master pinched it between two slender fingers, glanced at it for a moment, and then returned it.

"The Fire inside it and the Fire on you come from the same source, but there are still some differences."

’It seems she still didn’t believe my words and insisted on digging deeper into the matter.’ Chen Qingyang could only say, "You are truly perceptive, Master. If it were just me, I would never have noticed that."

She smiled and watched him for a long moment, as if trying to discern the truth in his words. Chen Qingyang seized the opportunity to add, "Master, I actually have another favor to ask of you on this visit, if I may?"

"Speak!"

"Refining Elixirs for you, Master, is hard work, but I would never dare to complain. However, with my meager Cultivation, the Sect Merit I earn is far too little. It’s nowhere near enough to cover the cost of the Alchemy Raw Materials, so..."

She had heard enough. The Master waved her sleeve. "Tomorrow, I will have Yueru escort you back and bring everything you need. From now on, I will send someone with more materials at regular intervals. You just need to focus on refining Elixirs for me."

She agreed so quickly. Chen Qingyang bowed with his hands clasped. "Thank you, Master."

But Yun Ci said, "No need for such formalities. You will rest here tonight."

Not long after she spoke, another Child came forward, addressed her as "Master," and then led Chen Qingyang downstairs.

’Thinking back on it, from the moment I saw the Master to when I left, it wasn’t even half a quarter-hour. She only asked what she cared about and only spoke of what she wanted to know. She never asked about anything else and didn’t even give me much of a chance for pleasantries.’

The last time they met had been a rush, and his mind hadn’t been as relaxed as it was today, so his observations were much more detailed this time.

It was just as Xu Baoling had described her: ’Master is thin on sentiment and heavy on profit, single-mindedly focused on the Dao. She never likes to waste effort on unimportant matters. When she does expend effort, it’s always for something useful.’

For example, the Li Yang True Fire hidden within Chen Qingyang.

It was the same Child who led Chen Qingyang to the second floor. The area was partitioned into many rooms, like guest quarters. After leading Chen Qingyang into one of them, the Child lit a lamp.

"If I may ask, Senior Brother, which Master of Cyan Bamboo Peak are you a disciple of?"

Chen Qingyang answered him, "Master Jing Yuan."

The Child thought for a moment. "I wasn’t aware of any connection between our Master and this Master Jing Yuan. But she treats you quite well, Senior Brother. To be willing to let you stay the night in this tower... many of her own disciples have never received such treatment."

Hearing this, Chen Qingyang felt that Yun Ci’s interest in him hadn’t waned. "In your opinion, what’s the reason for that?"

The Child smiled and shook his head. "How would I dare to speculate on my Master’s thoughts? You should get some rest, Senior Brother."

The Child didn’t dare linger and left, closing the door behind him. Staying the night here, Chen Qingyang didn’t even dare to circulate his qi for Cultivation. He simply lay on the bed with his clothes on.

It had been a long time since he’d felt this way. He let his thoughts drift and slowly, he fell asleep.

「When he woke again, it was already daylight.」

He pushed open the window. The wind and snow outside had stopped. Sunlight spilled across the vast mountains, and water droplets dripped from the pine needles.

Snow in the spring always melts quickly.

After that, Chen Qingyang didn’t see the Master again. He was led downstairs to the first floor by a Child, where he encountered Leng Yueru dressed in black right at the entrance.

As always, she stood in the cold wind, a sword cradled in her arms. Seeing Chen Qingyang, she frowned slightly and glanced upward.

She didn’t say much, however, just: "Let’s go."

It was unclear what Wind Control Skill she used, but Chen Qingyang employed his Void Step Introduction. With one following the other, they left the bounds of Four Golden Peaks in an instant.

Only then did Leng Yueru show him a smile. "It’s been just over half a year, and you’ve changed so much! To think you were only a Miscellaneous Task disciple back then!"

They had been through a few things together in the past, so her tone was naturally filled with emotion upon seeing him again.

Chen Qingyang wanted to remind her that even though they had left the Four Golden Peaks area, as long as the Gold Coin Sword was on her person, nothing they said could be hidden from the Master. But on second thought, he let it go.

"Senior Sister, my status was just a Miscellaneous Task disciple, but that doesn’t represent my Cultivation. You could say I’ve just returned to normal now."

Leng Yueru looked back and smiled. "That’s true. But how did you end up at my Master’s place? And what kind of deal did you make with her that she’d have me deliver Alchemy Raw Materials to you?"

Faced with three questions in a row, Chen Qingyang wasn’t sure which to answer first. "It’s actually quite simple. I refine Elixirs for the Master, and she provides me with the raw materials."

Leng Yueru was skeptical. "That’s it?"

Chen Qingyang nodded. "Yes, that’s all. Senior Sister, have you broken through in your Cultivation?"

Liu Tao had once mentioned a skill called Universe in the Sleeve, which required an Essence Condensation Six Realms Cultivator to learn. Seeing her now, sent to deliver Alchemy Raw Materials yet with her hands completely empty, what else could it be but that her Cultivation had broken through from the Fifth Realm to the Sixth Realm, allowing her to use Universe in the Sleeve?

Leng Yueru didn’t deny it. "That’s right. After my Master became the Four Golden Peaks Master, she rewarded me with a wisp of Earth Deity for my great contributions in the matter of Master Xuan Gui. That’s how I was able to break through smoothly. Speaking of which, I really have to thank you."

’This Master Yun Ci is so generous, and she treats Leng Yueru extremely well.’ To think that Leng Yueru so easily obtained something that even Kong Yuan found difficult to acquire.

As they spoke, the two entered the territory of Cyan Bamboo Peak. In an instant, it was as if they had stepped from winter into spring, and the land grew warm.

As they neared the Golden Summit, they stopped using the Wind Control Skill and began to ascend on foot. Chen Qingyang asked Leng Yueru, "Senior Sister Leng, I’ve always been curious. Master Yun Ci is known as the strongest fighter on Four Golden Peaks. What exactly is her Cultivation?"

’Asking about this sort of thing is normal. Even if she found out, she couldn’t blame me for it.’

Leng Yueru glanced up. The White Jade Steps ahead were still long. "Alright, I’ll just treat it as a chat with you. Master Xuan Gui’s betrayal of the Sect, which could have even led to our Cultivation Techniques being leaked, was an extremely serious matter for the Sect."

"Fortunately, my Master assessed the situation, single-handedly executed him, and recovered the Sect’s losses. For that, she was made the Peak Master of Four Golden Peaks and received a great deal of Earth Deity, causing her Cultivation to break through two realms in a row. She has now reached the Heaven-Treading Aspect."

Although Chen Qingyang had a master, he was completely ignored. He didn’t understand many things, not just about Foundation Establishment Masters, but even about the Essence Condensation realm.

At this moment, he could only ask Leng Yueru, "Senior Sister, what is the Heaven-Treading Aspect?"

Leng Yueru wasn’t curious as to why he didn’t know. She simply continued, "Qi Refining involves nine golds. Essence Condensation has the Nine Acupoints. Once you reach the level of a Foundation Establishment Master, it’s like a nine-step heavenly ladder. The Heaven-Treading Aspect is the sixth step, which can also be called the Foundation Establishment Sixth Realm. If you ask me to explain in any more detail, I can’t. That’s all I know."

’Truly incredible. Breaking through two realms in a row.’

Chen Qingyang had thought that only he, with his Stealing Immortal, or a chosen one like Li Qianxue could accomplish such a feat. He never expected to find another such person on Four Golden Peaks.

Chatting as they walked, they soon arrived at the small courtyard. Leng Yueru glanced around, then used her Universe in the Sleeve skill. A huge pile of things fell into the yard, much more than what Liu Pei had sent someone to deliver last time.

"You’ve done a nice job with this courtyard. And these two boys... they look familiar?"

Chen Qingyang said, "You have a sharp eye, Senior Sister. Back when we were on the mountainside of Four Golden Peaks, they lived with me as well."

Chen Qingyang briefly explained his situation and also invited Leng Yueru for a cup of hot tea. Only after that did he see her off.

The entire time, Xu Baoling was hiding in a room in the courtyard, terrified of being discovered.

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