Chapter 125: Night Walk Recruiting Disciples

An oil lamp glowed on the table. Zhao Xiang’er sat down in a chair, one hand resting across her lower abdomen, its back pressed by the elbow of her other arm. The young girl, with her head slightly bowed, unfolded the apology letter with one hand and softly read it aloud:

“Hello, Miss Zhao. After much thought, I have been unable to sleep, feeling deeply ashamed and remorseful towards you. Therefore, I have written this letter, hoping the greedy Princess will forgive me.”

“Hypocritical…” Zhao Xiang’er murmured as she read, her face expressionless. Her gaze shifted slightly, and she continued looking down the letter.

“For the past month, I have been under your care. You tirelessly used your fists and feet to forge my physique and temper my mind and body. Whenever I think of this, though I often complained, I was deeply moved in my heart.”

“Miss Zhao, as the esteemed ruler of a nation, you often patiently explained the principles of swordsmanship and pugilism to me, guiding me with skill and convincing me with reason. You even condescended to personally cook simple rice and noodle dishes, whose flavors were no less exquisite than imperial cuisine and left a lasting impression. I presume I will remember them for the rest of my life.”

Zhao Xiang’er took a deep breath, her nostrils flaring, her chest rising and falling. Her face flushed with anger, and her dark, almond-shaped eyes gleamed with fury. The hand resting by her waist clenched into a fist.

“What kind of apology is this? Passive-aggressive and malicious—he’s clearly a scoundrel!” Zhao Xiang’er gnashed her teeth, her face seething with rage. She forcefully suppressed the urge to rip the letter apart and continued reading.

“When Lady Bai descended with the power to annihilate cities, you and I were a perfect match. Though we never explicitly stated it, our thoughts always converged, and we implicitly understood each other’s secret codes used to deceive Lady Bai. It was then I felt that as long as we worked together, there was nothing we couldn’t overcome.”

Zhao Xiang’er saw the phrase “perfect match” and knew it was from the marriage contract. He must have used it intentionally to provoke her. “Hmph, though he does have a bit of cleverness and could roughly understand my actions back then, it’s nothing more than petty shrewdness. If I hadn’t defended the city with all my might, how would he have had any chance to form a congenital spirit? What’s the meaning of this letter now? To reminisce with me, to try and get close? Shameless.”

“Today, as the heavens tilted and the earth crumbled, it was my life’s honor to support the falling city-state alongside Your Highness. I imagine that in the long life ahead, I will often recall the sword that descended from the heavens, and Your Highness’s peerless grace, defending the city alone with an umbrella.”

Zhao Xiang’er’s expression finally softened a little. Her gaze continued downward, but her face quickly became murderous once more.

“Afterward, we faced many dangers together, and both of us fell unconscious. I don’t know what happened in that hazy dream, but it left no trace. If I was ever disrespectful or offended you, I beg Your Highness’s forgiveness. Earlier, when we quarreled and exchanged blows, I inflicted a slight punishment that caused Your Highness to lose face. That was my recklessness. When your anger subsides, I am willing to come to your door and beg for atonement. I hope Your Highness will recall our past acquaintance and grant me much leniency…”

“You dare mention that…” Zhao Xiang’er’s hand, which had been resting by her waist, loosened, then reached out and gripped her sword’s scabbard. Her fingers gently traced the gold inlay on it, and she gritted her teeth, saying, “Past acquaintance? Who has any past acquaintance with you?”

She looked at the letter as if seeing Ning Changjiu’s irritating face. She suppressed her anger and read the last paragraph.

“I am fortunate to be a citizen of Zhao and to have met Your Highness. I wonder when we will meet again. I imagine that in three years, Your Highness will live up to the name of this red umbrella, captivating both state and city. I wish Your Highness an early ascent to the peak of the Great Dao and a reunion with your mother.”

“May people endure long, and may Your Highness endure long.”

Zhao Xiang’er’s expression softened a little, but looking at the last sentence, she found it utterly displeasing. How could her name be placed alongside that scoundrel’s?

Angrily, she tore the letter in half along that very sentence.

“Just as I thought, he has ill intentions!” Zhao Xiang’er snorted coldly, crumpled the letter into a ball, and tossed it aside. Yet, a scene flashed in her mind: him with golden light in his eyes, his back against the red sun. A trace of worry emerged in her heart.

What if, three years from now, he truly gains an opportunity and his cultivation skyrockets?

How humiliating would it be if she lost to him?

Zhao Xiang’er composed herself, picked up the letter she had thrown on the floor, and decided that once she returned to the palace, she would find an artisan to frame it and hang it in her bedchamber, to constantly motivate herself.

Of course, Ning Changjiu was still far from being her match, so she planned to use her recovery period to beat him up a few more times, ideally until he was completely subdued.

Well, no time like the present.

Zhao Xiang’er didn’t find Ning Changjiu in his room. She noticed the lights were on in the study, where three figures vaguely moved, and sounds of conversation drifted out.

Zhao Xiang’er moved to the door, suppressed her presence, dipped her finger in her mouth, licked the tip, and then silently poked a hole in the paper-covered door to peer inside.

Inside, Lu Jiajia sat centrally, looking at Ning Changjiu with some confusion. “What is it, so late at night?” she asked.

Ning Xiaoling, standing to the side, debunked him, saying, “Earlier, Senior Brother said he sent a challenge letter to Sister Xiang’er. He was probably emboldened for a moment, but now he’s terrified after sending it, so he came here to Master for refuge.”

Ning Changjiu retorted, “How could Senior Brother be so cowardly? Letting her spar with me earlier was, first, to forge my body into a vessel, and second, to put on an act. If we genuinely sparred, I might not be inferior to her. Besides, Zhao Xiang’er is too heavily injured right now, and I wouldn’t want to take advantage of her.”

Ning Xiaoling chuckled for a while, then recalled, “I remember there was a period when Sister Xiang’er was really harsh. Senior Brother even dropped his chopsticks when he saw her walking over with a cold face. Senior Brother truly acted so realistically!”

As Ning Changjiu spoke, he also recalled the heavy punches that landed on him. Many times, Zhao Xiang’er’s strikes were as if fighting for life and death, showing no mercy whatsoever. When his cultivation succeeded in the future, he vowed to beat this reckless girl until she was completely subdued.

Ning Changjiu let out a dry chuckle. “If I didn’t act convincingly, how could I have fooled that old monster?”

Lu Jiajia, listening from the side, remarked, “You two are truly formidable, able to employ such tactics at such a young age. You’re far more impressive than I was when I was little. In the future, the Sword Discourse Celestial Sect probably won’t be able to keep you.”

Ning Changjiu replied, “With my junior sister here, I won’t travel far.”

Ning Xiaoling secretly smiled.

Hearing Lu Jiajia’s previous words, Ning Xiaoling remembered something else. Her smile faded, and she once again exposed him, saying, “Master, do you remember last time, when Senior Brother ignited the sword star, he forgot to return your hairpin? Sister Xiang’er found out about it and not only beat Senior Brother up, but she also confiscated the hairpin and still shows no intention of returning it.”

Lu Jiajia glanced at Ning Changjiu.

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Ning Changjiu immediately said, “That was merely to make the act more convincing. I nearly forgot about it. I’ll go and retrieve that hairpin for Master later. If I personally go to ask for it, she certainly wouldn’t dare to withhold it.”

Ning Xiaoling looked at him distrustfully. “Senior Brother, be careful,” she said.

Ning Changjiu looked at the new hairpin on Lu Jiajia’s jade crown, thinking she would politely decline, or say it wasn’t necessary to trouble him, that she would go herself. But Lu Jiajia looked at him with a faint, enigmatic smile and said, “Then go and get it back for me.”

Ning Changjiu coughed twice. “Alright, I’ll go get it tomorrow,” he said.

Lu Jiajia said, “Tomorrow, we’ll be returning to the peak, and Miss Zhao should also be heading back to court. So go tonight, don’t delay.”

Ning Xiaoling laughed from the side, gloating.

Ning Changjiu looked at Lu Jiajia pleadingly for a moment, but she remained unmoved.

“Yes, Master,” Ning Changjiu finally conceded, rising with a sigh and walking towards the door.

As Ning Changjiu approached the door, he vaguely sensed a familiar presence behind it. Then he noticed a small hole in the door and his heart tensed. Guessing what was happening, he tentatively opened the door.

Behind the door, the young girl stood gracefully, still in men’s attire with her long hair flowing. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and her delicate, pretty face was like a lotus covered in frost. Though she was half a head shorter than him, her cold gaze seemed to look down upon him.

Ning Changjiu’s expression faltered slightly, and he imagined he caught a faint, subtle fragrance. Then his heart jolted as he realized she must have overheard his recent conversation. Lu Jiajia, too, must have noticed her eavesdropping outside, which was why she had pushed him into this predicament.

Ning Changjiu turned his head and, sure enough, saw a faint smile on Lu Jiajia’s face.

He sighed inwardly, then turned back to Zhao Xiang’er and smiled slightly. “Miss Zhao, you’re here too, what a coincidence. A month ago, you took my Master’s silver hairpin. I wonder when you plan to return it?”

Zhao Xiang’er didn’t answer directly. She simply said, “Come out.”

Ning Changjiu was forced to follow her out.

Ning Changjiu closed the door and said softly, “Many words in that letter were just a joke, but my apology is sincere. If it weren’t for you today, let alone forming a congenital spirit, I might not have even survived.”

Zhao Xiang’er replied, “No need to feel guilty. If your Golden Crow hadn’t pierced through the long night, I wouldn’t have withstood Lady Bai’s sword either.”

Ning Changjiu asked, “Are you still angry, here to hold me accountable?”

Zhao Xiang’er shook her head. “I was a little angry at first, but after hearing what you said to them just now, I don’t think there’s any need for me to quarrel with a fool, right, Great Sword Immortal Ning?”

Ning Changjiu, thinking that a gentleman’s revenge is never too late even after three years, swallowed his resentment and said, “Your Highness is absolutely right.”

Zhao Xiang’er sneered, “Don’t think I don’t know your cunning schemes. You’re thinking that since your spiritual veins are restored and your congenital spirit is formed, you’ll endure humiliation now, cultivate diligently later, and in three years, you might just be able to contend with me, right?”

Ning Changjiu said, “I wouldn’t dare. I haven’t really taken that three-year pact to heart. I greatly admire Your Highness, and whenever I think of it, I feel as though it’s disrespectful to Your Highness.”

Zhao Xiang’er didn’t believe him in the slightest. “Even with your current aptitude, I don’t believe you can surpass me. Don’t disappoint me in three years; it would be too embarrassing to be beaten too badly.”

Ning Changjiu corrected, “It’s two years, eight months, and three days.”

Zhao Xiang’er frowned, then sneered, “Quite ‘not taken to heart,’ indeed.”

Ning Changjiu changed the subject. “The hairpin…”

Zhao Xiang’er said, “Come with me for a walk outside.”

Ning Changjiu didn’t know what she was thinking, but to complete Lu Jiajia’s task, he had no choice but to follow her out.

Zhao Xiang’er glanced at him. “Finally back in your male attire? That white dress you were wearing before, swaying in front of me, was nauseating.”

Ning Changjiu looked her over. “Miss Zhao, why are you still in men’s attire? Are you so fond of this outfit?”

Zhao Xiang’er cast a sidelong glance at him. “What do you mean?”

Ning Changjiu chuckled. “Nothing. It just means we’ll be like brothers when we go out.”

Zhao Xiang’er clenched her fist, then walked towards her room. “Stand still and don’t move. I’m going to change.”

A quarter of an hour later, Zhao Xiang’er emerged from her room. She had changed into a new, elegant long dress, covered by a dark cyan cross-collared jacket. Without the constraints of male attire, her figure appeared even more graceful.

She and Ning Changjiu left the courtyard and walked towards the main street.

Linhe City was in ruins, awaiting reconstruction.

Many officials were still counting the survivors of Linhe City and handling the aftermath. Several families had begun arranging funerals, though these were hastily conducted, as most had perished soul and body, leaving no remains or possessions behind.

“Sometimes I wonder if what we did this past month was truly right,” Zhao Xiang’er said suddenly. “I stopped Lady Bai because this is Zhao’s territory, and if she had succeeded, the seal on my name would never have been broken. And you, for the most part, acted out of self-preservation. If we hadn’t intervened, the people of Linhe City would probably still be living like ghosts, enjoying the beauty of eternal life in that divine realm.”

Ning Changjiu responded, “The foundation of every Fengdu Divine Realm is built upon the lives of an entire city’s people. If she had truly been allowed to grow powerful, it would certainly have led to countless wars in the future. Moreover, her mythological logic was flawed; even without us, it would have collapsed sooner or later.”

Zhao Xiang’er hummed in response. “But do they know? Will they thank us?”

Ning Changjiu said softly, “They are your subjects. You made the right choice for them, and that is enough.”

Zhao Xiang’er was silent for a moment, then said, “I didn’t expect you could still say something sensible.”

Ning Changjiu grudgingly fell silent.

The two walked along the dark, silent streets. Occasionally, a few houses lit up with long-awaited lamps. Paper money still drifted across the ground, and the cold wind carried mournful whimpers, making it unclear whether it was human sorrow or the howling of the wind.

“What exactly is your origin?” Zhao Xiang’er couldn’t help but ask.

Ning Changjiu replied, “I am Your Highness’s loyal subject.”

Zhao Xiang’er grabbed and squeezed his arm. “Don’t try to fob me off. Tell me the truth!”

Ning Changjiu gave a wry smile. “I’ve forgotten many things, and I’m slowly remembering them now. Perhaps they are memories from a past life.”

Zhao Xiang’er was clearly unsatisfied with this answer. “I knew you were extraordinary, but I never imagined you were this extraordinary. A newly formed congenital spirit could so easily tear open Lady Bai’s barrier. Even if it was due to innate suppression, I still find it unbelievable.”

Ning Changjiu said, “Perhaps only someone like this is worthy of being Your Highness’s opponent.”

Zhao Xiang’er said, “Though your character isn’t great, your talent and luck are truly enviable.”

“Your Highness flatters me.”

“By the way, if you happen to win in three years, how will you dispose of that marriage contract?”

“Of course, I’ll withdraw it… What if Your Highness wins?”

“You don’t need to probe or harbor any fantasies. When the time comes, I’ll force you to read that apology letter aloud, then tear up the marriage contract in front of your face and throw it at you.”

“Your Highness is truly cruel.”

As they spoke, a voice abruptly rang out from a small alley.

“Big Brother! Big Sister-in-law!” A small boy came running quickly from the end of the alley, shouting loudly, as if swinging something in his hand. “I… I came to… Ah!”

As he spoke, he slipped, his body lurching forward. Zhao Xiang’er pointed a finger, stopping him in mid-air. “What is it?” she asked.

The little boy, Ding Leshi, stabilized and then immediately knelt again. He kowtowed and said, “I came to thank Big Brother and Big Sister-in-law for saving my life.”

Zhao Xiang’er said in a cold, clear voice, “There’s no need, and I am not your ‘Big Sister-in-law’.”

Ding Leshi looked up in surprise, seeing the pretty older sister’s fierce face, then glanced at the older brother beside her, whose aura seemed to have diminished by half. He thought to himself that his parents often acted like this when they were alive: unable to win an argument, but feeling useless if they didn’t argue, their hearts warring within them as they endured frustration for nothing.

While carefully considering his address, Ding Leshi untied the bundle in his hand and took out two wrapped eggs. He offered one to each of them, then kowtowed and said, “These are the last two eggs from my home, eggs that can hatch chicks. I give them to you… I… I want to learn martial arts!”

Ning Changjiu and Zhao Xiang’er exchanged glances. They both acknowledged the child’s courage and character, but could tell at a glance that he had no Violet Palace Qi Sea, making cultivation impossible.

Ning Changjiu thought for a moment, then truthfully said, “Your constitution is not suitable for cultivation.”

Ding Leshi paused, then said, “I don’t want to cultivate immortality; I just want to learn martial arts.”

In this world, ordinary martial arts techniques were no match even for the weakest cultivators. Zhao Xiang’er shook her head. “If you just become a highly skilled assassin, facing someone like Lady White Bone, it will still be of no use.”

Ding Leshi quietly hummed, pursing his lips, lost in thought.

A moment later, a young girl walked out of the alley. She gracefully bowed, her movements meticulous and earnest.

Zhao Xiang’er recognized her; she was the city lord’s granddaughter.

“You want to learn martial arts too?” Zhao Xiang’er asked.

The little girl nodded vigorously.

However, she also lacked the aptitude for cultivation.

Zhao Xiang’er was about to refuse, but then she saw Ning Changjiu walk over to Ding Leshi, crouch down, and look at him earnestly. “It’s alright if you don’t have talent. There are precedents in this world of mortals slaying cultivators with swords. Besides, you’re so polite, your luck should be good in the future. Now that both your parents have passed, you can come with me. I’ll find a reliable martial arts school for you and have them teach you the fundamentals.”

Ding Leshi was stunned for a moment. Although he knew this older brother was clearly a notch weaker than the older sister, he was still like an immortal. His heart filled with pleasant surprise, and fearing the other party might change his mind, he quickly knelt and exclaimed, “Thank you, Master!”

Zhao Xiang’er watched this scene and frowned. She looked at the little girl and asked, “What’s your name?”

The little girl cautiously replied, “Yan Shi.”

Zhao Xiang’er then asked, “Can you endure hardship?”

Yan Shi had already made up her mind and firmly stated, “Yes, I can.”

Zhao Xiang’er nodded. “Then come with me.”

The little girl paused, vaguely understanding something, but she didn’t mind. Her heart filled with joy, and she immediately knelt and cried out, “Master!”

Ning Changjiu and Zhao Xiang’er exchanged glances, their eyes full of competitive spirit.

Ning Changjiu said, “Congratulations, Miss Zhao, on taking in a good apprentice.”

Zhao Xiang’er replied, “The same to you, Daoist Ning.”

Ning Changjiu suggested, “How about we make another agreement?”

Zhao Xiang’er also had this intention. “In a year, let’s see whose judgment is better, what do you say?”

Ning Changjiu said, “It’s a deal.”

Thus, the two young children who had just taken on masters pitifully became pawns in their competitive rivalry.

When Ning Changjiu returned to the study, the night had grown deeper.

Lu Jiajia and Ning Xiaoling, however, were still awake. Ning Xiaoling was quite interested in the stories of the divine realm and was eagerly asking Lu Jiajia many questions.

Ning Changjiu pushed the door open, presented the silver hairpin with both hands, and said, “I have fulfilled Master’s command.”

Lu Jiajia took the silver hairpin and nodded. “Miss Xiang’er didn’t give you a hard time, did she?”

Ning Changjiu said, “Miss Zhao and I are both reasonable people.”

Ning Xiaoling, engrossed in the stories, didn’t bother to expose her Senior Brother. Grabbing her Master’s hand, she eagerly pressed, “Between the Underworld Lord and the Twelve Divine Realm Masters, who is more powerful?”

Lu Jiajia explained, “According to ancient texts, the Underworld Lord was one of the first deities to appear when this world was born, governing the death of all things. However, it is unknown what catastrophe occurred back then, causing the Underworld Lord and several other primordial deities to fall early. Their authority scattered across the human realm; a small portion was claimed by fortunate cultivators, but most still drifts as unowned power between heaven and earth.”

Ning Xiaoling nodded and asked, “Of the twelve Divine Realm Masters, besides the Vermillion Bird, Void Hunter, and Sin Lord, what are the others called?”

Lu Jiajia was initially reluctant to speak of these, as there was indeed reason behind the unseen taboos. But looking at Ning Xiaoling’s bright, sparkling eyes, she softly explained, “After the Sin Lord, there is the Lord Baizang, and after Baizang is Yuanfu. I dare not speak too much about these beings. Let me tell you the legends of two lords each day.”

Ning Xiaoling’s interest was piqued, and she happily said, “Master is the best!”

Ning Changjiu, listening nearby, felt a strange pang of jealousy.

By the time Lu Jiajia finished telling her some wild mythological tales about Baizang and Yuanfu, it was almost midnight.

Ning Xiaoling was starting to feel sleepy, so Lu Jiajia stroked her forehead, placed her on the divan, and tucked her in.

As she was about to walk out, Ning Changjiu suddenly called out to her.

Lu Jiajia softly asked, “What is it?”

Ning Changjiu said, “Disciple dares to ask permission to try and heal Master’s injuries.”