2 - The Cannon Fodder is Prepared to Divorce

Fortuitously, the old temple wasn’t built with particularly sturdy materials. The roof beams were wooden and, as such, they didn’t land directly on the young girl. However, the falling stones and tiles did leave her severely battered. Bruises covered her body, and it seemed she had sustained various fractures, especially when she had tried to shield herself. Her rib and leg bones appeared to be injured, and considering her frail and small stature, she looked even more pitiable. Ji Wu Nian felt the girl’s scrawny frame while attempting to bandage her wounds, prompting a twinge of guilt within her. Liu Li wore an expression of pure fury. The sight of the girl, wrapped in bandages, made it clear that this was all her junior sister’s doing. Ji Wu Nian, aware of the trouble she caused, offered a placating smile. "Senior brother..." "Never failed before?" Liu Li stood up, his aura commanding. "Failed this time, failed this time..." Ji Wu Nian awkwardly smiled. Upon inspecting the sword’s qi mark, it was evident she had missed by just a fraction, a mistake she considered possible. Had she really made a mistake, though? Ji Wu Nian harbored doubts. Despite Liu Li’s unfavorable position, her strike shouldn't have veered off target and struck the temple, let alone injuring someone inside. But now wasn't the time to explain this, with her senior brother visibly furious. "Senior brother, what do we do now?" Ji Wu Nian offered her most charming smile, her natural beauty accentuated by the endearing playfulness. Liu Li was exasperated, his finger poking at her forehead. "Can you still smile?" Ji Wu Nian didn’t dare evade, retreating under his pressure but still smiling. "Crying won't solve anything." She glanced at the girl on the bed. "Let’s allow her to recuperate here, senior brother. You take care of her while I go receive my punishment." Dueling down the mountain was one thing, but injuring someone was entirely different. Ji Wu Nian felt a bitter twinge, unsure how many times she'd have to copy the disciple’s code this time. Liu Li was stifled by frustration. His junior sister was too perceptive, leaving him unable to even properly admonish her. *** Yue Bai had already regained consciousness on their journey back. Observing the two flying on their swords, she surmised they were inner disciples of the Sanqing Sect. Hearing Ji Wu Nian’s name confirmed that she hadn’t encountered ordinary individuals. Likely due to the late hour, they chose to bring her back to their sect rather than enter the town. "Mission 'Contact with Ji Wu Nian' completed. Main mission unlocked. Target: Ji Wu Nian. Objective one: 'Ensure Ji Wu Nian lives to a hundred years'. Objective two: 'Help Ji Wu Nian achieve her heart's desires and live a fulfilling life'. Current progress: Zero." Jiu Yi quickly scanned through the mission details before conveying them to Yue Bai. "This Ji Wu Nian is your target." "A hundred years?" Yue Bai heard but didn’t understand the mission’s implications. "Isn’t she a cultivator?" According to rumors she heard among commoners, despite Ji Wu Nian appearing no older than twenty, she was well past her forties. "Correct." Jiu Yi shared the confusion. The mission seemed rather inexplicable. "Just ensure she lives past a hundred." Yue Bai, while outwardly appearing asleep, was notably frustrated internally. "If it’s just ensuring she lives a hundred years," Yue Bai questioned, "why do I need to initiate contact now? And what does it mean for her heart’s desires to be fulfilled?" For a cultivator, a lifespan of a hundred years was trivial. For someone with Yue Bai’s capabilities, she could comfortably observe from a distance and influence events as needed. Staying close seemed impractical and prone to raising suspicion, complicating matters further. She had no intention of entangling herself with these people any more than necessary; Jiu Yi’s demands were indeed contrary to her wishes. "I only realized your task after encountering her," Jiu Yi explained. "Engaging with her triggered the mission that led to the main objective. With this mission active, I can monitor her life state and alert you if she’s in danger." "As long as she genuinely expresses that she's content by her hundredth birthday, the mission will be considered complete." Jiu Yi read from the task details. "You need to ask her at that moment if she’s content. A sincere ‘yes’ counts as a success." "Also, joining the Sanqing Sect is part of the mission and shouldn’t be overlooked." So be it, Yue Bai thought. I’ll just follow his instructions for now. *** “Cough, cough…” The struggling girl coughed, drawing the attention of the two nearby. They quickly approached her bedside. The young girl attempted to lift her heavily splinted arm but found it too cumbersome, switching to her other hand to clutch her chest as her coughing continued. Ji Wu Nian sat closer, gently helping the girl to sit up, avoiding her wounds and easing her breathing. Once she seemed more comfortable, Ji Wu Nian asked, “Young lady, are you feeling any better?” Startled by the unfamiliar voices, the girl’s big, round eyes darted upwards to see two unfamiliar faces. “Who are you…” Her gaze then shifted down, noticing her changed clothes and bandages. She instinctively tried to pull away but the pain from her injuries halted her movements. She clutched her clothes, looking utterly lost. “I…” “Don’t be afraid,” Ji Wu Nian, unaccustomed to dealing with such fragile and timid beings, tried her best to comfort her. The girl looked delicate with soft features, her face slightly hollow but her large eyes accentuating her vulnerability. As they moistened with impending tears, Ji Wu Nian desisted from further embracing her. “We’re not bad people…” “Miss,” Liu Li, more composed, also sat beside her. “I’m Liu Li, and this is Ji Wu Nian. This is Baicao Peak of the Sanqing Sect. We accidentally injured you and, due to the lateness of the hour, couldn’t take you to a town clinic. Thus, we brought you here for treatment. You have multiple fractures requiring care, so Wu Nian tended to your wounds. We hope you understand.” The girl’s emotions seemed to stabilize with Liu Li’s calm demeanor. Her eyes even brightened upon hearing “Sanqing Sect.” “San, Sanqing Sect? Then… you’re immortals…?” Shouldn’t the injuries be the primary concern? Liu Li and Ji Wu Nian exchanged a look of helplessness, apparently accustomed to this reaction. “We’re cultivators but far from true immortals,” Liu Li clarified. “Oh…” The light in her eyes dimmed once more. “This…” Liu Li found himself at a loss, observing the girl’s downcast expression. “Are you seeking immortals, young lady?” Ji Wu Nian gently ruffled her downturned head, prompting her to look up, eyes blinking in confusion. “What do you wish to ask them?” Ji Wu Nian inquired further. “Immortals are supposed to be omnipotent. Why didn’t they save my parents from starving to death?” The girl’s voice was muffled. Liu Li paused, initially intending to respond but was stopped by Ji Wu Nian. “Indeed, such questions need immortal answers,” she said, playing along. “But perhaps you could try cultivating. Someday, you might meet an immortal.” The girl’s eyes met Ji Wu Nian’s pleadingly. “Unfortunately, we can’t accept you as a disciple now. Our sect has strict recruitment procedures. But next month, we’re hosting new disciple admissions. Why not give it a try? If you have the aptitude, you’ll be accepted into our inner sect to learn the ways of cultivation. And you might find the chance to ask your questions to immortals.” Yue Bai, already having a mission to join Sanqing Sect, naturally followed her suggestion. Seeing the young girl’s determination, Ji Wu Nian smiled warmly. “Call me Sister Wu Nian and him Brother Liu Li.” She then asked, “What is your name?” “Leaf Two,” Yue Bai gave a name offhandedly. “I’m the second in my family, hence the name.” Noticing the girl’s lack of enthusiasm, Ji Wu Nian didn't push further. “Then, little Leaf, rest well and recover here. Since we caused your injuries, stay and heal before you leave.” “I…” The girl hesitated, initially intending to ask them to take her back but changed her mind seeing her bandaged limbs. “Will I make it in time for the new recruit admissions…” Liu Li and Ji Wu Nian exchanged knowing glances. “No worries. Our medical skills suffice. Though your injuries seem severe, we’ll have you up and about before then.” The girl timidly expressed her gratitude. Having walked outside, Liu Li and Ji Wu Nian took to their swords to leave. Ji Wu Nian glanced back at the small healing hut. “What is it?” Liu Li asked amusedly. “Taken an interest?” “This young girl is quite intriguing,” Ji Wu Nian’s beauty shone even in her smile. But beneath it, Liu Li sensed an underlying coolness, heightened by the moonlight. Liu Li remarked, “You can check her out during the disciple recruitment. If she’s promising, go ahead and take her in.” Ji Wu Nian laughed heartily. “Of course.” *** While Ji Wu Nian and Liu Li conversed happily, Yue Bai was left to endure her physical discomfort. She attempted to sit up but was met with pain all over her body, forcing her to lie back down. This night had been exhausting and painful, but at least she now knew what she needed to do. She noticed that Ji Wu Nian had taken an interest in her, which suited her perfectly. Besides, she was now within the inner sect of Sanqing. Lying on her bed with eyes closed, Yue Bai practiced refining her body to store and circulate spiritual energy. Her spirit, however, was so powerful that it could envelop the entire mountain range. Concerned that such a vast soul might be detected, she condensed her spirit form and floated through the walls, heading towards the moonlit skies. No amount of rumors heard at the foot of the mountain could surpass what she could uncover herself. Suspended mid-air, Yue Bai's spirit allowed moonlight to pass through, occasionally causing blue crystalline specks to shimmer on her translucent skin—a spectacle of gleaming radiance. She gazed at the peaks below, where the seven distinct summits poked through the sea of clouds like isolated islands. These islands were dotted with pavilions and towers, meticulously arranged. Beyond the peaks, a grand mountain gate formation lay, through which she felt the circulation of spiritual energy flowing. By focusing intently, she could observe luminous arcs blanketing the mountains in the moonlight. Baicao Peak, where she was situated, stood distant from the main summit, which was protected by an array. With no particular intention to investigate the main summit, she drifted back down to Baicao Peak. From her elevated viewpoint, she already grasped the layout of the peak. Now, traversing through it, she became intimately familiar with its paths. Encountering patrolling disciples, Yue Bai allowed her spirit to pass right through them. Unnoticed, she gleaned every thought from their minds. "This skill is really handy," Jiu Yi's inner voice echoed with three words—absolutely incredible. "Can't you use it?" Yue Bai retorted. Jiu Yi offered no reply, and Yue Bai didn't press further. It appeared that the disciples' so-called cultivation couldn’t detect her presence. Moreover, she had absorbed some intriguing information about Ji Wu Nian. Returning her spirit to her body, Yue Bai originally intended to thoroughly cleanse the remaining meridians in one go. Given her current location, that wasn’t feasible, so she allocated a small portion of her consciousness to gradually refine them. Familiarity with the process meant less excruciating pain than before, allowing her to contemplate Ji Wu Nian. *** Ji Wu Nian was evidently gifted. Yue Bai had gleaned this from the rumors at the mountain’s base. Ji Wu Nian came from royalty, being the youngest and beloved sister of the former emperor. At her fifteenth birthday, the then-head of Sanqing Sect recognized her exceptional talent for cultivation and asked if she wanted to join the immortal sect. The young princess laughed brightly, asking, "What benefits do I get from joining?" "You’ll gain insights into the Dao and transcend mortal dust." Laughing again, the princess replied, "Alright, I’ll accompany you on this journey." This journey lasted fifteen years. When the emperor fell gravely ill, the matured, yet still youthful-looking princess descended the mountain to her brother’s deathbed. The crown prince ascended the throne amidst turmoil as the third prince incited a rebellion, accusing Ji Wu Nian of forging the imperial edict. Taking command, Ji Wu Nian quelled the rebellion and personally executed the treacherous prince. It's said she maneuvered effortlessly on her sword among thousands of soldiers, taking enemy leaders' heads as easily as fetching items from a bag. This act stabilized the kingdom but angered the Sect Leader, who had decreed that worldly matters should not be interfered with using immortal techniques. Consequently, she was confined to Lu Yi’s borders for fifty years as punishment. Thus, the current emperor could only visit his aunt during grand ceremonies atop the mountain. Despite her confinement, Ji Wu Nian's reputation soared, being hailed as the fastest cultivator in the Sect’s history, having formed her core before her descent and remaining undefeated. What remained unknown to those at the mountain's base was that despite her talent, Ji Wu Nian disliked cultivation. Rumor had it her progress had stalled for years. Preferring not to show her capabilities often, people speculated if she was truly stagnant or concealing her prowess. Yue Bai recalled their earlier confrontation, where the two seemed evenly matched. She hadn’t probed Ji Wu Nian’s cultivation but, judging by her spiritual energy, it was plausible her progress had halted. As for the truth, further investigation would be necessary.