Chapter Eighty-Seven: Master Uncle Huang Bing

Seeing the smile appear on her face, Xiao Yuer, who had kept silent all the way, could not help asking about Xiao Wenzi while seizing the chance. She said, "Sister Xiner, what about that powerful giant mosquito? Is it your pet?"

"Yes, Sister Yuer. Xiaowen is indeed my spirit beast. He is currently absorbing blood to evolve. I hope you will not speak of him to our fellow disciples in the sect..."

Although Xiao Wenzi's existence would sooner or later be known by the elders of Green Leaf Sect after the battle in South Heaven City, Chu Xiner still warned Xiao Yuer in this way.

For she had already decided that once she had settled Xiao Yuer, she would leave Green Leaf Island again to seek an opportunity to break through, and would not return until she reached the Golden Core stage.

In the world of cultivation, strength ruled all. So long as her cultivation was sufficient to awe others, even if Xiaowen were to appear in public, there would be no fear of anyone daring to covet him.

With nothing else said along the way, by noon Chu Xiner had led Xiao Yuer across Misty Marsh Lake and arrived at Green Leaf Island, fragrant with flowers and alive with birdsong.

"Senior Sister Hong, it's you. That's wonderful."

The moment she returned to the sect, the woman walking toward her filled Chu Xiner with delight, and she hurried up with a smile.

This woman was Senior Sister Hong, with whom she had a very good relationship. For more than a year, she had been in closed-door cultivation.

Now, having finally broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage, and just emerging to see Chu Xiner, Liu Hong was also all smiles as she said, "Junior Sister Xiner, have you just returned from training outside? And this is...?"

"That's right, Senior Sister Hong. Miss Yuer is a sister I met in South Heaven City. She intends to join our Green Leaf Sect, and I still need to turn in my mission. Could Senior Sister help arrange things for her..."

Chu Xiner did not wish to draw too much attention. Before returning to the sect, she had again restrained her cultivation to the late eleventh level. The secret art within the Cloudfall Rainfall Technique could deceive ordinary cultivators at the great perfection of the Qi Refining stage, but it was better to keep her distance from the Foundation Establishment stage uncles and aunts.

Now that she had happened to meet Senior Sister Hong, asking her to take care of Xiao Yuer would spare Chu Xiner much trouble, and she brought the matter up with a smile.

"No problem. Junior Sister Xiner, go ahead and take care of your business. I will arrange Miss Yuer's matters."

It was only a small matter to take Xiao Yuer to test her spiritual root aptitude and then arrange for her entrance into the sect. Senior Sister Hong readily agreed.

As for Chu Xiner's concealed cultivation, she had just broken through to the initial Foundation Establishment stage and, because of their close relationship, had not deliberately checked. Thus she did not notice it.

Then there was Xiao Wenzi inside the spirit beast pouch. Liu Hong had played a major role in subduing him, so how could she care about that? She only found this junior sister's peculiar taste somewhat puzzling.

After parting ways, Chu Xiner first returned to her own pavilion and carefully hid the medium-grade storage pouch that contained several low-grade storage pouches, along with the spirit beast pouch where Xiao Wenzi resided. Only then did she take four or five stalks of spirit herbs and head to the Mission Hall to exchange them for pills.

After Huang Yipeng's tragic death, his uncle Huang Bing had once pursued the killer across a thousand li. Now that Chu Xiner had returned, right on the heels of her earlier departure, the disciples of the sect inevitably began spreading rumors, and there was naturally no shortage of busybodies who sent the news to Huang Bing.

Though Huang Bing did not care much, he still sent a disciple to intercept Chu Xiner as she came out of the Mission Hall.

"Wait, Junior Sister. Elder Huang has asked you to come to his cave abode for some questions. This way, please."

"Thank you, Senior Brother, for leading the way."

Looking at the white-robed young man blocking her path, Chu Xiner felt miserable inside, but on the surface she remained calm and nodded, following him toward the back mountain.

Green Leaf Island stretched for hundreds of li, with hundreds of green peaks and secluded valleys. Even Foundation Establishment uncles were allotted a cave abode of their own. Following the young man in flight for the time it took to burn a stick of incense, Chu Xiner finally descended before the cave abode on this picturesque mountain peak.

Amid a dull rumble, the cave abode's gate opened, and a faint male voice drifted out: "Come in."

"Yes, Uncle Master." The white-robed man answered and led Chu Xiner into the cave abode.

"Greetings, Uncle Master."

Chu Xiner did not dare look directly at the elder seated cross-legged on the stone platform. She bowed her head respectfully and saluted.

"Hm? This girl actually concealed her cultivation. Could it be that she encountered some fortunate chance? Still, at her early thirteenth level, she is in no way capable of killing my nephew."

After staring at Chu Xiner for a few moments, Huang Bing understood her realm at a glance. Though he did not believe she could defeat his nephew Huang Yipeng, who possessed a trump card in the form of a talisman treasure, now that he had summoned her, he naturally had to question her.

"So you are the Chu Xiner whom Yipeng likes? The girl's bearing is indeed outstanding, though it is a pity Yipeng's fortune was shallow.

Rise. Nephew, you need not be too nervous. Your uncle summoned you here this time only to ask where you have traveled and trained these past days. Did you by any chance encounter Yipeng before his death..."

"Replying to Uncle Master, after my last closed cultivation session ended, I went to the South Heaven Mountain Range and was fortunate enough to gather four or five stalks of spirit herbs. Later, I encountered a villain in South Heaven City..."

Chu Xiner's nervousness was not feigned. She was truly terrified. The old fellow before her was an elder of the sect at the late Foundation Establishment stage. If he were to see through her secret, it would truly be the end.

Fortunately, the spirit beast pouch and the storage pouch containing a great number of spirit stones had already been hidden in advance, and Huang Bing's attitude did not seem suspicious. Chu Xiner quickly steadied herself and spoke at length.

The account of how she had acted righteously to save a young girl was a mixture of truth and falsehood, but it was not fabricated out of thin air. Therefore, although Huang Bing had been watching her carefully, he did not detect anything amiss.

Fortunately, the Xiao Yuer Chu Xiner mentioned was now in Green Leaf Sect, so it would be easy to verify the truth. There was no harm in letting her go back first.

"Very well. You may withdraw."

Having temporarily cleared the young woman's suspicion, Huang Bing had no further reason to keep Chu Xiner there, and he waved her away.

After leaving the mountain cave abode and flying all the way back to her own pavilion, Chu Xiner finally let the heart that had been hanging by a thread relax somewhat.

However, paper could not forever wrap fire. The matter of killing the three men in South Heaven City, and of Xiao Wenzi displaying his divine might, would sooner or later reach the sect. She had to leave as soon as possible.

Chu Xiner had already decided that early the next morning, she would continue taking missions and depart. She would not return until she broke through to the Golden Core stage.

That night, Senior Sister Hong brought Xiao Yuer, who had now become a disciple of Green Leaf Sect, over to visit. The two sisters spoke happily, and neither noticed the deep worry Chu Xiner was hiding.

The next morning, Chu Xiner first went to the Mission Hall to take a mission and receive the jade token for leaving the sect. Then she packed away all the items she could take with her into her storage pouch and once again flew out of Green Leaf Sect.

Her immediate departure after just returning seemed somewhat unusual, but no one delved into it, because those who knew understood that Chu Xiner had once again been lucky enough to exchange for two Cloudpattern Water Rhyme Pills.

Each time she trained outside, she was able to gather spirit herbs and flowers worth a considerable sum. Who would willingly remain in the sect and cultivate in seclusion? Opportunity was the foremost factor determining whether a cultivator could advance quickly.

After leaving Misty Marsh this time, Chu Xiner did not head toward the South Heaven Mountain Range in the northwest, nor did she go to Black Rock Forest in the southeast.

She decided to travel due south, pass through Plum Grove Prefecture, leave the lands of the secular dynasty of North Forest Kingdom, and venture into the broader world of cultivation.