Chapter 60: Master Qingyou

This voice was somewhat familiar to Jiang Min. It belonged to the Golden Core master with white hair and violet eyes.

“What does this master want with me?” Jiang Min’s spiritual gaze shifted slightly, a trace of confusion rising within her. She hurriedly rose from her couch, unlocked the restrictive wards, and opened the door.

A tall, slender and graceful figure stood at the threshold—white hair, violet robes. Though no aura of cultivation emanated from her, the long-accumulated dignity and presence within her body still faintly revealed itself, compelling others to avert their gaze.

Jiang Min dared not look directly, her eyes lowered respectfully as she saluted, “Disciple pays respects to the master.”

The female Golden Core cultivator’s lips curled into a faint smile. She walked in with effortless familiarity, entering Jiang Min’s room and speaking openly, “I’ve come to ask you some questions—or rather, to propose a transaction.”

Jiang Min replied respectfully, “If there is anything important, please instruct me as you wish.”

The master sat lazily on the couch, leaning back. With a wave of her sleeve, the door closed, and a more powerful soundproofing ward enveloped the small room.

Once the ward was set, she raised her violet eyes, regarding Jiang Min with interest. The treasures Jiang Min used to conceal her aura were meaningless in the master’s eyes; she could clearly sense Jiang Min’s eighth stage of Qi Refining.

In a short time, Jiang Min had progressed from the sixth to the eighth stage.

Five spiritual roots.

Indeed, quite rare.

Of course, the master had not come to inquire about Jiang Min’s fortuitous encounters. She herself was one of Dongling Sect’s few lightning-rooted prodigies, progressing in cultivation as naturally as breathing; few opportunities could truly move her.

She came solely for Jiang Min’s five spiritual roots.

“I didn’t expect to meet you here. It seems you don’t yet know my Dao title. I am Qing You, from Kaiyang Peak. The steward you once knew in the Library Pavilion, Lu Qingquan, is my junior fellow disciple.”

Master Qing You spoke directly, clarifying her background.

It was clear.

She knew Jiang Min’s history in detail—even that Jiang Min had worked as a menial servant in the Library Pavilion of Liuyun Peak. Before coming, she’d specifically asked the accompanying steward about Jiang Min, who had then recounted every detail, including how He Liang had defended her quota.

Jiang Min was not surprised that this master knew her origins, but rather that before proposing their so-called transaction, the master explained her own background in detail.

This inevitably brought to mind some unpleasant memories...

It wasn’t Qing You’s fault, but the shadow left by Lin Mingyue lingered still. Whenever someone introduced themselves, regardless of age or rank, Jiang Min recalled Lin Mingyue’s lesson and grew wary—even if such caution was useless before a Golden Core master.

“Master Qing You.”

Jiang Min saluted again, showing a hint of surprise. “You still remember me?”

“In the entire sect, there are only a handful of outer disciples with five spiritual roots, and among those who progress so swiftly, in the past hundred years, aside from Xiao Runan, there is only you.”

Master Qing You half-supported herself, watching Jiang Min with a trace of an elusive smile. “I seek you precisely because you have five spiritual roots.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Min was taken aback.

She hadn’t realized that, unknowingly, she had become the foremost in her realm among those with five spiritual roots...

“It seems that with the talent of five spiritual roots, my cultivation stands out. In the future, when traveling outside, I must conceal my spiritual roots whenever possible and never reveal anything.”

Jiang Min made a mental note of this. She had come thus far without backing, with no guidance, relying only on her own caution, learning from each experience so as not to stumble in the days to come.

Just then, Master Qing You raised her hand. In her palm, purple lightning coiled and crackled, exuding a heart-stirring pressure.

“I am of the lightning root—able to summon lightning techniques without relying on the interplay of the five elements. But lately, I’ve taken interest in the Dao of the five elements, so I wish to question some five-rooted cultivators.”

“I’ve also spoken with Xiao Runan in the sect... Among the Qi Refining disciples, you have the highest cultivation, so I thought to seek you out.”

Master Qing You withdrew the lightning in her palm and looked at Jiang Min, her tone unhurried. “I am familiar with the scripture of the Spirit-Connecting Technique, but as for actual cultivation, I haven’t observed Qi Refining disciples, since their realm is too low to show much. You, however, have reached the eighth stage, and though still some distance from the full manifestation of the five-elemental Qi, you are far ahead of your peers.”

“Thus, I wish to observe your cultivation process and ask for your understanding of the Spirit-Connecting Technique. In exchange, you may ask me questions, or... propose other requests.”

Master Qing You finished, smiling faintly as she looked at Jiang Min.

Observe the five-rooted cultivation process?

Jiang Min pondered inwardly.

This request was not excessive. Her only concern was the peach branch in her dantian, but she reconsidered and realized she needn’t worry.

“All sword cultivators cultivate the method of refining treasures in the dantian. I’ve asked many during sword lessons; some refine minerals, some refine demon bones. I refine a peach branch—hardly unusual.”

“Moreover, with a sweep of divine sense at the Golden Core level, I doubt I could hide any secrets.”

Previously, Jiang Min thought the peach branch was a vital secret.

Later, she realized—

There was no need to conceal it.

First, sword cultivators refine all manner of strange things, sometimes far stranger than minerals or demon bones. Refining a peach branch was perfectly normal; eventually, she would forge it into a sword and wield it openly.

Second, with a sweep of divine sense, a Golden Core master could see through her, inside and out. Her dantian treasure-refining was not a secret; hiding it would only arouse suspicion.

All that mattered was not revealing the peach branch’s ability to devour all things!

That was the true secret.

All these thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant. Jiang Min saluted and complied, “As you wish, master. Shall I begin cultivating the Spirit-Connecting Technique now?”

“Yes,” Master Qing You patted the soft couch beside her, amused. “Sit here. No need to worry that I’ll harm you. You’re always so tense and cautious; it’s good to have such vigilance, but before a Golden Core cultivator, all things are ephemeral. You should try to relax.”

Jiang Min gave a bitter smile as she walked to the couch, inwardly disagreeing.

If a Golden Core master wished to kill her, should she simply relax and await death?

Should that moment come, however slim the hope, she would fight with all her might to carve a path to survival.

In the world of cultivation, one misstep meant the end of all. She was mentally prepared for this, but never to simply wait for death.

Sitting cross-legged before Master Qing You, Jiang Min closed her eyes and quickly entered the cultivation state of the Spirit-Connecting Technique, drawing in a thread of spiritual energy as she began the long process of refining.

Master Qing You only needed a sweep of her divine sense to see Jiang Min’s internal cultivation clearly.

As for Jiang Min’s thunder-fire treasure-refining method and the peach branch, Master Qing You paid them no mind. In Dongling Sect, the foremost immortal sect of Jinyun Nation, prodigies and those with great fortune were plentiful—she had seen far more formidable treasure-refining methods and materials than Jiang Min possessed.

She observed Jiang Min’s transformation of the five elements during cultivation, which was straightforward—merely channeling through the meridians of the five internal organs. Yet from this, Master Qing You could glean many truths about the five elements that Jiang Min herself had yet to understand.

Moreover, only someone of Master Qing You’s status knew that the Spirit-Connecting Technique—considered menial and scorned by many disciples—was actually Dongling Sect’s most powerful foundational cultivation method.

Five spiritual roots, complete in all five elements, was truly fulfillment.

And, also, most regrettable...

“So that’s how it is.”

Master Qing You immersed herself in the Dao intent of the five elements, gaining much.

Yet she could genuinely sense—

Compared to her own cultivation speed during the Qi Refining stage,

The five-rooted cultivation method truly was a bit slower.