Cultivating Skills Without Leaving a Trace in the Snow: The Newcomer Competition

"System, Cultivate Treading Snow Without a Trace!" Chen Yuan gave the System the command.

[Ding! Beginning automatic Cultivation of Treading Snow Without a Trace for the Host.]

Ten breaths later, Chen Yuan slowly opened his eyes. Treading Snow Without a Trace had been completely mastered by him.

The next day, the morning light was faint, and the rising sun ascended in the east.

[Ding! Ye Baixi Affection +10. Current Affection is 100. (Devoted unto death, never betraying)]

[Ding! Ye Baixi's Affection has reached 100, triggering a hidden reward. Congratulations to the Host for obtaining a Heaven Rank Magical Artifact: heavenly feather zither.]

Chen Yuan woke up from his meditation. Didn't it say that the reward would only be triggered when Affection reached 90?

[Ding! Because this is the first Perfection of capture, there is a hidden reward!]

He looked at the heavenly feather zither inside the System space.

The zither was about three feet long. The body of the zither was carved from a rare Millennial Ice Jade. The jade had a warm texture but emitted faint traces of coldness.

The strings were woven from a mixture of Heavenly Silkworm Silk and Flood Dragon Tendon. The strings were thin but incredibly tough, radiating a faint golden light.

Chen Yuan rejoiced internally. The System was too powerful, directly rewarding a Heaven Rank Magical Artifact.

"System, check my System panel."

[Host: Chen Yuan.

Gender: Male.

Aptitude: Imperial Grade

Physique: Hongmeng Immortal Body (Aptitude for Immortal Ascension)

Realm: Golden Core Second Layer Perfection.

Cultivation Technique: Primordial Immortal Scripture, Taichu String Light Record, Treading Snow Without a Trace

Bound Targets: Ye Baixi (Affection 100)

Leng Youmeng (Affection 60)

Emotional Value Balance: Fifteen Thousand.]

How did I get fifteen thousand Emotional Value so quickly?

"Mmm!" At this moment, Ye Baixi slowly woke up.

She then sweetly called out, "Gege~"

Chen Yuan revealed a gentle smile, pinched her little face, and then helped her wash up and change clothes.

Ye Baixi was like a thoughtless puppet, allowing Chen Yuan to do as he pleased.

"Gege, why don't I go to Chore Peak and select a Maid? I can't keep letting you dress me." Ye Baixi said softly, her large eyes watery.

Her voice seemed to carry a hint of grievance.

Looking at Ye Baixi's large, autumn-watery eyes and her aggrieved little expression.

Chen Yuan couldn't help but chuckle. The little expression on her face practically screamed the words "Hurry up and refuse me."

Chen Yuan didn't expose her. "Baixi, do you not like these things I do for you?"

"Of course not." Ye Baixi quickly shook her head. "I just feel bad about troubling Gege like this."

Chen Yuan rubbed her head and said gently, "It's alright."

"Yay! Gege is the best to me!" Ye Baixi happily pecked Chen Yuan's cheek.

Next, they spent the entire day Cultivating with Senior Sister Qin Shuhan.

Two days later, inside the Cultivation room, Chen Yuan slowly opened his eyes.

The aura around him suddenly changed: Golden Core Third Layer!

"As expected of an Immortal Physique! Cultivation is fast." Chen Yuan sighed sincerely.

Even though his Dantian was Expanded by Nine Inches, this Heaven-Defying Cultivation speed could completely compensate for it.

During evening Cultivation, Leng Youmeng sent Liu Meier to summon Chen Yuan and Ye Baixi to the main hall, stating that she had an important matter to announce.

Inside the main hall.

"The main reason I called you two here today is to discuss the Newcomer Grand Competition." Leng Youmeng rose from the Sovereign Seat and slowly walked down the platform. "Xuantian Sect recruits Disciples every twenty years and holds the Newcomer Grand Competition two years later."

"Revered Master, when is the Newcomer Grand Competition?" Chen Yuan asked.

"Half a month from now."

"Then do we have to participate?" Chen Yuan pressed on.

"That goes without saying. Although you entered the Sect one year and eleven and a half months later than them, you still need to participate."

Pausing, Leng Youmeng continued, "Because you entered late, my demands for you aren't high; ranking in the top ten of the Grand Competition will suffice."

Uh! Chen Yuan twitched the corner of his mouth. This is considered 'not high'?

"I have always been competitive. If you two little ones lose badly, I will punish you severely." Leng Youmeng's majestic voice sounded in the ears of Chen Yuan and Ye Baixi.

Ye Baixi shrank her head in fright. Revered Master is so scary!

"Baixi!" Leng Youmeng called her name directly.

"This Disciple is present!" Ye Baixi stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"For the next half month, you will eat and live with your Senior Sister. Learn Sword Techniques properly from her, and while you're at it, build up your courage, lest you get so scared on stage that you roll right off."

Ye Baixi's face flushed red from the scolding, and she lowered her head in shame. "Yes."

"Chen Yuan."

"This Disciple is present."

"During this time, you will stay by my side. I will personally instruct you."

"Yes, Revered Master." Chen Yuan bowed respectfully.

"Alright, that's all. Starting tomorrow." Leng Youmeng finished speaking and waved her hand.

Chen Yuan and Ye Baixi cupped their hands and took their leave.

Walking out of the Sleeping Palace, Chen Yuan noticed Ye Baixi was clearly in low spirits, continuously rubbing her eyes.

"Baixi, don't take Revered Master's words to heart."

Ye Baixi nodded and whispered, "Gege, am I useless? I'm timid, not pretty, and my figure isn't satisfactory."

Chen Yuan pulled Ye Baixi into his embrace and gently comforted her, "How could that be? Baixi is the best."

The first sentence about being timid was true, but the latter two were utter nonsense. That size, Chen Yuan would have to cup it with both hands.

He also blamed himself. Before his memory Awakening, he had suppressed the Little Girl too harshly, making her completely lack confidence.

Ye Baixi was softly sobbing in Chen Yuan's arms.

Just then, Shen Nianchu landed beside the two of them.

"Junior Brother, why did you bully Junior Sister until she cried?" Shen Nianchu said fiercely, then grabbed Ye Baixi's small hand and pulled her to her side.

"Senior Sister, you misunderstood. Gege didn't bully me," Ye Baixi explained softly.

"This is what happened." Chen Yuan quickly explained what occurred in the main hall to prevent the misunderstanding from deepening.

"Aiya! Baixi, don't take it to heart. Revered Master just has a Sharp Tongue, Soft Heart, exactly like Senior Sister. I get scolded every day, so I've long developed an Indestructible Thick Skin."

"Pfft!"

Ye Baixi was amused by Senior Sister's words and let out a chuckle, her mood improving significantly.

"Come on, I'll take you to Tianqing City to relax. Let me tell you, Tianqing Restaurant released new dishes today, lots of delicious food."

As Shen Nianchu spoke, she summoned a Flying Sword and jumped onto it.

She extended her right hand. "Come on, Baixi, Senior Sister will take you out for good food tonight."

"Mm!" Ye Baixi nodded and jumped onto the Flying Sword.

Immediately after, the two turned into streaks of light and flew towards the outside of the Sect.

Chen Yuan, however, took a turn and walked toward Revered Master's Sleeping Palace.

"Excuse me, Sister Mei'er, could you please announce that this Disciple seeks an audience?"

Hearing this, Liu Meier wanted to correct Chen Yuan again, but she couldn't win against him in the end and could only let him call her that.

"Please wait here for a moment."

Before long, Liu Meier walked out of the Sleeping Palace, nodded to Chen Yuan, and said, "Senior Brother Chen, please come in!"

Chen Yuan nodded slightly and walked in.

Liu Meier did not follow but waited in a Side Hall.

Inside the Sleeping Palace, Leng Youmeng, clad in Green Robes, sat cross-legged on the Couch.

"Why have you come seeking me?" Leng Youmeng's majestic voice rang out.

Chen Yuan strode forward and sat down right next to Revered Master.

The reason he dared to be so bold was entirely thanks to Revered Master's Affection level.

It had already reached 60, meaning she had developed a favorable impression of him.

Leng Youmeng's eyelids twitched. This Young Disciple was incredibly bold.