Chapter 95 : Mingzhu’s Worries
Chapter 95: Mingzhu’s Worries
After returning to Moon-Washing Peak, True Person Mingzhu did not go back to her own residence.
Instead, she went straight to the dwelling of her youngest disciple, Nan Yuchen.
Stepping into the courtyard, she saw Nan Yuchen using spirit insects specially supplied by the sect to feed that young Yaoguang Azure Phoenix.
After a period of recuperation, the youth had recovered quite a bit, and the liveliness had returned to his eyes.
To be honest, the reason True Person Mingzhu had decided to take a gamble and enter the secret realm in the first place had largely been due to that vague piece of information revealed by Long Tao.
Even at the time, her best expectation had been nothing more than obtaining a little phoenix blood, a few rare phoenix feathers, or perhaps some parasol tree branches that had once housed a Yaoguang Azure Phoenix egg and contained special spiritual resonance.
These items were indeed precious, but they were still within a controllable scope.
Even if, by the tiniest chance, she had truly obtained the Yaoguang Azure Phoenix itself, a quasi–holy beast of that level, she would certainly have handed it over to the sect in exchange for corresponding contributions and resources.
But the current situation had far exceeded all her expectations.
This bird was not only alive and well here—it had also recognized her young disciple as its master, becoming a “hot potato” that could neither be thrown away nor discarded.
On the surface, this was a heaven-defying stroke of fortune, enough to drive any cultivator green with envy and mad with desire.
But True Person Mingzhu knew all too well that the trouble and risks accompanying it were just as immense, enough to suffocate one.
She herself had long been the target of envy because she had inherited two rich spirit stone mineral veins from her late master.
But this time, the situation was entirely different.
The Yaoguang Azure Phoenix—a quasi–holy beast that might well be tied to the sect’s future development—was absolutely not something a single Golden Core cultivator could monopolize, even if she was a top-grade Golden Core at Great Perfection, fully supported and nurtured by the sect.
At present, the sect’s upper echelons were still doing their utmost to seal off the news, but paper could never wrap fire forever.
Even if Nine-Xia Heavenly Sect kept things tightly guarded, the Wuyi Sect would inevitably spread the information.
When that happened, what would come from all directions would not only be envy, but endless greed, schemes, and even open and hidden attacks.
Could she, a Golden Core cultivator, truly protect Nan Yuchen and this Azure Phoenix? Unless… she could break through to the Nascent Soul stage.
Nascent Soul…
The thought flashed through True Person Mingzhu’s mind, making her spirit tremble.
Could this… also be a kind of revelation? Was the unseen Heavenly Dao reminding her that she had remained at this realm long enough, and that it was time to take that crucial step?
All along, she had never been in a hurry to break through to Nascent Soul.
Having achieved a top-grade Golden Core, she possessed the maximum lifespan the human body could reach—twelve hundred years.
Now she was only a little over eight hundred years old, with plenty of time left to polish herself slowly and seek the most stable and perfect breakthrough opportunity.
She had always believed that letting things follow their natural course was the true path.
But sometimes, the turning points of fate arrived just so abruptly.
That seemingly distant “right moment” might suddenly appear before one’s eyes due to the impact of some external event.
If one missed the momentum and resolve born of such a convergence of circumstances, once that sharp edge of breakthrough intent faded, it might truly be impossible to grasp the best opportunity again.
She stood quietly in the courtyard, watching Nan Yuchen’s back as he carefully fed the Azure Phoenix, watching the gorgeous radiance that flowed when the young phoenix occasionally spread its wings.
For the first time, the calm and unhurried rhythm of her cultivation was replaced by a sense of urgency.
Sheltering her disciple and guarding this fortune required greater power.
And this need seemed to coincide, almost perfectly, with the next node on her own cultivation path.
“Master? You’re here.”
Nan Yuchen noticed True Person Mingzhu standing silently in the courtyard and quickly put down the insects in his hand, jogging over to bow respectfully.
The fledgling phoenix followed close behind his heels, toddling along like a little duck.
Seeing this scene, True Person Mingzhu sighed inwardly.
No wonder—it had been nourished by Yuchen’s own great destiny luck before hatching, and the first person it saw upon emerging from the shell had been him.
This recognition of a master was truly absolute, unwavering to the extreme.
“Mhm.” True Person Mingzhu nodded slightly, her gaze soft as it fell on her disciple.
“How is your recovery?”
“It’s alright!” Nan Yuchen tried hard to keep his tone light.
“I didn’t really suffer any serious injuries—mainly, I was just angered by Senior Brother Chu… Chu Yuanbai, that traitor! Senior Brother Wen was just… just right there in front of me when he was sneak-attacked by him… I… I still can’t forgive it even now.” The youth’s voice carried suppressed choking sobs and anger, his eyes reddening slightly.
“If not for Senior Brother Long… ah, no, that itinerant merchant senior stepping in at the last moment to turn the tide, we really would have been completely finished this time.”
This secret realm experience had indeed been far too brutal for Nan Yuchen.
He had been in the sect for over two years and had carried out quite a few sect missions, encountering risks along the way, but at most he had seen fellow disciples gravely injured.
He had never personally witnessed a companion being killed right in front of him—especially through betrayal and a sneak attack by a trusted senior brother.
For his simple and sincere disposition, this was undoubtedly a massive shock and trauma.
Mistreated since childhood in his main family, Nan Yuchen had regarded Nine-Xia Heavenly Sect as his true home ever since joining it, giving it his trust without reservation.
Even when he had previously suffered framing by Senior Brother Zhou, after the initial anger and grievance, he had felt that it was nothing more than that—at worst, the other party had merely taken some advantages and tripped him up a bit.
But this time, it was the living, breathing murder of a fellow disciple—a complete betrayal.
This truly overturned his understanding and shook his belief in the very word “fellow disciple.”
“There is no need to dwell on it too much,” True Person Mingzhu said calmly, her voice carrying a power that soothed the heart.
“On the long road of cultivation, all kinds of people exist. You will always encounter some who harbor evil intentions and stray onto deviant paths. Such people are not worth you expending your mind to remember, nor should you allow them to become inner demon obstacles on your cultivation path.”
“Yes, this disciple will remember.” Nan Yuchen took a deep breath, striving to calm his emotions.
“And one more thing,” True Person Mingzhu added as if casually.
“I happened to meet Long Tao earlier. The two bottles of Moon-Dew Spirit-Nourishing Pills you planned to give him—I have already delivered them on your behalf. You need not make a special trip.”
“Ah! Really? Thank you so much, Master!” Nan Yuchen’s face immediately lit up with joy and relief.
“This disciple should have gone to thank Senior Brother Long right away, but I ended up staying home feeding the bird the whole time…” He scratched his head in slight embarrassment.
True Person Mingzhu raised an eyebrow faintly.
“The one who saved your life was that itinerant merchant senior, not him.”
“But if Senior Brother Long hadn’t risked his life to go into the secret realm, that senior wouldn’t have had the chance to act!” Nan Yuchen retorted firmly, with the stubbornness unique to youth.
“And at that time… Senior Brother Long endured unimaginable pain to break through his realm. That must have been him forcing himself through it—I could tell! Anyway… this time I owe him a huge favor again…”
To hell with that!
True Person Mingzhu very rarely cursed crudely in her heart.
She could finally understand the earlier worries of her eldest disciple, Su Muzhi.
This child was far too pure and kind—like a blank sheet of paper.
When facing someone as quick-witted as Long Tao, he was practically guaranteed to be fooled every time!
Being taken advantage of for small benefits now and then was one thing, but what she feared was whether, at a critical moment, that man might harbor some greater ill intent and completely lead this foolish boy into a ditch.
Looking at Nan Yuchen’s utterly unguarded expression of gratitude toward Long Tao, True Person Mingzhu felt a headache coming on.
It seemed that in the future, she would have to pay much closer attention to this overly simple-minded young disciple.
“Enough, let’s not talk about that person anymore.” True Person Mingzhu waved her hand, as if brushing away something unpleasant.
“You’ve been cooped up on the peak ever since returning from the secret realm. That isn’t beneficial for tempering your state of mind. Go out for a walk tomorrow.”
“Really, Master?! I can go out?” Nan Yuchen’s eyes lit up, his face instantly glowing as the gloom of the past few days seemed to dissipate considerably.
“Mhm.” True Person Mingzhu nodded.
“But you must not go too far. And you must be accompanied by your Senior Fifth Sister.” After a moment’s thought, she added, “Go to the Spirit Pet Market in Qixia Town.
Since you have obtained this Azure Phoenix, you will inevitably need to put effort into its future feeding and nurturing.
Going there to see things for yourself will let you learn more practical knowledge.”
“Yes! Thank you, Master!” Nan Yuchen responded happily, already beginning to look forward to the outing the next day.
Of course, True Person Mingzhu hoped that Nan Yuchen could remain safely within the peak, avoiding all outside attention and risks.
But as things stood, letting him continue to stay alone, brooding day after day—especially over what kind of “favor” he owed that Long Tao fellow—was even more worrying.
Going out to clear his head and shift his focus might be better.
As for the destination… the Spirit Pet Market in Qixia Town was a safe and suitable choice.
It was a regular market under the sect’s jurisdiction, with good public order.
And… the corner of True Person Mingzhu’s mouth curved into an almost imperceptible arc.
She had just given Long Tao two bottles of Moon-Dew Spirit-Nourishing Pills today.
After gaining such benefits, that boy would surely start cultivating enthusiastically tomorrow and most likely would not go out at all.
…
On the other side, Long Tao—who had only just managed to “escape” from that cliffside pavilion terrace—returned home and happened to run into Luo Yusi coming out of the kitchen.
“Long Tao, we agreed to go to the Spirit Pet Market tomorrow to buy a spirit pet for Xiao Ying. Don’t oversleep.”
“Don’t worry. Going out with a beauty—how could I dare forget?”
“You’re annoying.”