Chapter 11: Gaining a Companion

Facing the sharp sword energy, all of Ji Jiuxuan’s earlier tension vanished in an instant, replaced by excitement and a strong urge to test herself. She raised her sword and stepped forward to meet the challenge.

As their blades crossed again and again, Ji Jiuxuan grew more and more astonished. She had always been quite adept at the Xuanqing Sword Technique, but she had never wielded it with such ease before. The only explanation was that yesterday’s moment of insight, though incomplete, had not been without effect—she simply hadn’t realized it at the time.

The match on the platform grew more heated. Though both contestants were of low cultivation and their swordplay was only at the most elementary level, there was still something engaging about the contest.

“Your junior niece is truly a promising sword student,” remarked a young man in blue, stepping up beside Nie Xingyuan. Despite the words of praise for Ji Jiuxuan, his eyes never left the youth on the stage—Tan Yuzhou—who was clearly the source of his pride.

Nie Xingyuan ignored the unspoken plea for him to compliment the other’s junior niece as well, and simply replied, “She’s quite good.”

Meng Chengfang was already well acquainted with Nie Xingyuan’s thick-skinned ways. Besides, what he said was nothing but the truth, which gave Nie Xingyuan even greater reason to be unapologetic.

Seeing his own junior niece receive no praise, Meng Chengfang snorted indignantly.

“Your junior niece is about to lose,” Nie Xingyuan remarked casually, prompting Meng Chengfang to snap his attention back to the dueling platform.

At that moment, Tan Yuzhou was already beginning to falter. Ji Jiuxuan feinted once, then followed with a seamless, forceful attack that forced Tan Yuzhou right off the platform.

Meng Chengfang sent out a burst of spiritual energy, catching Tan Yuzhou before he fell, just a step ahead of the elder presiding over the platform.

Placing him safely on the ground, Tan Yuzhou looked at Ji Jiuxuan, panting, his eyes full of disbelief. By all rights, with their equal talent and cultivation—and having started channeling energy into his body earlier than Ji Jiuxuan—he shouldn’t have been forced from the platform.

Tan Yucheng was indeed overbearing, but he also knew himself well. He was fully aware of his own limits; even if he stayed on the platform, there was no way he could win now. Seeing Ji Jiuxuan still composed and at ease, he scrambled to get to his feet, eager to ask her about her usual training methods.

Meanwhile, Ji Jiuxuan calmly descended the steps and approached Nie Xingyuan, bowing obediently. “Thank you for earlier, Uncle.”

It was the first time Nie Xingyuan had met the eldest senior brother’s little niece, and he couldn’t help but smile, hoping to make a good impression. “It’s nothing,” he replied.

He had intended to introduce himself, but Meng Chengfang seemed to sense something amiss and burst out, “No way! No way! Old Nie, don’t tell me this is the first time you two have met?”

“She doesn’t know you?” Meng Chengfang’s eyes lit up with malicious glee as he saw Nie Xingyuan’s darkened expression. He laughed heartily. “Nie Xingyuan, so even you have days like this!”

At the mention of Nie Xingyuan’s name, Ji Jiuxuan immediately realized who had just helped her. “Uncle, what’s he laughing at?” she asked, then turned to Tan Yuzhou. “Come on, little tagalong, let’s go explore.”

Nie Xingyuan was delighted to be called “little uncle.” Seeing her about to leave, he quickly asked, “Ah Jiu, where do you want to go? Uncle will take you!”

Meng Chengfang, who had been poised to mock Nie Xingyuan, didn’t get the chance. He watched as his own junior niece followed Ji Jiuxuan, taking up position behind her, waiting.

With much surprise, he asked, “You’re her tagalong now?”

The little tyrant of their peak had become someone else’s tagalong—something Meng Chengfang would have sworn was impossible. The child had always been so proud.

Unbelievable!

“Yes, that was the condition before the match. I lost, so I’m keeping my promise,” Tan Yuzhou replied calmly.

He hadn’t been injured in the duel, and after taking two spirit-replenishing pills, he was fully recovered.

Glancing at the handsome uncle, Ji Jiuxuan suddenly had an idea. “Uncle, why don’t you take me for a tour of our sect on your sword? I’ve never seen it before!”

Ji Jiuxuan smiled, her curiosity about her sect growing. Nie Xingyuan, however, felt a pang of sadness and pity for the girl before him. If only her father were here, she would never have needed to ask for such a thing. With his doting nature, her father would have taken her around the sect as many times as she wished.

“All right. Uncle will show you every corner of the sect,” Nie Xingyuan agreed, smiling.

He made no mention of Meng Chengfang or Tan Yuzhou, instead leading Ji Jiuxuan straight outside.

By the time Meng Chengfang caught up with Tan Yuzhou and hurried out after them, the pair were long gone.

“Uncle, aren’t we going after them?” Tan Yuzhou asked, thinking he would be needed to accompany Ji Jiuxuan on her tour.

Meng Chengfang crouched down, met his eyes, and patted him on the shoulder. “Boy, now you know there’s always someone stronger, don’t you?”

Tan Yuzhou nodded. That much was true. But only Ji Jiuxuan was stronger than him; among their peers, he still believed no one else could surpass him.

From the expression on the chubby youth’s face, Meng Chengfang—who knew him well—could tell that he only acknowledged Ji Jiuxuan, and still refused to accept anyone else’s superiority.

“There are others in our sect stronger than you, not just her. On Wangchen Peak, for example, there’s a boy your age with an earth-type celestial root. He doesn’t practice swordplay, but his strength is by no means less than yours.”

To spur the boy on, Meng Chengfang continued, “If you keep working hard, you’ll definitely be able to defeat Ji Jiuxuan one day.”

Tan Yuzhou agreed, pride coloring his words. “Of course, I’ll definitely be able to beat her.”

“And another thing, Uncle—her name is Ji Jiuxuan, not Little Jiu.”

Meng Chengfang laughed it off. “All right, all right. So, shall we head back?”

Elsewhere, Ji Jiuxuan had seated herself cross-legged in front of Nie Xingyuan, gazing at the scenery below and marveling at its beauty. In the past, the immortal realms in games and dramas had all been stunning, but now she was seeing a real corner of the cultivation world.

No depiction from the modern world could compare—not even by a thousandth—to the beauty before her.

Surrounded by such a view, Ji Jiuxuan felt herself completely relax.

The wind was kept at bay by a spiritual shield, and she had no intention of asking Nie Xingyuan to remove it. Given her small stature and the current wind speed, she’d probably be blown away the moment the shield was gone.

“Ding! The punishment period is over. You may now cultivate for four hours. Please take note,” the system’s voice chimed just as Nie Xingyuan brought her to the main hall of the central peak.

At that moment, Qi Shuoyuan happened to be walking out with a guest. The guest wore green robes and had white hair, but unlike the ethereal or imposing airs of sword cultivators, he looked entirely down-to-earth.

“Master, Elder Dongcheng,” Nie Xingyuan greeted them with a bow. Ji Jiuxuan also called out sweetly, “Grandfather, Grandpa Dongcheng.”

Ji Jiuxuan recalled what she’d learned about them: Qi Dongcheng was of the same clan and generation as Qi Shuoyuan, Grand Elder of the Beast-Taming Sect, his strength unfathomable, and now rarely seen in the mortal world, spending most of his time in seclusion.

Looking at the kindly old man that was Qi Dongcheng, Ji Jiuxuan wondered if he had grown bored in seclusion and come to visit her grandfather for a change of pace.