Hidden By Moonlight

The morning air was crisp, brushing gently against the courtyard walls. Lin Yuan sat beneath a flowering vine, peeling spiritual fruits with quiet fingers. Nearby, Qingxue and Xiao Hu chased each other around a spirit well, their laughter ringing like chimes on the breeze.

But Lin Yuan barely noticed.

His gaze was empty, his movements mechanical. The warmth of the rising sun could not lift the fog weighing on his chest.

Lady Yuexian stepped out of the house, drying her hands with a soft cloth. She watched him for a moment, then knelt beside him.

"You're upset," she said gently.

Lin Yuan shook his head. "I'm fine."

"You don't have to be." She smiled, brushing a leaf from his shoulder. "You were brave. That matters more than any result.And you are overall best. "

He hesitated. "Everyone laughed. Even the elders said I wasted your efforts."

"They don't know you like I do." She stood and reached out her hand. "Come. Let's go enjoy the city. No training. No expectations. Just today."

"...Just have fun?"

"Yes. Even cultivators need a break. Let's make today yours."

---

The sect gates opened to a new world.

Vibrant market streets sprawled before them, filled with the aroma of sweet incense and sizzling beast meat. Vendors cried out about spirit peaches and talismans. A fire juggler spun flames in the square.

Lady Yuexian bought three sticks of candied lotus seeds, handing them to Lin Yuan, Qingxue, and Xiao Hu.

"Eat slow," she warned with a teasing smile. "They're expensive."

As they walked, Lin Yuan's eyes slowly lit up. Qingxue haggled fiercely with a jewelry merchant while Xiao Hu tried to ride a wooden sword like a beast mount. The noise, the colors, the chaos—it all pulled him back to life.

At a puppet show, Lin Yuan burst into laughter at a heroic squirrel who outwitted bandits. It felt ridiculous—and perfect.

Lady Yuexian bought them masks: a phoenix for Qingxue, a tiger for Xiao Hu, and a silver fox for Lin Yuan.

But joy is fragile.

Behind the laughter, whispers bloomed like thorns.

> "Lady Yuexian treats her like a princess. Never makes her train."

"She wastes pills like water."

"Mortal body, and still dares to bathe in Moonmist Hall?"

"Crafts trash, cultivates trash, and walks like royalty."

"A pig given pills could do better."

"Just beauty with no brain."

Lin Yuan clenched his fists.

Ahead of him, Lady Yuexian slowed.

"You know," she said softly, "many great cultivators fail in their youth. But it's how they grow."

"I just want to be worthy," Lin Yuan whispered.

"You already are. Ask them who you are."

---

They ended the day at a teahouse by a spirit-lake. Sunset turned the waters to gold. Lin Yuan sipped fruit tea between his siblings, warmth soaking into his bones.

"Thank you," he said.

"You already thanked me," Lady Yuexian replied.

"When?"

"Every time you didn't give up."

---

That night, moonlight spilled across the wooden floor. Qingxue and Xiao Hu slept beside him, peaceful as ever. But Lin Yuan lay awake, haunted by words that wouldn't fade.

"Just beauty with no brain… mortal body… wasting pills…"

A shadow stirred in the corner.

Lady Yinluo emerged silently, folding her sleeves as she sat by the window. "Pain isn't always in the body, Yuan'er. Sometimes it hides in silence."

"...Do you think I'm wasting their opportunity?" he asked quietly.

"If your effort is real, nothing is wasted. Not even failure."

"I try so hard, and I still fall behind…"

"Because you compare yourself to those who never had to hide," she said. "You weren't born to walk a path. You were born to carve one."

---

The next morning, Lady Yuexian stood at the training grounds. Her expression was unreadable as Lin Yuan joined the lesson under countless watching eyes.

Today's training: spiritual stone carving.

Most students sculpted elegant swords, birds, or flowing flowers.

Lin Yuan did nothing for a long while. Then, softly, his fingers glowed.

He carved a simple mountain. At its base, a narrow path wound upwards—unflashy, plain.

But solid.

It had weight.

Silence spread.

"Stability," Lady Yuexian said. "That is also a kind of art."

Even the harshest voices quieted.

Later, she led him into a secluded testing chamber. The runes flared. A golden light wrapped around him, and the floating jade tablet revealed a verdict:

Treasure Body.

Lady Yuexian's smile was soft. "This is the fruit of your hard work."

"…I can't believe it."

"Tomorrow," she added, "you return to class. Let them whisper. Don't react. Let your heart grow stronger than their judgment."

He nodded.

She handed him a pouch. "1,000 lower grade spirit stones. Go to the city. Buy something just for you."

---

They walked into the city freely—hand in hand.

Qingxue shimmered into her golden-haired form, and Xiao Hu transformed into a boy with lion-like eyes.

At a grand restaurant, Lin Yuan reserved a private room and summoned his mothers: Lady Yinluo,Lady Baihua, Lady Fengyan, and Lady Mingyan.

Laughter filled the room.

They ate until the table collapsed—two spiritual cows, a thousand-kilo fish,100 roasted sky-bird.

Xiao Hu say Lady Mingyan is eating like pig. Lady Yinluo made him apologize with a plate of meat on her lap. Lady Baihua wiped grease from her chin, declaring it a worthy war.

Lady Yinluo handed Lin Yuan a formation scroll.

"Give this to your sect leader," she said. "Tell her: 'If you're grateful, give a gift.'"

Lady mingyan, "Come here we need to strengthen your soul. I will use soul shaking roar to damage your soul. Then you go buy soul fruit. "

With a roar his soul is damage,he fill dizzy.This meal cost 9800 lower great spirit stone.After the feast, they went to the city's largest fruit shop.

"I want soul fruits," Lin Yuan said.

The vendor scoffed—until Lin Yuan showed Lady Yuexian's token.

Respect followed quickly.

He bought 109 soul fruits, ate 68 himself, shared them with Xiao Hu and Qingxue, and saved nine for Yuexian.Every soul fruit costs 1 medium grade spirit stone. You can't buy soul fruit with ordinary spirit stone. You need 100 lower gread spirit stone to buy one.

Whispers swirled again.

> "Spoiled brat."

"Wasting soul fruit on snacks."

"She bought the sect's favor."

Lin Yuan raised the sect leader's token again. Silence returned.

He bought more: spiritual watermelons, blueberries, strawberries, and grapes—enough for a small kingdom.Total cost is 1000 medium grade spirit stone.

They returned on a flying ship, escorted by fruit crates.

---

Lady Yuexian met them.

"These nine fruits are for you," Lin Yuan said. "Also—please take the watermelons to Moonmist Hall for cooling. I think… they'll taste better that way."

She smiled. "Of course."

He handed her the scroll. "My mother said I should give gifts when I feel grateful. This is for you."

She looked down. "What is it?"

"No idea."

Qingxue yawned. "I'll sleep for now."

Lin Yuan nodded. "I need to cultivate so that I can make my body a king body.I'll see you in thirty."

Sect leader say,"Actually if your body isn't higher than treasure body you can't become king. That's why it's call king body. Before it was called sami-holy body. "

Lady Yuexian handed him a token. "Go to Moonlight Hall. Cultivate."

And this time, Lin Yuan walked with confidence—unshaken by whispers, anchored by love, and steady as a mountain with only one path:

His own