Chapter 78 : Little Shadow’s Talent
Chapter 78: Xiao Ying’s Talent
He Yaxiao had always believed that although she could not be considered a top-tier genius within the Nine Radiance Heavenly Sect, she was absolutely an elite.
This alone was proven by the fact that she had caught the eye of Weaving Shadow True Person and had been permitted to enter Weaving Shadow Peak for cultivation.
Compared to many other sects, the greatest distinguishing feature of the Nine Radiance Heavenly Sect was how exceptionally well it treated its ordinary disciples.
In many sects, so-called outer disciples were, in truth, barely different from menial workers, at most doing a bit less labor.
But in the Nine Radiance Heavenly Sect, outer disciples were practically equivalent to inner disciples elsewhere.
They truly did not need to do odd jobs and could devote themselves fully to cultivation.
The Scripture Pavilion was freely accessible, Golden Core elders’ lectures could be attended at will, and there was even a monthly subsidy of half a Mid-Grade Spirit Stone.
Most of the housing within the sect’s core area could also be rented freely—provided one had the money.
As for inner disciples, beyond enjoying even greater benefits, they possessed one most crucial advantage: even if they were not personal disciples, as long as a peak master nodded in approval, they could choose a peak to enter for cultivation.
This was far easier than becoming a personal disciple, yet it was a very real privilege.
Because this meant being able to attend the peak master’s lectures directly alongside personal disciples, and even receive occasional guidance from the peak master himself.
The only thing missing was the priceless pills and magical artifacts personally bestowed upon true personal disciples.
For wealthy disciples whose families lacked neither pills nor artifacts, this was practically equivalent to personal-disciple treatment.
Of course, some peaks were exceptionally difficult to enter—Weaving Shadow Peak, belonging to Weaving Shadow True Person, was one such example.
And yet, He Yaxiao had been chosen.
In the eyes of others, this was almost equivalent to standing at the very pinnacle of the inner disciples.
She herself indeed possessed that pride; even her daily stride unconsciously grew a bit straighter.
Until today.
All of her pride, and that faint reserve hidden deep in her heart, had been ground into fragments by the newly accepted junior personal disciple of Weaving Shadow True Person.
……
“Senior Sister He? I’ve already finished opening my meridians and reached the Qi Refining Second Layer.
What should I do next?”
The junior sister before her—Xiao Ying—had just finished bathing, her hair still slightly damp.
This was nothing unusual, because breaking through to the second layer of Qi Refining was itself the first “muscle and marrow cleansing” on the cultivation path.
Impurities within the meridians would be expelled during the process, mixed with sweat and oils, discharged through the pores all over the body.
After a successful breakthrough, one would be covered in greasy filth, and everyone would go wash afterward.
At this moment, Xiao Ying’s naturally alluring peach-blossom eyes looked over, her gaze flowing with the confident radiance that followed a breakthrough.
He Yaxiao could not help but feel that this Qi Refining junior sister was actually more dazzling than herself, a senior sister at the Mid Foundation Establishment Stage.
The key point was that He Yaxiao had originally thought that, as someone with Five Spiritual Roots, Xiao Ying would need to spend a long time just on the aperture-awakening stage, so she had not paid much attention over the past few days.
Who would have expected… the girl had quietly broken through two layers in succession—without even calling for someone to guard her!
Although breakthroughs at the first and second Qi Refining layers carried little risk, and so-called “guarding” was merely to prevent qi deviation or to remind one not to rush things.
Even if something truly went wrong, at worst it would be a minor meridian injury.
With Xiao Ying’s status as a personal disciple, a few good pills would easily restore her.
But she could not be this reckless, could she?!
This child… not only did her talent match her name, even this heedless temperament was so similar to Weaving Shadow True Person’s! If not for the vast difference in their appearances—one with peach-blossom eyes, the other with apricot eyes—He Yaxiao would have truly suspected that this was some illegitimate daughter secretly born outside.
“Th-this… you… how did you reach the second layer so quickly? Aren’t you Five Spiritual Roots?!”
“I thought Five Spiritual Roots would cultivate very slowly too,” Xiao Ying said as if it were perfectly natural.
“But when I tried, I found that Five Spiritual Roots can absorb all elemental spiritual energy at the same time. Logically, shouldn’t that be the fastest? And once I tried, it really was fast! It’s also thanks to Senior Sister He’s good teaching.”
“……”
He Yaxiao felt her common sense shattering with crackling sounds.
The speed at which spiritual roots absorbed spiritual energy… could it really become faster just because someone thought it should work?! Then did that mean all the countless Five Spiritual Roots cultivators in the world were idiots who did not even know how to think?!
People had always said that if one had not begun Qi Refining before the age of six, one was destined to fall behind for life.
But looking at Xiao Ying before her, He Yaxiao finally understood that such words were only meant to describe mediocrities and wastes.
Six years old? Xiao Ying had only started cultivating at sixteen and was already crushing everyone else.
He Yaxiao even suspected that with this level of talent, even if Xiao Ying only began cultivating at sixty as an old woman, it would still not be too late.
He Yaxiao genuinely did not know what to do anymore.
For something this absurd, discussing it with other fellow disciples would be useless, and yet Weaving Shadow True Person had gone to a Secret Realm.
Although Xiao Ying had only just entered the sect, as a personal disciple of the peak master, it was unthinkable to trouble other Golden Core True Persons over a mere Qi Refining issue—that would be slapping Weaving Shadow Peak in the face.
What was more… He Yaxiao strongly sensed that with Xiao Ying’s outrageous advancement speed, even if other True Persons came, they would not be able to explain it either.
They could only wait for Weaving Shadow True Person to return.
Just as He Yaxiao stared at this “monstrous junior sister,” her mind in utter chaos, unsure whether to praise, scold, or doubt her own life, a moon-white jade pendant at her waist suddenly glowed faintly, transmitting a gentle yet clear fluctuation.
Weaving Shadow True Person had returned.
Just as she thought of immediately notifying him with the jade pendant, she felt that this matter was better explained face to face, and she could also personally go to welcome him.
……
When He Yaxiao returned with the visibly excited Weaving Shadow True Person, another Golden Core cultivator followed behind them, her curiosity and astonishment equally undisguised—Bright Candle True Person.
As the two peerlessly beautiful Golden Core cultivators stepped into the room, they saw Xiao Ying seated cross-legged on the floor, intently flipping through a cultivation manual.
On the cover were several boldly scrawled words: Five Elements Primordial Unity Theory.
“Master! You’re back! Uh… and this True Person is…?”
Seeing her master return together with Senior Sister, Xiao Ying immediately put down the book, rose, and performed a salute.
Her curious gaze shifted toward the incomparably beautiful Golden Core beside Weaving Shadow True Person, and she asked with slight hesitation.
“This is your master’s Martial Uncle, Bright Candle True Person. By seniority, you should address her as Martial Great-Aunt,” Weaving Shadow True Person introduced casually, a smile at the corner of his lips.
“This disciple pays respects to Martial Great-Aunt Bright Candle,” Xiao Ying responded at once, obediently saluting again.
Bright Candle True Person gave a slight nod, examining the respectful, bowed-headed girl before her.
She had to admit that this was indeed a classic beauty in the making—peach-blossom eyes paired with an oval face, already showing budding elegance.
What surprised her somewhat was that she had heard this girl came from a maid’s background, yet judging from her bearing and manners, she looked more like a gently raised young lady, her brows and eyes carrying an indescribable spiritual charm.
What felt even subtler was that despite her outward obedience, Bright Candle somehow sensed that beneath those lowered lashes, there seemed to be a faint, elusive hostility directed at herself.
However, Bright Candle True Person had no mind to dwell on such trivial details at the moment.
She focused and carefully perceived the child’s cultivation state.
Five Spiritual Roots, just broken through to the Qi Refining Second Layer!
That disciple named He Yaxiao truly had not spoken falsely!
At this moment, even with Bright Candle True Person’s vast experience, she could not help but feel unprecedented shock and confusion.
Th-this… how was this possible?
The cultivation bottleneck of Five Spiritual Roots was well known to all.
The upper limit of their spiritual energy absorption speed was like an insurmountable chasm, eternally blocking all Five Spiritual Roots cultivators.
No matter how many heavenly treasures were piled around them, if their own rate of absorbing and converting spiritual energy could not keep up, everything would be meaningless.
Yet this girl named Xiao Ying had truly relied on this so-called waste-level spiritual root aptitude to complete consecutive breakthroughs from mortal to the Qi Refining Second Layer in just eight short days!
Bright Candle True Person felt that her long-held understanding had suffered an unprecedented impact.
For a moment, just like He Yaxiao earlier, she fell into a dazed state of “collapsed common sense.”
She thought of that “itinerant merchant” senior she had encountered in the Secret Realm, who claimed that his disciple, South Universe Chen, was a Child of Destiny.
But to her now, this girl was the true Daughter of Destiny.