NOVEL NEXT Chapter 10 - Great Harm and Going Astray
“Master isn’t in the hall… He must be with Qing’er,” thought Yuan Kouxuan, certain of her master’s habits. Normally, he stayed in the main hall except when teaching his disciples.
On the entire Purple Cloud Peak, only her fourth junior sister, Situ Qingqing, resided with him.
Yuan Kouxuan stepped outside, lifting her hand slightly to summon her sword to her feet.
With a swoosh, she soared through the sky.
In moments, she arrived at the small courtyard nestled near the peach grove.
Just as she approached, she heard her master’s voice from inside, bringing a smile to her face as she prepared to enter. But as she listened more closely, something seemed… odd.
“Master, I really followed the book exactly. I didn’t make anything up!” came Qing’er’s voice, sounding aggrieved.
“Qing’er, remember: ‘Blindly trusting books is no better than having no books.’ Your situation is different from what’s described in the book. You can’t just follow it verbatim,” her master’s voice replied, slightly exasperated.
“I was only trying to help…”
“Enough. I’ll just have to teach you myself.”
Outside, Yuan Kouxuan furrowed her brow. “Since when did Qing’er become so dim-witted, actually practicing by the book without adaptation? It’s lucky Master is so patient—any other peak master would’ve surely punished her by now.”
Just then—
Slap!
A sharp sound echoed from within the building.
Kouxuan winced. “Qing’er must’ve gone too far this time, even making Master lose his temper!”
Arms crossed, she stood to the side, listening quietly, a hint of helplessness in her eyes.
Originally, she’d intended to greet her master immediately, but now it seemed wiser to wait until he had calmed down.
After waiting for what felt like ages, the noise within finally ceased.
“Is it over?” Yuan Kouxuan’s eyes blinked as she tried to make out any lingering sounds.
“Qing’er, now that I’ve demonstrated in person, have you finally understood?” came her master’s voice from inside.
“Master, I’m still a bit confused…”
“Well, I suppose I’ll just have to teach you again next time!”
After that, Yuan Kouxuan heard the shuffling of clothes and the approach of footsteps coming closer.
Quickly, she straightened up, adopting a composed posture.
Moments later, her master, Xu Yang, emerged from the building, leaning slightly against the wall.
Brimming with excitement, Yuan Kouxuan rushed forward and supported his arm. “Master, please don’t be upset; anger is harmful. As for my fourth junior sister, I’ll be sure to teach her properly myself!”
To think her master was so upset his waist seemed to be sore…
Her sudden presence startled Xu Yang, but thankfully he remained calm, showing no reaction to reveal his surprise. With a quick glance toward the building, he cleared his throat and said, “Kouxuan, there’s no need for you to worry about Qing’er. The lesson I taught her today should give her plenty to think about for days.”
“Yes, Master,” Yuan Kouxuan replied, feeling a hint of sympathy for her fourth junior sister. Not only had she angered Master, but she’d also been put on some sort of house arrest.
“Kouxuan, when did you return?”
He turned his attention to her, though he quickly glanced away upon noticing… certain details.
Supporting her master as they walked, Yuan Kouxuan’s frosty exterior softened as she blushed slightly. Diverting the conversation, she answered, “I just returned to Purple Cloud Peak and came straight here. I’ve been outside for a while. I heard the sound of you disciplining Fourth Sister, so I didn’t dare intrude and waited quietly.”
Hearing this, Xu Yang nearly broke into a cold sweat.
Fortunately, his diligent disciple had an innocent mind and hadn’t suspected anything. This was truly a… fortunate misunderstanding.
“Kouxuan, this isn’t the best place for conversation. Help me back to Purple Cloud Hall.”
“Understood, Master,” Yuan Kouxuan replied with a respectful bow.
…
“Finally, they’re gone!”
Back in the room, Situ Qingqing let out a long sigh of relief.
She hadn’t dared to make a single noise upon hearing her senior sister’s voice, fearing that the tiniest sound might prompt her to check inside. That would have been a disaster…
Now, in the quiet room, she looked down at the book under her pillow with a frown, muttering, “This technique… it’s dangerous!”
She lifted the book, tempted to rip it apart. But after a moment’s hesitation, she tucked it back under her pillow instead. “Maybe if I practice a bit more… who knows, I might just be a prodigy.”
…
In Purple Cloud Hall.
Yuan Kouxuan gazed at her master with concern. “Master, what happened to your cultivation?”
Earlier, she’d prepared to follow her master by sword, only for him to give a rueful smile and say, “Kouxuan, I might need a ride from you.”
Only then had she realized that her master’s cultivation had dropped to the Foundation Establishment realm.
Xu Yang had already prepared an explanation. With a sigh, he replied, “I suffered a mishap in my cultivation, nearly losing my life. If Qing’er hadn’t noticed, you may never have seen me again.”
“Today’s strict lesson was out of concern for her, hoping she won’t make the same mistakes.”
Upon hearing that her fourth junior sister had saved their master, Yuan Kouxuan felt a swell of warmth. Despite her carefree nature, Qing’er had been reliable when it truly mattered. Perhaps she should treat Qing’er better in the future.
“Fourth Junior Sister surely understands that you only acted for her benefit, Master. There’s no need to worry,” Yuan Kouxuan assured him.
As expected of his most devoted disciple, Yuan Kouxuan’s unwavering faith in him brought Xu Yang a sense of relief. “That’s good to hear.”
“Master, please don’t dwell on this. If anything, your survival signals good fortune. I have no doubt you’ll recover your cultivation and perhaps even surpass your previous realm, becoming a revered Zun. Then, I’ll be able to walk through Qingming Sect with pride!”
She spoke cheerfully, offering him encouragement.
“You little rascal, always knowing how to lift my spirits.” Xu Yang chuckled, reaching out to pat her head. “Tell me, did anything happen on your journey back?”
In the original story, the protagonist was brought to Purple Cloud Peak by his senior disciple, Yuan Kouxuan.
Yet Xu Yang hadn’t noticed any sign of him, which led him to suspect that something had gone awry.
In truth, he was rather eager to meet the protagonist now. Having him within reach would allow him to keep a close watch, preventing any dangerous developments. But leaving the protagonist unchecked in the outside world… who knew what troubles might arise? There was always the risk he’d stumble upon some godly fortune that would make Xu Yang’s quest to win over the female leads all the more difficult.