The conflict between the Shanhai Sect and the Qingshui Sect over the Outer Sect’s Spirit Spring occurred annually. Over time, both sects had developed their own tactics for these confrontations. For example, they employed isolation arrays to encircle the dueling pairs within separate zones. This not only prevented interference from adjacent battles but also shielded their techniques from prying eyes—prolonged observation might enable disciples of the opposing sect to decipher their secrets.
Fighting was one thing, and competition another, but helping the opponent improve was out of the question.
However, Xiao Qi never expected that today, even within the isolation array, he couldn’t understand what the female disciple was saying.
“Now, heart rate… 86.” Lin Shuang looked down, raising an eyebrow at the wrapped sword that had slashed her left arm.
What did that mean?!
Xiao Qi’s sword felt as if it had collided with a vast ocean wave. He looked at the seemingly frail woman before him in disbelief.
Taking her seriously, he immediately stepped back. “You’re not just at the sixth layer of Transformation Qi, are you?”
He roared, his aura surging, and no longer dared to underestimate her, pouring all his cultivation power into his sword!
The sword descended, its blade energy transforming into serpents, instantly engulfing Lin Shuang.
Yet a ghostly, light sigh echoed softly within the sword light.
“Heart rate 98… too low, still too low. It’s not enough to burn fat.”
“???”
Xiao Qi looked up in confusion, only to see the seemingly frail female cultivator standing in the sword light, wearing the standard outer sect green robe.
Her wide sleeves were tied up with red rope, and the hems of her pants were also secured, making her movements nimble and efficient.
At this moment, she began hopping lightly on her feet, and somehow, from her storage pouch, she pulled out two red gloves that looked plump and bulky, slipping them onto her hands.
Before he could figure out what was happening, fists came flying like a storm!
Right hook, left hook!
Straight punch, uppercut!
In an instant, pink fist intent created shadows, continuously striking against his sword light!
“Heart rate 103.”
“Heart rate 118.”
“Heart rate 125.”
Amidst the devilishly light chanting,
Crack! Crack! Crack! His seventeen sword lights shattered in an instant.
Just as the pink gloves were about to slam into his shiny, polished sword—
Xiao Qi’s eyes turned red. “??? Stop!”
But a punch struck his jaw, sending him flying backward, crashing into the edge of the isolation array.
In an instant, Lin Shuang, hopping lightly with small steps, caught up, grabbing his robe’s hem and lifting him up.
“Hmm? I need to sweat for one incense stick’s time. Now it’s only a third of the way through.”
“…?”
Was this female disciple from the Qingshui Sect a devil?
He would fight her to the end!
Xiao Qi activated his heart technique, gritting his teeth as he gripped the sword that flew back into his hand, unleashing his strongest sword move to date—the Ascending Dragon Seal!
But just as he summoned eight-tenths of his qi, he felt a continuous surge of spiritual energy pouring in from all directions, entering the area around his jaw and robe collar where she had punched him moments ago.
His ninth layer of Transformation Qi cultivation wavered, seemingly on the verge of breaking through to the next stage.
The sensation was exquisite, as if riding a phoenix of flames, with spiritual energy rapidly gathering and his cultivation progressing by leaps and bounds.
Amidst this strange sense of expansion, Xiao Qi felt an unprecedented strength within himself. Puzzled, he reached down and touched his slightly aching jaw.
He pulled off a… spiritual enhancement talisman.
Xiao Qi: “?”
Lin Shuang threw a punch, striking his protective qi. “Hmm, you’ve improved to this level. Barely able to make my heart rate reach 140.”
Xiao Qi: “!??”
At the foot of the mountain gate, one by one, the isolation arrays opened, and disciples emerged in pairs from the contests.
Some looked dejected, others joyful, reporting their wins and losses to the supervising senior brothers of their sects.
Zhao Kuran had already finished her match. She left a three-inch deep mark on the sword-testing stone, defeating a disciple from the Shanhai Sect.
But at this moment, there was no joy on her face, and she anxiously watched the direction where Lin Shuang had entered the isolation array.
“Hasn’t Xiao Qi come out yet?”
“It’s almost been an incense stick’s time. That’s not normal. Senior Brother Xiao is six minor stages higher than her. The outcome should have been decided!”
“Could it be that she’s too weak, got injured during the match, and Senior Brother Xiao had to take the time to heal her?”
Waiting alongside her were many excited female disciples and sword cultivators.
Xiao Qi was young and talented, a top-tier outer sect disciple of the Shanhai Sect, destined for a bright future within the inner sect.
Besides his obsession with sword cultivation, he was also wealthy, generous, handsome, and charming—an ideal candidate for dual cultivation in the eyes of many female disciples and a rival most sword cultivators loved to discuss and wanted to surpass.
The disciples from both sects who had finished their matches soon gathered around.
Even the two supervising senior brothers and the elite disciples ranked high in their sects cast curious glances.
Zhao Kuran anxiously paced back and forth, tightly gripping a rejuvenation pill in her hand.
Just as she was overwhelmed with worry, a flash of spiritual light appeared in the sky. The yellowish isolation array that had blocked their view slowly opened.
“He’s coming out! He’s coming out!”
This match was surely a defeat for the Qingshui Sect.
The Shanhai Sect disciples were jubilant, while the Qingshui Sect members fell into gloomy silence.
But as the array dissipated, a slender green-robed figure faintly emerged.
She looked rosy-faced, with sweat on her forehead, slightly out of breath, calmly stepping out.
As for the other person from the Shanhai Sect, ranked among the top three outer sect disciples—Xiao Qi… he wasn’t even standing.
Everyone was stunned.
“Senior sister, are you injured?”
Zhao Kuran rushed to Lin Shuang, anxiously checking her from head to toe.
“Have you taken the rejuvenation pill?”
Xiao Qi, sitting cross-legged and meditating, shook his body slightly.
The one who was supposed to take the medicine was him.
The one who got beaten up was him too!
“The result of this match is, Xiao Qi of the Shanhai Sect.” The supervising senior brother of the Shanhai Sect smiled, looking at Lin Shuang’s weak cultivation level and writing down the result.
Xiao Qi’s chest ached as he looked toward the senior brother of the Shanhai Sect.
His lips trembled, and his eyes gradually reddened.
‘Ah, the incense stick is done. I’ve sweated a lot.’
‘What a problem, when the array opens, should I say I won or lost…’
‘If I say I won against a ninth layer Transformation Qi opponent, I’ll definitely be questioned at least three times by the junior sisters, Senior Brother Xu, and the martial arts instructor. Explaining my cultivation issue would take at least an hour and a half.’
“And it might even lead other outer sect disciples to doubt my words and come challenge me. But I don’t need to burn fat every day… Entertaining them daily would waste at least two hours a week…”
“But if I say I lost, it might affect the ownership of the Spirit Spring and potentially hinder my progress toward gathering 100 Dantians to break through to Condensing Essence.”
In a daze, Xiao Qi recalled the woman’s murmuring he heard when his protective qi shattered.
One hundred… Dantian…
He turned to look at Lin Shuang, who was being protected by others, her face innocent and frail, momentarily making him unsure whether everything that just happened was real or an illusion.
‘In that case, you can just say you forfeited because you don’t fight women today, okay?’
Xiao Qi was dazed, but when Lin Shuang smiled at him with a sideways glance, he bitterly remembered everything.
She even thought of an excuse for how he lost!
Looking at all the Shanhai Sect senior brothers and junior brothers waiting for the result of their match after the array opened.
Looking at the supervising senior brother of the Shanhai Sect, who had already recorded his victory.
Xiao Qi felt bitter and angry, gritting his teeth and lowering his head.
“It was… my loss.”
“???”
“What… what do you mean?”
The scene fell silent.
The recording senior brother of the Shanhai Sect had his brush tip smudged with ink.
Xu Rui, the supervising senior brother of the Qingshui Sect, had his Bagua sword vibrating behind him.
Zhao Kuran was so shocked she forgot to blink.
“It’s impossible! How could Senior Brother Xiao lose to someone at the third layer of Transformation Qi!”
“Xiao Qi, did you make a mistake?”
But in an instant, the battle stone, having determined the outcome, shot out a beam of light.
It flew into the matching tokens at both of their waists.
[Lin Shuang: Qingshui Sect disciple, Transformation Qi third layer]
[Won the Lingquan (9 wins, 6 absences)]
[Received 500 sect contribution points]
[Due to an over-level victory, contribution points doubled, totaling 1000]
[Qingshui outer sect disciple ranking update: 18888→17291]
[Xiao Qi: Shanhai Sect disciple, Transformation Qi ninth layer]
[Lost the Spirit Spring (13 wins, 1 loss)]
[Deducted 500 sect contribution points]
[Shanhai outer sect disciple ranking update: 3→5]
The sect tokens floated in the air, displaying the text.
Silence.
A stunned silence from everyone.
“She ranked eighteen thousand… and beat Senior Brother Xiao, who was third…”
“Senior Brother Xiao dropped out of the top three… and she’s still seventeen thousand…??”
Comparing the two disciples’ cultivation levels and rankings was almost laughable.
“Could Xiao Qi be like those Shanhai Sect disciples who encountered her in previous years, suddenly plagued by bad luck? Was he suffering from diarrhea today, heartbroken, or had he just gone mad with cultivation?”
Xiao Qi: “???”
He looked at Lin Shuang, who was still innocently accepting the concern and examination from her junior sisters.
She was a repeat offender!?
Xiao Qi took a deep breath, lowered his head in silence, and carefully wrapped his sword in layers of cloth, from the inside out.
Silk made from silkworms was the softest and safest, placed closest to the sword blade.
Brown hemp cloth, breathable and sweat-absorbing, was the second layer around the sword.
Cotton cloth, durable and warm, suitable as an outer layer, was the third layer wrapped around the sword.
Only after meticulously wrapping all three layers did Xiao Qi wipe the soles of his new black boots and cast a dust-removing spell on them before finally stepping onto his beloved sword.
He glanced back at Lin Shuang, then quickly turned his head away, his face reddening.
“Everyone, I’ll head back to the Shanhai Sect first.”
He had lost disgracefully; staying would only bring him further humiliation.
Moreover, he felt that after the recent blow, his ninth layer of Transformation Qi cultivation was unstable and very uncomfortable.
“Senior Brother Xiao, wait. I’ll go with you. Can you give me a ride?” A junior brother also wanted to return, calling out immediately.
“Okay.”
Without even looking back, Xiao Qi replied.
“Wash your feet first.”
“…”
“If you don’t want to wash them, use your sword.”
“…………”
Lin Shuang looked up, watching Xiao Qi leave, stepping onto his junior brother’s sword. Her eyebrows twitched.
What a strange person.
Then, another glimmer appeared faintly on her sect token.
[Defeated a ninth layer Transformation Qi disciple, surpassing six minor cultivation stages.]
[Qingshui Sect supervisory office, reward of 600 spirit stones!]
All the disciples present cast envious glances.
Lin Shuang took out her sketchbook and stepped onto her broad sword, which resembled a pair of snowshoes.
She looked inward, inspecting her body.
Dan Tian 1: Operating at 100% of Transformation Qi third layer peak.
Dan Tian 2: Operating at 0% of Transformation Qi third layer peak.
Dan Tian 3… Operating at 0%.
…
Dan Tian 85… Operating at 0%.
She had returned to her normal state after fat burning, with only one Dan Tian currently active.
She slightly nodded, waved her sleeve toward the still-stunned supervising senior brother Xu Rui, and then left with Zhao Kuran, soaring on their swords.
*
Xiao Qi, absentmindedly stepping on his junior brother’s flying sword, returned to the outer sect of the Shanhai Sect. Only after meeting his senior brother did he gradually regain his senses, emerging from the grief and anger of being crushed.
His senior brother was surnamed Zhao, a fellow year-mate with Xu Rui, the senior brother from the neighboring Qingshui Sect.
Zhao Ming did not participate in the Lingquan competition today because he had already reached the fourth layer of Condensing Yuan.
Like his neighbor Senior Brother Xu Rui, after reaching the Yuan Condensation stage, he no longer participated in the battles among outer sect disciples, as the power disparity would be too unfair.
“Seventh junior brother, what happened? The supervisory hall sent a message asking when you vowed never to fight female cultivators. How come I didn’t know about this?” Zhao Ming’s expression was serious.
The Shanhai Sect had strict rules and imposed punishments on defeated disciples.
According to the rules, Xiao Qi had lost to a cultivator six minor stages lower than himself, so he needed to receive six hundred lashes from the disciplinary ruler.
That ruler had been soaked in homemade chili water in the discipline hall for a hundred years. One strike could cause the skin to split and flesh to tear.
Xiao Qi remained expressionless and took off his outer robe.
“Senior brother, proceed.”
Zhao Ming’s eyebrow twitched.
Xiao Qi remained silent.
After a while, he turned his head to look at the ruler in his senior brother’s hand.
“Senior brother, when I bleed and faint from the pain, please remember not to let my blood get on my sword.”
“—If it gets on there, senior brother, don’t worry about me first. Save my sword! Remember to use silk from silkworms, soak it in the Spirit Spring to wipe it clean, then burn dragon saliva incense to get rid of the smell…”
Zhao Ming’s eyelid twitched as he forcefully pressed his hand on Xiao Qi’s back.
Just as he was about to strike with the ruler, he saw that after Xiao Qi took off his outer robe, his back was covered in red swelling.
“?? Junior brother, were you injured by a female disciple? You weren’t heartbroken, were you?”
“…” Where was the heartbreak from such a brief encounter?
“Wait, junior brother, quickly gather your primordial essence. Your cultivation is unstable, and your condensed primordial energy is about to dissipate!”
Xiao Qi looked confused.
He looked up.
“???”
Dissipate?
Gathering… yuan energy?
(Note: “元” can be translated as “yuan” (currency) or “primordial” depending on context. If referring to a metaphysical concept like “primordial energy,” an alternative could be: “Condensing… primordial energy?”)
Please clarify the intended meaning of “元” for precise translation.
Had he misunderstood?
Wasn’t he just entering the peak of Transformation Qi ninth layer?
“Senior brother, what happens if you use a spiritual enhancement talisman at Transformation Qi ninth layer?”
Zhao Ming: “??”
“Who is so wasteful! Normally, using it at the peak of Transformation Qi can only barely allow you to experience the initial stage of Condensing Yuan for the duration of three incense sticks. If used in battle…”
Xiao Qi opened his mouth, then closed it.
Instantly, he sat cross-legged, holding his sword in meditation.
Damn it!
“Senior brother, don’t wake me up. Let me indulge unrestrainedly in this dream of condensing primordial essence.”
*
“Junior sister, don’t wake me up. I’m too tired. I’ll take a short nap.”
Lin Shuang returned to her wooden house and learned that the Spirit Spring had ultimately been won by the Qingshui Sect this year. She sighed in relief and comfortably collapsed onto her small bed.
Today:
Aerobic exercise √
Practice using talismans √
She let her eyelids droop, barely managing to let Xiao Ai record the completion of today’s schedule before closing her eyes.
…
“Xiao Shuang, haven’t you finished work yet?”
“Ah, you need to work hard, but you also need to rest. Otherwise, you’ll end up with problems all over your body and won’t have a single friend.”
“How can I feel at ease to leave?”
Lin Shuang struggled to open her eyes, trying to see the old man speaking by the roadside.
She wanted to grasp the old man’s hand, but she only touched the blood-stained hem of his robe.
Warm, moist liquid—it was impossible to tell whether it was tears or blood flowing from the old man’s body…
Too slow.
It was her fault for being too slow.
If she could have been faster…
Faster to finish the experiment, faster to satisfy the boss, faster to finish work, faster to ride her bike to the orphanage, faster without taking detours… then the director grandmother wouldn’t have waited at the intersection. If she had been just a few minutes faster, she could have caught the grandmother’s hand by the roadside and wouldn’t have lost her…
Lin Shuang breathed painfully, her whole body submerged in a sea of blood red.
It was all her fault.
It was because she was too slow.
“If only I could be faster, even faster…”
Lin Shuang opened her eyes in a daze.
The last rays of the setting sun slanted through the window of her wooden house, falling on her face.
She reached out and pressed her fingers against the corner of her eye, feeling the warm liquid slowly cool and roll down between her fingers.
She sat up silently, her face in her hands.
[Ding, Xiao Ai is timing your short nap. One incense stick’s time is over.]
[Rest is for greater efficiency. The next schedule is to listen to the latest episode of the immortal cultivation story. The one after that is to study new talismans for one incense stick. Then communicate with your roommate and have dinner.]
Lin Shuang tugged at the corner of her mouth.
Grandma director, she’s listening now.
She can quickly complete all her tasks according to the plan.
Learning, resting, making friends, meals, and exercise—nothing will be neglected.
Grandma director…
This time, she won’t be slow anymore.
She will become the excellent and happy person you always wanted me to be.
“Senior sister, I’m back.”
Zhao Kuran pushed open the door of the wooden house, dusty from her journey, handing over the 600 spirit stones awarded by the supervising office.
She blinked.
Why did her senior sister’s eyes look a bit red? Was she imagining it?
“Senior sister, don’t forget that we have to submit talisman assignments tomorrow, right?”
Lin Shuang let out a soft “Ah,” then slowly slid down from the edge of the bed, hugging her quilt.
Zhao Kuran tapped the table. “Twelve sound-transmitting talismans, okay?”
Lin Shuang nodded, but soon frowned slightly.
Sound-transmitting talismans were first-tier.
She had already self-studied ahead, completing all 72 types of first-tier talismans and 35 types of second-tier talismans from the future three years of the talisman class at the Transmission Hall.
Grandma director, this time she learned fast enough, right?
But learning too fast was also a headache.
Now, making basic talismans had no training value for her anymore.
Lin Shuang showed a troubled yet blissful smug smile, “Junior sister, can you do it for me?”
Zhao Kuran: “???”
Senior sister, you’re dreaming!
“No way, senior sister. The Transmission Master has said many times that cultivation depends on oneself, and making talismans is no exception. Persistence can penetrate stone. I will supervise senior sister to complete it together with Xiao Ai.”
Lin Shuang’s body stiffened.
But in an instant, a shout came from outside the door.
“Lin Shuang! Someone from the Shanhai Sect seems to be looking for you!”
Author’s Note:
“Handwritten Records of the 134th Generation Zhao Sect Leader of Qing Shui Sect, No. 4”: It was a long time later that my senior sister finally told me how she completed those talisman assignments over the years that I had been unwilling to do for her. From then on, the methods of talisman-making by talisman masters underwent a major transformation for the first time in a hundred years.
“Immortal Talisman Canon”: The Lin-style talisman-making method began to take shape this year.
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