Chapter 152: Stealing the Jade Slip

Cheng Bi arranged a place for Ruan Xing to stay, then told her to rest well and adapt to the new environment, and that he would take her to collect her monthly stipend when it was time to distribute it.

Because there were quite a few new disciples, the Sect Affairs Hall was very busy, and it was estimated that the monthly stipends for the recent period would be distributed a bit late.

However, Ruan Xing expressed that it did not matter, because she was afraid she would finish the simulation before the time came to collect the monthly stipend.

If she could successfully enter the Lotus Pond Secret Realm this time, then even if it ended, it would end inside the secret realm, and she would not return to the Xuanbing Sect again.

Ruan Xing thought for a moment, then contacted Zhao Cheng through her Sect Jade Token.

They agreed to meet the next morning.

The next day.

When Ruan Xing saw Zhao Cheng, he had a brand-new look and was wearing the insignia exclusive to Law Enforcement Hall disciples.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother, on successfully joining the Law Enforcement Hall," Ruan Xing said with a pursed-lip smile.

Zhao Cheng scratched his head. "Actually, joining the Law Enforcement Hall isn't that difficult, because for a cultivator, maintaining order and standing guard take up most of one's cultivation time; the Law Enforcement Hall is short on people every day. Fortunately, I don't have to worry much about cultivation before I receive my Pill and techniques; otherwise, if I spent a large amount of time on these things every day, wouldn't it be even harder to seek the Dao of Cultivation?"

"Then where have you been assigned to stand guard, Senior Brother?" Ruan Xing asked curiously.

"I don't know yet. I only joined the Law Enforcement Hall yesterday, and the senior brother in the hall told me to familiarize myself with the sect rules first, and he will arrange it for me in the afternoon," Zhao Cheng said, then asked Ruan Xing, "What about you, Junior Sister? Did things go smoothly at Chenshui Peak yesterday?"

Ruan Xing frowned, putting on the appearance of someone who had been wronged but did not want others to worry, and smiled reluctantly: "It went smoothly enough. Senior Brother, you don't need to worry about me. Regardless, I am already a Registered Disciple and have officially become a member of the sect."

Zhao Cheng was silent. Only after entering the Law Enforcement Hall yesterday did he begin to understand how complex and intertwined the various cultivation clans were within a large sect; when a clan disciple committed an offense, the standard of punishment was different from that for an ordinary disciple.

Even if Junior Sister Xing had truly been bullied, the two of them could do absolutely nothing.

He could only sigh and offer a few words of comfort.

Ruan Xing had intended to have Zhao Cheng inquire at the Sect Affairs Hall about who was on that list. After all, the candidates had already been decided and the jade slips had already been issued, so it should not be much of a secret within the Sect Affairs Hall, and since Law Enforcement Hall disciples had frequent contact with the Sect Affairs Hall, it should not be difficult for him given his personality and capabilities.

However, after chatting for a long time, she had not heard Zhao Cheng mention anything about the Lotus Pond Secret Realm.

Could it be that the information about the Lotus Pond Secret Realm was not public, and she only felt it was not confidential because she had suddenly come into contact with the small circle of Personal Disciples within the sect?

Never mind; Zhao Cheng was just a new disciple who had just joined the Law Enforcement Hall, so expecting him to handle such a matter was still asking too much of him.

Since Zhao Cheng could not help, she thought she would chat for a few more sentences and then send him on his way.

She still had to go to the Artifact Refining Peak to find Xu Sirui later, but since she did not know Xu Sirui, going directly would be too obvious; she still had to think of a reason.

It was just that she did not expect that Xu Sirui was not at the Artifact Refining Peak.

Ever since she learned the news of her father's sacrifice, Xu Sirui had been dejected and had not been to the Artifact Refining Peak for nearly a month.

Qintai He was also not in the sect, so she could not go to Yaoguang Peak to sneak a look.

The Xu Family was currently in a state of panic, with all their focus placed on those few Spirit Rice Shops in Xianyuan City. They even wanted to have Mu Shi return to help them protect the shops, but Mu Shi had been sent to Nanzhou by the Sect Master himself; to ask him to return in less than a month was nothing but wishful thinking. Furthermore, Mu Shi was the only one who could manage things in Nanzhou right now; if he were transferred back, there would not even be a Golden Core stage cultivator in Nanzhou—what would happen to the Mine? What would happen to the disciples in Nanzhou? The only place Xu Sirui could stay was the Law Enforcement Hall; at least her mother was still there.

However, her mother's life was not easy either. In the past, other disciples would address her as "Madam" out of respect, but now that the Hall Master was about to be replaced, who still cared about a Hall Master's Wife?

Zhu Lihua looked at her daughter and sighed, "You have been decadent for many days now; you should think about the future, shouldn't you?"

Xu Sirui turned her eyes dully, "The future? What future?"

"While the Xu Family hasn't completely collapsed yet, take those dowry items and find a suitable backer. Even if you can never form a Golden Core in this lifetime, you still have a hundred years of lifespan. Do you intend to be someone beneath others for the next hundred years?" Zhu Lihua said bluntly.

If she hadn't had the courage to stake everything back then, she would have long since been buried in that valley, rotting away.

Since the heavens had given her a Spirit Bone and a beautiful appearance, these were her capital for seeking survival in the world of Cultivation.

Xu Shengping was already dead, so she should find a new retreat for herself and her daughter.

"To compensate you, didn't the Sect Master give you a jade slip? Think carefully about how to utilize it."

Xu Sirui naturally understood her mother's meaning and smiled bitterly: "Of the first batch of twenty people, except for Liang Yue of the Inner Sect, which one of them isn't a heaven-gifted talent? Why would they take a fancy to me? And with my cultivation, I'm afraid I won't be able to help much in the secret realm."

"Since you know your gains from entering the secret realm are small, why enter? Don't you know that Yue Mingqi is not on the list?" Zhu Lihua said, feeling a bit of frustration that her daughter would not live up to her expectations.

Xu Sirui was stunned for a moment and began to ponder.

Yue Mingqi was the Sect Master's Personal Disciple, but to avoid suspicion, the Sect Master did not put Yue Mingqi on the first list.

The Sect Master was not from a clan background and had no descendants; Yue Mingqi was considered to have been raised under his watch. Although his aptitude was not considered very good—only reaching the early Golden Core stage at over two hundred years old—according to estimates, he still had high hopes of breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage.

Could it be that the Sect Master gave her this jade slip just so she could use it to build a connection with Yue Mingqi? She muttered, "How could the Sect Master take a fancy to these meager things of the Xu Family..."

"You are truly stupid to death." Zhu Lihua tapped her daughter's forehead and sat down beside her. "The Sect Master might not take a fancy to them, but Yue Mingqi might, and with his cultivation and status, he is just right to protect these few businesses of the Xu Family."

Xu Sirui was silent.

Yue Mingqi was a very worldly cultivator.

A jade slip plus those things of the Xu Family—it was indeed possible he would be willing to accept and protect her; after all, his master was the Sect Master.

But could she really live the carefree life she had before?

Moreover, she was an Artifact Refiner who used the Fire Refining Method; years of artifact refining meant her figure was not as slender and delicate as other female cultivators, and her skin was a healthy wheat color, not the "immortal" kind of white.

Artifact refining was her hobby and a means to attract her father's attention. Once, she had secretly felt proud of being this way, but she knew that other male cultivators did not like female cultivators like her.

"Will he like me?" Xu Sirui murmured, and she thought of Qintai He, who always had a cold face.

"Why do you care whether he likes you or not? As long as you give birth to a child with a Spirit Bone, what will you have to worry about for the rest of your life?" Zhu Lihua said earnestly, though she thought that since her daughter had been pampered since childhood, she might not be able to understand that love was the least important thing.

Sighing deeply again, Zhu Lihua said: "There is still one day left. Think about it carefully. If you figure it out, go find Yue Mingqi tonight to meet him. If you don't figure it out, then wait until the Xu Family falls apart and become an ordinary cultivator; at least your artifact refining skills are barely enough for your own use."

Xu Sirui responded, and Zhu Lihua said no more, turned around, and went out.

If only Zhu Lihua were not a dao companion with whom Xu Shengping had never held a proper ceremony, if only Zhu Lihua had not damaged her body giving birth and then used Pills to pile up her cultivation to forcibly form a Golden Core... if she were a Golden Core True Person with real strength, she might have been able to protect the Xu Family, but there were no such "ifs" in the world.

Xu Sirui finally walked out of the room; she wanted to go out and catch some wind to cool down her heated brain.

Meanwhile, Ruan Xing widened her eyes in surprise, "What did you just say?"

Zhao Cheng suddenly choked, remembering what he had said during their casual chat, and stammered: "I said... a female disciple in the Law Enforcement Hall was summoned by the Sect Master yesterday. I didn't expect an ordinary Foundation Establishment disciple could also gain the Sect Master's favor..." "Not that, what is the name of the female disciple you mentioned?" Ruan Xing asked.

Yesterday afternoon, Cheng Lu issued a jade slip to Cheng Shuo, and at that same time, the Sect Master summoned a Foundation Establishment female disciple from the Law Enforcement Hall.

How could there be such a coincidence?

"I don't know her name, I only heard others call her Senior Sister Xu."

Then that was it.

A Law Enforcement Hall female disciple, surnamed Xu, at Foundation Establishment Perfection, summoned by the Sect Master yesterday afternoon.

With so many conditions listed together, it must be Xu Sirui without a doubt.

"I understand, Senior Brother Zhao. Thank you for chatting with me and guiding me. Let me walk you back to the Law Enforcement Hall; I'll also take the opportunity to learn the way so it's easier to find you in the future," Ruan Xing said sincerely.

Zhao Cheng was stunned for a moment, then said, "This, alright."

It turned out she had guessed wrong; having lost her father, it was impossible for Xu Sirui to still be heartlessly hammering away at the Artifact Refining Peak. Fortunately, she had gotten to know Zhao Cheng, who brought this news.

Otherwise, she might have wasted another day in this simulation.

Zhao Cheng had saved her one hundred points, and the reverence in Ruan Xing's gaze toward him became a bit more genuine.

The two walked to the entrance of the Law Enforcement Hall and happened to run into Xu Sirui, who was coming out to clear her head.

Xu Sirui looked somewhat dazed, and not paying attention when she stepped out, she bumped into Ruan Xing.

Ruan Xing was knocked off balance, and Zhao Cheng hurriedly steadied her, "Hey! Junior Sister, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Ruan Xing shook her head.

"This Senior Sister Xu is really something, doesn't she look where she's walking?" Zhao Cheng complained in a low voice.

"Perhaps she has something on her mind; I believe she didn't mean to," Ruan Xing smiled softly. "Senior Brother, you should head back; I should be going too."

"Mm, alright."

After saying goodbye to Zhao Cheng, Ruan Xing followed far behind Xu Sirui.

With Zhao Cheng nearby just now, it would have been hard to explain if he had seen a jade slip suddenly appear in her hand, so she had to wait for him to leave.

Fortunately, her Divine Ability did not require direct contact with Xu Sirui.

She tried to imagine the jade slip on Xu Sirui's person, but she couldn't grasp it.

Perhaps because the refining technique for a Storage Bag also involves spatial arts, she could not use her Divine Ability to retrieve it without seeing it with her own eyes.

She could only follow Xu Sirui for now.

However, her Illusion Technique had been active for over two hours since this morning, and in another hour or so, it would expire and need to be refreshed.

She hoped Xu Sirui would take out the jade slip soon.

This opportunity came very quickly.

Xu Sirui was wandering aimlessly through the Sect when she encountered a few other cultivators who were also idle.

Seeing Xu Sirui, they greeted her, and Xu Sirui had no choice but to go over and exchange a few words.

These people were basically second-generation cultivators within the Sect whose parents were Golden Core cultivators or who had some family connections. In the past, Xu Sirui was also part of this circle, only back then everyone fawned over her because she had a father who was a Hall Master of the Law Enforcement Hall.

If her Spirit Bone hadn't been obtained through a Luoqi Pill, she might have been able to mingle in Cheng Bi's circle as well.

Now... she could no longer be so high and mighty.

Although those cultivators were not very polite to other female disciples, they didn't have that attitude toward Xu Sirui. Firstly, because Xu Sirui's cultivation was higher than theirs; secondly, because Xu Sirui did not fit the aesthetic of most male cultivators; and thirdly, because the lingering prestige from the past still existed for the time being.

After a few words, they began to complain about how all of their Storage Bags had been lost the day before yesterday.

Xu Sirui asked, "If they're lost, why not look for them? What's the use of complaining?"

"Sigh, who knows where they were lost? It was only a few hundred Spirit Stones, so forget it."

"Maybe some Senior Brother didn't like the look of us the day before yesterday and swiped our Storage Bags to teach us a lesson."

"That's true, as long as we didn't get beaten, losing a few Spirit Stones is nothing."

Xu Sirui listened silently. In the past, she was the same; a few hundred Spirit Stones meant nothing in her eyes, and she could casually give away Dharma Swords refined from precious materials.

But if the Xu Family truly fell apart and she had to rely on her own artifact refining to earn Spirit Stones, she might have to spend half a month refining a single Dharma Artifact for a few hundred Spirit Stones.

"Senior Sister Xu, want to go down the mountain to the city and have some fun?" A male cultivator, seemingly unaware that Xu Sirui was no longer the same as them, extended an invitation.

Xu Sirui shook her head and said, "No, you all go ahead."

After they left, Xu Sirui took the jade slip out of her Storage Bag and stared at it intently for a moment, as if she had made up her mind.

Ruan Xing had been keeping an eye on Xu Sirui, and seeing that she had finally taken out the jade slip, she quickly perked up.

The moment Xu Sirui put the jade slip back into her Storage Bag, Ruan Xing used her Divine Ability, and the jade slip fell into her hand.

She held it up to look; there didn't seem to be any special markings or serial numbers on this jade slip, no different from the one Cheng Shuo had.

"This is good; I hope to enter the Secret Realm smoothly tonight," Ruan Xing said with satisfaction.

After the hour of the Rat, she could use her Spiritual Power to activate the jade slip and be teleported into the Secret Realm.

With the matter finished, Ruan Xing returned to Chenshui Peak. Her Illusion Technique was about to expire, so she planned not to go out in the afternoon and would use the Illusion Technique again before entering the Secret Realm at night.

There were still some materials in her Storage Bag, and she needed to draw a few Water Avoidance Talismans for herself. The Lotus Pond Secret Realm was full of water, and diving to the bottom would be inevitable. A single Water Avoidance Talisman had a limited duration, so it was better to prepare more.

As for other things, she would let them be; the main purpose of entering the Secret Realm this time was to get that key.

Then she could go to Xizhou, give the key and the cultivation manual to Qintai He, and then use the resources of the Qintai Family to break through to the Nascent Soul Stage in one go.

(End of chapter)