Chapter 25

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Chapter 25: Climbing Over the Wall

In Chang Ming courtyard,

Ming He, clad in blue clothes, finished organizing her belongings. With her long sword in hand, she stood in the courtyard, her gaze lingering on the wall that separated her from the adjacent courtyard, a hint of hesitation in her eyes.

Today was the day she had decided to leave the sect and return to her clan. Should she inform Qin Chu Yi?

Seven days had passed since their conversation in the courtyard. Back then, she had planned to tidy up her things and head to the task hall to receive a mission. During that time, she intended to make a quick trip back to her clan before continuing with her tasks, aiming to hone her practical skills and cultivation.

However, the emergence of the cave dwelling had delayed her plans. Since she had promised to help Qin Chu Yi retrieve the star-shaped spiritual artifact, she naturally wouldn’t go back on her word.

Now, after seven days, the existence of the cave dwelling could no longer be concealed by Liu Yun Sect due to the celestial disturbances, forcing them to compete with other sects for entry slots.

Ming He wasn’t privy to the specifics of how the slots were contested; she only knew from her Master that Liu Yun Sect had secured twenty slots to enter the cave dwelling, one of which had been specifically reserved for her by her Master.

Though she had always kept to herself within Liu Yun Sect and avoided socializing, she was aware that the competition for the slots had concluded just two days prior.

In other words, she had been preselected.

Preselected.

The word lingered in her mind, and for some reason, a smile tugged at her lips. She chuckled softly, her smile bright yet tinged with irony. But why her?

There were no fewer than eight hundred inner sect disciples below the Xuan Wei realm in Liu Yun Sect, yet she was the only one preselected. Was it because she was an inherited disciple?

Indeed, a big tree offers ample shade.

She thought to herself, her laughter fading.

With her slot secured, there were still three months until the cave dwelling would open to the world and cultivators could enter.

Three months.

When her Master summoned her, he had emphasized that the cave dwelling was located in Luoyin City, the ninth prefecture of the Eastern Region, which was under the control of the Hehuan Sect.

Aside from the Hehuan Sect, disciples from other sects in the ninth prefecture of the Eastern Region, as well as members of the loose cultivators alliance, would also be present, creating a chaotic mix of individuals.

Thus, the competition within the cave dwelling would undoubtedly be fierce. Her immediate task was to improve her cultivation and strength; otherwise, her visit would amount to little more than trailing behind others.

Trailing behind? That was not her style.

Ming He’s gaze settled on the wall, and after some deliberation, she decided it would be best to inform Qin Chu Yi. Otherwise, Qin Chu Yi might think she had run away, which wouldn’t reflect well on her.

With this thought, she lightly tapped her toes against the base of the wall and leaped over it like a gust of wind, landing gracefully in the adjacent courtyard. Her fluid movements showcased her mastery of footwork.

“Thud!”

Ming He landed firmly on the ground, standing upright as she glanced around the courtyard. Her eyes met a pair of cool, dark ones. The owner of the gaze was just as composed, dressed in snow-white robes, seated on a stone chair as if she had turned her attention there upon hearing the sound.

Their eyes locked; in the depths of Qin Chu Yi’s dark amber eyes, Ming He saw her own hurried reflection, accompanied by a faint trace of amusement.

This was… rather awkward.

The little figure in Ming He’s mind covered its face, hiding in a corner and frantically banging against the wall, yet she maintained her composure. She walked over to the woman in white, her voice steady. “Sister Qin.”

“Junior Sister Ming.” Qin Chu Yi looked at her, the corners of her lips curving slightly, her voice carrying a subtle hint of amusement. “What a coincidence!”

“Why is Sister Qin here?” Ming He asked, slightly flustered.

Qin Chu Yi didn’t suppress her smile; the curve of her lips deepened. “This is my courtyard. If I’m not here, where else should I be?”

“That’s not what I meant,” Ming He replied, rubbing her nose. “I meant to ask why Sister Qin is in this open space in the courtyard?” It almost seemed as if… she had been waiting specifically for her?

"I am waiting for you." Qin Chu Yi, unaware of Ming He’s thoughts, spoke these words. She found it amusing to see the sudden stillness in the other person’s expression, her eyes curving with interest.

"Waiting for me?" Ming He was momentarily stunned, unable to comprehend the meaning of the statement.

Out of nowhere, with no prior agreement, why would Qin Chu Yi be waiting for her?

"Yes, waiting for you." Qin Chu Yi’s smile faded for a moment, then reappeared with a gentle expression, "I sensed your aura here in the courtyard, staying in one place and not moving. Even though there’s a wall between us, I could see you standing there quietly."

"So I thought you might have something to say to me."

"I do have something to talk to you about." Ming He reflected inwardly on her naivety; the techniques of cultivators were numerous and beyond her current understanding. Her realm was still low, and she had only just glimpsed the profound mysteries of cultivation.

"Master said there are still three months until the cave dwelling truly opens. My brother asked me to return to the clan for a family gathering, and since I have hit a bottleneck in my cultivation, I decided to leave the sect today and attend the family meeting."

"After the gathering, I will complete the tasks from the task hall to earn contribution points while also training myself to seek a breakthrough." Ming He shared her plans openly, feeling there was nothing to hide.

"Oh." Qin Chu Yi nodded, her gaze brightening. "Why do you feel the need to tell me this?"

"Because I promised Sister Qin that I would help you retrieve the spiritual artifact." Ming He spoke honestly. "Therefore, before I accomplish that, it is important for you to know my whereabouts."

She genuinely believed this; while profits mattered to her, her promises were equally significant.

Valuing both benefit and promise, Ming He never thought these two elements would conflict with each other.

"Is that so?" Qin Chu Yi murmured softly, lowering her gaze to hide her emotions, her smile staying shallow and relaxed. "I understand."

"Go ahead, Junior Sister Ming. I will wait for you to bring back the spiritual artifact for me."

"Alright." Ming He nodded respectfully. "Then, Sister Qin, I will take my leave."

After saying this, she lightly tapped her toes off the ground, returning along the same path, moving like the wind back over the wall, exiting through the gate of Chang Ming courtyard, and disappearing from Qin Chu Yi’s sight in a few breaths.

Qin Chu Yi watched as Ming He’s figure vanished unexpectedly, tinged with a hint of urgency, and finally couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

In the Liu Yun Sect task hall.

"Su, the inherited disciple, are you sure you want to accept all these tasks?" The attendant disciple hesitated, seeking confirmation again.

"Yes." Ming He pointed at the red area of the task board, where tasks like harvesting spirit herbs, slaying fire beasts for ten inner cores, and obtaining fifty feathers from the Xuan Winged Beast were displayed without any hesitation. "Is there a problem?"

According to the rules of Liu Yun Sect, there was no restriction on disciples taking multiple tasks at once, as long as they were completed within the deadline.

The tasks she selected were all long-term with ample time: the spirit herbs and fire beast inner cores were needed for alchemy, while the Xuan Winged Beast feathers were materials for artifact crafting. Though they were long-term needs, they were very hard to obtain.

It wasn’t because these materials were rare; on the contrary, the resources were abundant. Fire beasts and Xuan Winged Birds were common beasts in the cultivation world.

The challenge lay in the fire beast’s strong social nature, making it difficult to slay one alone. Forming a group often didn’t yield enough contribution points to share. Thus, these tasks had remained unclaimed. The same went for the Xuan Winged Birds.

As for the spirit herb, while it grew in the black marshes and was relatively easy to harvest, the black mud there corroded cultivation and suppressed spiritual energy. The marsh would drag people into the abyss, making it far more challenging to obtain the spirit herb than to get the fire beast inner cores and Xuan Winged Bird feathers.

Over time, these three tasks had become neglected, resulting in their placement in the difficult mode’s red area.

While others hesitated to take them, Ming He had nothing to think twice about. She was attracted to the decent contribution points behind the tasks, and as for the difficulty, she didn’t believe she would fail.

"Su, the inherited disciple, this Bloodhand Butcher is currently at the Spirit Guiding Sixth Level. You might…" The attendant disciple did not want her to risk her life unnecessarily, considering her status as the Sect Master’s inherited disciple. He openly expressed the dangers behind the task, "Though he is just Spirit Guiding Sixth Level, his strength is formidable. It is said he has killed cultivators at the Eighth Level."

"Since the Zhenwu Escort entrusted the task to Liu Yun Sect, many of our senior brothers and sisters have angered him and tried to take care of him, but none have returned."

The attendant disciple’s tone turned solemn, "So this task to eliminate the Bloodhand Butcher has been on the task board for almost two months without anyone taking it up. This is also a reason why contribution points are brought up repeatedly."

"Moreover, the Zhenwu Escort actually didn’t just assign this task to Liu Yun Sect. I’ve heard that Liuli Pavilion, Qingshan Sect, and Wujidian have also received requests from the Zhenwu Escort. Yet, to this day, the Bloodhand Butcher is still alive. Junior Sister Su should understand what this represents, right?" The attendant disciple wanted Ming He to dismiss the thought.

What does it represent?

Ming He smiled lightly, exuding confidence. “I understand.”

Many disciples from various sects had attempted and failed, resulting in their demise and the end of their lives in this world.

“But I still wish to take on this task.” Ming He’s voice was clear and steady, carrying an unshakable resolve.

Yet, she wasn’t like those sect disciples; how would she know if she didn’t try?

From the moment she embarked on the path of cultivation, she understood that it was a struggle against the heavens and the earth. To grow stronger, one must risk their life in the battle.

She had nothing to lose but her life.

“Su, the inherited disciple…” The attendant disciple looked troubled, about to speak, but a loud, provocative voice from a distance interrupted him.

“Su, the inherited disciple, what a coincidence! I also wish to accept this task, so I must ask the esteemed disciple to step aside.” The man strode in from outside the task hall, his aura fierce and murky, laced with hostility.

“My cultivation is at the Spirit Guiding Sixth Level. Do you think I can’t defeat that Bloodhand Butcher?”

He directed a challenging gaze at the attendant disciple while glancing at Ming He, sneering at the girl in blue’s calm expression. “As for those below the Spirit Guiding Sixth Level, they’re all trash. Trash belongs in the trash heap; why come out and make things unpleasant?”

“Senior Brother Wang.” The attendant disciple lowered his head respectfully, though his expression grew more strained. Having served in Liu Yun Sect for some time, he could easily tell that someone was deliberately stirring trouble, especially targeting an inherited disciple.

One was the Sect Master’s inherited disciple, and the other was a disciple of the Wang family; both surpassed him in cultivation, and he couldn’t afford to offend either.

This… was nothing but trouble!

“Are you here to cause trouble?” Ming He’s face remained as calm as water; she had naturally noticed what the attendant disciple saw.

Senior Brother Wang? That meant he was a disciple of the Wang family. Judging by age and cultivation, he was likely a brother to Wang Feilong and Wang Feihu. Was he here for revenge?

“Su, the inherited disciple, what are you implying? You are the esteemed inherited disciple; how could a mere inner sect disciple like me dare offend you?” The newcomer lowered his head, masking the resentment in his eyes.

The Wang family had no intention of making an enemy of Su Ming He; he couldn’t afford to offend an inherited disciple and had to refrain from outright insults. Instead, he sought another way to vent his frustration.

Inherited disciple? Ha! What of it? Why should an inherited disciple get a spot without lifting a finger?

Recalling the humiliation of being thrown off the arena and the bitterness of losing his chance, resentment burned brighter in his eyes.

With the ancient cave dwelling’s emergence and the countless opportunities within, everyone wanted to go. But Liu Yun Sect had only twenty spots, and inner sect disciples below the Xuan Wei realm could only obtain them through arena matches.

According to the arena match results, he ranked twenty-first, meaning he should have had no chance. Yet, he had learned from an elder that the twentieth spot was also unavailable.

The Sect Master had given one of the spots to Su Ming He, solely because she was an inherited disciple.

Despite her cultivation being only at the Spirit Guiding Fourth Level, she could still enter that ancient cave dwelling. How could he accept that?

Adding to his grievances, one of his younger brothers had died, and the other had been crippled, all because of this girl in blue. Old and new grudges had culminated in this confrontation.

“Su, the inherited disciple, I mean no harm, but I believe I am more suited for this task than you, with your Spirit Guiding Fourth Level cultivation.” His tone was respectful yet laced with mockery, his expression brimming with self-satisfaction, the very picture of a petty man.

“You think you’re suitable? I think I’m suitable too.” Ming He replied flatly, her voice clear enough to draw the attention of passing disciples.

“Unfortunately, the gap in cultivation isn’t something you can bridge just by thinking so,” the Wang disciple scoffed disdainfully.

“Unfortunately, I believe I can.” Ming He was confident in her verbal sparring, her cold demeanor radiating arrogance.

“After all, it seems I am your nemesis,” she added with a smile, her words heavy with implication.

“You…” The man, seething, flicked his sleeve angrily and moved to take the task token.

“I said you can’t just take that task token!” Ming He snorted coldly, her fingertip pointing like a sword, a shard of sword energy shooting toward him.

“Su Ming He, don’t push your luck,” he warned, caught off guard by her attack, his face paling as he clenched his sword hilt.

Had it not been for Liu Yun Sect’s rule preventing higher cultivation disciples from attacking those of lower cultivation, he would have drawn his sword long ago.

As for lower cultivation disciples attacking those of higher cultivation, Liu Yun Sect had no such restrictions.

It was said that when the sect rules were established, an elder had once asked the founder, Liu Yunzi, about this matter. The founder had replied, “If you’re at a higher cultivation and still can’t win, that’s your own inadequacy. Inadequate ones should take a beating. Now get lost and stop bothering me!”

“Well, I am pushing my luck! What will you do about it?” Ming He said, her voice low and relentless. She took pleasure in watching the man’s face shift between red and pale, deciding not to waste more time. “Let’s fight!”

She raised her brow, bold and assertive. “The winner takes the task.”

“Are you really challenging me?” The Wang disciple doubted his ears. But seeing her resolute gaze, he thought she must be out of her mind. Still, opportunities were fleeting; he couldn’t let this chance slip away in case she changed her mind.

“Alright!” he replied eagerly. “Then let’s head to the arena.” Though it wasn’t a life-and-death arena, he relished the thought of thoroughly defeating Su Ming He.

He turned to head toward the arena, but Ming He stopped him. “No need to go through all that; here is fine.”

“Here?” He was puzzled. “This is the task hall.”

The task hall was where Liu Yun Sect disciples picked up tasks; it was narrow and hardly a place for a fight.

“Let’s make this quick; this esteemed inherited disciple has better things to do!” Ming He smirked dismissively.

“You…” The man’s anger surged. “Fine, since you seek defeat, I’ll grant your wish.”

He drew his sword, his momentum overwhelming as he lunged forward, sword energy crackling with power, causing the nearby task tokens to shake violently.

“Remember, the one who defeats you is Wang…” He opened his mouth, ready to boast, but before he could finish, Ming He knocked out a tooth.

The girl in blue remained motionless, not even drawing her sword. She pointed her finger again, this time without mercy. Using her finger like a sword, she effortlessly deflected his attack, the residual force slicing through his mouth, knocking out a tooth and cutting off his unfinished words.

The task token swayed gently in the wind, and the bells under the eaves chimed with a crisp sound.

“I’m not interested in the names of defeated opponents,” Ming He said lightly, picking up the task token and turning to leave, her composed figure leaving a lasting impression on the attendant disciple and the gathered crowd.