Chapter 16: It Died

Nearly two weeks had passed.

Two weeks—such a long stretch.

The young girl counted off the days of her master’s slumber, ticking them off one by one on her fingers, unable to suppress a sigh.

“Master, when will you wake up?”

Resting her chin on her hands, she spoke to the bell with a tone of grievance.

“I’ve already moved to the Outer Sect, left that old Servant Peak, but you still haven’t woken up…”

“There were Elders who wanted to take me as their disciple, but I turned them all down. Hmph, when I was about to freeze to death, nobody came, only you, Master, had the insight to see my worth.”

“Master, I think I really am a genius.” Gu Xianyu declared earnestly, just as laughter suddenly drifted out from within the bell.

“You, a genius?”

Her ramblings overheard, the girl’s cheeks flushed as she argued back, “Wh-why can’t I be a genius? Eh…”

Her little face shone with delight:

“Master, you’re awake?!”

After a brief silence, a blurry shadow, almost invisible to the naked eye, slipped out from the bell and floated in the air.

With a careful sweep of divine sense over the girl, he spoke with satisfaction, “Mm, not bad progress.”

Jiang Tong glanced around—the courtyard was unfamiliar, tidy and well-organized. It seemed they’d been at the Outer Sect for some time now.

After tempering his soul with Soul-Nourishing Elixir, Jiang Tong’s spiritual sense had greatly expanded—now able to encompass the entire mountain peak.

He could even leave the bell for short periods, appearing in the air as a soul form.

“Master, I think I can see you now.” Gu Xianyu gazed at the soul body, her eyes sparkling.

It was her first time seeing her master. Although she couldn’t see much, just a vague shadow, she was already thrilled.

“Xianyu, it’s all thanks to you.” Jiang Tong smiled sincerely. “The Soul-Nourishing Elixir worked well for me—I can finally stretch a bit.”

“So, have you still been feeling unwell lately?”

“I have, a bit.” Gu Xianyu nodded, looking up happily. “But with the pills Master gave me, whenever I feel bad, I take a few and feel much better.”

“That’s good.”

He gazed at the girl, his voice gentle. “Give your Master a little more time, and I’ll help you resolve your affliction.”

“Really?” Gu Xianyu’s eyes lit up.

She’d suffered from this affliction since she was a child—over a decade of misery, never daring to hope for a cure.

Although the warming pills Jiang Tong gave her brought some relief, the pain remained, just lessened.

But now…

“Master, why are you so good to me…” The girl lowered her head, overwhelmed, her lashes trembling.

Jiang Tong smiled, patting her head with his soul form. “You are my disciple. If I don’t look after you, then who should I care for?”

(^ω^)

Gu Xianyu squinted her eyes contentedly, feeling as if a fluffy cloud of cotton candy rested on her head.

“Master.”

“Mm?”

The girl clenched her fists. “I won’t let you down.”

“Silly child.” Jiang Tong patted her head again.

“Don’t worry about such things. Your Master only wishes for your health and happiness.”

He couldn’t help but feel a bit sentimental.

When he’d first met her, Gu Xianyu had been timid, battered and bruised, afraid of offending this so-called “senior.”

Malnourished, she had looked so pitifully thin.

Now, she’d grown some flesh, looked livelier, and with him as her master, she was starting to show the lively side of a girl her age.

How much longer would he be able to accompany her, he wondered?

……

Gu Xianyu’s cultivation progressed rapidly. In these two weeks, she’d risen another level, reaching the seventh stage of Qi Refinement.

A triple-spirit root needed more spiritual energy, but with Jiang Tong’s presence, spiritual stones and pills were in endless supply.

Jiang Tong spent three or four days patiently answering her questions on swordsmanship, and on obstacles she faced in cultivation.

The girl seemed to have some insight; she spent more and more time practicing swordplay, her eyes growing sharper by the day.

A week later, on a certain day—

“Whoosh—”

A dazzling sword flash swept by, splitting the crooked tree at the door into fragments.

“Master, I did it, I mastered it!”

Gu Xianyu held her sword, her eyes filled with irrepressible excitement.

The Willow Sword Technique, all seven forms—she had finally mastered it!

“Not bad.”

Hearing the commotion, Jiang Tong flew out from the bell, eyes flashing with approval.

Sword cultivators with a Sword Embryo truly were different. Gu Xianyu was still only at Qi Refinement, yet at this rate, after another month or so, her swordsmanship might catch up to Ji Nianxue.

Jiang Tong smiled and spoke, “Xianyu, the Sword Embryo in your dantian is about to transform.”

“Sword Embryo… what’s that?”

The girl was baffled.

Jiang Tong didn’t keep it from her.

At this stage, Gu Xianyu needed to take the initiative in seeking materials for the Sword Embryo’s transformation.

The Sword Embryo was the bud of the Sword Heart.

When it grew to the size of a chicken or goose egg, it would undergo a transformation each time. The first time, the hilt would form; the second, the blade.

The third transformation would require withstanding the Sword Tribulation, so the Sword Heart could return to its sheath.

The first step wasn’t too hard, but the latter two grew increasingly perilous. Only after complete transformation would the Sword Heart be fully formed.

After explaining, Gu Xianyu stared blankly at her dantian, her pale little face full of disbelief.

“Master, this thing… is it powerful?”

“Very powerful.” Jiang Tong nodded. He also had a Sword Embryo, already through two transformations—only the third, the Sword Heart, remained.

But the third was as difficult as climbing the heavens. He had no intention of attempting it anytime soon.

“Then, then…” Gu Xianyu stammered, “So I really am gifted? Am I really a genius?”

She was ready for a scolding, but Jiang Tong thought for a moment and said, “You can be considered one.”

With both the Cold Jade Body and the Sword Embryo, if he still tried to hold her down, he’d be unworthy to be her master and might as well go raise pigs.

“Heh heh.” The girl put her hands on her hips, tilting up her snowy chin. “I knew Master had sharp eyes.”

Jiang Tong: ……

“But, how do I make the Sword Embryo transform?”

“No rush.”

Jiang Tong had accompanied her around Shangyuan Sect a few times and knew the sect had bounty missions.

Bounty missions gave more points, and once enough were accumulated, they could be exchanged for rewards.

As a major sect, the Shangyuan Sect’s treasury definitely had Sword Heart Grass, but to complete the transformation, five stalks were needed—not just one or two.

“Your cultivation is still too low. Focus on reaching Foundation Establishment first, then we’ll make plans.”

Jiang Tong made up his mind. “For the next few days, calm your mind and cultivate. Practice swordplay less for now.”

“But, cultivating is so boring…”

Gu Xianyu looked pitifully at his soul form, a hint of slyness in her eyes.

“When did you learn to bargain?” Jiang Tong sighed. “This disciple… I might as well…”

“All right, all right, I’ll cultivate.” The girl quickly cut him off. “I was just joking. I do want to grow stronger.”

“Good.” Jiang Tong nodded. “If you work hard at your cultivation, I’ll take an hour each day to walk with you.”

“Really!” Instantly, the gloom on the girl’s face cleared up.

“Come on, have a Fasting Pill and start cultivating.” Jiang Tong smiled, conjuring several pills like a mischievous uncle tricking a child with candy.

“Master never cheats. One hour means one hour.”

“All right!”

Gu Xianyu was brimming with energy. She swallowed the candy, ready to sit down and cultivate.

After a moment’s thought, she opened her eyes.

“Master…”

“What is it?”

“There’s a big lake nearby—no one ever goes there. Can we go for a walk there tomorrow?”

“Of course.” Jiang Tong agreed casually. “What’s it called?”

“Guanye Lake…”

Jiang Tong froze.

Wasn’t that the lake he’d visited just this morning with Ji Nianxue?

“Guanye Lake.” He softly repeated the name. “It must be beautiful.”

“No.” The girl’s voice turned a little sad. “It’s dead.”