My Husband’s Ascension C37
Chapter 37 Seven Years Later
At the time of the Spring Equinox, when the swallows return, Jimo Sea was once again a city awash with blossoms.
Within the largest tavern in the city, guests filled every corner. Yet unlike seven years ago, since the renewed war between the Demon Realm and the Cultivation Realm, the latter had been placed under martial vigilance and the demons could no longer tread openly on cultivation territories.
On the elevated stage of the tavern, a storyteller recounted recent events of how Dao Lord Tianshu had routed the Demon General, Miao Yun, at Oriole Bone Ridge (莺骨岭).
At one table sat a group of young cultivators, who tossed a pouch of spirit stones at the storyteller’s feet.
“We’ve heard the Oriole Bone Ridge tale eight hundred times already; tell us something new.” A youth in dark robes, his hair bound neatly, raised an eyebrow with a faint smile. “Do you have stories of Cloudculm Abode of Beaconlight Mountain? We’ve come a long way, and we are quite interested in the young sect master of your Jimo Sea.”
His voice carried lazily and confidently, filling the main hall of the tavern.
Even Zhao Zhao, sitting in a corner on the second floor with others, could hear him clearly.
The other youths at his table displayed varying expressions: some calm, some curious, and some embarrassed, burying their heads in shame.
The refined storyteller accepted the spirit stones with a smile and replied, “Very well. Then let us speak of the rising talent of the cultivation world: Cloudculm Abode of Beaconlight Mountain in Jimo Sea.”
“To speak of Cloudculm Abode, we must first return to the Zhongli Clan of Jimo Sea. This family, which has produced countless prodigies of the cultivation world, had fallen into decline seven years ago due to internal corruption. Everyone expected the Tushan Clan to swallow up the Zhongli Clan and become the foremost family of Jimo Sea.”
“Yet unexpectedly, the previously obscure Cloudculm Abode of the Western Region emerged from nowhere. After Dao Lord Tianshu stepped down as head of the Zhongli Clan, they took over, turning the tide and forging an alliance.”
“What was thought to be a union of weakness turned out to be a meteoric rise. Today, seven out of ten elixir shops in Jimo Sea are under Cloudculm Abode, along with vast fertile lands and a mine. Each year, the Zhongli Clan selects twenty of its youth to join Cloudculm Abode. For these twenty positions, the young men and women of the clan compete fiercely, often fighting until blood flows from their heads.”
The youth in dark robes, hair neatly bound, asked lazily, “How formidable…who exactly is the female sect master of Cloudculm Abode?”
The storyteller smiled. “No one knows her origins. The world only knows that the sect master is extremely young, and has only practiced the Dao of Divine Farmer for no more than eight years. No one knows how she sustains such a vast sect… It is said that recently, Cloudculm Abode even discovered a grotto-heaven near Mount Ling, which greatly displeased Mount Ling.”
At this, the youth, propping his chin on one hand, tapped his cheek. “Is that all?”
The storyteller paused thoughtfully. “There are also some romantic tales involving the sect master and two handsome yao familiars under her command, but those come at another price.”
“…Who wants to hear that!” The youth straightened slightly, a flush creeping up the sides of his ears. He turned to his companions and grumbled, “Can you believe this? Cloudculm Abode’s sect master hardly sounds like something a proper person would talk about. Senior Brother, you're widely acknowledged as Moyan Sect's most handsome, it’s best to take heed.”
His senior brother knew it was a teasing remark and did not take it seriously.
But the next moment, a sweet, clear voice rose from the second floor. “Romantic tales? How much do they cost? I haven’t heard them before, why not tell me?”
The youth in dark robes followed the sound, and his gaze fell upon a young woman clad in a refreshing shade of green.
Spring flowers were in full bloom like a brocade, and most female cultivators on the street wore robes of lotus pink or tender yellow, matching the season. Yet the young woman leaning on the second-floor railing wore a quiet, unobtrusive green.
And yet, as his eyes traced her features, he realized that if not for this perfectly balanced green, her bright, expressive eyes and gentle smile could hardly have shone so vividly.
“Salutations, Miss Immortal Tanzhao!” The storyteller on the stage hurriedly bowed in respect. “They are merely unremarkable lads writing trifles to make a living. We humbly beg Miss Immortal not to take offense or hold it against us.”
The youth in dark robes saw the young woman smile.
“Writing such tales is one thing, but why do they always involve my two yao familiars? People are starting to believe them as truth. Next time, be sure to make them even more outrageous, so everyone knows they are pure fiction.”
The storyteller hastily agreed.
Want something outrageous? Nothing more than child’s play!
Next time, they could concoct a racy story in which Dao Lord Tianshu harboring a long, unrequited love for Miss Immortal Tanzhao for years, unable to win her affection, ultimately seized her by force!
“You must be the honored guests who have traveled from Moyan Sect, Ghost Soldier Sect, and Yin-Yang Sect.”
A gentle, smiling voice called from behind just as the dark-robed youth remained lost in thought, gazing toward the second floor.
“Our master has been awaiting you upstairs. Please, allow me to guide you there.”
The four turned toward the young woman in green on the second floor, realizing belatedly that she was the sect master of Cloudculm Abode the storyteller had mentioned.
A disciple of Ghost Soldier Sect covered his face and whispered to a companion, “See? Those who gossip behind others’ backs are caught red-handed in the act.”
The senior brother of Moyan Sect cast a sidelong glance at his junior. “Later, when you meet her, don’t spout nonsense, understood?”
The disciple of Yin-Yang Sect remained composed, offering no reply.
Yet, though their faces betrayed nothing, as they took their seats on the second floor, each of them felt, in some measure, that the sect master of this rising talent of the cultivation world was somewhat different from what they had imagined.
She was…astonishingly young.
Even in a world where cultivators could maintain youthful appearances, true youth and merely looking young were not the same.
The female cultivator before them neither feigned maturity nor hid the fact that, given her age, she was scarcely capable of managing an entire sect.
She sat gracefully at the table, a blue-clad dog yao seated behind her, while the fox yao who had guided them upstairs took his place slightly further back.
“Esteemed guests, you have traveled far. Why not spend a day enjoying Jimo Sea before attending to official matters?”
Mo Heng, the Senior Brother of Moyan Sect replied, “Miss Immortal Tanzhao, your courtesy is appreciated. We were dispatched by our respective sect masters to support Cloudculm Abode, to help relieve its burdens and not to tour the city.”
The youth in dark robes shot a mildly reproachful glance at his senior brother.
“Sharpening the axe does not delay the work of chopping wood. Senior Brother, you’re rather neglecting her goodwill.”
The youth’s expression softened, leaving behind the skepticism he had shown downstairs. His bright eyes met Zhao Zhao’s, a smile playing across his face. “Miss Immortal, you do not yet know our names. Senior Brother and I are from Moyan Sect: he is Mo Heng, and I am Mo Lingyun. That taciturn one is Yin Shanji of Yin-Yang Sect. And the one with his head lowered, too shy to speak, is Gui Fangliu of Ghost Soldier Sect.”
Zhao Zhao nodded to each in turn, committing their faces and names to memory.
Seemingly young as they were, these youths were each the foremost prodigies of their respective sects. Cloudculm Abode had spent no small amount to summon such talent to Jimo Sea.
“Now that everyone is here, I shall tell you about the grotto-heaven we discovered near Mount Ling,” she began.
The story of why outside assistance from other sects had to be hired traced back to an incident a month prior, when the celestial deer Zhao Zhao had raised went hungry.
It had been seven years since she had brought the deer out from the Blessed Land of Langhuan.
During those seven years, Zhao Zhao had used the immortal herbs and spiritual plants she brought with her to cultivate the lands of the Zhongli Clan anew.
It was not merely for the profit from refining pills but, more importantly, to provide food for the celestial deer.
Yet even with such careful tending, perhaps the deer found its diet monotonous, or perhaps the spiritual fruits had lost some freshness overnight. A month ago, under the moonlight, it had decided to run away from home, taking matters of nourishment entirely into its own hooves.
The celestial deer possessed a keen spirit, capable of sensing the location of rare materials and treasures in the world.
In its search for sustenance, it wandered to Mount Ling, adjacent to Jimo Sea, and by sheer accident discovered a grotto-heaven.
When Cloudculm Abode’s disciples finally found the deer, it lay sprawled within the grotto-heaven, belly up, sound asleep after gorging itself.
Finding a grotto-heaven was, of course, an unexpected boon.
One must understand that in the cultivation world, a sect’s foundation rests upon the number and quality of the grotto-heavens and blessed lands it controls. The more they possess, the greater the opportunities for disciples’ training, and the rarer and more abundant the celestial materials and treasures that come their way.
Yet if a sect lacks sufficient strength, it may not be able to hold onto such treasures.
Particularly in this case, the grotto-heaven Cloudculm Abode discovered lay within the territory of Mount Ling.
Although a grotto-heaven belongs to whoever discovers it, Mount Ling occupies a uniquely precarious position in the cultivation world.
Mount Ling was neither righteous nor evil, standing apart from the seven great sects. It never recruits outsiders, relying solely on bloodline inheritance, and is steeped in intricate, esoteric arts unknown to the outside world. Its ways are profoundly elusive.
Most importantly, Mount Ling maintains its place not through its own might, but by serving to balance and support other sects.
Those who carry Mount Ling’s bloodline are almost entirely barred from cultivation themselves; they can only navigate the delicate equilibrium among the seven great sects.
Naturally, Mount Ling does not lay claim to any grotto-heaven under its name.
For Cloudculm Abode to discover one within Mount Ling’s territory was akin to presenting a feast before someone near starvation.
Zhao Zhao realized the risk immediately. To prevent Mount Ling from laying claim, she personally led disciples to Mount Ling, employing the most expensive Ghost Soldier Sect formations available and the intricate contraptions of Moyan Sect, sealing the grotto-heaven at once to guard it from intrusion.
Even so, Zhao Zhao remained uneasy.
The arrays and contraptions crafted by other sects naturally came with methods of undoing them.
Even if these sects had no intention of provoking conflict, there remained Mount Ling, a capricious entity that had long navigated the seven great sects with ease.
Though Mount Ling had made no overt moves in the past seven years, they had harbored ill intent toward her sect all along.
After careful consideration, Zhao Zhao sent a letter to Lord Yaoguang, requesting his mediation. Cloudculm Abode was willing to pay handsomely to hire the top disciples from the three great sects, uniting their efforts to forge a sealing formation that would be truly unbreakable.
“…The idea Miss Immortal proposes is indeed rather unconventional,” whispered Gui Fangliu of Ghost Soldier Sect.
Before this, he had only seen individual disciples from one sect enlisted to set a seal; this was the first time he had witnessed all three sects collaborating.
This Miss Immortal Tanzhao of Cloudculm Abode was truly extraordinary.
“On our way here, we discussed whether such a seal could even be completed. We shall attempt it, but I hope Miss Immortal does not hold too high an expectation,” he added cautiously.
Zhao Zhao, fully aware of the difficulty, inclined her head with a smile. “That is quite all right. Perhaps I am asking something beyond reason. Everyone may do their utmost; if it fails, do not take it to heart. Consider the deposit sent merely a token of greeting. In the course of my future dealings in the cultivation world, I am certain there will be other times I will call upon your aid.”
At these words, all present felt a quiet astonishment stir within them.
The deposits sent to each sect were by no means a trivial sum. By customary practice, should the seal ultimately fail, the deposits would be refunded.
It seemed the rumors were true: even from far-off Jimo Sea, Cloudculm Abode possessed formidable strength. One could only imagine the scene within the sect, perhaps a place brimming with careful cultivation and patient preparation.
Mo Heng cupped his hands and said, “No time to waste. Let us set forth to Beaconlight Mountain and begin the work of forging the sealing array.”
The young prodigies, hired at great expense, were diligent and capable, much to Zhao Zhao’s delight.
From Jimo Sea City to Beaconlight Mountain, it required only the time of a single incense stick to travel by wind.
Within that span, the youths looking down from the sky could already make out the outline of Cloudculm Abode.
Amethyst Cinnabar Pill Refining Chambers, jade pavilion (玉楼) rising high—spiritual energy suffused and embraced this sect, established no more than seven years prior.
It was the hour of daily practice. Across vast open spaces, adolescents around ten wielded long swords, practicing under the guidance of Zhongli Clan sword cultivators, following the sword manuals Zhao Zhao had brought from the Blessed Land of Langhuan.
Beyond the practicing platforms lay a vast stretch of fertile fields, where another team of disciples was making its way along the ridges. They appeared to be practitioners of the Divine Farmer Dao, following an elder as he guided them in drawing upon the wood spirit of heaven and earth to nourish the seedlings.
Though not as grand as a major sect with disciples in the thousands, the order and discipline were evident. It was difficult to believe that this sect had been founded a mere seven years ago.
Yin Shanji of Yin-Yang Sect observed silently, thinking to himself that his elder’s instruction to investigate the sect’s strength was indeed farsighted.
“…Master seems to have brought back quite a number of people.”
On the practicing platform, Yao Ling had just finished sparring with Zhongli Shun. She was gulping water from her gourd when she looked up and saw Zhao Zhao and the four youths soaring overhead, heading toward the guest quarters.
Zhongli Shun, now fourteen, tall and lanky, already showing the lean frame of adolescence, glanced up and remarked, “Master mentioned this before… they should be carefully selected disciples from other sects, sent here to help our sect forge the seal—”
“Carefully selected disciples sent to our sect?!” Yao Ling’s eyes widened as she quickly shook the drowsy Rong Yu beside her awake. “Wake up, wake up! A’Yu, it seems we’re about to welcome our shiniang! And four of them at that!”
“What shiniang?!” Four other disciples around the practicing platform immediately snapped to attention at her exclamation. “Can men even be addressed as ‘shiniang’? Isn’t that a bit… strange?”
“Strange, my foot! They are shiniang! Someone go scout the guest quarters! I want to know everything about all four of them!”
Though Yao Ling had grown only slightly taller than seven years ago, her presence was formidable despite her small stature.
Zhongli Shun, though titled the Eldest Senior Brother, found that whenever Yao Ling, the Eldest Senior Sister, spoke, no one paid him any mind.
Even stranger, Yao Ling and Rong Yu had only grown in age, not in physique; now twelve, they looked almost exactly as they had at five.
“Reporting—”
An earnest junior disciple ran back from the guest quarters, reporting that the four newcomers hailed from three different sects, and even reciting their names with precision.
Yao Ling listened carefully and nodded solemnly. “Very good. Keep investigating and report back! Matters concerning our shiniang must not be taken lightly. Our Master has already suffered once, I will not allow it to happen a second time!”
Some of the younger disciples began to fantasize aloud. “What kind of shiniang will Master find in the future? Honestly, I think that yao familiar, Li Feng, is pretty good.”
“I vote for yao familiar Xiao Bai. His fox fur is beautiful!”
“But yao familiar Li Feng has a big tail too!”
“Then let’s vote and see who’s the most popular candidate for shiniang!”
“One column for yao familiar Li Feng, one for yao familiar Xiao Bai, and one each for today’s new beauties… Wait, who wrote down Dao Lord Tianshu’s name? Pooh! What bad luck!”
Zhongli Shun tucked the brush behind his back and looked skyward with an innocent expression.
