Chapter 10 Unbearable! Anyone who harms Senior Sister will be killed without mercy!

That evening, the two lit a lamp and sat facing each other as they had the day before. Hot water was boiling on the stove not far away, the firewood crackling as it burned.

Shen Lixia's gaze was fixed on Qiao Yanshen. The lamplight flickered, and she noticed that even though he had stayed up all night cultivating and then immediately followed up with his daytime classes, there was no trace of weariness in his eyes.

It made her look even paler.

She had admired her senior's diligence, saying she studied day and night here, probably the kind of person who used to recite poetry during morning exercises. Thinking about it, her senior, in her baggy school uniform and round-framed glasses, looked like a high school version of herself...

Thinking about it, it's quite a contrast.

Qiao Yanshen suppressed this weariness in his eyes, and Shen Lixia would not have noticed it if she hadn't been observant. The light and shadow moved gently, casting dappled light between his white clothes and black hair, illuminating Qiao Yanshen's eyes.

She's in some kind of trouble.

As soon as the thought popped into her head, Shen Lixia immediately connected it to what happened yesterday and secretly clenched her fists.

Since her senior sister didn't seem inclined to bring it up, she decided to avoid bringing up the sensitive topic.

“I went to ask the Golden Core cultivator who was lecturing at Wan Jianfeng's place today, and she said your situation…” Qiao Yanshen pondered for a moment, “is quite unusual.”

Shen Lixia blinked, listening intently to what she was saying.

“People who are unable to cultivate by drawing in Qi usually either lack spiritual roots or have meridians capable of withstanding spiritual energy. You clearly don’t fit the former category; both of your spiritual root attributes are at their peak, which would normally make you a genius admired by everyone. As for the latter… I remember you told me that everything was normal when you drew in Qi, but the spiritual energy disappeared out of thin air within your body. The same thing happened when I examined you before. Besides, if you couldn’t withstand it, you would have exploded and died long ago when the spiritual energy was drawn in.”

Hearing Qiao Yanshen's words, Shen Lixia subconsciously raised her hand to touch her shoulder and arm, and suddenly felt a wave of fear.

Seeing her like this, Qiao Yanshen's solemn expression faded slightly, and he smiled and said, "I was confident in my judgment beforehand that such a thing wouldn't happen."

"I knew my senior sister wouldn't hurt me," the boy said, sticking out his tongue. "I just didn't expect that forcibly injecting spiritual energy would be so terrifying..."

Qiao Yanshen smiled and shook his head, continuing, "Since you were able to draw qi into your body and remain unharmed, then you are fine. That master told me that this situation might be due to some kind of injury... Li Xia, think back, have you ever been seriously injured?"

After quickly going through her memories, Shen Lixia said, "I didn't grow up with my mother. Instead, I grew up with a group of children my age. It was inevitable that we would fight and bump into each other... but I've never been seriously injured. I guess you could say I was lucky?"

"Then it must be for some other reason." Qiao Yanshen nodded, noticing the strangeness in her words, and became puzzled.

Did you not grow up with your mother... were you fostered somewhere?

However, Shen Lixia didn't give her much time to think and continued to ask, "Speaking of Golden Core cultivators, what have you been studying lately, Senior Sister?"

"Swordsmanship. Outer disciples are only allowed to learn basic swordsmanship now, told not to be impatient for quick results." Mentioning this, Qiao Yanshen turned his hand over, looking at the thin calluses faintly visible under the light on his knuckles, a hint of bitterness in his voice, "Further advanced techniques are for the inner disciples. However..."

Shen Lixia continued, "The sect affairs hall allows you to exchange contribution points and spirit stones for cultivation techniques. There are also stalls selling cultivation techniques in the small town. If you take on missions with high rewards or spirit stone bounties, you might be able to get a new sword technique to learn faster."

Although there is no limit to the depth of martial arts skills, repeatedly practicing the same set of sword techniques is of little use to a beginner. Qiao Yanshen has rarely rested recently and has already mastered most of the basic sword techniques. He should now combine them with other martial arts techniques for practice.

Seeing her familiarity with the subject, even more so than he knew, Qiao Yanshen was surprised. Then, thinking that she usually learned things very quickly and had been working quite hard these past few days, he praised her, "Yes, it seems you've been very diligent lately and have a thorough understanding of sect affairs. How's the work on the miscellaneous tasks going?"

As she spoke, she got up, took a teacup, and went to the stove to pour hot water.

Shen Lixia's gaze followed the movement of her placing the teacup on the table, her eyebrows raised, a smug glint in her eyes: "In a couple of days, we'll have a good harvest, and we can even leave some spiritual herbs for Senior Sister to refine some pills. I've been observing those elders refining pills lately, and I've noticed that their calculations are quite rough, so the results are always rather unsatisfactory..."

She wasn't usually a very sharing person, but for some reason, she felt an urge to talk a lot in front of her senior sister, and in a moment of carelessness, she even mentioned the pills she had originally planned to give as a surprise. Qiao Yanshen held his teacup, sipping his tea while listening to her endless chatter with a smile.

The lamplight flickered, shining in front of the two people and casting long shadows behind them, facing each other on the wall.

At night, the Jingzhe Peak was silent, except for a brightly lit courtyard.

Lin Yuqian was testing the new formation she had recently learned from Yingyue Hall on Yuheng Peak. She was simulating the formation's layout on a small chessboard and pondering the variables involved.

As a chess piece was placed, a ripple came from the barrier outside the courtyard.

The boy sensed a familiar aura from the fluctuations, a hint of disgust flashed in his eyes, and he reluctantly looked up from the chessboard and activated the barrier.

A man who looked similar to her walked into the courtyard. Although his steps were slow, his gentle expression revealed a hint of excitement.

"Yuqian, I asked the elder for a magic artifact that can temporarily break the barrier." He looked around to make sure no one was there before entering the house and whispered furtively, "However, this barrier-breaking technique requires the assistance of an array, and I know you are capable of doing it."

here we go again.

Lin Yuxian disliked her elder brother. As the eldest son of a prominent family in the cultivation world, he possessed the same cultivation talent as her but was wicked. He would stop at nothing to get what he wanted, no matter how shameless the means. Unfortunately, the family was conservative and not only indulged his endless evil thoughts but also showered him with all sorts of spiritual medicines and treasures. They even used their power to place him on the list of inner disciples and make him a disciple of the Nine-Branch True Monarch, who was skilled in formations.

Lin Fenghua was originally a sword cultivator, and Lin Yuqian always assumed there was no conflict of interest between them, so she ignored his dirty deeds. However, two of her elders had recently changed positions, and the qualification she had secured for the inner sect was one she had earned through the sect's internal competition. Lin Fenghua then misrepresented her. From that moment on, he dramatically changed his ways, toning down his previous arrogant and shameless behavior and adopting the refined and dignified demeanor of the inner sect's young men. This made Lin Yuqian and the others seem hypocritical and virtuous as well.

The disciple under the Nine Branches True Lord should clearly be her.

Lin Fenghua is such a good-for-nothing who has no ambition; he can't learn anything. She once patiently asked Lin Fenghua about the essential techniques of array formations he had learned, only to listen to a whole incense stick's worth of nonsense.

Since becoming an inner disciple, Lin Fenghua's skills have not improved. After breaking through his realm with the help of the Foundation Establishment Pill, he was content to be affiliated with the Nine Branches True Monarch. He used his inner disciple status to form cliques and bully others everywhere, while on the surface he pretended to be an upright gentleman.

The aristocratic families treated Lin Yuxian coldly simply because she was a woman and did not meet the requirements for an heir. She disliked the aristocratic families and also hated her own name, just as her elders had expected of her—to be a foil for others, content with the fate of a decorative vase.

She often thought, "If only Lin Fenghua had never existed."

However, lacking the strength, she could only suppress her dissatisfaction. She diligently practiced array formations, hoping to once again win the competition and gain the opportunity to join the inner sect.

At that time, neither Lin Fenghua nor her elders could do anything to her. She would no longer need to be suppressed by Lin Fenghua with the power of the family, nor would she need to be summoned and dismissed like a servant.

With this glimmer of hope, the days spent in darkness didn't seem so suffocating anymore. But now her good-for-nothing brother has come to her again, asking her to help him commit evil.

This wasn't the first time. From initial guilt to current numbness, she had gone through a rather arduous emotional journey, even developing inner demons that hindered her progress in cultivation. In the end, Lin Yuqian had no choice but to compromise, constantly telling herself—first, change the status quo.

"Do you really need Junior Sister Qiao's water spirit body that much?"

Lin Fenghua coughed, straightened his clothes, and said with an air of elegance, "I simply fell in love with Junior Sister Qiao at first sight and hoped to have a long talk with her. Unfortunately, she seems a little shy and has avoided me quite a few times. Today, she was also too flustered, and even drawing her sword caused a burst of sword energy..."

Lin Yuqian was speechless at his self-consistent yet absurd logic. A chill ran down her spine, and she felt that Qiao Yanshen was really unlucky to be targeted by such a person.

Is it true that all people are like this, interpreting others' clear rejections as a kind of charm, or blaming the other person without ever considering that they themselves are just like that, without any qualities that would make them worthy of being noticed?

Lin Yuxian twitched the corner of her mouth, having no patience to listen to him continue, and interrupted his self-satisfied speech: "I'll write you a technique to break the formation, which should be enough with the help of a magic weapon. But this kind of behavior is against the rules of the sect, so don't go too far and make things difficult for True Monarch Jiuzhi."

After saying that, she tore off a piece of yellow paper, wrote a few strokes on it with her spiritual power, and then tossed it to Lin Fenghua.

"Get lost and don't bother me again."

Lin Fenghua put away the yellow paper, his face scrunched up with joy. Lin Yuxian caught a glimpse of him and thought he was some rat that had come to life. Feeling disgusted, she closed the barrier before he even stepped out of the courtyard, letting the immense power within blast him away.

With such a despicable face, how could his friends call him a refined gentleman?

He was probably the kind of refined gentleman who met the aesthetic standards of livestock.

Five days after the spiritual herb was planted, Shen Lixia harvested her first crop.

Various kinds of spiritual herbs grow in the well-maintained spiritual fields, which is quite pleasing to the eye.

The spiritual herbs she planted matured earlier than others, but Ji Yun examined them and found they were of better quality. Shen Lixia kept a small portion for herself and used the rest to exchange for spirit stones. The menial task was completed, and a contribution point was recorded on her token.

After receiving these, she quickly exchanged them for items that were already on her list: the Thunderfire Spirit Orb, some sturdier wood, and a sharper knife.

The Thunderfire Spirit Orb is a one-time use item that stores two types of spiritual energy; it will explode upon violent collision. She purchased the top-grade batch this time, spending all her spirit stones and contribution points—enough to give a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator a run for their money, and even cause some damage to a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Back in the mountains, Shen Lixia didn't rush into the courtyard. Lately, she had become much more cautious because of that group of people, carefully checking the area in front of the courtyard every day. Several times she discovered clues, knowing they hadn't given up.

She climbed to the top of a very tall tree in front of the yard and carefully sat among the branches. The foliage was dense, and many white flowers dotted the branches. She could see the scene below through the leaves, but the people below might not be able to see her. It was a good place for observation.

Taking out a knife and some wood, Shen Lixia tinkered with it for a while and made a new slingshot. As she took out a Thunderfire Spirit Orb from her storage bag and placed it on the slingshot, she suddenly heard a faint shout from beside her.

"Take that thing away from me!"

Startled, Shen Lixia looked around but couldn't find anyone else. She tensed up and cautiously searched for the source of the sound.

That faint voice rang in Shen Lixia's ears once again, this time even closer: "I've absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth for so long, and finally managed to develop a wisp of consciousness. If this bead of yours explodes, all my efforts will have been in vain!"

...So it was the tree spirit of this tree. Ji Yun had mentioned to her when she had nothing to do that some ancient plants here, after absorbing enough spiritual energy from heaven and earth, were able to develop consciousness.

She breathed a sigh of relief and replied softly, "I won't let it explode here. You should have realized this a long time ago, right? There's been a group of people coming here frequently lately, I'm going to teach them a lesson."

Upon hearing this, the tree spirit was no longer so nervous and said happily, "Are you the ones who carve words on my trunk? That's great! But one isn't enough, and they're very cunning. Aren't you afraid of being discovered?"

"Then let's see who's faster, them or me."

“I can help you,” the tree spirit mimicked her, lowering her already soft voice even further. “I have a lot of pollen on me, and this pollen has acquired spiritual energy along with me, which can interfere with their senses.”

Shen Lixia has never believed in free lunches, and even though it's just a tree spirit that has just gained sentience, she can't help but trust it.

Why are you helping me? What reward can I offer you?

“Because I don’t like them either, but as a tree spirit, I have no other abilities right now... You can punish them for me. The marks they made on the tree trunk hurt a lot.”

"It's a deal." Shen Lixia gently patted the tree trunk as if giving a high five. "But you have to keep it a secret, or I'll burn you."

"...How can you be so malicious? You're not a monster, are you?"

"Didn't you just develop consciousness? How come you can already swear? Alright, I'm not planning on doing that right now..."

Halfway through her sentence, several furtive figures emerged from the woods. As they drew closer, she recognized them; they were indeed the same group from before.

What are they trying to do?

The leader seemed confident, holding a folded piece of yellow paper and a dagger in his hand as he strode to the courtyard gate.

The barrier began to take shape, preventing him from going any further inside.

Shen Lixia frowned slightly, held her breath and observed the movement. Her narrowed eyes were like those of a venomous snake, and unconsciously filled with a sinister aura.

But they didn't give up. The man unfolded the yellow paper, and several thin beams of light shot out, drilling into the barrier like spider silk, wrapping around it, and finally merging into it, making the barrier fully visible. Seeing this, the man smiled, took out a dagger, and stabbed it into the barely visible barrier.

A crack appeared on the solid surface, and it seemed to be spreading.

Shen Lixia felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, her heart clenching. Where did he get something that could break the barrier? She knew that the sect valued strength above all else and that power relations were deeply intertwined, but she never expected that in just one week, someone would want to harm her senior sister, and in such a despicable and vicious way.

It was only because they had no one to rely on—because she was too weak. If she had already reached the Foundation Establishment stage, she would naturally have no need to fear these people.

Even so, should we just accept being fish on a chopping board and be slaughtered at will?

That's unfair.

Then she no longer needs to worry.

"Take back what you said before, now spread your pollen out, hurry up."

Although the tree spirit didn't know what they were doing, it sensed that things were getting worse, so it quickly released pollen. A storm of dust swept over them, choking them and causing them to cough repeatedly, with snot and tears streaming down their faces, making them look quite disheveled.

The intense anger caused Shen Lixia's hands to tremble uncontrollably as she took the spirit orbs, but they calmed down as she pulled back the slingshot. She took out all the Thunderfire Spirit Orbs and wrapped them up.

If only it were more powerful, it could blast them into dust.

No, that's too cheap. It would be better to destroy their cultivation meridians, pluck out their spiritual roots, gouge out their eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, dislocate their joints and cut off their limbs... leaving them with only suffering while they lose all their senses.

The boy's dark eyes were filled with coldness, his pupils slightly contracted. After carefully aiming, Shen Lixia bent her knuckles towards the dantian of the leader, gathered her strength, and then released her hand.

The Thunderfire Spirit Orb shot forward like an arrow, seemingly about to explode in the air, emitting a golden-red light. It then shattered upon touching one of the people in the orb, the firelight making Shen Lixia's eyes shine brightly. A hot current mixed with wisps of lightning swept across her face, causing her hair to flutter wildly.

A pungent, acrid smell quickly spread, accompanied by a strong stench of blood, and screams erupted one after another, all mixed together.

When the news reached Shen Lixia, it actually made her feel a sense of pleasure.

The boy scrambled down the tree and rushed over to pick up the dagger that had slipped out of the chaos. Lin Fenghua, clutching his bloodied and mangled abdomen in the smoke, his face contorted in pain, saw Shen Lixia and opened his mouth to call out, but was stunned by the gaze that the other woman cast at him as she turned around.

That kind of ruthlessness is not something a teenager of that age would possess.

It was as if it had been targeted by a ferocious predator, and a sense of malevolence permeated it.

Even though his strength far surpassed that of this person who didn't even have any spiritual energy fluctuations, he still felt a temperature hotter and more violent than a heat wave climb up his spine, bringing an extremely cold shiver.

Shen Lixia ignored him and slipped into the courtyard.

A note from the author:

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Xiaolin is currently quite numb because she has been under oppression for too long, but she will eventually awaken and retaliate.