Chapter 10: A Moment of Anger and Frustration

“Oh? You’ve heard as well? I just came out from the sect leader’s place and overheard Junior Sister Yun Zhao say she tried many methods but couldn’t cure it...”

“No wonder Junior Sister Yun Zhao came to see the sect leader. It must be so difficult for her to speak of such a thing.”

“But Junior Brother Qi Yan is so handsome; if Junior Sister Yun puts in some effort, it’s understandable. See, hard work pays off—she found a way to treat it.”

The disciples standing guard at Mount Mu were gossiping nonstop. Qi Yan stood in the corner, veins bulging on his forehead.

Weren’t the disciples of Mount Mu supposed to be steady and composed?

Why hadn’t he seen any of that?

Had they all gone to the dogs?!

While the disciples gossiped and Qi Yan grew increasingly frustrated, Yun Zhao remained oblivious. She was following behind Peak Master Lu Mingdao of Mount Mu, gathering the medicinal herbs listed on the order.

Earlier, when Yun Zhao and Qi Yan arrived, Lu Mingdao glanced at the list and blurted out, “This kid won’t do?” The disciples delivering the herbs overheard this. Though he later corrected himself, the rumor had already spread.

“All the herbs you need are here,” Lu Mingdao reminded, “Zhao Zhao, remember to place them in the order I told you. Otherwise, the properties will conflict, and at best, you’ll get hurt; at worst, it could be life-threatening.”

“Han Yue is really something. If you hadn’t come to me and had gone to gather the herbs alone, what would’ve happened?”

Yun Zhao chuckled, “Uncle Lu, you always predict things so well. I knew Senior Uncle would be at Mount Mu today. I tend to be lazy, so of course I’d look for Senior Uncle’s help.”

Lu Mingdao smiled warmly, “You little girl…”

As they left, Yun Zhao whispered, “Senior Uncle, can this prescription really cure that... thing?”

“Ahem,” Lu Mingdao nearly choked on his own saliva, his face flushing, “What’s a young girl like you asking that for? It’s getting late. Hurry and go home!”

He blamed the sect master for making him concoct that kind of medicine. Cultivators shouldn’t be so preoccupied with sensual desires. He resolved to have a word with the sect master later.

But as a competent alchemist, Lu Mingdao composed himself and said seriously, “It can’t cure it. Earlier, I misread one of the herbs, mistaking it for...”

Yun Zhao understood immediately.

After leaving the herb garden, Yun Zhao bid farewell to Lu Mingdao and hurried over to Qi Yan.

“Ah Yan, we have everything, let’s go.”

Before she could finish, Qi Yan grasped her hand and urged her to summon their spirit sword and leave quickly.

This was the first time Qi Yan had taken her hand willingly. Before Yun Zhao could ask why, she overheard nearby disciples whispering:

“Look at Junior Sister Yun’s happy expression; it seems her happiness is safe~”

Yun Zhao was puzzled.

On the spirit sword, she looked at Qi Yan in confusion. “What happened? You’re not upset? Did they bully you when I wasn’t around?”

Qi Yan stared straight ahead at the scenery, “No.”

Only the faint blush on his earlobes betrayed his unusual mood.

Yun Zhao glanced at his ears just as the communication talisman in her storage pouch suddenly vibrated. She sent her divine sense inside and heard Mu Qianqian struggling to suppress her laughter.

She knew Mu Qianqian was having a hard time holding back because...

“Ha ha ha ha!”

Because she couldn’t hold it in at all!

Yun Zhao laughed until tears streamed down her face. Qi Yan immediately knew what she was laughing about and scolded, “Don’t laugh!”

“I—I don’t want to either.”

Yun Zhao laughed so hard her stomach hurt. She clutched her belly, unable to stop herself.

Qi Yan, in a huff, was simply annoyed... for a moment.

Laugh all you want.

Qi Yan’s expression remained impassive.

When he unlocks his cultivation to be as strong as in his former life, he’ll deal with all of you!

Let’s see if you’re still laughing then!

No need to wait—Yun Zhao couldn’t laugh anymore now, because...

She had been laughing so hard that she lost focus and failed to control the spirit sword properly, causing them to fall!

Fortunately, Yun Zhao remained calm and stabilized the sword before they hit the ground.

“You scared me,” Yun Zhao said, clutching her chest, still shaken. “We almost fell.”

Cultivators have strong bodies and wouldn’t die from a fall, but serious injury was possible.

Qi Yan snorted, “Let’s see if you dare lose focus when riding your sword again.”

Yun Zhao grinned at him, “But I kept us steady, right? It was quite thrilling, just a bit unsafe. Qi Yan, once you unlock your cultivation, you’ll be powerful enough to keep us safe!”

[Affection +1, current affection 15]

Suddenly, Yun Zhao grabbed Qi Yan’s hand. “I can tell you like it. How about we do it again?”

Turns out the big villain liked thrills just as much as she did.

Maybe she should research what exciting activities the cultivation world offered and take Qi Yan for a ride sometime!

Qi Yan suddenly felt a chill on his back and quickly withdrew his hand. “I don’t like it. Let’s go.”

Yun Zhao muttered softly, “There’s no shame in liking it. Why don’t you just say so?”

Just as she finished speaking and prepared to soar away on the spirit sword, a crowd approached. Yun Zhao frowned and muttered, “Bad luck.”

Among the group were two people surrounded by others, one of whom was Song Zhiyuan.

Only then did Yun Zhao realize they had fallen near the sword pool of the Qingyun Sect.

The sword pool, as the name suggests, was where Qingyun Sect’s spirit swords flourished. After disciples join the sect, elders lead them here to choose their spirit sword.

Because the sword pool was rich in spiritual energy, the direct disciples of various peaks often cultivated nearby.

Yun Zhao muttered disdainfully, “What a narrow road for enemies. Qi Yan, let’s go.”

Before they could speak further, Song Zhiyuan spotted them.

He instructed three of his men to step forward and block Yun Zhao’s path.

“Junior Sister Yun, Senior Brother asked you to bring Qi Yan over. He has something to discuss with you.”

Yun Zhao replied coldly, “I have nothing to say to him. Step aside.”

The three refused to move. One glanced at Qi Yan and whispered to Yun Zhao, “Junior Sister, we know you’re angry at Senior Brother because of Xue Huairui, but Xue Huairui is only Senior Brother’s junior sister. You’re the one Senior Brother likes...”

*Snap.*

Yun Zhao turned in time to see Qi Yan expressionlessly hurl a shattered stone aside. “What are you looking at? Keep going.”

“Going on what?” Yun Zhao cleaned Qi Yan’s hand with a purification technique. “Listening to their nonsense?”

Finished, she grasped her spirit sword and said coldly, “If you don’t move aside, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

The three exchanged awkward glances toward Song Zhiyuan not far away. He also noticed the tense confrontation.

“Junior Sister Yun, don’t make things difficult for them. I asked them to bring you here not for private matters, just to take Junior Brother Qi to the sword pool.”

Several days apart had restored Song Zhiyuan’s gentle and warm senior brother demeanor, as if no conflict had ever arisen between them.

He explained, “The new disciples have already chosen their spirit swords. Junior Brother Qi was a bit late, so the sect leader asked me to take him there.”

“It’s just been busy lately, and I forgot for a moment.”

Song Zhiyuan smiled warmly like spring breeze. “Junior Brother Qi, please don’t mind.”