Chapter 97: It’s All Right

Zora sat from the time the morning sun was overhead until the red sun sank in the west.

To a cultivator, such a duration naturally did not feel long, but it was different for others. The pastry seller hadn't paid much attention at first; there were plenty of people on the street, and he was too busy greeting customers to notice anything else.

But once the customers returned to their homes and the scent of hearth-cooked meals drifted through the city, the vendor, finally finding a moment of leisure, noticed that the young girl was still sitting there. She had eaten the osmanthus cakes clean; he didn't know what she was doing with the rest of her time to be able to sit for so long.

The vendor packed up his stall. After a busy day, he was covered in the fluffy, warm aroma of pastries. He stole another glance at the girl and realized she was doing absolutely nothing. She seemed to be in a daze, like a beautiful doll.

The vendor stepped out of the shop, took a few steps toward home, but then turned back. He stopped in front of the girl and waved his hand. "Go home quickly, girl. It's almost night; it's dangerous for a person to be out alone."

Zora was spacing out. She could daze away an entire day in her original world, let alone now. Hearing him, she lifted her eyes with a somewhat confused expression. Her eyes were filled with the simple question:

Why is this person talking to me?

Seeing her not respond, the vendor urged again, "Go on, go on."

Zora was shooed away in a state of bewilderment. She found another spot to space out for a while. As the sky grew dark, the noise that had echoed around Hong Yan’s residence all day finally faded away.

It was strange. Very strange.

The years of separation had not been short, and the reunion had lasted only a few days, yet it felt like being drunk, soaked in a wine vat and losing track of time. Now, he was suddenly sober.

"...Then, Senior Brother Vane, we'll be leaving first?"

Several disciples received a response and hurriedly left to report back to Jin Chuyang. Vane withdrew his gaze with indifference. Those newly entered disciples had been taken as pupils by Jin Chuyang, so it was only right for them to come and greet him as their Senior Brother.

The sect had been surprised for a time by Jin Chuyang’s sudden recruitment of disciples, but they eventually grew quiet and stopped paying attention. Perhaps Immortal Jin had had a change of heart; normally, every Immortal would continually take disciples, some to consolidate their own power.

Jin Chuyang’s first two disciples had died in the Demon Realm. He took Vane over a decade later, and now, decades after that, he had finally taken several new disciples. The thing those disciples had looked forward to most was meeting the famous Senior Brother Vane. Acting on their Master's orders to pay their respects, they found him practicing spear techniques on the martial arts platform.

They couldn't see the irritability within his spear forms; they could only hear the sharp, vibrating whistles of the spear tip as it thrust and swept. Vane stowed his weapon, and his cold gaze fell upon them, causing the enthusiastic group to falter.

...

Does Senior Brother Vane seem to be in a bad mood?

Thinking it was because their Master had taken new disciples, the three felt uneasy. However, Vane did not show any further displeasure. On the contrary, he accepted their friendly gestures well and even livened up the atmosphere with a few words.

Maybe it was just an illusion,

they thought. The three breathed a sigh of relief. It was said that Senior Brother Vane couldn't possibly have an issue with his Master taking new pupils; everyone in the cultivation world knew Vane was magnanimous and of noble character.

Once the new disciples left, Vane’s smile vanished, replaced by internal frustration. He didn't care about what new disciples his Master took. At this moment, only one thought filled his mind.

—

Why isn't she back yet?

He feared missing Zora’s return, so he hadn't accepted any missions or taken a single step outside the sect, staying obediently on the peak. But he couldn't keep waiting. He had clearly waited for decades, yet now he couldn't endure even a single day. The days of their reunion had suddenly turned into a hazy, drunken vision; once sober, he was filled with endless anxiety. Even practicing his spear couldn't cancel it out.

Vane clicked his tongue, looking up at the sky for the countless time. The sun was falling slowly, refusing to sink completely in the west, stretching time out infinitely. Dark Dust grew restless as well; in his unconsciously clenched palm, the spear handle vibrated gently.

Why is it harder to endure than before?

Vane lowered his head, touching his own chest. He lowered his brows, his expression dark and unreadable. He had only generated a sliver of doubt before he immediately realized the reason.

Her going to the secret realm was a long-term abandonment, a forced separation. But this time, it was her proactively stating it, leaving him once again after a long-term separation. It was like a wound that hadn't healed being pressed again; it was actually more painful and sensitive than the initial cut. A youth who had been abandoned would develop an incredibly strong obsession regarding any brief separation.

Unlike the long wait, every moment he thought of Zora now was no longer a hazy mist but a turbulent water surface, deep as a blade carved into wood. Vane thought of Zora’s words before she left.

—

Too clingy?

But isn't it perfectly natural for a servant to stay by their Master's side at all times? To a Master, a servant is merely an accessory. Sometimes it's a living person, but most of the time it's an object. No one would consider the presence of an accessory to be a burden. What his ears heard and his eyes saw wouldn't threaten her.

Unless Zora regarded him as a person. She seemed to have always regarded him as a person; she just hadn't cared about him before. Vane’s eyes narrowed slightly.

...

Now she seems to care just a little bit, enough to keep him within her sight.

Thinking this, his anxious, restless heart settled slightly.

Before the sunset had completely vanished, Zora returned to the sect. However, she was stopped at the gate by a person.

The man was a mortal, but he used a spiritual tool to reach the entrance of the December Sect. A disciple was struggling with him; seeing Zora, the disciple quickly called out, "Greetings, Senior Sister Zora."

Zora nodded and prepared to leave without a second glance. The man struggling with the disciple rolled his eyes and shouted loudly, "Immortal Master—are you Zora, the friend of Auntie Turi Qi?"

The disciple’s face darkened. "I told you we have no more pills to give you! Senior Sister Turi also said we aren't allowed to give you extra pills!"

The man ignored him and continued, "Immortal Zora! Immortal Zora!"

Zora turned back, expressionless. The girl, lacking common knowledge of mortal families, was thinking:

What kind of title is 'Auntie'?

Under Zora’s gaze, the disciple let go sheepishly and said, "...Senior Sister Zora, he is someone from Senior Sister Turi’s family..."

"I am Tu Ningzhi. Turi Qi is my aunt; my father, Tu Zhu, is her younger brother." The man immediately jumped in to introduce himself. His narrow eyes, lacking any refined character, appeared frivolous and sycophantic.

The Tu family of Xizhou was a mortal family that had soared to success because of Turi Qi. Old grievances were buried in coffins; the head of the house never mentioned abandoning his daughter and her wet nurse, instead hailing Turi Qi as the daughter he was most proud of. Turi Qi was unaware of the events of back then, and the wet nurse, to comfort the young girl, often defended her father. She believed her father cared for her, and coupled with her naturally kind nature, things remained peaceful.

That is, until her father passed away and Tu Zhu took over.

There is a divide between cultivation and the mortal realm. No matter what, the Tu family could only obtain some pills, spiritual tools, and talismans that Turi Qi allocated to them—items already priceless to mortals, yet the Tu family remained unsatisfied. Perhaps as a punishment from the heavens, not a single person with spiritual roots had been born into their family for decades.

Turi Qi’s contact with the Tu family grew increasingly sparse, though she would still help if they faced difficulties. Tu Zhu had reached sixty years of age; thanks to pills, his body was still robust. But it wasn't enough. What he wanted was eternal life—to live even longer than Turi Qi!

He searched everywhere like a madman for a way to obtain spiritual roots and longevity. He couldn't stand that a person he once looked down upon could stand above his head, living freely for hundreds or thousands of years. Every time he thought of Turi Qi’s still-youthful face, a fierce jealousy would ignite.

His son, influenced by him but truly dull, was even more foolish than Tu Zhu. Tu Ningzhi actually thought of using Turi Qi’s relationship to become a disciple of Wanghua-jun. The most precious person in the Tu family was Tu Ningzhi; everyone pampered him. If Tu Ningzhi swung a sword, everyone would flatter him as a genius swordsman.

Tu Ningzhi killed innocent people for fun; in his eyes, the lives of commoners were like ants that a "noble" like him could take at will. Naturally, those around him would praise his lethal swordplay at such times. As for his reputation outside the family? No one dared to speak a word in front of him.

Tu Zhu spent his days at other sects seeking longevity for mortals and had no time to discipline his son. Over time, Tu Ningzhi truly believed his swordplay was exceptionally talented. If others couldn't do it, the Sword Sovereign surely could help him possess spiritual roots!

A few days ago, he traveled to the December Sect alone. For some reason, the Sword Sovereign didn't refuse and actually saw him. Unaware that the relationship between the Sword Sovereign and his disciple Turi Qi had reached a point of stagnation, Tu Ningzhi was overjoyed. Thinking himself clever and subtle, he said, "I have learned a sword technique and hope the Sword Sovereign can offer a few pointers."

Quite the boast—not even the Sect Leader was qualified to ask the Sword Sovereign for pointers.

Wanghua-jun’s face was cold, his emotions unreadable, but he gave a slight nod. He agreed. Tu Ningzhi’s hands were trembling slightly. He quickly performed his sword technique—it was soft, powerless, and devoid of any killing intent. He even had a sudden whim, thinking of those legends of apprenticeship, and swung his sword toward Wanghua-jun.

Wanghua-jun did indeed take a move. In the blink of an eye, Tu Ningzhi’s sword was knocked away. Tu Ningzhi didn't care at all, staring at him excitedly.

The Sword Sovereign only asked, "Does Turi Qi return home often?"

Tu Ningzhi was stunned and reflexively told the truth: "...No, very rarely." Realizing his mistake, he hurried to emphasize Turi Qi’s "valuation" of the family: "But Auntie Turi frequently sends pills back!"

Though most were items they took secretly. The sect people, out of respect for Turi Qi, wouldn't report it; after all, they were just low-grade pills that only had a major effect on mortals. No one reported it, feeling that while the Tu family mortals were annoying, they were too weak, and the pills they took were of little use to cultivators. Many didn't take it seriously, resulting in Turi Qi being unaware that her family had been taking advantage of the sect.

Wanghua-jun nodded again and turned to leave. Tu Ningzhi couldn't even catch up. That time, he returned empty-handed. But he had a second thought: since even Wanghua-jun hadn't criticized his swordplay, did that mean he truly was talented?

Thus, after some days, he came back to the December Sect. He never expected to run into the famous Immortal Zora! He had heard she was the genius sword cultivator most likely to succeed the Sword Sovereign’s title, reaching the Nascent Soul stage in a short time.

Tu Ningzhi smiled. "I know of you, Immortal Zora. Auntie Turi often says you are her best friend."

The disciple nearby secretly rolled his eyes.

Senior Sister Turi probably barely knows you.

Zora, however, didn't know that. She easily believed him and gave an "oh."

Tu Ningzhi appeared humble but was actually hiding absolute self-confidence. "Though I have no spiritual roots, I greatly admire your swordplay, Immortal Zora. I also want to become a sword cultivator like you... I wonder if you could offer a few pointers on my swordplay?"

Before Zora could answer, the disciple grew anxious. "What are you talking about! Senior Sister Zora is one of the most outstanding sword cultivators in our sect. How can you just ask for pointers? There's a limit to being shameless!"

Tu Ningzhi’s face darkened. He wasn't afraid of the disciple; his family had used money to hire Golden Core cultivators for missions to protect him. He had countless one-time spiritual tools on him that could rival Foundation Establishment disciples. What did this Qi Refinement disciple matter?

Tu Ningzhi snorted. "Immortal Zora hasn't spoken yet. What right do you have to speak?"

"You—"

The two then started arguing. Zora had no idea what they were arguing about. After watching for a while and still not understanding, she just felt it was noisy.

"Don't speak."

The two instantly shut their mouths, the spiritual pressure she unconsciously released making it hard for them to breathe.

Zora asked curiously, "Pointers?"

Tu Ningzhi acted reserved. "Yes! I even sought out the Sword Sovereign, but he didn't criticize me. I truly can't find my own flaws... so I wanted to ask for your help. I hear my aunt saying every day that you are kind-hearted, and seeing you today, it's true."

Zora didn't answer, while Tu Ningzhi had already finished a long speech on his own. Seeing Zora still silent, he took it as consent and said, "...Then, Immortal Zora, shall I begin?"

Tu Ningzhi drew his sword and performed his technique. The disciple felt goosebumps from his shameless behavior. One often thinks human hearts are complex, but there are some fools so stupid it's beyond imagination, lacking even a shred of self-awareness. The world is vast indeed.

But Zora didn't speak, so the disciple simply stayed a distance away quietly. ...He shouldn't have struggled with Tu Ningzhi just now. The disciple hadn't used spiritual power because he feared hurting a mortal and feared that Tu Ningzhi might actually have some treasure on him.

Zora watched for a long time, looking like an audience member watching a performance.

What is he doing? Dancing?

People with flighty minds often lose their sense of reality. Tu Ningzhi wanted to do as he had with the Sword Sovereign—have her take a move so she could feel his swordplay more clearly. He thrust a sword at Zora.

Tu Ningzhi looked at the girl's calm face. Toward the Sword Sovereign, he only felt excitement, but toward this newly emerged Zora—a friend of Turi Qi’s generation—he felt a sliver of contempt. He even had a delusional thought:

What if this strike of mine kills her?

Don't storybooks go like that? The protagonist kills those of a higher level; naturally, he could too. At that time, it would only prove her incompetence, and maybe the sect would take him in because of it. He would become famous by stepping on her reputation.

He had never entered the truly cruel cultivation world. His thoughts were foolish and naive, yet they made his narrow eyes brighten with anticipation.

Zora: "?"

His swordplay was like a joke, like a dance. Initially, it wouldn't have triggered her vigilance, but this time there was a tiny trace of killing intent. Zora realized it.

So, he's an enemy.

She drew her sword and sheathed it in an instant. Tu Ningzhi’s face still bore a smile, but a bloodline had appeared on his neck. His body froze. After a moment, under the disciple's shocked gaze, his head slid down the cross-section of his neck. The head hit the ground, and only then did the headless body collapse limply.

The disciple’s eyes were wide, staring at the head that had rolled a long way. "............"

Zora looked at the sky. It was getting late. She politely said goodbye to the disciple: "I'm leaving. Goodbye."

"...G-goodbye, Senior Sister Zora..." the disciple said in a daze.

After Zora took a few steps, the disciple snapped out of it and chased after her. "Wait, Senior Sister Zora! But that's Senior Sister Turi’s—"

"Junior Sister Zora."

A female voice sounded nearby. The disciple’s throat felt as if it were being squeezed; he immediately shut up. Zora looked up. Turi Qi was standing on a white crane, looking down at them.

The disciple’s heart pounded, his body stiff. He thought he was about to witness a break-up. Who knew the culprit would appear perfectly normal, offering a greeting: "Senior Sister Turi."

The culprit even stepped aside, gesturing toward the divided corpse: "This is an enemy." Finally, she added a flat, matter-of-fact remark: "Your family is truly dangerous."

Turi Qi was stunned. She should have felt some displeasure; she should have felt resentment or anger over the death of a family member. But ultimately, her understanding and trust of Zora took the upper hand. Turi Qi looked at the corpse, paused, and spoke: "What did he do?"

The disciple lowered his head as far as it would go, not daring to answer.

Zora spoke bluntly: "He tried to kill me."

The disciple beside them snapped his head up. "..."

Disciple: "...?"

His eyes grew as large as copper bells again as he looked at Zora, his eyes full of shock.

Didn't Tu Ningzhi just want to force Senior Sister Zora to take a move to show his strength? His desire to kill her couldn't have been greater than his desire to test her... right? Was there something he hadn't noticed?

Looking at Zora’s expression, the disciple wavered again.

Is this... a brilliant rhetorical tactic, or does Senior Sister Zora truly think so?

Turi Qi frowned. She didn't have a deep impression of Tu Ningzhi. She said, "I see."

The white crane landed, and Turi Qi stepped down, her eyes full of apology. "I'm sorry, Junior Sister Zora... I didn't expect someone like this to appear in my family. I haven't been home for a long time—of course, that's not to dodge responsibility. I am truly sorry."

Zora said seriously and generously, "You are my friend, so it’s all right."

Turi Qi smiled. "Thank you, Junior Sister Zora."

Disciple: "..."

The disciple no longer knew what expression to make.