Rumor has it, this matter ultimately reached the Peak Master of the Beast Taming Peak, but it got stuck with Shu Ying.
Elder Xunlin’s neck stiffened, and right in front of the Sect Master, she slammed the table until it broke, muttering something like, “I guarantee Lin Nan, even the Dao Ancestor won’t be able to stop her, mark my words!”
In the end, nothing happened to Lin Nan and the others, but Shen Qingmei was punished and ordered to organize books in the library.
Since then, Lin Nan and Shen Yuer’s lives have been quite fulfilling.
They would sit under Siguo Cliff early in the morning, meditating and refining their qi; practice swordsmanship and talisman drawing in the morning; take a short rest at noon; and spar in the afternoon.
Shen Yuer’s talisman drawing skills steadily improved. She guided her true qi, becoming more adept at controlling water-based magic and techniques.
As for Miss Lin, who was learning swordsmanship,
she always practiced her sword swings while reminding herself, “If you’re weak, just train more.”
……
……
The wooden ladder in the library creaked underfoot. Lin Nan tiptoed to reach the highest shelf for the Qingyun Sword Array Diagram Explanation.
Her hair swept across the dusty book spine, stirring up fine dust.
Sunlight slanted through the carved window lattice, casting beams into the dust, making the white strands at her temple shimmer like scattered gold.
“Xiao Lin, just say if you can’t reach it,” came Shen Yuer’s voice from below, tinged with a teasing smile.
When Lin Nan lowered her head, she caught sight of Shen Yuer resting her chin on her hand by the window, a copy of the Water Classics Supplementary Notes spread across her knees, fingers lightly flicking the edge of the pages.
A breeze lifted her hair, brushing over the annotation for the “Piercing Character Secret Technique.” The inked characters gleamed softly in the sunlight.
“The water patterns on this page,” Shen Yuer suddenly raised her hand to tap the page, her dark eyes shining like obsidian submerged in water, “aren’t they a bit like your ‘Technique of Flowing Clouds’ sword path? Look at the curve of the turns.”
Lin Nan finally reached the sword manual and climbed down the ladder holding the book. She pushed aside some clutter on the desk, opened the Qingyun Sword Array Diagram Explanation, tilted her head thoughtfully, then said, “This is true. See here—the returning stroke almost overlaps with the one you modified last time.”
The two of them leaned close over the desk, heads touching as they compared the diagrams.
Shen Yuer’s hair brushed across Lin Nan’s hand, faintly scented with soapberry. Maybe because they were too close, Shen Yuer could even feel her pulse beating lightly beneath the skin.
She glanced at the girl’s profile.
Her cheeks quietly flushed.
So beautiful. No matter how many times Shen Yuer secretly looked at Lin Nan, she always sighed this way.
How could there be such a beautiful girl in the world? She was practically a monster born of legend—like that fabled enchanting demoness who bewitched the former Demon Emperor into madness. Surely, no one could compare!
“If only we could combine the sword technique with water magic…” Shen Yuer’s voice lowered, her cheeks tinged pink, “maybe the power could double.”
Just as Lin Nan was about to tease, “You’re blushing like a boiling teapot,” the wooden floorboards of the library creaked.
Both looked toward the sound.
Shen Qingmei came in holding a basket of books. The hem of her dark green silk skirt was dust-streaked, clearly having come from the archives.
Her gaze lingered briefly on the two overlapping hands, then a faint, unreadable smile curved her lips. “You two are quite leisurely, unlike me—punished to organize these moldy volumes.”
She set the basket on an empty table, then fetched a ladder by herself, holding a book in one hand as she climbed to the top shelf to put it away.
“Do you know? In a few days, the Danxia Sect will come to Qingyun Sect for an exchange. The young disciples of Qingyun Sect will all take the stage to spar. Perhaps you could learn much from the event.”
Shen Yuer’s fingers paused on the page.
Such exchange events were rare. Although their cultivation wasn’t high—barely entering the ‘Flow’ stage, barely qualifying as ninth-rank water practitioners—sparring among senior brothers and sisters was often hard to fully comprehend.
Still, even learning a little was immensely beneficial.
After all, sparring was real combat, far better than mere theoretical study.
But why would Shen Qingmei voluntarily tell them about this good thing? Could it be that after copying books and doing volunteer work for days, her conscience suddenly kicked in, and she resolved to mend the sisters’ relationship and become a charitable girl?
No way.
Lin Nan shot her a glance and caught the familiar arrogance and resentment in her eyes, instantly relaxing.
Oh, she’s still the same brainless her. That fits perfectly.
“Thanks, Sister,” Shen Yuer closed her book, her voice calm like a still lake, “We’re studying our own cultivation techniques, so we won’t be attending the observation.”
The smile on Shen Qingmei’s face faded slightly. She tapped the book basket’s lid lightly with her fingertips. “What a pity, then. Otherwise, little sister might have seen some acquaintances.”
“Acquaintances?” Shen Yuer frowned, about to ask more, but Lin Nan gently covered her wrist.
The white-haired girl looked at her quietly, shaking her head.
“Pfft,” Shen Qingmei sneered contemptuously, having waited a long time for the expected questions that never came. When she saw Lin Nan’s gesture, she scoffed, “The illustrious Miss Fifth, now willingly led around by a white-haired girl. How laughable.”
Shen Yuer laughed too, looking at Shen Qingmei sincerely and asking, “But didn’t the noble Fifth Miss of the Shen Family join the Qingyun Sect’s Beast Taming Peak? Why are you insulting yourself?”
Shen Qingmei narrowed her eyes, biting back a string of curses.
She was a fraud who stole everything from Shen Yuer. Such words were taboo to her.
Yet, Shen Yuer kept bringing up her sore spot again and again—really…
Really, damn it.
But then she thought of the Danxia Sect’s upcoming visit, and felt comforted again. She snorted, tossed out a ‘Take care of yourself,’ and left with her bamboo basket.
After the wooden door closed completely, Lin Nan quietly asked, “What does the Danxia Sect have to do with Shen Qingmei?”
Shen Yuer sighed helplessly and shook her head, a trace of sadness on her face.
“It’s probably still about chasing me,” her voice tightened, “The Prime Minister’s Residence has close ties with the Danxia Sect. Among those who chased me last time were people from Danxia Sect.”
Lin Nan’s fingers traced the cover of the Qingyun Sword Array Diagram Explanation. “Shen Qingmei is still connected with them.”
“Mm,” Shen Yuer nodded, her fingers unconsciously brushing Lin Nan’s hand as if to confirm their presence, “Shen Qingmei has always been jealous of me. She tries every possible way to replace me and completely erase me.”
“This has almost become an obsession of hers. To achieve this, she’s probably willing to do anything.”
The sunlight gradually tilted westward, stretching their shadows long and intertwining on the floor.
Lin Nan suddenly stood up and ruffled Shen Yuer’s hair. “To protect you, I’m willing to do anything.”
Shen Yuer froze for a moment.
She silently lifted her head to look at Lin Nan’s breathtakingly perfect face.
After a few breaths, she gently pushed Lin Nan’s hand away and smiled, “First of all, I’m not a lesbian. So, Xiao Lin, will you keep confessing to me?”
The girl’s face immediately darkened.
She gritted her teeth, muttering three “Good”s in a row, then turned and walked away.
The little girl sat down where she was, propping her chin on her hand, grinning slyly.
After a while, she got up silently and obediently followed Lin Nan’s retreating back.
She counted on her fingers, but the look in her eyes toward Lin Nan had deepened with sorrow.
“The Shen Family and the Prime Minister’s Residence are already troublesome enough. Now there’s also the Danxia Sect… I don’t want to drag Xiao Lin into this.”