Chapter 51: Recommending Relatives, Panic on the Crane's Path

Chen Ling felt a sense of reluctance, but seeing her mother so demoralized and her daughter so resistant to entering Taixuan, she ultimately let out a soft sigh.

"I will follow Mother's arrangements."

This small interlude did not dampen the Chen family's good mood. That evening, the Chen family slaughtered chicken and boiled mutton—one to celebrate Jiang Youling's return, and the other to celebrate Chen Ling's entry into the immortal sect.

After three rounds of wine, even Old Lady Cui, who never drank, was slightly tipsy and began to speak of the past, a rare occurrence.

"Why do you think I forced you to study and went to all lengths to ensure you passed the exams for Taixuan? Do you truly think it was just to cultivate that nonsense immortality?"

Everyone was startled by her words, feeling that their mother (grandmother) might be a bit too drunk.

Old Lady Cui ignored them and continued under the influence of the alcohol, "Don't think that because Fuyao City is backed by the Taixuan Sect and no demons dare to invade on ordinary days, you can sleep soundly without a care."

Old Lady Cui tapped her wine cup with her chopsticks, producing a ringing sound like a stone chime, and pointed at Chen Yong and Chen Ling.

"More than forty years ago, Fuyao City was breached by demons three times. Your grandfather died amidst that chaos."

The expressions of everyone present changed. Since they were born, Fuyao City had been peaceful, and no demon siege had ever occurred. They never imagined that just forty-odd years ago, this city had fallen under the claws of demons.

"Your father and I were at the Taixuan Sect at the time and escaped the disaster. But what about those in Fuyao City? Before the demons, they were like mere chicks, utterly powerless to fight back..."

As she spoke of the heartbreak, Old Lady Cui's eyes were filled with sorrow.

"In truth, how could I not know that seeking immortality with a mortal body is nothing but a futile pursuit? Yet, in today's world, where demons run rampant, only by receiving the protection of the immortal sects and the imperial court can we mortals live peaceful lives. Otherwise, when the city gates are trampled by demons, one can only watch helplessly as their own kin and bloodline are all devoured as demon fodder..."

At this point, tears welled in the old woman's eyes. She let out a long sigh and rose from the table.

After Old Lady Cui left, everyone fell into silence. Chen Yu gently tugged at her mother's hem and whispered, "Mother, did I do something wrong to make Grandmother angry?"

Chen Ling sighed inwardly and patted her shoulder gently.

"It's not your fault. Even since I was born, the number of times I've seen a demon can be counted on one hand. Fuyao City is very peaceful now; your grandmother is simply overthinking things."

Chen Yu nodded, though she didn't quite understand.

Jiang Youling had personally witnessed the might of demons; she even knew that a demon's strength could increase or diminish for certain reasons. Thus, her grandmother's worries were not merely unfounded anxieties.

It was just that she placed all her hopes upon that lofty immortal sect, attempting to seek its protection. She did not know that when a true crisis descends, the lives of common laborers like them will always be ranked far behind the disciples with spiritual roots.

Therefore, one must not pin the safety of one's life on others. To truly save oneself, one must rely only on oneself.

Jiang Youling gently set down her bowl. "I am finished eating. I'll head back to my room to cultivate."

Jiang Mingyu frowned. "To cultivate so late at night? Isn't that too exhausting?"

"It's not exhausting. Cultivation isn't meant to be a hardship; one only needs to persist."

Jiang Youling returned to her room, sat cross-legged, and used the power of the Yang Spirit Pearl to enter a state of stillness, continuing to sense the two energies: Ying (Nutritive) and Wei (Defensive).

After an unknown amount of time, amidst a state of semi-consciousness, Jiang Youling felt a warm current surging within her body. Wherever the energy surged, even her body felt slightly warm.

The heat gradually spread, traveling slowly through the blood vessels of her entire body, and a wave of tingling comfort rose along her back. Immediately following this, a thread of coolness emerged from her pores, vanishing in an instant before she could even grasp it.

With the assistance of the Yang Spirit Pearl, the sensation of Qi was indeed much stronger; even being able to use it for only half an hour was sufficient.

As the fifth watch's rooster crowed, Jiang Youling opened her eyes and ceased her cultivation. Only then did that wondrous sensation gradually fade.

Jiang Youling had an epiphany: if the heat was the Ying Qi, then the coolness must be the Wei Qi!

Excellent. She was one step closer to the separation of the Ying and Wei energies!

Over the next two days, seeing that Jiang Youling was focused solely on cultivation and ate very little each day, Old Lady Cui urged her to return to the sect quickly.

"There are too many impurities in the food at home; look how thin you've become. Since there is nothing else to do, just take your mother back to Taixuan!"

Jiang Youling nodded and took out five spirit stones to hand to Grandmother Cui. "Grandmother, please take these spirit stones for now."

Old Lady Cui immediately pulled a long face and pushed the stones back.

"There are no spirit stones in this house to support you, yet here you are, trying to support the household! That letter of recommendation you brought back before—no matter how much you owe, you should have paid it off by now. If you do this again, you will truly break this old woman's heart!"

Left with no choice, Jiang Youling put the stones away.

Only then did Old Lady Cui show a smile again. "Youling, you are a capable girl. Once your mother goes to Taixuan, you won't need to look after her specifically; just take care of yourself."

Jiang Youling smiled upon hearing this. "Don't worry, Grandmother. Mother has a strong character; she won't be inferior to others. If Uncle does not wish to study, please do not force him again. As for Father, you must never let him go back to the mines."

Old Lady Cui nodded. "Now that you have gained some ability, your father will no longer feel the guilt that drives him to risk his life for spirit stones... You can rest easy about everything at home; just focus on your cultivation."

"Yes."

Under the eager gazes of the Chen family, Jiang Youling took her mother, Chen Ling, onto a celestial crane and set off toward Taixuan.

High in the sky, Chen Ling felt a wave of dizziness. Her face was as pale as paper, and her body began to shake uncontrollably. However, as an elder, how could she show weakness in front of her juniors?

Chen Ling nodded forcefully, though her lips were trembling. "I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid..."

Seeing her mother's deathly pale face and the way she clung tightly to the crane's neck, Jiang Youling proactively flew to her side and comforted her softly, "Don't worry, Mother. As long as you sit steady, you won't fall."

Chen Ling breathed a sigh of relief and hugged the crane tightly. "That's good, that's good..."

More than an hour later, the celestial crane descended at Reception Peak. It was the rule that new disciples must be received at Reception Peak before they could enter the mountain gates.

The person receiving them this time was a senior sister.

After verifying that the letter of recommendation was in order, the senior sister led Chen Ling toward the neighboring Hundred-Acquisition Peak.

Looking at the precipitous mountain path, Chen Ling suddenly felt a pain in her legs, and her fear of the crane dissipated slightly. She asked in confusion, "Are we not riding the celestial crane over?"

The Reception Senior Sister explained, "There are flying bridges established by the sect between all the peaks, allowing one to arrive in an instant. Only the stretch from Reception Peak to Hundred-Acquisition Peak lacks one. The sect did this intentionally to allow disciples to test their hearts and clarify their resolve—if one lacks the will to tread through clouds and break through mist, how can one ascend the path of immortality?"

Hearing this, Chen Ling's emotions were stirred, and her gaze became much more determined.

Upon arriving at Hundred-Acquisition Peak, because Chen Ling had entered through a recommendation, her initiation ceremony differed slightly from that of the other disciples.

Once she had completed all the formalities and reached the stage of division, she was directly assigned to the Dining Hall within the "Middle Four Academies."

The disciples of the Dining Hall did not have many shifts compared to the other academies; they were on duty in the mornings and evenings, but otherwise, they had little to do. Additionally, every ten days, Dining Hall disciples could receive a portion of Jade Well Water, and every month they could receive a portion of Mica Porridge—a small mercy, indeed.