Chapter 3

Early morning.

Ning Chuyu was awakened by a splash of icy water.

Raising a hand to wipe her face, she blearily looked toward the tall, graceful Zhuo Chen with her cold, aloof features. Her chaotic memories slowly returned, and only then did her dazed mind realize that last night had not been a dream.

Then she really had done that with Zhou Li…

Ning Chuyu instantly jolted awake. After looking around in a panic, she discovered that she was lying atop a sheet of ice. Her clothes were clean and as thin as cicada wings, their texture noticeably different from the coarse cotton-and-linen uniforms worn by outer disciples.

But the two of them were the only people here.

Covering her chest shyly, Ning Chuyu timidly raised her eyes and asked, “Were you the one who changed my clothes?”

Zhuo Chen quietly observed her reaction, her voice flat and utterly devoid of emotion. “Would you have preferred those tattered rags?”

“No.”

Ning Chuyu’s face reddened slightly. She cautiously studied Zhuo Chen’s expression. She was not angry?

“Get up.”

The two short words were filled with command. Zhuo Read on BaiLianTales Chen looked down at the clear-eyed Ning Chuyu. Although nothing showed on her face, beneath her robes, her fingers had already curled tightly into a fist.

That damned wicked disciple. How dare she commit such…insubordination against her superior?

Ning Chuyu had no idea what Zhuo Chen was thinking, but she obediently stood and stopped at a respectful distance. She lowered her head, fixed her gaze before her, and looked every bit like someone who knew she had done something wrong.

“Kneel.”

Zhuo Chen immediately issued a second command. Ning Chuyu hesitated for a moment, but when memories of her wanton behavior last night flashed through her mind, her knees weakened and she dropped to the ground.

Ultimately, Zhuo Chen was not Zhou Li, and the feelings between them were not mutual. After an accident like last night’s, Ning Chuyu truly did deserve to drop to her knees and beg forgiveness.

Otherwise, if Zhuo Chen flew into a rage and cut her down with a single strike, she would have nowhere to go even if she wanted to cry.

“Perform the discipleship rite.”

“Hmm?”

The moment Zhuo Chen finished speaking, Ning Chuyu raised her head in astonishment, wondering whether her fear had caused her to hear things.

Had Zhuo Chen truly said, “Perform the discipleship rite,” rather than, “Prepare to die”?

Zhuo Chen faintly furrowed her brows, a hint of displeasure surfacing in her eyes. “You are unwilling?”

“Of course not.”

Ning Chuyu hurriedly waved her hands in denial. After performing the formal kneeling bow, she said respectfully, “Master, please accept this bow from your disciple.”

Only then did Zhuo Chen appear somewhat satisfied. She summoned her life-bound sword, stepped onto it, and said, “Come up.”

Could this be the legendary art of flying on a sword?

Ning Chuyu found it rather novel. After stepping onto the sword, she even looked around curiously. But as her field of vision began to rise, she instinctively grabbed the corner of Zhuo Chen’s robe.

“I-I’m sorry. I’m a little frightened.”

Even as she clutched the fabric, she continued apologizing, afraid of displeasing Zhuo Chen.

Zhuo Chen lowered her eyes and glanced at Ning Chuyu’s action, which could hardly be considered improper, yet her brows still tightened almost imperceptibly.

What a timid mortal. What utterly repulsive physical contact.

Still displeased, Zhuo Chen changed her hand seal, and their speed abruptly increased. In the blink of an eye, they had already reached the mountaintop.

Ning Chuyu felt as though her soul were about to fly out of her body. She wanted to hold Zhuo Chen’s waist but did not dare, so she could only squeeze her eyes shut, her entire face scrunched up.

The howling wind beside her ears gradually weakened. She finally breathed a sigh of relief and tentatively opened her eyes.

What greeted her was Zhuo Chen’s utterly unruffled gaze. Ning Chuyu gave her [bailiantales.com]an obedient smile, though her face was pitifully pale.

Zhuo Chen pressed her lips together, suddenly feeling that tormenting a mortal like this was truly childish.

“Follow me.”

Ning Chuyu obediently followed behind Zhuo Chen, curiously examining the grand and magnificent buildings before her. With their white jade pillars and dark wooden beams, they could not have been more different from the dilapidated hut at yesterday’s spawn point.

Was this the wealth gap of the cultivation world?

“Immortal Venerable Zhuo Chen.”

While she was silently making sarcastic remarks, Ning Chuyu heard the greeting and poked her head out from behind Zhuo Chen. An elderly woman was respectfully bowing to them. Although her hair and eyebrows had turned white, her expression appeared extremely kind.

“Granny, I have come to register a disciple and collect her life token.”

Zhuo Chen’s voice was noticeably less distant when speaking to the old woman, carrying an added trace of familiarity and gentleness.

The elderly woman turned her gaze toward Ning Chuyu and smiled. “I was wondering what sort of genius could make you consider taking a disciple. It turns out to be such a pretty young lady.”

Zhuo Chen stepped aside and glanced at Ning Chuyu’s shy smile, unwilling to elaborate. “Our meeting was simply fated.”

Ill-fated, more like.

The elderly woman understood what Zhuo Chen was thinking and considerately Read on BaiLianTalesrefrained from asking further. She beckoned to Ning Chuyu. “Young lady, come here.”

Ning Chuyu quickly walked over and watched the old woman turn to Zhuo Chen’s page in the life registry before asking, “What is your name?”

“Ning Chuyu. Ning as in peaceful, Chu as in first encounter, and Yu as in feather.”

The elderly woman nodded and added Ning Chuyu’s name beneath Zhuo Chen’s completely blank entry. She then cast a spell that formed a small spiritual altar and said gently, “You only need to place a drop of blood on it to establish the master-disciple contract.”

“All right.”

Ning Chuyu suspected nothing. Just as she was about to bite her fingertip, Zhuo Chen stopped her. Stepping forward, Zhuo Chen lowered her gaze slightly. “There is no need. I do not care for such cumbersome formalities.”

The elderly woman hesitated and initially wanted to persuade her otherwise. But after observing Zhuo Chen for so many years, she knew that once Zhuo Chen made a decision, even ten thousand obstacles could never make her change it.

“Very well. Then shall I engrave her name upon the Zhenling Altar?”

“Naturally.”

Zhuo Chen accepted the life token into which the elderly woman had infused spiritual energy. Handing it to Ning Chuyu, she said, “Keep it safe. If you encounter danger, crush it, and I will appear.”

Looking at the emerald-green jade token engraved with her name, Ning Chuyu happily put it away and hung it from her waist. With a radiant smile, she said, “All right. Thank you, Master.”

Zhuo Chen turned and walked toward the hall’s exit. Ning Chuyu bid farewell to the elderly woman, then quickened her pace to follow.

However, the moment they left the hall, they saw a crowd gathered in the central clearing. Many of them were pointing and whispering at the towering white pillar standing in the center. Once Zhuo Chen and Ning Chuyu appeared, all those nearly tangible gazes fell upon Ning Chuyu alone.

Ning Chuyu froze and could not help shrinking behind Zhuo Chen. “What’s going on?”

Why did they all look as though they wanted to eat her alive?

Zhuo Chen swept her gaze across them and said coldly, “They are merely a group of mediocre fools.”

As she spoke, she summoned her life-bound sword. Before she could leave, someone rushed forward and demanded with righteous indignation, “Immortal Venerable Zhuo Chen, Senior Brother Lin Gui has sincerely sought your guidance beneath your peak several times, yet you ignored him every time. How could you accept this useless piece of trash as your disciple?”

Ning Chuyu: ?

So they were merely a bunch of jealous fools.

Zhuo Chen did not even look at the speaker. She slightly raised a finger and said indifferently, “Apologize to my disciple.”

A cold gleam struck the disciple’s knees, forcing them to fall directly toward Ning Chuyu. They tried to rise but could not move in the slightest, their face turning crimson with the effort. “She hasn’t even reached Foundation Establishment. How is she not useless?”

The moment those words fell, Zhuo Chen summoned a talisman and wrote upon it with spiritual energy. “For speaking disrespectfully to your Martial Aunt, you are sentenced to three months at Siguo Cliff.”

The talisman flew onto the disciple’s body under Zhuo Chen’s control. Zhuo Chen narrowed her eyes slightly, looking both dangerous and faintly mischievous. “Go.”

With that, the disciple was forced to “walk” toward Siguo Cliff on their knees.

Ning Chuyu watched in astonishment, once again feeling grateful that she had dropped to her knees quickly enough. [bailiantales.com]Otherwise, Zhuo Chen might have chopped her into minced meat.

“Lin Gui of Duxing Peak greets Grandmaster.”

That voice was both irritatingly familiar and practically begging to be punched. Ning Chuyu glanced sideways and, sure enough, saw Lin Gui dressed in the robes of an inner disciple. A scratch left by a fox’s claws still marked his cheek.

Lin Gui cupped his hands in greeting, his tone neither servile nor overbearing. “May I ask Grandmaster whether such a punishment is not somewhat excessive?”

Zhuo Chen vaguely remembered his face. He was that irritating fly who constantly begged her to take him as a disciple at the foot of her mountain.

Arching a brow, she pretended not to understand. “Why? Do you want the same?”

Lin Gui was momentarily rendered speechless. His gaze, concealing resentment and jealousy, shifted toward Ning Chuyu. “Martial Aunt, this disciple is Lin Gui. I would like to request a spar with you.”

Only after hearing this form of address did Ning Chuyu belatedly realize that when Zhuo Chen had said, “speaking disrespectfully to your Martial Aunt,” she had been referring to her.

A hint of secret delight arose within her, but she also knew that Lin Gui was an unrivaled genius among the story’s new generation of disciples. How could she possibly defeat him? Just as Ning Chuyu was about to refuse, an exquisite, translucent sword resembling cold jade was tossed toward her.

Ning Chuyu caught it instinctively and heard Zhuo Chen grant permission. “A spar would indeed be appropriate. However, my disciple has not yet entered the Dao and has not even reached Foundation Establishment. You do not mind if she uses my sword, do you?”

Lin Gui smiled, appearing refined and scholarly, although his eyes resembled those of a venomous snake. “Naturally, I do not mind.”

Ning Chuyu’s eyes widened. She even wondered whether Zhuo Chen intended to use Lin Gui to kill her. But when she met Zhuo Chen’s reassuring gaze, she instantly understood.

Zhuo Chen was giving her an opportunity to earn everyone’s acceptance.

They were already at the Lunjian Arena, so the other disciples who had gathered to watch retreated to the side. Lin Gui gave Ning Chuyu a hypocritically polite salute. “Little Martial Aunt, please.”

Ning Chuyu tightened her grip on the cold sword and launched the first attack. But she was not from this era, after all. Her movements were extremely unpracticed and riddled with openings.

Strangely, however, whenever Lin Gui’s sword attacked from an unexpected angle and was about to pierce her shoulder or neck, the sword in her hand would promptly block it and counter each move. Ning Chuyu gradually became increasingly proficient, and faint tongues of flame could be seen flickering around the blade whenever she swung it.

Perhaps because he had underestimated her, Lin Gui began struggling to respond, and fine beads of sweat covered his forehead.

Finally, Ning Chuyu suddenly leaped into the air and brought the sword down with both hands. Lin Gui could not evade in time and could only raise his sword to block. A crisp snapping sound rang out. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, and most of his clothes were burned away.

Ning Chuyu turned around with a confident smile. Had she been a dog, her tail would probably have been raised proudly in the air. Yet when she looked toward Zhuo Chen, she found her extinguishing the flames on Lin Gui’s body with ice crystals.

Just as Ning Chuyu began feeling unhappy, Zhuo Chen publicly revealed the half-burned spirit-pet contract remaining against Lin Gui’s chest. Her voice was as cold and crystalline as celadon. “Lin Gui of Duxing Peak, you have been harboring a member of the demon race. Under sect rules, you are sentenced to three years at Siguo Cliff. Do you admit your guilt?”

Lin Gui had never been so humiliated. The first half of his life as heaven’s favored genius now seemed like a joke. He lowered his head and enunciated each word. “This disciple admits his guilt.”

After speaking, he needed no external compulsion. He began walking toward Siguo Cliff on his own, nearly staggering with every step.

Only then did Zhuo Chen look toward Ning Chuyu, whose smile had already faded. She said calmly, “You did well. Come. Return to the peak with me.”

Ning Chuyu handed the sword back to her. Zhuo Chen leaped onto it, her bearing poised, noble, and immaculate. The two of them flew away, and no one dared voice another objection.

After they left, however, the sword suddenly became unstable. Ning Chuyu could not help grabbing the corner of Zhuo Chen’s robe. “What’s wrong, Master?”

Zhuo Chen forcibly suppressed the metallic sweetness surging into her throat. Her fingers moved rapidly as she cast a spell to steady the sword. “Nothing.”

Her voice was flat and emotionless. Ning Chuyu knew this meant Zhuo Chen did not want to tell her, yet she did not obediently fall silent. “Master, you were helping me at the Lunjian Arena, weren’t you?”

Zhuo Chen’s brows tightened slightly. As they traveled through the rain-laden clouds, she deliberately removed the barrier protecting Ning Chuyu’s head. “You are my disciple. Naturally, I cannot allow anyone else to bully you.”

In truth, she could not allow Ning Chuyu to bleed in front of outsiders. Otherwise, Zhuo Chen feared she would lose control again.

Rainwater streamed down Ning Chuyu’s face, yet she continued smiling. “The flames were also deliberate, weren’t they, Master? You already knew Lin Gui had colluded with the fox clan.”

Otherwise, how could the fire have so conveniently burned away Lin Gui’s upper garments?

Zhuo Chen found Ning Chuyu’s perceptiveness somewhat irritating, but she nevertheless remained composed and answered methodically, “When I awoke today, I investigated everything. The fox that injured you was brought into the sect by him.”

“Oh—”

Ning Chuyu drew out the sound, finally revealing the true purpose of this conversation. “Then, Master, are you feeling unwell because you possess an ice spiritual root but used a fire-element spell?”

Everyone in the sect knew that Zhuo Chen possessed a single ice spiritual root. Thus, when flames coiled around the sword, no one would ever suspect that she was responsible.

After all, no one would believe that the renowned Immortal Venerable Zhuo Chen would reverse the flow of her spiritual energy merely to ensure that her disciple was not bullied.

Zhuo Chen lowered her eyes [unauthorized copy]and abruptly increased their speed with her spiritual energy. “You’re noisy.”