Chapter 20: The Heirloom Revealed

Zhao Zhixu’s eyes widened slightly as she looked at her junior sister’s resolute expression. She suddenly burst out laughing. Taking the sword from her junior sister’s hand, she tapped it lightly on her shoulder.

Without drawing the blade, she raised the sword high and then gently brought it down.

After the strike, she returned the sword to her junior sister’s waist and said, “Alright, I’ve bested you. I’m no longer angry—I forgive you.”

Even she had only just come to terms with her own ambition and had the courage to voice her grievances. How could she expect those around her to fully understand her emotions? They were not mind readers.

Deeply grateful for the forgiveness, Cui Huai bowed respectfully. Since Senior Sister wished to learn, she vowed to do her utmost to assist her in the future.

With matters settled satisfactorily, everyone dispersed. The young junior brother, Zhu Yu, wore a mournful expression and timidly pointed at himself. “So I have to strive for Foundation Establishment too? Just me?”

Was it not a bit cruel to have an ordinary mortal doctor train alongside them—robust, healthy cultivators?

Before Elder Qingyan could respond, Jiang Xuan cheerfully slung an arm around Zhu Yu’s shoulder. “Junior brother, at the Free and Easy Sect, we treat everyone fairly. You’re the only one in the entire sect who has paid sponsorship fees, so you deserve the full experience. I guarantee it’ll be worth every penny!”

Fair treatment? Bringing an ordinary mortal without a spiritual root into cultivation sounded more like bullying him.

***

Relying solely on the Free and Easy Sect, a makeshift troupe, to qualify for the Wuya Sect’s competition was a long shot. It would take Cui Huai’s intervention.

That very night, Cui Huai hurriedly finished memorizing the day’s vocabulary, then stayed up all night recalling effective cultivation methods and sword techniques from her manuals.

Once she organized her notes, she planned to bring them to class the next day for everyone to study. With the prestigious name of the Spirit Glow Swordmaster’s notes attached, they would surely flock to learn.

The “Unrestrained Technique” was the meditation method she had used during her Foundation Establishment to clear distractions and accelerate the absorption and circulation of spiritual energy.

“Focus the mind and calm the breath, guard the dantian with intent, nurture spirit and awareness, and fill the heart with strength...”

Cui Huai wrote more and more slowly, repeatedly double-checking every few characters. Was this really correct?

Halfway through her painstaking memorization, her pen stopped. Any further writing would be pure fabrication.

When she was still the Spirit Glow Swordmaster, she had a prodigious memory for cultivation techniques, her divine awareness unparalleled.

Now, indistinguishable from a mortal, recalling even half of a manual was exceptional.

Worry crept over Cui Huai as she toyed with the half-finished “Unrestrained Technique.” If Jiang Xuan and the others practiced this, would they suffer spiritual backlash or reversed meridians?

Best to set the meditation methods aside for now and focus on the sword moves.

Scratching her head, she sketched a few techniques on paper but grew increasingly doubtful. She called to the system, “Can you understand what moves I’m drawing?”

***

System: “Sure can, stick figure! Honestly, it’s quite cute. You even managed to draw two stick figures sword-fighting—it’s pretty expressive.”

Stick figures? She didn’t know what that meant, but it was clearly not a compliment.

For the first time, Cui Huai regretted ignoring Yan Chi’s urging to take disciples and never attending the Wuya Sect’s apprentice recruitment events. When Yan Chi brought promising sword talents to Changqing Palace, she kept herself locked away.

Now, at the moment of teaching, she was fumbling.

Once aloof, now frustrated.

Cui Huai tried to negotiate with the system: “Take out the manuals from my storage ring so I can copy them and then return them. After all, I’m helping you as the protagonist—why not cooperate?”

“The higher-ups have decreed that the host must complete tasks to receive rewards. I don’t want to make things difficult. Finish the task of being alone with Jiang Xuan, and I’ll reward you with a cultivation method on top of your original rewards.”

The system was reluctant to provide cultivation methods. After glancing at Cui Huai’s half-finished “Unrestrained Technique,” it genuinely worried that if she gave it to Long Aotian, he might die from improper cultivation.

The book “The Swordmaster’s Regrets” was already in shambles, and if the protagonist of “The Peak of the Great Dao” died, the system’s game would be over.

Cui Huai attempted to bargain for more benefits, but the system went silent, feigning death.

With no other options, Cui Huai braced herself and continued sketching sword techniques.

Surprisingly, the more she drew, the more fluid her strokes became, and her confidence returned.

Indeed, there was nothing in this world she was not good at!

***

The next morning’s early class found Cui Huai under a darker shadow than usual.

Previously, she only had to memorize vocabulary; last night, she had to draw manuals too. She was truly becoming more resilient.

Back when she had taken a month to establish her foundation, with this kind of effort, half a month would be possible.

Due to time constraints, Elder Qingyan skipped reciting obscure, cryptic Daoist texts.

He had long realized that his disciples were simple-minded; endlessly lecturing them wouldn’t enlighten them, but might help them sleep better.

Cui Huai, not yet on the path, was assigned to memorize “Qi Guidance Technique,” while Zhu Yu was given a hefty “Herbal Compendium.”

Since Cui Huai’s seven-colored spiritual root might possibly guide qi into her body, and Zhu Yu had none, it was better for him to familiarize himself with the spiritual plants of the cultivation world.

The other three disciples, already on the path, were encouraged to ask questions about their cultivation struggles and demonstrate a few moves.

Jiang Xuan’s swordsmanship showed early signs of sword intent but lacked fearlessness. His sword didn’t draw blood; showing off was his primary goal. It was time to find a chance to throw him into a den of villains for some real experience.

Zhixu’s swordsmanship was evidently the result of hard work, but limited by her water spiritual root, her spiritual power was sluggish and lacked lethality. Her spells were the same—form without edge. She needed to find manuals suited for water spiritual roots.

Fu Qin specialized in spellcasting, flawless, and his swordsmanship was also impressive and steady. Yet, why was his cultivation so slow? His talent shouldn't be so.

Could it be that his mindset was poor, weighed down by inner troubles?

Elder Qingyan studied Fu Qin's expression. The third disciple always appeared aloof and composed, hardly seeming troubled.

The only one who could unsettle Fu Qin emotionally was Cui Huai. They needed to spend more time together; otherwise, at such a young age, it would be lonely without desires or ambitions—not exactly popular.

Looking at this group of disciples, Elder Qingyan worried.

Thinking about his own upcoming advancement to mid Nascent Soul stage, he worried even more.

***

After morning class, Cui Huai eagerly presented her hastily completed “Sword Technique Notes.”

Because her drawings differed greatly from conventional manuals, she didn’t dare label them as the “Spirit Glow Swordmaster’s Notes”—that would only ruin her reputation.

Instead, she boasted, “My family elders had some connection with the Wuya Sect and obtained this ‘Sword Technique Notes,’ authored by the Wuya Sect’s sect leader, Immortal Yan Chi. Its content is exquisite and is regarded as a treasured heirloom passed down through generations. Although it shouldn’t be shown, given the urgent situation, I believe it should be shared to help everyone improve.”

Yan Chi may have drawn it, and it’s unfair to blame him, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Jiang Xuan hadn’t opened the book yet but praised it repeatedly, “No wonder Fourth Junior Sister, your swordsmanship is so outstanding—it’s truly the legacy of Immortal Yan Chi.”

When he finally opened it, he was dumbfounded. “Ah, it’s so abstract! I’ve seen many sword manuals, but none like this.”

Senior Sister rolled her eyes. “You must be narrow-minded...”

Before she could finish, seeing the content herself, she quickly changed her tone. “Immortal Yan Chi’s notes are indeed unique.”

Fu Qin squinted at the notes, flipping through them and asked, “Junior Sister, are these really Immortal Yan Chi’s notes?”

What? Did he doubt her? These were the Spirit Glow Swordmaster’s notes! A rustic fool, unable to recognize true value.

Cui Huai confidently replied, “Of course.”

Fu Qin continued, “These notes are a treasured heirloom passed down through generations?”

“Absolutely, no falsehood,” Cui Huai affirmed.

Fu Qin raised an eyebrow in surprise. “I just brushed my hand over it and noticed the ink is barely dry—it looks like it was completed within the last two days. Junior Sister, when you say it’s been passed down through generations, don’t tell me you’re the first in your family?”

Oh no! A mortal body, staying up all night until dizzy, forgot to age the notes artificially!