Chapter 14: A Canopy That Covers the Sky
At noon, the sky was suddenly swallowed by a vast mass of dark clouds, blotting out the sun. The clouds, rolling over the mountains, plunged the whole of Quanmen County into darkness, throwing the streets into a state of confusion—some people shouted in alarm, some were at a loss, while others were inexplicably excited.
Outside the courtyard, the noise on the street swelled as passersby were drawn by the deepening gloom. One after another, people climbed onto rooftops to gaze northward, but none could voice just what was happening.
Except for Gu Yi.
“Zhi Hua, go inside. Calm your mind, meditate, and see if you can sense anything!”
“Huh?” The little fox squatted on the rooftop, puzzled by this request.
“Don’t you remember what I told you? Destiny is nature; following one’s nature is the Way; cultivating the Way is teaching. For beasts and demons to set their hearts upon the Way is most difficult unless a great opportunity arises. This anomaly means someone is breaking through to the Sage of Clouds realm. Go cultivate now—you might gain something from it.”
Though Zhi Hua did not fully grasp his meaning, her widening eyes betrayed a growing delight. In the end, she obediently heeded Gu Yi’s words.
“Thank you for your guidance, sir!”
She scampered away, tumbling onto the bed to sit cross-legged, instantly transforming into her fox form. Red spiritual energy burst forth, crackling in the air, and a faintly intoxicating scent began to permeate the room, stirring hidden desires.
Gu Yi climbed down from the beam as well. The scene now reminded him of a total solar eclipse, but he knew it was not—the sun was obscured by clouds, not a planetary body, so this was no astronomical phenomenon.
Ma Tuozi, standing by the door, swallowed hard, his eyes glued to Zhi Hua on the bed—the sweet and enchanting little girl, breathtakingly lovely.
“That’s a fox!” Gu Yi roared, a warning not to be bewitched, and immediately closed the door.
Ma Yuan flinched. “You startled me! Why shout so loudly? I know she’s a fox—so what?”
What a lecher.
Gu Yi was grateful he’d placed a spirit talisman on the man—otherwise, even his shout might not have been enough to wake the fool, and if this rare opportunity was ruined, it would be truly unfortunate.
“Come here. Don’t disturb her.”
They hadn’t known each other long, and the bald man still hadn’t realized that the irritating little fox could be so earnest. “Why was that little demon so startled just now? Sometimes a sudden storm can darken the sky—why did you tell her to cultivate?”
Gu Yi gazed at the looming clouds, so near it seemed he could reach out and touch them. What little sunlight remained was quickly squeezed from the world. Outside, chaos reigned; the people of Quanmen County, young and old, all came out of their homes to point and marvel at the strange phenomenon.
The sky was utterly black.
Only the faintest candlelight flickered against the gloom.
“This isn’t rain—don’t you see? There’s not a single flash of lightning,” Gu Yi said, a little perplexed by Ma Yuan’s indifference. “You’re from the Luyang Immortal Academy—didn’t any of your teachers ever explain this?”
“Explain what?”
“What happens when someone breaks through to the sixth realm—the Sage of Clouds.”
When Gu Yi himself had reached the Sage of Clouds, he’d been unable to advance any further, no matter how hard he tried. The more unattainable it seemed, the more he yearned for it. He’d once asked Little Yiyi, who could only recall: The sky turns black, and it stays black for a long time.
“Sage of Clouds? That’s the sixth realm!” Ma Yuan exclaimed. “Even the left and right generals of Xu Kingdom are only at the fifth realm! Don’t you know that most fifth-realm cultivators have to go to the two islands? On the mainland, no one can break through from the fifth realm to the Sage of Clouds.”
“Who said so?” Gu Yi frowned.
“I’ve been told that since the first day I began cultivating immortality.”
So, it was taught by the Immortal Academy—but clearly, it was a lie.
Because right here on the mainland, on Little Courtyard Mountain, Gu Yi had broken through from the fifth realm to the Sage of Clouds.
“I can tell you this: when dark clouds roll across the heavens and day turns to night, when the world loses its color, it means someone is breaking through to the Sage of Clouds.”
And the phenomenon was to the north.
“So, darkness means someone is entering the Human Realm?” Ma Yuan was skeptical. “It’s been centuries since a Human Realm cultivator appeared. How can you be certain that’s what’s happening now?”
Gu Yi stared north. “I want to know too—how did they break through to the Sage of Clouds?”
“You talk as if it’s true. You country bumpkin—wait until you get into the Immortal Academy in Luyang. You’ll see—there are very few fifth-realm cultivators on the mainland, and those who break through all go to the two islands. Only there is the spiritual energy rich enough to reach the Sage of Clouds. Here? Impossible.”
He chuckled.
Crash!
The door burst open. Zhi Hua stood there, enveloped in a radiant aura that faded from her ankles upward until it vanished. Her face was a mix of joy and regret. “Sir, I did gain something, but it’s slipping away…”
As the saying goes, the ducks are the first to sense the warmth of spring.
The sky remained black, and neither Gu Yi nor Ma Yuan sensed the clouds dispersing. But Zhi Hua, in her state of insight, was the first to feel the change. The moment her words fell, all the clouds dissolved in an instant, vanishing like crystallized snowflakes.
Suddenly, the world was flooded with light once more.
The shift from darkness to brilliance was rather spectacular.
“How could this be?” Gu Yi paced with his hands behind his back, perplexed. “Just a few minutes—does that count as a long time?”
The sky turns black, and it stays black for a long time.
Pondering these words, he felt that something was off about this phenomenon.
So was the breakthrough successful, or not?
Ma Yuan remained unconvinced. Perhaps to him, even the fifth realm was unattainable, let alone the Sage of Clouds or the Human Realm—those were fairy tales. “So you’re saying… there’s now an immortal in the Human Realm?”
Gu Yi ignored him and turned to Zhi Hua. “What insights did you gain?”
Zhi Hua’s slender finger traced a winding pattern, lightly tapping the red aura above her lower abdomen. The energy, once solid, now dissipated, spreading through her body. “Though I haven’t fully refined it, the phenomenon just now did reveal to me some of the world’s deeper laws. I gained little, but I did understand that love and desire should come from the heart, not from lust. I think… perhaps the one who broke through was a woman. But it was too brief—I couldn’t fully set my heart; I’m sorry to disappoint you, sir.”
“It’s fine. Even a brief few minutes—gaining anything at all is good fortune. Such events can aid cultivation, but not every cultivator can benefit. This was your opportunity—it would have taken you years otherwise.” Gu Yi was genuinely happy for her. “Ma Yuan, come try—see if you can defeat Zhi Hua as easily as before.”
Eager to test her newfound strength, Zhi Hua attacked first. Her form flickered, and her palm strike, though not deadly, brimmed with spiritual energy.
Ma Tuozi, ever smug and in need of a beating, was nonchalant at first. But as the wind from her palm approached, he sensed something was wrong and hastily channeled his energy to block.
Boom!
The clash of spiritual power knocked them both back, and even Gu Yi was forced to retreat two steps by the shockwave.
Ma Tuozi was stunned. “I sparred with you just this morning—how did you improve so quickly?”
Gu Yi explained, “When someone breaks through to the Sage of Clouds, a celestial phenomenon occurs. An immortal is comprehending the true laws of this world, and spiritual energy becomes lively, as if someone is unveiling the source of all mysteries. Other cultivators who attune themselves at that moment may also gain insights. It’s a rare chance, but I had Zhi Hua try nonetheless.”
Ma Yuan’s brow twitched—this little fox really was different from a few hours ago. Could it be true after all?
“So that’s why you told her to meditate immediately?”
“Of course, sir always has his reasons. I didn’t understand at the time, but I trusted him. Only you, you fool, would doubt him,” Zhi Hua said gleefully. “Next time you try to catch me, it won’t be so easy!”
Now that’s what you call real luck.
Gu Yi had expected it would take considerable effort to help her achieve a resolute heart, having written many binding talismans, but never imagined a Sage of Clouds breakthrough would occur right then.
“That was such a good opportunity—why didn’t you seize it for yourself?” Ma Yuan’s question may have also been Zhi Hua’s.
“I don’t need it.” With daylight restored, and the breakthrough happening far to the north, Gu Yi sat once more on the stone bench in the courtyard.
“That’s true—you have no cultivation,” the man muttered, then suddenly froze, as if realizing something. “If what you said is true, didn’t I just…”
He pointed at his own face, the realization dawning.
“Yes, you missed it.”
Zhi Hua couldn’t help but cover her mouth and giggle—she loved seeing him suffer a setback.
Ma Yuan wailed, “Oh, come on! After all we’ve been through, you’re so unfair! Since you recognized the phenomenon, why didn’t you tell me? I might have broken through to Spirit Guardian!”
“Missed chances are missed. You’re from Luyang Immortal Academy, aren’t you? So accomplished. Is this opportunity really so important?” Gu Yi teased.
Zhi Hua finally burst out laughing, her voice as clear and melodious as wind chimes.
It wasn’t deliberate—Gu Yi truly thought the phenomenon would last longer and had planned to explain, but it vanished in a flash.
…
While their laughter and complaints echoed, a hundred miles away in Luyang City, tension reigned. The Emperor of Xu Kingdom immediately summoned his closest ministers.
The source of the anomaly was several hundred miles north of Luyang City—beyond Xu Kingdom’s borders, in the neighboring state of Li…
“There are records in the palace archives: when a Sage of Clouds breaks through, it can trigger anomalies in the mortal realm. Today, the northern sky was shrouded in dark clouds, though briefly. It is true that Li has powerful cultivators.”
The emperor’s face was somber. The disappearance of the immortal from Little Courtyard Mountain was still unresolved, and now there was news of a Sage of Clouds breakthrough in northern Li…
He couldn’t shake the feeling that some power was plotting against him.
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The title of the book has changed. Don’t worry about which is better… Changing titles is quite troublesome now, so let it be for the moment. If you’re dissatisfied, feel free to hurl your recommendation votes at me (￣^￣)