Simulation becomes reality, have I ever looked down upon the eternity?

Chapter 530 The Frog in the Well Sees the Bright Moon: You're an Adult Now!

[The moment Zhuang Xiuyin saw the young man remove his veil.]

[Ji Heng, the senior disciple of Qi Yunfeng, looked rather unwell.]

Yuan Shujian of Dragon Head Peak, however, kept his eyes fixed on Zhou Jing in front of him, his cultivation still only at the late stage of Body Shaping.

The other members of the various factions, who had initially paid no attention, now looked at the newcomer from Xiao Qingfeng with some suspicion.

The person who could elicit such treatment from Zhuang Xiuyin was far too ordinary.

[Lü Qingyu's eyes widened, her red lips slightly parted, clearly still reeling from the shock.]

Zhuang Xiuyin spoke up first, "Just now, this Junior Sister Lü warmly invited Xiao Qingfeng."

The girl looked at you, "I wonder, Fellow Daoist Zhou, what do you think?"

[You don't want to get too involved with Zhuang Xiuyin; at least you can tell from the looks in the eyes of the chief members of each branch just now that you've incurred their resentment.]

【Lu Qingyu quickly tugged at your sleeve, "Junior brother..."】

Then you said, "Then please, Fairy Yaotai, grant me a view of Little Green Peak."

Zhuang Xiuyin smiled.

The man from Longquan Sword in the crowd spoke up in a clear voice, "One more person, it won't matter, will it?"

Overjoyed, Lü Qingyu quickly replied, "You two are honored to have graced us with your presence."

The chiefs of each branch looked unwell, especially Leng Yuexin, the chief of Yaohua Peak, whose eyes were sinister.

Zhuang Xiuyin did not rush to leave. She took out a visiting card and personally handed it to Lü Qingyu, saying, "Today's haste may disturb your esteemed peak's tranquility. Tomorrow I will bring the disciples of West Kunlun to formally pay you a visit."

[Lu Qingyu held the visiting card in both hands, her eyes showing both overwhelming joy and a touch of daze—the Holy Maiden of West Kunlun personally delivering the card was a rare honor, unparalleled in the entire sect.]

Seeing this, Yao Xia smiled and said, "Since Fairy Zhuang is being so respectful, my Longquan Sword Sect cannot be impolite. Tomorrow, I, Yao, will certainly bring my junior brothers and sisters to pay our respects!"

The disciples from various factions around them reacted differently upon seeing this; some were surprised and suspicious, some narrowed their eyes, and some had unfriendly expressions.

[Lu Qingyu felt somewhat bewildered. She had just been refused a request from the Fairy of Yaotai, but now the situation had taken a dramatic turn.]

You have already said, "We will take our leave now."

[They left with Lü Qingyu.]

Yao Xia stood to the side, seemingly lost in thought.

[After watching your figure disappear, Zhuang Xiuyin turned away and left.]

The vast square, now only showing the various ridges of Fangcun Mountain, held a somewhat somber atmosphere.

"Senior Brother Ji, what should we do?"

The chief of Dragon Fang Peak snorted coldly, his rugged face full of impatience:

"Little Green Peak is one of the Eighteen Peaks, why say more? Now, Fangcun Mountain's position among the Nine Righteous Sects is precarious, and instead of striving for progress, you spend your days scheming against each other!"

After saying this, he flicked his sleeve and left.

Yuan Shujian, standing on Dragon Head Peak, pondered for a moment, then bowed and took his leave.

Seeing this, the chief of the Veduo Peak also silently left.

Only seven people remained, representing almost all of Fangcun Mountain's peaks.

A sharp glint flashed in Ji Heng's eyes, then she calmed down. "The Fairy of Yaotai and the Sword Master have already spoken, and we can't stop them...we've also lost face."

"Little Qingfeng, just wait. Senior Brother Sun is about to emerge from seclusion... Ancestor Bu and Uncle Qi are also returning to the mountain."

"At the Star-Picking Festival, we'll make them lose face and erase their names from the record."

These words startled everyone present.

"Senior Brother Sun is actually coming out of seclusion? He was already at the mid-stage of the Heavenly Gate realm before he went into seclusion, isn't he already..."

[Some astute individuals have already grasped the deeper meaning behind Ji Heng's words—]

"Wait, are Grandmaster Bu and Uncle-Master Qi returning to the mountain?"

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed.

These two are the Supreme Elders of Qiyun Peak, both at the Golden Core stage of the Great Dao, and are among the most hostile figures towards Xiaoqing Peak within the sect.

The group exchanged glances, all reading the same thought in each other's eyes—

This time, it seems Xiao Qingfeng is doomed.

Both of these are Great True Monarch cultivators who have passed the "Twenty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations" at the Golden Core stage of the Great Dao.

[The eighteen branches of Fangcun Mountain each have at least one Golden Core cultivator stationed there. However, most of them only survive the Nine Heavenly Tribulations and stop at the True Lord realm.]

The Golden Core Path is divided into three realms; each advancement is like crossing an insurmountable chasm.

Looking across the entire righteous path, there is only one person who can overcome the "Three Nine Heavenly Tribulations" and become an unparalleled grandmaster—

[Daoling Sect. Azure Heaven Daoist!]

This leader of the righteous path has been in seclusion for hundreds of years. Although he has disappeared without a trace, he still managed to subdue the nine major sects with his own power.

In contrast, Fangcun Mountain has only four members who have survived the Twenty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations. Two of them are from Qiyun Peak, and the current sect leader also comes from this lineage, demonstrating its immense power.

The group dispersed, but they all remembered one name: Xiao Qingfeng, Zhou Jing.

[On your way back to Xiaoqingfeng with Lü Qingyu.]

The girl in green kept glancing sideways, her eyes filled with a complex expression, hesitant to speak.

You asked helplessly, "Senior sister, is there something on my face?"

【"No!"】

"Then why are you staring at me?"

"I'm watching you. Is there something you're hiding from me?"

"It's really gone."

[Lu Qingyu, however, did not believe it. "How did you meet Fairy Yaotai? She said you even saved her."]

"That year, when I was six years old, I killed a drought demon at the Heavenly Gate Realm..."

"Stop, stop now."

The girl in blue interrupted you, "Junior brother, do you think I'm stupid?"

"She doesn't seem stupid."

"Can you please stop making up such outrageous stories? You killed a Corpse Demon at the Heavenly Gate Realm when you were six years old... Could it get any more unbelievable?"

[Lu Qingyu said somewhat indignantly, "Junior brother, what cultivation level were you at six years old?"]

[You replied earnestly, "The Dao Embryo Realm."]

"Alright, let's put aside the question of how you, at the Dao Embryo Realm, could kill a drought demon at the Heavenly Gate Realm. What realm are you at now?"

"I'm working on body sculpting now."

[Lu Qingyu paused upon hearing this, seeing your candid expression, and rubbed her forehead, "You're currently undergoing body reshaping, but you were in your previous Dao Embryo stage. You cultivated for several years, how come you've regressed?"]

You thought for a moment, then stroked your chin and said, "Everyone's constitution might be different..."

[Lu Qingyu stared at you for a long time, then finally waved her hand in a deflated manner: "Forget it, I can't be bothered to argue with you."]

The girl's eyes secretly glanced at your profile. Just moments before, when you unleashed your sword strike from Qiyun Peak, she had seen a fierce rage on your face she had never witnessed before.

If it weren't for that fairy from Yaotai speaking up, this Junior Brother Zhou would probably have stood up for him.

[Junior Brother Zhou, that furrowed brow you just looked really handsome.] ["Senior Sister," you suddenly said, "being distracted while flying on your sword can lead to a fall."]

[Lu Qingyu's ears burned, but she immediately straightened her back, "What's it to you? Who's the senior sister here!"]

You returned to Xiaoqing Peak and reported this matter to Nie Qingzhu.

Although Lü Qingyu wanted to explain that Fairy Yaotai's visit to Xiaoqing Peak today was all because of you, you stopped her with a look.

At dawn the next day, the entire Xiaoqingfeng Peak was already buzzing with excitement.

Upon hearing the news, the disciples of Xiaoqing Peak arrived early at the Shoujing Hall plaza, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Fairy Yaotai and Sword Master Longquan.

[Especially since Fairy Yaotai was so accommodating, Nie Qingzhu personally entertained her.]

Before the morning mist had dissipated, Zhuang Xiuyin and Yao Xia arrived, each leading their respective groups.

Zhuang Xiuyin noticed you standing next to Nie Qingzhu and smiled at you.

[Afterwards, Nie Qingzhu entertained the two, and both sides gave each other ample face, chatting happily until sunset.]

To Nie Qingzhu's surprise, Zhuang Xiuyin stayed overnight at Xiaoqing Peak, but she immediately made arrangements.

The news spread like wildfire across the peaks.

In the stillness of the night, the bamboo forest rustles with the sound of waves.

[A bamboo grove on the back hill.]

The moon hangs high, a bright and clear light shining down.

A strikingly beautiful young woman appeared silently in the bamboo forest.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, you're late."

The bamboo shadows swayed slightly, and your figure gradually appeared. "I was delayed by something; please forgive me, fairy."

The two met beneath the green bamboo under the moonlight.

Zhuang Xiuyin smiled, "It seems Fellow Daoist Zhou isn't well-known in Fangcun Mountain. How come... you prefer to be an outsider disciple?"

"Is it a matter of biding one's time, or is it an unintentional move to attack Fangcun Mountain?"

[Looking at this Holy Maiden of West Kunlun, she seems no different from years ago, but now she has an additional identity, and in your eyes, she possesses a new kind of sanctity.]

"After cultivating on Fangcun Mountain for five years, he descended the mountain to travel the four seas and to other continents."

You subtly changed the subject, "Your late-night rendezvous with the fairy, could it be merely to reminisce about old times?"

Zhuang Xiuyin's tone carried a hint of "resentment": "Fellow Daoist Zhou, you are being far too cold. I helped you out of a predicament during the day, and now that we've met again under the moon, you're trying to send me away."

You were speechless for a moment, feeling that she was a completely different person now than she had been during the day.

Zhuang Xiuyin suddenly smiled, her face blooming like a flower; every smile and gesture was captivating.

"I was just joking with you, fellow Daoist. I have important matters to discuss with you today."

She said in a deep voice, "Two years from now, the Heavenly Emperor's Treasury will be opened in the East Sea. Fellow Daoist, you will certainly not miss this opportunity."

"I hope that at that time I can support and help each other, fellow Daoists."

"In this battle for the Heavenly Emperor's Treasure Vault, the Demonic Sect, the Heretical Paths, and the Dragon Clan are all eyeing it covetously."

"Perhaps the danger is far greater than imagined."

Just as you were about to look up, you suddenly felt a gentle breeze on your face, and a pair of slender hands, like shadows, instantly transformed into seven or eight figures, attacking you from all sides.

With a slight turn of your eyes, all six figures vanished into nothingness, leaving only one.

[A purple-gold light shimmers in your hand, gathering into a ball in your palm, as if beams of light were shooting out from your hand—the Purple-Gold Light of the Three Mountains.]

This is the innate ability of the "Purple-Gold Heavenly Horned Ant" Dharma Body; even without fully activating the Dharma Body, you can still borrow a portion of its power.

Zhuang Xiuyin's figure split in two like smoke, gracefully retreating three zhang. The purple light emanating from your fingertips grazed her clothes, and the three spirit bamboos behind her were swept by the aftershock, instantly losing their green color and withering away.

Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, and a strange light gleamed in her eyes. "It seems your cultivation level hasn't declined; in fact, it's even higher than I imagined."

[Your divine sense scanned her cultivation level; this Holy Maiden of West Kunlun is already at the mid-stage of the Heavenly Gate realm, even higher than Nie Qingzhu's cultivation.]

[She seemed to be surrounded by a mysterious aura, clearly possessing a powerful treasure to suppress destiny; her cultivation might even be more advanced than this.]

Judging from her age, she should not be twenty yet. To possess such cultivation, she is indeed one of the Ten Luminaries of the Righteous Path.

[Looking at Zhuang Xiuyin, she was even more shocked. The purple-gold light she had just witnessed seemed to be the legendary, lost "Three Mountains Purple-Gold Light." If one were injured by it, it would devour one's heart and meridians, causing one to suffer a qi deviation.]

What shocked her even more was that the six figures that appeared from her years of painstakingly cultivated "Mind Imprinting Form" technique were seen through at a glance.

[Master clearly stated that this technique is a closely guarded secret of Western Kunlun, and those who have not reached the Golden Core stage of the Great Dao will find it extremely difficult to discern its true nature. Yet Zhou Jing's counter-attack was far too casual.]

This greatly diminished her confidence. Her magic, which she had cultivated for many years to the point of being astonishing, had become so "useless."

[Back then, in the "Essential Techniques of Great Peace," there was a "Demon-Slaying and Evil-Breaking Divine Thunder," which she had barely managed to master over the years, taking her a full four years, while Zhou Jing only took a few days.]

[Her talent was unparalleled in the Western Kunlun Mountains, even astonishing her master.]

Compared to this Fellow Daoist Zhou, I seem to be... just so-so, like a frog at the bottom of a well looking up at the bright moon.

As for the matter of the Heavenly Emperor's Treasury, you naturally agreed.

This matter will undoubtedly gather the most outstanding talents from all three sects; any additional assistance would be beneficial.

The fairy of Yaotai, who had been in high spirits, seemed rather dejected.

After a few casual words, you took your leave.

The following day, Fairy Yaotai departed, and you accompanied Nie Qingzhu to bid her farewell.

[Nie Qingzhu felt that this fairy from Yaotai seemed to be looking at you differently, but she also felt it was just her imagination.]

How could a dignified fairy from the Jade Terrace have any entanglement with her own disciple, who is only at the Body Shaping Realm?

[On the third day, Fairy Yaotai and Sword Master Yaoxia departed. All the sects of Fangcun Mountain came to see them off, but you did not go.]

The disciples of each peak are still talking about the fairy's charm, but you have already returned to Little Green Peak.

Life seemed to have returned to its usual tranquility.

As autumn draws to a close, winter snowflakes dance lightly in the air.

Spring has come again.

Time flies; life in the mountains flows like water.

Two years pass in the blink of an eye. For cultivators, two years is but a fleeting moment, enough time to forge a magical artifact or learn a new cultivation technique.

[Your cultivation has advanced again, reaching the late stage of the Dragon Court realm. You have already sealed your acupoints ten times using the "Primordial Chaos Fire-Suppressing World Diagram."]

[In the eyes of others, your cultivation has progressed by leaps and bounds over the past two years. You have already broken through the limit of Body Shaping and entered the mid-stage of Spirit Solidification.]

This is your fourth year at Fangcun Mountain; you receive letters from home every six months.

[Of the three families in Qinghe County, the Chen family, despite having the support of the elders of Fangcun Mountain and the grandfather having broken through to the Dao Embryo realm, maintains a harmonious balance of power through mutual checks and balances.]

Grandfather said everything is fine at home, but he's worried about you wandering far from home.

This year, you'll turn thirteen.

You look out from the courtyard; it's summer again, with cicadas chirping.

A tall, slender figure was reflected in the mirror inside the room.

[A figure in a green robe, with black hair flowing over her shoulders, possessing striking features and an elegant demeanor, like jade shattering and mountains crumbling.]

You've finally come of age.

(End of this chapter)