Meng Qi stared at Mu Shixue's smile, somewhat stunned. Why had his senior sister become like this?
Ji Yu yawned and waved a hand languidly. "That's all for today. Ask your senior brother if you have any questions."
Wait, what? Tang Yao stared in astonishment at Ji Yu's retreating back.
Ji Yu's voice drifted over from afar. "Do your best, everyone! Don't be afraid of troubling your senior brother. I look forward to seeing your performance in the new disciple competition seven days from now!"
In an instant, a crowd of disciples surrounded Tang Yao so tightly that not a drop of water could pass through, their voices buzzing in her ears.
"Senior Brother Tang, how did you borrow force in that third step just now?"
"Senior Brother, is my stance correct?"
"Senior Brother..."
She rubbed her temples and raised a hand to signal for silence. "Gather at the Martial Practice Hall tomorrow between seven and nine in the morning."
Only then did the disciples reluctantly disperse.
Tang Yao let out a long breath and was about to leave when she caught a glimpse of a lone figure deep in the bamboo grove.
Mu Shixue stood alone beneath the thickest stalk of green bamboo, her fingertips digging deep into her palms.
Little Red, Tang Yao asked in puzzlement within her mind, what do you think she's thinking?
The Azure Cloud Sect was the one that made me chief disciple. If she has to hate someone, shouldn't she hate the Azure Cloud Sect?
Why was she so hostile toward her?
Tang Yao felt that if Mu Shixue was the one who had targeted this body's original owner, she was being far too obvious.
The Vermilion Bird sprawled lazily in her sea of consciousness. "I can't be bothered to guess what humans think. But..." He suddenly took a deep breath. "There's a very unpleasant smell on her. It's like... the scent of medicinal pills?"
"Anyway, be careful. Don't let her suffer Qi Deviation and take you down with her."
Tang Yao waved a hand and asked incredulously, "Surely it wouldn't go that far?"
"Brother?" Tang Xin's voice sounded from two meters behind her.
Tang Yao turned and nodded. "Hmm?"
"Father's birthday is half a month away. Shall we go back together then?" Tang Xin took a deep breath and spoke somewhat haltingly. "I'm a little short on money."
Tang Yao smiled and lightly patted Tang Xin's shoulder. "A small matter." She gave her a thumbs-up. "Your big brother will definitely be rich someday!"
"But for now... if we scrape together what we have, we should still have enough Spirit Stones for the two of us to use the teleportation formation."
There was nothing Tang Yao could do either; her sleeves were empty of coin now, too.
Just then, an illusory middle-aged figure suddenly appeared before her. It was not a physical body. The figure said kindly, "Yao'er, come to the study if you have time." Once those words ended, the figure dispersed with the wind.
-it was Sect Master Ren.
After bidding Tang Xin farewell, Tang Yao arrived at the sect's main peak. Behind the great hall lay the sect master's residence.
As the sun sank in the west, Tang Yao stood outside the study. Just as her fingertips were about to touch the door, a low voice came from within. "Come in."
"Yao'er, it's been a few days. Your martial uncles have had nothing but praise for you!" Sect Master Ren stopped reviewing his documents and looked up with a smile, full of appreciation for the younger generation.
"I merely did my best." Tang Yao bowed slightly, cupping her hands in salute.
Ren Linfeng laughed heartily and stroked his half-white beard. "I imagine it won't be long before I teach you the sword instruction's final form!"
At the thought of Tang Yao learning the complete Azure Cloud Sword Instruction before the grand competition, stunning everyone with her peerless brilliance and overpowering the other three sects, Ren Linfeng grinned from ear to ear. The more he looked at Tang Yao, the more satisfied he became.
Moreover, he had discovered that, contrary to the rumors, this child Tang Yao had a resolute disposition and did not seem ignorant and unskilled.
Perhaps this might also have been the Tang Household's strategy?
Otherwise, with an innate sword bone on top of diligence and a love of learning, how many people would be green with envy?
The more Ren Linfeng thought about it, the more convinced he became that this was the case. He waved a hand. "Yao'er, don't just stand there. Sit."
Tang Yao nodded and sat down on a sandalwood chair below him. She suddenly noticed several portraits in the corner of the study, diagonally across from her chair.
There were four paintings in total, and one depicted Ji Yu. But the man in the painting wore black armor and held a longsword. Unlike his present gentleness, his features were entirely solemn, carrying a trace of murderous severity.
The other three people in the paintings likewise wore battle armor and had solemn expressions.
Sect Master Ren followed her gaze and sighed. "Your youngest martial uncle was only twenty when he reached Core Formation. Now, more than a hundred winters and summers have passed."
"Of those fellow disciples from back then, he's the only one still here."
Outside the open window, the laughter and chatter of disciples finishing their training drifted through the dusk. Sect Master Ren sighed. "We were like that back then, too."
"Did something happen?" Tang Yao stared at the paintings in confusion.
Sect Master Ren closed his eyes and sank into his memories, saying heavily, "About sixty or seventy years ago, during a devil extermination operation, the first squad, which my senior brother belonged to, and the third squad, which my junior brother belonged to, were wiped out."
"It wasn't just the Azure Cloud Sect. Because of an error in judgment that time, every sect suffered heavy losses."
Just then, startled cries rose outside the window. A shooting star streaked across the evening sky and burst into brilliant fireworks not far from the Azure Cloud Sect, a dazzling orange-yellow.
"It's the Beast Taming Sect's distress signal!" Sect Master Ren's expression changed sharply, and he immediately stood. "Why would it be near the Azure Cloud Sect?"
What? The Beast Taming Sect?
Tang Yao immediately pushed open the door. In the distance, dazzling bright-yellow sparks from the fireworks fell from high in the sky like stars.
Ren Linfeng followed her outside. "The Beast Taming Sect has been troubled by Devil Qi for quite some time recently. To be safe, seal the sect. All disciples are to remain inside for now." His voice, infused with powerful internal force, spread to every corner of the sect.
"I'll go alone. You go back, too," Sect Master Ren said, looking back at Tang Yao.