Chapter 5

Accompanying that furious shout came a piercing whoosh through the air.

Lu Mingyi’s icy expression flickered, but her cultivation had fallen too far. By the time she reacted, the floor around the disciples who had mocked her earlier was already pockmarked with craters.

Qiankun Pavilion stored treasures from cultivators across the world, so it naturally spared no expense on defenses and security. Never mind the countless talismans and formations laid throughout the building—even the flooring was made of priceless Profound Turtle shell. Since Qiankun Pavilion had opened, no one had ever dared cause trouble here.

This sudden outburst startled the onlookers, who scattered in all directions.

Standing at the eye of the storm, Lu Mingyi stared at the craters and thought silently, These are going to cost a fortune to repair.

“Chen Qinghe, if you have the guts, repeat what you just said!”

A gust of wind dispersed the rising dust. Shen Mingzheng was wreathed in a ribbon of scarlet silk, the fiery glow intensifying the blaze in her phoenix eyes.

Who else in Qiankun Pavilion could act so brazenly but the young miss of the Shen Family?

Chen Qinghe, who had been lording over Lu Mingyi moments ago, lost the flush of anger from her face, revealing her naturally pale complexion. As Shen Mingzheng strode forward, she stammered, “Sh-Shen Mingzheng! I… You wouldn’t dare lay a hand on me?!”

Shen Mingzheng sneered, her fury only burning brighter. “What’s there to fear? Spreading rumors behind a fellow disciple’s back is one thing, but when have Taiqing Sect’s peak masters and elders ever been fair game for your mockery? What did the Chen Family teach you about propriety?!”

With that, the red silk coiled around her flared even brighter, clearly poised to strike.

Lu Mingyi realized Shen Mingzheng was beyond furious the moment she summoned the Vermilion Flame Silk. She’d figured her friend would just chew out Chen Qinghe and her cronies, but it looked like she meant to throw down for real.

Shen Mingzheng never used to defend the elders like this, Lu Mingyi thought.

As the Vermilion Flame Silk lashed out, Lu Mingyi fully drew Gu Li.

Spiritual energy surged through her dantian, making the sword gleam fiercely—outshining even the Vermilion Flame Silk. With a few deft sword techniques, Lu Mingyi deflected its immense force with a light touch, redirecting the attack.

Though her movements appeared effortless and graceful, the collision sent a jolt of searing pain through her palms. With her injuries still fresh, channeling spiritual energy now also tore at her meridians.

The consequences of her fallen cultivation were all too clear in that moment.

Before Lu Mingyi could dwell on it, Shen Mingzheng rushed over and grabbed her clothes. Her stunning face was shadowed with suppressed rage and gloom. “What are you doing, jumping in like that?”

“A’Zheng,” Lu Mingyi said, enduring the pain in her meridians as she drew a breath. She called out to her, “Sect rules forbid disciples from fighting without permission. Let the sect handle their backbiting. If you strike first, you’ll be the one punished.”

She blinked and smiled. “Besides, no need to get so violent!”

As Lu Mingyi finished, she felt Shen Mingzheng’s grip tighten on her clothes.

She knew all too well that talking her down when her temper flared took real effort.

So Lu Mingyi smiled patiently, soothing her without a care that her neatly pressed sect robes were now a wrinkled mess in Shen Mingzheng’s hands.

Shen Mingzheng’s eyes were a light, amber hue—almost a brilliant yellow.

Right now, they churned not just with anger, but a swirl of other complex emotions. Lu Mingyi noticed, but couldn’t quite place them.

When did her eyes start holding all this complexity? she wondered.

After a long standoff, Shen Mingzheng huffed coldly, released Lu Mingyi’s clothes, and shoved her back a step. “You’re right.”

Then, she slowly lifted her gaze to Chen Qinghe and her followers, who had been frozen in place since the start. She drawled deliberately, “Everything you said just now? I’ll report it word for word to your masters… and to the Long Rainbow Sword Venerable.”

Chen Qinghe was a talisman cultivator, whose combat prowess generally outstripped pill cultivators. Unfortunately, Shen Mingzheng not only outranked her in cultivation but wielded a top-grade natal artifact in the Vermilion Flame Silk.

The Chen Family was a major clan in the Cultivation World, but it paled in comparison to the Shen Family.

Having been caught badmouthing someone and nearly beaten for it, Chen Qinghe and her two lackeys didn’t dare provoke Shen Mingzheng further. Yet they couldn’t stomach the public humiliation, so they pinned the blame squarely on Lu Mingyi, the “culprit.”

Lu Mingyi could guess Chen Qinghe’s train of thought with her eyes closed: Shen Mingzheng was just “bullying” them to vent for her social-climbing friend.

Chen Qinghe was a classic clan disciple. When they first joined the sect, she’d assumed Lu Mingyi wasn’t from a major family and tried to recruit her.

But Lu Mingyi had been raised in the Shen Family since childhood, making her practically one of their own. She naturally rebuffed the overture. Humiliated, Chen Qinghe had since taken every chance to sneer that Lu Mingyi was a social climber.

And after Lu Mingyi’s cultivation began regressing, Chen Qinghe had grown even bolder.

Lu Mingyi met Chen Qinghe’s resentful glare without flinching. Once the commotion died down, she remembered she was here to pick up an order.

“What are you doing at Qiankun Pavilion?” Over there, Shen Mingzheng stowed the Vermilion Flame Silk, summoned the manager to handle the aftermath, then fixed Lu Mingyi with a stare.

Lu Mingyi was about to say, “Picking up an order. Didn’t expect to run into this mess.”

“You needed it so badly? Have Qiankun Pavilion deliver to Jin Ji Pavilion. Why come yourself?” Shen Mingzheng scoffed lightly, shaking her head as she beckoned Lu Mingyi. “Got it? Let’s head back together.”

“Not yet, one moment.” Lu Mingyi figured without the interruption, she’d have grabbed it and been on her way. “Oh right, A’Zheng, this is for you.”

She pulled an antique gift box from her Storage Ring and handed it over. “Thanks for refining those pills for me.”

“Falling Jade Pavilion?” Shen Mingzheng recognized it at a glance. Few jewelry shops in the Cultivation World caught her eye, and Taiqing City’s Falling Jade Pavilion was one of the rare exceptions.

“For me?” Though phrased as a question, Shen Mingzheng took the box without hesitation.

Seeing her cradle it in her palm without opening it, Lu Mingyi asked, “Not going to see what’s inside?”

Shen Mingzheng huffed a laugh. “I’ll look later.”

As the gloom lifted from that beautiful face, revealing her usual radiance, Lu Mingyi swallowed the quip, Then why not store it in your Storage Ring?

At least Shen Mingzheng seemed in a good mood now. No need to push it.

“You here for a pickup too?” Lu Mingyi asked casually. In her memory, Shen Mingzheng only came to Qiankun Pavilion for entertainment; otherwise, she’d have things delivered straight to Taiqing Sect.

But Shen Mingzheng didn’t answer right away. After a pause, she said, “Some other business. Don’t worry about it.” Then, quickly adding, “How long is your punishment this time?”

It was just small talk, but Lu Mingyi caught the odd pause without overthinking it. “One month.”

Shen Mingzheng nodded, glancing at her. “My aunt’s heading to the Mortal Realm soon. You’ve always talked about Jinling City down there, right? When you’re out, we’ll go together.”

“Really?” Lu Mingyi’s eyes lit up. She lunged forward and hugged her. “Yay, big sis! Hanging with you is the best!”

She had mentioned Jinling a few times.

As a child, her mothers had taken her there once—one of her few memories tied to her parents. She’d even thought that if her cultivation fully dissipated, settling in Jinling for a peaceful life wouldn’t be bad.

Caught in the sudden embrace, a faint blush colored Shen Mingzheng’s fair face. “Lu Mingyi! What kind of decorum is this in public?!” She shoved at her a few times.

The two bickered and tussled as always. Then a servant girl hurried over, presenting an exquisite box to Lu Mingyi. “Greetings, Young Miss. Lu miss, here’s the immortal grass and talismans you ordered.”

“Thank you.” Lu Mingyi accepted it politely.

“Immortal grass and talismans?” Shen Mingzheng’s willow brows furrowed. “Why come all the way to Qiankun Pavilion for these? And what do you need talismans for?”

“Gifts. My senior sisters have been taking care of me these days—they even called in friends from Medicine Peak.” Lu Mingyi explained offhandedly, sharing her plans. “A few talismans for my junior sister too. She got punished because of me; gotta make it up to her.”

She stowed the box in her Storage Ring, only to see Shen Mingzheng’s earlier smile replaced by a shadow.

“What’s wrong?” Lu Mingyi asked, puzzled.

Shen Mingzheng just let out an awkward, chilly laugh before turning away. “Nothing! Aren’t you leaving?”

“I’m not heading back to the sect yet. Need to grab a few more things.” Lu Mingyi quickened her pace to catch up. “You sure you’re okay? Not feeling well?”

“Handle your business and go. Stop bothering me!”

Lu Mingyi could always tell if Shen Mingzheng was just sulking or truly angry. Seeing real ire now, she couldn’t just walk away confused. But before she could say more, Shen Mingzheng mounted the Vermilion Flame Silk and flew off.

Her temper’s getting harder and harder to figure out… Lu Mingyi shook her head helplessly at the receding figure.

But just as she’d nearly forgotten about that eerie voice, it whispered in her ear once more:

【Heh, giving gifts to this one, returning favors to that—even the Shen Family isn’t enough. So adept at schmoozing, truly obsessed with climbing high branches!】