novelJun Xiaomo's Late Arrival
| ← Ch.239 | Ch.241 → |
Translator: Minotauruz
In the blink of an eye, Yu Wanrou forged a letter from the Sect and sent it to Jun Xiaomo by way of a Messenger Paper Crane.
As she watched the Messenger Paper Crane vanish from view, a discreet smile crept up the corner of Yu Wanrou's lips, before she began to make her way slowly over towards the Discussion Hall.
Qin Lingyu had already apprised He Zhang as well as the Limitless Sect of Yu Wanrou's identity and capacity – Yu Wanrou was going to enter the Limitless Sect together with Qin Lingyu. He Zhang and the Limitless Sect had also similarly responded with their approval.
It was precisely because of this that Yu Wanrou had the right to enter the Discussion Hall today and sit with the Dawn Sect's Peakmasters and Sect Elders, together with the disciples that they had picked out as they waited for the arrival of the guests from the Greater Sects.
The right to enter the Discussion Hall also represented the right to enter a Greater Sect. Those who did not possess such rights but still wished to observe the proceedings would have no choice but to stand and wait outside the Discussion Hall.
Naturally, the Discussion Hall was an open area, and those standing outside were still able to observe the proceedings on the inside.
Qin Shanshan gritted her teeth as she looked with a gaze filled with admiration at Yu Wanrou's back as Yu Wanrou stepped into the Discussion Hall without turning back once.
You're only riding on brother's coattails! Qin Shanshan decried with a heart filled with bitter astringency. In fact, she even viciously cursed that one day her brother would discard and disown Yu Wanrou.
There were several other disciples who were standing beside Qin Shanshan right now who also looked upon Yu Wanrou with a similar gaze in their eyes.
Under the baptism of such gazes, Yu Wanrou's heart was filled with even more delight as it bloated with pride.
When Yu Wanrou's Messenger Paper Crane arrived, Jun Xiaomo had just cleared the mess on her table and was about to enter a state of meditation.
The message was written on a paper crane that was prepared for an internal transmission of messages within the Sect. It was impossible to tell who the sender of the message was based solely on the handwriting.
Jun Xiaomo motioned to open up the Messenger Paper Crane and read its contents. However, as soon as her fingers touched the sides of the Messenger Paper Crane, Jun Xiaomo suddenly paused, and she squinted her eyes with disdain.
She rubbed together the fingers that had just touched the Messenger Paper Crane, before she placed her fingers under the sunlight.
From a certain angle, she was barely able to make out a layer of glimmering substance on it. This was incredibly faint, and one would never have been able to notice it unless they looked closely enough.
Then, Jun Xiaomo congealed a fireball on her palm and placed it under the Messenger Paper Crane as she "roasted" it. Moments later, the Messenger Paper Crane began to give off a faint medicinal scent that could very easily be overlooked if one were not looking out for it.
This was not a drug that was foreign to Jun Xiaomo at all. This was because she had been stumbled and tripped up by this very drug on several occasions in her previous life.
"Ah, I wonder who's been so extravagant in their usage of the Threefold Spellbinding Incense on me!" Jun Xiaomo smiled grimly.
The Threefold Spellbinding Incense, as the name suggests, was an incense that had been crafted using three types of medicines that possess the ability to entrance a person. Its fragrance was incredibly faint, but its effects were incredibly strong.
Its effects were to draw out and amplify the deepest and strongest desires of a person's heart and put them under the illusion that they had already obtained what they so desired. Yet the truth of the matter was that an illusion would always remain an illusion – this was a reality that could never be changed.
In fact, it was precisely this drug that had caused Jun Xiaomo to have mistaken Rong Ruihan for Qin Lingyu in her previous life.
The more she thought about it, the more incensed she grew. The fireball on her palm flickered, as though it were primed and ready to burgeon and consume the Messenger Paper Crane above it.
However, just as the fireball shifted towards the Messenger Paper Crane, Jun Xiaomo paused – It might too much of a waste if I simply burnt it like that. After all, I wouldn't even know what the schemer was trying to accomplish yet.
Jun Xiaomo had always been a person who would never wrong other who had never wronged her. At the same time, she would hardly hesitate to repay an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth if others made the first move against her. Thus, she was rather reticent to destroy her only clue as to the identity of the schemer.
Forget it. She had the antidote to the Threefold Spellbinding Incense after all, so what was the harm in finding out what her opponent might have been scheming behind her back?
As she thought about it, Jun Xiaomo retrieved an exquisite jade bottle from her Interspatial Ring and sniffed at its contents. Instantly, the medicinal fumes from that bottle shot straight through her nose and dispersed the hazing effects of the Threefold Spellbinding Incense.
The effects of the antidote last for two hours. Within these two hours, Jun Xiaomo would be immune to the effects of the Threefold Spellbinding Incense.
With that, she set her heart and mind at ease and opened the Messenger Paper Crane, only to find one line of words written on it –
"Disciple Jun Xiaomo, in light of your stellar performance during the Secondary Inter-Sect Competition, several sect elders from Greater Sects have expressed interest in nominating you as their Chosen Disciples. Please attend to the Discussion Hall right now."
Jun Xiaomo raised her eyebrow quizzically. She had just recalled the fact that there were several guests from Greater Sects calling on the Dawn Sect today with the view of earmarking some Chosen Disciples for themselves. Several of her martial brothers from the Heavenly Peak had also already made their way over to the Discussion Hall earlier. That said, most disciples would already have been informed of the need for their attendance at the Discussion Hall, and it was rare to hear of any last-minute changes to the list of attendees.
After all, the Dawn Sect had far too many disciples, and not everyone would be able to squeeze their way into the Discussion Hall. Logically speaking, the disciples like Jun Xiaomo whose cultivation was only at the sixth level of Qi Mastery would never be considered for their attendance to begin with.
That said, there were exceptions as well. For instance, Jun Xiaomo had in fact received a letter from the sect elder of the Zephyr Sect a few days back, informing her that he was keen to earmark her as a Chosen Disciple. However, after much consideration, she decided to turn down the Zephyr Sect's invitation.
Truth be told, she was hardly interested in becoming a disciple of a Greater Sect. In her eyes, rather than enter a Greater Sect and gaining access to spiritual cultivation techniques that were not suitable to her to begin with, her time might be far better spent waiting for some Arcane Realms to open up and diving into these places to hunt for treasures.
Some of these Arcane Realms had indeed surfaced and opened up in her previous life. However, she had been escaping from her pursuers back then, and she did not have the luxury of time to hunt for treasures like that. However, things were different in this life, and she did not want to let up on those opportunities that were now available to her.
Thus, no matter what this schemer was trying to do, tempting Jun Xiaomo with the prospects of entering Greater Sects was most certainly a lost cause.
Jun Xiaomo chuckled coldly as she burnt up the Messenger Paper Crane in her hands and clapped off the remaining ashes from her hands. Then, she turned around and motioned to return back to her room.
She was no longer interested in investigating who the sender of this letter had been. After all, regardless of whether it was Qin Lingyu, Yu Wanrou, He Zhang, or anyone else in their faction, she was going to get her revenge on them sooner or later. Thus, she was content letting them run freely for now.
However, before she managed to step into her own room, another Messenger Paper Crane flew towards her and perched itself on her shoulder.
Jun Xiaomo immediately grew frustrated – Does this schemer know no bounds? One Messenger Paper Crane after the other just to get what he wants?
Jun Xiaomo was just about to burn the Messenger Paper Crane on her shoulder to a crisp when she suddenly discovered that the design of this Messenger Paper Crane was one that was uniquely used by Jun Linxuan.
This was Jun Linxuan's personal Messenger Paper Crane – something that could never be forged.
"Father sent this?" Jun Xiaomo was slightly taken aback. This time, she immediately opened it without hesitation.
Jun Linxuan's message was brief and succinct – "Come to the Discussion Hall right now." There were only a few words on it, and it did not explain the reason for his instructions. In other words, this message reeked of Jun Linxuan's personality.
Jun Xiaomo shook her head in exasperation as she remarked to herself, "Seem like I'll still have to make the trip."
Truth be told, she would very much prefer to focus on her cultivation than visit the Discussion Hall. Ever since she had returned from the Secondary Inter-Sect Competition, her cultivation level had remained stuck at the sixth level of Qi Mastery, and there were no signs of any breakthrough yet.
Jun Xiaomo knew that this was a result of the lack of combat experience and sparring partners. But given the limitations of her current circumstances, she knew that she could only make do with what she had.
After all, the fact that I could leap from the first level of Qi Mastery to the sixth level of Qi Mastery within such a short span of time is already pretty good. Haste makes waste. Jun Xiaomo cautioned herself.
With such considerations in mind, she had continued to press on in her own personal cultivation. That said, there were several incidents during this period of time that continued to interrupt her, just like the present incident.
"Just what's going on here?" Jun Xiaomo murmured to herself as she walked towards the Discussion Hall.
In the Discussion Hall, numerous disciples sat tensely on their seats as they all looked to the main entrance with anticipation.
He Zhang, the Peakmasters and the Sect Elders had gone out to receive their distinguished guests from the Greater Sects, leaving only the disciples waiting eagerly in anticipation for the arrival of the people who could potentially change their future.
The guests this time included people from the Limitless Sect, the Frozen Sword Sect and the Zephyr Sect, namely the Greater Sects that ranked the first, second and third among all the Greater Sects respectively. This was an unusual occurrence, and it was also for this reason that the turnout to this present meeting was unprecedented.
Among the disciples seated in the Discussion Hall, Chen Feiyu leaned over towards another Heavenly Peak disciple as he asked in a hushed voice, "Where's Xiaomo? Isn't she here yet?"
The other disciple was seated in a seat which made it easy for him to look outwards. This was the reason why Chen Feiyu had asked such a question to begin with.
"She's not here yet. She must still be on her way." The other disciple looked out and responded seriously.
Chen Feiyu furrowed his brows, "Shouldn't we get martial sister to make haste? It's been quite a long time now. I believe that the sect elders from the Greater Sects should be arriving soon. It wouldn't be good for martial sister Xiaomo to make a late appearance."
Once the sect elders from the Greater Sects have taken their seats, a late arrival by Jun Xiaomo would not only look bad on her, it might even arouse the ire of these cantankerous old men from the Greater Sects and cost Jun Xiaomo the opportunity of a lifetime.
"I'll quickly send Jun Xiaomo another message." The other disciple responded. However, before he could retrieve the Messenger Paper Crane from his Interspatial Ring, a group of people immediately landed on the grounds just outside the Discussion Hall. They could even hear He Zhang's boisterous laughter and traces of flattery in his speech.
"The people of the Greater Sects have arrived!" The disciple muttered in a low voice, causing Chen Feiyu's eyebrows to be knitted even more tightly together.
Sigh. We've really jinxed it there, haven't we? Even though Chen Feiyu's heart was incredibly anxious for his martial sister, he could only sigh with resignation.
The sect elders from the three different Greater Sects were all clothed in different types of garments, and they were escorted to the Discussion Hall by He Zhang, together with the Dawn Sect's Peakmasters and Sect Elders.
The Limitless Sect's sect elders all toted an arrogant and haughty look, and it was evident that they were extremely proud to be part of the Limitless Sect. Even though He Zhang was always chatting with them, they merely nodded or gave nothing more than curt responses. The Frozen Sword Sect's sect elders were like prized spirit swords that had been unsheathed from their covers. They stood strong and majestic; unwavering and unflappable – almost akin to what the Heavenly Peak disciples were like. It was no wonder why they loved picking out their Chosen Disciples from among the Heavenly Peak disciples. Finally, the sect elders from the Zephyr Sect were slightly more varied in their appearances, and each had their own unique characteristics. That said, their auras and disposition was hardly as imposing as those from the Limitless Sect or the Frozen Sword Sect.
Despite that, no one dared to look down on the sect elders from the Zephyr Sect. After all, their abilities were undoubtedly formidable, and these sect elders could easily crush a bunch of Dawn Sect disciples with the flick of their fingers.
After escorting the sect elders of the Greater Sects to their seats, Jun Linxuan returned to his own seat and found his place among his disciples.
"Where's Xiaomo?" Jun Linxuan furrowed his brows and asked Chen Feiyu who was beside him.
"She's not here yet. She must have received the message slightly too late." Chen Feiyu responded with a commensurately worried tone of voice.
"Since that's the case, send another message to her and tell her not to come. The sect elders from the Greater Sects area already all seated, and it wouldn't be good for her to make an entrance right now." Jun Linxuan made a swift decision.
However, when it rains, it pours. Just as he relayed his instructions to Chen Feiyu, a lady in striking red garments appeared at the entrance of the Discussion Hall. Everyone in the Discussion Hall turned their attention back from the guests towards the entrance of the Discussion Hall once more.
"I'm sorry that I'm late." Jun Xiaomo smiled as she apologized to the guests in an unrestrained manner.
The faces of several onlookers immediately twitched uncontrollably. At this moment, every single person felt that Jun Xiaomo must have galls made of stone that was impervious to any situation. Quite apart from the fact that she had been tardy, she had even plastered a smug and composed look on her face – did she not notice how the Sect Leader and several Sect Elders' faces had all turned black?
On the other hand, just beside where Qin Lingyu was located, Yu Wanrou's lips stretched out into a victorious, contemptuous smile.
| ← Ch. 239 | Ch. 241 → |