Chapter 10: Zhou Jin Yue
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Yu Zhao was always efficient. After copying the first three layers of the Illusory Tide Technique onto a jade slip and bidding Elder Gu farewell, she headed back to her cave. It was time to take stock of her possessions.
She laid out everything she had: seven medium-grade spirit stones, twenty-six low-grade spirit stones, three Qi-replenishing pills, and an assortment of miscellaneous trinkets. Despite the number, the collection wasn’t worth much.
Yu Zhao sighed. Among the personal disciples of the Five Elements Sect, few were as poor as she was. “Rebuilding the foundation” sounded simple, but it was anything but. The energy required was immense, like filling a bottomless pit, and the gentle medicinal pills needed to minimize the rebuilding’s impact were another major expense. Her current stash of spirit stones was woefully inadequate.
She pondered her next move, head bowed in thought. Could she ask Su Ming to repay the spirit stones he borrowed? Unlikely—he probably didn’t have any to spare, considering his habit of spending them as soon as he got them.
Borrowing from others? Yu Zhao dismissed the idea; she hardly knew anyone well enough. Her interactions were mostly limited to her senior brothers, and she had no close friends within the sect. The lack of spirit stones was becoming a significant barrier to her progress.
Just as she was about to resign herself to her fate, a realization struck her. Today was the sect’s supply distribution day! She could collect ten medium-grade spirit stones, each worth a hundred low-grades. With these, along with her current savings, she might just manage.
With renewed spirits, Yu Zhao packed her belongings into a storage bag and made her way to the Merit Hall. The news of her recent reconciliation with Ye Cong Xin had improved her standing within the sect. Disciples now treated her with a newfound respect—none dared mock her openly anymore. Although indifferent to gossip, Yu Zhao appreciated the newfound peace.
Arriving at the Merit Hall, she joined one of the five long queues of disciples waiting to collect their supplies. As she stood in line, a familiar voice called out from behind.
“Junior Sister Yu Zhao.”
Turning, Yu Zhao was greeted by a face as beautiful as a blooming hibiscus. “Senior Sister Jin Yue?” she whispered, almost in disbelief.
Cheers erupted around them as others noticed her too.
“Senior Sister Jin Yue is back!”
“Greetings, Senior Sister Jin Yue!”
“Hello, Senior Sister Jin Yue!”
Zhou Jin Yue, the head disciple under the sect leader, greeted everyone warmly before affectionately ruffling Yu Zhao’s hair. “It’s been a while, Junior Sister Yu Zhao. You seem to have grown taller.”
The touch was familiar, and it brought tears to Yu Zhao’s eyes. It was indeed Senior Sister Jin Yue!
Zhou Jin Yue, the lead disciple under the sect leader of the Five Elements Sect, held a special place in everyone’s hearts as their senior sister. She joined the sect at the tender age of six, laid her foundation at ten, and by twenty, she had achieved core formation, progressing at a remarkable speed. She was not only charming and beautiful but also decisive and straightforward in her demeanor. Her deep understanding and efficient handling of matters earned her the love and respect of all the disciples. Many within the Five Elements Sect viewed her as the most likely successor to the current sect leader.
Tragically, her promising future was cut short when she was killed by a demonic beast, leaving behind only a shattered magical artifact. Yu Zhao vividly remembered the day the dreadful news arrived—the sky was heavy with grey clouds, casting a somber mood over the entire sect. The sect leader was devastated, the shock causing him to cough up blood immediately. Yu Zhao herself had wept inconsolably. Among the few who had always been kind to her, Zhou Jin Yue stood out, especially since she hadn’t been swayed by Ye Cong Xin’s influence.
Yu Zhao’s relationship with Zhou Jin Yue traced back to her own first days in the sect when she was just six years old. After Master Qing Yan had brought her to Lone Moon Peak, he entrusted her care to Fang Cheng Lang. Although Fang Cheng Lang was cautious and reliable, he struggled with the responsibility of caring for a junior sister due to the differences in their genders. Eventually, Zhou Jin Yue stepped in, taking Yu Zhao under her wing. She cared for her until Yu Zhao was able to fend for herself, after which she returned her to Lone Moon Peak.
Back at Lone Moon Peak, Yu Zhao found it difficult to adjust. She would often cry, longing to see Zhou Jin Yue. However, as the sect’s senior sister, Zhou Jin Yue seldom had any free time. Over time, with the daily interactions with her five senior brothers, Yu Zhao ceased mentioning her. Yet, Zhou Jin Yue always maintained a special place in Yu Zhao’s heart.
Now, seeing Zhou Jin Yue alive and well, Yu Zhao was overwhelmed with gratitude for this second chance. She was determined to prevent the tragic past from repeating.
“Junior Sister Yu Zhao, why are your eyes red? Don’t tell me you missed me too much,” Zhou Jin Yue said, her tone light and teasing.
“Yes,” Yu Zhao replied earnestly, her voice thick with emotion. “I missed you very much.”
Zhou Jin Yue looked surprised at first, then her expression softened into one of sympathy. Yu Zhao was known for her reserved nature, and such openness was uncharacteristic of her. Zhou Jin Yue realized that Yu Zhao must have endured a lot under Master Qing Yan’s stringent tutelage. She herself had been away on a sect mission for the past three months, only returning the previous day and catching up on the recent developments.
Zhou Jin Yue was aware of the Black Prison but had never visited. She knew it was no place for any cultivator to linger. Master Qing Yan’s decision to send a disciple there seemed excessively harsh. And it was disappointing that Fang Cheng Lang and the others had merely stood by.
After a moment of reflective silence, Zhou Jin Yue spoke with firm resolve, “Junior Sister Yu Zhao, if you ever feel unhappy again, come find me at Sunlight Peak. With me around, they won’t dare to mistreat you.”
Her protective intent was clear, and it moved Yu Zhao deeply. She wondered if things might have been different in her previous life if Senior Sister Jin Yue had not suffered such a fate. Could someone have stood up for her during her darkest times?
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Holding back her tears, Yu Zhao smiled, “Okay, I trust you, Senior Sister Jin Yue.”
Zhou Jin Yue simply smiled in return and playfully ruffled Yu Zhao’s hair before shifting the conversation to her recent mission. Yu Zhao listened intently, and time seemed to pass swiftly as they talked. The line of disciples ahead of Yu Zhao gradually thinned.
Finally, it was her turn. Yu Zhao approached the counter and presented her identity token. “Senior Brother Zhang, I’m here to collect my supplies.”
Senior Brother Zhang, a jovial young man with a round face and bright eyes, looked up in surprise. Known for his cheerful disposition, he was a disciple of Elder Sun from the Merit Hall and was well-liked within the sect. “Junior Sister Yu Zhao, why are you here?” he asked, puzzled.
Yu Zhao, equally confused, replied, “Today is the supply collection day. I’m here to get mine.”
“But your supplies have already been taken by someone else,” he informed her with a frown.