When the Immortal Venerable Picked-Up the Demon Cub - Chapter 36

Zhu Ning blinked, surprised. Fan Mo had managed to turn the tables with just a few words. He even claimed Yun Cang Mountain was determined to quell the chaos, wasn’t this just setting them up for failure?

“Not at all,” Zhu Ning countered, her words carrying a hidden edge. “Lin Xiayan and Su Mi were simply practicing Yun Cang Mountain’s cultivation methods diligently. Your disciples’ defeat was likely due to temporary lapses in focus. Since the results of the competition are already clear, further discussion is pointless. Does Zhen Sui Mountain intend to send anyone to help quell the chaos?”

The moral pressure bounced back to Fan Mo like a kicked ball. His face flushed crimson, then paled, his expression darkening.

Fan Mo had no choice but to nod, promising to send Zhen Sui Mountain’s most capable disciples. Only then did Zhu Ning leave, satisfied. The farcical competition finally concluded under a starry night sky, as darkness fully descended.

Today’s matches had featured only the most outstanding disciples. Tomorrow and the following days would see the rest of the sect’s disciples compete.

The urgency of the situation below the mountain had prompted Zhu Ning to hold Su Mi’s group’s matches first, so they could descend the mountain tomorrow.

After the competitions tomorrow and the day after, Zhu Ning wouldn’t be overseeing the events anymore. After the closing ceremony, she planned to visit Su Mi, but on her way to Su Mi’s residence, she ran into the petite Lin Xiayan.

Zhu Ning hadn’t seen Lin Xiayan since the competitions ended. She had initially assumed Lin Xiayan was off playing somewhere, but their encounter now made it clear that Lin Xiayan had just left Su Mi’s residence.

“Were you… just visiting Su Mi?” Zhu Ning asked, her tone slightly awkward. She couldn’t shake the feeling that after their heated exchange, she should probably keep her distance for a while.

To her surprise, Lin Xiayan showed no anger or coldness. Instead, she quietly ran over and tugged at the corner of Zhu Ning’s robe with her small, dusty hand.

“I didn’t intentionally let Su Mi get hurt. But if she hadn’t been injured, we’d have no grounds to demand answers from Zhen Sui Mountain. I know you were worried, so I rushed to treat her as soon as my competition ended. Su Mi’s still unconscious. If you go in and she wakes up, just tell her you healed her.” Lin Xiayan had planned everything meticulously, showing none of the typical villainous temper. Zhu Ning stared at her in astonishment.

Since Lin Xiayan had already offered her a way out, Zhu Ning felt it would be rude to remain aloof. She sighed, took Lin Xiayan’s small hand, and led her toward Su Mi’s residence. Unlike Zhu Ning’s own quarters, Su Mi’s residence wasn’t guarded by disciples or servants, making it easy to come and go as they pleased.

The residences were all the same, like single dorm rooms where all the disciples lived. As Zhu Ning walked through the area, she encountered many unfamiliar faces she had never seen before.

“Honored Master?” Zhu Ning had just pushed open the wooden door when she heard Su Mi’s faint voice from inside. The sound was so weak it broke Zhu Ning’s heart. She hurried to Su Mi’s bedside.

A faint metallic scent of blood hung in the air. Zhu Ning knew Su Mi’s injuries were severe; even Lin Xiayan’s treatment had only barely stopped the bleeding. She excused Su Mi from rising to greet her.

“Why didn’t you sleep longer?” Zhu Ning asked, afraid to speak too loudly. Lin Xiayan stood quietly beside her, head bowed, playing with her fingers.

Su Mi managed a weak smile. “Mi’er is fine, Honored Master. You needn’t worry. When I woke up, the pain wasn’t so bad anymore.”

Lin Xiayan nudged Zhu Ning’s arm. She had already told Zhu Ning to take credit for the healing.

But Zhu Ning had other plans. She pulled Lin Xiayan forward, her voice ringing with pride. “Lin Xiayan gathered the herbs for you. She had just finished the competition, exhausted, but she went to the back mountain to find medicine for you. By the time I found out, she was already there, holding the herbs in her dusty little hands.”

Zhu Ning never took credit for others’ achievements, nor did she cover up their mistakes. That was her bottom line.

Of course, the second half of that bottom line didn’t apply to her friends and family. Zhu Ning was the type to stand by her loved ones, regardless of right or wrong.

Lin Xiayan stared at her dusty hands, surprised. She had gotten them dirty during the competition, but Zhu Ning was subtly telling Su Mi that it was all her doing?

She hadn’t thought much of helping Su Mi heal, but now, touched by Zhu Ning’s thoughtfulness, a genuine smile bloomed on her face. She nodded innocently, watching Su Mi’s reaction.

Lin Xiayan noticed Su Mi’s eyes gradually dimming from their initial brightness. Su Mi murmured, “So it wasn’t… it wasn’t Honored Master after all…”

Zhu Ning didn’t hear her clearly, but Lin Xiayan did. Her smile froze on her face. Did Su Mi really want it to be Zhu Ning? Lin Xiayan quickly retreated behind Zhu Ning, unwilling to look at Su Mi any longer.

Zhu Ning remained completely bewildered, unsure what had just happened. She could only assume Su Mi and Lin Xiayan had run out of things to say.

“Thank you, Xiayan,” Su Mi said weakly, but the desolation in her eyes couldn’t be concealed. Lin Xiayan didn’t respond, so Zhu Ning stepped in. “You should rest and conserve your energy. Since we’ve already announced our departure, we can’t postpone our descent. We’ll set out tomorrow.”

Zhu Ning frowned inwardly. They had moved the competition forward precisely to leave the mountain sooner. But with Su Mi injured, venturing into the unpredictable dangers below was clearly out of the question. While medicine could temporarily alleviate the pain, it would severely weaken her cultivation and techniques.

Zhu Ning frowned, her mind churning with alternative plans. After all, it was the Zhen Sui Mountain sect who had kidnapped her under the guise of moral righteousness, forcing her to descend the mountain to eliminate a perceived threat. In that case, why not let Su Mi stay on Yun Cang Mountain to recuperate for a few days before coming down to find them?

Yue Qing was still here, and Lin Xiayan had just passed the so-called trial by combat. Neither of them would dare cause trouble now. Besides, with Lin Xiayan under Zhu Ning’s watchful eye, she wouldn’t have any opportunity to stir up mischief.

Having made up her mind, Zhu Ning spoke, “How about this? There are still a few days of competitions left. We promised the other five sects we’d descend tomorrow. So, you stay here to recover from your injuries. Once the competitions are over, you can join the other sects in coming down the mountain to find me and Lin Xiayan, okay?”

Su Mi possessed Immortal Bone, making her constitution fundamentally different from ordinary people. She would likely recover from her injuries in just a few days.

Su Mi tried to circulate her cultivation energy, only to find it was indeed critically weakened. Xia Meng’s sword strike had shown no mercy, leaving her gasping in pain.

“Then I thank you for your consideration, Honored Master,” Su Mi said, though she didn’t truly mean it. She always felt that nothing good could come of Lin Xiayan staying by Zhu Ning’s side, but for now, she had no reason to object.

Zhu Ning noticed the sudden tension in the room and began to reflect, wondering if her plan had overlooked someone’s feelings. As the night deepened, disciples gradually returned to their rooms, the sounds of wooden doors opening and closing echoing through the halls.

“We should return to our rooms and rest,” Zhu Ning said, rising to take Lin Xiayan’s hand. But before she could take a step, Su Mi called out with all her might, stopping her in her tracks.

Zhu Ning couldn’t bear to see Su Mi strain herself. She immediately turned back to listen. Su Mi glanced at Lin Xiayan, her eyes glistening with tears from the pain of her wound tearing as she spoke. “Now that Xiayan has passed the test, shouldn’t she move into our quarters? It might be inappropriate for her to continue staying with you, Honored Master.”

As Su Mi spoke, Zhu Ning could feel Lin Xiayan’s anger rising like a storm, as if she were about to tear Su Mi apart if she said another word.

Zhu Ning instantly stepped in front of Lin Xiayan, blocking her view, and addressed Su Mi directly, “Xiayan just arrived at Yun Cang Mountain and isn’t yet familiar with the disciples. I was worried she wouldn’t adjust well. Besides, we’re about to descend the mountain soon, and I need to give her some final instructions. We can discuss where she’ll stay after we return from quelling the unrest below.”

With that, Zhu Ning grabbed Lin Xiayan’s hand and fled, giving Su Mi no chance to reply. Their robes billowed slightly as they ran.

“Stop running. We’re already out…” Lin Xiayan’s helpless voice drifted from behind. The moonlight bathed the ground, transforming it into a dreamlike expanse of white snow. Zhu Ning, already panting heavily, glanced back and realized they had indeed run quite far.

Lin Xiayan calmly walked over to a small rock and sat down, without changing her appearance. Her voice, however, had become much steadier. “Why did she suddenly suggest I stay there?”

Zhu Ning was stunned. She had been about to ask Lin Xiayan why she refused to go. Wasn’t Su Mi’s Immortal Bone their ultimate goal? Why pretend to be so virtuous and refuse to live next door to Su Mi?

Of course, Zhu Ning didn’t voice her thoughts aloud. Instead, she asked cautiously, “I don’t know why Su Mi wants you to stay there, but I don’t understand why you refuse.”

Lin Xiayan swung her legs casually, a look of indifference on her face. “It’s just not comfortable there. Your Mùdōng Courtyard is so much more cozy and refined.”

Zhu Ning was speechless. She hadn’t expected to be stumped by such a simple remark. After a moment’s thought, she realized that someone like Lin Xiayan, who had lived a life of luxury in the Demon Realm, would naturally want to maintain a certain standard of comfort here as well.

“Let’s go,” Zhu Ning urged, “I need to review some texts tonight and prepare for our descent tomorrow.”

Lin Xiayan finally stood up at her own leisurely pace and began walking toward Mùdōng Courtyard. Though it wasn’t snowing, the biting wind relentlessly whipped Zhu Ning’s face until it was red with cold.

No global warming in ancient times really does make the winters unbearable, she thought.

Zhu Ning felt utterly unprepared for their descent tomorrow. While her cultivation had mostly recovered and her techniques were slowly solidifying in her mind, she still felt like a toddler learning to walk. If they truly faced the kind of enemies she feared, she couldn’t guarantee her own safety.

This was also why Zhu Ning had to bring Lin Xiayan along. She was willing to bet that Lin Xiayan would protect her, not for any particular reason, but simply because she was Lin Xiayan—the villainous yet not truly evil Lin Xiayan.

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