Su Jing's answer hung in the air, and a slight surprise flickered in Qingwu's eyes.
"Oh? Are you going too, Cultivator Su?" Qingwu asked, raising his eyebrows. "Before you came, I was actually discussing with Cultivator Wen about his trip to the Heavenly Clouds Sect. I happened to find an old core yesterday, so I bought it for him to check."
Su Jing frowned at his words, "A core?". She looked towards Yawen, but he hesitated briefly. He seemed like he wanted to say something else before.
"Yes," he replied. "Young Master gave me the core of a talisman, to be precise. After the main array was broken, I'd hoped to use something like this to travel to the mortal realm, but I... hadn't seen a suitable one until now. Its location is right before the mortal gate."
Perhaps sensing her confusion, Qingwu gestured towards the centre of the table. "You may not see it now, because of the sealing, but this core is a tool made for immortal cultivators to create teleportation talismans. I acquired it from a retired master yesterday at the marketplace, who was selling off old relics. When I saw the core, I couldn't resist buying it and bringing it to Cultivator Wen. Lucky for him, I caught him in time before he left with you, Cultivator Su, for the sect. "
He smiled but his words only made Su Jing frown deeper.
"If Cultivator Su worries about our journey to the Heavenly Clouds Sect, rest assured. I stand by my promises." Yawen interjected, turning his gaze to her. "Even if I'm able to form a talisman for the mortal realm, you can be sure that I'll send you safely to the sect."
Though Yawen's reassurance was comforting, Su Jing hadn't expected things to turn out like this! She thought her presence might shift his storyline a little, but it seemed nothing had really changed.
She bit her inner check unconsciously, "Cultivator Wen is a cultivator of his word, after all. I would never doubt your intentions, especially since your primary purpose for your travels was to reach the mortal realm. " she paused, searching with her eyes for the "supposed core". "Had Cultivator Wen made any progress with it? I imagine it is a difficult task to make another master core work."
Yawen shook his head. "Unfortunately, although it is in fairly good condition, the energy is too feeble in Yang City for me to do anything. I can only recharge it with Qi."
Yawen leaned towards the centre of the table, his fingers having a slight luminescence.
"Is it because of the messy array energy?" Qingwu asked, also assessing it with a frown. "This core has been quite old, so it's no surprise it is vulnerable to space malfunctions."
He then turned towards Su Jing. "Is Cultivator Su curious about what a core looks like? Since I purchased it, I am its new master so I can permit you to see through the seal."
Su Jimg had no reason to refuse so she nodded to Qingwu.
He quickly brushed his fingers against the centre of the table, a round object materializing. The core was no larger than a peach, yet it gleamed with intricate runes floating around its surface, like faintly glowing symbols suspended in mid-air.
Su Jing tilted in, her curiosity piqued. "It's smaller than I expected."
She certainly expected a ball, not a fruit-looking device.
"The seal serves to bind its spatial energy," Yawen explained, "But it's delicate, as you can see. Too much interference from unstable Qi, and it may lose its potency."
Now that Yawen mentioned it, Su Jing was able to see too how the light was slowly dimming in some parts.
"Perhaps we could explore some other locations? There are places where the Qi is more concentrated."
Su Jing watched how Qingwu got a map out of his storage bag.
Her gaze followed Qingwu's finger as he traced a line from Yang City to the forest's edge, pausing at a spot between Twelve Roads City and Yang City. The area he pointed out was just near the border of the forest —close enough to benefit from its Qi flow, yet far enough from the inner regions, which were infamous for their dangerous spirit beasts and unpredictable terrain.
"But wouldn't this still carry the risk of attracting beasts?" Yawen questioned, crossing his arms. "When crafting a talisman, you usually create a pool of Qi Energy, which instinctively lures spiritual beasts closer."
"It's not that deep in, and furthermore, me and my sect sisters could accompany you. We, anyway, haven't had the chance to go beast hunting and to return to our sect, we need to present the beast's crystal cores."
Su Jing remained silent, her eyes locked on the map. If she remembered right, Feng Zhihao was supposedly now towards the Still Waterfall, from which she later escaped a terrifying third-level snake beast. She would run away after defeating it, since she did not wish to attract other monsters, going exactly towards the place pointed by Qingwu.
"And Cultivator Su, of course, you're welcome to join us, too." He said while leaning his head to the side. "The area isn't pretty far and you would teleport more safely from an area without space Qi disturbances. "
Yawen nodded, "We were supposed to go to Du Village exactly because of the failed city array. But since things have come to this, we could switch this place with the forest."
He turned towards Su Jing as if wanting to hear her opinion too.
She only managed a faint smile, " I wouldn't mind, though, in the matter of defence or fighting, I wouldn't be of much help."
"With three sword cultivators, Cultivator Su doesn't have to worry. It's not the first time for us to hunt beasts." Qingwu said.
Su Jing actually had every reason to worry. While Qingwu would be occupied fighting stronger monsters, Mingmei was unlikely to pay much attention to her safety, and Chunwan certainly wouldn't either, as she intended to kill Yawen instead of protecting him.
Perhaps seeing her nervous, Yawen put his hand on her shoulder, "If things do go awry, I have some urgent-use talismans for short distances. They can connect to the nearest core and teleport us directly to Twelve Roads City. "
So Yawen gave them later to Qingwu in the story. Su Jing nodded, though she couldn't help but wonder if she might somehow get her hands on a few herself.
After all, according to the female lead's explanation, Yawen had been poisoned during the fight with that extra-powerful monster. The poison was subtle enough to evade immediate detection, and Feng Zhihao, treating only the obvious symptoms, didn't realize the deeper issue until it was too late.
It was only afterwards, when she examined Yawen's body with her newly discovered green flame, that she exposed the hidden poison and gained new medical insights—though, at the expense of Yawens life.
If Su Jing were to teleport him away before that happened, wouldn't he have a chance to escape this mess? He would miss his immediate opportunity to reach the mortal realm, but at least he'd be safely out of the story's plotline.
It wouldn't even seem unusual if she timed it just as the beast attacked.
"So, we can set off as soon as possible," Qingwu said, looking between Su Jing and Yawen. "Me and my sect sisters were already prepared for a journey outside the city, so if either of you needs to pick up anything from the market, go ahead. I'll send a talisman note so we can meet them at the front gate."
They both nodded, and Yawen began organizing his papers, making the core disappear with a simple touch. Su Jing tried to help him, taking a final glance at Qingwu's map to memorize the route before he slipped it back into his storage bag.
With that, the three of them made their way to the city exit. Qingwu was leading the way, his tall figure cutting through the crowd. Su Jing chose to follow closely behind, keeping pace with the rhythmic tapping of Yawen's cane on the ground. He put back on his head yesterday's veiled hat, making it hard to see what exactly was his expression like. She pressed her lips, unsure about all this.
"In the future, take care with the disciples of the Silver Sword Sect."
Startled, Su Jing glanced up at him, surprised he'd say something so direct with Qingwu nearby. She hesitated, but seeing Qingwu unaffected, she realized Yawen had likely cast a silent spell to shield their words. "Why does Cultivator Wen say that? Isn't Lord Qingwu's sect highly regarded?"
Su Jing was already aware of their behaviour but wanted to hear Yawen's thoughts on the matter. She saw him sigh deeply. "Lord Qingwu didn't mention it, but the small contest for entry requires you to duel one of their existing disciples. The winner can even incite your death legally if the overseer is on their side."
She turned her head towards Yawen, looking at his profile. "Even if you do succeed, you would be constantly at risk of losing your position as a disciple. You can't refuse a duel, especially if it's from someone outside the sect, as it can hurt the pride of the sect. At first, I wanted to intervene, but good thing you refused."
Su Jing thought about Qingwu's way of acting. He certainly wasn't simply trying to help her, and she knew that since his character wasn't like that in the novel. The only one he helped was the female lead. Thinking she needed to fight someone else when she did not even cultivate properly, was like indirectly telling her to just die. Or what exactly was he wanting from Su Jing?
He was tolerating her probably mostly because of Yawen - the story did not specify it, but maybe he was aware of Yawen's position as a member of the Yi Clan. As a male lead candidate, how could he not know?
"Thank you for telling me this. I'll be careful," Su Jing said, appreciating Yawen's warning. As a mortal, he likely had to navigate similar dangers in the immortal realm.
The road continued with minimal conversation. Su Jing only paused briefly to grab some food from a stand, with Qingwu volunteering to pay for it. While she wasn't thrilled about being indebted to him, she accepted the offer—after all, she had no money.
In the end, when they finally approached the gate, Su Jing couldn't help but notice two familiar female figures in the crowd.
"Elder brother Wu, you finally came."
Su Jing looked up, watching as Chunwan darted toward them, her robes flowing around her in a beautiful red colour. She was hugging a sword at her chest, looking a bit weird for her body proportions. Mingmei trailed close behind in an elegant light purple garment, looking like a pretty flower.
Yawen and Su Jing exchanged a knowing glance, or at least Su Jing thought it was behind the veil before they caught up to the others. Su Jing tried to maintain her calm expression, but as Chunwan was walking closer, her eyes trailed past Qinqwu's body, seeing Su Jing and Yawen. She froze for a moment, and immediately her expression soured, Su Jing not knowing which of them had it worse, her or Yawen.
The man she wished to get revenge on because his clan happened to exterminate her clan or the random woman who stuck like a sore thumb around. Unfortunately for Chunwan, Su Jing had in plan to not lose Yawen from her sight. Inside the city, there was still no danger, but once outside, things were bound to change.
If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
"Chunwan, Mingmei," Qingwu greeted them smoothly, gesturing to Yawen and Su Jing. "We'll all be heading toward the Grey Skies Forest together. Cultivator Wen is looking to recharge a core for the teleportation talisman, so we'll need a spot with dense Qi flow. Since the forest is also excellent for beast hunting, it works well for all of us.
Mingmei nodded, her expression polite as she assessed Yawen. "Understood, Brother Wu," she replied. "Cultivator Wen, it's good to see you again." She inclined her head slightly, giving him a faint smile.
For a second she paused when she saw Su Jing, but in the end, she greeted Su Jing too with a nod. Since she did not ask for Su Jing's name, it was clear Mingmei had no interest in talking to her. Not that Su Jing cared, it is not like this Mingmei was a really big shot apart from having her whole identity associated with Qingwu.
Chunwan only fleetly nodded towards both of them after hearing Mingmei's words.
"But brother, I understand helping Cultivator Wen, but wouldn't it be dangerous to have a mortal fly with us? She did not even get through the basics in a sect."
Su Jing did not expect Chunwan to attack her so suddenly. Yet, as much as she disliked Chunwan, she was right. Su Jing had no experience with flying and the sole thought of having to stabilise herself on a small sword made Su Jing shiver. It was one thing watching others while staying on the ground, and another when actually doing it!
"Junior Sister Mei is a talented swordflyer so having Cultivator Su in her care wouldn't cause any problems. " Qingwu responded, putting his hand on Chunwan's shoulder, "And since Cultivator Wen needs to keep his Qi, I will help him fly over. Wanwan does not have to worry too much. "
Qingwu then looked toward Mingmei, who stepped up to Su Jing gracefully. "Yes, I can take you, Cultivator Su. My sword has the capacity for two, and Chunwan's still mastering her sword Qi control. It will be safer this way."
Su Jing sighed inwardly, knowing she didn't really have a choice. "Cultivator Mei, I will be in your care."
And it was only her impression or did this Mingmei put an accent on how Chunwan was still bad at swordflying? Either way, there was a faint smirk on Mingmei's face, while Chunwan clenched her teeth, her expression darkening. Qingwu, of course, was oblivious to their fight since he was now talking with Yawen.
Oh, these two. Su Jing could practically feel the heated glare Chunwan directed toward both her and Mingmei. As if to reassert herself, Chunwan unsheathed her sword, holding it with a slight flourish, clearly attempting to show off.
"My sword forging hasn't finished yet, so it's normal to be a bit unstable," Chunwan remarked, trying to sound nonchalant. "If I wanted, I could easily transport two people on it since it's bigger than Senior Sister Mei's."
While Chunwan's sword was indeed heavier, from what Su Jing recalled of the novel, larger weapons required significantly more Qi to wield properly. In other words, flying with such a sword would be exhausting—certainly not practical for long distances.
So why was this woman thinking of flying with this weapon? The other two had normal flying weapons and Su Jing was sure Chunwan was not some kind of big talent or genius.
Or, now that Su Jing looked better at it, she realized the sword was indeed not finished, as Chunwan said. The pommel was missing, the handle was hardly made well and the guard had a weird shape. Even the blade itself was kind of dull and uneven.
The sword represented the swordmaster's entire fortune, so by the looks of it, Chunwan was barely covering her sword expenses. Which was strange, since she was close to Qingwu, the young master of the clan of the most famous forging skills in weapons.
Was he so stingy to not help other females besides the female lead?
Su Jing wasn't an expert in sword forging, but even she could tell that Chunwan's weapon didn't fit the standards of a disciple from a sword sect. Of course, that wasn't entirely surprising, given Chunwan's background in a clan specializing in poisons rather than weapons.
Fortunately, Su Jing would be in Mingmei's capable hands—or rather, in the care of Mingmei's well-crafted sword. The blade glowed with a quiet elegance, its polished surface tinted with a gorgeous purple hue, likely due to the amethyst embedded along the scabbard, which channelled Qi to give it that distinct colour.
The sword's handle was wrapped in lavender silk cords, ending in a delicate tassel with silver knots, adding a graceful touch. Su Jing watched as Mingmei unsheathed her sword with a smooth motion, tossing it effortlessly into the air where it hovered, perfectly balanced.
"Sect sister only has to follow me and senior brother, the location in the forest isn't even that far." She then played with her index finger, the sword circling two times around her before positioning itself behind her.
Su Jing couldn't help but be impressed. Yawen too stared at it as he approached them, "Is Miss Mingmei already trying to awaken a sword spirit?"
A sword spirit was the ultimate aspiration for any sword cultivator—a consciousness that would awaken within the weapon itself. Achieving one required exceptional materials, Qi, and skills, and it was evident that Mingmei's sword was well on its way. She nodded in acknowledgement.
"Yes, though it hasn't fully developed a consciousness yet," she replied. "It can follow basic commands, but it's not what you'd call a true spirit response. I still have refining to do."
"It is still an impressive level for someone in the early foundation stage. " Yawen said, analysing the sword attentively. "I am sure you will be an amazing contestant in the next Tournament."
Mingmei accepted the compliment, and since Qingwu was present too, Qingwu commented, "The bond between a cultivator and their weapon is not something that can be rushed. It requires patience and the right conditions. Even I had needed a long time till my sword succeeded to awake. "
As if to show an example, Qingwu got his sword to float too in the air, though with a more coordinated move. It pulsated a few times, and Su Jing understood that probably it was talking with Qingwu in its consciousness. His sword was similar to Mingmei, but double-edged with an exceptionally sharp tip. The guard was of jade, having a beautiful carved model which was blended with the handle's green silk. The pommel had a sharp transparent rock centred, which made way for a long tassel to flutter in the wind.
Curious, Su Jing couldn't help but look towards Chunwan. Opposite to her expectations, while others admired the sword, she looked affectionately towards Qingwu, her eyes closely following him.
"We'd better get going before it gets too late." He directed the sword outside the gates, as it signalled others to follow him.
Su Jing went together with the rest, deciding to not put that much thought into Chunwan.
Once outside, Su Jing noticed that the walls weren't that thick. The wind started to flutter her hair and as Su Jing looked around, she saw only a single path through the rocky terrain, which was slowly going up in serpentines. This city was apparently in a valley.
Yawen stopped beside Su Jing, looking attentively at the sky. " It's very likely that it will rain soon. It's strange for the clouds to reach that far outside the inner area."
Su Jing noticed the clouds, too, and felt an ominous feeling coming from them. The forest was, after all, called Grey Skies Forest, so its main infamous thing was those clouds in the innermost part of the forest, where they hid one of the most diabolical creatures together with its high treasures.
Of course, her tingling sense told her Feng Zhihao had something to do with them moving since any strange change in the sky needed to be related to her somehow. She was after all cultivating super fast so it wasn't that strange for the Heavenly Thunder to strike her.
"That shouldn't be a problem since we will travel eastward, opposite to the wind direction," Qingwu said, looking too at the sky.
Mingmei clicked her fingers, the sword immediately getting on the ground level. She pressed one leg on it, turning her head towards Su Jing as it signalled her to come closer.
Su Jing quickly agreed, going beside Mingmei. Yawen encouraged her with a nod, before going himself too towards Qingwu's sword.
As Su Jing got in front of Mingmei, she couldn't help but feel a sense of intimidation from the woman. Mingmei's expression was tight, and there was a brief flicker of annoyance before she masked it with an impassive face. "Just focus on staying still. If you can't manage that, you might fall."
Su Jing was very well aware of that. "Can I hold onto you, Cultivator Mei? I am afraid I might not be capable of escaping the strong air currents."
More than that, Su Jing felt the need for her hands to have a safe place secure. She couldn't imagine staying only with her legs anchored on a thin sword!
Mingmei did not seem that content with her request but in the end, she agreed, since Qingwu was close, "You'd better not pull too hard on me because you risk making us both slip down. "
Su Jing did not have any motive to be rebellious when her well-being was in Mingmei's hands for the next few minutes. She readily compromised, Su Jing stepping up behind Mingmei on the sword. As soon as her foot touched the blade, warm energy passed through her body, and Su Jing slowly became enveloped in its purplish light. Her weight seemed more secure, and as Su Jing caught on Mingmei's sleeve, the fear that had previously gripped her slowly faded.
Being lifted in the air, Su Jing couldn't help but look around. Yawen didn't look as troubled as her on Qingwu's sword, staying fairly stable at a distance from him, even with his hands holding the cane behind his back. His hat veil was fluttering behind him, showing his pale face.
Yawen, after all, said he took some sword lessons so it was highly probable he already knew how to fly, but right now he wanted to keep his energy for the talisman crafting.
Su Jing turned her head to find Chunwan on the other side, but she already was high above them, needing Su Jing to lean her head on her back to glimpse how her dress was fluttering above the great sword.
"Elder brother!"
Qingwu followed after her with Yawen, and Mingmei did not get left behind as she too went higher in the sky. Su Jing focused on keeping her balance, unconsciously gripping Mingmei's clothes even tighter when she saw how the landscape below began to blur, Yang City shrinking into the distance.
She retracted her words, it was extremely scary!
Her legs couldn't help but tremble, making Mingmei turn annoyed towards her, "Stop watching bellow your feet. Look ahead."
Su Jing did as told, but it was difficult to keep her eyes open. In the distance, she could see Qingwu's and Yawen's figures, Qingwu's deep green sword glowing against the sky. Chunwan followed close behind them, her sword wobbling slightly beneath her feet. It was clear she was struggling to control it, as the wind started to get stronger and stronger.
The height was dizzying, and Su Jing's stomach churned as if it too was caught in the current. Her head felt like it was being squeezed, and soon, an overwhelming sensation of nausea hit her.
That definitely wasn't good. Su Jing closed her eyes and put her forehead on Mingmei's back, using her hair as a cover.
"What are you doing? Let go, didn't you hear me to look ahead?"
Su Jing understood Mingmei's dislike towards mortals but she was sure that if she were to look outside for a millisecond, her stomach would give out and make a terrible picture for everyone present. She preferred to pass that embaresment so Su Jing did not reply to Mingmei.
That seemed to especially annoy Mingmei as she increased her speed, her posture even more rigid as if to make a point. At the same time, Mingmei subtly weakened the barrier, just enough so the others wouldn't notice the slight drop in stability, but enough for Su Jing to feel the change.
Her skin started to hurt, and even Mingmei's own hair was hitting her in the face. Su Jing bit her lip as she held her migraine in. She hoped for this hellish flight to be over already.
When things couldn't get any worse, Su Jing felt the sword tilt slightly downward, signalling their descent. The pressure surged into Su Jing's chest and neck, and before she could stop herself, her nausea surged—and she threw up.
Unfortunately, the mess landed directly on Mingmei's back.
Mingmei shrank in horror, instinctively loosening her hold on the sword, which wobbled violently. They began to circle, making Su Jing's sense of direction vanish, as she couldn't tell up from down.
And then, without warning, another force collided with them from the side. Su Jing caught a flash of red out of the corner of her eye just before the impact. Chunwan’s voice rang out in a panicked shout as she clung to her own sword, which she’d lost control of completely.
The impact shoved all three of them further off course.
In the chaos, Su Jing felt herself falling. She looked around in desperation, but no one was close enough to catch her. Mingmei barely managed to grab onto her sword’s hilt at the last second, her expression twisted with fury and disgust.
Unfortunately for Su Jing, she and Chunwan were not so lucky.
With nothing to hold onto, they were flung down toward the forest below, their bodies plunging uncontrollably through the air. The tree branches tore their skin, snapping and cracking beneath them, offering just enough resistance to slow their fall.
Finally, with two heavy thuds, Su Jing and Chunwan crashed onto the forest floor, tangled in a mess of leaves and dirt.
Groaning, Su Jing tried to catch her breath, the world spinning around her as she looked up at the gap in the treetops, where Mingmei’s silhouette hovered in fury.
Just as she tried to focus, Su Jing's vision grew hazy. Her surroundings blurred, shifting into a whirl of unfamiliar colours. Her headache throbbed, and suddenly, she felt a strange, burning sensation all over her skin.
Droplets of water fell onto her face. Disoriented, Su Jing blinked, feeling the tickle of tears that weren’t hers. A faint crying echoed in her ears, and as her senses sharpened, Su Jing found herself staring up at a tear-streaked face—a little girl sobbing beside her. Her heart raced in confusion as she took in the girl’s appearance: small, no more than eight or nine, with black hair braided into two high ponytails and dressed in a delicate green gown.
Su Jing's heart almost stopped. Where was she? And who was this child?
A rough, manly hand suddenly appeared before her, gently patting the girl’s head in comfort. Su Jing's eyes followed the arm back to the source—and to her shock, she realized it was her own hand! She nearly cried out in horror, but the pain in her head was too great for her to do anything but watch helplessly.
The unfamiliar room around her looked like a damaged library, strewn with broken books and shattered glass. Su Jing’s gaze returned to the little girl, whose tears continued to fall, pooling in her hands. She felt a pang of awkwardness and confusion as she watched the girl cry.
A scary thought passed over her head - this shouldn't be her reincarnating again and possessing another body, right?
How ridiculous for her if she were to die like that, falling after vomiting because of sword-flying nausea! Su Jing silently lamented her situation in her mind, not knowing how could she ever handle coexisting with a child when she couldn't be considered competent to live on her own.
Su Jing's thoughts were spiralling fast, thinking what her next steps should be.
”Baba, please, baba, don't leave me. Get up.”
Her talking made Su Jing freeze. She looked at the child’s face once more, and recognition struck her like a bolt of lightning.
It was Chunwan!