5 - Dungeon Growth Log

Ever since Xia Ge's offhand comment, she had been holed up in the Thought Hall. Thirty thousand times. Heh. Once again, Xia Ge mentally cursed the ancestors of her senior sister, rubbed her sore hands, and glanced at the stack of thin rice paper covered in tiny script on the desk. She nervously reached out and carefully counted the sheets from top to bottom, one by one. ...Three, three hundred sheets. She looked again at the thick original manuscript of the alchemy handbook on the desk. The red-covered handbook was about five centimeters thick. Three hundred sheets of the alchemy handbook, copied in a day, was just one reading. Her stomach growled loudly. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. She tossed the brush aside and wailed towards the sky, "I can't live like this anymore!" One reading, three hundred sheets? Thirty thousand times? What on earth was going through her mind to say something so stupid? Xia Ge pressed her face directly onto the rice paper, arms limp, looking like a resigned salted fish who never wanted to move again. "Pathetic." A familiar mocking voice accompanied by the aroma of fried rice made Xia Ge perk up like a startled fish, "Ah! Ye Ze!" Before she could finish speaking, a small paper ball bounced off her forehead and rolled under the table. Dressed in coarse cloth garments, Ye Ze tossed a lunch box onto her desk, his face full of impatience. "Hurry up and eat. I need to go back after you finish." "Um... As expected of my good brother! You're sure to steal the hearts of many girls! Gosh, I might even marry you myself!!" Xia Ge grabbed the lunch box with one hand and immediately started devouring the food with chopsticks. Ye Ze's mouth twitched at her words. He glanced at Xia Ge with disgust and retorted sharply, "Gross. Even if you were a girl, who would want to marry you with that bear-like appearance?" Xia Ge ignored him, swiftly devouring the fried rice and letting out a contented burp. "No worries, no worries, I don't need to marry anyone anyway. Brother, copying this work for you is totally worth it!" She hadn't even started yet. "......" Ye Ze felt his temper flare. He held back, but couldn't resist in the end, gritting his teeth, "Did you know when the senior sister was coming?" Xia Ge's brain snapped awake. She shook her head vigorously like a rattle drum, "I didn't know, didn't know, how could I know if she was coming?" Ye Ze looked at her suspiciously, and seeing Xia Ge's righteous face, could only sneer. "Then why did you suddenly act so proper back then?" Even teaching him how to write calligraphy. If this brat didn't have a belly full of deviousness, Ye Ze might as well stand on his head from now on! Xia Ge wore an innocent expression, "Hey, didn't you tell me to speak properly back then?" Ye Ze: "......" — "What kind of protagonist are you, Xia Wu Yin? Can you speak properly!" — "Of course I can—Ye Shixiong, when copying, one should speak little, focus intently, and maintain inner peace. Only then can one master an exquisite calligraphy style..." Ye Ze's face alternated between red and white. So angry. "Ye Shixiong, I'm full." Xia Ge said seriously, smiling sweetly. "Thank you for the treat!" Hmph, no matter how much of a playboy he was, in the end, he was just a thirteen or fourteen-year-old little brat, easily played by her. "...Don't call me Shixiong!" Ye Ze fumed, smoke practically coming out of his head. "When are you going to pass the inner sect entry exam..." "Oh, Shixiong, no need to rush. Life is full of unexpected fortunes. Whether I pass the exam or not, you're still my brother while you're here. Why bother with titles like Shixiong, Gaixiong, inner sect brother, or outer sect brother?" Xia Ge found a toothpick from somewhere, crossed her legs, and happily picked her teeth, squinting in contentment. "Ye Shixiong's fried rice is really good... even with chicken breast. Is it from that Chicken X place down the mountain..." Ye Ze: "......" This brat always had a talent for irritating him into an internal injury. Ye Ze composed himself and decided to stand his ground, "Xia Wu Yin, your antics at the back mountain..." "Shixiong, look at the time, perfect for going down the mountain for a drink!" Xia Ge clapped her hands, as if she had a sudden inspiration. Ye Ze: "......" He coldly picked up the leftover lunch box Xia Ge had emptied, "Start copying. Thirty thousand times." Xia Ge: "......Huh? Weren't you taking me for a drink?" Ye Ze's cold expression cracked a bit. "Why would I take you for a drink?!" "Why not?" Ye Ze finally lost it: "Then why don't you explain every detail of why you went to the back mountain?!" Xia Ge's gaze flickered guiltily, "Uh... Well..." Seeing her worthless demeanor, Ye Ze thought that even copying thirty thousand times was too lenient. Ye Ze's voice turned icy. "You call me Shixiong, so I must fulfill my duties as one." When Xia Ge heard him say, "If you don't speak, don't come looking for food, ever again." "...It was for fasting pills! They are still in storage, but they’re very expensive. I didn't have enough money, so had to sneak up the mountain to steal them," Xia Ge said, her voice laden with false sincerity, "I'm terribly sorry for getting Shixiong punished, truly!" She suddenly got a knock on the head. Ye Ze took a deep breath, "Why didn't you ask me if you had no money?" "You're my meal ticket," Xia Ge said, hugging her head, seriously trying to explain, "not a money ticket." Ye Ze: "......" For some reason, he couldn't quite argue with that. "But you still can't go to the back mountain and get caught..." Ye Ze said, but was interrupted by Xia Ge. "Alright, alright, I know. I'm just trying to get into the inner sect as soon as possible—if Shixiong won't take me for a drink, you can leave now. I need to sleep early..." As she spoke, Xia Ge pushed him out of the Thought Hall. "Alright, Ye Shixiong, goodnight... remember to bring breakfast tomorrow." The door of the Thought Hall shut with a bang in Ye Ze's face. Breakfast delivery? What makes him think he's entitled to that? Dressed in rough coarsely woven garments, Ye Ze looked at the leftover lunch box in his hand and rubbed his throbbing temples. Delivering breakfast is out of the question. That brat always acts so nonchalant when it comes to crucial matters! Ye Ze turned to leave, but after a few steps, he was startled, "D... Dai Shijie?!" "Ye Ze." In the bright moonlight, a girl with her black hair lazily tied with a red ribbon, her black eyes reflecting the silvery moonlight, stood before him. Her red and white phoenix robe accentuated her graceful figure. She glanced at the lunch box in Ye Ze's hand, seemingly unsurprised that he had snuck food to Xia Wu Yin. "How much has Xia Wu Yin copied?" Cold sweat broke out on Ye Ze's forehead, "He, about..." Busy arguing with Xia Wu Yin, he hadn't bothered to check the copying progress! Gu Pei Jiu glanced at him, "No need to be nervous." Seeing that the senior sister didn't seem to be here to scold him, Ye Ze's anxiety eased a bit, "Yes." Gu Pei Jiu turned to walk back, and Ye Ze looked at her and then back at the Thought Hall. This path only led to the Thought Hall—was she planning to inspect Xia Wu Yin's copying progress? Realizing this, Ye Ze broke out in a cold sweat, silently thanking his lucky stars he hadn't listened to that brat and gone out for drinks. Otherwise, wouldn't they have been caught red-handed? As Gu Pei Jiu walked, Ye Ze had no choice but to follow. "Did you both join the Dan Peak together?" Unexpectedly, Gu Pei Jiu spoke, her voice as cool and clear as a mountain stream. Ye Ze lowered his head, "Yes." "I see." Reaching a fork in the path, she paused and gazed at the moon, lost in thought. Ye Ze stopped as well, bowing his head. "As an inner sect disciple... why are you wearing outer sect clothes?" Gu Pei Jiu asked. The usually responsive Ye Ze fell silent. "No matter," Gu Pei Jiu said calmly, "But from now on, as an inner sect disciple of Dan Peak, you should fulfill your duties, including wearing proper attire." "Yes." "You may go." Ye Ze respectfully bowed and was about to leave when Gu Pei Jiu said, "Wait a moment." Ye Ze turned back. Gu Pei Jiu: "Is it true that the stipend from Dan Peak is quite meager?" Ye Ze: "......" "Hmm?" Seeing his prolonged silence, Gu Pei Jiu's tone sharpened slightly. "R-Reporting to senior sister, the inner sect stipend is fairly sufficient... but the outer sect stipend is indeed a bit low," Ye Ze stammered, coming out of his shock that his proud senior sister had asked such a question. "I see," Gu Pei Jiu murmured, deep in thought. After a while, she said, "Very well, you may go." Ye Ze finally left, still feeling a bit apprehensive. Why on earth would the senior sister suddenly ask about the stipends? Thought Hall. The dark hall was dimly lit by a single oil lamp on the desk. Xia Ge had blown out all the wax candles. Picking up the brush she had tossed aside, wiped it clean, and put it back in its place. She leaned back in her chair, crossed her legs, and relaxed comfortably, "Sigh, Xiao Kui, when do you think I can level up?" [The host only needs to refine a Liuli Puppet to level up.] The system's voice was icy, devoid of any human warmth. Xia Ge found a more comfortable position, "The puppet technique is forbidden here. If I get caught, I'm done for. With such high risks, do you even have insurance for me?" The system had long been accustomed to its host's shamelessness and sharp tongue. Based on its past experiences of being tricked, it wisely chose to remain silent. "Don't you have any sympathy for your host? Hmm?" Xia Ge tried to appeal to its emotions. "Look, Xiao Kui, you've followed me for three whole years. Have I ever let you go hungry or thirsty? Your host here loves peace, doesn't engage in fights or killings..." [Ding! Warning, danger approaching!] Xia Ge didn't even get to finish listening to her system’s warning. A dark shadow flitted past the window, and in the next moment, she was forcefully pinned down by her vital point! The lone light on the table was extinguished by the wind. The once dimly lit pavillion became pitch black, the only light filtering in from the silvery moonlight through the window, and the cold glint of the short blade reflecting on her neck. An icy female voice cut through the darkness. "Don't scream." "Don't move." "......" Xia Ge: ... Why can't a person who loves peace be loved by peace in return?!