The three lineages held a social gathering every few years. These events lasted anywhere from seven days to half a month.

The three lineages would take turns hosting.

This time, it would last for ten days.

Zhu Ju had little interest in the gathering, but as a member of the host lineage, he was forced to entertain the guests properly.

"Senior Brother Zhu."

The next day, Qu Hongxiao came to visit.

"Thank you for helping me arrange a place to stay, and for drawing me a picture. I made some pastries for you."

"There’s no need to be so formal, Junior Sister." Although his Cultivation had been interrupted, Zhu Ju could only pretend it was nothing and greet her.

"Come in and sit."

"Okay." Qu Hongxiao, seemingly oblivious to the concept of politeness, handed him the pastries and strode into the courtyard.

"Senior Brother, your courtyard is a mess!"

"..." Zhu Ju gave a dry laugh.

"I live alone, so it’s true I don’t tidy up much."

"Oh!" Qu Hongxiao nodded.

"I live alone too, but I spend some time cleaning my courtyard every day. Senior Brother, you’re a bit lazy."

’Are you always this direct?’

For a moment, Zhu Ju was at a loss for words.

If anyone else had said that, he might have taken it as a deliberate taunt, but the person before him was different.

His Spiritual Soul Perception could clearly sense the emotions of others.

There was no mockery, no ridicule—she was simply stating what she saw as a matter of fact.

"Senior Brother..." Qu Hongxiao lowered her head, fidgeting with the corner of her clothes, her voice tinged with shyness.

"I could help you tidy up the courtyard."

’Huh?’

Zhu Ju’s expression stiffened.

’I misjudged!’

The woman before him wasn’t just direct; she was utterly blunt, like a cannonball straight to the heart of the matter.

"Junior Sister, you must be joking," Zhu Ju said.

"I prefer a more natural landscape. Besides, I’m always focused on my arduous Cultivation, so I don’t bother tidying up."

"These pastries..."

"They’re very... unique!"

He opened the box of pastries she had brought. They resembled the red bean cakes from his past life’s memories, but they were all of different sizes and very irregularly shaped.

All in all, they didn’t look particularly appetizing.

"I... I’m not very good at making them."

Qu Hongxiao’s cheeks flushed.

"My senior sister said that when you meet someone suitable, you should be brave and show them who you are. I learned to make these pastries specifically for that."

"There’s no need for that." Zhu Ju rubbed his temples, feeling a bit drained from their conversation. "We are Cultivators. We should prioritize improving our Cultivation and set aside worldly matters."

"That’s what Master says too." Qu Hongxiao’s eyes lit up as she nodded. "Yesterday, when Senior Brother was controlling his Flying Sword, it felt very familiar. You must practice the Five Elements Sword Point, right?"

"I do," Zhu Ju said admiringly.

"Junior Sister, you have a keen eye!"

He had evolved the Five Elements Sword Technique from the Five Elements Sword Point and even incorporated the Divine Soul Sword Control Method from the Otherworld.

To think she could still see through it... such perception was truly extraordinary.

"I am a disciple of the Celestial Sword Lineage, so I’m quite familiar with Sword Techniques," Qu Hongxiao said, eager to give it a try. "Senior Brother, shall we spar?"

"I practice the Ten Thousand Illusion Sword Technique, which can later be advanced into the Ten Thousand Illusions Sword Formulas. It’s a very powerful Sword Control Method."

"Very well." Zhu Ju nodded.

"Come!"

Qu Hongxiao drew her sword and leaped into the courtyard. The blade of her Longsword flowed like water, leaving afterimages in its wake.

Clearly, the Longsword in her hand was of extraordinary quality.

"Qu Hongxiao of the Celestial Sword Lineage, a Three Acupoints Innate Cultivator. Please, guide me!"

"Zhu Ju of Dragon Head, Two Acupoints."

Zhu Ju held his saber in hand.

"Please, guide me."

SWISH!

Qu Hongxiao’s figure blurred, her Longsword angling toward Zhu Ju.

DING...

Saber and sword clashed.

Zhu Ju didn’t strike toward the oncoming Longsword. Instead, he slashed at an empty space, yet perfectly intercepted the blade.

"Huh?"

Qu Hongxiao blinked.

"Senior Brother, my Sword Technique is called Ten Thousand Illusions precisely because it’s hard to tell what’s real and what’s not. How could you see through it?"

"You’re amazing!"

Though she praised him, her hands didn’t falter. Her Sword Formulas shifted, and a thousand sword images rained down in a dazzling display.

The sword images were like ten thousand flower petals, beautiful and magnificent, yet concealing a deadly intent.

DING!

DING DING DANG...

The sound of collisions was as rapid as a downpour.

Zhu Ju also cultivated the path of Magic, so his Divine Soul was powerful. The illusory feints of the Ten Thousand Illusions Sword Formulas could not deceive his perception.

His Saber Momentum unfolded, effortlessly shattering the thousands of sword images as he closed the distance.

"Hah!"

Qu Hongxiao’s sharp eyebrows rose. She let out a sharp cry, and her Sword Momentum changed again, surging forward like clouds and mist.

The Ten Thousand Illusions Sword Formulas was not the original name of this Sword Technique. It was originally called the Ten Thousand Illusions Sword Ban.

Ban!

A Forbidden Technique!

As the Sword Momentum gathered, the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi abruptly converged, and a Stern Slaughter Intent transformed into a cloud of mist that surged toward Zhu Ju.

And Zhu Ju found that he couldn’t draw upon the slightest bit of the Power of Heaven and Earth, as if he were sealed by an invisible Restriction.

"Good!"

His eyes lit up, and he swung his saber in a fierce slash.

The combination of his immense Divine Soul Power and the Ghost God Limit granted by his Demon Saber allowed him to forge ahead and forcibly cleave through the Sword Momentum.

BOOM!

Powerful Qi surged.

...

For several days in a row, Qu Hongxiao would visit Zhu Ju at the exact same time every day. The two would exchange a few words and then immediately begin their spar of saber and sword.

Qu Hongxiao’s Sword Technique was exquisite, and her Ten Thousand Illusions Sword Formulas contained a potent Killing Move.

If he didn’t use his Five-Pointed Flying Sword and relied solely on his Ghost God Limit Saber Technique, Zhu Ju wasn’t certain he could win.

Moreover, since he could only reveal the Cultivation of Breaking Two Acupoints, he was at an even greater disadvantage.

「On this day.」

Ning Ruxue and Xiao Bufan came to visit together.

"Senior Brother."

Ning Ruxue said, "I’m borrowing some Spirit Stones from Junior Brother Xiao, and I’d like you to act as a witness."

"Just to witness that it happened. Even if I can’t pay him back in the future, it will have nothing to do with you, Senior Brother."

"That’s fine." Zhu Ju had no objection. "But we need to add a clause: I am only a witness, I will not be responsible for repayment."

"Don’t worry." Ning Ruxue rolled her eyes. "I’ll pay it back when the time comes."

"Of course," Zhu Ju said. "When you get rich, Junior Sister, don’t forget your senior brother."

"Hah..." Ning Ruxue laughed dryly. "Senior Brother wasn’t willing to sponsor me with even a single Spirit Stone."

"I really don’t have any," Zhu Ju sighed. He had spent almost his entire fortune on that Demon’s Inner Core.

He’d even had to scrape together what he could just to gather the materials needed for refining the Outer Pill.

"By the way," he asked, "how many Spirit Stones is Junior Brother Xiao lending Junior Sister Ning?"

"Five hundred," Xiao Bufan said. "My entire fortune."

"Five hundred Spirit Stones!" Zhu Ju was startled. "Where did you get so many Spirit Stones?"

Xiao Bufan had been just an Outer Sect Disciple last year; there was no way he could have saved that much in a year. Yet here he was, producing five hundred Spirit Stones at once.

That ability to accumulate wealth... was terrifying!

"I had some savings to begin with, and I gained some benefits from the campaign to wipe out the Five Poison Sect, so that’s how I have this much," Xiao Bufan said with an air of casual indifference. "It’s nothing much."

"Junior Brother, you really are..." Zhu Ju began. "Still waters run deep!"

With him as a witness, the two signed a loan agreement, stipulating the interest and repayment date.

After signing the agreement, Ning Ruxue’s beautiful eyes darted around, and she asked curiously, "Senior Brother, I heard that Senior Sister Qu Hongxiao from the Celestial Sword Lineage has been coming to see you every day."

"Yes," Zhu Ju nodded. "Junior Sister Qu’s Sword Technique is quite good. Exchanging pointers on Martial Arts is a good way to gain experience. Besides, Senior Sister Pei said we should fulfill our duties as hosts."

"Senior Brother, you’re so selfless." Ning Ruxue gave a strange smile and cupped her fists. "I’m impressed, truly impressed!"

"What do you mean?" Zhu Ju frowned. "Aren’t you also interacting with disciples from the other two lineages?"

"No!" Ning Ruxue shook her head. "We’re not the same as you."

"How are we different?" Zhu Ju didn’t understand. They were all entertaining guests, so what was the difference?

"Senior Brother," Ning Ruxue said with a look of astonishment. "You may not talk much, but I know it’s because of your Inner Wisdom. I’ve always admired that about you. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed this time?"

"Noticed what?" Zhu Ju said. "Just say it directly."

"Well..." Xiao Bufan whispered from the side. "Senior Brother, from what I know, that Senior Sister Qu is a bit... not normal. Her mind is... rather slow."

"She’s an idiot," Ning Ruxue giggled. "You really didn’t know, Senior Brother?"

’An idiot?’

Zhu Ju turned his head and looked toward the courtyard gate.

He didn’t know when, but Qu Hongxiao had appeared there. Her eyes were red, and her body was trembling slightly. She stood at the entrance, not coming inside.

"Junior Sister Qu."

"...Senior Brother." Qu Hongxiao opened her mouth, forcing a smile. "I... I came to say goodbye."

"The time is almost up. I... I plan to return to Celestial Sword Peak with my senior sister. I just came to let you know."

Zhu Ju fell silent.

"Senior Brother."

Qu Hongxiao bit her lip.

"These past few days, I’ve been very happy."

"Goodbye!"

With that, she turned and hurried away.

"This..." Xiao Bufan’s expression was awkward. "When did Senior Sister Qu get here?"

"How should I know?" Ning Ruxue, flushed with shame and anger, glared at Zhu Ju. "Senior Brother, don’t tell me you were just watching to see us make fools of ourselves?"

"..." Zhu Ju sighed softly. "I only just now sensed her arrival. And I truly didn’t know that she was..."

"Forget it!"

No wonder his interactions with Qu Hongxiao these past few days had felt strange. It wasn’t that she was forthright; she simply didn’t know how normal people were supposed to talk.

’An idiot?’

’What a pity.’

*

*

*

「Celestial Sword Peak.」

The highest of the three peaks of the Bright Void Sect.

From a distance, Celestial Sword Peak looked like a sharp sword thrusting straight into the void, piercing through the thick layers of clouds.

Qu Hongxiao crouched by the edge of a cliff, leaning against a large tree full of red leaves, letting them fall onto her.

She held a branch, sketching childish portraits back and forth in the dirt at her feet.

Some holding swords,

some holding sabers.

"Lass."

A hunched-over old man leaning on a cane appeared nearby, asking with a smile, "Why did you come back so early?"

"Time was up." Qu Hongxiao stopped what she was doing and blinked. "I wanted to come back and see you, Master."

"Haha..." The old man roared with laughter upon hearing this, his face flushing red. "My little lass has grown up! She’s even learned to lie. You never think about this old man when you’re away."

"So tell me."

"What happened out there?"

"Nothing." Qu Hongxiao shifted her body. "I don’t want to talk about it."

"Hmm..." The smile on the old man’s face faded, his expression turning serious. "Don’t tell me you met someone you like?"

"I don’t know." Qu Hongxiao looked lost. "But I was happy when I was with Senior Brother Zhu. He didn’t look at me the way others do."

"No pity, no disgust..."

"He didn’t even know I was an idiot."

"You’re not an idiot. You just haven’t grown up yet," the old man said, sitting down beside her and frowning. "But this Senior Brother Zhu you speak of... he couldn’t see that you were different? Could he be the idiot?"

"He’s not," Qu Hongxiao retorted instinctively. "Senior Brother Zhu is very smart."

"Oh, right."

She took a piece of paper from her clothes and handed it to him.

"This is a list of things Senior Brother Zhu is looking for. Master, can you help him gather them all?"

"Artifact Refining materials?" The old man unfolded it and looked. "The other things are one thing, but this Spirit Jade Bell Embryo is a real treasure. Don’t tell me you’ve been swindled?"

"Lass."

"This list of items would cost your entire dowry—the one I’ve set aside for you. You need to think this through."

"Master."

Qu Hongxiao’s eyes were vacant.

"Tell me, can I really get married?"

"Would anyone really, truly marry an idiot?"

The old man was silent.

Qu Hongxiao was born with a Sword Bone, a one-in-ten-thousand prodigy of the Sword Dao who should have become a Core True Inheritance disciple of the Celestial Sword Lineage.

But alas...

...her Innate Soul was deficient.

Among the children of the Celestial Sword Lineage, learning only a few characters a day was considered foolish, and learning a hundred was merely average.

But Qu Hongxiao...

...to this day, still didn’t recognize many characters.

She couldn’t tell directions, couldn’t remember what people told her, and didn’t even know to feel sad when she was bullied...

"Lass."

The old man sighed softly.

"You’re not an idiot. You’re just... missing a few things that others have."