Volume 1, Chapter 30: Gu Mingyue's Realization

Gu Mingxi paid no mind to the commotion among the disciples. She waited for only a short while at the foot of the Alchemy Peak before Gu Mingyue appeared.

Gu Mingyue approached with such hurried, airy steps that she seemed almost to be flying. She threw herself into Gu Mingxi’s arms and nuzzled against her. "Mingxi, it’s been so long since I last saw you..."

The sensation of Gu Mingyue nuzzling her neck made Gu Mingxi itch. She leaned back slightly and patted Gu Mingyue’s back. "I’ve come to see you the moment I finished my seclusion, haven't I? I won’t be going back into seclusion for a while."

Gu Mingyue pulled back, her face beaming with surprise. "Really? Truly? Does that mean you can come out and wander around with me from time to time?"

Then, she slapped her own forehead. "I must be losing my mind from all the pill refining. The sect tournament is almost here; of course you’d be finishing your seclusion..."

Gu Mingxi was taken aback by the gesture. She wondered what on earth her friend had been through at Alchemy Peak over the past three years to make her act so foolishly.

"Mingyue, you..."

Seeing the look of astonishment on Gu Mingxi's face, Gu Mingyue realized she had let something slip. She honestly recounted her life over the last three years.

"Mingxi, it’s really not my fault I’ve become like this. The disciples at Alchemy Peak do that gesture all the time, and after spending so much time with them, I was influenced. I suppose it does look a bit silly, doesn't it? Haha..."

Gu Mingxi was speechless. What kind of creatures were these alchemists? Her once-pristine friend seemed like a completely different person after only three years.

"Mingxi, you have no idea. Once, a senior brother refined a pill that smelled so foul it made people faint, and the stench lingered for ages. The entire Alchemy Peak was filled with that smell for half a month..."

"And guess what happened in the end, Mingxi? Master punished him by making him wash the smelly socks of all the other disciples. He said that as long as the stench remained on the peak, he had to keep washing them. In the end, it forced him to refine a pill that could purify the air. Hahahaha..."

"And there’s more, Mingxi..."

Gu Mingxi listened as Gu Mingyue prattled on about her life at Alchemy Peak, offering an occasional response. She could tell that, unreliable senior brothers aside, Gu Mingyue was living quite well.

That was good. A comfortable environment was conducive to physical and mental development, but...

"If you're having such a wonderful time at Alchemy Peak," Gu Mingxi asked out of the blue, "why is your cultivation progressing so slowly?"

She looked Gu Mingyue up and down. "When you first arrived at the Tianyan Sect, you were at the fourth level of Qi Refining. Three years have passed, and you’re only at the ninth level. You’ve only gained five levels in three years?!"

Caught off guard by the sudden mention of her cultivation, Gu Mingyue stiffened, then relaxed, feigning indifference. "Mingxi, my progress isn't slow at all. Some of the senior brothers who refine pills with me have only gained two or three levels in the same time, and some haven't improved at all. Besides, I’m an alchemist; it doesn't... really... matter... if my cultivation is a bit low, right?"

Under Gu Mingxi’s disappointed gaze, Gu Mingyue grew flustered, her voice trailing off until it was barely a whisper.

Gu Mingxi stopped walking and led her to a tree nearby. They sat side-by-side just as they had in their childhood, confiding their innermost thoughts.

Gu Mingxi looked at her calmly. "Mingyue, tell me, is that truly what you think?"

Gu Mingyue stammered, "I... I... I do... I think so..."

Gu Mingxi kept her eyes fixed ahead and said quietly, "If that were truly what you thought, you wouldn't be stammering like this."

Gu Mingyue looked at her, bewildered. "Mingxi, everyone does it this way. As an alchemist, shouldn't the first priority be to improve one's pill-refining technique? Isn't cultivation just something that shouldn't hinder your ability to refine pills?"

Gu Mingxi sighed and turned to look at her. "Mingyue, what is your master’s cultivation level, and what rank of alchemist is he?"

"My master is at the late stage of Integration, and he is an eighth-rank alchemist..."

"And what about your senior brother?" Gu Mingxi asked. "What is his spirit root, his cultivation level, and his rank?"

"He has a single wood spirit root, is at the mid-stage of Golden Core, and is a sixth-rank alchemist."

Gu Mingxi countered, "Have you ever observed the attitude of those who come begging your master and senior brother to refine pills for them?"

"Those who come to seek their services are all very fawning..."

As she said this, Gu Mingyue seemed to understand a little, yet remained partly in the dark.

Gu Mingxi continued, "If one day you become an eighth-rank alchemist, but your cultivation is only at the Nascent Soul stage, do you think people would care about the protection of the Gu family or the Tianyan Sect? Would they not imprison you just to refine pills for them?"

Gu Mingyue murmured, "No, that wouldn't happen... I wouldn't..."

Although she said this, she knew in her heart that if that day ever came, her fate would be exactly as Mingxi had described: imprisoned to serve others.

Gu Mingyue abruptly hugged Gu Mingxi, sobbing. "Mingxi, I was wrong. I was so wrong. Cultivation is important, it’s very important. I promised that if you ever faced danger, I would stand by your side. If I don't have the strength, how could I ever face it with you? I was wrong, Mingxi..."

As Gu Mingyue wept, Gu Mingxi patted her back comfortingly. "There, there. To recognize one's error is the greatest virtue. I’m glad you see it now, Mingyue. Don't make such a mistake again."

Gu Mingyue pulled away, hiccuping as she promised, "I... hic... will never... hic... do that... hic... again..."

Gu Mingxi took a handkerchief from her storage ring and patiently wiped the tears from Gu Mingyue’s face. "Alright, alright, I know!"

In truth, Yue Heng had noticed this tendency in Gu Mingyue. He had intended to let his disciple face a setback in the sect before explaining the gravity of the situation to her. He hadn't expected Gu Mingxi to step in early and break down the reality of the situation for her.

Still, this was for the best. After all, a genius facing a setback carries risks; if they were to truly walk into a dead end, the cost would be far too great.