[Year 476]
Everything in the family was proceeding in an orderly manner. This year, Li Xinnian turned fourteen. Young men grew up fast.
"Good kid, you've gotten so tall, huh? And these looks... tsk tsk..."
Li Wei's figure appeared beside Li Xinnian.
He had been cultivating diligently. Two years was nothing for a cultivator like him at the peak of the Divinity Transformation realm, but for a young man, it was a very long time.
Here in the Skyveil Sect, Li Xinnian was truly handsome. His face was like fine jade, with almost no flaws to be found. Coupled with his unadorned, jet-black hair cascading down like a waterfall, he gave off a sense of comfort and tranquility at a single glance, as if he had walked straight out of a painting.
As Li Xinnian walked through the Skyveil Sect, disciples couldn't help but turn their heads to stare.
This was especially true for the female disciples; even hundred-year-old cultivators would steal a few more glances at him, and who knows how many romantic feelings, long sealed away, began to stir.
It was feared that if Li Xinnian weren't the young master of the Li family, he would have long since been captured by female cultivators with wicked intentions.
"Eh? Has Xinnian made friends too?"
Li Wei floated in mid-air. Seeing Li Xinnian walk towards a young man and woman up ahead, he couldn't help but nod in gratification.
Before he had gone into seclusion, he had felt that Li Xinnian was too mature and would have a hard time making friends. He pondered for a moment and took a closer look at the pair.
"I should still have the Hall of Heavenly Principle investigate their identities. With Xinnian having the [Fated Villain] trait, I have to be on guard against him making some unsavory friends and inviting disaster."
Speaking of which, the family was also quite worried about Li Xinnian's aptitude. A few years ago, they had even rejected a marriage proposal from the Nangong family of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion for this very reason.
...
"Junior Brother Xinnian!"
Nangong Qingya's call came from ahead, making Li Xinnian raise an eyebrow. He gave her a slight cupped-fist salute. "Senior Sister."
He then smiled faintly at Su Chen, who was standing to the side. "Senior Brother Su."
It could be said that it was fate; a misunderstanding four years ago had led to Li Xinnian becoming acquainted with these two.
As for whether they were friends... Li Xinnian wasn't sure.
Su Chen was better, at least. Although he was a bit cold and detached, his conduct was proper and refined. But as for Nangong Qingya...
"Junior Brother Xinnian, why do you always have that fake smile on your face?"
Nangong Qingya was pretty, but she was more boyish than any boy. Her way of greeting was to shove Li Xinnian's shoulder while staring at him with her eyes.
"Also, you talk too little. It hasn't changed in all these years. Were you born like this? You're like a block of wood."
"..."
If it weren't for the fact that she was as witless as a sow, Li Xinnian probably would have kicked her to death.
He ignored the boisterous Nangong Qingya and smiled at Su Chen.
"Senior Brother Su, I heard you've gained an elder's appreciation. This junior brother congratulates you on becoming an inner sect disciple."
"To have become an inner sect disciple, I must thank Junior Brother for the recommendation."
Su Chen smiled gratefully. Four years ago, when Li Xinnian had first come to his door, he had truly thought the boy was looking for trouble, but things had turned out completely contrary to his expectations.
"Li Xinnian, why are you ignoring me and talking to Junior Brother Su instead?" Seeing the two of them smiling at each other, Nangong Qingya's anger flared. "Junior Brother, do you hate me?"
"..."
After a moment's hesitation, Li Xinnian shook his head and said seriously, "No."
The youths, in the prime of their lives, walked towards the spirit ark together, where many other disciples of the Skyveil Sect were already gathered.
Sect Master Wuyazi floated into the air, and all the disciples turned to look at him.
Wuyazi gave Li Xinnian a slight smile, then addressed the many disciples with a dignified voice.
"Many years ago, the Li family won a great victory against a monstrous talent rarely seen in the world, suppressing the entire Eternal Sun Prefecture and obtaining its lands.
Today, seventy percent of the Eternal Sun Prefecture's territory is occupied by our allies. Only the land of the Ten-Direction Ancient Ridges in the north is still held by the 'Eternal Sun Righteous Path Alliance,' a group formed from the remnants of our old enemies."
"The Nangong family of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, the True Yang Faction, the Great Ming King Temple, and the Ancient Agrarian Clan—these four great powers have been fighting the Eternal Sun Righteous Path Alliance. They have recently retaken one of the Ancient Ridges, but there are still remnants within that have not been cleared out. This is precisely the time for the disciples of our Skyveil Sect to venture out for experience."
"Li Xinnian!"
As Wuyazi called out the name, all the disciples looked toward Li Xinnian with envy. For the past fifty years, the younger generation of disciples had been led by him.
This Li Xinnian was truly the strongest monstrous talent in all of Eternal Sun Prefecture, an unreachable existence.
"Disciple is here."
Li Xinnian stepped forward and cupped his fists to Wuyazi.
"You will lead this expedition. Take the younger generation with you into the Ten-Direction Ancient Ridges and fight alongside the four great powers of the Eternal Sun Prefecture. Do you accept this order?"
"Disciple accepts the order!"
Li Xinnian accepted the command with composure.
As the spirit ark floated into the air, Su Chen walked to Li Xinnian's side and said with a smile, "Junior Brother Xinnian, your Li family is truly willing to send you out. You are the family's greatest prodigy, yet they still allow you to venture into the Hundred Thousand Mountains for experience."
"Hmph! There are definitely experts sent by the Li family hiding around here!" Nangong Qingya was still sulking about the earlier matter.
"He's been like this since he was a child, even needing Divinity Transformation experts to protect him when he went to study."
Having his supposed secret called out, Li Xinnian didn't get angry.
He said calmly, "Senior Sister is right. Xinnian is not as formidable as you are; you don't even need Divinity Transformation cultivators for protection."
Nangong Qingya's expression instantly darkened.
Meanwhile, Su Chen, who was off to the side, was greatly amused.
"Junior Brother, now you're just bullying her. I heard that Senior Nangong Xianliu of the Nangong family is already in the middle of a great battle in the Ten-Direction Ancient Ridges. He can't just materialize out of thin air to protect her, can he? You're secretly mocking her family for having so few Divinity Transformation cultivators."
"You... you two... you're ganging up on me like a pair of villains!"
The young girl's face flushed red as the two young men laughed heartily. Inside the spirit ark, high above the clouds—what a picturesque scene.