Chapter 6: Xianyun Sect

Zhuiyun Peak resembled a square pillar, towering ten thousand feet high and reaching into the starry sky. The Zhuiwu River, formed by the convergence of waters from the entire Zhuiwu Mountain Range, split into two branches at Zhuiyun Peak before merging again after flowing past it. It could be said that Zhuiyun Peak stood as a pillar supporting the entire landscape.

On the peak, layers of lush greenery covered the slopes, exuding a pleasant fragrance. White cranes and other mystical beasts roamed about, with wisps of white mist drifting in the air. Thousands of magnificent buildings were scattered across the peak, with people constantly flying in and out, embodying the elegant spirit of cultivators.

Qu Yi stared at Zhuiyun Peak in awe, remaining silent for a long time. He was filled with emotion at the chance to enter such a grand cultivation sect.

“Qu Yi, before I leave, I need to tell you something. Your master is the head of Xianyun Sect,” Huai Qing said with a smile.

“Ah!” Qu Yi swayed slightly on his sword, looking at Huai Qing in disbelief. “Master, your background is truly remarkable! I’m so lucky!”

This was beyond Qu Yi’s expectations. He had only known Huai Qing to be a cultivator, but never imagined he was also the head of a sect. Now that he had become his disciple, his life in the sect would surely become much smoother.

Seeing Qu Yi’s expression change, Huai Qing easily guessed his thoughts. He rebuked, “Qu Yi, are you thinking that just because I’m the head of the sect, I’ll treat you specially? Nonsense! Because you’re my disciple, your situation will be even more difficult. Think about it.”

Qu Yi was smart. After being scolded by Huai Qing, he immediately realized that as the head’s disciple, his progress was crucial to the master’s reputation. If he progressed slowly, it would shame his master and lead to criticism from the entire sect. It wouldn’t be easier at all—instead, it would be more difficult.

Qu Yi’s face darkened immediately. He hung his head and remained silent, counting on his fingers.

Seeing his disciple’s reaction, Huai Qing smiled bitterly. “What, do you regret it? If you wish, I can take you away now and let you return to the secular world.”

Qu Yi quickly raised his head, panicked. “Master, are you joking? I’ve finally met such a kind person like you. How could I abandon you? I will definitely continue cultivating and not disappoint you.”

After witnessing Huai Qing split a stone with a single sword and store something in a bracelet, Qu Yi’s determination to pursue the path of cultivation became even stronger. Now, hearing that he was to return to the mortal world, though knowing Huai Qing was joking, he still became extremely nervous and had no choice but to swear an oath.

Huai Qing smiled, stared at Qu Yi for a while, then sighed and said, “Disciple, the jade sword you gave me is related to a major matter in the cultivation world. If this information leaks, not only will you and I be in danger, but the Xianyun Sect might also vanish. To be safe, I need to erase the memories in your soul. Don’t worry; I won’t erase all your memories—only those related to the jade sword. Your other memories will remain untouched.”

The jade sword was connected to matters of the Haotian Immortal Mansion, involving numerous powerful factions, beyond the Xianyun Sect’s capacity to handle.

Qu Yi was nervous for a while but then calmed down after thinking it over and immediately said, “Alright, I agree to whatever Master wants to do.”

One thing Qu Yi was certain of: Huai Qing wouldn’t kill him. Otherwise, with his cultivation level, he could turn him to dust with just a flick of his finger—there was no need for such trouble. No longer worried about his life, Qu Yi felt fearless. He was just an ordinary person who had stumbled onto the path of cultivation by chance; he was already very lucky. There was no need to worry about anything else. He would deal with future matters later.

Huai Qing nodded slightly, sending a look of approval, then his soul energy entered Qu Yi’s soul space.

If the soul is compared to a river, then memories are like drops in that river. Using his own soul energy, Huai Qing entered Qu Yi’s soul to search for those drops containing memories of the jade sword and remove them.

At that moment, as Huai Qing’s soul energy entered Qu Yi’s soul and found those drops holding information about the jade sword, it tried to snatch them away. Inside Qu Yi’s soul, a hidden deep green sphere suddenly appeared mysteriously. Next to each drop Huai Qing tried to take, it would flicker and create a copy. For every drop Huai Qing removed, the sphere created one copy.

After Huai Qing’s soul energy left Qu Yi’s soul, the deep green sphere immediately took action, reinserting one of the copied drops back into Qu Yi’s soul before disappearing again.

With the Soul Star-Picking Technique successful, Huai Qing finally felt at ease. Now that only he knew about the jade sword, he could focus on cultivating in peace, waiting for the right moment to enter the Immortal Mansion and seize opportunities.

After falling into a coma, Qu Yi regained consciousness and stared at Huai Qing with a strange expression.

“My memory seems intact. Didn’t the master say he wanted to erase my memories related to the jade sword? How come I still remember them?” Qu Yi thought in confusion. But at this moment, he wouldn’t ask directly; as long as he knew his soul was still intact, that was enough. As for information about the jade sword, he knew he couldn’t speak carelessly. If even the master, at the Yuan Ying stage, was so worried about it, he, a mere nobody, must not let any details slip.

Huai Qing looked at Qu Yi satisfactorily and then smiled, saying, “That’s enough, good disciple. Let’s go down.”

“Yes…”

Before Qu Yi could finish speaking, he found himself in a magnificent attic.

Huai Qing had used teleportation.

Inside the attic, twelve gilded pillars stood tall, with golden dragons coiled around them, exuding an awe-inspiring presence. The smooth floor was made of a single piece of bluestone, adorned with beautiful talismanic arrays that kept the entire attic clean and untainted. Between two of the pillars stood a white jade armchair, elegant and dignified. In the center of the attic was a bed shaped like two dragons playing with a pearl—the bodies of the two green dragons formed the bed, with their heads facing each other as they tried to swallow the red dragon pearl in the center.

At the center of the attic hung a large gilded plaque inscribed with the words “Xianyun Hall.”

Xianyun Hall was the meeting place for the entire Xianyun Sect. Whenever Master Huai Qing had matters to discuss, he would summon the sect’s elders to meet there. Usually, Huai Qing would retreat to the Zhuiyun Tower behind Xianyun Hall to meditate in peace.

“Master, what is this place?” Qu Yi asked curiously after recovering from his shock.

Huai Qing’s expression turned serious as he scolded, “Qu Yi, this is the meeting place of our Xianyun Sect. Do not act recklessly. Wait over there first. Without my permission, do not say a word.”

Qu Yi replied affirmatively and immediately stepped aside, thinking to himself that since his master had just returned to the sect, he was already getting angry. It was better to be cautious.

Huai Qing glanced at Qu Yi with a smile, satisfied with his attitude.

“Dequan, I’ve returned. Hurry and ring the Cloud Gathering Bell to summon all the executive elders,” Huai Qing transmitted his message through spirit to a disciple waiting in the adjacent room.

That person, named Dequan, was also Huai Qing’s disciple. He had not been cultivating for long, only at the early stage of the Foundation Building phase. But because he was clever and easy-going, Huai Qing assigned him to manage Xianyun Hall.

Soon, Dequan flew to a bell tower, and the melodious sound of the bell spread throughout the Zhuiwu Mountain Range.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

From several peaks in the Zhuiwu Mountain Range, figures flew out and quickly arrived at Zhuiyun Peak, entering Xianyun Hall.

A total of ten people, each dressed in blue Taoist robes, gracefully flew into the Immortal Cloud Hall and then settled on respective armchairs.
Huai Qing was already seated on the Double Dragons Playing with a Pearl bed in the hall, smiling as he watched the elders take their places. After a brief silence, he began to speak.
“Elders, there have been unusual changes in the heavens and earth in recent days. Has there been any chaos within the Immortal Cloud Sect?”
The ten elders each had responsibilities such as transmitting cultivation techniques, administering punishments, handling sect affairs, managing the herb garden, crafting weapons, and designing formations. They also had authority over the sect’s daily operations.
“During those times of upheaval, all disciples below the Foundation Establishment stage became panicked. Some are still anxious. I believe their minds will calm down soon,” said an elder with cold eyes and a serious expression.
This elder was named Kang Yan, at the later stage of the Golden Core cultivation level, in charge of punishments, and known for his strictness.
“Due to the disturbances in the heavens and earth, the spiritual energy became chaotic. Ten disciples experienced disrupted meridians and the emergence of mental demons, causing their cultivation levels to drop by one stage. Moreover, due to the damage to their bodies, their cultivation levels will not rise much in the future. It’s a pity that Elder Kang Ren from the Spirit Turtle Peak also died after his seclusion, as his Golden Core became unstable and exploded,” said an elder with a kind face and a broad forehead, expressing regret.
This elder was named Huai You, also at the later stage of the Golden Core cultivation level, and a junior brother of Huai Qing. He was in charge of transmitting cultivation techniques and enjoyed playing around with the sect’s disciples, which earned him many friends.
Huai Qing and the ten elders all sighed silently.
The Immortal Cloud Sect had thirty-seven cultivators at the Golden Core stage, meaning thirty-seven elders. With the resources of Cui Mu Star, it was already difficult to cultivate even one person to this level. Now, with one elder dying due to the celestial disturbances, it was a huge loss for the sect.
Once a cultivator reached the Golden Core stage, the sect would grant them a title, promote them to elder status, provide them with their own cultivation mountain, and allow them to start teaching disciples. Previously, the sect had thirty-seven mountains; now, it had thirty-six.
“The death of Brother Kang Ren is unfortunate, but my herb garden has also suffered greatly. That Moss Spirit Grass, which is extremely sensitive to spiritual energy, died immediately when the spiritual energy became chaotic. Many other medicinal herbs also lost much of their potency due to the same reason,” said an elder with a rosy complexion and a childlike appearance, sighing deeply.
This elder was named Kang Yao, who loved growing medicinal herbs, so naturally, he was in charge of the sect’s herb garden.
More sighs followed.
After that, each elder reported on the matters under their responsibility.

After hearing this, Huai Qing sighed repeatedly, then suddenly perked up, his expression brightening as he said loudly, “Elders, although this upheaval in heaven and earth is violent and chaotic, it is clearly not aimed at us cultivators. It is not a calamity for us, so there’s no need for worry. Deal properly with the losses within the sect, and also comfort the disciples on each mountain peak, encouraging them to practice diligently so they may reach the path of enlightenment sooner.”
“Yes, Sect Leader!” The ten elders replied in unison.
As soon as he finished speaking, Huai Jin, one of the ten governing elders, noticed Qu Yi beside the Dragon and Pearl Bed, and a glint appeared in his eyes.
“Sect Leader, may I ask who this young cultivator is?” Huai Jin asked gently.
The other nine elders also immediately turned to look at Huai Qing.
Huai Qing glanced at Qu Yi and was pleased to see that he stood upright, unintimidated by the elders’ presence. Smiling, he replied, “His name is Qu Yi. He is a disciple I took in.”