Chapter 98: Disciple Conference (Part 10)

Xie Yuzhen said, “Oh? What do you wish for me to do?”
Lu You replied, “How about you teach me some techniques? At the very least, I don’t want to suffer losses in front of Xu Qianyu again.”
“Alright,” Xie Yuzhen said as he filled a cup with tea, blowing on it before continuing, “What else? Xu Qianyu has shown disrespect to the elders; she deserves punishment. Should we call her over to teach her a lesson?”

Seeing him not angry but smiling instead, Lu You felt a bit off, and her eyelids twitched. “No, no, that’s not necessary.”
However, Xie Yuzhen was determined and motioned for a young attendant to call Xu Qianyu.
Shen Suwei quietly listened to their conversation, feeling it was somewhat strange.

If Xu Qianyu had a close relationship with Wuzhen, why was he speaking so disparagingly about her while favoring his disciple?
Upon hearing Wuzhen’s suggestion of “teaching her a lesson,” Shen Suwei’s expression remained unchanged, and his hand had already rested on the cool sword sheath.

The more sincere Xu Qianyu was with others, the more he couldn’t tolerate their frivolity.
He felt a bit indignant on her behalf.
He picked Xu Qianyu up and lifted the curtain to place her on the bed.
He wasn’t sure if his bed was made of cold jade, but a chill continuously seeped from underneath. As Xu Qianyu leaned against it, she felt extremely comfortable and rolled onto the inner side, tangling the blanket in the process. Shen Suwei helped her fix the blanket, noticing she was frowning and covering her ears, indicating that she was afraid of the noise.

Shen Suwei forcibly pulled her hand away a bit: “I’m stepping out for a bit. I’ll be back soon.”
Once he let go, her hand returned to her ears like it was drawn by a magnet.
Not bothering with her any further, Shen Suwei carefully lowered the curtain.

When he stepped outside and blocked the young attendant from Wuzhen, the smile in his eyes had completely vanished: “Since my junior sister is not here, I’ll apologize on her behalf. Please lead the way.”

The young attendant nodded and had no choice but to take him there.
Wuzhen’s residence was deep in the Peach Blossom Creek. Due to certain restrictions, a hedge would automatically surround the area, preventing people from entering the pavilion.

Shen Suwei remembered that years ago, when he pursued the demons into Penglai, he had mistakenly wandered into this place. At that time, Wuzhen was severely injured and unconscious, unable to stop him; this time, Wuzhen was awake, and as he brushed aside the trees, the overwhelming pressure of a Nascent Soul True Monarch was immediately felt.

His aura was not concealed; it felt like a sword was pressing against his neck. Xie Yuzhen’s hand holding the tea cup froze: “Who?”
“Shen Suwei, the third inner disciple under the sect leader.”

This person spoke in an extremely calm tone, unhurried and serene, like flowing water. Yet, it made Xie Yuzhen feel a lump in his throat, as if beneath this elegance and restraint, there was an annoying and inescapable sense of threat.

“I called for Xu Qianyu. What are you doing here?”
Shen Suwei replied, “Junior sister is not here. If she has offended you, I can apologize on her behalf.”

“One person does the deed, one person bears the consequences. What does it have to do with you?” Xie Yuzhen said, “Why can’t she come here herself?”
As Shen Suwei spoke, he walked towards the pavilion: “If junior sister has done anything wrong, it is my failure as her senior brother to guide her properly.”

“Stop right there!” With pressure closing in, Xie Yuzhen squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth, beads of cold sweat forming.
But Shen Suwei had already reached the door. Looking at the floating grass Shenchong in the corner, then glancing at the flustered girl inside and the young man in black holding a teacup, he lowered his gaze and paid his respects as a disciple.

Dressed in a jade crown and white robe, his beautifully refined face lacked expression, yet when he lifted his eyes to look at others, there was a sharp sword-like intent within them.
Xie Yuzhen glared coldly at him.

Indeed, it was him! Time and again he had fallen into Shen Suwei’s hands; to call him a “rival” was not an exaggeration.

He was actually Xu Qianyu’s senior brother, which meant they must have been in close contact day and night. The thought of the young lady having such a relationship with someone she disliked stirred an indescribable annoyance within him.

Shen Suwei also quietly pondered.
He didn’t like Wuzhen. From the first meeting, he felt an inexplicable aversion, like vines wildly growing in his heart. But Xu Qianyu liked to seek him out, which was not without reason: she favored those who smiled and were likable.

Even when Guo Yi, possessed by a demon, coaxed her in the flower garden, she would laugh.
It made no difference whether the person was sincere or false.
Lu You glanced at the two, timidly stood up, and hurriedly added water and poured tea: “Senior Brother Shen, please take a seat.”

She didn’t understand why hostility had already begun between these two even before she had started pursuing Shen Suwei.

Thinking that Shen Suwei had come on Xu Qianyu’s behalf made her heart feel a bit sour.
He was now Xu Qianyu’s senior brother; it was normal for them to be closer. The training with swords, teaching, and daily interactions had yet to happen. He had no relationship with her yet and needed to be more patient, trying to leave a good impression.

Yet both of them simultaneously said, “No need.”
Xie Yuzhen coldly said, “You are just a disciple. Apologizing with your mouth while provoking everywhere, breaking into my pavilion, do you still see me as an elder?”
Shen Suwei stared blankly at the bluish leaves floating in Wuzhen’s teacup, shocked within but keeping a calm exterior.

Lu You was brewing tea with floating grass Shenchong, yet Wuzhen had no reaction.
Wuzhen was born by the edge of Wufu Cliff, where many floating grass Shenchong supposedly grew. He should have a good understanding of their medicinal properties. For someone who was severely injured and just recovering, he should be more cautious and cherish his life.

His gaze moved to Xie Yuzhen’s face. Drinking this tea didn’t yield any immediate reaction, but it was enough to raise his suspicions.

He had never interacted with Wuzhen, but always felt something was off.
If one were to discern closely, there was indeed a trace of very faint demonic energy in the room.
Xie Yuzhen was being stared at by him and felt disheartened, his tone slightly impatient: “Go back and have Xu Qianyu come find me personally.”
These words were quite unpleasant, forcibly interrupting Shen Suwei’s thoughts: “No matter what, Xu Qianyu is still under my sect’s supervision.”

Xie Yuzhen’s face darkened. “It seems you are unwilling.”
“If the master uncle always targets the female disciples of the sect, it could lead to gossip.”
“Oh? What if I ‘target’ her?” Xie Yuzhen said with jealousy, looking straight at him. “Do you know that Xu Qianyu and I are close privately? Even if I were to target her, she might not have any complaints.”

Shen Suwei felt anger rising in his chest.
Xie Yuzhen’s smile was extremely cold, and something fell from his robes with a clatter, rolling to Shen Suwei’s feet: “Please help me pick it up.”

Shen Suwei stared at him for a moment, then bent down to pick up the coin.
The copper coin was rusty, with a red string tied in a heart knot hanging from it. According to folk customs, this was wedding money sewn onto the bride’s dress.

Seeing Shen Suwei staring at the wedding money, Xie Yuzhen smiled and said, “Do you recognize it? This belongs to your junior sister. I picked it up for you.”
Shen Suwei, however, looked at the piece of red string. Its bright, blood-like color was glaring.
A drop of blood fell into a deep pond, spreading outwards.

In an instant, multiple illusions flooded into his mind.
In these illusions, there were all the girls holding up their skirts, running from Zhaoyue Palace southward toward Wuzhen’s peach blossom forest.

Initially, it happened once or twice, sneaking out in the evening. Later, it became brazen, occurring under the bright sun.

He stood at the doorway, just able to see the reflection in the mirror, a person who was not very skilled at applying lip color.
She knelt on a stool, pressing her lips together. Biting into a spring pear produced such a vivid red.

To avoid being too exaggerated, she wiped away some with the back of her hand, achieving a creative yet inconspicuous effect, and smiled with satisfaction.
Xu Qianyu jumped down with her sword, bumping into him. Fortunately, it was dusk, so he could only see her flashing eyes. She thought he wouldn’t notice the makeup on her face. She had many excuses:

“Going to help the old man wear the golden lotus string.”
“I promised Ruan Zhuqing to have tea.”
“Going to practice swordsmanship on the back mountain.”
But every time, she went to Wuzhen’s pavilion. Her hair and clothes were stained with dew-kissed petals.

In the last glimpse, Xu Qianyu wore a bridal veil on her head. She was dressed in white, while the veil was a melancholic bright red, obscuring her face. She held hands with Wuzhen, bowing to heaven and earth, entering the bridal chamber.
He called her name.
But his junior sister did not turn back.

…
Shen Suwei raised his eyes, and the copper coin in his hand suddenly flew out at an angle.
Carrying immense sword energy, it split open a gap in the pavilion’s wall, shaking the entire pavilion.
Xie Yuzhen did not expect his sudden move; the teacup tipped over, spilling everywhere, and his complexion changed: “What are you doing?”

He had endured for a long time, and with another strike, he flipped the table onto Shen Suwei.
Shen Suwei stepped back a few paces, drew his sword, and the room reflected cold light.
He lowered his lashes and glanced at the red string on the coin.

Shen Suwei realized he had misunderstood one thing: he had previously thought that in his past life, he killed Xu Qianyu because she provoked him first and then betrayed the sect.
He had never considered the possibility that his junior sister had always liked another person from the start.

Betraying the sect was also for Wuzhen, drugging him, taking things from him, throwing away his candied hawthorn, all for Wuzhen.
As for him…

He is replaceable, like all the common people, because they have no connection beyond being fellow disciples.
Shen Suwei had no expression on his face as he turned the table into dust with a single sword strike, aiming directly for Xie Yuzhen’s heart. Enduring the twisting pain in his heart, he didn’t know if it was due to the illusion of his inner demons or the matter itself, but it filled him with an unbearable anguish.

This pain transformed into a quiet yet brutal killing intent.
Lu You let out a scream but didn’t dare to stop him: “Shen Shixiong (Senior Brother), you’re crazy! The sect prohibits drawing swords against elders. Yuzhen…”
Xie Yuzhen suddenly shot her a sharp glance, and Lu You realized she had let something slip: “Master.”
The two began to move, and she quickly drew her sword, trying to block Shen Suwei from reaching Xie Yuzhen, but the sword energy was too sharp for her to get close. If the fight continued, it would surely attract others, and Xie Yuzhen’s identity would be exposed.

Just then, a voice cut through the room.
The girl had just woken up, her voice slightly hoarse and petulant, complaining in a delicate tone: “Brother, Shixiong (Senior Brother), why did you lock the door? How am I supposed to get out? Why aren’t you back yet?”
The voice carried over from Huo Fengdie, and although it was small, it was crystal clear to the three of them.

This tone was unmistakably Xu Qianyu’s.
Shen Suwei suddenly stopped, and after a moment, he sheathed his sword and turned to leave.
“Stop!” Xie Yuzhen trembled, seemingly in fear.
What did she say?
What was their relationship that made her speak like that in private?
Shen Suwei ignored her, continuing toward the exit, when suddenly a wall of fire fell in front of him, turning the pavilion into a sea of flames and blocking his path.

He formed a water technique, and several sparkling water dragons burst forth from his hand. But this fire was no ordinary fire; it was “Fire of the Abyss,” and the water dragons seemed to burn upon contact, retreating in pain. He twisted the technique, struggling for a long while, and finally shattered the flames with a loud explosion!
However, Xie Yuzhen’s figure had already vanished.
Disregarding Lu You’s attempts to stop him, Shen Suwei pursued.

*
When Xu Qianyu woke up, she was lying in an empty room, light streaming through the barred window, half illuminating her face and half illuminating a wool blanket with floral patterns on the ground.

Scattered on the blanket were some pom-poms, stitched plush toys, and several comic books, along with a wooden horse nearby.
Xu Qianyu climbed up and sat sideways on the small wooden horse, looking around.
This was her room from when she was young. After she turned nine, she moved to a larger pavilion.
The light was just as she remembered quiet and dim.
Guan Niang would squeeze in next to her in the small bed, coaxing her to sleep, while several maids she liked waited outside. But now the room was empty; she was all alone.

This was her “realm.”
What her Shixiong (Senior Brother) said was indeed correct: when a cultivator first forms a realm, it is small and confined. Her realm was only as big as a small room and lacked any offensive capability.

Clearly, she had formed a peaceful realm.
But this realm was her home, so she didn’t feel too disappointed; instead, a sense of relief washed over her.
Her home existed in another way, forever preserved.

The wind sent the windmill creaking. Xu Qianyu looked around for a while, gathered the scattered toys, and picked up a white rabbit plush toy with a ripped seam from the floor.

A maid had once given her this white rabbit plush, tricking her into believing it was made by Shui Weiwei, so she had held onto it tightly, refusing to let anyone take it. Later, while napping, a maid carelessly let slip that it was actually bought from a market. Shui Weiwei had never woken up.

Upon hearing that, she had thrown the plush toy on the ground and, crying, stomped it to pieces.
Afterward, the plush was taken away by Guan Niang and never appeared in front of her again.
Now, Xu Qianyu picked it up again, feeling strangely calm. Looking at its torn and damaged state, she even felt a bit sorry for it, casting a cleaning spell to make it presentable before placing it back on the bed.

Yet, this only made her feel lonelier in her realm. Wanting to go outside and talk to her Shixiong (Senior Brother), she walked to the window.
There were two windows in the room, and the light coming in was a dazzling orange-red, appearing as if it were peering into a roaring furnace.

Xu Qianyu felt something was strange and suddenly pushed open the window. Outside, there was no sun or moon; the world seemed like a furnace, flowing with molten gold and blazing flames, casting a fiery glow on her face.

Before she could feel any heat, everything in front of her dissipated like mist.
She saw Xie Yuzhen’s dark eyes outside the window. Xie Yuzhen called out “Miss,” pulling her out of her realm.

Xu Qianyu recalled everything that had just happened: in her half-asleep state, she had formed a peaceful realm and had been moving back and forth between the realm and reality to play. But she had exhausted herself today; her spiritual energy was low, and she quickly used it all up.

She was also starving.
Tossing and turning in bed, she got up to find something to eat, only to discover that Shen Suwei not only hadn’t returned but had also sealed off the pavilion, preventing her from opening the door, filling her with frustration. Thankfully, Huo Fengdie was in her hands, so she urged him to come back.

During the wait, she entered her realm again.
Xu Qianyu looked blankly at the furious Xie Yuzhen: “Why are you here?”
Xie Yuzhen sneered: “Who else would you want it to be?”
Xu Qianyu shot back, “Well, it’s definitely not you.”

Xie Yuzhen fixed her gaze on her disheveled hair and the faint blush on her cheeks from just waking up. The plaque of the pavilion clearly bore Shen Suwei’s name: “Is this how you usually interact with your Shixiong (Senior Brother)?”

He could see the delicate gauze drifting inside the room, the bed curtains in disarray. “In broad daylight, sleeping in someone else’s bed?”
If it were true, Xu Qianyu might have accepted it, but since nothing had happened and he was making assumptions, Xu Qianyu became angry, raised her hand to close the window, and coldly said, “I can sleep wherever I want; what does it have to do with you?”

“Then why can’t it be me?” Xie Yuzhen blocked the window, staring at her insistently, “Why can’t I? You clearly liked me before.”
Xu Qianyu didn’t bother with further talk, calling forth a wooden sword and stabbing it out the window.

She actually struck his shoulder.
The Demon King is immune to mortal weapons, yet at this moment, the wooden sword emitted a buzzing sound, and the Demon King’s blood dripped down. He continued to look at her directly, his expression filled with a bewilderment that was hard to articulate.

Xu Qianyu was afraid of his blood falling inside his senior brother’s pavilion, fearing that he wouldn’t be able to explain it later. He pushed him out with his sword, swiftly sheathing it, and said, “If you don’t leave, I’ll whip you.”

“Miss, if you’re soft on me now, you’ll regret it in the future.” Xie Yuzhen covered his shoulder and, lifting his eyelids, smiled lightly. He had seen the spirit herbs in the clay pot outside Xu Qianyu’s pavilion.

No matter how Lu You obtained the spirit herbs, the ones he drank were all planted by Xu Qianyu.
Not knowing what he was thinking, Xie Yuzhen vanished like a mist.

Perhaps he sensed that Shen Suwei was coming over and didn’t want to run into him.
In any case, when Shen Suwei arrived, his expression was also not pleasant.
Wuzhen indeed arrived here first; his aura permeated everywhere.

He stood outside the window, holding a sword in one hand, suddenly brushing his hand against Xu Qianyu’s face, as if sensing something quietly.
His eyes were tranquil, with suppressed killing intent lingering in the air.
Xu Qianyu found it strange and frowned at him.
Fortunately, aside from the aura of Wuzhen lingering on the sword, there was none on her face or body.
Shen Suwei unsealed the entrance and entered, softly asking, “What’s wrong?”
Xu Qianyu couldn’t help but vent her anger: “I’m hungry.”

So Shen Suwei ordered some food from outside the island. Because the boundary was too hot, Xu Qianyu drank ice bowls and iced tea to her heart’s content. Anything she wanted to cool down was all pushed to the opposite side, and when Shen Suwei pushed it back, it had already frozen into frost.

By nightfall, Shen Suwei stopped her and said, “You should sleep here with me. My bed has a cold aura; if you sleep for a few days, it will last until the boundary is finished.”
Xu Qianyu felt a bit shy: “Then where will you sleep, senior brother?”
“I won’t sleep; I’ll meditate outside.”
Xu Qianyu agreed.

This was her first time spending the night with her senior brother in his true form, and she felt somewhat nervous. The usually faint aura of pine and snow surrounded her in the night, creating a completely different feeling from sleeping in the Zhaoyue Palace. Xu Qianyu lay on the bed, fidgeting with the curtain, hardly daring to make a sound, listening intently, but there was no noise from outside.

By midnight, Xu Qianyu finally sensed something was off. She walked outside to take a look; the empty courtyard was silent, completely devoid of anyone.
Her senior brother had long since left without her knowing when.

Xu Qianyu felt a bit angry and also somewhat disappointed: What happened to meditating outside?
She didn’t know where he could have gone at this late hour.
Unable to fall asleep, Xu Qianyu quickly got dressed. As she grabbed her sword and stepped outside, she suddenly had a flash of inspiration, turned, and headed toward the sword mound.