Chapter 164 – Preparations

  Jun De’s cultivation surged like a rising tide during the time he spent preparing for the Inner Sect Ranking Competition and his attempt to achieve Foundation Establishment.

  It helped that he had repeated Dual Cultivation sessions with Mu Yanyu; the method not only helped to heal her cracked Core, but the difference in their cultivation levels was so stark that every time he went to her residence, he came away with a huge boost in spiritual energy.

  Mu Yanyu’s condition had improved dramatically; her complexion was no longer pale and sickly, her meridians were steadier, and her Qi circulated much more freely after each ‘session.’

  But, while her cultivation had stabilized, Jun De’s had soared. The tenth Level of Qi Condensation didn’t have a bottleneck to reach, but it still required patience and tempering for the final push to Foundation Establishment.

  Jun De found that he reached the peak without even trying. His meridians thrummed with power and Qi, so much so that he seemed to glow from within. His Dantian was like a spinning whirlpool, condensed to the limit as it drew in all the ambient spiritual energy around him.

  Just one more step, and he would be ready to try to advance to the next stage.

  Yet, before he could do so, he wanted to make sure everyone around him was settled. It would likely take months in seclusion before he could break through, and he didn’t want anyone to worry or need him while he was unavailable.

  On the morning he had chosen to enter seclusion, he had woken up beside Mu Yanyu in her residence. He rose from her bed, washed and donned clean robes before kissing her softly and leaving the quiet sanctuary of the Jade Lotus Pavilion.

  Instead of returning to his own home, he descended down the mountain path that took him to the grounds of the Outer Sect to find Lin Yue.

  Jun De followed the winding path through the Outer Sect, past the Nine-Treasure Pagoda, to the residential section that ringed it. The morning sun was warm, filtering through the leaves of the trees overhead, and the air was fresh from the rain the night before.

  He found Lin Yue’s residence the same as it always was, a simple, tidy home with a small courtyard shaded by trees, but large enough for her herb garden and pill refining.

  Unlike the last time he had visited, Jun De could hear laughter drifting through the open gate. The atmosphere felt light and relaxed.

  Lin Yue sat at a low wooden table, dressed in her standard blue Outer Sect disciple robes. Her sleeves were rolled back as she sipped tea, and the sun caught in her brown hair, giving it a warm, almost honey-like colour.

  Similar to Mu Yanyu, Lin Yue looked much healthier than the last time he had seen her. Her cultivation was strong and steady, and the Qi around her swirled in the manner of someone who had reached the peak of the 5th Level of Qi Condensation.

  Across from her sat Mei Lian, whom Jun De had not seen since the ambush of the Demonic Cultivators. The change in her was so stark that it was startling. Gone was the haunted, desperate girl who had begged him for his Blood Essence and had been possessed by an Inner Demon.

  Today, her complexion had returned to normal, and her posture was upright and composed. There wasn’t a shred of demonic Qi about her, nor could he detect any visible remnants of her experience on her face.

  Whatever method the Sect had provided her to help combat her inner demons had clearly been effective. Her Qi was calm, but very weak at the early stage of the 4th Level of Qi Condensation.

  The two women were mid-conversation when Jun De stepped into the courtyard. Mei Lian’s eyes widened, and surprise flashed across her features at the sight of him. She rose quickly, smoothed her robes, and bowed with a formality that Jun De found strange.

  “Senior Brother Jun. It’s good to see you again.” Mei Lian said. Her voice and tone were respectful, but there was a faint hint of anxiety and fear that was obvious to Jun De.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Lin Yue’s head snapped up at Mei Lian’s words, and her entire face lit with recognition and warmth.

  “Jun De!” Lin Yue called out with a smile, and she waved for him to come forward and join them at the table.

  Jun De nodded to them both, returning Lin Yue’s smile with one of his own that carried genuine relief.

  “It’s good to see you both. Mei Lian, you look so much better than before. I’m truly glad to see you this well again.” Jun De said gently as he approached the pair and sat down.

  A tiny breath escaped Mei Lian, and her shoulders loosened as the tension she had been carrying melted away. She had clearly feared that Jun De would be angry with her or resent her for what she had done. She was prepared to be rejected, but Jun De’s tone didn’t hold any of those negative emotions.

  “Thank you, Senior Brother Jun.” Mei Lian replied softly, and her voice was no longer trembling.

  “The Sect has been incredibly patient with me. They have been training me intensely in a method to suppress and slowly eliminate my Inner Demon. It’s working, but progress has been slow.”

  Mei Lian exhaled again and lowered her head as her expression dimmed with regret.

  “I want to apologize for all the problems that I caused. I put you and Lin Yue in danger. For-”

  Jun De raised a hand lightly and cut her off.

  “There’s no need.” Jun De said firmly.

  “I know that you weren’t well. What happened wasn’t your fault; your Inner Demon clouded your judgment. I could never hold that against you.”

  Jun De looked toward Lin Yue, whose expression was openly supportive of his words.

  “And besides, if Lin Yue can forgive you so easily, I couldn’t very well hold a grudge, could I?” Jun De added with a wry smile.

  Mei Lian blinked, then let out a soft, shaky laugh filled with relief and gratitude. She sat down in her chair heavily, as though the few words she had spoken had exhausted her.

  “The Demonic Cultivators were always going to be a problem, Sister Lian. If it wasn’t you, then someone else would have been forced to help them. Or, more likely, they would have kept killing people all across the region. At least now the threat has been ended.” Lin Yue added.

  “Thank you, Sister Yue.” Mei Lian said softly, and Lin Yue reached over and gripped her hand in her own. Squeezing it reassuringly, Lin Yue gave her a bright smile before releasing her hand.

  Clearly pleased that the tension had lifted from Mei Lian, Lin Yue clapped her hands lightly as if to disperse any lingering awkwardness in the air.

  “Let’s change the subject! I have something far more entertaining to tell you both.” Lin Yue exclaimed, and her voice lowered conspiratorially in a tone Jun De was familiar with. Lin Yue loved Sect gossip, and before he had joined the Inner Sect, she would share tidbits she had heard about their peers.

  Jun De raised an eyebrow, while Mei Lian leaned forward with curiosity.

  “Senior Brother Liu from the Nine-Treasure Pagoda was seen sneaking out of Elder Hua’s herb garden in the middle of the night. And rumours have it, he wasn’t alone! Someone said they saw him whispering to Senior Sister Wen earlier in the day!”

  Lin Yue said the last part dramatically, but neither Mei Lian nor Jun De comprehended the problem.

  “That doesn’t seem to be so bad.” Jun De said, while Mei Lian nodded.

  “Sneaking in and out of the Herb gardens at night is an infraction, but not a serious one.” Mei Lian added.

  “You haven’t heard the best part! Senior Sister Wen was seen with bruises on her neck, and Elder Hua’s ginseng was crushed! Elder Hua was so mad that she rampaged through the whole pagoda. She said it looked like a wild spiritual beast had torn apart her prized garden.”

  Lin Yue waited for a reaction, but Jun De merely shook his head, and Mei Lian still looked slightly confused.

  “You both are hopeless.” Lin Yue muttered.

  Mei Lian took a sip from her tea before responding.

  “Sister Yue, I’m curious. When we joined the Sect, we were judged to have similar talent. But you have surpassed me by leaps and bounds. Did something happen to help your cultivation?” Mei Lain asked in a rush, as though she had been eager to ask for a while and finally found the courage.

  Lin Yue had been in mid-sip of her tea when Mei Lian asked her a question. The cup paused halfway to her lips, and her eyes widened like a startled rabbit. A faint pink dusted her cheeks before deepening to a bright red.

  Her blush spread up her cheeks and across her ears before reaching her hairline.

  Lin Yue opened her mouth to speak, then glanced at Jun De, before closing it. She tried again, but all that came out was a small, strangled sound that was something between a squeak and a cough.

  “Sister Yue?” Mei Lian asked with concern.

  “Something to help my cultivation?” Lin Yue stammered, and her flush intensified.

  Mei Lian nodded.

  “Did you receive a special technique, or a rare pill? It just seems that you improved so quickly, and I was hoping that you would share your secret with me.”

  Lin Yue shook her head so fast that her hair hit the side of her face.

  “Share my secret?!” She looked at Jun De in desperation, before shaking her head again.

  “No! I mean, there is no secret. I just had some help from Jun De.” Lin Yue trailed off before her eyes opened wide as she realized what she had just said.

  Jun De coughed into his fist and tried to blend into the background as much as possible. The ‘help’ Lin Yue was referring to was the effect of his constitution on any partner he ‘cultivated’ with.

  Lin Yue looked as though she desperately wished she could dissolve into her chair and never return as Mei Lian’s eyes opened wide and she eagerly turned to Jun De.”

  “You helped her breakthrough!? Could you help me as well, Senior Brother Jun?”

  “I-” Jun De began, but was cut off as soon as he opened his mouth.

  “Absolutely not!” Lin Yue said quickly, waving her hands and shaking her head vigorously.