As the wind blew, a small brown spiritual beast whimpered and rushed to bite Mo Tiange's sleeve.
Mo Tiange patted its head softly. "Don't make trouble. Be quiet for a while."
The Inferno Beast blinked its black eyes then lowered its head and sat motionlessly next to her.
Amused by its aggrieved expression, Mo Tiange couldn't help but pat it again. "What's wrong? Do you think Zhenji spoils you more when you're with him?"
The Inferno Beast whimpered, but it was unclear whether it agreed or disagreed.
Mo Tiange once again stroked its head. She stared at the flowing stream and heaved a sigh. "I'm not a good master. I only let you cultivate on your own and help me concoct medicinal pills, but I never played with you."
The Inferno Beast whimpered, bit the hem of her sleeve, and swayed it as if it was acting spoiled.
Mo Tiange smiled and said softly, "Xiaohuo, stay with Zhenji, okay?"
Upon hearing that, the Inferno Beast raised its head and stared at her face, seemingly not understanding why she said that.
"There's no spiritual beast contract between us. The reason why you're so close to me is because the Virtual Sky World and my divine breath are connected. You've lived here for a long time, so you naturally sensed me.
You watched Zhenji grow up. All these years when you weren't in the Virtual Sky World, you were always by his side, so your feelings for him are deeper than mine.
Right now, I don't feel at ease leaving him alone in the secular world. Can you stay with him? "
The Inferno Beast's eyes widened, but it didn't make a sound.
Mo Tiange knew this Inferno Beast ate something in the Virtual Sky World that made it more intelligent than ordinary spiritual beasts, so she didn't order it; she wanted to discuss with it.
"Don't worry. I concocted a lot of medicinal pills for second and third rank spiritual beasts. I'll give them to Zhenji, and you won't have any problems cultivating.
I'll be gone for at least three years or at most five years, so I'll be back before you advance. "
This was what she thought about for a long time. Without the Inferno Beast, it would only be inconvenient for her to concoct medicinal pills. However, Zhenji hadn't built his foundation yet, so she didn't feel at ease leaving him alone in the secular world. It was better to keep Xiaohuo by his side.
With a second rank spiritual beast, even if he encountered danger, he would be fine.
The Inferno Beast lowered its head and whimpered a few times. It was a little depressed, but it did not object.
Mo Tiange chuckled. She took out several medicinal pills and fed them to it. She then heaved a sigh and said, "I'd better leave first. Ye Clan … I can only help them this much.
Unless, one day, a large number of descendants with Spiritual Roots appear and are able to support a clan, or if I form my Nascent Soul, I can protect them … At present, I don't have enough strength. Telling them my identity will only cause more trouble.
I hope Zhenma understands what I'm thinking. "
"Auntie!" Ye Zhenji's voice came from outside.
Mo Tiange raised her hand. With a flash of light between her eyebrows, she arrived in reality.
Once the restriction was opened, Ye Zhenji stepped inside. When he saw her, he smiled and said, "Auntie, it wasn't easy for us to leave the mountain, but you're cultivating again!"
Mo Tiange smiled and shook her head. "I'm used to it."
In the past, his aptitude was too poor, so he could only make up for it with hard work. Now that his aptitude was good, he was more worried that he would be too lazy to cultivate and waste his good aptitude.
When Ye Zhenji came in and opened the restriction again, she asked again, "What's wrong? Aren't you accompanying your family?
It'll be hard to see them in the future. "
Upon hearing this question, Ye Zhenji sat down on the table gloomily. "Don't mention it. I was talking with my father and the others, but I couldn't get used to it, so I came out."
"Couldn't get used to it?" Mo Tiange was puzzled. She raised her chin and said, "Sit properly on the chair."
"Yes." Ye Zhenji obediently got down from the table, pulled a chair and sat in front of her. He said with a puzzled tone, "I'm baffled. I remember when I was a child, my father was also very diligent in cultivating. Why is he like this now?!"
"Like what?"
Ye Zhenji paused for a moment then said with some annoyance, "My father always talks to my uncles about eating, drinking, having fun, and playing politics. I don't want to listen, so I said I was looking for Auntie."
Seeing Ye Zhenji's unhappy expression, Mo Tiange smiled and said softly, "Zhenji, how old is your father this year? How's his cultivation level?"
Ye Zhenji was stunned. "My father … is already forty-five years old, but he's still in the first layer of the Aura Refining realm."
Seeing that he seemed to have understood something, Mo Tiange said with a smile, "Although your aptitude isn't outstanding at Xuanqing School, you still have hope in cultivating. For individual cultivators in the secular world, without good spirit veins and medicinal pills, it's hard for them to advance in the Aura Refining realm even after dozens of years of hard cultivation, let alone building their foundation. It's not that your father and the others don't want to advance, but they don't feel hope."
"But …" Ye Zhenji wanted to say something, but he felt he couldn't refute her.
Mo Tiange said, "Zhenji, do you still have many medicinal pills for Aura Refining cultivators?"
Ye Zhenji nodded. "I originally wanted to give them all these medicinal pills, but after seeing them like this, I don't want to."
"It's precisely because they're like this that you have to give them."
"Why?" Ye Zhenji didn't understand.
Mo Tiange said, "Your father hasn't been able to make a realm-breakthrough for dozens of years, so he naturally lost interest in cultivating. If you give them medicinal pills now and let them see the hope of advancing, their hearts will naturally return to cultivating. They're not mortals — what else in this world is more attractive to them than advancing their cultivation realm?"
Ye Zhenji suddenly understood. "Right! Why didn't I think of that?!"
Mo Tiange thought for a moment and said, "You shouldn't give them too much. It'd be best if you tell them that when they send people to Mount Taikang in the future, you'll also send them medicinal pills and the like.
That way, although they're in the secular world, they'll still feel the hope of cultivating. At that time, they'll naturally put their hearts into cultivating. "
"Auntie, you're really thoughtful!" Ye Zhenji jumped up. "I'll go right now …"
"Wait."
Ye Zhenji stopped. "Auntie, what's wrong?"
"You can talk about this later. Right now, I have something to tell you."
"Huh?"
Mo Tiange said calmly, "I came to Ye Clan this time just to send you off. Now that you've safely arrived, I'll leave tomorrow."
"Ah!" Ye Zhenji was a bit flustered. "Auntie, are you going to let me stay here alone?"
Mo Tiange showed a faint smile. "What? You don't dare?"
Ye Zhenji was stunned and felt a bit embarrassed.
For ten years, he'd never left his aunt's side, so he immediately panicked.
After calming down, he said, "Auntie, I … I'm just a bit not used to it.
Can't you stay a bit longer? "
"Leaving sooner or leaving later, it's all the same."
Mo Tiange reached out her hand, wanting to stroke his head like she did when he was a child. However, when she saw how big he was now, she withdrew her hand. "Don't worry. I'll leave Xiaohuo with you. Nothing will happen."
"I'm not afraid something will happen." Ye Zhenji looked at her pitifully. "Auntie, I don't want you to leave."
He was already an adult, yet he still had this kind of expression. Mo Tiange couldn't help but laugh. "You're already so big, yet you're still acting like a child!"
Ye Zhenji rubbed his nose and also laughed.
Knowing Mo Tiange was determined to leave, he settled for the next best thing. "Auntie, how about I go with you?"
"I'm going to travel, not to play," Mo Tiange explained patiently.
"If I take you with me, firstly, I don't know when I'll go back, and it'll be bad if I affect your foundation-building. Secondly, I might go to some dangerous places, and I don't have enough strength to guarantee your safety."
Ye Zhenji didn't say anything.
He wasn't an insensible child. He knew what Mo Tiange said was the truth, but he was just reluctant to part with her.
"Alright, Auntie knows you're sensible. It's not like we won't come back. For us cultivators, we'll be separated for hundreds of years, let alone several years. The higher our cultivation level, the more it's like this. You have to get used to it."
"… I understand." Ye Zhenji nodded honestly.
How could he not understand these principles?
Cultivators cultivated longevity, but the most important thing to get used to in longevity was separation and loneliness.
Small cultivators like them were fine. At most, they would enter Closed Door Meditation for more than a year. For cultivators above the Core Formation realm, they could easily enter Closed Door Meditation for dozens of years, or even hundreds of years.
Cultivating to become an immortal was also about cultivating loneliness. Those who could not endure loneliness would ultimately not be able to cultivate the Great Dao.
"Auntie, you have to be careful on the road. Send me messages often, or I'll be worried."
Mo Tiange smiled. Although she was lonely, it was still warm to have someone caring for her.
"En, you have to cultivate well. You can't neglect it, but you also can't be impatient.
If you have any problems, go ask your grandmaster. Although your grandmaster has a strange temper, he sincerely supports the younger generation. If he says something, you must listen to him. "
"I understand."
Ye Zhenji nodded. He thought for a moment then asked, "By the way, Auntie, what if my master comes out of Closed Door Meditation?"
Mo Tiange raised her eyebrows. "Master is master. Is there still this and that?"
Ye Zhenji touched his head then said innocently, "I said he's my master, but I've never seen him until today!
Auntie is my real master. That master is just a cheap master I picked up. "
Hearing this title, Mo Tiange couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Cheap master … The aunt and nephew duo really agreed on this point. Their masters were all picked up by others.
"By the way, Auntie, what does my master look like?
Hualing said he saw him when he was a child, but he can't remember him clearly.
Other senior martial brothers and sisters all say I'm lucky. My master is second to none among the younger generation in Xuanqing School. He's already in the late stage of the Core Formation realm. If he succeeds in forming his Nascent Soul within a hundred years, then I'll be really lucky — ah, in any case, I'm too lucky … "Ye Zhenji felt his words were too vulgar, so he hurriedly changed the subject.
Mo Tiange was speechless. That was true. There was a world of difference between the advanced inner disciple of a Core Formation cultivator and the advanced inner disciple of a Nascent Soul cultivator.
If Qin Shoujing really succeeded in forming his Nascent Soul, although Zhenji was only under his name, he would still be extraordinary. At that time, his disciple rations, Immortal's Cave, and resources would all be greatly different from what they were now.
When she was still taught by Martial Uncle Xuanyin, she only had a bit of money. However, after she became Lord Daoist Jinghe's official disciple, her current net worth wasn't inferior to that of a Core Formation cultivator from an ordinary cultivation group.
"En … When your grandmaster made you your master's advanced inner disciple in name, he indeed had this intention.
However, your master is in Closed Door Meditation now, and we don't know when he'll come out. If he only forms his Nascent Soul and comes out after several hundred years … it won't be too bad for you. "
"That's true …" Ye Zhenji scratched his head.
In any case, he didn't have high hopes for that, so he didn't feel depressed. The one who really taught him how to cultivate was his aunt. In any case, it didn't matter if he had that cheap master or not.
"Auntie, you haven't told me what my master looks like!"
Mo Tiange chuckled. "What if I say I've never seen him before?"
Ye Zhenji's eyes widened. "How could that be?
They said the relationship between you and master isn't ordinary … "
"Oh?" Mo Tiange frowned slightly. "How is it not ordinary?
What did they say? "
"They said … Auntie, you were originally recommended into the school by master. Grandmaster only accepted you as his disciple because of master.
That's about it … "
Mo Tiange's expression softened. "When I entered the school, your master was already a Core Formation cultivator, so why did he have to appear in person?"
Ye Zhenji thought for a moment then nodded. "That's true …"
"They're right. Your master is the cultivator with the highest chance of advancing to the Nascent Soul realm among the younger generation of Xuanqing School. With his cultivation speed, it's not impossible for him to advance to the Nascent Soul realm in about a hundred years.
It's fine if your master doesn't come out of Closed Door Meditation during this time, but if he happens to come out, you still have to treat him with respect. This is also your grandmaster's idea. "
"En …" Ye Zhenji paused for a moment then said, "But I already have an aunt. Master's only my master in name …"
Mo Tiange smiled bitterly at his childish words. "Auntie's age and cultivation level are clear for all to see. Not to mention anything else, you'll only be building your foundation in about ten years, so I definitely won't be able to advance to the Core Formation realm during this time, so I won't be able to help you that much …"
"I'm not that materialistic!"
Ye Zhenji shouted. "If it wasn't for Auntie, I wouldn't be who I am today. No matter how good that cheap master is, what does it have to do with me?"
Mo Tiange felt both happy and worried when she heard this.
She was happy because in the past ten years, she didn't teach this child to have a profit-seeking character, but she was worried because he didn't have enough experience and was too childish.
In the end, she still warned him, "You can forget about this in private, but you can't say it outside."
"I know. Don't worry, Auntie."
"En, is there anything else you're not clear about?"
Upon hearing her question, Ye Zhenji moved closer to her. "Auntie, you have to come back soon. I'll try my best to build my foundation during this time."
His words made Mo Tiange smile. In the end, she reached out her hand and stroked his head. "You should go and accompany your mother. She hasn't seen you for many years. She misses you very much and talks about you all the time.
You should tell her everything you need to tell her. Don't let your mother worry. "
"I know."
Mo Tiange withdrew her hand then opened the restriction. She then sat cross-legged and closed her eyes.
Ye Zhenji hesitated for a while, reluctant to part with her, but in the end, he finally left.
Mo Tiange only opened her eyes when she heard the sound of the door closing. Her eyes were filled with worry.
This child … is really like me in the past.
Or maybe I didn't think things through carefully enough. Although I gave him enough care, I let him develop a dependent personality.
Just like back then, she relied on Second Uncle. When he lost him, she was in so much pain that she wished she was dead.
It wasn't that this kind of deep affection wasn't good, but deep affection required a magnanimous mind to accommodate.
According to the Daoist scriptures, 'Absolute Oblivion' didn't mean that one was heartless. Oblivion meant that one couldn't be moved by emotions. This was the principle of forgetfulness.
It wasn't that cultivators couldn't have attachments. There were also people with magnanimous minds who loved each other and raised children and grandchildren, which didn't affect their cultivation. However, ordinary disciples couldn't do that. Therefore, cultivation groups disapproved of disciples having too much contact with their clans.
Ye Zhenji was facing this kind of problem now.
After living together for ten years, he was like a teacher, like a father, like a mother, like a brother, just like the feelings she had for Second Uncle in the past.
But it was also because he was too young.
Mo Tiange recalled that she lost Second Uncle at this age. If Qin Xi hadn't been by her side to support her, maybe she wouldn't have been able to stand up so quickly …
When she thought of this name, she felt a stabbing pain in her heart, but she soon calmed down.
This was her luck, but it was also her fate.
If it wasn't because of this, it might take a long time for her to recover her mental state. If it wasn't because of this … she wouldn't have fallen in love with someone so easily.
Fortunately, she rationally cut off this feeling. Later, she vaguely realized some things, which made her even more grateful for her decision at that time.
Thinking up to this point, Mo Tiange rubbed the space between her eyebrows and shook her head.
Forget it. She shouldn't think too much. She was herself, and Zhenji was Zhenji.
The difference between men and women was also reflected in their personalities. Maybe during the time she was away, Zhenji would come into contact with other people more, and this dependence would fade.
As for seeing through it … that would depend on fated chances.
Early the next morning, Mo Tiange packed her things and left Ye Clan.
Everyone in Ye Clan came out to see her off.
Last night, Mo Tiange asked Ye Zhenji to give some medicinal pills, spirit tools, and other things she didn't use to Ye Clan's Patriarch as a gift from a senior. Ye Clan was deeply grateful for this.
Ye Clan had been in the secular world for a long time, so they had long run out of savings. Back when they sent Ye Zhenji to the mountain, they only took out two or three spirit stones and several medicinal pills, which clearly showed how poor their resources were.
Because Mo Tiange was Ye Zhenji's martial uncle, she took out more than ten bottles of medicinal pills and spirit tools, which were indeed huge wealth for Ye Clan.
In fact, those medicinal pills were leftovers from when she learned how to concoct medicinal pills, and the spirit tools were also collected from the cultivators she killed years ago.
None of them were good things, so she didn't give them to Ye Zhenji and just casually threw them in a corner of her Qiankun Bag. Now, she could use them.
"Zhenji, I'll leave Xiaohuo to you.
Take good care of it. When you go back, bring it back to the school, understand? "
"En." Ye Zhenji nodded and took the Inferno Beast.
In the past ten years, he could be said to have grown up with Xiaohuo. The relationship between man and beast was very good, so he naturally carried Xiaohuo.
When everyone in Ye Clan saw this Inferno Beast, their eyes widened.
Several cultivators from Ye Clan could see that this Inferno Beast was a second rank spiritual beast!
A second rank spiritual beast was equivalent to an early stage Foundation Building cultivator, yet he actually gave it to Ye Zhenji just like that!
"Senior!"
Ye Cheng stepped forward, pointed at the Inferno Beast in Ye Zhenji's arms, and said in fear and trepidation, "Giving this spiritual beast to Zhen 'er isn't too good, is it?"
Mo Tiange turned to look at him and asked, "Does Patriarch Ye think there's a problem?"
Ye Cheng said, "This is a second rank spiritual beast, so it should be able to help you. If you give it to Zhen 'er, what will you do for yourself?"
Mo Tiange said faintly, "Even if this spiritual beast stays with me, it won't be of much use, so it'd be better to let Zhenji take care of it.
Rest assured, Patriarch Ye, Xiaohuo grew up with Zhenji, so their relationship is very good. It won't hurt Zhenji. "
"That's not what I meant …"
Mo Tiange knew he was just worried, so she waved her hand and interrupted him. "Patriarch Ye, rest assured.
Alright, Zhenji, Martial Uncle will leave now. You stay at home for several months, but remember to return to the school on time. If you miss the test, the next time will be three years later. "
"I know, Martial Uncle. Rest assured, I know all of this."
"En, then I'll leave now. You don't need to see me off."
After she said that, she no longer spoke any nonsense. With a wave of her hand, the White Silk Handkerchief appeared, then she transformed into a flight light and disappeared into the horizon.