He exhaled a long sigh and stood up. “I will make my decision when I head there. I think there are still three weeks before the competition starts. I can improve further in this time.”
[Eh? Are you going to head back inside Dual Cultivation Chambers to train?]
Her voice was filled with frustration.
“Haha, no no, calm down. I’m heading out to check up on Ling’er. Let’s see how she is doing. I heard she was practicing in the Sect Master Hall.”
[That’s the best place in this sect available for disciples, and due to her bloodline, the sect is also nurturing her with all their care.]
Shen Yuan pushed open the gate before stepping out. The calm surroundings greeted him. The mountain peak was filled with greenery without any sign of a human being.
“I know, and that’s a good thing. This will give her enough power to face her clan and solve whatever problem she has herself.” He made his way toward the spatial portal.
[But will you let her deal with it alone?]
His lips curled up. “Haha, of course not. How can I let my dear Ling’er face something dangerous like that all on her own?”
Yue Lan exhaled a sigh.
[Figures, huh. Well, let’s see how she is doing for now.]
He nodded his head and went towards the spatial portal. After he passed through the first spatial portal, he emerged on another mountain peak wreathed in wisps of cloud.
The sect’s network of portals was extensive; each portal opened to a different region of the vast sect grounds—some soared high above the clouds, others wound through hidden valleys.
He hopped from one portal to the next, and in each portal, the disciples bowed towards him with respect.
Finally, after a half-dozen rapid jumps, he exited from the last spatial portal. In the distance, he could see the outline of the majestic Sect Leader Hall.
He slowly moved forward, and soon the towering jade doors engraved with Blazing Lotus came in front of him.
A pair of disciples on duty recognized him instantly, bowing as they hurried to push the doors open. “Senior Brother Shen,” one bowed respectfully before stepping aside to let him enter. Discover exclusive tales at empire
He returned the courtesy with a polite nod, stepping in without ceremony. Immediately, the shift in the atmosphere was palpable—rich Qi filled the entire inside.
Once inside, he saw that familiar lake he had seen the first time he came here. Delicate lotus flowers floated here and there, their petals shimmering with faint spiritual light. By the far edge, beneath a graceful willow tree, sat the Sect Leader.
Her figure was tall and graceful, clad in simple yet elegant robes of soft pink. Long pink hair cascaded down her back, adding an air of charm. She sat there gazing at the lake calmly.
Hearing his footsteps, Mei Hua turned around. Her light pink eyes, clear as a still pond, landed on him. A faint smile appeared on her lips. “Shen Yuan,” she greeted softly. “It’s been some time.”
He lightly bowed in respect. “Sect Leader. I hope my sudden visit isn’t an intrusion.”
She shook her head, gesturing for him to approach. “Not at all. How can the visit of the greatest genius of our sect be an intrusion?”
“Haha, you jest, Sect Leader.” Shen Yuan chuckled at her humor.
Mei Hua smiled gently. “So what reason prompted you to visit me? Or did you come here to visit your little lover?”
Shen Yuan rubbed the back of his head. “Haha, of course, I came to pay my respect to you. You have looked after me for so long, as well as given me resources for alchemy and blacksmithing.”
Mei Hua shook her head. “Those resources were worth it in helping you. You made better use of them than we could have ever done.”
He smiled lightly. “Thanks for your trust.” He threw a spatial ring toward her. “Here, I made some more stuff during this time. It should be helpful.”
Mei Hua raised an eyebrow before catching the spatial ring. “Oh? You made more stu—” Her eyes widened as she saw the absurd number of pills and weapons inside the storage ring. “Wh—how did you make so many of them in such a little time?”
Shen Yuan’s lips curled into a grin. “Hehe, that’s a secret. Anyways, where is Ling’er? Now that I’m here, I might as well visit her.”
Mei Hua quickly calmed down as her expression turned playful. “Eh, finally getting to the point, huh? Haha, she is training in another room in this hall.”
Shen Yuan chuckled. “So how is she doing?”
“She’s doing exceptionally well,” Mei Hua said, her voice filled with admiration. “Her bloodline is really something else. She has been improving in Light intent quite quickly. After Senior Yuxin guided her, she comprehended first-level Light intent at merely the Origin Core Creation Realm. That’s something which happens once in a thousand years in our sect.”
Shen Yuan nodded his head. “Sounds about right, and with her diligently cultivating, she is bound to make great progress.”
Mei Hua’s lips curled up. “You know her quite well, huh.”
Shen Yuan’s lips curled into a small smile. “Who will know her well enough if I don’t?.”
Mei Hua stood up and slowly approached him. “Now, should I send you to her, or would you like to keep me company for a bit longer?”
Shen Yuan raised an eyebrow. “I’m not in a hurry to meet her, so what do you want to talk about?”
Mei Hua’s expression turned serious. “Do you know about the Aurora Competition?”
‘Who doesn’t know about that?’ he thought to himself.
“Yes, I have heard about it,” he respectfully said.
Mei Hua nodded her head. “Yes, so what I want to ask is, do you know how many sects will participate in it?”
Shen Yuan’s expression turned curious. He shook his head and asked, “No, but I heard there will be multiple Divine Level Sects gathered there.”
“Yes, there will be 5 Divine Level Sects and a lot more lesser sects gathered there,” she slowly said.
“Hmm, so what do you want from me?” he asked.
Mei Hua’s eyes flashed with hesitation. “Say, what do you think are the chances of us winning in this competition?”
“How many times have we won?” he raised an eyebrow and asked.
Mei Hua’s face turned a little red as she embarrassedly said, “…One. We won once in the last ten thousand years.”
“…” Shen Yuan wordlessly looked at her.
Her face became increasingly red as she felt Shen Yuan staring at her face. “Cough, it’s not our fault that our cultivation arts are made like this.”
Shen Yuan exhaled a sigh. “Haa… then how did we win that one battle?”
Mei Hua’s gaze shifted from Shen Yuan to the surface of the lake, as though gazing into distant memories. After a moment, she let out a soft sigh and turned back to him.
“A thousand years ago,” she began, “a small girl was brought to our sect by an old man. She was barely older than five, and yet her dantian overflowed with a profound Radiant energy—so dense it seemed to be the very origin of Radiant Qi. At the time, none of us truly understood how significant it was, only that it was astonishing.”
