201 - Destroyer of Ice and Fire

"Lord Cheng Yunhuan is quite remarkable, isn't he? It's said that his alchemy skills are unparalleled in the world. If you become his disciple, you might even be able to brew the Elixir of Immortality!" Ning Song Wu scoffed inwardly, making a face of disdain. She thought to herself, “What's so great about Uncle Master Jiang Yue anyhow? He always runs to the Honor Pavilion to tease Master for no reason. And Uncle Master Cheng Yunhuan, too—always acting so stern, as if everyone owes him money.” "Although Master also often has a stern look... she's still very gentle with me. Master's better in every way!" But... wait!! Did they mean that they might have a chance to apprentice under the Three Lords one day?! Ning Song Wu was shocked, her mind instantly spinning into a flurry of thoughts. This was a world where humans and demons coexisted. The demon race was inherently powerful while humans were relatively weak. Humans didn't want to be enslaved by demons and rose in rebellion, making countless sacrifices. Unfortunately, they still couldn't match the demons' strength. The path to resistance seemed long, but the appearance of Ran Fan Yin sped up humanity's rise. She suddenly appeared in people's sight, single-handedly infiltrated the demon territory, and killed the then-Demon Emperor, giving humanity the leverage they needed to negotiate with the demons. However, her presence only balanced the scales somewhat; the demons merely withdrew their fangs slightly. The two races demarcated their territories, achieving a false peace. As Ning Song Wu listened quietly to Lin Yu Xue’s explanation of this familiar yet foreign world, she was surprised to find that, contrary to her naive appearance, Lin Yu Xue had a clear understanding of the current situation. She knew that this so-called peace was an illusion; once Ran Fan Yin died, the conditions between the two races would revert to what it was five hundred years ago. Ning Song Wu looked toward Ran Fan Yin ahead of her. Judging by her appearance, Ran Fan Yin seemed to be just in her twenties, yet she was already over five hundred years old. Though, of course, the age of cultivators couldn't be compared to that of ordinary people. For some reason, Ning Song Wu felt a deep-seated aversion toward Ran Fan Yin. She sneered inwardly, "An old hag, after all." "We've arrived at Cang Jun Mountain!" Lin Yu Xue’s voice was tinged with excitement. She descended on her sword and led Ning Song Wu toward the mountain gate. Ran Fan Yin was already a step ahead of them. The disciples guarding the gate were dressed in the same white attire as Lin Yu Xue, which must be the sect’s uniform. Seeing their sect leader returning, they greeted her respectfully, “Sect Master!” Ran Fan Yin nodded in response and walked away, paying no attention to Ning Song Wu and Lin Yu Xue. Her figure quickly disappeared into the mountain path. Lin Yu Xue led Ning Song Wu up the path. They were at the base of Cang Jun Mountain, and if they wished to reach the top, they still had a long path ahead. Both sides of the path were lined with a type of black plant called Yinzi. Upon closer inspection, Ning Song Wu saw that the smooth surface of the Yinzi could reflect her face. Surrounded by swathes of black, she felt an oppressive sensation. Ning Song Wu frowned; she didn't like this place. Seeing Ning Song Wu standing before the Yinzi as if intrigued, Lin Yu Xue began explaining, "This is Yinzi. Despite how many there seem, they’re actually from a single plant. There's nothing remarkable about them; they’re everywhere on the mountain." Ning Song Wu touched the smooth surface of the Yinzi. The cool sensation against her fingers made her lower her eyes and murmur softly, "It's so cold." Lin Yu Xue didn't want to waste time; she grabbed Ning Song Wu and continued up the mountain path. "Come on, let's hurry." Funny enough, even as a cultivator, Lin Yu Xue had to use her legs to climb the mountain—this was Ran Fan Yin's rule. As the sect master adhered to it diligently, Lin Yu Xue dared not slack off. The path was long, and Ning Song Wu was exhausted. She declined Lin Yu Xue’s offer to carry her, forcing her trembling legs to move forward. She had a keen sixth sense and could feel someone watching her. Indeed, Ning Song Wu’s intuition was correct. Ran Fan Yin had already returned to her residence and was observing the two of them through a water mirror. The mountain path was embedded with an array that disturbed any demons who attempted to tread it, causing them to lose their human form. Once their true form was revealed, the array would slaughter them. Yet, despite the passage of time, Ning Song Wu had shown only the typical behaviors of a human. Ran Fan Yin began to doubt her own judgment. She muttered to herself, "Could I have been mistaken?" Ran Fan Yin’s room was sparsely furnished, just a simple wooden table, chairs, and a bed. The only splash of color came from a painting on the wall, depicting a man with a gentle face holding a sword. Ran Fan Yin sighed, feeling a pang of distress that was far from the cold indifference she showed others. She murmured to the painting, “Master, if only you were here. You’d do a much better job than I.” By then, Ning Song Wu and Lin Yu Xue had reached the true gate of Cang Jun Mountain. Ran Fan Yin withdrew her spell, and the water mirror dissipated instantly. She opened her door, returning to the aloof and unapproachable sect master of Cang Jun Mountain. She decided that if she couldn’t see through Ning Song Wu, she would keep her close by. Though Ran Fan Yin disliked having anyone near her, she couldn’t leave a potential threat unchecked. Ning Song Wu was unaware that she had already caught Ran Fan Yin's attention. She simply hoped to find a place at Cang Jun Mountain where she could secure a decent meal. From her perspective, the sect seemed rather promising. The stone pillars at the base of the mountain alone could make her extremely wealthy, ensuring that her descendants would never have to worry. Despite her greed, Ning Song Wu wasn’t foolish. If she truly acted on it, she would likely be expelled from Cang Jun Mountain, failing in her efforts. Suppressing her heartbeat’s quickened pace, Ning Song Wu obediently followed Lin Yu Xue to the new disciples' quarters at Morning Dew Peak. Lin Yu Xue found her a room and helped her complete the new disciple registration process. Handing over the new disciple’s uniform, entry-level techniques, and some spirit stones, Lin Yu Xue said, “Here you go. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. I'm at Morning Glow Peak.” “You don't need to rush practicing the techniques. You’re a bit old to start cultivating, so you might find it challenging. But don't get disheartened.” Holding the new disciple’s uniform, Ning Song Wu realized that Lin Yu Xue was rather talkative. Even with someone as taciturn as herself, Lin Yu Xue managed to keep the conversation going. As for Lin Yu Xue’s concerns, they were unnecessary—Ning Song Wu wasn’t ambitious at all.