Chapter 26
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Chapter 26
Having witnessed such an event, even if it lasted only an hour, many found their hearts deeply stirred.
Ji Yang had privately cautioned Gong Wu when he first heard of her plan.
“I fear that scarcity will breed jealousy, and jealousy will lead to hatred.”
While he sympathized with the disciples who couldn’t stay, his greater concern was whether she might face hidden resentment or mistreatment because of it.
Gong Wu understood his meaning and smiled, nodding slightly.
“The Masters are very wise; I feel at ease.”
Indeed, that night, many notes were secretly slipped under the doors of the two Masters, with handwriting deliberately written in a rigid manner, making it difficult to discern who had written them.
Different phrases all conveyed the same message.
“Send out more spiritual fruits; ten is simply not enough!”
“Masters, you’re not planning to keep everything to yourselves, are you? We have hundreds of eyes watching!”
The next morning, Tanwen’s face was as dark as water as he gathered the disciples from both palaces in front of the training courtyard, scattering the notes into the air.
“Everyone, kneel down!”
The disciples exchanged glances, many unsure of what was happening, while some pretended to be clueless.
“Our valley has a saying: be content and cautious, for cultivation lies within oneself.” Zhang Muye spoke sternly, “You still have five months to work hard; being bewitched by heaven’s gift is truly foolish!”
“You all witnessed last night’s events; those without fortune received no reaction even after eating the plums.”
“These jade dew plums are extremely precious; even the leaves can be used to brew a medicine to soothe lung ailments. If used skillfully, the fruit can save many lives!”
“You chase after your own cultivation while neglecting the lives of countless others; do you not fear losing your conscience?”
The disciples from both palaces who had not yet opened their Spiritual Orifices were punished to kneel for the entire morning. Although many were innocent, it felt as if they had been struck with a wake-up call before losing their way.
Under the strict guidance of Masters Tanwen and Zhang, no one dared to complain, and gradually, understanding began to dawn on them.
“Two flowers bloom, each representing a branch.”
That evening, the three individuals returned to Tianhua Palace. Ji Yang reminded, “Junior Sister, I appreciate you opening the secret realm for me before going to wash up.”
Once past midnight, the compass would reset, and this opportunity might not come again.
Gong Wu quietly acknowledged him, channeling her energy, and curiously asked, “Are you planning to cultivate the Path of Emotionless through dreams, Senior Brother?”
“Perhaps it’s a rebellious nature,” Ji Yang replied candidly. “Everyone says it’s impossible, so I want to give it a try.”
Tu Xuixin chuckled, saying, “Your Senior Brother appears composed and stable, but deep down, he remains too sharp.”
Having eaten his fill of plums that day, he felt somewhat drowsy but still reminded, “Since you’re going to venture forth, I’ll remind you of the rules once more.”
“Gong Wu, prick your finger and draw a shape on the compass.”
“This shape will be imprinted in the dream, in a place easily visible to your Senior Brother.”
“When he decides to return, as long as he touches this mark, he will instantly leave the secret realm.”
Tu Xuixin glanced at the dark purple mist beside Gong Wu and asked again, “Subei, do you truly wish to venture in?”
“Yes.”
Gong Wu pondered for a moment, then pricked her index finger and drew two willow leaves on the compass.
As her fingertip touched the surface, a red mark appeared in the mist with each stroke, gradually fading away.
“Senior Brother, I’m afraid you might forget to return in the dream,” Gong Wu smiled at him. “You helped me come up with this name; surely you won’t forget it?”
“I’ll remember,” Ji Yang said, patting her head. Looking at Tu Xuixin, he continued, “If I can’t make it back…”
“Pah.” Tu Xuixin interrupted, “After playing around with dreams, hurry up and find the willow leaves drawn by your Junior Sister.”
The youth bowed again and, under their watchful eyes, stepped into the depths of the mist.
Ji Yang felt a lightness beneath his feet, as if he might fall.
The next moment, his divine consciousness became hot, and his physical form was temporarily left in the void.
When he regained his senses, Ji Yang felt as if he could finally open his eyes from the darkness. When he reached out, he found a child’s soft little hand.
He was wrapped in swaddling clothes, being fed warm rice porridge by a woman, still just a year and a half old.
“Little one, busy with the harvest,” she wiped the corners of the child’s mouth and softly sang a lullaby, “Swallows and magpies, pecking at the grains of rice…”
Ji Yang’s memories lingered around the age of five; though his Master and Uncle Ji Ning had praised his intelligence when he was three or four, those impressions had faded substantially.
This dream was not the strange and dangerous experience he had imagined; instead, it was pure and simple to the point of monotony.
He knew he was submerged in the Illusory Sea, merely temporarily transformed into a one-and-a-half-year-old child.
Then, for the first time, he sensed what it was like to have parents.
His father was a woodcutter, returning home every day exhausted and sweating, smiling warmly as he came over to pat his cheek.
His mother busied herself at her loom but always stayed close, playing with the cloth tiger she had sewn for him.
The child babbled, learning to speak, constantly making them laugh.
Days passed, repeating in a cycle of sunrises and sunsets.
Ji Yang almost thought he had gone to the wrong place.
He had never experienced family affection; his divine consciousness borrowed the perspective of a toddler, quickly spotting the two willow leaves drawn by his Junior Sister on the earthen walls.
The child steadied himself against the wall, unsteadily learning to walk, slowly approaching the willow leaves.
“Yang’er,” the woman called, “Walk slowly, don’t trip.”
She set aside her embroidery, bent down to support his shoulder, and playfully picked up a small stone to draw on the wall with him.
“Mother will teach you to draw a little duck, okay?”
The child nodded eagerly, and the woman held his hand, drawing round arcs stroke by stroke.
Not far from the willow leaves, they drew two large ducks with a little duck following behind them.
For the first time, Ji Yang heard himself called Yang’er, and he was stunned as he witnessed her actions, feelings he could not articulate surged within him.
He had no mother and could not recall anything from his infancy.
Every child in Moonfire Valley was precocious, understanding the burdens of labor too soon, collectively shouldering the vast operations of the valley.
This was the first time he truly understood the feeling of being held by a mother.
Warm and relaxing, without a care in the world.
He realized he didn’t need to prove anything; he was deeply loved just as he was.
The woman held nothing more than an ordinary child. He was not a young prodigy on the path of cultivation and had never expressed any expectations.
She smiled as she wiped his face, finding ways to sing gentle lullabies, blowing on the rice porridge as if fearful it might burn the child.
Every experience was a delicate and touching sensation Ji Yang had never felt before.
His father, in his twenties, had a thick and unkempt beard and always laughed with a hearty, unrestrained joy.
He would toss Ji Yang high into the air, catching him with steady hands.
On days after the rain, he would lead his wife and child to the pond to admire the rainbow, laughing together as they blew dandelions, watching the seeds scatter like snowflakes across the sky.
Each day was filled with the most ordinary, mundane moments, yet the love was pure and simple, like the mist that rises when rice porridge boils.
Ji Yang always knew this was but a dream.
He remembered the willow leaves his Junior Sister had drawn and recalled himself turning twenty just before entering this dream.
Yet, in the haze of time, he had unknowingly spent over three months in this dream, nearing a hundred days.
There were no grand riches, no temptations of beauty—only simple meals and quiet evenings.
The only difference was… his parents were by his side.
Ji Yang had never known what his parents looked like, but in this dream, they called him Yang’er.
The woman was Ying Niang, and the man was Shan Lang.
He often wished for a neighbor to call the man by his full name, but even when relatives or friends visited with cured meat, they would simply call out in their local dialect, “Shan Lang.”
In reality, Ji Yang had rarely been embraced.
The closest he had come to affection was from Gong Wu.
The five years Tu Xuixin spent in seclusion were the hardest for the two children.
With their Master gone, the disciples who served them had also left for other places.
Other Masters and Uncles would occasionally visit, urging the disciples to look after the two children, but all children endured such hardships in silence; no one thought it unusual.
They washed clothes together, hung bedding side by side, always holding hands tightly as they adjusted to their new lives as orphans.
Now, having fallen into the Illusory Sea, it felt as though he had been reborn, held and guided by his parents, occasionally kissed on the forehead.
Their gentle touch was a gift he had never dared to imagine as a young man.
He received so much in this dream that it sometimes filled him with unease.
The child lived in a small tile-roofed house, playing with a rattle and a cloth tiger, falling asleep peacefully to the soothing voices of his parents.
On the wall, three ducks, crudely drawn with a small stone, had been etched over and over, now adorned with rippling water patterns and feathers, growing more lifelike with each stroke.
Ji Yang waited and waited, longing to say goodbye to them.
But the child’s speech was unclear, and the words he wished to speak remained trapped within.
He knew he could never dream of them again, just as he would never again encounter the plum forest.
“Yang’er, would you like your mother to draw you a little fish?”
As his mother’s laughter rang out, the child’s hand already rested on the two unseen willow leaves.
The young man suddenly awoke, standing in the midst of gradually dissipating mist.
His Master was asleep against a pillar, and his Junior Sister lay wrapped in a blanket beside the cushion, her breathing soft and steady.
They were all waiting for him to return.
In the dream, a hundred days passed, yet only two hours elapsed in the mortal world.
Ji Yang sat beside Gong Wu, quietly gazing at the night sky.
The stars twinkled brightly, and the moon shone unobscured by clouds, with a faintly sweet fragrance lingering in the air.
The little girl slept like a small beast, curled up comfortably, her long black hair disheveled in her slumber.
As he sat beside her, it felt as though he were rediscovering the contours of family affection.
If he could remain by Little Wu’s side like this, playfully teasing their Master, he would feel complete and at peace, even if he never ascended to immortality.
As for thoughts of his parents, one memory was enough.
To recognize the illusion was to leave it, without any gradual process.
Gong Wu stirred awake, instinctively wanting to glance at the mist behind her. When she turned her head, she caught sight of Ji Yang’s profile.
Her senior brother had returned!
She lifted her head and smiled before even speaking.
Ji Yang, with gentle eyes, looked down at her and softly asked if she wanted to take a walk together.
They tiptoed to cover their Master with a blanket and ventured out for a leisurely stroll under the moonlight.
Tianhua Palace was grand and spacious, built to accommodate over a hundred disciples, much like the other four palaces.
Yet, only the three of them resided here, and though their senior sister had finally returned, a twist of fate had kept them from meeting.
Gong Wu walked slowly with him through the pine forest and past the flowing springs, listening as her senior brother recounted his experiences in the Illusory Sea.
When Ji Yang spoke again, he hesitated slightly before singing a nursery rhyme to her.
“Little lad, busy picking rice.”
“Swallows and magpies, stealing grains of rice…”
His voice was soft and warm, yet it carried a touch of youthful innocence due to his shyness.
Gong Wu, who had never experienced those warm and fragmented memories from the Illusory Sea, listened with rapt attention.
“How nice it is to have a mother,” she whispered. “If I were to enter, I’d be so afraid of being trapped there forever.”
“Senior brother, life and death are common in the pursuit of immortality, but I often find myself lost in thought.”
“For ordinary families, when parents grow old and pass away, how difficult it must be to let go.”
The moonlight cascaded like water, their shadows merging into one.
Ji Yang reached into his sleeve and found a piece of butterfly candy, placing it in her palm.
“You’ve eaten so many sweet fruits today; this might not taste like much now.”
“It’s not the same,” Gong Wu replied, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him.
“Both are your kindness, Senior Brother, but each has its own charm. I like them both.”
The young man lowered his gaze, a smile almost breaking through, as the marks of the Path of Emotionless briefly flared. He responded with a faint “Hmm.”
He shouldn’t smile anymore.
In the days that followed, Gong Wu idly played with the Eight-Flower Compass, hoping to summon something rare, just as her senior brother had done.
But every day the result was "average," the pointer seemed nailed to these two words.
Tu Xuixin saw his disciple banging their knuckles on the plate and waved his fan, saying, "Not getting results is normal; stop fidgeting."
"Out of three hundred days, if you can shake out something unusual for just a few days, that’s considered exceptionally lucky, unless…"
"Unless?"
"Unless Jin Yan Tuo sets up a lucky formation," Master laughed behind his fan, "The full name is the Supreme Infinite Fortune Running Spiritual Formation. Just the materials alone would cost thousands of gold, and many formation materials are so rare they are practically priceless. This formation hasn’t been opened in hundreds of years."
But Jin Yan Tuo had been turned into a sieve due to He Zhao Li’s meddling; if they could activate this formation, it would be extraordinary.
Gong Wu asked curiously, "What happens if you’re protected by the lucky formation?"
"You’ll obtain treasures," Tu Xuixin answered with a smile. "Moreover, everything will go smoothly within twelve hours, and you’ll be immune to all poisons and weapons."
"The last time this formation was activated was at the emperor’s command for a national war."
Rumors about it were quite popular in teahouses across various places, but since Moonfire Valley was remote and quiet, Gong Wu hadn’t had the opportunity to hear about it.
Before Master could leisurely share more, a disciple barged in boldly, flustered, saying, "Master Ji Qing! A talisman practitioner barged in brandishing a sword, threatening to kill Junior Sister Gong Wu!"
Gong Wu, still munching on sunflower seeds, gasped, "Huh?"
Tu Xuixin was about to rise, but the disciple waved his hand forcefully.
"No need to trouble yourself; we’ve already chased the person away. It was Master Donglu who called me to report."
Tu Xuixin was taken aback. "It’s over?"
"Yes, it’s all over!" The disciple performed a bow, exuberantly saying, "I’m off to eat; let me know if you need anything!"
With that, he left, closing the door behind him.
Gong Wu hesitated, reaching for another sunflower seed. "He just said someone wanted to come kill me."
“Shouldn’t this concern me… right?”
Tu Xuixin slammed the table and exclaimed, "Let’s go! To Liu Jia Palace! We need to find your Master Cheng Ji for some excitement!"
Cheng Ji knew this lively disciple would surely bring the little apprentice along, so he had already set the table for lunch, eagerly awaiting them.
"Stewed mountain chicken today? The soup smells delicious."
Tu Xuixin wasn’t polite; he sat down and sipped a cup of hot tea first.
Gong Wu respectfully bowed, and Cheng Ji helped her back up with a smile.
"Little Wu has arrived."
At the table, they had made eight-treasure duck, bamboo tube chicken, rose pastries, and auspicious square cakes.
The dozen or so dishes were exquisite and tasty, far surpassing the flavor of the kitchen’s big pot rice.
"By the way, where’s Subei?"
"He’s off on a long journey. He’s going to various states to select suitable gold, iron, and copper materials, planning to gather everything for new tools in a few months."
“Oh, that’s great news.”
Tu Xuixin filled Gong Wu’s bowl with soup and smiled, “What happened with that talisman practitioner today?”
Cheng Ji couldn’t help but chuckle as he recounted the whole story to them.
Zhi Bai Guan and Ba Jing Tower both left Master Ancestor’s place in frustration, making it clear that they would not keep this matter confidential.
This statement was rather tactful, but the underlying message was clear: since you refuse to cooperate, don’t blame us if our disciples spread the word far and wide.
As time passed, rumors based on hearsay began to spread in all directions.
The reactions from the outside world varied. Most people in the northern regions dismissed it as a joke, refusing to believe Ba Jing Tower’s claims.
In this small, obscure place called Moonfire Valley, they had never even heard of it in their sacred texts and couldn’t be bothered to care about the strange happenings in such a remote corner.
You can say whatever you want, but at least make the next story more entertaining, something that can hold up under scrutiny, right, brother?
Meanwhile, in the nearby southwestern sects, Jin Yan Tuo was too preoccupied with its own troubles, Zhi Bai Guan was deeply wary, and Bao Pu Mansion seemed to be biding its time, observing the situation.
The various Immortal Sects remained unmoved, but many idle cultivators began to stir with interest.
—If this is true, wouldn’t they have to extract her Golden Core and seize her power?
If it’s false, then what’s the harm in killing her? It might even serve as a perfect token of loyalty!
Since both Zhi Bai Guan and Ba Jing Tower insisted that a little demoness had emerged from Moonfire Valley, a troublemaker with sinister methods, they felt fully justified in acting in the name of justice!
So—who would make the first move?
The wise knew to stay hidden and observe, waiting for the reckless fools to act first.
After more than ten days of waiting, finally, a brash talisman practitioner rushed in, eager to make his move.
This practitioner believed he was on the verge of breaking through to the Opening Sun Realm and thought the little demoness would be the perfect sacrifice to seal his advancement.
He arrived at the entrance of Moonfire Valley, shouting and cursing so loudly that even the villagers who had come to seek medical treatment looked on with disdain.
"You insignificant Moonfire Valley! How dare you harbor such evil! This is unforgivable!"
"You have one hour to hand over that vile demoness, or don’t blame me for showing no mercy!"
The valley’s disciples were thoroughly annoyed by the commotion.
"Come down! Let’s talk this through properly."
The talisman practitioner laughed mockingly, "You can’t even fly on a sword, you envious fools! It’s clear you’re jealous of my extraordinary talent!"
One of the disciples sighed, then soared into the air on his sword and yanked the man down.
"Get down here!"
"If you have something to say, say it! If not, get lost!"
The talisman practitioner grumbled as he straightened his sleeves and repeated his demands at the top of his lungs.
Just then, a woman carrying a basket of eggs happened to pass by. She greeted the guarding disciple warmly, “Xiao Tan, that prescription your master gave me last time was truly miraculous!”
“After just three or four days, my legs stopped hurting entirely! Even when it rains, there’s no pain!”
“You didn’t have to bring anything just to visit!”
“Hahaha, it’s just a small token of my gratitude!”
“Take your time; it’s my shift today. Next time, I’ll prepare the medicine for you!”
The talisman practitioner, unable to contain his frustration any longer, shouted, "You arrogant good-for-nothing, are you even listening to me?!"
The guarding disciple invited the aunt inside, feeling quite annoyed with him.
"Who are you looking for? Speak plainly."
"I’m here to kill someone!" The talisman practitioner, believing he looked formidable, raised his eyebrows and declared, "You have an immortal demoness here; what are you pretending to be confused about?"
"Oh, her." A Tan vaguely remembered, "Isn’t this just Master Tu joking around? No one believes it."
"Stop your nonsense! People from Ba Jing Tower and Zhi Bai Guan have personally claimed to have seen her pierced by several swords, dying and coming back to life, not of our kind!"
A Tan pointed behind him, "Where is this?"
"This is Medicinal Valley." He tried to be patient and polite as he urged the talisman practitioner to leave, "Since Medicinal Valley has brought someone back to life, it shows that all the Masters are benevolent and skilled in their healing; it’s also her good fortune, understand?"
The talisman practitioner stamped his foot and threatened that if they didn’t release her, he would kill the guards as well.
A Tan happened to be about to change shifts, so she asked a companion to keep an eye on this fool and went to report the news.
Although opinions about Gong Wu in Moonfire Valley were not entirely unanimous, there were indeed a few people secretly jealous of her good fortune to be picked up by Tianhua Palace and to gorge on spiritual plums in the secret realm.
But the moment they heard someone challenging them with threats, everyone’s attitude was the same.
—Who do you think you are, daring to touch our Junior Sister?!
Because of this, before Cheng Ji could say anything, an intermediate disciple volunteered to go.
Cheng Ji found it amusing: "Are you close with Little Wu?"
"I’ve never spoken to her," the female disciple said coldly, "I simply can’t stand outsiders trying to bully the people in the valley."
Her life and death were her own business; why should anyone else care?
Before long, the female disciple arrived at the valley gate without even a sword.
"Who are you?"
"I am the Miao Xin Zhen Ren of the Everlasting Thunder Law." The talisman practitioner raised his hand to form a seal and shouted, "Are you the immortal demoness?"
"Thunder! Come!"
Before he could finish his incantation, the female disciple advanced quickly, sweeping her sleeve.
"What trick are you using?" The talisman practitioner grabbed a handful of talismans to stick on her, but suddenly his face darkened.
An eight-eyed spider shook its fuzzy legs and swiftly crawled into his collar.
"Ah ah ah ah ah!!! Spider, spider!!"
The disciple watched, speechless, and tossed the antidote for bites next to him, allowing the practitioner to roll around in a panicked frenzy while she walked away with confidence.
According to witnesses, the spider bit him twice before hurriedly returning to its owner; it didn’t actually crawl around for long.
But that practitioner rolled on the ground for nearly half an hour and almost missed the antidote.
Cheng Ji chuckled and said, "I guess the bad news is that your title of demoness might just become a reality."
"This practitioner will likely spread that you are covered in scorpion poison spiders, coming out at night to drain people’s blood."
Gong Wu sighed, "What does that even mean?"
She realized that this talisman practitioner was foolishly underestimating her, and then belatedly thought of a question.
"Masters, may I ask what place Moonfire Valley ranked in the last Yuan Xian Immortal Assembly?"
Could it be that so many people look down on this place because of that Immortal Assembly?
Cheng Ji pondered for a moment, uncertainly saying, "It seems we… didn’t attend."
Tu Xuixin used his chopsticks to serve Gong Wu some food, remarking, "These fried ribs are quite good."
Gong Wu held her bowl, still in shock.
—They actually didn’t go!
Why didn’t they go? Wasn’t that Immortal Assembly supposed to be impressive?
She didn’t voice her thoughts, but Cheng Ji had already guessed what the little girl was thinking, though he couldn’t clearly recall what had happened sixty years ago.
"Participating in that Immortal Assembly seems to offer many benefits," he said.
"They always set up various prizes, and those who place in the top three receive generous rewards."
"I heard that all the Immortal Sects take the opportunity to make friends and share cultivation Techniques."
"Oh—you’re right! Such a great deal, why didn’t we go?" She turned to Tu Xuixin and asked, "I’m older now, so I don’t remember much. Do you?"
Tu Xuixin thought for a moment and said, "Senior Brother Yan went once more than a hundred years ago, but he never went again afterward."
"It seems he said we dressed too shabbily and it wouldn’t be fun to go."
"Oh—" Cheng Ji nodded, "That’s true."
Gong Wu hadn’t felt this way before, but suddenly she recalled Senior Sister Ding Qingyi dressed as an immortal and immediately agreed.
Resources in the valley were limited, and the robes of formal disciples were washed until they were faded, only aiming to be clean and tidy.
The disciples from Zhenling and Miande Palaces often wore patched clothes, and it had been quite a challenge for everyone to even sleep under blankets in the last hundred years.
"When I was traveling, I saw many people in the capital wearing golden thread and jade garments, moving with an ethereal grace," Tu Xuixin said as he put down his bowl and leisurely started peeling a peach for his senior sister. "Elder Brother is the most serious and meticulous; if even he feels self-conscious, it indeed shows that this Immortal Assembly… really needs to maintain its image."
If they walked over in their coarse robes without even saying a word, they would likely already appear embarrassing.
Hence… Moonfire Valley barely appeared on any of the rankings.
For many, it was even inferior to the smallest of those little caves.
Both Masters were clear-minded and had long since looked past these titles in their pursuit of cultivation, sharing a few laughs before forgetting about it entirely, with no intention of attending next year’s Immortal Assembly.
However, ever since this impulsive girl arrived, a wave of trouble had truly begun.
More and more people gathered at the valley entrance, simply wanting to kill Gong Wu.
Challenging her was very low-cost.
Anyone could show up in the afternoon or in the dead of night, shouting for Gong Wu to hand over her head.
From June to August, there were at least twelve waves of challenges.
If only one or two people arrived with ordinary skills, the guarding disciples would just send them away.
Those who were driven away would invariably go out and complain about Moonfire Valley’s bullying and harboring trouble.
Some were temporarily rendered mute due to poison, swallowing their grievances while searching for doctors for urgent help.
But some sects would send envoys to inquire about the truth of the matter and demand a public stance from Moonfire Valley.
Master Ancestor waved his hand, telling the disciples to reply that he was getting old and confused and couldn’t understand what was written in the letters.
The various Immortal Sects realized that this small sect was unyielding, and they had even condescended to show some concern. Yet, to their surprise, they didn’t even receive a formal written response, which began to stir their anger.
Who do you think you’re looking down on?!
Zhi Bai Guan mocked coldly, and when discussing this matter with other sects, they laughed, saying they would no longer act kindly, letting those who raise tigers only to suffer the consequences wither away naturally.
All sorts of absurd rumors grew larger and larger, until finally, five or six sects secretly gathered together and sent people to deliver a stern ultimatum to Moonfire Valley.
—Moonfire Valley, you have ten days to prove your innocence. Even if you don’t take the little girl’s life, you must lock her up and cleanse her spiritual core!
If you refuse, we will revoke your qualification to participate in the Yuan Xian Immortal Assembly next year!
Not only will you completely lose your name from the Heroes’ List, but no major sect will ever interact with you again!
The guarding disciples read the notice and shook their heads at the messenger.
"You really don’t know our people’s temper."
The messenger thought he was going to get angry and cautiously drew his weapon.
"People from Moonfire Valley are fiercely protective."
"If she hasn’t harmed herself, we will never let her be hurt."
Once the news spread, many who had been watching closely started to sense something was off.
It had been two or three months, and that little girl had never shown herself!
As the situation grew more chaotic, several sects loudly warned them, yet they didn’t even know what she looked like!
Many people questioned the few disciples who had seen her about her height, weight, if she had moles on her face, and what kind of Techniques she could perform.
The answers did not match up at all.
Didn’t they say this demoness could control snakes, scorpions, and spiders?!
They claimed she had three hearts and couldn’t be killed no matter which one was targeted?!
Some even said she had three heads and six arms, but just how many arms did she have?
As this commotion threatened to turn into a farce, Ba Jing Tower finally took decisive action.
They sent over a thousand elite warriors riding the waves, planning to demand an explanation even if they had to face hardships again on their journey.
At the same time, Gong Wu was grooming Juju in Tianhua Palace.
Every time she wanted to sneak a glance at who was coming to kill her, several Masters would push her back.
Not to mention her Master making an appearance; even the higher-ranking disciples had only gone over four or five times.
The challengers didn’t dare to engage too seriously, mostly returning frustrated after a few days of stalemate, and the fights were not particularly intense.
Over the months, each palace had been disturbed repeatedly due to her matters, and it had already strained many relationships.
Gong Wu was protected by everyone but felt guilty inside.
As things developed to this point, she sincerely appreciated her senior brother for guiding them to that rare plum grove.
She also thanked her Master and Master Ancestor for distributing those spiritual fruits in advance to each palace for their enjoyment.
It was like sending gifts ahead of time to lessen many debts now.
But still, she felt a sense of guilt.
Every time dispatched cultivators came to shout and threaten, Gong Wu would quietly inquire and gradually became familiar with the guard, A Tan.
A Tan, seeing that the little girl was delicate and petite, couldn’t help but laugh, "They think you’re a man-eating demoness. If they ever saw you in person, they’d probably drop their jaws in shock."
"But Gong Wu, since we’ve already chased these people away, why do you still bother remembering their identities and appearances?"
He worried that the little girl might act impulsively and cautioned her, "If anything happens, we’ll handle it upfront. You just focus on protecting yourself, understand?"
"I understand," Gong Wu replied, pulling out her old ledger used for buying miscellaneous items. "I’ll just keep a record of the grudges."
A Tan laughed halfway and then paused, "…Huh?"
Gong Wu didn’t explain further and simply handed her the small notebook.
A Tan flipped through it casually, reading aloud, "Sugar cakes, three wen each; flower hen, one hundred fifty wen each…"
"Not that," Gong Wu said, turning to the back, "Look here."
"Oh, let me see." A Tan continued reading, "Xiao Yao Men’s Xuan Wenzi, a Daoist, six feet tall with a goat beard, disturbed our sect at midnight. One grudge noted."
"Zhi Bai Guan’s Jin Hu Daoist, six and a half feet tall with a mole on his nose, provoked us and even struck someone. Two grudges noted."
He read it with amusement and handed the small booklet back to her.
"No wonder you keep asking me questions from time to time."
"Gong Wu, even though you’ve made progress in your cultivation, are you really planning to seek revenge on each of them later?"
"My memory isn’t the best, and there are so many who come to cause trouble. I’m afraid I’ll forget," Gong Wu sighed. "It’s better to keep a record."
The accounting notebook had been filled repeatedly. So far, twelve groups had come, and while there hadn’t been any bloody clashes yet, many had already been troubled.
Since someone had threatened to kill her, Gong Wu had been making pastries more frequently, constantly bringing midnight snacks to the guarding disciples as a gesture of thanks.
Those who claimed to be acting on heaven’s behalf were truly a nuisance…
Lost in thought, she accidentally tugged too hard on the little Leopard in her arms, causing it to thump its tail in discontent.
"Sorry," Gong Wu whispered, "I’ll be gentler."
It had been a while since she’d last seen her senior brother, and she wondered if he’d heard these chaotic rumors.
As the sun began to set, her Master still hadn’t returned.
Gong Wu sensed something was wrong and set down her comb to leave the palace and search.
Once she stepped outside the palace gates, she realized the situation was different from usual.
The outside was eerily quiet.
The usually bustling herb-drying courtyard was suddenly empty, as if everyone had gathered elsewhere.
The girl felt a jolt of alarm and summoned her umbrella to soar into the sky. Just as she was about to fly to the entrance, she was shouted down by the returning Cheng Ji.
"Gong Wu, hide!"
"People from Ba Jing Tower have come!"
—And they arrived with over a thousand elite disciples, their presence so overwhelming it seemed they intended to flatten the valley!
Cheng Ji’s face turned pale, but he still refused to let her show herself.
He pushed Gong Wu firmly back to the ground, saying, "In times like this, you must conceal your whereabouts. Come with me to hide in the underground passage!"
Although Gong Wu did not struggle, her voice and gaze were filled with despair.
"Master Cheng, why?"
"You clearly know I won’t die."
With so many of you blocking my way, I feel truly sad.
Cheng Ji shook his head quickly.
"But they don’t know that, so this matter cannot be confirmed."
"Outsiders will see this as a farce. After the excitement fades, and in a few decades, no one will remember this incident or Moonfire Valley."
"Gong Wu, even if you travel outside the valley in the future, you must change your name, and you absolutely cannot die in front of others. Protect yourself, understand?!"
Before she could finish, Yan Fangji had already flown back, anxious, "Why haven’t you gone into the underground passage yet?!"
"The door is open. Be careful when you go down, understand?"
The two pushed her into the underground passage while continuously looking outside.
"What happened outside? Did someone die?" Gong Wu held onto the dark door, her concern evident, "Is Master all right?"
Cheng Ji took a deep breath and ultimately did not hide the truth from her.
"A disciple from Ba Jing Tower was disrespectful to your Master Ancestor, and Daoist Qian Wei slapped him in public."
"Now, he and his esteemed Master are coming, and they brought over a thousand disciples."
"Gong Wu, before we come to get you, you must not come out. Keep your divine consciousness hidden, understand?!"
"I will be obedient." Gong Wu sank deeper into the darkness, her eyes red, "I won’t let that happen."
Meanwhile, outside the valley.
Immortals descended from the clouds, followed by thousands of disciples clad in armor, filling the mountain roads.
The disciples of Moonfire Valley stood gathered, confronting them from a distance.
"Daoist Qianhua," the Master Ancestor stood before everyone, speaking slowly, "It’s been a long time since we last met. How have you been?"
The immortal was draped in flowing silks, exuding an air of elegance.
"You jest."
He descended the cloud steps, calling out, "Gao Dengyun, come forward."
The earlier threatening disciple immediately stepped out, standing before everyone with a smile, anticipating the drama.
"Master."
Before he could finish calling out, Daoist Qianhua raised his hand and slapped him hard in front of everyone.
"Slap!"
Gao Dengyun was stunned, his eyes wide in confusion.
"Hao Chengzi, my disciple was disrespectful to you, and he must be disciplined." The immortal spoke gently, "It’s my fault for not being strict enough; I apologize."
"However…" he looked over the crowd of Moonfire Valley disciples, searching for the girl’s whereabouts.
"On the orders of the sect leader, I need to see that cursed body for myself."
"Please, your sect… show some leniency."
