Chapter 73: Innate Spirit

The fine snow and cold mist seemed to have settled.

A petite figure, clad in sword robes, with her hair tied in a ponytail, held an empty scabbard in her hand. With her head held high and chest out, a glimpse of her proud demeanor could already be seen.

Lu Jiajia looked at her with satisfaction, a slight smile briefly touching her lips before fading. She said earnestly, "Xiaoling, your talent truly exceeded my expectations. However, your achievements today largely rely on your Innate Spirit. While a powerful Innate Spirit is certainly a good thing, your current cultivation realm is only at the initial stage of Inner Mystery. You must understand that in the path of cultivation, in a true life-or-death battle, if you yourself are defeated, even an immensely powerful Innate Spirit will have no power to fight again. Between life and death, the only thing you can truly rely on is yourself. Therefore, you must never become arrogant or complacent. Remember to cultivate diligently."

Lu Jiajia's voice was gentle yet cool, like a jade-green river flowing through the cold mist around her, clearing one's mind.

As she spoke, she flicked her finger again, and the longsword transformed into a shimmering silver light, returning to its scabbard.

Ning Xiaoling held the sword with both hands, her thumb resting on the blade, and respectfully said, "Yes, Master."

Everyone gradually recovered from their earlier shock, their gazes towards Ning Xiaoling now holding a touch of awe. Even some disciples who had painstakingly cultivated for years to finally join the inner sect felt envy and hatred well up in their hearts upon witnessing the scene, almost losing their inner composure.

Fortunately, Lu Jiajia's gentle and clear words just now suppressed the nameless flames that had ignited in many people's hearts.

Many who had felt unbalanced just now suddenly felt much better upon hearing the words 'initial stage of Inner Mystery'— "So, this little girl isn't relying on her own strength, but because her Innate Spirit is powerful enough..."

Even so, this privileged treatment still aroused jealousy, but most people's mindsets had stabilized. As Lu Jiajia said, in actual combat, if you strike first and seize their vital point with one sword blow, what good is an Innate Spirit, no matter how powerful?

They are nothing more than rootless duckweed.

"I think Master is just biased towards Ning Xiaoling!"

After the Cloud Terrace Sword Arena dispersed, disciples were free to cultivate anywhere on Tianku Peak. On a cliffside rock, Le Rou, who had already changed into a soft cotton dress, stood with her arms crossed, her face full of indignation.

Two youths accompanying her nearby looked at her helplessly. These two youths were Xu Weiran and Yun Ze, who had placed first and second in today's sword exhibition.

Xu Weiran stood beside her, gently patted her shoulder, and comforted her, saying, "Junior Sister Ning merely benefited from her Innate Spirit. Master also said her realm is only at the initial stage of Inner Mystery, which is a whole realm lower than Junior Sister Le Rou. Why bother being upset with her, Junior Sister?"

Yun Ze, meanwhile, casually sat nearby, tossing a few small pebbles in his hand, and leisurely said, "So what do we do? Should we find an opportunity to teach that little girl a lesson and let her know who the true Senior Sister of Tianku Peak is?"

Le Rou shot him a glare and said, "Ning Xiaoling cultivates with us in the morning, and in the afternoon, she goes back to find her foolish Senior Brother. Where would we get a chance to prank her? Besides, if Master finds out, I'll be sent to meditate facing a wall again."

Yun Ze chuckled, teasingly saying, "Opportunities are created, you know. Little Xiaoling has only just shown her potential, and Junior Sister already feels so much crisis. This Senior Sister's demeanor seems a bit..."

Le Rou snapped, "Shut up! You're more trouble than you're worth. No wonder you were beaten into the ground at last year's Four Peaks Sword Meet. So embarrassing!"

Yun Ze sighed, "Yes, yes, yes, Junior Sister Le Rou is very formidable, but she only lasted two rounds."

Le Rou scoffed coldly, "I'm just a delicate young girl to begin with. Fighting and killing are your business!"

Xu Weiran, who was standing nearby, smiled slightly and said, "Then why are you so competitive, Junior Sister?"

Le Rou rested her chin in her hand and said, "I'm just unhappy."

Yun Ze showed a look of sudden realization and said, "You didn't fall for her foolish Senior Brother, did you? I've seen you glancing at him often during morning lessons."

Le Rou glared at him and fiercely said, "Get lost! You're the one who fell for him!"

Yun Ze chuckled awkwardly, "That's true, that's true. Our Senior Brother Weiran is the strongest after Senior Brother Nancheng, he's definitely better than that freeloading guy..."

As he spoke, he noticed that Le Rou was staring at him with a fierce glare in her eyes.

Yun Ze immediately shut up and said, "How about we go down the mountain to clear our heads? The outer sect disciples are incredibly envious when they see us, especially those young girls, calling us 'Senior Brother' so sweetly."

Le Rou said coldly, "Vain."

Then she tilted her head back, glanced at Xu Weiran, and asked, "Senior Brother, are you going?"

Xu Weiran smiled slightly, "I have no objection."

Not long after Ning Changjiu returned to his room, the door opened, and Ning Xiaoling walked in, her expression normal.

"What makes you so happy?" Ning Changjiu asked.

Ning Xiaoling was startled, touched her cheeks, and said, "No, nothing."

Ning Changjiu smiled slightly, "Did your cultivation break through another bottleneck?"

Ning Xiaoling's eyes widened, her cute little face full of confusion: "Senior Brother, how did you know...?"

Ning Changjiu asked, "Reached the middle stage of Inner Mystery?"

Ning Xiaoling replied honestly, "I've ascended to a higher stage."

Ning Changjiu was not too surprised and said, "Although the residual demonic power of those old foxes is enough to let you advance rapidly, you must not be greedy and take too much, otherwise, your small body might not be able to bear it."

Ning Xiaoling nodded vigorously and said, "I know my limits. Today, Sister Jiajia said I was at the initial stage of Inner Mystery in front of everyone."

Ning Changjiu said, "She did that for your own good. You've only just entered the sect, and it's good to conceal your abilities."

Ning Xiaoling nodded and said, "I know, but I still feel a bit stifled."

Ning Changjiu ruffled her hair and chuckled, "Hmm, just wait until Junior Sister makes a stunning debut and scares them to death in the future."

Ning Xiaoling nodded obediently, then asked, "Senior Brother, how have you been lately?"

Ning Changjiu was silent for a moment and said, "Perhaps I'm truly not suited for cultivation."

Ning Xiaoling lay on the table and said dejectedly, "Senior Brother, will I be the only one protecting you from now on?"

Ning Changjiu leaned back in his chair, his hands tucked into his sleeves, gazing at the vast misty view outside the window, and sighed softly.

Ning Xiaoling said, "Senior Brother, don't be unhappy anymore."

Ning Changjiu was slightly startled and chuckled softly, "Am I really that unhappy right now?"

Ning Xiaoling nodded and said, "Yes, I can feel it..."

Ning Changjiu said, "I'm not unhappy."

Just a little sad.

Ning Xiaoling's soft lips pursed slightly. She moved her chair closer to him. Suddenly, she reached out with her left hand and waved it in front of him, "Senior Brother, Senior Brother."

"Hmm?" Ning Changjiu was slightly puzzled.

"Aow..." Ning Xiaoling let out a soft yelp. Then, with a 'thwack', her other hand slapped Ning Changjiu's right shoulder. At some point, she had grabbed a small, snow-white fox. After the fox climbed onto his shoulder, it scurried up along his shoulder and swiftly climbed onto his head, its claws scratching wildly and messing up Ning Changjiu's hair.

That was the Innate Spirit Ning Xiaoling had summoned.

The little fox, which originally had a broken tail, now had its tail almost fully regrown. It wagged its small tail behind it, emitting soft squeaking sounds.

Ning Changjiu reached up to his head, precisely grabbed the snow fox by the scruff of its neck, lifted it, and put it back into Ning Xiaoling's arms.

Ning Xiaoling pouted slightly and unhappily said, "That didn't even scare Senior Brother. How boring."

Ning Changjiu chuckled, "That uses up a lot of spiritual energy. Put away your divine ability."

Ning Xiaoling persisted. Stroking the little fox in her arms, she said, "Senior Brother, you said everyone's Innate Spirit is incomplete at first. So, when its broken tail grows back fully, will it be complete?"

Ning Changjiu said, "Yes, after its tail grows back completely, it will be one step closer to completion."

"Huh? What do you mean, 'one step closer'?"

"Eight more to go."

"Oh..."

Ning Xiaoling suddenly felt like it was an endlessly distant future again.

"Oh, by the way," Ning Xiaoling asked, "that old fox, the one with both ice and fire, how many tails did it have?"

Ning Changjiu said, "Eight."

Ning Xiaoling sighed, picked up the little fox, gently tossed it up, and the little fox transformed into specks of spiritual energy, returning to her body. She mumbled, "By then, Xiaoling will be an old maid."

Ning Changjiu said, "Cultivators can live for a very, very long time."

Ning Xiaoling stubbornly said, "But no matter how long you live, your age keeps increasing. Twenty, thirty-four, forty, one hundred, two hundred..."

Ning Xiaoling counted on her fingers, feeling more and more despair the more she counted.

Ning Changjiu looked at her with gentle eyes and said, "Don't worry, as long as you look young, you'll be young forever."

Ning Xiaoling listened to his sophistry, but still felt her spirits lift. She suddenly remembered something and asked, "Senior Brother, you said before that you originally had an Innate Spirit, but it disappeared later. What was your Innate Spirit?"

Ning Changjiu closed his eyes, his thoughts lost in reverie. He leisurely said, "I can't remember."

That night, under the moon, Master pulled out the Innate Spirit and sliced it with a sword. The Innate Spirit struggled, emitting golden light, appearing both mournful and in pain. As it was torn out, it was like a golden river rushing through crimson flames, then swallowed by the moon's shadow like a colossal wave.

The only thing he could remember was this scene... As for what the Innate Spirit was, he couldn't remember it no matter how hard he tried.

"So how can you get it back?" Ning Xiaoling asked. "If you get it back, will Senior Brother become very powerful?"

"Can't get it back..." Ning Changjiu said subconsciously, but his words suddenly stopped.

He didn't know what he had thought of, but his whole body trembled violently, and his face instantly turned pale.

Ning Xiaoling was startled and asked in alarm, "Senior Brother, what's wrong...?"

Ning Changjiu seemed not to hear her words. He stared blankly ahead, muttering to himself, "Innate Spirit... Innate Spirit?! Who said my Innate Spirit disappeared..."

This is twelve years ago.

His current self, twelve years in the past, hadn't even begun cultivating. So naturally, he hadn't formed his Spirit yet!

Master's spirit-slicing occurred twelve years later.

Nothing had begun yet.

Everything was just beginning...