Ji Zhaoxi suddenly noticed that the training ground had far more people than usual these days. The disciples who were normally so aloof were all sparring with each other now.
The air was thick with tension. Everyone was wiping down their destined swords, and the blades reflected faces full of expectation.
There were also many disciples queuing at the supply distribution point. Those senior brothers and sisters were checking the dried rations and water in their packs, and even the elders seemed gentler than usual.
Because Wen Shubai was too busy, Ji Zhaoxi had been practicing on her own these past few days.
She looked at the scene with a puzzled expression—what were these disciples going off to do?
Ji Zhaoxi spotted Liu Fuyin not far away, ran over quickly, and pulled her aside.
Liu Fuyin shot her an impatient glare. "What is it, Hua'er?"
Ji Zhaoxi: ...
Ji Zhaoxi pretended she hadn't heard. "Where are you all going?"
Seeing that Ji Zhaoxi was asking about this, Liu Fuyin crossed her arms and looked her up and down.
"We're going down the mountain for training. All new disciples have to go this time."
Seeing the envy in Ji Zhaoxi's eyes, she let out a mocking laugh. "Except you!"
Ji Zhaoxi was furious. "Why am I the exception?"
Liu Fuyin sneered, "Flower, all of us have spiritual roots. You, with no spiritual root at all, are you trying to go get yourself killed? Besides, you don't even have a master. Who would you go with?"
Ji Zhaoxi frowned tightly. "Can't I go with Senior Brother?"
"Senior Brother? He has to lead his own sect siblings. Do you know what sect siblings means? It means disciples who share the same master. You don't even have a master." The more Liu Fuyin spoke, the happier she became.
Seeing Ji Zhaoxi unhappy made her happy.
"You'd better just stay cooped up in Tianjue Sect as their little trophy. In a few days, I'm off training with my senior brothers and sisters, and my cultivation will rise again. Unlike some people..."
Ji Zhaoxi was burning with anger. "What's there to be so proud about? I'm going too."
Liu Fuyin burst out laughing. "Then go ahead! Let's see how you manage!"
Beside her, Liu Fuyin's sect siblings stared at her in bewilderment.
They remembered Liu Fuyin's personality as being quite cold.
But right now, she just gave off the feeling of someone begging for a punch...
Ji Zhaoxi immediately ran off to find Wen Shubai. Wen Shubai was checking the supplies of his sect siblings and, catching sight of Ji Zhaoxi's red-rimmed eyes, knew right away why she had come.
The two walked into a nearby bamboo grove. Wen Shubai looked down at her and said gently, "Little Junior Sister, the training expedition is very dangerous. Without a spiritual root, you will get hurt very easily."
Other disciples with spiritual roots could treat injuries as a trial.
But if Ji Zhaoxi got hurt, it would directly harm her physical body.
Ji Zhaoxi tugged on Wen Shubai's sleeve, looking pitiful. "Senior Brother, every other new disciple gets to go. Only I can't."
"I really, really want to go. I just want to see the world. I won't be a burden to anyone—I have a lot of magical tools to protect myself."
Wen Shubai said softly, "The thing you said you wanted last time, I'll bring it back for you after the training."
"I don't want that. I want to go on the training expedition..." Ji Zhaoxi's eyes reddened, and she started fake crying again.
For other things, Wen Shubai would agree. But this involved her life—he would not let her take that risk.
"I'm sorry, Little Junior Sister. I can't agree to this."
His tone was still gentle, but the refusal was firm.
Ji Zhaoxi felt a pang in her chest. For a moment, she thought, maybe just let it go.
But when she looked up, she locked eyes with Liu Fuyin from a distance, who raised an eyebrow at her.
Ji Zhaoxi: ...
"Senior Brother, I am going, and that's final!"
"..."
"I don't need anyone to protect me! I don't have a jade token anyway, and I'm not even an official Tianjue Sect disciple. If you don't save me, it's within the sect's rules!"
"..."
"Senior Brother, you're ignoring me..."
"Little Junior Sister, I'm not ignoring you."
"Then I'm going!"
"..."
Wen Shubai went wherever he went, Ji Zhaoxi followed wherever he went.
Wen Shubai was checking the gear of his sect siblings.
"Make sure to bring your destined swords," Wen Shubai said gently.
"Yes, Senior Brother." The sect siblings answered in unison, but their eyes lingered on Ji Zhaoxi standing nearby.
They knew who Ji Zhaoxi was. It didn't make sense—they were Senior Brother's true sect siblings, yet Senior Brother taught her every single day.
"Senior Brother, they said my foundation is too shallow and wouldn't give me the flesh-regenerating ointment. They're judging me like a dog with no eyes!" a male disciple with triangular eyes grumbled indignantly.
Meeting Wen Shubai's gaze, his voice trailed off.
Another sect sibling piped up, "Your foundation is shallow, to be fair. The flesh-regenerating ointment is so precious—there's no way they'd hand it out to just anyone."
The triangular-eyed disciple instinctively wanted to argue, but held himself back.
He was so sick of these people.
Wen Shubai returned to his courtyard, his sleeve never freed, crumpled from being held so long.
Wen Shubai's room was sparse, almost empty.
"Little Junior Sister, I'll teach you some new moves in a bit. You can practice them over the next few days," Wen Shubai said patiently.
Ji Zhaoxi said nothing, just kept gripping his sleeve, fully committing to her stubborn act.
Wen Shubai laughed softly. He looked down at her sulky face. "Little Junior Sister isn't planning to go back to sleep tonight either?"
"Senior Brother, if you say yes, I'll let go!"
Wen Shubai raised an eyebrow and said nothing.
Then he supposed she could just keep holding on.
All afternoon, the disciples of Tianjue Sect stared in confusion at Wen Shubai and Ji Zhaoxi.
Couldn't the Senior Brother and this new disciple bear to be separated?
The two had been attached at the hip all afternoon.
Only now did Ji Zhaoxi realize how busy Wen Shubai truly was. The Sect Master was absent, the Second Elder wasn't much of a manager, so a great deal of work fell on Wen Shubai.
Just watching him from the side made Ji Zhaoxi feel exhausted.
"Does Little Junior Sister want to go rest?" Wen Shubai turned to look at Ji Zhaoxi, who was drowsy.
Ji Zhaoxi forced herself to stay alert, still clutching his sleeve. "Senior Brother, I'm not tired."
Wen Shubai sighed. His little junior sister had been clinging to him all day. He'd never seen her show this much persistence about anything.
"Senior Brother, did you lie to me before? Didn't you say I was a genius..."
Wen Shubai gently wiped the tears from Ji Zhaoxi's face.
His little junior sister truly was something else—her tears came at the drop of a hat. Today alone, she had cried a staggering seventy-six times, sometimes shedding a tear or two, sometimes entirely dry-eyed.
Ji Zhaoxi was genuinely upset now. "Senior Brother, you don't know this, but Liu Fuyin and I have been feuding for generations. Watching her improve is worse than watching myself die."
"My parents raised me with so much hardship. They raised me pig by pig, honestly. I've let them down..."
The tears fell faster and faster, the handkerchief soon soaked through. Wen Shubai switched to a fresh one.
Just as Ji Zhaoxi was ready to milk the sympathy even further, Wen Shubai's voice cut in: "Then Little Junior Sister can go."
Ji Zhaoxi was stunned, staring blankly at him.
Wen Shubai looked at her tear-swollen eyes, a helpless smile on his face.
"Then you'll have to stay close to me when we go."
If he didn't agree, he feared she would really cry her eyes out.
"Senior Brother, why are you so good…"
Ji Zhaoxi clung tightly to his arm, her face buried in the moon-white sleeve, her tears of gratitude soaking the fabric as she choked out the words.
"Senior Brother, next time you come to Cloud Town, I'll definitely treat you well—my family's pig is the best pig in Cloud Town…"
Cloud softly patted Ji Zhaoxi's head.
Wen Shubai could no longer hold it in—the smile at the corners of his mouth grew wider and wider, until he let out a low laugh.
"Then I'll definitely have to make a trip to Cloud Town someday."
