Chapter 4

"There's only one bed here," Shi Suiren said, laughing as she saw the girl's nervous expression. "If I don't sleep with you, what else am I supposed to do? Sleep in a tree?" She rolled over and threw a long leg over Gu Yaoxing, completely pinning her down.

"Since I am your Master, we are family," Shi Suiren yawned. "Sharing a bed when necessary is perfectly proper. Go to sleep; I still have to get your medicine tomorrow."

After smoothing Gu Yaoxing's back, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

She drifted off quickly, oblivious to the girl in her arms, whose face was flushed a brilliant red, her eyes wide with lingering shock.

Outside, insects chirped. The wind swept wildly through the mountains, causing the dense forest to sway and rustle. The distant howls of wild beasts echoed faintly...

But all of this was shut out by the woman's arms, as if they were in a world of their own. All that remained was the sound of shallow breathing.

No matter how she decides to torment me next, at least tonight, I can finally get a good night's sleep.

Gu Yaoxing smiled bitterly and closed her eyes.

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The next morning, the two were jolted awake by the commotion in the courtyard. Gu Yaoxing scrambled to rise in panic, only to be pulled back by Shi Suiren's lazy hand gripping her arm.

The girl's body was warm and light, comfortable to hold, though a bit too thin—her bones poked through, making her a little bony.

The moment she fell back into the embrace, she tensed her waist stiffly, a clear sign of her deliberate distance.

Still wary of me, I see, Shi Suiren thought with a smile. She loosened her grip and watched the girl spring up like a cat, cowering as she knelt in the corner.

"I forgot to tell you," Shi Suiren said as she rose and pushed open the latticed window. "My circumstances are dire now. All my former wealth and estates are gone. From now on, you'll be living here with me in Xiumu Pavilion, cultivating in poverty."

As she spoke, the morning light filtered through the mountain mist, spilling thinly across the window frame.

It was a bit too bright.

She lowered her hand, and with a flick of her Immortal Method, her clothes were instantly changed. The skirt was the color of mist, fading to a pale white at the cuffs—elegant and ethereal, though the fabric was old, adding a touch of antiquity.

When she had first woken up in Xiumu Pavilion, all she had left of her family's fortune were three Spirit Stones and a few old clothes. Not to mention the land deeds she had accumulated over the years; even her pearl and jade hair ornaments had vanished without a trace.

In a few days, she would have to investigate where all her belongings had gone. She couldn't just let someone else take them for free.

She rummaged through the old clothes again, picked out a rarely-worn, pearly-pink silk dress, and used an Immortal Method to shrink it down before slipping it over Gu Yaoxing's head.

"Perfect, you look lovely," she said with a smile, casually twisting the girl's hair into two round buns and pinning two delicate pink beaded flowers into them.

She failed to notice the flash of distaste in the girl's eyes.

Seizing the moment as Shi Suiren turned to open the door, the girl reached up, plucked the two beaded flowers from her hair, and tossed them into the gap at the foot of the bed.

Shi Suiren led Gu Yaoxing out of the room. The courtyard before them was neglected and dilapidated, with bricks and stones scattered across the overgrown ground. A ring of mushrooms had sprouted there after yesterday's rain.

Gu Yaoxing gazed silently at the small courtyard, then lowered her head and lapsed into a brooding silence, as if the surroundings had nothing to do with her.

The two passed through the inner courtyard's arched gateway. The outer courtyard's walls were low, and their view instantly opened up. Looking up, they could see the rolling mountains and, beneath the distant clouds, the magnificent eaves of Yunshu Palace.

Three women stood in the courtyard, deep in conversation. Two of them wore the robes of the sect's cultivators. The third was dressed in a fiery red gown, leaning against the bare branches of an apricot tree, her expression cold and sharp.

All three were cultivators who had been exiled to Xiumu Pavilion for committing grave offenses. One of them was Su Jiu, who had helped Shi Suiren that day. The other two were strangers whose names she didn't know, but she had met them before and knew they held a grudge against her.

Sure enough, while Su Jiu greeted her warmly, the other two acted as if she were invisible. One kept her head down and hurried away, while the other shot her a fierce glare before leaving.

Shi Suiren raised an elegant eyebrow and tilted her head curiously. "Who is she? Do I have a grudge with her?" she asked Su Jiu.

"This disciple doesn't know," Su Jiu replied, tugging at her sleeve with a nervous chuckle. "Her name is Yun Xi. She seems to have been from Taihang Peak. Her cultivation is much higher than ours, but for some reason, she ended up here."

"The one who didn't dare to look up is named Tan Baozhu," Su Jiu explained with a flattering smile. "She's naturally timid and shy. It's not personal, so please don't hold it against her."

She seemed terrified that Shi Suiren would hold a grudge against them.

"I've lived for over three hundred years, after all," Shi Suiren said, her hands clasped behind her back as she chuckled softly. Her eyes shimmered in the sunlight. "By the way, I have a favor to ask. Are you free?"

The beaded hairpins on Su Jiu's head swayed as she replied, clearly flattered. "This disciple is free. Please give your orders, Elder."

"My disciple's health is poor, and I must go to Lanyue Peak to ask the Peak Master for some pills to treat her. It would be difficult to bring her along on this journey, so I hope you can look after her for me."

As Shi Suiren spoke, she took Gu Yaoxing's hand and led her to stand before Su Jiu.

"What a cute little darling," Su Jiu cooed, cupping her face as she squatted down, her eyes crinkling into a smile. "Come here and let Big Sister hug you..."

But the moment she met Gu Yaoxing's gaze, her voice died in her throat. A chill crept down her spine, and she could only manage a strained laugh, swallowing her terror. "Rest assured, Elder. This disciple will take good care of her."

For a fleeting second, she thought she had glimpsed a cold, malevolent glint in the child's eyes—nothing like a child at all, but something more akin to a vengeful spirit.

"Oh, Elder, a laborer disciple came by earlier to ask about a missing chicken from the Chushan Courtyard kitchen. The radishes and scallions I'd hidden in my own garden have also vanished. There must be wild beasts roaming the Tianquan Sect lately. Please be careful on your journey," Su Jiu added worriedly.

At these words, Gu Yaoxing, who had been keeping her head bowed in silence, finally stirred. Her eyelashes fluttered as she glanced sideways at Shi Suiren, a flicker of astonishment crossing her eyes.

Shi Suiren, however, merely nodded, her expression completely unruffled. "Thank you."

"As long as you are willing to care for her, I will surely repay you in the future." Shi Suiren stepped forward and stroked Gu Yaoxing's head. Her long sleeve brushed past the girl's face like a drifting cloud, leaving behind a faint, elegant fragrance.

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The Tianquan Sect was one of the most renowned sects in the martial world. Its territory alone spanned more than half of the Tianshan Mountains and the entire Tianhu Lake at their base. Countless pavilions and eaves dotted the landscape, scattered around the central Xianren Peak.

The most opulent areas were Yunshu Palace, the residence of the Sect Master and Deputy Sect Master, and Luoyun Hall, where the Sect Master's personal disciples lived. Beyond these, several major factions stood within the Tianquan Sect: Sword Pavilion, Spirit Pill Tower, Taihang Peak, Tianxing Pavilion, and Lanyue Peak. Each was responsible for different duties, such as the transmission of martial arts, the refining of spirit pills, the creation of formations and talismans, the enforcement of discipline and punishment, and the practice of medicine and healing.

The disciples' living quarters were also divided into inner and outer sections. The inner disciples resided in Hengshan Garden, while the outer disciples lived in the more peripheral Chushan Courtyard. The rest—labor disciples and mortal servants—were stationed in the even more remote servant's quarters.

Unfortunately, Xiumu Pavilion was located even further away than the servant's quarters, so remote it was practically outside the sect's boundaries. Flying on a sword to Yunshu Palace from there would require considerable effort.

As for requesting the pills, Shi Suiren had given it serious thought. Elder Chanyi, the Master of Spirit Pill Tower, had never been on good terms with her and was known to be difficult. Asking him for pills would be an uphill battle.

However, she shared a certain rapport with Chu Ling'an, the Peak Master of Lanyue Peak. Chu Ling'an had been a junior sister she once cultivated with, and they might still be able to speak a few words to each other.

Moreover, as Lanyue Peak served as the training ground for Medical Immortals, it also stored pills. This was why she had chosen Lanyue Peak for her journey.

After an hour's time, she rode the morning clouds and descended upon the mountainside of Lanyue Peak, landing before an ancient gatehouse adorned with wind chimes.

"Who goes there?" The guards were two Sword Cultivators around the Golden Core Stage, both clad in the cultivators' light blue sect robes, their life-bound swords humming in their hands.

Shi Suiren stood with her hands clasped behind her back and said gently, "I am Shi Suiren of Xiumu Pavilion, here to pay a visit to Junior Sister Chu Ling'an."

A century ago, she and Chu Ling'an had been very close, often meeting to practice their swordplay. Later, when the two were assigned to manage the Sword Pavilion and Lanyue Peak respectively, they rarely saw each other, but the old bond still remained.

Even if it is only for the sake of our sisterly bond, Chu Ling'an should still invite me in, Shi Suiren thought.

Yet reality was far from what she expected. The two Sword Cultivators exchanged a glance before suddenly snarling, "So it's Elder Shi. Our Peak Master gave us strict orders: if we see you, we're to give you a good thrashing, tie you up, and throw you off the cliff to feed the fish!"

Before Shi Suiren could even react, two longswords thrust toward her. The sword wind was so fierce and sharp it threatened to sever her neck. Startled, she instinctively tilted her head back to dodge. A series of crashes echoed behind her as several large trees snapped and tumbled down the cliffside.

"What is the meaning of this? When did I ever offend our Peak Master?" Shi Suiren laughed in sheer fury. She pressed her palms together, summoning her Life-bound Sword, which she gripped in a reverse hold.

"In reply to Elder Shi, our Peak Master said that if you ask why we're doing this, we must tell you..." The male Sword Cultivator coughed twice, his voice suddenly turning shrill and feminine. "You damned Shi Suiren! How dare you ask? Just wash your neck and wait—I'm going to take your miserable life today!"

Shi Suiren: "..."