Chapter 46

Regarding your dao name, what do you think?

A few days later, one evening, Wei Yuning was cultivating in his quarters when his master, Tai Chong, came to his door. According to sect rules, formal disciples may have an independent dwelling; his quarters now are a cave on the north side of a mountain cliff in Medicine Peak Valley. The cave's area is only about twenty square meters, less comfortable than the former two-person quarters, but it is quiet and secluded, which is good for cultivation.

Please, Master, bestow a name upon me!

Good, according to the usual rules, you can use Clear Feather, or be called Clear Peace, but Master has given you another name, Clear Demon! Tai Chong said.

Wei Yuning started, sat up straight, and thought: "This name is a bit of a flag; I don't have such a huge grudge against demon cultivators yet—why act like we're mortal enemies?"

"Master, can we not use this name? Eliminating demon cultivators is the great task of all cultivators, also a merit, but using this name makes it seem like I've snatched everyone's credit, which is a bit improper!"

"What's improper! Cultivators follow their true hearts, set great ambitions, press forward relentlessly, only then can they achieve something; your dao name will be Clear Demon, that's decided!" Tai Chong said.

"Yes, Master!" Seeing Tai Chong so insistent, Wei Yuning could only agree.

After a while, seeing that Tai Chong still hadn't left, he couldn't help but ask, "Master, is there anything else?"

"Clear Demon, Master is useless and can't protect you! Sect Leader Tai Yu orders you to go to Lotus Peak tomorrow to see him; he might expel you from the sect!" Tai Chong would not stop until his words shocked everyone.

Wei Yuning was dazed.

"Actually, it's not really expelling from the sect, but on the surface you'll have no relation with the sect. In private, the sect will still support you……" Perhaps feeling his words were pale and powerless, Tai Chong trailed off halfway. The greatest support the sect gives disciples is safety; leaving the sect means no safety, which is also the biggest difference between loose cultivators and sect disciples.

"What exactly is the reason?"

"Telling you is no problem. The one who attacked the spirit vessel that day was the Spike Demon from the Gloomy Valley Peak's demon lair, extremely troublesome; the sect elders have long known of his existence. Although the Spike Demon is a demon cultivator, he is actually a native creature of the Spirit Beast Realm, having cultivated all the way up from a minor demon; though he is no longer a major demon, the difference is not great. When the Cloud Seclusion Sect was first founded, he was merely an ordinary aquatic spike serpent monster, and he had a deep friendship with Dao Ling, one of the sect's founding patriarchs. Thus the Spike Demon and the Cloud Seclusion Sect have always coexisted peacefully. According to Hong Yun, the Spike Demon's attack on you this time might be related to capturing a Power Demon; alas, that Power Demon has already severed his own life force, so no one can know the answer." Tai Chong sighed.

"In other words, the sect can't afford to provoke the Demon Ancestor, so they had no choice but to expel me from the sect?" Wei Yuning asked.

"This..." Taichong sighed again, unable to continue.

It seems that's what it means.

Wei Yuning then realized that although his master was highly cultivated, he was somewhat timid and hidebound. With no other option, he could only go see the sect leader first.

The next morning, on Lotus Peak, the Snowfall Hall of the Cloud Concealment Sect.

The entire dome of the Snowfall Hall is made of transparent crystal stone; looking up, one can see the snowflakes that drift down year-round. Each side wall has five hearths burning with perpetual flames. Inside, the hall is warm as spring; snowflakes landing on the dome instantly turn into droplets and slide down.

Sect Leader Taiyu sat in the grand master's chair on the high platform, looking down at Wei Yuning. Many people also sat on either side of the hall; besides Master Taichong and Hongyun, Wei Yuning also saw an unexpected person, Qing Ling.

Qing Ling stood to the side of Sect Leader Taiyu's chair, wearing a pink skirt and blue jacket, her posture graceful, appearing like a well-behaved girl, but her lively eyes gave her away. The moment Wei Yuning's gaze met hers, he also caught a hint of a smile. On the other side of Sect Leader Taiyu stood a handsome young man, though his gaze was solemn, giving the impression of a youth mature beyond his years.

Sect Leader Taiyu looked young, about thirty years old, his expression calm and indifferent, unperturbed by anything.

He treated Wei Yuning fairly well; as soon as Wei Yuning entered, he was granted a seat. However, compared to the high platforms around, his seat seemed a bit small, like a lamb surrounded by a circle of fierce beasts.

"Demon cultivator, herb garden planting disciple of the medicine hall, wood-type spiritual root, physical-body Foundation Establishment; on the twenty-eighth day of the ninth month, year 7969 of the third calendar, at the Third Beast Enclosure on the northern foot of Guest Come Peak, Nine Clouds Peak, you captured one demon cultivator and assisted in capturing one evil soul-refiner cultivator, achieving great merit. Reward: one spatial spirit ring, one Cloud Mountain Picture artifact, one thousand low-grade spirit stones, one hundred mid-grade spirit stones, ten high-grade spirit stones, one third-rank beast ring and one spirit hawk, two sets of golden ceremonial robes, one set of azure wood battle armor, one set of soaring heaven divine armor." The solemn youth beside Sect Leader Taiyu recited the rewards in a clear voice.

Even if Wei Yuning knew nothing of value, he could tell the reward was excessively generous. Only now did he finally believe Master Taichong's words—that the Cloud Concealment Sect had no intention of sacrificing him and had actually given him considerable support.

"Thank you, Sect Leader!"

Sect Leader Taiyu's expression remained unchanged as he raised his hand and pointed at Wei Yuning. Qing Ling descended the steps, holding a ring and a beast ring. The spatial ring's interior was vastly larger than a mere Qiankun bag could compare; though the rewards were many, they could easily be stored within the spatial ring.

"Thank you, Senior Sister Qing Ling!" Wei Yuning thanked Qing Ling with a clasped-hand salute. Qing Ling's eyes were full of smiles, yet her face remained icy cold; as they exchanged the ring, her pinky lightly scratched Wei Yuning's open palm.

"The Cloud Concealment Sect's rules are strict; rewards come with punishments! Herb garden planting disciple Demon cultivator, on the twenty-eighth day of the ninth month, year 7969 of the third calendar, at the Third Beast Enclosure on the northern foot of Guest Come Peak, Nine Clouds Peak, you and foundation-establishment disciple Martial cultivator fought over a quarrel, causing severe bodily injury to a fellow disciple and cracking your Dao heart! Demon cultivator, I ask you: what does the first rule of the Cloud Concealment Sect say?" Sect Leader Taiyu spoke, his voice carrying an unspeakable chill.

"Respect teachers and elders, be friendly to fellow disciples, forbid fighting among fellow disciples." Wei Yuning answered honestly.

"Violating the first sect rule is a major crime. Moreover, Martial cultivator is your senior brother; not only did you fight a fellow disciple, you also committed the offense of a subordinate overruling a superior. Such a disciple is truly unforgivable; according to the sect rules, you are expelled from the master's gate." Sect Leader Taiyu's eyebrows trembled with anger.

"From today onward, the herb garden disciple Demon cultivator is no longer a disciple of the Cloud Concealment Sect!" Sect Leader Taiyu, seeing Wei Yuning's expression unchanged, thought he hadn't grasped the situation and explained again.

"Sect Leader, I refuse to accept this! I and Senior Brother Martial cultivator were merely exchanging techniques; injuring him was completely an accident, and all our fellow disciples can testify!" Wei Yuning hurriedly cried out to heaven and earth.

"Oh, so you're saying you're wronged?" a clear voice suddenly rang out in the hall.

Wei Yuning froze; the voice was unfamiliar. Among those present, only Qing Ling was female, the rest were male cultivators—surely not from anyone there.

"Ancestor!" everyone except Wei Yuning shouted almost simultaneously.

"Ancestor? Which ancestor? Could it be True Person Dao Min?" Wei Yuning thought.

"Wei Yuning, quickly answer the ancestor's question!" Seeing Wei Yuning still dazed, Tai Yu couldn't help but snap angrily.

"Shut your mouth! The Yinyun Sect is just getting worse and worse. A mere demon‑stabber actually scared the great sect into selling its disciples for survival. Where is that immortal old coot of the Dao Ling lineage? You fraternize with demon cultivators, which is bad enough, but to dare lay hands on our innocent disciples to curry favor with demons—what gall! Have you forgotten the primordial realm's oath that immortals and demons cannot coexist?" the voice continued to berate.

An elderly daoist with white hair rose, clasped his hands toward the sky in salute, then said: "Junior Tai Feng, I am the head of the Dao Ling lineage. Ancestor Min, we are also following the instructions of the Dao Ling Ancestor, doing our best to meet some of the Demon‑Stabber Ancestor's demands… this… the herb‑garden disciple has only been in the sect for a month, originally just a rural farmer, an insignificant figure. It's truly unnecessary to offend the Demon‑Stabber Ancestor over him! Besides, the Demon‑Stabber Ancestor…"

Just as Tai Feng was speaking, a burst of green light suddenly fell, with a soft whoosh, a pink tongue shot out of his mouth, immediately followed by a green flame appearing out of thin air, wrapping the tongue; in less than half a breath, the tongue vanished.

"Oh‑ah‑oh‑ah‑ah…" Tai Feng kept muttering something, though his panic was unmistakable.

"Your talk is too much! This is a lesson—if you're not satisfied, wait until your family's ancestor emerges from seclusion and has him come speak to me. I'm protecting this junior; let's see who dares to expel him from the sect, hmph!"

After a moment, Sect Leader Tai Yu saw the ancestor fall silent, gave a light cough, drew everyone's attention back, and said calmly: "Well then, everyone may return. Qing demon, cultivate diligently—don't disappoint the ancestor's hopes."

Without waiting for Wei Yuning's reply, Tai Yu flicked his wide sleeves, rose, and walked toward the rear hall.

The rest also rose and left the hall.

Finally, only Qing Ling remained in the hall.