Luring The Heartless Cultivator Senior Sister Into Falling In Love - Chapter 3

What should have been a journey of mere breaths took Mu Chujing a full fifteen minutes to reach the mountain peak, struggling due to her unfamiliarity with spiritual energy and the Cold Moon Sword.

Before she could even appreciate the surrounding scenery, Mu Chujing lay sprawled across her sword, her hair disheveled by the wind. The sheer height made her heart race, and she was constantly terrified of slipping off.

No one felt more pathetic than she did right now.

Only when the Cold Moon Sword came to a complete, steady halt did Mu Chujing find the courage to tremulously lift her head.

Not far away, two women were staring at her fixedly, seemingly puzzled by her undignified manner of arrival.

“Little Chujing?” The woman in light blue robes called out uncertainly to the person still clinging to the blade.

Information about the woman instantly surfaced in Mu Chujing’s mind.

Feng Qiannian, a specialist in artifact refining from the Artifact Hall. She was a senior sister who usually took great care of her. If Nalan Ran was Mu Chujing’s best friend, then Feng Qiannian was the kind senior sister who treated her like family.

“Senior Sister,” Mu Chujing looked at Feng Qiannian, her voice trailing off into a piteous tone, looking for all the world like she had been bullied.

Feng Qiannian had come to the Passion Hall specifically because of the news regarding Mu Chujing. Hearing her tone now, her heart ached for her junior. She stepped forward and helped the haggard-looking girl off the sword.

She didn’t ask why Mu Chujing had been lying flat on the blade, assuming it was just a lapse in concentration due to her bad mood. “It’s alright. If the Path of Passion doesn’t work out, you still have the Path of the Sword. Your talent in sword cultivation is matched by very few.”

On the surface, Mu Chujing remained calm, but inside she was screaming: she was determined to master the Path of Passion to its ultimate peak.

With that thought, she quietly shifted her gaze toward Bai Qingfan, who stood behind Feng Qiannian.

Dressed in vibrant red, with cool features and an elegant, noble aura, every aspect of her perfectly hit Mu Chujing’s aesthetic preferences. This was her newly chosen target, and she hadn’t expected to encounter her again so soon.

“Senior Sister, I will not give up on the Path of Passion. Since I chose this road, I must see it through to the end. I cannot bring shame to the name of the Passion Hall,” Mu Chujing said seriously, smoothing out her robes.

No one could tell how much of that was genuine and how much was an act.

Feng Qiannian brushed some dust off Mu Chujing’s shoulder. “That is good, then.”

Mu Chujing pursed her lips slightly, her peripheral vision continuing to observe Bai Qingfan.

Since her conversation with Senior Sister Feng began, Bai Qingfan had only glanced over once when Feng Qiannian approached her. The rest of the time, her gaze rested elsewhere. Those brownish-black eyes were so ethereal it was impossible to see what was reflected in them.

As Mu Chujing struggled with how to strike up a conversation, Feng Qiannian took her by the wrist and led her forward a few steps. “Qingfan,” she introduced, “this is my junior sister, Mu Chujing. She majors in the Path of the Sword and minors in the Path of Passion.”

Mu Chujing wanted to claim Passion as her major, but according to the book’s setting, the Path of Passion was indeed a supplementary path. Furthermore, given her current poor reputation in that field, saying more would be useless.

“You should already know who this is,” Feng Qiannian said to Mu Chujing.

Of course I know my target.

Mu Chujing nodded and didn’t forget her manners: “Greetings, Senior Sister Bai. Thank you for your kindness today.”

“Junior Sister Mu is too polite,” Bai Qingfan nodded slightly.

Her voice was crisp and clear, though slightly warmer than when they had met with Nalan Ran. Standing closer now, the faint, cool fragrance clinging to her was even more distinct.

“Oh? You two know each other?” Feng Qiannian asked curiously.

“A chance encounter,” Bai Qingfan replied.

Mu Chujing nodded like a little chick pecking at grain.

“I see,” Feng Qiannian didn’t pry further. “Meeting is fate. One follows the Path of Passion, the other the Path of Heartlessness.” She smiled at Bai Qingfan. “By the way, Qingfan, your Spirit Form Silk will likely need two more days for full maintenance. I’ll deliver it to you personally then.”

Bai Qingfan had come today for two reasons, first, by order of the Sect Leader to deliver spiritual items to the Master of the Passion Hall, and second, because Feng Qiannian had sent her a transmission talisman mentioning she was here. As the Spirit Form Silk was one of her vital spiritual tools, any news regarding it was of great importance to her.

“No matter. In two days, I will go to the Artifact Hall to find you,” Bai Qingfan said.

Mu Chujing stood quietly by Feng Qiannian’s side, her eyes never leaving Bai Qingfan for a second. Her gaze was clear and pure, no different from how ordinary people looked at someone they admired. Bai Qingfan had seen this look countless times during her travels in the sect and thought nothing of it.

Or rather, to Bai Qingfan, Mu Chujing was merely an ordinary junior sister she had met once within the sect, not someone worth wasting much thought on.

“That works too. I’ll send you a transmission once it’s ready.” Feng Qiannian released Mu Chujing’s wrist and, with a light wave of her hand, a half-meter long flute made of white jade appeared.

Bai Qingfan looked up as the ancient jade flute was grasped by Feng Qiannian.

“However, Pofan has already finished its maintenance,” Feng Qiannian said, handing it over.

“Thank you,” Bai Qingfan accepted it with a word of thanks.

Mu Chujing couldn’t get a word in edgewise throughout the exchange, nor did she need to. Being a “mute” was probably for the best while she was still figuring out the situation.

Bai Qingfan didn’t stay at the Passion Hall for long. After a few more words with Feng Qiannian, she prepared to depart.

Unlike Mu Chujing’s clumsy ascent, the woman in red tapped the ground with her toes. Spiritual energy manifested into a phantom image of the flute Pofan, lifting her steadily into the air with grace and composure. Even as she looked down from mid-air, she did not appear arrogant.

“Senior Sister Bai!” Seeing that she was about to leave, Mu Chujing called out hastily.

Bai Qingfan looked down at her, paused for a moment, and recalled the girl’s name. “Does Junior Sister Mu have something else?”

Mu Chujing knew she needed to leave a lasting impression now so it would be easier to talk next time.

She bowed deeply. “Wishing Senior Sister a safe journey.”

She was so polite and formal that even Feng Qiannian was a bit surprised. Junior Sister Mu felt very different today.

Bai Qingfan couldn’t help but take a few extra looks at Mu Chujing. The wind fluttered the corners of her red robes as she gave a gentle nod. Without another word, she transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the distant horizon.

Only then did Mu Chujing stand up straight, looking wistfully at the spot where Bai Qingfan had just stood. After a moment, she turned back to Feng Qiannian.

“Senior Sister Feng,” Mu Chujing’s eyes clouded over with a misty layer. “My Path…”

This was her nature, she habitually acted spoiled toward beautiful people. Since the original character’s personality in the book was somewhat similar, Feng Qiannian didn’t suspect a thing.

The woman sighed and stroked Mu Chujing’s head, letting the soft hair slide through her palm. “The Path of Passion is inherently difficult to walk. Currently, there are fewer than five disciples in the Passion Hall. ‘Emotion’ is a thing that is truly hard to grasp.”

The Path of Heartlessness was hard, but was the Path of Passion any easier? It was only a matter of which had more or fewer practitioners. In fact, for the Path of Heartlessness, Bai Qingfan was the only one left.

Mu Chujing nodded as if she understood, her watery eyes blinking. Small droplets clung to her long, curled lashes, making her look even more pitiful.

“Senior Sister Feng, Senior Sister Bai also cultivates a path involving ’emotion.’ Are you very close with her?” Mu Chujing asked abruptly.

Feng Qiannian replied, “We are close friends. She is a music cultivator and, like you, follows a path related to emotion as her secondary focus.” She smiled and brushed a tear from Mu Chujing’s lash. “Why do you ask?”

Mu Chujing tilted her head. “I heard Senior Sister Bai has reached great heights in the Path of Heartlessness. I thought if I could ask her for some experience, it might help me.”

She didn’t reveal her true motive, fearing that if Feng Qiannian was too close to Bai Qingfan, a slip of the tongue might make her target wary.

However, Feng Qiannian had clearly guessed something. Mu Chujing had stared at Bai Qingfan for too long and too often. She sighed inwardly but didn’t dampen her spirits.

She only gave a subtle reminder: “You can certainly ask her. However, Qingfan has a cold personality; just be careful not to disturb her normal cultivation.”

“I know my limits, Senior Sister,” Mu Chujing said.

She didn’t dwell on Bai Qingfan for too long. As a newcomer, her priority was understanding the cultivation system here.

This world differed from the typical cultivation novels she had read. Everyone had a Spirit Pearl in their body. Cultivation levels were determined by color, while the quality was determined by the pearl’s purity. Nalan Ran had said she was a sword fighting genius because her Spirit Pearl purity was at the peak 9th Grade, containing no impurities, a trait coveted by countless cultivators.

Next was the issue of earning Spirit Stones to compensate Nalan Ran for her losses.

“Senior Sister, is there a way to earn Spirit Stones quickly?” Mu Chujing asked.

Nalan Ran might have just been speaking in anger and might not actually expect repayment, but Mu Chujing couldn’t just do nothing. That wasn’t her style.

Feng Qiannian paused, her smile remaining. “What’s this? Are you short on Spirit Stones?”

Mu Chujing said as they walked, “One always needs things while traveling. You know how it is, Senior Sister, sword cultivators are notoriously poor.”

That was true. If you asked which type of cultivator was the most numerous, it was the sword cultivator. If you asked which was the poorest, it was also the sword cultivator.

“True enough,” Feng Qiannian said. “If you need some, I can lend them to you for now. You can pay me back when you’re more comfortable.”

As an artifact refiner, Feng Qiannian was naturally wealthy. Routine maintenance and repairs of spiritual tools alone brought in a massive income, let alone forging new ones.

Mu Chujing was too embarrassed to accept. She waved her hands. “Thank you for your kindness, Senior Sister, but I just need to know how to earn them myself.”

“A way to earn money…” Feng Qiannian murmured, her brow furrowing slightly. As a wealthy refiner, she had probably never experienced being broke.

“The Mission Hall might have tasks that fit your needs,” Feng Qiannian recalled. “Cultivators often post tasks there, offering rewards for help.”

At this, Feng Qiannian chuckled. “Actually, why don’t you come to the Artifact Hall to help me? I’m heading to the Mission Hall today to submit a previous task and post a new one for someone to help me control the furnace fire.”

“I recall that your Spirit Pearl attribute is Fire, isn’t it? A high-purity Fire Spirit Pearl is extremely helpful for artifact refining.”