"Sister Youfei, I think my vision has gotten stronger." Li Qingxian wouldn’t let this perfect teacher right here go to waste.
After a good while, Jiang Youfei, still turned sideways with her back to Li Qingxian, said, "Tenth Grade establishes the Dantian, Ninth Grade opens the Spiritual Eye. You received the Divine Sky Thunder Seed and had your body strengthened by the Jiao Dragon Transformation Pill. You’re likely at Half-Step Ninth Grade and have probably opened your Spiritual Eye, you just can’t use it continuously."
"I’ve heard of the Spiritual Eye. Captain Zheng said he’s as good as blind—that for most people, Opening the Spiritual Eye just means better vision. Only a very few can obtain a true Spiritual Eye. What’s yours?" Li Qingxian asked.
"When I opened my Dantian, it was with the Translucent Sword Body. My Spiritual Eye is ’Knowing the Edge,’ which allows me to perceive the weaknesses of both myself and my enemies."
Li Qingxian came to a sudden realization. "No wonder you were able to pierce the joint defense of twelve Fourth-Grade Demon Sect members with a single sword strike. You must have relied on Knowing the Edge, right?"
"Mm," Jiang Youfei said.
"How do I use the Spiritual Eye?" Li Qingxian asked.
"Focus your intent on your eyes."
Li Qingxian took a deep breath and focused his mind on his eyes. He immediately felt a cool stream of air flow out from the Thunder Dragon Fire Seal and enter his eyes.
The world before him changed abruptly.
High in the heavens, a Golden Dragon coiled in the sky, looking down upon the world, its might pressing down on the Ten Thousand Realms.
His own eyes overlapped with the dragon’s, and the world underwent a dramatic transformation.
The entire continent dissolved into strange currents of air. Mountains flowed upward, the earth surged, all in a myriad of colors, moving at different speeds.
Jiang Youfei suddenly spun around. Startled to see Li Qingxian’s eyes were red-gold, reflecting the blue sky and surrounded by auspicious clouds, she quickly shouted, "Don’t! Stop, quickly!"
Li Qingxian hurriedly blinked, stopping the Spiritual Eye.
"What’s wrong?"
Jiang Youfei’s gaze was complicated as she said, "It seems you truly are a prodigy among Destiny Cultivators. Your Spiritual Eye... I fear it’s the legendary ’Seeing the Dragon’."
’Seeing the Dragon...’ It was the first time Li Qingxian had ever heard of it.
"I’ll teach you another Daoist Skill to conceal this phenomenon. Mmph..." Jiang Youfei grunted softly and said, "Help me up."
Li Qingxian reached out and supported Jiang Youfei by the arm.
Jiang Youfei steadied herself against the carriage wall. With a wave of her right hand, a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone appeared out of thin air. She finished writing, then handed the paper to Li Qingxian. "This is the cultivation and usage method for ’Covering Eyes.’ It can hide any signs from a Spiritual Eye, preventing others from noticing. Also... I can’t teach you anymore. If I keep teaching you, my master will scold me..."
Jiang Youfei sat in the corner of the carriage, small and thin, her white clothes stained with blood, looking just like a little girl who had been wronged.
"Thank you, Sister Youfei. As for the other Daoist Skills and Fate Skills, I’ll ask Uncle Zhou. The Night Guard must have plenty," Li Qingxian said with a smile.
"The Night Guard might have some second or third-rate Daoist Skills, but I doubt they have any Fate Skills."
"Now I remember. Back then, the Celestial Fate Sect joined forces with the Grand Ancestor of Daqi to scour the world for all inheritances of Fate Skills, suppressing the weaker sects. The Imperial Court’s Fate Skills are all kept in the Astronomical Bureau. That’s the Celestial Fate Sect’s territory, so they probably wouldn’t let me see them," Li Qingxian said.
Jiang Youfei put on a stern face. "The Supervisor of the Astronomical Bureau is no ordinary person. The lingering effects of the Divine Sky Celestial Thunder and the remnants of the Demon Array might be concealing the details from him for now. But if you were to recklessly use Seeing the Dragon in the Divine Capital, he would discover it instantly."
"And the consequences would be severe?" Li Qingxian asked.
Jiang Youfei nodded forcefully. "He’d likely dig out your eyes."
Just then, Zhou Henn’s voice came from outside. "We’re reaching the edge of the Demon Array. Be careful."
A moment later, Li Qingxian felt a searing presence brush past him, and goosebumps broke out on his skin.
Jiang Youfei said, "That’s a plague-like qi caused by the residual Demonic Qi. It can cause some microscopic insects to grow and mutate. Remember to wash your entire body with Magical Power in a bit."
"I don’t know how..." Li Qingxian said.
Jiang Youfei gritted her small white teeth, then helplessly wrote out the ’Washing Silk Robe’ magic and tossed it to Li Qingxian. "This is the last time. Don’t let Master find out."
"Okay!" Li Qingxian picked up the Washing Silk Robe magic with a grin. Just as he was about to read it, the sound of rolling thunder suddenly came from the distance.
"You killed a Deputy Minister of my Ministry of Justice? Then you can all die with him!"
The members of the convoy looked toward the Divine Capital in the north in horror. They saw a hundred-zhang-long, purple-and-blue giant hand striking toward them, like a cloud falling from the sky.
The purple-and-blue giant hand was covered in two layers of light, one like the sun and the other like the moon.
’It’s over...’ The hearts of the survivors filled with despair.
Inside the carriage, Jiang Youfei shot to her feet, shielding Li Qingxian behind her.
Her small body seemed to be filled with power.
The next instant, Jiang Youfei’s body swayed, and Li Qingxian quickly reached out to support her by her arm and waist.
Jiang Youfei fell limply into Li Qingxian’s arms, whispering, "Run! That’s the voice of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, a Second-Grade Official..."
"Minister Qin, why lower yourself to the level of these youngsters? They were merely passing by. As for those Little Demons, Heaven itself saw fit to strike them dead." A clear voice rang out as a Firelight Talisman Sword ascended from the Divine Capital. It then dove straight down, trailing a long plume of flame. Though it started later, it arrived first, piercing the purple-and-blue giant hand and pinning it firmly to the ground.
Leaning against Li Qingxian, Jiang Youfei let out a breath of relief. "It’s the Dean of the Daoist Record Institute, Mr. Wu of the Nine Talisman Sect. We’re safe now."
Li Qingxian carefully supported Jiang Youfei with his right hand while using his left to lift the window curtain and look outside.
In the direction of the Capital City, clouds of qi were roiling.
"You damn pointy-hat, you dare block me?"
"I’ve already blocked you. What’s the point of asking if I dare? Stop wasting my time."
"In three days, I shall pay a visit to the Daoist Record Institute!"
"Oh."
"You... Hmph!"
The members of the convoy let out a long sigh of relief.
Mr. Wu’s voice echoed above the convoy. "A favor from Zhou Chunfeng really is expensive..."
"Thank you, Mr. Wu," Jiang Youfei said.
The surroundings fell silent.
Li Qingxian said, "We must thank Uncle Zhou when we get back. He must have arranged for Mr. Wu to be on standby for our sakes."
Jiang Youfei nodded.
"Mm, I’m a little sleepy..." After saying this, Jiang Youfei slowly slid down onto the couch and closed her eyes.
Li Qingxian was startled and quickly put his hand under her nose. Her breathing was faint but steady.
Still worried, he said, "Uncle Xiaozhou, can you ask if the Celestial Cloud Sect has anyone skilled in medicine? Have them check Sister Youfei’s pulse. I’m afraid she’s too heavily injured."
A woman in a Daoist robe entered and took Jiang Youfei’s pulse. A pleased look appeared on her face as she said, "The Saintess’s pulse is weak, but it’s only due to blood loss. There’s no serious danger. The Elixir she took was extraordinary, not to mention she was protected by the Thunder Light Fire Rune Seal. At most, she’ll need half a month’s rest to recover completely."
"That’s a relief." Li Qingxian sighed.
The carriage continued on its way back. When the sun set, they were still on the road.
A sliver of Qi Fortune arrived as expected.
Upon returning to Qingxiao Temple, the group avoided the crowds. Li Qingxian carried the sleeping Jiang Youfei to her private chambers and left her in Sister Fangg’s care.
Li Qingxian went downstairs and saw Zhou Henn standing outside the small courtyard. "Uncle Xiaozhou, come on in and sit with us."
Zhou Henn shook his head, his hands gripping the hilts of his saber and sword as he continued to guard the courtyard gate.
Li Qingxian walked over to Luoyu Pavilion. He gazed at the milky white waterfall cascading down the moss-covered stone cliff, contemplating his future path of cultivation.
After a short while, Xiaoya hurried back. She first went to the second floor, and it was some time before she came to Luoyu Pavilion. She bowed to Li Qingxian and said, "I’m sorry, Mr. Xiaoli. It’s not that I didn’t want to look after the Saintess, but something happened with the Saint Heir. I just finished dealing with it."