Chapter 578: The Restriction Begins to Open

“I know about that.” Kong Que nodded and said, “This disciple hasn’t met that child much, only heard that her temperament is extremely stubborn. After Martial Aunt Jingxuan passed away, no one presided over Xuanzhu Courtyard, and that child might not necessarily be taken in under Martial Aunt Jingxuan’s lineage. There weren’t many servants in Xuanzhu Courtyard, but she still received quite a few cold looks from them. Sigh, I heard from Chen Chen that even Sect Master Martial Aunt knew about this matter, but that child simply gritted her teeth and said nothing, facing it all with indifference, and kept vigil for Martial Aunt Jingxuan for seven days and seven nights without sleep or rest…”

“Still calling her a child?” Master Jingfan said. “That little girl is already sixteen years old, not much younger than you.”

“Hehe, Master is right. Still, the first time this disciple saw her was four or five years ago, I think. Back then, she was still just a little girl. In the blink of an eye, she’s already sixteen. Time passes like lightning.”

Hearing the melancholy in Kong Que’s tone, Master Jingfan secretly nodded in her heart. The inner sect disciples on Yixiang Peak were all heaven’s favored daughters and had always remained far removed from the mortal world, with little contact with worldly affairs. While this allowed them to advance rapidly in martial cultivation, once they reached a certain level, they would fall into a bottleneck. Without tempering through the vicissitudes of the world and the complexities of human relationships, they could not step into a more profound and mysterious realm. For thousands of years, this bottleneck had stumped countless heaven-defying geniuses.

As Master Jingfan’s proud disciple, Kong Que could be considered one of the foremost figures on Yixiang Peak; otherwise, the trip to Mochou City would never have fallen upon her shoulders. Yet now, she was actually able to sigh that “time passes like lightning” because of a girl with whom she had not had much contact. This already showed that she had gained some understanding of the true meaning of life. And as for her handling of the relationship with that so-called “fated nemesis”, regardless of whether it succeeded or failed, it would greatly benefit Kong Que’s cultivation.

In Master Jingfan’s eyes, Ren Xiaoyao was nothing more than a whetstone for Kong Que’s Fantian Heart Method!

Then Master Jingfan smiled and said: “Let us not talk about that girl anymore. Since she has already entered the inner sect, then even if she does not have your Martial Aunt Jingxuan’s personal guidance and may have no opportunity to improve her martial arts, her status is there for all to see. On this Yixiang Peak, absolutely no one would dare bully her…”

Kong Que also nodded slightly. Just then, a burst of hurried footsteps approached. Without even turning around, Master Jingfan knew who it was. Sure enough, a startled cry rang out: “Master, y-you’ve come out of seclusion?” Wasn’t it Chen Chen’s voice?

Master Jingfan stopped speaking with Kong Que and turned around, saying, “Sigh, yes, I just came out of seclusion, yet I only saw one disciple here…”

“Master~~” Chen Chen used Qinggong and, with a single leap, arrived beside Master Jingfan. In a coquettish voice, she said, “Listen to you, it sounds as though this disciple doesn’t care about you at all. This disciple was only feeling a bit stifled and went to visit Martial Aunt Qingleng. If you don’t believe me, ask Senior Sister. This disciple also waited here for a long time.”

As she spoke, both hands grabbed Master Jingfan’s arm and shook it, completely lacking the bearing she had when Zhang Xiaohua first met her.

Master Jingfan was already accustomed to her acting spoiled like this and wore a helpless expression as she said, “Your master hasn’t even finished a single sentence, and you already have so many words waiting. How can you let your master say anything at all?”

Although her face showed helplessness, her eyes also revealed doting affection. She had watched her two disciples grow up since childhood, and they had never been separated for such a long time before. Although she knew that nothing had happened to her youngest disciple, at this moment she still fixed her gaze on Chen Chen’s face, carefully observing the growth of these past few months.

“Listen to what you’re saying…” Chen Chen giggled and said, “How would I dare talk back to Master? One sentence from Master is worth ten thousand of mine. Ah, right, I almost forgot to congratulate you, Master! Congratulations, Master! The Fantian Heart Method must have already reached the pinnacle and created a new era unseen in the ten thousand years of our Incense-Spreading Sect!”

“You little smooth-talker.” Master Jingfan scolded softly. “Your master merely went into a brief seclusion. How could it be as you say, reaching the pinnacle? Have you become so used to hearing flattery outside that you’ve come back to fool your master?”

Although it was a scolding, there was also a trace of pride in Master Jingfan’s eyes.

Chen Chen raised her eyes and looked at Kong Que, who was calmly watching her from the side, and smiled. “As soon as Senior Sister returned to Yixiang Peak, her cultivation increased greatly. Master has been in seclusion for several months, so your cultivation must also have advanced tremendously. That goes without saying.”

“Th… what kind of logic is that?” Master Jingfan said with a bitter smile. Then she suddenly understood and said, “Could it be that you’re envious of your Senior Sister’s fortuitous encounter?”

Chen Chen pouted and said: “Of course I am. Master, you be the judge. Senior Sister went to Mochou City and experienced so many stories along the way. She even ran into people trying to intercept her. Although she was injured, the Small Meridian Nourishing Pill increased her cultivation by at least five years. Then look at this disciple. I went to that godforsaken place, and the whole journey was completely uneventful, without even the slightest bit of excitement…”

Before Chen Chen could finish speaking, Master Jingfan shook her head and said, “Enough. Chen Chen, have you forgotten what your Sect Master Martial Aunt once said? Besides diligence, the path of cultivation also depends on aptitude and fortuitous encounters. If your opportunity has not yet arrived, then no matter how diligent you are, even if you hang your hair from a beam and stab your thigh with an awl, and no matter how outstanding your aptitude is, unrivaled under heaven, it will still amount to nothing.”

Chen Chen seemed thoughtful and said: “Master, then does that mean that Senior Sister’s trip to Mochou City, encountering the Heavenly Dragon Divine Cult’s interception, suffering serious injuries, obtaining a medicinal pill, and increasing her cultivation—all of that was a fortuitous encounter?”

Master Jingfan nodded solemnly and said, “Precisely so.”

Chen Chen’s eyes rolled, and she asked again, “Then what about that Ren Xiaoyao from Spring Rebirth Valley? He met Nie Qianyu, escorted her to Spring Rebirth Valley, participated in the martial marriage competition, and then followed the medicine boy to our Incense-Spreading Sect to become an outer sect disciple. Was that also his fortuitous encounter?”

Hearing Chen Chen mention Zhang Xiaohua as well, Master Jingfan’s brows furrowed slightly, and she said, “Your master just heard your Senior Sister mention this Ren Xiaoyao. Why are you suddenly talking about him as well? Do you also feel that he’s different from ordinary people?”

“Different from ordinary people?” Chen Chen was taken aback and said in confusion, “No? I just think he’s rather tall, that’s all. There’s nothing particularly strange about him. Aren’t there also many inner sect disciples who are not very old but appear exceptionally mature? Compared with them, this Ren Xiaoyao is ordinary to the point of being completely ordinary!”

Only then did Master Jingfan’s expression ease slightly, and she said, “What you say is quite correct. If Ren Xiaoyao had not encountered the daughter of the Valley Master of Spring Rebirth Valley and reached out to save her, then what followed would certainly never have happened, and he definitely would not have had the opportunity to enter our Incense-Spreading Sect. This is what is called a fortuitous encounter!”

“Sigh!” Chen Chen let out a deep sigh and looked intently at Kong Que.

Master Jingfan’s heart trembled, and she quickly asked, “What’s wrong?”

Unexpectedly, Chen Chen said resentfully, “This disciple’s accomplishments in martial arts were already inferior to Senior Sister’s to begin with. Now it’s even worse—I can’t even see her back anymore. How can this disciple not sigh in sorrow?”

“You…” Master Jingfan did not know whether to laugh or cry, but she was relieved in her heart. Kong Que had gone out on a trip and become entangled with an unknown Ren Xiaoyao. If Chen Chen also became involved with them, things would become even more chaotic. As long as it wasn’t that, everything was fine.

At this moment, Kong Que, who had remained silent all this time, smiled and said: “Junior Sister is mistaken. Doesn’t Sect Master Martial Aunt often say that on the path of cultivation, one must proceed step by step? Only what one obtains through steadfast cultivation is one’s true strength. All shortcuts gained through opportunistic means are not the proper path. Whether these years of cultivation I gained are a blessing or a curse remains to be seen!”

Chen Chen, however, disagreed and said: “That may be true, but seeing Senior Sister gain several years of cultivation for nothing, how can I not be envious? Besides, if cultivation gained for free isn’t a blessing, then why is it that every time the Youlan Twilight Trial comes around, so many disciples are willing to fight tooth and nail just to obtain a qualification to enter? Isn’t it all because they want to find heavenly treasures that are rarely seen and refine them into medicinal pills to increase their cultivation?”

As she said this, she suddenly seemed to realize something and slapped her forehead. “Oh dear, Master, I was so happy to see you that I forgot…”

Master Jingfan was taken aback and asked with a smile, “What’s wrong? Are you perhaps asking your master for an opportunity to participate in this Youlan Twilight Trial?”

At this point, she turned to look at Kong Que and said, “Your Senior Sister has gained several years of cultivation for nothing, and her state of mind also became somewhat unstable during the trip to Mochou City. She cannot participate in the Youlan Twilight Trial several months from now. She should first stabilize her realm and untie the knot in her heart. Besides, she already participated the last time, so she won’t compete with you for it.”

“An unstable state of mind? A knot in her heart?” Chen Chen was utterly bewildered and looked at Kong Que as she asked, “Senior Sister, what’s going on? Why haven’t I heard you mention it? Could it be that sword force can injure the heart as well?”

Kong Que’s face reddened, and she muttered under her breath, not knowing how to explain, when Chen Chen suddenly shouted again: “Oh dear, Master, you’re interrupting again. Listen to me first.”

After saying that, regardless of the reactions of Master Jingfan and Kong Que, she continued: “Just now, this disciple went to Martial Aunt Qingleng’s place and happened to run into someone sent by Sect Master Martial Aunt to find her. They said that the disciples patrolling the mountains had discovered that the restriction around Youlan Gorge had loosened somewhat, exactly like the initial signs that appear before the opening of the Youlan Twilight Trial. That’s why they are summoning the inner sect elders and the hall masters of the various halls to discuss the matter together. Since Master was in seclusion, no one was sent here. Before Martial Aunt Qingleng left, she instructed this disciple to return and, if Master happened to come out of seclusion within the next few days, ask Master to go to Yixiang Hall and discuss the matter of Youlan Gorge together!”

Chen Chen said all of this in one breath without pausing even once. Fortunately, her Fantian Heart Method had already reached a minor level of accomplishment, so she was not even breathing heavily or blushing. When she finally finished speaking and fell silent, neither Master Jingfan nor Kong Que responded. For a moment, the entire room became unusually quiet.

Chen Chen looked at the two of them and asked curiously, “Master, Senior Sister, I’m finished speaking.”

Hearing this, Kong Que smiled and said, “Hehe, so Junior Sister has finished speaking? Then may we talk now?”

“Haha,” Chen Chen laughed. “Of course you can.”

Master Jingfan also smiled and said, “Then we shall speak.” Immediately afterward, she glanced at Kong Que, frowned slightly, and said, “Youlan Gorge opens once every five years, and this restriction has remained fixed for several hundred years. Counting the days, there should still be several months before it is time to open. Could it be that, just like the restriction at Jinghai Lake, it has undergone some new changes?”