The news of Yun Fuzhao’s expulsion from Purple Sun Peak spread throughout the Wuya Sword Sect.
Many people wanted to come and laugh at Yun Fuzhao’s misfortune, but strangely, they couldn’t find a trace of her anywhere in the Sect.
Some said she was so overwhelmed with shame that she fled during the night.
But if they had looked up into the trees, they would have seen Yun Fuzhao lying there, looking utterly content.
This was the life she’d been hoping for.
The freedom to lie down whenever and wherever she pleased.
Yun Fuzhao was currently at the Foundation Establishment Stage, barely having one foot in the Cultivation World.
Even without cultivating further, she could live for a hundred or two hundred years.
It was just too good to be true.
Speaking of which, the cultivation Ranks in this world were divided as follows: Qi Cultivation, Foundation Establishment, Spirit Silence, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Out-of-Body, Integration, Returning Ruins, Mahayana, and Divinity Transformation.
Each of these stages was further divided into the Early Stage, Mid stage, Late Stage, and Great Perfection.
Yun Fuzhao recalled that in the novel, Yu Nian’er would eventually reach the Mahayana stage, while the male lead would achieve Half-step Ascension.
“Eldest Senior Sister, what are you doing sleeping up here?”
A familiar voice called up from below.
Yu Nian’er looked up, her face etched with concern.
“It’s so high up.
If you fall, you’ll be seriously injured.”
Yun Fuzhao sat up and leaped down from the tree.
She glanced around.
“There’s no one else here.
Why keep up the act?”
“Eldest Senior Sister, you…
how can you think of me that way?
When have I ever put on an act?”
The beauty spoke, looking as if she was on the verge of tears—a truly pitiable sight.
Yun Fuzhao scratched her cheek.
‘I don’t even want to comment on her clumsy acting.’ “I’m not a disciple of Purple Sun Peak anymore.
What do you want from me?”
“I brought your things to the Disciple Residence,” Yu Nian’er said, hesitating for a moment before continuing her persuasion.
“Eldest Senior Sister, life as an Outer Disciple is very difficult.
If you just apologize to Master and hand over the Wuji Sword, I’m sure he’ll forgive you.”
“…”
‘So after all that, she’s still after my Wuji Sword.’
Yun Fuzhao couldn’t be bothered to waste any more breath on her.
“He’s your master, not mine.
And I couldn’t care less about being his disciple.
Also, stop bothering me.
I’m not Hou Feiyu; I don’t fall for your act.”
Yu Nian’er froze.
A flash of disgust flickered in her eyes before she quickly concealed it.
“Eldest Senior Sister, since you insist, I won’t try to persuade you any further.
I only hope you won’t regret this.”
The moment she left, Yun Fuzhao felt a welcome silence descend.
She headed for the Disciple Residence.
The original owner of this body didn’t have many possessions.
She’d given all the good stuff to those two ungrateful wretches, so what was left was probably nothing important.
Along the way, she ran into numerous disciples in plain white robes, all of whom sized her up, some more overtly than others.
A Direct Disciple being expelled from their master’s tutelage…
She was the first such case in the history of the Wuya Sword Sect.
She was now quite the celebrity in the Sect.
Yun Fuzhao walked straight ahead, looking neither left nor right, completely unburdened.
That was one thing about her—she had an exceptionally resilient mindset.
Her life motto was simple: ‘Not your problem, not my problem.’
After asking around, Yun Fuzhao finally found her new residence.
The Outer Disciples lived in double-occupancy rooms.
The conditions weren’t bad, but they seemed rather crude compared to the residences of Direct Disciples.
“Hello?”
Yun Fuzhao pushed the door open.
Inside, a woman in white was sitting and polishing her sword.
She had sharp, dashing features and a tall, slender build.
“Senior Sister Yun.”
The woman stood up.
“I’m Song Ying.”
Yun Fuzhao nodded.
For a moment, she had a strange flashback to meeting her new roommate on the first day of college.
The atmosphere was just as awkward.
“Senior Sister Yun, aren’t you going to change?
The Ancestor Commemoration Ceremony is about to start.”
Her words jogged Yun Fuzhao’s memory.
The Wuya Sword Sect held the Ancestor Commemoration Ceremony once a year to commemorate the Sect’s founder, Wei Heyu.
He was also the first Great Power from the Wuya Sword Sect to achieve Ascension.
The reason Yun Fuzhao remembered this so clearly was because, in the novel, today was the day Yu Nian’er would offer the first stick of Merit Incense to Wei Heyu.
Logically, that honor should have gone to Yun Fuzhao, as she was the Sect Master’s eldest disciple.
But even before Yu Nian’er’s arrival, Meng Ci’er had looked down on her and never allowed her to offer the first incense.
She was always the last of all the Direct Disciples to make her offering.
“I’ll go change.”
Of course Yun Fuzhao was going.
‘Why pass up a good show?’
She and Song Ying quickly changed their clothes and went to the Grand Altar together.
Along the way, Yun Fuzhao drew many stares, and even more whispers.
“Yun Fuzhao used to be in charge of the Ancestor Commemoration Ceremony every year.
Now that she’s been kicked out of Purple Sun Peak, she must be green with envy watching Senior Yu take her place.”
“If you ask me, even if Yun Fuzhao hadn’t been kicked out, it wouldn’t have been her turn this year anyway.
Senior Yu is exceptionally talented and has a boundless future.
The first incense offering should go to her.”
“Otherwise, Elder Wei might think our Wuya Sword Sect has no worthy successors, letting a disciple at the Foundation Establishment Stage make the offering.”
Song Ying frowned upon hearing this.
“Don’t pay any mind to their words…”
She turned her head, only to find Yun Fuzhao happily cracking melon seeds.
When Yun Fuzhao noticed her gaze, she even offered her a handful.
“Want some?”
Song Ying: “…”
Song Ying silently took a handful and started cracking them as well.
Yun Fuzhao said, “I’m used to hearing this kind of talk.”
Thinking she was upset, Song Ying was about to offer some comfort, but then Yun Fuzhao continued, “Just remember, if you care too much about what other people think, you’ll just become someone else’s underpants.”
“…”
‘That…
actually makes a lot of sense.’
An hour later, the Ancestor Commemoration Ceremony began.
The Outer Disciples stood in the outermost ring, followed by the Inner Sect Disciples, and then the Direct Disciples.
Yun Fuzhao’s view wasn’t great.
She glanced at a tree behind her, then grabbed Song Ying and leaped up into its branches.
Song Ying scrambled up the tree with even more skill than her.
Noticing Yun Fuzhao’s look, she explained sheepishly, “I’m from a village.
All the kids in my village are good at climbing trees.”
They were positioned towards the back, and with everyone’s attention focused on the altar, nobody noticed the two of them.
Soon, Yun Fuzhao saw Yu Nian’er walk up to the altar, following behind Meng Ci’er.
She was dressed in a simple white Daoist robe, her hair tied in a simple bun.
The look accentuated her pure, flawless beauty, making her resemble a sacred jasmine flower.
Clearly, she had put a lot of care into her appearance for today’s ceremony.
“Senior Yu is so beautiful.
How can someone be so perfect?
She has a great personality, high talent, and she’s gorgeous.”
“Offering the first incense to Elder Wei is such a supreme honor.
Sigh…
I wonder if I’ll ever get the chance to do that one day.”
“For Outer Disciples like us, it’s just a dream.”
Yu Nian’er glanced down at the crowd, as if searching for someone.
In no time, her eyes met Yun Fuzhao’s, who was perched in the tree.
Her lips curved into what looked like a small smile to others, but Yun Fuzhao knew better.
It was a taunt, a show of triumph.
Yun Fuzhao smiled back.
‘A taunt?
Anyone can do that.’
“Nian’er, follow me.”
Meng Ci’er called out, and only then did Yu Nian’er retract her gaze and obediently follow him.
A Copper Sword stood in the center of the altar, wreathed in swirling sword-qi.
This Copper Sword had been forged from a wisp of Wei Heyu’s sword soul.
Elder Wei had once said that if the Wuya Sword Sect were ever in peril, this sword would protect them.
Yu Nian’er followed Meng Ci’er to the Copper Sword.
Meng Ci’er spoke respectfully, “Elder Wei, this is my youngest disciple, Yu Nian’er.
She possesses rare Dual Spirit Roots.
Today, she will be the one to offer you the first stick of incense.”
Yu Nian’er’s heart pounded in her chest.
She could feel the envious gazes of the disciples below.
In this moment, she felt like the center of the universe, with all eyes upon her.
She slowly inserted the incense stick into the censer.
Meng Ci’er smiled in gratification.
“Good…”
Before he could finish his sentence, everyone’s faces twisted in shock.
The incense stick had snapped in two out of thin air!