When the White Moonlight Holds the Script - Chapter 26

Zhu Zhihan’s heart tightened.

So soon…

No disciple enjoyed assessments, not even a diligent one like her.

I’m not nervous! she told herself.

Following Luan Wu’s footsteps, Zhu Zhihan realized they had walked beyond the encampment. Not far away stood a grove of pine and cypress trees.

Their boots crunched softly on the snow.

Luan Wu led her through the woods, stopping at a relatively spacious clearing.

It was indeed more secluded and expansive than the area outside the tents, making it suitable for practicing the sweeping, unrestrained movements of her blade techniques.

“Come, demonstrate the nine forms,” Luan Wu instructed.

Zhu Zhihan stood at the center of the clearing. Drawing a wooden longsword from her storage pouch, she gripped it with both hands and settled into her stance.

The results of over a month of practice converged in this moment.

She exhaled softly, a sharp glint flashing in her light-colored eyes as her blade began to move.

Within the entire Blade Sect, Luan Wu was the only one who wielded a Miao blade. As her disciple, Zhu Zhihan’s sword techniques differed from those of her senior brothers.

Thus, during her usual practice sessions, she had to rely on her own understanding and self-correction.

Over time, she always felt something was missing, yet she couldn’t grasp what it was.

Now, perhaps Luan Wu could provide the answers.

Though the blade was wooden, as she swung it with full concentration, it seemed to produce the resonance of metal striking stone.

Chopping, thrusting, sweeping, pointing her movements flowed like a fleeting dragon.

The tip of her blade skimmed the snow, sending flurries dancing into the air.

Zhu Zhihan completed the motion of sheathing her sword, her cheeks flushed from the intense exertion, breathing in shallow pants.

Luan Wu critiqued, “Insufficient core strength. Issues with the application of force in your waist and legs. Some movements…”

Zhu Zhihan listened carefully, taking mental notes. These were valuable pointers, but despite her rational appreciation, hearing so many corrections still left her somewhat disheartened, she had tried so hard, yet still fell short in so many ways.

Then Luan Wu added, “Given the short time and self-guided practice, reaching this level is no small feat. You’ve done well.”

Zhu Zhihan was slightly taken aback.

“Assume the posture of the third form,” Luan Wu instructed.

Zhu Zhihan complied. The next moment, she felt someone press close from behind.

A warm hand enveloped her wrist, guiding her movements as Luan Wu calmly explained the essential techniques.

She caught a faint scent of sandalwood Luan Wu seemed to favor this fragrance, one that calmed the spirit and soothed the soul.

The aroma enveloped her.

Something cool brushed against the skin of her wrist with each movement. Glancing down, she noticed it was the bead bracelet Luan Wu wore.

It was a string of sandalwood prayer beads, finely crafted and likely a magical artifact.

Prayer beads and Luan Wu. At first glance, the pairing seemed contradictory, but upon reflection, there was a strange harmony to it.

Like a wild beast willingly adorning itself with shackles.

“Do you understand?”

Zhu Zhihan snapped back to attention. “I think so.”

“Good.” Luan Wu released her hand. “Now try it on your own.”

And so, one explained while the other practiced. By the time all nine forms had been corrected, Zhu Zhihan was drenched in sweat utterly exhausted.

Comprehending and internalizing these adjustments demanded immense mental energy.

Luan Wu stood to the side, arms crossed, watching critically as Zhu Zhihan linked the nine forms together one last time before finally nodding.

“Acceptable.”

The sky was beginning to lighten with the first hints of dawn, and Zhu Zhihan breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as though she had just endured a long, chaotic night.

The two of them walked back toward the camp, with Luanwu leading the way as usual and Zhu Zhihan trailing a step behind.

Tormented by a question for quite some time, Zhu Zhihan hesitated for a moment before asking, “Are you leaving again?”

Luanwu stopped and turned around, casting a questioning glance her way.

Only then did Zhu Zhihan realize she had misunderstood. She explained softly, “Because you seemed in such a hurry today, I thought…”

Correcting her techniques when couldn’t that be done? Why choose tonight, of all nights, especially after she had spent the day rushing about and had only just recovered from an illness?

It didn’t align at all with Luanwu’s usual way of doing things. It almost seemed as if she were rushing to finish it.

“I won’t be leaving for a while,” Luanwu paused, “but I do have some other plans. Today is the last day go back and get a good night’s sleep.”

Hearing this, Zhu Zhihan suddenly remembered: yes, today was indeed the last day. Tomorrow, the secret realm would open, and it would also be the day they prepared to return to the sect.

Zhu Zhihan didn’t question it further and nodded.

When they returned, Senior Brother Wan was packing his things, preparing to go out.

Seeing Zhu Zhihan come back from outside, Wan Mengchen looked somewhat surprised.

Zhu Zhihan was also taken aback. “Senior Brother Wan, are you still going?”

After the commotion yesterday, wouldn’t there be a lot of pressure if he went today?

Wan Mengchen looked as though he hadn’t slept all night, with faint dark circles under his eyes, but his eyes sparkled with energy. He smiled and said, “There are still some pills left to sell. I can’t give up halfway.”

“But…”

“If I hide in fear today, how will I ever manage to open our sect’s shops all across the cultivation world in the future?”

Zhu Zhihan blinked, sensing that her senior brother seemed to have changed somewhat.

Since he had his own plans in mind, she felt reassured business matters were best left to him. She didn’t have that kind of flexible thinking, and perhaps her senior brother had his own way of handling things.

Returning to her own tent, Zhu Zhihan lay down on the bed and enjoyed a rare, sound sleep.

When she opened her eyes again, it was already dark outside.

The quilt was warm and cozy, and her body felt relaxed from the deep sleep.

She lingered in bed for a little while something she seldom did before finally getting up.

Walking outside, she found Wan Mengchen and the others all gathered.

“Junior Sister, you’re here?”

Zhu Zhihan looked at the items laid out before them. “What’s all this?”

On a small square table sat a pot and an array of cups and dishes. Inside the pot, meat from a spirit beast and other ingredients were simmering, while the cups held spirit rice and spirit fruits, their fragrant aroma wafting through the air. A few small bottles of deer wine were also placed nearby.

Wan Mengchen waved her over. “Junior Sister, come sit! Our mission on this trip has been successfully completed. Let’s have a small celebration to mark the occasion.”

The sixth junior brother, having returned to his usual cheerful self, guided Zhu Zhihan to the seat of honor. “You’re our great hero!”

Unable to refuse, Zhu Zhihan took her seat.

She glanced around. “Where’s our master?”

The Third Elder lay to the side, drinking heavily, already quite drunk. “The sect leader? She disappeared somewhere during the day. In this old man’s opinion, we should just start the feast. The meat’s about to overcook.”

The group exchanged glances. “That doesn’t seem quite right.”

Even as they said this, they all picked up their chopsticks.

After a couple of small cups of wine, everyone quickly grew lively, eagerly sharing their excitement from the past few days.

Zhu Zhihan couldn’t help but be infected by their joy and smiled softly.

Halfway through the celebration, Luanwu returned.

The group was clearly too drunk to think straight. Even the usually timid Sixth Brother dared to tease the tiger, slurring his words as he called out to Luan Wu, “Sect Leader, we’re just waiting for you!”

Zhu Zhihan noticed Luan Wu’s eyebrow twitch.

Luan Wu remained standing. “What are you all?”

Sixth Brother replied boldly, “We’re returning tomorrow, so we want to create some beautiful memories!”

Wan Mengchen added quietly from the side, “We’re holding a small banquet to celebrate.”

“I see.”

Then, Zhu Zhihan caught a fleeting, mischievous smile in Luan Wu’s eyes. “You probably won’t be going back tomorrow.”

Luan Wu reached into her sleeve and pulled out several tokens tied with red cords.

“It’s time for your training. The Snow Mountain Secret Realm opens tomorrow. I’ll suppress my cultivation and enter with you using a secret technique.”

The Eldest Brother, who had been eating spiritual rice from a large bowl, froze. Wan Mengchen stared at Luan Wu in horror, and Sixth Brother’s chopsticks clattered to the floor.

The scene seemed to freeze, with only the Third Elder continuing to drink leisurely.

Zhu Zhihan was the first to find her voice.

“We’re entering the Snow Mountain Secret Realm??”

The Sect Leader’s will was not to be swayed. The next day, Zhu Zhihan and the other three arrived neatly at the location where the Snow Mountain Secret Realm was about to open.

Beside them, Luan Wu had changed into an inconspicuous black outfit and wore a fox mask, pretending to be a team leader at the late Nascent Soul stage.

By the time they arrived, most of the other token-holding cultivators had already gathered, and there were quite a few of them.

The vast, boundless snowfield made the cultivators look like tiny ants from above.

After waiting for a while, Zhu Zhihan suddenly felt an intense gaze upon her.

She looked over.

Under the escort of several Tianjing Sect disciples in white robes embroidered with silver thread, a girl with her dark hair tied high in a silver crown was staring directly at her.

It had only been a day, but Bo Mingwei seemed much more haggard. Her usually bright and proud eyes now held a complex mix of emotions.

When Bo Mingwei saw Zhu Zhihan looking back, her eyes lit up.

Zhu Zhihan had no doubt that if there weren’t so many people around, Bo Mingwei would have come over immediately.

She had made it very clear last time that she didn’t want to be involved with her. Why was she still so persistent.

Zhu Zhihan calmly averted her gaze, feeling a headache coming on.

Fortunately, just then, the guardians of the secret realm arrived.

It seemed all the adult men and women of the Lu Yun tribe had come, forming a long line.

At the front, a woman draped in fur and wearing a deer skull headdress, her pale palms holding a green orb, slowly walked to the center of the snowfield.

Even with the deer skull covering her face, Zhu Zhihan recognized her immediately, it was the gentle young chieftain, Su Chaya.

After reciting a long prayer, the wind and snow suddenly intensified, gradually forming a vortex in the air.

Su Chaya’s ethereal voice echoed from all directions, “The secret realm is open. Please proceed.”

Drawn by their tokens, the cultivators rose into the air one by one, entering the light gate formed by the vortex.

Zhu Zhihan and the others, linked by a special magical tool, also entered the light gate this ensured they would land in the same place within the secret realm and not be separated.

Upon entering the light gate, they were met with endless darkness, as if plunging into the deep sea.

The next moment, the surroundings slowly brightened.

Zhu Zhihan looked around.

They had been dropped into a sea of trees.

She slowly let out a breath.

In this life, she had still ended up entering this secret realm within the snowy mountains, following the same path as her previous life.

Soon, her faint melancholy was overshadowed by the excited voices of her senior brothers.

“Is this the secret realm?”

“Where are the rare treasures? Where are the guardian beasts?”

“Wow, senior brother, what are you doing? Why are you digging up dirt? Huh? Keeping it as a memento?”

Zhu Zhihan facepalmed.

However, with a powerhouse like Luan Wu escorting them, the opportunity to train in a secret realm was truly rare.

Luan Wu must have considered this as well, which was why he had hurriedly corrected her techniques that night entering the secret realm would involve real combat, and flawed or incorrect techniques simply wouldn’t do.

As her senior brothers’ conversation drifted further and further off-topic, Luan Wu stood by with his arms crossed, seemingly uninterested in intervening.

Zhu Zhihan had no choice but to take on the responsibility and steer the conversation back on track: “Rare treasures aren’t so easy to come by. Let’s explore as we go. This place is rich in spiritual energy, so we should come across plenty of spiritual herbs or ores.”

Wan Mengchen perked up at this: “Junior sister, don’t you need better spiritual herbs for alchemy? And senior brother needs more spiritual seeds too. Let’s go, let’s go!”

Unexpectedly, as they walked on, they truly found nothing.

Even Zhu Zhihan found it strange.

In the past, whenever she ventured into a secret realm, she would usually come across something after walking for a while.

Had they been dropped into an exceptionally barren and desolate area? That couldn’t be right.

After a long while, they still hadn’t found anything.

Zhu Zhihan cast a suspicious glance at Luan Wu, who stood nearby, feigning indifference.

Suddenly, she recalled the words of her martial aunt Tu Meng: “Your master has never had any luck with wealth. Even if he receives payment one day, it’ll be gone in a few days for one reason or another.”

So, while the Blade Sect’s poverty over the years was largely due to the Immortal Alliance’s targeting, a small part of it was definitely because Luan Wu was simply fated to have no wealth!

Her vision darkened.

Earning money is too easy? Please take this with you!

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