Chapter 9: The Junior Sister is Manageable
The Five Grains Pill was indeed used up.
In the front courtyard of the Flowing Cloud Observatory, Li Ping'an looked at the dwelling where Minister Weiyen was in seclusion, pondering what negative effects might arise from disturbing the minister's seclusion.
Minister Weiyen had gone into closed-door cultivation without any prior preparation.
The Five Grains Pill was not only used to stave off hunger but also subtly improved one's constitution. Over time, it could significantly enhance a Qi Cultivator who had just started their practice.
As the acting minister of this modest Flowing Cloud Observatory, Li Ping'an could now only head to the main peak's Nourishing Clouds Hall to fetch some Five Grains Pills.
Essentially, it was a trivial errand.
Ningning Mu, always eager to help, saw that Li Ping'an seemed reluctant to make the trip and volunteered,
"Senior brother, lend me your token, and I'll go to the Mundane Affairs Hall at the main peak! Having this token will make things a lot easier."
Li Ping'an said, "I should go. It's my duty as the acting minister, and it wouldn't be right to trouble you with it."
"Then how about we go together!"
Ningning Mu blinked her clear, lively, peach-blossom eyes and smiled,
"I'd like to stroll around inside the mountain gate and see what grandeur this land of immortals has to offer!"
Li Ping'an nodded in agreement, "Alright, then let's make it a quick trip."
With that, Li Ping'an's figure drifted toward the courtyard gate, and after a few leaps, he was outside the courtyard.
"Wait for me, Senior Brother!"
Ningning Mu bowed to the several young disciples, lightly tapped her toes, and her slender, gentle body glided over the welcoming pine trees, like an elegant white crane taking flight, her dress and long hair dancing in unison, indescribably light and poetic.
The gazes of the few young disciples in the courtyard lingered on her for a moment.
Flowing Cloud Observatory was located in the front mountain of the Wanyun Sect, to the direct south of the main peak, separated by seven or eight other peaks.
If they could fly, they would reach the main peak in an instant.
But Li Ping'an and Ningning Mu, both only in the Qi Cultivation realm, couldn't even activate the most basic flying magic artifacts.
Just as they left the front mountain, Li Ping'an hung the minister's jade talisman at his side, to indicate his identity.
Through the valley shrouded by a continuous canopy of green, the two small disciples of the Flowing Cloud Observatory darted swiftly over treetops and blades of grass.
Li Ping'an thought back to the martial arts TV shows he adored as a child, where the heroes could perform light body techniques like flying over grass, rotating in waves, and somersaulting off bedposts. How much he had envied them as a boy.
Unexpectedly, before he had even fully mastered the Qi Cultivation realm, just stepping onto the path of cultivation, he already possessed such a skill.
Noticing that Ningning Mu wasn't skilled at traveling fast, Li Ping'an had to 'fly' slower.
He occasionally paused on the treetops, voluntarily spreading his thin spiritual sense into the surrounding environment to check for any movements.
Li Ping'an also kept an eye on the sky, hoping to encounter a senior or noble from their sect, who could give them a lift.
Regrettably, despite running through the valley for half an hour, no one paid any attention to them.
"Senior Brother... Don't you need to rest?"
A slightly breathless voice came from behind.
Li Ping'an stopped on the treetop of a banyan tree and turned to look at the girl catching up from behind.
Ningning Mu's smooth forehead was dotted with a bit of sweat. Her cheeks were flushed, and she looked slightly embarrassed.
Her mana was still abundant, but its circulation had become slightly sluggish.
"Senior Brother, whew! Let me rest for a bit!"
Li Ping'an replied with a smile, "Alright, I'll wait for you here."
Ningning Mu settled down on the grass beneath the tree and quickly began to meditate on her mat, not forgetting to reply,
"I'll just rest for a moment! The flow of my mana is a bit discontinuous! Senior Brother, your stamina is really impressive!"
Li Ping'an stood on the treetop, looking down at Ningning Mu for a while.
When Ningning Mu's internal mana resumed stable circulation, he instructed her in a soft voice,
"Clouds billow and mists rise, trickling streams come forth naturally, all rivers run to the sea, taking advantage of the currents to move westward and eastward."
Ningning Mu's eyelids trembled as she immediately savored the instruction, unconsciously revealing a slight smile. Her mana's flow became a bit slower, but it gained a sense of lingering continuity.
A moment later, she looked up at Li Ping'an with her bright, large eyes and formally bowed to him,
"Thank you for the guidance, Senior Brother!"
"Let's continue on our way."
"Yes!"
Ningning Mu lightly tapped her foot, her figure floated to the treetop and continued to chase after Li Ping'an.
Having just gained a new understanding, Ningning Mu was truly delighted.
She gazed at the figure of Li Ping'an ahead, her thoughts growing more and more lively.
This senior brother was not only attractive but also quite kind. In just a few days, he had already helped her so many times...
A girl's mind is always tender and naive.
"Be careful."
Li Ping'an's voice suddenly rang out.
Ningning Mu almost ran headlong into Li Ping'an's back but managed to stand on the same branch as him.
"What's wrong, Senior Brother?"
"Look ahead."
Li Ping'an's figure remained motionless, using voice transmission again.
Ningning Mu strained to stand on her tiptoes to peer over Li Ping'an's shoulder and saw the exotic beast directly across from him, staring back.
This beast, with a hint of an ancient fierce bloodline, was surrounded by faint black flames, not larger than half a zhang from head to tail, and had the body of a civet cat with one eye, sharp teeth, pointed ears, and three tails behind it.
It had a squirrel in its mouth, bloody at the sides, and all three tails were raised in full alert, staring at Li Ping'an, making a low growling sound from its throat.
Ningning Mu, who had read the ancient texts in her family since she was young, immediately recognized the creature and whispered, "It's actually the mythical exotic beast, Huan."
Li Ping'an asked, "Is it dangerous?"
Ningning Mu replied, "It can be used for medicine, and for alchemy... That's what the books say. It looks quite cute."
Li Ping'an's mouth twitched slightly.
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Just as he thought of breaking eye contact with the exotic beast, the beast suddenly lunged forward, shooting straight at them like a bolt of lightning, its three tails wildly thrashing!
Li Ping'an's eyes flashed with brilliance, his reaction incredibly quick.
With his left hand, he grabbed several deadly hidden weapons, and with a lift of his right, numerous paper talismans flew out from his sleeve!
Bang!
The yellow paper talismans exploded right in front of him, merging into balls of fire that intertwined and swept toward the exotic beast.
Li Ping'an was about to continue throwing paper talismans when his arm was seized, and strands of blue silk brushed past his nose.
"Hide behind me!"
Before Ningning Mu's cry had fallen, a flash of cold light already surged forward, cleaving through the flames like lightning, the sword's edge stabbing straight at the beast!
In the blink of an eye, the beast's tails whipped fiercely, its body shaking violently from side to side.
Ningning Mu's sword intent had risen, and though her longsword appeared to thrust straight forward, it concealed changes, lightly quivering to seal off the area around the beast!
This ancient exotic beast was not very strong, lacking substantial demonic power within its body.
The sword's light flashed past, and the beast let out a piercing shriek, its body crashing down under a tree. Each of its forepaws, back, and hind paws now bore two neat sword wounds, from which fresh blood seeped out.
The beast's life was not in danger; it just couldn't move.
Ningning Mu stood atop the tree, sword in hand, looking down. She puffed out her chest, imitating her mother's reprimands to the wicked, and huffed:
"How dare a vile beast attempt to harm humans! Considering you are an ancient species with a scarce bloodline, today, I shall spare you!"
Li Ping'an floated over from the side, about to praise Ningning Mu.
Suddenly, a loud shout erupted from the woods:
"Scoundrels!"
Following the shout, a figure rushed through the air, flying towards them at high speed.
"Which peak do you disciples belong to? How dare you harm my teacher's spiritual medicine!"
Ningning Mu blinked while Li Ping'an slightly furrowed his brows.
In a moment, a young Qi Cultivator, as if driven mad, lunged toward the beast. Seeing the wounds around the beast, the young Qi Cultivator became furiously angry, carefully gathering the beast into a magic bag.
This young disciple looked up at Li Ping'an and Ningning Mu in the treetops, realizing they were just two Qi Cultivation realm disciples. One of them even had a 'Flowing Cloud Observatory' jade talisman on the wrist; he then cursed loudly:
"Do you two have a death wish? You dare to touch my master's spiritual medicine!"
"Fellow sect member."
Li Ping'an's mouth curled into a slight smile, his left hand switching to even more powerful hidden weapons, while he continued to speak calmly:
"It was this beast that tried to attack us.
"We might be of modest cultivation, but that doesn't mean we can just sit back and await death.
"Sect rules prohibit disciples from fighting among themselves. If you're displeased, why not come with us to the main peak and seek an internal minister from our sect to discuss right and wrong?"
The young Qi Cultivator was internally frantic.
Already one of the weakest disciples of Elixir Dust Peak, aside from cultivating, he had various chores to do. This beast was designated by his master for alchemy, and he was responsible for taking care of it until it was ready to be used in a Five Grains Pill. He never expected that while he dozed off, the beast would be injured by these two minor Qi Cultivators.
Thinking about his master's strict rules and his bleak future, rage began to rise from the young Qi Cultivator's heart.
"Shut your mouth!"
He bared a fierce expression and cursed loudly:
"You trespass into the back mountain of Elixir Dust Peak, harm the precious medicine of Elixir Dust Peak, and you still dare to be insolent and argue with twisted logic! Expelling you from the sect wouldn't be too much!"
Li Ping'an inwardly sighed.
This Elixir Dust Peak disciple in the Spirit-Gathering Realm had become flustered and seemed to want to pin the blame on them to avoid punishment.
"Hmph!"
Ningning rebuked:
"Why is this fellow brother being so unreasonable!
"It was this beast that wanted to harm us, and we only defended ourselves to drive it back!
"Besides, I merely immobilized it temporarily. How can you say we don't want to live?"
"Who are your masters? Is this how they teach you to address your fellow disciples?"
The young disciple yelled angrily:
"This is the back mountain of Elixir Dust Peak. You invade our mountain, harm our peak's treasure, and still have the nerve to talk back with such eloquence!
"I'll take you both back to face punishment!"
Confident in his third-stage Spirit-Gathering Realm cultivation, the young disciple bent his knees and leaped, shooting towards Li Ping'an... and Ningning Mu next to him.
Li Ping'an was about to say something when a clear sound of a sword rang out beside him.
Ningning, brandishing her sword, met the advance, shouting without forgetting:
"Senior brother, step back! I'll fight him!"
With her sword radiating with a treasure light, she aimed numerous glittering points at the descending young disciple.
The young disciple, caught off guard, was repelled by Ningning Mu, whose cultivation was significantly lower. Her sword grazed his robe, cutting off the sleeve on his left side.
Ningning's petite face raised slightly, looking like a victorious little peacock.
"You both!"
The young disciple was furious, his face turning red as he flung a handful of paper talismans fiercely forward.
These talismans instantly exploded into mist, and from the mist shot out countless foot-long swords of Qi!
This was one of the Wanyun Sect's entry-level spells.
Form clouds with talismans, conjure swords with clouds!
These Qi swords were mainly aimed at Ningning Mu, still sparing no effort to also target the immobile Li Ping'an; the swords aimed at his neck, eyes, and other vital points.
Once the spell was unleashed, the young disciple's advantage of being several stages higher in cultivation was undeniably evident.
Ningning Mu leaped from the treetop, brandishing her treasure sword to intercept most of the Qi swords, but still, thirty percent targeted Li Ping'an.
"Senior brother, be careful!"
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