Chapter 13

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The host of this grand banquet, the Lingxu Sect, sent over many spiritual fruits and vegetables, carried by young men and women radiating spiritual light. These youths were quite accomplished in their cultivation and carried themselves with remarkable poise. I quietly whispered to Phoenix, saying how wasteful the Lingxu Sect was to have such talented individuals serving us plates.

“You’re not thinking about who they’re serving,” Phoenix tossed a spiritual fruit up and caught it again. I looked at the fruit in his hand with concern. “Scholars converse with elegance, sages come and go; the Lingxu Sect is merely giving their disciples some worldly exposure. It’s like having the best view right by the water.”

More than the sect intrigues, I was more interested in the fruits they brought. These fruits seemed to be a local specialty—tart and sweet, bursting with juice. I had already finished a large plate and was eyeing the one before Phoenix. Smirking, he pushed his plate toward me.

“Only you like these,” he said.

What could I do? After all, I’m just a mortal, and not eating could spell trouble.

Phoenix peeled a lychee for me and, ignoring my protest, stuffed it into my mouth. I spat the pit into his hand with a “pfft.” He was silent for a few seconds before saying with a sly tone, “Xiwei, are you looking for trouble?”

Feigning calm, I said, “You were the one who insisted on feeding me.”

He stared at me for a long time, expressionless, then crushed the pit in his hand. I held my plate and sat far away from him.

We kept to ourselves like that for a while. I finished another half plate of fruit, then looked up to see Phoenix staring at me. Annoyed, I shot him a glare. Suddenly, a commotion came from the main hall ahead. The fruit I was biting dropped to the ground, and I hurried to look outside.

“What’s happening?”

“The Hundred Sects Trial has ended.”

I was momentarily stunned, feeling guilty. Over the past days, I seemed to have done nothing but play around. I was supposed to stay close to my father to prevent the protagonist and antagonist from crossing paths, but I indulged in eating, drinking, and entertainment, even gaining a little weight thanks to the better food down the mountain.

No, no, Xiwei, you can’t keep going like this.

Remember, you are the daughter of the antagonist; your entire family is on the villain’s side…

Phoenix leaned back on the lounge chair, legs crossed. “Finally over. The champion must’ve been revealed. Honestly, I don’t see what’s so interesting.”

I had an inexplicable premonition that this year’s champion was probably Li Zhiguang.

“Xiwei, you seem awfully concerned about the results,” Phoenix’s face suddenly loomed close to mine. Startled, I shook my hand and dropped the fruit again. Someone caught it halfway, wiped it, and handed it back. “Are you hiding something from us?”

“No, no, you’re overthinking it,” I denied vehemently, refusing to admit I was keeping secrets. Phoenix grabbed a handful of my hair and tugged slightly. After chewing the fruit, I shouted and pounced on him, pulling at his long hair.

Just then, Fuguang entered and caught us tangled up. I was tickling Phoenix while he tried to maintain a serious face. I glanced sideways, startled by the newcomer, and hurriedly got off Phoenix.

The senior brother sat calmly as if he hadn’t seen anything and waited until we tidied up before speaking. I lowered my head, feeling like I’d done something wrong. Fuguang told us to prepare; we would return to Jiuchong Mountain tomorrow.

“Tomorrow? So soon?” I asked.

Phoenix sneered coldly, “Are you planning to stay out here forever? You know your body can’t go without medicine for a few days without problems.”

I inhaled and exhaled. I’d had so much fun these past few days, almost forgetting about the main business... Actually, the attractions down the mountain were far more appealing than watching disciples spar on the mountain.

The results of the grand banquet would come in a few days, but since my father decided to return to Jiuchong Mountain early, I felt a faint sense of relief. Even though I seemed to have done nothing but feast and play, I hadn’t seen the protagonist and antagonist meet. So the story wouldn’t start just yet.

Everyone was happy; all was well.

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In high spirits, I packed the remaining spiritual fruits into my storage pouch. Tonight was my last night at Jixia Academy, and thinking about it made me a bit reluctant. It was my first time traveling far and meeting so many different people. The people and things down the mountain fascinated me. Next time, I must make my second brother bring me here to play.

I also saw Senior Sister Yingzhen. Because she had secretly brought me down the mountain, she had been especially cautious and subdued in front of my father lately, practically tail-between-legs. Even while sitting beside my father, she couldn’t help but wink at me. The Heavenly Lord glanced at her coolly, and she quickly resumed her dignified composure, looking straight ahead.

Many guests came to visit my father, most of them sages. I had seen several sages in the past days, always accompanying my father during his meetings. When they came to discuss matters, I would politely leave and close the door, not wanting to disturb these powerful figures.

Over time, the sages became familiar with me. They would nod in greeting when they saw me. At first, I was very nervous meeting so many big shots, but I gradually grew accustomed to it. A few even gave me gifts as a welcoming gesture. I had already received several spiritual stone red envelopes.

I also met a sage from the Legalist school, who was said to be accepting disciples. This sage was unremarkable in appearance, always stern-faced with an imposing aura. He was reportedly a descendant of Han Feizi and, like his ancestor, advocated strict laws and harsh punishments. This Sage Han had not aligned with any immortal sect. Instead, he served as an imperial censor in the mortal empire.

I was quite surprised when I heard this. The sages I knew were usually aloof, hardly disturbed unless there was a catastrophe like the fall of Weicheng. They were like deified symbols, revered on pedestals.

But Sage Han chose to descend into the mortal world and entangle himself with the imperial court’s fate. Cultivators usually avoid entangling too much with karmic ties, and once connected to the empire’s destiny, it’s not easy to break away.

Sage Han had no disciples; his attendance at the grand banquet was merely to select a successor for his Legalist school.

I heard there was a market gathering outside today, with lanterns to be lit at night. I begged senior brother to take me out, but he refused, saying the mix of people at the banquet made it too dangerous for me.

After all, I’m just a mortal.

He also warned Phoenix and Yingzhen not to take me out. I stomped my foot in frustration, glared at him a few times, and ran off sulking.

The Hundred Sects Trial had just ended, and disciples from various sects were preparing to return home. I sat alone in a pavilion behind the hall, sulking. This was the quiet spot I had searched for — even in a sacred place like Jixia Academy, there was a lotus pond.

The familiar setting of the lotus pond comforted me. I sat by the pool, barefoot, dipping my feet in the water. The moon shone brightly, the water shimmering. Several lotus buds were about to bloom. I rested my chin on my hands, staring at my reflection in the water—a pale, slender girl with black hair and dark eyes, looking rather unhealthy. I made a funny face at myself. At least the colorless face now had some life.

A few small fish swam near my feet, unafraid. I wiggled my upper body, and the fish followed, making me laugh.

Suddenly, with a loud splash, something fell from the sky and scared the fish away.

I panicked as I looked at the unknown object in the pond—it looked like a person—

A soaked figure crawled out of the water, like a drowning ghost, eyes half-shut and drunken. He stared at me and murmured, “I’ve seen this younger sister before…”

Me: “…”

What are you talking about, fellow villager?

I didn’t expect to see the protagonist here. Why was he here? Shouldn’t he be waiting outside to hear who the champion was? I hadn’t thought about how to face him yet. I had always regarded this original protagonist with a sort of “loving the dragon but fearing the dragon” attitude—fond in theory but uncertain in practice. Now that he was right before me, I realized I didn’t know how to react.

Should I leave? He didn’t seem fully conscious. Better not have too much contact with him, after all, he’s the protagonist and I’m the antagonist’s daughter.

Resolved, I tried to sneak away but someone grabbed my ankle.

Me: “!!”

What is he doing?!

The drunken protagonist clung tightly to my ankle. His black hair spread wet in the water, his face flushed unnaturally from alcohol. His head hung low, half his eyes hidden by wet strands, delicate but not weak, like a drowning bird.

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“You look familiar, miss…” Li Zhiguang stared at me, but if you looked closely, his pupils had no focus—he was completely unconscious.

I couldn’t help but kick him, but the hand holding me didn’t budge; it even dared to slide up a bit. Before I could get annoyed, a familiar voice came from behind.

“Xiwei, what are you doing here?”

In a panic, I pushed the protagonist’s head back underwater. After a few bubbles surfaced, there was no movement.

“Senior brother,” I nervously clasped my hands behind my back, afraid he would see through me.

Fuguang sighed softly, “Still angry?”

I quickly shook my head, no longer angry at all. “Senior brother, please go quickly!”

Standing behind me, he spoke gently, “You’ve been frail since childhood, with many limitations. When the master entrusted you to me, I often worried if I could take care of you. Thankfully, you’ve grown up safely. Xiwei, if anything happened to you, I wouldn’t be at peace.”

Suddenly, bubbles rose from the calm water. Thinking quickly, I stepped down. My bare foot pressed on something furry. I had no time to consider if it was the protagonist’s head. Fuguang looked down at my foot. I grabbed his hand and stammered, “Senior brother, I… I’m cold.”

He was momentarily stunned, then took off his jacket to drape it over me. I sat by the pond, afraid to move. Every time I moved, the drunkard underfoot moved with me. Worse, Fuguang sat very close. I had never been this nervous in my life.

As I racked my brain to find a way to send Fuguang away, he suddenly stood up. After helping me fix my clothes, he looked down at me and said, “It’s late. Remember to go back.”

Only after confirming his retreating figure disappeared did I dare pull my foot out of the water. I carefully parted the lotus flowers on the water’s surface. Thankfully, it was too dark to see clearly. But how did Li Zhiguang end up here? Is he still alive?

I anxiously reached into the water. The lotus pond was silent—no signs of movement. Panic surged.

I—didn’t accidentally kill the protagonist, did I?

No, no, no. The protagonist is not that easy to kill. My father tried for three lifetimes and still didn’t succeed.

“Li Zhiguang?”

I whispered his name. The water rippled as if responding.

I breathed a sigh of relief, glanced around nervously, then tiptoed away.

If not now, then when? Sorry, fellow villager, I hope you won’t remember me when you sober up.

After a while, a soaked figure crawled out from underwater. He lay sprawled on the grass, squinting at the silver moon, lost in thought. He scratched his head lazily, flicked a fish nibbling on him back into the pond.

He touched his flushed face, then nonchalantly pulled out a wine gourd and took a big gulp. Searching his chest, he finally found an earring.

Under the moonlight, he examined the earring carefully. It was jade green, made of rare Qingxin Jade, which helped cultivators keep their spiritual core clear. For mortals, its effect was mild at best—mostly to ensure peaceful sleep at night. The earring was delicate and small, almost as if still warm from its owner’s touch.

Li Zhiguang toyed with the earring for a while before putting it away. Then, he plucked a lotus leaf and covered his face, falling into a deep sleep on the grass.

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