Chapter 96

"What happened to my master?"

Qing Zhouxue watched Bai Su, who was still weighing her words, but Qing Zhouxue misunderstood. A terrible thought suddenly struck her, and she abandoned all pretense of composure. She shoved past the two, her clothes in disarray, barefoot, and ran out.

Ruan Mingzhu couldn't stop her in time and could only shout after her, "Your master is fine! She's at Elder Liu's place—"

Where was Elder Liu? Where exactly was she?

Qing Zhouxue's heart raced with inexplicable panic, like two buckets of water dangling precariously, sloshing with each unsteady step.

She had to see Yun Shuchen with her own eyes.

Liu Xunqin had just stepped out of the room when she saw a girl with disheveled hair, searching like a ghost. Half of her white robe was on, the other half trailing bloodstained bandages, and her ankles were bare.

"Qing Zhouxue? Come here."

Liu Xunqin was somewhat displeased. How were those two disciples taking care of her? Letting a patient run around like this.

Qing Zhouxue, upon seeing Liu Xunqin, latched onto her like a lifeline, rushing over in a few steps. But she wasn't aiming for Liu Xunqin; she went straight for the room behind her.

Liu Xunqin stepped aside and let her in. If she'd blocked her, she feared the girl would have scared herself to death.

Qing Zhouxue finally saw her master sleeping peacefully on the bed. With trembling hands, she felt for her pulse, then checked her breath. Only after feeling the weak but steady pulse and breathing did she let out a soft sigh, pressing her cheek against Yun Shuchen's hand. "Elder Liu... how is she?"

"Yesterday was the most critical day, and she's made it through. Her life is no longer in danger," Liu Xunqin said. "You don't need to worry too much."

Hearing this, the waves of panic in Qing Zhouxue's heart suddenly receded, and the strength drained from her body like silk being pulled away.

"However," Liu Xunqin paused, noticing the sudden tension in her junior niece's eyes, "she's suffered severe internal injuries this time, and her old ailments haven't fully healed. If they flare up again, this ordeal could damage her foundation. You need to take good care of her."

"...Understood."

Liu Xunqin gave a few more instructions, then left, heading for the Main Peak.

The morning light through the window was harsh, and she felt a sudden dizziness, steadying herself against the doorframe.

In the days Qing Zhouxue had been unconscious, Elder Zhong, Elder Zhou, and Elder Yue had all gone into seclusion to recover. Taichu Sect was in turmoil, a dead silence hanging over the sect. The Sect Leader had been preparing to hand over some duties, and he too would soon go into seclusion.

Liu Xunqin, as the only elder untouched by the heavenly punishment, had to take charge of Taichu Sect. With Yun Shuchen severely injured and her condition fluctuating, Liu Xunqin had to remain vigilant, and after three full days, exhaustion crept in.

She entered Chunqiu Hall, where the Sect Leader was meditating. Sensing her arrival, his spiritual energy gradually slowed and finally settled.

"Has Junior Sister Yun woken up yet?"

"Not yet," Liu Xunqin said. "Qing Zhouxue, in her prime, only managed to endure one bolt, and with her special constitution, she was still unconscious for three days. Yun Shuchen bore eight bolts of the Thunder Tribulation; her situation is critical. It may take several more days for her to wake."

"As long as there's no danger to her life," the Sect Leader said, coughing a few times. In just three days, he seemed to have aged considerably.

"That child really isn't ordinary. At only the late Golden Core stage, she managed to..." Liu Xunqin paused. "It still feels surreal."

"For a Mahayana cultivator, if it were possible to shatter the Tribulation in one blow, it wouldn't be as difficult as it was for Qing Zhouxue," the Sect Leader said. "Unfortunately, it's not possible."

"Compared to her, we are all bound by the laws of the Heavenly Dao. No matter how unwilling we are, no matter how strong, we cannot raise our blades against Heaven. Our attacks are futile. We can only wait for judgment under the ninefold thunder."

Liu Xunqin sighed. "In any case, she's no longer at the late Golden Core stage now."

"She went through such a dangerous tribulation—did her Nascent Soul form smoothly?"

"No. Her Golden Core shattered, and her Nascent Soul hasn't formed."

The Sect Leader was stunned. He repeated those words to himself a few times, then fell silent for a while. "Life is unpredictable. At least she survived. Where there's life, there's hope."

*

Qing Zhouxue stayed by Yun Shuchen's side, watching over her for days and nights, but her master showed no signs of waking.

She moistened a handkerchief with water and dabbed it on her master's lips.

Yun Shuchen's sleep was restless, as if she were dreaming. If she could dream about something, at least it was better than lying here lifelessly. Such a quiet master always made Qing Zhouxue uneasy, afraid she might slip away and leave her.

On the fifth day.

Qing Zhouxue, half-dozing by the bed, holding Yun Shuchen's hand, suddenly felt a tightening in her grip. She snapped her eyes open, but was met with disappointment again.

Her master was still unconscious.

But tears slowly rolled down from the corners of her eyes, one after another, like beads on a string, never stopping.

What could she be dreaming of?

Qing Zhouxue thought it must be some long-buried memory she knew nothing about.

Ever since Qing Zhouxue had learned to cry, she realized it was an awful feeling. Her nose, her chest—everything ached, and her eyes burned with heat.

She wiped away Yun Shuchen's tears, but they only came faster.

On the eighth day, the first light of dawn was faint, and the sky was clear. Qing Zhouxue looked outside and realized, without noticing, that early spring had arrived.

Beneath the white snow, green life was stirring.

People said spring brought revival. Qing Zhouxue held onto that hope, waiting anxiously. By the time the ivy outside had grown almost into the room, Yun Shuchen stirred again.

Her eyelashes pressed down, then lifted gently. A hand moved under the blanket, and was soon clasped by another.

"...Master?"

Qing Zhouxue sat up straight, and the stone in her heart finally settled.

Those eyes finally opened, still clouded with the drowsiness of waking. Yun Shuchen didn't move much and lacked luster. Qing Zhouxue suddenly felt something was wrong and waved her hand in front of Yun Shuchen's face.

Yun Shuchen felt a faint breeze and turned her head, her voice still a little hoarse. "What... time is it? It's so dark. Go light a lamp."

Qing Zhouxue froze, her hand still raised. She looked around the room—it was bright with spring sunshine. It was clearly daytime. There was no need for a lamp.

She lowered her hand and clasped Yun Shuchen's again. Only then did Yun Shuchen realize something was off. Even at night, it shouldn't be so dark that she couldn't see anything at all. She pulled her hand free and touched her own eyes.

"Have I gone blind?"

In the darkness, Yun Shuchen felt warm droplets fall on her shoulder, quickly turning wet and cold. The other person noticed and flusteredly tried to wipe them away.

"Qing'er?" Yun Shuchen thought to herself—could it be that she was crying? But she wasn't sure, since Qing Zhouxue had never shed tears before. So she reached out and touched her face. When she felt the salty wetness of tears, Yun Shuchen was momentarily dazed.

She had learned to cry.

So there really was some regret in her heart. She wondered what her teary-eyed disciple looked like, especially with such a fairy-like face, half covered in tears. The thought was somewhat amusing.

"In the daytime, Elder Liu isn't at Lingsu Peak. She's at the Main Peak, very busy."

Qing Zhouxue took a breath, as if trying to calm herself. "...In the evening, when she returns, I'll ask her to check your eyes, Master."

"Mm."

Yun Shuchen wasn't too worried about it. It was likely a punishment from the Heavenly Tribulation, and it would probably improve within a few months.

So she asked, "Are you all right? Has your cultivation stabilized?"

Yun Shuchen noticed her disciple didn't respond and gently squeezed her palm. Qing Zhouxue paused, then said, "Master, I didn't form a Nascent Soul."

Yun Shuchen was taken aback, then hummed in acknowledgment after a moment.

"Well, then you'll have to try again. There are plenty of precedent cases of cultivators failing their tribulation."

While holding Qing Zhouxue's wrist, she sent a thread of weak spiritual energy into her, intending to check on her Golden Core, but found nothing.

"Golden Core," Qing Zhouxue said softly, "it's also shattered. It's gone."

...What?

Why would that be?

What had gone wrong that day?

Yun Shuchen frowned, her mind racing with thoughts. Perhaps she wasn't strong enough after waking from a serious illness to handle such rumination. As she thought, her chest grew heavier. She leaned to the side and coughed up something that smelled of blood.

"Master." Her disciple's voice started trembling again. "What's wrong? Are you unwell?"

Yun Shuchen lay back down and closed her eyes. "My chest was tight earlier. I feel better now that I've coughed it out. You don't need to be so anxious."

She heard her disciple stand up, take a few light steps, go far away, and then return after a while. The sound of a ceramic bowl gently tapping against the wooden cabinet came from the bedside.

The rich, bitter scent of medicinal herbs filled the air.

"Elder Liu said you need to drink this when you wake up." Qing Zhouxue seemed to be cleaning up the blood on the floor, a rustling sound, then she sat down. "Don't overthink, Master. I'm only twenty-three. Even if I have to start over, it's nothing."

Yun Shuchen knew her body was weak now, and she couldn't afford to dwell on things, so she put aside the tangled thoughts.

What was done was done. There was no point in thinking about it.

Qing Zhouxue felt the rim of the bowl—it was neither too hot nor too cold, just warm. She carefully helped Yun Shuchen sit up and fed her spoonfuls. Her master's brows were knitted tightly, as if the bitterness had left her speechless.

Qing Zhouxue quickly slipped a piece of rock candy into her mouth, and the woman's expression relaxed. Yun Shuchen leaned softly, boneless, into her disciple's arms, still murmuring, "It's bitter."

"But we've run out of candied fruit. Lingsu Peak doesn't seem to have that kind of snack... I asked Senior Sister Bai Su, but she could only find rock candy."

Yun Shuchen half-closed her eyes and snorted coldly. "If you asked them, now they'll all know your master dislikes bitter medicine."

Qing Zhouxue hadn't expected that such a failure of her master's dignity could occur on this level. She was dumbstruck. "Next time, I'll say I'm the one who needs to take the medicine."

As the next spoonful of medicine entered her mouth, Yun Shuchen didn't swallow. Instead, she touched Qing Zhouxue's mouth with her hand and, with the medicine, pressed her lips to Qing Zhouxue's.

Qing Zhouxue felt the medicine being pushed into her mouth. It was so bitter it made her scalp tingle. Yun Shuchen didn't let go until she forced her to swallow.

Hearing Qing'er gasp in pain from the bitterness, Yun Shuchen closed her eyes and kissed her once more before letting go. Then, having used the last of her remaining strength, she turned over and leaned against her disciple, closing her eyes lazily.

"Bitter?"

"...Bitter."

"No candy for you."

Qing Zhouxue had just picked up a piece of rock candy. Hearing this, she had no choice but to put it back into the jar.