Chapter 51: Chapter 51

The surface of the lake reflected the blue sky, white clouds, green trees, and pink peach blossoms, along with the figure of Fang Quan.

A gentle breeze swept by, causing the lake to ripple slightly. When it calmed again, two additional figures—one in black and the other in pink—appeared in the reflection.

Jian Huan studied Fang Quan with curiosity, while Fang Quan did the same.

Fang Quan was more handsome than the self-portrait he had hung on the first floor of the treasure hall—a bearded, striking man.

Jian Huan bowed and got straight to the point: "Junior Jian Huan, I’ve heard that Master Fang Quan is in seclusion here and have come specifically to seek your guidance!"

On her way here, Shen Jizhi had told her that when he asked to become Fang Quan’s disciple, Fang Quan had him demonstrate a sword technique. Only after being impressed did he accept Shen Jizhi as his student.

Although she had secured the entry ticket to this inherited memory, whether she could actually inherit it still depended on Fang Quan’s will.

If Fang Quan refused, he could simply eject her.

Jian Huan thought that since she didn’t know how to wield a sword, she could instead demonstrate her talisman-drawing skills. If that didn’t work, she could show him the bamboo staff techniques she had learned from Elder Yu Qing.

But things took an entirely unexpected turn.

Fang Quan glanced at his eldest disciple, who stood quietly nearby, and then turned his gaze to the young girl. "Jian Huan, right? Do you talk a lot?"

Jian Huan was taken aback but instinctively nodded. "I… suppose I do?"

Fang Quan stroked his beard and smiled. "Good, good. In that case, from today onward, you’ll be my youngest disciple."

Jian Huan: "?" Wasn’t this a bit too hasty?

Fang Quan examined his new disciple carefully.

He had grown tired of finishing a sentence only to receive a mere "mm" in response. This new disciple, with her bright eyes and white teeth, seemed lively and cheerful.

After all, teaching one disciple or two made little difference.

And with one specializing in swordsmanship and the other in talismans, it was a perfect match.

Fang Quan grew more satisfied the longer he looked at her. "It’s fate, really. You and I share the same dual spiritual roots of metal and wood…"

Fang Quan suddenly paused, his eyes narrowing. Before Jian Huan or Shen Jizhi could react, he was already standing in front of Jian Huan.

Caught off guard, Jian Huan instinctively stepped back.

Shen Jizhi took half a step forward, shielding her slightly, and frowned. "Master?"

"Your wood spiritual root… it’s quite unique," Fang Quan murmured, genuinely surprised. His eyes remained fixed on Jian Huan, completely ignoring his eldest disciple in front of him. Without warning, he struck out with a palm.

Shen Jizhi intercepted the strike, but the force of the blow sent him skidding backward, his feet creating ripples on the lake’s surface. The once calm reflection was now violently disturbed, churning the tranquil waters.

Jian Huan glanced at Shen Jizhi but didn’t pay him much attention. Instead, she leaned closer to Fang Quan, curiosity piqued. "Master, what do you mean by that…?"

Her wood spiritual root was unique? She had met Elder Yu Qing and even paid her respects to the sect leader, but neither had mentioned anything special about her spiritual roots.

Having found a disciple who met all his expectations, Fang Quan’s eyes sparkled with joy. "Still calling me 'Master'?"

Without missing a beat, Jian Huan changed her address and immediately knelt. "Disciple pays respects to—"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Fang Quan raised his hand, releasing a surge of golden and green spiritual energy to stop her. "No need for formalities. We’re master and disciple now; let’s skip the rituals."

"Alright," Jian Huan stood up straight. "Master, what’s so special about my wood spiritual root?"

Shen Jizhi returned, his robes damp from the lake. With a wave of his five-colored spiritual energy, his clothes dried instantly, and he quietly resumed his place beside Jian Huan.

"Have you ever tried growing spiritual herbs?" Fang Quan asked.

Jian Huan shook her head.

"Why not?" Fang Quan was surprised. "You know you have a wood spiritual root. Didn’t you ever think to try cultivating some herbs?"

Jian Huan had indeed never considered it.

Back in the modern world, she had even managed to kill a cactus. Since transmigrating into this world, she had never entertained the idea of growing anything, immediately choosing to become a talisman practitioner instead.

After all, drawing was her profession, something she was both familiar with and passionate about.

Jian Huan shook her head again.

"That’s actually a good thing," Fang Quan said. "If you had tried, you’d have discovered that your wood spiritual energy can’t make spiritual herbs sprout."

Jian Huan: "…" Was it because she had brought her "plant-killing" ability from the modern world?

Hearing this, Shen Jizhi glanced at her meaningfully.

Noticing his look, Jian Huan’s lips twitched. "…The purple jade grass not sprouting has nothing to do with me. I didn’t use spiritual energy to speed it up!"

Her daily routine of drawing talismans, studying formations, and learning techniques was already exhausting enough. She had no energy left to delve into the art of growing spiritual herbs.

Shen Jizhi averted his gaze. "I didn’t say it was your fault."

Jian Huan snorted. "Then why were you looking at me like that?" That glance of his clearly implied it.

"I was just looking at you," Shen Jizhi replied nonchalantly. "No hidden meaning. Don’t overthink it."

Jian Huan laughed in exasperation. "Then dare you swear on it?"

Shen Jizhi raised an eyebrow. "Swear what?"

Jian Huan pointed to the sky. "If you just lied, may you never be able to repay your debts in this lifetime."

Shen Jizhi: "…"

He fell silent.

Fang Quan stroked his beard, thoroughly entertained by the banter between his two disciples. Finally, he turned to Shen Jizhi. "Eldest disciple, that’s not right. As a cultivator, how can you lie?"

Shen Jizhi: "…"

Jian Huan smirked, feeling an instant bond with her new master. "Master, why is my wood spiritual root like this?"

Fang Quan led his two disciples out of the peach grove as he explained. "Yours is a mutated wood spiritual root."

"Oh?" Jian Huan’s eyes lit up. "Mutated spiritual roots are usually powerful. Does that mean I’m exceptionally strong?"

"Not quite," Fang Quan shook his head. "Your mutated wood spiritual root would be considered a waste by others. It’s essentially useless."

Jian Huan’s face fell. "Oh."

"But you’ve met me," Fang Quan stroked his beard, adopting the demeanor of a sage. "I have some expertise in both swordsmanship and talismans. While your wood spiritual root is useless for healing, it’s perfect for talismans. Your mutated wood spiritual root may not help you grow herbs, but it allows you to sense the mountains and trees, borrowing their power to inscribe talismans with your sword."

At this, Fang Quan stopped and looked at the two of them. "The path I’ve cultivated all my life is the way of the talisman sword. One of you knows talismans but not swords, the other knows swords but not talismans. Perfect, perfect. From now on, Shen Jizhi, you’ll teach Jian Huan swordsmanship, and Jian Huan, you’ll teach Shen Jizhi talismans."

Fang Quan’s residence was exactly as Jian Huan had seen it behind the wall.

The small courtyard was opposite the peach grove, hidden within a vast bamboo forest.

At night, the soft chirping of birds, the rustling of the wind, and the swaying of leaves blended into the mountain’s dreamlike whispers.

In the book-filled room, Jian Huan had already lain down to sleep when she suddenly remembered something. She sprang out of bed, opened the window, and slipped out, quickly passing Fang Quan’s room to reach Shen Jizhi’s. She lightly tapped on the paper window and whispered, "Shen Jizhi, are you asleep?"

Shen Jizhi, who had been meditating on the bed, opened his eyes. "What is it?"

Jian Huan pushed the window open and jumped inside. "I just remembered—I don’t have a sword."

Shen Jizhi: "Then ask Master?"

Jian Huan blinked. She had originally planned to ask Shen Jizhi to make one for her, as his Mustard Seed Pouch contained plenty of crafting materials.

Having just become a disciple today, it hadn’t occurred to her that she now had a master to rely on. Asking Shen Jizhi would cost her money, but asking her master wouldn’t!

Jian Huan immediately nodded. "Right, I’ll go ask him."

Shen Jizhi glanced outside. The night was deep, and it was already late.

Suddenly, he said, "I’ll go with you."

Shen Jizhi got up and stepped down from the bed.

Jian Huan looked at him, puzzled. "?"

"I’ll ask Master what he’d like for breakfast tomorrow," Shen Jizhi said casually. "I forgot to ask earlier."

Since his arrival, Shen Jizhi had been responsible for cooking. Fang Quan had cultivated many spiritual vegetables in this secluded paradise.

Jian Huan nodded and waited for Shen Jizhi. The two of them walked out together.

Jian Huan leaned closer to him. "Hey, Shen Jizhi, do you think the spiritual food we eat in this illusion has any effect?"

Technically, everything in the illusion was fake.

But since she and Shen Jizhi had entered with their physical bodies, would eating fake spiritual food have any real effect?

The answer would determine whether she simply ate to fill her stomach or gorged herself in the days to come.

Shen Jizhi creaked open the door, and the moonlight outside instantly enveloped the two of them. He said, "Not necessarily."

The moonlight shimmered in the courtyard. Jian Huan tilted her head and asked, "What do you mean?"

Shen Jizhi pondered for a moment before replying, "Some of the legacies left by our predecessors include spiritual objects within the illusionary realms. If they placed real spiritual objects, then one can benefit from them. However, some legacies do not include them, and the spiritual objects are merely illusions, which would be of no use."

Since the illusionary realm can provide a realistic experience, whether it is beneficial or not can only be determined after leaving it.

Jian Huan frowned in thought. "Then, did our master place real or fake ones? Should we ask him later?"

Shen Jizhi shook his head. "The master we know now is not the same as the one who constructed this legacy illusionary realm in the future. How would he know if it's real or fake? To him, everything is real at this moment."

Jian Huan touched her stomach and murmured softly, "Then I’d better eat more, just in case it’s real."

Shen Jizhi nodded lightly in agreement.

During the month when Jian Huan hadn’t arrived, he had eaten to his fill at every meal.

Fang Quan always thought he was a reincarnated starving ghost.

The two of them stopped in front of Fang Quan’s door.

The shadows of the trees dappled the ground, and their own shadows intertwined.

Jian Huan reached out and knocked on the door. "Master, Master, are you asleep?"

Fang Quan, leaning on his bed and engrossed in a novel, replied, "I’m asleep."

Jian Huan: "..."

Jian Huan and Shen Jizhi exchanged a glance. She shook her head, her expression clearly saying, 'Master thinks we’re stupid.' "If you’re asleep, how can you still talk? Please don’t tell me it’s the sleeping version of you speaking."

"..." Fang Quan felt a headache coming on. Talkative disciples were troublesome. At least when his eldest disciple was around, he never had anyone bothering him at night. It was quiet and peaceful. "What is it?"

"I’ve agreed with my senior brother to practice swordplay with him early tomorrow morning," Jian Huan replied. "But I don’t have a sword."

Fang Quan flipped a few pages of his book. "I only have one sword, the Flower-Picking Sword."

Jian Huan blinked. "Then you—"

Fang Quan interrupted, "My sword will only be lent to one person."

Jian Huan: "..."

"Don’t you have a bamboo stick? Can’t that be used as a sword?" Fang Quan asked. The little disciple’s bamboo stick looked quite decent.

Jian Huan replied, "That’s not my bamboo, and it’s not sharp enough. It’s suitable for drawing formations but not for fighting. I really want a sword."

Fang Quan’s mind was still on the novel. "Your master is useless; all I have are books. But isn’t your senior brother skilled in crafting tools? Ask him to make one for you."

Jian Huan glanced at Shen Jizhi, her eyes twinkling with mischief. She spoke softly, sounding quite pitiful. "But senior brother charges me for crafting tools."

Fang Quan looked up. "That’s not right. Shen Jizhi, are you charging your junior sister?"

Shen Jizhi: "..."

Fang Quan’s tone was stern. "Eldest disciple?"

Shen Jizhi closed his eyes for a moment, looking at Jian Huan, who was grinning from ear to ear. He gave in. "I won’t charge her."

Fang Quan nodded. "That’s more like it. Fellow disciples should help and support each other. Alright, I’m going to sleep now. Don’t disturb me again."

Shen Jizhi was about to leave when Jian Huan quickly tugged at his sleeve, whispering a reminder, "Didn’t you have something else to say?"

"Oh, right." Shen Jizhi turned back and looked at the closed door. He asked calmly, "Master, what’s for breakfast tomorrow?"

The novel had just reached an exciting part, and Fang Quan, now thoroughly annoyed, snapped, "Whatever! Both of you, get out!"

When he had taken Shen Jizhi as his disciple a month ago, he had already said it didn’t matter. Why was he suddenly asking now? What was the point of asking? Couldn’t they let him read in peace at night?

Jian Huan: "..."

Shen Jizhi: "..."

The two of them immediately left.