203 Discussions always take the wrong turns at the right times 2 (1/2)
”Emperor of cultivation? Nine Yellow Reincarnations?”
An Fei's eyebrows shot towards the heavens at the woman's abrupt question, her consciousness nearly grinding to a halt in her confusion.
The young girl stared at the curtained bed, as though her gaze could pierce through the silken sheets to perceive the Second Elder of the Shen Family's true form and intentions.
”I am not sure of which legend the Second Elder may be speaking of?”
The young girl elected upon a defensive route, ensuring that her mind only enacted on her decisions after considering all available avenues.
”…This lowly one of the Shen Manor has overly assumed her capabilities,” the Second Elder whispered after a rapid intake of breath.
”My apologies – to the Esteemed Guest, may this lowly one introduce a rather renowned legend of the jianghu?”
Legend of the jianghu?
Just like that of the scholarly elder she had encountered at the Heaven and Earth Arena, the Second Elder of the Shen Family was unable to detect her cultivation?
”Perhaps the theory is indeed true…”
An Fei murmured to herself in a barely audible voice, before glancing at the woman concealed behind the curtains of silk.
Weighing the options in her heart for a brief moment, the young girl willed the heart to prepare the necessary prerequisites to trigger the phenomenon of the invisible diagram, before gesturing for the Second Elder to explain.
”I am not experienced in the world of cultivation, nor am I of any involvement,” the young girl's scarlet irises locked onto the indistinct figure of the woman behind the curtains.
”May the Second Elder impart onto this one, what this legend of the jianghu's emperor may be?”
”This lowly one wishes to know, does the Esteemed Guest know the ranks of the jianghu?”
The Second Elder's heart relaxed at the softening in the young girl's tone, and she rushed forth to strike the anvil whilst the nail was still scorching hot.
The woman struggled to keep herself on her proper side of the curtained barrier, deeply wishing to shake An Fei and extract the information regarding the seven-tailed fox from her body.
”The ranks of the world of cultivation?” An Fei paused, her mind quickly catching onto the answer.
”The Second Elder refers to the major realms of Body Tempering, Foundation Establishment, Spirit Building, Core Formation, and Nascent Soul?”
The young girl uttered the words at a swift pace, leaving no room for rebuttal.
As she cycled through her thoughts, An Fei's mind hummed with a curiosity towards the intentions of the Second Elder of the Shen Family.
”The Esteemed Guest truly knows so well!” the woman clapped her hands in surprise.
”The realms of Body Tempering, Foundation Establishment, and Spirit Building – the foundations of the jianghu and the principle of cultivation and its miracles. Core Formation and Nascent Soul, these realms belong strictly to the kings and emperors of empires and sects, their strength capable of shadowing over the sun. However…”
However?
Could this pertain to… this legend of the Nine Yellow Reincarnations?
The young girl's eyes narrowed in thought, her mind racing with a constant slew of information. An Fei pursed her lips as her fingers played with the long strands of her hair.
”The Second Elder refers to the legend of the Nine Yellow Reincarnations? What is the integral secret of this legend to cause the Second Elder to refer to this person as the emperor of the jianghu?”
”Emperor of the Jianghu… Esteemed Guest, do you think that the Nascent Soul Realm of cultivation is the utmost limit of the path of cultivation?” the woman behind the bedcurtains shivered with a hint of ecstasy and awe.
”What if… this lowly one was to inform you of a subtle realm that existed over the Nascent Soul Realm, one that could indeed replace the shining sun in all of its glory?”
A brief pause soon enveloped the room of the Second Elder's bedchamber.
The woman quietly and patiently waited for the young girl's response, her mind fully aware of the shock that was bound to strike onto any reasonable and seasoned veteran of the cultivation world's consciousness.
Alas, An Fei was indeed startled by the surprising news, but not in the circumstance the Second Elder had envisioned.