Chapter 106: Put on your little vest
As the saying goes, a person who doesn't have a bit of teenage eccentricity is a wasted youth.
Although looking back later on might be a bit embarrassing, who didn't have a period of youthful arrogance, feeling like they were unique in the world and capable of saving the world.
How cool.
Qiao Wan 's eyes sparkled.
She was a girl who had traveled through time, even though becoming a supporting character was a bit sad and frustrating. But who cares if you're not the protagonist of your own life?
The warmth of the old sword seeped through the fabric and reached her chest, as if reminding her of the passion and fiery spirit in her heart.
Even though it had only been a few hours since she woke up, the brief glimpse of the Hanqing Scroll had already made her fall in love with this academy and its idea of standing up against injustice.
Small grievances in her heart could be eased with a drink, but the world's greater injustices could only be resolved with a sword.
The middle-aged cultivator couldn't help but smile as he observed Qiao Wan's reactions.
He knew that this "young lady" in front of him couldn't resist the temptation brought by the sword and the academy.
Despite her excitement, Qiao Wan struggled to calm her boiling heart as she reluctantly set down the "Wen Si Xing Zhu Sword" in her arms. After a brief moment of clarity, she finally asked the question that had been lingering in her mind since earlier.
"May I speak frankly? Why did you ask me to become the head of Buping College?" asked Qiao Wan.
"What for?" calmly replied Li Pan. "To revitalize Buping College."
"In more detail, please," the man lifted his gaze and looked directly at Qiao Wan.
Qiao Wan suddenly had an ominous feeling in her heart.
The man looked deeply at Qiao Wan and a sly smile formed on his lips, causing his mustache to twitch.
"To conquer Kunshan."
Instantly, the whole room fell silent.
Qiao Wan stammered, "Sen...senior, did I hear correctly?"
Did she just hear about some incredible mission?
The middle-aged cultivator seemed displeased. "What's with that expression on your face?"
Qiao Wan thought to herself, "More than just shocked, I'm completely flabbergasted."
Several people in the room had reached the Qi-gathering stage, some had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, and there was even one at the Nascent Soul stage. Who gave them the audacity to conquer Kunshan?
Liang Jing? Is it really her?!
Kunshan is now the leader of the righteous path. Every sect and faction wants to overthrow Kunshan and take its place. Li Pan raised an eyebrow and said, "What's your decision? Will you do it or not?"
Qiao Wan froze for a second and asked, "Is it too late for me to change my mind?"
Li Pan calmly replied, "You signed the blood pact yourself."
In other words, we didn't force you. Although it's a bit shameful to sign the blood pact when someone is severely injured and barely conscious, Li Pan, a practical middle-aged cultivator, sat comfortably and waited for Qiao Wan's answer without any change in his expression.
She wouldn't refuse.
Qiao Wan lowered her head and glanced at the Wen Si Xing Zhu Sword in her arms.
"Alright," Qiao Wan took a deep breath, "I'll do it."
Heading to Kunshan, while the goal was a bit ambitious and troublesome, it was still better than going and attacking someone with a sword. Plus, achieving such a big goal would take time, but there would be more possibilities.
Isn't it just about heading to Kunshan and succeeding?
Thinking of the old man Zhou Yan from her memories, with his white hair and cold expression.
Qiao Wan gritted her teeth, filled with determination.
"I will do it!"
As the new master, Li Pan used a Sound Passing Talisman to gather all the scholars in the academy.
The scholars, dressed in white robes, stood neatly in front of Qiao Wan, looking as fresh as the newly harvested vegetables.
But when they saw Qiao Wan, they all had doubts about their lives.
"This is our academy's new master?"
Is this the face that will lead us?
"It's already great to have a master willing to come here. What are you expecting? Some powerful swordsmen or a Demon Emperor to come to us?"
"Wow, that's too skinny." One of the scholars rubbed his chin. "I'll go kill a chicken and feed the head of the mountain. After all, it's the reputation of our college."
In short, some are happy and some are not. But there's always some injustice... to the head of the mountain.
The girl in the green dress blinked her eyes and exclaimed, "Hey! Our college finally has a head!"
Since he became the head of Buping College, he must have a general understanding of the college as a whole.
"Don't worry, Head, I'll take care of these things!"
The girl in the green dress firmly patted her chest and ran out of the room. When she came back, she was holding a stack of yellowed books.
Slam! She placed the stack of books in front of Qiao Wan.
"These are the college's account books and rosters."
"Dreaming of conquering Kunshan" is a lofty ideal, but reality is harsh.
Qiao Wan opened the account books and rosters and felt a sudden jolt in her heart.
Almost no spirit stones left.
College disciples: 11.
Cultivator in Qi Refining Stage: 10
Cultivator in Foundation Building Stage: 1
Golden Core Stage: 0
Elder in Nascent Soul Stage: 1
She definitely heard words like "sucker" just now!
Qiao Wan's mouth twitched. Can she still kidnap Gan Nan in time?
Some poor cultivators had a clever idea and decided to embark on the path of illegal activities.
If comparing defeating Kunshan to a long journey, looking at the meager amount of spirit stones in this account book, and these pitiful ten disciples, it is a painful problem to start the journey.
"Law Meeting." Li Pan spoke in a deep voice, giving Qiao Wan a clear direction and a first small goal.
The first small goal is to make a name for themselves at the Three Teachings Law Meeting.
Lvyao said, "If we want to revitalize the academy, we must first let the cultivation world know that we exist."
Qiao Wan asked, "How many disciples from the academy are participating in this Three Teachings Law Meeting?"
One of the disciples named Zheng Wenliang hurriedly answered, "It's you, Sect Leader!"
Qiao Wan was stunned. "Me?"
"Yes," Zheng Wenliang gave a solemn expression of sorrow, "You are the only one, Mountain Master."
Li Pan added calmly, "With only three days left until the Three Teachings Law Meeting, the urgent task is to resolve your demonic energy."
"Come with me," Li Pan stood up.
"I will take you to see the library of Buping College."
The so-called library of the college was actually two very plain and cold huts.
Although Buping College was a bit dilapidated and could only survive in a humble space, it was still a sect with a few hundred years of history that placed great importance on disciples' education. They had specially set aside two huts to serve as the library.
The collection of books in these two huts was indeed abundant.
Li Pan introduced each room to her.
"In the first room, you are free to come and take a look whenever you have spare time."
"As for this second room," Li Pan said, "You can only enter and read once you have reached the Foundation Establishment stage."
This is a bit like a fairy tale, where you shouldn't go and explore that particular room, but Qiao Wan isn't as curious as the main characters in stories.
In the realm of cultivation, the first rule of survival is that curiosity kills the cat.
Moreover, you can't have it all at once; although the books and scriptures hidden in the other cottages may not be very profound, for Qiao Wan, they are already a pleasant surprise.
Qiao Wan asks, "Senior, is there really a way to help me get rid of the demonic energy?"
Li Pan replies, "Although the academy is small, it has had encounters with the demon realm."
"These." The man walks into the first cottage, stops in his tracks, and looks up at the bookshelf in front of him. "These are the scriptures that were preserved from the past."
This bookshelf is just like the ones in the human world, with neatly arranged books that have clearly been well taken care of.
"Back then, the academy had captured a few demon cultivators and confiscated many demonic realm artifacts and spellbooks."
A middle-aged monk walked up to the bookshelf and took out a worn-out magic book. "This is the one," he said.
Li Pan said, "This is the magic book that teaches you how to suppress dark energy."
Qiao Wan took the book and quickly glanced through it.
It seemed like a "beginner's guide" on how young wizards can control dark energy.
"Suppressing dark energy is about releasing it, rather than blocking it. Dark energy is anger and desires," Li Pan suddenly spoke up. "Desires are not shameful, it depends on how you use them."
"Those who are controlled by their desires are foolish," Li Pan said in a serious tone, "but if you can utilize your desires, it can become a driving force for your progress."
"A sword without a killer instinct is useless if it doesn't know where to go."
"Learning how to harness this 'desire' and make it work for you is the first lesson for all new wizards."
As he spoke.s presence seemed to transform as well.
Qiao Wan looked up and stood frozen in place.
A man dressed in blue clothes, with sharp features like a knife. Behind him were two swords, one black and one white, clearly distinguished. Even through the sword sheaths, you could sense their sharpness.
Cold, merciless, practical.
This is the way of the Law Cultivator.
Qiao Wan firmly held the pages of the book and decided to sit cross-legged in this thatched hut.
Seeing her determination, Li Pan nodded slightly, a hint of relief in his eyes. He turned and left the hut, giving Qiao Wan some space to contemplate.
In the evening, Green Waist and a group of scholars seemed to have realized something. They hurriedly rushed to the hut, and the girl in green clothes untied a communication jade slip from her waist and slammed it on the table.
"Abbot! Look at this!"
The jade slip had bold black words, very eye-catching. The title was "Discussion: Who will win between Lu Cixian and Fang Lingqing?"
Fang Lingqing? The ten-day challenge on Lisheng Peak!
Qiao Wan's heart suddenly tightened as she immediately remembered the duel that she had long abandoned and left tens of thousands of miles away.
The green-eyed girl widened her eyes and said, "If I remember correctly, Mountain Elder, your name is Lu Cixian, right?"
Practicing and sparring is quite common among different sects and schools, but it means something special to choose the busiest day of the Three Teachings Law Meeting for a match. It shows that Fang Lingqing is determined to redeem the "humiliation" he suffered on Lisheng Peak.
At this Three Teachings Law Meeting, not only elite disciples from various sects attended, but also a crowd of onlookers who came to learn. No matter how the cultivation world changes, gossip is always at the forefront.
The onlookers were very enthusiastic about the first battle of the Three Teachings Law Meeting.
"I haven't heard any news about Lu Cixian these past few days. Did Taoist Friend Lu run away at the last moment?"
"Please be careful with your words, Taoist Friend. We can't say for sure where Lu Cixian is, as he might be in seclusion practicing."
"It's already the third to last day, even if I continue practicing, there should be some progress by now, but there's still no progress. I guess this Taoist Friend Lu probably won't come."
If it was the ten-day agreement with Fang Lingqing before, losing would just be losing, but now it's different. Now she carries the title of the mountain leader of Buping College, if the mountain leader loses to disciples from other schools.
Qiao Wan looked up and said, "I..."
In front of her, a group of scholars made a move as if wiping tears and then pretended to slit their throats.
Qiao Wan : ...
Caught off guard by the weight on her shoulders, Qiao Wan lowered her head in shame, only to be attracted by the next headline.
The next headline reads, "The secret of how the elders of various sects judge the disciples at the Law Assembly revealed!"
As soon as she clicked, a Souvenir Image suddenly popped out.
Zheng Wenliang said, "Ah, this is Hall Master Ma from Kunshan Wenshi Hall!"
The man in the Souvenir Image had his left arm cut off halfway and his right foot neatly sliced in half. He was sitting in a wheelchair, with half of his face disfigured. Next to the Souvenir Image, there was a small line of text.
"Everyone knows how fierce Hall Master Ma from Kunshan is! This is the first-hand Souvenir Image I risked my life to capture! I almost didn't make it back! QAQ" Shamelessly, they then started asking for tips.
"I kindly ask all my taoist friends for some spirit stones as a reward, to console my injured soul."
In the Souvenir Image.was huddled in the wheelchair, frozen in that moment when he raised his eyes. The picture was blurry, and his eyes were gloomy and filled with a chilling aura.
There was a sense of...killing intent!
Sure enough, the onlookers in the jade slip were all amazed.
"This taoist friend is really brave!"
"Did Ma Huaizhen also come to the conference?"
"He's here to be the judge. It seems that Kunshan specially sent Ma Huaizhen to show support."
Noticing that Qiao Wan had fallen silent, Lü Yao asked, "Mountain Master, have you heard of Ma Huaizhen?"
Qiao Wan: ... Not only have I heard of it, but I know it very well.
"Oh, I've heard that this Hall Master Ma is a bit fierce, but very protective. He's a good person," Green Waist laughed. "Um... um... that Qiao Wan? The one who defeated Kunshan and the demon realm? After jumping off Taixu Peak, Ma Huaizhen and the members of the secret sect searched for more than ten days, their eyes all reddened. The trial meeting in three days, Hall Master Ma will definitely be there."
Qiao Wan felt a sudden thump in her heart, silently continuing to swipe down.
Suddenly, another Souvenir Image startled her.
This one was a close-up.
In the Souvenir Image, a man sat on a high platform, speaking, with his dark blue hair flowing all the way to his waist.
With just one glance from the man, silence fell upon the audience.
There were also comments below, causing a lot of commotion.
Worried that Qiao Wan wouldn't understand, Green Waist pointed at the jade tablet and helped explain, "I heard that Venerable One Miaofa will also be there this time."
"Venerable One Miaofa has been in seclusion for many years. Normally, he wouldn't show up this time, but I don't know why he suddenly changed his mind and decided to come out of seclusion."
"However, this debate was originally held at Jiuyue Mountain, so it wouldn't be right if Venerable One Miaofa didn't show up."
Curiously, Zheng Wenliang asked, "Hey, Elder, don't you know the Great Hall of Light? Have you ever seen this Venerable One Miaofa?"
Suddenly, a sharp shout, meant to awaken the mind, echoed in their ears.
"You evildoer! Stop right there, there's still time!"
Qiao Wan quickly and decisively slid down!
She didn't see anything!
Moving forward.
It was the younger generation.
"Lone Sword" Xie Xingzhi, "Canglang Sword" Meng Canglang, "Shining Sea" Bai Shanhu.
These were the popular candidates expected to excel in the debate.
This debate was truly a grand event, stirring up a storm.
As she closed the jade scroll, Qiao Wan silently made a decision.
Definitely, you must hold onto your coat tightly!! Otherwise, there's only one way to go, and that's a dead end!!
The problem is, there are only three days left.
During these ten days, Fang Lingqing must have been working really hard to train.
What can we do in three days?
To restore the glory of Buping College, regardless of whether or not we have enough time, let's begin training now, young girl!
For this reason, Zheng Wenliang specially slaughtered a chicken with tears in his eyes, and cooked a bowl of soup for Qiao Wan in order to offer comfort.
Before leaving, the young man turned back and peeked at the chicken soup with reluctance.
Qiao Wan :...
Zheng Wenliang :...
The young man awkwardly coughed and made a encouraging gesture: "Go for it, conquer the mountain! Fight them!"
Qiao Wan lowered her head and looked at the chicken soup. Just as she picked up the spoon, she caught a tender gaze from Zheng Wenliang . Holding the spoon, she couldn't bring herself to eat for a long time, but in the end, they all shared it together.
The kindness of this broth quickly helped Qiao Wan find her place within Buping College, officially establishing her position as a leader.
After drinking this bowl of broth, everyone became like a family, sharing blessings and facing difficulties together!
The joy of the destitute is just that simple.
Qiao Wan wiped her mouth, washed her hands, and sat cross-legged, glancing at the Wen Si Xing Zhu Sword placed by her side.
She felt dissatisfaction and anger in her heart.
Conquering Kunshan was too far away.
Qiao Wan touched the bodhi hairpin hidden in her sleeve, deep in thought.
During this Three Teachings Law Meeting, she planned to overthrow Sun Tao College, then capture Lu Dechang, and bring back Cen Qingyou!
However, the prerequisite was to protect her own identity.
