Chapter 42#

Chapter Forty-Two#

Thinking back on their shared experience of narrowly escaping death, the three of them laughed in unison.

Lin Su remembered something and suddenly spoke up: “I wonder how Pei Huang is doing in the lower realm. He was injured back then, so he should be fully recovered by now.”

The smile on Xue Jingci’s face faded. He lowered his eyes to look at the fallen leaves on the ground, lost in thought.

When Xiao Xun returned from outside, he happened to catch the change in Xue Jingci’s expression.

Knowing full well that Xue Jingci was worried about Pei Huang’s injuries, he clenched his hand hidden inside his sleeve. He put on a smile and greeted everyone but had no intention of staying to talk, heading straight back to his room.

Lin Su watched his back with confusion and asked, “Why does he seem a bit strange?”

Song Jue took a sip of the hot tea in front of him and didn’t speak.

After a few more words, seeing that Lin Heng hadn’t returned, Lin Su decided to go out and find him.

The young disciple also tactfully left. Song Jue looked at Xue Jingci and said, “Come on, Xinyao has cultivated a lot of medicinal herbs; let’s go take a look together.”

Xue Jingci was about to refuse, but Song Jue grabbed him and pulled him directly out of the courtyard.

The two turned a corner and walked to a small pavilion by the cliff, which was not in the direction of Medicine Peak.

Seeing the confusion on Xue Jingci’s face, Song Jue explained, “I didn’t call you out to see medicinal herbs; I just have some things I want to remind you of.”

“Don’t you think Xiao Xun has been a bit strange lately?”

Xue Jingci thought about it carefully but didn’t feel there was anything strange about Xiao Xun.

Song Jue knew this person was powerful but emotionally obtuse, so he spoke plainly: “Peak Master Lu Chenyuan of Spirit Peak recently came out of seclusion. I heard Xiao Xun has visited Spirit Peak more than once. Do you think he might have other ideas?”

Hearing this, the little kitten nestled on Xue Jingci’s shoulder instantly tensed its back and rubbed against Xue Jingci’s neck, saying, “Host, I think he has a point.”

Xue Jingci, however, said, “When a Peak Master comes out of seclusion, there should naturally be some decorum. It’s normal for him to go pay his respects.”

Seeing Xue Jingci so certain, Song Jue didn’t push the matter further.

After the two parted ways, Xue Jingci returned to the small courtyard and habitually glanced at Xiao Xun’s room, only to see it was dark.

Xiao Xun had gone to sleep exceptionally early today.

Xue Jingci withdrew his gaze and walked to his door, only to see a figure squatting outside—it was Lin Heng.

Just as he was about to speak, Lin Heng made a “shush” gesture, indicating they should talk inside.

Lin Heng pulled Xue Jingci into the room and whispered secretly, “Don’t make a sound. My brother is still looking for me. I have something to say to you.”

Xue Jingci brought him further into the room. Lin Heng then breathed a sigh of relief and, ignoring the fact that the tea on the table was stone cold, drank it all in one gulp.

“That villain Chen Zhao has admitted it! He was just jealous that you’re good-looking and powerful, and he was afraid you’d steal his thunder, so he talked nonsense!”

Lin Heng looked proud as he reached out to pull the cat into his arms and rub it.

The system had just woken up and opened its eyes groggily, asking, “What happened?”

It had played the role of a thief last night, chasing spiritual birds all over the mountain until dawn. After Xue Jingci dragged it along to buy a hidden weapon blind box, it had fallen back asleep and hadn’t heard a single word.

Xue Jingci didn’t answer it, only looking at Lin Heng and saying, “Thank you.”

Lin Heng became boastful, his non-existent tail wagging left and right. “You’re this Young Master’s friend; how could I let you be bullied for nothing? Within three days, the whole sect will know about the bad things Chen Zhao did back then. But Guanzi’s tongue is really harsh—if I weren’t on his side, I would have had to cover my ears and run.”

Xue Jingci could imagine it and couldn’t help but smile. “It’s actually nothing. I don’t really care.”

Lin Heng snorted. “I used to think he was an upright gentleman; I was truly blind. Don’t worry, he’s already agreed and will apologize to your face in the future.”

Xue Jingci looked at him, feeling like he was a feisty little Pomeranian, and asked, “Are you satisfied now?”

Lin Heng nodded, but the smile on his face quickly faded as he spoke hesitantly, “There’s one more thing… I can’t take my brother as my master.”

He nervously gripped his hem and explained stutteringly, “I’m not cut out for the sword, I’m a coward, and I don’t like such boring cultivation. If I really take him as my master, I’ll have to look at my brother’s face every day for the rest of my life; I’d definitely regret it to death.”

Lin Heng thought Xue Jingci would stop him and didn’t dare to look up, but he heard him say after a moment of silence, “Then don’t.”

His words filled Lin Heng with immense joy, and a smile instantly returned to his eyes.

“So, I plan to leave tonight!”

Xue Jingci looked confused: “Where are you going?”

There was a sense of longing in Lin Heng’s tone as he said firmly, “I’m going to the lower realm, to see places I’ve never been.”

Xue Jingci was about to ask how he would go but suddenly remembered the methods Xu Wang had mentioned, so he didn’t inquire further.

Seeing him silent, Lin Heng completely relaxed and reached out to shake his sleeve.

“You won’t tell anyone, right?”

Xue Jingci exhaled and said, “I won’t.”

Lin Heng became happy and excitedly pulled a jar of wine from his storage bag, unable to resist telling the person before him everything he had been thinking over the years.

Xue Jingci had planned to sleep, but after smelling the aroma of wine, he stopped trying to send Lin Heng away.

He raised a cup to drink, while Lin Heng didn’t drink, instead just talking to himself.

“This time when we went to the lower realm for training, I truly experienced what life in the mortal world is like. I want to travel to more places in the lower realm, instead of following the arrangements of my uncle and brother to take a master, practice the sword, and spend years in closed-door cultivation within the sect.”

“Actually, I really envy you.”

Lin Heng paused, looked at Xue Jingci, and said seriously, “So I want to be like you as well.”

As he spoke, he placed the mechanism box in front of them.

“Originally, I hadn’t decided whether to leave, but today you gave me this. I like it very much, yet I found I can’t open it at all, so I decided to go.”

“People in the upper realm focus on self-cultivation and always think these mechanisms and hidden weapons are just unorthodox paths. But I was born curious about them, and I don’t believe this path is a dead end. Since that’s the case, I’m going to find my own way.”

Lin Heng lowered his eyes, his fingers lightly caressing the engraved patterns of the mechanism. “One day, I will open it with my own skill and see what is actually inside.”

Xue Jingci stared at Lin Heng, thinking that with his half-baked cultivation, leaving without the protection of his brother and the sect would be seeking death.

But seeing Lin Heng’s eyes shining as if two flames were burning within, he subconsciously didn’t want to stop him.

After thinking for a moment, Xue Jingci raised his hand slightly and summoned his natal sword onto the table.

The sword was extremely heavy, hitting the table with a loud “clank” that instantly sobered Lin Heng up halfway.

He nervously clutched his small bundle, thinking Xue Jingci had changed his mind and was going to beat him up and hand him over to Lin Su.

Unexpectedly, in the next second, he heard Xue Jingci say calmly, “The lower realm is dangerous. This sword has a spirit; it’s yours.”

Hearing this, Lin Heng’s other half-sobered state also completely cleared up. He asked in horror, “You… you’re really giving it to me? This is your natal sword!”

Xue Jingci pushed the sword toward him and said indifferently, “It’s fine. It’s the same for me no matter what I use. Just be good to it.”

Lin Heng’s nose twitched with emotion. He thought he was right after all—others would try every means to stop him, but only Xue Jingci would understand the path he truly wanted to take.

He reached out and took the sword, no longer standing on ceremony with Xue Jingci.

Since Xue Jingci had used this sword to perform many righteous deeds, if it were his turn to do so in the future, it wouldn’t be a disgrace to the sword.

A very faint light appeared on the horizon. Seeing that dawn was approaching and it would be hard to hide his tracks if he didn’t leave now, Lin Heng picked up the sword.

Turning his back to the light, Lin Heng waved to Xue Jingci: “Then I’m off.”

After speaking, he didn’t look back again, chasing the spots of light falling through the trees and running all the way in the direction he had chosen.

Two days passed quickly. Disciples from various sects and factions arrived one after another, and the entire Lingxu Sect was filled with a festive atmosphere.

The Master-Disciple Ceremony was set at the top of Shangqing Peak, the highest peak of the Lingxu Sect. The snow on the summit never melted throughout the year, and the temperature was lower than elsewhere.

The last time Xue Jingci came here was to find Xie Zheng. In the end, one went up toward the summit while the other went down, and they finally parted ways.

This time, Xue Jingci brought the system and climbed the steps directly to the summit.

Today he wore a sky-blue elder’s robe with sleeves flowing like clouds. His aura was as cold as snow. Though he walked through the crowded throng, he didn’t carry a hint of the mundane world.

Countless burning gazes were cast toward him. Disciples from other sects secretly asked those around them who he was.

Although cultivators practiced and sought the Dao every day, none had ever truly seen an immortal from the nine heavens.

Seeing Xue Jingci now, many couldn’t help but sigh from the bottom of their hearts that an immortal’s true appearance must be exactly like this.

As the night grew darker, Xue Jingci was led by a disciple to a seat in a grand armchair. On the table by his hand was a copper lamp with a flickering flame.

The Lingxu Sect’s Master-Disciple Ceremony was different from others; it wasn’t held during the day but officially began after nightfall.

The most important part of the ceremony was called “Passing the Lamp.”

Every disciple wishing to take a master had to hold a copper lamp and perform a ritual of bowing and kneeling to their teacher.

If the master agreed, they would pass the lamp in their hand to light the disciple’s lamp, symbolizing the passing of the torch and succession, using the techniques learned to dispel the darkness of the long night and herald the light of a prosperous age.

If they disagreed, they would gift a candle and let the disciple light their own lamp and leave.

Xiao Xun stopped beside Xue Jingci and nodded to him. As the ceremony was about to begin, these disciples could not stay on the high platform for long.

Xue Jingci had been lowering his head but looked up when he heard footsteps.

The bright lamplight danced in his eyes. Perhaps because the light was too strong, Xiao Xun actually saw a trace of intense emotion in those eyes that were usually clear and cold.

Was he so happy because he was about to take him as a disciple?

Xiao Xun’s heart skipped a beat. He silently looked away and stood in the queue of disciples waiting for the ceremony.

Xue Jingci wanted to say a few words to him, but Xiao Xun was in a hurry, so he could only swallow his words. He thought it wouldn’t hurt to wait a little longer.

Yin Xinyao and Yin Fang walked over to Xue Jingci and congratulated him on his upcoming disciple recruitment.

A few days ago, while Xiao Xun was recovering at Medicine Peak, Xue Jingci had visited frequently and become familiar with both of them.

Yin Fang quite admired Xiao Xun. Having suffered such a heavy injury yet remaining silent during treatment, his character was truly rare.

Seeing Xue Jingci, Yin Fang said directly, “That disciple of yours is good, but his injury this time was too severe; it’s inevitable that his foundation was damaged. When he advances in the future, you can come to Medicine Peak to find me for help.”

Xue Jingci hadn’t heard Xiao Xun mention any damage to his foundation and felt nervous upon hearing this, but he soon felt relieved. He thought that Xiao Xun’s previous bad luck was due to his fate.

Now that his fate had been changed, benefactors would naturally appear.

Surely Xiao Xun’s future path of cultivation wouldn’t be so difficult anymore.

Xue Jingci felt happy; if Xiao Xun’s cultivation went smoothly, the mission would be completed quickly.

While no one was paying attention, Yin Xinyao ran over to him and whispered, “It’s a disaster. That kid Lin Heng has caused trouble again. Lin Su and the Sword Peak Master are going to be driven mad; they probably won’t come.”

Xue Jingci wasn’t surprised. Yin Xinyao took a breath: “You know about this?”

Seeing Xue Jingci’s silence as a default admission, she instead calmed down: “Did he really run off to the lower realm?”

Xue Jingci remained silent. Seeing this, Yin Xinyao looked at him reproachfully.

“You clever devils, keeping everything from me.”

Xue Jingci couldn’t help but say, “I promised him.”

The ceremony was about to begin, so Yin Xinyao couldn’t talk more with him and could only return to her seat.

The cultivators took their seats one by one. Although Xie Zheng wasn’t taking any disciples, as the young Peak Master of Shangqing Peak, he inevitably had to inspect the surroundings.

He walked to Xue Jingci’s side, suddenly stopped, and transmitted his voice: “If I were you, I wouldn’t be sitting here.”

Xue Jingci’s good mood instantly vanished. He stared at him and said coldly, “It has nothing to do with you.”

Xie Zheng’s face turned ashen. He turned to leave but realized something was wrong after taking a few steps.

Turning his head, he saw his White Tiger spirit beast intimately approaching Xue Jingci, tilting its head to nuzzle his palm.

In the end, the small cat on the table slapped the character for “King” on its forehead with a paw.

Xie Zheng was momentarily frozen in place.

The White Tiger was very intelligent, and it was hard not to like it. But when Xue Jingci thought about it being Xie Zheng’s spirit beast, it didn’t seem so pleasant anymore—far less lovable than his own little kitten.

Xie Zheng frowned and took a few steps forward, but found that the White Tiger wasn’t following. He could only turn back with a stiff face and forcibly lead the tiger away.

The sound of a bell came from a distance, signaling the official start of the ceremony.

The Sect Master was still in closed-door seclusion, so this ceremony was presided over by Xie Zheng’s master, Li Xuanfeng.

His cultivation was unfathomable. Wearing a dark cloak and carrying a long blade on his back, his divine sense swept through, emitting a terrifying pressure.

The blade was stained with a blood-like color and was named “Setting Sun,” but no one knew if it was truly blood.

Everyone held their breath waiting for him to speak, but they saw him calmly step back, revealing Xie Zheng behind him.

A low gasp came from the crowd. Seeing this posture, Li Xuanfeng seemed to be delegating power. It seemed that before long, the title of leader of the righteous path would fall onto someone else’s shoulders.

Facing tens of thousands of people, Xie Zheng’s expression was calm and composed, with the White Tiger resting quietly beside him, making no one dare to underestimate him.

Xue Jingci also noticed the undercurrents at the ceremony, but he didn’t care. He only felt the ceremony was long and tedious, almost making him doze off.

He lowered his eyes slightly and began to cultivate as if no one were there, until a commotion in the crowd made him look up again.

It turned out the ritual had unknowingly reached its end, and numerous disciples filed out one by one to go to their preferred elders to take them as masters.

The areas in front of other elders were very lively, but only the space in front of Xue Jingci was cold and empty, with not a single figure to be seen.

Presumably, aside from Xiao Xun, no one else would take him as a master. After all, his foundation was thin, far inferior to other elders with deep backgrounds.

Xiao Xun stood at the very end of the crowd. When it was his turn, the night was already as thick as ink.

He was the last disciple, and everyone subconsciously looked toward him. What Xue Jingci was thinking about, however, was what to eat when he got back tonight.

Seeing Xiao Xun finally walking slowly toward him, Xue Jingci sat up straight and pushed the lamp beside him forward slightly.

However, immediately after, he looked up and saw Xiao Xun give him a mocking smile.

The drowsiness in Xue Jingci’s mind vanished instantly. His fingers unnaturally tightened around the armrest, and a bad premonition suddenly appeared in his heart.

Sure enough, Xiao Xun didn’t stop. He bypassed him and continued toward the higher ground.

The person sitting on the high platform was precisely the Peak Master of Spirit Peak, Lu Chenyuan.

Lu Chenyuan’s expression was cold and solemn. Seeing Xiao Xun bow before him, he eventually picked up the copper lamp beside him and lit Xiao Xun’s lamp.

Countless voices of congratulation came from around, congratulating Lu Chenyuan on receiving a direct disciple.

The voices clearly drifted into his ears, but Xue Jingci felt his ears ringing, unable to hear anything.

The biting cold wind howled. The lamp beside him had burned all night, and a thick layer of lamp ash had already fallen.

The weak flame couldn’t withstand the wind and was suddenly extinguished at this moment.