12 - The Cannon Fodder is Prepared to Divorce

Days passed quietly. That afternoon, Ji Wunian took her around several other peaks and they met Zhao Qi, who had previously looked after her. After that, Ji Wunian took her to Wushi Peak every morning to publicly teach her the art of sword flying. Yue Bai learned quickly, gradually becoming adept at manipulating spiritual power with this body. By the third day, she could control the Rain Sealing Technique and maneuver the sword in circles. By the fifth day, with Ji Wunian's help, she could stand on the sword. By the seventh day, she could fly a short distance on her own. Ji Wunian stayed beside her at all times, and naturally, all the clichés that Jiu Yi had envisioned unfolded. Whether she was trembling when first standing on the sword, or unstable when first driving the sword, Ji Wunian firmly caught her every time. The most outrageous instance was when Yue Bai was flying stably by herself, only to have her focus disrupted by Ji Wunian's spiritual power. At that time, she was three zhangs above the ground; falling from that height naturally caused an outcry from onlookers but, as expected, she fell safely into one person's arms. Why does she like hugging her so much? Jiu Yi had given up on whistling by now. Yue Bai raised her arm from the water, the thin clothing Ji Wunian had prepared slipped to her elbow. A drop of water slid down from her wrist along her slender arm, took a turn at the elbow, and finally fell. Her body appeared extremely delicate; even with the wet clothes clinging to her, they still seemed wide. Too thin, the embrace wouldn't feel good... Footsteps behind her made Yue Bai withdraw her hand, hugging her legs and sinking half her face into the water. She could still catch a glimpse of Ji Wunian in her peripheral vision, for Ji Wunian wore a loose, thin robe with a cross-collar. Tall and statuesque, Ji Wunian had a beautifully curvy figure. Yue Bai glanced at her in admiration before quickly averting her gaze. The sound of water gently rippled as Ji Wunian sat down and saw the young girl curling up into a ball. She chuckled softly. The water rippled slightly as Ji Wunian moved closer, sliding one hand beneath Yue Bai's waist and thighs and wrapping her other arm around Yue Bai's shoulder. Slightly leaning in close, she asked, "Ye Er, are you ready?" Having experienced it once before, Yue Bai knew what was coming. Clearing her mind, she nodded slightly, "Master, please." The pain was still there, but this time Yue Bai was calm, her mind slightly wavering as she did her best to endure it. She could sense the spiritual power churning in the water, striking her while circulating in and out of Ji Wunian's body. She catalyzed a trace of spiritual power from a drop of blood, blending it into the swirling flood of energies, eventually mingling with Ji Wunian’s own spiritual power. Although Ji Wunian should have been focusing on protecting her, she was evidently very adept at such precise control. Yue Bai only dared to stimulate a tiny bit of spiritual power, insignificant compared to the surging currents in the water. So when she collapsed, exhausted, into Ji Wunian’s arms, she received a progress notification from Jiu Yi. Seeing Ji Wunian oblivious to her shenanigans, Yue Bai thought, A one is a one. Achievements, hidden away. *** Every midday, Yue Bai would collect ingredients from the dining hall before returning to Qinglin Hall to cook. Quick with her hands, she didn’t waste much time, and Ji Wunian loved her cooking. Often, Ji Wunian would stick close, saying "Xiao Ye’er, I want to eat this," and Yue Bai would satisfy her requests whenever she could. In the afternoons, Ji Wunian either taught her sword techniques or spiritual practices, spending quality time in Qinglin Hall. Ji Wunian seemed to have nothing else to do and always stayed with her. She was often seen reading a book, rather than meditating or practicing cultivation. At night, Ji Wunian sometimes read aloud to her, or took her to practice writing and swordplay, following her whims. After half a month of this, Yue Bai became proficient at sword-flying. Ji Wunian assigned her more difficult maneuvers, which she mastered, so Ji Wunian stopped following her daily, but still encouraged her to socialize more with the other disciples. “This Qinglin Hall only has the two of us,” Ji Wunian said, “Practicing alone is boring. Why don’t you spend time with the others and see if there’s anything else you’d like to learn? I can teach you.” Despite Ji Wunian’s occasional playful teasing, she turned out to be a very good master. At Sanqing Sect, new inner disciples attended uniform lectures on basic cultivation methods. Because Yue Bai was brought back to Qinglin Hall by Ji Wunian right after arriving, she hadn’t participated much. It wasn’t until she learned sword-flying that Ji Wunian began letting her join the lectures. However, did Ji Wunian’s absence mean she could relax and blend in unnoticed? That would be too naive. Her presence drew attention even when Ji Wunian wasn’t around, thanks to her rapid progress and Ji Wunian’s constant company. “You shouldn’t have progressed so fast,” Jiu Yi teased. “Maybe Ji Wunian would’ve ignored you then.” “That’s not wise,” Yue Bai sighed. “With her high expectations, if Ye Er were just a clueless idiot, I’d become a laughing stock.” In that case, the attention she received wouldn’t just be from gazes but also include condescension and mockery, far worse than now. Maintaining a moderate pace of progress to meet Ji Wunian's expectations seemed to be the best approach. Given her master’s reputation for genius, Yue Bai’s faster progress would still be seen as a natural talent from Ji Wunian’s disciple. Though not as peaceful as becoming a lowly sweeper, it was still a better option within a short span of time. Ultimately, her high-profile master dragged her into the spotlight. Annoying. She wanted to escape. “Hah,” Jiu Yi snorted, “Can you even run away?” Nope, just accept fate. “Ye Er.” The speaker was Ding Ye, one of the disciples who entered the Sect the same year as Ye Er, under Luan Qing, the master's main disciple. He was a year older than Ye Er and had spoken a few words with her when they were still learning on the mountain's base. “Do you have time tonight? Several of us who joined at the same time would like to seek your guidance…” “Hmm?” Jiu Yi sensed something unusual and got excited. “Is this the start of a bullying scene!?” A dark night, a bullied junior disciple, and a master swooping in to save them? “Bullying?” Yue Bai pondered the word’s meaning. “Who’s the target? Me?” “...” Jiu Yi fell silent. “Forget I said anything.” True, even if the big shot wanted to keep a low profile, she was still a big shot. In fact, big shot Yue Bai didn't like being the center of attention but was inherently kind-hearted. If she believed herself sufficiently taught by Ji Wunian, she didn’t mind sharing that knowledge. Basic sword techniques, spiritual control methods, or beginner obstacles, she would explain at a measured pace. Leaving many gaps but easing their queries enough for Ding Ye and the others to seek advice from senior brothers and sisters. “No wonder you’re valued by Immortal Ji,” Ding Ye cupped his hands, “You’re truly impressive.” These newly arrived disciples didn’t even have assigned celestial swords yet. But the person in front of them already mastered sword-flying, a figure they looked up to. “It’s just that my master teaches well…” Yue Bai wished to hide entirely under Ji Wunian’s shadow. “If you were in my place, you would achieve the same.” Several disciples smiled wryly but said no more. True as it might be, they didn’t have that opportunity. Opportunity had to be seized, Yue Bai thought and encouraged them, “Actually, my master isn’t too busy recently. Accepting me was a whim. You could try asking her; she might take you in as well.” That way, Ji Wunian’s attention would be divided, and so would the scrutiny Yue Bai faced. Perfect. None of them responded immediately, dispersing without comment. A few days later, Yue Bai didn’t see Ji Wunian in the morning and went to the lecture place at Wushi Peak by herself. Entering the hall, she felt the stares of everyone, more intense than before, as if they wanted to set her ablaze with their eyes. …What happened? “Didn’t you hear?” a disciple whispered, coming closer. “Yesterday someone asked Immortal Ji to take him as a disciple, but she declined.” “...Hmm…” Yue Bai didn’t see how that was related to her. “…Immortal Ji also said…” The disciple cleared his throat and, with a proud look, quoted, “'In this life, I’ll only have Ye Er as my disciple. She is both my first and last. You’d better seek other immortals.'” “...” Yue Bai had a headache. Jiu Yi’s tone was mocking, “Hurts your head but not your feet? You shot yourself in the foot.” *** Pain. Pain everywhere. As usual, after coming out of the water, Ji Wunian carried her back. The weather turned colder, and though she knew her little disciple’s body was improving, Ji Wunian still wrapped her in an extra layer. Knowing the disciple felt better with some wind, she often paused mid-air to let her gather her senses. “Master…” Yue Bai, tired, opened her eyes. Each session left her exhausted. “Hmm,” Ji Wunian held her tighter, speaking lightly, her tone joyful, “Feeling better?” “Hmm…” Yue Bai looked at her. The moonlight was perfect tonight, illuminating Ji Wunian’s face, unshadowed even when she lowered her head. On the peak, under the bright moon and in the cool breeze, her master’s smile was soft and beautiful. But why was this beautiful person like a stubborn adhesive, clinging to her persistently? “Master…” Yue Bai spoke, “May I go down the mountain tomorrow?” The young girl lowered her head and spoke in her usual soft and gentle tone, which piqued Ji Wunian's curiosity. "You may go, but for what purpose?" she inquired. "I heard that the lectures at the academy down the mountain have concluded, and the students are about to return to their hometowns. Ye Er wishes to see her classmates off," Yue Bai replied. Ji Wunian had nearly forgotten about this matter, but upon recalling it, her smile deepened. "Oh? Going to see He Guang?" She said this without looking at Yue Bai, instead riding the Xifeng Sword toward Qinglin Hall. Yue Bai seemed a bit surprised and glanced at Ji Wunian before lowering her head again. "The heir has taken good care of Ye Er. Ye Er feels it is proper to see him off." Her tone carried a hint of stubbornness. "I'm not stopping you from going," Ji Wunian said with amusement. "Go ahead."