Chapter 11: Summoning
So, she noticed… Luo Jinxiao thought, feeling a slight stir in her heart.
“You, come here,” Elder Liu sighed, waving her over.
Luo Jinxiao took one last glance in the direction Qu Weiyin had disappeared, then obediently walked back to Elder Liu.
“Since you want me as your master, come and fix this wall for me,” Elder Liu said, looking mournfully at his courtyard wall.
“Yes, Master,” Luo Jinxiao replied, feeling a surge of excitement. At least now she had truly become someone’s disciple.
It took her a whole afternoon of hard work to repair the wall that Qu Weiyin had destroyed. By the time she finished, the sun was setting, painting the sky a fiery red. Covered in dust, she set down her tools, raising a small cloud of dirt as she shook out her arms.
She took a deep breath and looked at herself, then went to freshen up before returning to her room and changing into the clothes Qu Weiyin had given her.
In the bronze mirror, she caught a faint reflection of a young woman with her hair tied up. Her light blue robe flowed elegantly over her slender frame, highlighting her tall stature.
Luo Jinxiao stared at her reflection, lost in thought. She reached out a hand, attempting to summon her abundant spiritual energy as she usually did. However, the silvery-white light in her palm flickered weakly, like a dying flame, before disappearing completely.
She frowned and clenched her fist, a pang of sadness washing over her.
But the feeling was fleeting. Luo Jinxiao took a deep breath, closed the door, and went to find Elder Liu.
She knocked gently on his door and waited for his permission before pushing it open. The interior was just as she had imagined—a simple mountain dwelling with only a table and a chair.
“Though I’ve agreed to teach you, we have no formal contract. And under no circumstances are you to tell anyone that I am your master,” Elder Liu said sternly, sitting upright.
Luo Jinxiao didn’t understand, but as long as she could learn, titles didn’t matter to her. She smiled sweetly and bowed her head in agreement.
“Ask what you want to ask,” Elder Liu said, leaning back as if reading her mind.
“What exactly is wrong with my spiritual root? Why can’t my cultivation level be determined? And what is so special about it?” Luo Jinxiao asked earnestly, her smile fading.
Elder Liu seemed surprised by her question. He looked at her for a moment before slowly answering, “For cultivators, spiritual roots are mostly the same. There’s only one type of person who is different—those with extreme Yin or Yang energy. When things reach their extremes, they become extraordinary. Extreme Yin spiritual root are not very useful for cultivation, but they are extremely useful for others.”
Extreme Yin… Luo Jinxiao recalled Elder He’s words in Qu Weiyin’s room a few days ago. It seemed she had stumbled upon something significant by sheer luck.
So, her current body did indeed possess the Delicate Ice Heart, an extreme Yin spiritual root.
That explained why she was able to enter the Wuhui Sect.
Luo Jinxiao frowned. Elder Liu coughed, bringing her back to the present.
“So, having an extreme yin spiritual root means that even though I have one, I’m still basically useless?” Luo Jinxiao asked.
“You could say that,” Elder Liu nodded.
“Then, isn’t Junior Shishu Qu the same as me? But she…”
“She possesses the Extreme Yang spiritual root, the Heavenly Jade Gold physique. Naturally, it’s different from yours,” Elder Liu replied.
Luo Jinxiao felt as if she had swallowed a rock. Why was there such a huge disparity in fate among cultivators?
She felt a pang of sorrow, unsure of what to say.
“Then, why can’t my spiritual root level be determined?” Luo Jinxiao asked again.
“I don’t know,” Elder Liu shook his head, his expression sincere.
“I understand. Thank you, Master,” Luo Jinxiao said, lowering her head. She had a nagging feeling that something wasn’t quite right, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.
“Since I promised that girl, I will fulfill my promise. As for how much you can learn with your aptitude, it’s not something I can control,” Elder Liu said, casually fiddling with a simple teacup. He picked up a book from beside him. “This book records all the cultivation techniques and mental formulas that can enhance spiritual energy. That’s what you should focus on now. Don’t think too much about other things.”
“Yes, Master,” Luo Jinxiao replied.
She did need to significantly increase her spiritual energy. As for other things, she didn’t need to learn much anyway.
Luo Jinxiao took the book and returned to her room to cultivate. She skimmed through it quickly and found that most of the techniques recorded were ordinary and of little use. However, some parts were covered in ink, and she had never seen them before.
She quickly lit an oil lamp and carefully examined the hidden characters.
“Heaven and Earth converge, all things return to the void,” she murmured, committing the phrase to memory despite not understanding its meaning.
A few more days passed. Luo Jinxiao spent her days meditating and cultivating in the small courtyard. At night, she would sneak to the pool where she had met Qu Weiyin. Although her cultivation level didn’t improve much, her spiritual energy had become more abundant.
She occasionally cultivated with other disciples but never saw Qu Weiyin again. Her days became increasingly carefree and peaceful. If not for Qu Weiyin’s words, Luo Jinxiao would have thought she could live a secluded life here.
Early one morning, Luo Jinxiao tied up her hair as usual and went to sweep the courtyard. She saw the little bird from before flapping its wings and flying towards her, chirping excitedly.
It seemed thrilled, telling her that they could finally learn the level 3 summoning formation and urging her to come quickly.
Luo Jinxiao knew she couldn’t summon anything and wasn’t particularly excited. She munched on a steamed bun and strolled leisurely towards the Wuhui Palace.
When she arrived, the other disciples were already gathered in a circle around the main hall. There were only a dozen new disciples this year, making them appear sparse in the bright and spacious hall.
“Luo Jinxiao! Over here!” Lu Fanzhi shouted from across the hall. Luo Jinxiao smiled brightly at her and strode towards her, her light blue robes swaying gracefully. Her features were delicate and clean, her eyes curving into crescent moons when she smiled, radiating a cheerful aura.
Lu Fanzhi blinked and pulled her closer, poking her cheek playfully. “You should smile more often. You always had a cold expression before, like you were unapproachable. Now, with your smile and those dimples, you look much more pleasant.”
Luo Jinxiao swatted her hand away, rolling her eyes playfully.
She had always been slow to warm up to people, only revealing her girlish side after spending enough time with them. Although Lu Fanzhi seemed like a pampered young lady, she had been very caring towards Luo Jinxiao, like a doting older sister. Luo Jinxiao, though she didn’t say it aloud, was grateful for her friendship.
“Which master is teaching us today? Summoning a spirit beast is a major event. We’ll be spending the next few years cultivating alongside them,” a young man said excitedly. If Luo Jinxiao remembered correctly, his name was Baili Qingzhou, the only son of the Baili family.
“What should I do? I haven’t mastered the level 3 summoning formation yet. It’ll be so embarrassing if I can’t summon anything,” another girl said, her voice trembling with anxiety.
“Don’t worry, it’s better than that waste,” Yan Ying sneered, glancing at Luo Jinxiao with malice.
Luo Jinxiao rolled her eyes.
“Shh, Junior Shishu Qu and Senior Brother Siyu are here,” someone whispered. The hall fell silent instantly. Standing in a corner, Luo Jinxiao couldn’t help but glance towards the entrance.
Qu Weiyin was dressed in a black combat suit with faint floral patterns, a dark red sash tied around her waist. The dark red Crescent Star Sword was strapped securely to her back. Her every step exuded an aura that commanded silence and attention.
The young men and women in the hall couldn’t help but stare.
Chang Siyu, trailing behind her, seemed even more eager to impress. He stumbled slightly as he entered, nearly tripping over his own feet.
“Junior Shishu Qu, let me help you,” Chang Siyu stepped forward, attempting to take the sword from Qu Weiyin. However, she effortlessly lifted her hand, dodging his grasp.
“You can’t handle it,” she said indifferently.
Chang Siyu’s face flushed red, and he withdrew his hand awkwardly.
“Alright, today we’ll be summoning spirit beasts. Given that some disciples have previously summoned unclean and unclear entities, Junior Shishu Qu and I will be here to supervise, just in case,” Chang Siyu said, forcing a composed smile.
“Don’t worry, it’s only a level 3 summoning formation. With me here, nothing unexpected will happen,” he reassured them. “Qingzhou, you go first.”
While Baili Qingzhou was busy drawing the formation, Luo Jinxiao whispered to Lu Fanzhi, “What did he mean by unclean and unclear entities?”
“I heard that a few years ago, a disciple summoned an evil spirit from a mud pit. It took them several days to clean the entire Wuhui Palace. It was terrifying,” Lu Fanzhi whispered back, shaking her head.
“An evil spirit? Aren’t we supposed to summon spirit beasts? How could someone summon an evil spirit?” Luo Jinxiao asked, bewildered.
“I don’t know. Maybe some people are just different. You see, I heard that Junior Shishu Qu summoned the sword spirit of the Crescent Star Sword with just a level 3 summoning formation, and that’s how she obtained the sword. But she’s a genius. We’re not, so let’s not worry about it.”
Luo Jinxiao nodded in agreement. With her luck, she was more likely to summon an evil spirit from a latrine instead.
If that happened, she would probably be expelled from the Wuhui Sect on the spot.
At that moment, Lu Fanzhi suddenly called out, “It’s your turn, it’s your turn! Hurry up!” and gave Luo Jinxiao a strong push towards the front.
Enjoying this very much! Thanks for translating!