Uncanny Immortal 26

Chapter 26

Then why do you always look at me?

As always, her tone was as light as a cloud and as gentle as the wind, but Xie Qingzheng felt ripples spread across the lake of her heart.

“I… I… do I?”

A flush of heat rose to her cheeks. Her gaze darted away, and she quickly replayed every moment she had spent with Mo Jiangxue in her mind.

When her master played the qin under the plum tree, she should have been listening attentively to the music, but her gaze would involuntarily linger on her cold, beautiful face. When her master practiced calligraphy and painted at her desk, she would quietly grind the ink by her side. At first, she would look at the characters and paintings on the paper, but as she looked, her eyes would always slide towards her master. When her master fed the cranes in the plum grove, she would walk over and stand behind her, not looking at the cranes, but at the person feeding them…

It seemed she really had let her gaze linger on her too much…

It was as if some terrible little habit had been exposed in public. Embarrassment, shame—a host of feelings welled up in her heart. Xie Qingzheng stammered for a long time, finally managing to squeeze out a few stumbling and disjointed explanations:

“You are my master and elder. When you speak… I naturally have to look at you… And on a daily basis, I also have to pay more attention to you, to see if you have any instructions…”

Hearing this, Mo Jiangxue stared at Xie Qingzheng, said nothing, and let out a soft laugh.

The laugh was very light, like a spring breeze on her face, gentle and with a hint of an imperceptible tease.

Xie Qingzheng’s cheeks grew even hotter, almost burning.

She secretly glanced up and saw that her face was hidden by the indistinct white gauze.

She couldn’t see her expression, making her thoughts even more inscrutable.

Xie Qingzheng’s heart was filled with mixed feelings. There was the embarrassment of being exposed, and also a trace of inexplicable secret joy—

She lowered her head slightly and said softly, “Master, you looked at me too… If you hadn’t looked at me, how would you have known that I was always looking at you?”

Mo Jiangxue’s gaze fell on the two on the field. She said nonchalantly, “You are my disciple. I naturally have to look at you, pay attention to you, to see if you need guidance.”

She repeated Xie Qingzheng’s words, speaking them in a rigid and serious manner.

The two on the field were fighting fiercely. Xie Qingzheng heard the shouts, looked up, and focused on watching, not daring to chat with Mo Jiangxue any longer.

She knew her master was teasing her, and as she savored the words “you are my disciple,” she couldn’t help but be distracted, her heart beating a little faster.

Those words circled in her mind, refusing to leave. A three-part joy bloomed in her heart, which eased her nervousness.

With a bang, the evil cultivator in the center of the field fell to the ground, unable to get up.

A chorus of cheers erupted from the field:

“Well done!”

“Elder Jin is mighty!”

“We won!!!”

“Teach you unorthodox practitioners the power of the orthodox Xuanmen techniques!”

Xie Qingzheng looked closely and saw the usually solemn and stern woman on the field standing proudly in the fierce wind, her clothes whipping about. She threw her head back and let out a long laugh, as if expelling all the foul air from her heart, revealing a bit of a generous and heroic spirit.

Cheers rose and fell, echoing through the clouds.

Xie Qingzheng was infected by the enthusiastic atmosphere and couldn’t help but applaud.

No matter if Elder Jin Suchen would beat her, scold her, or even kill her in the future, at this moment, she sincerely admired her.

Her gaze inadvertently swept over Mu Zifu, and Xie Qingzheng saw a bit of joy on Mu Zifu’s face as well.

Mu Zifu sensed Xie Qingzheng’s gaze and looked over.

Their eyes met.

The bit of joy on Mu Zifu’s face instantly turned to disgust.

The smile on Xie Qingzheng’s face also froze.

They looked at each other with mutual dislike.

Mu Zifu glared at her fiercely, as if to say, “What are you looking at!” then turned her gaze away.

Xie Qingzheng let out a “tch” in her heart and also turned her gaze away.

The first round, the Xuanji Sect won, and their morale was greatly boosted.

Yan Ling fanned her folding fan vigorously and said in a loud voice, “I admire you! The Xuanji Sect truly lives up to its name as the orthodox Xuanmen. Elder Jin truly lives up to her name as the head of a peak, beating my servant who sweeps the floor and empties the chamber pots to a pulp!”

That evil cultivator was clearly a powerful figure, but in her mouth, he had become a servant who swept the floor and emptied the chamber pots.

She said this because she had lost the match and was angry, so she insulted both sides, both belittling the evil cultivator who had lost and also humiliating Jin Suchen.

The Peak Master of Green Pine Peak, Mu Qingdai, had always been unrestrained in her words and actions and had never overly restricted the speech and behavior of the disciples of her sect. Therefore, the cultivators of the Green Pine Peak lineage were not as refined and courteous as those of the other peaks. Hearing this, they immediately started cursing, “A dog’s mouth can’t spit out ivory!”

“Sore loser!”

“Empty your grandfather’s chamber pot!”

Just as the two sides were about to fall into another round of cursing, Mo Jiangxue stepped forward and designated a cultivator from the Ten Directions Domain to fight in the second round.

Yan Ling suppressed her anger and looked through the cultivators of the Xuanji Sect.

This time, she didn’t dare to be so arrogant and chose an unknown medical cultivator.

All the medical cultivators of the Xuanji Sect were under Pei Shuxue.

Pei Shuxue’s cultivation was completely destroyed, and she could almost only teach the way of medicine to the disciples of her sect. She also disliked seeing people, so the cultivators who entered her sect usually only saw her once, on the day of their initiation ceremony. She would give everyone a copy of the Nine Needles Heart Method and let the medical cultivators of her sect study it on their own, seeking guidance only when they encountered difficulties.

She had only taken one personal disciple, Suwen.

Most of the time, it was Suwen who guided the medical cultivators of her sect. As for the sword techniques and the way of the sword for fighting enemies, they were taught by Xiao Wangqing or Min He.

In the Xuanji Sect, some cultivators who were not qualified to become the Sect Master’s disciple, but very much wanted to, would find another way and become medical cultivators, entering Pei Shuxue’s sect, which was equivalent to entering the Sect Master’s sect.

The medical cultivator Yan Ling had chosen was gentle in nature and devoted to the way of medicine, not skilled in fighting.

After being designated to fight, her face turned red, and she slowly stood up, her face full of resistance. After a moment’s hesitation, she still walked to Mo Jiangxue, her voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz, and saluted. “Elder…”

Mo Jiangxue returned the salute with a nod and instructed her softly, “A sword discussion match is only about winning and losing, not life and death. Just do your best.”

She had specifically given this instruction, as if she were worried that this little medical cultivator would disregard her own life for the sake of the sect’s reputation.

The medical cultivator sensed her thoughtfulness, bowed again, and replied with a trembling voice, “Yes…”

The second match began.

The strength of the two sides was not too disparate, but the evil cultivator from the Ten Directions Domain had a slightly higher cultivation and was experienced in combat. After ten moves, he had beaten the little medical cultivator to the point where she had no room to fight back and could only barely defend herself.

The second match was not a duel between masters like the first. After a hundred rounds, the situation became clearer, and the onlookers had already guessed the outcome.

The demons of the Ten Directions Domain whispered to each other, looked at each other with joy, their faces filled with the triumph of impending victory.

The cultivators of the Xuanji Sect had grave expressions, looked at each other with worry, their anxiety palpable.

Xie Qingzheng stared at the situation on the field and also frowned.

That senior medical cultivator was probably fighting on with a sense of duty not to fail her mission. She was knocked down again and again, but she got up again and again.

This was not a spar between fellow disciples, where they could stop after a clear winner and loser. As long as she could stand up, she had to continue fighting.

After two hundred moves, her body was covered in wounds, and her clothes were stained with blood, a gruesome sight.

The cultivators of the Xuanji Sect frowned, their hearts filled with pity. They wanted to shout, “Forget it, just admit defeat,” but they bit their lips and didn’t dare to make a sound.

This battle concerned Elder Mo’s future and the Xuanji Sect’s reputation. The words “admit defeat” could not be said lightly.

Xie Qingzheng’s heart ached. Her eyes filled with tears, and she sighed heavily. She looked around and saw that Yan Ling’s gaze was once again lingering on the cultivators of the Xuanji Sect, as if she were preparing to choose the next opponent.

Who will she choose this time?

As she was pondering, her gaze suddenly met those cunning eyes.

Yan Ling was staring at Xie Qingzheng.

Xie Qingzheng’s scalp tingled. She wiped the tears from her eyes and secretly thought, This is bad. A bad premonition arose in her heart.

Just then, she heard a shout from the field. The evil cultivator from the Ten Directions Domain suddenly erupted, striking down with his palm at the head of the little medical cultivator from the Xuanji Sect—

It was a killing move!

The cultivators of the Xuanji Sect’s expressions changed drastically. They cursed, “Shameless!”

“Stop!”

“No killing blows!”

Just as everyone was about to fly out to intervene, another sharp note from a qin was heard. The evil cultivator’s palm was halfway there when he was sent flying by a fierce wave of qi. His attack was instantly broken, and his whole body was thrown backward.

The people of the Xuanji Sect flew forward, caught the little medical cultivator, and transferred qi to heal her, followed by another round of angry curses.

Mo Jiangxue held her qin and said nothing, looking at Yan Ling.

The face under the white gauze was probably not looking very good.

Xie Qingzheng, standing beside her, seemed to feel the coldness radiating from her.

Yan Ling’s beautiful brows furrowed slightly.

Xie Qingzheng took a step forward and said coolly, “A spar has its rules. A win is a win, a loss is a loss. Why the need for a killing blow? If this is how you fight, then it’s better not to fight at all!”

“Esteemed immortal masters, please calm your anger.” Yan Ling sighed, lightly fanned her folding fan, and walked to the evil cultivator. “He cultivates the evil path and can’t always control his baleful energy. He has to kill someone every three days.”

She explained it lightly, as if killing people was a common occurrence for them.

“Tell me, when is a bad time to kill someone? You just had to kill someone at this time, making me lose face in front of the esteemed immortal masters… You deserve to die, you deserve to die…”

The moment the word “die” was spoken, Yan Ling closed her folding fan and lightly tapped the evil cultivator on the head twice with the handle.

With a soft crack, the evil cultivator’s eyes widened. He let out a muffled grunt, and blood flowed from his seven orifices. His skull was shattered, and he died instantly.

Xie Qingzheng had not expected her to kill him directly. She stared, thinking: This group of evil demons, they kill without batting an eye. They are truly ruthless!

The cultivators of the Xuanji Sect saw Yan Ling kill a subordinate in a few words, her actions decisive and ruthless. Their curses were momentarily stuck in their throats, and they didn’t dare to say any more.

The members of the Ten Directions Domain didn’t even dare to breathe, afraid that Yan Ling, in her bad mood, would kill another person to vent her anger.

Both sides fell silent. Yan Ling said with a half-smile, “Immortal Master Mo, in a martial arts competition, it was his fault for using a killing blow. I have already killed him to atone. But in the second round, it is a fact that your side was no match for ours. We will deal with one thing at a time. The second round, you lost. Do you admit it?”

Mo Jiangxue was as sparing with her words as gold. “I admit it.”

Yan Ling smiled. “Good, straightforward! Then, the third round—” She turned to look at Xie Qingzheng. “You will be the one to fight.”

It’s just as I thought…

When she had met Yan Ling’s eyes just now, Xie Qingzheng had had a bad premonition.

She said nothing, turned her head, and looked at Mo Jiangxue.

If her master told her to fight, she would fight. If her master disagreed, she would refuse, even if it meant losing face.

Yan Ling lightly fanned her folding fan and said, “I had originally intended to ask Immortal Master Mo for some pointers on her secret techniques, but with my current skill, to fight against the Immortal Master would be to humiliate myself. I’m sure that ‘a great master produces a great disciple.’ Let the beautiful young lady by your side, Immortal Master, fight on your behalf. How about it?”

Hearing this, Mu Zifu’s face turned pale, her expression a mix of anxiety, anger, and frustration.

The last round, one battle to decide the winner. Her life and safety were all in Xie Qingzheng’s hands.

She had just beaten her up, so she naturally knew that Xie Qingzheng’s cultivation was even inferior to her own!

At this moment, she couldn’t help but judge others by her own standards, thinking: This person won’t deliberately lose to the demonic cult to get me killed, will she…

But then she thought: Probably not. If she loses, Mo Jiangxue will have to go to the wildlands with that demoness… Even if not for me, for Mo Jiangxue, she will fight with all her might… But, what’s the use of fighting with all her might? Just like that medical cultivator just now, trash is trash! If you can’t win, you can’t win!

A few female cultivators from Green Pine Peak looked at each other, also thinking, This is bad.

They had just witnessed Xie Qingzheng’s skill today and knew that Xie Qingzheng couldn’t even compare to Junior Sister Zifu.

They didn’t want to see a repeat of the second round, so they whispered a few words in a senior sister’s ear.

That senior sister took a step forward, bowed to Mo Jiangxue, and then to Yan Ling. “I am Ruan Nanxing of Green Pine Peak. Young Master Yan, Junior Sister Qingzheng was injured while out on training a few days ago and has not yet recovered. How about I fight in her place? And, Li Chongdou is a traitor of our sect. I ask Young Master Yan to send him to fight me. This battle will be to the death.”

She was the second senior sister of Green Pine Peak, and Li Chongdou was the first senior brother. With their master in seclusion healing, she had to clean up the sect on her master’s behalf.

Yan Ling smiled. “Miss Ruan has courage. I admire you. But I see that Miss Qingzheng’s complexion is rosy, and she was just chatting and laughing with Immortal Master Mo. The master and disciple were exchanging glances in public. How does that look like she’s injured?”

Her words seemed to have a hidden meaning. Xie Qingzheng didn’t quite understand, but she was sure they weren’t good words, yet she couldn’t quite put her finger on what was wrong.

The phrase “exchanging glances” didn’t seem appropriate for a master and disciple…

She figured that these demonic cult members, living in the wildlands, had not read much and had thus misused the phrase.

Xie Qingzheng was too embarrassed to scold her for not having read much, so she could only rebuke, “You demoness, what nonsense are you spouting? When did I smile?”

It was true that she had been chatting with Mo Jiangxue, and it was true that she had felt a three-part joy in her heart just now, but at that moment, how could she have smiled?

Yan Ling covered her lips with her fan and smiled. “Oh, why are you in such a hurry to deny it? You are master and disciple. It’s understandable to be a little closer, a little more affectionate. It’s just that I had originally thought that only we people of the wildlands didn’t care about ethics and etiquette. I never thought that the renowned Cloud Melody, Flowing Frost of the immortal sects—”

Xie Qingzheng was completely confused. What was all this about? How did it get to be about worldly ethics?

Most of the cultivators on the field, like Xie Qingzheng, didn’t understand her hidden meaning. Only a few older, more experienced cultivators knew what she was implying. They were immediately furious, drew their swords, and cursed, interrupting her, “You little demoness! A scholar can be killed but not insulted! Watch your words!”

“After insulting Elder Jin, you’re now insulting Elder Mo. Will you ever stop?!”

Seeing that she had angered them, Yan Ling lightly fanned her folding fan and put on the innocent and coquettish air of a young girl again, her expression pleased. She said, “I just said a few jokes, and you’re already angry? Are we still going to have the third round or not?”

Only then did Mo Jiangxue speak. “We will.”

She was neither angry nor impatient. She looked at Xie Qingzheng and said calmly, “The third round, you’re up.”

Xie Qingzheng saluted. “Disciple accepts the command.”

Ruan Nanxing at the side frowned with worry. “Elder Mo, the last battle is very crucial. Should we reconsider…”

Jin Suchen grabbed Xie Qingzheng’s wrist and probed her dantian’s cultivation. Her willow-leaf brows shot up, and a trace of anger flashed in her eyes. She rebuked in a low voice, “Have you been slacking off for these three years? You’ve only grown taller but not in cultivation?!”

Being scolded so unreasonably, Xie Qingzheng let out a silent snort in her heart, withdrew her hand, and also withdrew the admiration she had just felt.

Mo Jiangxue defended her, “There is a reason, and it has to do with me. Don’t blame her. I will explain it to you later.”

Jin Suchen snorted coldly and shot a vicious glare at Xie Qingzheng.

That look clearly meant, “If you lose, you’d better slit your own throat.”

Xie Qingzheng had no time to care about everyone’s opinions at the moment. She asked Mo Jiangxue in a low voice, “Master, what did that demoness mean just now?”

Mo Jiangxue did not answer.

“Alright, I’ll go first. I’ll ask you again after this match is over.”

Xie Qingzheng drew her personal sword and flew to the center of the square.

Author’s Note:

Little Xie (seriously asking for guidance): Master, what did that demoness mean?

Mo Jiangxue (knows a lot, but won’t say): ………………

Experienced Cultivator: It means you two have a thing!