Chapter 96: The Outer Domain Battlefield

"Sect Leader... never mind, I believe you! But, but, since you already have a Dao companion, why are you looking for another? Really..." As soon as Man Niu heard the Sect Leader mentioned, his legs immediately went weak.

"Sigh, Brother Niu, you don't know my suffering. My... my Dao companions are all fake!" Wei Yuning recounted the situation with Qiu Hu and Ye Ying in full detail, though he concealed many secret details and only told what should be told.

"Senior Brother Qingmo, I wronged you! Hearing it like this, it's only right for you to find another Dao companion. It's just... just... don't set your sights on Fei, alright?" After hearing Wei Yuning's story, Man Niu said sympathetically.

"I really can't explain this to you clearly. This Dao companion business has nothing to do with me. Even if it did, I would definitely only treat Senior Sister Qingfei as Sister-in-law Niu. I'm guessing... it must be the Sect Leader... having too much free time on his hands! Right, why does the Sect Leader insist on finding me a Dao companion?" Wei Yuning's head was also full of question marks.

"Never mind, I believe you. Senior Brother, you'd better tell me why you called me back!" Now that Man Niu was certain Wei Yuning was no longer after Qingfei, he felt reassured and brought up the real matter.

"I want you to help me make a trip to Red Plum Manor..." Wei Yuning began explaining in detail.

After hearing Wei Yuning's words, Man Niu nodded and said, "Alright, no problem, I'll set off tomorrow!"

This was Man Niu's good quality — when it came to a friend's request, he had no unnecessary second thoughts.

After their long-awaited reunion, Wei Yuning prepared various foods and fruit wines, and the two chatted while eating. He had no shortage of food here, with all kinds of cured or smoked spirit beast cooked meats, and spirit fruits were even more plentiful. He had also brewed many barrels of various fruit wines.

After this period of tempering, not only had Man Niu's Dao advanced further, but he had also become much more steady in character. At the same time, because the work he did was helping mortal villages and towns, he was in good spirits.

Wei Yuning also roughly recounted his recent affairs — the Hundred Flowers Garden, the Secret Medicine Pavilion, the Hundred Alliance Merchant Guild, and so on. Finally, of course, he also told of his successful advancement to the Heartbeat Stage.

Fortunately, Man Niu treated Wei Yuning as a friend, otherwise he would have been mad with jealousy. Comparing people to people really could infuriate one to death!

The night passed without incident.

On the morning of the second day, Man Niu left Cloud Concealment Sect and headed for Red Plum Manor. Since it was not sect business and not along the way, he couldn't take the sect's patrol mountain flying spirit boat, but instead rode the battle pet falcon that Wei Yuning had given him.

This falcon was a forced-type pet. It was actually a reward given to him last time by the sect for capturing the demonic cultivator.

Watching Man Niu leave, Wei Yuning's mood did not lighten. A rare treasure like the wood spirit — no normal person would casually sell it. Even though Red Plum Manor was within Cloud Concealment Sect's sphere of influence, Cloud Concealment Sect was not a bandit den that claimed a mountain as its own. They couldn't force a cultivator to sell something, otherwise what difference would there be between that and robbery?

Sending Man Niu was merely a probe — treating it as a real opportunity if there was one. It could be considered doing his best.

After parting with Man Niu, Wei Yuning went directly to the External Affairs Hall. He wanted to ask Steward Hongzhi what exactly was going on with this Dao companion business!

Before he even entered the courtyard of the External Affairs Hall, he happened to run into Senior Brother Qingwu coming out from inside.

"Oh, Junior Brother Qingmo!"

"Greetings, Senior Brother Qingwu!"

"Right, Junior Brother, there's something here you should also know about," Qingwu said.

"What is it?"

"Cloud Concealment Sect is preparing to encourage disciples to go to the Outer Domain Battlefield. As long as your cultivation has reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, you can participate!" Qingwu said.

Wei Yuning was startled. He hadn't expected Senior Xuye to be right — the sect really did plan to send people to the Outer Domain Battlefield!

"What do you think? Is Junior Brother interested in going?" Seeing Wei Yuning's strange expression, Qingwu smiled.

"I... better not. I'm not interested in combat, nor am I a sword-tyrant or blade-fiend senior brother who excels at fighting. Senior Brother, you ask like that — are you going?" Wei Yuning said.

"Heh, I'm not going either! My Master now devotes most of his energy to cultivation, so my affairs have increased. Also, I've now become one of the monitors of the Bedrock Grand Formation, so I have even less time. However, Junior Brother, you're a physical-body Foundation Establishment cultivator. The Outer Domain Battlefield has demon heads, and they're a great tonic for physical-body cultivators. It'd be too much of a pity not to go! Did you know? Direct-lineage disciple Senior Brother Qingcong is also going this time, and he's also a physical-body Foundation Establishment!" Qingwu said.

"Ah? Senior Brother Qingcong is going too? Isn't the Outer Domain Battlefield very dangerous?" Wei Yuning asked curiously. All along, whenever low-ranking disciples in the sect mentioned the Outer Domain Battlefield, they all wore expressions of fear.

"A sect patriarch will be accompanying them!" Qingwu gave Wei Yuning a "you know what I mean" look.

Qingwu was an inner sect disciple, and Qingcong was a direct-lineage disciple. Though both held rather high status among the sect's junior disciples, the difference between them was still enormous.

Wei Yuning smiled knowingly and said, "Right, is Uncle-Master Hongzhi in? I have something to find him about!"

"He's inside, go on in!" Qingwu said.

The two parted.

Wei Yuning entered the affairs hall and saw Steward Hongzhi. He was sitting quietly with his eyes closed, wisps of cold qi drifting off his body.

Wei Yuning didn't dare disturb him. He found a chair and sat obediently to the side.

After a while, Hongzhi opened his eyes and looked at Wei Yuning beside him.

"Dao Ancestor above, Qingmo, what cultivation stage are you at now?" The moment he opened his eyes, he noticed the change in Wei Yuning.

At the Foundation Establishment Stage, all disciples looked largely the same on the surface, but starting from the Heartbeat Stage, cultivators would begin to develop an ethereal charm and form their own unique aura. Wei Yuning had just successfully advanced and hadn't yet reached the level of inner restraint, so it was very easy for Hongzhi to tell.

Though he very much wanted to grab Wei Yuning's arm to test it, as a cultivator — even toward a fellow sect member — it would be inappropriate.

"Heartbeat Stage, Uncle-Master!" Wei Yuning told the truth.

"What? Really Heartbeat Stage?" Due to being too shocked, Hongzhi even produced a sharp falsetto.

"Really Heartbeat Stage. Both my spiritual sense and physical body have entered the Heartbeat Stage!" Wei Yuning said.

He had nothing to hide from Hongzhi either.

"Impressive, impressive. You... no, this kind of talent of yours is fully qualified to become an inner sect disciple. I must report to the Sect Leader. Even though your identity has some issues and you're not someone born and raised in Cloud Concealment Sect, the situation is special. I can vouch for you!" Hongzhi said excitedly.

"Uncle-Master, I'm doing quite well right now. Inner sect disciple... there's no need to force it, right?" Wei Yuning smiled. Those meager resources of the sect, he truly looked down upon.

"You don't understand. Our Cloud Concealment Sect is no ordinary sect. Inner sect disciples are not as simple as they appear on the surface. I only learned this after advancing to the Spirit Opening Stage. However, you don't need to worry about this matter. I'll fight for it on your behalf!" Hongzhi waved his hand and said.

"Right, do you have business coming here?"

"There really is something! Uncle-Master, I just wanted to ask you — is the Sect Leader arranging a Dao companion for me?" Wei Yuning asked.

"You already know too? That's right, this matter should have been asked of you first. Actually, we haven't fixed a Dao companion for you. We've only selected a few suitable candidates who are definitely loyal to the sect. As for who to choose, it's still your decision," Hongzhi smiled.

"But... why is that?" Wei Yuning asked.