Chapter 110: The Most Unintentional Moves the Heart
(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)
The Sword Forest of Heavenly Sword Peak, created by Elder Qi, was incomparably intricate. It encapsulated the essence of a century’s worth of comprehension and mastery of the Sword Dao. Though the challenge posed no restriction on cultivation level, many disciples of Spirit Sword Mountain had sustained severe injuries attempting to traverse it in recent days. Their wounds had yet to heal.
Zhuo Wan Qiu hesitated to make a unilateral decision. After a brief contemplation, she said, “Young Master Ji, I must report this to the Mirror Master first. Only with her approval can I take you there.”
“But I heard from Ding Yao yesterday that the Sword Forest is unguarded, and disciples from other sects are allowed entry.”
“It’s not that you can’t enter, but rather, you are different.”
After pondering briefly, Ji You pursed his lips. “The killing intent within the Sword Forest is overwhelming. She will not permit me to enter.”
Zhuo Wan Qiu pressed her lips together. “But if you truly wish to learn the sword, the Mirror Master herself could teach you.”
“Nonsense.” Ji You’s brows furrowed instantly. “She is the Mirror Master of Spirit Sword Mountain, the future Sect Master. She would never divulge her sect’s Sword Dao to outsiders. Do not speak such words carelessly again. If overheard by someone with ill intent, it could spell trouble.”
Startled, Zhuo Wan Qiu glanced at Ding Yao before bowing deeply. “Young Master, Wan Qiu acknowledges her fault.”
Ding Yao, still mulling over the previous exchange, stared incredulously at the two. [This Ji You has no formal ties with the Mirror Master, yet here he is scolding her maidservant. Does he really take himself so seriously?]
With a gentle motion, Ji You helped Zhuo Wan Qiu to her feet and spoke softly, “One day, I will stand before the world, wielding my sword. I must have a proper origin for my skills, and the Sword Forest is a good choice.”
“But if something were to happen to you, I couldn’t bear the responsibility,” she replied, her gaze earnest.
Looking into her sincere eyes, Ji You felt a premonition: [Someday, I’ll have to listen to her in everything. Fine, I’ll go along for now, and once I’m strong enough, I’ll settle things my way.]
A true man must know when to bend and when to stand tall.
Seeing that Ji You didn’t oppose her decision, Zhuo Wan Qiu promptly turned and left the courtyard to seek the Mirror Master’s permission at the Cloud Summit Palace.
Left alone with Ding Yao, she finally spoke up after Zhuo Wan Qiu’s departure. “I told you I’d report you for pinching the Mirror Master’s cheek. I never thought you’d dare show your face here again.”
“I’ve heard that the Sword Dao of Spirit Sword Mountain pursues directness. If not for this, what would be the point of learning the sword?”
“Do you not fear death?”
Ji You, now seated on a bamboo cushion, replied, “The world deems me a wandering rogue cultivator with no future, unworthy compared to the Second Young Master of the Chu Clan or the direct disciples of the Dao Seeking Sect. If I die, so be it. Miss Ding need not worry herself over me.”
Hearing this, Ding Yao froze momentarily. Memories of rumors from Shengjing resurfaced.
Back when they met at Qiling, she had assumed Ji You was an unremarkable disciple of the Heavenly Script Academy, no different from the others at Spirit Sword Mountain. Yet, to her shock, she discovered he had pinched the Mirror Master’s cheek and lived—and the Mirror Master seemed to linger near him.
Intrigued, she began observing him closely. She learned he wasn’t just a wandering rogue cultivator who achieved Peak Lower Three Stages at a young age through self-taught Immortal Dao, but he had also suppressed the Chu Clan’s Second Young Master twice after entering the Heavenly Script Academy.
Moreover, at Qiling, he had fended off seventy-three disciples of two clans single-handedly with his mastery of Seven Swords, and later, in the streets of Shengjing, he used his sword to strike down a member of the Demon Clan.
Such a man could hardly be considered ordinary. Even among the Seven Great Immortal Sects, he would be deemed a rare prodigy. Yet, her high regard for the Mirror Master’s nobility had blinded her to this fact.
Even so, did he truly believe he could rival a direct disciple of the Dao Seeking Sect?
Ding Yao blinked away her thoughts. She had wanted to remind Ji You of the stark reality before him. The fact remained: no matter how extraordinary his talent, he could not change the immutable reality of their Daoist Lineage. Shang Xi Yao, as the Successor of the Dao Seeking Sect, was destined to inherit its entirety. Even if Ji You ascended to the pinnacle of the Upper Five Stages, he could never truly match Shang Xi Yao’s influence.
As Ding Yao prepared to speak, the sound of footsteps echoed from the courtyard. She turned, noticing Zhuo Wan Qiu, who had just left, returning swiftly. Trailing behind her was Yan Shu Yi, the Mirror Master, whose celestial elegance was undeniable. For a fleeting moment, Ding Yao’s eyes betrayed astonishment.
“Only a few words exchanged, yet you’re back so soon?” she asked.
Zhuo Wan Qiu shrugged lightly. “The Mirror Master was already lingering nearby…” She left her statement hanging.
Yan Shu Yi entered with an air of indifference, her gaze briefly settling on Ji You with disdain before stepping gracefully into the room. Zhuo Wan Qiu took Ding Yao by the arm, leading her to guard the courtyard gates.
The room’s door closed behind Yan Shu Yi, dimming the sunlight that had once illuminated the space.
“You’ve come rather quickly,” Ji You remarked.
“I happened upon Wan Qiu while strolling down the mountain,” Yan Shu Yi replied, adjusting the folds of her Cloud-Brocade Gown. She gracefully lowered herself onto a bamboo mat near Ji You. Her tone was calm, but her words were sharp. “She mentioned you intend to challenge Elder Qi’s Sword Forest at Heavenly Sword Peak?”
Ji You nodded. “I heard about the Sword Forest in the city yesterday. It sounded like a challenge worth attempting.”
“Why didn’t you tell me last night?”
“Would it have made the path up Heavenly Sword Peak any easier if I had?”
Yan Shu Yi’s gaze narrowed. “The Sword Forest brims with lethal intent. One misstep could mean certain death. Even if you succeed, as a disciple of the Heavenly Script Academy, you will gain nothing from their sect. The Spirit Sword Mountain will never share its secrets with outsiders.”
“Still,” Ji You countered, “it’s an opportunity too rare to let slip by.”
Yan Shu Yi studied him, her irritation concealed beneath her serene demeanor. She thought, [This man, who dared touch my jade-like feet on Spirit-Mirror Mountain, now seeks to grasp at my sect’s swordsmanship. Is there no limit to his audacity?]
“If you’re that eager to learn the sword,” Yan Shu Yi offered, “I can teach you. There’s no need to risk the Sword Forest.”
Ji You’s heart stirred momentarily, but he quickly replied, “I’d rather not learn from you.”
“Why?” Yan Shu Yi’s composure faltered, her pride slightly wounded.
“If you hold back even the slightest, I’d be wasting my time. I don’t want to spend my life chasing a standard you deliberately keep out of reach,” Ji You said with a grin.
Yan Shu Yi maintained her feigned aloofness, but her expression betrayed subtle annoyance. Ji You, unable to resist, reached out and pinched her cheek—a gesture he had considered the previous night but refrained from while playing along with her imperial act. Now, his mischief knew no bounds.
The Mirror Master, initially wary, did not resist. Her delicate brows furrowed, and she turned her gaze away, letting Ji You have his way. [This man only ever thinks about surpassing me in battle, yet here he is pinching my face. Who knows what else he wants to touch?]
Annoyed, Yan Shu Yi kicked at Ji You, her foot connecting lightly before resting in his lap. She muttered, “Yuan Cai Wei sent me a letter this morning.”
Ji You raised an eyebrow. “What did she say?”
Yan Shu Yi began reciting the letter with mock gravity: “‘Dear Shu Yi, it has been a while since we last met. I trust you’ve been well since we parted in Ningcheng County. I heard Ji You left the Pill Sect a few days ago. He should be at Spirit Sword Mountain by now. Could you tell me where he resides? Please reply if he’s arrived safely.’”
Finishing the letter, Yan Shu Yi turned her cold gaze on Ji You. “It seems someone’s actions at the Pill Sect left a lasting impression—enough for her to pine for you. What did you do to her?”
Ji You, unfazed, glanced at the foot in his lap. “What happened at the Pill Sect was far more scandalous than merely touching her feet.”
Yan Shu Yi’s eyes narrowed. “Oh? Do tell.”
Ji You chuckled. “By accident, she saw something that should’ve been reserved for your eyes alone.”
“…?”
Yan Shu Yi’s eyes flickered with confusion, her beautiful brows furrowing slightly. “What exactly am I supposed to appreciate?”
Ji You offered a faint smile. “I won’t tell you until I defeat you. Otherwise, I’d die before I even reach the Sword Forest.”
“Then I’ll go ask Yuan Cai Wei what she saw.”
“She definitely won’t tell you,” Ji You replied with certainty.
Yan Shu Yi pondered for a long moment before revealing an aloof expression, though her eyes sparkled with curiosity. [Tell me now,] her gaze seemed to plead.
Ji You shook his head, remaining silent. Suddenly, a white and jade-like foot flew toward him.
Meanwhile, Ding Yao stood at the doorway, glancing into the noisy room with a furrowed brow that refused to relax. “Today, inner disciples from the Dao Seeking Sect and the Mountain and Sea Pavilion came seeking an audience with the Mirror Master several times, but she ignored them all. Yet here she is, twice going out of her way to meet him. It’s truly unbelievable!”
Zhuo Wan Qiu spoke softly, “The Mirror Master is in love.”
“Nonsense! The Mirror Master is merely captivated by his appearance,” Ding Yao retorted.
Zhuo Wan Qiu reached out, grasping the warmth of the sunlight. “But Shang Xi Yao isn’t bad either. Why wasn’t the Mirror Master enchanted by him?”
Ding Yao sneered. “Because his flowery words pale in comparison.”
“I think it’s because Young Master Ji doesn’t care whether she’s the Mirror Master or not. That’s why she can be so carefree with him.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Listening to the sounds within the room, Zhuo Wan Qiu continued, “Shang Xi Yao’s pursuit of the Mirror Master was to announce a marriage alliance between the Dao Seeking Sect and Spirit Sword Mountain to the world. Senior Sister Ding, you once rose to prominence by spreading tales of your close sisterly bond with the Mirror Master. But what has Young Master Ji gained?”
Ding Yao’s face darkened, unable to respond to the pointed sarcasm.
“Young Master Ji has never asked the Mirror Master for anything. He’s never even mentioned being friends with the Little Mirror Master of Spirit Sword Mountain. Did you know some snobbish people at the Heavenly Script Academy target him, thinking he has no backing? They even tried their best to get Chu He into the Inner Court. If he had spoken up, what would the Chu Clan amount to?”
“He’s never let the Mirror Master feel pressured because of him. Nor has he ever sought to exploit her.”
“And that day at the ruins, I checked Gong Shu Chou’s wound. Young Master Ji could’ve killed him in one strike. He also knew sparing Gong Shu Chou meant risking retaliation in the future. But he still chose not to make things difficult for the Mirror Master. Could Senior Sister Ding have done the same?”
Ding Yao was momentarily stunned, then fell into silence. She felt slightly unsettled but couldn’t deny that everything Zhuo Wan Qiu said was true.
Ji You was an extraordinarily talented rogue cultivator from the countryside, desperately lacking status and background. If it had been her, she would have broadcast her connection with the Little Mirror Master of Spirit Sword Mountain to the world long ago.
Now, as rumors of impending chaos spread across the Azure Clouds Dominion, clans and immortal sects were forming alliances. Compared to the Chu Clan, which lacked a Daoist lineage, or the Pill Sect, which had no combat strength, who could rival the unparalleled Spirit Sword Mountain?
“And the Sword Forest?” Zhuo Wan Qiu continued. “Young Master Ji said that if he’s going to wield a sword, he needs a proper origin. Do you know what that means, Senior Sister Ding?”
Ding Yao snapped out of her daze and looked at Zhuo Wan Qiu. “If you have something to say, say it directly.”
After a long pause, Zhuo Wan Qiu spoke, “If Young Master Ji wanted to learn swordsmanship, why risk his life in the nearly fatal Sword Forest? He could simply ask the Mirror Master to teach him. But if the Mirror Master taught him, and he then wielded the swordsmanship of Spirit Sword Mountain, what would the world think? What would the covetous Heavenly Sword Peak think?”
“The Mirror Master represents the dignity of Spirit Sword Mountain. Passing their swordsmanship to an outsider disciple, especially one from the rival Heavenly Script Academy, would be unthinkable.”
“Young Master Ji never put the Mirror Master in a position where she had to choose between her sect and him. Instead, he chose to challenge the Sword Forest, ensuring that when he finally wields a sword, it will be upright and beyond reproach.”
“Even if he becomes the focus of the world while wielding Spirit Sword Mountain’s Sword Dao, the Mirror Master won’t face any trouble.”
Ding Yao was silent for a long time before biting her lip. “Maybe he hasn’t realized how many benefits come with knowing the Mirror Master.”
Zhuo Wan Qiu smiled faintly. “If that’s the case, isn’t it even more moving?”