Night.
After leaving Elder Qingfeng's room, Xu Yi headed straight for Lu Zaiye's room.
*Knock, knock.*
Xu Yi knocked on the door, but after a long while, there was no response.
"He's not here?"
Xu Yi shook her head and turned to leave.
*Bang.*
The door opened.
Xu Yi turned her head, looking at the tall figure within the room, and said with a smile, "You are here. I thought you had gone out for something."
Lu Zaiye's face was stern. "Why did Grand-Ancestor seek me?"
Xu Yi keenly sensed a subtle hint of eagerness in Lu Zaiye's words.
Was it her imagination?
She shook her head, dismissing the thought, and smiled at Lu Zaiye. "Do you remember the surprise I mentioned a few days ago?"
Lu Zaiye nodded stiffly, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Mm."
"I've come today to fulfill my promise. Here, take it."
Xu Yi, with a grin, produced a storage bag, walked two steps quickly, and stuffed it into Lu Zaiye's hand.
"Open it quickly and see."
Lu Zaiye took the storage bag and then looked up at Xu Yi, whose eyes were curved with a smile. With a hint of joy that he himself didn't notice, he probed the storage bag with his divine sense, only to be blinded by the flashing spirit stones.
This is...
"How is it? Surprised?"
Seeing that Lu Zaiye remained silent for a long time, Xu Yi's lips curved triumphantly. She knew that little Lu would be astonished upon seeing the storage bag.
"Are all these spirit stones for me?"
Lu Zaiye's mood was complex. He felt an unexpected sense of loss, yet also a satisfaction of being valued.
He knew Xu Yi's character; she wouldn't let even a drop of blood from a demon beast go to waste in the Ten Thousand Monster Ridge. It was truly surprising that she was willing to give him so many spirit stones this time.
"Yes, all for you, as a reward for your good ranking in the competition."
Lu Zaiye had contributed to winning the wager this time, so Xu Yi didn't feel any heartache in giving him a share.
"Elder Qingfeng will lead the team to leave in three days. I might not be present then. Cultivate here with peace of mind. I will definitely return before we head to the secret realm."
"Where is Grand-Ancestor going?"
Lu Zaiye's fingers tightened abruptly.
Xu Yi smiled slightly. "Someone asked me for a favor. Don't worry, I'll be back as soon as possible."
Although True Master Qinglian hadn't asked Xu Yi to keep it a secret, Xu Yi felt it was better not to tell anyone.
"This disciple understands," Lu Zaiye replied in a low voice.
Xu Yi chatted with him casually for a few more sentences. Seeing his low spirits, she left.
Lu Zaiye stared at Xu Yi's retreating figure, his fingers twitching slightly before he finally lowered them.
On the first day he met Xu Yi, noticing her shifty behavior, he had placed a wisp of his divine sense on her to observe her movements.
Later, when he learned it was a misunderstanding, he withdrew his divine sense.
Now, he would not make the same mistake.
The next day.
The sky was faintly lit.
Xu Yi went to the Ten Thousand Buddhist Sect's recuperation hall. Outside Bei Xinghan's room, she encountered Long Haotian and the other two, who had already been waiting.
"Are you three waiting for me?"
Xu Yi's eyebrows rose, her eyes already showing a smile.
"Of course," Chen Tao said first. "Senior Sister Xu, we wanted to find you at the Xuanji Sect yesterday but missed you. The sect leader said you would be here today, so we specifically waited for you."
Since Chen Tao had met Yang Mei, his attitude towards Xu Yi had become increasingly enthusiastic.
"Senior Sister Xu, congratulations on winning first place in the grand competition," Wang Yi'an said softly.
Xu Yi nodded with a smile, her gaze settling on Long Haotian.
Long Haotian said awkwardly, "Why are you looking at me? I came first too."
Long Haotian had also performed exceptionally well this time, winning the top spot in the Nascent Soul stage competition.
"Then, congratulations to both of us, congratulations."
Xu Yi grinned and cupped her hands in greeting.
"Xu Yi, come in."
Before the others could exchange more pleasantries, True Master Qinglian's voice called from inside.
Xu Yi glanced at the three helplessly and walked past them.
The moment Xu Yi and Long Haotian brushed past each other, Long Haotian suddenly called out to her.
"You... be careful."
Long Haotian did not know the purpose of Xu Yi's visit, but he had a keen premonition that it was related to Bei Xinghan's coma.
Thinking that they would also be leaving and returning in a few days, Long Haotian couldn't help but speak his mind.
Xu Yi looked at him in surprise. Seeing the concern in his eyes, her heart warmed.
She grinned. "Don't worry, I'm lucky."
Xu Yi waved goodbye to them and entered the room. An invisible barrier immediately enveloped the room, blocking the view of Long Haotian and the other two.
"Senior Brother Long."
Chen Tao cautiously observed Long Haotian's expression.
The three of them went everywhere together, and he and Wang Yi'an had long guessed that Long Haotian harbored feelings for Xu Yi.
They both felt genuine admiration for this.
Long Haotian suppressed his complex emotions and said calmly, "Let's go too. We will meet again."
He still couldn't stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Xu Yi, but he would not give up.
Inside the room.
True Master Qinglian nodded with satisfaction upon seeing Xu Yi radiant.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes."
Xu Yi had thoroughly analyzed the matter on the night she acknowledged the Soul-Stabilizing Needle.
By helping Bei Xinghan break through his inner demons, she not only gained the Soul-Stabilizing Needle and the favor of the Qinglian Sect Master, but more importantly, she might also learn the secret of the Xuanqing Sect in helping people break through inner demons, which would be of great help to her future cultivation.
"Good," True Master Qinglian praised. "Sit down beside Bei Xinghan now, relax your mind, and don't resist. Leave everything else to me."
Xu Yi hesitated. "What should I do afterwards?"
"Once you enter Xinghan's sea of consciousness, you will know," True Master Qinglian said calmly.
Xu Yi eyed True Master Qinglian suspiciously, thinking that perhaps he didn't know what he was supposed to do either.
True Master Qinglian let her observe him without revealing any flaws until Xu Yi, with a mix of doubt and trust, sat on the bed and closed her eyes.
True Master Qinglian then let out a soft breath, took out an incense stick about a finger's length, and his eyes flashed with a look of distress.
He rubbed one end of the incense stick with his fingers. After a moment, a wisp of green smoke curled upwards and lingered for a long time.
"Go."
True Master Qinglian flicked his finger gently, and the smoke entered Xu Yi's mouth and nose.
True Master Qinglian looked at Bei Xinghan on the bed and sighed in his heart, "Master has done all he can. The rest is up to you."
...
When Xu Yi opened her eyes, she found herself sitting in a cave.
She looked down at her soul. It was identical to her body, but the storage ring was missing from her hand.
Her divine sense spread out, locating the cave halfway up a desolate mountain.
Was this Bei Xinghan's sea of consciousness?
Xu Yi stood up and walked out of the cave, still savoring the peculiar sensation of her soul being forcibly drawn out of her body.
The Soul-Stabilizing Needle was indeed incredibly powerful. Just as her soul was about to leave her body, the Soul-Stabilizing Needle in her sea of consciousness suddenly emitted a brilliant radiance, releasing a powerful, strange energy that pulled her soul back from leaving her body.
It was only when True Master Qinglian reminded her that she removed the Soul-Stabilizing Needle's defense and let her soul drift out of her body with that force.
The Xuanqing Sect was indeed a top sect; it possessed such a mysterious magical treasure.
Xu Yi thought as she walked towards the cave entrance, and then she heard a strange sound.