Chapter 25: Teaming Up

The walls of Ning'an County were protected by a defensive formation, which was the only reason the citizens within had not been harassed by the endless stream of demons in the surrounding areas. However, after repelling demon attacks time and time again, these formations had grown thin, their color and brightness gradually fading.

"In a while, some formation masters will receive the task to come and strengthen them," Turi Qi explained.

The lantern festival had not yet ended. Though the number of young couples had thinned, the coming and going of merchants and commoners remained noisy and bustling. Zora and Turi Qi walked in front, while Vane retracted his spear and followed behind Zora. He occasionally glanced at the shops and stalls, but his face held no real interest.

Turi Qi smiled. "What would my Little Junior Sister like?"

She had started calling her "Junior Sister Zora" but eventually switched to "Little Junior Sister." Since Zora was indeed among the latest batch of disciples to enter the Sword Gate, the title wasn't incorrect.

Zora thought for a long while before stopping in front of a sugar-sculpture vendor.

"Buy a sugar-man, young lady! I can make them look just like you!" the vendor cried out.

"Make the three of us then, thank you."

Turi Qi handed him the money. The vendor immediately beamed and flattered them, "Right away! I guarantee a fifty percent likeness! As for the other fifty percent, well, you three are simply too good-looking for me to ever truly replicate."

Turi Qi gave a kind laugh. Of the other two, one stood in the middle with a wooden face staring intently at the vendor's hands, while the other leaned back with crossed arms, looking elsewhere.

The girl's unblinking stare made the vendor’s smile falter; his hands moved faster. Though the girl was pretty, her gaze was too direct, and he feared making a mistake.

Soon, three sugar-men took shape, vivid and lifelike.

"Here, take them, young lady!"

Turi Qi held her own sugar-man, admired it for a moment, and handed it to Zora. "Here, I don't eat foods that are too sweet."

Zora, who loved sweets, accepted it without hesitation, then turned to stare at Vane.

Vane had no interest in the sugar-man. He held the little black-clad figure in his hand while staring nonchalantly at the moving crowd, but as Zora watched him, he sensed it and turned around.

Lowering his head, he met the girl’s slightly expectant gaze. "Are you not going to eat yours?"

"..."

He held the sugar-man up to her.

Zora took it. She clutched the three sugar-men. The vendor had captured the main characteristics of their clothes, making them look like miniature versions of the trio. She pressed the heads of the three sugar-men together and took a bite; all three instantly lost their heads.

"..." Vane looked away.

The streets were extraordinarily lively. They passed a "Courtesan Election" where someone shouted, "The new courtesan is Miss Chun Ling!" followed by the sound of gold and silver being showered upon her, audible even from the street outside the building.

There were many lantern-themed activities. One involved solving lantern riddles. Zora, who had no talent for word games, was completely confused. Turi Qi was well-read and handled them with ease, and Vane, who had been reading a lot lately and possessed a flexible mind, found them a breeze.

Though the rewards the two won were ultimately all given to Zora.

The three returned to the December Sect that night and went their separate ways. Zora practiced for a while in the Fallen Stone Forest before crawling into bed and falling asleep instantly.

A few days later, even though the Great Competition was still several months away, ripples were already beginning to spread.

The Great Competition was an event where the four major immortal sects gathered to let the younger generation compete, both to foster friendship and to train the disciples. Every sect had its specialty. While the December Sect was ostensibly the number one sect, it was largely because their sword cultivators were exceptionally good at killing and fighting.

The others were the formation masters of Drunken Man’s Bay, the medicine cultivators of Floating Cloud Valley, and the Buddhist cultivators of Chan Meditation Temple. Other types of cultivators were merely extensions of these main paths.

The reason for the current stir was that besides individual matches, the Great Competition featured team battles. Teams consisted of five people. If a team didn't start building rapport early, they would likely be beaten into a disorganized mess at the competition.

Zora paid no mind to this. Zhou Shijin also laughed and poured a cup of wine. "If it comes down to it, just don't go."

It was true; those who couldn't form a team couldn't participate in the Great Competition.

The Oracle trembled: [How terrifying... this is just like the mandatory group projects in university...]

Zora, who had no idea what a university was: "?"

The Oracle: [Oh, I forgot Host isn't a modern civilized person... anyway, you MUST go!] The Oracle flipped through its data. [Let me see... a major villain appears at this point in the plot! Because he hates the male lead, he comes to seduce the female lead and intends to throw the competition into total chaos. Chaos, I tell you! It's the perfect environment for a romance to heat up!]

Zora: "?" What did that have to do with her? The Oracle was always obsessed with making her go to plot points to join the fun. She turned a deaf ear and continued practicing her sword.

...

Vane went out on another task. He loved the moment he decapitated a demon; his heart would tremble with the sensation.

Occasionally, he encountered bandits or thugs with ill intentions. If no one else was around, he would toy with them for a while before killing them. If there were innocent onlookers, he would kill the villains directly—clean and efficient. Gradually, his reputation grew, partly due to his weapon—a cultivator using a long spear was truly rare.

He returned to the Golden Wave Hall smelling of blood and saluted. "Master, the task is complete."

"Mhm, not bad. Your cultivation has progressed significantly. You must participate in next year's competition. There are many cultivators in the world; it’s good to go see the world. Furthermore—" Jin Chuyang looked like he had just woken up, but his advice to his disciple was quite serious. "I believe you can make a stunning impression at the competition. Talent is a heartless and domineering thing; a talented person can achieve in one month what others do in a year. You are lucky. Remember not to be impatient or arrogant."

Vane lowered his head and gave an acknowledgment before leaving the hall. Whether he went to the competition likely depended on whether his "Master" wanted to go. Vane lowered his eyes and wiped the residual blood from his spear.

The youth was dressed in black martial attire with gold stripes at the hem and cuffs. Vane had studied formations through the night and had gradually modified those gold stripes into defensive Bagua formations. He used "Shrinking Distance" to reach the Fallen Stone Forest to ask Zora about the competition.

Zhou Shijin wasn't there; who knows where she had gone to get drunk. At the end of the stone forest was a grove of trees, quiet inside except for the sound of flowing water. Suddenly, there was a series of splashes, completely different from the usual sound of sword practice.

Vane didn't speak. He entered the woods and stopped just before reaching the clearing by the stream. His knuckles bent slightly as he gently parted the branches blocking his view. His dark, calm eyes, reflecting spots of light and shadow, peered through the gap. He had intended to leave quietly if it wasn't Zora so as not to waste time on social pleasantries.

But it was indeed her.

She was sitting on a large rock by the stream, holding a sword-manual and reading it slowly with a frown. Her shoes and socks had been removed and placed to the side; the girl’s bare feet were dipped in the stream, occasionally swinging. Her feet, glistening with water droplets, shimmered with a pale, pearly light under the golden sun.

The girl didn't like reading—he knew that—so her troubled expression was understandable.

Vane wasn't dazed, nor did he have any emotional fluctuations. He simply grew peaceful as he watched her. The dark thoughts stirred by his tasks and the considerations of the competition Jin Chuyang mentioned were all swept away; his mind was as still as water.

He recalled the mud figure from the hallucination again. Although Vane had suffered inhuman trials in the Demon Realm, it didn't mean he would open his heart to a "good person." If anything, he was difficult to please—if you were bad to him, he would nurse a grudge. If you were good to him, his first reaction was to think of how to use you; he was born with a barrier. At the moment, he was only willing to wear a disguise to stay in the sect.

Therefore, he had always thought that his behavior toward Zora was also due to the Master-Servant Covenant. It turned out it wasn't. Then why was it?

In his daze, the youth saw her swinging feet and instinctively turned his head away, as if the sense of propriety and shame that had been destroyed in the Demon Realm had suddenly returned. It was bizarre.

When he looked up again, he was met with the girl’s inquisitive face. His dark pupils dilated for an instant, and he abruptly let go of the branch and took a step back. The movement was too large, exposing his flustered state.

Zora parted the branches and walked up to him, looking him over with confusion. Vane’s face was perfectly calm as he said, "I came to—"

"Why were you watching me?" Zora asked first, very bluntly.

"..." There it was again, that feeling of being stuck.

He paused and was about to answer when Zora added, "If you want to watch, watch openly." She said solemnly, "Watching in secret makes it look like you're here to assassinate me."

"...Understood."

Zora lowered her head to flip through her book, sitting on the grass. "Then continue watching."

Vane: "..."

He only then noticed she wasn't wearing shoes or socks. He didn't even dare look at her face. He walked silently to the stream. As he couldn't yet move water through the air, he performed a hand seal, and a small sphere of stream water drifted up. He leaned over to pick up her shoes and socks, and the water followed him.

Zora was reading with a furrowed brow when her shoes and socks suddenly appeared by her feet. She looked up. Vane wasn't looking at her. He only said, "Your shoes and socks."

Zora: "But the soles of my feet are dirty."

Vane silently moved the sphere of water over. Zora stood up and extended a foot. He glanced to find the position and then looked away. The water flowed down, wetting the soil. Once Zora had rinsed them clean, he wordlessly pulled a clean handkerchief from his storage bag.

Zora: "Why are you carrying that?"

Vane: "For wiping blood from my spear. I prepare several extras for every task. This one is clean and has never been used."

"Oh." After Zora finished wiping her feet and put on her shoes, she used a spell to crush the handkerchief into powder, which drifted into the air.

Vane finally changed the subject. "Are you going to the Great Competition?"

Zora thought about the question and didn't say anything to make him freeze. "If there are people, I'll go."

"Then there is you and me. I'm sure your friend Yiling Ke will agree, plus Senior Sister Turi. That makes four."

Zora: "You don't have friends?"

"No, I only know a few on Soaring Peak," he paused. "But for a team, it should naturally be your friends."

He was very conscious of his role as a servant. Zora found this very logical and nodded.

Yiling Ke was easy to find; she was always in one place. When Zora used a letter to ask her to meet, she almost didn't recognize her. The person approaching had arms hanging limp, her back slightly bent as if crushed by something. Her eyes were bloodshot, she was making strange rasping sounds, and her legs moved forward slowly.

They had already seen Yiling Ke, who was only a few dozen meters away, yet she took ages for every step. The two parties gazed at each other from afar, managing to take the longest time to cover the shortest distance.

"..."

"..."

"Heh... heh heh heh..."

The last time Zora sent her the buns and tanghulu, she had sent them through the formation in the letter; she hadn't seen her in person. Vane glanced at Zora. She was seriously judging what the person was doing and didn't move forward, so he followed suit, crossing his arms and looking elsewhere.

They waited for Yiling Ke to reach them, panting with exhaustion—not physical, but mental.

Zora asked seriously: "Who are you?"

Yiling Ke: "...Yiling Ke."

"I see," Zora nodded, saying as if nothing were wrong, "We are participating in the Great Competition. Do you want to join?"

"Yes! Of course!" Yiling Ke suddenly regained her spirit, becoming hyperactive. "I love cultivation! At home, I could only study for twelve hours, but in the immortal sect, as long as I take pills, I never have to sleep! Twenty-four hours a day, and I studied for twenty-four hours! How fortunate! I must go verify my results!"

Zora nodded and said with some happiness, "Then let's go find Senior Sister Turi."

Yiling Ke, who hadn't left her room and knew no one: "Ah? Who's that?"

As the head disciple of the Sword Gate, Turi Qi had a mountain of things to do for the competition, so she never teamed up with those who were truly ambitious. Since her cultivation was mid-to-high tier in the Sword Gate, she would team up with low-tier disciples who lacked strength. That way, even if she were busy, she would be a great help to them without dragging anyone down.

Turi Qi had already found three people and was about to find a fourth when she saw Zora coming for her.

Turi Qi smiled. "Little Junior Sister, what is it?"

Zora got straight to the point: "Teaming up."

"Is it about that? Thank you for the invitation, but I will be very busy during my free time at the competition, so I’ll pass. Besides, I've already found three people..."

Before she could finish, two disciples interrupted: "Senior Sister, why don't you team up with them instead?"

They were two of the three people Turi Qi had already recruited. She was startled. One of the female disciples said shyly, "Be... because I think it's better for you to be with a junior sister like Zora! We’re fine. We've actually found other partners already; we just settled it. We just need to find one more, and I have many friends! You don't need to worry, Senior Sister."

The truth was that the third disciple, who hadn't come, was resentful. Turi Qi always teamed up with low-level cultivators, leading some to think, "Does her teaming up with me prove I'm weak?" The disciple had muttered some complaints after Turi Qi left and was immediately scolded and beaten by this female disciple, who hurried over to explain and kick him out of their group. Seeing this scene, she felt Senior Sister was better off with Zora and the others, and she could find a team herself. Senior Sister was so good, always thinking of those without talent; she deserved better.

Without waiting for Turi Qi’s reply, she bowed and ran off with her companion. Turi Qi assumed they really had found good partners and didn't think the worst. She said hesitantly, "This... but Little Junior Sister, I’m afraid I won't be able to practice with you in the free time during the competition."

Yiling Ke regained her usual spirit and smiled confidently. "It's fine, Senior Sister Turi. We’re just there to join the crowd. Our cultivation is low, we have no delusions of grandeur, we’re just there to see the world."

"By the way, my name is Yiling Ke, a formation master."

"Junior Sister Yiling, I am Turi Qi, a disciple of the Sword Gate."

Zora felt the matter was settled. "Who is the last one?"

Turi Qi was stunned, opened her mouth, and then slowly closed it, accepting the situation.

Song Zhihuai was seriously studying a sword-manual in his room when there was a knock at the door. Thinking it was his Master, he opened it without hesitation.

Four people were crowded at the door. The girl leading them was expressionless. "Senior Brother Song, teaming up."

She had thought long and hard and only came up with Song Zhihuai. Turi Qi had nominated He Songning, but He Songning was nowhere to be found. Zora felt that Song Zhihuai definitely had no one asking him, so she came to him first.

The cold, future Heartless cultivator before her was also expressionless. He scanned the people behind Zora. One... two... three... a total of four people had come for him. His yard had never been this lively. As expected, associating with good friends would lead to a better atmosphere and reaching heights never attained before.

Song Zhihuai kept his face tight and suddenly slammed the door shut.

Yiling Ke hid behind Zora—terrified by Song Zhihuai's aura. She whispered, "He rejected us so decisively..."

Before she finished, the door opened again. The man had quickly changed into a brand-new set of clothes he only wore for special occasions, and even his scabbard had been polished to a shine. His face was like frost, and his aura was imposing. "Where do we sign up?"

Zora’s expression didn't change. She asked Vane, "Where do we sign up?"

Vane: "..."

The five walked toward the Hall of Immortal Pursuit. Vane followed silently by Zora's side. Yiling Ke was very busy, chatting with Zora while introducing her entire family history to Turi Qi. Song Zhihuai was as silent as Vane, but his silence made people feel he was pushing them away. Song Zhihuai heard the conversation of those he considered his "companions." His face was cold, but his heart was surging.

So many people.

A full four.

Four.

Although there was one he didn't know at all and who hadn't introduced herself, it didn't matter. He knew it was only a matter of time. For now, in his heart, he designated the four as Zora, Vane, Turi Qi, and "Good Friend."

Since entering the gate, he had never been eligible for the competition. Every year when the sect disciples went in groups, he would stand at the mountain peak and watch them from afar.

...To the point where the disciples who endured Senior Brother Song’s intense gaze every year always walked very fast when passing that stretch of road.

At the Hall of Immortal Pursuit, there were many people signing up. They joined the end of the line.

The Oracle, fearing the Host really wouldn't go to the competition, had set an alarm. When it rang, it woke from hibernation and looked with wide eyes.

Mhm, Host is already in line, good!

As a system, unless characters expressed emotions clearly, it couldn't judge their moods. To better judge task progress, the Oracle had specifically used its memory to download a "Human Mood Analysis" pack. After installing it, symbols representing moods appeared above everyone's heads.

It nervously looked over the Host's teammates first.

A gentle female lead—a happy smiley face.

A chattering person with a questionable mental state—also a smiley face, though it periodically flickered into a crazed silhouette.

Then there was the man radiating cold air whom no one dared approach. His eyes were truly bone-chillingly cold, and everyone hurried to stay away from him, creating a vacuum around the five of them. But above that man’s head were small pink flowers popping out constantly, appearing in the shape of hearts when they burst.

The Oracle: [...]

Moving on.

Alright, time to check the Host and the villain! The Oracle looked with great trepidation.

Mhm... Host is in a very good mood. Though she is expressionless, a small sun "popped" out from her head. Vane is also expressionless, but a pink slash representing shyness slowly appeared...

Wait? Is the villain blushing? This is huge, Host! Your progress is amazing!