Mortal: Junior Sister Song Yu

"Girl, you have good potential."

She scrutinized Song Yu closely, her ethereal eyes revealing undisguised satisfaction. She nodded repeatedly, "A Heavenly Spiritual Root, a spiritual sense comparable to the early Foundation Establishment stage, and proficient in formations. What's even more remarkable is that you have feelings in your heart, yet you are not bound by them; you love without being obsessed. You are the most suitable successor for cultivating my lineage."

She extended her illusory finger and gently touched it. An ice-blue jade slip appeared out of thin air, drifting down like a snowflake and finally settling in Song Yu's palm.

The moment the jade slip touched his skin, an extremely cool sensation penetrated his consciousness, instantly invigorating Song Yu.

"This is my main cultivation technique—the Water Moon Heaven Heart Sutra, which can lead directly to the Nascent Soul realm." Yunshui Daojun's voice carried a hint of pride. "This technique emphasizes 'the highest good is like water, the moonlight cleanses the heart.' Once mastered, spiritual power will be like rivers, lakes, and seas, endless and continuous. Among those of the same level, one's magical power will be at least three times that of others, and the recovery speed will be extremely fast, making one most adept at prolonged battles."

Song Yu was shocked. His magical power was three times that of others? What a terrifying concept!

She eagerly probed the jade slip with her divine sense, and instantly, a vast and profound array of cultivation techniques flooded into her mind.

The opening eight characters, "The Way of Water and Moon, the utmost gentleness and the utmost strength," made her current cultivation of the "Water Divine Scripture" pale in comparison, like the difference between a stream and a vast ocean.

"The cultivation method is divided into fifteen levels, corresponding to the five major realms from Qi Refining to Spirit Transformation."

Each level has its own set of supernatural powers and secret techniques, such as the Moon Wheel Slash, Heavenly Heart Reflecting the Moon, and Frosty Moon Locking God Seal, encompassing offense, defense, support, and control—everything imaginable.

Suppressing his excitement, Song Yuqiang solemnly bowed to the illusory figure: "Thank you for your generous gift, senior. I will certainly live up to your legacy!"

"Don't rush, there's more."

Daoist Yunshui chuckled lightly, then changed the subject, "Have you ever heard of 'Insightful Rhinoceros'?"

Song Yu shook his head blankly, his eyes full of curiosity.

"This is a mystery-solving technique that my husband and I created together."

Yunshui Daojun explained, his voice tinged with a warm reminiscence, "Back then, the Blood Demon Sect, the number one force in the demonic path, unified both the righteous and demonic paths, its power overwhelming. All other sects were infiltrated by it, including my Luoyun Sect. Many spies were hidden among our disciples, making it impossible to guard against them. My husband, Tianyun Daojun, and I racked our brains and finally came up with this method. The Clear Insight technique allows you to clearly perceive the fluctuations in others' minds, discern all malice and pretense, and even see through anomalies in divine sense and spiritual power. If you cultivate it to a high level, you will become a clear mirror reflecting all things in the world, and all falsehoods will have nowhere to hide before you."

She then took out a rhombus-shaped jade slip, inside which water seemed to be flowing endlessly: "This jade slip contains the inheritance of supernatural powers. Concentrate your mind, and I will help you to begin."

The jade slip was gently placed between Song Yu's eyebrows, and an information flow that was far more massive and mysterious than any cultivation technique instantly surged in.

Song Yu felt as if countless complex spells had appeared in her mind, from basic mental perception to profound malicious tracking, and finally to "understanding all things," almost bursting her divine consciousness.

"However, there are advantages and disadvantages." Daoist Yunshui's voice turned serious, like a long, warning bell. "The more enlightened this supernatural power makes you, the heavier the burden on your consciousness will be. Because you will 'see' too much of the dark side of human nature. The human heart in this world is far more treacherous than demons. The clearer you see, the more it will affect your temperament, making you suspicious, indifferent, and even causing you to lose yourself. This is a common problem in cultivating this technique. You must constantly suppress it with a strong Dao heart and maintain a clear mind. Remember, remember!"

Song Yu took a deep breath and nodded emphatically.

She understood the danger involved, but for the sake of power, and to be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with her senior brother, what did a few side effects matter?

She believed in her own Daoist heart, and even more so in that Li Xiao would always be by her side, becoming the last ray of light for her to fight against the darkness of the world.

"This is the most suitable natal magic weapon for you to refine after you reach the Core Formation stage—the Spirit Rhinoceros Dream Bell. It is made of a thousand-year-old spirit rhinoceros horn and soul-nourishing wood. It can help you stabilize your mind. The method of using it is on the shelf next to me. You can get it yourself in a moment."

Following his instructions, Song Yu looked and saw a pair of small purple-gold bells floating quietly. The bells were like miniature chimes, engraved with fine flowing cloud patterns and the ancient seal script characters "Tongming". Although they were not shaking, they seemed to have a silent sound that cleansed the mind.

She carefully took it, tied it around her waist, and held it with great affection.

"Finally..." Daoist Yunshui pointed to the center of the cultivation room, where there was a fist-sized crystal, pale blue in color, with what appeared to be liquid starlight flowing inside. "This is the Spirit Eye Stone. By circulating your magic power through the Water Moon Heaven Heart Sutra, you can integrate it into your body and store it in your sea of ​​consciousness. It can not only greatly enhance your divine sense, but also allow you to enter a deep cultivation state anytime, anywhere, with a cultivation speed three times that of an ordinary person. It can also effectively resist inner demons, and its effect is even better when combined with the Clear and Bright Spiritual Connection."

Song Yu was utterly shocked.

The value of this thing is probably enough to drive even a Nascent Soul cultivator crazy!

"Senior, this...this is too precious..." she hesitated, unable to accept it.

"A treasure is given to the destined one." The illusory figure of Daoist Yunshui gradually became transparent. "Since you have broken the Heavenly Gang Trapping Formation, you are my only successor. It's just a pity... he has the Golden Fire Spiritual Root." She looked in the direction of Li Xiao, a trace of undisguised regret flashing in her eyes.

"Girl, treat him well. The path of cultivation is long and arduous. Having someone who truly cares for you is more important than any rare treasure. Don't let him down."

As soon as he finished speaking, the phantom image vanished completely.

Inside the cultivation room, only Song Yu remained, holding the still-warm Spirit Eye Stone, lost in thought.

She left the cultivation room and saw Li Xiao in the hall, studying the talisman paper he had taken out from the talisman room with great interest.

"Senior brother," she called softly.

Li Xiao immediately looked up and, seeing Song Yu emerge safely, visibly relaxed: "How was it? Is the inheritance suitable?"

"Hmm! Perfect!" Song Yu explained the powerful effects of the Water Moon Heavenly Heart Sutra and the Clear Vision Rhinoceros, his voice brimming with excitement. "Senior said that the Clear Vision Rhinoceros can see through people's hearts and detect pretense. From now on, when we travel the cultivation world, we won't be afraid of being schemed against!"

Li Xiao also revealed genuine joy: "That's wonderful! This divine ability is the best protection for you. Congratulations, Junior Sister, on receiving this inheritance; your future Nascent Soul stage is promising!"

"And this too."

Song Yu presented the Spirit Eye Stone, its pale blue light illuminating her slightly cunning face. "Senior said this is more suitable for you. Your cultivation is higher than mine, and further advancement will be more difficult, so you'll need it even more to enhance your abilities."

She lied; her face flushed slightly, and her eyes darted around.

She simply didn't want Li Xiao to feel like he owed her too much, and she wanted him to become stronger and safer.

But Li Xiao is a man of great stature. How could he not see through her little scheme after spending so much time with her?

He put down the talisman, stood up and walked to Song Yu, his gaze intense, his tone unusually stern: "Junior Sister, look at me."

Song Yu felt a pang of guilt and subconsciously looked up, meeting his earnest eyes that left her with nowhere to hide.

"I know this Spirit Eye Stone was left to you by our senior."

Li Xiao said, word by word, "You are currently at the thirteenth level of Qi Refining and are about to break through to Foundation Establishment. With this, you can switch to a new cultivation method more quickly and stabilize your realm. As for me, I have my own path to walk and my own opportunities. You don't need to worry about me."

He paused, his voice softening instantly, and reached out to tidy the stray hairs on her forehead: "Junior sister, I know you mean well, but you must remember, this is your opportunity, and you must seize it."

Song Yu's eyes reddened, and she wanted to argue, "But Senior Brother, you..."

"Me? I have the Thousand Illusion Ghost Mask, the Gale-Splitting Golden Blade, and there will be many more things that belong to me in the future."

Li Xiao ruffled her hair and smiled, "This is enough for me. Be a good girl."

His tone was firm and left no room for argument.

Song Yu looked at him and suddenly burst out laughing, but tears involuntarily streamed down her face, dripping onto the back of her hand—hot, happy tears.

Unable to dissuade him, she had no choice but to place the Spirit Eye Stone between her eyebrows and, as instructed, begin to circulate the Water Moon Heaven Heart Sutra she had just learned.

The crystal, like melting ice, slowly seeped into the skin, forming a pale blue crescent mark on the forehead. It rippled gently like water and disappeared after a moment, as if it had never existed.

"How are you feeling?" Li Xiao asked with concern, reaching out to gently touch her smooth forehead.

Song Yu closed his eyes and sensed for a moment, then suddenly opened them, a flash of azure light in his eyes: "My divine sense... the range of my divine sense has expanded to two miles! Moreover, I can 'see' the flow of spiritual energy in this cave, 'hear' the subtle sounds of the array operating, and even... I can even clearly feel... the affection you have for me in your heart..."

By the end, her cheeks were flushed, her voice was barely audible, and she dared not look at him again.

"Cough cough."

Even though Li Xiao was thick-skinned, he blushed slightly at this moment. "Of course, my concern for my junior sister is as clear as heaven and earth."

He quickly changed the subject, taking out all the treasures he had looted from the various rooms and piling them in the center of the hall, a dazzling display. "Alright, now, it's time to distribute the other spoils."

The two began to take inventory.

After a sweet "spoils-sharing" of tug-of-war, Li Xiao handed Song Yu an attack talisman with power comparable to a late-stage Foundation Establishment strike: "Your spiritual sense is strong, so activating this will be easier for you. You've used up your Xuan Shui Zhen Long Sword talisman, so this is for your self-defense."

He then pushed most of the talisman-making materials to Song Yu, laughing, "From now on, we'll be partners. You'll be in charge of support, formations, and talismans, while I'll handle the main attacks, alchemy, and weapon crafting. Perfect!"

Looking at the mountain of materials in front of him, Song Yu didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Senior brother, are you trying to train me to be an all-around logistics expert?"

"Why not?" Li Xiao's eyes were full of smiles.

The two ancient treasures with water attributes naturally went to Song Yu, the three Foundation Establishment Pills and Yuan Dividing Pills were accepted by Li Xiao, and the Nascent Soul Pills were kept by Song Yu.

Finally, he divided all the monster materials equally and concluded, "We've really struck it rich this time."

As Song Yuqing looked at her storage bag, which was almost full, a warm feeling welled up in her heart.

She looked at Li Xiao and said with utmost sincerity, "Senior brother, thank you."

"What are you thanking me for?"

"Thank you for bringing me into the secret realm, thank you for protecting me, thank you... for giving me all the good things."

Song Yu's voice grew softer and softer, and his head drooped down.

Li Xiao walked up to her, reached out and gently lifted her chin, making her look into his eyes.

"Junior sister, I've told you before, you are my Daoist partner."

He gazed into her eyes and said softly, "Between Daoist partners, there's no need for thanks. What's mine is yours, and what's yours is mine."

Song Yu's cheeks flushed crimson, and she could clearly feel the heat of Li Xiao's palm and the sincerity in his words. Her heart pounded like a drum, making her eardrums buzz.

Looking at Li Xiao's handsome face so close to hers, and drawn by his deep eyes, she inexplicably tiptoed and gently touched his lips.

Like a dragonfly skimming the water, it stirred up a thousand waves in her heart.

Li Xiao was completely stunned, while Song Yu was so embarrassed that she wished she could disappear into the ground on the spot.

She turned to run away, but Li Xiao, who had just realized what was happening, grabbed her and pulled her into his arms.

"You think you can just run away after kissing me?" He whispered in her ear, his deep laughter carrying a hint of husky magnetism. "There's no such easy thing as a free lunch."

Without a word, he lowered his head and kissed her soft lips.

This time, it wasn't a fleeting glance, but a passionate and intense love like a storm.

Their auras intertwined, and Li Xiao's domineering golden fire magic power and Song Yu's gentle black water magic power collided and flowed between their lips and teeth, miraculously forming a perfect cycle of water and fire in harmony.

……

After what seemed like an eternity, the two finally separated, panting heavily.

Song Yu felt weak all over, leaning against Li Xiao's firm chest, her voice carrying a hint of languid allure: "Senior brother, if I... really cultivate to the level of 'Clear Understanding and Vision,' and see through too many people's hearts, will everyone hate me?"

"Then I'll be the 'evil spirit' protecting the fairy. Anyone who dares to look at you twice will have their eyes gouged out."

Li Xiao put on the Thousand Illusion Ghost Mask. Beneath the cold mask, his voice was incredibly gentle. He gently stroked the faint mark on her forehead, "No one can bully our Yu'er."

The two embraced and laughed, enjoying the rare tranquility before the storm in the ancient cave.

On the tenth day, the Yunmeng Secret Realm began to tremble violently.

"The secret realm is about to close."

Li Xiao stood up. "We should go out now."

Song Yu nodded and put away the last few items in the cave.

In the past few days, she not only recovered from her injuries, but also, on the last day of her cultivation, she unknowingly broke through the bottleneck and entered the early stage of Foundation Establishment!

The first level of the "Water Moon Heaven Heart Sutra" has been initially completed, and its magical power is more than three times stronger than before.

Tongming Lingxi has also successfully entered the realm of enlightenment, and can always sense Li Xiao's deep and unwavering affection.

As the two stepped out of the cave, the stone steps closed automatically, and the array plate returned to its original state.

The illusory figure of Daoist Yunshui reappeared, laughing, "This cave will be hidden again, awaiting the next destined person. After you two leave, do not reveal any details about this place, lest you invite disaster upon yourselves."

"We will remember this." Li Xiao and Song Yu bowed simultaneously.

The illusory image vanished, and the two felt a blur before their eyes as they were transported out of the secret realm by a gentle force.

……

At the Luoyun Sect's headquarters, Song Zhi and Elder Zhao had been waiting for a long time.

Seeing the two return safely, Song Zhi finally felt relieved, but then an expression of disbelief and surprise appeared on her face.

"Yu'er, you...you've reached the Foundation Establishment stage?!"

She sensed that Song Yu's aura was far beyond that of the Qi Refining stage, indicating that he was already a cultivator in the early Foundation Establishment stage!

Song Yu himself was somewhat slow to realize this, and it wasn't until his mother pointed it out that he truly realized he had completed the first major transformation on his path to immortality.

The Water Moon Heavenly Heart Sutra was so profound that she naturally completed the Foundation Establishment stage during her cultivation, without even taking those three precious Foundation Establishment Pills!

"Mother, I..." She didn't know how to explain this incredible adventure.

Li Xiao stepped forward and briefly recounted the events at the cave dwelling, only saying that he had accidentally stumbled upon an ancient cultivation site and gained some fortuitous opportunities.

As for the core secrets such as the identity of Daoist Yunshui and his inherited cultivation techniques, not a single word was mentioned.

Elder Zhao swept his divine sense over the two of them, a hint of surprise and greed flashing in his eyes: "This opportunity is truly extraordinary."

Song Zhi, however, was more concerned about her daughter's safety. She pulled Song Yu aside to examine her carefully, only feeling relieved after confirming that her breathing was stable and her foundation was solid. "Xiao'er, Yu'er, you did a great job."

Song Zhixin said with satisfaction, "The spiritual herbs you handed over during this trip to the secret realm have brought great benefits to our Luoyun Sect. The sect has decided to reward you. You can go and collect some pills to promote your cultivation later."

"Oh, right!"

Song Zhi continued, "The three sects have decided to jointly hold a Sword Trial Tournament in three years. Xiao'er, I believe you should have reached the Foundation Establishment stage by then. You two should prepare early. The top ten in the tournament can enter the 'Spirit Eye Tree' to cultivate and obtain its pure essence to cleanse their eyes, which will greatly benefit their supernatural abilities and cultivation. If you can achieve first place, you will even receive a legendary 'Spirit Stabilizing Pill'!"

Li Xiao's eyes instantly burned with fervor. "Rest assured, Master!" he said, clasping his hands in a fist salute. "This disciple will certainly live up to your expectations!"

That night, because Song Yu successfully established his foundation, he gained the qualification to open up an independent cave dwelling.

She created a secluded cave dwelling in a remote spot on the mountainside of Baifeng Peak.

Li Xiao and Song Yu sat in the new mansion. He took out the Thousand Illusion Ghost Mask and put it on his face. Instantly, his Foundation Establishment stage aura was suppressed to the tenth level of Qi Refining.

"Junior sister, from today onwards, I will use this face whenever I go out for trials. Better safe than sorry."

Song Yu nodded and also activated the Water Moon Heaven Heart Sutra, concealing his aura to the extreme, making him appear to be just an ordinary early Foundation Establishment cultivator.

"Oh, right."

Li Xiao suddenly remembered something, "Are you feeling any side effects from the 'Insightful Understanding' technique?"

Upon hearing this, Song Yu frowned slightly, leaned on Li Xiao's shoulder, her beautiful eyes half-closed, and her expression showed a hint of weariness: "I just saw Senior Sister and Senior Brother outside, and I... I think I heard a lot of sounds... It was all chaotic, and my spiritual sense got tired instantly. Now I just want to lean on Senior Brother, not think about anything, not look at anything..."

As she spoke, she actually fell asleep on his shoulder, a relieved smile on her lips.

Li Xiao was both amused and distressed.

It seems that the side effect of this supernatural power is the excessive consumption of spiritual energy.

He carefully picked her up, carried her back to her room, and covered her with a blanket.

"Rest well. Once you've fully adjusted, you'll be fine." He placed a kiss on her forehead.

Stepping out of the room, Li Xiao gazed up at the starry sky, his eyes deep and unfathomable.