Chapter Seventeen: The Subtle Art of Purifying Dust

The next morning, Gu Weiyu awoke early without needing Crescent to rouse her. “Sister Crescent, after breakfast, could you take me to Taihe Residence?” she asked eagerly.

“But miss, aren’t you supposed to be reflecting in seclusion?” Crescent replied, puzzled.

Gu Weiyu instantly felt as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over her, dousing her excitement. That’s right—she was currently confined to reflect on her misdeeds. She had to maintain the proper appearance.

“All right, then,” Gu Weiyu replied, her tone drawn out and listless.

“Miss, two days will pass in no time. The day after tomorrow, you’ll be able to visit the head of the family,” Crescent offered comfort upon seeing her so dispirited.

Gu Weiyu’s eyes flickered with a new idea; remembering she’d only one day left before she could leave, her spirits revived.

Crescent shook her head with a smile and turned to fetch breakfast from the courtyard gate.

After the meal, Gu Weiyu returned upstairs to her quiet room and cultivated for eight cycles, roughly an hour. She then took out a jade slip to study a new spell—the Fireball Technique!

The Fireball Technique was fairly destructive; after she accidentally burned a corner of her desk, she was forced to practice outside in the open courtyard.

As dusk fell, Gu Weiyu was meditating and cultivating in the bamboo grove when Crescent called from outside, “Miss, the Twelfth Young Master is here.”

Gu Weiyu ceased her cultivation, glanced at the sky—how quickly the days had flown. Tomorrow, she’d be able to go out again.

She rose and left the bamboo grove, just in time to see a young boy running toward her. “Twelfth Brother, what’s wrong? Did Fifth Sister bully you again?”

Gu Qingyun, lips pouting, wore an unhappy expression. “Fifth Sister was talking about you behind your back again in Yanqi Hall today. I can’t stand her!”

“Don’t mind her. Tomorrow, your Eleventh Sister will stand up for you!” Gu Weiyu replied with a grown-up air, ruffling his hair. Her heart stirred with anticipation—she was eager to test the new spells she’d learned these past two days.

Twelfth Brother gazed at her with open admiration. “Eleventh Sister, you’re amazing!”

But as if suddenly recalling something, he furrowed his brow. “Eleventh Sister, I heard Fifth Sister has already reached the second level of Qi Refinement and will soon break through to the third. Maybe… you shouldn’t confront her?”

Gu Weiyu was nonchalant. She had read up on the basics of cultivation in her spare time and knew that the Qi Refinement stage had twelve levels. The first to fourth levels were considered the early stage, and the first two levels were mainly for strengthening the body and learning basic spells; there wasn’t much difference in actual power.

“Don’t worry, Twelfth Brother. I know what I’m doing,” Gu Weiyu replied with a gentle smile. “Are you staying for dinner tonight?”

Twelfth Brother nodded vigorously. “Liuguang, go back to Lingshuang Pavilion and fetch the meal box. I’m having dinner here.”

Liuguang agreed with a grin, then stood to one side with Crescent, both of them watching the siblings chat.

Twelfth Brother had apparently bottled up much during the day at Yanqi Hall, and now he poured out everything that had happened there like beans from a bamboo tube.

When he mentioned Gu Weifang’s sarcastic remarks, Gu Weiyu merely treated it as a story and asked, “Xiaoyun, did you manage to draw spiritual energy into your body today?”

Twelfth Brother scratched his head sheepishly. “Eleventh Sister, I still haven’t managed to do it. Am I too stupid?”

“Don’t worry about what others think. Diligent cultivation is the true path. Don’t you want to return to our village and see Father and Mother sooner?” Gu Weiyu replied, her tone earnest. “Remember, strength is everything. The rest is just illusion.”

Twelfth Brother nodded in confusion, not fully understanding but storing her words deep in his heart. Years later, after enduring many hardships, he would finally grasp their meaning.

As they spoke, Liuguang and Crescent returned with the meal boxes. Only then did they notice the sky ablaze with red clouds—it was getting late.

After dinner, Twelfth Brother reluctantly returned to Lingshuang Pavilion with Liuguang.

Gu Weiyu cultivated for over an hour in her quiet room, had a few pastries, then retired for the night.

At dawn the next day, Gu Weiyu was already awake when Crescent entered her room.

Ever since she had succeeded in drawing spiritual energy into her body and reached the first level of Qi Refinement, her senses had grown sharper—she could hear the slightest stirrings around her.

“Miss, you’re awake? Shall we have breakfast?” Crescent asked, smiling to see her up.

Gu Weiyu nodded, waved her hand, and cast a Cleaning Spell. Instantly, she was spotless—no sleep in her eyes, no dandruff, no oil; it was the perfect spell for the lazy!

Crescent looked on enviously. Gu Weiyu grinned, “Sister Crescent, I’m quite adept at the Cleaning Spell now. Want me to cast one on you?”

Crescent hesitated a moment, but curiosity won out. She closed her eyes and nodded.

With a wave of her small hand, a gentle breeze swept over Crescent, leaving her feeling instantly refreshed. She opened her eyes in delight. “Thank you, Miss!”

After breakfast, Gu Weiyu and Twelfth Brother made their way together to Yanqi Hall, as usual.

As soon as they entered, Second Grandfather, who was meditating in the side hall, suddenly opened his piercing eyes and fixed them on Gu Weiyu. Soon, his stern expression softened into a smile. “Little Eleven, well done!”

“Thank you for your praise, Second Grandfather,” Gu Weiyu replied, understanding that he had noticed her breakthrough to Qi Refinement, and offered a cheerful smile.

“Good. Go inside and cultivate. Little Twelve, you must work harder,” Second Grandfather said, glancing at Twelfth Brother before closing his eyes again.

Several others were already present in Yanqi Hall. Seeing Gu Weiyu enter, their gazes unconsciously lingered on her.

“Congratulations, Eleventh Sister!” Gu Qingsong, quick to sense her advancement, was the first to offer his felicitations with a smile.

Gu Weiyu’s impression of him was favorable; she responded with a faint smile. “Thank you, Third Brother.”

No matter what they thought inwardly, the others in the hall followed suit and offered congratulations.

Twelfth Brother watched Gu Weiyu chatting and laughing with the others and recalled what she’d said to him the day before. He resolved to cultivate diligently and reach the stage of drawing spiritual energy into his body as soon as possible.

“Well, isn’t it lively today. So Little Eleven has returned!” Gu Weifang arrived late that morning and, seeing everyone gathered around Gu Weiyu, felt a pang of jealousy. “How was it? Did you enjoy your two days?”

Gu Weiyu looked at her with a faint, mischievous smile. She flicked her fingers, and a Cleaning Spell descended upon Gu Weifang’s head.

In the blink of an eye, the glass hairpin that had been securing Gu Weifang’s hair vanished.

Without it, her thick black hair immediately tumbled down over her shoulders.

Startled, Gu Weifang instinctively reached up to feel for her hairpin, only to find it missing. She cried out, “Ah! My glass hairpin!”

Though the hairpin wasn’t particularly valuable, its exquisite craftsmanship made it her favorite possession.