248 - Destroyer of Ice and Fire

With a crisp snap, Ran Fanyin effortlessly broke a piece of ink-green wood. The piece suffered an unforeseen disaster, splitting into two. The upper part fell, and its leaves produced a rustling sound upon colliding with the ground. Ning Songwu was startled awake, rubbing her eyes in a daze. As her gaze shifted up to Ran Fanyin's face, which looked even grimmer than usual, she found herself instantly wide awake. “Master.” Ran Fanyin looked at the girl who seemed scared out of her wits and did her best to control her temper. “Do you dislike cultivating in the snow so much?” Ning Songwu put on a look of having done something wrong, though it was an act. “This disciple is foolish and has brought shame to Master.” Seeing Ning Songwu's unsettled demeanor, Ran Fanyin softened a bit. She recalled that Ning Songwu hadn’t wanted to become her disciple in the first place; their master-disciple relationship had been forced upon her. If Ning Songwu really had no issues, she was still only sixteen years old. After some careful thought, Ran Fanyin realized that if all that was required was observation, then formal discipleship wasn’t necessary. Letting Ning Songwu stay on Chaoci Peak as a menial disciple instead would suffice. She thought this was an excellent solution. “Since you are unwilling to become my disciple, stay on Chaoci Peak and take care of some chores.” The moment she heard their master-disciple relationship might be dissolved, Ning Songwu felt a bit joyful. However, she hadn't anticipated that even without being her disciple, she would still have to endure Ran Fanyin’s cold demeanor. At least she wouldn’t be forced to cultivate anymore. This could be considered a successful first step. Ning Songwu carefully hid her thoughts and asked, “Master, what tasks do menial disciples need to perform?” “Not much, just maintain the buildings on this peak.” Ran Fanyin's indifferent voice echoed in Ning Songwu’s mind. Although Ran Fanyin’s residence was simple, there were many buildings on this peak. Moreover, Ran Fanyin disliked having anyone else around, so currently, only the two of them were on this peak—herself and Ning Songwu. Unconvinced, Ning Songwu confirmed, “Clean them every day?” “Yes.” “How many rooms are on this peak?” “A few hundred, I suppose.” “Master! It’s my fault! Please don’t expel me from the sect!” Ning Songwu promptly knelt and then lunged forward, attempting to hug Ran Fanyin's leg. Unfortunately, Ran Fanyin detected her intention and swiftly retreated. As a result, Ning Songwu found herself in close contact with the ground. She mentally added another entry to her grievance list against Ran Fanyin and thought bitterly, “Old hag! One day, I will make you pay!” “Didn’t you say you didn’t want to be my disciple?” Although Ran Fanyin’s face was expressionless at that moment, Ning Songwu still felt she was being mocked. People who appeared cold on the outside often harbored a lot of malice within. But the truth was quite the opposite; Ran Fanyin had no intention of forcing Ning Songwu. When she herself had been a menial disciple back then, she had gone through something similar, so she instinctively thought it was fine. “I do want to be your disciple. I’m just too foolish.” The young girl’s face was covered in dust, her eyes full of hope—completely unlike the numb, lifeless look she had the first time they met. Ran Fanyin felt a bit of dissonance. However, whether Ning Songwu was a formal or menial disciple didn’t matter much to Ran Fanyin. At that moment, the sun was already setting, and it was time to have dinner. Ning Songwu's stomach growled, breaking the silence and sounding particularly conspicuous in the quiet room. In the end, Ran Fanyin's heart softened. She turned and headed back to her room. “Go have dinner.” Watching Ran Fanyin’s figure disappear, Ning Songwu got up and dusted off her hands. She dropped her pitiful expression and returned to her usual cold demeanor. All around Chaoci Peak were ink-green trees, and there was nothing to eat here. On Chaolu Peak, however, there was a canteen, meant for feeding new disciples. Unfortunately, the two peaks were quite far apart. To get a meal, one would have to traverse mountains. As she walked, Ning Songwu cursed Ran Fanyin in her heart, seriously suspecting that Ran Fanyin was deliberately torturing her. Ran Fanyin indeed was deliberate. She knew Ning Songwu lacked motivation, so she intended to use this method to train her. She thought that, after suffering enough, Ning Songwu would want to cultivate. Moreover, Ran Fanyin had given Ning Songwu a cultivation method that specifically restrained demons but was harmless to humans. She wanted to verify this method through this process. The further Ning Songwu walked, the more people she encountered. Most of the disciples here wore the white uniforms of Cangjun Mountain, creating a sea of white when gathered in large numbers. Ning Songwu paid no attention to them, only caring about her immediate physical discomforts like hunger and sore limbs. Descending from Chaoci Peak and then ascending Chaolu Peak, if words could kill, Ran Fanyin would be riddled with wounds by now. Ning Songwu was drenched in sweat. The new disciples on Chaolu Peak were plentiful and mostly already trained, not nearly as bedraggled as Ning Songwu. Passing disciples cast curious glances, followed by mocking whispers. Some who recognized her knew Ning Songwu was the newly accepted disciple of the sect’s leader. Even though she was only an informal disciple, it was still a matter of envy. Seeing the sect leader’s disciple in such a pitiful state naturally made some people disgruntled. Ning Songwu could feel the gazes around her—familiar looks of ridicule and disdain, along with a new form of malice: jealousy. Under those gazes, Ning Songwu kept climbing, a cold smile in her heart. “These people are already so hateful without even becoming truly powerful.” Finally reaching the canteen, Ning Songwu felt her legs trembling. She held onto the doorframe, afraid she might collapse. Although she had been going through this routine ever since becoming Ran Fanyin’s disciple, she still hadn’t adapted quickly. After regaining her strength, Ning Songwu entered, got her food, and found a corner to sit in. After such intense exercise, Ning Songwu was already exhausted. She wanted to finish her meal quickly and hurry back to Chaoci Peak. The thought of the climb back left her deeply regretting. At this rate, she would have been better off staying in Bailu Village as a beggar.