Chapter 16

"Junior Sister Yun," the Sect Leader coughed lightly, "the child didn't do it on purpose."

"Old Sect Leader, I never said I'd do anything to her. Best not to interfere."

Yun Shuchen kept a faint smile as her captivating gaze swept over and settled on Qing Zhouxue, taking her in.

"My disciple," she raised an eyebrow, "aren't you coming over?"

The Sect Leader wanted to say more, but Qing Zhouxue had already walked over on her own. Her hand was loosely clasped by another's; Yun Shuchen lowered her eyes and murmured, "Clever girl."

Together, they stepped out of Chunqiu Hall.

Yun Shuchen looked straight ahead, not at her, her expression calm, and her grip on Qing Zhouxue's hand slowly loosened as they crossed the threshold.

Qing Zhouxue suddenly tightened her hold, whispering, "This was all my fault; the losses are incalculable. Whatever punishment you see fit, Master, I'll accept it all."

Yun Shuchen frowned. "Would punishing you help?" She cast a cool glance. "That courtyard is completely uninhabitable now. We need to find a place to stay. Otherwise, are we to hang around in the wilderness tonight, master and disciple?"

Qing Zhouxue thought to herself that she had slept in the wilderness before—it wasn't comfortable, but she had endured it and could get used to it again.

But someone as delicate and refined as her master had surely never suffered such indignities. So that wouldn't do.

"What about that cave dwelling from before?" she mused. "Would that work?"

"No," Yun Shuchen still frowned. "That was only temporary. It's been abandoned for ten years without my protective formation. It's not fit for habitation."

Qing Zhouxue was startled. She remembered that cave dwelling had been lavish—every bead, every carpet looked expensive. It was only temporary?

"Come with me outside the Taichu Sect," Yun Shuchen flicked her sleeve and walked off.

After all, she was a dignified elder of a prestigious immortal sect, and now she was homeless, without even a change of clothes.

Was this what the divination had meant by an opportunity? To make her experience the suffering of mortal loss, to add turmoil to her life, so as to cultivate a firmer Dao heart?

Yun Shuchen sighed softly, recalling the scorched silk robes, cosmetics, antiques, and curiosities... after years of collecting, it wasn't about the money. Her heart ached again. She cast an indifferent glance back at her disciple.

The girl lowered her head.

Qing Zhouxue followed her master out of the Taichu Sect, to Taichu Town where she had once lived.

There was a tavern by the water here, facing a long river that sparkled with ripples. On the shore, lights flickered amid shadows, and from time to time, women's laughter drifted over. The sound of strings and flutes was soft, lingering, particularly graceful.

Yun Shuchen led Qing Zhouxue into that bustling district of flower and splendor, of sound and lust.

"Immortal Yun? What brings you here tonight?"

No sooner had Qing Zhouxue entered than she heard a woman's voice, dripping with honey. Turning her head, she saw a woman with a face like a lotus, almond-shaped eyes darting back and forth between the two of them.

The scent of her makeup was far heavier than Yun Shuchen's, making Qing Zhouxue frown and step back.

But as she stepped back, she fell into an embrace reeking even more of powder. Qing Zhouxue stiffened as if burned, her face turning cold, her hand pressing on the sword at her waist.

"Elder Yun, who's this you've brought?"

A group of women emerged from behind the gauze curtains, all shapes and sizes, each with exquisite features, smiling and chattering at Qing Zhouxue. "The young lady is quite beautiful."

"So cold and aloof, like a little immortal."

"I can keep you company tonight, dear. For someone like you, I wouldn't charge a single coin." A hand with painted nails brushed the hair at Qing Zhouxue's temple, a beauty gazing at her with affection.

Qing Zhouxue turned her head away, extremely uncomfortable, pressing closer to Yun Shuchen.

She had never seen such a spectacle, especially with women dressed so immodestly, their fabrics barely clinging, covering only half their chests. Their waists revealed a hint of a charming hollow, swaying seductively like the belly of a water snake.

Qing Zhouxue frowned.

Didn't they have money to buy clothes?

Seeing that her disciple's embarrassment was about to overflow, and that she was nearly plastering herself against her, Yun Shuchen pulled her close, shielding her from those eager beauties, and said with a light laugh, "Now, now, she's my disciple, still young."

From among the beauties stepped one especially alluring. She hushed the others, then bowed respectfully to Yun Shuchen. "Greetings, Immortal Lord. These new little demons are inexperienced; I hope they haven't offended you."

"Miao Shun?" Yun Shuchen studied her and recognized her. "You've changed to a new skin."

Miao Shun smiled, radiating charm. "Yes. Does the Immortal Lord find it pleasing?"

"Naturally, it's beautiful."

"A few things have come up, and I'll need to stay here for a while. Would you kindly prepare that room," Yun Shuchen pondered, "third floor, the one at the very end."

Miao Shun naturally agreed, moving quickly. The room faced the river, with a lovely view. It was far from the main hall and up high, so it wouldn't be disturbed by other guests.

Yun Shuchen, finally unable to bear the grime of the day, her first order of business was a bath.

In truth, cultivators often needed no such trouble—a simple cleansing spell could leave one clean as new.

But Yun Shuchen always felt that was no different from not washing at all. Without the feel of water on her skin and the scent of soapberry, she felt unsettled psychologically. It was a habit perhaps formed before she began cultivating, one she had never changed.

Qing Zhouxue, having spent much time with her, also came to regard bathing as a matter of course.

Yun Shuchen soon emerged with wet hair. She had a knack for controlling water; beads of moisture seeped from her hair tips, floating behind her like glistening pearls.

Her disciple was somewhat quiet. Though she was never talkative, today her demeanor seemed a bit subdued.

Yun Shuchen knew all too well why.

"Qing Zhouxue."

She curled her lips, the sternness of the day melting into a smile again.

"You've broken through to the Golden Core. How does it feel?"

Qing Zhouxue was just about to go bathe with her change of clothes, which were the only ones left in her storage ring.

Hearing her master's question, she answered, "Besides my dantian feeling fuller, I don't feel much different."

"...Master."

"If you're unhappy, you can hit me or scold me. As for the things on the peak that were destroyed, I can spend a hundred years or so searching, and perhaps recover some of them."

Yun Shuchen waved her sleeve, remaining silent, and told her to go bathe first.

Qing Zhouxue was puzzled as to why Yun Shuchen had chosen only this one elegant room, with only a single bed. How were they to sleep tonight? She rubbed her damp hair ends with a handkerchief, meeting her master's gaze as she walked toward the bed.

Yun Shuchen was lying on her side, her long black hair spread behind her like a dark koi's tail, flowing gracefully.

There was a space left beside her, and Qing Zhouxue relaxed slightly. It seemed her master didn't intend to make her float again tonight. This level of tolerance seemed to convey her attitude toward today's mountain-splitting incident—it wasn't so unforgivable after all.

She lay down, for the first time viewing Yun Shuchen from this angle. Her master's half-buried face in the bedding, eyes closed.

"No need for you to find those things; the lost editions are irreplaceable. Besides, they weren't treasures I couldn't live without." Her tone was somewhat cold.

Qing Zhouxue unconsciously clutched the blanket. "I..."

Yun Shuchen hugged the quilt, turned slightly, and put her back to her.

Seeing that her master would ignore her, Qing Zhouxue stared at her back for a long while, then finally closed her eyes. The distance was neither close nor far, just enough to catch a wisp of fragrance from her master's hair ends.

Yet Yun Shuchen, with someone lying beside her, found it hard to fall asleep.

This place was not exactly clean, but the innermost room on the third floor—this one—she had years ago instructed Miao Shun to keep vacant, never for guests. So it was barely livable.

Thus, she had to squeeze in with her disciple.

She had lived alone for years, unaccustomed to sharing a bed. But perhaps because Qing Zhouxue had grown up by her side, eating and wearing the same things, she carried the same scent of the clothes' incense as Yun Shuchen, and if she relaxed her mind, it didn't feel like there was an extra person beside her.

Yun Shuchen slept lightly; cultivators didn't need long sleep.

But sleeping felt good.

She enjoyed comfort, and in this, she remained like mortals.

When she woke, she slowly sat up. Qing Zhouxue was nowhere to be seen, and the wrinkles in the bed had been smoothed out completely.

Yun Shuchen leaned against the headboard, taking a moment to wake.

Soon she heard her disciple open the door with a creak. She carried a tray with two bowls of congee and several small dishes. Gently placing them on the table, she said, "Master, time for breakfast."

Yun Shuchen looked at the bland white congee and had no appetite. She got out of bed, draped her clothes over her, and said composedly, "You eat it yourself."

"You see, we're short on money now," she sighed deliberately. "Eat plenty; who knows if there'll be a next meal."

Qing Zhouxue's hand holding the bowl paused slightly.

Guilt welled up in her heart. Ten years ago, she had come up the mountain to cultivate and escape calamity, lifted by an immortal.

Yet because of her own lightning-prone constitution, the calamity hadn't been fully avoided; instead, she had brought a true immortal down to such a state, with no certainty of the next meal.

Her master still spoke to her gently, softly, and though she had ignored her for half a day, she had not scolded her.

"Master, no need to worry about money."

Her voice was like jade striking jade, crisp and clear, as if she had made a decision.

Yun Shuchen was a bit intrigued.

This girl, poor but cherished in her youth, had followed her up the mountain to cultivate when she was a bit older, rarely suffering. Now she was already a personal disciple, basking in glory.

Eight years without much contact with strangers, ten years isolated from the world, had nurtured a little immortal who knew nothing of mortal life.

Yun Shuchen suspected she had never even used money. Perhaps if she went out to buy a head of cabbage, she'd be overcharged.

Seeing her so resolute, Yun Shuchen wondered what livelihood plan she had thought of.

With that thought, curiosity sparked, and she was in no hurry to return to the sect. This brothel was hers, and she had other assets stashed elsewhere. She quietly sent a message, transferred some funds, and had people begin rebuilding Heyi Peak.

Then, in front of her disciple, she continued to pretend she couldn't afford a bowl of congee.

That night, when the moon was high, Yun Shuchen heard her disciple quietly get up, rustle into her outer robe, seemingly take her sword, and slip out the door.

Her movements were light, as if she didn't want to wake her.

What kind of work had to be done in the dead of night?

Qing Zhouxue walked all the way to the city gate and then into the Taichu Sect. She looked up at the bulletin wall, where several wanted posters were conspicuously pasted.

Taichu Sect was a place for immortals; to deal with demonic troubles that ordinary people couldn't solve, lower-level cultivators and commoners would pool funds and post these wanted posters here.

Qing Zhouxue, by moonlight, first did not look at the contents but started reading from the bounty amounts at the bottom.

She quickly set her sights on the highest one, but looking up, the demon beast wanted was at the Nascent Soul stage.

No matter how she weighed it, that was suicide.

Her gaze paused, then she reluctantly moved away. She chose a slightly lower one, a late Golden Core stage demon, of the same rank as herself. The reward was a bit less, but still considerable.

Enough.

Without hesitation, Qing Zhouxue tore down that wanted poster.