Chapter 16

After looking through the books related to ice spiritual roots, Su Jiu discovered that there were no corresponding cultivation methods here. Somewhat disappointed, she began reading other miscellaneous books.

Artifacts, pills, formations, talismans, and even travelogues-she skipped none of them. She had read a large portion in her previous life, so it took her only a month to finish all the books that interested her.

Meanwhile, she also learned a few minor Ice Element spells.

Chu Mojin, who watched Su Jiu from the shadows of the Library Pavilion, could not help marveling to himself. Not only did she remember everything she read, she also grasped its essence. A genius indeed. Her talent seemed no worse than that brat's.

That night.

The spiritual energy around Su Jiu grew increasingly dense. Before long, she broke through to the Second Qi Refining Layer.

Senior Sister Han was cultivating too and naturally sensed it. She opened her eyes and gave Su Jiu a complicated look.

Only a little over a month had passed since this batch of newcomers entered the sect. Some were still struggling with qi induction, yet her roommate had already reached the Second Qi Refining Layer.

She herself had entered the sect ten years ago and was still only at the third level of qi refining. When Su Jiu had said she possessed an ice spiritual root, she had been doubtful. Now, she wondered more why no one had taken such a genius away when she first joined.

There was no denying that her heart was unsettled, as though she had eaten a sour fruit-tart and bitter, but above all, envious. She thought that even if no one wanted someone like Su Jiu, the girl could still go far on her own.

Senior Sister Han closed her eyes, trying to banish her distracting thoughts and continue cultivating, but she could not settle into meditation.

Seeming to sense Senior Sister Han's gaze, Su Jiu drew all the surrounding spiritual energy into her body, then opened her eyes and looked at her.

It seemed to be the first time Senior Sister Han had examined Su Jiu closely. She discovered that Su Jiu's eyes were beautiful, not merely because of their peach-blossom shape, but because they seemed to hold a starry sky, clear and pure, without a trace of impurity.

"What is it?" Su Jiu asked with a smile.

Senior Sister Han paused, then smiled. "Nothing. I just suddenly realized how beautiful you are, Junior Sister Su."

Su Jiu fell silent for a moment before saying slowly, "It's only a sack of skin."

Senior Sister Han choked on her words. For some reason, several sour remarks suddenly came to mind, none fit to say aloud. A full man never knew a hungry man's hunger; she had gained an advantage and still played coy; some died of drought while others drowned in floods; those who spoke standing up never understood an aching back.

Then she shook her head, closed her eyes, and concentrated on cultivating.

The qi refining stage was actually divided into three phases: early, middle, and late. Progress before the Third Level of Qi Refining was easiest and was known as early qi refining. The transition from the Third Level of Qi Refining to the fourth level was the first breakthrough threshold. The fourth through seventh levels constituted the Mid Qi Refining Stage, and the transition from the seventh to the eighth was the second threshold. The eighth through tenth levels constituted the Late Qi Refining Stage, followed by the great perfection of qi refining. After that, one could attempt foundation establishment, which counted as the third threshold.

Once all three thresholds were crossed, foundation establishment would be successful, and one could enter the Inner Gate.

Each breakthrough threshold held back a group of people. This was one of the main reasons the number of Outer Gate disciples only grew and never diminished.

Su Jiu had thought Elder Sun would return in about a month. She had not expected his absence to drag on until the end of the second month.

"You've already entered the Library Pavilion this month. You can't go in again." Su Jiu looked coldly at the two people before her.

"Little girl, bend the rules for us." The young man shamelessly pestered Su Jiu.

Su Jiu felt a wave of disgust. In her previous life, the sect master and several elders had protected her too well, and no one had dared behave so brazenly before her. Now that she faced life in the Outer Gate firsthand, she realized how difficult it was for its disciples, and even more so for female cultivators with low cultivation.

"Get lost." Su Jiu never minced words with scoundrels like these.

Seeing that Su Jiu would yield to neither coaxing nor pressure, the seventeen- or eighteen-year-old youth grew angry. Narrowing his eyes, he sneered, "Little girl, do you know who I am?"

She had indeed seen these two before. Apart from registering them over the past two months, she had also seen them on her first day overseeing the Library Pavilion. There had originally been three of them, but after some unknown exchange, one had left.

"Who are you, then? Let me hear it." An aged, authoritative voice rang out behind them.

The two turned around, their faces instantly blanching. "S-Senior. W-we wouldn't dare."

Neither actually had any backing. They had merely seen how young Su Jiu was and deliberately tried to frighten her into obedience. They did not even want to enter the Library Pavilion; they simply coveted her beauty and wanted to act shamelessly in front of her.

"It seems life in the Outer Gate has been far too comfortable for you." The old man swept his sleeve, flinging both of them outside.

Although they were thrown out, neither suffered any real injury. Just as they were rejoicing over their luck, that voice drifted out again. "Since you have so much free time, go perform menial duties alongside the laborer disciples."

No one paid any attention to their howls outside. Soon, they were dragged away.

Su Jiu looked at the old man, her eyes curving with her smile, and bowed deeply. "Thank you for helping me out, Senior."

Only then did the old man look at Su Jiu, inwardly startled. The Second Qi Refining Layer already?

"I remember giving you the incantation to activate the formation before I left. Why didn't you simply blast people like that out?"

"I hadn't had time yet," Su Jiu replied.

"Hmph." Then he slapped a flying sword onto the table.

"Take it. Your reward for looking after the Library Pavilion for these two months. You've managed qi induction, after all. You can't go without a weapon. This flying sword will suffice throughout qi refining. Replace it when you find something better."

Su Jiu picked up the flying sword and examined it. It was a mid-grade magical artifact. Although it was only a little better than a low-grade one, it was still better than an ordinary weapon. Without living in the Outer Gate, she would never have known its hardships.

Over these two months, she felt she had come to understand seventy or eighty percent of the Outer Gate's circumstances. Only one or two cultivators in ten possessed a magical artifact. Most still used ordinary weapons.

Stroking the flying sword, Su Jiu's mood brightened further.

"Thank you for the gift, Senior!"

Seeing that Su Jiu genuinely liked the flying sword he had found for her, Elder Sun's expression softened as well.

As soon as Su Jiu returned to her quarters, she cut her fingertip and bound the flying sword to herself with a drop of blood. The incantations for controlling magical artifacts were etched into her very marrow across both her lives. Naturally, she soon grew accustomed to controlling one again.

When the companions who shared her courtyard returned, they saw a flying sword hovering in midair, with Su Jiu deftly forming hand seals beneath it.

"A magical artifact!" Yu Yin was the first to cry out.

Everyone in the courtyard already knew she had reached the Second Qi Refining Layer, but what high-level missions could someone at the Second Qi Refining Layer undertake? Even the cheapest magical artifact in the sect cost ten thousand sect contribution points, while Outer Gate missions generally awarded only ten. Missions worth twenty points were considered fairly difficult. Outer Gate disciples who managed to save enough for a magical artifact were at least at the eighth level of qi refining.

Thus, even the disciples who had arrived earlier had only seen them from afar, never up close.

Su Jiu had been enjoying herself and clearly had not noticed anyone approaching.

She could not help frowning. After living in the Outer Gate for so long, her vigilance really was slipping. Just now, she had actually focused all her attention on the flying sword.

Several people from the courtyard gathered around to look at it.

Xia Meng was the least calculating and spoke without restraint. "Su Jiu, where did you get your flying sword? It's so pretty."

Perhaps because Xia Meng had only just entered the cultivation world, she did not know that Pill, Artifact, Formation, and Talisman Crafting were all private matters. Unless two people were extremely close, such questions should not be asked casually.

Senior Sister Han and the other two women who had joined the Azure Tide Sect earlier naturally knew this, but none deliberately reminded Xia Meng. Presumably, they were curious about the flying sword's origins too. Even if someone took offense, Xia Meng would be the one responsible. They could learn where the magical artifact came from without creating any further distance between themselves and Su Jiu.

Su Jiu understood all these little calculations. The others' silence was one thing, but even Mu Zihan had said nothing, which gave her pause. Could Mu Zihan possibly not know this? Perhaps she was not as kind to Xia Meng as she appeared.

Still, Su Jiu had no intention of concealing anything about this flying sword. To her, it was merely a temporary weapon. Once she reached foundation establishment, it would naturally no longer be suitable.

"A senior at the Library Pavilion gave it to me."

Senior Sister Han paused, evidently understanding. "The senior who had you look after the Library Pavilion? He's back?"

Su Jiu nodded.

"You're so lucky," Yu Ying said with a smile. "My sister told me that getting a flying sword like this takes-ow!"

Yu Yin tapped Yu Ying's forehead. "Is your wound hurting again? I'll take her back first." Yu Yin nodded, then pulled Yu Ying away.

Still, Su Jiu could guess some of what Yu Ying had been about to say.

Xia Meng looked with concern toward the room Yu Ying had gone back to. "Why did it suddenly start hurting?"

Su Jiu could not help lowering her head with a smile. Perhaps those two were the only innocent ones in this courtyard.