Chapter 35: The Elder Zhuolian Sent Me to Check on You

The incense smoke in Qingyun Sect’s Council Hall was thicker than usual. Xuan Chenzi tapped his fingers on the “Blackwind Valley Map” laid out on the table, pondering for a moment before asking, “What do you all make of Shen Qingmei’s dying words about the ‘Great Calamity of the Mortal World’?”

The seven Peak Masters sat in order, robes softly rustling as they stared at the map in silence.

“Shen Qingmei’s words may not be baseless,” the Beast-Taming Peak Master Luo Changfeng suddenly slammed his hand on the table, the beast tooth bracelet on his wrist clinking sharply. “Three hundred years ago, Yuan Qiao’s practice of the Summon Demon Art went out of control, causing a surge in demonic power. Now Lin Nan…”

“Senior Brother Luo, if you have something to say, just say it,” Shu Ying interrupted him with a slight frown, clearly displeased. “Yuan Qiao’s loss of control was due to his own corrupted heart. What does my disciple have to do with the Great Calamity of the Mortal World?”

“What does it not have to do with it?” Luo Changfeng snorted coldly. “It was demonic power that killed Shen Qingmei!”

“And the demonic art that killed her, none of us have ever seen before—including you!”

“In my view, the core of the Great Calamity of the Mortal World lies in the character for ‘Monster.’”

That statement silenced Shu Ying instantly. Even after living for a millennium, she had never seen that strange technique.

Xuan Chenzi cleared his throat to break the argument. “The Danxia Sect sent an urgent message. Their Sect Leader left word before entering seclusion that the disturbances in Blackwind Valley might be linked to the Great Calamity of the Mortal World.”

His voice shattered the silence as his gaze swept over everyone. “I think it might be wise to open the Qingyun Secret Realm sooner, allowing the new disciples to undergo their trial. On one hand, to test their Dao hearts; on the other… it would prepare us in advance.”

“Sect Leader, that’s unwise!” the Sword Peak Master hurriedly opposed. “Cultivation requires steady progress. Acting rashly is like pulling seedlings to help them grow!”

“Ah, Zhe Yun, I know the risks of pulling seedlings, but if the Great Calamity truly approaches, I’d rather pull them than lose these disciples’ lives.”

Xuan Chenzi sighed deeply, then turned to Shu Ying. “Xun Lin, what do you think?”

Shu Ying’s Purple Sandalwood Prayer Beads paused in her hand, a faint trace of distraction flashing in her black eyes. Her mind was filled with the image of that white-haired, blue-eyed girl. She lowered her gaze and said, “According to Qingyun Sect Rules, those who pass the Jianyao Mirror are truly Qingyun disciples.”

The Beast-Taming Peak Master’s temper flared. He slammed the table again. “Who asked you that?!”

Shu Ying propped up her chin, ignoring him.

In her heart, she silently resolved: no matter the Great Calamity or some lesser disaster, this time, she would protect Lin Nan at all costs.

Below Thoughtful Cliff,

Lin Nan was whittling wood with the Not-Seeing-Green technique when the Jade Bracelet on her wrist suddenly grew hot.

Golden flames surged through her meridians, erupting into a blurred, crimson haze before her eyes.

The temple’s Buddha statue twisted in the firelight, and a woman wearing a dragon robe stood with her back to Lin Nan, her voice trembling with sobs: “You promised you would protect me…”

“Ugh!”

Lin Nan jerked her head sharply, wood chips flying across her face.

The golden flames of the Soul-Locking Ring faded, leaving only a burning ache on her wrist.

“Practicing Sword Heart Clarity absentmindedly again? What are you thinking about?”

Shu Ying appeared by the cliff’s edge without Lin Nan noticing. The hem of her pale gray Daoist robe fluttered in the wind, revealing the plain white inner garment beneath. “The Soul-Locking Ring is to help you control the transformation of your demonic power, or else others would notice.”

Lin Nan lowered her head and continued chopping wood, her voice muffled. “Nothing.”

Shu Ying stepped closer, her gaze landing on the silver hairpin inserted in Lin Nan’s hair by Shen Yuer herself.

Her throat tightened, but she only asked, “Is that the only hairpin you have? I can give you a few more.”

“No need.”

Lin Nan split the last piece of firewood. Sparks flew and flickered weakly over the Jade Bracelet.

She hurriedly gathered the firewood. “I don’t care about jewelry. If Teacher wants them, she can get herself some new ones.”

Shu Ying watched her tense back, her fingers pinching red marks on her sleeve.

That evasive posture, the white hair and blue eyes—they were just too alike…

But what if they weren’t?

She didn’t dare ask. She feared that the only resemblance left would vanish as well.

“小 Lin! Elder Zhuolian sent me to see you!”

A clear voice floated up the stone steps. Shen Yuer hurried over, carrying a bamboo basket. The pale gray disciple robes were sprinkled with grass clippings, her dark eyes shining like obsidian submerged in water.

She stopped in front of the ancestral tomb, spotting the pile of firewood on the stone table. She teased, “Are you trying to open a little stove here at Thoughtful Cliff?”

Lin Nan turned, a white lock of hair brushing across her cheek. Shen Yuer reached out and gently tucked it behind her ear. “Just came from the Five Arts Peak?”

“Mm, Elder Zhuolian sent me to check on you,” Shen Yuer opened the basket, revealing two warm wheat cakes and a small jar of honey. “By the way, the Martial Transmission Hall just posted a new trial task. Villagers on the outskirts of Blackwind Valley reported that the beasts there have been unusually agitated and even injured people. They want us to investigate.”

She leaned close to Lin Nan, lowering her voice. “I saw the task jade slip. That area is very close to Blackwind Valley. We can check it out and also see what the Autumn Imperial Exam is like. Plus…”

Shen Yuer glanced toward Shu Ying and lowered her voice further. “Huo Yuanyao from Sword Peak took the same mission. Senior Brother worries it’s unsafe for her to go alone, so he asked us to go together.”

Lin Nan paused, fingers pressing the wheat cake.

Huo Yuanyao—the purple-clad girl who won the Sword Peak Master’s favor at the initiation ceremony with her Sword Heart Clarity, and was said to cultivate the Qingyun Heart Sutra—if they traveled together, it would be a good opportunity to exchange insights.

“Alright,” Lin Nan bit into the wheat cake. The sweet wheat fragrance mixed with honey spread warmly. “Next time you want to see me, just say so. Don’t use Elder Zhuolian’s name as an excuse.”

“Hehe,” Shen Yuer playfully stuck out her little tongue, tapping Lin Nan’s arm gently with her small fist.

She coyly teased, “Wow, you caught on to my little secret, Lin Nan. You really understand me tooooo well~”

Lin Nan frowned and turned to leave.

So disgusting, she couldn’t bear to watch.

Shen Yuer laughed, tugging at her sleeve. “Hey, Lin Nan, don’t go! I’m sorry, I was just joking!”

Miss Lin shot her a sidelong glance, her tone indifferent. “When are we leaving?”

“Three days from now, at the hour of the Rabbit, meet below the mountain gate.”

Shen Yuer’s smile curved like a crescent moon. Suddenly, she pulled a talisman paper from her sleeve. On it was a fierce little cat, its tail raised like a tiny flagpole. “Here, this is a new Tranquility Talisman I drew. They say the Qi around Blackwind Valley is heavy with hostility. Wearing this can calm the spirit.”

Lin Nan took the talisman, her fingertips brushing the warm cinnabar, like holding a small flame.

Shu Ying stood at the cliff’s edge, watching Shen Yuer slip the talisman into Lin Nan’s bosom and the faint smile bloom in her blue eyes. The smile suddenly felt like a sting to her own eyes.

Silently, she retracted the magical treasure she had intended to give Lin Nan, pretending nothing had happened.

She turned and headed toward the stone chamber, her voice cold as always. “Practice the Technique of Flowing Clouds well before departure. I want to inspect.”

Lin Nan looked at her retreating figure and responded, “Okay.”

Shu Ying’s steps hesitated at the chamber’s entrance but didn’t look back. She only said softly, “If things get dangerous, shatter the Soul-Locking Ring. Use that power you have. Hold on until I come for you, and you’ll be safe.”

Lin Nan’s heart skipped. Hearing such words from Shu Ying—the one who always recklessly abandoned her—felt strangely out of place.

The mountain wind swept through the pines atop the cliff, causing the wooden plaque before the ancestral tomb to sway gently. The red silk fluttered like a banner in the breeze.

“What power?” Shen Yuer asked curiously. “Lin Nan, you have secret skills too?”

The young girl didn’t notice the undercurrent between the two. Seeing Lin Nan shake her head, she assumed it was a Thoughtful Cliff secret and didn’t ask further, instead eagerly counting the task rewards.

“Lin Nan, you don’t know how generous the Martial Transmission Hall’s task rewards are! We can borrow some cultivation manuals from the library, buy pills at Dan Peak, and get magical artifacts at Artifact Peak. Wow, just thinking about it makes me excited…”

Lin Nan pursed her lips and smiled softly. “Mm.” Her gaze passed over Shen Yuer’s shoulder, drifting upward toward the sky.

Clouds churned there, hiding countless unknown dangers, but perhaps also infinite opportunities.

With the talisman from Shen Yuer in her hand and Shu Ying’s vague warning echoing in her mind, Lin Nan suddenly felt that even if the path ahead was shrouded in fog, she would always find her way.