Chapter 12: Discovered

At the summit of Divine Sword Peak, inside a simple cave abode, aside from a plain table and chairs, there were nothing but wine jars piled high, plus a straw mat.

At that moment, a disheveled old man in gray cloth, drunk and slovenly, sat cross‑legged on the straw mat without any decorum.

Before him stood Lu Youyou and Liu Shuang, who had just hurried back.

This old man was the peak master of Divine Sword Peak, one of the thirty‑six peaks of Dao Yi Sect, Jiujian Hong Zun, a mighty expert who had surpassed the Nascent Soul Realm.

"Burp, where did you two girls run off to so early this morning?"

After belching from the wine, Hong Zun slurred his question; hearing it, Liu Shuang was about to speak, but Lu Youyou beat her to it.

"Master, I and my senior sister went for a stroll around the town at the mountain's base."

Hearing this, Liu Shuang glanced skeptically at her junior sister, wondering why she would lie to the master—she could have simply said they were going to the mountain's kitchen.

Still, she didn't expose the lie, and Hong Zun didn't seem to mind, continuing his drunken speech.

"Don't go running around aimlessly all day, especially you, Youyou."

"I understand, Master."

Hearing that, Lu Youyou nodded obediently.

Afterward, Hong Zun gave the two some cultivation pointers; a little over an hour passed before he let them leave.

"Junior sister, why did you deceive the master?"

"Shh, senior sister, keep your voice down."

Just as they left the cave, Liu Shuang asked in confusion; Lu Youyou made a silencing gesture, glanced back at the cave, then hurriedly pulled Liu Shuang away.

Only after they were far from the master's cave did Lu Youyou explain to Liu Shuang.

"Senior sister, I ask you—how is Junior Brother Changqing's cooking?"

Not knowing what Lu Youyou meant, Liu Shuang still nodded.

"Then, senior sister, would you like someone to come and compete with you for food?"

She shook her head, indicating she did not want that.

"Well then, since Junior Brother Changqing's cooking is so good, anyone who's tasted it can't forget it; the more people who know, the more rivals we have, and conversely, if one person is missing, we have one less competitor and can eat an extra bite."

Lu Youyou explained with a self‑satisfied 'I'm a genius' look, and Liu Shuang, after hearing this, also showed an expression of sudden realization.

Yes, Junior Brother Changqing is a treasure; such a treasure naturally ought to be kept hidden.

Nobody wants an unnecessary rival to appear out of nowhere.

"What the junior sister says makes sense."

"Exactly, so senior sister, regarding Junior Brother Changqing, none of us may speak of it."

"I understand."

The two girls wore a self‑satisfied smart look, unaware that inside the cave, after they left, Hong Zun's lips curled into a smile.

"You two little girls still think you can fool your master? I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice, and there's still grease around my mouth that hasn't been wiped clean."

In the blink of an eye, mealtime approached; all over Divine Sword Peak, menial disciples hurriedly finished their chores, thinking only of rushing to the canteen to line up—the stir‑fried meat was so fragrant they'd soon be eating two bowls of rice.

"Senior brother, if there's nothing else, we'll be on our way."

"Junior brother, don't rush; today I happened to catch a snow rabbit, let's eat it together before we go."

In the inner‑sect area, the two female menial disciples had finished their tasks and were about to leave, when this inner‑sect disciple took the initiative to invite them.

In the sect, it's not uncommon for outer‑sect disciples to invite menial disciples to a meal; in the past, menial disciples who received such invitations were indeed delighted and never refused.

Moreover, the snow rabbit is a legitimate demonic beast, and eating it is beneficial for cultivation.

But right now, the two girls had only one thing on their minds—going to the canteen to gobble rice—and they refused without a second thought.

"Thank you for your kindness, senior brother, but we have other matters; please don't take offense."

"I see, then I won't insist; junior sisters, take your time."

"Thank you, senior brother."

Having refused that inner‑sect senior brother, the two girls immediately strode off at a run, heading straight down the mountain's base; watching their swiftly receding backs, the inner‑sect disciple sighed.

"It seems there really is an urgent matter—they've already burst forth with the speed of a Body‑Refining Realm cultivator."

"If there weren't something truly important, who would risk their life sprinting for no reason?"

You should know that in the Body‑Refining Realm there is no spiritual power, so an all‑out sprint consumes a great deal of stamina.

Yet these two female menial disciples showed no hesitation whatsoever; they simply ran as if risking their lives.

He felt moved, though if the inner‑sect senior brother knew that the girls were doing this merely to grab a good spot in the canteen, he wouldn't know what to think.

All around, menial disciples were running for their lives, and many disciples who saw this scene along the way were utterly bewildered.

"What's wrong with these menial disciples?"

"I don't know; maybe something happened at home?"

"Damn it, if one family had trouble you could explain it, but does every family have trouble? We've seen over a dozen menial disciples like this along the way."

They were completely baffled, and moreover, while running, the menial disciples shouted.

"Hey, slow down, you bastard—I can't keep up!"

"If you can't keep up, just rest; don't worry, I'll eat your share."

"Holy shit, you want to eat my rice?"

Saying that, he then chased after them as if injected with chicken blood.

Half an hour before mealtime, a long line had already formed outside the canteen, and Lu Youyou and Liu Shuang were conspicuously in it; although they arrived a bit late and didn't get the first spot, they were still fairly far up.

The queue stretched all the way to the outer courtyard, with everyone craning their necks toward the kitchen, waiting for the two words 'mealtime'.

"What are you doing?"

Just then, at the rear of the line, a disheveled old man asked the menial disciple ahead of him.

Hearing that, the menial disciple turned his head for a glance, but failed to recognize that the old man was the peak master of Divine Sword Peak, Jiujian Hong Zun.

After all, they could hardly even get in touch with an Inner Disciple, let alone a Peak Master; just being able to speak with a few Outer Sect Stewards on ordinary days was already not bad.

Not recognizing Hong Zun, this menial disciple still enthusiastically explained.

"This is the Divine Sword Peak canteen; we're all here to eat, senior, what are you here for............?"

"Me? I'm also here to eat."

Hearing that, Hong Zun didn't expect that Lu Youyou and Liu Shuang, these two girls, would rush here in such a hurry just to eat, and this place is actually the canteen of his Divine Sword Peak.

For a moment it seemed a bit strange, but also curious; he simply decided to see what was going on with this little canteen, which had attracted both of his disciples like this.

Upon hearing that Hong Zun had also come to eat, this menial disciple didn't think much of it, merely reminding him.

"Eating is no problem, but the canteen rules state that everyone must queue."

"Queue? Do I need to as well?"

Hearing this, Hong Zun froze; as a Peak Master in his own right, coming to the canteen to eat and having to queue?

As for his doubt, this menial disciple was completely straightforward, instead pointing ahead—there, at the corner of the courtyard gate, were Lu Youyou and Liu Shuang.

"Have you seen those two senior sisters? They are Inner Disciples, but they also have to follow the canteen rules, so senior............"