Chương 22: 16.1. Relationships and Seclusion

"..." Mue Dian watched silently as the group hovered above Blood Mirror Lake. Vibrant blue water hiding a bloody mist in its depths expanding in every direction for over a hundred kilometers. Faust was rubbing his brows trying to talk to Damarius, who was being vague with what he actually wanted to stop here for. The sky was an overcast gray almost as far as she could see. A few drops of rain were spitting down in a very light pour.

"So you need some Ruby Eyed Koi from here for your Bloody Star Spear Art?" Faust asked Damarius with exasperation, pulling down his face with his hands.

"I required a bloody eye from Blood Mirror Lake." Damarius repeated, for what must have been the twentieth time. Faust threw his hands up in the air and moved his flying sword closer to the old alchemist, Dan Chen.

"I've never heard of this ' bloody eye'. Have you?" Dan Chen stroked the stubble of his beard for a moment, looking down at the water from his flying sword.

"I believe that the eye of Ruby eyed Koi is sometimes described as a bloody eye… But I'm unsure what its use would be as an external material." Mue Dian looked away. Sirius was making conversation with Phaleica and Sue Jane, who briefly glanced at her and Persius's direction. The two locked eyes for a moment, then Sue Jane gave a light scoff before returning to conversation. Normally, Mue Dian would have called her out, but this time, she just looked down silently.

Persius had been rather silent the whole time, looking far off into the distance, while the 3 outer sect disciples that had been with them were listening animatedly to Satheon's recounting of fighting a Flood Dragon. For a few hours, the group stayed like that, until Faust finally called the rescue team and handed out some parchments with different symbols on them. The group then spread out into a large circle and blue mist rose from each of them before seeping into the parchment.

The ink symbols began to glow white before rising from the parchment. Faust made some hand signs and a circle of glowing blue Qi appeared, encompassing the glowing symbols. Dan Chen began writing some symbols while Faust did the same on the other side of the circle, which slowly rotated. After a few minutes, the circle was filled up and Faust called everyone to just wait for a while until the formation array caught some fish and pulled them out of the water.

It didn't take long for a small silver fish to shoot out of the water with a splash before coming to a stop in the center of the formation. A few more fish quickly followed. A 2nd level beast, a dark green serpent with some golden scales was also pulled thrashing and squirming out of the water. It went limp after a few moments when Yue Zong shot it with an arrow though.

After another few hours, several of the Ruby eyed Koi had been caught and the formation deactivated, with Faust, Sirius, Dan Chen and Phaleica sorting through the useful and useless low level spirit fish they had caught. Not long after, the group was continuing towards the Clear Mirror Sect. Seeing the group had become silent on the journey, Mue Dian glanced at Faust and Sirius's backs. She took a deep breath.

"Uhm… Sirius, Faust…" She called out hesitantly. Sirius ignored her, but Faust turned and after a moment, slowed down a bit to fall back to where Mue Dian was. Sirius sighed and followed Faust. Persius perked up and flew closer. The four drifted a distance away from everyone else. There was an awkward silence.

"Well?" Sirius asked annoyedly, "Do you have something to say or not?"

"..." Mue Dian's instincts screamed to argue, but she resisted. After taking a deep breath, Mue Dian bowed while still on her flying sword.

"I'm sorry." She said, her lips trembling as she spoke. Sirius looked down at her, but didn't say anything. Persius also bowed deeply beside Mue Dian.

"I see…" Faust spoke, like he was regarding some ordinary piece of news. His tone stung in Dian's gut and she felt her throat choke.

"So dishonest." Sirius spat, "You have the right idea but why don't you be more specific. Me and Faust did everything we could for you. Did you know Faust burst into the Mirror Hall and had to interrupt the Nascent Soul elder there? Have you ever even stood in front of a Golden Core expert?"

"Huuu…." Mue Dian exhaled heavily, every word twisting like a knife in her gut.

"I'm sorry for not listening to you. I'm sorry for not using the foundation laying method you bought. I'm sorry for wasting all my merit. I apologise for not taking your warnings to heart." Mue Dian apologised, squeezing her eyes shut.

"..." Sirius still looked at them with narrowed eyes, but her expression had softened from outright anger. Faust was stroking his chin, his eyes unfocused, before he suddenly looked Mue Dian in the eyes.

"Then, what do you plan to do from now on? I have my own cultivation to focus on, a little sister I hope to support and I still need to help Sirius with correcting her current foundation. Among other plans I have." Faust asked.

"..." Mue Dian thought for a moment, then opened her eyes and looked to Persius at the side. Persius met her eyes, then slumped his shoulders and sighed.

"We will stop taking any dangerous missions, any of which we will be required to fight Open Palace realm beasts or higher." Persius spoke the longest sentence Mue Dian had ever heard from him. Or perhaps he had spoken more when discussing poison and medicine with Faust in the past.

"We will…" Persius sighed again.

"Abandon combat as our primary immortal profession… And focus on another profession." Mue Dian scrunched her face tightly, not wanting to hear the words. She had spent the last 15 years honing her spear skills, she barely knew anything else. She would be starting from scratch, learning the same things as those Qi Refining disciples from the latest generation. At least Persius had dabbled a lot in poisons and medicine. Still. After the latest mission, Dian had realised her own weakness.

She also understood why Sirius had led her to fight with Sue Jane— who was far from being considered strong, among the Inner Sect. The Jade Toad had just been an early realm Open Palace equivalent, a barely 3rd level beast. But her own and Persius's —what she now realised were 3rd rate foundations— had been too inadequate. When they had first been ambushed by the beast, Mue Dian had felt like she was only a half step Open Palace realm cultivator. Perhaps Faust's honest opinion would be that she was.

Faust had always been picky, with strict standards and a severe level of perfectionism that bordered on being a heart demon. Mue Dian looked up. Sirius and Faust were staring at her and Persius. Faust sighed, letting his shoulders drop.

"That's a good decision," he said. The words were like a punch to the gut to that last bit of hope Mue Dian held.

"Theres nothing that you can do now that you've already partially solidified your spirit body. If you stall yourself here and spend a few years researching, you may find a way to match a 2nd rate foundation. But… You should both think about what to do in the future… You won't reach the Golden Core realm in your lifetime."

"Ku! —" A choked sob erupted from Mue Dian but she forcibly suppressed it at the last moment. Faust had never been wrong. Ever. His judgment had been nothing but flawless in all the years she had known him. Faust made some hand signs and a thin barrier appeared around the four.

"It's alright. We were all stupid at one point. Maturity and state of mind is one of the largest obstacles to immortality." Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Mue Dian couldn't hold back anymore and burst into tears, sobbing. Sirius looked away guiltily. Persius was as stoic as always, but even he looked like he had had the blood drained from him. Mue Dian didn't know how long she was like that.

She only knew that they had arrived back at the sect and Persius had offered her a handkerchief to remove the traces of tears. Faust waited with Sirius inside the mission hall. The two waited silently instead of playing their good scholar bad scholar game. The rewards for emergency missions were already generous. The rest of the group had already split up, returning to rest. Persius had helped Mue Dian —who looked ready to collapse— back to her home in the Inner sect.

Thinking over the day, Faust was glad that he had talked to Mue Dian and Persius. Even if it was hard to listen to. While waiting for the deacon to process the mission, Faust looked down at Sirius. She was resting against his side, staring idly at a corner of the hall. She had been rather clingy since the talk with Mue Dian and Persius. Soon, the two left the mission hall after taking care of some minor details of the mission with the deacon. They walked in silence for a while.

"It's scary isn't it?" Sirius asked.

"What isn't?" Faust shrugged. Sirius gave an amused snort.

"True. Being a cultivator means we dream of the heavens. But realistically, most won't ever get the opportunity. At least you and I accepted our limits early." I'm not as accepting of it as you think.

"It does make it easier." Faust agreed.

"My grandfather only reached the peak of Meridian Opening, me reaching the Golden Core realm. It's still impressive don't you think?" We could go further.

"It is. I'm still confident I can drag you up to Nascent Soul though." Faust smiled.

"Heh. I'll bet my ring finger you can't." Sirius changed her tone, smirking playfully.

"A bold choice." Faust raised his head, keeping it high as the evening sun cast long shadows across Diamond Mountain market. The usual plethora of colours was covered by orange and amber hues. For a while, Faust and Sirius stopped at Clear Jade Bridge, watching the sun set in silence before they split up. Sirius wanted to get some sleep and Faust still had a lot he needed to do. Especially if he planned on a few months of seclusion to complete laying the rest of his Inner palace foundation.

The next morning was a quiet one. Nobody came and interrupted Faust, neither did he have any urgent tasks. Faust prepared a breakfast of white rice and a few eggs. Waving his hand, Faust grimaced though. The basket, surrounded in a cold formation, where eggs and milk usually sat, were empty.

"Of course I'm out of breakfast items…" Faust sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Guess I'll eat out this morning." He recovered quickly, fixing his hair, picking up his fan and throwing on his Inner Sect robes. Reaching for the door, Faust relished in a rush of welcoming, cool morning air. With the thin stairs that split off from the larger staircase up the mountain, thin beams of yellow and orange sunlight pierced the morning fog, casting rays of heaven that danced across the forest floor and overgrown path. The Inner sect courtyard was already filled by a morning crowd.

Most of the small stone furniture sets and pavilions had a small group who liked to meet and talk at sunrise. Faust breathed in the morning air, waving his fan in front of him to clear the fog. Faust didn't always carry a fan around like many rich heirs liked to do, but sometimes he liked playing the rich young master. Especially now, while he had a surplus of coins and materials, without any immediate or near future plans for it.

Walking into the market, Faust found one of the few permanent establishments scattered around. Dark walnut pillars supported a large three story restaurant with glazed purple shingles. Countless dragons carved out of wood dotted the place with intricate wooden fences and windows that distorted the view inside. Violet Tray Pavilion. Faust read the black and gold nameplate at the top, pausing briefly before entering.

A wide hole in the ceiling revealed the three floors, a space cleared at the center of the lowest floor with a stage. There was an early Qi refining dancer, with flowing dark blue hair in twintails that nearly touched the ground and which twirled around wide arcs as she spun. Faust looked around. The first floor contained all the pink robed outer sect disciples, some richer peripheral disciples and visiting merchants of the sect.

Taking in the smells and aromas of various delicacies, Faust made his way to the second floor, where Inner Sect disciples dominated, the lantern light reflecting off of the unfirms golden embroidery.

"Oh? It's a surprise seeing you here, Senior Brother." Rozalines voice cut in. Faust paused his step, felt his expression fall and then struggled to return it to a smile as he turned.

"Junior Sister, Rozaline." Faust cupped a fist in respect towards where Rozaline sat with three other heirs. Faust didn't recognise them exactly, but with how they disregarded the inner sect uniforms, it wasn't hard. There was Tang Chengfeng, someone Faust only knew due to some small exchange between him, himself and Phalecia, who was from a minor branch of the Tang clan.

Next to him was a woman with long black hair and some golden ornamentation, also from the Tang clan, Faust guessed she was Qingyu, whose explosive temperament was famous in the region. She wore a green and gold robe wrapped tightly around herself, with large, loose sleeves. If not for the short cut of the bottom of the dress —modesty maintained by some black stockings— Faust would almost call her modestly dressed.

Faust wondered what it was with rich heirs skirting the edge of what the empire's definition of modesty was. The third person at the table was reclined in their chair, feet on the table with a loose robe exposing most of his upper body and its chiseled form. With smooth purple hair holding a single golden decoration, they held a gourd of alcohol while looking to the ceiling with a wide grin. Faust guessed the third person was Ho Jinyou, at the peak of the Open Palace realm and famed for his talent and laziness.

Faust took a second look at the chiseled upper body. Contrary to the rumours, the distribution of the muscle and the tightness rippling just under the slightly tanned skin, Faust was more reminded of Satheon, who dedicated everything to body tempering.

"Since you're here, why not join us?" Rozaline asked. The heirs, who had all seemed to have been minding themselves a moment ago, all started to look at Faust. Even Jinyou took a second look. Faust eye twitched. I really don't want to talk to any of you people this early in the morning. But I really want to leave a good impression on you all. Faust complained in his mind.

"It would be an honour." Faust agreed with his mouth, shoving his thoughts aside. He stepped forward and took a seat at the table beside Rozaline, who hid a smile with her fan before staring pointedly at Tang Qingyu, who looked back at her intensely. I'm screwed. Aren't I? Faust realised in an instant that Rozaline hadn't invited him out of generosity.

"We've been discussing something," Rozaline began and Faust braced himself for the worst.

"Whether Ho Jinyou should dye his hair dark green or pale gold next." Both Rozaline and Tang Quingyu looked to Faust.

"..." Faust glanced at Tang Chengfeng. Faust realised, he was frozen stiff, staring into the distance like a statue. His eyes twitched slightly and Faust met his gaze. Faust could almost hear the desperate shout from deep in his soul. Turning to the man in question, Ho Jinyou had that silly smile on his face, a faint blush making Faust suspect him to be either drunk out of his mind or just happy to be here. Faust pushed the table and slid his chair back, "I've changed my mind." He stood up and began walking away.

"I would rather throw myself off a cliff— than involve myself in a discussion of the most handsome man in the sect."

"I'll drink to that brother!" Jinyou threw his hand up.

"I too." Faust responded idly. Suddenly, appearing beside him in an instant, Jinyou threw an arm around Faust, almost falling and using him as a support.

"Then! Let's go Senior Brother! Let your junior treat you to some good alcohol in this sect!" F*CK! Faust shouted in his head.

"Isn't it a bit early for drinking?"

"We're cultivators! We can stay up for years at a time! How can it ever be too early! I haven't slept for weeks!"

"..." Faust's eye twitched again and under the completely surprised and bewildered expressions of Rozaline and Tang Qingyu —a silent cry for help from Tang Chengfeng which Faust chose to ignore— Faust and Ho Jinyou descended back downstairs and left the restaurant. Faust guessed they weren't expecting an extra like him to choose to just leave rather than pick a side.

Supporting the wobbling Ho Jinyou outside and wandering through the market, Faust wondered what they were going to do until Jinyou suddenly stood up straight and dusted himself off. He cleared his throat.

"Thank you brother for helping me escape from them." Jinyou cupped a fist in his hand, smiling and giving a small bow.

"... Your welcome…?" Faust returned the fist salute and small bow.

"No… You don't understand…" Jinyou grabbed Faust's shoulders.

"It. Has. Been. DAYS." His eyes practically went bloodshot and Faust took a step back, looking around for help for himself.

"It's rude to leave for no reason, but I already made the mistake of admitting I had nothing to do for the next week. Those two were arguing for so long and if it had been much longer, their friends would have arrived!" Jinyou emphasized each point with a shake. Faust couldn't even resist the man's strength.

"I— I see…" Faust tried to subtly shake off the man's grip. Jinyou suddenly let go and cleared his throat again.

"I apologise for coming on so hard, but you must understand that the level of mental gymnastics and the lengths they were going to to make their points was getting rather… Concerning…" He looked down and to the side as he spoke, his voice trailing off for a moment as he seemed to think about something.

"Ah! Anyways, as a token of thanks, I'll buy you something from the market today, on me!" He added.

"Ah… No need… No need…" Faust tried to wave him off and escape. He just wanted to eat breakfast.

"Nonsense!" Jinyou threw another hand around Faust, catching him. Then he whispered.

"You know I'm the most handsome man in the sect. There's a bunch of women waiting to pounce on me, so just play along with me. Please… I just wanted to buy something from the market yesterday…"

"Haaa…" Faust sighed. He just wanted to eat breakfast and Jinyou just wanted to get something from the market. He understood the pain. The two then set off through the market, after Faust had pried Jinyou off his shoulder.