79: exploration

Muyan Peak, Peak Lord Hall.

Zhou Leren looked at Elder Qingshuang before him with an innocent expression; he had merely stated his own feelings.

After all, Elder Qingshuang was the first female cultivator he had encountered outside of his own Elders. Jiang Weirou was too young and clearly hadn't been counted.

Elder Qingshuang's expression was uncertain. Looking at Zhou Leren's innocent appearance, it thought inwardly: Was its reaction too intense? After all, Zhou Leren was only seven years old; what could someone so young possibly understand?

"Revered Master, is this your newly accepted Disciple?"

Just as Elder Qingshuang was deep in thought, a young woman in the prime of youth walked in from outside the hall, looking at Zhou Leren standing below and asking softly.

"That's right."

Elder Qingshuang recovered its senses.

"This is your Senior Sister, Jing Ya."

After a pause, it introduced him to Zhou Leren.

"Yue Ren greets Senior Sister."

Zhou Leren bowed obediently.

"Take your Junior Brother to wash up first."

Elder Qingshuang instructed Jing Ya, who had come to its side.

"Disciple takes her leave."

Jing Ya respectfully agreed and pulled Zhou Leren away from the Peak Lord Hall.

Having just experienced nearly being dropped to his death, Zhou Leren dared not speak carelessly, allowing Jing Ya to pull him along, yet his eyes continuously memorized the environment along the way.

Before long, the two arrived at a stream.

Jing Ya stopped and glanced at Zhou Leren.

Zhou Leren watched the Senior Sister, who was a few years older than him, look his way and felt a sense of dread.

Sure enough, vital energy surged from Jing Ya's hand, confining Zhou Leren beside her. In short order, Zhou Leren's clothes were completely stripped off, and without even his last shred of dignity remaining, he was tossed into the clear stream by Jing Ya.

Zhou Leren's face flushed red, his eyes filled with despairing indignation, and he glared angrily at Jing Ya.

"Oh dear~"

"You've even generated Life Qi, little Junior Brother. You look so cute when you generate Life Qi."

Jing Ya spoke with a beaming smile, her movements swift. She manipulated the stream water with vital energy, thoroughly washing Zhou Leren completely.

"It's over. My innocence is gone just like that..."

Zhou Leren's eyes gradually became dull, having long lost the youthful vigor he displayed during the entrance test.

"Women are truly terrifying!"

For the first time in his life, Zhou Leren so plainly felt the terrifying nature of women.

After a long while, Jing Ya let out a breath. She had finally washed Zhou Leren thoroughly from head to toe. Circulating vital energy, she pulled Zhou Leren out of the water.

She casually took a set of clothes from her Storage Pouch at her waist and tossed them to Zhou Leren.

Looking at the clothes in his hand, a spark of hope finally reignited in Zhou Leren's heart. He quickly fiddled with them and put them on.

After a moment.

"Women's clothing?"

Zhou Leren's heartbreaking wail stirred up waves in the stream.

"I won't wear it! I, Yue Ren, would rather die than wear women's clothing!"

Zhou Leren shook his head like a rattle-drum, his tone resolute, and he said to Jing Ya before him, enunciating every word.

"Oh?"

"Then suit yourself."

Jing Ya nodded indifferently, turned, and walked away. As for Zhou Leren's original clothes, they had long since been destroyed by Jing Ya for being too filthy.

Zhou Leren looked stunned, watching Jing Ya walk away without further discussion, feeling lost and helpless.

He looked down, looked up, looked down... "Damn it..."

Zhou Leren's expression was incredibly dramatic; moods ranging from gloom to joy, sorrow to happiness, played out across his face in a brief moment.

"Fortunately, I am not Yue Ren."

After a long time, Zhou Leren's expression was complicated. He glared hatefully at the women's clothing in his hand, closed his eyes, his heart desolate, and put the clothes on.

Inside the spirit beast pendant, Mo Xuan sighed inwardly, thinking it was truly a shame Old Zhou wasn't here.

It took quite some effort for Zhou Leren to finally put the clothes on properly.

He came to the stream bank and looked at his reflection.

Thankfully, it was only a somewhat neutral outfit; it wasn't too embarrassing.

Zhou Leren secretly brainwashed himself.

After watching for a while and adapting, he turned and chased after the direction Jing Ya had left.

Before long, he saw Jing Ya leaning against a tree, examining him with great interest.

"Not bad at all..."

Jing Ya clicked her tongue, her eyes darting around.

Zhou Leren dared not speak, resolving in his heart that he must stay far away from this terrifying Senior Sister in the future.

"Let's go. I'll take you to familiarize yourself with our Muyan Peak."

Jing Ya watched for a moment, and seeing Zhou Leren's wary appearance, she stopped teasing him, turned, and led Zhou Leren away from the area. ... Nighttime.

Zhou Leren sat cross-legged on the bed, his expression fluctuating.

Mo Xuan transformed into a small snake several feet long and silently flew out of the spirit beast pendant.

"Old Ancestor, when should we begin the search?"

Seeing Mo Xuan, Zhou Leren's tone was excited and full of anticipation. All he wanted now was to leave this place and escape that terrifying woman as soon as possible.

"Not yet."

Mo Xuan shook his head and said to Zhou Leren.

Since Zhou Leren had just entered the Sect and hadn't even received his identity token yet, he dared not act rashly, fearing he might accidentally trigger a Formation and cause trouble.

Zhou Leren's face darkened, eventually settling into an expression of resignation to death.

Mo Xuan was secretly amused, thinking that this incident was not a bad thing, as it served to discipline Zhou Leren, that mischievous child.

Several days later, Elder Qingshuang summoned him.

Over the past few days, the Crescent Moon Sect had thoroughly investigated the backgrounds of the more than ten entering Disciples. Only after confirming there were no issues were these individuals formally inducted into the Sect.

Revered Master Yue was real, Madam Yue was real, the illegitimate son was real, and Yue Ren was also real; the only difference was that this Yue Ren was not that Yue Ren, but no mistakes had occurred.

Arriving at the Peak Lord Hall and looking at the token in his hand, Zhou Leren felt a slight joy in his heart: he would soon be able to escape the clutches of evil.

Zhou Leren was, after all, the Disciple of a Crescent Moon Sect Elder. Therefore, as long as it wasn't a Sect vital area or a Forbidden Ground, he could move freely with this token.

Elder Qingshuang then had Zhou Leren swear a Divine Soul oath before passing down the Cloud Smoke Art, the technique Cultivated on Muyan Peak.

Following this, it personally instructed him for a long time.

Zhou Leren learned extremely fast, as he had already mastered these things when he was in the Zhou Family.

Elder Qingshuang was delighted, sighing inwardly, thinking he truly deserved to be a top-tier Genius; he grasped everything instantly, requiring no effort from it.

It was much easier and less taxing than when it had taught Jing Ya.

Jing Ya: ... For several days in a row, Zhou Leren remained by Elder Qingshuang's side, receiving its personal instruction, until a few days later when he was finally allowed a period of rest.

Zhou Leren returned to his residence, did not go out, and waited secretly.

At night, after midnight, Mo Xuan appeared silently.

Zhou Leren handed over the token he wore at his waist.

Mo Xuan circulated vital energy to envelop it, carefully examining it. Only after finding nothing unusual did he swallow the token.

"Old Ancestor, please be very careful!"

Zhou Leren looked somewhat nervous as he whispered to Mo Xuan.

Mo Xuan nodded, silently merging into the darkness of the night. His Divine Ability was constantly operating, ensuring not a trace of his aura leaked out.

Mo Xuan left Zhou Leren's residence and headed toward the outskirts of Muyan Peak. He was already familiar with the topography of Muyan Peak, so this journey was merely a matter of routine.