Chapter 52

Today, the disciple left early again.

Yun Shuchen watched her disappear through the doorway before turning back into the room with a sense of relief. Though the surroundings were bright and clear, she shut the windows and doors tightly and lit the lamp beside the bed.

She opened the copy of *Overstepping Beneath* and continued reading the later chapters.

She had no idea what kind of rubbish Yue Changge usually stuffed in her head, or whether it was to cater to the tastes of the esteemed audience, but the writing was exceptionally vulgar.

Yun Shuchen flipped through a few more pages; the two were still entwined on the bed, locked in a desperate embrace. Her face grew hot at first, but as she read on, she felt both physically and mentally exhausted, gradually calming down, and was able to view such a relationship with clarity.

Yue Changge's scripts had always been like this—meticulous in explicit detail, yet miserly in explaining why the two fell in love.

Yun Shuchen frowned more and more as she read.

She truly couldn't understand how Xiao Chengyu fell in love with Qiu Yuebai. Such a junior, with despicable methods—leaving aside her character—looked like an immature little girl: impulsive and stubborn, with no virtues other than youth and vitality.

How lacking in beautiful women had her master been?

With that thought, Yun Shuchen lost all interest in the book, even feeling a bit sickened, and tossed it aside.

She occasionally recalled that her Qing'er was only twenty this year—still quite tender. Although at that age in the mortal world one could already be married, in Yun Shuchen's eyes, she was as fresh as a newly sprouted green shoot.

From the discerning perspective of choosing a dao companion, age and experience were a hard flaw. Though she was a standout among her peers, in the eyes of a senior over five hundred years her elder, such a foundation was like comparing a drop of water to a great river.

She opened the window, looked at the splendid light outside, felt her thoughts slightly disturbed, and decided to take a walk.

Step by step, she ascended Yimeng Cliff. Ever since her disciple had danced a sword here, casting a vast snowstorm, Yun Shuchen felt that this lonely cliff had lost some of its charm.

What could she like about her? An ethereal and refined appearance? Or her gentle warmth beneath a cool exterior—the pure devotion that held only her in her heart? Or perhaps the comfortable companionship, the sense of security that her disciple would never leave?

Gazing into the distance, the red clouds covering the mountain still blazed like fire. Yun Shuchen looked far away, analyzing her feelings bit by bit—she felt that each and every one of these reasons, taken alone, wasn't quite it, but taken together, upon closer inspection, they all were.

It was all her. Unknowingly, her image filled every corner of her heart.

Yun Shuchen asked herself, but found she had no answer; a thousand words could not clarify it. She had intended to dissect these tangled emotions with reason, hoping to find the root of the trouble, to convince herself that this was just a temporary imbalance—she had been lonely in these years, and her disciple was just an ordinary young girl, not as wonderful as she imagined. A little affection, just a little affection, would be fine.

Like deceiving herself, she tried to suppress this increasingly swelling feeling that was gradually affecting her very core.

But matters of love.

Were simply absurd and beyond reason.

*

Qing Zhouxue flew on her sword, quietly reaching the border of the Taichu Sect. She chose a very open area, sparse of vegetation, with no traces of human or beast activity.

She took off the white jade hairpin from her head, put it away, and placed it far off. She then inventoried her belongings, leaving only the Qingshuang Sword at her waist.

After doing all this, Qing Zhouxue looked up at the sky, crouched down, and slowly untied the red string that had never left her ankle.

The moment the red string left her body, the heavens and earth suddenly changed color. The wind that had wandered across the wilderness for a thousand miles ceased instantly.

She stared at the sky above; the clouds, as if stained with ink, gradually turned gray and then black, as though a thunderstorm was building its strength.

In this oppressive atmosphere, Qing Zhouxue drew the sword from her waist and began to practice all the techniques she had learned, move by move.

First stroke: Light Clouds Emerging from the Valleys.

The sword tip thrust forward, soft yet firm. The air was still, not a hint of breeze.

She took a light step to the left, then turned for the second stroke: The Weary Bird Returns to Its Nest. This one was loose and agile, unexpected.

The dark clouds overhead piled thicker.

The third stroke was Startling Rainbow Piercing the Sun—a fierce thrust, swift as a rainbow. As she struck, the heavens let out a faint, distant rumble of thunder.

Under the pressure of the thunder, Qing Zhouxue's hand trembled slightly. She bit her lip, tightened her grip on the hilt, and raised the sword tip upward to complete the fourth stroke, Toasting the Moon with Shadow, lifting herself almost off the ground. Her snow-white robes flared out as she balanced on one foot, like a white crane poised for flight.

Just then, a lightning bolt flashed, turning the world bright as day. The electric light illuminated her slender, upright figure and a pair of clear, slightly radiant eyes.

She executed the fifth and sixth strokes quickly, as if racing against the thunder that might strike at any moment.

The final stance of the Taichu Seven Swords, Blue Sea Giving Birth to Tides, sent out a sword wind, and the ground beneath her feet faintly cracked as if waves burst forth. At that moment, a clap of thunder roared, as if the heavens were split open once more by Pangu's great hammer.

Qing Zhouxue's heart stopped in that instant. Her sword slipped from her hand and clattered to the ground. Without a moment's thought, she bent down, picked up the red string, and carefully tied it around her ankle.

She slumped to the ground, waiting slowly for the thunder to subside, and soon the sky cleared again, bright with sunlight.

A layer of cold sweat had formed on her forehead. She panted several times, gradually calming her mind. Before long, she picked up the Qingshuang Sword beside her and removed the red string from her ankle.

Again.

Again and again, she would eventually make progress.

Qing Zhouxue couldn't think of any clever trick; she could only confront her fear directly, practicing her sword under the pressure of the thunder tribulation, until one day she no longer dropped her sword.

But she was too focused on her practice to notice the figure who stood in the distance, watching silently for a long time.

Yun Shuchen had attached a wisp of her divine sense to the red string she had given her disciple. Whether she removed or wore it, and wherever she was, Yun could have a vague sense of her.

Standing on Yimeng Cliff, she had felt uneasy, so she had followed and witnessed this scene—

That stubborn girl untying and retying the red string, dancing under the oppression of the thunder tribulation, picking up the sword again and again, like dancing in chains.

At first, her hands trembled many times, and every thunderbolt sent the sword dropping.

But gradually, it improved, visible progress.

That thunderbolt seemed unusual—a magnificent purple hue. As Yun Shuchen watched, she counted on her fingers and discovered that her disciple's cultivation level was showing signs of looseness.

She was startled at first, then let out a sigh and a laugh toward the vast sky, stood there watching a while longer, and without disturbing her, quietly left.

*

A few days later, on the training ground, Ruan Mingzhu and the others looked at Qing Zhouxue. "You were injured that day. Are you fully recovered now?"

"I am fully recovered," Qing Zhouxue replied. "But I'm not here for training today. I probably won't be able to come for the next few days."

Lin Xunzhen was startled. "What's the matter, Junior Sister?"

"My master said she would take me down the mountain to find some materials for breaking through," Qing Zhouxue said. "It should take about a week."

Ruan Mingzhu heard this and laughed. "Just the two of you? Go ahead, go ahead. I'll ask for leave from the inner sect classes on your behalf."

After Qing Zhouxue left, Lin Xunzhen and Bai Su stared at Ruan Mingzhu in astonishment, seeing the smile spilling from her amber eyes.

Bai Su teased her. "What grudge do you have against Junior Sister Qing? Why are you so happy the moment she leaves?"

"Who said I'm happy because she's leaving?" Ruan Mingzhu retorted. "I'm happy because she's leaving with her master."

Her words were a bit cryptic. Bai Su didn't quite understand, but Lin Xunzhen, recalling past events, understood. She frowned. "She has lived on the mountain since childhood practicing the Dao and isn't well-versed in worldly affairs. Be careful not to teach her your nonsense."

"I'm not teaching her that, and I wouldn't dare! If anyone teaches her that, it's her master who corrupts her."

"Are you making up stories about Senior Yun again?" Lin Xunzhen said coldly. "As one of the six peak elders, how could she do such a thing with her disciple? Even though it's your own claim, if others hear it, it will damage her reputation. You should stop speaking such nonsense."

Ruan Mingzhu glared at her, unable to contain herself. "What kind of celestial goddess is Senior Yun in your mind? I see there's something between them—they're always making eyes at each other."

Indeed, Yun Shuchen was the senior whom Lin Xunzhen most admired and respected, her image always haloed with sanctity. Lin Xunzhen rarely argued with anyone. "According to you, just a glance between master and disciple counts as making eyes?"

"They also hold hands."

"They are both women. That's normal."

"Not just holding hands!" Ruan Mingzhu said indignantly. "Last time I went shopping with Qing Zhouxue, I saw a very nice piece and asked if she wanted to buy a dress for Senior Yun. And then—then—"

"And then what?"

"And then she just glanced at the size, took one look, and told me it wouldn't fit."

Ruan Mingzhu raised her chin proudly at Lin Xunzhen. "Think about it—how could she know that? That kind of accuracy can't be memorized."

At that, Bai Su and Lin Xunzhen also fell silent, exchanging glances.

Qing Zhouxue had no idea that her junior and senior sisters would argue over such trifles for a quarter of an hour.

She didn't have much feeling about going out, but with her master by her side, any place under the heavens was a good destination.

The weather was hot today, so Yun Shuchen wore thin clothing—a sky-blue outfit that made her lips look very red, like a petal of a river flower in the clear water of spring.

She walked beside Qing Zhouxue, feeling quite at ease, almost imperceptible to the heat—cool and refreshing, extremely comfortable.

Yun Shuchen slowed her pace to walk shoulder to shoulder with Qing Zhouxue. Their hands nearly touched, faintly, about to intertwine again.

"With your diligent training, you'll probably break through to Nascent Soul in the next few years. From Core Formation onward, every tribulation is extremely perilous, so you must be cautious. Understood?"

Yun Shuchen finally took her hand, naturally giving it a light squeeze, as if merely emphasizing the importance of this matter to her disciple.

"Mm." Qing Zhouxue looked at her. "Master, what exactly is this alchemy material you want to find?"

"It's in a secret realm."

She tilted her head slightly, smiling at Qing Zhouxue. "You'll know when we get there. I also came to that place when I broke through to Nascent Soul. The scenery is quite beautiful."

The herbs were nothing rare; in fact, Liu Xunqin should have had them all.

Yun Shuchen didn't voice this little thought—she wanted more to take a walk with Qing Zhouxue. At the thought, she glanced at Qing Zhouxue, who seemed completely oblivious to her master's intentions; her gaze wasn't even on her master, but thoughtfully fixed on a skewer of gleaming red candied hawthorns by the roadside.

A cute little theater of the mind:

Yun Shuchen in her post-clarity state: I don't like her that much, so my restraint is only because I don't like her too much. To reiterate, she's just an ordinary little disciple; by all reason, I shouldn't be thinking about her every day. Once more, how could I be obsessed with this? Although the little disciple seems a bit nice... no, but I must admit, I only like her a tiny bit. This seat's five hundred years of integrity will not allow me to wallow in sentiment.

Yun Shuchen out of her post-clarity state: Find every chance to take her disciple down the mountain for a private date.

Wearing a new dress today, sky-blue highlights her complexion... This rebellious disciple deserves death—she's looking at candied hawthorns instead of her master?

Master's thoughts and actions are temporarily contradictory and off-track, haha; after some more tugging, they will unify.