When the Immortal Venerable Picked-Up the Demon Cub - Chapter 29

“But it’s not proper for the disciples to see us like this…” Zhu Ning’s usually composed face flushed crimson as she gently disentangled herself from Lin Xiayan’s arm and stepped forward.

This time, Lin Xiayan didn’t try to hold her back. She followed obediently behind Zhu Ning. As they exited the main hall, they noticed a large group gathered in the Training Ground, seemingly discussing something. Zhu Ning’s curiosity piqued, and she approached the crowd.

“This talisman is flawless in its drawing, timing, and ink. Yet it refuses to activate. Why?” Zhu Ning heard Su Mi’s clear voice as she drew closer. The young woman’s voice cut through the chatter like a bell, instantly recognizable. Zhu Ning couldn’t help but marvel at the Female Protagonist’s overwhelming aura.

Suddenly, the crowd fell silent, replaced by a unanimous chorus of greetings: “Greetings, Lord Immortal Venerable.”

Despite having been here for some time, Zhu Ning still hadn’t grown accustomed to these grand greetings. A crack appeared in her usually icy composure as she smiled awkwardly and gestured for the disciples to rise.

Su Mi was thrilled to see Zhu Ning arrive. Clutching the talisman in her hand, she rushed over and asked, “Honored Master, look at this talisman. I followed the instructions perfectly, but it still doesn’t work. Why?”

For the first time in her life, Zhu Ning understood the truth behind the saying “Curiosity killed the cat.” Though she had read the original novel, that didn’t mean she actually knew the theoretical knowledge. Now, with the Female Protagonist holding the talisman and looking at her with such eager anticipation, Zhu Ning’s mind went completely blank.

The snow underfoot hadn’t melted. A chunk of snow fell from a branch, breaking the silence of the mountain valley. Cold seeped up from her toes, and Zhu Ning felt herself growing colder all over. She struggled to recall what she had read, comparing each detail to the talisman Su Mi had drawn.

Finally, Zhu Ning thought of a good approach. She opened her mouth to speak, her breath misting in the air like fog. “You said earlier that the timing, ink, and technique you used to draw the talisman were all correct, without any mistakes?”

Su Mi nodded, but her gaze shifted unnaturally toward the blue-robed figure standing nearby.

Where’s Lin Xiayan? And who is this? A dozen questions flooded Su Mi’s mind.

“So, did this talisman paper break any rules, like getting damp or wet from snow?” Zhu Ning began to guess. When she first read about talismans, she remembered specific warnings about what to avoid, but now she’d mostly forgotten them. Her mind raced.

Su Mi carefully examined the paper but found nothing wrong. She shook her head and waited for Zhu Ning’s next question.

“Then… you definitely didn’t chant the talisman’s incantation while drawing it, right?” Zhu Ning was on the verge of tears. If this wasn’t the reason, she’d run out of excuses.

Fortunately, fate smiled upon her. Su Mi frowned in thought for a moment before realizing, “Honored Master is right! Since this was my first time drawing a talisman, I was so focused on getting every step perfect that I completely forgot something so important.”

With the mystery solved, Su Mi happily grabbed the talisman and hurried off to try again. Zhu Ning breathed a sigh of relief, having barely salvaged her reputation as an Immortal Venerable.

Lin Xiayan strolled over and stood beside Zhu Ning, watching the disciples disperse to practice. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she asked, “Lord Immortal Venerable, would you have time to teach me?”

Zhu Ning felt a chill run down her spine at those words. Why did she always get the feeling this major villain had ulterior motives? Then she remembered she was supposed to teach Lin Xiayan some basic techniques anyway, so she wouldn’t expose any weaknesses during the upcoming competition.

With a reluctant nod, Zhu Ning led Lin Xiayan toward the small valley behind Mùdōng Courtyard.

The valley rarely saw sunlight, and the snow there had lingered for ages. A cold wind swept through the moment they entered, making it the coldest place on Yun Cang Mountain. Some gossipy disciples even claimed the valley sealed away a demon, causing widespread panic until Zhu Ning personally debunked the rumors.

Now, as Zhu Ning stepped into the valley, she felt surprisingly unafraid. After all, she was standing beside a powerful figure, and with Zhōng Yuè in hand, she could practically walk sideways with impunity.

Their shoes crunched on the snow. Zhu Ning focused on finding a relatively open, treeless spot to teach Lin Xiayan swordsmanship. Though she knew nothing about it herself, she figured even someone who’d never eaten pork had seen a pig run. As long as she stood nearby and gave vague instructions, a major villain of this caliber would surely grasp the fundamentals quickly.

After searching for a long time, Zhu Ning finally found a relatively open space with fewer trees. A drop of water fell from a treetop, landing squarely on her head. The icy sensation made her raise a hand to cover her head, her face a picture of wronged innocence as she tossed a sword to Lin Xiayan.

The sword was ordinary, one Zhu Ning had painstakingly retrieved from her personal storage space, a weapon befitting Lin Xiayan’s status as a junior disciple. Yet even in her child form, Lin Xiayan remained haughty. She kicked the sword away with the tip of her foot, then extended her arm. The Serpent Sword slithered down her arm, transforming into a razor-sharp blade.

“Even when practicing swordsmanship, I require a superior weapon,” Lin Xiayan declared, tilting her head proudly. She seemed to have forgotten who had given her the Serpent Sword. Before Zhu Ning could decide where to begin teaching, Lin Xiayan had already taken the lead, her sword flashing like the wind. Branches fell in neat rows as she swung, the dizzying display doing nothing to hinder her strikes.

It was only then that Zhu Ning belatedly realized: if Lin Xiayan wanted to kill her now, she could do so silently and without a trace. She edged backward, finally understanding fear. Lin Xiayan was completely immersed in the art of swordsmanship, her sword aura pressing down like a gale, leaving no room to dodge.

For the final strike, Zhu Ning clearly saw the sword energy hurtling toward her face. The sight froze her in terror. Zhōng Yuè, the crescent moon pendant at her waist, prepared to shield her, but in an instant, a powerful gust of wind redirected the sword energy, sending it crashing into a nearby tree trunk. With a deafening roar, the tree shattered into splinters. Zhu Ning stared in horror.

“You really have lost your magical power?” Lin Xiayan remained stunned. Though she had known this from the start, she had always suspected Zhu Ning was faking it. After all, nothing in the mortal realm had ever posed a challenge to her before.

But that razor-sharp sword strike just now… if Lin Xiayan hadn’t intervened, Zhu Ning’s face would have been slashed!

Zhu Ning looked up in surprise. So Lin Xiayan had been testing her all along? If she had hesitated even a moment longer, her face would have been ruined.

“You never believed me?” Zhu Ning felt something slowly shattering inside her heart. It wasn’t painful, exactly, but it was deeply tormenting.

For the first time, Lin Xiayan understood the feeling of guilt. She lowered her sword, her gaze fixed on her toes as her mind raced with conflicting thoughts.

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