Chapter 108: Xizhou Customs

After pondering for a while, Ruan Xing chose to first open the Real-scene Simulation to give it a try.

There were quite a few Registered Disciples on Yaoguang Peak; Ruan Xing went out for a stroll a few times and bumped into several of them. By gifting some small items like pills and materials that were not of very high value, Ruan Xing successfully opened their chatterboxes.

After all, one feels indebted after eating or taking things from others; since the new Junior Sister had a good attitude and high cultivation, it was inevitable she might be the next Qintai He, so building a relationship in advance was no big deal.

Besides, it was just chatting and asking a few questions.

In the simulation, Ruan Xing was always generous; no matter how much she spent, as soon as the simulation ended, the wealth would immediately return as if it had never been spent.

She first asked about cultivation techniques, but the result she got was about the same as she had expected.

The first method was the same as in Nanzhou: by completing Sect missions to save up enough Contribution Points to exchange for techniques. Theoretically speaking, a nameless Cultivator in the Sect would need to work for one hundred years straight to obtain a Golden Core Stage technique, and that was without any consumption in between.

It sounded very harsh, but it made sense. Qi Refining disciples were attracted by benefits and reputation, but they were numerous and mixed; the Sect wanted to sift through them like sand to find disciples with potential. If they were all supported, firstly, the Sect's expenses would be huge, and secondly, it would easily foster laziness in these disciples, so Outer Sect Disciples were all self-sufficient.

Once a Foundation Establishment disciple entered the Inner Sect, they basically belonged to the Sect's reserve resources, so the most urgent thing was to cultivate their sense of belonging and identity toward the Sect. During this period, most disciples would find like-minded friends and a master.

Disciples who were lone wolves from start to finish would not shed blood for the Sect, so they had to be set a very high difficulty for obtaining techniques and Breaking Boundary Pills, forcing them to start socializing within the Sect.

Oh my god, what kind of extrovert paradise is this?

The second way was the most common: given by one's respective master. However, this depended on the master's subjective thoughts; if the master felt you were worth cultivating, resources would be tilted toward you, and if they felt you could breakthrough, they would naturally apply to the Sect for a Breaking Boundary Pill.

If you didn't have a good impression in your master's eyes, then you were out of luck.

Therefore, Registered Disciples were always more respectful than close to their masters; whether there was hope of breaking through to Golden Core depended half on the master's nod, so they had to be respectful.

The third way was rarer: rewarded personally by the Sect Master. This was usually for those who had rendered meritorious service to the Sect, or those who took first place in an event or competition held at some point—for instance, wasn't the first-place prize for the Golden Terrace Dao Discussion a Breaking Boundary Pill?

That Breaking Boundary Pill was still tucked in her pocket right now, with no chance to use it.

When Ruan Xing came to Yaoguang Peak, she did not hide her cultivation; the Peak Master must have been able to tell she was already at Foundation Establishment Perfection, but she hadn't mentioned a word about techniques or the Breaking Boundary Pill. It was unknown what she was thinking; was she trying to stall her cultivation realm?

This could not be stalled; time was tight. Before she was twenty-three, she had to at least possess the strength to fight ten thousand alone to have a sense of security in the Xianyuan Continent, where Demon Cultivators were everywhere.

She had already died so many times; it was too terrifying, she must step up her cultivation!

She still had to set her sights on Qintai He.

Ruan Xing then asked, "What kind of person is our Senior Brother Qintai of Yaoguang Peak?"

The two young Senior Sisters' eyes lit up, and they smiled at each other, saying, "Naturally, he is an Immortal-like figure."

Senior Sister Yi said, "Aside from Fu Qinghong under Qingyuan Daojun, our Senior Brother Qintai is the fastest-cultivating Cultivator in a hundred years. If it weren't for him being from a Xizhou Clan, perhaps the Sect would have focused on cultivating him."

Senior Sister Jia nodded solemnly, "Indeed. Senior Brother Qintai is also good-looking; if not for his Xizhou Clan background, I don't know how many Senior Sisters and Junior Sisters in the Inner Sect would want to become his Dao companion."

Ruan Xing felt a bit confused listening to this. She felt that when Qintai He mentioned the Xizhou Clan, it was with a secret, proud attitude; how could it be the biggest shortcoming in the eyes of these two Senior Sisters?

"Why is that? Is there something wrong with the Xizhou Clan?" Ruan Xing asked hurriedly.

Senior Sister Jia covered her mouth and laughed, "Junior Sister, you look young; I'm afraid saying these things might dirty your ears."

"Oh, what of it? Although this Junior Sister started cultivation early and her body has set, it doesn't mean her mind has set. What's the harm in talking about it?" Senior Sister Jia laughed, "I heard the Xizhou Clan has its own customs. Although they also seek mutual understanding when forming a Dao companion bond, they value offspring inheritance more. However, Cultivators have difficulty with offspring, so their family Cultivators, regardless of gender, all take mortal concubines. I couldn't stand that."

Senior Sister Jia sighed, "That's right. If I were to form a Dao companion bond, it must be with a Cultivator who shares my thoughts and can advance and retreat together. I wouldn't take a bunch of mortal servants just to have children."

This was indeed a problem, but Ruan Xing knew that Xizhou Cultivators were quite good at pure love. When they pursued a Dao companion, they were truly in love. In their eyes, mortals without Spirit Bone were just tools for having children, dying after a few decades at most. They wouldn't feel there was anything wrong with themselves or their Dao companions having mortal concubines; it was all for the family. Everyone did it anyway, and the children born would only recognize them and their Dao companion as parents, so what was the difference?

The other regions were different. Although there were those who formed Dao companion bonds, there were far fewer by comparison. Most were still obsessed with seeking the Dao. It was normal for some male and female Cultivators to have their hearts stirred during the Foundation Establishment stage in their twenties. After that period, from the Nascent Soul stage onwards, it was hard to hear gossip about any Daojun or Immortal Lord being crazy for love.

"But come to think of it, Senior Brother Qintai grew up on Yaoguang Peak since he was a child; perhaps his thoughts are different from those Xizhou people," Senior Sister Yi said.

Senior Sister Jia teased her, "Why, do you want to try pursuing Senior Brother Qintai? If one day he returns to Xizhou, let's see how you choose—will you follow or not?"

"Oh, I was just saying, why are you taking it seriously?" Senior Sister Yi shook her head repeatedly.

"Did Senior Brother Qintai grow up on Yaoguang Peak since he was a child?" Ruan Xing couldn't help but interrupt, "Why is that? Where are his parents? Have you seen him when he was little?"

For a place like the Xizhou Clan that valued offspring inheritance so much, it was too strange that they would let a child with such good aptitude wander outside.

Senior Sister Jia thought for a moment and said, "I don't know about that; it's all hearsay. It is said that Senior Brother Qintai was already on Yaoguang Peak when he was a few years old. I don't know who his parents are, only that he is from a Xizhou Clan. That white wolf, however, grew up with him."

"If you're curious, go find Senior Sister Meng and ask," Senior Sister Yi suggested, "The two of us have been on Yaoguang Peak for less than ten years, and the information we know is all hearsay. But Senior Sister Meng is the first Registered Disciple of Yaoguang Peak; she has been on Yaoguang Peak for over thirty years, even longer than Senior Brother Qintai. Moreover, she is kind-hearted, and both of us have been taken care of by her. However, she is currently preparing for Golden Core formation, so she is not on Yaoguang Peak most of the time."

Ruan Xing asked, "Then where is she?"

Senior Sister Jia said, "It should be Artifact Refining Peak. She is a Grade 2 Artifact Refiner. I heard her mention before that a protective Dharma Artifact she was refining to resist the Heavenly Tribulation wasn't finished yet."

"Many thanks for telling me, Senior Sister." Ruan Xing nodded in thanks and turned to head toward Artifact Refining Peak.

She had seen it on the map before; the Xuanbing Sect had some functional places like the Pill Peak and Artifact Peak. At that time, she had even considered going to study there when she had time to improve her skill level and learn a few more pill formulas.

It just so happened that by going to find this Senior Sister Meng, she could learn about it in advance. Looking at the Peak Master's intention, there was no plan to give her the technique immediately. Perhaps she could also take advantage of the fact that the Simulator hadn't raised its price before Golden Core to achieve this goal in advance.

Following the map she had memorized in her mind, Ruan Xing flew her Sword toward Artifact Refining Peak.

The distance wasn't too far, and she flew there in less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense. It was just that this Artifact Refining Peak... the "macho man" content was off the charts; she was a bit embarrassed to look.

Many artifact refining furnaces were in the open air. In the world of Cultivation, the most common Cultivators used Swords, so the Dharma Artifacts forged by Artifact Refiners were mostly Swords. In front of the scorching furnaces, various materials and ores were smelted into the shape of Sword embryos, waiting for the next step of modification.

"Artifact Refiners... are they all like this?" Ruan Xing muttered.

No wonder there were no Loose Cultivator Artifact Refiners outside.

After looking around, Ruan Xing found a Cultivator sitting and resting with a white towel draped over his neck and asked politely, "Senior Brother, do you know a female Artifact Refiner, Senior Sister Meng from Yaoguang Peak?"

"You've come to the wrong place. Female Artifact Refiners usually learn the water-quenching method; they are over there by the waterfall," the Cultivator said casually, pointing in a direction for Ruan Xing.

Ruan Xing's pill refining actually involved both fire-refining and water-quenching, but the water-quenching method required high demands on Divine Sense and very precise operations. The pill refiner who taught her was just a Loose Cultivator; he didn't even know the technique himself, let alone teach it to Ruan Xing.

She thanked him and was just about to head that way when a Sword suddenly blocked her path. Ruan Xing subconsciously bent her waist backward, letting the Sword slide past, and then straightened up and retreated a few steps in a hurry.

She looked at the woman holding the Sword, a head full of question marks.

Big sister, who are you? What's the meaning of this? The woman was wearing a yellow dress, her wheat-colored skin looked very healthy, and her long hair was neatly combed into a high ponytail. The look she gave Ruan Xing carried a bit of provocation.

She said, "My new Sword just came out of the furnace. Since you happen to be next to me, why don't you help me sharpen it, Junior Sister?"

Ruan Xing didn't answer immediately, but lowered her eyes to think. This female Cultivator seemed to be an Artifact Refiner? Was she the Senior Sister Meng she was looking for? However, the other party wasn't as kind-hearted as others described, and what she refined wasn't a protective Dharma Artifact to resist the Heavenly Tribulation.

The Cultivator who had just spoken to Ruan Xing stood up to smooth things over, "Senior Sister, let me help you test the Sword. This Junior Sister is here to find Senior Sister Meng; she might have other things to do."

Oh, excluded. She wasn't Senior Sister Meng.

Then who could it be? Ruan Xing had only been in the Xuanbing Sect for a day.

Had she offended anyone? Or was she just unlucky?

"Enough nonsense," the female cultivator in yellow said impatiently. "What time could testing a Sword possibly waste? I've long grown tired of testing with you all day; what's wrong with a new fellow disciple accompanying me for some practice?"

Ruan Xing looked at the female cultivator somewhat timidly, saying in a pitiful manner, "Senior Sister, I am no match for you. I entered the Dao early and have only focused on improving my cultivation every day; I haven't learned any Magic Art."

"It doesn't matter," the female cultivator curled her lips into a smile. "It just so happens I can teach you."

As soon as the words fell, her Sword had already rushed toward Ruan Xing's face. Ruan Xing put on a startled appearance, jumping like a frightened little rabbit to the side of the male cultivator who had just helped her out of the predicament. As if she hadn't stood steadily, she cried out "Oh!" and fell backward, and the male cultivator hurriedly caught her by the shoulders.

The female cultivator was also at Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivation. Although this was a Simulation, Ruan Xing felt that fighting her in a dark and chaotic battle in full view of everyone was not the best method; she didn't even know who the other party was or why she couldn't stand her.

She decided to play the "green tea" act to the end. Her eye sockets turned red, and she sniffled, trembling as she said, "Senior Sister, if you don't like me, I can leave this place, but could you please not hit me?"

"Senior Sister, isn't it a bit inappropriate to bully a child like this? She only cultivates her realm and not Magic Art; she really can't help you test your Sword. How about I do it?" Another cultivator also came over to mediate.

"Hmph, stop pretending," the female cultivator glared at Ruan Xing and threw the Sword into the arms of the cultivator behind her. "You go test it; I can't be bothered to move anymore."

After those two left, the cultivator who had held her smiled apologetically. "Are you alright?"

Ruan Xing rubbed her eyes and shook her head, saying, "I'm fine. Who is that Senior Sister, and why does she seem to hate me so much? I've only been initiated for one day."

"Perhaps she's in a bad mood today. Although her temper is usually not great, she has never made things difficult for no reason like this before," the cultivator scratched his head and said, "Just stay away from her. Her father is a Nascent Soul True Monarch of the Law Enforcement Hall, and her mother is a Golden Core True Person. You won't have a good time if you provoke her."

Ruan Xing frowned, seemingly having already guessed why that woman was like this.

"So her name is?"

"Xu Sirui."

Is she a sister of Xu Sixi?

Since both are Nascent Soul True Monarchs, if the Peak Master could know she had arrived the moment she did and transfer her to his own Yaoguang Peak, then Xu Sirui's father should also be able to know.

Perhaps Elder Xu had chatted with Xu Sirui's father a few times before killing her and mentioned her, which is why Xu Sirui was looking for trouble with her.

However, Elder Xu definitely did not explicitly state that Xu Sixi's death was related to her, and Xu Sirui and the others had no evidence regarding her. Otherwise, she wouldn't have lived so long during the Simulation in the Library Pavilion; she was not important in the eyes of the Xu Family, and she wouldn't be standing here perfectly fine now—she might have already been dragged to the Law Enforcement Hall.

It was simply that she had come to the Artifact Refining Peak on her own initiative and run into Xu Sirui's line of fire, so she had taken a whim to make her test the Sword.

It seems this grudge cannot be settled; Xu Sirui will continue to trip her up in the future.

"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother," Ruan Xing blinked and smiled at him gratefully. "I will stay away from her."

Thanks to _Panda Jun_ for the tip~ Thanks to book friend 151201090541571 for the monthly ticket~(End of this chapter)