Yu Ci found it amusing.
Over the past couple of days, the situation at Sky Rift Valley had begun to settle, but the aftermath had brought an increasing number of trivial tasks. As the only external daoist temple in Cliff City’s direction, the Heart Prohibition Monastery had unavoidable responsibilities.
Yu Zhou no longer had peaceful days, and as the sole registered disciple and attendant of the old daoist, Bao Guang naturally couldn't escape these duties either.
Today, however, they managed to steal so leisure ti, and Bao Guang followed Yu Ci here, thoroughly enjoying himself at the mont.
Still, Bao Guang's presence wasn’t without its perks.
Yu Ci finally had the opportunity to voice the question that had been lingering in his mind for days: “Hey, what’s the deal with the Jade Cleansing Alliance? Do you know anything about it?”
The Jade Cleansing Alliance was one of the concepts brought up during the dispute between Li You and ng Wei a few days ago. Along with nas like the Myriad Cosmos Sect and Murong Qingyan, these were unfamiliar to Yu Ci.
Yu Ci had previously heard Ye Tu ntion the Jade Cleansing Alliance in passing while they were at the bottom of Sky Rift Valley. However, their focus had been on cultivation at the ti, so the details had been glossed over. It had been long enough that his mory of it had faded, prompting him to ask again.
“Jade Cleansing Alliance?”
Bao Guang was, at best, half-inford. He almost stumbled over the question but, after racking his brain for fragnts of his master’s teachings, managed to respond hesitantly: “It’s a major sect alliance in the east, I think. Hmm, it’s far from us, so it’s rarely ntioned. Senior Brother Li, who often travels outside, probably knows more.”
This answer left Yu Ci dissatisfied, and he frowned. “That’s it?”
Bao Guang scratched his head, trying to think, but in the process forgot to tread water. He almost sank, flailing for a mont before regaining his composure. Oddly enough, this seed to jog his mory, and he exclaid: “I rember now!”
Bao Guang slapped the water surface, sending small waves splashing. “Master once said that the sect alliance has significant influence, but its core area is around the Three Great Northern Lakes. You’ve heard of the Three Great Northern Lakes, right?”
“Yeah, the place where ‘the lake water ets the sky, and the great rivers resemble chains,’ right?”
The Three Great Northern Lakes, located north of the Azure River in the eastern cultivation world, were a renowned treasure trove for cultivators. They were celebrated for the poetic phrase, “the lake water ets the sky, and the great rivers resemble chains.” The three lakes were distinctly aligned from south to north: the Ring Lake, the Five-Chain Lake, and the Jade Cleansing Lake. Notably, the Jade Cleansing Lake, situated farthest north, was a rare source of high-quality jade in the cultivation world.
Bao Guang nodded repeatedly, his recollections falling into place as he continued enthusiastically:
“Master said that area is one of the most prosperous places for sects in the cultivation world. Sects abound there, unlike the relatively remote Broken Boundary Mountain region we’re in. Here, if you count them all, there aren’t even a hundred sects, and that includes the Sunset Valley Sect across from Sky Rift Valley. It’s desolate in comparison.
“But while both regions are prosperous with sects, the northern area is different from the south. The south is freer but also more chaotic, whereas the Three Great Northern Lakes region is ho to the largest sect alliance in the cultivation world, ford by over a hundred sects. Although the organization is relatively loose, it manages to bring the vast northern region under its control. Their affairs are well-organized and incredibly powerful.”
Yu Ci thought for a mont and asked, “So, is the Myriad Cosmos Sect a mber of the Jade Cleansing Alliance?”
Bao Guang shook his head honestly. “That, I truly don’t know. As for the Jade Cleansing Alliance, I only know four sects: the Pure Void Sect and the Four Illuminations Sect, which are friendly with our Rifting Earth Sect and have maintained relations for years; then there’s Soulflight Manor, a sect known for its domineering nature. I heard they even had a dispute with Uncle Wu from our sect recently, causing quite a stir; and finally, there’s the Hundred Refinents Sect, a smaller sect skilled in artifact refinent. Master has good relations with them—his sword was forged by Uncle Xu Yang from the Hundred Refinents Sect.”
Having shared this information, Bao Guang seed ntally exhausted and quickly begged off. “That’s all I know. If you want more, you should ask Senior Brother Li. Isn’t he returning this afternoon?”
ntioning Li You brought a smile to both their faces.
Senior Brother Li was quite the character. Despite being tasked by the sect to handle related matters in Cliff City, it only took him five days after escorting Jin Chuan and Kuang Yanqi to their destinations to circle back.
He tid his return perfectly to coincide with the arrival of the Mountain-moving Cloud Boat and Murong Qingyan. Claiming he wanted to witness the legendary beauty of the “Jade Veiled in Drifting Mist,” he shalessly insisted on accompanying ng Wei to receive her.
Normally, this wouldn’t have been a problem. But given the distance from Heart Prohibition Monastery to Cliff City and Li You’s cultivation level, it was impossible for him to make a round trip in such a short ti. This could only an one thing: the person responsible for handling Cliff City affairs had irresponsibly abandoned the two scions of the Sun Light Sect in the wilderness and rushed back to escort ng Wei.
For anyone else, this might have been touching. Unfortunately for Li You, he had to face ng Wei, who, within two exchanges, had already pinned two offenses on him. Yet, determined as ever, Li You stuck to his guns and ended up accompanying ng Wei anyway.
That had happened earlier this afternoon, and by now, the two should have t up with Murong Qingyan and were on their way back.
“By the way, Senior Brother Yu, I have a question for you,” Bao Guang began.
“What?”
“Do you think Senior Brother Li… uh, do you think he likes Senior Sister ng?”
Yu Ci was montarily stunned before turning to look. The young daoist's face was filled with longing—not for anyone in particular, but for that fiery and elusive emotion described in countless tales. It was the kind of adolescent yearning that Yu Ci understood well, having experienced it himself.
Unlike Bao Guang, who still held onto a trace of innocence, Yu Ci had been precocious, encountering such feelings earlier in life. The experience had been absurd and fleeting, leaving him unprepared for the cold slap of reality that wiped it all away.
The mory was brief, the emotions ridiculous, and the recollection unpleasant. For a long ti, it left Yu Ci off-balance. But that phase of his life had passed. Now, seeing the budding emotions in the young daoist, he felt the understanding of soone who had been through it—and perhaps a twinge of envy.
Bao Guang's environnt allowed him the ti to nurture and refine his feelings, leaving him with complete and beautiful mories to savor in later years. Yu Ci's own recollections were more like a warped, nonsensical dream, inevitably followed by self-deprecating laughter.
Yu Ci chuckled, leaving Bao Guang perplexed.
“Did I say sothing wrong?”
“Uh, no. I an…”
Yu Ci reflexively agreed, but a thought struck him. The two rising stars in their sect didn’t seem like people burdened with romantic entanglents. He didn’t want to mislead the young daoist, but explaining this would be tricky.
As he pondered, a streak of red light flashed across the night sky from the direction of the mountain—a reverse shooting star with a long, crimson tail. It was bright but extinguished abruptly as it crossed the mountain's peak.
Bao Guang’s eyes widened as he shouted, “The sect's warning star!”
The so-called warning star was used by the Rifting Earth Sect’s cultivators to signal danger. Its light was distinctive, and it emitted a unique spiritual wave detectable within a hundred miles. However, the one just now hadn’t fully activated before being extinguished.
Looking at the location where the star had risen—more than twenty li away from the Southern Frost Lake—Yu Ci wondered if there were sect cultivators in that area.
While he was still processing, Bao Guang swam urgently toward the shore, preparing to investigate. He had barely covered a few zhang when the surface of the lake shimred with a beautiful azure glow.
Curious, Bao Guang started to turn back, but Yu Ci had already caught up, swimming with ease and pulling him along. Yu Ci’s swimming skills were far superior to Bao Guang’s clumsy strokes, and they moved swiftly toward the shore.
“Go back to the temple and get the temple master!” Yu Ci ordered in a low voice.
“Uh?”
Bao Guang hesitated, not fully grasping the gravity of the situation. Hearing Yu Ci’s stern tone, he stamred, “But we don’t even know…”
Before he could finish, a muffled explosion echoed through the night sky, followed by a shockwave that churned the lake's surface. Monts later, a loud “boom” erupted behind them, about half a li away, sending a towering column of water into the air. The spray rained down heavily.
Holding his breath, Yu Ci looked up but couldn’t imdiately discern what had happened. The entire valley suddenly lit up as if it were dayti. Both he and Bao Guang, bare-chested, were bathed in the glaring light, exchanging bewildered glances.
Amid the confusion, laughter rang out, loud and resonant, shaking the valley and rippling across the lake:
“Co, co, let
see the legendary ‘Jade Veiled in Drifting Mist.’ How does the beauty compare to the tales?”
Yu Ci glanced skyward to see a yellow-robed daoist hovering in midair. He was tossing a blazing white orb of light toward the lake, illuminating the entire valley. The shimring waves reflected silver radiance that spread layer upon layer.
“Jade Veiled in Drifting Mist… Murong Qingyan?”
The na flashed through Yu Ci’s mind as a figure surfaced from the lake’s shimring center with a splash.
It was indeed a female cultivator.
She rose slowly, as if lifted by unseen hands, her movents unhurried and composed. Even as she ascended, she took the ti to smooth her slightly disheveled hair, brushing away the water droplets.
No one cared how she had ended up in the water. All eyes were drawn to the alluring curves of her figure, accentuated by her every motion. The intense light of the valley seed almost alive, greedily wrapping around her and amplifying her radiant beauty.
The yellow-robed daoist stared, enraptured, and even Yu Ci and Bao Guang, still in the water, found themselves captivated.
Then, the woman smiled faintly and spoke:
“A spineless lecher like you—bullying won with words—is that all you’ve got?”
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