Chapter 4

Pei Zhiyin’s grip on Pei Wenxuan’s sleeve tightened slightly. She watched her intently, holding her breath as she waited for an answer.

Pei Wenxuan paused, her silver-moon eyes resting quietly on her daughter’s face, her gaze growing gentler.

“They’re all alive. Steward Shen was injured, but her life is not in danger.”

“Everyone else was brought back safely too.”

At those words, the tension visibly drained from Pei Zhiyin’s shoulders. She let out a long breath and collapsed back onto the bed.

Watching her relief, Pei Wenxuan felt momentarily dazed. In the past, Pei Zhiyin had never even asked when one of the maids attending her was suddenly replaced. Now she was actually worrying about the people who cared for her.

She even felt that her daughter seemed somewhat different from before.

While she was lost in thought, Pei Zhiyin raised her head, her expression even more serious than before.

“Mother, how long was I unconscious?”

“Has the disciple recruitment assembly started?”

The two questions came one after another, and surprise flickered through Pei Wenxuan’s eyes.

Her daughter, who had always dreaded cultivation more than anything, was actually asking about the disciple recruitment assembly of her own accord. A sense of relief rose in her heart, as though the clouds had finally parted to reveal the moon.

It seemed that after this brush with death, Pei Zhiyin had finally understood the importance of cultivation.

She reached out to straighten the inner robe that Pei Zhiyin’s movements had pulled open, lingering fear still visible in her eyes.

“You were unconscious for a full half month. You had me worried sick.”

She gently took Pei Zhiyin’s hand, as though afraid she might disappear again.

“As for the disciple recruitment assembly, that no longer matters. You’ve only just woken up. Focus on recovering first.”

“After what happened at Jinshan Ridge, I will never let you leave my side again…”

The more Pei Zhiyin heard, the more anxious she became. If the disciple recruitment assembly had already started, then Gu Changge, the male lead, would already have entered the Shangxuan Sect and become Fan Qingyun’s direct disciple. After that, a succession of fateful encounters would mesh like interlocking gears: falling in love, a tribulation of love, demonic corruption—ultimately sending Fan Qingyun down that path of eternal damnation.

Unable to worry about politeness, she interrupted Pei Wenxuan outright.

“Mother! Has the disciple recruitment assembly started or not?”

Hearing Pei Zhiyin’s voice rise, Pei Wenxuan felt even more moved. Awakening the Eye of Heaven’s Secrets and breaking through to Foundation Establishment really had helped her mature considerably.

She put aside her countless thoughts and answered patiently.

“Not yet. There are still ten days until it begins.”

Pei Zhiyin’s anxious heart finally settled—thank goodness. Gu Changge had not yet joined the Shangxuan Sect.

According to the original plot, the male lead should currently be staying at Tongfu Inn in Xuanqing Town, cultivating every day as he waited for the disciple recruitment assembly.

There was still time.

Pei Zhiyin narrowed her eyes. Her survival proved that the plot of this world could be changed. In that case, why not resolve everything in one stroke and kill Gu Changge before he even met Fan Qingyun?

The more she considered it, the more feasible it seemed. Now that she had the bone brush, killing the male lead would be child’s play. Besides—her eyes gradually brightened—perhaps once she changed the ending, she could return to her original world.

Although here she was the ultimate combination of an heiress and a high-ranking official’s daughter, with every material comfort and servants at her beck and call, the terror of being pinned to the ground by Wu Zheng, on the brink of death, remained painfully vivid. She never wanted to experience it again.

Besides, although the Yunze Continent seemed peaceful, demons, fiends, ghosts, and monsters were everywhere. She could die at any moment without even leaving an intact corpse. Cultivators could also kill people and steal their treasures over the slightest disagreement, without facing any legal consequences. The more Pei Zhiyin thought about it, the more frightening it seemed.

To survive here, she would have to cultivate constantly, practically meditating and seeking enlightenment twenty-four hours a day. It was even harder than being an overworked corporate drudge in the twenty-first century. Office work was nine to nine, six days a week; cultivation was midnight to midnight, seven days a week… Besides, at work, the worst a boss could do was exploit and manipulate her. Cultivation meant putting her life on the line. She would rather go back to being a carefree webnovel author with the freedom to do as she pleased. At least her life wouldn’t be in danger.

Not to mention that once cultivators reached Foundation Establishment, they gradually began to abstain from food. For Pei Zhiyin, who had spent more than thirty years in the modern world cultivating a discerning appetite, that was practically torture.

Thinking that in fewer than ten days she could go home, lie on her big Simmons mattress again, and eat hot pot with the air conditioner running, then fix the ending and watch her novel return to the Gold Rankings, she struggled to keep the corners of her mouth from lifting.

Pei Wenxuan watched Pei Zhiyin frown one moment and grin foolishly the next, her gaze growing increasingly puzzled.

After a long silence, she finally asked the question that concerned her most.

“Yin’er, did you awaken the Wuxiang Brush?”

Pei Zhiyin suppressed her delight. So the bone brush was called the Wuxiang Brush.

Wait… Yin’er? Pei Zhiyin started. She suddenly realized something she had never properly considered.

In the original novel, the Pei clan was merely a cannon-fodder family eliminated early on. She hadn’t even bothered to give its members names, referring to them only as “the Pei clan head” and “the Pei clan’s young mistress” in the opening chapters. Yet the original owner’s memories [Read on BaiLianTales]told her that her name was also Pei Zhiyin, written with exactly the same characters. An ominous feeling rose in her heart.

Was this really a coincidence?

Pei Zhiyin silently set those tangled thoughts aside and brought her attention back to the present, lifting the bone brush hanging around her neck.

“Do you mean this, Mother? It saved me and helped me kill Wu Zheng.”

Pei Wenxuan slowly nodded. Outwardly, she remained calm, but inwardly, her thoughts churned. Wu Zheng was a Golden Core-stage Demon King, yet her daughter, only at early Foundation Establishment, had killed it. The Wuxiang Brush’s power was formidable indeed.

But when she had found Pei Zhiyin, she had been in a cave, and there had been no sign of Wu Zheng’s corpse for a hundred li around. Someone must have taken the corpse away and rescued Yin’er. Otherwise, there would not have been a barrier around the cave set by someone at the peak of Golden Core.

Pei Wenxuan’s expression grew more solemn than ever.

“Yin’er, unless your life is at stake, avoid using the Wuxiang Brush.”

“The Pei clan’s ancient records say that it was formed from the finger bone of an ancient cultivator whose power reached the heavens. Its power is exceedingly fierce, and I fear it may turn against its wielder.”

“No clan head in our family’s history has ever awakened the Wuxiang Brush, so I always thought the ancient records described nothing more than a legend.”

Pei Wenxuan sighed softly, her voice thick with regret.

“I should never have let you take it from Tianji Pavilion to wear as a trinket.”

“But since it has already acknowledged you as its master, learning more about it can only help.”

“Now that you’ve reached Foundation Establishment, once your injuries have healed, it will be time for you to visit Tianji Pavilion. There are records and texts about the Wuxiang Brush inside.”

Pei Zhiyin nodded obediently. She only had ten days left in this world anyway. If there was a backlash, so be it.

Just then, a maid’s respectful voice came from outside.

“Clan Head, the medicine is ready. Shall I bring it in?”

“Come in.”

The door was gently pushed open, and a maid entered slowly, holding a medicine bowl in both hands.

The thick black liquid swayed slightly with her steps. Even from several paces away, its bitter medicinal smell seemed to shoot straight to the crown of Pei Zhiyin’s head.

The smile vanished from Pei Zhiyin’s face. Staring at the medicine as though it were deadly arsenic, she pleaded coaxingly.

“Mother, I’d like to recover gradually on my own. Can I skip the medicine?”

A trace of amusement appeared in Pei Wenxuan’s eyes. How could she not know what Pei Zhiyin was up to?

“Be good, Yin’er. Your heart and lungs are badly injured, and your meridians are torn in several places. Your Uncle Wenren prepared this medicine himself. It will not only heal your internal injuries but also help stabilize your Foundation Establishment cultivation.”

Pei Zhiyin wanted to keep resisting, but faced with Pei Wenxuan’s unyielding gaze, she resigned herself to her fate. Better to get it over with. She took the bowl, pinched her nose, tipped her head back, and downed it in one go.

The rank, bitter taste instantly flooded her mouth, and her entire face scrunched up.

“Urgh—”

Just as she was about to retch, a fair, jade-like hand suddenly appeared before her. A green plum was popped neatly into her mouth, its sweet-and-sour fruitiness immediately overpowering the bitterness.

Pei Zhiyin looked up. At some point, a figure in pale yellow had appeared beside the bed. The young woman had bright, almond-shaped eyes, slightly raised brows, and a mischievous smile that revealed two little pointed canine teeth. She looked like a crafty little fox.

“My respects, Aunt.”

Wenren Heng inclined her head slightly toward Pei Wenxuan.

“Father has gone to the palace to report back. I’ll continue staying at the Pei residence to care for Yin’er for the time being.”

With that, she lifted the jar of green plums in her hand toward Pei Zhiyin.

Pei Wenxuan looked at Wenren Heng with appreciation.

She had watched Wenren Heng grow up. Intelligent, courteous, and exceptionally gifted, she was the heir to the Wenren family, a clan of medical cultivators with a thousand-year history. Most precious of all, she had never distanced herself from Pei Zhiyin because of her low cultivation.

“Then I’ll leave Yin’er in your care, Heng’er.”

“Make yourself at home here. If you need anything, just ask.”

“Don’t worry, Aunt. With me here, she’ll take her medicine on time. I guarantee it.”

“…”

Pei Wenxuan shook her head with a chuckle. After a few more reminders, she turned and left.

Pei Zhiyin looked at the original owner’s best friend, who had grown up alongside read the original at bailiantales.com her, and marveled at her beauty.

Wenren Heng was twenty this year, two years older than her. As heirs to their respective clans, they had drawn considerable attention since childhood. Their extraordinary beauty had earned them the title of “the Two Peerless Beauties of the Great Clans” among the people of Yundu.

Of course, in Pei Zhiyin’s case, “peerless” referred only to her looks. For Wenren Heng, it also encompassed her cultivation and talent. She had reached Foundation Establishment at fifteen, and now, at just twenty, she was already at its peak, only half a step away from forming her golden core. Among the younger generation of the three great clans, she was widely considered the most likely to reach Golden Core first. In modern terms, she was the quintessential “other people’s child.”

The door closed softly. Wenren Heng plopped down beside the bed and leaned in, close enough for Pei Zhiyin to smell the faint medicinal fragrance in her hair.

“Let me have a look.”

“Father said you awakened the Eye of Heaven’s Secrets. I’m so happy for you.”

Bracing her hands on either side of Pei Zhiyin, Wenren Heng stared straight into her pupils with shining eyes.

Up close, Pei Zhiyin’s eyes looked like sunlight sinking into the deep sea, mysterious and magnificent, impossible to look away from.

Pei Zhiyin had always been exceptionally beautiful, with long phoenix eyes and a finely sculpted nose. Usually, however, she wore a lazy, world-weary expression, as though she could never quite wake up. Now those molten-gold eyes illuminated her cool, fair face, lending her an indescribably captivating quality.

For some reason, Wenren Heng’s heart skipped a beat. She abruptly sat up straight, the tips of her ears quietly turning pink.

Since this was her best friend Read on BaiLianTales from childhood, Pei Zhiyin decided there was no need to beat around the bush.

“Heng’er, how long will it take for my injuries to heal?”

At the mention of her injuries, Wenren Heng immediately grew serious. She placed her fingers on Pei Zhiyin’s wrist and sent spiritual energy circulating through her meridians.

“Your heart and lungs are injured, your meridians are torn, and your spiritual sense is still somewhat unsettled.”

“You’ll need at least another half month to recover.”

Half a month? By then, it would be far too late.

Wenren Heng looked at her suspiciously.

“What’s the hurry?”

Pei Zhiyin immediately put on an expression of bitter disappointment.

“Being stuck here recovering is so boring, of course. I want to go out and have some fun.”

Keeping a patient frustrated and unhappy wouldn’t help her recovery either. Wenren ​unauthorized copy​Heng considered for a moment.

“If you only want to go out for a stroll, that should be all right.”

Pei Zhiyin’s eyes lit up. Being allowed out meant a chance to visit Xuanqing Town.

Seeing her expression, how could Wenren Heng fail to guess what she was thinking? With a helpless sigh, she took something from her Spatial Pouch.

“Here. This is for you.”

“Take it with you whenever you go out. If you encounter danger, it can protect your heart meridians and spiritual sense for a short while.”

“And with this token, you can obtain medicinal ingredients from any Wenren family pharmacy or pill pavilion in the Kingdom of Yunze, provided they have them in stock.”

Pei Zhiyin carefully accepted the token. It was a rich blue-green, carved with a nine-leaf spirit herb. A small character, “Heng,” was engraved in ancient seal script at its center, and faint streams of emerald light flowed slowly within.

Holy crap. The original owner’s bestie really was as ride-or-die as they came. Making her the little crown prince’s wife in the original novel had been such a waste. A top-tier best friend with beauty, wealth, strength, and even equipment to give away—once Pei Zhiyin returned to her own world, she would promote her straight to another female lead!