Collecting Disciples for a Hundred Years [Transmigration] - Chapter 7

After stepping out of Elder Wan’s courtyard, Song Junyu quickly returned to her usual self, cheerfully leading Ji Chan to the back mountain for sword practice.

In the evening, Song Junyu called an end to their training half an hour earlier than usual and brought Ji Chan back to their room. With a smile, she handed Ji Chan a storage pouch: “This is a gift from your master!”

She had long prepared to take Ji Chan as her disciple and had the gift ready. Knowing Ji Chan couldn’t use spiritual energy to open the storage pouch, Song Junyu had specially modified its design.

“Do you see these embroidered threads? This one, this one, and these two—trace along them, and it will open…” Song Junyu held Ji Chan’s hand, guiding her to trace the lines on the pouch.

Ji Chan pursed her lips, breathing in Song Junyu’s familiar fragrance. She still wasn’t quite used to Song Junyu’s sudden closeness, but in the blink of an eye, the storage pouch in her hand opened.

As Ji Chan had expected, Song Junyu had filled the pouch with many things: several sets of new clothes and accessories, snacks, some protective talismans and magical tools, a few small spirit stones, and a memory stone.

“Little Chan, from now on, you are my officially recognized disciple. I can’t give you the best things right now, so make do for a while. Once I earn some spirit stones, I’ll buy you better treasures…”

While Song Junyu earnestly made her promise, Ji Chan found herself distracted for the first time during one of Song Junyu’s speeches, her gaze fixed on a set of cloud-silk garments inside the pouch.

Song Junyu had already bought her many clothes recently, yet Song Junyu herself seemed to only ever wear the standard disciple robes.

Ji Chan still remembered the first time she saw Song Junyu. In a pitch-black alley, Song Junyu turned around, clad in cloud-silk garments, radiant and flawless, her celestial beauty resembling the moon at its zenith.

In that moment, the dazed Ji Chan felt as if she had encountered an immortal.

Song Junyu looked truly stunning in cloud-silk garments.

That set of cloud-silk clothes had been stained with Ji Chan’s blood. At the time, Song Junyu had repeatedly insisted that Ji Chan compensate her for the garments. After being rescued by Song Junyu, Ji Chan woke up in her room holding the cloud-silk clothes and tried to wash away the bloodstains, but no matter how hard she scrubbed, they wouldn’t come out.

Later, when Song Junyu returned, she took back the cloud-silk garments and never mentioned the matter again.

Now, the set of cloud-silk garments in the storage pouch had clearly been altered from that original set—the blood-stained hem had been cut away, and it had been tailored to fit Ji Chan’s size…

For some reason, as Ji Chan looked at the seemingly brand-new cloud-silk garments, a strange, bittersweet feeling welled up in a corner of her heart. She couldn’t help but reach out and touch her chest.

Song Junyu, accustomed to Ji Chan’s silence, didn’t notice her unusual reaction. She lifted her head, gazing at the half-set sun outside, then turned back with a smile and handed Ji Chan a veiled hat.

“On such a wonderful day, we must celebrate with a delicious meal!”

The sky was painted in shades of orange, and the distant mountains were hazy. Song Junyu also put on a veiled hat, mounted her flying sword, and took Ji Chan down the mountain into the city.

Having read some medical texts recently, Ji Chan was first taken by Song Junyu to an herb shop, where they bought some basic medicinal ingredients and stored them in Ji Chan’s pouch for her to practice pill-making.

Afterward, the two strolled through the night market.

The city at night was adorned with lanterns and decorations, bustling with crowds of visitors. Ji Chan felt quite uncomfortable in such a lively atmosphere, while Song Junyu seemed to be in her element, eagerly stuffing all sorts of fun trinkets and delicious snacks into Ji Chan’s arms. Had Ji Chan not stopped her, Song Junyu would have even bought several sets of beautiful clothes for her.

By the time they arrived at the restaurant, Ji Chan’s hands were full: in her left hand, she carried a lifelike rabbit lantern, while her right hand held several sticks of sugar figurines and candied hawthorns.

She looked utterly foolish like this!

Beneath her veil, Ji Chan pursed her lips in displeasure, her heart filled with impatience. Countless ideas for escaping this awkward situation flashed through her mind. Yet, as she recalled the tailored Yun Silkworm robe and listened to Song Junyu’s cheerful tone, she ultimately suppressed her irritation and obediently followed behind Song Junyu.

If Song Junyu loved crowds and excitement so much, why had she secluded herself deep in the mountains year after year, never stepping out?

Ji Chan stole several glances at Song Junyu, but the latter remained oblivious. Song Junyu had already reserved a private room in the restaurant. Once the dishes were served, she removed her veil and began eating with great enthusiasm.

Seeing the lavish spread of dishes Song Junyu had ordered, Ji Chan felt a sense of foreboding.

Sure enough, Song Junyu piled food onto Ji Chan’s plate until it resembled a small mountain. While Ji Chan was still struggling to finish the food in her bowl, Song Junyu had already eaten her fill. She slumped back in her chair, unceremoniously rubbing her stomach, and grinned mischievously at Ji Chan.

“Xiao Chan, after we finish eating, we have a special tradition to uphold!”

Ji Chan had little expectation for Song Junyu’s so-called “special tradition.” It wasn’t until she painstakingly finished the mountain of food in her bowl, her stomach aching from overeating, that she struggled to maintain her composure. With an invisibility talisman stuck to her by Song Junyu, they slipped out under the pretext of taking a walk to aid digestion. They soon found themselves in front of a brightly lit building exuding a strong scent of cosmetics and perfume.

Ji Chan’s eyes darkened slightly as she read the plaque at the entrance: “Pleasure Red Pavilion.”

Memories from this body still lingered in her mind. She had suffered greatly in this very building.

Both of them were equipped with invisibility talismans. While such talismans were child’s play to powerful cultivators, they were more than sufficient to evade ordinary mortals.

They passed effortlessly by the guards at the door and entered the Pleasure Red Pavilion.

Inside, music and dance filled the air, creating a scene of decadent revelry.

Ji Chan scanned her surroundings, hoping to find clues that might trigger more memories. But before she could observe carefully, a pair of hands covered her eyes, deftly tying a blindfold over them.

“Xiao Chan, this place is filthy. It’s no place for a child to see,” Song Junyu whispered softly into her ear.

Did Song Junyu not know that she had escaped from this very building?

She had already witnessed its filth firsthand.

A cold laugh echoed in Ji Chan’s heart. Stepping into this building seemed to reawaken the hostility within her, and her thoughts instinctively spiraled into dark suspicions: Song Junyu had brought her here, most likely to remind her of the misery she had endured within these walls, making her more grateful and steadfast in becoming her disciple.

Resolving to play along with Song Junyu’s act, she allowed Song Junyu to lead her by the hand upstairs.

With her photographic memory, she still remembered the layout of this building clearly. Even blindfolded, she knew exactly where Song Junyu was taking her.

When she realized Song Junyu had led her to stop in front of Aunt Liu’s room in the building, Ji Chan’s eyes widened slightly.

She didn’t know why, but she always assumed the worst of cultivators—knowing that some took pleasure in human suffering, deliberately making people believe they had escaped danger only to push them into the abyss when they least expected it.

Had this entire period been nothing but a deception?

Ji Chan bit her lower lip, her body stiffening for a moment without her realizing it. By the time she came to her senses, Junyu had already pulled her into Aunt Liu’s room…

–

For Aunt Liu of the Yihong Pavilion, this night was one of extreme misfortune.

Several girls she had locked up in the building had inexplicably escaped.

Not only had she failed to catch them when she led her people in pursuit, but she had also taken several hard falls along the way, losing teeth in the process.

Perhaps it was due to her many misdeeds, but as she fell, she felt as though someone had slapped her face repeatedly, and she even heard laughter beside her, accompanied by applause: “Well struck! Hit her hard…”

What pained her most was that when she limped back from the clinic to Yihong Pavilion, the personal contracts of the girls she had hidden away had all been burned to ashes, and the silver she had painstakingly saved over the years had vanished without a trace…

Her silver had found its way into the hands of the escaped girls, dropped into the homes of the slums, and transformed into words of gratitude that echoed through the night.

Song Junyu, the one who had orchestrated it all, sat ungracefully on her sword with an invisibility talisman, watching the grateful poor below. She turned to Ji Chan with a radiant smile.

“Little Chan, you’ve helped so many people. Aren’t you happy?”

“If you’re happy, give me a smile!”

Clearly, all of this had been her doing!

This woman had no shame, always trying to pin her deeds on someone else…

Ji Chan’s eyes flickered, and she couldn’t help but bite her lip again.

Yet, perhaps it was the gentle night breeze, the dazzling stars, or the clamor below that muddled her senses. Gazing at Junyu’s beaming face, Ji Chan clenched her hands at her sides and, as if bewitched, slightly lifted the corners of her lips…

–

By the time Song Junyu brought Ji Chan back, it was already past midnight.

Over their time together, Junyu had grown increasingly fond of the diligent and obedient Ji Chan, feeling an urge to give her all the good things in the world.

But due to her past experiences, Ji Chan, despite her youth, carried an air of maturity, lacking the innocence and lightheartedness of other children.

Wanting to bring joy to Ji Chan, Junyu had planned everything that happened that night—much like how her adoptive mother, after Junyu was accepted into a prestigious university, had made multiple copies of her admission letter and sent them to the hometowns of the relatives who had abandoned her, ensuring they became the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons.

Settling scores and savoring vengeance truly were among life’s greatest pleasures!

As Junyu watched Ji Chan holding the rabbit lantern, recalling the faint, budding smile that had graced her lips earlier—like a flower beginning to bloom, innocent and shy—her mood remained wonderfully buoyant.

Not wanting to disrupt the serene atmosphere, she chatted idly with Ji Chan all the way back until they reached Qing Ping Sect. Only then did Junyu casually remark, “Little Chan, take a look at the memory stone.”

On the memory stone was a complete demonstration of the sword technique performed by Song Junyu.

After returning, Lin Ying informed Song Junyu that she had signed an agreement with a specialized artifact shop. From then on, all the artifacts Song Junyu refined could be sold through that shop. Many people were already waiting for the swords Song Junyu was crafting, and the shop had urged her repeatedly. Song Junyu could no longer delay.

This time, the number of swords to be refined was much larger than before, and Song Junyu would need to seclude herself for at least two months.

Concerned about Ji Chan, Song Junyu made preparations in advance, gathering the cultivation techniques and items Ji Chan would need and carefully placing them into a Qiankun bag.

Song Junyu spent about a quarter of an hour explaining everything Ji Chan needed to pay attention to in the coming days, then sent her back to her room to rest. However, after Ji Chan left, Song Junyu found herself unable to calm down, feeling as though she had forgotten something.

It wasn’t until she peeked into Ji Chan’s room and saw the girl still studying late into the night by lamplight that Song Junyu remembered what she had overlooked. Ji Chan was so diligent that if no one kept an eye on her for the next two months, she might exhaust herself.

With this thought, Song Junyu used a talisman to summon a gust of wind that blew in through the window and extinguished the lamp in Ji Chan’s room.

Before Ji Chan could relight it, Song Junyu’s voice transmission reached her:

“Little Chan, it’s time to sleep!”

The room fell silent instantly.

But Song Junyu still couldn’t relax.

She knew that Ji Chan, being so obedient, wouldn’t get up to relight the lamp. However, she could manage tonight but not the days to come. Moreover, with the lamp extinguished, the courtyard was pitch black, and the young girl might wake up frightened in the middle of the night…

After some thought, Song Junyu’s gaze fell upon the rabbit-shaped lantern Ji Chan had unintentionally left in her room.

The lantern was incredibly adorable, and Song Junyu had fallen in love with it at first sight, impulsively buying it for Ji Chan.

Now, it was the perfect item to modify.

…

Song Junyu worked late into the night.

Inspired by the revolving lanterns she had seen in the mortal world, she adjusted the lantern’s structure, placing a spirit stone inside. When the wind blew, each side of the rabbit lantern would cast different shadows on the ground.

And every night at Hai hour (9–11 p.m.), the lantern would emit Song Junyu’s voice urging Ji Chan to sleep: “Little Chan, it’s time for bed…”

Song Junyu hung the rabbit lantern on a tree outside Ji Chan’s door. The ancient tree stood quietly, the lantern’s glow shimmering softly, creating a poetic scene.

Extremely satisfied, Song Junyu finally felt at ease and drifted off to sleep.

–

Late that night.

Ji Chan, who had been troubled by nightmares and struggled to sleep, woke up once again from a dream.

Rubbing her throbbing head, she glanced toward the window. Unlike the usual pitch darkness, a rabbit lantern emitting a warm orange glow—the very one she had deliberately left in Song Junyu’s room—now hung outside her window.

The lantern cast shifting shadows on the ground: one moment, flowers and grass; the next, a strangely shaped tiger; then, a little girl with two pigtails…

This was clearly the handiwork of her unconventional master!

Ji Chan stared expressionlessly at the shifting shadows, counting the changing patterns. In a daze, she began to feel a hint of drowsiness.

If the days to come were like these recent ones, perhaps they wouldn’t be so unbearable after all…

A vague thought surfaced in her mind. Ji Chan curled deeper into her blankets, feeling a trace of warmth, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep once more.