Chapter 21: Would You Mind Lending a Hand to Your Junior?

The Xuantian Sect was known for its Five Peaks and One Hall, but that didn’t mean there was nothing else beyond them. Where there were mountains, there were valleys; where there were summits, there were foothills. The Spirit Spring lay nestled in a secluded hollow at the base of the mountains, quite distant from any of the Five Peaks.

Yan Shu flew straight to the Spirit Spring, released her divine sense, and, after confirming there was no one within several miles, set up a barrier, slipped off her robes, and plunged into the spring. Yes, after the sect leader’s crash course, she could now set up barriers herself!

As she immersed herself in the spring, Yan Shu let out a contented sigh. If she had a choice, she would rather be a mortal—after all, bathing should involve water, shouldn’t it? A simple dust-removal spell, what kind of bath was that?

In novels, bathing outdoors always led to a chance encounter, but such clichés would not visit Yan Shu. Instead, she encountered something else.

She enjoyed a leisurely soak, dried her hair with her spiritual power, dressed, and flew back to Supreme Peak. Just as she was about to enter her hall and sleep, a familiar rumble echoed overhead.

Before she could react, a bolt of heavenly thunder struck down.

Boom!

Fizzle~~

Yan Shu was instantly charred inside and out by the thunder. Dazed, she stared up at the sky, “What are you doing? Aren’t I back at Supreme Peak?!”

Boom!

Fizzle~~

Yan Shu: …

Boom!

Fizzle!~~

Her composure, like her hair, was fried to a crisp. She shouted angrily at the sky, “Are you blind?! This is Supreme Peak! Supreme Peak!! I haven’t gone anywhere!”

Boom!

Fizzle!~~

Despairing, Yan Shu watched as lightning gathered again overhead. She sat weakly on the ground, staring at the thunderclouds, surrendering, “Tell me, where must I stay so you won’t find me an eyesore and stop striking me?”

A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, pointing northeast.

Yan Shu could hardly believe her eyes. She was in a cultivation novel, not a supernatural one, right?

Thunderclouds gathered again, purple lightning rolling within, as if poised to strike. Truth be told, Yan Shu doubted the previous lightning had meant to guide her—it felt far too unscientific. But she was already living in a novel; what use was science?

Seeing the purple lightning about to fall again, she hastily said, “I… I didn’t see clearly just now. Can you show me one more time? Where should I go?”

The purple lightning transformed into a bolt, directing her northeast.

OJBK!

“You win!” Yan Shu immediately summoned her flying sword, dragged her half-numb body, and staggered northeast.

The thunderclouds followed her overhead, occasionally flickering with lightning to correct her direction and guide her path.

Yan Shu had no temper left—she could only follow the thunder, never knowing how long she flew. Suddenly, the clouds dispersed and vanished without a trace, as if they had never existed.

She exhaled long and slow. What did the Heavenly Dao mean by this? Did the male lead decide not to kill her for his reserves, and so it was chasing her away?

Soon she realized she was mistaken.

Because, not far ahead, she saw Xiao Jihan.

At this moment, Xiao Jihan was utterly disheveled. His robes were torn to shreds by lightning, and he sat exhausted and cross-legged on the ground. His eyes were closed, hair spilling down, blood at the corner of his lips, surrounded by scorched earth. He had clearly just endured a tribulation.

No, he was in the midst of tribulation.

Over his head, thunderclouds churned, far larger than those that had struck her, and the bolts were much thicker. The thunder refused to descend, purple lightning roiling in the clouds as if undecided.

Yan Shu saw the scene and instantly understood—Xiao Jihan had formed his Nascent Soul and was crossing his tribulation.

The novel had described this moment in detail: a hidden place, just like this. But the book said he passed his tribulation with ease, while before her eyes, nothing seemed easy.

He hadn’t noticed her at such close range. If he weren’t the male lead, the Heavenly Dao’s favorite, Yan Shu might have thought he’d failed his tribulation and died.

Seeing the -40 (dislike) above his head, Yan Shu formed a guess.

Was it because she’d arrived, and Xiao Jihan no longer wanted to kill her, thus altering the plot, making the Heavenly Dao dissatisfied and punishing him?

Yan Shu glanced at the thunder overhead, hesitated, and tentatively stepped forward.

Xiao Jihan’s eyes snapped open.

Seeing who it was, his lips curled into a mocking smile.

He’d believed he hid well—no one could see the peculiarity of his spiritual root, nor did anyone know he’d reached the late Core Formation stage, cultivating even faster than the genius reputed to appear only once in a thousand years in the cultivation world—yes, faster than the wicked woman before him.

But it was only what he believed.

No wonder she gifted him a superior magical treasure, for she had already seen through his true cultivation and wanted to test him.

No wonder she gave him the Blazing Furnace, the materials for alchemy and forging.

She had purged her inner demon, no longer needed his heart’s blood; gifting him the furnace and materials was only to lull him into complacency.

Just as she had once smiled at him and said she wished to take him as her personal disciple.

Back then, she wanted his heart’s blood; now, she wanted his spiritual root.

Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous—he’d even held onto the last hope, talking about entrusting his trust one last time…

Suddenly, Xiao Jihan laughed aloud.

Yan Shu was stunned—he really was breathtaking when he laughed.

Especially now, his hair disheveled, blood at his lips, smiling lightly—he struck directly at her aesthetic.

Beautiful, handsome, with a hint of wildness and… tragedy.

Beautiful, powerful, tragic—no wonder it moved people; no wonder she’d reread that book.

But soon, Yan Shu had no mind to appreciate the view, for Xiao Jihan’s health bar above was flashing a wild warning, the red light nearly blinding her!

Favorability: -99 (murderous intent surging)

Yan Shu: ??????

Nine bolts of heavenly thunder—Xiao Jihan had endured eight; the last refused to descend, but he had exhausted his spiritual power, left with nowhere to turn.

But that didn’t mean he lacked strength for one last blow.

Xiao Jihan looked at Yan Shu and, in a clear, cold voice laced with an inexplicable allure, said, “Why has Master come? Did you come to see your disciple?”

Yan Shu dared not move. Even as his smile stirred her heart, she didn’t dare so much as shift half a step.

She stood rooted to the spot, three yards away, silently swallowing and replied, “I… I hadn’t seen you return for a long time, so I came to look for you.”

On hearing this, Xiao Jihan’s smile deepened, his voice seductive, “Master, it seems your disciple is about to fail his tribulation. Could you come over and help him?”