Seeing that Shen Qingci was listening intently but still looked somewhat anxious, Liu Ruyin stopped joking. “You can rest easy, A-Ci. A-Yuan coming out early isn't necessarily a bad thing.”
“It likely means someone among the five of them obtained a sword dao legacy. Whenever this happens, the Sword Tomb will automatically open early and send the disciples inside out one by one.”
Shen Qingci understood.
Among the five of them, only her senior sister was a sword cultivator. An inheritance of the sword dao was something others couldn't even touch if they wanted to.
Just as she was thinking this, a flash of white light swept across the stone wall.
The teleportation array flared with brilliant spiritual light, and four figures appeared out of thin air within the array.
Before they could find their footing, they were sent flying by the sword intent overflowing from the teleportation array, landing in a chaotic heap.
Three of them reacted quickly, activating their respective artifacts while still in midair to try and stabilize themselves.
The one from Tianshu Peak had it the worst. Just as he summoned his natal compass, the device—clearly not yet recovered from the suppression of the Sword Tomb—lost its alignment and crashed straight down onto him.
It hit him right on the temple, raising a large, purple-blue bump.
The four of them picked themselves up one after another, helping each other stand so they wouldn't look too pathetic in front of the two sect elders.
He Jinxiao was the first to look up.
Seeing the Sect Master robe on the Sword Venerable, her throat bobbed slightly. She shifted her gaze to Liu Ruyin, noticing that Peak Master Liu was standing right beside Jinglian, their posture far more intimate than before.
She and Lu Yuanyi exchanged a glance, both seeing the same bewilderment in each other's eyes.
Did the former Sect Master drop dead suddenly?!
They had only been in the Sword Tomb for five years, yet the power structure of the sect had turned completely upside down?
Liu Qi, being from Biluo Peak after all, received meaningful looks from both her master and Junior Sister Shen.
Her eyes drifted to Jinglian's cuffs, catching a glimpse of a familiar pattern.
Ah! It was the exact draft she had sketched for her master when she was younger.
She immediately stepped forward and bowed formally. “Liu Qi of Biluo Peak greets Sect Master Shiniang and Master.”
The other three finally caught on and hastily bowed in greeting as well.
“He Jinxiao of Danxia Peak greets the Sect Master and Peak Master Liu.”
“Shi Zhao of Liedi Peak greets the Sect Master and Peak Master Liu.”
“Lu Yuanyi of Tianshu Peak greets the Sect Master, Peak Master Liu, and Junior Sister Shen.”
Shen Qingci cupped her hands in return, her eyes uncontrollably darting behind the teleportation array.
Why hadn't her senior sister come out yet?
But on second thought, the four senior brothers and sisters who had come out first had all been tossed out by the Sword Tomb, each landing more awkwardly than the last.
It was probably for the best that her senior sister was the grand finale; at least she wouldn't have to suffer that rough landing.
She could wait a little longer!!!
Jinglian took half a step forward, sweeping her divine sense over the four of them repeatedly to check their foundations. Seeing that their auras were solid and robust, her mood improved considerably.
“Progressing from the Golden Core to the Nascent Soul stage within five years is a decent pace. Although the spiritual energy within the Sword Tomb is superior to the outside world and the lightning tribulations are thirty percent milder, breaking through ultimately depended on your own efforts.”
“Once you return to your peaks, guard against arrogance and impatience. Consolidate your origin first before seeking further progress. The path of cultivation becomes even more perilous after the Nascent Soul stage. A single misstep could risk destroying your entire foundation.”
“Now that you have emerged safely from the Sword Tomb, you are the pillars of the sect. If you encounter obstacles in the outside world, you may send word back. Since the sect stands, it will naturally protect its disciples.”
“The Azure Cloud Sect has not long since suffered a great upheaval, and everything is waiting to be rebuilt. Only if your generation can stand strong will the Azure Cloud Sect have a future.”
The four of them voiced their agreement in unison.
Jinglian paused briefly, her expression softening slightly. “The sect's customary Nascent Soul gifts have been prepared and will be handed over by your respective masters.”
“Whether you will join the Council of Elders or serve as Vice Peak Masters or deacons of your respective peaks will be decided after your masters and the Peak Masters hold a discussion.”
Once her senior sister finished speaking, Liu Ruyin stepped forward as well and said to her thoughtful eldest disciple, “Xiao Qi, your junior sisters on the peak have prepared a Cloud-Ascending Feast for you to celebrate your breakthrough.”
“Do not linger here with me. Head back to Biluo Peak first. If you need anything for your cultivation in the Nascent Soul realm in the future, draw up a list for me. If you don't want to write it down, just send a message, and I will have someone deliver it.”
Liu Qi bowed again. “Thank you, Master.”
The four of them mounted their respective tools and flew off toward their primary peaks.
Liu Qi lagged slightly behind, looking back a few times after flying a short distance.
Master didn't ask me to stay?
Just as a hint of disappointment bubbled up in her heart, she quickly suppressed it.
Her master had been bitterly in love with Martial Uncle Jing for so many years. Now that she had finally gotten her wish, it was only natural that she wanted to spend more time with her.
Besides, her junior sisters on the peak were still waiting for her to come home!
Comforting herself with these thoughts, the trace of bitterness dissolved, and she sped up.
Quiet settled over the mountain hollow once more.
Shen Qingci could no longer stand still. She took a few steps forward, positioning herself right in front of the teleportation array. Her eyes stared unblinkingly at the blue-gray stone wall, wishing she could drill right through it with her divine sense.
“Do not be anxious, A-Ci,” Jinglian spoke from behind her. “The Sword Tomb sends people out in sequence. The one who comes out last is usually the one who has gained the most.”
Shen Qingci let out a hum of agreement, but she still wasn't comforted by her master's words.
Breath after breath passed, yet the teleportation array on the stone wall remained completely still.
Her heart rose higher and higher in her throat, and her fingers, hanging by her side, unconsciously picked at the calluses on her fingertips.
How was her senior sister doing right now?
After obtaining the legacy, would something go wrong while she was stabilizing her cultivation?
There shouldn't be any devious old ghosts looking to possess someone in the Sword Tomb, right?
Her imagination ran wild, and a string of rebellious, outrageous thoughts bubbled up uncontrollably in her sea of consciousness, which she had to suppress one by one.
Fortunately, her master had no idea what her youngest disciple was thinking. Otherwise, she would have whipped her with a bamboo switch until it smoked, and not even her Shiniang would be able to stop her.
The mountain wind swept in from the mouth of the valley, carrying the crisp, quiet chill of the deep night as it washed over the entire hollow.
Suddenly, the teleportation array flashed.
Light seeped out bit by bit from the edges of the array, agonizingly slow. Shen Qingci's heart leaped into her throat, and she couldn't help but take another two steps forward.
The light of the teleportation array suddenly flared brilliantly.
A slender figure stepped out of the light, her body swaying slightly as she landed.
Chi Yuan raised her sleeve to brush away the stray hairs clinging to the side of her face. Leaning on Frostchill with one hand, her eyes locked onto something before she had even found her footing.
Shen Qingci: “♡~”
Her senior sister was still wearing the same fitted martial robes she had worn when entering the Sword Tomb, looking a bit leaner than she had five years ago.
Having just emerged, a layer of lingering sword intent still floated over her clothing, her sharp edge even more pronounced than before.
Yet when she looked over, her eyes were incredibly soft.
Seeing that A-Yuan had emerged safe and sound, Jinglian let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Swallowing the speech she had prepared, she took her junior sister's hand and headed back to the Sword-Falling Terrace.
Since this young couple hadn't seen each other in years, it was best for the elders not to spoil the mood. Once they were done being lovey-dovey, she would have a detailed chat with A-Yuan about the events inside the Sword Tomb.
“A-Ci... It's been a long time.”
Shen Qingci stood frozen in place, her heart pounding frantically. Even though she knew her wife was right in front of her, her legs felt a little weak.
Instead, it was Chi Yuan who moved first.
She sheathed Frostchill and, with a flash of her figure, landed right in front of Shen Qingci.
Cupping her junior sister's face in both hands, she leaned down, her lips brushing against the corner of Shen Qingci's mouth.
“What, do you not recognize your senior sister anymore?”
“I do. Even if I were reduced to ashes, I would still recognize you.”
“By the way, Senior Sister, is your hair missing exactly sixty-eight strands?!”
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