Chapter 3, teaching until dawn

Xue Bingxuan nodded in satisfaction: "Then you can break through in Senior Sister's cave. I will protect the law for you. Moreover, to avoid drawing attention from outsiders, I will consider arranging your future training and guidance to be conducted mostly at night, resting during the day, and teaching until dawn. What do you think?"

By the way, junior apprentice, what is your background? Can you share it with your senior sister?

In the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, it is not necessarily the case that there are no undercover agents or spies planted by other sects and forces. Some high-level moles may have been lying in wait for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, and will not be easily activated unless a particularly significant event occurs

Xue Bingxuan furrowed her delicate brows slightly and said, "Master has indeed mentioned this phrase. Very well, I shall not inquire further now."

Xue Bingxuan smiled brightly, her luminous gaze fixed on Qin Muling as she scrutinized her from head to toe

Xue Bingxuan's eyes sparkled slightly, her tone carrying a hint of reproach: "Do you still think that Senior Sister cannot protect you? The sect is rich in spiritual energy resources, lacking nothing of value. Isn't it much better than living at the foot of the mountain?"

As the senior sister of the Yunmeng Heavenly Palace and the direct disciple of the Supreme Master, Xue Bingxuan naturally occupies the best territory. The most towering and majestic peak among the continuous mountains belongs to her, standing tall and round, with breathtaking scenery. The abundance of spiritual energy here surpasses that of other temples.

Perhaps it is only after I take over the position of the leader in the future, or when Qin Muling grows to a level that is not inferior to my own, that I may have the possibility of uncovering his secret

Qin Mu Ling hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly nodded. Although it was difficult for her to accept psychologically, it was the proper course of action. Otherwise, if a male disciple suddenly appeared in a sect composed entirely of female cultivators, even a pig would sense that something was amiss

Qin Muling hesitated for a moment and replied: "Yes, before ascending the mountain, my master had already taught me alone for three years. When she first encountered me, she wanted to take me as her disciple, but I disagreed, which is why it has been delayed until today"

In addition, the various important locations of the sect, such as the Scripture Hall, the Council Hall, the Heavenly Craft Hall, the Alchemy Hall, and the Beast Master Garden, are all situated on different peaks. Along with the residences of certain powerful elders and stewards, essentially every peak, numbering in the hundreds, has been claimed.

Xue Bingxuan pointed to a distant peak, shrouded in clouds and mist, rich in spiritual energy, and introduced it to Qin Muling. She also explained the locations of the remaining senior sisters' caves one by one. However, at present, they were either in seclusion for cultivation or traveling and had not yet returned, so any visit would have to be postponed until later.

Xue Bingxuan turned her delicate head and spoke softly, "Moreover, you are practicing the most authentic foundational method of our sect. Currently, your Qi Refinement stage has reached perfection, and you are about to officially break through and step into the Enlightenment stage. This is clearly not the result of a short period of effort. Was it all personally taught and guided by the Master?"

... ...

Qin Muling's fortune now far surpasses hers; if in the future her cultivation were to rise several levels, would it not be the case that even the Master and those few Grand Elders who have long been in seclusion would find it difficult to match her? It is no wonder that the Master is willing to break the ironclad rule of the Yunmeng Heavenly Palace, which has never accepted male disciples, and insists on taking him in.

As long as the resources are sufficient, it should be a matter of course. Qin Muling does not conceal this fact

Xue Bingxuan gently caressed Qin Muling's hand and said softly, "It is just that your identity is too sensitive. Once outsiders become aware, various troubles will inevitably follow, causing you great annoyance. Therefore, before your cultivation is strong enough, why not stay in my cave dwelling for the time being?"

As for the treatment of outer disciples, it is even lower; they are not qualified to reside year-round on the peaks where spiritual energy is relatively abundant, and can only gather in the courtyards at the foot of the mountain, each having a separate small courtyard, while the servant disciples endure the miserable condition of sharing a courtyard with multiple people.

If Qin Muling were to enter the upper echelons of the sect and the sight of the library too early, it is hard to say what might happen. Mu Yinghua cannot possibly keep an eye on him at all times, which is why he is reluctant to ascend the mountain too soon. He believes it is essential to first possess at least a certain level of self-protection before proceeding.

In addition, this branch of the dojo is home to another eight core disciples, along with several hundred inner disciples, a group of elders, and various levels of managing stewards, all of whom essentially belong to the faction of the Supreme Master. As for the outer disciples, there are over 10,000, and the number of miscellaneous disciples is even greater. Furthermore, with millions of servants and maids, it is comparable to a grand and magnificent city in the secular world

Qin Muling: "... ..."

In the realm of cultivation, one with high fortune does not necessarily possess high cultivation, but one with high cultivation certainly cannot have weak fortune. As Xue Bingxuan, who is qualified to compete for the position of the next Supreme Master, looking across the entire Yunmeng Heavenly Palace, there are only a handful of experts whose fortune is evidently stronger than hers

Qin Muling shook her head: "I dare say it, but Senior Sister, do you dare to listen? Master once issued a strict order that anyone who seeks to investigate my background, regardless of their status or position, will inevitably face severe punishment"

Qin Muling looked around, as one beautiful and uniquely shaped mountain after another slowly passed before his eyes

The Master once mentioned that you, Junior Brother, have already mastered the entry-level techniques of our sect

In mid-air, a cluster of white clouds gently drifts down.

And m.hetushu.com, you must act as discreetly as possible, staying indoors. If you need to move within the sect in the future, it is best to temporarily don female attire for disguise, using spells to alter your appearance, in order to avoid being detected by those with ulterior motives

Of course, the external intelligence network of the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace is also quite formidable. Any sect with a sufficiently long heritage possesses a comparable level of expertise in this regard.

From the outside, this branch of the Yunmeng Heavenly Palace appears to be relatively small, with the protective mountain formation covering an area of only about a thousand miles in radius, encompassing merely over a hundred mountain peaks.

On the cloud, there stand two individuals. The woman possesses a complexion more radiant than snow, exuding an air of noble beauty that is beyond compare. With every gesture, she carries a subtle majesty. The masked youth, with clear and spirited eyes, embodies a remarkable presence, surveying the vast jungle below and the expansive fields of medicinal herbs nestled among the mountains.

... ...

According to the ancient traditions passed down by the sect, anyone who is able to become a core disciple is entitled to a separate mountain peak as their exclusive dojo and blessed ground. In contrast, if one is merely an inner disciple, they will share a mountain peak with a dozen or so others

Over there is Shadowmoon Peak, the dojo of your third senior sister, Qi Yalan. Her mastery of swordsmanship is undoubtedly the best among the new generation of disciples in the sect, and even I must concede a few points to her.

Once one enters the sect, it is as deep as the sea. Such a long-standing and powerful force, with a heritage as ancient as mhetushucomcom, must inevitably have numerous factions and strongholds within. Who knows how deep the waters are inside?

After some thought, Xue Bingxuan continued, "With your terrifying luck and extraordinary talent, you will be able to easily complete the Qi Refinement stage in just three years. Once you break through to the Enlightenment stage, the subsequent stages of Core Formation, Transformation of Infants... even the True Person stage, may not present any bottlenecks at all, right"

With the cultivation of Master Sister Xue Bingxuan, she can only perceive the astonishingly thick and powerful fortune surrounding Qin Muling, with a golden light of merit enveloping his body. The nearly tangible azure and purple aura resonates subtly with the Dao rhythm of the surrounding void, and even she herself falls far short. Yet, what level of cultivation does this junior brother possess now?

However, there is the most important medicinal garden of the sect, located in the secret realm of the core area. Under the influence of the large-scale space Xumi formation, this medicinal garden spans millions of hectares, meticulously cultivating countless rare spiritual herbs and medicines, exotic treasures, and certain holy medicines and divine medicines that are extremely difficult to find outside.

Originally, as the core disciple of the junior brother, a separate mountain peak should have been arranged for your secluded cultivation

The more people who know a secret, the easier it is for it to be leaked; it is merely a matter of time. This is why Mu Yinghua resolutely decided to keep it confidential at all costs, not even revealing a single word to her most trusted disciple.