Chapter Nine, Diligent Efforts

With a smile and a nod, Zhao Yuqing said, "In that case, you may go."

If it is an illusion, then nothing matters

Zhao Yuqing smiled and said: "My strict requirements of you are solely to encourage your progress, not to punish you. Regarding Tianlin, do not interfere too much; if he wishes to come, he may come, if he wishes to leave, he may leave, and wherever he wants to go, he may go. Let everything follow its natural course, and there is no need to seek more."

Noticing his actions, Zhao Yuqing said, "Yunyan, is there anything else you wish to say?"

Having left Tenglong Valley, Tianlin immediately revealed his true colors, laughing triumphantly while performing aerial somersaults as he flew towards Tiannv Peak

Ding Yunyan stood up upon hearing this, gave a slight bow to Zhao Yuqing, and then turned to leave

After tidying up his attire, Ding Yunyan entered the cave with a serious expression, walking slowly and keeping a watchful eye on his surroundings

Zhao Yuqing laughed and scolded, "What he said was obviously meant to scare you, you fool"

Ding Yunyan said with shame: "The disciple is incompetent, causing the master to laugh at me. It is just that his words..."

Die Meng said: "Enough of the grand talk; what you are currently practicing are merely some basic techniques. The truly profound skills have yet to be imparted by your mother. Those are magical methods that countless individuals have struggled their entire lives to master to their limits. If you do not dedicate yourself to diligent practice, even the best innate talent will be of no use."

Butterfly Dream softly said: "Mother is thinking, now that your strength has greatly increased, it will be easy for you to surpass Mother in the future. Will you still listen to Mother then?"

In the eyes of Die Meng, there was a fullness of loving kindness, and she gently said, "There is no need to call so loudly; Mother has already seen you."

Ding Yunyan turned around and, somewhat hesitantly, said: "This time, regarding the Ice and Snow Festival and the book fair, I had been determined to take Tianlin as my disciple. However, yesterday, he told me... I wonder if this matter is true or not"

Zhao Yuqing listened, her smile still on her face, and asked, "Is this it?"

After advancing twenty zhang, Ding Yunyan halted and, facing the ancestral statue five zhang ahead, bowed deeply before it. He then spoke: "Disciple Yunyan seeks an audience with Master."

Soon, Tianlin flew back to Tian Nv Peak and called out from a distance to Die Meng, who was standing at the cave entrance: "Mother, I am back"

Die Dream did not speak; she was contemplating the events related to the Ice Soul Origin Realm.

In a moment, a gentle voice came through. "Yunyan, is there something you need?"

With an awkward smile, Ding Yunyan said bitterly: "Master is right, I am truly too foolish; I should return and reflect properly." After saying this, he hurriedly left, clearly unable to maintain his composure.

Zhao Yuqing said: "Your five disciples all possess good potential. As long as you nurture them with care, they will achieve remarkable accomplishments in the future. Currently, there are three years until the next Ice and Snow Festival. If you utilize this time wisely and teach them attentively, I believe you will see fruitful results"

Tian Lin nodded and said, "The qilin knows, Mother need not worry"

In response to this, Die Meng felt a mix of comfort and concern, thinking to herself: "The young child possesses astonishing abilities at such a tender age; I must be stricter with him in the future, otherwise it will be difficult to rein him in later on"

Furthermore, this is the place where significant matters of the Tenglong Valley are discussed, including receiving guests, accepting disciples, administering rewards and punishments, and conducting memorials. It is strictly prohibited to engage in laughter, mockery, or scolding. Any disciples who come here must maintain a respectful and serious demeanor.

After Zhao Yuqing listened to his account, her face showed a slight change, but it quickly faded away. With great magnanimity, she said: "This is Tianlin's opportunity; you should not blame yourself."

Zhao Yuqing smiled lightly, walked to the center position, sat down, and waved her hand, saying: "Please sit down, take your time to explain any mistakes."

Tian Lin urgently said: "Mother, I haven't forgotten, it's just that it was truly unexpected. Later, I inexplicably entered the Ice Soul Original Realm, and there was someone who spoke to me, a guardian of some sort."

Master, today I took the liberty to bring Tianlin to the Ningxue Cave.

Tian Lin said loudly: "I understand, but will I still be able to go play with Linghua and the others in the future"

Seeing him so serious, Die Meng felt quite relieved and smiled, saying: "Then Mother can rest assured. Now, Mother needs to talk to you about the matters concerning the Ice Soul Original Realm, and you must remember what Mother says today"

As a disciple of Tenglong Valley, Ding Yunyan was well aware that, apart from the valley master, generally no one would enter here unless something occurred

Butterfly Dream said: "You may play, but the time will be relatively reduced, as your mother requires you to master all the techniques she has taught you to a great extent before you turn twenty"

Zhao Yuqing sat quietly, murmuring to herself: "According to Zhaoyunyan, that Tian Lin is exceptionally intelligent, a prodigy despite his young age, a rare talent indeed. Unfortunately, I have made a promise..."

Ding Yunyang did not dare to conceal anything and carefully recounted everything he had seen. In the end, he said: "It is all due to my excessive confidence, believing that Tianlin would not discern anything. Who would have thought the outcome would be like this? Please punish me, Master."

Tian Lin put away his smile and said seriously: "Mother, do not worry. No matter how great my abilities become in the future, I will always listen to your words."

Ding Yunyan hesitated and said, "Tianlin is not under the gate of Tenglong Valley; allowing him to enter at will seems inappropriate."

Withdrawing his gaze, Ding Yunyan quickened his pace, the faint sound of his footsteps echoing around, creating a somewhat jarring effect

Tian Lin, upon hearing this, lowered his voice and carefully recounted his experience at that time. In the end, he said: "Later, I pretended to be crazy in front of Linghua's master, which left him completely stunned; it was quite amusing."

Zhao Yuqing smiled and said, "You, having lived for over 200 years, still cannot compete with a young child, and you still have the audacity to say that."

Raising her head, Die Meng looked at Ai Er, who was beaming with excitement, and noticed that he was somewhat different from his usual self

Ding Yunyan was taken aback; he had always thought that Tian Lin's words were quite plausible, yet he did not expect to be deceived once again

In a moment, Ding Yunyan ascended the steps, and before him appeared a massive cavern, several hundred zhang wide, capable of accommodating thousands of people. This was the symbol of power of the Tenglong Valley—Tenglong Mansion

This person has a faint smile, gentle eyes, and a medium build that is not imposing, yet exudes a sense of calmness and authority, truly deserving of the title of the Lord of Tenglong Valley

Ding Yunyan's face turned slightly red as he softly said, "How could I, as a disciple, dare to compare myself with the five senior brothers?"

On the head, the dragon horns are directed backward, one to the left and one to the right, each approximately six feet long and slender in proportion

There are also two dragon whiskers, curving in mid-air, as if rising with the wind, presenting a unique style

Seeing her son overly excited, Die Meng interrupted his words and said seriously: "Do not panic in the face of events, have you forgotten?"

Die Meng retracted her smile and said in a low voice: "As far as I know, no one in this world has ever mentioned the Ice Soul Original Realm. Whether it truly exists, I cannot say for certain. However, since you have encountered it, let us assume it is real. In the years to come, you must not mention it lightly unless absolutely necessary, nor should you reveal your talents. Furthermore, from this moment on, my expectations of you will be even stricter. Until you reach the realm I expect of you, you must not relax for even a moment. Do you understand?"

A layer of light flickered subtly around the body, revealing a unique aura, and the cultivation level had surprisingly transcended many boundaries

Ding Yunyan did not dare to refute and respectfully said: "I will diligently remember the master's teachings and ensure that they practice their skills with increased urgency."

Not hearing Die Meng's response, Tian Lin immediately turned around and saw his mother looking at him. He couldn't help but smile and said, "Mother, why are you looking at me like that?"

Zhao Yuqing said calmly: "Tianlin has some connections with my Tenglong Valley, so do not ask too much. Just remember what I have told you. Now, your five senior brothers are all intensifying their efforts to nurture the next generation, so do not let me down."

The resounding voice echoed through every corner of the cave

Sticking out his tongue, Tian Lin exclaimed, "How profound! It must be very impressive. Mother, please demonstrate it for me to see."

Ding Yunyan lowered his head and said softly, "Disciple has made a mistake and has come to ask for the master's forgiveness."

A flicker of light revealed a handsome man, approximately thirty-six or thirty-seven years old, dressed in a long white robe, appearing before Ding Yunyan.

After glancing at the Dragon Stone Statue, Ding Yunyan circled around from the left, and after proceeding for about 5 zhang, he arrived at a set of stairs.

Upon hearing that he could play, Tianlin immediately smiled. "Mother and the books, please rest assured, I guarantee that I will not let you down."

Ding Yunyan was taken aback and asked, "Does Master not think that the disciple has made a mistake?"

Looking up, Ding Yunyan observed the neatly arranged steps ascending layer upon layer, approximately several dozen zhang away, with around several hundred steps in total

The butterfly dream frowned slightly and questioned, "The Ice Soul Original Realm? The Guardian? Speak slowly, don't be so agitated."

During the journey, Tianlin demonstrated the newly learned "Ice God Technique" and discovered its remarkable nature. Moving through the wind and snow felt as effortless as a fish in water; not only was his speed faster than before, but he could also automatically absorb the energy of ice and snow, converting it into his own strength to compensate for the consumed true essence, achieving a balance between input and output.

Gently stroking his head, Die Meng smiled and said, "Don't rush, let's go in and talk slowly." As soon as she finished speaking, she vanished without a trace.

In the cave, Tianlin held Diemeng's hand and said excitedly: "At first, I thought that place was just fun... Later, I realized something was amiss... After a long period of exploration, I finally found the key to it..."

However, just a few steps out, Ding Yunyan suddenly stopped, as if he still wanted to say something

Ding Yunyan hesitated for a moment, secretly glancing at Zhao Yuqing. Seeing that the master was not angry, he then complied and stepped forward, taking a seat in the last position on the left.

As far as she knows, no one in the world has ever mentioned anything about the Ice Soul Origin Realm. What Tianlin encountered before, was it real or an illusion?

But if this is indeed the case, what does it signify for Tianlin

As they entered the cave, Tianlin excitedly hugged Diemeng's legs and exclaimed, "Mother, you have no idea how much fun it was in the凝雪洞 today, it was truly spectacular"