When the Immortal Venerable Picked-Up the Demon Cub - Chapter 8

It was the heart of winter, and the lakes surrounding Yun Cang Mountain were covered in thick ice. Snowflakes clung to the barren branches of the trees, their precarious beauty stirring affection.

At the foot of the mountain, several white-robed disciples stood solemnly beside the grand gates. Despite the spiritual power enveloping them, they shivered uncontrollably, a testament to the bitter cold.

The snow continued to fall, casting a soft, misty light over the world. The ground was blanketed in pristine white, untouched by footprints.

Zhu Ning stepped down from the carriage and walked quietly along the path. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been walking when suddenly, a group of excited disciples appeared on the otherwise deserted road, their faces lit up with anticipation.

“Has Immortal Venerable Zhu truly returned from her travels?”

“How could that be false? Quick, look! Isn’t that the Immortal Venerable over there?”

At the shout, all eyes turned to the winding path leading up the mountain. The fresh snow had been swept aside, revealing a procession of about twenty people escorting a slender woman. Beside her walked a strikingly dressed child in a red dress, drawing all eyes.

Zhu Ning wasn’t used to being the center of attention. As she took the oil-paper umbrella and walked through the crowd, she wished she could find a crack in the ground to disappear into. The warm and enthusiastic gazes of the onlookers made her unsure how to respond.

Fortunately, Lin Xiayan beside her drew some of the attention. After all, everyone was more interested in why their Immortal Venerable had returned from her travels with a little girl in tow!

“Could she be her illegitimate daughter?” one bold disciple speculated. He was immediately smacked on the head. Rubbing his sore head, he turned to curse the offender, only to meet the severe gaze of Elder Yue Qing, whose snow-white Daoist robes hung with a sword.

The deep blue tassel on Elder Yue Qing’s sword matched his cold and stern demeanor.

“Are you qualified to criticize the Sect Leader’s affairs? Do you know the penalty for spreading such rumors about the Sect Leader’s succession?”

Elder Yue Qing’s gruff voice carried a weary authority as he berated the disciple. He then looked up and saw Zhu Ning already halfway up the mountain.

“Sect Leader Zhu, please visit my Academy later,” Elder Yue Qing said, using the Voice Transmission Technique instead of shouting. As her senior, this method of communication was appropriate.

Zhu Ning was still struggling to climb the mountain when she suddenly heard the voice transmitted through the air. Her expression immediately turned grim.

It was just as in the original story, except this time Yue Qing was calling her instead of the female protagonist.

In the original book, Su Mi had brought Lin Xiayan to Yun Cang Mountain, and when Yue Qing tried to punish her, the Holy Mother (the original owner of Zhu Ning’s body) had intervened, leaving behind the seed of disaster that was Lin Xiayan. Now, the situation was completely reversed.

Zhu Ning thought about it carefully. Wasn’t she essentially inviting wolves into her home by bringing Lin Xiayan here?

Shaking her head, Zhu Ning continued walking forward, her eyes taking in the magnificent scenery of Yun Cang Mountain.

The mountain was covered in silver, like the disciples who favored white robes. The winding path seemed long, but it passed quickly. Zhu Ning led Lin Xiayan to the summit of Yun Cang Mountain, where numerous buildings stood, including a grand hall-like structure. Though not opulent, it was by no means simple.

Facing the path directly was Yun Cang Mountain’s Sect Leader’s Grand Hall, where internal affairs were managed. Zhu Ning glanced inside the hall. Apart from a few intricately carved pillars, two stone chairs adorned with gold and jade stood in the center—likely where the original owner and Yue Qing usually sat.

Facing the grand hall was an expansive training ground. When viewed from above, the design of the training ground formed the yin-yang symbol, giving it a distinctly Daoist aura.

The ground was swept impeccably clean, as if under the influence of some magical technique that prevented snow from accumulating. Zhu Ning’s long skirt swayed across the pristine surface without a trace of dirt. The twenty-odd people who had gathered there stopped, bowed in unison, and dispersed.

Only Lin Xiayan and Zhu Ning remained. Snowflakes rustled softly as they landed on Zhu Ning’s oil-paper umbrella. Zhu Ning strode toward the small courtyard behind the grand hall, her umbrella held aloft. Lin Xiayan, also sheltering under an umbrella, followed with small, graceful steps.

The secluded courtyard, hidden behind the grand hall, resembled a veiled beauty. Surrounded by leafless bamboo groves blanketed in snow, it stood in stark contrast to the snow-free training ground.

This was Zhu Ning’s residence. A Sect Leader of her caliber didn’t require opulence; a modest courtyard offered ample contentment.

The air around the courtyard carried the scent of medicinal herbs. Even in winter, when not a hint of green remained, the lingering herbal fragrance persisted.

Zhu Ning finally extended her hand, her bracelet-adorned fingers gently pushing open the bamboo door. The door creaked, its age evident in the squeak.

The silence was broken. Lin Xiayan, who hadn’t spoken during their walk, had been scrutinizing their surroundings just like Zhu Ning, trying to decide where to start.

The shadow in her eyes lingered until Zhu Ning beckoned her inside, at which point she quickly replaced it with an innocent expression.

“This house… it’s barely comparable to mine,” Lin Xiayan said, not lying. She looked around. Though the furnishings were ordinary, the owner’s care was evident everywhere. Even the porcelain pillow on the bed was adorned with extraordinary patterns.

Several talismans lay on the table, but the true centerpiece of the room hung from the ceiling.

It was a long, gold-embroidered umbrella. A snow-white tassel hung from the handle, and pearl-sized bells dangled from each of the eight umbrella rings. The umbrella’s tip was made of jade, its smooth, luminous surface a striking contrast to the ordinary oilpaper one might expect. Instead, the umbrella was covered in white feathers, each carefully arranged along the ribs, so densely packed that not even sunlight could penetrate them.

This umbrella… Zhu Ning’s eyes lit up, her heart pounding in her chest. This umbrella had once shaken the Three Realms and was the key to the original owner’s rise to fame two years ago. At the time, the original owner had just completed her training, and Yun Cang Mountain had considered her merely an outstanding disciple, never imagining she could become Sect Leader.

It was said that immortals could fall to evil, and so could Divine Beasts. However, after a Divine Beast falls to evil, it loses even more of its consciousness. When this beast reached the Mortal Realm, it coincidentally encountered the original owner, who was just beginning her travels. After three days and nights of battle, the Divine Beast was defeated. Convinced of its defeat, it transformed into a magical artifact for the original owner’s use.

Though the original owner nearly lost her life in the battle, her recovery brought her unparalleled glory.

It was also from that time on that the medicinal aroma often filled this small courtyard. The news of Immortal Venerable Zhu’s grave injury had reached Zhen Sui Mountain, which was why the Daoist Priest from there had dared to speak so arrogantly last night in the Dilapidated Temple.

His arrogant words, however, contained a grain of truth.

Zhu Ning felt a pang of disappointment. Her eyes, which had lit up, now dimmed. Yun Cang Mountain was indeed all show and no substance. Though it appeared glorious on the surface, there were few truly capable fighters left among its ranks.

“Immortal Venerable? Elder Yue requests your presence.” Just as she was thinking this, a disciple of Yue Qing arrived at the door to urge her forward.

Support