Chapter 26: Blocking the Way (Please add to favorites! Please keep reading!)

Shao Heng gripped the Moon-Inquiry Token.

This was Zhao Tang's investment in her.

Within ten days, she had achieved Qi Induction; she had mastered all the basic techniques in the manual; every question she raised regarding cultivation methods struck at the very core of the matter, demonstrating insights so profound they could stump a third-realm cultivator...

Looking at Shao Heng, Zhao Tang had no doubt that this girl was destined to be an inner sect disciple. Even after her promotion, her exceptional comprehension would ensure she would never be mediocre.

In her twenty-odd years of teaching in the outer sect, this was the most talented disciple she had ever encountered.

"In exchange, I want you to obtain a treasure for me within sixty years—one that can only be accessed by those in the inner sect."

"A fourth-grade pill: the Longevity Azure Pill."

Shao Heng had seen this pill mentioned in a medicinal canon. A cultivator could only consume one in their lifetime, and its effect was to extend one's lifespan by sixty years.

Shao Heng lowered her eyelashes, doubt swirling in her mind: *I heard Elder Zhao is only just over three hundred years old, while a third-realm Purple Mansion cultivator possesses a lifespan of five hundred years. Why is she seeking the Longevity Azure Pill?*

But she did not ask, nor did she feel the need to.

She only needed to weigh the gains against the losses.

Compared to the Moon-Inquiry Token, both were items obtainable within the inner sect. However, since Zhao Tang could secure a Moon-Inquiry Token but could not demand a pill, Shao Heng already had a rough idea of which held higher value.

And yet...

"Deal."

The primary condition for a successful transaction is never whether the things exchanged are of equal value, but whether both parties can obtain what they desire from the deal.

Shao Heng wanted nothing more than to understand what the phenomenon she had witnessed meant.

The Shattered Moon possessed both the power of the stars and the power of the lunar essence. Logically, it should be the most suitable cultivation treasure for her current state, and it would be of immense benefit in further exploring the mysteries of her own aptitude.

"Good." Zhao Tang pulled a sheet of paper from her sleeve.

Shao Heng had already passed the stage of a newcomer to the cultivation world, where everything seemed strange and bewildering. She recognized this as a Covenant Curse, which only high-realm cultivators could refine.

The Great Dao is eternal, and a Covenant Curse contains a trace of Dao Rhyme. Any cultivator who signs such a curse will be relentlessly haunted by this rhyme if they fail to fulfill the contract, obstructing their path to cultivation.

Shao Heng said nothing more. She took the curse, scrutinized every word to ensure there were no linguistic traps, and then used her spiritual power as a pen and her blood as ink to sign her name.

The curse turned to ash under a sudden burst of blood-colored flames, and in the depths of her soul, she felt herself being bound by some form of restraint.

Zhao Tang was not surprised. Their several encounters over the past three months had been enough to allow her to grasp a glimpse of Shao Heng's true nature.

She then produced a jade slip, adding more to the deal.

"The Profound Moon Secret Realm is fraught with danger. Even among fellow disciples of the True One Sect, people will not necessarily show you any kindness; you are all rivals competing for opportunities. Therefore, whether you can grasp the mysteries within this low-grade immortal technique to preserve your life depends entirely on your own ability."

With that, Zhao Tang pressed the item into Shao Heng's hand, said no more, and turned to leave.

Shao Heng stowed the Moon-Inquiry Token and the jade slip into her storage ring and followed closely out of the lecture hall.

Zhao Tang walked very fast; perhaps using some technique, she vanished from sight in the blink of an eye.

It was only when Shao Heng stepped out of the Myriad Law Building that she realized someone was waiting for her at the entrance.

She stood her ground composedly, arms crossed, scanning the group before her.

They were all from her same cohort, people who had clearly already left the lecture hall.

Aside from the four old acquaintances—Lu Shaojing, Lu Shaojia, Yan Ning, and Qin Ji—there were three unfamiliar faces.

As soon as she stepped out, these seven surrounded her, clearly targeting her.

Shao Heng remained unhurried and calm, but Lu Shaojing could not hold back and spoke first: "Was Elder Zhao Tang just giving you private lessons?"

"What did she tell you? Why did she specifically set up an isolation spell to keep us away?"

Their eyes were fixed on her. One youth, looking quite young and possessing a delicate, jade-like appearance, spoke up: "Senior Sister, we cultivators walk an open path. There is nothing that cannot be spoken of. Why not just tell us what Elder Zhao said?"

Gu Yusui had already learned from her elder sister that Zhao Tang was a rare third-realm cultivator among the outer sect elders, with connections in the inner sect that allowed her to obtain precious information.

A young man with refined features, whom Shao Heng remembered as 'Zhao Chuanzhen,' also spoke: "Junior Sister Shao Heng, why not tell us? If there is anything we don't understand, we can deliberate together. It would be a way to pool our wisdom and offer you suggestions, wouldn't it?"

Aside from those who spoke, the others were merely watching.

Silence was also a form of testing.

Shao Heng let out a scoff.

"A bunch of useless nobodies, and you want to know what Elder Zhao taught me? You aren't worthy of hearing it."

The expressions of the seven darkened instantly. Zhao Chuanzhen's eyes flared with rage: "How dare you be so arrogant! Even if your Qi Induction was fast, low-grade aptitude is still low-grade aptitude. We have all achieved Qi Induction, and our cultivation speeds are nearly the same. How much stronger can you actually be? What gives you the right to call us nobodies?"

"Do you really think your cultivation is profound? I have practiced since childhood and achieved Qi Induction at eight; I have long been ahead of you!"

Shao Heng glanced at them. Zhao Chuanzhen indeed had the highest cultivation among the seven, with spiritual power fluctuations between forty and fifty cauldrons. Gu Yusui was just over thirty, while the other five were all around ten cauldrons.

Zhao Chuanzhen continued to drone on.

"It was merely a suggestion to deliberate together and pool our wisdom. Your behavior is truly selfish."

Shao Heng raised an eyebrow and retorted sharply.

"I'm selfish? No, I just won't let you take advantage of me."

Gu Yusui's face flushed red at this, and she couldn't help but say, "We had no such intention. You are being far too sensitive, Senior Sister Shao Heng."

"Sensitive? Am I not simply guessing your true intentions?"

Yan Ning glared at her and huffed, "You're still as unpleasant as ever, completely unreasonable."

"Of course I'm unpleasant. When I hit a nerve, of course you're going to find it unpleasant."

"As for being unreasonable? It's just that you can't win an argument with me, so now you can only resort to throwing mud."

Shao Heng responded to every jab. Seeing them all looking so stifled and frustrated gave her a sense of immense satisfaction.

"Don't talk to me about Elder Zhao giving me private lessons. Even if she did, so what? I have talent and high comprehension. If she didn't give it to me, would she give it to you?"

"Could you even understand it if she did!"

"If you're dissatisfied, come settle it with me at the combat arena. All seven of you can come at once. I dare you."

Her attitude was hard and uncompromising. This actually startled Gu Yusui, reminding her of her sister's previous warnings.

Today, being provoked by Qin Ji and the others, she had seen how Shao Heng usually kept to herself. She had subconsciously assumed that if they came together, Shao Heng would eventually back down, since it was just sharing information and not a major matter.

For a moment, Gu Yusui felt trapped, unable to move forward or retreat.

Then Qin Ji spoke, his tone gentle: "Sister Heng, why must you be so stubborn? There are seven of us, and you are only one..."

Before he could finish his sentence, he was sent flying by a sudden gust of wind, crashing violently into the ground and leaving a beautiful, bloody arc in his wake.

A look of disgust crossed Shao Heng's face; she was genuinely revolted by Qin Ji's words. She had just blasted him with a Wind Blow Technique.

"Ugh... truly, all sorts of filth and stench keep coming toward me. Get far away from me."