Early the next morning, Qu Qi catapulted out of bed with a yawn.
Working herself to tears before transmigrating, and now waking up at 8:00 AM for classes to tears after, it really felt like she was getting younger and younger.
Just before she headed out the door, Sheng Xizhu suddenly said, “I am going out today.”
Qu Qi was surprised for a moment, then nodded. “Okay, remember to be back before lunch.”
She suddenly remembered something and intentionally spooked Sheng Xizhu: “You better not run off with some other human! Remember, they are all very, very bad people who love to bully little kitties. They’ll want to kiss a kitty’s mouth until it’s raw; only Sister truly cares about you.”
Sheng Xizhu: “…Understood.”
She watched Qu Qi leave the room, then turned and merged into the shadows on the floor.
In the Hall of Administration, four people sat facing each other.
The morning light was dim, filtering through the carved windows and reflecting brightly off the polished floor.
One person was stroking a horsetail whisk, saying leisurely, “Why hasn’t Ziyin arrived yet?”
If Qu Qi were here, she would recognize this person as Elder Jingshu, the one who had tricked her into guarding the tomb back at the Discussion Hall.
Sitting opposite him was a charming woman hiding her face behind a silk fan. She chuckled, “Probably busy forging blades and forgot we had a morning meeting today.”
Jingshu shook his head. “A true martial arts nut. The house is on fire and he’s still tinkering with that ‘number one sword in the world’ of his.”
Just as he finished speaking, two people walked into the hall one after the other. The first wore a bamboo hat and a straw raincoat—the unmistakable image of Elder Shouyi. The second was a middle-aged man with a square face and tiger-like eyes, his face covered in a beard, smelling strongly of iron shavings and quenching fire.
The woman covered her nose with her fan and teased, “Ziyin, did you just take a bath in the forge?”
Ziyin glared at her, took one of the remaining seats, and asked gruffly, “What is it this time?”
Shouyi sat cross-legged opposite him and let out a lazy yawn.
“I assume you have all heard about the attack on the Library Pavilion a few days ago.” Jingshu’s expression was solemn. “I was just discussing this with Huailu. Penglai Island has been crowded lately; not only do we have hundreds of disciples from Wangxi and Jingchen peaks, but many fellow Daoists from Moonlight Villa and Jiehai Pavilion are here too. I fear the culprit is already hiding among them.”
At this, Ziyin immediately sat up straight. “The person who attacked the Library—are they strong?”
Jingshu said deeply, “Their strength is unfathomable.”
Ziyin’s eyes lit up instantly.
Huailu gripped her fan tight, her expression complex. “I examined the wounds of the Archivists yesterday. The cuts were clean and precise, killing them in a single blow. Moreover, it was impossible to tell what weapon was used…”
Below the high platform, in a shadow they failed to notice, a black cat sat silently. Her small, pointed ears were pricked up, and her golden eyes blinked slowly.
Ziyin said, “The Archivists were all at the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm. That person must be at least at the Spirit Severing stage. Can you tell what kind of cultivation technique was used?”
“No. It is unlike any technique from the top experts in my memory.” Huailu shook her head, her beautiful face full of worry. “The strange thing is, there wasn’t a trace of demonic energy left in the wounds. It is extremely eerie; I cannot even tell if it was the work of a demonic cultivator.”
Jingshu added, “Furthermore, that person didn’t come for precious cultivation manuals. They only took the disciple register from the secret room. It’s truly bizarre.”
Huailu narrowed her eyes. “Could they be looking for someone?”
“Enough chatter! Let’s just put out word to lure them out!” Ziyin rubbed his hands together, twisting his neck impatiently until it let out a series of cracks. “Hmph, a petty coward hiding in the dark. If I meet them, I’ll teach them a lesson!”
Jingshu barked, “No! They are in the dark while we are in the light. If we act rashly, we will only involve others.”
Ziyin raised his voice, refusing to back down. “Then what should we do? Just let them keep killing people?”
Jingshu rubbed his temples and sighed. “For now, we can only strengthen security and tell the disciples to be careful. Arrange for guards to strictly check for suspicious characters within the two peaks…” His gaze darkened. “I have a feeling there will be a second attack soon.”
Ziyin paused, then suddenly suggested, “Why don’t we consult the Sect Leader…”
Jingshu’s expression changed. “The Sect Leader is still in seclusion. He must not be disturbed.”
The black cat scanned the three worried faces, her gaze finally landing on the person sitting with crossed arms, eyes closed and silent. She licked her fangs. Why is the usually hyperactive old lady so quiet today?
Suddenly, Shouyi opened her eyes and let out a long, slow stretch, her eyes hazy with sleep.
…She was just sleeping?!
The black cat was speechless. Indeed, there is a reason she and Qu Qi are master and disciple.
Jingshu was stunned. He called out softly, “Elder… do you have any insights?”
Shouyi looked around, her gaze pausing briefly below the platform before she sat up straight. “I have no objection. Do as you said.”
The meeting ended, and the four filed out.
The black cat darted quickly under the shade of a tree, following from a distance. She saw Jingshu walking behind Shouyi, saying worriedly, “The prophecy in the Heavenly Mirror seems to have moved up by several years.”
Huailu added, “A spiritual vein withers every three months. It might be a good thing if the prophecy happens sooner.”
The Heavenly Mirror?
The black cat’s ears twitched. Suddenly, she saw Shouyi turn her head, looking around as she walked toward the shade of the tree.
The cat lowered her head and dropped into the swaying shadows like a stone into a pond, vanishing instantly.
Huailu asked nervously, “Elder Shouyi, what is it?”
Shouyi withdrew her gaze. “Nothing. Perhaps just a feeling.”
During the morning lesson, Qu Qi rested her chin on her hand, bored out of her mind.
A middle-aged cultivator on stage was explaining how a sword cultivator should meticulously maintain their natal sword. Because she had slept early and wasn’t tired, she forced herself to listen for a while, only to be successfully confused by a barrage of obscure, tongue-twisting terms.
It felt exactly like her Advanced Mathematics classes—she’d just look down to pick up an eraser, and by the time she looked up, she had no idea what the teacher was saying!
Qu Qi rubbed her eyes and sighed deeply, finally giving up on thinking. She slumped in her chair like a wet noodle.
A breeze drifted by, followed by a faint rustling from outside the window. She turned her head and saw the black cat walking slowly along a tree branch.
Qu Qi: “!” Strange. Why did the cat master come to find me?
She quickly glanced at the cultivator on stage and whispered, “Is something wrong, Mimi?”
The black cat leaped onto the windowsill with light grace, tilted her head, and poked her small head inside, warily scanning the room. This scene reminded Qu Qi of a “sneaky cat” meme.
She took the chance to stroke the smooth fur and whispered, “What’s the matter?”
In the next second, while no one was looking, the black cat darted through the window and sat in the empty seat next to Qu Qi. Smoke began to rise.
As the green mist dissipated, a woman sat composed in the chair, resting her chin on one hand.
This series of smooth maneuvers left Qu Qi dumbstruck. Wh-why are you so practiced at this! If she didn’t know the black cat had been stuck on the back mountain, she would have suspected the cat master had snuck in like this more than once.
Sheng Xizhu glanced at her and whispered, “Pay attention to the lesson.”
She was wearing a Moonlight Villa uniform. The gold-threaded brocade long skirt outlined her slender waist; she looked like a delicate, noble young lady. Her willow-leaf eyes carried a coldness that kept others at a distance.
The morning light shone through the window, illuminating her profile and raven hair, making her skin look as white and delicate as carved jade.
Qu Qi’s eyes wavered; her heart skipped a beat at such beauty. The girl stared blankly, murmuring, “You… if you sit here, how can I pay attention?” With a great beauty sitting next to me, it’s super easy to get distracted, okay!
Sheng Xizhu was silent for a moment. “Then… shall I leave?”
“Don’t!” Qu Qi hooked her finger around Sheng Xizhu’s, her dark fox eyes blinking piteously. “Just stay with me. I don’t understand this lesson anyway.”
Sheng Xizhu raised an eyebrow. “You don’t understand?” She looked at the stage and added, “That cultivator is only explaining the basic knowledge of maintaining a natal sword. How could you not understand?”
Qu Qi said righteously, “He’s being too profound. It’s very hard for me to grasp.”
Sheng Xizhu: “…” Expecting nothing, she turned away and ignored the silly human beside her.
Qu Qi called her name a few times. Seeing the “bad kitty” was ignoring her again, she could only space out gloomily.
Sheng Xizhu was reflecting on everything in the Hall of Administration, listening half-heartedly, when the cultivator on stage suddenly shifted the topic: “Speaking of the world’s number one sword, the former number one sword cultivator, Bai Pa, once used his natal sword to kill a Nightmare with his own hands.”
An uproar broke out among the students.
Someone asked, “But aren’t Nightmares immortal? Do they not enter the cycle of reincarnation?”
The cultivator smiled and nodded. “That is true, but Nightmares also have weaknesses.”
Sheng Xizhu suddenly snapped her head up, listening intently.
The cultivator continued, “Once you extract a Nightmare’s heart-blood, they become incredibly weak and their wounds heal slowly. At that point, if you gouge out the Nightmare’s eyes and heart, it is equivalent to turning them into ashes.”
Sheng Xizhu fell into thought. Suddenly, a gasp of realization came from beside her: “I see!”
She turned her head to see Qu Qi, who was supposed to be slacking off, sitting bolt upright and listening more intently than her.
Sheng Xizhu: “…Why are you so excited?”
Qu Qi’s expression was serious. “To save my life.” She leaned close to Sheng Xizhu’s ear and whispered, “I’ll let you in on a secret. A Nightmare is going to kill me in the future; I have to make sure I know her weaknesses.”
“Oh?” Sheng Xizhu looked at her, her gaze darkening. “Who wants to kill you?”
“A big demon who kills without blinking.” Qu Qi looked at her piteously. “Mimi, when she finds me, are you willing to protect me?”