“Alright, Ah Qing, the sword qi inside the Lingjian should be enough for you to use these next few days.”
“If you need more before the competition, you can come find me again to replenish the sword qi.”
Xiao Qingxuan handed the Lingjian to Ye Luqing, speaking softly:
“I’ve used this sword a few times, but I haven’t nourished it with true qi, nor recognized it as my own.”
“You can give it a name and become the master of this Lingjian.”
Ye Luqing accepted the Bi Ling Sword.
She hadn’t decided on a name yet, so she stored it in her Storage Magical Artifact for now.
After thinking for a moment, she took out a round Dan Medicine, handed it to Xiao Qingxuan, and smiled lightly:
“Jiejie, I’ll give you this Dan Medicine.”
Xiao Qingxuan was slightly startled and subconsciously accepted the Dan Medicine.
“This is?”
Since Ye Luqing always supported her, she rarely ate Dan Medicine and didn’t know many, but the surging sword qi within was easy to sense.
“This is a Sky Sword Unyielding Pellet, used to replenish sword qi.”
“I noticed your true qi consumption has been a bit high lately, Jiejie, so this should help restore it.”
The recycling price of the Sky Sword Unyielding Pellet was 450, half again as much as the Bi Ling Sword, and its grade was higher.
Using it as a return gift also repaid her for teaching the Yiqi Sword Formula.
Moreover, since Xiao Qingxuan was a Sword Cultivator, it was suitable for her.
This way, whenever she used the Bi Ling Sword to do bad things and stimulate the Blackening Value, she could feel more at ease.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Qingxuan’s expression froze.
What do you mean ‘restore’?
Isn’t this mocking her weakness?
As the Tianjian Peak Fierce Woman, she felt she had to explain.
“Ah Qing, it’s not that I’m weak, it’s just that sword qi is very difficult to recover, especially for those of us who follow the Emotionless Sword Dao. Unless we enter the ‘Duan Yu Wangqing Wuxin’ state, it’s…”
While Xiao Qingxuan was rambling in explanation, Ye Luqing gripped her fingers.
Then, gently, she pressed the slender jade hand around the Dan Medicine in her palm.
“Jiejie, accept it.”
Ye Luqing smiled faintly.
“Just think of it as a gift from the ‘present’ Ah Qing to Jiejie.”
The corner of her lips curled in a smug arc.
She planned to make use of the lingering guilt from their heartfelt conversation last night—not only could she get Xiao Qingxuan to accept the gift, she could also stimulate an increase in Blackening Value.
At her words, a trace of bitterness flickered in Xiao Qingxuan’s eyes.
Still, she forced a smile and shook her head.
“No, Ah Qing, you need this Dan Medicine more than I do.”
“The Doubles Match allows Dan Medicine to be carried, and the Yiqi Sword Formula you practice requires a lot of sword qi. Keeping this will help you in unforeseen circumstances.”
“Keep it. I hope you have a smooth victory in the competition.”
She reached out and gently rubbed Ye Luqing’s small head.
Hearing Xiao Qingxuan’s sincere words and feeling the warmth of her palm, Ye Luqing was stunned.
Her lips parted slightly, as if to speak, but the words wouldn’t come, a look of wanting to speak yet holding back.
Why refuse?
Sky Sword Unyielding Pellet—an Earth-Grade Pill.
For a half-step Divine Transformation, and even for Divine Transformation cultivators, it was considered precious.
She clearly wanted to repay Xiao Qingxuan’s favor, so that when she increased her Blackening Value in the future, she wouldn’t have to hold back.
But what Xiao Qingxuan was concerned about was whether she would have enough sword qi during the competition.
This sincerity warmed Ye Luqing’s heart and brought a hint of sorrow.
Because this concern had nothing to do with her—it was Xiao Qingxuan’s feeling for the Original Host of this body.
Since transmigrating, her sense of belonging—which was never much—diminished even more.
At this moment, an unfamiliar emotion rose in her heart.
Jealousy.
She was jealous of “Ye Luqing”.
She subconsciously lowered her head, not even realizing when Xiao Qingxuan returned the Dan Medicine.
[Zz…zz…]
[Zz…detecting…zz…]
A faint sound of electricity and an indistinct voice flashed through her mind.
But in her mind, only the urge to escape remained, causing her to subconsciously ignore these subtle noises.
“Senior Sister Xiao, I-I’ll go back and practice the sword formula first.”
With that, she turned and left without looking back, not hearing Xiao Qingxuan’s call.
It wasn’t until she walked down from Heavenly Sword Peak that the suffocating feeling eased.
She looked back.
This place was once the Original Host’s favorite spot, but now it felt somewhat oppressive.
“Sigh…”
She let out a bitter laugh.
“I clearly decided to be a substitute, so how did it get so emotional…”
She tried to stimulate the Destined Female Lead but was instead affected by her.
If it was deliberate sarcasm, she could have just laughed it off.
But it was precisely this unintentional sincerity that broke through her defenses.
Ye Luqing shook her head, shaking off these strange thoughts.
She wasn’t foolish enough to fall in for real.
According to the world line’s development, Xiao Qingxuan’s Blackening Value would inevitably rise to 400% in the future, and she herself was just the System’s fuse.
She certainly didn’t want a ticking time bomb beside her.
Even if the other loved her, she knew she would always be just a “substitute”.
This world was indeed not virtual, but she didn’t belong here, either.
This stimulation served as a timely reminder—
Completing the mission quickly and returning home safely was the right path!
If she could negotiate with the System to bring something back to reality, such as divine abilities or cultivation, it would be even better.
She took a deep breath, the hesitation in her heart gone, and became determined to make Xiao Qingxuan blacken.
Next, she would do her best to stimulate the Destined Female Lead safely, step by step completing the mission and returning to Earth.
As she walked toward Biluofeng, she began to consider the details to follow.
However, at that moment, on the System page, in a corner Ye Luqing couldn’t detect, a blood-red prompt quietly appeared.
[Detected Host Blackening Value has risen to 8%]
***
On Biluofeng.
Ye Luqing stepped onto the Baiyu Platform.
With the Sect-wide Tournament approaching, more people were gathering to prepare.
Looking around, she saw that the Baiyu Platform held not only Formation Cultivators, but many disciples from other Peaks as well.
Although the Formation Cultivator disciples of Biluofeng were somewhat weak in solo battles, they were considered precious partners by cultivators from other Peaks when it came to support.
Moreover, as one of the Xuanxiao Three Peaks, Biluofeng’s training platform configuration was among the best, capable of simulating real battle conditions.
“Senior Sister Ye, Senior Sister Ying is cultivating Formation Arts at the innermost Jade Platform. Would you like to be led over?”
An inner disciple approached to report.
“No need, I’m just here to take a look.”
From a distance, she watched the figure of Ying Qianqian repeatedly practicing Formation Arts, the pink-haired fluff ball striving hard.
Ye Luqing fell into deep thought.
“Blackening Value causality…”
When the System had her team up with Ying Qianqian for the Doubles Match, it said, “Detected Blackening Value causality, triggering special plot.”
At that time, Ye Luqing only noticed the second half about the special plot, but she didn’t understand what Blackening Value causality was.
You should know, evading Bai Yuhan’s soul probe as a Hedao Daozun only gave 300 points and a Profound Grade Pill as a reward.
But this mission’s early reward was 1000 points, and if they took first place, there was also the generous “Formation Grandmaster” title.
In other words, the importance and priority of this mission to the System even exceeded her own safety.
Therefore, the so-called Blackening Value causality wasn’t hard to guess.
“If taking first place in the Doubles Match with Xiao Ying is the ’cause,’ then Xiao Qingxuan’s Blackening Value surge would be the ‘effect.'”
For the System to give such rich rewards, it had to relate to the Destined Female Lead and repairing the world line.
Although she didn’t understand the process or principles, it was enough for her to receive the System’s rewards.
Not staying long on the Baiyu Platform, she turned and walked up the Peak.
She still had more important things to do.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.