Chapter 37 Part 1

The first thing Jiang Ruan did after returning was, naturally, to visit her precious disciple.

When she arrived back at her small mountain peak, she caught sight of Nan Qingyun practicing her sword forms in the courtyard.

The young woman wore the sect’s black-and-white uniform, a sleek ink-black sword gripped in her hand. Her features were serene and strikingly beautiful, her movements fluid as drifting clouds and flowing water, infused with a sharp, chilling sword intent.

Rather than interrupt, Jiang Ruan paused at the edge to watch.

With time on her hands, she sent a thread of spiritual power to probe Nan Qingyun’s cultivation base.

It was just a casual check, nothing more.

Cultivation was a grueling path, after all. Lu Ning’s experience had shown that even prodigies could stall out at the final hurdle, so Jiang Ruan had no intention of forcing the issue.

Steady, step-by-step progress was more than enough.

Yet the result took her aback.

At some point, Nan Qingyun had broken through to Foundation Establishment!

—No wonder she hadn’t gone to the Academy.

That was the first thought that flashed through Jiang Ruan’s mind once she’d processed it.

She couldn’t help but chuckle wryly.

Why had that been her immediate reaction?

She had no idea when the breakthrough had happened.

Before she could dwell on it further, Nan Qingyun sensed her presence.

Jiang Ruan had been masking her aura, but the probe had been too blatant, giving her away.

No point hiding now.

Jiang Ruan stepped forward with a smile.

Though it had only been a few days, it felt inexplicably like ages had passed.

Perhaps because she’d never spent a night away from home before.

“Qingyun,” Jiang Ruan called softly.

Nan Qingyun’s fingers tightened around the sword hilt, her knuckles paling.

“Shizun…”

In the next instant, she bolted toward her.

Jiang Ruan blinked in surprise.

Bolted toward her?

The hem of her robes fluttered like wind-tossed petals, or the frantic wings of a fledgling bird. For a fleeting moment, Jiang Ruan could almost hear the whisper of fabric against the breeze.

But the astonishment lasted only a heartbeat.

Seeing her little disciple charging straight at her, Jiang Ruan opened her arms on instinct.

They collided in a full, heartfelt embrace.

As warmth bloomed against her chest, Jiang Ruan mused that this must be what they meant by “absence makes the heart grow fonder”… Bah! What on earth was going through her head?

She shoved the stray thought aside.

“Long time no see! Or… well, it’s barely been two days.”

Nestled in those familiar arms, breathing in that comforting scent, Nan Qingyun closed her eyes, her lashes quivering faintly.

“Shizun.”

Jiang Ruan gave her back a gentle pat.

There was a teasing note in her voice. “Feels like one little trip away, and you’ve turned into a total clinger.”

Right now, Nan Qingyun reminded her of an insecure kitten, mewling plaintively as it flung itself into its owner’s lap— coquettishly demanding to know why she’d stayed away for two whole days.

The image was so endearing that Jiang Ruan’s smile widened.

Comparing one’s disciple to a pet might not be entirely proper, but from a certain angle, Nan Qingyun really did fit the bill.

Nan Qingyun clung to her even tighter.

“This disciple… missed Shizun.”

With that, she buried her face deeper, her earlobes glowing scarlet.

Jiang Ruan stroked her hair. “I missed you too.”

Nan Qingyun stirred ever so slightly. Just as Jiang Ruan thought that was it, a soft whisper escaped her: “Really?”

It was too adorable—Jiang Ruan’s heart melted!

“Of course it’s true,” she assured her instantly.

Nan Qingyun’s grip on Jiang Ruan’s robes clenched, then eased after a moment.

Her earlobes burned like embers, her heart hammering wildly. She feared Shizun might hear it thundering away.

Thankfully, she didn’t seem to notice.

Nan Qingyun took her words at face value.

True or not, if Shizun said it, she believed it.

Two days wasn’t long, objectively speaking.

She’d never been the type to grow attached to others.

But Shizun was different.

She couldn’t yet put her finger on why, but Nan Qingyun knew one thing: she didn’t want to be apart from her for long. Not even two days.

A master and disciple belonged together, didn’t they?

The pair lingered in their embrace, heedless of the world around them.

Nan Qingyun showed no sign of pulling away, so Jiang Ruan held on.

She didn’t mind in the least.

Girls being affectionate was perfectly natural—especially master and disciple. Far from odd, it filled Jiang Ruan with profound satisfaction.

At last, their bond had truly taken root.

Her disciple was finally relying on her.

Hooray.

Jiang Ruan walked along in a daze, idly toying with Nan Qingyun’s hair.

Nan Qingyun’s gaze flickered slightly. She shifted her head to make it easier for Jiang Ruan.

Jiang Ruan didn’t notice.

After a moment, Jiang Ruan belatedly realized how much time had passed and spoke up. “Um, shall we sit down and talk?”

Nan Qingyun lowered her eyes before pulling away.

Jiang Ruan led her back into the room, then got to the point. “You’ve advanced?”

Nan Qingyun nodded. “Yes, Disciple has reached the Foundation Establishment realm.”

Jiang Ruan asked, “When did that happen?”

She remembered that Nan Qingyun had shown no signs of it before she left.

Nan Qingyun replied, “The day Shizun left.”

…Oh.

Jiang Ruan said helplessly, “What a coincidence.”

Nan Qingyun nodded lightly.

It was also tied to her state of mind.

That day, when Shizun headed to the Shen Family, Nan Qingyun had wanted to go along but was dissuaded.

Jiang Ruan had hoped she would focus on her cultivation, and Nan Qingyun could neither disobey nor bear to go against her orders. So she buried herself in practice.

She had to grow stronger.

Perhaps that mindset spurred her spiritual power, because signs of a breakthrough appeared in Nan Qingyun’s realm that very day.

Breaking through to Foundation Establishment didn’t require facing a Thunder Tribulation, but it demanded a massive surge of spiritual power to assault the spiritual base. The slightest carelessness could lead to disaster, so it was no small matter.

Fortunately, Nan Qingyun’s will was steadfast, and she ran into no trouble.

Jiang Ruan felt a pang of guilt. “You were pushing through to Foundation Establishment, and I wasn’t there with you.”

Nan Qingyun shook her head gently. “It’s nothing. Disciple knows Shizun had important matters. Besides, it was only Foundation Establishment.”

Jiang Ruan protested, “How can you say that? I want to witness every step of your progress.”

She spoke lightly and with utter conviction, oblivious to the waves her words stirred in Nan Qingyun’s heart.

Nan Qingyun’s eyelashes quivered. “…You will.”

Jiang Ruan blinked. “Hm?”

Nan Qingyun drew in a slow breath. “In the future, you will.”

She lifted her gaze to Jiang Ruan, her ink-black eyes brimming with earnest resolve. “From now on, every one of Disciple’s advancements will happen at Shizun’s side.”

She made no demand for Jiang Ruan to stay with her. Instead, she flipped it entirely, offering herself up wholly to Jiang Ruan.

Jiang Ruan’s heart melted.

She curved her eyes in a smile. “Sometimes unexpected things come up, though. It’s fine.”

Nan Qingyun caught the underlying meaning.

“Then Disciple will suppress my realm until Shizun returns.”

No matter how long it took, she would wait.

Jiang Ruan stared, then chuckled helplessly. “You…”

She shook her head with a laugh. “Silly, advancing comes first—no question.”

Nan Qingyun pursed her lips. “But Shizun is just as important.”

Jiang Ruan’s heart swelled with emotion.

Nan Qingyun raised her eyes to Jiang Ruan, a soft tide rising in her ink-dark depths—like the misty rains of Jiangnan.

As if all the frost and snow in her gaze had melted into gentle drizzle.

“Shizun… may Disciple do this?”

Before such eyes, Jiang Ruan couldn’t utter a word of refusal.

She nodded at once. “Yes, of course!”

Only then did Nan Qingyun truly relax.

Offhandedly, she asked, “Shizun stayed at the Shen Family for two days this time. Did something happen?”

Jiang Ruan recounted her experiences.

Nan Qingyun’s brows furrowed faintly. “A Devil Cultivator?”

Jiang Ruan was actually concerned that Nan Qingyun might be triggered or act rashly. Devil Cultivators hadn’t appeared in ages, and with fresh leads now, she worried Nan Qingyun might not hold herself back from hunting one down.

Jiang Ruan said, “Yeah, but she got away. No idea what trick she pulled. The Sect Leader’s probably working on plans and countermeasures right now.”

Nan Qingyun pressed her lips together, her expression turning solemn.

Jiang Ruan hurried to reassure her. “It’s okay. If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. Mirror Moon Sect has the Sect Leader—we don’t need to fret too much.”

She was utterly laid-back about it.

The corners of Nan Qingyun’s lips curved ever so slightly.

Jiang Ruan grinned along with her. “The culprit’s already bolted, after all. Best we can do is figure out how to track her down.”

Nan Qingyun nodded.

Then she asked, “So… what gift did Shizun pick for Lu Ning?”

Jiang Ruan paused and glanced at Nan Qingyun.

The other girl had lowered her eyes to her sword tassel, fingers lightly caressing the ink jade—which only made her own hand look even more porcelain-pale.

Nan Qingyun was putting on a casual front, but her subtle tension gave her away.

Jiang Ruan couldn’t help smiling. “Relax—I kept my promise. No sword tassel.”

Nan Qingyun’s lips pressed together.

Jiang Ruan went on, “I got her a spirit pet.”

Nan Qingyun looked up. “A spirit pet?”

Jiang Ruan nodded. “She loves little animals, and plus…”

Lu Ning’s personality seemed somewhat incompatible with humans. She preferred to keep to herself, her temperament rather peculiar.

A spirit pet should be able to keep her better company.

Nan Qingyun was puzzled. “What?”

Jiang Ruan replied, “Nothing. I just gave her a spirit pet.”

Nan Qingyun’s fingers twitched slightly. She lowered her gaze and murmured in acknowledgment.

She sensed that something had happened between Shizun and Lu Ning—something she didn’t know about.

The mere possibility set her heart ablaze, like hot oil splashing onto tender flesh, scorching it until it curled inward.

Nan Qingyun kept her eyes downcast, absently stroking the sword tassel as if the motion could untangle her jumbled thoughts.

A moment later, she posed another question. “Has Lu Ning reached Foundation Establishment?”

Jiang Ruan shook her head. “Not yet.”

Nan Qingyun was visibly stunned. “She hasn’t?”

Jiang Ruan nodded.

It took Jiang Ruan a beat to catch on.

Logically speaking, Lu Ning’s progress should have kept pace with Nan Qingyun’s—or even pulled ahead at first.

Now that Nan Qingyun had achieved Foundation Establishment, why had there been no movement from Lu Ning?

Jiang Ruan couldn’t help recalling the conversation she’d had with Lu Ning back at the Shen Family.