Chapter 8

An hour after Yue Wujiu and Ji Shu infiltrated the Gongyi residence, the Gongyi family finally realized something was amiss.

“——Who did this! Who destroyed my automatons!”

By the time Gongyi Hao led a group of cultivators to the eastern courtyard, all they could see were piles of shattered fragments on the ground.

Even though the Gongyi family was the wealthiest in the Soaring Void Realm, witnessing this scene still pained them deeply. The high-level automatons used to guard the Gongyi estate were no ordinary items—each one possessed cultivation comparable to a third-stage Qi Refining cultivator.

More importantly, the core technology behind these automatons was exclusively mastered by the Automaton Masters of Kunlun Ruins. No matter how much the major cultivation families boasted about their profound heritage, they could only purchase these automatons from Kunlun Ruins each year, spending untold amounts of spirit stones in the process.

The Gongyi residence was thrown into chaos.

No one noticed that the two perpetrators had already scaled the outer walls and vanished from sight.

“If I saw correctly earlier, Immortal Yue actually repurposed one of the Gongyi family’s automatons for his own use and then controlled it to attack the others?”

Ji Shu’s profound gaze lingered on the tall figure ahead.

“Even though they were all high-level automatons, the one you modified could single-handedly take on dozens. I doubt even the Automaton Masters of Kunlun Ruins could achieve such a feat.”

It was said that the creator of the automatons had close ties to Kunlun Ruins’ sect leader, Yan Guihong. After leaving the crafting techniques to Kunlun Ruins, the creator vanished without a trace.

In its early days, Kunlun Ruins relied heavily on mass-producing and selling automatons to accumulate wealth, allowing it to flourish over five centuries to its current state.

Yet no matter how much today’s Automaton Masters of Kunlun Ruins studied the craft, they could only replicate the original designs with minor adjustments. To casually repurpose another family’s branded automaton—Ji Shu, in his nine lifetimes, had never seen anything like it.

This Immortal Yue…

“Your Supreme Purity Capital Swordplay is also quite impressive.”

Yue Wujiu calmly turned to look at him.

“That move, ‘River Tilting, Moon Falling,’ though limited by your current cultivation and age, couldn’t unleash its full power, the sword intent was profound and natural. Once you break through to the Nascent Soul stage, even the Supreme Purity Capital’s sect leader might fear you.”

Ji Shu’s expression stiffened instantly.

Then, Yue Wujiu delivered another blow:

“Your Illusion Technique is also masterfully refined. Even a sect leader wouldn’t easily detect the Adam’s apple hidden beneath your neck.”

“…”

The two locked eyes in silence for a few seconds.

A few seconds later, Ji Shu slowly raised his head to gaze at the dazzlingly bright moon in the sky and blatantly lied:

“The moonlight is dim tonight. What did you say you saw earlier, Immortal Yue?”

Yue Wujiu: “I saw nothing. And you?”

Ji Shu: “Same here.”

After a thorough exchange of views, they reached a consensus: “Since we both have a basketful of secrets, let’s tacitly agree not to pry further into each other’s affairs.”

The two returned to the Ninefold Mountain Moon Sect via sword control.

Meanwhile, Peng Peng remained blissfully unaware of how many spirit stones the Gongyi family had lost that night. All she knew was—

The food at the Ninefold Mountain Moon Sect was absolutely delicious!!

“Senior Sister Le Yao—I’ve finished this bucket too!”

Peng Peng hugged a wooden rice bucket as large as her face, her sparkling eyes fixed on Le Yao.

“Can I… have another bucket!?”

Le Yao glanced at the wooden steamer that didn’t have a single grain of rice left, then at the empty plates on the table that looked like they’d been swept clean by a tornado. After a long pause, she finally said:

“Then… should I get you some more dishes?”

Peng Peng’s mouth formed a perfect circle, her eyes brimming with longing as she cautiously asked:

“…Is that okay? If I finish it today, can I have more tomorrow?”

Le Yao only knew that Peng Peng’s surname was Gongyi and that she was the young lady of the Gongyi Manor in Pingchuan. Hearing her words, Le Yao assumed Peng Peng thought their sect was too poor to afford more food.

She turned around and angrily scolded the other disciples sitting at the table:

“Look at this! What has our sect’s reputation come to? Our junior sister is even afraid of eating an extra bowl of rice, thinking she’ll bankrupt us! It’s all because you’re so useless!”

The innocent junior disciples who got scolded: …Putting that aside, isn’t “an extra bowl of rice” a bit of an understatement?

“Junior Sister Peng Peng, if you’re still hungry, you can have my portion of roast duck. There’s a whole plate left, and it’d be a waste if I can’t finish it.”

“And my sweet and sour pork ribs—I’ve had too many sweets lately and feel a bit sick of them. If you don’t mind, you can have them all.”

“Speaking of which, doesn’t our junior sister look a little too thin? Are you really five years old?”

Under the pretense of offering food, the senior brothers and sisters who had been sitting at their own tables gathered around Peng Peng.

They had wanted to take a closer look at her ever since she first entered the hall.

Ah.

Every year after the Ascension to Immortality Assembly, while neighboring sects brought back batches of new disciples, they could only watch enviously, their gifts for new juniors left ungiven.

This year, they finally managed to trick—ahem, recruit—a new disciple. Of course they had to take a good look!

Peng Peng, surrounded by over a dozen people staring at her like some rare treasure, didn’t feel the slightest bit awkward.

Her attention was entirely on the food they were handing her.

…They’re good people!

…The Ninefold Mountain Moon Sect is full of good people!

“I don’t mind at all!” Peng Peng eagerly pulled the dishes toward her, grinning happily. “Thank you, senior brothers and sisters! I’ll eat every last bite and won’t waste a single grain!”

With that, she picked up a rib and popped it into her mouth, her cheeks puffing out around the bone. Finally, her face looked a little rounder, more like the adorable chubbiness a child her age should have.

Seeing her eat so heartily, Le Yao’s heart softened, and she couldn’t resist offering more rice:

“Eat as much as you like. The cook stops serving after a certain hour, but if you’re still hungry, I’ll personally cook for you—”

“Cook what, you fool?”

Peng Peng lifted her head toward the voice and saw a woman with cloud-like hair adorned with pearl hairpins standing behind Le Yao, holding a rice scoop. Moments ago, she had used that very scoop to bonk Le Yao on the head.

Her expression was stern as she rapped Le Yao’s head a few more times, like a monk striking a wooden fish.

“Stuffing a child like this, starving one moment and gorging the next—you’ll ruin her stomach! Look how round her belly is already, and you still want to feed her more!”

Only then did everyone glance at Peng Peng’s belly, hidden beneath the table.

Upon closer inspection, it was practically swollen into a ball!

Peng Peng hugged her belly sheepishly, trying to hide it:

“No, no, it’s fine! I won’t get sick. I can still eat a little more… right, Qiuqiu?”

The little chubby sparrow on the desk had thoroughly stuffed itself into a round ball, then opened its tiny beak and let out a loud burp.

The woman with cloud-like hair adorned with pearl hairpins sat down opposite Peng Peng, studying her for a moment before asking:

“So you’re the new disciple Le Yao recruited? What’s your name?”

Peng Peng answered honestly, “Gongyi Peng.”

“Le Yao mentioned that several sects from the Kunlun Ruins wanted to take you in. Why did you choose our Ninefold Mountain Moon Sect? Had you heard anything about our sect before coming here?”

Though her tone wasn’t harsh, the sudden barrage of questions caught Peng Peng off guard.

Le Yao covered her lips and whispered an explanation:

“This is the sect leader of our Ninefold Mountain Moon Sect, Perfected Lord Tangfang.”

Peng Peng’s eyes lit up with realization.

“I know you! When we came down from Changliu Mountain, some people said your cultivation was only at the Golden Core stage, yet you’re a sect leader—how strange! They also said that with such a weak leader, the sect must not be anything special…”

Peng Peng blurted this out so quickly that Le Yao didn’t even have time to cover her mouth. Everything that should and shouldn’t have been said was already out in the open.

The senior disciples present stiffened, not daring to make a sound—some stared at the sky, others at the ground.

Yet Tangfang didn’t even furrow her brows, smiling faintly instead.

“They’re not wrong. Even so, are you still willing to join our sect?”

“Of course!”

Peng Peng clenched her fists, her gaze unwavering as she looked at Tangfang.

“Don’t worry, Sect Leader! Once the Ninefold Mountain Moon Sect is in my hands, I’ll definitely revive it! I’ll make our sect greater than any of those so-called Four or Six Sacred Sects!”

Tangfang: “…”

Though her bold declaration was full of ambition, it sounded less like she was here to be a disciple and more like she was here to take over as sect leader.

But children—having some ambition was always a good thing. Everyone looked at Peng Peng with affectionate eyes.

Heh, they wondered if the other junior sister would be as lively and spirited as Peng Peng.

This beautiful expectation was shattered the next morning when they met Ji Shu.

The “junior sister” standing before them was at least half a head taller than most. Though dressed in the Ninefold Mountain Moon Sect’s pink-and-white uniform, she exuded no softness—her coolly restrained peach-blossom eyes swept over them with an indescribable air of cold, heroic charm, making everyone instinctively want to bow and greet her as “Senior Sister.”

She approached with a trace of distant politeness, saying modestly:

“Good morning. I’m Yi Shu, a newly enrolled disciple. As a newcomer, I’ll be counting on the guidance of my senior brothers and sisters.”

The still-groggy senior disciples felt their scalps tighten, an involuntary urge to bow and scrape rising within them.

Alert! Alert!

This person radiated the aura of an elite disciple from a major sect—a relentless powerhouse! Terrifying! Absolutely terrifying!

The next moment, the little girl who jumped out from behind them was the complete opposite of Ji Shu.

“Good morning, senior brothers and sisters! Don’t worry—starting today, I’ll train hard and lead everyone to surpass the Four Sacred Sects and dominate the cultivation world!”

Though her words were full of grand ambitions, the senior disciples could only feel their hearts melt at the sight of Peng Peng’s bravado.

So cute!

Even cuter in her new sect uniform!

If they ignored her wild claims, this sweet, soft little girl was exactly what a junior sister should be like!

“Good girl, Peng Peng! Here, senior brother will give you an extra egg!”

“Go Peng Peng! Here, have my bun too!”

After making a round in the dining hall, Peng Peng found herself bewilderedly holding a tray piled high with breakfast.

“Big sister…” Peng Peng paused, remembering she should address fellow disciples properly now, “Senior Sister, why is everyone giving me food?”

Ji Shu thought to himself—of course it’s because you look like you haven’t had a decent meal in eight hundred years.

But out loud, he casually deflected:

“Probably because they know you have a heavy responsibility ahead, and want you to eat well to have the strength to revitalize our sect.”

Peng Peng didn’t hear the senior sister at a nearby table quietly complaining to her friend: “Ugh, Chef Zhao’s been making so many rich meat dishes lately—it’s making my stomach queasy. I’d much rather have some plain congee and vegetables.”

She looked down at her overflowing tray, then at the simple, watery breakfasts of several senior brothers and sisters around her.

Peng Peng’s eyes widened.

Could it be…

That all the sumptuous food prepared for her yesterday had been saved from the portions of her senior brothers and sisters? Did they know she was growing and deliberately gave her their share, contenting themselves with plain congee?

Tears welled up in Peng Peng’s eyes at this imagined scenario.

—And so she tearily devoured three more large bowls.

When Yue Wujiu entered the dining hall, he happened to witness Peng Peng eating voraciously with tear-filled eyes. Pausing mid-step, he recalled Perfected Lord Tangfang’s mention of taking on a disciple the previous night.

Hmm…

This disciple looked like she’d be quite expensive to raise.