Chapter 61: Itch

West Province, Shilu.

"How is it? Did Turi Qi send anything back again?"

In a grand residence surrounded by grey walls carved with exquisite auspicious patterns, zigzagging corridors led through the estate. Pebble-paved paths wound between pavilions and terraces, where eaves were adorned with pearl pendants. In a rock-piled pond, lotus leaves huddled together closely; there were no flowers, only the occasional flick of a brightly colored carp.

The speaker had the air of a wealthy, idle playboy of the mortal world. He lay listlessly on a chair in the vast courtyard while a servant peeled fruit for him.

"Yes, Young Master. I heard that Miss Turi recently achieved an excellent rank in the Great Competition of the cultivation sects. Your good days are still ahead of you, Young Master," the servant said flatterily.

News in the mortal realm traveled at varying speeds, often affected by various factors. An accident had occurred at this Great Competition, causing information to be suppressed for a time. Only now was it slowly leaking out. Ordinary people could not detect the anomalies within the competition and assumed it had been as successful as usual.

Tu Zhu’s expression was poor, and he remained silent.

Only after the servant had retreated tremblingly did he loathingly spit out a fruit pit: "Bah! What garbage!"

When Turi Qi was seven years old, her nanny had carried and supported her, gritting her teeth to haul her all the way into the December Sect. Ultimately, the nanny died, but Turi Qi lived. Her dual spiritual roots allowed her to leap over the dragon's gate, rising steadily from then on to become the Chief of the Sword Gate and the first disciple of the Sword Sovereign.

Even if she faced difficulties within the inner sect, in the eyes of outsiders, she was in absolute glory. When one person ascends, the whole family gains the Way.

The originally declining Tu family clan had relied solely on Turi Qi to see their status soar. The surrounding minor sects had all sent gifts and curried favor.

Unfortunately, Turi Qi didn't play along. Her relationship with her father, Tu Xiong, was average; they hadn't spent much time together. Tu Xiong wanted to put on the air of a majestic father but couldn't pull it off. Turi Qi was kind and soft-hearted, but she wasn't someone who could be easily manipulated.

They gained the Way because of Turi Qi.

Yet, they also harbored resentment because Turi Qi was "unappreciative." On the surface, of course, everything remained harmonious. They sent her a family letter every ten days without fail, fearing she might forget the Tu family. After all, once a cultivator stepped into the clouds of heaven, how could the mud of the earth bind them?

The Great Competition...

Tu Zhu felt a sharp pain in his liver whenever he thought about how much money had gone down the drain. That useless Guan Qianyi! What kind of medicine cultivator was he? He died so easily, failing to obtain a single treasure from the secret realm before dying himself.

Tu Zhu was the legitimate son of the Tu family. The items sent by minor sects and the fixed funds and resources provided by the December Sect to its disciples' families all flowed to him. He had no spiritual roots; in fact, no one in the Tu family besides Turi Qi had them.

Why was she the only one with such good luck?

Tu Zhu refused to accept it. Behind Tu Xiong’s back, he had secretly used all his connections to find Guan Qianyi, paying him to help bring back a treasure or two from the secret realm. How could the things given by minor sects compare to genuine cultivation treasures!

Moreover, Turi Qi never gave them anything related to cultivation on the grounds that they had no spiritual roots. Thinking about it, he was sure she enjoyed her posture of high-handed charity, fearing he might also enter the immortal path.

He didn't believe he couldn't enter it.

There were widespread rumors that spiritual roots and immortal bones could be transplanted. Although those successful cases were all hearsay, once a person reached a certain point or developed a demonic obsession—eager for quick success and trapped in a narrow circle—it became easy to believe things that benefited them.

But he had failed. With no treasures, he would have to look for low-level cultivators first.

Tu Zhu’s face contorted. Truly useless; cultivators were nothing special, the incompetent remained incompetent regardless.

Zora and Vane went to Floating Cloud Valley to hand in their mission.

She originally intended to leave immediately, but Vane said helplessly: "...Have you forgotten you still need to see the Valley Master about your injuries?"

His gaze lingered for a moment on the wounds on Zora’s arm and hand.

"They aren't healed yet."

Only then did Zora remember: "Mhm. Let's go now."

Valley Master Ning Chi was not aloof; quite the opposite. She was exceptionally approachable in Floating Cloud Valley. Wherever she went, disciples would greet her with bright, affectionate smiles rather than a respectful tone.

When Zora went to see her, she was leisurely watering flowers in the courtyard.

"What's wrong?" Ning Chi glanced over and said with a smile, "So you're injured. Did you win? If you fled because you were no match, you can find Zhou Shijin and let her use her remaining warmth to help you fight back, lest she grows moldy staying in the sect."

Vane didn't look at the Valley Master again. Upon hearing this, his dark pupils shifted slightly to look at Zora. This was banter. Of the three people present, only one failed to realize it was a joke.

Zora completely failed to perceive that this was skippable banter, so she answered solemnly: "I won. I killed them all. She won't grow moldy."

Ning Chi froze for a moment and put down the watering can. Vane let out a light laugh but didn't speak. He knew exactly when to answer her, when to supplement her meaning, and when to be silent.

Ning Chi caught the flavor of it, covered her mouth, and laughed heartily: "Hahahaha, that’s good then. True enough, Zhou Shijin drenches herself in top-grade liquor every day; she’ll certainly grow better than this flower of mine. She won't mold."

Vane didn't find it funny, but out of polite social grace, he curled his lips into what seemed like a sincere, knowing smile. Zora, even less able to find the punchline of the dry joke, remained expressionless.

Ning Chi continued to smile, saying warmly: "It seems your Sect Leader was right—you are a bit dazed. Come on, come in, let me see your injuries."

Zora followed her into the house. Vane stopped outside, leaning against a wooden pillar in the corridor with his arms crossed. Sensing something, he turned his head slightly, happening to lock eyes with Ning Chi as she was closing the door.

Her face, like that of an elderly person, was full of wrinkles, yet when she smiled, she looked like an old child—making one believe that a person’s mindset truly can affect their appearance.

She glanced at the jade pendant at Vane’s waist and smiled: "For someone like you who thinks too much, it’s best not to wear that thing. A single slip-up in a hundred plans; you’ll have to be a bit careful."

The door closed.

Vane calmly withdrew his gaze and looked down, picking up the jade pendant at his waist. The Snow-Mud Fish, which originally only had a layer of ink-color at its tail, had grown darker for some reason, with faint smoke-like shades spreading out.

The fish was a spiritual creature capable of absorbing its master's heavy, negative thoughts. It didn't stop you from thinking, but rather absorbed your foul mood when your thoughts became violent or irritable, helping the master calm down and think as coolly as possible. Of course, the effect had its limits; it was merely an aid.

He removed the pendant, hanging it from his finger to hold it up before his eyes. In the golden glow of the sunlight, the fish lazily flicked its tail, looking quite indolent. The ink-color was exceptionally obvious, making any change very visible.

"..."

When?

The youth's dark pupils were motionless.

When did it happen?

Was it just now on the sword-flying route, when she wanted to eat and they went to the nearest town? Was it those people who stole offensive glances at her? Or those who, seeing her ignorance, rashly approached trying to trick her? Some people who hindered her, people who didn't know their place.

Vane was very calm. He thought so much that sometimes even he didn't realize it. He was used to control, and his mood was always tranquil; even so, the Snow-Mud Fish had intermittently absorbed quite a bit.

It seemed he was far too lax when he was with Zora. Vane took a moment to reflect properly. He should be stricter.

The youth was already excessively restrained; even indulging himself was done on the premise of ensuring his future path wasn't ruined. His standards differed from ordinary people; he required constant mastery over himself. But it was too difficult when he was beside Zora. Her every word and action would draw the people she traveled with. Just as when she was with Turi Qi, Yiling Ke, and Song Zhihuai—even if Zora didn't say much, everyone’s attention was on her.

If they were like that, let alone Vane.

The youth shook the pendant. The fish remained unmoved. After he stared for a while, the fish slowly turned around to change positions, continuing to sleep or space out. Come to think of it, there were a bit too many loathsome people, so the fish had changed after only a day.

Too many annoying people is also a kind of hindrance,

Vane thought.

I should put it away when I'm with her.

Vane was about to put the pendant into his storage bag, but he hesitated. He picked up the semi-circular pendant that formed a pair with hers and looked at it once more. His lashes lowered, and after a long while, he finally put it away completely.

Inside the house, the scent of medicine lingered, a refreshing fragrance filling the air. Zora held out her arm to her, and Ning Chi examined it. "No matter. Just rest for a while. Take some herbs and apply them daily."

She stood by the table writing the names, weights, and frequencies of the herbs. Zora looked at her itching hand. New flesh was growing, and it was itchy as it healed. Because she was a cultivator, the healing process was accelerated. Zora could originally endure it and was used to it, but Ning Chi's medicine had a side effect: it was itchy, hundreds of times itchier than normal healing.

"..." She frowned, staring intently at the wound. So itchy...

"By the way, that disciple who came with you—is he Jin Chuyang’s disciple?" Ning Chi asked.

Zora looked at the wound: "Mhm..."

Ning Chi sighed. Jin Chuyang’s two closest disciples had died in the war between demons and immortals. Now he had taken a new student. While it might seem to outsiders that he was exceptionally good to him, only those with deep understanding knew that Jin Chuyang was still trapped in the grief of losing his students. Entering a new stage without having moved past the pain would only hurt himself and others. She hoped Jin Chuyang would be luckier and find a way out.

While she wrote, Zora forced herself to divert her attention, so she picked up her jade pendant. The fish was swimming happily, bumping against the edge of the pendant as if trying to touch Zora’s fingertip through the jade. Zora watched expressionlessly. Its energy seemed never to dissipate; under Zora’s gaze, it scurried everywhere, incredibly cheerful and very affectionate.

...Like a dog,

Zora thought silently.

Ning Chi had a disciple gather the herbs, handed them to Zora, and gave a few instructions. When to take the medicine, how to brew it, and the level of heat required. Zora was memorizing, but Vane was also memorizing—he took out a pen and paper to record it directly.

Ning Chi stole a glance at him while she spoke. The youth’s expression was steady; he didn't feel there was anything improper about his behavior. Ning Chi didn't know he was a servant; she only felt this disciple looked like someone who understood human hearts and was good at communication—not a common man—yet he was doing this sort of thing with total willingness and meticulous care. It was naturally obvious who held the upper hand.

Her smile deepened. These two had excellent talent and superior temperaments, but overall, Zora’s state of mind was more stable. She was happy for her friend Ling Zhihuan for having such a good disciple. As for Vane alone, Ning Chi might not have been able to see through his true nature, but once compared alongside Zora, he didn't show much concealment beside the girl. This was his slip-up, making Vane appear unfathomable—and unfathomable things mean uncertainty.

Thus, he was being restrained. Having Zora, whose cultivation and talent were nearly equal, beside him to attract him was beneficial for Vane; it would make him progress faster. At least it was better than the current Sword Sovereign being the sole powerhouse; Wanghua-jun had been aloof for too long, and she truly worried something might happen to him.

Mhm... probably? There is no set destiny in the affairs of cultivation; if things are stable now and there is some hope for the future, that is enough. She was quite open-minded.

The two bid farewell to Ning Chi. On the way out of Floating Cloud Valley, Vane glanced at her, his eyes curving slightly, his smile even touching his brow with an attractive quality: "It’s better not to scratch the wound."

Zora: "........."

She said: "It’s fine. It’ll heal eventually."

It was a problem with Ning Chi's herbs; the wound was much itchier than before. She couldn't help scratching through the gauze.

"..." Vane didn't stop her; he didn't want to tell her "no" in a forceful way. He scanned the surroundings, his spiritual sense rippling out.

A moment later, Vane suddenly stopped and pointed deep into the thicket, at a place some distance away that was invisible to the naked eye.

"There are several people over there robbing a couple. They’ll likely kidnap them."

He turned his head and offered Zora a gentle smile.

"Do you want to try? The thing I like to play."

Zora stared straight at him. In the end, curiosity won out.

"Yes. You do it first, I'll watch."

Vane locked eyes with her. After a long time, it was again he who first looked away, glancing elsewhere.

".........Then I'll try to do it once."

If there was something fun, she would divert her attention. At least she wouldn't scratch anymore.