When Shi Qingqian stepped into A’Ling’s Cave Abode again, she felt a strange yet familiar sensation.
The familiarity stemmed from the fact that all the furnishings inside A’Ling’s Cave Abode were exactly as she had left them; even the bowls and basins in the corner were still in their original spots.
And the nest woven from spiritual energy vines still lay upside down, leaning against the foot of the bed.
She had deliberately flipped it over back then to stand on tiptoes and climb onto the bed.
Shi Qingqian now understood why it felt strange; the bed that had seemed so tall to her back then now only reached her knee.
She subtly curved her lips, but the curve quickly vanished, and an unspeakable sadness and loss welled up in her heart.
Shi Qingqian gazed at A’Ling’s bed and the vine nest beside it, thinking to herself, Although that bed is no longer a height that requires me to crane my neck and use something else to climb.
But now, if she wanted to get onto it, it would be much harder than back then, when it was merely due to her not being tall enough.
“What are you looking at, Qingqian?”
Gu Jingyang had already walked over to the only table in A’Ling’s Cave Abode and sat down, when she noticed Shi Qingqian still lagged a few steps behind, her gaze fixed on one spot, somewhat dazed.
Following her gaze, she saw the vine-woven dog bed beside A’Ling’s bed and sighed, “I don’t know where the dog went. I’ve asked the other fellow disciples in the Cave Abode, and they all said they hadn’t seen it.”
Yesterday, A’Ling went to find Shi Qingqian specifically to look for the dog, but inexplicably stumbled into a heap of trouble instead, and even listened to Shi Qingqian utter a string of baffling and nonsensical words.
As a result, she hadn’t even had the mental space to feel sad about the dog’s disappearance after returning.
Now that Gu Jingyang had brought it up, that feeling of loss resurfaced in her heart.
A’Ling’s gaze also turned, dazed, to the flipped dog bed by the bed. That ugly creature hadn’t slept in its bed many times; except when it was severely injured and couldn’t move at first, after it could walk and crawl, it figured out this method to get onto her bed.
Once A’Ling stopped chasing it off, it never went back to sleep in its bed again.
She didn’t know where it was now. It was already snowing; she wondered if it had a place to shelter from the wind and snow, and if it was cold.
Forget it. That heartless ugly creature, let it freeze to death outside. If it knew it was cold, it would have returned long ago.
“I suppose it found a better place to go!”
A’Ling herself didn’t realize how plaintive her tone was when she said this.
Gu Jingyang sighed inwardly. She couldn’t understand why A’Ling was so fond of that dog, ugly as it was.
She quickly invited Shi Qingqian to sit down and whispered to her, “A’Ling’s dog is gone, and she’s feeling sad right now. Let’s not bring it up again.”
Even though she lowered her voice, given the proximity of a single table, A’Ling couldn’t possibly not hear.
She shot her a glance. “Who’s sad? Just let it freeze to death out there!”
A’Ling probably didn’t have a mirror in front of her; when she spoke, her tone was angry, but the worry in her eyes was poorly hidden.
At least Gu Jingyang across from her, and Shi Qingqian, who was still standing and hadn’t taken a seat, could both see clearly.
Shi Qingqian’s heart subtly trembled.
“Let’s not talk about that anymore. Qingqian, what delicious food did you make?”
Gu Jingyang gestured for Shi Qingqian to sit down and smilingly helped open the rattan basket Shi Qingqian had brought, very deliberately changing the subject.
“There’s so much here! And it smells so good.”
Gu Jingyang made a very exaggerated gesture of sniffing the aroma. But soon, what she said was no longer just to change the subject, but was genuine praise.
A’Ling, too, was startled out of her sadness over the missing dog by the abundance of food.
“You—” A’Ling looked at Shi Qingqian, but she didn’t know what to say.
How could Gu Jingyang not notice the awkwardness between the two of them?
She had already figured it out after returning yesterday; A’Ling wasn’t fleeing for her life. The way she had urged her to leave quickly, it must have been because Shi Qingqian was present at the time.
She had come today to ask about this very matter.
She hadn’t expected, however, that Shi Qingqian would arrive even earlier than her.
Gu Jingyang suppressed the eager urge to ask questions. She took out all the food Shi Qingqian had brought.
She also thoughtfully served everyone a bowl of steaming, fragrant soy milk from the stone bowl.
Although she didn’t feel cold in winter, on this snow-covered morning, a bowl of fragrant soy milk felt wonderful.
Gu Jingyang looked up from her porcelain bowl, with some white foam still around her lips, and teased, “It’s still so hot! No wonder, Qingqian, when I saw you earlier, you didn’t have a single protective barrier on you. I suppose all your energy went into keeping this warm.”
As she spoke, she gave A’Ling a meaningful glance.
A’Ling’s heart skipped a beat. She had already thought of this when Gu Jingyang pushed this bowl of steaming hot soy milk in front of her.
If these foods had only been protected by an ordinary barrier, for Shi Qingqian to travel from Heavenly Peace Cave Abode to their Warm Tower Cave Abode, these things would have long since cooled down.
She must have used her spiritual energy to protect the temperature within the protective barrier, and it had to be an exceptionally high temperature, defying the season, to preserve it so well.
A’Ling gazed at the white steam rapidly rising. After a moment of distraction, seeing Gu Jingyang still glancing at her from time to time, she straightened her face and asked, “What do you want?”
Without waiting for Gu Jingyang’s reply, she continued, “If there’s nothing, hurry up, drink it, and leave. Don’t delay my secluded cultivation.”
Gu Jingyang put down her porcelain bowl. A’Ling was trying to backtrack after just one night; it seemed she didn’t want to fulfill last night’s promise.
And using such a clumsy excuse.
“Why suddenly go into secluded cultivation?” Gu Jingyang lowered her brows and eyes, with a threatening expression that both of them understood, and asked in a low voice.
A’Ling pretended not to understand her hint and said self-righteously, “I just advanced, and my spiritual energy is turbulent. I need to go into secluded cultivation to regulate it for a while.”
This was a perfectly reasonable and presentable excuse. Back when Gu Jingyang advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, she also went into secluded cultivation to consolidate her realm.
A’Ling had just finished speaking, and Gu Jingyang hadn’t even thought of a reply, when suddenly, in front of them, or more precisely, right under A’Ling’s nose, a dark purple brocade box appeared.
They both simultaneously looked toward the person who had just placed the box and was about to withdraw their hand.
Shi Qingqian looked at A’Ling and explained, “The Five Flame Spiritual Energy-Condensing Pill has miraculous effects on regulating spiritual energy after advancing from Core Formation to Nascent Soul, and also helps stabilize the Nascent Soul.”
Gu Jingyang raised an eyebrow. A pillow for a sleepy head, indeed. Shi Qingqian wasn’t just here to deliver breakfast, after all.
She knew this item was extremely rare. Not only were the five medicinal ingredients for refining the Five Flame Spiritual Energy-Condensing Pill rare, but more importantly, this item severely tested a medical cultivator’s abilities. Only a handful of medical cultivators in Mystic Crane Mountain could refine such a thing.
When she had advanced back then, she had also used this item. The one she had received had been obtained with great difficulty by her mother, who had pulled every string and even compromised her dignity. There had only been one.
She had also wanted to find one for A’Ling, but she hadn’t expected A’Ling to advance so quickly.
Yesterday, she had already entrusted this matter to her Master, asking if any familiar medical cultivators had this item. She was willing to purchase it with vast sums of money or trade rare items for it.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but didn’t know what to say. Had Shi Qingqian prepared this long ago? Or had she specifically sought it out because A’Ling had advanced?
A’Ling also felt at a loss for words. What was wrong with this person? Had she not heard a single word of what I said yesterday?
Hadn’t she said that they wouldn’t owe each other anything anymore, that each would go their separate ways?
What was she doing now? Did this look like they wouldn’t owe each other anything in the future? She had even sought out things needed for her cultivation advancement. This was hardly ‘going their separate ways’; this was practically paving the way for her.
Like Gu Jiangxue to Gu Jingyang? No, it was different. That was a biological mother’s love for her child.
A’Ling had known back then that Gu Jingyang had this Five Flame Spiritual Energy-Condensing Pill because her mother had prepared it for her, and she had actually been very envious in her heart.
She hadn’t expected that now someone else had prepared this for her. If she said she wasn’t touched, that would be impossible.
Gu Jingyang and Shi Qingqian were saying something else beside her, but she didn’t pay attention to listen.
Her mind was in utter turmoil.
Suddenly, the communication bell outside abruptly rang again.
A’Ling snapped out of her daze. Withdrawing those strange thoughts, she glanced at the equally surprised Gu Jingyang.
Their eyes met, and a similar guess vaguely formed in both their minds. A’Ling got up and opened the door.
Upon seeing the person beneath the giant umbrella in the wind and snow outside, A’Ling knew she had guessed correctly.
“Fushang, don’t you have a smaller umbrella?”
A’Ling looked at the person who looked very petite under the giant umbrella. All her messy thoughts from just now were blown away by this somewhat amusing sight. She suddenly burst out laughing.
Lan Fushang looked truly comical like this; the umbrella handle was like a pillar, and she needed both hands to grasp it.
She couldn’t be said to be ‘holding’ the umbrella; it was more appropriate to say she was ‘lifting’ it.
A’Ling had seen this umbrella before; it was the one Lan Fushang had brought when they went to Zhuoling Mountain, and at that time, as soon as it was opened, it completely covered their three lounge chairs.
She had thought it was an umbrella specifically for that situation. She never expected, however, that Lan Fushang actually used this umbrella in her daily life.
Lan Fushang wasn’t embarrassed at all. She understood the meaning behind A’Ling’s smile; after all, it wasn’t the first time she’d used this umbrella, and A’Ling’s reaction was simply one of amusement and concern about whether she would be tired.
Lan Fushang folded the umbrella and said with a smile, “I like this large umbrella. I can also give someone a ride on the way. Don’t worry, it looks big, but I’m used to carrying it, and it’s not tiring.”
A’Ling smiled even more happily. Lan Fushang must have trained herself to handle it. It only just occurred to her that this petite woman in front of her indeed possessed immense strength.
On the way to Zhuoling Mountain, it seemed she hadn’t used any spiritual energy at all when moving beds and carrying chairs, relying solely on pure physical strength.
After Lan Fushang finished folding the umbrella, A’Ling dropped the topic and led her inside. As she walked, she asked, “Fushang, did you come to find me so early because something happened?”
Lan Fushang immediately nodded and took something out of her spatial storage bag, handing it to A’Ling.
“This is for you.”
A’Ling looked down and saw a palm-sized paper packet wrapped in mulberry bark paper in her hand.
“What is this?” A’Ling asked in confusion. Generally, mulberry bark paper was used to wrap medicinal herbs.
But this item looked a bit small. It looked more like a medicinal pill.
“It’s a Five Flame Spiritual Energy-Condensing Pill. Didn’t you advance to Nascent Soul, A’Ling? I thought you might need this. I happened to have these medicinal herbs on hand, so last night I tried to refine one. I didn’t expect it to actually succeed, so I hurried to bring it to you.”
A’Ling’s steps faltered upon hearing the words spoken by Lan Fushang in such a casual tone, her eyes filled with astonishment, her pupils trembling as she turned her head to look at Lan Fushang. “A Five Flame Spiritual Energy-Condensing Pill?”
Lan Fushang nodded. She saw that A’Ling’s shock was a bit unusual and quickly asked, “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
As they spoke, they had already walked into the inner room, and their conversation had coincidentally been heard by Gu Jingyang and Shi Qingqian inside.
Gu Jingyang looked at the Five Flame Spiritual Energy-Condensing Pill in the dark purple box on the table, and her temple twitched.
This was too coincidental.
She actually started to feel fortunate now that when she had asked her Master yesterday if she had this item, her Master had said no.
Otherwise, she would have surely brought one to A’Ling today, and that scene would have been even more awkward.
Shi Qingqian’s hand, hanging by her side, suddenly tightened after hearing Lan Fushang’s words. She raised her eyes to look at the person who had just walked in.
Lan Fushang saw that there were still people in A’Ling’s Cave Abode. Her steps also faltered. After seeing clearly it was Gu Jingyang, her lips curved up, just as she was about to greet her, when she was suddenly chilled by another gaze.
She turned her head to look. Shi Qingqian was actually also there, and was looking at her. How to describe that gaze? It felt two degrees colder than the snow outside just now.
What was wrong?
Lan Fushang shivered unconsciously. She retracted her gaze to look at A’Ling. “Wh-what’s wrong?”
Why were the two people across from her looking at her?
Gu Jingyang looked at the person before her, who had been dressed plainly and inconspicuously since their first meeting.
Yet this inconspicuous person possessed healing arts completely on par with those of medical cultivator disciples, and now, such a difficult medicinal pill could be successfully refined in just one night.
Speaking of which, Gu Jingyang also thought of another matter: that refreshing brittle candy of hers. That was indeed remarkable; it truly kept her from feeling tired even after days and nights without closing her eyes.
Could this person be a medical cultivation genius?
She finally somewhat acknowledged A’Ling’s foresight now. What she had said about Lan Fushang becoming very strong in the future, perhaps it was true.
But how had A’Ling seen it? This girl, she must still be hiding many things from her!
She definitely needed to ask her properly.
On that side, after a moment of shock, A’Ling immediately recovered. Looking at the Five Flame Spiritual Energy-Condensing Pill in her hand, she also felt somewhat speechless.
If Lan Fushang had arrived a little earlier, before Shi Qingqian, she would have immediately and happily accepted it. But now, she glanced at the Five Flame Spiritual Energy-Condensing Pill already on the table, and didn’t know what to say.
Lan Fushang didn’t know what was wrong with these three. Each of them was looking at her, and everyone’s gaze was a little complex.
Seeing them all silent, Lan Fushang awkwardly didn’t know whether to leave or stay.
In the end, it was Gu Jingyang who spoke first to alleviate her awkwardness. “Come sit over here. Have you had breakfast?”
Lan Fushang followed A’Ling to the opposite side of the round table, pursing her lips, she looked gratefully at Gu Jingyang. “I’ve eaten already. I came at an inconvenient time; I didn’t know you were having breakfast. I also brought some food for you, but I don’t know if you still need it.”
Gu Jingyang thought to herself, You’re wrong, your timing couldn’t be more perfect.
First breakfast, then a Five Flame Spiritual Energy-Condensing Pill.
As Lan Fushang spoke, she glanced at the food on the table. She could tell at a glance that these items must have been made by Shi Qingqian; A’Ling and Gu Jingyang were absolutely not at that level.
Seeing this abundant breakfast, Lan Fushang no longer wanted to take out the pastries she had prepared.
Suddenly, Lan Fushang’s breathing hitched again. She saw the dark purple box on the table. She turned her head to look at Gu Jingyang. “This is?”
Gu Jingyang nodded, confirming the doubt in her eyes. “It’s the Five Flame Spiritual Energy-Condensing Pill.”
Lan Fushang pursed her lips and smiled faintly. “Well, that’s even more of a coincidence. So, A’Ling, you already have one. This item isn’t meant to be used excessively. Perhaps—”
She hadn’t finished speaking when A’Ling swiftly closed the dark purple box on the table with a ‘clack,’ picked it up, and returned it to Shi Qingqian.
“Yes, I already have one. Take this back.”
Lan Fushang let out a soft ‘oh’. “This item, was it from Shi Qingqian? I had thought it was from Gu Jingyang.”
She couldn’t help but glance at Shi Qingqian. There was no emotion on her face, but Lan Fushang sensed a very low atmospheric pressure, which made her involuntarily swallow and inexplicably feel a little nervous.
Her intuition told her, This was not a place to linger.
She stood up with a whoosh. “Speaking of which, I still have something to do. I’ll be going now. You all enjoy your meal.”
As Lan Fushang spoke, she turned to leave, but Gu Jingyang, to her left, was a step faster and grabbed her hand. “What’s wrong?”
Lan Fushang’s steps paused. She looked down at Gu Jingyang, then glanced at her wrist, which was being held.
Gu Jingyang slowly released her hand, looking at Lan Fushang, she said, “So early in the morning, you specifically came into the mountain from outside. Did something happen?”
Lan Fushang’s heart stirred. This person was indeed meticulous. She had indeed gone out so early in this heavy snow because something had happened.
She slightly rolled up the sleeve of the hand Gu Jingyang had just held. On it was a Blue Cloud Crane emblem.
“Last night, Venerable Minci sent someone to find me, asking me to go to Summer Shadow Peak early this morning. I thought it was on the way, so I came to give A’Ling something first.”
A’Ling asked in confusion, “Is that Shan Xinci? What did she want to find you for?”
Gu Jingyang was also curious. Yesterday, Shan Xinci had suddenly appeared, solving their troublesome matter with the Twelve Cave Abodes’ trial. How did she seek out Lan Fushang last night, and even ask her to go to Winter Snow Peak early in the morning?
Shi Qingqian had just been looking at A’Ling, and had not reached out to take the item A’Ling returned. When she heard Shan Xinci’s name, her brow subtly furrowed.
Lan Fushang saw that the expressions of the three weren’t very good, looking mostly worried. She smiled faintly. “You’ll know once we’re there.”
She hadn’t made any mistakes, so it was unlikely they would make things difficult for her.
Gu Jingyang nodded. Random speculation was indeed useless now. They would know once they arrived.
She looked at the Blue Cloud Crane emblem on Lan Fushang’s hand, thought for a moment, and stood up. “I’ll go with you. It just so happens I also have something I want to ask Venerable Minci.”
These words greatly surprised Lan Fushang. A trace of inquiry entered her eyes as she looked at Gu Jingyang.
It was as if wanting to see if this person truly had something to do, or merely wanted to accompany her.
Gu Jingyang turned to A’Ling. “The Moonlit Ice Crystal you obtained in Zhuoling Mountain is something found only within the medical cultivator’s Cave Abode district. Perhaps this is a clue. After I spoke with Master and the others yesterday, they also felt that those two mutated sword dragons weren’t naturally mutated; someone had most likely deliberately mutated and raised them. But this person’s motive was currently unknown. Regardless, a person with such intentions wouldn’t just raise two mutated beasts for amusement. If this matter isn’t thoroughly investigated, I fear there will be greater trouble.”
A’Ling nodded. “Someone who can raise two mutated beasts is certainly not simple. Are you suspecting Shan Xinci?”
Her sudden appearance yesterday was very strange, now that I think about it.
Gu Jingyang shook her head. “Not really. I can’t think of any motive she would have for doing this. But right now, this is the only clue we have. I want to go ask her personally; perhaps we can find more clues.”
A’Ling agreed with Gu Jingyang. She also got up, just about to say she would go with them, when she was stopped by Gu Jingyang.
“It’s not good for so many people to go. Moreover, none of us have a Blue Cloud Crane emblem; going to Summer Shadow Peak without permission will result in punishment.”
Lan Fushang immediately worried after hearing this. “Then if you go like this, won’t you also be punished?”
Gu Jingyang smiled. “As for me, you can say your sword-controlling ability isn’t good. I’m merely escorting you.”
Lan Fushang wasn’t entirely reassured by her words. This excuse was still a bit far-fetched. She thought for a moment: If Venerable Minci blamed them then, I’ll just say I was afraid to go alone and wanted someone to accompany me.
After making up her mind, Lan Fushang nodded and said, “Okay.”
After listening to Gu Jingyang’s words, A’Ling turned her head to look at Shi Qingqian, who was still sitting motionlessly, and an idea sparked in her mind.
The meaning in her eyes was clear: she was going out, and Shi Qingqian couldn’t possibly stay alone in her Cave Abode.
Shi Qingqian paused slightly. She had just thought of this problem. Before, when A’Ling went out, she always locked her in the Cave Abode. She hadn’t even realized just now that their current identities were different.
“I’ll be leaving now.”
Shi Qingqian stood up. She glanced at A’Ling, and nodded to Gu Jingyang as a farewell. As for Lan Fushang, she only gave her a glance.
Lan Fushang felt that such a cold gaze was better not given. She quickly nodded in response, treating it as a farewell.
Just as she was thinking of quickly moving aside to make way for others to walk more comfortably, suddenly a golden light flashed before her eyes, and Shi Qingqian vanished before everyone’s eyes.
A’Ling was just about to open the door. She hadn’t expected this person to leave in such a manner…
She admitted it was indeed very dashing and unexpected. She didn’t even have time to tell Shi Qingqian to take back the Five Flame Spiritual Energy-Condensing Pill on the table.
A’Ling stomped her foot in anger, looking at Gu Jingyang. “This magical technique, have you learned it yet?”
Gu Jingyang replied, “You’re not asking me to use spatial transmission to go to Qingqian’s Cave Abode and run errands for you, are you?”
A’Ling’s thoughts were exposed, but she wasn’t embarrassed. “Just one trip.”
Gu Jingyang refused. “Sorry, I still don’t know how.”
A’Ling furrowed her brows. “Aren’t you in the Nascent Soul stage? How can you still not know this high-level magical technique?!”
Gu Jingyang curved her lips. “Aren’t you also in Nascent Soul? How come you don’t know either?”
A’Ling pouted. “I just advanced, I haven’t had time to learn it yet.”
Gu Jingyang smiled. “What a coincidence, I also haven’t had time to learn it yet.”
A’Ling didn’t want to banter with her anymore. She gave her a shove. “Alright, alright, that’s enough. Don’t delay Fushang’s matter.”
Gu Jingyang looked at her, a look of urgency on her face, and was a little confused. “Aren’t you going?”
A’Ling had never planned to go in the first place. She nodded. “On second thought, I’d rather not go. You two go and return quickly.”
Seeing her like this, doubt immediately arose in Gu Jingyang’s heart. “Are you doing this on purpose? Are you trying to avoid Qingqian?”
A’Ling’s face showed a mix of guilt and defiance. “Avoid her? What would I be avoiding in my own Cave Abode!”
Seeing Gu Jingyang raised her brows, her eyes slightly narrowed, looking disbelieving, A’Ling coldly snorted and directly issued an eviction order. “Hurry and go, I won’t see you out.”
After Gu Jingyang and Lan Fushang also left, A’Ling was the only one left in the Cave Abode. She picked up the Five Flame Spiritual Energy-Condensing Pill that Shi Qingqian had left so suddenly on the table, unable to take it back with her.
A’Ling glanced at the mulberry bark paper packet in her left hand, and then at the brocade box in her right hand.
The tumultuous spiritual energy in her heart seemed to increase, surging wildly.
What was originally just a casual remark about her spiritual energy being turbulent had now become a self-fulfilling prophecy. A’Ling looked left and right.
Should she use it?
She opened the Five Flame Spiritual Energy-Condensing Pill that Lan Fushang said she had refined overnight. Then she opened the box on the right. The two medicinal pills looked identical.
It wasn’t that A’Ling doubted Lan Fushang’s abilities, but the current Lan Fushang was indeed not the future Medical Cultivation Peak Master Lan Fushang. Her current abilities were still slightly weaker.
She was a little worried this item might have some unwanted side effects.
The matter of those two moons back then had truly made her feel a slight distrust towards Lan Fushang now.
But Shi Qingqian’s pill, she had just tried to return to Shi Qingqian.
If it was a choice between the two, she would still choose Lan Fushang’s.
Whether it was this Five Flame Spiritual Energy-Condensing Pill or something else, two words abruptly popped into A’Ling’s mind: cultivation partner.
No, no! How could she think of that? She and Shi Qingqian were absolutely impossible.
A’Ling put away the brocade box. She planned to find someone to return it to Shi Qingqian.
She picked up the Five Flame Spiritual Energy-Condensing Pill given by Lan Fushang, thought about it, and put that away as well.
Forget it, A’Ling thought. This wasn’t essential anyway. It only aided in regulating her spiritual energy after a cultivation breakthrough. As long as I can calm my mind, I can do it myself.
While A’Ling pondered, her hand, without conscious thought, had already picked up the chopsticks. By the time she had finished thinking about everything, she had also finished all the food on the table.
Looking at the empty bowls and plates, A’Ling glanced around guiltily. Even though she knew no one could see, she still felt a little like a guilty thief.
A’Ling scorned her own lack of resolve. She had said she wouldn’t eat, but not only had she eaten it, she had eaten until she was stuffed.
But then she thought, Food was innocent. How could I waste it? I just didn’t want to waste food, that was all.
To prevent herself from overthinking again, after finishing breakfast, A’Ling immediately sat in meditation to regulate her spiritual energy, using the Spiritual arts cultivator’s advancement method. She began to integrate the wildly surging true energy within her body and absorbed more spiritual energy to consolidate her cultivation.
Just as she successfully calmed her mind, Gu Jingyang also returned.
Hearing what Gu Jingyang said, A’Ling’s face was filled with surprise.
“Are you saying Shan Xinci took Fushang as a disciple?” A’Ling repeated Gu Jingyang’s words in disbelief.
Gu Jingyang nodded. “Yes, that’s what she said.”
“But this isn’t the time for Cave Abode disciple selection.”
Gu Jingyang raised an eyebrow. “She’s a Peak Master; she can take disciples whenever she wants.”
Just like Qiu Fanbo, the Heavenly Peace Abode Master who was replaced by Shi Qingqian, was taken as a disciple by Winter Snow Peak Master Ye Bingfeng and remained at Winter Snow Peak.
“That’s true, but why would she suddenly want to take Fushang as a disciple?”
A’Ling was very confused. Wasn’t this Lan Fushang’s first time at Summer Shadow Peak? How could she have been directly kept there?
Gu Jingyang didn’t know if Shan Xinci was acting on a sudden whim or if she had prior plans.
After she accompanied Lan Fushang up to Summer Shadow Peak, Shan Xinci met them. At first, she only spoke about matters concerning Pi Lingyun Valley, but later she explained the reason she had called Lan Fushang to Summer Shadow Peak.
She said it was because Fushang was a sectless disciple, and she was worried no one would tell her about these matters requiring attention.
Gu Jingyang didn’t quite believe this. Shan Xinci was a Peak Master; she could just send anyone to tell Lan Fushang these things. Even if she was the most amiable person in daily life, there was no need for her to personally do such a thing.
Later, Shan Xinci asked about Lan Fushang’s aspirations. Hearing her say she was dedicated to the medical path, she praised her a few times.
She then asked why she hadn’t seen her at the last Cave Abode disciple selection. Lan Fushang honestly replied that she had failed the assessment at the Soaring Rainbow Tower.
Shan Xinci asked for some specifics. Upon hearing her insights on medical principles and the medical path, she immediately tested her healing arts and discovered that Lan Fushang’s healing arts were even superior to those of some elders.
Shan Xinci praised Lan Fushang as a specialist in the medical path and asked if she was willing to directly become her disciple and cultivate at Summer Shadow Peak.
“And Fushang agreed?”
“Naturally. With such a good opportunity, why wouldn’t she agree?”
A’Ling nodded. Yes, such a good opportunity.
But such a good opportunity coming so suddenly and bizarrely made one unable not to overthink it.
Although A’Ling found it somewhat strange, and she didn’t know if her brain was sluggish from eating too much, she couldn’t think of any ill intentions Shan Xinci could have by doing this.
Perhaps, she truly saw Lan Fushang’s talent and wanted to nurture her.
A’Ling thought of her previous life, where Lan Fushang also replaced Shan Xinci. How exactly the replacement occurred, A’Ling didn’t know.
While A’Ling and Gu Jingyang were speculating about Shan Xinci’s motives, Shan Xinci was also discussing A’Ling and the others.
Shan Xinci looked at Shan Lei, who was standing below her. When Zeng Bilan brought people back to Zhuoling Mountain, Shan Lei was the disciple sent by the medical cultivators.
Shan Lei was originally an orphan, a child Shan Xinci had taken in during her travels for experience. She had even given her a name and imparted cultivation methods to her.
Shan Lei was also talented; she formed her Core early and entered Mystic Crane Mountain. Their relationship had never been disclosed to outsiders.
Others merely thought it was a coincidence that they shared the same surname, and didn’t know that Shan Lei had been secretly helping Shan Xinci deal with matters she found inconvenient to handle personally.
Just as Shan Xinci helped Venerable Dao Rong deal with matters he found inconvenient to handle personally.
Today’s matter was also Venerable Dao Rong’s intention. Shan Xinci had been confused last night why Venerable Dao Rong wanted her to take Lan Fushang as a disciple. Only after a series of tests today did she realize that Lan Fushang was indeed talented, even extraordinarily talented.
Having such a person around might also be a considerable impact on her future status. The Venerable must have considered this for her in advance.
As long as the person was in her hands, getting rid of them would be much simpler.
Shan Lei saw Shan Xinci merely looking at her, keeping silent for a long time, and feeling a little uneasy, she asked, “Venerable, do you have any other matters?”
Shan Xinci came back to her senses and subtly raised her brows. “As for the matter of the Moonlit Ice Crystal, be careful. Don’t let Gu Jingyang trace it back to you.”
Shan Lei nodded. “Venerable, rest assured. The secret passages at Folding Water Cliff have all been destroyed.”
Shan Xinci nodded. They had enough Moonlit Ice Crystals on hand, so there was no need to go to Folding Water Cliff to retrieve the Moonlit Clear Marrow.
The mutated demonic beasts the Venerable wanted were almost ready. But thinking of how the two most obedient mutated sword dragons had been eliminated by Shi Qingqian, Shan Xinci felt a pang of regret in her heart.
Among these mutated demonic beasts, these two were the most obedient and easy to control. While the others were more powerful, they always had moments of losing control.
“Release the mutated beasts the Venerable wants released earlier,” Shan Xinci instructed Shan Lei.
Although Shan Lei was still somewhat worried, she still assented.
“As for Shi Qingqian, do we still need to keep an eye on her?” Shan Lei asked about another matter.
Shan Xinci nodded. “Continue watching. Also, send people to watch over A’Ling and Gu Jingyang.”
Speaking of this, Shan Xinci once again marveled at the Venerable’s wisdom. By sending all these people to Pi Lingyun Valley, they likely wouldn’t have the time or energy to concern themselves with the mutated beasts.
As for Zhuoling Mountain, the Venerable had already cleansed it with magical lightning; no matter how many people went there, they wouldn’t find anything useful.
Those mutated beasts had only been seen by A’Ling and a few others. At that time, they could just say that A’Ling and the others had been poisoned and were experiencing hallucinations.
After a period of thought, Shan Xinci found no other problems and told Shan Lei to quickly go and release the mutated beasts, so as not to delay the Venerable’s plans.
A’Ling had originally been waiting for Lan Fushang to return to return the Five Flame Spiritual Energy-Condensing Pill to her. She hadn’t expected that this wait would last a whole month.
During this month, every morning when the communication bell rang, she would guess if Lan Fushang had come, but each time she opened the door, it was Shi Qingqian.
Her daily, punctual appearances at A’Ling’s Cave Abode entrance, each time carrying many items…
Now, the entire Warm Tower Cave Abode—no, the entire Mystic Crane Mountain—probably knew of Shi Qingqian’s feelings for her.
Wherever A’Ling went now, there were always fellow disciples, directly or indirectly, asking her about her relationship with Shi Qingqian.
They said all sorts of things.
Luckily, A’Ling had been very busy recently and had no time or inclination to bother with these rumors.
A’Ling and Gu Jingyang were about to depart for Pi Lingyun Valley to repair the barrier. The situation there was complex, and Heng Qingyi was very worried, so he wanted to teach them as much as possible before their departure, leaving the rest for them to gradually grasp. Going to Pi Lingyun Valley would also be a good opportunity for more practice.
A’Ling’s mind was currently focused on how to successfully master the magical technique of spatial transmission.
She now understood the gap between her and Gu Jingyang in terms of magical technique talent.
Every time Heng Qingyi taught them a high-level magical technique, although Gu Jingyang couldn’t learn it just by looking, she could basically succeed after practicing once or twice.
But A’Ling was different. A magical technique Gu Jingyang learned in fifteen minutes would take her a full day, and sometimes even a full day wasn’t enough.
For a high-level magical technique like spatial transmission, it had been almost a month, yet she hadn’t succeeded even once.
She had tried to transmit from inside her Cave Abode to outside, but failed.
But Gu Jingyang could already directly transmit from her Cave Abode to A’Ling’s.
This also meant that if A’Ling didn’t respond for a long time via stone mirror communication, Gu Jingyang would directly flash in front of her, which was truly terrifying.
Now, whenever A’Ling returned to her Cave Abode, she had to set up a strong barrier.
Thinking of this past month, avoiding Shi Qingqian in the mornings and Gu Jingyang in the evenings, A’Ling’s heart twitched at the thought.
When she heard that Lan Fushang had come down from Summer Shadow Peak and had an Cave Abode on Yiqing Mountain, A’Ling immediately brought gifts and sought her out.
Lan Fushang hadn’t seen A’Ling for a month and missed her very much.
“A’Ling, I was just about to look for you! I didn’t expect you to come first.” Seeing A’Ling at the door, Lan Fushang was very happy and quickly welcomed her in.
“It means I miss you more,” A’Ling teased.
Lan Fushang laughed. “Come in quickly and sit. Look at these things, they’re all for you.”
A’Ling looked at the bottles and jars on the table, asking in confusion, “What are all these?”
Lan Fushang explained, “They’re all medicinal pills and healing salves. I learned a lot this past month at Summer Shadow Peak and refined many things I couldn’t refine before. This batch is for you.”
A’Ling saw her excited tone and vibrant spirits. She must not have been bullied at Summer Shadow Peak, and A’Ling felt relieved.
Just as she was about to refuse her kindness, a familiar voice came from the doorway.
“I went to your Cave Abode and didn’t find anyone. I knew then you must be hiding here.”
Gu Jingyang smiled, folded her umbrella, and walked in.
A’Ling looked at the umbrella in her hand, asking in confusion, “Is it raining?”
“It started raining when I came out of your Cave Abode.” After replying to her, she smiled and greeted Lan Fushang, “How was this past month? How did you come down from Summer Shadow Peak so quickly and establish your own Cave Abode?”
Lan Fushang’s eyes curved at seeing Gu Jingyang. “I wasn’t used to living there. After I asked the Peak Master, she agreed, so I came down.”
She wasn’t lying. That floating mountain body, every time she walked to the edge, she felt very uncomfortable with the feeling of not being able to stand firmly on solid ground.
Gu Jingyang smiled. “You wouldn’t have been able to stay long anyway. Next month, we’re all setting off for Pi Lingyun Valley together.”
“Is the date fixed?” Lan Fushang asked.
“Mm.” Gu Jingyang said, then turned to A’Ling. “Did Qingqian tell you?”
A’Ling felt annoyed at the mention of the name. “Why should she tell me? Wouldn’t it be the same if you told me?”
“You’ve been avoiding her for a month now. Are you still going to continue avoiding her?”
A’Ling pouted. “What are you talking about? When did I ever avoid her?”
Gu Jingyang smiled without speaking, only looking at her with her eyes. After a while, she said faintly, “Qingqian is the Master in charge this time. Only Fushang has not been informed of the departure date yet. She must be on her way here.”
“Oh no,” A’Ling thought upon hearing that. “It’s true. That person will definitely come to find Lan Fushang.”
“I just remembered, I have something else to do. I’ll be leaving now.”
A’Ling said this without waiting for the two to reply. She stood up and walked out.
Just as she exited Lan Fushang’s Cave Abode, she perfectly collided head-on with the person holding a plain umbrella, walking out of the rain.
Shi Qingqian looked at the person in front of her who was about to run upon seeing her. Shi Qingqian was a step faster and stepped sideways, blocking the direction A’Ling was trying to escape.
She tilted her umbrella slightly, covering the person who had rushed out without an umbrella or protective barrier. She shielded A’Ling from the fine rain falling from the sky.
In the light drizzle, Shi Qingqian’s somewhat melancholic voice seemed to carry a hint of dampness, too.
“Are you avoiding me?”
