“Junior Sister, what is it?”
Shen Qingci walked up the steps with light paces, her eyes carrying a hint of playful intimacy. “I came to tell Senior Sister something, and to ask for a small favor while I'm at it.”
Chi Yuan tilted her head. “Oh? Let's hear it.”
“Two elders from my family traveled and cultivated outside in their early years, and recently settled in Qinghe County. One specializes in artifact refining, and the other is skilled in arrays. They both use aliases outside and rarely mention their family background.”
Shen Qingci chatted casually. “They sent a letter asking me to visit when I have time. Since I took first place in the quarterly spell competition, I'm exempted from this term's final exam according to sect rules. I have about twenty days of free time, so I want to leave the sect for a trip.”
As she finished speaking, her tone naturally shifted. “There are a few decent things in Qinghe County.”
“Earth-grade Low-rank green jade marrow has miraculous effects on nurturing sword intent. Long-term use can stack a permanent buff on one's natal sword. There's also the Fang family's time-honored spirit-gathering talisman ink; adding a bit when drawing talismans can improve their quality by twenty percent. If Senior Sister wants anything, I can bring it back on the way.”
Chi Yuan raised her eyebrows slightly.
She knew about the spirit-gathering talisman ink. A portion the size of a fingernail cost five thousand high-grade spirit stones, and it was perpetually out of stock, making it a highly sought-after but unobtainable item. Yet, her junior sister spoke of it so casually, as if she were just picking up a bag of wild fruit along the way.
She opened her mouth to decline, her fingertips unconsciously brushing against her sword tassel before letting go after a long moment.
Qinghe County was a whole province away, nearly ten thousand miles of mountain roads from the Azure Cloud Sect. The route was covered in dense, wild forests and infested with all kinds of demon beasts.
She knew Shen Qingci was protected by Enshrined Guardian Shen, and surely had no shortage of secret guards. But at the thought of the young girl traveling across provinces alone, her chest still tightened inexplicably.
“Qinghe County is not close,” Chi Yuan said, her voice gentler than usual. “As a Qi Refining disciple traveling ten thousand miles alone, the sect might not even approve your request. If you encounter roaming high-tier demon beasts on the road, it would be too risky.”
“I have to go to Blood Thorn Ridge in half a month for a subjugation mission. Although it's not on the way, I can make a detour to accompany you to Qinghe County to visit your elders first, then head to the mission location from there.”
“The Mission Hall gives a seven-day grace period anyway. Departing a few days early or late won't matter, so it won't delay any official business.”
Starlight instantly pooled in Shen Qingci's eyes, but she deliberately adopted a hesitant tone, bowing slightly as she said, “How could I trouble you like this? Senior Sister is on official duty. How can I let my private matters delay you...”
“It's fine!”
Chi Yuan's gaze locked onto her face, speaking the words decisively with an unyielding certainty in her tone. “I won't feel at ease with you traveling alone.”
Since things had reached this point, declining any further would seem insincere.
Shen Qingci's eyes curved, her dimples showing faintly. “Then I will trouble Senior Sister. I can even ask you for guidance on a few sword styles along the way. In the end, I'm the one who benefits.”
“What benefit?”
Chi Yuan's expression softened a bit.
“Your foundation in sword styles is decent. Having a few sparring sessions on the road to practice applying force in real combat won't do you any harm.”
“Is it okay if we travel slowly?” Shen Qingci tilted her head to look at her.
“Yes, there's no rush.” Chi Yuan's voice grew even softer as her gaze swept over the girl's still-slender shoulders. “It's Junior Sister's first time traveling far. There's no need to rush too much.”
“Then it's a deal. Don't find me clumsy when the time comes, Senior Sister.” Shen Qingci agreed with a laugh, then straightened her expression. “I'll submit an application to leave the sect to Master as soon as I get back and go through the official reporting process. Once the approval is down, I'll finalize the date and route with you.”
“If you lack any medicinal herbs or talismans for the Blood Thorn Ridge mission, just let me know, Senior Sister. I still have quite a bit of stock in my storage ring, which is more useful than what the Mission Hall distributes.”
Chi Yuan said, “It's a Mystic-grade Mid-rank mission, just a group of roaming mid-stage Golden Core evil cultivators. It's not difficult.”
“Just follow me, Junior Sister. If anything happens, I will protect you. Don't run off on your own.”
Shen Qingci couldn't help but curl her lips in her mind.
Once the melodramatic plot began, whenever it involved her senior sister, the Mission Hall's intelligence was guaranteed to go wrong nine times out of ten.
There was a Nascent Soul old monster backing those evil cultivators. In the original novel, Chi Yuan had gone alone and suffered a major setback. If she only reacted when they actually ran into him, it would be too late.
She couldn't say this outright, so she could only keep it to herself for now and find an excuse to drop hints along the way.
But on the surface, she didn't show a thing, nodding obediently. “Alright, I'll follow Senior Sister's arrangements. I'll head back first to pack my things and write the application. I won't disturb your quiet cultivation anymore.”
“Mm.”
Chi Yuan followed her to the edge of the stone steps. The mountain breeze swept over them with the twilight, draping them both.
She looked down at the small whorl of hair on the young girl's head. Her knuckles pressed against her palm inside her sleeve. After raising and lowering her hand a few times, she ultimately didn't lift it, only keeping her voice low as she said, “The mountain roads are slippery at night. Walk slowly.”
Shen Qingci agreed, then suddenly turned around after walking a few steps. Chi Yuan was still standing there, her moon-white robes bathed in the twilight, like a cold pine standing on the edge of a cliff.
Seeing her turn back, Chi Yuan raised her chin slightly, a trace of imperceptible urging in the corners of her eyes.
“If Senior Sister lacks any personal belongings, let me know in advance, and I'll pack them all together!” Shen Qingci called out loudly before turning to walk down the stone steps.
Only when that ink-green hem of her robe completely vanished into the depths of the forest and even the sound of her footsteps faded into the wind did Chi Yuan slowly return to her cave dwelling.
Standing against the stone door for a moment, her thumb repeatedly stroked the scabbard of the Frostchill sword. Her mind was filled with the image of her junior sister's curving, smiling eyes.
Feeling a warmth rise in her earlobes, she turned her head and coughed softly. She pinched a transmission talisman and sent it to the Mission Hall, pushing the departure date back by three days, writing a casual note: "Escorting a fellow disciple to Qinghe County on the way."
On the other side, Shen Qingci walked along the mountain path back to Yunqi Cave, her fingertips carelessly tapping the jade pendant at her waist.
The matter of traveling together was settled. Next, she would wait for the sect departure approval, then figure out how to slip the substitute talisman to her senior sister without raising suspicion.
Since she had run into the Blood Thorn Ridge death plot, she absolutely could not let the tragic events of the original novel happen again.
【Unless I do it myself!!!】
...
The next day, inside the side hall of the Sword-Falling Terrace, Jinglian was looking down, flipping through a sword manual.
Shen Qingci entered and bowed. Jinglian was still pointing at a key spot for exerting force on an illustration, and didn't ask her to stand up. She only looked up to gesture for her to wait. Her other hand drew a line in the air, and an inch-long sword glow broke through the air with a soft hiss.
Once that sword intent stabilized, she closed the sword manual and looked up to scan her young disciple.
“Taking first place in the quarterly competition and being exempted from the final exams, did you come to wander around my place on purpose?”
“Your disciple wouldn't dare,” Shen Qingci stood obediently with her hands at her sides. “I came today to report something to Master. Two elders of my family have recently settled in Qinghe County. Having not seen them for many years, I wish to pay them a visit. The round trip will take about twenty days, so I humbly request Master's permission for leave.”
Jinglian placed the sword manual on the desk.
“Qinghe County is across more than half of Qing Province. The route is filled with dense wild forests and rampant demon beasts. You are only at the eighth level of Qi Refining, yet you certainly have a lot of courage.”
Shen Qingci lowered her eyes.
She knew her master was not scolding her, but weighing her judgment.
“However, I am well aware of the background of your Shen family. Any secret guard chosen at random would have cultivation no weaker than an inner sect elder. Your traveling outside might not necessarily be more dangerous than staying within the sect.”
The corners of Shen Qingci's lips curved slightly.
“Is Enshrined Guardian Shen going with you?” Jinglian asked.
“Hanzhou has been comprehending sword intent with Master recently and is currently at a critical juncture for a breakthrough. I do not wish to delay her cultivation,” Shen Qingci answered flawlessly. “Furthermore, her personality is naturally solemn. Having her follow me step-by-step would actually be quite constraining.”
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