Dawn was barely breaking when Ling Wu yawned at the yellow talismans blanketing her table.
Cultivation really was an excellent way to kill time. She'd tossed and turned all night after getting back—pacing the room, gulping water to settle her qi—and nothing had worked. Her blood kept churning; she was too wound up to lie still.
In the end she'd picked up her talisman brush and started drawing. That diverted her at once. Forget restless—staring at those ancient talismans dense with strokes, her heart nearly stopped altogether.
She regretted it so much. Why had she ever picked this thing?
Still, the night hadn't been a total loss: Ling Wu had successfully learned the art of conjuring money.
She'd meant to go catch up on sleep, but her treacherous stomach wouldn't stop growling.
She wasn't about to repeat yesterday's mistake, so Ling Wu set off for Fifth Senior Brother's quarters.
Why him? Fifth Senior Brother was Kunlun's head chef. Back when the brothers hadn't yet ascended, all three daily meals were his doing. Over the years his cooking had only grown more refined, and his spatula work more skillful with it.
Yesterday, passing his quarters, she'd clearly seen smoke curling from the kitchen chimney—so he must be back on the mountain already.
It had been far too long since she'd tasted his cooking. She missed it terribly.
Who knew that halfway there she'd run into Songhe again—dressed in light white robes, hair bound high, sword at his waist. From a distance he almost looked like a wandering swordsman.
For no reason at all, that old saying came to her—
Step one of the Path of No Feeling: tie your hair up high.
Paired with that frosty face and that slender, graceful figure, anyone who didn't know better would take him for some recluse beyond the world.
But in Ling Wu's heart, no handsome face could change what he was underneath: a bastard.
The two of them had already been at odds lately. Now that fate had thrown them together on a narrow path, there was no way she was letting him pass in peace.
"Well, well. Off to find yourself a wife, Sixth Senior Brother?" she asked, honey dripping over vinegar.
Songhe's face changed. He eyed her through slitted lids. "Missing the Silence Spell already, junior sister?"
Ling Wu didn't so much as blink at the threat.
Did he think she was still that same helpless fish from the old days? That little Silence Spell—she could break it one-handed now. What was there to fear?
"Heavens, no. You keep that one for yourself." Then, wickedly: "Or save it for someone else. I'd imagine that in the heat of the moment, Sixth Senior Brother wouldn't care to hear a word from anyone."
Songhe frowned at her. "Vulgar! Where do you even learn this stuff?"
Where else? Storybooks, obviously!
But with Eldest Senior Brother as a cautionary tale, Ling Wu didn't dare pull out her precious collection again.
She swayed her head sagely. "Heaven's secrets must not be revealed!"
Dying to know, aren't you? Dying to know!
"You really should practice moderation, Sixth Senior Brother!" she added. "This disciple knows—you vigorous young male immortals, once you start indulging you can't stop. But the body is the foundation of everything. Careful not to ruin your cultivation!"
That know-it-all look of hers made Songhe's blood boil.
His face went from red to white, and for a long while he couldn't get a word out.
This was the first time Ling Wu had ever come out on top in a squabble with Songhe, and it felt wonderful.
But joy is ever fleeting.
Something occurred to him, and he suddenly gave a cold smile. "Almost forgot to tell you, junior sister. When I went to pay my respects this morning, Master gave me a special message for you: that Heart-Clearing Mantra he asked you to copy—remember to deliver it to him. The venerable one says he intends to re...view...it...properly!"
He bit down hard on those last four words, making sure Ling Wu couldn't miss a single one.
Ling Wu wilted on the spot.
What's coming can't be dodged.
And here she'd thought Master was letting her off. Turns out he wasn't letting anything off at all.
Taking in her deflated look, Songhe arched a brow, savoring her misfortune. "Better hurry. Master said if it's not delivered within two days, he'll come collect it personally."
Ling Wu rolled her eyes skyward. She glared at him through gritted teeth. "Thank you for the reminder, Sixth Senior Brother. Your little junior sister simply adores copying books!"
"Don't mention it."
With that he swept off, apparently off demon-hunting again.
Ling Wu spat at his retreating back.
"Fraud!"
Fuming, she turned and trudged back to her room.
Every time she finished one copy of the Heart-Clearing Mantra, Ling Wu heaved a sigh.
Master had laid a spell over her bedroom specifically so she couldn't cheat. No choice but to resign herself to copying it out by hand.
Perhaps her resentment ran too strong—during this stretch, every brother who came back to the mountain dropped by her door to check on her.
First came Eldest Senior Brother, wearing all the gravity of an elder. "Junior sister, all this sighing—put that energy into your brush. Finish sooner, get back to cultivating. Who knows, you might ascend before they nail your coffin shut!"
Ling Wu laughed from sheer fury—but she knew exactly how to handle Ji Xunzhi. She let her gaze drift, ever so lightly, to the Wordless Heavenly Book in his hands, and said viciously, "One more word, and I'll reduce your darling to ash. Not even dust will remain."
Ji Xunzhi shut his mouth at once.
He turned away, caressing the book, murmuring tenderly, "There, there, little book. Don't be afraid. As long as I'm here, no harm will ever come to you."
Ling Wu shuddered.
She was starting to think Eldest Senior Brother had been single so long he'd developed feelings for everything around him.
Then came Fifth Senior Brother, hauling pots and pans, wearing the expression of a man who could not bear to see her go hungry.
"Copying made you hungry, junior sister? Man is iron, food is steel—copying is no reason to skip meals!" he declared, utterly earnest. "Perfect timing. I found a cookbook on my trip down to the mortal realm, and you're the only one left on this mountain who still eats. Let your senior brother cook up a few more dishes to comfort you!"
The first day, Ling Wu was delighted. After that she couldn't take being fattened like a hog any longer.
He delivered mountains of food every day and insisted she review each dish.
The Heart-Clearing Mantra had barely progressed—but her reviews of his cooking had nearly filled three pages.
Knowing this couldn't go on, Ling Wu found an excuse to send him away: "Senior Brother, your little junior sister has eaten too richly these past few days—indigestion, you see. Best take your talents elsewhere!"
Seeing her genuinely miserable, Fifth Senior Brother left, downcast.
Clanging every bit as loudly as when he'd arrived.
Next came Third Senior Brother. He looked at what she was copying, then at her face, and stroked his chin, tut-tutting. "Junior sister, why on earth are you copying this? Have you taken a fancy to some immortal friend and are forcing yourself through withdrawal? No rush—tell your senior brother who it is, and I'll introduce you!"
"I've no other virtues, but I know everyone! From the Celestial Realm all the way down to the ghost realm—friends everywhere. Just say the word!"
A scheme bloomed in Ling Wu's mind. She twisted her fingers, fidgeting hard, pretending she couldn't meet his eyes, and after a long pause said shyly, "So far, yet so near, Senior Brother~ How much longer must you take to understand this disciple's heart?"
Qi'an petrified on the spot. Before he could answer, he bolted like his heels were on fire.
She didn't catch so much as a glimpse of him for the next month.
Heh. Fighting her? They were all still wet behind the ears.
One morning at last, Ling Wu finished the final copy of the Heart-Clearing Mantra. Quite a few "two days" had passed since Qingchen's deadline.
She held the stack of pages, a bundle of nerves.
Sixth Senior Brother had said that if she didn't hand it over within two days, Master would come collect it personally.
Yet all this time, no sign of the venerable one. Had he forgotten about it again?
Honestly—age was age. He ought to take his brain-tonifying elixirs, drink his wellness tea, keep early hours! All this forgetting—what a waste of everyone's time!
Just as she was thinking this, a warm voice sounded at the door. "Ah-Wu finished copying at last?"
If it wasn't Master, who else!