Chapter 12: Tattling to Shen Zhiyue Part 1

The consequence of returning late was being scolded by Shen Zhiyue with a cold face.

Bai Xiaoxiao didn’t feel upset. Instead, a hint of sweetness rose in her heart. She kept her head lowered, docile and obedient, and honestly admitted her mistake. “I’m sorry, Your Eminence. I was wrong.”

Looking at the person’s pitiful appearance, Shen Zhiyue pressed her lips together. The coldness on her face finally thawed somewhat. “Don’t let it happen again.”

Bai Xiaoxiao quickly nodded, repeatedly assuring her that she wouldn’t return late again. Then she noticed that the last trace of coldness on Shen Zhiyue’s face had dissipated, and the other took out a jade slip from her storage ring.

“This item can be used to transmit messages.”

It was a simpler version of a phone!

Curious, Bai Xiaoxiao took it and examined it.

This jade slip was paper-thin, but once activated with spiritual sense, it could be used.

When distances weren’t too great, cultivators were used to sending a spiritual message directly. But in special situations, the advantages of the jade slip became apparent.

At present, Bai Xiaoxiao’s cultivation was only at Foundation Establishment. Her spiritual messages couldn’t travel very far, which was why the jade slip had become the most suitable means of communication.

Shen Zhiyue had also recorded her spiritual sense onto the jade slip. Bai Xiaoxiao understood that this was the equivalent of adding a friend.

So her first contact in the jade slip was Shen Zhiyue. She had actually obtained the Sword Venerable’s private contact information.

Bai Xiaoxiao’s eyes curved into crescents. She remained immersed in inexplicable joy even into the next day.

Until class ended and Ming Jingqiu didn’t show up. Bai Xiaoxiao finally reeled in her emotions, sensing that something might have happened.

After a moment’s thought, Bai Xiaoxiao decided to go look for Ming Jingqiu. But Knowledge-Seeking Peak was vast, and trying to find one person was a considerable challenge.

Disciples hurried past with serious expressions, making it difficult to stop and ask.

Bai Xiaoxiao sighed. Remembering something, she quickly called out to the System. “Can you find Ming Jingqiu’s location?”

“I’ll give it a try…”

The System, having been reduced to a navigation tool, resignedly began searching. After a moment, it actually succeeded.

A panoramic map appeared in her mind. Bai Xiaoxiao marveled at it and quickly followed the directions. But the further she went, the more remote the path became. Before long, she heard voices coming from ahead.

Bai Xiaoxiao stopped in her tracks. After a moment’s thought, she simply transformed into her original form.

Her original form was very small, better suited for hiding. So she stealthily climbed up a tree and began to observe.

Sure enough, Ming Jingqiu was indeed in the place where voices were coming from. But she wasn’t alone—there were several others. Judging by their attire, they appeared to be inner sect disciples. But Ming Jingqiu was a personal disciple. Why would inner sect disciples be looking for her?

Bai Xiaoxiao listened carefully with her doubts, and her expression gradually grew complicated.

Because those inner sect disciples were picking a fight.

As for the reason, of course, it was that protagonist—Rong Qingqing.

Who knew what Rong Qingqing had told these people, but they’d become convinced she’d been wronged, and the culprit was Ming Jingqiu. From what they were saying, this wasn’t the first day they’d been causing trouble for Ming Jingqiu.

Yet Bai Xiaoxiao had never heard Ming Jingqiu mention it, nor had she ever seen her report the situation to Shen Zhiyue.

Thinking about it carefully, one could easily understand Ming Jingqiu’s position.

After all, everyone in the Sword Sect knew that Ming Jingqiu had been the one to eagerly seek out a master, and had even asked Elder Fengwu to plead with the Sword Venerable before she was accepted as an exception.

But Rong Qingqing had been personally accepted by the Sword Venerable, who frequently taught her as well, showing how greatly she was valued.

Disciples were always adept at reading the room. Rong Qingqing was favored, so some disciples who wanted to curry favor with her would spontaneously become her loyal followers.

As long as Rong Qingqing showed the slightest sign of being wronged, these disciples would charge over without a second thought, fueled by righteous indignation, using verbal jabs to humiliate the Eldest Senior Sister, Ming Jingqiu.

Bai Xiaoxiao didn’t really understand this mentality. Even if Ming Jingqiu had recommended herself and become Shen Zhiyue’s disciple through Elder Fengwu’s help, she was still Shen Zhiyue’s eldest disciple—a personal disciple of a peak master.

Did these inner sect disciples really not fear Ming Jingqiu going to complain?

The System suddenly spoke up. “She won’t. Ming Jingqiu isn’t the type to complain. She’s only ever had one goal from start to finish—revenge.”

Bai Xiaoxiao fell silent.

Rong Qingqing had Shen Zhiyue’s favor and the disciples’ affection. But Ming Jingqiu was an orphan. Even though she had a Shizun, it was as if she didn’t. Shen Zhiyue seemed to pay her very little attention.

Perhaps this was the true reflection of “only children who cry get candy.”

Ming Jingqiu was the type of child who gave no trouble. But sometimes, being low-maintenance wasn’t a good thing.

With this thought, and hearing the inner disciples’ words dripping with mockery, Bai Xiaoxiao tilted her head, her vertical pupils glinting.

Her recent training hadn’t been in vain. She’d become much more skilled at manipulating spiritual power. So she used her spiritual power to lift a small stone and hurled it at one of the inner disciples’ heads.

“Ow! Who threw that at me!”

Hearing the voice, Bai Xiaoxiao flicked her tail tip.

Caught off guard by the sudden sneak attack, the inner disciples’ arrogant expressions shifted. They warily scanned their surroundings, wondering who was so audacious as to throw stones at them.

After sweeping the area with their spiritual sense, the group of disciples all turned to look at Bai Xiaoxiao in the tree.

“What is that? A snake? Where did this snake come from?”

The disciple who’d been hit cursed loudly.

Bai Xiaoxiao chose not to listen. Her gaze dropped to the ground, and she lifted another stone to throw.

But this time, the other party was prepared, and the stone was dodged.

Seeing that Bai Xiaoxiao was recklessly throwing again despite knowing she’d been spotted, the hit disciple drew her sword and advanced, intending to chop Bai Xiaoxiao down.

“That is my Shizun’s spirit pet.”

Ming Jingqiu finally spoke her first words since they’d arrived.

With just that sentence, the inner disciples’ angry expressions turned into shock. They froze in place.

They had, in fact, heard that the Sword Venerable had a pet little snake who was usually allowed to roam free but loved to play pranks. Had they just become the targets of that snake’s mischief?

But wait—hadn’t they also heard that the snake’s mind had recovered, and the Sword Venerable had granted it permission to study at Knowledge-Seeking Peak?

The disciples’ expressions shifted. They hastily sheathed their swords and transformed into beams of spiritual light, fleeing at top speed without leaving a single word behind.

With the disciples’ noisy chatter gone, the surrounding area fell quiet.

“Thank you.”

Ming Jingqiu spoke softly after a moment of silence.

Bai Xiaoxiao transformed back into human form and climbed down from the tree. “It was nothing. But those are inner sect disciples, aren’t they? Do you have some conflict with them, Fellow Daoist Ming?”

Ming Jingqiu pressed her lips together and said softly, “There’s no conflict. I simply don’t wish to create more trouble. Rather than arguing over words, I prefer to solve problems efficiently. That way, my cultivation isn’t delayed.”

Bai Xiaoxiao paused. Her gaze was suddenly drawn to the spiritual light gathering in Ming Jingqiu’s hand, and understanding dawned in her eyes.

It seemed that rather than complaining, Ming Jingqiu preferred to settle things with a fight. Clearly, even if Bai Xiaoxiao hadn’t acted, the other would have resolved this quickly on her own.

Caught with evidence of intent to brawl, Ming Jingqiu calmly dispersed the spiritual light at her fingertips. “But with you suddenly helping me, they’ll probably hold a grudge against you as well.”

Bai Xiaoxiao thought for a moment. “It shouldn’t be too big a problem.”

Still, just to be safe, she could try tattling.

Ming Jingqiu made no comment, but she put notably more care into teaching sword flight.

Bai Xiaoxiao noticed, and her eyes curved into smiles.

Later, after finishing sword flight practice, Bai Xiaoxiao returned to Moon-Gazing Peak. To her surprise, Shen Zhiyue was in the rare mood to brew tea in the octagonal pavilion.

Bai Xiaoxiao changed direction and obediently walked over.

“Your Eminence, I returned on time.”

Shen Zhiyue took a sip of tea, then slowly set down the cup.

“Mm. How is the sword flight coming along?”

Bai Xiaoxiao was taken aback. She didn’t think she’d told Shen Zhiyue that she’d asked Ming Jingqiu to teach her sword flight.

But… it seemed normal for Shen Zhiyue to know.

So she didn’t question it. She readily recounted the past two days to the other, until she reached the incident that had just happened. Her expression hesitated slightly.

“Why did you stop?”

Choosing her words carefully, Bai Xiaoxiao tentatively said, “Your Eminence, there’s something I think I should report to you.”

Only then did Shen Zhiyue look up at her. “What is it?”

So Bai Xiaoxiao recounted the scene she’d just witnessed, staying neutral—simply narrating what she’d seen and heard.

Shen Zhiyue’s eyes shifted slightly. She hadn’t expected that what the little snake wanted to say would be about Ming Jingqiu. After listening to the entire matter, her brows furrowed slightly.

Ming Jingqiu was, after all, her eldest disciple. For her to be cornered and bullied by inner sect disciples was strange no matter how one looked at it.

This little snake’s account was probably not without omissions.

A thoughtful look crossed Shen Zhiyue’s face. “I am aware of this matter now. If those disciples are indeed at fault, they will be punished accordingly.”

She hadn’t expected her first attempt at tattling to succeed. Bai Xiaoxiao’s lips curved upward slightly. With Shen Zhiyue’s words, this matter should be resolved soon.

“Thank you, Your Eminence!”

Hearing the joy in her voice, Shen Zhiyue gave a faint “mm” and handed her a small bottle.

Bai Xiaoxiao took it with a puzzled look. “Your Eminence, what is this?”

“A pill. Also a tonic. Take one every three days.”

Bai Xiaoxiao looked at the little white bottle in surprise. The thing looked utterly ordinary—inside was actually a pill?

“System, it’s a pill. What do you think a pill tastes like?”

Her tone was quite wonderstruck.