Friendship of Fellow Apprentices

[Mission Complete: Rank A – Defeat Sect Master's personal disciple, Xiaoyi.]

Ignoring the notification, Shu Yidan had a pensive expression on his face as he heard out Xiaoyi's explanation.

"…So, you are actually the Sect Master's other disciple. Yixiao. You were taken as a disciple by the Sect Master 7 years ago when he wandered across the world, and learned the sword from him. After all these years, when the Sect Master returned back here, he brought you alongside. And the first thing you could think of doing after returning from the Sect was a night assault at the Cultivation Residence of your fellow apprentice-brother. Is that right?" Shu Yidan's voice was blank of any tone.

"One difference. I am your senior apprentice sister, little junior. After all, I have been cultivating under master's guidance for 7 years." With a cheeky grin, Xiaoyi replied.

"…Whatever. Stop weaving this bullshit yarn and obediently tell me who sent you to kill me." Shu Yidan's stern expression seemed firm, but inside he was laughing at the fact that this bullshit explanation was actually true.

"Why would I try to kill you? We are fellow apprentices under the same Master after all! I just came to test you!" Xiaoyi's face was a little red, knowing how retarded that statement seemed.

"Yeah. Of course you came to test me. I BURNT 25 YEARS OF MY LIFE IN THAT LITTLE TEST! Tell me who sent you to kill me damnit!" Shu Yidan grit his teeth as he asked.

"Brother Shu, I truly made a bad decision by attacking you, but can't you do me a favor? These ropes are getting itchy…" Xiaoyi groaned.

"My qi backlash makes me feel like blades are tearing me apart from the inside, so you can enjoy the itch… Whatever, I'll believe your yarn and trust you… Well, we still have to bring this to the Sect Master. Do you know his location, self-proclaimed apprentice?" Shu Yidan asked.

"…Could you not bring this matter to Master?" Xiaoyi's face turned white as she pleaded.

"You attacked me with murderous intent in the dead of night and want me, of all people, to cover it up now? I am getting my compensation no matter what!" Shu Yidan grinned with shining teeth.

"And what sort of compensation do you want?" Xiaoyi asked.

"My cultivation fell to Initial Golden Core Realm, so I need pills to fix that. The qi backlash affected my foundation making it impossible for me to cultivate for around a year, so I need an elixir for that as well. I need pills to compensate for the 25 years of lifespan I sacrificed as well. Using the power of Nascent Soul to battle you messed with the formation, so that needs fixing as well. Also, I was preparing to attack Nascent Soul recently, but now I'll have to wait for another half a decade, so I need compensation for that as well…" Shu Yidan tallied up everything as he spoke.

"…Master is going to scold me to death…" Xiaoyi said with a desolate tone. But the frustrated moan of the little girl only made Shu Yidan smile.

"Whatever. You just sit tight here, we'll wait for the Sect Master to come around and take you away. If he does come. If not, then…" Shu Yidan fell into thought.

"He will definitely come. You are his disciple as well, aren't you? He will have to meet you…" Xiaoyi reassured Shu Yidan.

"Of course…" Shu Yidan couldn't help but smile. Xiaoyi seemed to have forgotten that she had been tied up and the incident of him stabbing her hadn't crossed her mind again. It was as if the resentment between them for the earlier battle had disappeared into dust; no for Xiaoyi, there was no resentment, it was only an ordinary battle between fellow apprentices.

Only Shu Yidan was the one to hold grudges and resentment.

No, that wasn't right either. Shu Yidan didn't hold any grudges, he only maneuvered circumstances so that he could fulfill the missions given by the SYSTEM. And while on it, get some additional resources as well.

The atmosphere had strangely lost its tension. Shu Yidan couldn't find it in himself to make false accusations of assassination anymore either.

"Ah, Senior Apprentice Brother, is the Sect any good? I heard that you were a weakling who cultivated by eating pills upon pills, so I decided to teach you, but I ended up getting taught instead! Haha, if everyone else in the Sect is so strong, it would be worth it to cultivate here!" Xiaoyi's candid question to Shu Yidan jolted him out of his thoughts.

"…I actually am a weakling who cultivated by eating pills upon pills. Only by taking advantage of this array did I gain the capability to suppress you. Not even at peak Golden Core would I be able to suppress you in battle." Without even an attempt to save face, Shu Yidan candidly answered.

"…Master did say that I would only be able to suppress all at Golden Core Realm. But beyond that… When will I be able to suppress Nascent Soul Realms?" Xiaoyi seemed to ask a question to herself.

"You cannot hope to defeat Nascent Soul cultivator before entering Nascent Soul yourself. In our earlier battle, with my one attack using Nascent Soul qi, you were promptly defeated. The Azurewind Blade Intent is inferior to your Mountbatten Sword Intent. The only thing I used it for was to harmonize with the formation and control the Nascent Soul energy into a true attack. And that's all that was needed." It went unsaid that Nascent Soul cultivators had more than qi energy to resort to.

Seeing Xiaoyi's morose expression, Shu Yidan hurriedly rephrased his statement. "As it goes, for most people, only Nascent Soul Realm can match Nascent Soul Realms. Unless a truly ridiculous amount of circumstances are fulfilled, you certainly can't hope to battle Nascent Soul cultivators."

"What would they be, then?" Xiaoyi asked with an interested grin.

"In terms of cultivation… You need to cultivate the apex of all qi cultivation techniques from the very start of Qi Condensation Realm. You need to reach mastery with using your Three Energies of Essence, Qi and Spirit. Meaning, you need to master physique-based essence attacks, energy-based qi attacks and mentally-based spirit attacks. Finally and most importantly, you need to master a Domain.

In terms of treasures… You need an extremely strong and extremely compatible Natal Artifact. You need all the other treasures you carry to battle to be extremely strong as well. Oh, and most importantly, you need to do all that before reaching Nascent Soul Realm." Shu Yidan stopped speaking.

Xiaoyi seemed bothered hearing the long list. "I have a Sword Immortal bloodline, though… Since I can easily battle Golden Cores, why isn't it possible to extend to Nascent Souls?"

"…Between Golden Cores and Nascent Souls, there is a huge boundary. A majority of cultivators stop their journey at Golden Core realm. It is nearly impossible to take a step forward." Shu Yidan was one whose cultivation journey began and stopped at peak Golden Core in the past timeline. "At Golden Core realm, the cultivation and refinement of qi reaches the pinnacle. So from Nascent Soul, the target of cultivation is the spirit… the soul. Upon reaching Nascent Soul, the spirit reaches great sublimation. Lifespan shoots up to 1000 years, qi and essence are refined to a higher realm, divine abilities can be cultivated… Basically, one truly embarks on the path of Immortality from this realm."

Shu Yidan realized that he had unexpectedly revealed passion in his speech. But he didn't bother downplaying it… it was the heartfelt frustration-filled sentiments of his past life. "I am not exaggerating, cultivating to Nascent Soul is hard."

Xiaoyi only nodded, seemingly not understanding yet pretending to understand. That familiar expression made Shu Yidan smile once more… before his smile froze.

The distance between them narrowed so quickly... too quickly. And how had he revealed the sentiments that had frustrated his heart in the past timeline so easily?