Chapter 72: Disciple and Wife
A figure sat in the icy cave, a snow-white bird nestled in her lap, her expression calm and serene.
Internally, however, a torrent of squeeing threatened to erupt.
Such trust, to rest its head against her hand in its most vulnerable form, its neck and head exposed, its very life force within easy reach.
Tao Ning, touching the Shangxi bird for the first time, her movements hesitant and gentle, carefully placed her other hand on its back, stroking its soft, downy feathers.
The sensation was even better than she had imagined, soft and warm, making her touch even lighter, as if afraid of melting it… forgetting it was a Soul Transformation bird, a powerful creature capable of carrying the moon on its back.
Her reverence, tinged with an almost childlike wonder, brought a smile to the Shangxi bird’s eyes.
Once the touching began, it became a nightly ritual. Tao Ning spent her evenings in the Ice Cavern… bird-sitting.
Without any prompting from Tao Ning, the Shangxi bird, after consuming its daily offering of snacks, would hop into her lap, settling down, its head resting on her arm, its eyes closed.
Soul Transformation cultivators didn’t require sleep, but Cen Dianshuang’s duties, assigned by her senior sister, kept her busy, leaving little time for cultivation. Tao Ning’s lap offered a quiet sanctuary, a warm, comfortable place to replenish her spiritual energy.
She hadn’t realized the benefits of this arrangement before: a warm, furry heating pad, and… petting.
No matter how many times it happened, Tao Ning’s touch remained gentle and hesitant, as if handling a fragile object.
The Shangxi bird, its initial concerns about feather dust forgotten, relaxed completely.
Tao Ning, her hand stroking the bird’s back, checked her communication bell for messages, then replied.
These moments always felt strange to the Shangxi bird.
Tao Ning’s voice, sweet and affectionate as she addressed her master, complaining about the cold and the silence of the Ice Cavern, while the very person she was talking to was nestled in her arms.
What was even stranger was that Cen Dianshuang would then have to listen to the message again and respond.
But she couldn’t relent. Tao Ning’s cultivation habits were reckless. She never consolidated her breakthroughs, always pushing herself to the limit, exhausting her spiritual energy completely. This self-destructive behavior needed to be addressed.
Today, Tao Ning’s cultivation had taken longer than usual. Waking up, she felt a weight on her lap.
Looking down, she saw the Shangxi bird, having grown tired of waiting, had settled down for a nap.
The Ice Cavern was cold, and the bird, its claws tucked beneath its fluffy white feathers, its head resting on Tao Ning’s arm, looked far less elegant and composed than its usual, carefully preened self.
Unable to resist, Tao Ning reached out, her touch startling the bird awake.
The Shangxi bird, blinking sleepily, shifted its wings, dislodging something small and round.
Tao Ning picked it up. It looked like a cherry, but without a pit, its skin glistening with moisture.
An Ice Dew Fruit, growing only in extremely cold environments, maturing once every five hundred years, a rare and valuable find. The Ice Cavern was the perfect environment.
Holding the small cluster of fruits before the Shangxi bird, she asked, “Did you pick these?”
The Shangxi bird, a soft gurgle in its throat, confirmed its contribution.
Cen Dianshuang, sensing a spiritual fluctuation earlier, had investigated, finding a patch of ripe Ice Dew Fruits and collecting them.
Standing up, it shook its wings, dislodging a small pouch hidden beneath them. The pouch’s contents, a pile of Ice Dew Fruits, spilled onto Tao Ning’s lap.
Tao Ning, initially reaching out to catch them, then realizing there were too many, used her skirt instead, her eyes widening in surprise. “So many! I can’t possibly eat all of these.”
It was usually Tao Ning offering food. This was a welcome change.
The bird, with a flick of its wings, indicated that she could save them for later.
Such small, sweet treats were hardly a meal for a creature of its size.
In her human form, she was indifferent to human sweets and pastries, finding them overly sweet, except for her disciple’s creations. But in her bird form, she couldn’t resist the natural sweetness of fruits and nectar, a trait shared by all Shangxi, even hatchlings instinctively seeking them out.
It was a primal urge, an inherited instinct.
Tao Ning’s eyes shone with delight. Gathering her skirt, its folds now heavy with the fruits, she asked, “All for me?”
The Shangxi bird, peering into her lap, instinctively started to chirp a reply, then stopped abruptly, remembering its new, mature persona.
“So many… It’ll take a while to eat all of these. I’ll have to store them properly.” Tao Ning, her attention focused on the fruits in her lap, didn’t notice the light drizzle outside.
The Shangxi bird, relieved, smoothed its ruffled feathers.
Three months passed quickly. Cen Dianshuang’s visits became less frequent as the other sects began arriving for the disciple competition.
As a peak master, and the Sect Leader’s most trusted junior sister, she had to maintain appearances, playing the role of the stern, responsible elder, while Lizhu played the affable host.
But Lizhu had another motive.
An elder from another sect, leading his disciples, greeted Cen Dianshuang politely. “Elder Cen of Wangshu Peak, I presume? It’s an honor to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Lizhu, her smile warm and welcoming, replied, “Oh, have you heard about my junior sister’s recent breakthrough to Soul Transformation? Your sect’s intelligence network is quite impressive.”
The elder: “…”
Cen Dianshuang: …This is the price of refusing a celebratory banquet.
Too much attention.
Standing on the Viewing Platform, looking towards the Ice Cavern, she calculated the time. Tao Ning should be emerging from seclusion today.
She summoned her sword, intending to fetch her disciple, when a hushed conversation below caught her attention.
“Have you heard? The Wanhun Cauldron has already emerged. It’s at the Hanshan Sect.”
She looked down to see a group of cultivators, their swords of decent quality, their cultivation levels at Golden Core, their conversation shielded by a silencing spell.
They had forgotten, however, that Cen Dianshuang’s cultivation was far superior. She could hear them clearly.
A rogue cultivator in grey robes said, “At the Hanshan Sect? But the Sect Leader hasn’t mentioned anything.”
Another, lowering his voice, replied, “Are you stupid? The Wanhun Cauldron contains Demon Lord Qingji’s life essence. Whoever possesses it will gain immense power. Why would they announce it?”
“That makes sense… The Hanshan Sect Leader has been stuck at a bottleneck for a while now. She hasn’t been able to find a way to break through.”
These words, the first Tao Ning heard after emerging from seclusion, brought a smile to her lips.
“Who told you the Wanhun Cauldron contains Qingji’s life essence? And that using it will enhance your cultivation?”
The cultivator she addressed jumped, startled. He was a rogue cultivator, hoping to impress the sects during the competition and secure a position as a guest elder.
Anything was better than wandering the world alone, without the support of a sect.
Seeing Tao Ning’s youthful appearance and lack of sect uniform, he assumed she was also a rogue cultivator, his expression turning sour.
“Why are you eavesdropping?”
Tao Ning: “Your silencing spell is… weak. I could hear you from miles away.”
Her bluntness only angered them further. They reached for their swords.
“Are you looking for a fight?” Tao Ning interrupted, her eyes narrowing slightly. “I’m always happy to oblige. But first, tell me who told you about the cauldron.”
The cultivator in grey was pulled back by his companion, who hissed, “Don’t! Look!”
He followed his companion’s gaze, then his own face paled as he saw the Hanshan Sect disciple token at Tao Ning’s waist, which had been hidden by her robes earlier.
Of all the people to offend…
Their expressions shifted rapidly as Tao Ning watched, then one spoke, his voice weak. “It’s just a rumor.”
Tao Ning: “A rumor? So not only do you know, but everyone knows. You were probably all discussing it excitedly before arriving.”
The three cultivators exchanged uneasy glances. She was right, but her tone…
Tao Ning looked at them, then at the crowds of cultivators arriving for the competition, their faces smiling, their greetings polite and friendly.
“So, you’re not just here for the competition, are you?”
Their silence confirmed her suspicion.
Tao Ning chuckled, her voice laced with amusement. “Bold.”
She wanted peace and quiet, a chance to travel the world with Cen Dianshuang on their spirit boat. These… ambitious fools… were an annoyance.
They weren’t sure what she meant by “bold,” but her words and her demeanor were unsettling.
It was a humbling experience. They were all at Golden Core, yet they felt… intimidated.
After Tao Ning left, they couldn’t bear to stay any longer, hurrying towards the mountain gate.
This place is dangerous. Let’s leave!
What if those Hanshan Sect disciples decide to eliminate us?
Tao Ning, watching them flee, turned and walked towards the Viewing Platform, a bright smile on her face as she approached Cen Dianshuang. “Master, I’m out of seclusion! Were you waiting for me?”
520 sometimes wished its host had pursued a career in acting.
Her ability to switch personas was remarkable, as if it were ingrained in her very being.
Perhaps she was a street performer in her previous life, honing her craft for years before realizing a stable government job was more secure, dedicating herself to the civil service exam, finally succeeding on her third attempt.
520, its mind filled with random thoughts, silently muted itself, not wanting its host to hear its amusement.
Cen Dianshuang, catching Tao Ning’s arm as she rushed towards her, checked her pulse. “I was about to fetch you from the Ice Cavern, but it seems you were impatient.”
Tao Ning, her hand still in Cen Dianshuang’s, unable to express her affection more openly with so many people around, simply smiled. “I couldn’t wait to see you, Master.”
Releasing Tao Ning’s wrist, Cen Dianshuang said, “You’re much better. But don’t do that again. What happened in Shadow City… You have to be more careful.”
Tao Ning’s fighting style was reckless, all-out offense, no defense.
Cen Dianshuang tapped her forehead lightly. “If not for your cultivation, you would have demolished the entire city. Your combat style reflects your character. What kind of hardships did you endure?”
Tao Ning touched her forehead. “I don’t remember.”
The three cultivators, not daring to fly within the Hanshan Sect, hurried through the crowds, summoning their swords only after passing through the mountain gates.
A female cultivator, her shoulder bumped by one of the men, turned, frowning. “Watch where you’re going!”
A voice called out, “Ting’er, come here.”
“Coming, Master.” Pang Xueting hurried towards her master, her initial annoyance fading as she took in the scenery, her eyes wide with wonder. “So this is the Hanshan Sect, where my savior resides.”
True Person Chang Xiang hadn’t come as a supervising elder for the competition. Worried about her disciple’s first solo journey, she had requested permission to accompany her.
The Sect Leader and the other elders would arrive later, traveling separately.
Dressed in simple green robes, her hair neatly styled, a jade hairpin shaped like a brush adorning her hair, she resembled a scholar if not for her Nascent Soul aura.
She addressed Pang Xueting. “The senior you mentioned is Tao Ning, the first disciple of Wangshu Peak’s Elder Cen. She’s on the Heavenly Pride Ranking.”
“I’ve seen the ranking, Master,” Pang Xueting replied, her voice filled with admiration. “She should be first, not tenth. The ranking is wrong.”
True Person Chang Xiang smiled, not bothering to argue. “Perhaps. The Cloud Soaring Palace, responsible for the rankings, bases their assessments on a cultivator’s accomplishments. Your senior doesn’t seek fame. There isn’t much information about her. The rankings will be more accurate after this competition.”
Pang Xueting nodded eagerly. “Exactly! She single-handedly defeated three opponents in Shadow City, but the Cloud Soaring Palace dismissed it because True Person Cen was present.”
True Person Chang Xiang: “Speaking of Shadow City… she saved your life and helped you recover Meng Le’s remains. I should thank her.”
Meng Le was her deceased disciple, surnamed Qiu.
She had only taken two disciples: Pang Xueting and Qiu Meng Le.
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