Chapter 39: The Unwanted Burden

“Did you hear? Yesterday, a new disciple was choosing a sword in the Sword Pavilion. The moment she released her spiritual energy, every sword ran away!”

“Seriously? Just how unlikable is she? Usually, even if a sword refuses to follow someone, it wouldn’t react that dramatically.”

“Thanks to her, I now know that swords can run on their own. Even the Artifact Refiners on Thousand-Spirit Peak were stunned.”

By the next day, news of the “Sword Pavilion Escape Incident” had spread across Cold Arrival Peak. Even the disciples from Thousand-Spirit Peak grew curious about Lian Mu.

—

In the dining hall, Lian Mu sat down with her tray. Across from her, Xu Xianxing laughed so hard he could barely breathe.

“Hahaha! Lian Mu, you’re the first new sword cultivator to become famous across Thousand-Spirit Peak!”

Lian Mu remained expressionless. She hadn’t expected things to turn out this way.

When she examined the sword she forcibly selected, she found its spiritual energy weak—far inferior to her Facai. She suspected it had also tried to escape but lacked the energy to flee in time. Once she caught it, it completely lost the will to resist.

The sword was old, covered in dust. She couldn’t tell its grade, but it was clearly an ancient relic. In terms of appearance, it did suit her—both exuded an aura of poverty and misfortune.

Since it was useless to her, she tossed it in the corner of her room that night.

For now, she would stick with Facai.

“So, do you know why the swords ran?” Lian Mu asked Xu Xianxing.

Xu Xianxing, finally recovering from his laughter, replied, “No particular reason. You and they are simply incompatible. In other words, none of them wanted you. The last time something like this happened was hundreds of years ago.”

Lian Mu: “?”

Xu Xianxing grinned. “You’re the chosen one. Not everyone gets this kind of luck.”

Lian Mu: “…”

This was a kind of uniqueness she didn’t want.

—

As they talked, Bai Li Que arrived with his tray and sat down beside them.

Xu Xianxing glanced at him. “Finished dealing with things, Young Master Bai Li?”

Lian Mu frowned. “Why do you sound so sarcastic? Are you two fighting?”

Bai Li Que clenched his tray and spoke expressionlessly, “Someone caused trouble and left me to clean up the mess, yet they still have the nerve to talk.”

Xu Xianxing shrugged. “I never asked you to handle it.”

Lian Mu was confused. “What exactly happened?”

Bai Li Que’s face remained blank. “The top five disciples in the sect had a dispute. Three of them returned to the sect, and the remaining two started fighting the moment they stepped outside. I had to intervene.”

“I wasn’t the one who started it,” Xu Xianxing said.

Lian Mu: “Who did you fight with?”

Xu Xianxing: “Our sect has a newly arrived Body Cultivator with a Heavenly Spiritual Root. You didn’t know that, did you?”

Lian Mu really hadn’t heard of it. She had always assumed that Gui Xian Sect didn’t have any Body Cultivators. “Who?”

“That Body Cultivator’s name is Wen Yun. He’s from the Wen family, a Body Cultivation clan in the west of White Tiger. He’s quite troublesome. The first time I met him, he crushed a spiritual artifact that took me seven days and nights to craft, then claimed it was an accident. I think he did it on purpose because he doesn’t like me.”

Xu Xianxing got fired up just talking about him. “And after he apologized, he immediately turned around and badmouthed me to others.”

Baili Que, being the amicable type, said, “Maybe he was just trying to find out what you like so he could make amends.”

“You didn’t hear the way he said it. His tone was exactly like Lian Mu’s,” Xu Xianxing said. “He was definitely mocking me.”

Lian Mu: “…”

How did she sound like she was mocking people?

Lian Mu kicked him under the table. Xu Xianxing quickly explained, “I know you’re naturally like this, I was just making a comparison.”

Xu Xianxing went on for a while, essentially saying that after hearing Wen Yun ridicule him, he had no interest in associating with him. Then more conflicts arose, and their relationship deteriorated further.

Since the two of them kept clashing, Baili Que, caught in the middle, became the sole mediator. Every time Xu Xianxing and Wen Yun met, it inevitably became his problem.

In truth, Baili Que was only close with Xu Xianxing. He mediated purely because of orders from their elders—after all, the Five Top Cultivators would be working together long-term, and it wouldn’t be good if things got too awkward.

“So all Body Cultivators are troublemakers…” Lian Mu couldn’t help but think of someone.

Xu Xianxing: “Exactly. Chixiao Sect has the most Body Cultivators among the Four Great Sects, and basically all of them have fiery tempers.”

Lian Mu didn’t know much about other sects, so she asked, “Chixiao Sect has a lot of Body Cultivators. What about the other two sects?”

Baili Que: “Wunian Sect specializes in Talisman Cultivation. Although it was originally founded by the Feng family, a clan of Alchemy Cultivators, the Feng family later withdrew from the world, and a Talisman Master took over. Over time, it became a sect centered around Talisman Cultivation.”

“Qingxuan Sect is currently the top of the Four Great Sects. They recruit disciples of all cultivation paths, but their Artifact Refiners are the most famous. However, a thousand years ago, Qingxuan Sect was just an unranked minor sect. Their rise to power is entirely thanks to their Artifact Refiners.”

Xu Xianxing added, “Qingxuan Sect is closely associated with the Yuan family, a renowned clan of Artifact Refiners. The most acclaimed Artifact Refiner today, Yuan Gui, is from the Yuan family. He created a spiritual artifact called the ‘Pearl-Seeking Instrument,’ which is said to be able to detect the birth of cultivators with high-grade spiritual roots across the world.”

“That powerful? Doesn’t that mean Qingxuan Sect gets all the geniuses ahead of time?” Lian Mu was hearing about this artifact for the first time.

“Not just that. Many people even send themselves there to prove their worth,” Xu Xianxing sighed. “Qingxuan Sect produced a genius Artifact Refiner like Yuan Gui, which directly propelled them into the ranks of the Four Great Sects within a few centuries and has kept them shining ever since.”

By contrast, Gui Xian Sect hadn’t produced a world-famous Artifact Refiner in a long time.

Lian Mu: “If someone was able to create such a spiritual artifact, couldn’t future generations just make another one exactly like it to compete with Qingxuan Sect?”

Xu Xianxing’s gaze deepened. “You’re a Sword Cultivator. You don’t understand how difficult it is to make something like that. It’s been nearly a thousand years, and no one has ever replicated the Pearl-Seeking Instrument. No one ever will.”

“Don’t be so absolute. What if someone does?” Lian Mu finished eating, stood up, and prepared to pay for another serving.

Baili Que: “…”

He noticed that Lian Mu always had unrealistic expectations about impossible things.

“By the way, when is your match with Senior Sister Luo?” Xu Xianxing suddenly remembered.

Lian Mu’s steps halted. “…”

She had almost forgotten.

“Senior Sister hasn’t come looking for me. Maybe she decided to let me off,” Lian Mu said. Ever since the second entrance exam, she hadn’t seen much of Luo Qianxue.

Baili Que: “But the challenge notice in front of Cold Arrival Peak’s gate hasn’t been taken down. You’ll have to fight sooner or later.”

Lian Mu glanced at Baili Que. His expression was unchanged, but there was a faint trace of anticipation in his eyes.

“You seem really eager to watch my match with Senior Sister,” Lian Mu narrowed her eyes in speculation.

Xu Xianxing: “I already told you, he has a bit of a peculiar obsession. He loves watching Sword Cultivators fight. He’s watched the recorded matches of past Four Great Sect Sword Cultivator duels so many times they’re practically worn out.”

Lian Mu didn’t remember him ever saying that, but it didn’t stop her from re-evaluating Baili Que. “I never would’ve guessed. You may look like a Talisman Cultivator on the outside, but deep down, you have the heart of a Sword Cultivator. If you switch now, it might not be too late.”

Baili Que: “…I have no interest in being a Sword Cultivator.”

Since he had been exposed, Baili Que stopped pretending. “When you and Senior Sister Luo fight, make sure to call me.”

Lian Mu: “Since you put it that way, I’ll make sure to fight in secret so you don’t find out.”

Baili Que: “Call me, and I’ll pay you.”

Lian Mu immediately changed her tune. “I was just joking. You’re my friend—how could I not invite you?”

Xu Xianxing handed her money in advance. “I want to watch too. Remember to call me.”

Lian Mu wasn’t sure if Luo Qianxue would actually seek her out, but with money right in front of her, she didn’t hesitate to take it. “Deal.”

—

Back at Qingzhu Courtyard, Lian Mu planned to check on the sword she had forcibly taken back. On the way home, a thought had suddenly occurred to her, and she wanted to test it out.

Before she could enter, she stepped on something. Looking down, she saw the black scorpion had returned.

It was lying at her doorstep, and since she hadn’t seen it, she stepped right on it.

Lian Mu: “…”

She picked it up. Its beady green eyes were still open—it wasn’t dead.

This thing had been taken away by Ji Mingyue for a while. Now that it was back, it meant Ji Mingyue had returned as well.

But why leave it at her door? If she didn’t want it anymore, she should’ve just let it go. What use was it to Lian Mu?

To avoid having it disturb her rest, Lian Mu decided to go to Yinxing Peak to find Ji Mingyue.

Just as she turned, a figure descended from the sky—Silver Kite hovered in midair.

She had just been thinking about her, and the person arrived.

Perfect timing. Lian Mu raised the black scorpion. “Your spirit pet escaped to my place.”

Ji Mingyue brushed snow off her shoulder and walked over. “I was looking for it. As I suspected, it really was here.”

Lian Mu handed it back. “Tie it down better next time.”

“Wait. I’m not here to take it back.” Ji Mingyue said, “It’s been restless with me these past days. Looks like it doesn’t want to stay with me anymore.”

Lian Mu had a bad feeling.

Ji Mingyue: “Since it wants to return to you, I won’t force it.”

Lian Mu vaguely guessed her intention and flat-out refused, “I can’t afford to raise it. Don’t give it to me.”

Ji Mingyue: “…It has escaped from me multiple times, and now it’s come back to you again. It’s probably taken a liking to you. Even if you don’t want it, it’ll keep clinging to you.”

Lian Mu fell silent. “…”

She felt like she’d been having bad luck lately—she hadn’t done anything, yet somehow, she kept getting stuck with things.

Ji Mingyue had clearly just returned from outside—she still carried the scent of osmanthus flowers, which didn’t grow in Gui Xian Sect.

“I just came to confirm something. Now that I know it’s with you, I can rest assured,” Ji Mingyue said. “I still have matters to attend to, so I’ll be leaving first.”

She leaped onto the Silver Kite, stepped on it, and flew away. Barely a quarter of an hour had passed since she landed.

What could be so urgent?

Lian Mu: “…”

Lian Mu looked down at the beady-eyed scorpion lying at her feet. This was the first time in her life that someone had dumped a burden on her.