The cat jumped onto Lin Dongming’s lap.
“Little Sister?”
White Zhiqing blinked in surprise. “Come here.”
The cat lazily lifted its eyelids to glance at White Zhiqing, thought for a moment, and then jumped over, allowing White Zhiqing to scoop her up.
“Did you name her Little Sister?”
Lin Dongming was momentarily stunned.
“Yes. Didn’t you forget to tell me her name?”
White Zhiqing sounded a bit annoyed.
Lin Dongming looked puzzled. “Why call her Little Sister?”
“Because she’s like a little sister. And she’s a female cat.”
“That’s a really straightforward way of thinking,” Lin Dongming teased.
White Zhiqing rolled her eyes. “None of your business. So what’s her real name?”
“She was originally a stray. Just adopted her not long ago, haven’t named her yet,” Lin Dongming said. “Why not just call her Little Sister?”
“Is it really okay to be so casual?”
This time it was White Zhiqing’s turn to be confused.
“It’s fine,” Lin Dongming smiled. “She seems to like the name too.”
“I have a feeling that’s not the truth,” White Zhiqing smirked at Lin Dongming.
Lin Dongming tested her. “Want the truth?”
“Of course.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Lin Dongming said casually. “If she can’t break through to Zhuji on her own, she won’t live long anyway. It’s just a matter of living day to day.”
“Lin Senior Brother, you’re so cold,” White Zhiqing complained. “Then why did you adopt her if you really don’t care about her?”
“Feed her some spirit materials, give her a chance to reach Zhuji,” Lin Dongming said lightly. “The rest is up to her.”
From Lianqi to Zhuji requires Washing Marrow and Cutting Tendons, a process that causes bone-piercing pain, like being devoured by ten thousand ants. Many can’t endure it; some even die from the agony.
Cultivating immortality means going against the heavens itself, and every stage is harder than the last. No matter how kind Lin Dongming is, he can’t replace the cat in reaching Zhuji and Jiedan.
“Lin Senior Brother, are you afraid she won’t succeed in reaching Zhuji and you’ve already grown too attached?”
The little fox’s eyes spun quickly. “Lin Senior Brother is actually soft-hearted.”
“Nonsense.” Lin Dongming rolled his eyes. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going. Need to report on the demonic cultivator to Shifu and the Sect Master, and also check on that Wenxin Heavenly Sect cultivator.”
“Oh?” White Zhiqing raised an eyebrow. “Is that Wenxin Heavenly Sect sister pretty?”
Lin Dongming was momentarily stunned, not expecting White Zhiqing to care. “…She’s supposed to be good-looking, but I didn’t pay much attention.”
“Really?”
White Zhiqing sounded a little sour. “But Senior Brother, you’re going to make friends with her, right?”
“That’s not wrong.” Lin Dongming shrugged. “Without the protection of the Sect Master or Elders, having more friends and fallback plans is always good. Besides…”
“Besides what?”
“Wenxin Heavenly Sect can refine a kind of Yuling Pill that helps beasts grow stronger.”
White Zhiqing couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ve realized Lin Senior Brother is pretty awkward too. Using your words, what was it? Oh right, tsundere!”
Lin Dongming’s face darkened. “That’s not what that word means.”
“Is it not? I think I’m right.” White Zhiqing teased. “I’ve heard from senior and junior sisters that the ‘mouth hates but the heart is honest’ is the definition of tsundere, isn’t it?”
Lin Dongming didn’t want to discuss this topic further. “If you’re done, I’ll take my leave.”
“Wait!”
White Zhiqing called out.
“What is it?”
Lin Dongming turned back.
“Do you know what the Jade Pendant you gave me last time is for?”
White Zhiqing asked.
“That hard to figure out?”
Lin Dongming said. “Usually just channel spirit power into it to activate.”
“It seems to require a lot of spirit power.” White Zhiqing took out the Jade Pendant that Elder Tuoba gave her before. “And it’s inscribed with ancient characters I can’t read at all.”
“Try using the spirit power from Spirit Stones,” Lin Dongming suggested. “If that doesn’t work, try drawing a Gathering Spirit Array. You shouldn’t be short on Spirit Stones.”
“Alright.” White Zhiqing sighed and tossed it back into her Storage Ring. “I’ll try next time.”
Lin Dongming left White Zhiqing’s residence and walked a short distance before riding his sword toward the mid-slope of Tianjian Peak, heading to Han Xiangjun’s quarters.
“…Hmm? At Weiyang Hall?”
Lin Dongming sensed Han Xiangjun’s spirit power coming from that direction, so he changed course.
Halfway there, he ran into someone even more familiar: the Wan Zi-Tou Little Junior Sister.
The junior sister quickly approached Lin Dongming. “Senior Brother, are you here to report on the demonic cultivator?”
Lin Dongming nodded.
“Perfect. Shifu and the Sect Master, along with the Elders, are all here. Come along.”
Lin Dongming looked puzzled. “The Elders are here too? What’s going on?”
“Today, Wenxin Heavenly Sect disciples are having a friendly spar with Heavenly Extreme Sword Sect disciples, so the Sect Master and Elders all came.”
“Friendly spar…” Lin Dongming thought for a moment. “It’s definitely better than stuff like the Bihai Blade Sect or Xuankong Temple.”
Especially the Bihai Blade Sect—they practically want to crush the Heavenly Extreme Sword Sect underfoot. Compared to them, Wenxin Heavenly Sect is much friendlier, but such matches always have an undercurrent of competition.
After all, the Elders can’t step in themselves. Especially not someone like Lin Dongming’s Shifu, the Zhao Yue Sword Immortal.
Although she usually acts like a lazy Sleepy Beauty, if she actually fought, the Sect’s Protecting Grand Formation would have to be deployed.
Back in her youth, Zhao Yue Sword Immortal was unmatched among her peers, even surpassing the current Senior Brother Yuan Jianyi.
“How’s that Wenxin Heavenly Sect disciple?”
Lin Dongming asked the junior sister.
The junior sister tilted her head cutely. “You mean Senior Sister Mo Qingxue? She’s badly injured and was sent back early by Wenxin Heavenly Sect. So Senior Brother Yuan Jianyi, who was supposed to spar with her, is a bit upset. He’ll probably just spar with Wenxin Heavenly Sect’s second-ranked Su Li instead.”
“That’s fine. The result would be the same,” Lin Dongming shook his head.
“Even if Mo Qingxue were unharmed, she wouldn’t be a match for Senior Brother Yuan Jianyi. Wenxin Heavenly Sect knows this well.”
“By the way,” Lin Dongming asked curiously, “why are you here, junior sister? Did Shifu ask you to participate in the sparring?”
The junior sister shook her head. “No. Shifu said I’m still too young and my cultivation is shallow. I have to at least reach Jiedan Late Stage before I can join.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Shifu said watching fights is also very beneficial for my cultivation, so she sent me.”
Lin Dongming had received no such invitation—he only heard about the event. He couldn’t help but sigh. “Shifu really favors junior sister.”
Among Zhao Yue Sword Immortal’s many disciples, junior sister is the most beloved. Sometimes Lin Dongming thought Shifu treated him well, but compared to junior sister, it’s nothing.
The two of them passed through the corridor and entered a side hall where Zhao Yue was already waiting for some time.