Chapter 16: The Celestial Ornament

Wei Yunxi did not immediately deactivate the isolation array. Instead, she instinctively took out an immortal artifact from her storage, one that exuded a celestial aura and was meant to conceal her cultivation. She opened the small jade box, no larger than a palm, and found inside an ornament for the forehead, fashioned from three red flower petals. It was delicate and understated—perfectly suited to her.

Without hesitation, Wei Yunxi pricked her finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the ornament. The next moment, the ornament absorbed the blood, flew out of the box, and affixed itself to the center of her brows, blending seamlessly into her skin.

At that instant, she sensed a faint connection with the artifact, and the method for using it flooded her consciousness. She had no time for careful study; she merely brushed her fingers lightly over the red flower mark at her brow, and her cultivation instantly dropped from the second level of Qi Refinement to the initial stage of Qi Induction.

She then uttered the word “conceal,” and the flower mark at her brow faded into her skin, vanishing as if it had never existed.

Just then, the isolation array was activated once more. Wei Yunxi adjusted her expression, tousled her hair, jumped off the bed, opened the array, and pushed open the door with obvious annoyance.

“Who is it? Why are you interrupting my cultivation?”

The two people outside fell silent. Feng Xiu’s spiritual sense swept over her young mistress, and her eyes widened slightly. But she recovered quickly, stepped forward, and said, “Miss, Zhenzhu insisted on seeing you. She says she has something important to report. I tried to stop her, but she claimed it was on Madam’s orders and activated the array herself.”

Wei Yunxi frowned slightly and looked at Zhenzhu with displeasure. Did this one think she was out of prospects and so dared to act so brazenly?

“Zhenzhu, I’m here. If you have something urgent to report, speak.”

Having said this, Wei Yunxi regarded her with a composed air.

Zhenzhu had come to check on Wei Yunxi’s cultivation progress. Ever since Feng Xiu arrived at Zhuohua Courtyard, Zhenzhu had been unable to get close to the cultivation chamber. That morning, Feng Xiu had happily instructed Chunyu to prepare bath items for her mistress. Judging by their expressions, it seemed Miss had succeeded in Qi Induction. Zhenzhu needed to confirm this before reporting to the Madam, so she found an excuse to see Miss Yunxi.

But Feng Xiu refused, claiming Miss was cultivating, so Zhenzhu invoked the Madam’s authority and insisted she had an urgent matter. Only then did Feng Xiu agree to activate the array.

Now, seeing Miss Yunxi, Zhenzhu confirmed her success in Qi Induction. However, faced with her mistress’s displeasure, she knew she needed a convincing explanation, or else she would be dismissed from Zhuohua Courtyard.

Zhenzhu quickly composed herself and stepped forward. “Please forgive me, Miss. I was presumptuous! But you hadn’t left your cultivation chamber for two days, and I was worried something might have gone wrong, so I asked Sister Feng Xiu. She wouldn’t let me see you, and I feared…”

Wei Yunxi tilted her head. “Feared what?”

“Feared something had gone wrong with your cultivation, Miss. That’s why I found an excuse to activate the array.”

Wei Yunxi nodded. Zhenzhu wasn’t entirely without wit—the excuse was reasonable enough. She waved her small hand. “Well, you see I’m fine now. Anything else?”

“No, please forgive my intrusion, Miss!” Zhenzhu took the opportunity to retreat.

“That’s enough. Leave, and don’t enter the inner courtyard again.”

Zhenzhu bit her lip but could only withdraw from the main house.

Feng Xiu, for once, allowed herself a sarcastic remark. “How amusing—her cultivation is only at the early Qi Refinement stage, yet she worries like a clan elder!”

Feng Xiu hardly needed to spell out Zhenzhu’s overreaching. Wei Yunxi did not contradict her. Knowing Zhenzhu was Du Ruolan’s spy, she had no qualms about offending her; they had been on opposing sides from the start.

After Zhenzhu left, Feng Xiu looked at Wei Yunxi and smiled. “Miss, you’ve found a way to conceal your cultivation?”

“Yes, it’s a treasure my mother left me. I asked you to stand guard earlier because I was searching for something to hide my cultivation and stumbled upon this artifact. After recognizing me as its master, even you couldn’t see through it, could you?”

Feng Xiu nodded seriously. “That’s right, Miss. You now appear to be at the initial stage of Qi Induction.”

“Good. Then tomorrow we’ll return to the training hall. We’ll show off a little in front of Wei Yunqing and put an end to her idea of taking me to the Haoran Sect.”

At that moment, Wei Yunxi was unaware that Du Ruolan’s pillow talk had already changed Wei Lingyue’s mind.

Wei Yunxi controlled her time carefully. After cultivating through the night, she opened her eyes on time, at last allowing a smile to emerge.

During the night, she had refined the flower ornament once more, this time binding it with her soul. The artifact could not only conceal her cultivation but also her aura. If she wished, she could change her face and evade anyone’s pursuit.

Most importantly, this immortal artifact could also serve as a bluff—it could project the aura of someone a whole stage higher. For instance, though she was at the second level of Qi Refinement, she could, by expending soul power, appear to be at the second level of Foundation Establishment. This, however, drained her soul and was not advisable except in life-or-death situations.

After all, a bluff is still a bluff. Once a fight broke out, the deception would unravel, and she would likely meet a miserable end.

Though she hadn’t tried it yet, Wei Yunxi reasoned that the artifact’s mechanism was to imitate the pressure of a higher cultivation stage—enough to fool people and create the illusion of overwhelming strength.

But what pleased Wei Yunxi most was that this was an immortal artifact, and as long as she wished to hide her cultivation, no cultivator in the Weiyu Realm could see through her. This was her greatest protection, allowing her to cultivate freely and avoid many troubles.

“Miss, we’re supposed to go to the training hall today. It’s getting late.”

Wei Yunxi deactivated the isolation array, shaking her head. “Yes, we’ll have breakfast first, then you’ll take me to the training hall.”

This time, Wei Yunxi deliberately waited at the entrance of the training hall. Seeing her, Wei Yunqing broke into a broad smile and hurried over.

“Sister Yunqing, why are you so late today? I’ve been waiting for you all morning, and I have good news—I’ve succeeded in Qi Induction!”

Wei Yunqing’s expression darkened at this. She hadn’t expected the little girl to succeed so quickly, becoming the third clan disciple to achieve Qi Induction.

“Sister Yunqing, why aren’t you happy? Didn’t you say you’d take me to the Haoran Sect if I succeeded? I’ve been working hard so as not to embarrass myself.”

She even pouted a little, looking somewhat aggrieved.

The other clan children at the training hall had overheard her and looked on with envy and jealousy. How did these two sisters have such good fortune?

Wei Yunqing took a deep breath to suppress her irritation. “Congratulations on your success, little sister. But the elders say this is only the first step on the path of cultivation—nothing to be proud of. You must guard against arrogance and continue to work hard.”

Wei Yunxi rolled her eyes inwardly. As expected of the protagonist—always quick with her sanctimonious words. Outwardly, she nodded obediently. “You’re right, Sister Yunqing. I will work even harder.”

Wei Yunqing’s eyes flickered. She took Wei Yunxi’s hand and whispered, “Little sister, how did you succeed at Qi Induction so quickly?”