Chapter 19: After Paying Off the Debt

After “paying off the debt,” it was still early.

Yan Zhichuan wasn’t eager to return. The last time she’d passed through Luofu Immortal City, she’d been living rough—exposed to wind and dew, her back laden with Heavenly Dao texts—for three whole days without getting a proper look at the city’s sights.

She gazed at Zhan Yujie, her eyes pleading. “I want to stroll around. Can we?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she remembered her mission and added, “Senior Sister, don’t you want to take your mind off things?”

I don’t, Zhan Yujie thought.

Her face remained calm as a still ancient well.

But she’d witnessed firsthand how Yan Zhichuan had sweet-talked the shopkeeper with just a few words.

If she didn’t stick with Yan Zhichuan, who knew how many more times her reputation would be tarnished, or how much Pill Jade she’d unknowingly rack up in debt?

She felt uneasy. Just looking at Yan Zhichuan’s face gave her a bad premonition.

If only I could forget this junior sister like before.

Yan Zhichuan said, “Alright then, let’s head out now. First to Green River Bookstore for new books, then to Peace Workshop to listen to some tunes.”

Zhan Yujie hadn’t agreed to this. She asked suspiciously, “Do you even know what Peace Workshop is?”

Yan Zhichuan blinked, stammering, “Isn’t it for listening to music?” In the storybooks, so many places for literary pursuits, listening to tunes, and playing chess were called Peace Workshop.

She figured Zhan Yujie spent all day cultivating, her emotions tied up in her fiancé and his family. If I can help her find some joy of her own, she won’t be so heartbroken, right?

Zhan Yujie took a deep breath.

Just as I thought.

Her expression turned solemn. “What were you doing when Fu Shi was introducing the Nine Summers Continent’s sects?”

Yan Zhichuan’s eyes darted away. “Studying.”

Zhan Yujie couldn’t hold back a cold sneer. “Heh.”

Yan Zhichuan humbly sought guidance. “So, what is Peace Workshop?”

Zhan Yujie explained, “One song dispels a thousand sorrows—Peace Suppressing Demon Sound. You think anyone can just waltz in? It’s an organization under White Jade Capital’s Peaceful Melody Division. Only those with demonic thoughts in their hearts are allowed inside to listen. It’s a demon-suppression site, not some pleasure den.”

“Oh?” Yan Zhichuan was shocked.

She knew White Jade Capital—it was one of the Nine Summers Continent’s seven great sects, just like Nine Abyss Sect.

But she’d had no idea about its connection to Peace Workshop.

Those storybooks claimed to be factual literature? All lies.

Yan Zhichuan waited for Zhan Yujie to decide—after all, the point of coming down the mountain was to cheer her up. “So, where can we go?”

Zhan Yujie shot her a half-smile, her lips moving as she coldly spat out three words: “Overlord Arena.”

Yan Zhichuan paled in shock.

That was the spell duel arena for idle cultivators with nothing better to do. What could she possibly have to do there?

Don’t tell me Senior Sister’s dragging me there for training?

Yan Zhichuan started, “How about we just—” Before “go back” could leave her mouth, the aroma of food from a nearby restaurant wafted over. She changed tack mid-sentence. “Senior Sister Zhan, let me treat you to a meal.”

Zhan Yujie fell silent for a moment, then nodded.

Brace for more spending.

But how much could one meal cost?

Once inside the restaurant, though, that faint unease in her heart guided her. She beat Yan Zhichuan to the menu, ordering a few cheap vegetable dishes.

She sat ramrod straight, unyielding as green bamboo. “The simplest ingredients, the most basic cooking—these restore the spiritual essence of plants and trees.”

Yan Zhichuan let out an “Ah,” blinking. “Senior Sister knows about spiritual cuisine too?”

Zhan Yujie: “……”

Of course I do.

Fortunately, Yan Zhichuan didn’t fuss over the food.

She pricked up her ears, eavesdropping on the cultivators chatting at the next table.

She vaguely caught words like “Three Ways River Sword Duel.”

Even a hopeless slacker like her knew what a sword duel meant.

It was a grand event for Daoists, a chance to make a name across the seas.

As the Child of Heavenly Dao, wasn’t this sword duel event made for me?

“Senior Sister, the Three Ways River Sword Duel—” Yan Zhichuan’s eyes lit up, stars sparkling in their depths.

“Don’t even think about it,” Zhan Yujie cut her off bluntly.

Yan Zhichuan protested, “Why not?”

Zhan Yujie said calmly, “Three Ways River is one of the sites from the immortal-demon great war ten thousand years ago. It only surfaced a few decades back. The sects’ Cave Heavens joined forces to purify and remodel it, but demonic qi still lingers, and plenty of infected Demon Creatures remain. This Three Ways River Sword Duel bars anyone below a resolute Golden Core. Get assimilated by the demonic qi, and you’ll be treated as a Demon Creature yourself.”

After the great calamity, demonic thoughts lingered. Demon Shadows lurked in everyone’s heart. The moment those thoughts stirred, orthodox Xuanmen purity could turn to demonic breath in an instant, dragging one into the demonic path. Not every evil thought came from a Demon Cultivator, but once corrupted, those thoughts would erode the true self, twisting it utterly.

Fuyu Sha had returned, so each peak would likely send someone to this duel.

Except Nine Abyss Peak.

“Sounds dangerous,” Yan Zhichuan muttered.

“It’s not just ‘sounds,'” Zhan Yujie pressed her lips together, adding seriously, “The Three Ways River Sword Duel always claims lives. Junior Sister, you’re only at Foundation Establishment Second Layer. Stay in the sect and cultivate properly. No need to head to Three Ways River.”

Nine Abyss Sect would definitely send people.

A sword duel convention! The first one since I started cultivating—who knows when the next? How can I miss it?

“Will my senior sister fall to the demonic path there?” Yan Zhichuan asked the Heavenly Dao System.

Heavenly Dao System: “No relevant plot detected.”

Yan Zhichuan frowned.

So no enemies in the crowd.

A bit of demonic qi threat? As if I’d be the type to get corrupted.

She wanted to go badly.

Righteously, she declared, “Comfort is for the dead. I’m joining the Three Ways River Sword Duel! Tomorrow—no, next month—I’ll break through!”

Zhan Yujie didn’t buy it.

Yan Zhichuan might change her mind in the next breath.

Still, she said, “In that case, Junior Sister, come with me to Forbidden Law Peak for training tomorrow.”

Yan Zhichuan: “What’s Forbidden Law Peak?” She’d roamed all over Nine Abyss Sect’s peaks and never heard of it. And “forbidden law”—was it what she thought?

Zhan Yujie explained calmly, “It’s a new training ground that’s been opened. Laws are forbidden within the peak. There are Eighteen Passes, guarded by puppets refined by Artifact Peak. Once you step in, you can’t leave unless you clear all eighteen in one go.”

Yan Zhichuan: “……No thanks.”

Zhan Yujie pressed on, “No time like the present. Let’s start now. Once you’re full, Junior Sister, we’ll head back to the sect.”

Yan Zhichuan pouted, whining, “I’m not full yet.”

Zhan Yujie didn’t get mad. She even gave Yan Zhichuan an elegant, dignified smile.

“Junior Sister, didn’t you invite me down the mountain to cheer me up?”

Yan Zhichuan hung her head, tears welling. “Senior Sister, I’m full now. Restoring Nine Abyss Peak’s glory—it’s my duty.”