A Deceptive Softness Hiding Danger

Chapter 38: A Deceptive Softness Hiding Danger

[I just remembered we haven't introduced each other. How long will we keep addressing each other as 'you'?]

I suggested this while glancing sideways at the girl I had been addressing as "unknown" in my mind. My hands wavered slightly as I took a step forward, but I still managed to convey my message.

"...My name is Xue Lingxi. And yours?"

[Xu Mo. A simple name, right? But yours is quite a surprise.]

"Why?" she asked in a low, soft voice after taking a breath.

[I don't know. Your name feels a little too... delicate. I don't think it suits your personality.]

"My parents gave me this name."

[I know. Parents name their children. Even I was named by my parents. Unfortunately, I wasn't lucky enough to receive their love.]

"Are you an orphan?"

I gave her a blank look, as if to say, Wasn't that obvious from what I just said? I reread what I had written and confirmed that the message was clear. Was I not being direct enough? She seemed to ponder something for a moment before shaking her head.

I stopped when I saw the sign: Qi Breathing Techniques. Xue Lingxi continued walking, lost in thought, muttering some unintelligible words. I waved from behind but couldn't speak. Instead, I knocked on the wooden shelf with my knuckles.

Thud! Thud!

The sound echoed throughout the hall due to the complete silence. Thankfully, two knocks were enough to catch Xue Lingxi's attention. As she hurried back, I began browsing through the section. There wasn't just one Qi breathing technique here, but Xu Mo, during the trial, had already practiced the sect's secret technique to a high level of mastery. With all his memories intact, it would be a waste not to utilize it.

Long Chen had cultivated an unknown grade of Qi breathing technique, one that even left the sect master envious. "I," during the trial, had been deeply jealous of Long Chen, who seemed to bask in all the attention. From the trial, I had learned that some people are lucky, while others remain unlucky—perhaps because the heavens deemed it better for them to stay that way. I hadn't lived long enough to meet many such people.

Sigh.

I would have loved to have friendly discussions with them, but Long Chen and I had gone too far in the trial. We could no longer be called rivals; instead, we had become bitter enemies, thirsty for each other's blood. And for what? A woman. A woman who didn't even like either of us. It had always been about who she felt more comfortable with. "I," during the trial, had thought that in my final moments, I might at least receive a look of sympathy from Jin Meiyu. Instead, all I got was an indifferent and cold snort.

Long Chen and Jin Meiyu must have lived happily ever after, right?

"Xu Mo... Xu Mo!" Xue Lingxi shook my sleeve briskly, snapping me out of my reverie. I had become lost in memories of something that was purely an illusion. I shook my head at my still-immature mind and began browsing through the titles of the techniques and scrolls, some of which were covered in dust and cobwebs.

Hmm... Nice smell, I thought.

I glanced at Xue Lingxi, who was standing on her tiptoes behind me, trying to see what I was pointing at. Was she not going to choose anything? It didn't seem like she was here to pick a technique. I walked back and forth around the Qi breathing techniques section, and Xue Lingxi simply followed me.

45 minutes later...

As a cultivator, I wasn't tired, but I still shot an apologetic look at Xue Lingxi, who had been trailing behind me the entire time. I would have to ask Elder Long to let me borrow the sect's secret technique. I moved to another section. The breathing techniques area was mostly deserted because even the least talented new disciples had broken through and chosen their techniques months ago. However, a few souls still wandered here, seeking inspiration after hitting a wall in their comprehension.

I took out my pen and notebook and, leaning against the bookshelf for support—careful not to put my full weight on it—wrote: [I'll be looking for some combat techniques. You can explore other sections if you're getting bored.]

"No, I'm just passing the time. I wanted to take a break from cultivation. Don't mind me."

I nodded at her, but inside, I was suspicious. Why is she following me around? I walked back a few shelves since the martial techniques were located before the breathing techniques section. As I continued, I heard Xue Lingxi's footsteps behind me, but after a while, they faded. I turned back and saw her heading toward the Daoist Techniques section. I was curious, but my goal today was to borrow a few martial techniques from my memories.

But this elder, the new caretaker of this place... My bad luck.

I thought I had changed my luck after avoiding Jin Meiyu and Long Chen, who was now in the inner sect. But it seemed my luck was still faster than me. Even before I was out of prison, my bad luck had already started filling the gaps in my absence, seizing every opportunity to crush my hopes like glass.

Mutter, mutter.

There was a loud commotion around the martial techniques section.

"Leave this technique. Choose another one."

"Oh my god, I've got my hands on this legendary technique!"

"Shoot. I'll give you ten low-grade spiritual stones in exchange for that book."

"Deal."

I looked at the martial techniques section as if I were shopping in a market. How am I even supposed to navigate through this?

"Shut up!!" The young elder's voice roared like a tiger's, echoing through the hall. The pavilion even shook for a moment. "Techniques are chosen on a first-come, first-served basis. These illegal exchanges might have worked before, but now that I'm in charge, don't you dare try it."

The pavilion fell into pin-drop silence.