Chapter 45: The Literary Cultivation Hall’s Peculiar Lessons

“Xiao Xi, how about I teach you to play the xiao tonight?”

Hearing her beautiful master’s gentle words, Xiao Xixi instinctively tilted her head up, looking at her.

When she saw that her beautiful master’s captivating face held no hint of teasing, it seemed she genuinely intended to teach her a musical instrument.

A sudden surge of guilt washed over Xiao Xixi. After all, she had just suspected her beautiful master’s words carried a suggestive double meaning.

Realizing ‘blowing the xiao’ was also a modern euphemism, a slightly flustered Xiao Xixi nodded her head, agreeing.

The reason for her consent, besides atoning for her earlier impure thoughts, was that Xiao Xixi suddenly remembered that in the original novel, her beautiful master Su Mei’s ‘xiao music’ was not only a weapon but also exquisitely beautiful.

In the original story, Su Mei had sacrificed her life early on to protect the male and female protagonists. Yet, in his later years, when the protagonist Ye Chen’s cultivation reached its peak, he would always recall his master Su Mei, and her ‘lamenting xiao music’ would be the first thing to come to mind.

This alone testified to the xiao’s enchanting melody. And now, Xiao Xixi was listening as her beautiful master offered to teach her personally.

‘Emmmmm, a sexy, mature, big sister next door, beautiful teacher, one-on-one, home tutoring… .avi.’

Xiao Xixi felt there were simply too many labels, making it truly difficult to refuse!

****

Having confirmed that her cultivation path was to be that of a ‘Literary Cultivator,’ Su Mei then led Xiao Xixi towards the Literary Cultivation Hall.

Although she had briefly toured the hall with Senior Sister Zhou Zhiruo yesterday, Xiao Xixi hadn’t paid much attention to the details. Her mind had been preoccupied with how to correct her brother’s worldview.

Today, however, exploring it with her master Su Mei, she was far more attentive.

Walking through the Literary Cultivation Hall, Xiao Xixi had only cursorily observed the study areas yesterday and heard about its history from Senior Brother Rongqiao.

Now that she understood these basics, her gaze settled more on the Literary Cultivators themselves.

Observing one cultivator after another, Xiao Xixi quickly made a surprising discovery.

Although the Azure Phoenix Sect did not enforce a uniform dress code, allowing everyone to wear what they liked, the cultivators here all possessed an inexplicable aura.

It was the kind of ‘cultivated elegance born of knowledge,’ making them appear refined and scholarly at first glance.

As someone who had yet to formally begin her cultivation, Xiao Xixi didn’t quite understand how this shared demeanor was achieved.

But seeing each Literary Cultivator holding a scroll, all looking incredibly learned, Xiao Xixi felt an inexplicable sense of awe, a deja vu of something profoundly impressive.

Beside her, Su Mei noticed her little disciple’s gaze, as if she had discovered a new continent, and a hint of bitterness touched her lips.

As the Peak Master of Violet Cloud Peak, Su Mei herself had ascended as a Literary Cultivator, progressing step by step from the Qi Refining realm. She naturally understood why these literary cultivators possessed such an ethereal quality.

Unlike martial cultivators who focused on physical breakthroughs, Literary Cultivators achieved advancement through what was known as ‘transcendence of thought.’

This implicitly demanded that Literary Cultivators develop more active minds. Thus, nearly all Literary Cultivators (including herself) would initially read vast amounts of poetry to expand their knowledge reserves during their cultivation.

Constantly memorizing texts, combined with the need to forge their own ‘Dao Heart,’ gradually cultivated this unique temperament among literary cultivators.

However, recalling the immense volume of scriptures she had read during her initial ascent to the Qi Condensation realm, Su Mei, as a master, chose not to explain, so as not to dampen her little disciple’s enthusiasm.

****

The Literary Cultivation Hall was vast, with bookshelves brimming with texts every few meters.

Beside these bookshelves, every few meters, there was a table and chair.

Observing this decorative style and hearing the occasional soft recitation of poetry from the cultivators, Xiao Xixi felt that the atmosphere of the Literary Cultivation Hall strongly resembled a university library.

However, if asked about the specific differences, after surveying the immense hall, Xiao Xixi noted that the books here were probably far more numerous than in any library. As for the people, they seemed far more fervent than any university student.

For instance, a woman in a simple green cloth dress was crouched in a corner. Her hair was disheveled, clearly unkempt, and her clothes visibly carried the scent of dust.

This woman was now biting her uneven fingers, her eyes wide, completely engrossed in her book.

Seeing her bloodshot eyes and heavy dark circles, Xiao Xixi couldn’t help but worry that she might suddenly collapse.

Just as she was about to ask her master if they should check on this seemingly obsessed person, she heard her master’s graceful voice.

Her beautiful master, Su Mei, slowly knelt before the green-clad woman. Today, Su Mei wore a long red dress. As she smoothed the back of her skirt and gradually lowered herself, her perfect figure, hidden beneath the long dress, became subtly apparent.

At this moment, Xiao Xixi, standing behind Su Mei, saw the rounded, peach-like curves beneath her master’s fiery red skirt. She couldn’t help but imagine that if she were to tap them, they would surely bounce for a long time.

As Xiao Xixi, with a mischievous heart but no courage, pondered the sensation, she heard her beautiful master, now kneeling, speak softly.

“Elder Zhen, I’ve brought my little disciple to see you. Could you please help guide her?”

After Su Mei finished speaking, it was a full four or five seconds before the green-clad woman reluctantly lifted her head from her book. To Xiao Xixi, it felt as if she had just missed out on five million.

After looking at Su Mei, she then surveyed Xiao Xixi, who was hidden behind her, before closing her book and speaking.

“This little fox? Is this the little disciple you mentioned the other day, the one who isn’t a girl?”

Xiao Xixi was surprised that her fox form had been recognized, but she didn’t remain astonished for long.

After all, in the cultivation world, those with profound cultivation could often perceive other information. This green-clad woman, referred to as ‘Elder Zhen’ by her master, must certainly possess considerable cultivation.

However, more than her identity being exposed, Xiao Xixi was curious about what the woman, whom her master called ‘Elder Zhen,’ meant by ‘the little disciple who isn’t a girl.’

As Xiao Xixi pondered in secret, she saw the green-clad woman wave her hand. Immediately, several thick books, as if on autopilot, arrived before Xiao Xixi.

Seeing one heavy ancient text after another, each thicker than ‘3000 Ancient Poems,’ arrayed before her and even taller than herself, Xiao Xixi’s already confused mind grew even more bewildered.

‘What’s going on? Wasn’t I here to cultivate literature? Why does it seem like I’m being told to move books?’

As Xiao Xixi pondered, the somewhat disheveled Elder Zhen answered her unspoken question.

“Little fox, you have two days to read these books. Once you’ve finished, you’ll know how to become a girl and how to interact with humans.”

Emmmmm, hearing this statement, Xiao Xixi was slightly stunned. Looking at the stack of books as tall as herself, she fell into deep contemplation.

‘Finish these in two days? Even reading ten lines at a glance wouldn’t be enough!’

Just as Xiao Xixi was about to protest the excessive study pressure, she saw her beautiful master, at this very moment, being pulled away by ‘Elder Zhen’ under the guise of sparring, flying off on their swords from the roof of the Literary Cultivation Hall.

Watching the two figures depart, Xiao Xixi couldn’t help but feel a pang of emotion.

Although she had previously understood that ‘cultivation’ in this world was often a hands-off affair, not requiring strict supervision, the current situation still felt… ’emmmmmm, somehow strange.’

****

After watching the two fly away, Xiao Xixi stood呆呆 on the spot, first glancing at the stack of books as tall as herself.

She casually flipped through a few pages, seeing the dense descriptions, many filled with archaic literary phrases, and felt an immediate headache.

After waiting a little longer and seeing no sign of her master or ‘Elder Zhen’ returning, Xiao Xixi closed the ‘first page’ of the ‘first ancient text’ that Elder Zhen had instructed her to read within two days.

As for why Xiao Xixi closed the book? It was because she had quickly calculated in her mind.

Compared to this ‘impossible mission’ left by ‘Elder Zhen,’ which offered no benefits even if completed, she felt it was more important to first solve her brother’s ‘red mission.’

After waiting a little longer, confirming that her master and ‘Elder Zhen’ still showed no signs of returning, and ensuring absolute certainty, Xiao Xixi stealthily crept away, tiptoeing towards the exit.

As she walked towards the entrance, Xiao Xixi felt an immense thrill.

‘Hmm, skipping school on the very first day of cultivation. Emmmmmmmm, this tense yet exhilarating feeling, why is it somewhat addictive?’

‘So stimulating,兮~’