The Young Daughter of the Nian Family Has Grown Up

The scorching sun blazed overhead, making the island exceptionally hot this season.

A flying sword descended steadily, landing in the Guest Welcome Bay by the island shore.

“Yun’er, we’ve arrived,” Elder Qi said. “At this time of year, many mortals come to Saint Water Palace daily to pay their respects to the island. Our luck has been good; the journey by sword was smooth and uneventful, and it just so happens to be the day the Skill Transmission Pavilion of Saint Water Palace begins selecting new disciples this month.”

Nian Yun’er lightly jumped, her slender, straight legs landing steadily on the soft sand.

Feeling the fine, white sand incredibly comfortable beneath her feet, she took small, dainty steps, pacing back and forth for quite some time.

“It’s so hot! Grandpa Qi, where are the ice blocks we brought? Give me another one!”

Nian Yun’er shielded her head from the scorching sun with her left hand, while her other small hand waved continuously in the air, fanning herself.

“Hehe, Yun’er, the ice blocks ran out on the way,” Elder Qi chuckled. “But don’t worry, once we enter the market gate of Saint Water Palace, it will naturally be cooler.”

He stroked his long beard, a look of contentment spreading across his face. ‘How long has it been since I last visited? This sea breeze feels wonderful!’

“Hmph! Why don’t you just fly straight in then, instead of making us walk so far?” Nian Yun’er demanded. “I’m not going to have to queue with all those people, am I?”

She put her hands on her hips, lifted her chin, and pointed towards the long queue in the distance that stretched almost to the sea.

“Oh, those are all mortals who’ve come to pay their respects to the island,” Elder Qi explained. “Some seek immortal opportunities, while others are here for business. Don’t underestimate them; there might be some favored children of heaven among them, or wealthy merchants who frequent the Sea of Oblivion. Saint Water Palace always treats these people with courtesy.”

Elder Qi gestured for Nian Yun’er to look at the market gate. Sure enough, once past the guard post, the welcoming outer disciples treated everyone with utmost politeness.

“Saint Water Palace… what a rustic name,” Nian Yun’er grumbled. “Can’t their Palace Master choose something more pleasant? Unlike our Heavenly Mirror Sect; that sounds much more imposing!”

“Yun’er, don’t speak nonsense!” Elder Qi admonished. “This isn’t Tianliu City. I hear the disciples of Saint Water Palace deeply revere their Palace Master. Don’t let them hear you disrespect Palace Master Luo; the consequences could be severe!”

He continued, “Besides, the more ‘rustic’ a name is, the older it usually is, and the deeper the sect’s heritage. This is a small but important lesson; you must remember it well!”

Elder Qi’s face was serious, yet he also sighed. ‘Looking across the entire continent now, Saint Water Palace is perhaps the only one, besides Great Chan Sect, that has prospered for a thousand years,’ he mused. ‘I truly wonder how those bald monks managed it. Truly remarkable.’

“I know…” Nian Yun’er muttered. “Isn’t the whole point of me coming here to become her disciple? Everyone says she’s the strongest cultivator on the continent, but I haven’t seen it with my own eyes. If my old man hadn’t forced me to come…”

Nian Yun’er pouted her small lips. Having just celebrated her eighth birthday, she was naturally a little unwilling to be so far from home on her first journey.

Elder Qi could do nothing about it. Eight years ago, Sect Master Nian had already decided to send her here. However, the Sect Master was too aggressive in his methods, not even bothering to give prior notice.

This was clearly a tactic to act first and report later.

Everyone on the continent knew that Palace Master Luo had never taken a disciple, and no one knew if there was some special rule preventing it.

If she didn’t agree, and they were driven off the island, how utterly awkward that would be…

Elder Qi held Nian Yun’er’s small hand, bypassing the queue and heading straight for the guard post. Along the way, his old face flushed crimson under the glares of those waiting in line.

He couldn’t stop complaining inwardly about Nian Yinfeng. ‘To think, a dignified Elder of a sect like me, reduced to using backdoors!’ he mused. ‘How utterly humiliating to have this known!’

Though young, Nian Yun’er could feel the piercing glares of the crowd. “Hmph! Stupid old man,” she fumed. “When I get back, I’m definitely telling Mother on him.”

In her anger, Nian Yun’er pulled a small black notebook from her Qiankun pouch at her waist. It was, surprisingly, a spiritual treasure.

This notebook had been a recent birthday gift from Granny Dai, the City Lord of Tianliu City.

The pages within were virtually endless, allowing her to freely write and erase on them with her finger; it was a gift for her to practice writing.

Nian Yun’er flipped through several pages. The first few were completely black, indicating they had long since been filled.

Nian Yun’er pulled her hand free from Elder Qi’s grasp. He naturally noticed, instantly knowing what she was about to do, but he merely sighed, his face a picture of helplessness.

Nian Yun’er then wrote on a blank page:

‘July Thirty-First.

Old man is a dummy. Vengeance points +5.

Grandpa Qi is also a dummy. Made Yun’er lose face. Vengeance points +10.’

“Esteemed senior, have you come to pay respects to the island?”

The guard post quickly noticed the elder and child, sending an alert signal within the market. Soon, a Golden Core inner disciple flew out on a sword to inquire, their tone remaining extremely polite.

“Hehe, young man, you work hard,” Qi Keshou said with a smile. “I am Qi Keshou, the Foreign Affairs Elder of the Tianjian Sect from Tianliu City, and I have come by order of Sect Master Nian Yinfeng to deliver a letter.”

As he spoke, he bowed to the young man before him, pulling out a personal letter written by Sect Master Nian just before their departure.

As a Foreign Affairs Elder, Qi Keshou was highly experienced in handling external sect affairs. At this moment, he naturally wouldn’t say they were merely here to pay respects to the island.

Indeed.

The inner disciple pulled out a sect roster and verified the seal on the letter. They then returned the bow and said, “Esteemed senior, please rest in the Foreign Affairs Hall within the market. I will go now to find a messenger disciple to report this.”

Qi Keshou winked at Nian Yun’er, a look of self-congratulation on his face. He then bowed to the inner disciple again. “Many thanks!”

Nian Yun’er pouted, a hint of reluctance on her face, but still opened her notebook again:

‘Grandpa Qi is a dummy. Vengeance points -5.’

The two followed the guiding disciple, moving deeper into the palace.

“Wow, it’s so big!”

While looking down from the flying sword earlier, Nian Yun’er hadn’t fully grasped the scale. But upon truly stepping into Saint Water Palace, she was stunned by the towering, massive pavilions before her.

The ground was paved with flat, wide roads, along which people flowed ceaselessly. Horse-drawn carriages carrying goods occasionally passed by Nian Yun’er.

In the sky above, Nian Yun’er saw dozens of people flying past on their swords in just a short while.

Having grown up in Tianliu City, Nian Yun’er naturally knew what this implied.

“Hehe, Yun’er, now you understand what true heritage means, don’t you?” Qi Keshou chuckled. “The ‘Number One Immortal Sect Under Heaven’ isn’t just a title written on a plaque at the sect entrance.”

Qi Keshou, however, remained quite calm. This wasn’t his first or second time visiting Saint Water Palace.

He had personally led the team when the disciples came to participate in the ‘Origin Festival’ last time, and that had been a hundred times livelier than now.

“It’s so cool!” Nian Yun’er exclaimed. As soon as they passed the main road and entered the smaller path between the market areas, she felt a refreshing coolness.

“This is the effect of Saint Water Palace’s protective formation,” Qi Keshou explained. “It’s called the ‘Nine Heavens Star Constellation Shifting Formation.’ The pavilions you see along the roadside are all array eyes.”

He continued, “There are 108 array eyes in total, corresponding to the 108 Heavenly and Earthly Fiends, meaning 108 pavilions. Saint Water Palace uses these array eyes to gather spiritual energy.”

“When the formation isn’t fully activated, each array eye acts as a spiritual gathering point. The disciples of Saint Water Palace live and cultivate within these array eyes daily. Such ingenious thought! The formation master of Saint Water Palace is truly a prodigy.”

“If we speak purely of defensive power, this formation is even stronger than Tianliu City’s city-protecting formation.”

He added, “And the reason you feel cool is that, during this season, Saint Water Palace’s grand formation is always biased towards the water element of the Five Elements, making the entire palace exceptionally cool.”

Upon hearing Nian Yun’er’s exclamation, Qi Keshou couldn’t help but speak volubly.

“Senior, you truly understand our Saint Water Palace,” the guiding disciple interjected, waving a hand. “However, it’s still a bit weaker than Tianliu City. Our Saint Water Palace is just an island, while Tianliu is an entire city. It can’t compare, it can’t compare.”

“Hehe, young man, your cultivation time is short,” Qi Keshou replied with a smile. “It’s understandable that you don’t know some of the true intricacies of the ‘Nine Heavens Star Constellation Shifting Formation.’ You should have a little more confidence in your own sect, haha!”

He continued, “My sect master and your esteemed Palace Master Luo have a friendship spanning two generations, so I naturally know some inside information.”

Qi Keshou had deliberately said this. It was the perfect time to leverage their connection.

Indeed, upon hearing this, the guiding disciple’s attitude immediately became respectful. They bowed deeply to Qi Keshou, saying, “Senior, please forgive me; I was truly ignorant of proper etiquette just now.”

“Hehe, young man, just treat us as you normally would, haha.”

Though Qi Keshou said this, he was secretly chuckling. Years of handling sect affairs had made him incredibly cunning. However, this was also necessary; it was his duty to ensure outsiders showed due respect to the Tianjian Sect, no matter when or where.

“Senior, please come this way!” The guiding disciple no longer dared to lead from the front. They bowed slightly, politely walking beside Qi Keshou.

Qi Keshou smiled in satisfaction, glancing down quietly. He saw Nian Yun’er’s curious expression, which meant the little girl had listened carefully to what he said.

This was good. Yun’er was young, and Qi Keshou was somewhat worried about her staying alone in this unfamiliar place to cultivate.

Children loved to play, and if she could grow to like this place, her sense of loneliness would be greatly reduced.

“We’ve arrived. This is the Foreign Affairs Hall. I will brew you a cup of immortal tea. Please rest here for a while, and feel free to help yourselves to the fruits and vegetables on the table.”

After speaking, the guiding disciple bowed deeply again, slowly backing away towards the hall entrance while facing Qi Keshou, before finally turning to leave.

“Hehe, Yun’er, how was that?” Qi Keshou picked a grape from the table and offered it to Nian Yun’er, a fawning smile on his face.

Nian Yun’er smiled in satisfaction, then pulled out her small notebook. With her finger, she meticulously crossed out the lines concerning Qi Keshou.