After that mysterious person had caused a scene at the Jiutian Sect, making all the cultivators into laughingstocks, the sect’s defenses had been greatly strengthened.
Fortunately, the mermaid yarn garment was large enough to perfectly conceal Jiu Hui and Zhi You’s figures as they hid inside.
As she flew past the Jiutian Sect’s gate plaque, Jiu Hui took a few extra glances at the gemstones on it.
Unfortunately, there were disciples guarding the sect’s signboard now, so it would be easy to get caught if she tried to directly pry off the gems.
The Jiutian Sect occupied a vast area with interconnected mountain peaks. Some peaks were managed by Elders as peak masters, while others served as training grounds for sect disciples. Still others remained unoccupied.
Outsiders who came to the Jiutian Sect would only be arranged to stay on the main peak. Other peaks were not to be entered easily.
[Things that are always left outside are meant to be seen. We’ll go explore other mountain peaks later.]
Jiu Hui used a sound transmission technique to say to Zhi You, “Since you’re here, you might as well take a look around.”
Zhi You nodded at her.carpreads.pages.dev
Jiu Hui grabbed his wrist, and the two of them flew over the training ground with light steps. They heard a fierce argument, and Jiu Hui gave Zhi You a look, grabbing him and landing outside the main hall gate.
“I think you’re being foolish. How could you let those two disciples of Wangshu Pavilion leave? Do you think there isn’t enough gossip about the Sect Master already?”
“She’s a core disciple of the righteous path, a core disciple who has definitely passed through Wenxian Terrace! She hasn’t done anything wrong, so why should I detain her?”
“They’re just disciples from a minor sect. As an Elder of the Jiutian Sect, it shouldn’t be hard for you to find an excuse to keep them here. Do you think they’d dare to refuse you?”
“Whether it’s a large sect or a small sect, as long as they haven’t made a mistake, they have the freedom to leave.”
[They are the Second Elder and Fourth Elder of the Jiutian Sect.]
Jiu Hui approached Zhi You and extended four fingers.
Zhi You nodded obediently.
“You’re really inflexible!” the Fourth Elder said angrily. “This kind of poor and insignificant little sect, just give them something to shut their mouths, but you let them leave directly. It’s hard not to say that you have other thoughts.”
“What could I possibly be thinking?” The Second Elder’s face was cold. “I only know that the sword is the spirit of a gentleman. Since I cultivate the sword, I will not engage in such foolish behavior. If you are dissatisfied, then have the Sect Master remove me from my position as Elder!”
Second Elder pushed open the main hall’s door, flicked his sleeve, and left. The empty main hall was left with only the Fourth Elder sulking.
He thought for a moment and whispered to himself, “No, I must find a way to make those two disciples shut their mouths forever.”
As long as these two disciples were dealt with, Sect Master Huo, for the sake of the thousands of years of friendship between the two sects, would not be able to say much more.
Perhaps because the two of them were going to discuss matters related to the Sect Master, there was no one else in the main hall except for the Fourth Elder, not even a single patrolling disciple.
Jiu Hui made a fist gesture at Zhi You, and they both stepped over the threshold of the main hall.
Squeak.
The door that Second Elder had pulled open suddenly creaked shut, and Fourth Elder looked up warily.
Who?
He wanted to roar in anger, only to find that his throat suddenly couldn’t make any sound.
Not good!
The Fourth Elder flew out and was slapped hard to the ground by something in mid-air. Before he could see who it was, a large sack fell from the sky and covered him tightly.
He had no idea what the material of the sack was, but once it was over him, it was as if all his spiritual energy had been drained away. He couldn’t use any magic techniques.
Fists and feet rained down on him like raindrops. He felt as if every inch of his body had been pummeled, even his nose was crooked.
He didn’t even know when the sackcloth was removed. All he felt was a flash of light, and then there was no one around him. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain on his head. Someone was pulling his hair hard.
The Fourth Elder let out a silent roar as he watched his carefully maintained, yet still somewhat sparse hair fall like willow catkins in the wind.
His hair!
One can kill a gentleman, but one cannot humiliate him!
“Ha!”
In the empty main hall, a voice that was hard to tell if it was male or female rang out, “I thought you were more capable, but you’re nothing special.”
The Fourth Elder looked around warily, his palms sweating. The newcomer’s cultivation was truly unfathomable, and he dared not be the least bit careless.
“Getting beaten up in front of your ancestor, does it feel like you’ve returned to the carefree days of your youth?”
The Fourth Elder looked up at the altar and realized that the painting of the founding ancestor had unfurled at some point. The woman in the painting held a sword, her eyes as sharp as blades, as if she were looking at him.
The Fourth Elder had never been so humiliated before. He summoned his natal sword and slashed it through the air.
Laughter echoed through the air.
“So it’s true what they say outside, that the Jiutian Sect is inferior to the Qinglan School. This is supposed to be an Elder, yet his swordsmanship is worse than a six-year-old child in the village. Is this the so-called demeanor of a great sect?”
A rope flew out, binding the Fourth Elder from his feet to his shoulders, and then hung him from a crossbeam.
“Reflect well before the Ancestral Master, you useless descendant.”
Jiu Hui kicked the Fourth Elder hard in the butt several times and felt relieved after watching him swinging back and forth on the beam like a swing.
He even wanted to silence her and Zhi You forever?
In this world, only the dead could remain silent forever. Even the stones by the roadside could absorb the essence of the sun and moon, opening their spiritual intelligence to speak.
She extended her hand and pinched a magic technique, causing the Fourth Elder to swing on the beam. Jiu Hui took Zhi You out and considerately closed the doors for the Fourth Elder.
Swinging was so much fun, let him swing quietly for a night first.
Look how happy he was swinging. He didn’t even want to make a sound.
[He wanted to silence us, but I invited him to swing. I’m such a good person who repays evil with kindness, right?] Jiu Hui raised an eyebrow at Zhi You.
[Sure.] Zhi You nodded.
[The sack that Little Bai refined was quite useful. It was especially handy when beating people up. I’ll have to get a few more from him when I go back.] Jiu Hui patted the sack hanging from her wrist and stuffed it into her storage ring.
[Wait.] Jiu Hui stopped in her tracks and looked back at the main hall. [The Fourth Elder is all alone in the hall swinging. Isn’t he lonely? I should leave him some cute little animals to keep him company.]
[Sigh, I’m such a considerate junior.]
The Fourth Elder was hung from a crossbeam, swaying so violently that his head spun. However, he couldn’t make a sound or use any spiritual energy, not even to call for help.
Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz.
What was that sound?
He stared at the bug that was getting closer and closer to him, his eyes widening in disbelief.
Why would there be a mosquito on such a cold winter night, and why would it be so big?!
Was the snow getting heavier?
Jiu Hui looked at the snow on the ground and used her spiritual energy to erase the footprints they had left.
Zhi You took out a small jade scepter, a top-grade flying magic weapon. The two sat side by side on the scepter, which slowly floated them past the patrolling disciples, through the Jiutian Sect’s protective formation, and finally stopped outside Bu Ting’s courtyard gate.
[There’s a formation barrier outside the door.]
[Leave it to me.] Zhi You held down Jiu Hui’s hand that was about to form a hand seal, reached out and placed it on the barrier, silently leading Jiu Hui through the barrier, flying over the courtyard wall, and entering the courtyard.
Jiu Hui turned her head to look at Zhi You. She didn’t know if it was her misconception, but she felt that Zhi You seemed to be very enthusiastic about cleaning up Bu Ting and couldn’t wait to rush in now.
[Let’s check out the other rooms first.]
[Oh.]
Zhi You’s eyes seemed to dim a little.
[Don’t worry, the night is still young.]
Jiu Hui raised the scepter and observed the layout of the courtyard’s feng shui. She pointed to the house in the east.
[Why don’t we go to the east wing first?]
[The master of the eastern position is wood.] Jiu Hui looked at the many formations and enchantments on the east house, and frowned as she swept the house with her divine sense.
There didn’t seem to be any treasures inside, but there were many things needed for a certain formation. She had seen this formation in Uncle Wu’s study; it was a forbidden technique.
[Don’t go in!]
When Zhi You reached out his hand, Jiu Hui grabbed it and flew away from the house at high speed with the jade scepter.
[What’s inside?]
Zhi You looked at his hand being held tightly by Jiu Hui, his eyes darting around.
“There are Soul-Swallowing Stones inside, something the Demon Clan likes to use.” Jiu Hui didn’t let go of Zhi You’s hand. “Your soul isn’t in your body, so I’m afraid these stones will affect you.”
There was a type of magic technique that required a soul-absorbing stone. Jiu Hui shook her head. [Unfortunately, it was recorded in ancient texts of the yaos that this magic technique could not summon the souls of the dead.]
There was a commotion in the courtyard. Jiu Hui and Zhi You tightened their mermaid yarn cloth, huddled together, and hid behind the branches while sitting on the jade scepter.
Bu Ting’s room door opened, and he walked out of the house, a man in black hurriedly walked into the courtyard.
“Immortal Venerable, after Jiu Hui and Zhi You entered the city, they went into an inn and haven’t come out. The Junior Brother pretended to be a businessman and took the room next to theirs.” The man in black said, “They haven’t contacted anyone else, but they did go out at night to eat some local delicacies.”
“You’ve worked hard.” Bu Ting handed a bottle of pills to the man in black. “It’s snowing and windy, these pills will help your cultivation.”
“Many thanks for the Immortal Venerable’s reward.” The man in black accepted the elixirs with a face full of joy. “Rest assured, Immortal Venerable, we will definitely keep a close eye on the two of them.”
After the man in black retreated, Bu Ting reached out to catch the falling snowflakes, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard.
Jiu Hui lowered her head and gestured to Zhi You to wait a moment.
Sure enough, after a stick of incense burned out, several disciples walked out of the courtyard. They were holding sharp swords in their hands, clearly having been waiting for a long time.
“Immortal Venerable, the formation at the courtyard gate has not been touched.” The disciple said, “No one has approached the Zhenyao Prison in the back mountain either.”
[He suspects us. This old fart is really suspicious.]
Jiu Hui lazily leaned against Zhi You. Throughout the night, disciples kept coming in to report, as if they were casting bait everywhere, waiting for her and Zhi You to take the hook.
The snow fell harder and harder. By the time the sky began to lighten, a thick layer of snow had accumulated on the ground.
Nan Feng walked out of the courtyard and saw many disciples returning with their swords. He asked in confusion, “Where did you all go last night?”
“Eldest Senior Brother, you don’t know?” The disciple who replied was even more surprised than him. “Last night, the Immortal Venerable set up a net of heaven and earth, preparing to capture the thief who harbored evil intentions towards our Jiutian Sect. Who would have thought that this little thief was so cunning that he didn’t appear all night?”
“A thief?” Nan Feng’s suspicion grew. “What thief?”
“Eldest Senior Brother, you’re about to succeed the throne, and Immortal Venerable doesn’t want you to worry about these trivial matters, so he didn’t tell you.” The disciple who replied saw that Nan Feng was really clueless and quickly said, “We still have to patrol the back mountain, so we’ll take our leave first.”
Nan Feng’s heart sank bit by bit. His master had deployed so many disciples. Who exactly did he want to capture? Why didn’t he want Nan Feng to know?
Was it because he knew the person he wanted to catch?
Master… no longer trusted him.
Nan Feng felt a little bitter in his heart. He looked at the snow falling all over the sky, stopped walking towards Bu Ting’s courtyard, and turned to walk towards the martial arts field.
Snowflakes hit his face, icy and bone-chilling. He looked at the vast Jiutian Sect. Despite the many people present, he felt the entire sect was empty, which made him panic.
“Eldest Senior Brother, have you seen the Fourth Elder?” A disciple rushed over and stopped Nan Feng, who was standing outside the main hall’s gate. His face was full of anxiety. “There’s something going on in the Council Hall that requires his presence. But he’s not in his courtyard or on the peak.”
“Oh no!” The Second Elder, who happened to be passing by, turned pale upon hearing this. He dismissed the disciple and hurriedly said to Nan Feng, “Last night, I had a few words with the Fourth Elder. He was unhappy that I let the two disciples from Wangshu Pavilion go. I’m afraid he might have gone after Jiu Hui and Zhi You.”
“We must hurry to stop the Fourth Elder!” Nan Feng’s face turned grim. He summoned his flying sword and left Jiutian Sect, with the Second Elder following closely behind.
The Fourth Elder behind the main hall’s door thought he would finally be saved when he heard their voices, but neither of them entered the hall. Instead, they hurriedly left to find him.
What are you looking for? I’m right here!
Can’t you just push the door open and take a look?
Even if it was just a glance?!
In the long life of the Fourth Elder, he finally experienced what it meant to have great hope and even greater disappointment.
Disappointment could also be transformed into the despair of pain.
-—–
The sky had turned bright.
Jiu Hui watched the retreating Jiutian Sect disciples and took out a magic weapon from her storage ring.
“Who is it?!”
Bu Ting noticed that his courtyard had been isolated from the outside world by a magic weapon.
He searched with his divine consciousness, but he couldn’t find where the magic weapon was.
“Jiu Hui?” He summoned the Cosmos Sword and looked around. “Is it you?”
His gaze swept across the ground, but there was nothing in the snow, as if even the snowflakes had paused.
“Hee hee hee hee hee hee hee.”
A palm-sized black pottery figurine suddenly appeared on the snow. The figurine imitated Bu Ting’s movements and shouted in his tone, “Jiu Hui, is it you?”
Bu Ting shattered the villain with a sword strike and sneered, “Petty tricks. Come out here, you stinking maggot of the Demon Clan.”
Jiu Hui never expected that just as she and Zhi You were about to make their move, two members of the demon clan would appear. The voices of these two sounded somewhat familiar, as if they were some kind of Dharma Protectors of the demon clan.
[You let them in?]
She looked at Zhi You, who silently lowered his head, not denying it.
Bu Ting thought that this formation magic weapon belonged to the demons, and the demon Dharma Protectors thought that this formation magic weapon belonged to Bu Ting trying to catch them with a tight net.
The snow on the ground stirred, quickly transforming into two black-clothed Dharma Protectors. They looked at the clay figurine that Bu Ting had shattered with a single sword strike and laughed uproariously. “Who would have thought that the mighty Sect Master of the Jiutian Sect would mistake us for other women?”
Bu Ting looked at them expressionlessly. “Are you in such a hurry to die?”
“You colluded with the Demon Consort and let your daughter throw our Demon Clan into chaos. You caused our brothers to be abandoned by the new Demon King, and you still want to live in peace?” The two Dharma Protectors were filled with hatred. “If we had known that Sha Luojia was your bastard, how could we have supported her?”
The infighting among the demons was their own business. But it was absolutely forbidden for human cultivators to interfere.
“Does the Demon Clan deserve to have my offspring?” Bu Ting forced the two Dharma Protectors back with his sword and looked at them coldly. “Even though I, Bu Ting, am down on my luck, killing trash like you is still a piece of cake.”
“Bu Ting, the Immortal Venerable of the Jiutian Sect, has profound cultivation. Everyone knows his name.” The two Dharma Protectors transformed into black smoke to avoid him. They were like filthy black mud, wriggling in the snow. “But the Immortal Venerable is now seriously injured. I wonder if he can resist the temptation of the Demonic Charm Bug?”
Bu Ting then realized that the black pottery doll was not some kind of spooky little toy. There were countless demonic insects inside it. His shoes and the hem of his clothes were already covered with many tiny black insects that were as fine as sand.
He pinched a magic technique, burning these bugs into flying ash, and a faint sweet fragrance wafted into his nose.
“Hahahahahahahaha.”
He heard the two demons’ delighted laughter.
Bu Ting, who had been injured, could not escape the fragrance of the demon charm bug.
In Bu Ting’s eyes, the world changed color. The flying snow stopped, and he saw the full moon in the sky.
Under the eaves, Mu Qi sat quietly, the cloak behind her fluttering in the night wind.
“Bu Ting, do you regret it?” She suddenly turned her head, her star-like eyes streaming with blood tears. “Do you regret it?”
Shua!
The Cosmos Sword was unsheathed once more. Bu Ting slashed through the Mu Qi in front of him with one sword strike, and also slashed through the moonlit night that had appeared countless times in his dreams.
“Ah!”
The two Dharma Protectors let out miserable screams as they lay on the ground, their faces filled with terror as they watched Bu Ting slowly approach them.
Wasn’t it said that the Demonic Charm Bug could make people see the things they feared most in their hearts?
Why was Bu Ting able to regain consciousness so quickly after being injured?
“Morons.” Bu Ting killed the two Demon Cult Dharma Protectors with a single sword strike, their crimson blood splattering onto the silvery-white snow.
Her eyes had never looked at him so seriously, let alone shed bloody tears for him.
She had always sat quietly under the eaves, digging out her still-beating heart in front of him again and again.
“Cough, cough, cough.” Bu Ting coughed while clutching his chest. Fresh blood dripped onto the snow. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief and turned to walk into the house.
Suddenly, a cold wind blew from behind him, and something slammed hard into his back, sending him flying out and smashing a large pit into the snow.
No matter how aloof and arrogant an Immortal Venerable might be, once they hit the ground, it was impossible for them to maintain their noble and ethereal appearance.
Jiu Hui retracted her foot in satisfaction. That kick was perfect.
A standard kowtow!
Seeing Bu Ting rise from the snow, Zhi You pulled Jiu Hui into his arms and flew up to deliver a kick.
Bu Ting didn’t see anyone, but he sensed something unusual and quickly used his sword sheath to resist.
But the other party’s spiritual power was so great that it took him by surprise. He slid a long way on the snow and barely managed to stop himself by leaning against the wall.
“Who are you, with such profound cultivation? Why hide your face?” Bu Ting glanced at his hand holding the sword, which was already torn and bleeding.
Zhi You ignored him and flicked his sleeve at Bu Ting. Bu Ting dodged out of the way. Zhi You seized the opportunity and struck Bu Ting hard in the back. Bu Ting propped himself up with his sword, and blood gushed from his heart.
Zhi You was about to continue attacking, but Jiu Hui grabbed him.
[Wait, what if you kill him? What will happen to Nan Feng’s succession ceremony?]
Zhi You: [The funeral and the succession ceremony can be held together.]
[But the funeral and the succession ceremony are held together, so I have to give an extra gift and eat one less meal. It’s not worth it.]
Zhi You: “…”
[Forget it, forget it. For Nan Feng’s sake, we’ll spare his life.]
Jiu Hui took out a piece of white jade from her storage ring and smashed it hard on Bu Ting’s head.
With a loud thud, Bu Ting fell to the ground, his head smashing into the snow, leaving a large wound on his head.
Zhi You: “…”
Was it really him, not Jiu Hui, who wanted Bu Ting’s life?
“He’s already passed out.” Jiu Hui took out some rouge and powder from her storage ring and smeared it all over Bu Ting’s face. She even thoughtfully drew some flower marks on him.
“What do you plan to do to him?” Zhi You shivered.
Jiu Hui rummaged through her storage ring and summoned a large brush. She wrote powerful characters in the snow: “The Beauty Like This.”
“He sneak-attacked me from behind, he must be jealous of my beauty.” Jiu Hui clapped her hands with satisfaction. “Now I’m repaying his grievance with virtue, fulfilling his wish, isn’t that considerate?”
“Considerate.” Zhi You nodded.
She could have killed him, but instead she dressed him up and praised him for his beauty. Who in the world could be more considerate than Jiu Hui?
She slipped out of the mermaid yarn dress. “Wait here for me. I’m going to the east courtyard. I’ll be right back.”
Zhi You looked at Bu Ting on the ground and nodded obediently, “Okay.”
After Jiu Hui left, he walked over to Bu Ting and gathered spiritual energy in his palm…
“Don’t just start attacking randomly.” Jiu Hui’s head poked out from around the corner.
“Oh…” Zhi You silently closed his palm.
Jiu Hui walked into the east room, removed the protective formation in the room, and reached out to probe these Soul-Absorbing Stones. These Soul-Absorbing Stones had already been used, and the spiritual power inside was almost gone.
Judging from the faint spiritual energy left on these stones, these items should have been used about a dozen or twenty years ago.
No wonder Bu Ting dared to leave the items here. If she hadn’t seen them before, she would have probably mistaken them for ordinary waste rocks.
After leaving the east courtyard, Jiu Hui used the Cleansing Technique twice before approaching Zhi You.
The mermaid yarn garment acknowledged her as its master, so even if Zhi You wore the mermaid yarn garment, she could see him clearly.
“Let’s go, we need to hurry back.” Jiu Hui flicked her sleeve, erasing all the footprints and traces she had left behind. “We need to get back before Nan Feng and the Second Elder do.”
-—–
The Fourth Elder was found by the Third Elder two hours later. After being rescued by the Third Elder, he vomited so hard that he was dizzy, with red dots all over his face and head.
When he finished vomiting, he turned his head groggily and saw the disciples standing outside the main hall. He felt too ashamed to face them.
Humiliation, this was the humiliation of his life!
Inside the inn, Jiu Hui opened the door with her hair disheveled and sleepy eyes. After seeing that it was Nan Feng, her eyes gradually cleared up. “Nan Feng, what are you doing here so early in the morning?”
“Where’s Zhi You? Are you all okay?” Nan Feng asked anxiously, his head and shoulders covered in snow.
“I’m here.” Zhi You carried a tray with various breakfast items on it. “What’s the matter?”
Seeing that both of them were fine, Nan Feng finally breathed a sigh of relief, his sword-wielding hand trembling slightly.
“Are both of you little friends alright?” Second Elder chased after them. He held onto the corridor railing and gasped for breath. “Nan Feng, you flew so fast. Are you trying to tire out these old bones of mine to death?”
Zhi You looked at his trembling hands and asked, “Shall we have breakfast together?”
Jiu Hui was right. For Nan Feng’s sake, they could spare the old fart.
A jade slip flew in, and the anxious voice of the Third Elder came from within.
“Nan Feng, come back quickly, something’s happened!”
Author’s Note
Little Garlic Chive: If there’s anything wrong, it must be someone else’s fault. I’m always considerate and kind. What? You said he likes to be high and mighty? What does that have to do with me?