Extraordinary Talent

The white crane stretched out its neck and nodded. "Chirp chirp!" That's right! I fly very steadily, so don't worry!

For some reason, Song Zhizhi suddenly understood what the white crane's cries meant. She stroked its head and said softly, "Sorry for the trouble."

Once Song Zhizhi was seated securely, the white crane spread its wings and flew toward the outer sect.

The white crane was very fast. A quarter of an hour later, it brought Song Zhizhi to the place she had arranged to meet Liu Changfei.

Yet Liu Changfei was nowhere to be seen at their meeting spot. Song Zhizhi guessed that something had delayed her. Just as she was about to have the white crane return first while she waited here—

The white crane had only just landed when she heard a burst of commotion coming from a small grove nearby.

"So what if your father is the Medicine King City's lord? I'm an inner sect disciple of the Sword Sect now. Even if your father came, he'd have to treat me with utmost respect."

"Times have changed. You're just a lowly outer sect disciple now. If you offend me, all it takes is one word from me, and you can forget about remaining in the Sword Sect."

Song Zhizhi frowned. If she had not misheard, the person inside had just mentioned "Medicine King City."

Was Liu Changfei in there?

Song Zhizhi patted the white crane's wing, telling it to stay at a distance. She took out her spirit sword and headed toward the source of the noise.

Song Zhizhi concealed herself behind a tree and took in the scene before her.

It was an open clearing in the grove. Four people stood there—three men and one woman—locked in a one-against-three standoff.

The girl was Liu Changfei. Of the other three, one was Feng Yulong, dressed in inner sect disciple robes. Song Zhizhi had never seen the other two, who wore outer sect disciple robes, but they looked like Feng Yulong's lackeys.

Liu Changfei was currently at the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining. Opposite her, Feng Yulong was at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, while the other two were at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining.

The gap between minor realms in Qi Refining was not impossible to cross, and sword cultivators fighting above their level was commonplace. But with a Foundation Establishment Realm Feng Yulong watching her like a tiger eyeing its prey, Liu Changfei's situation was extremely dire.

Feng Yulong looked down at Liu Changfei. A cruel, cold smile curled at his lips as he said, "This young master is in a bad mood today. If you want to blame someone, blame your rotten luck. You two, go break her hands. Don't worry—she's only an outer sect disciple with a Triple Spirit Root. As long as you don't kill her, no one will pursue it."

"How dare you!" Song Zhizhi stepped out from behind the tree, her standard-issue longsword already in hand. Her expression was frosty as she looked at Feng Yulong. "Private fighting and settling grudges are forbidden within the sect. Those who violate this rule will face three days of reflection at Cliff of Repentance at best, and expulsion from the sect at worst. Feng Yulong, I recorded everything you said just now with a recording stone. What punishment do you think you'll receive if I hand it over to the Discipline Hall?"

Feng Yulong stared at Song Zhizhi with a sinister gaze, like a venomous snake that made one's skin crawl. After a long moment, he gritted his teeth and sneered. Narrowing his eyes at her, he said, "I was wondering who it was. So it's you. What, you want to stand up for Liu Changfei? You're only at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining. Don't think getting first place on Questioning Heart Road gives you the right to stick your nose into other people's business!"

"I can beat you half to death first, then take the recording stone. Without evidence, what will you use to file a complaint? Who would believe you?"

Feng Yulong took out his weapon. Before entering the Sword Sect, he had trained with a whip. Even now, the weapon he handled best was a dark blue whip.

Liu Changfei tugged at Song Zhizhi's clothes, her face pale. "Zhizhi, don't mind me. Feng Yulong is a madman. His whip is poisoned, and he has Foundation Establishment cultivation. You can't beat him. I'll hold them off for you—run! Go outside and find the disciplinary patrol."

"You want to run?" Feng Yulong flicked his whip and ordered the two lackeys beside him, "You two go break Liu Changfei's hands. I'll deal with this one."

"A mere Ninth Layer of Qi Refining dares to show off? Today, I'll teach you that there are some limelights you shouldn't steal!"

Song Zhizhi remained calm. Facing the pressure of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, she coolly drew the sword in her hand from its sheath.

She was not rashly stepping forward on a burst of hot blood. Though she was only at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, every bit of her cultivation had been built solidly through training. Feng Yulong's Foundation Establishment cultivation, on the other hand, had been piled up with pills. His foundation was unstable, and his movement technique was riddled with flaws. On top of that, their spirit roots countered each other—her Fire Spirit Root was slightly better in quality than Feng Yulong's Water Spirit Root. Song Zhizhi was confident she would not lose to him.

She never did anything without certainty.

Just as the tension became drawn bows and loaded crossbows, a voice rang out from the dense forest beside them. "Armed fighting is strictly forbidden within the sect! Feng Yulong led the violation of sect rules and bullied the weak with his strength. Take him down!"

Author's note:

A no-prize guessing game: who was the one who came?

A. Sword Venerable Mingxiao

B. Song Miaomiao

C. The disciplinary patrol

D. A righteous passerby

E. An obtuse angle

PS: I changed the cover, so don't mistake it for another one~

Extraordinary Talent

A streak of Sword Qi carrying frost swept in. The familiar chill nearly made Song Zhizhi think Xie Xiuji had appeared, but when she turned her head, she discovered that it was Song Miaomiao—the Sword Sect's other Ice Spirit Root cultivator.

After not seeing each other for some time, Song Zhizhi was not the only one whose cultivation had improved. Song Miaomiao had also cultivated a Foundation Establishment technique and successfully advanced to Foundation Establishment. But why was Song Miaomiao wearing the disciplinary patrol's uniform?

Ever since the plot had gone off course at the disciple acceptance ceremony, Song Zhizhi had found the story harder and harder to understand.

Though both were in the Foundation Establishment Realm, Feng Yulong was clearly no match for Song Miaomiao. Coupled with the Ice Spirit Root's restraint over the Water Spirit Root, Feng Yulong lasted only three moves against Song Miaomiao before she ruthlessly bound him and forcibly fitted him with a spirit-sealing restraint ring.

Song Miaomiao's movements were exceptionally practiced, as though she had rehearsed them dozens or even hundreds of times. Song Zhizhi could only stare in amazement. So cool! As expected of the female lead I like!

Song Miaomiao handed Feng Yulong over to the disciplinary patrol members beside her, then walked over and asked Song Zhizhi, "You weren't hurt, were you?"

"I'm fine." Song Zhizhi shook her head and said awkwardly, "Thank you."

Original owner, original owner—Song Miaomiao was such a wonderful person, so how had you ever brought yourself to harm her? If Song Zhizhi had not remembered the mistakes the original owner had once made, she would have wanted to shamelessly befriend the female lead—and cling to her thigh. But because of that matter, Song Zhizhi felt too embarrassed to take the initiative to approach Song Miaomiao.

Rankings

Transmigrated into a Book

Sweet Romance

Time Travel and Rebirth Romance

Tu Yanyan

Amnesia Trope