Cotton Candy Get!

Jian Dan withdrew her hand from her storage pouch and turned to the male cultivator standing three steps away, nodding in acknowledgment.

"Senior Aunt, if you need assistance retrieving books or jade slips, you may rent a tool from Tun Tian. It's located at the entrance."

Following his gesture, Jian Dan spotted a jade Tun Tian beast five paces to the right of the door.

To access a temporary flying or transport tool, a cultivator only needed to toss a single low-grade spirit stone into the beast's mouth. Then, the beast would spit out a random item in return.

The resulting tools were different for everyone—some got flying swords, others round fans. Jian Dan even witnessed a poor Qi Refining stage male cultivator receive something that looked suspiciously like a chamber pot.

The man's face immediately twisted into one of silent despair. He threw the odd contraption back into the beast's mouth, offered another spirit stone, and tried again. But fate was cruel—it spat out the exact same night-pot-like object. Left with no choice, he stepped on the vessel and shot off into the distance in humiliation, clearly in a rush to find whatever he had come for.

Jian Dan couldn't help but chuckle to herself. Still, she tossed a bottle of healing pills to the young man who had reminded her earlier.

"Don't waste time. Go heal up properly."

Zhang Xuefeng caught the bottle reflexively, startled. He had concealed his wounds well—yet this Foundation Establishment Senior Aunt had seen through him instantly. "My cultivation is still too weak." Clutching the bottle, he bowed deeply to her retreating figure before swiftly exiting.

Jian Dan fished out a mid-grade spirit stone, sensing the Tun Tian beast had some intelligence. "No point being stingy."

The stone vanished into its mouth, and the beast glowed faintly, its jaws widening further.

Jian Dan reached in.

What she pulled out was a puff of white fluff, light as a feather.

"…Cotton candy?"

She muttered under her breath, half in disbelief, and pinched the fluffy ball. It was soft and springy, almost tempting to bite into. When she let go, it floated gently to the ground by her feet. Raising an eyebrow, Jian Dan leaped lightly onto the white bundle and soared forward, beginning her search for the jade slips she needed.

A full day later, Jian Dan gathered her materials and returned to the Tun Tian beast. She placed the white puff back into its mouth—or so she thought.

She didn't notice it, but as soon as she turned, the little white puff emerged again from the beast's maw. It drifted after her silently, shrinking as it floated up, until it settled lightly atop her hair, nestling into her bun like a cluster of snow-white down.

Once her copies were complete, Jian Dan decided to end her trip for the day and return home. But before she could leave the building, a Nascent Soul stage appeared and blocked her path.

Jian Dan halted and bowed calmly.

"Greetings, Zhēnjūn."

"Which division do you belong to? Why have you stolen a treasure from the Scripture Pavilion?"

Jian Dan blinked in confusion. She had no idea what Zhēnjūn was talking about. Still, she respectfully replied, "This disciple is from the outer sect of Sword Summit, Jian Yue Peak. I merely made copies of jade slips. I did not take any treasures."

As she spoke, she removed her storage pouch and offered it up for inspection.

Tian Zhen Zhēnjūn studied her expression, finding no sign of deceit. He formed a hand seal, and his spiritual energy reached above Jian Dan's head.

She tensed, preparing for the worst—only to feel a gentle tug at her hair. Then, the white puff she had returned to the beast earlier floated down into Zhēnjūn's palm.

"…Cotton candy?" she murmured. "But I already put it back… When did it cling to my hair?"

But it was not Jian Dan who was most shocked. It was Tian Zhen Zhēnjūn.

"Young one, what did you just call it?"

"I… I don't know when it stuck to me," Jian Dan said hesitantly.

"No, before that."

"I returned it to the Tun Tian beast."

"Before that!"

She furrowed her brows slightly, unsure. "Cotton candy…?"

Zhēnjūn's gaze sharpened. "How do you know its name?"

This time, Jian Dan was the one caught off guard.

"I didn't. It just looked like cotton candy, so I said it. That's really its name?"

Tian Zhen Zhēnjūn opened his hand. As if understanding its own name had been spoken, the little spirit beast—Cotton Candy—floated up again, lazily drifting back to nest on Jian Dan's hair bun like a blossom of fluff.

Jian Dan flushed in embarrassment.

She hadn't meant to steal someone's treasure… How did this thing get so attached to her?

She reached up to gently remove it. She couldn't let others think she had taken it on purpose. But Zhēnjūn had already recovered his composure. His expression became deep and unreadable.

"Since you've spoken its true name, it has acknowledged you as its master. Treasure it well."

"So generous…" Jian Dan thought silently. Out loud, she said with the utmost sincerity, "Many thanks, Zhēnjūn, for bestowing this treasure. I shall not let it be mistreated."

When she looked up again, Zhēnjūn had already vanished.

Jian Dan let out a sigh of relief, then reached up to touch Cotton Candy, confirming it was still comfortably seated on her head. Satisfied, she strode quickly toward the gate of the Book Repository.

For the next few days, Jian Dan decided to enter a short seclusion. She wanted to take stock of her current resources and prepare thoroughly before venturing out again to complete her sect missions. Before that, she also planned to visit the Sword Mound and select a proper blade.

As she quietly plotted her next steps, the path ahead darkened—someone had blocked her way.

"Are you Shan Yunzu, Junior Sister?"

"I am," Jian Dan replied politely. "And you are?"

"I am Feng Nianyue, disciple of Tianjian Peak."

==

Every character has a role—some larger, some smaller.

"Cotton Candy" was born from author childhood obsession with fluffy clouds and Journey to the West's Sun Wukong's somersault cloud. It'll serve as Jian Dan's upgradable flight treasure!