Chapter 54: Disciple and Wife
Cen Dianshuang’s gaze sharpened. “You’ve cultivated before. Which technique did you use?”
If Tao Ning hadn’t crippled her cultivation, this would have been a fatal mistake.
Fortunately, Cen Dianshuang detected no trace of the Hanshan Sect’s inner sect techniques.
Holding the Hanshan Sect manual in one hand, her other wrist grasped by her new master, who was demanding an explanation, Tao Ning couldn’t tell if this was a genuine inquiry or a trap. After all, they barely knew each other.
Before Cen Dianshuang could press further, Tao Ning’s eyes reddened slightly, as if on the verge of tears, then cleared just as quickly.
This fleeting display of vulnerability made Cen Dianshuang’s grip loosen slightly.
Tao Ning: “I won’t lie to you, Master. I have cultivated before.”
Cen Dianshuang’s grip tightened again. “Who was your master?”
Tao Ning shook her head. “I don’t know. The old woman only allowed me to call her ‘Immortal.’ She would get angry if I called her anything else. She also made me take bitter medicine and strange medicinal baths every day.”
Cen Dianshuang’s voice softened. “Why?”
Tao Ning’s usually sharp, fox-like eyes drooped, her expression mournful. “I don’t know. I ran away while she was injured. She was being chased by enemies, shouting about someone stealing something from her.”
“Every time she returned, she would rant and rave. That time, she was coughing up blood, telling me I couldn’t escape, that I would become her. Before she lost consciousness, she told me to cultivate diligently.”
Cen Dianshuang’s expression turned grim, a suspicion forming in her mind. “That’s all she said? Nothing else?”
“Something else…” Tao Ning frowned, thinking, then her eyes widened as if remembering something. “Yes! She also called me a fool, saying I couldn’t appreciate such valuable things, that I should cultivate diligently, and she would become an immortal.”
This wasn’t entirely a lie. The original host had been born into a peasant family, her Lightning spiritual root causing the roof of their house to be struck by lightning at her birth, marking her as a bad omen.
With many children already, the couple didn’t want the “cursed” child. A rogue cultivator, recognizing her potential, bought her.
Intending to raise the child and have her cultivate the same technique before taking over her body, the rogue cultivator’s plans were thwarted when the original host’s master discovered her, killing the cultivator and bringing the child back to the Hanshan Sect.
Tao Ning reached out, grasping Cen Dianshuang’s sleeve, her expression confused. “What’s wrong, Master?”
Cen Dianshuang: “She wanted to take over your body.”
“Take over… my body? What does that mean?” Tao Ning asked. “Like… stealing a house?”
Cen Dianshuang explained the sinister technique.
Some cultivators, lacking talent, would choose children with promising spiritual roots, raising them with secret methods before devouring their souls and taking over their bodies to continue their own cultivation journey.
Such practices were unsustainable, defying the natural order, always ending in death during the ascension tribulation.
Despite this, many still attempted it, clinging to the slim hope of success.
Cen Dianshuang watched as Tao Ning’s face paled, her usually lively eyes widening in fear. The sight displeased her.
“Did she pursue you after you escaped?”
Tao Ning shook her head, her voice trembling slightly. “No. I ran away while she was unconscious, after… hitting her again. I was terrified for a long time. But after I left the Ten Thousand Mountains, she didn’t follow. So I came to the Hanshan Sect.”
The Ten Thousand Mountains were vast and treacherous, their depths rumored to conceal powerful cultivators’ caves filled with treasures, including a legendary pill that could bypass cultivation bottlenecks and grant a thousand years of life.
A clan had once sent a three-thousand-strong expedition to search for these treasures, but none returned. Even after millennia, the mountains remained a place of fear and mystery, rarely explored.
Most cultivators stuck to the outer edges. It was a breeding ground for all sorts of dangers. Nothing that emerged from its depths would be considered surprising.
Cen Dianshuang wasn’t surprised. She had once pursued a rogue cultivator into the mountains, the cultivator, with only one arm remaining, disappearing into the depths.
The depths were like a monster’s gaping maw, consuming everything silently.
She had assumed the cultivator, gravely injured, had perished.
Tao Ning suddenly gasped, pulling a dusty object from beneath her robes. “I found this near a crater when I escaped. It was glowing, so I picked it up. Then this white robe fell out of it.”
Cen Dianshuang, initially about to warn her against picking up random objects, realized what she was holding. “A white robe?”
Tao Ning quickly retrieved a small, folded piece of white cloth from her pouch, unfolding it to reveal the Heaven-grade robe that would make any cultivator envious.
Cen Dianshuang, her face pale, flew away on her sword. Tao Ning watched from the cliff edge, her innocent expression turning complex.
Cultivation worlds were notoriously difficult, filled with unexpected challenges.
She wasn’t sure if Cen Dianshuang would believe her. In this life, the elder was unusually straightforward, trusting by nature.
As a Hanshan Sect elder, Cen Dianshuang had a strong sense of justice. Her concern for the sect’s safety was understandable. Accepting anyone into their ranks could lead to disaster.
520, sensing Tao Ning’s inner turmoil, felt a pang of sympathy. 【Those are three Heaven-grade artifacts! You just gave them away!】
A mountain breeze stirred Tao Ning’s hair. “Ji Bai already saw them last night. Keeping them would have been a liability.”
520: 【But you didn’t have to give away everything! You have no cultivation… well, you will soon, but still, your cultivation is low. How will you defend yourself? You could have kept the robe.】
Tao Ning considered this. “I only found the inner robe. Not the others. Adding unnecessary details would have made the lie less convincing.”
520 felt like it was the only one panicking. 【That’s why you weakened the concealing formation to be broken by anyone above Void Refining! You planned this!】
Ten days before reaching the Hanshan Sect’s outer territory, Tao Ning had spent a small fortune renting an artifact refining room, emerging a day later looking utterly drained.
She was drained, her spiritual veins completely depleted. A child could have overpowered her.
A few days later, she had casually crippled her cultivation beneath a tree in the outer territory.
Tao Ning walked back towards her new house, eager to examine the Flame Dragon Furnace. “520, let’s make a bet. What are the chances of these items being returned to their rightful owner?”
520: 【Three Heaven-grade artifacts, and countless treasures inside. Any cultivator would keep them. I bet you get nothing back.】
Could I have misjudged her? Cen Dianshuang arrived at Shuhan Peak, her mind filled with doubt. “I need to speak with Senior Sister. Where is she?”
Xuan Ying shrunk back to its normal size, returning to its sheath with a soft click.
A disciple guarding the entrance hurried after her. “Elder Cen, the Sect Leader isn’t at Red Stone Spring. She’s in the meeting hall.”
Cen Dianshuang changed course, heading towards the meeting hall.
The disciple, no longer needed, returned to her post, scratching her head in confusion.
Another disciple, standing guard with her, asked, “What’s wrong with Elder Cen? I’ve never seen her so agitated.”
The female disciple shook her head. “I don’t know.”
Lizhu often conducted sect business in the meeting hall, but sometimes she would take stacks of jade slips to Red Stone Spring, preferring the warmer environment due to her Fire spiritual root.
Disciples also guarded the meeting hall, awaiting the Sect Leader’s instructions, but they were accustomed to Cen Dianshuang’s unannounced visits.
Cen Dianshuang practically burst into the meeting hall. “Senior Sister, I need to speak with you.”
Lizhu, looking up from a stack of documents, replied, “As it happens, I also need to speak with you.”
Cen Dianshuang: “I think I misjudged my disciple.”
Lizhu: “I heard you cried when you found her.”
They both stared at each other in surprise.
Cen Dianshuang: “How did you know?”
Lizhu: “How did you misjudge your disciple?”
Their impulsive natures clashed, but Lizhu, as usual, yielded. “You first.”
Cen Dianshuang placed the items on the table. “Take a look at this.”
Lizhu glanced at the objects. “A stone…?”
Then, her expression turned serious as she recognized the necklace, quickly disabling the concealing formation.
Lizhu: “Where…?” Where did you get this?
The necklace pulsed with a vibrant, purple light, the aura of a Heaven-grade, first-tier artifact, nearly overwhelming Lizhu.
“What is this?” She reached out, her fingers brushing against a soft, cool, silken material.
It was a robe.
This was unusual. Lizhu stared at the crumpled garment, its exquisite craftsmanship evident even in its current state. It was a Heaven-grade robe, undoubtedly.
A complete set, with an ornate, albeit slightly dusty, belt and various accessories.
The embroidery looked familiar. “Where did you get this?”
“Just as I suspected.” Cen Dianshuang, looking at the robe, which was clearly made for an adult woman, explained, “My disciple found this Heaven-grade storage artifact. The robe was inside. Since you were able to disable the formation so easily, Senior Sister, it must be unclaimed.”
Lizhu, examining the robe, raised an eyebrow. “Your disciple found it?”
She placed the robe down, her expression serious. “Do you know who this belonged to?”
Could there be another connection? Cen Dianshuang shook her head. “No. I didn’t examine it closely. I brought it straight to you.”
Lizhu sighed, her hands resting on the table. “I don’t know whether to say your disciple is incredibly fortunate, or that she has a special connection to our Hanshan Sect, managing to reach us with these items, relying on the previous owner’s concealing formation.”
Cen Dianshuang recalled Tao Ning’s evasiveness during their travels, her reluctance to interact with others.
Perhaps that’s why she hadn’t been discovered earlier.
Lizhu: “I’ll be blunt. Did your disciple travel through the Ten Thousand Mountains? These items belonged to Demon Lord Qingji. That tribulation three months ago… it was her.”
Three months was enough time for news of a Mahayana cultivator’s fall to reach the Hanshan Sect and be thoroughly analyzed.
But no one had been able to identify the deceased cultivator. Every sect had claimed their ancestors were alive and well.
And they hadn’t been lying. The news of the tribulation had prompted many reclusive elders to emerge from seclusion, only to confirm that everyone was still alive, much to their disappointment.
Only Lizhu, initially suspicious of everyone, had eventually agreed with their claims.
A faint premonition, a cultivator’s intuition, had led her to believe the deceased cultivator might be from the Hanshan Sect.
Qingji had discarded her disciple token, severing ties with the sect, taking her soul lamp with her, leaving only a cryptic message – “Don’t look for me” – before disappearing from the Radiant Realm.
Centuries later, her master’s master had perished, and she had risen to prominence the very next day.
Those who knew of Qingji were either in seclusion or dead. Few suspected the Hanshan Sect.
Cen Dianshuang: “Grand Ancestor?”
Lizhu had mentioned the possibility, but Cen Dianshuang knew little about the deceased cultivator, who had become an enigma in the Radiant Realm.
It was said that Qingji had fallen to the demonic path and been expelled from the sect, but the Hanshan Sect had never confirmed this. Her master hadn’t either, still referring to her as Grand Ancestor behind closed doors.
“However… I’m not jumping to conclusions.” Lizhu continued, “There have been rumors from the Demonic Realm. The current Demon Lord reportedly told his subordinates that Demon Lord Qingji was in the Radiant Realm, somewhere in the Ten Thousand Mountains.”
Cen Dianshuang’s impression of their ancestor was based on stories and legends. “Senior Sister, are you saying the deceased cultivator was our Grand Ancestor?”
“Yes, that’s what I believe.” Lizhu presented further evidence. “Look at this. What do you see?”
Of their master’s many disciples, only Lizhu, the first disciple, had seen Qingji’s profile. She had, however, heard many stories.
Cen Dianshuang leaned in, initially blinded by the shimmering runes on the sleeve, then realizing what they depicted. “Is that… lightning?”
Lizhu: “Yes, lightning. She always used lightning patterns in her embroidery and wore these colors. It’s definitely her.”
Cen Dianshuang, initially intending to clear her disciple’s name, was now confronted with the possible death of her sect’s ancestor. “But why is there residual lightning spiritual energy in the embroidery?” She had felt a jolt when she examined it earlier.
“She was always… flamboyant,” Lizhu sighed, shaking her head. “That’s how I know it’s her. Only she would do something like that.”
Cen Dianshuang: “…”
Lizhu’s spiritual sense probed the storage necklace, then she let out a soft hum. Cen Dianshuang watched as she retrieved two more items.
A ring inlaid with a purple spirit stone and a belt, both radiating the unmistakable aura of powerful artifacts.
“Your disciple… didn’t just give you one Heaven-grade artifact. She gave you three.” Lizhu tapped the two items, her expression suggesting the necklace contained even more treasures. “I’m not an expert in artifact refinement, but I’m fairly certain these belonged to our Grand Ancestor.”
Cen Dianshuang: “I’ll ask Senior Sister Qianlian to confirm.”
Lizhu raised a hand, stopping her. “Not yet. Did your disciple give these to you so readily?”
Cen Dianshuang: “What do you mean, Senior Sister?”
Lizhu smiled, a glint of amusement in her eyes, withdrawing her hand from the artifacts. “If she’s a spy, that’s a steep price to pay. These items… are worth more than ten treasure vaults of the Demonic Realm’s Zhaoyao Palace.”
Tao Ning, placing a pot of simmering Silverfish soup on the table, turned to fetch bowls, then paused, looking out the window.
520, practically drooling digitally, asked, 【What is it?】
A dark speck in the distance gradually resolved into a human figure, answering 520’s question. Cen Dianshuang was returning.
Tao Ning wiped her hands and hurried out. “Master, you’re back.”
Cen Dianshuang’s mind was filled with stories of the legendary Demon Lord Qingji’s youthful exploits. As a teenager, she might have been tempted to emulate her ancestor, but now, her perspective had shifted. She thought of Qingji’s master.
That must have been a constant headache, even more so than her own senior sister setting their grandmaster’s beard on fire. A true agent of chaos in the cultivation world.
Looking at Tao Ning, her eyes shining with innocent enthusiasm, she reached out and patted her head. “I’m back.”
At least my disciple isn’t like Grand Ancestor Qingji, embedding lightning runes in her clothes, blinding anyone who looks too closely.
If Lizhu knew her thoughts, she would have said, Using the Flame Dragon Furnace to cook for your disciple isn’t much better.
Tao Ning, momentarily stunned by the unexpected display of affection, thought, What’s going on?
Cen Dianshuang, without further explanation, retrieved the familiar, dusty necklace and fastened it around Tao Ning’s slender neck.
Tao Ning’s fingers brushed against the pendant.
Cen Dianshuang: “The Sect Leader said this is your destiny. Since you found it, it belongs to you. But you’re still young. The Sect Leader added a new restriction. You can access its contents after you reach Golden Core.”
Tao Ning looked up, feeling Cen Dianshuang’s hands at her neck. She raised her own hand, then hesitated.
She almost reached out to grasp Cen Dianshuang’s hand, wanting to hold it against her cheek, feel its warmth.
For a fleeting moment, she wanted to ask 520 if there was a possibility of… her… existing in this world too.
But she held back, the question unspoken. While Cen Dianshuang’s eyes didn’t look familiar, her actions, her mannerisms, echoed a ghost from her past.
Cen Dianshuang, not accustomed to such close contact, fumbled slightly with the clasp.
As she withdrew her hand, a small, scarred hand grasped her sleeve.
Tao Ning’s hardships weren’t visible on her face, but etched onto her hands.
The hand tugged gently.
Cen Dianshuang looked at her disciple, puzzled by the sudden display of affection. “What is it?”
Tao Ning’s eyes suddenly felt watery. Smiling, she asked, “Will you stay for dinner, Master?”
Cen Dianshuang, smelling the fish soup, replied, “I don’t like fish.”
Tao Ning, giving her a You really don’t like fish? look, offered another dish: spirit bamboo shoots.
Cen Dianshuang couldn’t bring herself to say she didn’t like bamboo shoots either. She loved them.
They sat down at a small table under the moonlight.
Tao Ning, truly hungry, had spent the day catching and preparing the Silverfish, even considering ways to improve the taste of Fasting Pills.
If she couldn’t tolerate the bitterness, perhaps she could make them sweet.
She wasn’t skilled in alchemy, her attempts usually ending in explosions, with the occasional, improbable success producing high-quality pills.
She had tried it on the road, using the resulting pills to pay off her debts. A net-zero endeavor.
But the success rate was abysmal. Better to stick to her other skills.
After dinner, Cen Dianshuang, watching Tao Ning clear the table, finally asked the third question. “Why did you choose me as your master?”
Tao Ning, without hesitation, replied, “Because I admire you, Master. I’ve heard of your great name and traveled far to become your disciple.”
Such a background explained her resourcefulness. Growing up under such circumstances would require constant vigilance.
Traveled far to become my disciple. She had heard that before. Twice.
She had initially suspected the girl was a spy, intent on becoming her disciple to kill her other disciple. But now, it seemed she simply couldn’t tolerate rivals.
Her new disciple was high-maintenance, possessive, and clingy, but also obedient. That made up for everything.
Cen Dianshuang patted her head. “I’ll treat you well. I won’t take another disciple.” Just try not to get yourself killed.
Tao Ning, having achieved the status of sole disciple: “Okay.”
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