9 - Dungeon Growth Log
The creak of the wooden door of the Penitence Pavilion dissipated into the air. Just like that, the cool and aloof senior sister disappeared from her sight. “What was she even saying…” Casually tossing away a splinter of pearwood she'd hidden in her sleeve, Xia Ge jumped down from the table. “Forget it.” She couldn't win in a fight, and she'd lost the only chance she had. Giving up wasn't too bad. If she hadn't succeeded just now, she'd have to confront the genius beauty and senior sister on the spot, which would mean abandoning the good life she'd managed to scrape up on Dan Peak, and suffering through the relentless pursuit of people from Lingxi Peak. It just wasn't worth it. From now on, she'd have to be more careful. Being hunted by one Lingxi Peak disciple wasn't a big deal, but if anyone discovered what she was cultivating, she'd be worse off than a rat in the street—no, worse. Rats in the street get screamed at, but she wouldn't even have to be on the street for people to want her dead. “Oh, thinking about it is just too tragic.” 【Host, you’ve obtained the glazed wood; you should prepare for an upgrade.】 Her system gave its cold reminder. “I know, I know…” Xia Ge kissed the glazed wood in her hand, her eyes curving into a smile. No point in worrying about losses; it didn't seem too bad right now. She glanced at the wide-open window, noticing the first light of dawn peeking through the darkness. Morning was near. == Gu Peijiu had only walked a few steps away from the Penitence Pavilion with the demon garment in hand when she ran into Ye Ze. Ye Ze, in a hurry, was carrying a lunchbox and wearing his plain clothes. Seeing the senior sister who patrolled for the morning class every day right at the door of the Penitence Pavilion, he was completely stunned. “Senior sister?!” He hadn't even had time to change his clothes yet... Wait, forget about the clothes. What was that horrifying thing in her hand!! It seemed like a person, their head obscured behind Gu Peijiu, so Ye Ze could only see a body in a tattered gray vest. “This is the demon garment.” The senior sister's voice was cool and calm. “Morning class is starting soon. Why aren’t you in your Dan Peak uniform?” “I...” Ye Ze was flustered. “I'll, I'll do it right away...” Last night, when he'd brought food to that kid, the senior sister hadn’t said anything. So maybe now...? But yesterday, it seemed the senior sister had shown special mercy, since normally, others weren't allowed to bring food to punished disciples. Ye Ze steeled himself and was just about to ask if he could bring breakfast to that kid when Gu Peijiu unexpectedly said, “Is that breakfast for Xia Wuyin in your hand?” Hearing the question he was about to ask, Ye Ze froze but then hurriedly nodded. “Yes!” Xia Wuyin couldn't go hungry. This was an ingrained belief for Ye Ze. A sliver of morning light appeared in the east. “Give it to me and go change clothes.” Gu Peijiu said flatly. “Hurry up, the morning class is about to begin.” “Ah? Oh…yes.” Handing over the breakfast to the senior sister, Ye Ze was still a bit dazed. The ever-mature Gu Peijiu...actually…? It was hard to believe. Meanwhile, in the Penitence Pavilion. Xia Ge was sitting cross-legged, lost in thought. Umm…if the senior sister wanted her to do menial tasks for her, did that mean she didn't have to copy the pill training manual before the exam? If she didn't have to copy the pill training manual, then what was the point of staying in the Penitence Pavilion? “Ah, liberation! When Ye Ze comes by later, I'll ask him to join me for a drink down the mountain—” Just as Xia Ge hopped off the table, feeling pleased and ready to walk away from the mess, the door, previously shut, creaked open again. Maybe the previous night had been too thrilling, as Xia Ge yelped and instinctively used her ghost-like stealth technique, leaping onto the window, “Who's there?!” It was the senior sister who had come back. Her black hair, like silk, was lazily tied at the ends with a red ribbon. In her left hand, she held the dead demon garment; her right hand was behind her back, seemingly holding something. She addressed the dazed Xia Ge on the window calmly, “It's me. I’m here to tell you to clean up the Penitence Pavilion before you leave.” Xia Ge: “...” Xia Ge's gaze swept over the mess of wooden splinters and overturned tables in the Penitence Pavilion, before finally landing back on the unruffled senior sister at the door, her speechless expression clear. “Hmm?” Seeing that Xia Ge still hadn't responded, Gu Peijiu slightly raised an eyebrow. Xia Ge looked conflicted and finally decided to be more tactful: “Senior sister, I haven’t even passed the exam yet.” …So isn't it a bit early to be making her do menial tasks? She glanced outside the window. The sky was already turning white with dawn. Judging by the time, Ye Ze should be coming to bring her breakfast soon… Darn it, according to the plan, she should be on the way back now, running into Ye Ze who was heading to the morning class while also bringing her breakfast, and then asking him to skip the pill class in the afternoon to go for a drink! But with the senior sister here, how would Ye Ze dare to come in and bring her food? Judging by the time, the morning class would start soon. Ye Ze absolutely wouldn't risk being late and getting caught by the senior sister for bringing her breakfast— Ah, sending this great Buddha away was the priority! The senior sister's voice remained calm, “Outer sect disciples are responsible for daily chores. If you pass the exam, you won’t have to handle these tasks anymore…” Gu Peijiu paused slightly before continuing, “...You’ve never done it?” Xia Ge stiffened and immediately said, “No, no, no, senior sister, how could I trouble you with such small tasks? Really! Even if you didn't say so, I’d still do it— Senior sister, don't you need to oversee the morning class?” Gu Peijiu looked at her for a moment, then nodded and turned to leave. Only then did Xia Ge let out a sigh of relief. Ye Ze seemed to be delayed. The path to the Penitence Pavilion was straightforward; he must have run into the senior sister and been sent back! Though she hadn’t felt hungry just now, the thought of not having food made Xia Ge suddenly realize her hunger. Rubbing her empty stomach, Xia Ge glanced at the messy Penitence Pavilion again, feeling immensely sorrowful. But when her gaze swept the room... No food…wait, what…? The senior sister hadn't closed the door when she left, and Ye Ze’s usual lunchbox was peeking out at her from behind the door corner, like a beautiful courtesan in a brothel teasing with a coquettish look. Xia Ge swiftly leaped down from the window and nearly teleported to the door. What did she see?! It was Ye Ze's usual lunchbox! When…Ye Ze had been here? No, no way; the senior sister was the only one who had been here— The senior sister. The earlier scene flashed through her mind. The senior sister had held the dead demon garment in her left hand, while her right hand was behind her back… I see. She picked up the lunchbox on the ground and opened it; inside were several steaming buns radiating a mouth-watering aroma. Xia Ge swallowed her saliva. “It doesn’t seem…she’s that strict after all.” Hugging the lunchbox, Xia Ge set up a chair that had fallen but wasn’t broken, comfortably settled into it, and bit into a bun. The warm, soft texture paired with the fresh, juicy meat filled her mouth, and for a moment, Xia Ge felt she’d ascended to heaven. In this world, only wine and buns are treasures not to be missed! Xia Ge squinted contently, taking her time with each bite, unlike her ravenous behavior the previous night when eating fried rice. This time, she savored the buns in a manner almost reminiscent of a noble, letting the flavor of the meat seep into every taste bud, greedily absorbing every bit of deliciousness the buns had to offer. —After all, you never know where your next bun might come from. For some reason, recalling her dramatic lines from earlier, Xia Ge shivered involuntarily. Any child who heard her back then must’ve also, like her, gone on to have endless buns. She hoped so. “Sigh, Little Puppet, life is so full of sorrow.” Xia Ge gnawed her bun slowly, gazing wistfully out the window at a forty-five-degree angle. “...” The system instinctively ignored her melodramatics. “Little Puppet, tell me, I have endless buns now, but where did the passion I once had go?” System: “...” Were you ever passionate?! Xia Ge found a comfortable position. “But really, the slower you eat a bun, the more flavor it has.” System: “Host, you should just get on with cleaning.” You’re just stalling to avoid work, aren't you?! Xia Ge became more despondent, “Why can't you understand the nostalgic heart of an aged soul?” The system tolerated the whimsical feelings of its thirteen-year-old host. The result was that it took her the entire two hours to eat four buns. System: “...” The last one must be cold by now, right? No, it was already cold by the third one, right?! “Sigh, the last two buns are cold.” Xia Ge cast a fleeting glance at the chaotic Penitence Pavilion, then covered her face with a mournful sigh, “Why do people always have to make the painful choice between keeping buns warm and eating them cold?” The system was unmoved: “Host, you need to clean up now.” Xia Ge was horrified: “It’s not yet noon?” System: “...” You were doing it on purpose!