After the Demon Lord was Reborn, She Switched to a Master-Disciple Romance Script - Chapter 21.2

The Carefree Sword Manual, tailored specifically for her, had nine layers. Zhu Jiyun had already mastered the fourth layer. Her progress had been rapid at first, but as the difficulty increased, practice alone wasn’t enough. She now needed to comprehend the Sword Dao within.

However, that was a concern for the sixth layer. For now, Zhu Jiyun needed to practice diligently every day, refining her Master’s sword intent into her own Dao. Only then would she be ready to advance.

She thought her Master had come to test her progress on the fourth layer of cultivation.

But to her surprise, her Master stopped her. “We’ll end here for today. Come with me down the mountain to meet your Martial Aunt.”

Zhu Jiyun realized that since waking up and moving her things from Azure Phoenix Courtyard, she hadn’t left the mountain or seen anyone else!

She obediently sheathed her sword and followed Xun Juexue outside. “Master, is there something important we need to do down the mountain?”

Xun Juexue replied, “Nothing urgent. Though we are Master and Disciple, we haven’t held the formal initiation ceremony yet. We’re going to the Main Peak for that.”

So that’s why.

Zhu Jiyun nodded and rode her Master’s wind-riding technique down the mountain.

At the Main Peak, Zhu Jiyun followed her Master into the Profound Cloud Hall, where the Sect Leader worked and rested. Behind the hall lay the Profound Cloud Courtyard, the Main Peak’s central residence for the Sect Leader and their disciples.

When Zhu Jiyun and her Master arrived at the main hall, the Sect Leader and several disciples were already there.

As Zhu Jiyun entered, she immediately spotted the only man among the group: Ji Chengyu.

He was seated at the lower end of the group. When he saw her arrive, his expression remained cold and severe, but he finally stopped staring at her with that sinister, fixed gaze he’d been giving her earlier.

Sect Leader Ning Huaizhu stood waiting in the hall. Her face lit up when she saw the two of them approach. She first greeted Xun Juexue with a respectful “Senior Sister,” then turned her warm gaze to Zhu Jiyun beside her, her voice filled with satisfaction. “This must be Martial Niece Ji Yun.”

Zhu Jiyun bowed politely. “Greetings, Sect Leader.”

Ning Huaizhu smiled. “Calling me ‘Sect Leader’ is far too formal. Your master and I are fellow disciples, like sisters. Just call me ‘Martial Aunt.'”

Zhu Jiyun quickly corrected herself. “Greetings, Martial Aunt.”

Ning Huaizhu’s satisfaction grew at the girl’s obedient demeanor.

That day at the summit of Heart-Questioning Cliff, she and her senior sister had witnessed this child climb to the peak, her fingertips bloody and her face streaked with blood. Such unwavering determination and resolve were truly admirable!

This was the disciple Senior Sister had long desired, so Ning Huaizhu had no other thoughts. But soon after Senior Sister carried her new disciple away from the Heart-Questioning Cliff’s summit, Ning Huaizhu saw another person climb to the top.

This person’s perseverance and determination were also remarkable. Though he couldn’t stand up even after reaching the peak, Ning Huaizhu was still very pleased.

She had already planned to take one more closed-door disciple this year. Since that was the case, he would be the one!

She called her disciples over and had them greet each other.

Zhu Jiyun followed the Sect Leader Martial Aunt’s introductions, meeting each disciple in turn. When she reached the fourth disciple, Ji Chengyu, she smiled and asked, “Martial Aunt, I’ve been calling the others ‘Senior Sister.’ Should I call him ‘Senior Brother’ too?”

Ning Huaizhu shook her head. “Chengyu became a disciple later than you, so naturally, you should call him ‘Senior Sister.'”

With that, she gestured for Ji Chengyu to greet her.

Ji Chengyu: “……”

He felt stifled, but he had to obey his master’s words.

Reluctantly, he said, “Senior Sister.”

Zhu Jiyun’s lips curved downward. “Aiya, Junior Brother.”

Ji Chengyu stared at Zhu Jiyun’s smiling face, instantly recognizing the gloating beneath her cheerful expression. The sight of that detestable face made his gaze involuntarily turn cold.

But in the next moment, he met a pair of icy, indifferent eyes. His heart jolted, and he hastily looked away, lowering his gaze.

Xun Juexue, too, subtly shifted her gaze.

Zhu Jiyun, noticing this silent exchange, pondered briefly before flashing her Master a sweet smile.

Ji Chengyu’s fists clenched involuntarily at his sides. Yet, as he recalled that everything Zhu Jiyun had achieved seemed to be earned through her own strength, a flicker of self-doubt crossed his downcast face. His tightly clenched fists gradually relaxed.

He was no match for her.

He was indeed no match for her right now.

Ji Chengyu forced himself to acknowledge this bitter truth.

Once the juniors had greeted everyone and introductions were complete, the day’s main business began.

Xun Juexue and Ning Huaizhu sat in the high seats at the head of the hall. To their right, the three Senior Sisters who had just greeted them took their places. Zhu Jiyun and Ji Chengyu stood together in the center of the hall, each holding a bowl of tea.

Offering tea to one’s master was normal, perfectly normal.

With this thought, Zhu Jiyun walked up to Xun Juexue without hesitation and dropped to one knee with a thud. But before she could lower her other knee, her master said, “That’s enough.”

Zhu Jiyun looked up, startled.

Wait, Master, do you even know what kneeling on one knee means? Why is “that’s enough”?

This is a master-disciple ceremony, not a marriage proposal!

Xun Juexue didn’t understand the meaning of kneeling on one knee. She only remembered that her little disciple had scraped her right knee while practicing swordsmanship a few days ago, and she was worried about her.

Seeing the meaning in her master’s eyes, Zhu Jiyun froze for a moment but accepted her master’s kindness.

After all, no one in this world knows what kneeling on one knee means.

With this thought, she knelt comfortably on her left knee, raised the tea, and declared loudly, “Disciple Zhu Jiyun pays respects to Master!”

Xun Juexue took the tea, sipped it solemnly, and said, “Now that you have become my disciple, you must never commit evil deeds or act violently.”

She didn’t require her disciples to be as selfless as she was. Whatever their ambitions, as long as they didn’t violate morality or commit crimes, she would accept them.

The former Demon Lord, now reformed and serving as Immortal Venerable Qingwu’s sole disciple, Zhu Jiyun, replied with a pure and innocent expression, “I will follow Master’s teachings!”

Xun Juexue nodded in satisfaction. “Rise.”

Next came Ji Chengyu’s tea offering.

Zhu Jiyun showed no interest in Ji Chengyu’s formal apprenticeship ceremony. Only when Ji Chengyu’s knees struck the ground with a solid thud did she glance sideways.

After all, few could make the proud and arrogant Ji Chengyu kneel in submission.

Catching Zhu Jiyun’s gaze, which seemed to be watching the spectacle with amusement, Ji Chengyu gritted his teeth inwardly.

Ning Huaizhu, seated at the head of the table, noticed her disciple’s fleeting, undisguised expression and frowned.

This child’s temperament is indeed unstable.

She had heard of Ji Chengyu’s spectacular battle against her Senior Sister’s disciple in the second round of the Outer Sect Disciple Grand Competition, which ended with her disciple being buried alive. Ning Huaizhu had witnessed countless sect competitions and initially dismissed it as trivial. However, her disciple’s reaction now suggested deep-seated resentment.

This was, after all, a formal apprenticeship ceremony. Xun Juexue took a sip of the tea her new disciple offered and repeated the same words she had said two or three times already, her tone neither warm nor cold. When Ji Chengyu acknowledged her, she told him to rise.

Afterward, the group moved to a side hall where Zhu Jiyun and Ji Chengyu each lit a stick of incense for their Martial Ancestor before departing.

With this, the apprenticeship ceremony was complete.

Xun Juexue had originally descended the mountain solely to oversee Zhu Jiyun’s apprenticeship ceremony. Now that the matter was concluded, she intended to take Zhu Jiyun back to Forgotten Solitude Peak.

Zhu Jiyun tugged at her sleeve and called out sweetly, “Master, since we’re already down here, could I visit my two friends? Please?”

Xun Juexue paused. “Of course,” she replied calmly.

Zhu Jiyun’s face lit up with an irrepressible smile. Seeing this, Xun Juexue’s gaze seemed to burn, and she quickly looked away.

“Thank you, Master!” Zhu Jiyun gushed, her voice dripping with flattery. “You’re the best!”

Xun Juexue paused again. “Go early and return early.”

No sooner had the words left her lips than her disciple darted away like a kite released into the wind, vanishing in an instant.

Xun Juexue stared after her.

That disciple sure can run fast.

Zhu Jiyun first met with Ji Nianyan to ask how she was doing. Learning that she was well and that her master, though strict and proper, treated his disciples kindly, Zhu Jiyun felt relieved.

She had initially saved Ji Nianyan and, because the girl bore a resemblance to her younger sister from her previous life, decided to escort her to Liulan Mountain. But fate, or perhaps some cosmic twist, had dragged her into this world instead.

Zhu Jiyun didn’t blame Ji Nianyan for taking the initiative to grab her hand and press it against the Spirit Activation Platform.

After checking on Ji Nianyan, she listened to the girl chatter about waiting for a while. If the Hall of Myriad Affairs had any Human Realm missions suitable for her, she could take a token and go complete them, settling scores along the way.

Zhu Jiyun nodded and hummed in agreement, her gaze drifting to Xia Lianjiao, who was running toward them like a radiant butterfly.

“Zhu Jiyun! How’s life on Forgotten Solitude Peak?”

“It’s fine,” Zhu Jiyun replied. “The daily routine is very structured.” If only I didn’t have to practice swordsmanship for so long every day.

She casually asked about Xia Lianjiao’s situation and, hearing that everything was going well, inquired further: “Since we left, has anyone moved into our old quarters at Azure Phoenix Courtyard?”

“No, why do you ask?” Xia Lianjiao replied.

“I forgot my Alchemy Cauldron there,” Zhu Jiyun said.

A few days ago, Zhu Jiyun had suddenly felt the urge to refine pills. It was then she realized she’d forgotten to bring her Alchemy Cauldron when packing. After searching the Hall of Unforgettable Solitude without finding it, she remembered Instructor Wang’s words: “Even our Master isn’t skilled in Pill Refinement.”

It made perfect sense that the Hall of Unforgettable Solitude wouldn’t have an Alchemy Cauldron.

“Then hurry and get it!” Xia Lianjiao said, understanding. “Do you want Xiaoyan and me to go with you?”

Zhu Jiyun waved her hand. But before leaving, she suddenly asked, “Jiaojiao, how’s your relationship with Ji Chengyu progressing?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Xia Lianjiao froze for a moment. After the initial shock, her face flushed crimson.

“Zhu Jiyun, why are you asking that all of a sudden?” she asked, her cheeks rosy.

Hadn’t Zhu Jiyun always been at odds with Ji Chengyu?

Zhu Jiyun replied calmly, “Today, I accompanied Master to the Profound Cloud Courtyard for my formal apprenticeship ceremony and ran into him. Now that he’s my Junior Brother, any past grudges should be forgotten. Besides, you’re my friend. Is it wrong for me to ask about your love life?”

“Oh, right.”

Thinking it over, Xia Lianjiao’s apple cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but she still spoke, her voice barely a whisper: “…What kind of romantic progress could we possibly have? We’re just friends.”

Hearing this, Ji Nianyan covered her mouth, laughing silently.

Zhu Jiyun didn’t laugh. She looked at Xia Lianjiao’s rosy face, choosing not to press the matter. Instead, she said, “I see. Don’t worry about it. I was just asking casually.”

Xia Lianjiao, feeling her face burn, glared at her.

Zhu Jiyun smiled and bid them farewell. “I’ll go retrieve my pill furnace from Azure Phoenix Courtyard now.”

The moment she turned away, the smile vanished from her face.

Having learned about the pair’s romantic progress, she was now going to investigate something else.

Zhu Jiyun returned to Azure Phoenix Courtyard, retrieved her forgotten pill furnace, and stored it in her Cosmic Pouch. Instead of immediately returning to Forgotten Solitude Peak, she took a detour.

Jade Horizon Peak, one of the Qingmiao Sect’s seven major peaks, was home to Elder Yue and his disciples.

Zhu Jiyun now stood at the foot of Jade Horizon Peak, gazing upward.

Among the seven peaks of Qingmiao Sect, only Forgotten Solitude Peak soared into the clouds, farthest from the Main Peak. The other five peaks encircled the Main Peak. Unlike Immortal Venerable Qingwu, who shunned the world and sought solitude, the Elders welcomed visitors, so the foot of the five peaks was often bustling with activity, far from desolate.

Right now, there was indeed someone there.

And the central figure of this scene was someone Zhu Jiyun recognized from her past life.

She stopped beside a tall tree, quietly observing the distant commotion.

“Senior Brother,” Han Banmeng said, nervously clutching the hem of her robe as she watched the only senior brother under their Master approach.

Zhao Qianfan, the senior brother she addressed, replied with a serious expression, “Since Young Master Gongye entrusted me with your care, I naturally agreed, given our friendship. Besides, you’re now my little junior sister, so it’s only natural for me to look after you. Why are you so nervous?”

In truth, his relationship with Gongye Yuan was superficial at best. The Gongye and Zhao families had some dealings in the mortal world, and years ago, the Zhao family had even relied heavily on the Gongye family. But those were matters of the mortal realm. After years of studying under Elder Yue and becoming his only male disciple, Zhao Qianfan was no longer the same man he once was.

Did Gongye Yuan still think of him as he used to be? How laughable!

However, the woman Gongye Yuan had asked him to look after was quite beautiful. Now that she was his Little Junior Sister, with Master busy cultivating and his two Senior Sisters traveling abroad, guiding her cultivation naturally fell to him, her Senior Brother.

Zhao Qianfan’s eyes flickered at this thought.

This feeling again.

Han Banmeng always felt uneasy under her Senior Brother’s gaze. Yet when she looked closer, she could only see concern in his eyes.

Zhao Qianfan had a face with sharp features and an imposing presence. When he spoke with righteous solemnity, it only reinforced the impression that he was a man of unwavering integrity.

Han Banmeng avoided his gaze. “I’m not nervous,” she said.

“Then why do you keep dodging me when I try to teach you swordsmanship?” Zhao Qianfan asked, his brow furrowing as if hurt. “Do you doubt my ability to guide you?”

“No, that’s not it at all!” Han Banmeng quickly replied. “I just… I’m not used to people being so close.”

When her Senior Brother taught her swordsmanship, he always stood behind her, guiding her movements with his hands. Whether it was her imagination or not, Han Banmeng often felt he was standing too close.

But whenever she turned her head, he would be looking at her with such stern focus that she couldn’t let her mind wander.

Han Banmeng couldn’t shake off that nagging discomfort.

“I’m your Senior Brother,” Zhao Qianfan insisted. “Who else could I be? It’s said that one day as a master earns lifelong respect like a father. Since we both became Master’s disciples, we’re naturally as close as blood siblings. There’s nothing to be shy about!”

That was true.

In the Cultivation World, the Master-Disciple relationship was sacred, sometimes mirroring the bond between parents and children in the Human Realm. Respect for one’s master was paramount, and boundaries were never to be crossed.

Her relationship with Senior Brother Zhao Qianfan was indeed closer than that of ordinary siblings.

But Han Banmeng had never witnessed how her two Senior Sisters interacted with him. Zhao Qianfan’s words immediately made her doubt her own sensitivity again.

Seeing her soften, Zhao Qianfan pressed his advantage. “Besides, since your Young Master entrusted you to my care, he clearly trusts my character. If you don’t believe me, surely you believe Young Master Gongye, right?”

With that, Han Banmeng’s resistance crumbled.

Of course, how could she not trust Young Master Gongye?

He had always been exceptionally kind to her, a mere servant girl. When he learned she possessed a Spiritual Root, he not only generously gifted her silver but also, knowing she had come to Qingmiao Sect alone, specially sent word to Senior Brother Zhao Qianfan to look after her.

Han Banmeng lifted her delicate face, a hint of embarrassment coloring her cheeks. “Senior Brother, I was wrong to worry you.”

Zhao Qianfan’s heart fluttered at the sight of her, yet a flicker of displeasure crossed his mind when he remembered how readily she obeyed Gongye Yuan.

No matter, he thought. There’s plenty of time. I’ll train her properly.

“Since you’ve come to your senses, we can’t waste another day.” Zhao Qianfan glanced around, ensuring they were alone. Seeing Han Banmeng’s wide, fluttering eyes, he recalled how long it had been since he’d returned from a mission to the Human Realm without touching a woman. His restraint began to crumble. “Why don’t you demonstrate your skills for me now? I want to see if you’ve been slacking off these past few days.”

Sword practice was all it was. Han Banmeng didn’t hesitate. “Senior Brother, I haven’t been slacking off! Watch!”

She drew her sword and immediately began to practice her forms.

Zhao Qianfan’s gaze fixed on her lithe waist as she moved, his breathing growing heavier.

She’s just a servant girl, he thought. Even if she’s become Master’s disciple, she’s nothing more than a token Little Junior Sister, someone easily overlooked and used as filler.

If it had been Zhu Jiyun, the woman Master had once admired and considered taking as a disciple, he wouldn’t have dared act this way.

But this was the timid Han Banmeng. What was there to fear?

With that thought, Zhao Qianfan hesitated no longer.

He leaned closer. “Keep practicing. I need to get a better look.”

Han Banmeng hesitated for only a moment before continuing her practice smoothly.

Suddenly, a warm body pressed against her from behind.

She stiffened completely.

But remembering her Senior Brother’s earlier words, she told herself it was nothing.

Zhao Qianfan took her hand, guiding her posture. “You made a mistake in that move. It should be done like this.”

Han Banmeng remained rigid, letting her Senior Brother guide her sword.

Noticing her lack of resistance, Zhao Qianfan’s lips curved slightly, and he didn’t release her hand, continuing to guide her through the practice.

“Junior Sister, there’s no need to be nervous,” he said. “Think of us as siblings without blood ties. Besides, physical contact is normal when I’m correcting your sword form.”

Han Banmeng’s face had paled slightly, but she continued to follow his instructions.

But soon, she couldn’t endure it any longer.

She realized her Senior Brother seemed to be kissing her earlobe.

That was her most sensitive spot. The moment she noticed, Han Banmeng could no longer restrain herself. She instinctively swung her sword backward.

Zhao Qianfan, lost in the warmth of her scent, never expected his usually timid Junior Sister to turn on him. The sword pierced his left arm!

“Han Banmeng!” he roared, furious. “You ungrateful wretch!”

Zhu Jiyun saw him draw his sword, clearly intending to teach Han Banmeng a bloody lesson.

Han Banmeng stood frozen in place, trembling.

Zhu Jiyun watched Zhao Qianfan’s bloodstained left arm, her expression cold and severe. Yet she remained hidden, refusing to reveal herself.

She coldly observed this absurd spectacle of senior brother and junior sister drawing swords against each other. Han Banmeng was no match for Zhao Qianfan.

Just as Zhao Qianfan, his face livid, was about to strike Han Banmeng, a thunderous shout suddenly erupted.

“What are you doing?!”

With a ringing clang, Ji Chengyu made his heroic entrance, deflecting Zhao Qianfan’s sword with a single strike.

Seeing this, Zhu Jiyun, who had been concealed in the shadows, felt neither disappointment nor surprise.

After all, she had long heard the story of how Ji Chengyu, the Sect Leader’s closed-door disciple, had rescued his Little Junior Sister from danger after the apprenticeship ceremony, winning her heart in the process.

Now, she was merely witnessing the inevitable unfold before her eyes.

If not for Han Banmeng, how would the Female Lead’s infatuation with Ji Chengyu have spurred the Male and Female Leads to confess their feelings and deepen their bond?

This pivotal plot point, the catalyst for the Male and Female Leads’ romantic breakthrough, had remained unchanged across two lifetimes.

The fleeting joy she had felt at disrupting fate’s course through her apprenticeship vanished completely.

Concealing the darkness and deep contemplation in her eyes, Zhu Jiyun turned and left.

Support After the Demon Lord was Reborn, She Switched to a Master-Disciple Romance Script