Shenxiao Palace
Ye Ruoyi picked up another spirit fruit and nibbled on it. Then, as if remembering something, she looked up at Yun Che with hope in her eyes. “By the way, Brother Yun…”
“In a few months, it will be the triennial sect tournament. Are you going to take part?”
“Sect tournament?” Yun Che said as he set down the teacup in his hand.
If this had been a few months ago, when he was still a nobody in the Qi Refining stage, he would have only watched such a sect-wide event with envy and would never have dared to imagine taking part in it.
After all, he had been too weak to afford losing face.
But now…
Now he possessed the “possession immortal maiden system,” and his path of cultivation was already different.
The rewards of the sect tournament were actually no longer important to him. What mattered more now was hiding his secrets and steadily using the system to improve.
After all, a Foundation Establishment cultivator was still acceptable among people his own age, but within all of Shenxiao Palace, that was nothing special. In the wider world, he was nothing more than an ant.
Taking part in the tournament would draw far too much unnecessary attention, which did not fit his current plan of “growing quietly.”
Thinking of this, Yun Che shook his head. “I… haven’t decided yet.
After all, I only just reached Foundation Establishment, and I still need time to stabilize my realm. Besides, the tournament will be packed with experts…”
Ye Ruoyi, however, thought he lacked confidence, so she hurriedly encouraged him. “Brother Yun, don’t sell yourself short!
You’ve already reached the Foundation Establishment stage, and with dual Confucian and Daoist cultivation, you’re definitely stronger than others at the same level!
The tournament is a great opportunity. The elders from each peak will all come in person to watch, and anyone who performs exceptionally well will be taken in directly as a true disciple, gaining better resources and guidance!”
As she spoke, her tone turned a little regretful. “What a pity. My master, Master Xuanji, already said I was her last closed-door disciple, and she won’t take on any more disciples. Otherwise…
Otherwise, I would definitely beg Master to take you in too, Brother Yun!” Her little face puffed up slightly with annoyance.
Yun Che felt warmth in his heart, knowing she truly had his best interests at heart, and he smiled. “Just having that thought is enough for me.
As for becoming a true disciple, that kind of thing can’t be forced. When the opportunity comes, it will come naturally.”
Ye Ruoyi nodded, then remembered something else and added with sparkling eyes, “And I heard that the saintess of Shenxiao Palace will also come in person to watch this time!”
“The saintess? Gu Qingxue?” Yun Che raised an eyebrow. That name was thunderously famous within the sect.
“That’s right!” Ye Ruoyi said with obvious admiration and longing. “Senior Sister Gu is the most outstanding genius in the history of Shenxiao Palace!
“I’ve heard she’s only in her early twenties, yet she has already cultivated to the peak of the Golden Core realm. She’s only one step away from forming a Nascent Soul!
“She’s the recognized leader of the younger generation in Xiaoyao Prefecture!
“She usually cultivates in the forbidden grounds and rarely shows herself. Now that she’s coming to watch, who knows how many people will be eager to make a good impression in front of her!”
Early twenties, and already at the peak of Golden Core!
If this had been before, he would have been shocked enough for his jaw to drop. What kind of monstrous genius was that? The same age as me, and that cultivation speed?
But after recently seeing Li Zijun at the Nascent Soul stage, Yun Che remained calm when he heard this information about Gu Qingxue.
At the same time, another thought rose involuntarily in his mind: he wondered whether this dazzling saintess of Shenxiao Palace met the system’s binding requirements for an “immortal maiden.” If he could bind someone like that…
“Better forget it. She’s too close… same sect and all. If I got exposed, I’d be done for!”
That thought flashed by and was immediately suppressed.
“The saintess really is impressive,” Yun Che said sincerely. Then he turned to Ye Ruoyi and said, “I’ll think about the tournament a little more. There’s still several months left.
For now, the most urgent thing is to raise my cultivation level first.”
“Mm-hmm!” Ye Ruoyi nodded vigorously, no longer dwelling on it, and chatted excitedly with Yun Che about other topics.
The sunlight was warm, and the conversation in the small courtyard gradually faded.
…
The next day
Morning
In Yun Che’s modest yet tidy disciple room.
Yun Che lay flat on the hard bed, his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling.
“By my calculation… the cooldown period should be over by now,” he silently estimated. It had been exactly five days since he last bound Li Zijun.
“System?” he called tentatively in his mind.
『”The ‘possession immortal maiden system’ is activating. The cooldown has ended. Would you like to begin scanning and searching for a bound target immediately?”』
The cold mechanical voice rang out on cue, just as always.
“Yes! Start immediately!” Yun Che said, his spirits lifting as he gave the order without hesitation.
『”Scanning the current worldline… matching ‘immortal maiden’-class targets…”』
『”Ding! High-affinity target signal detected… match successful!”』
『”Bind target Li Zijun immediately?”』
“Bind her! Bind her now!” He was almost too eager.
『”Command confirmed. Binding…”』
『”Binding successful. Consciousness transfer starting.”』
The familiar dazed sensation washed over him again, and his soul seemed to be gently drawn into a warm vortex.
His vision peeled away from the shabby ceiling, and his perception rebuilt itself.
First to flood his senses was that reassuring and utterly familiar faint fragrance of ink and orchids, mixed with a trace of the refined feminine scent of a boudoir.
Then what his eyes “saw” was an elegant bookshelf and a tidy writing desk. It was exactly the quiet room in Li Zijun’s villa at Cloud Deer Academy!
He walked over to the mirror and extended a hand. In the mirror was a scholar-robed woman dressed in white as snow, with faint blue orchid patterns embroidered on her clothes.
He was really back! He had possessed Li Zijun’s body again!
Yun Che felt a surge of excitement as he sensed the warm and vast righteous qi within this body, and he was just about to try moving around.
At that moment, a young woman’s voice filled with unabashed delight rang directly in the sea of consciousness of the body he was inhabiting, like a stone dropped into a calm lake, stirring up layer upon layer of ripples:
“You’re… back?”
That was Li Zijun’s voice.
It was no longer the shock and wariness from their first meeting. Her voice was full of delight, as if she had been waiting, hoping, and even feeling a little… relieved?
Yun Che could feel that this body’s heart had also quickened slightly because of the original owner’s intense emotions.
With a smile, Yun Che replied, “Mm, Miss Li, I’m back again.”
Inside the bedroom, even the candle flame seemed to leap happily because of this strange “reunion” in the sea of consciousness.