Chapter 76: Leaving Seclusion to See Senior Sister Qu

Moon Gaze Peak. Inside the summit pavilion.

Li Meng sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, holding a bronze mirror in his hand.

“Hmm, not bad. I do look rather… dignified and immortal now.”

The face reflected in the polished bronze was full of vitality. His skin was smooth and lustrous, akin to warm white jade, with no trace of the loose wrinkles that had defined him before. If he were to shave off his snow-white beard and hair, he would resemble a handsome man in his prime, perhaps forty or fifty years of age.

Li Meng put away the mirror and rose to his feet.

He strolled leisurely out of the pavilion, standing on the winding path that overlooked the sea of clouds. He squinted slightly, gazing up at the azure sky.

His mood was exceptionally light.

“Should I recite a poem to commemorate this moment?” He paused, then shook his head. “Forget it. I’ve long forgotten those mortal verses.”

Li Meng chuckled wryly at his own vanity. It was best not to embarrass himself with meager literary talent.

He turned back to face the pavilion.

“Since that cheap Master of mine is unlikely to return, I might as well tidy the place up.”

Now that he had successfully reached Foundation Establishment, Moon Gaze Peak was effectively his domain.

He rode the wind, his body floating effortlessly into the air. His cyan robes fluttered gracefully, giving him an air of carefree ease as he descended into the courtyard.

“The Mana of early Foundation Establishment is over ten times greater than that of Peak Qi Condensation!”

Feeling the surging power coursing through his meridians, Li Meng’s heart blossomed with joy.

Cultivating the Qi Refining Art had indeed been the correct choice. With his Five Spirit Roots—often called a waste physique—his Mana capacity had always far surpassed that of cultivators at the same level. Now, coupled with the dense, compressed nature of the Qi Refining Art, his reserves were likely comparable to an ordinary cultivator at the late stage of Foundation Establishment.

Li Meng looked up at the main building.

He flicked his sleeve.

Snap!

A crisp sound echoed through the courtyard. All the windows on the first and second floors swung open simultaneously.

Li Meng released his Divine Sense, enveloping the entire structure.

Immediately, a series of clatters and thumps sounded from within. The furniture inside seemed to come alive, lifting into the air and rearranging itself according to his will.

After reaching Foundation Establishment, his soul had strengthened significantly. His mastery of the Object Control Art now bordered on perfection.

In less time than it took for an incense stick to burn, the interior layout had been completely transformed.

“It seems Master rarely lived here,” Li Meng mused.

There were no personal traces left behind, indicating his Master hadn’t visited Moon Gaze Peak in a very, very long time.

Smiling, Li Meng stroked his beard and walked through the main doors.

The ground floor was spacious. Aside from the main hall, there were several side chambers.

“This spot is good. I’ll make it the Alchemy Room.”

He pushed open a door. With a heavy thud, his high-grade furnace landed in the center of the room. Looking at the three-meter-tall bronze vessel, Li Meng nodded in satisfaction.

He moved to the adjacent room.

“This will serve as my Study.”

He arranged the desks and shelves with a wave of his hand.

Next door.

“The Artifact Forging Room… it is a bit small, but it will suffice.”

Artifact forging required a Fire Gathering Array; using ordinary True Essence Fire was too inefficient. He made a mental note to set up the array later.

“And this one is perfect for an Array Room.”

After touring the first floor, Li Meng ascended to the second. It consisted mostly of bedrooms. He casually selected the one with the best view to serve as his own.

Satisfied with his new abode, Li Meng walked out of the pavilion.

He looked up at the sky once more.

“I should go find Senior Qu first… no, wait. It should be Senior Sister Qu now.”

A faint smile touched his lips.

After meeting her, he would head to the sect’s main hall to officially register his change of status to Inner Disciple.

Li Meng urged his spiritual power. He did not summon a flying sword but instead rode the wind directly, rising from the ground like an immortal ascending to the heavens.

In the blink of an eye, he vanished into the clouds.

His speed far surpassed that of any Qi Condensation cultivator on a sword. While Foundation Establishment cultivators typically used swords to conserve Mana, Li Meng, flush with his newfound power, indulged in the luxury of direct flight.

Joyous Union Sect. Inner Sect, Cloud Peak.

A figure in cyan robes approached from the horizon, riding the wind.

Before he even arrived, the defensive clouds swirling around Cloud Peak rippled. They parted on their own, forming a clear passageway—recognition of the token he carried.

Li Meng flew through the passage, descending gracefully onto the summit. He landed softly in the front courtyard, looking up at the familiar building.

Meanwhile, inside the curtained bedchamber on the second floor.

Qu Rou, who had been meditating, suddenly snapped her eyes open.

She heard footsteps ascending the stairs.

Only one other person possessed the token capable of bypassing the Maze Formation protecting Cloud Peak.

He… he succeeded?

A flash of pure joy crossed Qu Rou’s icy features, quickly replaced by her usual composed mask.

He actually came back.

Qu Rou hurriedly closed her eyes, feigning deep meditation.

Moments later, the heavy curtains were pulled aside.

Li Meng stepped in calmly. He looked at the familiar, curvaceous form sitting on the bed platform, her breathing steady and rhythmic.

He grinned widely, quickening his pace.

“Senior Qu! I’m here!”

Qu Rou opened her eyes slowly. She looked up at the man standing beside the bed.

Her gaze froze.

Junior Brother Li…

The man before her was no longer the thin, withered old man nearing his grave.

He was tall and robust, his frame filled with vitality. His skin, once loose and spotted with age, was now smooth and radiant, glowing with the luster of white jade under the soft light of the window. His white hair and beard remained, but instead of making him look decrepit, they now gave him the air of a transcendent Sage.

The transformation was shocking.

The aura he radiated was restrained yet profound, resonating with a deep power that felt far more solid than any newly advanced Foundation Establishment cultivator she had ever encountered.

She stared at him, unable to hide the surprise and fascination in her eyes. The “Old Man” she had resigned herself to was gone; in his place stood a Dao Companion who truly looked the part of an immortal.