Chapter 26: The Elder's Retirement

Ji Jiuxuan paid no heed to the swirling rumors. Each day, she rode her Moon-White Rabbit along a fixed route: mornings spent in the Spirit Herb Garden, afternoons at the Academy of Learning, and only at night, when it was time to rest, did she return to the Xuanheng Residence.

These past few days, Nie Xingyuan had been so busy his feet barely touched the ground, yet he hurried over, worried about how his little disciple was faring amidst the recent onslaught of malicious gossip. The more he thought about the source of those rumors, the more he gnashed his teeth in anger.

Upon entering the Spirit Herb Garden, he was greeted by an enticing aroma, one that drew him in despite himself. Arriving at Ji Jiuxuan’s side, he saw her inviting Guo Lianghong to sample her dishes. “Elder, this is delicious. I made these drunken shrimp with spirit wine—they’re truly wonderful.”

She peeled shrimp with nimble fingers, eating with evident delight.

“Very good, very good! Jiuxuan, your new recipe is quite impressive.” Though Guo Lianghong’s face revealed little emotion, his kindly demeanor was unmistakable as he sat across from Ji Jiuxuan, the two of them conversing like old friends despite their age difference.

As Nie Xingyuan entered the garden, Guo Lianghong sensed his presence and smiled. “Child, your Junior Uncle is here.”

Ji Jiuxuan was a little surprised. The day she encountered Yu Heng, she had sent word to Nie Xingyuan, but her messages vanished without a trace. She hadn’t expected him to come in person today.

“If there’s anything you can’t say to others, you can always tell your Junior Uncle. He’s clever and reliable—there’s nothing wrong with confiding in him. Don’t keep everything bottled up inside.” Guo Lianghong affectionately patted her head. “Brooding too much will only hinder your cultivation.”

“I know. Thank you, Elder.” Ji Jiuxuan understood his kindness, and admitted inwardly that her heart had indeed been heavy of late.

She had been avoiding her maternal grandfather and Wen Ying, hoping to see them only once she’d steadied herself. She thought her cheerful façade would fool everyone, but it seemed she’d been seen through nonetheless.

“Elder Guo.” Nie Xingyuan, respectful of Guo Lianghong’s seniority, bowed as he approached.

Guo Lianghong waved his hand dismissively. “Enough, you two talk. I’ll leave you to it.” With that, he vanished from sight.

Nie Xingyuan knelt before Ji Jiuxuan, looking her in the eye with earnest concern. “Jiuxuan, you’ve suffered. It’s my fault for not handling things properly. I’m sorry.”

Meeting his caring gaze, Ji Jiuxuan’s tears—held back for days—finally fell. “Junior Uncle, do you think it’s truly so difficult to find one or two kindred spirits in life?”

She hadn’t cared about the rumors themselves, but once she realized they’d originated with Jiyue, she’d been waiting—waiting for Feng Hanxiao to give her an explanation. But she waited in vain.

Messages went unanswered.

She had even gone to Dustpeak to look for her, but was turned away. The female disciple guarding the peak said Feng Hanxiao was cultivating and was not to be disturbed, and told her she was forbidden from coming again. Regardless of her identity, she was accused of ruining others’ futures, with no shortage of ridicule.

In that moment, Ji Jiuxuan cared.

From the first time she met Feng Hanxiao, she had thought this was someone she could be friends with.

Had she been wrong? In her last life, she had befriended the wrong people, with consequences that could never be erased. Was her judgment just as poor in this life?

Nie Xingyuan gently ruffled her hair, his voice warm and soothing. “It’s possible—actually, it’s not that hard. Everything comes down to fate. Some people are true friends, with real reasons for their actions. Others aren’t worth your trust. Recognizing someone’s true nature is sometimes part of growing up.”

He paused, then asked, “So you know about the rumors?”

By then, Ji Jiuxuan had already stopped crying. She was not one to weep easily, and felt embarrassed for having done so today.

She nodded. “Yes, they started from Dustpeak, didn’t they?”

Since the matter was out in the open, she saw no reason to hide it.

Her frankness surprised Nie Xingyuan. “That’s right, the rumors came from Jiyue, one of Dustpeak’s direct disciples.”

She’d suspected as much, but the truth still surprised her.

“But why would she do this?” she asked, puzzled. They had neither grievances nor enmity, and had only met in person twice. She couldn’t imagine what she had done to provoke such hostility.

“She’s a bit extreme by nature, and feared you’d be a bad influence on her junior sister.”

Ji Jiuxuan was speechless. She’d only invited Feng Hanxiao out twice, yet Jiyue had gone to such lengths simply to keep them apart. It was laughable—and clear that such a person was not worth befriending.

“Don’t worry, she’s already been punished.” Though Ji Jiuxuan’s face had regained its composure, the faint redness around her eyes tugged at the heart.

If Senior Brother were still here, she would never have suffered such injustice. The lesser disciples of the sect wouldn’t have dared to trouble her—Senior Brother would have skinned them alive.

“Even spreading rumors can be punished?” This was something she hadn’t expected.

In this world of cultivation, killing and looting were commonplace—what was spreading rumors in comparison?

“Rumors themselves aren’t punished, but other actions are. Don’t worry, your Junior Uncle never wrongs anyone.”

What Ji Jiuxuan didn’t know was that among his peers in the sect, Nie Xingyuan was known by another name—King Nie of the Underworld.

Anyone who crossed Nie Xingyuan was sure to regret it.

She didn’t know what punishment had befallen Jiyue, but hearing her Junior Uncle’s assurance, she felt at ease.

“By the way, Junior Uncle, do you know that Yu Heng has been released?”

The illusionary technique Yu Heng had used on her still left a lingering unease. Later, she’d investigated and found nothing else amiss, but had somehow broken the spell.

After receiving her message, Nie Xingyuan had guessed as much—Yu Heng must have sought her out.

“Yes, he’s been released. The Elder Ancestor of the Yu family stepped down, surrendered all his power, and promised to come to our aid in times of crisis, all in exchange for Yu Heng’s safety.”

Nie Xingyuan was far from satisfied with this outcome. Yu Heng was vindictive, and his chief concern now was for Ji Jiuxuan’s safety.

“Aren’t Elder Ancestors the foundation of a sect? How can stepping down serve as a bargaining chip?” Ji Jiuxuan was confused.

“They are indeed the foundation, but the power wielded by an Elder Ancestor is immense and far-reaching. This one from the Yu family had reached a bottleneck in cultivation and was near the end of his lifespan. His stepping down allows for fresh blood, which benefits the sect.”

This was a novel explanation—she’d never heard it put that way.

If the Elder Ancestor’s removal was not only acceptable but desirable for the sect, and could even be used to secure Yu Heng’s safety, it spoke volumes about how unwelcome his continued presence had been.

“But why would the Elder Ancestor willingly abdicate for Yu Heng’s sake?” she asked, knowing Yu Heng was not even a direct descendant.

“Yu Heng is the most talented of his generation in the Yu family. For the sake of the family’s future, the Elder Ancestor was willing to step down.” This, to Nie Xingyuan, was a bitter pill to swallow.

With the Elder Ancestor freshly resigned, it would be unwise to move against Yu Heng for now—but in other matters, Nie Xingyuan would show no mercy.

“The most talented?” Yu Heng’s talent wasn’t even considered top-tier in the sect, yet he was now the Yu family’s great hope. Such a troublemaker—would he bring hope or ruin?

“That’s right.” Though Nie Xingyuan was unhappy, he didn’t shirk his duty to warn her. “Inside the sect, he won’t dare act rashly, but in the future, you mustn’t travel without us. I fear he may try something against you.”

Yu Heng would have to be dealt with in time. For now, protecting his little disciple was most important.

“Don’t worry, Junior Uncle, I understand.” He wouldn’t dare act within the sect? Yet he’d already used illusions on her that day.

She wouldn’t let her guard down.