With Shen Qingyi’s affirmation, Du Yuanluo became even more diligent in her sword studies, looking forward immensely to the Yunyin Peak disciples’ trials.
The trials were used to rank the junior disciples. For the past hundred years or so, Jiang Linchuan had almost always taken first place, with Shen Qingyi coming in second; the rest either improved or regressed.
In the beginning, Du Yuanluo was naturally at the very bottom. Later, during one of the trials, she managed to snag the second to last spot, which delighted her so much she threw a banquet for her fellow disciples.
Of course, those “fellow disciples” were outer disciples like her. She hadn’t felt comfortable inviting Shen Qingyi to celebrate her escaping the “last place” title.
Shen Qingyi didn’t force her way in, but she tied a flask of jade nectar to the leg of a luan bird and sent it to them, giving Du Yuanluo a great deal of face among the outer disciples.
As Du Yuanluo continued to improve little by little, the feeling was never quite as exhilarating as that first time she escaped the bottom rank.
This time, Du Yuanluo was determined to break into the top three of the outer disciples, hoping to bring honor to her Senior Sister.
Watching her eager expression, Shen Qingyi whispered, “Do you like that mirror?”
Only then did Du Yuanluo notice that the prize for first place in this competition was an ancient mirror, polished so brightly that it reflected a person with perfect clarity.
Every competition offered small magical treasures as prizes, mostly trifles meant to amuse children with little practical use. For instance, this mirror could display calculated visions of the past in the form of images.
To a true cultivator, it was just a plaything, but to an outer disciple who hadn’t even crossed the threshold of immortality, it was a rare treasure. If it fell into the mortal world, it would be considered an ancient divine artifact.
Du Yuanluo saw the mirror shimmering with silver light, decorated with mother of pearl and water chestnut flowers. It was more beautiful than any mirror she had ever seen, and she truly liked it.
However, these prizes usually had nothing to do with outer disciples.
She said with some regret, “It’s a pity I can’t win it, otherwise I would definitely give it to you, Senior Sister.”
Shen Qingyi’s mind drifted. In her past life, at this same trial, Jiang Linchuan had unsurprisingly, taken first place, and the mirror had fallen into his hands.
Back then, Shen Qingyi had been deeply displeased that she had never once beaten Jiang Linchuan. To make matters worse, Du Yuanluo had approached her at that moment to annoy her.
Carrying a sweat towel and a cup of tea, Du Yuanluo had said, “Immortal Shen is also very formidable. Please drink some water and wipe your sweat.”
Shen Qingyi knew perfectly well the tea was meant for Jiang Linchuan. Du Yuanluo just hadn’t dared to give it to him directly while she was present. Suppressing the urge to flip the tray, Shen Qingyi had turned her back coldly.
Then came Du Yuanluo’s voice: “Brother Jiang, have some tea. This silver mirror is so beautiful, let me see.”
“Hey, don’t mess around. Can’t you see Qingyi is angry? This is a gift for her.”
Jiang Linchuan never hid his attitude that Du Yuanluo was inferior, and Du Yuanluo had long since grown accustomed to it. She said with some disappointment, “Then why didn’t you let Immortal Shen win on the field? If she had taken the top prize, she wouldn’t be angry.”
“The mirror can be given away, but winning and losing on the field is determined by strength. There is no reason to yield.”
Seeing Du Yuanluo staring fixatedly at the small mirror, Jiang Linchuan comforted her in a low voice: “If Qingyi doesn’t want it, I’ll give it to you.”
Du Yuanluo was overjoyed, a rare smile appearing on her face.
Perhaps she was certain the mirror would be hers, since she had come to the mountain, she had never seen Shen Qingyi accept any of Jiang Linchuan’s advances.
Jiang Linchuan was tireless in his attentions, while Shen Qingyi met them all with a cold face.
Everyone said that Shen Qingyi didn’t used to give the Eldest Brother such a hard time, and that their relationship had only soured because of Du Yuanluo’s appearance.
Du Yuanluo had once felt very guilty, but that time, she had secretly hoped Shen Qingyi would reject the mirror.
Her days on the mountain were very dull, but she didn’t complain. Formerly, she had only thought of managing a household, if she had some spare money to fix her makeup in front of a mirror, that would be more than enough.
There were no chores to manage on Yunyin Peak, but life was lonely and tedious. This little mirror would have added a bit of joy to her life.
However, Shen Qingyi seemed to have seen through her thoughts. When Jiang Linchuan presented the mirror with a placating smile, Shen Qingyi looked at Du Yuanluo, then at Jiang Linchuan.
With a cold laugh, she snatched the mirror from Jiang Linchuan’s hand: “Thanks.”
In an instant, Du Yuanluo’s eyes were filled with unbelievable disappointment, while Shen Qingyi felt a surge of petty satisfaction that even she found shameful.
Shen Qingyi didn’t actually treasure the mirror; after returning, she had tucked it away on a high shelf.
Times had changed. Now, Shen Qingyi desperately wanted to win that mirror, not just to fulfill a wish for Du Yuanluo, but more importantly, to beat Jiang Linchuan just once.
She had to defeat Jiang Linchuan. In this life, she could not let him seize the position of Sect Leader.
After layers of trials, only Jiang Linchuan and Shen Qingyi remained on the field.
It had been this way for years, the final showdown was always between the two of them.
Shadows of swords flickered across the stage as the clash of blades and magic sparked dazzling bursts of lightning.
The crowd below cheered incessantly. Only Du Yuanluo was so nervous she nearly crushed the medicine bottle in her hand, if her Senior Sister suffered even the slightest injury, she wanted to be the first to rush up and heal her.
A nearby junior sister saw her tension and said, “Don’t worry, Eldest Brother is a man of discretion. The duel is ‘point to surface’, he won’t hurt Second Senior Sister.”
Hearing this, Du Yuanluo immediately retorted, “How do you know Eldest Brother will win? What if Second Senior Sister wins?”
“Second Senior Sister is indeed formidable, but when has she ever beaten Eldest Brother?”
“She will win one day.”
Just as Du Yuanluo finished her sentence, she was proven wrong. Shen Qingyi was struck by a palm and knocked off the stage.
Du Yuanluo was so anxious she tried to push through the crowd to help Shen Qingyi, but Jiang Linchuan was faster. His robes fluttering, he descended from the stage and reached out a hand to Shen Qingyi: “Junior Sister, thank you for the match.”
Who wants your help? Du Yuanluo grew more frantic but couldn’t squeeze through. She watched helplessly as Jiang Linchuan’s hand drew closer, nearly touching Shen Qingyi’s arm.
Suddenly, a gasp went up. The crowd quickly scattered, and Du Yuanluo, fighting against the retreating tide of people, finally pushed her way to the innermost circle.
She was stunned by the scene before her.
The moment Jiang Linchuan approached, Shen Qingyi had lunged forward with a sword thrust aimed straight at his chest. Jiang Linchuan had not expected Shen Qingyi to violently attack him in front of everyone, caught off guard, he was struck in the chest.
Fortunately, his reflexes were sharp and his evasion timely, the blade only managed to leave a bloody gash.
Before Shen Qingyi could strike a second time, three elders intervened simultaneously. They knocked the sword from her hand, sealed her acupoints, and moved to protect Jiang Linchuan.
The Sect Leader also rose from his seat and hurried forward, delivering a slap that sent Shen Qingyi to the ground. “Vile child! How dare you strike to harm after leaving the trial stage?”
The slap snapped Shen Qingyi back to her senses.
During the match, she had discovered that Jiang Linchuan’s cultivation was far higher than it had been at this point in her previous life. If things continued this way, she would have no chance of ever defeating him.
If Jiang Linchuan became the Sect Leader, he wouldn’t even need to collude with demonic sects to wash Yunyin Peak in blood. With his twisted nature, he would subtly and bloodlessly transform the Yunyin Sect into a demonic one.
The moment she fell from the high stage, only one thought had occupied her mind: Kill him. I must kill him.
Jiang Linchuan covered his wound: “Junior Sister, have you suffered a cultivation deviation? We are fellow disciples. Even when executing demons, one must ask of right and wrong. How could you be so ruthless?”
Since Shen Qingyi had firmly drawn a line between them, Jiang Linchuan had played the part of the devoted suitor for a while to no avail. Soon, a group of admiring junior brothers and sisters had gathered around him instead.
Jiang Linchuan’s temperament was gentler than Shen Qingyi’s, he accepted everyone’s kindness, earning him many loyal followers.
Someone in the crowd shouted amid the chaos, “Second Senior Sister is too narrow minded! She can’t win a fair trial so she resorts to underhanded attacks. Is she still the upright Second Senior Sister we know?”
Shen Qingyi usually had a good reputation, so she didn’t face too much condemnation, but her actions this time were indeed excessive. No one dared to speak up for her.
“Kneel!” the Sect Leader barked.
Shen Qingyi obediently knelt before him. Du Yuanluo didn’t hesitate to kneel beside her, assuming a stance of “sharing the guilt.”
Jiang Linchuan also knelt down: “Sect Leader, Junior Sister has always been competitive. She must have been confused for a moment, a desperate desire for victory can easily lead to a deviation. As Eldest Brother, I failed to notice this, so I am also at fault. I beg the Sect Leader to forgive Junior Sister’s first offense and not punish her.”
My Senior Sister did not have a cultivation deviation! Du Yuanluo glared hatefully at Jiang Linchuan, but she didn’t dare speak rashly before the Sect Leader.
She was accustomed to observing people’s moods and knew that, as someone of low status, anything she said now would only add fuel to the fire.
In the end, with many disciples pleading for her, Shen Qingyi was sentenced to three days of reflection in the Hall of Discipline.
Du Yuanluo naturally stayed by her side, looking at Shen Qingyi piteously, not daring to speak.
Shen Qingyi knew she had been impulsive and truly reflected for a long time.
How can I defeat Jiang Linchuan? Is dying together really the only way? I shouldn’t have alerted the enemy.
Du Yuanluo was kneeling on a prayer mat just like her. Shen Qingyi turned to look at her. Today, Du Yuanluo had dominated the other outer disciples, by all rights, today should have been her day to celebrate.
Sensing Shen Qingyi’s gaze, Du Yuanluo secretly handed her a small pill: “Is Senior Sister tired? This is for fatigue.”
Shen Qingyi took it but didn’t eat it, just clutching it in her palm.
“Why are you kneeling with me?”
Du Yuanluo found the question absurd: “Where Senior Sister is, I will naturally be.”
“You are no longer that orphan girl from back then. Without me, you can survive and live well. You don’t need to follow me anymore.”
“Senior Sister, are you saying you don’t want me?” Du Yuanluo panicked instantly, but then she caught herself: “You’re right. I’m no longer that orphan girl. Even if you don’t want me, I can follow you on my own.”
“What are you following me for? If I really fall into a cultivation deviation, will you follow me then?”
“That won’t happen. Others might not know, but how could I not know Senior Sister’s character?”
“Then what if one day I truly enter the path of evil and bring calamity to the world? What will you do then?”
Shen Qingyi knew the road ahead would not be smooth, she didn’t want Du Yuanluo to be tied to her anymore.
Du Yuanluo was a person of reason and righteousness. In the previous life, Jiang Linchuan was her whole world, her only support, yet on the day he turned to the demonic path, she had resolutely stood by Shen Qingyi’s side.
As expected, Du Yuanluo hesitated for a long time without answering.
Footsteps sounded behind them. It was Jiang Linchuan.
He held the silver mirror won that day, wearing a warm, kind smile.
“Junior Sister, you are still as competitive as when you were a child. It’s just a toy, if you had asked, would I not have given it to you?”
Jiang Linchuan magnanimously offered the mirror to Shen Qingyi.
Shen Qingyi closed her eyes, restraining herself again and again. Must not be impulsive.
In Du Yuanluo’s eyes, what happened today was indeed her Senior Sister’s fault, but she couldn’t control her emotions either.
She swatted Jiang Linchuan’s hand away. “No need. Senior Sister will win it herself in the future. In the future, I will help Senior Sister win.”