Vol. 1 - Ch. 14 - Upgrade

The sound of silk and bamboo ceased, and the dance hall was filled with people. Ji Yaoge looked around and saw only a room full of soft, colorful gauze. The female cultivators practicing the Celestial-Demon Dance wore twelve-colored flying skirts, baring their shoulders, waists, and legs, standing barefoot. Each one was a beautiful woman with a graceful figure.

It was like... a flock of peacocks displaying their feathers.

This was the only description Ji Yaoge could think of.

"Senior Sister Yue Xiao, Senior Sister Ji is here."

Bai Yan called out, and the crowd parted, revealing Jiao Tao, who was enduring Yue Xiao’s wrath. Yue Xiao scolded Jiao Tao but only glanced briefly at Ji Yaoge, sneering, "You said Junior Sister Ji's injuries hadn’t healed. Maybe it’s better if she doesn't trouble herself. From now on, you will take over her duties."

Though speaking to Jiao Tao, Yue Xiao's gaze was fixed on Ji Yaoge. To cover for Ji Yaoge’s absence, Jiao Tao had lied about Ji Yaoge's injuries and had Bai Yan help with the music hall duties. Despite two days of cover-up, Yue Xiao had discovered the truth. Already hostile towards Ji Yaoge, Yue Xiao now seized the opportunity.

"No, Senior Sister Yue Xiao..." Jiao Tao anxiously pleaded.

Being sent to the music hall was secondary; the key issue was that she wouldn’t be able to practice the Celestial-Demon Dance. As a low-level cultivator in Mei Sect, it was rare to access powerful techniques, and missing this chance meant another might never come. Jiao Tao had eagerly awaited this opportunity and was unwilling to give it up.

The joyful expression Jiao Tao had when she learned she could practice the dance was still fresh in Ji Yaoge's memory. Feeling guilty, Ji Yaoge said, "Senior Sister Yue Xiao, it was my negligence that caused the delay in the music hall duties. It has nothing to do with Senior Sister Jiao Tao. If there’s punishment, I’ll bear it alone."

As soon as she finished, Jiao Tao tugged at her dress, signaling her to stay quiet.

"Bear it alone? It’s easy to say that. Those musical instruments are valuable treasures. If they were lost, how would you bear the responsibility? You failed at your duties, and she covered it up. Both of you are at fault!" Yue Xiao raised her head, scolding both of them sharply.

Jiao Tao said, "Senior Sister, it’s our fault. We’ll accept any punishment, just please don’t expel me from the dance hall."

Yue Xiao lightly brushed her sleeve, looking at Jiao Tao. "What use are you in the dance hall? You can’t even grasp a single step after three lessons. With such poor talent, why stay in the dance formation?"

"I will work harder." Jiao Tao clenched her fists, pleading.

"What’s the use of hard work? Poor talent is poor talent. Staying will only harm yourself and others..." Yue Xiao's gaze shifted to Ji Yaoge, mocking, "Some things are useless no matter how hard you try. Since you two are so close, and she wants to bear the punishment alone, why not both of you go to the music hall and keep each other company?"

Jiao Tao was about to speak, but Ji Yaoge casually interjected, "It’s just a mere illusionary dance. Why talk about talent?"

This remark sparked whispers among the crowd, as no one expected her to retort. Jiao Tao froze, and it was too late to stop her.

"Such arrogance!" Yue Xiao shook her sleeve and walked up to Ji Yaoge. "A mere illusionary dance? Do you know this dance was created by Madame herself? You, with your useless body, dare to speak so arrogantly?"

"I’ve seen mountain monkeys and paradise birds dance as courtship rituals. There’s no difference," Ji Yaoge said, recalling countless fragmented images, speaking without thinking.

The crowd burst into laughter. Jiao Tao slapped her forehead, feeling that staying here was hopeless. She exchanged a helpless glance with Bai Yan, who rubbed his brow in frustration.

"What did you say?" Yue Xiao couldn’t believe her ears. She had heard all sorts of vulgarities in Mei Sect, but this comparison was unheard of. She was so angry she couldn’t respond, staring at Ji Yaoge for a while before pointing at her nose. "You... you compared the Celestial-Demon Dance to animal mating?"

Ji Yaoge was also silent. She couldn’t control her words and actions today; her emotions were heavily affected.

Impulse, irritability, directness—these weren’t her original traits.

Yue Xiao was furious, about to scold her, when someone approached, laughing, "Since Junior Sister Ji is so confident, why not give her a chance, Yue Xiao?"

It was Ren Zhongping.

"A chance? You want me to give her a chance?" Yue Xiao turned, nearly gritting her teeth.

He whispered a few words in her ear, making the anger in Yue Xiao’s eyes dissipate.

"Since Zhongping asked, I’ll give her a chance." Yue Xiao’s lips curled. "Ji Yaoge, you have three days to learn this dance and perform it for me. If you fail, you’ll be punished for disrespecting the sect and sent to serve hard labor on Qingyan Mountain for ten years. Do you agree?"

"Yaoge!" Jiao Tao gasped.

Qingyan Mountain was treacherous and the labor intense. It was meant for disciples who committed serious offenses. Someone like Ji Yaoge, without cultivation, wouldn’t survive five years, let alone ten.

"What if I succeed?" Ji Yaoge ignored Jiao Tao’s warning.

"If you succeed, I’ll teach you the Five-tone String Technique," Yue Xiao said decisively. The Five-tone String Technique was Yue Xiao’s renowned skill, even feared by Ye Long. It ranked in the top five techniques of Chi Xiu Palace.

"Alright, it’s a deal." Ji Yaoge raised her hand.

Yue Xiao responded coldly.

Slap—

Their palms struck heavily.

Jiao Tao felt like she was going mad, and Bai Yan rubbed his brow in frustration.

————

After the commotion, Yue Xiao left. The sound of silk and bamboo resumed, and the crowd returned to their practice. Ji Yaoge, however, had no interest in watching them dance. She was filled with doubts and urgently sought answers. Jiao Tao and Bai Yan chased her out of the hall, stopping her.

"Yaoge!" Jiao Tao said anxiously. "You agreed to the three-day challenge. If you don't stay to practice, where are you going?"

"I have urgent matters. I won’t be practicing today. Please help me with the music hall duties for another day," Ji Yaoge said, suppressing her turbulent emotions.

"But..." Jiao Tao tried to persuade her, but Ji Yaoge held her shoulder.

"Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing," Ji Yaoge reassured, looking at Bai Yan.

Bai Yan understood her gaze, speaking lightly, "Alright, I'll cover for you. Go ahead."

"Thank you." Ji Yaoge quickly thanked him and ran off.

————

Racing back to her cave, she shut the door tightly, sitting cross-legged as fast as she could. Taking out the jade slip, she focused her mind, and in a flash, she was back in the illusory realm.

This time, she found herself on a windy cliff. The plain-faced woman stood at the peak, her robe fluttering like butterflies.

Ji Yaoge wasted no time, recounting the strange events of the day, ending with, "Why did my personality change? Is it related to this technique?"

The woman patiently listened, then calmly said, "What do you think your changed personality resembles?"

Ji Yaoge thought back to the day’s events, feeling curious, innocent, gentle, but also irritable, impulsive, and occasionally violent. After a moment, she said, "It feels like... the insects, birds, fish, and plants of the mountains."

The sensation was indescribable.

"Good insight," the woman smiled, pointing down the mountain. "Look at the mountains. You see only lush vegetation, but it's teeming with insects, birds, and animals. Some are living, some are dying, in an endless cycle. Insects have short lives, like mayflies, living only for a day. To them, the world is chaotic and mysterious. Beasts, though long-lived, live by survival of the fittest, filled with violence and impulse. Plants are gentle, nurturing spiritual energy. Young beasts are innocent, birds curious, all driven by survival and reproduction. Your feelings are correct. They’re the backlash from the unrefined spiritual bones you absorbed."

"Backlash?" Ji Yaoge felt a surge of impatience. "How do I fix it?"

Starting cultivation and already facing backlash?

"Don’t rush. I told you before, this technique easily leads to deviation, and the cause is backlash. You need to know that you’re absorbing the obsessions of living beings. If you don’t refine them in time, they affect your personality. Now it’s just insects and plants, but soon you’ll absorb cultivators' spiritual bones. These cultivators have survived countless trials, their obsessions deep. Absorbing their spiritual bones, you experience their lives while combating their obsessions. If you can overcome them, you’ll be fine. If not, you’ll be influenced, developing inner demons. That’s why cultivators need a firm will. Your situation today surprises me," the woman sighed, possibly recalling Qing Jia's disciple who fell into deviation.

"What’s wrong with me?"

"Your missing soul leaves your soul sea incomplete, making you highly reactive to external spiritual bones. You urgently need spiritual bones to fill the missing soul, so you absorb them ten times faster than others. Though you only cultivated for two days, you’ve absorbed more than you can handle, causing a sudden impact on your primordial spirit and soul sea. Though they are low-intelligence spiritual bones, they still affect you." The woman floated into the air, fingers forming a seal, her brow showing compassion. "I overlooked this. Don’t worry. I’ll teach you the second chapter of Mèi Gǔ, the Three Pure Lotus Mantra. It will calm your mind and protect you from distractions. In your current state, absorb spiritual bones one day, cultivate the next. Now, sit down."

Ji Yaoge nodded, flying to the cliff and forming a Tai Chi seal.

The woman's gentle voice echoed in her ears, carrying a trace of Buddhist chant, profound and thought-provoking. Following the mantra, Ji Yaoge felt the chaotic emotions in her mind and heart gradually dissipate, falling into unprecedented tranquility. She didn’t even notice when she exited the illusory realm, continuing to practice the Three Pure Lotus Mantra.

After three cycles, she opened her eyes, feeling refreshed. The troubling emotions were gone, the sounds of birds outside her closed cave clear and bright.

She was delighted—her cultivation had advanced from Qi Refinement Level 3 to Level 4.

Stretching, Ji Yaoge happily got out of bed, thinking of how to handle Yue Xiao’s challenge. She stuffed the still-sleeping Gao Ba Dou into the jade tube, preparing to leave.

But as she opened the door, she bumped into someone standing outside.

"Senior Sister Ye Long," Ji Yaoge said, surprised.

Ye Long’s slender figure cast a shadow in the morning light. She stepped back, speaking gently, "Junior Sister Ji."

"Did you need to see me?" Ji Yaoge invited her in.

Ye Long declined with a wave, saying, "I heard about Yue Xiao troubling you yesterday. You’re quite brave."

Remembering the previous day and the nonsense she had said, Ji Yaoge’s face heated up. "It wasn’t really trouble. I made the mistake and angered Senior Sister Yue Xiao. I should bear the consequences."

Ye Long smiled. "You were wrong, but I know Yue Xiao. She doesn’t forgive easily, especially when it’s you."

"Senior Sister, I’ve always wondered, as a low-level cultivator, I have no dealings with Senior Sister Yue Xiao. Why does she target me?" Ji Yaoge asked.

"Want to know? Come with me." Ye Long turned and walked ahead.

"Where are we going?" Ji Yaoge quickly followed.

"Come with me. I’ll teach you the Celestial-Demon Dance," Ye Long said without looking back.

Ji Yaoge was stunned. "Senior Sister, you’ll teach me the dance?"

Ye Long, with her strong and elegant demeanor, didn’t seem like someone who would know the seductive dance Yue Xiao practiced.

Ye Long stopped, raising her hand to knock Ji Yaoge’s head, but then lightly tapped it, laughing. "Why? Don’t I look like I can dance? Do you know who taught Yue Xiao the dance?"

"Was it you, Senior Sister?" Ji Yaoge rubbed her head, guessing.

Ye Long smiled, not denying it. "Come on. No more talking."

Ji Yaoge could only follow quickly.

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