After I Became A Divine Beast In An Immortal Sect [Transmigration into a Book] - Chapter 10

Hua Ling did not sleep for very long. By the time she woke up, only two hours had passed.

She shook out her feathers, flapped her wings twice, and let out an energetic chirp.

“Awake?”

Cheng Suxi allowed Hua Ling to hop around in her palm. The tiny claws stepping across her skin caused a faint ticklish sensation.

Hua Ling rubbed against her caretaker’s smooth, slender fingers, then curiously turned toward the mirror inside the elegant chamber.

Before falling asleep, she had assumed it was merely an ordinary mirror. Unexpectedly, it was actually a “monitor.”

Not only was the image extraordinarily clear, but it could also divide into several screens and track the circumstances of different disciples.

Watching the cultivators manipulate magical artifacts while fighting their enemies gave Hua Ling the sudden impression that she was watching a large-scale esports tournament, leaving her feeling strangely disoriented.

Seeing the little creature staring fixedly at the mirror as though she had discovered something fascinating, Cheng Suxi could not resist teasing her with a finger.

Hua Ling angrily pecked it several times.

“Chirp, chirp, chirp!”

Don’t interrupt me while I’m watching the “competition”!

“Hm? Isn’t that Xianmiao Peak’s Ice Jade Chalice?”

At that moment, someone suddenly pointed toward an image in the mirror.

Cheng Suxi’s finger paused, and she raised her eyes.

The disciple shown in the mirror was fighting a Flame Bird. He threw out a transparent, shimmering magical artifact that continuously spun and expanded in midair before hovering above the Flame Bird and releasing waves of cold energy.

The Flame Bird let out a miserable cry, and the innate flames covering its body gradually died out.

“Meng Li’an?”

Someone recognized the disciple.

“Isn’t he from Hanyun Peak…?”

Everyone inside the room simultaneously turned toward Cheng Suxi.

Her expression was cold and calm as she asked in return, “Is there a problem?”

Everyone fell silent.

It seemed there truly was no problem.

The Ice Jade Chalice was an extremely practical and unusual magical artifact. It possessed powerful defensive capabilities, while the icy energy it emitted could restrain fire-attributed demonic beasts.

Most importantly, every inner disciple of Xianmiao Peak received an Ice Jade Chalice upon formally joining the peak.

Therefore, the chalice also served as a symbol of a Xianmiao Peak disciple’s identity.

There was no rule stating that it could not be lent to someone else. However, everyone understood that the Peak Master selection was closely tied to the interests of the various factions within the sect.

By lending Meng Li’an an Ice Jade Chalice, Xianmiao Peak was clearly declaring its public support for his rise to power.

Elder Jingming naturally thought of this as well and secretly mocked Cheng Suxi for being unable to remain composed and therefore incapable of accomplishing anything significant.

He looked at her with a faint, ambiguous smile.

“Meng Li’an appears remarkably familiar with the Ice Jade Chalice. He must have spent quite a bit of time practicing with it beforehand.”

His words clearly implied that Meng Li’an and Xianmiao Peak had long been colluding in secret.

The instructors inside the chamber exchanged glances, but no one dared respond.

Although Hua Ling could not understand what they were discussing, she could sense the malice coming from the middle-aged man opposite them.

Her feathers immediately puffed up, and she angrily cried out.

“Chirp, chirp, chirp! Chirp, chirp, chirp! Chirp!”

Seeing the little ball looking as though she were protesting the injustice on her behalf, Cheng Suxi’s anger eased slightly.

She gently stroked the soft down along the hatchling’s back before raising her head.

“Earlier, I found the Soul-Chasing Seal Tang Zhi used against the Soaring Serpent rather familiar. May I ask which master refined it?”

Everyone froze, not understanding why Cheng Suxi had suddenly mentioned Tang Zhi.

However, upon seeing Elder Jingming’s expression instantly darken, they became even less willing to ask questions. Every one of them lowered their gazes and pretended to be deaf and mute.

The atmosphere inside the elegant chamber immediately turned frigid.

Cheng Suxi ignored Elder Jingming’s suspicious and hesitant expression. After calculating the time, she fed Hua Ling another meal and then took out a stalk of spirit grain for her to play with.

Hua Ling inexplicably felt as though she were being entertained like an infant.

She pecked the grain stalk a few times without enthusiasm, then climbed along Cheng Suxi’s arm and onto her shoulder, occupying the higher vantage point to watch the mirror’s “live broadcast.”

Elder Jingming stared at Cheng Suxi for a long while.

Eventually unable to restrain himself any longer, he stood and announced that he had “something to attend to” before leaving the elegant chamber.

Cheng Suxi watched his hurriedly departing figure and curved her lips slightly.

She picked up the grain stalk Hua Ling had rejected, casually played with it for a moment, and then placed it back inside her storage pouch.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

At last, someone became the first to complete the Heart-Tempering Realm’s trial.

Unexpectedly, the first disciple to emerge was not one of the eight candidates competing for the Peak Master positions.

It was Yunmo of Xianmiao Peak.

Although Yunmo was only at the peak of the Golden Core realm, his combat strength was formidable, and he was even capable of challenging cultivators above his level.

Everyone had witnessed his performance inside the Heart-Tempering Realm.

Although they had not expected him to ultimately take first place, after thinking about it, the result did seem reasonable.

“Xianmiao Peak is impressive indeed, to have cultivated such an outstanding disciple.”

Someone congratulated Cheng Suxi.

“It was merely good fortune.”

There was no pride on Cheng Suxi’s face. She stood and said, “Everyone, please excuse me for a moment.”

After leaving the elegant chamber, Hua Ling stood upon Cheng Suxi’s shoulder and sensed that her caretaker did not seem to be in a particularly good mood.

She rubbed against Cheng Suxi’s neck and let out a short chirp.

Cheng Suxi turned her head and met Hua Ling’s two beady eyes.

With profound meaning, she said, “Without rules, nothing can be properly accomplished. Those who overstep boundaries and disregard discipline should naturally be punished.”

Hua Ling immediately shuddered, and all her downy feathers puffed up.

She…

Apart from eating just a tiny, tiny bit too much, she probably had not done anything wrong, right?

……

Qin Jian looked Yunmo up and down in satisfaction before generously praising him.

“Completing the trial in only three days is sufficient proof of your ability. However, you must never become proud or complacent. Only by maintaining inner emptiness and preserving tranquility can one comprehend the Great Dao.”

“I respectfully heed the Sect Master’s teachings.”

Yunmo replied deferentially.

When he raised his head, he saw Cheng Suxi approaching at a measured pace and hurriedly bowed.

“Peak Master.”

Cheng Suxi’s gaze swept calmly across Yunmo before she turned toward Qin Jian.

“You have worked hard these past few days.”

The Heart-Tempering Realm could only be kept by the successive Sect Masters of the Qianyuan Sect.

Once it was activated, the Sect Master had to continuously sustain it with spiritual energy and could not leave.

Even the slightest mistake might cause the disciples undergoing the trials to become lost inside the Heart-Tempering Realm and prevent them from being transported back.

Therefore, Qin Jian had remained here without sleep or rest throughout the past several days.

Hearing Cheng Suxi’s words, Qin Jian smiled somewhat bashfully.

“This is merely my responsibility as Sect Master. Senior Sister, there is no need to praise me.”

Seeing this, Cheng Suxi felt greatly gratified.

Back then, she had insisted upon recommending Qin Jian, the previous Sect Master’s son, as his successor for three reasons.

First, Qin Jian possessed excellent talent and aptitude. Within a hundred years, he had cultivated the Qianyuan Sect’s supreme technique, the Tianyuan Art, to its third level.

Second, he was upright without being rigid, possessed a strong sense of responsibility, and was well suited to the position of Sect Master.

Third, during the great war, Qin Jian had remained calm in the face of danger and activated the sect’s protective formation, saving countless disciples and earning the gratitude and trust of everyone within the sect.

At the time, Qin Jian had been entrusted with the position during a crisis, and his conduct had still been somewhat inexperienced.

Now, however, he already possessed the bearing of a true Sect Master.

This reassured Cheng Suxi that she had not misjudged him.

Author’s Note

Huannong warning: The one who eats a lot grows up beautiful.

Hua Ling: Trembling in fear…