Chapter 89: Disciple Conference (Part 1)

Shen Suwei repeatedly reviewed the first three volumes of the heart method and sword techniques.
He tried several times and could compress his notes to a single page at most. Shen Suwei gazed at that page for a long time.
If he reduced the font size a little more, compressing it into half a page wouldn’t be impossible.
But what Xu Qianyu wanted wasn’t this kind of effect.
He took two more sheets of paper, started over, and reviewed the heart method, only extracting key terms. After a while, he pointed his pen at the paper, contemplated for a moment, and drew an arrow.

Once the symbolic system was established, he closed his eyes and focused. The content of the book instantly transformed: it became countless points, rearranging positions, merging and compressing, linking together in a complex web according to their relationships.
When the final stroke was made, it seemed as if golden light flowed along the lines.
Shen Suwei set down his pen, and someone knocked on the door: “Senior Brother Shen, you’ve drawn Lin Xiao for the next match.”

“Alright.”
The previous matches were drawn randomly, and for the inner disciples, it wasn’t difficult, requiring no special preparation.
The outer disciples who were competing also approached with a learning mindset, free from the pressure of winning or losing. Lin Xiao was simply curious about Shen Suwei’s new weapon: “Senior Brother Shen has a new sword! It’s really nice. Have you found your destined sword? ”
Shen Suwei glanced at the sword in his hand and handed it to him for inspection: “Yes.”
Lin Xiao smiled and cupped his hands: “Please guide me, Senior Brother Shen.”

The incense began to burn. Shen Suwei let his opponent go first, standing still and merely drawing his sword to defend. After three exchanges, he finally moved.
His body moved like a light swan, the sword twirling as if dancing in the clouds.
The observation area was instantly crowded with disciples, squeezing Gao Fengxing into a pancake. He furrowed his brows and kicked the disciple in front of him who was blocking his view: “I said, Why didn’t you all come earlier?”

That disciple blocked with his sword, causing him to kick a metal plate, and laughed: “Isn’t it because we saw Senior Brother Shen in a match?”
Shen Suwei represented the highest standard of sword cultivation within the sect, so every time he took action, there were sword cultivators watching to learn, gaining insights.
Disciples from other paths also enjoyed watching, as his sword form was elegant and beautiful.
Being of the water spiritual root, his sword Condensation frost, sparkling and shimmering, unlike those wind spiritual root sword cultivators who dazzled with swirling sand, making it very visually appealing.

However, someone expressed doubt: “Senior Brother Shen’s moves today are quite simple.”
Gao Fengxing crossed his arms and tilted his head to look. Indeed, he saw that Shen Suwei was using only the basic techniques from the inner sect, merely executing the sword moves.
He was already at the Golden Core stage, and the last time he amazed everyone with dazzling moves like “Void Condensation Light Sword” and “Volley Split Sword,” he didn’t use any of those.
“But even his basic sword moves are executed so skillfully.”
“True, perhaps Senior Brother Shen doesn’t want to end it too quickly and is deliberately holding back.”

However, Lin Xiao, who was battling Shen Suwei, felt a bit nervous. Midway through the match, he saw Shen Suwei close his eyes and didn’t open them again.
The sword energy swept down like the wind, his hair fluttering, slicing into the gaps of the moves with precision like cutting silk!
Only by personally receiving this strike did one realize the overwhelming force, like a mountain crashing down, sending shivers down one’s spine.
Even without looking, Lin Xiao could rely on the sound of the wind and his senses to execute such a precise counterattack. He stepped back several paces, his expression serious, eyes focused, giving it his all.

The sword techniques Shen Suwei was using were from the first three volumes of the books he had just seen.
He had learned them once when he entered the inner sect, and now his swordsmanship was far superior. But to condense the entire content into half a page wasn’t enough with ordinary mastery; one had to integrate it deeply and grasp its essence.
Thus, he closed his eyes, revisiting these few moves to check for any omissions in what he had just written.

However, reproducing these techniques today felt different from when he first learned them.
The sword intent flowed seamlessly, as if it had taken on his characteristics, transforming the basic moves into a new swordsmanship.

All around, there was silence. Shen Suwei’s strikes became faster and more unbreakable, yet increasingly quiet, as if a layer of golden light was flowing on the sword, illuminating him like an ethereal shadow.

The temperature around suddenly dropped, and before one knew it, the cold wind was blowing snow.

The observing disciples were astonished as they caught the falling snowflakes, looking back up at the sky.
The yellowish clouds above had formed a whirlpool, with snowflakes descending silently.
In this stillness, time seemed to freeze. It wasn’t until Lin Xiao’s crisp voice admitted defeat, breaking the silence, that everyone noticed the fragrant incense had long burned down to the base.
Lin Xiao looked up at the sky, feeling excited to witness such a miraculous phenomenon up close, his voice trembling a bit: “Congratulations, Senior Brother Shen, you’ve formed your infant!
”
Shen Suwei opened his eyes, snowflakes falling from his long lashes, revealing his eyes dark and quiet like a secluded pool.
He had already sensed the surging change within him, with powerful spiritual energy circulating, transforming his Golden Core into an primodial infant. Now, he could connect with the heavenly signs and externalize his mental state.
He had been stuck at the ninth level of the Golden Core for a year, yet while refining the basic sword moves, he had comprehended the path to ascension.
The crowd below erupted in cheers: “Infant!”
“My goodness, so this is what high-level ascension looks like.”

“It’s snowing only because of his water spirit root, and Senior Brother Shen’s mental state is so stable, it’s truly admirable.”
“Ah, ah, ah, he’s the first ‘True Monarch’ among the disciples! So terrifying! Let me see!”
“We should celebrate this. Let’s all lift Senior Brother Shen up when we can ride swords together!”
“Why don’t we hoist him onto that ice dragon at Taize Pool?”
“What a great idea!”
Amidst the chaos, they saw Shen Suwei bow deeply to Lin Xiao, his posture graceful and restrained, then, with a flicker of his shadow, he vanished.
“Huh?”
“Where did he go? He can hold back from celebrating?”
Shen Suwei had already stepped back indoors, quickly flipping through a few pages of paper, comparing them with the books, sleeves tucked away as he wrote and sketched.

Taking advantage of his insight, he swiftly finished writing Xu Qianyu’s half-page, finally letting out a breath, resolving a concern that had lingered for days.
But looking over the water, the lights in Zhaoyue Palace were still dark.
Xu Qianyu was dipping ink to draw talismans in Hua Qingyu house.

At first, Hua Qingyu was quite extreme, insisting that she sleep here directly at night for convenience to test her talisman drawing anytime. Naturally, for the sake of her sleep quality, Xu Qianyu refused, leading to a tug-of-war where she had to stay here to draw talismans on the nights of the new and full moons.
Drawing deep into the night, Xu Qianyu’s lashes trembled as she began to doze off. With one hand, she opened a gourd bottle to take a spirit-enhancing pill.
Suddenly, she felt a cool breeze overhead, a fishy smell in the air, and abruptly woke up half-aware, lifting her head just in time to dodge a claw with sharp nails that swooped down from above!

The candles flickered out with a puff, and in the darkness, something unseen rushed through the columns with a terrifying speed. A woman’s playful laughter floated ambiguously, brushing past her ear before suddenly turning into a venomous, fierce shriek, as if a giant snake was opening its bloody mouth toward her.
Xu Qianyu instinctively dove onto the table, knocking over ink and brushes, barely escaping. She wanted to call for the Hua Qingyu, but under such pressure, she couldn’t open her mouth or rise, a layer of cold sweat breaking out.

The wooden sword on the table glowed faintly, standing in mid-air, surrounding her, attempting to protect her.
In the panic, Xu Qianyu’s fingertips touched the wet ink, and there was talisman paper on the table. She had just learned to draw talismans like Gathering Spirit and Stanching Blood, but her attack talismans were still in the initial stage of memorization without any insight; nonetheless, she couldn’t afford to think much.
Dipping her fingertips in ink, she pressed down on the paper.
The female ghost had already broken through the sword formation and charged toward her neck. Xu Qianyu knew that her soul was incomplete and would be seen as a prime spiritual body by the ghost. Before she could finish drawing, she quickly slapped the talisman paper she held.
Earlier, she had dipped more ink, soaking several sheets of paper. Thus, although she only half-drew the Purification Talisman, she had multiple sheets at once, which she could send out horizontally to delay the ghost for a while.

However, as the talisman paper fell, the ghost’s sinister laugh came closer.
Seeing that the talisman was effective, Xu Qianyu coldly tossed out another batch.
Outside the formation, Hua Qingyu watched Xu Qianyu’s performance through the whirlpool. She was indeed clever, knowing how to create multiple talismans at once, but her experience was still lacking.

Why can’t she learn one thing without forgetting another? She should be coordinating with her sword in battle.
Hua Qingyu coughed a few times, her cloak trembling. She raised her bony fingers in front of her, ready to act, but was suddenly startled.

The room was filled with a brilliant golden light, radiating from Xu Qianyu’s hand, as golden ancient language talismans sprang forth one by one, exuding a righteous aura, illuminating the top of the girl’s head and the mess on the table.

Demon-Slaying Rune!
It’s no wonder that Xu Qianyu had drawn so slowly earlier and had only made a single stroke before hurriedly tossing it aside; she had already entered a meditative state to draw the Demon-Slaying Rune. With her left hand dipped in ink, she randomly sketched a couple of exorcism symbols, merely tossing them out to buy time for this formidable strike.
The golden light of the Demon-Slaying Rune illuminated the female ghost, revealing every detail. Her face was pale as a floating corpse, with black hair blown back, displaying a beautiful yet painful expression.

Suddenly, the golden light was engulfed by a large talisman paper, and the room first turned black before being illuminated by the silvery moonlight that emerged from the clouds.
Xu Qianyu saw Hua Qingyu appear at the table; beside her stood a half-person-height little girl, dressed in white with black hair, looking frail and ethereal as she wept softly, her cries heartbreaking.

The two seemed to exchange some words, and Hua Qingyu grabbed the girl by the neck and led her to the bed. Moments later, only Hua Qingyu emerged.
Everything returned to normal. Xu Qianyu approached and asked, “Just now, was it your senior sister who came out?”
“Why are you making such a big deal out of it?” Hua Qingyu closed the coffin lid and lay down on the bed.
“She could have come out! Why didn’t you tell me?” Xu Qianyu said, touching her neck in fear. “Do you have any idea what I…”
What if she had fallen asleep earlier? What if she had been possessed again? The fierce ghost transformed from Hua Liangyu could pose a danger to her.

Hua Qingyu said impatiently, “What? If you can’t even handle such minor crises, what are you learning talismans for? Today, when we were in danger, didn’t you also learn to draw the Demon-Slaying Rune? You didn’t lose anything, so what are you complaining about?”
Hearing this, Xu Qianyu felt a surge of anger, thinking that Hua Qingyu indeed favored her senior sister, even sympathizing with her as a fierce ghost. Was she not her disciple?

Xu Qianyu felt resentful that Hua Qingyu treated her with such disdain, showing no concern for her life. Why even agree to take her as a disciple?
Suddenly, she felt a chill in her heart and immediately questioned, “Could it be… you took me as a disciple because I lack a soul, and you just want your senior sister to borrow my body to return to life?”
Hua Qingyu had never expected Xu Qianyu to interpret her intentions this way. The entire skeleton paused for a moment, but she was never at a loss. She scoffed coldly, “Yes, that’s exactly what I was thinking.” After coughing for a while, she continued, “You know I’m such a bad person, so hurry and get lost. Don’t come back again.”

Noticing Hua Qingyu’s unstable breath while coughing, Xu Qianyu frowned. “Are you injured?”
“Don’t come over here,” Hua Qingyu immediately reprimanded.
Xu Qianyu replied, “I didn’t mean to.”
Indeed, she hadn’t; she simply tossed a gathering spirit talisman towards Hua Qingyu. The gathering spirit talisman that Xu Qianyu drew extended into a spirit-gathering formation, and instantly a beam of blue light poured onto Hua Qingyu’s cloak, enveloping her in a warm sensation.
Hua Qingyu turned her head and saw Xu Qianyu’s face illuminated by the moonlight. Her displeasure was evident, with her brows slightly furrowed and a spot of bright red cinnabar on her forehead, looking a bit aggrieved.
Usually, Hua Qingyu despised such petty displays of emotion, but under the soothing flow of spiritual energy, she felt warmth throughout her body, making it difficult to maintain a harsh mood.
“Don’t make that face,” Hua Qingyu said, “If a woman isn’t strong, she might as well die.”
Xu Qianyu remained cold-faced, pouting.

Hua Qingyu: “…”
Hua Qingyu: “What’s wrong with you? Did I upset you? Just tell me!”
Xu Qianyu: “Did you really not think that way?”
Hua Qingyu: “No, no, it’s precisely because you have talent that I took you in, okay?”
Xu Qianyu’s expression instantly relaxed, and the corners of her mouth even lifted slightly.
If Hua Qingyu had eyes, she would have rolled them in exasperation.
Xu Qianyu’s gaze fell upon the coffin lid covered with talisman papers: “You called me here to draw talismans because you were afraid you couldn’t handle her and wanted my help?”
“Exactly,” Hua Qingyu admitted straightforwardly, followed by a fit of intense coughing. “Every new and full moon, her ghostly power increases I didn’t mean to let her out, I just dozed off and didn’t keep an eye on her.”

Xu Qianyu found it quite odd: “Then why not just say so? I would have come to help you.”
Hua Qingyu fell silent.
“You could also ask others from the sect for help. Why bear it all alone?”
After a moment, Hua Qingyu said softly, “You wouldn’t understand. We’re demon cultivators, and my senior sister is now a fierce ghost. It’s different from you, and it’s very dangerous; it’s easy to attract suspicion. I can’t rely on others.”

Despite this, Xu Qianyu’s words warmed her heart. Within the sect, such pure kindness was rare. Hua Qingyu knew clearly how to separate debts of gratitude and grievances; if Xu Qianyu helped her, she would surely repay her.
“You can seek our master,” Xu Qianyu said. “If not, I can help you find our senior brother.”
“Thank heavens.” Hua Qingyu almost rolled her eyes, “Just leave Shen Suwei alone.”

Xu Qianyu affixed the talismans she had drawn onto the coffin lid and left two gathering spirit talismans behind. When she wiped the ink off her hands, she noticed the red thread on her wrist and suddenly asked, “What do you think would happen if I gave you a gift, but since I don’t know your birthday, I wrote my own birthday instead?”
“Are you crazy?” Hua Qingyu couldn’t help but say, “If you’re giving me a gift, why would you write your birthday instead of mine? What kind of relationship do we have? You’re really confident.”

Xu Qianyu felt her face flush in embarrassment and stood up to leave.
Hua Qingyu: “Take that new talisman book on the table with you.”
Xu Qianyu ran straight into her senior brother.
Shen Suwei stood at the entrance of her pavilion, his eyes shining as if he were waiting for her.

Seeing that she returned late at night and appeared fatigued, he looked startled, as if every so often she had to return home at night. After a moment of silence, he asked, “Where did you go?”
Xu Qianyu replied, “Senior brother, why aren’t you asleep yet?”
Shen Suwei retorted, “Are you trying to sleep?”
Xu Qianyu quickly said, “Not at all.”
He turned and said, “Then come with me.”

Xu Qianyu hurried to follow him back to his pavilion, where she picked up a stack of half sheets of notes she needed.
Xu Qianyu glanced at the elegant handwriting on the paper and didn’t know how to feel, while Shen Suwei pulled out a chair and gestured for her to sit and read.

In the dimly lit room, Xu Qianyu saw a wooden plaque for the disciples’ conference beside the brush and ink, as well as a ruler and a sword. She quickly asked, “Are you competing today?”
Shen Suwei responded with a soft “Hmm.”
The preliminary rounds had already begun, and it would be too late if she didn’t hurry. Xu Qianyu hurriedly took out a red string, saying, “Senior Brother, I brought you a wishing red string from the junior disciples of the Dharma cultivation.”
Shen Suwei was momentarily taken aback as Xu Qianyu grabbed his wrist, trying to untie the red silk on it.

The red silk was roughly cut; she originally wanted to replace it with the red string, but Shen Suwei suddenly withdrew his hand. Clearly, this red string was not enough to repay the debt of gratitude she owed him.
Xu Qianyu glanced at him, and Shen Suwei picked up the ruler and sword, extending it toward her: “Hang it on the sword.”

“Alright.” Xu Qianyu tied the red string to the sword, recalling Hua Qingshan’s words, and looked over somewhat nervously. “Senior Brother, I didn’t know your birthday, so I used mine.”
Shen Suwei looked at her for a while, and there was no sign of displeasure on his face. “Good.”
Xu Qianyu breathed a sigh of relief and saw Shen Suwei pull out a silk pouch from his robe, pouring out another red string. Both the red string and the silk pouch looked somewhat aged, but she had never seen them before.

Her heart raced as she noticed Shen Suwei crouching down, lifting her wrist.
Shen Suwei’s fingers were slightly cool. Sensing her intake of breath, he explained, “Since you gave me one, as your senior brother, I naturally have to give one back to you.”
As he spoke, Shen Suwei carefully tied the red string around her wrist.
Xu Qianyu hadn’t planned on reciprocating, but as he tied it, she felt an unusual sensation wrapping around her. She cautiously touched it, asking, “Senior Brother, is this something you carried with you at birth?”

Shen Suwei replied, “Yes.”
Something from his birth. Xu Qianyu suddenly felt a bit closer to her senior brother.

Her fingertips grazed the cool jade pendant on the red string, and she read the engravings on it: April… April fifteenth…
Shen Suwei’s birthday was in the season when green shade covered the ground and the small green plums began to ripen.
She should be the only one in the sect who knew this detail.

Xu Qianyu’s heart felt like thunder; she hurriedly looked at him and said, “Senior Brother, I absolutely won’t tell anyone else.”
Shen Suwei gazed at her earnest face, his eyes glimmering, seemingly amused: “It’s fine if you tell others.”