Chapter 62
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In the world of cultivation, time seemed to be immeasurable. Seasons came and went without anyone keeping track, and Pei Yunshu had been stuck in the late Golden Core stage for many years.
He finally decided to heed the advice of Sect Leader Lingye and set out alone with his Qingyue Sword to explore the mortal world, hoping to break through what was known as a bottleneck.
For the past twenty years, ever since he joined the Shanshui Sect, it felt like he hadn’t stopped cultivating for a moment. Calluses formed on the palms of his hands, and he trained day and night. What this brought him was the confidence to venture into the world on his own.
However, as soon as he descended from the mountain, he looked back at the forest behind him and said, “Who’s there?”
His Junior Brother emerged from the woods. After several years, he had grown more youthful and fair, with a gentle smile. “Fourth Senior Brother, where are you going?”
Pei Yunshu recognized him as his Junior Brother, as his appearance hadn’t changed much. He replied seriously, “I’m going down the mountain for some practical experience.”
“Going alone, Senior Brother?”
Pei Yunshu nodded.
The Junior Brother smiled and walked closer, saying, “Senior Brother, I formed my golden core not long ago and can now venture out. In that case, why don’t I accompany you?”
Pei Yunshu saw no harm in that and agreed, “Sure, let’s go together.”
Pei Yunshu loved the scenery of mountains and rivers, the vast landscapes, and the magnificent snowy mountains. When he saw such views, he often needed a long time to regain his composure.
But his Junior Brother loved lively marketplaces and busy streets. The more bustling the place, the more he enjoyed it. He said to Pei Yunshu, “Senior Brother, how can you break free from worldly attachments if you don’t experience them?”
Pei Yunshu contemplated this for a while and thought that what his Junior Brother said made sense. So, he ventured into the bustling world with his Junior Brother.
His Junior Brother led him to a place called South Wind Pavilion.
Candles flickered, and curtains billowed gently. His Junior Brother led Pei Yunshu into a secret chamber, where they peered through a small hole to witness the intimate activities of people on a bed.
Pei Yunshu only glanced for a moment before turning away, but his Junior Brother whispered to him, “Senior Brother, this is the most worldly place in the mortal realm. How can you not watch?”
His Junior Brother took Pei Yunshu’s hand and encouraged him to look again through the small hole. The alluring sounds continued intermittently. With only a thin wall separating them from the scene, no sound could be blocked.
“Senior Brother,” his Junior Brother’s voice became heated, hiding a secret anticipation. “Do you feel anything?”
Pei Yunshu shook his head and left the secret chamber. He walked out of the South Wind Pavilion.
When he turned around to look, he saw that the smile had vanished from his Junior Brother’s face. His gaze had grown obscure as he stared at Pei Yunshu, his intentions unclear.
A few days later, his senior brothers arrived as well. They asked, “What about Junior Brother?”
“Drunk and asleep,” Pei Yunshu felt a rare sense of relief, picked up his belongings, and said to his senior brothers, “I’m leaving Junior Brother in your care.”
Without waiting for them to respond, he rode his sword and departed.
His senior brothers watched his receding figure and, as if in resignation, one of them chuckled and fetched a bottle of alcohol.
“Small Junior Brother has had a tough journey.”
Some people couldn’t be held back no matter how hard you tried, and these people already had wings to fly freely.
No one could keep them tied down, leaving others powerless to change the situation.
This time, Pei Yunshu’s journey of experience lasted for a full year. When the snowflakes fell, he was overwhelmed by emotion. That night, under the bright moonlight, he ascended to the summit of the snow-capped mountain, waiting for the warm sun to rise.
He waited through the entire night, and as the warm sun rose, the snow on his body had accumulated to nearly an inch. He gazed at the sunrise, dyeing half the sky crimson, and at that moment, he broke through the golden core stage.
The process of forming the Nascent Soul triggered extraordinary phenomena in the heavens and the earth. Elders from the sect rushed to the snow-capped mountain to set up protective formations around Pei Yunshu. This Nascent Soul formation lasted for a full fifteen days, and after that, Pei Yunshu opened his eyes.
He stood up, shaking off the snow that had accumulated on his body, and smiled toward his sect members who had been guarding him.
He had formed his Nascent Soul.
After forming the Nascent Soul, the sense of urgency that had weighed on him for years suddenly eased. However, Pei Yunshu was at a loss about what to do other than cultivating.
He continued his cultivation diligently, practicing swordsmanship, techniques, and nurturing his Dao heart. Time seemed to have become the least valuable thing, and sometimes, when he closed his eyes to meditate and opened them again, several days had passed.
The young boy who accompanied Pei Yunshu had started aging like the old boy who had climbed Wuzhi Peak with him years ago. He would reach the end of his life sooner or later.
Pei Yunshu reduced his cultivation practice and found time to water the spiritual plants in the courtyard.
One day, as he sat on his bed about to meditate, he suddenly glanced at the end of the bed. A colorful little snake had slithered onto the bed. It seemed surprised that Pei Yunshu had opened his eyes, and its red eyes met his, as it hesitated in place.
Pei Yunshu said, “How did you get into my room, little snake?”
The snake flickered its tongue and slowly crawled towards Pei Yunshu.
Despite looking highly venomous, a Nascent Soul cultivator should not be afraid of a snake. Pei Yunshu reached out his hand, and the rainbow snake crawled onto his palm. It coiled its tail tightly around his wrist, as if afraid Pei Yunshu might throw it away.
The snake’s pupils were vertical, a dazzling crimson color, like dripping fresh blood, even more dazzling than a gem.
Pei Yunshu suddenly thought of the rumors he heard during his past experiences. He spoke in a calm tone, “Some snakes may appear as ordinary serpents, but when times are dire, they can transform into dragons.”
He placed the snake on the ground, but the colorful snake did not leave. It raised the top half of its body, staring at Pei Yunshu.
Pei Yunshu said, “Go on, if you can really become a dragon, you’ll need someone’s help when that time comes. You can come find me then.”
The snake extended its forked tongue to touch Pei Yunshu’s fingertip. Pei Yunshu looked at his finger, slightly surprised, and then smiled.
After forming his Nascent Soul, Pei Yunshu found the most suitable method for his cultivation. Sometimes, when he meditated on the back of the mountain, he felt like his breath was connected to the entire world, breathing in harmony with it.
But he rarely went out because he inexplicably encountered his fellow sect members every time he did.
Pei Yunshu didn’t know how to converse with them. He felt most comfortable when he was alone. Gradually, whenever he ventured out, he would run far away from the sect’s vicinity.
When another grand cultivation competition began, Pei Yunshu only visited it occasionally.
He had already achieved the Nascent Soul stage, and even if he met the age requirements, participating in the competition would not be honorable. Winning against younger cultivators would be a mere display of strength, and he didn’t want to bully them.
“Senior Brother,” his Junior Brother who had just won a match on the stage climbed down and smiled radiantly, “Did you come to watch me?”
The moment he called Pei Yunshu “Senior Brother,” many people around turned their attention to Pei Yunshu.
“Is this Senior Brother Yunshu from the Shanshui Sect? He looks even younger than me.”
“He’s so young yet has already reached the Nascent Soul stage. My master always says he’s diligent, but if one’s talent is lacking, no amount of diligence would help.”
Whispers were not lost on Pei Yunshu’s ears. He pretended not to hear and looked at his Junior Brother, asking, “How are you doing today?”
“I’ve won two matches already,” sweat beads formed on the smooth forehead of his Junior Brother. His eyes sparkled as he continued, “I have one more match in the afternoon. Senior Brother, will you come and watch?”
Pei Yunshu checked the time by looking at the sky and agreed, “Sure.”
However, during the afternoon match, the opponent standing across from his Junior Brother seemed to be distracted by Pei Yunshu, and he was swiftly defeated by his Junior Brother’s strike.
Instead of feeling upset, the defeated opponent staggered over to Pei Yunshu, his face flushed with embarrassment, and asked, “What’s your name?”
Pei Yunshu replied, “Yunshu.”
On the stage, his Junior Brother, who was watching from a higher position, looked at the two of them with a dark expression on his beautiful face.
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