Qu Qi reached out to stop him. “No, take back your thoughts! We are friends, a ‘high mountain and flowing water’ type of soulmate connection, the very noble kind!” Do not defile our pure friendship!
Sheng Xizhu froze beside her, eyelashes trembling, looking like she wanted to say something but stopped.
“Do soulmates pet each other’s heads?” Ji Ling showed a smile that suggested he was shipping them, giving her a deep look. “Senior Sister doesn’t need to hide it anymore. I understand.”
Qu Qi’s face turned the color of ash. “…No, you don’t understand.” As soon as you speak, you sound like a total ‘expert’ on things you know nothing about.
Ji Ling considerately took a step back and cupped his hands. “You two continue. I’m in a hurry to go back and practice my sword swings. I’ll take my leave first.”
With that, he disappeared at the end of the road like a whirlwind, leaving only a cloud of rolling dust.
Qu Qi and Sheng Xizhu stood facing each other. The former stammered, “D-don’t listen to his nonsense. It’s not like that. I don’t have anyone I like.”
Sheng Xizhu recalled Ji Ling’s words and asked, “You like your life-bound sword?”
Qu Qi was lost in the wind. “How is that possible? If I really liked it, would I be unable to draw it?”
Sheng Xizhu said, “Sword cultivators all love their swords as much as their lives.” She had been the same in her previous life.
Qu Qi proactively drew a clear line. “I’m not one of those stinky sword cultivators who don’t understand romance. I’m different from them.”
Sheng Xizhu looked her over. “How are you different?”
Qu Qi said affectionately, “I love the world, but I love beauties even more.”
Sheng Xizhu: “…” Never have I seen someone describe being a shallow face-con in such a refined way.
Back in her room, Qu Qi found a clean ceramic vase on the windowsill and placed the white flower Sheng Xizhu had given her inside.
The long petals were like hairpins, translucent as snow and poised like a white crane bowing its head, standing elegantly in the narrow mouth of the vase.
Qu Qi sat at the table drinking tea, her eyes fixed on the flower. “What is this flower called?”
“Jade Hosta,” Sheng Xizhu said. “Why are you putting it away like that?”
“It looks so nice displayed.” Qu Qi propped up her chin, tilting her head to look at her with a lingering tone. “And, this is the first time you’ve ever given me something.”
They say some cats know how to repay their owners, bringing various bugs and mice to the owner’s bedside in the middle of the night to show their love. However, she didn’t need such a distorted love; it was enough if the kitty knew how to be verbally grateful.
Sheng Xizhu said, “Created objects require a continuous injection of power. Without power to support them, they will immediately dissipate.”
Qu Qi asked, “Meaning, this flower doesn’t need watering or fertilizer, but it will disappear without spiritual energy?”
Sheng Xizhu looked at her. “Yes.”
In truth, this flower was made of nightmare silk; injecting spiritual energy wouldn’t actually work.
Qu Qi smiled. “Then that’s simple. I just need to input a little spiritual energy every day.” She poured a cup of water and took small sips. “By the way, I really like this Jade Hosta.”
Sheng Xizhu’s expression shifted slightly. “…As long as you like it.”
“Were you trying to give me some martial arts secret manuals earlier?” Qu Qi said with a laugh. “Who uses manuals to coax someone? You’re just like those stinky sword cultivators who don’t understand romance—your head is full of nothing but cultivation.”
Sheng Xizhu, who was a stinky sword cultivator in her past life, lowered her eyes. “Those were very rare collector’s editions. I thought you would like them.”
Qu Qi was surprised. “Tsk, I can’t even understand the lectures. How would I be able to understand those things? You have so much confidence in me.”
Sheng Xizhu: “…” Indeed, she had overestimated her.
“But the stuff in class today was quite interesting.”
Qu Qi spread her palm, manifesting a very similar Jade Hosta flower, and placed it in the vase. The two flower stems intertwined, drooping to the left and right sides of the vase.
Qu Qi nodded repeatedly, satisfied. “Mm, this is the art of flower arrangement following the path of minimalism.”
The next day.
The 8:00 AM biological clock woke Qu Qi up on time. She grumbled and turned over, burying her face in the black cat’s fluffy belly.
“Meow!”
Being huffed and squeezed, the black cat couldn’t help but raise its little paw and smack the girl’s face several times, finally slapping her awake.
Qu Qi sat up in bed, her consciousness hazy as she pressed down on the black cat’s head. “Good morning, little alarm clock.”
In the early morning, pale gold light passed through the carved wooden window and landed on the white ceramic vase. One of the Jade Hostas was a bit wilted, while the other was full of life.
Qu Qi reached out to give the Jade Hosta some spiritual energy. Watching it go from dejected to standing tall, she gave it a thumbs up. “Good, very spirited!”
The Jade Hosta bent slightly, as if nodding in response.
She washed her face and brushed her teeth in the courtyard with clean water, then ran behind the screen to change into her school uniform.
Ever since being “teased” by the black cat last time, she didn’t dare change clothes casually in front of it anymore, fearing she would corrupt her own kitty. That would be a bad influence.
The black cat lay on the bed, slowly grooming its fur with its tiny tongue, when it suddenly heard a knock at the door.
“Little Senior Sister, are you there?”
Hearing the voice, Qu Qi turned and shouted, “I’m here! Wait a moment!”
She quickly changed and ran to the door, opening it.
Ji Ling stood outside, holding a bulging paper bag.
He handed the warm paper bag to Qu Qi and said, “This is the breakfast Master asked me to bring to you.”
“Oh, Master is too kind.” Qu Qi happily took the bag and placed the items on the table one by one. “Too bad I’m in a hurry to get to morning class and don’t have time to eat much.”
Ji Ling said in surprise, “Eh? You don’t know? Today’s morning class is canceled. Songting Pavilion has been temporarily locked down.”
The class cancellation came out of nowhere. Qu Qi put down the meat bun she had bitten halfway through, her eyes wide. “What happened?!”
The black cat on the bed stopped grooming, its golden eyes looking toward the two at the table.
Ji Ling poured her some tea. “The Elder posted the news on the information network last night.”
Qu Qi said blankly, “…Oh, my information network was blocked.”
Ji Ling was greatly shocked. “This is the first time I’ve heard of someone’s divine sense being blocked. But since it’s something Senior Sister did, it’s not that strange.” It was absurd, yet it carried a hint of logic.
Qu Qi nodded, then felt something was wrong. “Are you praising me or insulting me?”
Ji Ling handed her the tea with both hands respectfully, changing the subject. “This matter is also strange. Do you remember those three fellow disciples who mocked us yesterday?”
Qu Qi was successfully distracted, taking a sip of hot tea. “I remember, I remember. What happened to them?”
Ji Ling looked at her with an inscrutable expression. “They are dead.”
Qu Qi’s movements froze. She forgot to chew her bun and ended up swallowing it whole.
Ji Ling lowered his voice. “The bodies were discovered in the classroom yesterday afternoon. Heads and bodies were separated, blood was everywhere. It’s said their internal organs were cleaned out completely. The scene was extremely brutal.”
Qu Qi imagined the scene and trembled, unable to look directly at the thought.
“Afternoon? Isn’t that shortly after we left?” She fell into deep thought. “They were killed inside the classroom?”
Ji Ling nodded.
Qu Qi slammed the table suddenly. “Then doesn’t that make us criminal suspects?”
“There is indeed that suspicion,” Ji Ling said with a bitter smile. “So Master asked me to tell you to head to the Hall of Governance after finishing your bun. The Elder has questions for us.”
Qu Qi said worriedly, “They won’t really suspect it was us, will they?”
“Not necessarily. I heard from Master that this might be related to the previous attack on the library,” Ji Ling comforted her. “The true killer should be the same person who killed the Archivist. That person’s strength is unfathomable and their methods are clean and efficient. It’s far beyond the realm of us juniors.”
The black cat flicked its tail, a trace of mockery flashing in its golden eyes.
“But why were those three attacked specifically?” Qu Qi mused. “Could the killer know them personally and have held a grudge?”
Ji Ling shook his head. “I don’t know. Perhaps they were just unlucky enough to be chosen.”
Qu Qi wiped the grease from her mouth and let out a burp. “Wow, how scary.”
Ji Ling looked at her indifferent expression and didn’t feel she was scared at all.
“Actually, I think they deserved it,” Qu Qi said with a smile. “Thanks to that killer for solving a big trouble for me.”
The black cat rested its small head on its paws, listening silently with its head tilted, its tail quietly standing up.
Ji Ling’s face changed upon hearing this, and he lowered his voice. “Senior Sister, you absolutely cannot say those words in front of the Elder.”
Qu Qi gave him a “don’t worry” look. “I know what I’m doing.”
Ji Ling didn’t trust her at all, whispering, “…You know what you’re doing, but not completely.”
Qu Qi, with her Golden Core realm, had amazing hearing and naturally heard him clearly. She raised an eyebrow and asked intentionally, “What are you muttering about?”
“Nothing, of course I believe in Senior Sister.” Ji Ling stiffened. “Right, we should also tell Fellow Daoist Zhang San about this.”
The room went silent.
Qu Qi slowly turned her head, sharing a silent gaze with the black cat on the bed.
Ji Ling suggested, “Let’s go find her in a bit and then head to see the Elder together.”
Seeing that no one spoke, he asked in confusion, “Senior Sister?”
Qu Qi looked at the expressionless face of her cat-master and gave a few dry laughs. “Haha, great, you’re right.”
Ji Ling followed her gaze and asked curiously, “When did Senior Sister get a cat?”
“Caught it on the back mountain.” Qu Qi swallowed the last sip of tea, slammed the table, and covered her ears. “Oh! Zhang San suddenly sent me a divine transmission.”
She made eye contact with the black cat and spoke quickly. “Hello? Good morning, Sister! Oh, oh, you’re waiting for us in front of the Hall of Governance? Okay! We’ll be right over. Love you, bye-bye!”
After saying all that in one breath, she grabbed the bewildered Ji Ling and said seriously, “Let’s go, Zhang San is already waiting for us!”
At the same time, the black cat quietly jumped out of the window.
As they neared the Hall of Governance, Qu Qi finally realized that her cat-master didn’t know the way at all.
Her mind went boom. Oh no, what if she gets lost?!
Just when she was at a loss, Ji Ling, who was leading the way, suddenly waved. “Miss Zhang San!”
Qu Qi looked up in surprise and saw Sheng Xizhu standing in the mottled tree shadows to avoid the sun, wearing a pale gold brocade dress with black hair like a waterfall. The summer wind blew past, making her sleeves flutter.
She suddenly thought of the Jade Hosta on the windowsill, swaying like a weak willow in the wind, so slender it seemed one could snap it with a single hand.
The two arrived before Sheng Xizhu. Ji Ling cupped his hands. “Sorry for the wait, Fellow Daoist Zhang San.”
Sheng Xizhu nodded and then looked at Qu Qi, raising an eyebrow.
Qu Qi saw a trace of a faint smile in her eyes, the kind of smile that seemed a bit smug, knowing everything was under control.
“Let’s go in.”
Ji Ling considerately quickened his pace, leaving the two of them to walk side by side.
Qu Qi glanced at Ji Ling ahead and whispered to Sheng Xizhu, “How did you find your way here?”
Sheng Xizhu said calmly, “I asked for directions.”
Qu Qi had a sudden realization. “So smart. Just like me.”
“…”
Sheng Xizhu suppressed the urge to give her a scratch and let out a huff.
Entering the great hall, Qu Qi immediately saw a beautiful woman in red and a very familiar old man with a white beard sitting on the high platform ahead.
Ji Ling bowed his head respectfully and called out, “Elder Huailu, Elder Jing Shu.”
Qu Qi and Sheng Xizhu followed suit and bowed.
The elders nodded in acknowledgement.
The white-bearded old man on the stage looked at them with a smile and nodded. “Qu Qi, we meet again.”
Qu Qi was surprised. She looked up and stared at him intently, and suddenly it hit her like a bolt of lightning: this was Old Man Jing Shu, the one who had tricked her into guarding the tombs on the back mountain for a month without any pay!
“The last time we met was a month ago.” Jing Shu stroked his long beard. “You don’t seem to have changed at all.”
Beside him, Huailu fanned herself lightly with a silk fan, wearing the expression of someone ready to enjoy some gossip. “Senior Brother, you know her?”
Jing Shu replied, “She is Shouyi’s eldest disciple.”
“She’s grown this much already?” Huailu’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. “She was only five or six years old the last time I saw her. Time truly flies.”
Jing Shu gave a faint smile, but his expression gradually became serious. “Alright, alright, let’s get down to business.”
His gaze swept across the faces of the three people one by one, his hawk-like eyes lingering on Sheng Xizhu.
“Is this young friend a disciple of Mingyue Villa?”
Sheng Xizhu replied calmly, “Yes.”
Jing Shu sized her up, his gaze sharp. “May I ask for your name, and under which Elder’s tutelage do you study?”
Sheng Xizhu remained silent for a moment. Just as she was about to speak, Qu Qi suddenly chimed in, her words coming out at a rapid-fire pace: “Her name is Zhang San, and she is under Elder Situ.”
Mingyue Villa was powerful and incredibly wealthy, with hundreds upon thousands of disciples; there were over a hundred inner disciples alone. Qu Qi had specifically chosen an Elder from the original book who had very little presence in Mingyue Villa. Furthermore, that Elder was currently not on Penglai, so even if they wanted to verify her story, they wouldn’t find anything out.
Jing Shu looked at Qu Qi with a half-smile. “I am asking her. Why are you answering for her?”
Qu Qi didn’t bat an eye. “She is shy and not good with words. Besides, this incident terrified her. When we met just now, she was still holding onto me and shaking.”
Jing Shu looked thoughtful. “Is that so?”
Sheng Xizhu lowered her eyes and answered, “It is indeed so.”
Jing Shu retracted his imposing aura, turning back into a kindly, smiling old man in a second. He said cheerfully, “There is no need to be afraid. I am just asking a few casual questions; I do not suspect you.”
Qu Qi thought: Hehe, like hell I believe you. You’re a wicked old man.
Jing Shu asked again, “The last people to see those three alive were the three of you. Did you notice anything unusual at the time?”
Qu Qi thought about it and said earnestly, “I noticed they were unusually shameless. Does that count?”