Spectating the Angsty Romance of the Master and Disciple from the Sect Next Door Chapter 118

Standing by the window of Jijin Peak, Li Jin’an, with her hands behind her back, eased the dizzying side effects of space-time travel. She regretted it for a moment, then stopped thinking about it. She rarely dwelled on past events that could no longer be undone, nor would she pity herself, thinking ‘If only she had done something, or not done something, or done more or less.’ She never made such assumptions, because they were meaningless. Her sword heart was always clear and discerning, her gaze falling where her sword tip pointed. All paths taken in the past counted; there was nothing to regret.
Yet, whenever she recalled Xie Huaixue’s smiling expression, she felt a momentary skipped heartbeat, unable to tell if it was regret or sorrow. Just as Li Jin’an was about to let out a sigh, her eyes narrowed. She swallowed her sigh, and all sentimental thoughts vanished.
“…You three, get over here!”
Li Jin’an hadn’t fully detached herself from the emotions of the previous space-time when she saw three sneaky disciples tiptoeing back to Jijin Peak, looking flustered and bewildered, peeking around everywhere as if looking for their master’s figure. Clearly, they had done something guilty, looking very much afraid of ghosts knocking on their door. Originally, Li Jin’an hadn’t planned to bother with these three, as after a few years, these three children would still live up to expectations. But when she saw Tan Yanyi peeking into the bushes, she couldn’t help herself. What? Was she going to hide in the bushes, constantly ready to jump out and startle them?! What kind of image did she have in the eyes of these three brats? Although Li Jin’an didn’t think she was a particularly proper person, she wasn’t that improper, was she?
Her master’s sinister voice exploded in her ears. The three who had lost a fight against two were each more dejected than the last, and they slowly shuffled with dainty little steps to the study door. A moment later, three heads stacked one on top of another popped out.
Li Jin’an watched them with cold eyes, arms crossed, finally recalling the terrible feeling she had before seeing the Heavenly Tome, the feeling that Jijin Peak was doomed. In truth, Li Jin’an still had deep feelings for her lineage. She had settled down on Chixin Peak as an unseeing infant, her surname came from her predecessors, and she learned the exquisite sword arts left behind by generations of predecessors… Although both she and her master loved going to the neighboring Yinyue Peak, Chixin Peak was the place where Li Jin’an’s growth was nurtured. So Li Jin’an felt that it was her inescapable responsibility to bring glory to their lineage. However, after she took in three disciples—Qi Lingzi, Tan Yanyi, and Ling Qiu—she had faintly given up on this idea, deciding to let herself off the hook, and her disciples too. It would be better for everyone this way.
But they absolutely had to win against the disciples of the neighboring Qingxiao Peak. Her master couldn’t be utterly defeated while her disciples were also a complete mess. This matter would be realized a few years later, but right now, it seemed far off in the distant future.
Li Jin’an watched the three disciples hesitantly walk in, her expression somewhat dazed. This space-time was too far back in time, only a few years after the broken book suddenly appeared in her mind, so much so that Li Jin’an rarely felt a trace of doubt: Could everything before this have been a dream? After waking from the dream, she would still be Jijin Sword Sovereign, the perennial second-place holder.
The next second, this thought was discarded by Li Jin’an. Because before this, she wouldn’t have dreamed of her arch-enemy becoming her Dao companion. She would only have dreamed of how she would rampage and bravely defeat Xie Huaixue. She couldn’t even imagine what would happen after that, much less sharing her feelings with Xie Huaixue.
Anything could be faked, except love. She loved Xie Huaixue; there was no doubt about that.
Li Jin’an sat behind her desk, cleared her mind of distracting thoughts, and calmly asked, “How many quarters of an hour did it take you to lose?”
“Replying to Master, an hour and a half.” Qi Lingzi said honestly.
Tan Yanyi carefully made a ‘six’ gesture with both hands.
Li Jin’an chuckled. “Not bad.”
Ling Qiu, who was still staring blankly at her toes, suddenly snapped her head up. She silently took a step back, her eyes wide as copper bells, her face filled with terror, already contemplating whether it was still too late to ask their Grandmaster to save their lives. Qi Lingzi and Tan Yanyi were equally terrified. They all felt that their terrible defeat had driven their master mad with anger; otherwise, why would she be laughing from extreme anger?
The smile on her face instantly vanished. The overly terrified trio immediately relaxed. That’s more like it, the mood was right. At least they didn’t have to worry about driving their own master completely mad. It was no exaggeration to say that Tan Yanyi had already planned how to atone with death, and regretted not having managed to hook up with the pretty little Dao Sect disciple she liked.
Qi Lingzi, her voice choked with sobs, urgently said, “Master, your disciple will definitely cultivate diligently and urge her junior sisters to be diligent and make progress! Please don’t lose hope in us. We will definitely defeat the Immortal Venerable’s disciples and bring glory and honor to you and to Jijin Peak!” In a way, she had also been raised by Li Jin’an herself. In her heart, Li Jin’an was both master and mother, holding a very high position. Suddenly realizing their master didn’t want them anymore, she immediately panicked.
Tan Yanyi and Ling Qiu also stopped playing smart. They hastily agreed, swearing repeatedly that they would never again be lazy, secretly read storybooks, or steal wine from their Grandmaster’s place… and rattled off all the bad things they had done recently. Crying and howling to the heavens, sincerely repenting.
“…”
Li Jin’an didn’t know whether to laugh or cry; her mood was very complex. How had she not known before that these three children had such wild and wonderful ideas?
“Stop, stop, stop! Don’t cry!”
The three looked at Li Jin’an with teary eyes, as pitiful as could be.
Li Jin’an rubbed her temples and said earnestly, “For this fight, did you give it your all?”
“Yes!’ The three nodded repeatedly. At this time, Tan Yanyi and Ling Qiu hadn’t yet given up due to too many losses. They were single-mindedly focused on bringing glory to their master and sect, shaking off the title of perennial second-place holder. Naturally, they wouldn’t do something like casually fool around for four quarters of an hour in a three-on-two match while their master was away on a long trip. As for Qi Lingzi, she was as calm, steady, and mature as ever, giving her all.
“Then there’s nothing more to say.”
“Huh?’ Ling Qiu stared at her blankly.
Li Jin’an explained, “You didn’t fool me, nor did you fool yourselves. If you gave your utmost effort, then it’s not a disgrace to me or to Jijin Peak.”
“Since it’s not a disgrace, there’s nothing to blame you for. After all, you didn’t want to lose to Lan Ci and Zhong Fei either.”
“Victory and defeat are common in battle. You might not win fights, but you can cause trouble, and that’s already amazing!” Li Jin’an smiled playfully, spreading her hands. Although her disciples a few years later would no longer need this gentleness and tolerance, as they would only enthusiastically run around causing trouble everywhere, it was still good to give it to her disciples in this space-time now.
Tan Yanyi stared at her blankly, crying snot bubbles, hardly believing these were words their master could say. Qi Lingzi and Ling Qiu were the same, deeply suspecting whether their master had been swapped.
It’s easier to believe that the three of them are the uncrowned kings of the cultivation world than to believe Jijin Sword Sovereign would stop opposing Qingxiao Immortal Venerable!
Facing the three disciples’ moved yet suspicious gazes, Li Jin’an said irritably, “So what now? Do you want a scolding or a beating? Pick one.”
Qi Lingzi, Tan Yanyi, and Ling Qiu, in perfect sync, took a step back simultaneously, shaking their heads vigorously.
“Thank you for your understanding, Master, but that won’t be necessary.” Tan Yanyi chuckled, then asked eagerly, “So, will we still get to fight the Immortal Venerable’s disciples later?”
“Yes.”
Before they could protest, Li Jin’an said logically, “Don’t you think Xie Huaixue’s two disciples look like they’re just asking for a beating? Don’t you want to defeat them fair and square in the arena?”
“We do!”
Tan Yanyi and Ling Qiu nodded vigorously once more, and even the most composed Qi Lingzi was no exception, showing just how detestable Lan Ci and Zhong Fei were.
On this matter, the three of them had a lot to say. Lan Ci and Zhong Fei would sinisterly set traps for them to fall into, and even mockingly prolong their battles, their malicious gazes making them exceptionally uncomfortable.
But that’s just how the cultivation world was; only the victors and the strong had their words heard. If the three of them claimed Lan Ci and Zhong Fei were cunning, others would only think they were making excuses for their failures and wouldn’t believe them at all.
Receiving strong validation from their master, the three disciples couldn’t help but start chattering away, badmouthing Lan Ci and Zhong Fei.
Tan Yanyi sighed with emotion at the end, “Perhaps it’s in our blood, but our dislike for these two is as intense and strong as your dislike for the Immortal Venerable, Master.”
Li Jin’an let out a strange snort of laughter.
Nonsense.
They completely missed the point.
She finally understood why her eldest and third disciples were busy falling in love while her second disciple remained all alone – they could only see what was on the surface, completely oblivious to the subtle undercurrents beneath. At least they got the word ‘intense’ right.
“Go play… wait.” Li Jin’an suddenly stood up, saying excitedly, “Let’s go! To Qingxiao Peak now.”
Ling Qiu was shocked. “Master, are you going to get revenge for us?”
Li Jin’an, who hadn’t considered that angle at all and only wanted to see Xie Huaixue immediately, nodded profoundly. “Exactly.”
The three immediately cheered and jumped with joy, scurrying along after their master towards the Dao Sect.
…
Facing the sudden uninvited guests, Lan Ci, who was skilled at disguise, and Zhong Fei, who seemed to have two lives, both stepped forward to greet them, bowing respectfully. “Juniors greet Jijin Sword Sovereign. Our revered master is still in seclusion. May we ask, Sword Sovereign…”
Before they could finish speaking, Li Jin’an had already strode past them. Just as they were about to turn and say something else, their knees went weak, and with a thud, they knelt on the ground, firmly pressed down by an invisible force, unable to move.
The direction they were kneeling towards was precisely Qingxiao Peak’s cave dwelling.
Li Jin’an stood still, hands clasped behind her back, and looked back. Seeing the two vile creatures’ embarrassed and contorted expressions, she raised an eyebrow and smiled disdainfully.
In places not governed by the Heavenly Dao or the Heavenly Tome, even vile creatures with great fortune, like protagonists, were nothing more than cannon fodder to Li Jin’an.
“Aren’t you going to retaliate? Make your move.”
This could also be considered making amends to Xie Huaixue.
Qi Lingzi, Tan Yanyi, and Ling Qiu still thought their master was doing this for them, and they were so moved they couldn’t help themselves. So as not to betray their master’s good intentions, they immediately strode towards Lan Ci and Zhong Fei, waving their fists.
Li Jin’an walked into the cave dwelling and met Xie Huaixue’s gaze as she looked up from her book.
It was then that she suddenly realized Xie Huaixue’s transformation. Compared to the previous moment, Xie Huaixue was now truly that Qingxiao Immortal Venerable, still waters running deep, pure as accumulated snow.
Li Jin’an’s eye corners lifted. She dominantly grasped Xie Huaixue’s wrist, leaned down, and softly whispered in her ear, “May I ask, Immortal Venerable Xie, do you want me to kiss you?”