The Merit and Virtue Pavilion stood on Qingyun Sect’s main peak.
As the busiest area with the most daily foot traffic, many of the sect’s important buildings were located here.
Qingyun Sect’s current nine elders—except for Lin Wan’er of Casual Peak and Elder Yao of Dan Peak—along with most inner sect disciples, also resided in the various residences scattered across the main peak.
Su Zhan flew by sword from Unweary Peak all the way to the main peak.
From afar she saw the crowds coming and going at the Merit and Virtue Pavilion entrance and immediately gave up on the idea of pushing through the throng.
She turned and headed straight for Second Senior Sister Xu Yanrou’s residence instead.
Xu Yanrou’s master oversaw all major and minor affairs of the Merit and Virtue Pavilion and often had her help manage them.
If Su Zhan wanted details on something like the mortal realm tempering, asking Xu Yanrou was the surest bet.
As the disciple holding the sect’s most “lucrative” position, Xu Yanrou’s residence was especially easy to spot.
It was simply the best-looking one among all the inner sect disciples’ dwellings.
Su Zhan located her target without much effort.
She drifted slowly up to the entrance of a lavishly decorated courtyard.
The gates stood wide open.
Precious spiritual herbs were strewn everywhere across the yard, and several artifacts of unknown purpose lay piled in a corner.
No one seemed worried about theft.
This place must be swimming in wealth.
To think they would just leave such things lying around—Su Zhan had no idea how many good items Xu Yanrou’s master had pocketed.
She shook her head helplessly and walked straight inside.
Creak.
Su Zhan gently pushed open the guest door and looked in.
Xu Yanrou was currently seated at a small table, lazily toying with a smoking pipe.
Wisps of fragrant smoke curled from the mouthpiece and drifted in all directions, making the beauty inside the haze look as if she were floating among clouds.
Hearing the sound at the door, Xu Yanrou lifted her eyes indifferently.
The fox-like tails of her eyes drooped with weariness.
Only when she clearly saw who had arrived did her expression soften into something between a smile and delight.
“It’s Third Junior Sister.”
Xu Yanrou tilted her head lightly.
Her bound black hair swayed with the motion, falling between her collar and collarbone and half-concealing the delicate skin that peeked through.
“Why do you have time to visit your senior sister today instead of secluding yourself on Little Cang Peak?”
Perhaps because the beauty had only just finished smoking alone, her voice still carried a trace of languid haze and a faint, sighing breath between words.
She was teasing Su Zhan.
There were not many inner sect disciples in Qingyun Sect, and their relationships were fairly good.
But this fellow Su Zhan spent every day either cultivating or in seclusion, so the number of times they actually met could be counted on one hand.
“Master said I am to lead this round of mortal realm tempering, so I came to ask Senior Sister for the details.”
Su Zhan walked over and sat across from Xu Yanrou.
She noticed that two teacups had already been placed on the small table earlier.
The one in front of her, however, had already gone cold.
“Ai, I know. But couldn’t Junior Sister say a couple of words to make your senior sister happy?”
“Something like… ‘I really wanted to see Senior Sister today. I missed you so much I couldn’t stand it.’”
“That sounds like something Junior Sister Yun would say.”
“Exactly. You two are both such busy people. The only one I get to see regularly is Junior Sister Yun.”
Xu Yanrou sighed.
She reached out, picked up the cold cup, poured its contents away, then lifted the teapot and refilled half a cup for Su Zhan.
Su Zhan accepted the cup without a word.
She took small sips and waited quietly for Xu Yanrou to finish complaining.
Xu Yanrou’s throat had grown a little dry from talking, so she picked up her own cup to moisten it.
Seeing Su Zhan still sitting there like a silent gourd, she glared sideways at her, puffed out her cheeks, then quickly deflated again.
“All right, all right. I know you don’t like hearing this kind of talk, so your senior sister won’t say any more. I’m already very happy that you came. It would be even better if you came more often.”
“I’ll remember Senior Sister’s words.”
Only after hearing Su Zhan say this did Xu Yanrou nod in satisfaction.
She pulled a document from her robe and handed it over.
Su Zhan took it, opened it, and began reading.
Inside were the list of participants for this trip, the mission location, each person’s assigned task, all the things to watch out for, and even recommended scenic spots and snacks—everything was included.
Xu Yanrou had written the document herself; it must have taken quite a bit of effort.
“Thank you, Senior Sister.”
Su Zhan thanked her earnestly, a warm feeling rising in her chest.
“Since you call me Senior Sister, these little things don’t count for anything.”
Xu Yanrou hummed, but the pleased expression on her face was obvious.
“Oh, right. The other Nascent Soul cultivator escorting the group this time is Fifth Junior Sister. She has a rather impatient temper, so as her senior sister you’ll need to give way to her a little more.”
“Naturally.”
Su Zhan nodded.
This Fifth Junior Sister was named Xia Liu.
In the original story she was closest to Yun Li and had already become an outstanding alchemy cultivator at a young age.
Although Su Zhan had no personal interaction with her, she knew some of the girl’s likes and dislikes from the novel.
She might not be able to become bosom friends with her, but at least they would not end up mutually disgusted like in the original plot.
Still… for some reason, the more Su Zhan looked at the document in her hands, the stronger the bad premonition growing in her heart became.
***
At the same time, on Dan Peak.
Unlike the bustling main peak, Dan Peak was wrapped in silence all around.
Aside from the crackle of spiritual flames, only the muffled rumbling of pill furnaces could be heard.
Inside a tall pavilion, even though it was broad daylight the doors were tightly shut and the lamps burned bright.
Two people—or rather, two girls—sat inside the room.
The girl on the left was cool and silent, dressed in a simple blue-white robe with a sword held in her arms as if deep in thought.
The girl on the right looked drowsy and worn out.
Her collar hung loose, exposing half a fragrant shoulder.
Though she kept yawning, her hands never stopped forming hand seals as she controlled the spiritual flames inside the pill furnace.
“The sect has assigned you and Junior Sister Su to escort this tempering trip,” the girl on the left said after a long silence.
“Every escort mission usually sends fighters. Why drag me along this time? I don’t know how to fight. It’s so troublesome. Can I not go?”
The girl showed almost no expression.
Her eyes were still half-lidded with sleep.
She yawned lazily and adjusted the spiritual flames a little lower.
“Master said she was afraid you and Junior Sister Su had grown too bored staying in the sect, so she’s sending the two of you out to relax.”
“The great Sect Leader always does good things the wrong way. I hate this kind of thing the most—saying it’s for someone else’s benefit while never considering how the other person actually feels.”
The girl sighed, her tone listless and grumbling.
“Besides, even if I agree, Senior Sister Su definitely won’t go. She’s probably still in seclusion. Does that mean I’d have to lead the group alone? Taking care of a bunch of kids is exhausting…”
“Junior Sister Su has already agreed. She came out of seclusion this morning and should be at the Merit and Virtue Pavilion right now.”
“Ah, she came out? Then can I skip it? Senior Sister Su is so strong—she can lead the group by herself, right?”
The room fell quiet for a moment.
The girl with the sword shook her head helplessly.
“Stop acting like a child. This tempering trip is no game. The Fangyou Mountain branch has been rather unstable lately. This concerns life and death. Listen carefully while I explain.”
The way you captured the sisterly bond really stands out. Did you have any unique challenges while shooting that?