Zhang Xian was also staring at Li Fuxi. He was indeed learning the sword.

As a martial arts grandmaster, he could tell at a glance that Li Fuxi’s swordsmanship was extraordinary, and he committed her every move and stance to memory.

Finally, it came to the practice session. Li Fuxi stood with her hands behind her back at the highest point of the mountain, looking down at the disciples practicing swordsmanship below, shaking her head repeatedly.

Each generation is worse than the last.

She remembered they had watched so attentively, so why was their practice so lackluster, one worse than the other?

The only consolation was Lin Yinyin. Although she looked utterly unwilling, her sword practice was quite proper. Truly worthy of being a top-grade Water Spirit Root. Li Fuxi suddenly felt there was someone to carry on the legacy.

However, to her surprise, Zhang Xian in the corner also seemed to be performing quite well, his moves and stances showing proper form. It was just that he had a low-grade Wood Spirit Root, inherently unsuited for learning sword techniques.

Coupled with his False Core technique, his path of cultivation was destined to be short-lived.

What a pity.

“Brother, this won’t do. You can’t even generate sword energy. No matter how hard you try, it’s useless,” said a kind-hearted cultivator next to Zhang Xian.

Zhang Xian smiled. “No helping it. I just arrived yesterday. This is my first morning class; I’m just giving it a try.”

“Oh? You’re the one who came with that junior sister in front, right? What’s your relationship?”

“She’s my younger sister.”

Upon hearing this, the kind-hearted cultivator became even more enthusiastic. “Here’s what you should do. I recommend you come to our Green Wood Peak. It’s full of wood-element techniques; maybe there’s something suitable for you.”

“It’s just that my contribution points aren’t enough.”

“Tsk, you don’t understand. New disciples get one free borrowing opportunity. We’re all wood-attribute Spirit Roots; let’s look out for each other in the future. Let’s add each other as friends.”

“Thank you, Senior Brother!”

My name is Lu Renbing, a disciple of Green Wood Peak.

That day, I went to Spirit Sword Peak for morning class as usual to study the ‘truths’ taught by Supervisor Li Fuxi.

I also saw a beauty like water named Lin Yinyin. I thought my love had arrived.

There was a man next to me who looked honest and good-natured. My big mouth made me strike up a conversation with him. This was one of the most regrettable decisions I’ve ever made.

He claimed to be Lin Yinyin’s older brother. I kindly treated him as my future brother-in-law, but in the end, he destroyed us.

Green Wood Peak fell. I swear eternal enmity with the Old Demon Zhang Xian!!

— “Declaration of the Alliance to Denounce Old Demon Zhang” by Lu Renbing

After morning class ended, before Lin Yinyin could even speak to Zhang Xian, she was tied up and taken away by Li Fuxi.

Zhang Xian had no choice but to return to his room alone to catch up on sleep until evening when Spirit Sword Peak’s evening class began.

Unlike the grand spectacle of the morning class, the evening class taught the essential principles of the Nine Turns Jade Condensation Sutra, emphasizing purity of heart, detachment from desires, and focusing the spirit in tranquility.

The vast lecture hall was sparsely populated with less than ten disciples, including Lin Yinyin seated front and center in the first row.

Lu Renbing was also there. Seeing his “brother-in-law” arrive, he excitedly waved Zhang Xian over to sit. Zhang Xian smiled and sat down beside him.

Li Fuxi was still in her long robe, her entire person cold as frost.

“The third chapter of the Nine Turns Jade Condensation Sutra discusses focusing the spirit and guarding the One, keeping the jade heart unstained. Those who cultivate this sutra must sever emotions and desires to achieve a transparent jade heart.”

As she said this, her gaze suddenly fell upon Lin Yinyin. “Lin Yinyin,” she said coldly.

Lin Yinyin jumped. “Disciple is here!”

“From today onward, you will sever your relationship with Zhang Xian,” Li Fuxi’s tone brooked no argument. “Otherwise, you will not succeed in cultivating this sutra.”

The hall fell silent.

Lu Renbing widened his eyes and looked at Zhang Xian.

“Oh, we siblings are just very close.”

Lu Renbing patted Zhang Xian’s shoulder and whispered, “Brother, this Nine Turns Jade Condensation Sutra isn’t very humane either. I thought it only required sealing off love and cutting off romance. I didn’t expect it demands severing familial bonds too.”

Lin Yinyin said aggrievedly, “Master, I remember Article 37 of the sect rules clearly states that masters are not allowed to interfere in their disciples’ private lives!”

Li Fuxi gave a cold laugh. “Rules? Fine, then this Master will change her approach.”

The corner of her lips lifted slightly. “Starting tonight, this Master will personally help you activate your meridians to aid your cultivation. This will happen daily; no leave is permitted.”

Lin Yinyin: “…”

She looked pleadingly at Zhang Xian. Li Fuxi’s gaze had already swept over: “Zhang Xian, what about you?”

Zhang Xian wore an earnest expression. “Master, to be honest, in my minor world I still have ten beautiful concubines. The elders of my family urge me daily to continue the family line. It’s truly impossible for me to purify my heart and suppress my desires.”

What a joke! There are still so many Daughters of Destiny waiting for me to give them gifts. If I purify my heart and suppress desires, what will happen to them?

Li Fuxi clenched her small fist tightly. “This Master doesn’t expect you to learn the Nine Turns Jade Condensation Sutra. She wants you to keep your distance from Lin Yinyin!”

Lu Renbing’s mouth hung open wide enough to fit an egg. “Junior Brother, you…”

“Oh, they’re just some worldly entanglements. Senior Brother Lu need not mind.”

Li Fuxi snorted coldly and ignored him further, turning instead to look at Lin Yinyin. “Starting tonight, come with me to the meditation room.”

Lin Yinyin felt like crying but had no tears. She could only give Zhang Xian a pitiful glance filled with “Brother, save me!”

Seeing Lin Yinyin’s look, the nearby disciples couldn’t take it.

“Wow! Junior Sister Yinyin is so adorable! I really want to protect her!”

“Although Spirit Sword Peak is dirt poor, with Supervisor Fuxi and Junior Sister Yinyin here, I estimate its popularity won’t be bad in the future.”

“What should I do? I like both of them. Am I a scumbag?”

In the evening, Zhang Xian was still soaking alone in the spirit pool bathhouse while catching up on reading Deadly Love: My Obsessive Master Falls for Me.

During this time, Lu Renbing occasionally sent messages inviting Zhang Xian enthusiastically to attend tomorrow’s evening class.

As for why not morning class? Well… Lu Renbing had no choice; he needed to watch Supervisor Fuxi’s sword techniques every morning.

On the second night, Zhang Xian arrived as promised. Lu Renbing had kindly saved him a seat.

The lecture hall at Green Wood Peak was completely different from Spirit Sword Peak’s. The entire hall was filled with flower pots, spirit soil pools, and spirit springs. The air carried a faint fragrance of plants and trees that calmed the mind.

【Ding! Discovered Daughter of Destiny with 30 points: Liu Qingxuan】

【Ding! Liu Qingxuan’s Favorability towards you is 5; binding successful.】

Oh? An unexpected gain! Zhang Xian felt pleasantly surprised.

Liu Qingxuan was today’s supervising instructor—a gentle and refined female cultivator, like jade. She wore a light green long dress with only a single green wood hairpin in her hair. Her smile was soft, and she spoke in a whisper, forming a sharp contrast with Li Fuxi’s icy demeanor.

“Today we will teach ‘Basics of Spirit Plant Cultivation’,” she said gently. “The way of spirit plants emphasizes sensing spirits with your heart and nurturing wood with spirit.”

“Only through perseverance and diligent cultivation can spirit plants be cultivated well, even if one’s Spirit Root quality isn’t high.” As she said this part, she gave Zhang Xian an amicable smile.

A low-grade Wood Spirit Root, yet able to enter the Dao through the False Core technique—his cultivation path must have been full of hardships indeed! And she—Liu Qingxuan—admired students like him who possessed perseverance!