Chapter 20: Two Dreams—Part 7

Normally, there weren’t many people on the long street in the town, but after one night, it was packed with disciples recruited by the steward of the Yujing sect who had set up tents.

Although everyone was surprised by how approachable the Yujing sect was in recruiting disciples this year, it didn’t harm them in any way. So, for a while, under the various tents along the entire street, it was crowded with cultivators who had passed the trials set up by the Yujing sect.

According to the Yujing sect’s previous statement, as long as they passed these trials, they would qualify for the assessment to enter the inner sect.

In the bustling crowd, when a young girl walked by, the surrounding people couldn’t help but stop their chatter and sneak a look at her.

The girl wore a white shirt with a beautiful appearance, like a spring pouring into a clear pool and reflecting in an ancient mirror. But that alone wasn’t enough to make people stare at her. The reason everyone stole glances at her was—

A snow-white, long ribbon covered her eyes.

She walked past the crowd like this and arrived at a tent, where the steward was dumbfounded.

She presented her jade token, on which the trials she had passed were recorded. The steward snapped out of his daze, bowed his head, and noted down her name—

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“Lyd Zwyd”.

Mbl pvloyae rascle kdvs vbl fyel vsjld okvb bkp prkakvwyz pldpl yde kxxlekyvlzu vssj y ellr calyvb: Mbl vld prkakvwyz clypvp kd vbl Lsavblad Mlaakvsau’p xygl oswze wpwyzzu rspl y nbyzzldtl vs ekpnkrzlp kd vbl plzlnvksd rasnlpp, cwv vbkp ulya, yzz vbspl clypvp olal ypzllr…

Tso eke pbl xydytl vbyv?

Vlabyrp clnywpl vbl pvloyae alxykdle pkzldv qsa y zsdt vkxl, vbl tkaz dyxle Lyd Zwyd, okvb bla lulp nshlale, prsjl, “Gdu rasczlx?”

Tla hsknl oyp zkjl qaspv yde xkpv, lvblalyzzu nsze.

Mbl pvloyae oyp pvwddle qsa y xsxldv clqsal pyukdt, “Ls rasczlx, xkpp. Gal usw hkpwyzzu kxrykale?”

Lyd Zwyd alrzkle, “R’x raynvknkdt y prlzz.”

Mbl pvloyae dseele kdoyaezu. Mbl oydelakdt nwzvkhyvsap vbkp ulya olal vawzu alxyajyczl. Zlpvlaeyu, bl blyae psxlsdl bye jkzzle Fwyd Zw, yde vseyu, bl pyo psxlsdl obs nswze rypp vbl vakyz okvbswv wpkdt vblka lulp.

The steward returned the jade token to the girl and said, “There’s no problem with your trial, miss. However, we can’t directly register you to enter the inner sect. The rules for this year’s Yujing sect selection have changed. We’re not only selecting Yujing sect disciples but also alongside the other three major sects… The leader or steward of the other major sects might arrive in these two days. Please keep that in mind.”

He thought that since this girl came to worship the Yujing sect, she should express her admiration for the Yujing sect more and show disdain for the other sects.

This morning, many trial disciples were received, just like everyone else.

But then Nan Yuan said, “I’ll consider it.”

The steward: …You came to register at the foot of Mount Yujing sect, don’t you only like us?

You wouldn’t suddenly like all the major sects, would you?

Feeling disappointed, the steward was about to probe the girl’s intentions when suddenly there was a loud bang from the neighboring tent—

Someone was fighting.

The steward exclaimed, “Is it Senior Sister Hua?”

Nan Yuan stood tall and elegant, her hairband and snow robe fluttering. She paid no attention to other people’s affairs.

But the steward said, “That girl seems to have killed Wuzhi.”

Nan Yuan paused, turned her head, and, together with the steward, “looked” towards the commotion.

—

The disturbance on the street was happening on Ti Ying’s side.

At the time of the incident, Ti Ying was pulling Jiang Xuehe, happily presenting their jade tokens for inspection of their trial results.

Under this tent, there were two stewards. One was checking the jade tokens, while the other was chattering away, informing them that there had been changes in the disciple selection rules this year. It required stewards from other sects to come, and everyone would participate in the selection together. The disciples would then decide which sect to join.

Ti Ying was firm: “I only like the Yujing sect!”

Her eyes were fixed on the steward, checking the jade tokens, filled with anticipation.

She was determined to enter the Yujing sect, and whether other sects came or not, it had no impact on her. What mattered now was that the steward checking the jade tokens could definitely tell it was her… who killed Suan Yu with her senior brother!

She was the most formidable disciple this year!

…Except for her detested senior brother.

The steward inspecting the jade tokens indeed showed a surprised expression: “It was you who killed Suan Yu?”

Hua Shi passed by from the side. “Suan Yu?”

The steward looked up and saw Hua Shi, the young lady from the Hua family, hesitating for a moment. He didn’t let Hua Shi directly inspect the jade token, but he explained a few words in her ear and nodded towards Ti Ying.

The surrounding cultivators, who knew how formidable Wuzhi was, were all extremely surprised and came to see Ti Ying—

“Someone killed Wuzhi? The one who could command impurities?”

“Impurities are troublesome. Every year there’s an impurity tide, all relying on the ‘Wushen Palace’ to defend… If even the Wushen Palace can’t completely eliminate impurities and can’t control Wuzhi, did this girl kill Wuzhi?”

Ti Ying was extremely pleased with herself.

She patted her chest and boasted, “Yes, I’m just that amazing… so is my senior brother.”

She really didn’t want to include her senior brother, but he also had merits.

So, she mainly praised herself, mentioning her senior brother just a little… Ti Ying had this kind of careful thinking as she quietly glanced back at Jiang Xuehe.

Her hooded senior brother was indeed a silent, handsome man. Despite her self-praise, he acted like a proper young lady from a noble house, not exposing her flaws.

Hua Shi furrowed her brows, approaching with suspicion.

Hua Shi saw the hooded youth.

She shivered, thinking of the person she had encountered in the Five Poison Forest that night.

Approaching the triumphant Ti Ying, Hua Shi emphasized, “You killed Suan Yu?”

But her eyes were on Jiang Xuehe.

Compared to a girl who seemed to be fooling around, she thought the young man seemed more capable. If the young man couldn’t tolerate the girl taking credit, he would surely correct her.

Jiang Xuehe shifted slightly.

He adjusted the corner of his hood, blown by the wind, and continued to watch Ti Ying’s antics.

Hua Shi: “…”

Yet Ti Ying was shameless. “Yes, it was me!”

—Although Suan Yu might have been disheartened and ready to be killed, stretching its neck out to be killed by her, she still did it.

Hua Shi still didn’t believe it.

Perhaps she couldn’t stand Ti Ying’s coquettish and forgetful appearance.

As Hua Shi argued with Ti Ying, a figure squeezed into the crowd and quietly tugged at Jiang Xuehe’s hood.

The voice stuttered, “Immortal Jiang… Can I bother you for a moment?”

Jiang Xuehe was slightly distracted, seeing a young man squeezing into the crowd and hiding behind him, who turned out to be Chen Da.

Chen Da looked a bit fearful as he glanced at Hua Shi, who was quarreling with Ti Ying.

Hua Shi didn’t know that at such a close distance from her, someone from her “past” was staring at her with a mixture of fear and resentment.

Like a viper.

Hua Shi glanced around sensitively, and Chen Da quickly lowered his head.

Jiang Xuehe remained calm. “What is it?”

With divided attention, he conversed with Chen Da while still keeping an eye on Ti Ying.

Chen Da felt that, although Jiang Xuehe’s tone was polite, it seemed a bit perfunctory.

Chen Da humbly said, “Immortal Jiang, I’ve been thinking for a long time, and I want to follow you and little fairy to seek enlightenment and guidance together… It seems I also have some spiritual roots. Can you consider it?”

Having known Suan Yu since childhood and pretending to be Suan Yu for several years, Chen Da, who had only recently resumed being human, felt that something had changed in him.

He suspected it might be what cultivators called spiritual roots.

Could he also cultivate?

Jiang Xuehe was surprised.

His gaze, through the hood, finally landed on Chen Da.

Chen Da felt that, compared to Ti Ying, Jiang Xuehe should be much kinder. In fact, Jiang Xuehe was indeed like that. As Chen Da hesitated about whether he had spiritual roots, a soothing blue light, like invisible tentacles, reached out towards him.

Jiang Xuehe said calmly, “Let me see.”

Chen Da couldn’t open his sea of consciousness, and Jiang Xuehe needed a lot of patience to find the spiritual roots. But Jiang Xuehe had never lacked patience.

Amidst the noisy crowd, Jiang Xuehe quietly investigated Chen Da’s body.

He found a vague light shadow inside Chen Da’s body; indeed, the spiritual roots…

Jiang Xuehe pondered: Did Suan Yu help Chen Da grow spiritual roots?

Hua Shi was somewhat sharp. “You’re so young; how could you possibly kill Suan Yu? I don’t believe it!”

Ti Ying, a bit floaty from her self-praise, proudly said, “I’m a genius.”

Jiang Xuehe, observing from under the hood, looked up at her. His eyes were as clear as snow, suddenly gleaming.

Hua Shi was dizzy with anger, and the steward felt awkward. “Miss, it’s already recorded on the jade token…”

The steward quickly handed the jade token back to Ti Ying, hoping she would leave quickly and not provoke Hua Shi.

Ti Ying raised her face, stunningly beautiful yet truly deserving of a beating, “If you baselessly doubt me, I’ll take it as jealousy.”

This was provocation…

Jiang Xuehe frowned.

Behind him, Hua Shi’s eyes flickered with sharp sword intent. The two stewards hurriedly said, “Miss!”

A cold sword, entwined with the power of several talismans, flew out of Hua Shi’s sea of consciousness and slashed towards Ti Ying.

Ti Ying staggered back two steps.

But she was prepared, swiftly dodging the attack with a disheveled appearance.

She spat out some blood, then turned and threw the talisman in her arms. The talisman stacked in mid-air, swirling around her, forming a “golden bell shield” that contained the sword intent.

Ti Ying’s face turned pale, and she stomped her foot. “You, mysterious senior sister, are you ambushing me?”

Hua Shi’s mouth twisted. “Just ambushing you!”

The two of them bickered like children, attracting murmurs from the surrounding crowd.

Hua Shi wielded her sword directly and said, “Let me test you!”

Ti Ying whimpered twice, starting to play the role of the weak. “Senior sister, if you don’t believe I killed Suan Yu, then let’s just assume I can’t. If you want to kill me in public, then I can only fight back. Please don’t blame me, senior sister.”

The two words “don’t blame” already carried an uncontrollable excitement.

This made Jiang Xuehe, who had originally wanted to step forward to care for his junior sister, pause.

Hua Shi attacked Ti Ying with her sword intent.

Ti Ying spun around, frantically setting up her formation to deal with this unfamiliar senior sister.

Ti Ying was excited. Face-slapping! This must be what they call face-slapping!

Her words were not deceiving!

Little Ti Ying’s path to immortality began with face-slapping!

—

Jiang Xuehe’s consciousness withdrew from Chen Da: “Hmm, it’s spiritual roots.”

Chen Da had mixed feelings: Did you really see clearly? Why do I feel like you’re just busy caring for your junior sister?

Chen Da glanced at Ti Ying being chased and attacked by Hua Shi, his jaw almost dropping. “Such a death attempt…”

Jiang Xuehe glanced at him. Through the hood, this glance was like a gentle breeze over water, seemingly powerless, but Chen Da shut his mouth.

After a while, Chen Da asked cautiously, “Immortal, aren’t you going to help the little fairy?”

Jiang Xuehe lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the end of a girl’s hairband peeking out from his sleeve.

He was somewhat puzzled, not knowing why Ti Ying was provoking Hua Shi. Although mischievous, she was not someone who stirred up trouble. What was her purpose? Why didn’t she tell him or seek his help?

Is it that she doesn’t like me, this halfway senior brother?

This made Jiang Xuehe fall silent, and his aura became somewhat distant.

In his distraction, Jiang Xuehe heard Chen Da’s concern: “What if little fairy loses and embarrasses herself…”

On the other side were Hua Shi, who had killed Suan Yu, and Ti Ying, who was petulant and willful.

Just thinking about it made his scalp tingle.

Jiang Xuehe said, “It won’t happen.”

Chen Da didn’t understand, and Jiang Xuehe didn’t explain.

—

In midair, Shen Xingchuan and Shen Yushu stood together, watching the young people’s struggle below.

Shen Yushu said gently, “Brother, the young people this year are all interesting. Miss Hua’s sword intent is unparalleled. Do you want to take her as a disciple?”

Shen Xingchuan opened his eyes.

His gaze swept over Hua Shi, Ti Ying, and Nan Yuan one by one, finally landing on Jiang Xuehe.

This frosty cultivator finally showed a hint of confusion at this point.

But he didn’t say anything.

Instead, Shen Yushu gazed into the distance, hesitating, “The girl who fought with Hua Shi… There are many unconventional methods, but none are powerful. Brother, do you really believe she could have killed Suan Yu?”

Shen Xingchuan calmly closed his eyes. “There are geniuses in the world, but they are not down here.”

Shen Yushu was startled, recalling something.

Shen Yushu exclaimed, “Brother, are you still concerned about that genius youth from the Duansheng Dao who slaughtered the entire valley and fled at night?”