Chapter 113
Chapter 113: The Disciple Has Only One Request
Lin Qing Yu gently touched Shi Zi Chu’s cheek before gracefully stepping over the threshold and entering.
Seeing the slightly flustered expression on Shi Zi Chu’s face, Jiang Wan Sheng stood up and approached, offering to take the child from her.
Shi Zi Chu let out a sigh of relief, quickening her pace as she returned to the table.
Lin Qing Yu placed two storage rings on the table—one for Xing Lan and the other for Shi Zi Chu.
After handing over the gifts, Lin Qing Yu looked at Shi Zi Chu with a serious yet gentle tone. “Qing Qing, although A’Ling is my biological daughter, you are the chosen successor. King Gu must be raised by you.”
Shi Zi Chu nodded slightly.
Jiang Wan Sheng, holding the child, walked over and sat down in a chair. “Mother, have you chosen a name?”
Lin Qing Yu smiled in response. “Big brother is called Jiang Wan Cheng, and little sister is Jiang Wan Ling.”
Jiang Wan Sheng glanced at the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes. “Jiang Wan Ling, Frost Ling without taint—such a lovely name.”
Lin Qing Yu smiled, then teasingly looked at Shi Zi Chu. “You don’t like children?”
Shi Zi Chu’s face showed a helpless expression.
Noticing Xing Lan’s inquisitive gaze, Shi Zi Chu lowered her voice. “I’ll go back and tell Master.”
Xing Lan nodded in acknowledgment.
Lin Qing Yu was keenly aware of the silent exchange between Xing Lan and Shi Zi Chu.
Qing Qing sure has her ways!
She silently admired Qing Qing, then cast a sympathetic glance toward her son.
Ah Sheng had already been completely trained by Qing Qing. He couldn’t live without her, but to challenge Venerable Xing Lan? That would be hopeless.
Poor thing!
Seeing the sympathetic and gloating look from his own mother, Jiang Wan Sheng couldn’t help but curl his lips in annoyance.
His good mother.
Lin Qing Yu, unfazed by her son’s attitude, turned back to Shi Zi Chu and said, “You haven’t congratulated Qing Qing on her nascent soul. The congratulatory gift is inside.”
“Thank you, Aunt Lin,” Shi Zi Chu smiled brightly.
Then, as if remembering something, her eyes sparkled as she looked at Xing Lan with full expectation.
“Master!” Shi Zi Chu immediately extended her hand toward Xing Lan. “The congratulatory gift!”
Xing Lan calmly regarded her. “What do you want?”
Shi Zi Chu shook her head.
She had nothing lacking and couldn’t think of a request at the moment.
Xing Lan didn’t rush her, giving her time to think.
Before Shi Zi Chu could speak, Jiang Wan Sheng took out a jade flute, entirely green, and handed it to her.
An immortal-ranked magic artifact. Any cultivator specializing in music would surely covet it.
Lin Qing Yu glanced at it with a hint of amusement.
This flute had been a gift from Ah Sheng’s father. She had wondered why he wanted it, but now she understood—it was for Qing Qing.
Shi Zi Chu’s eyes lit up as she took the jade flute.
She had an idea!
“Master~”
Upon seeing the life-bound sword suddenly summoned, Xing Lan sighed inwardly.
Fusing two immortal-ranked magic artifacts into one? Jiu Jiu really knew how to make things difficult.
Both Lin Qing Yu and Jiang Wan Sheng were drawn to the spirit sword that appeared.
A demi-god ranked spirit sword.
There was no such sword in the spirit sword repertoire. Could it be that Venerable Xing Lan had forged a new one?
Xing Lan spoke, “The sword has a spirit. If you wish to fuse the jade flute into it, you must ask the sword spirit.”
“The sword spirit agrees,” Shi Zi Chu said, handing over the jade flute and the life-bound sword.
Xing Lan waved his hand and put the two magic artifacts away. “You may make all other requests now.”
Shi Zi Chu raised her finger. “Disciple has only one request: to switch forms freely.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wan Sheng couldn’t help but sympathize with Xing Lan. He spoke to Shi Zi Chu. “Qing Qing, only a divine artifact can achieve the ability to switch forms freely.”
In the entire cultivation world, the highest-ranked magic artifact was only demi-god level. There were no god-ranked artifacts.
The fusion of a demi-god ranked magic artifact with an immortal-ranked one… Let’s hope it succeeds.
Shi Zi Chu lifted her chin, her expression almost daring, as if to say, “So what?”
Completely unreasonable.
Jiang Wan Sheng raised an eyebrow.
At least it wasn’t him being troubled, but Xing Lan, that old man.
Fine by him.
Xing Lan’s voice was cool and indifferent. “Choose five forms.”
Without hesitation, Shi Zi Chu answered, “Long sword! Flute! Folding fan! Round fan!… Pipa? Master, should it be pipa or guqin?”
Xing Lan didn’t respond to the question.
It was simply adding another form—nothing difficult.
Shi Zi Chu didn’t press the issue.
Lin Qing Yu observed their teacher-disciple interactions, finally feeling reassured.
After a while, Lin Qing Yu left.
Jiang Wan Sheng had originally intended to stay, but a guard came to summon him for a meeting at the main hill.
Once Jiang Wan Sheng left, Shi Zi Chu propped her cheek on her hand and looked at Xing Lan.
Everything appeared calm and peaceful!
Xing Lan gave her a sideways glance.
He wasn’t a magnanimous person, but he couldn’t be bothered to argue, since Jiu Jiu had little emotional attachment to Jiang Wan Sheng.
Shi Zi Chu gave a cute, obedient smile. “Master, please be magnanimous…”
“Do you believe that?”
The low, cold voice cut through Shi Zi Chu’s flattery.
Shi Zi Chu smiled mischievously.
……
To express her gratitude to Xing Lan and Shi Zi Chu for saving Lin Qing Yu, Jiang Xian held a grand banquet, though with a small guest list.
Ye He Qi was fortunate enough to attend.
After the banquet, Xing Lan took Shi Zi Chu back to Jade Void Sect, while Ye He Qi stayed behind to discuss spirit pill cooperation with Jiang Wan Sheng.
——
Life on Rising Succession Peak was calm and leisurely.
Xing Lan spent his time in the artifact refining room, while Shi Zi Chu wandered around on her own, strolling here and there, feeling quite content.
Sadly, these peaceful days didn’t last long.
Meng Xi Yu arrived with a task jade slip in hand.
Under Shi Zi Chu’s questioning gaze, Meng Xi Yu’s cold voice spoke. “The Mission Hall has a new batch of tasks. This one has a cultivation restriction, and no one at the nascent soul stage wants to take it. The Mission Hall drew your name.”
What a surprise!
Shi Zi Chu took the jade slip, then heard Meng Xi Yu continue, “The task rewards a thousand contribution points.”
“How much?” Shi Zi Chu’s eyes lit up.
Meng Xi Yu repeated, “A thousand points.”
Shi Zi Chu immediately signed her name on the jade slip and eagerly tucked it away. “I’ll go complete it now!”
Her forty or so tasks combined only yielded a little over a thousand contribution points! Now, one task alone offered a thousand!
Meng Xi Yu stopped her, explaining the details of the task.
“The location is in the Celestial Grace Mountain Range. In the inner zone, there’s a fully mature Green Rock Li Flower. Its guarding spirit beast is at least mid-nascent soul stage.”
The Green Rock Li Flower was a fifth-rank spiritual plant, and its guardian spirit beast was no weakling.
Shi Zi Chu grew serious. “Such a task shouldn’t have gone unclaimed.”
“Limitless Sect and Returning Cloud Sect also issued the same task. The cultivator from Limitless Sect who took it is Young Sect Master Yan,” Meng Xi Yu explained, giving the reason why no disciple wanted to take it.
Yan Zhou Bai?
He was already a late nascent soul cultivator, and after his ordeal in the Ten Thousand Visions Realm, he was likely at nascent soul perfection by now.
No wonder no one wanted the task.
Indeed, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
Shi Zi Chu asked, “What about Returning Cloud Sect?”
Meng Xi Yu replied, “Returning Cloud Sect’s task was taken by Sect Master Pei.”
Shi Zi Chu raised an eyebrow. “Then logically, this task should have been yours.”
Why had it been drawn by lot at Jade Void Sect, when the other two sects had their sect masters take the tasks?
Meng Xi Yu retorted, “Do I lack these few measly contribution points?”
Whether in terms of contribution points or other rewards, did he need them?
“…” Shi Zi Chu immediately fell silent.
Meng Xi Yu curled the corner of his lips, a fleeting smile crossing his face.