Chapter 97: Chapter 93: Evergreen Master’s Immortal Sword Scripture Record
After Du Youqian returned to his room, the servants began to speak in hushed tones.
"Don’t you think there’s something off about him? I’ve never seen anyone like him. He’s clearly a prisoner waiting to die, but his aura... it’s no less impressive than that of a True Inheritor or an inner circle disciple."
"He’s just got a pretty face, that’s all."
"It’s not about his looks, it’s his spirit... He has this indescribable confidence, as if he’s absolutely certain he can turn the tables."
"Hmph, turn the tables? So what if he’s uncanny? There’s no way he can escape our lady’s grasp. He’s a dead man walking, so what’s there to be afraid of?"
"No, we still shouldn’t cross him. Who knows what tricks he has up his sleeve? If he’s planning a comeback, he must have something hidden. I say we just do our jobs and stop bad-mouthing him behind his back. Otherwise, what if he uses the tricks he’s saving for our lady on us instead? Could you handle that?"
"...Now that you put it that way, I’m getting the creeps too. Fine, no more bad-mouthing him from now on."
The days of arduous cultivation were always hard and dull.
But Du Youqian was long used to it.
The days passed without a ripple, each one a repetition of the last, each tomorrow a carbon copy of today.
Meditate and practice breathing techniques, eat and drink.
Meditate and practice breathing techniques, eat and drink.
Another two years passed. He had now been at the Holy Blood Sect for a full four years.
Du Youqian broke through to the Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer.
~~~~~~~~~~
"What?" Xi Mengran cried out, nearly dropping the celadon teacup in her hand. "Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer?"
Hearing the crisp CLINK of jade ornaments from beside her, He Xiang, who was prostrated on the floor, couldn’t stop trembling.
She had served her lady for so many years, but this was the first time she had seen her, who was always so mindful of her graceful composure, lose her poise to such an extent that even her hairpins chimed.
She desperately wanted to suggest that her lady just kill the man and be done with it, to avoid future trouble.
But she also knew her lady hated it most when people spoke out of turn.
She knew even more clearly that matters concerning her lady’s cultivation were not something she had any right to comment on.
So she didn’t dare to speak, merely remaining prostrate on the cold, bluestone floor, awaiting her lady’s instructions.
After a long wait, Xi Mengran still hadn’t said a word.
He Xiang stealthily lifted her head a fraction and stole a glance.
She saw her lady, dressed in a complex and magnificent court gown, her full chest heaving violently. It was clear her anger was barely contained.
She quickly lowered her head, not daring to look again.
After a long while, she finally heard Xi Mengran’s voice, which had regained its calm and steady tone, sigh lightly. "Tell them that from this day forward, Yu Fei is forbidden from cultivating until I command otherwise."
"Yes!" He Xiang was overjoyed.
’Isn’t this how it should have been all along?!’
’What right does that country bumpkin have to cultivate?!’
’It’s not his destiny!’
After He Xiang left, Xi Mengran picked up her celadon teacup. Just as she brought it to her lips, a wave of irritation washed over her, and she hurled it violently away.
As the cup flew through the air, about to smash into a thousand pieces on the floor, a gentle force caught it and guided it back into Xi Mengran’s hand.
Xi Mengran gently set the cup down, let out a heavy breath, shook her head, and sighed again.
’When this man joined the sect, I was at the Foundation Establishment Second Layer.’
’Back then, I was full of ambition, determined to raise him to Foundation Establishment as quickly as possible. My plan was to advance to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage around the same time. I would be exactly one Great Tier above him, perfect for using the Secret Technique for Gathering and Replenishing.’
’I never expected... he would break through one level after another, revealing the potential of a heaven-sent prodigy. It’s truly terrifying.’
’I didn’t even dare let him use Elixirs anymore, suppressing him both openly and in secret.’
’Yet even under such suppression, he actually managed to reach the Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer in just four short years.’
’That cultivation speed is even more frightening than this generation’s True Successor Candidates.’
’And me? I’m still at the Foundation Establishment Second Layer, with no hope of reaching the Foundation Establishment Third Layer anytime soon.’
’Let alone the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.’
’I have no choice but to suppress him even more heavily. I can’t let him reach Foundation Establishment before I break through to the Middle Stage.’
’It will sound bad if word gets out, and it might even negatively affect my chances of competing for a True Inheritor position in the future, but it’s the only way.’
’Suppressing him is only one part of it.’
’I should also go into seclusion, stop letting worldly affairs distract me, and strive to break through to the Foundation Establishment Third Layer as soon as possible.’
~~~~~~~~
"Oh. In that case, so be it." Du Youqian listened to He Xiang’s message with a perfectly calm expression, his face not changing in the slightest.
He Xiang gave him a strange look. She had expected him to fly into a rage or look utterly devastated.
She never thought he would accept it so calmly.
’Doesn’t he realize this is a slow death?’
He Xiang shook her head, no longer trying to guess Du Youqian’s thoughts. She turned to the other servants and announced, "Listen carefully to the lady’s command."
"Yes!"
"Our lady is going into seclusion, and there’s no telling when she’ll emerge. So stay sharp and be vigilant. If anything goes wrong, she’ll hold you all responsible when she comes out."
"Yes!"
The servants all had their own schemes, but there was no need to defy her to her face.
For a while, the servants remained wary. But they soon discovered that Du Youqian had indeed stopped cultivating. He spent his days admiring flowers under the moon, warming wine and sipping tea, and occasionally reciting something to himself with a shake of his head.
Gradually, they let their guard down around him.
After all, they all knew that this "Yu Fei" had a high cultivation level but had never learned any Magic, Sword Fighting, or the like.
’Isn’t he just useless?’
’What’s there to be wary of?’
On the surface, Du Youqian seemed completely unconcerned about Xi Mengran forbidding him from cultivating.
In reality... he was completely unconcerned.
In his mind, Xi Mengran was already a dead woman.
He was just letting her borrow her head for a little longer.
Why would he care about a dead person?
Du Youqian had already become familiar with the rules of the Holy Blood Sect.
Under certain conditions permitted by the rules, if Xi Mengran killed him, no one would seek justice on his behalf.
Conversely, if he killed Xi Mengran, he would face no trouble either. Even if he were to flay her, break her bones, and perform Soul Extraction and Refining, it would all be permitted by the Sect.
Even Xi Mengran’s master could not openly avenge his disciple.
Therefore, Du Youqian was completely fearless.
Besides, just because he couldn’t meditate and practice breathing techniques didn’t mean he couldn’t improve his abilities.
Every day, as he sat idly admiring flowers and drinking alone under the moon, he was actually contemplating the Evergreen Master’s Immortal Sword Scripture Record in his mind.
This profound Sword Scripture—though calling it a "Scripture" was just the Evergreen Master’s descendants flattering their ancestor. It should really be called "Swordsmanship," or at best, "Sword Formulas."
But for Du Youqian, who was only in the Qi Cultivation Stage, it was already profound enough.
In his past life, if he had mastered 70 or 80 percent of this Swordsmanship, he wouldn’t have needed the Reverse Blood Qi Transformation Technique to deal with Helan Ruojin. He could have just sent his Flying Sword over and beheaded him with a single strike.
Of course, to comprehend 70 or 80 percent of the Evergreen Master’s Immortal Sword Scripture Record, one would need to be at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage and have immersed oneself in the Sword Dao for one or two hundred years. It was an impossible feat otherwise.
With such a vast and profound Sword Dao waiting for him to comprehend, how could he possibly grow impatient?
Thus, Du Youqian’s heart was not in the slightest bit of disarray as he dutifully remained cooped up in his small courtyard.
