Chapter 26.2

Had she not simply been too shocked? Anyone who looked in the mirror and discovered that the person inside was someone they did not recognize would not be able to remain calm.

“That body of yours was originally forged using a wisp of the little fox’s living soul as its foundation. The fox demon clan naturally carries a flirtatious charm in every frown and smile. Just restrain yourself a little normally.”

Xi Zhou was lost. “How do I restrain that?” Should she cover her face? That would look even stranger.

The tree demon said irritably, “How else? Learn from your Eldest Senior Sister. Keep a cold face and ignore everyone.”

Xi Zhou: “…”

After reading the cultivation essentials for a while longer, Xi Zhou tried drawing spiritual energy into her body.

The book said that disciples with outstanding talent could successfully refine energy in one or two days, transforming from mortals into cultivators. After that, they could go without food.

Only after entering the Qi Refining stage could one refine spiritual energy. When spiritual energy filled the dantian, one could break through to Foundation Establishment.

She blankly put down the book in her hand. Forget drawing in spiritual energy—if she did not wave her hand around, she could not even feel where the airflow was.

This aptitude really was lower-lower grade.

Without her noticing, the sky outside darkened. Xi Zhou went to the dining hall, ate a bowl of porridge, and returned. In all of Tianjian Sect, only she and Zhou Zhouzi were new disciples, and only the two of them had not reached Qi Refining and could not yet abstain from food.

The huge dining hall had only the two of them. And one of them was a chatterbox who kept talking the whole time, making her want to run.

Night fell, and everything was quiet.

Xi Zhou had just fallen asleep when she heard a voice beside her ear.

“Mother~”

It directly startled her awake.

When she opened her eyes, she discovered that she was not in the servant disciples’ room. She looked at the room’s furnishings in disbelief.

This was…

This was clearly…

This was Eldest Senior Sister’s room. ​Read on BaiLianTales​Although it had changed slightly, it was indeed Eldest Senior Sister’s room.

A bold guess suddenly arose in her heart. She wanted to lower her head but discovered that her entire body was powerless. But this familiar feeling…

She was back. Wuwuwu. Xi Zhou wanted to cry but had no tears. She had returned to the Dream-Entering Grass’s body. Dear heavens.

Eldest Senior Sister, I’m back…

“Mother, Little Grass moved.” The voice from earlier sounded beside her ear again.

Xi Zhou looked over. Only then did she realize that her current position was on the bedside cabinet in Eldest Senior Sister’s room. Sitting cross-legged on the bed was a little girl around two years old, tilting her head as she studied her.

Xi Zhou froze. It felt as though countless horses were galloping through her heart. Who was this little girl talking to? Did Eldest Senior Sister no longer live on Beishan Peak?

Just then, the door to the inner room opened and closed. A woman’s voice sounded.

“Quiet. Sleep.”

Xi Zhou turned her head, and her heart immediately felt a little sour and bitter.

Eldest Senior Sister.

In her line of sight, Zhai Wangyou wore red robes. Her expression was as calm as it was in Xi Zhou’s memories, but when she looked at the little girl, a trace of gentleness would unconsciously appear in her eyes.

Zhai Wangyou looked toward the flowerpot on the bedside cabinet and reached out to touch its edge. The little girl tugged at the quilt on the bed, bringing up a gust of wind.

The withered leaf of the Dream-Entering Grass, hanging as though about to fall, moved in the wind.

The little girl leaned over, lay at the edge of the bed, and whispered, “Mother, Little Grass really moved.”

Zhai Wangyou reached out and gently stroked the top of her head. “It was the wind moving, not the grass. Sleep.”

Inside the flowerpot, only half of the Dream-Entering Grass remained. Its leaves were withered yellow and about to fall. Its slender stem was also terribly withered, without the slightest trace of life.

The other rootless half of the Dream-Entering Grass had long since turned into soil.

On the bed, the little girl seemed used to her mother’s coldness and few words, but still asked quietly, “Mother, will Daddy come back?”

“Sleep.”

“Mother, Little Grass really moved just now. There was no wind.”

“Quiet.”

The voices gradually disappeared, but Xi Zhou could not come back to herself for a long time. The Dream-Entering Grass was no longer inside the Purple-Gold Cover. How had Eldest Senior Sister opened it…

No. This was not the time to think about those questions. What she should be thinking about now was: who was Daddy?

That little girl had called Eldest Senior Sister Mother!

And there was a Daddy too!

Had Eldest Senior Sister adopted a daughter?

But that little girl looked so much like Eldest Senior Sister, aside from those affectionate peach blossom eyes…

Her nose, mouth, and face shape were practically exactly like Eldest Senior Sister’s. They were clearly mother and daughter…

Xi Zhou trembled faintly in a daze. Now, her heart was not just a little sour and bitter. It was very sour, very bitter, and very painful. No, extremely painful…

That night, someone slept sweetly, while someone else was destined to have no sleep.

The next morning, the moment Xi Zhou arrived at the cultivation grounds, everyone looked over.

What an enchanting woman. She should be a new disciple.

Zhou Zhouzi was the first to walk over. “Hey, you still haven’t said what your name is.”

“Xi Zhou.” Her tone carried no ripples, and was even a little cold, as though it could freeze a person. It seemed this new disciple was an icy beauty.

Xi Zhou was not obeying the tree demon’s instruction to be a little cold to others. It was just that her mood was truly low right now. Her entire person was in a low-pressure state.

Eldest Senior Sister actually had a Dao companion. She even had a child. The child looked around two. Xi Zhou had only slept for three years, so as soon as she disappeared, Eldest Senior Sister forgot her old love and found a new one?

Perhaps Xi Zhou could not even be counted as an old love.

Then what did that make her?

A tool grass?

“Xi Zhou, are you all right? Eldest Senior Sister will come give instructions to the new disciples soon…” Zhou Zhouzi reached out and patted her shoulder, feeling that bailiantales.com this new companion had become terrifying after only one night.

“Whether she comes or not, who cares?” Xi Zhou snorted coldly. A woman who abandoned someone after starting everything. Pah.

Seeing that she answered, Zhou Zhouzi could not resist his chatterbox habit and enthusiastically shared, “I heard our Eldest Senior Sister is charming and sweet-looking, gentle and considerate, and especially good to new disciples. Her Dao companion is also very impressive.”

He was speaking excitedly when he saw Xi Zhou’s gaze fill with murderous intent. He could not help stopping. “What kind of look is that?”

Xi Zhou said coldly, “You really are a pork knuckle.”

Were they all blind? Zhai Wangyou, that woman, was charming? Gentle?

Either these people were blind, or she was blind.

“How many times do I have to tell you? I’m called Zhouzi. This young lord was a noble prince in the mortal world. But I won’t argue with you here. Let me tell you, Eldest Senior Sister’s Dao companion is really impressive. He just broke through to early Golden Core last month.”

“What did you say? When they held their Dao Companion Ceremony, her Dao companion was at Foundation Establishment?” Xi Zhou interrupted Zhou Zhouzi, her eyes full of suspicion. Just what kind of Dao companion had that woman Zhai Wangyou found?

Zhou Zhouzi nodded. “I heard that’s the case. Say, how long do you think it’ll take us to establish foundation? They all say Qi Refining is quick, one day at the shortest, three to five days at the longest. But Foundation Establishment is hard. Those with high talent need three to five years. My cousin is like that. He has a single spiritual root and established foundation in three years. As for us, who knows when we’ll establish foundation? I also heard some people stay at Qi Refining their whole lives…”

“Eldest Senior Sister is here.”

The cultivation grounds suddenly filled with quiet murmurs, then quickly became silent again.

Xi Zhou rolled her eyes and turned her head away, not wanting to look toward the door. But the next moment, she could not help turning back to look.

Eldest Senior Sister, if I walk in front of you, will you recognize me?

In the next instant, she saw a young girl with a bright smile walking in. She was indeed charming and sweet-looking, and her voice was gentle too.

But… who was this?

Xi Zhou froze. Didn’t they say Eldest Senior Sister? Was Zhai Wangyou no longer Eldest Senior Sister now?

Only after the girl on the platform left did she look at Zhou Zhouzi beside her. “Pork knuckle, you said that person just now was Eldest Senior Sister?”

Zhou Zhouzi rolled his eyes speechlessly and gave up correcting her pronunciation. “That’s right. Eldest Senior Sister Chong Wen. She and her Dao companion are both at early Golden Core. Do you know who her Dao companion is?”

Xi Zhou fell silent.

She knew.

“Young Sect Master Wang Junting.” He was also Zhai Wangyou’s former fiancé.

Zhou Zhouzi raised his brows. “I thought you didn’t listen to anything outside your window, but you actually know.”

Having a little companion to share gossip with felt great.

He nudged Xi Zhou’s arm with his elbow. “What else do you know?”

Xi Zhou took several deep breaths before asking in a low voice, “Do you know who lives on Beishan Peak?”

Zhou Zhouzi raised his brows. “My information really is well-informed. The person living on Beishan Peak is Elder Wangyou. But everyone privately calls her Fairy Wangyou. I heard she’s already at the Spirit Division stage despite being so young. She’s also an absolute beauty. Truly amazing.”

Elder Wangyou. Fairy Wangyou. It seemed Elder Beishan’s death had been confirmed.

Xi Zhou’s heart was filled with complicated emotions. She was already at Spirit Division. Meanwhile, Xi Zhou had not even entered Qi Refining. No, why was she thinking about this? That woman already had a Dao companion. She even had a child.

She pressed her lips together. She felt that the bitterness in her heart had already spread to her mouth. No, it had spread through her whole body. Everything was bitter.

“Then who is Fairy Wangyou’s Dao companion?”

This time, Zhou Zhouzi shook his head. “That’s something no one knows. But everyone privately says he must be a graceful and handsome man. Maybe he’s some hidden expert.”

No one knew.

Xi Zhou’s breath stopped, and her voice unconsciously tightened. “Since no one knows, why must it be a man?”

Zhou Zhouzi glanced at her. “Are you stupid? Fairy Wangyou has a child. They say the child looks a lot like her daddy. Her peach blossom eyes are especially beautiful, just like yours. But in my eyes, your eyes are still the prettiest.”

Xi Zhou fell silent. The last trace of hope in her heart also fell to the bottom.

That was right. Was she stupid?

Eldest Senior Sister had a child.

That little girl’s eyes really were very beautiful. A pair of affectionate peach blossom eyes. She must look a lot like her daddy. Truly beautiful.

Xi Zhou took two light breaths and raised her head to look at the sky. Her eyes reddened completely. A tide rose and fell, then disappeared.

Zhou Zhouzi raised his brows in confusion. Why did he feel that his little companion’s eyes had turned red Read on BaiLianTales just now? Was it because cultivation was too hard?

On the first day, neither of them successfully refined energy. After being encouraged a little, the two returned in low spirits. It seemed their talent was very average.

As night approached, Xi Zhou lay on the bed with her arm as a pillow. She had no appetite to eat dinner and only stared blankly.

After a long time, she unknowingly fell asleep. Before sleeping, she was still thinking: this time, she absolutely must not return to the Dream-Entering Grass.

On Beishan Peak.

“Have you come back?”

Zhai Wangyou touched the edge of the flowerpot with her finger and carefully poured half a cup of water filled with spiritual energy into it.

Inside the flowerpot, the originally withered half of the Dream-Entering Grass revealed a moving shade of purple at its roots. A faint purple glow spread with weak light, as though carrying endless vitality.

Her finger moved lightly over the flowerpot. She wanted to touch that pale purple sprout, yet for some reason, she was afraid and did not dare.

“Mother, Little Grass really came back to life. Does that mean Daddy is coming back?”

This time, Zhai Wangyou did not tell her daughter to be quiet as usual. Instead, she gazed gently at the Dream-Entering Grass in the flowerpot and stolen content said, “It is Mother who is coming back. You do not have a father. She is also your mother.”

“But Auntie Guanlan said Mother could only give birth to me because there was a daddy.”

“She does not know the truth.” Zhai Wangyou wanted to explain something, but looking at her daughter, who was only a little over two years old, she dismissed the thought. That person might never return. Why let one more person wait hopelessly?

At the cultivation grounds, Xi Zhou repeated the movements for drawing spiritual energy into her body with lifeless eyes. Last night, before going to sleep, she had only made a half-hearted prayer. Who knew that she really would not go to Eldest Senior Sister afterward?

Heavens, you refuse to work when you should, but when you should not work, why did you suddenly become so effective?

“I succeeded! I can control spiritual energy now!” Zhou Zhouzi’s excited voice rang through the cultivation grounds, and nearby disciples immediately came over to congratulate him.

“Junior Brother Zhou is worthy of being a dual-spiritual-root disciple. Perhaps you’ll be the first among us to establish your foundation.” This cultivation ground was full of outer disciples. Aside from Senior Sister Lü and Senior Brother Feng, who were at Foundation Establishment and had both been promoted to outer sect managers, everyone else was at Qi Refining.

Zhou Zhouzi proudly raised his head and looked toward his little companion. “Xi Zhou, how about you?”

Xi Zhou shook her head, her tone flat. “I can’t sense spiritual energy.”

Seeing this, Senior Brother Feng walked over and smiled. “Junior Sister Xi Zhou, there’s no need to rush. In our outer sect, this cultivation ground has the richest spiritual energy. You’ll definitely manage. Maybe you’ll succeed tomorrow.”

Xi Zhou nodded, then began numbly repeating the movements to draw spiritual energy in again.

Senior Brother Feng’s eyes darkened. Such an alluring beauty, yet unfortunately, her personality was cold. He had originally found her somewhat interesting, but unfortunately, she had displeased Eldest Senior Sister Chong Wen. A beauty’s fate was thin. What a pity.

By lunchtime, only Xi Zhou was left in the dining hall. Now, in the entire sect, she was the only one who was still an ordinary mortal.

The cook was also an outer sect servant disciple. She even took the initiative to bring the food over. “Junior Sister Xi Zhou, just tell me what you want to eat. Right now, you’re the only one coming to the dining hall, so I’ll treat it as practice for my cooking skills.”

Xi Zhou politely thanked her. “Thank you, Senior Sister. I’m not picky. I’ll eat whatever you make.”

Xi Zhou ate the rice in her bowl in small bites. It was said to be spiritual rice grown with spiritual energy, but unfortunately, she could not taste anything special. It did not even feel as fragrant as ordinary rice.

After eating, she worked hard for the whole afternoon, but still gained nothing. Xi Zhou looked at Zhou Zhouzi, who kept proudly showing off in front of her, and could not help feeling discouraged. Was this the difference between a dual-spiritual-root disciple with average aptitude and a five-spiritual-root disciple with lower-lower-grade aptitude?

Seeing her stop, Zhou Zhouzi began instructing her very seriously. “You have to calm your heart and quiet your energy. Focus your attention. You have to use your heart to sense the spiritual energy around you…”

Xi Zhou sighed. “You might as well just read the cultivation essentials to me.”

Zhou Zhouzi laughed awkwardly. “Isn’t that what I’m reciting to you now? I asked the senior brothers about it. Among Tianjian Sect disciples, even the slowest five-spiritual-root disciple only needed less than ten days to refine energy. At most, you’ll definitely succeed in ten days.”

Xi Zhou raised her hand and continued practicing. “May your words come true.”

Heaven rewards diligence. She refused to believe it. What the hell was this spiritual energy? Why could she not sense it?

Did feeling the cool autumn wind count as sensing spiritual energy?

At night, Xi Zhou lay down early on the bed, frowning and sighing. Should she go to Eldest Senior Sister’s place?

No, that was not right. The question should be: would she go to Eldest Senior Sister’s place?

That person already had a Dao companion and a child…

She did not know whether it would work tonight. Could it be controlled by her own thoughts?

Xi Zhou guessed for a while in her heart, closed her eyes, and tried to focus the way she used to when entering dreams.

“Little Grass moved again.”

A childish cheer sounded beside her ear. Xi Zhou opened her eyes and saw the little girl lying at the edge of the bed, staring at her. Her face was obedient and adorable, making it impossible to dislike her.

“Little Grass, you moved again. I’m going to tell Mother.” The [read the original at bailiantales.com]little girl reached out, wanting to touch her, but seemed worried about something. In the end, she drew her hand back.

Xi Zhou silently looked at this bright and clever child. Sadly, she discovered that she actually liked her, because she was Eldest Senior Sister’s child.

So there really was such a thing as loving the house and the crow perched on it. Even though this was the child Eldest Senior Sister had with someone else, Xi Zhou still could not help feeling close to her, could not help liking her.

She wanted to use a leaf to touch the little girl’s chubby hand, only to discover that she had very few leaves, and they were very short, like a tender sprout that had just grown.

The little girl stared at her for a long time. In the end, she could not resist reaching out. Imitating Zhai Wangyou’s usual movements, she touched the edge of the flowerpot. Unexpectedly, her body tilted, and she almost fell off the bed.

Xi Zhou’s heart jolted. She instinctively moved to support her. Fortunately, the little girl did not fall.

She let out a breath of relief, then froze by the bed.

“Who are you?” The little girl looked at the woman who had suddenly appeared before her and unconsciously retreated to the foot of the bed.

“My name is Xi Zhou.”

“My name is Xinghui. Zhai Xinghui.” The little girl politely gave her name in return. Seeing that Xi Zhou did not make any dangerous movements, she seemed to relax and moved a little closer from the foot of the bed.

Xi Zhou forced a smile, her tone bitter. “Zhai Xinghui. That’s a very nice name.”

Seeing her smile, the little girl moved a little closer again. “My daddy is called Xing, so I’m called Xinghui.”

Xi Zhou endured the sourness in her heart and pressed her lips into a smile. “Xinghui is very good. Be careful next time. I’m leaving now.”

She had to leave this place. Eldest Senior Sister’s Dao companion was called Xing, so the child was named Zhai Xinghui. Eldest Senior Sister was waiting for someone else to return, but that person was not her.

What did the book say again? When you could not feel love, you had to learn to withdraw completely. She had to withdraw completely.

In the blink of an eye, Xi Zhou disappeared from where she stood. She also left the Dream-Entering Grass and woke up in the room where the servant disciples lived.

She hugged her pillow and rolled around. Her mind was full of Zhai Wangyou’s appearance. Ah, those inspirational essays really were all lies. They only gave conclusions and never explained the process. Learn to withdraw completely? But how exactly was she supposed to do that?

The next day, Xi Zhou practiced frantically. Her mind kept repeating, I have to withdraw completely. Women only affect the speed of my cultivation. I have to withdraw completely…

Seeing her look as if she was risking her life, Zhou Zhouzi could not help advising her, “You can’t do it like this. You have to calm your heart and quiet your energy…”

“I can do it. I definitely can. I definitely can withdraw completely. I definitely can…”

There seemed to be murderous intent on Xi Zhou’s face, making Zhou Zhouzi read the original at bailiantales.com silently take two steps away.

He looked at this woman, who seemed nearly insane, and thought that his imperial father had been right. One could not judge people only by appearances. Who would have expected that this alluring and affectionate-looking beauty would actually go crazy?

It seemed this beauty could not be successfully captured. She was too abnormal. It was more reliable to treat her as a brother.

For eight days in a row, Xi Zhou held in that stubborn breath and did not return to the Dream-Entering Grass. She focused wholly on cultivation. In the end, on the tenth day, just when everyone thought she would break through, she still could not sense even the slightest trace of spiritual energy.

Xi Zhou stared speechlessly at the sky. She suspected that heaven had been beaten unconscious by someone. Now, it would not even move its eyelids.

Senior Brother Feng was also speechless watching her. He had been waiting for this woman to successfully refine energy so he could use celebration as an excuse to coax her out.

He had not expected her to be a decorative vase, pretty to look at but useless. Ten days, and she still had not succeeded in refining energy. Her aptitude was too dull. Was Eldest Senior Sister Chong Wen sure they needed to guard against this woman?

The Young Sect Master should not be that unbearable…

On Beishan Peak, Zhai Wangyou looked at the Dream-Entering Grass, which had grown much taller again, and slowly sprinkled water filled with spiritual energy over it.

“Mother, a pretty auntie suddenly came out of Little Grass.”

Zhai Wangyou’s fingers trembled. She tightened her bailiantales.com grip on the cup and turned back to ask, “Xinghui, what did you say?”

Little Xinghui raised her head. “I saw a pretty auntie come out of Little Grass.”

Zhai Wangyou set down the cup, bent down, and held Little Xinghui’s arms. She confirmed again and again, “Tell Mother again. What did you see happen to Little Grass?”

Little Xinghui blinked in confusion. “I saw Little Grass move again. Really.”

Right, it moved again. She had forgotten to tell Mother last time.

Zhai Wangyou’s breathing tightened. She forced herself to calm down and slowed her voice. “Yes, Mother believes Xinghui. Just now, you also said you saw a pretty auntie.”

She looked at her daughter with eager eyes, and the hope in her heart gradually grew larger.

Until she heard Little Xinghui answer seriously, “I saw a pretty auntie come out of Little Grass. She was as beautiful as Mother. Auntie even talked to me.”

Author’s Note:

The comments section is truly so warm. Thank you all for your support~

Ah, I’m so happy I don’t know what to say. I’ll work hard. I’ll ​read the original at bailiantales.com​keep going. Holding you all tight~