Into The Sea

Moonday
Weather: Sunny
Mood: Normal

I woke up early to practice my sword, slashing at the pine trees eight hundred times. After bathing and changing, I went from Jinling Peak to the main peak. On the way, I passed the fork leading to Qianyun Peak and ran into Lan Wu and Yu Shanye.

Lan Wu was leaning lazily on Yu Shanye and her posture was far from proper. Master always says that in life, one should stand like a pine tree and sit like a bell, maintaining a steady flow of spiritual energy even in daily activities to expand the meridians and make cultivation more efficient.

I shared this tip with Lan Wu, but she just laughed and said, “Men’s words are nonsense. I don’t care for them.”

Hmm… good thing I’m a girl.

Fireday
Weather: Sunny
Mood: Normal

Lan Wu was punished again, this time for falling asleep during Elder Bai Wang’s lecture. She was ordered to copy the Heart Cleansing Scripture five hundred times. Yu Shanye was really a bad influence, not only did she not wake her up, she even put a book in front of her head.

She was sleeping with half her face flushed and her hair all over the place. She whispered to me to help her, but Elder Bai Wang caught us on the spot. He was very angry, saying my handwriting was even worse than Lan Wu’s and that he’d been tolerating it for a long time. If he caught me helping her again and noticed two different handwriting styles, he’d report it to my master.

Lan Wu was upset at first, but then she cheered up and said she could just make her handwriting as messy as mine, so it would match.

Why didn’t I think of that? Lan Wu really is smart.

Waterday
Weather: Cloudy
Mood: Happy

This morning, the wind chimes outside my door kept ringing. I pushed the door open to find the sky dark with heavy clouds, and snowflakes and ice pellets were stinging my face.

I’ve reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, so I can use spiritual energy to shield myself from the wind, but it’s too exhausting. So, I gave up and went back to slashing the pine trees eight hundred times. Afterward, I bathed, changed, and headed to Qianyun Peak for Elder Ye’s spiritual plant class.

Originally, this class was taught by Elder Yao, but she’s eccentric and gets nervous around crowds. She used to throw spiritual plants at the disciples and then disappear and only to come back when someone accidentally touched a poisonous plant and fainted.

Over time, the disciples got more and more fed up, so Elder Ye took over the class.

I had already read the entire Spiritual Plant Guide early on and was confident this class would be easy. On the way to the back of Qianyun Peak, I happened to pass by Lan Wu’s courtyard. She was sitting there, holding a bowl of porridge larger than her face.

When she saw me, she smiled and invited me in and asked if I wanted to try some. She said that the porridge Yu Shanye made was very sweet.

How sweet could it be? Humph, I think the plain rice porridge eaten by nobles in the Central Region can’t compare to a steaming bowl of meat stew from us mountain hunters. Too bad Lan Wu doesn’t like meat, or else I’d make some for her… Hmm…

It’s really sweet.

Lan Wu held the spoon and smiled sweetly at me. “Why such a grumpy face?” she asked. “Your pout is so big you could hang an oil lamp from it!”

Nonsense, I would never make such a childish face.

But the porridge was really very sweet. I licked my lips, then Lan Wu scooped up another spoonful and held it to my lips to feed me.

She said she had already cooled it down, so it wasn’t hot at all.

It really wasn’t hot, just really sweet.

I was about to take a third bite when Yu Shanye burst out of the kitchen, shouting about how someone so old could still need to be fed. She snatched the bowl and spoon from Lan Wu, adding that if I called her ‘big sister’, she’d feed me too.

Annoying, Yu Shanye is so annoying. How can someone be this annoying?

However, not long after, she accidentally ate a poisonous plant in class, and her lips swelled up like she’d been stung by a bee.

Humph, I was not gloating, Lan Wu was the one who laughed first.

Today was a good day.

Woodday
Weather: Sunny
Mood: Normal

Sword practice on the main peak was strict today. Master noticed Lan Wu had skipped class and reported it to Elder Ye.

In the afternoon, Elder Ye brought Lan Wu back, and they were smiling like they’d had a great time.

However, 15 minutes later, Lan Wu was punished to copy “The Art of the Sword” one hundred times. She looked dejected and slowly walked up to me. Just when I thought she was going to ask me for help again, she pulled out a bag of milk cakes from behind her and quickly stuffed one into my mouth.

When Master looked over, she immediately straightened up, swung her sword a few times, and shouted like she was really practicing. Once Master looked away, she tilted her head and winked at me smugly.

I couldn’t help but laugh. After eating the milk cake, she told me that Elder Ye had promised to bring her back to class but instead took her down to Jixue City to buy snacks.

Lan Wu said the spirit beasts in the back mountain all love sweets.

Of course, I read in a book that most demons like sweets, though the degree varies.

After saying that, Lan Wu also tried one herself and her eyes curved in satisfaction. Soon, she’d secretly finished the whole bag.

It seems that Lan Wu, as a human, also likes sweets.

Next time I go down the mountain, I’ll buy her some other sweets to try.

Fireday
Weather: Heavy Snow
Mood: Sad

Today’s class on talismans and spells was held on the main peak. Maybe because the sky was gloomy, and it was snowing outside, and Elder Lin’s voice was too soft, half of the disciples fell asleep before the class was even halfway over.

Lan Wu didn’t fall asleep. She was hiding behind her book, frantically copying the Heart Cleansing Scripture in messy handwriting.

I asked her why she was in such a hurry since the assignment wasn’t due for two more days. She said she was going to Jixue City the day after tomorrow and wouldn’t stay on the mountain to finish copying, so she only had one day left.

I asked who she was going with, and she said, “Of course, it’s Yu Shanye.”

After a moment, she glanced at me and added, “You’re busy with sword practice, so I didn’t ask you.”

So she didn’t even bother to invite me?

Even though I really couldn’t go, it still made me sad that she didn’t ask.

I’m not going to pay attention to her anymore.

Stoneday
Weather: Heavy Snow
Mood:

Just an ordinary day. Nothing worth writing about.

Lightday
Weather: Sunny
Mood:

Stupid weather. It was snowing heavily the past two days, so why is it sunny today?

Lan Wu went down the mountain early with Yu Shanye. I ignored her yesterday, and she didn’t even notice I was upset.

The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. So, I stabbed the pine trees a thousand times.

At some point, my senior sister appeared behind me and watched. She seemed pleased and said, “Yes, this is the spirit you need for sword practice.”

Even though she’s a sword cultivator herself.

After practice, I went with my senior sister to see my master. She said this is the special treatment for direct disciples.

I’ve been at Haochen Mountain for so long, but I’ve never met the legendary eldest senior brother. My senior sister said not to worry about him. Even if he comes out of seclusion, I might not see him because he doesn’t like going out.

It seems the eldest senior brother is an introvert.

I wish Lan Wu were an introvert too. If she got bored, I could practice my sword in front of her. My senior sister even said I look good when I practice.

Why am I thinking about Lan Wu again? Not good. Now I’m even angrier.

After listening to Master’s lecture, I returned to my room and stabbed the pine trees another thousand times.

The sky was getting darker and darker, and it started to snow again. I decided I’d practiced enough for the day. After working up a sweat, I prepared to bathe and go to bed early.

I closed the door, got under the covers, and lay in the dark, forcing myself to fall asleep.

I don’t know when, but the wind chimes rang again.

Maybe it was just the wind.

Tap…

There were faint footsteps at the door. I was startled, so I sat up, grabbed my sword, and yanked the door open.

“Ah!”

The person outside looked shocked, took a step back, and clutched their chest.

Lan Wu was staring at me with wide, round black eyes, looking nervous.

I was surprised too, but I quickly composed myself. Since I was still upset, I didn’t say anything first, I just stared at her. After a moment, Lan Wu asked softly why I was sleeping so early.

I told her I was tired from practicing and wanted to rest.

She nodded, swaying slightly, and bit her lip hesitantly before pulling out a plate of something white and lumpy from behind her.

“What is this?” I asked.

She seemed very nervous, stuttering as she said she’d made a cake to celebrate my birthday.

I froze.

Birthday?

Ah, today is my birthday.

I had completely forgotten.

I stared at the strangely shaped cake for a while, then looked up and said, “So you went to Jixue City today to make this?”

Lan Wu nodded and looked embarrassed. “I heard from Shanye that in some places, people eat this kind of thing on their birthdays. But I spent a whole day making it, and it still doesn’t look good. This is the most intact one… If you don’t mind…”

“I don’t mind,” I took her wrist and gently pulled her into the warm room.

Lan Wu blinked, and the snow on her brows melted into tiny droplets clinging to her long lashes. Her dark, bright eyes reminded me of a gentle deer.

She smiled again and offered, “If you can’t finish it, I can help you eat it.”

The room was warm and cozy under the dim light. I sat down with her and said as a matter of course, “I was planning to share it with you anyway.”

“Then are you still angry?”

I paused, looking at her. “Angry about what?”

“You were upset all day yesterday.”

Lan Wu grinned proudly. “I’m not an idiot. I can tell when you’re upset.”

I pursed my lips and chuckled softly. “Yeah, I’m the idiot.”

“Why would you say that about yourself?” Lan Wu asked as she carefully set the cake down. “But it’s really cold outside.”

I nodded.

Lan Wu hesitated, then hinted, “It’s so cold. Walking back would freeze me solid.”

“…” I looked at her, then quickly said, “Of course, it’s so late, and it’s cold outside, and the walk back is so far, you might as well stay here.”

“Since you insist, I’ll happily accept.”

Lan Wu coughed softly, her gentle eyes fixed on me. “Then, happy twentieth birthday.”