88. Inner Sect Privilege: Seeking a Dao Companion

Xie Wuji thought to himself that since Old Master Chu was here, he had to stay a few more days no matter what. He said, “I’ll be staying a bit longer. How’s the child doing?”

“Big brother!” A child ran in from outside, carrying a basket alongside an old maid. The basket was filled with steaming buns.

The old maid nodded toward Xie Wuji and said, “Thank you, Immortal. We’re just ordinary folk and have little to offer. These buns are homemade; we hope you’ll accept them as a humble token of gratitude for saving my son’s life…”

Xie Wuji laughed heartily, clasping his hands in thanks. “Alright, these look wonderful. Thank you, Auntie.”

“My, what a sweet talker!” The old woman chuckled, squinting with delight. She covered her mouth and said, “Ah, so Ye Fang is here as well. Immortal, you should know Ye Fang is the prettiest girl in our village—she has suitors lined up from here to the edge of town.”

Ye Fang’s cheeks flushed red. She stole a glance at Xie Wuji, her eyes flickering with a secret she kept hidden.

“Alright, Ye Fang, leave your things here. The old master and I have matters to discuss. Once we’re done, you can ask your Wuji brother about the Danxia Sect,” Old Master Chu said, stroking his beard with a booming laugh.

Ye Fang clapped her hands in delight. “Perfect! I’ve always wanted to hear about the wonders of the Danxia Sect. Wuji brother, you two talk; I’ll wait outside.”

Once Ye Fang left, Xie Wuji shook his head with a laugh. “That girl is so friendly, it’s as if we’ve known each other for years after just a few words.”

He thought to himself that even Dongmen Xianyun had been more reserved at first, whereas this girl was almost overly warm—so much so that it felt unnatural.

“You’ve noticed?” Old Master Chu narrowed his eyes.

Xie Wuji’s eyes darted. “Is there something…strange about this?”

“The village chief here is named Ye Juan—the shaman woman you met earlier. Now that you’ve revealed your identity, her husband is surely aware of you as well,” Old Master Chu explained.

“Her husband?”

“Yes. Her husband is a son-in-law here, but before coming, he was an elder in the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons. His surname is Li—Li Qiufeng.” At the mention of the name, Old Master Chu’s eyes blazed with hatred.

Xie Wuji quickly asked, “Protector, tell me, what’s going on?”

Old Master Chu clenched his fists and sighed. Li Qiufeng was a blind man, blinded thirty years ago during the battle with the Undying Sect. After that, he retired from the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons and settled here.

After arriving, he married the young Ye Juan, and together they had Ye Fang, who was now in her early twenties and considered a grown woman in the village.

To restore his sight, Li Qiufeng prepared a ritual called the Five Ghosts at the Door: selecting five men of powerful life force, removing their hearts, sealing their souls within, and forging a pair of eyes from the five hearts.

Old Master Chu had discovered this and, using the last of his spiritual power, managed to defeat Li Qiufeng and drive the five men away.

But now, as a powerless mortal, Old Master Chu could do nothing to prevent Li Qiufeng’s next move—this time, he planned to use the Parent-and-Child Mandarin Duck Ritual to forge a pair of Yin Eyes.

Xie Wuji asked, “What is the Parent-and-Child Mandarin Duck Ritual?”

“It’s a blood sacrifice using a pregnant woman. The Hall of Ten Thousand Demons specializes in blood rituals, with countless variations. For this one, the child in the womb must be a boy.” Old Master Chu spoke each word with gravity.

“Protector, your eyes are red,” Xie Wuji remarked, for the usually humorous old man now looked murderous.

Old Master Chu’s grim smile was terrifying. “I once had three sons and two wives… They were all sacrificed by Li Qiufeng, their blood used to forge a vicious sword. Did you see the black wooden sword in the shaman’s hand during the ritual earlier?”

“Wasn’t that an ebony sword?” Xie Wuji asked.

“No. It was peachwood, stained black by blood,” Old Master Chu replied. “The sword is dreadfully venomous—a high-grade Earth-level spiritual weapon. I’ve been biding my time for revenge, which is why I came to Bluestone Village.”

“Wait, all this information is a lot to take in,” Xie Wuji said.

“Of course. Take your time. I have survived only to avenge my family, but now that I’m crippled, I can do nothing. Otherwise, I’d have perished with Li Qiufeng long ago.”

Xie Wuji was at a loss for words and could only let the subject drop.

Still, since Li Qiufeng belonged to the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons and he himself was of the Danxia Sect, conflict was unlikely for now. But the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons was notorious for making elixirs from living people—if Xie Wuji didn’t leave soon, he might be in danger.

Yet Xie Wuji had no intention of leaving. He wanted to see this Li Qiufeng for himself.

After a satisfying meal, Xie Wuji bid farewell to the Protector, who then headed for the mountain temple. The temple had three residents: Old Master Chu and two adopted disciples.

Though called disciples, Old Master Chu treated them as his own sons, caring for them meticulously. Though young, their skills were already impressive, though still not quite on par with adults.

By Old Master Chu’s account, if Xie Wuji hadn’t arrived, his plan was to train the two boys as his arms to eventually deal with Li Qiufeng.

“Brother Wuji, are all disciples of the Danxia Sect as powerful as you?” Ye Fang asked with a smile as they walked along the riverbank.

Learning that Xie Wuji was willing to stroll the village paths with her, Ye Fang had gone home to change. She wasn’t a breathtaking beauty, but her looks were pleasant, and her figure was most alluring—her ample chest could shame most women.

So prominent was her figure, it seemed Everest-like compared to Bai Li Yan’er’s gentle hills, and even Dongmen Xianyun, who had some assets herself, paled in comparison.

But Xie Wuji had grown indifferent to such things. He cared more about a companion’s attitude—when playing with Dongmen Xianyun, for example, he felt free to be himself.

Yet Ye Fang’s words now seemed to carry a hidden meaning, making him uneasy.

“Do you want to join the Danxia Sect?” Xie Wuji asked bluntly.

“Brother Wuji, cultivation has always been my dream… As long as it means joining Danxia Sect, I’ll do anything.” She bit her lip, suddenly turning to face him, drawing closer.

Xie Wuji felt her chest press against him—she was even using her figure as a weapon.

He coughed. “It’s a bit complicated. The Danxia Sect isn’t mine to command. To join, you must pass the entrance test for the outer sect, then train to Golden Core stage to reach the inner sect. There are no shortcuts, only step-by-step progress,” he said honestly.

As they reached the river’s mouth, Ye Fang leaned against him. “My mother always wanted me to marry, but I don’t want that. I want to become skilled like you and your fellow disciples, to achieve renown. Our Bluestone Village is so small—I want to make it known through my own efforts.”

In fact, within the Danxia Sect’s inner circle, there were unspoken rules: inner disciples with access to rich resources would often exchange them for the attention of outer female disciples, making them Dao companions. Through long interaction and exchange, they’d help them enter the inner sect—a common practice, despite official restrictions.

Ding Desheng’s disciples were many; the sect leader’s, by contrast, were only four and held to strict standards.

If Xie Wuji wished, he could secretly use a little trick, have Ye Fang become his woman, and help her enter the outer sect with a word.