Chapter 19: Profiting Off the Elder – Zoning Out in Class, Did It Really Warrant This…

The next day, Lian Mu attended class as usual. Today, they weren’t fighting but had instead entered a proper classroom for a lesson on swords.

As sword cultivators, they rarely had the chance to sit down and take a class. On most days, they were either fighting, on their way to a fight, or the ones getting beaten up.

All the sword cultivation disciples cherished this rare, peaceful lesson. Each one sat upright, their expressions serious as they focused intently on the elder lecturing at the front.

The teaching elder was from Qianling Peak. It was said he was responsible for training new disciples there. Naturally, the elder from Hanlai Peak had been swapped over to help the soft and delicate artifact refiners of Qianling Peak “loosen up” a little.

“A sword is a type of weapon. The swords we cultivators use are all spiritual weapons, different from those used by ordinary people.”

“The swords used by cultivators are Refined by Artifact Refiners and are divided into ten grades. Swords of grades ten to six can be used by cultivators with three spiritual roots, grades five to four are suitable for those with dual spiritual roots, and for single spiritual root sword cultivators, grades three to two are the most appropriate. As for grade one swords, they are crafted specifically for those with heavenly spiritual roots.”

The senior Artifact Refiner explained from the stage, causing many disciples below to look disappointed.

Most of the disciples here came with burning passion. Even though they were in the ranks of the bottom dozens, who hadn’t once dreamed of being an outstanding talent? Everyone hoped to be the chosen one.

But in reality, fate was determined from birth. Those with slightly inferior spiritual roots could only use lower-grade swords, while some were born deserving of the best the world had to offer.

“When we Refiners craft weapons, we must select spiritual materials according to the rank of the spiritual root. The same applies to sword cultivators—their spiritual root and sword grade must match. If a three-spiritual-root or dual-spiritual-root cultivator tries to forcibly resonate with a grade-one sword, the consequences will be unimaginable…”

The senior Refiner continued lecturing. In the back of the classroom near the window, Lian Mu kept her head down, using a lush pot of orchids on the windowsill to hide her face.

She was not listening at all. Instead, she was reading Introduction to Artifact Refining, which she had secretly taken from the Library Pavilion.

After chatting with Xu Xianxing last night, she had spent the middle of the night contacting the Artifact Refiner who had previously lent her a nameplate, gritting her teeth and paying a hefty price of twenty spirit stones to borrow it again. She then braved the wind and snow to visit the Library Pavilion.

Lian Mu had a bad habit—once she decided to do something, she couldn’t sit still and had to start immediately.

At the Library Pavilion, she not only dug out a bunch of books related to Artifact Refining but also took the opportunity to review the alchemy books she had read before. After this round of studying, she only managed to sleep for an hour before rushing to class.

She knew that today’s lecture was by the senior Refiner, but she had no interest in listening to the old man talk. Just seeing his face made her sleepy. Reading on her own was much more interesting.

So, Lian Mu begged the Library Pavilion’s senior brother to let her take a book outside. Unable to resist her persistent pestering and recognizing her, he finally agreed.

Introduction to Artifact Refining didn’t contain much essential content. It mainly covered the history and development of Artifact Refiners, introduced a few renowned Refiner families, and provided some basic knowledge.

The first part was filled with history and precautions, which Lian Mu couldn’t be bothered to read. She skipped straight to the crucial sections at the back.

Engrossed in her book, she quickly lost track of time.

Meanwhile, after finishing a fight on Qianling Peak, Murong Yi returned to Hanlai Peak and decided to check on the new disciples.

As soon as he stepped into the courtyard outside the classroom, he spotted Lian Mu sitting by the window, her head lowered, eyes wide, absorbed in whatever she was reading.

Murong Yi: “…”

He glanced at the front of the classroom. The senior Refiner of Qianling Peak was still lecturing, yet this Lian Mu was blatantly doing something else.

Murong Yi silently approached the window and stood there, watching her.

Lian Mu was lying on her desk, and from this angle, he couldn’t see what she was holding. She hadn’t noticed his presence.

However, the other disciples had. Some had been listening attentively to the lecture but were distracted by the shifting gazes around them. When they turned their heads and saw Murong Yi outside the window, they nearly had a heart attack.

Other disciples: “…”

Not one of them dared to make a sound.

Guan Shize, sitting beside Lian Mu, glanced at Murong Yi, then at Lian Mu, breaking out in a cold sweat. He felt terrified on her behalf.

Unable to withstand Murong Yi’s stare, he discreetly nudged Lian Mu, trying to warn her.

Lian Mu was in the middle of an exciting idea, envisioning how to Refine a flying silver kite. Being interrupted all of a sudden, she frowned and looked at Guan Shize. “What are you doing?”

Guan Shize’s palms were sweating as he pointed at the window.

Lian Mu hesitated for a moment, then turned her head—only to meet Murong Yi’s smiling face.

Lian Mu: “…”

Damn.

In an instant, she shoved the book into her Spatial Pouch and stuffed it into her sleeve so fast it was as if nothing had happened.

Murong Yi, still smiling, directly grabbed her and tossed her into the sparring arena.

Lian Mu’s alarm bells rang. Based on her past experience, the happier Murong Yi smiled, the harsher his methods.

“Respected Senior, I know I was wrong.” Lian Mu immediately admitted defeat. She did not want to get beaten up by Murong Yi. “I won’t do it again.”

Murong Yi raised his chin and pointed at the sword rack beside the sparring arena. “Don’t be afraid. I have no intention of punishing you. I just noticed you had the energy to be distracted in class, which means you must have plenty of stamina. It’s normal for young people to be full of vigor, so I’ll help you burn off some energy.”

By this time, the class had already ended. A group of disciples rushed out, crowding around to watch Murong Yi discipline her.

Lian Mu looked at the growing audience and inwardly cursed her bad luck. If only Murong Yi had come a little later, she wouldn’t have to stand here waiting to get beaten.

“Respected Senior, swords and blades have no eyes. It wouldn’t be good if someone got hurt in such a violent way,” she made a last-ditch attempt to resist.

Murong Yi: “Stop talking nonsense. I’ll count to three. Three—”

Before he even finished counting, he vanished. In the next instant, he reappeared behind Lian Mu.

Lian Mu’s eyelids twitched. She instinctively grabbed a sword from the nearby rack and raised it to block, but Murong Yi did not attack her directly. Instead, he controlled the silver fan hanging at his waist, making it rise into the air.

Lian Mu: “…” Was this necessary? Just for zoning out in class, he immediately went all out against her.

Seeing no other choice, Lian Mu unsheathed her sword.

Murong Yi was a sword cultivator, but he rarely used an actual sword, preferring his silver fan. When not in use, it remained a folding fan, but when he entered the sparring field, he would use spiritual power to separate it into twelve sharp fan bones.

Murong Yi usually sparred with the entire group of disciples. It was the first time he had ever focused all twelve fan bones on a single person—Lian Mu.

Lian Mu didn’t want this kind of “special treatment,” but she had no choice. She turned her wrist, blocking an incoming fan bone from the right. The clash of her sword against the fan bone produced a sharp, grating sound.

The attacks came from all directions. Lian Mu had to wield both her sword and its scabbard, one in each hand, continuously defending herself from all sides.

The twelve silver fan bones encircled her, closing in to restrict her movement, trying to trap her.

Lian Mu observed for a while, then locked onto one particular fan bone. Gathering spiritual power, she flung her scabbard at it, striking it away to disrupt the formation.

Murong Yi, of course, wouldn’t let her off easily. He immediately increased the intensity of the attacks, making the fan bones fly even faster, to the point where they were almost invisible.

Lian Mu’s planned counterattack was disrupted. Cuts had already formed on her arms and other parts of her body—not fatal, but painful.

The surrounding disciples were stunned.

“Isn’t this a bit much? Senior Murong is being pretty harsh.”

Someone else had a different opinion. “Really? I think he’s actually giving her special training, trying to force out her potential. None of us have ever received this kind of treatment.”

Realizing this, the disciples looked at Lian Mu with newfound envy and jealousy.

“I bet Lian Mu won’t last against Senior Murong’s attacks,” one disciple said. “She never practices swordplay or pays attention in class. Where would she get the strength?”

“Not necessarily. So far, she’s lasted five moves. She hasn’t counterattacked, but her defense is solid.”

Guan Shize was also very curious about how Lian Mu would respond next, watching the competition intently.

Murong Yi controlled the fan bones with ease. Without moving his feet at all, he stood in place, watching as Lian Mu was surrounded by the fan bones and had no choice but to struggle with all her might.

Suddenly, Lian Mu stopped her movements. She was already covered in bloodstains. She spat out the blood in her mouth, stepped forward with her right foot, and in the next moment, her sword slipped from her hand.

“She abandoned her sword again?” a disciple outside the arena commented.

“Giving up halfway like this is not a good habit.”

“No, she didn’t abandon her sword!”

After a shocked exclamation, everyone watched as Lian Mu let go of her sword. Before it even hit the ground, she gathered spiritual energy at her knee, lifted her leg, and struck the sword, sending it flying straight ahead.

It was heading directly for Murong Yi!

Murong Yi smiled faintly and moved his fingertips slightly, controlling a fan bone to strike away the incoming sword.

At that moment, Lian Mu seized the opening created by the displaced fan bone and punched toward the encircling ring of fan bones, breaking through with brute force.

Without a doubt, her finger bones were shattered again, but she didn’t care. In that critical instant, she suddenly felt much lighter on her feet. Almost instinctively, both her body and mind reacted at the same time, taking the opportunity to charge toward Murong Yi.

Just before her fist could land on Murong Yi’s face, he suddenly raised his hand. At some point, another fan bone had appeared in his palm and now flew out to press against Lian Mu’s throat.

Lian Mu’s fist stopped just an inch away from Murong Yi.

Murong Yi withdrew all the fan bones, reassembling them into a flawless silver fan. He patted her shoulder and said, “Next time, I want to see this performance again.”

Lian Mu came back to her senses and realized that she had moved much faster than usual just now. It was as if something had suddenly broken free from its restraints.

Now that the intense pressure of the moment was gone, she relaxed instantly, her legs giving way as she sat down on the ground. She grabbed Murong Yi’s sleeve. “Respected Senior, wait!”

Murong Yi stopped, and his expression visibly brightened. “Want to fight another round?”

“No, that would just delay your business,” Lian Mu pointed to her injuries, then stretched out her hand.

With an earnest expression, she said, “Respected Senior, just compensate me a little for my medical expenses.”

Murong Yi: “…”

What a complete lack of ambition!

Murong Yi gritted his teeth, threw down a Spatial Pouch, and left with an exasperated expression, as if he hated how little progress she was making.

Lian Mu, satisfied with the money, got up. Her legs suddenly felt fine again. She dusted off her clothes and, ignoring the astonished looks around her, left calmly.

The artifact master senior from Qianli Peak had yet to leave. Standing among the disciples watching the show, he shook his head after the match. “You sword cultivators, always fighting at the slightest disagreement—too crude.”

Artifact masters were much gentler and kinder.

The other disciples, however, all had strange expressions.

They had all seen Lian Mu’s final burst of speed. She was so fast that even her afterimage was barely visible—something none of them could match.

Guan Shize was also unsettled, his gaze deep.

He felt… No, he was certain that with Lian Mu’s strength, she could definitely secure one of the top ten places in the entrance exam’s second round and earn a spot as an apprentice.

At the same time, a question lingered in his mind: Why did Lian Mu never practice her sword, yet always perform better than everyone else?

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