Jiang Jinyue had yet to realize she had become the biggest sucker under heaven. At that moment, she was still dazed.
Thanks to Mu Xunzhen's experiences as a girl and the style of conduct a certain older brother had taught her, coupled with her obsession after so many years of searching for someone, her methods were rather unorthodox. Naturally, the upbringing Jiang Jinyue had received from childhood was hardly the honest, guileless sort.
Moreover, Mu Xunzhen normally carried considerable authority, putting her disciples under so much pressure that they hardly dared breathe in her presence. Once Jiang Jinyue left for distant Tianliang Continent, she was truly a fish free to leap through boundless seas. All her rebellious little quirks came spilling out, naturally giving her something of a demoness's air.
But Mu Xunzhen herself was neither a demoness nor, much less, a follower of the demonic path. In teaching her disciples, she still valued good qualities such as gratitude, loyalty, and keeping one's word. However much other cultivators disliked the Heavenly Evolution Sect, they would not go so far as to brand them demonic cultivators. At most, they would call their methods obsessive and ruthless.
In other words, Jiang Jinyue was a decent girl who valued loyalty and keeping her word at heart, not some little demoness at all. Otherwise, why bother making bets or offering him a way out? She would have forced him to do it long ago.
Now her head really felt as big as a bushel. She had actually lost the bet... should she welsh on it?
What does "do one thing" even mean... heaven knows whether this man might ask me to spend a night with him. Would that count as one thing?
Jiang Jinyue instinctively retreated half a step, her gaze taking on a measure of the scrutiny one gave Qi Yan, as if he were a pervert.
Little did she know that Qi Yan was also feeling a surge of belated fear. His preconceptions had clouded his judgment earlier, making him think of her as a pretty young girl and momentarily forget how terrifying she was. What was the point of fighting over winning or losing? What if she suddenly lashed out and killed him? What use would a wager be then?
Now that he had come to his senses, cold sweat broke out all over him. He immediately changed the subject. "Miss, did you go to the Luo Household to investigate in secret earlier?"
Jiang Jinyue steadied herself. "What about it?"
"Did you find anything?"
Jiang Jinyue looked somewhat disgruntled. "I checked everything. On the surface, nothing seemed remotely connected. Their things weren't as interesting as yours."
Qi Yan thought that, judging by her attitude, "checked everything" most likely included their ancestral graves. Yet the Luo Household knew nothing about it. The gap between them was practically a difference in dimensions.
If you're so damn powerful, you could wipe out the Luo Household. Why come to me?
"Then what did you want me to do, miss?"
"I'm looking for someone, not hunting treasure, much less doing archaeology. What good does just looking at a grave do?" Jiang Jinyue was thoroughly exasperated. "But I can't show my face everywhere, grabbing people and asking whether they've seen this or that. It would be stupid, inefficient, and like beating the grass to startle the snake. If there really are clues somewhere, and someone with an agenda learns about them and hides them instead, or uses them to lay a trap for me, who could I complain to?"
Qi Yan finally understood. "You want to ask through my connection with Luo Chaoge, making it look like I'm the one searching for someone, so it won't attract attention. And Luo Chaoge can simply ask her entire clan, which is much more efficient. You might even support me in building a force to help you search... which is also why you don't want to pressure me too much."
"Support you?" Jiang Jinyue pulled a long face. "Why should I support you?"
Quite the tsundere... Qi Yan considered his words. "If that's all it is, I can certainly help you ask, miss. I might be able to help with other things afterward, too."
Jiang Jinyue blinked. "Oh? Suddenly so agreeable?"
Qi Yan said honestly, "My life here hangs by a thread. Since I'd be helping you find someone, if the Luo Household wanted to kill me, you ought to step in and save me."
Jiang Jinyue stared for a long moment, then suddenly flew into a rage. "So that whole bet was for nothing?"
Qi Yan very much wanted to say, "Not for nothing. You really did get yourself an IOU," but seeing her thunderous fury, he hardly dared run his mouth. He could only keep silent.
Jiang Jinyue ground her teeth while putting on a radiant smile. "You have a good head on your shoulders, and you act decisively. Unfortunately, relying on those things alone to navigate the cultivation world amounts to flowers in a mirror and the moon on water. Do you really not need my guidance in cultivation? Whether it's modern methods or your ancestors' ancient arts."
Qi Yan hesitated. "Well, miss, I'm sure you come from a top sect. I wanted to ask whether major sects like yours accept disciples who've already begun cultivating elsewhere."
"That depends on the circumstances. You can't generalize." Jiang Jinyue looked him up and down. "Your problem should be your mixed spiritual roots and your poor talent. What major sect would take someone like that...? You'd actually need to demonstrate a certain foundation in cultivation before they might consider you. Why, do you have a sect in mind? Maybe I could even introduce you."
"Yes, I have my heart set on the Heavenly Evolution Sect. Are you familiar with them, miss, or are you enemies?"
Jiang Jinyue's eyes widened. Suddenly, she burst out laughing, then laughed louder and louder. "Haha, hahahaha... you have your heart set on the Heavenly Evolution Sect..."
Qi Yan looked at her irritably. "Any louder and Luo Chaoge will come knocking."
"All right, all right." Jiang Jinyue laughed until she was breathless. "The sect you have your heart set on is the Heavenly Evolution Sect, hahahaha... don't tell me it's because it has the same 'Yan' as your name, hahahaha..."
Qi Yan could not be bothered with her. "What exactly counts as demonstrating a certain foundation in cultivation?"
"At least the middle Qi Refining stage, preferably the late stage. That would prove you could achieve something through your own cultivation despite inadequate spiritual roots, showing there's something exceptional about you. Only then might those major sects try teaching you to reach Foundation Establishment and see whether you have any potential."
Jiang Jinyue wanted to laugh again as she spoke. Whether other sects actually did things this way was hard to say, but for the Heavenly Evolution Sect, this was the standard answer.
Qi Yan quietly clenched his fists.
The middle Qi Refining stage... that actually isn't too difficult. The fourth layer counts as the middle stage.
Having a concrete cultivation goal, something to strive toward, was a feeling he had never experienced in his previous eighteen years. No wonder people said to set a small goal first.
Jiang Jinyue patted his shoulder with a beaming smile. "Anyway, with these remnants of ancient witchcraft you have, the Heavenly Evolution Sect really could teach you something, given its long history. Work hard and swim across the sea. I have high hopes for you, little brother at the Qi Refining first layer."
Qi Yan said irritably, "The person you're looking for-besides that voice recording and that jade pendant design, are there any other identifying details? What we have is far too little. It's no different from fishing a needle out of the ocean."
Jiang Jinyue stopped smiling and said seriously, "That 'Yan' we just mentioned is also a clue."
Qi Yan said, "Huh?"
"Don't look like that... we aren't sure whether it's the 'Yan' in your name, the word for 'eye,' the one in 'solemn,' the one in 'evolve,' or something else. In short, that's the sound. We also aren't sure whether it's a name or some sort of code name connected to his experiences."
Qi Yan was utterly speechless. "How are you supposed to find someone with so little to go on? Even if I help you ask Luo Chaoge, I don't think anything will come of it."
"Yes..." Jiang Jinyue sighed softly. "Otherwise, how could thousands of years have slipped away without a single result?"
Qi Yan said, "?"
Jiang Jinyue paused, then added, "Just do your best. There's no need to force it-your childhood sweetheart is here. Keep up the good work."
With that, she vanished in an instant. A sheet of paper fluttered down through the air. Qi Yan casually caught it. On it was precisely the jade pendant design Jiang Jinyue had shown him earlier.
Only after her lingering fragrance had dispersed did Qi Yan begin to hear Luo Chaoge's footsteps coming up the stairs.
The door opened, and Luo Chaoge strode inside, actually carrying a food box.
Only then did Qi Yan remember that he had not eaten anything since last night. His meager cultivation was still a long way from allowing him to live without food, and his stomach was growling loudly.
Luo Chaoge casually set the food box to one side and smiled. "How is learning your ancestors' arts going?"
"Not bad." Qi Yan opened the food box without ceremony. "Thanks... is this a prison visit?"
"Mm..." Luo Chaoge hesitated briefly before saying, "I see you don't have that many texts here. Try to memorize them as quickly as possible, and I'll send you away."
Qi Yan said flatly, "So there really are people who think killing me would be simpler?"
"I won't hide it from you. Yes. But right now, my word carries weight, so you don't need to be too nervous." Luo Chaoge sat down casually beside him, looking somewhat tired. "People these days have too much aggression and too little peace. In theory, that runs counter to the immortal path... perhaps the atmosphere on other continents is different? If you want to go to Heavenly Prefecture Continent, go. If I get the chance in the future, I'll travel elsewhere myself."
Qi Yan shoveled food into his mouth, then turned to glance at her. "Why do I get the feeling you're weighed down with worries, too? Are you unhappy in the Resounding Sword Sect? Or does your family still dare put on airs with you?"
Luo Chaoge smiled. "Everyone has their own troubles. You look calm, but aren't you constantly anxious inside, too...? You're still afraid I'll kill you, aren't you?"
Qi Yan smiled as well without answering. He casually handed her the sheet of paper beside him. "Have you seen this jade pendant? Or heard any rumors connected to the sound 'Yan'?"
Luo Chaoge glanced at it and shook her head. "No."
"This might be connected to some matters involving my ancestors. If it wouldn't take too much of your time, could you help ask the others in the Luo Household? We've been neighbors for so long. Maybe they've heard things I don't know about."
"All right." Luo Chaoge agreed without hesitation.
"That agreeable?"
"My family took over the Qi Clan's property. We do owe you something, after all. This is only a small matter. Why should I refuse? We have known each other since childhood."
Qi Yan smiled. "I'm honored."
Luo Chaoge had only come to check on Qi Yan and bring him food along the way. In truth, she had little to talk about with him. After a little small talk, she left with the sheet of paper.
Jiang Jinyue appeared in the room again, clicking her tongue. "That childhood sweetheart of yours really does seem to have some childhood affection left. She even brought you food. Tsk... but the others in her family don't necessarily think the same way. She says her word carries weight, but I think she's being optimistic. If someone really kills you behind her back, could she turn against her family over it?"
Qi Yan nodded. "That's why I've been trying every possible way to rope you into saving my life... I'd be finished if I pinned all my hopes on her."
"What if I break my word?"
"That isn't something I can choose. I can only do what I can."
Jiang Jinyue smiled. "Since you really did get her to help ask about the clues... I can tell you something."
"Yes?"
"Someone is shadowing Luo Chaoge. From the looks of it, they seem to be planning to assassinate her."
Qi Yan blinked. "Surely not. The Luo Household would have to have holes in their heads to kill the only hope for their family's rise."
"Who told you it was the Luo Household? Luo Chaoge is a disciple of the Resounding Sword Sect. Do you think they don't have hostile forces? There would be nothing strange even about demonic cultivators coveting her because she's too beautiful."
Qi Yan paused. He had indeed overlooked that.
Having a major sect behind you brought many benefits, but you also had to bear the corresponding risks, because every sect had enemies. He did not know what the Resounding Sword Sect was thinking. For her Golden Core training journey, Luo Chaoge had actually returned home rather than concealing her whereabouts and traveling elsewhere, giving others a clear target to strike.
This... if I can take advantage of that moment, when the Luo Household falls into chaos, I really will have a good chance of escaping. I won't need to pin my hopes on this little demoness saving my life, or owe anyone a favor.
But... should I warn Luo Chaoge? Qi Yan looked at the food box in his hands and remained silent for a long time.