Chapter 4

The Heavenly Dao System’s reminder came a bit too late.

Yan Zhichuan wanted to play dead, but it was already too late.

She couldn’t make out Zhan Yujie’s voice, but she could recognize her figure.

That senior sister who’d been slacking off wasn’t loyal at all—she bolted in a flash, leaving Yan Zhichuan and Zhan Yujie to face each other awkwardly. After a long, dragging pause, Yan finally squeezed out a miserable, “Senior Sister Zhan.”

Her face was thick-skinned, sure, but even she felt a twinge of embarrassment now and then.

Who knew how much Zhan Yujie had overheard? If she tattled to their master and confiscated her novels, that would be a disaster.

“Junior Sister, do you know how to wield a sword?” Zhan Yujie asked.

Yan Zhichuan froze, not understanding why she was asking. But she wasn’t the same girl as yesterday—her eyes shone brightly as she declared loudly, “I do!” Then, with a shout of “Cloud, come!”, she summoned her ride, Cloudy.

The moment Yan said she could, Zhan Yujie breathed a silent sigh of relief, thinking this junior sister wasn’t completely hopeless. But right after, she watched wide-eyed as the artifact Cloudy morphed into sword shape. Yan leaped aboard with a smug grin.

This was wielding a sword?

Zhan Yujie stared at Yan Zhichuan expressionlessly, shoving her budding expectations back down.

“Follow me,” she said.

Yan Zhichuan was completely baffled, like a monk scratching his head in the dark. But Zhan Yujie had spoken, and for the Sword of Nine Abyss, she’d dive into a dragon’s lair or tiger’s den if needed.

But they weren’t heading into danger—they went to Turtle Eggless Peak.

Yan knew this mountain well. Lately, it had been her happy home away from home, but only up to the halfway point.

Any higher, and she couldn’t climb.

She trailed Zhan Yujie all the way to the gale-swept summit, where howling cliff winds battered them. They stopped before a sword wall brimming with dense, chilling sword intent.

Yan shivered and whispered to the system, “Xiao Tian, has my senior sister gone demonic early? Is she gonna silence me?”

The Heavenly Dao System ignored her, fluttering its wings from her shoulder to the top of her head, staring fixedly at Zhan Yujie.

Its original owner, whimper.

Yan was about to tell the system to quit its whiny act when Zhan Yujie’s voice rang out.

“In seven days, we’ll head to Luofu Immortal City. Junior Sister Yan, I hope you can break through to Foundation Establishment Second Layer within that time.”

After a thought, Zhan Yujie changed “third” to “second” on her tongue.

Yan Zhichuan went rigid.

Not seven years—seven days? Something she’d failed at for ten years, now in a week?

“Any problems?” Zhan Yujie asked. “If not, Junior Sister can take out some Dan Sand and cultivate here. The sword wall bears marks left by generations of sword cultivators. As you absorb the Dan Sand and circulate your mana, it might resonate with the wall. Cultivating amid that sword intent will make twice the progress with half the effort.”

Yan felt a headache coming on. She knew about the sword wall on the peak. But resonating with its sword intent meant getting pummeled. Wasn’t swinging her sword by the book every day enough? She sneaked a glance at Zhan Yujie’s calm face and muttered, “Seems like there might be a problem.”

“Hm?” Zhan Yujie raised a brow.

“I-I don’t have any Dan Sand left,” Yan blurted, a stroke of genius. It wasn’t even a lie—she’d burned through her monthly stipend on day one.

Zhan Yujie: “…” She wisely didn’t ask where it went. Frowning, she flicked her sleeve and produced a measure of premium Dan Sand, originally meant for Liu Yanqing of Chongxu Sect. Liu was a direct disciple of a Cave Heaven True Person, but she had senior and junior sisters with better talent, so she got less sect support. Once Liu raised her cultivation, she’d likely let go of this betrothal obsession.

But the trip to Luofu Immortal City in seven days was more pressing.

What if this fragile junior sister died there? That would be bad.

Yan Zhichuan’s sunny, beaming smile froze.

“Senior Sister Zhan, you’ve got elders above and little ones below to feed—don’t waste it on me?” Yan’s eyes darted, her face the picture of sincerity.

Zhan Yujie’s frown deepened. What nonsense?

No more chit-chat. “Cultivate!” she ordered.

Yan choked up.

This grudge… I’m noting it down.

Half a day meditating, absorbing Dan Sand to temper her mana; half a day practicing swordplay.

Zhan Yujie had scheduled it perfectly.

But Yan, the ultimate slacking dead fish, couldn’t handle it. Her free time always started after sword swings—and now, she couldn’t even flop down.

“Senior Sister Zhan, what’s the kitchen serving today?” Yan licked her lips, eyes drifting.

Zhan Yujie: “?”

“I’m hungry,” Yan added.

Zhan gave her a sidelong glare. “Foundation Establishment cultivators don’t need food—it’s just an illusion of hunger. Junior Sister, mortal habits can wait a day.” Seeing Yan’s utterly dejected face, she softened. “Your absorption rate for Dan Sand is impressive. You’ve got real talent.”

Different people had different foundations; Dan Sand absorption varied, so progress speeds differed. After eighteen years in the mountains to reach Foundation Establishment First Layer, Zhan had given up hope on Yan. That measure might not even finish in seven days—the rest could go to Liu Yanqing. But Yan surprised her: she might refine it all in less than a day.

With that aptitude, why only First Layer? What had she been doing all these years?

Zhan’s praise did nothing to motivate Yan.

As she refined the Dan Sand, Yan muttered, “Spirit leek fried goose eggs, roasted spirit pork, braised dragonfish—”

She tuned out everything Zhan said now.

Zhan Yujie: “…” She rubbed her brow. Which cultivator at Nine Abyss Square acted like Yan? Why did Master insist she drag this little troublemaker along? Foundation Establishment First Layer was too weak. Second Layer wasn’t much better, but at least it was comforting.

After enduring half a quarter-hour of Yan’s menu recital, Zhan surrendered. She used her Heaven-Penetrating Treasure Mirror to contact a junior sister working the cafeteria and had a packed meal delivered to Turtle Eggless Peak.

“Thanks, Senior Sister—you’re a saint. Keep being good!” Yan clasped her hands and bowed to Zhan.

Zhan turned away, practicing forms against the sword wall. Her dharma sword unsheathed, a massive kun shadow emerged, spinning up a storm of waves. This was the first form of the Sword of Nine Abyss—Kun Spin.

Yan’s eating paused. “Xiao Tian, copy it quick!”

The Heavenly Dao System snickered coldly: “No energy.”

Yan: “…” She munched happily, eyes glued to Zhan practicing against the wall. The Sword of Nine Abyss danced like a dragon from the abyss—way better than her daily drudgery stoking furnaces and choking on ash.

“Junior Sister Yan, how do you usually practice swordplay?” Zhan asked leisurely once Yan seemed sated, sheathing her blade with a frown.

Yan perked up, drew her dharma sword, twirled a flower pattern, then demonstrated her “sword swings” right in front of Zhan.

Zhan’s expression shifted repeatedly. She wasn’t sure whether to blame Yan’s laziness or the sect leader’s negligence. “Swinging a sword is about finding the feel. You’re at Foundation Establishment—haven’t you sparred with anyone?”

“Huh? How?” Yan asked curiously.

Zhan pulled two wooden swords from her Qiankun Pouch and tossed one to Yan. “Come at me,” she said curtly.

Yan caught it. “Th-this isn’t great, right?”

“Attack.”

The Heavenly Dao System egged her on: “Stay still, and she’ll come at you.”

Fight, fight—see the gap, then ditch the sword immortal dream and die.

“I’m coming?” Yan checked with Zhan, but hesitated. “Senior Sister, suppress your cultivation to Foundation Establishment First Layer.”

“I won’t use mana,” Zhan replied.

Yan’s eyes lit up. Piece of cake?

Zhan was the top of this generation at Nine Abyss. Beat her, and she’d be above the top?

Was the protagonist’s first battle this thrilling? She wasn’t using her senior sister as a stepping stone on purpose—Zhan invited her, hard to refuse.

Yan harbored sweet delusions, gripped the wooden sword, and thrust hard.

Snap! The sword flew from her hand, arcing down.

Yan: “…”

Zhan: “…”

The Heavenly Dao System stifled laughter, fetching the sword back in its beak.

“Again.” Yan’s face flushed as she tried to save face.

But no matter how many times, her sword flew off in one clash.

Zhan took a deep breath and produced a Training Puppet from her Qiankun Pouch.

Surely she won’t drop it against a wooden post?

Reality proved goose-strength couldn’t dodge the Training Puppet‘s mechanical strikes unscathed.

After her sword flew yet again, Yan eyed her swollen palm and flat-out refused more practice.

She could just copy with the Heavenly Dao System—why bother practicing?

The almanac must be wrong today; everything was going south. Should’ve stayed in.

“She’s so mean—totally gone demonic. Tormenting a fellow disciple like this… is she even human? I urge her to be kind,” Yan whined, face crumpled.

Zhan glanced at her calmly. “What was that, Junior Sister?”

She was starting to regret this. Yan’s sword talent was abysmal. She could’ve spent these seven days advancing her own cultivation.

Yan eyed Zhan’s emotionless face and inexplicably felt fear. She shook her head vigorously. “Nothing.” Then, with pleading eyes, “Senior Sister Zhan, I remember now—my dream’s to be a pill refiner! I got no sword talent; swordplay’s a wrong path!”

She watched in terror as Zhan took the sword from the Training Puppet‘s hand.

Then, the wooden sword crumbled to dust, scattering on the wind.

Yan stepped back, afraid she’d be next.

But in a blink, Zhan was back to her breezy, elegant self.

“You’ve got power. Hold on a bit longer, and the puppet’s sword would’ve shattered. But if your heart’s not in it, can’t force it.”

“Junior Sister Yan, I’ll take you to Medicine Peak.”

Yan’s heart settled.

Hallucination earlier? Senior Sister Zhan’s still the understanding one. But Medicine Peak—

Could she skip it?

Yan timidly voiced her request to Zhan.

Zhan “mm”-ed, then added, “Then head back to Nine Abyss Peak yourself.”

Before Yan turned, Zhan handed her several more measures of Dan Sand.

“Senior Sister, this?” Yan looked shocked. Was she about to live off Zhan’s soft rice too?

Zhan smiled faintly. “Junior Sister Yan, I believe with your talent, you’ll hit Second Layer soon.”

No matter what path Yan pursued, in these seven days, she’d force her to advance!