Zanxing (Retranslated)

Chapter 46 - The Qinchong Seeds (2)

“Senior Uncle, the Qinchong seeds are gone!”

In the spacious hall, the wind swept the fallen leaves from outside through the windows, landing on the long table set with fruit plates, adding a few more degrees of coldness to the air.

The hall fell into silence.

After a moment, the young man looked at Men Dong opposite him and slowly asked, “What did you say?”

“The Qinchong seeds are missing,” Men Dong shrank back slightly, seemingly intimidated by Gu Baiying’s gaze. He knelt down to the ground abruptly and began to cry out, “Today when I went to Gufeng Mountain, I calculated that the Qinchong seeds should have matured in a few days. But as soon as I arrived at Black Marsh, I found that the prohibition of Black Marsh had been tampered with. I used my elemental power to scan the entire bottom of the Black Marsh, only to find that the Qinchong was missing!”

“How is that possible?” Gu Baiying stood up, his face darkening. “Did you perhaps misinterpret something?”

“Senior Uncle,” Men Dong knelt on the ground, his face full of bitterness. “There was only one living thing in the entire bottom of the Black Marsh, which was very easy to find. But now there is nothing. How could I have misinterpreted it?”

Gu Baiying’s expression sank. “The existence of the Qinchong seeds is known only to you, me, Fifth Brother, and the Sect Master. Even if someone accidentally found out, they wouldn’t risk going to pick it, unless it was obtained by chance.” He paused, then pondered, “Only inner disciples go to Gufeng Mountain to pick spiritual herb ingredients. ” He looked at Men Dong, his eyes turning cold. “Check which disciples entered Gufeng Mountain during the year I was away.”

Men Dong’s expression suddenly became hesitant, and he stuttered, “Actually, Senior Uncle…”

Gu Baiying’s gaze changed slightly. “Do you know who it is?”

“I… I asked Sister Ziluo,” Men Dong cautiously deliberated his words, “There was a female disciple before, with scars on her face caused by demonic energy. Fourth Senior Uncle asked her to find a piece of Night Vine Branch to refine into a beauty pill for facial rejuvenation. Night Vine Branches grow on the edge of the swamp, and from what that female disciple said… she was ambushed by fellow disciples and fell into the Black Marsh, but luckily escaped…” He couldn’t bring himself to say the rest.

There was only one person who fell into the Black Marsh in the past ten years. Who else could it be but her?

“With scars on her face caused by demonic energy,” the young man stared at him, his tone suddenly becoming dangerous. “Are you not going to tell me that the female disciple is named Yang Zanxing?”

“Senior Uncle, how did you know?” Men Dong lifted his head in surprise, then realization dawned on him. “Of course, Sixth Senior Uncle said you were always watching her, so naturally you knew.”

“I didn’t watch her,” Gu Baiying gritted his teeth, emphasizing each word.

Men Dong shrank back, whispering, “So… what do we do now?”

To lose the seed after nurturing it for ten years, who wouldn’t feel devastated?

The hall was deathly silent.

“For now, don’t inform the Sect Master and Fifth Brother,” after what seemed like an eternity, the young man’s voice came, carrying a hint of coldness. “When the Qinchong seeds enter the spiritual vein, there will be a reaction. I’ll go and investigate first. If it’s really her…” He looked at Men Dong, who lowered his head in fear, hearing the ominous warning above him: “You find a way to retrieve the seed for me.”

*

After finishing her cultivation, Zanxing returned to the Small Wooden Pavilion.

Inside, Tian Fangfang was already there, squatting on the ground and playing with the cat.

Mimi had gained some weight, lying sprawled on the ground in a big shape, while Tian Fangfang scratched her chin, looking utterly content. Tian Fangfang, too, found solace in her presence, hi expression oscillating between profound satisfaction and longing.

Seeing this harmonious scene of human and cat as soon as she returned, Zanxing couldn’t help but smile. If it weren’t for the fact that this was her own dormitory, she might have thought she had stepped into a scene from a countryside idyll.

She walked around Mimi on the floor and sat down by the soft couch, pouring herself a cup of tea.

Tian Fangfang, awakened by her movements, quickly greeted her upon seeing Zanxing return. “Junior Sister is back! Wow, you’ve been working hard, judging by the sweat.”

“No need for flattery,” Zanxing said, taking a sip of tea. “Didn’t you hear what Hua Yue said the other day? He threatened to kill me sooner or later.”

“Don’t worry,” Tian Fangfang reassured her, patting her chest. “With Senior Brother watching over you, nothing will happen to you. But…” His gaze fell on Zanxing’s iron staff. “Junior Sister, that stick of yours, it’s really quite ugly.”

The iron rod was still the standard equipment for new students in the Taiyan Sect. After using it for such a long time, perhaps it couldn’t withstand the erosion of elemental energy. The whole rod was covered in rust spots, looking like something a beggar would pick up from the streets. Throughout the Taiyan Sect, female disciples rarely used rods, and this one was particularly ugly. Sometimes, looking at it felt truly indescribable.

“I have no choice,” Zanxing shrugged, pushing her hands behind her back. “I don’t have extra spirit stones to buy a new one from Hua Jin Pavilion.” She sighed. “If every Taiyan disciple gave me a spirit stone…”

Zanxing shook her head. She was truly broke.

“Hey,” Tian Fangfang said, holding Mimi and sitting opposite Zanxing, leaning closer. “I heard that in a few months, during the internal disciple assessment, Senior Uncle Xuan Lingzi will select the most talented among the new disciples as his direct disciples.”

He leaned in mysteriously. “I also heard that direct disciples can go to the sect’s armory and choose their own weapons. The weapons there are all top-notch, with the worst being middle-grade spiritual tools. Junior Sister, do you think if we become direct disciples, we’ll be set for life?”

Zanxing: “…”

Sometimes she admired Tian Fangfang. Most people pursued cultivation to attain powerful spiritual energy or to transcend ordinary lifespans for immortality. But Tian Fangfang seemed to pursue a worldly desire for success and wealth. It was as if he aspired to be a wealthy landlord who climbed the social ladder, seek fame and fortune, and eventually live worry-free.

But people have different aspirations, and each should pursue their own path. If he was happy, that was what mattered.

Zanxing replied, “That’s right, Senior Brother. I believe you’ll surely make a name for yourself.”

“Thank you,” Tian Fangfang joyfully replied, “Let’s get rich together.”

After playing with Mimi for a while longer, Tian Fangfang reluctantly returned to his own small wooden building.

Zanxing finished grooming and followed suit, climbing onto her bed. With classes during the day and self-study at night, after a day of exhaustion, Zanxing quickly drifted off to sleep.

Once she fell asleep, a shadow suddenly appeared at the window. After a moment, someone entered the room.

In the dead of night, someone silently stood at the foot of her bed. If Zanxing had awakened at this moment, she would have been scared out of her wits.

The white cat lying at the head of the bed stared at the uninvited guest with its emerald eyes wide open, without blinking. Glancing at it, Gu Baiying extended a finger and scratched its chin. The white cat purred contentedly, its throat emitting a soft sound.

The woman on the bed turned over, one leg crossing over and resting on the blanket. The moonlight illuminated the room clearly, making that leg especially conspicuous. This sleeping position was truly ungraceful.

Gu Baiying disdainfully looked away, and with a flick of his finger, the blanket flew up, covering the person’s chest and below securely.

He then turned his head and exerted force with his palm. In an instant, a thread of qi drilled into the person’s chest like a silver light, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

A green light gradually emerged from Zanxing’s chest, resembling the shadows cast by willow trees on a spring day by the riverside, exuding a rich vitality that filled the entire room.

Gu Baiying abruptly stopped, his face showing an unexpected ugly expression.

As expected, the Qinchong seeds were indeed inside her.