Chapter 47

Chapter 47: The Wheel Turns
Yu Zhao counted all the ores inside the wooden chest.

There were thirteen pieces in total.

Not a single one was a duplicate.

She glanced once at her fellow disciples, who were still lost in excitement, then said directly: “Senior Brothers, Senior Sisters, I need to refine a Life-bound Dharma Artifact, and I happen to be missing Starry Sky Stone and Geng Essence. Can I trade other things for these two ores?”

Even though Mu Ye was the one who found the chest, they were all teammates, and everyone deserved a share. Yu Zhao could not just take it all for herself.

In truth, Yu Zhao most wanted to use Spirit Stones to buy the two ores, but she had spent almost all her Spirit Stones during closed-door cultivation.

So she could only trade items from her Storage Pouch and barter instead.

Everyone was stunned for a moment when they heard her words.

Most of them had the same first thought: Yu Zhao needed to prepare ore herself to refine her Life-bound Dharma Artifact?

Did Master Qing Yan not prepare materials for his disciple?

After a short silence, a Senior Sister with the surname Ma spoke up: “Everyone, I have a suggestion. On this trip to Dragon Roar Valley, Junior Sister Yu contributed a lot, and she was the first to bring up the possibility of a secret realm. She has the greatest merit.

“So I suggest we give the Starry Sky Stone and Geng Essence to Junior Sister Yu, and then divide the rest.”

Senior Sister Ma spoke in a gentle and tactful way.

But Yu Zhao’s biggest contribution was actually saving Zhou Jin Yue’s life.

Just for that alone, even if they were to give all the ores to Yu Zhao, they would still be willing.

Zhang Jun raised his arm high. “I agree!”

“I agree too!”

“This is what Junior Sister Yu deserves!”

“…”

Zhou Jin Yue watched all this with a bright smile.

This was why she was willing to risk her life to protect her fellow disciples. They were all such lovable people.

Mu Ye’s face was full of envy.

She really liked the way the Five Elements Dao Sect disciples treated each other.

She even felt a bit of regret that she had not chosen the Five Elements Dao Sect back then.

“S-sixth Senior Sister, I’m sorry, I also really need a piece of Starry Sky Stone.”

All of a sudden, Ye Cong Xin wiped away tears as she apologized to Yu Zhao in a sobbing voice.

When she cried, tears fell like big pearls, and the tip of her nose turned red. She looked pitiful and cute.

She had carefully practiced this angle as the most beautiful way to cry.

In the past, whenever she cried like this, everyone would try their best to comfort her, and whatever she asked for would be granted without question.

This time, she was sure it would be the same.

To her surprise, the fellow disciples who usually doted on her did not respond right away. Instead, the crowd went silent.

Even Second Senior Brother Lan Zi Yu, who had always spoiled her, said nothing.

Fang Cheng Lang’s eyes darkened at once.

The air grew so heavy that the certainty in Ye Cong Xin’s eyes slowly turned into unease.

“Junior Sister Ye, here’s how it is.” The one who broke the awkward mood was Zhou Jin Yue. She spoke calmly: “First of all, everything should follow the order in which it was asked for. Junior Sister Yu was the one who asked for the Starry Sky Stone first. Second, during this training, Junior Sister Yu contributed the most. So from any angle you look at it, this piece of Starry Sky Stone should go to Junior Sister Yu.”

The others had kept quiet at first because they did not want to fall out with Ye Cong Xin.

Now that Senior Sister Zhou had spoken plainly, they chimed in to help persuade her.

“That’s right, Junior Sister Ye, Junior Sister Yu really had it hard this time. It’s more suitable for the Starry Sky Stone to go to her.”

“Junior Sister Ye, don’t worry. Once we’re back, I’ll keep an eye out for Starry Sky Stone for you. As soon as there’s news, I’ll tell you right away.”

“Junior Sister Ye, Junior Sister Yu is your Senior Sister. You shouldn’t argue with her over a piece of Starry Sky Stone.”

“…”

Listening to everyone all speak up for her, Yu Zhao felt very strange inside.

Back then, she had been the one who was forced to give way.

Even when she was in the right, she still had to step back because she was the Senior Sister, and a petty one at that.

[She’s the Senior Sister. What’s wrong with letting the Junior Sister have it?]

That one sentence had been a shackle that bound Yu Zhao for dozens of years.

Now, the wheel had turned.

Ye Cong Xin was getting a taste of what she had once suffered.

“I didn’t, I wasn’t trying to fight with Sixth Senior Sister. I was just too anxious, it’s all my fault! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I don’t want it anymore, just give it to Sixth Senior Sister!”

After binding with the System, Ye Cong Xin had become very sensitive to other people’s emotions.

She was terrified to find that everyone’s favor toward her seemed to have dropped. She no longer dared to compete with Yu Zhao and quickly admitted she was wrong.

To Ye Cong Xin, Starry Sky Stone was useful but not something she absolutely had to have. She had mainly wanted to use this chance to vent her anger on Yu Zhao.

Now that she had lost both the “chicken” and the “rice,” she naturally did not dare make a fuss any longer.

Ye Cong Xin’s eyes were brimming with tears, and her attitude seemed sincerely apologetic.

Seeing that she knew she was in the wrong, the others started comforting her again.

The whole farce ended very quickly.

Yu Zhao felt rather disappointed.

They had explored the secret realm, found the ores left behind by the master of the realm, and even picked up a Scarlet Flame Lion cub. The trip to Dragon Roar Valley had finally come to an end.

After leaving Dragon Roar Valley, Mu Ye said goodbye to the group from the Five Elements Dao Sect.

She did not ask for anything and even gave Yu Zhao and Zhou Jin Yue each a Greenwood Sect token, inviting them to visit one day.

Yu Zhao and Zhou Jin Yue agreed with a smile.

Then came several days of traveling.

When the mountain gate of the Five Elements Dao Sect finally came into view, everyone felt an urge to cry.

They were finally home.

“First Senior Sister is back!”

With that one shout, the whole Five Elements Dao Sect boiled over.

Disciples gathered in twos and threes and headed together toward the mountain gate to welcome First Senior Sister’s return.

The Sect Master of the Five Elements Dao Sect received the news soon after.

He stroked his beard and laughed heartily.

“As long as they’re back, as long as they’re back.”

Su Ming also heard the news. After learning that First Senior Brother and Second Senior Brother were about to reach the mountain gate, he casually tossed his newly bought Magical Artifact into his cave dwelling and rushed down Lone Moon Peak.

When Zhou Jin Yue, Yu Zhao, and the rest arrived at the gate, they saw a mighty crowd of fellow disciples, Senior Brothers and Junior Brothers, Senior Sisters and Junior Sisters, all there to greet them.

Zhang Jun swallowed hard. “Why are there so many people?”

Another disciple muttered: “We’re just riding on Senior Sister Zhou and Senior Brother Fang’s coattails. Who would come just for us?”

Zhang Jun clutched his chest.

The words were true, but they hurt.

“First Senior Sister, you’re finally back. We missed you so much.”

“First Senior Sister, while you were gone, even my food didn’t taste good.”

“Senior Sister Zhou, I really missed the days when you guided my sword practice. I still want you to teach me.”

“…”

Seeing Zhou Jin Yue, the Five Elements Dao Sect disciples were all smiles, joy shining on their faces. The sight made Zhang Jun’s heart sour with envy.

In no time, Zhou Jin Yue was surrounded and carried forward by the crowd.

Fang Cheng Lang and Ye Cong Xin were treated almost the same way.

Yu Zhao, however, was squeezed out to the very edge of the crowd.

People who passed by even gave her looks of scorn and disdain.

Yu Zhao did not mind.

She was just about to leave when Zhou Jin Yue seemed to notice her missing and anxiously turned back, searching for her in the crowd.

Yu Zhao gave her a faint smile and waved.

Only after Zhou Jin Yue left with everyone else did Yu Zhao stroll slowly toward the Archive Tower.