Coercing her would just make her yell for her master.
Tempting her didn’t touch her heart either.
The Heavenly Dao System was utterly helpless against Yan Zhichuan.
Why did this medical prodigy insist on becoming a sword immortal when she had such clear talent?
Couldn’t she just recognize her destiny?
Unable to change Yan Zhichuan’s spiritual roots, the Heavenly Dao System racked its brains for other ways. After a long silence, just before Yan Zhichuan dozed off with a storybook under her pillow, it gritted its teeth and said, “I can let you temporarily learn swordsmanship.”
“Hm?” Yan Zhichuan’s eyes lit up at those words.
“But there’s a condition—you need more contact with Zhan Yujie,” the Heavenly Dao System added. It had originally planned to bind with Zhan Yujie as its host, so there was a faint connection between them. Though an accident had occurred, that link hadn’t broken. If Yan Zhichuan wanted to learn the sword, it could temporarily borrow that connection to copy Zhan Yujie’s swordsmanship for her use. After all, it was just a phantom replica—the more contact, the more authentic it would become.
The Heavenly Dao System explained briefly.
Yan Zhichuan’s eyes widened. “Why can’t I learn it all at once from my master, or from Elder Zhong of Sword Peak?” Among her peers, Zhan Yujie was indeed far ahead, a true standout. But she was only at the Golden Core Stage—below Golden Core was Foundation Establishment, and above lay Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, and Cave Heaven. Why not learn a Cave Heaven dao art directly?
The Heavenly Dao System’s mentality collapsed under Yan Zhichuan’s question. It turned into a puddle of bird droppings and plopped beside her. “Yeah, I’m useless. I’m total trash.”
Yan Zhichuan let out a soft “Ah” and comforted it. “It’s okay. You can work hard later.”
The Heavenly Dao System wilted, falling silent. This world could just end, and it wouldn’t be the worst thing.
The next day, at Pacify All Under Heaven Peak in Nine Abyss Sect.
Zhan Yujie sheathed her sword.
Yesterday, she’d gone to Nine Abyss Peak with her master just to report her plans for experiential training. Normally, informing the sect leader would suffice for such a minor matter, but her master insisted on seeing him in person.
After the topic wrapped up, she’d been saddled with an extra burden—take Yan Zhichuan along.
As the sect leader’s personal disciple, raised in the sect since childhood, she should have some strengths, right? So why was she only at Foundation Establishment First Layer… after more than a decade, barely at the entry level? What had she been doing all this time?
Zhan Yujie had almost no impression of this junior sister. If they were traveling together, she ought to learn what kind of person she was.
Conveniently, a junior sister from Nine Abyss Peak delivered some Dan Sand.
Zhan Yujie accepted it while asking, “Junior Sister Xie, do you know anything about Junior Sister Yan Zhichuan?”
Xie Shimei blinked in surprise. “Who’s that?” A moment later, realization dawned. “Oh, Senior Sister means the Yan Junior Sister under the sect leader?”
Zhan Yujie was puzzled. How come no one on Nine Abyss Peak remembered her? This Yan Junior Sister was so strange. She nodded. “Yes.”
Xie Shimei furrowed her brows, racking her brains for any info on Yan Zhichuan. After a long while, she finally squeezed out, “Junior Sister Yan loves reading storybooks.”
Zhan Yujie waited for more.
But Xie Shimei fell quiet. After an even longer pause, she added, “Loves them a lot. As the sect leader’s personal disciple, she gets plenty of monthly stipend, but she trades it all for storybooks. She doesn’t believe in diligence making up for talent—says enlightenment comes in a flash of insight, and external aids like pills are just worldly distractions.” She paused, then sighed wistfully. “She even sold her Dan Sand for miscellaneous books.”
Dan Sand was condensed essence of heaven and earth vital energy—an indispensable resource for any cultivator. The vital energy within was pure and pristine, ready for direct absorption. Sure, one could draw vital energy straight from the world, but that required Golden Core cultivation to do efficiently, and it needed mana refinement besides—far less convenient than Dan Sand.
In short, Dan Sand was nothing but beneficial.
Xie Shimei couldn’t fathom how Yan Zhichuan had become the sect leader’s personal disciple.
At least that explained the Foundation Establishment First Layer.
Zhan Yujie’s brows knitted tightly, her expression grave as if facing a great foe. She pressed, “What does she do every day?”
Xie Shimei: “Practice sword, read storybooks, sleep.”
Zhan Yujie: “…”
She comforted herself that Yan Zhichuan at least practiced sword—not a complete lost cause.
A bit of ambition, however small, meant there was hope.
“Where does she usually practice?” Zhan Yujie asked next. Not Nine Abyss Square, surely—if so, she’d have remembered her by now, instead of having zero impression.
“Not sure,” Xie Shimei shook her head. “Probably remote, deserted spots. But yesterday I saw her passing Turtle Eggless Peak—maybe she’s there today too?”
“Hm?” Zhan Yujie raised a brow. That place was great for sword practice, with a sword cliff she frequented herself. How had she never spotted Yan Zhichuan? She gave Xie Shimei a cupped-fist salute. “Thanks, Junior Sister.” Then, under her junior sister’s bewildered gaze, she turned into a streak of escaping light and shot toward Turtle Eggless Peak.
But Yan Zhichuan wasn’t practicing sword today.
Not just today—nor tomorrow, nor the day after. She had no plans to.
With no sword dao talent, practice was pointless. Better to wait for Zhan Yujie to do the heavy lifting.
The departure for Luofu Immortal City wasn’t set yet, and it probably wasn’t far. Before then, she needed intel on Zhan Yujie.
“You should toughen your willpower and train pill refinement in the Silent Land—at least produce one Spirit Pill,” the Heavenly Dao System advised, perched as a chubby chirp on Yan Zhichuan’s shoulder in a world-weary tone.
“No way,” Yan Zhichuan refused without thinking. She could copy Zhan Yujie’s swordsmanship—why bother?
After a night of wrangling, the Heavenly Dao System had her number. “Copying Zhan Yujie’s sword arts drains my energy. No pills from you to recharge me, how am I supposed to fetch the swordsmanship?”
“You can eat pills?” Yan Zhichuan blinked, utterly nonchalant. “Worst case, I won’t sell my monthly pills.”
Heavenly Dao System: “Only pills traded through Myriad Treasures Pavilion convert to energy for me.” To head off any schemes, it stressed, “Dao Pills specifically.”
Yan Zhichuan: “…” Should’ve said so earlier—I wouldn’t have agreed to the tasks.
But sword dao—the Sword of Nine Abyss—she had to become a sword immortal!
The Sword of Nine Abyss was Nine Abyss Sect’s foundational treasure manual. Sadly, among this generation, only Zhan Yujie cultivated it.
Yan Zhichuan wanted it too, but forget the first form, Kun Spin—even the sect’s basic entry sword styles eluded her.
Clutching her grand dream of sword immortality, Yan Zhichuan rarely ventured to Nine Abyss Square.
Fearing Fu Shi might catch her practicing, she slunk about sneakily, tugging aside a familiar senior sister. “A word, Senior Sister?”
Though they rarely thought of Yan Zhichuan offhand, seeing her triggered a flood of suppressed memories.
Like that time catching geese together and getting chased off in a rout.
She’d sworn off distractions to focus on cultivation since, but Junior Sister Yan seemed stuck in her pipe dream of ascension.
Yan Zhichuan whispered, “Senior Sister, do you know Senior Sister Zhan from Pacify All Under Heaven Peak?”
The senior sister arched a brow, whispering back, “Looking for Junior Sister Zhan?”
“No, no—just asking!” Yan Zhichuan shook her head like a rattle drum. Zhan Yujie was Golden Core; she was stuck at Foundation Establishment—they weren’t even in the same league. Glancing around to ensure no one was near, she murmured, “I heard Senior Sister Zhan has a betrothed?”
“Yeah, Liu Yanqing from Chongxu Sect,” the senior sister nodded.
Chongxu Sect and Nine Abyss Sect shared deep ties—their founders from the same master, sent down separately to establish sects. The sects were close, with frequent marriages. Zhan Yujie and Liu Yanqing’s betrothal was arranged drunk by Elder Zhong and the neighboring Liu Zhenren.
“Are they close? Any chance to meet?” Yan Zhichuan probed. Childhood betrothals were so clichéd—bound to backfire.
The senior sister’s eyes bulged. She stared at Yan Zhichuan, then earnestly warned, “Junior Sister Yan, give up that crush now. That Liu Dao Friend is Chongxu Sect’s Liu Zhenren’s personal disciple. Talent aside from Zhan Junior Sister, but she’s at Foundation Establishment Triple Layer Realm already.” Way better than a slacker like you. The senior sister grumbled inwardly, seeing Yan Zhichuan’s nonchalance. “Every month, Zhan Junior Sister splits her sect stipend—half to family, half to Liu Dao Friend. Good or not?”
“Really?” Yan Zhichuan paused, then frowned deeply.
So dutiful… She’s tight with family and Liu Yanqing. How to reveal the truth without shattering her dao heart?
“Yeah,” the gossiping senior sister sighed. “Everything handed off like that—for her own needs, she trains out in the wilds, earning with her own hands. Even sends back gains from training—and still hits Golden Core First Layer. Sect role model.”
“Anyway, Junior Sister Yan, chase someone else.” On second thought, the senior sister waved it off. “Eh, never mind. Admiring Zhan Junior Sister’s fine—just spread it around, don’t fixate. Don’t love her. No happy ending.”
Yan Zhichuan froze.
Wait, I was just asking!
“I don’t,” she protested.
The senior sister waved dismissively, all practiced ease. “No need to explain. I’ve talked down a dozen sisters crushing on Zhan Junior Sister. Young and spirited—totally normal!”
Yan Zhichuan: “…” Where’s normal about this?
“I’m just worried Senior Sister Zhan might stray off the righteous path,” Yan Zhichuan mumbled weakly.
The senior sister gaped in shock.
Anyone else, maybe—but Zhan Junior Sister? Hilarious.
“Junior Sister, did you buy that new book from the foot-of-mountain publisher, After My Senior Sister Fell to Demonic Dao, I Brought Her Home? Fine for fun, but ditch the delusions. Lay a hand on Zhan Junior Sister? You’d die for sure.”
Yan Zhichuan’s eyes sparkled—she hadn’t read it. Forgetting her mission instantly, she pressed eagerly, “Haven’t bought it yet! What’s it about? Spoilers? Does the senior sister let the junior sister do whatever?”
The senior sister clammed up, face shifting, winking furiously at Yan Zhichuan.
But Yan Zhichuan… missed it entirely.
“Why stop?” Yan Zhichuan urged.
As she waited, a voice clear as striking jade on ice rang from behind. Yan Zhichuan went rigid.
“Junior Sister Yan.”
The mischievous Heavenly Dao System: “Chirp chirp.”
Zhan Yujie had arrived.
