provocative
That evening, the disciples of the Gusu Lan Clan arranged for her to stay in a residence called "Qingyin". The servants told her that the disciples of the Yunmeng Jiang Clan were next door, and gave her a set of the Gusu Lan Clan's uniform blue and white clothes.
"Do I have to wear your Gusu Lan Clan's clothes?" It wasn't that she wanted to be special; it was simply because she was afraid of the heat. The Yang energy in her body was too pure and Yang, and taking off this special blue crescent-shaped dress would feel as hot as being under the 30-degree sun.
The servant looked troubled and was about to speak when Xie Linyang interrupted him: "Never mind, never mind. We probably won't be here for long anyway, so let's just bear with it for now." She had seen everyone wearing the same clothes during the day, and she didn't want to cause any trouble as soon as she arrived.
Back in her room, she began to meditate and cultivate. After a while, she opened her eyes and said dejectedly, "Without Sheng Yangya's powerful spiritual energy, it's really hard to cultivate!"
The "Sheng Yang Jue" is a direct descendant of Bao Shan Sanren. This technique takes "the life force of heaven and earth" as its source and has a spiritual power attribute of "extreme yang and purity", far exceeding the spiritual energy of ordinary immortals. Ordinary immortals emphasize "yin and yang harmony" in their spiritual power, while the "Sheng Yang Jue" directly draws on the essence of the sun and the vitality of plants and trees, and is of the extreme yang nature. Therefore, she has been afraid of heat since childhood, and mosquitoes, vengeful ghosts and other insects cannot get close to her.
Now, she has cultivated the "Sheng Yang Jue" to the ninth level. Her master said that her strength is enough to deal with most cultivators and that she is invincible among those of the same cultivation level. However, she always feels that she needs to become stronger in order to deal with the unknown, protect herself and the people she wants to protect.
"Oh well, things will work themselves out. Even though the spiritual energy is thin, it's better than nothing." With that thought, she focused on her cultivation.
During the few days of listening to the lectures, Xie Linyang discovered that everyone had a great deal of awe for Senior Lan Qiren. When he unfurled a large scroll and threw it on the ground, everyone's obedience reached its peak.
"Three thousand family rules? Good heavens, no wonder this cultivation sect looks so strict and serious. It turns out they are bound by so many restrictions. Thank goodness I didn't transmigrate into a disciple of the Gusu Lan Clan, or I would go crazy."
Xie Lin Yang sighed inwardly. Then, looking at Lan Wangji, one of the male protagonists on her left, she suddenly had a strange thought: Could it be that the people of the Gusu Lan Clan are too unconventional, which is why they need so many family rules to restrain them?
The way she looked at Lan Wangji became increasingly strange. Then she glanced at Wei Wuxian in the front row, narrowed her eyes slightly, and gave him a maternal smile.
Lan Qiren suddenly called on Wei Wuxian to answer questions. He answered the first few questions smoothly, but Xie Linyang only had a vague understanding. He silently wrote down what he didn't know and planned to go to the library to look it up later.
"There is now an executioner, whose parents, wife, and children are all alive, and who beheaded over a hundred people during his lifetime. He died a violent death in the marketplace, his body left exposed for seven days, his resentment pent up, causing him to haunt and commit further evil. What do you think of this?"
This is a typical case study question. It seems that Senior Lan Qiren has been keeping an eye on Wei Wuxian for a long time. Judging from Wei Wuxian's expression right now, he's probably thinking of some big move.
"Lin Yang, you tell us what you think."
Suddenly called out by name, Xie Linyang hurriedly stood up, his heart pounding like a drum. Why did he have this familiar yet absurd feeling?
"...Then this junior will speak of my humble opinion." Xie Linyang steadied himself and said, "Resentment is like winter ice, which cannot be broken by brute force, but needs the warmth of the sun to melt it. This executioner, in life, wielding the knife was his duty, in death, his corpse being exposed was a misfortune, the weeping of his wife and children was his concern, and the hundreds of souls of the dead were his obsession...Resentment can be divided into three layers."
"The first layer is the resentment of a corpse left exposed for seven days. I used my spiritual power to wrap his bones and bury them, letting the Earth God warm them up. The second layer is the hatred of a hundred dead souls. I guided them into reincarnation, telling them, 'It was evil that harmed you, not the one who wielded the knife.' The most difficult is the third layer—"
"Specific problems require specific analysis. The students haven't explored the specifics of how to proceed. They should go back to the library to look up more effective methods." Xie Linyang awkwardly scratched his head, the psychological trauma of being called out by teachers in school still vivid in his mind.
At this moment, someone suddenly opposed her, asking, "You make it sound so simple. First, can spiritual power just casually approach such a large amount of resentment? Second, do you think you're the King of Hell, able to communicate with wronged spirits? Even if you could, would they listen to you?"
Xie Linyang was taken aback by what the chubby boy said, but the boy replied with an air of self-righteousness, "Can't I?"
Everyone stared at her as if she were crazy. Jiang Cheng, sitting in the front row, suddenly spoke up: "Resentment is extremely yin and malevolent. If an ordinary cultivator's spiritual power is tainted by it, at best their meridians will become blocked, and at worst they will be devoured by the resentment. It's common for them to bleed from all seven orifices. Do you think spiritual power is like the coating on a candied hawthorn? You can just wrap it up like that?"
Why does this guy talk so infuriatingly? Xie Linyang had learned in the past few days that this boy named Jiang Cheng was the junior brother of the protagonist Wei Wuxian. They had grown up together since childhood and were more like brothers than blood brothers. He never expected that his words would be so infuriating.
"Furthermore, how can spirit control be something you can just talk about casually? A malevolent spirit condensed from a hundred years of resentment requires at least a Golden Core cultivator to set up an array with their life force to suppress it. If you're not careful, you'll be possessed by the vengeful spirit! And you, on the other hand, casually say 'lead them into reincarnation,' as if you think vengeful spirits are like rabbits in the back mountain, following you just because you whistle?"
As he sat up straight, the silver bells and jade pendants jingled. The sarcasm in his tone faded, replaced by a stubbornness characteristic of a young man: "The cultivation world emphasizes 'yin and yang in balance.' Resentment must be suppressed with specially made talismans and driven away with magical artifacts. It's not as easy as you make it out to be. If it could really be resolved by simply wrapping it with spiritual power, why would cultivators in the world bother to painstakingly cultivate fire control techniques and talisman drawing skills?"
The last sentence had a slight upward inflection, but the look in his eyes as he looked at Xie Linyang still clearly conveyed the word "absurdity."
Xie Linyang suddenly realized that the most old-fashioned person in the room was not Lan Qiren, but Jiang Wanyin!
"You can't talk about ice with a summer insect. It's pointless to say more; the truth will come out in time."
Xie Lin Yang replied lightly. It seems that her Yang energy is quite rare among these people. No wonder her master instructed her not to reveal it easily.
At this moment, Xie Linyang wanted to compose a poem: "Since ancient times, sages and worthies have all been lonely, only drinkers have left their names."
Unaffected by the cold wind from above, they heard Wei Wuxian's earth-shattering and awe-inspiring reply: "Dig up a hundred graves to incite their resentment, then gather a hundred heads to fight the fierce corpses..."
As a result, Senior Lan Qiren, with his mustache twitching, kicked this arrogant fellow out.
Nie Huaisang, who was standing next to her, covered his face with a fan and whispered to her, "Brother Wei really dares to speak his mind!"
"Haha, I think Brother Wei is very talented."
"..."
Jiang Cheng had long thought this newcomer was just like Wei Wuxian. Talent? This was talent? It was clearly just ignorant and reckless nonsense! Wei Wuxian was blinded by this kind of "wild imagination," and now there was someone even worse. One said "digging up graves to stir up resentment," and the other said "wrapping candied hawthorns." Did these two, together, intend to turn Cloud Recesses upside down? No, he had to keep a close eye on them from now on and absolutely prevent these two from getting together.
Xie Linyang suddenly felt a chill in front of him. Something was wrong. He was wearing the Gusu Lan Clan's clothes this morning and was so hot that he was about to get heatstroke. What was going on?
But thinking about it carefully, does Wei Wuxian's ability to say such things mean he might walk the path of demonic cultivation? The lingering grass didn't reveal his ending, and she hadn't read the novel and didn't know the plot. But he's the protagonist of this book; his life will naturally experience ups and downs, and his thoughts will foreshadow his future path. Will he walk this path?
She should accept her fate. Her master sent her to the mortal world to save people. If she ends up on this path or gets too tired, she will help her.
In late spring, the Cloud-Deep Land is always shrouded in moisture. The bamboo groves on both sides of the stone path are washed shiny by the night rain, and water droplets hanging from the tips of the leaves roll down the veins, leaving dark round spots on the bluestone.
Xie Linyang was carrying books he had just borrowed from the library, including "The History of the Changes of Cultivation Families," back home. The books in his arms still carried the scent of ink and the dry smell of paper. He was pondering the chapter on "Qishan Wen Clan" when he was suddenly bumped from the side and stumbled.
The books in his arms scattered all over the ground with a clatter, the top book, "A Brief Introduction to Spiritual Power," fell onto the bluestone slab, its cover stained with a corner of the splashed mud.
Xie Linyang frowned and turned around. The person who bumped into her was a young man wearing a robe with gold stars and snow waves. The collar and cuffs were embroidered with intricate cloud patterns, and a piece of jade of excellent quality hung at his waist. It was the symbol of the Lanling Jin Clan—Jin Zixun.
Behind him followed two equally ornately dressed members of the Jin family, the three of them blocking most of the light from the narrow bamboo path. Jin Zixun glanced down at the scattered scrolls on the ground, a dismissive smile playing on his lips: "Can't you watch where you're going?"
Xie Linyang ignored his provocation and squatted down to pick up the book. Just as her fingertips touched the spine, Jin Zixun suddenly lifted his foot, his boot landing squarely on the edge of the page, grinding it into the mud.
"Oh dear, I'm so sorry." His tone held no apology; instead, he deliberately rubbed the soles of his shoes together. "The road was so slippery, my feet slipped."
Xie Linyang paused in picking up the book, her fingertips tightening slightly.
She had only been at Cloud Recesses for a few days, and although she hadn't interacted much with the scions of various aristocratic families, she had heard of the Lanling Jin Clan's ways. Relying on their large family fortune, their scions were often arrogant and spoiled, especially this Jin Zixun, who was said to have often bullied the collateral cultivators under the guise of "sparring" when he was at Jinlintai.
She took a deep breath, remembering her master's admonition to "avoid trouble and conceal one's abilities," and suppressed her anger, only whispering, "It's alright, I'll pick it up."
She bent down to pick up the book that had been stepped on and dirtied, but as soon as her fingers touched the pages, Jin Zixun suddenly became even more aggressive.
He raised his foot and stepped directly on Xie Linyang's hand, the sole of his boot barely an inch from her knuckles. The malice in his voice was no longer concealed: "I heard that Miss Xie said in Mr. Lan's class a few days ago that resentment could be 'buried' with spiritual power? And that it could 'guide wronged souls into reincarnation'?"
The two Jin clan members behind him sneered. One of them said sarcastically, "Brother Jin, I think this Miss Xie is probably from some small, remote sect. Is she really a disciple of 'The Hermit of Baoshan'? Or is she a fake master, or a fake identity?"
"Shut up." Xie Linyang's voice remained calm, but his hand, hanging at his side, subtly clenched into a fist. "If Young Master Jin has nothing else, please step aside. I need to go back to my book."
"Reading?" Jin Zixun seemed to have heard a joke. He suddenly bent down and used the tip of his boot to pick up her scattered copy of "The History of the Changes of a Cultivation Family," causing the pages to flip. "Reading this useless stuff, why not spar with me? I want to see just how powerful the disciple of 'Holding Mountain Hermit' really is."
Xie Lin Yang's eyelashes trembled, but she ultimately straightened up, brushed the dust off her skirt, and said in a voice as faint as the mist among the bamboo: "If Young Master Jin wishes to spar, he can go to the training ground to find a Lan Clan disciple. I have other matters to attend to."
After saying that, she grabbed the remaining scrolls, lowered her head, and squeezed through the three of them. Jin Zixun's follower sneered behind her, "She really is a pushover. We thought she was so capable..."
The sound gradually faded into the distance. Deep in the bamboo forest, behind a thick bamboo stalk, Jiang Cheng slowly loosened his grip on the sword hilt.
He had just returned from practicing his sword and happened to witness this scene as he passed by the bamboo path. He had thought that Xie Linyang would either stubbornly argue back or recklessly resort to violence, just like he had done in the Orchid Chamber last time.
How could we swallow our anger in the face of such provocation?
Jiang Cheng frowned. He ran his fingertips along the rope binding the sword hilt, a hint of confusion flashing across his eyes for the first time.
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