Besides, in her past life, she had rarely slept well because she was monitored by the system and had to do guilty deeds every day.
Now, being able to fall fast asleep the moment she closed her eyes wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
It was just that the path of a pill cultivator had become much longer and more arduous...
However, while she didn't think much of it, Seventh Elder grew increasingly worried the more he thought about it. In the end, he couldn't help but send a message to Sixteenth Elder, who was traveling abroad, claiming there was an extremely urgent matter and urging him to return immediately.
Song Yao couldn't help but shudder at the mention of Sixteenth Elder.
This man was the Hall Master of the Ward-Off-Illness Pavilion in the Nine Saints Hall, known as the Saintly Hand of Salvation. He looked extremely upright and proper, but just like the Teaching Elder, he was so rigidly upright it was almost eerie.
In her past life, after being driven to spit blood by Song Yao several times, he became convinced that she was possessed by an evil spirit and resolved to exorcise her.
Every time they met, he would grab a large handful of silver needles with a sinister look and try to jab them into her, seemingly determined not to stop until he poked her to death.
Even more terrifying was Eldest Senior Brother, who was traveling with him.
It was fine dealing with Second Senior Sister and Fourth Junior Brother for now, but if Eldest Senior Brother returned with him, she might very well blow her cover.
Unfortunately, Seventh Elder mistook Song Yao's resistance for shyness and comforted her with a smile, “No matter, no matter. I'm close friends with Sixteenth. He happens to be nearby, so it's very convenient for him to make a trip back.”
Song Yao wanted to cry but had no tears. “It's not convenient for me...”
After two days of living in fear, on the day Sixteenth Elder was due to return, Song Yao had just woken up and opened her eyes when she was dragged out of her room.
Ninth Elder held her by the collar, his plain robe billowing in the wind, looking extremely impatient. “Have you forgotten what day it is today?”
Song Yao was held so tightly she could barely breathe, her legs kicking frantically in the air. “Wh-what day?”
Ninth Elder threw her onto his sword. “It's the day Foundation Establishment disciples go to Mount Mingjian to select their swords. I will personally take you there.”
“Wait, I haven't eaten breakfast yet!”
Seventh Elder hurriedly chased after them from behind, stuffing two hot steamed buns into Song Yao's hands. He couldn't help but instruct her, “Be careful in Mount Mingjian, and whatever you do, don't read any books! Sixteenth will arrive by evening. Come back early so he can check on you.”
“Stop nagging.”
Ninth Elder tapped his toes, and the long sword shot into the air. “How can we sword cultivators be so fussy!”
Song Yao struggled to eat her bun in the howling mountain wind, retorting, “I am a pill cultivator.”
...
Outside Mount Mingjian, thirty to forty disciples had gathered, every face filled with uncontrollable excitement.
Among them, only six or seven were newly admitted disciples, while the rest were mostly senior brothers and sisters who had entered earlier and only recently reached Foundation Establishment.
Zhu Zhao stood in front of everyone, her expression cold and solemn. “Do not be greedy once you enter.”
Her voice was not loud, but every word fell clearly into the ears of everyone present. “The swords in the sword tomb of Mount Mingjian possess spirituality and will choose their own masters. Only by passing the sword spirit's selection can you form a contract. If you force a contract and suffer a backlash, your life may be in danger.”
“In addition, there is a barrier in the depths of the sword tomb. Those destined may enter, but if those without destiny trespass...”
“You do so at your own peril.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a gust of sword qi swept over from the distance, the sharp sound of tearing air interrupting Zhu Zhao.
Everyone looked up in unison and saw a plain long sword piercing through the clouds with two people on it.
Ninth Elder stood at the front, his robes fluttering, while behind him sat Song Yao, who was almost choking to death on her bun.
When they drew near, Ninth Elder waved his sleeve, tossed Song Yao off the sword, and flew off cleanly.
Cheng Yue, who was standing close by, was startled and reached out to catch her.
Looking down, she saw Song Yao in her arms, her face blue and purple, looking half-dead as she weakly reached out. “Water... I need water...”
Cheng Yue: “...”
While they were in a flurry over here saving her, Zhu Zhao glanced at her with an expressionless face, then withdrew her gaze and continued explaining the rules.
A disciple next to Jiang Jin frowned and lowered his voice in dissatisfaction. “Why did even Ninth Elder personally go to fetch her? She hasn't come to class for several days, yet we go every day and Ninth Elder doesn't even spare us a glance.”
Hearing this, Jiang Jin glanced sideways slightly in Song Yao's direction and said with a faint smile, “Ninth Elder cherishes talent. Hasn't he also been praising her often during sword practice these past few days?”
He paused, then added, “With her high talent, it's only natural that she gets attention.”
The disciple muttered, “She has high talent? Isn't she only Heaven-grade third-tier? You are Heaven-grade perfect-tier, and you have a metal spiritual root and the Primal Chaos Void Flame, while she only has a wood spiritual root.”
Jiang Jin shook his head helplessly. “Junior Sister Ming has practiced the sword for so many years, yet she hasn't caught Ninth Elder's attention either, has she? There must be something extraordinary about Junior Sister Lin.”
These words were spoken casually, but when they reached Ming Ran's ears, they took on a different meaning.
She and Jiang Jin had both been accepted under Second Elder's tutelage, but because Second Elder had been busy lately, they had been studying with the outer yard disciples.
By right, she was outstanding enough among these people, yet she had lost to a pill cultivator who was late, skipped classes, and couldn't even lift an iron sword.
Today, that pill cultivator was even personally delivered by Ninth Elder.
Ming Ran gripped her sword hilt tightly, her knuckles turning white.
Someone beside her comforted her in a low voice, “It's fine. What good sword can a pill cultivator choose? The divine swords will definitely belong to you two.”
Ming Ran didn't reply, her gaze toward Mount Mingjian growing even more intense.
As the eldest young lady of the Ming family, she had already been equipped with a Heaven-grade mid-rank spiritual sword before entering the sect. Second Elder had also gifted Jiang Jin a Heaven-grade low-rank spiritual sword. The two of them had come today entirely for the ancient divine swords in the depths of the sword tomb.
If they could obtain a divine sword, whether it was Ninth Elder or the entire Nine Saints Hall, they would surely look highly upon them.
Song Yao still had no idea that she was about to become a thorn in the side of several Heaven-grade disciples.
It took her a long while to recover from her suffocation, and she angrily stuffed the leftover bun away.
No eating while sword-riding, no sword-riding while eating.
This was her way of survival.
Cheng Yue looked at her bulging bundle with mixed feelings. “Don't you have a spatial pouch?”
Song Yao: “No.”
Cheng Yue: “...Your master didn't give you one?”
“Nope.”
Song Yao nodded. “He's afraid I'll sell it, and besides, he doesn't have the money to buy me a spatial pouch.”
Afraid of being looked down upon, Song Yao explained further, “Actually, this kind of bundle is quite useful. My Eldest Senior Brother said you can buy one for just two spirit stones, and it can hold a lot of things.”
Cheng Yue: “...”
What a shabby, simple genius.
She really didn't know why those fools were so wary of her.
Cheng Yue paused, then added, “My master really wants to take you as his disciple. If you follow him, he will buy you a spatial pouch, and he'll find a way to get you whatever sword you want.”
Song Yao remembered that her master was Ninth Elder.
She shook her head. “He won't buy it for me.”
“Why?”
“He's also afraid I'll sell it. Last time, he promised to give me spirit stones if I won, but he never did.”
“...”
At this point, Song Yao felt extremely melancholy.
If she had known, she shouldn't have alerted them in the first place.
Now, everyone was guarding against her running away after paying off her debts.
Rate on N.U.
