Chapter 158: Extra – Happiness

　　No matter the place, geniuses easily got more attention.

　　Yan Shou had been an ordinary but sickly child who could die at any moment until his sixth year when he was discovered by a transcendent passing by. The transcendent took him to a magical place, and he learned there was something called “cultivation” in the world.

　　When the other senior disciples heard of his origins, they shook their heads and sighed. “So, you are from the mortal world. Back then, that one came from the mortal world too.”

　　Mortal world? That one?

　　The young Yan Shou did not understand, but because he had good talent, the senior disciples worried his young mind would be swayed by the spectacular world outside so they did not frequently talk of outside matters to him.

　　He only knew his sect was called Primary Luck Sect and was the sect ranked eleventh in the cultivation world. As he was the only pentad spirit base disciple of Primary Luck Sect, the sect eldest shixiong took great care of him. Some of his fellow disciples were critical of him, and disdainful of the mortal world in their tones.

　　“You cannot speak nonsense!” the sect eldest shixiong said with a stern expression. “So what if one comes from the mortal world? Some of our Lingyou World’s powerful people also come from the mortal world. If your words reach the ears of Splendid Cloud Sect, would it not cause trouble?”

　　The disciples who had been gossiping changed expression. Yan Shou saw they seemed to be frightened and said, “Sect Shixiong, is Splendid Cloud Sect very powerful?”

　　“Splendid Cloud Sect is ranked eighth among the top ten sects, and is very powerful.” The sect eldest shixiong, Zhou Xiao, smiled at him gently. “Do not mind the words of these people. I will take you back to the cave residence.”

　　“Ranked eighth?” Yan Shou thought. “Our sect is ranked eleventh—we are not very far from them.”

　　Why did the other disciples look as though they were very afraid of Splendid Cloud Sect?

　　“You do not understand.” Zhou Xiao sighed and patted his shoulder. “You will know when you grow up.”

　　Yan Shou stopped asking when the sect eldest shixiong said this. He suppressed his curiosity and spent twelve years to grow from an ignorant child into a Base Building cultivator.

　　He heard a shijie once say that many cultivators could not reach Base Building before they died. The cultivators that managed to reach Base Building in fifty years were the best of the cultivation world, so he was very satisfied with reaching Base Building in twelve years.

　　The year he turned twenty-five, his cultivation reached the top of Base Building Stage. He only lacked an opportunity to become a Mind Activation cultivator. His quick cultivation speed caused him to become his master’s most valued apprentice, and even the sect eldest shixiong would have to stand aside slightly. No one in the sect dared to laugh at his birth again.

　　Master said the cultivation world had a discussion conference and wanted him to go to get experience.

　　Yan Shou had joined Primary Luck Sect when he was six and had never left the city until now. He immediately agreed when he heard Master say he would be taken along.

　　“Perform well at the discussion conference and do not leave face for the other sects. Use your full power, understood?” Master patted his shoulder with a stern expression. “Especially with Splendid Cloud Sect disciples. If you encounter them, do not be polite; do whatever you need to do!”

　　Yan Shou: “…”

　　From Master’s tone, it appeared their sect was not on good terms with Splendid Cloud Sect?

　　Before leaving, the sect took out their grandest flying talisman. They made two sets of sect magic robes for all the disciples attending the conference which had defensive seals.

　　He could see that Master did not want to lose to others.

　　They travelled in pauses along the road and encountered many others going to Radiance Sect.

　　The fame of Radiance Sect was great. Even Yan Shou, who had never left the city, had heard people mention this sect.

　　“It is a pity the discussion conference Radiance Sect held a hundred years ago was cancelled midway.”

　　“Oh, a hundred years have passed in a flash. My cultivation has still not advanced.”

　　“You already have Mind Manifestation Stage cultivation. It is not strange that you have not had a breakthrough in this century. Not everyone in the cultivation world is like Spirit Masters Zhong Xi and Kong Hou.”

　　Yan Shou listened quietly and felt slight curiosity. How powerful were Spirit Masters Zhong Xi and Kong Hou that these seniors who were already in Mind Manifestation Stage were so respectful when the pair was mentioned?

　　“I heard that the two spirit masters were residing in Splendid Cloud Sect recently. I hope I have the luck to see the two at this discussion conference.”

　　Splendid Cloud Sect?

　　Yan Shou hurriedly turned to peek at his master. Master did not show any displeasure and even praised Spirit Master Kong Hou. So Master didn’t feel negatively about Splendid Cloud Sect and he was just overthinking?

　　They encountered many other cultivators travelling the same way. The day they reached Pei City, the entire city was filled with people. Many people greeted them and would praise him before they left.

　　A pentad spirit base genius disciple…

　　Amid everyone’s praises, he couldn’t help but float.

　　“Look, it is Splendid Cloud Sect’s flying gold palace. It flew right past the city gates.”

　　“They did not pass through the gates?”

　　“They are in-laws of Radiance Sect. Also, Spirit Master Zhong Xi is definitely on the ship. They do not have to worry about safety.”

　　The surrounding cultivators had voices filled with yearning and reverence when they mentioned Splendid Cloud Sect and Radiance Sect. Yan Shou thought, he was a pentad spirit base genius. In the future, he would be stronger than these two spirit masters and be more respected.

　　After entering Radiance Sect, the most common news he heard was about the top ten sects. Which disciple had formed their mind manifestation, which disciple had formed their core, Nine Phoenix Sect and Clear Dawn Sect were fighting again, Moon Star Sect said they would not attend etcetera.

　　He really hadn’t thought these chatty cultivators would like to discuss these minor matters.

　　Yan Shou faintly felt that the mysterious and noble cultivation world in his mind did not seem so mysterious after all.

　　After the conference started, Yan Shou performed well and received many admiring gazes. In the last discussion, the room he was sent into had a disciple from Splendid Cloud Sect.

　　This Splendid Cloud Sect disciple had a dual spirit base, and this kind of talent was not good in large sects. He really didn’t understand why Splendid Cloud Sect would give such a good opportunity to a disciple who did not have good talent. Wasn’t this a waste of a spot?

　　Thinking of Master’s exhorting, he did not hide at all and spoke confidently in front of the other nine cultivators.

　　“Path Friend Yan Shou is correct!”

　　“So great!”

　　The cultivator of Splendid Cloud Sect nodded repeatedly, his eyes full of shock, and he started to clap at the end. The other showed no jealousy, no discontent, and his compliments were sincere. This caused Yan Shou… to feel no sense of accomplishment.

　　Where was the competitiveness of large sects? Where was the dignity of large sect disciples?

　　A Base Building cultivator, with a bone age of fifty or so, did not feel embarrassed that he lost to a young person of twenty-five in discussing the path?!

　　After the discussions finished, it was the fighting tournament. Yan Shou did not have enough battle experience, but due to this talent, he won more than he lost and entered the finals.

　　Then he encountered that Splendid Cloud Sect disciple who had praised and clapped for him during the discussion.

　　“Such a coincidence—we meet again. Path Friend Yan Shou, please.” This disciple from Splendid Cloud Sect smiled brightly. He wore a sect uniform with layers of seal scripts that was even more refined than the robes that he, an apprentice of a sect master, had. But for the fairness of the competition, he wore a jade pendant at his belt that could suppress the effects of defensive seals.

　　“Please.” Yan Shou looked towards the audience. Master was sitting there. He would defeat the Splendid Cloud Sect disciple and win face for his master.

　　Win… face…

　　Looking at the sword just three inches away from his spirit platform, Yan Shou was dazed. He had lost?

　　Lost to this mediocre Splendid Cloud Sect disciple who did not shine at all during the discussions?

　　“Good fight.” The disciple from Splendid Cloud Sect put away his sword, bowed, and then turned to leave the platform.

　　Yan Shou did not know how he walked off the stage. He was proud and he had not expected to lose to one inferior to him. He had no face to see his Master and fellow disciples. He dazedly walked towards a remote and peaceful spot.

　　After walking for a long time, he stopped next to a cliff.

　　The wind between the mountains cleared his mind gradually. The clearer his mind was, the worse he felt. He felt he had failed his Master’s hopes and embarrassed the sect.

　　“Ah, what are you crouching there for?” A young woman on a sword came down from the clouds. She wore her hair up in a flying celestial style, and her dress shimmered with light from an unknown number of seal scripts.

　　The most eye-catching was not her magic robe, however, but her pair of nimble eyes. Yan Shou embarrassedly stood up when he was gazed on by this pair of eyes. This person could freely fly on a sword in Radiance Sect and wore such expensive clothing. Maybe this was an apprentice of Radiance Sect with high status?

　　“You are Little Shizhi Yan Shou of Primary Luck Sect?” The young woman jumped off the flying sword. Her phoenix head hairpin shook slightly in her hair. Yan Shou looked at her face, felt embarrassed and took a step back.

　　“If you move back any further, you will fall down.” The young woman took out several spirit fruits from her storage ring and shoved them into Yan Shou’s hand. “I heard you came from the mortal world?”

　　Yan Shou’s mouth tensed. He knew many people in the cultivation world looked down on cultivators that came from the mortal world. But he could not afford to offend the other and didn’t dare to lie.

　　“Really good.” The young woman sat on the rock. It was such a casual movement but so pleasing to see when she did it. Yan Shou could not see the other’s cultivation, but the other looked only eighteen in age. She must be a cultivation genius even stronger than him.

　　After the blow from the Splendid Cloud Sect disciple, his pride had dissipated greatly. He no longer felt that his talent was unique. Hearing the other say “really good,” he doubted his hearing. What was good about coming from the mortal world?

　　“How is the mortal world now?” The young woman turned to look at him.

　　Yan Shou stilled. “I was not yet seven when I left the mortal world. I do not have many memories of the mortal world. I only remember faintly that everyone lived well. Mother said the Emperor was a rare wise monarch.”

　　The young woman nodded. “That’s good.”

　　Yan Shou did not know what to say. He did not understand why the young woman would ask about the mortal world and smile when she heard that the people were living well.

　　He closely examined the young woman and found the other was slightly familiar to the eye, as though he had seen her before. Just as he was about to ask, he heard a crane cry in the air.

　　“Kong Hou.” A man dressed in white robes stood on the back of the crane. Yan Shou looked up at the man. If there were immortals in the world, they would look like this.

　　The man looked at him and nodded slightly.

　　Yan Shou bowed in greeting.

　　“Weren’t you watching the competition between disciples?” The young woman climbed off the rock and opened her arms.

　　Yan Shou was puzzled when he noticed her action. What did this mean?

　　In the next moment, he saw the man fly off the crane and bend to carry the young woman. “You are more and more lazy.”

　　“You spoiled me.” The young woman pulled at the man’s ear. “Since you spoiled me, you have to be responsible. Do you not know this, my Spirit Master Zhong Xi?”

　　Spirit Master Zhong Xi… Spirit Master Kong Hou?!

　　Yan Shou’s eyes widened. He saw Spirit Master Zhong Xi fly away carrying Spirit Master Kong Hou. It took him a long time to focus.

　　Yan Shou finally learned how great the disparity between him and the two was after seeing them in person.

　　That night, he returned to the courtyard to ask forgiveness from his Master. But his master did not blame him, and said that the Splendid Cloud Sect disciple that won had only won because he had Spirit Master Zhong Xi teach him swordsmanship. So he did not have to mind.

　　Yan Shou was finally sure that Master admired Celestial Kong Hou but this did not stop him from disliking Splendid Cloud Sect.

　　The favours and grudges of the last generation were very complicated.

　　That night, Yan Shou had a dream. He dreamt that he was a child of six, the last night before he left the mortal world. Father’s eyes were red as he led him by the hand to the ancestral hall for him to bow and kowtow to his ancestors.

　　In the center of the ancestor hall was a drawing of a flying female immortal. The paper was yellowed and the drawing had been redone numerous times.

　　“Father, who is the person on the drawing?”

　　“That is the person who saved our ancestor.” Father looked at the drawing, his expression slightly puzzled. “The ancestral records say that more than a century ago, half of the country encountered an epidemic. Our ancestor and his young sister were just a thread away from death. This immortal appeared and saved our ancestor and the people of the world.”

　　“She is the celestial in the celestial temple?” he asked.

　　“Maybe.” Father crouched down in front of him. “Yan Shou, when we separate this time, I fear we will never meet again. This father only hopes that your illness will be eliminated, and you will have a peaceful life.”

　　“Father…”

　　Yan Shou opened his eyes. Looking at the embroidered bed hangings above his head, he finally recalled where he had seen Spirit Master Kong Hou before.

　　The immortal who had saved countless people was clearly Celestial Kong Hou.

　　But Master had once said that mortal matters were set by the heavens, and the cultivators of Lingyou World could not rashly interfere in mortal matters. What mindset had Spirit Master Kong Hou had when she went to save the people of the world?

　　He finally understood why Spirit Master Kong Hou would say “that is good.”

　　He could not compare to Spirit Master Kong Hou—not in talent, but rather in mind.

　　From then on, he frequently listened to news concerning Spirit Master Kong Hou.

　　Some people said, Spirit Master Kong Hou and her path companion found some secret realm. Some people said, Spirit Master Kong Hou and her path companion had a good relationship and organized many cultivation experiences to pass onto the major sects.

　　Other people said that Spirit Master Kong Hou and her path companion did not ascend because they did not bear to part with the people of Lingyou World. Others said that the conditions for ascending were very stringent. These two spirit masters told their cultivation experiences to the cultivators of the world. This went against the heavens, so it did not allow the two to ascend.

　　A long time after that, the sect eldest shixiong abdicated his position because his cultivation did not advance. He became the sect eldest shixiong.

　　One day, Spirit Master Kong Hou came to find him. She said that there was a secret realm about to open in the city under their jurisdiction. She was going to fulfill an appointment in the secret realm.

　　After that, he never saw Spirit Master Kong Hou and her path companion again. Maybe the two had ascended, or maybe the two were still roaming the world.

　　But no matter where the pair was, Yan Shou thought, as long as the two were together, they were happier than the immortals.

　　People cultivated their minds, their bodies, and their own path.

　　What was the path?

　　Just a path to happiness.

　　Translator Ramblings: We’re all done!