Chapter 2 : Special Solution

At this moment, Shuyue only wanted to grab her sword and flee, far away from this cursed plot center!
It’s over! Completely over!The male lead kneeling to become her disciple, the heroine publicly showing admiration!This was the total opposite of her carefully planned survival script!
However, six years of embodying the “Misty Moon Fairy” persona, along with the formidable cultivation she had painstakingly built, played a crucial role at this moment.
The spiritual mist around Shuyue flickered almost imperceptibly, and the soft cough triggered by her shock was forcibly suppressed.
A faint, ethereal breath escaped her lips, as if she were pondering something.
On the high platform, the elders’ gazes grew even more amused.
Elder Xuanshi stroked his chin, glancing at the kneeling Chu Yi, then at the timid Wanqing, chuckling heartily: “Heh, this kid’s bold, and this little girl’s interesting too. Quite the courage!”
Elder Yuheng snapped his folding fan open again, covering half his face, revealing only a pair of eyes gleaming with delight at the spectacle: “A fine match of talent… oh, I mean, an excellent disciple and teacher, both gifted with extraordinary aptitude and… unique temperaments.Junior Sister, you’re truly blessed.”
Elder Qingxu, however, furrowed his brow slightly, feeling the scene was somewhat improper for the solemn disciple selection ceremony.
But seeing Chu Yi’s resolute gaze and exceptional potential, along with Wanqing’s remarkably pure sword aura, he held his tongue and looked at Shuyue with a gentle expression, awaiting her decision.
Shuyue’s mind was racing through a storm of thoughts.
Reject them outright? With the “Misty Moon Fairy’s” aloof persona, turning down a highly talented disciple kneeling before her might… make sense?But would it seem too cold, drawing even more attention?And rejecting the heroine outright… could that trigger some bizarre misfortune?
Accept them? Absolutely out of the question! Inviting wolves into her home?
After much deliberation, Shuyue made her decision: stall! Muddle through! Shift the initiative away!
She lowered her gaze slightly, fixing it on Chu Yi, her voice icy and devoid of emotion, yet carrying an inherent authority: “The Canglan Sword Sect has its rules for accepting disciples.Aptitude, character, and fate—all must be considered.”
She paused, sensing Chu Yi’s gaze, and pressed on despite her nerves: “Chu Yi, your intentions are noted.However, taking a disciple is no trifling matter.Rise for now, and we shall discuss this further after the ceremony.”
‘Perfect! Watertight words—neither accepting nor rejecting, fitting my enigmatic persona, and postponing the issue!’
‘Hah, not bad, me.’
A flicker of disappointment passed through Chu Yi’s eyes, but it was quickly overshadowed by the thrill of being acknowledged!The fairy elder hadn’t rejected him outright! She said they’d discuss further!
This meant he had a chance!He bowed deeply: “Yes! This disciple obeys Elder’s command!”Only then did he stand and step aside.
Good! One dealt with, one to go.
Shuyue shifted her gaze to the girl below in a faded green dress.
Compared to Chu Yi’s purposeful kneeling, Wanqing’s timid, sincere admiration for her “amazing sword” stirred an unexpected softness in Shuyue’s heart.
Her mind screamed a reminder: ‘Hey, Shuyue, snap out of it! This is the heroine! The darling of the heavens! Don’t touch her!’
She was about to use the same formal rhetoric to brush Wanqing off when she noticed the girl’s face flush deeper under her gaze.Wanqing’s fingers nervously twisted the hem of her dress, but her eyes shone with astonishing brightness, brimming with unmasked admiration.
The official dismissal Shuyue had prepared suddenly felt hard to voice.
She recalled the game’s early backstory for Wanqing: a lonely upbringing, unremarkable spiritual roots, but a pure heart and an extraordinary passion and sensitivity for the sword path.
Her earlier praise of the “amazing sword” might genuinely reflect her feelings, not calculated flattery.
‘Help! She looks so sweet and sincere! Nothing like the radiant, harem-collecting true heroine of the later story!Who could bear to crush her in front of everyone?But survival comes first, Shuyue! Stay sharp!’
As Shuyue wrestled internally, Wanqing seemed to summon the greatest courage of her life, her voice trembling slightly as she added: “Senior Sister… I, I’ll work so hard…I can help tend your herb garden, clean the sword platform… I can do anything!”
Her words made Elder Xuanshi soften: “Aww, this little girl…”
Elder Yuheng’s fan slowed, his eyes taking on a more appraising look.
Shuyue felt her heart twinge, as if something had gently struck it.
Looking at the girl’s humble yet earnest plea, a sudden idea sparked!
‘I can’t take her as a personal disciple! Getting too close is a death sentence!’
But… maybe there was another way?
Neither fully rejecting her, to avoid any mysterious grudges, nor forming a direct, close master-disciple bond—while still earning some goodwill?
And so, under countless watching eyes, the Misty Moon Fairy’s cool voice rang out again, this time with a hint of warmth: “Startled Swan Peak still lacks a sword attendant.”
The words caused a slight hush to fall over the crowd.
A sword attendant?That wasn’t even a formal disciple—just a servant tasked with polishing swords and maintaining the sword furnace!
While they might overhear teachings or observe sword practice, their status was worlds apart from even outer sect disciples!
The elders froze, stunned by Shuyue’s response.Assigning such a delicate-looking girl to be a sword attendant?
Chu Yi frowned slightly, glancing at Wanqing with a trace of confusion, even faint disapproval, feeling her talent was being wasted.
But where did this odd feeling come from?
Wanqing, however, lifted her head abruptly, her face bursting with disbelief and joy, as if she’d received not a menial role but a heavenly blessing!
“I’m willing! Senior Sister! I’m willing!” she nodded eagerly.“I’ll take good care of the spiritual swords! I won’t slack off!”
To her, being near this fairy-like Senior Sister, whose swordsmanship had stunned her at first sight, and touching swords was a dream come true!Status? That didn’t matter at all!
Shuyue, seeing the girl’s pure, radiant smile, felt a pang of guilt.
‘Oh no… I feel like a villain exploiting child labor…But this is the best solution!Yes! Keep my distance, toss her a few benefits, build some goodwill—perfect!’
She nodded slightly, no longer looking at Wanqing, as if she’d merely assigned an insignificant role, maintaining her aloof demeanor to the end: “Very well.After the ceremony, report to the Affairs Hall.”
“Yes! Thank you, Senior Sister!”Wanqing’s face flushed with excitement, her gaze toward Shuyue filled with boundless gratitude and admiration.
Meanwhile, Chu Yi, watching this unfold, relaxed his brow slightly, seemingly satisfied with the arrangement.
At least this unthreatening girl had a place, and his master’s attention would surely fall on someone more suited to inherit her legacy—like him.
Shuyue, sensing the two distinct gazes from below, remained outwardly steady as a mountain, while inwardly she wept rivers of tears.