Only now did Zongzheng Huangyue notice that the item pinned in his hair was not a hairpin, but a brush. Realizing what it was in an instant, and seeing that Wen Li was busy, she took the opportunity to strike up a conversation with Gu Linshu to glean some information, which would make interacting with him easier going forward.
“Senior Brother, are you a talisman cultivator?”
Dressed in white with a book always in hand, exuding the refined air of a scholar, he indeed seemed cut out to be a talisman cultivator.
Just as Zongzheng Huangyue felt certain of her guess, she heard his reply.
“Not quite. I... I am a sword cultivator who knows how to craft talismans.” Master said it sounded far more impressive and dignified that way.
“...”
The sheer shock in Zongzheng Huangyue’s eyes was unmistakable. Stiffly turning her head, she shifted her gaze from Wen Li back to him.
“A... a sword cultivator?”
In her disbelief, she nearly stuttered herself, her eyes instinctively sweeping over Gu Linshu’s slender, stick-thin frame hidden beneath his robes.
While the sword cultivators she had met were not as burly and muscular as body cultivators, they at least possessed lean physiques and formidable arm strength. Otherwise, heavy as swords were, lifting one single-handedly might cause them to accidentally hack themselves just to inaugurate the blade.
Sensing the astonishment in her eyes, Gu Linshu was already accustomed to it. If anything, he felt the shock born of this contrast was every bit as gratifying as the awe he received when people learned he was a sword cultivator who could craft talismans.
His spine straightened slightly. With an understated nod, he sent via voice transmission: “Though I am merely a scholar lacking the strength to truss a chicken, if someone fails to listen to reason, I know a thing or two about martial arts and swordsmanship.”
With that, he “casually” pushed up his sleeve, giving Zongzheng Huangyue a glimpse of the veins coursing over his forearm muscles—radiating the kind of power that looked capable of ending a life with a single punch.
“...”
The corner of Zongzheng Huangyue’s mouth twitched. No wonder. She had wondered why Master would take in a disciple who had a loving family and still possessed a conscience—it turned out he was a genius who dual-cultivated both talismans and the sword.
“Junior Sister failed to see your depth. Truly admirable.” She cupped her hands with a look of sincere affirmation.
“Junior Sister flatters me.” Gu Linshu nodded in return.
Pausing, he remembered something, took out the sect rules Wen Li had given him, and transmitted: “Right, I didn't get the chance earlier, so on Master's behalf, I'll give you these sect rules to study and memorize.”
“Sect rules? What sect are we?” Zongzheng Huangyue only then realized she still didn't know the name of the sect she had joined.
“The Wuji Sect.”
Zongzheng Huangyue furrowed her brows. She had never heard of this sect. Then again, given how formidable Master was, it was bound to be a sect in the Central Province; it was only natural she wouldn't know of it.
Calming herself, she accepted the parchment and looked down, ready to carefully study the ancient, solemn rules of a great sect and learn them well.
“...”
“Are you sure you didn't grab the wrong paper?” Zongzheng Huangyue looked up in disbelief, forgetting to even address him as Senior Brother.
Anticipating this, Gu Linshu calmly nodded and transmitted: “No mistake. It even has the grease stains Master left on it when she used it as a placemat to eat in the wilderness.”
Looking at the paper in her hands, she hadn't seen any grease at first, but when she moved her right hand aside, there was indeed a slick, glossy mark right beneath where her hand had been. She had originally thought it was some sacred mark left behind by a grand master or Master herself.
She took a deep breath. Whatever. The more powerful an expert, the more eccentric their personality. It was understandable.
She focused her gaze on the sect rules, reading them carefully.
First Sect Rule: Betraying the master and defying the ancestors is forbidden (falling in love with Master)...
Rule Two...
When she reached Rule Three, Zongzheng Huangyue’s eyes flickered slightly.
3. Bullying good-for-nothings is forbidden, especially those surnamed Xiao, Ye, Lin, Shi, or Tang.
Other than omitting the surname Wangquan, this rule corresponded perfectly to her relationship with Wangquan Sheng. Good-for-nothing... did it mean someone useless?
When Wangquan Sheng was born, he was indeed a heaven-defying prodigy, reaching Foundation Establishment just four years after setting foot on the path of cultivation. Later, for reasons unknown, his cultivation plummeted and stagnated, turning from a genius praised by all into a good-for-nothing whom everyone ridiculed and pitied.
This sect rule...
The recurring tradition where every newly recruited disciple questioned why they needed to watch out for people with those specific surnames was broken with Zongzheng Huangyue. Without batting an eye, she read through all the sect rules.
She immediately noticed that not only were these rules bizarre, but beneath them lay what seemed like anticipated outcomes foreseen long in advance.
If the third rule corresponded to her, what about the others?
For instance, Rule Four: Picking up injured people from the roadside is forbidden, and bringing them back to the sect is strictly forbidden. Did that correspond to which other disciple would incur vendettas that brought sect-destroying disaster?
And Rule Five: Falling in love is allowed with anyone except Master—humans, demons, ghosts, gods, snakes, insects, rats, or ants are all fine. Did that mean some disciple would be trapped by love, tormented by unrequited passion?
Even Rule Seven: 'If you develop a heart demon, then your life is complete'—which tied back to the principle of not discriminating against evil cultivators or the demonic path—could it mean a disciple would fall to the demonic path in the future?
The more she read, the more intricate and alarming Zongzheng Huangyue’s suspicions and deductions became. Pursing her lips, she looked up and stole a glance at Wen Li, who was still busy working.
She sent a private voice transmission to Gu Linshu.
“Senior Brother, when were these sect rules drafted? Did Master ever mention who wrote them?”
Gu Linshu transmitted back: “Oh, Master showed them to me the moment I took her as master. She said it's a must-read for all new disciples, and that these were her priceless survival tips. Presumably, Master wrote them herself.”
No one else could possibly write sect rules this unhinged and bizarre.
“I see.”
Hearing this, Zongzheng Huangyue subtly cast an imperceptible glance at the scholarly, righteous Gu Linshu. If Rule Seven truly had a corresponding disciple who would fall to the demonic path... one would need a pure, unblemished heart to be susceptible to heart demons. Someone like her, whose hands were already stained with countless lives, naturally had no such vulnerability.
Could Rule Seven be talking about Gu Linshu?
A sudden shudder of realization struck Zongzheng Huangyue. Did Master know the fates of all her disciples, and not just that she herself had a fate to defy?
Sweat gathered in the palms of her hands. Wearing a smile that betrayed nothing, she handed the paper back to Gu Linshu. “Senior Brother, I've memorized them all. I'll leave the sect rules with you for now.”
She couldn't resist looking toward Wen Li. Seeing that Wen Li hadn't noticed them, thoughts churned beneath her calm facade. Or had Rule Three simply happened to coincide with her by sheer coincidence, and everything just now was merely her wild speculation?
Yet it was entirely possible. Master could even divine her fate, to say nothing of the other disciples.
Yet she...
Took in so many disciples solely to save them and change their destinies...?
“Done.”
A cool voice rang in her ears.
Deep in contemplation, Zongzheng Huangyue instinctively looked up, only to meet Wen Li’s calm, ink-black eyes. Wen Li had walked over and was already standing barely three feet away from her. In that instant, her heart pounded violently.
She was so startled that she nearly dodged backward on instinct.
Yet her feet froze, failing to react. Snapping back to her senses immediately, Zongzheng Huangyue quickly composed her expression and offered a faint smile.
“Ah, Master, is everything ready?”
Rate on N.U.
