Chapter 93: The Mirror Master’s Short Skirt
(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)
Night descended, and under the stars, the capital city of Sheng Jing glimmered like water beneath a bright moon.
Ji You had just left the Elegant Garden by Azure Lake, only to find himself the focus of peculiar gazes from many passersby. Most notably, several senior sisters from his sect seemed to eye him with an intense fervor.
[How are there still people not wearing undergarments? My goodness… Is this the legendary freedom of cultivators?]
He couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed. [This kind of freedom… is too much.]
Being an exceptionally observant person by nature, Ji You found himself deeply impacted as he passed by those coming and going at the Field of Enlightenment. Unable to completely settle his mind, he eventually sat down cross-legged on the ground, attempting to collect himself. Quietly, he retracted his wandering gaze and extended his spiritual consciousness to the heavens.
After traversing through endless, dark voids, his senses reached the foot of Mount Void. There, he saw Yan Shu Yi seated upon a black stone, her delicate hands constantly weaving patterns in the air, each movement manifesting principles of the Heavenly Dao. A mysterious, swirling radiance surrounded her, resonating with the void itself.
The recent attempt by Heavenly Sword Peak to annex Sword Inquiry Peak had heightened tensions among the three principal peaks of Spirit Sword Mountain. Though the situation was still under control, the underlying currents of discord were steadily growing stronger. Yan Shu Yi had been training diligently, aiming to become the sharpest sword for her sect.
As the sound of Ji You’s approach broke the tranquil air, the Mirror Master ceased her manipulation of the Heavenly Dao. Shifting slightly on the black stone, her petite figure adjusted itself. The red skirt she wore was noticeably shorter than usual, revealing her slender, fair legs. Turning her head, she glared at him with a trace of annoyance, her expression fierce.
“Have the Yuan siblings left?” she asked curtly.
Ji You, who had intended to avoid disturbing her cultivation, paused mid-step. Hearing her voice, he immediately stood upright, a resolute look in his eyes as he replied, “They departed at dawn.”
Narrowing her eyes, Yan Shu Yi sneered, “I heard that someone stirred up quite a commotion—competing with an inner sect disciple over the eldest daughter of the Pill Sect. Fifty-three sword strikes, leaving the outer court dumbfounded. Quite the spectacle.”
Surprised, Ji You turned to face her. “How do you know about that?”
“In Sheng Jing, there are agents of Spirit Sword Mountain who keep me informed. Nothing escapes my notice. Besides, a certain girl named Bai Xi, who happens to know you, narrated the story in a particularly captivating way. I couldn’t help but listen.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Your sect’s communication is that fast?”
Looking down at him from her elevated position, Yan Shu Yi declared, “Naturally, the methods of Spirit Sword Mountain far surpass those of your Heavenly Script Academy.”
However, Ji You could easily tell she was bluffing.
In the current world of Azure Clouds, information exchange primarily relied on Incense Transmission or Signal Burning Techniques. Both methods were limited by distance and time constraints. Given the considerable distance between Spirit Sword Mountain and the capital, even these techniques could not possibly achieve same-day delivery. The only plausible explanation would involve using the Sect’s Jade Token, a method that consumed immense spiritual energy and was reserved strictly for urgent matters.
[This girl… could she have been using the jade token every day to check whether the Yuan siblings had left?]
He decided not to ask. If he did, she would likely respond with something nonchalant like, “I just happened to overhear it,” pretending it was of little importance.
After all, the Mirror Master of Spirit Sword Mountain was known for having a tongue sharper than any sword.
Yan Shu Yi furrowed her delicate brows and fixed her gaze on him. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“I’m just surprised you managed to dig up all this information,” he admitted.
“I didn’t ‘dig it up.’ It’s just that Bai Xi, being acquainted with you, insisted on telling me about it.” Straightening her graceful figure, she added, “The entire capital is abuzz with talk of you and Yuan Cai Wei being deeply in love. I must have been rather slow-witted in Ningcheng County, too preoccupied with resenting someone for pinching my face to notice.”
Hearing this, Ji You coughed awkwardly. [The Mirror Master’s grievances are as straightforward as they come.] Back in Ningcheng County, she had affectionately called Cai Wei “Sister Cai Wei.” Now, she referred to her as “that woman.”
Seeing him remain silent, Yan Shu Yi puffed up her cheeks slightly and demanded, “What are you laughing at?”
He replied casually, “What can I do? Miss Yuan lets me massage her feet whenever I want. You, on the other hand, always kick me away.”
Yan Shu Yi gazed at Ji You with a faint smirk, her voice calm but teasing, “So, it turns out you have a penchant for feet, yet you’re not too picky about whose.” She paused, then lifted her snow-white jade foot, extending it forward as if in provocation.
Ji You froze for a moment, caught off guard by her boldness. He thought to himself, [Can it really be this simple?] With a righteous expression, he reached out to touch her flawless toes, only to be promptly kicked down the mountain before he could get close.
Yan Shu Yi’s face flushed a delicate pink as she glared down at him from above, her tone fierce, “In your dreams.”
Regaining his composure, Ji You climbed back up the mountain, brushing himself off as he approached her once again. He wore a sheepish smile as he remarked, “You know, the sparring isn’t about jealousy. It’s because the day of leaving the academy is near. Many of the elders from the outer court, stirred by the inner court’s provocations, are trying to curry favor with the Hall Master’s personal disciples by making trouble for me.”
Yan Shu Yi’s gaze followed him, her delicate eyes narrowing slightly. “But you’re not the type to enjoy fights and causing trouble.”
Ji You nodded in agreement. “That’s true. But who would’ve thought they’d use money? I fell for such an obvious trap. It’s infuriating.”
Yan Shu Yi tilted her head, her voice soft but direct, “Ji You, why are you so obsessed with money?”
“I’m terrified of being poor,” he admitted without hesitation. “I’ve always dreamed of saving enough to get married.”
Her water-clear eyes locked onto his, unblinking. After a long silence, she parted her lips. “Ji You, I want a sword… the kind worth a thousand taels of silver. But I’m broke.”
Ji You didn’t hesitate. “Then I’ll scrape together the money for you.”
Yan Shu Yi’s expression remained serious. “I’m not joking. Don’t regret it later or hold it against me.”
“Alright, I’ll send it to you tomorrow.”
Seeing his sincerity, Yan Shu Yi couldn’t help but deliver a few light kicks to him. After the last playful kick, her jade-like foot rested on his lap, as if this was a natural outcome.
Ever since they returned from Ningcheng County, Ji You’s boldness had noticeably grown. In the past, he wouldn’t dare retaliate when she kicked him. But now, every time she did, he would casually grab her foot. At first, her face would flush with embarrassment, but it didn’t take long for her to grow used to it. Placing her foot on his lap now felt neither awkward nor improper.
It was just like the first time she sought him out. Afraid of the dark and unwilling to stay outside, she had sat close to the fire with him to keep warm. Gradually, she had grown accustomed to his proximity.
Ji You’s gaze lingered on her with subtle curiosity until his expression suddenly turned to surprise. “Your skirt… Why has it gotten so short?”
Yan Shu Yi’s cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red as she looked down at the hem of her skirt, which barely reached her thighs. She murmured softly, “I don’t know. It was like this when I came here today…”
She adjusted the skirt downward as much as she could, casting a sharp glance at Ji You. Her embarrassment turned into a glimmer of irritation. [Could it be the peculiarities of Mount Void?]
Mount Void was a strange place indeed. Beyond allowing spiritual senses to connect, it had another mysterious effect: emotions would occasionally manifest externally. Even clothing seemed to shift based on one’s mental state.
Yan Shu Yi pondered her unchanged emotions and then glanced at Ji You, a man she had only encountered twice before. [Could it be a hereditary trait passed down through generations?]
Recalling a rumor she heard earlier that day from Bai Xi and Ji You’s question in Ningcheng County about whether she intended to pass the Spirit Mirror to the next generation, her gaze turned slightly annoyed. Her aura shifted from its usual violet-black to a faint yellow.
Ji You noticed the subtle change in her aura and held his breath. He was no match for her and wisely chose not to ask what she was thinking, pretending not to notice anything.
The two sat quietly for a long while before Yan Shu Yi broke the silence. “Have you seen the decree from your Heavenly Script Academy?”
“Decree?” he echoed.
Ji You recalled the golden light that flashed across the skies before receiving the duel challenge and nodded slightly.
Yan Shu Yi’s expression turned solemn as she remarked, “The Ancestor of the Zheng Clan was once a member of the Chen Clan of Immortals. His attempt at ascending through the Pill Sect’s alchemy methods led to the deaths of countless disciples from other sects. Worst of all, this incident utterly shamed the other Immortal Sects. Cultivation is meant to purify the heart of worldly desires, but this exposed their greed completely.”
Hearing this, Ji You chuckled. “The Mountain and Sea Pavilion lost the most people, which clearly shows their greed is the strongest. The Chen Clan comes next, and the Heavenly Sword Peak ranks third. It’s almost laughable.”
“Indeed,” Yan Shu Yi agreed, “but the decree from the Heavenly Script Academy declares their intent to clear the Pill Sect’s name, emphasizing that they had no involvement with the disaster at the ruins. Thus, they won’t act against the Pill Sect for now.”
“That’s not surprising,” Ji You noted. “After all, the Pill Sect’s headmaster’s younger brother has been residing in the inner court of the Heavenly Script Academy for quite some time. What of the Chen Clan of Immortals?”
Yan Shu Yi swung her bare feet lightly. “The Mountain and Sea Pavilion and Heavenly Sword Peak have dispatched many cultivators to confront the Chen Clan.”
Without thinking, Ji You clasped her snow-white feet, finding them cold to the touch. He recalled an old saying that women who lacked warmth were often unloved.
The Mirror Master ignored his presumption and continued, “There’s another matter I should share with you.”
“Hmm?”
“You know how the Azure Clouds Dominion is littered with ruins, large and small. Recently, the Dao Seeking Sect sent word proposing an alliance to take control of all ruins in Ling Prefecture and Yu Prefecture. Other sects are likely investigating the ruins’ numbers secretly and preparing for division.”
Ji You furrowed his brow. “Do they still cling to dreams of so-called Immortal Fate?”
In the Azure Clouds Dominion, only resources attracted the division of Immortal Sects, ranging from taxes collected from common folk to precious spiritual herbs and mineral veins from the Northern Plains. Until the Zheng Clan’s failed ascension, ruins were never considered part of their disputes.
But the recent developments revealed a chilling truth—ancient ruins had become mere resources in the eyes of the sects.
Though the Zheng Ancestor failed to ascend, he undeniably opened a path toward ascension. It was impossible for cultivators not to have thoughts about this.
Before Ji You returned from Ningcheng County, such news wouldn’t have troubled him. He would have believed more ruins meant more dead cultivators, easing the burden on the common folk.
But now, knowing that Immortal Fate within these ruins required infants as vessels, the thought alone made his blood run cold. If this information leaked, it would spell an unparalleled calamity for humanity.
“It’s not just the Seven Great Sects that remain fixated. Even the Demon Clan is restless.”
“The Demon Clan?” Ji You asked.
“Indeed. Ever since the founding of Great Xia, there’s been little contact between the Demon and Human Clans for hundreds of years. But now, demons have entered the Nine Provinces under various pretenses. There’s even talk of a royal descendant of the Demon Clan embarking on a journey of exploration.”
Yan Shu Yi glanced at Ji You’s tightly knit brows, her lips pursing lightly. “You don’t wish for the ruins to be opened, do you?”
Ji You nodded. “Opening the ruins will cost countless lives.”
“Then I’ll disregard the Dao Seeking Sect’s proposal…” she murmured. Catching Ji You’s strange gaze, she straightened her face and corrected herself. “I’m the Mirror Master of Spirit Sword Mountain. Naturally, I wouldn’t want my sect members dying for this, nor do I wish to see Heavenly Sword Peak gain any Immortal Fate.”
Ji You fell silent for a long while. Finally, he said, “The world doesn’t consist solely of Spirit Sword Mountain, but sadly, it has only one Yan Shu Yi.”
Stunned, Yan Shu Yi gazed at him. After a moment, she whispered, “There’s no need to be so worried. The Seven Great Sects maintain a delicate balance of power. Even if one sect acts rashly, it won’t be easy for them.”
“Even so, someone will inevitably lose patience…”