Wei Zhengrong talked for nearly an hour, his voice steady as he finished reporting on the Heavenly Sword Sect's situation over the past century. He detailed the rise of new talents and the stability of the inner peaks. At the very end of his lengthy summary, he added one more thing that had been left in his care.
"Before Jian Jun Zūnzhǔ went into seclusion to focus on her breakthrough, she told us that if Zhēnzūn wants to know anything about the current affairs, we're to report it truthfully. Also, if the Law Enforcement Hall runs into matters it can't decide on its own, we can come ask Zhēnzūn for guidance and final judgment."
"Tsk. She is digging another pit for me. Even while going into seclusion, she can't stay quiet and let me rest," Jian Dan remarked, her fingers tapping rhythmically against the handle of her fan.
Wei Zhengrong lowered his head respectfully after hearing her complaint, maintaining a serious posture as long as one ignored the slight, knowing curve at the corner of his lips.
"Where is Jian Ping lately?" she asked, shifting the subject.
"Jian Ping Zūnzhǔ has already entered the Void Refinement stage through her diligent efforts. Normally she focuses entirely on her cultivation and only leaves the mountain when the Law Enforcement Hall has critical missions that require her strength."
"What about Jian Gui? Has his cultivation gone up as well?"
"He has already reached the late Divine Soul stage. He has taken a specific sect mission and gone out to the wilderness to train and seek his own opportunities."
"The three of you haven't improved your cultivation that noticeably during this time," Jian Dan noted, her gaze sweeping over him.
Wei Zhengrong knew Zhēnzūn was referring specifically to him, Jin Liuli, and Qi Hua. All three of them were currently sitting at the peak of the Divine Transformation stage and were just one step away from breaking into the Divine Soul stage.
"Yes. After Zhēnzūn came back this time, the three of us are preparing to go into seclusion to break through to Divine Soul. It is just that the many matters on hand don't have anyone suitable to take over yet, so our progress has been delayed until now."
"That's fine. You three can start preparing your affairs. Jian Wu and the others should be coming out of their own seclusion soon," Jian Dan said with a small smile. If they still didn't come out to resume their duties, she was going to send people to knock loudly on their cave doors herself.
"Yes, Zhēnzūn," he replied, his expression lightening.
Wei Zhengrong's smile deepened at the prospect. Nothing mattered more than one's personal cultivation in the end. As the acting head of the Intelligence Division, all kinds of secret information passed through his hands daily, but in his heart, he was even more anxious about finally improving his own strength.
"Is Xue Ru still keeping in touch with you?"
"She contacted me just a few days ago through a transmission. She said she is already on her way back to the sect gates. She wants to give you a pleasant surprise when she arrives."
Mentioning his younger sister softened Wei Zhengrong's sharp expression, a hint of familial warmth appearing in his eyes.
"Let it not turn into a sudden scare instead. As long as she is back before my Mahayana ceremony begins, it's fine."
"Zhēnzūn, rest assured. I will casually let her know your ceremony date so she can adjust her travel speed," Wei Zhengrong caught the meaning immediately and responded at once.
"Alright. There's nothing else on my end for now. I have kept you here for a while, and Jian Li should be looking for you to discuss the hall's business. Go get busy with your work. I will look for you if something else comes up."
"Yes."
Wei Zhengrong finished his report and didn't linger a moment longer. He rode his escape light, a swift streak of silver, and left Tianyue Peak to return to his post.
Only then did Lü Se, who had been waiting patiently for a long time at the edge of the pavilion, step inside. He bowed low and said, "Zhēnzūn, Jian Feng's new cave residence has already been opened and settled. He has come by several times already and wants to invite you to see his new place. Also, Lang Yu from the Operations Hall came by once. He said when you're free, please summon him over. He has something important to report regarding the production lines."
"Tsk. They won't even let me catch my breath for a single afternoon," Jian Dan sighed, though her tone lacked any real bite.
Lü Se, standing below her, didn't dare respond to the remark. He only smiled and waited quietly for Zhēnzūn's final instructions.
"Let's go. We will check out Jian Feng's cave residence first and see what he has done with the place."
"Yes."
This time, Lü Se led the way down the mountain. They barely even got their escape light going before arriving at the destination. It was located on a side peak very close to the main peak of the sect.
Jian Feng had already received Lü Se's advance message and was waiting early outside his cave residence, his posture straight and expectant.
"Greetings, Master."
Jian Feng bowed deeply as she landed, then he personally led his master to tour the new cave residence he had claimed.
"Time was short since my return, so I only did a rough setup of the interior. Master, please come inside."
This was a quiet side peak, and Jian Feng's cave residence sat halfway up the mountain slope. The path leading to the entrance was paved with smooth jade pebbles that crunched softly underfoot. Evergreen shrubs grew thickly on both sides of the trail, with the occasional weeping willow tree planted between them for shade. There were very few spirit flowers to be seen in the garden.
In front of the cave residence was a flat, open space of about a hundred square meters. One section had been cleared and planted with first to fifth tier spirit plants, along with some patches of spirit rice that swayed in the breeze. On the other side of the clearing stood a single, tall pine tree.
After entering the stone archway and passing the decorative screen, there was a simple reception room. Jade tables and chairs, jade stools, and various minor ornaments were all in place. Jian Feng invited Jian Dan to sit in the main seat of honor.
On both sides of the reception room were two separate cave chambers. One was a living room, and the other was a dedicated cultivation room. The living room had only a single bed and was quite sparse. The cultivation room had nothing but a single, worn meditation cushion sitting on the cold floor. It pushed the utilitarian simplicity of a male sword cultivator to the extreme.
Jian Dan nearly wanted to press her hand to her master's forehead. At least the surface work in the reception area was decent enough to host guests. She didn't bother wasting words with him about his lack of style. With a swift wave of her hand at her storage ring, she started filling in the gaps with her own treasures.
She put away the simple bed in the living room and replaced it with a massive, thousand year cold jade bed that emitted a faint, icy mist. She added a set of gold and green jade tables and stools for comfort, and placed a refined blue and white porcelain tea set on the table. In the cultivation room, she directly tossed aside the original cushion and replaced it with one from her own spatial storage that could gather spiritual energy and help condense the primordial soul. A tall bookshelf was placed beside it, filled with many jade slips and ancient books, all of which had been collected by Jian Dan herself over the years.
Then she took out a mid grade spirit vein from her storage bracelet and used her power to seal it directly beneath Jian Feng's cultivation room. She also set up a top grade spirit gathering array that carved itself into the stone. Cultivating here would now yield twice the results with half the effort compared to before.
As for the lamps in the reception room, she swapped them out for more than a dozen large, flawless luminous pearls that cast a gentle glow. Only after everything was rearranged to her liking did she nod in satisfaction.
Jian Feng wiped at a bit of sweat that didn't actually exist on his forehead. His master was truly extravagant when she chose to be. With this setup, even a Void Refinement Zūnzhǔ would feel a wave of jealousy if they saw the richness of his chambers.
"If nothing unexpected happens, you will be cultivating here until before you reach the Mahayana stage. Naturally, your environment needs to be comfortable and practical for your needs. Don't be stingy with your resources when it comes to your path," Jian Dan glanced at him and spoke calmly.
"Yes. Thank you for the rewards, Master."
"Mhm. That's more like it."
Then Jian Dan took out a newly refined life saving talisman, a glowing sliver of light, and shot it straight into Jian Feng's dantian.
"When you fought that evil cultivator Wang Ping before, you made good use of the life saving talisman I gave you. You even destroyed her substitute puppet during the encounter. You pushed its purpose to the limit. This one is my latest life saving talisman. Its use is the same as before, but what I have sealed inside is a powerful sword move from the late Mahayana stage. Use it carefully and only when necessary."
Jian Dan waved her round fan as she instructed him on the talisman's power.
"Yes. This disciple has memorized it."
Another storage ring flew over through the air, and Jian Dan's voice followed its movement.
"These are resources I found in a corner of the Immortal Realm during my travels. They're suitable for your current cultivation stage. That set of golden battle armor inside—wear it close to your body at all times for protection."
Jian Feng accepted the ring with both hands and bowed once more to his master. She had considered everything for him from every angle. How could he not be moved.