Chapter 11

The boy in green, Mu Ling, noticed the shift in her mood and rubbed his nose, suddenly guilty. He tested cautiously, “Senior Sister, are you… worried we’ll put a sack over him again next time and, ”
“Absolutely not! There will be no next time.” Jiang Yu lifted her eyes to them, her tone firm as she raised her voice. “From now on, no one is allowed to cause trouble for Shen Anzhi.”
In the original, these five were briefly mentioned as earth-grade, A-ranked disciples from Qingxin and Taishan Courtyards, alchemy and talisman cultivators with decent talent. They had never truly committed atrocities under the original’s lead, but their arrogance, habit of picking fights, and tendency to use her as a shield while bullying others had earned them plenty of enemies.
People either explode in silence or quietly sharpen their knives in the dark.
Shen Anzhi, very clearly, did both.
“I’ve decided that Shen Anzhi” Jiang Yu paused deliberately. “…looks pleasing to my eye. I plan to bring him under my banner. The five of you can focus on your cultivation from now on. You don’t have to trail after me every day. But if I hear you’ve used my name as an excuse to go after him again, I will not let it slide.”
“But Senior Sister Jiang, you said before we mustn’t go near that wicked spawn Shen Anzhi, that the aura of poverty and misfortune on him would disturb you…”
“Exactly, exactly, you said it yourself, anything demonic, Senior Sister, you always explain it so clearly…”
Jiang Yu’s brows tipped together. Her palm smacked the purple sandalwood table with a satisfying thud. Standing on her dignity, she declared, “That was a joke. Since when do you take jokes as gospel?”
Her voice trailed off as she caught Mu Ling’s frantic winking. He darted a glance toward the doorway. “S–Senior Sister…”
Footsteps sounded outside the beaded curtain.
Following Mu Ling’s line of sight, Jiang Yu saw a shadowed figure just beyond the pearls, Shen Anzhi, his expression hidden, his presence like a storm cloud at the threshold. His hearing was excellent; he’d clearly caught seven or eight tenths of their conversation.
Just a joke, was it… Heh.
Golden boots stepped through the warm sunlight pooling on the floor. He lifted the curtain and met her gaze.
Facing a boy who could quite literally squash her like a bug, Jiang Yu plastered on a smile. “Shen Anzhi, from now on, Senior Sister will cover you.”
Half-leaning against a red pillar, Shen Anzhi curved his lips, but not a trace of that smile reached his eyes. The cinnabar mole at the corner of his eye seemed to stretch with his expression. “And how does Senior Sister plan to ‘cover’ me?”
The fine hairs at the nape of her neck stood up, but her face only blossomed into an even brighter smile. Her apricot eyes curved like crescent moons. “Naturally… I’ll do everything in my power.” She took a step toward him, forcing down the nerves fluttering in her chest. “What happened today wasn’t my doing, ”
“Junior Brother…” Jiang Yu shifted half a step closer. The faint fragrance of her hair coiled up to his nose. “Will you believe me?”
Shen Anzhi’s gaze slowly dropped. His fingers unconsciously rolled the copper coin between them. His eyes were drawn, inexorably, into hers.
At the corners of her eyes bloomed a flush like peach petals, but in those pupils there was a sudden, spring-bright clarity that dazzled him. He clenched the coin in his fist until the pain grew irritating enough to force his hand open.
The coin fell with a sharp clang.
He turned his face away to avoid her eyes, the veins at the side of his neck standing out faintly.
Jiang Yu stared, perplexed. So…did he believe her or not?
He bent to pick up the coin. “Senior Sister would do well to keep her own people in line…” His gaze swept coldly over the other five, like black ice at the bottom of a deep pool, before he left in long strides.
Once he was gone, Jiang Yu pressed a hand to her racing heart and exhaled.
Too nerve-wracking. She’d completely forgotten to ask how his injuries were.
She glanced back at the five of them. “You can all go now.”
Still rattled by that single look from Shen Anzhi, Mu Ling bristled inwardly, but one glance at the dark circles under her eyes and he silently exchanged looks with the others. One by one, they filed out.
Only then did Jiang Yu finally have time to properly examine her residence.
Lifting her skirts slightly off the floor, she toured the entire palace-style compound. There was so much stuff she couldn’t keep track of it all. What really caught her eye was the myna bird napping by the bookshelf. She tried calling to it softly a few times; the bird didn’t so much as twitch, so she gave up.
Everywhere she looked, random ornaments lying around were powerful weapons, each above sixth grade. Spiritual treasures were literally within arm’s reach.
If a thief ever broke in, he would never go home empty-handed. In fact, he could probably live off the haul for ten generations.
But she was in no mood to admire any of it. From a corner of the purple sandalwood desk, she dug out five beginner-level spell manuals, low-tier introductory techniques. Among them was a volume of miscellaneous tales about this world, recording strange beasts and rare herbs.
Two basic texts on alchemy. Two on talisman-making. All written in clear, accessible language. Every so often, there were notes in the margins, left by the original owner. Chin in hand, Jiang Yu read page after page and, strangely enough, found herself understanding them.
When she finished and closed her eyes, she realized she’d memorized more than half of it.
She flipped the book shut and set it aside, then neatly laid out stacks of talisman paper and special cinnabar ink. Following the instructions exactly, she drew a simple fire-summoning talisman.
The yellow charm slipped from her fingers, spinning lightly in the air. A faint golden glow traced its edges… then it fluttered to the ground.
Nothing happened.
Jiang Yu let out a wry laugh and kept going, drawing several more. Only one managed, after hanging in mid-air for a heartbeat, to emit a dim light and conjure a flame no bigger than a fingernail.
So far, it seemed that even if her memory had improved, her cultivation aptitude remained tragically mediocre.
Worse odds than drawing an SR card.
She tried some of the higher-level spells the original had not annotated, only to confirm that she could only inherit and retain knowledge of what the original had actually studied.
Propping her cheek on her hand, she stared down at the text.
No shortcuts. If she wanted to keep up, she’d have to cram.
The next morning, at first light, the breeze was mild and the sky just clearing. Bells rang through the air as dew threaded down the blue stone steps outside the courtyard.
Whenever the heaven-grade disciples of Crane Sect were present, they were required, by order of the elders, to gather on the first of every month in the enormous white jade plaza and listen to the usual inspirational speech about diligent cultivation.
Jiang Yu had read too late into the night. At dawn, she was jolted awake by the myna’s shrill cry of, “Time to get up!” She rushed to the teleportation array at the foot of the mountain and almost missed the appointed hour.
Amid the crowd, she rose on tiptoe. Shen Anzhi’s handsome profile stood out even in the distance. Long-limbed, fine-featured, his gaze as languid as ever, he stood a few steps away from Gu Shuyu, tall and composed.
Those around him whispered quietly among themselves, edging away from his side as if afraid to be too near. He alone seemed entirely unconcerned.
Is he really unaffected…?
In the original, Shen Anzhi’s origins were one of the sect’s favorite rumors. Some said he was the spawn of demons. Others claimed he was raised as a corpse-offering.
The most commonly accepted version was that Gu Shuyu had found him as the sole survivor dragged from a mass grave when demonic forces swept through.
His aura was said to be so ominous that anyone who stayed around him for long would find misfortune dogging their heels.
The cruel thing was that no one dared, much less cared, to repeat any of those rumors in front of Gu Shuyu, who devoted herself wholly to cultivation.
To them, Shen Anzhi was simply a boy no one would stand up for, someone anyone could step on twice for good measure.
Jiang Yu’s brows knit as she glanced around. Everyone seemed used to this, collectively ignoring that lone figure in dark robes.
Broken bones weren’t the only way to hurt someone; cold indifference could be worse. Not every blade cut flesh, some sliced straight through the heart.
Shen Anzhi stood alone at the edge of the crowd. The wind tugged at his robes, but it was as if an invisible wall separated him from the noisy throng.
From a distance, Jiang Yu watched him lower his head, copper coin slipping through his fingers. His lips curved in that same gentle smile, yet there was a careless loneliness beneath it, as though he’d long grown used to this isolation, and simply turned himself into scenery that didn’t belong.
Even Gu Shuyu never spoke up to counter the rumors. If anyone had, if anyone had simply voiced a few fair words on his behalf, things might not have spiraled so wildly out of control. If someone had stood up and said, Enough. He’s under my protection.
But of all people, Shen Anzhi, in order to maintain his relationship with Gu Shuyu, tried his hardest to play the obedient, well-behaved junior in front of her.
How did he manage to act like he didn’t care at all? If she’d heard people talk about her that way, Jiang Yu would’ve been furious.
“When did he get here?”
“Go, go, go, careful or you’ll catch his bad luck,” someone whispered. Two voices, barely audible. Yet the disciples around them moved in quiet agreement, shifting away from him as if by instinct.
Shen Anzhi’s dark lashes lowered, hiding the shadow in his eyes.
Jiang Yu’s pale knuckles curled into fists. So it was true, spreading rumors took a single mouth, but correcting them took you running your legs off.
Ignoring the startled looks, Jiang Yu walked straight over to his side, lifted a hand in greeting, and smiled. “Morning, Junior Brother.”
Then she turned her gaze on the surrounding disciples, eyes locking on the two who had just spoken. “I heard someone talking nonsense. You, say what you just said again, in front of everyone.”
His long black hair was tied with a silk ribbon so washed it had faded to white. As he turned his head slightly, a few strands slipped over his shoulder. Shen Anzhi lowered his eyes just enough to see the smile vanish from the girl’s face, replaced by anger.
Was she… angry on his behalf?
Around them, disciples who’d come expecting a show stared, stunned. They’d been waiting to see Jiang Yu and Shen Anzhi argue or insult each other like always, this was not what they’d anticipated.
“Senior Sister Jiang, we…” The two disciples stammered, stumbling over their words.
“What’s the matter?” Jiang Yu asked coolly. “Cat got your tongue after all that talk?”
They scratched their heads, flustered. “We… misspoke just now.” They bowed hastily and ducked into the crowd.
Jiang Yu turned back to Shen Anzhi. Her eyes were bright, a smile tugging at her lips. “I keep my word,” she said softly, quiet, but clear enough for him to hear.
The coin slipped for a heartbeat between his fingers. Shen Anzhi folded his arms and glanced sideways at her. Unbidden, her words from before echoed in his mind, I’ll cover you. He let out a quiet, dismissive huff.
What was Jiang Yu playing at…?
“Junior Sister, you’re here.” Gu Shuyu approached, having heard the hint of tension earlier. When she saw it was Jiang Yu, a faint smile touched her cool, elegant features.
Fang Weiyun trailed along to see what was happening, but the moment he caught the small curve of Gu Shuyu’s lips, he froze for half a breath, then coughed to recover his usual composed demeanor. “If Junior Sister Jiang didn’t show up soon, the gathering would’ve been over.”
“Senior Sister Gu, Senior Brother Fang, good morning.”
From the corner of her eye, Jiang Yu sneaked another look at Shen Anzhi’s expression as she edged closer to Gu Shuyu. Outwardly he seemed untouched, but where exactly was he hurt?
If she asked, he’d never admit it outright.
“Senior Sister…” Shen Anzhi shifted his gaze away the moment he felt her looking, the corner of his mouth lifting listlessly. “What are you staring at me for?”
“I’m looking because my junior brother is good-looking,” she replied frankly, choosing honesty over pretense now that she’d been caught. Her bright, laughing eyes met his.
He froze for a heartbeat, then snapped back to himself. A faint red flush crept up the corner of his eyes. Fingers pressed to his temple where a sudden pulse beat, he should have gouged out those willful, smiling eyes ages ago, and yet he’d fallen for that smile again, bewitched.
Suppressing the restless air rising in his chest, he managed only two words: “Suit yourself.”
On the white jade platform, an elder with snow-white hair and a stern face lifted his voice. “Roll call begins.”
Jiang Yu drew back her gaze and looked to this body’s master, her current teacher, Elder Liu Anyuan, also called Master Liu.
He and the Jiang family went way back. His Dao companion had been a close friend of the original Jiang Yu’s late mother, and he had always shown her extra care, treating her like family.
Elder Liu had long despaired at her lack of progress. After a month apart, seeing her bow properly and sit in her place, he stroked his graying beard with a sliver of relief.
The sect master of Crane Sect, Xie He, arrived late, dressed in white robes with a crossed collar, features handsome and refined. He took his seat at the main position, cleared his throat, and said, “Recently, demonic forces have appeared in Zezhou. All courtyard disciples may descend the mountain for experience and training… dismissed.”
Roll call was over.
The crowd dissolved like a receding tide. Rubbing her shoulder where someone had bumped into her, Jiang Yu looked up. In the blink of an eye, the figure at the foot of the white jade steps had already walked several meters away.
She lengthened her stride to follow. “Junior Brother.”
He was all long limbs and sharp lines, lean like a stalk of black bamboo. He obviously heard her call, but not even his thick dark lashes trembled. He simply walked faster.
Her footsteps quickened behind him, matching him beat for beat. Only then did Shen Anzhi draw in a slow breath, cross his arms, and slacken his pace. “Does Senior Sister need something?”
“I do.” Jiang Yu panted slightly as she caught up and fell into step beside him. “About yesterday, ”
She didn’t get the chance to finish. Someone tugged gently at her sleeve, nearly pulling her off balance. Several figures moved to stand protectively in front of her.
If one ignored the fact that every single one of them had a bruised face, eyes blackened, purple swelling everywhere, they would have seemed quite imposing.
Shen Anzhi turned his head toward her, but his gaze halted on the pale wrist Mu Ling had pulled forward. A strange emotion pressed at his chest, his fingers tightening around the coin.
His lips curved into a cold, humorless arc. “Such overfamiliar behavior from Senior Brothers…”
Jiang Yu quickly withdrew her hand. If a conflict broke out and Shen Anzhi got hurt, wouldn’t he hate her all the more?
But before she could speak, things escalated too fast.