An Encounter with the Tsundere Immortal Lady Chapter 9

The next morning, Lin Wuxi freshened up early. This time, she didn’t need Yu Huang to show the way. Lin Wuxi headed to Silver Moon Square alone.
Treading on the faint morning light, a cool, gentle breeze swirled around her, her black hair scattering against her fluttering robes. Lin Wuxi was on her sword, preparing to descend, as Silver Moon Square was not far ahead. Suddenly, a bone-chilling pain shot through her heart. She lost her balance. Lin Wuxi, along with her sword, plummeted straight down from the sky.
A dull thud echoed from the dense forest at the foot of the mountain. Countless flocks of birds were startled into flight. Lin Wuxi coughed up blood. Even with a cultivator’s incomparably tough body, it couldn’t withstand a fall of several thousand meters.
Two ribs were broken, her left leg was fractured, plus numerous minor external injuries. In the mortal world, these would be considered extremely severe injuries. But even for a cultivator at the late Enlightenment Stage, these were only minor injuries that could be recovered from in a few breaths. Yet, Lin Wuxi didn’t get up from the ground unscathed. Instead, she was curled up on the ground in extreme pain.
Her physical wounds weren’t healing. Blood flowing from the small wounds stained her green lapel. The intense pain made Lin Wuxi’s consciousness somewhat blurry, but a cultivator’s strong spiritual will wouldn’t let her faint completely. The physical agony was accompanied by a tearing in her spiritual consciousness. It was like a heavy, solid, giant wheel, slowly grinding over every part of Lin Wuxi’s body. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. She could only despairingly endure this endless torment.
The tree shadows before her eyes blurred, but the sensations in her body remained just as sharp. Lin Wuxi had already prepared herself to endure another wave of excruciating pain when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a pair of jade-like, pure white boots.
A cool stream of energy flowed into her from a gentle palm, soothing the violent, restless true energy within her body and calling back her lost will. The relief from the pain slightly cleared Lin Wuxi’s mind. She struggled to prop herself up. After arduously guiding her true energy to circulate for one cycle, she finally looked at the newcomer. Gorgeous attire accentuated a cold and noble face.
It was none other than Yu Huang.
“Return to the room.” After saying this, Lin Wuxi had no strength left and completely fainted.
“No—” Seeing Lin Wuxi’s exhaustion, Yu Huang forced back the words she was about to say. She knelt down to check on Lin Wuxi. Seeing she was unharmed, Yu Huang finally felt relieved.
Looking at the unconscious face, Yu Huang reached out and smoothed Lin Wuxi’s brow, which was still furrowed even in her unconscious state. Seeing the beautiful face finally free of sorrow, the corners of Yu Huang’s lips turned up slightly. She raised her fair hand, and Lin Wuxi leaned against Yu Huang’s embrace. A sword light flashed. In the air, besides a gentle breeze, there was only the fluttering hem of a robe.
Chenghua Hall.
Lin Wuxi finally, slowly woke up. She seemed to feel much better than before. But she didn’t have time to examine herself; instead, she quickly got up to observe her surroundings, checking if anything was amiss. Even though she knew this was likely Yu Huang’s residence, years of ingrained habit didn’t allow Lin Wuxi any relaxation at this moment.
The furnishings and decorations in this hall were all extremely luxurious. All necessary household items were present, indicating it was often inhabited. Observing its layout, it should be a bedchamber, undoubtedly. There were no guards patrolling nearby; it seemed safe.
“Junior Sister Wuxi, you’re so vigilant. It seems you don’t trust your Senior Sister. This truly saddens me.” A voice tinged with amusement came from behind her. Lin Wuxi was startled; she hadn’t noticed anyone there at all!
She quickly turned her head and saw Yu Huang leaning against the bedhead, the corners of her lips slightly raised, her dark eyes filled with amusement.
“You, how are you here!” Lin Wuxi asked in surprise.
“This is my bedchamber. If I’m not here, where else should I be?” A pleasant voice sounded beside her ear, but the teasing tone it carried was enough to make one overlook that stunningly beautiful face.
A living person was standing right beside her. If not for intentional concealment, it would have been impossible for her to have not noticed. But it was useless to say more at this point. Lin Wuxi didn’t dwell on it further and got up to thank her, “Many thanks to Senior Sister Yu Huang for saving me. Lin Wuxi will definitely remember this life-saving grace.”
“Oh? Then how do you plan to thank me?” Yu Huang followed up smoothly.
“This…” Lin Wuxi hadn’t expected Yu Huang to be so direct and was momentarily stunned. Then Yu Huang continued, “If that’s the case, how about staying by my side as my guard for a year?”
“…”
“If Senior Sister Yu Huang has a request, Wuxi will naturally do her utmost to fulfill it.” Lin Wuxi agreed, but she was smiling wryly in her heart. Who was Yu Huang? A peerless genius who formed her core at fifteen, the number one of the younger generation in the entire cultivation world. Asking Lin Wuxi to be her guard—no matter how you looked at it, it could only be described with three words: not qualified enough.
But Lin Wuxi knew that Yu Huang’s actions were mostly out of goodwill. Her inner demon had been acting up more and more frequently. Yu Huang’s cultivation method seemed to be just what could help her suppress it. Letting her stay by her side was naturally a good thing. Even if it might include a task assigned by the Sect Master, Lin Wuxi could understand this kindness.
“Alright, you are my guard now. You must follow me at all times.”
Yu Huang seemed to be in a good mood today. “Tonight, you don’t need to go back. Stay here in my Chenghua Hall. You can choose any bedchamber to rest, or…” Yu Huang looked up and blinked, “…right here. I don’t mind, you know.”
“…”
Was she being teased?
After a night of recuperation, Lin Wuxi had already recovered by about half. Just as the sky brightened, Lin Wuxi and Yu Huang headed towards Silver Moon Plaza. Last time, neither of them had attended the class. This time, Lin Wuxi didn’t want to be late again.
This time it was still Venerable Yu Shi’s alchemy class. When the two arrived, there were only a few people, but Venerable Yu Shi had already arrived. Seeing Yu Huang, the old man squinted his eyes and nodded, but he didn’t ask about her absence last time. It was likely Yu Huang had already explained.
The two found a row and sat down. Not long after, a cheerful voice called out, “Senior Sister Wuxi! Senior Sister Wuxi!”
Lin Wuxi followed the voice and looked over, seeing Qi Chun energetically waving her hand and running towards her, with Zhou Cheng following beside her.
Seeing Lin Wuxi, Qi Chun seemed quite excited. Her small face was flushed from running. She sat down beside Lin Wuxi and said excitedly, “Senior Sister Wuxi, I finally get to see you! After we parted at the Xuantian Secret Realm, I’ve wanted to see you for so long. Today I finally have the chance. We must catch up properly!”
Lin Wuxi smiled and nodded. She was also quite fond of this innocent and cute junior sister. Meeting her today naturally made her happy.
Zhou Cheng, who was beside them, bowed and said, “Zhou Cheng greets Senior Sister Yu Huang.” Only then did Qi Chun seem to react, hurriedly bowing to Yu Huang as well, her head lowered, looking rather embarrassed.
Yu Huang looked at Qi Chun, then at Lin Wuxi, her gaze somewhat meaningful. “You two don’t need to be so polite. Since old friends are meeting, you must have much to say. I hope my presence here isn’t a bother.”
“Not at all, not at all! We should be the ones disturbing you. Senior Sister Yu Huang, please don’t mind us.”
The lecture soon began amidst everyone’s pleasantries. Venerable Yu Shi walked to the teaching platform and said, “Your performance last time was excellent, far exceeding my expectations. Not just in alchemy, but the path of cultivation also lies in possessing a good mentality. That you all have such resolve, I, as your teacher, am very pleased. I hope that in your future cultivation, you can also maintain this mindset and pursue the immortal path!”
Thunderous applause erupted in the plaza. Having their efforts affirmed made these favored children of heaven very happy.
Venerable Yu Shi nodded with satisfaction. “Alright, now we will begin alchemy. Today, I want you all to practice making the Origin Recovery Pill. The Origin Recovery Pill is only the most basic medicinal pill. As its name suggests, it can restore vital energy, heal injuries, and nourish the spirit. I believe none of you are unfamiliar with it. The refinement method for the Origin Recovery Pill is…”
Lin Wuxi completely failed to hear what Venerable Yu Shi said next. In her mind, only the three words “Origin Recovery Pill” echoed, lingering and striking every nerve.
“Senior Sister, Senior Sister!” A voice called out beside her ear. At the same time, a stream of clear energy flowed into her mind, and Lin Wuxi came back to her senses. She saw Qi Chun secretly giving her a look, signaling Lin Wuxi to pay attention to Venerable Yu Shi on the teaching platform. Lin Wuxi looked over and saw Venerable Yu Shi saying, “Lin Wuxi, next, you will repeat the refinement method I just described for everyone.”
Before she could think further, the words that had been swirling in her mind countless times blurted out from her mouth: “The method for the Origin Recovery Pill: balance yin and yang, refine metals and incinerate herbs, with spiritual energy as the guide, cycle the Primal Origin…”
In the plaza, apart from Lin Wuxi’s clear reciting voice, there was no other sound. The ten-thousand-word pill formula was recited from Lin Wuxi’s mouth, smooth and fluent, without any mistakes or omissions, clearly not her first encounter with it.
“…Do this for several days, and the pill will be formed.” The pill formula recitation was finished. Lin Wuxi stood there quietly, not saying a word.
“Very good.” Venerable Yu Shi nodded. After Lin Wuxi sat down, he said to everyone, “It seems Lin Wuxi is already very familiar with the refinement method for the Origin Recovery Pill. The Origin Recovery Pill is a medicinal pill frequently used in the cultivation process. You all must master it thoroughly. Next, we will begin the formal refinement. Everyone, follow me to the alchemy chamber.”
Nearly a hundred cultivators simultaneously rode their swords into the air, rushing towards the alchemy hall also located on Sky Peak. Lin Wuxi was among them, riding her usual cyan sword light. But if one observed carefully, the thin layer of sweat on her forehead and her slightly trembling hands would reveal that Lin Wuxi’s state of mind was by no means as simple as it appeared on the surface.
Yu Huang had been flying neither too far nor too close beside Lin Wuxi. Suddenly, she flew closer, frowning, and asked, “Could it be that your inner demon has relapsed? It shouldn’t have come back so quickly.”
Lin Wuxi was taken aback. “No, it’s not like that. It’s just… I remembered some past events.” Lowering her gaze, Lin Wuxi tried hard to discard the jumbled thoughts in her mind. I can’t keep dwelling on the past.
A familiar clear energy spread from Yu Huang’s palm through her meridians, helping to calm her turbulent thoughts. Lin Wuxi looked up and saw Yu Huang’s gentle face. Illuminated by the warm sunlight, it no longer seemed so distant. In those beautiful, profound eyes, besides nobility, was there also a hint of concern?
Lin Wuxi quickly pulled her hand back from Yu Huang’s grasp and looked away. “No need for sympathy. I don’t need it.” Saying this, she sped up, catching up with the group ahead.
The corner of Yu Huang’s mouth couldn’t help but lift slightly. “Stubborn duck.”
The alchemy chamber was not far from Silver Moon Plaza. It didn’t take long for everyone to land.
This place was a huge mountain cave. At the cave entrance hung a stone plaque inscribed with the three words “Alchemy Chamber.” The cave was enormous, capable of accommodating several hundred people at once. Two Qilin statues were carved into the cave walls, their expressions bold and lifelike.
Everyone followed Venerable Yu Shi into the disciple-use alchemy rooms. Inside, there were a hundred alchemy furnaces. Beside each furnace, sufficient materials had already been prepared, ready for refinement to begin at any time.
“Alright, you will refine here. I will inspect the results in twenty hours.” After Venerable Yu Shi finished speaking, he sat to the side and closed his eyes to rest, apparently not intending to participate in this refinement session.
Lin Wuxi was already incomparably familiar with these materials. She skillfully placed them into the alchemy furnace one by one, the amounts and order perfectly accurate. However, the hesitation in her eyes made her movements, which should have been perfectly natural, appear slightly uncoordinated.
Flames danced in the furnace, and the materials for the Origin Recovery Pill gradually melted and fused in the warmth. While everyone was concentrating, twenty hours quickly passed. Soon, it would be the final step—pill congealing.
Pill condensation is the most crucial and difficult step in pill refining. A single moment of distraction can lead to complete failure.
One by one, others had already completed their pill condensation. However, Lin Wuxi, who had been the first to reach this step, showed no signs of progress for a long time. Even after everyone else had finished refining, Lin Wuxi remained seated, motionless, with no indication of success.
“Lin Wuxi, guard your primordial spirit, clear your mind!” A clear voice sounded beside her ear. Lin Wuxi tried, but she couldn’t. The guilt buried deep in her heart could no longer be suppressed. It gnawed at her constantly. A kind, familiar face appeared repeatedly in her mind, only to transform into a cold corpse.
“Ah!” As Lin Wuxi cried out in despair, several cracks appeared on the surface of the iron pill furnace. It finally shattered into pieces, collapsing with a loud crash.
“I’m sorry… I failed.” Under everyone’s astonished gazes, Lin Wuxi stood up dejectedly. With her head lowered, she walked out of the pill refining hall by herself.
Indeed, I still can’t do it…
Lin Wuxi looked at her hands and gave a bitter smile. My obsession is too deep, my inner demon has already formed. I’m afraid I can’t refine pills anymore.
Her desolate figure in green walked away alone into the sunset, her shadow stretching longer and longer in the evening light.
At some point, another figure caught up and walked side-by-side with the one in green. Their shadows, too, stretched long together in the evening breeze.
“I still can’t let it go… I’m so useless, aren’t I?”
“Although I don’t know what happened in your past, I know you’re very strong. Someone who can endure the torment of an inner demon like this is definitely not ‘useless’.”
“Thank you for your comfort.”
“I don’t offer comfort.”
“If you want to cry, you can borrow my shoulder.”
In the sunset, the two shadows gradually merged. Her slender shoulder possessed an unimaginable strength. The faint, pleasant scent from her body was so refreshing, not a cold fragrance at all.