PID Chapter 37.3

Xiao Mo placed his hand on Mo Zhi’s wrist, sensing his Qi. There was progress, though not much—but progress nonetheless.

 

Xiao Mo encouraged him: “The lecturer isn’t the only one. If you don’t like this one, you can listen to others and see if they suit you better.”

 

Mo Zhi rolled on the ground with his ears covered, utterly despairing: “But he’s lecturing again tomorrow! His voice buzzes straight into my ears—I can’t avoid hearing it even if I want to. Ugh, it’s unbearable!”

 

Xiao Mo patted his head: “Endure it.”

 

Mo Zhi groaned in defeat: “Ahhh—”

 

Chu Jinglan slowly opened his eyes, the deep black pools revealing nothing of his emotions. Everything was buried beneath a cold, unfathomable abyss.

 

His ability to perceive and comprehend had always been exceptional. Feng Qiexing’s detailed exploration of “Qi” from his unique perspective allowed Chu Jinglan to grasp new insights. The surrounding spiritual energy surged toward him, quickly merging into his body.

 

As the spiritual energy coursed through his still-damaged meridians, the pain was sharp and cutting—like being sliced by knives. Yet Chu Jinglan endured it stoically. Pain signified blockages; clearing the meridians was an excruciating process. What felt like gentle spiritual energy to others was akin to an iron comb scraping through his meridians and flesh inch by inch.

 

But he had to endure—it was also part of the healing process.

 

The spiritual energy passed through his meridians and reached his spiritual root, briefly filling his shattered dantian before quickly flowing out again.

 

That feeling of watching power slip away helplessly—unable to grasp or retain it—was a bitter frustration that could easily overwhelm someone else. Another person might have already lost control of their Qi flow, succumbed to panic, or suffered a heart attack from anger. They might have collapsed or coughed up blood in torrents, unable to endure an entire lecture.

 

But Chu Jinglan treated it as though he were observing something happening to someone else. Without sorrow or joy, he coldly watched the spiritual energy leave his body, leaving behind only a broken dantian. Once it was drained completely, he drew in more spiritual energy again, enduring the pain as it cleared his meridians—only to watch it all disappear once more.

 

Cycle after cycle.

 

He wasn’t torturing himself—he was using the pain to forge his meridians and training his perception amidst the fleeting spiritual energy.

 

No effort would be wasted. Even if he could only grasp a fragment of progress, he wouldn’t slacken.

 

By the end of the lecture, Chu Jinglan had endured it all. His lips were pale and bloodless, and sweat drenched him from head to toe as though he’d been pulled out of water.

 

A cleaning spell fell gently over him.

 

Then, two porcelain-white fingers held a bottle of medicine and carefully placed it on his knee so that it stood upright without falling over.

 

…Even a three-year-old wouldn’t play like this.

 

Chu Jinglan raised his eyes and looked at Xiao Mo—who was clearly much taller than a three-year-old.

 

Xiao Mo obviously understood Chu Jinglan’s physical condition but couldn’t sense how he felt. “How is it?”

 

When Chu Jinglan spoke, his voice was slightly hoarse: “I’m fine.”

 

His pale face didn’t make that statement very convincing, but Xiao Mo didn’t call him out on it. “Don’t push yourself too hard. If you can’t endure it, take the medicine. We’re not short on funds anymore, so there’s no need to save in this area.”

 

Not that they had ever skimped on medicine before—Xiao Mo had exchanged his system points for spiritual medicine, though Chu Jinglan still believed Xiao Mo had secretly kept it from the Chu family.

 

Chu Jinglan picked up the small medicine bottle balanced on his knee and drank its contents. At the same time, Yan Chun and Chu Xia’s auras stabilized, and they opened their eyes almost simultaneously.

 

They had successfully entered the Qi Refining stage.

 

The two children’s eyes sparkled with pure joy, their faces glowing with excitement as they stammered: “Master, Shixiong, we… we’ve succeeded!”

 

Mo Zhi let out a loud cheer: “You did it!”

 

Xiao Mo smiled warmly: “Congratulations.”

 

He even patted their heads affectionately.

 

The children’s faces flushed red with excitement. Meanwhile, the pain in Chu Jinglan’s meridians gradually subsided. He nodded slightly at Yan Chun and Chu Xia as a sign of acknowledgment.

 

Receiving approval from both Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan made Yan Chun and Chu Xia even happier.

 

After struggling with books for so long and listening to countless lessons from Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan without making progress, neither of them had expected to enter the path of cultivation thanks to just a few words from Feng Qiexing. Xiao Mo sighed deeply—it was clear that cultivation truly depended on fate and opportunity.

 

Neither Xiao Mo nor Chu Jinglan felt there was anything wrong with their teaching methods.

 

We explained everything so thoroughly—how could there possibly be a problem?

 

Ah, nobody’s perfect—even academic geniuses can lack a tiny bit of self-awareness when it comes to teaching.

 

—

 

Feng Qiexing lectured on “Qi” for three days. For the remaining seven days, one instructor per day took over—all top-level cultivators from Lin’an Academy. Each had a different teaching style, offering diverse insights for everyone.

 

Yan Chun and Chu Xia eagerly absorbed every word like sponges, enjoying the process immensely. Finally, they didn’t have to struggle through books on their own anymore!

 

Mo Zhi, on the other hand, could only follow one or two instructors’ lectures. The rest left him dizzy and overwhelmed, reminding him of his early days learning how to write—when all he got was a stick tapping his head while his mind remained empty of ink but full of water.

 

For some, this learning experience was a thirst for knowledge; for others, it was an exercise in frustration.

 

On the tenth day, the lectures concluded at noon. Yan Chun and Chu Xia were reluctant to leave—they were still immersed in the sea of knowledge and savoring every moment. Meanwhile, Mo Zhi was fully rejuvenated, bouncing around with excitement as though he’d been freed from prison.

 

Both Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan gained their own insights from the lectures as well.

 

After the lectures ended, the instructors returned to Lin’an Academy while its disciples set up stone tables along the steps to begin registering new students.

 

Lin’an Academy’s requirements weren’t overly harsh but were far from simple. Most rogue cultivators didn’t meet the age criteria; they packed up their belongings and headed back down the mountain. For some, this grand event might provide unparalleled assistance in their cultivation journey; for others, it would simply become a distant memory buried in time—something to reflect on years later with nostalgia.

 

The lively mountain forest began to return to its usual tranquility.

 

Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan queued up at one of the registration points with the three children. Since all three were under ten years old, they joined a designated line for younger applicants. Other registration points handled different cases—for example, Huanjian Sect disciples who only planned to study at Lin’an Academy for two years required separate records.

 

Dai Zisheng successfully enrolled in Lin’an Academy. Su Baimo also met both age and cultivation requirements but didn’t register because Mu Jian advised: “He’s only just reached Foundation Establishment. It would be better for him to consolidate his cultivation within Huanjian Sect first—it’s also more convenient for accessing resources there.”

 

Everyone had expected Su Baimo to be reluctant to part with Dai Zisheng and to drag things out for a while. However, this time, although his gaze still showed plenty of reluctance, he spoke obediently and straightforwardly: “Alright, Brother Zisheng, I’ll wait for you to return after completing your studies.”

 

Even Mu Jian and the other disciples were momentarily stunned. Only Dai Zisheng felt that Su Baimo seemed to have reverted to how he was when they first met in the Lower Realm—back when Chu Jinglan was still around and Su Baimo’s demeanor was smooth and reasonable.

 

To put it simply, Su Baimo now seemed like a normal person—pleasant and comfortable to be around. After all, he had briefly been Dai Zisheng’s “white moonlight” who had touched his heart.

 

This was a stark contrast to how Su Baimo had behaved after coming to the Middle Realm—frequently making Dai Zisheng feel uneasy or out of sorts.

 

Now that his lifesaving benefactor seemed to have returned to normal, Dai Zisheng was quite pleased: “Alright. If you need anything, let Senior Brother Mu know, or contact me directly using the communication jade.”

 

Su Baimo smiled warmly: “Okay.”

 

Xiao Mo, who had split his divine sense to monitor Huanjian Sect in hopes of catching any follow-up related to the Chu family, blinked in surprise and turned his head slightly: Did Su Baimo change his personality?

 

No… that didn’t seem likely.

 

Before he could observe Su Baimo’s microexpressions further, Chu Jinglan’s voice broke through his thoughts: “What are you looking at?”

 

Xiao Mo immediately withdrew his gaze: “Nothing.”

 

Chu Jinglan didn’t press further.

 

Instead, he casually glanced in the direction Xiao Mo had just been looking.

 

There were many people over there—two groups—and as luck would have it, Huanjian Sect was among them.

 

Huanjian Sect… Could Xiao Mo have been watching Su Baimo again?

 

There wasn’t any evidence, but Chu Jinglan’s intuition told him he was probably right.

 

Whenever Su Baimo appeared nearby, Xiao Mo’s attention seemed to shift toward him. This level of interest wasn’t insignificant.

 

So Chu Jinglan decided to keep an eye on it as well.

 

—

 

A moment later, it was their turn in line. Lin’an Academy disciples measured the three children’s bone age, cultivation level, and spiritual roots. They were pleasantly surprised: “Their aptitude is quite good!”

 

As they asked questions and recorded names and other information for each child, they finally reached the last question: “Are you rogue cultivators or sect disciples?”

 

The three children had answered all previous questions themselves and were about to answer this one too when Chu Jinglan calmly spoke first: “Rogue cultivators.”

 

The three children froze in place.

 

Yan Chun opened his mouth slightly but quickly closed it after observing Chu Jinglan’s expression. Chu Xia turned her head quietly, her eyes filled with confusion. Mo Zhi straightened his back proudly as if preparing to announce their sect affiliation but hesitated after hearing Chu Jinglan’s response. He glanced around quickly and wisely chose not to say anything.

 

The Lin’an Academy disciple didn’t look up or notice their varied reactions. He simply wrote down: “Rogue cultivators—got it.”

 

After finishing the registration process, he handed waist plaques to the three children and said: “You’ll officially start at Lin’an Academy five days from now. Go home and rest for a bit—say goodbye to your families—and be ready for reporting in. Welcome aboard, Junior Brothers and Junior Sister.”

 

The three children accepted the wooden plaques, which were made of black profound wood and engraved with pine and cypress patterns. They also had simple protective runes inscribed on them—far superior to the shabby wooden plaques from Du E Sect. Yet, instead of showing joy, the children looked troubled.

 

Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan led them back to Lin’an City, but the atmosphere along the way was tense and uneasy.

 

For Yan Chun, Chu Xia, and Mo Zhi, it had become clear that “rogue cultivators” referred to unaffiliated cultivators without a sect. Yet they clearly belonged to a sect—Du E Sect—and still kept their sect plaques carefully stored.

 

Having a sect meant having a home. For the three children who had once been homeless, it was Chu Jinglan and Xiao Mo who had given them a sense of belonging.

 

However, Chu Jinglan had claimed they were rogue cultivators at Lin’an Academy, and moreover… only the three of them were going to enroll in the academy. Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan hadn’t registered themselves.

 

This realization made the children increasingly uneasy, and they didn’t dare speak during the journey.

 

When the group of five arrived in Lin’an City, Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan brought the children to the courtyard house they had rented. This was the first time the children had seen it.

 

The courtyard wasn’t as large as their previous home in the Lower Realm, but it still had rooms specifically allocated for them. Realizing this eased their tension slightly.

 

Later, in the main hall, Chu Jinglan’s gaze swept over their anxious expressions before he calmly said: “It seems you’ve already guessed some of it.”

 

“That’s correct—Xiao Mo and I will not be enrolling at Lin’an Academy. You will need to work hard on your own while you’re there.”

 

Although they had vaguely prepared themselves for this possibility, hearing it confirmed by Chu Jinglan hit them much harder than expected.

 

Yan Chun and Chu Xia’s knees buckled as they tried to kneel on the spot!

 

Xiao Mo immediately used black mist to lift them back up, preventing them from kneeling. “What are you doing?”

 

Yan Chun’s eyes were red as he trembled and said: “I don’t want to leave Master and Shixiong—please let us stay!”

 

Chu Xia couldn’t hold back her emotions and burst into tears: “I want to stay too! I don’t want to go! Waaa!”

 

Mo Zhi stomped his feet angrily, his eyes red as well, shouting with a choked voice: “That’s right! I’m not leaving! Why are you kicking us out?!”

 

“Hey, hey—who said we’re kicking you out?” Xiao Mo conjured a small mist ball imbued with a cleaning spell and sent it floating toward Chu Xia’s face to wipe away her tears. “Be good—don’t cry anymore. Listen to what your Master has to say first, okay? You two stop crying too. Chu Jinglan—”

 

Amid Xiao Mo’s soothing words, Chu Jinglan began speaking unhurriedly. His tone remained unaffected by the atmosphere—calm and steady as always.

 

“I told you when I chose you in the Lower Realm that I need people who can help me in the future. Enrolling you at Lin’an Academy is your first task.”

 

Though his words felt cold-hearted, his unwavering tone somehow made them easier to absorb in such an emotional moment.

 

Chu Xia reduced her loud sobbing to quiet sniffles, afraid she might miss what Chu Jinglan was saying; Mo Zhi rubbed his eyes before plopping onto the floor to listen; Yan Chun clenched his small fists tightly and stood upright with hopeful eyes fixed on Chu Jinglan.

 

“In Lin’an Academy, there is an instructor named Liu Shao,” Chu Jinglan continued. “He is the best healer in the Middle Realm. If you can study medicine under him, that would be ideal. If not, you must do your best to earn his favor.”

 

Chu Jinglan explained: “I need him to heal my injuries.”

 

It was rumored that Liu Shao had been renowned for his benevolence and skill in healing during his early years. However, his temperament later grew eccentric, and he no longer treated people easily. Though he still held the title of the best healer in the Middle Realm, unless someone close to him sought him out personally, it was extremely difficult to persuade him to act again.

 

Upon hearing that their master was injured, the three children were startled. Chu Xia forgot her tears and grew flustered, while Yan Chun quickly asked, “Are you alright?”

 

Mo Zhi jumped up from the floor and demanded, “Where are you hurt? Who did this to you?!”

 

Good—at least they were paying attention now.

 

Chu Jinglan replied calmly, “It’s nothing. But I need you to gain Liu Shao’s favor within two years. This won’t be an easy task. If…”

 

“Master,” Yan Chun interrupted, raising his hand in a formal gesture and bowing deeply. “I will do everything in my power to fulfill your request.”

 

Chu Xia wiped away her tears and mimicked her brother’s gesture, saying crisply, “Me too!”

 

Mo Zhi chimed in enthusiastically: “And me! I’ll do it too!”

 

Seeing the three children standing before him with such determination, Chu Jinglan decided to leave his unfinished words unsaid.

 

Their actions spoke louder than any further explanation he could offer. There was no need for threats or coercion—they would remain loyal of their own accord. After all, they bore the blood contract he had planted within them, as well as the warmth and kindness Xiao Mo had shown them.

 

Life-and-death ties and genuine affection—these were the strongest bonds to hold someone’s heart.

 

Xiao Mo finished wiping away their tears and waved his hand to send them off to rest in their rooms. Then he turned to Chu Jinglan. Although Chu Jinglan hadn’t finished speaking earlier, Xiao Mo could already guess what he had intended to say.

 

After all, he knew Chu Jinglan far too well.

 

Standing before him, Xiao Mo tilted his head slightly and said: “The kids will help—they’re dependable, aren’t they?”

 

Chu Jinglan replied: “Because you’ve been good to them.”

 

Now that they were back at the courtyard house, both had removed their masks. Every expression was visible and clear. Xiao Mo raised an eyebrow: “You don’t think that in all these days spent together, you haven’t played a part too, do you?”

 

Chu Jinglan quietly looked at him.

 

“Fooling others is one thing—don’t fool yourself as well.” Xiao Mo raised his hand and pointed lightly at Chu Jinglan’s chest from a distance with his slender fingers. “Chu Jinglan, you’re someone with emotions and desires.”

 

Xiao Mo continued: “They don’t just think I’m good—they like you very much too.”

 

Chu Jinglan’s expression remained flat: “I don’t need unnecessary sentiments.”

 

Xiao Mo withdrew his hand and took two slow steps forward. “Suit yourself—keep being stubborn, Shixiong Chu.”

 

Still, Xiao Mo now understood why in the original story Yan Chun, Chu Xia, and Mo Zhi only carried Lin’an Academy titles.

 

Chu Jinglan had enrolled them as rogue cultivators. Later on, when he joined the Cloud Peak Six Sects, he never formally established Du E Sect or gave it a proper foundation as a sect. As long as they didn’t mention it themselves, no one would know that they originally belonged to a sect.

 

Du E Sect had been founded in the Lower Realm with only five members—a small name drowned amidst countless others on vast rosters that no one paid attention to. For Chu Jinglan, the sect was merely a tool—a means to obtain a disciple plaque for entering the Middle Realm. He never intended to manage a formal sect. Later on, Du E Sect likely never recruited any more disciples either.

 

Compared to colossal entities like Lin’an Academy and the Cloud Peak Six Sects, Du E Sect was nothing but an empty shell—a name that meant nothing.

 

Still, it had given the three children a small, warm dream.

 

Who knew whether, in the original story, there had ever been this sense of “home” as there was now?

 

“What a pity,” Xiao Mo said, glancing at the hem of his robe as it fluttered down. “I actually quite like the name ‘Du E.’”

 

When Chu Jinglan had chosen the name, he hadn’t given it much thought—it seemed casual. Yet Xiao Mo found it increasingly pleasant to say aloud. The meaning behind it was excellent too—worthy of a major sect’s grandeur.

 

Chu Jinglan’s gaze shifted slightly but didn’t respond.

 

Well, no matter, Xiao Mo thought. The name and the sect were created by Chu Jinglan—the decision is naturally his to make. There was no need for Xiao Mo to concern himself with it. Turning away, he asked: “So while they’re at Lin’an Academy, what are we doing?”

 

Chu Jinglan wasn’t one to sit idly by—he wouldn’t let the three children go off and work while he and Xiao Mo waited around for two years.

 

As expected, Chu Jinglan already had everything planned out.

 

Without hesitation, Chu Jinglan said: “We’re going to Yushan Sect.”

 

“We’ll both join Yushan Sect.”

 

---

 

1 Kofi = 1 Extra Chapter