novelraw Chapter 233 : A Gift for Master
Chapter 233 : A Gift for Master
Chapter 233: A Gift for Master
"Hmm?"
"Master, you fought him?!"
Ji Yuan keenly caught the key point.
Hua Yaoyue, reclining on a soft chair, casually replied, "He’s an old-school Nascent Soul True Lord. I’ve only just formed my Nascent Soul—how could I possibly beat him?"
"In any case, as long as you say this, he’ll let you go."
Hua Yaoyue clearly didn’t want to dwell on the topic. Ji Yuan couldn’t press her, so he nodded and agreed. Then, with excitement, he asked about something else.
"Master, you’ve formed your Nascent Soul! You… you’re also a Nascent Soul Ancestor now!"
Ji Yuan’s eyes sparkled as he said this.
A Nascent Soul… that was someone capable of upholding an entire immortal sect.
In the whole of Cangluo Continent, such a person could practically walk sideways.
Ji Yuan couldn’t help but recall what Jiang Hong had said. Back then, he had suspected Ji Yuan to be a disciple of a Nascent Soul cultivator. Ji Yuan had denied it inwardly at the time, yet he had barely returned before it turned out Jiang Hong was right!
"In your words, what do you call this again?"
Perhaps because of her successful breakthrough, Hua Yaoyue looked noticeably more cheerful. She was even talking more than usual.
"This is what you call ‘just a lucky break’."
"This… this disciple was lucky, but for Master, it was only natural—everything fell into place as it should."
Ji Yuan’s flattery flowed effortlessly from his lips.
"Enough. It’s just forming a Nascent Soul. Hardly a big deal."
As soon as she said this, the joy in Hua Yaoyue’s eyes faded, and her expression returned to its usual calm demeanor.
If someone else had said such a thing, Ji Yuan would’ve thought they were bragging.
But since it was Hua Yaoyue who said it, Ji Yuan felt… she truly meant it. Forming a Nascent Soul really wasn’t a big deal to her.
First, perhaps her cultivation had been even higher in her previous life.
Second, forming a Nascent Soul was inevitable for her—it was only a matter of time.
"Master, you’re mighty."
"Alright, it’s enough that you know about this. Don’t tell your Second Senior Brother or Third Senior Sister."
"Hmm?"
Ji Yuan was a little surprised. The two of them already shared quite a few secrets—secrets kept from both Yun Qianzai and Feng Zhi Tao.
But why… keep even this a secret?
Shouldn’t a breakthrough in cultivation be a cause for celebration? And besides, the other two likely already suspected that Hua Yaoyue was close to her breakthrough.
"You know your Second Senior Brother’s temperament. If he finds out I’ve formed my Nascent Soul, he’ll probably start strutting around the entire Water Dragon Sect."
Hua Yaoyue explained:
"Your Third Senior Sister isn’t all that invested in cultivation to begin with. If she learns that I’ve advanced, she might become even more complacent."
"Yes, this disciple will remember."
Ji Yuan cupped his hands slightly. Then, something else occurred to him, and he asked softly, "Master, do you know who I ran into during my trip?"
"Oh? Wasn’t it your Senior Sister Dong?"
Hua Yaoyue said with a half-smile.
"Hmm?"
Ji Yuan abruptly looked up, eyes wide in astonishment.
Hua Yaoyue seemed to realize she had let something slip and averted her gaze. "You just ran into Plum Manor. Who else could it be?"
Though Ji Yuan was suspicious, he knew from Hua Yaoyue’s demeanor that she wouldn’t tell him even if he asked. So he changed the subject.
"I ran into First Senior Brother."
"Hmm? You saw him?"
Hua Yaoyue’s expression changed immediately. She even sat up slightly. "Where did you see him?"
"Lanshan City."
Then, without waiting for Hua Yaoyue to ask, Ji Yuan recounted everything in detail. Since there was nothing private involved, he didn’t hide a single thing.
He even mentioned encountering the Island Lord of Qinghe Island.
Hua Yaoyue listened silently, her brow furrowing. Her voice carried a trace of displeasure. "Didn’t I already tell him to stop looking into this? He just doesn’t take my words to heart at all."
Ji Yuan quickly added, "First Senior Brother said once things are settled in Lanshan City, he’ll come back to see you."
"Hah, as if I need him to."
After saying that, Hua Yaoyue lay back down again.
Ji Yuan hadn’t expected that mentioning Ran Kui would make Hua Yaoyue this upset. He didn’t know what to do, so… he sent a message to Feng Zhi Tao.
He told her he had returned and was now on Forgotten Worry Island.
Right now, only Feng Zhi Tao could calm things down.
Because she knew how to act coy… Though Ji Yuan could also act cute, it wasn’t exactly appropriate for him to cling to Hua Yaoyue’s arm like she did.
Feng Zhi Tao’s Fire Phoenix Island was right next to Forgotten Worry Island. So it only took a few breaths after Ji Yuan sent the message for her to arrive outside the island, shouting "Master!" in excitement.
She came storming in.
"Little Junior Brother, you’re finally back! It’s been a year! If you didn’t come back soon, I was going to go find you myself." Feng Zhi Tao’s excitement was tinged with a bit of reproach.
"I ran into First Senior Brother."
With just that one line, Feng Zhi Tao immediately caught on. Her gaze flicked between the two of them, and then she quickly crouched behind Hua Yaoyue and began massaging her shoulders.
"Aiya, Master, you know how First Senior Brother’s temper is. Why waste your breath arguing with him? It’s just as well he didn’t come back—hmph, if he did, he’d just scold us and make us cultivate all day long."
Feng Zhi Tao watched Hua Yaoyue’s expression closely as she spoke.
Unfortunately… she couldn’t read anything from it. So she changed tactics.
"But if he does come back, I’ll tattle to him and say Second Senior Brother bullied me. Then he’ll beat up Second Senior Brother and vent my anger for me."
"First Senior Brother’s not like you, Master. Hmph, you never help me."
"When have you ever not gone out of your way to get bullied by him?" Hua Yaoyue rolled her eyes at her.
"I see how it is. Master just thinks her disciple is a nuisance. Wuwu."
…No, Senior Sister, that was a little too much of a ‘green tea’ move.
Seeing the two about to start bickering, Ji Yuan quickly pulled out the gift he had prepared for Feng Zhi Tao—those bamboo dragonflies and paper butterflies.
"Senior Sister, look. These are the gifts I brought back for you from Lanshan City. What do you think?"
The moment she heard "gift", Feng Zhi Tao forgot all about arguing with Hua Yaoyue. She immediately stood up joyfully. "Wow, Junior Brother, you’ve got great taste! You even found such fun spiritual artifacts!"
She took them with both hands and, after a simple refining, activated the butterfly and dragonfly, letting them dance and spin around the pavilion.
"Junior Brother, you’re the best, hehe."
As long as it was fun, Feng Zhi Tao liked it.
Hua Yaoyue glanced a few times and then looked away. But from her gaze, it seemed to say… "You’re not a child anymore, and you still like these toys? How childish."
Fortunately, Feng Zhi Tao was wholly absorbed in the gifts and didn’t notice Hua Yaoyue’s expression.
But Ji Yuan did. He stepped forward and cupped his hands slightly. "Disciple also prepared a gift for Master."
"I don’t need any gift from you."
Hua Yaoyue said indifferently, yet her eyes couldn’t help but glance at Ji Yuan several times.
"Please wait a moment, Master."
Ji Yuan then mounted Fenghuai and flew a lap around the pavilion. When he returned before Hua Yaoyue, wind chimes had been hung all around the pavilion.
The breeze blew, producing melodious chimes—a symphony rising from mountains and seas.
Moreover, the material of these wind chimes seemed special. Their light ringing brought an immediate sense of peace and clarity.
"These wind chimes were bought by your disciple from Mirror Lake. They are said to contain the sound of the Mirror Lake winds, with one hundred and eight distinct tones—each unique. Once refined, Master will be able to experience the charm of each chime."
Before Ji Yuan had even finished speaking, Hua Yaoyue had already released streams of spiritual energy and refined the chimes on the spot.
After a moment of sensing them, she activated them with a thought—and the sound of the chimes changed accordingly.
It was as if they moved from a gentle water town to an endless grassland, and then again to a vast desert.
"Not only that, these chimes can also collect wind sounds on their own and compose new melodies."
Ji Yuan reminded her once more.
Hua Yaoyue tried it again, and so the sound of the wind chimes was no longer the preset melody stored within, but the sound of the mountain wind Hua Yaoyue had infused into them herself.
Depending on how much wind was infused, and the varying intensities, the sound of the chimes would change accordingly.
Back then, when Ji Yuan listened to the shopkeeper’s explanation, he had translated it into terms he could understand… this wind chime contained numerous stored melodies, and he could even use it as an instrument to compose new ones himself.
And so… Hua Yaoyue started playing with it too, fully immersed.
Feng Zhi Tao looked at the bamboo dragonfly and paper butterfly in her hands, and suddenly they didn’t seem so appealing anymore. But she was too embarrassed to complain to Ji Yuan, so she approached Hua Yaoyue.
"Master, this wind chime isn’t fun at all. It’s boring. Let your disciple take it away for you."
As soon as Feng Zhi Tao reached out, Hua Yaoyue’s voice floated softly from behind.
"You dare?"
Feng Zhi Tao didn’t dare move.
In the end, Feng Zhi Tao left, sulking. From the direction she headed, Ji Yuan could guess… she was headed straight for Everything Island, likely to find a similar “toy” to soothe her unwilling heart.
Seeing Hua Yaoyue playing so joyfully,
Ji Yuan stepped forward again, lowered his voice, and said, "Disciple noticed that this soft chair of Master’s is rather worn, so I made a special trip to the north to purchase a new one for you."
"This one is crafted from a Tier Three spiritual plant called ‘Clear-Mind Awaken-Wood’. When Master reclines on it, it refreshes the mind and alleviates fatigue. If Master wishes to rest, the chair emits a sleep-inducing aura that will help you fall asleep quickly."
Hua Yaoyue couldn’t help but turn her head to glance back, only to realize that this old soft chair was indeed quite aged.
The materials were also quite ordinary, offering no special properties. She had never paid attention to these things—but Ji Yuan had clearly taken notice.
"You… were thoughtful."
After saying that, Hua Yaoyue stood up and put away the old chair. Ji Yuan then retrieved the new one from his storage pouch and placed it in its spot.
Hua Yaoyue laid her blanket over it, reclined once again, adjusted her posture slightly, and indeed found it noticeably more comfortable and spacious.
Seeing her satisfied, Ji Yuan finally said:
"If Master has no other instructions, your disciple will return to the island for now."
"Go."
Having paid his respects, Ji Yuan was indeed planning to make a trip back.
But now came the question of whether to return to Forgotten Worry Island first or Misty Island.
If cultivation came first, then of course he should return to Misty Island, his base of operations, where most of his belongings were stored.
But then, thinking of Senior Sister Dong’s passionate demeanor, Ji Yuan felt tempted to go to Forgotten Worry Island instead.
Fox Moon Island was right next to Forgotten Worry Island.
Last time at that ancient battlefield hadn’t fully satisfied him—this time, visiting Fox Moon Island, he should be able to enjoy himself, right?
Once that thought arose, it became hard to suppress. Even the Wind Locust beneath Ji Yuan’s feet subconsciously began to veer in that direction… No, a true man born under heaven and earth should not be ruled by such lustful thoughts!
Cultivation must come first!
Once he finished his business at Misty Island, he could head to Forgotten Worry Island afterward—it would be the same.
With that resolve, Ji Yuan hurriedly spurred the Wind Locust beneath him, flying straight south toward Misty Island.
Afraid that the slightest delay would let his desires win out, and he’d end up turning back toward Fox Moon Island.
After more than half a day, Misty Island finally reappeared within Ji Yuan’s line of sight. Even from a distance, he released his divine sense as usual.
Normally, a sweep with his divine sense would reveal peace and quiet. But this time was different.
Because Ji Yuan discovered several… magic boats anchored outside Misty Island, each with figures standing atop them, all gathered around the island.
Among them, the two cultivators with the highest cultivation were both Water Dragon Sect disciples in Qi Refining Peak stage robes. The others, Ji Yuan suspected, were fishermen from the Yunyu Marshlands’ market town.
He didn’t get closer. From a distance, he used divine sense to transmit a message to those two Qi Refining Peak Water Dragon Sect disciples:
"What is this? I go into seclusion for a few years, and now people are dismantling my home?"
At first, the two Qi Refining Peak disciples were still trying to figure out where to land. But the moment that voice echoed, both of them instinctively dropped to their knees, their legs giving out.
"Se… Senior, we…"
They tried to explain, but Ji Yuan cut them off with a cold shout.
"Scram!"
Under the pressure of divine sense that rivaled a Golden Core stage, even without Ji Yuan showing himself, both Qi Refining Peak cultivators suffered internal injuries. One of them, an older man, even coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"Quick, leave now—this is a senior’s residence!"
The two Qi Refining cultivators fled as they shouted, while the surrounding fishermen scattered like frightened birds.
Now closer, Ji Yuan used his divine sense to scan Misty Island’s interior.
Turns out, those outside the island were just small fry. The real intruders were within—the ones trapped inside the Stellar Whirl Cloud Barrier Formation: two cultivators at the mid Foundation Establishment stage.
One was a short-haired middle-aged man holding a few formation disks—probably a Second-Tier Formation Master, attempting to break through the barrier.
The other, a young woman in a yellow dress, was wielding a deep-green flying sword, acting as a protector and standing guard.
As for the Great Toad… it was lying injured and unconscious in the shrubbery on the island, its body covered in wounds—some even festering.
Poisoned.
No wonder the Great Toad had no choice but to fall into slumber.
It was trying to suppress the poison and recover from its wounds—just like after its last brutal fight with that giant snake.
Just one glance at the usually simple-minded Great Toad, now so gravely wounded, was enough to stir Ji Yuan’s fury—a dark and violent aura rising from his very being!
He didn’t hesitate.
Nor did he care to hear any explanation.
The Great Toad had been beaten to this state—what more explanation was needed?!
With a thought, Ji Yuan deactivated the barrier-forming Stellar Whirl Cloud Barrier Formation and activated the Tier-Two killing array, the Stardust Illusion-Kill Formation.
The change in formations naturally caught the attention of the Second-Tier Formation Master—but before he could react, stardust began to fall all around them.
Most of the stardust landed on the three formation disks in his hands.
With a deafening boom—!
The disks in his hands shattered instantly, and the remaining stardust exploded all around them. Though they had protective artifacts, numerous talismans, and defensive spells—
Ji Yuan bombarded them again and again.
Even Jiang Hong couldn’t endure the Stardust Illusion-Kill Formation—how could two mere mid Foundation Establishment cultivators?
So in just a few breaths, their talismans were destroyed, their spells collapsed, even their protective spiritual artifacts were severely damaged. The two of them collapsed onto the ground.
If Ji Yuan had been even slightly more ruthless, they’d be hanging by a thread, barely alive.
"What, if I’d stayed in seclusion a little longer, you two would’ve torn my home apart?"
Ji Yuan’s voice remained icy.
"N-No… we wouldn’t dare…"
The female cultivator, only slightly less injured, quickly fell to her knees and began to apologize.
"Who sent you two?"
"N-No one… it was those fishermen outside. They noticed this place was perpetually shrouded in mist and suspected it might contain treasure, so they asked disciples from the Water Dragon Sect to come investigate."
"Those disciples searched the area and eventually discovered the formation on this island. But after several visits and still no… no sign of a senior, they passed the information to me and Senior Brother Huang."
"Oh, so you thought I wasn’t home, and came to steal? Or rob?"
With just a few lines, Ji Yuan had already pieced it together.
These two—whether senior brother or sister—had seen the protective formation and lack of outsiders, and figured they could make a fortune.
Yet before they even broke the formation, they got caught red-handed by Ji Yuan.
"S-Senior, we realize our mistake…"
The woman knelt, begging for mercy.
"Heh, for the sake of us being from the same sect, I’ll spare your lives. Scram… By the way, whose disciples are you?"
Since they were still within Water Dragon Sect territory and not far from the sect itself, Ji Yuan really didn’t want to kill them. If they’d been even a little farther away, his flying sword would’ve already struck.
"I’ve not yet been taken as a disciple by any Golden Core Real Person. This Senior Brother Huang beside me is a disciple of Martial Uncle Hunter-Owl."
Upon hearing this, Senior Brother Huang forced himself up, cupped his hands toward the sky, and said, "Junior Huang Yan, disciple of Real Person Hunter-Owl, greets Martial Uncle."
"Scram. If there’s a next time, I’ll storm his place myself and demand justice from Senior Brother Hunter-Owl!"
"Yes, yes, of course!"
The female cultivator quickly helped Senior Brother Huang into their flying boat. They fled through the opening in the formation Ji Yuan had left, flying straight north, never daring to look back.
‘Real Person Hunter-Owl, mid Golden Core stage, a rare Thunder Spiritual Root among variant roots, his thunder techniques pack serious punch… so what?’
Even if that guy did come knocking, Ji Yuan wasn’t afraid.
After all, he was in the right. If Real Person Hunter-Owl dared to come… Ji Yuan would just call Hua Yaoyue. Let’s see who would fear who then.
Besides, Ji Yuan figured that Huang fellow wouldn’t dare tell Hunter-Owl the truth—that they tried to rob the cave dwelling of a “Golden Core Real Person” and got caught red-handed.
The fact they weren’t killed on the spot was already face-saving enough for Hunter-Owl.
So with those thoughts passing through his mind, Ji Yuan returned to his loyal Misty Island.
A minor incident—not worth keeping in mind.