After Faking Her Death and Escaping, the Junior Sister Fell to the Demonic Path - Chapter 8

“Master, the child needs to eat.”

Qin Qingyi stated her case righteously.

Venerable Wen Qing, who was in the middle of meditation, couldn’t take it anymore. She opened her eyes and threw a silver pouch directly at her. “There are plenty of restaurants down the mountain. Don’t you know how to take her to one? Stop bothering me every single day.”

How many times has it been this month?!

At least seventeen or eighteen times!!

Each time happened right when she was cultivating. Venerable Wen Qing suspected this girl was simply itching for a beating!

Qin Qingyi grinned, caught the money pouch, but had no intention of leaving.

“Master, your disciple has one more thing to ask.”

Seeing her persistent, Venerable Wen Qing opened her eyes and glared at her troublesome disciple. “What is it?”

Qin Qingyi walked over to Venerable Wen Qing, leaned in close to her ear, and whispered a few words.

After hearing her out, Venerable Wen Qing’s beautiful willow-leaf eyebrows furrowed into a knot. She looked at Qin Qingyi, then at the unaware Zhou Zhixue, and asked suspiciously, “Are you serious?”

She sought confirmation from Qin Qingyi.

“Couldn’t be more serious.” Qin Qingyi nodded repeatedly.

Seeing Qin Qingyi’s earnestness, Venerable Wen Qing had to believe her words. The two exchanged a few more cryptic words, and finally, Venerable Wen Qing sighed. “Forget it. Although the time is still half a year away, I’ll go talk to the Sect Master. The two of you will come with me.”

Walking outside, she summoned her sword, ready to depart, then paused and added, “Both of you come up. Qingyi, don’t use too much spiritual energy for now.” Now that she has recovered, she still needs more rest.

Qin Qingyi obediently nodded, holding Zhou Zhixue’s small hand, and followed Venerable Wen Qing, sharing a ride on the same sword.

In a moment, the three arrived above Sword-Wielding Peak and slowly landed. Venerable Wen Qing then retracted her sword.

“This place is really nice, Senior Martial Sister. It’s not cold at all.”

Qin Qingyi raised her hand to shield the sunlight, sighing with emotion. This comment earned her another sharp glare from Venerable Wen Qing.

Unlike Snow-Hiding Peak, which was covered in snow all year, Sword-Wielding Peak was not as high. The sunlight filtered through the bamboo forest, making the scenery quite lovely.

It was funny, but when Qin Qingyi first became a disciple and followed Venerable Wen Qing to Snow-Hiding Peak, she cried after just one day, begging to go home, complaining it was too cold and refusing to stay.

In the end, Venerable Wen Qing had to cast a spell formation over the entire peak, driving away the bone-chilling cold, which finally stopped the little fox from crying.

The disciples on Sword-Wielding Peak bowed to Venerable Wen Qing upon seeing her, but when their eyes fell on Qin Qingyi and the unknown little child behind her, they all offered looks of sympathy.

Qin Qingyi knew what these looks meant. It was likely that her Master hadn’t publicly explained the situation during her recovery, and coupled with the two loose-lipped little brats on Snow-Hiding Peak, these people were wildly guessing that she had been punished.

As for the curiosity, most of it was directed at the unfamiliar child next to her.

It was hard to explain both the rumors about her and Zhou Zhixue’s origins. Qin Qingyi could only turn solemn, mentally making a note to settle the score with those two rebellious junior brothers when she had time. She’d deal with those two mischievous monkeys properly.

After finally enduring the sympathetic and curious gazes to meet the Sect Master, Venerable Wen Qing pointed to the two children beside her and said, “Senior Martial Sister, do you remember when I mentioned to you a while ago that I picked up a child in the human realm?”

Shangguan Yu’s gaze shifted to the two, lingering on Zhou Zhixue for a moment, then she nodded slightly. “Of course, I remember.”

Not only did she remember, but the impression was deep.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

Venerable Wen Qing sighed, leaned closer to her Senior Martial Sister’s ear, and murmured a few words. This earned Shangguan Yu a look of suspicion. “How much of that is true?”

“Absolutely true!” Venerable Wen Qing nodded gravely.

The two continued speaking in riddles.

After a moment of contemplation, Shangguan Yu closed the door. “Follow me.”

Venerable Wen Qing waved at Qin Qingyi. “Come with your Master.”

So, Qin Qingyi held Zhou Zhixue’s small hand—who, though not understanding what was happening, obediently followed—and trailed the Sect Master toward the back mountain of Sword-Wielding Peak.

Following a winding, narrow path, Shangguan Yu led the three to a hidden cave in the back mountain. She then seemed to dismantle several layers of restrictions and communicate with someone. After a long while, she beckoned them to proceed.

Entering the cave, Shangguan Yu led the way with the three behind her. Qin Qingyi glanced back and noticed that the restrictions that had just been lifted were quickly restored.

After walking for a while inside the cave, just as Qin Qingyi was wondering why the path was so long, Shangguan Yu finally stopped and bowed with cupped hands toward the front. “Grandmaster.”

Oh, it’s the Grandmaster.

Qin Qingyi didn’t think much of it and pulled Zhou Zhixue down with her to bow.

Huh? Grandmaster??

Grandmaster?!!

Where did a Grandmaster come from??!!!

Before she could recover from her shock, the ancient figure seated in meditation at the end of the cave gently raised a hand. A slight, imperceptible breeze carrying a few dark green leaves swept over everyone, circled Zhou Zhixue twice, and gently landed in her upturned palm.

“This child possesses the Innate Sword Bone.”

The aged female voice rang out. Then, the few leaves floated up from Zhou Zhixue’s hand and returned to the front.

This voice sounds just like the elder grandmothers in the clan, Qin Qingyi thought distractedly, completely missing the crucial point of the statement.

But Shangguan Yu and Venerable Wen Qing’s eyes lit up instantly upon hearing this. Sword Bone?! It hasn’t appeared for hundreds of years! It seems this child is naturally destined for the Sword Sect.

“Let her come forward.”

The Grandmaster spoke again.

Shangguan Yu nodded in assent and gently guided Zhou Zhixue away from Qin Qingyi.

Perhaps because Qin Qingyi had been taking care of her these past few days, Zhou Zhixue was particularly attached to her. Leaving Qin Qingyi suddenly made her very uncomfortable, and she struggled, trying to turn back to find her.

Seeing the child being uncooperative, the Grandmaster spoke again, this time directed at Qin Qingyi.

“Let the little fox come over, too.”

But Qin Qingyi was still lost in thought. Seeing her remain motionless, Venerable Wen Qing, who was standing nearby, couldn’t help but reach out and poke her never-worry-free disciple. “The Grandmaster is calling you.”

Only then did Qin Qingyi snap out of her daze. She looked up and saw the Sword Sect Grandmaster looking at her, which gave her a fright.

Why is she looking at me? I didn’t do anything wrong.

“Little fox, come over to this Venerable One,” the Grandmaster said again, sounding quite indulgent and amiable.

“Oh, oh, okay.” Qin Qingyi was dumbfounded, but walked forward and took Zhou Zhixue’s hand again.

Venerable Wen Qing couldn’t help but palm her forehead. This dimwitted fox, she’s really going to cause me trouble.

Once they were closer, the Grandmaster conjured a rusty-looking broken sword in her hand.

Qin Qingyi recognized the item. It was the Sword Sect’s Mountain-Suppressing Treasure, an important artifact used to test disciples’ talent when recruiting. She had used it herself when she was accepted by her Master. She hadn’t expected the artifact to be in the Grandmaster’s keeping instead of the Sect Master’s.

Shangguan Yu took two steps forward, lifted Zhou Zhixue’s other hand, and placed it on the broken sword.

Suddenly, the sword shone brightly. A cold mist spread from under Zhou Zhixue’s palm, enveloping the broken sword and constantly emitting a chilling aura.

Zhou Zhixue pouted, disliking the cold sensation. She turned, wanting to nestle into Qin Qingyi’s arms.

“As expected,” the Grandmaster murmured, then flipped her hand and put the broken sword away.

Zhou Zhixue didn’t understand what it meant, she only wanted to burrow into Qin Qingyi’s arms. But Shangguan Yu and Venerable Wen Qing were overjoyed, and even Qin Qingyi knew what it meant.

She reached out and hugged the child who had tumbled toward her, gently stroking her head to comfort her.

An Innate Sword Bone, combined with an extremely pure Ice Spiritual Root that was highly attuned to spiritual energy—this would be of immense benefit to her future cultivation path.

She had wondered why the child always seemed hungry, yet was only satisfied by consuming spiritual plants. Now she knew: her body had a great demand for spiritual energy and was constantly drawing it in, which was why regular food couldn’t satisfy her appetite.

This is a glutton!

She had originally only sensed an unusual fluctuation of spiritual energy around the child, but the result was even more surprising than she had predicted. The child had an Innate Sword Bone! It was no exaggeration to say that all those who had possessed the Sword Bone in the past were peerless geniuses, who later ascended to the ranks of Immortal Venerables, ensuring the prosperity of the Way of the Sword.

The little one is a genius.

Qin Qingyi looked at the ignorant Zhou Zhixue in her arms and couldn’t help but be happy for her.

Meanwhile, Shangguan Yu and Venerable Wen Qing were still reporting the sect’s current status to the Grandmaster. After the general inquiries were finished, the elder turned her gaze to Venerable Wen Qing:

“Wen Qing, where did this child come from?”

She was asking about Zhou Zhixue.

Venerable Wen Qing was taken aback. After a slight pause, she recounted the entire story: from her calculating the omen and leaving seclusion to travel in the human realm, to the Human Emperor being severely injured and entrusting the child to her.

“So that’s how it is,” the elder nodded, indicating she understood.

She then looked at Zhou Zhixue. “Since this is the case, it shows that you two have a master-disciple fate. Have you performed the master-disciple ceremony?”

Venerable Wen Qing shook her head. “Not yet.”

To choose one as a master is to have them as a master for life. Although the child was urged by her mother to call her “Master” that day, it was under duress. The child was too young to understand the profound meaning, so that could be excused. But as an adult, she couldn’t disregard it.

She had originally intended to raise the child, then observe her talent and wishes, and guide her to choose a suitable path for cultivation.

Venerable Wen Qing was thinking this when she was interrupted.

“You and this child have a master-disciple fate.”

The elder shook her head and stated directly, “The moment she called you ‘Master,’ she, being a Child Favored by Heaven, had every word and action blessed by the Heavenly Dao. Once the word was spoken, it established a Heaven and Earth Heart Vow. She will only be your disciple.”

The Heavenly Secret is thus, it cannot be violated.

Her words ended there. Venerable Wen Qing listened, somewhat flustered, and looked at Shangguan Yu for help. She hadn’t expected that a mere jest…

Shangguan Yu sighed softly and completed the Grandmaster’s unspoken words. “Since it is so, Junior Martial Sister, you should accept her.”

The destined master-disciple fate cannot be avoided. Hesitation will only lead to greater entanglement. Since it is destined for them to become master and disciple, it’s better to immediately follow the will of Heaven.

Venerable Wen Qing pondered for a moment, realizing this was indeed the truth. Although she was still a little unsettled, she had to accept this outcome.

“Then, should we hold a formal acceptance ceremony?”

She mused. Although her previous disciples hadn’t had grand ceremonies, this one… she was, after all, an Innate Sword Bone and a future peerless genius. If it were too casual… she wasn’t sure.

“No need,” the Grandmaster decisively stated.

“Whatever the previous custom was for accepting disciples, let it remain the same now. There is no need for publicity or extravagance. The so-called genius is only qualified to be called a genius when they have fully matured. Those who perish halfway are merely abandoned pieces.”

After saying this, the Grandmaster closed her eyes and re-entered meditation.

It was clearly a sign for them to leave.

This left Shangguan Yu and Venerable Wen Qing looking at each other.