Chapter 986: Lost in Studying

She had thought this topic would get Han Shanxue to say more, but it ended with only three words.

Refusing to give up, Ye Wenxin sat cross-legged beside her, pressing her for gossip.

“Then, do you have a Dao partner, Master?”

Han Shanxue opened her eyes, a chill rising from deep within. This question stirred her emotions. Ye Wenxin pretended not to notice and kept staring at her, trying to get some clues about Immortal Lord Taohua from her.

After about ten seconds of this arctic stare, Han Shanxue finally spoke.

“Yes.”

Ye Wenxin was speechless. She didn’t believe the strange dream hadn’t shaken Han Shanxue’s heart, so she kept pushing.

“Actually, I heard you call out ‘Master’s wife’ in your dream just now.”

Ye Wenxin prepared to put maximum distance between herself and Han Shanxue if she exploded.

But Han Shanxue just looked a bit emotionally moved. She turned to Ye Wenxin and said, “You don’t need to know.”

Ye Wenxin was unwilling to let up. “You know what Youqiu and I had. If it weren’t for…”

Though using Ghost Mother to urge her was shameless, Ye Wenxin went with it anyway. Sure enough, Han Shanxue couldn’t bear the guilt.

“My Master’s wife treated me well.”

A chill spread around her as she spoke. If everyone had an inner demon, Ye Wenxin suspected Han Shanxue’s was Immortal Lord Taohua.

Of course, Ye Wenxin’s goal was to deepen that hatred. She couldn’t let Han Shanxue harbor any lingering thoughts about Immortal Lord Taohua, or risk her turning against them later.

Ye Wenxin sighed enviously. “I see. No wonder they say love makes you love everything related to the person.”

Han Shanxue said nothing more, and Ye Wenxin had no intention of leaving. Seeing that this wasn’t getting anywhere, Han Shanxue took a book from her bag of holding.

“If you’re struggling, start learning this first.”

Ye Wenxin knew she had many treasures but was still shocked to see the manual Han Shanxue pulled out.

This manual was called the Unfettered Heart Sutra. It was one of the hundred ancient manuals officially recorded, ranked thirteenth.

The Unfettered Heart Sutra had been lost for years. Ye Wenxin didn’t expect it to be in Han Shanxue’s hands. Although Han Shanxue possessed qilin luck, it was much stronger than the other female leads’ manifested luck.

Then again, Han Shanxue was Fairy Fengya’s former disciple, had the magnanimous Immortal Lord Taohua as her second mentor, and was extraordinarily talented. It wasn’t over-the-top for her to have access to so many manuals.

Seeing Ye Wenxin’s longing look, Han Shanxue patted her head again, softening her wording. “You can’t handle the others with your current strength.”

“I understand, Master. But I’m curious about something. Why do you go through spirit stones so fast?” Ye Wenxin didn’t dare ask for too much, so she changed the subject to something she’d been wondering about.

“I’m learning many things,” answered Han Shanxue.

Focusing on one cultivation method already consumed lots of time, energy, and spirit stones. But it seemed Han Shanxue wasn’t practicing just one.

Ye Wenxin didn’t ask about what she was learning. Prying too much might annoy her and turn her into a master as stingy as Fairy Fengya.

But honestly, she’d take Han Shanxue’s generosity any day.

Ye Wenxin had a weak foundation due to not finding a suitable cultivation method. The Unfettered Heart Sutra would complement Cherished Flower Scroll’s manuals and fill in the gaps in her cultivation. She couldn’t wait to start reading, studying, and greedily absorbing the knowledge.

Han Shanxue never left, worried that Ye Wenxin might trigger Qi Deviation from practicing two aggressive techniques. But she soon realized Ye Wenxin had surprising harmony with the manuals. Her comprehension seemed even higher than her own.

Han Shanxue had taken a week just to get started with Fenghua Xueyue, yet Ye Wenxin could produce fire in one night.

Han Shanxue began to doubt Ye Wenxin’s identity again, but the suspicion quickly faded. A cultivator on the path to enlightenment must never kill the innocent. She had already made one mistake. There could be no second.

She could atone for the first time with herself. But what could she possibly offer for the second?

Han Shanxue closed her eyes, activated her cultivation method, and forced herself to return to a calm state, desperately suppressing the inner demon born from guilt.

The two quietly passed the night cultivating. Early in the morning, Sister Hong came knocking.

Ye Wenxin had just grasped the Unfettered Heart Sutra and was immersed in combining it with Fenghua Xueyue. She felt displeased after hearing they’d be causing trouble at the Cozy Pavilion.

“Master Ye, this concerns the survival of Treasure Pavilion and all of us. You have to come,” Sister Hong pleaded.

“You’ve got so many experts above Nascent Soul stage,” Ye Wenxin grumbled, “I’m just a Golden Core stage cultivator. What help can I be?”

Although the Cozy Pavilion was technically hers, Ye Wenxin believed Long Qingyue’s Secret Guards wouldn’t sit by once they caught wind of this. What looked like a conflict between Cozy Pavilion and Treasure Pavilion was, in truth, a subtler form of imperial power struggle.

She knew the emperor was a sis-con, and Long Qingyue only wanted to have fun manipulating the puppet emperor. Frankly, Ye Wenxin felt it was better not to get involved.

“But I’m convinced you have a way to resolve this,” Sister Hong continued to persuade her, eyes sincere.

The elder standing nearby quickly added his opinion. “Exactly. You may not have high cultivation, Celestial Master Ye, but being the One Short Sect’s grandmaster is enough to intimidate. And you can summon spirits for help. You’re far more useful than a Nascent Soul cultivator.”

He spoke casually, but there was truth in his words.

Considering Ye Wenxin’s title and the difficulty of dealing with summoned spirits, she did seem quite intimidating. And since she’d been freeloading at the Fang residence all this time, it was only fair that she contribute something.

“So, what’s your actual goal?”

Everyone looked confused, as if not understanding the question.

“Are you stirring up trouble for money and power or for your dignity?” hinted Ye Wenxin. Her mind was focused entirely on getting back to training and ending this matter as quickly as possible.