Chapter 136: Matters Within the Spirit-Resonance Sect

Under the bright moon and sparse stars, Xiao Cheng stood on the summit of the Divine Peak, feeling the slightly chilly night wind as he gazed up at the firmament. The higher one’s vantage point, the more boundless the sky appeared.

This shared a common truth with human vision and perspective; the broader one's horizons, the more vast the world one could perceive.

The summit of the Divine Maple Peak was flat, measuring about a hundred paces across. Aside from a massive, dilapidated symbolic structure, there were only three low stone houses.

One of the three houses emitted the dim, bean-sized light of an oil lamp, casting a hazy glow.

Xiao Cheng stared in a daze at the humble dwellings, finding this to be the most destitute sect he had ever laid eyes on. Releasing his spiritual sense to sweep through the area, he discovered that there were only four people in the Bell Spirit Sect. Apart from Liu Yiyi and her two sisters, the only other person was the elderly woman he had met that afternoon, who was undoubtedly the current master of the sect.

He paused for a brief moment before the elderly woman approached him. It seemed she had been keeping watch over everything on the summit, anticipating his arrival.

"Young hero, please come inside and sit. It is a humble and impoverished sect with crude accommodations, so I hope you will not mind."

The old woman’s attitude toward Xiao Cheng was extremely respectful. Ever since he subdued the azure python, she knew that the young man before her was far from ordinary, and his strength vastly exceeded her own.

Noticing that her demeanor was even more respectful than before, Xiao Cheng felt a bit awkward. He guessed that seeing him conquer the python had led her to overestimate his true cultivation level, prompting such deference.

In truth, if they were to clash directly at full power, he might not even be a match for her, capable of lasting at most a hundred or so exchanges.

Along the way, the old woman had introduced herself. Only then did Xiao Cheng learn that she was known as Lay Buddhist Huian.

During their walk, Huian had subtly probed into Xiao Cheng’s background. Finding nothing to hide, he directly and straightforwardly explained his origins.

Huian had not expected him to be so candid, which actually made her feel slightly embarrassed. Learning that he was the descendant of a reclusive cultivation family in Shanghai set her mind somewhat at ease.

"May I ask whose lineage the young hero comes from? What path do you practice?" Huian asked, touching upon the matter she cared about most. After all, the abilities Xiao Cheng had displayed earlier were somewhat complex, bearing traits of both demonic arts and the righteous Dao.

"My master has no prominent title; even if I mentioned him, Buddhist Huian might not recognize him. As for what I practice, it is naturally the Dao," Xiao Cheng replied with a calm smile.

His master was Daoist Wuhe, who was indeed entirely obscure, which was why he chose not to name him. Most importantly, Daoist Wuhe currently had no idea he even had such a disciple.

Hearing this, Huian did not pursue the matter further. As long as he practiced the righteous Dao, that was enough.

They walked all the way to a stone house that had clearly been tidied up specifically for his arrival—it was neat, clean, and immaculate.

Just as they stepped inside, a cry of surprise rang out.

"Ah! Big Brother Xiao, why did you only just arrive? Oh? Where did the little snake on your shoulder come from?" Skipping and hopping over to Xiao Cheng’s side, Liu Yiyi stuck out her tongue playfully and pointed at the azure dragon perched on his shoulder, asking with eager curiosity.

Xiao Cheng smiled faintly. The azure dragon had shrunk in size, and at his request, had concealed its horns, making it indistinguishable from an ordinary snake. No one would ever suspect it was the terrifying azure python from the afternoon.

"Oh, this is a pet I just caught. Its name is Long'er."

Xiao Cheng had originally intended to name it Little Qing based on its azure features, but the stubborn little creature simply refused. After trying dozens of different names—every possible moniker he could think of—the dragon rejected even 'Azure Dragon.' It wasn't until he uttered the name 'Long'er' that the creature shyly nodded in agreement.

He had been left utterly speechless at the time. Did naming something really have to be this complicated? However, considering that the creature was merely a single transformation away from soaring through the clouds and becoming a true dragon, and that 'Long'er' meant 'son of the dragon,' the name was quite fitting, so he let it be.

"So cute! Can I play with it?" Liu Yiyi leaned in close to stare at the little snake, brimming with excitement.

Young girls possessed a natural affinity for adorable creatures.

Hearing her words, Xiao Cheng could not help but chuckle. If Liu Yiyi knew that Long'er was the gigantic python that had been churning up wind and waves that afternoon, she probably wouldn't find it cute at all, let alone treat it as a toy.

Standing behind them, Lay Buddhist Huian furrowed her brow in unconscious confusion. She wondered how Liu Yiyi and Xiao Cheng could be so familiar with one another when they had only met twice.

"Yiyi, show some manners!" Huian chided softly. How could a guest barely step inside before being pestered for this and that without even being offered a seat?

"Oh!" Liu Yiyi pouted in displeasure, uttering a reluctant 'oh' while secretly blinking at Xiao Cheng behind the elder's back.

"It's no trouble at all!" Xiao Cheng said, lifting Long'er from his shoulder and placing it directly into Liu Yiyi's hands.

Since Liu Yiyi would undoubtedly be by his side frequently in the future, it was best to let the dragon and the girl interact and grow accustomed to each other now. After all, Long'er was a spirit beast at the Dan-gathering stage with extraordinary strength and could serve as her protector.

Clasping Long'er to her chest and finding it impossible to put down, Liu Yiyi bolted outside in a flurry of excitement. A moment later, a sharp squeal echoed from another stone house.

"Ah—Yiyi, take it away! Quickly, take it away!"

Hearing the commotion from outside, Xiao Cheng was left momentarily stunned. So Liu Yiyi’s idea of 'playing with it' meant using Long'er to scare people.

He settled onto a stone stool and motioned for Huian to sit as well.

After pondering in silence for a long moment, he spoke awkwardly, "Buddhist Huian, I have a somewhat presumptuous request to make!"

The time had come to take Liu Yiyi away, and this matter had to be brought up sooner or later. Yet, it was truly difficult to voice, and as a man, he had to be the one to say it; he could not possibly leave it to a young girl like Yiyi.

Hearing this, Huian was taken aback. She could not fathom what kind of presumptuous request he could possibly have. The Bell Spirit Sect possessed nothing of value; apart from the four masters and disciples, there was simply nothing worthy of Xiao Cheng’s attention.

"Hehe, the young hero has done the Bell Spirit Sect two great favors—eliminating that monstrous beast and recovering our ancestral token. If you have any request, please speak freely, and this old woman will do her utmost to grant it!" Despite her inward puzzlement, Huian remained remarkably generous and direct.

"I wish to take Yiyi away with me. I hope the Buddhist will grant this union!" Xiao Cheng declared without concealment, his tone resolute and unwavering. He was stating an intention to take her, not merely asking for permission.

Hearing such a declaration out of the blue, Huian’s expression shifted drastically, her brows knitting tightly together.

She had raised Liu Yiyi and her sisters since childhood, often viewing the three girls as her own daughters. For Xiao Cheng to suddenly demand to take Yiyi away was something she could never agree to.

While Xiao Cheng had indeed brought immense benefits to the Bell Spirit Sect, and she remembered that gratitude, if he attempted to use that kindness as leverage to take Yiyi away, she would rather forfeit the ancestral token entirely.

A trace of rising anger mingled with confusion stirred in Huian's heart. No matter how she looked at it, Xiao Cheng did not appear to be a dissolute rake, so why would he make such a demand?

"I wonder why the young hero wishes to take Yiyi away?" Huian asked, her expression cooling as she spoke in a deep voice.

"Because..." Xiao Cheng truly struggled with how to phrase it. Pausing for a moment, he braced himself and spoke with blunt honesty, "Because Yiyi is already my woman."

"You!"

Upon hearing these words, Huian abruptly leaped up from her stone stool, trembling with rage as she pointed an accusing finger at Xiao Cheng, consumed by sudden fury.

From that single statement, her mind easily pieced together a sequence of events: at noon, Yiyi had fallen into the water, and later it was Xiao Cheng who had brought her back unconscious—an interval lasting a full two hours. Since Xiao Cheng spoke thus, he must have taken advantage of Yiyi's unconscious state to rob her of her purity.

What an utterly dressed-up beast! How dared he come before her now and make such a demand? Yiyi was only sixteen years old!