Venturing Outside

A decade had passed.

Xu Yi, now in the late stage of infant trasformation, sat at the right side of Elder Qingfeng and proposed her plan to venture out.

“…I have decided to depart tomorrow. I kindly ask Elder Qingfeng to convey my message to the other five elders. There was no need for me to bid each of them farewell individually.” Xu Yi spoke with determination and composure, though a hint of unease lurked deep in her eyes.

She exuded an air of ancestral authority, as if she were the ancestor of a sect.

Elder Qingfeng remained composed, having long anticipated Xu Yi’s request.

In recent times, his obedient disciples had informed him that the ancestral master had been inquiring about matters concerning the Nine Provinces, hinting at a desire to leave.

Thus, he had already spread the news when Xu Yi arrived, leaving him no choice but to apologize with a smile.

“Since the ancestral master has made up her mind, I shall not hinder you. However, I suggest you personally inform the elders instead of relying on me to relay the message.”

Xu Yi caught a glimpse of a faint smile at the corner of Elder Qingfeng’s mouth, sending a chill down her spine.

As expected, the five elderly men with snowy white hair burst into the room, wailing and lamenting, surrounding her.

Their general sentiment was whether the Xuanji Sect had done something wrong, neglecting her, and they, the five old men, deserved to be punished severely.

Among them, Elder Fang, in charge of the medical hall, displayed the most exquisite acting skills. Not only did he cry the loudest, but his emotions were also the most fervent.

Xu Yi feared that the old man might actually faint from his excessive display of emotions.

Knowing they were putting on a show, Xu Yi had to patiently console the five old men, persuading them for quite some time before they finally calmed down.

“Esteemed elders, I understand your concerns, but as a cultivator, I should not be content with the status quo. I deeply feel that I have reached a bottleneck and it is imperative for me to venture out. Please rest assured, I will exercise utmost caution during this journey.”

Never again would she be trapped in a secret realm for two hundred years without being able to escape.

Xu Yi didn’t voice this thought, but the five elders understood her unspoken words.

They exchanged glances, sighed softly, and knew that the master’s determination was unwavering.

They could no longer stop her, no matter what.

Although they referred to Xu Yi as “ancestral master,” in their hearts, they still regarded her as a junior.

Seeing their inexperienced master embarking on a journey, even though they knew the Nine Provinces was much safer now than before, they couldn’t help but worry for her.

After a brief telepathic conversation, the five elders reached a decision.

Elder Chen cleared his throat and spoke gently, “Since the ancestral master is ambitious, we should not hinder her. However, considering the lessons learned from the past and the ancestral master’s relatively short cultivation time, it is difficult for us to feel at ease.”

Therefore, we have come up with a solution. How about selecting a few disciples to accompany the master on her journey? They can take care of each other, and it will put our minds at ease.

What do you think?

Choosing a few people to accompany her?

Xu Yi’s initial thought was to refuse.

Besides the reasons she had mentioned earlier, another reason she wanted to venture out was to avoid being treated with excessive caution by the disciples of the Xuanji Sect.

Being addressed as “ancestral master” by young disciples of her own age made her feel as if she had aged significantly, and even her mindset seemed to be gradually aging.

Their eyes towards her had become increasingly affectionate.

However, if she refused, the old men would definitely not allow her to leave.

So, she decided to negotiate with them, and it took considerable effort to convince them to reduce the number of companions to just one.

As Xu Yi departed, the elders were still debating fiercely over who should accompany the venerable master.

Elder Chen believed that his eldest disciple, who was of similar age and cultivation level, was the most suitable candidate.

Elder Fang argued that his junior disciple, Putao, had a close relationship with her and was the best choice.

Elder Qingfeng, who had been spectating all along, also chimed in.With the number of disciples he had taken on, he had no trouble finding a suitable disciple.

On the following day, amidst the lingering gazes of several elders and numerous disciples of the Xuanji Sect, Xu Yi stepped out of the gate.

Before long, she spotted a man in an indigo Daoist robe, standing by the roadside with a tall and upright figure.

She thought to herself that he must be the disciple chosen by the elders.

The man seemed to sense her gaze and turned around, speaking in a deep voice, “Disciple Lu Zaiye pays respects to the Ancestral Master.”

“No need for excessive courtesy. Which elder’s disciple are you? I don’t recall having seen you before,” Xu Yi replied.

Having mingled with the elders for a decade, Xu Yi had already acquainted herself with most of their direct disciples.

However, this sharp-eyed and cold-tempered disciple was the first she had encountered. Curiosity piqued, she inquired about his lineage.

“Disciple is under the guidance of Elder Qingfeng,” he answered.

Ah, so he was Elder Qingfeng’s disciple, Xu Yi realized.

Elder Qingfeng loved taking on disciples, with a current count of thirty-six direct disciples.

Xu Yi had only managed to remember a dozen or so whom she had interacted with the most.

Lu Zaiye, with his cultivation at the late infant transformation stage like hers, was likely chosen by Elder Qingfeng for this reason.

Observing Lu Zaiye’s stiff demeanor, Xu Yi reached out and patted his shoulder, speaking in a friendly tone, “There’s no need to be so serious. I am easy to get along with. As we venture outside, we must be cautious. You don’t have to address me as Ancestral Master, just call me Xu Yi.”

With a furrowed brow, Lu Zaiye responded, “That would be against propriety.”

Xu Yi wasn’t afraid of those crying old men, but she wasn’t afraid of Lu Zaiye either, despite his seemingly bad temper.

“I am the Ancestral Master, and do as what I say. I definitely won’t tell them,” Xu Yi retorted sternly.

Why was Lu Zaiye just as rigid as those old men?

Under Xu Yi’s coercion, Lu Zaiye reluctantly called out, “Xu Yi.”

Satisfied, Xu Yi said, “From now on, address me like that. Remember?”

“I will remember,” Lu Zaiye replied, his dark and dense eyelashes concealing the emotions flickering in his eyes.

Having learned from her previous lesson, Xu Yi deliberately chose a different path this time, heading towards the mountain backside.

Once they left the boundaries of the Xuanji Sect, she felt refreshed, as if the invisible pressure weighing on her had dissipated.

“Lu Zaiye, have you been to any other places before? Where do you think we should go next?” Xu Yi stretched her body and turned her head, seeking his opinion.

After pondering for a moment, Lu Zaiye cautiously answered, "Disciple has only been to Yang province, where the Beast Taming Sect is located. It is adjacent to the Shen province where many rare demonic beasts can be encountered. It is a favored place for cultivation for disciples of the Nine Provinces. "

Excitement welled up within Xu Yi upon hearing this.

She immediately decided that their first destination for cultivation would be Yang province.

Traveling from Zhong province to Yang province couldn’t be accomplished solely through a Teleportation Formation.

They needed to first go to Meng city, the closest city to the Xuanji Sect, and then take a Teleportation Formation from there to Li city, located on the border of Zhong province.

Finally, they would take another Teleportation Formation from Li city to reach Yang province.

The first place they were heading to now was Meng city.