Chapter 14: Heavenly Screen Shield

Fengge Peak.

In a quiet room, Xue Bingxuan was flipping through the scriptures when she saw Qi Yalan, with a furrowed brow, appear followed by Qin Muling, who wore a helpless expression. She already had a good understanding of the situation.

"Sister, what are you trying to do?" Xue Bingxuan elegantly put down the jade scroll in her hand and calmly asked. In an instant, her aura slowly rose without a sound.

"I want Junior Brother to move in with me, that's it," Qi Yalan didn't beat around the bush and directly stated her intention.

Sword cultivators were straightforward and direct, never beating around the bush or being subtle.

Xue Bingxuan smiled, "Junior Brother is also a core disciple of the sect and has his own separate Cave Mansion. It seems that he doesn't need your interference in deciding where to live, right?"

Qi Yalan stared at her, "He can live anywhere, just not with you."

Xue Bingxuan sighed softly, "Are you teaching me how to do things?"

With her words, the pressure in the space suddenly increased. Accompanied by a faint phoenix cry, a towering and scorching Dan Ding phantom, about ten feet tall, appeared behind her. The temperature around them rose sharply, as if a scorching sun had appeared in the sky.

Qin Muling felt a bone-chilling coldness. Even though Senior Sister didn't intentionally target him, the terrifying pressure emitted by the unknown treasure made it difficult for him to breathe. In front of her, he felt as fragile as an ant on the mouth of an ancient volcano.

Qi Yalan showed no fear. A pitch-black, three-foot-long jade sword, seemingly ordinary, appeared in her hand. With a clear and high-pitched sword chant, a sharp and unmatched Sword Intent filled the surroundings, instantly overshadowing Senior Sister's aura.

"'Silent Solitude'? Are you crazy!" Xue Bingxuan's eyelids twitched. She didn't expect Qi Yalan to reveal this famous and dangerous weapon of the sect. An uncontrollable chill continuously surged from the depths of her heart, causing her entire body to stiffen for a moment.

This ancient dangerous weapon called "Silent Solitude" had immense power. It had always been in the hands of their Master. With Qi Yalan's current cultivation, she still couldn't fully control it. Once it erupted, not to mention this quiet room, the entire Fengge Peak would turn to dust.

Xue Bingxuan sighed softly, "It has been a few years since we sparred. Junior Sister, your swordsmanship has become even more refined. Do you think you're capable now? Very well, today I will let Senior Sister experience it!"

A mysterious seed deep in her sea of consciousness trembled slightly, and a subtle ripple spread out, easily dispelling the suffocating pressure.

With the reduced pressure, Qin Muling finally had the opportunity to speak, "Senior Sisters, you're not really going to fight, are you? Is it necessary to go this far?"

"No interruptions!" The two women reprimanded in unison.

"..." Qin Muling felt helpless.

There were still many outsiders in the sect. If these two senior core disciples were to fight over such a trivial matter, it would only make others laugh.

If things escalated, the Sect Master Mu Yinghua would be furious, and both Senior Sisters, including himself, would probably be punished.

He had overlooked one thing after all: no matter how high their cultivation or prestigious their status, women were still women. There was no hope for them to be reasonable about certain things.

Helplessly pondering, Qin Muling realized that the nature of women, regardless of past or present lives, or different time and space worlds, seemed to have no fundamental difference.

Just as the situation was about to spiral out of control, rolling white mist appeared out of thin air, lightly filling the entire space and separating the two confronting women.

A slightly slender figure appeared in the center of the scene, instantly solidifying. It was an ordinary-looking old man in a blue robe, with white hair and beard, deep and profound eyes, and a strange and indescribable aura surrounding his whole body.

Without any visible action, he effortlessly suppressed the two powerful weapons, rendering the two women powerless to resist.

"Ancestor? Why have you come in person?" Xue Bingxuan exclaimed in surprise. Qi Yalan's fighting spirit disappeared from her eyes as she silently put away her ancient sword and bowed. Only Qin Muling looked bewildered, unsure of the other party's identity and background.

"...You two girls, wait outside for now!" The old man in the green robe glanced at them and spoke casually, "The matter concerning Qin Muling has already been reported to me by the Sect Master. This round of arrangements is crucial to the future rise and fall of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, so I had to personally come and take a look."

"We will follow your instructions, Ancestor."

After the two women bowed again and exited, just before leaving, Xue Bingxuan gave Qin Muling a reassuring look, indicating that he didn't need to be nervous.

Once the doors of the quiet room were closed again, the enigmatic elder finally turned his gaze towards the young man in front of him and smiled generously, "Young friend, there's no need to be nervous. Sit down and let's talk."

"Yes."

Qin Muling respectfully bowed and waited for the other party to sit on the cushion before taking a seat opposite him.

Half an hour later, Qin Muling finally understood the background of the old man in the green robe. He was the former Dao companion of a previous Sect Master several generations ago. At that time, Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace had not yet declined and was still a member of the super sect. This venerable Hengyi Ancestor, who could live from that distant era to the present, was truly a worthy antique.

When Hengyi Ancestor first emerged, he was a highly renowned Independent Cultivator. Through a fortuitous encounter, he obtained the inheritance of an ancient and powerful Divine Ability, and his cultivation surpassed all others in the world. Especially in the field of divination, he had almost monstrous accomplishments, rumored to be on par with several immortal-like reclusive cultivators from the Palace of Calamitous Fate.

Through an accidental encounter, Hengyi Ancestor formed a bond with a core disciple of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace at that time and assisted her in ascending to the position of Supreme Sect Master. Later, they naturally became Dao companions.

Although Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace was led by female cultivators, it did not prohibit the Sect Master or high-ranking elders from having Dao companions. However, unlike those disciples who married into the sect, Hengyi Ancestor's situation mostly belonged to the category of marrying into the sect, with only a few exceptions.

According to tradition, even after marrying the Sect Master, he could not reside in the sect and had to have his own Cave Mansion outside. He could only come to visit his Dao companion periodically. It may sound unreasonable, but at that time, Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace was a super sect, and certain rules were inevitably somewhat detached from human sentiment.

Nowadays, the retired Sect Master and Hengyi Ancestor both held the position of Elder of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace. They usually secluded themselves in cultivation and only appeared to oversee important matters concerning the life and death of the sect.

"...... Over ten thousand years ago, Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace unfortunately encountered a great calamity," Hengyi Patriarch spoke quietly, "Although I and the other elderly ancestors of the sect tried our best to plan and resolve it, rising up in resistance, it was regrettable that in the end, we fell short. Many close friends and allies tragically perished, and those lucky enough could only leave behind a trace of their souls to be reincarnated, while those unlucky ones turned directly into ashes. Several precious treasures of the sect were also lost, resulting in a significant decline in the sect's strength."

"The fate of the sect has declined, and its power has greatly diminished. Originally, I had given up hope, but it was your appearance that allowed me to see a glimmer of hope again. That little girl, Mu Yinghua... indeed has some luck," Hengyi Patriarch said, pondering for a moment before tentatively asking, "So, can you calculate my future achievements on the path?"

"No," Hengyi Patriarch replied calmly, "What I currently know may not necessarily be more than what Mu Yinghua knows. Although I would like to spend my energy and lifespan to calculate matters related to you, upon seeing you, I understood that if I dare to rely on my cultivation and arrogantly predict the heavenly secrets, my old bones would have to be accounted for today."

Since ancient times, the will of heaven has been difficult to ask! What is the will of heaven? It cannot be speculated, described, controlled, or comprehended. It contains infinite mysteries and profound principles. Perhaps only the legendary Hongmeng Saint Supreme, who has achieved Dao Integration with their body, has the possibility of perceiving all changes in the heavenly path.

In the eyes of Hengyi Patriarch, individuals like Qin Muling are fundamentally incalculable. If anyone relies on their understanding of divination and fortune-telling to show off, their ultimate fate will undoubtedly be extremely tragic.

Seeing Qin Muling's thoughtful expression, Hengyi Patriarch smiled slightly and explained, "There are already certain spies inside and outside the sect who have set their sights on you. Mu Yinghua is worried about your safety, so she specially requested the assistance of several elders to act as your protectors."

"My task is to use Divine Ability to confuse and obscure the heavenly secrets, shielding your fate and providing an additional layer of protection for your safety, making it easier for you to travel outside in the future."

Qin Muling breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Since that's the case, I am grateful to Patriarch."

Hengyi Patriarch nodded, took out nine white circular holed coins, a pitch-black turtle shell, a colorful ancient bronze altar, as well as several unidentified animal bones and twelve-sided flags. Soon, he arranged a small formation.

After a while, a faint cloud light enveloped the two of them, and the mysterious and unfathomable secrets of the heavens and earth, containing infinite Dao rhythms, swarmed in.

Qin Muling felt that his soul had come closer than ever before to the lofty and aloof supreme heavenly path, almost within reach. It was a marvelous feeling that could not be described in words.

With Hengyi Patriarch's actions, the external signs of Qin Muling's luck gradually disappeared, making him appear no different from an ordinary core disciple.

(End of this chapter)

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