Chapter 53: The Refining Furnace (Part 8)

“Besides this whip, you can choose any five others.”
Yu Chu looked at the pile of silvery magical Weapon in front of her, which resembled a mountain, and pinched her palm, unable to believe her eyes. “So Miss has refined so many magical Weapon, not just for her own use.”

“Then what else would it be for? Aren’t you going to the Water Moon Flower Realm as well?” Xu Qianyu picked up the divine whip and, seeing Yu Chu frozen in place, urged her, “Hurry up and choose.”
These are all worth money.
Yu Chu cautiously sifted through them and was immediately dazzled by the bright silver light.
After all, one should be careful when taking things from others. It would be better to choose some cheaper magical Weapon.
She had just shakily reached for the hair crown that looked the most useless when Xu Qianyu directly took it away, saying, “This useless thing somehow got mixed in.” After taking the hair crown, he turned and scolded her, “You picked this thing? Do you even know how to choose?”
Yu Chu, feeling awkward, saw that Xu Qianyu had already picked out a dagger, a knife, a crossbow, and a fire lotus for her. Since she had a fire spirit root, he also added the Raven Vase. Xu Qianyu pushed these items toward her. “Take them.”

Yu Chu hugged the bundle, tears welling up in her eyes. “Thank you, Miss!”
After packing up the magical artifacts, Xu Qianyu then said, “In the future, maybe you shouldn’t pursue the path of a sword cultivator.”
Yu Chu’s heart sank. What did she mean by this?
Right, the young miss was notoriously jealous. But had she attracted too much attention this time and angered her? Was Xu Qianyu so upset that she no longer wanted her as a servant and was planning to drive her out of the outer sect? Were these items meant as her travel funds, a final farewell?
Xu Qianyu, noticing her expression, swiftly turned and caught the items spilling out of Yu Chu’s crooked bundle. Just as he was about to get angry, he looked up to see Yu Chu’s face covered in tears and froze. “Why are you crying again?”
“Miss, why… why are you…” Yu Chu trembled like a little flower in the wind. “Not letting me be a sword cultivator?”
None of these artifacts mattered to her as much as being Miss Xu’s servant.
“Your physical strength is so weak that you wouldn’t gain much benefit from being a sword cultivator,” Xu Qianyu said, puzzled. “I’ve never even seen you carry a sword. When I visit your quarters, there’s no trace of a sword. Clearly, you don’t like swords. So why persist as a sword cultivator?”
Yu Chu was taken aback.

Indeed, Xu Qianyu, who loved swords, always had one slung over her back, never leaving her side.
Yu Chu truly didn’t like swords. In fact, she’d touched a sword less often than she had her alchemy furnace for making cakes.
Xu Qianyu, having lived freely since childhood, couldn’t fathom what it felt like to be forced into something one didn’t enjoy. It would probably be like reading a cultivation manual a hundred times a day, which was genuinely chilling.
“I heard from Ruan Zhuqing that you can control phoenix fire, which isn’t something everyone can do; plus, you enjoy working with furnaces. Why not try the path of alchemy or artifact crafting?”
Yu Chu abruptly stopped crying.

In the past, she’d merely drifted along, never considering this possibility. Maybe she wasn’t useless; she had just taken the wrong path.
The realization hit her like a thunderclap, a sudden, unexpected turn that brought a new hope.
“In the inner sect, Elder Fang Zheng practices artifact crafting and has no disciples yet,” she said. “If I could pass the Water Moon Flower Realm, I might have the chance to follow him and change paths.”
Xu Qianyu responded, “Exactly. Did you just now think of this? You’ve been dragging your feet all this time, so I thought you couldn’t bear to give up on the sword.”

Yu Chu looked at the artifacts on the table, feeling a bit dazed. If it hadn’t been for Miss Xu, she wouldn’t have had the courage to take this step, even if she had the idea. She had no idea how she had ended up here, where even the seemingly impossible now felt within reach.
With this thought, she looked at Xu Qianyu again, her eyes brimming with tears and her lips trembling as she struggled to express her gratitude. “Miss…”

Xu Qianyu looked at her for a moment and “hmph”-ed. “Is ‘Miss’ my name?”
Yu Chu’s eyes widened in surprise, and she stammered out, “Qian… Qianyu.”
As she spoke, tears rolled down her cheeks. She threw her arms around Xu Qianyu, conveying everything she wanted to say in that single embrace.
That night, the useless silver hair crown ended up in Ruan Zhuqing’s slender fingers.
The young man looked at it closely. “A fine piece, a top-grade item in the mortal world. Where did you get it?”

If not for the earnest look in his drooping eyes, Xu Qianyu would have suspected he was just trying to flatter her.
“Is it really that beautiful?”
“Yes, very beautiful,” Ruan Zhuqing said quickly. “Hey, don’t you think so?”
Xu Qianyu let out a cold laugh.
She now thought Ruan Zhuqing might be a fool.
Though she enjoyed teasing those she disliked, if someone was too foolish and fell for it every time, the game quickly grew dull. In her previous life, she had few friends, and those who remained by her side tended to be people who forgot past grievances, like Ruan Zhuqing.
Her relationship with Ruan Zhuqing was one of loyalty, if not intimacy. She had never deceived or manipulated him and would always share what she had. Yet he was still led astray by Lu You’s words. What else could he be but a fool?

Since she had already earned enough spirit stones from refining, she remembered the guidance from her “mother” in her dreams, felt disinterested, and blew out the candle. “Not for sale.”
Ruan Zhuqing, clutching the hair crown, panicked. “I just bought three… why are you suddenly not selling anymore?”
Xu Qianyu walked back to her quarters. “I sell when I want to sell and stop when I want to stop. What does it have to do with you?”
Ruan Zhuqing followed her, the lamplight casting shadows on his collar. He looked serious. “What’s wrong? Are you upset?”
Xu Qianyu ignored him.
From the window, Ruan Zhuqing looked at her, holding the window open as she tried to close it. “You’re definitely upset.”
After a pause, he carefully raised his eyes. “Did… did I upset you?”
Since childhood, he had been surrounded by beauty and friends and was skilled at reading the expressions of girls. It had been the same in their previous lives; if Xu Qianyu was unhappy, he was always the first to notice.

“No.” Xu Qianyu lowered her eyes. In this life, aside from giving her free money, Ruan Zhuqing hadn’t done anything particularly offensive. She looked at the silver crown in her hand, expressionless. “You really like this?”
“Yes,” Ruan Zhuqing replied eagerly.
“Then it’s yours.” She tossed it to him from the window and closed it. “Don’t bother me.”
Ruan Zhuqing caught the silver crown, its silvery glow shining under the moonlight. He should’ve felt happy, as he had received it for free. But looking at the closed window, the dark pavilion, and the extinguished candle, he felt an inexplicable sense of loss.
He had a feeling that she wouldn’t be selling her wooden boxes there again.
Despite her temper, as harsh and overbearing as it was, there was an inexplicable discomfort at seeing her saddened and abruptly leaving.

Xu Qianyu had just sat down when there was a sudden knocking on the window.
She opened it, and sure enough, it was Ruan Zhuqing standing below. By candlelight, his eyes shone with a hint of seriousness, unlike his usual playful expression. “So, Xu Qianyu, can we say we’re friends now?”
“Who’s friends with you?” The girl with twin buns replied haughtily, her lips twisted in a sneer.
It’s nothing more than a simple relationship between the butcher and the butchered.
“Then, Ruan Zhuqing would like to make friends with you. May I?”
“Hey, hold on.” As she was about to close the window, Ruan Zhuqing quickly caught it, their spiritual powers clashing with a faint hum. “It doesn’t make sense to receive a coronet for free. Can I at least treat you to a meal as thanks?”

Xu Qianyu paused. Ever since arriving in Penglai, she had been eating nothing but potatoes and corn. The idea sounded like something from another world.
Ruan Zhuqing continued, “We’ll go to the mortal realm, to a grand restaurant, and you can order anything you want!”
Xu Qianyu thought for a moment. “Bring one more person.”
“Who?”
“Yu Chu.”
Ruan Zhuqing recalled that trembling little rabbit and chuckled, “Alright.”

*

The three of them stood before a giant wooden kite as tall as a person. Within a white light array, gears shifted, and a staircase unfolded. True to his boldness, Ruan Zhuqing owned a kite ship. “Ladies, please come aboard.”
As an inner disciple with a permit, he could bypass the restrictions freely. The giant kite sailed through the golden barrier, leaving the lamp-lit Penglai behind as it crossed the sea.
Under the moonlight, the sea was tranquil, rippling like folded tin.
Xu Qianyu insisted on piloting the kite, so Ruan Zhuqing let her. She managed to regain some of her previous life’s familiarity with the controls, though occasionally the kite would make a sudden “click” sound and dive, causing Yu Chu to slide from one side to the other, leaning over the edge with a groan.
Xu Qianyu stopped moving. Ruan Zhuqing remarked, “I told you you’re out of practice. Let me take over.”
The wind ruffled Yu Chu’s hair.

Amidst the haze, an orange glow appeared below. The lights and bustling sounds came to them. The town was lively, with laughter and music drawing closer. As night fell, figures filled the streets. This place seemed even more bustling than Nanling, with black-clad warriors throwing knives that created illusions and masked performers breathing fire.
Xu Qianyu asked, “Where is this?”
Ruan Zhuqing replied, “The Water Moon Flower Realm. It’s the closest town to Penglai.”
“This is the Water Moon Flower Realm?” Xu Qianyu exclaimed, “I thought inner disciples weren’t allowed to come here within three days of selection.”
“Well, it’s not three days yet, right? We’ll just return before dawn.”
None of them wore swords. Xu Qianyu wore her old ruqun and found similar attire for Yu Chu. As they landed, she stretched out her wrist, covering her face with a white veil and donning a hat.
It was clear Ruan Zhuqing frequented the place, as the inn’s owner greeted him with graceful steps, teasing, “Young Master Ruan is here again. Please, come in.”
Embarrassed, Ruan Zhuqing muttered, “I told you not to call me that, but she always forgets.”
The inn’s splendor satisfied Xu Qianyu; the signature dishes nearly filled the table, including all her favorites. There were also a few unfamiliar ones, like donkey and crow meat, which she ordered to try.
Yu Chu, bowl in hand, ate without regard for time.

After a toast, the three became lively. Xu Qianyu called, “Waiter, bring us a flower cup.”
A flower cup was typically a bowl with a seasonal flower in water for decoration.
Inspired, Xu Qianyu performed a tea trick: a burst of flame flared in the cup, and the flower petals fell, dissolving into the water, which turned into wine from the pot. She handed the drink to an applauding Yu Chu.

The flame’s appearance caused some commotion.
Nearby, a group of four in white robes with swords looked over, their expressions slightly tense.
Sensitive to stares, Ruan Zhuqing glanced back. The group quickly looked away and continued their drinks.
Noticing this, Ruan Zhuqing was slightly surprised by Xu Qianyu’s past. “Did you really only join the sect at fourteen? How did you avoid selection? Haven’t the immortal sects been recruiting aggressively in recent years?”
Xu Qianyu replied, “I don’t know either.”
Ruan Zhuqing poured more wine for Yu Chu. “They say when spiritual energy was abundant, there were countless sects, and the structure of the Four Great Immortal Sects didn’t exist. Many mortal families, even royalty, had spiritual roots but didn’t practice, living freely, much more carefree than today.”
Intrigued, Xu Qianyu asked, “Really? Tell me more.”
The history of cultivators had been taught by an old Taoist master, but he only boasted about how wise and powerful the sect leader was for transforming Penglai into one of the Four Great Immortal Sects within a few decades, which felt insincere to her.
“The era of abundant spiritual energy was at least a hundred years ago. At that time, powerful figures rose everywhere. Cultivators were known as flying heroes or immortal lords, most of whom operated alone, fighting to seize each other’s spiritual energy in what’s now called the Age of Great Turmoil. The high-ranking survivors from that era are nearly all Golden Core or Nascent Soul Masters. Three reached the Transformation stage, but none of those survived.”

“Why did they fall?”
“They couldn’t ascend to immortality, and the spiritual energy was insufficient to support further advancement. To absorb more energy, they inevitably fought each other. Even if they didn’t, the higher one’s cultivation, the more susceptible to inner demons. Once trapped in illusions, they were close to falling.”
Xu Qianyu drank another cup. “And us now?”
Ruan Zhuqing stretched his tone, “Now, the people are many, and the spiritual energy is scarce. Not enough to go around. Most disciples are only at the Qi Refining or Foundation stages. A Golden Core cultivator is rare. That’s why sects started focusing on unity and cooperation to pool resources. But the Four Great Immortal Sects still compete secretly.”
Yu Chu nodded. “I heard people call this the Age of Bitter Cultivation. The tower on the training field and the restrictions around Penglai are relics from the Age of Great Turmoil. Now there’s not nearly enough spiritual energy for such large-scale spells.”

Xu Qianyu thought, Well, they really were unlucky.
The legends of cultivators and the stories she had read in worldly books all stemmed from the same source. It was said that in the beginning, there were only humans in the mortal realm. A thousand years ago, when heaven collapsed and the earth split open, the divine realm’s spiritual energy spilled into the human world. This was how spiritual mountains, rivers, and cultivators came to exist.
In anger, the gods sent a goddess to descend a heavenly ladder to repair the skies. The goddess successfully mended the heavens but, exhausted, she died, shattering the ladder before her death.
In the first few years after the sky was repaired, spiritual energy was still abundant. Mortal desires, dark thoughts, and ugliness were immediately overwhelmed by the energy, dissolving from the world, leading to a brief period of peace and tranquility.

However, as spiritual energy gradually diminished, the thin traces that remained began to mingle with these evil thoughts, giving rise to roaming monsters, known as demons. The less spiritual energy there was, the more demons roamed the world, while cultivators grew fewer, unable to eradicate them all.

Xu Qianyu asked, “If that’s the case, why not just open a hole in the sky and let the spiritual energy pour into the human world again?”
Ruan Zhuqing looked back at her, took a swig of wine, and laughed. “You think like many cultivators. Isn’t that why the inner sect ventures out every year in search of the Ice Key? That key is actually a fragment of the heavenly ladder. Once the ladder is pieced back together, we can use it to reach the heavens and carve open the sky again.”
*
Outside the snow cave, Xu Binglai said, “This year, the Penglai Immortal Sect found another Ice Key. The ladder is nearing completion, and everyone is getting anxious. The Hairpin Flower Conference has determined its contenders. This year, the three sects are joining forces to surround us at Penglai, knowing that we are versatile but not particularly strong in any one area, especially lacking in sword cultivators. They’re mainly sending strong sword cultivators, including one named Chu Linfeng.”
Shen Suwei said quietly, “The one who achieved Golden Core in a single step.”
“Yes.” Xu Binglai’s eyes held a hint of amusement. “If you were to face him, what are your odds?”
“I don’t know.”

Shen Suwei lowered his gaze. One would have to face him to know who would prevail.
“In our Penglai inner sect, your senior brother chose the path of artifact-making years ago, so his combat ability is just average. Lin Jin’s disciple, that young one with the surname Ruan, practices both martial arts and swordsmanship, but I’d say his skills have been mediocre these past few years, too busy playing around. The other elders have high standards and still haven’t accepted any inner disciples. All told, the only sword cultivators we can rely on are you and Jiansu. You two can’t both go; one of you has to stay to guard the sect. If only one person goes, who should it be?”
Shen Suwei replied, “I’ll go.”
“That’s not enough.”

After a moment’s thought, Shen Suwei understood Xu Binglai’s meaning. Organizing a combat team was like deploying an army; the more skilled people available, the better the chances of winning.
He added, “In the upcoming Water Moon Blossom Realm, there will be an inner sect selection. At that time, we can bring in some sword cultivators from the outer sect to join us.”
“Hmm, that’s exactly what I had in mind.” Xu Binglai swirled his teacup. “However, looking at the outer disciples these past few years, none of them are particularly outstanding.”
Shen Suwei knew that when his master spoke like this, he actually had someone specific in mind, so he asked, “Who does Master have in mind?”

“That wild girl.”
Shen Suwei was indeed a bit surprised. “Xu Qianyu?”

Xu Binglai handed him a notebook from the sparring arena. Before Xu Qianyu came, the disciples at Penglai averaged ten matches per day. Since Xu Qianyu topped the diligence rankings on the arena leaderboard, the disciples averaged thirty matches a day, and some were even sneaking in sword practice late at night.

Shen Suwei: “…”

Xu Qianyu had stirred up the entire Penglai Sect.
“Everything about her suggests she’s suited to be a sword cultivator, whether it’s martial arts or mixed disciplines—all offense-oriented.” Xu Binglai tilted his head, examining her record. “And recently, although her internal energy was lacking, she suddenly broke through to the foundation establishment without any apparent weaknesses.”
Shen Suwei said, “Her time in the sect has been short; entering the inner sect so soon might invite resentment.”
Xu Binglai replied, “There’s a reason for this. Our top outer sect members have participated in numerous disciple tournaments. Other sects know their swordsmanship styles inside out, especially Chu Linfeng, who, after two or three encounters, can learn his opponent’s weaknesses and has had a year to prepare. I want to switch it up with someone they’ve never seen before.”
It made sense.

After a moment’s hesitation, Shen Suwei finally admitted, “Master chooses disciples based on fate. But Xu Qianyu is still eight steps behind Chu Linfeng in ability.”
“I’m well aware.” Xu Binglai suddenly smiled at him. “But if I left it to you to bridge that gap of eight steps, what would your chances be?”
Shen Suwei couldn’t help but look at him, holding back for a moment before saying, “Master, I cannot.”