Chapter 61

“You’re not going?” The eldest miss narrowed her eyes at her younger brother, speaking slowly and deliberately: “I went to great lengths, using old favors, to bring back Master Zhang for you—and you say you won’t go? I’ll give you one more chance to answer!”

“Not going!” The seventh young master shrank his neck but still refused.

“Zhao! Jingfan!” The eldest miss clenched her fists: “Don’t force me to beat you the moment I get back!”

Hearing this familiar phrasing, the seventh young master seemed to recall some painful memory, his voice growing noticeably quieter: “Zheng Fa brings back a pile of books every day, staying up late to draw these talisman diagrams for me...”

The eldest miss froze slightly, her anger slowly hardening into stillness—she hadn’t expected such a reason.

As the seventh young master continued: “He’s worked so hard. If I stop him from teaching me now, won’t he feel all his effort was wasted? Won’t he think I look down on him? How could I be so disloyal?”

“You’re doing this just for that?”

The seventh young master nodded, his tone slightly gloomy: “If I hadn’t seen how hard he works, I’d have run off long ago. A tiny vine whip could hold me back?”

The eldest miss looked at her brother, her anger gradually fading, replaced by a faint smile: “After ten years apart, I feared you’d gone astray—but now I see you’re more sensible than I thought.”

“I’m not stupid—who’s been good to me, I know!” The seventh young master snorted at his sister’s praise, clearly proud: “Anyway, let Zheng Fa teach me! I’ve made real progress! I don’t need that Master Zhang!”

Seeing his demeanor, the eldest miss softened her tone: “He may work hard, but don’t throw a child’s tantrum. Learning from Master Zhang will benefit you more!”

“No!”

“Zhao Jingfan! Do you really think you’ve grown up enough to ignore me?” The eldest miss, seeing he was unmoved by reason or force, finally lost her temper. She glanced around, snatched up the vine whip Zheng Fa had left behind, and raised it as if to punish her brother.

“Even if you beat me into bed for three more months, I won’t go!” The seventh young master stuck out his neck defiantly.

Watching his stubborn defiance, the eldest miss raised the whip. The seventh young master shut his eyes tight, not flinching or dodging.

She swung—the whip struck his arm.

“Ow!” The seventh young master cried out, his tone heart-wrenching.

“Enough! Stop acting! Since you were a kid, you’ve screamed like you’re being beaten even when the stick hasn’t touched you—no mark on your butt, but your voice goes hoarse.”

“Sis! I knew you couldn’t hit hard!” The seventh young master grinned.

“You...” The eldest miss tossed the whip aside and shook her head: “Whether you learn from Master Zhang isn’t up to you—it determines whether you pass the Immortal Grade Assessment and enter an Immortal Sect.”

Seeing her brother about to speak again, she continued: “This year’s Immortal Grade Assessment is stricter than ever. Dual-element cultivators may not even qualify as upper-grade.”

The seventh young master’s expression shifted slightly.

“If you fail to enter the Green Wood Sect through the assessment, I’ll have to use my personal attendant slot to take you.” The eldest miss looked at him: “Then, the attendant slot Mother promised Zheng Fa will go to you instead of him. Do you understand?”

The seventh young master fell silent. The eldest miss knew he’d finally listened.

“Go learn properly from Master Zhang. Pass into the Immortal Sect, and I can bring Zheng Fa along to the Green Wood Sect too. It’s good for you—and good for him.”

After a long pause, she finally saw her brother nod. She was just about to smile in relief when he spoke:

“But I have to tell Zheng Fa first, so he doesn’t misunderstand!”

“...”

Walking toward the Zheng family courtyard, the eldest miss frowned slightly and asked her brother: “Ever since I got back, I’ve heard nothing but Zheng Fa’s name—my ears are worn out. Mother talks about him, you talk about him—just who is he?”

“Zheng Fa...” The seventh young master scratched his head, struggling to describe him, then finally blurted out: “He’s incredibly smart. He started learning talisman diagrams from me, and in half a month, he learned what took me years.”

The eldest miss nodded. “And?”

“Also, his martial talent isn’t bad. Mother gave him the Spirit Crane Body Technique, saying no mortal could ever master it—he mastered it anyway.”

The eldest miss remained expressionless, but spoke: “That’s all? That’s why you care so much?”

“He’s never been respectful to me, doesn’t act like a servant... but he’s always been good to me.” The seventh young master pursed his lips: “Mother schemed against him, scared him—both for my sake. He’s smart enough to know that.”

“Yet he never blamed me. He still stayed up late drawing talismans for me, willing to teach me secret techniques...” The seventh young master turned back, grinning widely at his sister: “Sis, don’t worry—I’ve grown up. I’m not stupid.”

The eldest miss sighed: “Since childhood, you’ve always loved someone to the point of adoration or hated them to the point of destruction. Haven’t you suffered enough because of it? How can I not worry?”

The seventh young master scowled, wanting to retort.

“Whether Zheng Fa is good or bad—I’ll judge for myself.” The eldest miss didn’t say whether she believed her brother, only added: “But no matter how kind or cruel he is, remember—he’s just one servant in the Zhao household.”

"What kind of person Zheng Fa is isn't up to you to decide—I'll judge for myself. Whether he treats you well or poorly, you must understand he's merely one of the Zhao family's servants."

“The Zhao household may seem large—but compared to the Green Wood Sect? To the Hundred Immortal Alliance? To the entire cultivation world?” The eldest miss turned to her brother: “His talent might stand out here, but how does it compare to the geniuses of the cultivation world? Let alone before Master Zhang—his talents are insignificant.”

"The Zhao family may seem large, but how does it compare to the Green Wood Sect? To the Hundred Immortal Alliance? To the entire cultivation world?" The young lady turned to her younger brother: "His talent might stand out within the Zhao family, but how does it compare to the geniuses of the cultivation world? Never mind others—before Zhang Shijie, his talents are utterly insignificant."

“The cultivation world is vast. Once you go, you’ll realize Zheng Fa is nothing special—just like I once thought I was extraordinary...”

She fell silent, as if unwilling to say more.

A flicker of pity crossed the seventh young master’s face. He pressed his lips together, unwilling to contradict his sister now.

The eldest miss changed the subject: “Remember—you may be close to Zheng Fa, but don’t throw away such a rare opportunity as Master Zhang just for loyalty. Do you understand?”

The seventh young master still looked resentful: “Zheng Fa’s even been noticed by a Nascent Soul True Person! Learning from him is still Nascent Soul transmission!”

The eldest miss scoffed: “Master Zhang’s own master is a Nascent Soul True Person! She’s the most famed talisman genius of the Hundred Immortal Alliance—how could she possibly be inferior to Zheng Fa? Zheng Fa and Master Zhang—one is in heaven, the other in the earth. Do you understand?”

Even if the seventh young master still believed Zheng Fa had talent, he no longer dared claim he surpassed Master Zhang.

“Also, Master Zhang isn’t bad-tempered—but she hates wasting words. She came to the Zhao household only because our ancestors had old ties with her elders. She...” The eldest miss hesitated, then chose her words: “She’s devoted only to talisman arts and calculations. She has no interest in anything else. Her coldness isn’t aimed at you.”

"Also, although Zhang Shijie isn't bad-tempered, she dislikes wasting words. She came to the Zhao household only because our ancestors had old ties with her elders. She is... " The young lady paused, then described: "Completely devoted to talisman arts and mathematics, uninterested in anything else. Her coldness isn't directed at you—it's just her nature."

“Hmm?”

“Does Master Zhang always wear a green Daoist robe?”

“How do you know that?”

“And—isn’t she got big eyes and a straight nose?”

The eldest miss grew even more confused: “Have you seen her?”

“Does she have a tiny dimple on her left cheek when she smiles?”

The seventh young master didn’t answer, only pressed on.

“I... I never noticed.” The eldest miss frowned: “She rarely smiles. I’ve seen her laugh maybe twice—never paid attention to whether she had a dimple.”

"She... I really haven't noticed." The young lady frowned. "She rarely smiles—I've never seen her smile more than a few times, and I never paid attention to whether she has dimples."

The seventh young master pointed leftward. The eldest miss followed his finger.

It was a small courtyard, its gate open, facing directly toward the main hall.

Inside the main hall, the ever-serious Master Zhang held a brush, her lips curled in a radiant smile, speaking to the man across from her.

Yes—there was a tiny dimple. Her smile was sweet...

Hmm, there’s a small dimple, and when she smiles, it’s quite sweet…