This is a secret between us

Cao Xueyan had not yet wiped away her tear stains when she suddenly felt as if someone else had entered the room.

Who could it be? That was obvious—who else but the mistress of this palace?

“Ah, tea… teacher.” Cao Xueyan hurriedly rubbed her face with her sleeve again and again.

She scrubbed so hard that her cheeks turned red.

Xiao Menglan’s face bore no expression.

As though she saw nothing, she looked like an otherworldly immortal, aloof and untouchable.

“I came to see how your studies are going. Since you’re just starting out, if there’s something you don’t understand, you can come ask me,” Xiao Menglan said.

Her eyes swept once over the ruined talisman paper.

As a third-rank talisman master, she could already see Cao Xueyan’s shortcomings from subtle traces alone.

But self-awareness was precious, so she preferred that Cao Xueyan discover her own flaws.

“Yes.” Cao Xueyan quickly steadied her emotions.

She dared not meet Xiao Menglan’s eyes, as if the words from the simulation might play out in reality at any moment.

Using her finger as a brush, Cao Xueyan copied a rune in the corner of the talisman paper.

It was not complicated, and within a few breaths she finished sketching it.

But when she laid down the final stroke, something went wrong.

The rune began to crumble inch by inch, and before long another hole appeared in the paper.

“Student cannot understand. Which step did I do wrong, that caused the rune to collapse?” Cao Xueyan honestly voiced her confusion.

Xiao Menglan said, “Since you’ve read my book, you should know. Just as cultivators are divided into the realms of Qi Refining, Foundation Building, and Golden Core, so too are runes divided into the three levels of Heaven, Earth, and Man. This book records only some human-level runes. To copy them, the most important thing is to comprehend what it means to be human.”

Cao Xueyan was bewildered.

“Teacher, what does it mean, to be human?”

Xiao Menglan replied, “Birth, aging, sickness, and death—that is human. Love, hate, passion, and enmity—that is human. Greed, anger, delusion, obsession—all these are human. You are still young, and entered the sect early, untested by worldly dust. To comprehend these naturally is difficult.”

A giant question mark seemed to appear over Cao Xueyan’s head.

“Teacher, I don’t understand. Why must one know these things in order to learn talismans?”

In today’s cultivation world, the mainstream way was the doctrine of severing emotions—upholding heavenly principle and extinguishing human desire.

Yet why did human-level runes demand the opposite?

Without experiencing the world’s trials, one could not cultivate them.

How strange—this path was different from all other cultivation arts.

“The Dao of Talismans begins with oneself, and through it one gradually comprehends the great Dao of Heaven and Earth.”

As Xiao Menglan explained, she also demonstrated.

She took the talisman paper from Cao Xueyan and began drawing with her fingertip.

Her speed was swift, and in the blink of an eye a rune was complete.

The moment her finger stopped, Cao Xueyan felt as though the entire room had undergone a world-shaking change.

She seemed to smell the fragrance of grass and trees, to feel a surging vitality rising around her.

Just a few breaths of it left her feeling cleansed throughout her body.

The ache in her fingers lessened, the dizziness in her head faded.

The sensation was so wondrous that she could not help sinking into it.

“Return to yourself.”

Xiao Menglan lightly knocked her knuckle against the crown of Cao Xueyan’s head, producing a crisp sound.

“What I just drew was a low-grade first-rank talisman—the Rejuvenation Talisman. You must have sensed it. This represents ‘birth’ among the cycle of life and death. You’ve been in the sect for over ten years—you should know the Rejuvenation Talisman’s effects.”

Cao Xueyan nodded.

Though she could not afford one, she had seen her senior brothers use them.

A wound deep to the bone—after just one talisman was applied, the bleeding stopped instantly, and the wound even showed signs of scabbing.

With the addition of a single healing pill, that same brother was immediately full of vigor again, ready to fight three hundred more rounds.

So that was it.

Cao Xueyan suddenly understood.

No wonder she had felt all day like she was groping in darkness—she had been pursuing the wrong direction.

So having a teacher was truly good.

If she had been self-studying, who knew how long it would have taken to discover the key?

“You can leave the palace to seek guidance from your senior brothers and sisters. They have practiced human-level runes longer than you. More交流 with them will benefit your learning.”

Cao Xueyan looked astonished.

“Teacher, you would allow me to go out?”

Xiao Menglan shot her a reproachful glance.

“What do you take me for, some bandit? I brought you here, so now I won’t let you leave?”

If she hadn’t already seen it in the simulation, she might have believed this nonsense!

Inwardly, Cao Xueyan sneered.

A teacher who, in the simulation, had taken advantage of a drunken disciple—how could her words carry any weight?

Of course, such thoughts could never be spoken aloud.

Otherwise some great cultivator might rip out her very soul to examine it for secrets.

“If you wish to leave, then go. This palace recognizes your aura. Whether you stay or leave, it will not stop you,” Xiao Menglan added.

Cao Xueyan found it curious.

Could this magnificent palace really be some kind of giant magical artifact?

It could even recognize people?

Was it like face recognition—or something else?

That was practically artificial intelligence!

“Tea… teacher, what are the Earth-level and Heaven-level runes like?”

Now that she had glimpsed the mysteries of talismans, her curiosity was stirred.

“Wind, rain, thunder, lightning. Mountains, rivers, and nature. Flowers, birds, fish, and beasts. These are Earth-level runes. Knowing them is enough for you. Beyond this, more knowledge is useless. Only when you one day pass the heavenly tribulation and form your Core can you go further.”

Xiao Menglan’s words were a bucket of cold water.

So Earth-level runes were only accessible to Golden Core cultivators?

Sorry for asking—never mind then.

“As for Heaven-level runes, even I cannot reach them. Only in ancient ruins left by predecessors can one glimpse a trace. I only know that Heaven-level runes involve the three thousand Daos, and any talisman formed from them has the power to change heaven and earth.”

Her tone carried a faint yearning.

But even Nascent Soul Dao Lords could not touch that realm.

As a Golden Core cultivator, though called an earth-bound immortal, compared to the vast heavens and earth, was she not still an ant?

“Remember—never aim too high too soon. Step by step, solid cultivation is the true path. For the sake of realm and Dao, if you lose your heart in pursuit of quick gains, how would you differ from the demonic path?”

Xiao Menglan sternly admonished.

Cao Xueyan quickly answered, “Student will remember.”

Xiao Menglan’s expression eased slightly.

“Good. I’ll now teach you to draw a few talismans by hand. Once you’re familiar, your copying will come more smoothly.”

Before Cao Xueyan could decline, the aloof immortal in front of her had already moved quickly forward.

From behind, she pressed close against Cao Xueyan’s body.

Her slender jade hand slid into Cao Xueyan’s fingers, clasping tightly without leaving any choice.

The movement was smooth, as though she had rehearsed it countless times in her heart.

Th-this…

Cao Xueyan’s face flushed scarlet.

The softness at her back, the warm breath on her neck, the faint fragrance enveloping her nose—everything assaulted her senses, throwing her into chaos.

“To dare be distracted before me—you truly have nerve.”

Xiao Menglan shamelessly scolded, as though Cao Xueyan’s state had nothing to do with her.

“Master…”

Cao Xueyan’s voice was barely a whisper, and she accidentally called her the title from the simulation.

Fortunately, Xiao Menglan did not notice.

To be fair, Xiao Menglan was indeed worthy of being a third-rank talisman master.

With her “hands-on” guidance, Cao Xueyan was able to easily draw the runes using her own spiritual power.

But once the instruction ended, Cao Xueyan collapsed onto the ground like a drained husk, gasping heavily.

Xiao Menglan remained calm, as if nothing at all had happened.

“This matter is a secret between us. You’d best not tell your fellow disciples. Otherwise suspicion would arise. After all, you are not my personal disciple. Even though I am a peak master, I cannot silence every rumor. People’s hearts are treacherous. You need only focus on your cultivation. Do you understand?”

Cao Xueyan nodded blankly.

“Student… understands.”

Clearly, those events were supposed to be confined to the simulation.

Yet somehow, she had really developed a vague, indescribable feeling toward Xiao Menglan.

That intimacy just now had left her heart in turmoil.