Chapter 16#
Chapter 16#
The wind and snow grew more intense, and the tree in the courtyard whistled as the wind blew through it.
After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Xun put down the clothes and rested his finger on his right leg, which hadn’t fully healed.
He had lied.
No one knew that what he saw in the illusion that day was not demonic cultivators, but Xue Jingci.
In the illusion, his right leg was broken, and he was begging in the snow in the mortal realm.
Someone passed by and threw him a bun, then stood to the side with interest.
Xiao Xun stared fixedly at the bun, his stomach, numb with hunger, growling frantically and sending waves of sharp pain.
His legs couldn’t move, so he stretched out his hand as far as he could to reach the bun. He was just a bit short, so he lowered his body and crawled over slowly.
Just as he was about to reach the bun, a white boot slowly stepped on it.
The sole of the boot, stained with mud, crushed the bun to its heart’s content, soon staining it a dark bluish-black.
A mocking chuckle came from above, and the person left without looking back, leaving Xiao Xun to stare silently at the bun.
The sharp pain in his body made him no longer care about dignity. After only a moment’s hesitation, he reached out to grab the filthy bun and stuffed it into his mouth.
A hand stopped him.
Xiao Xun looked up and saw a white-robed Daoist with a long sword on his back, squatting in front of him holding an umbrella.
The handle of the umbrella tilted slightly, completely blocking the wind and snow above him, which instead lightly covered the person’s shoulder.
The person’s expression was indifferent, and his face was clear and pure, like a noble deity above the Nine Heavens. His right hand reached into his robes and pulled out a crisp pastry wrapped in oil paper.
“Eat this instead.”
Xiao Xun took it carefully, not daring to touch the person’s spotless white Dharma robe.
“My name is Xue Jingci. I am a wandering loose cultivator. I saw you for the first time three years ago in Luocheng.”
Xiao Xun bit into the fragrant pastry and listened to the person’s indifferent voice, his heart beating so hard it felt like it would leap out of his chest.
Until he heard the person say, “I know you, Xie Zheng. You were exiled with your whole clan for giving a remonstrance. You were originally a Zhuangyuan; you shouldn’t have fallen to this state. Why don’t you come with me?”
It was as if a sharp sword had pierced Xiao Xun’s heart.
Clearly in an illusion, his mind became instantly clear.
Xiao Xun looked at the leg he had broken with his own hands and only then realized that he had been influenced by the illusion and had actually done such a crazy act.
He was not Xie Zheng; he was Xiao Xun.
But even though he had regained consciousness, he didn’t break free from the illusion. Instead, he watched Xue Jingci help him up and then staggered back to the dilapidated Daoist temple with him on his broken leg.
Xue Jingci healed his injuries, taught him to cultivate, and searched everywhere for rare treasures to forge his unique Dharma sword.
In the illusion, they lived together in the mortal realm for three years.
It wasn’t until the wind and snow battered the window with a loud bang that Xiao Xun withdrew his thoughts from the memory.
His eyes, which were as gentle as water during the day, turned cold, and he murmured repeatedly like a madman, “If only it were truly me…”
Xue Jingci was unaware of Xiao Xun’s thoughts.
A few days later, once Xiao Xun could move around freely, Xue Jingci began teaching him sword moves that required coordination with movement techniques.
Xiao Xun practiced seriously, and his legs and feet gradually became agile. By the day of the assessment, it was almost impossible to tell that his leg had ever been broken.
The two went to the assessment site together. It was bustling and exceptionally lively.
The outer sect assessment happened once every three years. If one could get a good ranking, they would not only receive a large amount of cultivation resources but also make a name for themselves in the sect.
Many people had even added clever touches to their disciple uniforms, such as wind-blowing arrays, to make themselves look more like otherworldly immortals in hopes of gaining favor from beautiful women.
Some people also crammed at the last minute, reading their cultivation manuals incessantly, as if one more glance would improve their ranking.
In all this bustle, however, there was no sign of Xue Jingci.
Xue Jingci held a small cat in his arms and sat on the steps not far away, waiting quietly.
Countless people sized him up secretly, but no one came forward to speak to him.
It was only when Xiao Xun walked to Xue Jingci’s side and rubbed the cat in his arms that the sense of distance on Xue Jingci decreased considerably.
Chen Zhao stood in the crowd, unable to stop glancing toward Xue Jingci frequently.
Over these past three years, he had had very little interaction with Xue Jingci. But in the middle of the night, he would always dream of Xue Jingci exposing the shameful things he had done in the mortal realm in public, causing him to lose face in the sect.
Sensing his gaze, the disciple standing beside Chen Zhao also looked over and asked, “That’s Xue Jingci?”
This person was Lin Heng’s cousin, Lin Su. In this assessment, he happened to draw Xue Jingci as his opponent.
Chen Zhao nodded, his mind turning, and said, “Brother Lin, his strength is extremely great. Since you’ve drawn a match against him, you must be exceptionally careful. Absolutely do not meet him head-on.”
Lin Su, however, was a martial fanatic. Hearing this actually sparked his battle intent, making him eager to immediately draw his sword and fight him.
When Xue Jingci fought his cousin previously, he wasn’t in the sect; he had only returned recently.
To his surprise, upon returning to the sect, he saw his usually proud cousin living in fear every day, trembling even at the mention of Xue Jingci’s name, as if he had been beaten into submission.
Although Lin Heng was at fault, his Daoist heart was damaged by this incident; Xue Jingci had been a bit too heartless.
Thinking of this, his expression turned cold, and he said, “Wait for me to fight him.”
Dense drumbeats sounded on the martial arts arena. Disciples scattered, taking their turns on the competition platforms according to the sequence on their tablets.
Xue Jingci’s ranking was early, and it was soon his turn to go up.
Some people recognized Lin Su’s identity and knew he was Lin Heng’s cousin, so they hurried over to watch the show.
To their surprise, before they even got close, the two on the platform started fighting, skipping the stage of introducing themselves.
Lin Su’s sword qi swept across, a wild wind howling from his three-foot blade, blowing everyone back for a moment.
This person’s sword style was vigorous and powerful. Xue Jingci flipped his hand and quickly drew his sword.
With his right hand, he made a series of sword flourishes, which momentarily looked like a startled dragon diving into the earth, aiming straight for Lin Su’s feet and forcing the opponent to leap into the air.
Lin Su’s battle intent surged. He quickly flashed to Xue Jingci’s side, his sword like a sudden rainstorm, blocking his retreat in all four directions.
The two sword tips collided with a “bang,” relying entirely on spiritual energy for the confrontation.
The overwhelming sword qi completely enveloped the two, making it difficult for outsiders to discern who was winning.
In an instant, a hundred moves had passed.
Lin Su noticed the spiritual energy in his body was draining rapidly. Knowing he had to settle the fight quickly, he channeled all his spiritual energy into the sword and delivered a peak strike.
Xue Jingci looked at the cold sword close at hand and no longer sought to prolong the fight.
The sword qi made his sleeves billow. Xue Jingci’s figure was agile and elegant, landing below the platform like a butterfly lightly passing through leaves.
“I concede.”
Dropping those words cleanly, Xue Jingci picked up the kitten from the ground and headed to another side to watch Xiao Xun’s match.
Seeing Xue Jingci concede and abandon the fight, Lin Su sheathed his sword and stared at Xue Jingci’s retreating back, saying, “He’s just average after all.”
After saying that, he jumped off the platform, returned to Chen Zhao’s side, and sneered, “Earlier, when Lin Heng heard I was to fight him, he was trembling and told me to be careful. If you ask me, you two are truly the same kind of cowards.”
Chen Zhao agreed repeatedly, finally feeling relieved now that he had a sense of Xue Jingci’s strength.
Indeed, that Lin Heng was just a waste, still too scared to see Xue Jingci even now.
On the other side, when Xue Jingci arrived, it happened to be Xiao Xun’s turn to go on stage.
He held the System and watched half the match before getting up to leave.
Walking out of the martial arts arena, the surroundings became quiet, and the footsteps from behind were clearly audible.
Xue Jingci turned his head and hadn’t expected the newcomer to be Zhou Zimo.
Zhou Zimo spoke bluntly, questioning him, “The assessment lies in fairness. Why did you hold back just now?”
Xue Jingci said faintly, “It’s meaningless. I’m hungry and want to go eat.”
Zhou Zimo stared at him as if trying to tell if his words were true or false.
After a moment, she suddenly laughed and said, “You brat, it’s lucky you didn’t come to my place to lose face. Let’s go. What do you want to eat? It’s my treat.”
Xue Jingci stopped in confusion; he remembered his relationship with Zhou Zimo wasn’t exactly good.
Seeing him not moving, Zhou Zimo raised her eyebrows and shouted at him, “Still not moving? Are you afraid I’ll poison you?”
Xue Jingci shook his head and followed her away.
When he returned to his residence after eating, the door was actually open.
Xiao Xun had returned at some point.
“Eat up.”
Xue Jingci handed the food box to Xiao Xun. Their gazes met, and Xiao Xun smiled slightly, trying hard to dispel the loneliness between his brows.
Earlier, halfway through his match, he saw Xue Jingci leave, and he felt extremely lost.
Now, seeing that Xue Jingci had brought him food, he became happy again and complained half-seriously, “Master left without finishing watching my match. I thought I fought poorly and lost face for you.”
Xue Jingci nodded: “You were indeed no match for him.”
After saying that, Xue Jingci reached out and lifted Xiao Xun’s sleeve.
The wound on Xiao Xun’s arm was very deep. Xue Jingci said mercilessly, “That man is skilled with a left-handed sword, has deep cultivation, and solid basics; he’s not someone arrogant. You fought him but were careless, only attacking and not defending. If he were faster than you—”
“In real combat, this sword would have landed on your neck.”
Xiao Xun looked embarrassed and said nothing.
Xue Jingci didn’t continue speaking. After Xiao Xun finished eating, he finally spoke, “Xiao Xun, you’re not suitable for the sword. Why not switch to other weapons? I can teach you all of them.”
Xiao Xun was stunned and refused without hesitation, “I know, but I won’t give up on the path of the sword.”
“I will practice harder in the future. If others practice for three hours a day, I will practice for six. Even if I don’t eat or sleep and just keep practicing, I will absolutely not give up.”
Xue Jingci was dazed. This was probably the first time Xiao Xun had refuted his suggestion.
The obsession in Xiao Xun’s words was very deep. Xue Jingci had seen many such people.
Some were obsessed with wealth, some with power, some with the delusion of ascending.
But Xue Jingci actually didn’t understand—where did obsession come from?
A sense of inquiry finally appeared in his gaze as he looked at Xiao Xun. After a long deliberation, he asked in confusion, “Why be so fixated?”
Xiao Xun pursed his lips and remained silent, a trace of pain appearing in his expression. It seemed his heart struggled for a long time before he spoke, “Master might not know, but I was born into a low status and have lived in pleasure houses since childhood.”
Xue Jingci turned his head to look at him, his eyes without any impurities, just as if chatting normally, waiting for him to continue.
Xiao Xun, however, didn’t dare look, actively avoiding his gaze and whispering, “Some people are born without dignity, their lives as worthless as grass. No one teaches them propriety, righteousness, integrity, or shame, or the skills to make a living. All they learn are the means to please others.”
“I am one of them.”
“Back then, I saw many cultivators, unrestrained, elegant, and refined. The way they held long swords looked like what was described in stories—slaying demons and eliminating devils—not dancing with soft swords. That is the gentlemanly appearance I aspire to.”
Xue Jingci was silent for a moment.
Xiao Xun lowered his eyes, stroking the long sword placed beside him, “Master, you don’t know how much effort I spent to escape, so I cannot put down this sword.”
“I’ve come through such a difficult path; now it’s just a bit hard work, that’s all.”
Xue Jingci seemed to understand a bit, yet also felt like he was in a fog. He just nodded: “I understand.”
He told Xiao Xun to rest well and took the System to the study, intending to redesign a practice method suitable for Xiao Xun.
Xiao Xun, however, couldn’t sleep. Looking through the wooden window at the lights in the distance that hadn’t been extinguished for a long time, he felt as if he were walking on clouds, feeling dizzy with happiness.
It wasn’t until the middle of the night that Xiao Xun tiptoed out of the room, exceptionally went to the kitchen to make a midnight snack with his own hands, and brought it to Xue Jingci’s room.
Xue Jingci put down his brush and asked, “Why aren’t you sleeping?”
Xiao Xun shook his head: “Master is working hard for me; how could I sleep peacefully?”
He handed over the noodles he had cooked and said embarrassedly, “It’s late, and the eatery is closed. I could only barely make something.”
Xue Jingci took a taste and thought it was bad, but he still forced himself to swallow it.
“Don’t do this next time. As my disciple, you only need to practice diligently.”
Xiao Xun nodded in agreement, knowing in his heart that his cooking was poor, so he didn’t bring it up again. He just quietly stayed by Xue Jingci’s side.
Xue Jingci urged him to return to his room to sleep, but Xiao Xun said that since his master hadn’t slept, how could he?
In the end, when Xue Jingci turned around again, he saw Xiao Xun had fallen asleep leaning against the bed.
Xue Jingci knew he had been injured in the match today, and despite his insistence on keeping him company, he couldn’t resist the exhaustion of his body. He didn’t wake him up, letting him sleep in the room.
Early the next morning, Xue Jingci told Xiao Xun to change his clothes and practice sword with him.
“It was your right hand that was injured. Today, try the left-handed sword. In the future, if you encounter someone else skilled with a left-handed sword, you’ll be prepared.”
Xiao Xun nodded. Seeing Xue Jingci about to leave, he suddenly spoke to stop him, an embarrassed look on his face.
“People in pleasure houses are never allowed to tie up their hair. Master, I don’t want to go back to how I was then. Could I trouble you to tie up my hair for me?”
Xiao Xun currently had an injured arm, so it was naturally difficult to do.
Xue Jingci nodded and sat back down beside Xiao Xun, picking up his own hairpin to tie up Xiao Xun’s hair for him.
Feeling Xue Jingci’s hand passing through his hair, Xiao Xun lowered his eyes and said nothing, but his hand hidden in his sleeve clenched tightly.
After Xue Jingci left, he withdrew his hand from his sleeve and stared at the hairpin in the mirror, reaching up to touch it lightly.
“Although it’s not the same hairpin as before, it was still pinned on me by your own hand.”
“Master, this time I will protect you well. Whatever you want, I can do it for you.”