Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.
After studying as hard as she would for the English CET-4 exam, Shi Xia had more or less mastered the written language of this world—well, sort of... (╯﹏╰)
At the very least, she could now understand about two-thirds of the characters in the cultivation manual Hou Chi had given her. The quality of teaching at the Qixue Academy was also surprisingly good—nothing like the rote memorization depicted in period dramas. The instructors didn’t just teach writing; the curriculum also included meridians, acupoints, basic medical principles, and even knowledge of the Five Elements and Bagua.
Shi Xia finally understood why Bi Hong had recommended she attend the academy instead of having him or Hou Chi teach her. Martial cultivation was essentially a form of body refinement, and its internal techniques operated entirely differently from spiritual energy circulation. Without understanding meridians and acupoints, even if she learned the characters, she wouldn’t know how to practice.
Over the past six months, aside from studying writing, she had spent most of her time memorizing meridians and acupoints. While these were practically useless for spiritual cultivators—since all cultivators could shift their acupoints at will—the meridians themselves were universal. The only difference lay in how spiritual energy and internal force circulated.
Hou Chi wasn’t a martial cultivator, but he had an impressive grasp of meridians. No matter what question she asked, he always had an answer. Shi Xia was quite satisfied with this freebie brother of hers. Aside from his occasional eccentricities—like pinching her cheeks, ruffling her hair, or insisting she call him "brother"—he was pretty normal.
In fact, except for forcing her to address him as "brother," he never opposed anything she said. Shi Xia figured having an extra brother wasn’t so bad...
...If only he didn’t keep sneaking into her room in the middle of the night to tell her bedtime stories.
To this day, she couldn’t fathom why he was so obsessed with storytelling—so much so that he ignored all her protests, firmly convinced she loved it.
Seriously, she hadn’t listened to bedtime stories since she was five!
Fine, listening to stories wasn’t the worst thing. But could he at least tell them properly? What kind of "stories" were these?!
Story One:
"Once, by the shores of the East Sea, there was an eighth-rank Yulin Beast. Massive in size, standing nearly a hundred feet tall, it excelled in water-based spells. It terrorized the region, slaughtering every passing cultivator."
"Then... it died."
"I killed it."
Story Two:
"In Yulin City, there was a demonic cultivator who captured living souls to refine a Ten Thousand Ghost Banner, using it to enhance his power. Countless lives were lost to him."
"Then, he died."
"I killed him."
Story Three:
"The Jiyue Sect once had a traitor who, in pursuit of forbidden arts, descended into demonic cultivation. He murdered his master and annihilated the sect, slaughtering all three thousand disciples."
"Then, he died."
"I killed him."
Story Four:
"The Forgetful Forest—"
Slams table.
Was this supposed to be a bedtime story?! This was straight-up horror! Was he trying to lull her to sleep or scare her awake?!
But then...
When he wordlessly stuffed snacks into her pockets, or meticulously explained meridians while discreetly propping a pillow behind her back, or punished Bi Hong for her mistakes while never scolding her...
Shi Xia couldn’t help but feel this freebie brother was still worth keeping around.
"Disciple Yuan Wu requests an audience with the Grand Elder!" A voice suddenly echoed from above.
Shi Xia snapped out of her thoughts. Yuan Wu... That name sounds familiar.
"Why’s this kid here?" Bi Hong, who had been holding a plate of stir-fried radish strips, set down his bowl in confusion.
Ugh, radishes again. Shi Xia wrinkled her nose. She’d been eating them for half a year.
Bi Hong waved a hand, and an invisible barrier above Xiuling Peak seemed to part. "Come in."
A familiar figure in white robes flew in, his brows furrowed with urgency.
Shi Xia took a closer look and recognized him—wasn’t this the same boy she’d scared off in the forest six months ago?
"Hey, long time no see." She waved her chopsticks at him.
Yuan Wu froze. This was their third meeting, so he didn’t react as dramatically as last time, though he still eyed her warily. He bowed to Bi Hong. "Disciple greets the Elder." Glancing around, he added, "Elder, is the Grand Elder present?"
"What do you need from Master?" Bi Hong asked, sitting back down.
"Six months ago, the Grand Elder assisted me in capturing the demonic cultivator Hei Sha. After taking him back, we sealed him in the Demon-Sealing Array. But when I checked today, I found he had broken free and vanished—and worse, he damaged the array’s core seal."
"What?!" Bi Hong shot to his feet.
Before he could press for details, the ground suddenly trembled violently. Shi Xia turned and saw a beam of crimson light erupt from a nearby floating peak—Xiaoguan Peak—sending shockwaves through the surrounding mountains.
Shi Xia yelped and hugged her bowl of radishes. Close call! Almost lost breakfast.
"The seal is breaking!" Bi Hong paled. He spun toward the house. "Master—"
Before he could finish, a flash of white light blurred past him. Hou Chi, who had been sitting inside moments ago, now stood beside him.
"Stay here," Hou Chi ordered. Then, in a flicker, he vanished toward the crimson light.
"Master!" Bi Hong took two frantic steps forward before stopping and glancing back at Shi Xia.
"What? It’s not like I told you to stay," Shi Xia huffed. "Go if you want!"
Bi Hong hesitated. "The Demon-Sealing Array is no trivial matter. I must go. Shi Xia, head to Qixue Academy on your own today."
"Got it." She waved dismissively. After six months, she knew the way.
Only then did Bi Hong summon his sword and chase after Hou Chi.
In an instant, only Shi Xia—still munching on radishes—and a nervous Yuan Wu remained.
"So... that seal’s a big deal, huh?" she muttered.
"Mn." To her surprise, Yuan Wu answered, though he took another step back. "The Demon-Sealing Array... imprisons an ancient demonic beast. If the seal breaks, the entire sect could be in danger. That’s why the Elder and Grand Elder rushed to... reinforce it."
"Oh..." Shi Xia nodded vaguely, then eyed the trembling Yuan Wu. "You’re really that scared of me?"
Yuan Wu stiffened. "N-no... not scared!"
"Then why are you shaking?" Shi Xia sweatdropped, feeling like a bully. "Whatever. I’ve gotta go—it’s getting late." She shoveled down a few more bites and set her bowl aside.
"You’re leaving the mountain?!" Yuan Wu gasped.
"Yeah?" Otherwise, she’d be late for school.
"But—but the Grand Elder isn’t back yet!"
"It’s fine, I know the way." It wasn’t like she’d get lost.
"Wait!" Yuan Wu looked like he was on the verge of tears. Gritting his teeth, he blurted, "I—I’ll go with you!"
Shi Xia paused, then remembered that aside from her "freebie brother" and the old man, no one else knew she attended school. She studied Yuan Wu. "You think I’m trying to run away, don’t you?" She recalled that most people still saw her as some kind of demoness.
"Don't worry, I won't run away." Shi Xia patted her chest reassuringly. It wasn’t exactly safe outside either. "I’m just going to Xiaoguan Peak for a bit. I’ll be back soon."
But Yuan Wu spoke slowly, each word deliberate. "I’ll go with you."
"Whatever." Shi Xia couldn’t be bothered to argue and headed straight for the teleportation array.
Yuan Wu immediately followed, as if afraid she’d bolt, but stopped her just before she stepped into the formation. "Wait…"
"What now?" She was going to be late.
"You… you’re really going to Xiaoguan Peak?"
"Obviously. What, you think I’m going to your place?"
Yuan Wu frowned, forming a hand seal. Instantly, another teleportation array appeared on the ground. "This one also leads to Xiaoguan Peak. Use this one, and I’ll believe you."
Shi Xia glanced at the new array, hesitated, took two steps toward it, then turned back. "No."
"Why… not?"
She rolled her eyes. "There’s a perfectly safe, reliable teleportation array right here, and you want me to use your brand-new, untested one? Are you paying me?" She hated beta versions.
"…"
"Whether you trust me or not isn’t my problem. We’re not even close—what good does your trust do me? Can I eat it?" Shi Xia continued sarcastically. "Besides, you’re so paranoid about me. For all I know, the moment I step in, I’ll end up in some death trap instead of Xiaoguan Peak. That’s how it always goes in dramas! And given how sensitive my identity is right now, who’s to say your family wasn’t killed by the Demon Lord? Maybe you’re luring me away to exact revenge by killing me. If that’s the case, then I’d be—" totally screwed.
"How did you know?" Before she could finish, Yuan Wu blurted out in shock.
"Huh?" Shi Xia froze.
Yuan Wu’s expression darkened. The innocent young man from moments ago vanished, replaced by something sinister and menacing. "Since you’ve already figured out my plan, I can’t let you live!"
"Are you freaking kidding me?!" She’d just made up a random plot—did he really have to follow the script?
Yuan Wu suddenly lunged, grabbing her collar and dragging her into the array.
Light flared, and the scenery shifted. The next moment, they stood at the edge of a cliff.
"Oh, for—!" She wanted to slap herself. Serves you right for running your mouth.
Yuan Wu hauled her to the cliff’s edge by her collar, her feet dangling over the bottomless abyss.
Shi Xia’s heart leaped into her throat, and she struggled. "Hey, kid, calm down."
"As expected of the Demon Lord’s sister," he sneered. "You can still move even under my binding spell."
Binding spell? What binding spell? "Yuan Wu, this is a misunderstanding. Let me go first."
"Let you go?" Yuan Wu laughed coldly, his face twisted with fury. "Did the Demon Lord ever consider letting my family go when he slaughtered them?"
"How is that my fault?" She hadn’t killed anyone!
"He killed my family. I’ll kill his sister. Fair’s fair."
How was that fair?! "Listen, kid—" She forced down her panic, speaking firmly. "I’m really not the Demon Lord’s sister. You’ve got the wrong person!"
