Zanxing

Chapter 45 - Qin Worm

Regardless of whether Gu Baiying's appearance was intended by the original story to be a romantic plotline, Zanxing had no time to worry about it. For now, advancing her career was far more important.

Every four months, all inner sect disciples of the Taiyan Sect, whether new or old, had to undergo an assessment. The top performer received a reward, while the last-place finisher was penalized. Zanxing didn't care about the rewards, nor did she fear the penalties, but there was also Hua Yue, who regularly sought to cause her trouble.

Sure, keeping a low profile and being cautious could help her survive for a while, but given the original story's character, there was likely already a pitfall waiting for her, one that would send her straight into a cannon fodder female villain's fate. After some consideration, she realized that only through diligent cultivation could she avoid that fate, as true strength was the only thing that mattered.

Hua Yue had already formed his golden core, and though Zanxing was striving hard, she was only nearing the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, still far behind Hua Yue. Though surpassing one's level was not impossible, it wasn't something that could be relied on every time. Before the next inner sect disciples' assessment, she had to at least close the gap between them a bit.

Because of this, Zanxing was studying relentlessly—day and night—more dedicated than she'd ever been, even during exam prep.

Aside from the theoretical lessons taught by Master Yueguang, inner-sect disciples could also attend the smaller lessons offered by the other uncles in the sect. For example, there was Uncle Cui Yufu's talisman class, Uncle Li Danshu's alchemy class, and Uncle Zhao Maoyi's divination class. The curriculum was well-rounded, ensuring comprehensive development in all areas.

Among these, Zanxing particularly liked alchemy.

The alchemical herbs and materials used in class were provided by the sect. As new disciples, they were given only basic herbs. But Zanxing's failure rate was low—thanks to none other than the Xiao Yuan Pearl.

In alchemy, the key was controlling the heat, and the Xiao Yuan Pearl functioned like a perfectly regulated heater, keeping the temperature precisely where it needed to be. All Zanxing had to do was toss in the ingredients. While others would use a pile of materials to make one Qi-replenishing pill, she could make three, which even impressed Uncle Li Danshu.

The finished pills could be taken home, so after saving up a box, Zanxing took them back to her small wooden cottage to feed her cat.

Once, Tian Fangfang saw Zanxing putting three Qi-replenishing pills into Mimi's food bowl and was shocked. "You're feeding it this?"

"Isn't this how you're supposed to raise a cat? Give it the best," Zanxing said nonchalantly while stroking Mimi's chin. "Think of it as a supplement."

Mimi didn't waste Zanxing's efforts. In just over a month, it had doubled in size, no longer looking like a kitten. Now, at least, it was a fat cat, though its love for affection hadn't changed. Lately, Zanxing often woke up not to the rooster's crow but to Mimi's large body slamming onto her.

She mused that Mimi might not grow into a silver lion, but at the very least, it could reach the size of one.

Apart from attending classes, playing with her cat, and training at Chuhong Platform, Zanxing also loved visiting the sect's library.

The library was akin to a large public library. Unlike the martial arts hall, which was filled with manuals and techniques, the library's collection was broad and varied. It contained information on the cultures of different countries in Duzhou, hundreds of years of cultivation world gossip, literature, law, medicine, natural science—and even children's books.

One of the selling points of "At The Peak of the Nine Heavens" was its rich and expansive world-building. To truly immerse herself in this world, Zanxing spent all her spare time in the library, trying to fill in the gaps in her knowledge of it.

There were rarely any other people in the library, and when the outside lanterns began to glow, she looked out the window to see that night had fallen.

She stood up, brushed off the dust on her clothes, and put the book back on the shelf before leaving the library. It was about time to grab some dinner and then head to Chuhong Platform for self-study and training.

After Zanxing left, a figure leaped down from one of the upper shelves in the library. Dressed in white robes embroidered with red, it was none other than Gu Baiying. He walked to where Zanxing had been standing and pulled out the book she'd been reading all afternoon: Surprise! 100 Bizarre Stories You Don't Know About the Cultivation World.

Gu Baiying: "..."

With a smack, the young man tossed the book back onto the shelf and cursed, "Ridiculous!"

Recently, he'd noticed that Zanxing often visited the library and, after much hesitation, decided to follow her, thinking that someone chosen by The Qing'e Nianhua Staff might possess some hidden talents. Yet every day, Zanxing read books like Practical Tips for Winter Flower Cultivation on Mount Gufeng or Northwest Duzhou Transportation Maps, never anything serious.

Gu Baiying was beginning to suspect that Qing'e Nianhua Staff had chosen the wrong person.

He left the library and headed back to his residence, Xiaoyao Hall, which was next to Master Xuan Ling's Miaokong Hall. Long ago, the immortal Fairy Qinghua had once lived here.

At night, clouds and mist enveloped Xiaoyao Hall, obscuring Fairy Qinghua's former palace, making it seem even more ethereal and dreamlike.

But Gu Baiying didn't actually like it here.

He seemed to prefer the lively, vibrant world of mortals over the illusory beauty of the celestial realm. Perhaps that's why he spent so little time at the sect over the years. His frequent travels to gather herbs for restoring spirit veins were not only a duty but also an escape from this dreamlike place.

It was too beautiful, too fragile, and too unreal.

Back at his hall, unlike his other senior brothers, Gu Baiying didn't keep disciples or servants around, which made Xiaoyao Hall feel empty and cold.

As he stood for a moment, about to return to his room, he heard someone rushing toward him.

"Martial Uncle! Something terrible has happened!" shouted Mendong as he hurried over.

"What is it?" Gu Baiying replied irritably. "Stop yelling. It's annoying."

The little boy came to a halt, face flushed from running, making him look even more like a servant from an immortal's household. "Uncle, I went to check on the Qin Worm in the Black Swamp today, and, well..."

The Qin Worm was a mystical plant seed that Sect Leader Shaoyang had obtained from a secret realm ten years ago. Legend had it that an ancient immortal left behind a magical zither, from which a spiritual plant had sprouted. Though it looked like a tiny insect, it was actually a plant. Once consumed, the Qin Worm would take root in the spiritual veins of the person who ate it, slowly growing and repairing any deficiencies in their spiritual meridians.

The seed was extremely rare, and Master Shaoyang had gone through great efforts to acquire just one. It needed to be nourished in a place full of miasma, and only the Black Swamp on Mount Gufeng had enough. Shaoyang had placed the seed at the bottom of the swamp, protected by barriers that prevented ordinary people from entering. Even if they could, the miasma would kill them instantly. 

Uncle Zhao Maoyi and the others had never doubted the safety of the Qin Worm. In fact, Mendong regularly checked on its condition.

It had now been ten years, and the seed was nearly ready to mature.

With a face full of distress, Mendong wailed, "Uncle, the Qin Worm is gone!"