Chapter 3
Helan Xue’s face remained impassive. Without even glancing at him, he casually fiddled with the prayer beads in his hand and asked calmly, “Are you fully recovered?”
Lin Queli nodded hastily. “Yes, yes, I can start cultivating today—”
“Since you’ve recovered, my sect does not keep idlers.” Helan Xue pulled his leg back and lifted his chin slightly, glancing at the attendant disciple to the side. “Ji Chun, if he does not leave today, send someone to escort him back to Changming.”
The attendant disciple named Ji Chun replied, “Yes.”
Lin Queli: “?”
How is that any different from sending me to the guillotine?!
“Shizun—”
Helan Xue had already turned to go back into his room. With a bang, the closing door shook snowflakes from the branches, sweeping up a long gust of wind.
A barrier enveloped the area, standing silently, waiting for Lin Queli to leave on his own.
His attempt at acting cute having failed, Lin Queli shivered from the cold.
Not to mention he hadn’t fully adapted to the Demon Lord’s body, even if he had, he wouldn’t dare use demonic cultivation energy outside Helan Xue’s door.
He turned, wanting to go back to his room first to warm up and think of a way to stay.
Just as he was about to step out of the barrier Helan Xue had set up, the System suddenly reminded him: 【Host, Taxue Xianzun just modified this barrier. It’s now one-way. If you walk out, you won’t be able to get back in.】
Then I’m screwed!
The Myriad Sword Sect was isolated from the world, sealed within this snowy mountain, making entry and exit difficult. Lin Queli, who was already poised to turn, gracefully spun around in the blink of an eye.
The attendant disciple, Ji Chun, was just about to see his guest out when he saw the red-lipped, white-toothed young master from the Changming Clan, who had been looking so melancholic just a moment ago, suddenly turn around and drop to his knees in the snow-filled courtyard!
The young man’s spiritual power was low, practically non-existent, yet he wore only a thin robe. For some reason, his clan elders hadn’t prepared a proper cloak for his long journey here. Thick snow almost instantly piled up on his dark hair.
The young master’s gaze was firm, as if he had resigned himself to death, but the moment he opened his mouth, it was a completely different story: “Shizun! I’m kneeling to become your disciple! I’m kneeling—to become your disciple! I’m really kneeling—! If you don’t believe me, come—out—and—see—ah—!”
Ji Chun: “…”
Taxue Xianzun cherished quiet, and this house had been as silent as a forest for a thousand years. This sudden, chirping little sparrow was really…
Another gust of cold wind swept by, carrying snow with it.
The room was as if empty.
The door remained tightly shut.
Lin Queli sneezed.
Ji Chun was a disciple of one of the sect’s elders, what was known as an outer-sect disciple. Besides running errands for Taxue Xianzun, his most important task was, naturally, cultivating the immortal path. Having been around Taxue Xianzun for a long time, he considered himself neither weak nor overly compassionate.
But as he watched the young man kneeling in the snow, his face, which had just regained some color, turned deathly pale again in a matter of moments. His eyes held the reflection of snow and shimmering dust…
Before he could react, as if bewitched by something, he walked over to Lin Queli, bent down slightly, and persuaded him in a kind voice, “Young Master, if you truly enter the Myriad Sword Sect, the days ahead will not be easy. Cultivating the Dao of Cangsheng is not a simple path. You will have to work much harder than ordinary people.”
After speaking, Ji Chun glanced nervously at the room, as if afraid Helan Xue would punish him for meddling.
But Helan Xue didn’t react, presumably having tacitly approved of his attempt to dissuade this overzealous young master.
Lin Queli said loudly, “I can work hard! I’m best at working hard!”
This was not just a response to the attendant, but also meant for Helan Xue inside the room.
A college dog for five years, with a brain that’s not rotten but a life that is, a cup of Nescafé before finals, a miracle in one night—wasn’t he hardworking enough?
“The Dao of Cangsheng requires one to renounce the mortal world and cultivate one’s character. Young Master’s personality… is carefree and unrestrained. It may not be suitable. Perhaps if you go down the mountain, you will find a better mortal fate.”
Lin Queli stuck his neck out. “I can change! I’m especially good at adapting to circumstances!”
“…”
Ji Chun paused, then brought him a cup of freshly brewed immortal tea.
“Young Master, the snow on this Myriad Sword Mountain is different from that of the mortal world; it is bone-chillingly cold. Drink this tea, warm yourself up, and go down the mountain.”
“Thank you.” Lin Queli blinked and took the teacup, clutching it gratefully to his chest. “But my mind is made up!”
Lin Queli tried to give Ji Chun a look so determined it was as if he were about to cancel a subscription, but he didn’t realize how pathetic he looked at that moment, looking so pitiful that it made Ji Chun pause again.
A moment later.
The Myriad Sword Mountain grew colder as night fell. By now, a layer of frost had formed on Lin Queli’s eyelashes, and he was shivering all over.
The teacup was a special magical artifact that remained scalding hot no matter how long it had been, but Lin Queli, holding it, only felt warmth in his palms while the rest of his body remained cold.
What college student had ever suffered like this!
Lin Queli wanted to cry but had no tears. The more dashing his kneel had been, the more he regretted it now.
He should have slipped through the door first before hugging his thigh!
【Host, how about you go 5 points into debt for a heat pack? You’re already so much in debt, 5 more points to save your life won’t make a difference…】
“It doesn’t make a difference, but… isn’t this a total rip-off?!” Lin Queli was shocked. “A heat pack costs 5 points? Why don’t you just set yourself on fire to keep me warm? It would be much cheaper than 5 points.”
【Sob, I can’t decide the exchange prices, I’m just a personal shopper. Can you still hold on, Host? I don’t think Taxue Xianzun is going to pay any attention to you.】
“I can’t… really hold on.”
Lin Queli thought to himself, if he was unlucky enough to freeze to death and had to rewind, even giving birth to two Long Aotians wouldn’t save him.
But speaking of rewinding, Lin Queli remembered that when he was about to get ganked in the snowfield before, it was his sudden fainting that saved him.
What if… I use the same trick again? Faint one more time? Maybe Helan Xue will take pity on me and let me in?
Lin Queli asked the System, “Is there any way to make me faint?”
【Fainting… will it work?】
“Let’s try? But don’t use points to make me faint! You’re a mature system now, figure it out yourself!”
【You said it.】
And then…
ZAP—
The System directly discharged electricity. Lin Queli’s eyes rolled back, his legs kicked out, and he collapsed into the snow.
…System, you motherfucker.
In his daze, Lin Queli thought he saw his great-grandmother. His body alternated between hot and cold.
Then he felt himself being carried into the room by Ji Chun. The surrounding temperature became warmer. It seemed he had successfully gotten inside.
Faking a faint really works!!
—It was just a bit rough on the person.
Lin Queli was laid flat on a blanket. The blanket, some kind of magical artifact, gradually warmed his body.
So comfortable…
Finally, no more freezing outside. Sob, sob, sob, so warm. In his daze, Lin Queli subconsciously nuzzled the warm blanket beneath him.
Vaguely, he seemed to hear Helan Xue’s emotionless voice.
“What, do you think This Venerable was bullying him?”
Followed by Ji Chun’s, “This disciple wouldn’t dare…!”
Lin Queli thought hazily, looks like it’s not just me who finds this Asura-like god of death terrifying, others do too!
His vision swam between black and white, and his stomach churned. After finally recovering, he opened his eyes to hear Helan Xue’s cold voice: “The Changming Clan has strict family rules. Every member is dignified and polite. How could they produce such a mischievous junior like you?”
Well, that’s because I’m not from the Changming Clan… I’m the mischievous Demon Lord.
But Lin Queli couldn’t say that. He just coughed dryly and said smoothly, “That’s why I need the Xianzun’s guidance…”
The Changming Clan couldn’t handle me, that’s why they sent me to you for discipline, right?
Since he had successfully entered the room, Lin Queli decided to test the waters further. He sat up, but was still reluctant to leave the blanket. He knelt on the side, hugging the blanket, and looked up with pleading eyes. “If-if the Xianzun is unwilling to take me as a disciple, then I will go back outside and kneel, to show my determination!”
Helan Xue sat in the main seat, playing with the cinnabar beads. “A threat?”
Ji Chun, standing to the side, broke into a cold sweat for Lin Queli.
At the same time, he admired Lin Queli’s “newborn calf not fearing the tiger” attitude.
The temperature, which had just warmed up, seemed to drop a few degrees again. Lin Queli flinched, lowered his head, and clutched the blanket in a slight panic. “N-no, that’s not what I meant. I meant that I, I…”
But Helan Xue continued, “Coincidentally, in two months, the Myriad Sword Sect will hold a grand competition. If you can pass the test then, This Venerable will consider taking you as a disciple. Before that, you will stay here and cultivate properly, and get rid of your impetuous and frivolous nature.”
“…?!!”
Lin Queli and Ji Chun’s eyes widened in unison.
“Yes!! Shizun!” Happiness came so suddenly. Lin Queli joyfully started calling him “Shizun.”
In any case, he had successfully stayed. Rounding up, it was as good as successfully becoming a disciple!
Now Lin Queli was certain. Well, well, you really do yield to soft persuasion but not hard coercion, huh?
The first faint got him into the Myriad Sword Sect, the second faint let him stay. Acting weak was shameful but effective?!
【Congratulations, Host!!! My god, that wasn’t easy—】
Lin Queli almost cried. He wasn’t this excited even after finishing his final exams.
It really wasn’t easy!!
But now he had found the formula to deal with this dense, straight-laced man, Helan Xue!
A mere Xianzun, he was about to have him wrapped around his little finger!
Lin Queli’s tail was about to stick up. He felt like he had come back to life.
He was back in the game.
Ji Chun was equally happy. With such a likable young master in the Myriad Sword Sect, the air around seemed to liven up a bit. He quickly went to prepare thick clothes, supplies, and a room for him, looking even more attentive than when he was preparing things for himself.
Helan Xue glanced at Lin Queli and said, “Leave.”
He was being dismissed.
【Host, you can’t leave! We need to strike while the iron is hot and start the seduction! Seduction Step One… Seduce! Host, hurry up and get to it! Do you want me to find some seduction guides for you?】
Having just successfully “become a disciple,” Lin Queli was feeling extremely smug. “Please, do I need a guide for this kind of thing? I’ve read more romance novels than you’ve eaten rice. Do you understand the value of a premium VIP user of JJWXC?”
(TN: JJWXC is a major female-oriented web novel site in China.)
【But JJWXC doesn’t have any JJ, right? Where did you learn from?】
(TN: A pun. “JJ” is slang for penis, and also the acronym for the site. The system is teasing him that a site catering to women wouldn’t have explicit male-focused content.)
“Shut up.” Lin Queli’s eyes burned as he looked at Helan Xue.
As long as I act weak… will Helan Xue buy it?
