Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Yu Zhao Is Still Yu Zhao
Yu Zhao rubbed her sore eyes and set down the book in her hands, letting out a helpless breath as she murmured, “Phew.”

For the past three days, she had left early and returned late, and had finally finished going through all the books on the first floor of the Archive Tower.

The result was not what she had hoped for.

She looked at the staircase in the center of the first floor.

Now she could only place her hopes on the second floor.

If she still could not find the technique she needed there, then the matter of Reset Foundation and Rebuild would have to be delayed again.

That was what Yu Zhao least wanted to see.

The longer it dragged on, the more the hidden ailment in her body would grow worse. By then, even if she reset her foundation and rebuilt her cultivation, it would be useless.

Yu Zhao pressed down her restless mood and walked toward the exit of the first floor of the Archive Tower.

It was getting late. It was almost time for the Archive Tower to close. The others had already left, and she should leave too.

As Yu Zhao passed Elder Gu, who was on duty, she gave him a bow as usual and was just about to keep walking when a voice suddenly called out to her: “Little girl, just what have you been looking for these last few days? There is nothing here that you ought to be looking for.”

The worn, deep voice made Yu Zhao stop in her tracks.

She turned her head and looked at Elder Gu, who was smiling with narrowed eyes, feeling very surprised.

She had been going in and out of the Archive Tower for three days, and this Elder Gu had never spoken to her even once. Why did he suddenly think of calling out to her today?

She hesitated for a moment, then answered honestly, “Elder Gu, I am looking for a technique that suits me.”

“Oh?” Elder Gu let out a soft sound of surprise and then asked, “If I remember right, aren’t you cultivating the Sea Moon Scripture under Master Qing Yan?”

Yu Zhao’s eyes widened as she asked, “Elder Gu, you know me?”

“Hahaha.” Elder Gu laughed and said, “Of course I know you. Aren’t you Master Qing Yan’s youngest disciple, Yu Zhao? What, did you really think I, Old Gu, know nothing about what happens outside?”

Yu Zhao gave an awkward smile. Remembering what Elder Gu had just said, she reminded him, “Elder Gu, Master took a new disciple a few days ago. I am no longer Master’s youngest disciple.”

When she said this, her face did not change at all. Her expression was calm and steady.

Elder Gu looked at Yu Zhao in silence. For some reason, he suddenly let out a sigh. He did not keep asking why she was no longer cultivating the Sea Moon Scripture.

Yu Zhao also quietly let out a breath of relief.

She had really been afraid that Elder Gu would keep pressing her. She did not want to lie, but she also did not want to spill everything out. Stopping here was for the best.

Elder Gu put down the ancient book in his hands, thought for a long moment, and then slowly said, “I know what you are looking for now. Come find me tomorrow. I might be able to help you.”

Yu Zhao’s eyes lit up. She answered quickly, “Thank you, Elder Gu!”

She did not doubt Elder Gu’s words.

As the warden of the Archive Tower, Elder Gu knew the books inside better than anyone. He was a man who did not care much for fame or gain, and he had no grudges with her. He would not play tricks on her for no reason.

She did not know why Elder Gu wanted to help her, but Yu Zhao felt grateful. She thanked him again and again, and the tightness in her heart that had lasted for many days finally loosened a little.

Elder Gu waved his hand with a smile and said, “Go back. Remember to come find me tomorrow.”

Yu Zhao replied at once, “This disciple will remember!”

Yu Zhao stayed in a very good mood all the way back to Lone Moon Peak. She could not wait for tomorrow to come.

However, when she saw the tall figure standing outside her cave dwelling, her mood fell to the bottom, and the smile at the corner of her mouth vanished at once. [Why is he here?]

She called out in a flat voice, “First Senior Brother.”

Fang Cheng Lang turned around. His brows were slightly knit, and his jaw line was tight as he asked, “Where did you go? Why are you coming back so late?”

Yu Zhao answered a bit perfunctorily, “Something held me up.” She did not say what it was.

Fang Cheng Lang could hear the perfunctory tone. Anger rose in his eyes as he shouted, “Yu Zhao, I thought that being punished in the Black Prison this time would make you as sensible as Junior Sister. I did not expect you to still be so unwilling to improve. You really let people down!”

Yu Zhao curled her lips.

It was the same speech again.

Her ears were almost growing calluses from hearing it.

She did not even know when it had started, but she no longer heard any praise for her from First Senior Brother’s mouth.

In the past, even when she had simply braided her hair, First Senior Brother would smile and praise her. Later, all she got were scoldings and put downs.

For a while, Yu Zhao had even walked on eggshells, afraid that just walking would somehow bring sudden scolding from her senior brothers.

Now she had thought it through.

People who do not like you will even think your breathing is wrong.

Why should she change herself because of what others thought?

Especially when those people no longer had anything to do with her.

Yu Zhao nodded along and said, “First Senior Brother is very right. Junior Sister is smart and quick witted. How could someone as ordinary as me compare to her?”

As soon as she said this, Fang Cheng Lang’s face went blank.

He even wondered if he had heard wrong.

What was his sixth Junior Sister saying?

She, she…

Fang Cheng Lang’s sharp gaze stabbed toward Yu Zhao. He looked her up and down, full of doubt and search.

Yu Zhao met his gaze calmly, her expression natural.

Seeing this, Fang Cheng Lang was shocked.

All the strange little things he had ignored before appeared one by one in his mind.

Ever since his sixth Junior Sister had returned from the Black Prison, she seemed like a different person.

In the past, she would call “First Senior Brother” in a sweet voice, look at him with a bright smile, and follow behind him so closely he could not shake her off. When she heard him praise Junior Sister, she would sulk and get jealous.

Her joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness had all been vivid and lively.

She would never have looked at him as calmly as she did now, as if she were facing a stranger.

This was not his sixth Junior Sister!

Could it be… Body-Seizing?!

As soon as that thought appeared, Fang Cheng Lang’s eyes almost split apart from rage. He raised his hand, pulled out the flying sword at his waist, and pointed the tip at Yu Zhao’s throat as he shouted, “What kind of demon are you! Hurry up and get out of my Junior Sister’s body!”

Yu Zhao jumped in fright.

Fang Cheng Lang was a mid Golden Core Stage sword cultivator. Even ten Yu Zhaos tied together could not withstand a single strike from him.

Now, with the sword pointed at her throat, Yu Zhao felt the danger of death. Every hair on her body stood on end.

Because of that, her reaction was a beat slower.

In Fang Cheng Lang’s eyes, her reaction looked like guilt. That, in his mind, only proved his guess.

Fang Cheng Lang was furious like thunder.

He could hardly believe that his Junior Sister would have her body seized by an outsider right on Lone Moon Peak’s territory. That was simply treating Master Qing Yan’s line as if it did not exist at all.

His spirit power surged, and sword light gathered along the blade.

Yu Zhao felt a cold chill at her neck. The next moment, a fine pain spread, followed by a warm, wet feeling.

Fang Cheng Lang kept threatening in a cold voice as he warned, “If you still do not get out, I will smash your soul into pieces so you can never be reborn!”

Yu Zhao’s heart turned cold.

If she did not quickly think of a way to prove who she was, Fang Cheng Lang’s actions would only grow more and more fierce.

She hurried to speak: “First Senior Brother, I have not been body seized. Who would be so blind as to dare body seize Master Qing Yan’s disciple inside the Five Elements Dao Sect? They would not even be able to pass the Mountain-Guarding Grand Array.”

For a brief moment, Fang Cheng Lang hesitated.

But all of Yu Zhao’s strange changes still would not let him relax.

His sword stayed steady in front of Yu Zhao’s throat.

Blood slowly seeped into Yu Zhao’s collar.

Yu Zhao acted as if she did not feel it and went on explaining, “Besides, if I really were someone who had seized a body, why would I show flaws and let you notice? Wouldn’t I be digging my own grave?”

Her words were like a heavy hammer hitting Fang Cheng Lang’s heart, shaking it.

Yes. If Yu Zhao had really been body seized by someone, why would they be so foolish as to expose themselves?

So Yu Zhao was still Yu Zhao.

The sixth Junior Sister was still the sixth Junior Sister.