Wen Jingshu believed she was doing an excellent job of managing her expression, showing very little emotion.
Even so, Luo Yunting still detected her wariness.
He had not yet entered the cultivation world and did not understand how precious an Innate Sword Embryo was. However, seeing the sheer excitement of Wen Jingshu and Zhaocai, he could guess just how rare it must be.
For that black stone to be comparable to an Innate Sword Embryo, it too had to be a treasure that appeared only once in ten thousand years.
He fully believed that if Wen Jingshu had been able to directly understand Zhaocai, she would have immediately asked what the stone was.
However, Luo Yunting had a plan. He raised his right hand toward Wen Jingshu and solemnly swore an oath to the Heavenly Dao:
“I, Luo Yunting, voluntarily bind myself to this master. From this day forward, my life and death shall be in my master's hands. My thoughts shall be open to my master, and I shall serve as her loyal servant without reservation. May death claim me if I violate this oath!”
The moment the words left Luo Yunting's mouth, Wen Jingshu suddenly felt an inexplicable force of the Heavenly Dao.
As long as she accepted, Luo Yunting's Heavenly Dao oath would be established. From then on, he would be her servant, his life and death completely at her mercy. She would even be able to sense his emotions toward her—whether they were affection, hatred, or murderous intent.
To put it simply, he was selling himself to her, and with a life-and-death contract at that.
Wen Jingshu scrutinized Luo Yunting cautiously once more.
He was a smart person with the right attitude, and the oath was correct. Besides, she really did need his Heavenly Oracle Spirit Constitution to decipher certain things. There was no reason to refuse a servant who had delivered himself right to her doorstep.
The moment Wen Jingshu accepted, she sensed the anxiety and respect in Luo Yunting's heart.
At the same time, Wen Jingshu asked in surprise, “You're a girl?”
The “ting” in her male name was the character for courtyard, while the “ting” in her female name was the character for graceful.
Hearing Wen Jingshu's question, Luo Yunting nodded and explained with a numb expression, “In the imperial family, a prince is always treated better than a princess.”
To put it nicely, a princess is the emperor's daughter, respected by the people, and pampered with fine food and clothes from childhood. But when the foundations of the country are shaken, a princess becomes the cheapest, most cost-effective tool.
When officials perform meritorious deeds, they are rewarded with princesses. When the state is defeated and sues for peace, they send a princess. Even when a natural disaster strikes, they might sacrifice a princess to the heavens to show their sincerity.
In her past life as a talisman cultivator, Wen Jingshu had also been born as a commandery princess. She had personally escorted her cousin to a political marriage. If her parents had not truly loved her, she would likely have become a political sacrifice as well.
It was precisely because of her cousin's experience that she had resolutely decided to enter the cultivation world.
Although the cultivation world was cruel, it gave them a chance to choose their own destiny. Even if they died as soon as they entered the game, it was still better than being a puppet on a string.
Luo Yunting said, “As for the concealment techniques and the contract-binding method, my ancestors once had a cultivator who left some things behind. If Miss wants them...”
Wen Jingshu waved her hand.
Since they were on the same side now, Wen Jingshu had no habit of turning on her own people.
As for those treasures, Wen Jingshu had no intention of asking about them, fearing she might actually grow envious.
Stealing from one's own servant was rather classless...
“There is no need to call me Master. You can just call me Miss.”
Luo Yunting readily complied, “Yes, Miss.”
Seeing that Luo Yunting was now one of them, Zhaocai no longer hid anything and squeaked excitedly.
Luo Yunting translated, “Miss, Zhaocai says the black stone from Qian De is a Heavenly Dao Stone. It contains a strand of the Heavenly Dao's power. If a cultivator can comprehend its secrets, it will surely perfect their Dao Heart.”
Holy cow. This seemingly useless stone was actually that powerful?
Even with over a thousand years of experience as a talisman cultivator, Wen Jingshu was utterly stunned.
She knew all too well how important a Dao Heart was to a cultivator. It was precisely because she knew its significance that she was so shocked.
Just think about it: while others were still trembling as they sought, debated, and proved their Dao Hearts—spending thousands or even tens of thousands of years to perfect them—she could directly comprehend the Heavenly Dao Stone, skip the verification process, and achieve great perfection of her Dao Heart immediately?
Rounded up, wasn't that equivalent to gaining thousands of years of free time?
Once the excitement passed, Wen Jingshu forced herself to calm down.
The Heavenly Dao Stone was indeed rare, but the Innate Sword Embryo was what she needed most right now.
If she missed out on this Innate Sword Embryo, she was certain she would never find another lifebound sword that suited her so perfectly.
As for her Dao Heart, she could try to seek, debate, and prove it herself.
Furthermore, a Dao Heart Stone was not that easy to comprehend. Moreover, it was obtained through killing and looting; someone else might have had their eyes on it before her, and she could not rule out the possibility of drawing trouble to herself.
Without the Dao Heart Stone, the worst-case scenario was merely a delayed ascension. But without the Innate Sword Embryo, she would be utterly miserable!
Hmm... looking at it from another angle, she was merely leaving the Dao Heart Stone here for now. Once she found some other great treasure she did not need in the future, she would still have a chance to return and swap it back.
Weighing her options, Wen Jingshu made her decision in an instant.
“Zhaocai, lead the way.”
After saying that, Wen Jingshu brought Suyao and Luo Yunting into the Shengsheng Bead.
Suddenly finding herself in an unfamiliar place and sensing the rich, unknown 'spiritual energy' all around, Luo Yunting did not even dare to breathe heavily.
Yet her curiosity could not be hidden. Luo Yunting quietly observed the immortal palaces and jade towers, her heart filled with unstoppable awe.
Was this the person of immense fortune she had chosen?
Her future was so bright it was practically blinding! She could guarantee that even with her own Heavenly Oracle Spirit Constitution, which naturally attracted the fortune of the Heavenly Dao, her luck could not compare to Wen Jingshu's!
At that moment, Wen Jingshu sensed Luo Yunting's excited thoughts.
Wen Jingshu merely cast a strange look at her. With a wave of her hand, a water mirror appeared before the two people and two beasts, clearly displaying the scenery outside.
Wen Jingshu controlled the Shengsheng Bead to attach itself to Zhaocai. Upon receiving Wen Jingshu's command, the mouse quickly squeezed inside.
The little mouse walked for two shichen before finally arriving at a cave that was a hundred meters wide and ten meters high.
Various unknown stones around the cave emitted a faint glow. In the center lay a pool of water, with a platform in the middle of the pool. Right in the center of the platform bloomed a stone lotus.
That stone lotus was the Innate Sword Embryo.
Wen Jingshu emerged from the Shengsheng Bead and, based on the information provided by Zhaocai, pondered how to swap the items.
She simulated several methods in her mind before finally deciding to use a substitution talisman.
Although she could not draw spatial substitution talismans herself right now, her sister had given her some!
She had a whole stack of substitution talismans, each worth ten thousand top-grade spirit stones!
Such was the willful privilege of a second-generation cultivator!
Wen Jingshu retrieved a substitution talisman and took out the Heavenly Dao Stone. After casting a reluctant glance at the stone, she pinched a hand seal to initiate the swap.
The moment the Innate Sword Embryo was removed, Wen Jingshu could clearly sense the vitality of the surroundings being instantly drained. It was only when the Heavenly Dao Stone took its place that the deathly energy vanished.
Simultaneously, dark clouds gathered over the mountaintop outside for a brief moment before dispersing. This was because Wen Jingshu had performed a swap rather than a simple theft, thus avoiding defying the Heavenly Dao.
Having secured the Innate Sword Embryo, a slight smile finally graced Wen Jingshu's face. She placed the Innate Sword Embryo into the immortal tower to nourish it with immortal qi before she began refining it.
Looking at the Innate Sword Embryo, Wen Jingshu could not help but marvel at how opportunities were everywhere in life. Who would have thought that the mortal realm, so depleted of spiritual energy, could actually nurture an Innate Sword Embryo?
Once they left the cave, Zhaocai indicated that there were no other good treasures left in this middle region, so Wen Jingshu led them back to the group.
She had gone and returned so quickly that no one even realized she had been gone. They only noticed that Luo Yunting, the disciple with water and fire spiritual roots, had returned.
The other three had no interest in this heavily crippled disciple. Only Zhao Miaomiao asked a polite question before losing interest.
Luo Yunting still maintained her male disguise. Wen Jingshu planned to have her keep this cover, posing as a plain, heavily crippled disciple to grow in secret.
After all, if someone discovered her Heavenly Oracle Spirit Constitution, she might very well be kidnapped and used as a human treasure-hunting mouse.
Obviously, Luo Yunting shared the same concerns.
Or rather, she was prepared to absolutely obey Wen Jingshu's arrangements!
If Miss, a young girl herself, could wear the skin of a scruffy man, then so could she!
Rate on N.U.
