Mao Dou's eyes lit up the moment he heard the Dao title his Master bestowed upon him. He pulled out his life-bound sword, and the blade shone with two glowing characters: '剑锋' (Jian Feng). A burst of sharp golden sword qi shot straight into the sky.
"Jian Feng thanks Master for granting this title."
He drew the sword back into his body and bowed respectfully.
"Sit, talk."
A gentle sweep of Jian Dan's hand lifted him effortlessly with soft spiritual power.
Mao Dou now stood a full one-point-eighty-five meters tall. Years of body refinement had given him a powerful, athletic build without bulk, strength wrapped in speed. His features had grown bold and steady, his expression carrying a simple honesty. It was the kind of face that looked clumsy at first glance, but hid a sharp mind beneath it.
After so many years of tempering, he was already worthy of the title Zhēnjūn. But the instant he faced his Master again, all his calm and maturity vanished. He grinned like a child and chattered nonstop, telling Jian Dan everything that had happened over the past century.
Whenever he hit something he didn't quite understand, he still asked his Master like he used to when he was small. The two spoke happily, and Yue Liang wagged her fluffy tail beside them, thrilled by the atmosphere.
By the time the moon climbed into the sky, Mao Dou finally stopped, still reluctant to end the conversation. Jian Dan already had a good understanding of his experiences.
"Not bad. You can handle yourself now. I'll tell Lü Se to arrange it. In the next few days, pick a peak on Tianyue Peak and open your own cave residence."
Jian Dan paused, then added,
"Of course, you can take disciples now. Have you thought about it?"
"Master, I still have a lot to improve, and I still need your guidance. I'm not qualified to take disciples yet. Once my cultivation improves, I'll consider it then."
Jianfeng spoke quickly, shaking his head.
"No problem. Do as you see fit."
Jian Dan's voice remained mild, but inside she was satisfied. Knowing oneself and not overreaching was a rare virtue.
"Master, I'll head back to East Peak first. I'll discuss the cave residence selection with Steward Lü Se tomorrow."
He bowed deeply, then left with a bright smile.
Only after he was gone did Yue Liang grumble softly,
"Zhēnzūn, who's the one in closed-door cultivation in that room in your cave?"
Jian Dan chuckled, ruffled the fur between Yue Liang's ears, then picked her up and sat with her in the rocking chair beneath the banyan tree. She began telling her about Yingge.
Curled up on Jian Dan's lap, Yue Liang narrowed her eyes and listened closely to the story of how they met. Now and then she made a soft sigh. When she heard Jian Dan and Yingge hadn't formed a contract, her internal alarm instantly shut off.
Jian Dan didn't need to guess to know what she was thinking. Earlier, she'd even tricked Jade into entering seclusion just to crown herself the number one spirit companion at Jian Dan's side.
"Yingge's had a rough time. Now that he can cultivate again and a war is coming, his elder brother entrusted him to me. Coincidentally, he received the chance tied to my advancement to Mahayana. He's advancing to Sixth Rank now, so nobody's going to fight you for favor anytime soon."
She finished and rubbed Yue Liang's head again.
Exposed but not embarrassed, Yue Liang wagged her tail proudly, her eyes curving happily.
"I'm Zhēnzūn's companion. I'll stay by your side forever."
"Good."
"I came back through the beast clan's territory. I rushed straight home to the Sect and didn't have time to check on the Raccoon Beast Clan. Are they doing well? Have any awakened their innate skill?"
Jian Dan continued asking.
"Our Zhēnzūn didn't avoid them because you didn't want to go. You were worried too many demon cultivators were watching you. If you went to the clan, they'd become everyone's target. Not going was actually the best protection for them."
"You're sharp as always."
After the praise, Yue Liang's voice became proud again.
"After a hundred years of recovery, the newly born raccoon beasts awakened their innate talent after reaching a hundred years old. They can injure the soul, though it's still weak for now."
Xing Chen Ancestor and Xing Xing Clan Leader had been thrilled for ages.
"That's good. Tell them to stay low-key. They're still growing."
"Don't worry. I already told them. Besides Ancestor, Big Brother, Yue Liang, and you, nobody knows, not even the Nine-tailed Demon Lord."
"Hiding your strength is wise."
They chatted casually beneath a sky filled with stars, catching up on a full century's stories with perfect understanding, as always.
When dawn's light finally rose, Yue Liang reluctantly went into seclusion to rest. After traveling everywhere with Mao Dou, she could finally lie down and relax now that she was home.
Ting Feng arrived to collect the old tea set and replace it with a fresh one, then went to tend the spirit plants. Lü Se came to report that Zhēnzūn's guests had arrived.
Jian Li and Jian Jun arrived together. One dressed in black, the other in white, both elegant and striking. One had a restrained, commanding presence, the other graceful and ethereal. Standing together, they were a beautiful sight.
"Greetings, Tian Lu Zhēnzūn."
"Hm?"
Jian Dan blinked, momentarily confused.
"After you advanced to late Mahayana, your Dao title upgraded from Jianlu to Tian Lu. You can now join the Sect's highest decision-making council."
Jian Jun explained with a smile.
"Since you didn't hold a grand ceremony for your advancement, not many know. We're here partly to discuss that."
Jian Li continued.
"Oh, that I can answer right now. Forget the ceremony. It wastes resources. Even with enough spirit stones, the Sect doesn't need to spend them on something like this. Just send a Purple Dawn Sword Invitation to the Dao, Demon, and Beast races. Tell them I've advanced to Mahayana. As long as they know, that's enough."
She lifted her hand, inviting them to sit as she replied. Her decisiveness stunned Jian Li and Jian Jun for a heartbeat.
"That may not be appropriate..."
Jian Li hesitated. After all, the Sect had gained a new Mahayana Zhēnzūn, and a late-stage one at that. Their strength had just risen to a new level. Holding a ceremony would display their power to the world.
===
I'm thinking about picking up a new novel to translate soon, and right now I'm considering two titles: "The Fortune Pawn Shop: A Life to Sale" and "I Built My Own Inheritance."
The first one follows a girl named Ning Xia, who only has one week left to live. She suddenly inherits a mysterious pawnshop with one rule: give what you value most, and you'll receive what you desire most. It's eerie, dramatic, and full of emotional deals and secrets. I really love the premise.
The second story is about Su Wan, whose phone suddenly updates with this game called "My Ancestors' Era." Inside it, she can interact with people from the past and help them survive, build their family, and improve their lives. Every time she succeeds, she receives real antiques in the present.
Then her parents call her home to inherit the family property, and she realizes the incredibly wealthy and powerful family she helped build in the past... is actually her own. The fortune she is about to receive is the direct result of her own actions. I find this concept super fun and refreshing.
Both novels are currently serialized and have around 100 chapters, so they're still relatively short. I think I can catch up to the latest raw chapter within a week. As usual, I'll publish the translations on my AO3 account, and I'll share more detailed previews on Discord before I officially start.
The second novel is written by Chen Yuqing, who also wrote "With Double the Initial Opportunities," "This Isn't Exile, It's Clearly a Vacation," "I Turned Trash into Treasure in the Cultivation World," and "Space Check-in: I'm Farming in the Apocalypse." I've read some of their work before, and honestly, I might pick up another one in the future. Like Feng Ling, they focus on strong female MCs and No CP stories, which is exactly my taste.
I know my schedule is a little chaotic right now. On Webnovel, Stealing Luck, True Heir (Feng Ling's), and Troublemaker's Guide are all running low on drafts, and my AO3 projects How I Fed and My VR Games haven't been updated in a few weeks. Plus, I'm still busy organizing the Discord server and updating more than 100 C.AI characters (help me lol). It's a lot all at once, and I really need more time to get everything sorted before things go back to normal. It might take a month, maybe even longer.
I'm really sorry for the messy update schedule recently, especially on Webnovel, since I used to update pretty consistently. Thank you for your patience and for understanding. It means a lot to me. ♡