Chapter 606 - 602: Situation
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The small knife that Xiao Ruoling carried by her side always kept a connection with him.
Occasionally, a fleeting image would appear, only to vanish as quickly as it came.
This assured him that Xiao Ruoling was not in any danger and was instead living peacefully.
It felt as if she were amidst a series of interconnected pavilions and terraces.
At this moment, as soon as his divine skills reached completion, he re-established the mental connection with the small knife.
He found his current location peculiar.
In the void thousands of meters above the continuous mountain ranges, stood a cluster of palaces and pavilions, quietly suspended in air.
These palaces were all constructed from white jade, adorned with colorful painted beams, elegant yet bright and lively.
The palaces and pavilions floated above the white clouds, with a clear blue sky overhead.
The white clouds stretched on without end beneath his feet.
The clouds transformed into various shapes.
Like animals galloping in the sky—cows, sheep, dogs, and deer.
The white clouds gathered together, resembling snow-covered hills.
With more density, they resembled towering snow-capped peaks, radiant with golden light upon the sun’s emergence, appearing ever more pristine and immaculate.
Occasionally, there would be gaps in the clouds, through which the peaks below could be seen.
Upon these peaks were also palaces and pavilions, grand and majestic, like a green dragon sprawled across heaven and earth.
His current position was in Xiao Ruoling’s courtyard, which was a modest and pure compound.
A flower garden was planted inside the courtyard, with a small pavilion in front of it, and next to the pavilion was a small martial arts training ground.
In the pavilion stood two young girls in green, their figures trim and graceful, with delicate features.
Xiao Ruoling and Shen Hanyue were sparring in the small martial arts training ground beside the flower garden.
The two moved with lightness and grace, their white clothes as snowy, resembling two white jade butterflies.
Yet their speed was swift, their strength immense, causing the flowers in the garden to sway wildly in the wind.
Chu Zhiyuan perceived their speed and strength.
Far exceeding the past, comparable to the physical prowess of a Great Grandmaster.
After some time, the two women stopped.
Shen Hanyue sat heavily in the pavilion beside the flower garden, took a teacup handed to her by one of the green-clad girls, and drank it in one gulp, exhaling long and deep.
Xiao Ruoling took the tea handed by the other green-clad girl, sipped lightly and placed it on the white jade stone table.
"Senior Sister, finally at the third transition, it’s so slow!"
Xiao Ruoling retrieved the small knife from her sleeve, gently wiped it with a silk cloth, and said softly, "It’s already quick enough, no need to rush."
Chu Zhiyuan couldn’t help but smile.
Being attached within the flying knife was different from having a real body.
He could sense Xiao Ruoling’s aura, but couldn’t feel the touch of her jade hands.
This strange feeling made him quite uncomfortable.
Shen Hanyue said, "The Holy Daughters from other places are not easy to deal with. If we get overshadowed by them, they’ll definitely taunt us."
Xiao Ruoling smiled, "The path of cultivation is long; why bother contesting for a temporary gain and loss. Let them be."
"Senior Sister—!" Shen Hanyue protested, "This isn’t our Yao Yue Palace. Without competition, it’s impossible to become a True Disciple. Don’t you want to return to see the Princely Heir?"
"True Disciple..." Xiao Ruoling gently shook her head, "It’s almost impossible for us to become True Disciples."
"So you’re giving up and not going back to see the Princely Heir?"
"The Princely Heir can ascend here."
"That’s hard to achieve. I’ve heard that in nearly a thousand years, no one has ascended from Little Outer Heaven, not from the Three Great Dynasties, only from our Four Great Sects."
"Others may not ascend, but the Princely Heir can." Xiao Ruoling looked calmly at the small knife, her tone composed.
"...That’s true." Shen Hanyue hesitated for a moment, reluctantly nodding.
She actually believed this point, too.
What others cannot accomplish, Chu Zhiyuan can; others cannot ascend, but he can.
"But who knows when he’d attempt to ascend. It’s better to become a True Disciple quickly, and use the Xuan Guang Shuttle to go back to Yao Yue Palace to see him."
"True Disciple..." Xiao Ruoling gently shook her head, "Our talent and comprehension are far inferior compared to the local disciples; how could we achieve it?"
"This Outer Heaven is rich in spiritual energy and full of rare treasures. They grew up here, with better physical prowess and comprehension, but it doesn’t mean we don’t have a chance; we aren’t lacking either!" Shen Hanyue retorted.
Xiao Ruoling gently placed the small knife back into her sleeve and looked up at her, "Look at the past millennium; any Holy Daughter from Little Outer Heaven becomes a True Disciple, you’ll know it’s unnecessary to force it."
"...Sigh—!" Shen Hanyue immediately sighed deeply, "I can now feel the frustration of ordinary people; I understand how they look at us."
They, who became Holy Daughters of Yao Yue Palace, were geniuses among geniuses.
The objects of admiration and praise by the world.
But now, they had switched roles, becoming those ordinary people, only able to admire and praise those True Disciples.
All local prodigies of Outer Heaven, with talent and comprehension far surpassing theirs.
Shen Hanyue suddenly chuckled softly.
Xiao Ruoling looked at her.
Shen Hanyue shook her head with a smile.
"Junior Sister, hurry up and say it." Xiao Ruoling smiled.
Shen Hanyue giggled, "Senior Sister, do you think when the Princely Heir ascends, he’ll become as mediocre as us?"
Xiao Ruoling shook her head, "Even if he lacks talent, his comprehension is enough to compensate. Although the comprehension of these True Disciples is impressive, it may not surpass the Princely Heir."
Shen Hanyue said, "Even if he has good comprehension, the drawback of his body will hinder him, and when he ascends to the Prince Jing Mansion to become a Little Prince, ...although not given much importance, just being a Little Prince to pass the days isn’t bad."
Xiao Ruoling gently nodded, "There’s nothing wrong with being an ordinary Prince; at least, he doesn’t have to go to the Outer Realm Battlefield, doesn’t have to battle with the Demon Clan."
"Senior Sister, it’s said the Demon Clan is quite terrifying."
"They’re all in the Outer Realm Battlefield or the Demon Domain. We don’t need to worry staying here."
"Sigh... True Disciple." Shen Hanyue showed a face full of discontent, "It only takes them 1,200 Circulations to achieve First Transition, but I need 2,100 Circulations, and Senior Sister, 1,800 Circulations. No matter how hard we try, we can’t catch up with them."
"It can’t be compared." Xiao Ruoling said, "Don’t look for trouble yourself."
"It’s said that some rare treasures can enhance talent. If we could obtain that, we wouldn’t have to painstakingly comprehend the Taoye Marrow Cleansing Technique."
Xiao Ruoling gently shook her head, "The Taoye Marrow Cleansing Technique is a Martial Arts of the Transformation Realm, requiring a sufficiently high level of comprehension. You cannot rush."
"Sigh..." Shen Hanyue sighed, "If only the Princely Heir were here, this Taoye Marrow Cleansing Technique would definitely not trouble him."
"Hm." Xiao Ruoling gently nodded.
Shen Hanyue quickly said, "If we master this, we will directly become True Disciples, wouldn’t that be wonderful?"
Anyone who masters this technique automatically becomes a True Disciple.
"In a millennium, only two have become True Disciples through the Taoye Marrow Cleansing Technique."
"Hehe, Senior Sister, you know even better than me!" Shen Hanyue jested with a laugh, "And you say you don’t want to become a True Disciple! ...Senior Sister, do you have any insights?"
"Totally clueless, not gaining anything at all."
"Same here, I can’t attain the mental realm depicted in the visualization."
"Take it slowly." Xiao Ruoling said, "First focus on Qi Cultivation, ponder the Taoye Marrow Cleansing Technique when tired, maybe one day it’ll click."
Shen Hanyue said, "Some people throw Qi Cultivation to the side and concentrate on comprehending the Taoye Marrow Cleansing Technique, like that Holy Daughter from Green Cloud Heaven does."
"It’s said that her comprehension in Green Cloud Heaven was amazing; she might actually master it."
"Her eyes are set high above, extremely proud."
"Confident in herself, we should still practice diligently, not thinking of shortcuts, take it step by step."
"Sigh... fine." Shen Hanyue sighed.
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