Chapter 49: An Unexpected Breakthrough and a Schoolhouse Skirmish

After finishing their last candied hawthorn skewer, the two settled onto the stone table and benches beneath the old locust tree.

More accurately, Hua Yan had pulled Yun Xueshang over. Before each of them sat a cup of tea, for, as Hua Yan explained, candied hawthorn was a sweet treat, and after something sweet, one always needed tea to cut through the richness.

“Yan’er, there’s actually something about our trip to Great Chu that quite surprised me.”

Yun Xueshang spoke, taking a shallow sip from the teacup she held in one hand.

“Oh? Are you referring to Zhao Mingyuan’s matter? Why bring it up only after we’ve left Chu?”

Hua Yan, sitting opposite her, was far more particular. She first observed the tea’s color, then inhaled its fragrance, before taking a small, appreciative sip. Satisfied, she then drank deeply from the fine tea in her cup.

“No, that’s not it. The fact that the Chu Emperor Zhao Mingyuan was the mastermind behind the demonic cultivation incident was indeed astonishing, but that’s not what I wanted to discuss.”

Yun Xueshang set down her teacup, her gaze slightly lowered.

“I meant, the fact that no one suffered any casualties during this demon-slaying expedition was truly unexpected.”

“?”

“What do you mean?”

Hua Yan held her teacup, her face a mask of confusion, utterly bewildered.

“With your cultivation and swordsmanship, coupled with the expertise of fellow Daoists Qu and Lin, how could there possibly be any casualties in such an ordinary demon-slaying mission? Encountering a Nascent Soul demonic cultivator like Zhao Mingyuan was already an extremely rare accident, wasn’t it?”

“Logically, yes. But this was, after all… a demon-slaying mission I participated in.”

“What do you mean ‘you participated’? What difference does your involvement make?”

Hua Yan grew even more perplexed.

“In truth, ever since I began cultivating, I’ve encountered danger almost every time I’ve ventured out for training.”

Yun Xueshang looked up at her, speaking earnestly:

“During the Qi Condensation stage, I was attacked by demon beasts and barely escaped with my life.

In the Foundation Establishment stage, several fellow disciples and I accidentally entered a secret realm, facing perilous situations at every turn.

During the Core Formation stage, there was the time my master and I were ambushed by demonic cultivators. Even during my travels ten years ago, I encountered many dangers.”

She paused, her voice softening slightly:

“For this demon-slaying mission, I had prepared for the worst from the start.

I initially thought we would at least encounter a mid-Nascent Soul stage demonic cultivator, and before we departed, I was determined to protect my junior sisters with all my might.

But who would have thought that the one we ultimately faced was merely an early Nascent Soul stage Zhao Mingyuan.”

“Are you implying… you’re upset that this wasn’t unlucky enough?”

Hua Yan’s mouth twitched subtly.

“Precisely.”

Yun Xueshang nodded gently, her voice soft:

“I think perhaps it’s because of Yan’er and Rongrong’s arrival that my actions went so smoothly this time. So, I am truly grateful to you both.”

“Perhaps.”

Hua Yan pursed her lips, clearly half-believing, half-doubting this talk of fortune:

“Didn’t Qu Linglong say it? Rongrong’s Heavenly Favored Dao Body brings unseen good luck to those close to her? Maybe she’s the one who turned your luck around.”

“But if you ask me, with the intelligence we have on Rongrong, even if two more Zhao Mingyuans appeared, we’d still beat them until they couldn’t find north!”

Seeing her face alight with confidence, Yun Xueshang couldn’t help but nod with a smile:

“Yes, you’re right.”

A hint of warmth spread across her usually cool features:

“I only hope that in the future… my luck will always be as good as it was this time.”

“I will also cultivate diligently to protect both you and Rongrong.”

“…Why are you suddenly saying such mushy things? Who, who needs your protection…”

Hua Yan grumbled, yet her gaze drifted to the side, her cheeks faintly flushed as she merely held her teacup and gulped down its contents.

“Ahem, if you ask me, you’re just overthinking things.”

“Hmm, let’s assume that’s the case.”

Yun Xueshang nodded again, then stood up:

“To be frank, Yan’er, ever since the battle in Yun Jing, I’ve vaguely sensed an opportunity to break through to the Nascent Soul stage.”

“?!”

Hua Yan froze instantly, taken aback by her swift change of topic.

‘No way? She’s breaking through to Nascent Soul so soon?! Ten years ago, my cultivation was still a step ahead of hers! How am I being overtaken now?’

Of course, Hua Yan, filled with disbelief, had in reality hardly cultivated compared to Yun Xueshang, yet she herself felt no problem with this disparity.

“Therefore, Yan’er, I wish to invite you to spar with me once more.”

Yun Xueshang extended her hand towards her, her gaze earnest:

“You possess numerous techniques, and that battle ten years ago greatly benefited me. If I could spar with the you of ten years later now, I might be able to comprehend the key to that breakthrough during our fight.”

“?”

Hua Yan’s eyes lit up, her stunned expression instantly transforming into delight—

‘Hahahahaha! I was just lamenting not having a chance to wash away my past humiliation, and now you’ve delivered yourself right to my doorstep!’

‘Yun Xueshang, just you wait to be utterly convinced by my defeat!’

She immediately reached out and clasped Yun Xueshang’s hand, a bright smile gracing her lips:

“Alright! Then I shall lend you a hand in your breakthrough!”

“Excellent, then we shall head to the sect’s training grounds…”

“Senior Sister Yun! Fellow Daoist Hua! This is terrible—!”

A hurried female voice interrupted Yun Xueshang’s words.

The two turned to look, only to see a gentle maiden with her blue hair styled in a front braid, flying swiftly towards them on a sword glowing with green light.

“This is terrible!—Eh?”

The moment she landed, her gaze fell upon their still-clasped hands.

“I-I… did I interrupt you?”

Lin Qianqian blinked, her tone hesitant.

“No, not at all! We, we weren’t doing anything!”

Hua Yan snatched her hand back, her ear tips slightly red as she loudly protested.

“Mhm mhm~ ‘Weren’t doing anything,’ you say~”

Lin Qianqian’s gossipy expression was written all over her face.

Yun Xueshang blinked, the soft, warm sensation of their clasped hands still lingering on her fingertips. She gently interrupted the two, asking:

“Junior Sister Lin, has something urgent happened? You seem to be in such a hurry.”

“Oh, right! I almost forgot about the important matter!”

Reminded, Lin Qianqian immediately slapped her forehead, her expression turning anxious once more:

“Senior Sister Yun, Fellow Daoist Hua, quickly go to the schoolhouse!”

“Rongrong is fighting with someone there!”

Yun Xueshang & Hua Yan: “???”

***

‘That mischievous girl! I clearly told her this morning to behave herself at the schoolhouse, and in a blink of an eye, she’s already gotten into a fight with someone?’

Hua Yan fumed inwardly as she followed Yun Xueshang, flying on her sword towards the schoolhouse.

‘So eager to cause trouble, she must have been spoiled by the Yun Xueshang of that other world! Just wait until I give her a good scolding!’

She glared at Yun Xueshang, who was flying on her sword beside her. The latter noticed her gaze, turning her head slightly, her clear, crimson eyes showing a hint of confusion.

Before long, the square courtyard of the schoolhouse appeared before the three of them. In the center of the courtyard stood a white-haired old scholar, speaking to a middle-aged cultivator with a displeased expression. Behind the middle-aged cultivator stood a chubby boy, glaring fiercely at the pink-haired girl opposite him—

The pink-haired girl was naturally Hua Xiangrong. With her hands on her hips and puffed-out cheeks, she looked like an indignant little tangyuan, glaring angrily at the boy across from her.

Behind her, a small girl with pale golden long hair, dressed in a goose-yellow ruqun, hid timidly, her small hands tightly clutching Hua Xiangrong’s clothes.

The girl had a pair of long, pale golden ears on her head, which were softly drooping at the moment, covered by her own hands over her eyes. Her ears gently swayed with her slightly trembling body.

“Eh?”

Hua Yan paused slightly.

‘Is that… a little rabbit demon?’