Who could tell her why Zhu Zhao and Xie Zhou were both here... eating grilled fish?
She remembered that her Second Senior Sister and Fourth Junior Brother were always very busy and had always been above the worldly desires of mortals. How...
Caught in a dilemma, Song Yao had no choice but to brace herself and call out to them, “Second Senior Sister, Fourth Ju... Fourth Senior Brother.”
Hearing the noise, the two of them looked up.
Their identical cold, indifferent eyes swept over Song Yao from head to toe, their gazes carrying an extreme sense of pressure.
Fortunately, Xie Zhou only glanced at her before looking away, setting down his bowl and chopsticks.
Zhu Zhao, on the other hand, stared at her without blinking, as if she had heard something incredibly amusing. “Are you really that afraid of the Teaching Elder?”
“Yeah.”
If this had been the old Song Yao, she would have rolled her eyes and told Zhu Zhao to stop asking such stupid questions. A mere Teaching Elder could never dictate her actions.
But now, Song Yao, who only wanted to be an honest, law-abiding person, stood obediently in place and nodded. “I'm afraid.”
For some reason, this seemed to tickle Zhu Zhao's funny bone. She curled her lips slightly and muttered, “How rare.”
Seventh Elder rushed out from behind, breaking the awkward silence by stuffing a grilled fish into Song Yao's hands. “Ah, the fish caught today is actually from your Fourth Senior Brother's pond. It's really strange. Why do you personal disciples love raising chickens and fish so much?”
Fourth Junior Brother's fish?
Song Yao looked down at the fragrant grilled fish in her hand and shuddered.
She did know about Fourth Junior Brother raising fish.
Back then, his parents had just passed away, and Master had brought him back to the sect. He had been quiet and sullen all day long, so Master gave him a few beautiful little fish to keep as pets.
He spent every single day with those fish.
After Song Yao found out about this, she had sneaked out in the middle of the night, scooped the fish out, and grilled them.
When her crime was exposed, Fourth Junior Brother broke down, and Master chased her around, beating her for three days and three nights.
But Fourth Junior Brother was truly a sweet kid.
Afterward, he even clung to Master's leg and said he didn't blame Third Senior Sister, and even sent her a lot of medicinal pills.
Unfortunately, the current Fourth Junior Brother was cold, fierce, and not cute at all.
But realizing she might be the root cause of his change, Song Yao silently retreated to the side and began eating the fish.
Seventh Elder was deeply gratified to see this.
Fattening up a skinny child gave him a great sense of accomplishment.
Especially since this skinny child ate with such a great appetite.
He pulled out two chickens and two ducks from a corner. “Your Second Senior Sister gave everything she raised to our Baicao Peak. Come back early tonight, and Master will stew some duck soup for you.”
“I can't,” Song Yao said with her mouth full. “I'm having dinner at Fifth Elder's place tonight. We already agreed.”
Seventh Elder was shocked. “It's not like we don't have food at home. Why go to her place to eat?”
“To save money,” Song Yao explained. “Every meal we eat at someone else's place is a meal's worth of money saved.”
Seventh Elder had a sudden realization and nodded in deep agreement. “That makes sense. Then come back early after dinner. There have been many evil spirits around lately; it's not very safe.”
“Okay~ I'll be back early.”
He Yu ran out of the Elixir Pavilion with a soot-stained face, holding a small porcelain bottle. “Junior Sister, this is for you. It's a Spirit-Gathering Pill I refined last night. I heard you reached Foundation Establishment, so this will be good for you.”
Song Yao hadn't expected that the person upstairs in the Elixir Pavilion in the middle of the night was this senior brother, let alone that he was refining pills for her.
She dazed for a moment, then took the porcelain bottle, her eyes curving into crescents. “Thank you, Senior Brother.”
The moment she finished speaking, a loud bang echoed from the other side.
Xie Zhou abruptly stood up, nearly flipping the wooden table.
With his eyes cast down, his expression was gloomy to the extreme. Without looking at anyone, he suddenly turned and left, his moon-white robe whipping up a gust of wind.
Startled, Song Yao watched his departing back in confusion, but then she understood.
After being tortured by her for five years, it was hard to find a normal person among the personal disciples.
It was only natural for them to suddenly lose their minds from time to time.
No big deal.
She tucked away the pills and her bag, and just as she was about to head out, Seventh Elder spoke up again, unable to bear seeing her walk. “Ah Zhao, why don't you give my little disciple a ride today too? She's already late.”
Song Yao: “...”
How was Seventh Elder even more shameless than her?
Troubling Zhu Zhao over and over again for such trivial matters... given her personality, she would probably blow a fuse.
Song Yao waved her hands to decline, but before she could speak, the Black Bird transformed into a streak of light and landed on the empty ground beside them.
Zhu Zhao: “Get on.”
Song Yao: “?”
Fourth Junior Brother was crazy.
Second Senior Sister was crazy too.
This was not right.
...
When she arrived at Fuguang Platform, Song Yao could clearly feel Jiang Jin, who was in the very front row, glaring at her with a hint of resentment.
She didn't even need to guess to know what Jiang Jin was thinking.
Just yesterday, she had said she and Zhu Zhao weren't close, yet today, Zhu Zhao had personally given her a ride here again.
He would definitely misunderstand and think she was deliberately refusing to introduce them.
Song Yao sighed rather gloomily and stood before the Teaching Elder, waiting to be scolded.
To her surprise, the Teaching Elder didn't even spare her a glance. Instead, he stepped aside to make way.
Zhu Zhao stood at the front of the platform, her black, tight-fitting outfit accentuating her tall, slender figure.
She spoke in a calm, unhurried manner, “Seven days from now, all Foundation Establishment disciples shall gather at the entrance of Mount Mingjian. At that time, the Sword Pavilion will open, and those fated may obtain their destined sword.”
Song Yao's eyes suddenly lit up.
She had forgotten about this.
Next to the restricted area of Nine Saints Hall was Mount Mingjian, which housed tens of thousands of swords left behind by predecessors over thousands of years.
Every Nine Saints Hall disciple who had just entered the sect could go there to seek a sword after reaching Foundation Establishment.
Their grades ranged from Earth-grade all the way up to God-grade.
If one failed to obtain a sword, they could apparently still collect a basic, low-level sword at the entrance to play with.
In her past life, Song Yao had unexpectedly inherited a high-grade Heaven-grade Guiyu Sword in a secret realm, so she had never been to Mount Mingjian.
If she could obtain a high-grade sword this time and sell it, she would not only be able to buy her freedom but also live comfortably for the rest of her life.
Excellent, truly excellent.
Having finished her announcement, Zhu Zhao stepped onto the Black Bird and departed.
Only then did the disciples below dare to whisper among themselves. “Only those at Foundation Establishment can go choose a sword? How many of us have even reached Foundation Establishment?”
“Haven't those with Heaven-grade roots already reached Foundation Establishment? They started cultivating before they even entered the sect.”
“If only I could reach Foundation Establishment in the time it takes an incense stick to burn, just like Lin Mu!”
“Dream on. She's a true genius.”
“...”
The Teaching Elder stood before them once again and said calmly, “Additionally, starting this afternoon, you will be taking minor courses in swordsmanship and qi control. Inner sect disciples may temporarily opt out if their masters have other arrangements.”
A commotion instantly broke out below the platform.
The eyes of the young disciples lit up.
Compared to memorizing these dry sect rules, cultivating was naturally far more interesting.
Only Song Yao was plotting how to avoid attending.
She didn't want to stay in Nine Saints Hall, and she certainly didn't want to cultivate alongside the male lead.
She looked up, but just as she was about to speak, the Teaching Elder's gaze swept over and cut off her words. “Even if your master is a pill cultivator, talisman cultivator, or formation cultivator, you must still participate.”
Song Yao: “...”
Great.
She had to develop well-rounded skills in everything.
Someone next to her wailed on her behalf, “Even formation cultivators have to learn this? My master said I just need to focus on placing stones!”
Rate on N.U.
