"You don't need to go down the mountain anymore!"
Chen Hongzhu's triumphant voice echoed in his ears, and Song Qianji felt the world spinning around him.
No, our definitions of "good news" are quite different.
Clutching his small bundle tightly, he asked with difficulty, "Why?"
Last night, his script had been meticulously crafted, his acting sincere enough to carry the entire scene, with Xian Jianchen's thunderclap from miles away providing perfect support!
It was the right timing, favorable conditions, and human harmony—a calculated move against the unprepared, leading the six members of Huawel Sect by the nose.
But after waking up from a night's sleep, he was suddenly told all his efforts had been in vain.
In this world, is there still any room for reason?!
"Because of me!" Chen Hongzhu lifted her head proudly, the golden hairpin at her temple swaying like a butterfly about to take flight. "I went to Cosmos Palace this morning to see my father and learned about your situation. Since you weren't completely bewitched by Miaoyan, I found you somewhat agreeable and put in a good word for you."
She paused, waiting for Song Qianji to express tearful gratitude.
When she received none, she assumed he was too overwhelmed with joy and continued:
"As long as you stay by my side, you can cultivate in the Inner Sect as my attendant. Any cultivation method I practice, you can practice too, and you won't need to sign a lifelong contract. This way, you won't be anyone's formal disciple, and there's no worry about disrupting seniority hierarchies. With me protecting you, you can strut through Huawel Sect without a care!"
A brief wave of exclamations erupted in the small courtyard.
The outer sect disciples, except for Meng Heze and Zhou Xiaoyun, all showed expressions of envy.
Just when they thought all hope was lost, another unexpected turn of fortune had blessed Song Qianji with great luck once more.
Chen Hongzhu's smile bloomed brightly like a fiery peony: "You don't need to be too grateful—spilling your guts and brains is unnecessary. Just serve me well from now on. When I point east, you don't go west."
"I'm not willing," Song Qianji said expressionlessly.
"You!" Chen Hongzhu wondered if she had misheard, gritting her teeth. "Would you rather ruin your immortal path than follow me?!"
In Huawel Sect, she had always gotten whatever she wanted. Never had she been refused before.
And certainly not by an outer sect disciple, in such a clean, decisive, and face-slapping manner.
"It has nothing to do with you, Senior Sister. It's just that such an immortal path isn't worth pursuing." Song Qianji chuckled lightly. "I know the way down the mountain myself—no need for you to see me off."
Chen Hongzhu watched him walk toward the courtyard gate, unwilling to stay even a moment longer or spare her another glance.
Her expression immediately darkened: "Wait!"
Song Qianji turned back: "Does Senior Sister Chen have something else?"
"All of you, get out!" Chen Hongzhu coldly scanned her surroundings.
Meng Heze didn't move, silently refusing.
The others were also stunned by Song Qianji's words—"such an immortal path isn't worth pursuing"—and stood frozen in place.
As Chen Hongzhu reached for her whip, ready to unleash her anger, Song Qianji suddenly said, "It's fine, go ahead."
Meng Heze nodded, and only then did Zhou Xiaoyun and the disciples carrying his stretcher retreat.
The courtyard returned to tranquility.
Facing each other, Song Qianji's expression grew even colder.
Chen Hongzhu's imposing demeanor weakened first: "Actually, I lied to you earlier."
Song Qianji's expression softened slightly, but then the other's tone shifted: "If you go down the mountain now with nothing, how will you survive? I pleaded with my father to give you a chance to participate in the Grand Audience Assembly. Listen to me carefully..."
In the cool spring morning breeze, Song Qianji felt that life was truly absurd.The small courtyard had only one dilapidated wooden chair. Though Chen Hongzhu’s eyes showed disdain, she still sat down, picked up the cracked coarse porcelain cup from the stone table, and took a sip of plain boiled water.
Accustomed to drinking spiritual spring nectar, she had assumed all plain water was equally clear and sweet, never realizing water could taste so unpleasant.
A strong earthy odor rushed up her nostrils, making her cough repeatedly.
But she didn’t complain. Wiping the corner of her mouth, she looked up at Song Qianji:
“You probably haven’t heard yet? The Grand Audience Assembly is on the third of next month. This time, our Huawel Sect is hosting it, and even outer sect disciples can attend. Those who haven’t formally apprenticed under a master, if fortunate enough to be noticed by other sects or noble families, can switch affiliations. If you earn a good ranking, you’ll even receive fine magical artifacts and cultivation methods.”
“You want me to participate in the Grand Audience Assembly before leaving the mountain?” Song Qianji abruptly interrupted her.
Chen Hongzhu nodded, her eyes bright: “Use these next two weeks to prepare well. Seize a future for yourself at the assembly.”
Having said this, she felt confident of success.
Imagine—you’re an unyielding, stubborn person, your pride unwilling to let you become someone else’s follower.
So she sits in your chair, drinks your water, closes the distance between you, every word spoken with your best interests at heart.
Moreover, she was a young lady of noble status, willful and domineering, with exquisite beauty.
For her to lower herself like this for you—what grassroots youth wouldn’t be moved to dizziness?
Song Qianji merely chuckled softly.
In his past life, he’d had little interaction with Chen Hongzhu, having only met her a few times.
But after True Person Xuyun’s demise, his head disciple Yuan Qingshi succeeded as sect leader. Rumor had it that, early in his tenure, the older generation of Huawel Sect didn’t trust this “head disciple.”
It was Chen Hongzhu who, shedding her former willful temperament, became decisive, shrewd, and adept at strategy, helping Yuan Qingshi secure his position as sect leader.
“What are you laughing at?” Chen Hongzhu was taken aback.
Song Qianji murmured the words “Grand Audience Assembly.”
To think that the excuse he had used to fool Meng Heze at Broken Mountain Cliff was now being used on him.
“Good, very good!”
Chen Hongzhu’s heart sank.
She had still underestimated him.
Song Qianji spoke slowly: “Unfortunately, that person didn’t teach me sword techniques. Even if you make me attend the Grand Audience Assembly, you still won’t see anything.”
Chen Hongzhu’s face instantly turned pale, but she didn’t flare up in shame and anger.
Her dark eyes fixed deeply on Song Qianji: “I don’t believe you!”
You practice the sword; he also practices the sword.
When you met him while training, and he taught you other techniques, how could he not teach you sword techniques?
“You don’t believe me.” Song Qianji asked calmly, “What can you do about it?”
Chen Hongzhu stared at him, shocked, her mouth slightly agape but no sound coming out.
A moment later, realizing she truly couldn’t do anything to him, a glimmer of tears welled in her eyes. She could only slam the table in frustration like an ordinary young girl:
“Get out! I never want to see you again!”
Song Qianji looked at her with that “pitying the fool” expression again. You said the same thing last night, so why did you come looking for me this morning?
“…This is my home.”
Bang!
A red whirlwind swept past, raising a cloud of dust. The old wooden door shattered into pieces.
Song Qianji was speechless.
“Storming out” really meant taking the door with her—couldn’t she have stormed out of Cosmos Palace instead?
A group of people rushed into the courtyard carrying a stretcher.
“Senior Brother Song, are you all right?” Meng Heze frowned with concern, looking at the shattered door planks scattered across the ground.
Song Qianji shook his head: “I’m fine.”Everyone exchanged uneasy glances. Song Qianji already had a grudge with Deacon Zhao, and now he had offended Chen Hongzhu. How would he manage in the days to come?
Zhou Xiaoyun mustered her courage, straightened her back, and declared, "Senior Brother Song, don’t be afraid! We’ll protect you! We’ll pool our money to buy you a fine sword!"
They would get him the best sword in the entire Outer Sect, one even better than Zhao Jiheng’s.
Song Qianji shook his head. "If you really want to buy me something, get me a door instead."
Zhou Xiaoyun was taken aback. "A door?"
Song Qianji rubbed his nose.
The old chair Chen Hongzhu had sat on still carried a faint scent of floral rouge, lingering in the courtyard.
He frowned. "Throw out the chair and the teacup too. Replace them with new ones."
Since he had to stay for another half-month, he might as well live comfortably every day.
And he couldn’t leave empty-handed either.
Song Qianji thought to himself, The Huawel Sect has many subordinate counties and kingdoms in the mortal world. I’ll take a piece of land with me.
And farm it for a lifetime.
※※※
Chen Hongzhu had not slept a wink all night.
Her mind was filled with puzzles—one moment speculating about the contents of the note, the next recalling that person’s compassionate gaze and his tall, straight-backed figure on the Fleeting Water Bridge.
At dawn, she hurried to the Cosmos Palace, only to find her senior brother Yuan Qingshi had already arrived and was speaking with her father by the white jade table.
They were chatting and laughing as if discussing some joyous, significant matter.
The Cosmos Palace was as majestic, solemn, and imposing as ever.
But upon closer inspection, she noticed that the tables, chairs, furnishings, curtains, and drapes inside had all been replaced with brand-new ones.
It was as if something major had happened here overnight, only to be silently covered up.
"Hongzhu, you’ve come at the right time," True Person Xuyun called to her affectionately, beckoning her closer. "The Grand Audience Assembly is crowded and full of tasks. You must help share your senior brother’s burdens."
"Father, Senior Brother."
Chen Hongzhu sat down and listened half-heartedly for a while. The more she observed the Cosmos Palace, the more peculiar it seemed.
Finally, she couldn’t resist asking, "Father, what was the name of the Outer Sect disciple who came last night?"
Xuyun’s smile faded. "Song Qianji."
"Which ‘Qianji’?"
"Qian as in ‘the hidden dragon bides its time,’ ji as in ‘scheming with all one’s cunning.'"
"What kind of person is he?"
Xuyun’s expression remained kindly, but his voice grew slightly stern:
"What kind of person he is has nothing to do with you. He’s leaving the mountain today!"
"Why?" Chen Hongzhu exclaimed in shock.
"Last night, he was delivering a message for that person!"
Knowing his daughter’s stubborn nature—how she would dig to the root of any matter—Xuyun tossed her the note.
"No wonder," Chen Hongzhu murmured. "So it was that person."
"Let this matter rest," Xuyun said firmly, clearly unwilling to continue the topic. "What are your thoughts on the opening of the Grand Audience Assembly?"
"No, we can’t let Song Qianji leave like this!" Chen Hongzhu suddenly stood up. "What would that person think if they learned that the disciple they sent to deliver a message was driven down the mountain right after?"
Xuyun’s smile vanished entirely.
Yuan Qingshi chided her reproachfully, "Junior Sister, that’s enough!"
"What if that person also taught him swordsmanship? Why not keep Song Qianji here for another half-month? During the Grand Audience Assembly, we could observe his sword techniques!"
Chen Hongzhu slowly crumpled the note in her palm. "That person isn’t truly a god. They, too, will age and die. In a hundred years, who can say who will hold sway over this world?"
The young woman lifted her gaze, her eyes icy cold. "I want to see that person’s sword!"
Xuyun thundered, "How dare you!"
The incense smoke above the jade table trembled.
Chen Hongzhu met his gaze without flinching.Xu Yun silently gazed at his daughter. The Cosmos Palace was frozen in tension.
Just as Yuan Qingshi couldn't resist stepping forward to apologize on his junior sister's behalf, True Person Xuyun suddenly sighed: "Forget it."
He lowered his eyes, becoming like an old father, "All these years I've trodden on thin ice, seeking victory through caution. My sharpness has long been worn away. You, spoiled by me, have become lawless and daring enough to think what ordinary people dare not. For the future of our Huawel Sect, this might actually be a good thing."
Chen Hongzhu laughed: "Then please inform the Deacon Hall not to bother with him anymore. Don't assign him tasks or classes. Whatever he wants to do before the Grand Audience Assembly, just let him be."
Xu Yun frowned, seemingly deep in thought.
"If you and the uncles don't want to see him, if seeing him reminds you of 'that person', I can take responsibility for watching him. After all, I've never met that person, I have no shadows from it." Chen Hongzhu clung to her father's arm, laughing playfully, "I'll handle the dirty work and heavy lifting, is that acceptable?"
She ultimately got her wish.
The red-clad girl skipped and bounced across the Fleeting Water Bridge.
Beneath the bridge, the sea of clouds churned.
Five-colored carp leaped, their scales reflecting the morning sun, rippling with colorful Gathered Light.
Yuan Qingshi caught up with her, teasing: "Little junior sister, tell me the truth. Don't you have any ulterior motives for wanting to keep that boy around longer?"
"I do." Chen Hongzhu admitted openly: "He frowned the first time he saw Miaoyan. I have this intuition - with him here, he'll eventually infuriate Miaoyan to death!"
"You're ridiculous!"
"I am ridiculous." Chen Hongzhu pushed off with one hand, leaping onto the railing of the Fleeting Water Bridge, sitting and swinging her legs, "What other joys do I have in life besides cultivation and infuriating Miaoyan?"
When not cultivating, she always sat alone like this at the bridgehead, watching the flowing clouds. Occasionally she'd cut her finger and let blood drip down to feed the five-colored carp.
She wasn't like those second-generation cultivators like Zhao Jiheng, who enthusiastically gathered friends and followers for parties and fun.
Her senior brother and father treated her well, but family weren't friends, and no one dared befriend her anyway.
Chen Hongzhu, young mistress of Huawel Sect, was a person without friends.
Yuan Qingshi chuckled helplessly: "Why do you always clash with Miaoyan? You're practically cousins."
"Exactly because we're cousins that I know how hypocritical she is. She's beautiful like a fake person, a fake person made specifically for others to admire! The entire Cultivation World likes fake people, isn't that absurd?"
Her voice rose sharply, frightening the five-colored carp into hiding deep within the clouds.
"Everyone appreciates beauty, don't let jealousy consume you." Yuan Qingshi sighed with aged wisdom, "I'm at fault too. It's all because Senior Brother and Master have spoiled you too much, making you utterly intolerant of others."
Chen Hongzhu sneered, glancing sideways at him: "Oh, I knew it. You like fake people too."
"Can't reason with you. I'm going to practice sword now." Yuan Qingshi fled in defeat.
Chen Hongzhu watched his retreating back and scoffed.
Why was it so hard to find someone who genuinely didn't like fake people?
In the vast Huawel Sect, there was only Song Qianji.
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