218: Chapter 218 Night Talk on the Lonely Cliff

Outside Liuling City, a lonely cliff.

The night was as dark as ink, and the lights of the Six Ridges Giant City outlined a bustling silhouette in the distance.

On a secluded cliff outside the city, the night wind howled, brushing against several figures.

Yu Zhaohua stood at the cliff's edge, her silver hair cascading like a waterfall, shimmering with a cold luster under the moonlight.

Her snow-white, cloud-patterned wide-sleeved robe billowed in the wind, revealing the curvaceous and mature figure beneath the expansive sleeves.

Her eyes gazed toward the general direction of the Moonshadow Sect, deep as a cold pool, without a ripple.

Behind her, Yu Lingling stood by her Revered Master's side, dressed in an aqua-blue flowing cloud dress with her ponytail tied neatly.

Yu Linglong stepped on the air with bare feet, her moon-white, chest-high ru skirt fluttering in the wind, the golden bells on her ankles occasionally emitting faint, delicate sounds.

Nangong Mei leaned lazily against a mountain rock, the snow-white waves of her chest rising prominently above her ocher-red corset gauze dress.

Baili Qiao sat upright to the side, her purple palace attire wrapping around her exceptionally perky peach-shaped hip line; her brows were slightly furrowed, and she appeared deep in thought.

Silence spread through the night wind for a long time.

Finally, Yu Zhaohua's cold voice broke the silence.

"Linglong, the Moonshadow Sect... except for Sect Master Ling Hao, is composed entirely of female cultivators. Within the Sect, Dao Companion relationships are... quite common. Why did you not mention a word of this before?"

A hint of playfulness appeared on Nangong Mei's beautiful face as she looked at Yu Linglong. Baili Qiao's expression of worry deepened. Yu Lingling also looked at her Senior Sister with a complex gaze.

Sensing everyone's gaze, a flash of embarrassment crossed Yu Linglong's charming face, but it immediately turned into a lazy smile as the golden bells on her ankles chimed softly:

"Revered Master, at that time... I was forced by the situation. If we didn't come to the Moonshadow Sect to obtain the Sheng-Sheng Creation Spring, where else could we go in this vast world? Moreover, this is an internal matter of the Moonshadow Sect; as an outsider, how could I presume to comment? Furthermore..."

Her peach-blossom eyes shimmered,

"The Second Junior Sister is the Deputy Sect Master, holding great power, and the Sect is orderly from top to bottom. Everything I said regarding resources and Cultivation Technique is true, without a shred of falsehood. As for the rest... what we have always discussed is moving to the Qing State, seeking the Sheng-Sheng Creation Spring, not joining the Moonshadow Sect. So what if we knew these things?"

Nangong Mei chuckled,

"My dear Linglong, how much of that do you even believe yourself?"

"That Moonshadow Sect is simply a gentle paradise tailor-made for female cultivators. Immortal-grade Cultivation Technique, divine creation springs, Chaos spirit pools... and that Dao rhythm that is clearly to an outrageous degree! With these things placed right in front of them, how many Disciples could hold onto their original intent and not try that faster shortcut? Besides..."

Her gaze swept across Yu Zhaohua and Yu Linglong, "That Moonshadow Heavenly Venerable, capable of making Ling Shuang fall in love, and capable of making you, Linglong... defend him so much, must surely have some extraordinary qualities, right?"

Her words were pointed, especially the last sentence.

Yu Linglong's heart skipped a beat. In her mind, she instantly recalled the tingling warmth when her feet were massaged by Ling Hao that day, and the feeling of the Chaos energy contained in his palms soothing the excruciating pain of her Golden Lotus Dao Body. Her face grew slightly warm, and she forced herself to remain calm:

"Elder Hong Shao is joking; I am merely stating facts."

"The fact is, the Moonshadow Sect is that Moon Shadow Sect Master's backyard!"

Baili Qiao (Zisu) couldn't help but speak up,

"We previously decided to move to the Qing State and let the Disciples choose because even joining the Moonshadow Sect would be a good thing for them. But based on the news we received, isn't this like a sheep entering a tiger's den? How is this any different from pushing them into a pit of fire?"

Yu Linglong shook her head. She remembered that she had also told Yu Lingshuang that this was pushing the Disciples into a pit of fire.

But in reality, whether it is a "pit of fire" for those Disciples is probably another matter. After all...

"Elder Zisu, I feel that we cannot impose our own thoughts onto the Disciples. If joining the Moonshadow Sect is entering a pit of fire, then the Disciples of the Moonshadow Sect are all currently in a pit of fire. But from what I understand, those Disciples who joined the Moonshadow Sect are willing and happy to be there."

Baili Qiao was speechless. Over the past few days, she had indeed noticed that the Moonshadow Sect Disciples in Liuling City showed no signs of being "oppressed"; on the contrary, they were incredibly joyful.

She sighed, "It is I who have overthought it."

Yu Zhaohua turned her head, scanned the group, and finally fixed her gaze on Yu Linglong,

"Linglong, did you conceal this point before because... like Ling Shuang, you also have feelings for that Ling Hao?"

Yu Linglong's heart shook violently! Her Revered Master's question struck straight to the core.

What were her feelings for Ling Hao? Did she hate him for "stealing away" her Junior Sister? Was she annoyed by his flippancy when he rejected her from joining the Sect? Or... was she grateful that he saved her Junior Sister, admiring his powerful strength, or even... craving the temperature and sense of security that came from his palms during her healing? A tangle of emotions intertwined, making it difficult even for her to sort out.

She took a deep breath, met her Revered Master's scrutinizing gaze, and dodged the main point:

"Revered Master, I proposed coming to the Qing State for the sake of our fellow Disciples' lives and their Dao paths. As for Sect Master Ling... I only know that if we do not come to the Moonshadow Sect, we... have no other choice."

She did not directly deny it, nor did she admit it.

The night wind blew through Yu Zhaohua's silver hair. The gazes of Nangong Mei, Baili Qiao, and Yu Lingling were all focused on her.

Yu Zhaohua spoke slowly,

"The conditions of the Moonshadow Sect are far superior to those of our Hundred Flowers Sect by a thousandfold. This is an indisputable fact. Our Disciples have followed us through displacement, suffering from the loss of the True Source, and living from day to day. Now, a clear path lies before them, one that can completely repair their Foundation and offer hope to pursue eternal life."

"The Hundred Flowers Sect is now like a ship taking on water; it can no longer carry anyone. As their Elders, we cannot ruin their futures for our own selfishness, can we? This does not conform to our long-standing tenets of the Linglong Blessed Land."

"Let them decide for themselves. They have been in Liuling City for quite some time now, and they should know the situation of the Moonshadow Sect."

Allowing Disciples to join a Sect centered around a male Sect Master, where Dao Companion relationships are prevalent, indeed carries the risk of the Foundation scattering and the Legacy being severed, and it also goes against her consistent philosophy of protecting the Sect's Legacy.

A cold reality lay before her. Without the Sheng-Sheng Creation Spring, a large number of Core Disciples would wither during the night of the Moon Eclipse. The Hundred Flowers Sect had no power to obtain sufficient resources in the short term. Remaining in the Wutong Divine Dynasty was a dead end, and the Moonshadow Sect was indeed the only place currently capable of simultaneously resolving the survival crisis and providing a supreme Dao path.

Yu Lingling looked at Nangong Mei and Baili Qiao,

"Two Elders, do you have any other thoughts?"

Baili Qiao shook her head slightly, "I have no objections."

Nangong Mei (Hong Shao) spread her hands and said,

"I have no objections either. Letting the Disciples join the Moonshadow Sect—the resources and future are real and tangible. As for that True Venerable Yueying... as long as he does not force them, and it is a matter of mutual consent, why view it so seriously? On the path of cultivation, having a Dao Companion by one's side is a common occurrence anyway."

The Supreme Elder had already spoken, so what objections could she have? She would just follow along.

Upon hearing this, Yu Lingling made the final decision,

"Then it is decided. For those who wish to stay with us in the Hundred Flowers Sect, we will do our utmost to cultivate them and ensure they repair their Lunar True Essence; for those who wish to pursue a higher Dao path and join the Moonshadow Sect after passing the tests, we should let them go... forcing them to stay would be counterproductive."

One problem solved, and just as everyone wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, the subsequent problem followed closely.

"The problem of those Disciples is solved, but now it is our turn. If we do not join the Moonshadow Sect, how can we obtain the Sheng-Sheng Creation Spring?"

Yu Linglong's question made the atmosphere on the cliff top silent and heavy once again.

The question of the Sheng-Sheng Creation Spring was the most essential; otherwise, the previous ideas were all castles in the air.

How should they obtain more Sheng-Sheng Creation Spring to ensure their survival? By relying on Yu Lingshuang's assistance? That was not realistic.

Yu Lingling actually had an idea in her heart: to exchange the Disciples willing to join the Moonshadow Sect for the Sheng-Sheng Creation Spring. This was a desperate measure, a utilitarian thought as a Sect Master, and she—hated that she had become such a person.

Just as the heavy atmosphere was about to freeze the air, a sound transmission talisman at Yu Linglong's waist suddenly lit up with a soft glow.

Yu Linglong scanned it with her Divine Sense, her expression shifting slightly, and she looked at Yu Zhaohua: "Revered Master, it is a message from the Second Junior Sister. He... has returned to the Sect, and we can meet formally tomorrow."

Yu Zhaohua turned around and looked back in the direction of the Moonshadow Sect.

"Then tomorrow, we shall first pay a visit to the Moonshadow Sect. As for the Sheng-Sheng Creation Spring..."

She did not continue.