My System, My Wife Feng Aotian [Transmigration] - Chapter 45.1

With only nine days remaining until the Eastern Continent’s qualifying round of the Five Continents Grand Competition, Lanyang Palace, the host, was bustling with activity. Mingshi Hall hummed day and night with constant foot traffic, creating a lively atmosphere.

Gu Yuqing emerged from the Spiritual Beast Hall, exhausted and resentful. She turned to glare at the grand hall behind her.

For the past few days, the steward of the Spiritual Beast Hall had been insisting that the disciples thoroughly clean every corner of the beast enclosures, both inner and outer, “to avoid bringing shame to Lanyang Palace.” Not a speck of dust was tolerated. Even the creatures themselves had to be meticulously groomed—their coats washed, hooves trimmed, and harnesses scrubbed spotless.

This wasn’t serving spirit beasts; it was serving ancestors! Gu Yuqing suspected the steward was deliberately making her suffer to curry favor with Siyi. Every day, he assigned her to the most foul-smelling, difficult-to-care-for creatures, leaving her reeking by the end of each shift.

Overwhelmed by resentment, bitterness, and a lingering fury, Gu Yuqing covered her face and hurried toward the Palace Staff Quarters, avoiding familiar disciples who might mock her. At these times, her hatred burned hottest—hatred for the spirit beasts, the steward, Siyi for assigning her here, and even Yan Qingluan for abandoning her and driving her away.

Yet she felt not a shred of remorse for her actions in the Chongshan Secret Realm.

Gu Yuqing cursed inwardly the entire way. As she approached the Palace Staff Quarters, she suddenly heard a commotion. Her heart skipped a beat, fearing that disciples from the peak had come to gawk at her misfortune again. She quickly hid behind a tree, peering out cautiously.

Two palace staff members, dressed in the same gray robes as her, walked past, chatting and laughing. One of them covered her mouth and whispered, “He truly lives up to the rumors. I’ve only ever swept floors at Yiyang Peak, and this is my first time seeing him.”

The other replied with a grin, “I wonder why he’s here. But just as I’d heard, he’s refined and scholarly, as gentle as jade. I just hope we’ll be transferred out of the Spiritual Beast Hall someday and chosen as disciples at the peak, so we can be closer to people like him.”

“Exactly! But we have to be careful. We shouldn’t abandon our positions as Direct Disciples just to avoid manual labor with us.”

“Hahaha…”

As the voices faded, Gu Yuqing emerged from behind the tree, her face pale with fury. She glared hatefully at the retreating figures of the two staff members, memorizing their features, vowing to settle the score one day.

However, as she repeated the words “refined and scholarly, as gentle as jade” to herself, her expression brightened. Abandoning her caution, she sprinted from behind the tree. Turning the corner, she found herself face-to-face with a white-robed young master standing nearby. His features were delicate and refined, his bearing noble and dignified.

His appearance wasn’t the most striking Gu Yuqing had ever seen, but his every movement exuded the grace and propriety of someone far more refined than a swordsman—more like a scholar.

Gu Yuqing’s eyes lit up instantly. She rushed over and called out, “Senior Brother Wen!”

The white-robed man standing beneath the tree turned to look at her. A flicker of surprise crossed his face before it softened into a gentle smile. Seeing his startled expression, Gu Yuqing froze as if burned, remembering her current identity. She abruptly stopped, glancing down at her gray clothes.

The resentment and hatred that had been suppressed surged back into her heart, and her eyes reddened.

Wen Chunsheng approached and addressed her as Junior Sister Gu. He retrieved a handkerchief from his sleeve and offered it to her. “Why are you crying when I’ve barely arrived?”

Gu Yuqing felt utterly humiliated. Hatred for Siyi and resentment toward Yan Qingluan welled up in her heart, crashing over her like waves. Fury erupted within her, and she slapped Wen Chunsheng’s hand, sending the handkerchief flying. “I don’t need your help!” she sobbed.

Thud.

The white handkerchief landed on the ground.

The snow that had fallen the previous night, after being cleared, now lay piled along the road, stained with mud. The dirty patches of black and white lay scattered, trampled underfoot.

Wen Chunsheng sighed, bent down to pick up the handkerchief, and dusted it off. “I’m sorry, Junior Sister Gu,” he murmured. “I arrived too late.”

At these words, Gu Yuqing threw herself into Wen Chunsheng’s arms and burst into tears.

Wen Chunsheng paused, looking down at the disheveled Gu Yuqing. He patted her shoulder, smiled, and gently pushed her away. “You’ve always been so strong,” he said softly. “You’ve never let anyone see you so upset. Come with me. Let’s go somewhere private, and you can tell me everything that happened while I was in seclusion.”

Feeling Wen Chunsheng’s comforting presence, Gu Yuqing followed him to a secluded spot, tears welling in her eyes. Wen Chunsheng raised his hand and erected a barrier.

He asked, “Did you anger Peak Master Yan?”

Gu Yuqing stomped her foot in anger at the question. “During the Chongshan Secret Realm event,” she spat, “I merely voiced some suspicions about the Palace Master’s whereabouts, and Siyi stabbed me in the back! She accused me of disrespecting the Palace Master and had me punished. Senior Brother, you have no idea what I’ve endured these past six months! Cleaning cattle sheds, bird cages… serving those beasts…”

She suddenly bit her lip, noticing the shock on Wen Chunsheng’s face. With a furious flick of her sleeve, she complained, “All those filthy tasks… I wouldn’t sully your ears by speaking of them!”

Wen Chunsheng frowned, puzzled. “Peak Master Yan has always doted on you. How could she let you fall to such a state?”

“Hmph, they say when disaster strikes, everyone flees. ‘Doting’? I think that was just talk to protect herself!”

Gu Yuqing gritted her teeth, recounting Yan Qingluan’s insults from that day to Wen Chunsheng. Her eyes burned with venom as she tore at a leaf in her hand. “She once complained to me about the other Peak Masters. I listened and remembered every word. She felt it was unfair—Renyang Peak is flourishing and leading the Five Peaks. I thought I was doing her a favor by suggesting we leave and start our own sect. Wouldn’t that have been like fish leaping in the vast sea, birds soaring in the boundless sky?”

“But since she stubbornly insists on staying here, being overshadowed by a bratty girl, why did she even bother telling me all those things about others? Was I wrong to think I was helping her?”

And because of Siyi’s scheming, she’d even been thrown down here to do the work of servants!

“Senior Brother, look!” Gu Yuqing raised her wrists, revealing Spirit-Locking Rings on both. These shackles suppressed her cultivation to the Qi Condensation Stage, preventing her from riding swords. She could only walk on foot, enduring the mockery of other disciples without the means to retaliate.

Wen Chunsheng glanced at the shackles on her wrists and sighed, ignoring Gu Yuqing’s previous statement. “Did Elder Siyi specify how long your punishment would last?”

Gu Yuqing replied softly, “Three years. I still have to sweep filth for those beasts for another two and a half years!”

Wen Chunsheng shook his head. “I heard your conversation with Elder Siyi that day. It was indeed a bit inappropriate.”

Hearing him agree with the criticism, Gu Yuqing’s expression stiffened slightly. Then Wen Chunsheng continued, “After Peak Master Yan took you as his disciple, you’ve never had to endure hardship again. Raised in luxury, you developed a straightforward and unreserved nature. You simply speak your mind without holding back.”

Her expression softened. She shot Wen Chunsheng a playful glare and muttered softly, “Even you won’t stand up for me?”

Wen Chunsheng chuckled, patting her head. “If I didn’t mean to help you, I wouldn’t have come straight to you after leaving seclusion. Do you realize the Five Continents Grand Competition is approaching?”

She knew all too well!

The mere thought of the Five Continents Grand Competition made Gu Yuqing’s anger flare. Because of this blasted competition, she had to brush those beasts’ fur every day, until their coats were cleaner than her own face. What kind of twisted logic was that?

Seeing her anger, Wen Chunsheng frowned and couldn’t help but say, “Yuqing, stop dwelling on the Spiritual Beast matter. The Five Continents Grand Competition is approaching, and it’s an opportunity to be selected for cultivation at the Wendao Academy. The academy is a place all cultivators aspire to, where great masters impart their teachings and countless legacies left by predecessors are preserved. Entering the Wendao Academy would be like taking half a step into immortality.”

“With your exceptional talent—reaching the Middle Foundation Establishment Stage at just twenty-six—how many people in the Eastern Continent can match your aptitude? Instead of pleading with Peak Master Yan to let you participate in the Grand Competition, do you want to waste three years in a place like this?”

Wen Chunsheng lifted his gaze, surveying their surroundings.

Lanyang Palace, nestled against the mountainside, was surrounded by lush forests and verdant grasslands. Yesterday’s peculiar snowfall, still clinging to the emerald foliage, lent the scene a unique charm. After gazing at the snowy landscape, he paused before looking down at Gu Yuqing, who was staring intently at him. “The cultivation world operates on the law of the jungle. Even in a small place like Lanyang Palace, everyone scrambles to climb the hierarchy, vying for better resources and higher status. Palace staff are the lowest-ranking disciples here, receiving the least benefits. How can you resign yourself to wasting three years here? Foundation Establishment cultivators have only two hundred years of lifespan.”

He sighed heavily, lamenting the time Gu Yuqing had lost. In a low voice, he said, “I’m thirty-six, in the Late Foundation Establishment Stage, and I believe I have decent talent. I want to stand out in the Grand Competition and advance to the next level at the Wendao Academy. Yuqing, I hope to see you there.”

With that, Wen Chunsheng grabbed Gu Yuqing’s hand and pressed the handkerchief he had been holding into her palm.

“Think about it carefully.”

Wen Chunsheng turned and left, his figure disappearing into the lush greenery. Gu Yuqing stared at the handkerchief, her eyes widening. She clenched it tightly and whirled around, sprinting toward Renyang Peak.

Siyi dismissed the third wave of disciples asking about the snowfall, left Mingshi Hall, and began descending the mountain path.

Mingshi Peak was covered in bamboo groves, their leaves rustling in the wind and shedding snowflakes. The air, fragrant with bamboo and chilled by snow, carried the twittering of birds returning to roost above the bamboo.

Siyi chuckled softly as she stumbled slightly. Last night, when the snow fell, she had sent a message to Feng Jue, only to receive a lazy “All’s well” in response. Undeterred, Siyi decided to check on her direct disciple’s cultivation progress today, to see if her master’s guidance was needed.

As Siyi walked along, she noticed numerous disciples smiling and bowing to a man in white robes. Her footsteps paused as she recognized him.

Wen Chunsheng hadn’t expected to encounter Siyi on the mountain path. He hurriedly bowed and said, “Greetings, Elder Siyi.”

“I remember you,” Siyi said softly. “We met before Chongshan Immortal Palace. You’re a disciple of Deyang Peak, aren’t you? Deyang Peak has a Peak Master and two Elders. Who is your Master?”

Wen Chunsheng lowered his head humbly. “I was fortunate enough to be accepted as a disciple by Elder Zhao.”

Siyi had recently reviewed the rosters submitted by each peak for the Five Continents Grand Competition. “Are you Wen Chunsheng?” she asked tentatively.

Wen Chunsheng quickly replied, “This disciple is indeed Wen Chunsheng.”

Siyi nodded, her gaze lingering on the impeccably courteous Wen Chunsheng. A hint of curiosity flickered in her eyes as she smiled. “Few in the palace wear white. Your attire complements this snowy scene perfectly.”

The three Palace Masters of Lanyang Palace had passed down their lineage through generations, each favoring the color red. Consequently, Lanyang Palace’s disciples’ uniforms were also red. Over time, the disciples subtly developed a preference for red, often wearing their uniforms. This was why Wen Chunsheng’s white robes had caught Siyi’s attention.

Wen Chunsheng said awkwardly, “My junior disciple’s uniform was torn during our recent expedition to the Chongshan Secret Realm. Upon returning, I’ve been in seclusion and was just about to go to the Weaver’s Workshop in the city to purchase a new one.”

“I see,” Siyi said with a smile. “Then I won’t keep you any longer. Go ahead and attend to your affairs. I’ll look forward to witnessing your prowess during the Grand Competition.”

“Yes, thank you, Elder Siyi.” Wen Chunsheng bowed respectfully. After rising, he hesitated, then asked with a smile, “If I may be so bold as to ask, Elder Siyi, when I emerged from seclusion today, I found my fellow disciples discussing last night’s snowfall. But summer has already arrived—where did this snow come from?”

Siyi’s smile remained gentle. “It was merely a bit of amusement the Palace Master added for the Eastern Continent Grand Competition.”

Understanding dawned on Wen Chunsheng. He bowed again and hurried down the mountain.

Siyi watched him go. As the sky darkened, she abandoned her plans for a stroll, retrieved a Flying Magic Tool, and flew directly to the side peak of Qihuang Peak. This peak, once her solitary residence, now housed another occupant. She landed outside the Martial Arts Platform and saw Xue Mengtao, still clad in her pink robe, practicing swordsmanship relentlessly. Her clothes were soaked with sweat, yet she didn’t pause.

“Mengtao,” Siyi called softly.

Xue Mengtao startled, realizing the sky had grown dark. She hurriedly sheathed her longsword, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and approached Siyi, stopping two steps away to bow respectfully. “Master, you’re back.”

Siyi beckoned her closer, smiling. “When I practiced, I also used to sweat profusely. There’s nothing wrong with that. Come here.” Embarrassed, Xue Mengtao lowered her hands and slowly stepped forward.

Walking side by side back to the palace, Siyi shared amusing anecdotes with Xue Mengtao, naturally gravitating toward discussions of the first round of the Grand Competition. She mentioned Wen Chunsheng, saying, “This disciple has talent and a steady temperament. He seems thoughtful and meticulous. I expect he’ll stand out in the first round.”

Xue Mengtao pursed her lips, glancing uneasily at Siyi. Siyi tilted her head, smiling. “You, my dear, are too cautious. It’s understandable; you’ve only been in the palace for a year. You rarely interact with the other disciples, so you haven’t yet grasped the essence of what it means to be a Lanyang Palace disciple.”

“Come to think of it, I haven’t seen that essence in Wen Chunsheng either. Could it be because he’s grown up in the palace and cultivated to my level?” Siyi mused aloud.

The essence? Master’s realm?

Xue Mengtao didn’t understand the meaning of this and planned to ask her palace friends, whom she had met during her time in the Secret Realm, about it another day.

Night enveloped the earth, but Lanyang City shone brightly with lights.

Wen Chunsheng tightened his robe as he stepped out of the Weaver’s Workshop, surrounded by the beaming smiles of the female cultivators behind him. He turned to them and bowed respectfully. “I’ll come back in two days to pick it up. Thank you for your trouble, Junior Sister Apprentice.”

The female cultivator returned the bow, smiling. “Senior Brother, you’re too kind. Buying and selling is a matter of mutual benefit. The slight profit we make is simply a token of fraternal affection among fellow disciples.”

Wen Chunsheng chuckled and straightened up. As he turned to leave, he saw two figures—a green-robed woman and a red-robed woman—walking hand in hand toward him, completely oblivious to their surroundings as they brushed past.

The moment they passed, the red-robed woman suddenly stopped, turning to gaze back at him. The gauzy veil of her hood obscured her features, but not the sharp intensity of her gaze.

For some reason, Wen Chunsheng felt a sudden flutter in his heart. He clasped his hands in a respectful salute. By the time he straightened up, the two women had already entered the Weaver’s Workshop, paying him no further heed.

“Strange.”

Wen Chunsheng stared at the Weaver’s Workshop for a long time before reluctantly leaving.

The green and red-robed figures were none other than Feng Jue and her companion from Qihuang Peak, the 03 team.

Feng Jue believed that to teach 03 how to behave like a human, they needed to go where the people were. Where was that? Naturally, Lanyang City!

After news of the Five Continents Grand Competition spread, cultivators from the Eastern Continent flocked to Lanyang City. With nine days left until the first round, the city was already overrun, rooms were impossible to find at any price, and even the homes of commoners in the Outer City were filled with cultivators.

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