"You really do have an exhausting job as a core disciple."
Cui Hao cracked sunflower seeds in his mouth, watching Zheng Zhaoling rush back in a hurry.
When he was at Tianyan Sect, he had also taken note of Yanyun, that core disciple, and discovered that Yanyun was only busy during special occasions or when going out on training missions.
The rest of the time, she stayed at Tianyan Sect's main peak—either cultivating or studying the Tianyan Divination Art.
Ordinary matters were entirely beneath her notice. Only on the rare occasions when Sect Master Lu truly could not spare the time would she step in.
Every now and then, she would even wander over to Peak of One Big Happy Family to see if their master was plotting something big again, and whether she could prepare in advance and give him a thorough verbal dressing-down.
Cui Hao had initially assumed core disciples lived this leisurely life. After all, the majority of the sect's future would rest on the core disciple's shoulders—surely no one would be foolish enough to offend their future superior.
The precedent wasn't limited to Yanyun. Cui Hao had also observed Xu Jin and Daoist Yuyang.
Though he didn't know the specifics in great detail, it was clear enough that their words and commitments carried the weight of Xuanqing Tianzong and Taidao Sect themselves.
Their words were binding, and could command two great sects to act.
Cui Hao had been staying at Yunmeng Pavilion during this period. With his master and Bai Xuanling's jade tokens already in hand, they explicitly stated that Cui Hao would coordinate with Yunmeng Pavilion for the Great Calamity.
Though in truth, Cui Hao couldn't even get through the door to Yunmeng Pavilion's inner-sect meetings, this did nothing to diminish the weight his words now carried at the pavilion.
At the very least, the Yunmeng Pavilion cultivators who had once bickered with him at the entrance now had to bow respectfully when they saw him.
In contrast, Zheng Zhaoling's situation was entirely different.
Though she was the current core disciple—newly confirmed not long ago—she should have enjoyed the privileges befitting a core disciple. Yet from what Cui Hao had observed these past days…
Zheng Zhaoling held the title but seemingly none of the actual authority.
The most obvious indicator: whenever Zheng Zhaoling was assigned a task, she would personally handle every detail, making every preparation she could before departing.
This was the behavior of someone deathly afraid of making mistakes—not what a core disciple tasked with overseeing the bigger picture should be doing.
There might be reasons behind this, but they were not something Cui Hao could simply ask about directly.
Fortunately, Zheng Zhaoling had now taken on a more important assignment—coordinating with Cui Hao to execute the old Heavenly Dao Covenant: subduing demons and eliminating evil.
Though at the moment, their progress consisted entirely of drinking tea and chatting, with not a single concrete measure taken.
Zheng Zhaoling's footsteps were hurried. She glanced at Cui Hao, who was making unhelpful remarks, and replied:
"You've clearly been this idle for years. What, doesn't your master push you to work harder?"
Cui Hao's mouth curled into a smile:
"My master certainly does push me."
"How does your master push you, and still let you be this lazy?"
"My master drinks with me, throws an arm around my shoulder, and says if I don't start cultivating harder, even San Dong could beat my dog head in."
Zheng Zhaoling couldn't tell if Cui Hao was making this up. She had never heard of a master who would drink with an apprentice with an arm slung around their shoulder. She changed the subject and asked:
"Who's San Dong?"
"Our sect's undefeated Grand Guardian."
Zheng Zhaoling fell speechless at this, sizing Cui Hao up with an odd expression:
"Your undefeated Grand Guardian being able to beat your dog head in sounds about right, doesn't it?"
Cui Hao shrugged. "Our current Grand Guardian is only at Foundation Establishment. He chats with the trees he plants all the time, telling them to grow faster. Oh, and the tree doesn't even have spiritual consciousness yet."
Zheng Zhaoling was struck dumb:
"Someone at that cultivation level can be a sect Grand Guardian?"
Cui Hao grinned and played along: "Why not? If you came, I'd vouch for you to become the sect's Supreme Grand Guardian, overshadowing San Dong completely."
She had thought this sect was already baffling and impossible to figure out.
After hearing Cui Hao's words, it made even less sense.
And yet the sect somehow gave off an impression of being absurd yet entirely reasonable.
Zheng Zhaoling sat down across from Cui Hao, and upon hearing all this, could only shake her head:
"I think I'll pass. I'm afraid I'd end up guarding the gate for you."
"Gate-guarding is Qinghe's job."
"The flood dragon of Zhuji Peak, Bai Xuanling's?"
Cui Hao nodded to confirm.
Zheng Zhaoling was struck speechless again.
Cui Hao placed a fresh handful of sunflower seeds in front of her, then raised an eyebrow and asked:
"Weren't you assigned to work under me? Why do you keep running off to handle other matters? I told you to use me as an excuse to decline, but you wouldn't. I doubt you have a problem with me personally—so are you just farming goodwill with your fellow disciples?"
Farming goodwill?
Zheng Zhaoling heard this novel expression, pondered for a moment, then understood its meaning. She answered calmly:
"It's not quite that. It's just that when I have free time, there's no harm in helping out. Besides, staring at your face every day would get annoying."
"Stubborn mouth, thin skin though." Cui Hao propped his chin on one hand. "But everyone has their own difficulties. Not wanting to talk about them is perfectly normal."
At these words, Zheng Zhaoling lowered her gaze to the sunflower seeds before her. Today, for once, she reached out and picked one up.
Cui Hao didn't press further, nor did he intend to lecture her with some other piece of wisdom.
Everyone had their own way of living.
Everyone had their own reasoning.
Cui Hao slumped lazily across the table.
"You didn't come to Yunmeng Pavilion just to rest, did you?" Zheng Zhaoling looked at Cui Hao, who had done absolutely nothing since arriving, and asked. "Now that you have your credentials, if you actually want to accomplish something, Yunmeng Pavilion can certainly cooperate within its means."
Cui Hao answered: "I'm conserving my energy."
"You've been conserving for nearly a month."
"Have I?" Cui Hao suddenly looked up—not because of Zheng Zhaoling's words, but because a jade pendant at his waist had lit up.
Under Zheng Zhaoling's stunned gaze, Cui Hao stood briskly, his eyes turning eastward.
Zheng Zhaoling's gaze followed, but she saw nothing. She asked, confused:
"What's gotten into you? Are you trying to trick me?"
"Until I can beat you, I probably won't try to trick you." Cui Hao's tone suddenly grew serious, though his words remained playful. "After all, I'm afraid of pain."
Zheng Zhaoling asked no further, her gaze following his toward the east.
Since Cui Hao had said this much, if he truly was tricking her, she would simply beat him on the spot to vent her frustration.
She only had to wait a moment longer.
A brilliant streak of light shot in from the east at blinding speed.
Then a terrifying Dao resonance manifested, its oppressive might awe-inspiring.
The entire grand formation of Yunmeng Pavilion blazed to life—this was the preemptive defense against an overwhelmingly powerful enemy.
Zheng Zhaoling's eyes widened. If a single arrival could trigger the whole of Yunmeng Pavilion's grand formation, then this person could only be—Bai Xuanling.
The light of the streak faded.
A figure in white hovered above Yunmeng Pavilion.
Every gaze in the pavilion fixed upon that white-robed figure.
In the next instant, they heard that white-robed figure's overwhelming, imperious voice:
"Open the gate!"