Chapter 254: Sister Junior and Brother Senior, Separated East and West

Ning Xiaoling returned to the queue, holding the damaged, broken saber.

Mr. Shuo Ling, seeing her a bit disheartened, patiently comforted her, "You did well. Just get accustomed to the Grand Competition this time. Xiaoling can truly shine two years from now."

"Yes, I will prepare well," Ning Xiaoling nodded softly.

What troubled her, of course, was not that. Among the thousands of blades and swords earlier, the massive figure of the Nether General, shaking the Youge, lingered in her Sea of Consciousness, half real, half illusion, like a persistent dream.

Mr. Shuo Ling asked doubtfully, "Xiaoling, did something happen to you?"

Ning Xiaoling shook her head, "No, it's just... pulling out the saber took some effort, and I'm a bit tired."

Mr. Shuo Ling was half-convinced but didn't press the matter.

Yu Jin also whispered, "Xiaoling is okay. She might not have been the best, but she's certainly not the worst."

Ning Xiaoling replied absently.

Yu Jin looked at the black saber in her hand and whispered, "Can I touch it?"

Ning Xiaoling naturally handed it over.

Yu Jin carefully took it.

The moment she gripped the hilt, her arm sank, and she gasped in surprise.

This saber was much heavier than she had imagined.

Ning Xiaoling extended a palm, lightly supporting the sinking blade.

Yu Jin examined it carefully, then suddenly exclaimed, "Huh? This... this doesn't seem to be a sword."

"Hmm?" Ning Xiaoling's gaze also fell upon the broken blade.

Yu Jin looked up at her and said, "It looks like a saber."

Ning Xiaoling had simply pulled it out of the Youge and walked away. Her mind was a little disoriented, and she hadn't looked at it closely, merely assuming it was a sword because of its slender and long shape.

Only now did she realize it had only a single edge, and the entire iron blade had a subtle but beautiful curve—this was a slender saber, missing its tip.

The hilt of the slender saber was black, wrapped with fine thread for grip, and the guard appeared to be cast from dark bronze, with intricate carvings. The semi-rectangular quillons were not flashy. The dark silver blade was hard but partially blunted, and the back of the blade was also very thin and flexible.

The saber was exquisitely crafted overall. Though entirely black, its various parts reflected and transitioned light naturally, creating a profound, death-like beauty.

Yu Jin exclaimed admiringly, "Such a beautiful saber, could it be some peerless famous blade?"

Ning Xiaoling smiled and shook her head, "If it were truly a peerless famous saber, it wouldn't have been broken."

"Good point," Yu Jin pressed her finger against the broken part, thinking Xiaoling's reasoning was sound.

She sighed, "It's so beautifully made, it really does seem more like an ornamental piece. Mr. Shuo Ling seemed to have mentioned something about true greatness needing no embellishment..."

Though Ning Xiaoling thought the same, this broken black saber gave her an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

The Spirit Trial Conclave finally ended after two hours.

By the time they emerged, the sunset light had fallen.

Such large-scale Divine Sects in the Central Plains all had a massive formation barrier. Outside, heavy snow was falling, but within the Divine Sect, the weather remained mild.

Stepping out of the Spirit Trial Hall, Ning Xiaoling stood in the sunset and attempted to pour spiritual energy into the blade.

Something miraculous happened.

As spiritual energy flowed into the blade, the broken saber seemed to awaken. The vast sunset colors, like countless fluttering butterflies, attached themselves to the black blade. For a moment, it was impossible to discern whether the reddish glow emanated from the black saber itself or if the fluid-like blade reflected the crimson sunset.

Ning Xiaoling looked at it, slightly surprised: "A Blood Blade?"

Legends spoke of a type of saber born crimson, specifically crafted for killing.

Ning Xiaoling held the saber higher, examining the patterns of steel visible on the blade through the sunset light.

The evening breeze rustled the girl's clothes. Her beautiful long hair lay quietly on her back, tied simply at the waist with a red string.

Sunlight and the saber's gleam shone together on her jade-like cheeks. The fine down on her crystalline ears, bathed in light, revealed her lingering childishness.

This unintentional act drew many gazes, even captivating Yu Jin, who was also a young girl.

By the time they returned to the Wooden Hall of the Spirit Control lineage, night had fallen. The disciples packed their books, preparing to retire to their rooms.

Ning Xiaoling looked at her desk and subtly hummed in surprise.

Her books seemed to have been moved.

Perhaps it was windy today... She didn't pay too much attention, neatly stacked her books, and then sat quietly in her chair for a while.

What happened in the Youge today was entirely unexpected by everyone, and it also disturbed Ning Xiaoling's thoughts.

What if she had chosen that other sword? It seemed to be called 'Guizuka', which sounded very powerful, certainly better than this flashy broken saber.

Ning Xiaoling couldn't help but let her thoughts wander for a bit.

After sitting for a while, she collected her thoughts. Just as she was about to open her notebook to continue studying the connection between the spiritual arts of the two sects and sword techniques, Yu Jin's voice rang out again: "Xiaoling, Xiaoling, let's go feed the cat."

"Oh," Ning Xiaoling glanced at the lifelike drawing of her senior brother on the title page, reluctantly withdrew her gaze, and said, "You go feed it yourself, I want to read a bit."

Yu Jin looked troubled, "But I'm afraid of the dark."

Ning Xiaoling sighed and stood up, fumbling under the desk for a moment, "I didn't bring a candle."

Yu Jin said, "Doesn't your saber glow?"

Ning Xiaoling was silent for a moment, then picked up the saber and walked out.

Spiritual energy flowed into the blade, and the saber emitted a blood-red light, truly resembling a lit lantern.

She walked ahead, holding the saber, while Yu Jin followed behind, carrying a bowl of dried fish.

In a strange scene, they circled the large lake outside the mountain and entered the dense woods where the cat was hidden. The girl tapped the bowl.

The Fish King did not appear immediately.

It hid in the bushes, and from afar, it saw Ning Xiaoling's figure in a white dress holding the Blood Blade, which gave it a huge fright.

"This..." A chill ran through the Fish King's heart; it had seen this scene before.

On that day, in the Vermillion Bird Divine Nation, engulfed in hellfire, Zhao Xiang'er, clad in a fiery red wedding dress, held two slender renowned sabers. One was green, and its blade shone like snow when infused with spiritual energy; the other was black, like blood.

How similar was this saber to the one in Zhao Xiang'er's hand?

So, the sound of the girl tapping the iron bowl seemed frightening, as if it were its last supper.

Only after Ning Xiaoling and Yu Jin called out "Di Ting" several times from outside the bushes did the Fish King slowly regain its composure and cautiously step out. Its battle with Zhao Xiang'er and Ning Changjiu had, after all, left considerable psychological scars.

"Big cat, dinner time," Yu Jin crouched down and offered the iron bowl.

The Fish King looked at the girl who had freed it, let out a low meow of gratitude, then buried its head in the bowl and began to munch on the dried fish.

Ning Xiaoling gently rubbed its head, "Eat more, eat a lot so your injuries heal faster."

The Fish King whimpered, indicating it understood.

As it ate, the Fish King secretly thought that this was not charity, but deserved earnings from its labor. After all, it had helped Ning Xiaoling solve a peerless problem that afternoon. It wondered if the little girl had noticed. If she had, she must be full of questions, still guessing who that reclusive master might be.

Thinking of this, the Fish King swelled with pride.

When the little girl discovered that the one secretly helping her was actually a cat, she would surely be speechless with shock.

As it mused, the Fish King experienced a joy outside its cultivation for the first time. The dried fish in the bowl seemed even tastier, but Ning Xiaoling's next sentence made its feline face suddenly darken.

Ning Xiaoling sighed regretfully, "Oh, Di Ting, it's a pity you're not a complete cat anymore. Otherwise, in a while, Xiaojin and I could go back to Clothes Street and buy you a pretty little female cat to keep you company."

"..." The Fish King, biting a dried fish, raised its face with a crestfallen expression, "Meow..."

Yu Jin comforted it from the side, "It's okay, this is good too. You won't go into heat, so it'll be harder for people in the sect to discover you."

Ning Xiaoling found some logic in that, nodding, "Hmm, I suppose it's a blessing in disguise."

The Fish King, listening to their discussion, indignantly bared its claws.

As the Spirit Valley Grand Competition approached, the atmosphere in the sect became much more relaxed, as the competition didn't concern most of them.

In the last seven days, Mr. Shuo Ling focused on guiding the disciples participating in the competition on techniques for treasure hunting in the Spirit Valley, hoping they would achieve a good ranking. The other disciples were temporarily left to their own devices.

The sect was much livelier.

By the Moonlit Lake, many disciples even went fishing in groups.

These days, Ning Xiaoling had been very anxious, as she found it difficult to calm her mind ever since she acquired this saber.

Today, she had finally managed to settle down and planned to read, but Mr. Shuo Ling called her out to study the Spirit Valley's terrain and various hidden realms together.

This took several hours.

After returning, she had to accompany Yu Jin to feed the cat. Now, with many people by the Moonlit Lake, their movements were very inconvenient.

Today, as they stealthily made their way towards the woods by the lake, they were spotted and called out by other disciples.

"This is Junior Sister Xiaoling, the only representative of the Spirit Control Sect participating in the Spirit Valley Grand Competition!" Someone shouted from afar, as if afraid others wouldn't hear.

Others, as if encountering a rare creature, immediately put down their fishing rods and rushed over, showering the beautiful, sole junior sister with warm greetings.

Yu Jin stood to the side, her small hand, holding a bowl of dried fish, unsure where to rest.

Soon, a disciple noticed her and asked, "Junior Sister, what is that...?"

Ning Xiaoling glanced at Yu Jin.

Yu Jin paused, picked up a piece of dried fish, put it in her mouth, and mumbled, "Snacks."

Ning Xiaoling showed a sympathetic expression.

Finally, Ning Xiaoling used the excuse of fishing to send the other disciples away, and Yu Jin secretly slipped into the small woods to feed the cat alone.

There were only a few pieces of dried fish left in the bowl.

The Fish King was clearly not full, whining a few times. Yu Jin felt she understood, so she picked up the cat and secretly took it out of the woods, letting it steal fish from the baskets of the fishing disciples.

But the Fish King had recovered much of its strength these past few days. It certainly wasn't content with petty theft. After a moment of contemplation, it made a bold decision, then, unnoticed, it dived directly into the lake.

Yu Jin was too late to stop it, worrying if it could swim.

Meanwhile, Ning Xiaoling, who was forced to sit quietly holding her fishing rod, suddenly stiffened. Her fishing rod bent into a large arc—a big fish had taken the bait.

Ning Xiaoling was somewhat pleased and pulled with all her might to reel it in.

Ning Xiaoling then fished with even greater enthusiasm, and more and more fish bit the hook, each one larger than the last.

Ning Xiaoling herself never imagined she had such a talent. Once, the hook had barely touched the water's surface when a fish as large as herself bit the hook.

The other disciples watched in awe, thinking that Junior Sister, being the only one, was indeed extraordinarily talented; the fish couldn't even wait for the bait.

Ning Xiaoling was also incredibly puzzled. Finally, she secretly activated her "sword eyes" and finally saw the scene underwater.

Every time she cast her hook into the water, a large white cat would surface, carrying a large fish struggling weakly, and directly position its lip onto the hook...

Ning Xiaoling knew Di Ting was very intelligent, but she hadn't realized it had reached such a level.

She dared not cast her hook again, fearing that if Di Ting got angry, it would deal with the Moonlit Lake's water monster and bring it up.

Thus, Ning Xiaoling was troubled by various strange occurrences for many days.

A few nights before the Spirit Valley Grand Competition, she finally, resignedly, opened her notebook. She lingered on the title page for a long time, then slowly flipped backward.

"What is this..."

Then, Ning Xiaoling froze.

"Who scribbled all over my notebook?!" Ning Xiaoling sat up from her bed, lit a lamp, wrapped herself in a blanket, and sat by the desk, angrily examining the writing in the book.

The strokes of the characters looked as if they had been chewed by a mouse, appearing completely out of place next to her delicate small script.

Ning Xiaoling rested her chin, frowning for a moment, and said, "If you gave Di Ting a brush, it would probably write better than this!"

Ning Xiaoling flipped a few more pages. The lamp light was dim, and she didn't feel energetic enough, so she didn't continue reading. She simply closed the notebook, thinking that she must find the culprit later.

After this, Ning Xiaoling stopped thinking about combining spiritual arts and sword techniques. Most of her daily routine consisted of meditating to calm her mind and familiarizing herself with the black Blood Blade she had retrieved from the Youge.

It wasn't until the very last day, feeling nervous and somewhat sleepless, that Ning Xiaoling picked up the book and casually flipped through it.

The unsightly writing flashed before her eyes.

On a certain page, Ning Xiaoling's hand stopped.

She sat up from her bed again.

"Qi Meridian and Acupoint Chart?"

Ning Xiaoling couldn't help but gasp softly.

On a blank page, a human figure was outlined, marked with many points. These points were connected by lines of varying thickness, indicating a strange sequence.

Though the diagram was also crookedly drawn, it immediately captivated Ning Xiaoling's attention. Her fingertip traced the page, slowly moving downwards.

"Nine Qi, Three Mountains, Cloud Palace..."

Ning Xiaoling instantly understood the meaning of the diagram. She sorted through the sequence of all the lines, and then, the problem of spiritual energy circulation that had troubled her for so long was suddenly solved!

She immediately flipped the notebook back to the beginning, walked barefoot across the cold floor, and sat upright at her desk, carefully deciphering the characters.

Her heart pounded faster.

The night was long.

The spiritual arts cultivation methods of the Ancient Spirit Sect and the inner sect sword techniques of the Imperial Sword Heavenly Sect.

These two seemingly unrelated things finally revealed their compatible edges clearly in Ning Xiaoling's eyes.

They began to fit together, piece by piece.

The room was silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop, with only the sound of turning pages every so often.

Ning Xiaoling's spirit was taut as a bowstring.

Finally, the three stances—White Rainbow Pierces the Sun, Black Rain Pours Down, and Great River Flows into the Drain—also found their rightful places, gradually completing their full outlines.

The notebook was flipped to the very last page.

Ning Xiaoling finally withdrew her gaze after a long while.

She slowly lifted her head.

The candlelight on the desk flickered directly in the center of her brow.

That point of candlelight in her eyes suddenly magnified, filling her entire vision. Within her sight, two distinct figures seemed to dance in the air: one light and nimble, the other sharp and fierce. They each wielded their swords, and eventually, their movements seamlessly merged, transforming into a flickering, ethereal silhouette.

The silhouette gradually faded with time.

Ning Xiaoling slowly came back to herself. The candlelight still calmly flickered before her eyes, as usual.

It was as if nothing had happened.

But Ning Xiaoling knew that her Purple Mansion and Qi Sea had subtly changed without her full awareness.

This change was mysterious and unknown, and she had no time to verify it further.

Who wrote these words?

Ning Xiaoling was utterly confused.

A senior with profound knowledge of the Dao but terrible handwriting... Was there such a person in the Ancient Spirit Sect? And why would he help her?

Ning Xiaoling immediately thought that the senior must have intentionally written with their left hand to prevent their handwriting from being recognized.

What a pity she didn't discover it sooner... Ning Xiaoling thought regretfully.

But regret was a useless emotion. When she looked up again, a faint white light was already visible on the window paper.

The Spirit Valley Grand Competition was to begin today.

At the seaport in the Sea Kingdom, Ning Changjiu and Lu Jiajia safely disembarked from the ship.

The little girl stood between them, holding one of each of their hands tightly with her chubby, childlike hands, as if afraid of getting lost.

Lu Jiajia still couldn't accept the fact that she had inexplicably acquired a small daughter, but with the little girl sweetly calling her "Mother," a certain warmth was ignited within her heart.

Ning Changjiu took out the two black and gold invitation letters from his embrace and asked, "Should we attend the Dragon Mother's Grand Banquet?"

During their recent voyage, Ning Changjiu had learned about the legendary life of the Dragon Mother.

She was the queen who had ruled the Sea Kingdom for three hundred years, a true dragon descendant born from the Sea of Fortune, a demigod close to the Fifth Realm, a foreteller and master of tsunamis and storms. She had no children but referred to herself as the Dragon Mother, holding immense prestige within the Sea Kingdom, whose reputation, in terms of fame alone, was even comparable to the sect leaders of the Eight Divine Sects.

The Dragon Mother's Grand Banquet was always extravagantly lavish, sparing no expense, showcasing the Sea Kingdom's wealth and power. Only those of extraordinary status were invited to the inner banquet.

Lu Jiajia, however, had little interest in it. She said, "There are only two invitations in total. If we go to join the fun, what about Xiaoyue?"

Qiu Yue tilted her small head, blinking.

Ning Changjiu said, "She... might be able to sneak in."

Lu Jiajia shook her head, "Never mind. We can't waste time. Let's go find Xiaoling at the Ancient Spirit Sect earlier, and then we can go together to seek out the 'evil' you mentioned."

No one noticed the fleeting, unusual glint in Qiu Yue's eyes when she heard the word 'evil'.

This glint was quickly replaced by innocence.

Ning Changjiu said, "Alright, let's stay at a nearby inn for a day, plan our route, and then go to the Ancient Spirit Sect together."

Lu Jiajia nodded in agreement.

Qiu Yue whispered, "But I want to go to the Dragon Mother's banquet to play."

Ning Changjiu was actually a bit annoyed with this little girl, because he should have been holding Lu Jiajia's hand, but now he could only hold hers.

"There are only two spots in total. If you go, who do you want to miss out?" Ning Changjiu asked, a rhetorical question.

Qiu Yue replied without hesitation, "Of course, I'm going with Mother."

She had clearly understood the hierarchy within this small family.

Upon entering the restaurant and ordering their meal, Lu Jiajia poured Qiu Yue a cup of hot water for her to warm her hands. Qiu Yue refused, insisting that her mother hold her hands and warm them. Lu Jiajia smiled calmly, gently rubbing the little girl's hands.

Ning Changjiu watched this scene, increasingly convinced that children were devils.

"Are you trying to steal Mother from Father?" Ning Changjiu said.

Qiu Yue looked up, and said seriously, "Mother is Father's wife, and also Father's master. If I take one, don't you still have one left?"

Ning Changjiu was speechless.

Lu Jiajia's eyes curved, and she smiled sweetly, "I'm increasingly suspicious now that she's your daughter. You'd better confess sooner."

Ning Changjiu sighed, "Oh, if we have a little Jiajia in the future, and she inherits her mother's brains, she'll definitely be bullied terribly by this older sister."

"Watch your tongue!" Lu Jiajia's smile vanished. "You are not to speak like that when we meet Xiaoling."

Ning Changjiu thought of his junior sister's appearance, gestured with his hand, and smiled, "Xiaoling must be this tall by now, right?"

Lu Jiajia took his hand and raised it higher. She softly said, "Without her senior brother's meticulous care, Xiaoling would naturally grow up quickly."

Ning Changjiu nodded slightly.

The waiter brought the dishes one by one, all rare and delicious seafood delicacies from the Southern Continent.

Lu Jiajia again thought of the 'evil' matter and asked, "Once we meet Xiaoling, where should we go?"

Ning Changjiu said, "Senior Sister says everything has its own destiny."

Lu Jiajia replied, "Even so, we need a direction. Destiny isn't a fixed thing; if it were, we could just stay here and wait for destiny to come to us."

Ning Changjiu nodded gently.

His Eldest Senior Sister told him that their Master had not yet made new decisions, so he wasn't bound by an ironclad fate. And the kind of destiny his senior sister spoke of seemed more like a coincidence that could only be encountered after repeated attempts.

Ning Changjiu said helplessly, "Are we supposed to ask strangers for directions?"

Lu Jiajia asked, "Besides your senior brothers and sisters, who else would know?"

As they chatted idly, voices from the next table drifted over.

At this moment, what people in the Sea Kingdom were most enthusiastically discussing, of course, was the Dragon Mother's banquet.

"I heard the Sea of Fortune has been restless lately, angering the Dragon Mother. She has now ordered cultivators to quell the sea disturbances."

"Heh, causing trouble during the Dragon Mother's banquet, those sea demons must be tired of living."

"Indeed, especially this year."

"What's special about this year?"

"This year marks the Dragon Mother's three-hundred-year grand banquet."

"Three hundred years... No wonder the scale of this year's event is so grand."

"Yes, and it's said that this year, the Mother will not only grant private audiences and bestow treasures upon the six champions of zither, chess, sword, magic, and Dao, but also answer any one of their questions."

Ning Changjiu listened to their conversation in silence, feeling the two invitation letters in his clothes growing warm.