Chapter 552: Have You Actually Joined the Sect, or What?

The feast earlier was personally cooked by Zhao Chengmeng.

After all, it was rare for her own daughter to make a friend…

This kind of treatment would certainly make an ordinary young disciple nervous and uneasy, but Chi Jiuyu wasn't tense at all.

She'd followed her martial uncle around everywhere and met so many seniors — she couldn't be nervous in the slightest!

She'd even eaten dishes personally prepared by Senior Lingzu!

Of course, when facing such a senior, she still had to be a bit more polite.

It was a matter of upbringing!

"Don't worry, your child is doing just fine," Zhao Ruohan also said.

Your child…

Hiss!

Hearing this kind of self-reference, Chi Jiuyu felt goosebumps rise all over her body.

But she could understand — after all, Senior Zhao Chengmeng was already very, very old, and had only come out of seclusion a few decades ago, so many of her notions differed from those of a modern person like her.

Emm…

Speaking of which, her martial uncle was also very, very old, and had also just come out of seclusion — so why didn't she give off that same feeling?

Apart from being a bit of a riddler, she was also a bit mischievous, and liked to scatter opportunities everywhere…

Chi Jiuyu's thoughts were lively, drifting into all sorts of wild speculation.

"Alright then, I won't disturb you young folks any longer." Zhao Chengmeng stood up.

If she stayed here any longer, they'd feel constrained.

Besides, Jiuyu had come to learn 'Talisman Sword' from Hong Qianqian — she shouldn't disturb them too much.

"Alright," Zhao Ruohan nodded slightly.

Chi Jiuyu also came back to her senses and quickly said, "Take care, Senior!"

Zhao Chengmeng smiled lightly, her form scattering into tiny specks of faint light that dispersed and vanished in an instant.

Chi Jiuyu, who had watched the whole thing, smacked her lips.

These great seniors even had such a cool way of leaving — once her own realm was high enough in the future, she'd definitely come up with some awesome exit too!

"Alright then, I won't disturb you either — just focus on your studies."

Zhao Ruohan also stood up.

She had already obtained the refining materials from Chi Jiuyu and was preparing to go back and try them out.

With the Ascension Mission imminent, she had to raise her own strength as quickly as possible.

"Sister Qianqian will come see you tomorrow."

"Mm, mm!"

Then Zhao Ruohan transformed into a streak of escape light and shot toward the sky.

After reaching a certain height, she swiftly dropped toward the small courtyard next door.

Chi Jiuyu: "…"

It was just a matter of opening a door and walking a few steps… was all that fuss really necessary?

Muttering a few quiet complaints in her heart, she took out the jade slip recording the 'Scripture Register Sword Tome' from her storage ring, sent a wisp of divine sense into it, lay down on the stone table in front of her, and began to study it seriously.

She'd gone and bragged, after all!

She'd promised to learn this sword art in one night — if she didn't, it would be so embarrassing…

Soon, all the information in the jade slip had been browsed through completely.

After withdrawing her divine sense, she sat up much straighter, closed her eyes, and digested what she had just seen for a moment.

About a minute later, Chi Jiuyu suddenly opened her eyes, her pupils gleaming with brilliant light!

Her right hand's fingers pressed together like a sword, swiftly jabbing forward!

Whoosh!

A straight white line visible to the naked eye shot out from her fingertip, like a sharp arrow striking the distant wall!

Twisting lines appeared in the air, seeming about to outline into talisman characters, but after writhing for a while, they still failed to take shape.

Just at the instant that straight white line was about to pierce through the wall!

Chi Jiuyu frowned and lowered her hand, and that straight white line dissipated without any warning.

"Spirit talisman enters the sword, sword qi hides the talisman…"

She raised her hand and jabbed out several more sword strikes!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The straight white lines made the air emit shrill whistles, the twisting lines writhed and outlined, seeming about to form talisman characters — but all failed at the final step.

But Chi Jiuyu wasn't discouraged, and after adjusting, she continued to try.

Once, twice, three times…

After trying twenty-seven times in a row!

Whoosh!

Another straight white line shot out violently, dragging twisting lines through the void; the lines rapidly outlined into shape, condensed into a talisman character, and then—

Boom!

A scorching wave of flames surged up, blazing fiercely in the small courtyard, the terrifying heat causing the air to warp visibly to the naked eye.

Success!

"Not bad, it's not actually that hard," Chi Jiuyu muttered.

Casually jabbing out three more times, the talisman characters formed by the three white lines stirred wind, thunder, and fire, weaving together into a terrifying tornado of thunder and fire. Once she'd grasped the knack, it was actually quite easy.

The talisman is the warp, the sword qi the weft; refining talismans is like nurturing a sword, and drawing a talisman is like drawing it from its sheath.

Too bad her proficiency in talisman arts is virtually nonexistent—she compensates entirely with her formidable sword realm; otherwise, this technique's power could be even greater!

A sudden clarity arose in her heart, and she slapped her palm down, extinguishing the thunder-and-fire tornado.

"Shatter sleep! Shatter sleep!"

Chi Jiuyu toyed with the jade slip, then turned and walked back into the room.

……

……

The next morning.

Clouds surged like waves, dawn mist condensed into dew.

Auspicious scenes woven from rosy light spiraled above the island, continuously showering shimmering rays that nourished all the spiritual plants growing across it.

Inside the small courtyard, Chi Jiuyu was eating breakfast sent by Zhao Ruohan.

She gulped down the porridge made from spiritual rice, swallowed three red spiritual fruits in a few bites, then drained the cup of spiritual dew in one go!

"Phew~!"

She stretched out long and wide, then rubbed her belly.

Then, as if from nowhere, she pulled out a golden-brown roasted chicken leg, opened her mouth wide, and took a bite.

Zhao Ruohan: "……"

Just last night, she chewed slowly and deliberately during dinner…

"Doesn't this breakfast suit your taste?"

"Hm?"

With a gulp, Chi Jiuyu swallowed the meat in her mouth.

"It's fine, pretty tasty!"

It's just too plain—Jiuyu Laozu prefers meat!

"Oh! Having breakfast, huh!"

The voice came from beside; turning her head, she saw a girl-like figure wearing loose work pants and black sandals.

Her top was black, emblazoned with four large white characters: "I AM INVINCIBLE!"

"And there's a roasted chicken leg too—give me one!"

She sat down beside her with effortless familiarity.

Chi Jiuyu stared at the four white characters on her chest, her expression odd.

But before she could ask anything.

"Good morning, Qianqian-jie."

Zhao Ruohan directly revealed her identity.

"Good morning, good morning!" Hong Qianqian greeted Zhao Ruohan, then smiled warmly at Chi Jiuyu. "You must be Chi Jiuyu."

Last night, she'd been busy handling a pile of matters and had no time to pay attention to the disciple of the Sword Sovereign.

Chi Jiuyu blinked:

"Yes."

"Any more roasted chicken legs?"

"Hmm… there could be."

"Then give me one."

"Alright."

The way the two interacted left Zhao Ruohan thoroughly confused.

But Hong Qianqian had already taken the roasted chicken leg from Chi Jiuyu's hand, bit into it, and declared with hearty ease:

"Just call me Qianqian-jie, same as Ruohan does!"

"Oh." Chi Jiuyu nodded. "Then call me Jiuyu or Jiuyu-shimei—just don't call me Chi-shimei."

"Got it, got it." Hong Qianqian took another bite of the chicken leg. "How's the Scripture of Talisman and Sword coming along? Any parts you don't understand?"

"It's fine, not hard at all," Chi Jiuyu answered honestly.

Fundamentally, it's still swordplay—basic swordplay at that.

With her peerless sword talent, mastering it in one night was effortless!

Hong Qianqian raised an eyebrow.

In just one night? You've already entered the realm? (End of Chapter)