Chapter Nineteen: Expelled from Jade Purity

Dongfang Mo showed no mercy, not allowing me a chance to explain. Just as disaster was imminent, a tremendous force swept me away, depositing me into the arms of a divine lord...

Clutching my wound, I was overwhelmed by pain. That deity worked magic to protect my heart, sending a wave of coolness through me, and the pain vanished.

I gathered myself and looked up. Under the moonlight, I saw a handsome, icy face—cold as frost. Bai Hao! It was Bai Hao!

"Drill over," Bai Hao announced with authority.

What did he mean? Had I misheard?

The corpses on the ground dissolved into mist. Bai Ze waved his hand, releasing the black-clad prisoners. In an instant, they changed their attire, removed their masks, and regained the appearance of Divine Lords from the Jade Purity Realm. Bai Xi, back in his splendid attire, flew over.

"Oh dear! Little Crow is hurt again! Why are you so careless?" Bai Xi scolded Bai Hao.

"Who was it that wielded the Blood Contract Sword and refused to stop? Now you blame others?" Bai Hao retorted coldly, his face as icy as snow.

"Who could have guessed Little Crow would pull that trick!" Bai Xi laughed apologetically, then his expression shifted and he cursed Dongfang Mo, "It's all your fault! You big oaf! Fool! Blockhead!"

Dongfang Mo stared dumbly at Bai Hao, while the other candidates gaped at the scene.

"The outcome is settled. Results will be announced tomorrow," Bai Hao declared, then lifted me up and soared away.

"Is this the apprenticeship test?" I asked Bai Hao.

"It is."

"I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No."

So it was another of Lord Yunxiao's schemes. Bai Xi hadn’t harmed Bai Hao; my worries had been for nothing.

Relieved, I smiled. "Lord Yunxiao is truly infuriating!" I murmured with gentle reproach, withdrew my spiritual focus, and fainted...

I slept until Bai Xi, half pushing, half dragging, roused me.

"Little Crow! Get up! Go to the main hall, line up! The results are about to be announced!" Bai Xi yanked me from my stupor.

"It hurts! What are you doing now?" I pressed my hand to my chest.

"It's just a minor wound! It'll heal in a couple of days! Hurry!" Bai Xi dragged me out of the room.

Suddenly, I realized how serious the injury was. "Bai... you didn’t undress me for treatment, did you?"

"No! Just a superficial wound! A little magic and it’s fine! No one undressed you!" Bai Xi whisked me away.

"But... I haven’t even washed up!" I protested.

With a wave, Bai Xi restored my appearance.

"I haven’t brushed my teeth!"

Bai Xi popped a pill into my mouth.

"Is it poison again?" I jumped in fright.

"Silly! What I gave you before was the Repose Pill that mimics the feeling of poisoning—not actual poison! This is a Floral Fragrance Pill, to freshen your breath! Chew!" Bai Xi spoke at lightning speed, flying even faster.

So that was the Repose Pill—the experience was truly miserable. Bai Xi is so wicked, scaring me with it!

"You’re always playing tricks on me!"

"I do it for your own good!"

We arrived at the main hall. Nine candidates were kneeling in the center, awaiting the results. Divine Lords from the Jade Purity Realm stood to either side. The main seat of Lord Yunxiao remained empty; he had not yet ascended.

"Hurry! Go to the front!" Bai Xi pushed me forward.

I knelt at the very back.

"Come up front!" Bai Xi, seated next to the main throne, beckoned me.

I hurriedly waved him off, glanced about, and didn’t see Bai Hao...

At this moment, disciples on both sides knelt and called, "Disciples welcome Master."

The candidates followed suit, "Disciples pay respects to Divine Lord."

I quickly joined them.

The legendary incarnate of the Morning Star, beloved by all ages, the people's dream idol—Lord Yunxiao, who had turned my misunderstanding into admiration, finally appeared!

A Divine Lord strode in, wearing a purple-gold carefree crown, pale blue robes beneath a deep azure cloud cloak, wide sleeves to the knees, passing from the vestibule to the main throne with upright bearing, every step transcendent and ethereal—such immortal grace...

I rubbed my eyes. Lord Yunxiao was clearer than his reflection in the smoky mirror, but that profile... He...

He sat with dignified composure, his features bright and cold as frost, his aura noble, heroic... Bai! Bai! Bai Hao? My eyes nearly popped.

Lord Yunxiao is Bai Hao? Isn’t he supposed to be Bai Hao’s second uncle? Isn’t Lord Yunxiao eighty thousand years old? How could he look so young? Was I dreaming? I instinctively poked my wound. Pain—so not a dream...

I stared dumbly at the lofty Lord Yunxiao, who remained expressionless, gazing at the disciples, not sparing me a glance.

"Disciples pay respects to Senior Spring Breeze!" The Jade Purity disciples continued, saluting Bai Xi.

Bai Xi opened his folding fan and waved it with flair.

Senior Spring Breeze? Lord Spring Breeze! This lunatic is the famed elder brother of Lord Yunxiao, master of seasons and agriculture, ruler of Hundred Flowers Isle? How could Lord Spring Breeze be so mad? I was shocked anew.

"Rise, I’m just here to join the fun—no need for formality," Lord Spring Breeze said, waving his fan with a flourish.

I stared blankly between him and Bai Hao... The second uncle tale was another of Bai Xi’s fabrications!

"Divine Lord, the results are ready," Bai Ze reported to Lord Yunxiao.

"Read them," Lord Yunxiao commanded.

"Fourteen candidates: two fled and forfeited, two withdrew mid-test. Based on combined literary and martial ranking: tenth, Dongfang Mo; ninth, Bing Wu; eighth, Luo Ming; seventh, Ji Kang; sixth, Guan Yue; fifth, Hua Chong; fourth, Wei Dao; third, Shi Jun; second, Kun Peng; first, Yu Fei. The top two are chosen as disciples!"

First place! Did I hear correctly? First place—Yu Fei! How could that be? I doubted my eyes and ears.

Dongfang Mo stepped forward, "Lord! This is unfair! Yu Fei should not be first!"

"Why is it unfair?" Lord Yunxiao asked.

"He is despicable! On the battlefield, he tried to kill his comrades! If not for your deep power, others would have fallen to him!" Dongfang Mo protested.

Spring Breeze slammed the table, cursing Dongfang Mo, "Big idiot! Little Crow used her spiritual power to control the Blood Contract Sword, creating a false attack on Yunxiao—the sword’s energy was withdrawn into her own heart! Fool!"

Dongfang Mo was stunned, then said, "I wrongly accused him—it was my fault! But I was wounded by you, Lord, lost half my power! I cannot accept this ranking!"

"Nonsense!" Lord Spring Breeze glared.

"Since you were wounded by Lord Spring Breeze, go recover on his Hundred Flowers Isle, then return," Lord Yunxiao said.

"Yunxiao, you..." Lord Spring Breeze seemed taken aback.

"Divine Lord, Dongfang Mo has devoted himself to saving his mother trapped in the Underworld, to rescuing his suffering people and all beings. Now his power cannot be used. Please judge fairly... Please accept me as your disciple." Dongfang Mo repeatedly kowtowed.

Lord Yunxiao raised his hand, signaling Dongfang Mo to be silent. Dongfang Mo fell quiet and bowed.

"Bing Wu, you have medical talent. Will you serve in the Jade Purity clinic at Xu Huai Town?" Lord Yunxiao asked.

"I am willing!" Bing Wu knelt and saluted.

"Luo Ming, Ji Kang, Guan Yue, Hua Chong, Wei Dao—you five, will you go to the Jade Purity branch academies in the Nine Provinces, under the Emperor’s instruction? When you have learned enough, you may seek apprenticeship again," Lord Yunxiao said.

"We are willing!" The five replied in unison.

"Beiming Kun Peng," Lord Yunxiao said.

"Here!" Kun Peng answered.

"From today, you are my nineteenth disciple."

"Disciple greets Master!" Kun Peng performed the three-kneel, nine-bow ritual.

"East Mountain Shi Jun," Lord Yunxiao continued.

"Here!" Shi Jun answered.

"From today, you are my twentieth disciple."

"Disciple greets Master!" Shi Jun performed the three-kneel, nine-bow ritual.

"Yu Fei!" Lord Yunxiao continued.

I stared at him blankly, mind clouded as if lost in fog... The vague Lord Yunxiao in Bai Xi’s mirror was actually Bai Hao...

"He's calling you! Little Crow! Wake up!" Lord Spring Breeze prompted.

"Ah? Here!" I replied, bowing.

"Cheating! Disqualified from apprenticeship!" Lord Yunxiao pronounced each word heavily.

I hadn’t yet recovered, but hearing these words, I was even more stunned.

Spring Breeze’s confidence vanished in instant embarrassment, his face blank. "Yunxiao, please! Keep Little Crow, grant me this favor!"

"Leave the mountain immediately!" Lord Yunxiao’s tone was severe.

"Ah?" I was still processing...

"Little Crow may not be skilled, but her heart is good. Let her stay," Spring Breeze pleaded on my behalf.

"Yu Fei, you secretly studied Jade Purity arts, misused the forbidden Blood Contract Sword for opportunistic gain, disqualified from apprenticeship, leave the mountain at once!" Lord Yunxiao’s expression grew even sterner.

This time I heard clearly. Staring up at the lofty, familiar yet utterly strange Lord Yunxiao, his words echoed in my mind... and mine...

"Jade Purity will not accept you."

"I am not here to apprentice."

Suddenly, it felt as if I had awakened from a dream!

He was not Bai Hao; Bai Hao never existed. He was Lord Yunxiao! I was inexperienced, mistaking him for an unlucky immortal friend, dragging him off the Cliff of Pursuing Immortals. Foolishly, I believed Bai Xi’s nonsense, tricking him into teaching me swordsmanship, recommended me to Penglai, brought me up the mountain as a witness for fun, then colluded with Lord Spring Breeze to cheat in the test, won first place, and sought to apprentice under him.

I bowed deeply. "Please forgive me, Lord."

"Little Crow learned arts only because I scared her with threats to her and Dongfang Mo’s lives! The manuals were forced on her!" Lord Spring Breeze revealed the truth.

"Ding Mao, escort her off the mountain at once." He showed no mercy, ordering a Divine Lord to send me away.

"Yes!" A bright-eyed, shrewd-looking immortal answered.

I rose quietly and followed the immortal from the hall.

Spring Breeze slammed the table, shouting, "Ding Mao! Do you want me to break your rabbit legs?"

Ding Mao shivered, not daring to move.

"I’d like to see who dares escort her down the mountain!" Spring Breeze scolded the disciples.

"I can leave on my own. No need to trouble the Divine Lords," I spoke softly, kneeling to the high Lord Yunxiao.

Looking up, the cold, frosty face was nothing like Bai Hao’s gentle countenance or faint smile—only unfamiliarity and sternness remained.

I finished my bow, rose, and left Jade Void Palace without a backward glance.