Keep a Low Profile

Ninth Elder happened to be in the courtyard, instructing several disciples about leaving the sect tomorrow.

Seeing Ji Duchuan coming over, he was startled. “Young Master Ji?”

Why would the eldest disciple of the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley come to their courtyard?

“Senior Yun.”

Ji Duchuan bowed respectfully to him, his gaze falling on Song Yao. “I came to find Lin Mu.”

Ninth Elder immediately grew tense. “Did something happen?”

Over the past few days, Lin Mu had made quite a name for herself in the Beiyao Sect, and she must have made quite a few enemies.

Furthermore, she was a frail pill cultivator, making her an easy target.

Surely the people of Medicine King Valley weren't trying to get involved too?

Ji Duchuan shook his head and waved the notes in his hand. “I saw that Junior Sister Lin is also a pill cultivator and highly talented, so I thought of bringing these notes and a few ancient books to her.”

Ninth Elder was startled.

Lin Mu?

A highly talented pill cultivator?

Giving books to her?

Was Ji Duchuan crazy?

If this kid could read a single page of a book without falling asleep, he would consider himself the loser.

In the end, he didn't expose her in public. Song Yao had already taken two steps to stand in front of Ji Duchuan, taking the books, and asked perceptively, “I'm highly talented? Is it because my Qi-Replenishing Pills are decent?”

Ji Duchuan smiled and nodded. “Not just decent. They're exceptionally good.”

He thought about it and added, “It would be even better if they didn't have side effects.”

Song Yao retorted, “That's called starting with a struggle to make the payoff sweeter.”

“...Fair enough.”

Ji Duchuan took out two more prescriptions and handed them to her. “When I saw you asleep earlier, I took the liberty of examining you. Although these two prescriptions cannot cure your condition completely, they will benefit your body to some extent.”

Making a trip just to deliver prescriptions to her.

Song Yao paused. Standing to the side, Ninth Elder felt a wave of excitement.

The child was in poor health, and even Old Sixteen was helpless. Medicine King Valley's prescriptions were extremely hard to come by on the outside, and their people rarely lent a helping hand so easily.

Although he didn't know why Lin Mu had found favor with him, one shouldn't refuse such a good thing. He quickly helped take the prescriptions, pushed Song Yao's head down, and made her bow. “Little Wood, hurry up and say thank you.”

Song Yao was forced to speak. “Thank you, thank you.”

For some reason, being bowed to like this made Ji Duchuan feel as if his lifespan was being shortened. He quickly helped her up. “No need to be polite, it's just a small effort.”

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Ninth Elder, he turned to Song Yao before leaving. “If you have time in the future, come visit Medicine King Valley. I will host you.”

Song Yao said, “Sounds like a plan.”

Once he left, Ming Ran and the others crowded around in astonishment. “Little Master, are your Qi-Replenishing Pills really that amazing? Even Senior Ji acknowledged you!”

Chen He eagerly chimed in with excitement, “I heard the people of Medicine King Valley are incredibly snobbish and rarely associate with anyone. To invite them down from the mountain, one has to request three times and bow three times. Yet now, he's actually inviting you to play in Medicine King Valley?”

Ninth Elder looked at the prescriptions, then at Song Yao, feeling rather nervous. “Have you really learned pill refining?”

He had originally thought she had no talent for pill refining whatsoever, and was waiting to return and beg Old Seven to let him take her as a sword cultivator.

If she had truly learned pill refining, where else would he find such a uniquely talented treasure?

Having just had her pills recognized, Song Yao took out the remaining few to share with everyone, pressing down the corners of her rising lips. “Keep it down. Let's keep a low profile.”

When she handed one to Jiang Jin, he frowned slightly. “Senior Ji has seen all kinds of pills. Why would he acknowledge only your Qi-Replenishing Pill? Could he have some ulterior motive?”

Song Yao, of course, knew Ji Duchuan had an ulterior motive.

But she was used to judging people by their actions rather than their intentions, and she couldn't be bothered to overthink what others wanted. Without another word, she snatched back the pill she had extended to Jiang Jin. “If you don't want it, forget it.”

Ming Ran raised her hand from the side. “If he doesn't want it, I do! I want two!”

Jiang Jin was startled and hurriedly chased after her, his cheeks flushing. “I—I didn't say I didn't want it. I want it.”

Halfway through, another hand reached in. Cheng Yue took the last pill and said flatly, “Quiet.”

Jiang Jin: “?”

Wait.

He hadn't even gotten one yet.

...

Early the next morning, after bidding farewell to the various sects, they left the Beiyao Sect and returned to the Nine Saints Hall.

This time was a resounding victory. Second Elder took charge and handsomely rewarded several of them.

To motivate the other disciples in the sect, he even specially held an awards ceremony. He tricked Song Yao onto the stage and praised her with fiery passion. “In this Myriad Bones Forest secret realm trial, Lin Mu, as a pill cultivator, was fearless in the face of the secret realm's dangers! With her frail body, she overcame crisis after crisis, slayed evil spirits to protect her fellow disciples, and ultimately took first place!”

“She did not rely on brute force, nor did she borrow external aid. What she relied on was her courage and composure in the face of danger. This is precisely the character our Nine Saints Hall cultivators should possess.”

“Fearless of hardships, neither arrogant nor humble, staying true to her heart! All of you should learn from her!”

The crowd of young disciples below was deeply inspired, their eyes filled with admiration.

They had all entered the sect around the same time, and she was actually among the younger ones.

To be able to take first place among so many outstanding youths and win glory for the sect put her far ahead of them. It was hard not to stare.

Of course, quite a few disciples crossed their arms, whispering sourly to one another, clearly unconvinced.

Song Yao stood awkwardly in the center of the stage. In one hand, she clutched a roasted sweet potato she had swiped from the Jiyue Peak kitchen, and in the other, she held a jar of wine she had smuggled from the bottom of the mountain, silently hiding them behind her back.

She had gotten too greedy this time.

Had she known, she should have hidden in Baicao Peak first.

She hung her head, plotting how to escape.

In the shadows at the side of the stage, Jiang Jin looked at her figure, inexplicably feeling as though she were separated from him by a layer of mist, a sensation he couldn't quite put into words.

They had clearly entered the sect together, she was clearly just a pill cultivator, and she clearly didn't fight or vie for anything.

Why was she always so dazzling?

His breathing slowed by half a beat. He steadied his mind, but when he looked over again, Song Yao had already slowly shuffled to the edge of the high platform and bolted.

The crowd below erupted into an uproar.

Second Elder turned around, shocked.

Where was she?

He hadn't even finished praising her!

And he still had so many questions to ask!

Song Yao only slowed her pace after running out of Fuguang Platform. She put away the wine and slowly ate the roasted sweet potato, flying on her sword toward Baicao Peak as she ate.

Ning Zhou caught up to her, grinning as he took the roasted sweet potato from her hand and replaced it with a piping hot one. “If you're hungry, just tell Fifth Elder's husband! During the days you were away, he kept muttering that you'd definitely starve and lose weight again. He's been waiting for you to come back so he can cook you some special, delicious food to nourish you. Just grabbing a roasted sweet potato, who are you looking down on?”

A hot roasted sweet potato tasted ten thousand times better than a cold one.

Song Yao blew on it before taking a bite. The sweet aroma melted in her mouth, and her cheeks puffed out as she spoke, “I'm not hungry, I'm just having a snack.”

Outside Baicao Peak, Seventh Elder plucked a handful of green onions. Catching sight of her flying in on her sword, he let out two exclamations of distress. “What is wrong with Old Nine? I handed her over to him, but did he even pay attention? How did she lose so much weight!”

Eldest Senior Brother He Yu poked his head out. Seeing Song Yao land, he smiled and said, “She does indeed seem a bit thinner. Come inside and eat some dumplings first. We wrapped them specifically for you, and they'll be boiled in no time.”