LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 113: Master’s Wife’s Debt to You Su
Chapter 113: Master’s Wife’s Debt to You Su
You Su finally understood the source of the strange expressions on Elder Liu and Elder Zhu’s faces. The Book Mountain Pavilion gave out the most suitable books to those who entered, yet it had given him a book with… ahem… certain “enhancement” properties.
He couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. Out of all the books in the vast library, why did that golden page have to choose this one, causing such a misunderstanding?
But then he wondered—was this really a random choice? The golden page was a spiritual object, and he didn’t believe it would pick a book without reason. In the entire Book Mountain Pavilion, there had to be other sword-nurturing arts. Why did it choose this one? Was it implying that he would need its… secondary effects in the future?
Nonsense! You Su scoffed inwardly. He was a young man in the prime of his life, his “sword” at its sharpest. Why would he need external aids?
“The Righteous Sun Venerable truly was a genius, reaching a realm where even external objects could be transformed into swords,” You Su mused.
Though he didn’t think he’d need it, he couldn’t help but admire the Righteous Sun Venerable’s ingenuity.
Elder Liu, seeing You Su’s calm and upright demeanor, relaxed a bit. “Indeed. Your aura is pure and robust. The Book Mountain Pavilion likely had no ulterior motives in giving you this book. Cultivate this sword-nurturing art well, and you’ll benefit greatly. Since you already have a Dao Companion, there’s no need to view dual cultivation as taboo, but don’t indulge in excess.”
“I will remember your advice, Elder Liu,” You Su replied with a bow.
“Good.” Elder Liu nodded approvingly. “The true disciple token has a communication function. If anyone raises objections during the seven-day announcement period, I’ll notify you, and you’ll need to come down to handle it.”
“Thank you, Elder Liu.”
“Alright, go back now. Your Senior Sister has been waiting for you for a while. It seems Heavenly Maiden Wangshu cares deeply for her junior brother.”
Elder Liu murmured softly, glancing toward the end of the corridor where a pure white silhouette stood silently beside a stone pillar, watching them.
You Su was momentarily stunned. He turned his head in the direction Elder Liu had indicated, and at the edge of his spiritual sense, he detected the familiar presence of his Senior Sister. Earlier, his focus had been entirely on the stone gate, so he hadn’t noticed her.
“Senior Sister is kind-hearted and naturally wants to look out for her blind junior brother. Elder Liu, Elder Zhu, I’ll take my leave now.”
Elder Liu gave a light hum of acknowledgment, while Elder Zhu looked regretfully at the Righteous Sun Sword Nurturing Art You Su had tucked away. “You Su, remember to visit the Ancient Moon Pavilion often! If you can bring your Senior Sister along, I’ll even treat you to some premium dishes!”
Heavenly Maiden Wangshu was the top talent among the younger generation of the Mystic Firmament Sect, her status and strength earning her the title of the sect’s saintess. She was also incredibly reclusive and cold, making her a rare sight even for minor elders like them. If such a figure were to appear at the Ancient Moon Pavilion, business would undoubtedly boom.
You Su had already begun walking away briskly. He turned back with a smile and replied, “Of course, Elder Zhu!”
The two elders, one lean and one plump, watched as You Su jogged toward Heavenly Maiden Wangshu.
Elder Liu suddenly remembered something and held out his hand. “Give me the tea.”
Elder Zhu patted his belly and shot his friend a look. “It’s not yours. Why are you in such a hurry? This is You Su’s gift to me, understand?”
“Have some dignity as an elder. That tea was left with me by You Su. Since he forgot to take it, it’s my duty to keep it safe for him,” Elder Liu declared righteously.
“You’re really something,” Elder Zhu said, waving his hand dismissively.
Elder Liu, annoyed, retorted, “Fine! If you don’t believe me, let’s call You Su back and ask him!”
“Let’s do that! See if he gives it to you or me!”
With that, Elder Zhu turned to look at You Su, who was now some distance away, and was about to call out when what he saw made his jaw drop.
He rubbed his eyes and looked away, muttering, “I must be getting old. My eyes are playing tricks on me.”
“You’re not seeing things. Heavenly Maiden Wangshu’s care for her junior brother is… a bit too meticulous.”
In the courtyard of the Scripture Hall, You Su was now lying horizontally in Heavenly Maiden Wangshu’s arms as the renowned saintess flew into the air with him, disappearing behind the rooftops amidst gasps of surprise.
At the peak of Lotus Peak was a celestial pool known as the Lotus Birth Pool.
The pool was surrounded by mist, its waters so clear they seemed almost invisible. In the center of the pool floated a pure white lotus, its petals tinged with a faint pink hue.
The voluptuous Third Elder crouched by the pool’s edge, her full figure slightly distorted by the pressure of her thighs. The scene was picturesque, with her beauty reflecting in the pool’s waters.
She reached out a delicate hand to gently touch the water, creating ripples. Her brows furrowed as she chided, “Are you really on the verge of collapse?”
He Shutong, her body mostly submerged in the water, didn’t respond. The ripples that approached her body simply vanished upon contact.
The Third Elder sighed softly. She knew this was spiritual water drawn from the Jade Ring Pool, the very place where Lotus Sword Venerable had broken through to the Void Realm. She could see that Lotus Sword Venerable’s spiritual platform had shattered, and the vast spiritual energy accumulated over two hundred years was leaking uncontrollably. He Shutong could only immerse herself in the Lotus Birth Pool, using the spiritual water to temporarily contain her dissipating cultivation.
The Third Elder stood up and took a sip of wine, her voice tinged with sorrow. “I found that method to break your Ice Heart for you to rebuild yourself, not to destroy yourself!”
He Shutong opened her eyes and looked at the Third Elder through the mist. “This was my choice.”
The Third Elder felt frustrated but had no outlet for her anger. She bit her lip, her eyes dimming as she sighed. “I never should have told you about that method…”
He Shutong’s Ice Heart was shattered, so she could sense the Third Elder’s guilt. She pursed her lips and said, “This isn’t your fault. I’m grateful you told me about it. I have no regrets.”
“Two hundred years of cultivation slipping away like water you can’t hold in your hands, and you say you have no regrets?”
“Yes.”
The Third Elder was stunned by He Shutong’s unwavering response. She asked, confused, “Why go this far?”
He Shutong was silent for a moment before replying, “To live like a human.”
The Third Elder repeated the phrase softly. While the world sought immortality, the Void Realm Thirteenth Elder, who could already be considered an immortal, was so determined to become human?
When she had told the Thirteenth Elder about the method to break her Ice Heart, she hadn’t expected the depth of the elder’s obsession.
“You’re truly a contradictory person.”
He Shutong didn’t argue. In fact, she found the description fitting. She watched as the Third Elder took another sip of wine and asked, “Why did you help me, Third Elder?”
“I can’t stand things that are out of place. I have to straighten them out. Is that so strange?”
The Third Elder raised her eyes, her gaze lingering on He Shutong’s jade-like face.
Over the years, she had helped the Thirteenth Elder far more than just this once. Among the thirteen grand elders of the Mystic Firmament Sect, aside from herself, Lotus Sword Venerable was the only other female cultivator. Who else could she help if not her?
“Of course not.”
The Third Elder pouted and asked, “Who else knows about your condition?”
“The First Elder.”
“That’s good. The First Elder isn’t involved with the other twelve elders. He won’t spread rumors. But your condition won’t stay hidden for long. You can’t stay in this pool forever. The other grand elders will notice something’s wrong.”
“I know.”
“So why did you contact me?”
“Do I need a reason? You told me the method, so of course I should tell you the result.”
The Third Elder rolled her eyes. The Thirteenth Elder’s newfound humanity was still a work in progress. Though there was no blame in her tone, it somehow sounded like she was reproaching the Third Elder.
“This result isn’t exactly good.”
“Shouldn’t you be hoping for my decline so you can take Wangshu as your disciple?”
“She even refused the Sect Leader’s invitation. Do you think she’d come to me?”
“Wangshu… is indeed stubborn.”
“That ‘also’ is quite self-aware of you.”
The Third Elder couldn’t help but admit that the Thirteenth Elder was no longer the unyielding block of ice she once was. She suddenly thought of something and asked seriously, “What exactly happened in Chuyun City?”
“I don’t know the full story. We’ll have to wait for the Exorcism Bureau’s investigation.”
The Third Elder shook her wine gourd and narrowed her eyes.
Sealing one’s spiritual energy wasn’t uncommon among cultivators. There were always situations that required one to return to their roots. As long as one was patient and careful during the rebuilding process, most could recover without issue. But the Thirteenth Elder’s spiritual platform was shattered to this extent, clearly due to forcibly activating her cultivation.
What could have driven Lotus Sword Venerable to pay such a price?
“Do you have a way to repair your spiritual platform?”
He Shutong thought for a moment before shaking her head. “There’s no guaranteed method of recovery.”
“You really don’t think about the consequences. Surely you didn’t pay such a high price just to take in this new disciple, did you?”
He Shutong remained silent, but the Third Elder’s eyes widened in shock.
“It really was for him?! Are you insane? He’s just a blind boy. Is he worth it?”
“He is.”
The Third Elder was taken aback. She could feel the Thirteenth Elder’s aura grow cold the moment she belittled You Su.
“Are you also trying to compete for that…”
“I took him as a disciple simply because I wanted to,” He Shutong interrupted coldly.
The Third Elder sighed deeply. “I understand… I hope you won’t regret this decision.”
“I won’t.”
“Don’t be so sure. You should at least hope that the disciple you paid such a high price for can safely complete the registration process.”
“Registration?”
The Third Elder immediately realized why He Shutong was confused. The Thirteenth Elder had only taken one disciple before—Wangshu—and due to her unique circumstances, she hadn’t gone through the registration process.
The Third Elder explained the true disciple registration process to He Shutong. Though He Shutong had never concerned herself with such matters before, she quickly understood why the Third Elder had used the word “safely.”
He Shutong was almost certain that two grand elders wouldn’t remain silent during You Su’s announcement period—the Fifth Elder of Crimson Rainbow Peak and the Tenth Elder of Book Immortal Peak.
Among the thirteen peaks of the Mystic Firmament Sect, each focused on a different discipline—alchemy, talismans, artifacts, formations, and so on. Only two peaks specialized in the sword—Lotus Sword Venerable’s Lotus Peak and the Fifth Elder’s Crimson Rainbow Peak. With both being sword-focused, comparisons were inevitable. However, since Lotus Peak only had Heavenly Maiden Wangshu as its disciple, and she had dominated her peers from the moment she debuted, Crimson Rainbow Peak had been somewhat overshadowed. Over the years, many aspiring swordsmen had chosen Lotus Peak as their first choice, only to be turned away due to its refusal to accept more disciples. Crimson Rainbow Peak had become the second choice. Now that You Su was the second true disciple of Lotus Peak, Crimson Rainbow Peak would undoubtedly make a move.
As for Book Immortal Peak, their reason for not letting You Su have an easy time was simple—Lotus Peak was originally part of Book Immortal Peak, carved out by He Shutong herself.
“Since the grand elders have already approved You Su’s status as a true disciple, why go through these formalities?”
“Having him go through the registration process was the grand elders’ instruction to Elder Liu.”
The Third Elder explained. Otherwise, Elder Liu wouldn’t have been so anxious as to ask her to relay the message.
He Shutong’s expression was hidden in the mist, making it impossible to discern her thoughts.
She had thought that taking You Su as her disciple was a way to make up for her past mistakes, but she hadn’t expected it to subject him to unnecessary trials. Her presumption had once again left her indebted to You Su.
The sound of water splashing echoed as He Shutong stood up in the Lotus Birth Pool, her presence overshadowing the surrounding beauty.
“What are you doing?” the Third Elder asked, frowning.
“I can’t hide here while he faces this alone.”
“Are you insane?! Leaving the Lotus Birth Pool now would mean losing your cultivation bit by bit. Do you really want to fall to the mortal realm?!” the Third Elder scolded.
I can’t owe him any more…
He Shutong didn’t respond, only clutching her chest, feeling a faint ache.
The Third Elder, seeing her silence, stamped her foot in frustration. “Thirteenth Elder! Do you really have so little faith in him? If he can’t even pass this trial, he doesn’t deserve to be your disciple!”
It’s not him who’s undeserving… it’s me who’s unworthy of being his master…
He Shutong sighed softly. “Third Elder, my mind is made up. There’s no need to persuade me further.”
The Third Elder, now calm in her anger, had never seen the Thirteenth Elder so devoted to someone. She couldn’t help but wonder what kind of relationship existed between this two-hundred-year-old woman and the young blind boy.
“Your disciples, especially that blind boy, probably don’t know you’re here not for seclusion but because you’re severely injured, do they?” the Third Elder asked coldly.
He Shutong remained silent.
“If you don’t want him to know, stay here quietly. I’ll help him if anything comes up.”
“Thank you…”
“Don’t worry. Focus on recovering. Let me know if you need anything. I’ll also look for ancient methods to repair your spiritual platform. Otherwise, this lonely mountain peak will only have me left.”
The Third Elder forced a bitter smile, took a long sip of wine, and then left, shaking her head.
She knew she hadn’t convinced the Thirteenth Elder.
She only hated how stubborn people could be. If they knew they were stubborn, why couldn’t they change?