The Sixth Elder

Dustless Peak was the mountain belonging to the Sixth Elder, Feng Ya. Dustless Peak was somewhat similar to Moon Laurel Immortal Palace in that it only accepted female disciples. Chittering like songbirds, beauties gathered here like clouds, but the most beautiful of them all was undoubtedly the Sixth Elder. Rumor had it that the Sixth Elder and the Palace Master of Moon Laurel Immortal Palace were close, bosom friends. Lu Yang had heard his senior brothers mention the Sixth Elder many times. They all told him not to lose his composure upon meeting her, for the Sixth Elder was a suffocatingly beautiful woman. "Lu Yang? What are you doing here?" At the foot of Dustless Peak, Lu Yang ran into Tao Yao. Tao Yao was tall and slender, youthful and radiant, standing out distinctly in a crowd. Lu Yang produced the ancient book. "Eldest Senior Sister told me to deliver this book to the Sixth Elder." "Master is out on some business and probably won't be back for another hour or so. Why don't you come inside and have a seat?" Tao Yao invited. Lu Yang put on a conflicted expression that betrayed his eager curiosity. "That wouldn't be appropriate, would it? A grown man like me..." "It's fine, it's fine. Anyway, the two of us have the lowest cultivation on Dustless Peak. Nothing could possibly happen." Lu Yang stared silently at Tao Yao. Her eyes were clear and innocent, as if completely unaware of how much psychological damage those words had inflicted on him. Lu Yang sighed and followed behind Tao Yao. Turning her head away, the corners of her lips curled up in a sly smile. "Oh, right. I still owe you five contribution points. Let me pay you back now." When Lu Yang bought the Ten-Ox-Strength Pill, he had been short by five contribution points and had borrowed five from Tao Yao. The Ten-Ox-Strength Pill had been quite effective and of great help to him. "You still remember that? I'd completely forgotten," Tao Yao said with a chuckle. "Speaking of which, doesn't this Immortal also have a lot of contribution points?" The Immortal Fairy remembered that she was now an honorary guest elder of the Dao Seeking Sect and had even slain a Body Integration stage cultivator, so Yun Zhi had rewarded her with plenty of contribution points. "Lu Yang, Lu Yang! I want to exchange them! I want to exchange them!" With the Immortal Fairy making such a ruckus, Lu Yang could not resist saying, "Once we leave Dustless Peak, I'll take you to the Contribution Exchange Board. You can buy whatever you want." "That's more like it." The Immortal Fairy nodded in satisfaction, feeling that Lu Yang was promising material. "Be careful around that area. Absolutely do not go over there," Tao Yao warned Lu Yang, pointing toward a pool of water. Mist swirled over the pool, obscuring the view inside, and melodious, bell-like laughter drifted out. "Senior sisters like to bathe there. A few years ago, a senior brother snuck onto Dustless Peak, relying on his superb escape arts, intending to peek at them. Then came his bloodcurdling screams." "Where is that senior brother now?" "Senior Brother's escape arts were so profound that he has vanished from the mortal realm." "..." Good grief, Dustless Peak was terrifying. Lu Yang rejoiced that he was an upright gentleman. Tao Yao led Lu Yang to her usual training grounds. "Care to spar?" "Sure." Lu Yang readily agreed and drew his Green Blade Sword. Only then did the Immortal Fairy remember that Lu Yang possessed a Sword Spiritual Root and theoretically was supposed to use a sword. Since her revival, she had never seen Lu Yang actually fight with a sword. "Senior Brother Lu, watch out. I've learned something new over the past two months." Tao Yao unfurled a red paper umbrella. With a flick of her wrist and a slight loosening of her palm, the red paper umbrella began to spin. Peach blossom petals scattered in profusion like rain and snow, obscuring Lu Yang's vision. Sword light flashed through the air with a whistling rush, seeking to sweep away the peach petals. Behind Lu Yang, the petals coalesced into a figure. Tao Yao snapped the umbrella shut and slashed downward across. As if having anticipated Tao Yao's move long ago, Lu Yang held his sword behind his back with one hand, blocking the strike. The red paper umbrella was crafted from some unknown material, capable of clashing head-on with the Green Blade Sword without sustaining the slightest damage. Sword light erupted abruptly; Tao Yao had not expected Lu Yang's sword techniques to be so swift. "Point Formula!" Lu Yang's gaze narrowed. Showing no mercy, he thrust toward Tao Yao's chest. Tao Yao gave a soft laugh and retreated a step. The umbrella's tip collided with the sword's point in an attempt to disrupt Lu Yang's swordsmanship, but Lu Yang's hand remained steady without the slightest tremor. In hot pursuit, he continued thrusting toward Tao Yao. Amidst the rain of peach blossoms, the Green Blade Sword and the red paper umbrella repeatedly clashed. Both moved with nimble agility, flickering past so fast their figures could barely be seen. Both had their moments of upper hand, yet neither could find the right opportunity to land a decisive blow. Suddenly, Lu Yang's eyes lit up as he spotted a flaw in Tao Yao's defense. The Green Blade Sword darted like a swimming fish, weaving through the shower of petals until it came to rest against Tao Yao's neck. "I surrender," Tao Yao said, helplessly raising her hands in defeat. Yet Lu Yang's stance shifted again, thrusting toward empty air. The true Tao Yao watched in astonishment as the gleaming tip pointed directly between her brows. This time, Tao Yao truly conceded. The rain of peach petals vanished, the surrendering Tao Yao dissolved, and the entire scene was revealed to have been an illusion. "How did you tell where the real me was?" Tao Yao didn't mind losing a spar; she was adept at learning from post-battle experience. "The technique I cultivate is the *Art of Illuminating the Heart and Seeing Nature*. It sees through illusions, making it your natural counter." "The *Art of Illuminating the Heart and Seeing Nature*? I've never heard of it." "I wrote it myself," Lu Yang said proudly. Creating one's own cultivation technique was no simple feat. Tao Yao was about to say something more when she looked up and saw a streak of rosy mist streaking overhead. "Master is back." Tao Yao brought Lu Yang to the Sixth Elder's immortal cave. Just as the senior brothers had said, the Sixth Elder was extraordinarily beautiful. Unlike Eldest Senior Sister's icy, frost-like countenance, the Sixth Elder wore a gentle smile, resembling an understanding older sister who gave off a very warm and welcoming presence. *Gasp... gasp... gasp...* Lu Yang suddenly found it difficult to breathe, as though all the oxygen around him had vanished. He gasped desperately, trying to squeeze some oxygen from the air, but to no avail. "Yaoye, didn't you tell him about my situation?" Tao Yao smacked her forehead. "I forgot." Tao Yao quickly pulled Lu Yang a good distance away from the Sixth Elder. Like a fish thrown back into the sea from the shore, Lu Yang gasped for breath. "*Whew... pant...* What's going on?" Tao Yao gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that! I forgot to tell you—my master has an Immaculate Immortal Physique. Unblemished by dust, it automatically expels the surrounding air. She can't control it either, so anyone who gets close to her feels like they're suffocating. You'll be fine as long as you hold your breath." Lu Yang: "..." No wonder everyone said the Sixth Elder was a suffocatingly beautiful woman. Was everyone in the Dao Seeking Sect this honest? Did they not even use figures of speech, only the literal truth? Holding his breath, Lu Yang approached the Sixth Elder once more. For a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage, temporarily going without breathing was not an issue as long as one was prepared. Once one reached the Golden Core stage, internal circulation would sustain the body, making breathing entirely unnecessary. "Lu Yang greets the Sixth Elder," Lu Yang said with a respectful bow. "Master spoke of you to me before. He said he has always viewed you like an elder sister of his own blood." Aboard the flying car, Daoist Buyu had recounted his relationship with the Sixth Elder to Lu Yang. The tale had been so touching that both Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou had been deeply moved. The Sixth Elder sneered. "Is that so? I've always viewed him like my own grandson." Lu Yang was struck speechless. He began to consider whether, whenever he traveled in the future, he should only invoke Eldest Senior Sister's name. Using Master's humiliating, hatred-drawing name was clearly best avoided.