Chapter 103: Emerging from the Mountains, the World Has Changed

“Chief Qu, what are you doing?” Mu Yunjin flashed forward to stand protectively in front of Qu Yiqiu, glaring at him.

Qu Xiangwei chuckled lightly. “Yunjin, I’m not doing anything. Yiqiu is entrusted to your care!”

He cast a brief glance at Qu Yiqiu before turning and leaving the place.

“Junior apprentice brother, let’s hurry inside.” Qu Yiqiu didn’t take Qu Xiangwei’s words to heart.

Mu Yunjin pressed a hand to the fiery dragon scale on his chest, softly humming in agreement, then obediently followed her back to Little Ping Peak.

Qu Yiqiu hadn’t sat in the cave dwelling long before she heard Luo Tangyu’s hurried voice outside.

“With Sect Leader Luo protecting him, no one should dare inspect his body,” Qu Yiqiu murmured to herself, showing no intention of stepping out.

Mu Yunjin trailed behind Luo Tangyu, casting a disappointed glance at Qu Yiqiu’s tranquil abode.

“Ah, junior apprentice brother and master have both become geniuses! I can’t be running around recklessly during this period.” Qu Yiqiu lay on the stone bed, gazing at the cloud-streaked rock ceiling, recalling the cultivation method mentioned by Xia Changhan.

She rolled over to sit up, retrieving the technique from her storage ring.

“The characters are small, but I can still tell it’s Oracle Bone Script.”

Qu Yiqiu stared at the fragmented cultivation manual, then opened the Immortal Cultivation Mall of the entire realm. Amidst the dazzling array of goods, she swiftly purchased a reference book on Oracle Bone Script, placing it beside the bamboo slips to study every word and phrase meticulously.

Right from the start, she focused on the days surrounding the sect’s minor competition.

During this time, the reputation of Mu Yunjin and his master, Mo Qingli, had already spread throughout the Qiong Realm Continent.

The ranking of the most talented male cultivators was reshuffled. Mu Yunjin, with his foundation established at the age of twelve, leapt from obscurity directly into the top ten talents, closely trailing behind Chi Yushu.

As for Mo Qingli, having not yet emerged from seclusion, aside from a slight display of power in the main hall of the Tianyan Sect, no one had witnessed his true abilities. Hence, the talent rankings could not officially place him, only listing him as the foremost among Golden Core practitioners.

Yet, that was enough to bring Little Ping Peak into the spotlight.

Another amusing matter was that Qu Yiqiu, as the sect’s first disciple, was noticed by many. Her great achievements in Qunan City were mentioned again and again, growing more exaggerated with each telling.

She had now stormed into the top two hundred female cultivators’ rankings, earning the nickname “Porcelain Vase Fairy” for her beauty.

Qu Yiqiu was truly speechless, silently burying herself in further research of the cultivation method, and occasionally releasing Ao Qian during breaks to let her unwind.

“Senior sister, senior sister, I’m going to compete!” Mu Yunjin’s excited voice rang outside the door.

Qu Yiqiu lazily put away the bamboo slips and opened the barrier to step out. “Let’s go, senior sister will cheer for you!”

Mu Yunjin smiled brightly. “Alright!”

…

At Tianyan Sect’s Confinement Cliff.

A streak of azure smoke passed by, revealing Chi Yushu’s figure.

“Junior sister, you may come out now.”

Qu Youyou’s tightly closed eyes suddenly opened with joy. “Senior brother, has the sect’s minor competition started?”

Chi Yushu nodded gently. “It’s about to begin.”

“Senior brother, why haven’t you come to see me all this time…” Qu Youyou’s voice was tender, voicing a question she’d held for days.

But after answering her, Chi Yushu swiftly departed, not hearing the words she tried to say next.

“Senior sister Youyou…” Zhao Wen and Huang Lan rushed up behind her.

Qu Youyou looked at Chi Yushu’s indifferent retreat with a darkened expression, then turned to scold them, “Is your punishment at Little Ping Peak not over yet? I haven’t seen you in months!”

Zhao Wen and Huang Lan trembled, exchanging fearful glances, neither daring to reply.

They couldn’t imagine how furious Qu Youyou would be if she learned about the huge changes at Little Ping Peak!

“Enough! Punishment or not, the sect’s minor competition has started. I’m going to teach Qu Yiqiu a harsh lesson on the arena!” Qu Youyou’s lips curled into a smile, her eyes flashing with fierce determination.

She wanted Senior Brother Chi to see her defeat Qu Yiqiu on the stage!

Zhao Wen and Huang Lan nervously huddled together, forcing themselves to say, “Senior sister Youyou, Qu Yiqiu is not participating in this year’s sect minor competition…”

“What? Who is that… could it be Mo Qingli’s newly accepted junior disciple?” Qu Youyou hadn’t yet grown angry but quickly realized the situation.

Huang Lan nodded rapidly like a pecking chick. “As expected of senior sister, you guessed it immediately!”

“Senior sister Youyou, you shouldn’t keep calling Sect Leader Mo by name…” Zhao Wen whispered worriedly.

Their voices overlapped, causing Qu Youyou not to catch what Zhao Wen said.

At this moment, she only thought about how to punish the people of Little Ping Peak.

“That coward Qu Yiqiu, only daring to scheme behind my back but refusing to attend the sect’s minor competition. Does she think she can escape trouble that way? How naive! Her junior apprentice brother, I will beat him to his knees on the arena!” Qu Youyou’s eyes gleamed with a hint of ferocity.

Zhao Wen and Huang Lan wore bitter expressions, words on their tongues but neither dared to explain.

“What’s wrong with you two today? Haven’t seen me for so long and you’re speechless?” Qu Youyou frowned slightly, scanning them both.

Zhao Wen and Huang Lan shook their heads simultaneously. “No, no.”

“Then what is it? Are you dissatisfied with me because I didn’t rescue you?” Qu Youyou’s face darkened, her gaze scrutinizing them sharply.

“No, no!” They shook their heads vigorously.

Qu Youyou relaxed her brows and smiled. “Good that you bear me no grudge. This mess is caused by Qu Yiqiu. Master has been too kind to Little Ping Peak, which made Qu Yiqiu feel she has someone to rely on! But I’ve already heard from Senior Brother that Master is still in seclusion and won’t emerge anytime soon. We can take this chance to properly teach them a lesson!”

Zhao Wen’s brows twisted like a tangled thread. After much thought, he finally looked bitter and said, “Senior sister, while you were at Confinement Cliff, many things happened at Little Ping Peak…”

“What happened at Little Ping Peak?” Qu Youyou looked at him puzzled.

Zhao Wen swallowed nervously, hesitating. “Senior sister, actually we wanted to tell you long ago…”

“Senior sister Youyou, why are you still here? The number drawing at the plaza has already started!” Chi Yushu called out, noticing Qu Youyou hadn’t followed him away, and summoned Wu Qiu to urge her.

Zhao Wen’s words were cut off, and he glanced at Wu Qiu with displeasure but then sighed in relief.

Wu Qiu scratched his nose in confusion, not understanding the expressions on Zhao Wen and Huang Lan’s faces.

Qu Youyou glanced behind Wu Qiu and smiled. “Did senior brother send you to call me?”

“Yes.”

Wu Qiu could sense a bit of Qu Youyou’s thoughts.

“Senior brother doesn’t come himself but sends you instead. Is he still angry with me?” Qu Youyou pressed her lips, her eyes tinged with disappointment and doubt.