Southeast Xuántiān.
A small boat floats through the air.
On the boat, one person sits, one stands, and one lies down.
A mournful sound comes from the small boat.
"Senior Disciple Sister, I've told you everything I know!"
Yún Zé sits on the small boat with a dejected face, looking up at the sky.
"Hey! Don't rush! We're almost done asking, almost there, almost there."
Yún Xiāo holds a jade slip in her hand and, as she brings it closer to Yún Zé, asks, "The last three questions.
Why are you called a descendant of the Kǒng family in the Ancient Desolation texts? Why was Dì Shā certified with Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, yet he didn't receive a seal from the Ancient Desolation?"
This question Bùbù had actually told him about.
Back when he was in that void with Brother Xiāo, he had indeed asked this question.
"This has to do with Bùbù's origins."
Yún Zé sighs helplessly. Even though his throat is dry, he still speaks, "In ancient times, there were four families responsible for guarding the Nine Heavens.
They were the Kǒng, Shí, Zhū, and Chǔ families. The Kǒng family was his family. I coincidentally obtained the Kǒng family's bloodline, which is why the Ancient Desolation certification was triggered.
Without the bloodline of these four families, even with successful Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, one cannot receive the Ancient Desolation certification."
"So that's how it is..."
Yún Xiāo replies, nodding thoughtfully.
Seeing this, Yún Zé knows that countless more questions are swirling in her mind.
He quickly gets up and raises a finger, "Only one question left! Senior Disciple Sister, you can't go back on your word!"
"Hey! That's not quite right!"
Yún Xiāo says with a smile, "The last question I mentioned is just the last question within this hour. After you rest for an hour, I'll definitely have other questions to ask.
Otherwise, how can it be called research?"
Hearing this, Yún Zé feels utterly defeated.
He turns to look at Dàn Chényǔ, who is still unconscious on the ground...
Fortunately!
Fortunately, this Junior Disciple Sister decided to help him hide his identity. Otherwise, if Little Yǔ knew he was still alive, he might have to go through this again.
"Sigh..."
Yún Zé sighs, "Then please ask this last question first."
"The last one isn't a question, but a request."
Yún Xiāo looks at Yún Zé with an unusually solemn expression, "I want to see your Qi Sea."
This request would be difficult for any cultivator to agree to, let alone Yún Zé, whose Qi Sea contains many hidden things that cannot be known by outsiders.
Although Yún Xiāo is trustworthy, they only met today. Such a request...
"If you don't agree, that's fine."
Yún Xiāo sees Yún Zé's hesitation and, before he can speak, voluntarily gives up.
She then takes out a rocking chair from her spatial ring, places the jade slip down, and sits directly on it, resting her hands behind her head and rocking gently, enjoying the leisure.
"Alright, my questions are finished. Now it's your turn to ask."
"...Okay!"
Yún Zé replies.
Earlier, when Mù Sīyuè escorted the three of them to the teleportation array, she was the one asking Yún Zé questions, and he only had to answer.
After the three passed through the teleportation array and arrived at this Southeast Xuántiān, Yún Xiāo had been the one asking questions, and Yún Zé hadn't had time to ask about his future.
Now, he had the opportunity.
"Senior Disciple Sister, when I go to the Tongtian Academy, what identity should I assume? And will I be suspected?"
These two questions were Yún Zé's biggest concerns. Before Yún Xiāo could speak, he continued, "Or should I go into closed-door cultivation? Wait for this storm to pass, and then find time to enter Tongtian Academy?"
"Besides Little Yǔ, I have another direct disciple named Tú Shēng."
Yún Xiāo casually throws out a jade slip, "He went out to travel years ago and has lost contact since. I assume he has met with misfortune.
He kept to himself in the sect and didn't have many close acquaintances. You have a similar build to him. With a simple disguise, you can live in the academy under his identity.
This jade slip contains his information. Read it carefully, and memorize it once you reach the academy, and you'll be able to move freely."
"Tú Shēng..."
Yún Zé softly repeats the name, carefully puts away the jade slip, and then looks at the unconscious Dàn Chényǔ, "What about Little Yǔ..."
"You don't need to worry about her."
Yún Xiāo says calmly, "This girl is often away from the academy, usually cultivating with her father. She only comes to me when she encounters difficulties.
After I bring her back to the academy, she'll be leaving."
Yún Zé finally nods with relief.
His greatest concern was his identity being discovered by Dàn Chényǔ.
It wasn't because he was afraid of being studied, or worried about her leaking information, but because of her identity.
Princess of the Immortal Mansion.
The weight of these four words pressed upon him. Even if she helped him hide his identity, she would bear a burden and responsibility.
At this time, he didn't want to test human nature; he preferred to deceive.
"Are these all the questions?" Yún Xiāo asks.
"Mhm."
Yún Zé nods, "Does Senior Disciple Sister have any other instructions?"
"There are some."
Yún Xiāo removes her hands from behind her head, straightens her posture, and sits on the rocking chair, staring at Yún Zé, "From today onwards, you can no longer call me Senior Disciple Sister. You must call me Master.
Walls have ears, whether in public or private."
"Okay, Master!"
Yún Zé doesn't hesitate at all. It's just a title.
"And then there's your future studies."
Yún Xiāo casually takes out a guqin and places it on her lap, "Cultivators at Tongtian Academy, besides their primary study of Confucianism, also choose one of the Six Arts to focus on.
These Six Arts are Rites, Music, Charioteering, Archery, Calligraphy, and Mathematics. Tú Shēng's primary focus was the Dao of Music, specifically the Dao of the Qin.
And this will be your primary focus from now on."
"What?"
Yún Zé recognizes the guqin, but he has never seen one, let alone touched one.
His only contact with the guqin was through Mr. Zhāng's descriptions.
Those scholars always liked to drink tea and play the guqin to calm their minds, but what did this have to do with him, a child who grew up in a镖师 (bodyguard/escort) family?
Now he's being asked to focus on the Dao of the Qin?
Isn't this asking the impossible?
"Don't worry, I'll teach you."
Yún Xiāo hands the guqin to Yún Zé, "This guqin is called Zhèndǎn. It is a first-tier spiritual artifact. Its strings penetrate bone and enter the organs. It is considered a top-tier first-tier spiritual artifact.
This was originally a Foundation Establishment gift I intended for Little Shēng. Now it's yours."
"Thank you, Mas... Master!"
Yún Zé finally puts away Zhèndǎn.
Since he had chosen to go to Tongtian Academy, this was the only path he could take.
"Besides your primary focus on the Dao of the Qin, you should also have some knowledge of the other five arts. I will teach you these slowly. The most troublesome thing is one point."
Yún Xiāo says, frowning, and looks at Yún Zé, asking, "How much do you know about Confucianism?"
"I've loved reading since I was a child!"
"Have you participated in the imperial examinations?"
Yún Zé shakes his head.
"Can you compose poems and verses?"
Yún Zé shakes his head again.
"Have you thoroughly read the Four Books and Five Classics?"
Yún Zé quickly shakes his head!
Yún Xiāo almost choked. After a few moments of hesitation, she finally asks, "...How many characters do you know?"
"I recognize all the ones I've seen."
"What about the ones you haven't seen?"
"They recognize me, but I don't recognize them."
Hearing this, Yún Xiāo can't help but take a deep breath.
This situation is quite different from what that lecherous fellow said!
Before this brat achieved Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, didn't that fellow say he was a once-in-a-millennium genius, intelligent and eager to learn, with the potential to be a top scholar?
It seems she's been deceived again.
Never mind, at this point, she has to take him in whether she wants to or not!
So what if he's slow?
The fear isn't his slowness, but his lack of effort!
After sighing, Yún Xiāo forces a smile and beckons Yún Zé, "Come, bring your head closer."
Yún Zé instinctively takes a step back.
He had seen this kind of smile on Mr. Zhāng's face!
Usually, in such situations, the next step would be the ruler!
"Still dodging?"
Yún Xiāo's figure blurs for a moment. Yún Zé's pupils contract. By the time he recovers, a thick bamboo scroll lands on his head!
*Bang!*
With a muffled thud, Yún Zé falls to the ground and faints.
"Done."
Yún Xiāo claps her hands and even kicks Yún Zé's arm lightly, "I was kindly helping you with a spiritual infusion, and you tried to dodge?
The Ascension Assembly is about to start. I wonder if this kid can help me lead those Qi Refining stage cultivators.
What a headache..."
As soon as she finishes speaking, Yún Xiāo's expression changes, and she looks up in the northwest direction.
A small ball of black mist appears in the sky, followed by a familiar voice!
That's...
The Demon Lord!