“Junior Brother, you are definitely the top scholar of this law examination. Since you’re already the top scholar, don’t work so hard! How about we go drink some wine?” Someone put an arm around Xiao Tubo’s shoulder with a cheeky smile, wanting to take him out to have some fun.
“Forget it, Senior Brother. At most, you just sneak a few sips in the cafeteria. I’m not going.” At the time, he thought this Senior Brother was some kind of carefree person who was going to sneak out to play, but it turned out he just occasionally satisfied his cravings in the cafeteria.
That Senior Brother asked in confusion, “You kid have been so busy recently. Could it really be because of the law examination?”
Xiao Tubo’s heart tightened. “Otherwise? Of course I’m nervous because of the law examination. Senior Brother, I don’t want to be kicked out of the inner sect—it’s too embarrassing. You should go play with others; I’m going to cultivate now.”
When no one was around, he changed into the clothes of a handyman disciple, lowered his head, and walked hurriedly, heading toward an unknown destination.
On the way, he seemed to brush past someone. He felt a shadow falling over his head; it was probably a tall body cultivator. Xiao Tubo still walked without raising his head.
The white jade stone floor was spotless and stainless. Among the people coming and going, no one cared whose steps were slow or whose pace was rushed. However, if two elders walked side-by-side, everyone would naturally stop and pay their respects.
Bu Chengyue held an umbrella, purposely tilting its wide canopy forward to completely block the two women underneath it.
“Junior Sister Chengyue, put the umbrella away, or hold it properly. It’s not like we’re unseen or shameful, why are you being so secretive?” Mo Weizhong could not see ahead at all, her field of vision confined to her feet. This junior sister of hers was very strange and just liked using an umbrella to hide herself.
It turned out that walking together with her meant enjoying the same treatment. Mo Weizhong was an elder of the Weapons Refinement Hall and was familiar with her fellow sect members—they were all those who often gathered around their master or uncles. Except for Bu Chengyue; she was merely a nominal disciple. Her master had barely seen her and had taught her almost nothing. Later, after her master passed away, the Senior Brother Sect Master gave her an idle elder position.
Because Bu Chengyue was the child of a woman from the Hehuan (Joyful Union) Sect. People of the Hehuan Sect were not allowed to conceive and bear children; after her mother was expelled from the sect, she struggled to survive in the cultivation world with her, shedding tears and weeping blood, until she managed to get her daughter into the Shenxuzhou.
“Senior Sister, what are you thinking about?” Seeing that she was about to bump into the umbrella’s edge, Bu Chengyue called out to remind her, “We’ve arrived.”
They had arrived at the drill grounds.
If Bu Chengyue had come by herself, she certainly wouldn’t have seen what she wanted to see. She didn’t even know when the drill grounds were crowded, so it was better to bring someone knowledgeable to guide and spectate with her. That person was the Chief Elder of the Weapons Refinement Hall, which also signaled to everyone: although Bu Chengyue was not the Chief Elder of any hall, she still held an elder’s status.
Whenever she went out, she was always stared at and pointed at. In the past, she could ignore it, but now that she had a disciple to pass her legacy to, she had to pave the way for her and couldn’t let her be entirely unfamiliar with the elders.
“Thank you so much today, Senior Sister, otherwise I—”
Mo Weizhong waved her hand in a dashing manner, interrupting her polite words. “I’m the one who should thank you! Over these years, the dark iron and refined steel you’ve given to our Weapons Hall—who knows how many treasures they’ve created. Before, there was never a chance to repay you, but today is just right!”
She was not tall, but her grip strength was immense. She slapped Bu Chengyue’s arm so hard it throbbed with pain—as expected of someone who swung a spiked mace like swinging a rope. “I have a section of century-old sandalwood over at my place. Tomorrow I’ll have my disciple bring it over.”
Her disciple was Mo Weizhong’s martial niece. For the niece to come visit was considered the first formal meeting between the two, so how could she, as the aunt, not show some gesture? Therefore, Sheng Meng returned carrying a whip—one personally forged by Elder Mo.
A Snake Bone Whip, poisoned. Although it was only an entry-level weapon, snake bone capable of being forged into weapons was hard to find nowadays. The Demon race and Human race kept strictly apart without intruding upon each other; this set of bones must be quite old, from a time when snake demons could still be captured, whereas nowadays there were only ordinary beasts and livestock.
Bu Chengyue held the whip with her lustrous, jade-like hands, explained its rarity to Sheng Meng, and then had her try it out.
“Whether it is poisoned or not depends entirely on the user. Your aunt didn’t provide an antidote, so don’t use the poison for now. Mainly get a feel for the handling of the whip.” As she spoke, she stepped far away, afraid of getting struck.
Although Sheng Meng wasn’t so flustered as to hit herself, it was clear that it didn’t feel natural in her hands. Her movements were not fluid or flexible, completely failing to bring out the advantages of the whip.
Bu Chengyue used spiritual power to condense a shape, creating a light whip in her hand that moved at her will, combining firmness with flexibility. Like a cunning snake, it coiled around and took Sheng Meng’s whip, even forcing her into a position where she could neither block nor retreat.
That intangible spiritual power could actually condense into form—Sheng Meng once again refreshed her view of Bu Chengyue. This was not something just any Nascent Soul cultivator could achieve; even those at the Spirit Transformation stage might not be able to. On one hand it was difficult, and on the other hand, no one was bored enough to condense spiritual power like this, yet Bu Chengyue utilized it with complete ease.
Seeing the radiant whip about to strike her, Sheng Meng was already prepared for her skin to be torn and flesh exposed. Unexpectedly, the line-shaped spiritual power suddenly dissipated, turning into fine, dense rain droplets that soaked half of her body.
“Don’t view it as an external object; regard it as your own spiritual power, subject to your command.” Before Bu Chengyue even finished speaking, she dried Sheng Meng’s clothes first so the child wouldn’t catch a cold.
“You are only at the Foundation Establishment stage. Try all kinds of weapons first so you can find the one that suits you best. When you reach the Golden Core stage, you can forge or choose your own natal weapon.”
Sheng Meng touched her cheek where it had just been wet; the feeling was still there, but it was already dry. “Master, is your natal weapon that umbrella?” She had seen Bu Chengyue use sabers, spears, swords, halberds, staffs, whips, hammers, and bows, but had never seen how that umbrella was used.
“It truly is my life.” It helped her block line of sight and cover herself; without the umbrella, she couldn’t even leave the house, so how could it not be considered important?
She didn’t want to chat more about this topic and began talking about what she had learned yesterday. Most of it had already been covered, leaving only Xiao Tubo, whom she hadn’t told Sheng Meng about yet.
“That person is likely the one who once threatened you. I saw him in disguise, looking very guilty, heading towards the back mountain. Wait until I find a time to scout it again. You should also think about it carefully and avoid getting tricked.”
“I dare not trouble Master. It’s better if I go instead. I know him, and I know the terrain. Please rest assured, Master.”
Sheng Meng hadn’t forgotten that her master had sent her messages three times in the middle of the night asking for directions back to Yuediyunjie. She was truly unfamiliar with anywhere other than the cafeteria, and whenever she went out, she was bound to carry an umbrella, which was simply ostentatious.
When Bu Chengyue thought about it, what she said made sense. She had given her many traces and techniques for concealing her presence, and her life-saving items were countless; furthermore, it was inside the sect, so nothing bad could happen.
She folded her arms and paced back and forth, even tilting her head and supporting it with her hand. In Sheng Meng’s eyes, she didn’t look like a master at all. “Is Master worried that if your disciple goes out, no one will cook for you?”
A single sentence made the Venerable Chengyue lose her composure. Indeed, one could feel that the two were gradually becoming familiar with each other, enough to tease a little. Even though Sheng Meng maintained a serious and solemn face, Bu Chengyue knew she was just internally playful—this was teasing.
“Since ancient times, countless Nascent Soul cultivators have died, but not a single one has starved to death. Go with peace of mind, beloved disciple.”
Unprepared for being called “beloved disciple,” Sheng Meng revealed a flattered and overwhelmed look. Meeting a pair of smiling eyes, her gaze scrambled frantically and escaped to Bu Chengyue’s delicate earlobe, then quickly moved away, looking only at the wild grass on the ground.