Love Turns to Hate in an Instant

Cicada, cicada...

Accompanied by the weaving sound of cicadas in the forest, the Gujian Sect on Yan Mountain welcomed the midsummer season of the Immortal Mansion Calendar year 2510.

Qiongzhou is located in a remote corner of the Nine Provinces, adjacent to Minghai Guixu. The environment is often extreme, and the scorching heat of summer is particularly difficult to endure. Although Yan Mountain is the most remote of the remote, it is not exempt from this sweltering midsummer.

However, even with the scorching sun hanging high and the air as irritable as a furnace, a group of craftsmen remained busy at the foot of Yan Mountain.

They held tools of various exquisite designs: hammers, hand saws, shovels, and screws. Each piece contained a faint spiritual light and was no ordinary object.

Likewise, these craftsmen were not mere mortals; they all possessed a degree of cultivation, with the lowest among them at the fifth or sixth stage of Qi Refining. As they walked and worked, their mana circulated naturally to drive the various utility magic tools in their hands.

With one hammer blow, mountain rocks would crumble; wherever the hand saw passed, spirit wood as hard as iron would yield like tofu.

Any single one of these craftsmen could easily outperform a hundred mortals, and there were thirty such craftsmen on the construction site today.

In the entire Wu County, one could count on one hand the number of groups that could assemble such a team. Combined with the uniform attire worn by the craftsmen, their identity was clear at a glance—the Jiangshi Squad from Wuting of Luohuang Mountain.

They were also the premier craftsman squad in Qiongzhou.

In just over two months since construction began, these Wuting craftsmen had extended the long Lingguang Path all the way from the county seat, thousands of miles away, to the foot of Yan Mountain.

Then, using superior building materials like spirit wood and jade foundations, they condensed the local ley line spiritual energy to shape a golden-red parasol tree that was neither wood nor stone. It stood over fifty meters tall, with branches and leaves as crystalline as jade.

Only such a rare treasure could attract the favor of the first-grade spirit bird of Luohuang Mountain, the Qingluan, to fly back and forth and serve as a mount.

Surrounding this golden-red parasol tree, they built a circle of jade steps and two rows of buildings; this was the renowned Qingluan Post Station.

On this day, with the sun blazing high and the cicadas chirping incessantly, the Wuting craftsmen, despite their skilled expertise and cultivation that rendered them immune to heat and cold, could not help but feel irritable.

Clang!

A rather untimely crisp sound rang out; a young craftsman who had just joined the squad had accidentally shattered a jade tile.

The foreman, a Foundation Establishment craftsman, immediately furrowed his brows and was about to sink his energy into his dantian and flare up in anger... when he heard a sweet, soft, and charming call coming from the mountain.

"Masters, I've brought you water~"

Following this, a young girl in a pink shirt and white skirt, surrounded by a flock of birds and beasts, descended gracefully with light steps from the mountain.

Seeing this girl, even the most rigid and stern craftsman could not help but show a hint of a smile. The foreman immediately deflated, merely giving the young craftsman a casual slap on the back of the head before putting on a smiling face for the girl.

"When our Jiangshi Squad goes out to work, we receive extra compensation, so no matter how hard or tiring it is, it is only expected. Yet, Miss Zheng, you come every day to bring spring water and pastries to us rough men. We are truly... deeply grateful."

Zheng Lingxi chuckled as she carried the bucket of clear spirit spring water to the center of the construction site.

"My master says that although the Gujian Sect is small, we must not lose the etiquette of hospitality. You have all come from afar to build the Qingluan Post Station for the Gujian Sect; you are undoubtedly our honored guests, and we must not neglect you."

The foreman smiled. "Then many thanks to the True Person for his kindness."

"Junior brother says that as long as I come by for a stroll every day, the masters' work efficiency will increase by a significant margin. It's more effective than any foreman."

The foreman's smile stiffened instantly. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a few young, hot-blooded craftsmen not far away. Upon seeing the beautiful young girl come to visit, their blood was indeed boiling, their internal organs roaring, and they were hammering away incessantly with a rhythmic clatter, hot air puffing from their nostrils. That vigor was far more potent than if he had roared at them directly...

What a bunch of embarrassing fools!

"Master Man, the items have been delivered. I'm going to go help out!"

Afterward, Zheng Lingxi produced a carving knife and a small hammer from who knows where. Waving them in both hands, she hopped and skipped her way up to the golden-red Wutong tree.

Without another word, she began to carve the branches and leaves, the metal ringing with a rhythmic clatter.

She had naturally and seamlessly blended into the team of craftsmen!

The group of craftsmen saw this and were already accustomed to it; at most, they would shrug and offer a wry smile, but no one stopped her.

The young craftsman who had arrived not long ago was naturally full of surprise. He looked around and asked, "Hey, aren't you all going to do something about this?"

Allowing an inexplicable outsider to interfere with the work of the Jiangshi Squad—was this even within the rules!? Besides, the carving knife and small hammer in her hands were clearly the squad's property, right? How could they just be handed over to an outsider so casually?

An older craftsman heard this and slapped him on the back of the head.

"Do something about what? Look closely, what are you going to do?"

The young craftsman shuddered in pain, then looked up and saw Zheng Lingxi carving the jade tree.

The girl appeared innocent and carefree, as if she were a child oblivious to the ways of the world, but her movements were extremely nimble and precise. With every stroke, the jade tree became more exquisite and vivid. Not only was her craftsmanship not inferior to the most senior artisan in the squad, but her aesthetic sense was even superior!

"Ah...?"

While the young craftsman stood dumbfounded, Zheng Lingxi had already finished carving several branches. She looked left and right, nodded in satisfaction, and then ran off to help move bricks.

Each Wind Gold Ingot weighed over ten thousand jin and was specifically used to support the jade stairs and buildings. Usually, it required multiple craftsmen at the Qi Refining Stage working together, applying the Lightness Technique and Object Manipulation Technique, to barely manage to transport them. Even if the foreman, who had Foundation Establishment cultivation, stepped in, he would have to push his Lightness Technique to the limit.

However, in Zheng Lingxi's hands, the Wind Gold Ingot seemed as light as a cloud, as if it weighed nothing at all. The girl picked one up casually and ran and skipped all the way to where it was needed. Where she stepped, even her footprints were barely visible.

Her mastery of the Lightness Technique was simply shocking.

The young craftsman swallowed hard and was immediately speechless. The Wuting Jiangshi Squad certainly had strict rules, but no rule was greater than skill. When someone's skill reached such a level, even if the artisans had reservations, they could only obediently bow their heads.

Besides, who could hold a grudge against such an innocent and carefree little girl?

Not to mention that this innocent and carefree little girl helped with the work for free!

Afterward, Zheng Lingxi went wherever there was work to be done. She moved from station to station without stopping, switching between five or six different types of tasks, each of which she performed with great proficiency, enough to make the other craftsmen feel ashamed.

Seeing this, the young craftsman became even more amazed and puzzled.

Where did she learn these skills? The Lightness Technique, the Jade Carving Manual, the Leveling Record... while they weren't top-tier, profound arts, they were the unique skills that the Wuting artisan squads relied on to dominate the trade in Qiongzhou.

Studying is not difficult; what is difficult is the day-in, day-out accumulation of study until one's craft becomes incomparably exquisite.

"Practice makes perfect"—it sounds like a light, airy phrase, yet it is a great path that many who aim too high fail to grasp throughout their entire lives.

And yet, where could this little girl from the Gujian Sect have accumulated such craftsmanship?! Or could it be that there truly is such a thing as an Innate Earth-Wood Saint Body in this world, and it just happened to land on such a beautiful and adorable young girl?

Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly saw Zheng Lingxi, who was plastering a wall not far away, twitch her pointed ears. She looked up excitedly and gazed toward the mountain path of Yan Mountain.

"Junior Brother, you're here~~"

Following the girl's line of sight, the young craftsman saw a youth in white.

The youth appeared to be about fourteen or fifteen years old, with delicate features and a confident, yet not arrogant, smile that made him seem naturally approachable.

Upon seeing the youth, the young craftsman couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth slightly, as if his mood had improved a little.

However, the next moment, his peripheral vision caught many of his senior peers wearing gloomy expressions. Some were even gritting their teeth, their hammers striking as if they were pounding someone's skull...

"??"

The young craftsman couldn't help but rub his eyes, thinking he had seen something wrong.

Was there anything detestable about that youth in white?! Am I the only one who thinks he looks quite good?

Yet, in his line of sight, he saw the youth in white carrying a long sword shimmering with spiritual light on his back. He strode forward with his head held high, his steps swift and light. With a few leaps and bounds along the mountain path, his posture was indescribably elegant and dashing... it was simply a feast for the eyes.

But the next moment, as the youth landed gracefully, Zheng Lingxi had already rushed over. Without a word, she grabbed the youth's hand and said in a sweet, clinging voice:

"Junior Brother~ I've encountered something I don't understand again, teach me quickly~!"

While pleading, she naturally held the youth's hand tightly, pressed it against her chest, and swayed her body gently...

Oh, damn!

The young craftsman instantly understood everything. A blood-colored filter seemed to shroud his vision, and looking at the youth in white again, he appeared completely different.

This villain is truly detestable!

On the other side, Wu Ming had long since become desensitized to this "great route" that would make countless others envious. He couldn't even be bothered to struggle, simply saying indifferently, "The Senior Sister is right behind you."

"Wah! Senior Sister, I was wrong!" Zheng Lingxi immediately let go, covered her head, and crouched down in one fluid motion. A moment later, she wrinkled her nose, stood up, and gave a silly smile. "You tricked me again!"

"And you fell for it again... Tell me, what don't you understand?"

Zheng Lingxi said, "When I was carving jade, a few pieces of spiritual jade were being very disobedient."

As she spoke, she flipped her palm and produced several pieces of jade intended for decorating Wuting. However, they were all "stubborn stones" among jade—extremely difficult to process and usually treated as scrap.

Generally speaking, only the master craftsmen at the Wuting headquarters had the luxury of processing stubborn stones. But even those with the skill often didn't care to bother with them.

Seeing these stubborn stones, Wu Ming pondered for a moment. He traced a few lines over the jade with his fingers, and an idea took shape.

"Senior Sister, try using the Cloud Carving Chapter. Like this—like a swallow skimming the waves, like a spring dripping onto stone..."

With these simple words, Zheng Lingxi's expression shifted to one of sudden realization. Her fingers began to move in tandem, the spiritual light at her fingertips flickering like a blade. In an instant, she had carved away the impurities from the stubborn stone, causing it to bloom with spiritual radiance!

It was the Stone Pointing Art, an incredibly profound technique from the Jade Carving Manual!

At this moment, the young craftsmen watching from the sidelines nearly had their eyeballs pop out of their sockets.

This actually worked!?

And to think, this innocent and naive Saintess of Carpentry had been taught by this young man they called Junior Brother!?

No wonder... he looked even more detestable now!

But where on earth did this Junior Brother Gu Jian learn the secret skills of the Wuting Jiangshi Squad!?