Venus Beside the Moon

Hu Yueqiu really envied Jiang Xiaoyu.

She is loved by her master and doted on by her uncle.

Even the usually cold-hearted sect leader was willing to condescend and leave the Ancestral Hall, just to satisfy Jiang Xiaoyu's little wish to "accidentally meet the sect leader and ask about her master."

The sun is setting.

Hu Yueqiu left the General Affairs Hall and arrived at the top of Supreme Mystery Mountain, gazing at the rosy clouds on the western horizon in a daze.

At this time of year, Hu Yueqiu would always bring Jiang Xiaoyu to the mountaintop to watch the clouds and the glow of the sunset.

Recently, Senior Liu returned to the mountain, so Jiang Xiaoyu no longer comes to the mountaintop to watch the clouds and no longer needs her playmate.

Hu Yueqiu felt like a superfluous person on Supreme Mystery Mountain.

The mountain is full of cultivators from immortal sects.

Lianjiang Jiang Xiaoyu was also a disciple of Senior Liu, but he was too young to Qi Ingestion the Dao.

I am but a mortal whose Manifestation is constantly diminishing and who has no way to enter the path of enlightenment.

Hu Yueqiu sat cross-legged on a huge rock on the mountaintop. Looking out at the vast sky and the boundless earth, she did not feel relaxed. Instead, she felt a sense of oppression from heaven and earth and a suffocating feeling of having nowhere to stay.

"Was coming to Supreme Mystery Mountain really a mistake?!"

"Why not return to the mortal world and become a swordsman, or simply go back to your hometown to weave nets, fish, get married, and have children?"

Hu Yueqiu reached out and touched the High Antiquity and the [Moon Palace Sword Canon] on her lap, but then forcibly focused her mind and suppressed her many chaotic thoughts. "No!"

I've fought with all my might to get here, and I will never stop, nor will I ever turn back!

Hu Yueqiu's hometown is a place called Mirror Moon Lake.

Originally, Mirror Moon Lake had abundant water, was shaped like a full moon, was calm and still, and was rich in resources, making it a blessed land that supported countless people along its shores.

However, something happened later that caused Mirror Moon Lake to gradually dry up, its water volume greatly reduced, leaving only a crescent-shaped body of water.

The rest of the land became swamps unsuitable for cultivation.

The lives of the people along the shores of Mirror Moon Lake, especially the fishermen who make a living by fishing, have become much more difficult. They can barely make ends meet, and this has even led to the gradual development of a custom of drowning female infants.

After Hu Yueqiu was born, her family abandoned her in Mirror Moon Lake.

It was autumn then, and Hu Yueqiu was destined to die.

It's just that some kind-hearted person discovered her, fished Hu Yueqiu out of the lake, and brought her back to the Hu Household's doorstep, also giving her a precious spirit fish as a bonus.

Hu Yueqiu's parents were both surprised and delighted, and sold the spirit fish to supplement their household income.

As for Hu Yueqiu, she didn't throw it away either.

Hu Yueqiu naturally did not remember this experience.

However, her parents often mentioned and complained that the kind person who saved Hu Yueqiu only gave her a spirit fish and never gave her another one.

I should have kept the spirit fish and thrown that good-for-nothing Hu Yueqiu back into Mirror Moon Lake.

Perhaps that person will continue to send spirit fish.

Even if we don't send it, we can save Hu Yueqiu's share of food.

When Hu Yueqiu was young, she was naive and truly believed that she had made a terrible mistake that caused her family to be poor. Therefore, she was exceptionally well-behaved and sensible. At a young age, she endured hunger and thirst, mended nets and killed fish, and never complained when she was beaten or scolded.

Later, the parents had another child.

Hu Yueqiu was surprised to discover that children are not born guilty, and can even receive unconditional love from their parents.

Hu Yueqiu originally had no name, only a humble one.

When Hu Yueqiu first gained consciousness, she realized her parents' aversion to her and the malice contained in her name, and she resolved to change everything.

The village head's youngest son was literate and worked as an apprentice in a shop in town. He was the most respectable person Hu Yueqiu knew.

Hu Yueqiu wants to study!

However, the Hu Household was so poor that they struggled to even put food on the table; how could they possibly be willing to send Hu Yueqiu to school?

Despite Hu Yueqiu's repeated pleas, her parents refused to agree.

The fact that a fisherman's daughter is going to school will definitely become the talk of the village, and the Hu Household will lose all face.

Hu Yueqiu was forced to drink several bowls of talisman ash water and then locked in the woodshed for several days without food.

Hu Yueqiu's parents released her only after seeing that her "madness" had almost subsided and that they needed someone to do the work at home.

After behaving herself for several months, Hu Yueqiu finally mustered the courage to walk a long way to the private school in the neighboring village while her parents were away.

The private school was run by an elderly scholar with gray hair, and had only seven or eight students, who were swaying their heads as they read.

Hu Yueqiu hid outside the window, not caring about being envious, and pricked up her ears to eavesdrop.

"Who are you?!" The private tutor finally noticed Hu Yueqiu, looked her up and down, and waved Hu Yueqiu away, saying, "Where did this little beggar come from? Go away!"

In the private school, a child who recognized Hu Yueqiu exclaimed, "Sir, sir, she's not a beggar, she's from the Hu Household, a fisherman, and her name is 'Humble Girl'!"

The private tutor frowned even more deeply upon hearing this.

Fishing is a lowly profession, the Hu Household is a humble surname, and Hu Yueqiu's name is even more offensive.

Overwhelmed with shame, Hu Yueqiu whispered, "I... want to study and learn to read..."

"What?!" The private tutor thought he had misheard, but considering that he had too few students and the school was on the verge of closing down, he patiently said, "The tuition is twenty copper coins per month."

Hu Yueqiu was taken aback after hearing this, and was somewhat at a loss for words. "I... I have no money."

"What are you doing here if you have no money?!" The private tutor laughed angrily and chased them away, saying, "Get out! Get out now!"

Hu Yueqiu returned home dejectedly, only to be scolded and reprimanded by her parents again.

The news that Hu Yueqiu had gone to the private school in the next village spread throughout the village the next day, and some people even came to inquire about it.

Hu Yueqiu's parents felt utterly humiliated, as if the sky were falling.

The father flew into a rage.

The mother wept uncontrollably.

Hu Yueqiu went through another miserable period, being kicked out of her home every few days and sleeping on the streets. Yet she still insisted on going to the private school every few days, refusing to leave no matter how much the teacher chased and scolded her or how the students teased and mocked her.

A year passed in this way.

The private tutor was getting old and couldn't scold anymore, so he simply pretended that Hu Yueqiu didn't exist.

The students still enjoyed teasing and mocking them.

But sometimes, when Hu Yueqiu intentionally tries to please him, he will mercifully teach her one or two new characters.

As for the villagers, they had long since lost interest in the Hu Household.

Hu Yueqiu's parents were finally relieved to no longer have to face the neighbors' inquiries and teasing.

He just found Hu Yueqiu increasingly displeasing.

In fact, Hu Yueqiu didn't know what she was persisting in, nor did she know if persisting in this way would be of any use.

However, every time Hu Yueqiu learned a word, she felt as if a suffocating person had breathed in a breath of fresh air, and an inexplicable joy welled up in her heart.

Another autumn has arrived.

Hu Yueqiu was kicked out of her home again and spent the night in the reeds by Mirror Moon Lake.

That night, the lake was as smooth as a mirror, and the moon was bright while the stars were few.

Hu Yueqiu stood in the autumn wind, gazing blankly at the moon all night long.

We not only look at the moon in the sky, but also at the moon reflected in the water.

The next day, Hu Yueqiu went to the private school excitedly and said to the teacher, "Teacher, from today onwards, my name will be Hu Yueqiu, not Hu Jiannü."

The private tutor ignored Hu Yueqiu and slammed his hand on the table, shouting, "Silence! No noise!"

Two more years passed.

When the village head's youngest son returned home and heard about Hu Yueqiu's situation, he came to inquire about it and then told Hu Yueqiu some terrible news.

In the town's shops, both the managers and the accountants were men.

No matter how much she studied, Hu Yueqiu could never become an apprentice, let alone participate in the imperial examinations.

He himself, unable to learn arithmetic, has been laid off from the shop and is now preparing to become a peddler.

Hu Yueqiu's world has truly collapsed.

On her last visit to the private school, Hu Yueqiu specifically sought out the teacher to say goodbye.

The private tutor was old and frail. Upon hearing Hu Yueqiu's purpose, he merely sighed, neither driving her away nor ignoring her. Instead, he took out several books and gave them to Hu Yueqiu, saying, "In this world, studying is of little use. Keep them as a memento."

Hu Yueqiu accepted the book, thanked him respectfully, and left, wiping away her tears and turning back every few steps.

My path to education is now completely blocked.

Hu Yueqiu behaved herself for a while, just like the daughters of other fishing families in the neighborhood, silently mending nets, killing fish, cooking, and waiting to get married and have children.

Later, someone in the village caught a spirit fish.

The town's fishing gangs and the lake's fishing bandits fought fiercely over the magical fish.

The village head's youngest son secretly revealed that the spirit fish could help mortals advance and become noble martial arts masters.

Only martial arts masters are truly superior to others!

Hu Yueqiu had never seen a martial arts master before and couldn't imagine it.

Later, a middle-aged man stepped ashore in a small boat and smashed a large tree in front of the village head's house in half with a single punch, scaring away the vicious fishing gang in the town.

This is what a martial arts master is like!

Hu Yueqiu's eyes regained their light!

The Hu Household's daughter has gone mad again.

This time, it's not about studying, it's about learning martial arts!

Just like last time, they poured talisman ash water over the wound, locked the person in the woodshed, and kicked them out of the house.

Hu Yueqiu, however, was different. This time, she went even further, heading directly to the town.

The town has gangs and martial arts schools, each with martial arts masters in charge.

Hu Yueqiu's eyes were opened wide.

However, the method used on the private tutor last time failed.

Whether it's a gang or a martial arts school, there's no shortage of martial arts power, and you have to pay a lot of money to learn various martial arts techniques.

If Hu Yueqiu dares to secretly learn, it won't just be a matter of being driven away, but of being beaten to death.

Hu Yueqiu wandered around the town for several months, but ultimately gained nothing and limped home.

Hu Yueqiu's parents are already making plans for her wedding.

It was extremely rare for a girl to be literate; she could be sent to a wealthy family in town as a concubine, earning them a considerable sum of money.

Hu Yueqiu had long understood that it would be useless for her to object; instead, she would be scolded and punished. So she simply ignored her parents' plans and wandered around the lake every day.

Firstly, I wanted to catch a spirit fish.

Secondly, he wanted to encounter fishing bandits.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to achieve my goal.

The village head's youngest son became a peddler, going from street to street. Although it was hard work, it was better than being a fisherman, especially since he was well-informed. Sometimes when he met Hu Yueqiu, he would stop and chat about the gossip in the neighborhood.

It turns out that the fishing bandits on the lake mainly operated on the opposite bank of Mirror Moon Lake.

This place is too poor, there's not much profit to be made, so even fishing bandits don't want to come here.

Hu Yueqiu was very disappointed.

Hu Yueqiu's parents' efforts to find her a husband were not going smoothly.

Being literate and literate is certainly a plus when it comes to becoming a concubine in a wealthy family in town.

However, Hu Yueqiu was short and mentally ill, which made many families in the town suspicious.

Hu Yueqiu's parents were starting to get anxious. For the first time ever, they made sure Hu Yueqiu had enough to eat at every meal and arranged for her to work in the morning and evening to avoid the midday sun.

Hu Yueqiu enjoyed a period of happiness, but then thought that perhaps it was time to give up those wishful thinkings and settle down to get married and have children.

Although I heard from the village head's youngest son that being a concubine in a wealthy family was terrifying, with beatings, scoldings, and being treated like a slave.

But Hu Yueqiu was not afraid.

After all, they were already used to living in the Hu Household.

One day, the village head's youngest son approached Hu Yueqiu mysteriously and said, "The fishing bandits on Mirror Moon Lake have been wiped out!"

The town's fishing gang, together with several martial arts masters and the second-in-command of the bandits, finally wiped out the bandits with their combined efforts.

It is said that the previous scramble for the spirit fish was just a pretext; the real reason was the divine weapon in the hands of the leader and the legendary Heavenly Rank Cultivation Method!

Hu Yueqiu's heart pounded wildly upon hearing this.

My instinct told me this was a good opportunity to take advantage of the situation.

But as an ordinary fisherwoman, it seemed there was nothing she could do.

Hu Yueqiu could only endure her parents' scolding and reprimands and increase the frequency of her visits to the lake.

They go not only during the day, but also at night.

Hu Yueqiu didn't know what the point of her actions was.

One evening, as usual, the autumn wind was bleak, and the moon was reflected in Mirror Lake.

A small boat drifted ashore on the lake.

A man stood on the small boat; he was the middle-aged martial artist who had broken a tree with a single punch.

However, the middle-aged martial artist was no longer as spirited as before. Instead, he was seriously injured and in a sorry state. When he saw Hu Yueqiu on the shore, he was startled and thought she was an enemy spy. He was caught in a dilemma.

"Senior!" Hu Yueqiu stood up and said, "I grew up by the lake and know where the best place to hide is."

The middle-aged martial arts master was taken aback after hearing this. He carefully examined Hu Yueqiu by the moonlight and asked, "What do you want?"

Hu Yueqiu replied without hesitation, "I want to learn martial arts!"

The middle-aged martial arts master, having exhausted all other options, could only try anything, and nodded in agreement. "Alright! As long as you help me evade the pursuers, I'll teach you martial arts!"

Hu Yueqiu was often kicked out of her home by her parents since she was a child, and often spent the night in the reeds by the lake. So she asked a middle-aged martial arts master to sink her small boat in the lake and hide in her secret base.

The subsequent chase was thrilling, needless to say.

Hu Yueqiu finally got her wish and had the opportunity to practice Martial Dao.

However, the middle-aged martial arts master, who was also the leader of the bandits, clearly held back and did not teach Hu Yueqiu the legendary Heaven-rank Cultivation Method, but only a very common fist technique.

Hu Yueqiu didn't mind and studied very diligently.

The bandit leader was amazed by Hu Yueqiu's Martial Dao talent, but still shook his head and sighed, "What a pity..."

At the time, Hu Yueqiu thought the chief was just lamenting that he came from a fishing family and had missed the best age to learn Martial Dao.

The fishing bandits have been wiped out.

Unfortunately, the leader has disappeared, and the Heavenly Rank Cultivation Method and divine weapon are nowhere to be found.

The martial arts instructors then began to fight amongst themselves.

The bandit leader's injuries had almost healed, and he no longer needed Hu Yueqiu to bring him food or gather information. He decided to kill Hu Yueqiu to silence her, then flee to another country to seek revenge.

Hu Yueqiu acted first; Tuoli's youngest son bought a packet of anesthetic and put it in the food, then set it on fire late one autumn night.

Hu Yueqiu has a talent for Martial Dao arts.

However, he was short and thin, clearly unsuitable for practicing martial arts.

Hu Yueqiu went to the place where the bandit leader's boat sank and found an ancient sword and a Swordsmanship with a chilling autumn feel. She practiced it as if divinely aided.

Two years later, her parents finally gave up their wishful thinking of sending Hu Yueqiu to a wealthy family in town as a concubine in exchange for a large sum of money, and gladly accepted the village head's marriage proposal.

The village head's family, having accumulated wealth over generations, was quite well-off and willing to offer a large dowry.

Although the youngest son cannot inherit the family business, he can still earn money by traveling from street to street as a peddler.

Hu Yueqiu didn't pay much attention to it after hearing about it.

Although the village head's youngest son is one of the few people in the world who truly treats him like a human being and has helped him.

If we really do go through with the wedding, then I'd be lucky to be married off.

But that was in the past.

Hu Yueqiu now wields a sword, and things are different now.

The infighting among the town's martial arts instructors has finally come to a conclusion.

The search for the missing divine weapon and heavenly-ranked Cultivation Method has once again become the top priority.

The fire that burned the bandit leader to death by Mirror Moon Lake finally aroused the suspicion of those with ulterior motives.

The town's fishing gangs began searching house to house.

The village head, in particular, not only had his family property looted, but his legs were also broken, and he was interrogated about the cause of the fire on the riverbank and clues about divine weapons and heavenly-level Cultivation Method.

Hu Yueqiu did not want to implicate others, so she had no choice but to step forward.

The leader of the fishing gang was overjoyed and promised Hu Yueqiu that as long as she offered up the divine weapon and the Heavenly Rank Cultivation Method, she could become his concubine and enjoy wealth and honor from then on.

Hu Yueqiu's parents were overjoyed and had already agreed on Hu Yueqiu behalf.

The village head's youngest son had a complicated expression, unsure whether to feel resentment or gratitude.

Hu Yueqiu remained calm, raised her hand and drew her sword, sweeping away the fallen leaves like autumn wind, killing the leader of the Fishing Gang and many of his adopted sons and hall masters.

Mirror Moon Lake, heads rolled and blood flowed like a river.

Hu Yueqiu did not linger and went straight to the fishing gang's headquarters in the town, where he wiped out the fishing gang that had been entrenched for a hundred years.

The other martial arts masters in the town were naturally filled with fear and trepidation.

Hu Yueqiu stayed for another month, eliminating several more forces before finally departing.

Hu Yueqiu first went to the county town and witnessed the prosperity of Martial Dao, and then went to the capital and came into contact with cultivation.

Then he traveled the world with his sword, wasting his years as Rogue Cultivator cultivator. Unwilling to give up, he went to Rosy Clouds Resting Mountain to seek fortuitous opportunity, until he finally arrived at Supreme Mystery Mountain.

Hu Yueqiu's journey was full of hardships, and she was tormented to the point of despair countless times, even having the thought that there was no point in struggling so hard and that she should just give up and move forward.

However, Hu Yueqiu always managed to pull through.

"This time, it will definitely work too!"

The sect leader made it clear that the way of the Sword Dao is different from other schools of thought; it does not focus on Manifestation or Fate.

Only if one can master the basics of Sword Dao can one possibly join Supreme Mystery Mountain and cultivate the Immortal Dao.

After sorting out her thoughts, Hu Yueqiu, with a slight moisture in her eyes, slowly stood up, picked up the ancient sword, and began practicing her Swordsmanship on the boulder.

First, there was that ordinary, celestial-level Swordsmanship.

Then turn to [Moon Palace Sword Canon].

The autumn wind sweeps across the land, carrying with it a sense of desolation and bleakness.

As Hu Yueqiu practiced her sword on the mountaintop, her thoughts drifted. She thought of her parents, her private tutor, the bandit leader, the village head's youngest son, the sworn brothers she had made while wielding her sword, and the lame steward on Gathering Worthies Mountain Qixia.

Some of these people are benefactors, and some are enemies.

But for many more, it's impossible to remember whether it was a favor or a grudge; they can only be described as old friends.

Hu Yueqiu wielded her sword faster and faster, and the myriad thoughts in her mind gradually dissipated, making the faces of those old friends increasingly blurry.

Finally, all that remained was that autumn night when I was a child, the night I named myself.

When the world was still and quiet, there was only me, the lake, the moon, and autumn.

And just like now.

As the sun sets in the west, the afterglow fades.

Night covered the earth like a dark, still lake.

A full moon is rising in the western sky.

The autumn wind seemed to blow from the moon, making it exceptionally cold and desolate.

Beside the full moon, there was still a glimmer of light.

Hu Yueqiu recognized the star; it was the manifestation of the Metal Virtue, Venus in the west.

The golden and white starlight shimmered, seemingly vying with the moon for brilliance.

Besides the Hu Yueqiu Yueqiu's sword was also covered with a layer of golden starlight.