Mu Zhiyao returned to her room, looked over the talisman papers and formations one by one, folded them away, and finally opened the box from Dad.
In the original novel, after Dad gave this box to the Lingxiao Sect Master, it did not appear again for a long time, until Mu Qingrou made her name in a single battle against the ghost clan, and the Lingxiao Sect Master rewarded the box to her.
At the time, she had been so opposed to this that she made a scene in front of the Lingxiao Sect Master, and not only failed to get the box back, but was humiliated in return. In the end, she could only watch as Mu Qingrou carried the Mu family heirloom away, her face full of smug satisfaction.
Now the box was still in front of her, and everything could still be changed.
Mu Zhiyao lightly touched the box’s clasp. When she opened it, a dark, dull red jade pendant lay inside, carved with the pattern of a phoenix. It was clearly ancient, originally a fiery red, now turned dark.
Mu Zhiyao touched the jade pendant, turned it over and over to examine it, but found nothing unusual. Just as she was about to put it back, she carelessly cut her finger on the phoenix’s protruding beak at the edge of the pendant, and a drop of blood ran down onto the jade.
At once, the phoenix’s eyes on the jade lit up, and a ball of red flame left the phoenix, flying into the palm of Mu Zhiyao’s left hand, vanishing in an instant. The jade pendant dimmed again.
Huh? Mu Zhiyao examined her palm carefully again; there was no trace of any red flame. She flexed her hand, feeling no discomfort at all. Her impoverished knowledge of cultivation culture left her unable to figure it out, so she had no choice but to let it go for now, put the jade back in the box, and tuck it into her Sumeru Ring.
After tidying everything up, Mu Zhiyao dove into her warm blanket and fell into a deep, drowsy sleep. She did not notice that a faint red thread extended from her palm, wound several times around her ring finger, and then disappeared.
The next day, Mu Zhiyao woke when the sun was already high.
Oh no, she’d forgotten to attend the morning meeting! Since she’d decided to join the Xuanming Sect, this big family, Mu Zhiyao naturally wanted to actively fit in.
So Mu Zhiyao scrambled out of bed in a fluster and rushed out the door, only to bump head-on into her Fifth Senior Sister Ye Qingli at the corner, who was biting into a spirit fruit.
“Hey, hey, hey, Little A-Yao, what’s the rush?” Ye Qingli held the spirit fruit in her mouth and freed her hands to steady Mu Zhiyao, who had nearly lost her balance.
“Senior Sister! What are you doing here? Is the morning meeting over? Did Master get angry that I didn’t go?” Mu Zhiyao was so anxious that sweat broke out on her forehead.
“Huh? What morning meeting? Is that some new thing?” Ye Qingli looked blank.
“Doesn’t the sect hold morning and evening meetings?” Mu Zhiyao was stunned. “Then, Senior Sister, all that sweat on you, isn’t it from going to train?”
“Ah, you mean this!” Ye Qingli waved her hand in annoyance. “Don’t even mention it. First Senior Brother isn’t here, and no one’s been feeding the cattle he raises, so I went to feed them for him. Here, smell this, I’m covered in the stink of weeds.” As she spoke, Ye Qingli rolled up her sleeve and held it under Mu Zhiyao’s nose.
“What?! Cattle-raising?” Mu Zhiyao’s pupils widened in shock. She truly never would have imagined that the Xuanming Sect was not only the down-and-out little sect described in the original novel, but also carried on the most primitive kind of business.
“Then, Senior Sister, do the Senior Brothers have to herd cattle every day too?”
“They do! Our Xuanming Sect doesn’t have any special work. Every day, besides cultivating, the Second Elder said that to keep us from getting bored, after discussing it with Master, the Second Elder arranged some chores for each of us senior and junior brothers and sisters. For example, First Senior Brother is in charge of cattle-raising, Second Senior Brother handles all the odds and ends of the whole mountain estate, Third Senior Sister tends the flowers and plants, Fourth Senior Brother is too careless, but his cooking is really good. Although cultivators can begin grain abstention after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, the Second Elder said that missing out on the hundred flavors of the mortal world is a great pity, so Fourth Senior Brother is in charge of cooking. As for me, I’m in charge of the fish pond next door. And as for Sixth Junior Sister, because she really doesn’t like to talk much, Master was worried, so he handed all the birds and beasts on the mountain over to her to look after, saying it would get her to talk more.” Ye Qingli counted them off on her fingers for Mu Zhiyao.
Mu Zhiyao fell silent. She suddenly understood why outsiders looked down on the Xuanming Sect. After all, what sect would have its direct disciples do these things?
“Then what about me, Senior Sister? What should I do every day?” Mu Zhiyao scratched her head and asked a little sheepishly. “I stayed at home all my childhood and don’t know how to do anything.”
“It’s fine.” Ye Qingli waved her hand carelessly. “There’s nothing we need you to do either, Little Junior Sister. Just do whatever you want. If you really can’t figure it out, you can go ask Second Senior Brother. After all, the sect’s arrangements are all overseen by him.”
After thanking Fifth Senior Sister, Mu Zhiyao headed for Second Senior Brother’s courtyard, and happened to see Ning Xiuyuan there reading the account books.
“Second Senior Brother!” Mu Zhiyao waved from outside the courtyard.
“What is it, Little Junior Sister?” Ning Xiuyuan set down the account book and looked at Mu Zhiyao, puzzled.
“I wanted to ask if there’s anything I can do. I just heard from Fifth Senior Sister that everyone has their own tasks, so I wanted to see what I could do.”
“I see. But right now the sect doesn’t have anything that needs Little Junior Sister’s hand. If you’re bored, Little Junior Sister, take a look around first. As for cultivation, we’ll talk about it when Master returns.” Mu Zhiyao’s spiritual root condition was unclear, and Ning Xiuyuan didn’t dare make decisions on his own, so he could only gently steer his Little Junior Sister’s attention elsewhere.
Alright then. It seemed her Senior Brother had mistaken her for having a fear of difficulty. Mu Zhiyao didn’t explain, bade her Senior Brother farewell, and prepared to head for the Library Pavilion to learn just what her situation was and where she should begin.
The Xuanming Sect’s Library Pavilion was easy to find, and with the servants hired by the Xuanming Sect guiding her along the way, Mu Zhiyao soon stood before a seven-story tower. Just as her Senior Brother had described, the vast Library Pavilion wasn’t locked at all; she pushed the door open and walked in freely.
Mu Zhiyao couldn’t help but sigh that the Xuanming Sect really was a free and easygoing place. Though maybe it was just that the Library Pavilion held no important books?
She remembered that in the original novel, the Lingxiao Sect’s Library Pavilion was a very mysterious place. Not only were guards posted, but the key was personally kept by the Sect Master. Generally, only specially trained disciples could enter the Library Pavilion, and even then only for one hour each time, and no books or cultivation methods could be taken out.
Just as Mu Zhiyao was sighing over this, she had just stepped one foot inside when someone tapped her on the shoulder, frightening her so much that she quickly pulled her foot back.