CH 80

Villainous Master (2)

“Wake up, we have arrived at the entrance of the mountain!”

Song Xu Yi was still in disbelief from the inability to reach the system, when the voice of the cold female cultivator suddenly echoed in her ears.

It was evident that the two female cultivators were still positioned at the front of the vessel, yet their voices resonated distinctly in Song Xu Yi’s ears.

This was likely another technique of the Xuan Men realm, thought Song Xu Yi.

The strength of the Immortal cultivators in this realm was overwhelmingly formidable, and Song Xu Yi surmised that the disconnection with the system was due to the exceptional characteristics of this world.

However, this was only Song Xu Yi’s speculation.

She made one final attempt to connect with the system, but after her efforts proved futile, she resigned herself to the fact that she had lost contact and dejectedly followed the others off the boat, head bowed.

The wooden vessel came to a halt in the center of a serene valley.

From the valley floor, the sight of a gigantic silver basin-sized full moon, surrounded by numerous peaks and cultivators flying with their swords, creating streams of light, was breathtaking.

“Let’s go and pay our respects to the Sect Leader, then choose a peak to join based on your spiritual affinities,” said one of the female cultivators.

In front of them was an elongated white marble staircase that appeared to stretch on indefinitely. The two female cultivators stood tall, leading the group up the lengthy staircase.

“Each peak symbolizes a different cultivation method. I have a Fire Gold Spiritual Root, and I was informed by the Immortal Envoys that the Red Cultivation Peak would be the best fit for me. I hope the Master of the Red Cultivation Peak accepts me,” said one of the members of the group.

“Wow, I’m amazed! I have dual spiritual roots with a combination of three types, I’m not looking for a peak, I just want a peak master to appreciate me,” said one of the disciples.

The newly enrolled apprentices were all youthful and energetic, and upon their initial arrival, the grandeur of the Xuan Shu Sect left them in awe. However, as time passed, they were getting accustomed to their surroundings, and the disciples were now having hushed conversations amongst themselves.

Song Xu Yi stood beside them, wearing a smile as she listened to their words, not joining in on their discussions.

In her original body’s memories, there was a categorization of this world: The cultivation in this world necessitated classification of talent based on their spiritual roots. Most of the common people in the world lacked spiritual roots, with only a small fraction possessing them. Within this group, talent was determined by the number of spiritual roots – five spiritual roots being the worst and a single root being the best.

Since Song Xu Yi’s body was one-of-a-kind with a singular spiritual root, to avoid competition from other sects for disciples, the Xuan Shu Sect brought Song Xu Yi back to the mountain as soon as they discovered her.

However, despite everything, the Xuan Shu Sect is the top Immortal Sect and even though single spiritual roots are rare, among the newly recruited disciples, those with the least impressive qualifications still have three spiritual roots.

The group followed the two female cultivators up the path and for the first half hour, everything seemed fine. But as they continued, Song Xu Yi couldn’t help but feel that the higher they went, the more arduous the journey became and an oppressive force seemed to weigh down on everyone.

With determination, Song Xu Yi kept her head low and pushed on, climbing the staircase step by step.

For a while, there was silence among the disciples, only the sound of their breathing growing heavier and heavier.

Suddenly, one of them cried out, “I can’t keep going!”

After about an hour, the two female cultivators leading the group halted their steps. While many of the new disciples around them were struggling, gasping for air and covered in sweat, these two looked as if they had just stepped off the path, with not a hair out of place.

The gentle female cultivator named Liu Bi cast a warm smile at the disheveled disciples behind her and explained, “This is the Heart Measuring Steps, a path with no end and an immortal cultivator’s power added to measure your heart and character. The higher you climb, the more challenging it becomes.”

“A century ago, you had to endure the Heart Measuring Steps for a full day or face severe consequences, including death. But we have made it easier now, and it serves as just a warning. It’s important to understand, right from the beginning, that there is always something beyond you and that the path of cultivation is never-ending.”

With that, the cold female cultivator named Zeng Li pulled out a mirror.

The mirror increased in size until it became a door that glimmered like a flowing river. Liu Bi was the first to traverse the door, with the rest of the disciples following her in a line. Before entering, Song Xu Yi gave a fleeting look back at the Heart Measuring Steps.

Dawn had arrived and the sky was as white as the belly of a fish. From Song Xu Yi’s viewpoint, she saw the Xuan Shu Sect enveloped in the brilliant light of the early morning.

While many of the paths were like the Heart Measuring Steps, and could be difficult to navigate, those who walked along them could behold the breathtaking scenery.

Unfortunately, the Xuan Shu Sect had neglected this means of self-discovery and strengthening one’s willpower, and besides Song Xu Yi, the rest of the people hastened to enter the gate, not taking a moment to appreciate the gorgeous view.

The reason for the Immortals being overpowered by the Demons is primarily due to their deviation from the correct path. Instead of using traditional cultivation methods to strengthen their bodies and spirits, they prioritize speed and greed, relying solely on pills to advance their cultivation. As a result, they are no match for the Demons who endure harsh conditions, bravely fighting for even a small amount of spiritual energy, and are naturally more warlike.

This is illustrated by the Xuan Shu Sect’s abandonment of the purpose of the Heart Measuring Steps.

To ensure the survival of the Song family, Song Xu Yi needs to become formidable. With determination in her eyes, she made a decision about her training and stepped through the shimmering water door.

In that moment, the view beyond the door changed irrevocably as she took just one step through it:

Song Xu Yi entered a large, grand hall, which was spacious enough to hold thousands of people. The main seat was occupied by Peak Masters dressed in Daoist robes, with the cyan-clad woman she had seen earlier seated in the center as the Head Master.

The women who had entered earlier respectfully lined up in front of the leaders, and soon enough, Zeng Li entered as well.

The shimmering water door disappeared, and Zeng Li and Liu Bi stepped forward to report on the recruitment of new disciples. Upon hearing that only one disciple with a water spiritual root had been recruited, the Peak Masters who had previously been looking at each other with hesitation, sat up straight.

“A Water Spiritual Root?”

As soon as the crowd heard Song Xu Yi’s spiritual root attribute, their gazes naturally shifted to the empty Peak Master’s position beside the Sect Leader.

“She’s always been haughty, claiming that she’ll only train disciples with single spiritual roots… Who would have thought she’d actually be able to recruit one this time…”

“Let’s see if she still sticks to that claim this time…”

As the Masters engaged in conversation, they began selecting their disciples.

The disciples came forward in a queue and each of them touched the white spheres located in the center. Unlike Song Xu Yi’s clear ice-blue color, the rest of the disciples’ orbs displayed either a three-colored splatter or a double-colored swirl… none of them were as pure as Song Xu Yi’s color when she touched the sphere.

Some disciples with double spiritual roots were quickly chosen by Masters with compatible attributes, while those with three spiritual roots were given time to consider and ask questions regarding cultivation.

As Song Xu Yi entered later, she had to wait for nearly two hours until it was finally her turn. Only a few people were still behind her.

Just as Liu Bi was about to announce Song Xu Yi’s single spiritual root, a soft sound came from the entrance and the gate opened, letting in the bright sunlight. The light was so intense that it was difficult to see, but what was even more captivating than the sun was the stunning woman who stepped through the doorway.

The woman was dressed in a pure white outfit that looked like snow and wore no makeup, but her appearance was enough to make all the riches in the world seem dull.

In the world of cultivation, there were no ugly people, and even the servants at the outer gate that Song Xu Yi encountered when she disembarked from the ship were all attractive. But this woman was the most beautiful person that Song Xu Yi had ever seen in this world. Her features were sharp and crisp, but with a red mole near her eye, she exuded a delicate and beautiful charm.

If there exists a celestial being in this world, Song Xu Yi believes it must resemble the woman standing before her.

“I was in the midst of meditating when your paper crane carrying the letter circled my peak several times before landing,” the woman explained as she stifled a lazy yawn and sat down beside the Sect Leader.

Although the new disciples were unaware, the peak masters present all comprehended that her excuse was weak, as cultivators are capable of sensing external objects while meditating, and this woman was known as a notoriously drowsy individual within the Xuan Shu Sect.

“It’s fortunate that Senior Sister has arrived,” someone said.

The Sect Leader showed great respect towards the woman, and her expression even held a hint of reverence as she spoke to her.

As the new disciples cast their gaze upon the woman, the Sect Leader began to introduce her, “This is Peak Master Ning Jing Yu from the Fallen Cloud Peak.”

A collective gasp filled the room.

The Sect Leader didn’t have to say anything further, for the name Ning Jing Yu carried a great reputation on its own.

In this world, even a young child of three years old would recognize the name Ning Jing Yu.

A hundred years ago, when the Demon Lord unleashed chaos on the Three Realms, a young Ning Jing Yu and the Demon Lord engaged in a battle that lasted for several days and nights atop a mountain, causing the sky to darken and the sun and moon to disappear.

This event led to the decline of the Demon Race and the growth of the Immortal World, making Ning Jing Yu the number one sword practitioner in the world.

Although everyone knew that Ning Jing Yu was the first sword practitioner to kill a Demon, they were surprised to find that she was so young and beautiful.

Ning Jing Yu was badly wounded after the battle and went into seclusion to recover for several years.

According to the plot summary, twenty years later, the new Demon Lord launches an attack on the Immortal World, and Ning Jing Yu, who has taken on a great responsibility, is the key defense against the Demon Lord. However, nobody expected Ning Jing Yu to be defeated by the Demon Lord and end up in ashes, leaving the Immortal World vulnerable and weakened without anyone to protect it.

Song Xu Yi recalls what the Sect Leader mentioned the previous day about “Senior Master Ning” and wonders if it was referring to Ning Jing Yu.

Her heart starts racing, and she eagerly gazes at Ning Jing Yu, eager to learn from her and alter the fate of the original storyline as much as possible.

However, Ning Jing Yu seemed disinterested in the disciple selection, lounging on her elbows on the elevated platform.

As if in a daze, Song Xu Yi was handed a spirit measuring ball by Liu Bi.

As the ice-blue color spread throughout the sphere, murmurs filled the hall. Song Xu Yi avoids looking at anyone and musters the courage to lift her head and meet Ning Jing Yu’s gaze, but she did not expect to find her eyes already upon her.

Ning Jing Yu’s eyes were deep and enigmatic, seeming to both look at Song Xu Yi and see beyond her.

Her gaze locked onto Song Xu Yi’s, and in an instant, Ning Jing Yu was standing right beside her.

Her features were breathtakingly beautiful up close, and her voice was soothing, like the gentle flow of a stream. She addressed Song Xu Yi, saying, “little child, “

Song Xu Yi and Ning Jing Yu were so close that Song Xu Yi could sense the refreshing scent of plums emanating from Ning Jing Yu.

This proximity made Song Xu Yi feel slightly anxious, causing her to hold the spirit measuring ball tightly to her chest.

This small gesture amused Ning Jing Yu.

Ning Jing Yu’s smile was a sight to behold, like a million flowers blooming all at once, breathtakingly beautiful.

Song Xu Yi felt her heart race and her face flush with embarrassment when faced with such a stunning smile.

“You’re still so shy,” Ning Jing Yu remarked. She leaned in, appearing to take an interest in the spirit measuring ball in Song Xu Yi’s hand as the two hues of ice blue merged deeper.

With a gentle smile still on her lips, she asked, “Child, do you want to become my disciple?”