Chapter 5

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Yuchen Immortal Venerable was the direct disciple of the previous chief elder of Weiyun Peak. His true senior uncles were the junior siblings of that former chief elder. Those individuals were already quite advanced in years; although many had passed away, several were still alive—more than just one or two. Some served as elders within the peak, others secluded themselves in cultivation, and some trained outside.

Therefore, when anyone heard the term “senior uncle,” no one would immediately think of Chaohua Immortal Venerable—that was merely a formality due to generational hierarchy. Su Zhen was friendly with a few elders within the peak, but they were all junior siblings of Yuchen Immortal Venerable. Moreover, her nature seemed unlikely to prompt her to send flowers or such gestures.

Hence, no one expected her to say such a thing.

Facing her master’s inquiry, Su Zhen spoke frankly.

Su Zhen: “The one you were just speaking to.”

Yuchen Immortal Venerable: “?”

Jiang Wang looked at her with a strange expression.

Liu Yunyao hadn’t gone to the Enlightenment Hall and was momentarily taken aback, thinking perhaps her master had encountered some senior during his return.

Yuchen Immortal Venerable fell silent again, then said, “If you don’t want to say, forget it.” Clearly, he thought she was joking.

After saying this, he seemed to recall something, glanced at her with some hesitation, and said nothing further.

Su Zhen: “...” They didn’t believe her. Understandably so. If she hadn’t experienced it herself, she wouldn’t have believed it either.

Liu Yunyao curiously asked, “Who did senior sister mean?”

Su Zhen: “You haven’t seen him.”

Liu Yunyao hesitated. The elder seniors either traveled outside or secluded themselves for years. Since she had only recently joined and her talent was mediocre, even if they had free time, they wouldn’t be interested in meeting her.

Su Zhen had been apprenticed for nearly a century and was the most gifted among the younger generation of Weiyun Peak. She had indeed met several senior uncles.

Liu Yunyao wanted to ask more, but Yuchen Immortal Venerable interrupted, “Why did you leave again?”

Su Zhen naturally did not tell the truth: “I saw footprints at the courtyard gate and guessed senior sister was here, so I didn’t want to disturb you.”

Among the group, only Liu Yunyao’s realm strength couldn’t come and go without a trace.

“Ah.” Liu Yunyao instinctively said, “Senior sister, please don’t misunderstand!”

Su Zhen looked at her oddly, “What misunderstanding? Weren’t you here last night?”

Liu Yunyao shook her head then nodded, “I was, but I—”

Su Zhen interrupted, “If a junior sister comes to the master, it’s likely to refine her spiritual roots. That requires full concentration, and others shouldn’t disturb her, right?”

Liu Yunyao was at a loss for words.

Su Zhen didn’t want to continue the topic. “By the way, congratulations on your advancement, junior sister.”

Liu Yunyao was momentarily stunned, then smiled brightly, “Thank you, senior sister. You noticed—I just entered the Qi Refining Realm this morning.”

Jiang Wang looked at the junior sister with a gentle and somewhat gratified gaze.

Su Zhen didn’t understand what he was gratified about.

Considering Liu Yunyao’s resources and mentors, advancing from Body Tempering to Qi Refining after so long was one of the slowest paces imaginable.

Liu Yunyao received affirmation from senior sister and senior brother and happily looked toward the master.

Yuchen Immortal Venerable nodded slightly, a faint smile in his eyes. “You’ve been diligent lately and haven’t forgotten your lessons.”

Liu Yunyao seemed a little embarrassed. “Master, last time was just an accident. The time before that was... ah, anyway, it won’t happen again!”

Su Zhen: “...”

She truly didn’t want to stay here another moment.

The lessons for the direct disciple of Weiyun Peak’s chief elder weren’t many.

At least during the Body Tempering and Qi Refining stages, it was mostly daily spiritual energy circulation and sword technique practice.

Other peaks in the inner sect had elders who demanded much more, assigning heavier coursework. Not to mention the outer sect disciples.

Had she not been reborn, Su Zhen would have been shocked beyond belief that someone could forget even that little homework.

When she first joined, her master’s assignments were always completed several times over.

If he said to practice a set of sword techniques five hundred times, she would practice two or three thousand times until her spiritual energy was depleted, muscles aching, legs unable to climb stairs, arms too weak to hold a pen.

She would sit along the mountain path on her way back to her quarters, telling passersby she was just admiring the scenery, while in truth, she simply couldn’t walk any further.

Despite this, Yuchen Immortal Venerable never commented.

He neither praised her diligence nor told her to restrain herself, continuing to teach as usual, gently telling her to learn new sword techniques once she had mastered the current set.

However—

Whenever Liu Yunyao made even a little progress, he never hesitated to praise her, just like now.

Su Zhen felt conflicted.

After all, cultivation was not for others, nor to prove anything to anyone—her skills belonged to herself alone.

She was always clear about her own abilities, and comparing herself to others in the sect made it obvious—no need for the master’s approval to confirm that.

Her extra practice was not for praise, but to grow stronger and learn more sword techniques and spells.

If he praised her more, she would be happy; who doesn’t like compliments? But if not, so be it.

Yet, after Liu Yunyao appeared, the comparison inevitably caused confusion.

If Liu Yunyao were better, she would have no objections, but the reality was the opposite.

Now, knowing the truth, Su Zhen reconsidered from another perspective.

—As a half-blood demon cultivator wounded by a curse, Liu Yunyao’s path was tougher, so even slight improvement would bring joy to the master.

After all, he spent so much time repairing her constitution—that was his contribution.

Other disciples simply completed assigned lessons; only Liu Yunyao’s every step involved him.

So, setting aside emotional complexities, perhaps he took pride in her progress?

“Zhen’er.”

Yuchen Immortal Venerable suddenly spoke.

Su Zhen looked up. “Master?”

He studied her for a moment. “Your primordial spirit has been initially refined; you can now study primordial spirit techniques.”

Su Zhen: “...Mm.”

He looked at her thoughtfully.

She met his gaze calmly.

For a moment, she truly wanted to grab his collar and ask why he was so foolish to believe she could have done something like razing a city.

But maybe he just didn’t care enough to think about it.

Yuchen Immortal Venerable frowned slightly. “Your spiritual pressure is somewhat unstable. Do you have something weighing on your heart? If unresolved, it harms cultivation, not to mention if your mind falters while cultivating primordial spirit techniques...”

“Easier to fall into demonic deviation.”

Su Zhen knew this. “It can’t be resolved quickly, but I won’t have an accident. I’m confident.”

“Then...” He pondered, “Are there any questions you don’t understand?”

Su Zhen’s mood became complicated.

If she truly had questions, they would be problems faced by those at the Golden Immortal Realm and above. If she spoke, he would realize something was wrong.

She shook her head. “I have scriptures to consult. No need to trouble master.”

Yuchen Immortal Venerable fell silent again. “You never trouble me.”

Perhaps.

Su Zhen thought, anyway, all those quarrels and grievances from the previous life wouldn’t happen this time. Maybe there would be a few disputes, but she no longer felt so deeply.

“...Master, may I ask you something?”

He asked with his eyes.

She used the voice transmission technique to whisper, “Is Chaohua Immortal Venerable’s surname Xiao?”

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Yuchen Immortal Venerable: “?”

He nodded silently.

Liu Yunyao looked confused beside them.

Jiang Wang glanced at Su Zhen, aware she used voice transmission. Given their cultivation difference, he could have listened if he wished but chose not to out of disdain.

Of course, if he listened, Su Zhen would know.

Yuchen Immortal Venerable seemed about to say something, but Su Zhen interrupted, “Has master ever met him?”

This time she did not use voice transmission.

“I have.” He mused, “In my early years at Weiyun Peak, Jingyang Immortal Venerable was the sect leader. She was one generation above my master...”

His own master, the previous chief elder of Weiyun Peak, had passed away at the Golden Immortal Realm and never advanced to quasi-Saint Realm, so no Immortal Venerable title.

“He cultivated in seclusion, rarely appearing.”

Yuchen Immortal Venerable hesitated. “After I joined, I only saw him from afar a few times, left no impression. Later...”

Jingyang Immortal Venerable rose to fame young, renowned for her swordsmanship, once challenging mighty beings across the Nine Realms, earning the title Sword Saint.

She had numerous disciples, over ten direct apprentices. At that time, Chaohua Immortal Venerable was not yet an Immortal Venerable, but a talented young cultivator.

Among his senior brothers, sisters, and juniors, there were many peerless geniuses.

He was not inferior, nor markedly superior, especially being younger, so his realm lagged behind theirs.

Outsiders just thought Jingyang Immortal Venerable had accepted another gifted apprentice. She had too many powerful direct disciples; Xiao Yu was outstanding but not dominant over all.

“...Wait.” Liu Yunyao interrupted again, “What are you talking about?”

Su Zhen looked at her, “The one who came today.”

Liu Yunyao’s expression stiffened.

She understood the implications of demonic bloodlines and knew that if this were exposed, countless troubles would arise.

For others, it might not matter, but this was Chaohua Immortal Venerable.

Every cultivator joining Tianyuan Sect had heard the legends of past Immortal Venerables—who did not know his fearsome reputation?

That one had once broken through the Nine Realms, destroyed a demon god even, and though there was no proof of hatred toward demons, she dared not imagine the worst.

Moreover, no Immortal Venerable would target a mere Body Tempering Realm cultivator—

If displeased, they would simply wipe out such a weed with a flick of their hand, not caring afterward.

Yuchen Immortal Venerable sighed softly. “I haven’t finished yet.”

Su Zhen knew he was trying to shield the junior disciple and didn’t argue. “Oh, where were you?”

He didn’t immediately continue but glanced at her, hesitated, then said, “You and him—”

He paused, but asked nothing.

He continued, “Later, Jingyang Immortal Venerable ascended, Ninghan Immortal Venerable succeeded as sect leader. My master led us to the Enlightenment Hall to pay respects. I met Senior Uncle Xiao again then; by that time, he was among the strongest of Lingxiao Peak.”

Yuchen Immortal Venerable pondered: “He greeted my master, then looked at us, asking if anyone was named Xu. I stepped forward. He said...”

The disciples looked at him.

Facing their three pairs of eyes, he slowly spoke, “He said, ‘So it’s you, kid.’”

Su Zhen: “?”

She laughed outright.

If Xiao Yu said that, she could perfectly imagine his expression.

But Yuchen Immortal Venerable repeating the phrase verbatim, even mimicking the tone, was somehow comical.

Had this been her previous life, she would have been bitter and resentful, thinking that Xiao Yu was arrogant and disdainful.

Now, she only found it amusing.

“Senior sister?” Liu Yunyao stared at her in surprise, a little angry, “That person was so rude to master! Why are you laughing?”

Su Zhen glanced at her. “He’s a senior; it’s normal for seniors to speak casually to juniors, isn’t it? When Uncle Xiang first met me, he called me a little brat too.”

Liu Yunyao wanted to argue more.

Yuchen Immortal Venerable waved dismissively, “He’s a senior; no need to mind such things.”

He had been the peak’s most talented, so there were rumors. Xiao Yu had heard of him and remarked upon meeting.

This seemed the most logical explanation.

Cultivators often had strange tempers. Since he had not offended Senior Uncle Xiao, he did not overthink it.

Yuchen Immortal Venerable glanced around at the disciples, then at Su Zhen, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face.

Su Zhen guessed what he wanted to say.

In her previous life, Chaohua Immortal Venerable had already ascended, so there was no visit to the Enlightenment Hall.

She had been summoned to the peak summit, her master sitting here, first letting her present the Cold Fragrance sword. Liu Yunyao marveled and asked if she could borrow it for a look.

Her master told her to lend the sword to the junior sister. Su Zhen didn’t think much of it, but when Liu Yunyao held the sword, she said it felt smooth and invigorated her meridians.

Her master then allowed her to temporarily lend the sword to the junior sister for cultivation, to be returned later.

Su Zhen agreed to lend it but demanded a definite time frame for its return.

Liu Yunyao stammered and couldn’t answer.

Su Zhen snatched the sword back immediately and left with a flick of her sleeve.

Since then, she argued several times with her master about the sword but never handed it over.

Yuchen Immortal Venerable was helpless and disappointed but did not force her.

Otherwise, given their cultivation difference, controlling her before she reached the Golden Immortal Realm would have been effortless.

Readers criticized this segment heavily.

Some cursed Su Zhen hoping she would die soon; others insulted Yuchen Immortal Venerable as weak and unworthy of the second male lead role.

Considering the content, Su Zhen realized Liu Yunyao wanted the sword not to wield as a treasure but to restore the Saint Sword that could annihilate the world.

To that end, she needed to refine Cold Fragrance’s sword spirit, which could not be done in a few days, so she couldn’t promise when she’d return the sword.

Moreover, without the sword spirit, the sword would be half ruined; returning it then would surely cause conflict.

This was not personal against Su Zhen.

Liu Yunyao had seized more than one sword for this purpose.

Other sword owners died or became useless—some by her hand, some influenced by her.

Su Zhen had no comment but, recalling others she had met, felt Liu Yunyao’s methods were not truly cruel.

Compared, Liu Yunyao wasn’t a true villain.

However—

Liu Yunyao naturally did not tell her master the truth. Yuchen Immortal Venerable requested Cold Fragrance merely to help her regulate her constitution and promote cultivation, unaware of the complications.

At least, not yet.

He didn’t know Liu Yunyao already had equivalent treasures that could improve her body, so another sword was unnecessary.

Su Zhen only learned this after reading the book.

She considered telling her master but doubted he would believe her, or how she could prove her knowledge.

Forget it.

Even if he knew, it wouldn’t stop him from helping the junior disciple get that sword.

“Junior sister.”

Su Zhen smiled, feigning curiosity before her master spoke. “Why didn’t you go to Lingxiao Peak to meet Chaohua Immortal Venerable?”

“I...” Liu Yunyao showed regret. “I suddenly felt unwell this morning.”

Su Zhen didn’t expect a perfect excuse. “Are you feeling better?”

Liu Yunyao’s eyes flickered awkwardly; she nodded.

Su Zhen looked at the junior sister and thought of something else.

—Body Tempering and Qi Refining stages only prolong life and delay aging. Only upon entering the Foundation Establishment Realm can cultivators remain eternally youthful, with appearance and figure frozen at a certain phase.

Liu Yunyao had been cultivating for years but still maintained a youthful appearance, claiming it was due to pills.

This caused envy and jealousy among many.

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In truth, it was because she was not human. She surely gained many benefits from Yuchen Immortal Venerable but did not need beauty pills.

Su Zhen still didn’t quite understand why junior sister was the protagonist of the story.

Who wrote their tale and showed it to others?

Some comments contained strange phrases and symbols she had never seen—could that mean the readers were from another world?

Saint Realm cultivators who advanced further would shatter the void and leave this place, indicating other worlds must exist.

Su Zhen considered many possibilities but could not be sure.

Moreover, what made Liu Yunyao special as one of the protagonists?

Her bloodline?

Half-blood demons were not numerous but not unique, rare in the human realm but common in the demon realm.

Other than that?

Except for the difficulty in refining spiritual roots due to her bloodline, her aptitude was average.

Were they protagonists just because she and Xie Changfeng obtained the Saint Sword?

Su Zhen pondered the connections, also thinking about her own rebirth and how to explain it.

The hall was silent for a while.

“...It’s just a pity.”

Liu Yunyao felt the atmosphere was off and said awkwardly, “I missed the chance to meet that senior.”

Jiang Wang suddenly spoke, “I heard Chaohua Immortal Venerable dislikes crowds. I don’t think he’d blame you.”

He looked at the junior sister with undisguised concern and a hint of reassurance.

Liu Yunyao looked up and smiled sweetly, “I hope so, senior brother.”

Su Zhen felt very uncomfortable.

The Nine Realms had many races with varied talents but nearly all could bear offspring with humans. Thus, many half-bloods lived in the human realm.

This was no exception in the Immortal Mansion sects.

Spirit Tribe, Feather Tribe, Demon Tribe, Ghost Tribe, Asura Tribe, etc.—half-bloods of these races were not common but were hidden in large sects like Tianyuan Sect with tens of thousands of disciples.

Ordinary cultivators wouldn’t notice them; even senior cultivators wouldn’t care.

After all, sect rules didn’t restrict to humans only.

But the feud between the demon realm and human realm had lasted long, and demons differed greatly.

They carried evil miasma that could scatter souls and twist bodies into monsters. In the past, demon blood half-bloods infiltrated the sects and opened many portals, allowing thousands of demons to flood the human realm, destroying sacred sects’ spiritual veins and sacrificing countless cultivators to demon gods.

Such precedent existed only for demon blood half-bloods, never others.

Even if there were traitors or murderers among other races, those were personal grievances; human traitors were more numerous.

In her previous life, she had turned into a demonic cultivator; now she still used demonic arts. Su Zhen bore no hatred toward demons but had no interest in their dramas.

She only learned from the book that senior brother had long known junior sister’s identity.

—Jiang Wang had ghost tribe blood and a blood curse that flared every few years.

Though not fatal, it caused excruciating pain lasting several hours. He secluded himself, set up barriers, and endured it alone.

Shortly after Liu Yunyao joined, she accidentally encountered his blood curse episode. He was covered in blood and terrifying, yet she was not afraid and comforted him softly, nearly risking her life.

After that, she became special in Jiang Wang’s heart.

Years later, Su Zhen discovered senior brother’s blood issue but only learned of this story between senior brother and junior sister from the book.

She found it strange.

—Jiang Wang’s barrier had been so poor that even a Body Tempering Realm cultivator could break in.

That was her first reaction.

Then recalling Liu Yunyao was a half-blood demon and incomparable to an ordinary Body Tempering cultivator, it made sense.

Jiang Wang thus learned Liu Yunyao’s secret bloodline.

Therefore, Su Zhen was tired of their flirtations and drama and unwilling to quarrel over the broken sword, choosing to leave immediately.

“Disciple takes leave.”

Without waiting for her master’s consent, she turned and left.

Liu Yunyao was shocked. She had wanted to wait for the master to have senior sister produce the sword, but Su Zhen left abruptly.

Su Zhen moved swiftly within the courtyard, then suddenly stopped, her expression surprised.

“Master...”

She turned.

Yuchen Immortal Venerable followed out.

He did not stop her, only walked behind. If she wanted to leave, she probably could.

The young man in white stood in the courtyard, surrounded by flowers. Amidst the vibrant hues, his figure was pure and clear, like jade trees covered in snow.

Liu Yunyao and Jiang Wang were inside; the large garden held only the two of them now.

Yuchen Immortal Venerable spoke softly, “You still can’t resonate with Cold Fragrance?”

“No.” Su Zhen replied indifferently. “I feel I have let master down. Whenever I think of it, I feel guilty, but...”

He frowned slightly. “You need not...”

The garden was exquisite, blooming with myriad colors. The young cultivator smiled, lifting her head. Her lake-green silk robe enhanced her clear skin and delicate bones, as summer heat seemed to ease.

Her hair was elegantly pinned, eyebrows like smoke, face like a delicate flower reflected in water, her eyes green and deep beneath thick black lashes, shimmering with light.

“Master still remembers, right?” Su Zhen spoke on her own, “At that year’s sect competition, I was the Foundation Establishment Realm champion. When I learned the final prize was the sword you once wielded, I was overjoyed but feared I couldn’t bond with it quickly and would disappoint you. I asked, and you told me not to worry, that the sword I won was mine forever. I could use it or, if not, dismantle and sell it—that was fine.”

Yuchen Immortal Venerable looked at her silently.

Su Zhen said earnestly, “Thinking of your words, I no longer feel so bad.”

It was true.

Having gone through it all before, she was naturally less troubled.

He looked momentarily lost, then lowered his head slightly, his expression blurred in shadow.

Su Zhen waved lightly. “Disciple takes leave.”

She flashed out to the courtyard, then to the winding mountain path at the summit of Weiyun Peak, not called back, which she found somewhat ironic.

An unbonded immortal sword was never lent casually; lending meant preparing to lose it.

If someone accidentally bonded with the sword—such things had happened—higher cultivators could break the bond to return the sword to an unclaimed state.

If low-level, it was troublesome.

Her master once said that if such a thing happened, she could choose another sword from his private treasury.

But Su Zhen’s four-element spiritual roots matched water, earth, grass, and wood. Cold Fragrance was wood element, both compatible.

The other swords in her master’s hand were wind-water or wind-ice elements, either incompatible or only partially matched.

He said he could forge her a sword, but forging consumed much time. She preferred to use that time to improve cultivation. Forging required many rare materials, which would take even more time to gather.

She had seen her master’s treasury and thought the existing collection insufficient. Gathering materials would be more time-consuming.

Cold Fragrance was the sword she had fought hard to win—after dozens of battles, including team battles, fighting through old wounds, enduring new ones, ending battered and bruised as champion.

Many meridians broken, many bones fractured, her skin barely intact.

Without a better, more suitable treasure to exchange, why should she hand it over?

But in any case, that was in the past.

Now knowing it could not bond with another, Su Zhen was considering how to make the sword serve its last purpose.

She took a few steps, ready to fly back to her quarters, then stopped again, surprise on her face.

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