Chapter 51: Disciple and Wife
The grey-clad girl, trailing behind the others, muttered to herself, then suddenly looked up at the sky.
Above, the faint shimmer of the protective formation was visible. Sect-raised cranes soared beneath the barrier, and beyond, shrouded in white mist, the towering peaks reached towards the clouds.
Ji Ling, walking ahead, glanced back. “What are you looking at?”
Tao Ning lowered her gaze, her expression innocent. “I’ve never seen cranes flying amidst the clouds. I was mesmerized.”
Ji Bai and Ji Ling, accustomed to the sight, remembered their own initial awe upon entering the sect and didn’t fault her for her fascination.
Ji Bai said, “They must be in a good mood today. You’ll see them every day. Let’s go. I’ll take you to your lodgings.”
As if understanding Ji Bai’s words, the cranes scattered, flying high above, their white forms concealing the small, snow-white bundle hidden on one of their backs.
Leaving the grand plaza, one crane flew towards Wangshu Peak, but veered away halfway up, the small white bundle leaping from its back, not even pausing on the outstretched branches.
A flash of light, and a woman in green appeared on the steps leading to the summit.
Cen Dianshuang, one hand lifting her skirt, climbed the steps, lost in thought. “The original host wouldn’t have cried for her. So why did I?”
The feeling had been so strange.
She was straightforward, her musical talent stemming from innate ability, not sentimentality. She struggled to articulate the complex emotions behind that single tear.
A fleeting moment of both joy and sorrow.
She considered seeking clarification from her senior sister, but hesitated, then shook her head. “No, I won’t ask.”
Arriving at the temporary lodgings, the two senior sisters gave the prospective disciples their instructions and left.
These accommodations were typically used for new Academy students, mostly Qi Refining cultivators who still required mundane necessities like food and baths. The location was secluded, away from the main student quarters.
Seclusion meant peace and quiet. Tao Ning watched as the others chose their rooms, leaving the last one for her. She entered slowly.
The room was small, with a window overlooking the forest. At night, she would be able to fall asleep to the rustling of bamboo leaves.
The Hanshan Sect treated its Academy students well, providing individual rooms. While small, barely enough space for a bed and a table, at least it was private.
A set of plain green robes, devoid of embroidery, lay on the bed – the standard uniform for new Academy students.
Tao Ning picked up the robes and headed towards the bathhouse Ji Ling had pointed out. After a refreshing bath, she returned to her room, intending to wash her travel-stained grey robe.
She picked up the Heaven-grade robe. It remained pristine, untouched by dust. Now, without her cultivation, she couldn’t use Heaven-grade artifacts. She would have to find a way to conceal it.
The sound of the door opening startled her. She looked up to see Ji Bai returning with a handful of tokens.
“I forgot to mention, you’ll need these disciple tokens for the ceremony tomorrow…”
She stopped mid-sentence, her gaze fixed on the white robe in Tao Ning’s hands.
Bathed in the bright moonlight, the robe shimmered, its brilliance undeniable.
Ji Bai had never seen such fabric, pure white and subtly radiant, captivating her attention. “That’s…”
Tao Ning, exhausted from the trials, had been careless. She could only hope the young disciple wouldn’t recognize a Heaven-grade artifact.
Feigning nonchalance, she draped the robe over her arm, tilting her head and asking gently, “What were you saying, Senior Sister Ji Bai?”
Against the backdrop of her grey robe, the white seemed less striking, almost dull. Ji Bai questioned her own perception.
Easily distracted, Ji Bai forgot her initial curiosity and left.
The other prospective disciples, lacking Tao Ning’s stamina, had collapsed onto their beds, too tired to even wash up.
After distributing the tokens, hanging them on each door, Tao Ning returned to her room, sitting cross-legged on the bed.
Remembering that she was now a mortal, incapable of cultivation, she lay down, fully clothed.
The night deepened, the rustling of bamboo leaves filling the air. In the row of rooms, only one window remained open.
Moonlight streamed in, dividing the room into light and shadow.
A figure lay on the bed, sleeping soundly amidst the gentle snores of the other occupants, seemingly unaffected by the grueling trials.
Before one could get a closer look, the sleeping figure’s eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes, one hand rubbing her stomach.
“Hungry,” she declared.
Tao Ning couldn’t sleep. One Fasting Pill sustained her for two days. She had one left, but the taste was atrocious.
Cultivators might claim indifference to worldly pleasures, but did they really need to endure such culinary torture?
She refused to take another one unless absolutely necessary.
Sitting up, she shook the small pill bottle, muttering, “I wish that ungrateful little thing was here. I’d crush this and feed it to it, just to hear it chirp in protest.”
A small, snow-white bundle hidden in the shadows: …She’s definitely talking about me.
Cen Dianshuang had never been one for pecking, but this Tao Ning, with her uncanny ability to provoke with mere words, was testing her patience. She began to question her decision to observe the girl.
Perhaps her temper has improved?
Putting away the pill bottle, Tao Ning slipped out into the moonlight, heading towards the bamboo grove.
She would rather gnaw on raw bamboo shoots than swallow another Fasting Pill.
To her delight, she found a wild pheasant in the grove. The Hanshan Sect truly is a haven for all creatures, she thought as she swiftly and efficiently snapped the pheasant’s neck.
She assumed it was a stray, left behind by a former resident of the lodgings, a fortunate find for her.
Thanking nature for its bounty, she retrieved a fire starter and some spices from her small cloth bag, marinating the cleaned pheasant.
No fancy techniques, just the simplest, most flavorful method: roasting over an open fire.
Perched high on a bamboo branch, the small, snow-white bundle: …I didn’t know we had wild pheasants in the Hanshan Sect.
This girl was incredibly bold, casually roasting a bird in the bamboo grove. It smelled delicious.
After three months of self-sufficiency, Tao Ning’s culinary skills had improved significantly. Soon, the most desirable parts of the pheasant were cooked to perfection.
Poking the fire, she glanced around. “Not coming out? Suit yourself. I’ll eat it all myself.”
A slightly anxious voice responded, “Wait! I’m coming! Save some for me!”
Tao Ning: “…Who’s there?”
Turning, she saw a delicate face. After a moment, she recognized the quiet girl with the single Metal spiritual root.
She hadn’t caught a bird, but she had caught a person.
Despite knowing the outcome, she still felt a twinge of disappointment.
The snow-white bundle settled back down, relieved.
That was close. What is she roasting? It smells so good.
Will I really be subjected to this constant temptation as her master? But Senior Sister has so many disciples, she probably won’t bother with me.
The bundle continued its silent observation.
The girl, fearing Tao Ning would retract her offer, quickly settled down beside her. “I followed the scent. Where did you find such a plump pheasant?”
Tao Ning picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks, chewing thoughtfully before swallowing. “Caught it nearby. Seemed abandoned, so I roasted it.”
The girl: “…Caught it nearby?” She eyed the succulent pheasant roasting over the fire.
Was it safe to eat?
Appetite won out. Seeing Tao Ning eating without hesitation, she picked up a piece and began roasting it herself.
Tao Ning, observing her clumsy technique, realized she wasn’t accustomed to such tasks. “What’s your name?”
They had introduced themselves at the gate, but Tao Ning hadn’t remembered. The girl, unfazed, replied, “Jin Jiamu. The one with the Metal spiritual root.”
Tao Ning nodded, acknowledging her, her mind elsewhere.
Jin Jiamu, usually quiet, was surprisingly talkative in private. To distract herself from the tantalizing aroma of the roasting pheasant, she continued the conversation.
“The disciple acceptance ceremony is tomorrow. Which elder do you plan to ask? I’m hoping for Elder Qianlian of Qianqi Peak.”
Tao Ning’s interest piqued. “You want to pursue artifact refinement?”
Jin Jiamu licked her lips, her gaze fixed on the fire. “Yes. No offense, but I don’t think sword cultivation suits me. I’m not… aggressive enough. I can’t learn that.”
“I’ve been thinking. I want to become an artifact refiner. My family says girls should learn talismans or music, not swing hammers. It’s unseemly. They want me to become an alchemist, so I don’t have to spend so much on pills and can brew my own.”
“But my family… the Jin clan… we’re artifact refiners. Why can they do it, but not me?”
She poured out her frustrations, words she had never shared with anyone. But somehow, in Tao Ning’s presence, she felt comfortable confiding in her, as if speaking to a trusted elder.
Tao Ning’s expression softened, a flicker of understanding in her eyes. “This path requires patience. You can’t be afraid of failure.”
She gestured towards Jin Jiamu. “And sword cultivators aren’t just about fighting. You ran away from home. Once you join the Hanshan Sect, they won’t dare take you back.”
“That’s what I said! No offense.” Jin Jiamu puffed up slightly, then deflated. “Of course. They wouldn’t dare offend the Hanshan Sect.”
Her smug expression faltered. “How did you know I ran away?”
Normally, she wouldn’t bother answering such personal questions, but she had a soft spot for aspiring artifact refiners.
Tao Ning: “You’re different from the others. You have a family cultivation technique. Your clothes are worn, but there are traces of a protective formation embroidered on the back. The wealthy twins don’t have that. They come from a merchant family. Their clothes are for decoration, not protection.”
“You were the fourth to reach the gate because you’ve broken your legs before. The old injury flared up. You were the first out of the Pear Blossom Formation. You’re able to walk now because you used your cultivation technique to heal the injury. The scrapes on your hands and knees are minor… If I’m not mistaken, you’re at least at the mid-stage of Qi Refining.”
“You’re wearing a protective robe, your movements suggest training, yet you’re penniless. You must have run away in a hurry, without even taking any spiritual stones. Am I right?”
Jin Jiamu: “…”
Tao Ning pointed. “Turn it over. It’s burning.”
Jin Jiamu, stunned, quickly flipped the pheasant. “You’re right about everything.”
Her expression turned serious as she drifted into a memory, the firelight illuminating her young, delicate face, which held a weight beyond her years.
She quickly recovered, shaking off the past.
Looking up, she asked, “What about you? Which elder do you want to follow? Sword cultivation? Talismans? Formations? Divination? Alchemy? I want to learn artifact refinement… Oh, and there’s music cultivation too.”
Tao Ning: “I want to become Elder Cen’s disciple.”
Jin Jiamu: “Elder Cen? But she’s famous for not taking disciples. What if she refuses?”
Tao Ning: “I’ll kneel and beg. Guilt trip her.”
Jin Jiamu: “…”
The snow-white bundle: …Perfect. Just like someone who roasts pheasants in the middle of the night.
Tao Ning, finished eating, took a sip of water from her waterskin, her long eyelashes casting shadows on her cheeks. “I came all this way for her. I won’t accept anyone else.”
Jin Jiamu, still pondering the meaning of “guilt trip,” found the phrase amusing.
“I understand. I also came specifically for Elder Qianlian. If she refuses… I don’t think she will. I heard she’s very kind.”
They said a master was like a mother. If you could choose your own mother, you’d choose the best one. —Jin Jiamu thought irreverently.
Tao Ning, one hand resting on her temple, smiled faintly. “Do you think Elder Cen believes in tears?”
Jin Jiamu, not quite understanding, but finding the question amusing, laughed. “Why don’t you try?”
The chances of success were slim. As the Disciplinary Hall Elder, Cen Dianshuang had seen countless tears, heard countless apologies. She was probably immune.
Tao Ning had also considered this. Sighing, she said, “Then I’ll have to challenge myself and join Alchemy Peak, the closest peak to the Disciplinary Hall. I must get close to Elder Cen.”
Jin Jiamu, gnawing on a chicken leg, gave her a thumbs-up. “I can sense your determination.”
Tao Ning chuckled, tilting her head back to drink.
The bamboo leaves rustled in the night breeze. The girl in green, sitting by the fire, seemed unusually cheerful, sharing her food and water with a stranger.
After Jin Jiamu revealed her aspirations, Tao Ning’s demeanor had softened considerably.
The snow-white bundle remained silent.
From this distance, it could hear every word.
What is this little fox planning?
Proximity was key. Tao Ning could control her own actions, but not those of others. If Cen Dianshuang refused, she would have to adapt.
The cultivation world wasn’t like the modern world with its laws and regulations. Here, the strong preyed on the weak, and change was constant.
Time was the least valuable commodity. Decades could pass in a single meditation session.
Tao Ning: “If she refuses to take me as her disciple, I hope she’ll suddenly achieve a breakthrough and enter seclusion for a hundred years.”
By then, she would have found the protagonist, completed her mission, and left this world.
The snow-white bundle: “…”
Jin Jiamu voiced its thoughts. Looking up, she said, “So, if you can’t have her, you’ll destroy her?”
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