“What kind of mischief are you doing to Little Junior Sister again?”
The voice from behind made Lu Xiangyu jump. She nearly leaped out of her skin, but she regained her composure quickly. Turning around, she flashed a smile that looked exceptionally stiff and “well-behaved.”
“Ahem… Senior Sister, I just felt a special kinship with Little Senior Sister Miao. And this must be Senior Brother Li Wenran, right?” Her smile broadened.
Li Wenran lived up to his name. Unlike Song Shenshi, who was a hypocritical “smiling tiger,” he exuded a genuine warmth and gentleness from the inside out. He offered a polite, refined smile.
“So this is the Little Junior Sister of our Bishui Peak? Your Senior Sister Song was just telling me about you. She thinks very highly of you and hopes you can pass the entry trials soon to join Bishui Peak.”
“Of course, of course. Senior Brother is too kind,” Lu Xiangyu replied with a strained, bitter smile.
“Senior Brother Li… Senior Sister Song…” Miao Jiu sucked on her fingertip, looking back and forth between Li Wenran and Song Shenshi. Lu Xiangyu’s “demonic whispers” from moments ago echoed in her mind.
If I like Senior Sister Song, then she won’t be a love rival…
Her soul seemed to drift away from her body, as if she were floating far above the ground. Her entire face began to flush with heat under the mental struggle until she couldn’t take it anymore and suddenly bolted into the Interior Affairs Building.
“Hey!” Lu Xiangyu was shocked. “Little Junior Sister Miao, come back and clear my name first!”
Pfft.
Lu Xiangyu turned back to see the two of them laughing. Song Shenshi covered her mouth with the back of her hand. When she looked at Lu Xiangyu, her eyes held a glimmer of amusement, and her usually sword-sharp gaze softened slightly.
“I’ll let it slide this time. Junior Sister, I hope you won’t do it again.” She seemed to be implying something deeper.
“Senior Sister, Little Junior Sister Miao even left a sachet for you.” Lu Xiangyu pulled out the little tiger sachet.
“…” Song Shenshi stared at it for a moment. She could tell at a glance it was just an ordinary sachet—finely embroidered and cute, but useless.
“You keep it.”
Song Shenshi turned and walked away.
“Eh?” Lu Xiangyu looked at her retreating figure in surprise.
…
Li Wenran was equally stunned, standing frozen in place.
Suddenly, as he watched Song Shenshi, his expression began to shift. Emotions long buried deep in his heart surfaced—limitless sorrow, confusion, melancholy, and a deep-seated love and longing that felt like it was drowning in a dark pool.
“I love her,” Lu Xiangyu narrated internally, mimicking Senior Brother Li’s soulful voice. “I must have her, before she leaves me forever.”
After “dubbing” the scene, Lu Xiangyu almost moved herself to tears. Little pearls dropping, moe-girl style.
Senior Brother Li, even though you’re written out of the story in the next arc, you’re better than any of the harem members that come later. Promise me you’ll try your best, okay?
Li Wenran was clearly not thinking about romance. He simply shook his head helplessly at Song Shenshi’s back and whispered, “Junior Sister, your temperament is still so cold…”
He then realized Lu Xiangyu was still there and started slightly. “Junior Sister Xiaoyu, why are you still here?”
“Ah? Oh!” Lu Xiangyu realized Song Shenshi was heading toward the Naxian (Talent Recruitment) Building next to the Interior Affairs Building. Song Shenshi was already being surrounded by a crowd of outer disciples; it looked like there would be a spectacle for a while.
She had been so busy enjoying the drama that she forgot her actual business—she hadn’t even joined the famous Haiqian Sect yet!
“Senior Sister Song, wait for me!” Lu Xiangyu shoved a handful of melon seeds into Li Wenran’s hand and ran cheerfully toward the Naxian Building.
“…” Li Wenran remained where he was. He remembered that when his Junior Sister set out fifteen days ago, she had only taken a mission to investigate the array eye at Gray Wolf Town. Yet seeing her again, she had already crossed that threshold.
Li Wenran knew that his Junior Sister was born for cultivation, and her temperament reflected that. Their Master often taught her to love the sect and protect mortals, telling her to learn from Li Wenran. However, Song Shenshi had only learned the superficial appearance of kindness. Li Wenran had often doubted if she could truly change.
But now, she had saved someone and brought her back. Even though this girl’s talent was mediocre, Song Shenshi was willing to protect her.
As Li Wenran watched Lu Xiangyu’s frolicking figure, his gaze grew warmer, even slightly misty.
Junior Sister, now that you have Junior Sister Xiaoyu, everything will turn out fine, Li Wenran thought.
“Uh… well then.”
When Lu Xiangyu arrived outside the Naxian Building, she sensed the atmosphere was somewhat awkward.
The previously boisterous crowd had suddenly gone silent before scattering like startled birds. Lu Xiangyu didn’t even get a chance to say hello.
Only three people remained in front of the building: Song Shenshi, Lu Xiangyu, and an old man who had just descended from the building. Half his body was shrouded in the shadow of the eaves, and his aura was terrifying—Elder Lou.
“…” Lu Xiangyu heard herself gulp.
Technically, none of the elders in the Haiqian Sect had surpassed the Soul Forging stage to reach the Deity Transformation stage. With Song Shenshi’s current strength, even if she had lost a massive amount of spiritual energy, killing everyone in the Haiqian Sect would just be a matter of how much effort it took… but Elder Lou had an incredibly fierce face. Coupled with his Mid-Enlightenment cultivation, he possessed a god-like majesty.
Seeing him in person, Lu Xiangyu finally understood why he was the General Elder of the Four Buildings, the man in charge of all outer disciples.
“Song Shenshi.” Elder Lou wore the black-patterned Daoist robes of the Haiqian Sect and gripped a dragon-headed locust wood staff. He slammed it heavily against the bluestone floor, creating a dull, heavy thud.
His gaze pressed down on the green-robed female cultivator with immense pressure.
“Are you truly going to violate the rules of the Haiqian Sect for this child?”
Facing Elder Lou, Song Shenshi had to be solemn. She bowed deeply. “This disciple admits her fault. However, I cannot stand by and watch this girl be homeless. I brought Lu Xiaoyu back, and I must be responsible for her. I hope the Elder will grant this.”
“…” Lu Xiangyu’s mouth hung open.
Li Wenran, who hadn’t left yet, walked up to her and patted her shoulder gently. “Junior Sister Xiaoyu, don’t worry. Junior Sister Song will settle your matters.”
No, wait, what crime did I commit? Lu Xiangyu thought, her ears burning.
Doesn’t your Haiqian Sect have a rule about recruiting disciples once every two months? Can’t you just wait until the time comes? Why make such a big scene? Even with her thick skin, Lu Xiangyu wanted to find a hole to crawl into.
…
The wind whistled, and the square gradually emptied until even the sound of a leaf hitting the ground was audible.
The straight-backed female cultivator in green and the stubborn, eccentric Elder Lou remained in a standoff before the Naxian Building. Their confrontation was so intense that the disciples living in the building had to use the side door just to go get their dinner.
Word was spreading fast: Song Shenshi of Bishui Peak had brought back a Little Junior Sister and was willing to break sect rules just to get her onto the peak. Rumor had it they were extremely close—sharing-the-same-blanket kind of close.
Lu Xiangyu didn’t know the rumors were becoming so outrageous yet, but she was currently “hard-CC’d” (crowd-controlled) in place.
“Do you… truly intend to do this?” Elder Lou spoke hoarsely.
Song Shenshi bowed again and answered seriously, “This disciple is certain.”
“…” Elder Lou breathed heavily. He eventually turned and gestured toward the building. “Come in then. And that one… what was it, Lu Xiaoyu?”
“…Heh.” Lu Xiangyu’s mouth twitched. Song Shenshi didn’t look at her once throughout the exchange; she just walked straight in. It was only when Li Wenran gave her a gentle nudge from behind that Lu Xiangyu followed reluctantly.
You bastard, this sense of déjà vu… those in the know think you’re smuggling in a demonic undercover agent, but those who don’t probably think we were caught in an affair and you’re just doubling down.
Lu Xiangyu walked into the Naxian Building feeling rather dejected. Song Shenshi, however, had much thicker skin; even as she was being lectured by Elder Lou, her expression remained indifferent, showing no reaction at all.
“Hmph, don’t think that just because you are Xiao Yu’s favorite disciple, I, Lou Youjun, have to give you extra face.”
Elder Lou huffed as he rummaged behind his desk. He pulled out a sheet of Xuan paper, picked up a brush, licked the tip with his darkened tongue, and dipped it into the inkstone.
He scribbled two words with flamboyant strokes, then lazily lifted his eyelids to squint at Song Shenshi. Standing behind her, Lu Xiangyu could clearly feel Song Shenshi standing even straighter.
…So it turns out even geniuses get nervous in front of a strict teacher.
“I forgot to ask—has this child ‘Opened her Wisdom’ yet?” Elder Lou narrowed his eyes, his gaze landing on Lu Xiangyu.
This was a mandatory process for the sect to recruit outer disciples. In spiritual cultivation, the entry level is called “Opening Wisdom”—it serves to enlighten the dull-witted, allowing them to gain the method of sensing Heaven and Earth. If a mortal is being recruited, a senior brother or sister from the sect sets up an array to help the initiate realize this state.
After Opening Wisdom, everyone’s aptitude differs, leading to different cultivation speeds. However, in the world of The Immortal-Slaying Sword, the realms of cultivation were relatively broad, and one’s worth wasn’t strictly judged by their aptitude at this stage.
“I have, I have!” Lu Xiangyu chirped with a grin, her eyes seemingly filled with starlight. She looked at Song Shenshi with admiration and leaned in closer. “This junior was fortunate enough to witness Senior Sister Song battling demons with my own eyes. At that time, Senior Sister’s spiritual energy entered my body—it was a bit of an accident~”
Yes, a “bit of an accident”—Song Shenshi had “purified” her demonic body using an incredibly brutal, harrowing method.
Song Shenshi nodded slightly, accepting this version of the story. “It was indeed an accident, not something I did intentionally.”
“…” Elder Lou eyed the two of them suspiciously. Heaven knows what the old man was thinking. He eventually set the brush down and stroked his long beard.
“I see. Since this child has already Opened her Wisdom, it saves us some trouble,” he said, though a trace of doubt remained in his eyes. He looked at Song Shenshi, his gaze gradually intensifying.
Song Shenshi was already tense, and with Lu Xiangyu giggling beside her, she reacted instinctively. Before she knew it, Lu Xiangyu felt her hand being suddenly grabbed.
Song Shenshi pulled her behind her back, shielding her and facing Lou Youjun’s scrutiny alone.
“Elder Lou,” she spoke up, a subtle warning in her voice.
“…” Lu Xiangyu suddenly understood just how brilliant and meticulous Song Shenshi was being.
She couldn’t wait until next month to join the other mortals rescued from the Demon Realm. By then, the Haiqian Sect would have prepared a Great Exorcism Array to thoroughly cleanse them of demonic qi. This “Spiritual Essence Treasure” might not be able to withstand such a thing. If she entered the sect early, she could dodge that ordeal.
Only then did Lu Xiangyu realize that Song Shenshi was also gambling with her own life.
Song Shenshi was the pride of Elder Xiao’s Bishui Peak, and her cultivation progress was unparalleled in the Haiqian Sect. She was likely only nineteen now. Because she was so young, the elders with mediocre talent hadn’t even realized that Song Shenshi was already capable of “Immortal Forging.”
“You… you have already attained the Immortal Body? You are practicing the Sword Spirit Method?” The wrinkles on Elder Lou’s forehead deepened. He raised his eyebrows in shock, his eyes naturally filling with joy.
Immortal Forging is not necessarily a good thing for an ordinary cultivator. Once it begins, it cannot be stopped; one either regrets it for the rest of their life or maintains a steadfast Dao heart to cross this realm entirely, entering a purgatory-like world completely different from the ordinary mortal realm. Song Shenshi was clearly challenging the latter.
“Yes. Days ago when I left the sect, I was accidentally caught in a Small World on the road and found an opportunity there,” Song Shenshi said with a nod. Her voice sounded normal, but if one listened closely, they could hear a slight tremor.
Good, good… he didn’t notice.
Lu Xiangyu also breathed a sigh of relief.
“Good! Truly worthy of being Xiao Yu’s disciple! The eternal souls of our Songshan ancestors are watching over us, blessing this disciple with a smooth path to immortality! The future generations of Songshan are truly blessed!” Elder Lou laughed exaggeratedly, a sound that made both of the girls—who had just relaxed—feel their skin crawl.
Then, Lou Youjun stood up, coughed, and regained his composure, looking as if he had never lost his cool, despite the shocked stares of the two girls.
He paused and glanced sideways at them.
“Hmph. Don’t think that just because you’ve attained the Immortal Body you can step over my Naxian Building. Even if you are in Immortal Forging, you still have to address me as Elder Lou before you can use the back door.”
“Thank you, Elder Lou,” the two of them bowed obediently.