After Faking Her Death and Escaping, the Junior Sister Fell to the Demonic Path - Chapter 15

Elder Wei’s lecture was exceptionally quiet due to the presence of Qin Qingyi, the “Acting Enforcement Elder.” Even the disciples who had grievances in their hearts didn’t dare to clamor in front of her.

It was a joke! That was the “Acting Enforcement Elder,” who genuinely had the real authority to punish them. If their previous defiance of the lecturing elder were truly pursued, they would all face a caning and a deduction of spirit stones.

Not only that, but on a more serious note, they might even lose their disciple stipend for the following month.

However, Qin Qingyi didn’t seem inclined to pursue the matter further. Realizing this, the disciples who had been on edge for half the class secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The lecture was nearly over.

The paper in Zhou Zhixue’s hands was filled with notes.

Seeing the class drawing to a close, Zhou Zhixue carefully folded the notes and put them back in her bosom, intending to review them properly after dismissal.

But Elder Wei clearly had no intention of letting her off easily. She had been intently watching this earnest, promising student earlier, and now, seeing her finish her notes, she walked over and asked, “Did you understand what I taught?”

Suddenly called out, Zhou Zhixue looked up, a little lost. She gazed at the gentle-looking Elder Wei and stammered in reply, “I, I understood…”

“Hold out your hand,” Elder Wei instructed.

Zhou Zhixue widened her eyes, not understanding Elder Wei’s intent. However, Elder Wei didn’t give her much time to react. Seeing her dazed, she reached out directly, took Zhou Zhixue’s hand, and placed her fingers on her wrist.

Zhou Zhixue didn’t dare to move, allowing the elder to hold her hand, but her eyes sought help from Qin Qingyi:

“Senior Sister…”

Seeing this, Qin Qingyi shrugged slightly, suppressed a smile, and stood up to reassure her: “Don’t be afraid. Elder Wei is checking your root bone.”

Elder Wei and their Master had a very close relationship. Their Master must have told Elder Wei some things about Zhou Zhixue—for instance, the Sword Bone.

Sure enough, Elder Wei’s expression grew more relaxed as time passed, and finally, the look in her eyes as she looked at Zhou Zhixue was alight with a fiery glow.

“Wén Qīng was right. She’s indeed a great seedling for sword cultivation!”

She whispered, her hand still holding Zhou Zhixue’s wrist.

“Good child, are you willing to take me as your master and study the sword with me?”

Her eyes shone brightly, clearly coveting Zhou Zhixue, this prized asset.

This child was a natural-born prodigy for sword cultivation. Those hands, not wielding a sword, would be a complete waste! Such a good sword-cultivation seedling couldn’t be allowed to be ruined by Hidden Snow Peak.

Look at how the few good seedlings on Hidden Snow Peak have been neglected and ruined by Wén Qīng! It would be better for her to teach her. She would certainly not waste this child’s talent and would definitely polish this uncut jade into a genius that would astound the world!

Just by looking at Elder Wei’s expression, Qin Qingyi knew what she was thinking. Thinking back to past scenes, Qin Qingyi couldn’t help but twitch the corner of her mouth.

Yet, she tried her best to keep her expression unchanged, saying, “Elder Wei, she is a disciple of my Hidden Snow Peak. Naturally, the people of my Hidden Snow Peak will teach her.”

Elder Wei was insistent: “Your Master isn’t here. Who can teach her? Why not let this venerable one teach her? What? Do you look down on this venerable one’s Sword Dao?”

Qin Qingyi quickly bowed her head and pleaded, “I wouldn’t dare.”

Qin Qingyi smiled outwardly, but in her heart, she cursed this old fox: She’s just digging traps for me. If you want to snatch a disciple, just say so. What’s with all the roundabout talk? It’s unnecessarily troublesome.

And she’s accusing me of questioning her swordsmanship.

What a joke.

Who would dare to question your swordsmanship?

The last person who defied you was run through, and his grave’s grass is probably two meters high now.

Elder Wei was a person who, while you could criticize her for other things, would brook no slight whatsoever concerning the “Sword.”

A Nascent Soul cultivator, barely a hundred years old, she came to the Sword Sect as a minor visiting elder to study the Sword Dao, yet within ten short years, she had taken root and established her own mountain peak, leaping from a visiting elder to one of the most senior elders of the Sword Sect.

In the span of a few years, she had defeated half the elders of the Sword Sect with “sparring matches.” Even in a sect where sword practitioners were as numerous as fish crossing a river, Elder Wei deserved the title of “Sword Obsessive.”

She was a natural-born sword obsessive. Legend has it that when Elder Wei was a month old and participating in the traditional “Zhōu Zhuā” (grasping objects to predict fate), she bypassed a myriad of treasures and headed straight for a small wooden sword.

Since then, she had been on a mad dash down the path of the Sword Dao, never looking back.

“Elder Wei’s Sword Dao is naturally first-rate, it’s just…” Qin Qingyi took a deep breath, struggling to find the right words.

“Just what?” Elder Wei pressed, clearly determined to gain custody of Zhou Zhixue’s mentorship.

Zhou Zhixue hid behind Qin Qingyi, nervously watching the scene. She looked up at her Senior Sister, who was shielding her, and tightly clutched the fabric of her robe.

“It’s just that this child has her own mind. If Elder Wei wishes to teach her the sword, you should first ask for her opinion.” Qin Qingyi quickly finished her sentence, which finally appeased Elder Wei’s questioning gaze.

“So that’s it.” Seeing her being so cooperative, Elder Wei gave an arrogant “humpf” and then lifted her chin contentedly. “That’s easy. Since we need to ask her opinion, this venerable one shall ask.”

Elder Wei turned her head back and continued her earnest persuasion for Zhou Zhixue to switch peaks and become her disciple.

Not knowing what she was thinking, she conjured a string of candied hawthorns (Tánghúlu), and her voice softened: “Good child, this venerable one sees that your bone structure is extraordinary and you are most suitable to cultivate under my guidance. Are you willing to change your master and join me?”

Hearing the same words come from Elder Wei’s mouth again, Xiè Sù and Hú Yǔ, who were waiting on the side, almost fell over.

Qin Qingyi was somewhat more composed, but the corner of her mouth couldn’t help but twitch again.

More than ten years had passed, and Elder Wei’s lines were still so cliché.

Why didn’t she ever try a fresh approach?

The three of them had the exact same thought.

Could it be because she’s always obsessed with practicing the sword and hasn’t left the mountain for decades?

Has she not known that the methods for tricking children outside have changed several times?

Too cliché.

The three of them collectively shook their heads.

It would be truly strange if she managed to “deceive” someone with this.

To be honest, Elder Wei and Hidden Snow Peak had quite a deep history. As for how deep…

Qin Qingyi, Xiè Sù, and Hú Yǔ exchanged a look, and the three of them simultaneously looked up at the sky.

It was probably the history of an unrequited love for the disciples of Hidden Snow Peak.

The matter dated back more than ten years, to the first time Wén Qīng True Person brought Qin Qingyi to the Sword Sect.

At that time, Elder Wei suddenly appeared from who knows where, grabbed Qin Qingyi’s hand, stuffed a string of candied hawthorns into it, and immediately wanted Qin Qingyi to take her as her master.

The young Qin Qingyi was bewildered, holding the candied hawthorns, until Elder Wei discovered she had already been accepted as a disciple of Hidden Snow Peak. Elder Wei was instantly disappointed and left tearfully.

Later, when Xiè Sù was inducted, the same scene was repeated. Of course, the ending was still Elder Wei leaving with a broken heart.

Hú Yǔ was the same. He said nothing, ate all three strings of candied hawthorns Elder Wei gave him, and then told her he had already joined Hidden Snow Peak, which instantly made Elder Wei nearly faint from anger.

Now, the same story had finally come full circle again, except this time, the three of them were merely observers.

Watching Elder Wei’s child-coaxing tactics, Zhou Zhixue took two steps back in distress, tilted her head toward Qin Qingyi, and looked to her for help.

“Senior Sister…”

Seeing the child on the verge of tears, Elder Wei was still relentless, chattering non-stop, repeating the same lines about wanting her to take her as her master.

Qin Qingyi secretly sighed, beginning to call out to Wén Qīng True Person in her heart.

Master, why aren’t you here yet? If you don’t come soon, your little apprentice is going to be snatched away!