When Kong Hou said she would discuss the mental scripture with the group, they were all very happy.
But reality quickly told everyone geniuses were geniuses because they had a terrifying ability to understand. They could not understand this mental scripture at all.
Kong Hou quickly recognized this problem. She looked at the group, hesitated for a few moments and said, “Everyone doesn’t seem interested in this mental scripture. Should we change the topic?”
“Yes, yes, let’s change the topic.” A disciple from Dragon Tiger Sect blinked his sore eyes and finally became energized. His hand stopped gripping his leg. “What does Celestial Kong Hou think about the sword path?”
Everyone else turned their heads. Was this path friend of Dragon Tiger Sect stupid? Celestial Kong Hou was a spell cultivator, not a sword cultivator. The two in their group most skilled as sword cultivators had been sent out because of fighting.
“I do not primarily cultivate the sword. However, the sect emphasizes that disciples develop in all areas, so I learned some sword methods.” Kong Hou’s understanding of the sword came from Cheng Yi and Huan Zhong. The two of them were among the top of sword cultivators. What Kong Hou understood was both practical and useful for the disciples of minor sects.
“So that’s how it is.” A cultivator who had remained in Mind Activation Stage for more than a century suddenly had a realization and bowed deeply to Kong Hou. “Celestial Kong Hou, thank you for passing on your understanding; this one has been enlightened.”
“You are too polite. The understanding of the sword that I speak of does not come from myself but from my Eldest Shixiong, and good friend Spirit Master Zhong Xi.” Kong Hou returned the bow.
When the discussion ended in the evening, that cultivator who had not advanced in his cultivation for many years suddenly had an epiphany and reached Core Formation Stage. For a small sect, disciples with Core Formation cultivation were rare. Their entire sect didn’t sleep for the night in celebration.
The next morning, Kong Hou opened the window and found it had rained last night. The spirit energy had condensed into mist. She inhaled deeply, washed and then ate together with her sect. This was a habit for many people of Splendid Cloud Sect. If they were not in seclusion, they would maintain the good habit of three meals a day. In order to take good care of the members of Splendid Cloud Sect, Sword Cry Peak was meticulous in their selection of ingredients and even hired some ordinary people from Pei City skilled in cooking.
“Did someone level up last night—there was a spirit rain last night.” Kong Hou wiped her mouth as she took a teacup from a servant to rinse her mouth. Her movements flowed elegantly.
While Ling Hui had seen Kong Hou being served many times before, she couldn’t help but lament, “You look like you were born to be served.”
Kong Hou shook her head. “I’m used to it.” In the years she was the foster daughter of Emperor Jinghong, the female officials in the palace taught her etiquette over and over again so that she would look elegant in front of others and so the court would not feel she was being treated harshly. These movements were carved into her bones. Whenever someone was attending to her, she would unconsciously fall into past habits.
She had been punished with copying books and been criticized by the female officials in order to develop these habits. These were not good memories.
The other people thought of Kong Hou’s status back in the mortal world and did not discuss this matter. Ling Hui could see that Kong Hou had walked out of her past in the mortal world after coming back from her travels. She smiled. “The most important thing is that you look good.”
Gui Ling, who was at a neighboring table, couldn’t resist peeking at Kong Hou. He heard others say that Kong Hou Shishu‘s birth in the mortal world was high?
After breakfast, Splendid Cloud Sect went down Sword Cry Peak and saw some smiling strangers outside the gates. Their smiles grew brighter when they came out as they rushed at Kong Hou.
“Celestial Kong Hou is boundlessly beneficent.”
“My inferior disciple has not advanced for many years. Fortunately, Celestial Kong Hou helped him have a mental breakthrough—please accept these poor gifts.”
“Please do not refuse, these are our goodwill.”
On the flying sword, Huan Zhong smiled at seeing Kong Hou surrounded by a group of cultivators.
“Master, you are not going to help?” Lin Hu looked at Kong Hou who was covered in gifts. He felt it amusing and that Miss Kong Hou was slightly pitiful with her expression of bewilderment.
“No need.” Huan Zhong shook his head. “It will not be good for me to appear at this moment.”
Lin Hu thought about it and understood.
Splendid Cloud Sect was gentle in their conduct and had relatively harmonious relations with other sects. While these people were too enthusiastic, if Master appeared, the mood would turn awkward, and people would feel that Splendid Cloud Sect and Radiance Sect were one.
Radiance Sect was stronger than Splendid Cloud Sect. If this impression formed, it would not be good for Splendid Cloud Sect.
Lin Hu nodded in gratification. Master really grew up. He liked someone, and also learned to consider for her. This represented growth.
He looked at the other members of Splendid Cloud Sect. They were all watching with smiles as Miss Kong Hou dealt with the gifters, and showed no intentions of going up to help. Seeing this scene, Lin Hu could not resist laughing. “These cultivators of Splendid Cloud Sect are very interesting.”
Kong Hou bid farewell to the cultivators who came to thank her. She neatened her clothing and then hurried to the second discussion session. There were three discussion sessions. In order for people to learn more, the people were different in each session. There was an enormous teleportation formation in the courtyard. Each disciple in the courtyard would be immediately sent to different discussion rooms. There were talismans that measured spirit energy within the rooms. Once the amount of spirit energy used surpassed a certain amount, the person who used spirit energy would be sent out of the room and led away by their elders.
When Kong Hou was teleported into a discussion room and just sat down on a meditation mat, the other nine people were transported in.
A monk from Quiet Peace Temple, the sect eldest disciple of Clear Dawn Sect, Chang De, a female disciple of Moon Star Sect, a male disciple of Blue Feather Sect, a disciple of Beast King Sect, and the other four people were members of minor sects or nomad cultivators. The ten sat around a table. The minor sect disciples looked at Kong Hou with bright eyes.
They had heard that a cultivator who discussed with Celestial Kong Hou yesterday had a breakthrough. Would they have such luck today?
Kong Hou felt slightly anxious under the gaze of these four. She rummaged in her storage ring and took out a plate of biscuits, a basket of spirit fruits, and a plate of dried fruit. “Everyone… let’s eat as we talk?”
Would the people seated today also start fighting?
The disciples of Moon Star Sect, Blue Feather Sect and Beast King Sect looked at the food on the table. “…”
Were they attending a tea party?
“Thank you, Miss Kong Hou.” The bald monk reached to take a spirit fruit. He rubbed it on his sleeve and then started to eat. “Miss Kong Hou has some aspect of Buddha—will you join our sect?”
“No, thank you.” Kong Hou politely and firmly refused.
“Then it is a pity.” The bald monk sighed regretfully and quietly ate the spirit fruit.
Everyone else looked at each other and didn’t know how to start this discussion. They heard that the list of disciples who fought yesterday had been distributed into the hands of the sect elders. They did not want to do such an embarrassing thing.
Compared to yesterday’s heated discussion, today’s discussions were extremely polite, and could be called a session of mutual flattery. Seeing the fruits and pastries on the table being consumed, Kong Hou hurriedly put out more.
The monk from Quiet Peace Temple took out a tea set and used a spell to boil a pot of tea. The room filled with the fragrance of tea.
“Tea and spirit fruits. We seem to lack something.” The monk from Quiet Peace Temple rubbed his bald head and took out a short flute from his storage beads. “How about this poor monk perform a song for everyone?”
Seeing his confident state, everyone who didn’t want to keep flattering each other nodded. “Yes, yes, yes, listening to Buddhist music is also cultivation.”
“Then this poor money will embarrass himself.” The monk smiled bashfully and put the jade flute to his mouth.
When the flute sounded, everyone’s smile solidified. So this monk was not being modest, he really was “embarrassing himself.” But the other was so intent on his performance they had to smile and show an expression of admiration and enchantment.
This was worse than mutual flattery.
After the song, the disciple of Beast King Sect laughed awkwardly, clapped and said, “Grandmaster is really profound in cultivation, and even your flute song has the Buddha and calms our minds.”
“Since everyone likes it, how about I…”
“I heard that Celestial Kong Hou is a music cultivator. Do we have the honor of hearing Celestial perform a song?” The disciple of Beast King Sect immediately turned and looked with anticipation at Kong Hou.
What kind of gaze was this? It contained fear, uncertainty and pleading.
As a disciple of Beast King Sect, they learned music from a young age. This was a tactic to control spirit beasts. The flute of the monk was a destruction of his soul. He feared if he continued to listen, his mental demon would rise up. He heard that Celestial Kong Hou was a music cultivator. She wouldn’t be as terrible as the monk, right?
“This one feels embarrassed and feels that Grandmaster’s song is pleasing to hear.” Kong Hou smiled.
Everyone: ” …”
As a cultivator, do you not fear being struck by lightning by saying such falsities?
“Celestial Kong Hou, do not be modest. Please play a song so we can advance together.” The monk of Quiet Peace Temple was very honest. He raised his jade flud. “Also, this poor monk can perform together with Celestial.”
Everyone: ” …”
Why was this monk playing the flute rather than reciting Buddhist scriptures!
“If so, then this one will comply.” These pleading gazes were so pitiful. They finally awakened Kong Hou’s sympathy. She pulled down the Phoenix Head hairpin and it turned into a glowing Phoenix Head kong hou. Even before the song started, it was already beautiful.
Her hand plucked at the strings. The moment the music started, everyone’s souls that had been tormented by the flute calmed down. They flew over mountains and rivers, saw blooming flowers, dancing butterflies and the vast blue sky.
If they hadn’t heard the flute song of the Quiet Peace Temple monk, they might not have felt that Kong Hou’s song was so magical. But after the torture of the Quiet Peace Temple monk, Kong Hou’s song was heavenly.
Seeing the monk from Quiet Peace Temple about to start performing as well, the disciple of Beast King Sect leapt and grabbed the monk’s hand to press it down.
“Grandmaster’s fruit is crisp and powerful. Celestial Kong Hou’s music is deep and distant. It is better if you do not play together.” The disciple of Beast King Sect forced a smile. “Let us listen and enjoy the music.”
The song finished but they did not come out of the music. Kong Hou put away Phoenix Head. She saw the disciple of Beast King Sect and the monk from Quiet Peace Temple hugging together and her eyebrows rose. She hadn’t known that these two disciples were so close.
Clapping sounded in the discussion room. Everyone praised Kong Hou’s song for its pleasing nature. If Kong Hou was not self-aware, she would have believed their flattery.
But no matter what flattery they gave, the monk from Quiet Peace Temple had no chance of performing before this session finished. Everyone was in a consensus in this matter.
That afternoon, the disciple of Beast King Sect who had been tormented by the flute of the Quiet Peace Temple monk and comforted by Kong Hou’s music suddenly had a comprehension and entered a state of meditation. That night, thunder roared in the sky, and he reached Core Formation Stage.
The entire cultivation world boiled over. Two disciples had breakthroughs after attending the conference. This was a major matter!
Before the sun rose, Jin Yue heard a disciple report that many sect leaders had sent over great gifts.
“Great gifts?” Jin Yue was confused.
“The sect leaders said that this discussion conference has been conducted well and they are grateful. They heard that Celestial Kong Hou is accomplished in cultivation and wishes that their disciples can discuss with Celestial Kong Hou during this conference.”
Jin Yue: Huh?
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