Han Ling'er

A powerful vortex stood in the middle of the crowd. The vortex's surface was like flowing water, with ripples smoothly undulating.

The momentum it gave off made all who stood before it look on with awe and envy. This was a spacial passage that led to one of the precious treasure lands of the central continent.

A young maiden stood ahead of this shining passage which led to a land of boundless opportunities.

In the flowing heart sect, geniuses rose from any Taoist abode but there had never been one like Han Ling. Her figure was exquisite. She wore a well-knit purple dress which perfectly attenuated her curves. Her hair was neatly tied into a bun.

She had skin appearing well dried without any blemishes like the purest jade. Her facial features were picturesque with soft arching eye brows. Her sparkling eyes dazzled the many heroes who stood nearby.

Some young masters and legacy disciples would occasionally sneak a glance at this peerless beauty.

Even some of the female disciples looked on in exasperation. Only the few of the famous arrogant daughters of the heavens didn't put Han Ling in their eyes. 

"Senior sister Ling, doesn't need to worry about anything. The snow heart lotus is as good as yours…"

Hearing this Han Ling turned her head slightly to take a glance at the figures coming from behind her. In her eyes the figure of a young man wearing a luxuriant purple Taoist robe was reflected.

Behind the young man were a few followers who looked to also be wearing the same purple clothing as the young man. However, there seemed to also be a difference in their clothing.

The fellows following behind the young man, wore white robes with a thin purple strip which perfectly outlined its edges.

Han Ling's eyes fluttered like a lotus dancing to the wind's tune. Her somewhat quiet appearance was stripped off completely replaced by a graceful spirit.

Yi Changtian felt his heart skip a beat. As an inner sect disciple of the flowing heart sect, he had enjoyed many benefits and did not feel that there was anything out of his reach. It had been that way for three years but in the fourth year there had appeared a new female disciple who stirred waves everywhere in the sect.

It was said she was highly favoured by the great elder. Many who called themselves heroes had tried their own luck pursuing her but they had all failed. Even Yi Changtian had been rejected.

Which so beauty in the flowing heart sect had he not tasted?

Even those who were said to have beauty that could cause the downfall of cities and kingdoms had all become acquainted with his bedside. There had also been those who resisted but this was still the cultivation world where the strong reigned supreme and the weak were forever destined to crawl beneath.

It was unknown if this would ever change.

Though he could not act directly as that would tarnish his status and the position of the elder who supported him, he could still use many means to put pressure on those he had set his sights on. Many geniuses would often try as much to please him when they have a chance. Those beauties would later succumb and deliver themselves to his door willingly.

Of course it was not as if the people in the sect were blind but rather, the rules did not give much safety to those with low cultivation base but even so there were always exceptions to everything those who had a bit of background could somehow escape the scrutiny of the punishment hall.

Most of the elders and other venerable core members of the sect were fully aware of this but simply decided to turn a blind eye. 

Those who had somehow displeased him would find themselves as the common enemy of the public.

Such a case was also the same for Han Ling, except Han Ling ignored these supporters and did not seem to want anything to do with them.

Although he felt indignant, he did not act without restraint. After all, behind Han Ling was the great elder. Trying to forcefully pluck this fruit was equivalent to courting death.

"Senior brother, had you come a bit later you might have missed the opportunity to attack the vessel forging realm"

Yi Changtian heard these words from Han Ling and could only give a genial smile but his hands grip hard on a fan behind his back seemed to mean otherwise.

In his heart and mind he seemed to hear a faint voice complaining incessantly accompanied by occasional sighs, "It seems it will take a while till junior sister comes to accept me" 

He had long told her to feel free to call him by his name but not once had he ever heard her utter even a part of his name.

"No matter, after today's exploration of the secret realm she will have no choice but to accept me"

Han Ling was unaware of these little thoughts Yi Changtian had in store for her.

"Haha, how could I miss such a grand opportunity"

Han Ling remained silent and allowed Yi Changtian to stand beside her. At this moment Changtian no longer paid attention to the her and stared at the portal in front of him.

"It is said the land beyond is related to the fall of the Paragon blessed land"

Han Ling heard this and remained silent. This may seem like her listening attentively but inside she snorted coldly.

How could she no see through this Yi Changtian?

He was clearly trying to finish for information. Of course it wasn't as if in Changtian's eyes, Han Ling was some sort of omniscient entity whose information could not be ignored.

It was clear this Han Ling could not fit this description, no, in fact no one in the central continent was qualified to be called as such but he knew the person behind her might very well have more credible information.

Who else could it be but the great elder.

Knowing this, Han Ling resisted the urge to roll her eyes and kept her gaze focused on the portal standing in the middle.

At this point people had already stopped coming. There were many geniouses from different taoist abodes. Some were still discusses the puzzling matter of this unexpected calling in soft whispers.

"Did you know?", one said.

"Know what?", another asked curiously.

"I hear that this channel is related to the secret ground of the nine caudrons overlord"

"Really?"

Before the one who started the discussion could add more, another chimed in after overhearing their exchange, "Hmph, are your brains made of dog waste? The nine caudrons overlord is related to the fate of the central continent, with such great importance, do you honestly believe any task related to such a figure would be handle to people like yourselves?"

Although the young man had said this he did not truly believe his own words. After all, three elders of his sect had come along with him. He did not truly believe that a matter that could attract these great figures could be something so pointless but he had to keep up appearances so not as to let the news slip out.

Hearing this statement which seemed to be quite logical others who had also heard a bit of this exchange also silently agreed.

The fellow who had provided this seemingly logical idea showed a smug look and turned to look at the genius beauty standing on the opposite end.

He was the genius Feng Wei who had been taken in as a disciple by the great elder of his taoist abode, the azure dragon sect. With such an identity of equal status he was sure he would be able to catch Han Ling's attention but to his surprise Han Ling did not even register his presence.

Han Ling disdained this young master more than anyone else. Others knew that this Feng Wei came from a pillar family but they did not know that her master had ideas for her to get engaged with this fellow.

No, rather the great elder had not made it a decision but had simply hinted for her to work hard. The words had always been on loop in her mind, "Ling'er, as my disciple you should be the beacon that all the disciples look up to and strive to be like. As long as you do that then you can have the right to choose your own path. If not, oh well, I believe you can still do a metorious deed by forming ties with that Feng Wei who has been making waves as of lately."

She did not try to argue but only take these words in silence. This was one of the short comings of being a beauty in the sect, if they could not achieve a higher cultivation base then they would have to be married off to some pillar family.

If other female disciples heard of a descendant from a pillar family they would surely go mad with zeal. Such families once had a master at the Spirit assimilation realm. They were rich, and had a unique set of supreme taoist technique inherited from their ancestors. They had old monsters in retreat. Once such masters return to the world, even the earth with bleed when they make a move. If one could get married off to one from such a background then they would have an easy passage in life.

Which cultivator did not know the difficulty of trying to attain immorttality. It was simply to difficult and painful. Some would even die just by coming into contact with the spiritual essence between heaven and earth. So the benefits that came with such a status was one many envied but Han Ling did not care in the slighest about such benefits. However, she knew that she would have no choice in the matter if her master truly made it a decision.

In the flowing heart sect, besides the sect leader, the great elder's words were law. Defiance meant eternal damnation.

It was a pity that this fellow Feng Wei had become the target of such loathing when he not done anything wrong to displease Han Ling.

At this very moment the temperature around Han Ling seemed to drop suddenly, even Changtian who stood beside her felt goosebumps all over him but he also felt satisfied and annoyed at the same time after seeing this reaction.

This Feng Wei was the genius said to have the most outstanding talent in the sect. Some rumors were made saying he might eventually become an azure dragon himself. Yi Changtian knew he ould not compete with such a background, so getting entangled with Feng Wei would not yield any good fruits for him to eat.

After a moment of realisation, Yi Changtian snorted inwardly and also ignored this competitor.

Feng Wei noticed this and felt a tinge of rage boiling inside him. It would have been fine if it was only Han Ling who had ignored him but now this person he didn't even consider as worthy to brush his shoes had written off his existence.

Although he was dissatisfied he had not lost his ability to think rationally. This was not the azure dragon sect where he could act wantonly and not be punished. Here, in the flowing heart sect, this future dragon was but a guest, he had no choice but to temporarily coil.

Still looking at the portal ahead, Feng Wei secretly made a plan.

So what if he was in someone else's territory. As long as there are no witnesses then everything could be resolved.

With such thoughts, he quickly calmed his mind.

In the next moment a figure phased into reality. It was an old master who most of the people present could not register in their mind.

No information came to mind when they looked at the old man levitating right above the portal. Only Han Ling who seemed to know a lot more secrets than her peers mumbled a name in her mind.

Fish Monk!

A master with half a step into…

Unfortunately these thoughts could not go farther than that. As soon as this name appeared in her mind, she felt the old master's gaze immediately lock onto her.

A chill quickly swept through her whole body. She felt as I she had bee stared at while naked. This gaze had made seem transparent, however , it did not linger for long and disappeared shortly.

Han Ling no longer dared to think any further. No one noticed this change, even Changtian had not felt anything at all.

Everyone's attention was now glued to this figure who had just appeared out of nowhere. So how could they have noticed the small disturbance in Han Ling.

The old master quickly retracted his gaze from her and looked to the gathered disciples of each taoist abode.

In this dead silence only the old master's voice echoed in the disciples ears.

…

Bai Ming was deeply confused by these words. His mind was instantly thrown into chaos with the appearance of these words. The felt as if a sharp knife was trying to cut its way through to the other side of his head.

"Tell me which sect do you come from"

After this second line was spoken, Bai Ming felt a sharp ringing in his ears and head. Small amounts of blood began to seep out through his ears. Bai Ming immediately understood the nature of this guest.

Compared to Dao Gu this new visitor clearly did not come in good faith. After the recent experience he now understood that if Dao Gu had wanted to harm him it would be as easy as turning a stone over. In this moment, Bai Ming did not falter, he grit his teeth and clenched his fists as he tried hard to calm his mind. 

Even though the pressure was too weak to kill him, Bai Ming did not allow this realization to cloud his judgement. He knew full well that he could never match that pressure in any way. Whatever methods the other part was using was not something he could comprehend.