**07 Luo Qingyu**
There were seven days left until the end of the month.
The Inner Sect Competition was a grand event held every three months by the Inner Sect disciples of the Tian Xuan Sect, where seven hundred Inner Sect disciples competed for their rankings within the sect.
As the second-largest sect in the Moon Wave Continent, the Tian Xuan Sect had over ten thousand Outer Sect Disciples, with a total of seven hundred Inner Sect Disciples. Inner Sect Disciples performed sect missions monthly, earning a minimum of fifty Spirit Stones. They also enjoyed the privilege of receiving assistance with pill refinement from the Medicine Refining Mountain, access to the Scripture Depository, and one day of cultivation each month in a blessed land.
Most Inner Sect Disciples were direct relatives of the sect’s elders and benefactors, receiving more favorable cultivation resources from birth compared to ordinary Outer Sect Disciples. Consequently, their cultivation levels were significantly higher than those of the Outer Sect Disciples. Due to limited sect resources, Inner Sect positions were almost fixed. Unless an Outer Sect Disciple possessed peerless talent worthy of the sect’s focused nurturing, entering the Inner Sect would be virtually impossible.
However, Jiang Huai had visited the Outer Sect many times and had often teamed up with Outer Sect Disciples for missions. He had observed that many Outer Sect Disciples were not lacking in effort in their cultivation. Unfortunately, in the face of an unchangeable situation, their efforts were rendered meaningless. While cultivation could do without talent, it was absolutely impossible without cultivation resources.
Therefore, Jiang Huai had proposed to the Sect Master that the bottom five ranked Inner Sect Disciples would spend three months cultivating in the Outer Sect. Conversely, the top five Outer Sect Disciples in their competition would be allowed to enter the Inner Sect and enjoy Inner Sect cultivation resources for three months.
Most of the time, they would switch back after three months. Although those Inner Sect Disciples went to the Outer Sect, the elders in the sect would not be stingy with cultivation resources. They did not lack the monthly fifty Spirit Stones; they were merely clinging to their positions and enjoying the benefits.
However, he gradually realized that his proposal had flaws and could inadvertently harm some special Inner Sect Disciples.
Now, he too was facing the prospect of being ranked at the bottom among the Inner Sect Disciples and being forced to go to the Outer Sect… He supposed it was karma.
***
“You don’t need to participate in this Inner Sect Competition,” Chu Xianning said calmly.
“Hmm?” Jiang Huai was taken aback.
“I will speak to the Sect Master. Even if you don’t participate, you will still remain on Guanxue Mountain, you will just have fewer Inner Sect privileges.”
“That’s not necessary,” Jiang Huai winked at Chu Xianning. “I want to try.”
“To humiliate yourself?” Chu Xianning raised her eyelashes slightly.
Even the lowest-ranked Inner Sect Disciples had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, with the highest even reaching the middle stage of Core Formation. With Jiang Huai’s current cultivation of Qi Condensation first level, participating would be no different from seeking humiliation.
“Master, you know me,” Jiang Huai suddenly chuckled at Chu Xianning. “I’ve never been one to dig my own grave, so… this time, I want to try in the Inner Sect Competition.”
“Your reason,” Chu Xianning seemed displeased.
“My cultivation has been crippled. If I remain by your side, I will inevitably be subjected to gossip.”
“Have you ever cared about such things?” Chu Xianning was all too aware of her cheap disciple’s thick skin.
“I do care a little.”
Jiang Huai answered without hesitation, a slight smile still in his eyes. In reality, he didn’t care about gossip, but he thought it would be unpleasant if such rumors spread, potentially damaging his Master’s reputation.
His cultivation had been crippled, and it was inevitable that Chu Xianning keeping him, a man, in her own courtyard would cause speculation.
“So what if you care? Being beaten up won’t change the outcome at all. Will you feel any better?”
“Losing isn’t fun, so I never lose.”
“And what if you lose?”
“Do you want to bet, Master?”
Chu Xianning fell silent after Jiang Huai said this.
Over the years, she and Jiang Huai had made a total of three bets, and without exception, she had lost all of them. The stakes for losing these bets were always simple: perhaps she would be asked to change into a beautiful dress and stroll around the sect with him. Or she would have to wear high-heeled crystal shoes and walk around the courtyard. Another time, she was asked to sit obediently under a peach tree in a snow-white qipao, wearing silk anti-evil ice silk white socks underneath, and let him paint her.
It seemed that every time they bet, he had already dug a pit, confident that he would win, just waiting for her to fall in.
Chu Xianning turned her face away. “I won’t bet with you. If you want to get beaten, go ahead. I don’t have the time to care about you.”
Jiang Huai knew that Chu Xianning was likely recalling the frustration of her previous losses. He stood up with a wry smile. “How about some pickled fish for lunch?”
***
Luo Yueguan left the Tian Xuan Sect.
She had already informed the Sect Master of the Tian Xuan Sect about the dissolution of Jiang Huai and Luo Qingyu’s engagement. The Sect Master of the Tian Xuan Sect had likely anticipated this, and his attitude had been kind. The matter of this marriage was hereby concluded. However, Luo Yueguan did not feel the great stone that had been weighing on her heart lifted. For some reason, a vague sense of unease began to spread in her heart.
Luo Qingyu was someone she had raised from childhood. In her younger years, she had been particularly strict with Luo Qingyu, placing many expectations on her, which resulted in Luo Qingyu becoming a dullard who only practiced swordplay diligently every day. When she suddenly realized that Luo Qingyu had never had any friends of the same age in the sect, and had never spoken to a stranger, she suddenly understood… she might have made a mistake.
When Luo Qingyu was sixteen, she was awakened by a nightmare in the middle of the night. She went to Luo Qingyu’s room and was shocked to find her slowly drawing her sword across her fair wrist, watching blood drip drop by drop. Her face was as pale as paper, and her eyes were filled with panic. When she met Luo Qingyu’s gaze, she had no idea what was happening.
“It hurts,” Luo Qingyu said softly to her.
She rushed to Luo Qingyu’s side, held her tightly in her arms, and fed her a healing pill. Tears streamed down her face instantly. “If it hurts, why are you still hurting yourself?”
“My wrist doesn’t hurt,” Luo Qingyu answered blankly. “My chest hurts, and my wrist hurts… so my chest doesn’t hurt as much.”
Only then, when she stripped away Luo Qingyu’s clothes, did she discover that numerous scars were spread beneath her garments. Mother and daughter shared a deep connection, and their pains were mutually perceptible. Therefore, Luo Qingyu had secretly harmed herself while she slept.
She knew she had erred, but she didn’t know where exactly she had gone wrong. She had clearly given Luo Qingyu the best cultivation resources, making her the undisputed top sword cultivator in the sect, yet she did not seem the least bit happy. That night, Luo Yueguan felt that Luo Qingyu’s eyes had become dim and lifeless. If she hadn’t been awakened by the nightmare… continuing down this path, who knew when Luo Qingyu might choose to end her own life.
Luo Yueguan began to try and mend her mistakes, attempting to take Luo Qingyu out to relax and encouraging her to make friends. However, Luo Qingyu remained as cold as ice, appearing dazed and foolish, like a mechanical puppet. Whatever Luo Yueguan asked her to do, she would do it without argument or protest, but she seemed to have completely lost her own thoughts. When she was alone, she would sit idly in her room, cutting herself with her sword.
Luo Qingyu’s abnormal behavior tightened the strings of Luo Yueguan’s heart, and the inner demon she had suppressed for a hundred years began to quietly break free from its restraints. This was the first time she had been a mother, and she didn’t know how to be a good mother to her child. It wasn’t until Chu Xianning came to propose marriage that day, and knowing Jiang Huai from a long time ago, believing him to be a good child, she placed all her hopes on him and agreed to the marriage.
And so, Jiang Huai met Luo Qingyu.
From then on, Luo Yueguan no longer felt Luo Qingyu cutting herself in the middle of the night. Occasionally, she would visit Luo Qingyu’s room and see her sitting in front of a canvas, carefully sketching Jiang Huai’s likeness. Even the corners of her mouth, which were usually tense, seemed to curve into a faint smile.
She had only seen Luo Qingyu smile when she was very young, and hadn’t seen it in a long time after she grew up.
Even when Jiang Huai came to the Qingxuan Sect and stayed for a few days, taking Luo Qingyu sightseeing around the sect for several days, Luo Qingyu began to have her own friends in the sect. While practicing swordplay, her eyes were no longer so cold, and a faint smile would even appear. On one occasion, when she returned to the courtyard, she saw Luo Qingyu earnestly cooking in the kitchen, looking at her with anticipation, saying that Jiang Huai Gege had taught her. The brightness in her eyes nearly melted her heart.
But unfortunately, Jiang Huai’s cultivation was crippled.
Thinking of this, Luo Yueguan became uncontrollably agitated. She hated Chu Xianning, that foolish woman, for raising Jiang Huai in such a way. Jiang Huai could have completely disregarded those evil cultivators. His future cultivation path was already paved. He was destined to be the next Sect Master of the Tian Xuan Sect, in charge of the entire sect. At that time, he would marry her daughter, Luo Qingyu, and the Tian Xuan Sect would merge with the Qingxuan Sect, ascending to become the fourth largest sect in the Eastern Region. But unfortunately… Jiang Huai was foolish enough to involve himself in such a trivial matter, ruining his own bright future.
With Jiang Huai’s cultivation completely crippled, this marriage could no longer proceed as planned. Otherwise, it would drag Luo Qingyu down for a lifetime. Jiang Huai himself knew this, so… she did not believe her decision was wrong. All she had to do was placate Luo Qingyu after she emerged from her seclusion.
The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she became.
Luo Yueguan couldn’t help but take out the jade box Jiang Huai had given her. Inside was a pill that completely remedied the flaws of the Ice Soul Profound Body. This pill was countless times more precious than the Fire Luo Sacred Fruit, yet he had given it away unconditionally, even though he was the one being rejected and humiliated.
His cultivation crippled, his engagement canceled – such a blow would likely cause anyone to fall into despondency, even considering suicide. Luo Yueguan suddenly felt a headache coming on.
Had she made another mistake?
Luo Yueguan couldn’t think anymore. The inner demon in her mind began to whisper softly. She sat cross-legged, closed her eyes, and spent a long time finally suppressing the inner demon. The Spirit Boat also returned to the Qingxuan Sect.
She entered the courtyard and, as soon as she stepped inside, saw that the door to Luo Qingyu’s room, which had been closed for three months, was now open. Inside, Luo Qingyu, wearing the black nightgown that Jiang Huai had given her, her fair and tender lotus feet bare, pushed open the door and walked out, looking at Luo Yueguan with expectant eyes.
“Mother, I’ve reached the middle stage of Golden Core.”
“My good daughter is amazing.” A sliver of comfort entered Luo Yueguan’s heart.
Her daughter was the most talented cultivator in the Qingxuan Sect. Even in the entire Eastern Region, few could surpass her in cultivation talent.
“I want to see Jiang Huai Gege. Mother promised me that after this seclusion, I could go to the Tian Xuan Sect and stay for half a month.” Luo Qingyu’s fingers gently pinched the hem of her skirt, her eyes bright.
Luo Yueguan’s heart trembled.
