Chapter 023: The Aura of a Regal Lady

Moreover, it seemed that Brother Ten from the Miscellaneous Hall hadn’t discovered the rich lode of spirit stones here—or perhaps he had, but saw no use for them himself? Would he mind, then, if I consumed so many spirit stones from this place? After all, it was he who found this secret cave and the pool of heroes within. But never mind for now. To have such resources at hand and leave them unused would be a crime against nature, a betrayal of the very path! I would talk it over with Brother Ten next time we met.

Still, it was odd that he hadn’t come looking for me in several days. Ever since the task of guarding the Ice Spirit Flower had ended, Chief Zha Yi had assigned me to a new post: recording the spiritual herbs and flowers that were about to blossom or bear fruit, so they could be harvested in time. This too was an easy job. With my current Wind and Rain Cloud Step, I could survey the broad medicinal fields thoroughly with just a few circuits, and it took no more than an hour or two each day—which I could even arrange at my own convenience.

On this particular day, as I was estimating the ripening time of an Ice Red Lotus, a sudden sound of air splitting carried from afar. I looked up, squinting against the light. Three figures in flowing robes swept through the sky, the one at the fore a woman who looked the part of a senior sister, followed by a young man and woman with the air of novices—clearly new disciples.

“Hey, isn’t that Miss Qingxuan, the third daughter of the Qin family?” My spirits lifted at the sight of a familiar face. For now, I set aside my concerns for the Ice Red Lotus, broke into a run, and called out, “Miss Qingxuan! Miss Qingxuan!”

Among the three drifting through the air, Luo Xiang turned his head to the junior sister at his side. “It seems someone down there is calling to us,” he remarked, curiosity in his eyes as he noticed her anxious expression. “Why do you look so nervous?”

“I’m not blushing or anything! The spiritual energy here is just so abundant…” Qin Qingxuan averted her gaze quickly, as if she’d been caught in some mischief. “Senior Sister Huang, are we headed to the Treasure Hall in the Medicine Valley?”

“That’s right,” replied their leader, Senior Sister Huang Yuxi, who was in charge of this trip for Drifting Shadow Peak. She was to collect rare cultivation materials from the Treasure Hall in Scarlet Refining Valley and had brought the new disciples along to broaden their horizons.

Huang Yuxi paused and turned to Qin Qingxuan. “Junior Sister Qin, is that an old acquaintance of yours? Shall we stop so you two can talk?”

It was, after all, a common occurrence; many disciples didn’t reach the Blazing Ice Mountain alone but came in pairs or groups, sometimes friends, sometimes kin. After entering the sect, fate and talent often scattered them far and wide. Such meetings were not so rare.

“Senior Sister, the disciple below is Lin Zhan from the Miscellaneous Hall. He came here with me… If you permit, I’d like to go down and greet him,” said Qin Qingxuan.

“Go ahead,” Huang Yuxi nodded, landing on a nearby knoll and withdrawing her flying artifact.

Qin Qingxuan dashed toward me, her smile radiant as spring. “Lin Zhan, I’m so glad to see you!” She ran up and threw her arms around me in a hearty embrace, then punched me lightly on the chest. “Well done, cousin! You’ve grown sturdier than ever—a true son of the Qin family!”

I scratched my head sheepishly, grinning like a fool, a little overwhelmed by her sudden enthusiasm. Back when we journeyed to the Blazing Ice Mountain, ten of us in all, we had to claw our way through hardship and fight off wild beasts. At that time, Qin Qingxuan still carried the dignity of a clan leader’s daughter, not yet as close with the rest of us.

Now, in this chance reunion after so long, she seemed genuinely moved. “Miss Qin, congratulations on becoming an inner disciple of Drifting Shadow Peak.” I gave her a thumbs-up, led her to a stone step nearby, and took a fragrant fruit from my storage pouch. I polished it vigorously with a corner of my robe and handed it to her. “Try a Ten-Perfume Fruit—juicy and sweet, good for the lungs and spleen.”

Her gaze lingered on my face as she took the fruit and bit into it with gusto. Her intense stare made me uneasy, and the way she bit into the fruit was strangely alluring.

Sitting so close, I remembered that she had once been a kind of supervisor over me. Though we weren’t far apart in age, her poise now carried a commanding, almost intimidating air—stirring a nerve in me I’d long forgotten.

Ling Qier had once favored a different kind of gaze, resting her chin in her hands and watching me with soft eyes… And now, I found myself imagining Qin Qingxuan dressed in a modern office suit and glasses, striding gracefully to my desk—the image was a perfect fit!

Lost in my thoughts, I hastily tried to break the awkward silence. “Miss Qin, you—”

“Let me speak first,” she interrupted. “From now on, call me Qingxuan. We’re fellow disciples now, aren’t we? …Mm, this fruit is delicious… Lin Zhan, when that elder took you away that day, I thought I’d never see you again. I’m so relieved you ended up in the Miscellaneous Hall—just being alive is a blessing. Once my cultivation is complete, I’ll be able to look after all of you!”

“Oh, Qingxuan, I’m sure you’ll succeed. When that day comes, we’ll be proud to follow you. By the way, how are Big Brother Fang and Big Brother Lian? Are they at Drifting Shadow Peak with you?” I still worried about Fang Daguang.

Qin Qingxuan’s expression dimmed a little. “They’re both at Sword Burial Peak, still only named disciples, not yet admitted to the inner sect.”

I understood. Becoming an inner disciple wasn’t so easy. Even someone as talented as Qin Qingxuan had struggled through several trials before being noticed by one of the four great elders of Sword Burial Peak, Elder Fengwu. Fang Daguang and Lian Ming hadn’t even matched Fan Ning’s aptitude in the tests. That they had become named disciples was already something.

“What’s most infuriating is Fan Ning—he’s actually become the personal disciple of the Sword Burial Peak Master!” Qin Qingxuan ground her teeth, lamenting the unfairness of fate.

“Qingxuan, next time I see Fan Ning, I’ll teach him a lesson!” At times like this, any man would say as much—whether I could actually do it was another matter. Besides, Fan Ning was never much of a decent person.

Even as a servant disciple, I had begun my own cultivation training. I believed I’d surpass Fan Ning one day.

Qin Qingxuan glanced back to where her senior sister and brother sat atop the knoll with their backs to us, resting. Shielded from their view, she furtively pulled a jade slip from her robe and pressed it into my hand. “This is a cultivation technique I exchanged for with my merit points. It isn’t one exclusive to Drifting Shadow Peak, so you can study it freely.”

“Qingxuan, this—won’t you be punished?” I gripped the jade slip tightly, unwilling to make a scene and risk drawing the attention of her companions, but still worried for her. Even if the technique wasn’t unique to her peak, it still belonged to Drifting Shadow Peak, and giving it away like this was surely against the rules.