Inner Sect Cultivation

Entering the sect and reaching the ninth level of Qi Refining in only three years was astonishing.

Even setting aside the fact that they could not clearly discern the full foundations of the two girls, this achievement alone was enough to prove that their talent was extraordinary.

The elders exchanged glances with one another.

Eventually, their gazes settled on Luo Yan, whose expression had grown even more peculiar.

A sudden realization had struck her.

It was about the portrait she had seen a few days ago.

She was now almost certain that the person depicted in that portrait was Bai Lan.

But Bai Lan was now a Direct Disciple of the sect.

How could she possibly be assigned to that mission?

As for Xue Linglong, Luo Yan guessed that she likely possessed some extremely rare constitution.

However, regardless of how surprising their talents were, they were still disciples of the Luoshen Sect.

And that was what truly mattered.

“Excellent, truly excellent,” Luo Yan said with a satisfied expression.

“It seems that the heavens have not abandoned our Luoshen Sect.”

“After generations of decline, our sect has finally produced two disciples of extraordinary talent in this generation.”

“Yiren, Hanyun, you must guide these two disciples well.”

“In the future, they will be the ones who restore the glory of our Luoshen Sect.”

Chen Xuan and the others were clearly shocked by Luo Yan’s praise of Bai Lan and Xue Linglong.

For the Sect Master to speak so highly of them, their aptitude was certainly far from ordinary.

Chen Xiangning and the other elders looked toward Bai Yiren and Qiu Hanyun with obvious envy.

However, since their own disciples were present, it would have been inappropriate to say too much.

They could only offer a few simple words of congratulations.

After exchanging these polite remarks, it was time for the elders to present their welcoming gifts.

Even though the disciples differed in talent, Luo Yan and the other elders distributed their gifts equally.

Tianxiang Garden presented each of the four new Direct Disciples with a Foundation Establishment Pill, a Golden Spirit Pill, and many other medicinal pills that could accelerate cultivation.

Canglan Hall presented the four disciples with silk ribbons of four different colors.

These ribbons were specially crafted magic treasures from Canglan Hall called Heavenly Water Ribbons.

Once bound to their owner, they could automatically defend against external attacks.

Their grade was perfectly suited for cultivators at the Foundation Establishment realm.

The gifts from Tianyin Pavilion, Luoshen Palace, and the Immortal’s Abode were also magical treasures.

However, they were all ninth-grade treasures.

Although ninth-grade items might seem somewhat modest for disciples who had not yet reached Foundation Establishment, they were actually the most appropriate.

Items of a higher grade would be beyond the disciples’ ability to use.

The meeting between the new Direct Disciples and the elders concluded peacefully.

No one asked further questions about the exact constitutions of Bai Lan and Xue Linglong.

This was common sense within cultivation sects.

The rarer the constitution, the more carefully it must be kept secret.

If such information were leaked, it might attract the attention of powerful sects and cause them to attempt to steal the disciples away.

The Luoshen Sect was no longer the dominant force it had once been.

After leaving Luoshen Palace, Bai Lan brought Xue Linglong back to the Immortal’s Abode.

The two planned to walk around the inner sect together to familiarize themselves with the environment.

In reality, however, it was simply an excuse for them to spend more time talking together.

Meanwhile, after Chen Xiangning and the others left, Luo Yan asked Bai Yiren and Qiu Hanyun to remain behind.

She clearly had something she wished to discuss with them privately.

“Yiren, what exactly is your relationship with this Bai Lan?” Luo Yan asked.

“Don’t tell me that with such a strong resemblance between you two, there is truly no connection.”

Bai Yiren looked troubled.

She did not know how she should explain Bai Lan’s situation.

After all, Luo Yan knew her background very well.

Bai Yiren could not possibly have any descendants.

Their master had discovered her as a child and raised her personally.

“Senior Sister,” Bai Yiren said while shaking her head, “there are some matters that I truly cannot reveal to you.”

“I have my own reasons.”

“When the time comes, you will naturally understand without me needing to explain.”

Seeing Bai Yiren’s serious expression, Luo Yan fell silent for a moment.

She then turned her gaze toward Qiu Hanyun.

“Third Junior Sister, Yiren has her reasons, but surely you don’t as well?”

“You must tell me about Linglong.”

“You certainly know what kind of constitution she possesses.”

As the Sect Master, Luo Yan felt it was necessary for her to know.

Qiu Hanyun thought about the matter carefully.

After hesitating slightly, she finally spoke in a very serious tone.

“Senior Sister, I cannot say with absolute certainty what her constitution is.”

“But her heart is extraordinary.”

“It has seven orifices.”

The moment Qiu Hanyun spoke those words, both Bai Yiren and Luo Yan gasped in shock.

Why would the mention of a seven-orificed heart alone cause such astonishment?

Because a heart with seven orifices was also known as the Seven-Orifice Exquisite Heart.

Those born with such a heart possessed extraordinary intelligence.

They would never be affected by inner demons during cultivation.

They would also never encounter bottlenecks when advancing through cultivation realms.

Such individuals were truly favored by the heavens.

Luo Yan knew that Qiu Hanyun would not lie about such matters.

This explanation was already sufficient.

Continuing to investigate further would serve no purpose.

After discussing the two girls’ constitutions, Luo Yan brought up another matter.

It concerned a request from their junior sister.

“What?” Bai Yiren said in surprise.

“Junior Sister’s child chose Lan’er to carry out that mission?”

“How could that be?”

Luo Yan quickly explained the situation.

After listening to the entire story, Bai Yiren fell into deep thought.

She did not immediately agree to let Bai Lan take the mission.

Instead, she said that there was still time and that there was no need to make a decision immediately.

She promised that she would consider the matter carefully and decide later.

Luo Yan understood that the mission was complicated.

It was only natural that Bai Yiren needed time to think it over.

Meanwhile, Bai Lan and Xue Linglong had already left the Immortal’s Abode and arrived at Tianyin Pavilion.

As soon as they approached, they heard the sound of many musical instruments.

Most of the sounds came from the guqin.

Although the cultivation techniques of Tianyin Pavilion could be performed with many different instruments, most women skilled in music preferred the guqin.

For this reason, many female cultivators chose the guqin as their primary weapon.

After giving Bai Lan a brief tour of Tianyin Pavilion, Xue Linglong prepared to return to her own cultivation.

“Alright, Linglong,” Bai Lan said with a smile.

“I should return now.”

“Cultivate well.”

“I hope that when we meet again, you will have mastered the Way of Music.”

“I understand, Sister,” Xue Linglong replied with a gentle smile.

“I also hope that you will find more happiness in the inner sect.”

During their time in the outer sect, Xue Linglong had clearly noticed that Bai Lan was not particularly happy.

However, since entering the inner sect, Bai Lan seemed to have improved somewhat.

For cultivators at the Qi Refining realm, their primary goal in the inner sect was to reach Foundation Establishment.

After all, the weakest cultivators within the inner sect were already at the early Foundation Establishment realm.

Therefore, disciples who entered the inner sect while still in Qi Refining needed to break through quickly in order to participate normally in inner sect affairs.

Bai Lan was confident about reaching Foundation Establishment.

She believed that she could break through from the ninth level of Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment within two or three years at most.

After all, Xue Yue had already reached that realm in the past.

For Bai Lan, it was simply a matter of restoring her previous cultivation.

There would be no bottlenecks to overcome.

As for Xue Linglong, her cultivation progressed effortlessly.

After returning to the Immortal’s Abode, Bai Lan mostly stayed on her own.

She rarely interacted with other disciples besides Luo Yuyan and Ximen Xue.

Her only regular interactions with the sect occurred during the monthly dharma lectures.

The sect’s dharma lectures were personally delivered by the elders.

Since disciples of the Immortal’s Abode cultivated the Way of the Sword, Bai Yiren naturally lectured about sword arts.

During these lectures, Bai Lan listened very attentively.

This was completely different from the lazy attitude she had displayed during lessons in the outer sect.

After all, Bai Yiren was a Nascent Soul sword cultivator.

And Xue Yue had never cultivated the sword.

For Bai Lan, these teachings were entirely new knowledge.

She found these insights into sword cultivation extremely fascinating.

Moreover, Bai Lan truly possessed great talent for the sword.

She could almost instantly understand the sword principles that Bai Yiren explained.