Jiang Yishu gazed at the Nail Ladder shimmering with red and purple light in the distance and climbed toward it without hesitation.
Her robes were soaked crimson with blood, leaving a trail of gore in her wake.
Only then did she understand the significance of the dagger the elder had given her. Beneath the Nail Ladder lurked Frenzied Demon Beasts, their sharp claws capable of scraping bone and tearing flesh.
Once again, Jiang Yishu felt grateful she had dripped blood onto her bracelet before coming. Though her body was covered in wounds, a faint glow emitted from the bracelet, protecting her heart meridian from within and allowing her to receive simple commands.
Jiang Yijun’s final palm strike had been aimed at taking her life.
If not for the bracelet protecting her at the critical moment, Jiang Yijun might have succeeded.
Fortunately, only her meridians were severed. Her cultivation had fallen from the mid-stage Golden Core to the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, but under the bracelet’s concealment, she appeared as nothing more than a cripple.
The Thousand-Step Spike Stairs were not merely studded with spikes—they also spewed flames, lightning, earth spikes, and Man-Eating Vines.
By the time Jiang Yishu finally reached the bottom of the Thousand-Step Spike Stairs, her entire body was charred black. Apart from her face, which she had instinctively shielded, not a single patch of skin remained unscathed.
The guards below paid no heed to whether Jiang Yishu was alive or dead. Grabbing her by one leg, they hurled her off the cliff.
“What a pity. It’s rare to see a beauty daring to challenge these Thousand-Step Spike Stairs, only to end up like a corpse, devoid of any interest.
We outer disciples face countless hardships trying to enter the sect. Why are these people so ungrateful, insisting on leaving Qingyun Sect?”
At the bottom of the cliff.
“Damn Qingyun Sect, throwing trash around again! Don’t they know Youxiang Valley is full of treasures?”
A man tidying his hair roared angrily while carefully plucking a flower glowing with white fluorescence. Turning around, he saw a charred corpse and stumbled backward in fright, landing hard on his rear.
Regaining his composure, he cautiously approached and reached out to feel her faint pulse. He then shouted, “Senior Sister, come quickly! Someone needs saving!”
A girl carrying a pipa, her doll-like face filled with impatience, snapped, “Gu Jin, if you keep making such a fuss, don’t expect me to gather herbs with you ever again.”
“I need to protect the Youming Flower and can’t carry her. Senior Sister, please, be kind and take her back to the sect. I’ll give you a whole jar of the Beauty-Preserving Pill you want!”
Senior Sister Liu Rutang immediately broke into a delighted smile. Tossing the pipa onto her back, she happily picked up Jiang Yishu, even giving her a little bounce.
“Deal! How strange, are all girls’ bodies this soft? What kind of grudge led to injuries like these? Only her face is still recognizable.”
“Second Junior Brother, remember to make me the Beauty-Preserving Pill. I’ll go find Master to save her life first.”
When Jiang Yishu slowly regained consciousness, three faces came into view. Guardedly, she asked, “Who are you?”
A white-haired man gently advised, “Don’t move. We’ve just finished bandaging you. All you need to do now is rest and recover. You’ve been unconscious for ten days.”
The doll-faced girl chimed in, “You’re lucky my master saved you. Otherwise, even your meridians wouldn’t have been preserved.”
Beside them, a boy combing his hair with a golden comb looked on curiously. “What’s your background? Injuries like these—ordinary people couldn’t survive them all at once. Even with a Heart-Protecting Pill, you should have died by all accounts.”
Seeing Jiang Yishu frown, the white-haired man hurriedly shooed his two noisy disciples out of the room. Sensing her pulse gradually growing stronger, he sat down beside Jiang Yishu.
“This is Xiaoyao Sect. I am the sect leader, Xie Lingjun. They are my disciples, Liu Rutang and Gu Jin. You are a disciple of Qingyun Sect, right? Regardless of why you left Qingyun Sect, please believe that we mean you no harm.”
“If you are uneasy, once your injuries have healed, you may leave whenever you wish.”
“Although I forcibly reconnected your meridians, your Spiritual Root is fractured and will not heal so quickly. Rest and recover peacefully. Someone who paid such a great price to leave their sect likely has no intention of seeking death.”
Jiang Yishu had attended many sect gatherings, large and small, in her past life, but she had never seen the man before her. She only remembered that Xiaoyao Sect always ranked last, barely retaining their qualification for the next competition.
“How do you know I left Qingyun Sect? By saving me, aren’t you afraid of causing trouble? What is your purpose?”
A smile spread across Xie Lingjun’s eyes and brows, instantly melting like ice and snow.
“Those who descend the Thousand-Step Spike Stairs suffer such torment only to leave their sect. A discarded piece like you can bring no trouble. Little one, stop probing blindly. Focus on recovering. Overthinking will stunt your growth.”
“How do you know I came down from the Thousand-Step Spike Stairs?”
Jiang Yishu’s wariness did not lessen in the slightest; instead, it grew into deeper apprehension.
It was said that only one person had ever survived Qingyun Sect’s Thousand-Step Spike Stairs, and that person’s identity had nearly become a forbidden secret within the sect, unknown to anyone.
She had only become the second survivor by taking a gamble.
“I’ve seen injuries similar to yours before. Alright, if you have questions, ask Gu Jin—the little chubby one from earlier. If nothing major happens, we likely won’t meet again.”
After Xie Lingjun left, Jiang Yishu realized her entire body was wrapped in white bandages—no wonder even moving was exhausting.
Jiang Yishu strained to lift the hand wearing the bracelet. The golden area on it had expanded slightly. With a thought, she withdrew the concealment from her Water Spiritual Root within her body—it remained intact and undamaged.
Golden light slowly followed her heart meridian, repairing the internal network of her meridians. He had truly reconnected them.
Jiang Yishu struggled to recall any details about Xiaoyao Sect.
She only remembered that Xiaoyao Sect always fielded only four members in battles. Because of their small numbers, they could not participate in team battles, so they consistently ranked last. Yet, the camaraderie among them was enviable.
As for the sect leader of Xiaoyao Sect, whom she had never seen before—despite him restraining his aura, the pressure he exuded was even stronger than Xiao Yan’s.
Before Jiang Yishu could think further, a knock came from outside the door.
“Fellow cultivator, I’ve brought you some food.”
Gu Jin stated his purpose and, without waiting for Jiang Yishu to respond, hurried inside.
“Master said you shouldn’t take medicinal pills for nourishment just yet. He prepared some Spirit Beast Meat and told me to watch you eat it to replenish your strength.”
Gu Jin’s face still carried a hint of baby fat, and when he smiled, the flesh on his cheeks trembled. Fair and plump, he tried hard to avoid looking at the meat, yet swallowed saliva with every sentence he spoke.
“Fellow cultivator Gu, you eat it. I’m not hungry.”
In the past, she had gone months without food or water while injured and still survived just fine. Besides, her current injuries only looked severe externally—she wouldn’t die from them.
“How can that be? No matter how greedy I am, I have my own principles. I absolutely cannot steal meat from a patient. Hehe, besides, Master left me half a Spirit Beast—it’s enough to eat.”
“You can’t sit up easily. Let me prop up your lower back a bit higher. Once you finish eating, I can have mine.”
Gu Jin was talkative, and Jiang Yishu could hardly get a word in.
“I can do it myself… Mmm…”
Before Jiang Yishu could voice her refusal, a mouthful of fragrant meat was stuffed into her mouth.
The Spirit Beast meat had its toxicity removed, retaining only its original freshness and aroma. The Qingyun Sect did not emphasize indulgence in food and drink; if one could take Fasting Pills, they would hardly touch anything else.
Jiang Yishu originally had no appetite, yet she unknowingly finished the entire plate. Staring at the oily residue at the bottom, a faint blush spread across her face.
She actually wanted more.
Gu Jin, as if reading her thoughts, hid the plate behind his back and hesitantly refused, “There’s no more left. The rest is mine. Master said you’ve been unconscious for several days and shouldn’t replenish too much at once.”
“Understood. Thank you, Fellow Daoist Gu.”
“You’re welcome.”
Before his words fully faded, Gu Jin dashed out like a gust of wind, worried that Jiang Yishu might try to snatch his share.
Watching Gu Jin’s retreating figure, the corners of Jiang Yishu’s eyes curved slightly, revealing a faint smile.
In the distance, Xie Lingjun, enjoying his meal, curled his lips upward and murmured softly, “Still a child after all. No matter how much they pretend to be mature and guarded, they can’t hide their childish nature.”
Xie Lingjun held a faded red hair ribbon in his hand, his eyes brimming with sorrow.
“Junior Sister, the bracelet she wears looks just like the one you loved most. Could it be that child? If he were still alive, he would be about this age now.”
A teardrop fell onto the ribbon, spreading a damp stain that briefly restored its original color.