10: Chapter 10 is mine.

Looking at those two valuable Talismans, especially the pale golden Golden Sword Talisman, Ye Xiaoyao felt his throat go dry.

Talismans are items that Cultivators in the Qi Refinement Stage and Foundation Establishment Stage often use as life-saving trump cards or ultimate weapons.

Ye Xiaoyao naturally knew this.

But knowing it was one thing; seeing a high-grade Talisman with power comparable to a full-force strike from a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator floating right in front of him, the sheer impact still made his scalp tingle slightly.

What a display of wealth...

He clicked his tongue in his heart; as expected of the Saintess of the Yin Yang Sect, her family fortune was frighteningly deep.

Even the scraps she leaked out were enough for a bottom-tier Disciple like him to struggle for half a lifetime.

It seems that being the "nominal" Dao Companion of the Saintess is, in the short term, a deal that is guaranteed to be profitable.

The slight melancholy and vague worry he felt earlier upon realizing the Saintess had ulterior motives were now largely diluted by this tangible, heaven-sent wealth.

At least for now, he was the genuine beneficiary, and as for what the Saintess might want from him in the future...

That was a matter for the future.

The path of Cultivating is, after all, about fighting with the heavens for life and with people for luck; how could there be an easy path that is smooth sailing and completely without risk?

He made up his mind to first use these resources to pile up his cultivation; strength is the only hard truth.

As long as his strength is sufficient, no matter what schemes he faces in the future, he will at least have some confidence to maneuver.

As his thoughts raced, Ye Xiaoyao didn't stop his hands, respectfully putting away the gray plume sword, the bag of Spirit Stones, and the two Talismans floating before him one by one.

Then, he carefully placed them into his own low-grade Storage Pouch, which was already slightly worn at the edges.

This pouch was a second-hand item he had bought from the market after scrimping and saving Spirit Stones for several months.

Now that it held these shockingly valuable gifts, he suddenly felt that this broken pouch looked quite shabby.

He composed himself, bowed solemnly to the Saintess, and said in a sincere tone, "Your Highness Saintess, for bestowing such a generous gift, this Junior..."

"...No, I, Ye Xiaoyao, shall definitely Cultivate diligently and strive to achieve success as soon as possible, so as not to disappoint Your Highness's grace of cultivation."

Hearing this, the Saintess curved her lips into a pleasant arc, her gaze softening.

"Hmm, wouldn't it have been better if you were this obedient earlier?"

Her voice became lighter, carrying a hint of teasing.

"Also, in the future, there is no need to be so reserved and respectful to me in private. Although there is indeed a gap between our status and cultivation for now, you are, after all, the Dao Companion I personally selected."

"However, remember—"

Her tone shifted, her smile receded, and her gaze became clear and sharp as she looked directly at Ye Xiaoyao.

"You are my person now! My person cannot go running off with other female Cultivators, do you understand?"

The warning in those eyes was clear and explicit.

Ye Xiaoyao felt a jolt in his heart and immediately nodded like a garlic masher: "Your Highness, rest assured! Since I, Ye Xiaoyao, have agreed, I would never dare to be fickle or disobey Your Highness!"

He kept his posture very low, but his tone was very firm.

Seeing him so sensible, the sharpness in the Saintess's eyes dissipated, and smiles returned to them, even the cold aura around her warming up slightly.

"Then you may go back and Cultivate well. I have given you the resources, I hope you use them wisely, reach Foundation Establishment early, and do not fail my expectations."

She waved her hand, signaling that the conversation was over.

Ye Xiaoyao bowed again in acknowledgment, followed the Saintess out of the fragrant boudoir, passed through the simple hall and the courtyard where spiritual plants swayed, and arrived at the entrance of the Immortal Cave.

Outside the Immortal Cave, the mountain wind blew, carrying the crisp Spiritual Qi unique to Saintess Peak.

The Saintess paused, looked up at the sky, and said in a slightly lazy tone, "I am also a bit tired today, so you may return on your own."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Ye Xiaoyao replied tactfully, though he understood in his heart that the Saintess had no spare time to fly him back on her sword.

He turned around and walked down the mountain path paved with bluestone.

Although that high-grade flying Magical Artifact, the gray plume sword, lay quietly in the Storage Pouch at his waist, he knew his own limitations well.

The sword control technique he learned in the Outer Sect was just superficial; with his meager Qi at the Qi Refining Third Layer, let alone long-distance flight, even being able to control it to fly steadily three feet off the ground for a short distance would be an extraordinary performance.

He did not want to perform a farce of crashing his Flying Sword off a cliff right under the Saintess's nose.

With a thought, he circulated his internal Spiritual Qi to his legs and cast the basic Light Body Technique.

Immediately, his body became as light as a swallow, each step taking him over a zhang away, leaping through the mountain forest like flying. Although his speed was not as fast as flying on a sword, it was far better than a Mortal running, and it carried a touch of the elegance of a Cultivator.

Shortly after Ye Xiaoyao's figure disappeared along the winding mountain path, the Saintess returned inside the Immortal Cave.

She stood quietly for a moment, then flipped her hand to take out a pale purple sound transmission talisman.

She injected Spiritual Qi from her fingertip, and the Talisman paper began to glow faintly.

She spoke to the Talisman in a cold voice, "When you encounter this person, there is no need to question him; let him pass immediately."

After speaking, she sent out another stream of Spiritual Qi to activate the Talisman.

With a flash of purple light, the sound transmission talisman turned into a stream of light, shooting extremely fast toward the guard post of the mountain protection Disciples at the foot of Saintess Peak.

...About the time it takes to burn an incense stick later.

Ye Xiaoyao arrived at the passage checkpoint at the boundary between Saintess Peak and the main area of the Sect.

This place was set up with a simple Formation and guarded by Sect Disciples in rotation, serving both to guard against external enemies and to manage the comings and goings of personnel between the peaks.

Usually, this place was overseen by an Inner Sect Foundation Establishment Stage Disciple, assisted by several Qi Refining Late Stage Disciples responsible for daily patrols and registration.

The Foundation Establishment Senior Brother on duty today was meditating in the pavilion nearby, and those guarding the checkpoint were two Outer Sect Disciples at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer.

Just moments before Ye Xiaoyao arrived, the purple sound transmission talisman had landed precisely in the hands of one of the Disciples, who had a round, slightly chubby face and was always smiling.

The two read the information in the Talisman, and both could hardly hide their shock.

The square-faced, broad-nosed, burly Disciple stared with copper-bell-sized eyes, watching the fading light of the sound transmission talisman, then poked his head out to look in the direction of the mountain path, lowering his voice to say to his companion:

"Senior Brother Liu, you say... just a kid at the Qi Refining Third Layer, how did he manage to run to the Saintess's Immortal Cave? Looking at his attire, he is clearly just an ordinary Outer Sect Disciple?"

He scratched the back of his head, his face full of confusion.

The round-faced Disciple called Senior Brother Liu had a smile on his face that was deeper than usual, his eyes squinting into two slits.

He also lowered his voice, but his tone carried the insight of someone who had seen it all: "Junior Brother Wang, you don't understand this, do you? Our Saintess is also a Fairy in the prime of her youth; what is so strange about finding a handsome Junior Brother to talk to and relieve boredom?"

He paused, put away some of his joking manner, and reminded him seriously: "However, it is enough that you and I know about this kind of thing. Absolutely do not go out and ask around blindly, and especially don't gossip. If the Saintess finds out that we are discussing her affairs behind her back..."

He raised his hand and made a horizontal swipe in front of his neck, a clean and decisive gesture.

The square-faced man surnamed Wang shuddered, immediately covered his mouth, eyes widening even further, and nodded vigorously to indicate that he would absolutely keep his mouth shut.

Just at this moment, Ye Xiaoyao used the Light Body Technique, his figure landing nimbly in front of the checkpoint.

He straightened his robes, which were slightly messy from the journey, stepped forward, and cupped his hands to the two guard Senior Brothers whose cultivation was clearly higher than his own, preparing to explain the situation according to the rules.

"Two Senior Brothers, this Junior Brother is..."

Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by the round-faced Senior Brother Liu with a chuckle.

"This Junior Brother need not say more; the Saintess has already given instructions, you may pass directly."

He stepped aside to clear the path, his attitude polite, even carrying a hint of imperceptible flattery.

Ye Xiaoyao was slightly stunned, but immediately understood.

That's right, since the Saintess let me leave on my own, she would naturally have arranged the checkpoints along the way.

This thoughtfulness was indeed thorough.

He understood in his heart, but showed nothing on his face, maintaining his etiquette and cupping his hands again: "Thank you, two Senior Brothers, then this Junior Brother will take his leave."

Saying this, he nodded at the two, moved his body again, and under the boost of the Light Body Technique, quickly passed through the checkpoint and disappeared in the direction of the area where the Outer Sect Disciples lived.

Watching Ye Xiaoyao's receding figure, the square-faced Disciple surnamed Wang finally couldn't hold it in, and muttered sourly in a voice that only he could hear:

"Hmph... In the next life, I, Old Wang, must be reincarnated to be a bit more handsome..."

Senior Brother Liu with the round face heard it and just shook his head and laughed.

He patted his companion's sturdy shoulder, but his gaze looked thoughtfully in the direction where Ye Xiaoyao had disappeared, pondering to himself: This kid has a bright future; I can befriend him in the future...