Shi Xiaowu is one of the people Jiang Yuebai has known the longest, having apprenticed together in Huaxi Valley back in the day. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Both have Five Spirit Roots, both entered the Dao at the age of six.

Over twenty years have passed, Jiang Yuebai has reached Core Formation, while Shi Xiaowu is still stuck at the peak of Qi Cultivation, having failed the first Foundation Establishment attempt and not daring to attempt a second.

In reality, his situation is the norm for ninety-nine percent of Five Spirit Root cultivators.

Jiang Yuebai thought to herself that if it weren’t for Lu Xingyun’s gifts, the baptism of the Great Dao, her grandfather’s cultivation technique, her master’s teachings of the Five Elements Rotation Method, and her years of sleepless cultivation, she might also be like Shi Xiaowu, having wasted twenty years before reaching the threshold of Foundation Establishment.

If successfully establishing the foundation, then struggling for fifty or sixty more years, with some luck, a Golden Core might be formed at the end of one’s lifespan, defying the heavens to gain new life; with less luck, it may all end there.

But cultivation does not mean Shi Xiaowu is useless; he is indeed better than her in arithmetic, which was evident even during their bookkeeping days in Huaxi Valley.

Over the years, the account books of Huaxi Valley, including those of Heavenly Cry Peak, were all done by Shi Xiaowu, never having any issues.

Hearing from Qii Ming that Shi Xiaowu was at Lii Jiuchuan’s, Jiang Yuebai directly rushed to the top of Heavenly Cry Peak, to the hall where Lii Jiuchuan resided.

"Master! I’m back!"

Jiang Yuebai quickly walked in, seeing Shi Xiaowu sitting tensely, half his butt on the bench, holding a writing brush and abacus in front of their master, verifying calculations, with papers covered in formulas spread out on the table.

"Master, did you want to see me?"

Lii Jiuchuan put down the writing brush, Jiang Yuebai had not even glanced at him since entering, her eyes were entirely fixed on Shi Xiaowu.

"Thank you for your help today; go rest now, tomorrow I will take you to meet the Supreme Elder."

Shi Xiaowu leapt up from the chair with trepidation, feeling nervous as if frozen in front of Lii Jiuchuan, though he would dare say anything in front of Guo Zhen, he stiffly expressed gratitude and turned to leave, walking with awkward synchronization of hands and feet.

Jiang Yuebai kept signaling to Shi Xiaowu with her eyes, whispering, "Wait for me, I’ll come find you in a bit."

"He has done a lot of calculations today, let him rest properly, we’ll talk tomorrow."

Hearing her master say so, Jiang Yuebai could only let Shi Xiaowu go back to rest.

Facing Jiang Yuebai, Shi Xiaowu relaxed slightly, scratching his head with a shy smile before quickly leaving.

If it weren’t for that question from Jiang Yuebai, which led Lii Jiuchuan to discover Shi Xiaowu’s astonishing arithmetic ability, perhaps Shi Xiaowu’s greatest achievement would have been as Huaxi Valley’s accountant.

After Shi Xiaowu left, Jiang Yuebai walked to the table to take the papers they had just calculated, Lii Jiuchuan waved his hand, and all the papers neatly stacked themselves, pinned under his palm.

Lii Jiuchuan sternly asked, "The matters of today and two years ago, do you have nothing to explain to your master?"

Here it comes!

Sure enough, there was no escaping it!

Jiang Yuebai’s smile disappeared, standing properly with a respectful bow to Lii Jiuchuan.

"I’m sorry, Master, what happened at Heavenly Sword Peak was my mistake! I’ll go apologize to Sword Lord Guanghan tomorrow."

"If I hadn’t brought it up, when were you planning to apologize?"

Jiang Yuebai bit her lip, staying silent.

Lii Jiuchuan earnestly said, "You are now a Golden Core Master, the senior sister of Heavenly Cry Peak, a model in the sect, many disciples look up to you. If you do not conduct yourself uprightly, how can they follow the right path?"

"You know best the reason and wrongness in your heart, Cang Huo may be unrestrained, but for you to be so reckless too, those who can reach high achievements in Sword Dao are pure-hearted and naturally stubborn, as their practice focuses solely on ’one sword breaking ten thousand methods’, so their conduct is simple and straightforward."

"They don’t lose to your crooked ways, they lose to their persistence for Sword Dao! I have already explained to Fang Yuxing, two years later, when your cultivation has stabilized, have a fair duel to settle this grudge. If you act like this again, don’t blame me for punishing you!"

Jiang Yuebai lowered her head, feeling a bit ashamed, with no objections.

"But if I make Fang Yuxing cry, won’t Sword Lord Guanghan feel displeased?"

Lii Jiuchuan seriously responded, "No, for a Sword Cultivator, the happiest thing is not being invincible, but meeting a worthy opponent. He would only be happy for Fang Yuxing!"

"Alright, then it’s a deal to duel in two years, and also..."

Jiang Yuebai lifted her head, full of curiosity.

"What’s the grudge between True Monarch Cang Huo and Sword Lord Guanghan that hasn’t been resolved for so many years? True Monarch Cang Huo always seems mischievous, today he even sent someone to call me to Heavenly Hero Peak, I didn’t go."

Lii Jiuchuan picked up the teapot, nodding towards the chair to signal Jiang Yuebai to sit down.

Jiang Yuebai quickly took the teapot from Lii Jiuchuan’s hands, pouring and handing him the hot tea before sitting down properly.

Lii Jiuchuan took a sip of tea and said, "This you must keep to yourself, do not show it in front of True Monarch Cang Huo."

Jiang Yuebai nodded eagerly, "Rest assured, my mouth is the most discreet."

"Cang Huo and Ling Guanghan joined the sect together; they were best friends for many years, one practiced sword, the other forged them, through life and death adversity, Ling Guanghan was a flamboyant and spirited youth, somewhat like Xie Jingshan. During their Core Formation Stage, Cang Huo admired Master Miaoyin within the sect and wanted to impress her, but..."

"Ling Guanghan was first on the Golden Core Stage battle rankings, Cang Huo wanted Ling Guanghan to lose to him in front of Miaoyin to showcase his prowess, but once sword practitioners start fighting, they often get caught up in the duel, eventually Ling Guanghan unintentionally won against Cang Huo, and Miaoyin silently admired Ling Guanghan."

Jiang Yuebai’s eyes brightened, "So that’s how it was, and after that? Did they really become enemies over Master Miaoyin? Where is Master Miaoyin now? Why haven’t I heard her name in the sect?"

Lii Jiuchuan sighed, "It was during that Netherworld Sea Ghost Tide, in that year far too many from the Earth Spiritual Realm died. I don’t know the specifics, but I know the three of them later got along well, frequently appearing together, without any disputes over affection. But that mission to the depths of the Netherworld Sea, only the severely injured Ling Guanghan returned with a dying Cang Huo."

"Since then, Ling Guanghan became reserved and low-key, seldom speaking, resolving disputes with one definitive blow, no longer ambitious for fame; in reality, if he unleashed his full power, he might have taken down Fuyi and become the top Nascent Soul in Heavenly Interence Sect."

Jiang Yuebai pondered, "I see, maybe True Monarch Cang Huo is provoking Sword Lord Guanghan to encourage him?"

Lii Jiuchuan nodded in agreement, "It’s obvious to everyone that there’s no deep-seated grudge between them, more like bickering, so let them handle their issues themselves without involving yourself."

Jiang Yuebai nodded, realizing that True Monarch Cang Huo and Sword Lord Guanghan were like "lovers’ quarrels," and if she got involved and turned it into a real grudge, the knot would truly never be untangled.

"Master, I really know my mistake this time, I won’t involve myself in anyone else’s affairs again. I’ll go apologize at Heavenly Sword Peak tomorrow, and from now on I’ll conduct myself with integrity."

Lii Jiuchuan smiled with relief, "Integrity is for your own people, it’s fine to use some tactics against adversaries, as long as you know the difference."

Jiang Yuebai continued nodding, her gaze landing on the stack of papers beside Lii Jiuchuan’s hand, she reached out to pull at a corner.

"Master, can I look at these now?"

Lii Jiuchuan chuckled, shaking his head, lifting his elbow off the stack, letting Jiang Yuebai take away all the calculations.