It was a deep night. Sounds of something piercing the air could be heard. In Li Yun''s garden, a young man with a bare torso was practicing with a sword.


    Of course, it was Xie Qing. He looked a bit tired, but he still trained and didn''t stop for a second. His appearance was masculine, and with every swing, one could feel the power.


    This was his usual practice at night. He felt better when he trained with the sword.


    "Your wounds still haven''t healed. I wouldn''t advise overexerting yourself," a cold voice suddenly sounded behind Xie Qing.


    "..." The young man was startled by the unexpected sound and turned his head. He narrowed his eyes, seeing Zhang Mei standing behind him: "Sect Master Zhang... Can''t you sleep?"


    "Sleep? Cultivators at my level don''t sleep," Zhang Mei replied, raising an eyebrow.


    "...Alright, never mind," Xie Qing weakly smiled and shrugged.


    He continued to swing the sword. These were both horizontal and vertical cuts. Despite being the most primitive types of attacks, they were the strongest at the same time.


    Zhang Mei said nothing, only watching him practice. She was indeed interested in seeing a genius who could achieve such a level of cultivation at such a young age.


    And, it must be said, she was able to notice some differences. In Xie Qing''s swings, one could feel a slight but still present Sword Aura. Achieving such an effect was extremely difficult.


    Zhang Mei could count on the fingers of one hand those who had reached such a level of understanding of the Sword Dao.


    "Hm... besides the fact that he is good at the Sword Dao, this guy also has talent in cultivation... Xu Mei is lucky!" Zhang Mei thought. She was slightly displeased.


    Although Li Yun and Xie Yu were talented, their talent could notpare to Xie Qing. Before him, they were both helpless, so Zhang Mei could only sigh.


    After a while, she said:


    "Liu Yang hase out of her secluded practice and is ready to help you heal," Zhang Mei said and, after a pause, added: "...What are your rtionships with Lu Yin?"


    "Lu Yin?"


    Xie Qing put down the sword, looking puzzled. Even if he had sympathy for this girl, their rtionship remained at an ordinary friendship.


    "We are friends. What about it?" Xie Qing asked curiously. Why was Zhang Mei interested in this?


    "Friends, yes..."


    Zhang Mei narrowed her eyes, looking at Xie Qing and saying nothing, turned and left.


    "What was that?"


    The young man was at a loss for words and shrugged.


    ---


    The next day, the young man sat in a carriage, and apanied by Li Yun and Lu Yin, they flew towards the Sect of Nine Pills. Zhang Mei did not go with them, as she had too many affairs as the sect master.


    On the way, of course, this trio had a lively conversation.


    "Xie Qing, have you heard of that person? What was his name... Fierce Bull!" Li Yun began to speak.


    "Fierce... who?" Xie Qing raised an eyebrow, being puzzled.


    "Fierce Bull! He is one of the geniuses of our generation who, at the age of 24, became a Core Formation cultivator!" Li Yun said, and then added, twisting the corners of her mouth: "Although, for you, this is nothing."


    "I don''t care about talents. I''m only interested in the person''s character," Xie Qing said and sighed,fortably settling into the chair: "Honestly? I don''t care about getting closer to other geniuses. Most of them think that the world revolves around them. I, on the other hand, pursue Immortality and afortable life."


    "Hehe" Lu Yin smiled: "Afortable life is lounging with women and drinking alcohol?"


    "Partly."


    "..."


    "..."


    The two girls simply lost their voices. He was so shameless! However, it can be said that it was precisely such a carefree and honest character that brought them together. Therefore, they quickly moved on to other topics.


    "Xie Yu has already been in secluded cultivation for two months..." Xie Qing suddenly said and, after a pause, asked: "Is she okay? Does she need any resources?"


    "Little Yu? She''s fine, don''t worry," Li Yun replied, gently smiling: "She has good potential. The master also takes care of her, so she has no problems with resources."


    "One way or another, let me know if anything is needed. And, Lu Yin, this also applies to you."


    "Got it."


    ---


    The Sect of Nine Pills, perhaps, was the most peaceful of those that Xie Qing had seen. Here reigned an atmosphere of tranquility and silence. Also, the smell of herbs stood out.


    "By the way, I have a new alchemical me..." Xie Qing thought and raised an eyebrow: "Maybe there is a suitable technique for it here? The one in the system is too expensive..."


    Looking around, Xie Qing noticed no changes. The same ces, the same atmosphere, and the smell of herbs. It was soothing.


    "Maybe that''s why I feel so rxed next to Lu Yin?" Xie Qing thought, raising an eyebrow.


    The two girls were discussing something, and he was lost in his thoughts. Thus, unknowingly, he arrived at the sect master''s pavilion.


    "Young Miss!"


    At the entrance stood two cultivators at the Soul Nascent stage who, seeing Lu Yin, stood straight and greeted.


    "Hello. I came to see the Master, she should already know about us," Lu Yin said, gently smiling.


    "Of course! Pleasee in!"


    Xie Qing did not pay attention to the envious gaze of the guards and merely entered. Now even Soul Nascent cultivators were nothing to him, so he could afford to be arrogant.


    Carefree and childish, he was only with close people. Now his aura waspletely different, turning into a cold and dominant one. From such changes, even Lu Yin and Li Yun lost their voices.


    "Can he be serious?"


    "Impossible... I must be hallucinating..."


    Xie Qing twisted the corners of his mouth when he heard their whisper, but did not react.


    It must be said that such a sudden change allowed the young man to attract a lot of attention. Many cultivators looked at him with curiosity and fear.


    As for the female cultivators... oh, fellow daoists, should I exin about this? The heavens cursed me and took away our beauty, instead giving it to Xie Qing!


    Therefore, the attention from the girls was almost non-existent. Even the sect''s elders could not help but throw a few flirtatious nces at him.


    Did Lu Yin and Li Yun feel something was amiss? Naturally. Especially Li Yun''s aura became cold.


    Lu Yin, looking at her friend, could not help but narrow her eyes.


    ---


    Liu Yang opened her eyes. She was levitating in the air, and around her was a vortex of mysterious and more powerful energy than ordinary Qi.


    "Hm? So they have already arrived..." Liu Yang gently smiled and descended to the ground. Then, pping her hands, she ordered: "Formation Spirit, bring them here."


    "epted..." a female voice without emotions sounded.


    At the same time, Xie Qing, Lu Yin, and Li Yun were enveloped in a bright silver glow and instantly teleported to Liu Yang''s chambers.


    "Formation Spirit?" Xie Qing thought and looked around, feeling a gaze on him. Seeing Liu Yang, he politely bowed: "Greetings, Sect Master!"


    "Greetings, Lady Liu!"


    Li Yun bowed, and Lu Yin simply used Baoqian.


    "Hm. I have heard of your heroics, Disciple Xu Mei!" Liu Yang nodded and gently smiled: "Your heart is truly... all-epassing, isn''t it?


    "Is it...?"


    Xie Qing didn''t know what to answer. He felt sarcasm in Liu Yang''s voice. When did he offend this ancient artifact?


    "One way or another, let''s start with your treatment. I don''t like to postpone things," Liu Yang said and waved her hand, adding: "Take off your clothes... why are you looking at me like that?"


    Xie Qing said nothing and silently took off his top. He approached Liu Yang and sat down in front of her.


    "Good, you two can meditate while I heal him," Liu Yang said and narrowed her eyes, looking at Lu Yin: "I am very displeased with you. Your cultivation level has not progressed at all for a year. Work harder!"


    "Yes, Master..." Lu Yin twisted her lips and could not help but object in her thoughts: "Do you think I can break through as fast as this monster Xie Qing?"


    Li Yun closed her eyes and began to meditate. She was pleasantly surprised, feeling that the quality of Qi here was several times higher than in her mansion!


    Not wanting to miss such a chance, she meditated diligently.


    "Good, Disciple Zhang is very diligent and not aszy as her Master in her youth," Liu Yang thought and turned her gaze to Xie Qing, who looked indifferent: "And now..."


    Liu Yang approached Xie Qing. She sat in the lotus position in front of him, and these two were so close that if Liu Yang leaned slightly, they would kiss.


    However, of course, the young man did not harbor such thoughts. He still wanted to live.


    Liu Yang was also focused on healing and did not entertain such strange thoughts. She frowned.


    "Such dense Negative Karma... you made the right decision bying to me. Otherwise, your soul would have been torn apart by this Karma, and you would have be an Evil Spirit," Liu Yang said, shocking everyone.


    "Seriously? That sounds harsh..." Xie Qing replied, raising an eyebrow.


    "And you, it seems, are not from the cowardly ten," Liu Yang said with a faint smile, and then continued seriously: "However, you are lucky. I will help you get rid of this Negative Karma."


    "Many thanks."


    ====


    * I have always tranted Dao as Way, but I think it would be more urate to stick to the original name.