Do Fortuitous Encounters Come in Bunches Now?

The moment she looked up, she saw Xu Xing watching her.

Chi Jiuyu scratched her head. "I'm having a friendly chat with my online friends."

Sure.

Very "friendly."

"Jiu Yu, do you really want to become Sect Master?"

Martial Uncle, you were spying on me!

"Yeah. So, Martial Uncle, will you support me?" Chi Jiuyu immediately seized the opportunity.

A few years ago, her master had accidentally learned about her dream and ruthlessly mocked her for using two alternate accounts to talk to herself.

She'd been so mortified she'd nearly rolled around on the ground. After that, though, she'd become immune.

The same trick wouldn't work on her twice.

Xu Xing didn't answer. Instead, he stood up. "Come on, we should head back."

Chi Jiuyu glanced at the arena, puzzled. "But it's not over yet, is it?"

"The result won't change."

"Oh."

She obediently followed Xu Xing.

Before they came, her master had told her to find Martial Uncle and return with him.

Their departure didn't attract anyone's attention, not even that of True Monarch Purple Universe, who had returned to the sky above the school.

"Martial Uncle, can they not see us?"

"Mm. There's a junior up there. I don't want to make too much of a fuss just yet, so I have to avoid being discovered by him," Xu Xing explained.

As for how he'd gone to the dean's office and taken a crystal card containing the Basic Refining Method, there was no need to mention that.

Chi Jiuyu looked around, but couldn't see a thing.

She didn't pay it much mind. "So when are we going back?"

"In a while."

That answer was as good as no answer at all, Chi Jiuyu grumbled inwardly.

"Tell me about yourself. How did you become your senior sister's disciple?"

"Martial Uncle, can't you figure it out?"

"That wouldn't be any fun."

"..." Chi Jiuyu fell silent for a moment. "It's nothing complicated. Master found me, and when I grew up, I naturally became her disciple."

Her background wasn't complicated. Her parents had belonged to the Righteous Alliance, but after Saint Emperor Abyss disappeared, the various factions within the Alliance had been locked in endless conflict.

During one Alliance mission, her parents had accidentally stumbled into the secluded retreat of an ancient demonic cultivator and died there.

She was so young she'd nearly starved to death. By chance, Sword Venerable found her and took her home.

Later, her master had helped her divine the truth. The mission had indeed been perfectly ordinary; no one had interfered.

"Was your name already Jiuyu back then?" Xu Xing asked.

"No, Master gave it to me. She had a pond full of Spirit Fish at the time, but only nine survived, so she gave me that name."

Chi Jiuyu sighed. It really hadn't been easy to survive all the way to adulthood.

As for why it was "Yu" meaning "fisher" rather than "Yu" meaning "fish," she guessed her master had wanted the name to sound a little less haphazard.

"After I reached Golden Core, Master gave me those nine fish, too."

"Oh. So what happened to them?"

If she'd raised them with care, they should've become spirits by now.

"Braised, steamed, deep-fried, hot pot... As expected of the fish Master raised—they were delicious no matter how they were cooked!"

Afterward, she'd bought more Spirit Fish of the same kind, but none tasted as good as those original nine.

"..."

This girl always managed to surprise him.

At noon, the Dharma Combat Test came to an end.

Zhang Yunlu took first place, just as expected. Xiao Fan, with his Pseudo Foundation Establishment, came second, followed by Fang Lin and Hou Xiang.

Though the two had lost to Zhang Yunlu, they were still quite strong... at least among this group of students.

Those in fifth through seventh place were also at the ninth level of Qi Refining, and each had one or two special tricks up their sleeves.

As for eighth through twelfth place, there was no one. They'd all failed to hold on during the arena challenge.

In truth, Xiao Fan hadn't gone too far. With his strength—having reached Pseudo Foundation Establishment from the ninth level of Qi Refining—Zhang Yunlu might not even have been able to beat him.

The test was over, and it was time to hand out the rewards. Li Fengping, the specially invited guest, presented the prizes.

This young girl really is impressive. I could report her to the sect when I get back. He took another look at Zhang Yunlu.

The next moment, however, Li Fengping felt a deep malice pierce him, making the hair on his back stand on end. It was just like being back in the alley where he'd been beaten black and blue.

The feeling came and went in an instant. The principal beside him glanced toward the audience.

Was it just his imagination?

Above the clouds, True Monarch Purple Universe watched everything clearly.

When he saw Zhang Xiu show malice toward Li Fengping, he couldn't help nodding.

This man was a dignified Spirit Transformation cultivator, yet he had to disguise himself as a Golden Core cultivator. That was proof enough of the Sword Sect's arrogance.

To reach Spirit Transformation at his age was no small talent.

Alas...

What a pity he was a reckless body cultivator.

His younger sister, on the other hand, had mastered a perfected sword technique at a young age, and the main method she cultivated was the Basic Qi Refining Formula distributed by the school.

Such talent, with her path still undetermined... If it turned out that she had no connection to the ancient cultivator who'd emerged from seclusion, then he would bring her into the sect.

He was trapped by his inner demon and didn't know when he would break free. It was time to find an Inheritor.

After the award ceremony, the siblings left the school together.

Both were somewhat silent. Zhang Yunlu didn't know how to explain her perfected sword technique, and Zhang Xiu didn't know what to say.

Under normal circumstances, he should've talked about the Dharma Combat Test...

But the senior had apparently forbidden Xiao Lu from revealing anything. Wasn't that just making things hard for her?

"You did great today. How about we go celebrate with something good to eat?"

Huh?

Her big brother hadn't asked about her sword technique!

That couldn't be better.

"Sure! I want to go to..."

"Sorry to interrupt, you two." A gentle voice sounded in their ears.

Purple qi swirled, and a man emerged from within. He wore the garb of an ancient cultivator, his figure ethereal, black hair cascading over his shoulders, and purple light shifting in his eyes. He had the bearing of an immortal.

Whatever else one might say, high-level spell cultivators certainly knew how to make an entrance—a completely different style from sword cultivators.

Zhang Xiu shielded Zhang Yunlu behind him, his gaze wary. "So it's you, Senior. May I ask what you want...?"

"This one's Daoist title is Purple Universe, and I belong to the Supreme Dao Sect. There are a few things I'd like to ask you two."

"Please ask, Senior. I'll tell you everything I know."

"An ancient cultivator recently emerged from seclusion. Have either of you seen them?"

As he spoke, his spiritual sense had already begun quietly probing their memories.

The Flowing Cloud Sword Technique. A family inheritance, practiced since childhood. Their parents had died in a Secret Realm.

So that sword technique was their family inheritance. No wonder he'd never seen it before. The siblings had no connection to the ancient cultivator who'd emerged from the Sword Sect, either.

He didn't look into any of their other memories. Everyone had a right to privacy.

"I've already documented everything in my work report. My sister and I haven't encountered anyone else since then."

"Sorry for the trouble, you two." True Monarch Purple Universe took out a thread-bound, yellow-covered book and handed it to Zhang Yunlu. "This Purple Enclosure Qi Observation Method is yours. If you gain any insights from it, I can grant you a fortuitous encounter."

Purple qi rose once more, and True Monarch Purple Universe withdrew into it, vanishing from sight.

From his appearance to his departure, he'd carried himself with such flair, perfectly embodying the image of an enlightened master.

Holding the thread-bound, yellow-covered book, its pages steeped in antiquity, Zhang Yunlu felt very strange.

Seriously, did fortuitous encounters come in bunches now?

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