The Young Lady Only Wants to Cultivate Immortality Chapter 11

It was still early, with few pedestrians around. The Huo family’s carriage moved along the wide bluestone road, its wheels making crisp sounds.
A’Ling noticed that no matter how fast or slow she ran, the carriage behind her always maintained a distance of about ten meters, following unhurriedly.
A’Ling was glad she had reached Foundation Establishment. If she were still a mortal, she would have run herself to death by now. She wasn’t sure if she was running too fast, but a breath was stuck in her chest, making it hard to breathe.
Just as she was thinking she might as well stop—even if she couldn’t defeat Shi Qingqian, surely she could dismantle the Huo family’s carriage.
The rolling sound of the carriage wheels, like a death knell behind her, annoyed her. She rolled up her sleeves, intending to turn around and remove its two wheels.
Just then, a four-horse covered carriage suddenly emerged from around the street corner ahead. The four tall, strong horses pulling it clearly weren’t ordinary steeds.
They were majestic and vigorous, moving their hooves unhurriedly. Though seemingly strolling casually, their speed was actually not slow.
They were Snow Jade steeds, worth a thousand gold pieces each. A’Ling’s eyes lit up; anyone using such horses to pull a carriage must not be an ordinary family.
As expected, A’Ling looked closely. Although the carriage didn’t display any family crests or banners, a profound iron identification plate was hanging in its corner.
On that profound black iron plate, the character ‘Gu’ was engraved in gilded gold.
A’Ling narrowed her eyes. The Four Great Cultivation Families of the Outer Sect were the Gu family of Splendor Gold Street, the Li family of Hundred Flowers Lane, the Huo family of Still Rain Street, and the Xing family of Main Street. The Gu family, residing on Splendor Gold Street, was ranked first.
She thought of the vague idea in her mind: to deal with the Huo family and Huo Zhen, wasn’t the Gu family the best choice?
A’Ling took a deep breath and sprinted with all her might. After approaching the Gu family’s carriage, she leaped onto the carriage shaft. The Snow Jade steeds raised their necks and let out a long neigh, and the coachman hurriedly pulled the reins.
The grey horses pawed the air with their front hooves a few times. Seeming to realize nothing was wrong, they continued to stride confidently.
A’Ling scoffed. Though these Snow Jade steeds looked good, they were actually timid and useless, but the one inside the carriage was clearly bold.
She was about to explain to the coachman that she wasn’t a bad person, and hadn’t even had time to introduce herself, when the person inside spoke first.
A clear and beautiful female voice, like the dew in this early morning, was light and translucent. She seemed to be in a good mood.
“Come in.”
When the coachman heard the command, his originally angry face instantly transformed as if by magic, replaced with a smiling one, and he made way for A’Ling.
A’Ling hadn’t expected it to be so smooth; her mood greatly improved. Although a little puzzled, she didn’t waste a second opening the carriage door and stepping inside.
This carriage was much larger than the Huo family’s, and only one young woman was seated in the main position inside.
She was wearing a light pink wide-sleeved immortal-style dress, her slender waist cinched. Her black hair was styled into a heart-shaped bun, with two loose strands behind her ears braided into thin plaits that hung down her shoulders. Her entire person looked fresh and pretty.
A’Ling felt this outfit perfectly suited the young woman before her. Sunlight filtered through the carriage window and fell upon her face. Her apricot eyes and peachy cheeks, bright eyes and white teeth were beautiful, but what was most captivating was her pure smile. It was like sunlight falling upon a jade-colored lake, with spring light shimmering and peach blossoms fully bloomed.
She knew the young woman before her was Gu Jingyang, the cherished daughter of the Gu family of Splendor Gold Street.
In her previous life, Gu Jingyang’s cultivation had also reached the Soul Transformation realm. She was the Peak Master of Spring Water Peak, one of the Three Peaks and Twelve Caves, known as Venerable Jing Yue.
A’Ling had no significant interactions with her in her previous life. She only knew this information because when she considered choosing someone for dual cultivation, she had considered her for a moment before ruling her out. But looking at the young woman’s eyes now, how did she seem to know her?
Sure enough, the other party spoke first: “Young Lady Huo, are you looking for me for something?”
A’Ling frowned slightly. “You know me?”
Gu Jingyang’s smile deepened. She said somewhat subtly, “I’ve heard a little.”
A’Ling pouted. That meant she had heard bad things about her.
Gu Jingyang glanced at A’Ling in front of her and asked with concern, “Are your injuries healed?”
A’Ling muttered internally, So she’d heard I was beaten.
She wasn’t surprised by this. When she crawled out of the Huo family mansion, so many people on the street saw it. Others might not know, but how could the Gu family, living on the same street and also cultivators, not know what happened?
A’Ling didn’t care if Gu Jingyang was mocking her in her heart. “Call me A’Ling, I’m not a Huo.”
Gu Jingyang blinked and called out ‘A’Ling’ as she was told.
“What can I do for you, A’Ling?”
A’Ling was about to explain, but Gu Jingyang didn’t wait for her answer, giving the answer herself: “Is it to avoid Qingqian?”
A’Ling heard the address and immediately frowned deeply. She was about to tell her not to mention that name, but Gu Jingyang didn’t wait for her to speak and continued on her own.
“Everyone in the academy knows about this matter,” Gu Jingyang said. “It was Qingqian’s fault. She has also publicly explained it in the academy, and Elder Zeng even punished her. Right now, she’s the one cleaning the Chaotic Stone Bell in the academy.”
A’Ling let out a cold laugh, just about to say, ‘serves her right,’ but Gu Jingyang didn’t give her a chance and continued speaking on her own: “This is the first time I’ve seen her punished.”
“The academy has been exceptionally lively this past month,” she went on. “I usually don’t go to the academy so early. If it weren’t to watch this spectacle, I could have slept in longer. It’s a real pity you didn’t see it.”
As she spoke, she didn’t give A’Ling a chance to talk, and pulled out a Cosmos Pearl from her sleeve. She winked at A’Ling and smiled even more brightly.
“Luckily, I recorded it,” she said. “Want to see?”
A’Ling was about to say no, but Gu Jingyang still didn’t give her a chance to speak. “It’s really interesting,” she said. “I’ll show it to you, but don’t laugh too loudly.”
A’Ling: … She couldn’t get a word in, and she certainly couldn’t smile.
After Gu Jingyang finished speaking, she silently chanted a spell. The carriage interior instantly became as if covered by a thick layer of black cloth, without a single ray of light. Only the Cosmos Pearl emitted strands of light, projecting the recorded scene in front of them.
On the screen, Shi Qingqian, in white robes, with her eternally indifferent expression, stood on a long sword as if on solid ground, flying with her sword. In her hand, she held a rag that utterly clashed with her temperament, diligently wiping the academy’s Chaotic Stone Bell.
She wiped very meticulously, reaching every corner and edge, moving up, down, left, and right on her sword, very steadily.
A’Ling clenched her fists. This person could indeed fly with a sword now. No wonder that pit couldn’t trap her back then. She could fly, yet she still fought with her for a carriage!
How could there be such a shameless person? Does she have an addiction to snatching things? She takes things even when she doesn’t need them. Or is it that she enjoys seeing me only able to run on two legs? She makes me want to crush her head more than the rats in Corpse City.
Gu Jingyang was oblivious, still laughing happily to herself. After one segment finished, the carriage interior lit up. She was about to ask A’Ling if she wanted to see anything else when she noticed A’Ling’s face was very dark, and her anger was visible to the naked eye.
“What’s wrong?” Gu Jingyang was a little confused.
A’Ling let out a cold laugh. “Is this even a punishment?”
Gu Jingyang thought to herself, So that’s what it was about. Compared to the actual harm A’Ling suffered, it was indeed light.
Qingqian probably didn’t expect that the Huo family head could be so ruthless.
“Elder Zeng and the others originally didn’t want to punish Qingqian; it was Qingqian herself who requested it.” Gu Jingyang wanted to say that Shi Qingqian was quite regretful, but she was the most valued student among the academy’s cultivators, and they hadn’t wanted to punish her in the first place. Her insistence on self-punishment also showed she knew she was wrong.
A’Ling’s eyes were icy. “Hypocrisy.”
Gu Jingyang dropped the topic. She wasn’t here to ask for forgiveness for Shi Qingqian; she simply found it quite interesting. But seeing that the other party wasn’t interested, she decided to drop it.
She remembered the initial question: “Right, why did you come to see me?”
A’Ling felt the breath stuck in her chest was neither rising nor falling. She finally understood why Gu Jingyang’s family background, abilities, and appearance were not much worse than Shi Qingqian’s, but her popularity in Hongjian Academy was far inferior to Shi Qingqian’s.
If she didn’t need something from her, A’Ling would have already wanted to jump out of the carriage and leave. She had something important to say but hadn’t managed to say a single word, and now the other party finally remembered to let her speak!
A’Ling took a deep breath, suppressing the anger. Just as she was about to state her purpose, she was interrupted yet again.
“To avoid Qingqian, right?”
Gu Jingyang said, lifting the carriage curtain and glancing behind them. The Huo family’s carriage had been following them for a long time, only a carriage length behind.
A’Ling also saw it through the carriage window and cursed, “What a haunting nuisance.”
Gu Jingyang watched as, after she showed her face, the carriage behind them suddenly sped up, overtook her carriage, its hooves clattering, and quickly moved far away.
“That haunting nuisance must have had a fit this morning,” A’Ling spat. “If her brain’s got holes, she should gnaw on some rats to fix it!”
Gu Jingyang seemed to find it amusing. “You two sisters are really interesting.”
A’Ling stopped cursing and glared at Gu Jingyang. “She’s not my sister.”
Gu Jingyang still smiled, her apricot eyes curved into crescent moons. “Sometimes, letting go of others is actually letting go of yourself.”
“The Buddha says: One attachment, one thought, one fleeting life…”
A’Ling’s mind went blank from the moment Gu Jingyang started quoting the Buddha. She thought to herself that before leaving today, she shouldn’t have just looked at the immortal sundial calendar; she should have also checked the mortal almanac.
A’Ling took a deep breath. She regretted it. She shouldn’t have gotten on this carriage. She might as well have faced Shi Qingqian directly; at least she could have cursed at her a couple of times. What was wrong with Gu Jingyang? Once she started rambling, she couldn’t stop. Was she an evangelizing disciple of a Bodhisattva?!
Listening to this Bodhisattva chant scriptures all the way, A’Ling had completely lost the desire to speak. Her ears were buzzing, and she didn’t care what wisdom Gu Jingyang was spouting; she only wished to quickly reach the academy and get off the carriage.
After Gu Jingyang finished her lengthy discourse, she finally remembered to ask A’Ling again: “You still haven’t said why you came to see me.”
A’Ling rolled her eyes, took a deep breath, and closed them. “Nothing,” she said.
Gu Jingyang’s lips curved into a smile. “Are you perhaps looking to refine a magic artifact?”
A’Ling suddenly opened her eyes and looked at Gu Jingyang. “How did you know?”
Gu Jingyang smiled. “People usually seek me out for one of two reasons: either they like me and want to bare their hearts to me, or they need the Gu family’s Three Purity True Fire Furnace to refine a magic treasure. I’m guessing you’re the latter.”
A’Ling was speechless. Did she even need to guess? She reflexively said sarcastically, “You’re so smart.”
Gu Jingyang smiled. “Wait for me by the entrance after cultivation ends today. I’ll take you back to the Gu family’s estate.”
Beyond A’Ling’s shock was ecstasy. Bodhisattva, this truly is a Bodhisattva. Listening to all that chanting along the way was worth it.
After getting off the carriage, A’Ling saw Shi Qingqian surrounded by people at the entrance. Her mood was so good that she couldn’t even be bothered to curse, and happily went to find a cultivation master to assess her level.
Shi Qingqian’s gaze had been following A’Ling ever since she got off the carriage, until she disappeared into the distance.
“Aren’t you going to clean the bell? Don’t miss class time,” Gu Jingyang said, having unknowingly walked up to Shi Qingqian’s side.
Shi Qingqian hadn’t said anything yet, but someone nearby was unhappy. They didn’t dare to directly confront Gu Jingyang and softly said, “Elder Zeng only said for one month…”
Gu Jingyang suddenly felt a pang of regret. Luckily, she met the very interesting A’Ling on the way, so it wasn’t a wasted early start.
Shi Qingqian glanced at Gu Jingyang and stepped towards the spiritual energy arena.
Gu Jingyang felt a sudden inexplicable feeling from the look. When she saw Shi Qingqian start cleaning the bell again, she quickly pulled out her Cosmos Pearl. This time she changed her angle, determined to capture an interesting scene to show A’Ling.
After A’Ling reached Foundation Establishment, she could go to Class B. The cultivation master assessing her level asked her to choose a class.
She chose Class Six. From Class A-6 to Class B-6. Very good, just perfect.
After finding the Class B-6 teaching building, she couldn’t help but sigh that her luck today was truly bad. The almanac must have said it wasn’t suitable to go out today.
The cultivation master of Class B-6 was unexpectedly Qi Leshan, the very person who, when A’Ling was wronged by Shi Qingqian, had declared that her heart was malicious and she didn’t deserve to cultivate.
A’Ling remembered afterwards that this was the cultivation master Shi Qingqian had when she was still in the Foundation Establishment realm. In her previous life, after Shi Qingqian entered the Inner Sect, Qi Leshan had even taken credit, claiming Shi Qingqian was her student.
This was a fervent supporter of Shi Qingqian, and she was probably going to cause trouble for her.
Sure enough, as soon as A’Ling stepped into the teaching building, she heard Qi Leshan’s mockery.
“Some people get lucky and reach Foundation Establishment,” Qi Leshan sneered, “but don’t get too happy too soon. Forming a Core later won’t be achieved by luck alone.”
These words were utterly sarcastic, and everyone in the teaching building simultaneously looked towards A’Ling.
But A’Ling seemed not to have heard. Uncaring, she walked in and found a corner to sit down, looking as if she was waiting for class to begin.
Everyone was surprised. After a month apart, how did the firecracker A’Ling, who used to ignite at the slightest provocation, fizzle out?
A’Ling let them stare. Seeing Qi Leshan’s face darken when she got no reaction, she found it amusing. She couldn’t even be bothered to curse at such a character. She believed she would form a Core very soon, and then her very existence would be the best mockery of Qi Leshan.
The Chaotic Stone Bell rang, and the day’s cultivation began.
A’Ling diligently memorized the key points for Core Formation. She cultivated diligently throughout the day, and time flew by.
After finishing the day’s lessons, A’Ling went to the academy entrance as agreed to wait for Gu Jingyang. She still needed to figure out how to make Gu Jingyang’s father cooperate with her.
Just as she reached the entrance, A’Ling heard a familiar calling sound.
It wasn’t the first time she had seen someone who had died in her previous life, but A’Ling hadn’t expected to so suddenly encounter the person she least wanted to see.
The one she had called ‘mother’ for sixteen years, yet was the culprit who had caused her sixteen years of displacement and hardship.
That ‘loyal servant’ of the Shi family who had swapped her identity with Shi Qingqian — Jin Siliu.