Fine, Foundation Establishment it is.
At least the historical problem of the Waste Spiritual Root was solved, and even more so, the risk of my soul force exploding inside me at any moment.
It wasn’t a wasted trip.
But, we’re all villains here. Since Yan Hanzhou has changed so much, does that mean I might also have a great stroke of fortune?
Ning Yin’s heart itched with anticipation.
She placed the stone cup under the dripping Heavenly Spirit Spring Water, filled it to the brim, then raised her head and gulped it down, silently hoping she could awaken the Heavenly Spiritual Root.
Nothing happened.
“This Heavenly Spirit Spring Water must only work for Waste Spiritual Roots. Ordinary Spiritual Roots can’t be nurtured into a Heavenly Spiritual Root.”
“I know, but can’t I just be thirsty?” Watching Yan Hanzhou’s cultivation surge as he officially stepped onto the path of cultivation, Ning Yin’s gaze was resentful and her mood complicated.
It wasn’t jealousy, not that “afraid my brother will suffer, but also afraid my brother will drive a Land Rover” kind, but just that the chain of events since transmigrating had deviated so far from the original plot.
Not only was the heroine Shi Yunzhao’s fate changed, but even Yan Hanzhou had gone from an untrainable Waste Spiritual Root to a rare Heavenly Spiritual Root.
Isn’t Yan Hanzhou the real protagonist of this world?
Why does every good thing end up happening to him?
Ning Yin muttered quietly.
“What?”
“Nothing, I’m just saying, you should believe everything I’ve said by now, right?”
“Half-believe.”
“Half? Which half don’t you believe? Which part did I say wrong?”
Yan Hanzhou looked at her deeply and corrected, “Lingxiao Immortal Lord doesn’t have a fiancée!”
…Fine, fine, fine, he doesn’t have a fiancée, you know better than anyone, alright? After all that’s happened, everything’s been proven and you’re still so stubborn.
Forget it, I won’t argue with you. If you say he doesn’t, then he doesn’t.
Ning Yin didn’t waste any more words on such trivial matters; the most pressing concern now was the Sect Competition coming up next month.
Leaving Reflection Cliff and returning to Evening Cloud Peak, she heard Yu Wei Immortal Lord’s voice transmission from a thousand miles away, saying he wanted to see her.
As her master, though entrusted by an old friend, Yu Wei Immortal Lord had never truly fulfilled his duty to teach ‘Ning Yin’.
Only after Ning Yin’s actions were exposed did Yu Wei Immortal Lord protect her in many ways. In the end, he even scattered all his cultivation to protect her—he really brought it upon himself.
Entering the main hall of Evening Cloud Peak, Ning Yin bowed deeply. “Master, you called for me.”
Yu Wei Immortal Lord’s gaze landed on the Cangming Ring on Ning Yin’s right index finger, but moved away after a moment.
He said gravely, “In a few days, it will be the Sect Competition. Each peak will send one to three disciples. Evening Cloud Peak has only you, so I’ve submitted your name. Here is the list for this competition.”
Pa.
A scroll landed in Ning Yin’s hands.
So it was about this.
“But… Master, my cultivation is mediocre. After all these years in the sect, I’ve only just reached Foundation Establishment. I’m worried I’ll embarrass you in the Sect Competition.”
Yu Wei Immortal Lord replied lightly, “It’s fine. Just do your best.”
Ning Yin hesitated.
In the novel, Yu Wei Immortal Lord was always in seclusion, basically a hands-off master, rarely guiding ‘Ning Yin’s’ cultivation.
One reason was that he thought ‘Ning Yin’ was arrogant and proud, needing to temper her will and learn humility and hardship before he would teach her personally.
Otherwise, with an impure heart, even high cultivation would one day bring disaster.
It wasn’t until ‘Ning Yin’ twisted and blackened, making mistake after mistake, that Yu Wei Immortal Lord realized his negligence had left ‘Ning Yin’ isolated and ridiculed in the Soaring Cloud Sect.
Sensing Ning Yin had more to say, Yu Wei Immortal Lord spoke, “If you have something to say, speak freely.”
“Master, I know you think I’m spoiled and unruly, hard to discipline, but have you considered—this isn’t the Cheng Kingdom, this is the Soaring Cloud Sect, where strength is everything. My mediocre cultivation makes me a target of ridicule and contempt.”
If ‘Ning Yin’ had even a little talent for cultivation, she wouldn’t have been jealous of this person or resentful of that one every day, nor would she have coveted Shi Yunzhao’s Heavenly Spiritual Root to her death.
Yu Wei Immortal Lord looked at her in silence. “Are you blaming me?”
Of course! What else?
No Xinfa, no weapon.
How am I supposed to fight on the day of the Sect Competition? Isn’t this just setting me up to be humiliated?
Losing face is one thing, but with the number of enemies she’d made, what if she ran into someone who held a grudge and beat her up? That’d be both painful and embarrassing.
Ning Yin felt stifled, took a deep breath, and continued, “This disciple wouldn’t dare! It’s just that after so many years in the Sect, I know I’m naturally unruly and not well-liked, my talent is average, and my cultivation is poor. I’m not your ideal disciple.”
“You’ve devoted yourself to cultivation all these years, and I wouldn’t dare disturb you for guidance. But… a few days ago, the National Preceptor sent a letter, asking about my cultivation, how I got along with my peers, whether I was bullied, how I ate and slept. I know my cultivation hasn’t improved at all these years, and I didn’t want to disappoint the National Preceptor, so… I didn’t dare tell him the truth.”
The National Preceptor of the Cheng Kingdom sent a letter and you broke precedent to take Ning Yin as your disciple.
Since you care so much about the National Preceptor’s opinion, if you keep being a hands-off master, I’ll go complain to him!
Sharp tongue.
Sure enough, hearing Ning Yin’s words, Yu Wei Immortal Lord’s eyes darkened slightly. “Your attitude today is humble, but your mouth is still as sharp as ever.”
Ning Yin lowered her head, not daring to speak.
“Go ahead, what do you want?”
“Master, could you grant me a handy weapon, so I won’t be… so embarrassed at the Sect Competition?”
“This time, just do your best. Even if you lose, I won’t blame you. Since you’ve been here so many years without a handy weapon, go to the Sword Pavilion today and pick a Life-bound Sword.”
“But, Master, I’ve been to the Sword Pavilion many times, every time—”
Yu Wei Immortal Lord seemed to hint at something. “Go once more today.”
“Yes, thank you, Master! I’ll do my best at the Sect Competition. It’s just, with only a Life-bound Sword, I’m afraid…”
Yu Wei Immortal Lord saw right through Ning Yin’s thoughts. “What else do you want?”
“Lately I’ve been focused on cultivation, but no matter what I do, I can’t make any progress. Maybe I’ve hit a bottleneck. If I had some Dan Medicine to help…”
A box of Dan Medicine appeared before her. Ning Yin suppressed her joy and accepted it, but still frowned, “The Xinfa you taught me before, I’ve already mastered. Is there any other Xinfa that could help me improve further?”
A golden light containing several Xinfa flew into Ning Yin’s mind.
Ning Yin’s heart leapt with joy, but before she could express her gratitude, Yu Wei Immortal Lord said, “Ning Yin, the matter of the forbidden area is settled. Don’t speak of it to others. Focus on your cultivation from now on, and remember—don’t stir up trouble, and don’t force yourself into the spotlight.”
“Thank you for your guidance, Master. If there’s nothing else, this disciple will take her leave!”
The Sword Pavilion is where Soaring Cloud Sect disciples choose their Life-bound Swords. Every day, countless disciples come, hoping to find a sword that will acknowledge them as its master.
‘Ning Yin’ had come to the Sword Pavilion many times before, but always returned empty-handed.
No sword ever chose her, until Yu Wei Immortal Lord personally gave her a Life-bound Sword, ending her awkward streak.
Honestly, this damn cultivation world is just too unfriendly to villains.
It’s not like she could beat the protagonist anyway.
What’s the harm in giving ‘Ning Yin’ a Life-bound Sword? Did they have to keep paving her road to darkness?
Ning Yin was prepared to leave empty-handed today.
The Sword Pavilion was packed with people.
The moment Ning Yin stepped inside, the once-quiet Sword Pavilion became lively.
“Hey, look, it’s Ning Yin. She’s here again to look for her Life-bound Sword.”
“How many years has it been? No one in the entire Soaring Cloud Sect has gone this long without finding their Life-bound Sword.”
“I bet she still won’t get chosen by a sword today.”
The whispers around her were endless, but Ning Yin kept her eyes straight ahead and walked directly toward the Jian Tomb, her heart calm.
When it comes to choosing a sword, mindset is everything.
Looking around, countless jagged rocks were embedded with long swords, quietly waiting for their masters.
“She must be here because of next month’s Sect Competition. Otherwise, with just Foundation Establishment, what could she do empty-handed?”
“Did you see the list for the competition? Guess who I found on there?”
“Senior Brother Si?”
“No! Although everyone’s surprised to see Senior Brother Si on the list, there’s someone else Ning Yin will definitely know.”
“You mean Sang Wan, right?”
“Sang Wan? Who’s Sang Wan?”
Hearing the name Sang Wan, Ning Yin paused.
Back when ‘Ning Yin’ came from the Cheng Kingdom to study and cultivate in the Soaring Cloud Sect, she brought dozens of attendants and over a hundred guards—a grand display indeed.
But Soaring Cloud Sect was a place for cultivation.
Other than daily cleaning by servant disciples, everything else was handled personally—no one was allowed to be waited upon. ‘Ning Yin’, pampered for years, used to having maids at her beck and call, found it impossible to adapt to living alone.
She threw a huge fit during her apprenticeship ceremony and finally won Yu Wei Immortal Lord’s approval to keep one personal maid to take care of her.
But what she didn’t know was that soon after arriving at Soaring Cloud Sect, Sang Wan awakened her Spiritual Root, and after being beaten by ‘Ning Yin’ once again, she finally rebelled, left her service, passed the sect’s disciple test, and successfully became an Inner Disciple under Qingxu Immortal Lord.
Speaking of Sang Wan, she always held a grudge against ‘Ning Yin’.
Born into a noble Cheng Kingdom family, before coming to the Soaring Cloud Sect, she had a childhood fiancé. But after being chosen by the princess, she had to stay at the sect. When she finally awakened her Spiritual Root and decided to leave, she found her fiancé, who had promised a grand wedding, already had a new bride.
As a reader, Ning Yin had found this plot rather entertaining.
What’s a man compared to cultivation?
Unfortunately, Sang Wan didn’t see it that way.
She hated ‘Ning Yin’. If not for ‘Ning Yin’, her fiancé’s bride for life would have been herself, not someone else.
“The maid who once served her, awakened her Spiritual Root over ten years later than her, but now she’s at late Foundation Establishment, almost at the Golden Core stage. Back then, Ning Yin used her princess status to beat and scold her at will.”
“Now, karma comes around. If they get matched in the Sect Competition, and her former maid kicks her off the stage, how will she ever show her face in Soaring Cloud Sect again!”
Ning Yin glared fiercely at the speaker.
It’s always the parentless orphans who love to stir up trouble at critical moments!
“Don’t get distracted.” A steady voice rang in Ning Yin’s ear, and her restless mind felt instantly calmed.
Ning Yin looked up. Yan Hanzhou stood to the side, his gaze cold, a murderous intent sweeping over those people.
“What are you doing here?”
Yan Hanzhou didn’t say much. “Choosing a sword.”
Ning Yin composed herself, followed the Sword Pavilion Elder’s instructions, and released her spiritual sense toward the center of the Jian Tomb.
She had only the time it took for one incense stick to burn.
Many of the swords here were once Life-bound Swords of fallen powerhouses from the Nine Provinces Continent, each steeped in blood.
But this was the fastest way to get a Life-bound Sword.
After all, forging a new one required materials, manpower, and resources that only families with centuries or millennia of foundation could afford.
According to novel tropes, the protagonist would always pick a sword nobody wanted, which would turn out to be an ancient divine sword, finally chosen by the discerning protagonist after lying in obscurity for a thousand years.
But Ning Yin’s spiritual sense wandered the center of the Jian Tomb for a long time without finding any dusty divine sword.
Instead, she saw many bizarre and violent scenes, filled with blood and carnage, and even encountered powerful sword spirits attacking her, warning her that the weak were not qualified to be their master.
Alright, alright, I can’t afford to mess with you.
As her time was nearly up and she was at her wit’s end, she noticed a dull, lusterless long sword stuck askew in the ground.
Its sword spirit curled up in a corner, indifferent to the world, and carried no bloody aura—this caught her attention.
“She actually has her eye on that sword…”
“Tch—does she even know her own limits? That sword has never been stained with blood; only someone with a heart of absolute purity and goodness can draw it. Even Junior Sister Lingi failed, and she thinks she can? She’s just asking for humiliation!”
“Guanghua has been here for hundreds of years. Junior Sister Lingi swore it was the only sword for her, but I don’t believe Ning Yin can take it away today!”
Ning Yin walked up to the long sword.
As long as she could pull it from the ground, it meant the sword spirit acknowledged her as its master, becoming her Life-bound Sword.
She didn’t hesitate at all. Placing her hand on the hilt, spiritual energy spread from her palm.
The sword spirit seemed to sense something and looked at Ning Yin.
A stream of pure, clear light shot from the hilt, swirling around Ning Yin before finally merging into her spiritual sea.
Zing—
Almost effortlessly, the sword slipped out of the boulder, and the dazzling sword energy instantly lit up the blood-soaked Jian Tomb.
In that moment, Ning Yin and the long sword in her hand were connected in spirit.
The blade’s rust and dust vanished, gleaming as new, its sharp edge reflecting Ning Yin’s star-lit eyes.
Ning Yin’s heart brimmed with joy at finally obtaining her Life-bound Sword. She gripped the sword and rushed to Yan Hanzhou, her eyes shining. “Look! I got my Life-bound Sword!”
Yan Hanzhou’s lips curled in a faint smile. “Congratulations.”
The Sword Pavilion erupted.
“She… how is that possible! How could Guanghua choose her as its master!”
“Wasn’t it said that Guanghua only recognizes those of pure and good heart? How could it choose Ning Yin?”
“Impossible! Even Junior Sister Lingi failed—there’s no way! Elder, Ning Yin must have cheated!”
The Sword Pavilion Elder, sitting high above, glanced down and then looked away. “Guanghua chose Ning Yin of its own will. This is the Jian Tomb, a sacred place—no noise!”