On the second day, Jian Dan didn't receive any reply from Jia Zhēnzūn regarding the matter of the spirit root, but her youngest disciple, Wei Xueru, returned to the mountain instead.
The young woman brought Ji Hui down in front of the massive, towering Heavenly Sword Sect Gate. They landed the flying boat on the stone plaza, and after she showed her sword token to the guards and helped Ji Hui complete the necessary guest registration, she led her companion straight toward the peak of Tianyue Peak without stopping for a moment.
"Master, Xueru is back!"
A sweet and lively voice rang into the quiet cave abode, echoing off the stone walls. When Jian Dan looked up from her seat, her youngest disciple was already walking inside with light, quick steps.
Seeing her Master seated in the hall above, Wei Xueru broke into a wide smile that reached her eyes. She stepped forward with graceful movements to bow respectfully, her hands clasped together.
"Xueru greets Master and congratulates Master on advancing to the Mahayana stage. The Great Dao is almost complete!"
"Good girl. Get up," Jian Dan answered with a warm smile. She first swept the girl with her divine sense, an invisible ripple of power ensuring that she wasn't injured or carrying any hidden wounds. Only after she was satisfied did she carefully look at the growth of her youngest disciple.
The girl was wearing a light pink robe, a wide-sleeved flowing immortal dress made of fine silk that was currently popular throughout the Cultivation Realm. Her jet-black hair fell like a dark waterfall down her back, with only the upper half tied into a simple, elegant bun. It was secured firmly by a white jade hairpin carved into the shape of a slender sword, which shimmered faintly in the ambient light. The look was both clean and sophisticated.
Her skin truly lived up to the meaning of her name, appearing snow-white like polished jade against the soft colors of her clothing. A healthy light pink hue colored her cheeks, perfectly matching the shade of her pale pink robe and giving her a vibrant appearance.
The young woman's round face, characterized by slightly heroic brows, bright almond eyes, a straight nose, and rosy lips, came together beautifully as she matured. When she smiled, a row of small, neat white teeth showed. She looked like an enlarged version of her childhood self, except that her dedicated physique training had made her taller and more lithe. She was already about one point six five meters tall now, a height that made her look even more graceful and commanding than before.
"Our Xueru is all grown up. In the blink of an eye, she has become this outstanding," Jian Dan praised her. She noticed that the girl was already at the peak of the mid-stage Nascent Soul, which was a small realm higher than the cultivation levels of her two Senior Brothers.
"Hehe, that is because Master taught me well," she replied. The disciple delivered a full stream of praise in return, and her cheerful energy instantly lifted the mood in the cave. As expected, the youngest was both obedient and sweet-tongued.
After exchanging a few more words, the girl immediately introduced the person standing quietly beside her to her Master.
When Ji Hui entered the room and heard the introduction, her heart was thrown into a sudden turmoil. She had never imagined that Xueru's Master would be a powerful Mahayana Zhēnzūn, an existence that stood at the pinnacle of the world. She immediately made herself as inconspicuous as possible, lowering her head and keeping her breathing shallow. As long as the powerful cultivator didn't bring her up, she planned to reduce her presence to nothing at all.
But how could she hope to escape a Mahayana divine sense? From the very moment she had followed her friend inside, Jian Dan had already sensed something unusual about her aura. The Master just wasn't in a hurry to address it. Since the visitor was already within the safety of the Heavenly Sword Sect, she could ask about anything she found interesting directly.
"Master, this is Senior Sister Ji Hui. I met her while I was traveling and training in the outer lands. On the way back to the sect, someone launched an attack against me, and it was thanks to her timely help that I managed to get through the danger," the girl explained.
She then briefly recounted the events of the journey back. By now, the green snake Jade had slipped free from her wrist and transformed into a beautiful female cultivator dressed in vibrant green robes. She stood silently beside Jian Dan's seat and began adding more specific details to the account, filling in the tactical parts of the fight.
After the explanation was finished, Ji Hui cupped her hands with a deep sense of modesty.
"I don't dare take credit for this. Xueru herself was extremely alert and already prepared for trouble. With Senior Jade stepping in to assist, I only managed to delay the enemy for a short while before they were defeated."
The guest's attitude was extremely humble as she spoke to the elder.
"This time, Xueru really does need to thank you properly. If you weren't there to support her, she might have truly fallen into someone else's trap," Jian Dan said. She took a slow sip of spirit tea from her cup and spoke with a calm smile.
"This…"
The words clearly startled the visitor. Even Wei Xueru felt a trace of doubt rise in her heart at her Master's serious tone, but in front of her elder, she knew better than to speak carelessly or interrupt.
"What is your relationship with Yu Yan Zhēnzūn? Are you a personal disciple or a junior of the sect?" Jian Dan asked.
"This junior is Yu Yan Zhēnzūn's disciple, Ji Hui. My Dao name is Shou Chan," the young woman answered truthfully. Her back was already damp with cold sweat from the pressure of the conversation.
"You should be Yu Yan's favorite disciple. You even keep the same kind of spirit beast as your Master," Jian Dan noted.
That single sentence almost made Ji Hui drop to her knees in shock. Even within the confines of the Beast Taming Sect, very few people knew that her natal spirit beast was actually a specialized spirit gu insect. Aside from her own Master, only a few of her most trusted Senior Brothers were aware of its existence. Yet here, in a foreign sect, it was exposed in an instant. If she had known her secret was so easily seen, she would never have followed out of curiosity to meet this terrifyingly perceptive expert.
Seeing the girl's panicked expression, Jian Dan raised an eyebrow. She hadn't expected one casual observation to expose the guest's little secret so thoroughly.
Beside her, Wei Xueru widened her almond eyes and curiously studied her friend, clearly wanting to know where she was hiding such a creature.
The reputation of Yu Yan Zhēnzūn's spirit beast had circulated through the Cultivation Realm for a very long time, but very few people had ever seen it with their own eyes. It was said that almost everyone who had encountered it in battle had fallen.
Because of that fearsome reputation, Yu Yan Zhēnzūn had always been the living signboard of the Beast Taming Sect. He had accepted several disciples over the years, but no one had ever heard of anyone successfully inheriting his true, secret skills. That was why Jian Dan had asked the question after seeing the small white gu insect resting quietly in the girl's dantian.
"Don't worry. What happens here won't leave my cave abode," Jian Dan reassured the guest.
Only then did Ji Hui let out a long breath of relief. She was already planning to take her leave as quickly as possible. If she stayed in this room any longer, she feared she wouldn't have any secrets left at all.
This time, before Wei Xueru could speak to defend her friend, the Jian Dan stopped her.
"Shou Chan Xiaoyou, don't rush to leave just yet. There is something here that requires your spirit beast's unique assistance. I would like to ask for your help with a certain matter. I won't let you act for nothing; once the task is done, you will naturally receive generous compensation for your efforts."
Ji Hui froze for a moment, her mind racing. Something that required her precious natal gu was no small request. She didn't know what it was, and she couldn't agree to it rashly. The matter involved her core cultivation, after all.
"Please forgive Shou Chan for being blunt. I would like to know what this matter is. Why do you need my natal spirit beast, and what would it need to do specifically?"
"Your caution is correct for a cultivator. As for the specifics of the task, I will explain everything to you in great detail," Jian Dan said. She gently fanned herself with her round fan, the rhythmic motion appearing calm, and she didn't mind the girl's defensive attitude at all. This was exactly how a cultivator should behave when their foundations were at stake. Even when facing a Mahayana Zhēnzūn, she still had to think for the sake of her little gu insect.
"Xueru, you stay as well. You don't know about this matter yet. Listen too, and you will understand why I want you to properly thank Shou Chan."