Chapter 83: Ascending to the Top

Hearing her master’s praise, Gu Weiyu was filled with delight. She took out a jade bottle and carefully stored the Rejuvenation Pills from the alchemy furnace.

“This batch of spirit pills is mostly of medium grade, with a few low-grade ones mixed in. Hongyi, you still need to refine your control over the heat when merging the medicinal liquids,” Master Yuling pointed out as she examined the pills in the bottle.

Gu Weiyu nodded, having noticed the same problem herself. “Master, I would like to try refining them again!”

Master Yuling nodded approvingly. Regardless of a cultivator’s talent, the art of alchemy could only be improved through constant practice and exploration.

Gu Weiyu took out another set of spirit herbs and devoted herself once more to the art of pill refining.

“It’s done!” The refreshing fragrance that wafted from the furnace told Gu Weiyu at once that this batch’s quality was surely exceptional.

Master Yuling’s smile deepened. “Excellent! There are no low-grade pills in this batch, and even a few high-grade pills have come out.”

As Gu Weiyu collected the pills, she offered a playful compliment. “It’s all thanks to your excellent instruction, Master!”

“You should refine all the remaining spirit herbs. The pills you produce can be exchanged for sect contribution points at the Spirit Herb Hall—much more worthwhile than mere spirit stones,” Master Yuling instructed, then rose and left the alchemy chamber.

Gu Weiyu was in high spirits, fully engrossed in her refining. Naturally, she had no reason to refuse.

While Gu Weiyu was immersed in alchemy, elsewhere in Danyang City, Chu Xingyun, failing to spot her among the participants in the Danyang Sect’s entrance trials, was already hatching a new scheme.

Two days later, a two-story bamboo pavilion stood serenely at the edge of a bamboo grove, its sign inscribed with three characters: “Emerald Bamboo Retreat.”

Gu Weiyu couldn’t help but stroll around her new courtyard, taking it all in: the stone table amid the bamboo, the rattan chair at the door, the bamboo bed in her room… Everything was so familiar.

Reclining on the rattan chair, she idly swung her feet, watching the golden afterglow of sunset spill across the bamboo grove and slant over the bamboo fence in her yard. For once, her heart found a rare peace.

The furnishings inside were all exquisitely arranged, and especially pleasing was the small alchemy chamber newly added on the first floor of the pavilion. This had been set up by special order of her master, who had directed someone to draw in the earth fire. From now on, if she wished to refine pills, she could do so right within her own residence.

That morning, as Gu Weiyu practiced swordsmanship outside the bamboo grove, a gentle laugh sounded from beyond the fence.

Remembering her current disheveled appearance, she instinctively cast a cleansing spell before turning her head. “Senior Brother Wan, is that you?”

“What’s wrong, am I not welcome here?” Wang Gu pushed open the bamboo fence and entered the courtyard.

“How could that be? Senior Brother Wan is a rare guest indeed—Hongyi is honored to welcome you,” Gu Weiyu said with a smile, going over to greet him. “What brings you here today?”

Wang Gu’s gaze roved over Gu Weiyu’s face, his tone full of amazement. “Junior Sister Lian, is it true the scar on your face is really gone?”

More than that, he felt as if her entire aura and bearing had changed.

“So you came just to see if my scar was gone?” Lian Hongyi replied, feigning annoyance, not wishing to say more.

“Of course not!” Sensing her displeasure, Wang Gu quickly explained, “You have no idea, Junior Sister—you’re now the talk of the Myriad Sword Sect! No—not just the sect! I’d say you’re famous across the Four Great Sects of the Voidless Realm!”

Gu Weiyu was shocked. The last thing she wanted was to be in the spotlight. “Senior Brother Wan, you must be joking.”

“When have I ever lied?” Wang Gu produced a jade slip and handed it to her. “Look, this is from the Mission Tower—‘A Discussion of the Top Ten Eccentric New Disciples of the Four Great Sects.’ You’re ranked number one!”

Gu Weiyu pressed the jade slip to her forehead and examined its contents. Indeed, it listed the ten most unusual new disciples from the Four Great Sects, and her name, Lian Hongyi, was right at the top.

“Why would the Mission Tower suddenly publish such a list?” Gu Weiyu’s heart pounded; a certain suspicion grew ever stronger.

“They say a particularly wealthy high-level cultivator was curious about the new disciples of the Four Great Sects and spent a fortune commissioning the Mission Tower to collect the information…”

Wang Gu’s voice faded as Gu Weiyu’s suspicion crystallized: behind this so-called list of the top ten eccentric disciples, Chu Xingyun’s shadow loomed without a doubt.

“Hongyi—” Wang Gu waved a hand in front of her eyes. This girl, honestly—she could space out even when he was talking to her! How could she be so inattentive?

Gu Weiyu snapped out of it. “Senior Brother Wan, what is it?”

“I called you several times—what were you thinking about so intently?” Wang Gu asked, puzzled.

Gu Weiyu handed the jade slip back, pretending not to care. “How dull. Someone as ordinary as me, yet I’m at the top of the list?”

“You don’t know the half of it. That jade slip is just an abridged version. The Mission Tower’s full list includes detailed introductions and even images of you all. Now that your scar is gone, your appearance is completely different from before, so naturally, you shot straight to the top!” Wang Gu chattered on by her ear, but Gu Weiyu’s heart grew heavier.

By now, Chu Xingyun had likely already learned of her situation in the Myriad Sword Sect.

She couldn’t help but regret removing her human-skin mask, though in her heart, she understood her master had only done it for her own good. Her sole consolation now was that she was safely within the Myriad Sword Sect; surely, Chu Xingyun wouldn’t dare to cause trouble here openly.

But if she were ever to leave the sect…

Gu Weiyu soon reasoned it out. Before establishing her Foundation, she must not leave the Myriad Sword Sect. As for what came after—she would deal with any danger as it arose!

“Junior Sister, you’re spacing out again!” This time Wang Gu was genuinely a bit annoyed.

Gu Weiyu replied a bit sheepishly, “Senior Brother Wan, I heard you mention the Mission Tower’s list has a more detailed version, and I got curious…”

“That’s easy! I’ll get you a copy another day,” Wang Gu said readily, his good humor quickly restored as he launched into another round of enthusiastic chatter.

To her surprise, Xu Weizhou of the Myriad Sword Sect was also on the list. Cold and expressionless, calm as still water, he was about as lively as a wooden stake—truly eccentric in his own way.

Wang Gu recounted the entire list of the top ten eccentrics, offering his own commentary on each, and finished with a flourish, “If you ask me, there should be a top ten beauties list. Sister Ruyan would definitely make the cut!”

Gu Weiyu shot him a speechless glance. “Senior Brother Wan, why don’t you make that list yourself?”

His eyes lit up at the suggestion. “Not a bad idea! I could start with the Myriad Sword Sect’s top ten beauties…”

Gu Weiyu: …

Wang Gu launched into yet another lengthy discussion, this time about all the beautiful women he knew in the sect, impressive given he’d only been here a few days.

Gradually, Gu Weiyu drifted off into her own thoughts again.

If her great-grandfather and Ninth Sister were here, surely they would also have a place on that so-called beauties list.