Chapter 88: Tan Wang’s Invitation, Straight into Seclusion

After returning to Seven Stars Peak, Lin Shimeng did not go back to her room to rest or cultivate, but instead lay down on the rocking chair that Qin Xiao usually used.

At this time, there was no one in the courtyard. Qin Xiao and Yun Man should have both returned to their rooms to cultivate.

“Ah, what’s wrong with me? Why do I care what he thinks? What would telling Father do? I’m sure Father wouldn’t covet his resources. Ah, forget it. Forget it.”

She gazed at the stars, lost in thought. Perhaps she was tired; perhaps she simply did not want to think any more. Little by little, she fell asleep.

When she woke up the next day, Lin Shimeng discovered that a coat was draped over her body.

It had to be Qin Xiao. At her level of cultivation, she would not catch a chill. Only someone like Qin Xiao, who could not cultivate, would think cultivators could get cold.

Lin Shimeng was surprised. Cultivators generally did not fall completely asleep. Even while resting, they could sense danger, yet she had not woken when Qin Xiao covered her with the coat.

Either she had been so tired that she had fallen deeply asleep, or she had not objected to Qin Xiao approaching her and so had not woken.

“You’re awake, disciple. I saw you sleeping and didn’t wake you. The long flight must have tired you out. If you want to sleep, go back to your room.”

Qin Xiao had reached the Fourth Layer of Body Refinement, so he no longer needed to cultivate for long stretches. He would occasionally stroll through the courtyard. The night before, he had seen Lin Shimeng asleep and instinctively covered her with a coat.

“Thank you, Master. I don’t need to rest. I must hurry and cultivate, or I truly won’t be able to keep up with Yun Man. I’ll return to my room first.”

Unsure how to face Qin Xiao, Lin Shimeng hurried away.

Not long after, a disciple arrived at Seven Stars Peak.

“Martial Uncle Qin, this invitation is from the City Lord’s Manor. You’re invited to a banquet tonight.”

Qin Xiao opened the courtyard gate and saw that the messenger disciple indeed held an invitation.

“The City Lord behind this wouldn’t happen to be Tan Wang, would it?”

Qin Xiao asked, looking somewhat perplexed.

“Yes, Martial Uncle. City Lord Tan sent it.”

Seeing Qin Xiao’s confusion, the disciple quickly answered.

“All right, give it to me. You can go.”

Qin Xiao took the invitation with a bewildered expression.

In his memory, he had no real interactions with Tan Wang. If forced to name one, it was that auction where he had snatched the Heart-Protecting Turtle Shell. Why on earth would the man invite him to a banquet? Get faster updates on novelping.com.

Speaking of the Heart-Protecting Turtle Shell, Qin Xiao felt immensely grateful. Fortunately, he had managed to secure it back then, as it had already saved his life on several occasions.

Qin Xiao returned to his chair and opened the invitation. It was full of polite words: a younger member of Tan Wang’s family admired him and wanted to become his disciple. Would he do them the honor of joining them for dinner? Whether or not he accepted the disciple, he would be their guest.

“Has Tan Wang lost his mind? Or is there some other motive behind this nonsense about family juniors admiring me and wanting to study under me?”

Reclining in his chair, Qin Xiao could not work out what Tan Wang wanted.

More importantly, at the auction house, Tan Wang had been walking with the Li Family Ancestor. They had even gone into the same private room.

Then Qin Xiao understood. A trap disguised as a banquet—it had to be. Tan Wang was going to stand up for the Li Family.

“That won’t do either. If I go, it’s a trap, but if I refuse outright, I offend the man openly. I’ve only just offended one City Lord, and now I’m to offend another right after returning? That’s hardly ideal.”

Qin Xiao was torn. So much for seeking the Supreme Heavenly Dynasty’s protection: he had already offended several of its officials in this short time.

“Master, what’s wrong? Why are you frowning so deeply?”

After cultivating through the night, Yun Man came out to stroll in the courtyard that morning and found Qin Xiao worrying.

“Disciple, is there a way to turn someone down without offending them?”

Helpless, Qin Xiao could only consult her.

“Turn down what?”

Yun Man was baffled. Turn someone down without offending them? What was he talking about?

“Well, look at this. Tan Wang invited me to a banquet tonight. I have no desire to go, but I also don’t wish to provoke him needlessly right now. Do you have any ideas?”

Qin Xiao handed the invitation directly to her.

“That’s all? Easy. Say you’ve had a sudden insight and need to go into seclusion—a long retreat. Activate the formation. If you don’t come out, he’ll have to believe you’re in seclusion. What matters more, dinner or cultivation? If he blames you for missing his banquet because you need to cultivate, then you’ve already offended him, whether you go or not.”

To Yun Man, it was simple: if he did not want to go, he could enter seclusion. An insight could come at any time, and no one could say when he might need to retreat to cultivate.

“You’re right. It makes no difference whether I go. We’re already at odds, and it’s most likely a trap anyway. Seclusion—definitely seclusion. A long retreat!” Read this novel at novеlping.com for the best experience.

Yun Man’s reminder cleared things up. If he activated the formation and went into seclusion, he would not have to deal with those social obligations.

Qin Xiao found a wooden board in the courtyard and wrote eight large characters on it: Sudden insight. Two months in seclusion.

He put the board by the gate, activated the formation, and shut everything else out.

“Master, what’s wrong? Why have you activated the formation again?”

The formation’s activation alerted Lin Shimeng. Fortunately, she had not started cultivating yet, so she came out to see what was happening.

“In two months, we’ll be competing for places in Spirit Medicine Valley. So I’ve decided Seven Stars Peak is going into seclusion for two months. No one is to come or go during that time. Now I’ll give you your tasks.”

Now that Lin Shimeng was here too, Qin Xiao would not have to speak to her separately.

“What? A long retreat?”

Lin Shimeng stared in bewilderment. Why such an abrupt decision?

“This is my decision. As my disciples, you have to accept it. Here are your tasks: from now until we come out, you’ll have unlimited Spirit Liquid. I want you both to reach mid Nascent Soul. Are you confident?”

Since he was locking himself away for two months, he naturally wanted to see his disciples make a tangible breakthrough.

At the Nascent Soul stage, progress was naturally slower than before, but with an unlimited supply of resources for two months, advancing a minor realm was hardly an unreasonable demand.

“Master, I have confidence. It won’t even take two months.”

Yun Man agreed readily without a second thought.

With Yun Man so confident, how could Lin Shimeng concede defeat? Inside, though, she was far from sure. Advancing one stage within Nascent Soul in only two months was something she had never dared imagine.

“Good. Since you’re both confident, go back and cultivate. Remember, you’ll have all the resources you need. Use up everything you have. I don’t have many spirit stones right now, but there’s plenty of Spirit Liquid. However much you can use, I can supply.”

His treatment had used up all his resources: his many High Grade and Middle Grade Spirit Stones, and all his Spirit Liquid. Now he had only what had accumulated over the past two days. But the disciples did not consume much Spirit Liquid, so he could keep supplying it without limit.

Meanwhile, the Great Elder was furious when the disciple watching Seven Stars Peak brought him the news.

“So, boy, you’re going straight into seclusion? Fine, fine, fine. I’ll let you live two more months. Once you leave the sect, I’ll have plenty of ways to kill you.”

Yao Tiansheng was furious at losing another good opportunity.