16 - The Cannon Fodder is Prepared to Divorce

After the punishment, Ji Wu Nian took out the ornamental clasps to use. One of them, crafted by Zi Xun, was shaped like a long fish with an uplifted tail, its surface inlaid with jade engraved with cloud patterns. The other one, made of black three-crow gold, was directly fashioned into a cloud with a small tail protruding from it, adorned with fine red agate at the connection point, and had two buttons on the back, quite different from the former. Despite their simple designs, both clasps contained Moon Q___'s blood, and even with her current modest cultivation, they exuded a faint spiritual aura. Indeed, as she had claimed, they were unique in the world. Ji Wu Nian, in good spirits, remembered how Elder Qi Yue had once tried to snatch her disciple. Wanting to flaunt a bit, she adorned herself with the clasps and took her disciple to visit him, expressing her gratitude for all the teachings Elder had given her disciple. Elder Qi Yue, well acquainted with Ji Wu Nian's nature, paid her no mind but showed great kindness to Yue Bai, praising her for her meticulous thought and stable crafting technique. Yue Bai had intentionally held back only during the questioning. In the initial stages, her crafting technique was indeed unstable and uneven; it was through Ji Wu Nian’s rigorous training that she developed her speed and quality. Despite this, Yue Bai's capability in material processing still greatly impressed Elder Qi Yue. This was partly due to Ji Wu Nian's extensive guidance on spiritual power manipulation, and thanks to her wealthy and generous mentor who provided ample rare resources for her disciple's practice. This gentle and likable young girl made Elder Qi Yue even think, why hadn't he acquired such a treasure? "Hey, Ye Er, if your mentor ever bullies you, feel free to come to Ba Chi Peak," Elder Qi Yue attempted to lure them as they were leaving, "Ba Chi Peak can certainly rival her Qinglin Hall." Ji Wu Nian, holding her little disciple in mid-air, turned back to give Elder Qi Yue a look that clearly said "don't even think about it" before heading to the Reflection Peak. “Is she planning to take you to stay at every peak?” Jiu Yi couldn't help but comment, “Is she trying to cultivate a jack-of-all-trades?” After Yue Bai had recovered at Baicao Peak, formally apprenticed at Luanqing Peak, learned swordsmanship at Wushi Peak, and spent two months crafting at Ba Chi Peak, Ji Wu Nian took her to the Reflection Peak, which was dedicated to studying and self-reflection. Every morning, Ji Wu Nian would accompany her to read books and converse about various topics. She would pick any book at random and start discussing its contents. Whether it was tales of the mortal world or renowned sayings of great figures, they transitioned seamlessly into the world of Daoism for enlightenment. Yue Bai, who could scan and understand all the books instantly with her divine consciousness, nevertheless followed Ji Wu Nian's lead and listened to her teachings. In the afternoons, Ji Wu Nian made her meditate and cultivate at Qinglin Hall, staying with her throughout. The two were nearly inseparable, and it wasn't until evenings, when Ji Wu Nian escorted her back to her room, that they would part ways. Sometimes, Ji Wu Nian would quietly return to her room to meditate, or she would go to her own private spot to enjoy a quiet drink. When she went, Yue Bai followed. However, after seeing it too many times, Yue Bai would get bored and return to her training. Apart from learning Ji Wu Nian's teachings, Yue Bai practiced another set of techniques. These techniques were modifications of her original practices, incorporating elements from her current environment. She could gather qi into her body, integrate it into her blood and flesh, and transform it into the local equivalent of a golden core and nascent soul when needed. More importantly, she practiced methods to conceal her qi, so if someone tried to gauge her cultivation, they would only sense a faint presence in her dantian, unable to detect the vast potential within her body. She owed this ability to Ji Wu Nian's extensive tempering of her body, which had toughened her meridians and body, enabling her to handle considerable accumulation of spiritual qi. With her progress in cultivation looking good, Yue Bai thought of visiting Liu Li. One night, while Ji Wu Nian was out, Yue Bai used crystal to perform a transformation spell and an invisibility charm before throwing a puppet onto her bed as a decoy. After preparing, she wrapped herself in her divine soul and flew to the back mountain. Finding a secluded spot, Yue Bai drew a teleportation array. According to the jade slip records, teleportation arrays used to exist in this world but had been lost over time. This was the first time Yue Bai attempted such a spell since arriving here. She could naturally tear through space and traverse it, but that consumed a lot of energy. Letting her soul travel such a distance was also not viable. In the end, it all came down to her body being inconvenient. Jiu Yi laughed awkwardly; even overpowered has to have limits. Yue Bai first tested the teleportation to the foot of the mountain, which nearly drained all her spiritual qi on a round trip. Jiu Yi smiled even more awkwardly. But Jiu Yi underestimated the overpowered's capabilities. A few days later, seizing the opportunity of Ji Wu Nian’s absence, Yue Bai took out a blood crystal to use as a power source, made hand seals swiftly, and upon opening her eyes, found herself in another forest. Though more desolate than Luyi, it had enough trees to provide cover. She had chosen a spot far from Liu Li and started making her way stealthily towards him. This was in Leizhou, and Liu Li might truly be there just to buy osmanthus wine for Ji Wu Nian. Jiu Yi was at a loss for words, seeing Yue Bai pull out all sorts of peculiar items. It felt like Yue Bai, as a once-great deity, had prepared too many odd things. Leizhou was famous for its flowers, with peach blossoms in spring, lotuses in summer, osmanthus in autumn, and plum blossoms in winter. Each season’s bloom led to a variety of products like flower cakes, dried flowers, and flower-infused wines, with osmanthus wine being the most renowned, collected in the golden autumn and mixed with honey, stored for two to three months to cure the winter chill with its sweet fragrance. Liu Li, presumably to buy something, was staying in a guesthouse with no signs of trouble. Yue Bai did not approach rashly, unsure of what danger Liu Li might face. But if it was something that could endanger a nascent soul cultivator, it would certainly cause a huge commotion. “Should we just warn him?” As a useless system, Jiu Yi could only suggest. With little time left, Yue Bai thought briefly and wrote a letter. It simply read, “The road ahead is perilous; take care, Elder Liu Li.” Placed at the innkeeper's counter, she ensured the innkeeper was suitably puzzled and handed the letter to Liu Li before rushing back. It didn't matter if Liu Li saw it as a warning or a threat, as long as it heightened his vigilance. *** Time flew, and almost a month later, it was the New Year in the mortal world. The mountain was cold and quiet, with some disciples who had not severed their mortal roots sneaking down to join the festivities. The immortal elders, having lived long lives, were indifferent to such mundane celebrations, treating each day the same. Ji Wu Nian was not one of those elders; she not only took Yue Bai to experience the mortal world but also indulged her in food and drink. Not stopping at curves, she took Yue Bai to a small village in the mountains, where the villagers celebrated the New Year with grand feasts, gathering to eat and then parading with lanterns through the mountains. The two did not show themselves but watched from the air. “Do you miss your homeland, Ye Er?” Thinking of her sister back home, Yue Bai smiled faintly, “Yes, I do.” “And what about you, Mentor?” Ji Wu Nian, born of royal blood, had her clan's younger members currently ruling the kingdom, many of whom held her in high regard. Did she not miss them? She didn't say whether she did, instead hugging Yue Bai gently, “By the time I could leave the mountain, everyone I knew had mostly died…” “A new mission has triggered: ‘Assist Ji Wu Nian in an audience with the current Emperor,’ with a time limit of three years,” Jiu Yi was equally surprised, “Oh? There's even a time limit?” “How many more years is her confinement?” Jiu Yi calculated, “Around thirty years?” “Well, noted.”