Chapter 8 Part 1
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This chapter is edited by Farouq Omileye. Thank you for your contribution!
Chapter 8: The Water Is Cold, and the Wind Is Blowing! (1)
When in a good mood, the scenery becomes naturally beautiful.
The same stream that once annoyed her—making her wish she could block it with a big iron stick—now seemed enchanting. In her elevated spirits, she couldn’t help but plunge her head directly into the water.
Late at night, the spring water felt warm despite the coolness of the hour.
Yu Ying held her breath for a long time, staying submerged until the boiling rage within her finally cooled.
When she surfaced, the sound of splashing water broke the stillness of the night.
Whoa—
The clear stream rippled as droplets fell back into the water. Yu Ying’s crimson cheeks, once flushed with emotion, now returned to their normal hue.
She tightened her fists, straightened her back slightly, and with renewed determination declared, “Just like the Original Dragon’s test, joining Qiongming Peak is only the first step in my long journey!”
To Yu Ying, the second step was just as important: earning the trust of her Elder Martial Sisters so they would truly accept her.
Though they were kind to her, it wasn’t enough.
Watching the second and third Elder Martial Sisters confiding in each other, heads close together, stirred an envy within her. She longed to be part of that bond.
But how?
The only way she could think of was proving herself—showing her Elder Martial Sisters that she wasn’t a weakling who needed constant protection.
She wanted to demonstrate her strength.
Before meeting Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian, she had been nothing more than a mediocre cultivator who reached the Foundation Establishment Stage only by consuming medicinal pills.
But things had changed.
The first level of the Original Dragon’s trial had elevated her cultivation to the peak of the Foundation Establishment Stage. After transforming her body into a sword, the mysteries within her were enough to compensate for her lack of experience.
She resolved that she would never bring shame to Qiongming Peak.
More importantly, she wanted to prove her usefulness.
“I am a sword!” Yu Ying’s expression grew serious.
She wasn’t joking. She truly was a sword.
To her, the simplest measure of a sword’s worth was whether or not it was useful. No matter how it was wielded, it had to be valuable.
Yu Ying didn’t want to be a mere decoration—something beautiful but functionless.
Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian had saved her from a life of suffering, and Yu Ying’s dream was to become the sword in Bai Lian’s hand!
But for now, that dream seemed distant. She wasn’t even close to being worthy of touching Bai Lian’s toes.
So she resolved to temper herself constantly, becoming stronger with every trial.
Only then could she contribute to Qiongming Peak’s glory.
Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian’s words echoed in her mind:
“If you can’t even clean a room, how can you clean the world?”
Yu Ying clenched her fists with newfound resolve. She would start by helping Elder Martial Sister Jade Rabbit!
—
The Next Morning
Something big had happened.
It was news so shocking that it shook all of East Divine Land.
While Bai Lian wandered the Duxian Sect grounds, she overheard disciples discussing an emergency meeting convened by the sect leader.
The meeting’s theme?
The Ancient Evil Demon.
A month earlier, a demon had appeared out of nowhere and decimated the entire Wushan Holy Palace with nothing more than a rusty lance.
The Wushan Holy Palace—one of the Four Great Sects—had been utterly defeated.
When the news broke, fear swept across East Divine Land. Many worried that the demon might soon descend upon their sects, bringing similar devastation.
In a state of panic, smaller sects formed alliances, believing safety lay in numbers. Only together could they breathe a temporary sigh of relief.
But just as suddenly as the demon had appeared, she vanished.
No one saw her again. It was as if she had never existed.
Had she died?
Had she left this world entirely?
Speculation ran rampant.
And then, that very morning, new information spread across the land.
No one doubted its legitimacy—it came as a joint statement from the Taixuan and Taiqing Taoist Sects.
Hundreds of years earlier, these two sects had been one, only to split due to an irreconcilable clash of ideas. Hostile toward each other ever since, their disciples often fought fiercely.
If even these two rival sects had come together, the threat must be truly terrifying.
The fear was palpable among disciples gathered in the square.
“It’s said that the demon infiltrated both sects’ forbidden areas on her own,” one disciple whispered, trembling. “None of their defenses could stop her.”
“Five Immortals attacked her at once,” another added, “and yet, she yawned, as if taking a casual stroll.”
Ultimately, the sects were forced to unleash their most powerful Immortal Tool to drive her away.
The disciples’ faces were pale as they discussed the news.
“The demon is too powerful!”
Before, many believed that the combined might of the two sects would be enough to eliminate the demon. Now, they realized how naive that hope had been.
“Unite!”
The joint statement urged all major sects to put aside their differences and face the demon together.
If they didn’t unite, the world would surely fall to ruin.
—
Bai Lian’s Reaction
Listening to the chatter, Bai Lian’s expression turned strange.
An ancient demon?
Could it be Shifu again?
Why was her master so intent on stirring trouble for the Four Great Sects?
She wanted to ask An Lan directly, but she already knew how her master would respond:
“How dare you say I’m a demon!”
—
Yunluo Peak
At noon, Bai Lian received a message and hurried to Yunluo Peak, where the sect meeting was drawing to a close.
Jue Yunzi, the sect leader, had decided to respond to the call of the Taixuan and Taiqing Taoist Sects. Elder Gaoyi and Master Yan Yue would lead the group flying out the next day.
Though Jue Yunzi had wanted to go himself, his impending Guafeng Disaster made it unwise.
To Bai Lian’s surprise, An Lan had been selected to join the mission.
The moment she entered the room, Bai Lian saw her master pounding the table, eyes blazing.
“I will kill it myself!” An Lan declared. “That evil demon must die!”
Jue Yunzi looked gratified, mistaking her fiery determination for maturity.
“It seems Martial Sister An Lan has finally embraced her role as a protector of the sect,” he thought to himself.
The matter was decided, though Yan Yue seemed less than thrilled about accompanying An Lan. She could only suppress her displeasure.
—
That afternoon, the Elders prepared to say their goodbyes.
This mission had come too suddenly, leaving little time to prepare.
Everyone understood the stakes: to face the demon was to risk their lives.
How many of them would return?
