Chapter 5
The Myriad Sword Sect was hidden away in a snowy mountain, isolated from the world. Snow fell year-round, from delicate flurries to thick goose feathers, creating a serene yet desolate atmosphere.
As the number one sect in the world, home to Taxue Xianzun and the future Long Aotian, every member of the Myriad Sword Sect was a powerful cultivator capable of shaking the heavens and earth, each able to fight a hundred men. However, these cultivators were few in number, and most were out in the mortal world slaying demons and exterminating evil, upholding the Dao of Cangsheng. As a result, the mountain was sparsely populated and quite desolate.
“Bawk bawk bawk, cluck cluck cluck—”
“Whoa, don’t run away—!”
At high noon, the thousand-year silence of the mountain’s back forest was shattered by a chaotic commotion of chickens flying and dogs jumping.
Snow tumbled down from the trees as Lin Queli, hiking up his robes, stumbled and tripped through the forest, all for the sake of… catching a chicken.
As for why he was catching a chicken, it was a long story.
It all started when Lin Queli woke up around noon, only to be greeted by a lunch of clear, watery soup with a few vegetable leaves floating in it. Not even a spring onion, not even the wretched cilantro.
Lin Queli took a sip. It was bland. This wasn’t vegetable soup, this was vegetable leaves soaked in boiling water!
Lin Queli went to find Ji Chun, and the answer he got was…
“The sect’s breakfast is a steamed bun, lunch is green leaves, and it is not advisable to eat after nightfall. However, if you feel hungry, you can drink dew. According to the Xianzun, dew is the essence of the world’s spiritual energy, just like the new leaves grown from this land, and it will not affect your cultivation.”
All he could say was…
You and your Dao of Cangsheng.
He now completely understood what Ji Chun meant yesterday when he said, “After entering the Cangsheng Sect, you have to work harder than ordinary people.”
It was truly hard work!
What college student had ever suffered like this? Sure, they were treated like livestock, but at least they were fed! And Lin Queli didn’t think he was particularly skinny, but every time he went to the cafeteria for a meal, the auntie would always give him an extra scoop of meat.
A desperate Lin Queli decided to provide for himself. Since he couldn’t go down the mountain to buy ingredients, and there was no food in the sect, he could only turn his sights to the birds and beasts of the back mountain…
Fortunately, the Myriad Sword Mountain was remote and desolate, so there were plenty in the forest.
Lin Queli learned a detection spell from the System on the spot. After catching a chicken, he hugged it gleefully, a villainous Demon Lord’s smile spreading across his face.
“Hehehe… you can’t escape now, even with wings!”
…
Ice Cave Abode.
Helan Xue sat in meditation, eyes closed and unmoving, his hands slowly turning the spirit beads.
He casually circulated the beads to check on Lin Queli’s cultivation progress, but made an “unexpected discovery.”
“Hey, hey, hey!! Don’t peck at the bracelet, this was a gift from my Shizun! If it breaks, I’m done for!”
“Bawk bawk bawk bawk cluck cluck cluck—”
A chicken…?
Helan Xue then heard Lin Queli’s bright voice.
“Brother Chicken, my apologies… but right now, it’s either you or me. I’ll work hard to learn the spells and give you a quick end…”
“It’s a good thing Shizun doesn’t care about me at all, otherwise how could I be running wild like this. If no one’s managing me, doesn’t that mean I don’t have to cultivate… no, wait, catching chickens every day is also a workout! Ah, Brother Chicken, seeing how strong your legs are, your meat must be even more plump and tender than an ordinary chicken’s, hehe.”
Helan Xue remained seated in meditation, eyes closed, expressionless, but the force with which he kneaded the prayer beads in his hand grew a little stronger.
“A free-range chicken, my, my… for the sect to miss out on such a delicacy. I’d say Shizun truly doesn’t understand the common people. Food is the first necessity of the people, after all!”
With a wave of his large hand, Helan Xue intended to summon Lin Queli over through the bracelet, so that Lin Queli could help him understand.
…
At this moment, Lin Queli had just finished setting up a fire, with Brother Chicken tied up to the side.
Lin Queli and the System had just learned a fire-starting spell, and he had meticulously set up a roasting rack.
【Host… you’ve been busy for so long, it’s almost dark now, and all you can think about is eating? What about our grand plan for physical contact! Your points!】
The System was getting more and more worried.
It was beginning to doubt how the big data had calculated that this host was suitable for seducing a cold and aloof immortal. Of course, never mind the System, Lin Queli himself thought it was absurd.
Faced with the System’s questioning, Lin Queli reasoned logically, “You have to eat to have the strength to work. I’ll slaughter this chicken, learn some ice spells to refrigerate it, and it can last me for several warm…”
Before he could finish, Lin Queli saw a golden light formation suddenly appear at his feet. Before he could see what was happening, he only had time to tuck the hard-won chicken into his robes, and then his vision went white.
The next moment, when he opened his eyes again, he found himself in an ice cave. The piercing cold almost made Lin Queli’s breath catch in his throat.
Lin Queli let out a puff of white mist, put the chicken into his spirit pouch, and then tucked his hands into his sleeves.
The Myriad Sword Mountain was already cold, but this place was like a frozen abyss. The cave walls were covered in a layer of white crystals, and icicles hung upside down everywhere, reflecting countless images of Lin Queli.
Not far away, Helan Xue was meditating on a stone platform, sitting perfectly still with his eyes closed, as if he had turned into a statue. Perhaps because he was in deep meditation and circulating his energy, the area around Helan Xue and the stone platform was bone-chillingly cold. A layer of frost had even formed on the surface of his white robes, and there was a thin layer of snow on his eyelashes, as if he had merged with his surroundings.
The red mark on his brow and the cinnabar beads in his hand became the only colors in this world.
Huh…?
Lin Queli blinked, a little confused.
This was the Ice Cave Abode, right?
How did he get here?
Thinking of the fleeting formation just now, the only one who could move a living person from one place to another should be Helan Xue… right?
Did Helan Xue summon him here?
Lin Queli was a little surprised.
He had thought that after being “forced” to let him stay, Helan Xue wouldn’t pay much attention to him. After all, he wasn’t really Helan Xue’s official disciple yet, and Helan Xue looked like he found him annoying.
But he hadn’t expected Helan Xue to call him to cultivate together the very next day. It saved him the trouble of racking his brains to find an opportunity to get close to Helan Xue!
Hehe, could it be that his Shizun was cold on the outside but warm on the inside, and was still worried about his new disciple?
Lin Queli was elated, feeling like there was hope in life again.
This was a pleasant surprise, a great opportunity for him to earn points!
“Da Zhuang, see? Why the rush? The grand plan for physical contact is now on the agenda, isn’t it?”
Lin Queli went to the ice wall to tidy his hair and clothes. After making sure he looked “properly dressed” as Helan Xue had said, he approached the stone platform where Helan Xue was meditating and called out softly, “Shizun?”
Helan Xue didn’t answer or react, as if he had already entered deep meditation.
Hmm?
What’s going on?
Helan Xue called me here, but now he’s ignoring me?
Just then, Lin Queli saw the cold wind in the cave rustle and rush towards Helan Xue. The white crystals around them trembled, as if the whole world was shaking.
Lin Queli was almost shaken off his feet. He quickly held onto a nearby icicle to steady himself.
Even with his shallow cultivation, he could feel the spiritual energy from all around pouring into Helan Xue.
【Don’t worry, Host. When a powerful cultivator like Helan Xue absorbs the essence of heaven and earth in deep meditation, he needs a… cooldown period to finish? He’s retracting his divine sense and aura now. Just wait a bit, Host.】
Lin Queli looked at the ice sculpture before him, his eyes darting around. “Well, in that case…”
He took a deep breath. “Isn’t this my chance?”
Lin Queli tiptoed closer, stealthily, and tentatively called out in a whisper, “Shizun?”
“Shizun, Shizun…!”
No reaction.
Lin Queli stood by the stone platform, looking left and right, then extended his index finger and gently poked Helan Xue’s shoulder.
Seeing that Helan Xue remained as silent and unmoving as a rock, Lin Queli breathed a small sigh of relief, then carefully took Helan Xue’s hand.
After interlocking their fingers, Lin Queli shivered.
An icy coldness spread from his palm. Lin Queli realized that Helan Xue’s body was almost freezing to the touch.
He could also feel the calluses covering it; this was a hand that had held a sword for many years.
【Congratulations, Host, for completing physical contact: holding hands. Reward: 3 points!】
Whoa!!
This was the first batch of points he had earned! A small number of points, a big step forward!
Lin Queli was both excited and nervous, as if he were having an illicit affair, not even daring to breathe too loudly.
Helan Xue’s hand was very large; he couldn’t even get a full grip on it, and the cold made him even more nervous. After completing the task, he immediately let go.
Looking down, he saw his hand was red from the cold, as if it had been ravaged by something.
Lin Queli swallowed hard and stared blankly at Helan Xue for a while.
Even with his eyes closed, Helan Xue’s presence was overwhelming. Lin Queli’s hand was about to touch Helan Xue’s face, but he changed course halfway and gently picked up a strand of Helan Xue’s white hair.
Lin Queli rubbed it curiously.
【Host, there are no points for this! You have to at least touch his chest, right?】
Lin Queli: “…”
You want me to die.
Lin Queli was so focused that he was getting dizzy. He reached out to touch Helan Xue’s chest, but before he could touch the “vitals,” his wrist was suddenly grabbed with a smack.
“!!!”
The hand that gripped him was bone-chillingly cold, colder than the surroundings, sending a shiver through his entire body.
In that instant, the spiritual energy in the cave came to a halt.
