Chapter 11: Bad Scumbag’s Good Fortune, Are Talismans Useful? (1/2)

Yuan Wei and Qin Changsheng were both stunned.

Although they had guessed that their recent conversation was likely overheard by Ye Qingning, they weren’t sure how much of it she had heard. Now, it seemed she had heard everything.

But Ye Qingning had praised Yuan Wei’s name and complimented her so sincerely that Yuan Wei felt her admiration for Ye Qingning grow, even after realizing their conversation had been overheard. She didn’t feel upset about it at all.

After all, they hadn’t been cautious during their discussion. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, and Ye Qingning hadn’t been eavesdropping intentionally.

“Since Ye Shimei heard everything, please don’t mention it to anyone else. The sect has rules, and we aren’t allowed to share the contents of the trials with others. If this gets to the elders, my qualification for this assessment will be canceled.”

Ye Qingning nodded seriously: “Shixie, don’t worry, I won’t say anything. After all, I heard it all.”

She hadn’t meant to overhear, and if she were to lose her qualification for the trial, she’d become the biggest victim.

After saying that, she continued, “Shixie, I have another question for Qin Shixiong.”

Qin Changsheng had been displeased by Ye Qingning’s disregard of him earlier. Now, he felt that Ye Qingning had deliberately ignored him.

After all, he was quite handsome, and all the female disciples in the outer sect would steal glances at him.

He understood the game of teasing.

“I don’t know what you want to ask, but I’ll answer anything you ask,” Qin Changsheng said with a smile he thought was charming.

Ye Qingning gave a typical fake smile in return: “I want to ask Qin Shixiong, if, as Shixie said, the trial assessment doesn’t allow us to cooperate and we become opponents instead, would Qin Shixiong want Shixie to give up the opportunity and leave it to you?”

“But if Shixiong wins and enters the inner sect, surrounded by beautiful, strong female cultivators, even if Shixiong isn’t interested, others might still be. Will Shixie feel okay about that? Has Qin Shixiong thought about it?”

Qin Changsheng was stunned and his expression changed. He didn’t know how to respond for a moment.

Yuan Wei was also stunned. Ye Qingning’s words had clearly reminded her.

If Qin Changsheng entered the inner sect instead of herself, would he fall for another female cultivator?

At that time, even if she wanted to see him, wouldn’t it become extremely difficult?

Had she broken the sect rules just so her fiancé could be surrounded by other women?

“Qingqing, even if I enter the inner sect, I won’t look at other women. My heart is only for you. You don’t need to worry, I will never do anything that betrays you!” Qin Changsheng quickly assured her.

Ye Qingning almost rolled her eyes but then replied, “According to Qin Shixiong, Shixie should also be reassured if she enters the inner sect. Does Qin Shixiong not trust Shixie’s character and think she would betray you?”

“Or is Qin Shixiong only concerned with whether he can enter the inner sect?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, the atmosphere grew silent for a moment.

Qin Changsheng was stung by her words, his expression worsening. He cursed Ye Qingning for not being mute.

He could tell now—she was here to ruin his good fortune!

“Qingqing, listen to me. I don’t distrust you! I just care so much about you that I’m worried about you entering the inner sect alone…”

“Alright, Changsheng, stop talking. I’m not even sure if I can pass the assessment. I’ve already told you everything I know.”

“Ye Shimei just arrived here and isn’t familiar with the people of the outer sect. How about you head back, and I’ll introduce Ye Shimei to the other disciples here?”

Yuan Wei interrupted Qin Changsheng, clearly moved by Ye Qingning’s words.

Qin Changsheng clenched his fists. He knew if he kept talking, it would only make him seem guilty.

As he left, he gave Ye Qingning a warning glare.

Ye Qingning didn’t care. How could she be afraid of a scumbag?

After Qin Changsheng left the courtyard, Yuan Wei finally spoke: “Shimei, if it weren’t for your words just now, I would have told him everything I know, even if it meant breaking sect rules.”

“But hearing you say that, I just feel uncomfortable imagining him surrounded by other beautiful women in the inner sect. Even though I trust him, I’d still have doubts. What if he changes his mind? What if another woman seduces him away?”

“I even think, if only one of us can enter the inner sect, I’d rather it be me. Is that selfish of me?”

Ye Qingning immediately realized that her words had had the effect she wanted.

She responded, “Shixie, that’s not selfish at all. It’s clear that he hasn’t given you any sense of security!”

“Just think, if he swore an oath to heaven, vowing to only love you no matter whether he becomes an inner sect disciple or a direct disciple, would you still worry about him changing his heart?”

“If he made such an oath, then you could tell him everything you know. After all, there’s still a month left.”

Although there were still over eight hundred days left, a scumbag would never make an oath.

But her words had completely awakened Yuan Wei.

Why did she feel so selfish? Wasn’t it because her fiancé hadn’t made such an oath?

If he truly only loved her and wanted her as his one and only Dao partner, why couldn’t he swear such an oath? Or maybe he just didn’t want to.

And recently, he had been acting strange. Every time she brought up the assessment, he seemed particularly eager.

It was as if what he cared about was only passing the assessment.

“Shimei, thank you for coming at the right time. Otherwise, I might have already broken sect rules. I see that you’re in the Foundation Establishment stage. I assume you’ve signed up for this trial assessment as well?”

Ye Qingning nodded: “Yes, I signed up just now. I don’t expect to pass, but I want to give it a try.”

Yuan Wei seemed to want to say something but paused for a moment. After a while, she lowered her voice and asked, “After reaching Foundation Establishment, you can choose which path to cultivate. What path are you following?”

Ye Qingning didn’t understand why Yuan Wei asked her this but answered truthfully: “I’m cultivating the Pill Dao.”

Yuan Wei seemed hesitant, then after some thought, she quietly reminded her, “Pill cultivators don’t usually have an advantage in trial assessments.”

“I can’t tell you about the last assessment, but I can warn you that alchemy doesn’t really help with the assessment. If you want to succeed in the trial, you need to at least learn to draw talismans.”

“If you can’t, just carry some talismans with you. They should come in handy.”

Ye Qingning looked at Yuan Wei in surprise.

When she came to the Penglai Sect, she already knew that the disciples here were extraordinary, skilled in multiple areas, and all knew how to draw talismans.

So, was she being told that pill cultivators didn’t deserve to pass the trial?

But then again, who said the questions on the exam would only cover what was in the books?

The questions that counted were often things not covered in the textbooks. Penglai Sect likely used the same method to test its disciples.

While talisman cultivators might benefit from this, those who couldn’t draw talismans could still buy spirit talismans.

But she didn’t have a single spirit stone on her…

Rather than buying talismans, drawing them herself would save a lot of spirit stones.

For the next month, aside from going to the spirit herb garden, she could go to the outer sect academy to learn how to draw talismans.

But now, there was a problem.

Where would she get the talisman brushes, talisman paper, cinnabar, and spirit ink?