Xianyun Terrace was originally a broad platform located atop a cluster of mountain peaks.
The peaks soared into the clouds, and Xianyun Terrace floated year-round above a sea of clouds. Further concealed by formations, it always held an air of mystery, like a place "somewhere in these mountains, deep within the clouds, its whereabouts unknown." Only once every sixty years, when the Jiuhua Sect opened its gates to widely recruit disciples, would Xianyun Terrace lift that veil of mystery and reveal its true form to the world.
On this day, Shu Fu had prepared early and, stepping onto Xianyun Terrace with the first rays of dawn from the eastern horizon.
As expected, all the candidates had risen early. What greeted her was a cacophony of voices and a dense, dark sea of bobbing heads.
Yet, for some reason, the moment her feet touched the ground, several unfamiliar gazes shot towards her from all directions—some wary, some mocking, some disdainful—pricking her skin like needles. The undisguised malice within them was almost overflowing, enough to send chills down an ordinary person's spine.
Of course, Shu Fu was no ordinary person.
She spotted Bai Tian, adorned with jewels and finery, in the crowd and immediately strode through the throng as if no one else was there, giving his shoulder a firm pat. "Young Master Bai, long time no see."
"Ah! Fellow cultivator, you're here too. I was just looking for you!"
Bai Tian was startled at first, then his spirits lifted as he greeted her. "It's my first time seeing so many people; it's a bit nerve-wracking. Having an acquaintance to rely on is really great."
Shu Fu looked him up and down. The young master's face was ruddy, his eyes bright and lively, his whole person standing tall like a sturdy young poplar. He didn't seem to have suffered any hardships.
It seemed that these past days, even without her support, he had managed just fine.
She couldn't resist teasing him. "Young Master Bai, a young hero who's always feared nothing, how could you be nervous?"
Bai Tian scratched his head sheepishly. "Fellow cultivator, don't make fun of me. After leaving Qingcheng, I realized there are skies beyond skies and people beyond people. There are many young heroes more impressive than me."
"Hmm, a teachable pupil."
Shu Fu flicked his forehead lightly with her finger, then swept her gaze around, lowering her voice slightly. "Speaking of which, Young Master Bai, some people's expressions seem off. Do you know what's going on? Look at their eyes—each one looks like I just killed their dear mother. And I haven't even beaten them up."
"Honestly, I'm not entirely sure either,"
Bai Tian furrowed his brows into a knot, his expression turning serious. "I don't know who's spreading rumors behind our backs, but for the past few months, I've been hearing gossip on and off. First, they said you bullied others with your influence, injured Young Master Fang and the others, and even hurled insults at Miss Fang and Young Master Qi who tried to intervene."
"But many witnessed the situation back then, and a senior sister from Tianxuan Peak stepped in to uphold justice. Everyone could see it was Young Master Fang and his group who provoked you; the blame couldn't be placed on you."
"Later on, they said, they said..."
Shu Fu: "Said what?"
"They said you..."
Bai Tian's face flushed partly red, whether from anger or embarrassment. "They said you were obsessively clinging to Young Master Qi, knowingly that he had no feelings for you, yet still holding onto the position of fiancée, while behind his back, you were... that..."
Shu Fu instantly understood, slapping her palm in realization. "I'm promiscuous, unfaithful, and latched onto a big shot like Master Tanhua? Qi Yuxuan discovered I was cuckolding him and angrily called off the engagement in a rage? Their strained relationship with me is because of this?"
"My infidelity is a breach of womanly virtue, but his infidelity is the pursuit of true love?"
Wow, such a familiar script!
Kid, did you sign up for a harem intrigue training class too?
A wave of heat seemed to rise from Bai Tian's face. He stamped his foot indignantly. "Although many didn't believe this nonsense and just laughed it off as nonsense, some meddlesome rogue cultivators bought it and wouldn't listen to my explanations! Are they idiots? You're clearly not that kind of person!"
He grew angrier as he spoke. "And Young Master Qi, Young Master Fang... they know the truth perfectly well, yet they refuse to say a single word in your defense. I think they're just narrow-minded, holding a grudge because you acted out in the Lecture Hall and wounded their pride!"
"Alright. What kind of person I am isn't for them to say; it's for me to decide."
Shu Fu gave a noncommittal smile, comforting him instead. "Young Master Bai, you don't need to worry about me. I'm the most broad-minded, the most easygoing. I don't care what others say about me, nor do I have the time to bother with them."
"The biggest problem? Just chop the rumormonger down with one strike, and it's settled. Death is just a matter of the head hitting the ground, right?"
Bai Tian: "..."
All the pent-up frustration he had been holding onto these past days instantly vanished. He just wanted to hug her rock-hard biceps and say, "Big sis, forget it, forget it, just chop half of them is enough."
As Shu Fu said this, she intentionally or unintentionally raised her voice a little, simultaneously turning her head to sweep a glance in the direction of Qi Yuxuan and Fang Wanqing.
"..."
The bruises on Qi Yuxuan's face had already faded. Perhaps due to the previous punishment, he looked somewhat haggard. Caught off guard by her gaze meeting his, he felt a pang of guilt and instinctively wanted to lower his head to avoid it.
But this flicker of panic was gone in an instant. The very next second, as if he had swallowed a calming pill or found some reason to convince himself, he regained his unshakable, composed expression.
Shu Fu: "..."
What's wrong with this guy?
His brain might be the size of a pea, but he sure puts on a lot of drama.
Qi Yuxuan knew the full story of their broken engagement perfectly well, so he naturally understood that the so-called "promiscuity" was all Jiang Baozhu's deliberate framing. He still cared somewhat about the Qi family's reputation, always priding himself on his integrity, and wouldn't outright slander her with blatant lies.
But regardless, faced with the slanderous rumors about Shu Fu, he consistently chose to turn a blind eye and offered no explanation whatsoever.
No explanation, no clarification—effectively, a silent endorsement.
Witnessing this bizarre act of self-cuckolding for the first time, Shu Fu felt both furious and amused, genuinely feeling the original owner, Jiang Ruoshui, deserved better.
From the perspective of an engaged couple, it was Jiang Ruoshui who truly had a prairie of green grass growing on her head, enough for a hundred alpacas to gallop across.
Qi Yuxuan knew this perfectly well, yet he allowed others to distort the truth. He was a living, breathing turtle retracting into its shell, not even worth as much as an alpaca.
What use was he? She'd find him too fishy even for turtle soup.
Shu Fu withdrew her gaze, rolling her eyes with great force.
However, if the rumor-spreader wasn't Qi Yuxuan, and Jiang Baozhu hadn't shown up, then who could it be?
Fang Wanqing?
That shouldn't be right.
Shu Fu wasn't the deeply devoted Jiang Ruoshui. Now, she had long severed ties with Qi Yuxuan—no engagement, no feelings, wishing they could spit at each other. Why would Fang Wanqing target her?
Beating her to death wouldn't drop any loot. What was the point?
You can't discuss ice with a summer insect. Shu Fu simply couldn't fathom the thought processes of these gifted children and decided to set the matter aside for now, focusing her attention on the imminent entrance examination.
The Jiuhua Sect was an unpretentious sect and didn't keep the crowd waiting long.
On Xianyun Terrace, after the candidates waited eagerly for about a quarter of an hour, a clear, resonant cry of cranes was heard in the distance.
Then, in a flash of white light, two figures materialized out of thin air. Each stood lightly upon the back of an elegant white crane, their expressions cold and stern, looking down upon the crowd from their lofty perch.
One was the white-haired senior brother Qi Yexin, and the other was the high-crowned, sword-bearing senior sister Yun Ying.
This pair, the grown-up versions of the golden boy and jade girl, were flawless in appearance, demeanor, and character, captivating both men and women alike. They were truly the two brightest signs of the Jiuhua Sect.
With such immortal grace and jade-like bones, who wouldn't yearn for them?
The next moment, a series of "whooshing" sounds were heard in the air as several more streaks of light flashed by, transforming into figures of handsome, elegant men, as noble as orchids and jade trees.
Two of them were Master Jinghai and Master Huaigu. Their looks were quite representative, fitting the standard molds of "young handsome man of the cultivation world" and "middle-aged handsome man of the cultivation world" respectively. With their dragon-like grace and phoenix's bearing, and solemn, dignified Dharma appearances, they immediately attracted many gazes from the crowd.
Another figure was Liu Ruyi. Today, he was also dressed in women's attire, but had changed into an elegant, long dress with a white base embroidered with wisteria flowers. His cloud-like black hair was adorned with lustrous white pearls and pale purple crystals, the color combination exceedingly fitting.
The dress was ethereal and soft, the pearls and jade exquisite and translucent, all the more setting off his skin like congealed cream and eyes like autumn waters, as fresh and striking as a fairy from the Jasper Terrace.
Shu Fu didn't want to use these words to describe a man, but he was just too beautiful.
The swan goose is truly a terrifying creature.
On the other side, Bai Tian had long been watching with his heart racing and breath catching, almost fainting on the spot. "F-f-fellow Daoist, i-i-isn't that Liu..."
Shu Fu said with a calm face, "Indeed, that is my senior brother, Young Master Bai's beloved."
"I..."
Bai Tian's breath hitched in his throat, his mouth as dry as smoke. "I must work hard and not disappoint Senior Brother Liu!"
Shu Fu thought to herself, I'm just afraid he's already forgotten you.
Fortunately, Liu Ruyi wasn't a heartless goose either. Noticing Bai Tian's fervent gaze, he sized up the young master for a moment and finally remembered this peacock-like getup. "Oh my, isn't this Little Bai?"
Bai Tian: "..."
Shu Fu: "How about you call him 'Tian Tian'? I think he'd be happier."
Liu Ruyi: "Little Bai, have you eaten breakfast?"
Shu Fu: "Never mind."
Liu Ruyi let out a light laugh and was about to say something more to Shu Fu when he saw Qi Yexin cast them a cold glance, his thin lips pressed tightly together, seeming quite displeased with his frivolous behavior.
Shu Fu shrewdly smiled. "Senior Brother Qi seems angry. Senior Brother, let's chat later."
Liu Ruyi puckered his lips sourly and suddenly reached out to pinch her cheek. "Fine, so he's the senior brother, and I'm not your senior brother anymore? You humans, always favoring the new and neglecting the old, loving whoever you see."
Shu Fu: "Not at all, I wouldn't dare. How about I add a word for you? You're the 'Big Bird Senior Brother'... Ouch, I was wrong, stop pinching!"
"..."
Qi Yexin couldn't bear to watch any longer. He cleared his throat and spoke with a cold face, "Silence."
When an immortal man spoke, his words naturally carried extraordinary weight. In an instant, the vast majority of the young ladies in the audience sewed their mouths shut.
"Heh."
Not to be outdone, Liu Ruyi raised a hand to tuck a strand of black hair behind his ear, turning his face sideways with a radiant smile.
Immediately, all the gentlemen in the hall also shut their mouths, even tighter than the ladies.
Qi Yexin: "..."
Is this fun?
Is competing like this fun?
Amidst the hall's silence, only a youth behind Qi Yuxuan was indignant, lowering his head to spit, "A grown man flaunting his charms, how disgusting."
Needless to say, it was that familiar Masculine Boy again.
"..."
Shu Fu expressionlessly lifted her eyelids to glare at him. The Masculine Boy's face instantly changed dramatically, stumbling back three steps. "What do you want to do?!"
Shu Fu let out a light scoff. "Look at your useless demeanor. Is it worth me doing anything? Leave you alone to play with your balls, and you'd manage to blow them up yourself."
The youth: "..."
What kind of savage words were these?!
It was the first time he had been insulted in such a refreshingly vulgar way. For a moment, he even forgot to get angry, completely dumbfounded on the spot.
Can't win an argument, can't win. Stop, stop scolding, the child will go stupid if you scold any more.
"..."
Qi Yexin, about to speak, was also choked up by this savage junior sister, causing a stumble in his perpetually cold tone.
But he continued, "Today is the Jiuhua Sect's once-in-sixty-years entrance examination day. All who wish to join our mountain gate may enter the Envious Cloud Platform to undergo the trials."
Yun Ying continued, "Those who pass the trials will become inner disciples of the Jiuhua Sect. From then on, fellow disciples are like limbs, inseparable, sharing hardships and glory alike."
These words were very down-to-earth, carrying an approachability that didn't quite match the reputation of the "Four Great Sects." A buzzing wave of discussion immediately rose from the crowd, but soon quieted down again.
Qi Yexin paid it no mind. With a sweep of his wide sleeve, he faced the crowd and declared clearly, "This trial consists of three stages. The first is called 'Sun and Moon in a Pot.'"
Shu Fu thought to herself, I see. It's probably a secret realm, the kind you can fit into a fourth-dimensional pocket.
As expected, where Qi Yexin's sleeve swept, three jade pots materialized out of thin air, colored white, cyan, and purple respectively. They were crystalline and translucent, emitting a layer of faint, soft halo.
Qi Yexin explained matter-of-factly, "Those below the fifth layer of Qi Refinement, enter the white jade pot. Those from the sixth to ninth layer of Qi Refinement, enter the cyan jade pot. Those with Foundation Establishment cultivation or above, enter the purple jade pot."
"Each pot contains a realm of its own. What you must do is obtain from it an item called 'Crimson Pearl.'"
Crimson Pearl?
Shu Fu felt this item name was somewhat familiar. The designer probably really liked "Dream of the Red Chamber."
A candidate raised a hand to ask, "May I ask, Immortal Elder, what is a Crimson Pearl? And where should we obtain it?"
Qi Yexin: "Hunting demon beasts and fiend beasts, collecting minerals or spiritual plants, all can yield corresponding Crimson Pearls. Accumulate three thousand Crimson Pearls within one day and night, and you will be considered to have passed."
Yun Ying added, "In each jade pot, there is a powerful demon cultivator overseeing it. If you defeat the great demon, you can also obtain three thousand Crimson Pearls at once."
The implication was clear: this boss was a coveted prize, a one-bite pass to the next stage, if you dared to take a bite.
"..."
Meanwhile, Master Jinghai and Master Huaigu stood side by side, looking down upon the crowd from the clouds. The former showed no emotion on his face, his gaze stern and cold as water, like a divine statue enshrined on an altar. The latter had a long beard flowing, leaning slightly forward, his eyes sparkling with unconcealed hope and delight.
Clearly, this trial stage was set up by these two to select the young talents they fancied.
Master Jinghai wanted exceptionally gifted sword cultivators. Master Huaigu wanted youths skilled at identifying spiritual herbs and ores, with great potential in the paths of alchemy and artifact forging.
Although the bias was obvious, it was still considered fair.
Shu Fu thought this as she followed the flowing crowd and stood with Bai Tian in the line for "sixth to ninth layer of Qi Refinement." Jiang Ruoshui's cultivation foundation was solid, only lacking a breakthrough hurdle; she hadn't reached Foundation Establishment yet, so choosing the cyan jade pot was most suitable.
But what she didn't expect was that Master Huaigu, who was "still considered fair," had no intention of applying this "fairness" to her.
Therefore, she had only taken one step when she heard a steady, solemn male voice come from above:
"Jiang Ruoshui, enter the purple jade pot."
Shu Fu's footsteps halted. "What?"
What kind of scheme was this now?
Master Char Siu, are you for real?
"You, enter the purple jade pot."
Master Huaigu repeated unhurriedly, greatly satisfied by the flash of astonishment in her eyes, his tone lifting slightly at the end.
"Although you have not yet formally entered the sect, you have been fortunate enough to receive instruction from one of our elders, placing you a step ahead of others from the start. Therefore, to ensure fairness, the difficulty of your trial must be increased."
Liu Ruyi's elegant brows shot up. "Master Huaigu, I'm afraid this is—"
Shu Fu cut him off with a crisp wave of her hand. "It's unnecessary, Senior Brother. If we argue further, I fear Master Huaigu might just come up with other methods. For instance, halving the Vermillion Pearls I obtain, confiscating my magical tools, restricting my spiritual power, or directly dropping me into the maw of a great demon... Merely raising the difficulty by one level is still the better option."
Master Huaigu: "..."
To be frank, he had indeed considered those very methods.
For a venerable elder of a sect to harbor such petty grudges only made one feel all his years had been wasted on a dog.
The surrounding examinees weren't deaf. Hearing this exchange, they couldn't help but exchange glances and mutter quietly among themselves:
"I heard Jiang Ruoshui is good at social climbing, having latched onto a Jiuhua Sect elder. Her entrance trial must be smooth sailing... This doesn't look like it."
"Preferential treatment? She's clearly being targeted. Who was spouting nonsense before?"
"What about Elder Yaoguang? Wasn't he said to protect her like his own eyeballs? Why isn't he stepping up for her? I said it before, all those rumors are just nonsense."
"Heavens, she's not really going into the purple jade pot, is she? The difference between Qi Refinement perfection and Foundation Building might not seem huge, but the gap is actually vast."
"Ah, how pitiful. She must have heard those baseless rumors too and is eager to prove herself, hence risking her safety like this."
"I think it's admirable. A cultivator should have such courage!"
"I respect Jiang Ruoshui as a true warrior!"
"As for this Jiuhua Sect elder, compared to her, he seems somewhat petty. When it comes to the fortune of receiving guidance from a master, Jiang Ruoshui isn't the only one. Why single her out like this?"
"Right, I think so too. If I successfully enter the sect, I must definitely avoid him and seek mentorship under another master."
And so, two conflicting streams of ill will collided, using poison to attack poison, a negative multiplied by a negative yielding a positive, causing the rampant rumors of late to collapse under their own weight.
Even among those who had been somewhat brainwashed by the rumor mill, witnessing this scene caused their favorability towards Shu Fu to rapidly rebound from negative 100.
Now, when they looked at Shu Fu, there was no longer envy or resentment, only a profound respect and a sense of... final condolences.
Shu Fu, however, paid this no mind. She took a large, swaggering step forward and calmly positioned herself in the "Foundation Building and above" queue.
This group had the fewest people, merely thirty or forty. Qi Yuxuan and Fang Wanqing were among them.
"Miss Jiang, don't push yourself too hard. Your skills are indeed exceptional, but without having built your foundation, your cultivation level is still somewhat weaker," Qi Yuxuan frowned, seeming to find her somewhat overconfident, yet still wary of Shu Fu's past beatings, not daring to speak harshly to her again. "If you've offended this elder, perhaps you should just swallow your pride, apologize, and beg for leniency. The elder is virtuous and esteemed, he likely won't hold a grudge against you."
"Oh?"
Shu Fu raised an eyebrow, glancing at him with half-amusement. "Young Master Qi, you once swallowed your pride, begged for leniency from me, and even said you were willing to sell yourself to me. Did you see me pay you any mind? Do you think everyone is like you, fond of selling themselves? What are you thinking? Besides, even if you wanted to sell, no one but Miss Fang would want you."
Qi Yuxuan: "..."
Fang Wanqing: "Swallowed your pride? Sold yourself? Yuxuan, what is this about?"
Qi Yuxuan: "Wanqing, let me explain, there's a reason for this..."
