19. I Can Emerge from the Bath Like a Fierce Man

The path of the Lunar Principle, a method devoted solely to nurturing life, once offered the possibility of longevity and enduring vision. It made no sense that after the Pure Yang Immortal Qi suffused the heavens and earth, cultivators of the Pure Yang path could not even achieve the most basic extension of their lifespan. Only upon reaching the Golden Core stage did one have a chance to reverse the cycle of life for a single lifetime; at the Nascent Soul stage, one could reverse it for six lifetimes, which marked the ultimate limit of human longevity.

“Could it be that the method is too extreme, causing an imbalance of yin and yang?”

Xiao Qingpei could not help but ponder this.

Yet this was merely an unsubstantiated conjecture, so he continued to peruse the ancient texts before him. What he read now corresponded to the “Profound Commentary on Lunar Cultivation,” and the treasures within the Cloudsky Palace were, without question, items he had exchanged with others—far more detailed, even touching upon the very subject that most intrigued him.

“So, before the Pure Yang Immortal Qi filled the world, cultivators paid heed to the doctrine of moderation? That one must not have too little, nor too much? Is this advocating for the golden mean?”

...

While Xiao Qingpei was engrossed in his reading, the flow of Lunar Immortal Power nourished his flesh and spirit, keeping him free from even the slightest fatigue.

Yet there were two people now growing increasingly troubled.

They were Liu Haoxing and Lin Chunyi.

Previously, they had immediately notified the Xu family, believing that their plan would succeed as soon as the most impulsive son of the Xu family confronted Xiao Qingpei. Who could have foreseen that Xiao Qingpei’s simple remark—“Are not all sword cultivators supposed to have clarity of heart?”—would leave the opponent utterly defeated.

It was said the young man had been plagued by nightmares for days.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator needs no sleep as long as their spirit remains intact, so it was clear how much mental turmoil the man had suffered these past few days.

“It was only a single sentence—‘Aren’t all sword cultivators supposed to have clarity of heart?’ Was that really worth all this?” Liu Haoxing was somewhat exasperated.

They had offered such support, yet the fellow had retreated without even making a move, bested by a single utterance?

“Have you forgotten? Sword cultivators—don’t they always act proud and look down on us spell cultivators? And now, a self-taught rogue cultivator has attained clarity of heart and believes all sword cultivators should do the same. Doesn’t that make the arrogance of those sword cultivators look like the ignorance of frogs at the bottom of a well?”

Lin Chunyi shook his head slightly.

He hadn’t understood it at first, but his wise and capable wife had analyzed it for him.

“If that’s the case, then no wonder he was so devastated. That explains why all those sword cultivators have been so subdued lately,” Liu Haoxing realized.

Just then, both sensed someone approaching and immediately ceased their discussion to go and greet the newcomer.

Upon seeing who it was, both Liu Haoxing and Lin Chunyi hurriedly bowed, for the visitor was a great cultivator of the Golden Core stage.

His surname was Su, an elder of Cloudsky Palace, known for his fondness for wandering the mountains and rivers, and often absent from the palace.

“Uncle Master, are you heading out again? Do you need us to prepare anything for you?” Liu Haoxing and Lin Chunyi asked respectfully after bowing.

“I’m not going out this time. Instead, I need you two to deliver an order,” Elder Su replied casually.

“Please instruct us, Uncle Master!” the two responded solemnly.

“Go find the newly admitted sword cultivator—Xiao Qingpei, is it? Tell him to go to Cloudmud City and take charge of teaching the sword arts,” Elder Su said.

“Wasn’t it rumored before that Xu Jiansheng had already been chosen for the role?”

“That was indeed the case, but now there’s been a change.”

“A sudden replacement? Brother Xu Jiansheng will surely have something to say about that,” Liu Haoxing and Lin Chunyi said with some difficulty. It wasn’t that they wanted to speak for Xu Jiansheng, but if they delivered the message, the Xu family would likely bear a grudge against them.

This was precisely why Elder Su sought others to relay the message; he himself wished to avoid offending the Xu family, whose patron was none other than the exalted Jian Lin, Supreme Sage.

“You are disciples of Cloudsky Palace, not servants of the Xu family!” Elder Su’s tone grew stern, clearly admonishing them, and with those words, he turned and left, giving Liu Haoxing and Lin Chunyi no chance to refuse.

“What now?” Liu Haoxing asked Lin Chunyi in resignation.

“What else can we do? We go!” Lin Chunyi replied helplessly. Their positions brought them benefits, but also left them bound—especially when facing “Uncle Masters” and “Elder Uncles” of the Golden Core stage, whose orders were inescapable.

So, not long after, Xiao Qingpei was informed of the matter.

“They want me to teach swordsmanship?”

Hearing this, Xiao Qingpei could not help but look a bit bemused. After all, he was an impostor!

How could a fake sword cultivator teach others the art of the sword?

“Exactly! The elders of the palace have discussed and decided that, truly, if you, Brother Xiao, do not go, who else could be qualified?” Lin Chunyi said with a smile.

“You have attained clarity of the sword heart, Brother Xiao!” Liu Haoxing added, his words tinged with admiration. With a single phrase—“Aren’t all sword cultivators supposed to have clarity of heart?”—he had silenced all the sword cultivators. Who else could manage such a feat?

To be honest, if only for this, Liu Haoxing had to admit he felt a certain respect for Xiao Qingpei.

“Then I’ll go. However, I’ve never taught anyone before. If I make any mistakes, I hope you’ll replace me without delay,” Xiao Qingpei replied, seeing that things had come to this. As an impostor, he could not help but feel a little guilty.

Still, he left himself plenty of room to withdraw. Should anyone object to his methods, he could easily step aside.

“In that case, we won’t trouble you further, Brother Xiao! We’ll take our leave!”

With Xiao Qingpei’s agreement, Liu Haoxing and Lin Chunyi quickly departed.

Xiao Qingpei began to gather the ancient texts in his room, and once everything was in order, he mounted a cloud and set out for Cloudmud City.

“Ding-dong~”

With this movement, the system that had been silent for days suddenly became active again.

“After your recent contest and victory, your confidence has grown greatly, and you are now even more certain of your identity as the fated female protagonist. Therefore, you are preparing to undertake a deed that will make you famous throughout Cloudsky Palace!”

“Within a single day, let your reputation as a beauty spread far and wide. Complete the task to receive a False Golden Core as a reward.”

Xiao Qingpei: “……”

Is this system just following the plot and assigning tasks accordingly?

Having read the “plot,” he was actually quite familiar with this segment. It was where the first “female lead” accidentally fell into the water, her beauty unveiled before Jian Lin, Supreme Sage, and her fame spread throughout Cloudsky Palace.

Yet, though he himself could manage a “heroic man’s bath,” he could hardly imitate such a scene!

Nor was there any reason to try!