Chapter 2

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It was the middle of summer, and the afternoon heat was rolling in and out. The small garden in the backyard of Shaoyang Peak is cool and breezy, with the towering trees blocking out the bright sunlight. The wind rustling through the trees as if it were a perfect lullaby.

A little girl, about ten years old, sat on a large green stone by a pond, her long, dark, glossy hair unbound and draped casually behind her back. In her hand was a large book, which she was reading lazily.

“…situated three hundred miles to the south, is the place called Geng Mountain, where there are no trees or grasses, and where there are many water bodies and great snakes. There are beasts…”.

After reciting the list of all demons, she became lazy and took off her shoes, stretching her toes out into the pond to tease the big golden-tailed carp that were foraging for food in it. She joked, “There are beasts and fish, and hunting. I will fish something delicious!”

“What’s delicious?” The voice of a young man suddenly came from behind, seemingly laughing.

The little girl hiked her feet back lazily and put on her socks and shoes, and without looking back, she said, “What is delicious, Brother?”

When Du Minxing walked up to her, he touched her head lovingly before asking with a smile, “So, I’m asking you. What were you mumbling about just now?”

The little girl showed him the booklet in her hand, “I’m memorizing the list of all demons, it’s so boring.”

When Du Minxing saw her lazy look, he couldn’t help but laugh: “No wonder that Master and Madam always said you were lazy and wouldn’t go to practice. You don’t even want to memorise the list of all demons.”

The little girl didn’t speak, but just bowed her head and played with the jade pendant on her skirt. After a while, she said, “Oh, every day I practice exercises. It makes my legs hurt and my waist sore. I don’t know what it is. I don’t believe in becoming immortal. Everyday people sweat profusely like those sect brothers, and they are so stinky.”

Du Minxing listened to her and laughed again: “Practicing exercises are for strengthening the body. Have you ever seen an immortal who is sick and weak all the time? Only when the body is strong can you practice the magic, otherwise, how can you fly? Or slay demons?”

She has no reason to argue with him anymore, but in her heart, she feels that her brother has a point, but she can’t dance and practice with a sword.

Du Minxing has no intention of preaching to a young girl.

This girl is different from Ling Long. When you talk to Ling Long, she’ll argue if she doesn’t like to listen, but if she doesn’t, she’ll obediently do as she’s told; but if you talk to her for three days and nights, she’ll nod her head in agreement and forget all about it, and then just do what she wants.

“Madam gave Junior Sister Linglong Duàn Jīn[1] today.” while teasing the carp with a willow branch, he said, “From now on, your sister doesn’t have to practice boxing and stance, she can practice sword fighting.”

“Oh,” she said. She was indifferent and absent-minded.

“Chu Xuanji.” He suddenly called her name seriously.

Xuanji was stunned for a moment and reluctantly jumped off the green stone, bowed to him and said, “Xuanji is here, what can I do for you, Brother?”

Sternly Du Minxing asked, “Why don’t you want to practice?”

She bit her lip, her face both stubborn and childish, and then pouted a little while later, “I understand what my parents and my uncles and teachers have said, but understanding doesn’t mean you can do it. I don’t understand why I have to practice. You’ve asked me a thousand times, but I still don’t get it,”

Du Minxing sighed. He loves his two younger siblings equally, as if they were his own sisters. However, Ling Long is a bit more outgoing and lively, and everyone can’t help but spoil her. To be honest, even with his good temper sometimes he has been so angry that he wants to beat up Xuanji to show his resentment, not to mention his mentors. Who would want to crush a little rock? It’s frustrating that she doesn’t even respond to you yelling at her.

“Master just got furious in the martial arts arena,” he said with a worried expression, “He said that you have not been practicing for ten days in a row, forgetting about the rules of Shaoyang Peak. Now he has asked me to come to you, saying that you will be punished severely. See for yourself what you should do.”

When Xuanji heard her father’s anger, she finally got a little scared. She hemmed and hawed for a while before whispering, “Can I… not go? Just say you couldn’t find me…”

Du Minxing shakes his head: “Master is determined this time. Your twin sister Ling Long has inherited Duàn Jīn[1], but you can’t even complete the Xuan Ming Fist. He is the head of the sect, how can he protect his daughter? If he doesn’t punish you severely this time, what will the other disciples think?”

Xuanji said, “Why do you care what other people think… We are not hunting dogs, why do we need rules?”

Du Minxing took out the black iron Ruyi out of his pocket and tossed it into the air. The two-foot-long black Ruyi swayed twice in the air and then stopped steadily.

He leaped upon it, bent down and held out his hand to her, “Come, stop nagging. Hurry up and see Master. The Senior brother and sister will intercede for you. Next time, don’t be so lazy!”

Xuanji had ten million misgivings in her heart, but she couldn’t stand up to her father’s stern authority, so she grasped her elder brother’s hand slowly. Thinking about her father’s words, she pitifully begged him, “Brother…I don’t want to be beaten…”

Du Minxing’s heart softened when he saw how pitiful she was being, and said softly, “Alright, I’ll put in a good word for you. If you don’t practice for ten consecutive days like this again, the Senior Brother won’t help you anymore!”

When Xuanji did not answer, Du Minxing sighed in his heart and then put slight pressure on his right foot, turning around the Black Iron Ruyi and flew towards the training ground on the mountain top.

There are more than a dozen martial arts training grounds on Shaoyang Mountain, and they are used by disciples of different sects for training. The Shaoyang Sect is one of the largest immortal sects in the world, with a large number of disciples and abundant blessings. Starting from the former head of the Jingyang Immortal, The Shaoyang Sect was divided into seven branches. The first branch, Yao Ri, is headed by Master Xei Lei, while the remaining six branches, such as Cheng Xu and Xuyang, are headed by other brothers and sisters of the Master.

The Shaoyang Sect has many branches and a variety of disciples, all of whom are united by the same goal of cultivating immortality and not competing with other sects. The Master of the sect does not give much weight to fame and fortune. Shaoyang Sect has been a stronghold for hundred of years.

At this moment, the head of the sect, Xie Lei, is supervising his disciples at the Peak’s Grand Training Ground. His wife, He Danping, is also seriously instructing her female disciples on the moves of the boxing style. In the afternoon, the martial arts arena is as hot as a steamer and everyone is sweating like rain, but the large martial arts arena is silent, except for the occasional call for moves. It’s only because Xie Lei’s youngest daughter Xuanji who hasn’t made progress, and has become lazy. The disciples knew that the head was in a violent and severe mood. For fear of accidentally angering him, they had to grit their teeth and practice hard, even if they were hurt. No one dared to make a sound even when they felt the pain.

He Danping observed the two disciples exchange sword strokes with each other, and saw that they were practicing well, so she walked to the side to have a sip of tea. Unfortunately, Du Minxing had not yet brought Xuanji to her. When she looked back at Xie Lei’s face, she saw that his face was turning black and blue, so he must be suppressing his anger.

She sighed in her heart and walked over to him and said softly, “Husband… Xuanji has been feeling stuffy these days, so I think she’s not feeling well. Don’t be too angry with her. She is still young, so if you force her too much, I’m afraid it won’t be good…”.

Xie Lei didn’t answer, but just sneered. When he looked up, he saw his eldest daughter, Ling Long, trembling and holding her mother’s golden sword, practicing sword moves seriously. Her small face was flushed due to the heat, but she didn’t complain. “She is still young? Ling Long and her are twin sisters. She can practice the sword now. What about Xuanji? It’s because you spoil her too much! She’s spoiled, and she’s not learning anything!”

He Danping knows that her husband is angry this time, otherwise he would never speak to her like this. Anything she says will only add fuel to the fire, so frustratingly she has to keep her mouth shut.

On the other side, eleven-year-old Ling Long had just finished her exercises and was gallantly looking for her Sixth Senior Brother, Zhong Minyan, with her sword in tow. “Fight me!”

Zhong Minyan was squatting nearby, his face sweaty. He frowned and said, “I won’t!”

Ling Long stomped her foot and said, “Hurry up! Come fight with me!”

He just wouldn’t comply, but there was a little smile in his voice: “I’m not telling you to hurry up either!”

Like her father, Ling Long has a violent temper. After calling him twice, and he still didn’t move, she got angry and said, “If you don’t fight with me, I’m going to stab you!”

When Zhong Minyan saw that she got angry, he turns to her and laughs, “I’ll practice with you only if you call me “Brother Minyan”.”

Ling Long stomps her foot and shouts, “Zhong Min Yan! You’re such a jerk! If you don’t practice with me, that means you haven’t mastered Yaohua’s swordplay! I’m done with you!”

“Alright, alright.” Zhong Minyan borrowed a sword from the female disciple next to him, and smiled, “I’ll practice with you. You’ve really got a temper.”

Linglong is anxious. Seeing that he is ready, she swings her sword. Her grip was so weak that she almost flung the sword out of her hand this time. Zhong Minyan hurriedly held it up and said with a laugh: “You can’t hold the sword tightly, what’s the problem?”

Linglong blushed, and she was about to refute with a few words, but she heard Xie Lei say from behind: “Minyan, come here.”

Zhong Minyan hurriedly put away his laughing expression, and bowed as he got near, “What is the command of the master?”

Xie Lei said sternly, “Your senior brother went to find your younger junior sister. He hasn’t come back yet. I’m afraid he is soft-hearted and was moved by that tricky girl. Now you go and have a look. Don’t say anything when you see her. Just grab her and bring her here.”

Zhong Minyan cried out in his heart for his bad luck. He was so unlucky. In the entire Shaoyang Sect, he could talk to anyone except for that Chu Xuanji, the two were always at odds and wanted to beat him up if he said anything. This job is better suited to someone else.

He quickly figured out how to refuse and fidgeted, “Master… I… I… was accompanying Sister Linglong to fight…”.

After speaking, the master didn’t respond. He secretly raised his eyes, but saw the master staring at the sky in front of him. He also looked back and saw his senior brother Du Minxing flying over with Xuanji.

For a while, the disciples in the martial arts ground stopped their work and looked up to watch the show. Xuanji’s reputation among her sect brothers and sisters is not as good as Linglong. She is weird and uncomfortable to be around. Therefore, most of the people watching look forward to a good show, just waiting to see how she gets punished.

Xuanji jumped down from the Black Iron Ruyi with fear and trepidation, but when she saw that the atmosphere in the martial arts arena was not right and her father was watching her with a cold stare, she hesitated for a long time.

Du Minxing put away the Black Iron Ruyi and touched the top of her head, saying softly, “Don’t be afraid, come, go and pay your respects to Master.”

Xuanji was reluctant to do so, so he pulled Xuanji in front of Xie Lei and kneeled down, saying, “Xuanji pays homage to the master.”

Xie Lei snorted and said calmly, “You still know how to pay homage to the Master of the Sect! I thought you didn’t have this Shaoyang Sect in your eyes at all!”

Xuanji knew that he was angry, so she didn’t dare to say anything, so she just lowered her head and played with the belt of her clothes in a daze. Even though she thought that she had done nothing wrong, she didn’t dare to be stubborn.

“Tell me, what are you doing in the backyard all day long? Apart from lazing around and sleeping, have you done anything else in your daily life that a cultivator should do?”

As Xuanji dared not look up, Du Minxing, who was beside him, hastily said with a smile, “Don’t be angry, Master. I just found my little sister in the garden at the back of the mountain. She was reciting the Book of Ten Thousand Demons by heart, which shows that she was not lazy. The little sister is still serious in practicing, but as she has a weak physique, she can not speed up her practice. Master, please be understanding!”

Xie Lei sneered, “So what if she memorized all the folklore of the world’s mountains? On the day we go down, do you want to stare at the demon and recite books? If you can’t fly, and you don’t know how to fight with a sword, or any celestial skills, how can you be an immortal?”

Du Minxing was about to say more, but the Master waved his hand and interrupted, “Go away! Don’t say another word!”

He could only hang his hands and retreat to the sidelines.

Xie Lei looked at Xuanji for a long time, but he didn’t say anything.

Seeing her beautiful appearance, he was filled with pity for this daughter. After a lifetime of cultivation, Xie Lei didn’t care much about matters of marriage and childbirth, but he finally got a pair of twin daughters in his middle age. Xuanji looks more like her mother, slender and weak, and he could not bear to be harsh on her in her training. But for one thing, Xuanji was too lazy, so much so that she can’t even do the horse stance. Secondly, as the Head of the Sect, if he indulges his own daughter, then how can he be taken seriously by the public in the future?

Thinking of this, he felt angry again, and said, “Stand up, I want to see how well you have practiced Xuan Ming Fist. Right here, in front of all your teachers, brothers, and sisters. Don’t be shy.”

Xuanji didn’t know how to practice Xuanming Fist, she had forgotten how to do the stance, but she had to stand up at the command of the Head of the Sect.

For a while, the place was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop on the ground. The hot afternoon breeze whipped through Xuanji’s long hair, and her back was sweating profusely. Hundreds of pairs of eyes were pinned on her, and she seemed to be frozen, unable to move a single finger.

He Danping couldn’t bear to see her humiliated in public and was about to say something, but Xie Lei stopped her with a gesture. He turned his head and said, “Do you not know how to practice? Then I ask you, what have you been doing all these years?”

Xuanji still didn’t say anything. The strong sunlight shining directly on her face made her feel a little weak. It was too far away, and most couldn’t see her expression clearly. Even those who were gloating before couldn’t help but sweat now. If she stays silent like this, the master will only be more angry.

“Chu Xuanji, speak.” Xie Lei’s voice was very soft, like a piece of thin ice suddenly cracking.

Xuanji suddenly fell to her knees and said in a deep voice, “I won’t! Please punish me, Master!”

Xie Lei actually laughed out loud, “Punishment? What punishment! You know the word “punishment”! He abruptly stopped laughing and said, “Listen, go home tonight, pack some clothes, and starting tomorrow, you’ll live in the Mingxia Cave at the Beishan Sun Peak. Come out when I let you out!”

The crowd was astonished. The Mingxia Cave is a thousand feet deep, and the inside is as dark as hell, with year-round dampness and coldness, and many insects and snakes. Usually disciples will go crazy if they stay in it for a moment, not to mention this kind of punishment with an indefinite deadline! She’s only an eleven-year-old girl, and in any case, the punishment is too severe!

He Danping bursts into tears on the spot, and Ling Long, unable to hold back, rushes up and falls to her knees, urgently saying, “Ask the Master to spare my sister! She’s not well. She’ll die if she enters the Mingxia Cave!”

A group of young disciples of the Sect, including Du Minxing and Zhong Minyan, fell to their knees and pleaded, “Master, please withdraw your order! I’m afraid my younger sister can’t take this kind of punishment! “Please, Master, give her a break!”

Xie Lei fiercely flicked his sleeve, and calmly said, “Stand up! I have made up my mind on this matter, so there’s no need to talk about it anymore!” After saying so, he turned around and looked at Xuanji. Her face was pale, but she did not look fearful.

Although his anger was strong, he couldn’t bear it in his heart and sighed, “Xuanji… There are many people in the world who can only be ordinary people, who live, grow old, get sick and die, and live a mediocre life. But you can’t. You are a disciple of Shaoyang Peak. As a disciple of Shaoyang Peak, immortality is your lifelong goal. How can you… be willing to be an ordinary person?”

She was silent for a long time before she said, “Are we not ordinary people?

Xie Lei was silent after hearing the words, but after a long time he said, “You…….go away.”

He did not know what to feel as he looked at the thin back of the little girl.

Rotten wood cannot be carved.

But this piece of rotten wood is his daughter, and even if it can’t be carved, he must carve it into shape.

Du Minxing still wanted to plead with Xie Lei, but he flicked his sleeves and walked away until he reached the edge of the martial arts practice area. “Minxing, come to my room tonight. I want to see how far your Yang Toxic Technique has reached.”

The first time Du Minxing heard the words “Yang Toxic Technique”, he was overjoyed. This is the most profound spell of Shaoyang Peak, and usually only students aged twenty can practice it. Now that he is only eighteen years old, the Master said, “Let’s see how far he has reached in practicing the Yang Toxic Technique” is just a pretense, he is actually planning to teach him this technique.

The young disciples around him looked at him with envy, and all of them came over to congratulate him. Du Minxing was so excited that he almost couldn’t stand it and he forgot all about Xuanji.

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[1]: 断/duàn (to break/ to cut off) 金/Jīn (gold) is the name of the sword given to Linglong by her mother, He Danping.

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