Lu Xuan’s spell was no weak attack. Had Mingming not blocked it, Ji Chen would have been gravely injured even if he survived.
The force of the spell sent Mingming flying backward. She should have landed on the ground, pretended to cough up a couple of mouthfuls of blood, and the matter would have been settled.
But she distinctly felt herself fall against someone’s body.
Before the pain reached her, she caught the fragrant scent clinging to him. Mingming’s hand rested against Lu Wei as she froze for quite a while.
Then the impact of the spell made her blood surge upward. Her head drooped weakly, and she spat out a large mouthful of blood onto his white robes.
Lu Wei let both hands hang at his sides. He did not reach out to support her, merely allowed her to lean against him.
At that moment, Lu Xuan stepped down from the trial platform. He looked at Mingming and said only to Lu Wei, “Don’t let her die.”
His voice was calm, cold to the extreme, as though the person who had just spared no effort to eliminate her opponent for her on the trial platform had not been him.
“Insolent wretch.” Lu Wei uttered only those two words.
Before everyone’s eyes, he raised a hand. A violet-gold radiance flashed beneath his palm as he prepared to discipline Lu Xuan for acting without regard for the consequences.
Lord Wuya did not hold back. If that strike landed, Lu Xuan would undoubtedly be severely injured.
Yet Lu Xuan merely kept his gaze fixed on Mingming. His thin lips, so strikingly similar to Lu Wei’s, were pressed tightly together, and he remained silent.
Mingming could sense that the punishment would likely exceed the limits of what Lu Xuan could endure. Left with no choice, she struggled to raise a hand and pressed it against the center of Lu Wei’s wrist.
She was intimately familiar with the flow of spiritual energy through Lu Wei’s meridians. Without expending much effort, she could easily dissipate the spell he was casting, yet she had to make it appear as though she had merely “accidentally” diverted his strength.
“Lord Wuya… it was my own carelessness,” Mingming called to Lu Wei in an extremely hoarse voice.
‘I can’t very well let him beat my target to death,’ Mingming thought, lowering her lashes halfway.
When she looked up again, she coughed several more mouthfuls of blood onto his robes, silently urging him to hurry and take her away for treatment instead of bothering with all this.
The white silk covering Lu Wei’s eyes fluttered gently. Mingming’s hand resting against the center of his wrist was soft and cool. The gentle touch with which it brushed past him bore an uncanny resemblance to the snake’s tail that had once entwined itself between his fingers a hundred years ago.
Almost instinctively, he raised his other hand and supported her by the waist.
With her in his arms, he left the area, and the commotion finally subsided. Ji Chen, who had been helped to his feet on the trial platform, had not suffered any serious injuries. Yet his gaze remained fixed on the direction in which Mingming had departed.
This woman… she had actually gone this far for his sake?
Seeing that the matter had more or less been resolved, Mingming finally relaxed against Lu Wei and lost consciousness.
The scent on him was far too enticing. If she did not hurry and fall asleep, she feared she would not be able to resist giving him a lick.
Mingming wrapped both arms tightly around Lu Wei, lest he lose his temper and strike her target again.
It was a long while before she awoke from her slumber. When she opened her eyes, the first person she saw was not Lu Xuan, but Lu Wei with his face drawn taut.
Ever since their reunion, Mingming had sensed a deathly stillness clinging to him. Cold, emotionless, like a snow-covered mountain that never thawed.
Now that she was observing him from such close range, that feeling became even more pronounced.
She thought, ‘How did he end up like this?’
Back then, she had chosen to die before his very eyes because she feared that afterward, he would spend his life searching for traces of her and forget to live his own life. That was why she had wanted to sever that lingering hope.
Mingming blinked silently, saying nothing as she studied Lu Wei with complete attention.
After all these years, they were still the same, both sparing with words. Yet every single time, Lu Wei was the one who broke the silence first. This time was no different.
“You’re awake?” Lu Wei asked.
“Mhm.” Mingming answered with a thick nasal tone, deliberately disguising her voice in front of Lu Wei.
“He is consumed by obsession. Following him will lead to no good end.” The “he” Lu Wei spoke of naturally referred to Lu Xuan.
“I like him,” Mingming answered with unwavering certainty.
Lu Wei froze. Many years ago, there had been someone… no, a snake, who had said something very similar to him.
He had pushed her away, telling her that following a human through the Wilderness of Eternal Night was far too dangerous. Yet she had still slithered after him, climbing up along his leg and waist until she perched on his shoulder.
“I like you. I want to follow you.” Her cool snake head had nuzzled gently against his neck.
Lu Wei pressed his thin lips together. He rose and walked out of the Medical Hall without saying another word to Mingming.
A short while later, Lu Xuan entered. He stared at Mingming lying on the bed, his gaze settling on her pale lips.
“If you had come to Changxiao Palace earlier with Su Yu, none of this would have happened,” he said to Mingming.
“It wouldn’t have been right for me to interfere with someone else’s opportunity,” Mingming replied as she sat up, pressing a hand against her chest.
She was, after all, in a human body now. An injury like this could not heal in such a short time.
Lu Xuan held out a bowl of medicinal broth in front of Mingming.
The medicine was bitter, and Mingming hated bitter things. Besides, Lu Xuan himself was so bland and detached that she did not even feel like opening her mouth.
She turned her head away. “It’s bitter.”
“Would you only drink it if my uncle came?” Suddenly, Lu Xuan set down the medicine bowl, grasped Mingming’s arm, lowered his eyes to her, and asked.
Just moments ago, she had clung to him so tightly.
Mingming looked at him and quietly shook her head.
She slipped free from Lu Xuan’s grasp, took the medicine bowl herself, and drank it down in one gulp.
Strictly speaking, even medicine retained a trace of human emotion after being prepared by human hands.
But she had no idea who had brewed this medicine. It tasted so unbearably bitter, without the slightest hint of anything pleasant.
Just then, a young medicine apprentice rushed in from outside and hurriedly said to Mingming, “Second Miss Shen, you’re awake! The Young Lord brewed this medicine himself…”
Mingming: “…”
Case solved.
Turning sideways, she propped her chin on one hand and thanked Lu Xuan.
“Have the results of the second round been announced yet?” Mingming asked.
“You barely made it through in last place,” Lu Xuan replied.
Mingming’s calculations had never been wrong. Just as she had expected, she had scraped through by the narrowest of margins. There had been no need at all for Lu Xuan to go to such lengths.
Mingming neither blamed Lu Xuan nor continued the conversation along that line. She merely turned her head to the side, once again looking as though she were about to drift off to sleep.
She really did not seem to care about him.
Yet she had still stepped in to shield him from Lu Wei’s punishment, and she never left his side.
“Shen Ming,” Lu Xuan called.
“I’m here,” Mingming answered immediately.
“Do you truly like me?”
“I truly do.” Mingming looked at him quietly as she replied.
The third round of Changxiao Palace’s Ascension Gathering was rather unique. Its purpose was to test each cultivator’s aptitude for different paths of cultivation. Only those who passed the aptitude test could officially enter Changxiao Palace.
Even though the disciples from the cultivation clans entered directly at this stage, quite a few cultivators still failed to overcome the final trial.
A day later, Mingming’s injuries had more or less healed. She attended the third round of the Ascension Gathering as usual.
The Chief Elder of Changxiao Palace, Wen Shao, appeared with a group of disciples following behind him. Each of them carried a treasure casket in their hands.
Powerful fluctuations of spiritual energy emanated from within the caskets. At a glance, it was obvious that each one contained a magical treasure of extraordinary power.
One treasure casket after another was placed before the grand hall. Under everyone’s watchful gaze, Wen Shao opened the first one.
Inside lay a silver needle. Every cultivator who drew near it could feel a fresh, healing aura emanating from it.
Behind every magical treasure stood a master. They were all elders of Changxiao Palace with profound cultivation. Whoever could resonate with a treasure would cultivate under the elder it represented.
Being able to resonate with the path of cultivation embodied by a magical treasure also meant that the cultivator was best suited to cultivating according to that particular philosophy.
For example, this silver needle represented…
“The Dao of Medicine.” Wen Shao smiled as he introduced the silver needle.
“Its previous owner was Fairy Yizhen, who ascended to immortality long ago. A thousand years ago, she saved an entire city from a plague, and the people honored her as the Immortal Physician.”
One cultivator after another voluntarily stepped forward to try resonating with the silver needle, but none managed to establish a connection with it.
That was until Shen Lin of the Shen Clan stepped forward.
“I’ll give it a try.”
The members of her clan beside her nodded, and she walked forward, placing her hand upon the silver needle.
Very soon, the silver needle shone with a dazzling radiance. It was clear that she possessed exceptional talent for this path.
Thus, Shen Lin became the first disciple to enter Changxiao Palace. Smiling, she offered her thanks to Wen Shao.
After that, one treasure casket after another was opened. Following Wen Shao’s introduction, disciples who believed themselves suited to each path stepped forward to try. One cultivator after another passed the test and entered Changxiao Palace.
Yet several exceptionally talented cultivators continued to wait. Their perception was keen enough that, even through the sealed treasure caskets, they could sense that the magical treasures in the unopened boxes were a better match for them.
Sure enough, not long afterward, Wen Shao brought forth another treasure casket. A deep, resonant hum of a blade echoed from within, as though it concealed some peerless divine weapon.
“This is a true divine artifact.” Wen Shao stroked his beard as he spoke.
“It is a relic from the ancient era, a sword left behind in the mortal world by the God of War, Yan Shanyue, during the great war between gods and demons.”
“This represents… the Dao of Battle.” Wen Shao declared, every word ringing with force.
The moment the treasure casket was opened, an icy, razor-sharp aura swept through the great hall, forcing many of the younger cultivators to instinctively retreat.
The God of War’s sword was no ordinary treasure. In the thousands of years since Changxiao Palace had been founded, not a single person had dared to make it their magical treasure.
Likewise, no one had ever succeeded in resonating with it.
Yet from the sword’s ceaseless, resonant hum, it was evident that someone in the great hall today possessed the strength to wield it.
Suddenly, the God of War’s sword burst forth with dazzling radiance. The light gathered into a single beam, and its other end came to rest…
As expected, before Lu Xuan.
“As expected of the Young Lord of Wentian City.” Wen Shao could not help but sigh in admiration. “Never before has anyone made this sword react so strongly.”
Lu Xuan walked to the center of the great hall. Looking down at the God of War’s sword, which was trembling with excitement before him, not the slightest trace of emotion appeared on his face.
“There’s one more,” Lu Xuan suddenly said, his gaze falling upon one of the unopened treasure caskets.
“Young Lord Lu, the God of War’s sword is the most powerful of all these magical treasures. Since it has resonated with you, you should choose it. None of the treasures that follow can surpass it,” Wen Shao urged.
There was unmistakable excitement in his voice. After all, this was the first time in so many years that anyone had ever resonated with the God of War’s sword.
Inside the great hall, besides the elders of Changxiao Palace, many of the cultivation world’s most influential figures were also watching this final trial.
The moment Lu Xuan resonated with the God of War’s sword, someone struck up a conversation with Lu Wei.
“Lord Wuya, it seems your nephew has a boundless future ahead of him.”
“The God of War’s sword! That’s the magical treasure the renowned God of War Yan Shanyue left behind in the mortal world!”
Lu Wei merely replied coldly, “Yet the records state that Yan Shanyue was defeated by the Great Demon Xiu within the Cangwu Slaughter Formation. It seems the title ‘God of War’ was nothing all that remarkable.”
Sure enough, Lu Xuan glanced at Wen Shao and said, “I want the other one.”
Wen Shao’s gaze fell upon the treasure casket that had already begun trembling incessantly in response to Lu Xuan’s aura. His calm, kindly expression suddenly turned to one of astonishment.
“That is…” He had someone carry the treasure casket forward. Placing a hand upon it, a trace of sorrow suddenly appeared in his eyes.
“So it’s this… it really is this.” He let out a long sigh before looking at Lu Xuan. “Young Lord Lu, this magical treasure is just as extraordinary.”
“Since you have chosen it, I shall open it for you.”
With those words, he opened the treasure casket.
Inside lay a tiny fragment of armor.
“This is the only relic left behind on the battlefield by the great general who once protected Princess Qing Ming. Like the God of War’s sword, no one but you has ever resonated with it.”
“This represents… the Dao of Protection. Young Lord Lu, are you certain you wish to accept it?” Wen Shao asked.
“I do.”
Without the slightest hesitation, Lu Xuan passed over the God of War’s sword, whose sword intent surged magnificently, and reached into the casket to pick up the fragment of armor.
He lowered his eyes toward Mingming, who sat unnoticed in an inconspicuous corner of the hall.
Sure enough, she had fallen asleep again.
Mingming was sleeping soundly, leaning against one of the pillars inside Changxiao Palace’s great hall, until Lu Xuan finally called out to her.
“You’re the only one left,” Lu Xuan said.
“Ah…” Mingming rubbed her eyes and got to her feet, preparing to step forward.
Lu Xuan stopped her. “Aren’t you going to ask which ‘Dao’ I chose?”
“Mmm… which Dao did you choose?” Mingming asked, following his lead.
Lu Xuan held out his hand to her. Resting in his palm was a worn fragment.
Mingming’s gaze swept over the fragment. Her expression remained unchanged, her eyes still veiled in a hazy mist.
“A little piece of scrap metal,” she said.
“Slow-witted,” Lu Xuan mocked.
Mingming walked to the center of the great hall. Her gaze settled on the last unopened treasure casket.
“Well… this treasure casket was added only recently. Second Miss Shen, please open it,” Wen Shao said with a wry smile.
Mingming did as instructed and opened the casket. Inside lay the most ordinary of objects, one that looked utterly out of place in a sacred immortal sect…
A spatula.
Mingming: “…” ‘Heavens… this is practically my Dao.’
“The Dao of Food, right?” Mingming took out the spatula. The instant her hand touched it, the spatula erupted with dazzling light.
At the same moment, high above in the great hall, Lu Wei, who had only been half-listening to the events below, suddenly sat bolt upright. His expression changed slightly.