Chapter Thirty-Two: Senior Brother Jian Hui

After what had happened, Hongjian could no longer settle down to cultivate. She immediately left her residence and ran toward the cliff on the side of Evening Tide Peak closest to the Endless Sea.

By the time Hongjian arrived, Jin Donglou and the others were nowhere to be seen. Presumably, they had already reached the center of the swirling surge of spiritual energy in the sea. Hongjian had no idea what was happening, only sensing the distant storm that had been brewing was now gradually subsiding, and even the spiritual energy in the surrounding mountains was returning to normal.

Her heart thudded anxiously—surely the man could not have advanced to the Infant stage so quickly; had he failed?

It was only then that she noticed, not far ahead, a large stone jutting from the cliff, five or six fathoms below where she stood. A man in blue lay there, relaxed with one arm as a pillow, seemingly unconcerned by all that had happened. It was Jian Hui.

Hongjian opened her mouth in surprise. Why was Senior Brother Jian here?

Jian Hui held a delicate wine flask in his left hand, taking a sip without turning his head. “Junior Sister, you’ve come,” he said.

Hongjian leapt down beside him, immediately catching a strong whiff of wine. She had received much guidance from Jian Hui lately, and said, “Senior Brother, hiding here to drink—be careful, or Master will scold you if he finds out.”

Jian Hui was unconcerned. “A wastrel like me hardly merits Master’s worry anymore.”

Was he drunk? Though Senior Brother Jian was already at the Foundation Establishment stage, the wine he favored was surely extraordinary; it was entirely possible he could get drunk. Hongjian quietly advised, “Senior Brother, don’t drink anymore. You should go back.”

Jian Hui remained unmoved, his expression wooden. Hongjian thought she couldn’t just leave him here, and continued, “The Sect Leader and the others will return soon. If Master hears what you just said, he’ll be terribly upset.”

Jian Hui faced upward, his hand holding the wine flask limp at his side, staring at Hongjian with a rather unfamiliar look. Suddenly he frowned. “You’re worried about me? What’s there to fear in drinking? I’m not drunk.”

Hongjian was at a loss with him and decided to pay him no mind. She was more concerned about what had happened in the Endless Sea. With a Foundation Establishment senior brother nearby, he would surely know more. Whether he was sober or muddled, she pressed on, “Fine, you’re not drunk. Tell me, what happened over there?”

Jian Hui chuckled twice, a trace of loneliness in his smile, but only for a moment. He brought his left arm across to shield his eyes and said, “That person likely didn’t expect his spiritual consciousness to be so powerful, and the phenomena stirred during Infant formation far exceeded his expectations, even alarming us here. The Infant wasn’t formed, and if he’s still alive, he’s probably already been captured.”

Hongjian fell silent. Jian Hui continued with a sneer, “Instead of worrying about others, you’d be better off focusing on your cultivation. Female cultivators are always so beset by distracting thoughts—it’s rare for one to attain the Great Dao.”

She hadn’t expected Jian Hui, even in such circumstances, to still hold prejudice against female cultivators. His arm covered most of his face, so she couldn’t see his expression as he spoke. Hongjian felt disappointed, yet Jian Hui’s words were not entirely wrong. Whether the person in the sea was good or truly wicked, she, a mere Qi Refining disciple, could only watch him live or die like an ant, powerless to change the outcome.

She sighed, pouting, “Well, Senior Brother Jian, enjoy your drink. I’m going back to cultivate.”

Jian Hui gave no response, half-reclining where he was, unmoving.

Hongjian leapt up to the cliff top, glanced back at the seemingly sleeping Jian Hui, and felt something was amiss. Though young, she had cared for Fang Zheng for four years, her mind more delicate and less capricious than girls her age. She leaned over the cliff and called out loudly to Jian Hui, “Senior Brother, you established your Foundation in your twenties—such talent is rare in the world. How could you be a wastrel? Foundation Establishment grants a lifespan of three hundred years, and you’ve not even lived a sixth of that. Who can say what the future holds? Senior Brother, you must keep striving!” With that, she exhaled deeply, ignored Jian Hui’s reaction, and returned the way she came.

That day, Lingxuzi, Jin Donglou, and the others returned after only a short while; the Endless Sea fell silent once more. No one knew what became of the mysterious stranger, and Hongjian paid no further attention to Jian Hui, truly settling down to cultivate quietly in her residence.

Yet Jian Hui had been right—he wasn’t drunk at all. At least, he clearly remembered what he’d said to Hongjian. The next day, he came personally to her residence, apologetic and grateful.

It was a minor matter, but seeing Jian Hui’s gentle and courteous demeanor, Hongjian was somewhat stunned. He had always been this way, yet after seeing him yesterday, so utterly transformed, she now felt as if he wore a mask. Wasn’t he tired?

Jian Hui smiled awkwardly, sitting down with Hongjian. “To be honest, Junior Sister, earlier yesterday I tried to break through my cultivation, to return to the mid-Foundation stage. I’d prepared three years for that moment, believing I stood a good chance, but failed. So I lost balance, grew self-loathing. After you left yesterday, the more I thought, the more I realized you were right. I couldn’t just lie there anymore, so I came today specifically to thank you for waking me up. I spoke nonsense yesterday; please don’t be angry with me.”

Hongjian hadn’t really been angry, and upon hearing this, felt sympathy for Jian Hui. She comforted him, “As long as you’re all right, Senior Brother. Now you have experience—next time you’ll surely succeed. Besides, you’re still so young. I think Master Qu Changhe and Pan Cong from the Wood Spiritual Root are both much older than you.” She used to call Qu Changhe “Master,” but since she’d been taken in by Yan Changqing, that “Master” now became “Senior Brother.” She wasn’t used to it yet, and since he wasn’t present, she simply referred to him by name.

Jian Hui gave a bitter smile. “Senior Brother Pan is already in the late Foundation stage; I can’t compare with them. If I have hope to advance, it’s only thanks to Master fighting for me to enter the sect’s secret realm three years ago. Now… well, he must be greatly disappointed.”

Hongjian had never heard of the sect’s secret realm before. Her round eyes widened in curiosity. “Sect’s secret realm? What’s that?”

Jian Hui was surprised. “You didn’t know? All major sects are built on grounds rich in spiritual energy, and with generations of great cultivators consciously or unconsciously affecting the laws of the area, over time a unique secret realm forms. Our Dan Cliff Sect’s secret realm lies between Scarlet Wheel and Brocade Peaks, and opens once every four years. Entering it is hugely beneficial for cultivation. Senior Brother was just entering the late Foundation stage then; he must have gained greatly in the last secret realm, which is why he began attempting the Golden Core breakthrough so soon.”

Hongjian listened, full of longing. “Last time was three years ago, so there’s less than a year until it opens again.”