24 Advancing Toward the Sword Sovereign

Cui Huai saw the woodcutter's wife from a distance. Before she could ask if there was any trouble, Jiang Xuan, who was behind her, suddenly lost his composure.

Wu Xiaofang waved her hands frantically in fright: "No, no, I am here to thank the Immortals."

The unstable factor that was Jiang Xuan finally calmed down. The only one who suffered was the Fifth Junior Brother, Zhu Yu; rattled by Jiang Xuan’s alarmist talk, Zhu Yu had presumably hurried off to practice his movement techniques earlier, and by his speed, he should have already reached the back mountain.

Cui Huai was caught off guard as a large basket of eggs was thrust into her arms. Mortals were truly formidable; even someone as powerful as her found herself compelled to accept the basket amidst the insistent pushing.

Cui Huai said, "The misfortune was caused by me; it was all my duty. As long as you don't blame me, there is no need for thanks."

"My old man and I may not be very learned, but we are not unreasonable. This matter cannot be blamed on you, Immortal. We simply must thank you," the woman insisted.

In the past, although Cui Huai was aloof, she had done many good deeds and slain many demons. Yet, she was always a lone figure with a single sword—arriving swiftly and departing just as quickly.

Living high atop Qingyun Peak, the gratitude of mortals meant little to her, nor could it bridge the vast expanse of mountains and seas to reach her.

Now, stripped of her spiritual power and confined to the dilapidated Xiaoyao Sect, she was no longer so unattainable. The gratitude of mortals had, for the first time, taken a concrete form: a basket of eggs.

It felt heavy in her hands.

With a hint of hidden joy, she looked closely at Wu Xiaofang and realized that even though the woman had tidied herself up, the exhaustion and the sallow complexion could not be hidden.

Cui Huai took the initiative: "How is the old woodcutter recovering? Zhu Yu said he was healing well. Has he been getting better over these past few days?"

The woman nodded repeatedly: "Yes, Doctor Zhu’s medical skills are superb. I had intended to thank him in person, but I suppose I won't see him today. I will come again when there is an opportunity."

As for why she wouldn't see him, it was naturally because Doctor Zhu had been scared off by Jiang Xuan.

Jiang Xuan stood to the side, looking as if he were being punished, feeling uncharacteristically awkward.

Cui Huai said, "Previously, my Senior Brother and I were responsible for the trees in the sect, but we have been busy with cultivation lately and have had no time to tend to them. Once the old gentleman is fully recovered, he can come to our sect to help care for the trees. I will pay his wages."

Even if the Xiaoyao Sect wasn't large, it still housed a few cultivators. If the woodcutter had a position at the sect, then even if the Hidden Trace Pavilion wanted to find trouble, they would have to think twice.

Moreover, she remembered Zhu Yu saying that the old man could no longer do heavy labor and likely couldn't chop wood anymore. Although they didn't blame her, it was only right to find them a new way to make a living.

Wu Xiaofang was overjoyed. In her eyes, Cui Huai was not just an Immortal, but a kind-hearted young woman. In her excitement, she grasped Cui Huai’s hand: "Very well! My old man used to chop trees, so he knows them well. Once he is better, he will look after your trees with great care."

Those were rough, calloused, yet warm hands. Cui Huai had not had physical contact with anyone other than in combat for many years, but she found she did not dislike it.

Seeing the woman suddenly realize her impropriety and hasten to let go, Cui Huai, as if by some impulse, gently squeezed back: "Cutting trees in the past, caring for them in the future—the cause and effect are connected. I have found the right person for the job."

Jiang Xuan, that blockhead, had just finished lamenting that his Fourth Junior Sister treated outsiders better than she treated him, when he began whispering to Zhao Zhixu: "The Junior Sister says it's for 'tending trees,' but they just glance at them occasionally—it's so sloppy and doesn't even take any time. The Junior Sister really knows how to slack off; she even hires someone for such trivial work. Besides, if she really wants to hire someone, she might as well let me earn the money. Why is it that when it comes to such free money, she never considers me?"

Zhao Zhixu resisted the urge to roll her eyes at Jiang Xuan. She didn't want to say much, so she uttered one sentence that successfully silenced him: "I will give you one spirit stone if you keep your mouth shut, Senior Brother."

Upon hearing the keyword "spirit stone," Jiang Xuan’s mouth, which had been ready to keep rambling, snapped shut. He nodded frantically, terrified that Zhao Zhixu might doubt his resolve to earn that one spirit stone.

Anyone who paid money was his ancestor.

What was pride? Could you eat it like an Inedia Pill?

***

After Wu Xiaofang left, Fu Qin asked: "Do you have money?"

He hadn't refuted her immediately just to save her some face.

"I do." Cui Huai pulled a few spirit stones from her pocket.

She had only received a reward of one hundred spirit stones from the system yesterday. Compared to the previous days, she could consider herself wealthy.

Fu Qin was so angry he laughed: "Cui Huai, you have spirit stones, and you don't pay back your debts first?"

Cui Huai stiffened her neck: "I naturally paid back immediately. I repaid the spirit stones I borrowed from Senior Sister yesterday afternoon. The rest isn't enough to pay you back, so it has to wait. I have to live, after all."

After all, even if she could resist buying new clothes, shoes, or magical artifacts, that silly rabbit’s feed cost spirit stones too.

And as for Fu Qin's debt, it had the lowest priority, so he would just have to keep waiting.

Even though he didn't know his priority was ranked behind a rabbit that liked to run into doors, Fu Qin still gritted his teeth at the pauper: "Your planning is quite something; you really are a piece of work."

"Senior Brother, don't worry. As soon as I have more spirit stones, I will pay you back immediately."

As for exactly when that "next time" would be, how could she know? It all depended on when she completed her next mission!

***

Cui Huai filled the only pot in the Xiaoyao Sect with water and counted the eggs as she dropped them in.

When was the last time she had eaten an egg?

She couldn't remember.

It must have been back when she was wandering the streets.

The water bubbled and boiled for a while; it should be ready.

She distributed one to each of her fellow disciples.

Zhu Yu was teary-eyed: "This is great. Not only is no one trying to chop me down, but I also get to eat an egg."

Cui Huai walked quietly over to Fu Qin and, while no one was watching, slipped an extra egg to him.

Fu Qin maintained his cold, aloof expression, but his hand honestly accepted the egg: "Why did you think to give me an extra one? If you are trying to use this to pay off your debt, don't even think about it."

Cui Huai shook her head: "Senior Brother, how could you think that of me? Look, you paid for the medical expenses, and the magical artifact I used to challenge the disciples of the Hidden Trace Pavilion was borrowed from you. You are the great contributor, so you deserve a double portion."

Under her flattery, Fu Qin muttered that he didn't care for it, all while eating the egg.

Cui Huai thought to herself that he had been appeased. As the saying goes, give a slap and then a sweet date.

Judging by his expression, even if she were broke next time, she could probably still squeeze a bit more out of this Third Senior Brother!

***

At the Wuyazong, on Qingyun Peak.

The little white fox used all its might to finally break through the restriction. It asked the Sky-Sound Sword: "I cannot sense the Sword Venerable's presence. You are her life-bound sword; do you feel anything?"

The divine sword stood straight up and swayed left and right twice.

It seemed it didn't know either.

What was to be done? How were they to find the Sword Venerable?

The little white fox had the divine sword shrink into a pendant to hang around its neck. Even without a plan, they had to go find the Sword Venerable!

Just as they descended Qingyun Peak and passed the Beast Taming Garden, they heard a spirit bird that had just finished a delivery mission chirping away.

An exceptionally fat bird puffed up its feathers in anger: "You have no idea how dilapidated that Xiaoyao Sect I delivered to was. I didn't get to eat anything good; it was a wasted trip. Fortunately, I ate my fill before leaving, or I fear I wouldn't have had the strength to fly back."

"However, there is a disciple in that sect who looks just like the portrait of Sword Venerable Ling Ye."

Other spirit birds retorted: "Little Fu, your eyesight is terrible. Any stray cat or dog can try to pose as Sword Venerable Ling Ye? The Sword Venerable is in seclusion on the mountain!"

Little Fu nodded: "You're right, I must have been mistaken!"

The speaker was unintentional, but the listener was attentive.

Since it didn't know where else to look for the Sword Venerable, the little fox decided to go to the Xiaoyao Sect to try its luck.

It first sneaked into the disciples' quarters to steal a map, then used its paw to write crookedly: [Borrowing this; will return it when finished.]

Then, one fox and one sword sped off toward the Xiaoyao Sect at full speed.