Zhao Yebai didn't know what was going on with him. As he grew older, his strength only increased. He carried two buckets of water in his hands and felt absolutely no strain whatsoever.
He had once secretly tested himself against a boulder — a stone that weighed over a thousand jin, and he lifted it with a single hand without much effort at all. So he had never really discovered his own limits.
He hadn't kept this from Zhao Ya. They had grown up together since childhood and had no secrets from each other. According to her, there were always people in this world born with extraordinary gifts, possessing abilities that others could never hope to achieve in an entire lifetime. One such category was those born with seemingly inexhaustible physical strength.
Zhao Yebai figured he belonged to that category. And in the ten years since he'd come up the mountain, he had never even caught a cold. Though he was frequently bullied and beaten, his body seemed to be remarkably tough — the injuries from those beatings would basically heal after a single night's sleep.
Because of this, Zhao Ya had once excitedly gone to her master and reported Zhao Yebai's unusual traits, begging her master to examine his aptitude once more, hoping that Brother Yebai might catch the master's eye and be taken on as a disciple.
Unfortunately, after the examination, the master still declared Zhao Yebai's aptitude to be mediocre and had no intention of accepting him.
After ten years of cultivation, Zhao Ya was no longer the naive little girl she had once been. She understood just how powerful her master was, and this assessment had deeply saddened her.
She had also secretly shared the cultivation techniques and secret arts her master had taught her with Zhao Yebai, wanting him to cultivate alongside her. Mediocre or exceptional, the results would become clear once one actually began cultivating.
What infuriated her was that this stubborn blockhead of a brother hadn't practiced a single technique. He said that without the seniors' permission, he couldn't presume to cultivate on his own.
Zhao Ya was furious!
Down below Qingyu Peak, on those winding stone steps, a young man bounded upward like the wind. Carrying two wooden buckets brimming with water, he not only didn't slow down — he actually moved faster and faster. His hands were perfectly steady, and not a single drop of water escaped from the full buckets.
As his speed increased, ripples began to spread through the void around Zhao Yebai, layer upon layer.
But the young man noticed none of these changes.
He simply loved running like this. It felt like a fish swimming through the vast ocean — his entire being seemed to merge with heaven and earth.
The one thousand and eight stone steps — the ones that had taken two children an entire day to climb, wearing blisters into the soles of their feet — were left behind in mere moments.
When he reached the summit of Qingyu Peak, a young girl stood there, poised and graceful. At the age of fourteen, her beauty was extraordinary — refined and ethereal. No wonder those senior brothers at Seven Stars Workshop couldn't get her out of their heads and went to such lengths to send letters up to Qingyu Peak.
"Brother Yebai," Zhao Ya called with a sweet smile.
Zhao Yebai halted, gazing at the young woman before him and briefly losing himself in thought, recalling what Miao Feiping had said to him.
Zhao Ya tilted her head. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Zhao Yebai shook his head. "Have you finished your chores? Why are you waiting here for me?"
Zhao Ya reached out to take the buckets, but Zhao Yebai sidestepped her. "No need — this is my task. If the Senior sees you helping, he'll scold you again."
Zhao Ya pouted. "Master is always nagging. He won't let me do this, won't let me do that — it's so annoying!"
Zhao Yebai smiled. "The Senior only has your best interests at heart."
"Hmph!" Zhao Ya's small nose twitched. Suddenly, as though catching a scent, she sniffed lightly, her eyes narrowing with suspicion as they swept over Zhao Yebai.
Zhao Yebai shifted uncomfortably and jogged a few steps ahead. His voice drifted back: "Rest for a bit, Xiao Ya. The food will be ready soon — I'll call you when it's done."
"Mm!" Zhao Ya answered, watching his retreating figure with a bright smile.
Only after that figure had vanished from sight did the smile slowly fade from Zhao Ya's face, replaced by raging fury burning in her clear eyes.
She had caught the faint scent of medicinal herbs on Brother Yebai!
She turned, took a single step down the mountain, and in a few strides, her feet had already reached the base.
With practiced ease, she made her way to the pond.
Miao Feiping was sitting on a rock, a blade of wild grass he'd plucked from somewhere dangling from his lips. Hearing her approach, he turned his head and offered a wry smile. "You sure got here fast."
Zhao Ya demanded, "Who was it?"
The voice was ice-cold, nearly enough to freeze the pond solid.
Miao Feiping sighed. "It's always the same. Why do they keep doing this — you know perfectly well, don't you? Every one of those guys you beat up before was thrilled about it afterward. They bully Zhao Yebai precisely because they want to draw you out, just to catch a glimpse of you. Even if they get beaten up for it, they think it's worth it."
Zhao Ya gritted her silver teeth. "Last time I went too easy on them!"
A sudden sense of unease washed over Miao Feiping. "What are you planning to do this time?"
"That's none of your concern. Just tell me who it was."
Miao Feiping shook his head. "You can't beat these ones. You're only at the Third Layer of True Essence — they're at the Ninth Layer, just one step away from Divine Journey. You're no match for them."
"True Essence, Ninth Layer?" Zhao Ya murmured. Then she abruptly shut her eyes, and her aura began to surge upward, climbing layer by layer without any warning!
Miao Feiping stared in astonishment, not understanding what Zhao Ya was doing — but before long, his jaw dropped, and the blade of grass dangling from his lips fell to the ground without him even noticing.