C21 On the Alkaid Peak

The Master of Alkaid Peak strolled to the forefront, his Divine Sense sweeping over the area before him. A smile of satisfaction graced his features as he nodded slowly, "They all have potential."

Chirp, chirp, chirp...

As night fell, the moon cast its glow through the towering trees, dappling the ground with spots of light. The symphony of insects and the occasional bird call filled the air, breathing life into the long-silent surroundings.

Whoosh...

A portly middle-aged man, with a young man in tow, suddenly materialized on the tranquil platform.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Behind the platform, a hidden staircase revealed itself, accompanied by a succession of sounds. Figures emerged onto the stairs, collapsing onto the ground as soon as they appeared. Bathed in the blood moon's mottled light, it was clear these were Alkaid Peak's future hopes.

Moments later, several individuals resorted to crawling on all fours to reach the platform, a testament to the grueling ascent. The thirty-five climbers had lost their initial bravado, now gasping for breath—a clear sign of the staircase's punishing challenge.

A glint of pride flickered in the Alkaid Peak Master's eyes. He saw these youngsters as prideful and in need of humbling, a process that would temper their sharp edges.

"Those rows of rooms over there are your quarters. I suggest you steer clear of the ones with lights on. Night has fallen; it's best to rest up early. Tomorrow, you must all gather here promptly at sunrise. Understood?" he instructed, pointing to the neat row of cottages. He offered no further details, merely yawned, and sauntered off into the distance.

"Hey... we've got a place to sleep!"

Relief washed over the weary group at the prospect of rest. They quickly dispersed, each seeking out their own space.

A handful of individuals, seven or eight, walked at a leisurely pace, their expressions one of disdain, clearly too proud to show their fatigue.

As the group thinned out, no one noticed Ye Mo, sprawled on the ground, unconscious as if he were a beached pig. Soon after, the courtyards began to glow with the soft light of candles, signaling that the tired young men had all found solace in their beds.

Crickets chirped in the deepening night. Ye Mo lay there, desolate and still, unnoticed and unattended to by anyone.

From a distance, a wooden door within the courtyard creaked open, and a figure in flowing white garments, with a strikingly handsome face, emerged gracefully. Standing tall under the moonlight, he surveyed the empty surroundings. The only presence was Ye Mo, lying silently in the chill of the moon's glow, his solitude merging with the quiet of the night.

The man in white, who carried himself with the air of a refined gentleman, now furrowed his brow slightly. He took a step forward and walked unhurriedly toward Ye Mo.

Upon reaching Ye Mo, he observed the still-swollen face and shook his head, murmuring to himself, "What sort of people are they bringing in here?"

"Oh my... Daughter, you're still awake?"

Out of nowhere, a voice echoed behind the poised figure in white. He turned with a slight grimace to find the Peak Master of Alkaid Peak standing there.

In the moonlit night, with no one else around, the Peak Master's use of 'daughter' was clearly directed at the elegant figure in white. The young master met the Peak Master's gaze silently, offering no objection, and simply uttered, "Father..."

A blush crept onto the face of the young master in white as he finished speaking. The Peak Master of Alkaid Peak burst into hearty laughter upon this revelation. The seemingly dashing young man was, in fact, a woman. It was no wonder her features were so delicate.

"Ah, my daughter," he chuckled, "do you truly think you can fool your fellow disciples with this disguise? And now, we have a whole new group of them."

The Peak Master of Alkaid Peak approached and scrutinized his daughter more closely. Indeed, since she had donned men's attire, her entire demeanor had shifted. With elongated, expressive brows and a commanding presence, she made most men feel inadequate by comparison.

"I'm not trying to deceive anyone. Men's clothing just suits me better now. And if they feel deceived, well, that's not on me. They should have been more discerning, shouldn't they, Father?" With a playful tone, the 'young man' in white draped her arm over her father's, fully embodying the role of a doting daughter.

The elegant figure in white, who had all the airs of a dashing young man, was in fact a woman—none other than Ren Pingxue, the only daughter of Ren Daoqian, the Master of Alkaid Peak. As it happened, Ren Pingxue had once gotten hold of her father's clothes and put them on. From that moment on, there was no turning back. She cast aside her long skirts and donned men's attire. Apart from her eldest senior brother, who had been with them early on and knew the truth, none of the other four disciples taken in by Ren Daoqian were aware of Ren Pingxue's true identity as a woman.

Time flies like smoke, and ten years have passed in the blink of an eye. Now seventeen, Ren Pingxue still parades around in men's clothing daily, much to her father Ren Daoqian's exasperation, though he finds himself at a loss for what to do about it.

"How will you ever get married looking like this!" Ren Daoqian, the Master of Alkaid Peak, grumbled, careful not to raise his voice too much and upset his cherished daughter. He sighed inwardly, resigned to the situation.

"If I can't get married, then so be it. I can live perfectly well on my own, hmph..." Ren Pingxue pouted, her face taking on a stubborn look. If the brothers who had been by her side all these years saw her like this, they would surely be shocked to their core.

"Cough, cough... Uh... This illusion is so vivid... and it just goes on and on. But I don't recall ever seeing you and your daughter before..."

Just as Ren Daoqian, the Master of Alkaid Peak, was about to chastise Ren Pingxue, Ye Mo, who was right below him, suddenly came to. His consciousness was still hazy as he murmured to himself.

Ren Pingxue's playful demeanor came to an abrupt halt. She slowly looked down, her face stiffening as she caught sight of the man with a face as swollen as a pig's head. She fell silent, then lifted her gaze to her father, disbelief etched across her features.

Ren Daoqian, with his rotund figure, simply shrugged, his face a picture of innocent confusion.

"Alright, this has to be an illusion. If I'm not dead, then it's time I woke up."

His lips protruded comically, resembling two sausages hanging from his face, his voice muffled and amusingly indistinct. He paid no mind to the uncomfortable father-daughter pair and slowly raised his arm, the sleeve already a tattered cloth riddled with holes. Ye Mo brought his arm before his eyes and, with a sudden forceful swing, flung half of his sleeve off. It traced a perfect arc through the air, landing squarely on Ren Pingxue's head.

"Huh? Why can't I wake up from this illusion?"

Ye Mo was under the impression he was still in Miasma Land, innocently believing a mere wave of his sleeve could dispel the illusion. Even as he saw his sleeve hit the person opposite him, he showed no reaction. His only desire was to awaken and rescue the little fox.

Watching Ye Mo, seemingly unconcerned about his sleeve striking someone and still befuddled, muttering about a little fox, Ren Pingxue's temper flared. Her Soul Power surged, a chilling aura emanating from her, and the icy touch of her sword transmitted from the palm of her hand.

"Ouch, my dear daughter, are you trying to silence me with murder?"

Ren Daoqian quickly intervened, grabbing Ren Pingxue's arm to unveil her true intentions.

"I... I don't care. If he knows, I'll have to kill him!" Ren Pingxue stammered, her earlier murderous resolve fading away.

"People will find out eventually. Are you planning to kill your brothers and sisters too?" Ren Daoqian, sensing Ren Pingxue's Soul Power waning, withdrew his arm and chuckled.

"There are plenty who wish for my demise; you're not even on the list... Ahahahaha." Ye Mo, though awake, was still dazed and let out a foolish laugh.

"Idiot, who's trying to kill you?!" Ren Pingxue lashed out with a kick to Ye Mo's behind.

"Wuwuwu... Don't die, little fox, I..."

Ye Mo, having been kicked by Ren Pingxue, suddenly burst into tears, babbling incoherently before drifting off into a naive sleep, the tear streaks at the corner of his eyes revealing the ordeal was far from a pleasant dream.

"What's a little fox?" Ye Mo's tearful confusion caught Ren Pingxue off guard. Her gaze shifted from Ye Mo to Ren Daoqian, hoping her father would indulge her curiosity.

"Don't look at me—I don't know either," Ren Daoqian said as he helped Ye Mo to his feet, draping the latter's arm over his shoulder. They began to make their way toward one of the many courtyards, Ren Daoqian seemingly unconcerned.

"What's his name?" Ren Pingxue asked, lifting her foot and silently following behind. She observed Ye Mo, who appeared lifeless, and felt a pang of sadness. Girls tend to be more sensitive and tender-hearted, often overthinking things.

"This young man is named Yiheng, a name given by the Specter Ancestor. There's another one named Yishu, who's in a similar state, currently at Mizar Peak. You may have noticed that this boy possesses a soul but lacks a spirit. It's a mystery how he has managed to survive to this day, even possessing Soul Power. The world is indeed full of wonders. It's evident, though, that he's endured much hardship," Ren Daoqian narrated as they walked.

"Ah, when did the Ancestor come down from the mountain? He even named this unknown youngster Yiheng? That horizontal line?" Ren Pingxue's interest in the boy grew with each passing moment.

Ren Daoqian freed one hand and extended his finger, tracing a horizontal line in the air with Soul Power.

"This is what Yiheng means! The Ancestor really is too casual; that's hardly a proper name..." Suddenly, Ren Pingxue felt an overwhelming sense of pity for Ye Mo. "So unattractive, and with such a thoughtless name, it's truly unfortunate."

"The Ancestor has always been known for his free-spirited and casual ways," Ren Daoqian said with a light smile, stopping in front of a door.

Creak...

The wooden door, which hadn't been opened in a long time, emitted a sharp, grating sound.

"Ouch, I must say I'm quite the competent master. These disciples nowadays are so arrogant. How can they sleep soundly knowing their fellow disciple has collapsed outside their door? If they aren't strictly disciplined, they'll surely bring shame to Alkaid Peak..." After pushing the door open, Ren Daoqian flicked his fingertip, sending a glimmer of light onto the oil lamp. With a flash, the cotton wick caught fire, casting a warm glow throughout the modest room.