On the training ground, Li Qingming closed her eyes tightly, completely resigned.
Who can she blame? Despite having already broken through the Wind Barrier into the Immortal Realm, she couldn't even master the basic Windchasing Sword, causing the long sword to slip from her hands—utterly shocking!
No, if you must say, it's entirely the fault of her own Sword Spirit. That flawless demonstration of the Sword Path by Wang Jiu before coming here was really harmful.
Because it was so perfect, as if it contained the ultimate truth of the Heaven and Earth Sword Dao, making any swordsman naturally influenced by it... yet incapable of truly emulating its essence, making the execution of the Sword Path seem awkward and inappropriate!
If she hadn't witnessed such swordsmanship with her own eyes, even if Li Qingming's swordsmanship was not proficient, it wouldn't have led to the Windchasing Sword slipping from her hands.
"That's why I told you, it's called Celestial Flying Sword, and that was your idea from the start..."
"Stop rubbing salt in my wounds!" Li Qingming was almost tempted to snap this Whiteboard Stupid Sword in half!
However, no matter how much she fumed, it was meaningless. Her performance in this Outer Sect examination was a complete disaster. Now, she could only wait for the instructor's judgment, clueless as to what the ever-critical Li Zhiyuan would say next.
The examination score was sure to be the lowest grade, Ding—. The only suspense left was whether breaking through the Wind Barrier might earn her some extra points in the comprehensive evaluation, perhaps giving her a sliver of hope to keep her Outer Sect disciple title... but honestly, given her experiences with the family over the years, she couldn't hold much hope.
While Li Qingming was feeling somewhat hopeless and began seriously considering wandering the world with her Sword Spirit, she suddenly heard two sharp claps.
The sound came from ahead, where the expressionless Li Zhiyuan was clapping vigorously, creating an awkward clap.
Is this... an insult?
Immediately, she heard Instructor Li Zhiyuan say, "What an excellent move, Celestial Flying Sword—unexpected, swift as lightning, innovative atop the established Sword Path, truly commendable. In this examination, I believe Li Qingming deserves a Level A rating."
Sarcasm?
But soon, applause and exclamations rose all around the training ground, voices saying faintly, "As expected of Miss Qingming, her talent in swordsmanship is extraordinary, this Celestial Flying Sword is like an antelope leaving no tracks, naturally formed."
"And breaking through the Wind Barrier in such a short time, truly a model for us all."
"Miss Qingming is unbeatable, she's the one we've been waiting for all our lives!"
On the field, Li Qingming was dumbfounded.
To say everyone was joining forces to mock her with sarcasm seemed too exaggerated, but to believe they were sincerely flattering her felt utterly unreasonable and overwhelmingly embarrassing!
Hesitantly, Wang Jiu laughed and said, "I told you, it's Celestial Flying Sword, young cultivators these days just love this style."
"Stop bringing up Celestial Flying Sword! It was your fault from the start!" Li Qingming gritted her teeth, then looked around, "What the hell is going on?!"
Feeling at a loss, Instructor Li Zhiyuan walked over, squeezing out a semblance of a smile on his stiff face.
"Congratulations, Miss Qingming, for breaking the Wind Barrier and officially entering the Immortal Realm."
Li Qingming nodded hesitantly, "Thank you."
"Additionally, I'd like to mention, Miss Qingming's examination level this time is naturally Level A, but the previous times..."
Li Qingming interrupted impatiently, "They were all Level C and D, I know."
"No, Miss, there's a misunderstanding. Thinking back now, it's my own short-sightedness that failed to notice Miss's overflowing talent in swordsmanship, her innovation amidst conventional Sword Paths... Yet, I always viewed it with outdated perspectives, inevitably resulting in unfair judgments. Therefore, tonight I'll discuss with the Chief Instructor to correct past mistakes, ensuring that Miss receives fair treatment."
Li Qingming didn't understand at all, "Why?"
Li Zhiyuan spoke solemnly, "Naturally, it's to fulfill the family mission entrusted to me, to nurture Outer Sect disciples with fairness and impartiality. Miss's talents are indeed overflowing, but due to my own shortsightedness, she suffered unjust treatment. Shouldn't I deserve endless condemnation?"
"..."
"In addition, I have a minor, insignificant request."
Li Qingming asked, "What?"
"That is, could you perhaps mention today's events to the Patriarch just a little?"
"The Patriarch?"
"Ah, ah, I know, I will keep everything strictly confidential and won't casually tell outsiders, but if Miss could speak favorably of me at some opportunity, I'd be immensely grateful!"
After speaking, Li Zhiyuan's stiff smile nearly twisted, and feeling the awkwardness himself, he quickly cupped his fists and took his leave.
After Li Zhiyuan left, the other peer disciples on the training ground also gradually departed, each wearing a bizarre smile upon leaving that made the young girl shiver.
"What on earth is happening? A collective prank?!"
Wang Jiu said, "I just overheard they were whispering about taking the opportunity to curry favor with you to avoid leaving a bad impression on the family patriarch."
"Huh?!"
"Some even sighed, saying you've suffered for years and finally won your father's favor back, it's no easy feat."
"What is this favor, what does it mean?!"
——
When Li Qingming finally caught hold of the gossip's source, Zhao Kai, and unraveled the mystery, she felt as if the whole world was collapsing.
"You relied on just these two pieces of paper..."
Zhao Kai boasted triumphantly, "Yes, that's my deduction. But rest assured, Miss Qingming, I won't spread it."
"You've already spread this all over the Outer Sect!"
Zhao Kai looked a bit embarrassed, "After all, we're all family, it won't go any further."
"How can you guarantee that!?"
"Well..." Of course, Zhao Kai had no way to guarantee it, he couldn't exactly self-destruct to prove his sincerity, so he had to suddenly twist his face and groan, "Sorry, Miss Qingming, I suddenly have a stomachache, I really can't hold it..."
"..." Li Qingming looked at him through gritted teeth.
Zhao Kai also had to grit his teeth, directing his True Qi downwards, preparing to release some evidence.
This stalemate quickly made Li Qingming relent, "Get lost, don't let me see you again!"
——
An external examination of the Outer Sect ended in an absurd and ludicrous manner. When Li Qingming got home, she was both physically and mentally exhausted, feeling that the day's experiences equaled the past ten days of arduous cultivation. As soon as she touched her bed, it was as if she was engulfed by a heavy tide, unable to get up again.
"Ugh, tomorrow, I still have, to take, on tasks... huff, huff."
Listening to the girl's ramblings before sleep, Wang Jiu could understand her urgency.
In eight days, a huge rent would be due, and she was currently penniless. Although the beginner's package from the Mutual Aid Association was generous, receiving it required time.
Typically, beginner tasks are not too difficult, but the time to complete them is not short either; for instance, tending to a medicinal field requires basic cultivation of Controlling Qi into Wind to manage the array for nurturing the Spiritual Herbs, but the entire process could take half a month to a month to earn the reward, something Li Qingming simply didn't have time for. Even the shorter ones often took three to five days, plus time for final confirmation of results, Li Qingming indeed couldn't afford the delay.
Yet, the next morning, Wang Jiu discovered Li Qingming was still lazing in bed! The sun was high, and she was softly snoring!
Wang Jiu poured a basin of cold water over her.
"Wahhh! What's going on!?"
"This is a motivational wake-up call designed based on conventional methods and your personal traits in human society."
"Does waking up need to be so violent!?"
"The violent approach is to provide you with necessary motivation, after all, your aptitude is poor, your intelligence low, you're short..."
"Hey! Do you ever stop? Criticizing me first thing in the morning, and who cares if I'm short!"
Li Qingming was furious, she jumped off the bed with bare feet to argue with Wang Jiu, but as soon as she got out of bed, she felt dizzy, her legs went weak, and she fell back onto the bed.
Wang Jiu also noticed something was wrong, "Hey, why are you so weak?"
"How should I know! I..." Li Qingming paused, "Oh no, I think I'm sick."
"Sick?" Wang Jiu said, confused, "What kind of illness?"
"I'm not a doctor, how would I know, but I feel dizzy, my limbs are weak, my True Qi isn't circulating smoothly, I can hardly Control Qi into Wind..."
Wang Jiu was silent for a moment and said, "Drink more hot water."
Li Qingming stared incredulously at the sword spirit on the table, her lips moved for a while without saying anything.
"Wang Jiu, I remember you said you used to be human before becoming a sword spirit?"
"So what?"
"When you were human, you didn't have a girlfriend, right?"
"Of course not."
"Well, that explains it then." Li Qingming snorted, planning to mock him but found that Wang Jiu was completely indifferent to it.
"Forget it, it's probably nothing serious, maybe last night, in the initial phase of Breaking Wind Barrier, I forced myself to simulate your swordsmanship while Spirit Wind was unstable, causing a physical stress reaction, it'll be fine with a day or two of rest... But I don't have time to rest now."
Saying that, Li Qingming forced herself up again, took a couple of deep breaths, and prepared to wash up outside.
Wang Jiu said, "You're worried about not having time for the beginner's task at the Mutual Aid Association? How about this, I'll do it for you."
Li Qingming immediately stumbled, "You?!"
"What's the matter, can't I?"
Then, Wang Jiu unfolded Illusion Sword Technique, revealing the Sword Spirit True Form.
Li Qingming's face instantly reddened again, she quickly turned her head, scoffing dismissively, "Hmph, forget it, a half-merged being like you would definitely be mistaken for a Ghost Cultivator."
"It's all thanks to your Li Family's devious merchants!" Wang Jiu said angrily, "Besides, can't I just wear a cloak?"
He said, while sketching a few more strokes on the white wall of the Sword World, instantly he was clad in a pure black cloak that covered his whole form, a mask leaving only the eyes exposed on his head.
"See, all I need is a cloak like this to cover up my appearance and there'll be no problem?"
Li Qingming looked at the illusion of the sword spirit with a very complicated expression.
"Going out like that, you're definitely going to get beaten to death."