Snow fell in a slow, steady curtain as Rou Lin ascended Snow Peak on her flying sword.

  The mountain was quiet at this late hour. Though saying that might suggest that the Snow Peak mountain was ever loud. It wasn't. A consequence of having less than a hundred cultivators living in the entire mountain. All females, and all born with a Yin-physique that would let them not only survive the cold of the mountain but thrive upon it.

  It was one of the main reason why Elder Wu Yuechan was so selective in picking her disciples. And one of the main reasons why Rou Lin herself was able to transfer over to this peak after she revealed her special Physique.

  Admittedly, she had not known the name of her physique or its details before she had shown it to Elder Wu Yuechan. Had she known, then she would've been far more careful when cultivating under the moon and never been found out by that betrayer. Alas, there was no use crying over spilled milk.

  It was only when Elder Wu Yuechan told her the name of her physique and took her as her personal disciple, instead of handing her over to one of her eighteen Golden Core disciples, that she finally realised the true rarity of her own physique.

  Something that had made her rather proud of herself. A pride that had led her to commit a rather foolish mistake.

  She guided her sword higher, her robes frosting up in the cold air, and the Yin Qi of the mountain assailing her as she went further up. Instead of doing her harm, as it would to any other cultivator, the energy only served to feed and nourish her body. Especially now that her meridians had recovered completely.

  That made her thought go back to Li Yuan's courtyard again.

  Three Foundation Establishment cultivators. And not some early-stage nobodies either but three trained inner sect disciples. And Li Yuan had defeated them effortlessly.

  Her brows knit slightly as she recalled the moment the air shifted. The moment she had felt the formation activate from inside the house. And then… the fight ended before it even had the chance to begin.

  Back… then, she knew that Li Yuan had subverted the betrayer's suppression formation. But the memory had been too raw for her to even think about. In hindsight, she was finally beginning to realise the impossibility of what Li Yuan had achieved.

  He had broken and entered a Tier 2 Suppression Formation without the Formation controller's knowledge. Then, he subverted the formation and turned it on the controller in a heartbeat.

  And he had done so while being at the late stage of Qi Condensation Realm. That… was something that could only be achieved by a person who has immense talent in breaking formations.

  A talent that would quickly see him became an incredibly valuable member of any Inner Sect team that regularly goes out to search for treasures in old ruins or small pocket worlds left by past cultivators.

  Except, she now knew that he wasn't just good at Formation Breaking. He was just as terrifying at Formation Crafting. How else would a Qi Condensation realm cultivator set up formations that would take down three Foundation Establishment cultivators.

  'A 2nd tier Formation Master.' She thought in awe.

  It was not that the sect didn't have 2nd tier Formation Masters. In truth, such Formation Masters were dime a dozen in the Formation Peak. Nor was it such an impossible task for a Peak or Late stage Qi Condensation cultivator to become a 2nd tier Formation Master. But for Li Yuan to achieve to that level at such a young age…

  It made one thing abundantly clear to her. That Li Yuan would be seen as a Formation prodigy even within the Formation Peak. A once in a generation talent.

  Which begged the question… just what on earth was he doing in the Outer Sect. And why hadn't he been accepted into the Inner Sect already.

  'Had no one noticed his abilities, or was Li Yuan deliberately hiding his talent for one reason or another?' She wondered as her sword cut through the falling snow and neared the upper terraces of Snow Peak.

  White Houses made from snow that was compacted till it became harder than a 2nd Grade Black Steel emerged from the fog and she stepped off the sword, letting it dissolve into light as she landed on the snowy ground, walking barefoot as she took a deep breath and absorbed even more Yin energy within herself.

  Then, she placed a mask of composure upon her face and walked deeper toward the inner halls of the Snow Peak where her teacher resided. Her hands going toward her spatial ring where she had placed the gift for Li Yuan.

  A gift her own teacher had selected for the Li Yuan. So that she may repay the life debt she owed him, and cut all ties from the past.

  The gift was Moonveil Ascension Incense. A rare Snow Peak formula, refined from frost-lotus resin and moon-silver sap. When burned during breakthrough, it increased the probability of successfully stepping into Foundation Establishment by nearly 20%. Combined with even a low-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, failure would be almost impossible.

  In hindsight, it had been incredibly arrogant and ungrateful of her to think that a gift like this could repay his grace of saving her life. Even more so, because she had thought this to be an incredibly generous gift.

  Only now she was coming to realise what a fool she'd been.

  Even the drink he gave her had been worth more than the Moonveil Ascension Incense. And he had given her that drink without any prior preparation as he couldn't have possibly known that she would come to visit him on this day.

  A man who could give away gifts like this on a whim. A man who could defeat Three Foundation Cultivators with ease. And she had thought that she was doing him a favour by giving him a gift worth only a few thousand spirit stones.

  Just thinking about it now made her cheeks blush with embarrassment and shame.

  Eventually, she arrived at the Snow Peak's main palace. The largest building with the greatest defensive ability within the entire mountain.

  Rou Lin stepped through the arched entrance, and the temperature dropped so abruptly that even she, with her innate resistance to cold, shuddered. The Yin Qi here was so concentrated that it seeped into her meridians and pushed through her pores, seeking to invade her entire being.

  She let out an unwilling moan at the sudden pleasure despite knowing how dangerous such an invasion could be. Once she came to herself, she reacted instantly, activating the artefact her teacher had bestowed upon her.

  The bangle around her arm activated at once, and a soft veil of pale blue light enveloped her body. The pressure eased at once as the Yi Qi was suddenly repelled, no longer assaulting her body directly, though it still weighed heavily in the air.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  Many outsiders assumed that such an overwhelming concentration of Yin Qi must be the result of a grand formation—one that gathered energy from the entire mountain and trapped it here for her master's cultivation. That assumption was entirely wrong.

  Three hundred years ago, when her master first stepped into the Nascent Soul Realm and claimed this mountain as her peak, Snow Peak had not been a frozen wasteland. It had been green, forested, and rich with spirit herbs and wildlife. Several mid-grade Spirit Lakes had dotted the slopes, nourishing the ecosystem.

  Now it was a tundra for as far as eyes could see.

  The trees that remained were pale and crystalline. Most did not survive such an abrupt change but those that did, now became special Yin-spirit plants. The soil had long since frozen solid, infiltrated deep with Yin-energy.

  Even the Spirit Lakes had changed due to decades of Yin-Qi exposure. And now, instead of producing neutral Qi, like most Spirit lakes tended to do, they produced Yin-aligned Qi and Yin-aligned spirit stones for the disciples of Snow Peak to use.

  The most interesting and horrifying part about this transformation, was that it was not done by design. But had merely happened due to her Teacher's physique going on an overdrive as soon as she entered Nascent Soul Realm.

  Her teacher, Elder Wu Yuechan, possessed a top-tier Yin constitution. One that was on an even higher place in the totem pole than her own Primordial Moon Essence Body. A physique so domineering that just its mere presence turned all the ambient Qi around her into Yin Qi.

  It was said that when she first advanced to Nascent Soul, she had battled with the Sect Leader who had already been at the Third Stage of the that realm and desired to make her his wife. By all measures, she, who had just entered into the Nascent Soul realm, should've lost. Yet, to everyone's great surprise, she won.

  It is hard to defeat an opponent whose mere presence changed the entire world around her into a battlefield that favoured her and only her. And it is said that by the time their battle came to an end, the entire Nine Peak Sect had frozen over. And it took years of work to thaw out the ice and snow.

  If not for the grand formations protecting the major peaks, the Nine Peak Sect would've met its end that day.

  Rou Lin walked deeper into the palace. And with every step, the Yin Qi thickened, until halfway through, it became so dense that it condensed into visible mist that obscured further vision. Her bangle vibrated, giving her a warning and she stopped immediately. More than aware that going further would be dangerous.

  Beyond the swirling veil of white, she could see nothing. But she knew her teacher was there, seated upon a massive Ice Throne she had retrieved centuries ago from an ancient inheritance realm. The Ice Throne was said to be a great help for cultivators with Yin-Physiques.

  It was one of the main reasons why Snow Peak currently had eighteen Golden Core cultivators and was one of the strongest peaks within the sect, even though few outsiders knew of this due to her teacher's tendency to lay low.

  "You're back." A calm and steady voice came through the mist. As if resonating directly within Rou Lin's consciousness.

  She knew that her teacher was not directly talking to her but speaking through her Divine Sense. Her teacher's physique did not merely changed the world around her but her own self as well. Having made her so incredibly beautiful that if someone saw her face by mistake, then they would instantly fall in love with her.

  For those with lower cultivation, they don't even need to see her face. Just seeing some of her skin, or hearing her voice would make them fall deeply in love with her, and dedicate their entire life for her. It was why her teacher no longer showed herself to anyone else, or talked with anyone directly.

  The last person to have ever seen her had been the Sect Master, and to this day, he had been unable to move on from his obsession with her.

  Rou Lin clasped her hands and bowed deeply, lowering her head until strands of her hair brushed the frozen floor. "I have returned, teacher."

  Silence followed for a moment as she felt her teacher's divine sense scanning her form. Then, her teacher voice reverberated through her soul once again. "You still carry the Moonveil Ascension Incense."

  Rou Lin's fingers twitched slightly against her sleeve, where the incense rested within her spatial ring. She bowed lower. "This disciple is incompetent. I have failed in my task. Please bestow appropriate punishment."

  The mist stirred faintly, as if in silent acknowledgment. Sometimes she wonder if her teacher was still a person and had not turned into the mist itself.

  After another moment of silence, her teacher spoke up again. "Tell me everything."

  So, Rou Lin did. She started from the beginning. From the night of the betrayal when she had almost been violated and had been saved by Li Yuan whom she had met for the first time. She recounted how Li Yuan had infiltrated the 2nd-tier formation without alerting its controllers, and had subverted it, turning the formation against its prior master in a heartbeat.

  She continued, recounting her visit to his dilapidated home. She talked about the poor conditions he lived in. A mud floor, a patched room, and little to no personal belongings. She was not even sure why she described Li Yuan's living conditions in such great details herself. Maybe a part of her hoped that her Master would bestow a better courtyard to Li Yuan.

  The mist vibrated in acknowledgement, and she continued. Next, she spoke of the formation plates and flags he had been carving before her arrival. She spoke of the drink he had given her. The one that stabilised her foundation and healed her meridians almost instantly, saving her months of work, and removing any future hidden ailments.

  Finally, she spoke of the arrival of three Inner sect disciples. Two at 3rd stage and one at 5th stage of Foundation Establishment. And how Li Yuan had used a two layered Formation to defeat them near instantly despite the great disparity in their strength.

  When she finished, silence returned to the palace. And she felt the weight of her teacher's contemplation in the air.

  "Someone of such talent… what do you believe he is doing in the Outer Sect?" her master asked.

  Rou Lin hesitated. "If he is hiding his abilities, then he is avoiding attention for a reason. Otherwise, maybe the Inner Sect just doesn't know about his talent."

  Her teacher was silent for a moment before she spoke. "You were correct not to present the incense. Both because of its low value and also because doing so would be foolish. We, who live in the Snow Peak, are reclusive. But that does not mean we do not have allies."

  Rou Lin lowered her head further. "Teacher?"

  "A disciple of such talent would surely rise far in the future. Perhaps even become an important elder in the Formation Peak. Having him as an ally would of great help to you, and to the Snow Peak as a whole. Let the life debt remain as a tether that binds the two of you together."

  Rou Lin nodded, surprised by how much value her teacher was placing upon Li Yuan and bowed again. "Yes, teacher."

  Her teacher hummed. "Return to your house and cultivate. Focus on completely absorbing the lingering effects of that drink. And the next time you desire to visit that disciple, contact me in advance."

  "Yes, teacher." She said and turned to leave.

  "And Rou Lin," her master added.

  "Yes, teacher?"

  "You blush too easily."

  For the briefest moment, heat rushed to Rou Lin's cheeks despite the freezing air around her. Then, she tightened her composure and bowed once again.

  "This disciple understands." She said and left.

  —————

  The final node slid into place with a faint hum.

  Li Yuan exhaled slowly and withdrew his hand from the formation plate placed at the bottom of the spirit lake. The grand formation surrounding the lake pulsed once, then settled into a steady rhythm as it came to life.

  Threads of Qi connected the formation plate to the other smaller individual formation plates, subverting them and and forming a lattice that spread outward like the veins of a living organism until all the formations around the Spirit lake were under its control.

  He stood at the edge of the lake and observed the flow carefully. Letting out a sigh of relief when the entire thing went off without a hitch.

  Previously, each miniature array he had set around the herb clusters pulled energy independently. The drain because of this had been immense on the low grade spirit lake. And the process was quite inefficient.

  Now, he had linked them all through a central regulation array. Instead of dozens of small mouths feeding greedily, there was one coordinated system distributing measured portions of refined Qi through branching conduits.

  The difference was immediate.

  The surface of the spirit lake, which had been faintly turbulent for weeks, gradually calmed. The constant ripple subsided into gentle waves.

  For a brief, strange moment, he felt something akin to… relief from the lake and blinked in surprise.

  Did the lake just…

  He stared at the glowing blue water, watching as wisps of spirit energy rose lazily from its surface and dispersed into the carefully structured network he had created.

  Nah. He was likely just too tired and hallucinating things.

  He shook his head and rolled his shoulders, tension easing from his muscles. Even with his Stele supporting his comprehension, placing a second-tier grand formation as a late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator was not easy work. And he was beyond exhausted.

  He scanned the garden one last time. A smile lighting upon his face as he watched the rows upon rows of spirit herbs with pride. Then, with a thought, he stepped out of the Ancient Spatial Ring.

  The dim light of his patched house replaced open sky. And he had barely taken two steps before his surveillance formation pulsed and informed him of a visitor.

  Someone—or something—was probing the outer perimeter of his courtyard

  He narrowed his eyes and extended his Qi Sense outward through the formation network… and felt a presence that was quite familiar to him.

  "…Seriously?" He flicked the entry restriction aside and allowed the visitor through.

  A massive hawk descended from above and landed heavily within his courtyard. And when he said massive, he meant it. The hawk stood at seven feet tall, towering over him as its sharp and intelligent eyes studied him.

  He smiled at its arrival and went out to greet it. The hawk was an Low-Stage First-Grade Spirit Beast. And his family's messenger hawk.

  It tilted its head when it saw him, letting out a low, pleased screech.

  Li Yuan chuckled softly and approached it, wondering what could've been so important that his family sent him a message like this.

  As he approached the hawk, he paused as he suddenly remembered a spirit herb he had gathered. One which was very beneficial for the growth of spirit beasts.

  With a though, he sent his Qi into his spatial ring and plucked out a small fruit from one of the spirit plants near the lake. The fruit was no larger than a plum, its skin a translucent colour as it glowed with a light blue colour.

  The hawk let out an agitated shriek as soon as it saw the fruit. It tapped its claws in excitement and shrieked once again at him. As if asking him to feed it quickly.

  He smiled and tossed it lightly toward the hawk. The spirit beast snapped it out of the air and swallowed it down in one gulp. For half a breath, nothing happened. Then its eyes widened as the energy from the fruit surged through its entire body.

  The hawk let out a startled cry before dropping low to the ground, wings partially spread as it focused inward.

  Li Yuan crouched beside it and gently ran a hand over its head. "Easy. Guide the energy and don't waste it. If you're lucky then this should be enough to take you from early-stage to a mid-stage First grade beast."

  The hawk nodded, as if understanding him and closed its eyes before it began regulating the influx.

  Satisfied, Li Yuan reached for the scroll tied to its leg and untied the binding. He unfurled it and his eyes moved quickly across the familiar handwriting.

  A moment later, the warmth in his expression faded and was replaced by a confused frown.

  He read it again more carefully. Then slowly rolled the scroll back up and slipped it into his ordinary spatial ring. Above him, his halo had gone dark grey, which did not surprise him in the least.

  His fingers tapped lightly against his thigh as he hummed thoughtfully. "So that's how it is." He said after a long moment. "It seems I need to return home. Though, not without making sufficient preparations beforehand."