Chapter 12: The Disciple
Ever since her emotional outburst, Luo Nianshang had been avoiding meditation. This, however, proved to be a trying experience for Bai Jingxue.
The female lead had lived a solitary life. She had no friends, struggled with social interaction, and her only form of entertainment seemed to be teasing her cat. Unfortunately, Bai Jingxue was also incredibly lazy. Thus, the chamber often became a stage for a silent standoff, two pairs of eyes locked in a battle of wills.
Bai Jingxue licked her paw, glancing at her clueless owner, who stared at her with an expectant gaze. With an elegant swish of her tail, she turned, presenting Luo Nianshang with a view of her backside.
Luo Nianshang, seeing the cat’s disinterest, felt a pang of sadness.
She couldn’t understand why Bai Jingxue had become so distant lately. She eventually concluded that it was because she hadn’t taken the cat out for some fresh air and excitement.
The Ejian Sect held an annual recruitment event for new disciples. The time for this year’s event had arrived. Normally, Luo Nianshang wouldn’t attend such gatherings. Large crowds made her uncomfortable.
But lately, she had been plagued by doubts and uncertainties. She wondered if she had isolated herself too much. She was a woman of action, and she decided to make an effort to be more present.
Bai Jingxue, who had been preparing for a nap, was suddenly scooped up into the air and deposited in Luo Nianshang’s arms.
The next moment, they were walking down the mountain path.
Fresh snow crunched beneath their feet, their breath forming clouds in the crisp air. Bai Jingxue shivered, but not from the cold. The spiritual energy here was invigorating, surging through her body with renewed intensity.
She flexed her claws, longing for a target to test her strength on, but she was currently trapped in Luo Nianshang’s embrace. Such thoughts would have to remain fantasies for now.
It had been a long time since Luo Nianshang had walked this path. Time seemed to slow down, the world around her taking on a new clarity.
To avoid unnecessary commotion, she cast a concealment spell, allowing her to observe her disciples without the usual display of frantic bowing and scraping.
The further down they went, the lower the cultivation levels of the disciples. Those residing at the peak and mid-mountain levels had reached a certain level of mastery, allowing them to wear lighter clothing. But the disciples at the foot of the mountain were mostly at the Foundation Establishment realm or lower.
They were bundled up in thick robes, their faces flushed from the cold.
Luo Nianshang perched on a tree branch, observing their activities. Bai Jingxue nestled in her arms, her tail flicking back and forth.
A young disciple, barely at the Qi Refinement stage, rubbed his hands together, his face splitting into a hopeful grin. “I wonder if we’ll get any new junior brothers this year?”
A young girl, sweeping snow nearby, tossed her broom aside and retorted, “Why junior brothers? I say it’ll be junior sisters!”
The first disciple flinched, retrieving the discarded broom and resuming his task. “Junior brothers are better,” he muttered. “They can help with chores.”
The girl blew on her red hands. “Lazybones,” she scoffed. “Besides, the selection process is so strict. It’s been ten years since we’ve had any new disciples.”
She slumped onto a stone bench, her face etched with worry. “When do you think we’ll finally be free from these menial tasks?”
The boy, sneezing, shook his head. “Just focus on cultivating,” he said. “If we reach the Inner Sect, we won’t have to do chores anymore.”
The girl pouted. “And will we finally get to meet Ancestor Luo if we reach the Inner Sect?”
“Is that why you joined the sect?”
“Hmph, is there something wrong with that?”
The boy abandoned his sweeping duties, dusting the snow from his robes. “I heard Ancestor Luo will be participating in the recruitment this year.”
His voice took on a dreamy quality. “Imagine being chosen as her disciple,” he sighed.
The girl rolled her eyes. “Get real,” she said. “Ancestor Luo has sworn off taking disciples.”
Bai Jingxue glanced at Luo Nianshang.
The world believed that Luo Nianshang had chosen to focus solely on her cultivation, but having read the novel, Bai Jingxue knew the truth. The woman was simply terrified of social interaction.
Luo Nianshang, however, seemed to be pondering those words, a thoughtful expression on her face.
They continued down the path, eventually reaching the sect’s main gate. The selection process was conducted outside the gates. Aspiring cultivators would first have their spiritual roots tested, followed by a test of their spiritual energy.
Only those with single or dual spiritual roots and at least a B-grade level of spiritual energy were eligible to become ordinary disciples of the Ejian Sect. Each recruitment event was overseen by an Inner Sect disciple and an Elder from the Outer Sect.
This year, the designated Inner Sect disciple was Fu Yuan. But unlike her usual cheerful demeanor, she seemed troubled, her brow furrowed.
A crowd of rejected applicants lingered outside the gates, hoping to catch a glimpse of the lucky few who would be chosen.
Luo Nianshang dispelled her concealment spell and settled beside Fu Yuan, the cat still in her arms.
Her sudden appearance startled the Elders and Fu Yuan. They hastily knelt, bowing low.
“Greetings, Ancestor!”
Luo Nianshang, her attention focused on the cat in her lap, began to stroke its head. The cat, annoyed, swiped at her, its claws retracting at the last moment. Luo Nianshang remained unharmed.
The crowd erupted.
“Ancestor? Is it really her?”
“She looks exactly like the portrait! It’s the Sword Saint!”
“Sword Saint! I can die happy now!”
“Even though I wasn’t chosen, this was worth it! I’m going to brag about this for the next ten years! No, twenty!”
Amidst the excited chatter, a young woman, her features plain and unremarkable, stood out, her demeanor calm and composed.
She, too, was looking at Luo Nianshang, but her gaze held a different quality, a subtle intensity that set her apart from the others.
Fu Yuan, seeing Luo Nianshang’s discomfort, rose to her feet, her voice gentle but firm as she addressed the crowd. “Silence!”
The excited chatter died down, but the crowd continued to stare at Luo Nianshang with adoration. They longed to be in the cat’s place, basking in the glory of the Sword Saint’s attention.
Bai Jingxue squirmed, uncomfortable with the scrutiny. She looked up to see the envious gazes directed at her.
She sighed, acknowledging the female lead’s undeniable popularity.
“Let the testing resume,” Fu Yuan announced.
Bai Jingxue felt Luo Nianshang relax slightly, a hint of amusement creeping into her own heart. To think that someone so powerful could be so afraid of people.
Her amusement was short-lived. Luo Nianshang’s voice, transmitted directly into her mind, resumed its incessant chatter. Bai Jingxue tried to tune her out, but it was a futile endeavor.
“I’m still not used to this,” Luo Nianshang sighed. “I’m much more comfortable alone.”
“I performed a divination on myself,” she continued. “It seems I need to take on a disciple to progress further in my cultivation.”
“But what if I’m a terrible teacher?”
Bai Jingxue covered her ears with her paws, but the voice was in her head now. She couldn’t exactly rip her own brain out.
Suddenly, she missed Lü Qingyan’s mindless chatter. At least the dog was decisive, a creature of action. This melancholic, indecisive side of Luo Nianshang was exhausting.
Perhaps, the next time they encountered the Demon Lord, she could suggest a trade. The Demon Lord might be a bit hypocritical, but at least she wasn’t a constant source of existential angst.
As Bai Jingxue contemplated switching sides, Luo Nianshang’s gaze was drawn to a young woman dressed in red.
Her features were ordinary, yet Luo Nianshang couldn’t tear her eyes away. She stared for so long that the woman finally looked up.
Their gazes met, but the woman didn’t react with the same excitement as the others. She simply smiled, her expression calm and composed.
Luo Nianshang was the first to look away, her heart pounding in her chest. She was confused by her own reaction.
Soon, it was the woman’s turn to be tested. She stepped before a transparent crystal and placed her hand upon it. A blinding red light filled the air, silencing the crowd.
The Elder overseeing the test announced in a trembling voice, “Single fire spiritual root, A-grade spiritual energy. Pass!”
Even Fu Yuan was stunned. The purer the spiritual root, the better. And an A-grade level of spiritual energy was the highest possible. This wasn’t just “good potential.” This was exceptional talent, second only to the Sword Saint herself.
Luo Nianshang’s voice echoed in Bai Jingxue’s mind.
“I feel a connection with this one. Perhaps I should take her as my disciple. With her talent, she can learn on her own. I’ll only need to offer occasional guidance.”
Bai Jingxue, however, felt a surge of unease. The woman’s aura felt strange, familiar in a way she couldn’t quite place. Then, a minor detail from the novel surfaced in her mind.
The Demon Lord, in a moment of vulnerability, had confessed to the male lead that before her spiritual root had been shattered, it had been a supreme-grade single fire spiritual root.
And judging by the timeline, the Demon Lord’s spiritual root shouldn’t have been shattered yet.
Could this be an act of revenge?
Despite her reservations about Luo Nianshang, she didn’t want to see the female lead suffer. She shook her head vehemently.
Seeing the cat’s strong reaction, Luo Nianshang decided to observe further. However, by the end of the day, the woman in red was the only one who had passed the test.
Luo Nianshang, trusting in fate, approached the woman. “What is your name?” she asked, her voice cool and detached.
The woman looked up, a gentle smile gracing her plain features. “Hong Ying,” she replied.
Luo Nianshang, sensing her calmness, relaxed slightly. She unhooked a jade pendant from her belt and offered it to Hong Ying. “Would you be my disciple?”
Bai Jingxue saw the flicker of triumph in Hong Ying’s eyes as the pendant was presented.
But what truly confirmed her suspicions was the familiar scent of spiritual energy emanating from the woman.
It wasn’t Lü Qingyan’s aura.
And the only person who would be in such close proximity to Lü Qingyan was the Demon Lord.
Bai Jingxue was about to protest when she noticed Hong Ying staring at her, a subtle threat in her eyes.
“The Master’s cat seems quite intelligent,” she purred.
Luo Nianshang, misinterpreting her words as a compliment, encouraged Hong Ying to pet the cat.
Bai Jingxue froze as Hong Ying’s hand lingered on her neck, her fingers pressing down slightly.
It was a warning.
Logic dictated that she remain calm. She suppressed her urge to lash out, her concern for Luo Nianshang growing with each passing moment.
In the original story, the main conflict had revolved around the male lead. Jealousy and rivalry had been the norm.
Now, the only conflict stemmed from their opposing factions. Could it be that Luo Nianshang had received the inheritance from the secret realm? Was the Demon Lord here to steal it?
Lost in her paranoid musings, she didn’t realize they had returned to Luo Nianshang’s chamber until they were inside.
Perhaps deeming the spartan surroundings too harsh for her new disciple, Luo Nianshang snapped her fingers, transforming the bare stone chamber into a more comfortable dwelling.
“It’s not much,” she said, “but a cultivator should not be concerned with material possessions.”
“Your teachings are wise, Master,” Hong Ying replied dutifully.
Luo Nianshang, unsure of what to do next, struggled to recall the basics of cultivation. She decided to start with the fundamentals of guiding spiritual energy into the body.
She sat on her newly acquired bed and began to meditate. “Observe,” she instructed.
Hong Ying nodded obediently.
But Luo Nianshang, lost in her meditation, forgot all about her new disciple.
As Bai Jingxue watched in horror, Hong Ying turned towards her, a predatory smile spreading across her face.
“Remember, little kitty,” she purred, her voice laced with malice. “Too much intelligence can be a dangerous thing.”
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