#2529 - Like you and me, golden scales
The invitation clearly stated the address of the assembly, which was in a manor within the city.
That manor was usually vacant and used exclusively for hosting various gatherings.
The prodigies from various forces had temporarily rented the manor for the occasion.
“The prodigies of various forces, instead of focusing on cultivation, are holding some kind of exchange meeting.
It's just an attempt to observe their rivals up close to assess their strength.
What's the use of that? The strong will still be strong, and the weak will still be weak.”
Qingqing couldn't help but complain on the road.
She was very averse to similar gatherings, making it seem like everyone was very familiar with each other.
Perhaps they were somewhat familiar, after all, the prodigies of the major forces knew each other, but there was little interaction.
Every interaction was basically a competition for opportunities, with no real friendship to speak of, only hostility.
“Qingqing, who do you think is spearheading this exchange meeting?”
“It's hard to say exactly who, but the Azure Water Sect must be involved.
Otherwise, Xu Wangchuan wouldn't have sent us an invitation.
Oh, right, I once heard my master mention something.
She said the Azure Water Sect has a treasure that can see through a person's strength, cultivation realm, and forbidden domains, all with perfect clarity.
Could they have brought this treasure with them today?
If that's the case, everyone who participates will have their strength accurately controlled by them.”
“No…”
Saying this, Qingqing suddenly stopped, “Junior Uncle, let's go back to the inn first and have Master use some means to shield us from the Azure Water Sect's treasure's prying.”
“No need.”
Jun Wuxie said, placing his palm on Qingqing's shoulder.
A mysterious and unfathomable aura entered Qingqing's body from his palm, traveling through her limbs and bones, and then gathering in her celestial cave and starry sea.
Instantly, a fog arose within her celestial cave and starry sea.
“Eh?”
Qingqing's delicate body trembled slightly, looking at him in shock, “Junior Uncle, what kind of method is this?
My realm…”
Qingqing felt very surprised, even unbelievable.
Her realm was clearly at the fifth level of the Great Luo Immortal Lord Realm.
But now, the first feedback her body gave her was that her realm was only at the third level of the Great Luo Immortal Lord Realm.
But in fact, carefully sensing her own celestial cave and starry sea, her true realm was still at the fifth level of the Great Luo Immortal Lord Realm.
“Your Junior Uncle has many tricks up his sleeve.”
Jun Wuxie said with a smile, removing his palm from Qingqing's shoulder, “From now on, whether it's cultivators or the Azure Water Sect's treasure you mentioned, none will be able to see your true realm, nor will they be able to see what level your forbidden domain is at.”
“It's really amazing…
However, that's the Azure Water Sect's treasure, is Junior Uncle's method really useful?
You must know, the Azure Water Sect's treasure is definitely of extremely high grade.”
“Don't you have confidence in your Junior Uncle?
Even your master, such a strong person, couldn't see through my realm, right?”
“Hmph, have my realm and forbidden domain all been seen by Junior Uncle?”
“Indeed, that's the case. You're not bad, having initially stepped into the mythical domain of the ages at this realm, you can be called one of the top figures of your generation.
Your master back then, at this realm, was probably not much better than you.”
“I can't compare to Master.
Master's era is different from this era.
That era didn't have so many opportunities.
Back then, Master was the number one person of her generation under the starry sky.
It's just a pity…
Alas…”
Qingqing didn't continue, letting out a deep sigh.
“Eh, something's not right…”
Qingqing suddenly looked at him with a puffed-up expression, “Hmph, Junior Uncle, you're going too far.
You're already a member of the Heavenly Sound Peak, why do you keep saying 'your master, your master'?
Qingqing's master is Junior Uncle's senior sister, okay?”
“Mind your own business, you're actually interfering with your junior uncle's affairs, don't you understand the rules?”
Jun Wuxie reached out and gave her a flick on the forehead.
Qingqing shrank her neck, angrily saying, “Junior Uncle, you're so violent! Master never dared to hit me, and you hit me!”
“That's enough. You're the dignified Holy Maiden of the Illusory Sound Sect, acting cute in front of your junior uncle, don't you think it damages the image of the Holy Maiden?”
“Who's acting cute!”
Qingqing's face flushed red, her beautiful and refined face like a ripe apple, “Qingqing is just like this, at least in front of Master, you're my junior uncle, Qingqing treats you like a family elder, okay?”
“Really treat me like an elder? Didn't you complain about it at the inn earlier?”
“Otherwise? My status is what it is, even if I'm unwilling, it can't be changed.
Junior Uncle, don't change the topic!
We're talking about acting cute!
This issue is very serious, Junior Uncle is not allowed to say Qingqing is acting cute in the future!”
“Alright, alright, I won't say you're acting cute.”
Jun Wuxie looked at her serious and argumentative appearance, almost laughing.
The Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Sound Peak actually had such a girlish side.
It seems that her life's trajectory has probably been either cultivation or seeking opportunities, with very little involvement in worldly affairs, and her heart still retains a childlike innocence.
However, such a side may also depend on the person.
Just as she said, she would only be like this in front of her master and himself, this junior uncle.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but ask Qingqing, “Do we have other junior uncles on the Heavenly Sound Peak?”
“No…”
Qingqing's expression dimmed, and a hint of sadness flashed in her clear and beautiful eyes.
“What's wrong?”
Jun Wuxie sensed her emotions, it seemed there was a story here.
“They… they have all fallen long ago…
Back then, Master competed for the imperial path with her generation and was plotted against by treacherous people. The junior uncles all died in order to save Master…”
Jun Wuxie was stunned, such a thing had actually happened back then.
Some time ago, Wan'er didn't even glimpse this memory from Jinse's heart.
Is Jinse heartless?
Of course not.
Although he hadn't been in contact with Jinse for long, the fact that she could treat him like this and make her disciple Qingqing feel so attached showed that she wasn't a heartless person.
In this case, that incident was a scar she was unwilling to uncover, even unwilling to recall.
Her obsession with the imperial path was probably not just the pursuit of realm and responsibility to the sect.
Avenging the senior sisters and junior sisters of that year was perhaps one of the important factors contributing to the obsession in her heart.
Jun Wuxie didn't continue the topic.
Qingqing's emotions were lowered by mentioning this matter.
She had never met the junior uncles and senior uncles, but she knew what this matter meant to Master.
Ever since she was brought back to the Heavenly Sound Peak by Master, she often saw Master cleaning those vacant courtyards.
In the beginning, she didn't understand why those courtyards were uninhabited.
Even if they needed cleaning, why didn't Master let the disciples clean them, and insisted on doing it herself?
Every time after cleaning, Master would stay in those courtyards for a long time.
During that time, no disciple or high-ranking official of the Heavenly Sound Peak dared to disturb her.
Later, she learned that Master was thinking of the junior uncles and senior uncles.
Perhaps, Master was still feeling guilty about the events of that year.
Once, when she was looking for Master, she had broken into that place and was sternly reprimanded and driven out by Master.
That time, she saw self-blame and pain in Master's eyes.
This was the only time in her life that she had seen these emotions in Master's eyes.
Usually, Master never showed them.
Jun Wuxie and Qingqing walked silently on the street.
Wan'er held his arm, also quietly not speaking.
The person who caused all of Jinse's senior sisters and junior sisters to fall had already become an emperor, right?
Otherwise, with Jinse's strength, she would probably have already beheaded the enemy.
The competition for the imperial path is very cruel.
Especially for Jinse, it is even more cruel.
She therefore bears a deep sense of guilt and self-blame towards her fellow disciples, and suffers in the years.
… …
Not long after, they arrived at the address marked on the invitation, Wind Cloud Manor.
There were people guarding the entrance of the manor, escorts of prodigies from certain forces, welcoming guests and checking invitations.
“Greetings, Heavenly Sound Holy Maiden.”
Seeing Qingqing arrive, two people immediately came up to greet her, very enthusiastic and respectful.
Qingqing handed over the invitation, and the person glanced at it casually, made a gesture of invitation, but his gaze sized up Jun Wuxie.
That gaze was a little presumptuous.
The identities of these people were only escorts of the prodigies or holy sons of certain forces, but to size up the true disciples of a major force so recklessly was a very bold and impolite act.
“What, is my Senior Brother Yuan Chu very handsome?”
Qingqing had anger in her heart, but didn't show it on the surface, instead saying in a teasing tone, “It's useless even if you're jealous, appearances are given by parents, unless you are reborn.”
The muscles on the faces of the two people twitched fiercely, but they didn't dare to argue with her, and said in a low voice, “The Heavenly Sound Holy Maiden is right…”
“Senior Brother Yuan Chu, let's go.”
Qingqing gave him a smile and walked towards the manor.
Several gatekeepers looked at their backs, and a hint of contempt couldn't help but rise on their faces.
“A rogue cultivator, truly a pheasant that has flown onto a branch and become a phoenix, relying on nothing but dog shit luck, what kind of true disciple airs is he putting on!”
They slandered secretly in their hearts, feeling very unbalanced.
Why was a rogue cultivator suddenly favored by the Heavenly Sound Peak Master?
Originally without any identity or background, just a rogue cultivator with the lowest status in the cultivation world.
In front of them, he should have been prostrating and kneeling.
But he had transformed into a true disciple, completely suppressing them in terms of status and position!
However, they didn't dare to say these words aloud, only grumbling in their hearts.
After all, although that Yuan Chu's cultivation realm was low, he had the Heavenly Sound Holy Maiden escorting him.
"Someone like that, who only knows how to hide behind a woman, tell me, what part of him is better than us?"
The more the few people at the entrance thought about it, the more they felt it was wrong, and the more unbalanced they felt.
That day, when the higher-ups of that small force came to seek revenge, Yuan Chu relied on the Heavenly Sound Peak Master.
Today, coming to this Wind and Cloud Manor, Yuan Chu is relying on the Heavenly Sound Holy Maiden.
Twice, both times relying on women!
"Who says it isn't so? Golden scales like you and I, yet we can't encounter favorable winds and clouds.
Instead, some people who are nothing at all are relying on luck to rise rapidly in the world."
"Heh, today, there might be a good show to watch.
Today, which of those gathered inside the manor isn't a proud son of heaven from various forces?
Who is that Yuan Chu? Just a few days ago, he was still a rogue cultivator.
With his cultivation realm, what qualifications does he have to squeeze into this level?
Watch and see, there will definitely be many proud sons of heaven who can't stand it.
Today, he's afraid his dignity will be swept away, hahaha!"
The few people at the entrance secretly discussed, their faces all revealing smug smiles, as if they had already seen the scene of that Yuan Chu being suppressed and unable to lift his head.
