“Senior apprentice-brother, you’ve lost your treasure: catch the thief and recover the stolen goods.”
Lin Shuang quickly grasped the key points of the assignment.
In the Zhenchuan trial, there were also real incidents.
She silently pondered.
“Hmm, I’ve heard at Rongbao Studio that within Zhenchuan, there have always been assessments that are actual sect tasks, although they’re very rare,” Huangpu Yuan chuckled softly. “Less than one percent.”
“They usually appear above the four thousandth floor. I didn’t expect we’d encounter one today.”
Meng Zi hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back.
This was a real task, one that could be life-threatening.
Unlike in Zhenchuan, where on that day Dao Dong had been severely injured and was immediately teleported out for treatment.
“Indeed, this assessment cannot guarantee the safety of the three of you.
However, since all the disciples whose items were stolen are below the fifth layer of Ningyuan, this task has been assigned to the two thousandth floor.
Xu Xiang smiled.
“If you recover one stolen item, or even find a clue, it can count as partially passing the trial.”
“The reward for this assessment is the bounty approved by all the disciples who reported losses. It has already accumulated to twenty-four thousand spirit stones, as well as equivalent sect contributions.”
Twenty thousand…
Meng Zi’s eyes gleamed.
Yesterday, flattering the old man Li in Lijiacun—well, negotiating with him—he had only received less than two thousand.
Meng Zi couldn’t wait to swing his big sword. “When do we start, senior apprentice-brother?”
“…”
Xu Xiang coughed lightly and took out three sheets of paper from his sleeve.
“This is the list of disciples who have had items stolen over the past six months, along with related registration information.”
Meng Zi solemnly accepted the papers, as if receiving the weight of twenty thousand spirit stones.
His hands actually sank under the weight.
Lin Shuang twitched her lips and activated her earpiece.
Huangpu Yuan smiled, gazing into the distance.
What an embarrassing fellow. They didn’t know him.
“Remember, on the same floor of Zhenchuan, there are more than just one or two disciples undergoing trials. You must each act quickly.”
Xu Xiang spoke seriously.
“If you’re a step too late and another disciple recovers the stolen item first, or captures the thief, your trial will be considered a failure, and you’ll be pushed back three hundred floors in Zhenchuan!”
With that, he nodded and, stepping in the Seven Star Pattern, entered the inner sect management hall.
Each step landed precisely in the middle of the seams between the green bricks.
Exactly the same.
His temperament, speaking style, clothing habits, and dignified gait were identical to Senior Xu Rui’s.
Lin Shuang sighed inwardly.
But one liked odd numbers, and the other liked even numbers. Would they fight if they met?
No wonder… one was in the inner sect and one in the outer sect.
“What’s wrong with these thieves? How come they steal such random things?”
Meng Zi scanned the list of stolen items and grew increasingly astonished.
Lin Shuang immediately leaned over to take a look.
—A second-tier spirit sword from Qilian He of the inner sect
—Three bottles of Hui Chun Dan from cave dwelling No. 1691 in Yunshan
—A scroll of cultivation techniques from cave dwelling No. 2010
—A jade ring earring from Liu Shanshan
…
Lin Shuang frowned immediately upon seeing this.
All of these were handwritten by the disciples themselves.
There was no unified format—each entry was written according to the individual mood and personality of the disciple!
The information varied greatly in detail, and the value of the lost items was chaotic.
This terrible information compilation ability!
Lin Shuang failed at efficient reading, and her obsessive-compulsive tendencies were almost triggered.
Some entries didn’t even include the disciple’s name, and some lacked cave dwelling numbers, causing great difficulty for disciples taking on the task later.
No wonder Senior Xu Xiang had assigned the investigation of these messy items to the disciples undergoing trials in Zhenchuan.
Even Senior Xu Rui, who was usually meticulous, wouldn’t touch such a chaotic mess.
“…Sigh.”
Lin Shuang shook her head helplessly. She handed three blank sheets of paper to Huangpu Yuan and Meng Zi.
“Senior Huangpu, you have a broad knowledge and good memory. Please help me mark the spirit stone value of each lost item, arranging them in descending order of value.”
Prioritize the important things.
Investigate the high-value items first.
“Those without a specified tier or unclear pricing should be temporarily placed at the end.”
Huangpu Yuan’s phoenix eyes scanned her pained expression, and he chuckled softly. “Alright.”
“Senior Meng, please circle the names of the disciples and those with cave dwelling numbers.
“You previously served as a patrol disciple, so you should be familiar with the various areas. Please mark the disciples in nearby regions.”
Unconsciously, she had taken the lead.
He was supposed to be the senior apprentice-brother…
Meng Zi tried to speak, then closed his mouth, and picked up the paper and brush while pressing his fingers to his temple.
She knew he had been a patrol disciple.
Right, the other day when the disciples from Shanhai Sect came looking, he had driven away Xiao Qi.
Back then, he had disliked her, thinking she had ruined Xiao Bai.
Now, just a few days later, he seemed to have already gotten used to traveling with her. She wasn’t nearly as bad as Xiao Bai had described.
Except for her abnormal mind, she was actually quite okay in other aspects.
“Ah, back then when I patrolled the outer sect, I was just following the rules.”
Meng Zi turned his head to the side.
“If I encounter disciples from other sects entering again without permission and not disarming their swords, I’ll scold them again!”
Lin Shuang raised her eyebrow. “Senior apprentice-brother, we’re not talking about that right now…”
“Unless you give me ten spirit stones next time—no, twenty!—I’ll let Xiao Qi in!”
“…”
“…”
After they finished speaking, both fell silent.
Especially Meng Zi, who lowered his head in embarrassment. “I’m just telling you this.”
He would never apologize.
“Thank you for letting me know, senior apprentice-brother, but if you could inform me while we’re flying later instead of taking up this training Pomodoro time, it would be better.”
“Senior apprentice-brother, please keep up with my pace, okay?”
“…”
She definitely had a problem!
Meng Zi rolled his eyes.
Huangpu Yuan let out a soft laugh and inserted himself between the two.
He handed her a piece of Xuan paper on which he had copied half a page. “Junior apprentice-sister, like this?”
Lin Shuang turned her head and saw the clear, free, and elegant handwriting, momentarily stunned.
This was so pleasing to the eye.
At the top was the lost item worth one hundred thousand spirit stones, followed by gradually decreasing values. She nodded in satisfaction.
Exactly right.
“Senior apprentice-brother did a great job. Then let’s start this training Pomodoro now.”
“…Huh?”
Huangpu Yuan held a wolf-hair brush dipped in ink, his phoenix eyes puzzled.
Meng Zi bit the brush handle, searching his storage bag for an inner sect map. Hearing this, he was also confused. “What training Pomodoro? Aren’t we already investigating?”
“No, don’t forget our original intention when we set out this morning.”
As she spoke, Lin Shuang was already clad in a green robe billowing in the wind, her crimson sash fluttering within her sleeves, and with a lift of her hand, she levitated into midair.
“We came here today to practice speed.”
“Don’t be distracted by these peripheral details and forget our original intention.”
She threw out a wide sword, stood steadily on it, and in an instant, there was only a faint shadow in the air.
Huangpu Yuan: “?”
Meng Zi: “!?”
Only one voice remained, distant.
“We’ll discuss the details of the lost items while we fly quickly!”
“!”
“Speed fifty miles per hour! I’ll wait for you at the West Mountain Gate. Whoever is late buys lunch!”
“…!”
Before Huangpu Yuan could speak, he saw Meng Zi instantly dart forward.
“I won’t pay! You actually took off first, Lin Shuang, wait!”
Huangpu Yuan stood still, his mouth twitching.
Who exactly had said they were going to practice speed?
Half a moment later, he followed silently, his expressionless face revealing nothing.
So why was he in their group?
*
“Meng Zi and the others have also taken the ‘Senior apprentice-brother, you’ve lost your treasure’ assessment.”
“Wow, let’s follow them and listen to their plan? We’ve had no ideas all day.”
“They say this outer sect female disciple’s cultivation isn’t strong, but she’s clever and resourceful. What did she make Meng Zi write? Let’s pretend to pass by and listen!”
“Alright—”
A few people pretended to casually walk past the inner sect management hall’s entrance.
They tried to eavesdrop on Lin Shuang’s group’s problem-solving strategy, but just as they said “Alright—”, a cold wind like an arrow, accompanied by fluttering green robes, slapped toward them!
“?”
“This is—”
“This seems to be Lin Shuang…”
“?!?”
Everyone widened their eyes.
Looking back at the management hall’s entrance, another arrow-like figure, Meng Zi’s robe mercilessly slapped across their foreheads!
Meng Zi was also rushing out as if in a hurry to reincarnate!
Huangpu Yuan at the entrance of the management hall smiled and nodded to them. “Excuse me.”
With that, he rode his sword swiftly, the cool wind brushing against the eavesdroppers’ icy hearts.
In the blink of an eye, Lin Shuang’s group was gone.
[What do you think, Old Li? Did you hear what that girl told Meng Zi?]
[Has she found the solution?]
[Has she discovered some hidden information again?]
Lin Shuang had left a deep impression on many inner sect disciples for her deep understanding of the Zhenchuan trials during her time in the Myriad Books Room and the Li Village test with Xiao Fang.
Although these were mostly observed by senior apprentices and senior apprenticesisters, by last night, many rumors about Lin Shuang had already spread among the lower-level disciples at the second to fourth layers of Condensed Yuan.
[That outer sect female disciple and Meng Zi are heading toward the West Mountain Gate. Brother Chen, it’s up to you to eavesdrop.]
A message floated by.
Chen Xingchuan, the wandering senior apprentice near the West Mountain Gate, looked confused but soon heard a whistling sound.
He looked up.
Lin Shuang’s group was flying at high speed on their swords, and in the air, they had even set up a table on the wide sword. Huangpu Yuan was grinding ink while Meng Zi was writing.
“…!”
The speed was so fast that in the blink of an eye, the three were already just faint shadows.
Eavesdropping? Impossible.
[No wonder it’s her! We tried to eavesdrop, but she found us out!]
[They’re flying at full speed… already a whole incense stick’s worth of time.]
[Who would have thought mobile anti-eavesdropping would be more effective than the Silence Technique.]
[Oh, I learned something.]
“…!”
Senior apprentice Chen Xingchuan, who was trying to eavesdrop, couldn’t understand it.
How did she know they wanted to copy her homework?
*
In the middle of the fast flight, two swords and a knife were tied together.
Lin Shuang, Meng Zi, and Huangpu Yuan took turns leading.
Each flew at full speed for the length of an incense stick—well, full speed flight—while the other two were responsible for writing on the table set up on the three swords.
“Ding, Lin Shuang, you’re amazing! You’ve completed a speed training Pomodoro.”
“Next is a tea-break rest time, followed by the next Pomodoro.”
When Lin Shuang heard Xiaoa’s reminder, the spiritual energy in her tenth dantian was completely exhausted.
She collapsed like a dead dog and handed over to Meng Zi to take the lead.
Meng Zi didn’t want to do this stupid thing, but if he didn’t raise his hand signs, the sword would fall.
He took a deep breath and looked at the two dogs on the sword—Lin Shuang and Huangpu Yuan.
Lin Shuang had already taken out a novel and was resting as Xiaoa instructed.
Huangpu Yuan was wearing white fox fur, his tail covering his legs, and was organizing the information of the disciples whose items had been stolen.
Meng Zi endured it and looked at the list.
“Are we going directly to investigate the most valuable stolen items?”
He glanced over.
Lin Shuang was still reading her novel, but just as he was about to get angry, he saw the title on the novel—The Immortal Girl Reincarnates as a Constable.
“Huh? The leisure books you usually read…” Meng Zi hadn’t expected this.
Hearing this, Lin Shuang smiled at him and took out a dozen more from her storage bag.
The Wudang Immortal Girl’s Detective Cases
The Windy Youth Reincarnates as a Coroner
Five Hundred Murder Cases in the Immortal World
The Immortal, There Is Only One Truth
…
Meng Zi opened his mouth, and Huangpu Yuan’s phoenix eyes widened slightly.
Lin Shuang quickly and enthusiastically handed a few books to them. “Don’t be shy with me, feel free to read.”
Meng Zi immediately took one seriously. “Detective… will reading this help catch the thief?”
Of course it will! So many Pomodoros spent reading detective novels weren’t for nothing!
Lin Shuang puffed out her chest proudly.
Meng Zi flipped through two pages, but was discouraged by the densely packed text.
“So, what’s our next move? Where do you think we should start with so many lost items in the inner sect?”
In a second, Lin Shuang was holding the novel, smiling and slumping back.
“It’s useful.”
“But… do you think I brought my brain for entertainment time?”
“…”
“…………”
Just rest properly, and it will be useful.
But soon, the Pomodoro timer beeped, reminding her that the rest time was over.
Lin Shuang sat up and stretched. “However, reasoning ability is an important part of brain development and spiritual sense training.”
“Let’s start by investigating the victims first.”
She immediately pointed to the first person on the victim list.
【1. Leng Qianqian, lost a third-tier silver willow sword (worth one hundred thousand spirit stones)】
What terrible luck.
Meng Zi felt sympathy.
He quickly used the patrol disciple’s universal communication stone to send a message.
Lin Shuang and Huangpu Yuan both held their breath, listening.
Soon, a fast-paced and irritable female voice came from the other end of the communication stone.
“Hello? Who is it? Grab your weapons, wipe them out, hurry up, hurry up!”
“Li Chong, go left, you idiot, are you farming wild monsters? Someone heal!”
“Damn it, are you an idiot? Why are you so slow taking a pill…”
Meng Zi opened his mouth.
“Ah, who is this? I’m in Zhenchuan now. Talk later! Damn—Li Chong, headshot, headshot!”
“Wait until I leave Zhenchuan to find me! I’m hanging up! Damn, you made me lose blood!”
“…”
Lin Shuang and the others were stunned.
Lin Shuang just wanted to know which floor of Zhenchuan this was—was it sponsored by King Glory or PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds?
“Who are you? I was just at the four thousand three hundredth floor.”
After half a teabreak, the communication was reconnected.
The previously arrogant and irritable girl’s voice suddenly became polite.
“Ah, Junior Brother Meng? Did I dial the wrong number… I’ve already left the Zhenchuan trial. Hmm, Junior Brother Meng, we aren’t close, what do you need from me?”
Her voice was slightly weak, with some panting, clearly having just experienced a tense battle.
From the other end of the communication stone, the sounds of several swords and knives falling to the ground could be heard, obviously the person had completely exhausted her energy and could no longer stand steady.
Meng Zi quickly explained the situation.
“Senior Sister Leng, our assessment task is to help you recover your lost item.”
“Could you help us recall what happened that day?”
Lin Shuang took out the Xiaoa talisman lion dog from her sleeve and placed it on the table.
She patted its head, indicating it should record.
Huangpu Yuan’s gaze couldn’t help but follow the lion dog shape of Xiaoa.
“Oh, this counts as an assessment? Great… That damned bastard, once I find out who it was, dared to steal my third-tier treasure sword before I even had a chance to warm it up, I’ll twist his head off and blow it up!”
Qianqian Lin suddenly became irate again.
Lin Shuang narrowed her eyes, staring at the words ‘Not Warmed Up’ recorded by Xiao Ai.
“Where did you obtain your precious sword, Senior Apprentice Sister? How long ago was it lost, and where was it lost?”
“The sword was bought at Rongbao Studio.”
Lin Shuang and Meng Zi, both with puzzled expressions, turned their eyes toward the current ‘Rongbao Studio Manager’ Pu Yuan.
Pu Yuan helplessly smiled, quickly retracting his index finger that had been playing with Xiao Ai’s lion dog tail.
“Rongbao Studio has long cooperated with the Qingshui Sect, and disciples come and go every day.”
“Even the Dan treasures within Zhenchuan are mostly supplied by Rongbao Studio. We rely entirely on our reputation and would never commit theft ourselves.”
Lin Shuang and Meng Zi still did not withdraw their suspicious gazes.
Pu Yuan: “…”
On the other end of the communication stone, Qianqian Lin hummed, “It wasn’t lost at Rongbao Studio. I obtained the Yinfeng Sword from Rongbao Studio, and it was probably on the third or fourth day before it disappeared.”
Lin Shuang glanced at Meng Zi, who always carried his large sword.
Sword cultivators usually never part with their swords.
How could Qianqian Lin not even remember the exact day she lost it?
“Oh, at that time, I was about to break through my cultivation barrier. The spiritual energy in my cave dwelling wasn’t enough, so I spent two hundred spirit stones to go into retreat at the Earth Level of Jingsi Pavilion.”
“I first bought two days’ worth of retreat time, thinking I could extend it if needed.”
“Who knew, as soon as I came out, the sword was gone—you should know that each Earth Level room in Jingsi Pavilion can accommodate six disciples.”
“If your breakthrough is interrupted, it’s easy for your cultivation to decline.”
“Therefore, disciples entering cannot practice sword techniques or other skills that might affect others inside, and must store their treasures at the entrance before entering.”
Meng Zi nodded, “I didn’t know that, Senior Sister. I’ve never been to such an expensive place as Jingsi Pavilion.”
Qianqian Lin: “…”
Lin Shuang: “…”
Pu Yuan coughed lightly, “From what I know, Jingsi Pavilion has at least three defensive formations where disciples store their offensive treasures. Without the disciple’s own spiritual imprint, even a cultivator at the Lianshen stage cannot forcibly enter and take them.”
He looked toward Lin Shuang and Meng Zi, earnestly clarifying, “Rongbao Studio also has such defensive formations.”
As he said this, the other end of the communication stone emitted a sound of teeth grinding.
“Yes… but that day, the Yinfeng Sword at Rongbao Studio cost me ten thousand spirit stones.”
“The day before, I had also paid the annual rent for my cave dwelling.”
“Storing treasures at Jingsi Pavilion costs one hundred spirit stones every four hours… I thought, well, it would be fine to keep it in my cave dwelling, since there were two junior apprentices there… Who could have thought, who could have thought it would be gone when I came out!”
Lin Shuang patted the lion dog Xiao Ai’s head, and it spat out ink from its mouth—writing ‘Two Junior Apprentices’.
“Could you provide information about these two junior apprentices, Senior Sister?”
“Do you suspect them? Probably not, we get along quite well, and they don’t lack spirit stones either. However, for the investigation, I can tell you.”
Qianqian Lin, a swordswoman indeed, was straightforward in character.
“At that time, I asked them several times. Those two days, they were both occupied with trivial matters and didn’t stay in the cave dwelling.”
“One was called away by the master, and the other temporarily left to escort a mission.”
“They both thought that while one of them was away, the other was still in the cave dwelling guarding my precious sword. Who could have thought… both ended up leaving one after the other.”
“Ah. This just shows how important it is to communicate regularly with roommates at fixed times.”
Lin Shuang couldn’t help but interject with a sigh.
Like her, she communicated with her junior apprentice at fixed times every day, exchanging information and feelings.
“This situation wouldn’t happen between me and my junior apprentice because we communicate regularly,” Lin Shuang was very certain.
“…You’re right.”
Qianqian Lin fell into deep thought. Indeed, their communication as three people before had been insufficient.
Too late for regrets.
“Who else knew about your purchase of the third-tier sword and your urgent need for retreat before breaking through?” Pu Yuan interrupted their off-topic conversation.
Qianqian Lin hesitated this time, “Given my personality… probably quite a few people know.”
Pu Yuan’s eye twitched slightly.
Indeed, just now with that temper during the communication.
Lin Shuang understood immediately, patting the lion dog talisman again, writing—apart from the two junior apprentices, the circle of people who knew was quite large.
“Thank you for your cooperation. We’ll notify you if we have any further information.”
Lin Shuang saw that Meng Zi and Pu Yuan had no new questions.
She then activated the lion dog Xiao Ai’s auto-reply function with a hand seal.
“You’re busy. We’ll contact you next time～”
“Alright, see you at Zhenchuan.” Qianqian Lin cut off the communication.
Meng Zi and Pu Yuan looked at Lin Shuang with expressions of disbelief.
“You even use talismans to reply when saying goodbye. How lazy are you! Can’t you even speak for yourself?”
Meng Zi, the victim of last night, exploded in an instant.
Lin Shuang kept her hands in her sleeves.
“Ever since humans stood upright, Senior Brother, do you know what’s the biggest difference between you and a monkey demon?”
Meng Zi frowned.
Hearing the word ‘demon,’ Pu Yuan’s phoenix eyes flickered.
“It’s the invention and use of tools. Senior Brother, be a person.”
“…”
“…………….”
Lin Shuang glanced at Xiao Ai’s summary and shifted her gaze to the next victim.
Meng Zi held the list of victims, about to send a message, but hesitated.
[2 Dao Xi: Cave Dwelling No. 1312 on Daoshan Mountain.
Lost twelve Dingyuan Needles, engraved with offensive arrays (approximately worth fifty thousand spirit stones)]
This poor guy, damn it, they knew him!
What a coincidence!
Meng Zi gripped the communication stone, pinching his nose.
“Dao Xi, this is Meng Zi. I’m investigating the loss of your Dingyuan Needles…”
“Slap—”
The communication was cut off instantly.
Meng Zi: “!”
Pu Yuan: “…”
Lin Shuang: “…………….”
This guy from the northwest, he still holds a grudge!
Lin Shuang shook her head, trying to replace Meng Zi, she picked up the communication stone.
“Senior Brother Dao Xi, don’t you want to recover the fifty thousand spirit stones—”
“Slap!”
The communication was cut off even faster.
Lin Shuang: “…”
Meng Zi took a deep breath, “Back then when I was entangled with Dao Bei, what exactly did you two do to Dao Xi?”
Pu Yuan instantly pressed his index finger against his forehead.
Lin Shuang lowered her head.
Nothing much, just wielding treasures, stealing his sword energy, poisoning him, taking advantage of his weakened and enraged state to gang up and ‘kill’ him.
Playing with him and then killing him.
How’s that relationship repair going?
“I knew it, I knew it. That Uncle Li wouldn’t have called you two to the ancestral hall for no reason. Did Dao Xi complain to the Zhenchuan Elders’ Council!?”
The Elders’ Council?
Lin Shuang: “…Is there such a thing?”
Pu Yuan closed his eyes.
Meng Zi: “…Then let’s move on to the next victim.”
But Lin Shuang stopped him from changing targets, “Fifty thousand spirit stones, Dao Xi’s loss ranks second.”
“Senior Brother Xu Xiang didn’t say how the final winner of the upper level would be decided, but based on Zhenchuan’s previous experiences, the reward is related to the quality of our completion.”
“Similarly recovering lost items, the higher the value recovered, the higher our score might be in Senior Brother Xu’s eyes.”
Meng Zi frowned, but Dao Xi refused to speak.
“No problem, we’ll convince him with virtue.”
“We’ll talk to him reasonably.”
Lin Shuang firmly believed in what her grandmother said: patience will definitely be rewarded.
She dialed the communication again.
Patting Xiao Ai’s talisman’s head, “Play the recording.”
Meng Zi: “…”
The hell is this patience you’re talking about?
“Dao Xi, refusing to cooperate is very inefficient for you. Don’t you want to recover the fifty thousand spirit stones—”
“Slap—”
Dao Xi hung up again.
Xiao Ai’s talisman automatically dialed and played the voice, “Dao Xi, refusing to cooperate… Don’t you want to recover the fifty thousand spirit stones—”
“Slap—”
“Dao Xi, refusing to cooperate… Don’t you want to recover…”
“Slap—”
“Dao Xi…”
“Dao Xi…”
“Dao Xi…”
“Slap—”
“Slap—”
“Slap—Ah! Lin Shuang, are you annoying or what, are you annoying or what, I don’t want to talk to you guys anymore!”
“Dao Xi, this is very inefficient for you…”
“Ahh…!”
Dao Xi went crazy!
Meng Zi, who was flying on his sword nearby, twitched his eye corner, looking at Xiao Ai’s talisman lion dog—the difference between humans and apes, the so-called invention and use of tools.
Pu Yuan closed his eyes, unable to watch anymore.
Lin Shuang smiled and patted Xiao Ai—this all-purpose talisman for travel has multiple functions including recording, timing, voice playback, searching logs, and automatic replies.
She leaned down, speaking into the communication stone with a smile.
“Senior Brother Dao Xi, Xiao Ai’s talisman has enough spiritual energy to last two days and two nights.”
“And I have three spirit stones for recharging in my pouch.”
“!”
“We just want to help you and don’t want to affect your trial in Zhenchuan these days.”
“You might not know that when one is focused, constant disturbances and interruptions by communications prevent one from exerting one hundred percent of their spiritual power.”
“?”
“Over time, your spiritual awareness will no longer adapt to the intensity of giving your all.”
“…”
“Ah, you know, destroying someone’s concentration, making them always feel weak, only takes seven days. Seven days, and a habit of spiritual exertion will be formed.”
“…”
The communication stone fell silent, then came an angry inhale.
“I am at Cave Dwelling No. 1312 on Daoshan Mountain… waiting for you.”
“One incense stick’s time, if you don’t arrive within that time, don’t bother me again!”
Meng Zi immediately flew his sword swiftly toward Daoshan Mountain’s cave dwelling!
Pu Yuan held the book “The Reincarnated Young Master Becomes a Coroner,” occasionally glancing with his phoenix eyes at Lin Shuang’s bright face.
“Junior Sister, where did you read that seven days can ruin someone’s spiritual awareness?”
Of course, it’s based on the theory from my previous life that a habit can be formed in just seven days. Plus, experimenting on my own spiritual awareness in this life.
Lin Shuang narrowed her eyes. Ten years as an outer disciple, she had split her spiritual awareness into one hundred and eight strands.
Each strand underwent various experiments and developments.
“A weaker spiritual awareness takes even less time, maybe just half an incense stick’s worth of disturbance.”
Pu Yuan nodded with interest, “I see.”
Meng Zi fully powered his sword flight, reaching Daoshan in half an incense stick’s time.
Atop a barren mountain peak.
“Tsk, ten years ago, Daoshan Mountain had nothing but these four directions… no one else.”
Meng Zi shook his head as he mentioned this. During patrols, he passed by, and Daoshan was often quiet.
“And this cave dwelling costs ten thousand a year, it’s a rip-off.”
Hearing this, Lin Shuang wiggled off the kang bed, dismounted her flying sword.
She retracted the tea table on her sword, returned the blanket covering her legs to Pu Yuan, who hesitated to accept it, but she had already turned her gaze toward the winding mountain path ahead.
The entire Daoshan Mountain lacked the signs of life present on the surrounding lower-numbered mountains.
In front of the cave dwellings on other mountains, there were always meditation mats, tea tables, incense burners, and carefully tended potted plants.
But Daoshan was now covered in snow, with no sword marks or footprints on the snow, let alone anything else.
Just now, rushing here, Lin Shuang had seen clearly.
From the mountain top to the foot, the few cave dwellings on Daoshan all had tightly closed doors, with green moss climbing on them.
They looked like they hadn’t been inhabited for a long time.
“This is where Dao Xi’s Cave Dwelling No. 1312 is located.”
Meng Zi was on the mountain top, leading them along a small path behind a pile of rocks, using a hand seal to part the thick snow-covered ivy at the path’s end.
There stood a wooden cave dwelling door.
Last night’s heavy snow had left no footprints, and in just one night, the cave dwelling door was covered.
“Dao Xi, are you inside?”
Meng Zi shouted loudly, using a hand seal to activate the resonance stone in front of the cave dwelling door.
“…Not here.”
A reluctant voice came from behind them.
A snapping branch sound came from behind.
Lin Shuang turned around and saw Dao Xi, wearing a dark-colored Taoist robe today, his face still pale.
“You’re asking me, but I don’t want to answer.”
He held his sword in his right hand, expressionless, standing on the mountain top.
Looking at Meng Zi, then at Lin Shuang behind him.
“Unless, you—an outer disciple girl—tell me how exactly you stole my senior brother’s formation techniques.”
Meng Zi frowned, and Pu Yuan looked at Lin Shuang.
Lin Shuang’s gaze was clear and full of sympathy as she looked at Dao Xi.
“If this is your cultivation secret,” Dao Xi’s gaze sharpened, looking at the two behind her, “you can follow me into the cave dwelling, just tell me alone. I promise I won’t tell anyone.”
Lin Shuang glanced at the ongoing tomato timer, slightly frowning.
“Lin Shuang, you can keep your secret, but don’t expect any information from me either.”
“If you keep harassing me, I’ll destroy the communication stone.”
“I won’t hide it from you either. The Dingyuan Needles were lost two months ago. The formations engraved on them have probably been used up by the thief. Even if recovered, they’d be useless.”
Dao Xi lowered his eyes.
“And before you, three groups of Zhenchuan trial disciples have already come to ask about the details of my loss.”
“Since other disciples are already investigating, why must I cooperate with you?”
Lin Shuang hissed, instantly feeling distressed.
Her time management obsession was acting up.
“Senior Brother Dao Xi, why didn’t you say all this during the communication? Why did you have to call us here just to tell us?”
“?”
“You might not know how long we’ve been traveling to get here.”
“??”, Dao Xi was confused.
‘Chauffeur’ Meng Zi: “…Is she being polite!?”
Lin Shuang closed her eyes briefly, “Every time we tried to reach you, you answered the communication, only to hang up after I started speaking. I thought you were just throwing a small tantrum.”
Dao Xi: “??”
“As it turns out, you don’t know the difference between important and urgent matters. I’m very disappointed in you, Senior Brother Dao Xi.”
Dao Xi: “???”
Meng Zi: “…”
Pu Yuan: “…”
They didn’t know how to respond to that!
Dao Xi stared at her beautiful yet frail figure, also confused, “Disappointed in what!”
Get clear on your status as an outer disciple!
“You yourself know that the formations on the Dingyuan Needles may gradually deplete over time. At that point, recovering them would be of no value to you either.”
Lin Shuang gazed toward Dao Xi, filled with frustration at his inability to improve.
“You should have known long ago that you’re racing against time.”
“The earlier we recover it, the higher the probability we can preserve the formations on the Dingyuan Needle.”
“But you’re being so irresponsible. Until now, you’re still opposing me!”
“Opposing you? What’s wrong with that?” Dao Xi angrily thought.
Lin Shuang shook her head. “Stuck in yesterday, neglecting tomorrow.”
“You might not understand the time management matrix, so I’ll explain it once. Just once—remember it well.”
Dao Xi: “?”
Meng Zi gripped his sword while Huangpu Yuan took out a vial of poison pills.
They both thought Dao Xi was about to lose control.
But Lin Shuang stepped forward, raising her index finger. “You dislike me, but to you, this is merely something neither important nor urgent.”
“I won’t endanger your life in the near future, nor will I cause you any new losses. It doesn’t matter when you dislike me.”
“But the Dingyuan Needle, priceless and already on a countdown to loss, is both urgent and important.”
“Senior Brother, urgent and important tasks always take precedence over those that are neither important nor urgent.”
“Do you understand?”
Lin Shuang was unhappy.
Coming here repeatedly just to argue with Dao Xi was highly inefficient.
But Grandma Dean had told her to be a bit more patient with others.
One shouldn’t cut ties just because someone else momentarily loses their way.
With clear eyes, she looked straight at him, trying hard to offer a warm smile.
“Senior Brother, I’ll give you another chance to answer again.”
“?”
“I’ve explained it already. Now, Senior Brother, do you know what to do? Don’t rush to answer. Think carefully first.”
Dao Xi took a deep breath. Never had a junior disciple been so arrogant before him.
He angrily shouted, “I don’t know! I can always cooperate with other disciples!”
In an instant, Lin Shuang’s expression changed.
Dao Xi’s sword technique with his right hand was like a water snake in motion, slicing forward as a water serpent surged toward her.
“If you want an answer, answer my question first! How exactly did you learn my senior brother’s formations—”
Lin Shuang clenched her right fist instantly.
[Beep, Xiao Ai reminds you: Your emotional fluctuations are significant. It’s not suitable to proceed to the next schedule immediately.]
[It is recommended to relieve and vent your emotions right away!]
As soon as Xiao Ai finished speaking,
Meng Zi and Huangpu Yuan saw Qingyi’s robes fluttering as Lin Shuang suddenly dashed toward Dao Xi!
Halfway through, her slender figure was swallowed by the water serpent.
“Lin Shuang! Are you crazy?! Come back!”
Meng Zi roared furiously, drawing his sword without a second thought, ending the cold war between him and Lin Shuang that had lasted from last night until now.
“Dao Xi, dare you harm a fellow junior sister?”
Huangpu Yuan narrowed his phoenix eyes.
Yet, they saw Lin Shuang extend her right hand. Her broadsword flew instantly into her palm.
Exactly like Dao Xi, she lifted the sword, formed the sword seal, twirled the blade, and slashed forward—the snake’s head moved in sync…
Lingshe Jiujian (Nine Serpent Sword Art)!
Dao Xi’s serpent sword was nimble, and so was hers.
His sword flowers circled behind her back, and so did hers.
Exactly the same.
“How could this be—” Dao Xi was stunned. “How did you learn the Lingshe Jiujian I exchanged for inside the sect?”
Lin Shuang didn’t answer. Her left hand also summoned a broadsword.
With both hands executing the exact same Lingshe Jiujian, moving simultaneously from left and right.
In an instant, two equally thick and perfectly coordinated water serpents merged into one.
Doubling in size, it collided head-on with Dao Xi’s single serpent sword strike!
Dao Xi’s sword flew backward with a loud bang.
In a flash, he staggered back five or six steps, staring at her in disbelief.
Before him stood Lin Shuang under the sunlight, her eyes narrowing with a gleam.
In her pupils, spiritual energy surged like rolling tides.
“Senior Brother, should you deal with what’s urgent and important first, or what’s neither important nor urgent?”
“…”
“Now, have you decided on the answer, hmm?”
“…!”
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