Chapter 10: Bamboo Forest

The air on the high platform seemed to freeze.
All eyes pressed heavily on Shuyue.
Elder Qingxu’s words echoed in her ears: “…it’s hard to justify.”
Liu Qingxu’s smile, seemingly encouraging but laced with coercion, was glaringly provocative.
Shuyue’s heart churned with an unprecedented struggle.
‘Don’t accept him? I’d be slapping the faces of all the elders and disciples here! Offending the future sword sovereign could make the plot spiral out of control!’
‘Accept him? That’s like tying a ticking bomb to myself! What do I do? System, save me! Oh, wait, there’s no system…’
In a flash, a begrudging but stabilizing idea emerged: ‘Agree for now, then find a way to pass him off later!’
As the suffocating silence reached its peak, Shuyue finally moved.
She rose slowly, her moon-white skirt billowing without wind, the spiritual mist around her rippling with her turbulent emotions, adding a layer of mystery and authority.
The entire arena fell silent.
Her gaze settled on Chu Yi below.
Her eyes remained cold but carried an indescribable weight.
“Chu Yi.”
Her icy, clear voice reached every ear. “Your resolve is noted.”
Chu Yi’s head snapped up, his pale face flushing with excitement.
“However,” Shuyue’s tone turned stern, “the path of cultivation is not about reckless fighting or overdrawing one’s potential.Those who damage their foundation cannot reach the peak!Your actions today, though victorious, were foolishly reckless!A slight misstep could have ruined your foundation and future. Is this a game?”
Her merciless reprimand doused the heated atmosphere like cold water.
Many disciples looked stunned.
Chu Yi froze, his excitement fading, replaced by shock and… defiance?
This was exactly the effect Shuyue wanted!
She continued coldly: “Given your firm resolve and some talent, Startled Swan Peak will grant you an opportunity.”
Chu Yi’s heart leapt.
“From this day, you may be a nominal disciple of Startled Swan Peak.”
Nominal disciple—not a personal disciple?
A faint murmur rippled through the crowd.
Disappointment flashed in Chu Yi’s eyes, but entering the peak was a significant step forward.
“But!”
Shuyue’s voice grew icier: “Within three years, you must fully heal today’s hidden injuries, polish your foundation to perfection, and temper your mindset to be steady and composed.Today’s ‘foolish bravery’ must not repeat, or you’ll be expelled. Can you do it?”
She imposed an extraordinarily harsh condition!Healing hidden injuries, perfecting the foundation, tempering the mindset—none were easy, especially within three years!
It was almost blatant obstruction.
The elders’ expressions varied.
Elder Qingxu nodded thoughtfully, seeming to grasp Shuyue’s intent.
Elder Yuheng chuckled, fanning himself, finding it amusing.
Elder Xuanshi thought the demands weren’t too harsh for a body cultivator but strict for a sword cultivator.
Liu Qingxu’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction.Though not her ideal outcome, it was progress, easing her slightly.
Chu Yi clenched his fists tightly.
He felt the harshness but also a unique, lofty expectation!
He saw this as a test from his master—the harder it was, the more he had to succeed!
He looked up, his gaze resolute, his voice carrying unwavering determination: “Disciple Chu Yi will not fail Elder’s expectations! Within three years, I will meet the requirements!”
He nearly called her Master, correcting himself just in time.
Shuyue inwardly sighed in relief.
On the surface, she gave a detached “Mm,” sat back down, and didn’t spare Chu Yi another glance.
‘Done! A three-year buffer. Plenty of time to foist him onto another elder or let him leave on his own! Perfect!’
This highly anticipated disciple acceptance drama concluded in a way no one expected.
Chu Yi joined Startled Swan Peak as hoped, but only as a nominal disciple, with a three-year sword hanging over his head.
As the crowd dispersed, disciples buzzed about Chu Yi’s stunning strike and the Misty Moon Elder’s stringent conditions.
Shuyue felt exhausted, longing to collapse in her cave.
But as her gaze instinctively swept the crowd for that small figure, she froze.
Wanqing was gone!
She’d been there, watching, moments ago.
Shuyue’s divine sense spread swiftly, soon locating a curled-up figure in a secluded corner near the path back to Startled Swan Peak.
Wanqing sat hugging her knees behind a cold boulder, her face buried in her arms, her slender shoulders trembling slightly.
She’d heard the crowd’s cheers for Senior Brother Chu, seen her “Master”—whom she’d already accepted in her heart—finally agree to take him, albeit as a nominal disciple with harsh conditions.
…But that was Senior Brother Chu, a brilliant genius. It was only natural for Master to accept him, right?
And her?
So weak, losing her match, only bringing shame to Master…Though Master protected her, gave her pills, even stepped into the arena to support her… maybe that was just Master’s kindness?
Now that Master had a stronger, more worthy disciple, would she… no longer need this clumsy, troublemaking sword attendant?
A wave of loss and inferiority overwhelmed her.
She didn’t dare think of that cold, fragrant embrace or the words “Are you hurt?”—it felt like stolen warmth, liable to vanish any moment.
The platform’s clamor faded, and Shuyue, after perfunctorily handling the elders’ pleasantries, seized an excuse to leave.
Her divine sense had already locked onto that small, dejected figure slipping away.
‘It’s over! The girl’s definitely shaken! What a mess!’
‘Chu Yi, you show-off! Liu Qingxu, you troublemaker! And those gossip-loving elders! My survival plan—argh!’
With the wind at her heels, Shuyue practically teleported to a secluded bamboo grove behind Startled Swan Peak.
It was where Wanqing often practiced her sword and, occasionally, hid to grieve.
Sure enough, before she even got close, she heard faint, stifled sobs that tugged at her heart.
In the dappled bamboo shadows under cold moonlight, the petite girl curled up beneath a sturdy bamboo stalk, her face buried in her knees, her frail shoulders quaking.
Her usual plain green robe looked even more austere in the moonlight, exuding a poignant sense of helplessness.
She was so absorbed in her tears that she didn’t notice Shuyue landing silently before her.
Shuyue looked at the small, weeping figure, feeling a headache coming on.
She was adept at wielding a sword, not handling tears—especially this girl’s tears.
‘What do I do? Say “Stop crying”? Too harsh. Pretend I didn’t see? No, my conscience would ache! Maybe… give her candy? Cultivators don’t eat candy, do they? A pill? No, pills are slightly toxic… This is so hard!’
She stood frozen, her cold, elegant face expressionless, but her eyes betrayed a rare panic.
Taking a deep breath, Shuyue recalled the few “comforting” scenes she’d seen.
Finally, she spoke stiffly, her voice still in its usual cool tone but noticeably softer:
“…What are you doing here?”
Wanqing jolted, raising her head like a startled deer.