The sun slowly sank beyond the western horizon, staining the clouds with molten shades of amber and crimson as Yun Nian crouched beside the medicine furnace, carefully brewing herbs, with a small folding fan resting in her hand as she fanned the fire with visible patience. Yet just as the medicinal steam began to rise steadily, a gentle breeze drifted through the courtyard, curling the smoke directly toward her face. The bitter scent of herbs instantly flooded her nose. Yun Nian’s eyes reddened at once, tears streaming uncontrollably as she hurriedly dragged her stool farther away from the furnace. But before she could even settle down properly, another gust of wind swept over. The smoke chased after her again.
“Cough, cough…” Yun Nian covered her mouth and moved once more. Then again. And again.
No matter where she sat, the smoke seemed determined to follow her like a grudge-bearing ghost. After repeating this ridiculous dance several times, Yun Nian finally exploded. “Does this wind have eyes or something?!”
She abruptly raised her head in fury. Only then did she notice a figure lounging lazily atop the branch of a towering ancient tree nearby.
The young man sat cross-legged upon the thick bough with effortless ease. One leg was bent casually while the other hung loose, swaying slightly in the air. His robes fluttered lightly in the evening breeze, carrying the relaxed air of someone entirely free of worldly worries. A rogue smile curved across his handsome face as he looked down at her. He appeared only a few years older than Yun Nian, balanced somewhere between youth and manhood. His brows were sharp, his eyes bright and spirited, and his features were strikingly handsome in the carefree way of a wandering swordsman.
As he sat there watching her struggle, his eyes brimmed with amusement. In one hand, he held a broad lotus leaf; in the other rested two freshly picked lotus pods. It was none other than Yun Nian’s Third Senior Brother—her Shixiong, Jiang Zhao. [Senior Brother: Shixiong. A male disciple of higher rank within the same sect.]
Jiang Zhao lazily waved the lotus leaf in his hand, his smile openly teasing. “Little Junior Sister, did you miss your Senior Brother?”
Yun Nian rolled her eyes so hard she nearly saw her past life.
That strange wind earlier had definitely been his doing. Among everyone on Taxue Peak, Jiang Zhao was the most childish when bored. [Taxue Peak: One of the peaks within the Xuanmiao Sword Sect, under the direct authority of Elder Fu Tan.]
Their master, Fu Tan Zhenren, had accepted six disciples in total. [Zhenren: A respected Daoist title used for powerful cultivators or elders. Higher than ordinary disciples and often translated as “True Person.”]
Yun Nian was the youngest among them. She had three Senior Brothers and two Senior Sisters. Her Eldest Senior Brother had died fifteen years ago in Yanpingchuan while resisting a demonic invasion to protect the common people. Yun Nian had never met him. Her Second Senior Brother, along with the other two Senior Sisters, had descended the mountain half a year ago for outside training and had yet to return.
As the third disciple of Taxue Peak, Jiang Zhao had entered the sect several years before Yun Nian. His natural talent was exceptional, and his swordsmanship even more so. He was utterly obsessed with the sword. Despite his young age, his cultivation had already reached the early Nascent Soul stage. [Nascent Soul Stage: Yuanying realm. A major cultivation realm far beyond the Golden Core stage, where a cultivator forms a spiritual infant within their dantian. Considered extremely powerful among younger cultivators.]
Within the younger generation of the Xuanmiao Sword Sect, Jiang Zhao was unquestionably among the strongest. At least, in Yun Nian’s eyes, if Jiang Zhao ranked second in swordsmanship among the younger disciples, then no one deserved to stand first.
…Until Xie Qingli appeared. Because within ten years, he would surpass countless elders and rise to become the acknowledged number one swordsman of the whole cultivation world.
Though Jiang Zhao often enjoyed bullying her out of boredom, he genuinely treated Yun Nian very well. So Yun Nian merely ignored him and continued tending the medicine. This particular medicine was difficult to brew. The heat had to remain low and steady without interruption. She had already sat there for nearly three hours, and darkness was beginning to settle over the mountains.
Jiang Zhao leapt lightly down from the tree branch. His movements were graceful and effortless, like drifting wind.
After getting down, he pulled over a small stool and sat beside her. Watching Yun Nian carefully monitor the medicine with complete seriousness, Jiang Zhao could not help laughing softly.
“Last year, your Senior Brother fought the Fire Qilin and ended up severely injured. I was bedridden for two whole months, yet you never brewed medicine for me even once.” [Fire Qilin: A mythical beast associated with flames and immense spiritual power. Qilin are revered creatures in Chinese mythology.]
Yun Nian smiled faintly upon hearing his complaint without lifting her head.
“Senior Brother already had Senior Sister Su caring for him. Why would you need me interfering?”
The moment Su Ying was mentioned, Jiang Zhao’s expression stiffened ever so slightly. Even the tips of his ears turned red.
“I never asked her to take care of me.”
Hearing this, Yun Nian only smiled silently, her expression full of understanding.
Jiang Zhao, seeing her teasing look, immediately changed the topic. He handed the lotus pods in his hand over to her and said, “Your Senior Brother picked these specially for you. I heard you fought the Crimson Feather Beast today, so I brought something to warm your body.” [Crimson Feather Beast: a fire-attributed spiritual beast common within cultivation worlds.]
Yun Nian gave a cold laugh. “I heard Senior Sister Su mention yesterday that she wanted lotus seeds. You probably only spared these two for me afterward.”
Jiang Zhao awkwardly rubbed his nose. The guilt written across his face was impossible to hide.
The courtyard gradually quieted again. Only the crackling of firewood beneath the medicine furnace could be heard. From time to time, Yun Nian gently waved her folding fan, feeding the flames with careful precision.
After nearly a quarter of an hour, Jiang Zhao finally spoke again.
“I just went to see that kid staying in the side courtyard.” His tone became slightly more serious. “Although his cultivation isn’t as high as yours, considering he never received proper guidance in the outer sect, reaching this level already proves his talent is extraordinary.”
Yun Nian silently refuted him in her heart. Xie Qingli’s talent was far more than merely extraordinary.
After entering the inner sect in the future, he would comprehend sword intent within a single year and reach the realm of unity between man and sword. [Unity Between Man and Sword: A profound swordsmanship state where the cultivator and their sword become spiritually synchronized.]
A height others might never reach even after decades of bitter cultivation.
Jiang Zhao, on the other hand, frowned slightly, his expression turning solemn.
“However, I heard he’s planning to enter the Ancient Tomb Sword Ruins this time. If he performs exceptionally well, he may earn the qualifications to enter the inner sect.”
At the mention of the Ancient Tomb Sword Ruins, even the surrounding air seemed to grow quieter. This Ancient Tomb Sword Ruins only opened once every three hundred years.
Within it rested countless famous swords gathered by sect leaders from ages past. Many had been forged personally by legendary swordsmiths whose names still echoed throughout history. Before their deaths, many great sword cultivators would also send their treasured swords into the Ruins. Some hoped to leave behind inheritances. Others simply wished to inspire future generations of disciples to pursue the Dao of the Sword with unwavering determination.
But the Sword Ruins were filled with danger. Yet disciples still rushed toward it without hesitation whenever it opened. Because within life-and-death trials, one might suddenly comprehend sword intent… or obtain recognition from a legendary blade.
Although every opening of the Ruins only allowed around a dozen people to successfully claim swords, merely obtaining one was enough to prove a sword cultivator’s talent to the entire cultivation world.
There was also another reason the Sword Ruins attracted endless attention. Rumor claimed that all the treasured swords once collected by Pei Ling, the greatest sword cultivator beneath the heavens in ancient times, had also been hidden somewhere within the ruins. Those swords were said to be concealed within a mysterious place known as the Sword Pavilion within the ancient tomb. But no one had ever found it.
Within the Xuanmiao Sword Sect, disciples were only permitted to enter the Ancient Tomb Sword Ruins if their cultivation had reached between the early Golden Core stage and the late Nascent Soul stage. [Golden Core Stage: Jindan realm. A major cultivation stage where spiritual energy condenses into a stable golden core within the cultivator’s body.]
This restriction existed partly to ensure disciples possessed enough strength to protect themselves within the perilous Sword Ruins. After all, while opportunities awaited inside… death did as well.
In truth, the Xuanmiao Sword Sect had long possessed an unwritten rule. If an outer sect disciple displayed extraordinary performance within the Ancient Tomb Sword Ruins, not only would they receive rewards from the sect, they could also be personally summoned into the inner sect by one of the three great elders. As genuine talent was never meant to be buried beneath obscurity.
This was another path into the inner sect without grinding for years. A shortcut that spared outer disciples from enduring layer after layer of examinations. And clearly… this was also Xie Qingli’s goal.
Yun Nian lowered her eyes thoughtfully and gave a small nod.
Beside her, Jiang Zhao sighed softly.
“Let’s see whether that kid truly has the ability to catch up to our little Junior Sister of Taxue Peak.”
Yun Nian frowned. “What nonsense are you talking about?”
Jiang Zhao grinned mischievously and reached over to ruffle her hair. His expression was overflowing with brotherly affection… though his words remained as irritating as ever.
“Senior Brother knows everything. I already heard Master talking about that dramatic ‘hero saves beauty’ story.”
He clicked his tongue exaggeratedly. “Even though my Junior Sister lacks talent, has a terrible temper, is lazy, loves eating and playing around, and spends all day doing absolutely nothing…”
Jiang Zhao paused deliberately before concluding with a laugh: “…there are still people willing to like her somehow.”
Yun Nian: “…”
She slowly raised her head. “I advise Senior Brother to think carefully before speaking further.”
The instant her face darkened completely, Jiang Zhao’s survival instincts activated. Without hesitation, he sprang upright, vaulted onto the courtyard wall, and fled faster than a startled rabbit.
“Junior Sister, Senior Brother suddenly remembered urgent business! I’ll leave first!”
His voice disappeared alongside his retreating figure.
Yun Nian nearly choked from anger. So he had specifically come all the way here… just to deliver two lotus pods and mock her?
The system, which had silently witnessed the entire spectacle, finally spoke with complicated emotions: […Jiang Zhao is completely different from how he’s described in the original story.]
The warm, cheerful, sunny Third Senior Brother of Taxue Peak written in the book… was actually a sharp-tongued, arrogant menace.
Yun Nian ground her teeth.
The system continued: [Still, he reminded me of something important. The Ancient Tomb Sword Ruins will open next week.]
Yun Nian responded absentmindedly, still irritated. “Mhm.”
The system’s voice abruptly rose:
[But Xie Qingli is currently suffering from fire poison! He won’t recover within a month!]
Yun Nian froze. The lotus pods slipped directly from her hands onto the ground.
Right. In the original story, Xie Qingli had obtained his sword, Duan Ci, within the Ancient Tomb Sword Ruins. [Broken Thorn: Duan Ci, Xie Qingli’s destined sword.]
And the process to obtain it had been unimaginably difficult. But now, fire poison raged through his body. His meridians were reversed and unstable. Under such circumstances, how could he possibly guarantee that he would successfully obtain Duan Ci within the Sword Ruins?
To Xie Qingli, Duan Ci was incomparably important. This sword was a heaven-defying treasure. Its sword intent was vast, pure, and terrifyingly powerful. According to the original novel, after obtaining Duan Ci, Xie Qingli’s cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, establishing the unshakable foundation for his future rise as the leader of the righteous path. The original novel itself had even been named after Duan Ci.
So if he failed to obtain it… then perhaps his journey toward becoming the strongest sword cultivator beneath the heavens would collapse before it had truly begun.
A living butterfly effect. Both Yun Nian and the system shuddered simultaneously.
Inside her mind, Yun Nian opened the system panel and stared tearfully at her pitifully small amount of accumulated points.
The moment she imagined her points being reset to zero after mission failure… or worse, dropping into negative numbers…
…her entire body trembled.
The system also fell silent for a long while.
Meanwhile, Yun Nian sat beside the medicine furnace, absentmindedly fanning the flames as her thoughts raced desperately for a solution to Xie Qingli’s poison.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up. “I’ve got it!”
The system, which had been frantically flipping through the original plotline searching for alternatives, was startled badly enough to nearly short-circuit.
After a pause, it replied cautiously: “…You’d better have thought of something reliable.”
Yun Nian’s voice immediately became excited.
“Doesn’t Junior Uncle possess the Cold-Freezing Pill? The divine medicine capable of suppressing all poisons!” [Junior Uncle: Shishu. A younger martial sibling of one’s master, addressed with high respect.]
The system instantly wilted.
[There are only three Cold-Freezing Pills in existence. And your Junior Uncle is notoriously stingy. How could he possibly hand over something that precious to an outsider like Xie Qingli?]
As the system spoke, the third incense stick beside Yun Nian quietly burned to ash. Three full hours had passed.
Yun Nian rose and lifted the porcelain lid atop the medicine furnace. The medicinal liquid had finally finished brewing. Its steam slowly curled upward beneath the moonlit sky.
She carefully removed the medicine pot from the fire before extinguishing the flames. Only then did she answer the system calmly:
“I have a plan.”
She lifted the medicine pot into her arms. “I’ll deliver the medicine to Xie Qingli first. Tomorrow, I’ll go see Junior Uncle.”
The system looked at her confident expression, as though victory were already within reach. In the end, it chose not to say anything further.
Yun Nian carried the medicine pot and walked toward the side courtyard where Xie Qingli was staying. This was the very first step of her mission: helping Xie Qingli pass through the Ancient Tomb Sword Ruins and successfully obtain Duan Ci.
The beginning of his road toward becoming the future leader of the sword path. There could not be the slightest mistake in it.
As night had already settled over Taxue Peak, the moonlight carried a faint chill. Several rows of peach trees stood quietly within the side courtyard, their branches still bare in the early days of summer. The air here was cool and fresh.
As Yun Nian stepped into the courtyard carrying the medicine pot, she immediately saw the young man seated beneath the moonlight.
Even while sitting, his posture remained perfectly straight, like a solitary pine tree standing amidst wind and snow.
Almost the instant Yun Nian entered, Xie Qingli looked up toward her. The young man before her wore simple blue robes. His complexion was exceptionally pale, his features refined and elegant. Willow-like brows framed a pair of clear, tranquil eyes resembling autumn water beneath moonlight.
When he saw her approach, Xie Qingli immediately rose to his feet and inclined his head politely. “Senior Sister Yun.” [Senior Sister: Shijie. A respectful form of address toward a female disciple of higher rank or earlier entry into the sect.]
Yun Nian hurried over and carefully placed the medicine pot down. “Ouch, it’s so hot!”
She quickly rubbed her reddened fingers, brows furrowing slightly.
Xie Qingli’s gaze quietly dropped toward her fingertips. Her skin was already fair to begin with, making the faint red marks upon her fingers appear especially obvious beneath the moonlight.
Yun Nian rubbed her fingertips while looking up at him. “Is your injury feeling any better? Why are you outside? The courtyard gets cold at night.”
Xie Qingli shook his head gently. “It isn’t serious. Thank you for treating my injuries, Senior Sister Yun.”
Yun Nian lowered her hands and suddenly leaned slightly closer, curiosity sparkling within her eyes. “But how did Junior Brother know my surname is Yun?” [Junior Brother: Shidi. A male disciple younger in rank or later in entry.]
During the entire year Xie Qingli had remained within the outer sect, Yun Nian had never once gone there herself. So how did he recognize her?
Faced with her sudden closeness, Xie Qingli quietly stepped backward without a word. His head lowered slightly, avoiding direct eye contact with her, as though he did not dare look too long.
“Senior Sister carries the disciple jade token of Taxue Peak at your waist. The character engraved upon it is ‘Yun.’”
His gaze briefly lowered toward the token. “And within Taxue Peak, there is only…”
The young man softly spoke her name. “Yun Nian.”
His voice was clear and gentle, like flowing mountain spring water slipping across smooth stone.
As he finished speaking, a breeze swept through the courtyard, lifting the high ponytail tied behind him. Under the moonlight, Xie Qingli looked like a carved jade tree standing in the wind—impossibly refined, yet carrying a faint, unapproachable chill.
Yun Nian’s eyes curved into a smile. “What a coincidence. I know who you are too.”
She clasped her hands behind her back and leaned forward slightly. “I heard there is a disciple beneath the Twelfth Gate whose immortal bearing is especially remarkable. So you must be Xie Qingli.”
Xie Qingli immediately lowered his gaze, his tone carrying a practiced, quiet modesty. “Senior Sister flatters me. I am merely an ordinary outer disciple… to have stained your eyes with my pathetic plight today already leaves me deeply ashamed. I do not deserve such kindness from a core disciple of the high peaks.”
He didn’t ask a single question, keeping his head bowed in humble reverence. It was a flawless performance of a victimized junior, completely masking the fact that his silence was a blank slate, waiting to see how she would account for her presence.
Yun Nian didn’t misinterpret his humility, but she did know how the hierarchy worked. A core disciple wandering around a low-level outer division without a clear task would look strange to anyone. Prompted by the System’s brief reminder to keep her alibi airtight, she offered a practical explanation to smooth over the coincidence.
“You needn’t think too much on it,” she said offhandedly, tilting her head. “I’ve long heard that your division’s Master, Elder Yuan, brews excellent wine. Earlier today, I merely went down to the Twelfth Gate intending to ask him for a jar.”
Her smile faded slightly as the memory of the incident resurfaced, and a trace of coldness flashed across her eyes. “But when I arrived, I didn’t find the Elder. Instead, I saw Chang Xuan and his group surrounding you.”
Her voice dropped, carrying the natural gravity of a senior disciple. “Bullying fellow sect brothers is a serious violation within our Xuanmiao Sword Sect rules. Naturally, I couldn’t just stand by and ignore it.”
Xie Qingli lowered his head slightly. “Thank you, Senior Sister.”
Yun Nian waved her hand casually. “No need to thank me. You helped me too.”
Her gaze slowly fell toward the injuries around his shoulder and neck. A faint trace of guilt surfaced within her expression.
“Thank you for blocking that strike from the Crimson Feather Beast earlier.” That claw wound had been severe. Yun Nian still felt somewhat guilty whenever she thought about it.
Xie Qingli looked at her quietly and found the scene unexpectedly amusing. The girl before him barely reached his shoulder in height. Just moments ago, she had still been lively and spirited, yet now she stood there with lowered head and drooping expression, looking almost like a child sulking after failing to receive sweets.
What sort of strange act was this?
Though inwardly entertained, Xie Qingli’s expression remained calm and humble.
“Senior Sister Yun, there is truly no need to blame yourse—”
Before he could finish speaking, Yun Nian suddenly raised her head. The previous gloom upon her face vanished instantly. Her eyes now shone brightly beneath the moonlight.
“But don’t worry, Junior Brother Xie.” Her voice carried surprising certainty. “I’ll definitely help you remove the fire poison.”
Before Xie Qingli could react, Yun Nian had already grabbed his sleeve and guided him toward the stone table nearby.
“Sit down first.”
She lifted the medicine pot as she spoke. “My master personally prescribed this medicine. It can temporarily suppress the poison.”
Her brows furrowed slightly in concern. “Your meridians are naturally cold, which clashes with the fire poison. It probably feels terrible right now.”
Xie Qingli obediently sat down where she guided him. Yun Nian leaned closer and handed the medicine bowl toward him. “The medicine is still hot.” She blinked lightly. “But Master said it can’t be allowed to cool. Drink slowly without burning yourself.”
They stood close enough that Xie Qingli could faintly smell the fragrance lingering around her, a soft peach blossom scent. It diluted even the bitter aroma of the medicinal herbs.
Xie Qingli’s gaze silently drifted toward the surrounding peach trees. If they waited until next spring, when peach blossoms covered the mountains of Taxue Peak…
…perhaps the entire peak would carry this fragrance. It smelled pleasant. Though perhaps slightly too sweet.
“Junior Brother Xie?”
Xie Qingli withdrew his gaze instantly. A faint smile already lingered at the corners of his lips as he reached out to accept the medicine bowl.
“Thank you, Senior Sister Yun.”
Unexpectedly, their fingertips brushed lightly together.
Instantly, Yun Nian felt an icy chill spread upward from her fingertips. She froze slightly.
His hands… were frighteningly cold. Not the ordinary type, but the freezing chill of frost buried beneath endless snow.
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