Chapter 9

Ninefold Mountain Moon Sect, by the Dragon Guard Pond.

“…Our Ninefold Mountain Moon Sect isn’t as populous as other major sects. We have two elders and one hundred and three disciples, with no distinction between inner and outer disciples. Usually, Elder Hua Rong oversees all their lessons.”

Headmaster Tang Fang sat at the stone table, brewing tea while introducing the sect’s situation to Peng Peng and Ji Shu.

“Immortal Hua Rong is currently at the third stage of the Nascent Soul realm and has three personal disciples. If you wish to become his disciples, that’s possible. However, he asked me to relay that he’s often occupied with the entire sect’s coursework and might not always be available. If you don’t mind, you’re welcome to join him.”

Peng Peng raised her hand and asked curiously, “What about Immortal Yue? How many disciples does he have?”

At this question, Headmaster Tang Fang cast a cold glance at Yue Wujiu, who was sipping tea nearby, and snorted.

“Not a single one.”

Not only did he refuse to take personal disciples, but even during regular lessons for the disciples, Yue Wujiu arrived and left precisely on time, as if afraid of missing his mahjong games.

The disciples of the Ninefold Mountain Moon Sect might be laid-back and carefree, but they weren’t entirely without ambition. They still harbored dreams of ascending to immortality. So, even though they knew Yue Wujiu’s cultivation far surpassed Immortal Hua Rong’s, they still preferred to study under the latter.

Hearing this, Yue Wujiu remained unfazed, clearly accustomed to Headmaster Tang Fang’s resentment.

“—However, considering Immortal Hua Rong is already overburdened, forcing him to take two more personal disciples would be inhumane. Therefore, I’ve decided that the two of you will become Yue Wujiu’s disciples. Do you agree?”

As she spoke these words, Headmaster Tang Fang felt a pang of guilt toward the two youngsters.

The Ninefold Mountain Moon Sect was small in numbers, and she herself had inherited the sect from her late husband. Her own cultivation was mediocre, unable to provide the disciples with superior conditions. Had these two joined a major sect, they would undoubtedly have brighter prospects.

Peng Peng answered without hesitation, “Immortal Yue is so powerful—of course I’m willing!”

Headmaster Tang Fang looked at her sympathetically. The child had no idea what a lazy master she was about to get.

Ji Shu, who had already reached an understanding with Yue Wujiu, also raised no objections.

After setting a date for the formal apprenticeship ceremony, Peng Peng and Ji Shu followed Yue Wujiu to his residence on Tranquil Evil Peak.

Though the Ninefold Mountain Moon Sect wasn’t extravagant, its scenery was indeed breathtaking, ranking among the finest in the Soaring Void Realm. Yue Wujiu’s Tranquil Evil Peak, in particular, was a place of unparalleled natural beauty. As Peng Peng walked along the path, brushing past flowers and willow branches, she felt dazzled by the vibrant blossoms, as if stepping into a fairyland.

Yue Wujiu stopped in front of a thatched hut.

Yes.

A hut with a roof of straw and beams of bamboo.

Yue Wujiu saw nothing wrong with his dwelling.

In his youth, he too had chased fame and fortune. At the height of his glory, what kind of glazed palaces or carved balustrades and jade terraces hadn’t he lived in? But after centuries of life and the bizarre experience of being reborn nine times, he had grown indifferent to such worldly possessions.

Besides, though the hut was small, it had everything one needed.

At first glance, it appeared to be a rustic, elegant retreat. But upon closer inspection, one would notice the jade vase used for flower arrangements could preserve blossoms for millennia without withering, and the landscape painting on the wall contained an illusory realm—an ideal place for cultivators to meditate in seclusion.

Especially the wooden bed Yue Wujiu slept on—though seemingly ordinary—was crafted from Myriad Year Divine Wood. Lying on it not only cleared the mind and induced instant sleep, but most importantly, it absorbed spiritual energy for low-level cultivators, allowing them to cultivate while resting.  

Every single item here was a rare treasure that would make Peng Peng drool with envy.  

“This is my dwelling. Since you two have become my disciples, you should eat and sleep with me. However, when this bamboo house was built, I didn’t consider housing others, so there’s only one room.”  

Yue Wujiu glanced at the platform outside the bamboo house.  

“I’ll ask the sect leader for two sets of bedding. Until the house is expanded, you two can stay there temporarily.”  

Though the platform had bamboo curtains, it was still open on three sides. While it was fine for brewing tea or taking afternoon naps, sleeping there at night seemed a bit too careless.  

After a moment’s thought, Yue Wujiu added:  

“The nights are cold and damp. I’ll set up a barrier outside so you won’t have to worry about wind or rain.”  

Ji Shu: “…I can see there’s some master-disciple affection, but not much.”  

Yue Wujiu asked Peng Peng, “Do you have any objections?”  

Ji Shu, being a grown man, naturally didn’t need special consideration. But this child was still young—making her sleep outside might upset her.  

However, after seeing Yue Wujiu’s living conditions, Peng Peng had no complaints whatsoever.  

“No objections, Master. Please don’t feel bad.”  

Clutching Yue Wujiu’s sleeve, her little mind clearly wandering off somewhere, Peng Peng looked up at him with teary eyes and said in her childish, earnest voice:  

“When I grow up and become successful, I’ll definitely build you a big house! So don’t blame yourself now, Master!”  

Yue Wujiu: “…”  

He hadn’t felt guilty at all, but after her words, it seemed unreasonable not to.  

Ji Shu, on the other hand, adapted well to the living conditions. After looking around, he pointed to an empty plot behind the bamboo house and asked:  

“Master, do you have any use for this space? If not, since it’s just sitting idle, could I use it to grow some spirit plants?”  

Yue Wujiu was slightly surprised.  

Ji Shu continued, “I plan to focus on Elixir Cultivation in the future. I have a Dual Water-Wood Spirit Root, so I can grow my own spirit plants—perhaps I have some talent for it.”  

Some talent was an understatement.  

In his previous life, when he secluded himself to study alchemy, it was precisely because his senior brother Fu Chen discovered the exceptional purity of the spirit plants he cultivated—and the elixirs he refined, which were even priceless in the Soaring Void Realm—that jealousy flared up again, driving Fu Chen to seek his death.  

Yue Wujiu usually couldn’t be bothered to comment on others’ choices, but recalling the exquisite swordsmanship he’d witnessed at the Gongyi residence, he couldn’t help feeling a twinge of regret as a fellow swordsman:  

“You have remarkable talent in the sword path. Don’t you think it’s a shame to abandon it?”  

Ji Shu fell silent for a moment.  

“No.”  

“If my sword path is destined to be one of slaughter, what’s the harm in discarding it?”  

Over these nine lifetimes, he had killed far too many.  

Some deserved it—but far more did not.  

Beside them, Peng Peng tilted her head up, staring blankly at Ji Shu, clearly not understanding his words.  

Ji Shu looked down at her:  

“What’s that expression for? Do you feel regret for me too?”  

Peng Peng shook her head. “The most important thing in life is to be happy! If you’re happy, there’s no regret. Senior Sister, does this make you happy?”

The little girl’s imitation of adult speech was both amusing and earnest.

Ji Shu pondered for a moment.

“It’s alright, I suppose.”

“Then that settles it!” Peng Peng beamed at him. “Besides, I think Senior Sister is perfect for growing flowers and plants! After all, the moment I saw you, I knew you were destined to be my virtuous wife—”

Ji Shu, whose touched expression lasted less than two seconds, expressionlessly covered Peng Peng’s mouth.

Ji Shu already had his own path in mind and seemed well-organized, requiring little concern. Yue Wujiu was quite satisfied.

Then he turned to his other new disciple—

“Master, Master! What should I learn?”

The little girl’s eyes sparkled with excitement, as if one could almost see an imaginary tail wagging furiously behind her.

“I’m different from Senior Sister! Only the strong are worthy of beauties! I must protect her!”

Yue Wujiu extended a finger and lightly tapped her forehead.

A few seconds later, he withdrew his hand.

He wasn’t sure how to explain that “your Senior Sister could beat a Golden Core cultivator to death with her bare hands,” nor how to tell Peng Peng that “with your frail constitution, simply not dying young would already count as accumulated virtue.”

From his Mustard Seed Pouch, he retrieved a small wooden sword—likely a freebie from some purchase.

Peng Peng was initially baffled. After all, it looked like nothing more than an ordinary piece of wood.

But then it occurred to her that things couldn’t possibly be so simple. Her master was a peerless expert—how could anything he gave be just a plain wooden sword? There must be profound mysteries hidden within!

“Could it be… this is a treasured sword that only a destined one can awaken?”

Yue Wujiu: …?

His original intention was simply to humor her with a wooden toy since she couldn’t cultivate properly anyway.

But Peng Peng’s gaze was so fervent, and the atmosphere so charged, that telling the truth now would feel like a complete mood-killer.

So Yue Wujiu could only nod slowly.

Fine.

He’d find her a real sword someday.

After lunch, Ji Shu took a hoe to till the fields, while Peng Peng, her belly round and full, sprawled on the porch playing with her wooden sword.

“Young Mistress, Young Mistress, haven’t you noticed a strange aura around you lately?”

Qiuqiu fluttered around her, sniffing intently.

“What aura?”

Qiuqiu struggled to describe it.

From a certain point during the Ascension to Immortality Assembly, Qiuqiu had faintly sensed an unusual energy gradually emanating from the Young Mistress.

But after sniffing left and right, the strongest concentration seemed to come from Peng Peng’s hands—mingled with the scents of steamed buns, roast duck, chicken legs, and other assorted foods.

Aside from these, the only thing on Peng Peng’s hand was an old ring she’d picked up from who-knows-where.

Since arriving at the Ninefold Mountain Moon Sect, where spiritual energy was abundant, Peng Peng had eaten and slept well for two straight days, making the sensation even more pronounced.

Tilting her little bird head, Qiuqiu pondered, “It’s… the kind of aura that makes people want to stick close to you.”

Limited in vocabulary, Qiuqiu couldn’t articulate the word “submission.” “Stick close” was the closest approximation she could muster.

Peng Peng scooped up the little sparrow and nuzzled it with her cheek.

“Like this?”

Qiuqiu scratched her head with a wing. Though she loved snuggling with the Young Mistress, that wasn’t quite what she meant.

“—Peng Peng, Junior Sister?”

Raising her head at the sound, Peng Peng saw Le Yao waving at her not far from the bamboo hut.  

She had come to invite Peng Peng for a stroll around the Immortal Market at the foot of the mountain.  

“The Immortal Market near our sect is much more interesting than the one in your Pingchuan City. Since you’ve just arrived, it’s a good chance to buy some daily necessities.”  

Le Yao swung a brocade pouch in her hand and said with a smile:  

“Your senior brothers and sisters spent a long time discussing what gift to give you for your initiation yesterday. In the end, they decided to pool their resources and let you pick what you want yourself.”  

Accompanying Le Yao were two fellow disciples, a man and a woman. One of the senior brothers bent down to pinch Peng Peng’s cheek and grinned:  

“Buy whatever you like!”  

The little junior sister’s silly face was so fun to pinch.  

Remembering the pitifully plain meals she had seen in the dining hall that morning, Peng Peng was about to decline.  

While meals couldn’t be skipped, shopping was optional. Their sect was already so poor—she hadn’t even begun to revive it yet! She couldn’t possibly bankrupt it first!  

But her senior brothers and sisters insisted on dragging her down the mountain.  

It was no joke.  

Today was a minor sect exam, and everyone was looking for ways to skip it. Escorting the little junior sister down the mountain was a coveted task—they had fought tooth and nail to win this opportunity through an intense round of rock-paper-scissors. How could they waste it?  

“Junior Sister Yi Shu, why don’t you come along too…”  

Ji Shu, who was channeling water from a spring miles away to irrigate the fields, lifted her head.  

The group gaped at the “Junior Sister Yi Shu” radiating the spiritual power of the third-tier Golden Core realm.  

“I’ll pass. If you’re taking Peng Peng out, make sure to keep an eye on her and don’t let her cause trouble.”  

The senior brothers and sisters chorused: “Understood! Any other instructions, Junior Sister Yi Shu?”  

“The Immortal Market is crowded. Don’t stay out too late.”  

“Yes!”  

Even as they rode cranes down the mountain, Peng Peng still couldn’t quite understand.  

She turned to her senior brothers and sisters and asked:  

“Why does everyone seem so afraid of Senior Sister Yi Shu? She’s really delicate and gentle.”  

…No, only you think that.  

The group changed the subject and pulled Peng Peng into the Immortal Market.  

Their first stop was a tailor shop. Though they had sect uniforms to wear within the Ninefold Mountain Moon Sect, there were occasional days when they dressed differently.  

Besides, the little junior sister was the youngest in their sect—perfect for the senior brothers and sisters to dress up and play with!  

Peng Peng had little interest in clothes and accessories, clutching only the wooden sword Yue Wujiu had given her, afraid it might get damaged in the crowd.  

But as they jostled through the market, Peng Peng suddenly noticed Le Yao and the others arguing with someone.  

“—Are you unreasonable? We picked this up first. How dare you snatch it from us?”  

Standing opposite Le Yao’s group were disciples dressed in black-and-white sect robes.  

Peng Peng recognized those uniforms—they belonged to the Kunlun Ruins.  

“Who said picking it first means it’s yours?” The leading young man sneered, his tone mocking. “You paupers from the Ninefold Mountain Moon Sect dare to compete with me? I’ll pay double—this dress belongs to my junior sister now!”  

Peng Peng couldn’t stand seeing her senior brothers and sisters bullied. She charged forward, her little head held high, only to be yanked back by the collar by a senior brother.  

Peng Peng struggled: “Senior Brother, let me go! Maybe Immortal Yue gave me this sword precisely for this moment—to awaken its power!”  

Senior Brother: “…I don’t think that was Immortal Yue’s intention.”

“You’re so noble, you’re so amazing—if you’re not poor and pathetic, why are you barging into the same shop as us to fight over the same dress?”

Le Yao struck first, leaving the other party speechless with just one sentence.

Another senior sister followed up relentlessly: “You can pay double because you’re rich, huh? Are all you Kunlun Ruins disciples just walking money bags? Everyone, take note—whenever you see a Kunlun Ruins disciple buying something, snatch it right away! After all, they can always pay double!”

The Kunlun Ruins youth flushed red with anger. “You—”

The young girl beside him tugged at his sleeve.

“Senior Brother Zhu, forget it. It’s just a dress. Let’s go somewhere else…”

“No! Why should we be the ones to leave?”

This young man surnamed Zhu clearly cared about his pride. Seeing the growing crowd of onlookers, he couldn’t afford to back down now.

“If a Kunlun Ruins disciple can’t even outbid a minor sect, wouldn’t we become the laughingstock of the entire Soaring Void Realm? Whoever grabs this dress gets it! If you’re still not convinced, draw your sword. Beat me, and I’ll hand it over with both hands!”

Drawing swords was out of the question. Not only was the other party a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator, but the Spirit Demon snow leopard by his side looked downright unapproachable.

Seeing their silence, the young man felt he’d regained his dignity.

“Hmph. Since you know you’re no match in cultivation or wealth, don’t go competing with others for—”

“Whoever grabs it gets it?”

Peng Peng suddenly spoke up.

The young man, still oblivious, smirked arrogantly.

“What, little girl? Planning to fight me with that wooden stick of yours? I don’t bully kids as small as—”

Le Yao and the others seemed to realize something, their gazes shifting to the Spirit Demon snow leopard.

“So that means your snow leopard belongs to me now?”

The young man frowned.

What snow leopard? That snow leopard was a gift from his master when he first reached the Foundation Establishment Stage. Taming such a fierce Spirit Demon was no easy feat—he’d spent years raising it, pouring countless Spirit Stones into buying its favorite treats just to coax it into accompanying him peacefully outside. How could anyone just take it—

Wait a minute!!!

Why was his snow leopard rolling over to expose its belly at that little girl’s feet?!?!

Where’s your dignity?!

The same dignity that makes you claw me bloody if I so much as touch you?!?!

Peng Peng stroked the snow leopard’s soft belly under its expectant gaze, cradling the wooden sword in her other hand as she spoke to Qiuqiu with profound mystery:

“Qiuqiu, now I understand what aura you were talking about.”

Qiuqiu: ?

Peng Peng raised the wooden sword, a faint smile playing on her lips.

“Heaven births no one like Gongyi Peng, the sword path remains dark for eternity!”

“My kingly aura—has finally awakened!”