“Xin Jiuxian is the child of your sister and Wangquan Chumo. When was she pregnant back then?”
Wen Li suddenly changed the subject. At first glance, she had seen that Xin Jiuxian’s face bore a strong resemblance to Xin Yingru’s, yet also held traces of Wangquan Chumo’s features. She truly was the child of old friends.
At the mention of Wangquan Chumo, hatred flickered in Xin Feiliu’s eyes. “Back then, he and my sister were in love. To avoid interference from the Taichu Sect, they found a place in the mortal countryside to live. Later, Wangquan Chumo received orders from the Wangquan clan of the Eastern Province to lead disciples into the Ten Thousand Demon Valley to find something. But as soon as he left, my sister discovered she was pregnant. Later, when news of his demise arrived, she was so shocked she went into premature labor, giving birth to the six-month-old Xin Jiuxian. She then forced herself to leave for the Ten Thousand Demon Valley to save him.”
“Alone, I could only take the premature infant to seek treatment, but her constitution was too weak. She still died young. At that time, I felt fortunate to have met Bai Yu. I begged him to save the child. On the condition that I become his disciple, Bai Yu placed the child’s soul within the Yulan Floating Light Zither to be nurtured, allowing her to merge with the zither and survive as an artifact soul.”
“Not long after, I heard that Wangquan Chumo had betrayed the Eastern Province and killed many disciples from both the Eastern and Southern Provinces who had accompanied him to the valley. Others even witnessed him killing my sister with his own hands.”
Speaking to this point, Xin Feiliu’s eyes reddened with hate. “Back then, I went to find him for an explanation, but he even wanted to kill me. His sword intent couldn’t be faked. Heavily injured by him, I could only leave the Central Province and return to the Southern Province with my Master. We established Tingyin Pavilion, and I stayed by Jiuxian’s side, waiting for her to grow up safely.”
Hearing this, Wen Li frowned. “So... Wangquan Chumo doesn’t know he has a daughter.”
Xin Feiliu’s lips curled in a cold sneer. “He doesn’t deserve to know. If he did, what if he killed even his own daughter?”
Wen Li pieced it together. No wonder. No wonder Wangquan Chumo returned to the Eastern Province after the Taichu Sect issued the kill order and never left again, curling up in that pharmacy for all these years.
Recalling that Xin Jiuxian called her ‘Second Elder,’ Wen Li understood something. “So you never told Xin Jiuxian about your relationship, much less about the grievances of the past.”
“I won’t tell her. My sister was always gentle yet resolute; she wouldn’t want her child to be bound by hatred. So her child will never know of any of this. I only want her to be safe; she doesn’t need to know who I am to her.”
Hearing this, Wen Li lowered her gaze, deep in thought. Then, she spoke abruptly.
“I want to take her as my disciple.”
“No.” Xin Feiliu, whose emotions had been softening toward Wen Li, suddenly voiced her refusal. “She cannot leave Tingyin Pavilion. Within our forbidden ground, there is a grand array that nurtures the Yulan Floating Light Zither. Once she leaves, her soul will dissipate.”
Thinking of Bai Yu’s request to see Xin Jiuxian, Xin Feiliu suddenly realized something. “Master knows you want to take her as a disciple... Is he going to help Jiuxian mend her soul?”
Wen Li remained silent.
“No.” Seeing this, Xin Feiliu’s expression became agitated. “Master doesn’t have much time left. Consuming his spiritual energy like this will result in his premature death and Dao-dissolution.”
This was also the reason why, despite knowing her Master had a way, she had never asked.
“Guess why he let me take her away during the Xianle Grand Ceremony, and why he waited for my arrival now,” Wen Li said indifferently.
“What agreement did Master reach with you?” Xin Feiliu guessed the reason instantly. She was well aware of Tingyin Pavilion’s current plight. “But right now, you’re only at Foundation Establishment...”
Before she could finish, she paused. She remembered that when she saw her in the Central Province a thousand years ago, she had also thought she was only a Golden Core. But the result? Wen Li, alone with her sword, had saved all the pretentious disciples from the Southern and Eastern Provinces who participated in the Aptitude Battle at Mount Wanghun—including her, her sister, Wangquan Chumo, and the four other Soul Formation cultivators who had welcomed her tonight.
At that time, which disciple wasn’t higher in cultivation than her?
And yet, they were all no match for her single sword strike that could sweep through ten thousand armies.
That was right. Even if she was only at Foundation Establishment, she was by no means an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator.
“Fine. With your guidance, Jiuxian’s future path might be easier.” Xin Feiliu suddenly chuckled. She could never see through her, yet sometimes she would pretentiously assume they were close.
She knew Wen Li’s talent well, and she knew her Master wouldn’t easily hand over Tingyin Pavilion to just anyone.
Wen Li looked at her. In her mind, she recalled Xin Yingru, who had been exceptionally kind to her back then—gentle, resolute, and willing to help anyone... she was like... that person. Wen Li was heartless, and she always felt a bit uncomfortable with such fervent and pure kindness.
“Where is her tombstone?”
Xin Feiliu replied, “I am her tombstone.”
As long as she remembered her, she still existed.
Wen Li frowned. It seemed no one had seen the last of Xin Yingru except Wangquan Chumo. Her body was also missing, likely... buried somewhere by him.
The events of that year were too chaotic and numerous; she couldn’t remember everything clearly.
Xin Feiliu was curious. “Why are you taking so many disciples?”
Even if she felt uneasy about handing Xin Jiuxian over to her, she understood she was no match for Wen Li.
Wen Li didn’t speak. Having asked what she needed to ask, she stood up and walked out of the cave dwelling.
Seeing her silence, Xin Feiliu’s brow furrowed. Was entrusting Jiuxian to her a good or bad thing? If her sister were here, she would surely be delighted that her daughter could be taught by her.
She untied the wine flask at her waist and took a long drink. Knowing Wen Li didn’t drink, she didn’t pour any for her. She only had wine here, no tea.
Wen Li had just walked out and was flying her sword through the mountains of Tingyin Pavilion, somewhat at a loss for where to go.
Meanwhile, Zongzheng Huangyue had been waiting high in the sky above the cave dwelling arranged by Linghu Ci.
Seeing her, Wen Li immediately flew over.
“Let’s go back and rest.”
“Yes.”
Zongzheng Huangyue nodded. She vaguely sensed that her Master’s mood was different from usual, but she was smart enough not to ask.
“Tsk.” Wen Li suddenly let out a frustrated tsk and stopped. “Let’s go. I want to see the moon tonight.”
Zongzheng Huangyue looked up at the sky. It was completely obscured by dark clouds; there was no moon to be seen.
Wen Li didn’t care. She pulled her along to sit on a high mountain cliff.
“Ugh, it’s really inconvenient to have a low tolerance for alcohol. I can’t even pretend to be all literary and drown my sorrows in drink,” Wen Li grumbled.
Zongzheng Huangyue recalled the last time she had accidentally sipped just a bit of wine and ended up in a deep sleep for months. Senior Brother Wangquan Chumo had spent an entire afternoon grilling meat with Gu Linshu just to wake her up. She nodded with lingering fear.
“It’s fine. Master can drink tea. If we don’t say anything, tea can be just as intoxicating.” She actually pulled a tea set out of her storage bag and began to brew tea on the spot.
Wen Li was surprised. “Why are you carrying that stuff around with you?”
“Didn’t Master want every disciple to know how to cook? Pots and pans are always ready in my storage bag. I know Master doesn’t drink alcohol, so I prepared a tea set as well, to satisfy Master’s desire for the leisure to drink tea after killing people in the future.”
Of course, she hadn’t had a habit of brewing tea before, nor did anyone have the right to have her personally brew tea for them. She had learned it herself after becoming Wen Li’s disciple and discovering her love for tea. But she wasn’t like Hua Cishu, who had to bring up every little thing to act spoiled and beg for praise; she didn’t need these minor gestures as leverage with her Master.
Her leverage was her intellect and her cultivation.
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