The three stepped out of the spirit food shop, turned down two streets, and found a clean inn, each booking adjacent guest rooms.
Just as Gu Yanqing placed his fingertips on the door handle, a faint tremor vibrated from a jade slip behind him.
He turned around.
Shen Wanwan stood beneath the corridor, retrieving the transmission jade slip from her waist and pressing it to her ear.
At first, she swung her foot nonchalantly, but as she listened, the motion halted. Her brows gradually knitted together, and her fingers tightened around the jade slip.
When the transmission ended, she stowed the jade slip away, her face looking exceedingly grim.
“Miss?” Fang Shouyi leaned in. “Was that from the Sect Master?”
“Who else could it be?” Shen Wanwan snapped irritably. “He said I can only return to the sect in half a year, and that I must bring back a Rank 3 demon core from the Scarlet Flame Mountain Range for it to count as a successful tempering.”
Fang Shouyi nodded. “The Sect Master probably wishes to test the results of Third Miss’s tempering this time.”
“I know that.” Shen Wanwan shot him a sidelong glare. “Did I ask you to explain?”
Leaning against the doorframe, Gu Yanqing remarked placidly upon hearing this, “The Chixiao Sect’s tempering requirements for disciples are rather demanding.”
“That depends on who it is.” Shen Wanwan scoffed, leaning against a corridor pillar with her arms crossed, a subtle competitiveness hidden in her tone. “My brother reached Foundation Establishment at sixteen and was already touching the threshold of late Foundation Establishment last year. That guy doesn’t have much between the ears, but when it comes to cultivation, he’s truly ruthless.”
She paused.
“My sister is different. Her cultivation talent isn’t particularly outstanding, but she’s sharp and perceptive—cleverer than me and my brother combined. Whenever the sect elders see her, every single one beams with warmth and praises how well she handles affairs.”
Gu Yanqing’s eyes flickered slightly, understanding dawning within him.
So she had an older brother and an older sister above her.
“As for me...” Shen Wanwan turned her head away, her voice softening somewhat. “My cultivation isn’t poor, and I’m not stupid either. I’m merely passable at both.”
“Third Miss!” Fang Shouyi immediately protested. “Your talent is far superior to that of ordinary disciples!”
“Shut up.”
“Oh.”
The night wind swept a cool chill across the courtyard, gently swaying the lanterns suspended under the corridor.
Gu Yanqing stayed silent for a moment before casually asking, “Do the three of you siblings all intend to vie for the position of Sect Master in the future?”
The corridor fell silent the moment the words left his mouth.
Shen Wanwan stared at the weeds poking through the cracks of the bluestone pavers, her fingertips absently picking at the wood grain of the pillar. Only after a good while did she look up.
“Of course I have to fight for it. My relationship with them is terrible to begin with. If one of them actually takes the Sect Master’s seat, how could I have any peaceful days left in the sect?”
Gu Yanqing lowered his gaze and didn’t pursue the topic.
The succession struggles of a sect’s direct lineage had nothing to do with him.
“Third Miss, you shouldn’t speak of the Eldest Miss and Second Young Master like that... Perhaps deep down, they still cherish sibling affection,” Fang Shouyi could not resist advising in a low voice.
“What the hell do you know?!” Shen Wanwan’s voice climbed several notches. “During the last sect sparring match, did you not see how vicious that bastard of a second brother was? He beat me black and blue! And don’t think I don’t know! You secretly laughed at me along with them!”
“Miss, I’m wronged! I definitely did not!”
“Besides, maybe the Second Young Master was just being careless—”
“Shut up!”
“Are you from his Qing Peak or my Qixia Peak?”
“Naturally, I am Third Miss’s person,” Fang Shouyi replied dutifully.
“Then why are you still speaking up for him?”
“I only...”
With a crisp smack, before Fang Shouyi could finish speaking, a slap landed on the back of his head.
Clutching his head, he shrank his neck back, going completely silent.
Right then, the transmission jade slip at Gu Yanqing’s waist also vibrated faintly.
He retrieved it and pressed it to his ear, where Lin Zhixue’s calm, cool voice emerged.
“I have arrived at Cold Water Valley.”
Hearing her voice, Gu Yanqing cast his gaze to the ground.
He hadn’t expected her to initiate a transmission. Surely it wasn’t just to let him know she had arrived?
He responded casually, “Oh. Is there anything else?”
The other end of the jade slip suddenly went quiet.
Holding the jade slip at the valley entrance, Lin Zhixue froze.
How strange. Did he not want to talk to her?
She couldn’t quite explain why she had sent this transmission either. Having settled in, she had simply felt an instinctive urge to let him know; it wasn’t anything urgent.
Beside her, Xiaoyu poked its head out. “Zhixue, why aren’t you speaking anymore?”
Its voice traveled through the jade slip as well.
Gu Yanqing paused upon hearing it.
Indeed, why had she suddenly stopped talking?
He merely wondered about her sudden silence, entirely oblivious to how cold and distant his tone had sounded just now.
“Nothing else,” Lin Zhixue’s voice sounded again. Just as she was about to sever the transmission, she caught the crisp sound of a girl’s voice from the other end, mingled with the faint commotion of a squabble.
It wasn’t Senior Sister Xu’s voice, nor was it Senior Sister Jiang’s.
Did he know some other female cultivator?
Yet back at the Yunxiao Sect, she had lived close to him and had never seen him meet with any other female cultivators.
Or had he met someone new after she left?
Seeing that she had nothing more to say, Gu Yanqing finally recalled his own situation and glanced at his surroundings.
Shen Wanwan was still disciplining Fang Shouyi.
Perhaps he should share his recent circumstances as well?
Looking away, he spoke into the jade slip, “I’m heading to the Scarlet Flame Mountain Range to find something called Scarlet Flame Crystal Marrow.”
“Just set out this morning.”
“Traveling together with two fellow Daoists I met along the way.”
Noticing that Gu Yanqing was also on a transmission jade slip, Shen Wanwan stopped hitting Fang Shouyi.
Pretending to smooth the wrinkles on her sleeves, she quietly shifted two steps closer, ears perked up, thoroughly convinced she was being completely stealthy.
Meanwhile, Fang Shouyi crouched in the corner, clutching the back of his head while silently drawing circles on the ground.
Over at Cold Water Valley, Xiaoyu clung to the edge of the jade slip.
“Scarlet Flame Crystal Marrow? Are you tinkering with that body cultivation technique of yours again?”
“You dummy, don’t you dare get lost in the mountains, or Zhixue and I will have to go find you!”
Hearing this, Gu Yanqing chuckled softly.
“If there is nothing else, let us leave it at that,” Lin Zhixue’s voice came through once more, and then the transmission cut off.
Xiaoyu hovered in midair, tilting its head as it looked at her.
“Zhixue, why did you hang up so fast? I wanted to ask him if he came across any spirit herbs on the road.”
“He’s busy, so let’s not disturb him.” Lin Zhixue stowed the jade slip, turning to gaze toward the southern horizon beyond the valley.
The night wind blew biting cold air against her face. She stood in place, motionless for a long time.
...
Gu Yanqing closed his fingers, tucked the jade slip neatly back into his storage bag, and turned to look at Shen Wanwan beside him.
Unable to conceal the burning curiosity in her eyes, the young girl asked point-blank, “Who was that girl you were talking to?”
“Eavesdropping on other people isn’t very polite, you know,” Gu Yanqing teased lightly.
“I wasn’t eavesdropping!” Shen Wanwan immediately raised her voice in protest, lifting her chin defensively. “The two of you were transmitting your voices so loudly that I just happened to overhear! Besides, weren’t you listening to my conversation earlier too?”
“I wasn’t intentionally listening. I only heard because you two were talking right there.”
“It’s basically the same thing anyway, so we’re even!” Shen Wanwan waved her hand dismissively, persistently pressing on. “So? Who on earth was that girl just now?”
Beside them, Fang Shouyi hurriedly tried to dissuade her in a low voice. “Miss, prying into someone else’s private matters like this might not be appropriate...”
Before he could finish, Shen Wanwan raised a hand and slapped his head again, snapping testily, “The person involved doesn’t even mind, so what are you fussing about?!”
Watching this scene, Gu Yanqing felt a hint of bewilderment stir within him.
He couldn’t quite understand why Shen Wanwan was so interested in his affairs.
After a moment of thought, realizing there was nothing to hide anyway, he replied candidly, “A fellow disciple from the Yunxiao Sect. Just an ordinary friend.”
“Oh? Is that so~?”
Shen Wanwan drew out her words, the corners of her lips curling into a meaningful smirk.
Without pressing further, she merely gave Gu Yanqing a deep look, turned, and headed straight back to her guest room.
With only the two of them left beneath the corridor, Fang Shouyi stepped forward with an apologetic look, cupping his hands slightly.
“Senior Brother Gu, please forgive her. My young miss simply has a pampered, straightforward temper with no ill intent; she certainly meant no offense.”
“No matter.”
Gu Yanqing nodded slightly, paying it no mind.
After exchanging a brief courtesy, he turned and pushed his door open.
Rate on N.U.
