T/N: This chapter was translated by Elysian Pit. I DO NOT own the translation and all credit goes to the original translator. I’ve picked up this novel to continue from where the previous translator left. Thank you ❤️❤️
Jian Xingzhi wasn’t an expert at naming. The ‘Long Aotian’ name was a title given to him by the Lady of Jishan.
It was said that someone conveyed a story about him to Qin Wanwan when she was roasting a chicken, and Qin Wanwan remarked, “Isn’t this precisely the so-called Long Aotian?”
The name of ‘Long Aotian’ itself had no specific meaning, but just by the three characters building that name, people could inexplicably perceive a certain disposition of the person. Starting from there, ‘Long Aotian’ became another title of his. It spread out from one person to ten, ten to hundreds, and so on. People publicly called him Great Daoist Monarch Suiheng, but behind the scenes, they called him Long Aotian. He could care less about his titles. In fact, he felt somewhat proud with his new title.
In the present, he used that name not only because of the majesty brought by that name, but also to remind him that his enemies were still lurking around waiting for him to return to take revenge!
Qin Wanwan was enlightened when she got his name.
She suddenly realized why this man was so vain, so boastful, and so deceitful.
His character was presumably already written in his genes by the course his parents picked this kind of name for him.
Still, in the Immortal Realm, there was no one named Long Aotian. At best, Long Aotian was Jian Xingzhi’s title that was inadvertently given by her.
But.. could he truly be Jian Xingzhi?
Putting aside that this Long Aotian might be Jian Xingzhi, and even if he really was Jian Xingzhi, how could he report such a chuuni* name when he made up an alias?
[T/N: Chuunibyou (中二病 / 厨二病), often shortened to chuuni, is an often-derisive slang term for the embarrassing (cringe) behavior of 13 to 14 y.o.]
Subjectively, she didn’t like Jian Xingzhi, but objectively, she admitted that Jian Xingzhi had an inherent ‘Big Boss’ aura. He was the epitome of what a Sword Cultivator should look like.
A person of few words who wouldn’t yield to others. There were plenty of rumors circulating about him. Such as, his character was as sharp as sword; his sword was as resolute as life.
Another example, she heard, when he was in the Cultivation Realm, there was a sect ridiculing him, saying he should become a songstress because of his looks. Half a month later, he wiped out the whole sect. During that time, he was only in the Golden Core Realm.
(Author’s Note: This was merely a rumor heard from the perspective of the Female Lead. The Male Lead never did such things.)
In Qin Wanwan’s mind, Jian Xingzhi as a person was equivalent to a violent lunatic with straight male cancer disease*. But, in the Immortal Realm, as a Sword Cultivator, he was someone respected by the strong and was worthy of said respect. He attracted countless people. Women loved his face; Men loved his strength. Many people berated him for causing trouble every time, but there were no less people that secretly imitated him in everything he did.
[T/N: 直男癌 – zhí nán ái. In a casual/joking tone, straight male cancer refers to a dense man who fails to understand women’s code. Straight is not referring to sexual orientation, but mind. The kind that has no twist and turn in their mind and is straightforward. A famous example of straight male cancer is the meme “Well damn, Jackie! I can’t control the weather!”.]
From his way of swordsmanship to his way of fashion, Jian Xinzghi could be estimated as someone who had a big influence in the Immortal Realm.
That kind of Big Boss stuck in this Lower Realm, even if there was a System bound to him, how high was the chance he would wear pink clothes, dig tunnels, explode latrine pits, and call her Master…?
Another thing was, with Jian Xingzhi’s naming taste, shown in his Daoist name ‘Sui Heng’*and his sword ‘Erya’*, there was no way he would take the name Long Aotian as an alias to fool her.
[T/N: 岁衡 – suìhéng; The Weight of the Years or the “Sui” can also refer to the time for the handle of the Big Dipper to make one revolution around the east, south, west, and north (or, simply, the sun’s orbit on the ecliptic) and the “Heng” from 衡汉(Héng Hàn) referring to the Big Dipper.
尔雅 – ěryǎ; Refined/Elegant.]
She crossed ‘Jian Xingzhi’ from the list and thought of the remaining people on her acquaintance list. Alas, she was absolutely certain that she didn’t know any other Long Aotian in the Immortal Realm.
She lived in seclusion all year round in Mountain Jishan, so she only knew a handful of people. Considering that, this Long Aotian probably wasn’t someone famous. The strength of his Sea of Consciousness could be considered high, but it should be just a little bit higher than hers.
Nevertheless, even if it was only a little bit higher, at the end of the day. she couldn’t get rid of him. They had related Tasks given by the System. They might as well cooperate and save themselves from future headaches.
Qin Wanwan settled to give up speculating on Jian Xingzhi’s identity and resumed their previous topic, “Then, the matter about the kitten, do you know?”
“I know.”
Jian Xingzhi’s expression was unfathomable, “The fairy has told it to the puppy, it said the kitten woke up one day and found itself in a book. The kitten needs to become an immortal and change its fate.”
Just like the usual Rebirth trope in a novel.
Qin Wanwan breathed a sigh of relief. She was grateful that she wouldn’t have to talk in a roundabout way to explain her matter.
She confirmed his words with a nod. This time, instead of wine, she offered a glass filled with tea to Jian Xingzhi, “All’s well that ends well. Please take care of the kitty in the future.”
Jian Xingzhi nodded and took a sip of the tea. “To each other. It will be a long journey for the kitty and the puppy, let’s work together to end this earlier.”
“As you said.” Then, a flash of thought passed Qin Wanwan’s mind. “There is still one thing. One more important thing.”
“Speak.”
“About… the puppy’s tasks.”
Qin Wanwan gave a pleading look to Jian Xingzhi, “Can the puppy discuss it with the kitty first?”
Jian Xingzhi’s movement paused. “It depends on the puppy’s fairy.” He added, “The fairy has a special electrocute function.”
He was nearly electrified into an electric puppy.
“I see.”
Qin Wanwan couldn’t say anything much about it.
In this moment, the two reached a level of harmony neither had ever achieved previously.
Jian Xingzhi recalled something, “Oh, right. This,” he put a small bronze mirror on the table and pushed it toward Qin Wanwan, “It should be yours.”
“What is this?”
Qin Wanwan picked up the mirror, and the bronze mirror darkened in an instant. Jian Xingzhi didn’t notice it and continued to explain as he held his cup, “This is Qian Liu’s treasure Thousand Faces, the ‘Qianmian Mirror’. He depended on this to wove visual illusions on his appearance. You can use this treasure to transform into the appearance of any person you ever saw.”
Qin Wanwan didn’t respond. This was her reward for her task, so she didn’t refuse it. It’s just, looking at the dark mirror, she inevitably felt something was wrong.
She waved her hand and recited a spell to remove the Ownership Seal on the Qianmian Mirror. It didn’t bulge, so Qin Wanwan shifted her gaze to Jian Xingzhi, “Why doesn’t it work?”
Jian Xingzhi looked at the Qianmian Mirror with doubt. Once the mirror was in his hands, it lit up as if it were alive, restoring its delicate and beautiful appearance.
Qin Wanwan threw a suspicious look at Jian Xingzhi, “It seems, it recognizes you as its Master?”
Jian Xingzhi was silent. He slowly glanced at his task bar. The glaring third task to capture Qian Liu was half-completed. Underneath the task was the detailed mini-missions.
Kidnapped by Qian Liu? Let the Female Lead fight Qian Liu? It was already ticked on the list. The eyesore was the incomplete ‘Let the Female Lead acquire the treasure Qianmian Mirror’ task.
He replayed the situation of snatching the mirror in his mind before realizing that when he grabbed the mirror from Qian Liu, he had a wound on his hand. It should be at that time that his blood flowed onto the Qianmian Mirror and it directly recognized him as its Master.
“In this case,” Qin Wanwan was indifferent. She gestured with her hand, “Only you can use it and help me change my face.”
They made a huge mess at the Wen Xin Sect. There weren’t many that had seen Jian Xingzhi, but Qin Wan was a well-known disciple of Wen Xin Sect.
Jian Xingzhi was still silent. He stared hard at the half-reward that he got, a little heartbroken.
The System said, the completion of tasks increased his limits of authority. The higher his points, the more things he could do. If his points were high enough, he could use his original strength in this realm.
This body was not on par with his original body, and not to mention the debt of 400 points he owed to the System. If he didn’t work hard, how could he bring Qin Wan to ascend quickly?
He grinded his teeth in determination, “I’ll think of a way.”
Looking at Jian Xingzhi’s determination, Qin Wanwan yawned, “Then you think of a way, I will rest first.”
Jian Xingzhi nodded.
Qin Wanwan went to the bed, and as soon as lay on the bed, a ‘Meditation Time Left: 1 Hour’ flashed wildly in her head.
She inhaled deeply and suppressed her inner agony to sit up.
With a sigh, she started the task of cycling through her meridians and realized she couldn’t find the Dragon Core.
But she could still feel the Qi of the Dragon Core in her body.
Her brows creased.
“38,” she wondered out loud, “Do you know why I can’t sense the Dragon Core, where did it go?”
“Host, your authority is not enough to inquire about it,” 38 reminded, but after a consideration, it told her, “When you arrive at the Sword Mound, you will know the answer.”
Qin Wanwan didn’t ask more questions after hearing that.
In fact, even if 38 didn’t want to answer her question, she could guess to some extent.
In the previous life, Su Yueli’s cultivation advanced rapidly. It took her less than ten years to reach the upper bound. Qin Wan died before Su Yueli ascended and she didn’t know the details about her ascension, but there was one vivid memory in Qin Wan’s mind.
Su Yueli’s destiny as the Female Lead began with the Dragon Core and she advanced rapidly after she got the precious core.
It could be seen that the Dragon Core played a vital role in Su Yueli’s path of ascension.
As for how to utilize this Dragon Core, she could only wait for the opportunity to reveal its nature.
Qin Wanwan mulled over it and concentrated on meditating.
Jian Xingzhi sensed the change in the surrounding Qi and was pleased.
At long last, she spared some efforts to act like how a reborn Female Lead should act.
The two struggled with their own troubles and the day after, a knock sounded on Qin Wanwan’s door. Qin Wanwan blinked her eyes and looked around but couldn’t locate Jian Xingzhi. Yawning, she got out of the bed.
She cracked the door open and was met with a smiling young man standing at the door carrying a mourning stick.
Qin Wanwan shut the door with a loud ‘Bang’
Wasn’t Qian Liu already a goner?!
Facing the tightly shut door, the young man’s smile stiffened. He hurriedly spoke out, “Miss, I am Bai Suiyou of Guicheng, not Qian Liu.”
Qin Wanwan breathed calmly to collect her soul that was still wandering from her sleepy state. She knocked her head with her knuckles in distress as she replied, “Fellow Daoist, please wait for a minute.”
She quickly changed her clothes and freshened up a bit before reopening the door.
She said ‘a minute’, but the course of actions took longer than that. She glanced around before she found Bai Suiyou in the yard. He looked back and their gaze met. There was no displeasure on his face.
He gave a nod to Qin Wanwan, “Miss, good morning.”
“To you too, Fellow Daoist Bai.”
For no particular reason, Qin Wanwan shuddered when looking at Bai Suiyou’s face.
“Is there something I can help you with?”
“I am here to show my gratitude. Yesterday, Miss and other Fellow Daoists rescued me. So, I specially asked about Miss’s residence to say thank you.”
Bai Suiyou’s words were courteous and compliant. His speech was unhurried, with a gentle tone. Qin Wawnan scrutinized him and discovered that Qian Liu purposely mimicked Bai Suiyou’s behavior. But, a fake was a fake and Qian Liu’s imitation couldn’t compare to the real one.
Bai Suiyou had a scholarly aura, vaguely entwined with a smell of sandalwood. Clear and pure, carrying the temperament of pine and bamboo.
With just some words, she could already distinguish him from Qian Liu. Qin Wanwan relaxed and waved her hand, “We were just passing by. Fellow Daoist Bai doesn’t need to put it to heart.”
“The grace of saving lives has its cause and effect. Shall Miss need any help in the future,” Bai Suiyou took a string of copper coins tied by red ropes from his sleeve, “Miss can ask for me with these copper coins.”
“It’s no big deal, no big deal at all. Fellow Daoist Bai is polite.” Qin Wanwan refused politely with her words, but still received the copper coins. Then she realized, “Fellow Daoist Bai, have you eaten breakfast? How about we eat together?”
“I have had my breakfast but a meal is always welcome,” Bai Suiyou replied with a smile, “I strolled around the Tian Jian Sect in the morning. If Miss doesn’t dislike it, I can take Miss to look around the Tian Jian Sect.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
Qin Wanwan accepted the offer, but then halted halfway, “Please wait a moment, I will take my veil first.”
Weighing the crowd in Tian Jian Sect in mind, especially during the Sword Test Conference, Qin Wanwan rotated back to her room and wore a veil to hide her features in case she encountered people from Wen Xin Sect. She then strode back to Bai Suiyou’s location, “Fellow Daoist Bai, let’s go.”
Bai Suiyou nodded and slowed down to the side, walking a step behind her as they walked to the dining hall.
The Tian Jian Sect was the Sect with the longest heritage out of the three famous Sects. The Sect produced many amazing people, and the Sect’s scenery was no less amazing than the people.
Bai Suiyou seemed to be extremely familiar with the Tian Jian Sect, he had excellent eloquence as he guided Qin Wanwan. When they encountered people, he would carefully distance himself from Qin Wanwan to avoid implicating her with Guicheng. Since there was no shade from the blazing sun, before the heat could touch her, the mourning stick on his hand had transformed into an umbrella to cover her.
Subtle consideration and thoughtfulness without breaching the boundary. Along the way from the guest room to the dining hall, Qin Wanwan’s favor for Bai Suiyou already multiplied.
When they stepped into the dining hall, Qin Wanwan noticed that the dining hall shared the same similarity as a school cafeteria.
“This is a cafeteria system developed by Su Qingyi, an elder of Tian Jian Sect who had ascended. Please wait here, I will go and get the card for Fellow Daoist.”
Bai Suiyou went to get the meal card and recharged some money on it, then he took Qin Wanwan for a meal.
After they got their hands on their meal, Bai Suiyou led Qin Wanwan to find a place to sit face-to-face.
Qin Wanwan abruptly felt nostalgic.
She missed this kind of time when it looked like they were in high school and were in budding puppy love.
She took a good look at Bai Suiyou across from her. He was wiping chopsticks for her. Seeing him so diligently wiping the chopsticks, she felt that the long-lost youth was found back.
She had only parted her lips to speak, but before any syllable was uttered, a commotion was heard at the entrance of the dining hall. Qin Wanwan gave a light glance and her breath was stolen away.
A young man wearing a white outer garment and blue inner garment, with his hair tied up with white satin and his sword held backhanded on his palm entered her vision. He entered the dining hall with great force.
He appeared to have just finished his morning exercise. There was a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. His facial features were not outstanding, but the structure was excellent. His jawline line was sharp and beautiful, in line with his temperament. Even if his facial features were ordinary, people couldn’t take their eyes away from him.
The moment he stepped into the dining hall, all gazes were on him, awed by the peculiar combination. Meanwhile, Qin Wanwan was briefly entranced before the fright dunked hard on her.
Because, her brain directly connected his face with another person in her mind.
His eyes, his nose, his lips may not be similar, but the outline of his face… how come it was printed out exactly like Jian Xingzhi’s!
Especially the momentum of holding the sword. Simply a reenactment of Jian Xingzhi’s momentum!
For a moment, Qin Wanwan wondered whether she had been beaten too hard by Jian Xingzhi and was left with psychological shadow to the point that she could see his shadow in the people around her.
The young man entered the hall. He received his meal card and grabbed his meal from the counter. He turned his head to look at Qin Wanwan, probably noticing her stare.
Qin Wanwan swiftly tossed her gaze away. Seeing her behaviour, Bai Suiyou was a bit curious, “Fellow Daoist knows that person?”
“Don’t know, don’t know.”
Qin Wanwan buried her head low like a quail, extremely afraid of attracting that person’s attention.
Tough luck, the young man frowned at Qin Wanwan. His steps were firm as he carried his meal to Qin Wanwan’s seat. He set the plate on the table and his sword on the chair, then he sat beside Qin Wanwan.
Qin Wanwan stood aside with great reflex.
Jian Xingzhi threw her a questioning look, “You have done eating?”
Qin Wanwan processed his words and voice in her mind. It took her a moment before she could utter a response, “It’s you?”
Jian Xingzhi looked at her like she was a fool. He fixed the position of her chopsticks which were misaligned because of her sudden movement before he took his chopsticks and started eating, “Hurry up and finish your meal. Then go back to your room to cultivate. You just formed your Golden Core, make sure to keep it stable.”
“Oh.”
Qin Wanwan obediently followed Jian Xingzhi’s words, only then did she remember Bai Suiyou was opposite her. She quickly introduced, “This is the one who gave us a helping hand in the cave, his name is…”
Qin Wanwan hesitated a bit, “Zhang San.”
Bai Suiyou was taken aback, then he identified something, “It was my negligence before, but may I ask for Miss’s name?”
“Li Si.” Qin Wanwan answered smoothly. “We are siblings.”
Bai Suiyou had a hard time believing, “Is it really your name? Or are Fellow Daoists lying to me?”
Qin Wanwan paused. She was contemplating whether to tell the truth or not. Bai Suiyou’s words made some sense. Their pseudonyms were so lazy-made that it was so easy to pierce through, and they couldn’t use it to keep wandering in the Cultivation Realm.
Jian Xingzhi swallowed his meal and exchanged glances with Qin Wanwan. They came to an understanding so Jian Xingzhi simply reported his new alias, “This Humble One is Long Aotian*.”
[T/N: 在下 – Zàixià. Lit. Under; Below. This Humble One.]
“I….” Qin Wanwan hesitated for a moment before telling her name, “am Qin Wanwan.”
The chopsticks held by Jian Xingzhi froze in mid-air.
Bai Suiyou observed their faces and still couldn’t believe it, “Loose Cultivators?”
Qin Wanwan confirmed with a nod. Bai Suiyou sighed, “Sure enough, the saying of experts are hidden among the common people is true.*”
[T/N: 高人在民间 – gāo rén zài mínjiān. Describes people who generally don’t show their talents, but once they showed their talents, they really stand out from the crowds. A similar idiom is Hidden Dragon Crouching Tiger.]
The three finished their meals. Jian Xingzhi and Qin Wanwan recounted their encounter with Qian Liu to Bai Suiyou. Bai Suiyou’s expression was melancholic, “In that case, I am afraid that my Old Master and my Old Master’s nephew have been killed by Qian Liu. Fellow Daoists not only saved me but also helped me to avenge the hatred.”
“Fellow Daoist Bai’s words are too heavy for us to accept,” Qin Wanwan declined politely, “It’s just a coincidence that it happened on our way.”
There was a pause before she added, “If Fellow Daoist is not in a hurry to go, how about we talk about the Sword Test Conference?”
“That’s also fine. The preparation for the Sword Test Conference is done with the utmost caution.”
A light smile appeared on Bai Suiyou’s face, “Even though it is named a Conference, it is not a conference per se. Neither is it a Martial Arts Test. The Sword Test Conference itself is an occasion of opening a secret realm. A test must be passed to enter the Sword Mound, and only cultivators below the Golden Core can participate. Each time the secret realm opens, only ten people can enter the Sword Mound. So each time, only ten people can choose a sword from the Sword Mound.”
Listening to Bai Suiyou’s explanation, Jian Xingzhi scrunched his brows, “Below the Golden Core? We have reached the Golden Core Realm, then…”
“Fellow Daoists don’t need to worry,” Bai Suiyou assured, “The Golden Core rule is simply an unwritten rule for the sake of convention. Most cultivators below the Golden Core haven’t got their own natal weapon, so they can choose it at the Sword Mound. Fellow Daoists do not have their own natal weapon and no sect constraints. When the time arrives, just suppress your cultivation to the Foundation Establishment, and there will be no hindrance.”
Qin Wanwan let go of her tense heartstring and asked another question, “What is the test in the secret realm?”
“There is no way to know it ahead,” Bai Suiyou shook his head, “The secret realm will see the test according to the traits of the people who enter the realm. Perhaps competing in martial arts, perhaps competing in four arts. Perhaps it will cost them a life, perhaps it will cost them nothing. No one knows what will happen.”
At this point, Jian Xingzhi and Qin Wanwan signaled to each other.
The three of them went back to their room while talking. When they arrived at the door, Bai Suiyou bid his farewell, “You two have a good rest. When the registration for the Sword Test Conference is over, the Tian Jian Sect will send a notice.”
“Be careful on the road, Fellow Daoist Bai.”
Qin Wanwan sent away Bai Suiyou and after he left, she sighed. She turned around and was met with Jian Xingzhi’s condescending look, “Why are you so lazy?”
Qin Wanwan: “Huh?”
“You only add another ‘Wan’ word after your original name. Are you afraid that the Wen Xin Sect’s people won’t be able to recognize you by name?”
“I just need to change my face.”
Qin Wanwan countered. She had no clue why someone with the alias Long Aotian had the time to care about her alias. “Qin Wanwan is a common name, how can Wen Xin Sect recognize me just from my name?”
“Change your alias.”
Jian Xingzhi refused to back down. Qin Wanwan was baffled, “Why?”
“The name ‘Qin Wanwan’,” Jian Xingzhi walked into the room, “I don’t like it.”
“Which part of my name do you dislike?” Qin Wanwan seethed when she saw someone dislike her name, “I like the name ‘Qin Wanwan’ very much.”
“I don’t like it!”
“I don’t care if you don’t like it!”
Qin Wanwan ignored his argument and shot back, “Coincidentally, I also don’t like your face.”
Jian Xingzhi stopped in his tracks. He turned to look at her, “What’s wrong with my face?”
“Ugly!”
Qin Wanwan glared at his face, reminiscing the painful time when her face was trampled on the ground by Jian Xingzhi. She emphasized, “It’s ugly! So ugly! The ugliest!”
“You!”
This was the first time someone called him ugly, right to his face. Anger and disbelief were written on his heart. His face, even if he had downgraded it a lot to not surpass the limit set on himself on this Cultivation Realm, it was still a lot better than the crooked melons and cracked dates*, wasn’t it?
[T/N: 歪瓜裂枣 – wāi guā liè zǎo. Various ways to call people ugly. Its original meaning is to say behind the ugly appearance, there is a heart of gold. “Don’t look at the crooked melon and cracked dates, but it will be sweeter than normal melons and dates.”]
She stared at Jian Zhiyan’s face and was entranced.
She stared at Xie Gutang’s face and was entranced.
She stared at Bai Suiyou’s face and her smile bloomed like a flower!
Yet, she dared to turn her back on him and said his face was ugly?!
“Just so you know, the original owner of this face,” Jian Xingzhi pointed to his face and subconsciously wanted to bring up the Immortal Realm, but when he saw the flashing thunder behind 666, he could only grit his teeth and changed his words, “has an unparalleled standing in the puppy’s world!”
Heh.
Qin Wanwn sneered. So, this person is Jian Xingzhi’s die-hard fan.
The admiration for the strong was human instinct. Even if Jian Xingzhi created trouble in every direction, there were still people worshiping him.
Qin Wanwan’s respect toward Jian Xingzhi plummeted a bit. She hissed back, “I don’t care! I don’t like it!”
“Whether you like it or not!”
Jian Xingzhi couldn’t bother to argue with her any longer. He sat cross-legged and started meditating, “I like this face.”
“Really, what a coincidence, I also like my name whether you like it or not!”
“Hmph!”
The two turned their heads together and ignored each other. One sat on one side, and the other sat on the opposite side. They unilaterally decided to have a cold war.
When Nan Feng arrived, he was greeted with the sight of two people meditating on the opposite side of the room. He was cautious not to make any sound. He thought his Master was concentrating on meditation.
Soon, he found something amiss.
The two were silent when they meditated, but they were also silent when they were not meditating.
Qin Wanwan brought him to meditate for eight hours each day, then wandered around the Tian Jian Sect, commenting on the good looks of the Sword Cultivators around.
As for Jian Xingzhi, he just locked himself in the room. Only cultivating, cultivating, and more cultivating.
When Qin Wanwan went alone, he privately inquired Nan Feng, “Where did your Master go today?”
Nan Feng had no courage to lie to Jian Xingzhi, so he answered truthfully.
“Today, Master went to watch Daoist Monarch Xie practicing swords. Master praised Daoist Monarch Xie, saying that his Sword Intent is extraordinary.”
“Then, she is blind.” Jian Xingzhi remarked.
“Today, Master and Daoist Bai went down the mountain to eat wonton. Master praised Daoist Bai, saying that he is gentle and considerate, like her first love.”
“Lazing around not doing anything, she should be practicing!” Jian Xingzhi hated iron for not becoming steel.
“Today, Master went to see the morning exercise of the Tian Jian Sect’s disciple, Master was enlightened.”
Jian Xingzhi’s hope was rekindled, “Is she finally going to practice?”
“No.”
Nan Feng shook his head, “Master said, ‘Men. They are undoubtedly more pleasing in the eyes when they are in a group’.”
Jian Xingzhi: “……”
Jian Xingzhi had reached the end of his patience. He stood up and rushed to the Tian Jian Sect’s training ground. Qin Wanwan was holding a watermelon, eating it with a spoon under the shade, watching the disciple compete.
Jian Xingzhi arrived by her side and grabbed her by the collar.
He flicked his hand and flung her to his shoulder. Qin Wanwan exclaimed in surprise, “My watermelon!”
Jian Xingzhi steadily caught the falling watermelon with his other hand and trekked back to the yard with Qin Wanwan on his shoulder.
“You only know how to eat, drink, sleep, and play everyday! When will you ascend with this kind of attitude?!”
“Put me down! I have meditated for eight hours every day! That’s already plenty!”
“There are twenty-four hours a day and you only meditate for eight hours a day! Except for meditating, what else did you do? Others practiced their swords and you only watched? Others competed with each other and you only watched?! At least make sure your foundation is already solid before lazing around!”
Jian Xingzhi put her down. He raised his hand and broke a branch of a pear blossom tree as he scolded like an old grumpy teacher. “Do you think you can try to shirk away from practice in this way? Draw your sword!”
Qin Wanwan took a sharp breath when she took a look at his face.
He is really worthy of being a die-hard fan of that Villain Jian Xingzhi, ah.
Even the momentum of drawing the sword was replicated successfully to the tiny details.
She swallowed a mouthful of breath and appeased Jian Xingzhi, “Aotian, I went to watch people practicing swords not only for fun but also to learn.”
“You want to learn to use a sword, why do you need to learn it from others when there is me to teach you?” Jian Xingzhi exposed her with a sneer, “Is it their swordsmanship you are looking at? Even a fool can see you are looking at their faces!”
Qin Wan bought a male pet at a young age, which showed that her will was not firm enough.
If such an attitude wasn’t corrected in time. how crooked would she be in the future?
“Well, about that…”
Qin Wanwan felt like she was tasting the novel feeling of being caught in puppy love by her parents. She struggled to defend herself, “There is no conflict between watching people and learning, is there? People always need to have a break from time to time.”
“No conflict?”
Jian Xingzhi gave a mocking smile, “You look at me, why do you think I never entangled myself with women for many years?”
“Why?” Qin Wanwan was confused.
“Women,” Jian Xingzhi was solemn, “will only affect the speed of drawing swords.”
Qin Wanwan: “……”
“The same applies to you, men will only affect the speed of drawing your sword.”
Qin Wanwan: “……”
I see. Qin Wanwan understood immediately. This old monk wanted to train her into an abstinence monk like him!
“Talk less. I will thoroughly teach you how to use a sword. Dare you dilly-dally, I will let you taste the sensation of a Sword Intent firsthand with my own personal Sword Intent.”
Get right down to business.
Qin Wanwan caught Jian Xingzhi’s underlying meaning at once and hastily drew her sword, “Sir, yes, Sir! Right away, Sir!”
Jian Xingzhi watched Qin Wanwan’s posture as she held her sword and frowned. He took a deep breath and focused on teaching Qin Wan the basics. He went right to action and walked to Qin Wanwan’s side. Then he demonstrated it to Qin Wanwan using the pear blossom branch he broke earlier, “When drawing the sword, hold the sword firmly, put the force on your arm instead of your wrist…”
Following his words, the pear blossom branch cut an arc in the air. The flowers on the branch fluttered freely under the force. His movement was straightforward, without any fancy additional movement. However, at that moment, Qin Wanwan saw the beauty of simplicity.
Qin Wanwan’s eyes followed the swaying flowers, and her gaze landed on the young man next to her through the scattered petals. She snapped from her daze when her gaze reached his face.
One might even say the terror awakened her.
Jian Xingzhi was aware that she was distracted and tilted his head at her, “Have you learned it?”
“The teaching was superb and I have learned.”
Qin Wanwan nodded her head up and down like a chicken pecking on rice. Jian Xingzhi threw the pear blossom branch aside and instructed, “Go practice. Draw your sword 10,000 times today.”
“Ten thousand times?!”
Qin Wanwan was struck silly. Jian Xingzhi merely gave her a sideway glance, one that went straight to her head. She immediately understood that it was indeed ten thousand times, no less. The only difference was she, the bystander, now became the active party.
She immediately nodded, “At your order, Sir!”
Jian Xingzhi’s mood eased a bit. He stepped under the shadows on the promenade, picked up Qin Wanwan’s watermelon and washed the spoon she had used with a cleansing spell. Then he gave a radiant smile as he dug into the watermelon, “Practice hard, I will keep an eye on you.”
Qin Wanwan: “……”
She, who was thinking of slacking off just now, was trapped in a fruitless situation.
She sniffed and motivated herself to write this grievance down and used this teaching to subdue him one day… This practice was for her own good, too.
The most regretful thing was, she had not much choice to begin with.
Qin Wanwan admitted that one’s misfortune was predetermined by God and resigned herself to fate. Between being beaten or exerting herself, she chose the latter without the least hesitation. She commenced her practice and drew her sword according to Jian Xingzhi’s instruction.
Although she was reluctant to start practicing, she was a bright student once she started, in short, taught her once and she would remember it right away.
Not only a simple remembering, she also set a human figure in her mind. Every time she swung her sword, she aimed at the imaginary human within her mind. Set the sight on one part and hit a bullseye. If she made a mistake and did not hit a bullseye, she would fix her posture again.
She drew her sword over and over again, and adjusted it over and over again, and every time she drew her sword, she saw the flashing ‘Martial Arts Proficiency +1’.
38 cheered her, “Host, work hard! You are guaranteed to be a strong, rich, and beautiful immortal if you keep this going!”
Qin Wanwan didn’t reply, concentrating on drawing her sword.
Ten thousand strokes were nearly done at the dead of night. Qin Wanwan’s brain had completely turned into a paste and she just mechanically moved her hand. Jian Xingzhi sat aside, waiting for her with the untouched watermelon.
At the last stroke, Qin Wanwan was drained of her energy and crashed to the ground with a ‘thump’.
Jian Xingzhi got to his feet, moved toward Qin Wanwan, and poked her with his toe, “Go back to your room to meditate.”
“Can’t.” Qin Wanwan sprawled on the ground, “Just let me rest here.”
“Then, go back to your room to rest.”
Jian Xingzhi deemed she indeed couldn’t continue and reluctantly let her go.
Qin Wanwan closed her eyes in peace, “Long Aotian. I still have some money in my purse. In case I did not wake up again, please remember to give me a good burial. I want to be buried by the river so I can fish…”
Jian Xingzhi stared at Qin Wanwan who started whimpering. How could a person be so troublesome? He waited for a moment and she still hadn’t stopped crying, giving him a headache. Jian Xingzhi picked her up and carried her on his shoulder, “Fine. I will carry you back.”
Qin Wanwan was dragged back to the room by him like a rice bag. Jian Xingzhi threw her on the bed and pulled down the curtain as he ordered, “Have a good rest.” before leaving.
Qin Wanwan shut her eyes and instantly fell asleep. The next day, she was woken up by Nan Feng’s cheerful voice, “Master, Master! The registration for the Sword Trial Conference is over! The Test will start tomorrow and the Tian Jian Sect has sent us the forms, after filling them, we will be allowed to enter the secret realm tomorrow.”
Qin Wanwan let out a sigh of relief.
Finally, she could stop practicing.
“Quick, give me the form.”
Qin Wanwan urged Nan Feng, who handed the form to her.
The secret realm was grouped according to Sects. Qin Wanwan, Jian Xingzhi, and Nanfeng were all placed on the side of the form.
With a swipe of the pen, Qin Wanwan had filled out the form and instructed Nan Feng to send it back to Tian Jian Sect.
Outside the secret realm, Xie Gutang received the forms and read the words written on it.
[Name]
Qin Wanwan
Long Aotian
Nan Feng
[Affiliation]
No Sect, No Faction
[Relationship with Companion]
Forced Bundling; Severing all relationships after ascending.
[Cultivation Goal]
Waiting for Death Online*
Be the No.1 in the World
Ascending Through Backdoor*
[T/N: 混吃等死 – hùn chī děng sǐ. Lit. Eat and Wait to Die. A metaphor for a person who is poor in spirit, unable to find a goal, loses his ideals, and thus has no motivation to do things, and just dawdles around all day long.
鸡犬升 – jī quǎnshēng. Legend has it that Liu An, the king of Huainan in the Han Dynasty, became an Immortal and sprinkled his leftover elixir in the yard. Chickens and dogs ate it, and they all ascended to heaven. A metaphor for a person that receives benefits because of the people around them.]
Xie Gutang: “……”
This group… was quite chaotic.
[Mini Theater]
In the Beginning:
Jian Xingzhi: “Women are troublesome and only affect the speed of drawing my sword. I don’t want to get entangled with them. Thus I don’t want to have excessive contact with her. Just carry her on my shoulder then put her down by throwing her. In this way, she can also be thrown to hit people, it’s quite useful.”
Qin Wanwan: “Wuwuwu, I don’t want to practice. I want to see handsome men in groups…”
Later:
Jian Xingzhi: “I like my wife the most. I don’t want a sword, I want my wife. I want to give my wife a princess hug, carefully let her down so she won’t shed tears. I will go fight people and my wife can eat melon at home.”
Qin Wanwan: “Scram! Don’t affect my speed of drawing the sword!”
