After Pei Bu Chen left, Ning Xi fell into a deep, dreamless sleep and didn't wake until the next day.
Back in the Outer Sect, she had never enjoyed such restful sleep—so sound that when she woke to the bright, rising sun, she felt somewhat dazed.
The Disciple Residence remained empty.
Strange, Ning Xi thought to herself. No matter how much they enjoy watching drama, the others should have returned by now. Outer Sect duties were numerous and exhausting; everyone worked like donkeys turning a millstone all day. If they stayed up all night without rest, they wouldn't be able to handle the next day's tasks.
So why hadn't anyone returned today?
Just as Ning Xi was getting out of bed, speak of the devil—she heard chaotic footsteps approaching as she reached the door.
"That blockhead deserves to die! She goes to suck up to Da Shi Xiong while dumping all the work on us!"
"Keep your voice down! She's Da Shi Xiong's favorite now—didn't you see how he personally carried her back when she was unconscious? Hmph! Covered in filthy blood, and only someone as benevolent as Da Shi Xiong would tolerate it!"
"Da Shi Xiong may be kind, but I'm no bodhisattva like him! Why should we do her work just because she fainted?! Do you know how long it took me to clean the years of accumulated dust from the beams in Wen Xian Tang? Ah! Damn it ruined my beauty sleep—I swear I'll never coexist peacefully with that Ning girl!"
An unfamiliar voice timidly interjected, "B-but according to the duty roster, Wei Shu Xiong, you were supposed to clean Wen Xian Tang this month anyway."
Silence fell outside.
Ning Xi recognized the noisy voices as her roommates—most of whom had bullied her before.
So it wasn't that they were giving her peace and quiet—they'd just been held up by work.
However, they weren't the type to voluntarily cover for an injured sect member. Had the sun risen from the west today?
As if answering her question, Wei Shu's cursing resumed outside: "Are you in charge here, or am I?! When I tell that blockhead to go east, does she dare go west?! Don't think she can strut around the Outer Sect Peak just because Da Shi Xiong backs her! Today I'll show her who really runs this place!"
Why was Da Shi Xiong involved again?
Ning Xi frowned in thought. Could it be that Da Shi Xiong had assigned other Outer Sect disciples to cover her duties after seeing her injured? That would explain Wei Shu's unusual behavior—
Before she could ponder further, the door slammed open. Wei Shu swaggered across the threshold and came face-to-face with Ning Xi standing inside.
Displeasure, surprise, embarrassment, and panic flashed across that heavily powdered, effeminate face like a revolving lantern—the rapid shift of emotions was truly breathtaking.
Suddenly remembering something, Wei Shu clutched his neck and leaped backward, eyes bulging like a toad's: "You heard everything just now?!"
Ning Xi: …
She wasn't hallucinating—she wouldn't stab someone with a hairpin upon meeting them. Was it necessary to be this terrified?
But Wei Shu seemed to have developed psychological trauma from her. He retreated several more steps, refusing to approach: "Don't think you can throw your weight around the Outer Sect Peak just because you've got Da Shi Xiong backing you! I won't tolerate any nonsense in my territory!"
Ning Xi ignored him, turned back, rummaged through the bookcase by the wall to pull out a thick stack of booklets, then walked back and directly shoved them into Wei Shu's arms.
Throughout the entire process, she remained silent. Wei Shu was initially baffled, but when he instinctively opened the stack of booklets, his brows furrowed tightly: "Why are you showing me the Outer Sect Peak disciple duty roster?"
Ning Xi calmly replied, "There are established rules for Outer Sect disciples' duties and tasks. I won't dwell on how you previously forced extra work upon me, but from now on, no one can make me do tasks that aren't my responsibility."
Wei Shu was stunned. Moments later, his face, covered in thick white powder, quickly flushed with color: "How dare you rebel! A mortal waste like you dares to challenge me?!"
She could have ignored it before, but since Da Shi Xiong had stood up for her, she could no longer muddle along and disappoint his kindness.
【Junior sister should care more about herself.】
Da Shi Xiong was right.
She shouldn't be cowardly anymore.
Ning Xi showed no fear and suddenly declared clearly, "All things and spirits, all life and phenomena—sword, emerge!"
"Clang—" The sword behind Wei Shu flew out at the sound and instantly landed in Ning Xi's hand.
The girl's black hair was slightly lifted by the sword's wind, her amber heterochromatic eyes reflecting the sword's gleam as she steadily held the sword with one hand.
Wei Shu's expression had already turned unsightly.
Behind him, the disciples were all shocked and pale.
"Wei… Wei Shixiong, what's going on?! Didn't you say this Ning girl hasn't even entered Qi Refinement? How… how can she use sword riding?!"
"And she even took your sword!"
In the Xian Sect, strength was always respected. Even in Baiyujing, which strictly adhered to rules, a hidden hierarchy based on cultivation level had subtly formed.
Previously, Ning Xi had been repeatedly bullied due to her mortal constitution and unopened Qi Sea. After all, she couldn't even wield a spiritual sword; even if she was dissatisfied or tried to resist, she couldn't defeat disciples who had already begun cultivating.
Among cultivators, even a single level difference in realm could mean a world of disparity in actual combat.
Just now, Ning Xi had not only used sword riding, which she shouldn't have known, but also forcibly seized Wei Shu's Life-Bound Sword—a sword formed from its master's very essence, moving with their will. Unless there was an overwhelming difference in spiritual power, it was impossible for an outsider to take it by force.
Yet Ning Xi did it effortlessly…
The last person who successfully challenged someone above their level and achieved such success that came to everyone's mind was Da Shi Xiong Pei Bu Chen.
Could it be that this wooden girl had truly gained Da Shi Xiong's favor and received his private teachings?
Otherwise, how could her rapid cultivation progress be explained?!
Looking more closely, this junior sister, who had previously allowed herself to be pushed around, was actually quite…
How to put it? The girl was by no means stunning at first glance. Due to the simple food and clothing in the Outer Sect, she wore ordinary, poor-quality coarse brown clothes that didn't fit well, making her appear thin and frail, like an underdeveloped little monkey.
Yet, the ends of her hair were slightly curled, giving her a somewhat disheveled, unkempt look from a distance.
However, if one stared into those heterochromatic fox-like eyes for too long, anyone would unconsciously hold their breath, as if captivated by the most brilliant, scorching sun or sinking into turbulent, thick magma, their heart beginning to pound wildly.
Some of the younger male disciples with poorer composure had already buried their heads, faces flushed crimson, inwardly thinking how this female cultivator’s beauty was so bewitchingly demonic, so captivating to the heart and mind.
“W-Wei… Senior Brother Wei, what should we do? If Da Shi Xiong really… If we keep arguing with Junior Sister Ning Xi, will he come to settle accounts with us?”
“You ask me, who the hell should I ask?!” Wei Shu exploded in rage, roaring, “All of you, shut up!”
The crowd immediately fell silent, not daring to make a sound.
Wei Shu strode forward, snatched back his own sword, glared fiercely at Ning Xi, threw down the words, “You just wait and see,” and turned to leave.
He tried hard to appear composed, but just as he stepped out the door, he tripped over the threshold and fell flat on his face, his makeup smudged and half-ruined.
Seeing their leader humiliated, the remaining disciples quickly scattered like birds and beasts.
Ning Xi stood where she was, only letting out a sigh of relief when the crowd’s figures disappeared from view.
Earlier, when she forcibly seized the sword and channeled her spiritual energy, the residual poison from Yinglong in her chest caused her heart to race uncontrollably. Now, her chest ached as if pierced by needles.
In truth, she had only succeeded by taking advantage of Wei Shu’s carelessness.
At the foot of the eastern mountain, she had successfully learned the art of Riding the Sword, which was her first guarantee of confidence to take action.
The second was that she knew Wei Shu had always looked down on her and would never have expected her to defy him or to be capable of using the sword-riding technique.
But just as sparrows cannot understand the ambitions of swans, have swans ever known what sparrows are thinking?
It was true that she was a nobody, but sometimes, even nobodies can unleash immense power.
With the sword’s owner caught off guard, the chances of successfully seizing the sword were greatly increased, which was how Ning Xi had managed to win this time.
She massaged her aching chest slowly, lost in thought.
Her cultivation level was still too low, too weak. If she encountered danger again in the future, how could she protect herself or help Da Shi Xiong?
Recalling the scenes at the foot of the eastern mountain and inside Yinglong’s stomach, Ning Xi clenched her fists.
Although she had serendipitously gained enlightenment and learned the sword-riding technique last time, aside from that, she was still completely ignorant about cultivation.
The path of immortal cultivation should begin with learning breath control, drawing in the spiritual energy of heaven, earth, sun, and moon into the body, opening up the Qi Sea, and thus beginning Qi Refinement.
Refining Qi internally, transforming it into a core, entering the Golden Core Stage, then forming the Nascent Soul, and finally ascending to immortality.
After some thought, Ning Xi decided to go out today to the library to borrow a few cultivation manuals and try meditating and breathing on her own.
She had no intention of asking Pei Bu Chen for help.
Firstly, after the recent demonic attacks on Baiyujing, although casualties were significantly reduced compared to the previous life and the Xian Sect had not been destroyed, urgent matters such as collecting the dead, treating the wounded, and rebuilding structures were pressing. Da Shi Xiong was surely very busy, and Ning Xi didn’t want to add to his burdens.
Secondly, what she wanted to learn were only the most basic, elementary techniques—as simple as the "Three Character Classic" that mortals read when beginning their education. So Ning Xi thought she should… probably be able to understand them on her own, right?
Deciding to act immediately, Ning Xi pushed open the door and stepped out of the Disciple Residence.
Baiyujing’s library was not far from the Outer Sect Peak, situated precisely between the Inner Sect Peak and the Outer Sect Peak. It was established to ensure that disciples from both sides could borrow books at any time and to encourage their progress.
When Ning Xi arrived outside the library, a group of people was hurriedly exiting.
Spotting Ning Xi, a peach-blossom-eyed cultivator at the front paused in surprise and waved to her, “Junior Sister Ning, why are you still here?”
Ning Xi didn't recognize this person, but the other party familiarly introduced himself: "Pei Congzhou. You can call me Senior Brother Pei, or Senior Brother Cong Zhou. If you're willing, calling me Brother Cong Zhou wouldn't be unacceptable either…"
Some senior sisters nearby couldn't stand it any longer and coughed angrily a few times.
"Hello, Senior Brother Cong Zhou."
Pei Congzhou's displeasure at being interrupted by others immediately vanished. He grinned and nodded at Ning Xi: "Junior Sister Ning knows what's proper! I originally thought you'd be as rigid and boring as your cousin—ah, I mean your Da Shi Xiong—only willing to call me Senior Brother Pei!"
Da Shi Xiong probably isn't a rigid person, Ning Xi thought, but didn't say it out loud. Instead, she seriously explained: "Da Shi Xiong also has the surname Pei. I'm afraid if I call you 'Senior Brother Pei,' it would be confusing to distinguish between you."
Everyone: …
Pei Congzhou made a pained expression: "All you talk about is 'Da Shi Xiong' this and 'Da Shi Xiong' that—so only he gets to be special, and no one else deserves to be called 'Senior Brother Pei,' is that it!"
Ning Xi: …
Several senior sisters nearby had long covered their mouths and burst into laughter.
"Sorry, Senior Brother Cong Zhou, I…"
"Forget it, forget it." Pei Congzhou waved his hand as if it didn't matter. "I know you and your Da Shi Xiong share an extraordinary bond. I'm just asking for humiliation here."
Ning Xi felt somewhat embarrassed: Clearly, she wasn't particularly close with Da Shi Xiong either. Why was this Senior Brother Pei Congzhou spouting such nonsense?
"Since you care so much about your cousin, why are you still standing here foolishly? Shouldn't you have gone to wait in front of Wen Xian Tang long ago?" After sighing, Pei Congzhou gave her a puzzled look.
He'd been saying things she couldn't understand since the beginning. Ning Xi felt inexplicably uneasy: "What's happened to Da Shi Xiong? And what's this about Wen Xian Tang?"
"You don't know?" Pei Congzhou said in surprise. "After the war, supplies are scarce, and the wounded are infected with demon plague. The medical cultivators are missing a life-saving herb that only grows on Kunlun Hill. My cousin is kneeling in front of Wen Xian Tang, begging the acting head of the He Lian Family for the medicine."