Jade Finger Peak

The Daoist boy activated a bead-shaped magic tool, producing a cluster of white light that enveloped the two of them as they flew toward the Landou Sect. Under the incarnation's deliberate flattery, the Daoist boy found him increasingly agreeable, his tone growing quite cordial. Of course, the incarnation knew very well that he possessed nothing that truly commanded the Daoist boy's respect; this attitude was mere surface courtesy. Were he to misspeak and provoke the boy's ire, the boy would surely punish him harshly without the slightest hesitation. Now that he had entered the Landou Sect, there was no need to rush; he could investigate its secrets at his leisure. Thus, the incarnation patiently fielded the Daoist boy's questions, rarely taking the initiative to ask anything himself. The place where Old Daoist Huayang had dropped them off was not far from the Landou Sect to begin with. After speeding through the air for a short while, the two arrived before a mountain range shrouded in light mist. The Daoist boy produced a token and gave it a slight wave. The mist parted to either side, revealing a narrow path leading straight to the summit. The Daoist boy swept up the incarnation, and their fleeing light zipped through the path in the blink of an eye. Immediately, an exclamation of wonder escaped the incarnation's lips. "This is where our Landou Sect's mountain gate lies. Those three are the Canglan Peaks, and the two opposing mountains over there are our Twin Yin-Yang Peaks..." The Daoist boy pointed ahead with a smile, seemingly very pleased with the incarnation's expression. The incarnation's wonder was not entirely feigned. The grand spectacle within the Landou Sect was even a cut above Shaohua Mountain, truly making it the most formidable sect he had ever seen in his life. It was worthy of being a major sect that held a place in the Canglang Sea; though it faced decline, its heritage was still astonishing. Beneath a vast, clear sky and drifting white clouds, amid a haven of otherworldly beauty, five towering peaks thousands of fathoms high pierced the vault of heaven like sharp swords, not falling short of Shaohua Mountain's main peak in the slightest. The direction in which the Daoist boy was pointing was toward these very five great peaks. The Three Canglan Peaks were spaced somewhat apart, whereas the Twin Yin-Yang Peaks stood in tight proximity, separated only by a narrow chasm like a thread of sky; viewed from another angle, they appeared entirely as a single mountain. This reminded the incarnation of Shaohua Mountain's Jianmen Pass. Apart from these five peaks, the other mountains, though charming, were ordinary scenery. The Daoist boy veered the white light around, yet rather than heading straight for the Twin Yin-Yang Peaks, he flew toward a nearby range where several peaks stood shoulder to shoulder. The peaks were slender, lofty, and lush with greenery. The figures of cultivators appeared from time to time within the mountains, none of their cultivation levels particularly high. At this moment, the incarnation seemed to come back to his senses, though his gaze still lingered on the five peaks. As if suddenly remembering something, he asked offhandedly, "Martial Uncle Yang, which one is the Douniu Peak that Grandmaster mentioned back at Yanmiao Pavilion?" "Douniu Peak?" The Daoist boy was taken aback. His gaze swept over his familiar sect, a look of perplexity on his face. "If you hadn't brought it up, I would have forgotten! I don't recall ever hearing of Douniu Peak before. I wonder which peak Master was referring to. I'll have to ask my senior brothers later..." Seeing that the Daoist boy's reaction did not appear feigned, the incarnation mused inwardly that it was no wonder. If even this Foundation Establishment cultivator, who had trained in the Landou Sect for years, was unaware of Douniu Peak's existence, it was little surprise that no information could be gathered outside. Yet why the Landou Sect kept information regarding Douniu Peak under such tight wraps remained a mystery. Apprehension stirred in the incarnation's heart, and he began to hesitate. He had come on account of specious information, pinning a thread of hope upon Douniu Peak. Now, it seemed that even its heritage was thoroughly severed, and there might be severe flaws in that cultivation method. Could he truly find what he sought? By comparison, the Scorpion Poison Grass might offer a better chance. Still, now that he was here, he had to make the best of it. Having gone to such great lengths to infiltrate the Landou Sect, the incarnation would not leave until he had thoroughly investigated the matter. "Ahead is Jade Finger Peak. According to sect rules, you must remain on this peak to cultivate until you condense the Yin-Yang Armor. Jade Finger Peak is also referred to as the outer sect; only upon receiving the true legacy can one cultivate on the Yin-Yang Peaks. I'll take you to see Senior Brother Lu first..." Having racked his brain to no avail, the Daoist boy put Douniu Peak out of his mind and continued introducing the sect to the incarnation. "Junior Brother Yang!" Just then, a soft call came from the distance. A streak of sword light banked and flew toward them, arriving in an instant to reveal the figure of a middle-aged cultivator. The man was exceptionally warm toward the Daoist boy. "I heard that you successfully completed Foundation Establishment, Junior Brother Yang. I intended to visit and congratulate you, but then learned you had left the mountain with Senior Martial Uncle Huayang. To think we would run into each other here at Jade Finger Peak! Has Senior Martial Uncle Huayang accepted you as a personal disciple?" "Ah, Senior Brother Lu!" The Daoist boy clasped his hands in greeting. "I was just about to look for you. It was pure luck that I managed Foundation Establishment. Master did mention it, but he hasn't officially taken me as a personal disciple yet." Senior Brother Lu congratulated him with evident envy, "Isn't that just a matter of time? Let me offer my congratulations in advance, Junior Brother. With Senior Martial Uncle Huayang's personal guidance, you are bound to soar to great heights. Core Formation is just around the corner..." After chatting for a while, Senior Brother Lu finally seemed to notice the incarnation. "Eh? This one looks unfamiliar. Could he be a new disciple you've taken in, Junior Brother?" The Daoist boy shook his head slowly. "I'm not so arrogant as that. Having just reached Foundation Establishment, my main priority is stabilizing my cultivation. How could I have the ability to instruct a disciple? I came looking for you precisely because of him. His name is Zhang Yue. Master just inducted him into the sect and sent me over to register his name in the jade register..." "Since he was inducted by Senior Martial Uncle Huayang and brought here by you in person, Junior Brother Yang, his talent must be quite decent. Come with me, both of you..." Senior Brother Lu showed no surprise at this and promptly led them flying back toward Jade Finger Peak. In the blink of an eye, the three touched down before a wooden hall situated on one of the Jade Finger Peaks. With a wave of his hand, Senior Brother Lu opened the hall's restrictive barrier and cautioned as he walked inside, "Junior Brother Yang, though Zhang Yue was inducted by Senior Martial Uncle Huayang, certain procedures established by sect rules cannot easily be skipped." "Rest assured, Senior Brother Lu, I understand. Bringing him here was precisely for this purpose; please proceed according to the rules. However, there is one matter where I require Senior Brother's assistance." The Daoist boy gestured for the incarnation to step forward and answer Senior Brother Lu's questions. Senior Brother Lu smiled faintly as he went about his tasks and asked, "What matter are you referring to, Junior Brother?" The Daoist boy replied helplessly, "Why ask what you already know, Senior Brother? The situation of our Yin-Yang lineage is known to everyone in the sect. By the rules, all disciples sent to Jade Finger Peak must undertake a mundane assignment. But disciples of our Yin-Yang lineage must divide their attention to condense the Yin-Yang Armor after entering the sect. If weighed down by onerous external duties on top of that, when will he ever break free?" A look of awkward difficulty crossed Senior Brother Lu's face. "When the new disciples entered earlier this year, I handled it just as you ask, but everyone watches these affairs closely, which brought a great deal of criticism. Why doesn't Senior Martial Uncle Huayang simply issue a formal jade decree? That would save a lowly Foundation Establishment cultivator like me from being caught in a dilemma." "'Ancestral laws cannot easily be altered by a single lineage,' Master once said..." The Daoist boy sighed softly. "Master and the elders indeed intend to submit a petition regarding this matter once the Grandmaster returns. Until then, I can only ask Senior Brother Lu to accommodate us once more."