Oh No, Senior Sister Cultivates The Heartless Dao - Chapter 4

The cold against Qin Zhiyue’s waist grew stronger, seeping inward as though it might freeze her bones. She shifted uncomfortably, only to tip sharply to one side and roll straight off the Frostfall Sword.

A hand caught her waist, which was nearly numb by now. Dazed, she used the support to steady herself. The hand then left her without hesitation.

“Senior Sister…” Qin Zhiyue drew in a sharp breath at the sight of those phoenix eyes so close to hers.

“S-Senior Sister…”

Zhong Yunyue stared blankly at Xiao Weimian’s hand and called out almost mechanically. An indescribably strange feeling came over her. Had Senior Sister just caught Qin Zhiyue in her arms? What happened to her aversion to being touched?

She must have seen it wrong. She must be hallucinating. Zhong Yunyue took a step forward without quite realizing it. Only then did it sink in that Qin Zhiyue had nearly fallen into the formation. Belated guilt made her expression turn slightly awkward.

Once Qin Zhiyue had her footing, she instinctively rested a hand on Xiao Weimian’s arm. Xiao Weimian still held Frostfall and had not put it away.

Silence spread through that part of the Scripture Repository, broken only by breathing that grew increasingly unsteady.

Nervous, Zhong Yunyue reached for Qin Zhiyue’s hand. Had that woman gone mad? Did she want to lose her hand?!

But she caught nothing. To her surprise, Xiao Weimian did not shake Qin Zhiyue off. Instead, she supported her by the wrist and guided her over beside a bookshelf.

“Are you all right?” Xiao Weimian asked evenly. The little red diamond-shaped mark between her brows made her look even more coldly beautiful.

Qin Zhiyue released her arm and shook her head. The scent of ice and snow filled her nose. She could not tell whether it came from the Frostfall Sword or Xiao Weimian herself.

“Fighting in private is against sect rules.” Xiao Weimian turned her dark, unreadable eyes toward Zhong Yunyue. She looked every bit the perfectly impartial Senior Sister.

“I was wrong.” Zhong Yunyue gritted her teeth and reluctantly lowered her head, though she still shot Qin Zhiyue a resentful glare.

Qin Zhiyue felt unfairly blamed. She was about to leave with Zhong Yunyue. If Xiao Weimian had come to find a book, they should not disturb her. But as Qin Zhiyue turned away, that cool voice stopped her.

“Junior Sister Qin, stay.”

Qin Zhiyue closed her eyes, feeling helpless. She truly wanted nothing to do with Xiao Weimian. Xiao Weimian had failed to kill her last night and would not try again in front of witnesses today, but being kept behind alone could hardly mean anything good.

“Is there something else, Senior Sister?” Qin Zhiyue turned back with just the right amount of puzzlement on her face.

White spiritual energy flew toward the doors, and a restrictive barrier settled over the Scripture Repository.

“There’s no need to be nervous, Junior Sister Qin.” Xiao Weimian’s pale face showed none of the distress she had suffered in the cave. Her tone was almost gentle. “You were drawn into danger because of me during our excursion a few days ago. The gu poison must be removed, and I will naturally compensate you.”

Qin Zhiyue felt a little guilty. She gave a couple of dry laughs. “You’re too kind, Senior Sister. I’d do anything for the sect. But how do we remove the gu?”

“I need three drops of blood from your heart, infused with spiritual energy.” Xiao Weimian’s gaze fell on Qin Zhiyue’s chest. It was so penetrating that a chill ran down Qin Zhiyue’s back.

For a moment, Qin Zhiyue suspected Xiao Weimian might kill her right there.

“That is why I’ll help you reach Foundation Establishment before taking the blood.” A trace of regret, almost too faint to notice, entered Xiao Weimian’s voice.

Foundation Establishment?

Qin Zhiyue blushed and said a little bashfully, “But I’ve been stuck at the late Qi Refining stage for more than fifty years.”

She clearly saw a crack appear for an instant in Xiao Weimian’s lofty composure. Evidently, Xiao Weimian had not expected Qin Zhiyue to be quite so hopeless. An inexplicable wave of delight swept through Qin Zhiyue, followed at once by self-disgust.

No, Qin Zhiyue, what exactly are you proud of? She’s shocked by how slowly you advance, and you’re smiling?

Xiao Weimian’s rare silence made the atmosphere awkward. Qin Zhiyue kept her eyes lowered. In the end, she could not help asking first.

“Senior Sister, what if I never reach Foundation Establishment?” Her voice was barely louder than a mosquito’s buzz.

Xiao Weimian sighed. “If that truly happens, I can only take a bowl of your blood infused with spiritual energy each month to suppress the child gu for the time being.”

Qin Zhiyue had just begun to relax at the news that there was another way when Xiao Weimian continued, a hint of pity in her voice.

“But it would damage your spiritual meridians and even shorten your life.”

Her life?

Qin Zhiyue swallowed. A cultivator at the Qi Refining stage could live for three hundred years. She was only a hundred and twenty-seven. “By how much?” she asked with difficulty.

“More than nine-tenths.” Xiao Weimian considered it for a moment, little emotion on her beautiful face. “You’d have perhaps a dozen years left.”

In the cultivation world, a dozen years passed in the blink of an eye. It was hardly any time at all.

“Is there really no other way?” Qin Zhiyue’s thoughts were a mess. She began wondering why she had put this plot point in the book in the first place.

Oh, right. The minor character had originally been stabbed to death, which had also resolved the love gu. Once the cultivator carrying the mother gu died, the child gu would die with it.

Damn it. Qin Zhiyue was filled with regret. If she had known it would be such a bother, she would have chosen the child gu for herself. Maybe Xiao Weimian would have been willing to give her three drops of blood from her heart instead?

All right. She did not regret her choice at all!

If it truly threatened Xiao Weimian’s cultivation, Xiao Weimian would certainly kill her with a single sword strike. She would never bother exchanging these polite pretenses with her.

Besides, Xiao Weimian had probably come to see her now because last night’s attack had failed and she wanted to test her.

A perfectionist like Xiao Weimian, who could not tolerate the slightest mistake, would never repeat a plan that had failed once.

The mother gu could affect the child gu, so killing Qin Zhiyue would not be so easy. And if Xiao Weimian exposed her strength, ruined her image as the unattainable Senior Sister, and brought her cultivation of the Heartless Dao to light, the cost would far outweigh the benefit.

Xiao Weimian was watching her coolly. Qin Zhiyue could still sense her desire to kill, but she also knew she was safe for the moment.

“There is another way.” Xiao Weimian’s pale lips moved. When those chilly eyes settled on Qin Zhiyue, her heart gave a tremor.

Under Qin Zhiyue’s hopeful gaze, Xiao Weimian continued, “The technique cultivated by the Hehuan Sect’s Holy Maiden should be able to remove this gu.”

Well, that was even less realistic than the last option.

Everyone in the cultivation world knew that the current Holy Maiden of the Hehuan Sect never stayed in one place. The last news of her had come from the Rongxin Secret Realm.

And even if they found her, given the terrible relationship between the First Sword Sect and the  Hehuan Sect, they would be lucky if the Holy Maiden did not make matters worse. Why would she help them?

“I suggest you reach Foundation Establishment, Junior Sister.”

Xiao Weimian sounded unusually sincere. She truly hoped Qin Zhiyue would reach Foundation Establishment soon. Her patience was limited.

The dim Scripture Repository was completely enclosed by the formation Xiao Weimian had drawn with her spiritual energy. She wore the snow-white uniform of an inner disciple. Subtle silver patterns on its narrow sleeves and belt marked her as the foremost disciple.

Ordinarily, Qin Zhiyue would hardly have had a chance to stand within three meters of her, let alone speak with her.

Qin Zhiyue looked troubled. Her dress was still somewhat wrinkled. She clutched its hem, her face full of uncertainty and distress, and looked at Xiao Weimian with such intensity that she seemed to be begging for a better solution.

After a moment’s thought, Xiao Weimian actually took two steps closer. “Don’t worry, Junior Sister Qin,” she said in a cool voice. “I bear some responsibility for what happened with the love gu. If you’re willing, you may come to  Ningxue Peak after your evening lessons each day to see me.”

“Really?” Qin Zhiyue’s voice rose sharply. She sounded almost overwhelmed by the honor.

“Then it’s settled.” Xiao Weimian joined two fingers and circulated her spiritual energy, dispelling the restrictive formation.

Hey, who said we’d settled anything?

Qin Zhiyue could have cried. She could only watch as Xiao Weimian scanned her inner disciple jade token at the entrance and disappeared from sight.

By the time Qin Zhiyue came back to herself, Xiao Weimian had already transported her outside the Scripture Repository. In her hand was a spring-green jade pendant with a pale purple tassel. She lowered her gaze, put it in her storage space anyway, and turned to leave.

“Ah!”

“Fuck, you scared me to death!” Qin Zhiyue’s mouth twitched.

Zhong Yunyue stood there with a dark aura around her and a grim expression, staring at Qin Zhiyue resentfully like a ghost that refused to leave.

“Is there something else, Senior Sister Zhong?” Qin Zhiyue asked through gritted teeth.

“How? How could that be possible?” Zhong Yunyue looked utterly lost. “How could Senior Sister…”

Qin Zhiyue felt a headache coming on. Zhong Yunyue had worn that same expression when the elder praised her last time. This time, though, she looked less like someone jealous over a romantic disappointment and more like someone whose idol’s image had just shattered.

It was easy to guess what bothered her. Xiao Weimian had merely reached out and caught Qin Zhiyue. Was it so strange for a sect’s senior sister to help a junior sister?

It would not be strange for most people. For Xiao Weimian, it was highly unusual.

Qin Zhiyue was a little surprised too. Others did not know it, but Xiao Weimian did not avoid people because she was fastidious about cleanliness. Ever since she began cultivating the Heartless Dao, the spiritual energy within her circulated constantly. It naturally resisted contact with others, and she particularly disliked touching their spiritual energy.

In short, her aversion was related to her cultivation. She also did not want anyone to notice anything unusual about her spiritual energy. It was not a physical revulsion toward being touched.

As for why that habit did not seem to apply to Qin Zhiyue, she could not say. Perhaps she did not interfere with Xiao Weimian’s spiritual energy? Still, her instincts told her to keep her distance.

Qin Zhiyue knew Xiao Weimian all the better because she had created her. In the cultivation world, the Heartless Dao was a forbidden art and an unorthodox path. That was not simply because it was difficult to cultivate or because it drove so many people into cultivation deviation.

It posed an enormous danger to the cultivation world. One only had to look at the love and hatred between the previous Sword Sect leader and the former Holy Maiden of the Hehuan Sect. Who knew how much bloodshed Xiao Weimian would go through before she finally completed her cultivation and ascended?

In any case, nothing good would come of getting close to that relentless overachiever. Qin Zhiyue hated that sort of relentless striving more than anything. She was practically allergic to it.

Foundation Establishment. Ugh, Foundation Establishment. Qin Zhiyue dejectedly pushed Zhong Yunyue away as she clung to her.

“Qin Zhiyue, what did Senior Sister keep you behind to say? I heard you happened to save her when you went out gathering herbs that day.” Zhong Yunyue watched her resentfully.

Oh, so that was how the story had spread. Fair enough. The love gu was hardly something they could publicize. Xiao Weimian must have said something to Zifei and the others to make it seem as though Qin Zhiyue had been the one to help her.

Apparently, Qin Zhiyue had been cast as the lifesaver who would be rewarded, reach Foundation Establishment, and set off on a cultivation journey with every advantage.

“Nothing much,” Qin Zhiyue said, looking puzzled.

“You’re lying to me.” Zhong Yunyue narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“Senior Sister Zhong.” Qin Zhiyue sighed. “I barely know Senior Sister. What could she possibly have to say to me? She just encouraged me and said she hoped I would reach Foundation Establishment soon.”

Foundation Establishment? Zhong Yunyue froze, then burst into laughter she could no longer contain.

Qin Zhiyue stopped and stared at her in silence.

In this world, the clearest line between mortals and cultivators was whether one could draw spiritual energy into one’s body. Foundation Establishment was another threshold on the path of cultivation, and countless cultivators could never cross it.

Having glimpsed the wonders of the cultivation world, people with ordinary aptitude were often unwilling to return to mortal life. Many therefore became outer disciples.

The First Sword Sect had more outer disciples than anyone could count, and Qin Zhiyue was one of them. Her future had effectively been decided on the day her aptitude was tested. She thought that was… perfectly fine.

Being an easygoing Qi Refining cultivator suited her just right.

If word got out that Senior Sister was willing to help an outer disciple reach Foundation Establishment, countless outer disciples would be so envious they could not sleep. But the honor made Qin Zhiyue’s skin crawl. She was genuinely worried that Xiao Weimian might decide to kill her one day for being a hopeless case.

“Hey, Qin Zhiyue. I’m talking to you.”

Having laughed enough, Zhong Yunyue looked Qin Zhiyue over again. “Some outer disciples have reached Foundation Establishment, but with your aptitude… Half of the disciples who place in the top ten of the annual outer sect competition have already reached it.”

Qin Zhiyue considered that. So that was how the sect kept track of its talent. Even if a promising cultivator emerged among the outer disciples later, the yearly selection would ensure no one was overlooked. That really was…

“You don’t seriously think you have a chance of entering the inner sect, do you?” Zhong Yunyue’s face twisted as she spared no effort in putting Qin Zhiyue down.

“You’d better rein it in,” Qin Zhiyue urged.

“Rein what in?”

“The jealousy in your eyes, Senior Sister Zhong.” Qin Zhiyue spread her hands innocently. “It’s practically stabbing me. That hurts!”

“You!” Zhong Yunyue was so furious she wanted to draw her sword again. Remembering that she had been sent to the Scripture Repository as punishment that very day, she held herself back. After glaring fiercely at Qin Zhiyue, she swept her sleeves and left.

Qin Zhiyue watched her go with a smile. She had no interest whatsoever in becoming an inner disciple.