Chapter 19
If possible, Chen Zhuya naturally hoped Wei Hanzhen would remain in Changguan Sect, so he could look after her to some extent. But if the external medicines were gathered that way, their quality would be somewhat compromised. He could not damage Junior Sister’s Dao foundation because of that.
He sighed inwardly, handed the scroll to Wei Hanzhen, and gave her another round of earnest reminders.
Wei Hanzhen’s brows were tightly furrowed.
In the original plot, a demonic disaster did indeed arise. That novel leaned more toward romance, and most of the plot revolved around Changguan Sect’s rise and fall. Yuxiao Sect and the Demon Sect had shady dealings with each other, but in the end, the one that benefited was not Yuxiao, which had always dreamed of becoming number one in the Nine Provinces, but the Demon Sect.
The book had described several major events, such as the chaos in the Yao Court and the ascension of Changguan Sect’s elder. The former caused relations between Changguan Sect and the Yao Court to break apart. From then on, the yao clans were also listed among their great enemies. The latter left Changguan Sect without any great power to protect it in the Nine Provinces. Relying only on the sect leader’s strength, it was impossible to reverse the decline.
The elder’s ascension was still some time away, but the chaos in the Yao Court seemed to be close at hand.
The original book did contain material in that area, as though laying down another layer of foreshadowing, but she had not read it carefully. Now that she was trying to recall the plot, the advantage of being a transmigrator had vanished completely!
Wei Hanzhen felt somewhat vexed, but she did not stay dispirited for long. After all, for cultivators, the most important things were still their own foundation and cultivation. Those methods of “knowing the future” were only icing on the cake.
“Oh, there is one more matter.” After thinking for a moment, Chen Zhuya suddenly spoke.
He looked at Wei Hanzhen and said slowly, “The thousandth birthday banquet of Mingkong Yao Emperor is approaching. Who do you think is suitable to represent our Changguan Sect as envoy?”
Before Wei Hanzhen could nominate anyone, he added, “The Dengying Secret Realm group was led by a disciple of Taixuan Peak. This time, it is Pengxuan Peak’s turn.”
Wei Hanzhen: “…”
Aside from herself and the deputy peak lord, Pengxuan Peak only had three unruly disciples.
After considering for a moment, she replied, “Then let Qingsheng go. She has recently formed her core. By the time her Golden Core stabilizes, the timing should be about right.”
Chen Zhuya nodded in satisfaction. “That will do.”
The Yao Emperor’s thousandth birthday banquet, the chaos in the Yao Court—
These two matters could not possibly be unrelated.
As for the true disaster on the Yao Court’s side, it had actually begun more than ten years ago, with the struggle for the throne after the Dragon Emperor’s fall. Had that struggle truly stopped?
This thought circled in Wei Hanzhen’s mind for a moment before scattering completely.
Although she was not going as the envoy, she still had to make a trip to the Yao Court.
Among the five medicines, One-Breath Clarity Water was within the Yao Court’s territory.
All the water on Mingshen Mountain could be called Clarity Water, but only the new water nurtured for a full sixty-year cycle could be called “One-Breath Clarity.”
Wei Hanzhen had already asked around. The last time someone harvested it had been sixty years ago. Now was precisely the time when new water would descend.
Although she intended to make a trip to Mingshen Mountain, Wei Hanzhen did not hurry to set out.
First, Suwei had turned misfortune into fortune and, with that strand of Penglai Qi, successfully touched the barrier to the third level. Second, Qingsheng needed to form her core.
When Suwei had formed her core back then, Wei Hanzhen had not personally protected her Dao. Naturally, she would not appear this time either. She only handed the matter to Suwei to handle. After all, Suwei was the eldest disciple under her gate, so teaching on behalf of her master was justified.
As for Yuyan, Wei Hanzhen was still determined not to see her. She would set her aside and let her cool off.
If Suwei and Qingsheng had not yet done anything outrageous according to the original plot’s path, then Yuyan was different. She had already stepped onto that dangerous ground and still did not know where she had gone wrong.
Obedient and pitiful was only a mask, used to cover a heart full of jealousy, resentment, and poisonous fire.
The original owner had not treated her poorly over these fourteen years. She should not have been raised into this kind of person!
In truth, Wei Hanzhen could not find the slightest clue in the memories, as though Yuyan’s nature had simply been like this from the beginning.
The long wind stirred her sleeves.
Wei Hanzhen stood calmly at the edge of the broken-stone cliff, faintly watching the crushed stones that spun rapidly in the hurricane.
This was a place on Pengxuan Peak used for sword practice. Originally, its spiritual mechanism had been peaceful, but it had been split open by a single sword strike from Changguan Sect’s founding ancestor. The mountain rocks had all turned into countless fragments of stone, circling in front of her and forming a spectacular yet dangerous scene.
The broken stones churned and snapped loudly. If one was careless and got struck by the rocks, flesh and blood would fly.
In the past, disciples from other peaks often came here to temper themselves. But now, traces of people had gradually disappeared.
“Master.”
A soft voice came from behind her.
Wei Hanzhen turned and saw Suwei in snow-white clothes. Suwei lowered her head, her brows and eyes respectful. The coldness in those dark eyes seemed to have melted away in an instant.
What Wei Hanzhen wanted was exactly this kind of “reverent” appearance from her disciples. But when she thought of “Wuchen,” there was still a sharp thorn left in her heart.
Wuchen’s appearance had created a change in the ordinary master-disciple relationship between her and Suwei.
She was a rebellious disciple, yet not quite a rebellious disciple.
Wei Hanzhen knew this had been Senior Brother Sect Leader’s order, but in the end, some of her dissatisfaction was still borne by Suwei.
Suwei stood quietly. The person before her gave her a feeling like a towering mountain. This was something she had not felt even back when Master was still at the second level of Nascent Soul.
A strand of hair was lifted by the wind, brushing against her cheek with a slight itch.
After waiting for a long while without a response, Suwei could not help raising her eyes. But the moment she lifted her head, she met Wei Hanzhen’s probing, assessing gaze, and she withdrew her eyes in a fluster.
One Dengying Secret Realm had not only made Wei Hanzhen utterly different from before. Suwei also seemed to have become another person, unable to control her own emotions.
This was not quite right.
Wei Hanzhen quietly let out a breath, breaking this strange stalemate. She gathered her sleeves and asked lightly, “How are things on Qingsheng’s side?”
Suwei pressed her lips together and said in a low voice, “A third-grade Golden Core.”
Wei Hanzhen’s brows abruptly furrowed.
She had not expected it to be a third-grade Golden Core.
Although it was still among the upper three grades and could be used to question the Great Dao, it was still somewhat inferior. This second disciple cultivated the wood-attribute Taihao Return-to-Life Scripture. This technique had an advantage, as it could feed essence qi back into the body during core formation. No matter what, it should have produced a second-grade Golden Core.
It was not difficult for Suwei to read Wei Hanzhen’s thoughts from her expression.
She explained, “Second Junior Sister is… still young.”
Wei Hanzhen gave a cold laugh and interrupted Suwei’s words.
If someone said Yuyan was still young, she could understand that. But how was Qingsheng still young?
“She entered the sect more than fifty years ago. She herself is greedy for external things and does not value her foundation. How far can she go?”
Her brows knitted, and she said, “Go bring her here.”
Suwei nodded and respectfully withdrew.
The envoy to the Yao Court had already been decided, and the ceremonial robes and books had been sent to various places along with the appointment.
Qingsheng shook out the ceremonial robes, listening to the clear chiming of jade striking against jade. Her brows and eyes were full of high spirits.
The young men and women in the courtyard crowded around her, offering congratulations one after another. For a time, the courtyard was filled with laughter and joy.
But this atmosphere was shattered by a streak of sword light descending from the sky. A sharp sword scar landed on a pavilion, and with a thunderous crash, the pavilion split into pieces.
Qingsheng’s expression changed slightly. She signaled the servants to withdraw with her eyes, then gathered her sleeves and looked at Suwei with a smiling face. Suwei’s expression was filled with coldness.
“This pavilion really had no eyes. It blocked Eldest Senior Sister’s path.”
Suwei frowned at Qingsheng.
Originally, she had felt that a third-grade Golden Core was not a serious problem. But influenced by Wei Hanzhen’s attitude, she also felt that her junior sister had been far too negligent in cultivation.
“Junior Sister, we cultivators do not value pleasure or covet external possessions. Send those people away as soon as possible,” Suwei said in a low voice.
Qingsheng’s eyes shifted. She clasped her hands behind her back and suddenly leaned closer to Suwei, smiling slyly. “Eldest Senior Sister, then you should set an example and scatter your own stores first.”
Suwei: “…”
She pressed her lips together and did not argue with Qingsheng.
“Master is waiting for you at Broken Stone Peak.”
Qingsheng nodded and smiled. “I understand.”
Master had returned too quickly. She had not yet enjoyed enough of the pleasure of being acting peak lord.
But now, she was the official envoy of Changguan Sect about to travel to the Yao Court. Something like acting peak lord no longer needed to be minded.
Suwei looked at Qingsheng’s smiling face, frowned, and called again, “Second Junior Sister—”
“What is it, Eldest Senior Sister?” Qingsheng raised a brow in surprise.
After thinking for a while, Suwei still reminded her, “Master is not in a very good mood.”
Qingsheng nodded. She understood.
Ever since Little Junior Sister had been sent out of Pengxuan Peak, Master’s mood had never been very good.
But she did not meet Master often anyway. It would pass in a little while.
Besides, she had now successfully formed her core, and there were no flaws in how she handled matters. Even if she had to look at Master’s cold face, it did not matter.
Suwei did not know where Qingsheng’s optimism came from. Seeing this, she did not advise her further and instead went with Qingsheng to Broken Stone Peak.
The escape light landed.
Before Qingsheng could even stand firm, a water tide abruptly surged up. In the blink of an eye, it swept around Qingsheng and threw her into that dangerous belt of broken stones.
Qingsheng was greatly alarmed. She instinctively circulated her spiritual energy, changing her body’s movements as she tried to break out from among the crushed stones.
When she raised her eyes, her gaze collided directly with Wei Hanzhen’s. She felt that those eyes were cold and soaked with frost, exuding chill. At once, she shuddered.
Wei Hanzhen smiled coldly, then turned to Suwei.
“Don’t just stand there. Use sword intent to strike the stones and seal the path. Don’t let her out.”
Suwei hid the emotions in her eyes and answered solemnly, “Yes!”
She was also someone in Changguan Sect who cultivated two arts at the same time, but when it came to the sword, Suwei was different from Wei Hanzhen.
What she cultivated was the Startling Swan Sword Scripture. This sword art lay in speed. When cultivated to a profound level, it could cut through all arts.
Qingsheng was already struggling left and right inside the broken-stone formation. After Suwei meticulously carried out Wei Hanzhen’s command, sword light and crushed stones flew together, making her even more miserable. In the blink of an eye, she had already been wounded.
This torment did not end until Qingsheng’s strength was exhausted.
Suwei fished out her junior sister, whose entire body was dripping with blood, and fed her a pill to replenish her vital energy. Then she frowned and asked, “Junior Sister, you have already formed your core. Why could you only last four hours in this broken-stone formation?”
Qingsheng: “…”
Listen to that. Were those human words?
If it had only been an ordinary broken-stone formation, would she have ended up like this?
Without even the strength to raise a hand and wipe away the bloodstains, Qingsheng stared blankly at Suwei and said, “Eldest Senior Sister, is Honored Master tormenting me? Is it because I changed the appearance of Pengxuan Peak on my own?”
“Second Junior Sister!” Suwei abruptly raised her voice.
She looked coldly at Qingsheng and said sternly, “Honored Master’s tempering is for our good. The Demon Sect is stirring, and no one knows how long the peace in all directions can last. Junior Sister often accepts missions and goes outside. Have you truly felt nothing about the outside world?”
Qingsheng fell silent for a moment, then gave a soft laugh.
“So what if the Demon Sect runs rampant? What do their lives and deaths have to do with me?”
When she had fallen into poverty and hardship as a child, who had helped her?
And if she could succeed in cultivation, that was her own matter. Why should she go back and help those people?
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