The two of them arrived at the Library of Scriptures.
The Library of the Haiqian Sect was divided into five floors. The first three were open to outer disciples, while the top two were reserved strictly for inner disciples and elders.
Song Shenshi ignored the “Outer Disciples Halt” sign at the third-floor staircase. After opening the formation with her token, she led Lu Xiangyu inside.
“Heh… hehe…” a certain undercover demonic cultivator gave a wry smile.
The top two floors housed profound high-level secret manuals. Looking at the dense arrays of scrolls and books, Lu Xiangyu felt a headache coming on. Fortunately, Song Shenshi walked ahead, picking and choosing as she went, while Lu Xiangyu only had to catch them in time.
She glanced at the secret manuals in her arms: The Executioner’s Sword Array, The Great Cavern Scripture of Purity, The Heavenly Dao Sword Style, The Purple Mansion Immortal Scripture… not a single thought was given to whether she could actually learn them.
She suspected Song Shenshi wasn’t even choosing carefully; she was simply grabbing whatever looked impressive or pleasing to the eye! Lu Xiangyu couldn’t learn these ghostly things at all!
Song Shenshi then pulled out a copy of the Guanyin Sutra for Relieving Suffering. Lu Xiangyu’s face soured at the name, though she accepted it reverently.
“No, wait, Senior Sister… I appreciate you spending so much to pick these manuals for me, but the minor trials are coming up soon. I probably won’t be able to learn even a single page of these,” Lu Xiangyu said painfully.
“It’s fine. As long as you can defeat your opponents on the stage and hold out until the finals,” Song Shenshi paused, glancing at Lu Xiangyu before adding, “I’ve saved up my merit points for a long time. If I don’t buy high-level manuals, it’s quite hard to spend them all.”
“…” Great. She was simply enjoying the thrill of a shopping spree.
Lu Xiangyu stared at her resentfully for a long while, staring until this ascetic “Living Bodhisattva” actually began to feel embarrassed.
Suddenly, Lu Xiangyu broke into a smile.
Her eyes were large and round, with the corners slightly upturned. When she smiled, her cheeks puffed out, making her look adorable and innocent—yet others could always detect an unhidden craftiness in those dark eyes, as if she were always plotting mischief.
She had been observing for a while. Very few disciples ever came up to the top two floors of the Library, and they had already reached the deep recesses of the bookshelves.
She set the pile of books down on a stack of volumes. When Song Shenshi turned back to her in confusion, Lu Xiangyu seized the opportunity. She leaned in abruptly, pressing her hand against the shelf and bringing her breath close to the tip of the other woman’s nose.
She smiled, her expression tracing a hint of seductiveness. “Senior Sister, buying these things is useless. Why don’t you teach me personally instead?”
Lu Xiangyu flicked Song Shenshi’s fingertip. The other woman seemed to haven’t reacted yet, but just as Lu Xiangyu was about to make her next move, a soft sound came from the adjacent bookshelf. Both of them turned their heads.
“…” Lu Xiangyu pulled away and looked at the newcomer.
The tall, thin man behind the bookshelf looked as though he had only just discovered them. He dazed for a moment under their gaze, then his cold, handsome face nodded toward Song Shenshi in greeting.
Dressed in black, the man was exceptionally handsome. Slightly curly hair fell across his brow, adding a touch of rogue charm to his fine features.
He nodded and spoke: “Miss Song, it has been a long time.”
Lu Xiangyu narrowed her eyes… the second “Blue-Faced Confidant” (male lead) had appeared: Lin Feiyuan. She looked at the movement of his Adam’s apple.
His words were brief, but Lin Feiyuan’s inner monologue was likely ten times longer. Contrary to his cold exterior, this man was an expert at self-delusion. Normally, this would be a “ship-worthy” moment, but Lu Xiangyu was already firmly on “Team Senior Brother Li,” and seeing this guy made her slightly annoyed.
She saw right through what he was thinking.
…Ever since that day I was rescued by Miss Song, we haven’t met. She must have been worried about me to come to the Library specifically to run into me. She is truly devoted.
Seeing Song Shenshi smile at him gently, Lin Feiyuan became even more certain of his guess, a wave of warmth rising in his heart.
“It has been a long time.” Sure enough, Song Shenshi’s gaze—filled with a touch of melancholy and faint sadness—seemed stuck on him as she waited for him to approach.
Lin Feiyuan walked toward the two of them.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, how is your memory recovery progressing?” Song Shenshi’s gaze was a bit vacant at this moment. Unfortunately, both of them were looking at Lin Feiyuan, so they didn’t notice that the tips of her ears were turning slightly red.
Lin Feiyuan slowly shook his head and bowed when he reached them.
“I have not yet recalled my past memories. Fortunately, your sect allowed me to recuperate in the Spirit Pool; my injuries are mostly healed.” Having said that, Lin Feiyuan raised his hand. A swirl of pure Wind Spiritual Energy circled his palm before he drew it back into his body.
“Fellow Daoist Lin is a Wind Cultivator.” Song Shenshi nodded and lowered her head in thought for a moment. “Your spiritual energy is pure and profound; you must have practiced for many years. Nowadays, most sects focus on functional techniques; there aren’t many ‘Root Sects’ left that focus on pure elemental roots. You might be able to find your sect through this clue.”
“…” Seeing the two of them getting along better and better, and seeing the “Affection Meter” above Lin Feiyuan’s head skyrocketing, Lu Xiangyu couldn’t sit still. She put on a starry-eyed expression and asked, “Senior Brother Lin must be one of those legendary ‘Single Spiritual Root’ geniuses! You must be amazing! They say any cultivator from a Root Sect is stronger than sword or saber users! Is Senior Brother Lin really that strong?”
“He is not your Senior Brother…” Song Shenshi frowned and pulled Lu Xiangyu back, then explained to Lin Feiyuan, “This is my junior sister from Bishui Peak. Please forgive her.”
Lin Feiyuan cupped his hands again. “I am Lin Feiyuan. I am not a member of the Haiqian Sect; I am merely here recovering from my injuries thanks to Miss Song’s kindness.”
“Senior Sister,” Lu Xiangyu stirred the pot from the side, “He seems to be healed now. Why don’t we have a spar with him? I want to see whether a Wind Cultivator or a Sword Cultivator is stronger.”
Before Song Shenshi could speak, Lin Feiyuan chuckled. “Little girl, you may not know, but I possess a celestial body. Furthermore, now that my injuries are healed, Miss Song might not be my match in terms of pure strength—but I owe her my life.”
“My junior sister meant no offense, I hope you won’t take it to heart,” Song Shenshi bowed to Lin Feiyuan in apology, then shot Lu Xiangyu a fierce, warning glare.
“Eh…”
Lin Feiyuan felt a surge of elation, completely missing the flirtatious interaction between the two women. He stood up and said, “Miss, have you come to the Library to search for cultivation manuals as well? I have accumulated many merit points this month. If you need any help, I can cover the cost for you.”
“…Of course, of course! I definitely need that!” Seizing the opportunity, Lu Xiangyu darted over to Lin Feiyuan’s side to hide, then grabbed a random manual from the shelf and tossed it to him.
“Then I’ll have to trouble Brother Lin to carry these for me, hahaha…”
“…” Song Shenshi remained speechless for a long time.
Lu Xiangyu scurried between the bookshelves as if fleeing from something, though it wasn’t clear what. In short, she wasn’t picking seriously at all; she simply grabbed whatever came to hand and handed it to Lin Feiyuan. She even took some manuals that were torn or incomplete. Soon, Lin Feiyuan was laden with a mountain-high stack of secret manuals.
When it came time to pay, Lin Feiyuan’s merit points were indeed sufficient. He bid farewell to the two of them for the time being while Lu Xiangyu continued to rummage through the piles of books.
“You must learn all of these techniques,” Song Shenshi remarked from the side.
“I know, Senior Sister~” Lu Xiangyu took a few tattered manuals, flipped through them casually, and chatted with Song Shenshi.
“Senior Sister, didn’t you say only inner disciples could enter the top floor? Why was that man there?”
“Lin Feiyuan’s status is special,” Song Shenshi explained. “Although he is a cultivator from outside the sect, his inherent strength is formidable. He is someone worth befriending.”
“I guess it really all comes down to cultivation level in the end…” Lu Xiangyu sighed performatively.
Most of the manuals purchased in the Library had fresh pages; they weren’t original manuscripts but copies transcribed by disciples of the Haiqian Sect. As long as one had enough merit points, every disciple could have their fill.
Lu Xiangyu had enjoyed the “shopping” part, but her face soured the moment they left. Because her disciple token had limited storage capacity, the mountain of books had to be carried on her person, nearly crushing her small, frail frame.
She moved slower than a tortoise, trembling with every step.
Yet her “considerate” Senior Sister acted as if she saw nothing, drifting far ahead like a celestial being untouched by the dust of the world.
“No… I can’t… I’m going to die of exhaustion.”
Lu Xiangyu finally couldn’t take it anymore. She tossed the books into the air, and the cultivation manuals scattered all over the ascending “Immortal Stairs” with a loud clatter.
Nearby disciples poked their heads out to watch.
Not far off, Song Shenshi frowned almost imperceptibly.
Lu Xiangyu saw it and felt certain that the other woman was about to get angry.
Song Shenshi walked toward her in a few strides, her expression calm. She bent down to pick up the manuals at Lu Xiangyu’s feet one by one. When she lifted her face, a cool breeze carrying a chilled fragrance swept into Lu Xiangyu’s sweaty collar.
“It was my oversight,” Song Shenshi said, holding the books in one arm. Her eyes, as gentle as autumn water, were full of self-reproach.
“Haha, they’re pretty heavy, right?” Lu Xiangyu gave a dry laugh.
Song Shenshi closed her eyes and let out a sigh.
“Junior Sister, your aptitude is poor, your cultivation skills are lacking, your temperament is lazy, and your constitution resembles that of someone chronically ill.”
“…Pfft.” Hearing this, Lu Xiangyu nearly spat out a mouthful of blood from internal injuries.
Her vision blurred, and in her daze, she saw Song Shenshi’s goddess-like, beautiful smile.
“But do not worry. During this time, I will definitely put forth my best efforts to assist you in your cultivation.”
“…”
Senior Sister Song was true to her word.
Lu Xiangyu didn’t even know how she was still alive in the Haiqian Sect. Was it because she had died once already and turned into a sentient zombie?
Dawn broke early at Bishui Peak. Taking advantage of the fact that she didn’t need sleep, Song Shenshi dragged Lu Xiangyu out of bed just as the sky began to turn grey.
She fed her only a plate of pickles and two large steamed buns before forcing her to hold a horse stance for four hours, calling it “stabilizing the foundation.”
Initially, Lu Xiangyu couldn’t hold it. Song Shenshi wasn’t watching her every second, but she had cast a spell on the bamboo grass in the courtyard; whenever Lu Xiangyu wavered, she would be struck by a whip of grass.
It made her wail and cry. Her thin legs swelled up until they were as thick as pig trotters. Whether she could hold the stance or not, she had to hold it.
Afterward, Song Shenshi arranged for her to study heart methods and scriptures.
Lu Xiangyu was handed the familiar Mencius.
“When Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on any man, it will first exercise his mind with suffering, and his sinews and bones with toil. It will expose his body to hunger…”
Reading it made Lu Xiangyu feel absolutely miserable, so she wolfed down two more large buns.
When evening came, Lu Xiangyu thought she could sneak off to rest, but Song Shenshi returned from outside and tossed a bag of spirit stones into her arms.
“Your cultivation lags behind others; you must not be negligent,” Senior Sister Song said. “These spirit stones are from my personal savings. Refine them today to nourish your body with spiritual energy. It will make your future cultivation less arduous.”
“Senior Sister is so thoughtful… thank you.” Lu Xiangyu took the stones, moved to tears as she cupped her fists in gratitude.
But Song Shenshi didn’t leave. Her eyes shimmered under the moonlight as she stared at her.
“…” Lu Xiangyu hesitated to speak.
“I’m afraid you might make a mistake with the heart method, so I will watch you practice.”
“Senior Sister is so… kind,” Lu Xiangyu said, grinding her teeth.
She absorbed the spiritual energy of all five spirit stones into her body.
It was impossible to be used to it. Lu Xiangyu had previously practiced demonic arts. Although she had stayed in the Haiqian Sect in a mortal body for a few days, the entry of pure spiritual energy into her meridians still felt as painful as the twist of a knife.
She spent the time she should have been sleeping meditating to digest the energy. Later, when she finally couldn’t hold out and fell asleep, she was dragged back up by Song Shenshi in less than two hours for more “devil training.”
She suspected this was all a personal vendetta for what happened at the Library that day! It was truly infuriating!