The Immortal Lord of the Path of Ruthlessness Bends for Me - Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Zhao Chi Loses Her Bargaining Chip

When Zhuang Jinfu emerged from the Water-Moon Hot Springs, she happened upon Ling Shu and Zhao Chi talking in the courtyard. Ling Shu’s words, each one forceful and ringing with conviction, struck directly at her heart. She hid behind the moon gate, concealing her presence, not daring to step out—especially after hearing Ling Shu say, “Perhaps I should just overturn this world.“

If any other cultivator had heard those words, they would have certainly resolved to kill Ling Shu. But the one listening was Zhuang Jinfu, a so-called Guardian Immortal. She relied on her own cultivation to protect the realm; her existence was meant to prevent natural disasters. As for the conflicts between humans and demons, she didn’t care much.

No matter how humans and demons tore each other apart, as long as the Upper Clarity Realm existed, she would fulfill the duty assigned to her by the Heavens.

Maintaining peace in the Upper Clarity Realm was the duty of Wang Lifu, the leader of the Immortal Alliance.

Zhuang Jinfu understood Wang Lifu’s selfish motives: the leader wanted to keep Ling Shu alive but keep her pacified so her own tenure remained stable. Zhuang Jinfu had her own selfish motives too—purer ones, perhaps, though they could be considered rebellious. One could say that Zhuang Jinfu was naturally positioned against Wang Lifu, which was one of the reasons she kept Ling Shu by her side.

To suppress Ling Shu would be simple. First, she could refuse to teach Ling Shu cultivation, keeping her at the Foundation Establishment stage so she could never master the thousand-year demon power and would remain dependent on Zhuang Jinfu’s immortal qi to suppress it. Second, she could confine Ling Shu to Qingxi Mountain, isolating her from friends and the outside world until she had no choice but to rely solely on her Master.

Only after Ling Shu and Zhao Chi left did Zhuang Jinfu dare to come out and return to the main hall to rest.

The next morning at the hour of the Dragon (around 7-9 AM), someone knocked at the gate of Qingxi Mountain.

Li Chang, dressed in delicate pink robes and carrying a gift box, was greeted by Auntie Hai. She arrived just as breakfast was being served in Qingxi Hall.

Zhuang Jinfu, dressed in elegant apricot-colored silk, sat in the hall reading a book and sipping tea. As the servants set the table, Li Chang entered and greeted her energetically: “Good morning, Qingxi Immortal!”

Zhuang Jinfu set her book aside and turned over a Jian ware tea cup. As she poured, she asked, “You’re here. Care for some tea?”

Li Chang approached cheerfully yet respectfully: “I’d love some! The tea here is the best!” She sat down and performed the ritual of tapping three fingers on the table—a junior’s gesture of gratitude to an elder. Zhuang Jinfu nodded in acknowledgment. Li Chang said excitedly, “My Master recently acquired two Jian ware bowls. They are beautiful! Knowing I was coming here, she asked me to bring them to you as a gift.”

“Narrow-necked?” Zhuang Jinfu asked, looking up.

“Yes! Let me show you.” Li Chang opened the silk-lined box.

Zhuang Jinfu’s slender fingers picked up the bowl. She held it toward the light; the colorful glaze and oil-spot crystals shimmered with a ghostly blue luster. “Not bad. This is high quality.”

Li Chang giggled. “I’m glad you like it.” She then picked up her cup and sipped the sweet, crisp tea.

Ling Shu walked in yawning, spotting Li Chang immediately. “What are you doing here?”

Li Chang stood up with a sweet smile. “I came to see you!”

“Not going to school?” Ling Shu swung her arms to loosen her shoulders. Li Chang grumbled, “Since you and Zhao Chi aren’t there, who would I play with? It’s better not to go.” Ling Shu noticed a cup of tea on the side table, likely poured by Zhuang Jinfu.

“Go or stay, it’s up to you.” Ling Shu walked over to Zhuang Jinfu, acting as if the events of the previous night had never happened. “Master, I want tea too.”

Zhuang Jinfu’s face was calm, showing no trace of concern regarding last night. She asked Li Chang, “Is the glaze seasoned?”

Li Chang’s eyes darted between Ling Shu and the Immortal. “It is. My Master said she didn’t want to trouble you, so she seasoned them for you. You can use them right away.”

Zhuang Jinfu nodded, opened the box again, and pulled out a second bowl—this one a deep persimmon red. She poured a cup of clear tea and gestured for Ling Shu to take it.

Ling Shu knew this was Li Chang’s gift. She worried it might be disrespectful to use a gift given to someone else right in front of the giver. Seeing Ling Shu hesitate, Zhuang Jinfu asked, “Changed your mind?”

“Is it… okay for me to use this cup?” Ling Shu asked.

Zhuang Jinfu didn’t think twice. “Elder An Hong sent a whole shelf of these cups to the storehouse. Keeping them there is useless. Letting you use it isn’t a waste. Drink.”

Ling Shu’s heart felt sweet. Zhuang Jinfu didn’t treat her like an outsider; she was still her precious disciple. Ling Shu gave a soft “Oh” and began to drink.

Auntie Hai finished setting the table with the final dish of spring rolls. Seeing the three of them drinking tea, she barked, “Honestly, Immortal! We’re about to eat, why are you drinking so much tea? Drinking on an empty stomach is bad for the gut. You’re an adult, fine, but don’t lead the children astray! You know the girl’s stomach is weak and she’s just recovered from a major illness. Can’t you take better care of her? Stop drinking and eat!”

Under Auntie Hai’s command, Zhuang Jinfu finally put down her cup, retorted, “It won’t kill us.”

“Miss Ling and Miss Li are still growing! What’s so hard about looking after them?” Auntie Hai scolded. Zhuang Jinfu walked over slowly and shot back, “She’s nearly twenty. Not a child.”

Auntie Hai gave her a displeased look and moved the Crab-Stuffed Orange—Zhuang Jinfu’s favorite—away from her. Instead, she placed the crystal shrimp dumplings in front of Ling Shu and the chestnut cakes in front of Li Chang.

Zhuang Jinfu: “…”

Ling Shu saw that Auntie Hai was doing it on purpose. She stood up to move the oranges back, but Auntie Hai barked, “Don’t give them to her! Someone who doesn’t know how to cherish others doesn’t deserve to eat them!” Ling Shu sheepishly withdrew her hand. On Qingxi Mountain, Zhuang Jinfu handled the big things, but Auntie Hai handled the small things—and if you offended Auntie Hai, you didn’t get a good meal.

Li Chang giggled on the side. When Auntie Hai sat down, she noticed two empty seats with place settings. Li Chang whispered to Ling Shu, “Who is the other seat for?”

Li Chang knew Zhao Chi was on the mountain because she had skipped class once to ask why Ling Shu lost her memory. Auntie Hai had told her: “When Miss Ling went down to find her Master, she found Miss Zhao being chased by debt collectors.

Zhao’s family fought back and unfortunately perished. Miss Zhao couldn’t pay the massive debts her dead gambler father left behind. The lenders were going to sell her, but Miss Ling saved her, and the Immortal brought her back.”

Knowing an evil cultivator was on the mountain would be a scandal. Ling Shu played dumb: “Ling Bao doesn’t know either.”

“Then why isn’t Zhao Chi coming to eat?” Li Chang asked. Auntie Hai replied, “That girl is strange. She keeps saying she’s of low status and refuses to sit with us. She always eats alone in her room.”

Li Chang stood up, her heart full of innocent kindness. “I’ll go get her!”

She found a servant to lead the way and knocked on Zhao Chi’s door. “Zhao Chi! Come out and eat!”

“I haven’t gotten up yet. You go ahead,” Zhao Chi replied. She was actually fully dressed and sitting inside.

Li Chang said, “Liar! You wake up at the hour of the Tiger (3-5 AM) every day to practice your sword. How can you not be up?”

Zhao Chi: “I’m not hungry. No need to call me.”

The sunlight filtered through the door lattice, casting a clear shadow of Li Chang. Then, the door bolt was slid open by magic. Light flooded the room, and Zhao Chi shielded her eyes.

Without warning, Li Chang marched in and grabbed her arm. “Come on! You’re the only one missing. Everyone is waiting for you.”

Zhao Chi didn’t resist. Deep down, she wished for someone to pull her out of her dark room. As they rounded the corner, she saw Ling Shu standing under the eaves, clearly waiting for her. “Sister Zhao, you’re here.”

Zhao Chi found it hard to speak.

Li Chang entered the dining hall, but stopped when she saw someone already sitting in one of the “empty” seats—a woman in a vibrant red dress, graceful and with beautifully styled hair.

“Fire Sparrow Fairy?!!!” Li Chang was dumbfounded. The Fire Sparrow waved at her, every movement full of charm.

“How do you know her?” Ling Shu caught the detail instantly.

Li Chang blurted out without thinking, “I’ve seen her at home.”

The Fire Sparrow was an evil cultivator. Li Chang was from the prestigious Li family. A family that called itself “orthodox” would never allow an evil cultivator to visit. Recalling the words of the deceased second mistress of the Li family—”We’re just people of the underworld“—it was clear that the second mistress had been involved with dark forces. Since the head of the family, Li Qiaoyan, didn’t care about the second mistress’s death, it was clear she wasn’t valued.

Li Chang’s mother was very close to the second mistress, who had doted on Li Chang.

There was another point: Wang Lifu valued Li Chang highly. Wang Lifu had a human wife and required a “Daughter-Bearing Pill” to have an heir. A pairing between a demon and a human didn’t need medicine, but the recipe for that pill had been lost in the wars. This meant Wang Lifu would likely never have another child; Ling Shu was her only daughter.

Ling Shu’s existence threatened Li Chang’s presumed future status. Therefore, someone wanted Ling Shu dead at any cost—and that person was connected to Li Chang. Li Chang’s history was simple: her father died in a shipwreck, and her mother raised her alone.

When Zhao Chi heard Li Chang’s words, she panicked. She looked at Ling Shu and saw that gleam in her eyes—the look of someone who had just confirmed a secret.

Zhao Chi had lost her bargaining chip.

Li Chang pulled Zhao Chi to sit. Zhao Chi remained frozen. “What’s wrong? Too excited?”

Zhuang Jinfu observed everything with elegant clarity. “Zhao Chi, no one looks down on you, and no one is kicking you out.”

“Come, sit.”

Zhao Chi felt a bit more at ease. This was Zhuang Jinfu’s way of saying she wouldn’t be expelled. She took her seat, though she still seemed distracted. Zhuang Jinfu picked up her chopsticks, signaling the others to start. Ling Shu placed a steamed dumpling in Zhao Chi’s bowl.

Ling Shu smiled with pure, innocent sweetness. “Sister Zhao, since you ate this meal, remember to come for the next one too.”

A cold shiver ran down Zhao Chi’s spine.

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