The Young Lady Only Wants to Cultivate Immortality Chapter 31

As A’Ling finished her meditation, dawn was just breaking, with the first hint of morning light appearing. A faint floral scent drifted into the room with the fresh air. A’Ling dropped her meditative posture and lightly opened her eyes. Her clear eyes were sparkling with joy, clearer than the morning dew.
After a night of condensing spiritual energy and focusing her mind, A’Ling not only didn’t feel tired, but she also felt as if all the impurities in her body had been swept away, leaving her as light as a floating cloud. Feeling the true spiritual energy already condensed into a ball in her energy core, A’Ling was overjoyed.
Last night, as was her custom, she intended to draw spiritual energy into her body and regulate her breathing before sleep. To her surprise, she found her breathing becoming exceptionally effortless and unrestrained. Drawing in spiritual energy required no effort at all, flowing as naturally as rivers into the sea. The introduced spiritual energy no longer scattered but gathered entirely in her energy core.
This was a sign of impending Core Formation! Discovering this, A’Ling couldn’t bear to sleep, and unknowingly, an entire night passed in a flash. The true spiritual energy gathered in her energy core also confirmed that A’Ling’s sensations were not an illusion. She could actually manipulate the spiritual energy within her body, and her previous feeling of lethargy was swept away.
A’Ling didn’t know how she had suddenly gained such insight. She even suspected that the house Gu Jingyang sold her might be filled with spiritual energy. But she quickly dismissed this guess. It was just an ordinary residence. A’Ling thought, perhaps it wasn’t the environment that had changed, but her state of mind.
Perhaps by letting go of many things, she could now focus on her cultivation. How wonderful! A’Ling decided to seize this feeling of lightness and use this opportunity to see if she could successfully form her core.
She first sent a message to Gu Jingyang via a Phoenix Feather messaging artifact, telling her that she was going into secluded cultivation and not to worry, and to help her ask for leave from Hongjian Academy.
A’Ling first went out to the Er Wu Hui Registry to handle the matter of severing ties with the Huo family. After signing the Declaration of Severance within the registry, A’Ling would have no further connection to the Huo family. From now on, her life and death would be entirely unrelated to them!
After signing the public announcement, A’Ling truly felt utterly relieved. In her previous life, when she heard Huo Zhen announce their severance at the Er Wu Hui Registry in the Demon Realm, it would have been a lie to say she wasn’t sad. But now, having personally cut off her ties with the Huo family, she felt no sadness. Perhaps the moment she realized Huo Zhen truly wanted to kill her, the identity of ‘father’ ceased to exist in A’Ling’s heart. As for ‘mother,’ A’Ling sneered. Lin Nianli had never wanted to be her mother.
It didn’t matter anymore. From now on, they had no connection. Nothing was more important now than her Core Formation.
A’Ling was in a cheerful mood, unconsciously humming the out-of-tune melody Gu Jingyang had hummed last night, and walked home with light steps. As soon as she arrived home, she locked the door, set up a protective barrier, and sincerely and calmly began her secluded cultivation.
By the time the Huo family’s carriages set off for Tranquil Shade Herb Hut, the sky was already bright. Pedestrians bustled through the streets, and roadside shops and corner stalls had all opened for business. The tea houses lining the street were packed with people eager to hear the latest big gossip in Longyin Town.
The biggest gossip in town today, without a doubt, was the notice hung early this morning on the Wall of No Regrets at the Er Wu Hui Registry: A’Ling of the Huo family had severed ties with the Huo family.
“Last night, the Huo family invited quite a few medical cultivators to their home. I heard that Master Huo was hitting his child again.”
“Ah, is that A’Ling of the Huo family alright? The last time she was beaten so badly, I saw her on the street.”
“Wrong, I have inside information! The personal medicine boy of the East City Clinic’s director, who went there last night, is my sworn brother. This time, it’s Master Huo who’s seriously injured.”
“How is that possible? Huo Zhen is a Core Formation cultivator, and his daughter is said to have just reached Foundation Establishment. How could she beat Huo Zhen?”
“I don’t know, maybe Huo Zhen was careless, or maybe he’s just a good-for-nothing. Who can say? Anyway, he’s like an eagle pecked in the eye by a sparrow—a father beaten by his own daughter, hahahaha! How will he ever show his face again?”
“If you ask me, he deserved it. No wonder A’Ling of the Huo family wants to sever ties with him. Those dirty people in the Huo family never even cared for this daughter.”
…The discussions were everywhere, with all sorts of opinions. Though some said A’Ling’s actions were wrong, questioning how one could simply abandon their own father. But more people spoke of the saying, ‘if a father isn’t loving, a child needn’t be filial,’ criticizing Huo Zhen for being too extreme, which led a young girl to unilaterally break away from the Huo family and be left alone and helpless. Their arguments all pointed to the Huo family being rich and powerful. If she couldn’t truly bear to stay, why would A’Ling leave? She didn’t even ask for anything and reportedly gave the Huo family five hundred thousand spiritual stones—an amount enough to support ten of her.
Inside the carriage, Huo Zhen listened, his face turning green then red, until he couldn’t hold back and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, splashing onto Lin Nianli, who was supporting him. Lin Nianli’s complexion wasn’t much better; she had also heard many sarcastic and mocking remarks directed at her. Such as, ‘only loves her son, harsh to her daughter,’ ‘not acting like a mother,’ ‘an idiot who didn’t even know her child was switched’…
What did these people know? Back then, her father was critically ill, and she was rushing back to see him one last time, but she went into labor midway. The medical cultivators had told her she still had a month until her due date, which was why she felt relieved enough to hurry. This child was causing her trouble even before birth. Giving birth in the wilderness was already alarming, and during childbirth, whether a god, demon, or mortal cultivator, a woman was at her most vulnerable. She couldn’t even take care of herself, so how could she have the energy to watch the child closely? She had also injured herself giving birth while rushing, and after returning from her father’s home, her vitality was severely depleted, and she had been recuperating ever since.
Lin Nianli thought of Shi Qingqian. At that time, she didn’t know the child had been switched, and she had never seen such a crying baby. It cried all the way to her father’s home, then from her father’s home to the Huo family, making her vexed and restless, unable to rest. Later, Huo Zhen hired a fate diviner who determined the child’s fate conflicted with both parents, and proposed locking the child away. Lin Nianli actually breathed a sigh of relief. Without the child’s crying, her body gradually recovered, and after several years of recuperation, she finally had Chang Sheng.
When Qingqian was later found to have a pure immortal physique, Lin Nianli actually considered crippling her. She worried that Qingqian’s fate of conflicting with both parents, combined with her profound cultivation, would lead her to seek revenge. It would be better to eliminate her before she became powerful. But several attempts failed, and then A’Ling came knocking. Shi Qingqian was not their child, nor was the fate of conflicting with both parents hers. She was born a few hours before A’Ling, and their fates were different. But that A’Ling girl, Lin Nianli had observed her for a long time and found her to be utterly useless. So she hadn’t thought about eliminating her. Now, it seemed she had been wrong after all; that troublesome child truly did bring them misfortune.
As Lin Nianli stroked Huo Zhen’s back, soothing his breathing, she wondered if she should find another way to cripple that troublesome child for her own peace of mind.
“‘Go, turn the carriage around, to the Er Wu Hui Registry!’ Huo Zhen demanded with a dark face after finally catching his breath. ‘This little beast, she actually dares! Does she think she can go against me just because she’s latched onto the Gu family?! I’ll deal with all of them sooner or later!'”
Huo Zhen angrily shouted for the coachman to turn back to the Er Wu Hui Registry. He wanted to issue a public announcement too, declaring that he was expelling A’Ling from the Huo family!
Lin Nianli didn’t quite agree. “‘Husband, treating your injuries is more important right now.’ She said, then transferred some true spiritual energy to Huo Zhen. Huo Zhen’s face was grim. ‘That little beast is disobedient and unfilial, daring to even injure her own father! It’s not her place to sever ties!'”
Lin Nianli couldn’t argue with Huo Zhen, so she simply transferred more true spiritual energy and headed first to the Er Wu Hui Registry.
Inside Tranquil Shade Herb Hut, as the first ray of sunlight filtered through a special glazed window into the secret room and gently fell upon Shi Qingqian’s face, her tightly closed eyes finally fluttered open after a few trembles of her eyelashes. As Shi Qingqian opened her eyes, she immediately saw a large face right before her, so close that she could see her own reflection in its eyes.
“‘You’re awake? You’re finally awake! Look, how many fingers is this?’ Apothecary Yang Xia bent over and wiggled a single finger in front of Shi Qingqian’s nose.
Shi Qingqian was already a bit dizzy, and the wiggling made her even dizzier. With effort, she lifted a hand to push away the mischievous one in front of her, then slowly propped herself up. Once she clearly saw her surroundings and realized she was in Apothecary Yang Xia’s secret room, a flood of hazy memories rushed in. Shi Qingqian covered her cool forehead with one hand, furrowing her brow. What had happened to her?
Shi Qingqian painstakingly sorted through the memories in her mind. She remembered that before passing out, she had exhausted her last trace of true spiritual energy to use spatial transfer. It seemed she had succeeded; she had successfully sent herself back to Apothecary Yang Xia’s place. Oh, the letter paper.
Shi Qingqian lifted her other hand, which had been hanging at her side, and saw that the object clutched in her palm was still there. Apothecary Yang Xia immediately understood her movements. Her curiosity, accumulated over an entire night, outweighed checking Shi Qingqian’s condition first. She asked, “‘Who gave you that note you’re clutching? What happened yesterday? How did you end up in this state?'”
Shi Qingqian slowly raised her head and glanced at her. “‘You read it?'” Though it was a question, her tone held a hint of certainty.
Yang Xia had no qualms admitting it. She honestly replied, “‘Last night, when I was treating you, I saw you were clutching something in your hand. I thought it might be a clue you left, so of course, I had to look.'”
Shi Qingqian covered her forehead and lowered her gaze, not allowing Apothecary Yang Xia to see the complicated expression in her eyes. “‘Then you should know what was written on it.'”
Apothecary Yang Xia nodded. “‘Yes, I know. So where did you get this? Is the content on it related to your injuries this time?'”
Shi Qingqian wanted to shake her head and say no, but something flashed through her mind. Were these two things connected? She wasn’t sure. She looked up blankly at Apothecary Yang Xia, as if seeking help. “‘Are they related?'”
Apothecary Yang Xia looked bewildered. “‘You’re asking me? You don’t know, and you’re asking me? Am I supposed to know?'”
Shi Qingqian secretly mocked herself; her head must still be spinning. If she didn’t know, how could Apothecary Yang Xia know? She opened the letter paper she had clutched all night, which was now crumpled beyond recognition, and carefully spread it out, gazing at its content.
Would A’Ling’s confrontation with Huo Zhen this time have anything to do with the content on this paper?
Apothecary Yang Xia was completely confused. She leaned over and started reading, wondering if she had missed something. She pointed at the few short replies and asked, “‘This reply is from that A’Ling of the Huo family, right?'”
Shi Qingqian nodded.
Apothecary Yang Xia pointed at the long paragraphs of text and asked, “‘Then who is this?'”
Shi Qingqian’s brow twitched violently. “‘It’s Gu Jingyang.'”
Apothecary Yang Xia looked surprised, yet also found it reasonable. “‘Then who recorded this conversation using a voice-recording bird?'”
Shi Qingqian traced the slight unevenness at the bottom right corner of the paper. “‘It’s A’Ling.'”
Apothecary Yang Xia raised an eyebrow. “‘A’Ling recorded her conversations with Gu Jingyang?'”
Shi Qingqian nodded silently.
Apothecary Yang Xia pressed, “‘Is it just this one segment, or are there others?'”
Shi Qingqian recalled the scene she had witnessed outside A’Ling’s window that day, and her voice dropped. “‘Many.'”
Many, many of them. So many that A’Ling’s room had several stacks piled up, so many that a gust of wind would blow out a thick stack, so many that it took her a while to collect them all. It was just that she hadn’t looked closely at the contents then. She hadn’t expected A’Ling to be recording her Phoenix Feather messages with Gu Jingyang.
After hearing this, Apothecary Yang Xia’s long-dormant mind suddenly had a flash of insight. She spoke to Shi Qingqian with pride, as if she had discovered a secret. “‘I see! That little A’Ling from the Huo family has fallen for Gu Jingyang! No wonder she so wholeheartedly supported Gu Jingyang during your last sparring competition.’ Apothecary Yang Xia felt her guess was very reasonable. ‘You didn’t know, did you? Last time you had your competition, I heard that little A’Ling bet ten thousand spiritual stones on Gu Jingyang to win.’ ‘Tsk tsk tsk, even knowing Gu Jingyang was inferior to you, she still bet ten thousand spiritual stones! How much must she like her!’ ‘And you ended up winning, so she suffered heavy losses.'”
Shi Qingqian suddenly looked at Apothecary Yang Xia, a dark, sharp glint like a blade appearing in her dark pupils. Apothecary Yang Xia was looking down at the letter paper and didn’t notice, oblivious. She continued, “‘She didn’t like you to begin with, and I imagine she detests you even more because of this.'”
After sighing, Apothecary Yang Xia looked up at Shi Qingqian. The sight startled her. “‘What’s wrong with you? Why do you look so terrible? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?'”
As she spoke, she reached out to check Shi Qingqian’s pulse, but Shi Qingqian waved her hand away. Shi Qingqian’s hand, gripping the letter paper tightly, had protruding knuckles, whiter than the paper itself. “‘She detests me because of this?'”
Apothecary Yang Xia was a bit displeased to see Shi Qingqian unwilling to cooperate with the treatment. She pointed at the letter paper in her hand. “‘See for yourself, A’Ling’s replies are as simple as can be, practically perfunctory. If she liked Gu Jingyang, why would she reply like this? It must be that Gu Jingyang mentioned you, and she didn’t want to hear it, which is why she was so cold.'”
Shi Qingqian swallowed the inexplicable bitterness that rose in her mouth, then repeated blankly, “‘Didn’t want to hear about this?'”
Although Apothecary Yang Xia hadn’t had someone who made her heart flutter or any romantic experience for hundreds of years, she had heard countless love stories during that time. There were even people who came to her to treat lovesickness, so her experience in this area was quite rich. “‘Of course. Young couples don’t usually talk about others, especially not heartbreaking things like this, when they could be whispering sweet nothings to each other.'”
“‘Young couple,'” Shi Qingqian murmured three words, very vaguely, just like the confusion in her eyes, as if she didn’t understand what it meant.
She spoke vaguely and softly, so Apothecary Yang Xia didn’t hear. When she talked about the letter’s content, she sighed. “‘You haven’t told anyone about your childhood, otherwise, every single person would cry.'”
Apothecary Yang Xia suppressed the sorrow in her heart. The version she knew was also what she had heard from outsiders. The exact details, and the feelings of those who experienced the same events, could differ. Qingqian had never told them about her childhood feelings.
Shi Qingqian listened to what Apothecary Yang Xia said, then retorted, “‘Would A’Ling cry too?'”
Apothecary Yang Xia stopped her sorrow and thought about the question. She wasn’t very familiar with that girl from the Huo family. “‘That’s hard to say. After all, A’Ling’s experiences are also very special.’ She added silently, especially tragic.”
“‘However, no matter what, she at least shouldn’t think you were enjoying a life of luxury in the Huo family anymore, and she might gain a different understanding of the Huo family,’ Apothecary Yang Xia added.”
Shi Qingqian’s expression didn’t lighten because of this. “‘Then why does she still detest me so much?'”
Apothecary Yang Xia’s gaze paused. It was the first time she had seen such an expression on Qingqian’s face, like a wronged child. The truth she was about to speak was swallowed back. Honestly, if it weren’t for her master’s affection, she wouldn’t have liked such a cold and awkward child herself. How wonderful it would be if she were like Gu Jingyang—generous and cheerful, always with a smile on her face, like peach blossoms in March.
Apothecary Yang Xia tactfully changed the subject. “‘That’s hard to say. Let’s not talk about that. What happened with your injury this time?'”
Shi Qingqian fumbled with the letter paper in her hand. When she saw it last night, her heart was greatly shaken. So A’Ling already knew about the Huo family’s affairs. But even knowing all this, she still detested her. She even said, ‘I wish your family everlasting love and happiness,’ when she left.
Shi Qingqian’s eyes were bewildered and unfocused, her face completely pale. Her eyelashes drooped low, and she subtly gasped in pain. Did she think she was the same kind of person as Huo Zhen?
Yang Xia looked at Shi Qingqian, who was staring down, lost in thought. Seeing her fall silent again, Yang Xia thought she wouldn’t reply, when suddenly she heard, “‘Huo Zhen caused A’Ling trouble, and A’Ling injured Huo Zhen.'”
Apothecary Yang Xia was startled. “‘Ah? When? Were your injuries caused by being caught in their crossfire?'”
Shi Qingqian gasped softly. “‘A’Ling nearly succumbed to demonic influence.'”
Yang Xia understood instantly, but still felt a little uncertain. “‘Did you absorb that special demonic energy from A’Ling?'”
Shi Qingqian didn’t deny it, staring blankly at the air. “‘Has that demonic energy been removed?'”
Apothecary Yang Xia shook her head. “‘No, that demonic energy is too special. I can’t remove it.'”
Shi Qingqian had guessed this outcome. There was still a lingering pain in her body, twisting her insides. Apothecary Yang Xia wanted to ask why that girl from the Huo family’s demonic energy was so special. Before she could ask, a knocking sound came from outside the medicine pavilion. The knocking used a sound transmission spell, allowing both people in the secret room to hear it clearly.
“‘Apothecary Yang Xia, are you there? I am Lin Nianli from the Huo family. I apologize for presuming to visit. Are you at home?'”
Apothecary Yang Xia released her spiritual sense towards the door. Seeing the situation outside, she turned back to Shi Qingqian in surprise. “‘You said that girl from the Huo family injured Huo Zhen—did she chop off one of his arms?!'” She had just seen Huo Zhen at the door, missing an arm.
Shi Qingqian nodded.
Apothecary Yang Xia furrowed her brow, a little perplexed. “‘An arm isn’t something that has to be reattached here.'”
Shi Qingqian explained, “‘It was injured by the Wandering Amethyst Gold Whip.'”
“‘What? The Wandering Amethyst Gold Whip? The one you forged? Didn’t you say A’Ling injured Huo Zhen?’ Yang Xia was surprised.”
Shi Qingqian’s face was as calm as water. “‘The whip is in her hands.'”
Yang Xia was even more astonished. “‘That’s a Grandmaster-grade magic artifact, and it can recognize its master! Did you give her the whip?'”
Shi Qingqian said nothing, just nodded.
This time, Apothecary Yang Xia’s shock was evident. She looked Shi Qingqian up and down. “‘All those hard-to-find materials, all that effort you put in—was it all to forge it for her?'”
Shi Qingqian lowered her head, not saying a word.
A sharp glint flashed in Apothecary Yang Xia’s eyes. It seemed she had discovered an astonishing secret.
The knocking from outside came again. Apothecary Yang Xia squinted, looking at Shi Qingqian beside her. “‘So, should I reattach Huo Zhen’s arm?'”
Shi Qingqian looked down at the letter paper in her hand and simply said, “‘You are a medical cultivator.'”
Apothecary Yang Xia nodded, understanding. “‘You stay put. I’ll go take a look.'”
Apothecary Yang Xia went to the front. She was a medical cultivator; whether to save him and how to save him, wasn’t that up to her? Oh, who would have thought? The tormenting methods she had thought of last night could be put to use so quickly.
An hour later, Apothecary Yang Xia returned to the secret room, carrying a Universe pouch. “‘Here are three hundred thousand spiritual stones. I reattached his arm, but he’ll probably only be able to eat with a spoon from now on; chopsticks will be a bit difficult.’ And once she reattached it, he wouldn’t be able to find any other medical cultivator to reattach it again if it were taken off. If it came off again, it would be truly impossible to reattach. As for the medicines prescribed, she had added ‘Stomach Purging Powder,’ ‘Five Poisons Heat-Clearing Agent,’ and ‘Cannot Scratch’ as side effects.”
She kindly explained it beforehand, and the other party said he could accept it. Yang Xia was in a great mood and handed the Universe pouch containing three hundred thousand spiritual stones to Shi Qingqian.
“‘Adding the seven hundred thousand spiritual stones we earned selling longevity pills in the mortal realm over the past two years, we’ve just reached the one million spiritual stones you needed.'”
Apothecary Yang Xia immediately felt relieved. Earning money was truly difficult. Although she had some status in Longyin Town, it was only because of her excellent medical skills, and she didn’t have much business acumen. Moreover, at her level, people wouldn’t easily seek her out; those who did were cases with stubborn and difficult illnesses. In the end, it was Qingqian who came up with this money-making method. Qingqian harvested the Yearning Grass, Qingqian refined the pills, and Qingqian negotiated the partnership in the mortal realm. In two years, they had earned seven hundred thousand. Yang Xia felt a bit pleased. She took the money from Huo Zhen with a clear conscience; with these three hundred thousand, the one million Qingqian wanted was complete.
Shi Qingqian merely glanced at the Universe pouch, showing no sign of happiness, and continued to look down at the crumpled letter paper in her hand.
Apothecary Yang Xia sighed heavily. This child, sitting here alone and staring at that paper until it sprouted flowers wouldn’t do any good!

Time flashed by, and it was three months later when A’Ling stepped out of her room again. A’Ling gazed at the deep blue sky above her courtyard, walked into the yard bathed in sunlight, and smilingly opened her arms to embrace the warmth. The spiritual energy within her was stable and comfortable. With every breath, she could feel the jade-white orb in her lower abdomen converting spiritual energy into true spiritual energy.
Wonderful, she had formed her core! A’Ling flashed a bright smile, laughing wildly and unrestrained. “Hahahaha, I can’t believe it, in just three months, I actually formed my core!”
The day was beautiful with a gentle breeze, and sunlight poured down freely. The wind chimes on the wall seemed even more radiant than before. A’Ling smilingly took out Gu Jingyang’s Phoenix Feather from her waist sash, wanting to share the good news with her. But with the words on her lips, she put the Phoenix Feather away. Good news like this was better shared in person for greater joy.
A’Ling happily went to the Gu family residence. Sure enough, upon hearing the news, Gu Jingyang excitedly picked A’Ling up and spun her around until they were both dizzy.
“This is wonderful, A’Ling! Now we can go to the Inner Sect together!”
Gu Jingyang gazed intently at A’Ling. Over the past three months, she had several times wanted to send A’Ling a message to ask about her situation, but she was afraid of disturbing A’Ling’s cultivation. As for whether A’Ling could truly form her core, Gu Jingyang wasn’t entirely certain. With the Inner Sect opening drawing nearer, and only a month left, she had even considered going to check on A’Ling herself. She never expected that while she was still planning to visit A’Ling today, A’Ling would come herself.
She brought a huge surprise.
The two burst into laughter. Gu Jingyang had the kitchen prepare many dishes, asking A’Ling to eat while telling her about her insights from the past three months. A’Ling felt as if these three months had passed as quickly as a single nap. Otherwise, why would cultivators say a hundred years pass in the blink of an eye?
Gu Jingyang also had three months’ worth of topics accumulated to tell A’Ling. In these three months, many things had happened, both within the academy and in the town. The first thing Gu Jingyang mentioned was the matter between Shi Qingqian and the Huo family.
“Qingqian gave the Huo family one million spiritual stones and announced that she had severed ties with them.”
A’Ling’s good mood instantly froze. “That ingrate! Is she trying to copy me? How can our situations be the same?” She had never felt any familial affection in the Huo family, but Shi Qingqian was different. The Huo family hadn’t treated her badly; she had even heard before that Huo Zhen had personally gone out to search for rare materials and treasures for her sake. She’s truly an ingrate! The kind that can’t be tamed!
“Let’s not talk about that anymore.” A’Ling stopped Gu Jingyang, who was about to speak further. Seeing A’Ling was genuinely unhappy, Gu Jingyang swallowed the words she wanted to say in defense of Qingqian and put on a smile. “Alright, no more talk of that.”
“A’Ling, I’m truly happy for you. In a month, when the Inner Sect opens, let’s take the assessment together.”
Upon hearing this, A’Ling smiled and nodded. Now that she had formed her core, she was qualified to take the assessment to enter Crane Gate. As long as she passed Immortal Ice Crane’s benevolence test, she could continue cultivating in the Inner Sect. She had passed that test in her previous life, so there shouldn’t be any problem this time either.
A’Ling looked at Gu Jingyang’s sunny, radiant smile. In this life, she could still enter the Inner Sect with Gu Jingyang. How wonderful! The future is bright!