Chapter 41: Tracer (Part 5)

Xu Qianyu opened the Innocent Dream Shadow Scroll once again. The young man in the black robe appeared, sitting suspended in her room. “The sixth section…”
Xu Qianyu rubbed her eyes.
She asked the system, “Did he say the sixth section?”
System: “Yes, he did.”

Then, to her surprise, Xu Qianyu discovered that the contents of the Dream Shadow Scroll had indeed completely changed. Thinking she was dreaming, Wuzhen picked up a scroll, formed it into a tube, and handed it to her with an expressionless face: “Why are you distracted?”
Another scroll: “Why aren’t you meditating?”
Xu Qianyu immediately sat on the ground and assumed a meditative posture.
System: “Perhaps Uncle Wuzhen appreciates that you visited him and fed him the flower dew, so he wants to teach you a bit more. If you want to see more updated lessons, you should visit him regularly.”
It didn’t tell Xu Qianyu about the strange discovery from that day.
If it wasn’t mistaken, Wuzhen had stored his remaining soul within the Dream Shadow Scroll. If Xu Qianyu knew this, she would certainly never set foot in that dark pavilion again.
It was best for Xu Qianyu, unaware, to visit Wuzhen a few more times to increase her favorability with Xie Yuzhen, advancing her progress.

Xu Qianyu listened blankly for a while. The content Wuzhen taught generally focused on “advancing from foundation establishment to golden core.”
But she hadn’t even reached Foundation Establishment yet—could she even learn this?
Xu Qianyu casually closed the Dream Shadow Scroll.
Yes, her cultivation had increased, allowing her to control the Dream Shadow Scroll with her thoughts, opening and closing it at will.
She flipped through the stack of books her senior brother had given her, and sure enough, many were related to inner strength. It seemed everyone thought she was being lazy, neglecting inner cultivation, which was why she hadn’t advanced. But Wuzhen’s teaching was clear, and she was learning diligently, so where exactly was the problem?
The book said that if one’s spiritual pool could not expand, one reason was blocked meridians that hadn’t been cleared. Another reason was that the person’s talent and affinity with immortality had reached their limit.

Everyone’s fate is different. Some outer sect disciples will remain in the Qi Refinement stage their entire lives without further progress—this is common.
Xu Qianyu snapped the book shut. She refused to believe she was in that category and immediately sat up straight.
She firmly believed her meridians were blocked, and with diligent practice, she would be able to break through.
She reopened the Dream Shadow Cylinder, and Wuzhen’s image appeared, seeming to have waited a long time. Right away, he admonished her, “If you give up halfway again, just sever your meridians and stop cultivating.”
Such a long sentence!
Xu Qianyu stared at the young man in surprise. His eyes were icy and resolute, with a hint of anger on his face, making him appear vivid, almost like a real person sitting before her, watching her intently.
Could it be that the internal arts course was updated and the phantom’s functionality upgraded as well? Now it even encouraged learning, making it impossible to casually turn off the Dream Shadow Cylinder.
She opened her mouth to explain, but Wuzhen impatiently rolled up the scroll.
Xu Qianyu immediately sat cross-legged, covering her head with her hands and keeping a vigilant gaze.
The young man held the scroll in his hand, but he didn’t strike. Instead, he set the scroll down, placed his hands on his knees, and began to meditate, his black robe flowing as he said, “First step, construct the sea of consciousness.”

…

After completing her mid-level swordsmanship class, Xu Qianyu entered the “cocoon.”
This cocoon, pure white, was called the Advanced Swordsmanship Arena. It was an isolated space where disciples could duel one-on-one within the sect, with an array on the ground determining victory.
Xu Qianyu later discovered that once she entered the arena, her appearance, identity, cultivation level, weapon, and performance would all be recorded, forming a profile and categorizing her into different ranks.
This way, she would be matched against disciples of a similar level, preventing overly one-sided battles.
Initially, her record wasn’t good. She was accustomed to training with puppets of her own height and familiar strength, but live opponents varied in style. If she couldn’t quickly adapt to their fighting style, she’d suffer losses.
She even faced a little girl of seven or eight. The girl arrived with a candied hive in her mouth, blinking innocently. Xu Qianyu hesitated to draw her sword, worried she’d be scolded by Gao Fengxing for “bullying the weak.”
But once the fight began, the girl’s demeanor changed; she slashed and struck with relentless vigor, forcing Xu Qianyu’s fighting spirit out.
In the end, the girl narrowly lost. She climbed up, dusted her skirt, picked up her candied hawthorn, and bounced away nonchalantly.
Xu Qianyu watched her retreating figure in a daze, realizing that victory and defeat were common here. During a duel, one should give their all; if they lost, there was no need to dwell on it.
It was just a battle, after all.
With that thought, she felt a profound peace within and turned to light up the rune, summoning the next opponent.
She’d always hoped to meet the kind young man who had advised her to wear disciple robes and apologize to him, but she didn’t know his name, only remembering his face and his white scabbard.
With just these clues, finding him among countless people was impossible.
Flipping through the disciples’ records, she thought to herself that a single hasty word was satisfying to utter, yet so hard to take back, undo, or erase from one’s mind.
But that was alright.
She lit up the rune again.

If she fought enough people, challenging every disciple of Penglai, she’d eventually find him.
From that day on, she practically lived in the “cocoon.” Her record grew, her rank steadily rose, and she even gained some reputation.
One day, a strange female cultivator challenged her, and after a glance, she laughed and said, “It’s you, huh.”

Seeing Xu Qianyu’s bewildered look, she continued, “I’ve heard about a junior sister wielding a wooden sword with a fox tail hanging from it, tirelessly practicing here day after day. If you didn’t have a real name, we’d have suspected you were some elder’s creation meant to practice with us.”
“Look.” She formed a hand seal, and a glowing screen revealed a ranking Xu Qianyu hadn’t seen before. Her name sat at the top, far ahead of the second rank.
Eight thousand matches.
She had fought eight thousand matches.
She lowered her head, momentarily speechless, feeling a rare sense of embarrassment.
The next day, she coincidentally faced the senior brother she had once scolded. He landed lightly in the arena and, upon seeing her face, looked surprised.
“Do you remember me?” Xu Qianyu asked.
The senior brother recalled that day’s scene, her sitting on the ground, throwing a tantrum. Amused, he smiled. “I remember.”

Xu Qianyu nodded and said, “This time, don’t hold back, alright?”
He bowed in greeting, and Xu Qianyu returned the bow.
With that, they began their duel.
The senior brother fought with his full strength, his moves as swift as the wind. He had fully internalized his techniques, and in twenty moves, he defeated Xu Qianyu.
Though she lost, she’d given it her all and felt a sense of exhilaration.
Wiping the sweat from her brow, she watched as he prepared to leave and quickly called out, “Senior brother.”

“I…” The apology she had rehearsed several times lodged in her throat.
He turned, seeing her blushing neck and ears, her eyes bright, and interrupted, “I understand.”
“When I received the challenge, I recognized it was you. I thought of avoiding it, but then I saw you ranked first on the Diligence List. I figured you must be very different from before. I don’t regret today’s fight; three days apart, one must look at another with new eyes. You’ve improved greatly.”
“Last time, I was out of line.” Xu Qianyu clutched her skirt’s hem and finally spoke, “Please, senior brother, don’t hold it against me.”
He looked at her warmly and nodded before turning to leave. But then he paused, looked back at her, and said, “I just wanted to tell you—wearing the disciple’s robes doesn’t diminish your beauty.”

After he disappeared, Xu Qianyu sat curled up in her cocoon for a long time.
Once her face grew stiff, she realized she had been smiling. She felt as if the days of gloom had finally lifted, the skies vast and open. It had been a long time since she felt such joy.
After a moment, she stood up, relaxed, activated the runes, and wrote down the opponent’s name.
Chen Duo.
Chen Duo wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and cursed his luck.
He had lost three matches in a row today, and if he lost again, he would be demoted. Turning around, he saw Xu Qianyu, whom he considered an easy target, and gave a sinister smile. “What a freebie. You still dare challenge me? What, wasn’t the beating I gave you last time enough?”
“With that broken wooden sword—are you planning to play in the mud or something? You don’t even have a decent iron sword…”
His words were cut off by the sound of her sword slicing through the air. The wooden sword, though not metal, made a sharp, resounding hum as it cut through, an effect of sword momentum.
In the time since they last met, she had developed her sword momentum to the point it almost disarmed him.

Chen Duo watched his sword waver and, looking up, found himself locked in combat with her.
Chen Duo had been one of the first among the disciples to find his life-bound sword. His three-foot blade was sharp and followed his intentions closely, allowing him to be faster.
But Xu Qianyu, who could now withstand the heaviest sword momentum from training dummies, saw his sword as if in slow motion, easily spotting the flaws and striking with precision.
Chen Duo grated his teeth, his blade flashing close to her face. He was a streetwise rogue, brutal and merciless, his sword fast and menacing.
But Xu Qianyu had grown experienced in battle. She could gauge a person’s character through a few strikes and predict their next move.
She didn’t dodge. Just as his sword was about to touch her eyelashes, she twisted, using a subtle technique to deflect him with ease, and launched an immediate counterattack.
Cold sweat began to bead on Chen Duo’s forehead.
That wooden sword, now carrying formidable momentum, was pressing him hard—it was an astounding improvement.
But that was not all.
Most female cultivators he’d faced were either compassionate toward the weak or intimidated by sharpness, full of weaknesses.
In Xu Qianyu’s eyes, however, he saw a fierce, ruthless glint that mirrored his own. She pressed forward with a deadly stance, forcing him back repeatedly, her face twisted in a sinister determination. She looked like a jade-faced demon foretelling his doom.
Overcome with fear and jealousy, he discreetly activated a small, intricate device in his sleeve, launching three ice shards.

Xu Qianyu felt a sharp pain in her wrist as something struck her, causing her wooden sword to slip from her grip. She was frozen in place, unable to move.
System: He used a magical artifact to cheat and ambushed you!!
A moment later, Xu Qianyu regained a little sensation, finding herself lying on the ground. Luckily, the arena’s protective spells prevented injury. But if she didn’t get up soon, she would lose.
Xu Qianyu lay still. When Chen Duo came over to check on her, she suddenly stretched out her leg, tripping him.
If she had lost, he wasn’t about to win either.
Having fallen for her trick twice now, Chen Duo grew enraged and tried to stand, but Xu Qianyu grabbed his wrist, digging her nails into his flesh, refusing to let him get up.
Xie Yuzhen’s hand, holding the mirror, trembled slightly from his tight grip, and he let out a cold laugh.
Last time, it was with a sword, and now she had pinned him down completely, was it?
Watching Chen Duo lying on top of his lady was almost more than he could bear, his desire to crush that foul presence growing by the second.
The reflective mirror could track a person’s aura and reflect their condition within it. Following this thread of aura, he could also send a little “gift” in return.
Xie Yuzhen hesitated, glancing at his fingertip. If he acted, it might expose his location, which would be unwise. But seeing the two already tangled together, his gaze darkened, and he pressed his finger onto Chen Duo’s mirrored head.
A wisp of demonic energy shot out like an arrow.
Chen Duo suddenly experienced an intense hallucination.
The world around him froze for a moment. An invisible spike seemed to sink into his skull, sending a trembling shockwave through his senses.
Yet, when he touched his head, there was nothing there.
He swayed, dazed, collapsing to the ground, only to see Xu Qianyu standing again and grabbing the hem of her robe.

Xu Qianyu felt her spiritual energy had nearly drained, but somehow, perhaps from recent intensive internal training, a sudden surge of energy flooded her, though erratic and uncontrollable.
This chaotic surge reminded her of those times at home when she snapped chopsticks or accidentally cracked a wall. Wielding her sword was impossible now.
She didn’t bother retrieving her own sword, instead kicking Chen Duo’s sword out of the ring.
Xie Yuzhen watched as she escaped his grasp, pinning Chen Duo with nothing but her bare hands. His eye twitched.

Chen Duo realized her intentions and began to struggle. Despite her small frame, she straddled him, grabbing his collar and landing a punch under his chin.
Having practiced her punches and experiencing another burst of spiritual power, her strike made the world go silent. Chen Duo felt his head ring and briefly blacked out, only to be jolted back by a sharp pain in his chin and gums.
Looking down, he saw the protective arena lights. He hadn’t stood up in time, meaning he’d lost—demoted a rank.
Xu Qianyu continued to sit atop him, patiently waiting for him to recover. When he showed signs of wanting to lash out, she grabbed his collar again and landed another punch.
Chen Duo’s body twitched like a dead fish, dropping another rank.
Regaining consciousness once more, he tried to curse her, but his swollen mouth turned it into a mumble.
Xu Qianyu’s arm felt sore. She shook it, switched to her left hand, and slapped him hard, turning his head aside. Then she leaned in and whispered, “Consider that repayment for the three ice shards.”
Watching him drop three ranks, Xu Qianyu stood, picked up her sword, and disappeared into the cocoon.
“Xu… Qian… Yu.” Chen Duo spat out a mouthful of blood, wiping his mouth and clutching his sword so tightly that veins bulged. “You… just wait. I won’t forget this.”
Xie Yuzhen, having witnessed it all, looked on with a peculiar expression, reluctant as the mirror image faded.

He even dares to be this arrogant here. When the young lady starts hitting people, she acts with such intensity, far more domineering than when she just relied on words back at the Shui household.

Chen Duo walked off the stage with a sullen face and suddenly bumped into a frail young woman. He snapped, “Are you blind?”
The girl shuddered, dropping the items in her arms, which spilled onto the ground. Chen Duo raised his foot and crushed the cakes into mush.
Looking up, he saw a timid, rabbit-like face, which made him smirk darkly. “Oh, it’s you.”
The girl, about fourteen or fifteen years old, looked at her crushed belongings with tear-filled eyes but dared not speak a word.
Here, he found pleasure in bullying the weak. The girl’s name was Yu Chu, an outer disciple who had cultivated some energy but was a coward. She never dared to complain, no matter how he treated her, making her his personal punching bag.
A quarter of an hour later, Lu You’s door was knocked on, and outside stood the tear-streaked Yu Chu, her hair messy, white disciple robes stained with dust and footprints. Upon seeing Lu You, she immediately began to cry, “Miss Lu.”

“How did you end up like this? Come in quickly,” Lu You said, though she sighed internally.
A few months ago, she had taken on a side task involving helping the bullied girl, Yu Chu. The description read: “Timid and often bullied girl. Offer her warmth and kindness. Successfully helping her will make her your most loyal friend among the outer disciples, unconditionally trusting you, following your commands, and even willing to take the blame for you in the future to save you from punishment.”
When Lu You first arrived at Penglai, she didn’t know anyone and thought to use Yu Chu to learn more about the place. But recently, her reputation for healing animals had drawn numerous disciples, making an ordinary outer disciple like Yu Chu less valuable.
Besides, Yu Chu’s constant visits, often filled with tears, were starting to annoy her.
Holding a warm cup of tea, Yu Chu’s nose was red as she stopped sobbing momentarily to explain she’d been bullied again.

Lu You said, “Next time, try to avoid him.”

“I’ve been trying to avoid him as much as possible,” Yu Chu whispered. “Today, I accidentally bumped into him, and he crushed the cakes I made for you.”
Hearing this, she couldn’t help but shed tears again.
Lu You quickly replied, “There are plenty of cakes here; I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but you don’t need to make any more for me—it’s too much work.”
If she kept coming, Lu You didn’t have the time to entertain her constantly.
“There’s no deep-seated hatred among fellow disciples. It could be a misunderstanding. Perhaps if you smile more and call him ‘Senior Brother,’ he might go easier on you.”
Lu You hadn’t encountered a male character in this world who didn’t respond positively to that kind of charm.

Yu Chu lowered her head, trembling. “I think… he simply hates me for no reason. No matter how I try to please him, he only hits me harder. The more I comply, the worse he treats me.”
Lu You took her hand and replied, “You’re overthinking.”
She knew who was bullying Yu Chu.
Chen Duo was also one of her targets. According to the system, Chen Duo was a rough, streetwise scoundrel who had crossed paths with Lu You before joining the sect. He was like a vicious dog but would become a loyal one to Lu You. In the “Water Moon Flower Realm” storyline, he would fight to seize a treasure for her and die in the process.
Today, Elder Xiao Changqing specifically mentioned that entry to the inner sect was primarily determined by performance in the Water Moon Flower Realm.

The Water Moon Flower Realm was a small town to the north of Penglai with a few thousand residents. Due to its rich spiritual energy, it frequently attracted demons. As Penglai’s neighbor, the Immortal Sect protected it but also used it as a training ground for outer disciples, selecting the best for the inner sect.
In her previous life, she hadn’t paid attention to this requirement since she had saved the sect leader, bypassing the Water Moon Flower Realm and directly entering the inner sect with the approval of several elders. This second life was different.
Elder Xiao Changqing’s influence wasn’t enough to get her into the inner sect. She had to earn the favor of the sect leader and the elders through her own efforts. Yet she was anxious, never having experienced the Water Moon Flower Realm before.

She couldn’t advise Yu Chu to fight back—Yu Chu was too weak to win. And Lu You herself couldn’t afford to offend Chen Duo on her behalf. Chen Duo’s potential help in the Water Moon Flower Realm gave him far more value than Yu Chu.
After leaving Lu You’s residence, Yu Chu continued to sob now and then.
Her cultivation was weak, and her timid nature meant no one wanted to be seen with her. Miss Lu was her best friend in Penglai. She dressed her wounds, offered her tea and snacks, and provided comforting words.
But lately, Miss Lu seemed to have grown tired of her, always advising her to endure a little longer.
In Lu You’s residence, she felt warmth, but upon leaving, she felt only loneliness and coldness. She didn’t want to visit her too often.

If even someone as kind as Miss Lu found her bothersome, she truly had failed.
Yu Chu wiped her tears with her sleeve, her nails digging into her palms as she clenched her fists inside her sleeves.
She hated Chen Duo bitterly, but she hated her own cowardice even more. If only Chen Duo had an enemy. She would give up everything just to see him punished.